Danielle's Beauty Blog

Finally, time for another empties! This is just short of two months’ worth so this year definitely seems to be going slower than others, but I already have a batch of products I am very close to finishing so hopefully I can make these posts a bit more regular for the rest of the year! Onto the mini reviews! 

 

Haircare

TRESemme Hairspray

Pretty bog standard, this gave my hair some hold (though I wouldn’t say firm) without any stickiness. Will repurchase in the future.

 

Schwarzkopf Det Shampoo Extra Volume

A regular feature and my current favourite budget dry shampoo! No white cast and gives me an extra day without washing along with some volume. Scent is fresh and unoffensive and this is around £1.49 at Home Bargains! Already have a backup!

 

The Inkey List Caffeine Stimulating Scalp Treatment RRP £14.99*

I love this so much! It has helped dramatically reduce my hair shedding so I think as a result probably has made my hair look thicker. It definitely is noticeable in your hair; I am still working from home so this isn’t an issue for me and it doesn’t necessarily make it look greasy – just like there is a bit of product build-up (I avoid my parting). Can’t recommend it enough if your hair is falling out more than usual! I have a full review here! I stocked up when Home Bargains had the old packaging in so have already refilled this bottle as the nozzle makes it so easy to apply! 

 

Bodycare

Eresos Derma Sweet Almond Hand & Body Oil CBD 2000MG RRP £65*

This is a lovely body oil that lasted me a good amount of time. It has a subtle scent and a few pumps covers each of my legs easily. It’s non greasy, feels relaxing and I wake up with soft, nourished and supple skin! The CBD blend helps stimulate the removal of toxins and improve circulation but at this price it’s not a repurchase for me when there are other oils I love just as much for more affordable prices! See my full review here!

 

Bath & Body Works Aromatherapy Stress Relief Moisturising Body Oil

Speaking of more affordable body oils, this BBW one is another favourite and is £18 and on 3 for 2. I am a sucker for anything eucalyptus scented and this smells so refreshing and relaxing. The bottle is a bit of a nuisance and tends to get quite messy so I do prefer a pump but I will definitely repurchase this one!

 

Bath & Body Works Aromatherapy Stress Relief Moisturising Body Cream

From the same line, this was a really nice, thick moisturiser that sunk in quickly. I wish the scent lasted a bit longer on my skin but again I would repurchase this as it feels so indulgent and the initial scent is beautiful! The body lotion from this range featured in this post earlier this year too! And don’t worry this was cut open to get the last days’ worth of product out after I took pictures!

Nivea Rose & Argan Oil Body Lotion

It’s not an empties post without a Nivea product! This was a lightweight body lotion that absorbed quickly, and the rose scent wasn’t overpowering but I do prefer their classic Nivea scent so this won’t be a repurchase for me (though I do have another back up of this I got in a Christmas set!).

 

Frank Body Smoothing AHA Body Lotion

The scent of this reminded me a little of Refreshers sweets if anyone remembers those haha but unfortunately this didn’t feel strong enough for my KP and I saw better results when using my AHA toner or The Ordinary Lactic Acid. I went through it very quickly too despite only using on arms and chest area so not a repurchase, but the formula was lightweight and it did feel moisturising.

 

Lush Snow Fairy Shower Gel

A classic from Christmas! This is sickly sweet but I love it and get it every year! Limited Edition but will pick up again at Christmas!

 

Sol de Janeiro Brazilian Bum Bum Cream

You already know how much I love this one! It feels so rich and smells so good I already have a couple of back-ups!

 

Frank Body Coconut Coffee Scrub

I’ve had this for longer than I care to remember as a little goes such a long way! This is one of the best exfoliators I have used and my skin feels baby soft once I’ve used it! Beware though, it’s messy! I already have a backup!

 

Caudalie Hand and Nail Cream

This was a good lightweight formula and sank in quickly. I don’t love the smell though and I get the same results from Nivea so not a repurchase for me!

