Birthday Present Post ft L'Occitane, Macadamia Oil, Bioderma and Origins

Not so long ago I celebrated my birthday and in amongst many meals out, I received some lovely presents from my friends and family. I love seeing what other bloggers have had for their birthday so I thought

I'd share mine with you guys too. 

Birthday presents! Wine, Origins Ginzing Moisturiser and Clear Improvement Mask set, Per Una Originale fragrance, Barry M Nail Effects Croc in Burgundy, Hotel Chocolat Strawberry Puddles, Cake Tester, L'Occitane Frisson de Verveine Set, Bioderma, Macadamia Oil, Topshop socks, Tranquil Spa voucher, Selfridges voucher, hamsa bracelet.

There's a definite theme emerging here and it's beauty related! Everyone knows that I love receiving beauty products and I'm so lucky to have been given my favourites.

Here's my collected beauty products. I recieved a Barry M nail polish, Origins gift set that includes GinZing moisturiser and Clear Improvement mask, Per Una travel sized fragrance, Bioderma and Macadamia Oil. I am already using all of these and I love them so much! In particular, I use Bioderma every single day, the fragrance lives in my handbag for on the go spritzing and I use the Macadamia Oil on my hair when it's feeling dry on the ends in particular.

I also received this L'Occitane Frisson de Verveine gift set which includes a shower gel, cooling body gel, soap and hand cream in a very cute little drawstring bag. The new collection has a much lighter, sweeter, summerier scent to it and I've really enjoyed using the shower gel in particular.

What's on your birthday wish list this year?

July Collective Empties ft Rimmel, Molton Brown, L'occitane, Soap and Glory, Bioderma and Arbonne

Huge collective empties post alert! I much prefer collecting my empties to posting just a few things every month, and it seems I've been busy using up some serious product lately.

I'm not sure how long it's been, but over the last few months I've used up lots of haircare, make up, perfume and other bits and pieces. Here it is:

BODYCARE

Pear Berry Tini Moisturiser - I bought this from a local beauty salon and I cannot get enough of how good this smells! It's quite difficult to get hold of and I think it's specially formulated for use after sunbeds. To me though, it smells like a tropical fruit cocktail has just been made every time you use this and it's in a huge bottle with a handy pump dispenser. This has lasted me well over a year and as much as I love it, I think it's time to try something new!

Roger & Gallet Bois D'Orange Bath and Shower Gel - This little tube of shower gel actually came from a hotel, and again, I love it because it smells divine! It's a real luxury product and I'm currently using the matching body lotion. I'd be tempted to buy the full sized version of this if I find it out and about.

Le Labo Rose 31 Shower Gel - Another hotel sample!

Molton Brown Patchouli & Saffron Body Wash - A free gift with purchase, I love the sheer luxury of using a Molton Brown shower gel. It feels so decadent and there's so many fragrances to try out.

L'Occitane Hand Cream - Shea, Amande and Cherry Blossom - Small in size, these 10ml trial sized hand creams are my little lifesaver. I get through these at an alarming rate, but they do a great job.

FACE CLEANSERS

Soap & Glory Off Your Face - I know that nothing replaces the benefits of a thorough cleansing routine, but there are some days when you need a quick fix. These do a good job of removing all traces of make up, but I am going to make an effort to cleanse properly!

Arbonne FC5 Hydrating Cleanser + Freshener - I went all out a while ago and ordered a full regime from Arbonne and I got on really well with it. This is great for freshening up skin and hydrating, but I'm looking for more high impact products.

Rimmel Gentle Eye Make Up Remover - My all time favourite eye make up remover, this is gentle, non oily and doesn't sting. I love it but I was tempted by a Nivea version that was on offer this month.

Bioderma Solution Micellaire - I don't need to go into too much detail here as you all know about Bioderma. A crystal clear cleanser that doesn't need to be washed off, this draws make up out from the pores and onto the surface, so it can be wiped of effortlessly.  This is a beauty cupboard staple.

Clarisonic Refreshing Gel Cleanser - I really enjoyed using this with my Claisonic for the squaky clean feeling it gave my skin, but I've decided to go easy on the Clarisonic as I'm not sure if it's helping my skin or not. A great product nonetheless.

FACE CREAMS

Arbonne FC5 Moisturising Night Cream - Another item from my Arbonne haul, this is a really rich night cream that keeps skin looking fresh.

