May empties

We all have our little "rules" for when it's ok to buy and use new products and although those rules may not make sense to everyone, the main thing is that they make sense to ourselves. Some people are really disciplined and don't buy anything until they've finished up something else, so the net amount of products really remains the same. I can't claim to be that good; I have a huge stash of things that I can't wait to use, and my excuse is that I don't want to risk running out of something - well, there's no chance that will EVER happen... At any given point I probably have 5-6 hair care items on the go, 6-7 skin care products and as for makeup - well let's just skip that part, BUT I am very good at keeping this modest (hrmmm...) level of products, and I don't open anything new, until I've finished something else. So this month is a great month for me because I have emptied 9 different products,  just imagine how many new ones I can finally start to use, happy happy joy joy!

You'll know by now that I usually have at least one dry shampoo in every monthly empties, so let's just get this month's product out of the way straight away. Although I am a big fan of Batiste I do like to try other brands as well every now and then and the Dove Style + Care Dry Shampoo (£4.59) is a good alternative to Batiste. It has the same oil controlling qualities, it adds a nice texture for a tousled look and it has a lovely light and fruity scent, but the biggest difference is that the formula is less powdery so there's less of the white fall out when you massage it in the roots and brush it out. If you're tempted to try a dry shampoo but concerned about the powder, then this might be ideal for you. When it comes to body butters there are not many brands that can compete with The Body Shop and as you probably know they have a wonderful range of sweet, savoury and fresh scents to choose between. One of my favourites is The Body Shop Body Butter in Chocomania (£5), a deliciously indulgent, yummy and authentic chocolate scent which is pure bliss! The consistency is not quite as rich and buttery as a lot of the other body butters but it's still creamy and makes the skin feel very nourished and pampered, so if you're a chocoholic, then treat yourself to this little guilt free pot of cocoa heaven. As much as I like a luxurious shower gel, a shower gel is after all only a shower gel and you really don't need to spend a fortune to get a great gentle, moisturising and gorgeous smelling product, which Radox Berry Burst Shower Cream (£1.99) certainly proves. It has a lovely smooth and creamy consistency that cleanses without stripping your skin of moisture and it smells amazing of warm sun kissed summer berries - budget buys just don't get any better than this.

If you read my post about Herbal Essences Moroccan My Shine Nourishing products, you'll know that my faith in Herbal Essences is slowly being restored and it's thanks primarily to the absolutely amazing Bee Strong range that uses honey and apricot as its main ingredients, both well known for their moisturising properties. I've used the Herbal Essences Bee Strong Mask (£4.79) regularly every week and it's really helped to keep my hair silky soft, smooth and detangled and although it could be my imagination, it also feels as if I have fewer split ends after using this for a good few months. I love the heavy rich golden consistency and the light tropical scent and would highly recommend it if you're looking for a great hair masque on the high street. You may have noticed that for the past few months I've had a fragrance included in every Empties post since I've really focused on finishing up a lot of those bottles with just a tiny little bit left in them, and this month I have a scent that isn't very well known, but that definitely deserves mentioning. If like me you love to flick through glossy fashion magazines, you'll know that DSQUARED2 is famous for its whimsical outfits combining glam rock chic with lumberjack, but what you might not know is that the fashion house also has an interesting range of perfumes. The DSQUARED2 Potion for Women EdP (£36), like the other Potions from DSQUARED2 (available both for men and women) is inspired by alchemy and days gone by when perfumes were blended and created with a specific purpose in mind, and this modern version of a love potion is a very feminine mix of traditional seductive scents like vanilla, rose, jasmine, amber, patchouli and musk. It's a sensual floral fragrance with a slightly green and fresh undertone of blackberries and a nod towards the oriental with the amber. It's a very distinct fragrance and what I call a Boudoir scent with its unmistakeable powdery vanilla notes, in the same vein of Jean Paul Gaultier's Classique. For me this EdP is at its best on cooler days since the ingredients are quite pronounced and on a warm day, they're just a bit too much for me - but if you love warm, feminine vanilla based scents, then this is the one to try!

