Another month has flown by and once again I’ve amazed myself with how many products I’ve managed to finish!

October Empties

Shu Uemura Classic High Performance Balancing Cleansing Oil: I got this little bottle in my Selfridges Advent Calendar last year but only just got round to using it. I know lots of people are like “this stuff is amazing” and yes I agree it does a good job at getting every last scrap of make-up off BUT take look at the ingredients. Paraffinum liquidum. Mineral oil. For what you pay for a bottle of this cleansing oil they can afford to use decent stuff in it, not a petrol by-product.

Clarins Tonic Body Treatment Oil: I started using this when I got to seven months pregnant, prior to that I was using Nivea Q10 Plus Firming Oil and Derma Mum. I almost ended up using Bio Oil until Caroline pointed out that Bio Oil is mineral oil and recommended the Clarins instead. It’s not cheap, Feel Unique sell it for £33.30 for 100ml, but the bottle only ran out two weeks ago and I’ve got to term with not one single stretch mark. I would wholeheartedly recommend this to any pregnant women or anyone wanting to prevent stretch marks.

Lush Vanilla Dee-Lite: I LOVE this stuff. I’ve written about it here, it was also in my August Empties, I was even featured in Prima Baby magazine raving about it. It is just the most perfect body lotion for me, not too heavy, absorbs well, sorts my poorly skin out and smells yummy. I can’t see myself ever falling out of love with it!

Philip Kingsley Elasticizer: This product does wonders for my hair. It’s a pre-shampoo treatment, you leave it on your barnet for 20 minutes and then just shampoo and condition as normal. My hair always feels amazing after I’ve used it. It’s quite an expensive product so I don’t buy it often, but whenever I do I always end up wishing I was just a little bit richer so I could afford to buy it more often.

STEAMCREAM: I posted about this the other day, you can read more here. I love this moisturiser and will be buying a full-size tin once I finish getting through the rest of my moisturiser stash!

The Body Shop Carrot Moisture Cream: This was a nice enough moisturiser, but I didn’t feel like it did anything special for my skin so won’t be buying it.

The Body Shop Shea Body Butter: I’ve had this in my cupboard since Christmas but only just got round to using it. It’s a super rich body butter, it leaves your skin feeling super soft and moisturised but it’s just so heavy! It takes an age to absorb so don’t put this on if you are in a rush to go out. Especially if you plan to wear skinny jeans. You won’t be able to pull them up!

Palmers Cocoa Butter Massage Lotion for Stretch Marks: This was a sample I got through the post, you get all sorts when you’re pregnant! This felt quite nice and absorbed well but obviously being such a small sample I’d have no idea how good it would be against stretch marks.

Palmers Cocoa Butter Tummy Butter for Stretch Marks: Another pregnancy sample received in the post! I quite liked the way this felt on my skin and it smelt so good, not the traditional cocoa butter smell but a little more floral. Again I’m not sure how effective it would be against stretch marks as it was only a tiny sample.

Imperial Leather Skinkind Hydrate Shower Gel: I’ve trying to use up all my sample sachets and came across these three sachets of shower gel. They smelt quite lovely and were gentle on my skin so I’d probably buy a full-size bottle.

Yardley Peony Luxury Body Wash: I got this in the March beauty box from Joliebox. It’s a lovely smelling body wash – it smells of peonies funnily enough! – but it’s quite a big bottle and to be honest I was glad when it ran out as the fragrance started to become too much for me.

Vinies Luminous Skin Mask: I think this came in a Boudoir Prive box so that shows how I long I’ve had it! It’s an all-natural face mask which exfoliates and brightens your skin. Whilst I love the results, I don’t like the smell which seems to linger on your skin for a few days after. Shame.

Superdrug Dry Shampoo: I don’t really see the point of all this different fragrances in dry shampoos as ultimately they all have that same dusty smell! I don’t get through as much dry shampoo since I’ve been on maternity leave as I have more time in the mornings now, but I still do have the odd lazy day! I really rate Superdrug dry shampoos, they work really well and sometimes they are on that crazy “buy 1, get 2 free” offer so worth looking out for.

bareMinerals Purifying Facial Cleanser and bareMinerals Purely Nourishing Moisturiser: I got these sachets a few months ago and typically of me it got lost with all my other sachets. I wasn’t really impressed with the cleanser to be honest as I didn’t feel like my skin was left thoroughly clean. The moisturiser wasn’t hydrating enough for my skin, I ended up having to apply a second layer. This is the good thing about samples; you can find out what works and what doesn’t without potentially wasting money on full-size products.

Let me know if you’ve used any of the products here or if you’ve got an Empties post for me to read!

October Empties

Another month has flown by and once again I’ve amazed myself with how many products I’ve managed to finish!

October Empties

Shu Uemura Classic High Performance Balancing Cleansing Oil: I got this little bottle in my Selfridges Advent Calendar last year but only just got round to using it. I know lots of people are like “this stuff is amazing” and yes I agree it does a good job at getting every last scrap of make-up off BUT take look at the ingredients. Paraffinum liquidum. Mineral oil. For what you pay for a bottle of this cleansing oil they can afford to use decent stuff in it, not a petrol by-product.

Clarins Tonic Body Treatment Oil: I started using this when I got to seven months pregnant, prior to that I was using Nivea Q10 Plus Firming Oil and Derma Mum. I almost ended up using Bio Oil until Caroline pointed out that Bio Oil is mineral oil and recommended the Clarins instead. It’s not cheap, Feel Unique sell it for £33.30 for 100ml, but the bottle only ran out two weeks ago and I’ve got to term with not one single stretch mark. I would wholeheartedly recommend this to any pregnant women or anyone wanting to prevent stretch marks.

Lush Vanilla Dee-Lite: I LOVE this stuff. I’ve written about it here, it was also in my August Empties, I was even featured in Prima Baby magazine raving about it. It is just the most perfect body lotion for me, not too heavy, absorbs well, sorts my poorly skin out and smells yummy. I can’t see myself ever falling out of love with it!

Philip Kingsley Elasticizer: This product does wonders for my hair. It’s a pre-shampoo treatment, you leave it on your barnet for 20 minutes and then just shampoo and condition as normal. My hair always feels amazing after I’ve used it. It’s quite an expensive product so I don’t buy it often, but whenever I do I always end up wishing I was just a little bit richer so I could afford to buy it more often.

STEAMCREAM: I posted about this the other day, you can read more here. I love this moisturiser and will be buying a full-size tin once I finish getting through the rest of my moisturiser stash!

The Body Shop Carrot Moisture Cream: This was a nice enough moisturiser, but I didn’t feel like it did anything special for my skin so won’t be buying it.

The Body Shop Shea Body Butter: I’ve had this in my cupboard since Christmas but only just got round to using it. It’s a super rich body butter, it leaves your skin feeling super soft and moisturised but it’s just so heavy! It takes an age to absorb so don’t put this on if you are in a rush to go out. Especially if you plan to wear skinny jeans. You won’t be able to pull them up!

Palmers Cocoa Butter Massage Lotion for Stretch Marks: This was a sample I got through the post, you get all sorts when you’re pregnant! This felt quite nice and absorbed well but obviously being such a small sample I’d have no idea how good it would be against stretch marks.

