May Empties

I'm not going to use anything else up so here's what I've been using up in May:

Omorovicza Rejuvenating Night Cream 5ml which was beautiful. This is a pricey cream so I'll probably not buy it. I'll definitely try and pick it up in one of the mini pots again.

Ermana Cleanse Balm 15ml* a lovely balm cleanser. See my review HERE. I'll definitely buy when my stash reduces a bit.

Botanicals Nourish Moisturiser 5ml* I adore any form of travel/try me size so I loved using this gorgeous moisturiser. See my mini review HERE. Would buy this moisturiser full size.

Madara Micellar Water 100ml which is a staple product for me. I've just cracked open a new bottle. See my review HERE.

Gallinee La Culture Foaming Facial Cleanser 120ml* which I simply adored. See my review HERE. It's one I'd buy when my stash of cleansers reduces a bit.

Aster & Bay Rosewater Mist 100ml I simply loved this beautiful mist which also contains Himalayan Pink Salt and Honeysuckle as well as Bulgarian Rose. See my review HERE. I'll definitely buy this again as I loved it. 

Guerlain Midnight Secret Late Night Recovery Cream 15ml I used to use this years ago. Was nice to revisit and I'm sure to pick this up again. Great to use if you have a late night as it helps to revive the skin overnight.

Omorovicza Refining Facial Polish 30ml which is one of my favourite facial exfoliators. I've just opened another tube.

Molton Brown Frankincense & Allspice Hand Wash 100ml I adore this Christmassy hand wash and buy it up in the sales (it's only available at Christmastime). See my review HERE. I've got plenty remaining in my stash currently but I'll be stocking up again in December.

Philip B Oud Royal Forever Shine Shampoo 15ml which is a good size sample. This was nice to use and made my hair look and feel good. Might buy full size at some point.

TOSe Apothecary French Clay & Lemongrass Detoxifying Body Scrub 200ml* which was beautiful. It had a really uplifting scent and make exfoliating into a luxurious ritual. See my review HERE.

Humble Sweet Pea & Verbena Hand Cream 75ml* a beautiful hand cream from a gorgeous range. See my review HERE. Sure to buy when my stash reduces a bit as this was very effective and had a beautiful scent.

JOIK Rejuvenating Beauty Elixir sachet this seems like a lovely product but it is a small sample. I also loved JOIK's Silky Facial Serum with Cranberry & Wheatgerm oils.

bliss fatgirl slim arm perfecting cream 7ml this gel-cream absorbed quickly and seemed like it would be a nice product to use. Not sure if I'd buy full size or not.

Jo Loves Smoked Plum & Leather sample vial which I simply adored! Full size is on my to buy list. 

Esse Gel Cleanser 5ml sachet I wasn't expecting this gel cleanser to be minty scented. I got four uses from this sachet (making it a great try me) and yes, I want the cleanser full size! 

Charlotte Tilbury Magic Eye Rescue 1ml huge fan of this eye cream. My pal Julie got me a full size pot at my birthday so expect a review soon!

Starling Aromatics Jasmine & Ylang Ylang goddess essence* this little gem of a product was a beautiful luxe treat. It smells simply heavenly and is studded with Himalayan salt crystals. It can be used for moisturising the skin, for massage or just pop it in your bath for a relaxing soak. They are £6 each so it really is an indulgent treat (it would be perfect for that romantic weekend away) I got two uses from it. I'd prefer less packaging (although it is sweet) and more product for the money.  I was give this one complimentary from the owner at Pretty Pink.

What have you been using up this month?

*complimentary

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?

A Closer Look: Leave in Conditioners, Treatments & Oils

I do love my hair products!  Here's what is currently in my stash of Leave-in Conditioners, Treatments and Oils.

Palmers Coconut Oil Formula Strong Roots 150ml - this is great for refreshing the hair and scalp, to soothe tightness and hair prone to dryness or to refresh the hair between shampoos. 

Argan Dew Miraculous Argan Oil Daily Hair Treatment 3.5ml sachet* - a fantastic treatment oil which you use prior to blow drying. It leaves the hair shiny, healthy and frizz free.

