Danielle's Beauty Blog

Wow, it’s my 50^th edition of this blog series and the only one I strictly try and stick to! I get my empties together around every 2-3 months and these posts are my favourite to put together! I did my first one back in 2015 (linked here if you want a blast from the past) and funnily enough there are a couple of products I still repurchase including a product that is included in today’s post! 

 

Bodycare

Naturium The Glow Getter Multi-Oil Body Wash

This deserves the hype it gets, it’s gentle, contains 50% glycerin, a blend of oils and squalane. It creates a light lather and leaves my skin feeling soft and hydrated! Wish it had a scent but would repurchase!

 

Rituals The Ritual of Sakura Foaming Shower Gel

Love this formula, it feels so luxurious and smells so good! A little goes a long way as just a tiny pump of gel expands into foam and it leaves my skin feeling soft and clean! Would repurchase!

 

Aveeno Daily Moisturizing Lotion

A go to for me mainly in the winter and it sinks in quickly and works well to hydrate my skin all day long! It’s fragrance free so I do interchange between this and a few other scented ones as I get bored of it but a great staple and one I will repurchase! Read more in this post about my Accutane bodycare recommendations!

 

Eucerin Complete Repair Plus Moisturizing Lotion

Another classic and regular repurchase for me! This is great to have to hand for any stubborn dry patches or eczema! Fragrance free and a little more work to rub in than the Aveeno but a repurchase for sure!  

 

Maelys B-Flex Lift & Firm Arm Cream RRP $64*

Really enjoyed this to target my arms especially before my holiday. It contains Red Algae and Kangaroo Paw Flower Extract for a tighter and smoother appearance and creates a warming sensation as you rub in. I definitely noticed my arms looked and felt smoother and tighter with regular use. It’s coloured purple so I did get some stains on my bedding but I would recommend this in the run up to an event/vacation etc when you want to feel your best! Not a repurchase for me right now.

 

L’Occitane Amande Huile de Douche Shower Oil

So glad I finally got to try this! It felt luxurious and my skin felt soft after use but the scent isn’t my favourite and it’s expensive! I have another mini to try but not a repurchase for me right now!

 

OUAI Scalp and Body Scrub

Not the most gritty scrub out there and I find this hard to spread when I use it in my scalp! The Melrose Place scent is divine and I am a OUAI fangirl but this isn’t a repurchase for me!

 

Sol de Janeiro Brazilian Bum Bum Cream

I’ve lost count of how many of these I have gone through! Smells amazing, absorbs quickly, and hydrates my body, I love it! Again, I find it pricey so I try to look out for it in sets before I repurchase but I already have a backup of it!

 

Sol de Janeiro Samba Foot Fetish Cream

Enjoyed this foot cream, it absorbed well but it changed colour and scent before its expiry date so not a repurchase for me!

 

Nivea Q10 3 in 1 Anti-Age Hand Cream

Obsessed with this hand cream, I’ll go as far as to say it’s my favourite. Smells so fresh and clean, absorbs quickly and most importantly, keeps my hands soft and smooth. Already have two backups.

 

Burt’s Bees Moisturizing Hand Cream*

This is a much thicker cream than the Nivea so takes longer to sink in. It took me longer to finish too as I just used it before bed but once I started concentrating on using it up I can see it works just as well as the Nivea at keeping my hands soft and smooth but the fact it takes longer to absorb and there is no scent means it’s not a repurchase for me!  

 

Clarins Hand and Nail Treatment Cream

Another great option to keep hands soft and hydrated. This one also sank in quickly and has an interesting scent. Not my favourite as it’s a little old fashioned but it’s not the worst either! This is expensive though so not a repurchase for me!  

 

First Aid Beauty KP Bump Eraser Body Scrub

Loved this! It’s really scrubby and worked well to keep my skin smooth and target KP. I have another mini to use but I would repurchase.

 

Nivea Soft Moisturising Cream

This is the product that was also included in my very first empties which I linked at the start of this post! I always go back to this, I am obsessed with the Nivea scent and this is such a great light body moisturiser. Will repurchase! 

 

Necessaire The Body Serum

I was happy to have a mini of this for some extra TLC on my chest area this summer. It’s a Hyaluronic Acid treatment that’s a gel formula and it absorbs into the body quickly. It’s formulated with 5 molecular weights of Hyaluronic Acid as well as Niacinamide and Ceramide NP. It feels luxe to use and I enjoyed it but it’s out of my price range so not a repurchase right now. Read my full Necessaire review here!