Palmers Cocoa Butter Tummy Butter for Stretch Marks: Another pregnancy sample received in the post! I quite liked the way this felt on my skin and it smelt so good, not the traditional cocoa butter smell but a little more floral. Again I’m not sure how effective it would be against stretch marks as it was only a tiny sample.

Imperial Leather Skinkind Hydrate Shower Gel: I’ve trying to use up all my sample sachets and came across these three sachets of shower gel. They smelt quite lovely and were gentle on my skin so I’d probably buy a full-size bottle.

Yardley Peony Luxury Body Wash: I got this in the March beauty box from Joliebox. It’s a lovely smelling body wash – it smells of peonies funnily enough! – but it’s quite a big bottle and to be honest I was glad when it ran out as the fragrance started to become too much for me.

Vinies Luminous Skin Mask: I think this came in a Boudoir Prive box so that shows how I long I’ve had it! It’s an all-natural face mask which exfoliates and brightens your skin. Whilst I love the results, I don’t like the smell which seems to linger on your skin for a few days after. Shame.

Superdrug Dry Shampoo: I don’t really see the point of all this different fragrances in dry shampoos as ultimately they all have that same dusty smell! I don’t get through as much dry shampoo since I’ve been on maternity leave as I have more time in the mornings now, but I still do have the odd lazy day! I really rate Superdrug dry shampoos, they work really well and sometimes they are on that crazy “buy 1, get 2 free” offer so worth looking out for.

bareMinerals Purifying Facial Cleanser and bareMinerals Purely Nourishing Moisturiser: I got these sachets a few months ago and typically of me it got lost with all my other sachets. I wasn’t really impressed with the cleanser to be honest as I didn’t feel like my skin was left thoroughly clean. The moisturiser wasn’t hydrating enough for my skin, I ended up having to apply a second layer. This is the good thing about samples; you can find out what works and what doesn’t without potentially wasting money on full-size products.

Let me know if you’ve used any of the products here or if you’ve got an Empties post for me to read!

I’ve turned into a bit of a glitter monster lately, I’m loving glitter on my nails! I was sent some cosmetic products from W7 last week and one of them was this nail polish in Red Dazzle.
It’s a red polish packed to the brim with loads of tiny red glitter particles. The finished look is pretty impressive and makes me think of Christmas baubles or Dorothy’s ruby slippers. It’s even more sparkly under artificial light so perfect for statement nails on a night out.
W7 Cosmetics Red Dazzle
W7 Red Dazzle
The consistency of this polish was a little annoying at first as it’s quite thin and starts to dry really quickly so you have to work fast, but the second coat applies much better. You’ll want to use a topcoat for sure as the texture is quite gritty from all the glitter, though it doesn’t spoil how pretty the polish looks.
I really love this look, I keep catching myself looking at my nails as they’re just so pretty! It’s a strong contender to be my polish of choice on Christmas day as it’s so festive! Maybe this with a green ring finger and a little gold glitter on top? Hey it’s not too early to be thinking of these things, there are only 9 weeks to go!

Disclosure: I was sent a W7 Nail Polish for free for review purposes, however all thoughts and opinion remain my own. 

REVIEW: W7 Nail Polish Red Dazzle

I’ve turned into a bit of a glitter monster lately, I’m loving glitter on my nails! I was sent some cosmetic products from W7 last week and one of them was this nail polish in Red Dazzle.
It’s a red polish packed to the brim with loads of tiny red glitter particles. The finished look is pretty impressive and makes me think of Christmas baubles or Dorothy’s ruby slippers. It’s even more sparkly under artificial light so perfect for statement nails on a night out.
W7 Cosmetics Red Dazzle
W7 Red Dazzle
The consistency of this polish was a little annoying at first as it’s quite thin and starts to dry really quickly so you have to work fast, but the second coat applies much better. You’ll want to use a topcoat for sure as the texture is quite gritty from all the glitter, though it doesn’t spoil how pretty the polish looks.
I really love this look, I keep catching myself looking at my nails as they’re just so pretty! It’s a strong contender to be my polish of choice on Christmas day as it’s so festive! Maybe this with a green ring finger and a little gold glitter on top? Hey it’s not too early to be thinking of these things, there are only 9 weeks to go!

Disclosure: I was sent a W7 Nail Polish for free for review purposes, however all thoughts and opinion remain my own. 
This week I have been absolutely loving these jumbo, gourmet, hand-made marshmallows that I was sent to try by Fluffy Puff Puffs. Fluffy Puff Puffs create the most amazing looking marshmallows with insanely mouth-watering flavours and I got to try their Vanilla Bean, Strawberry Burst and Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Drizzle marshmallows.

Fluffy Puff Puffs marsh mallows

I’ve never tried hand-made or gourmet marshmallows before, my marshmallow experience is limited to those pink and white things you can get in the supermarkets. Fluffy Puff Puffs marshmallows are nothing like those, for a start look at the size of them. They are almost a handful each! It takes a good four bites to eat one of these bad boys.

Other than the immense size, one of the first things I noticed is that they feel really good. I know that seems like an odd thing to say but they are soft yet firm, fluffy yet dense, all at once. When my fiancé had a look even he said “ooh, these feel really nice,” so it isn’t just me being weird!

Fluffy Puff Puffs Vanilla Bean Marshmallow
Fluffy Puffpuffs marshmallows

The Vanilla Bean marshmallows are made with hand-scraped Indian vanilla beans to give them a lovely, authentic flavour. You can see the tiny little vanilla beans running through the marshmallows. For me these are the classic marshmallow taste, these are the ones to enjoy with a big mug of hot chocolate.

The Strawberry Burst marshmallows are made with real strawberries which have been dried out in an oven for three hours. I think it looks like there is a little strawberry kiss on my marshmallow! That would be totally apt as all Fluffy Puff Puffs marshmallows have been lovingly hand-made. This marshmallow had such a sweet, juicy taste. Totally scrummy!

The Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Drizzle marshmallows are the ones that you’d want to bring out when you’ve got your friends over as they look so good. The topping is made with Belgian dark chocolate mixed with roasted peanut butter and skilfully drizzled over Vanilla Bean marshmallows. My fiancé had this one all to himself; he said the peanut butter taste really comes through, so peanut lovers will adore these.

Fluffy Puff Puffs Vanilla Bean Strawberry Burst Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Brittle

I think these marshmallows would be perfect for gifts, hampers or for occasions like baby showers and birthday parties. They’re so unique and make a cute change from the cupcake/macaroon trend. Of course you could just buy them for yourself!


Disclosure: I was sent Fluffy Puff Puffs marshmallows for review purposes, however all thoughts and opinion remain my own. 

REVIEW: Fluffy Puff Puffs Marshmallows

This week I have been absolutely loving these jumbo, gourmet, hand-made marshmallows that I was sent to try by Fluffy Puff Puffs. Fluffy Puff Puffs create the most amazing looking marshmallows with insanely mouth-watering flavours and I got to try their Vanilla Bean, Strawberry Burst and Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Drizzle marshmallows.

Fluffy Puff Puffs marsh mallows

I’ve never tried hand-made or gourmet marshmallows before, my marshmallow experience is limited to those pink and white things you can get in the supermarkets. Fluffy Puff Puffs marshmallows are nothing like those, for a start look at the size of them. They are almost a handful each! It takes a good four bites to eat one of these bad boys.

