Boots Haul (Soap&Glory Inspired)

Back at Christmas I got a lovely Soap&Glory set - the one that was the big boxes on special offer one of the weeks? And inside it had a voucher for €4 off once you spent over €15, which is no bother to someone like myself who is a big fan of the brand and going into Boots to spend in general! The voucher was expiring on April 1st so I couldn't let it go as it was a decent (enabling) amount of money off. Boots had a lot of stuff on offer and 3 for 2 on nearly all their make up too, so I'm going to give their normal prices first and then their on offer price. Just so you know what they currently are verses what they are now!

As you can see above I got myself a lovely big bottle of Smoothie Star Body Milk (€13.99) as I love their almond scents the most and really wanted something that I hadn't tried from the range before. I also got a repurchase of Hand Maid Hand Sanitizer (€3.49) as I'd almost run out of the one I keep in my hand bag. For years I never got why people raved about it, but now that I've become more almost overly aware of making sure my hands are clean, I use these a lot when I'm out for the day. 

I ran out of all my makeup removing skincare at the same time so I've been stocking up on it a lot. I always need backups of my backups! Garniers regular eye make up remover (€2.99) always keeps me happy so I picked up one. I find it never stings my eyeballs and gets rid of heavy eyeliner and mascara without having to rub the eyelids off myself. 

I also picked up some Boots own brand cleansing milk (€3.79 - €1.90) and a toner (€3.79 - €1.90) that both have aloe vera in them for sensitive skin. I got some face wipes from the same range (€3.99 - €1.99). I never use face wipes but their handy for taking off lipstick to eat or wiping away make up from the back of your hand. I've not used this range before as far as I can remember, or if I have they weren't in as nice looking packaging. I'll report back how they are on my skin once I get around to trying them out. 

This is the essentials pile of bits. Who doesn't need a few good razors (€6.99) to keep away the crazy forest like legs! I have been hairing (- see what I did there!?) my way through nail varnish remover recently as I've been redoing my nails loads, so I got a bottle of Cutex (€2.25). I think this is one of the best brands on the market as they take way less time to totally get rid of the product then other ones I've used. I can't speak much for them being nail strengthening or whatever claims they have but there good at the physical getting rid of bit.

Also got some Nivea rolls ons that were 2 for €4, normally €2.99 each. I'm a big fan of roll ons in recent times as they don't clog up air if you want to freshen up before bed and they also don't effect my asthma. Saying that, I picked up my favourite Impulse (€2.79 - €1.39) too as I'm a fan of having a body spray in my handbag if I'm out and about.  

Lastly I couldn't go into Boots and not pick up at least a few make up bits! I was on a mission for a cheap eyeliner as I had only earlier lost my own to my sisters clutch in the car. I got a Collection one (€2.49) in black that does the job grand. 

I was on the hunt for a Barry M (€5.99) light blue nail varnish after I saw it on Instagram. I think this is called Green Apple but I could be wrong! I've misplaced my bottle so I can't double check, but no doubt I'll put it up on Instagram or twitter soon enough!  

And I've saved the best for last. Just look at that Sleek lipstick!! (€5.99) its in the shade Mystic and it was made for me. I haven't even swatched it yet as I wanted to take photos of it in perfect condition for this post. Man I'm so restrained! It is just beautiful and even before I try it I want everyone to have it. It just makes me happy.

Well thats all of it! I actually saved €16 and got triple points on my Boots card too so I'm extra delighted! At the til I came across the most lovely lady called Cathy who recommend products to me (which I picked up!) and talked about the things I was buying. She gave me some baby wipes as I had a lot of swatches on my hand and gave me loads of brilliant vouchers for things in the shop (and some handy tips too!). I've come across some lovely staff in the Boots at Liffey Valley in the past, but this lady went above and beyond. Just had to give her a mention, she was so friendly and I left the shop feeling extra happy after such a nice chat.

Empties #9

I didn't think I would have enough to do a full empties post, but after having a quick look in my box of bits, I realised I will always have enough for a post. I go through things so feckin quickly! 

First are three perfumes that I've been hording because they look pretty on my shelf. I've used up all of my lovely Body Shop smokey rose and recently bought myself another one. This is the kind of scent thats musky and heavy, totally perfect for the colder months. But I like it so much I'll be using it in the summer too. Is that a weird thing? I feel like your meant to change your perfume with the seasons, but if I like it, I'm a gona' wear it. Doesn't matter if its snowing or boiling! 

The other two are a mini Kylie Minogue 'darling' and the purple bottle from Ghost. I always was in two minds when it came to darling, I liked it but it was just a little too sweet, maybe someone younger would love it more. Or maybe I'm just at the grumpy 'theres too many colours and salts in these smarties' stage of my life. The Ghost one is an old favourite that I never seem to think of picking up. Perfume is so damn expensive! This is a lovely light floral scent thats just right up my street. Out of all three there, I'd recommend smelling this one the most. (Not that I can even tell you the name other then 'its the purple one!') Sorry lads.

Dove 2in1 was nabbed in Dealz and much loved by my hair. I always feel so extra fancy when I use something from Dove, but I especially love when it only costs €1.49! Smells great and leaves my hair silky. All the good things in this bottle.

The herbal essence shampoo that I did a review on over here is nice and I liked using it, but I think theres so many other great shampoos out there that I'd pass on picking this up again. It doesn't leave my hair as smooth as garnier or aussie.

