October Empties

I cannot believe that October is over!  It's shocking how quickly this year has gone!  Anyway, for the first time ever, I've collected all my empties for the month, so that I can do an empties post.

I got through quite a bit this month!

Hair care

James Brown Photo Fabulous Intensive Treatment
James Brown Photo Fabulous Moisturising Conditioner - a review of both these products is to come shortly. I wasn't really wowed by either product, but for some reason I've accidentally repurchased both!  Whoops!

John Frieda Brilliant Brunette Shampoo - this was in my travel kit and I brought it back from holiday.  I've always quite liked it.
Umberto Giannini Calm Curls Shampoo - I hated this, rubbish product, stupid and fidly packaging, couldn't use it up fast enough, will not repurchase!
Umberto Giannini Flirty Curls Scrunching Jelly - conversely, I love this and have a big tube of it on the go as well.
L'Occitane Conditioner (I think it might be Repairing for Dry Damaged Hair) - I liked this, smelt lovely and made my hair feel nice.  I only got two applications out of it though.

Body Care

Prija Shower Gel with Ginsing - this was just a freebie from a hotel that I used on holiday, but it was really lovely stuff.  I've got some bubble bath from the hotel as well, so am looking forward to using that up.
The Sanctuary Body Scrub - I love their signature smell and I find this to be a reasonable scrub.  I wouldn't seek this out, but would be more than happy to receive it again in a gift set.
Avon Moisturising Cream, Como Shambala Moisturiser and Sweet Treat Boutique Chocolate Moisturiser - I reveiwed all three of these here.

Face Care

The Sanctuary Fresh-Faced Purifying Wash - This wasn't anything special, but did its job
Temple Spa Shadows of the Soul Eye Treatment - just an eye cream, I've used this before and like it, not too heavy
Origins Gin-Zing Refreshing Eye Cream - again, I liked this, it felt nice on the skin without over-loading it with product
Murad Energizing Pomegranate Lip Protector - I reviewed this ages ago here, and liked it.  I probably wouldn't buy it again though, as it's a bit pricy.

That's it for me this month, I'll save up my empties for next month as well!

Thanks for reading! xx

Elemis, Murad and Temple Spa - Lip Balm Comparison and Review (with Bonus Kittens)!

I like to use a thick lip balm each evening before I go to sleep.  It’s about the only time that a lip balm stays on my lips.  Generally I gravitate for tube-style lip balms (see my recent addition from Kiehl’s), my all time favourite being Carmex, which I swear stays on my lips all night long.

Recently, I’ve been rotating three different tube-style lip balms for my overnight use, all of which I got free, courtesy of my Mum’s cruises and car boot sale hauls, but all of which are well respected brands: All Talk by Temple Spa (£6.50 for 10ml), Lip Rescue by Elemis (now called Lip Revive, £14.30 for ml) and Energizing Pomegranate Lip Protector by Murad (£12 for 15ml - I have a sample size).

I’ve not enjoyed using the Temple Spa one at all (and sadly, there’s another tube of if sat in my drawer – something for Give and Makeup perhaps).  The smell of it reminds me strongly of white tea which I dislike, but it says it should be 'mediterranean fruit' flavoured on the back of the tube.  The website says it has green tea in it - confused!  Although it does generally last a long time (I often wake up and can still detect it on my lips), it feels as if my lips are slightly dried out after using it; it isn’t the most moisturising lip balm I own.  I quite like the applicator, where you rub the round ball over your lips, although it’s probably not the most hygienic way of applying lip balm!   

Similarly, I’m not really liking the Elemis lip balm either.  It is a weird consistency, sort of grainy when you apply it, immediately dissolving, but just sort of odd.  I’m not sure whether this is because I’ve had this lip balm sitting around in my cupboard for too long, or whether it’s just a strange formula.  Anyway, I find that this doesn’t last very long, and if I put it on, say an hour before I go to sleep, I’ll definitely have to reapply it before going to sleep. I also dislike the taste/scent. I dislike the applicator, as the hole to squeeze the product out is quite large, and I sometimes catch my lips in it.

The lip balm I like most of these three is the Murad Pomegranate one.  I wasn’t sure if I liked the flavour/smell at first, which is quite sweet, but it has really grown on me now.  It’s the right consistency, quite thick so it lasts a long time, but not too thick and gunky.  It’s also slightly tinted so that it adds a light glow to your lips (not that I’m really looking for a glow, but it’s a nice touch).  I’d also say that I like the slanted applicator – it applies pretty easily and smoothly.

