Empties #6

Hello, remember me? I'm the girl that hasnt blogged since the beginning of August! Anywho, lets not dwell on that too much! To ease myself back in I thought I'd start off with one of my favourite posts to read and to write...my empties!

There's quite a lot here as you can see but I have to say that there were a few things that I just binned by accident over the last couple of months, but here's what I've managed to keep hold of! Some would say this is the mascara edition...

Champneys Spa Indulgence Distance Shores Shower Mousse - The smell of this mousse is ah-mazing! The passion fruit really comes through and makes me think of holidays in exotic places! Its a liquid in the bottle but pumps out as a soft foam mousse. The smell didnt linger too long on my skin which was a shame, but it was a lovely wash to use on a Sunday night during a pamper evening. 

Would I repurchase? Yes

The Body Shop Camomile Eye & Lip Make-up Remover - With lots of good feedback about this from other bloggers I was disappointed when I just didn't feel the same. Being a bi-phase formula it did leave my eyes a little greasy and not as gentle on my eyes as I'd hope. I did have to rub away stubborn eye make up a little more then I do with Liz Earle C&P. Smell was very pleasant though.

Would I repurchase? Unfortunately not

Batiste Blush Dry Shampoo Mini - I think I've a dry shampoo in every empties post so far! Think that speaks volumes...

Would I repurchase? Over and over again

Garnier 5 Second Blur - This is a primer which I used pretty much every day, it has an optical blurring effect which smoothes and provides a good base for foundation. It has a very soft feeling, kind of reminds me of the of Benefits Porefessional but a lot cheaper. 

Would I repurchase? Yes

MAC In Extreme Dimension Lash Mascara - Being my first MAC mascara purchase I wasn't sure what to expect, especially at a price of £18 (now £19!). I was really impressed with the volume, length and definition it gave to my lashes, it was quickly promoted to my favourite going out mascara - does anyone else have mascara that they only use for evening looks?! I would put this on par with Benefit They're Real. 

Would I repurchase? Yes

Clinique Liquid Facial Soap Mild - In the mornings I like something gentle and easy to cleanse my face and little mini did a good job of freshening up my face first thing. Due to finding it a little drying and more expensive then some of my other morning face washes, I wouldnt pick this up again.

Would I repurchase? No

Maybelline Big Eyes Mascara - Once this has dried out a little it was a really good mascara, and I liked that there was two brushes, one for top lashes and the other for bottom. I did prefer the bottom lash wand, I just wish it was sold as separate mascara! It really helped to separate my bottom lashes and add a little colour without packing on loads of product, in turn avoiding the spider look. I'd pick this up again just for the bottom lash side. 

Would I repurchase? Yes

Maybelline Great Lash Mascara - As I've mentioend before I use this as a bottom lash mascara and think as a normal mascara it doesnt really have much effect on my lashes. Since getting the Big Eyes mascara it was demoted to the back of the queue. 

Would I repurchase? Only if I couldn't get hold of Big Eyes

Clinique Lash Power Mascara - My first use of this mascara was pretty disappointing, the formula was far too wet and didnt hold a curl in my lashes at all so I didnt use it for a little while. But then I decided to give it a second go and it was a lot better after it has dried a little, and it did turn out to be a good egg. It really gave a feathered look and was perfect for an every day look. 

Would I repurchase? With boots points yes

Collection Fast Stroke Eyeliner - With a short but steady nib this was really easy to apply - even for an eyeliner noob like me. My only problem was that it was very black, more like a muted black/grey. It lasted well on my eyes during the day, there was no fade but I think that was because it wasn't very dramatic when first applied. For £2.99 though its a bargain if your on a budget. 

Would I repurchase? Yes if it was a tight budget

Now I'm can finally clear under the sink and start a fresh! 

Have you tried any of these products?

Empties #4

This post would have been up hours ago if my sister hadnt forced invitited me to Nandos, well who can resist chicken and halloumi cheese? Definitley not me.

I've said it before and I'll say it again, I love reading and writing these posts. Tried and tested products with mini reviews all tied up in one pretty little blog post!

Superdrug Vitamin E Gentle Eye Make Up Remover - I love a good Vitamin E product, nice and gentle non offensive smell and pretty moisturising and that pretty much sums up this one too. It did take a few swipes to wipe off stubborn mascara, so dont be thinking this will take off Benefit They're Real with ease but will tackle most non waterproof make up. 

