Come, Look At My Trash #8!

This is my second empties post of the year, which sounds about right. I usually do one every six months after saving all my empty beauty products up. I photograph them, clean and dry them, then recycle. Then I tell you what I thought of them and whether I'd get them again. I find people usually look at the photos, then scroll through and find a product they're interested in.
It's basically a bumper review post!
Let me know if you've tried any of these and what you thought of them!

Facial Skincare:

Pixi & Caroline Hirons Double Cleanse: I love this fragrance-free, half oil, half-milk cleanser. This is super gentle on the skin and really does what it says on the tin. If you want to try double cleansing, but aren't sure where to start, try this. More info on it in THIS post.

Clarins Double Serum*: My beloved Double Serum. My skin loves this, I love this, everyone should love this. I wrote a post on it HERE. I'll be buying a new one in the sale, cause this is hella pricey.

Emma Hardie Moringa Cleansing Balm minis x 2: This is my all time favourite cleanser. I finally bought myself a full size this year (no regrets case it's nowhere near being finished) but these two were in advents calendars, I think. Full review of the cleanser, HERE, if you want to know more!

Laneige Water Bank Essence and Moisture cream: These were part of a set with a full size Laneige Water Sleep Mask, which I'm still working my way through. I got it in the states for about $22, which is bargainous! These are really nice, and perfect for warmer weather. Coming into the Winter, I feel they'd be less useful but if you like your skincare to feel light, like water on your skin, this is a good option.

Essano Rosehip Serum: This is a bargain I found in TK Maxx. Essano are a New Zealand based cruelty-free, vegan-friendly company that utilise a lot of natural ingredients for their skincare. I'm a big fan of rosehip, so I had to give this a go and I was very impressed! It feels so comforting on the skin and provides a great base for moisturiser and primer. I absolutely loved it and I've been scanning TK Maxx's shelves for it ever since!

Clinique Moisture Surge: I got a double pack of this in the airport earlier on in the year for next to nowt (for Clinique anyway) and had heard such good things that I had to try it. Clinique skincare often involves layering moisturisers with other moisturisers depending on your skin type which might explain why I found this a bit too light for me. It was perfect during our very warm Summer as it actually felt quite cooling on, so I'll be saving the next pot for the good weather again next year!

Belif The True Cream Moisture Bomb: Another Sephora purchase, I had tried a sample of this and really liked it. It's a slightly heavier cream than anything I've mentioned so far ere, while still being light enough to be easily absorbed. They make a big fuss about how moisturising this one is and it is very nice, just probably not the bets I've ever tried.

Korres Wild Rose Advanced Repair Sleeping Facial: This was another advent calendar find and I really like this. I love a good sleeping mask anyway and I'm a big fan of Greek company Korres. I probably wouldn't get a full size of this though, there was nothing wrong with it per se, I've just used other sleeping masks I've preferred.

Korres Wild Rose Facial Oil: This, I loved. I bought it on sale in Crete and I loved every drop of it. That was until it promptly went out of date and had t be thrown our. Wah. Full review of it HERE.

Kinvara Rosehip Face Serum: I wrote about this one HERE. I liked it, just not as much as the Essano serum!

Trilogy Organic Rosehip Oil: Unlike the other two Rosehip's here, this is an oil so it does different things for the skin. I find I need a good oil in the evening over my moisturiser, otherwise my skin feels tight. This is a great option and probably my second bottle of this. I'd get it again.

Farmacy Hydrating Coconut Gel Masks: I loved these. Farmacy are hard enough to get here (these are from Sephora). If you're stateside, have a look at the brand cause they're really good. I'd definitely buy these again!

Body:

Kiehl's Creme de Corps: This is an old one that I recently found in amongst my beauty stash and made a concerted effort to use up. It's a fairly decent body moisturiser; if you have dry skin, this is excellent. It's also unscented, so if you have sensitive skin, it's a good choice. It just didn't set my world on fire!

Chloe Love Story perfume: Looking at this now, I think I may have already done this in my last empties post and just forgot to bring it to the glass recycling bin...either way, it's gone now and I'm sad cause this is a really beautiful perfume. It's my second of this particular one and I think it's probably my favourite of the whole range. I would definitely get this again!

The Body Shop Frosted Plum Body Butter*: This is a Christmas edition of the brand's famous body butters and this is a beaut. Some of their festive ones are only really useable at that time of year but I found this was lovely all throughout the year! I'd absolutely get it again.

Bellamianta Self Tanning Tinted Lotion*: Another winner here, this is a really good, streak-free, bronze-finish tan. It's easy to apply and looks great on. I'd highly recommend an would definitely get again.

Shower & Hair:

Kevin Murphy Angel Wash Shampoo: I've used this and the accompanying conditioner a few times, it's great when you're freshly dyed your hair. They're also paraben and sulphate free so if you have a sensitive scalp, these are a good shout.

