Difficult Women.

Roxane Gay's Difficult Women is a collection of twenty one short stories, many of which have previously been published in newspapers or magazines. Generally I'm not a huge fan of short stories preferring something meatier that I can loose myself in but the stories in this collection really hit the spot.

The women in these stories aren't difficult, they may find themselves in difficult, extreme or truly horrific circumstances and their behaviour may not be what is regarded as 'normal' but this is because these flawed characters have been pushed in that direction by their often dreadful circumstances.

As the selection of stories have been curated from different sources they aren't cohesive but they mostly center on women characters with the male characters given a supporting background role. Aside from this they are all very different. While most are gritty and set in the modern day there are also tales that have a futuristic fantasy feel to them and even one that reads as if it were a magical ancient myth.

Roxanne Grey is a versatile and talented writer - even the most harrowing of these tales is told with a certain elegance and grace. Difficult Women isn't always an easy read due to harrowing nature of some of the situations recounted, but it contains stories that will stay with you for a time, and some will make you think again and question your view of others.

Altogether it is a rewarding volume.

Recommended. 

The Child.

Fiona Barton's follow up to The Widow reintroduces readers to newspaper engaging reporter Kate Waters. 

During a house demolition a builder discovers the skeleton of a new born child. Journalist Kate writes a short human interest piece entitled 'Who is the Building Site Baby?' and becomes so intrigued about the child's identity that she decides to investigate it herself with the help of her police contacts and neighbours in the area where the body was found.

The story is told in bite sized chapters narrated by different characters and as the story of the dead child is slowly revealed we also discover the personal dramas of the principle characters. It is an engrossing tale with a fast moving plot and while it didn't keep me guessing right up to the end the conclusion was a satisfying one. Fiona Barton writes in a stripped down sparse fashion, yet gives the story all the depth and detail needed to make the story and the characters highly believable.

Once again I found myself rooting for Kate Waters in her quest for answers. The Child was an engaging read that reminded me of Robert Galbraith's Cormoran Strike mysteries - just like those I hope these become a series!

Recommended.

The Descent of Man/ We should All Be Feminists.

Award winning British artist Grayson Perry is becoming something of a national treasure who I have seen on UK television exploring a variety of social and political themes. In this slim volume, which is a tie in to his TV series 'All Man', he questions what it is to be a man in the present day and suggests an updated type of masculinity, one that rejects traditional machismo and is more vulnerable and emotional. There are a lot of references to classic sociological theories such as the nature/nurture argument (Perry sides with nurture) along with some new insights, such as the role of manhood in marketing, and the questioning of the male bias in media and politics.

The Descent of Man is easy to read and understand with it's well presented arguments. It is also quite funny in parts and contains a selection of the artists illustrations.

Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie makes pretty much the same points for men changing their behaviour in We Should All Be Feminists viewing the argument from a female stance. This short and sassy essay is based upon a TED talk that the author gave. It is concise, sharply written, easy to read and liberally peppered with the author's own experiences many of which are easy to relate to and instantly recognisable if you are a woman.

I recommend both of these books highly.

If you have read any amount of feminist literature there won't be much that you haven't considered before but both authors put their cases across eloquently and with believable passion. 

If you have more time and would like to see things from the viewpoint of an enlightened man then read The Descent of Man. 

If you want a briefer summary then pick up We Should All Be Feminists Now.  

Free Birthday Beauty Goodies: 2017.

August is my birthday month and although I don't have a whole load of store/loyalty cards it's quite amazing how many retailers offer you some sort of birthday gift.
Some of them entail you making a purchase (I would never advocate buying anything you don't need merely to get a free gift) but there are quite a few that don't require you to shop to get your gift.
If you  need anything and your birthday month is coming up it may be worth your while to hold off shopping until then, either way, if it is your birthday month it's worthwhile to check out what your favourite beauty retailers have on offer.

Sephora

If you are a Sephora Beauty Insider (and if you aren't, why? It's free to sign up and each purchase accumulates points that you can trade in for samples along with other advantages and offers) there is a choice of gifts, one of which you can claim, no purchase required if you pick up in store. This year there was a choice of skincare minis from Caudalie, make up minis from Tarte and even one for the boys from Jack Black. I chose the skincare set (of course) comprised of Caudalie Vinosource Sorbet (10ml) and Vinoperfect Serum (also 10ml) which is worth $36.00 - pretty impressive!

