January Empties

I've come to the conclusion that I'll always finish skincare products. For some reason they seem to have taken over my last few empties post. My mission for February is to finish more makeup products. I have so much makeup I feel like I'm cheating when I buy more after I finish skincare products. That said this month has been good as I've finished thirteen products in total.

The Body Shop Strawberry Shop

A free gift with purchase in The Body Shop, I'm glad I was given this as I probably would of never tried it otherwise. Strawberry Shower Gel smells yummy!! I liked this product alot and I'd consider buying another bottle the next time I'm in The Body Shop.

Liz Earle Cleanse & Polish Hot Cloth Cleanser

I think all my monthly empties post so far have contained Liz Earle products. I must fly through the stuff. My favourite cleanser at the moment I can't rave about this enough. I wish Wilde & Green was closer to me as I'll have to make another trip there very soon to stock up. If you want to see my review you can check it out here.

Molton Brown Skinboost Nourishing Tonic

Another skincare product I use on a daily basis is the Molton Brown Skinboost Nourishing Tonic. More like a serum, I apply this before my moisturiser. This product is full of nutrients which gives my tired skin a boost in the mornings. Sadly this skincare range is being discontinued so I'm hoping to find something a product like this. Any suggestions?

Montagne Jeunesse Dark Chocolate Deep Cleansing Mud Masque
I've heard such good things about Montagne Jeunesse face masks. I'm saddened to say I didn't see much of a difference after using it. I'm going to try another one soon, maybe this mask didn't agree with my skin.

Garnier Simply Essentials 2 in 1 Makeup Remover

I don't like this eye make up remover one bit. I just don't like the oils that are in it. My eyes are left feeling uncomfortable after taking my makeup off with this. I much prefer Garnier's Simply Essentials Gentle Eye makeup remover. It may come in a smaller bottle but it's a much better product.

Clean & Clear Morning Energy Skin Brightening Daily Facial Scrub

This is definitely not the best facial scrub I've ever used. Saying that I do think it's a nice product, Morning Energy Skin Brightening Daily Facial Scrub was gentle on my skin and got rid of all the dry patches around my nose. I also love the citrusy scent.

No7 Quick Thinking 4 in 1 Wipes

My favourite wipes ever, I always stock up on these with No7 vouchers. If your looking for these wipes at counters, they don't look like this anymore. When No7 released their new skincare range, they changed the other products packaging to fit in with the new stuff.

Sure Clear Aqua Anti Perspirant Spray & Impulse Tease Body Spray

You'll be able to find both these sprays in my bag all the time. I do change up the scents a little bit now and again. Tease and Goddess are my favourite Impulse body spray scents, so I'll always have either one of them.

Lush Creamed Almond & Coconut Shower Smoothie

Creamed Almond & Coconut Shower Smoothie was one of the products I got in  Lush's Seasons Greetings gift set . I was so sad to finish this stuff as it smells amazing. If you like vanilla scented products you'll love this. Luckily my mom got me a replacement during the sale.

Nars Pro Prime Multi-Protect Primer SPF30

I really got a feel for this product as the deluxe sample lasted a long time. This was a great base for my makeup and it contains a SPF. The only thing stopping me from buying Pro Prime Multi-Protect Primer is the price. Wow this is expensive!!

Benefit Speed Brow Quick Set Brow Gel

I've had this product for quite a while and it was a splurge on my half. I remember the sales assistant telling me about it and instantly thinking it was going to be the best thing in the work. Definitely not the case and you can get cheaper alternatives in other shops.

Soap & Glory The Daily Smooth Body Butter

I loved The Daily Smooth so much I bought the full sized bottle as soon as I finished this one. Aswell as being so moisturising, this product smells amazing!!

Have you tried any of these products??

Laura<3

Lush Red Dragon Soap

To celebrate Chinese New Year 2012, Lush released a Limited Editon soap called Red Dragon (€5.75). I thought this was an online exclusive, so I was surprised to see it in my local Lush when I dropped in over the weekend.

This soap is supposedly shaped like a dragon, but I just can't see it, Can you?? Now on to the important stuff, the scent. Red Dragon smells great, it doesn't smell like any other soap in Lush at the moment. If there was more left in the shop I would of bought extras. The soap to me smells like a mixture of orange and spices, it's so nice!

Did you manage to get your hands on this soap?

Laura<3

Mini Boots Haul

Having just got paid today, I decided to pop into Boots after work to have a quick look around. There wasn't anything in particular I wanted to buy, I just love having a browse around the shops when it's payday. I was surprised to see alot of new product releases in Boots so I treated myself and picked up a few things.