Lancome Genifique Youth Activating Cream - I'm currently using the face and eye serums from this range and loving them! I would like to repurchase this and use the whole set but I've got so many creams to get through first!

Lancome Genifique Yeux - I swear this has an effect on the skin around the eyes, lifting and firming skin and making you look awake. Love it so much I bought the full sized version when the trial sized version ran out.

L'Occitane Precious Cream - I've heard a lot about this range and couldn't wait to try it out! However, for my skin type I just didn't feel it was hard working enough to create radiance and make me feel wow.

REN Vita Mineral Radiant Day Cream - Such a small sample it's impossible to tell how effective it is, but I did enjoy using this and it is very rich for a day cream.

Sisley Intensive Night Cream - I adore this product! Again, such a small tube it's hard to tell but this was insanely rich and luxurious. The full sized version is however £200....

Sisley Creamy Mask with Tropical Resins - Will someone just get me a whole Sisley routine please?! You need to try out Sisley if you haven't done so already, I can't believe how rich all the products are!

HAIRCARE

L'Oreal Ever Riche Conditioner - A great, rich, sulphite free conditoner - simple.

Insette Hairspray - Grabs hold of flyaways and sets hair when I've got an updo in place (in my case, this is pretty much just used for when I've got a pony tail in!)

Macadamia Healing Oil Treatment - I'm pretty low maintenance when it comes to hair, but I'm really getting into natural oils and treatments. I've already asked for the full size of this for my birthday.

MAKE UP AND PERFUME

Rimmel Wake Me Up Foundation in 200 Soft Beige - What I wear for a dewy look on really good skin days or my days off. Already repurchased.

NYC Cheek Glow in Sutton Place Peach - A bargain product that holds it's own against other luxury blushers. Again, I've already repurchased this.

ELF Gel Eyeliner Pot - An absolute steal but this has finally given up the ghost and dried out before I got to finish it.

Per Una Fragrance - I should get this on repeat purchase I get through so much of it. Has real staying power unlike a lot of perfumes that fade fast.

This Works Deep Sleep Roll On - Not technically a fragrance but something I love the smell of. This really helps me at night to get into a routine and think about nodding off.

ELF Luscious Liquid Lipstick - I've had this for ages but it's again, a great quality product as a great price.

TEETH

Sensodyne Complete - Poor sensitive teeth! I use a number of different ones for sensitivity but these seem to do a good job.

Oral B 3D White and White Glo - Can you tell I'm trying to whiten my teeth? I'd say these were both as effective as one another but nothing compares to a professional treatment.

That's it! Have you used up a lot of products lately? Tag your empties post below and I'd love to read them!

Payday Beauty Treats ft L'Occitane Clarisonic and Laura Mercier

Super quick post for you guys to show you what I got after payday! It was all thoroughly essential and I can't help but love these (high end) products. Oops. However, I did get to use the £5 off voucher from House of Fraser which made these a little bit more affordable

L'Occitane Jasmin and Bergamote fragrance, Laura Mercier Creme Silk Foundation, Clarisonic Delicate Brush Head Duo

Clarisonic Brush Heads - Delicate

A little bit of a dilemma here, I usually use the Sensitive brush heads but House of Fraser doesn't sell the double packs so I settled for these instead. Has anyone used both the Sensitive and Delicate heads? is there much difference?

L'Occitane Jasmin and Bergamote Fragrance

I tried this out at the L'Occitane bloggers event last year and have been lusting after it ever since. At £49 it is a little pricey but I'm all out of everyday fragrance so this will definitely be used!

Laura Mercier Creme Silk Foundation - Beige Ivory

My current favourite foundation, this is my second tube and I'm still in love. Delivering all the coverage of Double Wear with a far more natural finish, this is great for covering redness and imperfections. I use this everyday without fail and the colour match is spot on. I'll continue to wear this until summer when I might have to switch to something lighter.

L'Occitane Jasmin and Bergamote Shower Gel Review

L'Occitane Jasmin and Bergamote Shower Gel available here

As part of my New Year's resolution to get through my stockpile of products, I decided to take the plunge and use this lovely shower gel that I had deemed too lovely to use.

A birthday present from last year, I had felt it was just too fancy to use everyday. However, 6 months later it's still in the cupboard so I decided to give in and try it out.