SpaceNK

Members of Space NK NDulge program (again if not, why not? Free to join and you get cash discounts from points earned) received a beautifully packaged three piece gift this year. Again no purchase necessary if you pick up in store. This gift contained a generous sized sample of Eve Lom Rescue Mask (15ml), which is something that I haven't used for a very long time so I'm quite keen to try it out again, a mini Lipstick Queen Hello Sailor Lipstick (1.5g) and a mini Kevyn Aucoin Essential Mascara (4ml). This gift is worth $30.00 which again isn't bad for a total freebie!

Ulta

Ulta is fast becoming one of my favourite places to do a beauty shop! They have very good offers and  some lovely products that are exclusive to them. During your birthday month they offer double points on purchases to members of the Ultamate Rewards program and this month's birthday gift was a full sized exclusive NYX eye shadow palette with no purchase necessary if you visit a store. I can't give an exact value for this as it is specially produced for Ulta as a birthday gift but it is a full sized palette with ten shadows and a mirror so let's guess $15.00? This is a beautiful palette, very on trend, with warm brickish tones that will look good with a bronzed summer look and transition well into autumn make up looks. This isn't something that I would have necessarily picked out for myself - it's a little bolder than my usual more neutral look, but I do love this gift! There are shades here that I will most certainly use and I like the formula and colour payoff of these eye shadows - NYX is possibly my favourite drugstore make up brand offering innovative products at pocket friendly prices. 

Kiehl's

Whilst most stores seem to have upped their game with their birthday gifts Kiehl's seem to have taken a step in the other direction. If you are a member of their rewards scheme you can pick up a tube of  #1 Lip Balm (worth $7.00)gratis but only of you make a purchase during your birthday month. I didn't take them up on this offer as we are well stocked with Kiehl's products but there's one in my picture as we have plenty of tubes of this hanging around. It's a basic petroleum jelly lip balm, not bad, but not my favourite.

Cult Beauty

Cult Beauty offer 15% discount on any orders you make during your birthday month.

Caudalie

Caudalie automatically apply 30 points to your MyCaudalie Rewards on your birthday which you can redeem for a gift once you have reached a certain amount. 

Victoria's Secret

I know that Victoria's Secret isn't strictly a beauty store but holders of Angel Cards get $10.00 applied to any purchase with their card and there are plenty of body products and lip colours to choose from there.

I love all these little beauty perks, they help make a birthday even more fun and it makes me favourable towards stores that reward your loyalty in some way.

These are just the ones that I have received without me seeking them out. There must be many more out there that I'm unaware - so do let me know!

Sephora: The Ultimate Travel Bag.

These days I don't buy all that much from Sephora. I love the store to browse in but when it comes to actually purchasing I tend to shop elsewhere simply because other stores and websites seem to offer better value as they tend to have more generous GWP's and enticing rewards programs.

However one thing that Sephora do do well are their curated favourites sets. Made up of a selection of mini (did I mention my love for a mini beauty product?) and sometimes full sized items they offer great value for money as well as giving you the chance to try out a selection of products before committing to a full sized full priced purchase.

Recently I picked up their Ultimate Travel Bag set which was priced at $40.00 with a value of $128.00 - bargain! The kit containing eleven hair, body and skincare items, one of which was full sized, the rest were all generously sized deluxe samples:

VERB Hydrating Shampoo 68ml.

VERB Hydrating Conditioner 68ml.

Sol de Janeiro Brazilian Bum Bum Cream 24ml.

Lavanila Sport Luxe Deodorant 28gr.

Fresh Soy Face Cleanser 20ml.

Caudalie Beauty Elixir 30ml.

Algenist Complete Eye Renewal Balm 7ml.

Josie Maran Pure Argan Oil 4.5ml.

Clinique Pep Start Hydroblur Moisturiser 7ml.

Supergoop Everyday Sunscreen SPF50 30ml.

Sunday Riley Luna Oil 5ml.

I like all of the products featured here that I have tried before - the Fresh Cleanser, Algenist Eye Cream, Josie Maran Oil and the Caudalie spray (which I almost always seem to have to hand due to it's frequent inclusion in gift bags and sets - I don't think I have ever bought one outright!)

I have been wanting to try out Bum Bum Cream and the Lavanila Deodorant and I'm very happy to get my hands on a good sized sample of Luna Oil that I can try out for a decent amount of time.

I put this set to my 'packing a toiletry bag test' whereby I go through my morning and night time routines in my head checking products off as I pack them - 'Wake up, wash face' (cleanser - tick), 'get in shower' ( body wash, shampoo and conditioner - tick) - you get the idea - and this bag fared pretty well. 

