OPI Steady As She Rose

OPI's Steady As She Rose is my most recent purchase from Fragrance Direct. At £3.99, I couldn't resist! Steady As She Rose is a very light, dusky lilac. I'm still getting used to wearing shades like these, but I like how clean they look. Two coats were needed on most nails to achieve opacity, but a couple needed three due to streaking. This could be an application error on my behalf, though. It's very similar to Models Own Utopia (swatch and review here), and I have comparison photos on my Instagram here. I'll probably be publishing a full comparison post in the next week, though, so look out for that!

Do you have this shade? Or shades similar to this?

Empties #05

Two Empties posts in a month! What is going on?! I must have been nearing the end of all my products at the same time. You probably won't see another for months after this.

The Body Shop Body Mists in Cranberry Joy and Mango 

I love fruity scents, so it was no surprise I loved these. I've already repurchased both! They're £7.50 full price, but there's always a great offer going on. I actually got the Cranberry Joy one in the sale, and there was a code on top of that, so ended up paying just £2.10.

The Body Shop Hand Cleanse Gel in Mango

I have every scent of these, and unsurprisingly, I finished the mango one first! Will definitely be repurchasing. They're £2.50 full price.

NSPA Lime Hair and Body Wash (review here)

Finally, a lime shower gel that's just as zesty, if not more so, than my beloved Original Source one. At £2 for 500ml from Asda, I'll definitely be repurchasing.

Witch Anti Blemish Skin Clearing Primer

I finally finished this! It seemed to last an age. I liked it. Makeup went on smoother, and it prevented the concealer from creasing around my eyes. I will repurchase, but would like to try something new first. It's normally £6.99 in Superdrug, but currently on offer for £4.66, if you're interested.

Naked Rescue Intensive Care Conditioner 

At £4.19/250ml, Naked conditioners are more expensive than I'm used to paying, but I love them. They condition much better than other conditioners I've tried.

Superdrug Colour Effects Wash In Wash Out Conditioning Colour in Warm Chocolate Brown (review here) 

Do I really need to say anything here? At least one of these little bottles is featured in every Empties post! Warm Chocolate Brown wasn't as intense as the others, but still made my hair a little more rich and vibrant.

Biore Ultra Deep Cleaning Pore Strips

I had these for ages, as you can see by the old packaging! I wasn't impressed. They lifted a few blackheads, but that's it. I was expecting more. I've also heard they can rip your skin, but I never experienced this.

Have you tried any of these products?

Revlon ColourBurst Lip Butter in Wild Watermelon

Let me introduce you to my first ever Lip Butter, and favourite product at the moment; Revlon's ColourBurst Lip Butter in Wild Watermelon. This admiration is unexpected. I've previously said how I prefer matte, staining lip products. I've also steered away from reds because I've never thought I'm beautiful enough to wear them. So, why I love this glossy red balm, I'm not entirely sure. Wild Watermelon looks like an orangey red in the tube, but goes on more pinky red. I think it's the perfect shade to ease you into the colour family. In terms of wear, it lasts a couple hours on me, and fades evenly. Since I've bought this, I've also bought Juicy Papaya. I think I wasn't interested in the Lip Butter range before because none of the shades appealed to me. These, however, are a different story. On a side note, Wild Watermelon notably shifts colour with different lighting and computer screens, so keep this in mind!

What's your favourite Revlon Lip Butter?

Recent Purchases

I wasn't planning on posting about these items, but was in the mood to blog, so here we are!

Primark bag - £12

I've never owned a formal bag, but with uni about to end and interviews about to begin (hopefully), I thought it was about time I did. I'd heard people talk about this being similar to the Zara Office City Bag, which I quite liked the look of, so decided to buy it. However, once in store, I wasn't sure, so left it. Then I found one I liked in H&M, but it looked very similar, and was £24.99 instead of Primark's £12, so thought I may as well get the cheaper of the two. It's smart, practical, and I like the texture of it. I've already taken the Atmosphere 'leather' tag off, though, because it just cheapened it.

Primark shopper bag - £1.50

Cotton shoppers are so handy to have around, and you can't complain for the price!

Primark white face cloths - £1.50, and duck egg 'luxury' face cloths - £2.50

I've started using Lush's Ultrabland cleanser, so was in need of some face cloths... there's nothing else to say here!

Superdrug Face & Bikini Wax Strips - £4.29 or 2 for £5

The only wax strips I've ever used were some ones I won in a giveaway a few years ago. I finally finished those recently, though, and was in need of some more. Lack of variety and mixed reviews left me undecided, but then I came across these. I'm hoping they perform well, but if they don't, I haven't lost a great deal of money.

