You Beauty Discovery Box - April (Organic & Natural)

Yes, I completely forgot to blog about the March YBD thanks to a whole bunch of uni deadlines and the general teacher workload. However, this months You Beauty Discovery box  theme is organic and natural products, focusing on skincare without all the nasties.

From the product selection, I chose the Scentered Sleep Well Therapy Balm (RRP £14.50) and the Our Tiny Bees Lavender Hand Balm + Beeswax Lip Balm Duo (RRP £7.95 and £3.95). I first read about the Scentered balms on British Beauty Blogger a few weeks ago and so when I received the YBD product list email, I knew straight away to add this to my box. The idea behind the Scentered balm is that it is applied to the pulse points (on wrist/neck) and then you allow the scent of the aromatherapy oils to work. It's 100% natural and I'm hoping it'll be a good alternative to the This Works Sleep Plus+ Pillow Spray (which unfortunately contains gelatine). I carried on with the Lavender theme of the box and also picked the Our Tiny Bees duo as the next product. I love my usual hand creams but the hand balm will be great for a quick hand massage during the day, and so will be kept on my desk. I don't really need any more lip balms, but this one doesn't have a scent and would be great to apply before lip colour as it doesn't leave your lips really shiny. Plus both products are made of all natural ingredients and use British honey and beeswax.

The extra's in the box this month were samples of Linwood's Flaxseed Cocoa & Berries and Yours Truly Organic Repair Serum. The serum doesn't really appeal to me, but I am keen to try out the flaxseed as an addition to plain yoghurt.
The total value of this box is £26.40, with all the products being full size, which is definitely worth it considering the YBD box only costs £6.95. It's the only treat I get due to my student budget!


What do you think of YBD boxes?



x

Share:

You Beauty Discovery Box - September (Birthday Box)

Can you believe that You Beauty Discovery boxes have been around for a whole year? I remember signing up to the subscription boxes aftet reading Pyari Beauty's post on the October box last year. Since then, YBD has had some very good boxes as well as some not so great ones, but they are all worth the £6.95 that I pay each month.

 

This month, I decided to go for two makeup products, as I haven't actually purchased any new makeup since coming back from holiday (and probably won't until the post-Christmas sales. I've started my teacher training, so I am officially on a student budget!). I chose the Pixi Endless Silky Eye Pencil (Black Noir) and the Pixi Tinted Brilliance Balm (Unique Pink). Both are travel sized products (roughly half of the full size) and both are suitable for everyday wear. The full size for each retails at around £11 (Eye Pencil) and £12 (Brilliance Balm). I've used the Pixi blushers before, but these two products will be nice to try out, especially as eyeliner and lip balm are staple products in my makeup bag (even though I have enough black eyeliner pencils already...oops!). Other products this month included a full size Toni & Guy Glamour Volume Plumping Whip, two Crabtree & Evelyn herbal tea bags, a £25 off voucher for Hello Fresh and a cosmetic sponge. 

What do you think of this box? Have you subscribed to YBD boxes?

x

Share:

What's in my Travel Bag? [Flight Essentials]

As you probably know by now, inshaAllah I'll be going on holiday to Dubai in a few days. I'm one of those people that tends to pack well in advance so that everything is ready to go on the day (none of this last minute packing the day before!). I also love making lists and tick things off as I've packed/done them. Anyway, here's what I've put in my hand luggage ready to be used during the flight or once I've landed. My carry on bag isn't very big, so I needed to be extra picky about what to put into it. Also, thanks to the restriction on liquid products, all the items that I've packed are 100ml or less =)

1) La Roche-Posay Thermal Spring Water (50ml) - I know it's just a water spray, but I know that this spray will help keep me awake during the flight as well as make the heat in Dubai a little more bearable. It definitely will be staying in my bag throughout my holiday.

2) Bioderma Atoderm Nourishing Cream - This little 8ml tube is from the rather large set of Bioderma Samples from Escentual. It'll be mostly used for making sure my eczema doesn't flare up during the flight.

3) Impulse True Love Body Fragrance - This was a last minute (well, a week in advance) addition to my travel bag. The smaller 35ml size means that it'll take up less space in my bag (originally I had a Bath and Body Works Fragrance Mist which was bigger).