Pantene was picked up on FragranceDirect and was a treat, but I would only get it if its on offer and not full price. I can't say the same for Aussie 3 minute miracle though, I'd pay serious money for that stuff! Its one of my all time favourite conditioners and I'm a massive fan of their shampoos too.

Lastly Aussies new shower gel that I did a full review of them over here was lovely and I'd pick it up again. Same goes for the amazingly gorgeous smelling Soap&Glory orangeasm. This entire range is just to die for, that and the almond scented products. Oh man!

My two favourite things to use is the Seventeen stay time foundation and Collections extreme felt tip eye liner. I can't say enough good things about them both, I think I'm on my 5th/6th bottle and 3rd pen. Full flawless coverage and the easiest to use blackest black eyeliner. Don't question, just go buy them and thank me later.

Also my sister brought me Ruth Crillys CoLab hair sprays down from the north and I'm really in love with the London scent. They are super light weight and work quite well. I wish that they were easier to pick up in the south though. If you see them, pick one up. I'm 99% certain they will work well for most people. (But if you have super not washed in like 2/3 days hair, it wont work for you. Its not the heavy duty kind of spray.) 

 I did a review of the two of these Bioderma and Ziaja cleansing milks (cos' they are so dupes!) over here, so I wont bang on about them. But I highly recommend picking up some of the Ziaja range if you stumble across it. Its a really amazing Polish skincare brand thats so wonderfully affordable! 

I'm compiling a shopping list of Ziaja products I have to repurchase next time I'm on Talbot st. in town. This toner will be top of the list, its a really lovely one and I'll also be on the look out for a new cleansing water from this brand too as I'm all out now,

Lastly are these random bits. I can't recommend the human+kind family remedy cream enough. You can use it for so many things and it really helped my eczema on my hands. I hared my way through it and will be getting another as soon as I can deal with forking out over €12 for a tiny tube. 

We don't even need to comment on Green Angels body lotion ot Soap&Glorys orangeasm body cream, they are both amazing. Although I think I'll be picking up S&G a little quicker as its more affordable and easier to come across. 

And finally another bargain in Dealz, I'm a big fan of roller ball deodorants as they don't effect my asthma half as much as sprays do. Not the most amazing protection if your exercising, but its grand if your just doing normal day to day things. 

January Favourites

January was a really bad month for good day time light. I know that its still considered winter, I'm not looking for miracles but I still give out no end about the crap quality of my blog photos. I can't wait for the summer light to come back! Netflix, melons and trips to Lush for 50% off Christmas stock featured heavily in January. After watching all of House of Cards, I can't wait for the 26th of February to see season 3, its addictive! Same goes for The Good Wife, I know season 6 is currently airing, but I want to wait and binge watch it. 

In other news, I am a massive comic fan and all things Marvel. I set my sights on this gorgeous Iron Patriot from Iron Man, one of my favourite films. He now stands on my book case with my other super hero figures. (Pauses for moment to admire him and pat myself on the back.)

Three bottles next, all things that I have a love hate relationship with. First is the amazing smelling Soap&Glory Super Tonic in the fragrance in Orangeasm. Its one of their newer scents and I use the body wash most days in the shower. My one issue with this is that the scent doesn't linger very long and I don't use it as much because of it. I don't like lugging the bottle around with me if I'm out so only on days when I'm home do I use it. Oh well, its still lovely!

Next is the new make up brush cleaner from Penneys that anyone and everyone is talking about. I've never used one of these before, instead just going straight to cleaning them, so I have nothing else to compare it to. But considering its only €2.50, I couldn't not pick it up. Theres been a lot of mixed reactions from people over it, but I find it great. I don't use it on my bigger brushes, but it cleans my eyeshadow brushes really well. Again, my one issue with it is that it gives off a very strong sweet smell. Not something thats a problem in the over all use of the brush, but I'm not a fan of feeling sick if a brush happens to pass my nose. I still prefer deep cleaning them, but for spot cleaning or being lazy, this is great. 

Lastly in the list of bottles is my Human+Kind family remedy cream. This is meant to be used for anything and everything that happens to skin. So with the long list, I've been using it for my contact dermatitis and eczema  with great success. Applying it about 3 times daily and things clear up within 3 or 4 days. But its very pricey and because of that, I'm careful with how much I use. When I got this bottle I noticed that it was only half filled, missing a lot of product. But as I needed to use it right away, I didn't send it back or complain to Cloud10Beauty where I bought it. Kind of a round about let down! 

After lots of make up in December, its all about the minimal face this month. I've been using Lush sweet lips lip scrub to exfoliate with and then putting on a layer of Carmex in cherry after it. I've never had better feeling lips then in the month of January!

Next is another Soap&Glory product, Thick&Fast mascara. I got it in a gift set at Christmas and decided to have a quick go of it one day, to find that it gave me lovely day time light lashes. The applicator is great and it does a really wonderful job of separating my lashes out. Big thumbs up with this one, I'd say it will be popping up a lot this year.

Lastly is a random tiny bottle of hair oil that I got ages ago in one of the beauty boxes. I used it when I first got it, but then I gave up on it. But I've noticed the past while that my hair needed a bit of extra love, so this has been really great for it. I've been on Boots having a look at different hair oils as I'm just out of this bottle, so I'll be picking something up soon. Maybe I'll do a review if its as good.

Empties #8

I had to have a look back over my old posts to see when I last posted one of these empties posts. It felt like only yesterday but apparently it was way back in November! Doesn't time fly when your having fun slapping things onto your skin and hair. 