Part of the Grasse Collection, it is made with jasmine absolutes from Grasse and Egypt and bergamote essential oil from Italy.

The Jasmin and Bergamote shower gel has a delightful floral fragrance which is balanced by that of the bergamote essential oil. It creates a light to medium foam and glides onto skin, leaving it feeling soft and silky.

For me, the scent is perfection. I adore the scent of jasmine and it is my absolute favourite floral so I'm super tempted to get the Jasmine & Bergamote fragrance, although at £49 I'll have to wait for a birthday!

I really enjoyed using this shower gel and at £11 for 175ml, it is an affordable luxury.

Have you tried any of the L'Occitane shower gels?

Christmas Presents 2013 – a beauty bonanza!

Merry Christmas! I hope you’ve all had a fantastic Christmas, eaten lots and enjoyed a good old rest in front of the TV. I know I’ve had a great day, seen lots of family and watched a few films (The Santa Claus and Hot Tub Time Machine!)

I wanted to share with you some pictures of what I’ve had for Christmas this year. This little lot is from three of my best friends that know me really well as you can see it’s very beauty focused!

REN, L'Occitane, Rodial, Eve Lom. Crabtree & Evelyn Christmas Gifts

The two biggest treats were the Eve Lom Kiss Mix Lip Balm and Rodial Glamstick in Thrill.

The Eve Lom Kiss Mix is a really moisturising lip balm with a minty flavour that can be worn on it’s own for a light sheen or under lipstick. It’s a real luxury gift and a step up from my trusty Carmex!!

Beautiful gifts including the Rodial Glamstick and Eve Lom Kiss Mix

I hadn’t heard of the Rodial Glamstick and had a real surprise when I opened it as I didn’t recognise it. However, here’s the spiel:

“Rodial Glamstick is a nourishing lip butter enriched with vitamin E and coconut butter to hydrate and protect. Infused with a light coconut flavour for beautifully scented lips with an irresistible sheen. Apply as and when needed to smooth lips for instant glamour.”

First up, the packaging is a funky square shaped clear cube, very grown up, with a silver bullet inside. The coconut scent is quite strong and reminds me of holidays. They come in three very neutral colours, thrill, bite and lust and Thrill is a neutral brown. Again, it’s a real luxury product and as a tinted moisturising lipbalm, great for using everyday. I can’t wait to give it a shot!

REN minis

I also had a huge lot of L’Occitane products including the Verbena soap, Verveine body lotion, Precious Cream, Essential Water and Precious Eye Balm from the Immortale range (I’m most excited about this little trio!) and Dry Skin Hand Cream.

Next up was a pile of REN minis including the Vita Mineral Day Cream, Rosa Centifolia Cleansing Gel, Vetiver Hand and Body Cream, Hydra Calm Global Protection Day Cream, Keep Young and Beautiful Anti Ageing Eye Cream and Frankincense Revitalising Night Cream.

Ok I admit, I've already eaten most of these chocolates!

Lastly, I received the Crabtree & Evelyn Rosewater Hand Therapy (love this already!), some handmade orangettes (my favourite chocolates) from my favourite little French chocolate shop in Birmingham and a Lindt bear.

Did you find any beauty products under the tree?!

November Empties feat Soap & Glory, Armani Code, Clinique Chubby Stick and Chanel Le Volume Mascara

Okay so I admit, this isn’t all my empties from one month but actually a collection from the last few as it seems to be taking me ages to finish any of my make up at the moment!

Soap and Glory Off Your Face, Soap and Glory Clean On Me, Armani Code, Per Una Perfume, Clinique Chubby Stick Two Ton Tomato, Carmex, Le Volume De Chanel Mascara, Carmex, L'Occitane Hand Cream and GHD Thermal Protect

Soap & Glory Off Your Face Cleansing Cloths – An absolute must have! Although you should always remove your make up properly, I’ll use these if I’m falling asleep at the sink. At around £5, they’re great for emergencies and sleepovers and I’ve already repurchased them in the new packaging.

Soap and Glory Clean On Me – Probably my favourite shower gel, I can’t get enough of this scent. A bottle lasts me so long that I literally only need to buy a few of these a year. At the moment I’ve got loads of miniatures to use of though so I won’t be repurchasing this for a while.

