blogmas #2: A Gift Set Guide

This posts was so fun to make and I gained so much inspiration for items that I can add to my own Christmas list, and ones that I can buy for my friends and family. All of these are beauty based but there is a range of prices ranges and types of product. 

1) Nars Lip Pencil Set (£32 - Space NK) - This is clearly quite an expensive set, however it does offer great value for money. You get a wide range of shades, and although the pencils aren't full size, they are only a tiny bit smaller. Considering you couldn't even get two full size pencils for this price, it is a truly amazing offer, and the pencils are amazing quality so you know that they're worth spending your money on.

2) Aromatherapy Bath Oil Mini Collection (£35 - Space NK) - A very sophisticated option here, perfect for slightly older women that still love to indulge in a lovely relaxing bath. You don't get loads of product for your money here, but you do get to try 10 different oils, and the beautiful packaging proves to the receiver that it is a high end present.

3) Benefit Sweet Tintations (£20) - If I didn't already have so many lip products, I would definitely be purchasing this. For your money you get 2 full size lip products, and 2 medium sized tints, which is incredible value. The lip balms usually cost £14.50 each so you can easily see why this set has already been such a great seller this year. The lip and cheek tints are plenty big enough; I actually think that the full size ones are too big, and I know friends who have had them dry up before they finished them because they contain so much product.

4) Smashbox Primer Set (£13) - A slightly cheaper option here, but a great one for someone who wants to try out some higher end primers. Smashbox are well known for their amazing primers so this set is sure to be a hit with whoever you give it to, and the price means that someone who doesn't normally have the opportunity to buy try more expensive products can afford to give them a go.

5) Essie Nail Varnish Duo Kit (£12.99 - Boots) - This set is great for any nail lover as you get two full size Essie polishes. Although there is only one colour option available, the set includes Tart Deco which is one of Essie's most popular shades, so is sure to be a hit with whoever you gift this to. Of course, if you buy it for 3 people, you can take advantage of the Boots 3 for 2 offer, and it becomes even better value.

6) No7 Complete Cleansing Kit and Brush (£25 - Boots) - I am pretty sure that I'm going to end up buying this for myself at some point because I just can't get over the price point. The vast majority of cleansing brushes cost in excess of £100, but for just £25 you get a brush and two full size No7 products. This is a great choice for someone who wants to try a cleansing brush, but doesn't want to pay too much without knowing if it will benefit them significantly.

7) Benefit Beauty Bonbons Set (£40 - Boots) - A very expensive set here, but one that I think is totally worth it for someone special. You get a full size Hoola Bronzer and High Beam, which alone covers the cost of the set. Then you also get a mini They're Real Mascara and Porefessional Primer, another 2 of their best selling products, as well as a mini Hoola Lipgloss, all packaged beautifully in a little house.

8) No7 Skincare Collection (£16) - This is a really well priced set and the products are suitable for any skin type, making it very universal. You get 4 medium sized products, a muslin cloth and a headband. This is an ideal present for someone that you don't know what to buy because everyone takes care of their skin, whether they wear makeup or not.

Have you found any amazing sets this year? Let me know in the comments.

emma x

Product Empties #3

As I mentioned in my last empties post, I have been using up a lot of products recently, hence why there's another empties post so soon after the last one. I've been loving using up all the products though as it always gives me a sense of satisfaction, and it helps to clear out my cupboards. Also, it means I can move on to using the new products I've bought that I've been waiting to use. Here's what I've used up this time:

All of this post's hair products are actually styling products so I thought I'd start with them. First up is the Toni and Guy Casual Salt Spray, which I actually did a review about here, so I won't go on about it too much, but basically it's a really good salt spray for adding texture and wave, so much so that I've already bought another bottle. Next is the L'oreal Texture Spray which I also mentioned recently in my drugstore favourites and fine hair tips, tricks and products. This is just a great product for adding volume to limp and lifeless hair without the damage of backcomb. Lastly in this section I have the Schwarzkopf Heat Defence Spray. I only bought this because I was in desperate need of one so asked my mum to pick up whatever one she found in Tescos. It was actually pretty good and did it's job of protecting my hair from heat damage, however I have since picked up a bit more of an advanced one that is more suited to my hair type and helps to add volume.

