October Wants

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I finished my Prada Candy EDP recently and I am missing it.  I'm dropping hints to Santa.

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I got a sample vial of this perfume recently and I loved it.  Tempted as Liz Earle are offering free P&P until 31st October and if you spend £70 you get a free gift set.

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Liz Earle Advent Calendar with 24 mini gifts. It's super fabulous but at £100 it will just be a want.  I'm hoping to pick up the Latest in Beauty Advent Calendar which goes live next Sunday 4th November.  If you buy on the 4th they are offering free P&P.

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I got one of these hand creams recently in Harper's Bazaar magazine.  It's one of the best I've ever used.  Wish I'd bought a few then as this retails at £20 for 75ml.

What products are you lusting after this month?

June Empties

Here are my June empties:

Khiel's Hand Salve - got this in the Advent Calendar, smells of eucalyptus.  Enjoyed using it but unsure if I'd re-purchase though it worked really well.

Elemis Absolute Eye Serum - love this eye care product - have already bought another - it just works.

Elemis Pro-Collagen Body Cream - love this, have got a few of these from swaps and beauty boxes.  I reviewed the body cream here.

Kerastase Lait Vital 1 Conditioner - love Kerastase products so will probably buy this again as it lasts for ages.

Armani Luminous Silk Foundation sample pot - a great foundation will probably buy again at some point.

Balance Me Rose Otto Body Wash - one of my favourites, I'm on my last one.. sob.  I'd buy again.

Tropic Skin Revive Firming Nourishing Cream - I got this in a swap.  Loved it.  Would probably purchase it again in winter time as its a fairly rich cream and too heavy for my skin now.

Nars Pure Radiant Tinted Moisturiser - mini sample - got a few uses of this.  Nice product but expensive to buy.

Bamford Geranium Bath Oil x 2 - One of my favourite bath oils - only got two left now so will probably buy full size at some point.

Garnier Fresh Essentials Eye Make Up Remover - a good budget buy - would re-purchase.

L'Occitane Desert Rose Ultra-Rich Body Cream sachet - really fab cream, very rich and smells good.  Have a full size tin of this still to use.  L'Occitane Desert Rose Hand Cream - loved this cream - it was a magazine freebie.  Have another of these to use.  L'Occitane Divine Cream mini pot - really loved using this.  Looking for it in swaps/on ebay at the moment.  I also used a 1ml sachet of this too.  L'Occitane Divine Eyes - 1ml sachet - lovely.  Would consider purchasing in the future.  L'Occitane Baume des Yeux Eye Balm - 1ml sachet - enjoyed using this, would perhaps purchase.

Gielly Green Hand and Body Wash and Hand and Body Lotion - Loved these.  You can see my review here.

Sanctuary Hand Wash - nice hand wash and will probably pick this up again.

L'Oreal Everpure Shampoo and Conditioner sachet - really liked using these and would consider purchasing full size.

Ro's Argan Body Conditioner from Lush.  I bought this with Xmas voucher.  A beautiful rose scented product.  I'd probably re-purchase but it is quite pricey.  You can read my review here.

Vaseline Aloe Fresh deodorant - a staple and this one works for me.

Laura Mercier Almond Coconut Milk Body Souffle Cream - love all Laura Mercier body lotions this is gorgeous, lightly scented with coconut and almond. Yum.

Iroisie Ultimate BB Cream sample sachet - this was from the latest Amarya box.  I struggled with this - didn't like the texture and I found it hard to spread on my skin.  So wouldn't purchase.

Japan Rose Bath salts - these were really nice - big pink salts which turned the bathwater pale pink.  Thanks Evelyn!

This Works Enjoy Multi-Tasking Lotion - I quite enjoyed using this lotion but wouldn't re-purchase as there are other lotions I prefer.

Pukka Radiance Serum 10ml and Pukka Deep Moisture Day Cream 10ml - I quite enjoyed using these products but I am unsure if I'd re-purchase.  The day cream was highly scented which put me off a bit.