First thing that I was sad to finish was the two Bioderma's. I used the mini one for oily and combination skin over Christmas when I was away and although this one is better suited for my skin type, I found the big pink bottle for sensitive skin better. When my sister heads back to France I'll definitely be asking her to pick up some Bioderma products for me, but I also think that any other cleansing waters are just as good as these and I'm not really sure where the hype for these products come from. 

I'm not going to say too much about my much loved Bia Beauty cleaner and exfoliator right now. I've bought another of these dinky pots and have a post coming up about it next week. (I promise I actually do, I just took some photos for it!)

The last thing in my skincare empties is an old packaging bottle of Soap&Glory's Peaches and Clean. I found it really hard to get the last of the product from this, so theres minus points for loosing product. But I actually prefer Soap&Glory's other hot cloth cleanser/make up cleanser as it doesn't have such a strong scent, it comes in a tube so you can get all the product and its more gentle to my skin. I doubt I'll be getting this Peaches and Clean again.

Two of my favourite shampoo brands, Garnier Ultimate Blends and also Aussie are always popping up in my empties posts. I consider leaving them out, but I don't want anyone to think that I've stopped using them! Its always good to recommend what you love, so apologies to those who regularly read my blog. If you've not tried either of these shampoo's or conditioners then you need to put them on the to get lists!

I had some mini's on the go over the past two months and I've not too much to report on any of them. I got some Body Shop Rainforest shine shampoo and conditioner from fragrance direct to try out before forking over almost €10, but I'm not taken with it. It does the job but not any better then the much cheaper brands you can find in Tesco or Boots. I wont be getting a full size. The same goes for the Great Lengths shampoo, I think I got it on one of my subscription boxes months ago. It was fine to pop in my bag, but nothing special that would make me buy a full size. 

The new Herbal Essence conditioner is the only one pictured here, as I had thrown out the shampoo bottle by accident, but I did a review about the new range and spray over here.

Then of course theres something form Lush. I will buy Daddyo shampoo every few months when I feel that my hair is lacking in the colour department and this shampoo perks up the colour, taking away any brassy tones and leaving it shiny, a lovely colour and smelling like violets! Its a small bottle but you only need a little and you don't have to use it daily either to get results.

Theres nothing much to say about this pile apart from I buy them all regularly and love them. I've talked in many monthly favourite posts about my love affair for Herbal Essences dry shampoo. Hair removal cream and Nivea roll on deodorant (the best one ever in my opinion) are both €1.49 from deals, bargain! The only thing that I wont be getting again from this pile is the Boots own brand nail varnish remover. It smells so bad and takes massives amounts of product in order for it to work. I picked up nail varnish remover in a pot from Dealz that works much better for next to nothing.

The candle is a gorgeous vanilla one that I've had for a few years. It only gets used on special occisions as I loved the smell too much and didn't want to waste it. Theres no sticker on it so I can't find where to buy it again and the shop (Evolution in the GPO arcade) doesn't sell them anymore. Very sad to see this one go.

Lastly is some sort of advertisement for Seventeen! I think its fair to say that I'm a big fan of the brand and I especially love their new Stay Time foundation (my 5th bottle) and the phwoarr paint concealer (easily my 12th). Theres nothing to say about them apart from try them all out because they are normally on offer in Boots and so cheap. 

Another little thing from Lush is the Charity Pot cream that smells amazing. For €1 that goes towards charity, I always pick up a little pot when I'm in Lush as they are so easy to keep in your hand bag. And the smell is so nice too. I have bundles of them floating about!

Make Up Brush Cleaning Mitt From Boots?

I was having a little walk around Boots the other day and had seen that Soap&Glory had a 3 for 2 offer on all their toiletry bags and accessories. I had noticed a few people suggesting that the Soap&Glory massage glove (see here) was the perfect thing for a cheaper version of the Sigma brush cleaner. But on closer inspection I thought that the little raised bumps weren't deep enough for brush bristles to go between and get a decent clean. And at €11 I thought that my money could be better spent. I was leaving the aisle when I noticed the Face Massage Mini Mitt for €5.50. As I am one of Those people, I pulled it out and had a proper look, it had more of what I was looking for. And if it was utterly crap, I wouldn't have wasted too many of my pennies.

The long and short of it? It really works a feckin' treat for all my brushes and I'm ashamed to say that they are now the cleanest they've ever been. (Hangs head in shame.) The bigger raised bumps are deep and just perfect to get between the bristles of brushes - especially tiny ones that are so hard to get clean. I'm thinking of lip brushes in particular that you can never get the kind of greasy residue off of. 

Its not the most amazing thing for larger brushes, but my foundation kabuki brush still got a much better clean then with just the palm of my hands and some cleaner. I can't say too much about the smaller rounder bumps at the top, they didn't do too much to impress, but none the less they are handy. I'll say that apart from the small size, the one downfall is that the rubber is very bendy so you need to have a good hold of the mitt. However for just over a fiver and mega clean brushes, I'm only splitting hairs here.

But one thing I wondered as I'm only using this for my brushes, is the fact that its actually for your face! I ran it over my skin on the back of my hand and have to say I wouldn't bother with this for cleaning or cleansing my face. It would be way too awkward, time consuming and gimmicky. Soap&Glory need to start marketing this as a brush cleaner mitt and they would sell loads as it works way better! Have a look at it over here, you might want to try it out on your brushes!

November Favourites

November has been the month of getting everything done before the madness of the Christmas rush. Its mostly worked quite well and now I can sit back and watch as everyone else panic buys socks and boxes of biscuits for loved ones. If your one of these people, do keep an eye out over the next week or so for different gift guides that I'll be posting up. There might be something for that one difficult aunt or brother that you can never get the right thing for.