Would I repurchase? Yes

Bee Good Honey & Wild Water Mint 3-in-1 Cleansing Water - I didn't have high hopes for this, I've gone a bit meh for micellar type waters but this turnt out to be a winner. Didnt dry my eyes out like some waters do, didnt drag or leave a horrible reside behind. The only thing that is putting my off repurchasing is the price, £10 for only 100ml! 

Would I repurchase? If I have some spare pennies

Botanics All Bright Hydrating Night Cream - When my finger tip reached the bottom of this little tub my heart sank a little. I love this stuff teamed with The Body Shop Vitamin E Overnight Serum in Oil, I even dedicated a blog post to the pair here so I wont harp on about it any longer. Well other than, try it! 

Would I repurchase it? Yes

Batiste Dry Shampoo Dark Brown - There's always going to be a dry shampoo that pops up somewhere. This little guy I got for free when I was out shopping in Brighton, score! Like most I love a bit of Batiste and the Dark Brown version is a favourite as there is no white caste, but still does the job like the original. 

Would I repurchase? There's always 1 waiting in the wings

Soap and Glory Flake Away - Need a never ending tub of body scrub? This is the stuff you need. I felt like this was sitting in my shower for so long even though I used it regularly. It was a really good scrub, there was enough abrasion without being drying as it did leave a slight silky residue behind which personally I like. As with most S&G products its very sweet smelling, my sister said it smelt like holiday which is down the Shea Butter, sea salts and almond oils. 

Would I repurchase? Yes

ELF Daily Brush Cleaner - Spot cleaning brushes is important, aint nobody got time to clean a brush each and every day. A couple of squirts of this on a cotton pad, and a quick swirl of all the brushes you've used that day means the brushes are cleaner for longer. This little bottle kept me going for quite some months and the squirty top really helped. I'm using the No7 one at the moment and the pump is AWFUL! For £3.50 you cannot go wrong.

Would I repurchase? In bulk 

Clinique Dramatically Different Moisturising Lotion - There was nothing dramatically different about my skin after using this. I've the little 30ml bottle on the go for about a year now, just using it for travelling as its so diddly but honestly I wont miss it. Maybe my skin just didnt get on with it but it would take ages to soak in as it was quite thick. I've now got a mini of the new version, hopefully the formula has been improved this time round. 

Would I repurchase? Nope 

Burts Bees Pink Grapefruit - If your into your lip balms you'll know that this is a winner in the moisturising stakes. I used this every morning before putting on my make up, it left them feeling nice and smooth whilst the smell really perked me up. Not usually being a fan of pink grapefruit I wasnt sure if it would be my bag but I was wrong. The good thing about the formula is that its not soft like the Baby Lips which means you don't get through it so easily. I'd now love to try more in the Burts Bees range. 

Would I repurchase? When I get through the 100s of lip balms I have on the go at the moment

Out with the old in with the new ;) 

Have you tried any of these bits?

Cheeky Shopping Trip

I just cant help myself. Whenever I'm bored it results in a trip to the local shopping centre and my card gets a bit of a bashing. Luckily this time I had a few Boots points to play with so my bank card was a little happier then normal. 

I'm a bit obsessed with finding the perfect foundation so I'm always picking things up left right and centre and this trip was no different. First in my basket was the Estee Lauder Double Wear, its much talked about due to its heavy coverage and long lasting abilities so I knew it was one I needed to try. Sticking on the base products I also picked up the Maybelline Fit Me Foundation Stick, this one was on a bit of a whim although I'd seen a lot of people mentioning it I haven't really read too much about what its like - expect a review in the future! 

After my recent Mascara Cull I needed to pick up a couple of new mascaras to top the stash back up, after wondering around the aisle for what seemed like forever I decided on Rimmel Lash Accelerator Endless Mascara which promises to lengthen and extend lashed by up to 99%, now I'm not sure about that outrageous claim but only time will tell! If you read my blog regularly you'll know I love Maybelline Great Lash as a bottom lash mascara but decided to see how it compared against Clinique's Bottom Lash Mascara and so far I only have good things to say about it!

In need of a new night cream I decided to stick with Boot Botantics and opted for the Ultra Calm Night Cream offering. I haven't yet tried this but it will soon be in rotation. The last thing I picked up in Boots was a Maybelline Colour Sensational Shine Gloss in Cashmere Rose. I've heard these are very similar to the Clarins Instant Light Perfectors and as I have been lusting after them for some time I decided to pick up the cheaper option before splashing out. 

