2014 Favourites: Part Two

Part two of my 2014 favourites includes skincare, haircare, and bodycare products (you can see my makeup favourites here). I'm probably missing something, but the ones above are the ones currently in my collection. I've given the full prices, but, aside from the Lush products, I've never paid them! They're on offer more times than not.

The Body Shop's Camomile Sumptuous Cleansing Butter (£12) and Silky Cleansing Oil (£10) have become my favourite cleansers. They remove makeup so well and leave my skin feeling incredibly soft. I find they both do the same job; they're just different formulas. The Silky Cleansing Oil is quicker to dispense, but the Sumptuous Cleansing Butter won't leak if you were to travel with it.

The other cleanser I've been loving is Lush's Ultrabland Facial Cleanser (£7.25/45g or £11.50/100g). Like the others, this is my second repurchase, and it won't be my last. Again, it removes my makeup well, and I can open my eyes without it stinging. It leaves my skin feeling moisturised, and my combination-oily skin would be fine if I didn't use anything else. It makes my skin feel moisturised in an ever so slightly tacky way, like I have actually just moisturised.

Another Lush favourite of mine is the Ro's Argan Body Conditioner (£16.50). This second pot was a gift I asked for, for Christmas, because it's expensive. It''s amazing, though. You put it on and wash it off in the shower, and you're left with moisturised skin, just like you would be with a body butter. It makes moisturising in the winter so easy (and a lot less cold!).

Another body product I've enjoyed using is the Imperial Leather Foamburst Luxurious Body Wash in Bewitching Blackberry & Wild Fig (£2.99-£3.15). I've tried all the scents, and this one's my favourite. I just love foam shower gels, and think these are a great alternative to the Rituals ones.

In terms of hair, the TRESemme Platinum Strength Shampoo (£4.99) really impressed me last year. I find most shampoos do the same thing, and as long as they clean my hair and don't dry it out, I'm happy. This did those things, but also made it feel incredibly soft, without weighing it down or making it greasy. The conditioner was also good, but I didn't even need it with this. I now have an entire draw of this range, which should last me through 2015!

The Naked Rescue Intensive Care Conditioner (£4.39) is still a favourite of mine. It smells great and conditions my hair like no other. The shampoo is also good, but can be a little too clarifying at times. The brand no longer has a website or social media accounts, but can still be found in Boots. I really hope they stay there!

Well, this is no surprise. The Superdrug Colour Effects Wash In Wash Out Conditioning Colours (£1.49) have been favourites of mine for years. Some of my most popular posts are of these, and they're included in nearly every Empties post. They just give my auburn hair that extra vibrancy, which I'm regularly complimented on. They've gone up in price to £1.49, but were recently on offer for 3 for £3, so I bought another 9 to add to my stock.

2014 saw me find a new appreciation for hand creams. My absolute favourites so far are the Figs & Rouge ones (£3.95/20ml or £6.95-£7.95/80ml), particularly the Cherry Blossom and Mango & Mandarin scents. I also love The Body Shop Hand Creams (£3.50), with Mango, Frosted Cranberry, and Vanilla Brulee being my favourites.

Finally, I'm never without a pack of Kleenex Shine Absorbing Sheets. They absorb any excess oil without disturbing your makeup, and I normally use these at lunchtime to freshen up. I don't think they're available in Boots or Superdrug anymore (I think they were discontinued), but you can get them on eBay and Amazon. I bought 5 packs for £3.49 including delivery (they used to be £2-3 individually).

Do you love any of these products?

Empties #10

Mitchum Pure Fresh Deodorant Stick, £3.20-£3.35/41g, Boots or Superdrug

I rarely talk about deodorant on here because there's not much to say about it, but thought I'd mention this one because it's my new favourite. It comes in a stick formula, which is my favourite, it smells fresh (and also sherbety?), and keeps me dry and smelling clean. They're usually on offer for 2 for £4, too.

Aussie Miracle Hair Insurance Leave In Conditioner, £4.49/250ml, Boots or Superdrug

A classic. I've been through bottles and bottles of this stuff. It smells incredible and leaves your hair feeling soft.

No7 Beautiful Skin Quick Thinking Wipes, £7/30 wipes, Boots

I would never, ever pay £7 for these, and I don't think anyone does. They're usually the product people pick up when the £5 off vouchers are floating around (which is regularly). They removed all my makeup easily enough and didn't dry my skin out, but then my Simple Baby Moisturising Wipes don't either (and they're a lot cheaper!). I've already bought another pack of these because I can get them for 42p with staff discount, but I wouldn't recommend them over any others.

