EMPTIES #2

It's strange.  It tends to take me a while to use up products yet when I use up one, I seem to use up them ALL (slight exaggeration). I've had this bag of empties to share for a little while so that's today's plan.

First up is a product that I reviewed a few months ago. The Body Shop Sumptuous Cleansing Butter has lasted me a couple of months. I'm not sure if that's normal but I feel like I expected it to last a little longer. It removes makeup like a dream, and I'm currently trying out the camomile cleansing oil to compare. I'll be sure to keep you posted with that!

This tub of The Righteous Butter is the second one I've been through. You can always tell if someone's been using this, as the scent really transfers onto the clothes you wear. That's okay with me though, the scent is really fresh and lovely! I love the texture of this, and it really leaves my skin super soft.

Keeping with the shower theme, I have an empty that I wasn't very impressed by. It's the Ginger Anti-Dandruff Shampoo by The Body Shop. I read a few reviews which said this helped with itchy, irritated scalps (something I had at the time), so I expected this to somewhat help. It was alright at first, but as I got closer to the end of the bottle, it made my scalp so much worse, and ended up giving me dandruff instead of helping anything. Not impressed.

Finally from this segment, is the Blistex MedPlus lip balm. I was obsessed with this during winter, as it somehow fixed cracked lips and managed to rid of all flakiness. It really worked a treat and I'll probably repurchase come the colder months. 

Let's start of with the Cocoa Brown 1 Hour Tan. I reviewed this very recently, and I'm still not really sold on it. It leaves a nice colour when used overnight but in all honesty I'm just a bit fed up with it! It doesn't last very long and the finish tends to be uneven. I won't be repurchasing.

I finished the Good Things Miracle Mattifier moisturiser first out of this bunch, but it was very well loved. It has the most amazing smell thanks to the blackcurrant, and it left my skin feeling soft and I do feel that it did something in regards to keeping oil at bay. It's a good one for summer.

We then have the Nivea Sensitive 3 in 1 Micellar Water, which was one of my favourite products in my bathroom cupboard. This wasn't at all irritating, and it would leave my skin feeling clean and refreshed without being stripping. I used this when I was in a hurry or if my skin was angry at me. I would repurchase this one.

It pains me that the They're Real! mascara by Benefit has expired. I love this mascara, it really makes my lashes look a million times longer and thicker than they really are, and I used to not feel right without it. I actually tried a new mascara lately and felt totally underwhelmed because I had been used to the extreme results this gives. Weird.

I'm going to finish this post with a foundation that I forgot to picture above. It's the Rimmel Stay Matte Foundation in either Ivory or True Ivory (forgive me, I'm not at home while writing this). You know, the tube with the purple? I loved the coverage this gave me, and this was one of the first foundations I used (not the same tube, ew). To be honest, it's probably why I prefer thicker consistencies. It lasts a long time and it doesn't tend to cling to dry patches unless y'know, you've actually got dry patches. However, the one thing that bugs me about this is the marketing. It's called Stay Matte... it definitely doesn't "stay matte" for any length of time. This would probably cake up if you put on too much, but you really don't need a lot of it. It gives a nice natural but full coverage. I may repurchase again.

aaaand breathe... that was a long one (for me anyway), so I hope you've enjoyed and this has somewhat helped you! -x

July Favourites!

July has flown by and we're now in August, but that doesn't mean I'm too late for a favourites post, right? I haven't been doing very much this month other than working and catching up on tv/youtube - yep, I am a wild one. I do however, have a nice little bundle of products that I have been loving lately so let me tell you about them...

First up is a fairly boring one, but one that I have been reaching for daily. It's the Blistex Intensive Moisturiser Hydrating Lip Cream. I used up my much loved Blistex MedPlus and went on the hunt for a repurchase but to my horror, they were out of stock. So, I picked up this little tube instead. I wouldn't say I loved it quite as much as the little blue pot but it's worked really well to hydrate and fix my insanely dry lips. It also has SPF 10, which is always good.

