Mister Bovary's Current Favourites

When it comes to my husband, low-key is the perfect way to describe him! Since I've slowly been working beauty products into his routine he has enough of a product pool to pick some favourites for me, so here is his inaugural current favourites post! 

Scent is a driving factor for so many of his favourites, so it makes sense that two of his favourites are aftershaves! His very favourite is Polo Red by Ralph Lauren, but he recently hijacked my bottle of Calvin Klein CK2* that is marketed as a unisex fragrance. It doesn't mesh all that well with me but he loves the oceanic scent on himself so I was happy to let him take over use of the bottle.

Another seemingly random favourite of his? Jurlique Rosewater Balancing Mist, which smells divine and is another item we 'share' but that he uses more of by far. He loves that it relaxes him and his skin drinks it up, plus I love the cool mist and luxurious scent right before bed every evening.

He hardly ever does anything to his hair (beanies are his newfound love!) but when he does it's all about the MUK Hard Muk Styling Mud, which is a firm paste that tousles his short hair perfectly. I buy him the 2 pack when it goes on special at Hairhouse Warehouse so we always have it on the go for special occasions. Staples in his routine are his beloved Rexona (we share as I prefer the male selection to the floral and sweet female deodorants!) and the Biore Pore Strips - grossly satisfying, am I right?

Is your man into primping or preening? What is his favourite product? Is there anything cool you think I should buy for Mister to try out and review for you?
-Emma x


*Product provided for consideration. Honesty, always.

Empties 2014 // Part One

I haven’t done one of these so far this year, which tells you a lot about how long this post will be. I was originally planning on writing them up quarterly but laziness overcame and here we are in June just getting started. I threw out some things in frustration before they made it to this post, too, but this is pretty much what I’ve finished up this year!

Skin

 

Thalgo Pure Velvet Cleansing Cream

I really enjoyed using this cleanser, my full review is linked above if you want to know more about it.

Avado Sensitives Organic Face Moisturiser
I really disliked this, the scent irked me and the way it never really sunk into my skin drove me crazy. I think I bought this after seeing it in a magazine or on Primped, but it just didn’t work for my skin type.

Clarins Instant Eye Make-Up Remover
This was really nice stuff, the packaging was luxe and lightweight and I didn’t need much at all to remove my eye makeup at night. It’s pricier than my usual eye make-up remover, but definitely lovely.

La Roche Posay Effaclar Duo
My HG acne treatment, I don’t think I could ever be without this again (I’ve tried and it wasn’t pretty!) It clears up general crappy skin and also targets acne to stop it in its tracks.

L’Oreal Youth Code Moisturiser
I used to swear by the Youth Code range before I began trialling new products all the time, I didn’t actually manage to finish this up but it’s too old now. I found most of the Youth Code line really plumped my skin and felt lovely on. I have some of the new formulation/newly repackaged Youth Code in stocks so hopefully it is still just as nice.

Priceline Vitamin E makeup remover
Found this in a beauty box while doing a clean out and don’t want it anywhere near my eyes!

Biore Deep Cleansing Pore Strips
I always have a box of these in the house, I love the gross satisfaction of using them and Mister Bovary swears by these too.

The Face Shop Rice Mask + Elianto Pumpkin Mask
Both were lovely and soothing (as I find most sheet masks) but the Elianto one was my favourite purely for the pumpkin factor!

The Jojoba Company Lemon + Coconut Hand Cream
I still can’t believe I finished this, even though it was a small size I struggled through this tube because I didn’t like the scent. On paper it sounds perfect and everyone else I asked loved it, but my nose just couldn’t hack it.

Shower + Body

Soap and Glory Flake Away body scrub
This was a great body scrub with that signature Soap and Glory scent, even though it made my shower a bit slippery at times I would still repurchase.

Evo The Great Hydrator Moisture Mask
This was so good! Pleasantly surprised with this, though I wish the packaging was easier to squeeze. This makes me want to investigate Evo further…any recommendations?

