[Empties] August to October 2015

Hi lovelies,

It’s been a few months since my last empties post so I have accumulated a fair bit of products since then that I can’t wait to share.

Full sized products

Full sized products

L’Oreal Ombre Kit (full review here)

This product is so easy to use, I actually used two boxes to get my desired color. I applied the first box for 40 minutes which is the maximum recommended time but it wasn’t as light as I wanted it to be. I bought the second box a few weeks later and reapplied it for another 40 minutes. It did dry my hair out which was to be expected, but it also came with an amazing shampoo/conditioner which helped repair my hair.

Repurchase? Yes, if I ever want to ombre my hair again.

L’Oreal Elvive Anti Breakage Repairing Shampoo

I really enjoyed using this shampoo, and felt that it did make my hair a bit softer and healthier.

Repurchase? No, I would like to try other brands first.

Byphasse Cotton Pads

I love these cotton pads sooo much, the price is really good and the quality is amazing. I tried looking for them in Chemist Warehouse the other week and couldn’t find it, and I also can’t find it on their website anymore. Note sure if they have stopped stocking the brand!

Repurchase: Yes, if I can find them again!

Rexona Classic Anti Antiperspirant deodorant

I don’t have too much to say on this product, I enjoy using it and it works for me.

Repurchase? Yes.

The Body Shop Spiced Vanilla Body Lotion

I was really sad to reach the end of this, because it was a limited edition range purchased from a few years back. The scent was gorgeous and was so strong that it lasted for hours after. It also did a really great job at moisturising my skin.

Repurchase? Yes, if this range ever makes a reappearance.

MAC lashes

These lashes were gorgeous but are really expensive, I only ended up with them because I got my makeup done at MAC a while back and they’re only allowed to use MAC lashes if you want falsies as part of your look.

Repurchase? No.

Samples

Samples

•  L’Oreal Revitalift – I was part of the trial for this. It made my skin very soft and smooth, I may purchase the full size cream.
• Garnier Fructis Full & Luscious– This shampoo smelled AMAZING like my sister kept asking me why I smelled of lollies after I used this. I may look at purchasing this in the future.
• L’Oreal Elvive Extraordinary Oil masque- This made my hair feel really sleek and healthy, I picked up a full sized product as part of my recent Priceline Haul.
• L’Oreal Everpure Sulfate-free color care system- I loved that it is sulfate free, however I couldn’t tell a difference after using it on my hair. Probably will not purchase.
• Colgate Plax- Will purchase a full size.
• Vagisil wipes- I received these from Beauty Heaven, I’ve never used it down there and don’t feel the need to so will not purchase.
• The Body Shop Oils of Life– This felt lovely on the skin, I may look at purchasing this in the future.

That’s it for this month, can’t wait to see what everyone else has used up this month 🙂 Have you tried any of the products mentioned?

Fatima x

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Priceline Haircare Haul

Hi everyone! 🙂

I’ve been MIA for the past few weeks because of CPA exams but I’m done for the year now so hopefully that will mean a lot more time for blogging.

Priceline recently had a 50% off haircare sale so I used the opportunity to pick up on a few items. My hair has been really dry lately because of the ombre, and hasn’t been looking that healthy either. From the items below, I have only previously tried a sample of the L’Oreal Extraordinary Oil which I absolutely loved. I selected the items below because I liked the brands, will do a complete review once I have trialled them for long enough.

Priceline haircare haul

L’oreal Paris Extraordinary Oil 100 mL $9.99
L’oreal Paris Elvive Extraordinary Oil Nutrition Balm Mask 300 mL $4.97
Schwarzkopf Extra Care Deep Nutrition Intensive Care Mask 250 mL $4.49
Schwarzkopf Extra Care Ultimate Oil Elixir Conditioner 400 mL $1.75
Schwarzkopf Extra Care Ultimate Oil Elixir Shampoo 400 mL $1.75
Schwarzkopf Extra Care Ultimate Repair Shampoo 400 mL $1.75
Schwarzkopf Extra Care Ultimate Repair Conditioner 400 mL $1.75

There was a whole lot of new brands that I would have also liked to try like the OGX , Tony & Guy and Alchemy ranges, however I’m still a bit undecided if the more expensive products deliver that much more on performance and quality.

On a side note, I have committed to slathering my hair with coconut oil for one night every week and so far it has been working so well!! It’s a great way to bring life back to damaged hair and I’m also hoping that it will make my hair grow back faster.

I’m super excited to have a play with these new hair bits and report back on the blog.

What have you purchased lately? Did you get any haircare things in the Priceline haircare sale?

