New Magazine Freebies

If you're a nail varnish junkie, you might want to hot foot it to your nearest news agent/supermarket to grab the December issues of Cosmo and Glamour.

Both mags have teamed up with nail varnish super brands, Orly and Nails Inc to offer their readers a chance to sample their wares for free. Whats not to like!

I haven't opened them yet, so I have no idea of the names, but I went with a glitter/shimmer red by Orly courtesy of Cosmo. With the Glamour/Nails Inc/Kate Spade collaboration I chose a classic Gold which was full size. Awesome! They're gorgeous and very Christmassy. Looking forward to giving them a spin in a NOTD post soon. 

Have you found these in store yet? What colours did you pick?

QVC Beauty TSV's - November 2013

Sunday 3rd November - Leighton Denny Expert Nails (It's also Beauty Day!)

Wednesday 6th November - bareMinerals

Saturday 9th November - In the Salon with Decleor

Sunday 17th November - Elemis Skin Therapies

Thursday 21st November - Look Good, Feel Good featuring Red Carpet

Sunday 24th November - Mally Beauty

Monday 25th November - Beauty Gifts

Thursday 28th November - Beauty Gifts

Happy Shopping!!

Empties - Autumn Edition

Sweet Lips lip scrub from Lush - while I do really like these lip scrubs from Lush, I feel a bit weird about the idea to 'lick off' the excess. If its doing its job correctly (and I believe that it is), that excess will contain dead skin from your lips and you'll end up eating that too. Ewwwwwwww. Anyway, I've repurchased already and in case you didn't already get the idea - I don't lick off the excess.

Nivea In Shower moisturiser - love and have already repurchased.

Got2B Powderful - another weird one! It works, but I don't understand it and I really hate how it feels on my hands, let alone my hair. I find dry shampoo can achieve the same results for me. Nice for a touch of volume occasionally but I don't think I'll repurchase for a while, if at all.

The Sanctuary toner - I liked this, but not being a massive 'rose' fan, I wasn't overly in love with the scent. It did feel very hydrating on my skin during my dry skin days though, so I might buy it again.

Elemis Quiet Mind bath elixir - ooooh this was nice. Not your typical relaxing lavender scent. It was comforting and to my nose, it had slightly medicinal scent - which I personally love. I'll buy this one again for sure.

Boots Cocoa Butter shower gel - nice enough bath/shower product but nothing outstanding in my book. 

Lush Sweet Lips - same as above.

Botanics Microdermabrasion scrub - LOVE LOVE LOVE. Have repurchased endlessly! 

Philosophy Hope in a Tube eye and lip treatment - I hoped (geddit?) that this would be really outstanding, but it didn't really wow me and for that reason I wouldn't repurchase.

Armani Code Luna EDP - I LOVE this perfume. It's a new fave in my collection. I'm pretty sure I've mentioned this before and if I have, I'll link it here!

Elemis Pro Radiance Illuminating Flash Balm - this was a freebie with a magazine. Really enjoyed using this. It gave me a lovely, healthy glow and the scent is amazing. I have the full size to work my way though and will probably consider a repurchase in the future.

Herbal Essences Hello Hydration shampoo and conditioner - I really like this duo and apparently The Boy does too - although he doesn't use the conditioner and that bugs me. Oh and he puts the shampoo the wrong way up (so they don't fit together as shown in the picture above), yeah, that might bug me too. I'll repurchase for sure.

Bath and Body Works PocketBac in Raspberry Pink Peony - lovely scent. Love these. Will buy more FOR SURE when I'm on holiday next month.

The Body Shop Coconut hand cleanse gel - so if you can't get hold of the B&BW PocketBac's, these are a really good alternative. They're twice the size of the B&BW ones and although they don't some in the same massive range of delicious scents, they're are a few fruity scents to choose from. I like the Coconut and Mango versions best.  I keep this on my desk at work and everyone comments on the scent. Will certainly repurchase. 

So I might have been using perfume like a demon over the last few months! 

Estée Lauder Sensuous - a classic, grown up scent. I love it. I'll probably re-buy in the Boxing Day sales.

Gurlain La Petit Robe Noire - a modern twist on a rose perfume. While I've said that I'm not rose's biggest fan, I really enjoyed using this. The addition of a really sharp berry note to the blend, made it much more appealing to my nose. I'm not sure I'll be in a massive rush to repurchase. But, then again,  I wouldn't rule out either. Hmmm! Undecided. 

