October Empties

Garnier Ultimate Blends The Sleek Restorer Shampoo // Garnier Ultimate Blends The Sleek Restorer Conditioner // Impulse Body Spray in Tease // Nourish Protect Smoothing Hand Lotion // Simple Eye Make Up Remover // Clean & Clear Deep Action Cream Wash // The Body Shop Tea Tree Toner // La Roche-Posay Effaclar Mat // Collection Colour Lash Clear Mascara // Collection Illuminating Touch Brightening Concealer // Revlon Colorburst Lip Butter in Cotton Candy // Benefit They're Real Mascara (mini)

Garnier Ultimate Blends The Sleek Restorer Shampoo & Garnier Ultimate Blends The Sleek Restorer Conditioner - I picked these up as they clearly state on the front no parabens, however the shampoo still contains SLS so who knows what other nasty ingredients they contain. The scent of these are gorgeous; coconut oil and cocoa butter and I suppose for a high street shampoo and conditioner, they're not as bad as they could be. I have actually got another pair to use up as I stocked up when they were on offer so I will finish those but I'm on the lookout for more brands that don't contain nasty chemicals.

Impulse Body Spray in Tease - I actually stocked up this week and although I still bought Tease, I picked up a new scent to try! I hope it's nice if not I'll be sticking to my faithful Tease!

Nourish Protect Smoothing Hand Lotion - This was actually such a nourishing hand lotion and it smelt delicious; orange and mandarin. It wasn't too rich and absorbed quickly so I could continue with everyday tasks.

Simple Eye Make Up Remover - As I said in my September Empties, I tried it with waterproof mascara and I was not impressed. However, for regular mascara, I cannot fault this eye make up remover. It removes every last trace and doesn't sting or irritate my eyes.

Clean & Clear Deep Action Cream Wash - I really don't know how I feel about this cleanser. I think it's gentle on my skin and it doesn't break me out; I know it's certain foods that break me out. I just feel the grass could be greener on the other side. I still have a couple of these in my bathroom drawers but I am on the lookout for a better cream wash.

The Body Shop Tea Tree Toner - I've lost count of how many I've repurchased now and I will continue to do so. This toner is gentle yet effective on my skin. It helps to keep my skin clear (apart from when I binge on chocolate and cheese!) and soothes any blemishes that I have.

La Roche-Posay Effaclar Mat - I bought this from Escentual to try as a moisturiser. As the name suggests, this product is anti-shine and anti-enlarged pores, which makes it a great make up base. It works by regulating the sebum production, tighten pores and improve skin luminosity. I found that it kept any oil at bay for the majority of the day but my skin is only a little bit oily. It didn't dry my skin out at all and made it feel really smooth. My only negative is that it became hard to squeeze product out towards the end.

Collection Colour Lash Clear Mascara - I haven't repurchased since this ran out and I'm trying a few different products to tame my brows. This is great but as it contains proteins, my eyebrows were growing at a ridiculous rate! I have big brows to start with! It would be a perfect product for anyone wanted to grow their eyebrows.

Collection Illuminating Touch Brightening Concealer - I love Collection for their concealers. They're so cheap and do such a fab job. This one doesn't get as much love as Lasting Perfection but it's a great under eye concealer. If my under eye circles are particularly bad, I do need to apply a little Lasting Perfection on top but usually it does a great job all by itself.

Revlon Colorburst Lip Butter in Cotton Candy - This is the second Lip Butter I have finished. I think it's because they are so wearable and so easy to apply without a mirror. I have only tried two different shades but I have repurchased both. Maybe it's time I experimented with a few different shades. Perhaps I'll pick up a few autumn/winter shades.

Benefit They're Real Mascara (mini) - There is a lot of hype around this mascara so I was looking forward to giving it a try. At first I didn't like it at all but once it had dried out a little, it was easier to work with. I wasn't blown away though. Don't get me wrong it was alright and did a good job but with all that hype, I thought miracles were going to happen!

Rachel x

In The Spotlight - Eye Creams

I'm 27 and I am not getting any younger. I believe that looking after your eyes at a younger age is much better than trying to undo the results of years of neglect. Even though I'm still young(ish), I have begun to notice a few signs of ageing; fine lines and dark circles. My body craves sleep more than it used to and the signs of a poor nights sleep is more obvious around my eyes, in particular, along with discolouration and dullness in my skin.

