December Empties / Products I've Used Up

What better way to round off 2018 than with an Empties post?! I'm pretty pleased that I've managed to finish off a lot of skincare, as some of these products have taken me months to use up, so it'll be nice to look forward to starting 2019 with a couple of new things instead!

Antipodes Grace Gentle Cream Cleanser* (reviewed here)

Grace is one of my all-time favourite cream cleansers and this must be the third or fourth tube that I've gone through since I discovered it. I especially love using it during the Winter months when I need something a bit more hydrating and it's just so lovely and gentle to use which makes it great for sensitive skin. I generally use this as a morning cleanser or as a second cleanser in the evenings. Repurchase? Yes.

Sheffield Skincare Company Honey Love Bath Truffles (travel size, link)

A good friend of mine gave me the most beautiful self-care package for Christmas and inside was a sample pack of these Honey Love Bath Truffles which I've thoroughly enjoyed using over the past couple of nights. 100% natural and they make your skin feel so soft afterwards! Repurchase? Yes. 

Tropic Super Greens Nutrient Boost Serum* (reviewed here)

I've used Tropic's Super Greens Serum on and off since it launched, and this is the second bottle that I've used up. It's something that I like to keep on hand for when my skin feels like it's lacking something as this serum always gives it a nourishing boost and helps my complexion to get its glow back. Perfect for Winter. Repurchase? Will do once I've used up some of my other serums!

Madara Time Miracle Age Defence Day Cream* (link)

As far as everyday moisturisers go, this one from Madara is brilliant if you hate the traditionally thicker types of creams that are so prevalent in the anti-ageing industry. Instead, it feels rich and nourishing, yet absorbs very easily into the skin without any greasiness and layers well underneath makeup. I also love the fresh natural scent that it has and the excellent pump packaging that dispenses just the right amount each time. Repurchase? Definitely.

Aveda Botanical Kinetics Hydrating Treatment Lotion* (reviewed here)

Another Winter friendly skincare product that I always reach for at this time of the year is the Hydrating Treatment Lotion from Aveda. I often use it just twice a week or so to give my skin an extra shot of moisture if it's been feeling tight or dry, or you can use it daily if your skin is drier than mine. Repurchase? Yes.

Perricone MD Blue Plasma Cleansing Treatment (featured here)

I have a serious love/hate relationship with this product! Sometimes my skin adores it and other times I feel like it causes me to break out - argh! I've used it a couple of times in the past and decided to give it another go when I received it in a GWP over the Summer, but I'm still not sure about it to be honest. Repurchase? Probably not!

Inner Senses Deep Blue C Facial Oil* (reviewed here)

One of the best brand discoveries for skincare this year has to be finding Inner Senses and I have absolutely loved using this Deep Blue C Facial Oil over the past couple of months. It's definitely something that I tend to reach for every now and then when my skin is being troublesome as it really helps to calm down breakouts and any irritation, so if your skin is going through a difficult phase, I highly recommend it. Repurchase? Yes, will do once I've used up some of my other face oils.

Turbliss Bioactive Peat Toner* (featured here)

Another product that's ideal for blemish prone skin is the Bioactive Peat Toner from Turbliss, and I think this is may be my second or even third bottle that I've used of it. It feels very refreshing so great for morning use and it helps to keep your pores nice and clear, thus minimising breakouts and blackheads. Repurchase? Yes.

Naturally Tribal Iya Body Food* (reviewed here)

If you have dry skin, you must check out Naturally Tribal who have been a firm favourite of mine all throughout 2018! Their Body Foods are amazing multi-purpose moisturisers that are so thick and buttery which makes them perfect for using on your feet, hands, elbows, knees, and anywhere that needs some extra TLC. The Iya one has the most gorgeous floral scent and they last a long time as a little goes a long way. Repurchase? Yes.

Be In Blossom Ocean Flower Multi-Complex Serum + Cream* (reviewed here)

Towards the end of Summer, I was using this serum a lot but as the weather changed, I felt myself reaching for it less and less. It's a beautifully crafted serum and it's definitely one that I would happily use again next year when it's Spring or Summer again, but it doesn't quite cut it for me in the colder months as my skin needs something more. Repurchase? May do next year.

Aurelia Revitalise & Brighten Eye Dew* (featured here)

I'm usually not much of a fan of eye serums, but Aurelia's Eye Dew is a complete game-changer as it's light, non-sticky and you really do see a difference when you use it! I loved everything about this product - from the ingredients, the smoothing out of my fine lines, to the cooling rollerball applicator, it was such a pleasure to use all round! Repurchase? It's pricey but I'm very tempted to save up for another!

