Empties #20

Hello!  I am back with 5 new mini reviews to share with you from my empties bucket:

Lush Figs and Leaves Soap

I was absolutely gutted to find out that my favourite bubble bar, Dorothy, has been discontinued when Lush had a product revamp recently!  However I knew that their soap Figs and Leaves was supposed to be of the same fragrance so all is not lost!

Louise Loves #12

Aldi Choceur Belgium Chocolate Waves

Do you remember those amazing Cadbury Snaps which were out a few years ago and discontinued?  Well I have rediscovered them in the form of Aldi's Chocolate Waves!  I bought these a few months ago and then forgot about them until I was in Aldi recently where I saw them again.  They are so tasty!!  I have had the milk chocolate, caramel and mint (which are dark chocolate) and I think they also do hazelnut.  My favourite is probably caramel but they are all so good.  Warning - highly addictive!

Brianna's Poppy Seed Dressing

A farm shop and cafe local to me in Scotland uses Brianna's salad dressings which are all quite unusual and unique favours.  My favourite is the Poppy Seed and I decided to splash out and buy it for myself from the shop, but I have seen them in Asda before as well.  It wasn't cheap at nearly £4 but I decided it would be worth it because it keeps in the fridge unlike the ones I normally buy from Morrisons so even though they are only about £1, I use them twice then need to bin them after 5 days.  It has a really usually flavour, quite sweet and creamy but then the poppy seeds give it a kick.  Despite the creaminess it is actually vegan!

Orange is the New Black

[source]

I am definitely late to the party with this one!  OITNB wasn't something that really appealed to me but eventually so many people were talking about how good it was I thought I'd give it a try (after unexpectedly finishing OUAT on Netflix!).  It wasn't what I expected at all and am loving it, it's different from anything I have watched before.  I have just started season 3, oh my god, that season 2 finale!!

Public Desire Summer Boots

I only discovered Public Desire recently through girls at work and they have some amazing shoes at decent prices!  I am usually in a pair of chelsea boots so I thought I would try out something similar but more summery.  I went for Amira Ankle Boots in Beige and Priscilla Heeled Boots in Black which are £29.99 each but I got 10% off for signing up to their newsletter.  The higher heel was a bit of shock for me, and driving was a bit of a struggle (got some flats in my car now!) but they are pretty comfy in general, the black pair slightly more so.  I do find it quite amusing that although they both have zips on the outside, the actually functioning zip is on the inside ha!  I just hope the beige ones don't get too messed up, I have used Crep Protect on them so fingers crossed.

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An Interview with: White Rabbit Skincare

I've mentioned White Rabbit Skincare quite a few times recently and now I am going to share with you an interview that the founder, Melanie, has very kindly done with me.

This isn't a normal post for me but I thought it would be an interesting change - click the link to read more about this Scottish entrepreneur!

Soap Stash & Storage

I recently did a 'bath products stash & storage' post so I thought I'd do a similar one and show you how I am currently storing my growing soap collection!

White Rabbit Lime & Coconut Cleansing Water

White Rabbit is a cruelty free and vegan skincare company, all handmade in Scotland.  I've known the founder for ages through Twitter and it's been great seeing her business grow!  I wanted to try some bits for a while but I had to wait until I'd finished up another skincare items otherwise they end up not getting used and going to waste...

Click read more to see my thoughts on one product in particular.

Beefayre Rhubarb & Raspberry Candle

When I was offered the chance to try something from Beefayre I was thrilled as although I hadn't heard of the company, after some quite googling I knew it was right up my street.  Beefayre was developed by artist Sharon Jervis and her son after visiting beekeepers in Romania.  The products are handmade in England using high quality ingredients, avoiding any petroleum by-products.  They also donate 3% of their profits to bee conservation and research which I think is brilliant! 

Too Faced Better Than Sex Mascara

I feel like I spend a lot of timing looking for a mascara which works for me!  I've not been particularly excited about any since they discontinued the Bourjois one I loved - there are cruelty free disputes about them now however so it's probably not a bad thing.  