Hairy Jayne Pre-Shampoo Treatment Oil 30ml - I like to use this as an overnight treatment shampooing out in the morning.  See my initial thoughts here.

Philip B Katira Hair Masque 60ml - this masque makes my hair look amazing. Like I've just stepped out the hairdressers - frizz free and super bouncy and shiny. Love it! 

A'Kin Lavender & Anthyllis Leave-In Conditioner 150ml - one of my all time favourite products. Leaves the hair feeling conditioned and soft.  I've mentioned it numerous times on the blog.

Josh Wood Radiant Shine Hair Treatment Oil 28ml - this is a newish purchase. It smells gorgeous, is rich and super moisturising and leaves the hair looking silky soft and in great condition. I like to use this as an intensive treatment or tame frizzy bits of hair after blowdrying. 

John Masters Organics Rose & Apricot Hair Milk 118ml - I adore this! See my review here.

John Masters Organics Citrus & Neroli Detangler 30ml - I've been using this on and off for years. It just does what it says and leaves the hair smooth and silky soft as well as smelling nice.

Philip Kingsley Elasticizer 40ml - a pre-shampoo treatment which although a bit of a faff to do leaves the hair smooth and looking gorgeous!

Palmers Coconut Oil Formula Replenishing Hair Milk 250ml - this smells of coconuts yum! See my initial thoughts here.

Yarok Feed Your Youth Hair & Scalp Serum 1oz* - love this pre-shampoo treatment and love that you can also add it to your conditioner for an added boost. See my full review here.

Yarok Feed Your Ends Leave In Conditioner 2oz - a lightweight mist which conditions your ends. This featured in my Summer Saviours - see here.

Macadamia Healing Oil Treatment 10ml* - this is one I've used for while and always seem to come back to. Love it's scent.  See my review here.

BiOrganics Salon Secrets Elixir Hair Perfecting Oil 12ml - a natural oil which softens, smooths, repairs and leaves the hair looking healthy.  Can be used before and after blowdrying.  Would like to try more from this brand.

Leonor Greyl Huile de Palme 25ml - this came in the much loved Boudoir Privee Box. In fact I loved it so much I ended up with about 6 or 7 via swaps! See my review here.

Kerastase Elixir Ultime 50ml - I got this as a freebie and it's really nice to use. Leaves the hair soft, frizz free and shiny. Can be used as a pre-shampoo treatment or to tame flyaways.

Holy Lama Hair Oil 30ml - this came in a cute little set in July's Souk Souk box. I've not tried it yet! But plan to soon.

The Argan Company Argan Oil 30ml* - I won this in a twitter competition. Love how versatile it is - use it on your hair, face, hands, cuticles and body. I love a multi-purpose product.

Have you used any of these? What is your favourite Leave in Conditioner, Treatment or Oil?

*PR samples

Shopping my Stash #56

Now the weather is getting colder I've been enjoying long pampering soaks in the bath in the evening and my current bath oil of choice is REN's Moroccan Rose Otto Bath Oil*. I simply love this.  See my review here.

Bee Good's Honey & Propolis 2-in-1 Cream Cleanser (100ml - £11.50)* is my favourite cleanser right now. You only need a teeny tiny amount to lift all make up and daily grime. It smells gorgeous too.  I'm a huge fan of this bee friendly brand.

Age Defy+ Soft Buff Skin Exfoliator from Green People is one of the best facial scrubs I've ever used.  It gently exfoliates leaving the skin radiant and renewed. Full size is on my wishlist!

Philip B Katira Hair Masque this deeply nourishing hair masque leaves the hair feeling gorgeous - healthy, shiny and plumped. Apply to clean hair and leave on until dry before rinsing for the smoothest and softest hair ever!

The Aroma Actives range is exclusive to Sainsbury's and made by Aromatherapy Associates.  The Triple Hydrating Gel Mask is just gorgeous. It leaves the skin moisturised, plump and soft.  See my review here.

What have you been using this week?

