Empties 2017 pt. 2

Hey guys. I hope everyone is well and hasn't melted in this heatwave we are having. Today's post is my second empties of the year. I try to do one every 3 months and with the year half way over we are due another post. As usual I will give ye a little description on the products as well as my thoughts and if I would purchase or not. Enjoy!

Hair care

Lee Stafford Hair Growth Serum

I have mentioned this product in my April favs (link)) If ye have read that you will know I loved that product so much. I'm devo that I ran out, I would buy more but I'm on a spending ban (for now). This lasts me about 3 months and I put 2/3 drops in damp hair after my shower and massage it into my scalp. No joke baby hairs started sprouting around my hairline. I have thick hair but this made the thickness go to another level. I got the boyf into it too and he loves it.

Repurchase: YYYAAASSSSSSSSSS

Lush Cosmetics Sea Spray

This is a sea salt spray from Lush that is supposed to give you textured hair. You can spray it into wet or dry hair and scrunch for wavy hair. I took me well over a year to get through that. I worked for lush for a few years and I have used it on and off. I dislike this product so much. I kept giving it second chances but for €15 a bottle I'm giving up. It made my hair hard and crunchy but without even putting waves into it. Also on a few bottles I bought the sea salt clogs up the nozzle and the spray just squirts out, not fun. I recently bought the Penneys texturising spray and I love it. Also it's €2.50, I mean come on..

Repurchase: hell to the naaahhhh

Skincare

Benefits It's Potent Eye Cream

A lot of people don't know that Benefit Cosmetics have a skincare range. It was only when I worked for Benefit that I came across this eye cream. Retailing for a whopping €32.50 it's pricey. I bought this mini in boots for €6 and it has last me about 6 weeks. Hands down this is the best eye cream I've used. It improved my dark circles so much I looked more rested than sleeping beauty herself. I would recommend getting the mini first to try but you'll be pleasantly surprised.

Repurchase: Yes! And if anyone wants to buy me the full size one I won't stop ya!

Balance Me Restore and Replenish Cream Cleanser.

This is a Cream cleanser suitable for all skin types promoting collagen in the skin and leaving you feeling soft and not stripped. I bought this in Tk Maxx for €9.99 but it retails normally for €25 and you can get it in M&S. In typical Tk Maxx fashion I haven't seen another bottle since the one I bought. It last me about three months and I loved every bit of it. It improved my skin so much and I had such soft and clear skin from it. Apparently Emma Watson uses it and if it's good for Emma it's good for me.

Repurchase: Yes!

Evoluderm Hyaluronic Anti Age Toner

Another Tk Maxx purchase. I recently have been interested in anything that is anti aging so when I saw this I thought I'd give it a go. It's a toner in an aerosol form. It was so handy to use. I love toners that spray out rather than the liquids you have to put onto cotton pads. It made my skin feel nice but nothing spectacular. I didn't see any anti aging happening after using it but I know these things take weeks to show improvements and I only had it for a few weeks.

Repurchase: yes but probably for convenience more than anything.

Penneys PS Love To Glow mask.

This is going to be brief as I have a blog post about this (link). I finished it a few days after my last empties post so I kept the packaging till now (blogger problems). We all know I love this and it's comparable to the L'Oréal glow mask. Cheap as chips but effective AF.

Repurchase: duh..

Body Care

Lush Cosmetics Snow Fairy Shower gel

Such a cult classic for Lush. Every Christmas it comes out. When I worked for lush I hated it with a passion but since I left I love it and it brings back happy memories. It's vibrant pink and smells like bubblegum, every 10 year old girls (and mine) dreams. The boyf bought it for me for Christmas and it has lasted me since then. I should have got more to last me the year.

Repurchase: it will be on my list to santa.

So that has been my empties for the 2nd quarter of 2017. I'm already finishing up a good few products as we speak so the empties might be back sooner than you think.

Thank you so much for reading!

Byeeeeeee :)

Empties.

Hey guys! Today's post is all about my empties for the year so far. If you don't know what an empties post is about, it's where I go through all my used up or "empty" products and give mini reviews on them. So these are my empties from January to March. Enjoy!

Hair

First we have Lush R&B. Ye are probably sick of seeing this on my blog but its amazing stuff and it still doesn't get enough credit. I takes me a year to finish a 100g pot of this so when I finish it I feel like it's a great accomplishment. I'm not going to bore you with the details, if you want to see a review of this just go to a previous hair care post it's definitely there.