When I went to Paris in June we obviously had to go to Sephora so I thought I'd splash out a bit and try a Too Faced mascara as I'd heard good things about them.  There were a couple to choose from and in the end I went for Better Than Sex.  

It's the biggest tube out of all the range and it's really quite heavy and chunky actually, I'm not sure if it's supposed to remind us of some sort of vibrating sex toy or if that's just me being dirty minded!  Anyway... moving on, as you can see from the photos below, it's also got a huge brush.  You can't see it all that well but it's twisted and in an hourglass shape.

Below are some photos to show the effect of the mascara.  In the first one I have no make up on at all, then for the next two I applied foundation, concealer, brow pencil and finally the mascara.  Please ignore the drunk look in the middle one, my eye kept blinking haha!  I think mascara works really well at both lengthening and curling the lashes - I didn't even curl them before this.  

I am loving this mascara, definitely the best one I've used in a long time!  It lasts all day and I've not had any problems with flaking.  However, I normally don't wear mascara on my bottom lashes so I think it would transfer if I did, as every other non-waterproof one does, but I wanted to show it applied in the photos.  

What's also great is that removal is easy and comes off quickly with my Body Shop Camomile Eye Makeup Remover.

The only negative I have come across with this is that I seem to always get it on my eyelids which isn't something which happens with other mascaras!  I think it might just be because it's such a huge brush which I'm not used to, so hopefully I'll get to grips with it soon...

I would definitely repurchase this however it seems to be really popular and sold out almost everywhere at the moment!  As I mentioned above, I bought it in Paris and it was about 23€, and from what I can find online I think it's £19 here which isn't too bad.  Boots and Debenhams both stock Too Faced but are out of stock online, however BeautyBay are selling it here for a bit cheaper at £16.91 with free delivery.

I would like to try the Better Than False Lashes which has nylon fibres you apply in between coats but this is £32 so maybe once I have a bit more money...

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Lush Secret Garden Bath Bomb

I'm quite delayed with this one as it's from the Easter/Mother's Day collection but due to the move I hadn't had a bath in a few months (not in the food and there was also a leak...)!  So for the first bath in my new flat I decided to use Lush's Secret Garden.  It has a floral - as you would imagine - of rose absolute, wild orange and rosewood oils.

When I dropped it in the water, it started to fizz away and as the green and pink mixed, it made the water a very dubious grey colour!  However as there is more green in the bomb, it soon took over and the water was a much nicer shade of green!

As it reached the end of it's life, I realised it was spluttering (yes, actually spitting them out!) out some little flower petals!  I did know this at the time but after a few months I'd forgot so I was slightly alarmed to see black things floating around my until I realised what they were... I do enjoy petals but these were a bit odd to be honest, there wasn't many and some just looked like bit of dark mush!  I have seen it compared to Tisty Tosty which also has petals in it but I haven't tried it to say for myself.

The smell of it was pleasant but I would've liked it to be a bit stronger.  If you like floral scents but only quite subtle ones then this would be ideal for you.

Overall I did enjoy the experience of using Secret Garden but not going to bother repurchasing if they bring it out again next year.  I think it was £2.50 which is fairly cheap for Lush, and it's also vegan.

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Lush Golden Egg Bath Melt/Bomb

I managed to get to a Lush and buy some items from my Easter wishlist, I was quite good though and only got 2 things!  The first one I've tried is the Golden Egg which is a bath bomb surrounded by a bath melt, and then by looks of it, drenched in gold glitter...  I got the lady in Lush to pick it up for me so I didn't get covered in the stuff haha.

As you can see compared to my hand it's a good size, which you would expect really as it's a '2 in 1' product!  I popped it in my bath and all the glitter came off into the water, beginning to melt turning it a golden yellow.  Once all the 'melt' part was finished, you could tell as it started fizzing properly and bobbing around, giving off more colour and some foamy bubbles.  When it was fully dissolved - which took ages, at least 5 minutes - the water ended up kind of a weird colour actually!  More of a pale yellow with some glitter floating around which was a bit odd haha!  However once you get over that, it is a rather pleasant bath, the cocoa butter makes the water really soft and silky.  The scent of it is similar to Honey I Washed The Kids, however I don't think it's quite as sweet as the soap, with a very slight cirtus-y edge to it which is nice.  As someone who isn't a big fan of really sweet smells, I think this was a perfect balance for me.

