Kiehl's Goodies & Giveaway!

Kiehl's are a brand that I have always wanted to try, I have heard great things about the brand especially their skincare products and BB cream, but they are a bit out of my everyday price range. So when I was lucky enough to receive Kiehls Superbly Smoothing Argan Shampoo and Conditioner and Lip Balm* I can't even tell you how excited I was!

I normally don't gravitate towards smoothing shampoo's as I have quite flat hair and I worry that they will make it even worse or make my hair greasy, but I can honestly say that I have thoroughly enjoyed using this shampoo and conditioner it makes my hair gorgeously soft and sleek, even when I have used other brands my hair still feels noticeably softer. 

I struggle with my hair and how quickly greasy it gets, I HAVE to use dry shampoo every other day or I would look a greasy mess, so I was a bit concerned about how my hair would cope this, but it didn't make any difference my hair didn't feel any greasier at all, which was a relief, if anything on days I used dry shampoo the ends of my hair felt much softer and healthier.

I have a bit of an obsession with all things mango, so I was thrilled to receive this lip balm, it smells gorgeous and feels lovely on my lips, a little bit goes a long way so I can imagine that this tube will last me a long time!

I am really pleased to say that I have a set of the Kiehl's goodies to giveaway to one of my readers! I really appreciate everyone who takes the time to read my posts and make comments, I still get really excited with every new follower and comment on a post.

The giveaway runs until 12th August and don't forget to leave a comment with your email address and let me know what your favourite blog posts are to read.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Good Luck!

Elaine

*PR Sample

Empties #1

I'm ashamed to say I very rarely use up products, I am pretty makeup obsessed so tend to buy more than I could ever use up. I have wanted to do an empties post for a long time but apart from my essentials I haven't used much up, until recently I actually felt quite proud when I hit the pan on a couple of things!

Batiste Dry Shampoo in Tropical - I go through cans and cans of this stuff it's an absolute 

essential for my hair, and I very rarely stray from the Tropical fragrance!

Bioderma - I bought quite a few bottles of this when I went to Paris last year and I am pretty pleased how long a bottle lasts, I had been using this one since September. French Pharmacie Haul post here.

The Body Shop Mango Shower Gel & Shea Butter Shower Cream - I LOVE the mango shower gel but I only seem to get it at Christmas, not sure why I don't buy it myself! I could take or leave the shower creams...

L'Oreal Volume Million Lashes Mascara - This is my absolute favourite mascara, I always have a few mascara's on the go but I will always have this in my collection and will end up back to it as I am yet to find another one I love as much.

Soap and Glory Kick Ass Concealer - This is an amazing concealer and it lasted me exactly one year of using it everyday, I am really impressed. Review here.

Clarins Hydraquench Cream Gel (for normal to combination skin) -  I really enjoyed using this over the winter months it saved my skin, the pot lasted me 6 months of using it daily. Review here.

Origins Ginzing Eye Cream - Love Love this, I got this tiny sample in a set I got at Christmas I think it is 5ml, it has lasted me around 3 months of using it nearly every day, I have already bought the full size.

Max Factor Clump Defy Mascara - I wasn't sure on this at first, but I actually enjoyed using this as an everyday/work mascara, I don't think it can give enough of a wow factor to use other than as an everyday mascara.

I am determined to start using up products before I buy more, it is a bit ridiculous how much I can spend in Boots on a weekly basis! I'm not going on a spending ban but I will definitely try to think more before I buy, so hopefully more empties posts to come!

Elaine

June Favourites

I've been in a bit of a blogging slump recently, I really enjoy blogging but I've struggled to find motivation to write new posts. I want to redesign the blog and change the name but I haven't got a clue what to do yet, so to get my head back into everything I thought I would start with one of the posts I really enjoy reading on other blogs, a monthly favourites! Although I have no idea where my camera is so please excuse my iphone photos!

Nivea In-Shower Body Moisturiser Skin Conditioner, Dry Skin - I really love this product! I hate putting on body moisturiser so I often just wouldn't, with this product you apply it in the shower after you have used shower gel, then you just rinse it off. My skin feels soo much better and I have been using it constantly, it's a decent price too at around £4 for the large bottle.

The Body Shop Mango Eau de Toilette - I absolutely love this perfume, Mango is my favourite scent from The Body Shop.

