February Empties: Skin Care

So my mission for starting a regular blog posting schedule has dramatically failed.  For some reason, just as I gained momentum, the momentum quickly ground to a full on halt.  I can't believe that I haven't posted since the end of January; it's the longest I've ever gone without posting anything...  I honestly can't believe we've hit March now - where the hell did February go?  It feels like it's only just finished being Christmas and here we are almost at Easter.  In fact, this whole year has gone fast - can you believe it's almost a year now since Liam and I came to first view our house?!  Even though I've not written a hello in a while, sharing my thoughts has still been on my mind and I've collected a nice box of empties again.

Probably the product I'm most sad about finishing this month is Soap and Glory's Smoothie Star Body Milk.  I absolutely love this moisturiser, but I have such a stash of moisturiser at the moment that I just can't physically justify buying another bottle.  It smells incredible, like an oaty, almondy flapjack.  It's also really light, but really hydrating so this would be an ideal moisturiser to use in the morning instead of a richer body butter, or on a warmer evening.  I also finished the Soap and Glory Whipped Clean Shower Butter.  It smells similar to Smoothie Star, but there is something about it that makes it smell a bit sharper than the Body Milk, and for some reason I didn't like it as much.  It was nice to use, but I wish it smelt identical to the Smoothie Star.  This lathered up really well, and left my skin feeling really soft.

From The Body Shop this month, I've finished up a sample size of the Vitamin E Moisture Cream.  I've already repurchased this in the bigger size and I love it - it smells amazing and really hydrates the skin.  I've been using this in the evening when I don't want a really rich cream to sit on my skin.  I've also finished the Camomile Cleansing Oil which again, I've already repurchased.  I don't think I can be without this anymore; I'll have a review up on this at some point, but if you haven't tried it, get on down to The Body Shop and get it.

I was sent the Eucerin Even Brighter Night Cream* quite a while a go now, but never really used it religiously.  It's supposed to even out skin with hyper pigmentation.  I think this would work for me in terms of acne scarring maybe, but I honestly don't think I used this regularly enough to see the benefit.  It was quite a thick, rich cream, but it was very easy to apply and you don't need to use much.  I'd definitely try this again to see if it lives up to claims of evening skin tone.

I bought the Clearasil Superfruits Refreshing Facial Pads on a Caroline Hirons recommendation as they were hailed as a high street version to the First Aid Beauty Facial Radiance Pads.  Now I've not tried these because they're expensive, so I gave these a go.  These smell super sweet, and leave my skin feeling really refreshed but not at all tight, or leave it looking red.  I think these have been helping with congested pores around my nose, and I'm already onto my second tub.  I am in a bit of a fluster now though, because I've gone to link you guys and can't track them on Boots or Superdrug so I hope they're not being discontinued!

Finally, the Neutrogena Visibly Clear 2 in 1 Wash and Mask is actually a repurchase of mine already.  I do actually really quite like this face wash.  Like the Clearasil Superfruits pads, this has Salicylic Acid in, and has a creamy, ever so slightly grainy texture.  It doesn't foam, and is just really nice to use.  I tend to see a difference in my skin when I've been using this daily, so I'll eventually repurchase this again.

That's all I've got for you for today, but I've still got some empties to talk about including some make up bits!  I'll be back again soon!

Have you tried anything from this months empties?

*This product was sent to me for consideration

December Empties: Body Care

It's the final installment for what has turned into a December Empties series!  I've never seen an empties series before, but these empties have gone on long enough now!  I've already started on this months collection!  Throughout 2015 I'm really going to aim to do a monthly empties (if I have any) and a monthly favourites - they're posts I always enjoy reading but never actually managed to do myself!  So onto the last empties: Body Care.

The Body Shop's Chocomania Shower Cream was one I really didn't like the scent of in the bottle.  It is seriously sweet.  I love chocolate, but this is like the most chocolatey fudge cake topped with chocolate brownies, dipped in chocolate sauce served hot and all melted.  It really does smell too much in the bottle.  But, lathered up the scent isn't so intense and it's just really nice.  It's still really sweet and chocolatey, but it is really nice and warming.  I do really quite like it as a bit of a shower treat in the evening!  I actually bought the full size of this as I spotted it in The Body Shop's sale for just £2.

I've spoken about the Boots Tea Tree and Witch Hazel Back Spray previously here, and Liam and I both really like this product.  If you suffer with body breakouts, this is definitely something that you should try.  This was our second or third bottle, and I will be repurchasing.  I haven't yet though as I'm waiting for it to come onto a three for two offer like it usually does, although it is currently £1 off at the moment at Boots.

