5 Mini Reviews: Aveeno, Essential Care, Weleda, Live Native & Lavera

I love trying out samples, and found these in the bottom of my travel bag earlier which I've used up.  Here are my thoughts on them. 

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January Empties / Products I've Used Up

Here's to the first Empties post of 2014.  I'm really happy with how many products I've managed to finish up last month, though there are quite a few favourites amongst this little lot that I'm sad to see go!

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Skincare Review: Odylique Calming Rose Super Tonic, Superfruit Concentrate, Honey & Oat Cleansing Bar and Calendula Balm

A few weeks before Christmas, I received a very exciting email from one of the founders of English natural brand, Essential Care (who I've raved about before, particularly with respects to their amazing Coconut Candy Scrub, Gentle Herb Shampoo and their beautiful mineral Lipsticks).  The company are currently in the process of re-branding and have changed their name to Odylique.

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My Favourite Winter Lip Colours

This has been the first Autumn/Winter where I've really gone all out and experimented with lots of different lip colours.  I'm certainly not the bravest or most confident person though, so I wanted to do a post on the lip products which have helped to ease me out of my usually neutral- coloured comfort zone and into the more berry hued, darker pinks and red shades typically associated with this season.

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5 Mini Reviews: Essential Care, Pomegranate Organics, Korres, Weleda & Wen

Here are five samples that I've used up recently, featuring a mix of haircare, skincare and bodycare.  I plucked them out of my travel bag at the weekend when I was swapping around some products and gave myself a little pat on the back for finally using some more samples up!  (I'm weird, I know... lol) Anyway!  Onto the mini reviews.

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September Empties / Products I've Used Up

Empties time!  You all know the drill by now, so here are the products I've finished off this month, my thoughts on them, and whether I'll be repurchasing them in the future or not.

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Weekend Pampering: Organic Beauty Special

Sundays were made for pampering weren't they?  Here are my product picks for this evening's beauty affair which has an organic theme to it, to celebrate the end of Organic September.

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The One & Only Make-Up Tag

I was tagged by the lovely Ana from Anagoesgreen to do the One & Only Tag that's currently circulating on the blogosphere.  It was tough going through my make-up collection and compiling what's essentially an ultimate favourites list, but here we go - these are my final picks to the question "If you could only have one.....what would it be?".

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Love Me Beauty Box - September 2013 review

 Love Me Beauty Box* (£10 + p&p per month, link)

I know what you're thinking.  Another beauty box?  No!  Love Me Beauty is simply the new name for Beauteco Box.  They decided to re-name themselves citing similarities with a different business, which is fair enough in my books.  Nothing else has changed though.  The price is still the same, customers still get three different menu options to choose from each month and they're still keeping their 100% recyclable eco-friendly box & packaging as it is which I'm very happy about.  So without further ado, shall we have a look at what's inside September's Love Me Beauty box?  

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August Empties / Products I've Used Up

Empties time!  You all know the drill by now; so here are the products I've finished off this month, my thoughts on them, and whether I'll be repurchasing them in the future or not.

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Currently Loving: Essential Care Organic Coconut Candy Scrub

 Essential Care Organic Coconut Candy Scrub* (200g, £28)

If you've been following my blog for a while, or simply saw my Favourites post last month, you'll know that I have a strong penchant for anything to do with coconut.  I adore the scent, and the miracle moisturising properties of coconut oil are fantastic for my dry skin.  So it should come as no surprise really that I'm currently enamoured with this delectable coconut body scrub from Essential Care (who coincidentally are also one of my favourite natural brands!).

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Latest In Beauty: The CEW UK 2013 Beauty Awards Finalists' Discovery Box

 CEW UK 2013 Beauty Awards Finalists' Discovery Box (£9.95, link)

The CEW UK Beauty Awards recently took place which are dubbed the 'Oscars' of the beauty industry.  Being a beauty blogger, I like to keep tabs on what's going on, and this years winners showcase some of my absolute favourite brands (talk about having good taste eh?!).  So naturally, I eagerly purchased the Finalists' Discovery Box from Latest In Beauty and was delighted when it arrived today.  

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April Empties / Products I've Used Up

I finally have a normal amount of empties this month after using up so many products during the 100 Day Spending Ban.  Here's what I used up in April, and whether I will be repurchasing them or not.

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February Empties / Products I've Used Up

Ready for another Empties post?  Let's get stuck in then!  Here are the products that I managed to finish up recently:-

DGJ Organics King Of Colour Glossy Brunettes Shampoo & Conditioner* - (review)

Natural haircare can be so hit or miss, but these worked so well for me that I'm actually sad to see them used up!  Repurchase?  Definitely will after the spending ban.