The next section is skincare and I'm pretty sure I actually mentioned all these products in my morning and evening skincare routines so I won't go on about them for too long. The first thing is a Neutrogena Visibly Clear Pink Grapefruit Face Scrub. I really enjoyed using this because of the fresh scent and how soft it left my skin, however I felt that it wasn't quite abrasive enough for my needs so I have replaced it with a different scrub (which I will be sure to feature soon). Then there is the No7 Soft and Soothed Toner which I have been using for years and just love. With the No7 Vouchers it comes out really cheap, and it just leaves my skin feeling so refreshed and clean. I will continue to repurchase this over and over again. The Clean and Clear Dual Action Moisturiser was just what I was looking for when i purchased it; an all in one product that can be used day and night without breaking me out. I have since moved on to more specialised products, however this is great for someone younger who is just building their first skincare routine. Finally, the Clean and Clear Deep Cleansing Lotion is ideal for people who cherish their sleep and want to have an extra few minutes in bed in the morning. It's a quick, easy and fuss-free way of cleansing your face and I have already repurchased this.

The last couple of products, as usual, didn't fit into any category. The first of these is the Gillette Satin Care Pure and Delicate Shaving Gel. I really like this as it makes a really rich and thick foam, and is only very weakly scented with a lovely fresh aloe vera scent. I find it much easier to shave using a foam because I can see which parts I have been over already, so it is less likely that I miss any patches. To finish, I have yet another Collection Lasting Perfection Concealer. I just really enjoy using this as it has great coverage, is easy to blend, and is one of the cheapest concealers on the market. I have actually bought a different concealer to try this time (which you will already know if you read my last post), however if it disappoints me I will come straight back to this one.

The end! Hopefully I won't be using up many more products over the next few months as this month proved very costly with all the products that needed replacing hahah. Until next time...

emma x

The Tuesday Review: Simple Protecting Moisture Cream

Recently I've started using a new moisturiser and I figured it would be a good idea to share my opinions on it with you. Let me tell you a little story. Simple is a brand that I used when I first begun dabbling my fingers into skincare when I was about 12: I think I owned a travel size bottle of their rich moisturiser, and one of their face washes. However, as I got a bit older and started reading blogs and watching youtube, I became a lot more interested in other brands that seemed to have more to offer from their products, and so I stopped buying things from Simple. A couple of months ago, I decided that I should start using a moisturiser containing SPF to protect my skin from the sun, so I searched the Boots website. This moisturiser by Simple was one of the only budget friendly options with a decent SPF (in this case factor 30) so I thought I may as well try it, and here we are today.

I was initially a bit apprehensive about using this moisturiser, as for the last couple of years I have only used oil-free formulas, however I can safely say that this has never broken me out, nor has it overwhelmed my skin. It leaves my skin really soft but not at all sticky or oily, leaving a good base for me to apply makeup. Although it contains SPF, it doesn't leave a white cast over my skin either. It claims to moisturise and protect the skin and it does just that. Nothing more nothing less. By keeping things simple, the product can work harder at benefiting the skin as much as possible and giving it a good dose of skin loving ingredients.

I would deem this moisturiser to be suitable for all skin types, and would recommend it to everyone as it's important to protect your skin from the sun even from a young age. I also really like that it comes with a pump; in fact the packaging is excellent consdiering the cheap proce of just £4.99. (I actually bought it on half price so it was even less.)

Have you tried anything from Simple? What are your recommendations?

emma x

Product Empties #2

This post is incredibly overdue, I actually had so many empty bottles that I couldn't even fit them all in one post, so expect another fairly soon! I had a lot of products half started and they all finished at once, which is good for this as it gives me lots to talk about, but replacing and repurchasing them was not so good for my bank balance haha.

