Monday, February 9, 2015

January Purchases & Pick-Ups

THE PURCHASES!
It isn't often that I can fit an entire months beauty purchases into a single photo, but here you have it folks - a total of TWO beauty related items purchased so far in 2015! Perhaps this will be a good thing to look back on once I post my extortionate honeymoon haul for the world to see? I picked up and looked at many a pretty during January, but nowadays it needs to be seriously amazing for me to part with - as it so happens, these two products are indeed amazing so I'm sticking to my new-found shopping mantra quite well! 
I had a Christmas voucher in my pocket and my sister took me shopping at Doncaster for my birthday on January 2nd, so the natural thing to do was finally tick the limited edition Chanel Multi-Effect Quadra Eyeshadow in 234 Poesie off my wishlist. It originally featured on my pre-USA wishlist but it was sold out everywhere I checked during our trip, so to hear that Doncaster had a solitary palette left was music to my ears! It's actually my first real Chanel eye product so it was quite an exciting purchase for me (normally I beeline for their blushes, you know me!)

My second (and last) beauty purchase for the month was towards the end, during the infamous Priceline 40% skincare sale. I knew I wanted to have a nosy around but didn't feel the urge to pick anything up, until I remembered that I'd been wanting to bring this Garnier Moisture Match Light Softening Cream for Normal-Dry Skin back into my routine as a morning moisturiser. I've previously reviewed it here and the love still stands, this is a wonderful product.
A non-beauty related purchase, but something I wanted to feature because stationary rocks! I am about to order another planner from Personal Planner with a code they provided me, and I'm super excited at the thought of personalising a planner, and using The Belle Lumiere and various #planneraddict Instagram images as my inspiration I hope to pretty it up and get myself organised with these gel pens, stickers and tags.  

PICK-UPS!
This part will feature some of the press samples I received during the month - it's like a little heads up on what may be featured soon on the blog, and serves as a reminder for myself about the new things I'm trialling! Not everything I'm sent will be featured, just the bits and bobs I feel like popping into these posts. I turned down more press samples than usual this month as I've been selective about what I'd like to trial, and so far it's made me far more exciting about all of these new things than I usually would be!

After my recent primer obsession (documented here) it seemed fitting to try out the latest primer release from makeup giants Max Factor! When I first opened this Facefinity All Day Primer ($31.95) I thought it was a super-pale foundation - d'oh!
Dare I say, the most exciting press sample this month? I absolutely adore Urban Rituelle and frequently buy bits and bobs from the brand, so the launch of the new amber based Romance Fragrance Diffuser Set ($36.95/190ml) got me a bit more excited than it probably should have...but once I smelt this thing, I knew my excitement was warranted. HEAVEN! Goodness knows Mister Bovary and I aren't the most romantic (perhaps we will be now that we're married? pah!) so any hint of romance (especially in amber form!) is welcome in our house!
Now this is a step outside of my comfort zone - my scalp is a finicky thing and I'm always hesitant to trial shampoos (truth be told there is a still a chance I will rope in a guinea pig for that and hit the conditioner up solo!) but I accepted this Pantene Colour Therapy Shampoo & Conditioner ($7.99ea/350ml) with the hope that I can move on from my Garnier shampoo and mix things up a little bit. Wish me luck!
Last but not least was some surprise drops from my beloved L'Occitane - the Relaxing Pillow Mist ($30/100ml) looks brilliant and I can't wait to pop it alongside my current L'Occitane Lavande Cologne that I use as a luxe room spray to help me catch some ZZZ's. Also pretty pumped about the Revitalising Body Scrub ($45/200g) (it's been too long since I've used a good one!) and the Immortelle Brightening Essence ($89/30ml)

I think 2015 is working out really well on the product front so far - I'm excited to plump up my bodycare routine and use my Chanel quad a bit more before popping up a swatch/review post! How much did you purchase or pick-up this month?

-Emma x

*Pick-Ups are, as stated above, press samples. If you aren't interested in seeing what I'll be trialling, feel free to skip these monthly posts - I won't be offended! Honesty, always.

16 comments:

  1. Oh, that Garnier cream sounds interesting! I'm always looking for things for dry skin. You're doing a great job, Emma!

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    1. It is so so nice, I was elated to have it back in my stash. Thanks for the encouragement Larie!

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  2. Poesie looks like a stunning quad!

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    1. It's so lovely, a great first Chanel quad for me! It's quite close to Rivoli from the permanent stash and I was tossing up between the two for the longest time

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  3. Oh my! I'm sooo jealous of that chanel quad and those stamping markers!! Even now I still go gaga and crazy happy over seeing colorful crayola sets of crayons, markers...etc!

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    1. Haha I love me a good set of stamping markers! Having so many nieces and nephews means I get to enjoy awesome stationary and back to school shopping all of the time, woohoo

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  4. Omg! Stamping pens do take me back! I'm so happy to read that you're being strict with what press stuff you show on here. I get a little bored of seeing the same press sample pop up on a majority of blogs at the same time. I tried not to pick up too many things this/last month. Bought two skincare things and a couple of stapes accessories.
    xx Kat @ Katness

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    1. I was so excited when I saw them, total blast from the past! I realised that even though a lot of the press stuff I was accepting was lovely and quality products, if it wasn't something I'd look at buying personally or that I think I would write about on the blog it just wasn't worth the PR people sending it to me! Now I can really enjoy the things I'm trialling without getting distracted ;)

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  5. Poesie is such as beautiful palette, you will be so glad you managed to track it down. The shadows are just beautiful :)

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    1. So glad to hear that you think it's a good'un Stephanie!

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    1. I'm so glad to have a Chanel quad in my stash now :) Thanks for the comment Erin!

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  7. Oh my gosh... that Chanel quad looks insanely beautiful :)
    I do love colorful eyeshadows but I am falling deeper and deeper in love with nude and earth toned shadows :)
    I have e-mailed you btw ;)
    xx

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    1. It's such a stunning set of colours, really glad to have finally picked it up. I love the nuances of a nude shadow, so complex!

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  8. That Chanel quad is gorgeous! They're such wearable shades too! Are their blushes any good? I've tried a few items from Chanel's skincare lines but I haven't delved too much into their make up.

    PS - thanks for dropping by my blog! x

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    1. Their blushes are the very, very best! I have quite the collection happening and each Christmas my husband buys me another shade of his choice - it's one of my favourite traditions, for sure! I am the opposite to you, yet to try the skincare line but adore the makeup line :)

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