Latest in Beauty: Grazia Beauty Advent Calendar: The first eight days

I hummed and hawed about picking up a Grazia Advent Calendar in association with Latest in Beauty. During their Halloween sale it was marked down 20% (was £85) and I thought I was getting a real bargain until Black Friday week tipped up and it went down to £42! (next year I'll be waiting!) Here's what I received during the first 8 days:

Day 1 - Anastasia Liquid Lipstick in Ashton, which I'd received before. It looks like a nice pink shade in the tube but in reality it's a matte brown. Not for me, I passed this one along.

Day 2 - Aurelia Probiotic Skincare Cell Repair Night Oil 15ml which I've used before and my skin loved. It's a decent size too.

Day 3 - System Professional Reconstructive Elixir 30ml which I use all the time. My hair loves it. A very welcome addition to the calendar. This is worth £17 and was one of the reasons I had to have the advent calendar.

Day 4 - bareMinerals Skinlongevity Vital Power Infusion - again, I've used this serum before and it's lovely. 

Day 5 - St Tropez Self Tan Purity - Face Mist - I don't use self tan so I'll pass this one along also.

Day 6 - Omorovicza Illuminating Moisturiser - another product I was really excited about. Expect a review on the blog soon!

Day 7 - NARS Satin Lip Pencil - ooh I love this one! Gorgeous wearable shade.

Day 8 - Darphin Vetiver Aromatic Stress Relief Detox Oil Mask mini - I love the scent of vetiver. I'm looking forward to trying this out.

In the first 8 days there are 5 products I'm really excited about - which is not bad going! What advent calendar are you opening? (I've also got a lovely tea one I got from my friend Magi).

Cult Beauty: Purchases

Last week it was Cult Beauty's 7th Birthday and they offered numerous money off deals as well as an amazing goody bag with a £95 spend (and the goody bag was worth over £170). I decided I wasn't having it...and of course changed my mind! I chose to buy three products which had been on my wishlist in order to get my hands on that goody bag...

I've only recently become a huge de Mamiel fan having first tried Salvation Body Oil (link) and then the amazing Spring Facial Oil (review) and currently using Summer Facial Oil (which is a total joy..review to come).  So I picked up the de Mamiel Altitude Oil (£26 - 10ml) which is perfect to use for anxiety, travel or if you feel under the weather. Even smelling it straight from the bottle induces feelings of calm - full review to follow.

I also picked up Philip B's luxe Light-Weight Deep Conditioning Creme Rinse (£24 - 178ml). Huge fan of the brand having loved previous products from the range.  I mentioned the Katira Hair Masque here. Looking forward to trying.

My final item is the much longed for May Lindstrom The Jasmine Garden (£46 - 100ml) which is simply heavenly and as good as I'd imagined it would be. The scent is exquisite and the mist leaves the skin feeling refreshed and glowy. Love!

The gift contains a wide selection of goodies:

d.j.v. Beautenizer Fibrewig - Full Size
NudeStix Lip & Cheek Pencil - Love - Full Size
Anastasia Beverley Hills mini Clear Brow Gel 
Zelens Z Matrix Energy & Moisture Infusion
Roloxin Lift Instant Smoothing Masque sachet
skyn ICELAND Glacial Cleansing Cloths
Beauty Blender Micro Mini & Cleanser
Odacite Hyperpigmentation Serum Concentrate sample
Sunday Riley Floral Hydroactive Cellular Face Oil
Tata Harper Aromatic Stress Treatment
Alpha-H Daily Essentials Moisturiser SPF50
REN Flash Rinse One Minute Facial (Review)
kai Body Moisturiser (huge fan of the scent)
Make up bag 

Did you treat yourself too?

Cult Beauty Goody Bag

Last week Cult Beauty offered an amazing goody bag featuring some of the best beauty products from 2014 which was worth an incredible £178 and absolutely free with a £100 spend.  As you'll probably be aware the system crashed as so many wanted to buy to get this amazing gift which is the best offered this year.  I did find it hard to get in touch initially with Customer Services but after a tweet or two they did get back to me.  I picked up my parcel (with some Christmas presents in it) yesterday morning.

WOW is all I can say!

When I delved into the package the first thing I dug out was the Jade Facial Roller worth £20 from Ying Yu Rollers. It helps to encourage Lymph drainage, ease blocked sinuses, reduce puffiness around the eyes and can help with headaches. Can't wait to try it.

Next out was Cult 51 Cream this is a 10ml sample pot (worth £25). I've read loads about this cream and I can't wait to try it out! It is said to do the work of at least 5 products and taking care of all skincare needs. It brightens, regenerates, renews, restores, reduces wrinkles, helps with uneven skin and age spots.  You can also use it as an eye cream.