I definitely wouldn’t buy the Temple Spa or Elemis lip balms again, although I also would probably take them off my Mum’s hands if she comes across any freebies.  As for the Murad one, it’s not the cheapest lip balm ever, it’s more than the Kiehl’s one I’ve just bought.  I would consider buying it, as I have liked using it.  However, I wouldn’t go out of my way to repurchase. 

Finally, an issue I have with these type of lip balms is that they are a magnet for cat hairs.  Every evening I end up picking off cat hairs which have mysteriously stuck themselves to the lip balms, despite them being kept in a drawer.  I then always find cat hairs stuck to my lips and have to pick them off... every day.  I suppose it’s the price you pay for having feline company – I wouldn’t be without my kitties!

November - A Few of my Favourite Products, and a Few I Don't Like

Happy December everyone!  I don't always do a favourites post each month, but I thought that I would for November, as there are quite a few products I've been using that have been great.  There are also a few that I've not been liking, so I've included some not-so-much favouites as well.

Favourite Skincare

Well this month my skin has really been feeling the cold, and I've really noticed that it's been playing havoc with my skin.  I've been using a few products which I absolutely love and seem to be helping restore some moisture to my poor old face.

You may remember that I was on a spending ban.  Well that went out of the window at the Origins counter at Boots.  I blame my sister as she asked me to pick up Modern Friction Dermabrasion for her Christmas, and I got suckered into buying it for myself as well as some other bits.  I suppose I could've said no to the skin care consultation I was offered, but hey, I didn't.  However, I'm absolutely loving Modern Friction.  Although it's not as scratchy as I usually like from a scrub, it makes my skin feel absolutely wonderful - so soft and not at all tight.  It is also supposed to be a skin brightener, and I've noticed that my skin is definitely in better condition since I've been using this a couple of times a week.

One of the Origins products I was recommended was Starting Over moisturiser, for the first signs of aging to use as a night cream.  I didn't buy it, but the sales assistant kindly gave me a 30ml sample (a full size version is only 50ml) and I'm so grateful he did, as it's simply heaven for my skin.  I started using it as a night cream, but I've quickly switched to using it during the day as well, particularly in the current sub-zero temperatures.  It feels so soothing and moisturising, I'm definitely going to buy a full size version when my sample runs out.

I've just finished this Perfect Pores Serum by Angela Langford, and although I still have to write a review of her products, I'm smitten with this serum.  It's smells light and natural, you need very little serum for your whole face, it sinks in very easily and it's wonderfully moisturising.  I don't really need to say much else - this is definitely one for my Christmas list!

I won this tub of Dove Rich Moisturising Creme from Jo's blog giveaway, and I've been using it every night on my feet, knees and elbows - I'm just about to run out of it!  My skin definitely needs a rich moisturiser in the winter, and this works a treat.  As well as working well, it's quite cheap and cheerful, so I'm quite happy to slather it on before bed.

Favourite Makeup

Over the past month it's all been about the blush and pinks.  I've been feeling a bit washed out, so a bit of blusher really helps me look a bit more normal!

I got this Clinique blush in Iced Lotus free in a Bonus Time promotion a couple of months ago.  It's a lovely frosty pink colour that blends well and lasts a long time.  I love the colour for winter looks, and it's also quite girly - highly recommended.

I decided to buy the Posey cream blush by Mac as I'm such a fan of cream blushes.  It's very highly pigmented, so you do need to blend it well to stop the Aunt Sally look.  However, it does blend out to give a good flush of colour and it lasts for ages.

I think I've blogged before about how much I love Clinique Colour Surge eyeshadows, and this duo in Victorian Pink is no exception.  I hit pan on my old duo in less than 18 months, so this is a much loved replacement.  This duo is definitely an ongoing favourite of mine - I wear it whenever I'm short of time in the morning, or when my creativity fails me.  It looks professional for an office look, or you can darken it up a bit for a more evening type look.  The quality and smoothness is excellent and it blends so easily.  However, it's not pink!  It's a neutral to brown duo - I've no idea why it's called Victorian Pink!

This Illamasqua lip pencil in Torment is another new favourite.  It's a highly pigmented colour, but I've been using it to line my lips, blend it in with a bit of lip balm and apply lipstick over the top.

For lipstick, my favourite go-to this month is another Clinique product, again that I got as a Bonus Time promotion.  It is a Long Last lipstick in Soft Bloom.  This is a nice pinky colour that's not too girly and really seems to suit my skin tone.  It feels very moisturising on the lips and lasts relatively well, particularly over the top of the Illamasqua lip pencil. 

Finally, I've loved using this Collection 2000 Brilliant Shimmer lipgloss in Showgirl that I won in Computergirl's giveaway.  It's not too sticky, it last a long time, and it's an almost sheer pink colour that adds a hint of sparkle to your lips.  It's very easy to use, and I've been wearing it almost every day.

