Holiday Haul

Firstly, I must apologise for my recent absence, but it has been the summer holidays and I have been catching up on the True Blood I have missed since I stopped at Season 3. So, as three more season have been shown since then, I have had a lot of catching up to do. I also have to apologise because I promised to do some follow up reviews after my Bourjois Haul, and I never got round to it.

Any how, that is not particularly important and is not what I came here to write about. What I did come here to write about was my recent purchases, 'recent' being today. I am going on holiday to Egypt soonish and wanted to get up-to-date on buying supplies. So I popped into town and picked up a number of things on my 'Still to buy' list.

I thought that this would be an easy way to go through my purchases. In a step-by-step fashion.

1. First on the picture is not particularly interesting but necessary. It is Witch's 'Oil Control Foaming Face Wash', which has witch hazel extract. I thought that because it is a foaming face wash, that a little will go a long way. Recently I have been using a heavy duty scrub on my face everyday, which I think is a bit too rough, which is why I have chosen a more soothing and gentle option for everyday purposes.
2. Second is also not very interesting. Superdrug's 'Gentle Eye Make-up remover Pads', so I don't have to scrub so hard to remove my make-up. As I am going on holiday and will probably be wearing more make-up than usual for dinner and things, I thought that these were a worthwhile investment.
3. I'm really excited about the next purchase. I bought this Ecotools brush set, which is their 'Six Piece Starter Set'. I have never really been one to own many brushes, but recently I have discovered the need for a set. This one contains a concealer brush, blush brush, eye shading brush, angled eyeliner brush and a lash & brow groomer, which all come in a dual-pocket cosmetic bag. 'These brushes are made from soft, cruelty-free bristles, recycled aluminum ferrules and sleek bamboo handles.'
4. Next is another brush from the same company which I can add to my collection. I bought a 'Flat Foundation' brush, because the set did not include one and Boots were doing a 'buy one get a 2nd half price' offer.
5. I invested in a Collection 'Pump up the Volume' Waterproof mascara. I have loved this mascara for ages and last time bought the non-waterproof version, which I discussed in this post, but since I will be in a really hot climate I thought that this was less likely to melt.
6. Next is Rimmel London's 'Scandaleyes waterproof Kohl Kajal' in the colour 005 Nude. I bought this to wear along my waterline, because when I wear dark colours along my waterline it has a tendency to make my eyes look smaller.
7. I next bought a pencil eyeliner from MUA, in the colour Rich Brown, which I thought might be a more subtle alternative to black.
8. Lastly I bought a 'Spot Clearing Facial Scrub' from Superdrug's 'Simply Pure' range. As I said alongside the first face wash, I am limiting how often I use a scrub on my face to a couple of times a week, so I bought a smaller and cheaper one to try out.

So these are my recent purchases for my upcoming holiday. Just leave me a comment to ask for any reviews or anything at all.

Bourjois Haul

Today I was in a bit of a spending mood in the make-up department, which wasn't helped by the 3 for 2 deal on Bourjois make-up products that was occurring in Superdrug, within which you also received a free pair of sunglasses. Therefore I purchased three Bourjois products, because of course I had to get the free sunglasses, along with a few bits an pieces.

So the first item on the list is the Bourjois cream blush in shade 01 Nude Velvet. This is pretty much what it says on the tin. A cream blush that turns to a more powdery texture as it is applied.

Second is the Bourjois Delice de Poudre Bronzing Powder in the lighter of the two shades. This is a bronzer that I have heard loads about. It is mainly matte, however it does say that there are 'glints of sunshine' which are gold flecks running through it. It is meant to look like chocolate and smells really nice too.

The last of my Bourjois purchases is their Color Boost lipstick in the shade 03 Orange Punch. I have already tried this and I am already a fan. It is very similar to the Clinique Chubby Sticks, but the colour is more sheer and there were only four to choose from. But so far so good.

Also in the picture you can just about see the free pair of sunglasses in the corner. They are big framed black sunglasses, but are really comfortable and come in a really handy black and white spotted zip up case.

As well as make-up I purchased some basic items, such as Superdrug's cotton wood pads and their nail polish remover, which is Acetone Free (so won't melt my gel nails) and contains aloe vera and vitamin E.

I plan to review each of the key products when I have tested them enough and will let you know how ~I get on with them. Just comment if you want to know anything in particular!