GHD Thermal Protector – It’s so important to protect your hair before using heat products such as hairdryers and straighteners and this is one I’ve been using for years. However, it’s getting harder and harder to find and I really want to try a new one. Does anyone have any suggestions for good heat protecting products to try out?

Per Una Perfume – As you can see from the 2 empty bottles of this, I adore this fruity and sweet perfume! I get so many compliments when I wear this even though it’s a high street perfume. I love buying the purse sized sprays because they’re small enough to carry with you but big enough so that they don’t run out too quickly. I’m steadily going through my stockpile and I’m onto my last full sized bottle before I can use a Dior perfume that I’ve still got from last year.

Clinique Chubby Stick in Two Ton Tomato – Chubby sticks are ridiculously easy to use. You don’t even need to use a mirror to put these on so I always have one in my handbag ready for a touch up after work. I love this ripe red shade and the finish is shiny and sheer enough to be easy to use but saturated enough to make a statement. The only downside with these is that they don’t last long and at nearly £20, I wish they lasted longer. That doesn’t put me off them though and I’ve already repurchased.

Armani Code – I think I got this in a boxset a few years ago and I’ve only just got round to using it as I’ve got a bit of a perfume backlog to get through. This is a really sweet vanilla tinged scent and although I like it, I don’t think I’ll be in a hurry to repurchase it as there’s so many other perfumes I want to try.

L’Occitane Rose Petals Hand Cream – I think this scent is now discontinued as it’s not only and I saw them in Bicester Village recently which is a shame because I love roses! I’m always using L’Occitane hand creams as they’re so rich and nourishing, perfect for wearing just before bedtime. I’ve got a few more waiting to be used already. 

Carmex Lip Balm – Not much to say here besides I’m always using Carmex! I am trying out a few different lip balms at the moment but I think Carmex is a classic and a staple in a lot of make up bags!

Chanel Le Volume De Chanel Mascara – This might only be a sample size but I love this mascara! It’s great for thickening lashes and giving them a very dramatic look and I’d be tempted to buy the full sized version as a splurge. 

L'Occitane Repairing Shampoo and Conditioner Review

L'Occitane En Provence is well known for it's creams and lotions, but not so much for it's haircare.

Recently released, L'Occitane has formulated a repairing shampoo and condioner especially for dry and damaged hair. The Aromachologie products contain five essential oils (ylang-ylang, sweet orange, lavender, geranium, angelica) and plant-derived amino acids, which help repair the hair fibre. With an anti-breakage complex, the silicone-free formula also helps smooth hair scales and envelops even the most fragile hair in softness. Additionally, Vitamin B5 has been added in order to help smooth, soften and protect hair fibres.

L'occitane Repairing Shampoo and Conditioner available here

And so I put it to the test. As you can see, I picked up some 35ml minis instore and tried out the shampoo and conditioner for myself.

The first thing to strike me was the herbal scent, which verges on masculine; don't worry though, it washes out and doesn't smell of anything when it's dry.

With a medium lather, the shampoo did a good job of detangling my hair. The conditioner has a semi transparent gel consistency and washed out easily.

After using the two together my hair felt really clean. I did expect my hair to feel a bit more hydrated/moisturised as it's a repairing treatment but I didn't think it was especially hydrating on the highlighted ends of my hair. This leads me to think that it's probably better for untreated hair.

However, I was really pleased that this didn't irritate my scalp and actually think that's the best thing about these products, as I know a lot of people have sensitive scalps.

Retailing at £15 for 300ml, these are a little over pharmacy/high street prices but not by enough to make you cry! I think it's great for general use on untreated hair and offers pretty good value.

Have any of you guys tried this yet?

The Body Shop Wild Rose Hand Cream - L'Occitane Hand Cream Dupe

The Body Shop Wild Rose Hand Cream available here

Walking past The Body Shop recently, I spotted this little tube in the window and headed on in for a closer look. Now, I'm a big fan of the L'Occitane hand creams. The handy little lightweight tube makes them perfect for keeping in your handbag.

So when I saw this very similar looking hand cream, I had to investigate.

I bought mine in the Wild Rose scent as this was my favourite from L'Occitane, but the Hemp and Almond versions are also available, the former of which has something of a cult following. This scent for me was by far the best, and it's a delicate floral rose that stays put for hours after application.

