April empties

Have you noticed how you seem to go through some products quicker than others? I'm guaranteed to always have hair and skin care products amongst my empties, but this month I don't have a single makeup item. Unfortunately I don't think it's because I don't use it, it's probably more a reflection of how much of it I have in my drawers! I'll try and include more makeup products next month but for now, this is what I've got lined up for April.

Come to think of it, I haven't had a Batiste Dry Shampoo (£2.99) among my empties for a while. It's not that I'm using dry shampoos any less (as if that will EVER happen), it's just that I've had a few other brands to use up lately - have to spread the love... But I'm back with another great product from the Queen of the Dry Shampoo Realm - Monochrome. This black and white mod inspired dry shampoo adds wonderful body and texture to your hair and is a great and quick way to freshen up your hair for those in between days. One of the reasons I really like to use Batiste is the great range of scents that they offer and this one is a bit different from the others with its slightly heavier spicy and sweet scent, a nice addition to any Batiste hoarder's collection. When it comes to facial sprays, you'll know by now that I swear by Caudalie's Beauty Elixir (£10.95) for a mid day moisture boost and added radiance, but if for whatever reason that product isn't for you, you might want to try Avène Eau Thermal Water Spray (£3.15) in stead (I've done a full review of it previously available here). It's a wonderful light facial spray that not only adds moisture to the skin, you can also use it for sun or razor burns - it's a very handy little product. Unlike most facial sprays it's in an aerosol format, so you get a very fine mist when you spray it and so it doesn't end up blotchy on the skin and it distributes perfectly evenly, making your skin look and feel dewy and hydrated. You may not be a fan of facial sprays at all, but I would still highly recommend this, and chances are you might become one.

Even though I like to do different things with my hair - messy bun, waves, straightened, plaits etc I use very few styling products and the only one that has a firm spot on my dressing table is the John Frieda Frizz Ease 3 Day Straight Spray (£6.99). It's an amazing lightweight spray with keratin and a subtle fresh scent that you spritz through damp hair after you've washed it, then blow dry and/or straighten as usual and the spray will protect the hair from frizz as well as keep your hair poker straight, smooth, shiny and sleek for 3 days. I know it sounds too good to be true but this really works and I've already repurchased it more times than I can count!

One of my favorite spring flowers is hyacinths and when I saw a tin of Blue Hyacinth among the range of Lily-Flame Scented Candles (£8.50) I naturally had to try it. I've raved about Lily-Flame candles before - they burn exceptionally well in the tin from side to side for about 35 hrs, so you get plenty of sweet or spicy smelling scent for your money. Blue Hyacinth is a delicate, soft and airy floral with a subtle powdery note and it filled the house with a spring like smell - simply lovely!

In December I treated myself to a lovely little gift set from Caudalie, a trio of hand creams which I have been pampering my paws with and now I've finished one of them - the Caudalie Hand and Nail Cream (£5.70) in Blackcurrant leaf. The Caudalie hand creams contain shea butter and vine extract that help the skin retain moisture, making the texture very lush and silky texture, and it absorbs quickly into the skin, making your hands feel soft and protected. The scent of Blackcurrant leaf is warm, earthy and slightly sweet - it's very summery and comforting, and I would highly recommend that you treat your hard working hands to this little wonder. The next product I've finished recently is the Gatineau Defi Lift 3D Perfect Design Revolumising Lip Care (£28) that I've also done a separate review of previously (you read it here). It's a lovely light and silky balm that nourishes and hydrates the lips making them lovely and smooth but it's so much more than just a lip balm. It's a complete lip care product which you can also use as a lip contour mask since it contains anti-ageing properties that stimulates collagen to add firmness to the lips and its contours, and the best thing about it is that it has an immediate plumping effect without any tingling, that lasts for a few hrs making it great to use as a lip primer. It does come with a hefty price tag, so I prefer to use this overnight as a treatment or in the morning as a primer, but for topping up during the day I use other balms. I love this luxurious product and the effect it has on my lips, and I have actually repurchased this already.

The last few months I've finished my empties post with a fragrance and that's exactly what I'll do today as well with a very empty bottle of Lady Gaga's Fame EdP (£20.50). Just like with its "creator" there's so much to say about this fragrance - starting with the alienesque spaceship looking bottle, which looks great on a dressing table but if like me you like to spray your perfume into the cap and then smell it - be careful you don't poke your eyes out with the long, sharp legs! You may have seen pictures of this in a black bottle but it's not the bottle that's colored it's actually the liquid itself that's black and when you apply it, it turns clear on the skin. It's an extravagant and dramatic scent and when you first spray it, it's actually quite fresh but that quickly gives way to very distinct florals like sambac jasmine and tiger orchid, and the flowery sweetness is emphasized even more by the use of honey and apricot nectar and the last layer is of saffron and incense. The unusual blend makes it a fairly heavy floral scent with oriental touches and it definitely makes a statement. I did enjoy wearing it, especially during winter time but as we're heading towards warmer days for me this will be far too heavy and as fun as it was to try this scent, it won't get a regular spot in my fragrance collection. Well, that's it for April - which of these products would you repurchase?