We all need to look after our eyes and an eye cream should be the first step you take; a simple addition to anyone's skincare routine. The skin around our eyes is very delicate and sensitive and should be looked after very carefully. My mum always taught me not to rub when I was removing make up and to simple wipe gently. This has been a great piece of advice which I have followed for years. Another great tip is to use your ring finger when applying eye cream as you apply less pressure with this finger.

Using an eye cream will look after your eyes in many ways and not only will it moisturise the area, your eyes will look brighter, more awake and any puffiness or dark circles will be reduced. I have been using eye creams for years now and here are three that I currently have in my skincare stash. I'll report back in ten years or so and let you know if using eye cream for all these years have made a difference but I'm not taking the chance!

Liz Earle Daily Eye Repair £14.75

As with all Liz Earle products, this contains naturally active ingredients. It contains beta-carotene, borage oil, Echinacea extract, D-panthenol (also know as pro-vitamin B5) and Titanium Dioxide. All these ingredients mean the eye cream has antioxidant properties, locks in moisture, helps stimulate cellular renewal and helps to reflect UV light. The directions recommend gently patting on fine lines around eye area, mouth and forehead every morning. It contains light-reflecting particles which conceal and brighten dark under-eye shadows and a premium quality mineral sunscreen which provides SPF10.

My opinions - This eye cream has a lovely texture; it's not too thin and it's not too thick which means it absorbs quickly so make up can be applied straight away. It has a slight scent but it is inoffensive.

The Body Shop Vitamin E Eye Cream £11

Obviously, this contains Vitamin E which is an antioxidant and protects the cells from damage. This moisturising eye cream hydrates, smoothes and protects the delicate skin around the eye. It also reduces the appearance of fine lines, puffiness and dark circles. Leaving the skin feeling soft and smooth. The directions state it's suitable for all skin types and to use morning and evening. Dot around the eye area and blend with your ring finger; gentle massage helps reduce puffiness.

My opinions - This cream has a light texture. In my opinion it's a little bit watery but it doesn't take too long to absorb into the skin. I'm not too keen on the smell but that's just me and my nose is far enough away from my eyes!

No7 Protect & Perfect Eye Cream £15

No7 Protect & Perfect Eye Cream protects young skin to delay the first signs of ageing. It boosts radiance & visibly improves fine lines. It reduces dark shadows and puffiness and gives the skin a brightening boost. Created specially for the delicate area around the eyes. The unique blend of protecting and renewing ingredients leaves skin soothed, smoothed and revitalised. No7 have a patent pending next-generation anti-oxidant complex to help shield against free radical damage, plus their skin firming pro-retinol peptides complex containing Lipopeptides and Matrixyl.

My opinions - This eye cream is again on the lighter side but absorbs very quickly leaving a smooth texture behind. It doesn't have a scent; not one I can smell anyway.

My favourite of these has to be the Liz Earle Daily Eye Repair and I will definitely be repurchasing in the future.

Do you use eye cream in your skincare routine? Which is your favourite eye cream?

Rachel x

Izabelle Hammon Beauty Launch

Last Sunday, I was invited to an exciting beauty launch party which was held at the beautiful Midland Hotel in Manchester. I have to admit that I hadn't heard of Izabelle Hammon, Calgel, Iz Beauty or Christian Beauty before but now I have and I have to say I'm very impressed. Iz Beauty consists of nail art products including a LED/UV gel, embellishments, nail wraps and nail art pens. Calgel is a one phase gel nail system which is designed to maintain the condition of the natural nail. Finally, Christian Beauty specialise in eye products and on the day we were introduced to their eyebrow products. 

The purpose of the event was to preview the upcoming collections, master class workshops and seminars led by Izabelle Hammon herself. We had the opportunity to look at all the amazing nail art products and we were very kindly given a box to fill with amazing products like nail wraps, stickers, nail art pens and studs to try at home. I cannot wait to start experimenting and getting creative with my nails!

