Shopping My Stash #5

I think this post should have been up last Sunday but my computer was in the middle of a meltdown so I carried on using the same products from the last Shopping My Stash post. For this fortnight I've picked out 5 products. Some are new to me, some I love and one I loathe.

Benefit BrowZings in 'dark': BrowZings was my favourite brow product for a long, long time. It contains everything your brows need in one compact: wax, powder, 2 brushes, mirror and mini tweezers but recently the Liz Earle Brow Pencil in 'Fair' knocked it off the top spot. My problem is when I find a product I adore I completely forget about other great products and let them go to waste so this fortnight I'll only be using this bad boy on my brows.

Soleil Tan De Chanel: I don't think anyone understands how angry this product makes me. I just don't get it. I don't get the hype and I don't get how one shade supposedly suits everyone. Sometimes it isn't noticeable at all on my skin and other times I end up looking like a clown. I really want to love Soleil Tan De Chanel so this fortnight I'll be trying my hardest to turn hate into love. I always say this but if any of you have any tips on how to make this work then please let me know in the comments.

Armani Code: One of my all time favourite fragrances. Armani Code is instantly recognisable, comforting and the perfect winter scent. This bottle has lasted me an absolute age due to not needing to top up throughout the day. If you spray it on a scarf then wear it weeks later the scent will still be there.

Lanolips Lip Ointment With Colour & SPF 15 in shade 'Rhubarb'*: If you suffer from dry, cracked lips during the Winter months, get yourself a tube of Lanolips! 'Rhubarb' adds a lovely red/pink blush to your lips and makes them feel comfortable from the first use. I don't think I could ever be without Lanolips now.

Dove Colour Radiance Express Treatment Conditioner: I ended up with 4 of these when buying Marie Claire for the L'Occitane Hand Cream Freebies. I recently added more highlights to the midlengths-ends of my hair so have been opting for treatments with every wash over regular conditioner. I really hope it works well for me as it's alot cheaper than some of the treatments I've fallen for lately.

*PR sample

PS - Is everyone excited for I'm A Celeb tonight?!

Review: Milk_Shake Active Milk Mask

Milk_Shake Active Milk Mask £13.69*

This month from Hair.trade.com, one of the UK's leading online retailers of  hair extensions, hair care and beauty products I've been trying out Milk_Shake Active Milk Mask. Milk_Shake is a haircare brand which is new to me. I've never heard of Milk_Shake before and it's not a brand I've ever spotted on the highstreet so I was interested to see how well it worked. I'm really fussy when it comes to hair masks/treatments and the majority do little to help my long, thick, over processed hair. One of the things I dislike about hair masks is having to wait 20-30 minutes while a the mask does it's job so the fact Active Milk Mask works in 3-5 minutes definitely appealed to me.

Milk_Shake Active Milk Mask is a rich mask based on milk proteins. It contains rice and avocado oils, Vitamin E and Integrity 41 (a special ingredient to help strengthen the hair). As I mentioned above, my hair is very long (mid back length), thick, curly/wavy and coloured. My mid-lengths and ends are very dry but my roots get greasy very quickly which is why I cant stand products that leave any resdue behind. Active Milk Mask comes in a 200ml pot with an easy to open screw off lid. The texture isn't runny but it isn't overly thick either like I expected it to be since it is designed to deeply nourish and reinforce dry/damaged hair. The scent is lovely, it smells like sweet cream and lingers on the hair all day. After washing my hair I wring out the excess water and apply a generous amount concentrating on my mid-lengths/ends and then skim whatevers left on my hands through the rest of my hair. I don't comb it through, I just clip my hair up and leave it to work it's magic for 5 minutes while I get washed. If my fingers can glide through my hair while I'm rinsing off a hair mask then I know it's good and that's exactly what I was able to do with Active Milk Mask. My hair felt like silk, it was easy to rinse and after straightening my hair felt so soft and stayed that way untill the next wash.

Milk_Shake Active Milk Mask is an impressive hair mask and one I would fully recommend to anyone with hair similar to mine but there is one thing that ruins it all for me - it contains parabens. If you're not bothered about parabens then this won't be a problem for you but I'm finding myself letting more and more paraben packed products into my routine because they just work so well (not the parabens, the products).

Have you tried this mask before?

Milk_Shake Active Milk Mask is available from HairTrade.Com

*Product sent for review

November: Used, Abused And Reviewed.

 

 

I get through quite a few products each month but I still dont seem to be making a dent in my 'pile of crap' Am I alone? Here's what I got through this month:

Boots Nail Polish Remover: I've gone through bottle after bottle of this remover. It's dirt cheap and I usually pick it up with my points so really it's free. I'm really not fussy when it comes to remover and would never pay over 3 quid for a bottle.

Repurchase? Yes.