Samples: Garnier Moisture Match

As you probably already know, if you have seen any of my recent posts, I have been signing up to try all sorts of samples from different companies. One sample I received through the post was three sachets from the Garnier Moisture Match, which came in a cardboard envelope that looked like this:

So the basic principles of this sample is that you can try out these three moisturisers, out of five in total in the range, and decide from there which one best suits your skin type. The products I recieved, after taking the quiz to find out my skin type, are 'Shine Be Gone', 'Protect and Glow' and 'Wake Me Up'. I think that this is a really good idea and thoroughly enjoyed trying out all the different textures and properties. 

Above I have aligned the moisturisers on my hand (so you can see the textures and thickness of each one), with the sachet it came in. Sorry you cannot see that well, I wanted to make the picture bigger, but my computer would not allow it. Just so I can project all of my limited wisdom, I thought that I would review each of these products in turn.

Starting from the left, we have in the green sachet (which comes in a green bottle) 'Shine Be Gone', which is based on combination to oily skin types. What the information on the envelope says is that it is:

 'An oil-fee and lightweight cream enriched with Green tea extract and microspheres. It will help give a matte effect to your skin.'

One thing I must say about all of these products, and probably about all Garnier products, is that they always smell really nice. When you are going to put something on your face or any part of your body, you want it to smell nice, which these moisturisers definitely do.

I really love the texture of this one, which is really light. You really don't need that much of it, or I found that I didn't and it absorbed really quickly into my skin. I completely understand why this is made for more oily skin types, because I quite often find that if I put a really thick and creamy moisturiser on my oilier skin, then it just makes it worse and takes forever before I can put my make-up on over the top. The light texture really does help to control oil and I could put my make-up on much quicker. Therefore I think this one was my favourite out of the three and the most suited to my skin type.

In the middle of the envelope is 'Protect and Glow', in the yellow sachet (and bottle). This one  is suited to normal skin types.

'Combining SPF 20 with an extremely lightweight and oil-free texture. Plus its light reflecting pearls will give you that just-got-back-from-the-beach glow, without the tan lines.'

This moisturiser is meant to make skin look more radiant and I really like that it has SPF 20 in it, giving protection from the sun and therefore all the nasty damage we are constantly being warned about by skin care experts. I didn't like the texture of this one, mainly because it is just like any usual lotion that you can buy, which of course there is nothing wrong with, its just a bit boring compared to the other two. I probably would avoid this is you have really oily skin, because I found that my face looked a little bit greasy, or more dewy, but that's not so good if it looks too dewy.


Finally, I tried the 'Wake Me Up' moisturiser for dull skin.

'A gel that feels like an immediate splash of freshness on your skin - a real wake-up call! It's oil-free and super quick to absorb, giving you a feeling of hydration that lasts all day!'

This was my favourite texture out of the three. I really liked the cold and almost wet feeling gel that does exactly what the quote above suggests. Although again this does leave your face feeling dewy, which may not be so good for oily skin types. But apart from that I can't fault it. I will say that you do not need to use the whole sachet amount, because some of the product kind of just sat on top of my skin when it could not absorb anymore, and then just peeled off when I went to put on my make-up.

So, I hope that this was useful and I do recommend that you go and try out these products to see which is right for you. I think that Garnier are still running this promotion and you can definitely still take the quiz to find out your skin type. If you want to try these out for yourself you will find the website here. I would love to hear what you think about the other two that I did not get to try.

New Beauty Purchases: Maybelline Colour Tattoo 24HR and Collection Pump up the Volume Mascara

So today I went to Superdrug, my local high street make-up supplier and I made a few new additions to my collection. I was going to call this post a haul, however I decided that I would have to have invested in rather a few more items in order for it to constitute as a haul. Anyway, Superdrug had a 3 for 2 offer on all their make-up and eyelashes, so instead of only buying the mascara I ended up getting the two cream eye shadows that I have had my eye on for a while now.

So I bought the Collection 2000 'Pump up the volume' Mascara. I think that I may have mentioned my love for this mascara in a few other posts, however this is the first time that I have bought the non-waterproof, after finding that the waterproof one took far too much effort to remove on a daily basis.So I went for the normal one.

I have been interested in the Maybelline 'Colour Tattoo 24HR', which the little pots say are a Gel-Cream Eyeshadow. I was intrigued by the texture of these little pots as they look as if they should be really wet, however I found that they go on and blend like a powder. The tattoo and 24 hr suggests that they should last a while, which is good for me because I find that my eyeshadows don't usually stay that well. So I bought two, one in the colour 05 - Eternal Gold and another in 35 - On and On Bronze.

