May Empties ...

Bonjour!

I'm cheating a little with the title as these are really April and May empties! I didn't get round to last month's empties post so thought I'd lump them all together.  There are therefore quite a few here - there would have been even more but the hubby ended up throwing some - despite several reminders that I wanted them for this post ... men!

Superdrug Cocoa Brownie Dry Shampoo for Brunettes - I've gotten through quite a few of these cans in my time. You can read about it here as Part of my Dry Shampooing post. I'll definitely repurchase.

Dermalogica Microfoliant - needs no introduction does it? I'm sure it's loved by many as a super gentle but effective facial exfoliator.  This travel size has lasted ages and luckily I have one more from an old beauty box to use. Even though I'm a fan I'm not sure I could repurchase at the full price of £41.75/75ml.  Any dupes out there please feel free to share!

Nuxe Micellar Cleansing Water and Reve de Miel Handcream - I've recently started to use a micellar every evening to remove my make-up before going onto a deeper cleanse.  The Nuxe micellar is really gentle and non-drying so I've used these two up (in the interest of shopping my stash and all!) and I'm now the proud owner of a full size and another mini for holiday. The handcream is lovely with a gentle honey scent, nourishing, non stingy and absorbs in no time on my hands. I have another travel size to use ready for holiday!

Clarins BB Skin Perfecting Cream - I didn't want to like this as I already have  a tonne of BBs and CCs and a DD to use up! Unfortunately, it has a dewy finish with light to medium cover and quite a rich tone to it (considering it's the shade Medium) so gives a bit of a 'summer bronzed' look - which all adds up to the fact that it would be great for this time of year and I want a full size but will resist for the moment.  Maybe next summer! (Patting myself on the back here!).

Soap & Glory Endless Glove 2 in 1 Moisture Mask and Hand Cream - I love this -it feels like a real treat for your hands with a non-greasy, silky texture, leaves them feeling conditioned and smelling like tropical holidays - what's not to love! Slather a decent amount on before bedtime and wake up with soft hands - I've already repurchased!

L'Occitane Lip Balm, Cherry and Lavender Shower Gels and Sweet Almond Liquid Soap -  a few L'Occitane goodies here - all presents from my mum at some stage! I did like the lip balm - it's more of a waxy crayon type, feels very nourishing, a good one to use under a matte lippie. Unfortunately there wasn't much at all in this tube so I used it up faster than I'd have liked! The shower gels (my daughter mostly used the cherry flavour) and handwash all smell wonderful and are gentle on your skin as you would expect.  If I spy any offers on QVC I'd love to repurchase!

Original Source Lavender and Tea Tree Shower Gel - as you can see I have a thing for lavender! Love the clean scent of this, a little seems to go a long way and the bathroom smells amazing after I've used it! I tend to pick up Original Source products when they're on offer and will definitely repurchase this one!

Mandara Spa Tropical Blooms Bath Milk and Shower Gel  -  I think this is my favourite scent from this range. As the name suggests it smells of flowers, and lots of  them in full bloom! It's a really 'happy' scent and one I'll continue to indulge in - especially when on offer!

Phew! That'll teach me to do two months in one go - felt like a proper marathon! Have you used any of these products?


Jen x

Dry Shampooing ... Part 1

Bonjour!

Finding the right dry shampoo is a bit of a challenge, especially if you want one that is all singing/all dancing and at the right price - a bit like hunting for a good mascara/bra/car! I have the added complication of being a brunette (with grey strands here and there!), so I really don't want to look like I've tipped a cup of self-raising flour over my head (although I'm betting this is not a look many blondes would embrace either!).  I use a few squirts of dry shampoo virtually every other day in between washes, to refresh any greasy bits and give texture and grip, especially if I want to tie the barnett up.  I've been trying out quite a few over the last few months so thought it best to split this post into a two-parter (yes this is only half of my stash - I am that madwoman!) ... and in hindsight I should have really written separately about products specifically for brown hair but at the end of the day it's not a clinical trial or anything, the pics had been taken and I can procrastinate no longer ... I mean it doesn't matter if it's all a bit mixed up does it (bit like me really)!

Herbal Essences Clearly Naked £2.99/180ml - this and the Uplifting Volume next to it were on offer of buy one get one free or something so I ended up with them both, as you do. Clearly Naked disguises greasy roots a little,  adds a bit of volume and has a tiny bit of white cast  but nothing   drastic.   It feels a tad sticky and has a strange minty fragrance (well I think it's strange anyway).    It's a bit - as we like to say - meh? I'm shrugging my shoulders as I type this phrase but really it's neither here nor there for me!

Herbal Essences  Uplifting Volume £2.99/180ml - adds more volume than 'Clearly Naked' but has more of a 'wet hairspray feel' and doesn't really help with greasy roots, although, again there is virtually no white/grey fallout.  It smells lovely though ... of crisp clean citrus but leaves my hair feeling pretty gunked up and sticky so no point in repurchasing.

