Empties | November

Ladies ladies, I've been a bad blogger haven't I?! I've been so busy lately, with starting my new job & having my old uni girlies stay at mine for the weekend. Sorry the posts have been lacking as of late! But, I'm starting to settle in at work, & so I'm hoping I'll be able to find more time on the evenings. Here's a little collage of the weekend just gone. Love these girls! :D

I'll start off slowly with the monthly empties post! I love doing these, & keeping a record of products I've liked & disliked. Sorry the image is a little pants. Natural lighting was far far gone by the time I got home from work!

• Dry shampoo by Batiste in tropical & cherry. These little bad boys are a regular in my empties post! & now that I've started work I have a feeling they will be even more so. I'm trying not to wash my hair every day in order to promote its growth (& for more time in bed on a morning!) & these are just fab. Both the tropical & cherry scents are quite sweet, but I like them :) Would I repurchase? Already have!
• Hair growth shampoo by Lee Stafford. I usually love Lee Stafford products, but me & she just didn't get on! I felt like I needed so much product to get a good lather in my hair, with the usual amount of shampoo my hair just didn't feel clean. I also don't think it did much in the way of hair growth. Would I repurchase? Nope. 
• Heat protection by Aussie. I never have anything bad to about Aussie products! Though I don't really know what to say about heat protection sprays.. I can't be sure whether it works or not, but I trust Aussie ;) Would I repurchase? Yeah.
• Seaweed deep cleansing facial wash by The Body Shop. This is my day-to-day cleanser, & I love it for my combination/oily skin. Check out my review on the seaweed collection here. Would I repurchase? Already have :)
• Extra firm control hairspray by Tresemme. I usually hate hairspray, but I bought this little one when I went to the states in the summer & I loved it! It has such a strong hold, but doesn't make the hair stiff & hard-looking. Also, I love the little nozzle on it...as weird as that sounds. It's really sensitive & easy to control how much spray you are applying. Would I repurchase? I wish I could, but I can't find this exact one in the UK & our nozzles are different. Boo!
• Colour & care enrich shampoo by Clynol. I'm so boring when it comes to talking about shampoo. My hair never notices the difference! It cleans my hair & smells nice... what more can I say. Would I repurchase? If it was on offer ;)
• Smooth lock shampoo & conditioner sachets by Redken. I love Redken, so was excited to see these in one of my beauty boxes :) Again with the shampoo, I didn't really notice a difference. However, I loved the conditioner! It's such a weird texture & really left my hair feeling amazing. Would I repurchase? Maybe on pay day!
• Moisturising wipes by Simple. These little babies are a staple in my day-to-day life, I can't be without them! I use them to remove the bulk of my make-up, particularly mascara, before cleansing etc. Would I repurchase? 1000x over!
• Rich moisturising body butter by Gorgeous by Gok. I love a thick body butter, & this was no different! The only thing with this butter is that it's very heavily fragranced, so I'm guessing it isn't too freindly to your skin! Would I repurchase? Probably not. 
• Daist EDT by Marc Jacobs. Ohhh my! I bloody love Marc Jacobs fragrances! It always makes me so sad when I finish a Marc Jacobs perfume, haha. It's a good job Christmas is only round the corner ;) Would I repurchase? Hell to the yeah!

I promise to try harder & find time to post girlies! Hope you're still enjoying reading :) 

Empties | October

Another month, another empties post! It's quite scary how fast these months are flying by, but I'm so so excited for Christmas that I don't mind! :D 

Let's have a look what I've worked through this month...