I thought I would begin with shower products seeing as I seem to have gone through a lot of it in the last few months, which can only be seen as a good thing because it means I am very clean! First is a Ted Baker Body Wash Mini, which I wasn't overly impressed with. It didn't lather up that well and I wasn't a massive fan of the scent, however a good point was that the scent remained on my skin for a good day after using it. Next are a couple of shower gels from The Body Shop, one is cranberry, and the other is raspberry. I tend to use cranberry in the winter months, and raspberry in the summer. I love these; they lather up amazingly, they smell great, really fresh and fruity, and because The Body Shop always has offers on, they're dead cheap. Last in this section is the Soap and Glory Whipped Clean Shower Butter, which is a very moisturising body wash. It lathered up a lot more than I expected it to considering the texture, and smelt really comforting, making it perfect for autumn.

The next section is skincare, and I'll begin with the Clearasil Overnight Lotion, which I believe they don't actually sell anymore, which is a shame because I really liked it. You just apply it over your face and it acts as a moisturiser but it also helps prevent and reduce the size of spots. The Maybelline Dream Fresh BB Cream isn't really skincare but there was no other makeup so I slipped it into this group. I wasn't a massive fan of this, because although it's the lightest colour, it's very orange toned, and my skin isn't even that pale. It didn't last well on my oily skin but I've now purchased the one aimed at my skin type (Dream Pure) and can confirm that it performs much better. I purchased the Neutrogena Pink Grapefruit Moisturiser because it's oil free and I do think it works well and doesn't overload the skin, however I wasn't a big fan of the smell. I think it's because I enjoy drinking pink grapefruit squash and for some reason it made me feel a bit sick putting it on my face. However, I don't think other people would have this problem so I would recommend this, and besides, how can you not love the pink packaging! The Boots Skin Clear Deep Cleansing Lotion is a product that I used in the morning; I just quickly swipe a cotton pad of it over my face and then apply my moisturiser. It quickly cleanses my skin and helps to prevent spots. I've tried lots of these from many different brands and they all perform just as well so I tend to just buy whichever one's on the best offer.

This last section is just miscellanous products that were left over. First up is the Garnier Curl and Bounce Hair Mousse. I actually meant to get the volume one but got this one instead, however this did actually give my hair lots of volume when applied before blow drying, and to be honest the two products probably aren't much different anyway. I really like this and would definitly repurchase, but as this was my first mousse, I want to try a few others first to check that there isn't anything that's even better. Next is the Sally Hansen Strengthening Nail Varnish Remover. I really like this because I prefer to use nail varnish removers with acetone in as I find them to be so much more effective, but acetone can make your nails quite weak. Therefore I like this because the added vitamins cancel out the effect as they strengthen your nails, meaning your nails aren't damaged, but your nail varnish is quickly and easily removed. The final product is a Ted Baker Body Souffle Mini which has the same scent as the body wash, so I wasn't overly keen. It does it's job of moisturising the skin, however it wasn't as good as other moisturisers I have tried from brands that focus on bodycare.

And that concludes this empties post. Stay tuned for another one in the near future and I hope you enjoyed reading.

emma x

The Tuesday Review: Garnier Skin Naturals

Hey guys! As you can see from the title of this post, I've decided to add a new weekly feature to my blog called 'The Tuesday Review'. This is for two reasons; 1, I'm hoping that it will keep me motivated to blog more regularly as I will post one review per week, in addition to another post every Friday, and 2, I have bought a lot of new products over the last few months while I haven't been blogging as much, and I want to share my thoughts about them with you. So without further ado, on with the review... (see what I did there?)

Starting with the packaging, both of these products have very similar packaging, only the micellar water has a larger bottle. Both of them have good lids that seal completely shut, which is great for travel, and when opened, it is easy to control how much product is dispensed, meaning minimal wastage. I like the labels on the products too, simple yet still attractive, with the perfect amount of colour.