Aurelia Illuminate & Smooth Puff Reduction Eye Cream* (featured here)

It's no surprise to see the accompanying Eye Cream in this post as well, as the two work so well together and can be layered or used as a powerful morning and night team. The Eye Cream is of course much thicker and richer, but it doesn't overload the delicate eye area and it does a brilliant job of depuffing and smoothing everything out. If you suffer from puffy eyes first thing in the morning, it's definitely worth splashing out on. Repurchase? As above.

Aurelia Cell Revitalise Day Moisturiser (travel size, featured here)

I've had a couple of these travel sizes in various beauty boxes and GWPs over the years and I find this moisturiser a little too rich for my skin for daytime use. However, it's lovely as a night cream if I don't fancy using a face oil or if I'm travelling. If you have dry or mature skin, I'm sure you'll love it! Repurchase? I wouldn't personally buy the full size but certainly wouldn't say no to another travel size pot!

What have you used up recently?

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Project Pan #4: 6 Months of Makeup Empties!

Last Summer, I set myself another Project Pan target to see if I could use up 15 makeup products before the 7th January 2018 - here's how I got on!

I've been doing regular Project Pans to declutter my makeup stash for a while now (check out my previous posts here), and they've been a great way to help me rediscover forgotten favourites that have been hiding at the back of my collection. It's also a good way to save yourself some money and is a real motivator to keep you going when you're on a 'No Buy'! 

If you haven't heard of a Project Pan before, you basically pull out all the makeup that you want to use up, set a time frame, and well, use it up! You can follow the rules/goals of someone else's Project Pan (check Instagram, Youtube or Facebook groups), or simply make up your own like I did which was to use up 15 makeup products before 7th January 2018. 

I fell short of the mark by one product, but I'm still pretty pleased that I managed to use up 14! Below is everything that I finished off and whether I would repurchase them again:-

Base Products, Foundations & Concealers

• ILIA Vivid Foundation in F3 Santorini* - (review & swatches here) - This has been my go-to foundation for the past few months, especially since the weather started to turn colder as it's quite moisturising. I love the dewy, 'fresh face' finish that this foundation gives, it blends well and I would recommend it to anyone who wants buildable coverage, but doesn't want to look like they're caked in product. F3 Santorini was a great match for my olive skin and I didn't have any problems with oxidation or anything like that. It's expensive though which is the only downside! Repurchase? I would love to buy this again when I've used up some other foundations, but it's definitely a treat purchase!

• La Roche-Posay Rosaliac CC Creme SPF 30* - (review here) - I used this CC a lot during the Summer, and it's ideal for toning down and helping to cover up any redness. I found it gave me a lot more coverage than most CC style products, so it's a nice one to have in your makeup stash for those days when you don't want to wear a foundation. Repurchase? Maybe when it's Summer again as I didn't reach for it at any other time.

• Perricone MD Face Finishing Moisturiser Tint SPF 30* - Another Summer favourite was this beauty from Perricone MD. I really loved this tinted moisturiser as it feels so silky soft on the skin and gives a lovely, healthy hint of colour that's perfect for 'no makeup days' and holidays. Repurchase? Yes. 

• RMS Beauty Un-Cover Up in 22* - (review & swatches here) - This little pot of multi-purpose goodness lasted for almost a year thanks to its 'a little goes a long way' formula. You can use it as a foundation or as a concealer, and it works well both ways, though I tended to use it more as a light-medium coverage base. Repurchase? Yes.

Bronzers

• Vita Liberata Trystal Self-Tanning Bronzing Minerals* (review here) - I finally used up a bronzer! This loose mineral-based bronzer from Vita Liberata contains DHA which gives you a light, buildable, gradual tan in the process, and can be used on both body and face. Gives a gorgeous, healthy-looking glow which looks great all year round. Repurchase? Yes.

Eyeliners & Eyeshadows

• Eyeko Black Magic Liquid Eyeliner (review here) - I've lost count of how many times I've repurchased this as it's one of my favourite liquid eyeliner pens. I love how easy it is to use and it has a beautiful glossy sheen to it. Stays put all day on me! Repurchase? Currently using Kat Von D, but I'm sure I'll go back to this at some point!