Real Techniques Blush and Expert Face Brushes - £5.87 and £5.29 from Asda Direct

I use the Powder and Stippling ones every day, and wanted to try these two next. I couldn't resist when I saw the prices; so much cheaper than Boots. 

Revlon Lip Butter in Juicy Papaya - £7.99 from Boots

After falling in love with Revlon's Lip Butter in Wild Watermelon, I wanted to get my hands on this beautiful peach shade. There's currently a huge 3 for 2 going on in Boots, but I'm ever so indecisive, so just left with this. Will be kicking myself later, no doubt.

Do you have any of these products?

L'Oreal Colour Riche Nail Polish in 506 Exotic Grenade

I bought this shade from Fragrance Direct a few months ago, and have only just got round to wearing it! I wasn't expecting to be as impressed as I am by this little bottle. First of all, the brush is perfect. It's wide, rounded, and makes applying the polish a dream. I wasn't expecting this from the look of the tall, thin bottle. Secondly, the formula is great. It's smooth, streak free, and opaque in two coats. A lot of polishes I've tried are streaky on the first coat, but this wasn't, and I think this is mostly down to the shape of the brush. Drying time was also good, and greatly appreciated after the last polish I wore (It just didn't dry, and I woke up the following day sporting the duvet pattern). Lastly, the colour is beautiful. I love berry shades like this.

You can buy Exotic Grenade, as well as other shades, for £1.30 from here. Have you tried any L'Oreal Colour Riche Nail Polishes?

Lush Goodies

If you didn't know, I was a mystery shopper for Lush, but they decided to end the scheme last month, and as a good gesture, they added some extra credit to our accounts. I previously bought smaller items because I still couldn't bring myself to spend over £10 on one product. This time, though, I decided to buy a few more expensive things. I've tried most of their cheaper items anyway, and didn't want to buy any more of their bath products because I don't even have baths. I use them in foot soaks, but it's still not enough to use it all before it becomes old.

I spent hours and hours researching these products, and just when I'd made up my mind about getting one, I'd stumble across a negative review, which would make me doubt myself. In the end, I decided to just go for it! The majority of the reviews were positive anyway. Usually, though, when a product is so hyped, I'm left disappointed because my expectations were too high. I can see the same thing happening with these, so I'm not starting off with high hopes.

Ro's Argan Body Conditioner £15.95/225g - This is so expensive! And I can't help but think that I could've got a couple other products for the same price (even though there wasn't anything else I wanted). This is a moisturiser that you put on and wash off in the shower. Similar to the Nivea one's claims, but I'm hoping this actually works! I also bought this because it's described as smelling like their Rose Jam bubble bar, which I love. It does, but it's a lot stronger than I thought, and something I'm going to have to get used to. I'm still getting used to floral scents.

Ultrabland Facial Cleanser £6.95/45g - The pot looks small, but I can see this lasting a while. This is the product that had mixed reviews. People liked how it removed makeup, but they didn't like the smell, texture, or residue it left on their skin. I don't know what smell they're referring to, because I can hardly smell a thing, and same goes for my mum and sister. I can slightly smell bees wax, but it's ever so slightly, and not horrible. The greasy texture's going to be difficult to get used to, but I don't think I'll mind the residue it leaves. I cleanse in the shower in the evenings, and this will hopefully moisturise overnight, too.

Mask of Magnaminty £5.25/125g - I'm skeptical about this product because I've never come across a mask that's completely wowed me. We'll see. You get a lot of product for your money, though, especially if you compare it to the £1 sachets.

Dark Angels Face and Body Cleanser sample (£6.35/100g) - When asked what samples I'd like (I ordered over the phone), I only asked for Dark Angels, and now I'm kicking myself. It's because I was put on the spot and my mind went blank! Anyway, this was the other product I was considering getting, and am intrigued to try it.

On another note, I ordered on Tuesday with standard delivery, and it arrived Wednesday! Impressive. Have you bought anything from Lush recently?

Lush Rub Rub Rub Shower Scrub

Lush Rub Rub Rub Shower Scrub - £8.25/330g

I remember trying this out in store a few years ago and being left with a surprisingly soft arm. However, I didn't end up purchasing because it was too expensive for my liking. I had a gift card to use a few months ago, though, so decided to add Rub Rub Rub to my basket. Let me just say that I don't really use body scrubs. I prefer to just use exfoliating gloves or shower puffs. I also prefer them to be quite abrasive.

