2017 Quarterly Empties - Quarter One and Two

I'm forging ahead with my quarterly empties efforts but have two lumped in together for this post, covering the first half of the year. Being pregnant threw off my brain a little bit but I kept all of my empties for this late post! I'm definitely buying a lot less than I used to and finishing/giving away products more often so I think a pared down stash is becoming more possible for me than ever before.

 HAIR

Still very boring in the hair stakes over here, I'm loving the Cedel shampoo as it really does soothe my scalp and I'm planning on stockpiling it for later on. I also really liked the L'Oreal conditioner as it left my hair really soft and the packaging is gorgeous.

 

Would repurchase: Batiste Tropical Dry Shampoo, Cedel Anti-Dandruff Medicated Shampoo, L'Oreal Elvive Volume Collagen Conditioner

Probably wouldn't repurchase: Garnier Fructis Instant Melt-In Mask, Awapuhi Mango Moisturising Conditioner

  

MAKEUP 

I'm really pleased to have finished the MAC MSFN and enjoyed using it, but I'm interested in trying out other powders once I've rotated through all the ones I've hoarded in my makeup drawers over the years. Right now I'm back onto an old Maybelline Dream Matte powder (remember those?!) that needs to be finished and is showing some major pan. The gel eyeliner dried up and the lip crayon sadly fell apart soon after purchase, and I'm not going to bother trying to depot it or anything like that so out it goes. 

Would repurchase: MAC Mineralize Skin Finish Natural, essence Gel Eyeliner, Skindinavia makeup Finishing Spray, Max Factor Masterpiece Glamour Extensions Mascara*

Probably wouldn't repurchase: Face of Australia Sundae Sheer Gloss Lip Crayon

SHOWER

Those Palmolive body butter body washes are decadent and smell amazing, despite the confusing name. Peppermint Crush is just stunning and I want to get a bottle to use in the festive season this year! I made an effort to pull out some travel sized shower gels to show them some love rather than hoarding them away - I used the Sweet Magnolia and Clementine while in Queensland and it was lovely. The Body Shop Fuji Green Tea collection was nice to use, and while the Grown Alchemist Pearl, Peppermint & Ylang Ylang body exfoliant comes in a stunning metal tube but I just found it a bit too tricky to squeeze out each time I showered.

Would repurchase: Palmolive body washes, Original Source shower gels, Bath & Body Works shower gels, The Body Shop shower gels, Priceline Body Scrub (sadly discontinued)  

Probably wouldn't repurchase: The Body Shop Fuji Green Tea Body Scrub (not scrubby enough for me) Grown Alchemist Pearl Peppermint & Ylang Ylang Body Exfoliant

 FRAGRANCE 

Loved everything Mr and I used up in this category - both of the male products were nice and didn't annoy my sensitive pregnant nose, and I thoroughly enjoyed using the body spray as well as the beautiful Vivienne Westwood perfume (that packaging though, swoon!)

Would repurchase: Old Spice Denali Body Spray, Ralph Lauren Polo Blue*, Bath & Body Works Wild Madagascan Vanilla Fragrance Mist, Vivienne Westwood Flirty Alice perfume*

 SKINCARE

I was impressed by so many of these products - the L'Oreal moisturiser was so luxe and reminiscent of Lancome products in so many ways, and I unexpectedly fell for the La Clinica Anti-Aging Cleansing Oil which my skin just adored. It smelt quite strongly of a florist which put me off at first, but the effect on the skin was unbeatable and I will definitely be looking into buying this product down the line. I used up the small tub of The Body Shop body butter as my first foray into tummy moisturisation after purchasing a gift set at a thrift store (hence all of the Fuji products in this post!)

Would repurchase: L'Oreal Skin Perfection Moisturiser, La Clinica Anti-Aging Cleansing Oil*, The Body Shop Body Butter (probably in a different scent next time though) Origins Modern Friction, Nuxe Huile Prodigieuse Multi-Purpose Dry Oil

Probably wouldn't repurchase: Dove Go Fresh Face Cleanser*, Burt's Bees Radiance Facial Cleanser with Royal Jelly*, Neutrogena Makeup Removing Wipes*, Josie Maran Pure Argan Milk

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Glad to have finally posted these empties, now to continue making my way through some more products to whittle down my stash and try new things! 

