Collective Haul, Part 1

Hello! Let me show you a few things I've purchased over the last month or so. I want to try and get away from nothing but endless beauty box reviews on my dear little blog, so hopefully you should expect to find some products reviews soon, too. First up, a couple of things I bought on one of my numerous trips to Daiso recently. ❖ The hair mascara is to touch up my roots in between dyeing. I haven't tried it yet; I'll let you know how it goes. ❖ The Vitamin Yogurt Pack is a two-pack of yoghurt-based face mask. I tried the aloe vera version a while back and loved it, so I wanted to try the other 'flavours'. ❖ Thirdly is the famed Puff and Sponge Detergent that many bloggers swear by. The last few times I had been to Daiso it was sold out. Again, I haven't tried it yet, but I'll let you know how I go!


Here we have a few things from Priceline. My obsession with interest in Essence products continues. ❖ I already swatched the Nude Glam Nail Polish a couple of posts ago. ❖ The essence eyeshadow, also a new shade, was such a pretty shade of bluish lavender that I couldn't resist. For $2, how can you? The shade is called In The Clouds. ❖ The perfume is Harajuku Lovers Eau de Toilette in Music. I first smelled this nearly a year ago and it's been on my wishlist ever since. It was less than half price, so a no-brainer, really. It's just a shame it's only the 10ml size, so it'll be for special occasions only.


Aaaaand .... more Essence products from Priceline! ❖ The Winter-themed hand creams were in the limited edition products display. I couldn't decide which scent to get, so what can a girl do? Get them all, of course! They are: Apple Cinnamon Punch, Gingerbread Chai Latte and Caramel Hot Chocolate. They all smell divine! ❖ I also purchased this Essence I ❤ Extreme Crazy Volume Mascara. My current mascara is probably a little past its expiry date and I wanted a replacement. So why not get it from my own personal brand-of-the-moment?


Thanks for reading and stay tuned for more hauls and reviews soon!

Collective Haul!

I bought all these products last year ... yes, I'm way behind on everything! I'll start with the less interesting and move to the more interesting:

These are things I bought from Priceline and Daiso. I bought a new bottle of nail polish remover, even though I haven't finished the old one yet. I figured that having plenty on hand would mean that I'd feel free to use plenty when removing my nail polish, and would make it easier. The Cetaphil is for washing my hands. My eczema has been worrying my again recently, and I wanted to take better care of it. I also got the Batiste Dry Shampoo for Dark Hair ("with a hint of colour"). I was hoping that it might cover up my roots a bit in between dye jobs.
The cotton pads come from Daiso. Another good quality product that I didn't spend very much on! I love Daiso.

Now for the more interesting:

These are products I got in a YesStyle haul last November!

♡ SkinFood Red Orange Makeup Finish Spray - I've been using this a couple of times a week, and I love it! I might review it soon.

♡ The Face Shop Konjac Puff - Konjac is all the rage at the moment! I haven't used this yet, though.

♡ Majolica Majorca Jewelling Pencil in White - I bought this on a whim after reading that applying white pencil to the inner corners of your eyes will make them appear bigger. I've tried it once so far, but didn't really have time to give it a proper go.

♡ Sample sachets: SkinFood Honey Black Tea Jelly Foam AND Missha Signature BB Cream - I've received a sample of the BB Cream before, and it wasn't too bad. I'm looking forward to trying the SkinFood cleanser.

Empties: June 2012

Lush Gorgeous Moisturiser (sample size) - Smelled wonderful, but I don't think it had any effect on my skin at all. Plus it comes in unhygienic pot, which is a real shame for such an expensive product.
Avon Skin So Soft Hair Minimising Deodorant - Had no noticeable hair minimising properties at all. Not that good at eliminating smells, either. I have another one to get through as it was a 2-for-1 deal. Won't get it again.
Searo Nail Color Dry Spray - after buying this as an add-on to another purchase on e-bay, I was happily surprised to find that it actually works well. It cuts the drying time of my nail polish in half! I'm currently waiting for a replacement to arrive.
Daiso Japanese Wet Sheet Wipes in Mint (not pictured) - I had these at work for those sticky moments. They made me feel powdery dry and had a lovely subtle minty scent. Being Daiso, they were very cheap as well. However, I decided to buy a different brand this time; currently waiting for it to arrive.
Maybelline XXL Extensions Mascara in Black - started to go clumpy so I threw it away, but I'd had it for a long time and was happy with the lengthening effect.
Crabtree & Evelyn Body Scrub in Citron Honey & Coriander - loved this; reviewed here.
Ffid Coenzyme Q10 Cloth Face Mask - also loved this discussed here.
Mirenesse Eclipse Age Defence Daily Face & Neck Clear SPF Mineral Balm (mini size) - not even sure what this was supposed to be used for: moisturiser? sunscreen? primer? serum? Seemed to have no effect of any kind. Only lasted 2 applications, anyway.
De Cheri Hotel Soap AND Paradise Hotel Soap (second not pictured) - standard guest soaps from my collection.
Burt's Bees Peppermint & Rosemary Body Bar - had a very strong peppermint/menthol smell. It made my eyes water and more sensitive parts of my skin sting! I would definitely not get this again.
Paula's Choice Resist Intensive Wrinkle-Repair Retinol Serum (sample sachet) - love this stuff, and I think it really works. I've already bought the full-size product and I'm using it as an eye serum.
Kerastase Nectar Thermique Leave-In Conditioner (sample sachet) - I had 5 of these from a beauty box and I think this is the second-last one.
Jurlique Calendula Face Cream - smelled nice, but! Was very thick and had to push it around my face. Did not notice any particular benefits, either. Would not get again as I felt my skin was stretching too much trying to rub it in.
Bloom Body Cream in Mandarine (not pictured) - only threw away because it was extremely old and smelled manky. Would get again for a treat.
Paula's Choice 2% BHA Liquid (sample sachet) - have already purchased the full-size product. I've only had one small pimple since using this. Looks like it may be my go-to exfoliant!