 

Haircare

TRESemme Volumizing Dry Shampoo

Great budget option. I have gone through multiple of these. Definitely doesn’t soak up as much oil as the Living Proof one but this is often on offer and I’m happy with the extra day it gives me out of my hair! Will repurchase!

 

Schwarzkopf got2b Instant Refresh Dry Shampoo

Another great budget option and similarly, doesn’t make my hair feel as clean as the LP but for the price I will repurchase!

 

Living Proof PhD Dry Shampoo

Love this dry shampoo! It leaves no white cast, absorbs easily giving me an extra day or two out of my greasy hair and actually makes it look clean. Worth the money but I try to bulk buy when on offer/in a set! Already have a back up!

 

Living Proof Full Shampoo and Conditioner

Enjoyed this duo. Cleansed my hair well and though I have fine hair, I felt it looked fuller. Would repurchase if I saw on offer as I love their dry shampoos and triple bond complex! 

 

Living Proof Triple Bond Complex

Love this, it’s my favourite hair treatment and I prefer it as a repair treatment to Olaplex! It’s a weekly treatment that you apply to damp hair after washing and leave in - it works to construct new bonds within the hair to help strengthen it as well as heat protect it up to 232˚C and the look of split ends are visibly reduced. I leaves my hair smooth and manageable and I have noticed my ends looking healthier with less split ends even when my hair is overdue a trim! Read my full review here!

 

JVN Deep Moisture Mask

Enjoyed this mask. It left my hair hydrated and I enjoyed the rich scent. Would repurchase!

 

JVN Complete Air Dry Cream

This smoothed my hair and gave good shine. I used it mainly on damp hair but it doesn’t offer heat protection so not a repurchase for me as I use heat on my hair! 

 

Skincare

Nivea Double Effect Waterproof Eye Make-Up Remover

Probably my number one most repurchased skincare product! This is the best eye makeup remover available hands down! So gentle, removes waterproof mascara easily and doesn’t dry my eye area out! Have about 3 back-ups already!

 

Then I Met You Living Cleansing Balm

Loved this cleanser! It’s got a rich, luxurious balm texture and a beautiful citrus scent. It contains plant oils, olive oil and grapeseed oil as well as persimmon and Vitamin E. I don’t feel like I need to use that much of this to cleanse and it removes makeup easily and leaves my skin feeling nourished and clean! Would repurchase! Read my full review here! 

 

Kiehl’s Creamy Eye Treatment

I liked this for winter as it’s one of the more thicker eye creams I own but if my skin is in any way wet from other products when I use it, it refuses to sink in. I didn’t get any milia from using this but it’s not the best texture I have used. Not a repurchase!

 

Biotherm Life Plankton Elixir RRP $109*

Loved this serum! It’s a beautiful hydrating and soothing serum that contains glycerin, life plankton and Vitamin C. It’s also scented and I am obsessed with the smell – so fresh and “blue” and it really adds to the experience for me. This makes my skin feel hydrated and supported and it looks brighter and feels smoother! I notice my fine lines less and I would repurchase on a good offer! Read my full review here!   

 

MONUskin Extra Rich Night Cream

This contains a blend of Royal Jelly, Vitamin A and Evening Primrose Oil and worked well to support and hydrate my skin overnight. It was a thick cream but sank in well though I have other night creams I prefer so not a repurchase for me! 

 

Skinceuticals Retexturising Activator RRP $112*

I didn’t want to because of the price but I loved this serum! As well as being hydrating it made my skin feel and look so smooth. It contains 25% Hydroxyethyl Urea, Kombucha as well as glycerin and hyaluronic acid and was gentle to use despite having the resurfacing power of daily 20% glycolic acid treatment. I used this daily and my skin looked brighter and my skin barrier felt strong. Not a repurchase for me right now due to price only but I would love to if I found a good sale! 

 

Murad Rapid Dark Spot Correcting Serum

Nice serum but didn’t use it long enough to see much difference. Would consider a purchase as I love a lot of Murad products but would probably go with the Vita C Glycolic Serum! See my in-depth Murad review here!

 

Glow Recipe Guava Vitamin C Dark Spot Serum

I haven’t loved anything I’ve tried from this brand but I enjoyed this serum! The formula sank in well and the smell wasn’t too overpowering. It wasn’t a big enough sample size for me to see any results though so not a repurchase!

 

Farmacy Honey Butter Beeswax Lip Balm

Loved this! Easy to pull out and reapply and gave me long lasting hydration and smooth lips with a subtle sheen! Not a repurchase as its $17 and I went through it so quickly! 

 

Makeup                

Urban Decay All Nighter Long Lasting Makeup Setting Spray*

I don’t see as much of a difference when I use this as I would like to and hear others seeing but I have a full size to use so will test it more! Not a repurchase as I prefer the Charlotte Tilbury setting mist!

