Danielle's Beauty Blog

 

Welcome back! I’m on a roll with blog posts at the minute thanks to a bank holiday weekend and some time off work for wisdom teeth extractions so trying to make use and get my empties up! Onto the mini reviews! (Ignore the mess I made of my background – sticky back plastic gone wrong!)

 

Haircare

Dove Dry Shampoo

Works well to refresh my hair and is affordable when on offer so would repurchase!

 

Batiste Plant Powered Dry Shampoo

As someone who usually avoids the classic Batiste as it’s my least favourite dry shampoo I was pleasantly surprised by this! Worked well on my dark hair, no white cast and definitely dulled down the grease! I have others I prefer so not a repurchase!

 

Kerastase Nutritive Bain Satin 1 Shampoo for normal to slightly dry hair RRP $55*

Love this shampoo! It contains SLS and is lightly scented and smells amazing! It lathers well and makes my scalp and hair feel clean without drying it out. Despite being formulated for dry hair (I have an oily scalp and dry ends), this doesn’t weigh my hair down and it makes it feel soft and look shiny! Read my full review here! Would repurchase even though it’s pricey as it lasted ages and made washing my hair a good experience!

JVN Complete Air Dry Cream

This smoothed my hair and tamed flyaways but I am a serial blow dryer and straightener so I can’t say much for how it helps hair settle as it airdries! The main thing I look for in a hair product is heat protection which this doesn’t have so not a repurchase for me though I do have another mini to use! 

 

Bodycare

Olay Collagen Body Lotion

This was a nice lightweight lotion that sank in quickly and moisturised well. I have other body lotions I prefer the scent of and that are more affordable so not a repurchase for me!

 

Naturium Bio-Lipid Restoring Body Lotion

I really liked this! It’s thick but sank in quickly and kept my body well moisturised. The only bad things are the fact I went through it so quickly and I would prefer a scented product! A good price for the amount you get and often on offer. I have other more affordable moisturisers I like just as much but this was a treat so I would repurchase!

 

Lush Rose Jam Shower Gel

Love this and it lasted so long for me! I find it pricey so it’s usually a birthday or Christmas present to myself but worth every penny as it smells incredible and feels so good to clean my skin with! Will repurchase!

 

Cetraben Cream RRP £6.05*

A great cream to have in your stash for dry patches or itchy/sensitive skin! Will repurchase!

 

Lancaster Golden Tan Maximiser

A mini and I only got one use out of it so I can’t say much for the effects but it smelts good and sank in quickly! Not a repurchase! 

 

Skincare

Dear, Klairs Gentle Black Deep Cleansing Oil

More affordable than the Dermalogica Precleanse and feels just as luxurious though this one has no scent. It spreads easily, removes makeup with ease, emulsifies, doesn’t sting my eyes and leaves my skin feeling clean and hydrated with no film left behind! Will repurchase! Full review here!

 

Charlotte Tilbury Glow Toner RRP $66*

Really enjoyed this toner! It has a lovely thick formula and helped smooth and plump my skin. On the pricey side so not a repurchase for me! Full review here!

 

COSRX Advanced Snail 96 Mucin Power Essence

This is a cult product for a reason! Felt very soothing and hydrating but I did get bored of it as it’s in a 100ml bottle! Good value for money so would repurchase in the future! Full review here!

 

Dermalogica Precleanse RRP £49*

A luxurious citrus scented oil cleanser that turns into a milky emulsion when you add water. This lasted me a long time and I enjoyed it but there are other oil and balm cleansers I enjoy more that are a lot more affordable so not a repurchase for me! Full review here!

 

Medik8 Crystal Retinal 6

Another cult classic and another product I enjoyed! I felt zero irritation with this and woke up to smooth, plump skin with my fine lines less noticeable. Would repurchase but in the higher concentration!

 

Beauty of Joseon Relief Sun: Rice and Probiotics SPF50+

I loved this so much I used it every day until it was finished and didn’t even get time to feature it in a blog or instagram post! It feels so lightweight, left no whitecast on my skin and sank in quickly leaving a great base for makeup. My skin felt protected, my eyes didn’t water and I can’t recommend it enough! Will repurchase 100% but I have a lot of other SPF’s to finish first!

 

Avant Brightening and De-Puffing Hyaluronic overnight Eye Recovery Mask

Another love! I think I got this in a beauty box and it’s pricey! The formula is lovely, it feels very hydrating and sinks in quickly and doesn’t pill around my eyes like some eye creams can. It’s not a miracle worker at brightening or depuffing my eye bags but I have been impressed! Sadly, not a repurchase right now because of the cost!

 

Dermalogica Biolumin-C Serum RRP £145*

A nice formulation but this oxidised quickly on me I think because it’s in a 59ml bottle! It contains lactic acid as well as Vitamin C and worked nicely to brighten and smooth my skin! Not a repurchase as there are others I prefer!