Calgel were on hand to give us a demonstration. I was lucky enough to have the full experience and opted for the gorgeous shade Model Behaviour which is a vibrant, blue toned purple. A week on and it's still looking as vibrant and glossy as it was the day I had it done. I've actually done housework and built some IKEA furniture with no chips or scratches. Calgel isn't available to buy to use at home as it's only available to people who have had the official training. There are plenty of salons which offer Calgel nails and a quick Google search will allow to find one near to you. 

Also, I was colour matched to find out which shade I was from the Christian eyebrow range. There are eight shades in total and they are available to buy as a kit which include one shade, three stencils and an application brush. They're revolutionary water resistant eyebrow powder that can be used to create defined, yet natural, brows in seconds. Lasting up to 24 hours this clay based powder adheres to the skin, filling in and transforming sparse, thin and pale eyebrows.

Any blogger event wouldn't be complete without a photobooth, cupcakes, a sweet table and prosecco! We were well and truly spoilt. Thank you so much for such a fantastic day and for introducing me to some fabulous new products. I have lots of nail art products to try so look out for those in future blog posts. You can find out more about Izabelle Hammon here and if you fancy trying any products for yourself, you can via the online shop found here.

Rachel x

NEW from The Body Shop - Glazed Apple

From left to right - Glazed Apple Body & Room Spray £7 //  Glazed Apple Body Butter £13 // Glazed Apple Bath Sprinkles £7 // Glazed Apple Sparkler £15 // Glazed Apple Eau de Toilette £8.50 // Glazed Apple Hand Cream £3.50 // Glazed Apple Soap £2.50 // Glazed Apple Shimmer Lotion £8 // Glazed Apple Body Polish £10 // Glazed Apple Lip Balm £4 // Glazed Apple Lip Gloss £7 // Glazed Apple Bath Jelly £10 // Glazed Apple Shower Gel £4

The Body Shop have been on the ball this year with their releases and almost all of them have excited me so much. I want to go out and buy this entire collection right now! Just in time for Bonfire Night, TBS has released 13 new products with a special edition scent - Glazed Apple. With notes of fresh apple, lemon sugar, raspberry blossom, freesia, musk and vanilla, the scent sounds perfect and I can imagine the smell as I'm writing this. I don't think the range hits store until 4th November but they're online to purchase now. My favourites of the range are the bath sprinkles, lip balm and bath jelly. They've just been added to my wishlist! 

Rachel x

Please note - this post isn't sponsored. I just love TBS!

Faith In Nature Coconut Shampoo & Conditioner - Review

Faith In Nature Coconut Shampoo* & Faith In Nature Conditioner* £5.50 each

Recently, I was contacted by the lovely ladies at Faith In Nature and they asked me if I would like to try one of their shampoo and conditioner ranges. Faith In Nature do exactly that; they put their faith into nature. They use natural ingredients to make a range of products including body care and skin care. I much prefer using 'green' haircare and I definitely notice a massive difference after repeated use. 

Born in Edinburgh 40 years ago, Faith In Nature believe in doing good for their customers, doing good in the way they run their business and doing good for the planet. Also, they are passionate about keeping their prices affordable so everyone can benefit from what the Earth provides. Not only do Faith In Nature use natural ingredients, their products are organic, cruetly free and vegan which is fantastic news! Currently based in Lancashire, Faith In Nature try to keep everything British; they manufacture in Britain and where possible, try to source products from the UK. If this is not possible, they aim to use ethically sourced, fairly traded produce. 

As my hair is dry and damaged, I decided to give the coconut range a try which is designed for normal to dry hair. Faith In Nature doesn't just use plants in their products because they smell nice; they believe that each plant has powers and healing qualities. For example, coconut oil inhibits the loss of skin moisture making skin smoother (this would work in exactly the same way with your hair). As the products are natural with no added nasties, they don't have a long shelf life; six months in fact. In my opinion, that's plenty of time for a shampoo and conditioner. I'm not sure mine would last that long anyway! 

