Danielle's Beauty Blog

Sunday, 28 June 2020

Product Empties #26

product empties reviews Bardot vaseline BeautyBio olaplex

Another month another empties post! So close to finishing so many other products at the minute as well but they weren’t quite ready for this post and good job too as it’s a big one again!

Bodycare

Vaseline Intensive Care Essential Healing non greasy lotion

Love this stuff, it’s so lightweight yet hydrating and the scent is so soothing to me! Already repurchased!

Lush Snow Fairy shower gel

Sickly sweet but nostalgic and I buy one every year as it's limited edition! I actually picked this up in the sale after Christmas as its expensive and I savoured every last drop! Will buy again when it’s out later this year!

Marks and Spencer Rose and Lavender hand creams

Got these for Christmas and been using them up at work, I don’t love the scent as I find them a little old fashioned but they do an OK job of hydrating my hands after my many handwashes through the day. Will not repurchase.

Bath and Body Works Stress Relief Eucalyptus and Spearmint anti-bacterial hand gel

My favourite hand sanitisers as I am obsessed with the scent. Wish I could get these at home! Have a few backups and will repurchase in the future.

Skincare

BeautyBio The Balance pH Balancing Cleanser*

A really lovely gel cleanser that’s got quite a medicated smell which I personally love! Didn’t strip my skin at all and you can read more about it here! Would only repurchase if I saw a good discount as I think its overpriced at £45 for 180ml.

Mario Badescu Facial Spray with Aloe, Herbs and Rosewater (236ml and 118ml)

One of my favourite facial sprays, this is so hydrating and refreshing and I love having this in my handbag or on my desk at work to spritz throughout the day! Have a few others on the go at the minute but I’m sure it won’t be long before I repurchase!

The Body Shop Camomile Sumptious Cleansing Butter

I spoke about this recently in my budget skincare post and I think it’s amazing whatever your budget! It feels so luxurious and it melts away all traces of makeup easily as well as not being irritating on the eyes. Perfect to travel with too as the tin is so lightweight! Will repurchase in the future.

Origins Drink Up Intensive overnight hydrating mask

Another favourite – this is one of my most repurchased skincare items! My skin quite literally does drink this up and always feels plump and hydrated in the morning. Have already repurchased the full size!

Alpha H Absolute Eye Complex

I originally thought this was going to be a cream texture with a metal applicator so I started out being a little disappointed by this as it’s a gel in a pump (I think since I purchased it now has a metal applicator). However, once I got over that I really enjoyed its cooling properties and found it to be hydrating enough too, it’s also got niacinamide which I love. Might come back to it in the future but going to try a few others first.

The Inkey List Hyaluronic Acid

This is my second bottle of this and I always seem to resort to it when I’m desperate and almost out as it’s so easily available. But, it does not do a thing for me in terms of helping with hydration and I find the formula a little watery and sticky as opposed to thick and easily spreadable like say NIOD MMHC or Mabel + Meg Lumilixir. Won’t be repurchasing – if you want a good budget hyaluronic acid, the Good Molecules offering is the best I have come across so far!

Algenist Genius Ultimate Anti-aging cream

Nice overnight cream but didn’t blow me away (probably because it was just a sample as I know so many people swear by Algenist!) Wouldn’t repurchase.

Blistex Lip Medex lip balm

My favourite budget overnight lip balm. Love the medicated scent and it stays on all night. Will repurchase once I finish up a few others!

Dr Barbara Sturm Hyaluronic Acid

Now this formula is what I’m talking about! Really lovely but way out of my budget at £235 for 30ml so will not be repurchasing!

Sephora Rose lip balm

Not very hydrating, won’t be repurchasing!

Fresh Sugar Rose tinted lip treatment

Bit of a cult classic now, these balms are lovely and hydrating but I hate how “melty” the stick is so won’t be repurchasing! Shocked at how much was left in the tube too, I scraped it out while I was still working from home haha.

Haircare

Bardot Dry Shampoo

Picked two of these up when they were on offer a while back for £2.50 rather than £19. Really nice formula, soaked up excess oils without making my hair look dull and left no white cast but I don’t love the scent, little too floral for me. Would repurchase if on offer again.

Klorane Anti-Pollution detox shampoo with Aquatic Mint (giveaway prize and previous PR relationship)

Really refreshing scent and Klorane products are so gentle they work great with my tangled hair. Cleansed well and I would repurchase again but probably go for the original oat milk!

Olaplex No.3 Hair Perfector

One of my favourite hair treatments and one I have repurchased many times now! I like to leave this on for a few hours and after washing out my hair is softer and feels more hydrated which is essential for me as my ends are so dry! Read more about it here!

Olaplex No.4 Bond Maintenance Shampoo

Really impressed with how much this lathered up with such a small amount considering its SLS free and my hair always feels super clean after use! I don’t love the scent as it’s a little too citrus/lemony for me but I would repurchase again in the future.