Lavera Organic Coconut Dreams Shower & Bath Gel: I done a post on this back in July (link) I love that it doesn't contain SLS, parabens etc and it smells good too. It lathers well for being SLS free and doesn't strip the skin at all. Definitely want to pick up some other scents.

Repurchase? Yes.

Ojon Ultra Hydrating Conditioner: The price of Ojon products just baffles me. Yes the products are good but in my opinion they aren't worth the price tag. Ultra Hydrating Conditioner leaves the hair feeling soft and conditioned but after a few uses my hair was flat and felt loaded with build up. This bottle has been knockin' around for ages so I'm glad to finally get rid of it.

Repurchase? No.

Elemis Maximum Moisture Day Cream: I love Elemis but this is just an average product. There's nothing bad about it, It'd be a great product for anyone just starting off with a skincare routine but I didnt notice any improvements to my skin.

Repurchase? No

Elemis Maximum Replenishing Night Cream: Same as above really. It did a good job of keeping my skin moisturised but I want and need alot more from a night cream.

Repurchase? No.

Liz Earle Superbalm: This stuff lasts forever! It's a great multi-purpose product that can be used on elbows, feet, knees, cuticles, lips or any other dry places. This came with a QVC TSV years ago and has served me well. You definitely get your moneys worth from it.

Repurchase? Yes.

L'Oreal Colour Riche Nail in Opera Ballerina: I adore Opera Ballerina and never shut up about it but as far as I'm concerned it's perfect. I just wish the bottles were bigger! (swatches)

Repurchase? Always.

Perricone High Potency Evening Repair: This is the only product from Perricone that actually makes a difference to how my skin looks and feels. If you have sensitive skin do a patch test first as it contains the highest levels of Retinol available in over the counter cosmetics. I did react to it but not too badly and I just loved the results too much to let it bother me. My skin felt smooth as if I'd just had a facial and when I hit my 30s I'll definitely get a full sized bottle. If you're bothered with lines, wrinkles, loss of elasticity, dull skin, enlarged pores or surface imperfections I really recommend High Potency Evening Repair.

Repurchase? Yes.

Aveda Smooth Infusion Shampoo & Conditioner: I tried these out on my mum a while back then managed to get my hands on a  few samples for myself but I'm still not impressed. You need to use so much product each time to get any lather and Aveda isn't the cheapest brand around.

Repurchase? No.

Avene Extremely Gentle Cleanser & Skin Recovery Cream: I liked both these samples even though I removed the cleanser with water and a flannel instead of tissuing off as instructed. If you have reactive skin you might enjoy these. The Skin Recovery Cream doesn't do anything other than keep your skin moisturised so it's not something I would use all the time but it's a handy product to have.

Repurchase? I'm tempted to purchase both for when my skin flares up.

Montagne Jeunesse De Clog Nose Pore Strips: I stocked up a few months back and go through a pack every month but this was my last pack. There's not much to say apart from they work and they aren't as painful to remove as some other brands I've tried.

Repurchase? Yes.

Barefoot Botanicals Rosa Fina Anti-Ageing Day Cream*: I'm a huge fan of Barefoot Botanicals skin care. All the products are packed full of lovely ingredients and don't contain any parabens or other nasties. I done a full review back in April if you want to read more (link). The cream is almost gel like and really hydrating without being heavy.

Repurchase? Not at the minute as I'm trying out a few other day creams.

Lierac Comfort Peel: This sample came months and months ago in a Feelunique Beauty Box. I only got round to using it this week but I don't have an opinion on it as it was such a small sample.

Repurchase? No

Iroisie Ultimate BB Cream: I didn't like this at all. The texture, shade and everything else about it just doesn't float my boat.

Repurchase? No.

Have you tried any of these products?

*PR sample

Review: Liz Earle Signature Foundation

I'm baaaaack! My computer broke again! I had some fella claiming to be from Microsoft ringing me constantly saying how my computer had such and such virus and asking for money to fix the problem. I have no idea if he was genuine or not but blabbing my card details over the phone isn't going to happen. Luckily a family member works with computers and was able to sort it out for me. I ended up with loads of malware/spyware/whatever (no clue when it comes to computer lingo) and I'm starting to think the 'Microsoft' man planted them. Anyway, I'm back with a review.

 Liz Earle Signature Foundation £21*

If foundation is your thing and you own enough to open your own shop you might want to stop reading and click the [x] at the top of the screen. If you've tried Sheer Skin Tint you'll know it feels abit heavy and tends to sit on the skin. I own it and yes I like it but because it's the type of base I need to set with powder I don't reach for it as often as I should. In all honesty I expected the Signature Foundation to be very similar but with more coverage and I more than likely wouldn't have tried it if it wasn't for this sample.

