To buy or not to buy...

Here is a wee round up of some bits and bobs that I have used up over the last month or so, I am on a mission to use up all my old or open products so I can start afresh with my shiny new bits!

I'm glad I have rounded all these up now and can put them out to the recycling!

So first up, The Hair...

Nothing very exciting here, this is a travel sized Batiste Dry Shampoo that I had originally planned on keeping in my locker at work for emergencies but laziness overruled this and it came home with me.  I don't think I will purchase Batiste again as the non brunette version makes my hair so white and dusty looking, I might as well just talc my hair. The one good thing with the Batiste Dry Shampoo's are that they smell lovely. I would buy the full sized over the travel sized in terms of price.

Next up, The Face...

I have quite a few face bits that I used up so thought I'd break them up into skincare and cosmetics.  

The sachet of Egyptian Magic, I got 3 x 3ml samples in a Birchbox and I have used them as sparingly as possible.  I really like this stuff and my skin really liked it.  It is desgined to be used anywhere and everywhere but after first trying it on my face, I had to keep it for face use only.  It is a balmy oil that melts with the heat of your hands, I put this on in the evening and by morning my face felt so much more hydrated.  It's not cheap at between £22 and £27 but I am 95% sure I will repurchase this.

Dermalogica Daily Microexfoliant. This is also a really good, gentle scrub which I also mentioned, here, my original bugbear still stands in that it is a bit of a faff trying to concoct the paste whilst standing in the shower. That aside, I would definitely consider repurchasing this and it lasts for a good while too. The one I have/had is the 30g I think, I got this with a glossybox last year, the retail size is 75g and would last a good 4 months at least I reckon.

Lastly, Dermalogica Total Eye Care with SPF15.  I have had this for ages, it seems to have lasted forever! I am not religious about using eye creams even though I really should be but I have used this one alot and it has lasted me well over a year I think.  Saying that, I wouldn't repurchase.  It has 'Optical Light Diffusers' to minimise dark circles but what it really means is that it has a bit of a tint to it which disguises dark circles for a small period of time.  I think I have enough left to take a few pictures and do a separate post.  

I have linked the Dermalogica products to Lookfantastic.com as they are offering 15% off if you purchase two or more Dermalogica products and four free sample sachets.

Now onto the cosmetics, both L'oreal offerings.  The first in the form of their Lumi Magique Light Infusing Foundation in the shade 'Rose Pearl'.  This is quite light coverage foundation so if you need to mask blemishes, I am not sure I would recommend this, it can be built up but blemishes are best kept relatively matte, not illuminated.  The texture is lovely and it gives a nice, dewy finish with no signs of cakey-ness.  It lasts on the skin pretty well and doesn't oxidise.  It comes with a pump dispenser, always a big plus for me but the glass bottle, although nice, means that there was at least four faces worth of foundation left in the bottle! I don't like waste! Good shade range as always from L'oreal but the way my skin is at the moment, I wouldn't repurchase simply because I need a bit more coverage.

Lastly for this section, the L'oreal Studio Secrets Smoothing Resurfacing Primer.  I have had this a while and it's never blew me away.  First off, its in a little glass tub, I like the glass, it gives the product a more expensive, weightier feel however the tub is not hygienic.  It does make skin feel nice and soft after you apply it (I'm guessing there are some silicones at work there) but it is quite tacky when applying it and needs to be rubbed/patted/massaged in pretty well.  I wouldn't say it had great resurfacing abilities nor did it really smooth out my pores but it did give quite a nice matte finish.  I think for the price, I wouldn't repurchase and would like to try some of the Bourjois primers instead.  

Almost there, finishing up with The Bod...

Soap and Glory 'Foam Call' Body Wash.  I'm sure you can guess it but I loved this.  It smells lovely and fruity and fresh whilst also providing a good lather and leaving my skin feeling clean and soft. Big bottle with a super handy pump dispenser (love these for shower products), I usually have to hide this from my partner! Definately a repurchase.

The Body Shop 'Merry Cranberry' Bath and Shower Gel (this years version linked, also get an extra 30% off with the code 19805 and you can also get topcashback!).  I actually got this last christmas as part of a gift set of which I still haven't touched the rest of the contents.  Does the job well, gives bubbles in the bath and lathers well in the shower.  It has a lovely scent which is very like cranberry sauce and not artificial smelling and more importantly, the scent actually lingers a while which I was quite impressed with.  I possibly would repurchase this especially if they made a gift set with this and a matching scented candle! Yum!

And the most exciting item 'til last... Sure Ultra Dry Anti-Perspirant.  Now, I'm not the sweatiest of Betties, especially not in winter time in Aberdeen but this claims to work for 48 hours, which quite frankly is a bit silly.  It's very rare that a woman will go 48 hours without a wash of some sort and it just seems like such a pointless claim, that aside, it gets me through my working day and my walks to and from work well enough.  The first handful or so times I used this, I really thought I was going to othrow it in the bin as the spray pretty much turned white and fell off where I sprayed it, to the extent that it looked like my underarms were snowing.  I was a bit worried the cats were going to sniff this white aerosol powder and do themselves a mischief, not ideal!  If you buy this, make sure you give it a really good shake the first wee while to avoid the dreaded white marks.