PureTan Pure Moisture Coconut Body Crème
I know this is a big call, but I think this may be my all-time favourite moisturiser…I don’t have super dry skin so the light moisture worked for me, and the scent and feel of it was just beyond divine.

Garnier Fructis Anti-Dandruff Shampoo
My staple, the only shampoo my scalp will tolerate.

Original Source Chocolate + Mint Shower Gel
Why would they go and make a scent like this limited edition? Craziness I tell you, this stuff was good enough to eat!

Norsca Clear Anti-White Deodorant
Nope, still left white marks and wasn’t freshly scented enough for me. Back to Rexona I go!

Rexona for Men deodorant
Mister Bovary’s HG deodorant that I always use when he isn’t looking…

Lynx Dry Apollo
I think Mister Bovary received this in a gift pack at Christmas, either way he liked the scent and he often asks for Lynx sprays (just like a teen boy I know, but I don’t mind the smell of them either!)

Glitter Shower Gel
This came in a gift set from someone long ago and I was holding onto the set for sentimental reasons, as absurd as that may sound. Needless glitter and no lather, these sorts of gift sets are nice thoughts but rarely quality product.

The Body Shop Vanilla Body Lotion
My sister gifted this to me but it is way too old to use. I love so many of The Body Shop scents, and vanilla is always at the top.

Nuxe Reve de Miel Body Cream
So far I’ve enjoyed everything I’ve used from Nuxe, and this is no exception.

Lush Rose Jam Shower Gel
When a shower gel is pricier than the average supermarket garb, it takes a lot to impress me. This scent was seriously worth the price tag, and the quality was right up there. I think this scent is limited edition, but I’ll definitely buy it when it’s rereleased.

Makeup

Too Faced Shadow Insurance
I’m actually using a full size of this right now and find it works wonderfully, but this sachet dried out before I could actually use it all so the idea of this was a fail.

Elianto Brow Pencil
I remember loving this while we were in KL a few years back – I wouldn’t buy it again, but boy I’m craving an overseas trip right now.

Covergirl Clump Crusher mascara
My favourite mascara thus far, this is something I will continue buying and loving. I love what it does for my lashes and how you can layer it beyond belief without it clumping – thanks Covergirl!

MAC Painterly Paint Pot
This is probably my favourite eyeshadow base because it covers any veins on my eyelids, and this pot lasted me an age without ever changing consistency. Well worth the cash in my opinion!

Avon Bond Girl perfume
My dad bought me this and I loved the scent, not enough to repurchase it but I have a few samplers of it lying around if I feel like wearing it again.

Rimmel Match Perfection Cream Gel foundation
Long-time readers would be aware of how much I love this discontinued foundation – I’ve squirreled away a few pots and plan on stretching them out before crying about how sad Rimmel have made me.

Quick question – favourite mascara and favourite foundation? Pop it in the comments below!

Emma x

September Empties ft. Antipodes, A'Kin + Lush

Only 11 emptied products this month, but at least I hit double digits!

 

Rexona Girl Tropical Energy deodorant- A constant repurchase, I adore this aerosol deodorant.

L’Occitane Ravissant shower gel*- A lovely product from one of my favourite body care brands. I wasn’t as enthralled with the scent as much as I am with the almond range, so I’d rather spend my moolah on that line instead.

A’Kin Sweet Orange + Sandalwood body scrub*- My full review is here for this lovely and gentle body scrub.

Garnier Fructis Sensitive Scalp shampoo- A staple in my routine, and the only shampoo my scalp will tolerate.

Kmart Makeup Remover cotton pads- Cheap and nasty, these get the job done with ease.

The Jojoba Company Jojoba Bead and Bamboo facial exfoliant* (3ml)- This made my skin feel smooth, but afterwards it felt sensitised and a little tender to the touch. Wouldn’t repurchase as it just didn’t work for me.

Pantene single dose intensive treatment program*- I used this ‘single dose’ treatment twice after receiving it via PinchMe, and it made my hair feel nice and smooth. Would considering repurchasing if I didn’t have a million other hair products to use up first.

