Skincare empties

It's been a while since I did a skincare post - it's been a while since I posted anything other than Insanity! So it's time to get back on it, and what better way to do so than with all the products I've finished in the last few weeks?

Soap & Glory Supereyes Moisturising Gel

I've not been serious about eye treatments all that long, but since I've been losing a bit of weight I've noticed my eyes are looking a little more tired now there's less fat in my face to keep the skin plump. And when I do long hours at work and don't sleep enough, it REALLY shows. I've had this eye gel a little while, but not using it religiously until a few weeks ago, and I have to admit I'm not sure how effective it is. It has a lovely cool gel texture and is pretty wet for easy application (not too thick, doesn't drag the skin). If I've exfoliated, I get a slight tingle too, which makes me feel like it must be doing something. But I haven't really noticed any visible difference - though I'm aware I maybe didn't give it a fair trial. The jury's out.

Cost: I think this was around £10, but it appears to have been discontinued so I guess it doesn't really matter!

Repurchase? I might have given it another go, but if, as I suspect, it's no longer around, I'm not going to lose any sleep over it.

Balance Me - Cleanse and Smooth Face Balm

I wanted to love this. I so wanted to love this.

I'm a huge fan of Balance Me's signature rose scent, their lip balm is one of my all time favourites, and I'd heard great things about this cleanser, but I just couldn't get on board with it. It's a really thick balm, and I struggled to get enough slip to really massage it into my skin. Then I had issues in removing it effectively even after going over my face 3 or 4 times with a warm wet flannel.

It smelled divine, and I'm sure it would be ok on a dryer skin (or perhaps in cold weather where it feels like it might do some good against cold air), but I just couldn't stop feeling like it had left a sticky residue. I did however use it up - mostly using it as a pre-exercise make up remover - so it wasn't a total waste.

Cost? £18 for 125ml
Repurchase? Sadly no

Bioeffect EGF Serum

I got a tester of this in my advent calendar, and having done a little research I was unsure as to whether I should use - there has been a lot of debate as to whether EGF (Epidermal Growth Factor) technology is safe to use on the skin, but having discovered that Bioeffect's EGF is plant-based (meaning it's copied from human DNA rather than cloned from it), my mind was suitably put at rest.

And then once I decided to use it, I discovered how much it cost and decided I REALLY didn't want to waste this stuff if it was going to be anywhere near as effective as the price would suggest. So, having read that's it's most effective when used on fine lines, I decided to use it in a targeted area, focusing on the fine lines around my eyes for as long as it lasted to give myself the best chance of seeing a difference. So did I? Not really... Maybe my lines aren't severe enough to see a marked difference. But at £83.33 per 10ml I wanted to see SOMETHING.

Cost? £125 for 15ml
Repurchase? I'd maybe give it another go sometime if I had any particular areas of concern, but only if I was feeling particularly flush. So probably not.

Origins High Potency Night-A-Mins night moisturiser

My last night cream - by my beloved Lancôme - was just a little too rich for me, so I did a lot of research before investing in this little beauty. And boy am I glad I did. My super oily skin still needs a big old moisture hit, but the traditional thick night creams leave my skin feeling smothered, and I wake up feeling greasy. I've used a cream-gel day moisturiser for a while, so I guess moving to a more gel textured night cream was an obvious move. And they do an oil-free version for greaseballs like me.

I LOVE this. It's a lovely cooling translucent gel which feels incredibly moisturising but also very light, and it has an amazing refreshing orange scent. In the evenings, when I layer up with toner, serum and moisturiser, this lets me enjoy the combination of different products without feeling like my skin is clogged and suffocating.

Cost? £34.50 for 50ml (currently 10% off in Debenhams)

Repurchase? Already have :)

Ax

Lancôme GWP

I've been meaning to post this for ages now, so I hope the GWP is still running for anyone who wants to take advantage!

Popped into Boots last week to stock up on my favourite day moisturiser (Lancôme Hydra Zen Neurocalm Extrême Soothing Moisurising Cream-Gel. Catchy name.) and was obviously a walking target as the second the girl on the counter mentioned the free gift I had a supersize bottle of their Galatéis Douceur in my hand.

But onto the gift. And what a gift!

Just look at how the bag bulges! *snigger*

Lancôme always do great gifts - this time last year I bought their Genifique and Visionnaire serums, and as it was geared up for Mother's Day I got both of them in gift sets, plus got an additional gift bag - which summed 3 x mini lipsticks, 3 x mini mascaras, 2 x mini Genifiques, 2 x mini Visionnaires, a full size Galatéis Douceur, mini Hydra Zen day and night creams, and 3 x mini bottles of their La Vie Est Belle perfume! But I digress.