Maybelline The Rocket Volum' Express Mascara, £7.99/9ml, Boots or Superdrug

One of my all time favourite mascaras. It darkens and lengthens my lashes, and doesn't clump, which is all I look for in a mascara.

Lush Whoosh Shower Jelly, £3.50/100g, Lush

I used to be a Lush Mystery Shopper, so bought this with the credit they gave me. It smells very fresh, which I love, but it's not something I'd buy again. It's expensive for what it is, and you end up wasting a lot of it. I can appreciate the gimmick, though, and think it's worth trying at least once!

Superdrug Face & Bikini Wax Strips, £4.29/20, Superdrug, review here

They remove the hair I want without irritating my skin, and that's all I can ask for! My hair grows so fast that I have to use these every couple of weeks, but I don't mind for the price. I usually buy them when they're on offer for 2 for £5 (which is now!)

Imperial Leather Foamburst Luxurious Body Wash in Moisturising Honey & Almond Milk, £3.15/200ml, Boots or Superdrug, review here and here

I love these body washes. I prefer the fruitier scents, but still enjoyed this one. It's slightly sweet, but still neutral, so I can see many people liking it. I usually buy them when they're on offer for £2, but definitely think they're worth the price.

Have you tried any of these products?

Huge Boots Haul!

1/2/3/4/5/6/7/8/9/10/11/12/13/14/15/16/17/18/19/20/21/22/23/24/25/26/27/28/29/30/31/32/33/34/35

Boots staff double discount happened, and this isn't even all of it! I've removed some presents and doubles from the photo, and I forgot to include the No7 mirror and foundations (which I paid pennies for thanks to clearance and vouchers). In my defence, a number of items above are Christmas presents for various people. I'm just going to talk through a handful of things because we'll be here for a long time else!

I'm not one for false lashes, but I had a few styes and started pulling mine out (I know), so needed something to fill the gaps while they grow back! The individual lashes have been great, and while they don't last for days and days, they look natural. I remove them every night like I do with any cosmetic. This would be time consuming if I applied a full set every morning, but I only apply a couple. The Naturalites (10) also look promising!

I well and truly stocked up on the Tresemme Platinum Strength shampoo and conditioner because they ended up being just £1.87 a bottle. It's definitely a range I'd recommend trying!

Original Source have brought out some body moisturisers, and I couldn't resist buying the peach and apricot lotion. It smells like a peach and apricot yoghurt! There's also a watermelon one, which I wouldn't mind smelling at some point.

29, 34, and 35 were on clearance in my store, so I ended up paying just 39p and 87p for them! Another exciting lip product purchase is L'Oreal's Colour Riche Exclusive Red Lipstick in Julianne. It's beautiful!

The Babyliss straighteners and Soap & Glory gift sets are for my mum for Christmas. She's only ever had mine and my sister's old straighteners, and her favourite colour is purple, so I thought the Elegance Pro would be perfect. She's not familiar with Soap & Glory, but after telling her a bit about the products and showing her reviews/swatches, she's excited to start using them!

Other points to mention: I'm excited to use the No7 makeup products (7 and 25-28) because they all have great reviews, I love the Laura Ashley kitchen accessories, and I don't know why I included the anti-blister stick and spray plaster. It must have been a long day!

Have you splurged recently?

Imperial Leather Foamburst Body Washes

Sweet Vanilla & Cherry Blossom, Uplifting Lime & Grapefruit, Bewitching Blackberry & Wild Fig

Rebalancing Green Tea & Jasmine*, Bracing Bergamot & Sea Minerals, Moisturising Honey & Almond Milk

The Imperial Leather Foamburst Luxurious Body Washes have appeared in a few of my posts now, and I've tried six out of the seven scents available (Spicy Ginger & Orange is the other). I'll admit that it was the packaging which drew me to these initially, and I'm sure you can see why! Before this range, I'd never really looked at Imperial Leather, and didn't even know they did foam shower gels. These foam shower gels create a rich foam lather, cleanse your skin, and don't leave it feeling dry. They're great for shaving, too. The scents smell just like their names, with my favourite being the fruity, and slightly warm, Bewitching Blackberry & Wild Fig. Sweet Vanilla & Cherry Blossom is delicately sweet and floral, Uplifting Lime & Grapefruit smells exactly like the name suggests, although it's not as zesty as other lime shower gels I've tried, Rebalancing Green Tea & Jasmine is fresh and floral, Bracing Bergamot & Sea Minerals is citrusy and does actually remind me of the sea, and Moisturising Honey & Almond Milk is slightly sweet, subtle, and calming. I'm hoping for new scents to be released in the future!

