Collective Empties ft Dior Bioderma Crabtree & Evelyn and L'Occitane

It’s that time again! So here goes another huge collective haul. I’ve really been focusing on using up all the miniatures I seem to accumulate and I think I’ve done a pretty good job.

Bioderma Micelle Solution – This makes light work of removing make up without tugging at skin. I’ve repurchased this about 3 times already and can see myself buying this for a long time to come, even if it is a touch pricey.

Dior Addict Eau Fraiche  - A Christmas present from a while back, I;ve only just got round to using this and managed to finish it in a matter of weeks as it’s only a 30ml bottle. As much as I like it, I’m in no hurry to repurchase as I love trying out new scents!

Elemis Tranquil Touch Creamy Body Wash – A feminine, floral scent, as lovely as this is I don’t think I’ll be treating myself to such a pricey shower gel as this 100ml bottle is worth £7.50!

Sure Clear Aqua Deo – Not really worth commenting on this but it does the job!

Sensodyne Classic – As above!

Glucosamine Sulphate – I think these are good for joints, not entirely sure but I’m trying to be good and take my vitamins daily.

Crabtree and Evelyn Rosewater Hand Therapy – Lovely! I adore rose and jasmine scents and I managed to use this up really quickly.

L’Occitane Rose Tenderness Hand Cream – Another lovely hand cream finished, luckily I have a few in the stash as I really do seem to get through these.

Macadamia Rejuvenating Shampoo – Love these! The range really does make your hair feel soft and shiny. I might just treat myself to the full sized bottle in the future.

L’Oreal EverRiche Shampoo – A great all round shampoo that I’ll consider repurchasing but for now I want to try something different as I definitely feel that hair looks better when you switch your shampoos around.

Andrew Barton SOS Help Me Super Repair Shampoo – I don’t know quite how repairing this is but it certainly smelt like caramel and toffee, which is nice! It definitely did the job but I’m looking for more specialist shampoo at the moment.

Peter Thomas Roth Shampoo, Conditioner, Body Lotion and Body Wash – I have no idea where these minis came from, certainly a hotel somewhere, but the entire range smells so good, I can’t get enough of it! It’s hard to tell how good the product is when you’re working with such small quantities but I really enjoyed using them and would love to know where these are from!

H20 Spa Hydrating Body Butter – Another hotel miniature, this was surprisingly nourishing and did a good job.

The White Company Flowers Bath and Shower Gel – Wow! The scent of this really does hit you, although sadly doesn’t stick around on skin too much. Very luxurious at £12 for the 250ml bottle.

How are you guys getting on with your empties?!

March Clothes Haul ft Primark, Oasis and New Look

One of my new years resolutions was to stop buying anything unnecessary and focus on buying just a few key pieces to keep my wardrobe looking current. I don't know about you but I just seem to accumulate stuff! 

I've been really sticking to this and my Primark hauls are definitely a lot smaller than they used to be! However, a girl needs to shop every once in a while so here are a few of the essentials I've picked up in the last few weeks.

Here's a collection of the accessories I've been purchasing. The massive black bag is from Primark and was a steal at £12! I bought this for my holiday in May to use as hand luggage but I've got a sneaky feeling this is going to be too big!

I've been searching a gold triangle/bunting necklace for ages and managed to find 2 in Primark at just £3 each. One is in peach and one is just gold so I may return one of them in keeping with my resolution.

I haven't used the giant hair bun but these are always great on bad hair days.

I am in love with the black heels! They're from Marks and Spencer and a very easy to wear mid-heel in a classic point shape. I've worn them a few times and they've just perfect for work or casual wear; perfection!

New Look has really upped their dress game lately and I can't seem to stop buying them! These are both black tunic style dresses with a twist. The first has a gorgeous maroon coloured top section whilst the second has an unusual drop waist and I'll be wearing this one for work.

