You Beauty Discovery Box - February (Red Carpet)

This month's YBD box is all about products that are that little bit more indulgent and ready for the red carpet (very fitting considering it's awards season!). The products are all about radiant skin and finishing touches to keep you looking your best.

From the selection of products available, I chose the In.fused Coconut Body Scrub (100g) and the Proto-col Moisturising Facial Gel (20ml). The extra's included in this box were Lindor Milk Truffles (already eaten...Ooops!) and a sample of the Bare Minerals Bare Skin Serum Foundation.

I know I've chosen another body scrub this month, but the In.fused scrub is completely different to the Afyna one from last month's box and I'm looking forward to using this before I'm back at school (currently enjoying the half term). The body scrub is 100g which is half the full size product which retails at £18.99, making this sample approximately worth £9.50. The scrubs are vegan friendly and made from natural ingredients. They're also not too coarse, which makes them perfect for applying on the face (avoiding the eyes of course).
The Proto-col facial gel is a product I randomly chose, thinking it would be a little bit like my tube of Hydraluron. Obviously this is not the case, as the product is more of a gel-lotion hybrid, rather than a clear gel. It does keep my skin hydrated but seeing as it aims to reduce the appearance of lines and wrinkles, it's more suited for mature skin. The 20ml tube retails for £9.50 on the Proto-col website.

With a box worth £19, I'm pretty pleased with my picks and the fact that the YBD box is only £6.95. Plus, the addition of Lindor truffles are always a way to my heart =D



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You Beauty Discovery Box - January (New Year, New You)

This month I re-subbed to You Beauty Discovery boxes. It's the one beauty box that I subscribe to and is a little treat that comes every month (which I think is definitely needed) plus it doesn't break the bank at only £6.95. January's box is based around the 'New Year, New You' concept, and the selection of products are to help banish the January Blues.

I chose the MeruMaya Melting Cleansing Balm and Overnight Recharge Night Cream Duo and the AFYNA Detoxifying Body Scrub. The extra's this month included three Dragonfly Tea organic teabags, a sachet of Dove Hair BB Cream and a £25 voucher for Hello Fresh. I'm looking forward to trying the cleansing balm as I've read a few positive reviews, and hopefully it'll be a good addition to my skincare routine (although I'm not sure if it will substitute my Liz Earle Cleanse and Polish). I'm a big fan of body scrubs, but I'm just too lazy to make my own, so I know that I'll be using the AFYNA one soon. Not particularly sold on the whole 'BB cream for hair' from Dove, but the description suggests it's a bit like a leave-in conditioner, which I haven't used in the past.

Have you subscribed to YBD? What did you think of this month's selection?



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April Empties

I haven't done an empties post in a while, but I have accumulated a number of empty containers/tubes/tubs etc. over the past few weeks. And here is my (belated) April emptied post =)

Products that I have/will repurchase:

EOS Lip Sphere-This lip balm is the ultimate lip balm. Yes, the packaging is big (although it is cute), this product stays on my desk at home and I always reach for it when my lips need a little moisture.

Bioderma Ultra-Soothing cream-This seems to be the only product that works on my eczema. I'll be repurchasing this soon as my eczema has calmed down, so I don't need to apply the cream as often. (I've decanted what I could get out from the tube into a little pot, which is why I've cut the top off).

Guerlien La Petite Robe Noire EDT-I love this scent, and I'm so glad that I got two of them in the Boots Christmas Sales. I'm not really a perfume wearer (more body sprays and mists) but this fragrance is definitely one that will repurchase.

&OtherStories Rose Revival body scrub-These body scrubs aren't very expensive (£7) but they smell amazing and have enough texture to actually exfoliate and be called a scrub. I've already got another scent waiting to be opened. If you ever get the chance, pop down to an &OtherStories store to test out the body scrubs (and their other bath and body products).

 

Products that I won't miss:

L'oreal Skin Perfection Micellar Solution-I bought this when it was on offer, so it somehow worked out better value for money than the other micellar waters available. It's a pretty good cleanser (I use it with the Kleenex cotton face cloths-a bargain find in 99p stores!) but the design of the bottle and the way it pours out means that a lot of product is being wasted. I'll be taking a look at the Garnier micellar water instead.

CND Solar Oil-I got this in the first BBB beauty edit box, and unfortunately it hasn't wowed me in any way. I like the packaging as the brush makes it easy to apply the oil to the nails and cuticles, and it smells nice, but it just didn't do anything for me. I'm sticking to my L'Occitane shea butter hand creams!