Emma x

*Products provided for consideration. Honesty, always.

Bali Beauty Haul

Back in January I spent two week in Bali with friends to celebrate a very special wedding, and I've decided to post up the beauty products I hauled over there seeing as I haven't even cracked into them yet! I've been so focused on using up the bulk of my stockpile to bring my beauty room to normality that I haven't been trying the exciting new bits I brought back from overseas, but I figured now was as good a time as any to take a look at what I got and start trying things out!

Original Source Vanilla & Raspberry Body Butter - I'm not particularly fond of this scent from OS but I made grabby hands purely because we don't have access to anything but the shower gels here in Australia!

 

Silkygirl Big Eye Mascara & Moisture Boost Lip Crayon - I'd heard of this brand via Vita's blog, which was the only reason I threw something random from them into my cart at the pharmacy. I also meant to get the powder she raves about but as you'll see below, my memory wasn't great that day...

 

Hado Labo Ultimate Moisturising Milk - I had dashed into a pharmacy with a friend to get some cool air while waiting for our driver, and was confronted with a wall of Hado Labo, a brand that I've never before had access to...a moisturiser seemed like a safe option to try out.

 

Maybelline Velvet Matte by Color Sensational in various shades - I saw the cheap Maybelline price coupled with the word matte on the outer wrapping of these, and over the course of the two weeks a stack of shades ended up climbing into my suitcase. Shamed to say I haven't given all of them a good whirl yet, but the ones I've tried have quite a mousse-like consistency.

Garnier Sakura White Pinkish Radiance Gentle Foam, Whitening Cream and Sleeping Essence - I'd never seen these before (of course the range came out in Australia right after I returned from Bali - though I don't know if the products are identical?) but they seemed pretty interesting and I generally like Garnier skincare range. I still have some skincare to trial so I won't be using these right away, but am excited to eventually try them!

Cottage Le Caramel Gourmet Shower Gel & Moisturizing Body Milk - Another blog-influenced purchase, from the now defunct Mustard Jumper. From memory she bought these from France? I was so excited to see them on the shelf in Seminyak one day, and I need moisturiser like a hole in the head but bought it regardless (because that is what I do)

 

REN Moroccan Rose Otto Body Lotion - Technically this 50ml tube came free with a magazine I bought at Melbourne Airport, but once I can see an airplane I'm in holiday mode so I count this as a holiday purchase.

Biore Body Foam Whitening Scrub - Truth be told, I bought this purely for the weird factor! I am partial to trying Biore products while holidaying in Asia, it just seems the thing to do, you know?

Stroberi Nail Polishes - These reminded me of shades from the old OPI Spiderman collection, and that is about as far as my rationalizing will go for these. The Stroberi store is so cute and every time we drove past it we would have a good giggle at the name, so at least these bring back fond holiday memories!

Silkygirl Brightening 2-Way Foundation & Skin Perfect CC 2-Way Foundation - These were my attempt at purchasing Vita's favourite product, close but no cigar! Hopefully they are just as lovely though.

L'Oreal Mat Magique All-in-One Matte Transforming Powder and Canne Film Festival Limited Edition Nail Polishes - I have this strange obsession with buying powders when in Asia, and the pink case for this was too cute to pass on. The polishes were on clearance and such majestic looking shades!

Yves Rocher Hydra Vegetal Intense Hydrating Mask, Peach Creamy Gel Moisturiser, Apple Delight Perfume and Blushes

Fellow blogger Anna always raves about the Yves Rocher brand, so as soon as I spotted it I knew I was about to spend a lot of time filling up a basket. I dipped into most areas of their product line to give it all a go, and was pleased to find two neutral rose toned blushes to add to my blush stash #blushfiend

 

The Body Shop Camomile Sumptuous Cleansing Butter and Silky Cleansing Oil -  I'd been wanting to dip my toe into the skincare side of TBS and I love a good cleansing butter or oil, so this felt like a sensible indulgence and I think it worked out a bit cheaper to buy it over there than on Australian soil (plus holiday money is play money, right? ha!)