Rimmel Match Perfection Cream Gel foundation- My HG foundation, sadly discontinued. Love the ‘skin like’ finish and ease of application- have backups ready to go!

Lush Honey I Washed the Kids soap*- As much as I love the honey scent of this, this is the second bar I’ve trialled and it just leaves my skin feeling strange. I find it hard to run my hands over my skin after I’ve used this, like it has been stripped (though it isn’t technically drying either…) I’ve no love for this Lush cult favourite, beautiful scent aside.

Clinique Take the Day Off makeup remover- I quite like this bi-phase makeup remover, even though the residue it leaves behind is sometimes a little bit annoying. I would repurchase this (but am going to wait for the next GWP, ‘cause that is how I roll)

 

So now it is your turn to share! How much did you empty this month, and what cleansing oil or balm do you suggest I try next?

 

Emma @ emmabovarybeauty x

Empties + Chuckers // July + August // The Moving House Edition

So as it turns out, there is no better motivation to clear out some beauty loot than having to pack up all of your worldly possessions to move for the very first time. I have chucked out some things and used up others, and waited until I was about to move before snapping a picture of what had accumulated.

Innoxa Body Wash* – a nice lather and inoffensive smell made this easy to use, but not exciting enough to repurchase

Bodycology Sweet Petals – absolutely loved this, the scent was amazing and I am frustrated because I think it is a discontinued product (I bought it for $1 from Priceline…)

Kit Cosmetics Tan Prep Body Scrub* – a truly great body scrub, doesn’t leave any residue and the scent reminds me of hot summer days and coconuts

Deodorants – The best from this bunch is the travel Rexona + the Clinical Protection cream deodorant. The Dove wasn’t that impressive and the pink Musk Rexona at the back of this photo burned my underarms!

Garnier Fructis Sensitive Scalp Shampoo – my staple, I switch between this and the Classic version

Smackers Strawberry Body Spray – I used this as a room spray as it was too sweet for the body! Nice faux strawberry scent, but more suited to my niece’s age range than my own

Impulse Paris Body Spray – loved this, also used this as a room spray and it reminded me of Dior My Cherie which is always a good thing.

Clearasil Skin Perfecting Wash with microbeads – I think Mum bought me this when I had just begun high school, I found it so far back in my bathroom cabinet! A chucker, for sure.

Ten O Six Deep Pore Toner – Another chucker, I remember despising this alcohol filled toner than smelled scarily strong and hurt when I applied it. The beginning of my skincare regime was not a pretty one!

L’Oreal Powder Concealer – packaging is cracked and I never liked the formula to begin with. Another one to chuck in the bin!

L’Oreal Vita Lift 5 Facial Moisturiser* – Technically Mister Bovary’s, but I used this as a night cream every now and again and really enjoyed it. The scent is quite strong and masculine, but it did the job nicely and Mister said he would repurchase (or perhaps he has already, I’ve forgotten)

Uriage Thermal Spray* – A nice hit of thermal water for powdery makeup moments and when the heating at work is on full blast.

L’oreal Triple Active Day moisturiser – I have used up a few of these and really love the formula, I still have one in back up which I’m looking forward to using.

Burt’s Bees Anti-Blemish Solutions moisturiser* – Adored this moisturiser, kept my skin really happy but the damn packaging was a fail! Beautiful glass bottle with a pump (all good so far…) but the formula is too thick to come through when you get near the end of the bottle, so a whole lot of product is sitting there, unable to be reached.

Soap & Glory Fab Pore Hot Cloth Cleanser* – A true skincare love of mine, and I’ve already repurchased! Kept my acne away and my face is never better than when I’m using this.

Face of Australia Impact Curl Mascara – My whole family uses this, and I love how affordable it is to repurchase! Really holds a curl in my lashes, though it must be noted that my family are generally blessed with good lashes so results may vary.