• Stila Smudge Stick Waterproof Eye Liner in Black Amethyst - When I don't want to wear straight up black, I found myself constantly reaching for this liner instead which comes in a gorgeous blackened-purple shade. Adds a little something different to a smokey eye and pairs incredibly well with dark brown eyes. Smudgeproof and long wearing. Repurchase? Yes.

• Daniel Sandler Long Lasting Waterproof Eyeliner in Black Velvet - (review here) - An old time favourite of mine, I've been using this seriously underrated Daniel Sandler eyeliner for years and must have gone through at least three or four of them. Affordable (less than a tenner), pigmented and can be used to create a wicked, thick and grungey smokey eye. Repurchase? Yes.

• ILIA Silken Shadow Stick in In Between Days* - (review here) - Oh how I enjoyed using this eyeshadow stick for about a month or so, and then it started to dry out and crumble! This shade was a pretty warm golden shimmer for everyday wear, but it needed a primer underneath to stop it from creasing on my oily lids. Repurchase? No.

Mascaras

• GOSH My Favourite Mascara* - (review here) - I'm definitely a big lash kinda gal, so natural looking mascaras never really do it for me. This was fine for casual days, but I didn't use it very often and then it dried up. Repurchase? No.

• Too Faced Better Than Sex Mascara* - (review here) - Now this is my favourite mascara! I love everything about it - it makes my lashes look thicker and bigger, doesn't smudge or flake, and stays put until I want to take it off. Perfect! Repurchase? Yes.

• DHC Double Protection Mascara* - (review here) - Despite enjoying this mascara and putting it into a favourites post last year, I've since changed my mind because it dried up so quickly. The formula itself is great, but I'm so disappointed to see it dry out so fast. Repurchase? No.

• PUR Fully Charged Mascara - I picked this up in a GWP and was excited to try it, but sadly this mascara was a fail for me. It flaked, smudged and just turned into a mess within hours of wearing it. Repurchase? Nope!

Lip Products

• Korres Lip Butter In Wild Rose - I didn't manage to use up any lip products this time around, but I wanted to include this tinted lip butter from Korres as it's very pigmented and can easily pass as a lip stain in my eyes! Provides a super pretty rosy red tint to the lips and feels really moisturising. Repurchase? Yes.

Have you ever done a Project Pan like this?

Have you tried any of the products that I used up?

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Beauty Box: Love Me Beauty - June 2017 review + 20% Discount Code

After seeing a sneak peek of one or two of the new products that have been added to June's Love Me Beauty edit, I couldn't wait to see the rest. 

If you're new to Love Me Beauty, they're basically a beauty subscription service where you can choose the products that you want. You're given 60 credits every month to spend in the current online edit and products can be from 10-30 credits each, depending on the size and brand (e.g full-size products will cost more than travel size samples etc). You also get a free makeup bag every month (the new June design is super cute as you can see above!) instead of a box, and there's the option to purchase add-on credits if you want more products.

This month's new edit is called #HelloSummer and there are some fantastic goodies up for grabs from high-end brands such as Perricone MD, Caudalie, YuBe, NUXE to name but a few. The range of products also appears to have almost doubled since last month, giving you more choice than ever before to kit out your summer holiday bag.

Below are just some of the products that you can expect to find in the new Love Me Beauty edit - some change throughout the month depending on popularity and stock levels, so move fast if something catches your eye!

Caudalie Divine Oil (15ml travel size - 15 credits)

I've been a long time fan of this amazing multi-purpose oil (check out my original review here) and these travel sized bottles come in so handy. You can use it on the body, face and hair, and I generally like to use a few drops on the ends and lengths of my hair as a leave-in conditioning treatment, but it's lovely to use all over your body as a pampering treat as well!

Caudalie Vinoperfect Concentrated Brightening Essence (50ml travel size - 15 credits)

Although I really love Caudalie's Vinoperfect range (their Radiance Tinted Moisturiser is brilliant), this essence has managed to pass me by so I've been enjoying trying it out, and so far, so good. Use it after cleansing and toning, but before your serum/moisturiser for an extra brightening boost.

Caudalie Vinoperfect Radiance Serum (10ml travel size - 15 credits)

If your skin is looking dull and needs a helping hand in the brightening department, you can also pick up the Radiance Serum from the same Vinoperfect range, and this works so well with the essence above.

Caudalie Nourishing Body Lotion (50ml travel size - 15 credits)

As well as skincare, Caudalie do some amazing body and pampering products, and their Nourishing Body Lotion is a lovely body moisturiser to reach for during the summer months. It has a really fresh scent and leaves skin feeling silky soft.