• Supersoft volumising hairspray by Schwarzkopf. My lovely mother bought me this hairspray, after I said I really liked the one that she used, which was obviously this one :) I never buy a regular hairspray, but I think this might just be the one. It holds really well but doesn't leave my hair sticky or crispy. It also has quite a nice scent - kinda fruit. Would I repurchase? Definitely.
• Hair growth treatment by Lee Stafford. This is my 3rd tub now, I've been using this religiously & love it. It's really helped improve the health & length of my hair. Check out my review here :) Would I repurchase? 1000 times over!
• Healing oil spray by Macadamia. I bought this little 60ml size so I could give it a try. I'm in love with hair oils & treatments at the moment, this is just another fab one I've found. I love that it comes with a spritzer, instead of just pouring oil into your hands, & it smells gorgggeous! Would I repurchase? Yep :)
• Satin care pure & delicate shave gel by Gillette. I went through a bit of a lazy phase & stopped using shaving gel, but fear not girls, I'm back on it haha. My legs feel so much better using gel, I don't know why I stopped :\ Would I repurchase? I already have, but I bought a nicer fragranced one :)
• Nourishing nail polish remover by Cutex. I don't really know what can be said about polish remover...? It takes off my varnish & that's about it. Would I repurchase? Already have done. 
• Dermo sensitive deodorant by Sanex. This is a bit of a boring product, but I thought I'd include it. I've used this deodorant for so long, as I have sensitive armpits (aww) & I thought this was the only deodorant that I could use. Butt, I've found another! If any of you have sensitive armpits try out Nivea's pearl deodorant. Would I repurchase? Yeah, but sorry Sanex, I prefer my new shiny Nivea pearl. 
• Romantic spark by Impulse. I always have a body spray in my bag & go through them quite fast. Currently I've been buying all different scents, to see which I like best. This is definitely one of my favourites, it's a real girly scent & reminds me of Palma Violets :) Would I repurchase? Definitely. 
• Moisturising wipes by Simple Baby. Face wipes aren't suppose to be all that good for you skin, but I use these before I cleanse, so it can't be that bad! I choose the baby ones, over the normal ones; because they're cheaper, they contain loads more wipes & the wipes themselves are bigger. Would I repurchase? Always, always do :)
• The falsies black drama mascara by Maybelline. I always repurchase this mascara. It's the best high street mascara I think I've came across yet. It elongates my lashes & really thickens them too. I use this religously for my day-to-day mascara (& They're Real! by Benefit for nights out). Would I repurchase? Already have!
• Skin illusion foundation by Clarins. I got this sample from inside a magazine, InStyle maybe. I don't really know what to say. I don't think anybody could really have much of an opinion on something after only using it once. It was a nice foundation, smelt nice too! But, nothing amazing. Would I repurchase? Probably not. 
• 5 minute facial by Radial. I had quite high hopes for this product, I'm not sure why.. maybe because of the expensive price tag for the full sized product, or the sleek packaging, hmm? But yeah, it didn't really do anything :S My skin didn't feel amazing afterwards, like it usually does with other face masks. Would I repurchase? Nope!
• It's potent eye cream by Benefit. This little sample actually lasted me quite while! I loved using this. I'm not sure that it really did much to my eyes, I feel like it brightened the skin around them, so we'll say it did! But who knows?! Regardless, I really enjoyed using this. Would I repurchase? Yeah, I think I might add this to my Christmas list actually :) 

I wish you all the best November girlies! :D Ahh, December next month!! How exciting.

Empties | September

Before I started doing these empties posts I really had no idea that I used up so many products! It's quite an eye opener. But, weirdly I find it really satisfying having used them all up. I'm quite glad this month has empties post has came round, these little bad boys were really starting to overflow!