 

Soap and Glory Scrub + Happiness Hand Scrub

Found this in the depths of my stash along with a few other products and used it up as a body scrub. It worked great and I do have a couple more to use but Soap and Glory really fell off the radar for me when they discontinued their original, unique scents in favour of generic coconut and lime you can get anywhere so it’s not a brand I see myself repurchasing. BRING BACK MIST YOU MADLY!!!!

 

Skincare

MOA The Green Balm

Love this and I’ve been through so many jars over the years! It’s multipurpose but I use it as a cleanser. It contains yarrow and tea tree and smells amazing though it can tend to leave a bit of a film after cleansing but it feels more moisturising than anything! Will repurchase in the future! Full review here!

 

Clarins Double Serum Eye

I won this in a giveaway on Instagram and I liked it but not enough to repurchase at £56! The packaging is bulky and you can twist the top to better control how much product you are pumping out. It’s very gel like so felt cooling and moisturising and sat well under makeup but I didn’t see a difference with dark circles. Nice but nothing special for me!

 

Dermalogica Retinol Clearing Oil RRP £75*

This feels like a dry oil and worked well to minimise fine lines. I didn’t experience any sensitivity with this either which was good! I stopped using this while I was on Roaccutane so when I came back to it I wasn’t having issues with breakouts and overall I have other BHA and retinol products I prefer so this won’t be a repurchase. Full review here!

 

The Inkey List Hyaluronic Acid RRP £6.99*

Been through quite a few bottles of this now and I am in the small minority who don’t love it haha. It’s not bad, I just have other HA’s I see better results with so I used this up on my chest/decolletage area as I am trying to take better care of it so hopefully its enjoying the extra attention! Not a repurchase.

 

Dermalogica Nightly Lip Treatment RRP £45*

I absolutely love this! It’s a cream so I thought it wouldn’t be moisturising enough overnight, but I was wrong! See my original review here where I said I wake up looking like I’ve had some very good, subtle lip work done haha! It really does make my lips look plumper and feather fine lines are gone! It lasted an absolute age as well! I can’t justify a repurchase right now but I will definitely be getting this again if I have any big events coming up as it makes my mouth and lip area look so good!

 

Glow Recipe Watermelon PHA & BHA Pore-Tight Toner

This featured quite recently in a roundup of my current toners but I am glad to be finished it! I don’t love the scent and it tends to leave a bit of film behind on my skin though it does make it feel softer so it’s certainly not the worst toner I have tried, it’s just not worth the money for me!

 

Clarins Moisture Surge

I tried this in winter and it actually felt quite drying on my skin so I left it and used it up recently. It worked much better in Summer for me, felt lightweight and sat well under makeup etc but not a repurchase for me as I have other moisturisers I prefer and can trust not to feel dry!

 

Barry M Peppermint Lip Scrub

Love this! Just as good as the lush lip scrubs! I couldn’t find this scent again sadly but I have already repurchased in the Bubblegum flavour

 

Origins GinZing Peel Off Mask

Another one that’s been in my collection far too long! Fun to use but not a go to mask for me though it did make my skin feel smooth. Not a repurchase!

 

Dr Dennis Gross All Physical Lightweight Wrinkle Defense SPF 30

I thought this was going to be awful the first time I tried it as there seemed to be a lot of white cast while I was rubbing in but it soon settled. It’s quite a liquid formula so does feel lightweight and didn’t cause any pilling with my makeup but I have other SPF’s I prefer so not a repurchase!

 

Lanolips 101 Ointment Multi Balm Strawberry

Love this, the 101 ointments are amazing at really smoothing my lips! Strawberry isn’t my favourite scent but I already have a backup in coconut! See my Lanolips brand review here!

 

Clarins Lip Comfort Oil in Honey

If you read my post last week you’ll already know I’ve repurchased this! It feels so lightweight and non-sticky, gives a beautiful gloss to my lips and makes them feel hydrated for hours! I love this! 

 

Miscellaneous

Vital Proteins Collagen Peptides

Love these, they have really helped with joint pain in my knees and I hope help with skin/hair etc too but I have mostly noticed it with my joints!

 

Estee Lauder Hand Sanitizer

Had to mention this as it’s a fancy one – I got it free I think near the start of the pandemic, and it’s been my car hand sanitizer of choice since. Absorbs quickly and doesn’t dry my hands out! Plenty others to use up so not a repurchase right away. 