4) Lanolips Lip Ointment with Colour SPF 15 (Rose) -  As my usual EOS lip balm is a little bulky, this tube of Lanolips will definitely keep my lips moisturised during the flight and throughout my holiday. The added SPF is a bonus and will protect my lips from any sun damage while I'm out and about. It's the only lip balm I'm packing in my luggage for my holiday.

5) L'Occitane Shea Butter Honey Hand Cream - Another one of my handbag essentials going into my travel bag. L'Occitane hand creams are 20% Shea Butter and keep the skin moisturised without leaving any residue. I also love using this for a mini hand massage, which is something I can do whilst on the flight =)

6) Wet Ones Sensitive Wet Wipes - In case of any emergencies, I do like to keep a packet of wet wipes in my bag.

7) Bioderma Photoderm Max SPF 50+ cream - Another little Bioderma miniature for my hand luggage. I know that once we land it'll be around 10am but it'll be pretty warm and bright outside, so I'll definitely need to apply sun protection before heading out of the airport.

8) Optrex Eye Drops (for dry eyes) - Pretty self explanatory this one. I usually get dry eyes during the flight, and because I'll be wearing my contact lenses when I'm actually in Dubai, these eye drops will be my saviour in all the air conditioning!

9) MAC Prep+Prime Transparent Finishing Pressed Powder (not pictured)- The only makeup that I'll be carrying in my hand luggage will be pressed powder (and a powder brush to go with it). I'll only need to apply this after my sun protection just before leaving the airport. Big sunglasses will hide everything else =)

I think that's all my flight essentials. Obviously I'll have my non-beauty items as well, including my iPod, phone, camera, travel documents, sunglasses etc.

Do you have any particular products that you pack when travelling?



x

Share:

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!

 

x

Share:

You Beauty Discovery Box: December

My YBD December box got delivered over the weekend, and I was pretty excited as this one was going to be based around Party Prep (especially with it being the festive/holiday season!). As always, it's great value at £6.95 including delivery, and you get to choose 2 products to go inside =)

 

 

This time around, I chose the Lanolips 101 Ointment (9g) which at full size (14g) retails for £10.99. I love the Lanolips that I received in the first BBB beauty box and it's definitely a must have product in my bag during the winter. I know that this one will be going into another one of my bags, so that I'm never without Lanolips. I chose the Elegant Touch UV Gel Polished Nails in Red (approx. £6) as the second product. I'm not one to wear false nails on a regular basis, but as a nail biter (trying to get out of the habit), these will come in handy for any parties/events coming up soon. Also included in the box was a Flash by Jimmy Choo perfume sample and a miniature Green & Blacks Raisin and Hazelnut chocolate bar. 

 

What do you think of this month's YBD box? Have I tempted you to subscribe yet?

 

 

 

x

Share:

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?




x 

Share:

EOS Lip Sphere [review]

Remember when I had (what looked like) a hundred and one lip balms in my collection? [Read this blog post for a quick reminder]. Since then, I've  stopped buying lip balms every time I pop out for a little shopping. I've actually stopped using most of my collection too! Even my previous go-to lip balm, Carmex (now gathering dust in a drawer). Why? Because of the EOS lip sphere! I've wanted to get my hands on this lip balm ever since I spotted it on Slice of Lemon in this post. I mean, who can say no to a cute little lip balm? Especially when they come in a range of flavours (and they just look adorable!)

Summer Fruits (top) and Sweet Mint (bottom)

I've been using the Summer Fruits Lip Sphere ever since I got it (sometime last year). As you can probably tell by comparing it to the Sweet Mint (which is new), it's been used a lot! This lip balm has replaced all my other ones, as I find that my lips stay moisturised throughout the day. I apply the lip sphere in the morning and in the evening every day and I rarely have to reapply during the day (which is great, because I don't actually carry it around with me). The balm itself is made from all natural and organic ingredients and is free from parabens, petrolatum and phthalates (basically all the chemical stuff that isn't good for your skin).