As always I went for a wonder around Lush, I love the smell more than anything else and although I told myself I didn't need to pick anything up I left with a couple of things, a Shampoo Bar Tin and 9 to 5 Cleansing Lotion. I've got a shampoo bar from Lush but hadn't got round to using it as I wasn't sure what to do with it in between washes so when I saw this it when straight in the basket I shouldn't have picked up as I walked in! Recently Vicky from Describe the Sky had talked about her Lazy Day Skincare Routine and the 9-5 Cleansing Lotion was included, she said it was calming and quick and easy to use so I just knew it would be perfect for the evenings when I want to head to bed pronto! 

Although I love writing these posts almost as much as I love shopping I'll be cutting down now in favour of saving sigh its not my most exciting idea but it is the most practical one :( 

Have you been shopping recently? Leave your links below as I love haul posts! 

K x  

Change Up Wishlist

Change is not some I like, in actual fact I will do anything I can to avoid it. If things are working for you why would you look to seek something else? Well I've realised that doesn't get me too many places so recently I have been trying to get out of my comfort zone and try new things/brands that I wouldn't normally go for. So one rainy afternoon I decided to pick out a few items from different brands that I'd like to get my hands on in the future.

Redken All Soft Gift Set - £21 - My name is Kelly and I have a massive problem...with frizz! No matter what products I try, whether I blow dry or let my hair dry naturally I will always end up with my hair looking like a big ball of frizz. For some reason my boyfriend loves my 'crazy hair' but that does not make me want to keep it. It promises to smooth, de-tangle, nourish AND control frizz - where do I sign up?! As Redken products are, in my opinion pretty pricey, they are not something I want to pick up on a whim so this set will mean I get to test out the products and save my self a few pennies too. 

Save the Blow Dry Moisture Eliminating Queen of Shower Caps - £9.95 - I'm a big fan of shower caps, I cant be doing with washing my hair everyday but showering can be quite difficult without using a shower cap. Currently I'm sporting a Rudolf shower cap with a nose and everything which is soooo last season so its about time I got an upgrade. This one sounds perfect, I've seen a lot of people reviewing it lately and I've only seen good words written about it. Its dual purpose too, so you can use it as a shower cap to keep moisture out so there are limp locks in sight but its also reversible so you can use for hair masks which I think is a bloody brilliant idea!  

Clarasonic Mia 2 & Lancome Set - £125 - I'm sure I don't need to tell anyone what a massively hyped electrical beauty item this is, so I'm sure its no surprise that I want it! Yes, £125 is a lot for something you'll use to cleanse your face when you can buy a pack of flannels from Primark for about £1.25 but I can just imagine how glowing my skin would look if I used this! It also comes with a limited edition Lancome set which I haven't tried anything from so I'm killing two birds with one stone here - how money saving of me ;) 

St. Tropez Self Tan Starter Kit - £12.75 - Living in the UK means we are not blessed with the most sunniest of weathers so lots of people look to fake tan to summer themselves up. I'm still stuck in my pale rut and I have to say I have never dabbled with fake tanning - yes I've used Rimmel's Instant Tan - who hasnt! - but I haven't tried the proper stuff. Its safe to say I know NOTHING about fake tan but I do know that St. Tropez is up there in the fake tan stakes so its only right to start with the best, this little set will definitely help me get on the glow ladder before summer approaches. 

Elemis The Gift of Great Skin Collection - £30 - Shopping channels are my guilty pleasure, specifically QVC. Whilst I've yet to purchase anything, that's where you'll find me when they are showing something beauty related. That is where I've come to learn about Elemis, its so heavily featured but I've always been a bit of a wuss to purchase so when I saw this little collection on Feel Unique I thought it would be perfect to test out a few items before buying big. It has the very well known Flash Balm included - what it does I don't know but I need it!

With last weekends 15% off sale on Feel Unique I was so tempted to pick up a few items but with my bank account looking very sorry for its self right now I managed to stay away - or in other words my boyfriend had to keep closing the window at the check out page - how very rude!

What products/brands would you like to try? Anything you think I should pick up? 

K x

Game Changing Face Mask!