Other than the immense size, one of the first things I noticed is that they feel really good. I know that seems like an odd thing to say but they are soft yet firm, fluffy yet dense, all at once. When my fiancé had a look even he said “ooh, these feel really nice,” so it isn’t just me being weird!

Fluffy Puff Puffs Vanilla Bean Marshmallow
Fluffy Puffpuffs marshmallows

The Vanilla Bean marshmallows are made with hand-scraped Indian vanilla beans to give them a lovely, authentic flavour. You can see the tiny little vanilla beans running through the marshmallows. For me these are the classic marshmallow taste, these are the ones to enjoy with a big mug of hot chocolate.

The Strawberry Burst marshmallows are made with real strawberries which have been dried out in an oven for three hours. I think it looks like there is a little strawberry kiss on my marshmallow! That would be totally apt as all Fluffy Puff Puffs marshmallows have been lovingly hand-made. This marshmallow had such a sweet, juicy taste. Totally scrummy!

The Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Drizzle marshmallows are the ones that you’d want to bring out when you’ve got your friends over as they look so good. The topping is made with Belgian dark chocolate mixed with roasted peanut butter and skilfully drizzled over Vanilla Bean marshmallows. My fiancé had this one all to himself; he said the peanut butter taste really comes through, so peanut lovers will adore these.

Fluffy Puff Puffs Vanilla Bean Strawberry Burst Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Brittle

I think these marshmallows would be perfect for gifts, hampers or for occasions like baby showers and birthday parties. They’re so unique and make a cute change from the cupcake/macaroon trend. Of course you could just buy them for yourself!


Disclosure: I was sent Fluffy Puff Puffs marshmallows for review purposes, however all thoughts and opinion remain my own. 
I’m on a mission lately to use up my HUGE stash of skincare products before buying anything new. As a result I’ve discovered a few little gems that I didn’t even realise I had, in particular STEAMCREAM.

Steam Cream

I’ve known about STEAMCREAM for a while but have never tried it. I liked the idea of natural ingredients fused together with a shot of steam. I liked the idea of a fresh, handmade moisturiser. I liked the idea of those funky little reusable tins. But I wasn’t sure about the idea of this “one size fits all” approach. I didn’t want to buy some only to find it really didn’t suit me. Whilst £12.95 for 75g isn’t a huge amount of money for a moisturiser, it is if it doesn’t work for you!

On my mission to use up my massive stash, I discovered a sachet of STEAMCREAM lurking in the bottom of my cupboard. I finally got round to using it this week. This little 2g sachet amazingly gave three days worth of applications. I loved it from the first use!

Steam Cream ingredients

First of all, it smells beautiful. I am always going on about how I love beautiful smelling products and this is made with some of my favourite ingredients: neroli, lavender and rose. Have you ever tried the Gorgeous moisturiser from Lush? It smells just like that, only it’s way cheaper.

Surprisingly, it’s super light and absorbs so quickly! I don’t know why, but I had imagined that STEAMCREAM would be a thick, heavy cream but it isn’t. It’s not a cream-gel, but it feels like one as it’s so light, yet it has left my skin feeling so nourished and soft. I have combination skin which can be tricky to deal with; a lot of moisturisers can be too heavy for the oilier areas or too light for the drier areas. This just works, my skin loves it.

I’m actually now really annoyed at myself for not trying this sooner. The only thing making me think “hmm” is that it’s not selling itself as a whizzy, fancy, anti-aging cream. It’s just a simple moisturiser. I’ve been using anti-aging creams since my early twenties and I don’t have any wrinkles yet. Part of me worries that if I stop, I might suddenly get them! I think will buy myself a tin of STEAMCREAM (once I get through the rest of my stash of moisturisers so that’ll probably be after Christmas!) and just up the ante on my night-time routine.

Have you tried STEAMCREAM or found any little gems lurking in your cupboards? Let me know!
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STEAMCREAM

I’m on a mission lately to use up my HUGE stash of skincare products before buying anything new. As a result I’ve discovered a few little gems that I didn’t even realise I had, in particular STEAMCREAM.

Steam Cream

I’ve known about STEAMCREAM for a while but have never tried it. I liked the idea of natural ingredients fused together with a shot of steam. I liked the idea of a fresh, handmade moisturiser. I liked the idea of those funky little reusable tins. But I wasn’t sure about the idea of this “one size fits all” approach. I didn’t want to buy some only to find it really didn’t suit me. Whilst £12.95 for 75g isn’t a huge amount of money for a moisturiser, it is if it doesn’t work for you!

On my mission to use up my massive stash, I discovered a sachet of STEAMCREAM lurking in the bottom of my cupboard. I finally got round to using it this week. This little 2g sachet amazingly gave three days worth of applications. I loved it from the first use!

Steam Cream ingredients

First of all, it smells beautiful. I am always going on about how I love beautiful smelling products and this is made with some of my favourite ingredients: neroli, lavender and rose. Have you ever tried the Gorgeous moisturiser from Lush? It smells just like that, only it’s way cheaper.

Surprisingly, it’s super light and absorbs so quickly! I don’t know why, but I had imagined that STEAMCREAM would be a thick, heavy cream but it isn’t. It’s not a cream-gel, but it feels like one as it’s so light, yet it has left my skin feeling so nourished and soft. I have combination skin which can be tricky to deal with; a lot of moisturisers can be too heavy for the oilier areas or too light for the drier areas. This just works, my skin loves it.

I’m actually now really annoyed at myself for not trying this sooner. The only thing making me think “hmm” is that it’s not selling itself as a whizzy, fancy, anti-aging cream. It’s just a simple moisturiser. I’ve been using anti-aging creams since my early twenties and I don’t have any wrinkles yet. Part of me worries that if I stop, I might suddenly get them! I think will buy myself a tin of STEAMCREAM (once I get through the rest of my stash of moisturisers so that’ll probably be after Christmas!) and just up the ante on my night-time routine.

Have you tried STEAMCREAM or found any little gems lurking in your cupboards? Let me know!
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On Thursday I was feeling really down and needed cheering up so I popped into Boots for a little treat. I usually prefer quite an understated nail look so maybe it’s the pregnancy hormones getting to me but I really took a liking to a few of the Barry M Jewel Glitter Nail Paints! I bought NP355 ‘Gold Mine’, NP354 ‘Amethyst’ and NP150 ‘Red Glitter’. This is Gold Mine.

Barry M Jewel Glitter Nail Paints Gold Mine NP355

Barry M Jewel Glitter Nail Paints NP355 Gold Mine

I’ve never bought Barry M Nail Paints before but they were only £2.99 each so I thought they were worth a try. I was actually really impressed with the application and coverage. I used two coats of the nail paint; the first looked quite sheer but it was even and left a decent amount of glitter and as soon as the second coat went on I was absolutely loving the look. It’s actually not quite as “in your face” as you’d think, I had my antenatal class on Thursday night and didn’t feel like it was over the top at all!

Who would have thought I’d be wearing black nail polish with glitter on every nail!? Do you like it?