The Body Shop British Rose, Mango Shower Gels: I liked both of these, the mango has a bit left cause I was using to for travels and forgot about it!

L'Oreal Professional Volumetry Shampoo & Conditioner: I've also gotten this range a few times. I really like these too, my hair is quite fine so these add volume without weighing it down. I'm already using new ones!

Make Up:

Collection Concealer: You know the one. Every so often I pick one up, there cheap, and do the job well. I'll always repurchase this!

Maybelline UnderEye Eraser concealer: Also this is about my tenth of these. This is a great under eye concealer. The first time it's ever broken down half way through it though- no more will come out, with or without the sponge! 

Estée Lauder The Illuminator Primer & Double Wear Light: The primer was fine, I got it cause it was on offer but I probably wolf;t get it again, I think you can get better for less. Double Wear Light is one of my favourite foundations- it's a classic for a reason.

Isadora Cover Up Foundation*: I used every last bit of this- I scraped out every drop! I was surprised by how much I love this, as it's definitely a more matte finish, which I don't always gravitate towards. This just always looks so good on me! I'll definitely be buying it again. 

Elizabeth Arden 8 Hour Cream Lip Balm: This is a lovely, gel-like balm that has that iconic 8 hour area scent. I really liked this- I used it very night and it was a nice treat for my lips!

Benefit That Gal Primer: Again, this was in a set but I've used a full size of it before and really, really liked it and I'd happily buy it again. It's a lovely illuminating primer that provides the perfect glowy base for your make-up.

Buxom Plumping gloss: These free samples really do work- this was a gift with my Sephora card and I ended up buying a full size when I got home! Love it! It reminds me of the old school Pout lip glosses. It plumps the lips and smells like mint/vanilla with a gorgeous pink sheen. Beaut. 

Mascaras:

Flormar Spider Lash Volume: I got caught rotten on my way to Limerick and realised I had forgotten my make-up bag so I stopped and bought this (you can see what else I got HERE).  I liked the bristles, which weren't spiky plastic but I didn't like the finish it gave, which as expected is spidery. 

Too Faced Better Than Sex: I really liked this- loved the brush and there's a great finish. I would buy again but I'd question that name!

Bourjois Push Up Volume Glamour: This was grand, if you're stuck it's good pharmacy brand mascara.  

YSL Shocking: My favourite of ALL the mascaras. I've mentioned this many, many times. It provides so much volume and length- pure black lashes.  I have of course, got a new one on the go already!

YSL Babydoll: In the same family as Shocking, I also really like Babydoll, although probably not quote as much as Shocking. There's slightly less drama with this one, if you prefer that. 

Lancome Hypnose: This is a good'un too. It's has a really bendable applicator so even though it's the dreaded plastic applicator instead of the brushes, I like the finish. It's easy to apply and get into all the small lashes. 

D&G Passioneyes*: I liked this one too, the brush is curved to give you a curled finish. This does have my hated little jabby plastic nibs as part of the applicator though, which I found a little uncomfortable. 

Eyeliners etc:

Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Wiz: I've gone through many of these, it's the perfect shade for my brows (I get Blonde) and the applicator means you can apply it really precisely so it looks like natural hairs. A winner! I already have a new one! 

Flormar Kohl liner in Brown: I go through a lot of brown liners. This is fine but the fact that it had to be sharpened pretty much every time I used it means I'll never buy it again!

The Body Shop Skinny Thin Felt Eyeliner: This has a very skinny nib and bends really easily when you're trying to use it. Which can be annoying when you're trying to get a straight line! it's a no from me. And Simon Cowell, apparently. 

Seventeen Make Your Mark Precison Eyeliner: The Nib on this is quite thick but sturdy, with a narrow tip, so actually it made it easy to apply a thin, clear line. 

NYX Retractable Eye liner In Brown: My preferred type of liner is a retractable one cause I don't think you lose as much product. I liked it but I used it up really fast, like really fast! Which makes me think there wasn't much of it in there in the first place.   

Sephora Glide Liner in Brown Chestnut: I loved this one! Again I didn't lose any product and it provided a good kohl line that could be smudged but didn't budge then. I've already bought another two!

And that's the lot! Have you tried any of these?

*indicates product was provided for review. This post is not sponsored and as always, all opinions are my own. 

Clarins Summer 2018

Summer is almost over (I know, I know, I'm sorry) but the sun is still inexplicably shining brightly over Ireland and you can still get your hands on the rather beautiful Clarins Summer 2018 collection. I'm here to tell you why you should. 

Every year I look forward to the Clarins Summer releases- this year is no different. They epitomise Summer for me; bronzers, bright lips and slicks of eyeliner, pops of aqua coloured mascara. It's all you need for the freshest face at the warmest time of year (apart from sunscreen, obvs. Get it on ya!).

