I think I may singlehandedly be keeping Priceline in business with the amount of money I've been giving them lately! There was my Cosmetics Bag GWP Haul and hubby threw some cash their way to get me Lady Gaga's Fame, YSL's Parisienne and Katy Perry's Royal Revolution for Mother's Day in their fragrance sale, too. And there's still the Skincare GWP to go!
Let's talk HairCare, though. My hair has been giving me a fair bit of grief lately. It's naturally fine, but lately it's becoming increasingly difficult to inject some volume into it. I need to cut an inch or so off, as that usually gives me a little more body, but I'm getting frustrated with how flat and lifeless it appears. I use volume shampoo, conditioner and mousse plus various root booster sprays and thickening lotions, so I'm really throwing everything at it and I'm just not getting the results I used to. So I used the 40% off sale as an opportunity to buy a bunch of volumising products (plus a few extras) in the hopes of finding something that works well for me. Fingers crossed that something in this massive haul is a miracle worker!
Batiste Dry Shampoo XXL Volume (x 2) - my favourite ever dry shampoo because it gives me extra volume from the roots. When this goes on special, I stock up, as it's a staple in my hair styling routine. Check out my mini-review here.
Batiste Dry Shampoo Light & Blonde - I use dry shampoo every day, so I go through it fairly fast. I've tried this before and just decided to get this to mix things up a bit.
L'Oreal Elvive Fibralogy Thickening Serum - I've gone through about four bottles of this, and when used daily, I can easily finish a bottle in a few weeks. If it's on special I'll get it, because it's a lovely product that does give my hair body, providing I scrunch it through properly. I'm not loving it as much as I used to, though, going by this post where it made my Favourites last year!
L'Oreal Elvive Fibralogy Thickening Shampoo - Another repurchase, because this one is quite good. I do have a fair few bottles of shampoo in the cupboard waiting to be used up at the moment though!
Fudge Root Juice - this is a 'medium hold root booster for extra volume and grunt'. I will give anything a go that claims to provide body from the roots and I'm loving a few other Fudge products at the moment, so hopefully this is just as good.
VO5 MattClay - I included one product for hubby, because it makes me feel slightly less guilty about this huge haul! I can also use this on my son's hair, so it was a no-brainer.
VO5 Give Me Texture Tousled Style Spray - I still don't know if texture is a good idea when you have fine hair, as you don't want it to go too piecey, but I'll give this a go. I'm thinking it will be similar to salt spray.
Toni & Guy Glamour 3D Volumiser - this sounds promising. I'm expecting miraculous results from this 'volume boost with a spritz of shine' spray. No pressure or anything!
Pantene Light Detangling Spray - I'll only need to use this right before I wash my hair. That's when it's at its tangliest. I don't blame it, with multiple days worth of dry shampoo, serums, various sprays and lacquer through it!
Schwarzkopf Ultime Sea Salt Texture Spray - I just finished off my Tigi Catwalk Session Series Salt Spray and thought I'd try this as a replacement. Schwarzkopf is a good brand and all salt sprays would be pretty similar ingredient-wise, wouldn't they?
I'm joining up with the Fabulous And Fun Life MakeUp Linky Party. Join in!
Have you used any of these products?
I should say Can-Can-Can-Can, because that's how many cans feature in this Empties post. Way too many, making it boring as bat-shit. So I photographed them on one of my son's painting, to BRIGHTEN the whole thing up. I hope I finish something exciting this month!
Nivea Pearl & Beauty Anti-Perspirant Deodorant
Death by excessive Nivea fumes. Will not repurchase.
Herbal Essences Tousle Me Softly Conditioner
(with a 'fusion of Wild Violet & Pomegranate'). LOVE this and will buy it again when it goes on special, because I'm cheap like that. This smells divine and leaves my hair soft, smooth and relatively untangled.
Lancome Genifique Youth Activator
Possibly the only free sample that has been brilliant enough to make me want to purchase the whole product. Ever. Because I'm cheap and not easily swayed. I used this every day under my moisturiser and I swear I could see my skin get younger looking. Lancome have recently dropped their prices on this range too, so I might have to bite the bullet. But you know I'll try to win one first :)
Nivea Double Effect Anti-Perspirant
This contains Avocado Extract for smoother underarms, but I never noticed a difference. Will not repurchase.