 

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Autumn/Winter Skincare

Clearly Summer has left the UK before it even began to settle in. Already I'm digging out my boots and chunky knits, ready for the cold wind and rain that is slowly arriving. Alongside changing up my wardrobe, I also adjust my skincare routine. I find that during the Winter, I get a lot of patches of dry skin on my cheeks and my eczema flares up really badly. And don't forget the chapped, cracked lips and dry hands! I've put together a little list of products that I will be using throughout the next few months to keep the Winter skin at bay!

 

L'occitane Honey Shea Butter - A handy little tub that I keep on my desk. I massage this into my nails and cuticles to keep them hydrated.

& Other Stories Punk Bouquet Body Scrub - A new body scrub that I picked up a few weeks ago on a trip to Oxford Street. This scrub smells lovely and sweet (as you'd probably have guessed by the name) and it's not too harsh on the skin (but it is exfoliating enough) =)

EOS Lipbalm - My Holy Grail lip balm. Seriously, this is better than Carmex!

Lanolips Lip Ointment - My other HG lip balm. Just as good as the EOS and it's a lot easier to carry around in my bag.

Bioderma Atoderm Nourishing Cream - This Bioderma cream is helping keep my eczema and dry skin at bay. Ever since I've come back from holiday, the eczema around my eyes has disappeared (I think it's something to do with the warmer climate), and I'm just using this around my ears and my arms and legs, as I seem to always be getting told that I have very dry skin.

L'occitane Shea Butter Hand Cream - I have back-ups of this hand cream. This is another HG product and I use it all the time. The Shea Butter in the hand cream helps keep my hands moisturised and nourished so I'm not constantly applying hand cream.

Do you change up your skincare for Autumn and Winter?




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July Empties

Please excuse the fact that I didn't do empties posts for May and June! Unfortunately I had a bit of a clear out and threw away all the empty products before I got round to taking pictures and blogging. There are quite a few empties this month, as I'm determined to use up a lot of my stash before buying any more products.

 

Catastrophe Cosmetic Fresh Face Mask - I love Lush's Fresh Face Masks! I finished this a few weeks ago, but it has lasted an absolute age! And because it's kept in the fridge, the mask was nice and cold to apply (especially as the UK seemed to have a mini heat wave!) You can see my review for Catastrophe Cosmetic here.

Soap & Glory Flake Away body scrub - A very grainy body scrub which I used mostly on my legs to try and get rid of ingrown hairs. The grains were large enough for the scrub to be abrasive, but not too big! I did like the smell (it was quite refreshing) but I definitely needed to apply moisturiser afterwards. At least I know that next time, I'll be looking to get an oil based scrub.

 

Philosophy Snow Angel shampoo, shower gel and bubble bath - I bought this nearly two years ago at the Christmas sales and only took it out at the beginning of the month. I used it as a shower gel (not keen on using it as shampoo). I don't think I'll be purchasing any Philosophy products any time soon, although I do have the Purity cleanser, which came in the BBB Edit box, to try out.

Avene Thermal Spring Water spray - Thanks to the very hot weather, I've been using this spray daily to set my (minimal) makeup in the mornings and then freshen my face throughout the day. I've already repurchased this in the 150ml size, and will be picking up the smaller sprays for my holiday. You can see my full review here.

Bioderma Atoderm PO Zinc Creme - I've been using this cream for my eczema since I first got it. As you can see, I went to extreme measures to get every little bit of product out! I have already repurchased this as well as another Bioderma Atoderm product. You can read my review here. 

La Sultane de Saba body lotion with Argan Oil - This came in my first (and only) Birchbox back in March. I actually quite like this moisturiser as it's very light and the absorbs into the skin quite easily. The scent sort of reminds me of baby products (Johnsons baby lotion maybe?) which I didn't mind but some people might not like it. I won't be purchasing (not yet anyway) because I have plenty of body lotions and butters to use up!

 

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Halal and Organic Skin Scrub [review]

I purchased the Sweet Lemon, Ginger and Manuka Honey Skin Scrub from Halal & Organic at the Smoky not Smudgy event in November. I've only used it a few times, but thought it would be useful to do a review as it's currently on sale on the website!

The scrub smells pretty good, sort of spicy and warm (which comes from the ginger and honey), and is exactly what is needed in this cold winter weather. It's a coarse sugar scrub, so I wouldn't personally use it on my face. I've been instead using it on my legs and on my arms, by applying and massaging onto damp skin and then washing it off. The lemon, olive and argan oils in the scrub means that the skin stays moisturised and doesn't need any extra moisturising afterwards (unless you have really dry skin). The website recommends this particular scrub for oily, normal or sensitive skin, but I think it would work just as well on dry skin types too!