[Empties] April & May 2015

Empties 1-3

Two months after finishing the shampoo, I finally finished the matching L’Oreal Elvive Smooth Intense Anti-Frizz conditioner. Gorgeous conditioner, it left my hair super soft and frizz free. I would definitely repurchase.

I’ve been using the Lentheric I Love Vanilla since I was about sixteen, I always received so many compliments when I wore it because it was like a mix of vanilla/cupcakes/sugar without being overly sweet. Unfortunately this product isn’t easily available in Australia so I don’t think that I’ll be repurchasing it anytime soon.

I love my Dove soap and this was the first time trying their deodorant. I absolutely LOVE the can and the cause, but the product itself was a bit average. It did what it was meant to do but I somehow prefer the Rexona and Garnier deodorants.

Empties 4-8

I actually managed to finish a Maybelline Babylips without losing it! This one was the berry flavour, it did a brilliant job of moisturizing and I liked the color too. I’ve already repurchased it but in different flavours.

I received a sample size of the Neutrogena Hydra Boost, not sure if it’s just me but this product actually dried my skin out instead of moisturizing it. I definitely wouldn’t repurchase, I’m actually disappointed because I normally love Neurogena products.

The Covergirl Lashblast waterproof mascara is certainly worth the hype, I loved the huge lashes that it gave me. I’ve already repurchased this, but not in the waterproof version because I found it impossible this one.

I also got through my Braun Silk Epil wipes, these came with my Braun epilator. The epilator itself is awesome but the wipes didn’t do much to be honest.

TRASHED!

I had to chuck out the three products above because they’re around seven years old. In particular, the Revlon molten metal liquid eyeshadow was gorgeous! It’s such a shame that they discontinued such a great product.

What products have you emptied this month? x

[Empties] February & March 2015

This month I finished my L’Oreal Elvive Smooth-Intense shampoo, which was absolutely fantastic. I’ve been using Herbal Essences shampoos for the last two years which I really loved because they smelled amazing and were affordable. My scalp was becoming increasing flaky and itchy though, which seems to have stopped once I switched to L’Oreal Elvive. My hair has also been a lot softer and healthier, this is a shampoo that I would definitely repurchase.

The Body Shop’s seaweed mattifying moisture lotion has been my morning face lotion for the past few months, it left my skin feeling so silky and my makeup sat really well on top of it. I’m a fan of the seaweed range in general, so would also repurchase this as it worked well on my skin and didn’t clog my pores. The only thing I would change about this product is perhaps a higher SPF, because SPF 15 just isn’t enough.

I’ve mentioned my love for both the Trilogy Ultra Hydrating Face Cream and the Byphasse cotton pads in this post. The Trilogy product is a thick and luxurious cream which is easily absorbed and smells really gorgeous, it left my skin super moisturized without making it oily or breakout. I can see why Trilogy get such amazing reviews, their products really are superior. The Byphasse cotton pads are affordable and remove my makeup without disintegrating, I will forever repurchase these unless I find a something better.

Lastly I went though a few sample products:

• L’Oreal base magique
• L’Oreal revitalift magic blur
• Dr Lewinns day cream

I didn’t feel like the L’Oreal primer extended the wear of my makeup or made it look any better so I probably wouldn’t purchase the full sized product. The revitalift magic blur was okay, it was a one time sample so I couldn’t really decide if I liked it or not. The Dr Lewinns day cream was lovely, the sample size was generous and it felt good on my skin. I would have preferred it to have SPF in it though.

What products have you finished this month? x

[Review] L’Oreal Ombre Kit for light brown/dark brown hair

L’Oreal Preference Wild Ombres Dip Dye Hair Kit No. 1

Ombre hair is one of those things that I have always adored, there’s just something about how effortlessly gorgeous and carefree it looks that appeals to me.  There are absolutely no rules for ombre which I love, you can basically go as creative, messy, glamorous or fierce as you like.

At the beginning of the year I picked up the L’Oreal Ombre Kit but then got my hair highlighted at a salon.  The kit has been sitting in my stash since then so I decided to try it out on my younger sister who’s been wanting to ombre her hair for ages.

The L’Oreal kit included  instructions, a mixing bottle with developing cream, a packet of bleaching powder, a tube of lightening cream, a tube of conditioning shampoo and a patented applicator brush that made things SO EASY.

For my sister’s hair, I chose to hold the brush vertically and apply the dye, which is supposed to give a more subtle and natural looking color. Based on the L’Oreal Ombre tutorial I watched, holding the brush horizontally would have given a more intense and dramatic look with a stark contrast between the top and bottom layer of hair. You can also do a highlighted ombre look, where you only cover alternate sections of hair.