With that palm tree adorned gold packaging, the Supra Mascara screams Miami to me. I love that shade of green and I was really excited to use this, but I find it only works for me when I apply it over black mascara, and it really needs a few coats to build up. This fella is €26. 

Stationery fiends, assemble! You're gonna want the 4 Colour All-In-One Pen, a clickable, retractable

eye and lip liner pen. 

There's one lip liner; a fuchsia. This is a lovely bright pink, ideal for this time of year. 

The other three are for the eyes; an aubergine, turquoise, and a black. 

I tend not to wear purples a huge amount on my eyes, as they don't accentuate my blues as much as I'd like, but I've been using the green and the black lots. I love that turquoise for a slick of colour, it feels really fresh in a market that's saturated with nude eyeshadows at the minute. 

Plus, how handy is it to have this in your bag- four colours in one for €36.

Next up, the Water Lip Tints. I have three of the shades; Violet Water, Rose Water and Red Water. There's one more that I don't have, Orange Water. 

All four are designed to be as light as water, but tint your lips with a punch of colour, hence the name. Up to now, we've had similar ideas from Clarins and lots of other brands too; lip oils or lip stains (that dried the bejaysus out of your lips). 

This is unique in that it feels like a good mix of the two. I always loved lip stains for that beautiful water colour effect it provides, but I can't stand how dry they left my skin. 

These however, are really comforting on. I wore one of them all day at a wedding with regular touch ups after food, Prosecco, smooches etc and my lips felt perfectly soft afterwards. 

These are definite winners. 

They need some attention during application; you can't just lash these on and go. I apply, then blend with a finger, making sure it's not giving me an added lip line that I don't want. You can build these up from the lightest hint to a fuller hit of colour. I usually put on one or two layers, then add a balm over it. 

I love how this looks- it's so very pretty. 

Like you've been lying in the sun eating raspberry ice pops. 

See? Perfectly Summery. 

My favourite is Violet Water, because I gravitate to those shades naturally. On me it comes out like the aforementioned raspberry, while the Rose Water looks like a neon pink, and Red water is an orange/red on me. 

I like all of these, at €21 they'll last you well and I find them to be quite versatile. 

Have you tried anything from Clarins Summer 2018?

Anything catching your eye?

XX

Sephora Hauling (European Edition)

Great news! Both Copenhagen and Malmö have Sephora! Stockholm does too but I didn't check that one out. I have a rule; if I find a Sephora on holidays, I must find products we don't have at home, and I must purchase those products. It's an imperative really. 

Scandinavian Sephora had lots of brands we have here, including some fancy ones we don't; mostly the Sephora own brand and lots of very cool K Beauty. 

These lipsticks are from the Sephora own brand, they're called Lipstories. The packaging on these are what sells them; each has a theme that matches the shade in the bullet. The outer tube is a firm card while the case the lipstick is in is plastic, it kind of reminds me of Paul & Joe. Anyway, they combine three finishes; matte, metallic and satin. These both have a satin, cream finish but give the full on colour of a matte. I really like these- I bought the red in Copenhagen, wore it and had to get another shade in Malmö. No. 24 Deep Water Bay is a classic blue toned red, so it's flattering on, while No. 3 Oui! is a nude/pink. My go-to nude is Charlotte Tilbury's Pillow Talk, and this is similar but with slightly more brown in the mix, which is still really lovely on. 

I'd heard a little bit about Nudestix, an American brand of multi-use make-up crayons. These are their Nudies (I'll take this opportunity to advise you not to type either "nudestix" or "nudies" into google); an all over face crayon that you can use on your eyes, lips and cheeks. 

I got Bare Back (don't type that in either), a mauvey/pink that looks natural and really flattering on. I find it a bit too pink on my eyes on it's own but it's perfect as a blush and lip colour. There's a little stippling brush at the other end of the tube, which is really handy for travel but I always find these a bit weird in make up products as they can be hard to clean. You can also just blend the crayon out with your fingers. 

I've wanted to try Lipstick Queen's Frog Prince for a while. I enjoy a gimmick, I just didn't want to spend the money on a full size when there was a chance it could be a lip balm in fancy packaging, so I got the mini version in Sephora's aisle of doom (i.e the shelves along the queue for the tills. Designed to make you want to spend more. It's very effective.). The idea with this is that you apply the green lipstick and it transforms into a plummy pink shade on contact with your lips. I like it! It is a total gimmick, there's literally no reason why you couldn't spend way less and get a tinted pink lip balm instead, but you do you.

I've previously only tried the Sephora face masks so I decided to branch out and try a moisturiser. This is the Intensive Instant Moisture+ Cream. Packed with Hyaluronic Acid for those of us with permanently parched faces. I like this, it's not too heavy, not too light, and it sinks in nicely.

I love Gucci Bloom; it's a powdery, floral, feminine perfume that has vintage vibes but still manages to feel modern. I also love the rollerball section of Sephora- we tend not to get rollerball perfumes as freely in Ireland as they do elsewhere and I find them ridiculously handy for throwing in your bag-they don't take up much room and they're a great way to try out pricey perfumes for less. 