No7 launched there Spring Makeup Collection and Beautiful Skin range during the week. I was drawn more towards the skincare as nothing really caught my eye in the Spring Makeup Collection. Not that it wasn't nice, I just couldn't justify buying more No7 makeup. I have so much  from Christmas Gift sets. I  like the look of the Beautiful Skin range. there are products to suit three skin types, Dry/Very Dry, Normal/Dry and Normal/Oily. No7 came out with this range for people who necessarily don't have time for lengthy skincare regimes, like if they travel alot or are rushing to work. The new packaging is actually sleek and modern which is way nicer than the previous. They have also changed the packaging on the rest of the skincare range (eye makeup remover and the 4 in 1 face wipes) to fit in with the new products.

 I purchased a few products from the Normal/Oily range, the Foaming Cleanser (€12.35), Day Cream (€17.50) and Night Cream (€18.95). I had three No7 vouchers floating around my bag so I used them up. I suppose if you were getting the Day or Night cream I'd recommend using the vouchers on them as they are expensive. I'm going to do a full review on all three products in due course, so check back.

I love Loreal products, so I grabbed two new products I seen on their stand. I went throught two tubes of the original Telescopic mascara so I had to try False Lash Telescopic mascara (€16.49). I have high hopes for this mascara, there's only ever been one Loreal mascara I disliked, the 4D Lash Architect. I really liked it at first but then after a while my lashes were left looking like a clumpy mess, dont buy it! I have alot of mascaras on the go at the moment so I won't be using this for a while. I also bought the Super Liner Gel Intenza (€7.49 when bought with another product usually €14.99) which is the new Loreal 24 hr gel liner. Like the Maybelline Gel Liner this comes with a little precise eyeliner brush. Super Liner Gel Liner comes in two shades, Pure Black and Gold Black. I went for Pure Black, which I guess you can never go wrong with. I'm going to pop up a review of both products after I play around with them a bit.

That brings me to the end of my Mini Boots Haul. My bank account seriously doesn't like this shop come payday at all!

Will you be trying any of these news products?

Laura<3

My New Bag!!

I've needed a new bag for a quite a while. My old one just wasn't cutting it anymore, finally I decided it was time for a new one. After looking around a few shops, I settled on this bag which was on sale in Accessorize. €59 down to €21... Bargain!!

(Ignore my brother's Trainspotting poster in the background)

I know some people may look at this bag and be thinking that's a beach bag/weekender. I thought the same at first, but then I realised how much stuff I carry around with me for work. I'm starting college soon (post to come later), so I'll need alot of space for my course stuff. So yeah the size isn't a issue at all for me.

I really like the nautical design on the bag and how it also has two little anchor charms. Inside is pretty spacious as you can imagine, which is good as it will fit all my rubbish. I like how there's a small pocket on the outside, this is were I usually put my phone and bus/luas cards. Very happy with this bag indeed!

I'm going to try and do a updated "What in my bag?" post soon. I haven't done one since I started blogging in April so I think it's time for a new one. What do you think?

Laura<3

Radox Spa Shower Range

I find Radox products so relaxing, when I saw two products from their new Spa range I grabbed them. I was happy to see that they were for the shower as I don't have a bath in my house. Radox Shower Spa Range consist of four products, I went for the Condition Shower Cream and Radiant Shower Scrub.

Condition Shower Cream (£2.21/€3.16)
This shower cream has a blend of honey milk, and almond oil which gives it a lovely sweet scent. One that I could smell all round my shower. The shower cream itself is light and creamy. A little goes a long way with this product, after using it, my skin is left feeling so nice and soft. I'll be repurchasing this again.

Radiant Shower Scrub (£2.21/€3.16)
When I first got this I thought it was a shower cream. I didn't realise it was a scrub until I read the label when I got home. The reason being is that it doesn't  look like a scrub, it looks more like a cream. The granules look so small you can hardly see them, but don't let this put you off. The Radiant Shower Scrub isn't coarse like the usual ones I use (Soap &Glory) but it still manages to get rid of dry skin. I find this product works more effectively on dry skin in the shower compared to wet. My skin was left feeling ultra soft and silky after using the Radiant Shower Scrub. Did I mention this also smells so nice? It has a really fresh floral scent which I'm sure a lot of you will love.

Each tube contains 250mls of product, which is great value. I'm a fan of Radox packaging designs in general so this product was no different. I'm certainly going to have to purchase some of the other products from this range. I seen Boots had a half price offer on Radox Shower products the last time I was there. Definitely worth having a look at!

Have you tried the Radox Shower Spa Range?