The Champneys Overnight Hand Therapy Cream was a real favourite of mine.  I used it most nights before going to bed and found that the scent of it was really relaxing and helped me get a good nights sleep.  I would buy it again, but don't think I'll be buying it anytime soon as I have a ridiculous amount of hand cream stock piled.  But as soon as I've ran out of all of my stock, I'll be adding this back into my collection.

I don't know anybody who doesn't like Soap & Glory.  I love everything that they do and The Righteous Butter is no exception.  This isn't the first tub of this that I've gone through and it might not even be the second or third, and I'm almost positive that I have another one ready to go.  It's super rich, super nourishing and I like to use this straight out of the shower.  It's not too greasy and it doesn't sit on my skin like some body butters do so I feel like I can get straight into bed with it on without feeling sticky.

I imagine I'll be seeing you all again soon with some empties as I'm on a mission to use up some more of the products I've got!  If you didn't see them, you can see my Hair Care Empties, Skin Care Empties and Make Up Empties through the links!

What are your current body favourites?

Face Facts: Basic Bronze

And it's back to reality...  I got back from Spain on Saturday after a week of sun and playing in the pool and it's safe to say...England is freakin' hot.  I am as boiling here as I was there, except here it's worse because I don't have air-con or a pool to cool off in!

I kept my make up very minimal on holiday - most days I wore absolutely nothing except an SPF during the day.  We only went out a couple of nights, and my look was very basic, but one that I thought enhanced the sun tan freckles that I had going on...

FACE FACTS

Soap and Glory Glow Job

Benefit Porefessional Primer

Bourjois Bronzing Powder & Highlighting Duo

Bourjois Cream Blush in 05 Pink Sunwear

Rimmel Brow Pencil in Dark Brown

The Body Shop Shimmer Waves in Bronze

The Body Shop Carbon Eye Definer in Brown

Bourjois Liner Feutre in Gold Shine

Maxfactor False Lash Effect Waterproof Mascara

Bourjois 3D Effect Lipgloss in Or Feeric

Real Techniques Contour Brush
Real Techniques Setting Brush

Barry M Gelly Polish in Passionfruit

To start, I applied Soap and Glory Glow Job.  I absolutely love this, and have had this around a year now, so I think it needs to go soon, but it's so nice!  It's a chocolate orange scented moisturiser with bronze beads inside, so when you rub it in, it blends out into a nice sun kissed glow.  The only downside, it comes across mighty shiny on my already oily skin, so I covered with a quick slick of Benefit's Porefessional.  It smoothed over my skin, and also matted down the Glow Job.

I contoured and coloured with the Bourjois Bronzing Powder & Highlighting Duo and the cream blush in Pink Sunwear.  These work really nicely together, and added natural definition and colour to my cheeks.  I used The Body Shop Shimmer Waves for my eyes, taking the individual shades from the waves to add some colour to my eyelids, followed by a smokey slick of the Carbon Eye Definer, and some golden highlights along my lower lash line and top inner corner with the Liner Feutre.  I finished my eyes with the Maxfactor False Lash mascara, and topped the entire look off with a lipgloss - I'm not normally a fan of lipgloss, but I wanted something subtle, yet enhancing for my lips!

And there we have it!  My evening make up for a Summer's night in Spain!

Night Time Treats: On My Bedside Table

I don't know about you, but the weather at the moment is playing havoc with my skin.  One minute it's cloudy and cold, the next I'm disgustingly hot - I can't win!  My skin is misbehaving as usual, and can't make up it's mind whether it wants to be dry or just normal, so I've switched up my bedside routine a bit, and stocked some beauty bits to keep in easy reach!

Sally Hansen Cuticle Eraser & Balm

I've spoken of my love for this balm before here; it's so easy to use, smells nice and fresh and is perfect for keeping your nails and cuticles looking and feeling healthy.  Regardless of what the weather is like, this is a must-have for my night stand.  I need to keep it in easy reach, so I actually remember to use it!

Champneys Overnight Hand Therapy

This is reserved for when my hands are super dry, which more often than not in the evening, they definitely are.  I got this for Christmas from Liam's parents, and I actually really like it.  It's rich, but absorbs quickly and has the calming, relaxing scent of lavender so it's perfect for bed time.  It comes with gloves to wear overnight for a really intense treatment, but I only use those in Winter for when my hands really need some healing.