From the very first wash, I was impressed! The shampoo lathers up perfectly (I've tried other natural shampoos which don't) and after washing my hair twice (it was greasy) my hair was very clean. My hair didn't feel squeaky clean, it never should, but my hands did a little bit. The coconut scent is delicious! I can close my eyes and pretend I'm on a Caribbean beach washing my hair under a waterfall! The conditioner seems quite runny but I don't know if that's because I'm used to ones which are full of chemicals. You just have to be careful that you don't loose any! The directions suggest leaving it on for 5 minutes, which I do. Afterwards, my hair feels super soft and is a lot easier to comb than usual. 

The result is that I recommend Faith In Nature Coconut Shampoo and Conditioner. Who doesn't want a shampoo which cleans and conditioner which conditions while being environmentally friendly and hair friendly? 

Do you prefer using 'greener' haircare? Have you tried Faith In Nature? 

Rachel x

Beauty Christmas Crackers

Not only has the beauty industry cashed in on advent calendars; they also rake it in when it comes to Christmas crackers. As beauty obsessives, we love it! I know it's still only October and this is my second Christmas post but it'll be November before you know it. Shops have started stocking Christmas items already so you've got to be quick before everything is gone! Here are just a few of the crackers available this year. I have separated them into individual crackers and cracker collections. 

this works breathe cracker £6 // No7 Fresh & Gorgeous Cracker £8 // Cowshed Cracking Cow Cracker £10 // this works miracle cracker £10

Champneys Cracker Collection £10 // No7 Christmas Cracker Collection £14 // Lancome Beauty Christmas crackers £54

Do you have your eye on any beauty Christmas crackers? Are they great or just another novelty fad?

Rachel x

NARS Orgasm Blush - Review

NARS Orgasm Blush £22.50

What they say; "The ultimate authority in blush, NARS offers the industry's most iconic shades for cheeks. Natural, healthy-looking colour that immediately enlivens the complexion. A light application of even the highest-intensity hues delivers a natural-looking flush."

This is actually my first ever NARS purchase and I bought it from Cohorted at a discounted price (I think I got it for about £18). I used the excuse 'I need this for my wedding' to justify buying a blush for almost £20 when I already have a draw full of them! Orgasm is such a highly raved about product in the beauty world with many people claiming it's their holy grail blusher. I just had to see what all the fuss is about!

NARS Orgasm Blush is a peachy-pink blush with a golden shimmer running through it. It apparently suits most skin tones and it definitely suits mine. Orgasm can be worn lightly for a natural blush or it can be built up for a more intense look. As it contains a golden shimmer, it can act as a 2-in-1 product, allowing you to save time in the morning and skip the highlight. At first, I wasn't sure about the shimmer for everyday but once it's blended, it's very subtle and looks beautiful. I imagine it looks stunning glistening in the low Autumn sunlight.

Is Orgasm a holy grail product for you? Which NARS products do you own?

Rachel x

Autumn Wishlist

Zoeva Rose Golden Luxury Brush Set - I must be a magpie as I'm completely drawn to this for the rose good detailing. I haven't tried Zoeva brushes before so I'd only actually purchase these if I had the opportunity to try them or if enough people recommended them. 

The Balm Nude'Tude Eyeshadow Palette - The Balm is a brand I haven't tried before and this palette looks like it contains lots of shades that are up my street. 

COLAB Dry Shampoo - Ruth Crilly from A Model Recommends has just released a range of dry shampoos. They are supposed to be sheer and invisible so I want to give them a try. 

Indeed Labs Eyslix Instant Eye Rescue - I suffer from dark circles especially when I'm tired at 6am on a Monday morning! Eyeslix apparently reduces puffiness, dark circles, fatigue and crow's feet. Worth a try I'd say! 

Shu Uemura Eyelash Curlers - These eyelash curlers are raved about so much on YouTube and by bloggers. I want to see what all the fuss is about. 

Zoella Blissful Mistful, Zoella Fizz Bar & Zoella Let's Glow Candle - Zoe recently released her beauty range and these are the three products that I want to try the most. There has been lots of hype around these products; I just hope they live up to the hype. 

The Balm Mary-Lou Manizer Luminizer - Another The Balm product. This is the one I've heard the most about and I'm dying to give it a try. 

Have you tried any of these products before? Which items are on your wishlist? 