 

Skinceuticals Serum 10 AOX+ RRP $118*

I really didn’t want to like this because of the price but it worked really well for my skin! This is more of an introductory Vitamin C serum containing 10% pure vitamin C (l-ascorbic acid) and 0.2% ferulic acid. With daily use it lasted me just over 3 months and my skin looked even, brighter and fine lines were less noticeable. Would repurchase on offer but I do have a couple of their other Vitamin C’s to try first!

 

The Ordinary Lactic Acid 5% + HA

I actually use this more on the back of my arms to target KP than my face but it works well on both! Very smoothing but I prefer the 10% and I have a back up of that so wouldn’t repurchase the 5% again!

 

Scientia After Facial Glow RRP £39 for duo*

This is part of a duo set with the tri action peel and is a polyglutamic acid serum to plump, hydrate and smooth skin. Worked well but only 15ml and I don’t believe you can buy it separately so not a repurchase for me!

 

Versed Zero-G Smoothing Eye Cream RRP $24.99*

Loved this and it was perfect for daytime for me under makeup as it gave me a really good base with no pilling! It has a subtle illuminating effect so looks brightening as well as being hydrating! Will repurchase!

 

Laneige Lip Sleeping Mask in Mango

Love the lip sleeping mask and this was the first flavour other than original I've tried! It’s super hydrating and perfect for overnight. The scent was nice but I prefer the OG berry so not a repurchase but I already have a berry back up anyway!

 

Sunday Riley C.E.O. Vitamin C Rich Hydration Cream

Loved this! Worked really well as a daytime moisturiser for me on some trips I had this summer and kept my skin hydrated and supported! Would repurchase if on offer!  

 

Fresh Rose Deep Hydration Face Cream

Another nice cream, I used this at night on my trips and liked it but not as much as the CEO, so not a repurchase!

 

COSRX Acne Pimple Master Patch

Loved having these in my stash, they come in different sizes and worked well to reduce some bigger spots! Have a backup already! 

 

Murad Retinol Youth Renewal Eye Mask RRP £42 for 5 pack*

Love using these when I have an event or big day out planned, they feel nicely hydrating and help brighten and plump the skin around my eyes! Pricey so not a repruchase!

 

Burt’s Bees Advanced Relief Lip Repair RRP $10.49*

This was nicely hydrating and gave a nice shine to my lips but it also has quite a lot of slip so I didn’t find it the longest lasting lip product! I have another one but I wouldn’t repurchase!

 

Burt’s Bees Dragonfruit Lemon Lip Balm RRP $6.99*

I usually stick with the original mint flavour but this was a nice change and had a lovely sweet scent! The formula is one of my favourite lip balm formulas so this is a great option for no fuss hydration but the original is still my fave so not a repurchase!

 

Dr Dennis Gross Alpha Beta Exfoliating Moisturiser

Loved this mini! It contains lactic and glycolic acids as well as ceramides and squalane and made my skin so soft and smooth! Would definitely repurchase, you guessed it, on a good offer!

 

Lancome Advanced Genifique Youth Activating Concentrate

I haven’t tried much Lancome at all but this serum was lovely! Very softening and brightening but I do have others I like just as much that are (a little) more affordable so not a repurchase though I have another mini and I will enjoy it! 

 

Pat McGrath Divine Skin Rose Essence

I liked this but didn’t notice much in the way of benefits as the bottle is so small and I find essences to be one of the skincare products I neglect most often so not a repurchase! 

 

Makeup

Maybelline Lash Sensational Sky High Waterproof Mascara

Loved this! I’ve been struggling with mascaras recently that say they are waterproof and I still get smudging under one eye in a matter of hours but not with this one! It gives me such good volume, separation and length and there is no smudging or flaking! Have already repurchased!

 

Charlotte Tilbury Superstar Lips in Pillow Talk

One of my favourite tinted lip balms! This is so hydrating, long lasting and a beautiful pinky nude shade! I have way too many lip products to get through but I already repurchased this as I love it so much! See my full review here!

 

NARS Afterglow Lip Balm in Orgasm

Another great tinted lip balm option but this one is less long lasting and not as pigmented at the Charlotte Tilbuty! Orgasm is probably my least favourite NARS shade so this is not a repurchase but I did repurchase in the shade Dolce Vita and I would recommend Fast Lane too! 

 

Miscellaneous

Purely Inspired Collagen Peptides x2

Love these, I think they really help with my joints so have already repurchased!

 

Boka Ela Mint Toothpaste

Bit of a random one but I recently started using a nano-hydroxyapatite toothpaste at night (and a fluoride based one in the morning) and I’ve been enjoying it! It helps remineralize and fortify teeth and I’ve already repurchased!

 

Congrats as always if you made it through all those, I hope to have another bumper edition before the end of the year! Have you tried anything I’ve mentioned? Let me know your thoughts!

 

*denotes a PR sample that was sent to me.

All opinions are my own. Affiliate links used.

See my full disclosure here.

 

Danielle xx

 

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Well, I only thought last month was bad in terms of my spending on beauty but I guess May has knocked it off the top spot - two bank holidays will do that! I got sucked into a few really good deals and also picked up some things I’d had my eye on for a while so here is the breakdown! As usual, I haven’t got round to trying everything properly just yet so this isn’t a review of anything just a spending diary!