Alright, put aside the fact that this is called "Avocado Soup", which granted, is disgusting, and focus on the fact that this is a really effective Sleeping Mask. Sleeping Masks are my favourite Korean skincare finds. It feels like you're doing something special, but really you're putting on a slightly thicker night moisturiser. 

It smells really good and feels soothing on. I like. Skinfood have a whole range of these kind of products, but I'm all about the moisturising so I kind of ignored the rest.

The Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Wiz is a repurchase. I've gone through a few of these (in the shade blonde), it's probably the best brow product I've ever used.

I go through brown kohl liners like it's no ones business. I use them instead of black cause it's a bit more flattering with my skin tone and eye colour and I generally smoke the line out with some shadow. I hadn't tried the Glide Liner from Sephora's own brand before, so I said I'd give it a go. I really like it; it's a twist up, so you're not losing any product with sharpening, it glides on and works equally as well with a fine line as it does smudging it. 

Hurrrah!

This was actually a purchase from a Scandinavian budget shop called Normal. It's kind of like Dealz; beauty, house stuff, sweets etc. They had these Revlon Color Care and Shiine Color Bombs for cheap and in my shade, so although we can get these at home, I had to pick one up. My hairdresser recommended this to me before for brightening up your blonde. It's kind of like a purple shampoo but isn't drying at all, so it conditions and adds shine as well as freshening up the colour. 

I hadn't tried anything from Zoeva and got suckered at the aisle of doom again with this super cute mini palette. This is the Cocoa Blend Voyager palette. All of these shades are stunning on blue eyes, but personally I'd get rid of Bitter Start (top left) and add in a dark shade. 

Anyway, as the name would suggest, this will be very handy for travel. It's also worth noting that this fella is just over a tenner, if you want to try Zoeva without buying a full size palette. 

I'm an absolute sucker for face masks, although I've since stopped buying them as much lately for environmental reasons. Much packaging for little product. Both are eye patches because I have lots of ones just for the face and my eye bags are large and unseemly. I love Tony Moly but the Panda's Dream Eye Patch were a bit weird. They felt like a strange black cloth over my eyes and didn't feel particularly comforting. I'm not sure they helped my skin much either.

Too Cool For School Coconut Eye Serum Patches are designed to hydrate around your eyes. These were definitely a lot nicer to use (they also smell delicious) and my skin felt incredible afterwards! Super soft and smooth. I'd definitely buy more of these if I found them. 

And that is that. 

Have you tried any of these?

XX

Glossier in Ireland; What You Should/Shouldn't Buy

You might have heard recently (from my many Instagram stories/posts on it) that fancy US beauty brand, Glossier is now available to buy online in euros and ship to Ireland. Up to now, we either had to buy it in store in the states or parcel motel it from the UK. No more! And when I say we can get it shipped to Ireland, I mean no nasty custom charges at your front door. You pay a fiver for postage & packaging, or you spend over €40 and get free delivery, which is far too easily done.

I attended the recent launch in Dublin where I received three of the Lidstars (liquid eyeshadows) to try out but other than that, everything I have in this post was purchased by myself online. The website is really easy to navigate and delivery took two days only.

Milky Jelly Cleanser

I really like this. It's one of the brand's bestsellers and I can see why. It reminds me of Oskia's gel cleanser, texture-wise. This has no scent and works slightly differently, in that you don't add water to emulsify it. I use this on dry skin and find it's great for removing most make-up, except for mascara. It's also really nice to use this as a second cleanse as it really does feel like it's cleaning your skin without stripping it.

Priming Moisturiser

I like this, it's a light but comforting moisturiser that sinks in easily and works well under make up. I'm not sure how much of a priming quality it has and I really think they could have put an SPF in there, but otherwise, its been a nice addition to my make up bag in the morning.

Cloud Paints in Beam and Puff

I LOVE these. If you're getting anything, let it be these. I love everything about these; the packaging, the texture of the blush, how it applies and how it looks. Firstly, it's like the perfect liquid gel, it blends in so easily and doesn't stain the skin like some other liquid blushes. And speaking of other versions of these; cloud paints are by far, the best liquid/gel/cream blushes I've tried. They're so flattering on.

Boy Brow

The whole internet seems to be in love with this fella. What I like about it; it has a very small brush that makes it incredibly easy to apply and brush through your brows. I have the shade blonde which is a good match for me, but really my brows are too bedraggled and sparse to get the full benefit of this. I have to use a spoolie plus a brow product first to get the correct shape and fullness and then I can apply boy brow over it. If you have full, healthy brows, you could just use this and you'd be good to go though.

