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

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