Empties #1 - Bastiste, Herbal Essences, Simple, Aveeno and Ghost Fragance!

Hello everyone! Today is the start of a new series on Blog This With Hannah - Empties! I personally love seeing what products people use up and what they think of them. Also, how satisfying is it to use a product up completely?! I don't know if it's just me but I just feel like I've achieved something when I finish a product up. Although, sometimes I get too deep about it and I'm like how did I even finish this WHOLE BOTTLE?! WHERE DID IT GO?! Yeah.. Anyway, onto the mini reviews!

HAIR:

Bastiste Dry Shampoo (full size & travel size): The classic of all classics. I don't know anyone who hasn't used this dry shampoo in the past, and so many of my friends continue to use it. I've personally used this for about 2-3 years and continue to repurchase it. It does come out white and that is annoying, however the trick is to really give it a good shake before using it as if you don't, it will make your hair have that grey tinge/shine. When you shake it, it does come out white however when you start to brush it in it disappears and all the oil and grease in your hair is gone, it's brilliant! Would I repurchase? Already have, using it currently!

Herbal Essences Dazzling Shine Shine Reflecting Shampoo and Conditioner: I've kinda got a love/hate relationship with this shampoo and conditioner. I did a blog post years ago on another herbal essences duo which you can see here and I really didn't like that one; it clogged my hair up and made it feel horrible. However, recently I've had a really dry scalp and have developed eczema on my scalp, which is the worst by the way. After a few tar shampoos from the doctors either not working or making my hair worse, I decided to go back to this duo as I had previously used it before my scalp had a freak-on. For some reason, one day my dry scalp just went away, literally out of the blue it just.. Stopped being flakey and dry; I have no idea why, or if this duo even helped it but it did so I suppose I have to give it some credit! Also, I should probably say this duo is meant to make your hair super shiny and glossy looking and it really does do that. However, the hatred of this duo is my hair gets super tangly after I use it and this has only started to happen recently.. I tried to switch up my shampoo but it made my scalp go weird again so I don't know, I'm just trying to deal with it but I don't really know what to do. I would recommend it as it does really bring shine and softness to your hair - I think my scalp/hair is just a bit weird. Would I repurchase? Already have, using it currently!

FACE:

Simple Kind to Skin Hydrating Light Moisturiser (x2): This has been my moisturiser for at least 2-3 years, I have extremely sensitive skin and my skin will take an allergic reaction VERY easily. In conjunction with my sensitive skin, I also have quite bad eczema all over my body and I honestly use about 5 different creams to try and help it.. So I need to be careful what I use. This moisturiser is brilliant, honestly I have NEVER had a bad reaction with it, it has no perfumes or any bad chemicals in it and has nice vitamins which is always a bonus! It does the job well and keeps my skin moisturised all day and night, and it's super cheap - Simple is always on offer for 3 for 2 in Boots and in general it's under £4 anyway so it's a bargain. Would I repurchase? Already have, using it currently!

Simple Kind to Skin Purifying Cleansing Lotion: I've used this product for quite a while now and within the past probably 6-8 months I've just went off it. It does the trick, it cleanses your skin and gets all your make-up off. It doesn't have any harsh chemicals or perfume in it and as I said above, I have extremely sensitive skin so Simple is a really good brand for me. It's cheap and widely available which is always a plus for a student like me! However, I have went off it a bit.. I started using the Soap & Glory Peaches and Clean 3-in-1 Wash-off Deep Purifying Cleanser and I really do love it - weirdly it has perfume in it and I'm actually allergic to perfume but for some reason my skin hasn't reacted to it, no idea why! This is one that you wash off and I think that's the reason why I've went off the Simple Cleanser as I really feel fresh and clean when I wash off my cleanser compared to when I just.. Put it on my face with a cotton pad, if you get me? It's still really good though, I just think I've found one that I prefer more now. Would I repurchase? Probably if I didn't have my current cleanser, it's still good!

Simple Kind to Eyes Soothing Eye Balm: Again, this is from Simple, I'm sorry it's just a good brand and it suits my skin! I bought this originally because it's meant to depuff and sooth tired eyes which is something I need and struggle with and I feel this eye cream helps with both. Since using it, my eyes aren't as puffy in the mornings and it moistures my under eyes really well and through this it soothes them so much! Again, no harsh chemicals etc etc. Would I repurchase? Already have, using it currently!