February favorites

February has been a very mixed month for me when it comes to makeup products, and unfortunately I've felt quite underwhelmed by a lot of the new products I have tried. This has meant that I've turned to some old tried, tested and well loved favorites to restore the balance. One of the new products that I've recently tested and really taken to is the Orly Bonder Rubberized Basecoat (£8.70). Let's just  disregard the somewhat strange name right away and go straight to the excellent qualities of this basecoat. The formula contains ingredients that make the basecoat feel ever so slightly sticky, and rubbery which means that nail polishes will get a better grip and last longer on your nails. When I use this basecoat nail polishes will last approximately 2-3 days longer than they normally would so e.g. a Barry M nail polish, usually lasting 3 days now stretches to 5 before the chipping is substantial. It is more expensive than many decent basecoats on the high street, however the bottle is a generous size and considering you don't need to apply nail polish as often any more, it's well worth getting. I'm so excited about this basecoat - yes I know... it is only a basecoat, BUT I'm beginning to hope that this is the solution to my unsatisfactory relationship with Chanel polishes which on my nails always chip already after a few hrs. I'll take it for a Chanel specific test drive and let you know how it went.

The fragrance that I've been wearing the most this month, is the gorgeous DKNY Energizing Fall EdT (£42). I've been feeling a bit cold and miserable after all the rain and the time spent outdoors and this has been perfect to restore my mood. It's an unusual but well balanced EdT with it's warming spicy and fruity scent of mandarin, lemon, jasmine, magnolia, musk, vetiver and cardamom. The blend is so harmonious, calming and beautiful with lots of substance and I'm suprised that I haven't seen it on more perfume shelves of department stores. 

A completely new discovery for me this month, and already a firm favorite is Batiste's Dry Conditioner (£3.99). It's the same concept as with dry shampoo, you basically spray it onto dry hair and then brush and style as usual but instead of cleansing your hair, this conditioning spray adds nourishment which makes the hair smooth shiny and sleek. It's an amazing product that adds a lot of volume, freshness and control without the crispiness of a hair spray. I'm completely addicted to it and start using it already the day after a hair wash and I'm definitely trying the one for strength and shine next.

One of the must have products in any decent makeup collection is a perfect nude lipstick, something which I had been trying to find for aaaages. After much searching and swatching I eventually found one in L'Oréal's Color Riche Collection Privée (£8.19), more specifically in the shade Julianne Moore. It's a gorgeous peach color with just enough pink for a subtle and natural look, and since I've already reviewed it in more detail in my article about natural colors for makeup where you can also see a swatch, I'll only mention here that the formula is moisturising and pleasant to wear, and it fades well throughout the day. I've worn this shade so often since I bought it, not just on a "no makeup" day and although it took me a while to find a pale shade that I'm confident in wearing, I've finally got it now and it was well worth the wait.

Since I've spent so much time outdoors in February I haven't really felt like getting all glammed up in my best YSL Youth Liberator Serum foundation, so after a bit of digging around in my tash I've rediscovered the No 7 Instant Radiance Foundation (£12.50). It's perfect for those days when you're feeling a bit tired and your skin is stressed, and it'll give a light to medium coverage as well as a natural finish. The formula is lovely and silky with light reflecting particles that makes the skin look radiant but without any glitter or shimmer, and it feels great and soothing on tired or dry skin. The foundation is a little bit more expensive than many other great options from e.g. Bourjois or L'Oréal, but the No 7 Match Made Service makes it worth those extra few pounds since you're guaranteed to get as close a match with your natural skin tone as you can get.

I debated with myself if I should include this last beauty product that I've loved this month, but in the end I decided to put it out there. As you may remember I did a review of the Diorblush from the  Trianon collection earlier this month, which was a bit of a let down simply because of the weak pigmentation, which is why I decided to show this bargain blusher, MUA 1D Cheek Tint in Coral Cutie. Expensive doesn't always equal great quality! It's a lovely soft and creamy cheek tint in a stick form, which is easy to apply and blend in and it stays in place all day long. Dab a little of this beautiful sunny coral shade on your cheeks and blend for a fresh and healthy looking glowing skin. This was a limited edition MUA product which I bought in Superdrug last year for no more than a few pounds, but since it's now only available on ebay these days the price is hugely inflated, as so often happens although you should be able to get one for around £5-6, and it's definitely worth it. 

I don't usually include non beauty items among my monthly favourites, but since it was a bit thin on the beauty ground this month for me, I thought I would show you a scarf I've been wearing at least a few times a week since I got it for Christmas. It's a two toned reversible cashmere scarf from LK Bennett - one of the sides and the tassels are in a gorgeous warm cerulean blue, and when you turn it over the other side is in a cool steel blue. It's long enough to double fold it and it's lovely and wide to use as a cashmere throw or stola. I hope you've had more luck than I with new products this monthly, and I'd love to know if you've also got any non beauty products among your February favorites?

Batiste dry conditioner

By now, my love for dry shampoo is well documented and I know I'm not the only one who regularly turns to a can of sweet smelling magical spray to freshen up my locks and to control any oil on in between wash days. For a while now we have also been able to get dry conditioners in the same format, and as you can imagine I was really looking forward to see what the Batiste Dry Conditioner - Smoothing Conditioning mist (£3.99) was all about.