*PR samples

Pampering #4

I was feeling a bit down in the dumps at the weekend so decided to have a long soak in the bath plus some pampering with a face, hair and neck mask.  Here's what I chose:

Melvita Milky Cleansing Oil* this is a fab and really effective cleanser! Apply onto the skin massaging it into the skin. Apply some water and it transforms to a milky lotion. Scented with Damask Rose essence it's one of my favourites.

Jamela 24k Gold Neck Mask* - this mask is perfect for revitalising the skin and pampering. This mask contains Mineral Gold, Hyaluronic Acid, plant collagen and rose esssential oil. It is a real luxury mask and leaves the skin moisturised and radiant with fine lines reduced. It can be used in conjunction with Jamela 24k Gold Collagen Face Mask.

urbanveda Radiance Exfoliating Facial Polish - a very effective and gentle polish which is nice to use.  It helps to brighten the skin and make it more radiant.

Philip B Katira Hair Masque - this is a really effective masque. It leaves the hair super soft and oh so shiny. I like how you can leave it on overnight too for a deep treatment.

Manuka Doctor Rejuvenating Face Mask - I received this in a trial size kit recently. It's an intensive mask made from bee venom. It can also be used as an intensive moisturiser.  Leave on 15-20 minutes and rinse off.

Neom Refresh Organic Bath & Shower Oil - an uplifting and refreshing bath oil. It always makes me feel happier when I use it in my bath.

Nuxe Huile Prodigieuse OR -  This oil is great to use on the body, face and hair. It moisturises the skin and leaves it with a bit of sparkle!

Have you used any of these products?  What are your favourite ones to pamper?

*PR samples

Pampering #1

I so enjoyed doing my pamper night post for Jo - see here.  I've decided to start doing occasional posts about what products I'm pampering myself with.

This week I'm loving -

Here's what I've been enjoying this week:

Bodhi Desert Rose Rejuvenating Face Oil (£56 - 30ml) - My favourite face oil ever! See my review here.

Sisley Black Rose Cream Mask (£90 - 60ml - though I bought this a while back for £70 - shows how long it's been in my stash!) simply gorgeous and pampering. Scented with roses it lifts, brightens and plumps the skin.  A keeper!  All the Sisley masks are fab.

Decleor Relaxing Scented Candle (this is a mini - full size £18.70 for 185g). I won this as part of my John & Ginger Twitter win - see here.  A lovely candle with a nice floral scent.

Sweet Cecily's Rose Body Butter (£19.95 for 200ml) - simply love this light rose scented butter.  See my review here.  Packaging is cute too making it ideal for gifting.

Philip B katira Hair Masque (I received a smaller size (60ml) in the Selfridges Beauty Box last summer - £30 for 178ml) - simply love this masque it leaves my hair super soft, shiny and oh so healthy looking.

Have you used any of these products before?

Spending Ban - Update 9

I broke my spending ban again in Week 9.

I bought a Little Beauty Box from Latest in Beauty - not had one of these in ages and I bought the new Elemis Cleanser - Pro-Collagen Cleansing Balm.  See my post on it here. On Sunday night I bought the Latest in Beauty Organic & Natural Box which was £4.95 with free P&P.

I'm still enjoying using my paperblanks* journal to record my spending and wants.

Onto my wants for this week -

Chantecaille Frangipane EDP 75ml - I've owned this perfume once before and I spotted it in Harvey Nichols last week.  Definitely one to save up for! It has notes of Frangipane flowers, vanilla, musk, ylang ylang, jasmine, orange and violets.  Simply gorgeous!

source

Elemental Herbology Watermelon & Cucumber Body Moisturiser 240ml - also spotted this at the SpaceNK counter at Harvey Nichols last week.  Smells beautiful. Light and fresh. Ideal for summer.

source

Miller Harris La Fumee Incense - I've always wanted to try this incense as I love the smoky scent of the perfume.