And I think I love this year's offering event more.

The big box and bottle were my purchases, but the rest was all free free FREE!

That's:

• 125ml (full size) bottle of Bi-Facil eye make-up remover
• Mini lipstick in L'Absolu Rouge - a lovely nude pink
• Mini Hypnôse mascara
• Mini Le Crayon Kohl in Noir 
• 7ml bottle of Advanced Génifique serum
• 15ml pot of Hydra Zen Neurocalm day cream
• 5ml tube of Hydra Zen Neurocalm eye contour gel cream
• 2.5g Blush Subtil in Rose Paradis - a perky but subtle pink which would suit any skin tone

God I love Lancôme.

Ax

Skincare review - Nip + Fab Glycolic Fix exfoliating facial pads

I've been flirting with glycolic acid for a while now. Saucy. I started with Alpha H's famous Liquid Gold - maybe my expectations were too high, but I just didn't love it. Used 2-3 times a week as a treatment at night, I'd wake up with my skin feeling greasy and grubby. I then moved on to First Aid Beauty's Facial Radiance Pads which I did like a whole lot more. At around £18, they're not overpriced, and I found them pretty effective. I was all ready to repurchase when I was in Boots one day and spotted Nip + Fab's Glycolic Fix exfoliating facial pads on offer. So here we are.

Used at the toner stage, they're gentle enough to use twice a day, but I just use them in the evenings - meaning that a tub of 60 lasts two months. Each pad is saturated with enough product to treat the entire face and jawline, the pads stay moist right to the end of the tub, and they are lovely and refreshing with a light, pleasant fragrance. The glycolic acid gently exfoliates, with a little assistance from the pads' bumpy texture, and hyaluronic acid replenishes moisture. Since using, I've noticed a slight improvement in skin texture - and my oily, spot-prone, easily aggravated skin hasn't broken out.

I've just purchased another tub of these, and might try upping the ante to using them twice a day to see if they show any faster improvements, but for under a tenner (as they're always on offer) I'm pretty impressed.

Nip + Fab's Glycolic Fix exfoliating facial pads cost £12.99 for 60 pads, but they're almost always on offer somewhere - currently Boots has them at a third off, and Superdrug has them at half price.

Ax

Nailcare review - Illamasqua nail varnish in Raindrops

I promise this will be my last Illamasqua review for a while - but when I was buying the nail varnish in Vice, I also spotted this little beauty in the sale.

I won't bore you with my love for Illamasqua yet again, but just wanted to show another of the finishes on their nail varnishes, this time the jelly finish.

Raindrops is a sheer, pale grey - but a lovely chic slightly blue grey, not an overcast sky grey - and it has some tiny, irregular slivers of grey glitter in the polish to give the namesake raindrop effect. Don't be alarmed - it's really not a glittery finish at all, more about a texture or an overall effect.

With a base and top coat, the polish lasts a good 4-5 days without chipping or peeling, and a further 2-3 days with only minor imperfections.

Illamasqua nail varnishes are £14.50 each and come in 58 colours, with a range of finishes.

Ax

Nailcare review - Illamasqua nail varnish in Vice

Since my now fiancé proposed with the most stunning rhodolite and diamond engagement ring, I've had to do a serious overhaul of my nail polish collection - some colours simply don't go with my crimson rock. I've ditched some of my brights and have been stocking up on rich jewel tones, neutrals and autumnal shades, and I was delighted to find this little beauty from Illamasqua.

I've said before that Illamasqua do the most amazing colours, and this nail varnish in a deep cerise is no exception, but another thing they do really well is texture. Vice comes in a rubber finish, which is really hard to describe as anything other than, well, rubbery. It has a shine to it, but not so much as a gloss or gel finish, it feels more substantial and sophisticated than a normal matte finish. It kind of just feels a bit more expensive than a cheap polish - it has more to it than initially meets the eye, but is a much more subtle statement than a full blown matte. So it's hard to define, but I'm a fan!

I wore this last week (on a base coat, but no top coat as that would defeat the purpose of the rubber finish) and it lasted a good four days with only the slightest wear - I usually remove polish after two to three days as it never lasts well on my peeling brittle nails, so that's a really good result for me.

Another really nice touch is that the caps on Illamasquua nail varnish bottles match the varnish - so this one has a rubbery finish, while their gloss finishes have - you've guessed it - a shiny lid.  And they do amazing product shots on the website - shots of the nail varnish in the packaging, in the bottle, on nails, and a few drops of colour on a white background. All of which are really helpful when shopping online and you can't see the product in the flesh. I just love the attention to detail you get from Illamasqua.

