I hate to say it, but where the heck did May go?! It seems like it was only a week ago I was sitting down to write my April empties post! I must admit I'm getting excited about getting out of this inclement weather and heading into some sunnier months. So here's my May empties and any repurchases I've made...

Dove Go Fresh Cucumber Anti-Perspirant

A bit of a boring one but hey we all use deodorant don't we? Dove Go Fresh Cucumber has been my favourite antiperspirant for the last few years, as the name indicates it's a fresh and cooling spray that does a great job of leaving you fresh and dry all day.

Toni & Guy Cleanse Shampoo

I use this shampoo, usually on my Sunday night pamper session, to help remove any build up of product from my hair from the previous week and give me a clean slate for the forthcoming week. This shampoo leaves my hair feeling thoroughly cleansed yet not dry so this was a definite repurchase.

Soap & Glory Clean On Me Showergel

This showergel has been a favourite of mine for a while now, the scent is gorgeous and it's one of the few in-shower products I've come across that doesn't leave my skin feeling dry. The huge 500ml bottle means it will last me a few months even with daily use.

Aussie Miracle Shine Shampoo

I love Aussie's hair products, they all smell divine and there's a treatment for any hair concern. Miracle Shine Shampoo has been a favourite of mine for a couple of years now, it leaves my hair shiny and feeling nourished. A definite repurchase.

No7 Beautiful Skin Foaming Cleanser

I used this cleanser a few years ago and it was a favourite of mine for a while, but then I had a bad bout of acne and the rest was history. I had ran out of my regular cleanser and decided to give this a shot again and quickly remembered what a pleasure it is to use. If you like a cleanser that leaves your skin feeling squeaky clean, fresh and nourished then this just may be up your street. I'm currently half way through another cleanser which I'm not so sold on so I might just go back to this one once I'm done.

The Body Shop Morninga Beautifying Oil

The Morninga range from The Body Shop is one of my favourite scents as it's so fresh and floral yet not in an overpowering way. This beautifying oil is one of the best body products I've tried, it absorbs quickly and leaves my skin moisturised and smelly divine. I'm working through some already open body products at the moment but I'm sure I'll return to this one.

Lush Cosmetic Warrior Mask

This is my all-time favourite spot fighting mask, the scent is a bit marmite in the respect that you'll either love it or hate it (I think it smells like garlic mayo!) but there's no denying it works fast on blemishes!

MAC Prep+Prime Skin

This primer has been my go-to for the last few years, it provides the perfect base for any foundation. I'm trying to use up some other primers in my collection before a purchase this again but this will be top of my list when I need another.

Batiste Savanna Mini

From a cute little travel trio from ASOS for only £3.50 this fruity dry shampoo was a pleasure to use. I can't actually find the full size version of this product online although it's no biggy as I'm not really torn by scents as long as the formula is the same.

Elizabeth Arden Eight Hour Nourishing Lip Balm

Unfortunately this will not be a repurchase, at £20 I expected it to perform a lot better than it did. I'm not a huge fan of Elizabeth Arden Eight Hour Cream (I know, shoot me) as I find it a little greasy and hard to work with and unfortunately this lip balm is the same, it sat on my lips and didn't really nourish them.

Phew! Any of your favourites here or products you don't rate so much?

My MAC Lipstick Collection | Part 2

Following on from yesterday's post with the brighter shades in my MAC lipstick collection today I'm going through the more muted shades in my collection. These shades are the ones I reach for more on a daily basis as they are are more toned down and easy to wear. So here's the second part of my MAC lipstick collection...

First up we have Faux the Kylie Jenner lip shade that everyone was donning last Autumn, I wore this shade for 6 months straight when I got it, it's just the perfect amount of pink and brown. Next up we have Patisserie which is no stranger, it's that perfect my lips only better shade and has been getting a lot of wear from me over the last couple of months. Thirdly we have Creme Cup, I must wear this shade more often as it's just the perfect pinky nude, I find this works best when I'm a little on the paler side. Next we have Angel, I loved it when I first bought it but nowadays I'm not so keen, I love the colour it's just this lipstick has a frosted finish to it which I'm not keen on. Last but not least we have Snob, this is a gorgeous blue toned almost bubblegum pink shade that is so fun to wear, another I need to break out more.