L-R Clinique Iced Lotus Blush, Mac Posey, Illamasqua Torrent, Collection 2000 Showgirl & Clinique Soft Bloom

Not-so-Much Favourites

I don't usually like to completely slate products, but here are a few I've been using that I'm just not liking for one reason or another.

First up, this mousse, hairspray and heat protector from Tresemme.  I've not got on well with Tresemme shampoos here and here before, and I've not got on with any of these products.  I bought them because I had a styling product emergency (the spray nozzle broke on my Tigi hairspray) just before I did my hair for the Burlesque night I went to and I had to dash to Tescos to grab some products.  They were on 3 for £10, so I got all three.  The heat protection spray doesn't seem to do anything at all for my hair, certainly not protect it from the heat.  The mousse and hairspray do give a firm hold, but in the way that styling products from the 1980s did - not good.  I actually hate all of these so much, I'm thinking of just throwing them out, and I never waste products, so they're really that bad!

Secondly, here's a product from Temple Spa that I'm not liking - I love everything else I've tried from them.  It's All Talk moisturising lip balm.  It's a sort of barrier type lip balm that sits on your lips.  I usually like these type of lip balms, and use them just before I go to bed, but this one just feels a bit weird.  It's also very sticky and I keep getting cat hairs stuck to my lips just before I go to sleep.  It seems to moisturise OK, but it's definitely not a favourite - I'd better try to use it up quickly!

I'm finally using my Hello Kitty shower gel that's been sitting in my bathroom for ages.  I had planned to decant it into a more user-friendly bottle, but I gave up as the shower gel is so thick it wouldn't come out!  Instead, I've had to decapitate Kitty and turn her upside down so I can get some shower gel out of her.  The problem is, she's wearing a little fabric dress that keeps getting wet everytime I reach for the gel.  But, if I took it off, she's naked!  That's her tail in the photos, by the way - don't worry, Kitty's definitely a 'she'.  I don't want a naked Kitty on my bathroom shelf, so she's wearing the dress for modesty's sake.  The shower gel itself is OK, not anything special, but it doesn't contain too many dyes, as I'm really allergic to cheap and brightly coloured gels and bubble baths (my doctor banned my Mum from using Mr Matey when I was a child).  I'm not allergic to this, so that's a bonus.  However, despite inverting Kitty, so she's dangerously wobbly on the shelf, I have to shake her to get any shower gel out, and half of it ends up on the floor of the bath, just washing away.  Poor old Kitty...

So that's my favourites and not so much for November.  Thanks for reading!  xx

Autumnal Favourites

Hello all.  I don't tend to do a favourites every month, but I've not done one for a while, so I thought I'd do my autumn favourites.   Autumn's probably my favourite time of year, and I love the pre-Christmas build-up.

First of all, Tiss Deep Off Oil cleanser by Shiseido.  This is a lovely cleanser that looks good, feels great on my skin and removes makeup.  As it's an oil-based cleanser, it is kind on the skin in the colder weather.  I'm going to do a proper review on this soon.

I found this little tube of No. 7 Revitalising Hand Saviour in my beauty stash and I'm so glad I did!  It's an amazing exfoliator for your hands with an oil base to it that leaves your hands feeling wonderfully soft and moisturised.  This is definitely a wonder product, and I'm also planning to do a review of this soon too.

I'm really loving Peace Be Still Face and Body Balm from Temple Spa at the moment.  I'm using it as a facial moisturiser, and I've already reviewed it here.

I got this full size Clinique Colour Surge eye shadow duo in Beach Plum as a gift with purchase earlier in October.  I have to say I'm loving it more than the duo I'd actually paid for.   It has a lovely sandy shadow colour and a plummy purple crease and contour colour.  It's perfect for the outfits I'm wearing at the moment and has made me remember how much I love Clinique eye shadows.  This might be heresy to some, but I find them better than Mac and almost as good as Urban Decay.  I will do an EOTD with this soon.

I really love this Neals Yard Orange and Geranium shower gel.  I'm not a massive fan of either fragrance, but together they work really well.  This has a lovely, warming smell and is a great shower gel which foams up well.  Also, a little goes a long way - I've been using it for more than a month and I'm only just running out.  It's kind on my skin as well, not stripping it.  This is definitely a favourite.

Finally, Sexy Mother Pucker from Soap & Glory.  I'm not actually sure if I really like this or not, or whether I'm just addicted to it!  It's supposed to make your lips look bigger and poutier, but I'm not convinced about this.  But, it makes your lips fizzle and tingle about 10 minutes after you apply it, and I'm addicted to this feeling!  I don't think it's doing my lips any good in the cold weather, but I can't stop using it!