Empties May 2012

I've started making an effort to use up more of my sample size products, so I've emptied more than ever this month!



Biore Deep Clean Facial Wipes - Quite nice product, smelled good, worked well and generous sheet size. Would get again.
Burt's Bees Beeswax & Banana Hand Creme (mini size, from the hands & feet kit) - Set off my eczema badly, so I ended up using it on my feet. It made them really soft, and I loved the smell, so I might get it again for pedi use!
Thalgo Soft Hydrating Emulsion (from March I Love This Box; sample size) - had an amazing oceany smell, but for the expensive price, the moisturising properties were only average.
The Body Shop Chocomania Soap (part of birthday gift from Husband (not pictured)) - smelled wonderful, like chocolate and nuts, and had pretty good lasting power, but the exfoliating bits in it (I think they were poppy seeds?) were too scratchy on my skin. Replaced with Burt's Bees body bar.
Japanese Aloe Vera Hand Cream (from Daiso) - this is one of the few hand creams that doesn't set off my eczema! Plus it's not too greasy and sinks in quick. For this reason I use it at work. Replaced with Planet Earth Lime Blossom & Coconut hand cream.
Bloom Thirst Quencher Vitamin E Body Cream (sample sachet) - Vague citrusy smell, which I found fairly pleasant. I'd probably consider buying the full-size product, depending on the price.
Schwarzkopf Brilliance Permanent Colour in Smouldering Red - this is my go-to hair dye, though I'm thinking of going more reddish-brown, rather than brownish-red next time. ☺
OPI Expert Touch Nail Lacquer Remover (from Adore Beauty) - worked fast and had a nice citrus scent, but unfortunately too expensive for me to justify. Replaced with Priceline brand remover.
Jurlique Jasmine Body Lotion (sample sachet) - was only enough for one application. Smelled divine, was light and non-greasy. Would think of purchasing if it wasn't so expensive.
Imperial Leather Foamburst Gel in Passionflower & Jojoba (from Coles) - Starts out as a gel, but puffs up into a foam on contact with air. Seemed to be exactly the same formula as my shaving cream, and came in the same type of can - very strange. But smelled lovely and was a fun product. Was expensive, but would get again for a treat.
Kerastase Nectar Thermique Leave-In Conditioner (sample sachet, received in my December Lust Have It box) - this is the 3rd out of 5 sachets that I received.
Estee Lauder Advanced Night Repair Synchronised Recovery Complex (January GlossyBox) - This smelled lovely, slightly citrusy, and had a fresh gel texture. I loved it the way it felt on my skin, but I probably would need to use it for longer to see any real benifits. Unfortunately it's way too expensive to get again.
Pantene Anti-Dandruff Shampoo - this didn't help my dandruff at all, in fact I think it made the problem worse. Replaced with Head & Shoulders Dry Skin formula Shampoo.

Beauty Blather

The obsession with beauty products continues. The other week I was out with a friend and she touched up her face with a loose powder compact. I wanted one!! I do carry a beauty pouch in my bag, but it's full of stuff I hardly ever use. I decided to replace that stuff with stuff I'd use a lot!

I was eyeing off some compacts on YesStyle when I was choosing my BB Cream, but I was unsure about spending so much on something I might not like or use, so I didn't get one when I finally went ahead and placed my order. Then on Sunday when I was at Daiso getting some other things I needed, I saw a large range of them. Everything there is only $2.80, so I wouldn't be too upset if it didn't work or match my skin colour. As soon as I got home, I put some on, and it was good! My skin looks less red, and feels fresher. I popped it in my beauty pouch and I'll use it before I leave work to freshen up. I'm starting to feel more like a lady. A real, purty lady!