Trimming My Stash - June 2018 Edition - Empties, Mini Reviews, And Life Lately

We're now more than half way through 2018, and if I'm honest I can't wait for it to be over. I seem to be saying this a lot lately but the last few weeks have been pretty rubbish again. More health issues for both me and my mam, a few MH issues for me, and a poorly kitty means that I'm struggling on a lot of fronts at the moment.

As per usual my blog and my social media presence has suffered although I've managed to upload a few You Tube videos, I've missed a couple of events lately, and my blog especially has been a little bit quiet. I can't guarantee that is going to change in the very near future but I'm going to try a little bit harder to make time for you guys x I have a pile of unboxing videos to do, and I've started photographing a few bits for some up and coming posts so fingers crossed you might be seeing me a  bit more regularly in your subscription feeds. First up though lets take a little look back at all of my beauty empties from June!

Scrub Love Detoxifying Activated Charcoal Body Scrub - Cucumber And Bamboo - 100g
Primark PS Cuticle Oil - 10ml
Philosophy The Gingerbread Man Foaming Bubble Bath And Shower Gel - 480ml
The Body Shop Dewberry Bath And Shower Gel - 250ml

Total - 4 Items 

Not my best performance I'm afraid with just four items, but I did manage to tackle some of the many half full bottles that are littering my shower cubicle, including a real blast from the past, and I also managed to finish one of the worst / best products that I've used x 

1. Scrub Love Detoxifying Activated Charcoal Body Scrub - Cucumber And Bamboo - 100g

Is it possible to love and hate a product in equal measure? Well after trying this body scrub I think it is! I've tried a few products from Scrub Love now and whilst I love the concept I've had more misses than hits so far. I generally love the scrubiness and the textures but my biggest issue with them is that they can be very messy. I'm going to be honest with you though, the mess that every other Scrub Love scrub that I've tried, combined, pales into comparison with this one!

Think traditional body scrub and you'd be way off the mark, in reality this pouch contains a faintly but slightly strange scented, slightly damp, fine grit. I really can't gloss this up at all that exactly what it looks like, black dirt or grit, that literally went everywhere, it covered the floor of the shower, and it clogged up the shower drain. It literally looked like someone had been to B&Q bought a bag of black sand or grit and thrown it on the shower floor! To say my mam wasn't pleased was an understatement and she banned me from ever buying it again!! (I actually got it in a beauty box so I didn't technically pick it out myself in the first place, that's my excuse and I'm sticking to it!).

Eek! Fair enough I guess but the annoying thing is that despite the mess, and the slightly strange but thankfully faint scent, I actually loved how this product made my skin feel. I literally massaged clumps of it into the damp skin on my knees, elbows, bum and thighs, and the result was one of the most grittiest and most thorough scrubs that I'd ever used. It rinsed off fairly easily (much easier than it was to clean out of the shower anyway!) and it literally left my skin feeling like silk, velvet, kittens ears, and anything else that you can think of that is super soft. My skin felt smooth, clear, clean and alive!

This scrub certainly did what it promised. This scrub would be perfect ahead of fake tanning, a body treatment or when you need your skin to feel soft, and touchable, and to look amazing. For some people this scrub would be a bit too scrubby, and obviously there is the mess factor, but if you can handle that this scrub really does deliver.

2. Primark PS Cuticle Oil - 10ml

There isn't a lot else that I can say about this really that I haven't already said apart from for only £1 a bottle this stuff in my opinion can't be beaten! I don't know whether it's down to the amazing weather that we've had over the last few weeks but my nails have gone to hell, thankfully I have several more bottles of this wonder liquid on the go so hopefully it shouldn't be too long before they're strong, hydrated and paintable again.

3. Philosophy The Gingerbread Man Foaming Bubble Bath And Shower Gel - 480ml

This used to be one of festive bath and shower essentials but since I've discovered some of the equally good, more budget friendly dupes from brands like Beauticology, Treacle Moon and I Love.. I haven't shown Philosophy quite as much love as I used to, but if you can afford to splash out a little bit than Philosophy shower gels are pretty damn good!

Philosophy The Gingerbread Man is usually released just in time for  Christmas, and this bottle has been in my shower since around November time. Like all Philosophy shower products it has a rich and creamy texture and it can also be used in the bath. Obviously I used it in the shower and only a tiny amount produces a rich and creamy lather.

I'm sure I've talked about this scent before but don't think ginger root, it doesn't even an out and out ginger biscuit fragrance, the scent is foodie based but its more a warm and spicy combination of ginger, cloves, cinnamon, and baking spice. If you aren't a huge fan of sickly, foodie fragrances though don't let that put you off trying this. It's spicy and warming but not too sweet or sickly. I definitely think that this is a unisex product, and it's also one that I think children would like. When it is available this isn't the cheapest shower product but it's a great one for a family bathroom at Christmas or at quite frankly any other time of the year.

4. The Body Shop Dewberry Bath And Shower Gel - 250ml

Like so many little girls that grew up in the late 1980's and 1990's one of the scents of my childhood, and pre teen to early teenage years was The Body Shop Dewberry. I flirted with some of their other scented like White Musk, Fuzzy Peach and Green Apple but I always came back to my one true love, Dewberry. There was literally nothing like it, and the merest sniff of that sweet, juicy, yet warm and tart scent transports me to days of PE skirts, Head sports bags, and French homework, not always good memories but memories of my past and the things that made me who I am.