Everyone loves a good face mask, don't they? For me I like taking 20 minutes out of a busy week to sit down and relax - and my boyfriends like it because I have to be quiet! I have to admit that I never really see the benefits masks have on my skin, I thought maybe I haven't been choosing the right type of mask for my skin type but nonetheless I still use them without fail. That was until I tried the Dead Sea Spa Magik Algimud Active Seaweed Mask! I have never used a mask like this before, it was a total new experience for so many different reasons. 

First off I've never had a mask where I've had to make it up from powder. I obviously didn't read the packaging very well as I was quite surprised when I opened it to find a packet of powder and a wooden stick! Once you've added the required amount of water your left with a very thick somewhat gunky green mess. The instructions told me to apply thickly and to keep away from my hairline, eyes and eyebrows which is quite common with face masks so I kind of took that with a pinch of salt - FYI do not get this on your eyebrows! It hurts like a bitch to get off! The mask does set quite fast so do make sure you apply pretty quick as it can become unusable in the bowl quite quickly. 

Once I applied I sat down with my magazine and a cup of tea (which I could only drink half of as my face went rock hard!) after a short while I could really feel the mask getting stiff although it wasn't an uncomfortable feeling that you usually get with clay masks as they dry - this one still looked wet. 

I was dreading taking this mask off, as on the packaging it was described as a peel off mask which I have to admit are not my favourite type of mask at all. They hurt so much when you peel them off that I often wonder if they are worth the hassle. But this little baby was a dream! If you have ever had a manicure where they use paraffin wax, think of it like that. You just wiggle the bottom of the mask by your chin and slowly lift the mask off your skin and it comes off so easily, so much so that it comes off in one go still fully intact! 

As I mentioned earlier I don't usually see the effects of a mask but this was totally different, as soon I took it off my skin felt smooth as a babies bum, and really plump! Looks wise it looked radiant and glowing and not red and sore at all which I would normally get from a peel off mask. The next day I was still reaping the benefits - I managed to have a no make up day!  

I picked this up in Tesco when the Spa Magik products were on offer but for £3.60 at full price it will definitely be something I pick up again in the future. Generally speaking for me this is on the expensive side as you can pick up a mask from Boots or Superdrug for around the £1 mark but when I know the results are so good I can justify it for a treat when my skin needs a pick me up - which is quite often at the moment. 

Have you ever tried the Spa Magik Mask or anything else from them? 

K x

My First Beauty Swap

 A few months back I noticed that Kat from Tales of a Pale Face was helping bloggers get together to take part in a beauty swap! Knowing that its been something I've wanted to take place since I first reading blogs I signed my self up straight away. I didnt think anything else of it until I received an email from Kat introducing me to Julie from Just Julie who I would be swapping with! We agreed a budget and chatted about the things we were interested and set a date for when we would be done by. 

I received my parcel at work, it was tempting me all day to open it but I did just about manage to wait until I got home that evening. Inside the box each item was individually wrapped so it was like my birthday had come early! There was even a little note but I had to wait until the end to open this.

As Julie knew I hadn't been sleeping so well as of late I received A French Kiss bath melt from Lush which I could smell as soon as I opened the package! I cant wait to try this whilst burning the French Lavender Yankee Candle that I also received in a very cute purple candle holder which will sit well on my dressing table when I'm done in the bathroom. 

One thing I did mention to Julie was that I was looking to get into the whole brow malarkey as I havent yet dipped my toe into that side of beauty so I was really pleased to see the Sleek Eyebrow Stylist, I've heard so many good things about this and even Julie herself uses this so I knew it must be good. I've had a little dabble with it and so far I'm liking it! I think it is going to take me a little while to get the hang of the whole brow thing but with this little baby I don't think it will take me long. 

Staying on the eye theme I also received a Rimmel 5 Pan Eyeshadow in Foggy Grey which has a good assortment of neutral colours including a black with a slight silver shimmer running through which will be great for creating a smokey eye! Next up I received a L'Oreal L'Extraordinaire liquid lipstick in the colour Fuchsia Drama which weirdly enough we both got each other, although I cant quite remember the shade I got Julie! I've used this already and I only have good things to say about this. To match the lipstick there was a Rimmel nail polish in Dont Be Shy which I know will be my go to spring/summer shade!

As Julie knew I was having a terrible time with my skin she thought Lush's Grease Lightening would be a product I needed in my life, and she wasn't wrong. I've used this already as the day I'd received the parcel my skin had broken out, it really calmed down my naughty skin and so far hasn't dried it out. Lastly I received a trio of products which I cant wait to try out, its the shampoo, conditioner and hair mask from Charles Worthington's Salon at Home Moisture Seal range which as the name suggest is designed for dry hair. I'm hoping that this will add some much needed nourishment to help soften up my dry locks. 