There's 9 shades of Signature Foundation in total, you can view them here. I went for '03 Nude' which should suit the majority of caucasian skin tones. Whatever shade you think is going to match, go a shade lighter. '03 Nude' is darker than my natural skin tone but as I've said before, I always go a bit darker then bronze my neck up or slap on some tan (I know I should just wear shades that match but I don't.) Signature Foundation Oxidizes on me slightly within 5 minutes but I actually prefer how it look's. So again, go a shade lighter than you usually would.

One pump is all you need to cover your entire face. I apply it with my Real Techniques Buffing Brush and it goes on so smoothly with a perfectly even finish. I dont have to blend it out with my fingers after buffing so it's a great one to use in a rush. You're left with a dewy glow along the high points of your face but it sets quickly. You can't feel it sitting on your skin and it doesn't feel tacky at all. I would say the coverage is medium. It's not quite full but offers alot more coverage than I expected it to and I didnt have to conceal any areas other than my under eyes. My t-zone can get a wee bit oily as the day goes on but I didn't set Signature Foundation with powder as I wanted to see how well it lasted on its own (I didn't use primer/setting spray either) I was able to get by the 8 hour mark before the dreaded shine kicked in but the foundation still stayed in place.

I would say definitely get your swatch on in store or try to get your hands on some sachet samples as it's really worth trying. It's a brilliant foundation. I found a sachet sample of '03 Nude' in my sample box, if you think it might be your shade let me know and I'll post it off to you.

Liz Earle Signature Foundation is available from LizEarle.Com

*PR sample

A Recent REN Order.

Having a look on the REN website always results in placing an order, doesn't it? I'm almost at the end of my Elemis Papaya Peel now and although the Gatineau Radiance Enhancing Gommage is my favourite out of all the chemical exfoliators I've tried to date and I would 100% repurchase, and recommend it I just fancied trying something different. I was going to go for the REN Glycolactic Radiance Renewal Mask as it seems to be the mask of the moment but I had a sample last year and I'm sure my sensitive skin didn't react to well to it. Instead I went for the F10 Smooth And Renew Mask which should suit me alot better as it's designed for sensitive skin but basically does a similar job to the Glycolactic Renewal Mask plus it's a tenner cheaper for the same amount of product. At the time I placed my order there was an offer on - free delivery for orders over 30 and 4 free samples. Free delivery gets me everytime so to bring my order upto £30 I added the Oat And Bay Conditioning Shampoo & Pro-Vitamin Conditioner to my basket. I hadn't heard of or read any reviews of REN's hair products apart from the reviews on the website when I clicked on them. The reviews were all positive but instead of going for the bigger sizes I went for the 100ml bottles to try out first. I'll be bringing these away with me in December and post a review after that. The 4 samples I chose: Invisible Pores Detox Mask - I've wanted to try this for a while now and I've read some great reviews. Glycolactic Radiance Renewal Mask - I've tried this before like I said but thought I'd get another sample while I had the chance and see if my skin can tolerate it any better now. T-Zone Balancing Day Fluid - I actually got this for my dad to try! :D I mentioned before that I finally managed to get him to ditch soap for cream cleansers and he's even admitted himself that his skin has improved so, so much. He's also obsessed with eye cream now and I'm forever decanting mine into travel pots for him but trying to get him to use moisturiser hasn't been so easy. He will kill me if he ever reads this! haha There was 4 free samples but I got sent 5 for some reason and the last two are the same product but in different packaging and with slightly different wording Vita-Mineral Day Cream/Vita-Mineral Radiant Day Cream - I didn't fancy any of ther other samples so just went for this. Moisturiser samples are always handy to have and hold quite a decent amount of product.

Let me know your thoughts on the Oat And Bay Conditioning Shampoo & Pro-Vitamin Conditioner if you've tried them.

Don't forget to enter my international REN giveaway here & BeTrousse giveaway here.

Review: Sarah Chapman Intensive Hydrating Booster, Overnight Exfoliating Booster, Skin Tone Perfecting Booster & Overnight Facial.

Carrying on from my post last week on 4 Sarah Chapman Skinesis products (link) This 2nd post includes the products which enable you to cocktail your skin care to suit your skins needs. No-ones skin is the same from day to day, mine definitely isnt so maybe that's why I love this range so much?

Intensive Hydrating Booster 5ml £9.50/30ml £57*: My cheeks get very badly dehydrated to the point were they get itchy, red, sore and hives pop up. They look constantly flushed and my pores appear bigger. It's really not a pretty sight! Intensive Hydrating Booster isn't heavy or thick. It has a thin, almost watery serum texture and can be slotted into any skincare routine and used all over the face or just where needed. I always mix one drop with the Age Repair Serum and slather it all over my cheeks before I apply moisturiser. Intensive Hydrating Booster contains Hyaluronic Acid (the ingredient you should always go for if your skin is dehydrated), moisture magnets and soothing rose water which plump fine lines. After only two days of using this my cheeks were almost back to 'normal'. They feel comfortable, the redness has died down and my pores look tighter. If you're happy with your skincare routine but suffer from dehydration definitely order the 5ml tube of this to try out for yourself. I bet you'll end up ordering the 30ml tube.