YSL Waterproof Eye Pencil in simmering burgundy - absolutely love this although Avon Supershock Gel Eyeliner in Blackberry is a good dupe.  Will probably buy again.

Antonia Burrell Natural Glow Cleansing Oil - I didn't like the scent of this, it was too overpowering and it made my skin feel dry after use so wouldn't re-purchase.  Luckily this was just a trial size which cost £2.95.

Prada Candy Body Lotion - got this in my Xmas box set.  Nice to use but would prefer to save up for another bottle of perfume rather than buy the body lotion.

Aveda Stress-Fix Soaking Salts - love these, make you feel totally relaxed and great after a hard day.  Will definitely buy these again though I wish they were a bit cheaper!

Lancome Hydra Zen Neurocalm Soothing Anti-Stress Moisturiser - nice product quite rich so I mainly used it at night.  Probably wouldn't purchase full size as its not really suited to my skin type.

Apivita Express Beauty Mask with grape - bought this from ebay.  Nice product.  See M&S now selling them online/instore so will probably pick this up again and I want to try the honey one.

RMK Cleansing Oil sachet - love this, got three uses from the sachet.  Will purchase this once I trawl through my numerous cleansers.

Pure Fiji Hydrating Body Lotion - lovely coconut scent.  Nice lotion to use but prefer the body oil in the range which came in Joliebox.

What have you been using up?

Perfume Minis & Sample vials

I love trying out new perfumes so I love sample vials and perfume minis.  Above are my current ones.  I think they are a great way to find a perfume you love as there is normally enough in a vial find out if you love/hate a scent.

I currently carry around the following in my make-up bag:

A mini roll-on of Trish McEvoy Blackberry & Vanilla Musk - I love this sweet warm vanilla blackberry scent - a full size bottle is on my ever-expanding wish list.

I picked up a Chanel Beige EDT sample at Surrender to Chance - as this perfume retails at £100 for 75ml I wanted to try before considering buying.  Glad I did. A lovely scent but not a patch on my favourite Le Exclusifs Chanel Sycomore.

Miller Harris Citron Citron EDP which I received from What's in my handbag on Friday - citrus with woods and moss - I'm enjoying using it (and the body lotion is gorgeous).

Several sample vials from Jo Malone - White Jasmine & Mint, Grapefruit and Wild Bluebell - I adore Jo Malone but rarely buy it for myself - a real treat to receive as a gift.

I love Tuberose scents such as Robert Piguet Fracas - which I know is a marmite scent! and Le Labo Tubereuse 40.  I've not had a bottle for ages of  Estee Lauder Tuberose Gardenia but love this too.

I discovered I loved Prada Candy via a sample vial received in my November Feel Unique Box.

I also currently have minis and samples of - Visa, Calypso, Kim Kardashian, Flowerbomb, Lolita Lempicka, Tom Ford Black Orchid, Liz Earle Botanical Essence No.1, Paestum Rose, Armani Code, Jo Wood, Serge Lutens, Memo Lalibela, Tata Harper, Annick Goutal Rose, Orla Kiely and a few decants.

What perfumes have you discovered and come to love from first trying it as a sample?

Body Lotion Spending Ban!

I've put myself on a body lotion/butter/oil spending ban (and all other beauty products apart from Carmine, She Said Beauty and Joliebox.  Amarya (I have until September as I paid this for a year) and any essentials I may need).


I was a bit cheeky yesterday and bought L'Occitane Cherry Princess Silky Body Gel - like I need another body lotion - when you see the photo below! A limited edition scented with cherries and floral notes - (I recently received a free sample instore and fell in love).  Its got a light silky texture and melts into the skin leaving the skin delicately scented.  There is an extra-special Limited Edition set available containing 50ml EDT, 250ml Shower Cream, 75ml  Body Gel and 30ml Hand Cream all for £39.  You can see the set here.