To accompany the scents, there's seven (easy on the eye) genies and short videos about them. The packaging reminds me of galaxies, but I can see where they're going. As Bewitching Blackberry & Wild Fig is my favourite, here is its genie (hello):

*press sample

Sponsored 

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?

Imperial Leather Foamburst Luxurious Body Washes

Imperial Leather isn't a brand I've ever bought from or shown an interest in. I didn't even know they did foam shower gels until these new additions caught my eye! And I really think the brand has done well with the packaging of these. They instantly caught my eye, whereas I never even noticed their other products before. I think they're going to appeal to a younger audience. Aside from the beautiful packaging, the product itself drew me in as I love foam shower gels. They were also on offer for £2 each in Superdrug (normally £2.99-£3.15). The scents are true to their names, and I love the ones I currently have. Sweet Vanilla & Cherry Blossom is subtle-y sweet with a hint of floral, Uplifting Lime & Grapefruit smells like lime and grapefruit, surprisingly! But it doesn't pack a punch as much as my other lime shower gels do. Lastly, Bewitching Blackberry & Wild Fig smells like its name, too. It's fruity, but comforting and warm at the same time. This one is definitely my favourite, closely followed by Uplifting Lime & Grapefruit. I like Sweet Vanilla & Cherry Blossom, but I just prefer fruity scents. In terms of performance, they do their job! My skin feels clean and moderately soft afterwards. Overall, I'm happy to have the Imperial Leather Foamburst Luxurious Body Washes in my collection, and will be repurchasing them once finished. I'll also be using them as shaving gels, so can see me repurchasing them sooner rather than later!

Have you picked up any of the latest offerings from Imperial Leather yet?

Unintentional Haul

An impulse buy here, and an impulse buy there, and suddenly I have enough to warrant a haul post! Small purchases are deceiving because they're cheap on their own, but they quickly add up to a small fortune without you realising it. I'm cutting down on these cheap thrills now. 4 days into August and I haven't spent a penny ;)

I met up with a friend on Wednesday who needed her Primark fix, and this wore off on me. Just a little. I bought a few pairs of underwear, with the pink and black lace pair being £2, and the other two being £1.70 each. I then picked up the bunny makeup bag for just £1 down from £3. I'd very nearly bought this before after seeing it on numerous blogs, so when I saw it on sale, I couldn't resist!

We then ended up in Superdrug, and the Imperial Leather Foamburst Body Washes caught my eye. The packaging is really nice, and I love foam shower gels, and they were on offer for £2 each, so I picked up a couple. If you've ever used a foam shower gel, you know how big and messy one little pump can get, so I couldn't smell them in store. My guessing paid off, though, and I love these two scents. They smell just like their names. Sweet Vanilla & Cherry Blossom is subtle-y sweet with a hint of floral, and Uplifting Lime & Grapefruit smells like lime and grapefruit! It's slightly more grown up than other lime shower gels I've smelt, though. Even though you can't really smell them in store, one bottle/can of Blackberry & Wild Fig had already been tested, so I decided to also have a whiff. I made a mess and ended up having to put the foam into my coat pocket haha, but it smelt amazing, so I think I'm going to have to go back for it. 

I've also ended up buying a couple bottles of the Bath & Body Works hand gels from eBay. The scents I bought were Fresh Picked Apples, and Vanilla Berry Sorbet, both of which were £2.84, including P&P (from here and here). I actually resent paying what I did, but one's for a birthday, and both are unique scents. I just can't help but think that they're only $1-$1.50 in America!

Next up we have The Body Shop's All In One Face Base in 02. Usually £14, but I paid £8.40 because of the 40% off code. I normally use concealer and translucent powder, but wanted something with a little more coverage. Nothing on the highstreet really caught my eye, so I went to The Body Shop's website where this had many positive reviews. I would never pay £14 for it, but then I'd never pay full price for anything at The Body Shop! They always have a code out.

Lastly, I bought Bourjois' Shine Edition Lipstick in 1,2,3 Soleil from ASOS for £4.95 (normally £7.99). I'd been eyeing this up, so when ASOS had an offer on Bourjois cosmetics, and I had a 10% off student discount code, I went for it. I've wanted a lightweight, coral lipstick for a while, and very nearly bought L'Oreal's Rouge Caresse Lipstick in Dating Coral, but liked the look of this better.

This time, I really am going to try and cut back the spending! Have you tried any of the products above?