I think its clear by now to see that I am a massive fan of candles, especially Irish ones that are made of only the good stuff. So you might be shocked to see that I have both Yankee candles and Emma So Naturals side by side this month. I'll tell you now, I used to be Yankees biggest fan and still buy them on occasion, but I've mostly used Christmas Cookie because it was a present and himself was giving out I wasn't using it. But also because I broke my beloved Emmas one - drink and candles do not go hand in hand, just let me say that now. Surprisingly enough, it lit for the photos and then died on me altogether not long after I went to pick out the pictures of this post. Little fecker, such a poser that Masala Chai. Luckily enough though, I picked up the largest candle size of this scent yesterday, so I am one happy camper. Have a read of the Emmas candles collection over here.

I know last month I featured this Christian Breton lipstick in the shade speak easy, but holy god its that good I had to include it again. I have never before got so many compliments as I do when wearing this. Its such a gorgeous purple colour and is something that I can't seem to find in any other collections. It lasts all day with the help of a lip pencil and adds serious attitude to any look. I'd put money on me finishing this lipstick before Spring - and I've never finished a lip product before. You can get this from The Cosmetic Outlet on Meath Street for €10. Just in time for the Christmas stocking, or a treat for yourself.

The Body Shops White Musk was every girls fragrance at some stage in her teens, but they brought out the more mature smoky rose scent last year. This month it has been my go to scent thats perfect for a little something heavier in the winter months. Again, I've had loads of people sniffing me and asking what it is. My bottle has been well loved and I can see myself getting it again once it runs out. Its not breaking the bank either considering its perfume and from the sometimes over pricey Body Shop. One for the wish list!

Glitter. All of the magical glitter that is allowed at this time of year. And because I don't do things halfheartedly, every single nail had to have Models Own top glitter coat, that doesn't actually have a name or number on it oddly! I am such a big fan of glitter and would wear it all year round if it wasn't so hard to take off my nails. This one is under Barry M Chai. 

Next is a bit of a surprise one for me. My Sleek vintage romance palette that I got back in October. I've been using all the colours in this, which I never thought I'd do. The pinks and purples are well out of my comfort zone but I decided to throw caution to the wind and slap it all over my eye balls for a lot of this month. I feckin love how pigmented these palettes are and the gorgeous selection you get in each one. Theres both shimmers and mattes in this, but the glitter has to always be caked on when I do it! How can you not have glitter when its acceptable to? This was €9.99 in Boots for 12 shades, a brush and a massive mirror. Bargain if I ever saw one.

Next is my lovely *Paese bamboo powder that I have become very attached to. I was so surprised when I started using this, a little on when first doing my make up to set the lot and that was it for the day. Normally I'm having to touch up my setting powder through out the day, but I hardly ever need to with this one. Its total magic I'm telling you! The one downside is that its loose so if your not careful it can go everywhere. (Or if your me, you'll accidentally inhale some and ruin your eye make up coughing and making your eyes stream. Sexy, right?) You can see my full review and more of the Paese range here. 

Lastly two of my most used things to date. I've had a long affair with Soap&Glory, but when their Orangeasm collection was launched I considered marriage. I've been using this body wash since I got it back in October and I've not fallen out of love with it yet. Using it every single day with 2 or 3 pumps and its only now hit the half way mark. Theres some gorgeous S&G sets out for Christmas that I have been begging for. I need them all in my life - and I'm just out of their body scrubs too. Perfect timing to stock up again! (Are you listening santy?)

My sister introduced me to a bundle of French brands after she went jet setting to France with her other half for a week. She came home weighted down with skin care and goodies for me to try. I'll tell you now, the sisterly bond was strong that day. This Bioderma cleansing milk is one she passed to me when she found it wasn't working for her skin. After trying it out for the entire month I'm almost booking her tickets back to France to buy more. This takes off the most caked make up, mascara (- but not Benefits They're Real. Feckin nothing gets that cray stuff off.) and all the most pigmented lipsticks going. I really love it and its not once irritated my skin. I've not looked this up as I really don't want to ruin the dream and find out how expensive it is, or how difficult it is to get in Ireland. But as its now two thirds gone, I'll have to burst my bubble soon. 

Thats it for me now. I'm sorry about the crappy blogging I've been doing in the last few weeks. If its not the awful light, its the lack of time! Speaking of light, apologises for the utterly horrendous light in this post. I've had nothing but weeks of poor lighting and said feck it yesterday. Downsides of the winter season! 

Empties #7

I think I'm getting better at doing these empties more often, thing aren't piling up so much! I only did one of these last month but since then I've had loads more odds and ends that I've been using up. Some of them I'm very sorry to see go and will be on the list must buys again soon, once all the Christmas presents have been bought!

First is my lovely Body Shop chamomile cleanser that was an utter dream to use on my skin. It took off all my make up and didn't irritate even my eyes. It was pricey at €15 and not something I will be picking up soon, but is on my wishlist of lovely things to get when I have a spare few bob floating about. You can read my full review of it over here.

Seventeen is the love of my make up life, we all know that by now. So when they brought this new foundation out a few months ago I couldn't have been happier. I'm now on to my third bottle of the stuff and use it daily. Its the perfect tone for my pale completion and can build up to have a totally flawless - slightly thick, but full coverage. Theres not much else in the make up section that could make me change my mind. This is just over €8 but all the make up in Boots tends to be on 3 for 2 so you can pick it up on the cheap. I need to get a back up of my back up for this one!