Repurchase = YES

Next is another Lush product called Retread. This is Lush's heaviest conditioner. I bought a small pot when making an order online but I only think it comes in 250g pots in store (correct me if i'm wrong). I use to love it when I worked for the company as it suited my thick hair but the packaging makes it hard to use. You have to pour the pot onto your hand in the shower and it's hard to control how much product comes out. Also if you get water in it you're screwed. It's expensive too, which makes me mad if I accidentally spill some out of the pot, it's like money going down the drain, literally.

Repurchase = NO (unless it will start coming in a bottle).

Last hair care item we have is the Aussie Miracle Dry Shmapoo. It took me ages to finish this up but I persevered. It did the job but it wasn't anything spectacular. I loved the smell at the start but after a few weeks it made me feel nauseous. It's a bubblegum candy smell like they have in a few of there products. 

Repurchase = NO.

Skin Care

First skin care item I have is the NIP+FAB Glycolic Cleansing Fix. I love it! I'm already halfway through a second bottle. It has 2% glycolic acid which helps to brighten the face. It left my skin tone looking so even and brightened. I wouldn't use this everyday because it would be a bit stripping but every second day is fine. It smells so lemony fresh too. An all round good cleanser.

Repurchase = YES.

Sticking with the NIP+FAB theme we have the Glycolic Fix Serum. This has 4% glycolic acid in it. I'm not going to lie I saw no difference after using this product. I was very disappointed because I used it religiously until I finished it and saw no change in my skin. I really wanted to love this because I love the brands other products.Who knows maybe it might work for others.

Repurchase = NO.

Next up is the No7 Beautiful Skin Cleansing Lotion. I bought the beautiful skin mini set in the christmas sale and instantly fell in love with this so much so i went and bought the full size. I have raved about this on another post, however since then I'm not such a fan. I think when I bought this my skin was a little drier but not i'm oily AF again. It does nothing for my skin at all. I don't feel cleansed, I just feel like my skin is weighed down after using it.

Repurchase = NO.

Another mini from that set I finished is the Beautiful Skin Radiance Exfoliator. It was a good little exfoliator, it did the job and wasn't stripping on my sensitive skin. I've used better but I have also used worse.

Repurchase = YES (only if it was on sale).

Last from No7 is the No7 Men Anti-Shine Lotion SPF 15. I bought this last year for my holiday to Gran Canaria. I needed an SPF but I hate putting sunscreen on my face. A lovely lady in boots recommended it to me and it really worked. I didn't burn and I got a nice tan. Even for day to day use here it was brilliant, it mattified my oiliness and kept it at bay.

Repurchase = YES

The Simple Oil Balancing Moisturiser is another product I finished up lately. I have used this multiple times and I like it. It keeps me hydrated and mattified. If thats what you want from a moisturiser then this is the one for you, its simple but effective. I'm looking for something more now, I feel my skin needs a bit extra. All good moisturiser recommendations appreciated!

Repurchase = YES 

Last empty is the Elizabeth Arden Visible Difference Optimizing Skin Serum. I love love love Elizabeth Arden skin care products they just suit my skin so well. I got this mini in a set last year and I have been saving this serum for special occasions. It makes my skin look plump, hydrated and looking fresh. It's a lightweight serum so it suits my oily face. It smells divine. I'm going to start saving for a full size.

Repurchase = YES

So there you have it! Those for were my empties so far this year. I don't hold back at all, if I think something isn't worth the money i'm not going to recommend it. Hope you enjoyed and I'll have another one ready in a few more months when I get through my every growing product stash.

Byeeeeeeee :)

My Current Skincare Saviours

I think we can all agree that the holiday period can be really bad for your skin. Whether you are going hard on the chocolate and wine or stressed in the run up to Christmas, it can wreck havoc on your face. When I have a glass of wine in one hand and some cheese in the other, there's always a voice in my head saying "DEAR GOD STOP, THINK OF THE CONSEQUENCES". Do I listen to that voice?.. no! What I have learned over this Christmas is that with a good consistent skincare routine, I'm allowed to eat a little more junk without paying the price. Finding what suits your skin and being consistent is key. So today I'm going to share some products that really helped clear my skin up and kept my spots at bay. My skin type would be combination spot prone.