Diesel Fuel for Life - not my favourite scent by any stretch of the imagination. I couldn't wait for this to go! I won't repurchase. Promise! 

L'Occitane Sweet Almond liquid soap - I had a bunch of these from various kits purchased from QVC and while I love them (they make your jewellery sparkle like nothing else!) I'm not sure I'd repurchase them on their own. I don't used them in the bath or shower, so essentially they're a luxury hand wash for me - and could I justify the expense in the future? Probably not. 

Nails Inc A&E and mini Heathrow Express - great addition to any manicure. Makes a nice change from OPI Nail Envy. Will probably repurchase.

La Roche Posay Micro Exfoliant - this was okay. I didn't notice anything dramatic while using it - good or bad. Probably wouldn't repurchase, as I prefer the Alpha H Liquid Gold.

Elnett 3 day volume styling spray - this was quite nice, but certainly, didn't give me volume for the stated 3 days! It was a bit annoying, because higher trigger broke after the first few uses, which made it awkward (although not impossible) to use. I might consider repurchasing in the future, but not for a while.

Boots hard skin reducing cream - cheaper alternative to Flexitol. Worked really well and I'll certainly repurchase in future.

Hydraluron - is one of those products that you only realise the full value of it, after you've run out! Everyone and their dog love this daily hydrating serum (thank you Mrs Hirons!), I'm no exception. Already repurchased as it's on 3 for 2 in Boots at the moment. 

Origins Eye Doctor - (apologies about the blurry iPhone picture)  this was a decent eye cream, but I feel like I need something more than this can deliver. It was fairly lightweight and somewhat hydrating - I just need more. Probably won't repurchase at this stage.

Percy & Reed Volumising No Oil Oil - this was a very generous magazine sample. I liked it, but it wasn't actually that Volumising! As there are other hair oils and serums I prefer, I won't repurchase.

Urban Decay Supercurling mascara - really enjoyed this. Did exactly what it said on the tin and I'll certainly consider a repurchase in future.

Alpha H Liquid Gold - LOVE! Will certainly repurchase!! 

Sephora lip gloss - loved the colour and scent of this gloss (until it went off!). As it's something I can't easily get my hands on in the UK, I'd be inclined to choose another US brand of lip gloss, but I did really enjoy them.

Bath & Body Works Twilight Woods body cream - this was a lovely gift from a lovely friend. It has such a delicious scent and really is a lovely product. I'll certainly repurchase when the opportunity arises.

Hempz Strawberry Cheesecake body lotion - this was another gift from the same friend and like I mentioned above, it was a great choice. I loved this lotion as it really was moisturising without being tacky. Same applies, when I get the opportunity, I'll repurchase for sure.

QVC Beauty TSV's September 2013

Saturday 7th September - In the Salon with SBC

Sunday 8th September - Elemis Skin Therapies

Tuesday 10th September - Judith Williams Beauty

Thursday 19th September - Nails Inc

Saturday 21st September  - Beauty tools and accessories

Monday 23rd September - Confessions of a Beauty Addict

Friday 27th September -  Beauty tools and accessories

Happy shopping!!! 

InStyle Freebie

I love a magazine freebie and they don't come much better than this! 

I grabbed InStyle this morning and to my utter joy it came with a very generous 40ml sample of Philip Kingsley Elasticizer (worth £8). This is the prefect way to try a well loved beauty staple, raved about far and wide by the Beauty Industry.

I've never actually tried this before, but as I'm off on hols next week this appears to be perfect timing. I'll report back with my thoughts...

QVC Beauty TSV's August 2013

Friday 2nd August - Look Good, Feel Great

Tuesday 6th August - Leighton Denny Expert Nails

Thursday 8th August - StriVectin

Tuesday 13th August - Australian Bodycare

Saturday 17th August - In the Salon with Gatineau 

Friday 23rd August - Red Carpet Manicure Nail Studio

This is all I can find... for now!

Happy Shopping!

One to watch: Liverpool Lashes

My good friend Karen, aka Liverpool Lashes on YouTube is having a fabulous nail art giveaway to celebrate 10,000 subscribers to her channel - what a massive achievement!  *cue applause*

Karen is a qualified nail technician and has her finger well and truly on the beauty pulse, as her many clients will confirm.  I'm always so envious of her fab nail art designs and foil/shellac mani's.  She's lovely - and bloody hell she can talk! Yeah, I know. People in glass houses, shouldn't throw stones! That's probably why we get on so well. Two gabby Annie's together. 

