Empties #4

Every time I've finished something up I've just been shoving it in the bottom drawer of my bedside table and I didn't quite realise how much I'd actually collected up until I emptied it all out so here is my well overdue empties post and I've finally got my bottom drawer back!

Hair

Elnett Heat Styling Spray 

I don't quite know why I haven't repurchased this because I really enjoyed using it, it's a heat protection spray with volumising qualities that are meant to last for three days and it really did work, my hair was so much more voluminous after I'd dried it.

Bumble & Bumble Surf Spray

I am currently waiting for a new one of these to arrive because I can't live without it in the summer! This is the best salt spray that I've ever used, I spray it on damp hair and then let it dry naturally, giving it a bit of a scrunch to encourage waves and it leaves such a lovely undone beachy look. 

L'oreal Paris Studio Line Texturising Spray

This can get quite sticky so it's best to use for updo's because if you wear your hair down it tends to look a bit greasy and feel matted up. I did really like this but it would be better if it was a little bit lighter like the Bumble and Bumble Dryspun Spray.

Ojon Instant Restorative Hair Serum

I really wanted to like this but I didn't, it smelt awful and It was really heavy on my hair and I found it to tangle my hair up and make it a nightmare to brush.

Aussie Three Minute Miracle Deep Conditioner

You can't get anymore convenient than three minutes on and then silky soft hair! This was lovely to use and left my hair in a brushable state which is a miracle.

Bumble & Bumble Thickening Hairspray

I can see why this is so popular, it made my hair look visibly fuller without making it crusty or greasy looking.

Skincare

Origins Never A Dull Moment Face Polish

This is a really gentle exfoliater that I probably didn't use as consistently as I should have but whenever I did use it my face felt clean and soft.

Liz Earle Cleanse & Polish

I think there's been one of these in every empties post that I've done and it needs no explanation! It is a holy grail product like everyone says and there's no doubt I'll be getting a new one at some point.

Benefit Triple Performing Facial Emulsion

I took this on holiday with me because the sun really dries out my skin and the last thing I want is a peeling nose! It kept me moisturized and I don't think I got one patch of flakiness or even a tight face when I'd been out sunbathing.

The Body Shop Vitamin E Facial Oil

I got this when I'd had a really bad breakout on my chin and I couldn't shift the red marks that were left and this really, really helped clear it all up. I'd definitely buy it again if I needed some marks fading and apparently it's good for stretchmarks as well.

Estee Lauder Bronze Goddess

I LOVE THIS PERFUME!!!!! I'm on my second bottle of this and I will rebuy it every Summer that it carries on being released. It's coconutty perfection and I live in it!

The Body Shop Camomile Eye Make up Remover

I love black eyeliner and lashings of mascara so I need all the help I can get removing it at the end of the day. This is so gentle and really does the job, I've just bought another one as well so it must be good!

Liz Earle Instant Boost Skin Tonic Spray

I completely forgot about this (that's how long these empties have been collecting up) and I had good intentions to repurchase but never got round to it and now how much I enjoyed using this is all flooding back! It's perfect for this weather because it's so refreshing and left a lovely glow.

Lush Snow Fairy

Do I even need to elaborate on this?! This Christmas I'm going to be stocking up on these bad boys, it's my favourite Lush time of year!

Origins Ginzing Moisturizer

Hands down the best day moisturizer that I've used in a long, long time and I really need to get a new one of these because I really miss using it and it should have lasted longer but a certain boy took a liking to it...

Face

Benefit The Porefessional Primer

This served me well on holiday and kept my makeup in place in the heat and I also found that it is quite matte so saved me from being an oily mess! I wouldn't repurchase this full size as there are primers you can get in Boots that are just as good but it was nice to revisit!

Topshop Glow in Polish

I cannot rave about this enough, it's my holy grail highlighter and I've repurchased this as well as back ups because it has the habit of disappearing for months at a time and I can't be without it, my glowing face relies on this little pot of magic!

NARS Sheer Glow in Mont Blanc

Another one of my holy grail face products that I always repurchase and have even got another shade for when I'm looking a bit less pale which I've never done before! It's the perfect coverage for me and I love the radiant finish.

Maybelline Concealer

It's such a shame that this exploded because I was loving the fomula, coverage and spongey applicator but the twist to dispense product has put me off buying it again because it wasted no end of product and was really messy.

