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

Gone in November...

So the title of this post is inspired by this song by Wyclef Jean 'Gone 'Til November', it's quite a chill tune for a monday night!

So these are the products I have used up in the last month or two, I have been trying to 'shop my stash' I just seem to have a lot more in my 'stash' than I realised! Ooops!

There is a bit of variety here, some I will repurchase others I will not.  I make it sound so complicated eh?!

So, the hair...

Batiste Dry Shampoo for dark and deep brown hair.  I posted about this waaaay back in March, here, and this is me just finishing up the can! I won't be repurchasing this which is a shame as the shade is great for my dark hair but the fallout is not a good look.  Also, I find this seems to make my scalp feel quite itchy and irritated, not something I usually have a problem with.

Percy & Reed  Totally TLC Hydrating Mask.  I used up some Percy & Reed products in my September empties post, here, and my opinion of the Totally TLC hydrating mask is similar.  It is a bit too hydrating for my fine hair so I use it before shampooing.  It contains marshmallow and coconut oil to nourish and moisturise.  As with the other products, I feel this is overpriced for what it is, it has a subtle, clean smell but no coconut.  It is easy to apply, it's not thick like alot of other hair masks.  I didn't notice much a difference in my hair.

Finally, KMS Hair Play Makeover Spray from my recent birchbox, here.  This is nice, my boyfriend sniffed my head and told me I 'smelt like fruit' thanks to this little nugget! I do like it, the powder is quite white unless you do it from a good distance.  I would repurchase but £10+ for a dry shampoo is a bit on the steep end for me. 

The face...

Rimmel Match Perfection Loose Powder in Transparent.  Rimmel are pretty dependable and I would say this powder has never completely blown me away but it sets my make up well enough, doesn't oxidise (get yellower/darker) throughout the day like the Clear Complexion one, doesn't cake and isn't too yellow.  I think I would repurchase this as it is good for the price and it does last quite a while.  It doesn't really do much in the way of minimising pores though. 

Elizabeth Arden All Gone Eye and Lip Make up Remover, phew, that's a mouthful! I got this deluxe sample size as a gift with purchase last year and it has lasted me for quite some time.  I Like the duo-phase make up removers, I think oil is much more efficient at removing mascara whilst still being gentle to the eye area.  You just shake this up so the liquids mix and put a dash on some cotton wool and apply to eyes, simples. I would repurchase this but would like to explore other varieties from other brands - I have heard the body shop camomile one is really good.

The Bod... 

Soap & Glory Heel Genius.  I think this is my third tube of this and I have a fourth waiting to take its place.  This is best applied after you have given your feet a bit of a pamper and finished off with some cotton socks or booties overnight and you will wake up with lovely, soft feet.  It has a slightly menthol smell to it and is lovely and cooling on hot feet after a days work.

Soap and Glory Mist You Madly fragranced body spray.  As much as I love Soap & Glory, I am actually glad this is finished.  This is a rather heavy floral, I didn't think it was a fruity floral as it claims on the bottle and a few minutes after spraying this on my body or my clothes, I couldn't really detect any scent.  This has been living in my work locker for the last year and a half trying to be used up!  I won't be repurchasing this I'm afraid.

Lastly, Elizabeth Arden 8 Hour Cream Intensive body moisturiser.  If you don't like the smell of the original 8 hour cream, chances are you won't like this.  I found this easiest to use on my hands and arms, it is a very thick cream and it felt quite 'stiff' to rub into my skin, almost like using a shower gel without being in the shower... Was great on my hands though.  I think this would be best for targeted areas such as knees, elbows and shins but as an all over moisturiser, it just requires too much elbow grease.

And that's that! 

Scary to think the next time I do one of these posts will be 2014!

One point I will mention, I  cut the ends off most of my squeezy tubes etc as there is often a few more uses worth left in the tube.  I got another 5 applications from the Elizabeth Arden!

Have you tried any of these products?

What scents do you like in your lotions and potions?

Hugs,

Jodi

xxx

Batiste for Brunettes

Howdy!

So today I am here to express my dismay that Batiste seems to have changed something about their formula for the Brunette Dry Shampoo - Sad Face! 

I have pretty dark, brown hair and so when Batiste finally took out a brunette version of their cult product I was thrilled, however, I bought a replacement bottle the other week and it had a different lid.  I didnt think too much about it until I got it home and used it the very next day.

I sprayed it on as usual, from the appropriate distance, left it for a wee minute and then brushed my fringe to style it, this is where it went wrong... it went all over my forehead and my face, I looked like a chimney sweep! Argh! 

I've never had this happen before, have any of you experienced anything like this recently? 

Jodi 

xxx