Laura<3

Essence Circus Circus Collection

In late December I bought a cream eyeshadow from Essence's Limited Edition Circus Circus Collection. I was really impressed with the one I purchased 01 It's Magic, a gorgeous shimmery gold shade. I have been using this all over my lid with a dark brown in the crease (beautiful!). I found with this eyeshadow that it's best to wear a primer underneath I've been using my Urban Decay Primer Potion. Recently I went back to have a peek at the other products available in this collection. In the bigger stores alot of the stock was gone, so this must of been very popular. My local pharmacy had a a quite a bit left after browsing for a while, I left with these Circus Circus products.

Circus Circus Highlighter Powder in 01 It's Magic

This is one of the products from the collection I didn't see in bigger stores. How cute is it? No wonder it sold out fast. I love how everything in this collection is circus related, like look at the big top. You may be able to see that the powder in my compact is slightly lopsided. That's because all the highlighting powders in my pharmacy were broken. I was surprised the powder wasn't completely shattered. The lovely sales assistant glued the metal pan back into the compact for me (What good customer service!). I don't have too many highlighter powders in my makeup collection. At €3.49 for this I couldn't really go wrong.

Circus Circus Cream Eyeshadow in 02 Raise The Curtain For... & 03 My Sparkling Acrobat

Having loved It's Magic, I had high hopes for both of these cream eyeshadows. Raise The Curtain For... is a lovely shimmery taupe shade which I like. I haven't been using it much as it's more of a going out shade in my opinion. This cream eyeshadow is up there with my prior Circus Circus cream shadow purchase. I wish I could be as happy about My Sparkling Acrobat but being quite frank I don't like it. It just doesn't seem to sit on my lid as well as the other two cream eyeshadows in this collection. The colour in the pot is also different to that on the skin. Maybe My Sparkling Acrobat will grow on me but at the moment not l'm not loving it.

Essence Circus Circus Eau De Toilette
Before I smelt the tester in store I wasn't expecting anything special from this fragrance. After smelling it though I instantly fell in love. I was so disappointed when I seen there was none left on the stand. When I was at the till, a sales assistant kindly informed me that one was put on hold and the person never came back. She asked me "Did I want it?" Of course I didn't say no.  This fragrance has a light sweet scent that I like alot. Saying that it wouldn't be a fragrance I'd use everyday and the scent may not appeal to most people. I'd recommend going into a shop to have a sniff  before you buy it. The packaging stays with the circus theme and looks so pretty. The bottle is a generous 50ml size and comes with a spritzer which will look so cute on my dresser. Not a perfume I'd carry around in my bag on a regular basis, knowing my luck the bottle would more than likely break on me. Now for the price, this Eau De Toilette cost me €7.49. Yes you have to love Essence!

I can't tell you how much I love this brand. Everything is such a bargain and sometimes I find their products better than some high end brands out there. I'd highly recommend checking out their full range of products. The Circus Circus Collection was Limited Edition and was launched in December. I've still seen some of the products still in stores so catch them while you can.

Have you tried any products from the Circus Circus Collection?

Laura<3

My First Order From Marshmallow Blends

I recently made my first order from Marshmallow Blends. This online store was started by Nicoletta, you may know her as Nicoletta's Beauty Space. Marshmallow Blends sells everything from solid scrubs to lip butters, so needless to say it's hard to purchase just a few things. When Nicoletta first blogged about starting up her own company, I immediately knew she was on to something special. I couldn't wait to make a order, sadly I heard Marshmallow Blends only delivered to England. I told Nicoletta about this and she changed the delivery to include Ireland. Thanks so much for that!!

I went a bit mad as usual and bought a good few things as you can see. The packaging is simple which I like as I feel it let's the product itself do the talking.

Maple Lip Butter
Wow this lip butter smells amazing, very sweet just like maple syrup. As you can see from the picture above there's already a dip in the product. I have really dry lips at the moment, I've been using  this lip butter so much. I like the sturdy packaging as I can throw this lip butter in my bag without worrying about it breaking. I ordered my Mom the Lemon Cheesecake Lip Butter which she loves and is constantly raving about! There are three other lip butters to choose from. I already have my eye on Strawberry & Champagne and  White Chocolate & Honey.

Coconut Ice Solid Scrub Bar

This is by far the best Solid Scrub bar I've ever used. I've tried many before and they all seem to dissolve in the shower after only one use. Marshmallow Blends Coconut Ice Solid Scrub Bar is different, I've used this twice already and there's still lots left. The scrub itself is coarse which is how I like them to be. If you love coconut scented products you'll love the smell of this!

Buttered Pecan & Maple Massage Candle
I haven't gotten around to using this yet. Like all the other products, Buttered Pecan & Maple Massage Candle smells great. Like the Maple Lip Butter, but even sweeter. I may do a individual post on this when I  use it.

