Friday 31 May 2013

Chanel volume de Chanel

I am super excited about this little Chanel box!! I have no idea how this actually landed on my door step? I had noticed a lot of other bloggers had been posting about the Le Volume De Chanel mascara launch, I had even asked them how I could apply for one. I must of completed some form or clicked on something, but I have no idea where or when. I am so glad I have been able to try this out. I am completely in love.


 
 
 
Here we have Chanel's new offering on the mascara front. Le Volume De Chanel, what a wonderful design, formula and application. I have never had such full, long and beautiful lashes. I received so many compliments from others whilst wearing it. 
 
 
 
 
The attention to detail is amazing, this is only a sample and look how they have packaged it. A perfect box, it actually reminded of a pallet, with a mirror! I used the mirror the first time a slathered this beauty on my eyelashes. It seems a shame to throw the box out!
 


 
 
I like the mascara tube black, smooth and shiny. I just love Chanel's packaging, they look so classic. All black with that iconic Chanel logo. Simple but those words say a lot.






I don't normally like the plastic brushes, although I have not tried that many to be honest. There was quite a lot of product on the brush when I took it out the tube, this was not an issue on application, there was no clumpiness or lumpy bits.  My lashes looked amazing, really long and defined. I honestly looked like I had falsies on, I had no flaky bits or dark smudges under my eyes like some mascara's can leave me with. I am really pleased with the results and this is now on my wish list. What an excellent sized sample, I think this will last me for a while.


 


I would highly recommend you give this a go, if you are looking for full luscious lashes. I did ask at a few counters to buy this mascara and they were completely out!! Wow I predict this will be a best seller.



Jen x

Thursday 30 May 2013

Elemental Herbology

I have read lots about this brand and gazed at it from a far in Space N K many times. I had never had the pleasure of  anything until recently. Then all of a sudden I get 2 fantastic sized tubes to trial. I have enjoyed them so much and wanted to share the love.




Facial Glow Radiance Peel*
This product is fab, and when I say fab I mean fabulous! It reminds of other another very expensive product I own, I wont name that here as I don't wan to take anything away from this little beauty.


The formulation is creamy with embedded gritty bits, I take some product and gently buff into my skin. I leave it to work its magic for a few minutes, then I warm up a muslin cloth and slowly wipe my skin.


Cell Plumping Facial Moisturiser
First thing that caught my eye was the added SPF 8, every little helps yes? Reading the added extras to this cream makes me want to order the largest pot they sell! It sounds like a miracle in a pot.


The texture feels so light on my skin, it has a gentle scent and absorbs into my skin effortlessly.


These are bound to last me a while, what excellent sized products.


Now I have sampled Elementary Herbology I am eager to try more, I have fallen head over heels for the brand. Is there anything you would recommend?

Jen x

Wednesday 29 May 2013

Lush Soaps

I have been getting more and more into soap's at the moment having previously completely over looking them. Gosh I have been missing out. I had a chat with the lovely Antonia at the Leicester Branch who introduced some of Lush's best selling soaps.



Sultana of Soap*

This was Antonia's all time favourite soap Sultana of Soap. I am not a lover of sultanas, so this had in fact put me off. How wrong could I be! The soap was so creamy and nourishing, it literally looked like milk running over my body. It was funny actually, as every so often  I would notice a sultana floating in my bath!!



Just look at the little pieces of sultanas inside the soap. it smells amazing! Its looks good enough to eat, just like a piece of nougat. What a wonderful design, Lush has the best soaps I have ever seen thats for sure.




Porridge*
Another creamy soap, I used this as an exfoliating product. the soap has tiny gritty pieces embedded into the soap which made it the perfect exfloiator. The creaminess of the soap nourished my skin just when it needed it. I will be purchasing a large chunk of this little beauty rather soon.


If you are looking for a gentle, kind to skin exfoliator I would give this a go, it has worked wonders for me.