Dove Refresh and Care Dry Shampoo £4.59/200ml - this, for me, is more of a 'refresher for greasy hair days' rather than 'sky-high volume' product.  The spray has a 'damp' feel when first sprayed, although this doesn't seem to hang around on my hair.  It leaves a faint grey tinge if sprayed too close but is very easy to get rid of when massaged in. A pleasant, clean smell, not too overpowering but enough to make your hair feel freshened up. A reasonable amount of subtle volume which lasts all day and no tacky feeling as such. I'd repurchase but only when on offer as it's quite expensive.

Superdrug Cocoa Brownie for Brunettes - £1.99/150ml - but can usually be picked up for about £1!   Quite a dry, almost 'texturising' spray  which gives good lasting volume to the crown,  dries up greasy roots and thickens the overall look of my hair.  It's similar to a hair powder I guess and is super-pigmented, sprays out as deep dark brown and is quite good at disguising those pesky grey hairs and any thinning areas around the parting.  Just remember to wash your hands after massaging it in and don't be alarmed at the 'brown water' going down the drain when you next wash your hair, sounds gross but it's only a bit of pigment when all is said and done!  I've repurchased quite a few times now as it's a great all rounder and is as cheap as chips!

Aussie Miracle Dry Shampoo  Aussome Volume £4.49/180ml - an impulse buy whilst it was on offer at around £3. It has a very fine mist, not too wet, not too dry and not much residue that I can detect.  It gives really good volume which lasts most of the day and is not too sticky or tacky. The only thing I can't get on with is the smell!  Obviously this is just a personal thing but it's so sweet and sickly and it hangs around for a while  ... if I can get over that then I would repurchase!

Obviously, everyone's different and what rocks my boat may sink yours and vice versa.  If, as a 'dry shampoo manic' I had to choose from this lot ... it would have to be Superdrug Cocoa Brownie - the brown water doesn't bother me!  Have you used any of these dry shampoos?  Which is your favourite?

Jen x

Bargain/Budget Buys, Bourjois and Freebies ...!

Bonjour!

If you read my last post re 'Shopping my Stash' then you are probably thinking 'there is no hope!' However, you can't pass up on a bargain (or three) can you - even if it means adding to your bulging stash?  Anyway ... apologies for a slightly picture heavy post here ... I should also point out that these items were not purchased all at once but over a reasonable period of time ...!

First up Primark bargain footwear - a quid for the flip flops ... crazy!

I had a H&M gift card so bagged myself a much needed sun-hat for holiday ...

Superdrug hand creams are supercheap anyway but were on offer buy one get one half price. L'Oreal Expertise Heat Protection Spray half price at Tesco and I've been wanting to try their own brand of dry shampoo for a while ...

Also had a TKMaxx voucher which I put towards this baby. Ok so it's not leather but you know when you just like the way something feels in your hand (!) - I love the colour, the style and the way it hangs ...!

Limited myself to two magazine freebies - not bad considering there are tonnes out there this month! Red mag has the Rodial Stemcell Super-Food Glam Balm (how long?) for lips and could not for the life of me find any Clinique Chubby Stick freebies with Glamour so plumped for the High Impact mascara ...

And last but not least ... Bourjois goodies on 3 for 2 plus free sunglasses at Boots.  I'm blaming my daughter for this one (sort of)! We have the school summer show this week and the Y6 class will be playing all the lead roles in the performance - singing, dancing etc.  Mums will be crying ... I know this because I cry (a little) every year at the show when other people's kids are singing their farewells to the school ... this one is going to be agony! Cue the Bourjois 1 Second Volume Waterproof Mascara - let's see how it fares ... if all else fails guess I could stick the sunglasses on!

Have you picked up any bargain/budget buys recently? Any tips for composure during sentimental school concerts would be greatly appreciated!

Jen x

A Small Haul...!

Bonjour!

I actually feel half asleep today, haven't slept very well this week and the weather's been dismal - what a contrast to last week's sunshine!  On Tuesday I had both kids off school - with the teachers' strike and all.  Myself and my daughter did a little bit of shopping - think everyone had the same idea as our local shopping centre was heaving ...!

Trying to be budget friendly, we mainly stuck to Primark and Superdrug (apart from popping into Boots to restock on my Liz Earle Instant Boost Skin Tonic) and I picked up a few bits - literally a few!  Compared to some of the lovely big haul posts I've read recently this can barely be classed as a haul - more like a haulette maybe?

Cable jumper and print scarf from Primark.

MUA - 'Ever After' Matte Palette, Blush Perfection - Cream Blusher in Scrummy and Nail Polish in Moody Mink!  The palette was £4, blusher £2 and nail polish £1 - you can't go wrong!

I literally picked up Superdrug's own brunette dry shampoo as we were headed to the till - think it was reduced to £1.32 or something silly. Now that my highlights are seriously grown out I have to dry shampoo every other day so am getting through rather a lot of the stuff at the moment. I've already used this a couple of times and first impressions are ok - especially for the money!

I also bought some Cadbury's Fruit and Nut bars from Sainbury's (on offer of course!) on the way home as we had to pop in for bread and milk. Not had a bar of fruit and nut for ages - this has now been rectified!

Although I'm not on a shopping ban as such, I am trying to get into this 'shopping the stash' thing - hence the excuse of a haul!

Pilates and gym tomorrow - need to stretch it out and pump it up! Have a good weekend!

Jen x