Toni & Guy Cleanse Dry Shampoo
I'm shocked that I'm starting to go off this! I'm pretty sure I recently blogged this as a favourite. What a psycho I am. Either my hair is becoming increasingly difficult to refresh between washes, or this stuff is not working as well as other dry shampoos like Batiste and Klorane, which I think I'll buy next, instead of T&G Cleanse.
Schwarzkopf Extra Care Super Styling Lacquer
Y'all know this is my favourite hairspray ever. I've harped on about it enough before. A staple product for me.
Feel free to link up your Empties Posts in the comments below!
This is an Epic Empties in the sense that I finished a massive 12 products! Quite a few were nearly empty, so I guess I has a head start. There's a lot to get through, so I'll try not to ramble on. Let the emptiness begin .....
Rexona Women Crystal Anti-Perspirant Deodorant
Nothing mind-blowing, but at least the fumes don't choke you like the Nivea sprays!
Toni & Guy Cleanse Dry Shampoo
I'm a massive fan of Toni & Guy dry shampoo, so when I saw they had come out with a new range, in spiffy white cans instead of silver, I was pretty excited. I actually really love this 'Cleanse' dry shampoo. It's a super-fine gentle mist that disperses brilliantly, soaking up grease and oils, leaving my hair clean, refreshed and full of volume. Also, the can is bigger; great for if you power through the stuff like I do. It costs a little more, but I've been able to get this on special at PriceLine for $12 instead of the usual $17.
The Body Shop Pear & Lemongrass Shower Gel
I got this and another fragrance from the Earth Lovers range half price at The Body Shop while in Singapore. I'm going to have a break before I start the next one as I've got a few other shower gels on the go that need to be finished first (and frankly, I'm enjoying them more). I've reviewed the Pear & Lemongrass gel here.
Sunsilk Keratinology Detoxifying Shampoo
I can't even remember if this was any good. It can't have been terrible, because I'd definitely recall that. No re-purchase, I think this just happened to be in the cupboard. Now it's not. Adios!
Clinique Chubby Stick in Whole Lotta Honey
Devastated this is gone! It was such a creamy, gorgeous consistency with a flattering shade of balm that really moisturised my lips. I'm not enjoying its replacement, the Super Strawberry Chubby Stick, nearly as much. I actually got a cotton bud and started digging the product out, you can see the concave hole in the photo above! I've blogged about this product here.
L'Oreal Preference High Shine Colour Conditioner
This is the conditioner that comes in the box of hair dye and it's seriously the best conditioner ever. I only colour my hair twice a year, but the conditioner is a highlight in the procedure. It gives me smooth, soft, silky, detangled hair. Love it.
St Ives Moisturizing Olive Scrub
Yeah, I've really gone off this now. No re-purchase. I've talked about it here.
Trilogy Rosehip Oil Antioxidant
I'm getting into all the rosehip oils and tissue oils again, so I thought I'd start with this tiny sample. Trilogy makes a great rosehip oil. It leaves my skin soft, smooth and nourished.
Maybelline Masterliner in Black
I adore this product. If you have a problem with eyeliner smudging, smearing, running or wearing off during the day, you must check this out. This little beauty stays put all day long and it looks fantastic on. It's retractable, so only wind it up a little bit when using, to minimise breakage.
Revlon Colorstay Eyeliner in Black
This is basically exactly the same product as the Masterliner, except it's a bit crappier. It tends to break more frequently. Utilise the above tip and proceed with caution.
Revlon Super Lustrous Lipstick Pink In The Afternoon
Really missing this. It was the perfect pink shade for daytime wear, when I was looking for something subtle yet more colourful than a nude. Versatile, felt great on and the colour suited my skin tone.
Kate Moss Lasting Finish Lipstick in 07
Love this! Already purchased my back-up when they were on special, WAY before this one was getting low. It's probably the most flattering nude I have, it's super-creamy and wears well. Great value for money.