Rachel x

The Library Of Fragrance - Peony - Review

I first mentioned The Library Of Fragrance in this post just before their launch in the UK. I have been involved in some of their research before the big launch and I was asked things such as; fragrances I'd like to see, what the bottle should look like and offers that would most likely entice us to buy the products. This is a launch I'm very excited about as it allows us to be creative and create personal scents at affordable prices. 

The Library Of Fragrance is a New York based perfumery called Demeter Fragrance Library but they have decided on a new name for their UK launch this September. Demeter Fragrance Library was established in 1996 with an iconic capsule collection of three scents - Grass, Tomato and Dirt (all of which are still available today!) The mission is to capture all of the beautiful scents that surround us everyday and with over 300 scents under their belt, I'd say they've done a damn good job! 

Currently, The Library Of Fragrance has a pretty extensive collection of 101 fragrances which are available at www.thelibraryoffragrance.com. I'm pretty sure they will continue to expand on this considering the USA have over 300! A capsule collection of 28 of the brand's best selling scents will be available in most Boots stores and via www.boots.com. 

The Library Of Fragrance presents scents that are real and familiar and can be chosen to reflect the preferences of you, the wearer. The simplicity of the concept, allows wearers to layer scents which is not a new concept but definitely a more affordable one. The most basic rule of thumb, according to the brand, is if things smell good together in real life, they will smell good on you. The brand suggest recommendations on their social media but the overriding message is that wearers should be as creative as they like. 

The price for a 30ml bottle is £15 and there is an exclusive 2 for £25 promotion in Boots stores. That should encourage you to layer scents and find a personalised scent. 

I was kindly sent Peony to review as the lovely ladies at their PR office knew it's my favourite flower which was included in my bouquet when I got married. 

Peony is a beautiful scent which floods my mind with amazing memories from Friday 1st August 2014, my wedding day. It captures the scent of peonies so well and I'm looking forward to adding to my collection and creating beautiful combinations of scents. Unfortunately, Peony isn't available via Boots so you'll have to go through the website for this beauty.

You can view the 28 fragrances which will be available at Boots at www.boots.com and you can view the entire collection at www.thelibraryoffragrance.com. 

Which fragrances do you like the sound of? Are there any fragrances which aren't available that you'd like to see in the future?

Rachel x

Selfridges AW14 Fashion Showcase

On Thursday 9th October, I headed over to Selfridges Exchange Square in Manchester for their AW14 Fashion Showcase. The event was to celebrate the new menswear destination on the first floor and the latest womenswear collections on the second floor. I was very excited for the event and as I had a plus one, I brought my mum along as she loves Selfridges and was intrigued to see what I get up to at the events I go to.

How awesome is this skirt?! I want!

I also want this gorgeous handbag!

As we arrived, we were greeted by a Champagne arrival which is always a winner. There was also a non alcoholic option - Elderflower, which I also sampled and it was delicious. We had an hour to browse the new collections before the fashion show started. My mum and I headed straight for the shoe department before browsing the new womenswear collections.

The extremely talented Jacqueline Bissett in action

My awesome illustration

It wasn't long before we spotted fashion illustrator, Jacqueline Bissett who was offering a personalised illustration to take home. She is extremely talented and created beautiful pieces of art in less than 10 minutes. My mum and I are amazed by my illustration as it really does look like me and it captures me perfectly. I'm going to display it in a black frame in my bedroom near my dressing table.

Behind the scenes!

Apologies that this is my only photo of the catwalk. I watched it from the floor above so couldn't really get good images.

At 8:30pm, it was time for the fashion show to begin. The models descended from the second floor down the escalators onto the first floor to strut their stuff around the staircase. The fashion show consisted of mens and womenswear. I had a great view as I watched it from the second floor and could still see the models walking around the stairs. Unfortunately, this meant I couldn't get any good images.

These cocktails look incredible and they tasted pretty delicious too!

Christmas is coming!

After the fashion show, a pop up bar from The Alchemist were serving cocktails and waiters were offering canapés. We had another browse through all the beautiful collections - cooing over some beautiful clothes, shoes and handbags.

Rachel x

Beauty Advent Calendars 2014 (under £60)

There's no need to settle for chocolate in your advent calendar these days. In the past few years, beauty advent calendars have become a big thing. Many brands are releasing their take on the beauty advent calendar trend and as beauty obsessives, we love it! I've never actually owned one before. By the time I decided which one I wanted last year, they had all sold out! I'm going to be quicker this year and consider this a warning - act fast! Some are available now and by the beginning of November, they will all be available. In this post, I'm going to share the advent calendars which I have found under £60. 

