Beauty, Bargains and Beyond

You may have seen my regular empties posts showing you all the products that I have used up every couple of months, so I thought I would take inspiration from YouTube and take part in Project Use It Up where I pick 10 products that I want to finish.  I am not going to set myself a target date, I am just using it as a way of reminding myself which products to prioritise as most of them are at least half empty. Here's the 10 products that I decided to start the project off with: Jo Malone Pomegranate Noir Cologne 30ml - There's less than a quarter left, so this should be really easy to get through.  I love the scent, but I've had it for a while so would like to finish it up so that I can try out a different Jo Malone Fragrance.   Finished 8th December 2015. MAC Strobe Cream 30ml - there's about half a tube left so I am gonna use this under my foundation for the rest of the year to use it up. Lush Popcorn Lip Scrub 25g - again there is about half left.  I t...

Gin & Tonic is the 2nd scent that I have tried from The Library of Fragrance. You can read my review of Sunshine here .  I really love this clean, fresh & crisp fragrance. It's the perfect scent for a cold winter day. It's a light, cool citrus fragrance that gives you a wonderful wake up call when you spray it on every morning. I would say this is unisex as it's not sweet or floral.  I have no idea if it's anything like a real gin & tonic, but if this scent is anything to go by I think I will have to give the drink a try. Overall Gin & Tonic is a lovely fresh fragrance that I wear on a daily basis. I have had so many compliments since I first started using Library of Fragrance Gin & Tonic Cologne Spray. The Library of Fragrance colognes can be layered to create unique fragrances and you can find out more about which scents to layer with Gin & Tonic on their website . They cost £15 for 30ml and Boots are currently doing an offer of 2 for ...

I really couldn't resist the Marks & Spencer Ultimate Beauty Advent Calendar when I saw it in Leeds store the other day.  I really thought I'd missed the boat with this one as they were already sold out online and I couldn't get into town on the day they were released. Luckily they were still available in store when I went on Thursday, so I would advise you to get to your nearest store asap if you still want to buy one as they will probably sell out pretty quickly if they haven't already. It's a real bargain at £25 when you spend an additional £25 on beauty products, which is really easy to do considering M&S now stock Ren, Pixi, Stila, L'Occitane, Leighton Denny & Nuxe to name but a few.  I also used a 20% voucher which made it £20. It's worth over £200 and if you don't want any spoilers don't look any further. Here's what's in the calendar: Pur Minerals - Volume Vixen Mascara Mini - 4.8ml  Stila Lip...

I have to admit that  I kind of like writing these empties posts, as it gives me a warm glow to see that I can actually use up all the products that I buy.  Here's a quick glimpse at some of the products that I have finished in the last couple of months. I have used up a few body sprays and perfumes: Bath & Body Works Japanese Cherry Blossom Fragrance Mist - This is one of my favourite B&BWs fragrances so I will definitely repurchase next time I visit the US (WBA). The Body Shop Shea Body Mist - A really light and subtle scent that is perfect for working days - I would buy this again (WBA). The Body Shop Moringa EDT - a sweet sugary fragrance that is perfect for summer (WBA). YSL Parisienne EDP - this is a really pleasant floral scent that was perfect in the summer, but it's not special enough to repurchase (Would not buy again WNBA). Here are some lotions and hand creams that I have finished: I really liked the Victoria's Secrets Body Lotions i...

I do love a good beauty box and this is the first time that I have been able to get hold of one of the A Beautiful World Sampler Boxes.  You have to be online early as they sell out quickly.  The Autumn/Winter Sampler '15 box is no longer available and the next one is due out in May 2016.  The box cost £23.95 including postage and packing. Here's what was in the box: I have to admit that at first glance I was a little disappointed as it was a big box and the samples were sooooo small.  One of the samples had also leaked a little bit.  In terms of the items included in the box,  I think there was a nice range of brands that I have never tried before, so that's a plus. The box contained the following: 2 samples from Indie Lee - the COQ-10 Toner and Squalane Facial Oil (there's no size listed on either sample).  Indie Lee is an eco-friendly line that uses the finest all-natural ingredients from around the world. Youth to the People (YTTP)...

Recently I have done the following: Been to see the new James Bond Film Spectre.  WOW! I am not a huge James Bond fan, (although I have probably watched all the recent ones from Pierce Brosnan onwards), but Spectra was brilliant, really entertaining and the 2.5 hour movie just flew by.  I hope this isn't Daniel Craigs last movie as Bond, but if it is then it's a great one to end on.  I loved the references to characters that have appeared in previous James Bond movies that Daniel Craig has been in.                         Found a new favourite tipple.  I was invited to the  Blind Pig Cider event at The Maven Bar in Leeds and I have to say although the flavours are unusual, they are very, very nice and I would definitely buy them in the future, My favourite flavour was Bourbon & Blueberry, but the Whisky, Honey & Apple and Rum & Poached Pear tasted great too.  Used my Taste...

I was just finishing a little shop at my local Asda store when I noticed a really nice tote bag for sale at the end of the checkout.  On closer inspection, it was by the fashion designer Julien MacDonald in aid of Tickled Pink. Tickled Pink has been raising money for Breast Cancer Care and Breast Cancer Now for the last 18 years and has raised £43 million so far.  Across the UK around 500,000 people (including 400 men) will be diagnosed with breast cancer every year and you can find more details about how to check your breasts on the Ticked Pink website. The bag costs £2.50 and 89p from the sale of each bag will be donated to Tickled Pink.  The bag is made from Jute, a natural and biodegradable material. I can't find this bag to buy online, so it looks like it's only available in Asda stores. It's also a good time to purchase bags like these now that stores are charging 5p per carrier bag.  Its better for the environment and over time you will ...