It's safe to say my MAC collection is very pink/purple, as I don't tend to steer towards any other shades. Nudes and light pinks don't really suit my skin tone and reds I find wash me out, again because i'm so pale, so I just stick with warmer pink/purple shades as I find they suit me the most.

As for finishes, I do not like the matte finish especially of the MAC Lipstick (£15.50) as they are just too drying for my lips and the lipstick itself just clings to any dry patches that I have. The majority of these shades are the amplified finish, which is by far my favourite as they are super pigmented but also not drying in the slightest. I have a couple of, which again aren't drying at all as they are quite shiny but their pigmentation isn't as intense so they are great for everyday wear. As for the satin finish, I prefer it to the matte finish as it isn't as drying but I find I still have to be careful when applying as it can sling a little.

Onto the shades in my collection (L-R)..

Kicking things off with a product that I think every beauty blogger has tried at least once, and this The Comforter (£4.75), which is one of my favourite bubble bars for their range. You probably already know how to use a bubble bar, but you basically crumble part of it under running water to create bubbles. I love the scent of this one and I like that you can get more than one use out of it.

One of my favourites from their Christmas range this year has to be the Dashing Santa, which smells incredible, quite zesty which was unexpected but I fell in love with it and i've gone through three so far! Another favourite from their Christmas range has to be Candy Mountain Bubble Bar, and again I love the scent of this one, as it smells just like Snow Fairy another favourite of mine (but I forgot to photograph it). I hope they bring both of these back next Christmas as I like them a lot! 

Next up is from their Valentines range, and this one is actually from last year so I was really happy to see that it has returned this year! The Love Locket (£6.95) is the cutest thing ever, as you break it up to reveal another mini heart inside - such a clever idea! I've gotten a fair few uses out of this as it is quite big and it fills your bath with lots of little glittery hearts, how romantic! 

Last from the image above we have the Magic Wand, another from their Christmas range. I can't remember if they brought it back this year, but I love the idea of swirling this in your bath and creating loads of bubbles. Mine is slowly on it's way out, but i've kept it going for quite a while now, and again another that smells just like Snow Fairy! 

A few more of my favourites include: Avobath (£3.35), Dragons Egg (£3.35) and the Luxury Lush Pud.

What are your Lush favourites?

xx

BlogLovin' | Twitter | Instagram

Starting with probably one of my favourite skincare products of the year so far, and this is The Body Shop Camomile Silky Cleansing Oil (£10). This is just a fantastic product and after trying the cleansing balm version of this, I definitely prefer this one. It works really well to break down a face of makeup and you just watch your makeup melt off. It breaks down eye makeup really well also and just leaves my skin feeling so nice as I find some cleansers leave my skin feeling quite dry. I like to leave this on for a couple of minutes to really soak into the skin, as I find it works a lot better for me. 

Next up is another product that I have loved to use overnight and this is The Body Shop Vitamin E Overnight Serum-in-Oil (£13). This is basically a serum and oil in one, which you apply at night and thats how i've been using it. I wake with skin that is less dry and less irritated, but I also find my skin doesn't look as dull when I wake up. The only annoying thing is that I think this breaks me out, so I only use this once or twice a week tops, as I think it can be a little too much for my skin at times. 

Moving onto two products that have been new additions to my skincare routine. Starting with the Bioderma Hydrabio Mask* (£14.50), which is basically a hydrating mask but it is from Bioderma hydration range, which I didn't really knew existed as i've never really given Bioderma products a chance apart from their Micellar Solutions. I've been using this two to three times a week, mainly in the evenings after using a clay mask to really give my skin a good detox almost, and to add some moisture mask in there. It just leaves my skin looking and feeling so much healthier, and my dry patches have really started to clear up so i'm really happy with that. Lastly is the Bioderma Hydrabio Exfoliating Cream* (£10.50), and i've never been a fan of manual exfoliators as I usually find they irritate my skin but using this once a week has really been helping my dry skin also. It's gentle enough to use on the skin and give my skin a really scrub without irritating it at all, and I think this is because it's designed for those with dry/dehydrated skin. Overall i've really been enjoying these two products from Bioderma and I really want to try out more from them.

What skincare products have you been loving recently?

First up is a few samples from the lovely folks over at Moroccan Oil and they were lovely enough to send me a couple of bits to try, as my hair has been horribly dry what with the warm weather we've been having. 

I've really been enjoying the Moroccan Oil Hydrating Mask Light 75ml* (£8.95) which is a deep conditioning mask designed to hydrate and improve the hair elasticity. I've been using this 2-3 times a week in place of my conditioner, leaving it to do it's thing for a good 5-7 minutes and then rinsing. I've noticed my hair has been so shiny and the general condition of my hair is slowly improving. The Moroccan Oil Treatment* (£13.95) is a product i've wanted to try out for a while, as hair oils have been welcomed into my hair care routine but this is said to be the daddy of hair oils. It definitely thicker than any oil i've tried before, but a little goes a long way and has really been helping to make my hair feel so much silkier. I can see this sample bottle lasting me well. Lastly, the Moroccan Oil Luminous Hairspray 75ml* (£6.15) is different to most hairsprays as it doesn't leave your hair with that sticky hair spray residue. It's really light on the hair and really works to keep my beachy waves in place, and not to forget it smells incredible.