And it goes REALLY well with my ring.

Illamasqua nail varnishes are £14.50 each and come in 58 colours, with a range of finishes. Blimey.

Ax

Make-up review - Illamasqua Intense Lipgloss

Cards on the table - I LOVE Illamasqua. They do colour like no other brand, from the palest of shades of foundation (they even do a pure white), to intense brights and bold darks.  They do really good online product demos, showing the same lip colours on more than one skin tone, and in "moving swatch" videos rather than just those hopeless blobs which never truly represent how the product will actually look on you. And then there's all the textures they offer... a little more on that in an upcoming post on their nail varnishes.

I've been looking for an orangey shade of lipstick for a while, so when I spotted their Intense Lipgloss in Mistress in the sale for a meagre £6.60 (instead of £16.50 RRP), I had to give it a shot. It's more coral than orange, but a great way to work out whether orange suits me or not before I go full on tangerine.

I have only one complaint about this lipgloss, and that's the applicator. I hadn't seen a brush applicator in I don't know how long until I got this. And I wouldn't mind, except it arrived damaged - sometimes the brush gets a bit messed up towards the end of a tube of lipgloss when you replace it a little carelessly. This one arrived damaged and splayed, and it's like there's a tiny knot at the end of it scratching my lips when I apply it. I'm going to need to give it a wash and trim the splayed hairs.

That said, I love the product. It's a thick, gloopy gloss with the most amazing colour payoff. It's impossible to stop your hair sticking to your lipgloss in the wind, but this isn't nearly as sticky as you'd imagine for such a thick consistency, and it lasts really well. Plus, applied more sparingly, it gives a great sheer colour which usually gets me til near lunchtime before needing a top up (depending how many cups of tea I need to get me through the morning).

This would look fab with a tan, or pale skin and crisp black eyeliner - which luckily is my signature look.

Illamasqua's Intense Lipgloss costs £16.50 and is available in 18 shades (some of which are still on sale at £6.60!) ranging from traditional pinks and reds to black, lilac and lime green, with both traditional gloss and metallic finishes.

Ax

Haircare review - TIGI Bed Head Colour Combat Dumb Blonde shampoo and conditioner

I've always had decent hair. A little fine, sometimes flat, but always in good condition as I didn't heavily use heated appliances (instead leaving my waves to dry naturally) and only ever dying it dark shades which didn't contain bleach or the worst of the nasties.

I decided a few months ago that it would be a great idea to dye the ends of my hair blonde, a la the ombre trend that's been doing the rounds of late. BIG mistake. Everything that was blonde is now dry and split ends and frizzy and nasty. I've had to dye it back to dark brown as the blonde just highlighted how awful it was. And the vicious circle just continues as now that it's nasty and frizzy, it needs MORE straightening/curling to look decent. So I'm damaging it further.

So I decided to forego my usual Herbal Essences/L'Oreal Elvive/Tressemmee grade hair products and try something a bit more indulgent to try to get my hair back into shape ahead of my wedding in November.

I hotfooted it down to TK Maxx to see if I could pick up a bargain on their salon brands, and managed to get a double pack of this TIGI shampoo and conditioner, in the jumbo 750ml sizes, for £12.

Using a product meant for blonde hair, this should be ultra moisturising. Lathering up the shampoo, letting the scent wash over me, it smells AMAZING and I was SO excited to be using something that felt more indulgent and special than my usual products - and not to mention to have gotten such a bargain. The shampoo is a pearly pink creme and  a little goes a long way. It lathers up nicely, smells amazing, and rinses out easily.

Then comes the conditioner. A thicker, custardy yellow creme, it's got the same lovely scent as the shampoo, and it applies nicely, feels like it rinses out well and my wide toothed comb glides through my damp hair after use.

But then when I'm drying my hair, it all goes wrong. I can feel a tacky film on my hair, and with my hair in its current damaged state, it makes it look even more coarse and somehow makes the split ends even more pronounced. I've tried mixing it with another conditioner to dilute the effect so it wasn't a total waste of a purchase, but alas, it didn't really work.

I would post a photo of what my hair looked like after using this, but whenever I use it I end up either washing my hair again to get rid of the residue, or tying it up so no one can see it. It's that bad.

This one really pains me. I SO wanted to love this shampoo and conditioner. The shampoo is good, but not amazing. And the conditioner has been passed over to Will to try it out on his beard - but if he doesn't like it, it'll be heading for the bin.