For my hair, I never usually think too much about what shampoo I use but this has been so wonderful. I bought the Oily Roots and Dry Ends Shampoo by Lee Stafford as it seemed perfect for my type of hair. I've found it's worked wonders at keeping excess oil at bay and my hair doesn't look greasy as quickly. The moringa seed extract has really tamed my sensitive scalp too.

If you read my latest foundation review, it won't surprise you that my next favourite is the Seventeen Stay Time Foundation in Natural. It really hasn't let me down, and you can read my review here.

This favourite has been a favourite of mine for a long time now, and this one is actually all used up. It's the cult classic They're Real mascara by Benefit. It completely changes the look of my lashes, making them appear fuller and longer, not to mention it really holds a curl too. This is a total winner to me and I'm sad to have used it up.

The penultimate item in this post is a little hidden gem I picked up from Topshop. It's their Kohl Eyeliner in Sable. This is super pigmented and soft, there's absolutely no dragging with this and it lasts a long time on my skin considering it's a kohl. I've worn this on my upper lashline throughout an 8 hour shift and it's still been perfect when I've finished. If that doesn't impress you, I don't know what will.

Last but certainly not least is the Supercat Eyeliner Pen by Sap & Glory. I haven't felt 100% right without a cat flick this month so it would feel silly to leave this out. It's long lasting and is definitely black, and it doesn't fade into a weird grey colour during the day. It took me a while to get used to this pen but I really like it now.

Been up to much this month? If there is anything you'd like me to review in full, please let me know! -x

REVIEW: Seventeen Stay Time Foundation

About a month ago, I went looking for a real full coverage foundation that would last all day, without clinging to any dry patches. At the time there was an 'everything under £5' offer for Seventeen so I just picked it up. I really didn't expect this, but it's a winner!

First of all, the Seventeen Stay Time Hour claims to be a long lasting (up to 25 hours to be precise), full coverage foundation that creates 'flawless, smooth skin'. For me, it does exactly that. I have used this when I'm on an 8 hour shift at work, and when I'm travelling all day and this just stays put the whole time. I seldom even have to blot away any excess oils while I'm wearing this.

Since this is an extremely full coverage foundation, the consistency is very thick and I know that some of you might totally hate, it's not for those of you that prefer something a little more natural looking. You do not need a lot of product to get a good, even base so there shouldn't be any caking. I use this with a flat foundation brush, I think it really helps to distribute the liquid evenly and then, if I need to, I'll either take my fingers or a buffing brush to really smooth it into the skin. 

From the consistency, I expected the Seventeen Stay Time foundation to get quite greasy looking throughout the day, and for it to gather in weird places (like the sides of the nose and around the mouth) but there's absolutely none of that, despite having oily skin. It really does make my skin look totally flawless, and it might just be me but I notice a certain radiance about my face when I use this, it's certainly not flat. I love the coverage it gives. I have blotchy red skin around the tops of my cheeks, nose and forehead and this totally evens that out. I have read other reviews from people saying that this clung to dry patches, and that normally happens with me around my forehead and on the top of my cheeks with other foundations - but not this one, so don't let that stop you from trying this out.

This is an all round fantastic foundation. It's certainly not for those of you that prefer the 'no makeup' makeup look but it's great for people like me that like good coverage from their foundation, but actually want it to stay looking good all day. This is a safe bet for travelling with as it has a twist and lock mechanism, and it's a good one for summer as it has SPF 25! The Seventeen Stay Time Foundation is £6.49 from Boots (tip: there's a free gift if you spend over £5 on Seventeen), and I have the shade Natural.

REVIEW: Cocoa Brown 1 Hour Tan Mousse

It's that time of year again. The sun is shining, legs are out, everyone's heading to the beach to relax and catch a tan - if you don't live in Scotland, that is. We're lucky to get some lovely warm weather for the whole weekend, let alone the full season of Summer. That doesn't mean we can't pretend though. Right? 

I know that when warmer weather comes around, I like to look a little more alive and I like my skin to be a bit more glowy than usual and for this, I've been using the Cocoa Brown 1 Hour Tan Mousse (Sit tight, this is a long one).