This smoothing and conditioning spray that you should only use on dry hair, contains argan oil and the idea is that it adds a little extra nourishment and care either after you've washed and dried your hair, as a follow up to a dry shampoo or just on its own during the day as a frizz control spray. Unlike Batiste's dry shampoos, the dry conditioner is completely invisible so there's no white powder like residue and it also feels very dry and light when you spray it on. It doesn't have as prominent and noticeable a scent as the dry shampoos do, however there is a very subtle and slightly flowery scent that lingers on your hair and it feels so fresh to use. You spray a generous amount of it on to the lengths of the hair and ends, and then you brush through and style as usual.

You'll notice straight away that it adds a wonderful body and movement to the hair and it leaves the hair very shiny, soft and beautifully smooth. Even though it doesn't keep the hair in place like a hair spray does, I think it's a lovely option to use during the day to tame and smooth out stubborn fly aways, without the stickiness or crispness that you can get from a hair spray. It's a really lovely conditioning spray that makes your hair look and feel sleek and healthy, as if you'd just washed it and if they keep producing amazing products like this, we'll never need to wash our hair again!

January empties

This might sound a bit strange for a shopaholic who shows no restraints at all when it comes to buying new things, but often when I get something new it take ages before I actually open it and use it - and that takes quite a lot of restraint I can tell you. Mostly it's because I want to finish something else up first and I also quite enjoy knowing that there's a "shiny new toy" waiting for me when I've been good and disciplined enough to use another product up first. That leads me on to the empties of this month, and since I've been quite good I think I can reward myself with finally opening one of my new goodies.

I don't think there will ever be a monthly empties post where I don't have a dry shampoo since it's a staple item for me, so let's get the dry shampoo out of the way first... I'm sure I'm not the only one who rely on dry shampoo to refresh the hair in between washes, or maybe even use a little for added texture, even if oil control isn't needed. The one I finished the past month was Batiste's Paisley (£2.99) which is quite a rich, flowery and slightly spicy scent. For some reason I can't find it anymore online, although I have seen it in Boots but there are of course so many other lovely Batiste scents to choose from and I've already got my next one lined up.

Last August I did a post on the wonderful Avon Apricot and Shea Butter product range, and since I quickly discovered that it was a very limited edition, I've cherished it and only used it every now and then to make it last as long as possible but the day has now come when I've finished the 2-in-1 Shampoo & Conditioner, Shower Gel and Body Lotion. I only use 2-in-1 shampoo and conditioners every now and then as they can be quite harsh on the hair, but since this one contains shea butter it doesn't strip down the hair and I was surprised at how easy my hair was to detangle after I'd used it. I like a lot of Avon products but I also find that some of the products from the Naturals body care range smell lovely but don't always add a lot of moisture, however this is not at all the case with these. It's probably because of the shea butter, but both the shower gel and body lotion were quite thick and creamy to use and felt really luxurious especially since they made the skin feel very soft and hydrated for a good few hrs after the shower. But let's also talk about the amazing scent for a minute - it's a lovely soft and juicy mix of fresh sweet apricot and subtle vanilla from the shea butter, and it reminds me of a yummy and irresistible ice cream sundae. It's absolutely gorgeous and I so wish that Avon would bring it back - I would be first in line to pick up 10 of each product!

The lovely Caudalie Beauty Elixir (£25.59) has been a part of my daily beauty routine for a few years now and I finish both my morning and evening cleanse with a refreshing spritz of this amazing facial spray and I love it so much that I actually carry it with me in my handbag and use it throughout the day too. Why do I love it? - well I'm glad you asked... First of all the dispenser sprays just the right amount to add moisture but without making your skin wet, and it settles on your skin in a fine mist that adds radiance and hydration. Secondly, the scent is wonderfully aromatic with lovely zingy mint, warm rosemary, a hint of orange peel and subtle rose - divine, and lastly it really perks up not only my skin, but my mood too - so what's not to love? It's an indulgent treat but after all, we all need a little indulgence in our lives.

Over winter I've really focused on hydrating my skin and that goes for not just my face, but my body, hands and feet too. It's oh so easy to ignore the tootsies so I quite like to have a really pampering, lovely cream to motivate me to being nice to my feet, and the lotion I've used the most is Burt's Bees Peppermint Foot Lotion (£12.99) which has a lovely fresh and icy cool scent of menthol and peppermint oil. It's quite a milky lotion, and not as rich and buttery as I would usually go for, but it absorbs quickly, nourishes and hydrates the skin as well as locks in moisture. The feet feel so refreshed and energized after using it, and it's a great excuse to put on some cute socks afterwards to help the skin soak up all the moisture even more.

Since I wanted to make some space in the perfume drawer for any goodies that Santa might bring me in December, I made a real effort to finish up some perfumes that only had a little bit left in them. This meant that I had to do something I don't do very often - wear the same perfume several days in a row, and this herculean task meant that in the end I actually finished off my Marc Jacobs Honey (£33.15). Contrary to what you might, think this is a very sunny, playful scent with lots of fruity notes; fresh pear, sweet and juicy mandarin and orange with only a subtle golden honey sweetness to it. At the same time it's soft, warm and inviting and not sharp or zingy in any way. For me it's a lovely balanced and uncomplicated scent and while it probably is a typical summer scent I think it works just as well in the winter since the cooler temperatures really brings out the crispness of the fruit. It's a delicious and sparkling scent that I've definitely enjoyed wearing, but for me it's a little bit on the light side and for that reason I don't think I'll be repurchasing it at the moment. 