One of my staple items is the cult classic, Caudalie's Beauty Elixir (£10.95). Not only do I love the aromatic and calming herbal scent of rosemary and mint, but the fine mist is a wonderful and easy way to refresh your skin throughout the day in any climate to add some moisture on the go. I have gone through more bottles of this than I can count, and I always make sure that I have one with me in my handbag when I'm out and about. It's a luxurious little treat that will make you feel special, and your skin will thank you for it, so if you haven't already tried it - add it to the top of your shopping list for next month. I am a firm believer in the benefits of using a serum as part of your skin care routine, and you can find one of the best ranges of serums from the lovely high end French skin care brand Gatineau which offers products for all skin types and needs, in combination with effective anti-ageing ingredients. One of the best serums for my dehydrated skin is the incredibly refreshing Gatineau Aquamemory Moisture Replenish Concentrate (£48.50), which is a lovely Tiffany blue serum with a fresh marine scent in an almost gel like consistency that absorbs instantly into the skin. You only need the tiniest drop under your moisturiser for an immediate intense hydration boost, making your skin feel plump and smooth. The technology behind it is intended to not only add hydration but to help the skin retain just the right level of hydration for your specific skin needs as well. Even though I mainly use the concentrate as a serum, I also sometimes use it as an intense masque, applying quite a few pumps of it on my face, and then letting it absorb naturally over night and in the morning the skin feels perfectly restored and revitalised and I will definitely reinvest in this amazing product again very soon.

Another product that has a firm place on my bathroom shelf is the gorgeous Lush Lemony Flutter Cuticle Butter (£6.50) which I have mentioned several times before so I apologise for repeating myself. This wonderful rich whipped butter is amazing for nourishing your hands and nails, and the zesty sweet lemon scent is so enjoyable that I just can't stop smelling my hands when I've massaged it in. I have used this daily for well over a year and have noticed a big difference on my nails and cuticles; they are stronger and healthier and my nails even seem to grow quicker, although that could also be because of the Sally Hansen Miracle Nail Growth that I use. or maybe these two products just form a nail dream team. Last in this fairly long line of empties is the Seventeen Falsifeye Mascara (6.49) which is a brand I hadn't tried before. I am a very fussy mascara wearer and Falsifeye promised a lot - volume as well as long flared lashes, my absolute favourite look so I was cautiously optimistic when I bought this. Unfortunately this mascara and I never really got on; first of all the wand is absolutely massive so it's quite chunky and with the squared shape it's also a bit uncomfortable to hold in your hand, secondly the brush is probably the thickest brush I've ever seen and because it's also so stiff it's very difficult to reach all the lashes for an even coverage without a lot of smudging, in addition the consistency was very wet and unusually so even towards the end of its life, and last but not least while the mascara might give length to the lashes the volume was definitely missing. As you can tell there were a lot of things that didn't work out, and even though I am open to take a risk with unknown products, in this case it didn't pan out and I definitely wouldn't repurchase it.

So nine items in total in May's empties - not bad if I may say so myself, and since I have actually been really good and not bought very much, you could probably say that I'm on plus this month, although I'm not placing any bets on that it will last into June...

When life gives you lemons...

Some natural products seem to be the cure for a little bit of everything. Just look at how many uses there are for honey, ginger, avocado and my personal favorite, the happy sunny lemon. Lemon is exceptionally rich in vitamin C - nature's own antioxidant that neutralises free radicals which is important to fight of colds and infections, it also has a calming effect and can help to get rid of nervousness and tension, and of course it has lots of uses when it comes to beauty. Lemon oil and citric acid is often used in beauty products to treat skin conditions like acne or eczema, but it also has strengthening and shining effects that are useful for hair and nails and with just a few lemons from your closest grocery store you can make all sorts of wonderful home remedies yourself. I'm far too lazy to make my own beauty treatments but since I love to use products that contain lemon, not only because of the healing qualities but also because of the amazingly zingy and zesty smell, I'm lucky that there is so much to choose from in most stores, starting with a great shower gel from The Body Shop.

The Body Shop shower gels are all soap-free, so they're gentle on the skin but at the same time it's easy to work up a good lather for a lovely foamy shower or bath. The Sweet Lemon shower gel contains essential oils to help sooth and moisturise the skin and it has the most amazing sunny, soft and fragrance without the usual tangy sharpness of lemons and instead it's creamy like a lemon mousse - yummy!