 

Look Fantastic has great deals on all the time but really ramped it up on the bank holiday so I took the opportunity to pick up the NuFACE Mini Facial Toning Device which I have wanted for a while now. Instead of being £167, I got this for £112.19 and in the same order I repurchased the ColorWow Dream Cocktail Kale Infused for Breakage which is normally £23 but I got it for £15.52 – full review here! We won’t mention that I then saw the NuFACE for £105 on the second bank holiday lol sigh. 

 

Later in the month, I saw the Look Fantastic x Ameliorate Starter Kit which is a brand I have heard so many good things about but have never tried so took the opportunity to pick this set up which was crazy good value – it’s worth over £108 and I got for £30 – it was meant to be £35 but I think their system glitched as I used a code I didn’t think would work but it did! 

 

Then I picked myself up the NYX Banana powder as I like to use a yellow based powder under my eyes and my current one is panned – this is £9 but I got for £7.12. I also grabbed a couple cheaper conducting gel alternatives for my NuFace as the branded one is expensive so chose the Holika Holika Aloe 99% Soothing Gel (£3.15 instead of £3.95) and the Jason Aloe Vera 98% Moisturising Gel Tube (£2.40 instead of £3.99). I’ve been looking to get a new brush for a while too so decided on the Wet Brush Pro Flex Dry (£12.01 instead of £14.99) and finally to get free delivery I added the Holika Holika Mugwort essence sheet mask to my basket which was £1.55 instead of £1.95! Overall this was £26.23 instead of £30.76.

 

Finally (on Look Fantastic at least) I got sucked in again and made my fourth order of the month which included the new Bondi Sands Pure range – the tanning sleep mask (£8.53 instead of £14.99) and gradual tanning milk (£7.39 instead of £12.99). I also needed a new mascara so got the Maybelline Volum’ Express The Falsies (£7.07 instead of £8.99) and the Estee Lauder Advanced Night Repair serum (£47.52 instead of £60) which I have wanted forever and I also got a 4 well ABH palette (£4) for my single I got last month! This total was £74.51 instead of £100.97. 

 

Every month ASOS release a beauty box for £12 and every month I miss it as it sells out so quickly. Last month, they released two hair themed boxes and by sheer luck I managed to grab them both before they sold out! The Hair Repair Box had a 69% saving and the Textured Hair Must Haves had a 79% saving. I won’t go through every single product included here but the main reason I picked them up were for the full size Olaplex No.3 (worth £26 alone) and the Frank caffeinated scalp scrub. See how much I love Olaplex here!

 

Another “device” I have been eyeing up this year is the Revlon Salon One Step Volumizer which I got on Amazon for £39.99 (RRP £59.99). I have used this maybe 3 or 4 times now and to be honest I think it’s a bit wasted on me. I can see how it might work on thicker hair but for me with fine and long hair, I am not getting a lot of volume and as the brush blows out air I am getting a lot more frizz on the top section of my hair that I wouldn’t otherwise. It’s also taking much longer to dry and due to the frizz I am still running the straighteners over it! I think this will be heading to my hair tool graveyard soon unfortunately! 

 

I was hoping this month SpaceNK would do their £15 off a £60 spend but unfortunately they did £20 off a £100 spend which doesn’t work out as well. I had a £5 Ndulge reward to use and the expiration was coming up soon so I grabbed a couple things I had wanted for a while – the Medik8 Crystal Retinal 6 and Charlotte Tilbury Airbrush Flawless setting spray and decided to add the Sol de Janeiro Brazilian Butter hair repair treatment to make my basket up to £100. With the discount and my reward this came to £75 altogether. 

 

For the second bank holiday, Escentual did 25% off everything so I took the opportunity to get my favourite serum back in my routine – the NIOD Copper Amino Isolate Serum which is usually £60 but I got it for £45 with the discount – Deciem don’t even have that much off it when they do their Christmas offer, it was 22% last year I think so I would always wait for a deal like this as it’s pricey! Read more about how much I love it here!

 

And so concludes my beauty spend in May. Yikes. My total this month was an eye watering £442.44 :| I haven’t fully worked out the value but I think its £600+ so I definitely got some good deals and instant gratification but I am ready for a slow couple of months shopping my stash for sure! Not every month is like this for me and I will say that I also started my new job this month so was very much in treat yo self/congratulations to me mode. I hope to go on a “try not to buy” now for the rest of summer at least – calling it a full ban would make it too difficult!

 

I picked up a lot of things I had been eyeing up for quite some time so don’t have a lot on my wishlist right now apart from the Anastasia Brow Freeze and the Alpha H Liquid Gold Midnight Reboot serum so if you have either of those do tell me if I need to break my low buy for them! Let me know if there is anything in particular you want to see a review of and I will get working on it! See January, February and April instalments of this series – March was a no buy so it can be done!

 

All opinions are my own. Affiliate links used.

See my full disclosure here.

 

Danielle xx

 

If you want to keep up to date with my posts, don’t forget to follow me on

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