Chanel travel mascara –woeful! This came in a Chanel pack Mister Bovary bought for me on our first holiday years ago (before I was interested in makeup!) and it did so little for my lashes that it made me hold off on buying from Chanel for quite some time…I certainly am over that fear now though!

Dermalogica Precleanse – Another skincare love that I will definitely repurchase! A great first cleanse product that smells citrusy and lovely.

 

FCUK For Her – A nice but bland scent, I can’t help but think of how cheap it is every time I apply this. Mister Bovary has the male version, and it is much the same in experience for him as well.

Vera Wang Princess – I had quite the obsession with this before I received it for a Christmas gift a few years ago, and after using it I discovered that it doesn’t sit very nicely on my skin at all. It’s lovely in the bottle, but the special quality disappears when I wear it.

Elizabeth Arden Mediterranean –Absolutely love this scent, and have decided that the next time I see it on sale I am going to grab myself a big bottle for my stash.

Paco Rabanne Black XS – A great sweet scent that reminds me of my cousin Claire, who wore it while living with my family for a few years. I love it, but I feel I have to leave it to her to rock! 

*Provided for consideration. Honesty, always.

April Empties

Rexona Girl Tropical Energy Deodorant-

A frequent feature in these posts, this is my favourite deodorant and I will keep on repurchasing.

 

Rexona Women Crystal Deodorant-

It seems like Rexona is the brand for me in the deodorant realm, and this handbag friendly size did the job and smelt nice.

 

Face of Australia Moisturising Nail Polish remover-

I enjoyed using this, it takes glitter polish off quite easily and doesn’t strip my nails as much as other brands have in the past. Have already repurchased!

Goldwell Extra Rich 60 sec Treatment*-

Reviewed here, I really enjoyed this hair treatment and am considering repurchasing once I finish up some other hair bits I have lying around.

Soap & Glory Scrub ‘Em and Leave ‘Em-

I’m finally making my way through the travel sized products I bought from Thailand over a year ago! This was heavily perfumed and less scrubby than I like, but smelt expensive and made my skin really soft and felt hydrating.

Smashbox Photo-Op Undereye Brightener*-

When I first began blogging I was invited to have a Smashbox makeover and watch the premiere of Burlesque (a movie I love, and the night I fell in love with Smashbox’s Tease gloss!) This sample was part of the goody bag, and though it was too thin to cover up any discolouration under the eyes, it was quite brightening. I am not going to purchase this as I prefer a brush style applicator (akin to YSL Touche Eclat) and found it hard to control how much came out of the tube when using this.

What did you finish up this month? I’m finding it so hard to use up makeup products, I’m working my way through Chanel Rouge Coco Shine in Boy at the moment and struggling to wear it day in and day out! How often do you finish lipsticks?

 

*Marked products provided for review. Honesty, always.

February Empties

The penny has finally dropped, and I’ve begun finishing things before moving onto something new. Keep in mind I’m talking body/shower products more than anything, I still have a different outlook on makeup usage but I’ll save that for another post. I’m enjoying using something and reviewing it before getting to try something new, it is true what they say about anticipation making things more exciting in this respect!

Palmer’s Cocoa Body Scrub- reviewed here, this was a delight to use and something I will definitely be putting into my shower routine again in the future. Love the creamy but scrubby texture that moisturises my skin without leaving the gross film that others do.

Original Source Orange Oil & Ginger shower gel – love this brand for their tangy and true-to-life scented shower gels. This one was nice but the ginger wasn’t for me, so I probably wouldn’t repurchase this particular scent for myself. Still on the hunt for the choc mint version that I can’t seem to find!

Korres Rose shower gel – as I said in my last empties (in regards to the Guava version) these really didn’t live up to my expectations. They didn’t lather all that well and the scent just seems a bit off, so I’ll be sticking with the lip butters from this brand and leaving their shower gels on the shelf.

