All Used Up #14 | Skincare Edition |

Once again, I seemed to have accumulated alot of empties over the past few weeks. A large proportion consisted of skincare items so I thought it would be fun to do mini reviews on those types of products I've used up recently for all you skincare junkies out there. Let's start with the cleansers:

- L'Occitane Shea Cleansing Milk: I used this up in my travel bag and it is pretty inoffensive and gentle but not the best for removing make up, so would be more suited for a morning cleanse rather than an evening. I prefer gel cleansers for first thing however, so I wouldn't repurchase. I did like the travel size and the bottle though.

- Tropic Organic Hot Bamboo Smoothing Cleanser: This was included in a set I was given at Christmas and I was pleasantly surprised with how much I liked the products. This was good at removing make up and was gentle with a clean smell. However for a cream cleanser, I like something a little bit thicker (think Liz Earle C+P). I liked the pump dispenser too but there are other cleansers I enjoy using a lot more. This is a good choice for people who use Vegan and natural products.

- The Body Shop Skin Clearing Facial Wash: Featured in my recent What's In My Shower video, I finally used up this giant bottle of face wash. It was a sad day as I loved this. Normally my skin doesn't react to Tea Tree but this was great at treating any blemishes that cropped up, smelt really nice, and did the job in the morning without being too harsh or stripping. I would definitely repurchase and love the toner too.

- Garnier Micellar Cleansing Water (Oily/Combo Skin): My favourite Micellar Water I've tried, you get a lot of product for your money and it does a great job at taking off the majority of make up (although not the best at removing mascara) without irritating or making you tug at your skin. I don't feel like the formula is any different to the original though so I would repurchase either types.

- Nip+Fab Glycolic Fix Treatment Pads: A surprising favourite which was featured in my updated skincare routine, I wasn't sure if glycolic acid did much for my skin before using these as I was left disappointed by Ren's Glycolactic Radiance Mask. You get about 60 pads in each tub, which are soaked in product and I tended to use them every other night as a toner. These really evened out my skin tone, made me look more radiant in turn and aided in healing both active blemishes and marks. I would definitely repurchase, but at the moment I am testing out Pixi Glow Tonic.

- L'Occitane Fresh Face Water: From the same Shea range as the above cleanser, I really enjoyed this product too. It is quite inoffensive and gentle, similar to the Liz Earle Skin Tonic, but for a reason that I can't quite put my finger on, I prefered this. I think the addition of the Shea made it quite 'soft' and left my skin refereshed without feeling tight. This is a great morning toner and I would repurchase.

- Vichy Normaderm Moisturiser: Last year I attended a Vichy event and this was featured in my goodybag, I have only just used it up after putting it on my face every morning so that shows you how long the bottle lasts! I loved the formula, it was hydrating yet not heavy, helped to combat oil without drying out my skin and was a great base for make up. I liked the pump bottle too and I would repurchase now if I didn't have a million other moisturisers to use up!

-Lush Mask of Magnaminty: One of my favourite products from Lush, I have just repurchased a new pot, but this time the self preserving version (you can see it in this video). This is great at treating blemishes and evening out oil production. I also like that as it isn't a fresh mask it lasts a lot longer than the other Lush masks.

What is your favourite skincare item? xxx

Take 3: Pond's Institute Skincare

Pond's Institute is an iconic brand made famous for their simple and affordable beauty products, so it was really exciting to receive a few of their products at the recent event they hosted. My skincare routine has been Pond's-centric for the last few weeks using the three products we got, which included the Cold Cream Cleanser, Green Tea Moisturiser and Eye Contour Cream. Below are my thoughts on each product, in the order I use them in.

Cold Cream Cleanser* // £4.07 //

The cult classic which many of you will recognise from your mum or grandma's dressing table, I've been using it in the pm to cleanse my face. It is a multi-tasker and can be used as a hand cream and hydrating face mask as well as a general cleanser. The consistency is a thick white cream featuring a delicate rose scent which is cooling when massaged in and I normally leave it on for a minute or so to hydrate my skin. I find it effective at taking off face make up but not so great with eye make up. It is recommended to remove the formula with cotton pads but I find it needs a warm muslin cloth or flannel to remove the product properly or you are left with a film on your face which I didn't like too much (I think that is down to the high mineral oil content). My skin is left feeling really smooth but I did find the texture to be a little heavy for my oily/combo skin so I would recommend it for normal to dry skin, although it didn't break me out at all. 

