Empties #1

Welcome to my first 'Empties' post! I can't decide whether I like the concept of this empties post or not, on the one hand it gives that immense satisfaction that I have actually finished a whole product before I have got bored of it, however; on the other hand it means I have to make that all important decision on if I splash out on a repurchase or not. Anyway, here are all the products I have used up in the past month or so and if I would repurchase or not...

1. Nude Oil Cleanser

I have loved using this cleanser, it is the first oil cleanser I ever tried and I have been a convert ever since. It dissolves all. traces of make-up effortlessly and leaves my skin feeling super soft and smooth without any tightness or dry patches. (TIP: do not travel with this product! Mine finished much before it should have, whilst traveling recently I had a rather large leakage situation and it caused one very disastrous mess!)
Repurchase? Although I do love this, I have recently found a cheaper alternative which I think I like even better (The Body Shop Camomile Oil) so probably not - I think I will do I review on the near future of some of the Body Shop's skincare range as I have been completely loving it recently.


2. Bioderma Micelle Solution

The cult beauty blogger classic: Bioderma Micelle water most people have probably heard of by now, it is a solution gentle enough for sensitive skin buy powerful enough to remove the most stubborn.
Repurchase? At this particular moment, probably not, it is amazing at removing stubborn eye make up but nothing the oil cleanser mentioned above can't deal with, I sometimes find it a little drying to my skin and can leave my feeling a bit flaky and tight.


3. Soap and Glory Hand Food

I love love love love this hand cream! It smells amazing and leaves hands feeling incredibly moisturised and soft without leaving hands with a greasy residue. This size is also perfect to carry around in your handbag!
Repurchase? Yes of course! It is written down on my shopping list for tomorrow.


4. Dermalogica Skin Smoothing Cream

This is hands down my all-time-favourite moisturiser, and with this product it really shows that you pay for what you get. It instantly hydrates skin and leaves skin incredibly smooth. I also have quite sensitive skin and it really soothes and calms down any sensitivity.
Repurchase? 100% yes, as soon as I can bring myself to part with the £50.


5. Eucerin Dry Skin Relief Face Cream

This is the cream I go for when money is a little tight and the £50 for the moisturiser above is a little steep. It is a really really good cream and leaves my skin hydrated and comfortable.
Repurchase? Yes, this is also on my shopping list for tomorrow!


6. Yankee Candle Soft Blanket

There is nothing nicer that coming home from a long day at uni and lighting a gorgeous smelling candle and just relaxing. This one smells really warm and comforting; definitely one of my favorite from Yankee.
Repurchase? I would definitely buy Yankee Candle again, but I do like to mix my fragrances up a bit. I have recently bought one in the scent 'Lake Sunset' which is much more summery and fruity. I will probably repurchase when autumn and winter come back around as it is a bit more of a warm and cozy scent.


7. Nars Radiant Creamy Concealer

Lastly, my Nars concealer has finally run out :( . My shade is Vanilla and is a complete bitch to get hold of, I have been saving the very last bit for ages now but fianlly finished it off a couple of days ago, for more information about the product you can read this post here.
Repurchase? Yes, as soon as I can get hold of it! It is getting a bit ridiculous now, I have literally been waiting for months - what is the matter with you Nars?!, make some more!!!

April Favourites

It's my turn for favourites this month! But to be honest, I can't think of that many. For the majority of April I was away on holiday so didn't use that many beauty products or have any fashion favourites - but here the things I have been reaching for this month.

Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturiser

I actually got this in a Birchbox a few months ago but was one shade too dark for my normal skin colour, however on holiday it was perfect - so perfect in fact I may pop down to John Lewis this week and pick up a full sized version in my normal skin colour! It left my skin looking healthy, radiant, even and dewy and it was so easy to apply too, I just gently massaged it into my face with my fingertips and done.

Revlon Colourburst Lip Butter in 001 Pink Truffle 

I bought this whilst I was away out in America and thought it would be perfect for beach days when I never wear full make-up but just need that little something. The colour is a really nice dull pink and the formula is so moisturising- it went straight into my handbag when I got home as I know it will be perfect for when im on the go.

Origins Drink Up Intensive Overnight Face Mask

This little guy was a bit of a life saver whilst I was away - I used it on the long haul flights to try and protect my skin against the dehydrating atmosphere then every night after I went skiing to try and keep my face hydrated after a day of sub-zero harsh winds. It also smells amazing and doesn't get all over your pillow at night which I was a little worried about at first.