I Love... Mango & Papaya Exfoliating Shower Smoothie 

A product I am happy to see go into the recycling bin is this one because it's been lingering around in my bathroom forever.   The scent is very artificial and it's rubbish for exfoliating with.  Repurchase?  No.

Philip Kingsley Scalp Toner - (review)

I thought this was OK, especially when my scalp was getting super dry due to the cold weather, but it seemed to stop working as well as it initially did as I reached the end of the bottle.  Repurchase?  Probably not.

L'Occitane Pivoine Flora Shower Gel

Used this up in my travel bag, and I wasn't that keen on the scent as it's way too heavy and flowery for my liking.  Nice foamy formula though.  Repurchase?  No. 

LUSH Cosmetic Warrior Fresh Face Mask - (review)

I have to admit that I didn't use all of this pot up because it started to smell really off last week, despite it still being within the best of date.  It was an OK mask, but I prefer other LUSH masks a lot more.  Repurchase?  No. 

Laidbare DIY Cleanser & Toner* - (review)

Love, love, love this stuff!  I've been raving about it since I first tried it out and I still think it's a fantastic natural budget beauty buy.  Repurchase?  Already using another one that was in my stash!

Beauty Formulas Deep Cleansing Nose Pore Strips
These didn't do anything for me, so I'll be sticking with the Montagne Jeunesse ones in the future.  Repurchase?  No.

Essential Care Mineral Concealer in Fair* - (review)
Liked this a lot, was great to use under the eyes and around the nose especially.  Repurchase?  Might do, but at the moment I have loads of concealers to use up.

Witch Pressed Powder - (review)
This is brilliant stuff for keeping your t-zone shine free and so cheap too.  Last ages as well!  Repurchase?  Yes, after the spending ban.  

Have you used up any products this month?  
Feel free to link to your empties posts below!

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January Empties / Products I've Used Up

January has felt like a long, long month, and I'm not surprised that there are quite a lot of products that I've managed to finish up given that I'm on a Spending Ban.  So without further ado, here are my recent empties:-

Boots Acetone Free Nail Polish Remover
A staple of mine, I always use this one because its cheap and does the job.  Repurchase?  Yes, I already have another in my stash.

I Love...Vanilla & Ice Cream Exfoliating Shower Smoothie
Bought this on a whim ages ago because it was only £1 and it smells just like vanilla ice cream.  It's absolutely rubbish as an exfoliator but was OK as a general shower gel.  Repurchase?  No, the scent got to be too sickly even for someone me!

The Body Shop Coconut Shower Cream
As you can see from the old-style packaging, I've had this for absolutely ages in my bathroom because I have so many shower products to use up.  It has a lovely coconut scent and I always enjoy using it.  Repurchase?  Am sure I will in the future.

Burt's Bees Extra Energizing Citrus & Ginger Root Hand Soap
A nice liquid hand soap with an unusual scent, but one that I grew to like over the last few months that I used it.  Repurchase?  Maybe if I saw it on offer again.

JASON Hydrating Hemp Hand & Body Lotion* - (featured in my 7 Winter Skin Saviours here)
Great body lotion for dry skin, feels light and soaks into the skin straight away with no greasiness.  Repurchase?  Yes, definitely will after my ban.

Korres Wild Rose 24 Hour Moisturiser
This was a really good sample for me to use up when it was freezing cold recently.  Has a pleasant delicate rose scent and kept my face hydrated all day.  Repurchase?  I would only use this in the dead of winter as it would be too heavy for my oily/combo skintype, so I'd probably just pick up another sample tube and use it when it was needed.

REN Glycolactic Skin Renewal Peel Mask
I've rarely seen a bad review of this now cult face mask on the blogosphere and like the majority, I like it too.  It smells fruity and feels like non-sticky marmalade, but it always makes my face feel soft and look fresh when I use it.  Repurchase?  I'm not sure I love it enough to splurge on a full size, but I certainly would use up another sample of it.

L'Occitane Shea Butter Hand Cream - (featured in my 7 Winter Skin Saviours here)
Best hand cream ever, I'm rarely ten feet away from one of those beauties!  Repurchase?  Yes, already have a couple of handbag sizes in my stash.

Liz Earle Eyebright Soothing Eye Lotion* - (featured in my Hayfever Beauty Essentials here)
This is brilliant for using on a cotton pad over your closed eyes in the morning to de-puff and refresh them.  Also a must-have in S/S when hayfever season starts up.  Repurchase?  Yes, already have a travel size of it from my Liz Earle Advent Calendar.

Essential Care Organic Lip Silk Lip Balm*
Loved using this, it's one of the best organic lip balms I've ever used, so much so that I've added it to my Holy Grail list!  Repurchase?  Definitely.