I love the scent of Rub Rub Rub. It's described as having a blend of 'mimosa absolute, jasmine absolute and oil, and orange blossom', but I'd just describe it as being fresh. The consistency is rather runny, and I was a little sceptical at first because I prefer my scrubs to be heavy duty, but this does the job well. You can mix it with water to make it gentle on the skin, or just apply it straight on, which is what I do. I'm left with notably soft skin. It smooths like a pair of exfoliating gloves do, but the oils leave you feeling slightly moisturised, too. I'm nearing the end of my pot, and would consider buying it in the future. I won't be running out to repurchase straight away, though, because I'm still not sure if body scrubs have a firm place in my routine. I'm tempted to try another, though, and see how I get on. A Soap & Glory one, maybe?

Windowsill Blossoms

My windowsill is full of colour at the moment. My cacti, succulents, and plants all seem to be blooming. The first photo is of one of my Kalanchoes. The flowers were white when I first bought them, but now they're a mix of white, pink, and yellow. I'm tempted to buy some more because they're just so beautiful, but I have no room left! The second photo is of the flowers in the plant selection pot I bought from B&Q. I thought they'd died a long time ago, so it was a nice surprise to see that they didn't! The third photo shows 'Herbert's' beautiful, yellow flowers blooming away. Since this photo was taken, he's sprouted another two! I was looking back through my blog and found a photo of him when I first got him. He's now at least 5 times bigger, which I didn't realise before! I don't know why he has a name, either. None of my others do!

Currently Loving #02 - Florals and Stationery

Florals and stationery... what's new? My Asda Direct order arrived yesterday, and I couldn't be happier with this bedding. It's beautiful, and was only £12! I also ordered another bedding set and a couple Real Techniques brushes because they were half the price you pay in Boots. I realised last night that I've bought three bedding sets, two throws, two fitted sheets, and pillow cases in the last month - Oops! I don't feel too bad about it, though, because everything was very well priced, and I hadn't bought bedding in months.

This diary and notebook set (which also came with a pen). My sister bought it for me for Christmas, and I love the designs. The best part about it, though, is the price - £1.99 from Card Factory!

Refills so I can use one of my favourite pens again! Both are from Paperchase.

What are you currently loving?

My Lip Crayon Collection

MUA Power Pout in Runway, Revlon Matte Balm in Audacious, MUA Power Pout in Justify, Bourjois Colour Boost in Peach on the Beach, Tony Moly Petite Bunny Gloss Bar in Juicy Peach, MUA Power Pout in Rendezvous, Revlon Balm Stain in Honey, Revlon Matte Balm in Elusive, MUA Power Pout in Broken Hearted, Soap & Glory Sexy Mother Pucker Gloss Stick in Fuchsia-ristic, Tony Moly Petite Bunny Gloss Bar in Juicy Apple, Revlon Balm Stain in Sweetheart, MUA Power Pout in Irreplaceable, MUA Power Pout in Crazy in Love, Revlon Balm Stain in Crush, and No7 High Shine Lip Crayon in Berry.

iPhone photo, natural lighting

Flash

I love lip crayons. I think it's because it was a lip crayon that got me into wearing colour on my lips (outside the house!). That lip crayon was Revlon's Balm Stain in Honey, which is one of my all time favourites. You can see that Honey and Bourjois' Colour Boost in Peach on the Beach are my most worn shades because the swatches are wider, and this is where I've completely worn down the points! I also love how balmy lip crayons are. Even the new Revlon Matte Balms feel comfortable on the lips, and I'm enjoying using them. I have yet to lip swatch these because of a pesky blemish, but will be doing so in the next week or so! You can find reviews and lip swatches of the others here:

MUA Power Pouts in Justify, Broken Hearted, Irreplaceable, and Crazy in Love

MUA Power Pout in Runway

MUA Power Pout in Rendezvous

Revlon Balm Stain in Crush

Revlon Balm Stain in Honey

Tony Moly Petite Bunny Gloss Bars in Juicy Apple and Juicy Peach

Soap & Glory Sexy Mother Pucker Gloss Stick in Fuchsia-ristic

Bourjois Colour Boost in Peach on the Beach

Let me just say, the camera really highlights freckles and hair! I didn't even know my lips had freckles on them until I started blogging. I also started waxing my upper lip after some of these swatches, so, uh, excuse the moustache ;) Oh, and on a side note, the MUA Power Pout lids are rubbish, so I wouldn't go trusting them in your bag! Also, the swatches above show just one swipe of each lip crayon, so you can see how pigmented they are.

