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 :)

March Favourites

Hey guys! Today I'm going to write about my March favourites. I haven't done a monthly favourites in so long. This is just a post about what I've been loving throughout the month of March, whether it be beauty or clothes etc

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First up is the Sensitive Scalp conditioner from the Brand Human + Kind. I reviewed this on a previous post (link here) so I'll keep it short and sweet. I've been using this all month and it has helped my scalp so much. As ye may know I went silver from root to tip this month and It hurt my poor sensitive scalp. This conditioner with its aloe vera calmed it down instantly and helped improve the condition of my scalp as well as my hair. Hidden gem there guys.

Another hair care favourite this month is the Provoke Touch of Silver shampoo. Anytime I go blonde or silver this is my go to shampoo. In my opinion it's the best purple shampoo around. It keeps my silver hair from going brassy between toner applications. A major plus is price, it's one of the cheaper priced purple shampoos in the drugstores. I'm just finished a big bottle and have a little sample bottle from Dealz. This is a perfect size for people to try out but and are afraid to commit to buying the full size.

My next favourite is the La Roche Posay Effaclar Duo +. I have this months now and I've only started using it religiously in the last 3 weeks. I was almost going to through it out because I saw no difference after using it in the past. This isn't an instant fix, you have to take your time with it. Now my skin is horrendous at the  moment as it's purging after the use of retinol products but this helps so much. It reduces the redness of any spots that appear. I pop a bit all over my face after my toner and before my moisturiser. One drawback is that it's expensive but a little goes a long way, well worth it.

Another skincare favourite this month has to be the P.S. Love To Glow face mask by Primark/Penneys. I have a review of this beauty on my blog (link here). This is one of the best dupes I have found in a while. Gorgeous glowy skin on a budget, what more could you ask for.

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Next is a body care product. I'm not one for spending time putting lotions on my body, I'm so lazy it's unbelievable but The Body Shop Black Musk body lotion is an exception. I'm obsessed! Any opportunity I have to put it on I will. I got the little travel sets in Tk maxx reduced to €1!!! Paul the bargain hunter strikes again guys!  So naturally enough I bought five sets. The smell is divine. It's earthy but still floral. They scent definitely lingers. I need to go to the Body Shop and get the full size ASAP!.

So that's what I have been loving in the month of March. I have picked up somethings in the last week or so that I'm trailing out and I know they will feature in my April favourites already so stay tuned for that. Thank you so much for reading.

Byeeeeeeeee :)

Review: Human + Kind Sensitive Scalp Conditioner.

Hey guys! Recently I met up with the lovely Roisin from Trends, Beauty and lifestyle Distribution. Trends are a company who work with beauty brands helping them to distribute their products in shops and salons around the country. Roisin has been working with  bloggers recently and when I saw she wanted to meet with more bloggers I jumped at the chance and emailed her straight away.  If any bloggers or Salon owners want to get in touch with Roisin and Trends you can contact them on 0858281813 or head over to their facebook page Trends, Beauty and Lifestyle Distribution. They work with amazing brands.

Roisin was so generous to give me a few products to try out from the Irish company Human + Kind. First of all can I say I love the ethos and the general branding of Human Kind. "Skincare with a conscience" is their tag line which I love. It means that their cosmetics are kind to humans, animals and the environment. As someone who has worked in a cosmetic store like this for years, it's refreshing to see Irish run cosmetic brand with a cruelty free ethos. This is a brand that is simple, natural and affordable, something that isn't that common in the cosmetic industry. If it's natural it usually is expensive or if it's affordable it's usually made with cheap ingredients. This brand has gone against that theory and produced some beautiful, affordable products.

One of the products given to me was the Sensitive Scalp Conditioner. I was excited to try this as my scalp is unbelievably sensitive due to having ezcema. It also doesn't help that I've been bleaching my hair a lot lately (It wrecks your scalp).  This product retails for a mere €7.95 for 200ml worth of product. I think that's great value as it's similar to drugstore brands but it's natural. Unlike most hair care Human +Kind don't use petrochemicals, colourants, SLS or parabens. Ingredients wise the lit isn't too long, some of the main ingredients include Aloe Vera to soothe the Scalp and a blend of oils (grape seed, cucumber seed and marigold) to hydrate the hair. It has a lovely light scent of apple which lingers in your hair.