I was really excited when I saw a lot of talk about the new Bumble & Bumble release to go along side their Hairdressers Invisible Oil range, and when I saw a the Travel Set (£19.50), I just had to pick it up. Starting with their Hairdressers Invisible Oil Shampoo (£23), I wasn't really expecting much from this shampoo as i've never been wowed by the Bumble & Bumble shampoo's and seeing as this is said to soften, de frizz, detangle, tame etc. I really wasn't wowed. In fact it made my hair feel so matted and knotty that I had to go in with a deep nourishing shampoo just so I could get my fingers through my hair, and it made my hair very greasy after one day. So i'm not sure whether i'll be using this again. 

Moving onto the Hairdressers Invisible Oil Conditioner (£25), and this I have some better words to say about. First of all this smells so nice, kind of a fresh coconut scent that just makes me want to be on a beach. Secondly it is a really nice conditioner and it really helps to tame and defrizz the ends of my hair and just makes my hair look so shiny.

Now onto the star and the main reason I purchased this travel set, all for the Hairdressers Invisible Oil Primer (£19), as i'd heard some great things about it and i'm so glad I picked it up. Spritzing it through my hair just after washing, whilst it's still damp really helps to detangle my hair and I find that it has also been helping to stop the sun drying out my hair as much as it usually would. Lovely stuff.

Last hair care product i'm talking about today, is the Silk + Honey Shea Butter Hair Mask, which I thought would smell really nice but it's actually really heavily scented but getting past that. I was expecting this to be a really nice and gentle mask but I found it didn't do anything if i'm honest. I applied this like I would a conditioner, but left it to do its work for a good ten minutes and to honest my hair felt quite stripped.

So those are the few hair care samples that i've been testing out recently.

Have you tried out any of these products?

I've found a light cleanse is my skins favourite, it removes the makeup that i've been wearing all day, cleanses my skin really well and doesn't weigh my skin down, leaving it feeling clean and not irritated. I've also seemed to rack up a good amount of cleansers that do this job, so I thought i'd narrow it down to my four favourite.

Starting off with the trusty Caudalie Gentle Cleansing Milk. I've featured this once or twice, but I haven't really used it much in between then and now. I love this stuff, it's probably the lightest cleanser that I own but does the job of removing a days face really well. Even though it is described as a cleansing milk, it's a little thicker than your average cleansing milk but isn't as thick as your average cream cleanser. I also find this work so well to remove any eye makeup as it super gentle on the eyes. 

Another favourite, one you guys are probably sick of hearing about is the Liz Earle Cleanse & Polish. It's no secret that I love this stuff, it works really well to remove any type of makeup whilst also cleansing the skin at the same time. What is also great is that it's designed for most, if not all skin types as it is really that gentle. Okay, i'm going to shut up about this product now ha!

Another cleanser that I seem to talk about a lot at the moment, and that is The Body Shop Vitamin E Cream Cleanser. This stuff reminds me a lot of the previous product, but a little more creamier meaning you can really get a good cleanse that also leaves the skin feeling and looking replenished, moisture wise. It's a lovely cleanser as it's so gentle on the skin and it's really affordable. 

Lastly is a cleanser that I spotted stocked in Tesco, and I thought i'd give it a go. I'm talking about the Along Came Betty Pore Goodness Sake, which was on offer at the time and after giving this a good sniff I was sold. It contains shea butter and cocoa butter, which are two body butter scents that I love so mixed together they smell like a dream. This again really reminds me of the Liz Earle Cleanse & Polish as the formulas feel very similar and work in very similar ways. It works well to remove all makeup types and i've been pleasantly surprised, seeing as I picked this up from Tesco! 

What cleansers do you opt for on lazy days?

Kicking off with a product i've talked about a few times on my blog and that is The Body Shop Vitamin E Cream Cleanser. This sample is lasting me such a long time, as i'm only a third through it and i've used it quite a fair bit. I really enjoy using this cleanser as it's so gentle on the skin and leaves my skin feeling so soft, it's just a lovely cleanser to have and it smells really fresh. 

Sticking with skincare, as avid readers will know my skin has been so dry recently especially after using products in order to combat my recent break out, and the only product that has helped to combat this dry skin is the Balance Me Radiance Face Oil. I've never been one to use a face oil, the thought just scares me but this one is actually lovely. Using a small amount on the dry areas just really helps to infuse some moisture and i've noticed my skin isn't looking as dull or dry as usual, so I will continue to use this for the time being.

Moving onto haircare, and these two products I was really intrigued to try out and they are the Beauty Protector Protect Shampoo and Conditioner. As they are paraban free, vegan and are described to infuse moisture whilst also protecting coloured hair, I thought i'd give them a whirl. Now the shampoo hasn't really impressed me as it left my hair feeling so dry and really knotted after rinsing, so I probably won't be using that again. The conditioner however really surprised me, first of all it smells so nice, and it really helped to smooth out and condition the mess that the shampoo had left but all in all this range didn't overly impress me enough to buy the full size. 