The packaging is quite bulky, which is the only downside I can think of, but it's something that I can live with. The other issue is that EOS lip sphere's are not so easy to get hold of in the UK. I've only found them online so far, at Cute Cosmetics and Naturisimo. Unfortunately there is a big difference in the price (which always seems to be the case) as they retail for just under £6 in the UK, whereas in USA they cost $3.29 (approx. £2.20).


What's your favourite lip balm?



x

Share:

Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stain [review]

These Clinique Chubby Stick look-a-likes are practically a staple in my makeup bag at the moment, so I thought I'd share why! The Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Lip Balm Stains (crazy long name), are basically a super pigmented and moisturising lip stain in a chubby crayon form. The chubby pencil design makes it easy to apply the colour directly to your lips and because it's a retractable pencil, there's no sharpening required! I have two of these stains, in Crush and Honey.

 

 

 

Crush is the darkest shade available and it's a berry red shade. I apply this colour and then blot it so that it's not as pigmented on my lips, and by the end of the day there is still a stain on my lips. It's perfect for when I don't want to carry any lip products with me as there really is no need to reapply! I just add a little lip balm over the top as the day goes on, because even though the balm stains are moisturising, my lips do get dry throughout the day.

Honey is a more recent purchase (which I bought using my Boots Advantage Card points) and is a lovely soft pink shade. A sort of 'my lips but better' colour which is great for everyday wear. This is currently in my work bag, even though I don't really need to reapply during the day, it's there for those 'just in case' moments'.


I definitely am glad that I picked up these balm stains, especially in these two particular shades! I'll be looking into the rest of the shades available, but so far I've found two that are perfect for me =)

Have you tried the Revlon Just Bitten Balm Stains? What do you think of them?




x

Share:

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?





x

Share:

Project 10 Pan: Take II #5 and #6

Finally I have finished using not one but two of my (many) lipbalms! The fifth product to have been used up is the Nivea Hydro Care lipbalm, which is pretty much your standard lipbalm packaged in a handy twist up tube. I like that it has that classic Nivea smell, nothing too strong or complicated. The lip balm itself is moisturising, but not overly so making it great for those days when your lips are dry (but not in need of extreme moisturising). I think I have another one of these lying around somewhere (which hasn't been used yet), so I'm not sad to see this one end.

The sixth product to have been used up is my trusted Classic Carmex tub, which is my saviour when I'm suffering with extremely dry, chapped lips. I'm not too keen on the tub packaging, so will be repurchasing in the tube, either the cherry or strawberry version. I also want to try out the Carmex Moisture Plus lip balms, although that will probably be after I've finished a few more lipbalms.

Hopefully I'll be using up more of my lipbalms soon, so I can also finally open the new (or not so new) EOS lip balm spheres that have been gathering dust for quite a few months now! =)

What's your favourite lipbalm?




x

Share:

TBS Chocomania Lip Butter [review]

I had a voucher for £3 off any Body Shop product and thought I should put it to good use. Combined with the Love Your Body card discount, this lip butter only cost me 90p! The Chocomania lip butter from The Body Shop's Chocomania range (and the product seems to have disappeared from the website). I love the smell of this lip butter as it reminds Terry's chocolate orange. It's similar to the chocolate and orange lip butter that TBS used to do (ages ago).

yes it has been used a fair bit! =)

The lip butter has a smooth, creamy texture and easily spreads over the lips without a sticky or greasy feeling. It does moisturise the lips, but this doesn't last very long on me and does need to be reapplied. I wouldn't recommend using this over a lipstick as the lip butter does apply in a cream colour which would mute the colour of the lipstick, but it does disappear once rubbed in. The Chocomania lip butter contains quite a few community fair trade ingredients, including cocoa butter and organic beeswax. I use this lip butter when I'm in need of some chocolate (but there's none to eat in the house). It's all the chocolate with none of the calories (it doesn't taste of chocolate). The lip butter retails at £4 for a 10ml tub, or can be bought as part of the Chocomania gift set.

Has anyone else tried something from the Chocomania range? What were your thoughts?





x

Share:

Make up Travel Bag Take II

So, I did a post about products in my travel make up bag at the beginning of February, however the weather has changed completely since then and so has the make up (kind of) which I will be taking with me to another wedding. I've decided to wear the abaya that was featured in HFW Nov 2011-Day 5 and will be keeping my make up quite simple (hopefully).