Philip B Russian Amber Imperial Conditioning Creme 178ml - this sounds absolutely lovely but at that price I won't be buying it any time soon - nice to dream though!

source

REN Moroccan Rose Otto Bath Oil 30ml - one of my favourite bath oils.  I would love a full size bottle again as I seem to have been using minis lately.

source

Serge Lutens sa Majeste la Rose EDP 50ml - another perfume I have owned before.  Absolutely gorgeous I'd love another bottle! With Turkish, Bulgarian and Moroccan Rose.

source

What are you "wanting" this week?

*complimentary sample

Shopping My Stash - Spending Ban Week 2

I must admit I am quite enjoying shopping my stash.  I am re-discovering lots of products I forgot I had.

Gielly Green Classic Shampoo & Conditioner (both 50ml) - these came in the last Amarya box.  I've tried the repair shampoo and repair mask - both of which I loved - you can see my review here.  These are both lovely to use too and are scented with grapefruit and cassis.  The conditioner is almost like a detangler - very light but conditions really well.  A lovely duo - would recommend.

Philip B Styling Gel 15ml - I received this in a blog sale.  I like using it for smoothing frizzy hair or on wet hair which I then blow dry to create a sleek and smooth look.

Bodhi Jasmine Falls Relaxing Bath & Shower Therapy 50ml and Bodhi Jasmine Falls Relaxing Body Moisturiser 40ml - simply love these products.  I love their heady scent and normally use them them to relax before bed.  You can see my review here.

The Edinburgh Natural Skincare Company - The Queen Bee Luxury Body Bar - St Clements - Sweet Orange, Lemongrass, Lime and Honey - this is simply divine!  Presented in a tin making it easy to use for travel or shoving in your handbag for everyday use.  I met Tommy who makes the products at Pout Edinburgh and you can see this post here.

Lush Ocean Salt Facial Scrub 120g - love this gritty, sea salty and lime facial scrub.  Usually use it in my morning shower for a wake-up call!

How is your spending ban going?  Are you enjoying shopping your stash?

Shopping My Stash - Spending Ban Week 1

For the next 100 days I have to shop my stash (though I will get a few new items through the beauty boxes I am allowing myself).

These are the pampering products I have chosen this week -

Sisley Black Rose Cream Mask 60ml - I bought this mask a while ago and it cost roughly an eye-watering £70.  A light cream gel texture scented with roses.  It is gorgeous and I use it every couple of weeks.  To use - apply a thin layer to the face and neck and after 10-15 minutes wipe away excess.  A real pampering treat which smooths, brightens and plumps the skin. (and is worth every penny).

Palm & Soul Three Rose Deep Balm for Face & Neck 30ml - another product which I adore!  You can see my review here.  

REN Moroccan Rose Otto Bath Oil 10ml - One of my favourite bath oils.  You can see my posts here and here.

REN Moroccan Rose Otto Ultra-Moisture Body Oil 30ml - I received this for Christmas in a REN gift box and I simply love it.  Leaves the skin soft and beautifully scented.

Philip B Katira Hair Masque 60ml - I received this in the Selfridges Beauty Box.  I've used it a couple of times so far - leaves my hair smooth as silk and super conditioned.  Can be left on for a few minutes or overnight.  A full review to follow shortly.

Have you used any of these products?  

Hair Care Products - Oils, Volumizers etc.

Following on from yesterday's post here is my styling products and other items.

OSiS+ Flatliner Flattening Iron Serum 200ml - you can see my review here.

Sebastian Shaper Fierce Ultra Firm Finishing Spray 50ml - I got this in my Pout Edinburgh goody bag recently.  Not used it yet.

Philip Kingsley Maximiser 60ml - got this in a swap.  Great product for body and volume. 

Percy & Reed Finishing Polish 100ml - was a magazine freebie and love this for reducing static.  It smells good too.

Moroccanoil Light 100ml - love this oil.  I've also got a small 10ml of the original one which is handy for travel.  Leaves the hair looking health and silky smooth.

KMS Freeshape Hot Flex Spray 30ml - this came in one of the beauty boxes.  Not really used it yet.

TIGI Catwalk Sleek Mystique Blow Out Balm 90ml - this came from last October's Feel Unique box - oh how I miss Feel Unique!