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It will be a while before my next holiday, so it felt extra nice to sit down and remember all of the lovely things I purchased while away. I also stocked up on a whole lot of Bath and Body Works products but there was too much to fit in this post. Perhaps I should post my collection someday?

-Emma

2016 Empties - First Quarter

Why did I leave the first instalment in this years empties so late? Purely because I am forgetful, but I want it up for my own personal record so this will be short and sweet with the next instalment up this Friday!
SHOWER

I'd purchase all of these shower products again - The Body Shop makes amazing shower gels, Original Source is my affordable go-to, Palmolive scents are divine and Lush is lush - need I say more?
PERFUME + HAIR

I was disappointed with my Hollister Silver Strand Beach Body Spray that I ended up using as a room spray - I adore the scent and ambience of their stores but think their true scents are the way to go as this smelt of alcohol to me. I'll miss the addition of a classy rose scent in my collection now that I've finished up Bvlgari Rose Essentielle, and it will be a while before I purchase the lovely smelling Schwarzkopf Ultimate Repair Anti-Damage Mask again as I'm trialling a stack of other hair products now.
SKINCARE

This is the section that makes me feel most accomplished. For the first quarter I used up Maybelline Make-Up Remover* (wasn't effective) My Beauty Diary Red Vine sheet mask (enjoyed this) Biore Deep Cleansing Pore Strips (automatic repurchase) and am tossing the Yes to Cucumber Wipes* as they dried up before I could finish them. I was sad to finish off my Dermalogica Precleanse as it's my favourite cleansing oil, and my love affair with La Roche-Posay Efflaclar Duo+* is well documented on this blog. I also used up an adorably teensy Bioderma Crealine H2O and Caudalie Cleansing Water, which was okay but I still prefer the classic Bioderma or Garnier cleansing waters.

 

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What products do you find most satisfying to use up? It's always frustrating if the product is limited edition or hard to get your hands on, but even finishing my favourite skincare can be annoying because it just means I have to fork out more cash to have it back in my routine!

-Emma x

 

 

*Marked products were provided for consideration.

Disappointing Products #1

This is the first disappointing products post I've ever written, and the idea of it all makes me feel equal parts thrilled and nervous. I'm open to all opinions on product and am always straight up in my reviews, but often if a product doesn't meet the mark I leave it off the blog rather than goss about it - I've decided that it's important for my slice of the internet to have a good balance so here are some products that I've personally not got on with recently!

Maybelline Make Up Remover Eye & Lip*
The redeeming feature of this was the fact that it didn't leave behind an oily film...but it also failed to remove the majority of my eye makeup and stung my eyes every now and again! I've seen a few people post about their love for this and I think I might've been recently spoilt with the amazing Clarins Gentle Eye Makeup Remover*, but this Maybelline bottle is definitely not on my list of products to purchase!

Luma Cosmetics Tinted Moisturiser*
I like a fair whack of coverage even when it comes to my tinted moisturisers, so the sheer nature of this just wasn't up my alley. For those who like a light look that is quite dewy this might be worth a try, but I think I'll stick to my medium to full satin bases from now on!

Luma Cosmetics Fawn + Taupe Eyeshadow*
I tried as hard as I could to get enough pigment from this duo for a makeup look, but I just couldn't get it to work for me as it was so sheer. I'd put money towards one of the pigmented blushes from this line instead, they seem like far better value and the pale pink packaging is very sweet (check out my review of the shade Soft Peach here)

Revlon Colorstay Moisture Stain (Barcelona Nights)
I had high hopes for this but found that it wouldn't sit on my lips nicely, migrating away from the centre of my lips instead of coating them. I found this really tacky too, and had more success dabbing it on as a nice stain as the colour is truly beautiful.

Schwarzkopf Moisture Gloss 10 Days Shine Hair Mask
The holographic sparkly box this was packaged in was (seen in this haul) is much prettier than the plain blue tub it reveals, and despite the promising name I didn't find this to add much moisture (or gloss!) to my hair at all. I'm in the process of trying out a bunch of hair masks and it seems that my hair might be too thick and long for a lot of them, so perhaps those with fine thin hair would enjoy this mask a lot more than I did.