My Garnier micellar water is finally finished. When the internet went mad for those waters I naturally jumped on the bandwagon and bought a million different ones. This one is by far the best, purely based on the price. Its one of the biggest bottles at 400ml instead of the usual 200ml. So when I next run out of all my water, I'll pick this on up again.

Ziaja is amazing, theres not one product that I've tried of theres that I've not loved - which is a big thing for me to say. The Ziaja rose butter micro peeling face scrub has been my go to scrub for months now and I'm sad thats its come to an end. I'll be keeping an eye out for this again and buying a back up when I do find them. I used this about 3 times a week and it kept my skin soft while not being too harsh or stripping it. This was about €6 if I remember right and is worth every penny. 

My fall down with these posts are the crazy amounts of hair things in them. So I'll keep this one really short. We all know I love Dove and I buy this conditioner for coloured hair religiously. Big thumbs up. Next is a let down of a Dealz find, some random shampoo and conditioner that wasn't very good. I wont be getting it again.

Onto the hair dyes now. My Bleach London dye needs a full ranting, so heres the blog post for it. I just hate it so much! The other is XXL Live and that is the other end of the scale entirely. I use this all the time and love it so much. I lasts ages and gives such gorgeous colours once its washed out. You can pick this one up on offer in Boots all the time for about €5 which is perfect for me.

Two bottles of dry shampoo that I now use all the time. Batiste is an old favourite that I used a lot of especially around Halloween as it gives great texture and the white powder it leaves behind looks great too. But a new favourite is the Herbal Essence range and I have about 3 as back ups! They were on special offer in Tesco so I really stocked up. Best dry shampoo ever!

Few deodorants I really like is the Nivea no stains one and the roll on energy fresh one. Mostly the bigger bottle is about €5 in Boots but I always buy the roll on one in Dealz for €1.49 which is great for just before bed if you don't fancy having a stuffy room of spray left or if you have asthma and find that sprays irritate it. 

Next are two body scrubs, one is a mini from Soap&Glory. Sugar crush is by far my favourite scent along with the new orange one thats out. Nom nom nom, they smell so good! I'm asking santa for one of those sets for Christmas and in the mean time I might just accidentally buy one! The other is the raspberry body scrub from the Body Shop that loads of bloggers raved about. When I was in one day they had it on special offer so I picked it up but I wont be getting it again. It just didn't do anything for me and left my skin, unscrubed?

Once I found the dupe in Dealz for my Bourjoir nail varnish remover, I'm not going to be picking it up again. But this did work really well and if theres no Dealz near you then I'd recommend getting this one. Its about €6.99 so its not breaking the bank.

I really love Ghost and enchanted bloom is my favourite one of the collection. I have had this still in my shelf far too long but I could bare to throw it out. But considering its less then €30 I think I'm going to ask himself for it for Christmas. Perfume is such a lovely gift and an easy one once you know what type the girl or guy likes!

Lastly is one of the best Irish candles around, Emmas so naturals. This is one of their winter limited edition ones in masala chai. I think this is one of the nicest ones of all the winter candles out there. For €9.99 I think this is going to be bought again really soon. You can see all the other scents and full reviews over here.

Do you think empty posts are good for finding new things to try?

BlogLovin' 100 subscribers Thank You Give Away!

I'm over the moon delighted that I've actually got 100 people who have subscribed to my blog! Wow lads and ladies, thanks very much! Because its all party and excitement my end, I thought it was only right that I do a little giveaway for you all. Theres two different prizes that can be won, below. I hope everyone enters and fingers crossed two lucky ducks will win! Heres the rules:

- This is only open to Ireland and the UK, sorry!

- Each entry will be doubled checked

- Any entries that aren't followed but 'ticked' will be disqualified

- You have to be 18 to enter (or tell your parents, as I'll need personal details to send the prizes)

- I am not responsible for Mr PostMan once I send off the prize.

- Please leave a little comment to tell me which prize you would like!

Good Luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Empties #6

Looking back, I can't believe it was August when I did my last empties post. Madness! I've naturally loads to write about now, some samples and new things that I don't normally talk about either. First all the body things, I have my much loved Vaseline spray that I talk a lot about. Most recently I mentioned it in my September favourites as a really long lasting tin that moisturises well but doesn't feel sticky or heavy. Perfect for a quick use before jumping into clothes in these cold mornings.

I blogged in detail about the Ziaja cocoa butter shower body scrub over here. Cheap, works well and I'll be on the hunt for more of these tubs in the coming weeks. The same goes for the Soap&Glory sugar crush body butter cream, the in depth review is over here, along with other things in this range. I love using this before bed when it can soak in and work, without me rubbing it off or feeling like its a little too heavy on my skin during the day.

Last in this pile is the Bia Beauty detox body scrub. I won this at a blogger event last year and it was half used in the back of a drawer. In my cull of using all left over products, I decided to finish this off. It doesn't wow me at all and I think its far too expensive for what it is. There are so many other more worth while products that this Irish brand offer. Although the packaging is eye catching and something lovely to display, I wouldn't be buying this myself.

Two micellar waters, a Nivea one and my very first one, L'oreal. Both of these were got on offer when there was a big blogger buzz around them. They both seem to work just the same, nothing better or worse. They are so handy for taking off your make up if your not bothered to go the entire nine yards with different cleansers, toners and all that jazz. One bottle does all and gets off all your make up. I did a review of the L'oreal one here and a Garnier one too. I'd pick up any of them again, they all do the same thing!