As you may remember I bought a lot of Lily-Flame candles (£8.50) before Christmas that have filled the house with different wonderful festive scents that I hadn't tried before. I love candles that have a very distinct scent and that really capture a mood, and Christmas Spice did just that. It's a homely, warm and welcoming scent of cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves - absolutely lovely. I've raved about Lily Flame candles before - they have a great range of scents to choose from, look good enough to eat, are very reasonably priced and last but not almost most importantly, the burn so well. Burning time is about 35 hrs and they burn really REALLY well - from side to side, completely down to the bottom of the tin with no waste at akk as you can see in the photo, now THIS is how a candle should burn in my view. If you haven't tried Lily Flame candles yet I highly recommend them and have actually just placed a new order for more scents to take us into spring.

The last product of this month's empties is the Urban Decay All Nighter Makeup Setting Spray (£9), which over the party season has been absolutely brilliant at helping my makeup stay on longer. It's a nice, non perfumed spray that somehow mysteriously lowers the temperature of the makeup, so that it stays in place without any smudging or shine. It feels lovely and cooling on the skin and I've used about 4-5 spritzes of it both after foundation (but before powder) and once I've finished my makeup completely. The only thing I would say is that the spritzer isn't brilliant and instead of a fine mist, it's a bit more watery so I spray this quite a bit away from my face and then lean into it, if you see what I mean. Despite this I still really enjoy it and will definitely repurchase it and this time, I'll go straight for the big size.

That's the end of the empties, time to start over on the batch for next month and I've set myself a goal - to finish up even more products for February's post. Do you think I'll manage? - well there's always the prospect of starting to use a shiny new product to keep me motivated...

December empties

I can barely believe that there's only one week to go before Christmas! I've spent the last few weeks bringing home so much stuff for Christmas that the cupboards are filled to the brim of food and hidden away presents. Well, good thing then that I've also tried to make some space by finishing up a few products.

As you may know Operation Rapunzel to get my hair to grow even longer has been in action these last few months, so you probably won't be surprised to see that there are 4 empties today that are related to hair care. The first one is the Kérastase Elixir Ultime hair oil (£27.60). It's a wonderful light oil with a gorgeous scent of sweet and rich moringa that is great for repairing and nourishing damaged hair. Like most hair oils you can use this for some many purposes, as a conditioner, treatment, detangler or as a styling products. I only use a few tiny pumps of oil, and my hairs feels so smooth and silky and cared for. Out of the hair oils I've tried, this is one of my absolute favourites and despite the price tag I would definitely buy it again as it's a real investment in your hair.

Next up is the dry shampoos of the month and both are from Batiste in the scents Cherry (£2.99) and XXL Volume Big & Bouncy (£3.99). Batiste will always be a brand I turn to for dry shampoo because of the wide range of scents that they offer, and they keep re-inventing themselves with new and exciting releases. The cherry scent comes in a cute retro bottle and it has a sweet, fairly intense cherry scent and although it's nice it's almost a little too heavy for me since I prefer lighter scents on my hair that won't interfere with whatever perfume I'm wearing. Big & Bouncy is more of a fresh floral and it's very effective for adding texture and extra body to the hair at the same time as it refreshes and controls oil and I would definitely get it again to help create updo's that stay in place all day.

Key to my routine to encourage my hair to grow is using the Lee Stafford's Hair Growth Treatment which is a protein rich mask that you use as a treatment in between your shampoo and conditioner and you apply it not only to the ends of your hair, but to the scalp as well and a healthy scalp is important for healthy hair, after all the hair grows from the scalp - not the ends. It's a wonderful rich cream with a lovely nutty scent that makes the hair feel very soft and volumized. I've really enjoyed using this every week and I'm already working on my second tub so that I can give you an update next month on how it's worked for me - and if my hair has grown longer which I really hope.

That's the hair products out of the way, so let's look at the others starting with the Gatineau Floracil Eye Makeup Remover (£17.50). It's a non-oily very gentle but effective remover that contains camomile to sooth and refresh the eye area but that also cares for the eyelashes at the same time. In the evening I usually take two cotton pads, soak them with Floracil and put them over the eye lids for a few seconds, and it's as if all the makeup, even water resistant mascara just dissolves and gets wiped away. There's no rubbing or pulling of the delicate skin and no stinging sensation in the eyes. If like myself you spend most of your day in front of a computer screen, your eyes might get a bit tired and weary, and just relaxing with a few pads of Floracil, is a few minutes of every day luxury.  This is without a doubt the best eye makeup remover I have ever used and I will definitely get another jumbo sized one in January and since it should last me about 5 months, the current offer on Salon Skincare really is excellent value for money.

One of the nail care brands that I completely swear by is Sally Hansen and I have used the care range for years now. I must confess that I have strayed and used other brands in between that promise miraculous nail growth, but I have always come back to Sally Hansen since I find that the products actually work and one of the products I've used almost non stop the past year is the Nail Growth Serum (£6.95). The serum contains Biotin, which is famous for helping hair and nails to grow and also for improving the quality. You massage it into both the nail and the cuticle and it certainly helps your nails to grow and I also find that the nails feel stronger and more even. I do prefer the Nail Growth formula that you can use as a base case, but both products are great and if you find it difficult to grow your nails, this might be a great product to try.