Original Source Daily Scrub Blood Orange
I've come to realise that 'daily scrub' means weak scrub, or body wash with some chunks inside for good measure. I'm all about that scrub life (as I wrote about here!) and this just didn't cut it for me, so I'll stick to spending my cash on the amazing Original Source shower gels instead!

The Body Shop Vanilla Bliss Body Polish*
I definitely prefer the tub scrubs that The Body Shop sell over these body polishes, they are in that grey area between shower scrub and gel and they just don't suit my tastes. The TBS shower gels are probably my favourite product they sell, so I'd recommend trying those instead if you're in the market for a great body wash (I'm currently using the Satsuma scent, it's amazing!)

If you are a fan of these products, feel free to tell me why in the comments below; all opinions are welcome and what doesn't work for me might totally work for you!
-Emma

New Beauty Releases

The tried and true products are still well-loved, but playing with the new kids on the block makes me so happy and excited about makeup and beauty again in a big way ('cause they've got the right stuff, babyyyy - points if you get the reference!)

Despite being deep into a Netflix-induced old school Gossip Girl obsession right now, I'm still totally up for trying out new things and the best way I know how is by taking a peek at the new beauty bits on shelves and slapping them on myself for a whirl! My cheeks have been glowing thanks to the new Sisley Phyto-Touche Illusion D'Ete* which is one of those awesome gel powders that fake a really healthy look (no real rays for this fair maiden!) and naturally I'm still stuck on the new Chanel Joues Contraste Powder Blushes - the pictured Alezane shade is a serious stunner. I've been popping those over the new L'Oreal Infallible 24HR Matte Foundation in Vanilla* - annoyingly transfers easily but I quite enjoy the finish of this base so I'm sure use up the tube despite that!

New lip releases are a dime a dozen and since my drawers are stacked high I'm picky about what I'll try - the Carmex Green Tea Jasmine Lip Balm sounded too delicious to pass up, the Bobbi Brown Telluride lipgloss in Sunset* is gorgeous (see it in action here!) and may replace my old Nars lipgloss obsession, and the packaging of the new Lancôme Shine Lover Lipstick in Twisted Beige* is definitely the brands best yet. The sheer and shiny finish may not last the longest on my lips, but I like the colour a whole lot and as long as the weather isn't too hot I like toting this tube about in my handbag (not a fan of melted lip products!)

Twisted Beige, Sisley bronzing gel powder, Alezane, Sunset

I'm still loving the first three Urban Decay Naked palettes, but practising my smoky eye game with the fresh Naked Smoky Palette has been a lot of fun and I'm really glad I added it into my UD collection. Something I'm less chuffed about is the new Rimmel Wake Me Up Mascara* - at first I liked the pretty green tube, awesome cucumber scent and wet formula, but it takes what seems like an eternity to dry on my lashes and I always manage to get mascara all over my lids before it sets properly. I'd rather buy a few Rimmel nail polish bottles instead of this, a much better investment I think!

Rounding out the newbies? The Body Shop Italian Summer Fig EDT*, a jolt of strong figgy goodness that I've been wearing a ton of! I just saw in store that they have those cute little gift cubes in this scent for Christmas gift-giving - how perfect is that!? I have to pick up an early KK present this week so I'm going to hit them up for sure. 

 

Tried anything new lately?

What's your best $20 and under KK gift idea for a lady?

What lipgloss formula is your all-time favourite?

Hands up who got the song reference at the start of the post?!

-Emma x

 

 

*Marked products provided for consideration. Honesty, always!

Satsuma Sunshine

As I type this I'm curled up on the couch with Charlie the Cavalier, hair sopping wet in a towel and exhausted from scrubbing out our ensuite shower. Since showers are on my mind I thought it the perfect time to share my thoughts on The Body Shop's limited edition Satsuma Shower Gel!