For a proper pampering session you also need a rich and indulgent body butter to finish with and for the most amazing range of scents, there's no other brand like The Body Shop. Regardless of which scent you prefer they all have the same ultra rich and creamy consistency enriched with shea butter that will soften even the driest of skins. What I love most about the body butters is that they blend into the skin almost immediately when you massage it in, and that they seem to lock in the moisture for a long time afterwards, making the skin feeling luxuriously smooth. The Sweet Lemon body butter is perfect to use in the mornings to vitalise and prepare you for the day ahead, and the creaminess of it made it a lovely base for both fresh and floral scents. This was one of my favorite ranges from The Body Shop and it's such a shame that they don't sell it in the shops anymore (the closest you can get to this zesty and creamy fragrance is with the Satsumas products), but if you're interested in this gorgeous Sweet Lemon scent you can easily get hold of these products on ebay.

As you probably know by now, I love to surround myself with scent and go through quite a lot of candles, and most of them are from Lily-Flame. I have reviewed several of their candles before since they have a great range of scents with something for everyone, and they usually burn really well for about 35 hrs or so. One of the first candles I tried from them is the Lily-Flame Citrus Crush Scented Candle (£8.50) which is a beautifully fresh tangy and summery mix of lemons and tangerines that is so invigorating and energising. It's a perfect mood booster - it always makes me feel very harmonious and refreshed and I absolutely adore it.

A product that I had read a lot about and was really looking forward to trying is the EOS Organic Lip Balm (£5.99) and the first one I got was in Lemon drops. It's a 100% natural and organic product with SPF which is rich in vitamin E, shea butter and jojoba oil to help keep your lips moisturised and smooth. For me the biggest selling point is the adorable packaging - it looks like a yummy little candy egg and it comes in loads of different tempting flavors, one more delicious than the other. It has a very subtle and fresh lemon scent and flavor that unfortunately doesn't last very long on the lips, but it adds a lovely natural sheen to the lips. What I really need from a lip balm is for it to also add long lasting deep moisture that nourishes the lips, but the texture of the EOS lip balm feels more waxy than moisturising or creamy and I find that I have to use quite a lot of it to get that sense of hydration, and I also have to reapply it very often for that feeling to last. Overall it's a cute product, almost a novelty type of lip balm - great as a gift for someone and if you're curious about these little pots, Naturisimo has a great range of flavors and they also offer free delivery worldwide.

The last lemony product in this zesty collection is the Lush Lemony Flutter (£6.50) which is one of the must have products that are part of my hand and nail care routine. It has a lovely rich buttery consistency with lots of nourishing oils from soya, avocado and coconut and. Take just a tiny bit of the butter, heat it up between your fingers and massage it into the cuticles and hands for an intensely moisturising and creamy treatment, and you're left with a gorgeous soft and sweet scent on your hands. Since it is such a rich cream it does leave a very slightly oily feel and sheen on your nails that I personally just leave to sink in over night, but if you want to do a manicure afterwards - you need to wipe the nails clean. I use this fantastic product at least four times a week and I'm convinced that it's helped to make my cuticles stronger and healthier.

So when life gives me lemons, I prefer to put them in beauty products and enjoy the delicious fresh and sparkling scent of warm summer days - at least it's a lovely reminder until we get there in a few months time. Do you make your own beauty products - or if you're more like me, preferring it to be served to you - which are your favorite products with lemon?

Be my honey

When I was a little girl, every morning my dad would insist that I ate a teaspoon of honey saying that it would be good for my immune system and it would keep me healthy and strong. At the time I didn't particularly care about that bit, I was more interested in getting a yummy sweetie after having finished my breakfast - no wonder I was bouncing off to school every morning on a sugar rush from the natural sweetness. But in addition to keeping me happy and energetic as I left for school my dad actually had a very valid point, since honey contains antiseptic and antibacterial properties and has been found useful to fight off infections. Honey is also a well known natural ingredient for nourishing, soothing, rejuvenating and hydrating skin and hair so today I thought I would show some of my favourite honeypots.