Overall I am so pleased with everything that Julie chose for me, I know she put a lot of thought into each and every item. I loved the little note she made which explained the reasoning for each product as it made it extra special. I have learnt a lot from my first swap swap and I cant wait to take part in another one! I even managed to tick off a 101 things in 1001 days list! Now you've seen what I received, take a look at what I got for Julie here. 

Thanks again Julie! 

K x

Review | Clinque All About Eyes Rich

Under eyes for me had never seemed to be a problem area  - that was until a couple of months ago. I started to get a dry patch right under my eye which was very red and sore. I thought it had to be the Garnier Micellear Water which I recently swapped into my routine. I'm not sure if that was the cause but needless to say it hasn't made an appearance since. As I'd never suffered with this problem before I had no magic cream in my stash that I thought would help sooth and bring back my skin to its normal healthy state so I popped down to Bentalls (our local department store) and headed to the Clinique stand as I knew that they would definitely be able to find something to suit. After speaking to the lovely lady on the counter she recommended the All About Eyes Rich for its moisturising qualities as well helping with puffiness and dark circles. For £25 for only 15ml I was a little worried that it wouldn't live up to its claims and I'd be stuck with an eye cream that didn't work but I was worrying for nothing. It was just what I needed.

 

It look a couple of days (I used it morning and night) for it to start working it magic but each morning I noticed the dry patch was looking more moisturised and started decreasing in size. I hadn't been concerned with dark circles under my eyes before but as the weeks passed I noticed that it had reduced the small amount of dark circles I did have. I have now been using this for about two months and its totally got rid of the dry patch and become an everyday essential in my skin care routine. When forgetting to take this with me on a weekend away I really noticed the different when not using it - now I'll never be without it!

You can pick this up from your local Clinique stand or here on the Clinique website where at the moment you can pick up a free takeaway trio when you spend over £40 and with free delivery what's not to love!

K x

First Impressions | Emma Hardie Moringa Cleansing Balm

Do you ever go into a shop to buy one thing and one thing only, to then find they don't have it? There's then a mad panic because you cant dare leave the shop empty handed but you haven't preplanned another purchase! Well that was me in Space NK a few weeks back. I'd popped in to see if they had the new Nars palette in but it hadn't yet made its way into the shops. I should of walked out then but I had a little wonder around the shop seeing what I could pick up in its place. My mind was saying there's the door go through it but my body was having none of it and walked over to the Emma Hardie section picked up the cleansing balm and waltzed straight over to the till. £34 later I was shaking my head wondering what I was playing at! 

I'd seen review after review of this but it had never grabbed my attention. There are so many cleansers in my drawers that I didn't feel the need to add this to my stash but clearly something in me thought otherwise. It promises to thoroughly cleanse and moisturise whilst minimising the look of open pores. Now I'm not saying this doesn't remove make-up because it does, very well, its just not the amazing product that I had imagined in my head.

When I used this for the first time I couldn't help but wonder what the bloody hell was wrong with the scent! I know a lot of people rave about it saying that its relaxing and what not but for me it just smells likes plants, not flowers, plants. You know the type you find in your Grandads green house. So from the get go the balm was on the back foot. Now application wise it went on like a dream, gliding around my face like Torvill and Dean. I could really feel it breaking down my make-up, I just used one of my trusty Primark flannels to remove it with warm water and away came the days make-up. It did make my skin feel a little plump after use but I'd have to say that's where it really stops. I didn't notice any difference with my pores, which I have to say I do suffer with so maybe it might work better on someone who has less visible pores to start with.

Packaging for me is not that important although I do like things to look nice next to my sink which this does. I just find that the lid just doesn't ever sit right, it takes a few turns on and off to get in placed right and after 2 or 3 uses the plastic cracked! I had heard a lot of other people mentioning the poor packaging cracking, I had thought they had sorted this problem or maybe mine was not the updated version. You just wouldn't expect something that is on the expensive side of the spectrum to have naff packaging. 

Rightly or wrongly I was expecting such good things for the price of this balm but overall I feel that it does what any good cheaper cleanser can do. As I've only been using this for two weeks or so I do feel I need to give it a good chance to change my mind. Maybe I'll be able to get over the smell and fall in love - I really so or it would be a very expensive mistake to make!