 

Ouai Candle in Melrose Place

Melrose Place is my favourite perfume, so I had to get the matching candle! This was nice but I prefer it as a body scent as opposed to a room scent. This burned so badly for me at the start, I trimmed the wick and it’s first burn was hours but it still tunnelled, and the wick was almost completely covered by wax so I had to dig it out! A large portion of its lifespan was covered in tinfoil to try sort out the tunnelling issue which eventually worked and I have to say I’ve never seen a candle use all its wax before, there is literally nothing left at the bottom of this so it came good in the end but not a repurchase for me!

 

Eresos Eucalyptus Sleep Mist 2000MG RRP £90*

This smelt more natural/herby to me than of eucalyptus but I do think it helped me sleep deeper. I generally don’t have trouble sleeping so while this was a nice addition to my wind down time it’s not a repurchase as it’s so expensive and I don’t think I need it. Full review of Eresos here! 

 

OTO 10% CBD Sleep Drops

Weirdly, these made my throat feel dry so I didn’t love taking them. Again, I am probably not the best person to review these as I don’t have massive issues with sleep *touch wood* but I don’t think they made a huge difference. I much prefer a spray or oil than something oral so not a repurchase for me at £69 (I got these in a beauty box!).

 

Congratulations as always if you made it to the end of that! Have you been emptying many products lately? Let me know if you saw any of your favourites here!

 

*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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I’m back again this month with another spend report – those elusive no-spend months are evading me 

 

First up, on the 1st of June I saw the Look Fantastic X Sol de Janeiro box and I knew it was going to be a bad month lol how could I say no to it, look what’s included! It’s got the body wash, shampoo, hair mask, lip balm, body spray and of course the infamous Bum Bum cream The box was on sale for £40 but I had a 22% off code so this was £31.20. It sold out quickly but then did come back into stock however LF upped the price to £69 so I’m glad I grabbed it when I did! 

 

I had a set of mini Clean rollerball perfumes a few years ago and had two favourites - in April I bought a full size of one of them so this month I got the other one. The Clean Classic Skin Eau de Parfum came from All Beauty and was £20.75 instead of £33 (not sure how accurate that RRP is!). This is a lovely subtle scent that is easy for me to wear – I am not a huge perfume buff and I find most scents overpowering or my favourites tend to get discontinued, so I am glad to have these two back in my life! I would like to try the Reserve versions, but I think they would be too strong…

 

Next, Cult Beauty got me again with a £5 account credit and as they also had 20% off I repurchased my favourite NatureLab Tokyo Clarifying Scalp Scrub (£17 – read more about it here) and I finally got the Evy Technology Daily Defence Face Mousse SPF 50 (£27) so instead of £44 for these two it came to £30.20. I also picked up the Schwarzkopf got2b Glued Brows Wand Gel for £3.49 instead of £4.50 from Amazon as i've been hearing good things!

 

ASOS had 20% off (as they regularly do) so I got the new Ordinary Multi Peptide Lash and Brow Serum for £9.92 instead of £12.40. Later in the month they had a surprise discount and mine was 25% off so I took the plunge and got a new pair of GHD Originals. My hair has been more damaged than normal recently and aside from needing a trim, I have been caring for it really well, so my heat tools were my last stop. I found out GHD’s generally only last 2-3 years (I think longer for the fancier versions) and my plates had a few small scratches. I stopped using mine for a month before and borrowed my mums instead and in that short time my hair felt in much better condition and to be honest I don’t even know how old mine were but definitely at least 5 years old if not more so I didn’t feel too bad about buying new ones. These were £89.25 instead of £119. I also finally got myself a Carry Case and Heatproof Mat which I have been meaning to get for years so hopefully this will protect them a bit better but definitely check your straightener plates if your hair has been feeling damaged! This was £16.46 instead of £21.95. These are both sold out at ASOS now but I’ve linked the GHD website! 