 

Up until a few weeks ago I hadn't used anything from Herbal Essences for a very long time. Their shampoos have always smelled amazing, but completely stripped my hair of hydration and turned it into a tangled nightmare of a mop. Having read some great reviews of the Bee Strong range, I thought I would risk it and see if the Herbal Essences products had improved so I got the shampoo, conditioner and the mask. The Bee Strong Shampoo (£3.89) is specially formulated for dry and damaged hair and it contains extracts of honey and apricot to repair the individual hair strands as well as strengthen them. The shampoo works ups a generous lather that gives a great deep cleanse, but without leaving the hair in a tangled mess and compared to the Herbal Essences shampoos I've used previously, it feels wonderfully hydrating and nourishing. The Bee Strong Conditioner (£3.89) contains the same strengthening ingredients as the shampoo but also has a serum to add extra moisture, and the richness of it makes the hair feeling super soft and cared for. If I haven't used the conditioner after the shampoo, I've applied a generous amount of the Bee Strong Mask (£4.19) which is a strong and intensive mask that feels quite heavy on the hair. It's a really lovely mask and it leaves your hair feeling very luxurious, nourished and detangled - as if you were using a much more high end deep repair mask, so it's incredible value for money. All the hair products have a nice and creamy golden consistency but to my surprise neither of them really smell of sweet honey at all, instead the scent is much more of a fresh tropical scent of warm mango, papaya and delicious apricot. I love this new formula from Herbal Essences and they have certainly redeemed themselves a lot in my book and I might even consider trying some of their other shampoos too. I may not look as fabulous as Nicole Scherzinger, but my hair certainly likes the Bee Strong range, and so do I

A few days ago I did a post on a wonderful plumping lip balm from Gatineau which admittedly is a little bit too expensive to use more than as a prep in the morning and a treatment in the evening, so in between I'm using an old classic, Burt's Bees Honey Lip Balm (£2.99) which I slap on a good few times every day. It's made from 100% natural ingredients and in addition to honey also contains beeswax, shea butter, cocoa butter and lanolin. It's a fuss free, cheap and cheerful product that you can afford to be generous with and there's nothing like it to keep your lips soft or to heal chapped lips. Burt's Bees also do tinted lip balms, but since I like to use this under a lip stick or lip gloss, this sweet honey balm is just right for me.

For a long luscious bath you need a Lush product, and when you're skin is feeling a little angry or sensitive, the Honey Bee Bath Bomb (£3.25) is just wonderfully soothing. It's a gentle and almost therapeutic bath bomb with honey (obviously!), rhassoul mud and aloe vera. The rhassoul mud softens the skin, scrubs away dead skin cells and helps to rebalance the oil production and tightens the pores, while the aloe vera and honey adds plenty of moisture. The bath bomb isn't as colorful and pretty to look at as many of the other Lush products, but it turns the water into a lovely warm yellow color and it's gentle enough for even the most delicate of skins. To me it doesn't smell anything like honey or even particularly sweet, and instead it's a nice and refreshing scent of very faint orange, bergamot, and gardenia which together form a very light floral that has a subtle sweetness to it.

Having indulged in a lovely relaxing bath, your skin will need a little treat in form of a rich and moisturising body butter and the Body Shop Honeymania is absolutely wonderful. It's very similar to most of the Body Shop body butters with it's smooth and almost "fatty" consistency that melts into the skin as it's heated up between your hands when you massage it in, and it really soaks the skin with hydration that lasts almost all day making the skin feeling very silky and soft. As with the hair care products, I was surprised that this doesn't smell particularly of honey. It's a harmonious scent that does have a noticeable rich and sharp sweetness to it, but it's of a floral kind and it reminds me a little of the Moringa scent as it's quite strong in a slightly artificial way, and if you're not keen on florals - you might give it a miss.

All of the products I have mentioned are pampering and indulgent to use, although most of them haven't really smelt that much of honey. But what they have lacked in terms of honey scent, the L'Occitane Immortelle Eau de Parfum makes up for with exuberance. This wonderful EdP comes in a beautiful but plain heavy glass bottle which has a very exclusive feel about it, that makes me think of bespoke perfumiers where the scent does all the talking, not the packaging. When Him Indoors bought this for me, it was a horrible cold and blustery day and when I tried this on it took me to a sunny, scorching Mediterranean filled with aromatic scents and I was completely bowled over. It's a very warm and luxurious scent that blends essential oils from rich honey like immortelle, powdery rose, deep animalistic musk and sweet iris - all vibrant and strong scents in themselves. This is not a fragrance for the faint-hearted or for anyone who wants to blend in and there is nothing girly, light or playful about it. It's a very womanly, intriguing, sensual and fascinating scent that creates an air of warm golden nectar - it's definitely a statement and I absolutely LOVE it.