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NOTD: Barry M Nail Paint – Gold Mine

On Thursday I was feeling really down and needed cheering up so I popped into Boots for a little treat. I usually prefer quite an understated nail look so maybe it’s the pregnancy hormones getting to me but I really took a liking to a few of the Barry M Jewel Glitter Nail Paints! I bought NP355 ‘Gold Mine’, NP354 ‘Amethyst’ and NP150 ‘Red Glitter’. This is Gold Mine.

Barry M Jewel Glitter Nail Paints Gold Mine NP355

Barry M Jewel Glitter Nail Paints NP355 Gold Mine

I’ve never bought Barry M Nail Paints before but they were only £2.99 each so I thought they were worth a try. I was actually really impressed with the application and coverage. I used two coats of the nail paint; the first looked quite sheer but it was even and left a decent amount of glitter and as soon as the second coat went on I was absolutely loving the look. It’s actually not quite as “in your face” as you’d think, I had my antenatal class on Thursday night and didn’t feel like it was over the top at all!

Who would have thought I’d be wearing black nail polish with glitter on every nail!? Do you like it?

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I’ve just had a surprise knock at the door – it was a courier bearing the October beauty box from Joliebox! The reason it’s a surprise is because as far as I knew they were only shipping them today, so I wasn’t expecting it until next week. So it’s very much a pleasant surprise!

October Joliebox Beauty Box

October Joliebox Beauty Box Menu

October Joliebox Beauty Box contents

This month the boxes are back to the standard black with the beauty box contents held inside a little black drawstring bag – I have found so many uses for these little bags: Kindle cover, make up storage, I’ve even currently got one packed with little toiletries in my hospital bag ready for little’s man’s arrival.

This month’s issue of Joliemag features Fleur from fleurdeforce, you get the Menu card telling you a little about each of the products inside the box and there is a card from Lov Organic (one of the featured products) with a code for a free gift and free shipping if you place an order.

The theme of the October beauty box is Pure and Natural; the products have been chosen to help combat whatever Autumn has to throw at you. In this month’s box there are two full-sized products and three sample-sized products. Here’s what I got:

Ritessens Velvet Cleansing Milk – I’ve never heard of this brand before but I’m really looking forward to trying this out. It contains a blend of plant extracts and Moroccan Argan Oil. It smells really good, I’m a sucker for a lovely smelling product! This is one of the full-sized products and is a 125ml tube. I have no idea how much it would normally cost as Google isn’t being very helpful but with 98.7% natural ingredients I can’t imagine it being cheap!

Lov Organic Lov is Beautiful Organic Herbal Tea – I’m a big tea drinker and so is my fiancé; I tend to prefer black teas but he is quite partial to herbal teas. This is a blend of white tea, green tea, green rooibos, mango, pineapple and apricot. The teabags are really cute, they’re made of muslin and there are 6 of them in the box. They smell really yummy! It normally costs £9.45 for 20 teabags so these 6 are worth £2.83.

Balance Me Balancing Face Moisturiser -  I love this brand, I know some people are a little bored of seeing it everywhere as it’s been in a lot of beauty boxes and as cover gifts with magazines recently but for me the more the better! It’s a 10ml tube which normally costs £6.00 and the moisturiser is suitable for normal to combination skin. On the Menu card there is a code to get £5 off the full-size (50ml) product which is a nice bonus.

Moa The Green Balm – another new brand for me to try! This is a multi-purpose balm for chapped, dehydrated skin, perfect timing with the colder weather starting to play havoc with my skin. At a guess I’d say there was no more than 5ml in this dinky little tub making it worth about 99p – full-size is 50ml and costs £9.99. The Menu card has a 20% discount code for this brand too.

JASON Bee Healthier Lip Balm Stick – this is a brand I have heard of through other blogs but not tried for myself. When I first saw the lip balm I thought it was a Burt’s Bees one! It’s packed full of natural ingredients, which are 70% organic, to soothe and protect your lips. This is a full-size 4.5g stick which normally costs £1.99.

I think Joliebox have done well with this month’s box, it’s a good variety of fab products and I’m happy with all of them. I’m particularly pleased with the tea bags, I think it’s nice to get something a little different from make-up or skin care every so often. Joliebox costs £10.00 per month plus shipping. Let me know your thoughts!

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Joliebox – October Beauty Box

I’ve just had a surprise knock at the door – it was a courier bearing the October beauty box from Joliebox! The reason it’s a surprise is because as far as I knew they were only shipping them today, so I wasn’t expecting it until next week. So it’s very much a pleasant surprise!

October Joliebox Beauty Box

October Joliebox Beauty Box Menu

October Joliebox Beauty Box contents

This month the boxes are back to the standard black with the beauty box contents held inside a little black drawstring bag – I have found so many uses for these little bags: Kindle cover, make up storage, I’ve even currently got one packed with little toiletries in my hospital bag ready for little’s man’s arrival.

This month’s issue of Joliemag features Fleur from fleurdeforce, you get the Menu card telling you a little about each of the products inside the box and there is a card from Lov Organic (one of the featured products) with a code for a free gift and free shipping if you place an order.

The theme of the October beauty box is Pure and Natural; the products have been chosen to help combat whatever Autumn has to throw at you. In this month’s box there are two full-sized products and three sample-sized products. Here’s what I got:

Ritessens Velvet Cleansing Milk – I’ve never heard of this brand before but I’m really looking forward to trying this out. It contains a blend of plant extracts and Moroccan Argan Oil. It smells really good, I’m a sucker for a lovely smelling product! This is one of the full-sized products and is a 125ml tube. I have no idea how much it would normally cost as Google isn’t being very helpful but with 98.7% natural ingredients I can’t imagine it being cheap!

Lov Organic Lov is Beautiful Organic Herbal Tea – I’m a big tea drinker and so is my fiancé; I tend to prefer black teas but he is quite partial to herbal teas. This is a blend of white tea, green tea, green rooibos, mango, pineapple and apricot. The teabags are really cute, they’re made of muslin and there are 6 of them in the box. They smell really yummy! It normally costs £9.45 for 20 teabags so these 6 are worth £2.83.

Balance Me Balancing Face Moisturiser -  I love this brand, I know some people are a little bored of seeing it everywhere as it’s been in a lot of beauty boxes and as cover gifts with magazines recently but for me the more the better! It’s a 10ml tube which normally costs £6.00 and the moisturiser is suitable for normal to combination skin. On the Menu card there is a code to get £5 off the full-size (50ml) product which is a nice bonus.

Moa The Green Balm – another new brand for me to try! This is a multi-purpose balm for chapped, dehydrated skin, perfect timing with the colder weather starting to play havoc with my skin. At a guess I’d say there was no more than 5ml in this dinky little tub making it worth about 99p – full-size is 50ml and costs £9.99. The Menu card has a 20% discount code for this brand too.

JASON Bee Healthier Lip Balm Stick – this is a brand I have heard of through other blogs but not tried for myself. When I first saw the lip balm I thought it was a Burt’s Bees one! It’s packed full of natural ingredients, which are 70% organic, to soothe and protect your lips. This is a full-size 4.5g stick which normally costs £1.99.

I think Joliebox have done well with this month’s box, it’s a good variety of fab products and I’m happy with all of them. I’m particularly pleased with the tea bags, I think it’s nice to get something a little different from make-up or skin care every so often. Joliebox costs £10.00 per month plus shipping. Let me know your thoughts!