Batiste Tropical and Blush Dry Shampoos (120g & 30g) - the tropical one is my favourite. I love the coconut scent.

KMS Freeshape Quick Blow Dry 200ml - a small size of this came in last December's Carmine box.  Does what is says - halves the time of blow drying - great for my morning rush!

Aveda Smooth Infusion Style Prep Smoother 10ml and Aveda Damage Remedy Daily Hair Repair 10ml - these are nice products that I am enjoying using.

Philip B Styling Gel 15ml - picked this up in a blog sale - nice for smoothing down static.

Redken Shine Flash 02 Glistening Mist 150ml - this is nearly finished.  Got this a while back at the hairdressers, adds shine to the hair and also good for static.

Redken align12 straightening lotion 30ml - this came from Joliebox.  Seems a nice product - only used it a couple of times so far.

Mythic Oil vial - nice product will probably pick up full size at some point.

Simply Argan Organic Argan Oil 50ml - I got this in April`s Amarya box - like how it can be used on your skin or hair.

Have you used any of these products before?

Selfridges Beauty Box

I know I was so lucky to receive one of these sought after boxes!  Thanks Julie!

Selfridges brought out this limited edition beauty box to celebrate the launch of the Beauty Workshop - an exciting sounding department where you can get treatments done and buy from over 100 niche brands - guess where I'm going next time I'm in London!

The box sold out within half an hour (and left many beauty addicts unhappy at not securing a box - myself included).

I know I was very lucky to receive a box - I got this one through Julie, a friend on Facebook who'd managed to get two and she agreed to sell me one - thank you so much!  It arrived super-quick yesterday morning.

As ever with Selfridges, beautifully packaged in a neat bright yellow and white Selfridges box tied with yellow ribbon.

Here's what's included:

Aesop Parsley Seed Anti-Oxidant Serum 15ml - I've heard of this brand but haven't ever used any of the products before.  Contains the finest plant ingredients and delivers light hydration.  On the website it says perfect for use in the warmer months or in humid conditions.  It's got a floral herbal smell.  Looking forward to trying this one out but wish it had a stopper/pump as it will be difficult to not pour too much out.

Estelle & Thild Raspberry Lip Balm 15ml - this is a full size product from a brand I've heard of before but never tried.  A Swedish Organic brand. It is a clear balm flavoured with raspberry.  You can also buy from Love Lula.

Philip B Katira Hair Masque 60ml - another brand I've heard of but never tried any of its products.  Made with pure botanicals and essential oils.  Plumps up fine hair and calms hard to manage hair.  You can use it on wet or dry hair and left on  until dry or overnight.  Love hair treatments so looking forward to testing this out.

Antipodes Divine Face Oil 30ml - with organic Avocado Oil & Rosehip.  This New Zealand brand uses only bioactive botanical ingredients blended with Avocado Oil to anti-age your skin.  Leaves skin feeling fresh and plump.  Another one I'm looking forward to trying.

Stila One Step Correct 30ml - another full size product.  I probably can't say it any better than Selfridges "This innovative, triple-swirled helix serum instantly colour-corrects, brightens and covers skin imperfections for a flawless face with no fuss. Swirl your way to perfect skin in one step! This primer, colour-corrector, brightener and anti-aging skincare serum does it all with the help of Stila's Youth Revival Bio-Available Mineral Complex. The weightless, creamy formula blends imperceptibly into skin and won't clog pores or settle into fine lines so all anyone will notice is your perfectly flawless skin!".  Sounds too good to be true!  

Bio Effect EGF Serum 5ml - this retails at a whopping £49!  An award winning anti-ageing formula which apparently makes visible and dramatic improvement to the skin.  I've heard lots about this product and it was in a beauty box previously.  Again, looking forward to trying this.

Omorovicza Deep Cleansing Mask 5ml - A mask packed full of mineral moor mud from Lake Herviz in Hungary.  Purifies skin and leaves it smooth, soft and radiant.  I love masks so looking forward to trying it.

Full reviews will follow and thanks again Julie.