Perricone MD Face Finishing Moisturiser Tint (30ml deluxe travel size - 30 credits)

I was so happy to see this in the edit because I've been wanting to try it for ages! I've used Perricone MD's No Foundation Foundation and the No Concealer Concealer on and off for years and this Face Finishing Moisturiser Tint is somewhere in between a moisturiser and a tinted moisturiser if that makes any sense?! It's one of the brand's bestsellers and just gives a really subtle hint of colour to the skin - so nice to use when you just want a fresh face for the day. It also includes SPF 30 so it's perfect for your holiday bag.

PIXI Nourishing Lip Polish (full-size RRP £14)

To keep lips prepped and looking their best, PIXI's Nourishing Lip Polish is a make-up bag must-have, especially if you love wearing matte liquid lips like I do. It does exactly what it says on the tube, but in a gentle and effective way. Love it!

Love Me Beauty* is £10 plus £3.95 P&P per month - lovemebeauty.com

Special reader offer: Use my discount code beautywolfgirl20 to get 20% off your first box!

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Beauty Box: Love Me Beauty - March 2017 review + 20% Discount Code

Love Me Beauty are one of my favourite beauty box subscriptions. Why? You can choose all of the products that you want each month from their online Edit, so you know exactly what you're going to receive in the post. There are no worries about wasting your hard earned cash on a random 'surprise' where you might not like half of the products sent to you, and thus you won't end up with a million unwanted perfume samples cluttering up your drawers (hooray!).

Each month, Love Me Beauty curate an online Edit, and March's is called #GetTheGlowDown which offers a selection of products from brands such as Caudalie, Perricone MD, Ellis Faas, Ultrasun, Korebeauty, Laura Mercier, Omorovicza, and EcoTools. 

A month's membership gives you 60 credits to spend in the Edit on whatever takes your fancy, and you can purchase extra add-on credits if you spot some more must-have products that you want to treat yourself to. And instead of a beauty box, you'll receive a free makeup bag every month instead which is pretty cool!

Here are some of the beauty products available in this month's #GetTheGlowDownEdit to give you an idea of what you can choose:-

Caudalie Vine[Activ] 3-in-1 Moisturiser (15ml - 20 credits)

Vine[Activ] is one of the newest ranges that Caudalie have recently launched and I've been eager to get my hands on some samples to try it out. This range is all based around being 'anti-pollution and anti-wrinkle', so it's a good one to pick if you live or work in a city to help to protect your skin from the elements. I really like this 3-in-1 Moisturiser - it's light, feels hydrating, is suitable for all skin types and has a lovely, fresh scent to it.

Caudalie Vine[Active] Energizing and Smoothing Eye Cream (5ml - 20 credits)

The matching Energizing and Smoothing Eye Cream is also a great product to go for if you want to try a new eye cream, that like the moisturiser, is lightweight but hydrating, and perfectly preps and smoothes the delicate undereye area for applying concealer, or just to help brighten up dark circles.

Omorovicza Moor Cream Cleanser (30ml - 20 credits)

I'm a big fan of Omorovicza (particularly love their Thermal Cleansing Balm), so I'm always excited to try out more from this luxury Hungarian skincare brand who Caroline Hirons raves on about too. This is a clarifying and detoxifying cleanser that features mineral-rich Hungarian Moor mud to draw out impurities and help clear up a congested complexion. Really generous travel size too, as the full size retails for nearly £50!

Ultrasun Glimmer SPF 20 (25ml - 15 credits)

Now's a good time to pick up some new suncare as Spring is well and truly on its way this month, and this one from Ultrasun is rather interesting as it's infused with some tiny reflective pigments to give a gorgeous glow to even sensitive skin. The water-resistant, broad spectrum SPF 20 offers protection against both UVA and UVB rays, and it's also free from perfume, emulsifiers and preservatives.

Perricone MD Blue Plasma Cleansing Treatment (59ml - 25 credits)

This product has been on my skincare wishlist for a while now so I'm really happy to finally have the opportunity to see what all the hype is about! This deluxe travel size is worth a whopping £18 on its own, and it gives the skin a thoroughly deep clean, plus it exfoliates and tones at the same time for clearer, more radiant skin in a flash. Very excited to try it!

Korebeauty Anti-Ageing Hydrogel Facial Mask (1 sheet mask - 10 credits)

Sheet mask fans will do well to snap up this Hydrogel Mask from Korean brand Korebeauty. Specially formulated for skin that's starting to show the first signs of aging, it promises to help reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, whilst improving skin elasticity and giving it a boost of moisture to plump it up. Worth £7, this mask will only cost you a mere 10 credits in this month's edit - bargain!

