Monday, 18 June 2018

Trimming My Stash - May 2018 Edition - Empties And Mini Reviews


Where on earth does time go? The last few months especially seem to have flown by and blended into one. I'm behind and late again but hey that's the way life is for me at the moment. So no more waffle and contemplation, lets get straight to the point and talk about May's Trimming My Stash.

AVON True Nutra Effects Micellar Cleansing Water - 200ml
Beautifully Scrumptious Deep Moisturising Foot Pack - Tea Tree And Peppermint - 1 x Pair Socks
Primark PS Micellar Facial Cleansing Wipes - 25 x Wipes
Dawin Miller Joy White Jasmine And Cranberry Body Butter - 200ml
Soap & Glory The Scrub Of Your Life - 200ml
Primark PS Oil Balancing Facial Cleansing Wipes For Oily & Blemish Prone Skin - 25 x Wipes
Berrisom Oops Soda Bubble Mask Pore Tox Fruit - 1 x Sheet Mask
Yes To Carrots Hydrating Shower Gel - 500ml
Superdrug Strawberry & Raspberry Shower Foam - 150ml
My Little Beauty Moonrise Make Up Remover Jelly - 100ml
Maybelline The Falsies Volum' Express Mascara - Noir Glamour / Black - 9ml
Total - 11 Items

May was by far my best month of the year so far, I managed to finish 11 items. Alas no haircare this time round but I did manage to finish a nice combo of skincare, and body care products, and I even managed to finish a make up item, so all in all a pretty good result

1. AVON True Nutra Effects Micellar Cleansing Water - 200ml



Micellar water really has been a game changer for me when it comes to skincare. As someone who suffers from chronic illness, I want something that's quick and easy, and micellar waters are exactly that, quick and easy but with more skincare benefits and better for your skin than the humble face wipe. There is a lot of choice on the market now when it comes to micellar waters but at the moment I'm loving two of AVON's offerings, their Anti Ageing 3 in 1 Cleansing Water, and this one from their Nutra Effects range. It contains micellar technology as well as an exclusive active seed complex with chia seed extract and vitamin E. It removes make up really easily without leaving it dry or irritated, and although it does struggle a little bit with long wear mascara, you can also use it to remove eye make up. I have quite sensitive eyes when it comes to eye make up removers, but I can use this with only minimal watering which isn't too bad. As you probably already know AVON always have a lot of offers on so it's worth keeping an eye out, but this size has an RRP of £4, and you can also get a double sized, 400ml bottle for only £6. 

2. Beautifully Scrumptious Deep Moisturising Foot Pack - Tea Tree And Peppermint - 1 x Pair Socks



I've already talked about these in a previous empties post (read it here) and I still love them. Moisturised, softer, smoother and better looking feet in less than 20 minutes and all for just a £1, what's not to love! Annoyingly these fabulous socks don't seem to be available in all Poundland stores, so when you see them take my advice and stock up!

3. Primark PS Micellar Facial Cleansing Wipes - 25 x Wipes



Okay I know I've just been talking about how micellar waters are now my go to for quick and easy cleansing but every once in a while I do use cleansing wipes on my face (I know, I know, feel free to slap my wrists if you ever meet me!). I bought these once when I couldn't find my favourite tea tree wipes, and I have to say that they're pretty decent. They don't feel drying or harsh, and they removed a light make up fairly easily, without too much rubbing. Obviously knowing a bit about skincare I would never advocate the use of cleansing wipes on a regular basis (ahem) but at just £1 for two packs of 25 wipes these are perfect for emergencies, and as Caroline Hirons says for fannies, flights and festivals x 

4. Dawin Miller Joy White Jasmine And Cranberry Body Butter - 200ml



I already mentioned the accompanying body wash in April's empties post, and whilst I loved that I loved this body butter even more. For me it was more of a thick body cream rather than a true body butter. Despite it's thickness it absorbed easily leaving the skin feeling silky soft, and smelling heavenly of heady white flowers with just a touch of tart fruit. Unfortunately as I said in my previous empties post this entire range appears to have discontinued which is a shame, but thankfully I still have a bottle of the hand and body lotion left so I can enjoy this intoxicating fragrance for just a little bit longer.

5. Soap & Glory The Scrub Of Your Life - 200ml



Now if you are a regular reader you'll know that when it comes to body scrubs, I'm a salt or sugar scrub gal! Scrubs like this one don't normally float my boat but after using a few tubes of this in the past I'm *very nearly* a convert. With the original Soap & Glory scent this scrub has a cream gel formula, which is crammed full of exfoliating particles. The grains are of a decent size so it's pretty scrubby, and it produces a creamy moisture rich foam on application. In my experience it takes a bit of rinsing but it leaves the skin feeling silky soft and smooth. When it comes to Soap & Glory scrubs I definitely prefer the gritty sugar ness of Sugar Crush but if you don't like things quite so rough then this one is a good alternative, particularly if you love the original Soap & Glory scent.