Have you tried this conditioner? Did you find the same? And what should I be trying next?

Ax

Nailcare review - Sally Hansen Nail Rehab

I have absolutely terrible nails. I bit them for years, and even now I can't help but pick at them and play with them. And the second my nail varnish starts to chip and peel? I take great pleasure in peeling the rest of it off. And damaging my nails to boot.

So when I received a bottle of Sally Hansen's Nail Rehab in my advent calendar, I was really keen to give it a whirl.

Instructions say to shake gently, then apply 1-2 coats to bare nails either alone or as a base coat. Simple.

The product applies like a dream - the brush is just the right size - easy to apply in a couple of strokes, but not so big that you use too much product, and the product is just the right consistency. Thick enough to feel like it will have some benefit, but thin enough to layer up with coloured polish and a top coat without going all thick and peeling. And it's lovely and smooth - filling in ridges, with no strands or bits (unlike another base coat I've been testing of late).

The big question is really the long term benefits. I've been using this for about 4 weeks now, and have probably applied it 6-8 times in that period - I change my nail polish A LOT. There has been a slight improvement to the strength of my nails, but they have been weak, brittle and peeling since before I started using it, so it's really not the fairest trial. But on the other hand, to have any positive effect on nails which were in such bad condition to start with, this really must be doing something right.

Worn alone this gives a lovely natural glossy pink sheen - perfect for the base of a French manicure, or just a fuss-free, natural but polished look.

Or it also helps my favourite dark polishes apply more evenly and they probably stay chip-free a day or two longer using this as a base coat, combined with a decent top coat.

All in all, a winner for me.

Ax

A day at the sales... oops!

I wouldn't even say a day at the sales. I walked from my flat to the dentist on Saturday. En route I popped into Boots to get some shampoo. Then took a shortcut through Debenhams to the dentist. By the time I got to the dentist I was the proud owner of four - yes, FOUR - new perfume gift sets, an aftershave for Will and some samples.

I don't need to tell you about how good the sales are for picking up perfume. But I will...

My purchases:

- Jean Paul Gaultier Classique, 50ml EDT + 50ml shower gel + 50ml body lotion. Was £49.50, now£32.99 (Boots)
- Versace Yellow Diamond, 50ml EDT + 50ml shower gel + 10ml travel EDT. Was £49.50, now £24.75 (Boots)
- Marc Jacobs Daisy, 50ml EDT + 75ml shower gel + 75ml body lotion. Worth £81.14, was £54.00, now £36.01 (Debenhams)
- Ghost deep Night, 30ml EDT + 50ml body lotion. Worth £29, was £25, now £16.67 (Debenhams)
- Paul Smith Man 2, 100ml EDT. Was £36, now £18. (Debenhams, not pictured)

Plus free samples of:

- Chloé Eau de Parfum
- Balengiaga Rosabotanica Eau de Parfum
- Bottega Veneta Eau de Parfum
- Calvin Klein Reveal Eau de Parfum
- Calvin Klein Euphoria Gold Eau de Parfum

(all Debenhams, gifted for buying the Marc Jacobs gift set)

I have always loved JPG Classique, but never bought it, so this seemed like a good chance to pick it up. It's quite a sweet floral fragrance, but grown up and musky rather than girlie and sickly. As for the Versace, I actually bought it by mistake... we bought a Versace perfume for Will's sister a couple of years ago and I thought it was this one, so I didn't even have a spritz in the shop - just bought it as I was sure I liked it. Turns out it wasn't Yellow Diamond, but the good news is I still like it! Though I might not have bought it had I known. Marc Jacobs Daisy is another favourite I've just never bought, and Ghost Deep Night reminds me a little of one of the Dior Poisons, but was essentially a cheap impulse buy for every day wear. Paul Smith Man 2 is one of Will's favourites for every day wear, so it was a good opportunity to buy him it at a bargainous price - and everyone likes an unprompted gift.

Apologies for the dodgy shadows in this pic

Can't wait to get stuck into the samples - I know I love the Bottega Veneta, and Rosabotanica's sister fragrance Florabotanica is one of my favourites (with the most divine packaging), so keen to give that a shot too. And then the other three are new to me, so those will be a real treat!

Total spend: £128.42
Total saving: £85.58 (based on RRP, not value)

And not forgetting the free samples... If anyone's looking for ideas for my birthday in March, I certainly don't need any perfume...

What's your biggest sale bargain?