Palmolive Body Butter Strawberry Smoother Exfoliating Body Wash – long name, and took a long time to get this one out of my shower. I wanted to love this, I really tried to, but the scent was too artificial and didn’t sit nicely with me at all. Definitely won’t repurchase, though I am tempted to try the Mango version to give Palmolive a chance to redeem themselves…

Watson’s Moisturising Facial Mask with Cucumber Extract – one of my Thailand purchases, but not my favourite from the bunch I picked up there.  I don’t feel like this makes a huge difference to my skin, though it is still a nice sheet mask.

Priceline Round Cotton Pads – I use these to remove eye makeup each night before I go in with my Dermalogica Precleanse for the rest of the face, and they are wonderful. I am trying the Daiso cotton squares at the moment which are much softer, but I still think I might prefer these cotton rounds.

Maybelline Lash Stiletto Voluptuous Mascara – Quite a dry formula that gave my lashes a nice bit of length. I used it up quite a while ago and it has been at Chris’ place so I can’t give a thorough review based on the vague memory of it all.

Norsca Anti-White Clear Sport deodorant– not a fan of this, it did leave white marks for me (being a true Melbourne girl, black rules my wardrobe!) and left me feeling quite damp immediately after application. A nice big can for the price, but the formula was a let down so I won’t be repurchasing.

Rexona Women Crystal deodorant – I kept this mini in my handbag to freshen up after a swim or during a long work day, and I really liked it. I will be repurchasing another for my handbag as soon as I get to Priceline.

 

 

Hopefully there will be some more makeup featured in my next empties…do you find it hard to use up cosmetics as well?

 

December/January Empties

I had so little to show for December in the way of empties that I decided to roll it all over into the next month. Most of this is my new year empties!

L’Oreal EverPure Moisture Conditioner- this is sulfate free and smells of rosemary and mint. Adored the sample so much and bought a full size, which is waiting in the wings until my current conditioner bites the dust.

Weleda Sea Buckthorn Replenishing Body Lotion- this smelt wonderful, and was thicker and more moisturising than I had originally anticipated. Big thumbs up!

Kiehl’s Orange Flower & Lychee Body Cleanser*- this was insanely good, it really did leave my skin soft and the smell was divine. Looking forward to repurchasing this, or perhaps one of the other scents from this collection.

Korres Guava Little Showergel- I bought this at a discount store in Sydney, and was very excited at the prospect of a new Korres love. Dismally disappointed, this smelt a little bit off, but when I sniffed the tester at Kit to see what it was meant to smell like…it smelt the same. Milky, didn’t get any ‘guava’ and I wouldn’t repurchase.

Haus of Gloi Ghost Puffs Sugar Exfoliant (sample)- love the caramel popcorn smell of this, and while I prefer the soft bubbling scrub formula from this company, this was quite nice as well.

Haus of Gloi Olde Cider Haus Sugar Exfoliant (sample)- this smelt so good, like apples with an edge of something else. The description says “old oak, sweet drying hay fields, apple pulp and vanilla husks.”

Haus of Gloi Pumpkin Queen Soft Bubbling Scrub (sample)- love the formulation of this lathery scrub, and to me it smelt of pumpkin, nutmeg and amber. Really nice, though I do see how the scent wouldn’t appeal to everyone.

Rexona Girl Free Spirit Deodorant- I prefer the Tropical Energy version of this (my very favourite) but this did the job and smelt alright.

Evian Facial Spray- I bought this in Thailand way back when, and it took so long to finish because the spritzer shot such a crappy spray that it ruined my makeup every time I tried to use it. Not sure if mine was faulty, but I’ll be sticking to my beloved Uriage either way.

Kim Kardashian Perfume 30ml- I loved this strong and sexy scent, I am normally not one to go for celebrity scents but this one sat nicely on me. Mum purchased a big bottle of this in duty free on a whim and it gives her headaches, so I think I am going to claim the new bottle as my own.

 

Aesop Reverance Aromatique Hand Balm- Review here (LINK), I am still undecided on my feelings for this. I have another sample sachet to use up, though I don’t know if that will help my decide either. Do you ever feel that way about a product?