Soap and Glory Smoothie Star Deep Moisture Body Milk

I get the feeling that this is more of a morning moisturiser, but I love it for bed time.  It's light, absorbs quickly and smells absolutely amazing.  It's scented with oats, and almonds, and I swear I smell like the most delicious flapjack when I'm all milked up.  I use this straight out of the shower, on slightly damp skin so that it really sinks in!

Soap and Glory The Righteous Butter

My legs, shins in partcular, sometimes get really, really dry when I come out of the shower.  My shins feel really itchy, and after I've had a shave, sometimes it's really irritating.  I like to use something really rich to put some balance and normality back into my skin, so Soap and Glory's Righteous Butter is cracked out.  It's really thick, intense and really moisturising.  It takes a little longer to sink in compared to the Body Milk, but it's a good 'un and smells just like Soap and Glory's Hand Food!

Burts Bees Pomegranate Lip Balm

A lip balm is a must on my night stand, and I like to put it on right before I go to sleep to keep my lips nourished overnight.  At the moment, the lip balm I'm using is Burts Bees Pomegranate Lip Balm.  It's light, but feels really  moisturising, and my lips always feel perfect in the morning.

What's currently on your nightstand?

Face Facts: Fresh, Summer Evening Make Up

Woah, hello close up of my face!  I thought today I would share a recent make up look; you may have seen it on my Instagram page, but if you didn't, here is exactly what I used on my face that evening!  I went out for a few drinks with friends, and thought I'd try something a little different; blue liner.

FACE FACTS

Benefit Porefessional Primer

MAC Studio Fix Fluid NW18

Soap and Glory Kick Ass Concealer in Medium

MAC Mineralise Skin Finish in Medium

MAC Mineralise Skin Finish in Give Me Sun 

Clinique Cheek Pop in Ginger Pop

Urban Decay Naked Palette (Sin, Naked)

Urban Decay Naked 3 Palette (Nooner, Darkside)

Topshop Magic Liner in Yonder

Benefit They're Real Mascara

MAC See Sheer Lipstick

Real Techniques Buffing Brush

Real Techniques Pointed Foundation Brush

Real Techniques Setting Brush

Real Techniques Contour Brush

The Body Shop Blush Brush

I was quite pleased with this make up look; even though my base has such a high coverage, I felt surprisingly natural and fresh faced for an evening in town.  I'm not too sure on how I feel about the Barry M Brow Kit at the moment...I've only used it a couple of times and I don't feel convinced on it, especially now, because in these pictures my brows look super light, soft and almost powdery.  I definitely think I prefer a sharper, more defined brow.  My favourite part of the whole look though is the blue eyeliner.  I picked it up from Topshop with the gift card I got for my birthday back in January, and I'm so pleased with it!  

I'll be sure to add some specific reviews of any products used which are not underlined in the face facts list soon so keep checking back, or comment below any products you'd like prioritising!

What do you think?

Soap and Glory Kick Ass Concealer

You've probably seen this all over by now, so sorry if you're sick of seeing it, but I thought it was about time I threw in my opinion on this much loved concealer by Soap and Glory.  This is the Kick Ass Concealer, which is a small compact concealer kit that comes with two different shades of concealer and a setting powder.

I'm in two minds about this.  I half love it, but half of me just uses it because it's the only concealer I have, and I'm too skint to buy a replacement just for the fun of it.  I was so excited to try this when I first got it.  I'd heard so many people banging on about how amazing it was, and to be honest, I am left a little disappointed.  I just don't think that I'm destined for concealers.  The Collection Lasting Perfection Concealer everyone raved about?  Not a fan...it was way too cakey for my liking (below, swatched left).  The Soap and Glory Kick Ass Concealer?  Well this just might be too creamy for me (below, swatched centre and right).

I absolutely love the idea of this though...two concealers, and a setting powder in one neat, nifty little compact?  Well that's just my idea of a beauty bargain.  A three in one product, a handbag wonder, what else could you need for the day?  Let me tell you...you'll need a bloody good blending brush.

I don't know if it's just my skin type, or if I'm just such a greasy cow that this will mostly not stay in place!  The formula is so creamy; I apply this with my finger, and when I dab my finger in the compact, it practically melts under the heat of my finger tip.  I've had this for two months now, using it daily, and I've hit pan pretty badly on the left side.  It blends nicely into my skin, and the medium shade seems a pretty nice match for my skin.  In the swatches above, I have used the Lasting Perfection Concealer in Light, and the Kick Ass Concealer in Medium.  I think the under eye concealer from KA, central, is a very close match the the LP in light.  It conceals averagely well for me - I can still see some amount of shadow under my eyes, and I don't think I have particularly bad dark circles.  I'd say it's just a natural coverage, and I think some people will prefer a higher coverage concealer.  Because it's so creamy, I often find that the concealer sits in my fine lines, or full on shifts itself where ever it fancies.