Have you tried Emma Hardie Cleansing Balm? What do you think? What's your favourite cleanser?

Wednesday Wishlist #3

So the spending ban is well and truly over as I'm sure you can tell from my recent haul! I thought shopping would make me feel whole again but I can only say it made me feel guilty! So I've decided to be more strict on myself when it comes to buying things by asking my self four simple questions, read about all about it here. It doesnt stop me wishing though!

1. Seche Vite Top Coat - £5.59 - I love a good top coat, anything that promises to add shine and dry my nails quicker than a normal top coat is gets the tick of approval in my book! Although my faithful Barry M top coat is a couple of pound cheaper I'd happily part with it if does stop me getting imprint marks on my nearly dry nails which seems to happen every time I paint my nails.

2.Origins No Puffery - £24 - Recently I've noticed dark circles under my eyes, something I've never really suffered with in the past. I've tried sleeping more, and drinking more water but they don't seem to be going anywhere anytime soon. I've heard a lot of good things about this eye cream although my eyes are watering at the price tag! I'm not sure I could justify £24 on an eye cream, its going to take a little bit more thought.

3. Oasis Coat - £98 - I know that supposedly the weather is supposed to be getting slightly better but I cant help but be a little sceptical and think that the cold weather is here to stay longer, read I want another winter coat. This one from Oasis is perfect, it nips in at the waist whilst still covering my bum which is a must in the coat department! The only tough decision is whether I want black or cream!

4. ghd Wonderland Styler - £99 - I've had about 3/4 pairs of GHD's through the years, yes I know they last for years. Why don't mine I hear you ask...well mine have always been the fall off the lorry kind of purchases so the chances are none of them were actually real. For this reason they are always breaking, wires snapping - you get the picture. So its about time I invested in a proper pair and at £99 these beauts are a must! The design is really nice and right up my street! This might be one purchase I really cant do without!

5. Dior Lip Glow - £22.50 - Who doesn't want a lip balm that changes colour to suit your lips! Well I sure as hell do. This product is supposed to protect and moisturise with wild mango and luffa cylindrica (yeah me neither!) whilst providing a customised colour to suit your very own lip colour. Now I know this is a very unnecessary product but I cant help but be intrigued as to how it would look on me. Maybe this will be one for the birthday list in May!

So there you have it my wishlist...I'm sure none of these items will come into my possession but I'm just getting it all ready for when my lucky numbers come up on the lottery tonight!

Sink Side Essentials

In my bathroom I like having my beauty routine out on the side. One because I'm not a fan of minimalism and two (well the main reason really) if I don't have it out the chances of using it slip to pretty much zero, you know what they say 'Outa sight outa mind'! This is where my Sink Side Essentials come in, every so often I like to switch things up depending on what my skin is like and what product's I'd like to use up. So welcome to my first installment...

First up we have the least glamorous product of the bunch but an essential nontheless, contact lens solution. This kind of does what it says on the tin, keeps my lenses fresh as a daisy for the next morning. Does anyone else have 10453085 bottles of this under their bathroom sink? Nope? Just me then! 

Next up we have L'Oreal Skin Perfection Micellar Soloution, this has been my go to eye make-up remover since it landed on Boot's shelves. I know there has been a lot of mixed reviews about this product but I love it. I soak two cotton pads and rest them on my eyes for a few seconds and wipe away - voila! - make up free eyes. It even works wonders on Benefits They're Real Mascara and we all know what a pain that is to remove! The only thing I would say is that if you use too much it can sting the eyes a little so remember less is more. 

In the mornings I love a good face wash, something to wash away all the nasties that harbored during the night and something fresh to wake me up because I'm not a morning person let me tell you. At the moment I have the Garnier Pure Active Daily Energising Gel Wash. With extracts of grapefruit and pomegranate this is the perfect pick me up in the morning. This is supposed to awaken skin and tighten pores whilst giving a deep cleanse. I wouldn't go as far as tightening pores but it does make my skin feel fresh and plump. 

The next best thing after putting make-up on is taken it off. There were times when I was young and naive (and lazy) that I thought it didn't matter if you slept in make-up, yes yes I know what was I thinking! I'm not sure what made me change my mind about that but I do know that my skin has been a lot better behaved since.