 

Fenty Beauty Slip Shine Sheer Shiny Lipstick in 06 Retro Rose

Loved this lipstick! Easy to apply with or without a mirror, great my lips but better shade and despite having some slip to it, decent lasting power! Sad to be finished but I would repurchase! Though I have far too many other lip products to get through and I am eyeing the new Gloss bomb Stix High-Shine Gloss Stick! Read my full review of the Fenty Slip Shine Sheer Shiny Lipstick here!

 

Clarins Lip Comfort Hydrating Oil in 04 Pitaya and 08 Strawberry

Up there with the Fenty lip oil as my favourite formula, this feels silky and not sticky at all while lasting a surprisingly long time on my lips keeping them comfortable and hydrated for hours. It gives a beautiful shine, contains omega 6 and 9, rose oil and jojoba oil but the original is Honey shade is my favourite and I already have a backup of it so these shades aren’t a repurchase! Read my full review here!  

 

Miscellaneous

Organika Original Enhanced Collagen Protein

Switched to this Costco Collagen and I am loving it! Same results as before (I notice good results especially in my joints!) btu absorbs much easier! Have already repurchased!

 

Webbber Naturals All Greens Superfood

Another Costco purchase and this one was much sweeter than my previous greens powder but I think did the same job in allowing me some more nutrients in my diet lol. I went back to my original Greens powder as I felt I was cheating with the sweeter flavour but I will be repurchasing this one as its more palatable!

 

Crest 3D White Strips

Good for a quick fix before an event but not long lasting or that vibrant! I feel like I get similar results when I do a quick bicarb of soda brush so not a repurchase for me.

 

Well done if you made it to the end of the post! Let me know if you saw any of your favourites or anything you want to try! Bonus point if you tell me which product made an appearance in my very first empties post too!

 

*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

Bloglovin | Instagram | Pinterest | Twitter

 

 

 

Digging into my blog draft archives for this one and I thought since I finished the NARS Light Reflecting Foundation a few months ago it was time for a few updates and to hit publish! I’ve got three NARS bases to talk through today plus some swatches so onto the review! 

 

Starting with the NARS base I tried first, the NARS Sheer Glow Foundation RRP £38 / $64 CAD (shade Deauville), an old favourite that even my oily skin loved though the longevity was better for me when my skin changed to be more normal/combo after accutane! It is geared more towards dry/normal skin types and is a hydrating foundation with a natural finish and despite the name sheer, this is medium to full coverage. It feels lightweight and gives a really natural but perfected finish! I wouldn’t say it’s overly glowy either and you can powder it down but its brightening and makes my complexion look healthy. When my skin was oily I found this did wear away quite quickly, especially on my chin however it lasts much longer now but maybe not as long as the Light Reflecting which I will talk about later! While I enjoyed the few bottles I have gone through of this the Light Reflecting has blown it out of the water so it won’t be a repurchase for me!

 

Moving onto the NARS Soft Matte Complete Foundation RRP £31 / $57 CAD (shade Deauville) and I really enjoyed this when I first got it but again, having compared it to the Light Reflecting foundation I’m a little more critical of it now. NARS claim this is oxidation proof and provides full, natural looking coverage and I would agree to a point. This is the heaviest feeling of the three foundations and it can definitely feel like its sitting on my skin and can verge on looking cakey if you apply too much! It’s a full coverage foundation but you can sheer it out a little by using less and mixing with a glowy primer. It lets my natural oils come through throughout the day without wearing off badly and this is the most generous size at 45ml compared to the others 30ml for a cheaper price but again it won’t be a repurchase for me as since using the Light Reflecting it doesn’t compare! Read my full review here!

 

Ok I have mentioned it enough now, but the NARS Light Reflecting Foundation RRP £39 / $68 CAD (shade Gobi) really has blown me away since I started using it! This is a makeup/skincare blend that blurs imperfections, smooths the look of textured skin, and helps conceal blemishes, dark spots, and redness. It’s a medium, buildable coverage with a natural finish and comes in 36 shades covering my imperfections well and giving me a healthy glow. It has a thin consistency, feels very lightweight on the skin and gives a beautiful perfecting, luminous base! I haven’t found it to break down or separate throughout the day however it does fade slightly towards the end of the day. It doesn’t settle into fine lines and I went one shade lighter with this one that the previous two I mentioned as I don’t wear fake tan much anymore and it is perfect. I had a bit of a dodgy pump on this one which I have seen a few other people mention too which was a bit of an annoyance so hopefully they sort that out but that’s the only negative! See it in my Best Beauty Discoveries of 2022 here! 