Cleanser

The cleanser i have been using the past few weeks is the Beautiful Skin Cleansing Lotion by No.7. I haven't used much of the No.7 skincare range until recently and i'm actually pleasantly surprised. I got the Beautiful skincare christmas set which came with a few minitures and it had this lotion in it. I immediately fell in love with it and ran out to buy the full size one. It retails for €13.00  for 200ml in boots. I got mine for €6.50 with the No.7 vouchers Boots give out. Seriously if more shops did money off vouchers i'd be like the crazy coupon lady!!. I like it for the fact it doesn't foam up but yet it gives a good clean. My Clearasil days are over, with those foaming harsh chemicals stripping my skin. I use 2 pumps and apply to a damp face. It might not feel as your are using much because it melts into your skin but a little goes along way. Its hypo-allergenic for us sensitive souls out there and it comes with a pump which is key for spot prone skin. I will be repurchasing!

Toner

This has made so many appearances on my blog before but with good reason, this toner is amazing. Its the Lush Cosmetics Tea Tree Toner Water. It has cleared up my skin better than anything i've used before. I spritz some onto a cotton pad and rub onto my skin after I cleanse. It gets off any excess dirt and oil, and the tea tree oil in it combats any breakouts. It retails for about €12.00 (ish) for 250ml and there's a mini travel-friendly version at €6.00 (ish) for 100ml. There are Lush stores in Dublin and Cork, or you can order online too. Every time i replace this with another toner i always end up coming back to it, it's just that good.

Moisturiser

Up next is probably one of the most important steps, Moisturising. I cannot stress enough how important it is to moisturise your skin. Everyone thinks (me included) that if you have oily or spot prone skin you shouldn't moisturise as it causes breakouts. This is so wrong. Applying the correct moisturiser daily means that your skin doesn't have to produce excess sebum after using your cleansers that strips the skin. That excess sebum causes breakouts. Sorry for biology lesson but moisturiser is key people! The one i'm using is the Elizabeth Arden Visible Deference mosituriser,

Its the combination one with SPF 15. I love it so far, it's light and sinks in very fast. It hasn't reacted bad to skin which is a major issue for me and skincare. I don't use it at night as it has SPF in it which can clog up pores when you sleep if worn overnight. I have been looking into more brands like Elizabeth Arden and Clarins who cater for more mature skin. Lets face it, i'm not getting any younger. I have the sample size which has done me for the past 2 months and i got it in a set for €12.99 in tkmaxx. I know the full size is in Debenhams for €21.00 on offer at the moment.

Serum

Serums are a new enough thing for me, but now since i'm in my mid 20's i need to be taking extra good care of my skin. I have seen this serum being mentioned so much on the internet i had to give it a try. It's the Vitamin C Skin Boost serum by The Body Shop. I bought it because it claimed to brighten up the skin and reduce blemishes. Well it does exactly what it claims. I've been using it 3 weeks and i've seen a major improvement in my blemishes and hyper-pigmentation on my cheeks. I mix a little bit with my moisturiser in the morning and then ill use 1 pump and massage it into my face before bed. It feels so oily at first but it dries down fast and soaks into the skin. It smells like oranges which is a plus! It retails for €23.50 in The Body Shop, but if you haven't already guessed I'm wise to all the bargains. I got mine for €9.99 in Tk Maxx. If ye need to find something for cheaper just ask me!

Mask

Masks seem like such a unnecessary step but i can't live without them. My name is Paul and i'm a maskaholic. The mask i have been lovely recently is the Dragon's Blood plumping mask by NIP+FAB. Once a week after i cleanse my face ill throw on this mask. I leave it on for 10 mins and then wash it off. Its a clear gel mask so there's no mess. I was a bit skeptical because anything that has such claims as "plumping" never works out. Now with this you are not going to get an instant face lift but it does give you a nice healthy glow and make the appearance of your skin look smoother. I put this on the night before I go out or have something on and the next day my skin looks perfect. Dragon's blood is not actual blood FYI. It retails for €19.99 in Boots. If you are in the mood to splurge it's worth it.

So yeah, that's my current skincare routine. It has really helped my skin over the christmas period to look somewhat normal. I do believe that you should spend the time and the extra bit of money perfecting your skincare routine. With skincare you pay for what you get. 

Thanks for reading guys!

Paul.

A Little Bit Of Lush Christmas!

It may only be October but Christmas time is well and truly underway in Lush Cosmetics and I'm not going to lie, I love it! Some beautiful limited edition products come out during this season and if you find your favourite buy it in bulk because before you know it,  it will be gone! As an employee of Lush we got to pick out one thing from each section, so I picked some old favs as well as new products I was intrigued to try. So I decided to make a post going through each product I picked, to give ye a feel for what Lush is offering during this holiday season. Also bearded men lovers, go in store and pick up the new catalogue!! A beautiful specimen called Andy Russell is gracing the cover with that gorgeous beard! beards + tattoos = can't even! Ok so moving on!