After getting out the bath my skin felt nice and soft but not too oily.  I did need to shower to get rid of any excess product and glitter on my skin!  When I drained the bath, the entire bottom was just covered in glitter, oops!  Luckily most of it just washed away but there was some still left stuck, which I did mean to clean with a flannel at some point...

I enjoyed this bath ballistic and would repurchase at some point but I'm not bothered about stocking up on it while the Easter collection is out.  At £3.50 I think it's pretty reasonable when you get the effects and benefits of both the melt and bomb.  Also I should add that unlike HIWTK, Golden Egg is vegan which is great!  Online here.

Have you tried this Lush product?

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Empties #15

All products in this post are cruelty free, how exciting!  What's more, they're all actually suitable for vegans too which is certainly a first!  I don't think I have much left which isn't cruelty free thankfully, just a few make up things which take ages to use up.  

Jason Volumizing Lavender Pure Natural Shampoo

Thoughts: This is a SLS free shampoo and it worked pretty well, had a good lather. I didn't notice it to be particularly volumising but I never do with shampoos to be honest! Suitable for vegans.  £5.59/454ml delivered here.
Cruelty-free?: Yes.
Repurchase?: Possibly but I like to change up my hair care!

Jason Super Shine Apricot Pure Natural Conditioner

Thoughts: I decided to go wild and not get a matching conditioner... This smells really good, although combined with lavender it's an odd scent! Seems to work well enough, stops the tugs!  Suitable for vegans.  £5.59/454ml delivered here.
Cruelty-free?: Yes.
Repurchase?: See above!

Superdrug Crystal Anti-Perspirant Deodorant

Thoughts: This is the best cruelty free deodorant I've used so far. I'm not a big fan of aerosol sprays though and it does contain aluminium which isn't great but it will do for now! Suitable for vegans. £1.29/250ml here.
Cruelty-free?: Yes, BUAV Approved.
Repurchase?: Yes.

Neal's Yard Remedies Organic Eye Make-Up Remover

Thoughts: I had high hopes for this but I was quite disappointed! It didn't really work that well and had a very strong smell. I think I'll go back to The Body Shop's Camomile one! Suitable for vegans. £10.75/100ml here.
Cruelty-free?: Yes, BUAV Approved.
Repurchase?: No.

Lush Blackbery Bath Bomb (not pictured)

Thoughts: I really liked this bath bomb! Smells great and has a good fizz to it, it also contains frankincense and bergamot to clear the mind and induce a feeling of well-being. There's also a little surprise inside which is such a cute touch! Suitable for vegans. £2.99 here.
Cruelty-free?: Yes.
Repurchase?: Yes.

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Bdellium Tools

I first saw Bdellium Tools (the B is silent) on Cutecosmetics website, then when I was at IMATS in London they had a big stall there which was great to see them all up close rather than online.  Bdellium Tools come in a few different ranges, the synthetic ones are Green Bambu, Pink Bambu and Yellow Bambu.  They are also eco-friendly with their sustainable bamboo handles.

The brushes in my collection so far are, from top to bottom:

975 Mixed Powder Brush (£13.50) - I wanted a big powder brush and this pretty much fits the bill!  It is a large paddle shaped round dome, so it's good for applying a light layer of powder over the whole face. 

777  Shadow Brush (£7.50) - This is a good size for applying colour onto the eyelid and works well.

776 Blending Brush (£7.50) - This is one of the closest dupes I have to the Mac 217 brush.  It's good for applying and blending colour into the crease.

785 Tapered Blending Brush (£7.50) - Quite a cute, stumpy little brush!  This one is good for blending colour around the eyes but also for applying powder to precise areas.

You can order Bdellium Tools from Cutecosmetics who have a great selection, but their full range is on their own website here but it's American so the shipping charges will be much higher.