Elizabeth Arden 8hr Cream

Bad blogger alert! - I've just realised I've left my 8hr cream back at home in Manchester and now I'm here at uni in Nottingham so sorry for the crappy online picture! Again, this was a life saver when I skiing - I always kept it handy in my ski coat pocket and used it mainly on my lips, I also got some really bad wind burn on my nose and it seemed to help that too.

Dermalogica Skin-Smoothing Cream 

This is definitely my all time favourite moisturiser, I only buy it when my skin is having a really problematic time as it is a little on the pricey side but it makes my skin feel so good. It leaves it completely hydrated and healthy looking and I also find it excellent to put make up on top as it leaves a really smooth base. I would recommend this to anyone who has skin like mine: dry, dehydrated and sensitive, because it really is amazing.

What have you been loving this month - also don't forget to come back in a few days and see Sophie's May Wishlist!

January Favourites

Jess and I have decided to start doing a Monthly Favourites Post and a Monthly Wishlist Post. We will take it in turns to do one of the posts each month. For February I will do the January Favourites Post and Jess will do a February Wishlist Post. Here is my list of favourite products for the month of January.

Urban  Decay  Makeup  Palette -

I got the Urban Decay Naked Palette for Christmas and I'm so happy with it. I don't have any of the Naked Palettes so I decided to ask for the original and then hopefully I'll build up my collection. The Palette contains 12 gorgeous eyeshadow shades and I know I will get some good use out of most of them. My favourite shades at the moment are Sin, Sidecar, Half Baked and Toasted. 

Swatches:- Sin, Sidecar, Half Baked, Toasted

Buy the Urban Decay Naked Palette here:-  http://www.debenhams.com/webapp/wcs/stores

Nars Creamy  Concealer -

I originally bought this because Jess recommended it to me and said it was amazing so I purchased it from the Nars counter in Selfridges and I absolutely love it. This is one of the best concealers I've ever tried as I can get quite bad blemishes on my skin and this covers them up so well. I love the thick texture of the concealer and it comes in a wide range of colours too. I have the colour custard which blends in really well with my Nars Sheer Matte Foundation in Fiji.
Buy the Nars Radiant Creamy Concealer here :- http://www.selfridges.com/en/Beauty/Categories/The-Selfridges-edit

Nars Satin Lip Pencil in Rikugien -

I posted about this Lip Pencil in one of our Christmas blogs when me and Jess bought ourselves a little Christmas treat. It is so easy to use and even though it is a pencil it feels moisturising and doesn't dry out my lips. The beautiful rose pink colour is so wearable and it's great for an easy day time look. I already have the colour Yu and I want to buy so many other colours.
Buy the Nars Satin Lip Pencil in Rikugien here:- http://uk.spacenk.com/satin-lip-pencil/MUS300023951.html

Essie Nail Varnish in It's Genius -

Essie nail varnish is a relatively recent discovery of mine but once I tried it I was converted. They come in such a wide range of gorgeous colours and my collection is slowly building up. I find their nail varnishes don't chip as easily as most nail varnishes do for me and the nail varnishes have really cute names as well. It's Genius is a beautiful shimmery violet quartz purple colour with brown undertones and this colour really brightened up my nails in January.
Buy the Essie It's Genius Nail Varnish here:- http://www.boots.com/en/Essie-Nail-Polish-Its-Genius-13-5ml_1343386/

Benefit Porefessional -

I received the Benefit Porefessional Primer as a present from my cousin for Christmas. I had a sample of this once but it was one of those products that I just forgot about so I was so happy when I got this. It came in a little set with a brightening primer and an eye cream too which was good. I love this product because there is a recognizable difference as soon as you use it, it smooths out the skin and covers pores because of the flesh coloured formula. Also what I like about this product is a little goes a long way and you don't have to use much for it to take full effect.
Buy the Benefit Porefessional Set here:- http://www.lookfantastic.com/benefit-pretty-porefect-set