BODY:

Aveeno Moisturising Cream (300ml & 100ml): I actually get this cream prescribed to me by the doctors to help control my eczema so I don't know if I should be recommending this.. All I'm going to say is it's a great, natural moisturiser for your skin and really helps to get rid of any dry or itchy skin that you have. If you have eczema, please consult a doctor as to what creams you should use as everyone is different, however I know this is sold in Boots just in the shop floor so if you are just wanting a nice natural moisturiser, I would recommend this.

Ghost Enchanted Bloom Fragrance: I got this perfume about.. 2 and a half years ago from my ex boyfriend's parents.. Yeah. As I said above, I'm actually allergic to perfume and I do get rashes if a lot of it touches my skin so whenever I get perfume, I usually just spray it on my clothes. This was a lovely fruity girly scent - on the Ghost website it describes it as "Gloriously romantic and addictive with its alluring femininity, this floral and fruity bouquet opens with aromatic Jasmine and Water Lily with Peach Caviar and a lingering hint of Amber to add a warming foundation to this deliciously floral fruity fragrance." It's a really nice, subtle scent for all year round and it's one I recommend. Would I repurchase? Probably, once I've run out of my other perfumes/body sprays.

That's about it for this post, jeez it's been a long one. As above, I said I was having trouble with my hair and how it's randomly got very tangly and hard to manage. Do any of you have any suggestions on how to help overcome this or any products I should try out to help? Thank you for reading!

Have a lovely day, and don't stop smiling. :)

Hannah, xx

Skincare/Make-up Haul - Simple, Vaseline, Maybelline, Collection, Barry M & Real Techniques!

Hello everyone! I'm here today with a little (it's quite big actually) haul for you all. I decided a couple of weeks ago to take advantage of some of the 3 for 2 offers and I'd also saved up some money to get some of the things I've wanted to try for a while, so here we go! Also, I haven't used some of these products, so for some I'll be telling you what it's like from what the description of it is on the Boots website, just so you know!

Vaseline Spray & Go Body Moisturiser: I've personally never owned one of these but I have used my Mum's can quite a lot.. So I decided it was about time to get my own! The whole point of it is that your skin gets moisturised in seconds and you can just put your clothes on and go - perfect for people in a rush! For me, it definitely does dry in fast, like, one minute fast, which is still great considering most other moisturisers take ages. I would highly recommend this to anyone who just wants a quick, easy and simple moisturiser.

Simple Kind to Skin+ Protecting Moisture Cream SPF30: Again, bought this on a whim - I decided I needed to buy a moisturiser with SPF in it and with this being only £4, I thought it was a bargain! It has SPF30, protects your skin from UVA and UVB rays and is meant to last 24 hours. It has Vitamin B3, Vitamin E, Glycerin and Sweet Almond Oil in it. I have used this once so far and what I can say is at first it didn't really sink into my skin well, it sat for a while but eventually it did sink in and it felt as if I had just put moisturiser on, it didn't have the sunscreeny feel. However, I will continue to use this and let you know if my opinions change or not.

Simple Kind to Eyes Soothing Eye Balm: This for me is a repurchase, I'm just about finished with my now third tube of this and I have to say I really do like it. It has Pro-Vitamin B5 which restores, softens and smooths the skin, and Vitamin E which moisturises the skin. I also has Jojoba Oil, Shea Butter and Bisabolol too - and no perfume or harsh chemicals, which is a plus for me as I have super sensitive skin. It's meant to reduce puffiness and relax tired eyes, and for me it definitely has reduced puffiness. I'm hoping to do a full review of it soon but for now I really do love it and it works well with my skin, I'd highly recommend it.

Simple Kind to Eyes Revitalising Eye Roll-On: I bought this kinda on a whim, I've not read any reviews about it but since I love the Soothing Eye Balm, I thought, why not try this? It's again got Pro-Vitamin B5 and it also has Cucumber Extract, Glycerin and Lupin Extract. This has a gel-like formula and it's meant to wake up your eyes and again reduce puffiness - I bought this as I have to get up pretty early for University when I go back next month so I thought this would be perfect to wake my eyes up! I'll let you know how I get on with it.