Once all eye make up has been taken care off I move in for the kill all guns blazing with the much talked about Liz Earle Cleanse and Polish. This hot cloth cleanser is a great first cleanse as it removes all traces of make up and feels so nice when you massage it around your face. The smell of this stuff is amazing and the cocoa butter and eucalyptus really help to smooth the skin. Liz Earle do offer their own muslin clothes but I'm a Primark flannel kind of girl - who can resist 3 for £1.50! When I'm having a bad skin day which seems to be constant at the moment my saving grace is the Ren Clarifying Clay Cleanser. I massage this into my skin for 1-2 minutes as instructed. The smell reminds of my old school days when we used to play with pottery - I'm guessing its the clay bit coming into play. This really helps to calm down any outbreaks and helps prevent them from returning. As this can be quite drying I do only tend to use this every other night.

Toners I can take or leave. I'm one of those people that doesn't really see the point but as I received this as part of the Clinique 3 Step System I couldn't leave it in my draw to gather dust. This is a clarifying lotion which is supposed to de-flake skin and prepare it for moisturiser. Now I cant say I've noticed a difference in my skin by using this but I like the sensation, some would say it stings but I kind of like that feeling.

Next up we have the little extra's I use, not necessarily every day but I like having them close to hand. My lips are always very dry, I've got more lip balms than I can shake a stick at but nothing seems to help so in the mornings after make up application and before lipstick I always use the ever famous Lush Lip Scrub in Popcorn. This is a sugar scrub that really helps to take away those pesky flakes and leave them feeling soft and plump. Its not a smooth paste as the main ingredient is sugar so I always make sure I use this over the sink, it also means that there can be a little bit of waste.

I'm a bit of a hoarder when it comes to beauty samples, as I have a couple of beauty box subscriptions I tend to have millions of little bits lying around so this month I have been making a conscious effort to try out different things. So this is where the Balance Me Face Oil comes in, Caroline Hirons (THE queen on all things skin care) featured this on her blog some time ago and I don't know why I didn't bring it to the front of the skincare queue back then but no fear its here now and its perfect for the pesky outbreaks I keep getting at the moment. It helps to heal spots and my favourite thing about this product it helps to heal scaring - what a god send! Its a handy little roller ball so its easy to apply and has no dodgy smell like some oils have.

Another one of my beauty box goodies is the Dr Brandt Microdermabrasion Skin Exfoliant. This little tube has tasted me so well as you need so little. Its a gel exfliant with tiny grains that really get deep into those pores to bring out the nastys. As the names suggests it is abrasive so you need to rub it in gently in circular movements but when used once or twice a week I find this really helps to smooth out all the dry areas especially on drying spots.

Onto the final piece of the puzzle, moisturisers. I haven't yet come across a day moisturiser that I am in love with, I'm quite skeptable about paying a lot of money for something that may skin may not get along with. So until the time I find my match made in heaven I've been using the Simple Hydrating Light Moisturiser. The Simple range was the very skincare routine I ever had back when I was a teenager. I had the full set of cleaner, toner and moisturiser and it was perfect for me. I find this moisturiser very light as the name suggests but gives a good amount of moisture throughout the day. There's no smell and no sting if I get it in my eye.

The Soap and Glory brand is definitely a favourite of mine, I love their body products and make up, the skin care is no exception, especially the Night in Shining Armour Cream. Although its a night cream and looks rather thick in the pot it glides on so smooth and sinks in without leaving a heavy feeling. Its supposed to help fight aging, something I (thankfully) cant confirm just yet but it does keep my face hydrated during the night and in the morning my skins feels silky smooth. Looking for this online I think it may have been discontinued :( so looks like I'll be using this sparingly!

Last but no means least is another mini sample, its the Balance Me Wonder Eye Cream. Its only been recently that I have started to use eye creams, I never knew the difference they would make as I thought my moisturiser would be doing the job do, silly me right! This little cream has been a good send, it really helps to brighten my under eyes, especially when I don't get my usual 8 hours beauty sleep, which these days is becoming more frequent! After a long day of working infront of a computer screen it notice the soothing properties straight away. When this runs out I will definitely be making a repurchase or looking for something similar. I've heard great things about the Origins offerings so maybe I'll take a look there too.

So there you have it, my day to day skin care items. I hope this wasn't too much of a long post to go through but hopefully it gave you an insight to my routine. What products would you suggest I slot in somewhere? Do you have any suggestions of a new night cream now that my faithful Night in Shining Armour has been discontinued? I'd love to hear from you.