Priceline Re-Balance Facial Cleansing Wipes- They changed the packaging and it doesn’t feel as nice as it once did, but the wipes inside are still my favourite.

Beauty Care Co Makeup Remover Pads- Did the job, not as great as the Priceline ones. I feel like these are in every single empties post? I’ve started using other methods of removal, so maybe these will not appear each month now.

Dermalogica Skin Prep Scrub- Not sure why I wasn’t expecting much from this as I have been enjoying some other Dermalogica things lately, but I was pleasantly surprised with this one. I got two uses from this small sachet (and have a sample tube on the go right now) This left my skin really, really smooth, and didn’t make me break out or anything like that. Will be dedicating a whole post to this soon!

Did you get through much in the first month of this year?

*Marked products were provided, and the samples were obviously not purchased but obtained in various ways. Honesty, always.

November Empties

 

Another month gone and another lot of finished products to share, albeit smaller than the usual lot. Here we go! 

Priceline Round Cotton Pads – love using these for removing eye makeup, using Bioderma and tidying up fallout after applying heavy eye makeup. I find the Priceline branded rounds fall apart less than other brands, but I generally just pick up whatever is around when I need them.

Athena Beauty Facial Cleansing Wipes – these weren’t great, they fell apart as you took them out of their packet and they were terribly dry. Definitely won’t repurchase!

Clarins Advanced Extra-Firming Eye Contour Cream – this was only 3 nights worth, but I found it irritated my eyes a little bit. I’m going to look into other Clarins eye creams when I need to purchase one.

Clinique Take the Day Off Eye Makeup Remover (for lids, lashes and lips) – I bought this in Sydney as I needed a heavy duty remover for my eyes, and I was really impressed with it. It took off makeup in a flash, and though it left a bit of residue I didn’t mind the feeling at all. I will repurchase a large size of this when I’ve finished the other removers I have lying around.

Random eyelash glue – I have Duo, there is no need to put this near my eyelids so out it goes.

Lipgloss Pot – this was a GWP when I bought some Essie and China Glaze polishes from an outlet type place, but it smells weird and the packaging is slimy and I wouldn’t even give it to my nieces. Out it goes!

Savers Halloween Makeup – didn’t realise that once you opened this packaging, the cover went with it and so this ended up a furry mess. Not keen on putting it on my mug anyway, so no great loss.

Soap and Glory Flake Away – this body scrub was really nice to use, I’ll be doing a full review of it this week!

Rexona Girl Tropical Energy deodorant – as always, my favourite deodorant makes it into my empties. Love it, will repurchase.

Rexona Women Shiny ‘Fragrance Collection’ deodorant – love that Rexona have to specify who their deodorants are for! Not sure about the collection name, or the shiny aspect, but this was a decent deodorant that I picked up because it was on sale.

Nail Polish remover pads – bought this back when I was at uni and needed to rid my nails of chipped polish. The smell of this is really strong and they are quite thin, but they get the job done and are good to have on hand.

 

Clinique High Impact Mascara sample x2 – I really like this mascara, and collect the samples every time a Clinique GWP rolls around. These have been open for far too long, so out they go.

B Collection by Bloom Last Out mascara – Didn’t like this mascara, the formula was so wet that it just went everywhere and it didn’t define my lashes very nicely.

Powder Puff (from my Maybelline Dream Matte Powder) – this fell on the floor, eck. I like having these spongey puffs in the section underneath the powder for desperate touch ups, but more often I reach for a travel sized powder brush.

essence Sun Club gel liner in BBC All Night Blue – this sadly dried up before I had a chance to give it a go, I think I accidently left the lid unscrewed. Was a stunning shade for summer, I adore the essence gel liners.

Bourjois Healthymix Foundation – love this formula (and the serum formula as well) It glides on as a moisturiser would, and leaves a dewy healthy finish as they name would suggest. Would highly recommend!

September Finito's!

Yup, it is empties time again at camp emmabovarybeauty!