Illamasqua Cream Blushers in Seduce and Dixie

Seduce, Dixie

Natural lighting, flash

I've only ever tried a nail polish from Illamasqua, and that was because I had an ASOS voucher. The products are more expensive than the amount I'm willing to pay for cosmetics. However, Illamasqua recently had a sale, and I couldn't refuse! I've heard plenty of good things about their cream blushes, so decided to buy Seduce and Dixie (after hours of looking at swatches and reviews!). They're normally £18, but were in the sale for £7.50. There was also a 10% off code floating around, so I ended up paying just £6.75 for each blush. Delivery is free, and I also got 56p cash back on each one - Result! I was intrigued by these because the formula looked similar to my beloved NYX ones; creamy and pigmented. Every other cream blush I've tried has been quite hard to touch, and requires warming up with your fingers before use. This means they're difficult to use with a stippling brush. Thankfully, these are like my NYX ones. They're not quite as creamy, however, but still impressive. On Illamasqua's website, Seduce is described as a warm, rose pink, and Dixie is described as a warm, coral pink. 'Raspberry' and 'coral' would be my descriptions. In the swatches above, I've swiped them with my finger, and then stippled them on so you can see how subtle and natural they can be.

Did you buy anything from the Illamasqua sale? Roll on the next, I say!

2True Nail Polish in Shade 17

This is my 800th post!

I spotted this beautiful, peachy pink shade in Superdrug a few months ago, and thought I'd give it a go for £1.99. The formula leaves a lot to be desired, though. It's sheer, so you need 3-4 coats, and rather streaky. It's also not fast drying, as it claims to be (UPDATE: I painted my nails around 2pm, went to bed around 11pm, and woke up with dents and smudges in my nails. Definitely not fast drying!). Still, I love the colour, and was instantly drawn to it!

Have you tried any 2True nail polishes?

Empties #04

Half of the products you see are featured in nearly every empties post, but I have some products that are new to the feature this time!

Imperial Leather Foamburst Luxurious Body Washes in Sweet Vanilla & Cherry Blossom and Bewitching Blackberry & Wild Fig (review here) - I love these. The packaging is beautiful, they're foamy, and they smell amazing. At £3, or £2 when on offer, they're more expensive than my usual shower gels, but I'd still happily repurchase them. Sweet Vanilla & Cherry Blossom isn't a scent I usually gravitate towards (I go for fruity ones), but this is beautiful and delicate. Bewitching Blackberry & Wild Fig is more up my street, and I'm tempted to stock up straight away, even though I have so many other bottles to use.

Naked Brunette Radiance Shampoo* and Conditioner* (review here) - Like I said in my review, the shampoo was okay, but it didn't do anything more than my cheaper ones do. The conditioner, however, was great, and was more like an intensive treatment. I've already purchased two more tubes of Naked's conditioners because my Alberto Balsams do nothing in comparison!

Alberto Balsam Shampoos in Strawberries & Cream and Coconut & Lychee - My go to shampoo brand. They're cheap and they do the job! My all time favourite scent is the Strawberries and Cream one.

Superdrug Colour Effects Wash In, Wash Out Conditioning Colour in Mahogany (review here) - Are you sick of me mentioning these yet? Since I used this one up a month or so ago, I haven't been using them, but will start to again next week. I remember going back to uni after using this a few times and a friend thought I'd dyed my hair red. It wasn't until then that I noticed how much of a difference it makes! As well as this, my sister's friend thought I was actually brunette and had just dyed my hair an auburn shade. I like dyed auburn hair just as much as natural auburn hair, so no complaints from me.

Cutex Nourishing Nail Polish Remover - Another product I've mentioned time and time again. Removes your nail polish and smells better than others. 

Soap & Glory Peaches and Clean Deep Cleansing Milk (review here) - This has since been repackaged, just to let you know. I liked it, but after using for 8 months, I became bored of it! It did its job, though, and that's all that matters. I'll repurchase, but not for a while. I fancy trying something new.

Simple Baby Moisturising Wipes - I use these for a little bit of everything. Taking makeup off if I'm not cleansing in the shower, wiping off swatches, and cleaning off any products that are looking a little grimy. They're £1.99 for 80, but they're often on offer for 99p. Even better, Lloyd's Pharmacy sometimes have them included in their '6 for £5' offer, and then my sister gets 20% staff discount, so I get 6 packs of 80 for just £4!

Nivea Express Hydration Primer (review here) - I believe this took me 14 months to finish. 14 long months. In the beginning, I loved it, but towards the end, I wasn't sure if it was actually doing anything. My concealer would also sometimes go bitty and roll off my skin, if you know what I mean. I thought this was because I was using too much of this primer and that I didn't let it sink in well enough, but then I went back to using my Witch one and didn't have this problem, so who knows? It's great value for money, though, and I think I just became too used to it to notice its benefits.

Have you tried any of these products?