Which are your MAC lipstick favourites?

My MAC Lipstick Collection | Part 1

I seem to show a lot of enthusiasm and post a lot about the new products I add to my ever growing makeup collection yet I never seem to talk about the products already living in my collection. MAC lipsticks are a firm favourite in everyones makeup collection, they offer a huge spectrum of shades and enough finishes to please us all. So here's part one of my MAC lipstick collection...

Starting from the left we have Russian Red, a gorgeous deep red with blue undertones and a matte finish, this is one of my favourites for a night out as it offers that perfect timeless red lip. Next up we have See Sheer which is slightly muted coral shade with a glossy finish, I've just realised I've not worn this since last spring and I need to break this out more now the summer is approaching! Thirdly we have Ravishing from the Cremesheen collection, a lovely coral-orange shade. Morange is one that still scares me a little, I bought it at a point in my life where I wanted to be more daring with my lip colour choice and I must admit I have picked it up and been to scared to use it more times than I actually have used it. Last up we have Flamingo, this shade got a good amount of use from me last summer, it's just the right amount of pink with a gorgeous sheen to it thanks to being part of the lustre collection.

Stop by tomorrow for the second part of my MAC lipstick collection, the more nude shades.

Last Week's Most Worn

Hello lovelies, I hope everyone is well and had a lovely long Bank Holiday weekend off work, I was working (boo!) and it was extremely busy so I thought I'd share with you today the products I reached for most last week to mask my fatigue in the office.

When I'm feeling tired the last thing I want to to is spend 30 minutes on my base and strangely enough I find the more foundation I'm wearing the worse my skin looks so I start with Topshop Beauty Airbrush Primer to help shrink the appearance of pores and just smooth everything out and then I apply the seriously impressive Bourjois 123 Perfect CC Cream, this stuff does an amazing job of covering imperfections, evening out skin tone and leaving a healthy dewy glow. For my tired eyes I start with my holy grail eye product Bobbi Brown Corrector to counteract any darkness and then I use a light dabbing of Clarins Instant Concealer I also like to apply a little to my chin, nose and cupids bow as it leaves a gorgeous glow to your skin and brightens my face up. For cheeks I'm loving an old favourite which I dug out from my collection Bourjois Cream Blush 02 Healthy Glow, this colour blends seamlessly and lifts my whole complexion.

When I'm feeling/looking tired I like to keep my eye makeup quite fresh so I start with Lancome Base Paupières Pro to keep my eyeshadow in place and then apply a light sweep of the lightest shade from L'Oreals Color Riche La Palette Nude Beige being sure to apply in the inner corners of my eyes. I then like to apply a thin line of Illamasqua Precision Gel Liner to my lash line and the instantly brightening Rimmel Scandaleyes Waterproof Kohl in the shade nude to my waterline, this instantly makes me look more awake. For lashes I am loving Clinique Lash Building Primer to really add body and volume to my lashes and then finish with a sweep of my favourite mascara Lancome Hypnose. For brows I am loving Anastasia Beverly Hills Dipbrow Pomade as it has everything I need to quickly fill in sparse brows and stay put all day. To set everything in place I'm absolutely loving NARS Light Reflecting Setting Powder as it sets everything in place but doesn't take away the glow of my base and enhances the glow of my skin.

Phew it seems like a lot of products but we're actually talking about 20 minutes in the morning from looking half dead to healthy! Do you see any of your favourites here or anything you'd want to try?

Clinique Lash Building Primer Review

Clinique Lash Building Primer £13

Being a girl who favours a punchy pout over a bold eye I am always on the look out for something that will give my lashes a little more oomph. I've added Clinique's Lash Building Primer to my basket plenty of times when online shopping yet always removing it as I kind of considered it an unnecessary part of my routine, how wrong was I!

When I initially used this primer I was a little concerned as the formula looks quite a stark white on the brush however when you apply it it's noticeable enough to see where it has been applied yet not so bright you'd need 5 coats of mascara to cancel it out. After 2 coats of this primer and then 2 coats of mascara I am left with seriously thickened lashes! Clinique state this primer not only protects lashes but the formula conditions, which I can sort of agree with as my lashes don't feel dry or uncomfortable with it on. 