So my thoughts on this product, I'm not going to lie I love it. I haven't reached for any other Conditioner since receiving this. Even though I have been always told not to use Conditioner on my scalp I think it's perfect to use on your scalp. It's so soothing on the skin, I always get itchy after the shower and since using my scalp is a lot less irritated. It doesn't make my hair greasy too and my god does my hair feel soft. I 100% would get this again.

Next week I'll be reviewing Human + Kinds body lotion so stay tuned for that. Thank you again to Roisin and Trends for giving me the opportunity to test out some fantastic products.

If anyone has any questions don't hesitate to get in touch.

Byeeeeeeeeee :)

Product Review: Primark's PS Love To Glow Face Mask and Serum.

Hey guys! Today I'm going to be reviewing the PS Love To Glow mask and serum from Penneys/Primark. If ye follow me on instagram or Snapchat ye know I've been reviewing these items the last few weeks. I heard that the mask was a dupe for the L'Oréal Pure Clay glow mask so I had to see if it's true. The Penneys mask retails €3.50 and the L'Oréal mask usually retails for around the €11 mark. Your know me and bargains, if there's one to be had I'm all over it. With the serum I was looking for a cheaply priced one  and this one was under a fiver so I couldn't leave it there.

The packaging of the mask looks a little like the glam glow mask (a very expensive alternative ) with its smooth sleek jar. The colour of the mask is cool too, It's a silvery grey colour. It claims to have argon oil and Vit E in it which helps to achieve the glowy look. When using it I apply it to a cleansed face for 15 mins then wash off.  I wash it off in circular motions as it has a mild exfoliant in it. This is very similar to the L'Oréal mask where it also has an exfoliant.

What's the verdict? I love it! It is 100% a dupe for the L'Oréal glow mask. It left my skin feeling the exact same way as the more expensive mask. My skin looked brighter, more even and glowy. The light exfoliant removes dead skin the reveal newer brighter skin. I actually am almost out of the mask already but I'm definitely repurchasing.  If your strapped for cash or don't want to pay €11 for a face mask give the PS Love To Glow mask a go and you can spend the difference on a Starbucks or something!

Next up is the serum.. I'm not going to beat around the bush here, I hate it. I used it 3/4 times and after each use I broke out. I put the serum onto the high points of my cheeks, the temples and my forehead. Each place I put it on I broke out. The funny thing was that it wasn't even a heavy serum, if anything it felt just like a normal cream. A serum under a fiver.. I wasn't expecting a miracle but I wasn't expecting a breakout either. It's been 4 weeks since my last use and I still have blemishes on my cheeks. Now what doesn't work for me might not, not work for you, this is just my experience and a little word of warning.

Overall it was a mixed review. On one hand the glow mask is now apart of my regular routine and I'm loving the fact I'm saving money and on the other I have a product that I'll never put near my face again. More times than not you really pay for what you get when it comes to skincare but it's nice when you find dupes such as the mask.

Feel free to leave a comment below if ye have any questions or if there's a product ye want me to review.

Have a good day! Byyyyeeeeeeeee :)

Product Review: Crocodoil 100% Pure Face & Body Oil

Hey guys! I'm back again with another product review to share with you. Today it comes from the British company "Crocodoil". I was sent this product to try out by the lovely Barbara and Lloyd. I have such sensitive skin so I was well up for trying this product out and the fact it has such minimal ingredients I had a feeling it was going to suit me well. I will leave all their links at the bottom of this post. Also just a little disclaimer, these are my own views of the product.

I was sent this product over a month ago and have been using on and off ever since I got it. I received a small sample size of 5ml. When I saw how small it was I initially thought how was I going to give a fair review if I only had a small amount. Well let me tell you, a little goes a long way! The full sizes come in a 15ml pump for £23.33 and a 50ml pump for £41.67. A great feature it has, packaging wise is the pump, you can control the amount of product that comes out so you don't waste a bit. However the most important thing to me about this product was the ingredients. It only has 3, yes 3 ingredients! It has crocodile oil, vitamin e and neroli oil.

Ingredients

Crocodile oil: it is an anti-inflammatory, non-comedogenic (non-clogging), and hypoallergenic.

Vitamin e: it is so healing for the skin, brightens up pigmentation and is a big antioxidant.

Neroli oil: helps with scarring and it is a mood brightener.

Before

This was my skin before. I suffer from eczema on my hands causing them to get sore, itchy and flaky. Half a pump did both my hands. I have a feeling that sample will last me a good long while. The oil absorbs almost instantly. It is a dry oil so it doesn't leave the skin sticky. Definitely a product for a person on to go and doesn't have "drying" time. The scent is amazing! To me it smells like grass, not freshly cut grass but it reminds me of running through long grass in the summer.