Halal and Organic also have other scrubs available too, including Pink Himalayan Rose and Lavender (Sensitive skin), Sea Orange and Mustard Seed (Normal/Dry skin), Sea Lemon and Poppy Seed (Normal/Oily) , and a few others too. Be sure to check out the website here and their facebook page here =)




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Smoky Not Smudgy [haul]

Seems like November is my hauling month, considering that this is my third! I attended Smoky Not Smudgy on Saturday 17th November and volunteered to do henna at the event. Unfortunately this meant that I couldn't wonder around the stalls or attend any of the workshops (they had a cupcake decorating one, which I would have loved to have gone to!), however I did get some time towards the end of the event to have a look around and pick up a few bits and pieces.

And here's what I got!

Halal and Organic is a company that specialises in organic handmade skincare products that are free from alcohol and animal fat. They have a number of different products which are designed for specific skin types. I purchased the Yellow Mango Butter Balm and the Sweet Lemon, Ginger and Manuka Honey Skin Scrub. I'm planning on using the butter balm for my eczema (this was the one specifically recommeded for it) in place of my usual Lush Ultrabalm. I seem to be getting more interested in skin scrubs, and so decided to purchase this one. The ginger makes the scrub smell lovely and I think this scrub will be perfect for winter as it also contains Argan oil and Vitamin E.

From Yana Kiss I purchased a bottle of Cosmetic Argan Oil. I've never tried Argan oil (or products containing argan oil) before, so this is a bit of experimenting for me. I don't know exactly how I'll be using the argan oil, but if you have any idea's or tips, please let me know (comment, email or tweet me) =)

In terms of hijabs and hijab accessories, I didn't buy much (mostly because I need to de-clutter what I already own!). I purchased this pretty grey and black hijab from Hijab Candy. The pattern on the border reminds me of lace which is the main reason I picked it up (also because I didn't have a grey hijab, so this is the first!).

 

Finally, I bought a few pins from Dramafree. The Sweetheart Rose pin is one that I've had my eye on for quite some time, yet never actually got around to buying it. I also got two different sets of diamante pins (which I can't find on the website) but these will be perfect for that extra little sparkle on my hijab =)

Did anyone else attend Smoky not Smudgy? How was your day at the event?





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September Empties

I've finally finished Project 10 Pan:Take II, and will now (hopefully) be posting monthly (or bi-monthly) empties blog posts. So far, I seem to be using up more products, although I'm struggling to find a place to store the empty bottles/sachets/tubes etc. without them being thrown away! Anyway, here's all the stuff that has been used up throughout September =)

 

 

 

Garnier Olia Permanent Hair Colour (5.3 Golden Brown) - I got my sister to put this in my hair on Thursday, and I love that it's tinted my really dark brown hair, so that it looks a lot lighter in the light (if that makes sense). Also, as it doesn't contain ammonia, there is no horrible chemical smell. It's supposed to smell floral, but I didn't notice it that much (which is a lot better than the really strong standard hair dye smell). Will definitely be buying this when I dye my hair again, possibly going for a mahogany or red colour instead.

Celia Birtwell Lip Balm - A cherry scented lipbalm which I have finally finished. I kept this one in my pencil case during uni alongside a tube of carmex, for days when I wanted to moisturise my lips, but not too much. I am trying to use up more of my lipbalms at the moment, as I have such a large collection.

Bare Minerals Foundation sample (Medium Tan) - This little sample pot has lasted ages and I'm considering buying the fullsize product. I love using mineral foudation, especially because I have sensitive and combination skin, so it won't cause any bad reactions and will also help to keep my t-zone oil free. I was matched to this shade a few months ago, although my recent trip to Selfridges ended up with me being matched to a foundation that was 1-2 shades darker. Will probably have to do a bit more research before I buy anything.

Sarah Jessica Parker Covet Pure Bloom (30ml) - I bought this ages ago from Boots Clearance for around £6. It's a nice Spring/Summer fragrance with a mixture of floral and fruity notes (according to Google) and has a refreshing scent. Also love the little bottle and the purple flower lid.

Lush Sweetie Pie Shower Jelly - Lush products smell amazing and this is no different. The Sweet Pie shower jelly reminds me of Bassett's soft and chewy vitamins, which I used to have when I was younger. I broke this up into small chunks and then lathered up in my hands before using, in order to avoid creating a mess which would then end up with most of the jelly down the drain. Also love that it's a purple colour and contains a little glitter (which doesn't actually end up on the body).

FCUK Polished Body Spray - Another body spray, this time from Boot's Clearance. I think these usually come out in the FCUK Christmas gift sets. Not too sure about the smell of this either, as there's just something about it that I don't like. I've got another bottle somewhere which I need to use up before buying anymore body sprays.