Phew,

Thats all for now!

Do you have anything you are dying to go out and repurchase?

Hugs,

Jodi 

xxx

What's on my face...

This weekend, my work chums and I went for our Christmas 'do'.  For a change it was a lunchtime thing and I was home and in bed by 10.30pm! Not bad eh?! 

Here is what I wore on my face...

It does look like quite a lot when its all laid out! I'll take you through it layer by layer...

The Base...

*Smashbox Photo finish Oil free Primer * Bourjois Healthy Mix Foundation in the shade 51 * Max Factor Lasting Performance in shade 100 Fair * Rimmel Wake Me Up Concealer in shade Ivory *Benefit Hello Flawless Custom Cover-Up Face Powder in shade Ivory *

The Contour...

*Natural Collection Blushed Cheeks in shade Dusky Pink * Bourjois Delice de Poudre in shade 51 * theBalm Cosmetics Mary-Lou Manizer *

The Colour...

* Mua Undressed palette, I used the top right gold shade and the bottom left (I think) in my crease * Superdrug Kolor Black Eyeliner (reaaallly old!) * Benetint Lip Balm * E.l.f. Eye Brow Taming Gel * Natural Collection Lip Pencil in shade Mulberry * 

There are a few items missing in the above picture because I lost them while I was out...nothing at all to do with the vodka, I'm sure... I was wearing Maybelline 'The Rocket' mascara, as seen here, and Kate Moss for Rimmel Matte Lipstick in shade 111 Kiss of life, seen here. I also lost the brush for my Benefit powder, a comb and my wee tin of Elnett - Good job, yes?!

The Scent...

I also took with me, my 10ml YSL Manifesto spray eau de toilette.  I have decide that these dinky but not too dinky perfumes are one of my favourite things! This was part of a gift set I got last Christmas which contained the 50ml bottle of Manifesto and also this handbag sized version.

Have you got any Christmas Nights out to look forward too?

Do you play up lips or eyes or both?

Hugs,

Jodi

xxx

Hospital Heatwave Heroes

Hi!

It's been a while! This summer weather has got me all outdoorsy and my partner and I have been spending most of our evenings out of the house.  My man is recovering from a torn hamstring and some of the best physio for that can be gentle strolls! 

I thought I would post a wee look at what has been my daily 'work' face for the past couple of weeks, I walk to work and hospitals are notoriously warm and so I need something that isn't going to be halfway down my face before I even cross the road! 

Clockwise from top - Carmex Cherry Lip Balm SPF 15, Dr Jart+ Water Fuse BB Cream SPF 25, Rimmel Match Perfection Loose Powder, E.L.F. Eyebrow Tame, The Vintage Cosmetic Company Eyelash Curlers, YSL Luxurious Effect Mascara, Natural Collection Suntint Bronzing Powder, L'Oreal Lumi Magique Concealer, MUA Undress Your Skin Radiant Flawless Primer, E.L.F Studio Lip Definer & Shaper and Bourjois Little Round Pot Blusher

The only other tools I use are my Real Techniques powder brush and also the contour brush, the rest is done with my fingers - I like to keep it simple of a morning! 

The Carmex is lush and always makes me and everyone around me crave haribo! However, the main reason I am choosing this is because it has an SPF in it.

The Dr Jart+ Water Fuse BB Cream was part of a Glossybox a while back and although the shade isn't quite me - it is darker and has both more ashy (to begin with) and more yellow (by 10am!) tones than I would like, at this time of year when I have a bit of colour to me, I can carry it off.  It's lightweight, easily blendable and has an SPF 25.

Ah loose powder, I like it as it helps my make up stay in place but by Jove it goes everywhere!! I forget this part, until I use it then need to try and get it off my clothes/sink/cat! This Rimmel Match Perfection Silky Loose Powder does what it says on the tin but you're losing half of your contents into the hereafter! 

E.l.f Eyebrow Treat and Tame (this is only the 'tame' part), a slightly reddish toned product with a rather big wand, this does help pin down unruly brows and fill in slightly patchy areas quickly but I find it doesn't last through the whole day.  The wand is too big I feel (one day, someone will bring out a cone shaped eyebrow wand and it will be a good day! ) and the packaging is incredibly cheap - mine was chipped when I received it and promptly broke the next day :-( 

Eyelash curlers are quickly becoming a staple as I'm not bothering with eyeshadow and these badboys from The Vintage Cosmetic Company, help open up my eyes (Nb. these are actually a fair bit cheaper on the likes of feelunique.com as opposed to the company's own website).

YSL Luxurious Effect Mascara, this is a sample that I got from Whatsinmyhandbag.com a while ago and I'm just getting round to using up now.  This is an okay product, personally I look for something that will help my lashes hold a bit of curl and while I find this is good at keeping my lashes defined and clump free, I don't think it works with my downward facing lashes as well as some others.  Good pigmentation and it stays pretty well put.