Just as I had planned on wearing a lovely glamorous Hollywood look with red lips and a winged eyeliner, my Avon Glimmerstick Liqui-glide eyeliner (£2.50) gave up the ghost. Timing couldn't have been worse! The product has the consistency of a liquid eye liner, but it's in a pencil form and has great precision, which is great for me since I find that liquid liners can be quite difficult to work with. The liner lasted really well throughout the day without any smudging but it was also easy to remove in the evening. I wore the shade graphite - perfect for creating a flick but not quite as harsh as darkest black, all in all a very nice and budget friendly eye liner.

The last empties is one of the winter scented candles I recently bought from Lily-Flame Candle (£8.50). Winter Wood was a fresh, but woody and aromatic scent, almost like the scent of Christmas tree. In the tin it was a bit soapy but I was very positively surprised and it filled the room with a lovely homely scent. I'm usually never disappointed in the candles from Lily-Flame - the scents are great, the candles burn a long time and they usually burn really well. This time however I wasn't pleased when the candle after about 15 hrs refused to burn any longer and had turned into the shape you see in the photo. A bit disappointing, but at least the other candles that I bought haven't let me down, and are just as great as I've come to expect.

I didn't manage to finish as much as I had hoped this month, but I'm sure I can find space somewhere if Santa is kind enough to bring me some lovely beauty bits and pieces this Christmas...

A girl's second best friend - Dry Shampoo

If diamonds are a girl's best friend than the dry shampoo comes a very close second. I don't know of many girls who've never tried a dry shampoo, and it seem their popularity is growing by the day with every self respecting hair care brand releasing their version of the product and we've even seen the first dry conditioners hit the stands in Boots and Superdrug. I'm not at all surprised since there must be others out there, who like me are dependent on dry shampoos since I try to limit the washes to about twice a week, and dry shampoo is indispensable for those in between days.

The point of dry shampoos is very simple - to remove excess oil and shininess, to refresh your hair and an added bonus is that they always add a bit of texture. It was actually my mother who introduced me to dry shampoo a besquillion years ago, when I was still in school and even though the formula then wasn't as good as they are these days I was hooked straight away. Dry shampoos have been around for more than 50 years and come in either a spray or powder format, but I definitely prefer sprays since they are so easy to use and you can carry a mini sized one with you in your handbag for on the go touch ups. Some of the negative things you hear about the most when it comes to dry shampoos is that it creates build up on the hair and it makes it white and dusty. I can understand both those points, but I find that if you hold the spray about 15 - 20 cms away from the roots, you'll get a more even application and it won't feel gritty and built up. It's also important to leave the product to sit on your hair for a few mins before your brush it out or heat style it so that it gets a proper chance to absorb oils and mattify without creating a powdery look. I usually apply the dry shampoo, massage it into the roots and then go put my makeup on, leaving it on for about 15 mins before I brush it out, and I never get that powder feel. Mind you I do have blonde hair, but if you still feel you get a white powder there are dry shampoos with a hint of color that work really well for red and darker hair.

There are so many dry shampoos to choose from at the moment and some of them in my humble opinion come at a completely inflated price (above £25) for what is basically an oil absorbing powder spray. I don't shy away from splurging but I would never pay that considering I use them up faster than you can say Dry Scham..... yep - gone! I still wanted to do a comparison between the more reasonably priced dry shampoos to see if there's really any difference between them so here's a selection from the High Street in ascending order of price.

First up is the product that for me is the Original and in a way the mother of all dry shampoos - Batiste, and I have chosen the scent Monochrome (1.99). What I love most about Batiste is how they keep reinventing themselves by introducing new scents to keep it fresh and interesting and there are about 15 differently scented Batiste products on the market at the moment - what an amazing range. The bottle is fun in its monochrome look and it makes me think of the swinging 60s. Batiste gives great body and texture to the hair at the same time as it refreshes it and Monochrome is a lovely scent - the mix of slight pepper and lovely soft and creamy orange soda is very feminine and modern.

Next up is a fairly new addition to the dry shampoo shelves and it's the Dove Style+Care (£3.06), which works exactly the same way as Batiste and it also gives wonderful body and texture to the hair. The only different I noticed was that it feels less powdery in it's texture than the other dry shampoos I've tried and there's less fall out as well when you apply it. The bottle looks slightly bigger than Batiste but it's actually exactly the same volume. At the moment it only comes in one scent - it's a beautiful light, airy and fruity scent, I only wish that it smelled a little stronger on the hair because it really is so lovely.

The first alternative to Batiste that I remember seeing on the High Street a year or so ago, was the TRESemme dry shampoo and now they have released an improved formula with their Radiance Dry Shampoo (£5.25). The new version is translucent, which means that it doesn't leave that white powdery residue that can be so annoying and it's also been enriched to bring out radiance rather than dull down the shine which can also happen if you've applied too much dry shampoo. It's works very well as a dry shampoo, however on my hair I don't really notice any improved radiance which is a little disappointing since it's one of its main selling points. The scent is the traditional TRESemme scent that you'll find in the heat protectant spray and all the other products, which I usually quite like but in the dry shampoo I find it a little too perfumed and strong for my liking. 