The only thing that was blatantly missing was something to wash my body with, so I'm assuming the Sephora people presume we are all happy to use those fiddly miniature bars of soap that you find in hotel bathrooms. You would also need to pack extra body lotion as that sample is pretty small and bodily sunscreen but the rest of the things in the set would have you pretty well set up with a basic routine that would last for the duration of a short trip.

This feels like a very summery edit of products to me, so it would be particularly good to throw in your luggage before you head off on a seaside trip. And everything comes packaged in a clear zippered plastic make up bag that would be ideal to put in your beach bag with things you need to keep dry (or you could upgrade from a Ziplock bag and use it for a wet swimsuit).

Finally, the contents and the bag are all TSA compliant so you can fly with it in your hand luggage.

If you're planning a late Summer mini break or a Labor Day Weekend getaway you have the perfect excuse for picking one of these sets up!

www.sephora.com

Janesville: An American Story.

One of the casualties of the recession of 2008 was Janesville, Wisconsin,

an archetypal American town, home to General Motor's longest operating factory. 

When the factory closed with the loss of over 4,000 jobs the town was thrown in to a deep economic depression. Not only were there the unemployed GM workers, there was a huge ripple effect as neighbouring factories that supplied the plant cut back on workers and local service industries saw a dramatic decline in business.

Washington Post reporter, Amy Goldstein, followed local residents over a period of five years detailing the disruption the GM plant's closure had on families, and the economic impact of it on the town and surrounding areas. The narratives of a group of redundant factory workers forced into a sheer grind of day to day poverty adds a poignant human element to the story. 

In spite of the hardships the people of Janesville are mostly presented as having a resilience and inner strength and the book also reports on the efforts of local charity and community leaders who strive to make a difference to the lives of the town's residents.

Meticulously researched and well written the book describes the consequences of business decisions and related political issues (both local and national) and presents them in a way that is easy to relate to and understand.

Janesville:An American Story is a fascinating book that makes you aware and questioning of many things. It should become required reading not only for social studies students but for business people and politicians. 

Recommended.

All Over The Place.

I can't remember the exact blurb on the back of All Over The Place but the gist of it was 'author gets laid off from work and goes traveling'. Knowing that Geraldine Deruiter has a popular travel blog I was expecting a book about travel and tales of adventures in foreign lands - probably on a tight budget. Instead the author travels with her husband in a somewhat luxurious style, blogs and writes this book which is not about destination type journeys but about Geraldine's personal journeys: her health scares, her anxieties, her relationship with her family and the great love she has for her husband Rand.

The book jumps around (all over the place perhaps?) and although stories are set in different locations, there is very little written about these places making it less a travel book than a book that is written by someone who travels.

Geraldine is an engaging writer and storyteller who writes admirably with honesty and self depreciating humour about her own quirks and fears. She is a very funny author, hilarious even and there were plenty of passages that made me laugh out loud. 

I enjoyed All Over The Place a lot but did feel a little duped as I was expecting a travel book rather than a personal memoir. If it had included more about the places she visited it would have made me an even happier reader but even without the travel element it's still a very good light hearted read touched with emotional moments. 

Recommended. 

The Bathroom Shelf: August 2017.

August 2017.

Normally I post a picture of my bathroom shelf with comments every six months but this time around I'm a little tardy - the last time I did so was in January. I like to do this to compare and contrast the products on the shelf and see what I've finished, what I'm still using, what's new and what I have repurchased. 

In addition to this shelf I have a cupboard under the sink and a medicine cabinet with unopened back up and replacement products as well as a selection of things that I am trying to use up sitting on the counter top next to my sink. Body care, shampoos and conditioners live in my bath area and I have a separate vanity in my bedroom where I keep my make up, along with skincare samples.

On the top shelf my Nest scent diffuser is still going strong. In front of that I have a sun screen spray for my body and a mineral spritz that I also use for my body. One of the two make up bags contains lip balms and face mask samples, the other contains samples of haircare. In the center is my current facial SPF, Lancome Bienfait UV. On the right side are a selection of hairsprays, leave in conditioners and texturisers.

On the left of the middle shelf is my current selection of perfumes. (I know a bathroom isn't the ideal storage space for them but my apartment is quite bright and this is one of the few places that doesn't get any natural light.) I haven't finished any up from before but I have two new Diptyque fragrances here, Oud Palao and Eau Duelle. 

Next are my moisturisers, Shiseido Ibuki, Zelens 3t Complex and Darphin Exquisage Cream. (I have almost finished the Shiseido and Zelens). Then there is my current eye cream Darphin Stimulskin Plus Divine Eye Cream, three night serums/oils - Sunday Riley Good Genes (this is always on my shelf), Peter Thomas Roth Retinol Fusion PM (which I have finally nearly finished), and Kypris 1,000 Roses Elixir. My daytime serum is also here, Darphin Exquisage Serum. 