Have you tried a mascara primer? Which are your recommendations?

Real Techniques Collectors Edition Sculpting Set Review

Real Techniques Collectors Edition Sculpting Set £20.99

Who isn't a fan of Real Techniques brushes? I'm always excited to see new brushes released by the lovely Nic and Sam as you can always guarantee they are great quality and look beautiful on any gal's dressing table. With contouring being the biggest trend over the last few months anything that can aid the less able in this region is a welcome addition to our makeup kits. 

Replacing the classic matte finish brushes this set has a sleek high shine finish to the brushes and the same high quality cruelty-free synthetic bristles. So what's in the set? We have a sculpting brush which features a wide, angled head designed specially to help create and define contours, a fan brush to softly sweep on powders and helps sweep away excess powders and last but not least we have a setting brush to help apply finishing powders and highlighters.

I love this set, it has everything I need to help with that tanned contoured look I'll be going for this summer and the Bold Metals Contour brush I purchased a while ago will work perfectly with this kit. 

Amazingly the Real Techniques Sculpting Set is on offer for only £13.99 at Superdrug at the moment!

Clinique Pop Lip Colour & Primer | Melon Pop & Beige Pop

Clinique Pop Lip Colour & Primer £16.00

You can't have missed the release of Clinique's release of their lip colour plus primer all-in-one lipsticks. The range contains a beautiful spectrum of shades which means there really is something for someone from deep wine to the ever popular nudes. The shades I couldn't wait to get my hands in were Melon Pop a light coral shade and Beige Pop the perfect not-too-pink nude.

The lipsticks have a demi-matte finish to them and I was very pleased to see they don't contain any shimmer (when ever I see a shimmer finish lipstick it just reminds me of my nan). I do find I have to apply a little balm before applying these lipsticks as I noticed when first initially applying them they settled into my lips and made any slightly dryer areas more obvious. The lipsticks last quite well, around 3 to 4 hours, I much prefer something I need to reapply every now and then throughout the day as long wear lipsticks just tend to dry and crumble on my lips. One thing that struck me when they arrived is they are a little smaller than I was expecting. After seeing tens of photos on social media I expected them to be a little bigger than they are, they stand around a cm shorter than my MAC lipsticks. All-in-all not a bad purchase, I'm enjoying the shades but the formula is nothing to scream about.

Have you bought any shades from Clinique's new range? What are your thoughts?

My Clinique Chubby Stick Collection & Swatches

Clinique Chubby Stick £17

I'm not sure why I've not done a post on my Clinique Chubby Stick collection before, they are one of the most used lip products in my collection and were what sparked my chubby stick obsession all those years ago. I've done a swatch of each shade, you can instantly pick out which ones are the original moisturizing formula and which are the intense versions. So lets run through the shades I have in my stash-

From top left - 

08 Grandest Grape (intense)

07 Super Strawberry

06 Roomiest Rose (intense)

17 Plumped Up Pink

06 Woppin' Watermelon

11 Two Ton Tomato

04 Mega Melon

01 Curviest Caramel

Although the intense versions offer more of a punch of colour to your lips they don't skip on the moisture levels delivered by the original moisturizing version. I love everything about these lipbalm come lipsticks, the packing has a real luxe feel, the formula's don't disappoint and I feel you really get your money's worth with the amount of product.

Do you own any of Clinique's Chubby Sticks, what are your thoughts?  

Celebrating 5 Years Of TOPSHOP Beauty | Nevada Lipstick

TOPSHOP Nevada Lipstick £8

I've been a real packaging-whore this week, this time with TOPSHOP's beautiful rose gold embossed 5 year beauty anniversary releases. You can't have missed the new releases, TOPSHOP have complied their best selling products including 5 lipsticks, 5 nail polishes, gleam pot, cream blushers and a liquid eyeliner. I have pretty much everything from their permanent range (with the exception of a couple of polishes) so I decided to pick up Nevada, a creamy pale nude shade.

A good nude shade is always welcome in my stash, my days at work are usually quite busy so I don't have much time to apply the precision required with applying a bold lip colour. I was a little concerned about this being a bit of a concealer-lips nude but formula wise it's quite similar to MAC's lustre lipsticks making it creamy yet glossy, if you know what I mean?! 