Lush tea tree water is another product that I liked but I'm not too pushed to run out and buy it again. I've since gotten a new tea tree water thats cheaper and a bigger ml so I might stick with that one. I'll be blogging about it some time soon I'm sure. 

Lastly a total wow product, Waxperts pads. These things are so amazing and multipurpose too. I can't get enough of them and already have another tub of them. Again, I'll be blogging about them soon enough, but I'll save you the hassle of waiting for that post. Just order some right now!

Lots of Soap&Glory lovin' it seems I've got through in the past few months! More of the sugar crush line that I blogged about in detail before, and I would go so far as to say this line is my favourite from the brand. I'm totally gone off their signature scent. The same goes for my love of almond smells, oh mammy this rich and foamous body wash was just so lovely. Both of these I'd pick up again in a heart beat.

The Body Shop has all the most lovely things, but they are so madly expensive! I picked up this almond body wash when it was on sale for €5 and loved it so much that I went back before the sale was over to get another. If I won the lotto I would have nothing but Body Shop stuff, but for now I'll just keep an eye out for the sales. Lastly in the body wash line is an imperil leather that my friend picked up for me after I gushed over it. (I have the bestest friends!) I really liked this bergamot and sea minerals. Its not my normal scent as I prefer sweeter and more floral scents, but this has turned me. I'll be on the look out to try more of these.

Random ones now, as always I have an Impulse. I have started to throw out all of these and my Nivea deodorants to, as there a bit boring to always have come up in these posts. One thing that I didn't blog about and wouldn't get again was the Lush volcano foot mask. I'm not a fan of feet to start with and when I got this as a present I was intrigued to try it out. Its got a mint base that makes your feet a strange hot-cold and is quite hard to apply. Not something I'd recommend, even for those who take amazing care of their toes!

Another Soap&Glory now, this time its the fab pore hot cloth cleanser. This is my second one of these, I just love how easy it is to remove make up after rubbing this into my skin. It a little pricey but man does it work well. I like to use this in the shower sometimes too as it really perks up and freshens my skin. You get a lovely little muslin cloth with this but I rarely use it. You could use this for a little pamper too if you were feeling it. Something I'll pick up again.

Oh man, I go through so many hair things its crazy! In short I am always trying out new conditioners so I always have loads. A must have and repurchases for me again will be the Herbal Essence mask, the John Freda conditioner and the gorgeous smelling Dove conditioner for coloured hair. Also I enjoyed the Herbal essence bee strong shampoo and the 2in1 Dove. I buy them on and off all the time, they make my hair smell lovely and leave it shiny. I wont be picking up the Fruit Essence conditioner as its not worth wasting the money. It does nothing for my hair and is left limp and full of tangles. Big thumbs down from me. The same goes for the horribly awful (and colour stripping) Bleach London hair mask. I did a review of it over here and just grrr. I can't get over how bad this product is considering how hyped the brand is! I also love to pick up the cheap Boots own brand stuff when I'm looking for a way to save some pennies to spend on make up or dye.

Lastly a bundle of make up empties. I have a Catrice and a NYC concealer that were both really cheap and I'd buy again in a heart beat. The coverage they gave was amazing and it was like I barely had spots! My Wet'n'Wild coverall pressed powder was grand and I'm sure I will pick up many more, but I am currently using a Seventeen one that I forked out a little extra for. Its not an amazing one for keeping shine at bay, but for the colder months I'm sure it will work a lot better.

Two tiny samples that I got was a Dior hydra life that I would genuinely consider forking out the major euros for. My god that stuff is sex for your skin. And then a lovely but not as wowing Vichy life serum. I'd recommend asking for little samples of both, especially the Dior one. A girl can dream.

And my most loved and ranted about foundation is the new Seventeen stay time. I've wanted to blog about this for ages but I just never got around to it for some reason. Its like the best kept secret in the 'drug store' brand or something, it just has to be. This is the most full coverage and long lasting foundation I've tried in such a long time. And to top it all off, the lightest shade is the perfect match for a pale ghost like myself. No orange foundation neck lines for me, oh no sir. I already have another one and think I'll pick up 3 more while Seventeen have a 3for2 offer on. Its got to be one of my top 2014 products this year. Yeah, I did just go there. 

Boots Haul: Hair and Makeup Must Haves

Its important to note that this spend was totally ok as I had gotten a Boots voucher for my birthday and it was burning a hole in my handbag. The majority of this haul are things that I had needed to repurchase or that I had been looking at for ages and just never had the extra funds to splurge on. So thank you to one of my besties for feeding my Boots habit, the doll! Boots are doing there regular savings with 3 for 2 on make up and the likes, but there also doing a 3 for 2 on all hair care - which I think ends up being a little expensive in the long run. So until they finish that offer I'm hunting around the house for some shampoo and conditioner!

I had to get more hair dye as I'm finally finished my god awful bottle of Bleach London. Now I can go back to much loved and trusted Live Colour XXL in purple. This stuff lasts such a long time and is one of the best purple dyes I have tried (and believe me, I've tried them all!) This was only €6.99 and normally its on offer for two fro €9, so look out for that if your a dye addict like myself.

I also picked up Soap&Glory Orangeasm body wash that I have wanted since it came out. I can't get enough of the scent and a friend actually took it from me because I was sniffing it too much. (opps). I can't wait to try this out in the shower and see if the scent is long lasting and what it really smells like once its applied to the skin. Not only that, but obviously if it washes well and leaves me squeaky clean! This was the cheapest out of the new line at €9, which is a bit steep, but after all it is S&G.