Olaplex No.5 Bond Maintenance Conditioner

Another one I’m impressed with – this is a lovely thick conditioner that makes my hair soft and manageable but again I don’t love the scent. Would overlook it to buy again though as it’s so good!

Makeup

Revlon Colorstay foundation for Combination/Oily Skin in Buff

One of my most repurchased makeup items! It’s my favourite budget foundation as it offers good coverage and it's matte and I wrote more about it here! Already repurchased and have several back-ups!

Well done if you made it to the end of that! I have quite a few almost finished products again already so I’ll probably have another one of these up soon! Do you love finishing products as much as me haha?

*denotes a PR sample that was sent to me. All opinions are my own. See my full disclosure here.

Danielle xx

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Current Skincare | Toners #2

Welcome to the second instalment of my forgotten blog series in toners! I’m going to try and actually keep it up this time! Way back in the day, toners were almost like an extra cleansing step for me and the amount of makeup that would still come off even after double cleansing was embarrassing, I obviously wasn’t being too thorough! Nowadays, I love using toners to prep my skin for the rest of my skincare routine and always try to have an exfoliating one and a hydrating one in my routine at least. Here are the current open toners in my collection and my thoughts on them!

Good Molecules Niacinamide Brightening Toner*

This is the one I’ve had in my collection the longest at this point. It targets uneven skin tone, dullness and visible pores and contains licorice root extract, arbutin and Vitamin C as well as niacinamide. It’s super gentle and suitable for both morning and evening, I use a cotton pad to apply and it is very easily absorbed. There is no scent and I love that it is alcohol free! Just enough comes out of the bottle when you tap the bottom and you get 120ml of product for $14. After continued use my skin looks brighter and left over pigmentation from acne scarring has been less pronounced (I haven’t just been using this product but I do believe it has made a difference)! My skin never feels dried out when I use this and I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend it! The only negative I would say is that the bottle doesn’t make it the most travel friendly option but who is doing much of that at the minute! Read more about Good Molecules here!

Versed Baby Cheeks All in One Hydrating Milk

This is my current soothing, hydrating toner, it contains algae extract, bamboo extract, and coconut water to leave skin soft and residue free. If my skin is feeling over exfoliated I always come back to this as it’s so calming! The all in one refers to the fact it can be used as a makeup remover, cleansing milk, toner or post-workout refresher but as mentioned I use it as a toner before applying the rest of my skincare routine! The packaging is super cute, I love the pastel shade and it has one of the push down pumps which is fun to use! It’s £16.50 for 120ml.

Ren Ready Steady Glow Daily AHA Tonic

This is only a mini so I’ve been using it more sporadically than I normally would a toner which is probably going to skew my review a little as I don’t get the hype haha. This is such a cult favourite for loads of people and I wanted to love it but it feels a little too astringent for me to use daily and I just keep thinking about how I want Pixi Glow Tonic back in my life (which I repurchased last week). It contains lactic acid and salicin to exfoliate, brighten and hydrate with aims to leave a smooth, even and energised complexion. My skin definitely feels smooth, brightened and energised after using this but as I mentioned, because I don’t use it every day I’ve been struggling to see it helping with breakouts. It also contains fragrance and citrus oils which may be adding to why this feels astringent to me! It’s £27 for 150ml.

So that’s my little round up for today! Have you tried any of these toners? What are your thoughts! Let me know your favourite toners too! If you want to read the first instalment of this series click here!

*denotes a PR sample that was sent to me. All opinions are my own. See my full disclosure here.

Danielle xx

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Best Budget Skincare

Hi everyone, welcome back! Today I thought I would talk about some of my favourite budget skincare brands and products! As someone whose tastes are getting more expensive, finding these gems gives my bank balance a little break!

Starting with one of my favourites, The Ordinary is probably the OG budget skincare brand that everyone got on board with as they are so effective but affordable and they have so many products that I love! The Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1% and Alpha Arbutin 2% + HA are amazing for blemish prone skin - I mix them before applying to my face and they do wonders for congestion and brightening. The AHA 30% + BHA 2% Peeling Solution mask is potent and my skin always feels so soft and looks so smooth after use. The Azelaic Acid Suspension 10% is another great option from them! This has been working really well on the texture of my skin caused by blemishes! I do also love their more expensive brand NIOD and have a whole blog post here on my favourites from Deciem as a whole!

The Inkey List have released a crazy amount of products recently and there are so many I want to try but my favourites from them are their Retinol Serum - so gentle but effective and I always wake up with plump glowy skin after using it and their Caffeine eye cream which is lovely and lightweight and great for puffiness. I would say though that I don’t love their hyaluronic acid, it doesn't do enough for me and their niacinamide and alpha arbutin aren't as effective as the Ordinary’s on my skin!