Did you purchase anything from TOPSHOP'S celebratory anniversary range?  

MAC Wash & Dry Collection 'Crisp Whites' Blusher Review & Swatch

MAC Wash & Dry Collection | Crisp Whites Blusher £20

I'm not ashamed to admit I only purchased something from MAC's new Wash & Dry Collection purely for the packaging, as I do with most of MAC's limited edition releases and as with most of MAC's new lines my attention was drawn directly to the blushers. Out of the two I was drawn to 'Crisp Whites' described as a pale tangerine with fine gold shimmer. This shade is so me, I feel I look my healthiest when wearing peach or coral toned blushers.

The formula of this blusher is light and blends very well and the shade is much more subtle than the description of tangerine may indicate, making this blusher perfect for daytime looks. I did purchase the 'Ripe Peach' blush from the Toledo line that MAC released back in February which I am yet to muster the courage to use as it's just too beautiful!

Did you get anything from the new line?

Trial-Sized Tuesday's | Clinique Dramatically Different Moisturizing Lotion+

Clinique Dramatically Different Moisturising Lotion+ £5 15ml

This sample came in the latest British Beauty Blogger and Latest In Beauty collaboration box and was top of my list to try as I have tried and loved many of Clinique's products but this moisturiser was one that I had always forgotten about when searching for a new moisturiser. Although dubbed as a moisturiser for normal/dry skin I find this light lotion works very well with my oily skin when applied sparingly, it's sets into my skin very well and leaves it with a subtle glow.

So what is Dramatically Different Moisturising Lotion + (apart from a bit of a mouthful)? It's a lotion type moisturiser that helps form a barrier on the skin sealing the moisture in leaving it soft and healthy looking. One thing I have noticed is that they weren't lying when they said a little goes a long way, seriously a pea sized amount is more than enough for my face and neck! First thing I noticed when reading some reviews on Clinique's website was a lot of people saying 'bring back the old version', never using this moisturiser I wasn't to know this was a reformulated product and I can't make a comparison to the old one, I can however say that after a few days of use I'm really enjoying it. I have been using Benefit's Triple Performing Moisturising Lotion for the last couple of months and I'd say the texture of Clinique's DDML (lets just shorten the name as it's a little long!) is similar to that only I find Clinique's DDML leaves me looking less oily later in the day.

Have you tried this moisturiser or the old formula, what are your thoughts?

*update - now we have got into the 30's heat wise and my oily skin is working overtime this moisturiser was causing my skin to become more oily than usual so this one has been put away until Autumn/Winter.

L'Oreal Paris Infallible Matte Foundation & Primer Review

L'Oreal Paris Infallible Matte Foundation £7.99

I must admit other than my (Bourjois) cc cream I haven't worn a drugstore foundation in about 5 years for no reason other than the more high end ones I have converted to just perform better than the drugstore ones I have tried. When L'Oreal released their Infallible Matte foundation and the blogosphere went ablaze with reviews I said to myself I wasn't going to buy it but when i was in Superdrug picking up some essentials I ended up going against what I had said, chucked it in my basket and asked myself if so many girls could be wrong about this foundation.

So a little background on my skin, it's oily/combination and I have some light acne scarring (although no new breakout's) so you'd think this would be ideal for my skin type as it offers a matte finish which still has some life to it, right? Wrong. This is probably the thickest foundation I have ever used, it sets so quickly that you barely have time to blend it properly and it did not feel like it offered the natural finish it proclaims to. I enjoyed the primer, it has a silicone, gel kinda feel to it which I'm used to after using similar formulas and it did reduce the shine on my skin slightly. I like to apply my foundation with my fingers and then blend with a damp Beauty Blender, the most annoying thing that I found about this foundation was that it just lifted off with the slightest touch of my sponge so a second layer is a no-no and applying concealer under my eyes and trying to blend out just made the whole situation worse. I ended up taking the whole lot off and applying my regular foundation. I picked the shade 'Vanilla' which seemed a good match for me inshore however on it looks so red, I honestly looked like I was holding my breath!