Originally an annual Boxing Day launched scent, the Satsuma scent is currently available at The Body Shop in a whole big range of products - but by far, my favourite product from the brand is their sudsy and delicious-smelling shower gels! The lather with these is perfect and I've hoarded this particular bottle from a Boxing Day splurge many moons ago - I have to admit that I often pop open that lid for a sniff when no-one is looking! TBS shower gels are a bit pricier than the average that our household uses (we go through the stuff so fast!) and as a result of that, Mister isn't allowed to use any of TBS stuff and is relegated to the Original Source bottles I stock up on for us (as evidenced in this Instagram post!)

Satsuma is a whopping great hit of tart and tangy tangerine in a bottle for me - the scent immediately makes me happy and it's probably my favourite from the brand, followed closely by the lovely floral Moringa from the permanent line. The only negative about this that I could think of was that I'm unsure about the other products in the Satsuma line up - do I want a perfume or body mist to make me smell like a walking tangerine?! I can't really knock that as I haven't personally tried it out, but I can't see myself reaching for it like I do my vanilla body mists...

TBS shower gels are soap free and this satsuma scent is naturally fragranced with satsuma peel essential oil- how lush is that?!  The 250ml bottle retails for $9.95 AUD but it also comes in a jumbo 750ml size for $19.95 AUD, along with products like hand sanitizers, mini gift cubes, beautifying oil and the famed body butters! I'm considering grabbing one of the Body Sorbet's ($19.95/200ml) as it seems like a perfect summer moisturiser for me...

Are you a citrus gal at heart, or are florals more your thing?
What is your fave Body Shop scent and product?
-Emma


*Purchased this product myself - honesty, always!

March Purchases + Pick-Ups

Another round up of purchases and pick-ups are ahead – I used some gift cards in March and treated myself to a few new beauty bits to spice up my routine, and I’m quite pleased with everything I chose.

PURCHASES!

Sugarpill 'Midori'



Hourglass Modernist Eyeshadow Palette 'Colour Field'

I picked up just one product from my visit to Salon Melbourne, a Sugarpill Single Shadow in Midori which I’ve used briefly during the month. The green theme continued when I picked up the Hourglass Modernist Eyeshadow Palette in Colour Field with a Myer gift card I had left over from Christmas – I didn’t intend to fill my drawers with new green products but it seems my green nail polish obsession is transferring over to other beauty items as well!

essence lipliners - wish me a rose + in the nude



Covergirl Ready Set Gorgeous Foundation



essence 'Good Girls Wear Peach' Blush

I spiced up my lip colour stash with more shades of the essence Lipliners, which are such amazing quality (especially considering the $2 price tag!) I now have the whole range since I picked up the last two – 11 In the Nude and 12 Wish Me a Rose.  I mentioned in my New on Shelf post that I finally nabbed the Covergirl Ready Set Gorgeous Foundation after failing to find my pale shade in Hawaii – so far I like the formula, but it hasn’t knocked the Covergirl Outlast Foundation off the top spot. The last makeup bit I grabbed in March is something I haven’t even swatched yet – bit of a fail as a beauty blogger, right? The essence blush ‘Good Girls Wear Peach’ from the Good Girl Bad Girl collection is quite pretty and I think that it will look gorgeous over a matte peach blush…even if they formula isn’t great I collect these limited edition blushes, so it will still be worth it.

PICK-UPS!

 

Sisley goodies!



Katy Perry - Killer Queen's Spring Reign



Rimmel Apocalips Matte Lip Velvet

Some exciting Sisley* bits hit my desk in March, and I am so pumped to have another of the fabulous Phyto Lip Twists* to stash in my handbag. A new spring scent came through to brighten up this dreary autumn weather in the form of Katy Perry’s Killer Queen's Spring Reign * (Mister and I are huge KP fans, she is a total babe!) I’ve also just started trialling the new take on the famous Rimmel Apocalips – the Matte Lip Velvet* version! I adore a good matte lip right now (bit of an obsession actually) so fingers crossed these adhere nicely to the lips.

The Body Shops Drops of Youth Bouncy Sleeping Mask



OPI Hawaii mini pack

 

The press sample that has excited me most this month? The Body Shop Drops of Youth Bouncy Sleeping Mask*! I love love love a good overnight mask (it was top of my wishlist!) and can’t wait to trial this one for the blog. I also squealed a little bit when the OPI Hawaii mini pack of polishes arrived – I think the juicy Aloha From OPI will be the first to hit my nails from this tropical collection.