I have been waxing lyrically (ha, ha - see what I did there...) about these wonderful honey products, but for good reason. Honey is the ultimate all in one beauty product - it hydrates, soothes, nourishes and smells wonderful and is definitely worth getting now that winter is coming to help keep your skin soft and smooth. But Behive and don't spend too much ... sorry - I blame it on the sugar rush from the honey I just had...

The blue edition

If I was to ask Him Indoors what his favourite color is - he would without a nanosecond of a doubt say blue, just like most men and even women. Blue is a color often associated with harmony confidence, trust and loyalty. It's also very often linked with natural elements like the sky, sea, and coldness - all of them with a slightly melancholy note, but to me that doesn't give blue as a color full justice since it can range from the light, soft and cuddly baby blue to dark, vampy golden, glorious blue. I know that for many, even the idea of using blue as part of your makeup screams 80's garishness, but the updated and modern version of blue is cool, sleek and unexpected and today I'll show you some of my favourite blue products.

The first product in this line up of blue items is the The Body Shop Shower Gel in Blueberry. For me most shower gels are pretty much the same. If it offers a gentle cleanse without stripping my skin and leaves a lovely scent that lingers for a long time afterwards, I'm happy - and that's exactly what this one does. This shower gel is soap free but still manages to work up a good lather for that ultimate shower experience and the delicious sweet and sour scent of blueberry, very slightly reminiscent of the old classic Dewberry but with less musk, is uplifting and it lingers on your skin for a decent amount of time.

As usual I have to have a matching set of scents - shower gel and body lotion/butter so of course I've also got the Body Butter in Blueberry. As with all the Body Shop Body butters, the texture is wonderfully thick, rich and luscious to use. I love to scoop out a dollop, heat it up between my hands and then to massage it in. I find that doing this will release the oils, enhance the scent and help to effortlessly blend the butter into the skin for hydration that lasts a good few hrs after you've massaged it in. The blueberry scent is fruity and piquant, but without any sweetness to it at all. Instead it's slightly sour, crisp and very refreshing.

Let's move on to makeup and one of my favourite high street brands this year - Bourjois. This is an example of a palette that does the whole "painting by numbers", i.e. giving you instructions on when and how to use which shade - it's the Smokey Eyes Trio Eyeshadow in Bleu Rock. I love a smokey eye, and I don't know about you but I sometimes think that to always use dark natural shades gets a bit predictable, and to instead go for blue shades adds an extra little something. This trio contains shades of blue that includes pale alice blue with a subtle warm grey undertone, warm bondi blue with a golden undertone and matte UCLA blue with a slight teal-green shade. The eyeshadows are lovely and light, smooth, buildable and easy to work with. For me this is one of the best Bourjois trios and the combination of matte and slightly shimmery shades works really well for a twist on the classic smokey eye look.

My next item is another budget buy, it's an Avon Glimmerstick Diamonds Eyeliner in Twilight Sparkle. The glimmersticks are very popular products from the Avon range, and no wonder - it's a lovely creamy formula that is so smooth to apply, it's longlasting and waterproof. This particular shade is a dark steel blue with a metallic and sparkly element to it. This looks wonderful as an alternative to black eyeliner for a feline flick or even to fill in the lower waterline. Even though this is currently listed in the most recent Avon book, unfortunately I couldn't find a link to it for Avon online, so my recommendation is to either check with an Avon representative or go to eBay, where I know for sure that you can get it at a very low cost - so go on, treat yourself to an amazing sparkly eyeliner that will look stunning for the festive season!