Finally we have the Toni & Guy Cleanse Dry Shampoo (£7.19), which is the most expensive out of the products, but it also does contain a bit more - 250ml. This is a clear spray, and just like the TRESemme dry shampoo it won't leave any white powder on your hair. It makes your hair feel genuinely clean and fresh and I could probably go a whole week without washing my hair if I used this. It has a wonderful crisp and clean scent of green apples that stays on your hair and I tend to use a little bit more than I actually need, just to get more of the scent.

To be perfectly honest there's not a lot of difference between the products in terms of performance - they are all easy to use and make your hair feel refreshed, textured and clean. The biggest difference is that the dry shampoos from TRESemme and Toni & Guy are clear sprays, so if you've been annoyed about white powder on your roots or you have darker hair, then these products are definitely for you and you'll also get less of a fall out when you brush it out. The other big difference between them all is scent, but for me both the scent and the white powder is a question of personal taste and it's wonderful that there are so many to choose from.

They are all great dry shampoos and the only one that I probably won't repurchase again is the TRESemme, simply because it didn't give the radiance that it promised and I also didn't take to the scent. If I had to pick one as a favourite, it would be the Dove Refresh + Care, mainly because of the amazing fruity scent, although I must emphasize that Batiste and Toni & Guy are in very close competition and I would highly recommend any of them for lovely smelling, fresh 2,3,4,5 or 6 day hair.

October empties

I don't think anyone will be surprised when I say that I like to shop - particularly beauty products. To get some brand new interesting things you've never tried before is so exciting. But having your bathroom cabinet full of lovely stuff that's not used is rather pointless, so I'm trying to be really good and to finish up products that are half full before I move on to my brand new toys. I've even been so organised that I've put all the stuff that needs to be used up at the front of the cabinet, and made a little list for me to track my progress. Talk about taking your beauty seriously!

The first empty of October is a dry shampoo. As most of you will know by now, I think dry shampoo is a girls' second best friend, and absolutely perfect for a quick on the go freshen up of your hair. I am a big user of the Batiste products and the Dry Shampoo XXL Volume not only refreshes and gives texture it also give a lot of volume, which for me is perfect e.g. after a gym session or if you're going out somewhere straight after work. Like all of the Batiste products it comes with a smell which is distinct for this particular bottle - it smells intensely of red berries, sweet floral and has almost a salty liquorice after smell. I have to say though that for me it is a little bit too strongly perfumed, and not one of my favourites which is a shame since I like the volumising effect, but I probably won't repurchase because of the artificial scent. 

Next product is the Urban Decay De-Slick Oil Control Makeup Setting Spray which is supposed to help your make up set and to stay on for longer by regulating the temperature of the skin, keeping it looking lovely and matte, without having to do any touch ups. I had never used this before and it took a little bit of getting used to, and to figure out how get it to work for me. I didn't think that it came with very good instructions, so I tried a couple of different approaches until I found what seemed to work best. I actually spray it on both after having put on my foundation, but before using powder and also when I've finished doing all my makeup. The spray function is quite good and gives a fine mist, and I use about 3-4 spritzes for every application. It definitely helps to keep your make up in place, however on me it doesn't work nearly as long as it claims (up to 16 hrs), in reality it's more like 5-6 hrs before I need to fix any shine. It's a good product and but before I repurchase it, I'd first like to try the All Nighter version to see how that measures up. 

I have also finished my KIKO Skin trainer. You may remember that I did a trial, during which I would only use this particular serum to see if it would live up to the miraculous results that it promised within 30 days. After the 30 days I did notice that the skin felt very firm and taut, which is exactly what was promised, but for me the sense of hydration wasn't as good as I would like it to be. It's a good, affordable serum that does firm your skin, but if you have tendencies towards dry or dehydrated skin, I would definitely recommend that you use intense hydration masks and a rich moisturiser to boost moisture levels. I do have other serums that I'm using at the moment and I'm not sure I would repurchase this, simply because of the tightness that I started to experience at the end of the 30 days. If KIKO releases a new version of the Skin Trainer to up moisture, I would definitely try it out.

It was a sad, sad day when I finished my Jo Malone Redcurrant & Cream Cologne. This was part of the limited edition collection called Sugar & Spice which was released earlier this Spring. It was a gorgeous collection with cake and dessert inspired fragrances and this was my favourite out of the five scents. To me it captures British summer perfectly with it's mix of tangy piquant red currants, juicy sun kissed strawberries, sweet crushed raspberries, lots of light, fluffy whipped cream and a subtle touch of warm musk that really rounds the scent off, preventing the berries from completely taking over. It was a delicious scent and even though I have enjoyed wearing it, I doubt that I will get it again since it's now only available on eBay at extortionate prices. Redcurrant & Cream, I will miss you!

Let's move from indulgent, unique fragrances to a complete makeup steal on the high street - the MUA Bronzer in Shade 01. MUA offers a number of products for £1, which is almost embarrassingly cheap, but despite the low cost the bronzer is actually a great product. It's one of my favourite bronzing products because not only does it give a lovely natural, golden shade with a very subtle shimmer, it's also light and pleasant to wear. The bronzer lasts for a good chunk of the day and works really well for scultping too. In fact, I like this so much that I feel like throwing in another £ coin every time I buy it, it almost seems rude for it to be that cheap. If you only wear bronzer occasionally and you don't want to go for the more costly options, I highly recommend the MUA bronzer.