Can't say I'm hugely surprised or disappointed in this foundation, this is the reason I stopped buying drugstore foundations all those years ago, they really are like marmite. Have you tried this foundation, did you find you had similar issues?

NARS Light Reflecting Pressed Setting Powder

NARS Light Reflecting Pressed Setting Powder £26.50

You may have seen a recent post of mine in which I proclaimed my love for Bourjois 123 Perfect CC Cream but having oily skin I was struggling with quite a bit of shine (not the CC creams fault, it's a hydrating formula and I have over oily skin) and the setting powder I was using just wasn't cutting it. I have stayed away from powders since my teens, all the ones I have tried have left me with a chalky finish and taken away the glow of my foundation underneath, all but this one.

Everything about this product screams quality right from the signature NARS packaging to the formula itself. Initially when I swiped my brush over the powder it seemed hard and that my brush wasn't picking anything up only when I brushed the formula over my face could I see the effect. The powder is so finely milled that you struggle to see it on your brush and is traceless on your skin. Although this powder sets my makeup and reduces shine it leaves a luminous finish and not at all chalky. The product comes in a handy little pouch with a small sponge type applicator for touch-ups on the go. I may have not used a setting powder in years but I know I have found my holy grail powder here.

NARS is a relatively new brand to me, do you have any recommendations? 

April Empties & Repurchases

I didn't want to be the one to say it but where the hell did April go? Spring seems to be flying by and I'm sure I'm not the only one who's excited about the prospect of summer being on our doorstep. So as we say hello to May and goodbye to April here's my empties and a few repurchases...

Clarins Double Serum | £55 30ml

Being in my mid-twenties I wanted to start using something for preventative measures against ageing and Clarins Double Serum was my first choice as it's a multi award winning anti ageing product. Suitable for all skin types this powerful serum helps shrink pores, firms skin and helps smooth wrinkles. I use at night and over the last 6 months have seen a dramatic change in my skins texture, my pores are considerably less visible and my complexion has an all round glow to it. A definite repurchase.

Botanics All Bright Micellar Water | £2.99 250ml

I bought this micellar water on a bit of a whim as there was an offer on in Boots. This micellar water claims to not only remove makeup and cleanse skin but also contain a natural mild exfoliator to leave skin brighter. I found this micellar water to be ok, not as great as my favourite (B. micellar water from Superdrug) and I certainly didn't see any improvement in my skins appearance from using it. Unfortunately not a repurchase.

B. 4in1 Cleansing Wipes | £3.50 25 wipes

These wipes are the best I've come across. The B. range from Superdrug offers some seriously brilliant skincare products, these wipes along with their micellar water gently remove all traces of my makeup and leave my skin feeling soft and smooth. These wipes are a regular repurchase.

La Roche-Posay Effaclar Clarifying Lotion | £11 200ml

I had high hopes for this toner after reading so many shining reviews on it but unfortunately my skin didn't reap any of the benefits it claims to give. Despite this toner claiming to be free from alcohol the scent tells me otherwise and it really dried my skin out (and I have pretty oily skin!). Definitely won't be repurchasing this one.

Body Shop Almond Nail & Cuticle Oil | £7.50 1.8ml

For my pre mani cuticle treatment I use Leighton Denney's Slick Tips, a great product but not practical for when you're on the go as it comes in a glass nail polish style bottle so queue The Body Shop's pen style cuticle oil. I usually keep one of these in my handbag and one on my keyboard at work, because it comes in a pen style applicator it's such a quick and easy product to use. A definite repurchase.

Cutex Nourishing Nail Polish Remover | £1.60 100ml

This has been my favourite nail polish remover for what seems like forever. It does a great job of dissolving polish quickly and leaving my nails feeling moisturised and clean. The formula also helps whiten nails so it's great for those times you forget to use a base coat and are left with some staining. A regular repurchase.

Lancome Hypnose Mascara | £22.50

I adore this mascara, I have raved about it in a previous post as it does the most amazing job of lengthening and giving volume to my lashes without leaving them looking clumpy and loaded with mascara. I love the fact I can wear this mascara all day and not need to worry about smudges or any dry flakes. Already repurchased another one of these little beauties.