Anyway, that's my current autumnal favourites.  Thanks for reading! xx

Product review - Peace Be Still Body Balm from Temple Spa

Hi everyone.  Today I'm going to do a little review of Peace Be Still balm from Temple Spa.  I've blogged before about some of their products, which I think are very lovely.  I'm lucky that my Mum gets lots of their goodies for free from her frequent cruises (nice for some isn't it?) and gives them to me and my sister.

I had two 50ml travel size bottles of the Peace be Still balm in my beauty basket, and I've used one as body cream, which I thought was pretty good, but not a Holy Grail body cream.  I noticed that my boyfriend also had a further bottle of the balm in the bathroom cupboard (we went on a 2 day mini cruise with my folks and looted all the products we could) and he uses his as a facial moisturiser.  The blurb on the bottle and the website says that it is gentle enough to use it on the face, so I tried it out myself once when I had run out of moisturiser.  And surprisingly, it suits my usually very picky skin, so I'm using my second bottle on my face.

According to the Temple Spa website:

"With natural plant extracts, antioxidants and a fusion of relaxing essential oils, this delicious formula will sink into the skin immediately and leave the skin ultra-smooth and settled."

The cream is supposed to be a moisturiser and aromatherapy product in one, including in its ingredients, corriander and nutmeg.  I can't really detect either ingredient in the smell, but it does have a fresh, and unisex scent, that is quite light, and doesn't linger. Despite the unusual mix of ingredients, it really is a very gentle balm that doesn't irritate my sensitive skin at all, which is unexpected.

The balm itself is just the right formula for my skin, not too heavy, but moisturising enough for my dry bits.  It's hard to describe, as with my skin it is so difficult to find a moisturiser which gets the right balance.  If something's too heavy, I break out, or too light, it just feels tight and flakey.  There are very few moisturisers that hit that delicate balance.  Saying that, I layer moisturisers in the winter, and I've bought Clinique Moisture Surge to layer on top, as I know that the Peace Be Still balm is not enough on its own as the weather turns colder.  But, on its own as a summer moisturiser, or as a first layer underneath a more protective cream, it is perfect!

I'm not sure why it's called a balm, as it looks and feels exactly like other moisturisers, and it's a white cream, that you massage into your skin, and is absorbed, just like other moisturisers.  The word 'balm' makes me think of a thicker product, not this cream.  I suppose it must refer to the gentleness and soothing nature of the cream.

So this is full marks for me.  I'd definitely buy it myself, but I'll try and be first in the queue when my Mum dishes out the booty instead!  Peace Be Still Balm is available from the Temple Spa website at £5.50 for a 50ml travel size or £17 for a 150ml full size.  Now, correct me if I'm wrong, but it seems to work out cheaper to buy 3 travel sizes (which are still a good size and will last for about a month each), rather than a full size???  See, more money saving tips from The Bristol Beauty Blog!  The full size has different packaging and would probably look more stylish on your bathroom shelf, but as I keep my moisturiser hidden away, I'm not too worried about that; the travel size still has attractive khaki/dark green packaging.

I do love all the Temple Spa products I've tried, and I would highly recommend them, especially if you have sensitive skin.  I'm not affiliated with them at all, I just really like them!

Have you tried anything from Temple Spa?

Thanks for reading!  xx

Addicted to the AAAHHH! tingle

I've recently become slightly addicted to a product called AAAHHH! by Temple Spa.  It's a gel for tired legs and feet which is lovely and refreshing - about 5 minutes after you've applied it, your legs and feet start to tingle and you go 'Aaahhh!'. It contains dandelion, lavender and menthol - I've been applying it every night before bed, and it's rather lovely!

Image from Templespa.com

My Mum and Dad are always going on P&O cruises, and they give passengers Temple Spa products in their cabins - Temple Spa make lovely products, but I've never heard of them before my parents cruise addiction.  My Mum always collects them and lets me and my sister take our pick.  As I was the first to see her after her last cruise, I got first dibs, and lifted all the AAAHHH!s she'd collected recently (I always try and get these).  But they're only travel sizes and I'm starting to run out...  What am I going to do when the AAAHHH! runs out?

I did a google search for Temple Spa and found their website here.  I looked up AAAHHH!  The travel sizes cost £4.25, and a full size bottle is £17!  That's a lot of money for an AAAHHH!  I'm not sure whether I can bare to shell out that much money... but then I'm addicted to the AAAHHH! tingle.  I think I just might...