Good Molecules is a brand I've been lucky to been gifted some items from and I cannot rave about them enough! They are sold on Beautylish as well as their own website and their pricing is amazing for the quality of the products! Some of my favourites are pictured here, the Hyaluronic Acid* is the best budget option I've tried (miles ahead of The Ordinary and Inkey List versions), the Niacinamide Brightening Toner* is so gentle and brightening and the Pineapple Exfoliating Powder* makes my skin feel so soft and smooth as it exfoliates away the dullness! I've written more about them on my blog here!

I couldn’t do a budget skincare post without including my favourite Nivea Double Effect eye makeup remover as it’s one of my most long term skincare items. It’s dual phase formula makes taking off waterproof eye makeup a breeze! It is gentle, doesn't sting my eyes or dry out the skin around them! A must have on everyone’s skincare shelf!

I talked about The Body Shop Camomile Sumptious Cleansing Butter recently here but in short it’s a beautiful, gentle effective cleansing balm! It does a great job of removing makeup and the tin lasts ages! It’s also so lightweight and perfect for travelling with (though I won't be doing that for a while).

Lastly, I have to mention the Mario Badescu Facial Spray with Aloe, Herbs and Rosewater! This facial mist is one of my favourites and I usually have a couple kicking around! I use it so much throughout the day as it’s so cooling and hydrating and as I work in an office it's perfect for when my skin gets dried out!

I would love to know your favourite budget skincare products or brands! There are so many that I haven’t tried! Hope you all have a lovely week!

*denotes a PR sample that was sent to me. All opinions are my own. See my full disclosure here.

Danielle xx

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Pamper Essentials | Skin, Hair and Body

Although selfcare is always an important part of my day to day routine, sometimes you need a full body and hair deep clean so here are my current pamper essentials for when I just need my skin, hair and body to feel and look better!

Starting with a full scrub with the Frank Body Coconut Coffee Scrub, this stuff is messy but worth it! It feels so invigorating on the skin and leaves my body soft and smooth. It also helps to firm and hydrate! Afterwards, I’ll go in with the Sol de Janeiro Brazilian Bum Bum Cream. People seem to love or hate this scent but it gives me so much nostalgia as I originally had it when I was in Canada. It is super thick and creamy but sinks in quickly and moisturises so well it feels amazing! Sometimes right before bed I will grab the Versed Keep It Supple Body Oil. This is a beautiful, lightweight but hydrating dry oil that makes my body feel so smooth! The scent is also a lot more subtle than the bum bum cream! I’ll then pop some Australian Bodycare Foot Cream on. I've been obsessed with this since I got it, the tea tree scent smells like the beauticians and it does a lovely job of moisturising my feet which need a little TLC coming into summer! All the above has been in preparation for the next night when I tan. The Bondi Sands Liquid Gold is my favourite for a subtle healthy colour - you can’t go wrong with this one. It’s got a guide colour so it’s easy to use, it smells like coconuts and it wears off so evenly!

Being overdue a haircut and not being able to go to the hairdresser has got me reaching for the hair masks like no other! While my long term favourite is the Olaplex No3 treatment for its reparative properties (read more here), I don’t always have 3 hours spare to leave it in to do its thing! So, recently I picked up the Phyto Phytojoba Mask and having used this a handful of times I can safely say I am IMPRESSED! I leave it in my ends for about ten minutes before washing and rinsing and my ends feel super soft and you can hardly tell how many split ends I have! It seems to last to my next wash too! Sometimes my hair will look so dry a couple of days after I wash it (stretching hair washes to every 4 days now) but it stays smooth and soft with this! Smells lovely too! After that I always spritz with my Ouai Leave In Conditioner, the most luxurious scented brand ever, I am addicted to the scent and how the products make my hair feel! This is great to use as a heat protectant and detangler as well as adding even more hydration to hair without weighing it down!

Finally onto skincare and my favourite overnight treatment, Alpha H Liquid Gold. This is an amazing exfoliater that I use regularly as works so well for my skin. I always wake up the next day to brighter, smoother, clearer skin! Though not on the same night, depending on how my skin is feeling I’ll sometimes do a face mask and the Origins Original Skin Retexturising mask with rose clay is the best for refining my skins texture and minimising my pores! Following that I’ll pile on the hydration with the Origins Drink Up Intensive Overnight Hydrating Mask. I’ve lost count of how many tubes of this I have gone through now! It’s so soothing and hydrating and my skin always feels soft and looks so plump after use! Finally, I’ve included the Disciple London Dreamy Skin Retinyl Oil as my last step as it feels and smells so luxurious and it makes my skin feel supple, look clearer and helps with fine lines too! Bonus points for using a roller or gua sha at any point during a skincare routine as well for ultimate pampering!

I did a similar post almost four years ago here if you want to check out how my tastes have changed! There is one product that has stayed the same! I’d love to know what your pamper essentials are!

Danielle xx

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Danielle's Beauty Blog

Sunday, 28 June 2020

Product Empties #26

Sunday, 21 June 2020

Current Skincare | Toners #2

Sunday, 31 May 2020

Best Budget Skincare

Sunday, 24 May 2020

Pamper Essentials | Skin, Hair and Body