Bourjois Healthy Mix Foundation and Serum Foundation

I didn't even realize I had two types of this until I had them side by side to take the pictures! This is my favourite drug store foundation and the most similar to NARS sheer glow with a lovely finish and medium coverage and if I'm short on pennies and NARS is out of reach that month this is always what I'd go for.

MAC Mineralize Skin Finish Powder

This is a nice natural powder that is really light and not cakey at all, I would definitely reccomend this if you're in the market for something new.

YSL Touche Eclat

I really do love this but it doesn't last very long so I can only get them on special occasions because of the price but it really is the daddy of all clicky pen highlighters and can hide a night of partying no problem!

Eyes

Benefit Fake Up Concealer

This isn't for your eyes but it somehow managed to sneak in with all the eye products! This is a brilliant product and it is as moisturizing as it makes out and more I found when it used to transfer my bottom lash mascara all under my eyes but a bit of setting powder soon sorted that out and it's just the price that puts me off again as there are so many drugstore brands that do under eye concealers just as good and half the price.

L'Oreal Falsh Lash Telescopic, Million Lashes & Miss Manga Mascaras

L'Oreal is my brand of choice when it comes to my eyelashes and I've tried every high end brand going for a mascara that I deem worthy and none of them come close to how thick, long and fluttery my lashes are especially with Million Lashes. Miss Manga I wasn't so keen on and it only really took to my bottom lashes so I wouldn't bother with that again but the others are a welcome addition to my makeup bag!

Eyeko Skinny Liquid Liner

This would be my liquid liner of choice if it didn't dry up so quickly. It stays put and stays dark when it's new but I've found that even a week after starting to use it it's going grey and is hard to apply. I don't know if it's because I've been using the mini version but I just wish it lasted longer.

L'Oreal Superliner

Now this is my liner of choice, can't you tell?! It lasts forever and is still as black as the first time that you used it, the tip is the perfect shape for getting a good flick on the go and it lasts all day or night long.

ELF Eyeshadow Primer

If you want crease free, long lasting eyeshadow and still get change from a fiver then this is what you're after. Because of the price I didn't have the highest of hopes despite reading some rave reviews but I was wrong and it is as good as everyone says!

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Best of 2013 | And the Rest!

My final installment of 2013 favourites is all about the best of the rest and these are the things that I couldn't categorize but also couldn't leave out because of how much I've enjoyed using them in the past year!

Victoria's Secret Coconut Passion Body Mist (Review here)

I stocked up on this when I went to London earlier in the year and I'm already worrying about how to get my hands on a replacement once I've made my way through my little stash! I'm such a sucker for a coconutty scent and throw vanilla into the mix and this is fragrance heaven to me. It's a really exotic, sweet smell that is perfect for those days that you just want to wear something light.

Real Techniques Stippling Brush

One of lifes many unanswered questions is this - how did I live without this brush?! This is hands down my favourite make up brush that I own and I use it every single day without fail whether it be for cream blush, to perfect my base or to soften a contour with cream bronzer. If I could only use one brush for the rest of my life then this would be it.

St Tropez Wash Off Face and Body Lotion

Sometimes I don't want to smell like a biscuit and stain my lovely white sheets so this is where this steps in! It's an instant tan that leaves a lovely natural bronzed colour and has some magical technology mixed in there somewhere that means even if you spill a Jager bomb down your leg it isn't going to streak (and I can vouch for that!) It says that it's wash off but I'm usually left with a nice even tan still for a couple of days after before it vanishes without a trace or any patchiness.

Estee Lauder Bronze Goddess (Review here)

This was my scent of the summer and a lot more summers to come I suspect. Bronze Goddess is another coconut based perfume and it's just a holiday in a bottle, it's such a warm and tropical scent that gets a lot of compliments.

Sleep in Rollers

All I ask for in life is big, big hair and these rollers have given me that! I prefer not to sleep in them (but if needs must I will suffer for my big hair!) because it is near enough impossible to get comfortable but if they're left in for the day by night you've achieved big bouncy waves or if you just put them in around the crown then you've got volumous roots that Cheryl Cole would envy!

And with that I'm going to put 2013 to bed now and hope that 2014 brings us some new favourites that we can get excited about!

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Monthly Favourites | June 2013

I didn't even realise that the end of June was looming until I saw a few monthly favourites popping up! This month has gone by in such a blur, new house, new job and a couple of messy nights in between is enough to frazzle any girls brain! The end of June also means that we're on the downwards slope towards Christmas, I need a few more sunny months before that thought starts to be less depressing though.