Dirty*
I love the scent of this soap, it smells so clean! If that makes sense? I was able to build up a good lather from this soap, and the colour from the soap was very pigmented. I really enjoyed using up this soap, it lasted a lot longer than the creamer soaps. Looking at the financial side of things this one works out to be cheaper.


Wow just look at the colour of Dirty!




I have really enjoyed trying out some of Lush's soaps. I would love to try out the rest of there collection. Everytime I go into Lush, my eyes are instantly drawn to the beautiful area where they keep the soaps. The store smells absolutley amazing, wow I love it in there. I also wanted to add all the staff are so friendly, they always have a smile on their faces. I feel welcomed and want to go back.





Jen x

Tuesday 28 May 2013

Ralph Lauren GWP

I managed to swing another GWP, so I thought I would let you know about it, just in case you wanted to get it as well??

It was my hubbies birthday on Saturday, I had brought him a few goodies to open on his birthday before we went shopping for more. On a recent shopping trip he had come across an aftershave he really liked. So on my list Vikotor & Rolf  #Spicebomb went.



I must add this GWP was not linked to Victor & Rolf, but I had asked for a free gift. Yes I know I am cheeky but when you are buying 150ml bottle surely you want some goodies??

The sales assistant was lovely and showed me all the possible free gifts to choice from. They had the men's Ralph Lauren bag as well but my hubby has so many now it seemed pointless to get another. So when I set my eyes on this cute little Ralph Lauren pouch and roller ball, I was sold!!




In the pouch you get this cute little roller ball, its Ralph Lauren #4. It is a little sweet then I am used to,  the only other pouch she had was yellow and purple is more my colour.

The notes to this fragrance is Oriental flower, wild cherry and purple amber. I am saving this for my holiday, I feel this will work perfectly in the sun.




I love roller balls, you can get what ever scent you care for in the states, I so wish they would do the same here. I would buy one in all my favourite scents!! Like Ellie Saab, Coco Chanel, Stella, Guilty Gucci to name a few. I love perfume, and I am constantly spritzing myself throughout the day.

I would always recommend you get into conversations with sales assistants, I have relationships with lots near where I live now, and they always look after me. I actually purchased this one in a different city, so it goes to show there are some nice counter assistants around.



Jen x
 
 

Monday 27 May 2013

A box of beautiful from Chele xxx

My dear friend Chele sent me this box of goodies, Chele has a blog as well chelenic.blogspot.co.uk
 A long time ago I sent Chele a few bits to try and cheer her up. She had not been feeling her best, she is expecting twins, so you can only imagine what she is going through. I did not expect any back in return, it was a total surprise when this huge box arrived by my postie recently. Honestly the box weighed a tonne!! It must of cost a fortune to post. I happy literally thrilled with everything in this box, thank you so so much Chele.


 
 
I am super excited to try the well loved Bioderma, I seem to be the last one yet again to try a holy grail product. There are so many products, where do I begin?? Chele you have spoiled me, thank you so much.
 



Just look at these eye shadows, there is about every colour you could ever imagine here. I will be playing with these sets very soon. There are lots of my favourite shades, the naturals.




My first Elizabeth Arden eye shadows, My favourite shades are on the right. I hoping to have a night out soon to create a smoky look with the quad on the left.




Eeeekkkk how exciting Chanel Ironque to add to my Chanel collection, this is a rare and extremely sort after shade. Thank you Chele, and a beautiful everyday shade from Nails Inc.


 
 
There are so many lip products, lipsticks and glosses in about every colour you could ever imagine. 



Chele knows me very well, I absolutely love everything from Cath Kidston. just look at the cute little hand cream, its perfect for popping into my work handbag. It smells amazing just like a fresh bunch of roses. I love the shades of these Natural Collection lipsticks, a baby pink/nude and a dusky pink. They both provide a satin/matte finish.