Bath Products

Ok so I don't have a bath, I do find it a bit like torture working in Lush with all these amazing bath products that I cant use, but luckily Lush is waaaaay more than just bath bombs! So when I was picking out my bath products I went for ones that would leave my room with beautiful fragrances. If you get them as presents and you don't have a bath put them in your wardrobe or your sock draw and they brighten up the smell! So I got one of each type of bath products that Lush has to offer, those being; the bath bomb, bubble bar, and bath melt.

Bath Bomb - Shoot for the stars

First of all, look how amazing this bath bomb looks! Blue, yellow, pink and silver colours emerge when you put it into your bath, leaving you with a bath that looks like something you would see in space! It has silver lustre and white stars in it too which gives you that cosmic effect! I love ho this one actually moves around the bath while it's desolving, mimicking a shooting star. The fragrance to this is the same as the Honey Bee bath bomb which is an all year round one.

Bubble Bar - Holly Golightly 

If you want a warm christmas scented bubble bath then this is the bubble bar for you. Holly Golightly is a cinnamon scented and generously sized bubble bar that will give you that christmassy feeling that everyone loves. It gives the water a nice deep earthy colour and with added silver lustre is shimmers in the water. Patchouli and clove oil make up the smell of Holly Golightly. It's shaped like a christmas pudding, whats not to love? Just break a piece off, crumble it under the hot running tap and there you go! You would get multiple baths out of this. If you like the sound of this but don't have a bath, don't fret pet!! Lush have a limited edition shower gel called Hot Toddy with the same warming fragrance.

Bath Melt - Snow Angel

Literally a sweet treat for the skin. It smells like marzipan.... sold! This is one of the bigger bath melts Lush has.to offer. Preferably for those who don't mind a bit of shimmer! As you can see one whole side of it is covered in gold lustre! It's full of fair trade organic cocoa butter to hydrate frost bitten skin. Fill your bath up with warm water, pop the melt in and let the angel do her magic!

As I have said if baths aren't your thing it doesn't matter because Lush cater for all.

Soap - Snowcake

If you liked the sound of snow angel but you too don't have a bath, be grand because Lush's popular soap is back. Snowcake has the same marzipan smell as snow angel. It is one of the most moisturising soaps ever and it leaves your skin smelling good enough to eat.

Shower gel - Rose Jam

It's baaaaaaaaaaaack! I'm not making the same mistake as last year and I am buying a good few large bottles to last me! From the popular bubbleroon Rose Jam, came the shower gel last year and it has become just as popular. A nice thick consistency with a beautiful rose aroma, it's unreal! It also has argan oil so it's moisturising for hair as well as skin.

Shower Jelly - Snowman

Lads, this thing is my most favourite smell ever! Yes it looks weird and it does feel a bit weird but that smell and how it works is genius. Its like the regular show jellies, lather him up and start washing yourself, simples! If anyone remembers the carrot soap from easter, it's the same smell!! I cant get enough of it! Its buchu (like a blackcurrant smell) and carrot oil in it! He is almost to perfect to use!

Body lotion - Celebrate 

Another reoccurring fav! Celebrate is back! This self-preserving body lotion is a god send for us folk who have the struggle of dry dehydrated skin on their body. It is fragranced with lime and brazilian orange oils which perk you up in the dull winter months. It also contains almond oil and cocoa butter to really nourish the skin. It's a rich one so a little really does go a long way.

Dusting powder - First snow

If you love the smell of Celebrate you should match it with first snow dusting powder to keep that zingy brazilian orange oil smell going. It is also nice to soak up any excess oils from lotions as it has cornflour and talc to absorb. It's packed full or sparkle to make you stand out and dazzle the crowd.

Face - Buche De Noel

Buche De Noel is back again this year and helping those with tired and dry skin. Similar to the other clay based cleansers, you take a piece mix it water and apply to the face. Having ground almonds to exfoliate, cocoa butter to soften and brandy to tone the face you'll be frost bite free!

Lips - Santa's Lip Scrub

I mentioned this bad boy in a previous blog post before, this stuff is THE Sh*t! It's cola flavoured, it

gets rid of the nasty dry skin on your lips and it moisturises them as well as having love hearts in it! Like well done Lush, it's a winner by me!!! It has caster sugar and coconut oil as well as having cherries and dates that give you the wonderful "cola" taste.