I am pleased with my efforts to make a dent in my sample/travel sized products, and I am happy to think that some of these are things I would like to repurchase sometime down the line.

Body Care!

 

Glad to finish the Aveeno Skin Relief Body Wash (sample)*, I thought I had already used up all of my samples but this one was found floating around and I burned through it. I am not a fan of unscented body washes, but this didn't irritate so it might be great for those against scented body washes. I would not repurchase.

 

The 1SkinSolution Vanilla Bean Body Cream (travel size)* was a delight to use, these last few months have seen me up the ante with moisturising my body and this was such a delicious scent. It's a runny liquid formulation that is moisturising, I will be repurchasing down the track.

 

The TREsemme Moisture Rich conditioner wasn't very impressive, it wasn't the worst conditioner I've used but it was only passable. I like the feel of Terax too much to enjoy most other conditioners...let me know what you think I should try next?

 

Lush Too Drunk Emotibomb was sadly a chucker, I bought this who knows how long ago and it went bad. I don't partake in baths often enough to make these purchases necessary, so the next Lush thing on my list is Ro's Argan Body Conditioner, as it is shower friendly.

 

Deodorants!

 

Spray Fresh Activ High Energy deodorant is one that Chris and I both used. It isn't too strongly scented but the fact that they leave out the 'e' in active irks me. I find it sometimes stings but Chris says my pits need to 'man up', and he has already repurchased.

 

Rexona Girl Tropical Energy deodorant is my all-time fave, it smells great and does a good job of keeping me fresh. I always have a stock of these in my bathroom cupboard (and already have another emptied for October empties!) so yes, repurchase.

 

Skincare!

 

I find the BeautyCareCo makeup pads to be a cheap option to throw in the cart when I am at K-Mart, but they do fall apart more easily than the Priceline branded alternatives. I am almost done with another pack of these (I bought a double pack) and though I prefer the Priceline ones, I will repurchase.

 

Avene Cleanance Oil-Free Emulsion moisturiser* was something I really enjoyed using during this transitional weather, though I needed something heavier in the evenings this was nice for day use. It made my skin feel smooth and sunk in fast, and I would repurchase this down the track and come back around to using it. It's hard when you change up skincare often, but knowing what I like is a nice feeling.

 

Clinique Turnaround Concentrate Visible Skin Renewer wasn't even mine to begin with, my cousin lived with us for over a year and left this behind. I loved the way it felt on my skin but don't know if Clinique still make this exact formula...I am tossing this because it's been around forever, but I would repurchase (you know how those Clinique GWP's sucker me in!)

 

Kiehls Cucumber Herbal Oil-Free Toner* was another travel sized product I was happy to complete, I used this after cleansing to make sure my skin was a clean slate for my serums. I loved the deep green colour of this liquid, and though I find toners hard to see results from, I think I liked this. It lasted forever!

 

Face of Australia Purifying Cleansing Wipes were a mad sale purchase, I love picking these up when K-Mart are having a $3 off FOA sale and neglect to exclude this wipes. They are thin but sturdy and I mainly use them for swatch clean up and the odd residue wipe off on my face.

 

 

How much did you finish this month!?

 

 

*Marked products were PR samples or sent for consideration, but the fact I used them up speaks volumes. Honesty, always.

 

 



June Empties

In June I really made an effort to try out some of the sample products I had lying around, and use up the half empty shower products that were wasting space. I am pleased with what I've used up, and will aim for even more in July!

Botanics of Australia Revitalising Body Cleanser with Lemon Aspen*

This was very different to the scents I normally have in in shower, it was a little too 'Australiana' smelling for me but I loved that it came out in pearlescent little squiggles!

Garnier Fructis Sensitve Anti-Dandruff Shampoo

The only shampoo that fixes my flaky scalp = my one true love.

John Frieda Conditioner*

This came with the new foam hair dye, and though it was moisturising it can only really be used one a week unless you like build up in your ends.