Boots No7 Beauty Advent Calendar £35

Following the success of last year’s debut bestseller, the new No7 Beauty Calendar is  priced at £35 and is available from 29 October in selected stores and on boots.com. Containing 25 make up and skincare must haves for the festive season, it's worth £130 which is a massive saving of £95! This advent calendar appeals to me the most. It's the cheapest and has the biggest saving! Everyone's a winner (except maybe Boots!) 

L'Occitane Advent Calendar £45

L'Occitane's advent calendar is priced at £45 but it's worth £62. Although you only save £17, a saving is a saving at the end of the day! A negative for me is that there is only 13 doors to open. I don't understand the significance with 13 and would this be started on the 1st December? This advent calendar offering is available to buy on 3rd November.

Ciate Mini Mani Manor £49

"Ciaté’s Mini Mani Manor is the ultimate colour-packed countdown for the festive season – your very own merry mansion! What better way to embrace the holiday spirit than with 24 days’ worth of festive manicure goodies. This fairy-tale worthy advent calendar is an absolute must-have for any nail polish lover – you’ll find it hard not to open every window at once!"

It's priced at £49 but is worth £128 so you save a whopping £79! Ciate's popular advent calendar is available now and comes in three different variations. It's available to buy online here and in Selfridges and John Lewis stores.

The Best Of The Body Shop Advent Calendar £50

Available now, TBS Advent Calendar is priced at £50 and is worth £83 so you save a decent £33. It's available now and is available in selected stores. There are 24 doors to open in the run up to Christmas (I would have preferred 25 but I can't complain!) It contains some of their best-selling face and body care products and even includes some of the most recent launches including Nail Polish and Wild Argan.

"AND the gift of giving just gets better; with every Calendar you buy we will make a donation to our charity partner War Child, so you can send a child in a war-torn areas to class. What a gift!"

Elemis 12 Days Of Beauty Advent Calendar £59.50

This is a variation on the classic advent calendar as it's a post-Christmas calendar beginning on 25th Decemeber. This means it can actually be given as a gift on Christmas day and then enjoyed for the next 12 days. I think this is a great idea! It's available now online and is priced at £59.50. It's worth £113 so you save a great £53.50.

Which advent calendar do you have your eye on?

Rachel x

September Empties

L'Oreal EverSleek Smoothing & Moisture Shampoo // L'Oreal EverSleek Smoothing & Moisture Conditioner // Sure Crystal Invisible Anti-Perspirant Spray // Bioderma Sebium H20 Micelle Solution // Simple Eye Make Up Remover // Clean & Clear Deep Action Cream Wash // La Roche Posay Effaclar H // Impulse Body Spray in Tease // Origins Make A Difference Rejuvenating Hand Treatment // Barry M Lash Vegas Black Mascara // Collection Lasting Perfection Concealer 

L'Oreal EverSleek Smoothing & Moisture Shampoo & L'Oreal EverSleek Smoothing & Moisture Conditioner - I actually enjoyed using this shampoo and conditioner. I purchased these when they were on offer and if I see them on offer again, I will repurchase. They claim to contain no sulphates and no silicone but it does contain sodium lauryl sulfoacetate  and a few other ingredients which feature words similar to sulphate. Now I'm not a chemistry expert so I don't know if they are sulphates or not. (After a quick Google Search, Sodium lauryl sulfoacetate is actually a cheat detergent and is a natural ingredient. So they're actually really good although I've only researched that one ingredient! Can anyone else shed any light?)

Sure Crystal Invisible Anti-Perspirant Spray - I debated whether to include deodorant in my empties but I have before and after all, it is a product I've finished and I'd like to share my opinion. At first, I wasn't sure about the new smaller, compressed sprays but after using a few now, they actually last a really long time. I find the scent of this particular deodorant to be pleasant and it does it job! 