• Rosewater toning spritz by Boots Botanics. Reviewed here. Back in the summer (not that we had much of one!) I really enjoyed using this product as a facial freshener. & on my holiday it was massively loved. However, now it's colder I don't feel the need for a facial freshener. You can also use this as a toner, which is what I've been doing recently, but I don't really rate it for that purpose. I find that it doesn't leave my skin feeling as clean as what my other cleansers do. Would I repurchase? I repurchased this quite a while ago, but I don't think I would now if I hadn't already. I'll be saving it for use as a facial freshener next summer :) 
• True love by Impulse. Using Impulse as a body spray really reminds me of my teens at school. But, heck, I love 'em! I think they're great for a quick fix & to put in your bag for those not-special-enough-for-perfume events. True love has a really girly, flowery scent. Would I repurchase? Yeah, definitely :)
• Sugar crush by Soap & Glory. Reviewed here. I love love love all Soap & Glory products, & this is no exception. However, I like my scrubs rough! & for a body scrub this isn't as abrasive as I'd like. It is lovely, & smells delish, but just too delicate for me. Would I repurchase? Probably not, I'm going to try out their Breakfast Scrub next. 
• Butter up by Soap & Glory. Reviewed here. I love this! Quite possible the best body butter I've used - wow! It smells amazing, it's a lush thick butter, it leaves my skin feeling gorgeous & the ingredients are amazing. If you have dry skin, or not(!), you definitely need to try this out. I have nothing else to say, but.. Would I repurchase? YES. 
• Hair growth treatment by Lee Stafford. I bought this for my grow, hair grow mission & I'm so so glad I did. It has worked fabulously! - Watch out for a hair update very soon :) This product smells lovely & leaves my hair feeling gorgeous & silk-like, let alone helping it grow. Definitely a win win product. Would I repurchase? Already on my 2nd tub! 
• Colour extend radiant-10 by Redken. I received this in a SSB box, & was so chuffed as I'd never tried a Redken product before. My first impressions of Redken? Amazing, definitely live up to their hype. Colour extend is a leave-in treatment & was the start of my treatment spray obsession! Since using this, I cannot wash my hair without using a treatment spray afterwards, bloody love 'em! I have to say, this one has been my favourite so far. It left my hair feeling & looking amazing after just one use. Would I repurchase? Definitely! On payday though.. ;) 
• Thickening conditioner by John Frieda. As I've mentioned before, I really never notice much difference when I use different shampoos/conditioners. & unfortunately, this was another example. Although it was nice & left my hair feeling soft, I found it no different to any other conditioner. Would I repurchase? Maybe, maybe not. 
• Protect & volume shampoo by Pantene. This, again, is another example, like above. It's a nice shampoo & worked really well for my hair, but I don't think it was much difference to shampoos I've used in the past. Would I repurchase? Probably. 
• Dry shampoo by Batiste. Ahh, my beloved Batiste! I'm pretty sure I used another can of this too, but I chucked it out. I think every girl will share my love for batiste, so I don't really need to go into it. The cherry scent? Quite a nice change to my usual pink batiste (can't remember the scent!). However, I think if you aren't a massive fruit scent fan or of scents that linger, this isn't for you. Would I repurchase? Already have.

Hope you enjoyed my post girlies. I'm now going to take much pleasure in chucking these out! & then it's off out for some Thursday night cocktails for me. Enjoy the rest of your working week girls :) 

Jen xo 

Empties | August

In my last empties post (which was also my first!) I said that I was only going to do the posts when I'd gathered up a good amount of used products. I didn't think I'd use that many... but with it being my first full month of collecting my empties, it appears I was wrong. So from now on I will do a monthly empties post :)

I'm really enjoying gathering up my empty products for this feature.. as sad as that sounds! I find that it really encourages me to use up products that are being neglected & sitting around. I also think it's a great way of keeping a record of which products I like, & which I don't. So I hope you like this feature too! :)

• Dry shampoo by Batiste. As you can see in the picture I have a mommy & a baby one! I love batiste, I don't know anybody who feels differently. I pretty much wash my hair everyday, but batiste is great for when you need a little boost - maybe before a night out or before work (I work late nights at a bar, so this is a must for me!). Would I repurchase? I already have! Though I bought the cherry one this time, for a little change.
• Beautiful ends conditioner by Herbal Essences. I don't know whether it's just me, but I never really notice anything different when I change shampoo/conditioner. They all seem to leave my hair feeling the same.  So I don't really have much to say! It does the job though - leaves my hair feeling silky & it smells nice too. Would I repurchase? Yeah.
• Flake away by Soap & Glory. It's the little pink pot - the label came off in the shower. Anyways, I love this! I think it has to be my favourite S&G exfoliator. Although their Sugar Crush scrub smells a lot nicer, Flake Away is a lot more brutal. But brutal in a good way! I think the grit is a little coarser in Flake Away, resulting in a more intensive exfoliator & smoother skin. Though I know some people don't like them when they are too harsh, so it's just personal preference. Would I repurchase? Definitely!
• Volume glamour ultra black mascara by Bourjois. I don't really have anything amazing to say about this mascara. I think there are definitely better ones out on the high street. Little tip here... you may be thinking 'Jen, where is the mascara wand?'. Well my friends, I thoroughly cleaned it out & now have it sitting with my make-up brushes. Mascara brushes (the bristle ones, not the plastic ones) make amazing eyebrow brushes! I highly recommend doing this :) Would I repurchase? No, probably not.
• Eurax cream. This really isn't a very glamorous product at all, but I thought I'd share because it really worked wonders for me. In my last empties post I mentioned that the Neal's Yard rose moisturiser really irritated my skin & resulted in a horrible rash covering my arms & legs. Mmm, nice. So I picked this up from Boots. It's a relief cream, it really helped to relieve the itching. With me no longer tearing apart my skin & discontinuation of the moisturiser my skin was soon back on track! Would I repurchase? Hopefully I won't need to!
• Lemon zest whipped shea body butter by Mischa Barton. I absolutely love body butters! Prefer them so much more to lotions. & this was no exception. The consistency was really nice & if left my skin feeling lovely. Although it did take quite a while to sink in, so it isn't for days when you're in a rush. The other thing about this product is the scent... I love lemon/citrus smells but I wasn't sure how I felt out it being in my moisturiser! I guess I'm just use to moisturisers smelling girly & Soap & Glory-esque! Would I repurchase? I don't think I would actually. It's quite expensive for the size of the tub, I'm guessing we're just paying for the Mischa Barton name.. 
• Nivea creme. I used this this moisturiser whilst I was nursing my skin back to health, following an allergic reaction. This moisturiser is fab for irritated skin, sensitive skin etc. It contains no fragrance or any additional nasties. Would I repurchase? Not for an everyday moisturiser, but if my skin was having a bad day then yeah.
• Moisturising wiped by Simple. I always buy these baby wipes & use them to remove my make-up on an evening. The packet contains 80 wipes so they last quite a while. I don't really know what else to say about baby wipes! Would I repurchase? Already have!
• Cleansing face wipes by Boots Botanics. I took these on holiday with me & they served me well. However, the packet only contains 25 wipes. I use wipes on a daily basis so these didn't last long at all. Would I repurchase? Probably for overnight stays or holidays, but not for everyday use at home.