Etat Pur Salicylic Acid 300mg - (reviewed here)
I was surprised by how long this little bottle has lasted me, I must have been using it for at least 4 or 5 months.  Works really well at reducing blemishes and was gentle/non-irritating to use.  Repurchase?  Will do in the future.

Have you used up any products this month?  
Feel free to link to your empties posts below!

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Best Of 2012: Part 2 - Hair / Skin / Bodycare

Haircare:  A'kin 24 Hour Intensive Moisture Leave-In Conditioner has become a regular staple in my general getting ready in the morning routine.  It helps to tame frizz and keep my dry ends and lengths happy (reviewed here).  2012 was the year that I experimented with the wonders of hair oils and I quickly decided that the Macadamia Oil range was my favourite, especially the Healing Oil Treatment and Deep Repair Masque.  I also enjoyed using the Schwarzkopf OSiS+ Flatliner Iron Serum Spray with my straighteners.  

Skincare:  Liz Earle pretty much dominated much of my everyday skincare routines in 2012, favourites being their Brightening Treatment Mask, Gentle Face Exfoliator and of course the cult beauty classic, Cleanse & Polish Hot Cloth Cleanser.  Other skincare favourites that I discovered later in the year include JASON Brightening Apricot Scrubble, Essential Care Organic Rose Petal Tonic and Laidbare DIY Cleanser. 

Bodycare:  In 2012, I finally tried out the much hyped Weleda Skin Food which is a fantastic winter skin saviour, as is budget friendly Lavera All Round Cream and another cult product, Steamcream.  I also wanted to include the gorgeous smelling Bee Lovely range from Neal's Yard Remedies (Body Lotion and Busy Bee Balm pictured above).

So that's everything!  If you missed Part 1 you can read my make-up favs of 2012 here.  I'm really looking forward to seeing what I'll discover and fall in love with in 2013!

Post your own Best Of 2012 links below!

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Best of 2012: Part 1 - Make-Up

I'm back from my internet-free festive break and I hope you all had a lovely Christmas!  As we're in the very last days of 2012, it seems only right to have a beauty recap of the year.  There were so many products that I wanted to include, so I've split my 'Best Of 2012' into two parts; one for make-up and one for general skin/hair/bodycare.  So without further ado, below are some of my favourite make-up products that I enjoyed using in 2012:-  

2012 saw the much anticipated UK release of Revlon's Colorburst Lip Butters.  I loved the hype across the blogosphere for these lip balm/lip stick hybrids and rushed out to purchase a handful like everyone else.  You can see swatches of my favourite top 5 shades here.  I also began to grow my little collection of Korres Lip Butters!

Out of all the make-up related purchases that I made throughout the year, my best investment was definitely getting two sets of Real Techniques brushes.  I received the Core Collection for my birthday and soon purchased the Your Eyes / Enhanced Starter Set afterwards.  I use these brushes virtually everyday and couldn't imagine being without them now! 

One make-up collection that really stood out for me in 2012, was the release of Liz Earle's full capsule collection.  Everything that I have tried from this range, I've just simply loved, and I already have my eye on a few more bits that I'd like to try in 2013!  You can read my reviews of Liz Earle's make-up here. 

Aside from the Lip Butters mentioned above, Revlon also released their amazing Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stains, my favourite shade being Honey (pictured above).  Another big 2012 hyped product came in the form of a pink pot of magic nail polish remover by Bourjois which I reviewed and raved about here.

I also discovered lots of products for the first time in 2012 that quickly made my coveted Holy Grail list.  Some of these include bare Minerals Original Foundation, MAC Sheertone Blush in Blushbaby, MAC Powder Blush in Harmony and Daniel Sandler Watercolour Blush in Cherub.  Other mention-worthy favourites were MAC Cremesheen Lipstick in Shy Girl, Essential Care Mineral Lipstick in Praline and terre d'Oc Sublime Lip Gloss in Rose Ubud. 

I'm sure that there are many more make-up favourites that I've forgotten to include, so check out my general favourites tag for more fab products that I loved throughout 2012.  Will post part 2 tomorrow!

What make-up items would feature in your Best of 2012?

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December Empties / Products I've Used Up

So here it is, the last Empties post of the year.  Thought I'd put this up a little early so that I can pop them all in the recycling bin before it's xmas.  These are the products that I managed to finish up in December and whether I would repurchase them again:-

Amie Spring Clean Cooling Clay Mask* (reviewed here)
Love this face mask - it clears up any blemishes quickly and makes my skin feel wonderfully clean and clear.  Repurchase?  Yes.

Yardley English Lavender Luxury Body Wash
I've had this lingering around in my bathroom since March when it came in a Joliebox and I've been slowly using it up ever since.  It's not my favourite lavender scent in the world (a bit too 'powdery' for my liking), so I just used the rest up in recent baths.  Repurchase?  No.