Look at the samples Chele added to my box, I love trying new brands, look out for my thoughts soon. I love the Rose bracelet, its so pretty and the glass beads shine dark purple in the day light. The Balmi lip balm has already been claimed by my youngest son! He loves how it smells and of course its black so its cool. His teacher encourages his class to take water and lip balms into class to keep them hydrated and moisturised. My son has attached the balm to his school zip up.

 
 
I am over whelmed with what Chele sent me, I love everything, I will let you know how I get on with them as I go through them. This may take soon time! Thank you Chele,  for the beautiful box you have kindly sent me.
 
 
 
 
Jen x

Sunday 26 May 2013

Haul (With a bit of Mulberry)

Today was my hubbies birthday (Happy birthday sweetheart) and our 12 year wedding anniversary, we went out for a little shopping, the weather has been amazing! The sun has been out shining down on us, I have had the best day. I am only showing the bits I got as this blog is for girls only! No boys allowed.



I have been extremely lucky with this find! I am able to fit into children sized shoes most of the time, and today I found some lovely D&G flip flops for an absolute steal at £21.00 each, hence I brought both colours. I do love a pair of flip flops on my holidays.




I also like the zip bags they are sold in, they will be fab for organising and using for my travels.






I love Cath Kidston, as you are properly aware of by now! I have lots of pieces from her range. Today I brought 2 more tea towels I find them useful for my blogging I sometimes use them for my back grounds. What a bargain at £4.00 each.




I found this cute little laundry bag, it was only £6.00, I want to hang it off my bedroom door. I love the pattern. Or I may use it for travel, I could keep things organised in my suitcase?? We will see, I tried to show you how big the bag is, lets just say its huge!




I own a few bags from Cath Kidston, cotton and oil cloth and love them all. They wear well and look super pretty. Today there was a sale on their cotton bags, they had gone down from £16.00 to £10.00 and then had an additional 20% off making them £8.00! Wow, I had to get 2. They had lots of colours and patterns to chose from, these are the ones I liked best.




I had a chat with one of the sales assistants today in fact she was the one who told me about all the extra discounted items. I was lost for words when she told me how much these were going for. I already own this pattern in this pouch and love the baby pink colour. These had gone down from £8.00 to £4.00 and then down to £1.60 OMG. I had to pick a few up, I though maybe friends might want one? Or I could use them as gifts, I thought about adding some nice make up inside etc?? What do you think??




I nipped in the CCO, I love going into this shop although today was extremely busy. I had tired the Bobbi Brown BB cream before and loved it. I noticed it has SPF 35 was included in the balm and thought it would be great for summer time and for £19.75 how could I refuse. I have been looking for a new concealer for ages, Origins had this one for £11.25, I have heard positive reviews about it so I am giving it a go. Mac had a huge display, lots of previous collections and products they still sell. This confuses me, they had popular items that are cults products there today for a few ££. I selected a Mineralize Eye Shadow #Love Conne for £11.75 and Extra Dimension Eye Shadow #Stolen Moment for £11.75. I had a quick swatch in the store today, oh my they are beautiful and just my colours.




This little Mulberry bags makes my heart skip a beat, I love the store and have quite a collection of Mulberry items now. If you would like to see everything I have leave me a comment and I will write a post about them.



My wonderful hubby brought me two little things from Mulberry today to celebrate our anniversary.




First thing is this amazing hot pink phone holder, I actually already own a dark red phone holder, but when he spotted this he wanted me to have it. I love the colour pink and you will understand more in a moment.




I am thrilled with it, I love the colour, its perfect for summer.



Just look at this beauty, I have been lusting after a Mulberry pouch for a long time. I own a few leather pouches from American Apparel but this one blows them out for the water. I am going to use this a clutch for evenings out, it fits everything I need, phone (matching now), lippie, keys and money. I cannot tell you how happy I am to have this.