The Garnier Skin Naturals Eye Make-up Remover costs just £3.49 and is a biphase product. This means it has the addition of oils to make it even easier to remove waterproof mascara and other stubborn eye makeup. Having previously raved about the Johnson's Eye Make-up Remover, this had a lot to live up to, but for me this is even better! It removes my eye makeup super efficiently and the skin around my eyes feels really fresh after using it, with no sign of any residue. I've also noticed that I've lost less eyelashes since using this, a strange observation I know, but important to me nonetheless. I'm so pleased that I picked up this product because it is so much better than the one I was using, and I thought that was amazing!

The Garnier Skin Naturals Micellar Water costs £4.99 which is an amazing price when you look at the size of the bottle. For the same price as many other products of its type, you get 400ml of product, whereas most are only 200ml. This is the first micellar water I've tried so I can't say its better than any of the others, however for me this has been a complete game changer. I use this as a quick initial cleanse to remove the majority of my face makeup before I use a face scrub, and it is perfect for this use. One cotton pad of this and nearly all of my makeup is removed. It's just so effective. Another great use that I've found for this is as a quick freshen up on no makeup days. When I'm having a lazy day and not wearing any makeup, my skin gets oily very quickly, so about halfway through the day I like to give my face a quick swipe of this so I feel fresh and clean again. On garden days when I'm sunbathing I'll use this when I come in to quickly remove the residue of any suncream before I apply my makeup for the evening.

Overall, I'm so impressed with both of these products and would definitely repurchase them. Whether I will or not is a different matter though because I love trying new things haha. But I will know in the future that these are a safe bet if I need to pick something up in a hurry.

emma x

The Body Shop Wishlist

Recently, I feel like The Body Shop have released so many amazing products, and there's a few which I am just desperate to try. When I was looking through my current wishlist, I found that a good few of the products were from The Body Shop, so I picked out a selection to share with you today.

First up is the Raspberry Body Scrub, which is available here for £12.50. I already own the shower gel from this range and am in love with the fresh and fruity scent, so I know that I will love the smell of this product. I have wanted to try a body scrub from The Body Shop for the longest time as I have heard such good things about them, so it seems perfect for me to try one in my current favourite scent from the store.

The Camomile Cleansing Butter has had a lot of hype recently in the blogging world, and it has really caught my attention. I have been wanting to try a cleansing butter for so long, but until now, there weren't really any available at what I deem to be a reasonable price. However, this one costs £12.00 from here and although it's still more than I usually pay for skincare products, it's still a bargain price for all the benefits it offers to your skin, and significantly cheaper than other alternatives.

Along the same line, I am also lusting over the Camomile Silky Cleansing Oil, a similar product, but in liquid form. What I really like about this product is that it is such great value; you get a whole 200ml of product for just £10.00 (available here). It offers the same skin benefits as the cleansing butter, so I am more inclined to purchase this option as I would get so much more product for my money. I am in need of something like this for when my skin is having one of its drier or more sensitive days as it is so soothing, yet gives a really deep cleanse.

Next is the Honeymania Lip Butter, which you can buy here for £4.00. I think I must be the only person in the blogging world who doesn't yet own a Body Shop lip butter, and that is something I need to change! I have been wanting to try something from the Honeymania range ever since it was released, so this is the perfect product for me to try. I'm excited to buy this as no one ever has a bad word to say about these lip butters.

Lastly, another recent and exciting launch by The Body Shop is their Vitamin E Overnight Serum-in-Oil, which you can get here for £12.00. I used to religiously apply vitamin-e oil to a scar I have on my forehead, however I stopped a couple of years ago, and recently my scar has really begun to show again. I am very self conscious about it, so decided I needed to bring vitamin-e oil back into my life. This product seemed like the perfect solution to me because it's easier to apply than the original oil I used to use, and it really cares for your skin as it is so moisturising. Also, its aimed at younger customers which is nice because a lot of serums and oils are aimed at maturer skins. 

And that concludes today's post. Let me know in the comments if you'd like to see more wishlists in the future.

emma x