After

This was my skin after using the oil. No joke, this was after one use. This picture was taken almost a day after the first picture. I couldn't believe it guys! The itchiness and flakes were gone. I have used over the counter creams, steroid creams and herbal remedies and nothing has worked like this. I'm using every 2/3 days on and off and it is keeping my eczema from flaring up again.

In conclusion I would purchase this product in the full size and as well as that I am interested in seeing how their other product would work out for me. If you have ezcema, psoriasis or any other skin issues I would 100% recommend this product! The following are links to Crocodoil's website and other social media 

Website /https://crocodoilskincare.co.uk/

Twitter https://twitter.com/CrocodOil

facebook https://www.facebook.com/crocodoil/

If you have any questions for me you can leave me a comment or send me an email at pauliebray@gmail.com. I hope you find this helpful and give their website a look you might see something you like.

Byeeeeeeeeee :)

Product Review: L'Oréal Pure Clay Glow Scrub

Hey guys! First off I just want to apologise for the lack of activity on my blog with the last 2 weeks. As a lot of you may know, we got a little puppy. Little Ellie is settling in perfectly but has taken up all my spare time! I'm writing this post while she sleeps. I'm not used to motherhood at all. With that being said I have a product review for ye today. It's from L'Oréal's new cleanser/scrub clay range. 

Previously L'Oréal came out with their clay masks that are very popular and affordable, now they have a range or cleansers, exfoliaters and wipes. I picked up the glow scrub as I used the mask version and I loved the results and I was also In the market for a new exfoliater. I got mine I'm boots for €7.99 for 150ml.

You use it like any normal cleanser/exfoliater, if you need instructions then shame on you! It's a red terracotta colour and creamy texture with an exfoliant added in. It's made up of 3 different clays to help absorb oils and brighten the skin. It smells just like the mask which is a pleasent light fragrance that didn't irritate my skin. There is 150ml of product In each tube which is great value for money as I feel a tube will last me ages.

Results?.. I love it! I bought it 3 weeks ago, used it religiously and I love how my skin looked and felt after each use but I can also see the long term effects. My skins pigmentation is more even, especially in my cheek area where I'd have blemishes left over from old spots. In my opinion it's not the most scrubiest exfoliater in the world but it does the job all the same and since it's not too harsh of a scrub it's perfect for those sensitive souls out there. One bit of advice I'd give when using it is make sure you use dark coloured towels when drying your face. I had a lovely white towel covered in reminants of red glow scrub and a very annoyed partner after the first time I used it. All jokes aside i would reccomend this scrub highly.

As this post goes up I have a facebook competition going on and this L'Oréal glow scrub is in my giveaway. The link is here to enter. (competition ends 17/02/2017)

Feel free to drop me a message if you'd like me to review a certain beauty item or if you want me to cover a topic of interest. Thank you.

Byeeeeeeeeeee :)

Product review: "The Cure" Tea Tree sheet mask.

Hey guys! Today I'll be reviewing sheet masks from the brand "The Cure". I'm a maskaholic, I can't go 2 days without popping on a face mask. They are the ultimate pampering tool.

The Cure have a wide range of their Collagen Essence face masks to choose from. The one I was drawn to was the tea tree one as this caters to my skin the most. It has tea tree and witch hazel to treat spots. They have other masks such as honey, co-enzyme and lemon, just to name a few. You get 5 sheet masks in a box and for €6.99 that's a bargain! You can pick  them up at most Tk Maxx stores.

I have been using them for the past 3/4 weeks, so 1 box should last you 5 weeks. They come individually sealed In a airlocked pack. I love that freshness with sheet masks because if someone tried to open it you'd know, unlike most drugstore face masks in tubes.

So for application I cleansed and toned my face as normal. I removed the mask from its seal and popped it on my face. The nose and eye holes give good direction on where to put it on your face. I hate saying this but it was so moist... *shudders* It was like holding a wet hanky but when on the face it soaked right in. I left it on for 20 mins and after removing the mask I massaged the remaining serum into my skin. Side note, you can't not have a sheet mask on without looking like Hannibal lector.

The results were amazing after the 1st use. It gave my skin this plump glowing look to it and the redness from my breakouts and blemishes were definitely reduced. This is definitely going to be a mask I used before a big day or night out. I'm excited to try others from their range. I highly recommend it guys!

If ye have any questions on the masks don't be afraid to ask!

Byeeeeeeeee :)