Birthday BalmDotCom

This is a universal skin salve- a balm that you can use everywhere. It comes in a few different shades but this appealed to the cake enthusiast in me and I wasn't disappointed. It positively screams VANILLA FROSTING every time I apply it and I'm not mad at that. I've only used this as a lip balm and I really like it. I've found that applying a Clarins Water Tint and then this over it gives the perfect summery finish. And yes, I know, this contains petroleum (the main component of Vaseline) which is a cheap ingredient but you know what, that doesn't bother me, I just really like this.

Lidstars in Herb, moon and Lily.

These are quite sheer liquid eyeshadows, that require a bit of building up to get a full-on effect. If you want a light sheen of colour, these are ideal. Again, I love the packaging and these would be perfect for travel but otherwise, it might be too much faffing to fully entice me.

Photos taken after using the Primer Moisturiser, Boy Brow, Cloud Paint in Beam & BalmDotCom (over the aforementioned Clarins Water lip Tint).

Products I would Go Back & Buy:

• The perfume, Glossier You, is really lovely, I'd quite like a full size.
• I'd buy all the Balmdotcom's. I know there's petroleum in there, which is considered a cheap ingredient but that doesn't really bother me. They're a lovely product on the lips.
• I really like the Priming moisturiser but the Priming Moisturiser Rich looks like it would be the perfect night time treat for dry skin.

Products I would Avoid:

• Invisible Shield- their SPF, which is only 35 and is way too low for me. I'm surprised it is so low for an American based company but either way, I only wear factor 50 on my face.
• The Lash Slick mascara is very much a daytime mascara and I'm just all lash drama, all the time.
• Both the Skin Tint (foundation) and the Stretch Concealer are light coverage and that's just not really my thing. Glossier as a brand are very much about that minimal make up look, but I like make up to do it's job, otherwise I'm very happy just not wearing any at all, if I'm having a particularly good skin day, for instance.
• The three serums; Super Pure, Super Bounce and Super Glow (Super Bounce is supposed to be the best of the three fyi), are all designed to target different skin woes and look very nice but regardless, they're €28 for 15mls, which seems a bit overpriced to me.

That's that for the time being, although I can't guarantee I won't be back for more!

Have you tried anything from Glossier?

XX

Mademoiselle Azzaro EDT | Review

Newly launching this Summer is the latest fragrance from Azzaro Paris; Mademoiselle Azzaro L'eau Tres Belle, a violet-macaroon base, bursting with blueberry and jasmine. 

Before you try that though, I have the original Mademoiselle Azzaro* eau de toilette to show you, and it is a beaut.

Designed to make you think of Paris with every spritz, this is a floral, elegant scent, housed in the prettiest bottle. 

Would you look at the bow!!

This is for sure aimed at a younger market than myself (you can picture me wrapping a shawl around myself now if that helps), as it features notes like mandarin blossoms and peach but then it adds in some subtle accords like iris wood and syringa flowers that balance it to ultimately leave an impression that's quite sophisticated. 

Bottom line; It's sweet, floral and fruity but with an underlying warmth that makes it last well on the skin.

If you're a fan of Miss Dior/Miss Dior Cherie, Marc Jacob's Honey or Dolce & Gabbana's The One, then I think you'll like this. 

This comes in a 30 ml (€48) and 50ml (€68) size, and is available in Arnotts, Debenhams and selected pharmacies nationwide.

If you like this version already and are looking to try Mademoiselle's even more romantic Parisian sibling, L'eau Tres Belle is also now available. 

XX

*Indicates products in this post were supplied for review. This is not a sponsored or paid for post. As always, all opinions are my own!

Emma Hardie Amazing Face Moringa Cleansing Balm | Review

I've tried a lot of cleansers in my time (serious auld one vibes here) and at various times I thought the Eve Lom Balm Cleanser, the Liz Earle Hot Cloth Cleanser, the Pixi Double Cleanse or the Oskia Cleansing Gel were my favourite (they are all winners, in fairness) but for me, the Emma Hardie Cleansing Balm blows them all out of the water. It's been around for years now so this post is fairly late in the general scheme of things but sometimes a product is so good, it's still worth shouting about, years after its first release. 

I tried this initially when I got a mini pot in my Marks & Spencer advent calendar two years ago. I got another one last Christmas. Both pots were used up until there wasn't even a microscopic fragment of balm left and I eventually treated myself to a full size. I say 'treated' because this fella is pricey. I got the 100ml size from Cult Beauty, which set me back £47, or about €53 (I got a deal though, so it's OK!!). 

Eep!

Let me tell you why it's worth it though. 