The Body Shop Japanese Cherry Blossom Shower Gel - Loved the smell of this! And the floral scent definitely lingered for a while (instead of disappearing completely). I recieved this as a gift and would repurchase (once I've finished using up my supply of shower products).

Cherry Blossom Invigorating Body Spray - Bought this from Poundland a while back. A really big bottle, that I ended up using as a room spray as the scent was pretty weak and didn't last for very long (well what can I say, it's from Poundland).

Boots Therapy Sweet Nourishment Smooth Me and Boots Therapy Fruit Revitaliser Smooth Me - I bought both of these from Boots clearance (not too sure if they stock them in Boots stores). They are both shower smoothies with cupuacu peel as the exfoliators (or skin polishers). I didn't find these to be particularly exfoliating, and definitely preferred the Sweet Nourishment scent over the Fruit Revitaliser (maybe because it smelt like vanilla and chocolate).

Japanese sheet mask - Sam (Sam's Beauty Blog) kindly gave me a few face and eye masks to try out from her huge Sasa.com haul in May. This is the first one that I've tried and it's a sheet mask which is supposed to nourish and brighten the skin. The hardest thing was keeping a straight face after I'd put the mask on (I scared/shocked a few family members that morning!). My skin definitely appeared brighter, and I think if you use these on a regular basis then the effects would be more noticeable (now to try and hunt some down on ebay).

Superdrug Sugar and Spice Self Heating Face Mask - This face mask was a bit hit and miss with me. I didn't like the smell as I found it way too synthetic/chemical like. The face mask warms as soon as you apply it to the face, and then cools slightly (but is still pleasantly warm). It doesn't actually dry, so I left mine on for a bit too long, but it did leave me with skin that felt smooth and more clearer. It also has moisturisng properties (my skin didn't feel tight after using the mask). Not sure if I'd repurchase, simply because of the smell.


Pretty good for an empties post! I've managed to use up 12 products in September =)

What do you think of empties posts? Yay or nay?





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September Beauty Haul

As P10P:TakeII finished a few weeks ago, I have been buying quite a bit more in terms of makeup and skincare (and just general bits and bobs). Although, in my defense, I have used up more products (which will be revealed in the September Empties post at the end of the month) and therefore needed to restock as well as try a few new things. And here's what I bought!

 

Soap & Glory Flake Away travel size (Boots - £2.50). I bought the travel size tub to test out the Flake Away scrub after reading Aalia's review on her blog Hijabi With Style (check out the review here). I seem to be getting more dry and flaky skin as well as ingrown hairs, so hopefully this scrub will help with reducing the ingrown hairs and removing dead skin.

Tea Tree & Witch Hazel Peel Off Face Mask 10ml (Boots - 99p). I had a Boots Advantage Card voucher which gave me 150 points when I bought any product from the Boot's Tea Tree & Witch Hazel range, so naturally I picked up the cheapest one there. And one can never have too many face masks!

Dove Deodrant Beauty Finish (Boots - £2.45). Standard deodrant. No explanation necessary =)

 

Dermalogica Top Performer Collection (Dermalogica - £20). I had a face mapping skin analysis at the Dermalogica in Westfield Stratford to see if I should be making any changes to my skincare routine. My skin is dehydrated, I have an oily T-Zone (mostly on the nose) and I have hypo-pigmentation on my cheeks.The sales assistant recommended a few products, however I have had bad expereinces when changing my skincare routine in the past (thanks to eczema and sensitive skin) so instead of buying the full size products I bought the Top Performer collection. This is a set of travel sized products and she also kindly gave me a few samples to take away as well. I'll be trying this new routine out over the next few weeks and will blog any findings =)

Garnier Olia Hair Colour in Golden Brown (Superdrug - £6.99). A new product in stores, which is a permanent hair colour that doesn't contain ammonia. From what I've read, the formula is oil based, rather than water based which means the dye works a lot better (in simple terms) and is less damaging to the hair. Picked up the golden brown shade, but I have no idea if it will show up on my dark hair.

MAC Satin Finish Lipstick in Twig (MAC - £14) [rubbish lighting=no picture]. I went along to the Glamour Beauty Power List Live event at Selfridges in London earlier this month, mostly because I have't been to Selfridges in ages. Tickets were £10 and redeemable on any beauty purchases made on the night. I only picked up a lipstick from MAC, and I'd describe Twig as a 'my lips but better (and more pinkier)' shade. I would have also picked up the new limited edition Vaseline in Pink Bubbly, but unfortunately the ingredients list states wine extract, so I put it back.


I also purchased a few non-beauty items this month, including an abaya and flat lace shoes (as seen in this OOTD post). A few other items include a sweatshirt from David & Goliath (perfect for the autumn weather) and a blazer from New Look (it was on sale) =)






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