It's funny how fragrance can do that, but unfortunately The Body Shop moved on and some time after the heady days of 1990 and 1991 Dewberry disappeared from their shelves before being briefly reintroduced in the early 2010's. I picked up this bottle when it was reintroduced and I'm ashamed to say I've treasured it and eeked it out way longer than the use by date suggested.

Never mind it hasn't changed texture and it still smelled the same so I risked and loved it. In The Body Shop's aloe vera enriched, high foaming yet moisturising formulation, this product was a delight to use and I'd repurchase it again in a heartbeat if I could, now if you'll excuse me I need a minute to yet again mourn this bottles passing - sniff!

Come on The Body Shop please, please bring Dewberry back, you've bought Banana back and I'm sure I'm not the only one that's missing a bit of Dewberry nostalgia! If they don't, if you can recommend any thing that smells the same, I'd love to know, sometimes you just need something to trigger those memories of life when it was a little bit less complicated! As well as Dewberry recommendations don't forget to let me know if you have any other questions or comments on any of the products that I've finished or quite frankly on anything else xx

Personalised Gifts For All Occasions From Personally Presented*

I don't know about you but I love buying presents, in fact I probably enjoy buying things for other people just as much as I enjoy buying things for myself. I think I'm one of those people that just likes making other people happy. There really is nothing better in life than seeing someones face light up when you give them something that they really love. 

I've been told on numerous occasions that I'm a good present buyer but lets face it, buying things for other people isn't always that easy. What are their interests? Will it fit? Will they like it? There are so many things to consider when you're buying someone a gift, that it's not really surprising that some of us end up saving ourselves from a mountain of stress, and going down the money or gift card route. 

I doubt any of us would turn down a gift voucher or some cash, but there is something just a little bit impersonal about it, and whether it's true or not, it sometimes makes you wonder just how much thought they've actually put into you or into your gift. Like all of us I'm often guilty of taking the easy way out especially with people that I don't see that often or know that well, but most of the time I try to really think about what I'm buying, and what my recipient likes and dislikes. It's hard but for special occasions and for those special people in your life it really is worth it when you see their faces and the joy that you've created.

For special people and special occasions I like buying present that people will treasure, and things that they can look at and say "Louise bought me that" I think that's one of the reason why I love personalised presents so much. If you buy somebody a gift with their name on, or their initials, or an important date, not only will they know how much thought that you've put into the gift, but they're also more likely to keep it and cherish it.

Thanks to the internet it's now easier then ever to get your hands on beautiful, fun and unique personalised gifts, thanks to a UK based, family run company, Personally Presented. With over 1000 different gift ideas to choose from on their well designed and easy to navigate website, you're pretty much guaranteed to find the perfect, special present for anybody in your life from your best friend, to your dad, your gran, your brother or even your new baby niece.

With items ranging from mugs, prints, teddy bears, and personalised bottles of champagne, to personalised Beatrix Potter items and books, cuff links and greetings cards, they have something for every occasion including birthdays, anniversaries, weddings, christenings, and even graduation gifts.

As you may know this year I celebrated a big birthday, and I was lucky enough to receive quite a few pieces of jewellery. Jewellery makes a fabulous gift for any occasion, be it a special birthday, as a bridesmaid gift or even as a graduation gift, or as a congratulations on passing your exams gift. Jewellery is always special but even more so when it's personalised, and Personally Presented have a large range of pieces including watches, necklaces and bracelets, to help you mark that special occasion.

The team at Personally Presented recently sent me one of their jewellery pieces to review and I have to say I am so, so happy with the piece that they sent me, the Personalised Heart Friendship Bracelet which retails at £20.49. 

It comes in a plain, brown craft style box, but you can pay an extra £3.99 to have your item gift wrapped. There are 4 colours to chose from a light almost turquoise blue, pink, grey, and the navy blue that I received. 

The bracelet comprises of a coloured suede / leather cord, with a curved, puffed silver plated heart in the centre, that can be personalised with up to 3 initials, I just went for one, the letter L for Louise! Alongside the heart there are several movable silver plated beads, and an adjustable love knot style fastening tipped again with silver plated beads, which means that this bracelet can fit just about any wrist size.

This is a really nice quality piece, the embossing / etching is nice and neatly done, and this bracelet has a nice weight to it which I wasn't really expecting. It looks fab on it's own but you could also wear it layered up with over friendship style bracelets or even beaded or silver bracelets. The adjust ability means that this bracelet would make a perfect pressie for a young teen with a thin wrist right the way up to someone my age and older with a chunkier wrist. This would be a perfect well done on passing your exams gift, or a great birthday pressie, or even a slightly funkier bridesmaid gift.

Personally Presented really do have a special gift for every occasion, and with a tag line of "Gifts Worth Giving" you're guarantee to find a present that your recipient will cherish, and with free UK postage, an excellent returns police and a personalised customer service experience, with Personally Presented, finding that special present for that special someone couldn't be easier x 

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