Bioderma Sebium H20 Micelle Solution - I haven't repurchased this yet but I might do as it's pretty good. I may even give the original a try as my skin isn't as bad as it used to be. I haven't used it to remove mascara yet; just my face make up, but I know a few people who do and they say it removes waterproof mascara effectively. Considering I haven't found an eye make up remover that does yet, I might as well go for a recommendation and give it a try. 

Simple Eye Make Up Remover - This is a great eye make up remover for regular mascara but it does absolutely nothing for waterproof mascara even though it claims to do so! Since my wedding, I have worn waterproof mascara more than usual as I have a fab No7 mascara, but I'm always put off as I don't have any way to fully remove it. Hopefully, Bioderma will work when I give it a try. 

Clean & Clear Deep Action Cream Wash - I think this has featured in my empties before. It does an ok job and I've repurchased it several times but I am looking for an alternative cream wash that does a better job. If you recommend one, please let me know. I prefer a cream wash as it's easy to use and easy to take off. I have oil cleansers and balm cleansers but I find them a bit of a faff and sometimes I'm too lazy! 

La Roche Posay Effaclar H - I purchased this from Escentual (I think). I thought it would be worth a try as I love Effaclar Duo / Duo [+] but I wasn't that blown away. It's a moisturiser aimed at oily skin which has been weakened by over-drying treatments. I used it in the morning and in the evening but didn't notice any real difference in my skin. The tube is 40ml but it didn't last me very long. As you can see I've squeezed every last bit out which was very difficult as the plastic tube is so tough. 

Impulse Body Spray in Tease - My faithful body spray. I'm actually running low in back ups so I best stock up soon! I'm down to my last two and one is in my handbag. I haven't tried a different scent like I said in last month's empties as I already had these but now I need to stock up, I may just do that! I only buy in bulk when they are 99p/£1 so I'm on the lookout! 

Origins Make A Difference Rejuvenating Hand Treatment - I actually got this in the Christmas sales last year in an Origins gift set. I'm a hand cream obsessive and I always have about 5 tubes in back up so I didn't start using it till recently. I absolutely loved the hand cream though and I will definitely be checking out the full version. It soothed and moisturised my hands, absorbed quickly and it smelt gorgeous. 

Barry M Lash Vegas Black Mascara - I'm not sure what I thought of this mascara. It wasn't the best mascara I've ever used and it certainly wasn't the worst. It did it's job but it could have been better. I wasn't a fan of the wand and I found that mascara clung to it which I had to wipe off before application. To begin with, it was quite a wet mascara which I'm not a fan of but once it had dried out a little, it was a little easier to work with. I wouldn't repurchase it again though. 

Collection Lasting Perfection Concealer - Everyone's favourite concealer! I think I'm going off it though. I don't know why. I just don't feel like it's been covering up blemishes that well recently. I had loads of back ups but I'm actually down to my last one now so I may give another concealer a try. Any recommendations? 

Rachel x

AX Paris AW14 Press Day

Delicious cocktails

Yummy cupcakes

Sexy red dresses

Stunning fur coat

Gorgeous Autumn clothes

A feast fit for a King!

Extremely generous goodie bags

Amazing henna tattooist

Me and the gorgeous kayleigh

Me and the beautiful Frances

At the end of September, I was invited to the AX Paris AW14 Press Day at Black Dog Ballroom in Manchester. We were greeted by very friendly staff and offered cupcakes and cocktails. They sure know the way to a bloggers heart!

We had the opportunity to browse the new collection and I fell in love with so many dresses. The new range is full on glitz and glamour; perfect for the party season! There were so many sequins! I'm not sure which one I want for Christmas as there were so many gorgeous choices. I think my favourite dress of the day has to be the green sequin one with the plunge neckline.

We were looked after so well - there was a photobooth, a lovely lady doing henna and a fabulous feast was put on for us, consisting of mini burgers, pizzas and fries. I had a fabulous day and it was great catching up with some bloggers that I haven't seen for ages as well as finally meeting Kayleigh after chatting on Twitter so much! We were extremely lucky to leave with a fantastic goodie bag, filled to the rim with amazing products!

Thank you to AX Paris and Black Dog Ballroom for hosting such a fabulous event. AX Paris, I'll see you in store very soon! It'll be time to buy my Christmas dress very soon!

Rachel x