Hydraluron & Clinique Moisture Surge Intense - I bought Hydraluron when it first appeared on Caroline Hirons blog and I never really understood the hype, but when I paired Hydraluron with Clinique's Moisture Surge moisturiser it makes such a huge difference to my skin, I use this combination every week but also when my skin is feeling dry or unhappy.

Origins Ginzing Eye Cream - I got a little 5ml sample at christmas but only started using it a couple of months ago, I really think it brightens my eye area really well, you only need a small amount so it lasts a really long time!

Benefit Coralista Blusher - This blusher is my all time favourite blusher I have been wearing it constantly. 

L'Oreal Chrome Shine Eyeshadow in Rose Gold -  This eyeshadow is really pretty, it is very shimmery but at the same time is quite subtle.

Mavala Nail Varnish in Samarkand 305 - I love this nail varnish, I literally gravitate to any purple colour!

Elaine

Diorskin Nude BB Cream Review

I must have missed the buzz about the Dior BB Cream after it had been featured in a video by Lisa Elderidge, not sure which rock I was hiding under, but when I went for a mooch around the shops with Laura from Laura Bella she was raving about it so we went to the counter for me to get a sample to try it out. 

Dior have a range of BB Creams available but I got a sample of the Diorskin Nude BB Cream, there isn't a huge selection of shades available but the lighter shades really were a perfect match for my skin tone, which has to be a first for me when it comes to BB creams as I'm pale!

I really like the packaging of the cream, it appears to come in a squeezy tube but it actually has a pump applicator which is a definite plus for me, I did make a bit of a fool of myself when I was trying to get the tester lid off as I assumed it was a screw top, you would think after a minute of trying to unscrew it I would get the hint to just pull the top off but no, I'm not that clever!

The consisentcy of the cream is very much similar to foundation, but it's not too thick and doesn't have a watery or gel like feel. I found that it gave a light to medium coverage, but it definitely wasn't a heavy medium coverage it let the right amount of your natural skin show through. When I applied the BB cream it felt like I had to use a lot of my sample to get the coverage I wanted (which was light/medium) but I think it felt like I was using more as I had a sample jar with one of those little spatulars, I couldn't comment on how many pumps of the product I would need to use. 

I'm not sure the shade of the sample, but I think it's more than likely the lightest!

I absolutely loved the way this BB cream made my skin look, it made my skin look lovely and even with a natural luminous glow, if I could go by how my skin looked within the first hour I would buy it in bulk straightaway, but by the end of the day I found that the coverage had gone. My skin didn't look shiny when I wore this so that is a huge plus, but for a high brand BB cream I would want the product to wear a little better on my skin, I know I could always wear a primer with it but for a BB cream costing £25-£30 I don't want to.

I really want to love this BB cream the way everyone else does, but I can't justify spending that much money on something that isn't going to last 6 hours on my skin. I think I am going to get another sample to give it another chance but unless I find a miracle (cheap cheap) product to make it last I can't see my buying the full size product. 

I would really recommend going to a Dior counter to get it tested on your skin or to get a sample. Also the price of this BB cream varies online the cheapest place I have found it is at Escentual for £25.50.

Garnier 5 Sec Perfect Blur Primer Review

I did exactly what I have been telling myself off for when this product launched, I read reviews from other bloggers raving about it after sampling it before it's launch, so I instantly got it in my head that it must be marvelous and I have to have it, nobody's fault but my own!

So when it was launched I headed to Boots and bought it straightaway, it wasn't on offer which products sometimes are when they are first launched and at £12.99 it was a bit steep, but that only convinced me that it must be good, that was my strange beauty products obsessed logic talking!!

I got this home and hated it instantly, it was very disappointing! 

The primer has a very silicone feel to it, which normally I don't mind but when I applied my foundation over the top of it, my foundation felt a bit greasy and even though I always apply powder the greasy feeling stayed all day. I didn't notice any change in the appearance of my makeup at all it looked the same as when I apply foundation without it. When I got home I even tried it over the top of my foundation as a mid-day fixer but it still did nothing. 

I think this is one of those products that you are either going to love or hate, for me and my skin it didn't mix well but for others it obviously works well.

This has taught me a lesson not to get hyped up in a product launch!

Elaine

Don't forget to have a look at our blog sale, here.