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I received a few other bits and bobs that will be posted about in more detail during the month – so many lovely new bits in my stash right now and I’m loving it! I am currently lemming a new blush though (not a particular blush, I just really want a new one!) so I think that might be what I look to purchase in April.

What have you hauled recently?

-Emma x

*Provided for consideration. Honesty, always.

 

Sample Selection #1

I've decided to begin a new series in order to dip into my sample stash and throw some mini reviews up onto the blog. First up is a selection of adorable little sample pots that Mumma Bovary nabbed for me at The Body Shop. Our local shops had a scratch and win, and Mumma B came up trumps with a rare win - usually all we see is 'better luck next time'! The lure of the free samples dragged her in even though the scent of shops like that is normally far too much for her sensitive head. She walked out with Honeymania Body Butter, Coconut Scrub and Honeymania Shower Gel sample, which she promptly brought round to mine and gifted me!

 

I've been wanting to try the Honeymania scent since it launched, and it is so much more than a simple honey scent lemme tell you. It is floral and strong, and I'd say it is more honey blossom than a sweet nectar sort of scent.

 

The shower gels from TBS are always lovely (I rely on the travel sizes anytime I go away) but the Coconut Scrub was a little bit new for me as I'd previously only tried the sugar-based scrubs. This one was creamy with little bits of grit in it and left my skin really soft and smooth, but I've smelt better scents from TBS so I'd probably choose another scrub when the time comes.

 

The winner of this trio was definitely the Honeymania Body Butter - the butters are quite heavy on the skin (and also very moisturising, so there's that...) but the scent was perfect and it fixed my dry elbows in a flash - very classy I am!

 

So what scents do you recommend I sniff when I head back in for my complimentary express makeover? Do you have any Body Shop loves that you just can't get enough of?

 

Emma @ emmabovarybeauty

May Empties

Another month has flown by and I’ve managed to power through a few shower products, some moisturising products and some usual suspects. Next month will hopefully see more makeup products (NYX Peach, be gone!) but I’m still quite pleased with the bulky items that have bit the dust this month.

 

The Body Shop Moringa Body Butter – this is something that has been in my stash for a long time now, and I’m glad to have used it up before it turned or anything like that. The Moringa scent is just amazing and the body butter formula is nice and thick, though I do wish they would sink in a bit quicker. I enjoyed this and am planning on repurchasing another scent in this small tub form sometime down the line.

Maybelline Total Clean City Rescue Eye Makeup Remover- Happy to have bought this on sale, and like the slim line packaging and the nice formula. I still prefer the Clinique version, but considering it is much pricier this one will probably be a repurchase for me.

 

Daiso Cosmetic Cotton – was peer pressured into buying this by some fellow beauty bloggers while out shopping with them, and I was pleased with how cheap (and soft!) these cotton squares are.

 

QV Heel Balm*- This should have been used up long ago, but I think it is safe to say that we are all guilty of neglecting our feet far too often! This was thick and softened the feet nicely, though the smell wasn’t something I’d shout about.

Spray Fresh Activ Deodorant – This was a decent deodorant but I will still stick with Rexona.

Soap & Glory Breakfast Scrub* – A really nice scrub that smells just like the inside of a Pancake Parlour! Maple syrup dominates this and the scrub is great at sloughing away dead skin and leaving the skin soft. Pleased at how affordable this is ($18.95 at Kit Cosmetics) and would purchase in the future.

Soap & Glory Clean Girls body wash- I really wasn’t a fan of this scent, it was sort of medicinal and milky. I was glad this was only a travel size I picked up from Thailand!

Soap & Glory The Scrub of Your Life body buffer- This was a nice enough body scrub, but I think if you are wanting to buy a scrub from Soap & Glory I would go for the Breakfast Scrub or perhaps their Pulp Friction, which incidentally is the one I am hoping to buy next.

 

How often do you finish up body scrubs?

 What eye makeup remover is your favourite?

*Provided for consideration. Honesty, always.

Vineyard Peach from The Body Shop

I’ll admit it, I tend to go for scents in the citrus and vanilla sphere when choosing a new body butter or shower gel. When the new release from The Body Shop hit my desk, I was intrigued and was happy to get outside the usual fragrance funk and try something new. Vineyard Peach is a special limited edition release from the eco-friendly company, and like the rest of their scent line, this one is a winner!

 

Smelling like straight up fresh cut peaches, this is heavily scented stuff we’re dealing with. As always, it is the shower gel ($12.95) that steals my heart the most. The Body Shop shower gels are probably my favourite on the market, they lather up the perfect amount and the scents are always in your face, without being in your face, you know? The gel leaves your skin soft and not at all squeaky (nobody wants that, seriously) and the scent sticks to your skin in a delicate and subtle way after you dry off.

 

A surprising front runner is the body scrub containing ground peach seeds ($27.95) I am generally a fan of the sugar based heavy hitting scrubs from these guys, and this seemed so gentle and creamy that I wasn’t sure it would blossom into a full relationship. Lo and behold, I’ve become accustomed to some exfoliation on the lighter end of the scale, possibly persuaded by the fact that this makes your skin so soft and moisturised, without ANY residue. Big win guys, standing ovation please! 

 

Now when it comes to post-shower indulgence, The Body Shop brings both a lotion ($21.95)and a thick butter ($27.95) to the table. I like my moisturisation to be intense and worthwhile, so I am definitely rooting for the big ol’ tub of peachy goodness that the butter holds. The lotion doesn’t really do it for me, but I suppose 3 outta 4 ain’t bad?

 

Since this is a limited release deal, I suggest you take a sniff next time you’re in the vicinity of the eco-haven that is The Body Shop. If it doesn’t tickle your fancy, my uber faves Satsuma and Moringa should be on a shelf close by, so give them some love as well. I don’t mind a long wander in their stores, as they assistants aren’t pushy when they know you just want to stand there and sniff every single scent they have. Not that I do that often…

 

 

*These products were provided for consideration. My father in law ate all the peaches so I was stuck with nectarines for this shoot...did you notice? Honesty, always.

Nightly Beauty Routine

I tend to either hit a wall while blogging and fall asleep in no time, or enjoy taking my time to pamper myself before bed. If I can be bothered, these are the star products kept close to my sleeping quarters.



 

To be honest, The Body Shop Moringa body butter has been joined by the new Vanilla Bliss* fragrance, I alternate between festive and yummy or floral and summery to keep my skin soft. I can’t get enough of my Victoria’s Secret Amber Romance lotion, that stuff couldn’t smell better if it tried. Hands are treated to my all-time favourite cream, Endota Spa’s Lavender & Alpine Pepper*. Never would I have considered putting lavender with pepper, so I guess it is lucky there are places like Endota around!

 

 

I’ve been really loving my Antipodes Avocado Pear Nourishing Night Cream, it has kept my skin soft and supple while helping out with the flaky skin issue as well. It smells good, is well-priced and the packaging is sexy- what more could I want?! My Korres Lip Butter in Jasmine is too milky pink for me to wear during the day, but I use it every night before bed and it soothes my lips and smells yummy.

 

 

I’ve almost used up my QV Heel Balm, and love slathering it on before I go to bed to keep my feet from getting dry and horrible. There is nothing worse (in my opinion) than seeing someone wearing a killer pair of shoes, with cracked and peeling heels. Avoid at all costs, prevention is better than cure in this scenario. My L’Occitane Lavande Cologne* smells too good, and relaxes me if I’m feeling anxious or having trouble going to sleep at night. This sits on my desk and I use it quite frequently to soothe my mind (and make myself smell good in the process) Huge bottle is a lifesaver! I tend to give myself a manicure before bed, so that I can sleep in a little later in the morning rather than having to do my nails then. Seche Vite is a topcoat I am trying out at the moment (and Sally Hansen Diamond Flash*, too) I’m leaning towards vampy nails right now (bottle pictured is from the essence Breaking Dawn Part 2 collection) I’m also loving festive nails, but summer is coming so I am sure brights will be gracing my nails quite often as well.

 

What products are in your nightly beauty routine? How often do you change your nail polish, or moisturise your whole body?

 

*Marked items were provided. Honesty, always.