Product Claims

This product aims to give tanned skin in just 1 hour, while being non-sticky and quick drying. The deeper the colour you desire, the longer you leave this on for. On the bottle, it states that the tan continues to develop after rinsing and is to last between 5 and 7 days. It contains no parabens, and uses a vegetable derived tanning agent, so is gentle enough for those of us with sensitive skin. Best of all, it claims to never ever come out orange!

My Views

I have been using this for a couple of months now, and I have found myself having a bit of a love/hate relationship with it. The first couple of times using this, I left it on for three hours each time and I wasn't really impressed with the results. I'm naturally very pale, so I thought that I would get a natural looking deep tan from leaving it on that long. I was wrong. I hardly noticed any difference from using this, but that's alright because it'll just get deeper as the day goes on.. right? Wrong. Yes, my skin was left with a golden tinge to it, but I wouldn't call it a 'tan' but I didn't see any difference by the end of the day. Needless to say I was disappointed. I did eventually get that deep tan I desired though, and I'll tell you how I did this.

I know that you're not supposed to, but I exfoliate and shave in the morning, and self tan later on that same night. I use around a full pump of the mousse per limb (so you do have to use a lot) and then sleep in it overnight. I don't think this is quick drying or non-sticky as it takes a couple of hours for certain places (mainly my back) to get touch dry, and while doing so, it's a bit tacky. In the morning, I have a lovely deep bronze tan, that's never ever orange, around three or four shades darker than my natural skin colour. Just don't use this when your favourite bed sheets are on as it will stain. The tan can last anywhere between 3 and 5 days before it starts to fade, but of course the lasting power will be different for everyone. Sometimes, this just refuses to take to some parts of my body, like the back of my thighs and a little patch around my wrist but that could just be my fault? I also find that this clings to dry patches as it fades, but a bit of exfoliation can fix that. Another thing to keep in mind is the smell, it's described as a "Tahitian Gardenia scent" so no, it's not your typical biscuit stink but I think it still smells bloody awful. 

I do like the Cocoa Brown 1 Hour Tan, because it does give a lovely tan, without leaving any streaks or being at all orange. For those who want a subtle warmth to their skin, then by all means keep it on for an hour or three but that colour just wasn't for me. It's cheap, and accessible via Superdrug and Primark (!). However, it doesn't smell great, it is a bit sticky when it dries and it can cling to dry patches as it fades but I'm sure it could be a lot worse because it is pretty difficult to go wrong with it. Perhaps it's downfall for me was that it was too beginner friendly? I'm not sure. I know I'll continue to use it though, and I hope this ranty review somewhat helped you. 

I didn't really intend to rant so much in this post, I just can't make my mind up on it. It's not the best, but it's certainly not the worst. What's your favourite self tanning product? I'd love to try some more! -x

Get to Know Me: 21 QUESTIONS TAG

Hi everyone!

I thought it was about time to let my personality show through in this blog, so what better way to do that than with a tag post? 

I like to think that you will enjoy reading my posts a bit more if you actually have a good idea of who I am. So, let me introduce myself: I'm Kerry, and I'm a student who lives in the granite city of Scotland. Now, let's get onto the tag...

1. Are you named after anyone? I'm not named after anyone, but my name was actually meant to be Nicole. Sorry to all the Nicoles out there, my Dad wasn't too fond of it!

2. When was the last time you cried? Last week, I think. I don't normally cry, but sometimes you just need to let it all out and that's okay.

3. Do you have kids? Nope, and I won't even consider it for a very long time.

4. If you were another person, would you be a friend of yourself? I always think about things like this. I think it's important to be someone that you like, and to try and treat others the way you want to be treated. What's the point in being yourself if you don't like who you are? So yes, I would.

5. Do you use sarcasm a lot? Only with people I'm close to because not everyone gets it.

6. Will you ever bungee-jump? I doubt I'll ever get the chance to, but I think I would. I can imagine myself being too scared but ending up loving it afterwards.