From left to right:

Bourjois Smokey Eyes Trio Eyeshadow 07 Bleu Rock - Illuminating shade

Bourjois Smokey Eyes Trio Eyeshadow 07 Bleu Rock - Blend & Stretch shade

Bourjois Smokey Eyes Trio Eyeshadow 07 Bleu Rock - Sculpting shade

Avon Glimmerstick Diamonds Eyeliner - Twilight Sparkle

For me to pick just one single nail polish in blue is simply impossible. Partly because I am always on the hunt for that PERFECT blue shade which is why I have loads of them, and also because there are so many different shades of blue, all beautiful in their own right. As a compromise I have therefore chosen two different shades of blue from our old friend Barry M, which is probably one of the most budget friendly brands on the market that offers not only a polish range in all the colors of the rainbow, but also a great formula. The Barry M Nail paints as they are called, are easy to work with to get a streak free finish, they're fast drying and long lasting. Seriously, there are not many brands,  about which you can say all those things regardless of price point. Not only that, but Barry M really keeps up with the trends and you can find any type of effect you want - plain, shimmer, sugar-coated, crackling top coats, metallic, magnetic, foil, matte or concrete - you are spoilt for choice.

The first shade I have chosen is Navy which is an amazing, vibrant, true blue shade with a slight golden undertone to it. It's a stunning, timeless shade of blue with a lovely satin sheen that would work with any outfit or occasion and for me, this is a must have in a nail polish collection. So if we started at the classic end of the spectrum, now we'll move to the other end with more playful effects. The second shade I have chosen is Atlantic Road which is a light, soft and warm powder blue with a textured effect. With this type of polish you really need to apply at least two coats to create that interesting, raspy, grainy and raw concrete effect. I also find that even though it sets very quickly on your nail, it takes a few hrs for the effect to really come into its own. It's a fun way to add a lighthearted and spirited edge to a look or an outfit. 

I've mentioned some wonderful products already, but for me the real gem (if you'll excuse the pun) amongst these blue pickings is the fragrance from La Prairie - Life Threads Sapphire EdP. La Prairie is probably best known for their highly scientific and luxurious top of the range skincare, but they also do some amazing fragrances. First of all, let's take a few seconds and talk about the bottle. It's a gorgeous, strict geometrical shape with whimsical web like threads throughout it, and scattered gems in brilliant white and sapphire blue trapped in the web - it's like a tiny sculpture that deserves to be displayed on a dressing table.

The scent itself is a lovely warm, sensual and elegant floral with a very slight oriental twist to it. It's a rich mix of faint orange flowers, balmy rose, sweet and fresh lilac, seductive jasmine, soft animalistic, golden amber and dry, spicy wood. You might think that these are all too over powering, but the combination is so well balanced and subtle that none of the notes dominate or over power the others. For me this is a one of a kind scent that really stands out, and it's the height of sophistication. Since this is a high quality EdP, you only need very little to make it last all day and this captivating scent is perfect for this time of year, warming you up from the inside out.

This was a small selection of my most loved blue products, but of course there are so many shades that probably deserve an article of their own, e.g. teal, baby blue etc. Although plum and berry shades are all of the high street at the moment, I hope this has inspired you to perhaps introduce a few elements of blue into your A/W beauty and makeup routine, and that you're not left feeling blue.

Also, just a reminder of the international giveaway that is going on at the moment, which is open until Oct 25. 

TANtastic body care

Yes, summer is almost gone and so is my tan - so in an attempt to look like I've just come back from holiday again, I thought I would bring out an old favourite and also test some new items that I've recently bought.

After much looking and lusting I finally got my first Soap & Glory products. I've had my eye on Soap & Glory for longer than I can remember and with all the fantastic reviews out there, I just knew that I had to get a few items. My problem - and it's a great problem to have when it comes to beauty products, is that there's too much to choose from, so I ended up with some shopping catatonia. It doesn't happen very often, but when it does I really do suffer! In the end I went for a novel approach: instead of getting what I just plain wanted - I bought items that I actually do need. So I decided on a body scrub and a body butter to go with it. Since I'm addicted to scent I spent a good while sniffing all the items in Boots and eventually I settled on the Breakfast Scrub Body Exfoliator and the Smoothie Star Body Buttercream.