Disclaimer - All products were bought by me with the exception of the teeny tiny Trilogy Rosehip Oil, which was a free sample.
Have you tried any of these products? What are you thoughts on them?
Another month, another load of empties. I actually really enjoy blogging my empties, because it forces me to use up my products so I've got something to blog about! Today, I started organising all my unused prodz into categories so I can store them better and I am SHOCKED at how much shit I have!
L'Oreal Casting Creme Gloss Conditioning Colour in 910 Light Iced Blonde
This was a hassle to use, compared to the home colours I've used in the past. There's a perforated bit where you pop the cardboard box out and you are supposed to stand the container up in it to mix the other stuff in. Sorry I'm being to vague, I've thrown the instructions out and I don't know the names to refer to! Also, after I broke the top off the bottle and squeezed some out, it came out crooked and went near my eye. Not good! I think I just had a bad day with this colour, because I've used a lot of different brands and types in the past and this has never happened before. The result wasn't too bad, not brilliant though, and I do have to use blonde toner or my hair looks a bit orangey. I will be looking to purchase a completely different colour in the future.
Dove Gentle Exfoliating Beauty Cream Bar
Love this soap and have blogged about it previously here
Toni & Guy Volume Conditioner
I wasn't a massive fan of this conditioner. It didn't really seem to make my hair fuller or more volumous. It does take a lot to get body into my fine hair, though.
Clinique Liquid Facial Soap
I quite enjoyed this mild cleanser from Clinique. It was very gentle and did the job although it's definitely not the best facial soap I've ever used.
Guinot Gommage Grain D'Eclat (Gentle Face Exfoliating Cream)
I was so disappointed with this exfoliator! It had an unpleasant aroma, minimal exfoliating particles and left a horrible, grimy residue on my face after I'd washed it off. If I'm to compare fancy French brands, my Payot stuff is winning hands down!
Schwarzkopf Extra Care Liquid Silk Shampoo, Conditioner & SOS Repair Treatment
These mini-sized products were from a travel kit I won and they were just lovely. They almost smelled of fairy floss or coconut ice. I enjoyed the silky smooth results I achieved from these products. They conditioned my hair well, and left it shiny and soft. I'd definitely purchase these with my own money in the future.
** L'Oreal, Dove, and Toni & Guy were purchased by me, Clinique, Guinot and Schwarzkopf I won.
Well August is gone, and with it the products I finished during the month. Here are said products and mini reviews on each.
Garnier UltraLift Anti-Wrinkle Eye Cream
I am so sad that I've finished this, because it worked extremely well on me, lifting my under-eye area and diminishing the look of my dark circles, and it's been discontinued. I was initially in disbelief when I couldn't find this product in my local Woolies, but after an extensive and exhausting search through pretty much every available outlet, I give up. Garnier initially replaced it with a double-ended tube of similar product (tried it, did not get the same results), then also released a roller-ball product. There is also a tub of Garnier Ultra-Lift Pro Deep Wrinkle Dual Eye but I don't get the same results from that either. Sucks!
Pantene 3 Minute Miracle Treatment
I hardly ever put a treatment through my hair, so this was a little bit of heaven for me! Sad, I know. I was pleasantly surprised by the results. My hair was soft, smooth and silky after using this and I'm definitely going to buy this after trying the sample.
Simple Refreshing Facial Wash Gel
I wasn't overly impressed with this gel, but it was inoffensive enough, being colour and perfume free and designed for sensitive skin. Satisfactory if you're into 'no frills' products.
Alpha-H Gentle Daily Exfoliant
I have previously reviewed this product here. I would just like to add, that since writing my review, the results I experienced from using this exfoliant continued and increased. My skin became brighter and clearer with continued use. This is an expensive, but effective product. I am now using Dermalogica Daily Microfoliant instead (only because this ran out and I won the Dermalogica) :o)
Neutrogena Oil-Free Acne Wash Pink Grapefruit Foaming Scrub
I absolutely hate this product with a passion. When I first used it, my face reacted badly, resulting in red, dry patches that took weeks to clear up. I left this alone for months, but recently decided to use it as a body scrub (sparingly and carefully!) as there was no way it was going anywhere near my face again. No bad reaction this time. This was just way too strong and stripped my skin dry (and I don't have sensitive skin, either). Hopefully Neutrogena don't make this any more, but if they do, proceed with caution.
