Guest Post | Empties

Hey! so I'm Catherine, and I write over at beauty is in the eye of the beholder a cruelty free beauty and lifestyle blog! I'm so happy to be gust posting on Stacey's blog, though I of course wish it wasn't because she's poorly, but I do wish Stacey all the best wishes in the world and I'm so proud that she's been so open in her experience to help and encourage everyone to get checked.

Anyway, today I'm bringing you a empties post, I don't know about you but there's something rather interesting seeing what people have used up. I've only just started doing empties posts, but I'm enjoying them! I am cruelty free, so I don't use anything that is sold in china or tested on animals in any way. however I only turned cruelty free in march and I've been collecting these items for a while so not everything you see is cruelty free, but don't worry I will point it out.

Boots botanics rosewater spray - boots is sadly no longer cruelty free, witch is really sad because I loved this! a really light easy hydrating spray, it doesn't feel too much which is my biggest bug bare with a lot of hydrating toners they feel too much when this was perfect. it was also great for taking a powdery look down when I've over powdered.

Superdrug vitamin E hot cloth cleanser -  sadly something else that is no longer cruelty free! but the superdrug hot cloth cleanser is so well known as a budget hot cloth cleanser. this massive tube lasted me 10+ months, I was working away at it for ages! its a really easy creamy cleanser that doesn't sting your eyes and removes all the makeup without stripping.

Trilogy active enzyme cleansing cream - trilogy is cruelty free! and a good thing too, because I loved this cleansing cream, it has fruit enzymes in to very gently exfoliate as you cleanse. its a great morning cleanser and it lasted ages, I had it for over a year! 

Soap & glory drama clean - soap & glory is sadly no longer cruelty free, witch is a shame as I liked this! finding cruelty free micellar water is a nightmare, but this was really nice. it smelt like cucumbers and removed makeup really easily. real shame!

Smashbox photo finish primer sample - smashbox isn't cruelty free, I got this in a try me set last year and I loved this a lot! a real shame I cant buy a full size, it helped my foundation stay for hours more than normal and it blended so much easier onto my skin when I used this.

B. nourished night serum - sadly no longer cruelty free, and I loved this! this serum made my skin feel so soft and smooth, I actually often used this in the morning as it made my skin feel so good. it really made my skin feel good, great budget serum.

Various neals yard remedies samples -  they are cruelty free! my parents went away to London and Edinburgh for a week for there 25th wedding anniversary and when they were in London they went to a neals yard shop and got me a body scrub as a surprise. they also got a lot of samples! these are all sorts, from oils too cleansers and I loved it all, I wish I could afford to try more neals yard.

Aromatherapy associates rose hydrating mask sample - cruelty free! I got this sample in a set with a magazine a few months ago, but this is by far my favourite product, there wasn't a lot in the sample and I really want the full sized but cant really afford a £30 mask! its a lovely hydrating gel mask, so cooling and soothing.

Boots tea tree and witch hazel exfoliating pads - sadly no longer cruelty free, but I liked these! these were little textured pads to help remove dead skin cells and keep spots at bay. they really helped keep spots away and get rid of any that popped up.

L'oreal Elvive ExtraOrdinary Oil for coloured hair - loreal is not cruelty free, I really struggled to use this up as I really didn't like it. I had used it before and I had thought I had liked it but I didn't this time! its oddly like it as alcohol in it. if anything it made my hair feel drier witch is not what you want a hair oil to do! I used it up, but no way would I use it again.

Bourjois instant drying drops - sadly no longer cruelty free, o I loved these! this was my second bottle and I wish I could buy it again, it really helped try my nails much faster than normal without the annoying side effects of a fast trying top coat. and they lasted much longer than some I've tried! 

Naked little miracle leave in conditioner - cruelty free, I loved this! really smoothed and hydrated my hair and something I will be picking up again.  

Una brennan hydrating rose moisture mask - unknown if they are cruelty free or not, I was sad when this ran out! as because I don't know if they cruelty free or not I cant buy it again and I want too! so nice, hydrated my skin without overloading my skin. in the summer I was reaching for it a lot as my skin got put through the mill in England!

Mememe flawless concealer in porcelain - cruelty free! I was surprised at how much I liked this, its creamy and easy to blend and its a great match for my skintone. perfect!

Thankyou again to Gemma for helping Stacey doing all these guest posts! 

have you finished anything lately?

Catherine x

Sleep Saviours

Some of you may know that as part of my normal job I travel to Egypt every three weeks. Whether it's not being in my own bed or not having my cat Ali nestled into me I always find sleeping in a hotel difficult.

Coupled with a bad bout of sinusitis I have relied heavily this week on the arsenal of products I pack to help me get a good nights sleep.  This is my fail safe kit.

Candle

In my house there is pretty much always a candle burning so it makes sense that I always pack a couple on trips.  For the evening I always choose heavier scented candles such as vanilla or lavender to relax me.  I am not sure where this one in the photo is from but it smells like crème brulee so I have been loving it.