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Lush Easter Wishlist

So on Friday there, all the Easter and Mother's Day limited edition collections became available online and in Lush stores.  Unfortunately I was in a shop on Thursday and not Friday, gutted!  However I've had a look online and compiled a list of products I'd quite like to try.  Sometimes I think with Lush it's easier looking online first as when you're in store the smell's just so strong that it can be hard to work out what individual things actually smell like!  I remember my old Home Economics teacher telling us once that the brain can only process 3 scents at a time and after that they get all muddled up, not sure if it's true but it sounds like it makes sense!

Secret Garden

             

Secret Garden is a bath bomb from the Mother's Day collection.  Floral scent filled with different kinds of flower petals which are released as it dissolves!!  Vegan.  £2.95 here.

The Immaculate Eggception

Gigantic, colourful Easter egg bath bomb which smells of lemon, grapefruit and vanilla.  Inside there is either a chick or a bunny!  Vegan.  £6.95 here.

Golden Egg

This one is a bath melt and a bath bomb in one!  Scented with the same fragrance as Honey I Washed the Kids, so honey and caramel smelling.  However, unlike HIWK, this is vegan!  £3.50 here.

Bunch of Carrots

This one is actually for my mum, she got one last year (I think it was only one carrot last year?) and only got round to using it a few months ago and really enjoyed it.  So for Mother's Day I'm going to get her this as part of her present.  Bunch of Carrots is a reusable bubble bar, if it's anything like last years it is a sweet, fruity scent.  Vegan.  £5.95 here.

The Brightside

This sounds like a citrusy version of The Comforter!  A bubble bar scented with mandarin, bergamot and tangerine, sounds very refreshing!  Vegan.  £4.50 here.

Have you tried any of these products?  Are any of them amazing or meh?  For example, I cannot believe how expensive The Immaculate Eggception is!  Is it worth paying £7 for one bath?!  Any comments will be taken on board, thankfully I have a giftcard left from Christmas but it's still adding up to about £25...

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*All photos are stock via lush.co.uk, no copyright infringement intended!

Sigma Mrs Bunny Travel Kit

I've decided to do a series of posts on my synthetic make up brushes organised by brand.  The first in this series is the Sigma Mrs Bunny Travel Kit.  I got this for part of my Christmas in 2012 but I'd bought it in the Black Friday at the end of November as they did free worldwide shipping which makes all the difference.

They have updated them since and have made the ferrules silver instead of pink but this seems to be the only change.  The set costs $75 and the brushes included, from left to right, are:

E30 Pencil - This one is good for adding very precise colour to an area, in the outer corner or on the lower lash line.  Similar to the Mac 219 but not as stiff and with longer bristles.

E40 Tapered Blending - I hoped this would be comparable to the Mac 217 but unfortunately it's a a bit too wide at the top.  However it is still good for blending once colour is in place, and also good for powdering undereye concealer.

F60 Foundation - I don't tend to use these shape brushes for foundation, I prefer buffing it into the skin with a densely packed brush, so I can't really comment much on this one.

F30 Large Powder - I use this everyday for my setting powder, no complaints - works well!

F40 Large Angled Contour - I also use this everyday for blusher and I really like the shape of it, it gives a really nice effect.

E55 Eye Shading - I found this a bit short for eyeshadow to be honest but it works fine for packing on colour, could just do with being a bit longer!  I usually go for this one if my other shaders are dirty.

E65 Small Angle - I prefer using a thin pointed eyeliner brush rather than angled but it does do its job and gives a nice thin line.  Also good for using powder to fill in eyebrows.

I love that the set comes with a brush holder, it's so useful!  It is a travel case but then unfastens and turns into two separate containers.  I use one for storing face brushes and the other I use to put dirty brushes which have to be cleaned.  Then of course when travelling, it's so handy, especially for smaller brushes.

I just need to mention that my powder and contour brushes both broke shortly after I started using them - the ferrule and handle came apart!  However I emailed Sigma with photos straight away and they dealt with it quickly and efficiently, sending me out two new brushes.  The other ones are still usable and could be glued back into place but that sort of thing shouldn't happen - especially for the price of them!  Maybe that is part of why they've changed the ferrule in the new version?