I've heard on a few YouTube videos recently that using face wipes is bad for your skin. Oops, I do this everyday! If any of you know why they are so bad, please let me know :) 

Hope you enjoyed my post. Have a lovely week! 

Jen xo

Empties | #1

Empties posts are everrrrywhere. & I don't know why, but I find myself reading each & every one of them! So, I figured I'd do my own :) I think it's a great way to review products - because you've actually used them. So you can give a real good slice of your opinion. It also drives me to use up products that are on there way out & just taking up space!

I don't think I'll do monthly empties posts, as I doubt I'll use up as many as some other bloggers do. So I'll just wait until I have a good amount. Saying that, my first empties post will be a little bare. I only have 5 products for you, but I am trying to write a couple of posts that I can schedule to publish whilst I'm on holiday. So if you're reading this, I'm in New York (yayyyy!). 

Sorry for the pants quality!

• Cupcake fresh face mask by Lush. I love love this! As I do most Lush products... This face mask worked wonders in mopping up any excess oil on my face. It left my skin feeling amazing & so smooth. I don't have particularly oily skin, but if you do then I'd definitely invest! If you like chocolatey smells, you'll love this too. Would I repurchase? Yes, but I think I'll try some of their other fresh face masks first. 
• Rose lavender hand N nail repair creme by Sasy n Savy. I got this little 5ml sample from Latest In Beauty. I didn't use it on my hands, just as an intense cuticle moisturiser. I love this & took it everywhere with me. It really improved the quality of my nails & since I've stopped using it I can really tell. Would I repurchase? Definitely.
• Rehydrating rose daily moisture by Neal's Yard Remedies. I'm afraid I don't really have much positive to say about this product. I'm not a massive fan of rose scent in general, I much prefer body butters as opposed to lotions like this, & also I think I was massively allergic to this. I can't be sure it was this moisturiser but my arms & legs were so irritated whilst I was using this product. Would I repurchase? Sorry Neal, no. 
• Shower scrub by Gorgeous by Gok. This product came in a great little Gok Wan gift set I had for Christmas. It has a nice scent & the beads inside the scrub are of a nice size. It worked great as a scrub & left my skin feeling really smooth. Would I repurchase? Maybe, but I don't think it matches up to Soap & Glory scrubs.
• Split remedy by TRESemme. As well as the cuticle cream, I received 6 sachets of TRESemme hair products from Latest in Beauty - 2 x shampoo, 2 x conditioner & 2 x leave in treatment. I've used them all up, but didn't want to keep all of the sachets. Although the shampoo & conditioner were nice, I couldn't really tell a difference after just 2 uses of each. The leave in treatment however was lush! It left my hair feeling so soft & hydrated. I'm always a little weary of leave in treatments, but it wasn't too heavy & left no greasy residue. Would I repurchase? Yes.

I hope I didn't do too badly at my first empties post. Lemme know if you've used any of these products but have a different opinion. Or, if you have found even better products!

Jen xox