7. What's your favourite cereal? I never have cereal in the house - it's mainly just muesli and porridge (yawn) but I love Krave. I could eat it all day, which is why I don't buy it - because I probably would.

8. What's the first thing you notice about people? This sounds weird but I notice their tone and volume of their voice. I think it gives you an idea of how shy that person is, or even how they're feeling.

9. What's your eye colour? I actually have sectoral heterochromia, which is where part of the iris is a different colour to the rest of it. I have green eyes, but I have a little brown splodge in one of them!

10. Scary movie or happy endings? I love a good horror movie, but it has to have a good plot. Otherwise, what's the point? I like it when movies have happy endings but I much prefer a twist in the story that makes everything go a bit tits up - which happens more in horrors.

11. Favourite smells? Anything fruity, baked (Yankee Snowflake Cookie, I'm looking at you), or Asian smelling. Oh, and I love the smell of petrol too...

12. Summer or winter? Definitely summer. I was a complete winter girl up until a few years ago, but I love being warm. Maybe it's a Scottish thing, it's always bloody cold here.

13. Computer or television? 100% computer. It can do everything that a television can do, and more.

14. What's the furthest you've ever been from home? The furthest I've ever been is Spain, and if you're good at geography, you'll know that's not very far away.

15. Do you have any special talents? I can put my thumb right underneath my knuckles, and I can stick my shoulder blades out. 

16. Where were you born? In Scotland, of course. I originally come from a little place near Glasgow.

17. What are your hobbies? Watching TV shows, and youtube. I love to read books and blogs, and I like shopping - even if it's just window shopping... I also love spending time with my boyfriend by going out for dinner and just relaxing together in our wee flat.

18. Do you have any pets? Back home, I have a family dog called Honey. She's a springer spaniel crossed with something. You wouldn't be able to tell though, apart from the fact she's really friendly and loves to jump on anything that moves there's absolutely nothing else.

19. Favourite movie? Trust my mind to go blank at this one! At the top of my head - A Nightmare on Elm Street, Se7en, NANA, Fight Club, Girl, Interrupted, Trance, and a recent find - Scott Pilgrim vs The World. I had to make this a list, who actually has one favourite movie?

20. Do you have any siblings? I have two sisters, but I am the baby.

21. What do you want to be when you grow up? A psychologist of some sort, maybe clinical? Maybe a psychiatrist? 

There we have it, all 21 questions done! Gold star if you made it this far. Why don't you let me get to know you by answering a question or two in the comments below? -x

JUNE FAVOURITES!

I have loved the month of June. I got to see my friends who I haven't seen in months, I got my first job, and the weather is really perking up which in turn, makes everyone just that bit happier. I hope everyone's had a lovely month, and is enjoying the lovely weather! Now, onto what this post is really about:

To kick things off, I have been really impressed by the Herbal Essences Clearly Naked 0% Dry Shampoo. A bit of a random one, but it leaves no weird looking white cast, yet still manages to soak up unwanted oils, leaving my hair looking fresh. The scent is amazing too!

Next, is my new found favourite summer scent in Nicki Minaj Minajesty Eau De Parfum. It's so fruity, yet sweet and fresh at the same time. I think it smells like watermelon, even though there's no mention of it in the description of the fragrance... how odd.

Since it is Summer, I've been self tanning this month and to smooth my skin beforehand, I've been using the Pulp Friction Foaming Fruity Body Scrub from Soap & Glory. Body scrubs can be a bit too harsh for my skin and can leaving it looking a bit red and blotchy but this doesn't do that at all, my skin is just left feeling and looking super smooth. The scent is described as 'fruity' but I'd say it has more of a lovely fresh, citrus smell that always leaves my boyfriend wondering why the bathroom smells so good.

Normally, the Bourjois Delice De Poudre bronzing powder would be a bit too warm for my pale skin but it suits me perfectly now that I've got a bit of a tan. It's so soft and blendable, and anyone that has this will know that it smells incredible. I can even get away with this as a contour if I wish.