Toni & Guy Volume Shampoo
This was on special so I thought I'd give it a go, considering how much I love the T&G Dry Shampoo. I didn't really notice any more volume after using this. Also the pump action dispenser is a bit of a pain in the arse in the shower. Meh.
Batiste Dry Shampoo in Blush
This is a reliable dry shampoo in fun, cheerful packaging, with a lovely scent. Batiste is one of my regular dry shampoos. I love Original, Blush and Tropical.
**Garnier, Toni & Guy & Batiste were purchased by me, Pantene was a freebie in the mail, Simple I won, Alpha-H was provided for consideration, Neutrogena was provided to review on another site.**
OK, so I was supposed to be shopping for Father's Day and my Wedding Anniversary (which I did!) but why waste a trip to Westfield, right? Here follows a mini-haul (budget edition!) and a bangle extravaganza.
Toni & Guy Refreshing Dry Shampoo - a staple in my routine.
Australis Eye Pencil in Black - this performed well, so I got another.
Maybelline Color Sensational lipsticks in Hooked On Pink (left) & Tinted Taupe (right) - 2 for 1 sale at PriceLine WOO!
BYS Metallics Pinks Purples - loved my Metallics Browns so much, thought I'd give this a go.
BYS Eyeshadow Moonlit Shores - totally fell in love with the colours in this palette and had to have it.
BYS Gold Glitter nail enamel - my inner showgirl/drag queen needed this.
This nail polish really is exciting me more than it should. Hence the extra picture!
The bangles are kind of like the ones in Diva and Equip, but they were in KMart. I love me a gold bangle or two. And they were all marked down from $9 to either $2 or $3! I got all these for $11 !!!
Err, just looked over my haul again. I think I will be looking like Peggy (see below) from TV series Married With Children with all this on. Eeek!!
Do you remember Married With Children?
Toni & Guy Refreshing Dry Shampoo
Well if you read this blog you'd know I love this stuff and use it regularly. I usually go through one per month. It's the best, and I'll continue to purchase it due to its high quality. I've blogged about this product here
St. Ives Naturally Clear Green Tea Cleanser
This is quite a mild, gentle formulation, with satisfactory results, but it's not a favourite of mine and I won't be re-purchasing. I have previously reviewed this product here
Clinique 7 Day Scrub Cream
This smaller-sized product came as part of a GWP (Gift With Purchase) and I wasn't all that impressed with it, even though I've read that many others swear by it. It felt quite harsh on my face and is very dense with exfoliating (grainy) bits. I learned to use this product sparingly and to be very gentle while massaging it in, otherwise my face went a bit red. A big no on the re-purchase question.
Neutrogena Oil-Free Acne Stress Control Power-Clear Scrub
I didn't really like this and ended up using it as a body wash/scrub. The particles were few and far between and I wasn't a fan of the texture. Also it claims to "help prevent acne even before it emerges". I want to make a smart-arse comment about the possibility of scientifically proving a products ability to prevent something before it emerges (because how would you know of the possible existence or non-existence of something if it was stopped in its tracks before becoming visible, if you know what I mean) but I won't. LOL. This scrub is bullshit and I won't be re-purchasing.
Olay Total Effects 7-In-1 Anti-Ageing Cream
Absolutely LOVE this moisturiser. Love everything about it. Absorbs quickly, provides an unbeatable base for makeup, evens out my skin tone, reduces the appearance of fine lines, makes my skin supple and smooth and just in general, makes my skin look its best. It's my staple moisturiser and I can't recommend it enough. You definitely need to try this, if you haven't already. It really makes your skin look amazing (and that can be a hard task to perform sometimes on my skin).
** Out of this lot, just the St. Ives Green Tea Cleanser was provided for consideration. I am not affiliated with any of the above Companies.