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I love getting boxes of stuff in the post: beauty boxes, food boxes - now coffee boxes! Last month I came across a company on twitter called eightpointnine who put together a personalised blend of 150g of fresh Fairtrade coffee and post it out to you for a very reasonable £5.89.

eightpointnine coffee box

If you know what you like you can design your own blend and give it a cool name, or if like me you get bamboozled by choice you can choose their grandCRU service and let them choose for you. You get a note with your bag of coffee explaining exactly what’s in your blend, who made it, when it was blended, some “tasting notes” and directions on how to make the perfect coffee.

Here are the blends I’ve had so far from the eighpointnine grandCRU service:

eightpointnine perk-u-later

eightpointnine Bean There Done That

eightpointnine Blend It Like Beckham

eightpointnine send an email to let me know when each box has been dispatched, but even if they didn’t I would know the second that I step into the hallway that my box is here because the smell is just amazing! Once you find a blend you love you can choose to have that sent to you every time, but I’m enjoying mixing it up and getting a different one each time so for now I’ll carry on that way.

eightpointnine also have referral codes so friends can try a free box for themselves. If you’d like to try a free box of eightpointnine coffee head over to www.eightpointnine.com and enter code 7PCRZYL.

Enjoy!

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Food Friday – and a Freebie!

I love getting boxes of stuff in the post: beauty boxes, food boxes - now coffee boxes! Last month I came across a company on twitter called eightpointnine who put together a personalised blend of 150g of fresh Fairtrade coffee and post it out to you for a very reasonable £5.89.

eightpointnine coffee box

If you know what you like you can design your own blend and give it a cool name, or if like me you get bamboozled by choice you can choose their grandCRU service and let them choose for you. You get a note with your bag of coffee explaining exactly what’s in your blend, who made it, when it was blended, some “tasting notes” and directions on how to make the perfect coffee.

Here are the blends I’ve had so far from the eighpointnine grandCRU service:

eightpointnine perk-u-later

eightpointnine Bean There Done That

eightpointnine Blend It Like Beckham

eightpointnine send an email to let me know when each box has been dispatched, but even if they didn’t I would know the second that I step into the hallway that my box is here because the smell is just amazing! Once you find a blend you love you can choose to have that sent to you every time, but I’m enjoying mixing it up and getting a different one each time so for now I’ll carry on that way.

eightpointnine also have referral codes so friends can try a free box for themselves. If you’d like to try a free box of eightpointnine coffee head over to www.eightpointnine.com and enter code 7PCRZYL.

Enjoy!

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When it comes to face masks, Lush’s range of Fresh Face Masks are up there in my favourites. Out of their range, The Sacred Truth has been my face mask of choice for quite some time now but after I finished my last pot I decided to go back to one I’ve not used in years – Love Lettuce.

Lush Love Lettuce Fresh Face Mask

When you go to a Lush store you’ll usually see a table in the middle with metal pots of gloop sitting in ice – this is where you’ll find the face masks! They’re on ice to keep them cool as they’re made with 100% natural fresh ingredients and no preservatives, when you take them home you need to keep them refrigerated. They have a use-by date, but if your fridge is cold enough they’ll usually stay good beyond that date. I’ve only ever had one pot go mouldy on me and that was because I forgot about it!

Love Lettuce is the grey-green, gritty-looking mask. It contains: kaolin and fullers earth to deeply cleanse and absorb oil; seaweed, honey, glycerine and almond oil to soften and moisturise; lavender oil to balance oil production (and make it smell nice); and ground almonds and ground almond shell to gently exfoliate. Perhaps the formula has changed since I last tried this mask, or maybe my memory is just not as sharp as I think, but this mask seems a lot more gritty and the lavender is much stronger than I remember!

Lush Love Lettuce Fresh Face Mask 2

I use this mask by massaging it onto my cleansed face so that my skin is exfoliated before the ingredients get to work, I leave it on for about 15 minutes (the label says 5-10 minutes but I like to leave masks on for longer), then I massage it off again with warm water, giving my skin a second round of exfoliation. It’s so gentle that my skin can totally handle - in fact, loves - this double whammy of exfoliation, but you don’t have to do this if you don’t want to. Love Lettuce is really effective at leaving your skin feeling super clean and fresh; my skin loves pretty much all of the Lush Fresh Face Masks but this one and The Sacred Truth perform really, REALLY well.

Lush Love Lettuce costs £5.95 for 75g and I tend to get about six applications from one pot, depending on how thickly I apply it. That works out at less than £1 per application which is such good value for money, especially for a product that does actually deliver results. You can also do what I do which is save five of your empty pots and take them back to a Lush store to swap for a free mask.

Let me know if you Love Lettuce – see what I did there! (sigh)

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Lush Love Lettuce Fresh Face Mask

When it comes to face masks, Lush’s range of Fresh Face Masks are up there in my favourites. Out of their range, The Sacred Truth has been my face mask of choice for quite some time now but after I finished my last pot I decided to go back to one I’ve not used in years – Love Lettuce.

Lush Love Lettuce Fresh Face Mask

When you go to a Lush store you’ll usually see a table in the middle with metal pots of gloop sitting in ice – this is where you’ll find the face masks! They’re on ice to keep them cool as they’re made with 100% natural fresh ingredients and no preservatives, when you take them home you need to keep them refrigerated. They have a use-by date, but if your fridge is cold enough they’ll usually stay good beyond that date. I’ve only ever had one pot go mouldy on me and that was because I forgot about it!

Love Lettuce is the grey-green, gritty-looking mask. It contains: kaolin and fullers earth to deeply cleanse and absorb oil; seaweed, honey, glycerine and almond oil to soften and moisturise; lavender oil to balance oil production (and make it smell nice); and ground almonds and ground almond shell to gently exfoliate. Perhaps the formula has changed since I last tried this mask, or maybe my memory is just not as sharp as I think, but this mask seems a lot more gritty and the lavender is much stronger than I remember!

Lush Love Lettuce Fresh Face Mask 2

I use this mask by massaging it onto my cleansed face so that my skin is exfoliated before the ingredients get to work, I leave it on for about 15 minutes (the label says 5-10 minutes but I like to leave masks on for longer), then I massage it off again with warm water, giving my skin a second round of exfoliation. It’s so gentle that my skin can totally handle - in fact, loves - this double whammy of exfoliation, but you don’t have to do this if you don’t want to. Love Lettuce is really effective at leaving your skin feeling super clean and fresh; my skin loves pretty much all of the Lush Fresh Face Masks but this one and The Sacred Truth perform really, REALLY well.

Lush Love Lettuce costs £5.95 for 75g and I tend to get about six applications from one pot, depending on how thickly I apply it. That works out at less than £1 per application which is such good value for money, especially for a product that does actually deliver results. You can also do what I do which is save five of your empty pots and take them back to a Lush store to swap for a free mask.

Let me know if you Love Lettuce – see what I did there! (sigh)

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Sranrom is a Thai luxury skincare brand with a range of natural, plant-based products to promote a sense of calm and well-being in our fast-paced, urban lifestyles. I recently reviewed the Sleep Tight Body Cream from the Urban Wellness range, you can read that review here.