I am super happy to finally own a pouch from Mulberry, I must say Mulberry is one if not my favourite handbag/accessory designers. I love their colours, designs and look. They are just perfect for me, they are classic and never age. I have had my Bayswater for years now and you would never tell, it still looks brand new. I would highly recommend you purchasing from Mulberry if you want a nice item that will look amazing and wear well.



 
 
I must dash now, we are off out now. My hubby has booked a fabulous Italian Restaurant in the countryside, it is set in a breath taking setting. I will try to capture some pictures for you. I cannot wait, it has been an amazing day today, one will remember for years to come. Happy Birthday and Anniversary sweetheart ( I know you Will be reading!).
 
 
Jen x

Saturday 25 May 2013

Empties #3

There is something so satisfying about this post, when I look back over the products I have used up over the past month I feel shocked by the amount but also relieved I am making my way through my supplies! This is another long one I am sorry,  but there are some standout products here.

Dr Organic Shampoo
I brought this for my boys to use, I always use my beloved Moroccanoil shampoo and conditioner. I did however try this on a couple of occasions. Its OK, does the job and smells lovely. Maybe next time I will get a different scent to try?
Repurchase? Yes

Ren Moroccan Rose Otto Bath Oil
This is absolutely amazing, I loved every moment laying in my tub with this added, wow it was heavenly. This was given to my by a friend, its a travel size bottle but I still had a fair few baths out of it. The scent is soooo nice, and quite strong. I am hoping to buy the full size at some point. I am sitting here tapping away on my laptop and sniffing the bottle. I am keeping the empty bottle to up cycle with as well, its the perfect size.
Repurchase? Yes

Dr Organic Body Wash
 A nice body wash that lathered up well, it smelled nice just like coconuts. It left my skin feeling clean and smooth. I brought a selection of scents from this brand, I have the olive oil one left then I am out.
Repurchase? Yes


Weleda Lavender Creamy Body Wash
What a pleasure this was to use, so creamy and smelled super lovely. I really enjoy the floral scents. I actually shaved myself using this at times and it worked a treat. Its one of those products you can still smell on yourself hours later.
Repurchase? Yes

Garnier eye make up remover
I have been using this on and off for years. I usually snap a few bottles up when they are on offer. It does the job, but sometimes my eye area feels really oily afterwards as this is a 2 in 1 formula. I am not sure this is a good thing? It does remove all of my eye make up without the need for rubbing etc. I
would love to try a natural version at some point.
Repurchase? Maybe at some point.

Herbal Essence Hydration range
This has been hanging around my bathroom cabinet for a long time, and to be honest I just wanted to use it up! Its a nice conditioner, but not as good as my Moroccanoil, I am sorry.
Repurchase? No




Korres Jasmine shower gel
I like the brand Korres, they have some nice products. They brand there selves as a natural brand but I am informed they still put nasty ingredients into some of their products. I love the smell of this and the Fig one I used up last month. They are moisturising on my skin and do not irritate me.
Repurchase? Yes

Taag Micellaire water
This love affair has been going on now for some time, I was initially introduced to this product through a beauty box believe it or not! I absolutely love it, I use it as my first cleanse to remove my make up. I understand you can use it to take off your eye makeup, but I don't. It is a natural product and gentle on my skin, it leaves me feeling clean and fresh. I follow this stage up with my Emma Hardie cleansing balm.
Repurchase? Already have some stocked up!




Lush Bruche de Noel Facial Cleanser
Another winning product from lush, this is only stocked around the Christmas period. I highly recommended you give this a go when lush release this again. It has ground up almonds embedded and smells good enough to eat! I really enjoy using this, my skin loves it too. I use this completely different to the guided instructions but hey ho. Whilst soaking in the bath I apply a thick layer to my face and relax. so in effect like a mask.
Repurchase? Oh yes as soon as Christmas is here.