Overnight Exfoliating Booster 5ml £9.50/30ml £57*: Same as above, you can use this as and when you need it. Overnight Exfoliating Booster maximizes the skins own-night time cell renewal process. It contains salicylic acid and P Refinyl to reduce clogged pores and blemishes and tighten stretched pores. The non abrasive skin resufacers gently exfoliate while you sleep and you're left with brighter,smoother looking skin the next morning. You can really notice the difference when applying foundation. It goes on alot smoother and doesn't cling to any dry patches. It also targets fine lines, uneven skin and post blemish marking. I apply Overnight Exfoliating Booster three times a week (mixed with Age Repair Serum) to cleansed/toned skin before slathering on Overnight Facial or moisturiser. 

Skin Tone Perfecting Booster 5ml £9.50/30ml £57*: I don't really have pigmentation on my face yet but Skin Tone Perfecting Booster contains botanical skin brighteners and pigment lightening actives to target age spots, sun damage and discolouration. I can't comment on how well it work's for all of those but it helps defend against future UV damage, photo ageing and collagen degradation so I've continued to use it. There's anti-oxidants to soothe and protect the skins natural barrier, and my skin looks alot clearer. All the other products have worked wonders for me so I trust the brand enough to believe that Skin Tone Perfecting Booster is giving me some protection from future damage.

Overnight Facial 5ml £15/15ml £45*: The most famous product from the whole range. If you aren't familiar with Sarah's products you've still probably heard of this. It's the most simple product in the world (simple as in you just need to apply it) and gives amazing results! After applying any of the products listed above you finish of by massaging this gorgeous oil into your skin and forget about moisturiser. The oil isnt gloopy or thick, it's a cross between a serum and oil and feels like heaven on the skin. It is packed full of goodies to calm stressed skin, increase the life span of cells, brighten and firm the skin, and leave you with an amazing glow. On my skin it doesn't fully sink in, I'm able to massage my face for ages which helps it appear more plump. Overnight facial mimics the results you get from going to a spa and having a facial. The morning after using this you can see the difference straight away. It's not a product you have to use over a long period of time to see results. You will see how good your skin looks after the first use.

I almost never like every single product I try from one brand. I don't think it's ever happened before! My skin just loves this range and I really enjoy using the products - They're a pleasure to use, never feel like a chore and I really like how I can add the Booster's to give my skin an extra boost.

PS - My full size Ultimate Cleanse arrived today (it's part of my Christmas prezzie) and I'm so, so tempted to start using it now. Maybe I should set myself a cleanser challenge to get through all my half used cleansers by Christmas!

All products listed above are available from SarahChapman.Net

*PR sample

JĀSÖN® C-Effects™ Super-C™ Toner

JĀSÖN® C-Effects™ Super-C™ Toner £10.49

Over the last 5 years or so toner has had a place in my skin care routine. I have to be honest and say I never really understood the purpose of toner and after having a run in with one from Clean & Clear when I was around 16 I gave them a wide birth for the next lot of years. It honestly felt like I had used nail polish remover on my skin. Awful. Please, please, please don't use a toner that strips your skin. I know if you have oily skin it kind of makes sense to think anything that strips the oils from the skin is going to reduce the oil on your face but it does the complete opposite. Your skin knows you've removed every trace of oil and it's natural reaction is to produce more.

The main reason I use toner is to remove any last traces of cleanser that might be on my skin and because they supposedly reset the skins PH balance after it has been disrupted through cleansing with water. If they have extra skin benefits then that's even better. This one from JĀSÖN® is an anti-ageing daily mist, it claims to not only tone, refresh and purify the skin but it is enriched with Ester-C® and Vitamin C to help fight free radicals which contribute to fine lines. The scent is very fresh. For some reason I expected to smell oranges but it's just a lovely, clean fresh scent which isn't going to offend anyones nostrils. C-Effects™ Super-C™ Toner doesn't sting or leave the skin feeling tight in the slightest. It feels clean and fresh and preps the skin for moisture. Because of the benefits I'm guessing it was made with older skins in mind but it doesn't leave any residue behind which makes it suitable for younger, more oily skin too.

As with all JĀSÖN® products C-Effects™ Super-C™ Toner is free from ingredients such as parabens, SLS and Phthalates. The products are never tested on animals and the prices are very reasonable.

JĀSÖN® products C-Effects™ Super-C™ Toner is available from JasonNaturalCare

Do you use toner?

*PR sample

Don't forget to enter my international REN giveaway here & my BeTrousse giveaway here.