The setting powder is really fine, and actually really nice - but in all honesty, I often forget about it all together, which is probably why it shifts sometimes.  I want a concealer that I can just apply and leave to do its thing.  Something long wearing, but not cakey!  I initially applied the setting powder using the pad that it came with - don't bother, it's so sharp on the under eye area and I didn't enjoy using that at all, so I switched it for the Real Techniques Setting Brush.  It's the perfect size for a quick swirl around, and the flat brush makes it nice to gently pat the powder into place, when I remember...

And there we have it!  I feel a bit bad for being a bit negative about Soap and Glory, because I absolutely love them!  But I just don't know about this concealer on me.  I feel like it's great for a night out, or would be amazing in the colder months, but now it's getting warmer, and my skin is getting shinier, I just need something that's going to be sticking around and not moving.  If I buy another, I think I'll wait until September!

Have you tried the Kick Ass Concealer?  What's your favourite concealer?

Soap and Glory Scrubatomic Daily Face Polish

Soap and Glory is a brand we all love, and the latest addition to my ridiculous supplies of Soap and Glory is the Scrubatomic Daily Face Polish.  It is a facial exfoliator made with AHA fruit acids, moisturising Shea Butter as well as antioxidants from peaches and goji berries!  The peach definitely comes through in the scent; it is the same as the Peaches and Clean cleanser, almost a sickly sweet peach schnapps scent!

The scrub itself is quite sandy, and sharp.  I was a little worried when I first started using it daily, and feared it would irritate my skin or break it out because of how harsh it is.  If you have sensitive skin, I'd probably recommend skipping using this on a daily basis, and stick to using it just once or twice a week!  Luckily for me, my skin was fine but you do need to use it with care as too much scrubbing may leave your face sore.

The texture aside from the harsh granules is really nice - it's light, creamy and you don't need too much to exfoliate your face and neck.  My skin is left smooth, soft and feeling nicely cleansed!  I haven't noticed too much in the way of my skin miraculously clearing, but I will claim that my pores across my nose have been slightly cleared!

You can find Scrubatomic in Boots, and it's priced at £6 currently, but is usually £9.  If you want to try it, now's your chance!  I think I'd buy this again, but maybe only when it was on offer.  I'd like to try a few more exfoliators before I make a proper decision, but it was nice to use!

Which exfoliator should I try next?  Have you tried Scrubatomic?

Soap and Glory The Fab Pore

Ohhhhh....the first product I have got from Soap and Glory with their new packaging!  I love Soap and Glory, I don't know anybody that doesn't love it!  And as always, I'm not disappointed.

This is The Fab Pore, which is a two in one pore purifying mask and peel.  It is part of the Fab Pore range, and...well, leaves you with fab pores.  I use this mask on dry skin, straight from the pot, and you can leave it on for five minutes for a quick fix, or fifteen minutes for a real, deep clean.  

The mask comes in a gorgeous smooth, matte pot.  The white kind of makes me think of super clean clinics or something, but I like that medical feel because it just looks nice, and perfect.  But my favourite is the feel...I could touch the pot all day.  What a weirdo...

The product itself is mint green in colour, and smells a little minty really too; don't worry though, because it's not a horrible smell.  I actually quite like it, and I feel it adds to making me feel super clean.  I also like that you get that fresh, deep clean feeling on your skin after use!  It's got tiny exfoliating, bursting beads inside too.  I usually apply it quite thickly, and leave it on for the full fifteen minutes - I have oily skin, and have quite large pores around my nose.

For me, I can see a real difference after use.  My skin is bright, clean, smooth and most importantly, I think there is a difference in my pores.  Now I'm not saying that there is a pore that has totally disappeared...it's not a miracle mask, but I do think there is a noticeable difference.

At £10 a tub, it's not the cheapest, but I would definitely buy it again.  It's available at Boots, and I'm sure there'll be some vouchers for extra Boots points/money off in the Yule Monty boxes if Santa was spoiling you girls this year!  Soap and Glory can do me no wrong, and a product specifically formulated for clogged pores, problem and oily/combination skin is a winner in my eyes.  Another product I need to get into the habit of using for perfect pores all the time...

Any recommendations for problem skin?  Have you tried this?