Number 4 Lumiere d'hived Super Comb Prep & Protect | £20 200ml

This was actually a sample from a Birchbox from months ago that I totally forgot about. This stuff smells divine and really helps to seal the moisture into my hair after washing and leaves it feeling soft and smooth. I've gone on to purchase the full size product from the Birchbox shop as I couldn't find it anywhere else in the UK.

Did you see any of your favourite products here or anything you'd want to try?

Clinique The British Beauty Blogger Edit

Last Sunday morning I was on tenterhooks eagerly anticipating Jane's (BritshBeautyBlogger) queue that her collaboration box with Clinique had gone on sale at latestinbeauty.com and needless to say as soon as she tweeted a link to the box I bought it! Jane's boxes are always packed with a great variety of both budget and high end makeup and skincare samples and are never to be missed, with Clinique being one of my favourite brands since I was 19 I knew every product would get used.

Priced at £18.50 and containing two full sized products and a voucher for £10 off a £40 spend this box was a total steal. As expected this box sold out quickly, I purchased mine at 9.50am (10 minutes before the official release) and by lunchtime a lot of disappointed ladies took to Facebook and Twitter saying they had missed out. That's the thing with Jane's boxes, they are limited in numbers and you have to be on the pulse. So what was in the box?

One of my all time favourite lip products Chubby Stick Moisturising Lip Colour Balm £17 rrp. I have seven, now eight of these beautiful tinted balm's and the latest addition to my stash thanks to this box is Plumped Up Pink. If you're looking for a moisturising lip product that offers a subtle amount of colour then these Chubby Stick's will be right up your street.

High Impact Mascara  £17.50 is a favourite amongst Clinique fans, including myself. Admittedly I haven't used this mascara for a few years now and this new addition is a very welcome one. This mascara does a beautiful job of giving volume and lift to lashes resulting in a volumous flutter.

Dramatically Different Moisturising Lotion £5 (15ml) is one skincare product from Clinique that I am yet to try so this sample will be top of my list to try. Reputed to leave skin supple and springy what's not to love?

Moisture Surge Extended Thirst Relief  £5 (15ml) is one of those products I always have a jar of in my dressing table. Although I generally don't suffer from dry skin this soothing gel is a fantastic product to have at hand when I'm having a skin emergency. I also use this gel on areas of irritation from shaving and it instantly cools and moisturises.

Liquid Facial Soap 30ml (£2.40 value) used to be an old favourite of mine until my skin changed and I had to find something a little more targeted at my skin issues. This extremely mild face wash is aimed mainly at dry/combination skin but can be used for all skin types as part of Clinique's 3 step skincare routine.

Take The Day Off Makeup Remover For Lids & Lashes  30ml (£4.08 value) is a seriously impressive makeup remover and although it's not a regular repurchase since discovering Micellar Water it does always leave me wondering how I've lived without it after use.

The box also includes a sample of the bright citrus scent Happy which is just perfect for this time of the year and a voucher to present at a Clinique counter for a treatment and a 'treat'. I love this box, Clinique was one of the first brands of makeup and skincare I got in to and this box has made me remember some of those forgotten favourites.

Anastasia Beverly Hills Dipbrow Pomade | Dark Brown | Review

Anastasia Beverly Hills Dipbrow Pomade | £15

Unless you have been living under a rock you can't have missed all platforms of social media ablaze with reviews on this stuff. As I usually use a powder (MAC Espresso eyeshadow) on my brows I brushed it off for a while but a couple of weeks a caved in and wanted to know what all of the fuss was all about and all I can say is it's uh-maz-ing!

So what is it? It's a waterproof, smudge proof and humidity proof brow colour in the form of a creamy almost gel like formula. What surprised me the most about this stuff is how little you need to use, I'm talking about just skimming the surface lightly with your brush gives you enough to fill in your whole brow. I was a little worried about getting that over-done brow look but I have found using light strokes with an angled brush gives me a lovely natural finish.

I went for the shade Dark Brown and it's the perfect match for my natural brow colour. Because you need to use so little of this product the jar will last forever making it a real investment. I have to admit, I'm a total convert from the brown eyeshadow I used for years!

Have you tried ABH Dipbrow Pomade?