I’ve also been fortunate enough to try out and review a product from Sranrom’s Harmony range, a range that is inspired by the different parts of plants. There are four collections in the Harmony range: Renewed Energy which is from the roots, Awakening Vitality which is from the leaves, Radiant Blooms which is from the flowers, and Youthful Zest which is from the fruits. The product I was sent to review is the Radiant Blooms Body Wash.

Sranrom Harmony  Radiant Blooms Body Wash

The Radiant Blooms collection has blend of five pollen extracts and a mix of essential oils to create an absolutely beautiful scent. I was initially drawn to this collection because I knew that one of the main scents was jasmine, one of my most favourite fragrances ever. What I didn’t know is that jasmine, along with lotus, one of the other flower extracts, is nourishing and soothing to the skin. The key essential oils of tangerine, peppermint, cedarwood and orange work to calm the mind. Overall, the fragrance is just incredible, it’s so heady and intoxicating, I just want to bottle it up and wear it as a perfume!

Sranrom Harmony Radiant Blooms Body Wash 1

For me, showers are simply a practical exercise each day whereas baths are a bit of a indulgence, a chance to have a bit of “me” time and pamper myself. This body wash has made those 15 minutes in the morning a bit more enjoyable and really helped set me up in a good mood for the rest of the day. I love beautiful scents and like to have layers of scent by combining shower products, body lotions, body sprays and perfumes, so this is perfect for me.

Sranrom Radiant Blooms Body Wash comes in a 200ml bottle and costs £12.00 from the Sranrom websitewww.sranrom.co.uk. It contains approximately 99.5% naturally derived ingredients, is formulated without parabens, propylene glycol, petroleum derivatives, silicone, synthetic colours and fragrances or animal ingredients, and the brand is cruelty free.

As with the body cream, the price really makes this a treat rather than an every day product but like with the body cream it has the same pretty packaging that I’m sure anyone would be proud to have on show in their bathroom. I will definitely be looking at Sranrom products for future gift ideas, or perhaps just to treat myself!

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Disclosure: I was sent Sranrom Radiant Blooms Body Wash for free for review purposes, however all thoughts and opinion remain my own. 

REVIEW: Sranrom Radiant Blooms Body Wash

Sranrom is a Thai luxury skincare brand with a range of natural, plant-based products to promote a sense of calm and well-being in our fast-paced, urban lifestyles. I recently reviewed the Sleep Tight Body Cream from the Urban Wellness range, you can read that review here.

I’ve also been fortunate enough to try out and review a product from Sranrom’s Harmony range, a range that is inspired by the different parts of plants. There are four collections in the Harmony range: Renewed Energy which is from the roots, Awakening Vitality which is from the leaves, Radiant Blooms which is from the flowers, and Youthful Zest which is from the fruits. The product I was sent to review is the Radiant Blooms Body Wash.

Sranrom Harmony  Radiant Blooms Body Wash

The Radiant Blooms collection has blend of five pollen extracts and a mix of essential oils to create an absolutely beautiful scent. I was initially drawn to this collection because I knew that one of the main scents was jasmine, one of my most favourite fragrances ever. What I didn’t know is that jasmine, along with lotus, one of the other flower extracts, is nourishing and soothing to the skin. The key essential oils of tangerine, peppermint, cedarwood and orange work to calm the mind. Overall, the fragrance is just incredible, it’s so heady and intoxicating, I just want to bottle it up and wear it as a perfume!

Sranrom Harmony Radiant Blooms Body Wash 1

For me, showers are simply a practical exercise each day whereas baths are a bit of a indulgence, a chance to have a bit of “me” time and pamper myself. This body wash has made those 15 minutes in the morning a bit more enjoyable and really helped set me up in a good mood for the rest of the day. I love beautiful scents and like to have layers of scent by combining shower products, body lotions, body sprays and perfumes, so this is perfect for me.

Sranrom Radiant Blooms Body Wash comes in a 200ml bottle and costs £12.00 from the Sranrom websitewww.sranrom.co.uk. It contains approximately 99.5% naturally derived ingredients, is formulated without parabens, propylene glycol, petroleum derivatives, silicone, synthetic colours and fragrances or animal ingredients, and the brand is cruelty free.

As with the body cream, the price really makes this a treat rather than an every day product but like with the body cream it has the same pretty packaging that I’m sure anyone would be proud to have on show in their bathroom. I will definitely be looking at Sranrom products for future gift ideas, or perhaps just to treat myself!

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Disclosure: I was sent Sranrom Radiant Blooms Body Wash for free for review purposes, however all thoughts and opinion remain my own. 

My fiancé has decided to jump on the Hello Fresh bandwagon, but he outdid me by getting the 5 meal box for 2 people which costs £49.00 including delivery. All the ingredients plus recipe cards to make 5 delicious meals for 2 people. Guess who ended up cooking most of them! I don’t mind though; I enjoy it and it means I get to share the results with you.

We had a go at cooking the XO Chinese Chicken with Pan-Fried Sweetheart Cabbage. I’ve never attempted cooking Chinese food before as it always looks so complicated or has long list of ingredients, but this was really easy, plus you get every little ingredient already measured out for you.

Hello Fresh XO Chinese Chicken with Stir-Fried Sweetheart Cabbage ingredients

Hello Fresh XO Chinese Chicken with Stir-Fried Sweetheart Cabbage

The recipe tells you to chop up as much of the chilli as you dare, so typical me used the whole thing AND the seeds. My mouth was on fire, but the Mister loved it! I think I’d halve the amount of chilli next time, otherwise it was fab.

If you’d like to try a box for yourself you can use my referral code to get yourself a massive £20 discount: C4MJSY. Just head over to www.hellofresh.co.uk to get started!

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Food Friday

My fiancé has decided to jump on the Hello Fresh bandwagon, but he outdid me by getting the 5 meal box for 2 people which costs £49.00 including delivery. All the ingredients plus recipe cards to make 5 delicious meals for 2 people. Guess who ended up cooking most of them! I don’t mind though; I enjoy it and it means I get to share the results with you.

We had a go at cooking the XO Chinese Chicken with Pan-Fried Sweetheart Cabbage. I’ve never attempted cooking Chinese food before as it always looks so complicated or has long list of ingredients, but this was really easy, plus you get every little ingredient already measured out for you.

Hello Fresh XO Chinese Chicken with Stir-Fried Sweetheart Cabbage ingredients

Hello Fresh XO Chinese Chicken with Stir-Fried Sweetheart Cabbage

The recipe tells you to chop up as much of the chilli as you dare, so typical me used the whole thing AND the seeds. My mouth was on fire, but the Mister loved it! I think I’d halve the amount of chilli next time, otherwise it was fab.

If you’d like to try a box for yourself you can use my referral code to get yourself a massive £20 discount: C4MJSY. Just head over to www.hellofresh.co.uk to get started!