• Firstly you only need the tiniest amount to clean your whole face, so you'll have your 100ml pot for ages.
• It's super comforting; it's packed with wild sea fennel, rose oil and vitamin E that beautifully cleanse your skin while leaving it soft and radiant. It feels like a treat to use. 
• The smell lads. I can't. I'm not far off standing up in a circle and saying "Hello, my name is Chloe and I'm an addict. I can't stop inhaling Emma Hardie Cleansing Balm". So there's a few essential oils in there and that's apparently what's causing my olfactory overload. Extracts of jasmine, bergamot, orange and sweet almond oil combine together to give the most heavenly home facial, but every night! It's glorious!
• It's easy to use; massage onto dry skin, it turns into an oil that breaks down make-up, dirt and all the other crap that's attached to your face throughout the day, then cleans off easily with a warm, damp muslin cloth. You don't even need to do a double cleanse with this fella, but you can if you want to, of course.
• The brand also suggest using this as a face mask for 10 minutes while you take a relaxing bath, which I hadn't considered doing but am now totally on board with.

And that's your lot. I'm looking forward to using my brand new pot tonight, that's if I can stop myself from eating it all first.

Have you tried Emma Hardie's Cleansing Balm?

If not, why not?!

XX

Clarins Hydra Essentiel Eye Mask & Lip Balm | First Impressions

As a long-time haver of dry skin, I'm already a big fan of the Clarins Hydra-Essentiel range, in particular their moisturisers. You can only imagine how happy I was to see that they've added an eye mask and a lip balm, two areas I tend to struggle to keep from drying out completely. 

Moisturising Reviving Eye Mask*

There's a discrepancy in opinions on the benefit of eye creams/gels etc but personally I like a nice light under-eye moisturiser, prone as I am to dark circles and generally looking exhausted at all times (I'm not sure any eye cream can help with dark circles thanks to them usually being caused by genetics and/or dehydration. I do like to help out the dry skin from the outside where I can though). This is a cooling, melting cream that feels like a gel. You can use it in two ways; as a mask that you leave on over night (my preference) or for a quick 10 minute boost (you take the cream off afterwards. I think this is a waste so I leave it on, even when I use it in the morning. And yes, I put my make-up on over it but it's a moisturiser so it all works out well for me). I've been using this pretty religiously twice a day for about two weeks now and I'm loving it. I've noticed a definite plumping to my under eye skin and even better, it's noticeably softer. This is a lovely treatment; it's comforting, cooling, moisturising and sinks in almost immediately. 

Moisture Replenishing Lip Balm*

If like me, you find yourself permanently battling dry lips, you need this fella. My ultimate lip balm, Nuxe Reve de Miel usually sits on my bedside table and I wear it as a lip mask every night. I finished my last pot of that sometime last year however so I've been in need of a new, hard working lip balm and this is the one! What sets it apart is the addition of blue lotus wax to nourish and cocoa extract to stimulate the production of hyaluronic acid to hydrate and plump the lips. There's also a shot of rosy pink in there for a flattering, natural glow. I've been using this as part of my nighttime skincare routine and occasionally during the day too. It's a really good balm; moisturises, comforts and is non-sticky, non-slippy and almost mattifying, so there's very little chance of your hair getting stuck to your lips. Hurrah! 

Price wise, the eye mask is €33 and the lip balm is €21. I know that sound like a lot, and trust me I balked a bit when I saw the prices first myself but having used them, I cam see why they are the cost they are. They're full of good quality ingredients with all of Clarins' skincare knowledge and innovation packed into each tube. I've noticed a definite change with both and that's often hard to tell with skincare products. Both are available on counter form April the 16th.

Will you be checking these out?

XX

*indicates these products were provided for review. This post was not sponsored or paid for and as always all opinions are my own 

The Top Recommended US Drugstore Beauty Products- Reviewed!

I find shopping in Sephora and US Drug stores confusing, if I'm honest. Even when I've prepared myself and made a list of things I want, I always find myself feeling a bit overwhelmed; there's just too much beauty stuff.
The gap between what we can't get here and what you can only get in the states has definitely narrowed, but there's still the few items that most Irish gals will be on the lookout for when beauty shopping in America. The last time we were over (November 2017), I knew exactly what I wanted from Sephora but hadn't thought a huge amount about budget beauty so I found myself scrolling through "the top ten drugstore beauty products you need" articles online in our hotel room one night and sure enough, I made my way to a CVS the next day.
These were all recommended by various magazines, I haven't tried them all yet but they didn't cost the earth so I thought they'd be worth a go! (there was also many more products recommended, that either didn't suit me, wrong hair or skin type etc or else products that I already have/have tried).

E.L.F Hydrating Face Primer

This is part of a series of face primers from the budget beauty brand E.L.F (Eyes. Lips, Face). I have dry skin so this seemed a no-brainer and every online magazine raved about this one in particular. If memory serves me correctly, it cost less than $6. It has no fragrance to speak of but I do notice a slightly chemically scent that does wear off as you wear it. It's clear and looks a bit like Vaseline when you pump it out. I've only used this once because I just didn't love it. It is somewhat softening and provides a base in the same way a silicone-heavy primer would. On me, it felt a bit greasy and unpleasant. I'll give it another go but for the moment, I'm not a big fan. I would save your $6 and put it towards this one instead.