Dermalogica Active Moist -

As I've been having problems with breakouts which led to me using drying products on my face recently I went to a local salon to see if there were any products that could help with my problems of both breakouts and dryness. I had a Dermalogica skin consultation and one of the products that was recommended to me was Dermalogica Active Moist. This moisturiser is great because although it helps add moisture it isn't thick and it's oil free therefore it doesn't cause breakouts on the skin and it doesn't feel heavy. I've found it has actually helped with some of my breakouts. However this product is quite expensive for quite a small tube. Overall this product has really helped my skin since I've used it and I would use it again.
Buy the Dermalogica Active Moist Moisturiser here:- http://www.dermalogica.co.uk/uk/html/products/active-moist-14.html

Charlotte Tilbury Makeup Bag -

This gorgeous makeup bag was a Christmas present from Jess and I love it so much. It's a great size so you can fit so much in it and the design is great too. It has red lipstick marks on the front and then a quote on the back saying "Give a woman the right make-up & she can conquer the world", a spin on a Marilyn Monroe quote about shoes. This makeup bag would be perfect for travelling with because of the size and it's made of canvas. It also had the Charlotte Tilbury logo in gold on the front. I hope this is the first item in what I hope will be my huge Charlotte Tilbury makeup collection.
Buy the Charlotte Tilbury Make-up Bag here:- http://www.selfridges.com/en/Beauty/

Wildfox 'It Could Happen' Jumper - 

This was another present that I got for Christmas and it is one of my favourite items of clothing for January. It is a black baggy jumper, a welcome essential in my wardrobe, and it has white sequins stitched on the bottom in the shape of the Manhattan skyline. I have 2 Wildfox T-Shirts and I love the Wildfox Brand because their slogans and designs are current and fun. I also love the name of the jumper 'It Could Happen' associated with New York and Manhattan, one of my favourite places in the world.  I can tell I am going to get a lot of use out of this jumper.
Buy the Wildfox It Could Happen Jumper here:- http://www.wildfoxcouture.com/it-could-happen-school-girl-vneck-sweater

Girls - 

My favourite TV Show for January is the HBO series Girls. I'd heard some good reviews about this show but I only started watching it this January and I think it's hilarious. I've managed to watch every episode in January so I'm up to date with the live episodes now. I think Lena Dunham is amazing for portraying Girls differently and in a realistic way and I love the fact that it's set in New York too. Each week I can't wait for the next episode to be aired so I can watch it. 

What were your favourites in January?

Blogmas Day 8: Winter Skin Saviours

Your skin and winter are never going to be best friends, with temperature fluctuations, dry central heating and harsh winds your skin becomes much more dehydrated and irritated. I have very dehydrated skin all year round and during winter it becomes increasingly hard to keep hydrated, however, the following skincare products are what I have tried and feel work the best to keep my skin looking healthy and feeling hydrated. 

Dermalogica UltraCalming Cleanser

Dermalogica is my favourite skincare brand at the moment, I started using them early this year and have seen a massive improvement in my skin. This cleanser is perfect for sensitive and dehydrated skin like mine as it takes off any make-up and dirt off the face very very gently. 

Bioderma Hydrabio Micelle Solution for Sensitive Dehydrated Skin

Every time is use this I'm amazed by how it works, I use it to take off my make-up on a cotton pad just before I cleanse and it is fantastic. It is gentler to the skin than normal tap water yet removes even the toughest waterproof mascara in one stroke. It is quite hard to get hold on in England but if you can, I would definitely recommend for all skin types.

Egyptian Magic All Purpose Skin Cream

I recently got a few samples of this in my Birchbox and loved it straight away. It comes out like a wax and you rub it in your hands until it turns into an oil and then put anywhere that is really dry. I wouldn't recommend using this in the day as it leaves a very shiny finish but I find it perfect for the evenings just before I go to bed.

Elizabeth Arden 8-Hour Cream

I use this to keep my lips hydrated all year round and is constantly kept at easy reach in my handbag. It is not the nicest looking or smelling product but it really helps keep lips nice and soft. I find it also acts as a protective layer on top of my lips and shields them from the harsh weather conditions and temperature changes. 

Dermalogica Skin Hydrating Masque

Every so often if your skin is feeling particularly dry use a really hydrating masque to quench your skin's thirst. I use it when i have a bath and leave to soak in for about 20 minutes before gentally removing with the Bioderma Micelle Solution.  

Clarins Blue-Orchid Face Treatment Oil

Last but not least I use this face oil in the evenings after I have cleansed and moisturised. It helps replace the missing oils in your skin and helps to revitalise your skin. 

What are you skincare saviours in winter?