 

Towards the end of the month Escentual had 25% off across their website and since I loved my mini Clarins Lip Comfort Oil in Honey so much I knew I’d have to pick up a full size! This was £15 instead of £20. I also grabbed a Tisserand Eucalyptus oil 20ml for my diffuser which was £6 instead of £8 (I think this is normally £12 full price but must have already been on offer!). I also needed something else for free delivery (yes I know I end up spending more than if I just paid delivery!) so got The Ordinary Granactive Retinoid 5% in Squalane for £9.30 instead of £12.40 as I wanted a retinoid on the more affordable side to use on my chest! 

 

ASOS got me again with their 20% off and I had been eyeing up the new Sol De Janeiro Leave in Conditioner anyway but when I saw it was £22 on ASOS instead of the £28 I was seeing everywhere else I put it in my basket, so this ended up being £17.60. My first impressions of this are very positive too, it smells amazing and detangles so well! I also repurchased the Charlotte Tilbury Airbrush Flawless Setting Spray as it was finally back in stock – I could only see the mini version everywhere recently – so this was £20.80 instead of £26! Full review here!

 

Finally, Pat McGrath had another sale on and I had been tempted by the Divine Blush Brush previously so just took the plunge since I was already in treat yourself mode! This was £23 instead of £30! So impressed with how quick shipping is too! 

 

Overall, this month I spent £292.97 instead of £393.25. Still definitely more than I would like to be spending but at the same time my new GHD’s were included in that and I managed to get some stuff I really wanted for a good price! Did you buy much last month? 

 

All opinions are my own. Affiliate links used.

See my full disclosure here.

 

Danielle xx

 

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I got sent the Cohorted X ESPA beauty box* at the weekend and had an impromptu photoshoot so thought I’d make a quick bonus blog post featuring it! I haven’t had a chance to properly try out the products yet so this is more of a first impressions!

 

Cohorted is the UK’s No.1 premium beauty subscription box and offer a monthly beauty box as well as Limited Edition curations. July sees a collaboration with ESPA so you can enjoy a luxury spa experience at home and included in the box are five ESPA products with the box contents worth £139:

Bergamot and Jasmine Hand Lotion 250ml RRP £20

24 Hour Replenishing Eye Moisturiser 15ml RRP £42

Overnight Hydration Therapy 55ml RRP £39

Tri-Active Regenerating Calming Cica Cleansing Balm 55ml RRP £50 for 100ml

Pink Hair & Scalp Mud 30ml RRP £36 for 180ml

There is also a mini Chopard Neroli Eau de Parfum. 

 

 

The products are packaged beautifully and I love the stone effect lids while the contents are a nice mix of body, skin and hair products for a full pamper session! I am a big fan of beauty boxes, they are a great way to save money and discover new brands and products and I have to say, opening the Cohorted box was such a luxury experience! The boxes are hand packed beautifully and 100% recyclable though aside from the stuffing, I tend to keep the box itself anyway for storage and organisation! 

 

The monthly subscription is £39.99 and you can use the code WELCOME15INF for 15% off if you are a first time customer! The boxes are the perfect gift for someone or to yourself and Cohorted have collaborated with the likes of Fresh and Verso in the past too. Some of the previous boxes are still available to buy as a one off for £50 in their Classic Box Collection!  

 

Overall, I am so impressed with the presentation and contents, and I can’t wait to see what else they have coming up this year!

 

Have you bought any beauty boxes in the past? What do you think of this one?

 

*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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It’s been just over a year since my last Toner collection update so I thought I would grab my current open bottles and do a quick rundown! This is quite exfoliating toner heavy only because in my last edition I was on Roaccutane so couldn’t use them and they have kind of built up! I definitely don’t use exfoliating products as much now as when I had acne but I still love having them in my collection as I tend to use them on my body too. 

 

First up, one that is no stranger to my blog, and I have gone through many bottles of – the Pixi Glow Tonic RRP £18. This is such a cult classic and also featured in my first toner post in 2017 as it’s usually always in my collection! It contains 5% glycolic acid as well as ginseng and aloe vera for hydration. As well as dissolving dead skin cells, it diminishes signs of sun damage, fine lines and scarring, smooths uneven texture and never dries my skin out. It’s popular for a reason and one of my favourite toners!