Bath

I think one of the nicest ways to unwind is to take a bath and I don't do it often enough!  I always pack a little bottle of the Aromatherapy Associates Relax Deep Bath and Shower Oil (I got this as a GWP but keep topping up the little travel size bottle from my full size bottle from Cult Beauty)

Relax contains vetivert, camomile and sandalwood to encourage the body to relax.  It's quite heady but the oil is very light and I love to massage it into dry skin before jumping into the bath.  I really like Aromatherapy Associates oils and really enjoy using the Revive version in the morning when I am a bit groggy!  Again I massage it into my skin before stepping into the shower.

I also love these Roques ONeil Therapie Himalayan Detox Salts in the bath.  The idea behind these is that when you're in the bath they detox your body of all the electro-magnetic energy we absorb all day from using laptops, ipads and mobile phones.  They recommend not using any of these devices after using the salts to aid an even better nights sleep and when you finish the bath not to rub yourself dry to allow the salts to remain on the skin.

They smell amazing-they contain lemongrass and geranium and I just find the overall experience very soothing.  This small tub was a GWP from Cult Beauty but I will probably buy the full size version and just use this little tub as my travel companion!

Facial Oil

Once I am out of the bath I like to apply the Clarins Lotus Face Treatment Oil to my skin.  Not only does my skin love it and practically drink it up but the smell of the oil is really calming and relaxing.  I did a full review of this oil here. 

Soothing treatments

Finally if these steps aren't making me drift off easily I turn to the Elemis Quiet Mind Temple Balm or the This Works Deep Sleep Stress Less rollerball.

The Elemis Quiet Mind Temple Balm was a must have purchase from Look Fantastic on my last shopping splurge and is a light non sticky gel that can be massaged into the temples, neck and earlobes.  It contains patchouli, lemon and eucalyptus.  This week because my sinuses have been so painful I have been massaging it into my hands as well as the smell of the eucalyptus has been soothing my sinuses.

I tend to use the This Works Deep Sleep Stress Less rollerball on flights because it is so handy.  This again contains eucalyptus but also lavender and frankincense so is a little more heady than the Elemis temple balm.  I also got this from Look Fantastic

Failing all this I could just smuggle Ali into my suitcase for each trip....

What are you favourite products for ensuring a sound nights sleep?

Currently loving....

I have been loving a lot recently!!

I have narrowed it down and here are my favourite five things of the moment plus a random food related fave!

First up is this necklace from New Look.  I saw it in New Look in the Trafford Centre just after Xmas but the queue was huge and I couldn't be bothered.  Luckily it was in my local New Look so I picked it up just before we came back to Dubai.  I think it looks great with a plain top and can be dressed up or down.  There are also a couple of colour variations available.

Next up is the Aromatherapy Associates 'Revive morning' oil.  I have been really struggling with sleeping for weeks now-I find myself struggling to get to sleep, always being tired in the morning and waking frequently in the night.  This Aromatherapy Associates oil is a god send when I am struggling to wake up and focus on the day.  It's a blend of pink grapefruit, rosemary and juniper berry which smells so fresh and invigorating.

I pour a cap full out and massage this light oil into my chest and neck before stepping into the shower.  It's the perfect 'perk me up' start to the day.

A bit mean to include a limited edition and no longer available perfume but I LOVE this perfume from Jo Malone-I am on the last dregs of it now.  I wore it all through December because it was so warming and Christmass-y, it was like freshly baked gingerbread, cinnamon, caramel and vanilla.  It oozed 'winter'.  It lasts all day on the skin and smells sweeter and more caramel as it wears down.  I so wish it was permanent.

I picked up the Bumble and Bumble Blondish Hair Powder in Space NK in Manchester on a whim at Christmas.  I am addicted to Batiste for adding some oomph to my fine and flat hair but this Bumble and Bumble Spray knocks Batiste right out of the park.  Like a gazillion times.  Obviously there is a huge price difference between the two (£28 (ouch) for Bumble and Bumble-I really must learn to look at the prices of things before I buy) but this spray gives oomph, texture, grip and volume to even my fine and lifeless hair.  It's fantastic for giving freshly washed hair the grip it needs to keep up do's in place.  It's a bit stiffer and stickier to the touch than Batiste but once you have sprayed it in and teased/brushed/pinned your hair into place you don't need to worry about it for the rest of the day.  No white residue which I love as well.  Will I repurchase.  Probably.  Best start saving now!

My final beauty related favourite is the Kevyn Aucoin Celestial powder in 'Candlelight' which is a beautiful golden highlighter.  Mine is in the old packaging, the new packaging is a little more compact.  This is just the most incredible highlighter-it's so finely milled and imparts the most beautiful sheen to your skin without any glitter at all.  I am wearing it in the photo below on the top of my cheeks and a tiny bit on my browbone.  It's beautiful.

Last up...I am addicted to these vampire teeth jelly sweets...and so is the rest of my office!  We went through a 2kg tub of the fizzy ones in 2 days.  They were sent to me from the UK over the Xmas period and they didn't make it home!  These remind me of being a kid and going to the corner shop on the way home for a '10p mix bag' where we got to choose sweets.  Not sure if you'd even get one for 10p these days!