The giveaway is International and open to her YouTube & Twitter followers, so pop along and subscribe/follow for a chance to win. You can also find her at liverpoollashes.blogspot.co.uk  

Do you have the XXX Factor?!

To any of you Brits reading this - woah mama! This heat wave is driving me mental and is making me rather grumpy.

To anyone from the rest of the world - I apologise that we Brits are NEVER happy with the weather. It's one of our flaws. I hope we can still be friends?!?

I digress. 

I'm lying her in front of my air con unit nekkid (yes, I have air con. Don't hate me, coz you ain't me! Haha) enjoying the ice cold air. Bliss! Apologies for unexpected XXX mental image - hey, at least I didn't include a picture. I spared you that much!! Yup. Thank god I can do what I like in the privacy of my own home. 

But if you haven't got air con, the ability or inclination to lie about as nekkid as the day you were born, might I suggest that you pick up a bottle of Original Source MEN (well, I've been using it too!) XXX strong black mint shower gel.  I've talked about this stuff before. I love it.

Before the nekkid air con time, I've enjoyed a rather tingletastic bath. I don't have a shower. I remembered I had this in my stash, after a rather hot and sweaty dinner date this evening, with The Boy - which followed a particularly hot and sweaty day in the office.  Even without the addition of air con, you can feel the cooling menthol tingle after use. If you're sensitive to fragrance or menthol then this one is not for you and WATCH OUT for those sensitive areas that you may not want tingling, if you get what I mean?! I don't want to be the cause of any issues for you...  But if you want to literally chill out before bed, or quite frankly any time of the day - I recommend this. Plus it's as cheap as chips. 

Right, better throw some jarmies on asap before The Boy gets the wrong idea!!!!!!!

Magazine freebies - July 2013 edition

It's that time again - the magazine freebies are out in force! 

First up, Glamour. Until recently I had a monthly subscription to Glamour and would have renewed it, but they never contacted me to ask me if I'd like the subscription to continue - ho hum!  Anyway, this month they've teamed up with Balance Me to offer items from their range. I got the 'super toning body wash' which at 100ml is the perfect travel size.  I haven't opened it yet, so I can't tell you what it smells like, but I think it's a pretty decent freebie and certainly something I'll use at home, or away.

Meanwhile Cosmo have joined forces with 'Nip + Fab' with a selection of body boosting freebies. I picked the 'Dry leg fix' for a touch of super intense moisturisation, which I might also throw in my travel bag.  I have to say, the inclusion of a bust cream is interesting. Not many beauty company's cater for this delicate area and for it to be included as a freebie in a magazine will give it lots of exposure - you know what I mean! ;-) I think I'd have picked this one, if I'd seen it in store. However, the women of Liverpool had beaten me to it!!  If anyone gets this sample, I'd be interested to hear what you think about it. 

Any other magazine freebies you want to tell me about? I'm all ears! 

Heads up: Boots Advantage Card offer - Thursday 11th July 2013

I love a bargain as much as the next person, so here's a quick heads up.

If you spend £30 or more in selected Boots stores (or £50 online at Boots.com) on Thursday 11th July, you'll receive £7.50 of advantage points. 

Now I don't know about you, but I find that pretty easy to do! New and exciting goodies seem to fall into my basket and before you know it, I'll be at the £30 mark. I need a refill on a few things and I have some birthday gift cards to spend, so if that means I can claim a bit of extra cash to spend on my Boxing Day Bargain purchases. Happy days. 

The question is, do you save up your Boots points? Or do you splurge as you go along? 

Goodbye Jo Malone Vanilla & Anise

Okay, seriously not impressed with Jo Malone right now. I've had confirmation from their staff that they are discontinuing my all time fave Vanilla & Anise fragrance. 

Once the stock runs out in stores - it's finito! That means bye-bye to the fragrance, the bath oil. the candle... the whole shebang. To say I'm devastated (dramatic much?!) is an understatement.

The poor girl at Jo Malone couldn't apologise enough, as she broke the news to me. I knew something was afoot, as I couldn't find the bath oil on the website.

She said this wasn't the only fragrance that was being discontinued and I'd like to be able to tell you what the others were, but I kind of stopped comprehending information when I heard her say "Oh sorry, Vanilla & Anise is being discontinued" 

These are indeed sad times *cue stockpiling* 

Buy it!