Eye Contour Cream* // £7.99 //

Fragrance free, this light weight cream is delicate enough for the sensitive skin underneath your eyes and great to use both at night and day underneath your make up. The targeted nozzle and squeezy tube makes it easy to control how much product you want to use. The formula is enriched with vitamins A, E and B5 which is meant to improve skin structure and hydration. I found that I could feel my eye contour tighten and firm once the cream was dry which I really liked but I didn't feel as though it gave me loads of hydration. It is also meant to be reduce puffiness although that is something I luckily don't suffer with so can't really comment on.

Natural Beauty Moisturiser* // £5.10 //

This was my favourite of the bunch and a new launch. A slightly pink tinged and fresh scented cream that features green tea antioxidants to nourish the skin, this moisturiser had a light weight formula which sunk in easily. I've been using it morning and night and I like that it provides the moisture I need without feeling heavy and makes a great base for under make up as well as the right amount of nourishment at night. For people with my skin type I would highly recommend this affordable cream as it lasts ages, is cost effective and is an all round great product.

Out of the three products I tried the moisturiser was most definitely my favourite, but there are also other creams being launched which target different areas of concern including mature skin, dry skin, anti-wrinkle and normal-dry skin. Pond's Institute prove that luxury can be done on a budget so I suggest having a perusal at their range next time you are in Boots and giving something new from their range a go.

Have you tried any products from Pond's Institute before? xxx

All Used Up #7

The bag which holds all my empties was literally over flowing so I thought it was high time to write up a new All Used Up post. I've been trying to use up a few more samples and a lot of products seem to have come to the end of their life at the same time. The weather has also been really annoying so as soon as there was a bright day I photographed them all, although there are so many I have enough for 3 more installments of this type of post!

Original Source Lime Shower Gel: This was originally purchased for my trip to Barcelona as I thought it would be refreshing after a long day sightseeing. It foamed up nicely but was not as zingy as the mint version which I love, however I wouldn't rule out purchasing it again.

 Aussie Miracle Colour Insurance: A recent post already mentioned my love for this product which I think is a perfect budget leave in conditioner. The spray is even and fine, the smell is gorgeous and it helps to detangle and keep hair soft and manageable.

Bioderma Sebium H20: After receiving this for Christmas last year I was over the moon and excited to try the massively hyped up blogger favourite that sparked the obsession for micellar waters. To be honest though, I really don't know what the fuss is about! I tried the only for oily/combo skin and it is definitely one of the better versions I have tried but it isn't holy grail status for me. If it becomes easier to get hold of then I would consider re-purchasing but that's because I'm not loyal to a particular brand for micellar waters.

Clarins Pure Melt Cleansing Gel: This product left me really undecided. Clarins is one of my favourite brands and this cleanser had the same comforting smell like their other products. The bottle actually lasted me a long time considering I used a big splodge each evening and it was really good at taking off the rest of my make up and is suitable to double cleanse with, although I still needed something else to remove all eye make up. The downsides for me was the consistency as I found the gel quite sticky even after being massaged into my face and I also didn't see a noticeable change in the condition of my skin. I think I would repurchase in the future to try and make up my mind on it but for the mean time there are lots of other cleansers I would like to try.

Aussie Take the Heat Leave in Spray: In regards to heat defence I'm normally loyal to Tresemme, although now and again I feel adventurous and try something new (clearly I live life on the edge). This did the job and smelt nice but I prefer the former brand because it is the best spray that I've found.

What have you used up recently? Have you tried any of my empties? xxx

Event: Pearls Exhibition with Pond's Institute at the V&A Museum

A few nights ago, I was lucky enough to attend an event put on by Pond's Institute at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London thanks to my bloggy friend Nuala. I had such a wonderful evening that I thought I would share a little about the night here with you. 

First of all, this is the only museum I haven't visited before in London so it was really exciting to go somewhere new. It was so beautiful inside with lots of marble and soft lighting for the evening. We were greeted with a champagne reception and I was able to meet some new people too - Bettina and Stacy who were lovely while trying out some of the products dotted around.

We had a quick talk by the brand's new ambassador for the party season Laura Whitmore and Caroline Neville, then a private tour of the pearl's exhibition that is currently running at the museum, where we learnt about how pearls are made and the history of their meaning. I wish we were allowed to take pictures because some of the pieces were incredible, including amazing necklaces, tiaras and even a dress. My favourites were seeing Marylin Monroe and Elizabeth Taylor's pearls and the pearl earring that Charles I wore when he was beheaded. As you may already know, half of my degree is in History (I did a joint honours with Political Science) so it really was a perfect night for me consisting of a mixture of beauty and history, two of my favourite things! 