Pink Sugar Body Butter
Another product I've been using alot, this body butter is thick and creamy so a little bit goes a long way.  I've been using this body butter after showering and it leaves my skin feeling so soft and smooth. This size tub is sure to last me ages as well which is always a good thing. I don't own anything that smells like this it's beautiful. Vanilla and Sweet! I also ordered one of these for my mom. I got her the AppleJack Whipped Body Butter, she loves the spicy scent.

Strawberry Cheesecake Massage Bar
This product was a little something extra that Nicoletta popped into my order which was such a nice touch. In past experiences with massage bars, my skin felt oily/greasy after using them. This resulted in me using them only at night. Again I was really surprised with this massage bar. It didn't leave my skin feeling that way at all just lovely and smooth which I was happy with. The strawberry scent is really nice. Thanks so much Nicoletta for adding this in. Another product I enjoyed using!!

I love all the Marshmallow Blends goodies I purchased. I'm certainly going to make another order very soon. I already have my eye on the Caramel Cupcake Body Scrub.

New products go up on their  facebook page regularly so it's worth having a look at! If you want to see what else Marshmallow Blends has to offer check out the website.

Laura<3

Kings & Queens Bath and Body Collection!

Having been around for a while, Kings & Queens is a brand I haven't heard much about. The products are inspired by herbs and spices used by Kings and Queen of times gones by (hence the name). The packaging design is unique and stands out which I was immediately drawn to. The range itself features everything from lovely soaps to gorgeous body butters. I was lucky enough recently to be sent a few products from the brand to try.

Kings & Queens King Sumatra Pepper Bergamot Shower Gel
King Sumatra Pepper Bergamot is my least favourite from the products I tried, mainly because I'd consider this more of a men's scent.. If I tried a different scent I'd probably like it more. The showergel is great and lathers rather nicely. The scent stays a while after showering.

Kings & Queens Nefertiti Honey Body Milk
Does exactly what I'd expect a body milk to do. Nefertiti Honey is extremely light but also moisturising, it left my skin so soft. This smells amazing like pure honey. I'm a big fan of it! At first it may come across a bit strong for some people but it settles into a nice soft scent.

Kings & Queens Tsar Peter Tobacco Soap
When my Mom seen this soap, it reminded her of the carbolic soap she used when she was younger. I was really intrigued to see what this was going to smell like. I thought this would be a scent I wouldn't like. I was expecting it to be very strong, but in fact it was just musky. Still not something I'd use on a regular basis,I think Tsar Peter Tobacco Soap is more aimed at men. The soap gives a good lather and this size is sure to last for ages.

Kings & Queens Queen Isabella Cinnamon Orange Shimmering Body Milk

This is exactly the same as Nefertiti Honey Body Milk except it contains a light shimmer. Queen Isabella's Cinnamon Orange Shimmering Body Milk would be great to use before nights out over tan or on holidays as it leaves you with a gorgeous glow. The Cinnamon Orange scent is my favourite scent of the bunch, it's just smells so amazing. I very tempted to purchase some more Cinnamon Orange scented products from the range.

Kings & Queens Caspar Myrrh Body Butter
I was expecting not to like this scent but I was left pleasantly surprised as it's actually quite nice. Rich and spicy it wouldn't be a scent I'd use all the time maybe if I wanted something different. The body butter itself is thick but not enough to leave you feeling greasy/oily. This would be perfect for people suffering with dry skin. I don't think the Myrrh scent would appeal to many people, it's also available in three others.

This is a brand I could see of lot of people liking because of the story behind each product. I love how at the back of each product it tells you a bit about each King or Queen that used the spice or herb. The sizes of each product is very generous and I can see them lasting a long time. If I was to recommend one particular scent from the range it would have to be Cinnamon Orange (my favourite).

Kings & Queens Bath and Body Collection is available to buy online.

Laura<3

OPI Mini Makeover Magic Kit

When working in a shopping centre it's hard to not look around the shops in my opinion. Innocent window shopping instantly turns into sneaky purchases here and there, which results in me leaving shops laden with bags.

One of my recent sneaky purchases was the OPI Mini Makeover Magic Nail Kit. I've seen this in the past whilst shopping but the price was ridiculous. When I seen it for this price (€21.50) I was sold.

ChipSkip Nail Lacquer Chip Preventor

Original Nail Envy Nail Strengthener

RapiDry Top Coat

Expert Touch Lacquer Remover

Expert Touch Nail Wipes

I've heard really good things about the polishes in this set, Nail Envy in particular. I know the full size bottles can get so expensive plus I would never get through them, so I'm happy with the minis. Maybe if I find one of them good I may fork out on the full size. That's rather unlikely as it would have to brilliant in my books. I really like the floral case that everything comes in. I will be using this to store my favourite mini OPI polishes when I'm travelling. I'm glad I got this kit and I can't wait to see what Nail Envy is like.

Have you tried any of the polishes in this kit?

Laura<3