The cream itself is a medium thickness, not a lotion and not a heavy, thick, rich cream like the L'Occitane hand cream. The good thing about this is that in sinks in pretty quickly leaving you free to head off without worrying about what you're doing next (i.e. driving!) Conversely, it doesn't moisturise for as long as the L'Occitane, but this is a personal preference.

The tube itself is also aluminium with the same style of screw cap. This is the 30ml version which retails at £5, whilst the 100ml is £10. The L'Occitane hand cream is £8 for 30ml and £19 for 150ml.

Described as "a daily hand cream with rosehip oil", it also contains an SPF 15 and is suitable for all skin types. The L'Occitane cream does not contain SPF.

Overall, I think the Body Shop hand cream is more suitable for daytime use, with its non greasy, light feel and added SPF. I adore the scent and think it's a fabulous everyday handbag essential. At just £5, I think it's a bargain too! But don't throw out your L'Occitane. It's still the original and great for use before bedtime. What can I say, a girl can never have enough hand cream!

Christmas presents – What Santa got me for Christmas 2012

So this is super late, but hey, let me explain. I’ve finally managed to squeeze in some time for blogging after the madness of Christmas. Work was so busy that I only had time to take pictures in readiness for writing and posting later. But never fear, I can finally share with you the pictures of what I was lucky enough to receive for Christmas.

First up, my fellow beauty addict friend got me a personalised Glossybox! This was in fact a pink Glossybox filled with minis from L’Occitane, a brand that I’ve been meaning to try out more and did in fact ask for.  Inside the box I got a Verbena Shower Gel, Pivoine Flora Shower Gel, Essential Water and Cooling Hand Cream Gel as well as a red Yves Rocher lipstick which actually did come from a previous Glossybox. This was such a thoughtful present and I love things like this! I’ve used the Essential Water so far and really liked it as a toner.

Next, more beauty from a male friend who I was super impressed with! When asked what I wanted, I basically directed him to the Harvey Nichols beauty hall.  He did so well! This Korres Lip Butter has been on my Amazon wishlist for a while and the rose colour is exactly what I would have picked myself. It hasn’t left my handbag since I got it, and I really use it as a light lipstick as the colour is so pigmented it’s more like Benefit Benetint lipbalm. This nail polish is OPI, another brand that I’ve been meaning to try out more.  The shade, every month is Oktoberfest, is part of their special edition Germany Collection from Autumn Winter 2012 and is in my opinion the standout shade. A deep rich metallic red, I was so impressed by the consistency of this and it went on really easily. I’ll do a NOTD for you guys later.

This No7 Art Deco Palette was a Secret Santa gift from work. I haven’t had a chance to use it yet but the colours are a great mix of smoky browns, greys and blacks in this gorgeous handbag sized palette!

I’ve been going on about how much I wanted these UGG Scuffette II slippers for ages now, everyone is so sick of me talking about them! But, I finally have them! I got them in grey/black because I wear a lot of black, and they are ridiculously comfortable, much more so than cheaper imitations. So in short, get some!

I got a cupcake gift bag full of cupcake making bits and pieces as everyone knows how much I love baking! Inside are some cakes, sprinkles and a professional tin so next time I make cupcakes I can get really creative!

A few pieces from the family, I asked for the Benefit High Flyin Glosses set, Nivea minis and Harvey Nichols fudge (I love fudge!). The gloss set is perfect for me because I never finish any of my products and I get to try out all the shades, which are Coralista, Dallas, Bella Bamba, Hoola, Sugarbomb and Dandelion.

More family presents, a half bottle of Harvey Nichols champagne (which I got to enjoy at THIS event), Dior Addict Eau Fraiche perfume, Tweezerman Slant Tweezers (mine have gone blunt and I wanted to have a pair ready for when I send them to the USA to be sharpened), and finally, the Real Techniques Core Collection brushes. I can’t wait to use these!!

And finally, I got a bottle of Soap & Glory Clean On Me from my friend in Secret Santa (that's me sorted for shower gel for months!) as well as some gift vouchers which I’m going to spend on a NARS makeover and put towards some blusher/bronzer, as I always hear such good things about their products.

That’s it! I’m so lucky to have received such lovely gifts this year, beauty themed now more than ever as my friends get to know about the blog. What did you get for Christmas? Show me your links guys!!