 

Sticking with glycolic acid the Good Molecules Glycolic Exfoliating Toner RRP $14* is another good one. This is a 3.5% glycolic concentration so even more gentle than the Glow Tonic and perfect if you have sensitive skin. My skin feels smooth and even with continued use and I love the Good Molecules nothing to hide ingredients list. This toner also contains galactomyces ferment which helps retain skin barrier function and moisture level as well as hyaluronic acid and aloe to help to hydrate and soothe skin. Read my full review here!

 

Moving away from glycolic now to the By Wishtrend Mandelic Acid 5% Skin Prep Water RRP £20.10. Mandelic acid has a larger molecular structure than glycolic so is even more gentle though similarly works to improve pigmentation and even skintone. This one also contains beta glucan – an anti-inflammatory, panthenol and centella asiatica to help regenerate and sodium hyaluronate for hydration. I personally think glycolic acid works better for my skin when it comes to pigmentation but this does a great job at smoothing and evening skin tone and was the only exfoliating toner I dared try when I was at the end of my Roaccutane course and needed a little exfoliation so I can attest to its gentleness on my skin as I had no issues (but proceed with caution if on Roaccutane)!

 

I probably should have kept the Sioris Feels So Fresh Toner RRP £17 out of this round up because it’s the only one I haven’t really managed to form an opinion on! It falls into the nice but boring category for me, I don’t have any issues with it, but it hasn’t stood out to me either. It contains Black Willow Extract to exfoliate, eliminate blackheads and control oil, Guava Leaf Extract (an antioxidant) and Broccoli Extract to soothe and calm skin. I bought this pre Roaccutane then didn’t use it when I was on the drug and now my skin type has changed, and these aren’t my skin concerns anymore so it’s difficult to review it! What I will say though is that it’s another one that feels gentle and doesn’t dry my skin out despite the sebum controlling properties, but I do have other toners I prefer.

 

Next, I have the CosRX AHA/BHA Clarifying Treatment Toner RRP £19.99 and this is my second bottle – I had it years ago and really enjoyed it. It contains willow bark water and apple fruit water to clear clogged pores and dead skin cells as well as glycolic acid and betaine salicylate. My skin is smoother with use and I love the spray bottle – I actually use this a lot on my body too, particularly on KP on the backs of my arms as well as my chest and back where I do still get the occasional spot and it works so well to smooth my skin and is super easy to distribute!

 

Another old favourite and I have been through a few bottles of the Dear Klairs Supple Preparation Facial Toner RRP £20.10* too! My skin loves this for how calming and hydrating it is. It’s a gel like texture and contains hyaluronic acid centella asiatica and amino acids so as well as feeling cooling and calming it helps add moisture and strengthen my skin. A simple but hydrating formula – my skin drinks it up and looks plumper after use! There are essential oils in this formula which don’t cause any sensitivity for me but Klairs also have an unscented version without them! Read more about this toner in my K Beauty favourites here!

 

Lastly, the Glow Recipe PHA + BHA Pore Tight Toner RRP £14. The Glow Recipe products I have tried in the past are really meh to me to be honest and it’s not a brand I get excited about over the latest releases. I have had minis of their watermelon sleep mask, blueberry cleanser and lip pop and I just don’t get the hype but I will say that this toner is the best out of the products I have tried! It contains hyaluronic acid to hydrate, PHA’s and BHA’s to smooth and decongest skin and my skin did feel smooth with use. I don’t like the sickly-sweet scent or the almost greasy consistency of this though and I think there are better options for better prices! 

 

I got sent the new Charlotte Tilbury Glow Toner this week so I’m looking forward to getting that into rotation too but I’d love to know your thoughts on any of these if you have tried them or what your favourite toner is!

 

See the previous instalments in this series here:

Toners #1 ft. Pixi, Beauty RX and BioEssence

Toners #2 ft Good Molecules, Versed and Ren

Toners #3 ft I’m From, Pyunkang Yul, Klairs and Scientia

 

*denotes a PR sample that was sent to me.

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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