Ax

Skincare review - GLAMGLOW YOUTHMUD mask

I treated myself to an advent present in November, in the form of a beauty advent calendar that contained about £250 of products for a bargainous £50. One of the first products to catch my eye was GLAMGLOW's YOUTHMUD mask, a mask that constantly pops up when I'm searching for new mud masks, but I've never gone ahead and purchased - so you can imagine my joy when I got a 15g sample in my advent calendar. I love treating myself to a face mask, and mud masks are highly recommended to absorb oil and calm and balance blemish-prone skin like mine, so I'm always looking for new ones - and this one promised a lot. More on that later.

First things first, on trying the product out, my initial reaction was confusion - as I was trying to squeeze the product out of the tube, it was getting all clogged up with only the tiniest bit of product coming out. I couldn't work out why, until a firmer squeeze sent a long black strand of tea leaf out. I don't know enough about the "science" of the product to know if having these large pieces of tea leaf left in the product is actually beneficial, or just for show. I imagine all the goodness has been extracted from the leaves by the time the mask is packaged and they're just left in for aesthetic purposes. Personally, I find the large pieces annoying, as they clog up the hole in the tube, and fall off my face when I apply the mask.

Ignoring the oversized tea leaves, the mask does go on really nicely - a thin layer is all that's needed. As an exfoliating mask, there are also exfoliating beads in the formulation. Usually I prefer to exfoliate with acids than scrubs, but the beads in this mask are tiny, much finer than any of the facial scrubs I've used previously, so while I'm no expert, they don't feel scratchy or potentially damaging.

The official marketing promises A LOT:

There's nothing GLAMGLOW doesn't do - feel the tingle as it works its magic on your skin:
> Skin Collagen Synthesis for a noticeable 3 day glow.
> Brighter, radiant skin in minutes.
> Leaves skin noticeably soft and smooth.
> Multi-level resurfacing exfoliation.
> Penetrates into the deepest layers of the skin to soften fine lines and wrinkles.
> Tightens, tones and lifts the skin.
> Relieves dark circles and minimises pores.
> Absorbs impurities without removing natural oils.
> Helps protect against everyday environmental aggressors.
> Suitable for all skin types, all ages and for both women and men.
> Contains no artificial colours or fragrances.
> 99% paraben-free, cruelty-free, and suitable for vegans.

I wouldn't say I noticed a glow lasting 3 days, and I can't speak for any of the long-term benefits, but after using it there is a noticeable glow, and my skin is particularly soft and smooth. I've been using it to revitalise my skin after the indulgent Christmas period, and it's helped fight the effects of January. With the instant glow it gives, it's also a good mask for using before a big date or night out.

Until I've seen some long-term benefits, I'm not sure I could recommend it at the RRP of £50 for 50g, but you can find it on various beauty websites for around £35 which I'll probably treat myself to at some point. Plus, my little 15g sample tube has done at least 5 or 6 treatments, and there's probably still one more use left in the tube, so a 50g tub should last a LONG time.

Have you tried GLAMGLOW products? What do you think?

Ax

Skincare review - Lancôme Galateis Douceur

It's an oldie, but a goodie.

I've always avoided cleansing lotions and milks like the plague, knowing many of them (though not this one) contain shea butter - a nightmare for my oily, spot-prone skin - and preferring the safety of balms and clay based cleansers. But after spending a small fortune on Lancôme's Génifique and Visionnaire serums a few months back, I was given a rather generous free gift set including mascara, lipstick, perfume, miniature serums, and this wondrous little cleanser.

I put off using it for months, terrified it might break me out, but finally cracked it open in November, and boy am I glad I did.

It's a thin lotion, which smooths across the skin easily (meaning you really don't need much), gives enough slip to massage in, and then is easily removed with a damp flannel. It removes light make up easily, but heavy eye make up or sunscreen would need a separate make up remover. Resultantly, I tend to use it as a second cleanse after an oily balm has taken care of my make up.

The good
I find it to be super gentle, so good for sensitive skin and not an issue around the eyes, and I've had no new break outs when using it - even less occasional spots than when I've been using Ren Clearcalm which was always my safest cleanser.

The bad
It does contain mineral oil (find out more from Caroline Hirons here), but while I know it's not *good* for my skin, it hasn't clogged it up in the slightest, and I'd say it's as clear as it's been in recent months.

It won't be for everyone, but for me - especially given my aversion to milky lotions - it was an unexpected success. At £23 for 200ml / £35.50 for 400ml (though often on offer), it's not the cheapest, but nor is it particularly expensive, and it's a small price to pay for the soft, clear skin I'm currently sporting.

Have you tried it? What did you think?

Ax