Lastly is a product I heard a lot about around Christmas time, especially from the more established beauty bloggers and this is the Aromatherapy Associates Bath & Shower Oil. Again, using oil anywhere other than my hair has never really appealed but after receiving this in a recent Birchbox I thought i'd give it a go after having a pretty crappy day. The 'Revive Morning' oil is a very strongly scented lavender eucalyptus scent that I don't usually like, but this mixed with pretty hot water is so soothing. My bath was thoroughly enjoyed and my skin was left feeling so smooth, smoother than it has for years. I will for sure be getting my hands on some more of these in future, as they are so relaxing and calming. 

So that is all the samples i've been trying out recently. 

What samples/products have you been testing recently?

The first product the L'oreal EverRiche Nourishing & Taming Shampoo, which I really didn't like to start with as I felt it was just a thick shampoo that almost felt like it was really weighing my hair down so I stopped using it. I decided to start using it again a few weeks back as I felt my usual conditioner was really stripping my hair and making it feel really brittle. I found leaving this on as you would with a conditioner and then lathering through the ends of my hair has really changed my opinion on this. It leaves my hair feeling so much more nourished, the only thing I don't like is the packaging, it's so difficult to squeeze the product out!

This next product I kind of featured in my last haircare saviours post, but this is a different version the Dove Colour Radiance Leave-in Conditioning and Care Spray. Slightly different to the yellow bottled version, as that contains oil, whereas this one is designed for coloured hair. I thought i'd give this a go as my hair is coloured and I love what this has been doing for my hair. After washing, i'll spray this mainly in the lower lengths of my hair and a few spritz's to the roots just add a little more conditioning to my hair. I've noticed in the past few weeks my hair is looking a feeling a lot less brittle and dry, so thumbs up all round. 

Sticking with the spray type products and the Macadamia Healing Oil Spray is like a miracle worker. For ages i've been looking for an oil, in spray form as I find putting it on my hands and then rubbing in doesn't quite have the same effect. As this is a lighter based solution it's great for my hair, as my hair is quite fine and heavier based products really weigh it down. Again, I spray this through the lower lengths of my hair after washing allowing it to fully absorb whilst my hair dries naturally. the best bit is that you only need a few spritz's as I find if I apply too much it can go a little crispy, so I know this product will be lasting me well. 

This last product is one I wish i'd given into a long time ago and that is the Phillip Kingsley Elasticizer. A pre shampooing treatment, that you apply like you would a conditioning mask before washing your hair. I apply this to the lower ends of my hair usually the night before, and I then wash my hair the following morning as I find the longer this is on my hair, the better the results. If I forget or i'm washing my hair in the evening, i'll apply this a couple of hours before still allowing it to work it's magic. It's a great pre conditioning mask and my hair feels so much more nourished after use. I'll for sure be purchasing the full size when my sample runs out.

So that is all the haircare products I have really been loving recently. If you have any recommendations then please fire them my way!

What products do consider your 'haircare saviours'?

Starting off with a budget friendly day cream that i've recently rediscovered, the Botanics Ultra Calming Day Cream. This product is perfect if you suffer with easily irritated and sensitive skin as it works to moisturise the skin whilst also soothing and hydrating the skin throughout the day. I use the smallest amount of this as it is quite a thick cream, applying it all over the face and leaving to sink in. It leaves the skin feeling so moisturised and looking a lot less dull, whilst also working to add some much need hydration back into the skin.

Onto two serums that have been on my radar for quite some time now. The first being the Matriskin Collagen Serum MP, which from the packaging you wouldn't know what this is really but it's a lovely serum containing hyaluronic acid, marine collagan and omega 3. This serum is mainly aimed to plump the skin, reduce tightness and also regenerates the skin, but it also works as a great hydrating product or so i've found. Just a few drops of this applied to the skin before I go to bed and I wake with up plumped skin that isn't dry at all, only downside to this is that it is super expensive! The next serum is an obvious one and that is of course Hydraluron. This serum works in conjunction with your moisturiser to boost your skins hydration levels throughout the day, thus giving your skin the hydration boost that it needs. I apply this to my skin, mainly of an evening before my moisturiser in order for it work over night, so that my skin is hydrated when I wake up.

Moving onto moisturisers and this first one i've been using for a fair few months now and have not looked back. This is the La Roche Posay Hydreane Legere, designed for those who suffer with slightly dry and sensitive skin (they also do another version for those with really dry skin), and this is basically a moisturiser that works to hydrate the skin. It's a lovely lightweight moisturiser that sinks into the skin so quickly and you can pretty much instantly see it getting to work. Last on the moisturiser/day cream front is the REN Evercalm Global Protection Day Cream, which I have a mini of and this is a lovely hydrating and soothing day cream. This is very similar to the Botanics one, only this is designed to protect against environmental aggression whilst also training the skin to be less sensitive. I haven't really been using this long enough to see any results as of yet, but it works lovely as a hydrating day cream.

Also just a little heads up Hydraluron is reduced at Boots for only £16.66, so make sure to get it whilst it's on offer!

What skincare products do you love?