Real Techniques Miracle Complexion Sponge: To be honest, I don't know why I really bought this - I think it's cause everyone always goes on about how great these sponges are, that I decided to try one for myself. I've not used it yet and quite frankly I am a little scared/don't really know how to use it so I think I'll watch a few YouTube tutorials of it before I use it. I'll be sure to let you know how I get on though!

Real Techniques Stippling Brush: I bought this as I knew I would need a proper brush for something I have bought below.. I read reviews online that this just gives a nice, even finish and you can use it to build up product, going from a light to full coverage. I'm someone that is personally terrified of foundation and feeling something on my skin therefore I know full coverage will never be for me - however, I have used this with the BB Cream below and it gave the nicest, light coverage - it blended it in perfectly and I couldn't feel anything on my skin. I know this brush is going to be a favourite of mine.

Maybelline Dream Fresh BB Cream SPF 30 in Light: This is something I have researched a lot about. I decided I wanted a BB Cream for the days/nights/events where I wanted to feel a bit more made up, as I am terrified of foundation, and I thought this was the perfect compromise! Every BB Cream I looked at for pale skin was usually too orange or had something else wrong with it.. Originally I had my heart set on The Body Shop's All In One BB Cream but when I tried it on in the shop it was orange. So I moved on and eventually found this, which is meant to do about a billion things for your skin and it also has SPF30. I've only used it once, but when I used it it glided onto my skin and blended in perfectly. For me, it is a little bit too dewy but with a little bit of powder it looks great. Since I've only used this once, I'll be trying it out more to get a full opinion of it, and I'll get back to you!

Maybelline Expert Wear Blush in Rosewood (62): Again, totally bought this on a whim, didn't know anything about it, I just got it because of the 3 for 2 offer. It just seems like a nice, natural blush that would be good for every day use. Again, I'm someone who is also terrified of blush as I have quite chubby cheeks as it is and I just feel like blush will accentuate that.. And I don't know how to use it. Guess I'll be using YouTube again for tutorials..

Maybelline Color Tattoo 24 HR in Metallic Pomegranate: This is something I have wanted for so so long, the colour is just perfect for going into Autumn and Winter and when I saw it again, I knew it had to be mine. I've done a review of another Color Tattoo which I will link here but it's basically meant to be long lasting, highly pigmented, very creamy and it's not meant to crease on your lids, even if they are oily. 

Collection Lasting Perfection Concealer in Fair (1): I bought this as I've heard so many people rave on about this concealer, and I was on the market for one, so I thought, why not try it? It's a high coverage concealer that's meant to have a 16 hour wear and it's meant to be water proof and transfer proof. I have tried this but unfortunately it was too light for me right now, so I'm hoping I can try it again in the winter and get a feel of it then.

Barry M Gelly Nail Paint in Blue Grape: This is something I've again wanted to try for a while, more for the formula than for the colour selection (which is big!) I decided to go for Blue Grape, a vibrant royal blue as I don't have this colour in my collection. This polish is meant to give a glossy, gel-like finish and you only need one coat. I actually put this on just today (so a few days ago by the time this is up) and it definitely is very glossy and it can be opaque in one coat, however I put two on because some of my nails did need the extra coat. I will be putting a post up of this shortly as I'll give a full review of how I find it, if it really is chip resistant and how long it lasted!

That's it for this post, that's my haul! I hope you enjoyed reading and if you want to see a specific review on anything above, just let me know! I have a note of the one's I want to review soon so they should be up in the next month or so (I am slow, so I apologise!)

Have a lovely day, and don't stop smiling. :)

Hannah, xx

Collective Boots Haul - Simple, Soap & Glory, Models Own and L'Oreal

Hello everyone! Today I'm here to show you some products I've picked up over the last month or so from Boots as they were all on offer (score!) Just so you know, these aren't reviews of the products, I'm just showing you what I got and why I got them as I want to do separate reviews of each product and they will probably be up within the month so look out for them!

First of all all comestics were buy one get one half price in Boots (think this is still going on here) so obviously whilst looking through the make-up stands I spot this little L'Oreal number, which is 404 Scarlet Vamp! I've been looking for a nice deep burgandy shade ever since I reviewed this Topshop one which I wasn't too pleased with, and after searching through all of the nail polish in every brand I thought this one looked the nicest so I got it! I've also been looking for a gold top coat/a sparkly gold in general and I just thought this Models Own polish called Catherine Wheel was so unique - the almost confetti style gold glitter with multi-coloured specs throughout it, mainly red.. I just thought over the L'Oreal polish it would look so gorgeous!