Davines Authentic Moisturising Balm
So sad to see my last tube of this get used up!  I used it as an intensive hair treatment and loved how soft it made my hair feel.  Repurchase?  Yes, I'll pick up a full size when I've used up some other hair masks.

Burt's Bees Beeswax Lip Balm
This is the original cooling peppermint formula that Burt's Bees are famous for.  Personally I prefer their Honey formulas more, but this was still nice to use.  Repurchase?  Maybe.

Essential Care Organic Calendula Balm* (reviewed here)
A great multi-purpose all natural and organic balm that can be used on any dry/chapped bits.  This little tub lasted ages!  Repurchase?  I have lots of multipurpose balms in my current stash, but it's certainly something I'd pick up again in the near future.

Clinique All About Eyes
I like this eye cream a lot and have gone through a couple of pots of it in the last two years.  It's a good, everyday eye cream and one to try out if you haven't before.  Repurchase?  I fancy a change so as this was my last pot, I've decided to switch to using Korres' Evening Primrose Eye Cream at the mo.

Dermasalve Body Cream* (reviewed here)
Another product I've had in my bathroom for a while.  This was OK and something I used when I experienced eczema flare ups, but I much prefer LUSH's Dream Cream and Barefoot's SOS Body Lotion to this.  Repurchase?  No.

balance Me Rose Otto Body Wash
Love the delicate rose/turkish delight scent of this and it's one of my favourite natural body washes to use.  Repurchase?  Yes, but only as a treat as it's a little pricey.

Barry M Lip Gloss Wand in Toffee (reviewed/swatched here)
Another favourite product that I've used up is this lip gloss from Barry M.  Smells and tastes just like toffee and is a gorgeous nude shade with a little shimmer.  Repurchase?  Already have!

Have you used up any products this month?  
Feel free to link to your empties posts below!
 

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Xmas Gift Idea: Essential Care Radiant Rose Gift Set

Essential Care Radiant Rose Gift Set* (£18)

If you're currently looking for an organic skincare xmas gift for under £20, then Essential Care's Radiant Rose Gift Set might be just the thing you're looking for.  The set contains three of Essential Care's best selling products and serves as a fantastic introduction to the brand and of course their skincare range.  Inside the box you'll find the following:-

Creamy Coconut Cleanser (30ml) - A gentle yet effective cream based cleanser for normal, dry & sensitive skintypes, which also doubles up as a make-up remover.  The cleanser has coconut and extra virgin olive oils combined with a detoxifying blend of lemon, clary sage and eucalyptus to gently lift away impurities and gives you clean, smooth and supple skin.

Rose Petal Tonic (30ml) - A preservative free toner that has a blend of pure organic rose water, organic rose extract and precious organic rose essential oil to rehydrate and soothe dry, normal, mature or inflamed skin.  Comes packaged in a very luxe feeling glass bottle with a handy pump applicator.  I absolutely love this toner!

Rose Moisturiser (15ml) - An antioxidant light-textured day-cream which is easily absorbed, leaving the skin soft and velvety smooth.  Deeply moisturising with shea butter, jojoba oil, coconut oil, aloe leaf, and the essential oil of damask roses.  The cold-pressed plant oils, naturally high in antioxidants of vitamins A & E, and Sea Buckthorn help to counteract the ageing and collagen-destroying effects of 'free radicals' and sunlight.  For all skin types and can also be used as an eye cream.

Do you like to give/receive skincare gifts at xmas?

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Review: New Limited Edition Essential Care Lipstick in Fig Fondant

 Essential Care Lipstick in Fig Fondant* (£16, link)

I always love it when brands bring out something special for the festive season, so I was over the moon when I saw this new limited edition lipstick from Essential Care.  Their 100% natural, 86% organic and fairtrade certified mineral lipsticks are some of the best I've tried from the natural beauty world (check out my review of the gorgeous neutral shade Praline here) and this new one certainly doesn't disappoint! 

The shade is called Fig Fondant which describes the colour perfectly; it does look like the inside of a fig and makes for a beautiful winter-friendly shade.  The warm browny-pink colour makes me feel very grown up when I wear it, but not too mature if that makes sense?  It just looks very sophisticated and modern.

The formula of Essential Care lipsticks are brilliant.  In my Praline review, I compared them as a natural high-end alternative to MAC and I still stand by that.  This has the pigmentation and moisturising properties (extra important when it's cold out!) that I look for in a lipstick, but with all the benefits of it being 100% natural.  A welcome addition to my winter make-up bag!

Have you tried Essential Care's lipsticks?  

Do you like christmas-only releases? 

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