Aveeno Positively Radiant 60 Second In-Shower Facial

This was hailed as a new miracle product and one that I sense will take me a good long time to finish. This idea with this is you pop it on your wet face while you're in the shower, leave it on for 60 seconds and gently massage in a circular motion, then wash off. I like to do this while my conditioner is doing its thing. It has a little bit of grit in there (gentle grit, there's no plastic beads in here) but it's mostly the alpha hydroxy acid (AHA) that does the exfoliating. I've used this a few times now and have noticed my skin is nicely smooth afterwards and my make-up applies well after using it. I've since found out that Aveeno test on animals so I won't be buying from them again but for now, I'll use this up. It's good.

Almay Healthy Glow Makeup + Gradual Self Tan

This is a medium coverage foundation that supposedly perfects your skin while you wear it; when you take off your make up, you have a natural glow. This has a pump function and two separate chambers that combines the self tan and the make up together when you press down. I got the shade light, which was the lightest there was. There's also an SPF 20 in there, which is good. I've only tried lip products from Almay, which I liked and again, there was great excitement online over this fella. This is a reasonably good colour match for me, if not slightly darker than my own skin tone. It does have that fake tan scent to it, which is never nice but goes fairly fast once it's absorbed. I also quite like the coverage of this; it's buildable but looks natural. So far, I like!

Carmex Daly Care Moisturising Lip Balm 

I love Carmex and didn't need any encouragement to get this three pack of lip balms. I usually use either the tubes or pots of Carmex but I haven't tried the stick version, plus this was only a few dollars. There's a cherry (my fave), strawberry and wintergreen and they all have an spf15.

Covergirl Outlast All-Day Concealer

This is a concealer with a soft-tip applicator, designed to erase the appearance of dark circles and blemishes. It's oil-free and doesn't clog the pores. I got the shade fair. I think this is Covergirl's version of Maybeline's under eye eraser concealer yoke (that I also love and also featured in every top drugstore beauty product article out there). I wouldn't say this is as good as the Maybelline. It's quite a light formula but feels a bit drying. I also don't think it covers my particular dark circles as well as other concealers do. 

CoverGirl Ink It! All-Day Eye Pencil

This is a twist up pencil that glides on like an ink but with the crease and fade-resistance of a kohl pencil. It's also waterproof. I got the shade Charcoal Ink cause I wanted a liquid eyeliner effect. When I opened it I didn't think I'd like it based on how the top of the pencil was packaged but actually, it applies really nicely. I would say; it's not the blackest of the black liners but I can get over that. It's not a super messy liner but you can smudge it if that's your thing (it is mine). Overall, I like!

Burt's Bees Tinted Lip Oil

I love Burt's Bees so of course, I had to get this. These are supposed to be moisturising and comforting on the lips while providing a shot of natural looking colour. I wanted a more nude shade but they were all sold out, so I got Crimson Breeze instead. I LOVE this and I need more shades!! I was surprised by how much I like this shade too, I was worried it would be too dark but it's more of a flattering pink plus it feels so lovely on! The only flaw I can see is that it wears of fast but I find that happens with all oil-based lip products. But I like that it's a light gloss and the oil means that it's softening on the lips. So good!

CoverGirl Melting Pout Gel Liquid Lipstick

Pretty sure these are a rip off of the Too Faced ones but at a fraction of the price. I got this in the shades Don't be Gelly and Evan-Gel-Ical (I can't find that one to take the photo, it's more than likely in the bottom of a bag somewhere). This has a soft tip for application. The formula of these are nice but the quality of the overall shade application varies according to each colour. I like these but having not tried the Too Faced ones, I can't make a proper comparison. 

That's my take on the top recommended drugstore beauty products. Have you tried any of these? 

Thoughts?

XX

(Possible) New Favourite Beauty Products

There's doubt in that title purely cause some of these have only just come into my life and as yet have to be tried out but there's also new beauty bits in here that I can confirm that I'm loving! 

The make-up pouch (Bath & Bodyworks) is somewhat misleading, is what I'm saying, but isn't it pretty?! 

Yes, you can spot seven lip products there. I am a lip balm/lipstick fiend. 

First up; my thing with these creepy sheet masks doesn't seem to be going anywhere. I will try every brand, as long as it suggests hydration as an outcome. I just finished off a box of Farmacy ones that I got in the states that were fab- more from that brand later. For now, here's a Boscia Deep Hydration Mask I also got in America, which I have yet to use. I'm a beauty horder. We are however just coming to the end of a very cold snap here so I'll be popping this on this week! 

The Ariel one is by a company called Made Beauty, I previously got a Chip and Mrs Potts lip balm set from them, which was frankly, adorable. This mask is infused with cucumber to cool, hydrate and moisturise the skin, which sounds ideal but who knows what it'll actually do. I got this on Asos, where you'll find a selection of Disney Princess masks!