If we start with the Breakfast Scrub, I'll sum up my experience with it in 3 little words - OH MY GOSH! When you open the tub, it does look a little bit like something you would find in your breakfast bowl, and the content of the scrub also sounds like it's from a breakfast bowl - extracts of banana, almond and honey extracts and oatmeal. They all help to scrub, soften and nourish your skin, all at the same time and when you've used this - your skin will feel very smooth. But the best bit is the smell of maple - it is sweet, crisp and absolutely divine and it actually lasts on your skin! It smells so scrumptious that I almost have to physically restrain myself from tasting it... Anyone else feel the same or just me..? Ok then.... Anyway, even though I can't really see myself using this as part of my morning routine I have to one of the nicest products I've ever tried - in all categories and I'll use it regardless of what time of day it is. 

Having scrubbed my skin, making it nice and smooth for self-tanning I used the Smoothie Star Body Buttercream to moisturise. It's a wonderful rich and thick body cream which is packed with oils and products to moisturise your skin; pistachio, almond, coconut and shea butter. What I like about this buttercream is that you really have to massage it into your skin, it doesn't just absorb as many thinner body lotions do, and that means that you'll have that hydrated feeling for a good few hrs after you've rubbed it in. It's such a luxurious cream and for me it's definitely a rival of the Body Shop Body Butters. Like the other Soap & Glory body creams it smells delicious, and this scent is of pistachio, almond and vanilla. It is a little bit on the synthetic side, but I really like it and again it stays on your skin a long time after you've finished getting ready - YUM!

For the self-tanning part I use Caudalie Divine Legs. I'm not being modest now, but I am probably the world's worst self-tanner, which means that I never ever do it. At least that was until Him Indoors brought home this little beauty for me. It's a lovely golden caramel colored cream and since the bottle comes with a pump, it's easy to get exactly the right amount that you need for the different parts of your body. I find it easy to use because it's slightly thicker than I remember other products being, and also since the cream is tinted - you see exactly where you've applied already and can get an even, non streaky result. Another great thing is that it dries very quickly and it doesn't come with that distinct smell that most fake tan products have and at the end of the day you easily wash it off in the shower - no scrubbing needed, although with the Breakfast scrub, I'll happily scrub away!

I've tried to illustrate the end result in the before and after photos below of my leg. These photos are taken in exactly the same location and light with just a few mins part.

 

Before using Caudalie Divine Legs

After using Caudalie Divine Legs

I think you'll agree that the result is noticeable and it's an immediate subtle, golden shade. If a complete self-tanning amateur like myself can get this result, then it really is a great product and I definitely recommend it if like me, your previous experience with self-tanning wasn't a great one.

So now I'm almost back to the sunny, bronzed shade I've been recently, which makes me feel very energetic, healthy and happy. If you are tempted by the Soap & Glory products, Boots have an offer on just now where you get 3 for the price of 2 of selected Soap & Glory items - and I will be going back this weekend to take them up on this too yummy to turn down offer!

August empties

I usually have several products on the go at the same time for different needs, moods etc but this month I've tried to be disciplined and finish some of them, before throwing myself at a new unopened one.... oooh there's nothing like opening a brand new product!

The first empty this month is a cheeky chappy from Avon - The Naturals Kids Mango Crazy Hair Tamer. Since I have long hair that always has a mind of its own after getting wet, this is perfect to help comb out all the kinks. It's a gentle and non sticky formula with a super fresh apple/mango scent. I know it's for kids, but it's a cheap and cheerful favourite of mine that really makes detangling less painful and my hair smooth, sleek and shiny.

Another old favourite that I finished is Clarins Hand and Nail Treament Cream which I have used on and off for years. It's a very rich and luxurious cream that contains sesame oil and Japanese mulberry to soften and protect the skin and I love massaging it into my hands, cuticles and elbows - completely random I know, but it works a treat! The cream has a subtle fresh and clean cotton scent with a small hint of orange or citrus. I adore this hand cream and it's a good thing I bought a duo pack the last time, so I don't need to be without for a little while.

I got a small pot of Cherry Body Butter from Body Shop a while back in their sales - Body Shop Bargain post, and although I wasn't completely sold on the scent at the time I really enjoyed using it. It didn't have that sweet, earthy cherry scent that I was hoping for but the amazing qualities of the body butter make up for it. It doesn't really matter which of Body Shops' tempting scents you go for - the formula is the same with its thick, buttery consistency that quickly absorbs and still leaves your skin feeling deeply moisturised. The body butters definitely are great value for money!