Lush Glogg Shower Gel

This is one of their Christmas time releases, it is uber spicy and richly scented, not for the faint of heart. I wish the cloves and cinnamon were played down a little by more of the mulled wine, as when I had a cold during the month my dulled senses enjoyed this shower gel.

L'Occitane Cherry Princess Pearlescent Shower Cream*

This was such a lovely scent and the formula was lovely, but I wanted new scents for the shower so am not too sad to have finished this one up.

Rexona Clinical Protection Deodorant*

This deodorant is a cream formula and really does stop BO and perspiration in general. Mad love.

Burt's Bees Cranberry & Pomegranate Sugar Scrub

As you can see in my review (here) I'm not a major fan of this. Good at moisturising and isn't a horrible smell, but too daquiri-like for me and the seed-rage is too strong.

Hugo Boss orange sample

This little fabric swab was doused in the Hugo Boss fragrance and to be honest I don't distinctly remember the scent, but think it was citrusy and nice, but nothing extraordinary.

BareMinerals Prime Time foundation primer

This was a silicone based formula and I had my doubts, but this worked really well and didn't seem to break me out. Not sure if I would repurchase a full size of it, but I'm considering it.

Covergirl gloss

So old that it had to go, I don't even remember buying this.

Levou Aquaproof Mascara

Something about this mascara put me off trying it, it was in a free sample bag from somewhere random and I wasn't interested in trying it out.

Alpha-H Age Delay Cleansing Oil*

This little pot of oil (full size comes in a tube) was something I wasn't sure about, but ended up really enjoying. I used it as a sort of pre-cleanse and found it really easy to use, and I think I am going to buy a full size down the track.

Charmed Soap Bar

I am not the biggest fan of soap bars anyway and I don't know why this made a home in my shower. Gross and gone.

Showface Powder

I don't know if this is meant to be a blush or an eyeshadow, but it came smashed with my June Lust Have It bag. I emailed back and forth with Lust Have It, and when the replacement arrived, their were two pots inside and yet another was smashed. This is the second smashed pot, the other one went straight into the bin and made the biggest mess of my bathroom.

Phew, glad that is over!

How much did you finish in June?

*Marked items were sent to me.

July Favourites

I know I am super late with this, but I was never in the same place as all of the products in order to take a photo! Here is what I loved hardest in July.



July Favourites!



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Rexona Girl in Tropical Energy is pretty much my favourite deodorant, it smells incredible and keeps me comfy and dry throughout the day.

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Alpha-H Gentle Daily Exfoliant* is a product I'd never have noticed on my own, but am so glad to have used! Helps keep the flakies at bay and keeps my skin super soft without being rough. Review is here.

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Rimmel Match Perfection Cream Gel Foundation* in Ivory is ace. Have a review coming up, but suffice to say I'm loving this sick.

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Face of Australia liquid eyeliner* in Black is a product I used almost every day in July, and assisted me in my goal to master a liquid eyeliner. Easier to use than others I've tried, the brush tip was easy to wield after a bit of practice.

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Sportsgirl 'Get Cheeky' blush is the one I reached for most in July, I loved that it was more sheen than disco shimmer so could be worn all day and into the night. Review is here.

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Colour blocking with Orange and Pink- I have this combo on my tootsies right now, alternating OPI's 'In My Back Pocket' with Ulta3's 'Bo Peep'

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L'oreal Colour Riche Serum lipstick in Freshly Candy is crazily creamy, and was purchased when I first began reading Primped. Zoe Foster loved it, so I had to have it, and as always she chose a winner! Wear this quite a bit, it's a really great pink for me.

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Essence Stay with Me lipgloss is 'Me & My Ice Cream' is amaaaazing! I've spoken about my love for Essence before, and my biggest crush is on these babies. This colour works perfectly with Freshly Candy and they create the perfect combo to accompany a smoky eye.

So that is the round up of what I've been loving in July! Let me know if you've tried any of these products, or would like to see them reviewed.

emmabovary xx

*Marked items were provided for consideration for review, which in no way affects my opinion of them. Honesty always!