 

Unedited swatches l-r NARS Soft Matte foundation in Deauville, NARS Sheer Glow in Deauville, NARS Light Reflecting Foundation in Gobi

I really want to try the Natural Radiant Longwear foundation but I’m scared it will be a disappointment after the Light Reflecting foundation! Have you tried any NARS bases? Let me know your favourite!

 

NARS is available from their website as well as Boots, Cult Beauty, SpaceNK, Look Fantastic and Sephora!

 

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

Bloglovin | Instagram | Pinterest | Twitter

 

 

 

 

 

It’s been ages since my last K Beauty favourites post and I have another bunch of products I’ve been loving so here’s round two! 

 

Haruharu Wonder Black Rice Hyaluronic Toner is a light, hydrating and refreshing toner that helps prepare the skin for optimal absorption of products. It contains fermented 100% Korean-produced black rice extracts which have anti-inflammatory and brightening effects as well as beta-glucan which provides hydration and it comes in a huge 300ml bottle which has been taking me ages to get through but I’m not bored of it yet! A simple but effective daily toner! Read more in my toner post here!

 

Isntree Yam Root Vegan Milk Toner* is another, you guessed it, lightweight, hydrating and refreshing toner! That is what K beauty is known for so no surprise those will be the words of the day in this blog post! This one contains yam root extract to replenish skin moisture to keep skin supple along with vegan milk complex (derived from oat, rice, coconut and other plant-based ingredients) and lipid water to strengthen the skin barrier. It feels really gentle, has a milky consistency and helps hydrate my skin!

 

Moving onto some essences/serums now and in all honestly, I don’t notice a huge difference in the effects of these three but they all work well and I enjoy using them! They are all unscented, absorb quickly, provide my skin with hydration and support it, and keep it soft and supple! 

 

 

 

The Jumiso Snail Mucin 95 + Peptide Facial Essence* is infused with 95% snail mucin and five kinds of peptides to boost skin elasticity and repair cell damage as well as panthenol and allantoin to sooth and hydrate. It’s got that classic sticky, “snail” texture and again, it’s suitable for sensitive skin. This comes in a huge 140ml bottle so I tend to use this on my chest and decolletage area too! 

 

The Vegreen Nature Mucin Serum* is a non-snail mucin serum containing mucin from wild yam, panthenol, peptides and ceramides. It helps with skin elasticity and moisture as well as protecting and repairing damaged skin. The Vegreen Skin Barrier Reishi Serum* is formulated with 3 types of mushrooms - Reishi to strengthens the skin barrier; Chaga - an antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-aging extract which protects the skin from sun damage; and Tremella Fuciformis Extract which helps enhance skin elasticity, and plump and smooth fine lines. It also contains probiotics which maintain the skin's microbiome to reduce skin sensitivity. 

 

Both Vegreen serums have more watery textures and I will usually take one of them with me when I am packing light and going on a trip as they work so well in both my AM and PM routine (and are in smaller bottles than the Jumiso - the big bottle is all I have left!).

 

K beauty sunscreens are in a league of their own and I can’t recommend the next three products enough if you need a new SPF! They all feel lightweight and absorb quickly into the skin leaving no white cast (I have fair skin for reference!) and sit beautifully under makeup with no pilling! They protect my skin so well and I haven’t got burnt on my face while using them! 

 

Beauty of Joseon Relief Sun : Rice + Probiotics SPF50+ PA++++ is a chemical sunscreen containing niacinamide, rice extract and grain-derived probiotics to help keep skin supple and hydrated.

 

My most recent SPF favourite find and the one I took to Mexico in March with me – the Tocobo Bio Watery Sun Cream SPF50+ PA++++. Again, this is a chemical sunscreen containing mung bean extract to soothe irritation, along with bio-hyaluronic acid to boost skin moisture.  

 

Aside from having a cool purple tint that helps to neutralise yellow undertones, the Isntree Purple Protector Onion Newpair Sunscreen SPF40 PA+++* is another chemical sunscreen that contains 5% red onion extract, allantoin and heartleaf extract to hydrate and soothe irritated skin. Read more in my best beauty discoveries of 2023!

 

I generally find K Beauty products very affordable and there are always offers on the likes of Stylevana, StyleKorean and YesStyle (use my code DANIELLESBB5 for up to 5% off)! Don’t forget, you can read my last K Beauty post here!

 

Let me know if you’ve tried any of these and what you thought or let me know what K Beauty products I need to try next!

 

*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

Bloglovin | Instagram | Pinterest | Twitter