Natural Collection Bronzing Powder in Sun Shine, which I dropped last week! I like this as it has no shimmer, I really am not up for dazzling my patients with a face full of sparkles! This is a wee bit dark for me normally but as I have a bit of colour to my face, I'm making the most of this.  This isn't super for blending but I find if I apply this before my loose powder, it looks more natural.

L'oreal Lumi Magique Concealer in Light, a more purse friendly alternative to the renowned touché eclait by YSL (both owned by the same company!), is a nifty little tool for keeping dark circles at bay, it certainly lightens up the area but if you are looking for a great concealer, this is not it.  It's a click and use product and so is really handy to keep in your bag.

MUA Undress Your Skin Radiant Flawless Primer is really being put to the test in this weather! It claims to create a flawless base but unfortunately for me that isn't happening, my make up stays put on the majority of my face (always disappears off the apples of my cheeks by lunch) but pores etc are all still visible.

E.l.f Studio Lip Definer and Shaper, a dual ended pencil with a sharpener in the lid.  This is going a bit melty in the heat and so sharpening it was messy but its a nice, natural looking product.  I wear this all over the lip with a slick of the Carmex over the top and I find it gives a 'my lips but better' colour leaning towards slightly blue toned which makes teeth look better too! The shaper is a highlighter to be used in the Cupid's bow to highlight and enhance your lip shape.  

And the Bourjois Little Round Pot Blush which I spoke about here.  I'm liking this a bit more since I scraped off a layer from the top and I now find I'm getting a better colour payout.  Gives a subtle, rosy glow and I still like the smell! 

And that's it. 10 minutes and I can then find other things to procrastinate about rather than going to work! Haha!

What do you think? 

Do you have any Heatwave heroes to get you through a day at work? 

Hugs! 

Jodi 

xxx

Boots - a love/hate relationship!

Hey Chums!

I was in Boots last week and allowed myself a mini splurge, I love it, my bank account hates it!! Haha!

It was my friends hen night and so I thought that deserved a few new bits and bobs, as you do...

I finally bit the bullet and purchased a few Real Techniques brushes! Squeeeeee! I got the core collection and a rather giant powder brush, both from the your base/flawless range, I will post the links to each item on the boots.com site, however, do shop around! I think I will chat about these in another post though or we will be here all night!

I also got the smashbox 'It's your prime' kit.  I have been tempted by their 'try it kit' before but was put off by the fact that it had a lipgloss and a mascara that I probably wouldn't use, so I was delighted to discover this newly released kit.  I had originally wanted to try and get a small size of The Porefessional by Benefit but the sales assistant wasn't particularly helpful.

The smashbox products were very dinky but I had expected more than just a box with the products wrapped in a square of black tissue paper, perhaps even just a leaflet or directions for use?

I was going to be wearing a red dress with black and gold accessories and so I felt this was a great opportunity to try out one of the Kate for Rimmel lipsticks.  This is pretty brave for me as I'm usually a Benetint kinda gal! I got the shade 111 which seemed to be the most true red.

I tried the Kate Matte Lipstick but something about it didn't click with me, I'm not sure what though.  The coverage was fine, the texture was nice, it was pretty matte without being drying and chalky but I just wasn't quite feeling it.  I ended up using a really old lipstick I have had for ages, which wasn't a matte finish.  I don't even know if this shade exists anymore (certainly is not on boots.com) but I think I preferred it as it has a slight blue tone to it, which can help make your teeth look a bit whiter (allegedly!)

I also picked up L'oreal Elnett 'So Sleek' Hairspray, it was 2 for £4 for the little ones but I only bought one as I hardly ever use hairspray. I wouldn't normally wear it out but I was curling my hair and need a lot of help to keep the curl in my fine hair.

For my Nails, I used OPI 'From Me to Q' which is a creme red, I felt very glam with this on my fingers which is not at all what I expected as I usully avoid red on my fingernails! This went on really well and was totally opaque in two coats.

The bracelets were from accessorize and I thought they would break up the red nicely and are simple enough that they will work with loads of other outfits.

Jewellery wise, I also got some hoop type earrings from new look and they were useless! The clasps did nothing to keep them in my ears and so by the time I got to the bar, they were in my bag! 

This is the dress I bought...

It was really comfortable and was only dress number 5 or 6 that I bought! (the rest have now gone back to the shop!)

I wore it with black, high waisted spanx tights, which I didn't feel were particularly worth the hefty £39 price tag.  You can usually get them online for cheaper but as I was needing them for that very night, that was no use! 

I also just wore a pair of black New Look shoes, a new look bag (like this but without all the stud detailing bits, it was more of a black snakeskin) and a black blazer from ASOS (they sent the wrong size but thankfully it was too big rather than too little!)

Again, this has turned out much longer than expected but I hope you enjoy it!

Hugs,

Jodi

xxx