Next up is my everyday foundation of choice, it's the Lily Lolo Mineral Foundation in Popsicle (I believe). I got this last year, hence the old packaging. When I first got this, I found it was way too dark, but it suits me perfectly now. It has a buildable coverage, so I normally use this on days where I don't want to spend a lot of time on my foundation but I want some coverage, and this is perfect.

Last on the beauty list is the Boots Botanics All Bright Refreshing Eye Roll On. This is some serious stuff. This can cheat me into looking like I've had a full night's sleep when that is really not the case. It's so cooling and hydrating, and it banishes any puffiness and dullness super quickly. It's lightweight and speedily absorbs, I love this!

Movie of The Month

 I was recently introduced to Scott Pilgrim Vs The World (trailer here). It's based on a series of graphic novels, and you can really tell. The superhero style fight scenes, and anime-style effects throughout really captures the imagination and makes it super fun to watch. The storyline is based on Scott Pilgrim and his endeavour to get the girl: Ramona Flowers. What he doesn't know is that he'll have to defeat The League of Evil Exes. Yes, it sounds ridiculous and it kind of is, but it's still awesome.. which brings me onto my song of the month. (Sidenote: I'm contemplating a little series on the blog where I talk about movies or review them, what do you think?)

Song Of The Month

Evidently, this song is from the aforementioned movie. It's called Black Sheep by The Metric, but I much prefer the movie version. I haven't been able to stop listening to it, it's ridiculous.

TV Favourite

I started watching The Vampire Diaries a month or so ago, but I was really busy then and wasn't able to get really into it. Now that I have a lot more free time, I've been loving it. I've only just started season 3 so I am behind. I really don't know why I haven't watched this before, it's so frickin' good. Let's just take a moment for the beauty that is Paul Wesley. Good lord.

Let me know if you like this favourites layout. I just wanted to throw in a new little segment at the end to talk about non-beauty things. What have you been loving this past month? -x

GIFT IDEAS: Father's Day 2015

It's that time of year, where

at last - Dad gets a little attention and recognition. As much as we love them, they can be a real pain in the arse to shop for, so I've got a little list of ideas that just might give you a little bit of inspiration if you're feeling stumped.

For the gadget lovers: The wallet shown above is a really nifty little thing, it's by Secrid, and it's their slimwallet. As the name suggests it's a thin, small wallet that will fit into any pocket. As you can see in the photo above, it has a card holder with a little lever-type-thing on the bottom that pushes the cards out. It has a little cash holder and some business card slots. The design is really clever, and the leather is lovely too!

For the athletic ones: This sort of follows on from the gadget lovers but what I'm going to suggest is a watch. It's the Withings Activite Pop Smart Watch. Through bluetooth, it keeps track of how much exercise you've done, tracks your progress. It can tell how long you've been asleep for, and even how many times you woke up during the night! The design is very sleek, but the silicone strap makes it very comfortable too.

For the beer lovers: If you're dad loves a good beer, and isn't afraid of trying something new, then I must push you in the direction of Beer Hawk. You could set him up a beer club membership. If you're familiar with Graze, then it's sort of the same deal. You just tell them what your dad likes and they send some beers that they think will work. They have a lovely selection of gift sets too, and they've made one just for father's day!

For the car enthusiasts: If your Dad has always dreamed of driving a lush sportscar, then you could always book him a driving experience! Just choose him a car that he would love to drive and he can just whiz around in it for Father's Day. There are plenty of places that you can book them, so if you're interested in that then you should have a look around. It's a really fun idea!

If they can never have enough aftershave: Boots have a great deal on at the moment, if you buy an aftershave, you get a free weekend bag of the same brand! I know my boyfriend really loves the new Hugo Boss Bottled Intense but there are a number of aftershaves to choose from, and most of the bags are really nice too!

I hope this list somewhat helped you! If all else fails, there's always the nice jumper and socks option... 

I hope everyone has a lovely Father's Day on Sunday! Have you decided what you're going to do buy him yet? -x