Another thing that I had been after for ages was the Invisi bobble that I read about on a blog and really wanted to try. This is meant to keep hair in place without catching or leaving bobbin marks in your hair. I am forever tying my hair up and letting it loose again late only to find kinks and crazy possessed big hair. I really hope this isn't a gimmiky product and it actually works. It will make a nice change from getting my hair pulled out by my bobbins too and I'm hoping it wont break as easy as the ones I'm currently using at the minute. For a pack of three this was €4.89.

I was set on getting a Sleek palette as I have never owned one and when I saw the limited edition Arabian Nights, I knew it had to be mine. What I didn't know was that Sleek had a buy one get one half price on all their stock so I came away with another much drooled over palette, Vintage Romance. Both of these make me happy just to look at and I can't wait to have a proper play and create some looks. These are €9.99 each, but I got the second one for €4.99. Over the past month I have been seriously gaining a lot of new shadows and palettes so I think these will be the last for a while as I just have too many! The last Sleek palette I really want is the Sunset one, after that the craving should be filled! (Or so I hope). I'll start doing reviews and swatches in the next while of all the these shadows and products, so keel the eyes peeled.

Lastly, some much needed repurchases. Seventeen is one of my most loved make up brands and I have bought dozens of their phwoarr paint concealers and miracle matte pressed powders. The concealer is a near dupe of Benefits boi-ing but for only €6.99, while the pressed powder was €5.09. Seventeen had an offer on of buy two products and get a free back lash mascara that is normally €8.19. It was just my luck that I was buying two things anyway! I haven't seen this mascara before, so I don't know if its new or not, although I don't pay too much attention to any mascaras out.

Lastly I picked up a reduced Bourjois record liner in black for €3, originally €10.49 as the packaging had been damaged. I couldn't have been happier as this brand is normally out of my reach with its slightly high end prices. 

Empties #5

Ah lads, why in the name of god do I manage to leave it so long before I have a look in my empty bag of bottles and realise that its overdue a clearing out and a post about what I've been using up? I don't know at all, but my god, here is yet again another mad long one with lots of photos. So, sorry about that!

First off there are all the Garnier Ultimate Blends shampoos, conditioners and masks. Out of these three there is not one I wouldn't pick up again or recommend to anyone and they have been cropping up in my monthly favourites for a while now. They all left my hair softer and in better condition, they smell lovely and I'm a big big fan of their one minute leave in conditioners. If I was going to pick up one of these again I would say it would be the brown bottles of sleek restorer as they smell divine and they are the last ones I used, so naturally still fresh in my mind. Bonus points that this brand is always on sale in Boots, half off and some lovely advantage card points? Yeah I'll take them all thank you!

As always this kind of post wouldn't be complete without a few Aussie products in there somewhere. I have one shampoo and two conditioners, but I have to admit after using so much of the lovely Ultimate Blends things I might be more inclined to pick them over Aussie. However nothing can beat the Aussie 3 minute miracle conditioner for soft makings AND a lovely smelling head. Tiny bit on the pricey side if you don't get them in an offer though. 

  

Kerastase shampoo is something I have had in my drawer for well over a year. I remember getting it at a blogger meet up and all the girls going mad over it, I was delighted (and clueless) a little bit too. After trying it out a few times I just didn't get what the hype was all about. Nor did I get the price tag of €20, say whhaa?! I finished it up when I was on a use up half finished products binge, but I am still scratching my head. 

H'suan Wen Hua was something I tried a while ago in the hope that it would help me get the birds net of a head sorted out a little more. You can read my review of it here.  

Who doesn't go through a bundle of deodorants and dry shampoo? I love these small bottles to throw in my handbag and they are normally on offer too. I also picked up one for €1.49 in Dealz the other day, so you really can't go wrong! Impulse hint of musk has to be my favourite body spray of all time and I am forever stocking up on them. Has anyone else noticed the price of Impulse creep up in the past few months or is it just me? Sneaky!

I have banged on aboout Batiste more then is possible so I'll not say too much. My only regret is that Boots doesn't stock Timotei dry shampoo as well. I think this is one of the best I have ever used and was really sad when it came to an end. I picked it up in Tesco on offer one day and haven't seen it since. It doesn't leave a layer of white powder across your hair like Batiste seems to always do. Its just magic stuff. If you see it make sure and pick one up, its so worth it. Oh and please please tweet me too, I need it back in my life!

Two of these scrubs were in my top 3 body scrub post thats over here. I really love Soap&Glory, it has to be one of my favourite brands for body scrubs and moisturisers. But on the other end of the scale there is the Amatomicals scrubs and the easy to pick up Flower Pharh that you can get in most Tesco's. I go through body scrubs like its the end of the world, so I always look for ones that might be on the cheaper end of the scale! Although the breakfast scrub lasted especially long. And oh, oh the smell! Om, nom nom nom.

Since I finished my Botanics all bright eye make up remover I have been trying out lots of other ones with no luck at all. This is by far my most favourite of the lot , easy on the eyes and takes anything stubborn off in no time. Its also on offer in Boots a lot, but in the past few weeks I haven't been keeping an eye. Now that I'm reminded its off to Boots tomorrow for me! I did a review of it way back when, over here.

Three bath/shower gels now, and two are from Lush. I've slowly but surely been making my way through all my Lush booty and my ban is nearly up! I can't begin to talk about the list of things I want from that shop, my god. This is my second bottle of The Olive Branch is a gorgeous fresh shower gel that smells like olives (well, duh) and quite, savory? Its hard to explain but it wakes me up in the morning and I was sad to see it all gone. The other is Snow Fairy, a cult product that smells like all the sweetest sweets in one little bottle. I didn't use this one up, it was given to himself who loves rock star soap and snow fairy. However it does smell quite nice from afar.