Hello leather skirt! I've already got a flippy leather effect skirt from Oasis, but I fell in love with this pencil style as soon as I saw it. Paired with this electric blue blouse and the Marks & Spencer heels, that's an instant outfit right there. 

Every girl needs a leather jacket, and whilst I still haven't found the perfect real leather jacket, this faux version will do just fine. Another Oasis find, this has a real biker feel to it with it's round neck collar and full length zip. It also has an elasticated arm which makes it really comfortable and a great fit.

Last but not least, some stripey PJ's! Another Primark find, these are so cute and they had a few different designs too.

What have you been buying this month?

MUA Make Up Academy Haul - Blusher Bronzer and Pressed Powder

As you'll have guessed by now, I love to try out affordable make up products from lines such as ELF and MUA. The MUA range just keeps getting bigger and with prices starting at £1, it would be rude not to try out more.

I picked up a relatively small haul the other week from Superdrug of 2 blushers, 1 bronzer and 1 pressed powder, all of which cost just £1! I've heard a lot of recommendations on these products and wanted to give them a shot. Here's my verdict...

Make Up Academy Bronzer Shade 3

I was really impressed with this product and it's my favourite from the haul. A matte shade with great pigmentation, this gave an easy to use and even application that worked really well on my light olive skin. For anyone who prefers to stick to a bronzer that's closer to their natural shade, I'd recommend a shade lighter for and other light olive skins out there. However, I really liked this shade and think it'll look even better once I've caught a little bit of sun as Spring arrives.

Make Up Academy Pressed Powder Shade 4 

This is a great product! The perfect shade for my skintone, it's easy to apply with no fallout and gives an even application. Result!

Make Up Academy Blush in Shade 4

In the package, this looks like a brown-red shade, but upon application it comes out much more red toned than I had imagined. More like a dark red terracotta, the product has great pigmentation and is a little uneven in application (although I'd suggest trying this out with a primer). For my skin this was much too dark but this would be great on darker skins.

Make Up Academy Blush in Shade 3

This looks so similar to Shade 4 in the packet that I had to buy both! Although it looks a little peachier in the package and in the second picture, this is actually more of a brownish red colour. Not as dark as Shade 4, it is slightly earthier and I did feel a little patchy. Although this was better on my skin tone that Shade 4, it was still a touch ark for my skin.

Overall

As you can imagine with budget brands, it really is a case of trial and error to find the producys that suit you best. However, at these prices you could buy the entire blush collection for less than the price of a drugstore lipstick and really experiment.

I really like the packaging and on the slightly more expensive products it is even better and it doesn't feel any cheaper to other drugstore brands to me.

I would however like to see them name the products as the numbers are not very memorable!

Best for: Anyone looking to experiment with their colours

Barry M Lip Gloss in 11 Coral

I think I got this on offer in Wilkinsons, the most unglamorous of locations but suprisingly good for Rimmel and Barry M!

As you've probably seen by now I love a good coral and I'm still searching for 'the one'. Let's see how this compares.

Barry M Lip Gloss in Coral available here 

The Hype
Shimmering, sparkling and solid colour lip glosses for the shade that suits you. The formula provides long-lasting wear without being sticky and they are all infused with an irresistible scent. A soft wand applicator ensures they glide on easily to the shape of your lips.

The Verdict

Shade 11 Coral is a very sheer, clear formulation. So sheer in fact that it's difficult to see where that bright pinky coral from the tube has gone once applied. Once on, it leaves you with glossy, very slightly pinky coral coloured lips but its probably best worn over a lipstick.

The tube itself looks pretty big but it's actually only a 2.5ml product, something which you can see if you look into the bottom end of the tube. The packaging feels quite basic and the doe foot applicator is practical, but a little stiff.

Daylight

Studio light

With a nice glossy finish and sweet sugary scent, I can't help but think this one is aimed at the younger end of the market.

At £4.49, it's not the cheapest product around and I do think the packaging leads you to think that there is more product than there actually is. Overall, a basic lipgloss with minimal colour payoff that's probably better for paler skins.