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Sranrom is a Thai luxury skincare brand with a range of natural, plant-based products to promote a sense of calm and well-being in our fast-paced, urban lifestyles. The Urban Wellness range has five collections: Calm Down, Clear Mind, Sleep Tight, Get Lively and Feel Good. As you can tell from the names, each collection has been created to help specific issues associated with modern living. I was lucky enough to have the chance to try out and review Sranrom Sleep Tight Body Cream.
Sranrom Sleep Tight Body Cream
I’ve suffered with insomnia, a condition where sufferers have difficulty getting to sleep or staying asleep, for as long as I can remember and over the years have learnt that being calm and relaxed before bed can really help. Sranrom’s Sleep Tight collection uses aromatherapy to soothe and ease tension and anxiety. The key essential oils in this collection are white champaca and ylang ylang which are known for their calming and relaxing qualities. The other key ingredients are spearmint, bergamot, litsea and lavender, which is well-known for its use in aiding sleep.
Sranrom Sleep Tight Body Cream ingredients
The idea is that you massage this rich body cream into your skin after a bath or shower and breathe in the calming scent as you do so. I have been using this body cream each night before going to bed for the last week. It’s very thick but is easily absorbed and not at all greasy. Only a little is needed to leave your skin feeling supple and moisturised.
The first scent I notice is lavender but as the body cream settles a more warm, spicy, earthy fragrance comes through – champaca, ylang ylang and a hint of ginger. Think of incense sticks! I find this scent incredibly relaxing as it immediately reminds me of a spa that I used to visit that uses Thai-inspired products and techniques, and being more relaxed leads to better sleep.
Sranrom Sleep Tight Body Cream comes in a 200g tube and costs £14.00 from the Sranrom website www.sranrom.co.uk. It contains approximately 98.5% naturally derived ingredients, is formulated without parabens, propylene glycol, petroleum derivatives, silicone, synthetic colours and fragrances or animal ingredients, and the brand is cruelty free.
To me the price means this is most definitely more of a treat than an every day product and one that would make a lovely gift for someone as the packaging is so pretty.  I’m really enjoying using this body cream and, as only a little is needed at a time, I am sure this tube will help me get many more decent nights of sleep!
Have you tried anything from Sranrom’s Urban Wellness range?



Disclosure: I was sent Sranrom Sleep Tight Body Cream for free for review purposes, however all thoughts and opinion remain my own. 

REVIEW: Sranrom Sleep Tight Body Cream

Sranrom is a Thai luxury skincare brand with a range of natural, plant-based products to promote a sense of calm and well-being in our fast-paced, urban lifestyles. The Urban Wellness range has five collections: Calm Down, Clear Mind, Sleep Tight, Get Lively and Feel Good. As you can tell from the names, each collection has been created to help specific issues associated with modern living. I was lucky enough to have the chance to try out and review Sranrom Sleep Tight Body Cream.
Sranrom Sleep Tight Body Cream
I’ve suffered with insomnia, a condition where sufferers have difficulty getting to sleep or staying asleep, for as long as I can remember and over the years have learnt that being calm and relaxed before bed can really help. Sranrom’s Sleep Tight collection uses aromatherapy to soothe and ease tension and anxiety. The key essential oils in this collection are white champaca and ylang ylang which are known for their calming and relaxing qualities. The other key ingredients are spearmint, bergamot, litsea and lavender, which is well-known for its use in aiding sleep.
Sranrom Sleep Tight Body Cream ingredients
The idea is that you massage this rich body cream into your skin after a bath or shower and breathe in the calming scent as you do so. I have been using this body cream each night before going to bed for the last week. It’s very thick but is easily absorbed and not at all greasy. Only a little is needed to leave your skin feeling supple and moisturised.
The first scent I notice is lavender but as the body cream settles a more warm, spicy, earthy fragrance comes through – champaca, ylang ylang and a hint of ginger. Think of incense sticks! I find this scent incredibly relaxing as it immediately reminds me of a spa that I used to visit that uses Thai-inspired products and techniques, and being more relaxed leads to better sleep.
Sranrom Sleep Tight Body Cream comes in a 200g tube and costs £14.00 from the Sranrom website www.sranrom.co.uk. It contains approximately 98.5% naturally derived ingredients, is formulated without parabens, propylene glycol, petroleum derivatives, silicone, synthetic colours and fragrances or animal ingredients, and the brand is cruelty free.
To me the price means this is most definitely more of a treat than an every day product and one that would make a lovely gift for someone as the packaging is so pretty.  I’m really enjoying using this body cream and, as only a little is needed at a time, I am sure this tube will help me get many more decent nights of sleep!
Have you tried anything from Sranrom’s Urban Wellness range?



Disclosure: I was sent Sranrom Sleep Tight Body Cream for free for review purposes, however all thoughts and opinion remain my own. 

The final meal that I made from my last Hello Fresh delivery was The King’s Massaman Curry with Toasted Cashews and Sweet Potato. The other two meals in the box were Fearless Sesame Crusted Salmon with Couscous and Cherry Tomato Salsa and Pork Chops with Leek and Potato Mash and Onion Gravy. The box cost £39 and included all the ingredients needed to make these meals for two.

Hello Fresh King Massaman Curry ingredients

Hello Fresh King Massaman Curry

I left out the cashews because I’m allergic to them and my fiancé doesn't like nuts, but my step-daughter loves them so they didn’t go to waste! I don’t think this made too much difference to the finished dish though, it was still really aromatic and full of flavour! Definitely one to make again.

If you’d like to try a box for yourself you can use my referral code to get yourself a massive £20 discount: C4MJSY. Just head over to www.hellofresh.co.uk to get started!

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Food Friday

The final meal that I made from my last Hello Fresh delivery was The King’s Massaman Curry with Toasted Cashews and Sweet Potato. The other two meals in the box were Fearless Sesame Crusted Salmon with Couscous and Cherry Tomato Salsa and Pork Chops with Leek and Potato Mash and Onion Gravy. The box cost £39 and included all the ingredients needed to make these meals for two.

Hello Fresh King Massaman Curry ingredients

Hello Fresh King Massaman Curry

I left out the cashews because I’m allergic to them and my fiancé doesn't like nuts, but my step-daughter loves them so they didn’t go to waste! I don’t think this made too much difference to the finished dish though, it was still really aromatic and full of flavour! Definitely one to make again.

If you’d like to try a box for yourself you can use my referral code to get yourself a massive £20 discount: C4MJSY. Just head over to www.hellofresh.co.uk to get started!

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I’m sure I’m not alone in thinking that September has flown by! It feels like only yesterday that I did my August Empties post. I’m really glad I started doing them as they’re my favourite kind of post to read on other blogs and also it encourages me to actually finish off a product!

Here’s what I got through in September:

September Empties

Kimia Rejuvenating Facial System: This came in Joliebox beauty box back in February and consists of Kimia Exquisite All Natural Face oil which is massaged into your face followed by Kimia Hydra-Activator, a spray that you pump into your hands and then again massage into your face. Both products are made with 100% natural ingredients and the combination of plant oils means they smell absolutely beautiful as well as leaving your skin feeling gorgeous and glowing. I would love to buy it but the full-size products carry a hefty £74 price tag.

Impulse Very Pink: I’m enjoying layering up with different scents, from my shower products to body lotions to body sprays to perfumes. This is quite a sweet, fruity scent but not over the top. I’d buy this again.

Soap & Glory Pulp Friction: This is a “foamy fruity body scrub” that smells fantastic and works really well. It’s not at all harsh and as it lathers up as well you don’t need a separate soap or shower gel. This 250ml tube has lasted months and, although sometimes I wished it would hurry up and run out so I could try something else, I do think it’s great and I’d buy it again.