The last product among the October empties is the Clarins Water Comfort One-Step Cleanser with Peach. It's very similar to a micellar water, i.e. it will remove eye make up and cleanse your face at the same time. I will never use only cleansing waters of this type (not even Bioderma) since I feel that I need, and enjoy a thorough cleanse of my face every evening, but it's a wonderful and gentle option as part of my morning routine, to get rid of any impurities from over night. What I particularly like with this Clarins product is the refreshing sunny scent of peach that lingers on my skin, setting me up nicely for the day and how soft it makes my skin feel. I do have a few other cleansing waters that I need to use up, but I will definitely be getting this again at some point soon.

I feel quite pleased that I have managed to take off six items from the list of products to finish up this month. It took a lot of focus and determination, let me tell you. Besides, you have to use it all up to make space for all the stuff that's on my other list - the one of things to get!

Cherry pickings

July and August is cherry picking season and there's nothing like eating sun kissed cherries directly from the tree. Cherries are warm and earthy but sweet, juicy and a bit tangy at the same time - you can probably tell that I love cherries and every time I find a beauty product that is cherry scented I just have to try it.

That's exactly what happened when Batiste launched their Dry Shampoo in Cherry - I saw the cute vintage inspired bottle, read about the cherry scent and that was it for me. Dry shampoo is just one of the best inventions ever. It helps to refresh your hair and adds volume. I have long hair and using a little dry shampoo is brilliant for when I wear my hair up since it adds texture and makes it grip a little better. I always have a few dry shampoos on the go and the rich, sweet cherry scent is lovely for days when I go for a more floral or retro look. While I do like the scent, I've got to be honest and say that I still think that the best Batiste fragrances are Tropical and Blush, since they are much fresher, lighter and easier to wear together with other scented products. 

Rituals is a fabulous brand founded in 2000 that you don't see mentioned that often. I love their concept of spa inspired beauty and home product ranges. They even sell casual, comfortable clothes - perfect for a spa evening at home! The product ranges take inspiration from Eastern rituals, e.g. Ayurveda, Hammam and Tao and they all smell amazing. They come in sleek and contemporary, stylish packaging at very reasonable prices if you compare with other similar brands.

My favourite ritual is without a doubt Sakura which uses cherry blossom. There is a very rich symbolism surrounding cherry blossoms and some aspects of it are love and happiness, but it's also a reminder of mortality and re-awakening. I've always wanted to go to Japan to see the beautiful palaces and temples, Mount Fuji and for hanami - picknicking under the blossoming cherry trees. How beautiful!

I have a travel size set of cherry blossom body products that I absolutely adore and use sparingly. I'll start with the Zensation Cherry Blossom and Rice Milk Shower Foam which is a gorgeous silky gel that turns into a rich foam under the shower. The foam gently cleanses the body at the same time as it nourishes the skin through the rice milk and of course you'll get that wonderful, soft, musky and sweet cherry smell. The perfect match with Zensation is the Magic Touch Cherry Blossom and Rice Milk Body Cream. It contains vitamin E, rice milk and centella that are all ingredients that perform miracles on dry or dehydrated skin. I absolutely love the formula of this body cream - it's simply lovely, thick and creamy and it just melts into the skin with very little massaging needed, leaving it silky and moisturised for several hrs afterwards. The cherry scent from the shower foam is quite subtle but when you layer that with the body cream, you get a really nice and noticeable fresh, sugary and creamy cherry scent that lingers.

I was on the hunt for a cherry scent that I thought would finish off the ritual nicely and I was choosing between the Cherry Blossom Water, or Escada's Cherry In the Air. But since I enjoy Rituals cherry body care products so much, I actually blind bought the body mist online. It's marketed as a relaxing body mist and it is similar to the creamy, sugary scent of the shower foam and body cream, however it has much heavier, deeper and sweeter notes than the other products.

I always give balanced and honest feedback on products, and unfortunately Blossom Water didn't meet my expectations. I did buy it blind (only got myself to blame), but here are some words from the description - relaxing and refreshing. Both of them make me think: Light, crisp and possibly a tiny bit aromatic or herbal. Instead Cherry Blossom is warm, powdery, with just a hint of vanilla and spice - it reminds me SOOO much of Cacharel's Lou Lou, which is a lovely statement perfume (far too heavy for me though) but I don't think anyone could possibly describe it as relaxing and refreshing. All in all, the Cherry Blossom Water is a nice, warm, rich and extravagant cherry fragrance, but you might want to be careful with it in a warmer climate, and although I personally don't usually categorize scents into day or evening wear - this one would be perfect as a sumptuous addition to a gorgeous evening outfit for some oriental mystique.

One of the best cherry fragrances I've ever come across is actually in a candle - Yankee Candle in Black Cherry. It's such a delicious, genuine cherry smell that captures both the sweetness of ripe cherries but also the tartness, making this a fresh, light and piquant scent. It is yummy enough to eat, and I can't stop sniffing the candle, even if it's not actually lit. I've got the tumbler candle with the brushed metal lid, which should give about 35 - 45 hrs of fragrance, but if like me you adore this - you can also find Black Cherry as a large jar candle which should give you up to 150 hrs of pure cherry bliss!