Aveda Botanical Kinetics travel kit (includes purifying creme cleanser, liquid exfoliant, skin firming/toning agent and hydrating lotion) - Like most beauty addicts, I find myself permanently stalking Caroline Hirons blog. What she doesn't know about skincare is probably not worth knowing!  Anyway, Mrs Hirons mentioned these Aveda goodies as being good quality skincare at a decent price point, so when I spotted them in Debenhams with 10% off, I thought I'd give them a try. I'm really enjoying the collection as a whole, particularly the toners and my skin is looking pretty darn good as a result of it.  I'll report back after a bit more usage, but so far so good.

Armani Code Luna EDT and Kate Walsh Boyfriend EDP - I'll let you into a little secret - if I haven't worn one, I've worn the other - all month long! Talk about being a creature of habit and I'm not usually like that at all - especially when it comes to perfume!  Even though I usually like to ration my usage of Boyfriend as you can only get it in America (it's a a given that I will be stocking up while I'm on holiday) I've been using it like a crazy woman.  As for Luna, Boots.com  writes it up as: a "vanilla eau de toilette", fresh and floral, leaving a mesmerising wake. To lead in, bright citrus-like and sparkling bergamot notes, green accents of bitter orange essence, and a pear chord, crisp as fresh fruit. At its core, the orange blossom absolute - the real olfactory signature of Code Luna - combines with a stunning "moonflower", filmy and light as air. With the botanical name EphiphyllumOxypetalum, it thrives in areas of light and shadow. Cultivated in India, legend has it that it only opens and flowers during the full moon. Rare and mysterious, its whiteness is a reflection of its purity; it grows and blooms to its fullest in the moonlight. Doesn't that sound right up my street? Well that explains why I've used it to death this month.

Garnier Miracle Skin Perfector (combo to oily) -  as I've mentioned thanks to the new Aveda skincare, I've been having a pretty decent skin month.  So I've rediscovered the Miracle Skin Perfector as a daily base.  Is it a miracle? No! Does it perfect? Not entirely, but it does give a nice amount of (light) coverage and keeps the oil at bay.  I've also found it to be a nice mixing base. A few times over the month I have used it in conjunction with other foundations to great effect. What is not to like?  

Nivea in shower body moisturiser (dry skin) - when I heard about this I instantly wanted to give it a try.  While I love a gloriously thick body butter as much as the next person, there are times when I don't want to feel like a butter basted chicken!  I use my shower gel of choice and then slap this all over and rinse.  I've been using the dry skin version and I've certainly noticed a massive difference in the condition of the skin of my upper arms and elbows.  I think this is really great concept that can slot into your routine with minimal fuss. This product is genius. Hey, I'm busy/lazy (delete as appropriate) so it's winner for me.  Of course, there's also something very nostalgic about the scent of Nivea that reminds me of my childhood and that is never going to be a bad thing.

Epic Empties: Part 3!

Here's the final instalment of my empties post. It's been another bumper month and I'm getting such a weird satisfaction from using things up! It's the simple pleasures, isn't it?!

Philosophy Coconut Frosting 3 in 1 shower gel - I do really love these shower gels. Whatever scent that's currently in season, I'm a fan. This was a massive bottle and the summery coconut scent was divine. I think I'll always have some of these in my collection. Definite repurchase! 

L'Occitane Verbena Shower Gel - this came from a TSV and I didn't think I was going to like this. Citrus just isn't my thang, but I really did enjoy this. The scent was very invigorating and especially good in the mornings. 

The Body Shop Moringa shower gel - I'm not a floral girl by any stretch of the imagination, but I really did enjoy the Moringa scent. I think I got this huge size in the January sales for about a fiver. Bargain. I think I'd consider a repurchase in future.

Philosophy Purity Made Simple cleanser - woah mama! This giant cleanser (all 946.2mls of it!) has been with me for YEARS. Without a word of a lie. Years!! I've obviously used other cleansers in the meanwhile, but I always knew I could rely on Purity. This gets your skin clean without feeling too harsh. I'll probably revisit this in the future, but for now I'm playing the field ;-)

Vichy Nomaderm Tri Active cleanser - I reviewed this a while back. I love that you can use it as a cleanser and mask. I personally don't think it's scrubby enough for a scrub, but for some people it might be just fine. I've already bought another one. Thumbs up from me.

