Oh boy have I used up a lot of goodies these last couple of months! So many of these products were new discoveries for me in the year of 2014, some which I am glad to have finally scraped the last out of and others, complete golden gems!
Let's get stuck into it.
Starting off with hair! The latter part of 2014 was definitely a time where I started to give more of a shit about my hair care. After making the big step in ombre-ing my hair, I needed to put a little more TLC in my routine and the Bumble & Bumble Hairdressers Invisible Oil Shampoo & Conditioner did exactly what I needed. It left my hair smelling amazing and feeling soft, silky and sealed all of my ends which I was in desperate need of due to my large amount of heat styling. My Tresemme Keratin Smooth Heat Protection Spray was definitely a much loved product throughout the year, this being my 5th bottle! It smells great, is lightweight and is a complete staple! Two hairsprays that I finished off included the Toni & Guy Creative Extreme Hold Hairspray and unfortunately, I was left very underwhelmed with the "gravity defying technology" it claimed. The Tresemme Salon Finish Freeze Hold Hairspray was the favourite this time round, keeping my locks voluminous and in place during wind, rain or shine.
Now leaning into skincare, the Yes To Tomatoes Clear Skin Daily Clarifying Cleanser did a great job at leaving my skin feel fresh, clean and removed makeup easily however the skin was left a little tight afterwards which was a let down for me. Indeed Laboratories' Hydraluron was such a disappointing product and I really don't see the hype. It left a tacky residue and, ironically, made my skin feel dry rather than hydrating it which is what hyaluronic acid is all about. The Nivea Pure & Natural Facial Cleansing Wipes with Bio Argan Oil & Bio Aloe Vera was another crash and burn product. A thin towelette that didn't remove makeup effectively and made the eyes sting is definitely not a plus in my books.
It seems as though I completely ploughed through moisturisers these past few months! Finishing up my Embryolisee Lait-Creme Concentre was definitely a sad day to say the least. This baby left my skin feeling silky smooth and hydrated and I'm a little sad that I didn't pick up a bigger size at IMATS 2014. The Nivea Pure & Natural Regenerating Night Cream was a thicker formula, perfect for the night time skincare routine and definitely another love of mine! This was my 2nd bottle of the Neutrogena Oil Free Moisturiser for Combination Skin and for some reason this bottle just wasn't like the last. They must have changed the formula or something, because this isn't how I remembered my (old) favourite day time cream! A thin consistency that was lightweight and refreshing, now left the skin feeling greasy and dirty if you will.
Finishing up my Artiste Brush Cleaner was a bittersweet moment for me as it meant that I had to fork out another $15 for 100mL of alcohol to spot clean my brushes. I didn't have this for very long at all and I think that was what disappointed me the most. Yeah sure it did an okay job at cleaning, but if I have to go out and buy a new one of these every two weeks, I'm not a happy camper. On a more positive note though, if you know me in person or have been watching my YouTube channel for a while, you will know how much I adore my Victoria's Secret Coconut Passion Body Spray! This stuff is sex in a bottle. Literally. Onto my 4th bottle and I will continue to repurchase this baby until I find an equivalent EDP.
Now finally onto the makeup-y items! I finished up two of my holy grail concealers, the Maybelline Fit Me Concealer in Fair, which has fantastic coverage and longevity, and the Maybelline Instant Age Rewind Concealer in Brightening, my favourite for under the eyes and highlighting the face. It was a sad day indeed when my mini of the Smashbox Photo Finish Foundation Primer came to an end. This stuff is amazing and the complete package! Kept my face matte during the hot, sticky summer days and provided a smooth, flawless base for my makeup. What more could you ask for? Yet another HG product was my Revlon Colorstay Foundation for Combination/Oily Skin which I have since repurchased. An amazing medium-full coverage, long lasting and semi-matte foundation that just sits perfectly on the face. Tick, tick, tick! And finally, the Covergirl Clump Crusher Mascara was a new discovery and recommendation from Ash (ashleighgreenstyle). A brilliant formula that left the lashes soft, lengthened and clump-free, perfect for that everyday/no-makeup-makeup look!
So there we have it! Have you used up any of the products featured? I would love to hear your thoughts and opinions!
Much love and stay gorgeous,