June/July Empties

Benefit Boi-ing Concealer

You can tell from the picture that I used every last bit! I didn't want this concealer to run out because it's amazing but also rather pricey. I reviewed it years ago when I first started using it and may be tempted to buy it again when my boi-ing samples have been all used up too.

Models Own Hedonist 

Unfortunately this isn't strictly an empty product. This was my favourite nail colour last summer and at the start of June when I was getting my toes sandal ready I headed for this polish and it was all dried up. Even adding some nail varnish remover didn't work so I'm left with a 3/4 full bottle that can't be used. 

Bourjois Toner

I bought this toner on Fragrance Direct because it was cheap but I hadn't heard anything about it. It's not very easy to get hold of and seems to be discontinued. It was an average product, quite handy but nothing impressive.

W7 Highlighter 

This product didn't seem to last very long but it was quite a good concealer/highlighter. I didn't use it daily, I preferred it for a 'full face' for a night out. I bought this pretty cheap from a random makeup stall and if I can come across it again I'd probably buy it.

Arran Aromatics After the Rain Shower Gel
I got this shower gel in a set for my birthday and was really quite impressed by the quality and scent. After the Rain was so fresh smelling and was a nice thick shower gel. It lasted for quite a long time and I'm tempted to look into other Arran Aromatics products.

Benefit Bad Gal Lash Mascara
Another product that's been reviewed. I liked using this on a daily basis as it wasn't too over the top but did a good job at making my lashes look long and dark. I would buy They're Real over this mascara but I wouldn't say no to getting my hands on the sample size again.

Pantene Repair and Protect Shampoo
I've bought this shampoo many times before. It's one of those products that I just buy in the supermarket as it suits my hair, is a good price and lets be honest is convenient. I'm not sure when I'll be buying this next because I bought a huge bottle of Joico shampoo from TK Maxx which should be lasting me a good few months.

TRESemmé Breakage Defence Treatment Masque

I did a review of this recently and you can see how badly the tub shattered in the picture. TRESemme read my review and were kind enough to send me a replacement tub which I was rather impressed by. I'm quite looking forward to using this conditioner again.

Wish, Want, Need: Click Fragrance

YSL Touche Eclat, Marc Jacobs Honey, Clinique Dramatically Different Moisturiser 

Victor & Rolf Flowerbomb, St Tropez Gradual Face Lotion, Jimmy Choo Flash

When an email landed in my inbox about Click Fragrance I couldn't believe I'd never seen the site before. The website sells brand name fragrances, skin care, cosmetics and hair care products at affordable and discount prices. Typically these sorts of websites have quite old products, often ones that have been rebranded or discontinued, but I was taken aback by the range of products. The brands available were so impressive and the 3 perfume brands that jumped out at me were Marc Jacobs, Victor & Rolf and Jimmy Choo. 

What's your favourite designer perfume brand?

When you go on a website like Click Fragrance what do you look at first?

House of Fraser Festival Hair

House of Fraser has a festival hair challenge on their blog just now and I thought I'd get involved. For me festival hair is all about the pleats and flowers so I've created a look for Friday, Saturday and Sunday to keep my hair looking festival ready.

Right now my fringe is growing out so that would be the biggest problem when it came to being at a festival with no shower or straighteners. So my day 1 hairstyle is all about getting it out of my face and under control for the whole weekend. I started off by straightening my hair with my ghd eclipse using a product like Aveda Smooth Infusion to protect from hair damage and to keep the sleek straight style in place all day. I did a french braid starting from  my parting and the base of my fringe, right down the side of my face. Add in a flower head band and I'm festival ready.

Onto day 2 and my second day straight hair is good with a bit of dry shampoo at the roots and some Adeva Dry Remedy Oil to hydrate dry end. To help control any flyaway or unruly hair I've added in another pleat. This time I've created a plait band across the back of my head holding down my sleek straight hair. This 'hair crown' has replaced my flowers and keeps fringe under control for another day of music and partying.

Last day of a festival and it's time to get a full hair pleat. My favourite kind of pleat is a fishtail braid so it was an obvious choice for me. Another spritz of dry shampoo will get rid of any oily roots and add a bit of volume. Rather than taking out my original plait (and risking frizzy lion hair) I added it into my braid creating quite a chunky, messy looking fishtail.

What products are your must haves for a festival?

Have you entered the House of Fraser Challenge?

Sk:n Clinics*

About Sk:n 

Sk:n is one you might have heard of before after appearing on Channel 4 programmes 10 Years Younger and Embarrassing bodies. I'd seen it be mentioned in Elle but needed to find out a bit more about what exactly Sk:n Clinics do.

With Clinics all over the country, from Aberdeen to Edinburgh, Milton Keynes to Brighton, including 9 in London alone, Sk:n is a well established brand with medal experts offering a wide range of treatments. Not only do they provide in clinic treatments but they also sell sk:n branded products online.

Product Range 

With categories such as sensitive skin, corrective ,anti-ageing and anti-blemish Sk:n have catered to all skin types and their products, though slightly pricey, are definitely high end.

They seem to have a whole host of products that are specific to different skin needs like Anti-Redness Face Cream and Skin Hydrator for Oily Skin.

  

Looking through the selection of in-clinic treatments there are loads for ageing and undamaged skin but the other ones that fascinate me are Acne and Rosacea removal.

Acne Treatment

Acne must be one of the most common skin treatments that affect people of all ages. Sk:n has 2 acne treatments types, adult and teen, which is fantastic for ensuring the treatment is suited to the individual skin type. 

The Acne treatments include a package of home care products, including glycolic acid, to tackle excess oil production in combination with a course of eight microdermabrasion treatments, to exfoliate the skin and unclog pores using micro-crystals. From someone who doesn't actually suffer from bad acne the prices might seem quite steep but I'd imagine that treatments from £61 must be worth it to achieve clearer and smoother skin forever.

Rosacea Removal

This is something that's definitely in my family, my Granny has very red rosy cheeks, and though my skin has red undertones I hope Rosacea isn't something that I've got. It's quite interesting to read about it and it's clear from the description by Sk:n Clinic that they ensure that the most appropriate treatment is selected through consultation. I'd be tempted to try out some of their creams and lotions or glycolic acid facial wash would help the redness in my skin.

If you've ever been to a Sk:n clinic I'd love to hear your experiences!

What's your biggest skin concern?

Would you consider going to a Sk:n Clinic?