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?!

Chanel Soleil Tan De Chanel Bronzing Make Up Base.

Usually I wont bother with bronzer, apart from nights out and that sort of thing but this one was different. Ever since its 'Bronze Universal' days I've wanted it. I would perv over swatches online and drool over the packaging at Chanel counters but could never justify buying it for myself. Why do I talk myself out of buying something I really want? Its not worth my while, I always end up giving in in the end and this time was no different. I've wanted to do this review for a couple of weeks now but put it off as I wanted to be as fair as possible.

The texture is nothng at all like I expected. Its a mousse/cream/solid bronzer and I've honestly never used another product that feels even slightly similar. Has anyone ever worked their way through a full pot of this? The texture along with the pigmentation makes me think it'd be almost impossible to use it up, I've been using it for weeks now and the surface is flat, not a dent in sight and the pot is huge compared to products from other brands which makes the price a bit easier to swollow.

Looking at the bronzer in the pot there is clearly some shimmer but it doesnt transfer on to the skin at all. At first I used Soleil Tan De Chanel to contour with my Real Techniques Contour Brush - Some days I loved it, some days it just looked awful. I've never in my life had such a love/hate relationship with an item of make up, I just dont understand how one day it can look gorgeous then the next day I look like I've applied it with a paint brush and without a mirror. So the next few days I used it in place of blush and once again I loved it. It warmed up my base, didnt look orange and just made me look really healthy BUT, I went back to hating how it looked. I wasnt doing anything differently, this bronzer just has a mind of its own.

Chanel Soleil Tan De Chanel comes in one shade which supposedly suits everyone. I cant see how this would be possible though, surely its not going to show up on darker skin and on the palest of pale its just going to look too orange. I have to say I'm really disappointed, I dont understand how so much hype surrounds it? Yes, when it decides to work well it looks lovely but £30 for a bronzer that just looks awful most of the time? No thanks.

Have you tried this? Whats your thoughts? I'll continue to use it but no doubt I'll pick up a different bronzer at some point. I've had my eye on Nars Laguna for ages, maybe it'll be the one.

Something For Nothing?

As I'm sure you all know Origins were doing a trade in today. You swap an empty skincare tube/tub/pot for a nice new shiny 50ml Origins moisturiser. There was two to pick from but my mum was with me so she gave me hers and now I've got one of each. :)

Starting Over | A Perfect World £30 each (I think)

Had an email from Debenhams a few days ago saying they'd loaded an extra fiver onto my beauty card, I already had a fiver on it and needed a new Dylash kit so this was another freebie. Been using this for years now (only for my brows), its so quick and easy to do and has saved me a small fortune.

Eylure Dylash in dark brown £7ish

I was feeling quite smug with my freebies but then passed Boots and remembered I wanted to get some Real Techniques brushes. I wanted the buffing brush and the deluxe crease brush but they were both in different sets and I didnt fancy spending over £40 on two sets just to use one brush from each so settled on the kit containing the buffing brush. So. So. Soft. Why did it take me so long to buy these??

Real Techniques Core Collection £21.99

Then as I was about to leave I heard the Chanel counter calling my name, I tried to ignore it but it was too late. One minute I was heading towards the door and the next I was sat on the chair getting colour matched to three different foundations and asking for Soleil Tan De Chanel.

Soleil Tan De Chanel £29

How I went from being colour matched for foundations to buying bronzer is anyones guess.

Did any of you trade in your empties? :)