I can't wait to try the products we received at the end of the evening, which includes the cult classic Cold Cream Cleanser (tongue twister right there!) and will be sure to have some reviews up in the next few weeks once I've had sufficient time to test them. 

Have you tried anything from Pond's before? xxx

Review: The Body Shop | Camomile Cleansing Butter |

Camomile Cleansing Butter // 90ml // £12.00

Recently, the Body Shop have been on a roll and released some amazing products, and when I heard about the new Camomile cleansing range I was really excited... is that lame? The range includes an eye make up remover, a waterproof eye and lip remover, the butter and a cleansing oil. I only picked up the cleansing butter as I had run out of cleanser and wanted to try another balm product, but am really interested in testing out the oil too.

The product comes in a decent sized and flat screw top tin which is easy for travel. The easiest way to get the product out is with a little plastic spatula or something similar - mine is from a travel kit from M&S and I also think Muji do something similar. It just makes the process of getting the product out easier, less messy and a lot more hygienic. It took me a while to judge how much to use as I ended up using too much in the beginning -  a little really does go a long way as the product melts so easily into a lovely lightly scented oil. The texture is very slippery, much more than the RMK rose balm I've tried before and the Clarins Pure Melt Gel. I really like this though as I feel like it is properly breaking down my make up and enables me to massage my face lightly without dragging and pulling. In terms of make up removal, even when facing taking off Double Wear or Revlon's Colour Stay this cleanser makes a light job out of it. I find the scent isn't over powering so would be suitable for those with sensitive skin and it leaves my skin feeling cleansed without feeling stripped, soft and smooth. 

Usually I take off the majority of my make up with a micellar water (at the moment one by Vichy, with a review to come soon) and the this cleansing balm after, however you could use the balm as your primary way to cleanse but I would recommend double cleansing if this is your preferenec. It's also best if you remove this cleanser with some form of flannel or muslin cloth to make sure you remove it all properly as it is oil based and therefore can leave a residue on your skin.

I think it's great value for money as the tin is filled right to the top and only a small amount of product is needed to do the job. I look forward to using this in the evenings and it is a great alternative to the popular and more pricey balm cleansers out there. I definitely recommend this for all skin types and can't wait to check out the rest of the range. I also have my eye on the new Honeymania range too.... think it will be on my Christmas list!

Have you tried this cleanser? What do you love from the Body Shop? xxx

My Current Skincare Regime

At the moment I'm trailing some new products to mix in with old staples, trying to find the best routine for me. My skin has been a bit up and down recently - blemish prone, scaring and oily some days and really dehydrated the next, it doesn't really know what its supposed to be doing. I'm putting it down to stress and the weather, but while I'm trying to figure it out I've been switching up my skincare to remedy the problems and also try to make my diet more healthy (essays are healthy eating's worst enemy!)

My morning routine is pretty simple. I start by washing my face with Simple's moisturising face wash, which I've had for a while and am trying to use up, followed by Elemis Balancing Lavender Toner that I got for Christmas. It smells lovely but doesn't match up to my favourite Boot's Botanics and I don't think its done much to balance out my skin so far. A full review will be up soon though once I've trailed it a bit further. Then a nice layer of much hyped up La Roche Posay Effaclar Duo to tackle the blemishes is applied as a day serum/moisturiser, followed by a little Neal's Yard Frankincense Hydrating Cream if my skin is feeling really dehydrated. Finally a blob of Clarin's Eye Contour Gel for dark circles and prep the area for make up applied with my ring finger.

The evenings are a bit more complicated but my favourite time for skincare. The majority of my make up is removed with a micellar water and cotton pads, at the moment I'm using one by La Roche Posay. Then the Balancing Lime Blossom Cleanser which came with the matching toner is used to thoroughly cleanse all traces of make up and dirt in conjunction with my new No 7 Cleansing Brush, my first foray into facial brushes. There will be a full review of this at a later date but at the moment my impressions of it are good. After using the aforementioned toner, I mix a few drops of Clarins Lotus Oil in with the Neal's Yard moisturiser for extra hydration. I am in love with this oil and cannot wait to give it a full review! Finally, any blemishes are zapped with Origins Super Spot Remover.

What are your skincare staples? xxx