Below are the body products I want to use up this year.  I have nearly finished the Neutrogena Body Oil, Nivea lotion and Elemis Pro-Collagen Body Cream.

Other half doesn't understand why I need so many! I do like a choice (plus I have a few more hidden away - oops).  This post was inspired by The Bristol Beauty Blog and Cosmetic Cravings.

What beauty products do you have too many of?

Beauty Boxes - my buy again products (2011)

I have found all the brands above via the beauty boxes (apart from the Emma Hardie cleansing balm which I'd tried before - and love!).

October - Feel Unique

Tigi Catwalk Sleek Mystique Blow Out Balm - absolutely love this, makes hair so smooth and smells so nice.  

Caudalie Radiance Day Fluid - love this, have since bought full size (and got small size pictured here in a gift pack).  

October - Boudoir Prive

Korres Citrus Little Moisturising Body Milk - lovely light lotion with lemon scent.

Leonor Greyl Huile de Palme - if I had to choose one favourite from the boxes it would be this.  You can read my review here.  I'm definitely going to check out other items in the range.  I have also stocked up on this via swaps on Beauty Box Swaps on Facebook.

October - Glossybox

Stila Smudge Waterproof Eyeliner in Moray - lovely shade (olive green) with gold fleck and great staying power.

November - Feel Unique

Emma Hardie Moringa Cleansing Balm - already loved this so welcome addition to the November box.  

Loved the Prady Candy EDP sample vial and was lucky to get the full size at Christmas.

November - Glossybox

Philip Kingsley Elasticizer - already loved this product, welcome addition to the box.

Illamasqua Freak EDP sample vial - love, finished it. (no pic).

November - Boudoir Prive

Korres Wild Rose 24 hour moisturiser - really moisturising with light scent.

Rahua Volumising Shampoo & Conditioner sachets - really loved this product but wouldn't pay full size price (£27/£28) so always on the lookout for sachets.

December - Feel Unique

Annick Goutal Mandragore EDT - would never have picked this scent but love the fresh, fruity minty scent and a huge 25ml.

December - Glossybox

Cargo Lipgloss - I got Paris in my box (since acquired Morocco and Tokyo via Beauty Box Swaps).  Really great lipgloss, great colour and feels smooth on the lips and not sticky.

December - Joliebox (formerly Boudoir Prive)

Kusmi Detox Tea - delicious!

I loved trying just about all the items in the boxes.  The ones above are my favourites. If you want to read more about the product - check out the blog posts month by month. x

Feel Unique - November Box

I was excited to pick up my Feel Unique beauty box this morning from the Post Office.  I already knew what I was receiving having peeked at other blog posts.

"Primed to Party" - Sparkle and Shine through the Party Season....

I was really pleased with this box. (The only item I won't use is 30ml Xen-Tan Deep Bronze Weekly Self-Tan in Dark - if anyone wants this, let me know and I'll post it to them).

I have already used the Emma Hardie Moringa Cleansing Balm (15ml).  Its a fab product so happy to receive.  Also included is an Emma Hardie Cleansing Cloth.

There is a full size Schwarzkopf Dust-it Mattifying Powder which gives incredible volume.  Its a powder which you rub in your hands until it turns into a cream (!).  You then apply to dry hair - sounds interesting and can't wait to try!

Goldwell 60sec gel treatment for ultra-volume 50ml.  Really like Goldwell products so keen to try.  This is a rinse out product.

Bellapierre Shimmer Powder in Harmony - a bronzey gold colour which you can use on your eyes, with your lip gloss, as a blusher, bronzer, hair highlighter and mascara.

Finally, a 1.5ml sample spray of Prada Candy EDP.  Happy to get this as an extra as love trying new perfumes.

Will follow this post up once I try the products out.  Great value at £9.95 including postage.  As with last month there is a code for 10% off all products in the beauty box BBNOV10.