I plan to do reviews of both these products if anyone is interested, so just let me know in the comments!

Samples: Nivea Express Hydration Primer

This week I have tried out - once again - another free sample. This time it was the new Nivea Express Hydration Primer, which by its title I think that you can probably guess that it is a primer by with moisturising qualities. I was sent the one for normal and combination skin, however there is also one available for dry and sensitive. The packaging it arrived in says that it is marketed particularly towards those who don't have that much time in the mornings to apply both a primer and a moisturiser, or I suppose those who can't be bothered (in my case).

What the actual description of this product is: 'Nivea Express Hydration Primer moisurises your skin and absorbs instantly. So you can apply make-up over it straight away. Try the dry and sensitive formula, with natural almond oil and calendula extract. Or the normal and combination skin formula, with lotus extract.
For smooth, healthy-looking skin that's perfectly primed for putting on make-up.'

I've looked at the Nivea website and apparently their Skin therapist Julia Hart 'thinks primer makes a real difference to how your skin looks' and that 'A primer provides a smooth canvas, making your skin more radiant. Use it alone for a smooth, glowy base. Or dab a tiny amount around the eye to minimise the appearance of dehydration lines in this area.' So now I feel far more informed on this product.

I just used the sachet all over my face and then continued with my usual make-up routine. I don't usually use a primer, so I think I'm particularly a good person to be reviewing it, but in my ignorant  opinion this product was really good.

I must say that on the absorbing instantly front this moisturiser/primer lived up to what it says on the tin, as well as feeling really light on the skin, which should be good for those with more oily skin types. I really like the texture of this stuff because it has gel-like properties and as usual this Nivea product smells really good.

So overall I think that this is a really good product, however, since I am not really a primer sort of girl, I don't plan to purchase this anytime soon.

Samples: Origins Plantscription SPF 25 anti-aging cream

So I applied for this Origins anti-aging cream online (you probably already know that I have become obsessed with samples) and it arrived a few weeks ago. I have been meaning to review it since it arrived, but   to be honest, I just could not be bothered. As you may already know, I don't particularly need the anti-aging effects of this cream, a I am only eighteen, however I thought that I would still be able to comment on the texture, smell and other things that you look for in a product.

So it arrived inside a card thing like this, with the sachet stuck with that weird glue-stuff underneath the flap. The card informs me that it has 'Raspberry plant stem cell technology', not really sure what that means or what raspberry plant cells are meant to do, but anyway, it must be a good thing. It also has a list of the benefits of using this cream, which is always good.

It says that it:

• Helps improve the appearance of lines, wrinkles and skin's firmness
• Boosts moisture levels
• Helps safeguard skin from ageing UV damage for a younger-looking you

The card suggests that you use this cream in the morning and at night after applying your serum. However I only used it in the morning and I didn't use a serum, because I never use a serum.

Anyway, I will get on with the review. You get quite a big sachet, which I suppose is so you can test it in the morning and in the evening as it suggests. However I found that it had dried out when I left it in the open air, so maybe put it in an airtight container throughout the day.

So as far as I can remember the cream smelled quite nice, maybe a little strong, but not dis-likable I don't think. The texture of this stuff is really thick, its almost like a clay mask texture, so I guess you only need a little at a time and it is probably good for dry skin. As I say, I can't report much on the anti-aging properties of this cream, but overall I found it to be a nice moisturiser.

Samples: Taylor Swift Wonderstruck Enchanted

So this is the new fragrance by Taylor Swift called either Wonderstruck Enchanted or Enchanted Wonderstruck, I'm not quite sure. I got this sample through the post the other day. I usually don't go for celebrity perfumes solely out of principle, but I am not one to turn down a free sample.

I have been pleasantly surprised by this fragrance as it is actually really nice. So don’t judge a book by the cover is what I have learnt from this sample. The leaflet that the sample came with says that it is:

‘An irresistible blend of luscious berries and sugar-glazed petals are wrapped in a touch of sensuality for a captivating signature.’

I’m not sure about whether I get ‘sugar-glazed petals are wrapped in a touch of sensuality’ when I smell it, but it is definitely quite a sweet fragrance and you don’t need that much of it because I think that it might get a little overpowering. Overall I do like this fragrance and recommend that you go and have a sniff next time you are near the perfume isle.