The recommended time on the box said 25 to 45 minutes, we left hers on for 35 minutes because I was afraid of her hair turning too blonde.

The final result was pretty awesome, she loves her new hair and hasn’t complained of it turning to straw yet 😉 The kit was SUPER EASY to use and it’s really hard to mess up.

I’m still considering an ombre for myself, if I ever take the plunge..you’ll hear it first here ♥

Fatima xx

[Empties] January 2014

Happy Sunday to my beautiful followers! Today I have my first ever empties post. Unfortunately I don’t seem to go through a lot of products so my empties posts are probably going to be really short.

The Body Shop Vitamin C Cleansing Facial Polish

The product has a citrus scent which is really refreshing to use in the mornings. It leaves the skin feeling fresh and clean without being drying. The beads are a great exfoliant and is soft enough for daily use.

Repurchase? Yes

Maybelline Hyperglossy Liquid Eyeliner

The writing on the packaging has completed faded for some reason. This was a good liquid eyeliner, very pigmented and lasted all day without smudging and fading. I’m not too keen on is the brush, it’s tricky to use and started fraying after around five months. But overall, it’s an affordable product and gives good results.

Repurchase? Maybe

Revlon ColorStay Liquid Eyeliner

Highly pigmented, easy to use and lasts all day. The only downside is that this eyeliner is a bit on the pricey side compared to other brands I’ve used.

Repurchase? Already repurchased.

The Body Shop Ginger Sparkle Home Fragrance

I adore scented candles and home fragrances and this was the perfect addition to my collection. You can pick these up for around $6 on sale and they really give the room an amazing scent.

Repurchase? Already repurchased.

The Body Shop Born Lippy lipbalm in strawberry

Yay! I’m so proud of myself for actually finishing a lip product, even though it did take me two years haha. I love this lipbalm, it leaves my lips so soft and smells so yummy.

Repurchase? Already repurchased.

Busby Pure Tissue Oil

I received this as a sample and the size was actually quite generous as you can see. It had a spray attachment which I loved, made application much easier. I’m not sure how much I liked the tissue oil though, it didn’t fade my dark spots but did help a little with stretch marks.

Repurchase? Probably not.

Clean & Clear Essentials Toner

I was expecting this product to dry my skin out but was pleasantly surprised, it had a lovely scent and felt quite nice on my skin.

Purchase the full size product? Maybe..I don’t really use toner though.

Palmers Massage Lotion for stretchmarks

I don’t really get the point of giving out a sample for this because it had around two uses which obviously couldn’t give me an indication of how well the product works. Also, the lotion had a medical smell that I found awful.

Purchase the full size product? No.

Palmers Cocoa Butter Lotion

First time this and I absolutely LOVE the scent! The lotion was also really good, moisturing and absorbed fast.

Purchase the full size product? Yes

L’Oreal Extraordinary Oil

This oil really is extraordinary, it took my hair from dry to healthy in a few days and made it so much easier to manage. The scent is okay, not exactly my favourite but I loved the results so not complaining!

Purchase the full size product? Yes!! As soon as I get through all my current hair products.

This post was longer than I expected, but I enjoyed writing it 🙂

Until next time!

Fatima xx

[Haul] South African shopping

Hi everyone!

My mum was recently away for a holiday in South Africa so I asked her to pick up some  beauty items. The strong Australian dollar meant that I paid much less for some of my favourite brands. For example, the MAC lipstick worked out to $19 and my Estee Lauder foundation was just $35.

Here’s what I got:

• The Body Shop Vitamin C Microdermabrasion
• L’Oreal Ombre for dark hair
• Neotrogena Visibly Clear pink grapefruit daily scrub
• Bionike defence b-lucent
• Woolworths caramel & cream body butter
• Woolworths vanilla & brown sugar hand and body lotion
• Woolworths berry crush whisked body butter
• Revlon colorstay liquid eyeliner [repurchase]
• MAC lipstick in Rebel
• Estee Lauder double wear foundation in bronze [repurchase]
• The Body Shop Born Lippy lipbalms in strawberry and raspberry [repurchase]
• Cosmetic holder

I requested most of the products above based on product reviews and blog posts that I have read. The Body Shop microdermabrasion and the Neotrogena scrub are supposed to be really good for brightening the skin. I’ve never heard of the Bionike product before but apparently it’s really good for removing dark spots. The L’Oreal ombre kit for dark hair is not available is Australia and I’ve been wanting to do an ombre for ages.

Please let me know in the comments if you want me to review any of the products.

Hope that everyone had an amazing Australia Day, enjoy the public holiday off!

Fatima xx