Therapie Himalayan Detox Salts (100g - £10) - these just simply do what they say they will - use before bed and they will give you an amazing night's sleep. Upon waking you will feel calm, relaxed and ready to face the world. See my review here. Very happy to see these in the gift as I buy them again and again as they work!

NEOM Happiness Scented Travel Candle (75g - £16) - with an uplifting scent of White Neroli, Mimosa & Lemon. I first tried this scent out via an Amarya Beauty Box (now Love Lula). I love NEOM products so happy to see this included in the set.

A £10 Cult Beauty Gift Card for a tenner off your next purchase!

Sunday Riley Start Over Active Eye Cream 10ml - approx £21) - this brand is popular with A List Celebs including Cameron Diaz, Helen Mirren and Victoria Beckham.  The cream brightens and gives the benefits akin to 8 hours sleep. It helps to banish dark circles, lift and brighten the skin round the eyes. Another product I can't wait to try!

Studio 10 Longlast Velvet Lips (6.3ml - £22) - in Tearose. Really happy with this shade as it is a colour I'd wear. It gives a demi-matt long lasting finish and is paraben free.

Anastasia Beverley Hills Brow Primer (2.55g - £16) - which is a great eye-brow tamer. You can also use it as an invisible lip liner to stop lipstick bleeding, as a filler for lines & crows feet and as an eyeshadow base.

Kai Perfume Oil Sample Vial - one of my favourite scents (a teeny tiny 3.6ml rollerball retails at £40) it is a totally tropical scent with notes of gardenia, exotic florals with green notes. Paraben & Sulphate free.

REN Glycolatic Radiance Renewal Mask 15ml - I think I must be among the last to try this cult beauty product! Looking forward to trying it.

Jouer Lip Enhancer 4.5ml sample - offers intensive conditioning overnight. Packed full of super nourishing ingredients.  Leaves lips glossy and conditioned.

Alpha-H Liquid Gold (50ml - £16.75) - not a fan of this as I find it too harsh on my skin. Will pass onto a friend who loves it.

Resultime by Collin Regenerating Collagen Gel 5ml trial size - apply in the morning before your moisturiser. In the evening apply a thick layer to clean dry skin 10 minutes before bed and awaken to hydrated and plumped up skin.  Can also be used as a primer, as a night-time nourishing serum, to treat sunburn and dry patches.

Earthen Instant Peel (1 application) - apply to moist skin and apply to the skin in a massaging motion peeling dead skin cells. Rinse.

Silver Make Up Bag

My two free sachet samples (for orders over £40) were Glamglow Supermud Clearing Mask 2.1ml and Jouer Matt Moisture Tint beige rose 1ml

Did you manage to pick up the goody bag?

Shopping my Stash #23

Here's what I've been reaching for this week -

Elemis Frangipani Monoi Salt Glow 480g - simply gorgeous and smells divine! A real luxe product to use in the shower.  See my review here.

Desert Essence Coconut Body Wash 237ml - I picked this up recently - see here. The first time I've used this natural brand.  Smells gorgeous.

Opale Lumiere d'Opale* 50ml - A simply gorgeous shimmery body oil.  See my review here.  It's one of my favourites this summer.

Palm & Soul Lips & Shimmer* - this tint gives a natural red glow and is scented with blood orange - simply yummy. Nice and moisturising too.  Can also be used on the cheeks to give a touch of colour.

Anastasia Beverley Hills Covet Waterproof Eyeliner in Black - this was a freebie in a goody bag from Cult Beauty a while back.  One of my favourite eyeliners - it just stays put!  You can pick it up here.

What have you been using this week?

*PR samples

Shopping My Stash #13

These are the products I've been reaching for this week - 

Kai Perfume Oil 3.6ml - which I bought last weekend when Cult Beauty were doing gift with purchase.  A definite splurge but love this gardenia scent.

Anita Grant Organic Vanilla Cocoa Body Butter 15g - simply adore this yummy chocolate scented butter.  I'll be buying full size soon.  See my review here.

Botanicals Mint & Tea Tree Foot Balm - mini sample pot.  This is a lovely foot balm. A review is to follow.

Rimmel Apocalips in Celestial - love this pretty shade.

Anastasia Beverly Hills Covet Waterproof Eyeliner in Noir - this came in the Cult Beauty GWP freebie.  A fab eyeliner which stays put in jet black.

Bloom Remedies Nourishing Organic Body Oil for Dry Skin 50ml - I bought this recently.  It smells lovely with oils of frankincense, geranium, lavender and neroli.  My dry winter skin is loving this oil.

Barry M Lash Vegas Black Mascara* - a really fab mascara, makes the lashes huge! A spiral shaped brush separates, defines and reaches the smallest lashes giving them length and definition.  One of the best mascaras I've ever used. Retails at £6.49.

Have you used any of these products before?

*PR Sample