6. Primark PS Oil Balancing Facial Cleansing Wipes For Oily & Blemish Prone Skin - 25 x Wipes



Would it even be an empties post in LouLouLand if I didn't include a pack of these? No I don't think so! Now I'm not going to lie here, my mam probably used at least half of these when she was in hospital. With the high tea tree content, they are great for freshening up the skin and cleaning the hands. Don't just think of these particular wipes as just face wipes, they really are a multi purpose essential, even if you never even use them on your face.

7. Berrisom Oops Soda Bubble Mask Pore Tox Fruit - 1 x Sheet Mask



I'm really enjoying using face masks at the moment and I particularly enjoying trying out lots of new types and formulations. This one is a combination of both a sheet mask, and one of the Instagram phenomenons of the last year or so, the bubble mask. Designed to detoxify the skin and refine the pores, this fruity, bubblegum scented mask is basically a sheet mask specifically for the lower half of your face. Apply it to your face and after a minute of so the surface of the sheet mask starts to bubble and foam. It feels cool on the skin at first and as the bubbles start to appear you feel a fabulous almost tickly, popping sensation on the skin. Leave the mask on and enjoy the sensation for around 10 - 15 minutes, then take it off and then massage the excess bubbles and liquid into the skin. My skin initially felt a bit sticky but the excess slowly absorbs leaving the skin feeling smooth, clean and fresh. My pores also did look a little bit smaller and a little bit less obvious, in the short term. 

I literally loved every single thing about this mask, I loved the scent, and I loved how the mask felt on my skin, and I loved how my skin looked and felt after application. This mask would be great for a special event or for when you skin needs an extra boost, or if you just want to have a little bit of fun with your skincare. This mask is available from various retailers including Urban Outfitters, Beauty Bay and the Mask House.

I love the whole bubble mask idea and not just for Instagram picture potential ;). I'm definitely going to be trying a few more out and I recently managed to get my hands on the Insta famous Elizavecca Milk Piggy Carbonated Bubble Clay Mask (Check out my Instagram for some pics ;) It smells a bit weird and it is a touch messy, but I'm loving the bubbly sensation and how clean my skin feels when I've used it - bubble masks are definitely the way to go!

8. Yes To Carrots Hydrating Shower Gel - 500ml



If you've been reading my blog for a while now then you'll know that I'm a big fan of the whole Yes To range. Over the years I've been lucky enough to have reviewed quite a few of their products for natural beauty site My Pure, and whilst I've enjoyed using a lot of their skin and hair care items, my real love is their shower products. Not only are they very economical in this size but the range is also animal friendly, and free from parabens, SLS, and petroleum. With a light fresh, fruity powdery scent, this particular product is specifically designed for normal to dry skin, it's crammed full of beta carotene (from carrots don't you know!), dead sea water, and almond, olive and jojoba oils, making it perfect for summer. I really enjoyed using this product and I would definitely consider repurchasing it in the future. You can read a full review of this product here

9. Superdrug Strawberry & Raspberry Shower Foam - 150ml



Although it's been over three years now since I lost my bath tub, I still do miss it, but surviving on showers alone hasn't been as bad as I always thought it would be. Yes I miss the relaxation element of a bath, but I've really enjoyed trying out new and different types of shower products. I've really learnt to love the versatility of shower foams. As well as being super quick and easy to use they also seem to add a bit more of a luxurious element to the humble shower, and since you can also use them as a shaving foam they are also super versatile. This was basically a very creamy, and moisturising shower foam with a slightly sickly berry scent. The product itself was nice enough but the pump was a bit stiff so it was a little bit difficult to dispense. Unfortunately I can't seem to find this, or any of the other fragrances online any more so I think these shower foams may have been discontinued.

10. My Little Beauty Moonrise Make Up Remover Jelly - 100ml



I got this product some time ago in a My Little Box, and it was a product from their exclusive My Little Beauty range. It was basically a cleanser / make up remover, which was very similar in both application and results to the long discontinued Elemis Melting Cleansing Gel (read my product rave here). It has a thick, jelly like texture, and a fresh, fruity scent, simply massage it into dry skin, and slowly massage in some warm water, creating a slightly warm feeling and a creamy cleansing milk. This cleanser removed the majority of my make up without too much effort, and it left my oily, combination skin feeling smooth and clean. I really liked this product it's just a shame that we were never able to buy the My Little Beauty products in the UK.

11. Maybelline The Falsies Volum' Express Mascara - Noir Glamour / Black - 9ml



Maybelline are famous for a lot of things in the make up world but look at any magazine's beauty awards and you'll normally find a Maybelline mascara. Personally I think that Maybelline Great Lash is an overrated clumpy mess but I love Colossal and I love the Falsies! It's easy to apply, it's pretty resilient, it defines and lengthens the lashes, and it adds just the right amount of volume. Although the packaging and shade names seem to have changed slightly since I last bought this one, if you're looking for a new mascara and you don't want to spend a fortune, then this could be one to try and it's definitely something that I would consider repurchasing.

So they were my very late May empties, I've already finished a couple of items already this month but I don't think that month is going to be quite as successful as May, but you never know x Let me know if you have any questions on any of the items that I've talked about and if you have any bubble mask recommendations I'd love to hear them x 

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