At the beginning of the month I finished my Estée Lauder Hydrationist Maximum Moisture Creme which unlike many products does exactly what it says on the beautiful pot. It's a gorgeous velvety, silky cream that melts into your skin with a very gentle, subtle scent. When you apply it, you'll feel a noticeable difference immediately. It's like a mega boost in hydration and not only that - it continues to last throughout the whole day. Since I started to use Hydrationist I no longer carry with me a small moisturiser during the day for dry areas - a spritz of Caudalie Beauty Elixir is enough to keep my skin going. Apparently this is because the formula encourages the skins natural ability to retain moisture which fights the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. I LOVE this cream and will definitely get another one at some point.

A couple of times a week I use a mask of one sort or another either to hydrate, nourish, deep cleanse - whatever my skin needs most that particular day. It had been a while since I had used a Fresh Face Mask so I got the Lush Oatifix for dry skin which is supposed to moisture the skin leaving it soft, nourished and brightened. The mask contains bananas, oatmeal, ground almonds and is scented with a little bit of vanilla and to me that all sounds like the shopping list for a really yummy dessert! In the pot it looks fairly creamy and easy to work with, but when you apply to your face it falls into a million pieces. Unless you are lying down for 5-10 mins while the mask is doing its thing, there is no way that it will stay on your face. I liked the polishing feel of it, but the fact that it wouldn't stay on was enough for me to not want to buy it again. I have almost all of the product left, which says a lot about how I feel about this mask. It pains me to say it because I've always loved every Lush product I've tried, but this one definitely didn't work for me. I haven't given up on the fresh masks though, so if you have recommendations on another one with hydrating qualities, please leave a comment below!

A mascara that I have been using a lot the past few months is L'Oréals False Lash Telescopic Mascara in Magnetic Black. The formula is lovely and fluid which makes it easy to work with (not dry like some mascaras) and it's specially made to build intensity and to elongate the lashes. It comes with a long, very thin and flexible brush that easily reaches even the shortest lashes, close to the corner of your eye and I also find that it kind of curls the lashes as you're working with it. I'm so happy with this mascara that I've repurchased it several times and can highly recommend it to create long defined lashes.

L'Oréal False Lash Telescopic Mascara brush

Lastly, if you read my Body Shop Bargain post, you may remember that I was so excited about a Jasmin & White Frangipani candle, which smells absolutely amazing with a very genuine Jasmine scent. Now maybe I've been unlucky because not only did the glass break almost straight away, but it's also one of those candles that just burn straight down into the tumbler and creates a big crater, with lots of wax on the sides that doesn't burn - what a waste! I will try another Body Shop candle in a different scent to check if this was a dud, who knows - the others might be brilliant.

Have you finished a product this month you can't live without? Leave me a comment and let know what you'll be buying again as soon as you hit the shops!

Body Shop Bargains

Being a self confessed beauty junkie, I'm not likely to miss a good sale when it's on, particularly not when it gives me the opportunity to stock up on my beloved body butters - and what better place to go to than Body Shop.

I managed to get my hands on no less than 4 body butters and shower gels. But in my defense, some of it is going in the gym bag, some of it is for when we have guests, and some of it is for... well, a rainy day I guess.

The blueberry shower gel & body butter smell quite rich with a sweeter undertone that somehow reminds me a little of the Dewberry range (oh, nostalgia!!!), while the raspberry products are so yummy - perfect for a morning shower followed by a fruity smoothie. I'd never tried the cherry butter before but was delighted to give it a go since I usually really like cherry fragrances. It leaves your skin feeling deeply moisturised, like all the body butters however it does smell a bit synthetic and I don't think this will be a favourite of mine.

For me the real bargain was the sweet lemon body butter and shower gel. I've had them both before and they have a subtly zesty lemony fragrance without being too sharp. It's brilliant for warm summer days for that refreshed feeling, or why not save them for later on in the year to remind you of summer.

To finish it all off I couldn't resist getting a candle - Jasmine and White Frangipani. I know that for some people Jasmine can be a bit overwhelming, but for those who love it, like myself it's truly one of the best jasmine candles out there. Even without lighting it, there's a lovely scent that lingers in the room.

Some of these items may have sold out already, but if you hurry up you'll still be able to get some absolute bargains before the Body Shop Sale finishes.

Happy hunting!