I'm a marketing persons dream. I saw the banana range on The Body Shop's Insta, along with their new lip balms (below), so of course, in I popped to get them for myself. I used the banana shampoo and conditioner way back in the day and guess what?! They still smell the exact same!! Hello nostalgia! 

I went for a hair mask this time, purely to add in a little hydration and it's honesty a divine experience. I put it on this morning after shampooing, put a shower cap over it, left it for five minutes then washed off. My hair has been super soft all day and maybe I'm imagining it, but a little more voluminous too! Plus, that smell! Love it!!

And these are the aforementioned The Body Shop lip balms. These are the Lip Juicers; 100% Vegan, moisture-boosting balms with smoothie-inspired combos. They look a little like the top of a giant pencil and aesthetically, remind me of Eos a bit but other than that, these are far superior from a moisturising perspective. My favourite is the Coconut/Carrot/Passion Fruit, which both smells fantastic and gives the lips a nice colour but they were buy one get one half price, so you know what happened next. I also got Strawberry/Pomegranate/Aloe which I like too but the scent isn't doing it for me as much. 

Anyway, there's three more in the range so who knows what'll happen next (we all know).

In between them is the NYX Turnt Up! Lipstick. I have this in the shade French Kiss, which on the website (this was part of a "I've put my back out, I'm feeling sorry for myself" purchase) didn't look quite this pale a pink, which I'm not sure suits me all that much. Anyway, I've mixed it with other shades which seems to make it work better and it's a lovely moisturising formula.

Ive mentioned this here before and on Insta and Facebook cause it's so damn good. I got a sample of this in Sephora, having never tried anything from Buxom before and fell for it big time. It's a cream gloss that plumps the lips, tingles a little, smells like vanilla/mint and makes my lips look INCREDIBLE. Himself has actually said "that lip thing you have on is really nice on you". SO YOU KNOW IT'S GOOD. I have the shade Rose Julep and I got it in Debenhams. Also worth noting that this is the lip gloss I keep going on about cause it reminds me of the long gone gloss from Pout that came in those vacuum packs and were beloved by all. WHY did they leave and never come back?!!

Lookit, I know, it's another lip balm but this one was bought last November and I was waiting 'til I finished my Elizabeth Arden one, which is almost gone so it's time for this fella to shine. I love Fresh products, especially the lip balms, which are really soothing. I normally get the Sugar Rose one but this Sugar Lip Caramel Hydrating Balm was new and I'm also a sucker for new products, so here we are. And yes, it smells unbelievably good.

I was harping on about spending the end of a Brown Thomas gift voucher on a 30ml size of Jo Malone's Peony & Pink Suede Blush, when lo and behold, the loveliest gal by the name of Samantha pm'd me on instagram and told me she had a bottle she wasn't going to use and would I like it?

Of course I said yes and in the end we resurrected the old Beaut. i.e Swap Siopa just for the two of us, which was lovely. Anyway, this is a truly beautiful fragrance. It's delicate but not sweet, powdery and floral and an utter classic. I adore it! Thank you again Samantha!

I got a set of these Darkness eyelashes in Korea town in LA for $4 and I wish I had bought more. They're quite natural on so they don't look overly dramatic but they still add a little sumthin' sumthin' to your eye make up. Plus, and this is very shallow but, I like the packaging rather a lot.

I got a gorgeous Rifle Paper Co. set from L'Occitane, free with a sale order just after Christmas and I'm getting around to using the contents now. There's a Shea shower oil, a micellar water and a few other bits as well as this Light Comforting Cream. This is designed to be a non-greasy and comforting face cream with 5% Shea to moisturise for up to 48 hours. I just started using this a couple of days ago but I think the scent is possibly too strong for use on my face. It's a nice face cream though, so I'll give it another go. 

This was a mini freebie with the points I built up on my Sephora card and is from the previously mentioned Farmacy, known for cultivating their own ingredients, for a "farm-to-face" philosophy. I've liked anything I've tried from them and my sister is a big fan so I was looking forward to trying Honey Potion; a warming antioxidant hydration mask with echinacea greenenvy (their star ingredient) honey. You apply this after cleansing, massage it with your fingers to warm it up and then leave it for ten minutes. This really does warm up, and gets a little tingly. Once you've washed it off it's supposed to restore moisture levels and repair stressed complexions. I've only used this once and I'm still not really sure how I feel about it, or if it made a difference. I'll keep testing! 

These aren't anything new but Himself bought me the full Crayola box set of the Clinique chubby sticks last year (I couldn't get them anywhere and he presented them to me on anniversary. He's kind of a legend) and I've been using these two a little more than the others of late. Red Violet is a plummy shade while Mauvelous is a perfect nude pink for daytime. These are both nicely moisturising with a slick of colour, if you don't like a full-on lipstick, these are perfect for you. 

Have you tried any of these?

Any personal favourites amongst this lot?

XX