So that is just a little taste of what Lush has for Christmas 2014! There are tonnes more products to see and sniff if you come in store! There are two store in Dublin, Grafton St and Henry St, and one store in Cork. If you have any queries just ask below :)

Thanks for reading, byeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!

Henna Hair Dye: Lush Cosmetics Henna.

So I have been gone for a very long time, apologies! With moving from Cork to Dublin and moving jobs also, I found it impossible to do anything social media related!

In the time I was away I got my hair lightened, my fringe to be exact. I had visions that it was going to be white/sandy blonde and I was going to look so fab. However with my hair being dyed numerous times it was impossible to achieve this without destroying my hair, so my lovely hairdresser Nicky got me to a nice, golden colour which was a big achievement in itself!! I had this for about 5 weeks but without proper maintenance it was starting to get duller and with that came the "ginger" comments, there is nothing wrong with redheads, I am practically one myself, but its not for me! With this i needed a change! I had the going blonde phase out of my system and wanted my brown hair back in full! As my hair was pretty damaged from the bleach I needed a safer, nourishing way to dye my hair back! So I decided on Lush Cosmetics' Henna hair dye!

Before and After

Lush's Henna hair dye is a safe alternative to colouring your hair! I have used it in the past as it gives you rich colours without the damage! Conventional dye penetrates the hair shaft damaging it whilst henna varnishes the outer layer of the hair protecting it. Unlike traditional henna which is powdered, Lush Cosmetics henna comes in a block form. It's packed full of cocoa butter, essential oils and Persian henna to give it this block form!

The henna blocks come in 4 rich colours; Noir, an indigo black, Rouge, a vibrant red, Brun, a rich brown and Marron, a deep chestnut brown. For my hair I used 2 squares of Brun and 2 squares of Marron. Its totally ok to mix and match colours. I wanted a dark but warm colour so that why I used 2 squares of each. Depending on your hair length you might need to use the whole block, since my hair is short I got away with using less.

Now for the fun part, using the henna. What you will need;

• Henna (obvs)
• An old mixing bowl
• A knife
• 2/3 pairs of gloves
• Hot water
• Lush's ultrabalm
• A pot
• clingfilm (optional)
• newspaper

I didn't take any pictures whilst doing this process as it can get quite messy and I value my phone too much. There are step by step instructions on Lush's website  https://www.lush.co.uk/products/brun .

Also there are various videos on YouTube that you can check out or you can always pop into a Lush store for help.

Step 1: chopping up your henna. This can be done with a knife (if you use a grater you'll be there for hours, trust me). I find you can break it down further by crumbling it in your hands after chopping into smaller pieces.

Step 2: melting your henna. place your chopped henna into your bowl and pour a small amount of boiling water on top of it. Don't put too much water in, always start off with less water so you can add in more if needs be. Mix your henna with a spoon and after a bit you can check for lumps. At this stage I just mix with my fingers and break down any little lumps with my hands. You are looking for your consistency to be that of double cream.

Step 3; keep your mixture hot. keeping your mixture hot means it won't set in the bowl and lose it colouring ability. Setting up a bain marie (a hot water bath) means you can ensure heat is kept. Fill your pot full of boiling water and place your mixing bowl on top of this (like you would for melting chocolate!).

Step 4: application. So I might not be the best person to tell you how to apply henna as I literally pick up handfuls of henna and coat my hair in it. I've seen people use tinting brushes and such which would be good for longer hair, but if you have short hair like me just apply with your hands and esure you have every piece covered, simples! Don't forget to use Lush's Ultrabalm (their natural all purpose balm) to put around your hairline and ears to prevent staining on the skin!

Step 5: clingfilm (optional). If you want more redder tones in your hair cover your whole head in clingfilm (bar the face, you need to breathe!). For brown or darker tones leave the henna oxidize.

Step 6: Leave it process. Leave your henna on for about 2 hours. I leave mine on overnight whilst I sleep, its not going to develop after a certain length in time but the cocoa butter will still continue to moisturise your hair.

i look so full of joy :|

Step 7; Wash yo hair!. Wash it out thoroughly with a good clarifying shampoo, I find Lush's I Love Juicy to be a good one to use after henna. Dry using old or dark towels and voila! you have nice henna coloured hair!

I would recommend Hennaing your hair to anyone who is looking for a safe way to dye your hair. If your unsure, Lush can give you a free sample of henna to do a strand test with,

If anyone has any questions on henna and the dyeing process just leave me a message!

• Have a nice day please, byeeeeeeeeeeee :)