Next I went into the skincare section for a nosey and soon saw that Simple had a 3 for 2 offer on, so how could I leave without taking up the offer?! I actually repurchased two items here - the Kind to Skin Cleansing Facial Wipes (great for just quickly taking make-up off on the go (I mainly use these on the bus after Uni) or if you are in a rush, however I still recommend you cleanse too!!) and the Kind to Skin Refreshing Facial Gel Wash, which is just amazing and there will be a review of this within the month! Such a great product.

So this leaves me with the final product that I haven't tried before, the Kind to Skin Deep Cleansing Face Mask. I haven't read one review or anything about this, I just bought it on a whim as my exfoliator is running out and I needed a new one.. Actually I hope this is an exfoliator.. Surely it must be if it's deep cleansing right? Anyway, it looks good and Simple is a good skincare brand (minus their Toner, I hated it!) so I'll try this out soon and do a review. 

Finally, last but not least, there was a 3 for 2 on travel miniatures.. Oh dear. Now, I've read so many reviews on all three of these products and I've been at the Soap and Glory bit in Boots so many times just standing there smelling all the products seeing which one's I liked the look of best and I narrowed it down to these three (Hand Food, The Righteous Butter and Flake Away), however I was just not willing to pay so much money for products that I don't know will work for me, however they were still on my "to buy" list..

So naturally, when I see they have minis of them and they are on offer, I just grabbed them without hesitation. Now, even though I've read countless reviews of them, I actually have no idea how to apply/use them, so if you know how to then could you please let me know? I'm a bit clueless here for someone who has done research (how ironic!) I will also be doing a review of these once I have tried them out for a while.

So that's about it for this haul! I hope you enjoyed reading this, have you bought anything you've been wanting to try for ages recently?

Have a lovely day, and don't stop smiling. :)

Hannah, xx

Comparison; Simple Purifying Cleansing Lotion vs Simple Cleansing Facial Wipes!

Recently I have been using both the Simple Purifying Cleansing Lotion and the Simple Cleansing Facial Wipes to take off my make-up, and I have discovered a huge comparison between them both. I actually accidentally came across the Cleansing Lotion, I picked it up instead of the Simple Moisturiser and I decided to try it out and I really like it, however I also like the cleansing wipes.. But which is better?!

Simple Purifying Cleansing Lotion

What the lotion looks like!

Simple Cleansing Facial Wipes

Now, for starters I will talk about the Simple Cleansing Face Wipes. I have used these wipes for years and I do really like them, they definitely get the MAJORITY of make-up off and it is soft on the skin. However, every time I try to take my eye make-up off with these wipes, I can NEVER get all of it off, I'm always left with eyeliner still on my eyes and no matter how much I scrub, it doesn't budge! Apart from this though, it gives my face a fresh feeling, all my other make-up is easily taken off and it only takes one wipe!

The Simple Purifying Cleansing Lotion, however, does the job! I use two cotton pads to take my make-up off, I simply apply the lotion on the cotton pads and then softly rub my face. I use one pad for my face make-up, like foundation etc, and one just for my eyes. It takes all my make-up off which I love, however, I don't like the feeling it leaves after I've used it on my face. It leaves a almost sticky and slimy residue on my face which I personally really dislike, I much prefer the way my face feels after using the cleansing wipes.

So, I have came up with a master plan! I am going to use the lotion first to take all my make-up off, then use the wipes to get any excess make-up off/give my skin the fresh feeling, which I think will be perfect!

Overall I really like both products, I don't love both as they do both have disadvantages. If you don't wear a lot of make-up, especially eye make-up, and don't like having residue left on your skin then the  refreshing cleansing wipes are for you. However, if you wear lots of make-up and you don't mind having a residue on your skin for a while, then the lotion is for you!

So that is about it, I thought I should let you guys know incase you were looking for a new cleansing lotion/make-up wipes. I hope you are all having a wonderful day and I will talk to you very soon. :)

Hannah, xx