I think that I've spent the last 90% of this month doused in Estee Lauder Bronze Goddess (full review here) I absolutely love it, it's a holiday in a bottle and if you love a coconutty scent like me then this is perfect for you. It's limited edition though so you either have to stock up or be sparing! I really like bright blue nails when the sun is shining and Essie in the Cab-ana (full review here) is the perfect cloudless sky, swimming pool coloured blue. Good Application and long lasting, what more can a girl ask for?! I love lip products and I would go as far as saying that I'm a lipstick hoarder, out of my stash these two have been the stars of July. MAC Chatterbox (full review here) is an amplified finish in a really nice muted rosey pink colour, definitely worth looking into if you're after something that stands out but isn't too bright. MAC Flamingo (full review here) is from the All About Orange collection that did my bank account a lot of damage this June! At first I was a little bit disappointed that the colour pay off was quite weak but I've got over that hurdle now! It's just a really nice subtle pinky coral and the application is fail proof, you could do it with your eyes closed and it would still look great. I've been on a bit of a blusher binge recently and I've wanted Illamasqua Rude for ages now but it always seems to be out of stock on the website, I finally managed to get my hands on it and now I realise why it's always out of stock! It's a cream blush in a peachy colour and it has such a radiant finish, this really is the perfect summery cheek colour. I've really neglected my poor skin recently and the only thing that I've applied daily is this NUXE Huile Prodigieuse OR Dry Oil from the June Glossybox it has a golden shimmer running through it which is perfect for this time of year when we're all a little bit bronzed (real or from a bottle!) it can be used for your body, face and hair but I've only used it on my face because it's only a small sample, I think that the 50ml bottle comes as a spray which would be a lot easier to use. I'm definitely going to have to invest in a full size of this because I am nowhere near ready to part with my baby soft skin just yet!

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Estee Lauder Bronze Goddess Eau Fraiche Skinscent

 

Estee Lauder, Bronze Goddess Eau Fraiche Skinscent £45

I cannot believe that this year is the first time I've discovered this absolute little gem. This scent is from the Estee Lauder Summer collection Bronze Goddess which is made up of anything you will ever need to take you from pasty to sun kissed. 

Even the box this comes in screams summer, the abstract (It looks a little tribal, or is this just me?!) pattern on the bottle is made out of vibrant blues and a touch of pink so it definitely stands out on your dressing table and the bottle itself is a sheer gold - definitely not a gold as it looks in the picture, you can still see how much you've used but the appearance of the packaging varies from year to year. I'm rubbish at perfume notes so saying that it's a blend of coconut, mandarin, amber and sandalwood among others means nothing to me. If I was to describe the smell of this it would simply be summer in a bottle. As soon as I smell it it takes me poolside in the scorching sun a few shades darker than I am now, sunglasses, sun cream, bikini and Malibu and coke in hand. It does wear off quite quickly as it's only a light fragrance but you'll be wanting to reapply this to get that first smell all over again! Next time you're near an Estee Lauder counter make sure you have a spritz but you'll need £45 to hand as there is no way you can smell this and not walk away with it. You'll need to act fast though because when it's gone, it's gone - my local Boots is out already - and then you'll have to wait a whole year to get your hands on the scent of summer!

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Midweek Wish List #8

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1. I have been seeing a hell of a lot about this all over the blogosphere at the minute and I am ashamed to say I didn't have a clue what the fuss was about over the scent of summer, that was until I had a spritz whilst walking through Boots and I am hooked!! I could have sworn that I was by the pool with a malibu and coke as soon as I smelt it (I was actually in Nottingham Boots far too early in the morning before a day of team building exercises) I NEED to smell like this all summer!

2. I got a tiny version of this at Christmas in a gift set that was supposedly light but the shade wasn't even me after a good two week tropical holiday. I've always meant to go back and revisit this as I love anything that's brightening so I finally got the chance to go and get matched up and I'm I've been using a sample (in the right shade this time) for a couple of days now and I love it.

3. No, I don't want a pair of scissors, I just want a really good mop chop! It has been far too long since these ends have mine have been touched or my colour has been given a bit of life, desperate isn't even the word!!

4. I'm not quite sure when the launch date for these Barry M feather effect nail varnishes are but I've got my beady eye out so I don't miss it! While I was searching for these I saw that Barry M nail paints have been taken off the shelves in Boots, does anyone know why?

5. Mac Chatterbox looks like a lovely muted pink and between all the nudes, corals and brights this is a nice pinky day time colour that my collection is missing!

What are you lusting after this week?

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