Foundation: Benefit Hello Flawless Oxygen Wow spf 25 PA+++ (Hazelnut) [sample size]
                          Bare Minerals Original spf 15 foundation (medium tan) [sample size]
Concealer: Collection 2000 Lasting Perfection (Shade 4 Deep)
Blusher: Natural Collection Blushed Cheeks (Rosey Glow)
Lips: Rimmel Moisture Renew Lipstick (250 Glamourous Pink)
          NYX Lip pencil (Coffee)
          Sleek Pout Polish (Frosting)
Eyeshadow Primer: E.L.F Studio Eye Primer & Liner Sealer
Eyeshadow: Sleek Monaco Palette
                          Sleek Storm Palette
                          M&S Per Una Aubergine eye colour trio
Eyeliner: E.L.F Studio Gel Liner (Black)
                   Urban Decay 24/7 liner (Underground)
                   E.L.F Shimmer Eyeliner pencil (Plum Passion)
Mascara: No7 Extreme Length [sample size]
Brows: Sleek Brow Kit (Dark)

Extra's: E.L.F Studio Makeup Mist and Set Spray, E.L.F Eyelash Curler
Brushes: E.L.F Studio 11 piece brush kit and Studio Kabuki, No7 eye shadow brushes (from a brush set), Artist brush (used with gel eyeliner).

Hopefully I'll be able to take some pictures of my outfit and makeup. Also, we're going out to eat on the Saturday night, as the wedding is on the Sunday, so I'll have two OOTD's =)




x

Share:

Project 10 Pan: Take II #1

So I'm starting project 10 pan again and hopefully (fingers crossed) I'll actually stick to not buying anything (until I'm at least half way through!).

First product to have been used up is the Softlips French Vanilla lipbalm. I'm currently on a mission to use up some of my lipbalms as I have way too many (see my lipbalm collection here) and this is the first to have been finished. I actually quite liked this lipbalm as it moisturised my lips, making them soft and smooth. I liked that the vanilla scent was not overpowering. Also love the compact tube packaging which makes it perfect to fit into the smallest bag possible (or a pocket), and the fact that it is pink! I may repurchase once P10P is over but that depends on how many lipbalms I have managed to use up.

Who else is doing/going to start a project 10 pan? Let me know =)



x

Share:

Updated Blog Sale

Just to let you know that I've updated my blog sale with a few more products as I've been clearing out my makeup collection (and so has my sister). All products are in good condition (see the photos for usage), but I just don't use them, so instead of them sitting there unused or throwing them out, they have ended up on the blog sale. Check it out here =)

Note: I'm open to offers and negotiations on prices. You can email me at chocoholic-hijabi@hotmail.co.uk =)



x

Share:

What's in my make up travel bag?

Seeing as I'm going to a Walima (wedding reception) over the weekend, I thought I might as well use the opportunity to show you what I'll be taking with me in terms of makeup. I'll be wearing the abaya/jilbab that I wore for Eid last year (in this OOTD blog post) so my makeup will match the turquoise shade. Although the Walima is on Sunday, it's going to be in Manchester, so we're going up on Saturday and therefore won't have to rush on Sunday morning to get ready.

So without further ado, here is the contents of my makeup bag for the weekend:

Foundation: MAC Select SPF15 foundation (NW35), PHB Mineral Foundation (Warm Beige)
Concealer: Collection 2000 Lasting Perfection (Shade 4 Deep)
Blusher: Natural Collection Blushed Cheeks (Rosey Glow)
Lips: E.L.F Studio Lipstick (Ripe Rose), Carmex lip balm (not pictured)
Eyeshadow Primer: Kryolan Eyeshadow Base (thank you frootibeauty!)
Eyeshadow: Sleek Palettes - Storm and Curacao
Eyeliner: E.L.F Studio Gel Liner (Black), 17 Metallic Eye Pencil (Bronze)
Mascara: No7 Extreme Lengths Mascara (miniature)
Brows: Sleek Brow Kit (Dark)

Extra's: E.L.F Studio Makeup Mist and Set Spray
Brushes: E.L.F Studio 11 piece brush kit and Studio Kabuki, No7 eye shadow brushes (from a brush set), Artist brush (used with gel eyeliner)

I think that's all that I'll need! I'm still debating on whether I should wear false lashes or not, as I have only worn them (successfully!) once and don't want to be spending ages trying to put them on. I may take them just incase I do decide on wearing them and hope that I can apply them without any trouble.