Soap & Glory Night in Shining Armour Night Cream: I really don’t like this. It felt heavy and claggy on my skin and I don’t feel like it really did anything for my skin. I persevered in order to use it up, using it over the top of serums. I won’t buy this again.

Clarins Extra-Firming Body Cream: This was part of the prize I won on Kim’s blog giveaway a few months ago. It’s a really rich body cream which was ultra soothing on my dry pregnant skin but a little does not go a long way! I used this 30ml tube in 2 days so because it doesn't last long I won’t be buying this.

Boo Boo Splendidly Soothing Bath Soak: When you’re pregnant you’ll suddenly find yourself receiving lots of parcels full of surprise samples, usually nappies and breast pads but occasionally something lovely for you! This one of those surprises. This bath soak smells so beautiful and was truly pampering, I think it is the geranium oil that gives it its gorgeous scent. It would normally cost £10.99 for 250ml so it’s more of a treat than an everyday bath product so chances are I won’t be buying it because of the price. If you know a mum-to-be it would be an ideal gift though!

Soap & Glory Thick & Fast Super Volume Mascara: I got this for free with a magazine, I think it was Elle. Now I know lots of people have raved about how much they love this mascara but I hated it! The brush is too big and the consistency of the mascara went from too wet to too dry with no in-between. I didn’t find it volumising at all, and thought it was quite clumpy and flaked easily. I used it up though, it got relegated to being a work mascara (I don’t like to use my nice stuff for work!) so that sums it up really.

Dr Bragi Bio Marine Exfoliant: I got two sachets of this exfoliant in September’s Joliebox beauty box and I used one within days of getting it. It’s a very nice exfoliant, the particles are really fine and gently exfoliated my skin leaving it soft and smooth, ready for a face mask. I really want to have a Dr Bragi facial!

Apivita Express Beauty with Honey Face Mask: This is another of the products in the prize I won on Kim’s blog giveaway. It has a lovely floral scent which made the experience more pleasurable but it slightly irritated my skin which was a shame.

Stila Brow Set in Dark: With the exception of mascaras I don’t often finish make-up products. Normally I get bored or have found something new or have changed the look I’m going for. I kept on dropping this brow set though, so the powders kept breaking up! It’s a good set with two shades so you can get your brows just the right colour.

Green People Gentle Cleanse Make-up Remover & Cleanser: I’m sure this came in a Feel Unique beauty box so I’ve had it a while but had just not got round to using it. It’s a pleasant enough cleanser, very gentle and it did get all of my make-up off, but it required a little extra elbow grease than with other cleansers so I doubt I’ll buy it again.

Umberto Giannini Intense Beauty Conditioner: I wasn’t blown away when I first tried this conditioner although I immediately loved the intoxicating fragrance. However I’ve now realised that since using this conditioner I have a hell of a lot less split ends, so it must be working! I’ll buy it again but I know this brand is often on a 3 for 2 offer in Boots so I’ll wait until then!

Once again I’m surprised at how many products I’ve finished over the last month, I never realised how much I do actually use! Let me know if you’ve tried any of these, I’d love to know your thoughts.

September Empties

I’m sure I’m not alone in thinking that September has flown by! It feels like only yesterday that I did my August Empties post. I’m really glad I started doing them as they’re my favourite kind of post to read on other blogs and also it encourages me to actually finish off a product!

Here’s what I got through in September:

September Empties

Kimia Rejuvenating Facial System: This came in Joliebox beauty box back in February and consists of Kimia Exquisite All Natural Face oil which is massaged into your face followed by Kimia Hydra-Activator, a spray that you pump into your hands and then again massage into your face. Both products are made with 100% natural ingredients and the combination of plant oils means they smell absolutely beautiful as well as leaving your skin feeling gorgeous and glowing. I would love to buy it but the full-size products carry a hefty £74 price tag.

Impulse Very Pink: I’m enjoying layering up with different scents, from my shower products to body lotions to body sprays to perfumes. This is quite a sweet, fruity scent but not over the top. I’d buy this again.

Soap & Glory Pulp Friction: This is a “foamy fruity body scrub” that smells fantastic and works really well. It’s not at all harsh and as it lathers up as well you don’t need a separate soap or shower gel. This 250ml tube has lasted months and, although sometimes I wished it would hurry up and run out so I could try something else, I do think it’s great and I’d buy it again.

Soap & Glory Night in Shining Armour Night Cream: I really don’t like this. It felt heavy and claggy on my skin and I don’t feel like it really did anything for my skin. I persevered in order to use it up, using it over the top of serums. I won’t buy this again.

Clarins Extra-Firming Body Cream: This was part of the prize I won on Kim’s blog giveaway a few months ago. It’s a really rich body cream which was ultra soothing on my dry pregnant skin but a little does not go a long way! I used this 30ml tube in 2 days so because it doesn't last long I won’t be buying this.

Boo Boo Splendidly Soothing Bath Soak: When you’re pregnant you’ll suddenly find yourself receiving lots of parcels full of surprise samples, usually nappies and breast pads but occasionally something lovely for you! This one of those surprises. This bath soak smells so beautiful and was truly pampering, I think it is the geranium oil that gives it its gorgeous scent. It would normally cost £10.99 for 250ml so it’s more of a treat than an everyday bath product so chances are I won’t be buying it because of the price. If you know a mum-to-be it would be an ideal gift though!

Soap & Glory Thick & Fast Super Volume Mascara: I got this for free with a magazine, I think it was Elle. Now I know lots of people have raved about how much they love this mascara but I hated it! The brush is too big and the consistency of the mascara went from too wet to too dry with no in-between. I didn’t find it volumising at all, and thought it was quite clumpy and flaked easily. I used it up though, it got relegated to being a work mascara (I don’t like to use my nice stuff for work!) so that sums it up really.

Dr Bragi Bio Marine Exfoliant: I got two sachets of this exfoliant in September’s Joliebox beauty box and I used one within days of getting it. It’s a very nice exfoliant, the particles are really fine and gently exfoliated my skin leaving it soft and smooth, ready for a face mask. I really want to have a Dr Bragi facial!

Apivita Express Beauty with Honey Face Mask: This is another of the products in the prize I won on Kim’s blog giveaway. It has a lovely floral scent which made the experience more pleasurable but it slightly irritated my skin which was a shame.

Stila Brow Set in Dark: With the exception of mascaras I don’t often finish make-up products. Normally I get bored or have found something new or have changed the look I’m going for. I kept on dropping this brow set though, so the powders kept breaking up! It’s a good set with two shades so you can get your brows just the right colour.

Green People Gentle Cleanse Make-up Remover & Cleanser: I’m sure this came in a Feel Unique beauty box so I’ve had it a while but had just not got round to using it. It’s a pleasant enough cleanser, very gentle and it did get all of my make-up off, but it required a little extra elbow grease than with other cleansers so I doubt I’ll buy it again.

Umberto Giannini Intense Beauty Conditioner: I wasn’t blown away when I first tried this conditioner although I immediately loved the intoxicating fragrance. However I’ve now realised that since using this conditioner I have a hell of a lot less split ends, so it must be working! I’ll buy it again but I know this brand is often on a 3 for 2 offer in Boots so I’ll wait until then!

Once again I’m surprised at how many products I’ve finished over the last month, I never realised how much I do actually use! Let me know if you’ve tried any of these, I’d love to know your thoughts.

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