Clarisonic nourishing care cleanser - came free with my Clarisonic. Nice enough. Wouldn't repurchase though, nothing special in my opinion. 

DHC cleansing oil - I love a cleansing oil. However, I'm not sure if I'm madly in love with this one. It's pretty run of the mill and doesn't really compare to the Origins Clean Energy. Will not repurchase.

Elemis Pro Collagen Marine Cream - love!  Have a few other pots ready to roll.

Bath & Body Works Winter Candy Apple PocketBac - you know I love these, although this scent kind of reminds me of Tixylix cough medicine! I already have others to use.. Of course! 

B.Pure Micellar water - nice enough. Nothing earth shattering. Won't repurchase.

Bath & Body Works Pink Chiffon shower gel - love this scent as its so super sweet. Will repurchase when I'm back at B&BW!

Alpha H Gentle Daily Exfoliator- I'm sorry to say that I really disliked this. It's a powder that you make into a paste and apply to your face. I really don't think it does anything and I hated the scent! It smells like dust (if you know what I mean?!) Not a fan. Won't repurchase. 

Batiste Tropical dry shampoo - use these all the time. Like this scent. Will always repurchase.

The Body Shop Moringa Beautifying Oil - told you I love this scent. I also love body  oils so this is a win/win. I've already repurchased.

The Sanctuary Pore Refining Toner - I like this toner and I like that its in a spray bottle. Might repurchase again. 

No7 Total Renewal scrub - I used to hold this scrub up against all others. But since attempting to use this one up, I noticed it was making my face sting a bit. Weird, because its never done that before. I've no moved onto the Botanics version which is cheaper and isn't stinging my face! Won't repurchase for the time being. 

L'Occitane ultra rich hand and body wash - LOVE! Smells like newborn babies (which I like, but you may not!) I have another one on the go as I type.

Ojon Restorative Shampoo and Conditioner - really like this combo. Its quite expensive but I'll probably buy it again when it's on offer. 

Elemis Skin Nourishing shower cream - again, this smells like newborn babies! Lovely comforting scent. Got this from a TSV and might consider an individual repurchase.

Philosophy I'm dreaming of white pear 3 in 1 shower gel - same as the Coconut Frosting, mmmm I love pears. 

Phew! That's it for now. My beauty bin is currently empty. But I'm already deciding what to focus on and use up in July. I really do need to try and include some make up in there, don't I?! 

QVC Beauty TSV's July 2013

Thursday 4th July - Look Good, Feel Good

Saturday 6th July - L'Occitane: Beauty en Provence

Sunday 7th July - SUPER SUNDAY over 30 TSV's including Elemis, ybf, Philosophy, Rituals, Utan, Leighton Denny and Omorovicza

Tuesday 9th July - Beauty tools and accessories

Sunday 14th July - bareMinerals

Tuesday 16th July - In the Salon with SBC

Saturday 20th July - Liz Earle - Naturally Active Skincare

Happy Shopping!!!!

Epic Empties - part two!

While I was cleaning out a few things, I noticed that quite a few of my lip stain pens had dried out. Sad, but I've had them for quite a few years, so I'm not too traumatised. 

Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Lip stain and balm in Passion - I love lip stains. I'm a massive fan of low maintenance lip looks. Love this colour, but as with all of these pens, they dry out in the end. Probably wont repurchase this one as Revlon knock it out of the part with their (newish) Kissable Balm-stains!! 

Josie Maran Magic Marker lip and cheek stains in Jitterbug (hot pink) and Jive (orangey coral) - I purchased both of these from the Sephora in Times Square NYC. And what a trip it was!! I really enjoyed both of these colours, Jitterbug slightly more. I'll be honest, I never used them on my cheeks, but fhey wore pretty evenly and lasted a decent time. I'll have a look at these when I'm back in the States, even though they are pretty expensive. Who knows, a repurchase might be on the cards! 

Max Factor Lipfinity Liptint in 02 - I wasn't a massive fan of this colour on me and to be honest the MF stains wear off me in an odd way. They leave that weird ring around my lips.  I probably won't repurchase.

Josie Maran GOGO mascara - another nice JM product that came from the Lash Stash. Made my lashes very separated, although not massively volmumising in my opinion. I'm not as huge fan of those traditional wands, but a good everyday mascara. Might consider a repurchase one day. Maybe.

Fairydrops mascara - another Lash Stash product.  I liked the wand on this one although I can't say I noticed anything amazing. It's certainly no Benefit They're Real! That's for sure.  Again, may consider a repurchase one day. 

Diesel Loverdose EDP - my love for this fragrance is well document on this blog. Although it wasn't something I planned to fall in love with, I wouldn't be without it. So many lovely compliments from people when I wear this perfume. I've also found this to be an exceptionally good layering scent - much like its high end twin, Jo Malone Vanilla & Anise (which I also adore!!). I have bottles on standby that were gifts and I can't see myself neon without this, so it's a dead cert that I'll repurchase. 

The final empties instalment will feature hair care, skin care and body care. Keep a look out... 

The return of the Epic Empties - part one

All I ever seem to post about anymore are empties and QVC - and even that's infrequent of late - so why change the habit of a lifetime! ;-)

Seriously, as I'm feeling the urge to blog I thought I'd start off with something I can do from my iPhone. I get too wound up with mechanics of blogging and need to get back to basics. Put simply, I'm interested in Beauty stuff and talking to like minded addicts about beauty stuff. Simples. So that is what I am going to do.

So today, I am going to chat about my empties *roll eyes* (a small selection of my massive stash which will probably have to feature in seperate posts), but I do have other things in the pipeline, I promise... And so we begin:

JLo Miami Glow perfume - this has been in my collection for years. It's a inoffensive summer scent that has a slight coconut tinge to it. I'm not sure ill buy it again, but I have enjoyed using it.

Gucci Guilty EDP - another scent I enjoyed and I got lots of compliments wearing this. Warm, classy, I will repurchase.

Garnier Dark Spot Corrector - smelled nice but did nothing for me. Won't repurchase.

bareMinerals Well Rested - I never really got the hang of this. Is it an eye brighter? Is it a concealer? I have another sample pot to use, so if anyone has any ideas how to use then please let me know. Undecided about this, but we'll see.

ByTerry Baume De Rose - easily the most luxurious lip balm I've ever owned and I'm a lip junkie! This was a gift from Nic many moons ago and has long since been my bedtime lip balm. This lightly rose scented balm smooths dryness away overnight. Would I buy it? Probably not. Rose isn't my fave scent and I think it's a tad overpriced. Lovely, but overpriced.

Cutex Nourishing nail varnish remover - this was okay, it did the job, but I can't say I noticed it was particularly nourishing. Might consider repurchasing.

Leighton Denny Miracle Mist - does what it says on the tin.  Will probably repurchase at some point in the future.

Pout Liquid Highlighter in Love Glow - this has been hanging around for years too. Probably as long as the JLo Miami Glow! Made a concerted effort to use it up. I'm not even sure you can buy this anymore! Not sure I would anyway, there are others I like better (Benefit High Beam) 

Origins A Perfect World antioxidant moisturiser - this was a freebie from Origins when I recycled an old pot. How nice! I liked this, but kept it for nighttime as it made my combination skin a little oily for daytime use. Might buy it some time in the future.

Origins Spot Remover - another fairly ancient product! I can never really tell if this works or not. Maybe it's just a placebo. Who knows! Probably not going to repurchase.

B&BW PocketBac in Apple Lavender - you know I love these. I'll always have them on my person!! End of story.

So that's it for now, but it's certainly not the end of my empties!!  I'll be back for part two.. Part three... Part four... You get the idea! 

QVC June 2013 Beauty TSV's

Oops! Just realised that I'd forgotten to post this...

Tuesday 11^th June – Judith Williams Skincare

Thursday 13th June – Ultrasun Professional Sun care

Saturday 15th June – In the Salon with Gatineau

Monday 17th June – OPI Professional Nailcare

Thursday 20th June– Perricone MD Skincare

Monday 24th June – Meet the Beauty Experts…

Sunday 30th June– Lulu Time Bomb

 

Happy Shopping!!

Nails Inc April Lucky Dip!

When an email dropped into my mailbox about the Nails Inc lucky dip, I knew I was going to purchase.

£18 for a selection of 7 'unknown' Nails Inc polishes is a complete bargain and an opportunity too good to miss. As you know, I've bought this before and been incredibly happy. But would I continue on this winning streak?

Well, yes and no. I think this included a really good selection of Spring/Summer appropriate shades. Sadly, I had quite a few of these already!

So what did I get on this occasion?

Southwark - bright blue cream
Knightsbridge Green - green cream
Cherry Road (Sprinkles) - lilac cream with blue, sliver and pink glitter
Draycott Place - orangey red cream
Grosvenor Street - bubblegum pink cream
Westbourne Grove - neon orange cream
Notting Hill Carnival - pastel lemon cream

Overall, I was a little disappointed to have received so many duplicates (Southwark, Draycott Place, Grosvenor Street and Notting Hill Carnival) from my collection. I guess that's the problem with being a nail varnish junkie. So the upshot is, that I think I'm going to finally acquaint myself with eBay and sell my dupes. I'm sure someone else would love to get their mitts on them.

Did you dip into the lucky dip?! What did you get??

QVC Beauty TSV's May 2013

    Thursday 2^nd May – Beauty Tools and Accessories

·         Tuesday 7^th May – Alpha H Skincare

·         Sunday 12^th May – Elemis Skin Therapies

·         Thursday 16^th May – Emma Hardie – Amazing Face
Saturday 18th May - Leighton Denny Expert Nails
Monday 20th May - Liz Earle Naturally Active Skincare
Wednesday 22nd May - Ojon
Sunday 26th May - In the Salon with Decleor



Having trouble sourcing the TSV's after the 16th May.  Once I find them, I'll update accordingly...

Happy Shopping!!!!

Epic Empties - part two!

 

Back for part two of my epic empties post! This is all the skincare/body care products that I've gone through recently. Wow-wee, there's a lot of recycling here.

• Herbal Essences Hello Hydration shampoo/conditioner - I really like the tropical coconut scent of this duo. Does what it says on the package and to that end, I've already repurchased. Plus, The Boy seems to like it too!

• Bath and Body Works 'Cozy Autumn Vanilla' shower gel - Love the scent of this too. Will repurchase when back in the States. 5 months and counting...
• Philosophy 'I'm dreaming of' white peach 3 in 1 shower gel - I'm a total Philosophy girl. Really enjoyed this. Will probably always repurchase Philosophy goodies.
• Rituals Organic Rice Milk & Cherry Blossom foaming shower gel - Got this from the Parental Units at Christmas. Enjoyed how nice this made my skin feel. No tightness or scratchy feeling. The Boy seemed to keep nicking it too! 
• L'Occitane Lavender liquid soap - Enjoyed this but did get bored of the scent after a while. I use this as a hand wash and think prefer the Sweet Almond version. Still it was nice and I'd repurchase - just not this scent.
• Philosophy 'Gingerbread Girl' 3 in 1 shower gel - loved the scent. Less fussed on the shimmer within the product.  Only good thing was that it didn't transfer onto my skin, but it did hang around in the bath, even after a good scrub. Same a previously noted - I love Philosophy!
• Soap & Glory 'Clean Girls' shower gel - wasn't that fussed on this. Not a massive fan of the scent. Wouldn't repurchase.
• L'Occitane Almond shower oil - LOVE! Have repurchased already!

• The Sanctuary 'Ultimate Facial Cleansing oil' - Did not like this at all. I didn't think there was anything ultimate about it! I felt like it smeared make up all over my skin, instead of removing it.  And even though it emulsified into a milky consistency, I never really felt like it had all gone. Glad to see the back of this and I wont be repurchasing.
• Caudalie 'Eau de Beaute' - Obviously this has cult status within the beauty community, but I wasn't really sure what all the fuss was about.  I used it as a toner after cleansing. It does have a really lovely herbal scent and felt very refreshing -  but did it do anything major to my skin? No, I don't think so.  Nice enough, but I won't be in a rush to repurchase.
• Botanics Intensive Moisture Mask - Not a fan. Didn't think it was very hydrating and (for me) it has a weird smell. Won't repurchase.
• The Body Shop Shea Beautifying oil - Really enjoyed this. Nice clean scent that lasted on the skin. Very moisturising. Will almost certainly repurchase.
• Botanics Radiant Youth microdermabrasion polish - This has taken over the No7 microdermabrasion polish as my new favourite scrub. I love this and its much cheaper than the No7 version. Have already repurchased as its a 1/3 off in Boots at the moment. 
• Elemis Frangipani Monoi Melt - Gorgeous! I absolutely love this. I know Nic isn't fussed on the scent, but I think its divine. I have another mini bottle to use, then I'll repurchase. 
• Tara Smith Big Baby gentle shampoo - used this as a brush cleaner. Worked fine, although I'm not sure I'll repurchase. 
• Givenchy Ange ou Demon bath gel - You know I love the perfume, so clearly I love the scent.  Seemed to do the job, but as you know I wouldn't purchase this as a stand alone shower gel.  I'll no doubt get more when I get my post Christmas perfume purchases.
• Mamma Mio - O*Mega body buff - I'm afraid I didn't rate this at all. It wasn't scrubby enough for me as a scrub and I didn't care for the scent. Wont repurchase.

I want to know what you've used up recently?  Any fab finds or flops? Do share. I'm already well on my way to another epic empties post. I'm getting good at this!

Epic Empties - Part one!

I did mention this was EPIC, right? I've been ploughing though my goodies for the last few months and here are the results.  I think I've done pretty well,  but there is still a way to go.  This is going to be a fairly massive post, so get yourselves comfy. We're going in for part one...

• Givenchy Ange ou Demon - I love this perfume and I've already blogged about it here Gorgeous. I have another bottle to use, but think this one will always be in my collection. 
• Givenchy Play - got this a while back whist seeking out the Play Intense version. Nice enough but not really me.  I don't think I'll repurchase this one.
• Calvin Klein Euphoria - Another long standing love. Have another bottle ready to use and will repurchase when I need to.

•  Hugo Boss woman body lotion - Nice, but nothing special. Wouldn't repurchase.
• YSL Top Secret pro remover - came in a YSL freebie.  Really good eye make up remover. I'm glad I tried it, but I don't think I'd buy it as its fairly expensive and I'm not sure it works better the the cheaper versions. Still, nice to give it a whirl.
•  Origins make a difference + treatment - Loved this! It was really light and hydrating. When I run out of moisturiser, will purchase the full size.
•  Revlon ColorStay - Long time love. Have a back up and when its gone, I'll repurchase for sure!
•  Espa Skin Radiance Moisturiser - This was a nice dewy moisturiser and it smelt amazing. I took this away to Berlin with me, as it was a super handy travel size. I don't think I'd purchase the full size though.
•  B&BW Sleep Night Time Tea lotion - This was really lovely, very moisturising and a great calming scent.  Will buy the large one when I'm back in the States in September.
•  Vichy Purete Thermale calming cleansing micellar solution - Enjoyed using this micellar solution. Made my skin feel really nice and soothed. Would certainly consider a re-purchase.

• BE Bisque/Well rested - This seemed to last forever!Product was okay. Didn't really get the point of Well Rested. Probably won't repurchase, unless it comes in a QVC kit.
• Urban Decay Primer Potion - Love this. Wouldn't be without it. Definite repurchase.
• OPI nail envy - This went a little weird at the end. I like this, but I can't say I notice anything major improvement in my nails. Decent base coat though. May consider repurchasing.
• Hourglass Film Noir - Decent mascara from the Sephora Lash Stash but I personally dont think it was anything outstanding. Wouldn't repurchase again.
• Sally Hansen Insta-Dri - Really like this so much so, that I've already repurchased.  Just as good as Seche Vite, cheaper and easier to get hold of!
• Too Faced LashGasm - Another Sephora Lash Stash mascara.  Liked this formula and its rubber bristles. Might consider a repurchase in future.
• Giorgio Armani Eyes to Kill - Really don't know what the fuss was about this, I'm really not a fan! Its a very wet mascara with a standard brush. Can't say that I noticed anything amazing for my lashes. Won't buy the full size.
• BareMinerals Flawless Definition Volumizing - And yet another Sephora Lash Stash mascara. Not a fan of this one either. Didn't find it particularly voluminous. Prefer the original Flawless Definition. Won't repurchase.
• Rimmel 1000 kisses tint balm 110 stay very berry - Not a fan. Nice original stain, but wore off in a patchy mess. Won't repurchase.
• Max Factor Lipfinity lasting lip tints in 03 (pink) 04 (nude) - Again, these we nice on initial application too, but wore off in a strange pattern, leaving a crazy pigmented lip line (reminiscent of a drag queen) No thanks! They dried up really quickly too. Won't repurchase.
• No7 pink lip balm/gloss - Think this was intended to compete with the Clarins Lip Perfectors. I haven't tried them, so I can't comment other than to say that this was okay. Nothing major to say about it really. Think it was a limited edition, although I don't think I'd repurchase even if it was still available.  

Now, onto part two...