If there are some decent pictures, I may do an outfit post (either the travelling outfit from Saturday or the Walima outfit from Sunday, or maybe both!)

Hope you all have a nice weekend!




x

Share:

Project 10 Pan #8

Okay, P10P is kinda failing at the moment seeing as I'm still purchasing makeup/skincare when I shouldn't be (I blame the sales!), but I'm still going to blog about products which have finished/hit pan. Hopefully, after P10P is over, I'll make a collective post about products that have been finished (not too sure how often though).

Anyway, the 8th products to have been used up is the Vaseline Lip Therapy Tin (Original). I don't reach for Vaseline as I have so many other lip balms that I prefer using, so I was really suprised when I found myself scraping the last bit of product out. (Maybe it's because it was the only lipbalm that I kept downstairs!). Time to place another lipbalm downstairs so it can be used up =)

Only two more product's until P10P is over (although it's failed)!



x

Share:

Sale shopping haul

So this year, I didn't go to the boxing day sales on the 26th December but waited a few days before braving the crowds. I managed to pick up some great bargains which I'll be able to use regularly (no random purchases!).

First of all I managed to find a pair of wedge heel boots! These are from Barratts and had been reduced to £20 from £42. I chose the brown pair, as I wear quite a bit of brown/neutral colours and I already have a pair of black boots.

Next on my list of purchases is a pair of grey fingerless gloves from New Look. I chose these as they allow me to use my phone and still keep my hands warm. I also picked up a long necklace from New Look which was on sale at £3. I love long necklaces as they can be worn with a hijab and be seen. Also the pink and antique gold colours work well together and I can see myself wearing this necklace a lot. I didn't really find much in Primark, however picked up a necklace for £1, which I am going to take apart and upcycle into a bag charm. I think it'll look great on one of the empty D rings on my bag (which are there for attaching the longer strap).

I did manage to pick up a Philosophy 3in1 shampoo, bubble bath and shower gel. The Christmas gift sets are currently half price in Boots, and I found this miniature tree ornament on the shelves. This particular one is Snow Angel and I look forward to using it. Lastly, I went into Lush and picked up the Snow Fairy lip tint which smells like bubblegum and is exactly like their most well known Christmas product, the Snow Fairy shower gel . This product is great as it adds a slight pink tint to the lips (even though it's really bright in the tin!) and is pretty moisturising. I ordered a few more lip tints via mail order (another Snow Fairy and two of Celebrate), one of which I am going to include in a friend's birthday present (a sort of introduction to Lush). I also picked up the Snow Fairy gift set as part of her birthday present as well (not pictured) =)

I'm still on the look out for dresses and cardigans/jackets, so my sale shopping is not completely over!

What have you picked up in the sales this year?



x

Share:

Lip balm Collection revisited

A few days ago, I randomly decided to count the number of lip balms that I owned. The last time I blogged about my lip balm collection was in December 2010 and since then it has grown quite a bit. Turns out that I have a nice collection (obsession) of 39 lip balms. This is not including any back up lip balms that I have, as well as the Vaseline lip tin. So without further ado, here's a collage of my lip balm collection =)

(click on the image for actual image size)

So there are quite a lot there, and I'll just list the names below (incase anyone does want to know).

Starting in the top left hand corner:

E.L.F Therapeutic conditioning lip balm (Vanilla), Softlips (French Vanilla), Betty Crocker Fudge Brownie, Clinique Superbalm Moisturising Gloss (Grapefruit), The Body Shop Lip Roll on (Mint), TBS Papaya Lip Butter, TBS Mango Lip Butter, Rose&Co Rose Petal Salve, Rose&Co Cherry Kiss, Vaseline Lip Therapy tube, Carmex Classic, Nivea Light Kiss 