Overall I really like this set, even though there are a couple I don't get much use out of they're always handy to have, and love that it comes with the holder.  They also feel really soft, not as soft as other synthetics I've got, but definitely good enough for me.

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Favourite Toners

I've always (read: the past 2 years since getting into skincare...) loved toner but until reading Caroline Hiron's blog post, I had no idea what exfoliating toners did and why they were important.  I'm going to share with you the two toners I am currently using and why I like them.

REN Clarifying Toning Lotion

Through Caroline I learned that using exfoliators with little beads are too harsh and abrasive on the skin so instead you should use a toner containing acids (don't freak out, nothing crazy!) as it's a much more effective as an exfoliator.  I use Ren Clarifying Toning Lotion first after cleansing using either a cotton ball or my reusable cotton pads.  I apply it all over my face but concentrate on my nose for blackheads and on my cheekbones where I have milia/milk spots.  I think that some acid toners can be a bit stingy/tingly but I've never felt anything like that using the Ren lotion thankfully.  This toner is not cheap at £18 for 150ml but it's definitely worth it as I find it works well and I've also noticed my milia coming to the surface finally!

Lush Breath of Fresh Air Toner Water

Immediately after the exfoliating toner, I use Breath of Fresh Air Toner Water, again, using a cotton ball or reusable cotton pad, all over my face.  I've been using Lush's Toner Waters for ages now and this one is my favourite.  I've not tried the Tea Tree one yet but I find myself reluctant to move away from Breath of Fresh Air!  It contains sea water, seaweed and aloe vera, which sounds weird but it smells so good and refreshing.  I recently used it at a charity pamper night and had lots of comments on how amazing it smells!  Previously, I had been just getting the 100g one but this time I went for the 250g as I am using it every day and I know it works for me, so may as well get go for the better value one at £7.50 instead of £3.95 for 100g.

I would like to try another exfoliating toner once I finish the Ren one, I think Pixi do one so I might try that next.  Has anyone got any cruelty free recommendations?

What is your favourite toner/s?

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January Shopping Purchases!

Due to work, seeing family and generally just wanting to avoid January sales chaos, I didn't go shopping until the 9th of January.  I'm not a big fan of sales and would quite happily just look at all the new things instead of trying to hunt down a bargain.  However I do work in a shop which makes it much easier to pick out bargains and the first few two are as such!

I needed a new lunch bag to take to work as I'd had my other one for years and it was getting really tatty.  This is one of Ted Baker's mini shoppers which are £29 RRP but I ended up getting it for about £15 due to various discounts.  £15 is still a ridiculous amount to pay for a lunch bag but I really like it and it's very sturdy so it should last a long time hopefully!

I'm long overdue sorting out all my jewellery and having a big clear out so I bought some Stackers which are really handy jewellery boxes.  They come in different layouts so you just buy whatever you need.  These 3 would have cost £52 but in the sale with discounts it was only about £18!  As you can see I've already started sorting my earrings in the 2nd section, I can't wait to have everything organised.

These items I got using various gift cards I'd accumulated since my birthday and Christmas:

New Look - £12.99

New Look - £9.99 (edit: I actually had to return this as the back isn't lined!)

Topshop Joni Jeans - £36

New Look Necklace - sale £4

Topshop Nail Varnish in Venus Flytrap - £5

Topshop Nail Varnish in Blank - sale £3

I love La Senza pants but I only buy them in sale when they go down to £2, such a bargain!  Although they had a pretty rubbish selection this time sadly :(

I also went into Lush because between my boyfriend and his dad I have £30 to spend in there!  I'm hoping to make it last as long as possible!  I got 2 new items I've never tried before.  They are both vegan.

Blackberry Bath Bomb - £2.95

Figs and Leaves Soap - £3.40/100g

Finally I went into Paperchase as I was really needing a new diary and picked up this cute little one for £5 which I think is pretty good!

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