Liz Earle Skin Tonic
I am saddened this is gone, I could sit and sniff this bottle all day. It has the most amazing scent, I would love a perfume like this. I must get some more soon, I have been without this for a few weeks now, I need another bottle in my life as soon as possible. You will not be disappointed with this toner, its simply divine.
Repurchase? Yes

Sure maximum protection deodorant
I put this on my list to buy after watching a well known you tuber recommend it. Well if they love it, it must be good yes? Err no its horrid, it is truly awful to use, wear and does not work! How they can say its maximum protection? My normal dove lasted longer then this super strength version. I hated it that much I have thrown it out with product still in, I never do that so you can tell how much I hated it.
Repurchase? No




Origins Mega Mushroom Serum
Another sample I had lying around from my beautiful friend Soraya. I thoroughly enjoy using this serum, its just so expensive to purchase the full size. Hopefully one day I will.
Repurchase? Maybe one day

Sensodyne Toothpaste
I hear you, Jen this is an odd one to add? Well I think this is a miracle product, I used to suffer with a severe case of sensitivity. Honestly it was really quite sore just to eat a normal meal, let alone sweet or cold things. I was recommended to give this a go by my dentist, and I have not looked back since. It is on the costly side, but it works.
Repurchase? Yes

Green People Intensive Repair Shampoo
This is formulated for coloured hair, I highlight my hair so this appealed to me. It was nice to use, I just wished it was a little bigger to be able to test it out properly.
Repurchase? No



Lush
This pile of wrappers are from Bath Bombs and Bath Bars, I love them all. I have a large french boudoir style glass jar that is carefully filled with these. I break a piece off each time I take a bath. Which is 2x a day, I love to lay in the bath, its so relaxing and more so with a little Lush added! My all time favourites are Dorothy and Karma. I also like Brightside, Ickle Baby Bot, The Big Blue and all Rose scented bombs.
Repurchase? Yes


Lush Soaps
I wont go into a lot of detail here as I have been trialling a variety of soaps from Lush and they have their own little post coming up soon! The wrappers are from,  Figs and Leaves, Dirty, Sultana's of Soap and Honey soap.  Look out for the post of these coming soon.
Repurchase? Yes




Oribe Shampoo and Conditioner
This is a beautiful brand, left my hair feeling luscious, only problem was I hardly had enough product to wash my hair. I would love to try more of this brand soon.
Repurchase? No

Ark Hand and Nail Cream
A very small sachet, but was nice to use. Scent was pleasant but I was not blown away, maybe if the sample was a size I could have 2-3 uses from I would be?
Repurchase? No

John Master Detangler
I decanted this into a sample pot, it was 10ml so I got a couple of uses out of it. I loved the smell, wow it was super yummy. It left my hair soft and easy to comb through.
Repurchase? Yes




Rahua Shampoo and Conditioner
These have been hanging around in my draws since Boudoir Prive days!! A long time, I thought they was nice to use, my hair felt soft and felt clean.
Repurchase? Maybe

Faith in Nature Shower Gel
Tiny sample, I could only wash 1 arm so not enough to get a true picture. It was OK, I would like to try more.
Repurchase? No



Nuxe  Clarifying Cream-Mask
I don't think I have tried a product from Nuxe that I don't love. This is another winning product, I good quality detoxing mask that is gentle enough for sensitive skin. This smells of roses, fresh roses. I love it, I will buy this in full size one day, when I have used up some of my others in my collection.
Repurchase? Yes

Dr Bronner's Citrus Castile Soap
I own the full size of this product in Rose and Lavender scents, I must admit I prefer those to this one. I did not like the scent, it was not nasty, I just prefer others. I love the soap and use it to wash my brushes and me sometimes!! I will always have a bottle of this in my stocks, I was using this soap well before the hype started.
Repurchase? Yes I already have

 
 
Phew I told you it was a big one again, I wonder if next months will be as big? We will see, if you have done an empties post please leave me your link I love being noisy and seeing what you have been using, loving or hating!
 
Jen x