E.L.F Candy Shop Lip Gloss (Berry Pop), Lip Smackers Coca Cola, Simple Pleasures Citrus Cooler, SP Coconut Vanilla Bean, SP Pineapple Mandarin, SP Mango Sugar Cane, SP Hibiscus Kiwi, SP Passionfruit Orchid, TBS Born Lippy Cool Mint, TBS Born Lippy Strawberry, H&M Fresh Lime, H&M Fresh Mint 

I Love...Raspberry & Blackberry, Boots Extracts Cocoa Butter, Madinat Jumeirah Coconut Lip Balm, Celia Birtwell Lip Balm, LUSH Lip Dip Lip Scrub (LE), LUSH Sweet Lips Lip Scrub, E.L.F Studio Conditioning Lip Balm SPF15 (Mellow Melon), Sleek Pout Polish Perfect Plum, Sleek PP Raspberry Souffle (LE), Sleek PP Peach Perfection, Sleek PP Frosting, Lip-o-cino Ice Berries, Next Sweet Mango Lip Balm, H&M Pink Frosting and H&M Creme Brulee

note: TBS = The Body Shop, SP = Simple Pleasures, PP = Pout Polish.

And here's how I store some of them, stacked up on top of one another. These are the ones that I reach for the most and therefore are kept on my desk instead of in my drawer =)

(tray from TBS Body Butter Trio)

I don't have one favourite lip balm, but I do use a few more than others =)
- The Celia Birtwell Lip Balm is kept in my bag (and is transferred from bag to bag!)
- Carmex is the one I use the most at home
- The Betty Crocker Fudge Brownie is my most unique (and it smells like chocolate!)
- I use the E.L.F therapeutic conditioning lip balm before going to sleep (not really for any particular reason)
- Sleek Pout Polishes are used when I want a bit of colour on my lips, but not bothered to wear lipstick/lipgloss (which is probably why they're kept with the rest of my coloured lip products)
- I love the LUSH Sweet Lips lip scrub! It smells great and you can simply lick it off after scrubbing (I know there's probably a cheaper/easier way of making it at home but for now this is chocolate and vanilla goodness)
- The newest lip balms in my collection are the H&M Pink Frosting and H&M Creme Brulee (which both have Disney inspired tins and smell gorgeous)

Hope you enjoyed this blog post! Let me know what kind of things you like to collect in the comments below =)



x

Share:

Sleek Makeup: Pout Polish in Perfect Plum

You probably already know from this post, that I love lipbalms. Collecting them and wearing them, they are pretty much the only beauty product I use everyday (or multiple times a day) without fail. So on one of my random visits to Superdrug it's hardly surprising to hear that I've picked up another one! This time it's one of the Sleek Pout Polishes in the shade Perfect Plum.

As you can see from the images above, perfect plum is a red toned plum colour. I'd say it fairly good at moisturising the lips, considering it is a tinited lip conditioner, although I'd layer this over Carmex or Blistex for extra moisture and a hint of colour. Contrary to what Sleek says, it's definately not sheer! The pout polish is extremely pigmented, so you only need to use a small amount each time and it's best to keep a mirror handy! Other information includes:  Coconut scented (which I particularly like), has SPF 15, and contains a decent 10g product for the price of £4.29. I do like the packaging as it's roughly the same size as a Vaseline tin, so it's definately easy to put into your bag/pocket and carry around. Overall, the pout polish is a pretty decent product!

What do you think makes a good lipbalm?




x

Share:

April's Boots Clearance Mini Haul

Managed to get to Boots Clearance today and I thought I'd show you what I picked up =)

Rose & Co Apothecary Rose Petal Salve and Cherry Kiss lip balm at £2.25 each
fcuk pure showerscrub at £1.00
Ted Baker Heavenly Fragranced Body Spray (50ml) at 75p
Natrel Plus Deodorant Jasmine Touch at £1.00


The rose petal salve smells like real roses, which is amazing! A great product, however it has an odd taste to it (a bit like spraying perfume into your mouth by accident) so that means no using it as a lip balm. It's not greasy so I'll probably use it for that little extra moisturising on my hands =)

The Ted Baker fragranced body spray is a nice alternative to the body sprays that are packaged in aerosol cans. The smell isn't strong or overpowering and the small size makes it great to have around while on the go. Perfect for that 'spritz' of scent during the day!






x

Share: