Beauty, Bargains and Beyond

Here is part 2 of my empties from the end of 2016.  You can read part 1 here . These are all the sheet masks, night masks and samples that I managed to use up.  I won't go through them individually, but I did enjoy using all the sheet masks. I managed to use up the Shea Moisture Jamaican Black Castor Oil Strengthen, Grow & Restore Shampoo and Conditioner that I reviewed here .  I also finished the Schwarzkopf got2b mermaid look texturizing salt spray.  Salt sprays work really well on my curly hair and this was a bargain £4.19 .  The last hair product that I finished was the John Frieda Full Repair Flyaway Tamer Smoothing Wand that I picked up in TK Maxx for a bargain £3.99.  This works really well to tame my stray hairs. I did manage to finish off quite a few perfumes and body mists which I am happy about as I have so many more in my stash right now.  I finished off two miniature Viktor & Rolf Flowerbomb EDPs that I purchased in Duty Free quite a few years

I have been using the Benefit They're Real! Big Sexy Eye Kit recently and wanted to let you know what I thought of it.  It’s an eye kit that makes it as easy as possible for you to create your eye makeup look.  Now if you are an expert at putting on your eye makeup then this isn’t something you need, but if like me you are rubbish then this is the kit for you. There are 3 different neutral eye shadow duos that you can choose from: Beyond Nude Naughty Neutral Bombshell Brown These are all great neutral colours that are very buildable and I love them all.  You use the ShadowBlender that comes with the kit, sweep it across one of the duo colours a couple of times and then sweep it across your eyelid (more than once depending on how deep you want the colours) and that’s basically it.  If I can do it anyone can.  The ShadowBlender is small so it can be a bit fiddly at first, but once you use it a couple of times it’s easy.  It makes putting your makeup loo

I started Project Use It Up towards the end of 2015 (you can read my final post about it here ).  Basically, I picked 10 products that I was determined to finish in 2016.  I try and choose products that take an age to finish, or I have had for ages, so that I make more of an effort to use them daily.  Here are the products that I have chosen for 2017: Laura Mercier Kohl Eye Pencil in Black Gold - I love this colour, but because I have hooded eyelids, I don't usually wear eye liner (although I own loads of them - go figure!) Soap & Glory Hocus Focus Instant Visual Flaw-Softening Lotion - 30ml - I bought this in a box set during the Christmas sales a couple of years ago and have never used it.  I will mix this in with my moisturiser or foundation for a dewy glow. Indeed Labs Hydraluron Moisture Jelly - 30ml - Another product that I bought when it was on offer and never opened. Essie Mirror Metallics Polish in Nothing Else Matters - I love metallic polis

I love to buy at least one Beauty Advent Calendar at Christmas time and one of my favourites is the Marks & Spencer Advent Calendar as it's great value (£35) and it includes products from some of my favourite brands.  I also like that it gives me an opportunity to try out new brands and one of my favourite products from the 2016 calendar was the Shay & Blue Atropa Belladonna Natural Spray Fragrance.  As well as being a generous deluxe size sample (10ml), it also smells amazing. Atropa Belladonna is Italian for beautiful lady and the fragrance itself contains Cassis Berries (top note), Jasmine, White Narcissus (heart note) and Patchouli on a base of rich bourbon vanilla (base note).  This is a deep, rich and sexy scent, but it is not overpowering. Shay & Blue fragrances are hand crafted in England using real flowers, fruits and spices. The Shay & Blue Atropa Belladonna Eau de Parfum costs £30 for 30ml  (£55 for 100ml) on the Shay & Blue website  or i

As some of you may be aware I have picked a number of challenges at the start of each year, to try and complete for the last couple of years.  I've decided to do it slightly differently this year, as I must admit to losing track of them throughout the year until I write an update  on the blog and then I realise that I have forgotten about most of them.  This year I thought I would try something new and just have one or 2 challenges that I need to complete before I move onto the next one.  Hopefully this will help me to stay on track and complete them rather than forgetting about them.  Some of them will be small ones that can be done quickly, while others might take awhile, but I want to try and complete them all. So the first challenge, should I wish to accept it, is to g ive up chocolate and cans of pop (mainly Pepsi) for 30 days.  I must admit, like a lot of people chocolate is my vice, I don't smoke and rarely drink but chocolate is the one thing that I overindulge in

M&S Mascara Correction Buds are one of those products that you don't realise you need until you actually try them and then realise that they are a great addition to your makeup kit.  They look like normal cotton buds, but one end of the cotton bud is filled with a makeup remover that effectively removes mascara and eye makeup.  If I make a mistake when applying my eye makeup, or some mascara ends up on my eyelid rather than my eyelash, then I use one of the mascara correction buds to remove the mistake, rather than use a makeup wipe to remove all my eye makeup and having to start again. Simply hold the cotton bud upright with the coloured ring on top, then bend the end of the coloured ring to one side until it snaps, which allows the liquid to pass down the tube and saturate the cotton tip at the other end.  Once the tip is saturated, you can gently remove any mistakes that you have made with precision.  It makes applying eye makeup and mascara so much easier.  This is al

Wow it's 2017 already, so I thought I would update you on how I did on the challenges I set myself for 2016. Spending ban from 4th January to 31st March 2016.  I have spent so much on makeup and toiletries in December 2015, in order to take advantage of all the great offers that are around at this time of year.  I am going to have a complete spending ban from the start of the year for 3 months.   January spending ban was completed.  Then I failed miserably due to British Beauty Bloggers Aveda Box Sets which I couldn't resist.    I did manage to do another 2 month spending ban later in the year though. COMPLETED Nano Keratin Treatment - I have finally found a hairdresser that I like, so I will definitely be booking this for early 2016 - I did this just before I  went on holiday and I have to say that I was disappointed with the results. My hair feels smoother when I wash it and it is quicker to blow dry straight, but I was hoping for looser curls and less frizz in general an

I was recently sent a VITABOX Nutrition Pack*.    The box includes strips of supplements that you take on a daily basis, which provide you with nutrients to help you feel vitalised.    Each daily strip contains 4 supplements: Omega 3, 6 & 9 - The most essential fatty acids for a healthy heart and muscles. Green Tea - A powerful natural antioxidant which helps to maintain a healthy metabolism. Multivitamins - Provides overall benefits for supporting cardiac, circulatory, digestive, immune, mental and vision health. Co-Enzyme Q10 - Helps your body produce energy. I'm not an expert by any means but I took these for 14 days each lunchtime and just after I started them I did feel like I had a cold coming on, but it never materialised.  I'm not sure if these supplements had anything to do with that but they may have helped.  I do think this is a good way to start the new year after all the over indulgence of the last few weeks. Each strip has the

I'm having a New Year clear out, so check out my blog sale here .  I will be adding more to it as I go through my stash. Leighlee

Happy New Year Everyone Wishing you a happy and successful 2017 Leighlee