Last in this pile is a massive bottle of bubble bath in chocolate cupcake from Beauticology. I was expecting way more from this product if I'm honest. I used it up quickly as the bubbles it made quickly disappeared in the bath. It did have a lovely chocolate smell but didn't do much else for me. I think it was from a set I got in the Christmas sales and if I remember right the set itself was a lovely presentation, but I might skip these products when buying gifts this year. 

Even more Lush things - I swear these are really old! Cupcake is my go-to face mask. I never buy masks from Lush, instead waiting until I have 5 empty pots to bring back so its a special treat! Cupcake is a chocolate mask that targets impurities and spots, so its perfect for me. I never notice a huge difference in my skin from using this, but sometimes its just nice to put a face mask on and enjoy the little things in life. On the other end of the scale is the Rudolph face mask that was out at Christmas time. Don't worry, this has been used months ago and was just lurking empty in the back of my drawers. I hated this one with a passion.. I just realised that I blogged about this in my last empties post! I must have put it back in my drawer by accident! Oh well, you can't always be on the ball. At least everyone can be aware to stay clear of it if it comes back this Christmas!

Another Lush product is my much loved and missed (until the ban ends!) aqua marina cleanser. It smells awful if your not used to it, like a day at the beach when the tide has gone out. All seaweed and ugh. But it makes my skin feel really lovely and I find it clears up the bigger, redder spots that can crop up. I can't wait to get my hands on this again and it lasts so long. I had that pot for nearly 2 months.

A product that I don't go through fast is the antiseptic cream that can be used for burns, cuts and also on spots. I really love this stuff, it drys out spots over night and I always notice a huge difference in the morning after using it for just one night. A holy grail in terms of spot fighting treatments. It also lasts for ages and I love that its a multi purpose product. 

Something that I've had for I don't know how long is my Soap&Glory The Greatest Scrub Of All facial exfoliator. I liked this and would buy it again but since I started buying more face scrubs I have found loads that I really like. In other words, this is on the list of good ones, but along with a lot of others. 

I think by now its safe to say I've gone through about 10-12 bottle of True Match foundation by Rimmel. My god is that stuff good and a lot of the time its on offer. Half of the reason I always pick it up is because I know it works for my skin tone and I'm afraid to fork out for something that might not work as well. I must expand on the foundation buying and try out more! But I do like this one, its really easy to build up too.

Two more continuous repurchases for me are the Natural Collection pressed powder and Essence black liquid eyeliner. Again I have easily gone through about 15 of both of these. Every time I walk by the stands I pick both of these up. They are both under €3, both easy to use and stay put all day. Just what I'm looking for. 

Lastly my mini tube of They're Real Benefit mascara. I am a massive fan of this mascara and already have a brand new full sized one waiting to be opened after I finish trying out a few other mascaras. This is my holy grail mascara - and thats saying something considering the totally crazy price. 

Sorry this was crazy long! Anything catch your eye?

Soap&Glory Sugar Crush Collection

I've been a massive fan of Soap&Glory for years now but sometimes the S&G signature scent can be a little overpowering and not to my likes. This is totally my own fault though, I've used far too many of their products and now I'm reaching for their other scents in the range. I guess you can have too much of a good thing! Right now I'm really in love with the sugar crush collection, its totally different from other scents in the range and I really love the slightly summery feeling it gives me when I have a shower in the morning.

First I have to talk to you about the gorgeous body wash. Like with all S&G things, I love all the bright pink packaging with these products, they make my heart flutter a little. I've taken this body wash out of the shower recently purely as I don't want to use it all up so quickly! This is the fresh and foamy body wash in a handy 500ml bottle with a pump. It smells like lime but sweet too, its not overpowering and stays on your skin after you've finished in the shower, something that a lot of body washes don't do. It foams up well and gives lots of bubbles. It also contains radiance boosting kiwi juice just to make your shower time fun even fancier. You can use this as bath foam too, but I've yet to try it out, preferring to keep it for the shower in the morning, This is €9 in Boots. 

To compliment the body wash I use the sugar crush body buttercream. This is the thickest and most rich moisturiser I've used in a very long time, its nothing short of utterly beautiful. I realise in the warm summer months not everyone is going to want a heavy thick cream which is understandable, but keep it on the wishlist for the cooler months, its worth it. I have used this so much in the past two months and have barely made it to the halfway point in the big 300ml tub. Once the cream hits the heat of skin it spreads easy and a little goes a long way which I was genuinely surprised about to begin with, thinking I would have to scoop most of it out in one go. This is the heavy duty kind of moisturiser that cures the sand paper elbows and knees and makes the rest of the skin silky soft - if I do say so myself! Its packed with shea and cocoa nut balm, kiwi juice water, lime and almond oils. You can again get this in Boots for 14.75 which I would consider pricey normally, but I have got so long from it without finding the bottom yet, I would say your skin will thank you. If not your pocket!

There is a body scrub in this range too, but I'll be talking about that soon in another post, so look out for that! From having a quick goo on the Boots site I've noticed all these products are in a 3 for 2 offer, so you could try them all out and save some money at the same time. (And get a few Boots points, man I love those things!) So theres another excuse for all the product junkies out there to nip into the shops and be tempted!

Whats your favourite S&G product?