Until I'm fortunate enough to visit Japan, I'll just have to surround myself with the gorgeous smell of cherries, and keep on dreaming of cherry blossom season. Sayonara!

The pink edition

The colour pink is apparently a combination of violet and red and it's supposed to signify unconditional love and nurturing. It is also of course associated with the feminine and girly, but don't mistake any of those for ditziness; just look at Pink - a strong independent woman!

This spring and summer we've seen a range of pink shades from shimmery and sugary, ice cream sweet tints to more punchy, rosy and opaque versions and below are some of my picks from this pink trend.

If diamonds are a girl's best friend, then dry shampoo comes in second place. I don't think that any further introductions are necessary - we all recognize them and reach for them, for those in between days to freshen up our locks and add some more body. I've mentioned before that I love the Batiste range, and seen here is the scent Blush floral and fresh, in a pretty flowery bottle. 

Viktor & Rolf Flowerbomb La Vie en Rose EdT is a summer edition of Flowerbomb, and it's fresher and fruitier than the original (you can see the full description of notes in the link for the EdT). I can clearly pick out the combination of rose and green tea which is quite prominent (reminding me of Elizabeth Arden) and it's an unexpectedly fresh but floral scentsation. Even though it is a lighter version than the original, on scorching summer days for me personally -  this fragrance is too much. As it contains patchouli, it develops far too heady for me and I prefer to save it for the slightly cooler spring and summer days when you can really pick up on the fruitier and faint citrusy notes.

Rimmel is in general a great purse friendly brand, but in my opinion their best product release in the last year or so is definitely the Apocalips Lip Lacquers. The pigmentation in these goodies is absolutely fantastic - intense but at the same time shiny and very sleek. The applicator is a dream to work with and you get so much colour with it. That's why you do have to be careful when you apply, since the intense colour means that it's not always easy to correct any smudging, particularly not with the some of the deeper red shades. Celestial is a gorgeous rich warm pink shade which is suitable for any season.

 Rimmel Apocalips in Celestial

Swatches from left to right 

Rimmel Apocalips - Celestial

Maybelline Colour Tattoo 24 HR - Pink Gold

I've also mentioned the Maybelline Colour Tattoo 24 HR in another blog and this eye shadow is far from a new product range, but because of it's staying power it's great for summer and deserves to be mentioned often. Pink Gold is a lovely cool shimmery pink which is great either as a base or is nice on its own for a subtle, fresh lick of colour - very fuss free.

My last item in this pink collection is the Barry M Gelly Nail Paint, which is an amazing formula as made for on the go application. With most of the colours you really don't need more than one layer, and even better you don't need a topcoat since the gel effect already gives you all the high shine you need. For this particular shade however - Dragon fruit, I would recommend using 2 layers for a solid opaque finish. Dragon fruit is an old fashioned, punchy barbie pink with some blue undertones that I personally think works best in the summertime.

 Barry M Gelly Paint - 303 Dragon fruit

Regardless if you prefer the cooler or warmer shades of this edition's colour there's a product and a shade to suit everyone, so we can all be pretty in pink. 

Sweltering summer day essentials

I love love LOVE these warm summer days and evenings, although it's not always easy to keep your looks cool and fresh. On a day like today I'll make sure I've got plenty of sun screen on since I've got fair to medium skin and don't want it to turn red. I would hate for helicopters to think my red face is a landing site beacon towards the end of the day. I like using Hawaiian Tropic Sensitive Face Sun Lotion (SPF30) since it gives good cover without feeling sticky and it doesn't cost an arm and a leg compared to some other products.

I don't know about you, but my hair seems to take a life of its own when it's warm outside and there's really not much point in spending too much time on it. So I'll reach for the miracle of miracles - the dry shampoo. I love Batiste for their wide range of affordable products, quirky packaging and they're available from most shops. At the moment I'm using the XXL Volume Big & Bouncy which helps to give some extra body and a clean feel, although some of the other ones do sell much nicer. This is however quickly remedied by adding some Urban Iced Raspberry & Vanilla hairspray from Fudge. Not only does it make the bounce from the dry shampoo last but it smells amazing - just like a fruity ice lolly!

To freshen up I'll use the Caudalie Fleur de Vigne shower gel, which is such a lovely, timeless, soft aromatic floral scent, followed by the Hawaiian Tropic Silk Hydration After Sun to replenish my skin with moisture. Using the after sun gel is like dipping yourself in a cooling sweet fruit cocktail of coconut and papaya - oh yum.

I like showing off a tan by using some body oil, and one of the best ones is the Caudalie Divine Oil. It's a dry oil, so it absorbs straight away into your skin, leaving it silky smooth with a great subtle sheen. Another tan enhancer is to wear a pastel ice cream shade nail polish, and there are so many to choose from this season. I'm showing Estée Lauder's Dilettante, which is a lovely sugary pale Tiffany blue.

And to finish off - a couple of sprays of a summery light floral and exotic fragrance. One of my current favourites is Jo Malone Osmanthus Blossom. I realise that it's a limited edition released earlier this spring and that it's no longer available from the Jo Malone website (I even had to use Selfridges for the link to a description), but you can find it on good old eBay.

And of course, my constant feline companion had to supervise today's activities

I know what she's thinking.... "That's not the way I would do it..."