Ellis Faas Lips x 4 Tubes (set of 4 samples - 10 credits)

This sample pack from Ellis Faas gives you four try-me tubes of the famed makeup artists' best-selling lip products. Each tube offers a different shade and finish; Hot Lips in Bright Fuschia (long-wearing liquid, highly pigmented liquid lipstick), Milky Lips in Nude Pink (fluid liquid lipstick with a glossy finish), Glazed Lips in Sheer Orange (non-sticky, ultra wet, highly pigmented lip gloss), and Creamy Lips in Ellis Red (full coverage lipstick with a long-wearing shiny finish).  

Love Me Beauty* is £10 plus £3.95 P&P per month - lovemebeauty.com

Special reader offer: Use my discount code beautywolfgirl20 to get 20% off your first box!

Do you subscribe to Love Me Beauty? 

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5 Mini Reviews: Dr. Hauschka, Balance Me, REN, Melvita & Perricone MD

Time for a 5 Mini Reviews post I think!  So here are five samples that I've used up recently and my overall thoughts on them.

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May Empties / Products I've Used Up

Empties time!  Here are the products I've managed to finish up recently, my overall thoughts on them, and whether I'd repurchase any again or not.

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The Concealer Stash

If there's one single makeup item that I absolutely can't live without, it's concealer.  It can hide a multitude of sins if you've been burning the candle at both ends, and it can give you a big confidence boost if your skin isn't quite looking its best for whatever reason.

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Beauty Roundup: The Best of 2013

I'm a little late posting this but here we go!  This is my beauty roundup of the past year, showcasing the creme de la creme of the products that I fell in love with during 2013.   

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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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February Favourites

February may be the shortest month of the year, but that's not going to stop me from finding a good handful of beauty favourites.  Here's what I've been loving this month:-

The London Oil Company Morning Glory & Sleepy Head Body Oils* have been keeping my skin soft, hydrated and not to mention, smelling gorgeous.  As the names suggest, I've been using Morning Glory to brighten up the process of waking up first thing and Sleepy Head to send me off to the land of nod.  Another gorgeous smelling skin softner that I've been enamoured with is LUSH Ro's Argan Body Conditioner.  It's a simple slap it on and wash it off in the shower deal for those times when I'm running late (which let's face it, is always!).

Make-up wise, I've mostly been wearing Inika Creme Colour in Rosehip* on my cheeks which has a wonderful creamy formula that lasts all day, and my lips have been constantly decorated with those budget friendly Rimmel Apocalips Lip Lacquers in Celestial, Luna and Nude Eclipse.  I've also discovered a new favourite concealer corrector in the guise of Perricone MD No Concealer Concealer*, so I'd say it's been a pretty good month!

What beauty products have you been loving lately?

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Worth The Hype: Perricone MD No Concealer Concealer review

 Perricone MD No Concealer Concealer* (9g, £37, link)

I've lost count of the amount of times that this concealer has been recommended to me, so when the opportunity arose to finally try out this cult product for myself, I jumped at it.  Perricone MD No Concealer Concealer is described as 'not your typical concealer', which sums it up perfectly.  

This multi-tasking, unconventional concealer comes packaged in a luxe glass bottle with a pump that dispenses the right amount of product every time.  It promises to camouflage imperfections, dark circles and brighten the eye area, whilst also protecting it with a broad spectrum mineral-based, non-chemical SPF 35.  So does it live up to the hype?

Well, mostly, yes!  I found the formula to be beautifully lightweight and non-greasy which I wasn't expecting at all when I first applied it because it's thicker than most liquid foundations I've tried.  Somehow, it just manages to blend seamlessly into the under eye area for an easy and natural, 'I'm not wearing any make-up' look.  It also lasted on me all day without creasing (a big positive for me as I have quite a few lines under my eyes) and didn't dry out or go cakey either.  Very impressive!

Perhaps the only minor downside for me was that I found this more useful as a corrector for my dark circles, rather than a complete concealer.  This is probably because my dark circles are quite severe, so if yours aren't, I imagine this would be perfect for most people as an all-in-one product.  If they are, then I'd recommend applying just a small amount of your usual concealer over the top to completely cover them up.  It would also be good if this came in a few other shades for those with very fair and darker skintones, but overall, I'd say it lives up to the hype!

Have you tried Perricone MD No Concealer Concealer?

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