From the left on the bottom shelf are pots with cotton wool pads, cotton buds and tooth flossers. Then there is my daytime toner which is Mario Badescu Aloe, Herb and Rosewater Spray and two night time exfoliating toners - an almost empty pot of Nip+Fab Glycolic Fix Xtreme Pads and a bottle of P50 1970 (yes I finally bought a bottle and it is as fabulous as I expected with impressive results, so of course, I'm mad I didn't get it before!). I have another bottle of my favourite eye make up remover, Kiehls Extra Gentle Eye Make Up Remover and then some summer friendly cleansers, Tata Harper Purifying Cleanser, Mario Badescu Enzyme Cleansing Gel and a small bottle of May Lindstrom Pendulum Potion. Finally behind the cleansers is a tube of Acure Brightening Facial Scrub. 

   

January 2017.

Here's a picture of my shelf in January and I'm surprised how much change there is this time around. With the exception of the perfumes and some of the hair products almost everything is different. The only products duplicated are the Nip+Fab Pads and Good Genes, and both of those are products that have been replaced rather than being the exact same ones!

Marlena.

Following her parent's divorce, fifteen year old Cat's world is turned upside down. Now living with her Mother and brother in an isolated town in Michigan's northern peninsula, money is scarce and the former 'straight A' student shows no interest in her new school and studies. When Cat is befriended by her slightly older rebellious neighbour Marlena and 'adopted' by Marlena's gang she embarks on a period of wild teenage behaviour.

As the adult Cat recounts Marlena's story and the times they spent together she reflects on the nature of teenage friendships and the lasting impact they have on lives.

Marlena was a startling and extremely evocative first novel from Julie Buntin. It wasn't a particularly easy or uplifting read as it is rather a depressing story, but it was exquisitely told and perfectly captured the nature of poverty, struggles and adolescent friendships. 

I'm not sure if 'enjoyed' is the correct word to use but I liked and admired this story a lot.

Recommended.

Sandwiches of New York: #11.

What is it? Figgy Piggy.

Where's it from? Barnyard Cheese, 168 Avenue B in the East Village. barnyardcheese.com

What's in it? Parma ham, soft goat cheese and fig jam served on a soft, flat Portuguese roll called a flautta.

How much does it cost? $9.50 (inc tax).

I've been meaning to swing by Barnyard Cheese in it's new location and try a Figgy Piggy Sandwich for a month or so and finally on a warm sunny weekday I did!

Barnyard Cheese's new location is a tiny sliver of a shop. There's a small kitchen at the back and a counter where you order and pay for your food. As well as made to order hot and cold sandwiches they sell homemade soups and salads, baked goods such as muffins and bars, bags of chips, homemade lemonades, sodas and coffees. They also have a nice selection of imported cheeses sold by weight along with unusual condiments, crackers etc, a selection of which would make either a great hostess gift or the makings of a delicious casual lunch or supper. The decor is charmingly rustic but seating is extremely limited - there's a small bench out front and an interior window ledge with a couple of stools, but you are less than a block from Tompkins Square Park which has plenty of shady benches. My sandwich was swiftly made and service was friendly.

I love all of Figgy Piggy's ingredients separately but this is the first time that I have had prosciutto and goat cheese together. There was a generous amount of filling in the sandwich, the prosciutto was nice and sweet and the goat cheese had a fresh lemony kick to it, these two items by themselves might have been a little unbalanced but the addition of the fig jam complimented both ingredients and brought them together harmoniously. The flautta roll was soft, slightly chewy and a little oily (I mean that in a good way), it brought to mind a blander, less airy foccacia, but it served as a good vehicle for the filling. The sandwich was well constructed and it was substantial enough to serve as lunch by itself. 

I thought it was very good value for money especially as the cheese and ham were both of such high quality. I'd give the Figgy Piggy two thumbs up (despite it's somewhat silly name) and look forward to trying some more offerings from Barnyard Cheese before too long!

Sprays and Spritzes 2017.

I love a facial spray at any time of the year but in the summer months they really come into their own! Who doesn't love a refreshing blast of something cool and who is going to say no to a quick hydration hit?

Here's a look at the array of sprays currently gracing my bathroom and bag because, did I mention, they really are the anytime/anywhere beauty boost? (Just be mindful of over spray and other people!)

The one that makes you imagine you are on the beach.

Panier des Sens Refreshing Beauty Mist.

The packaging of this looks gorgeously beachy and it's in an aluminum can so you can literally throw this one in your bag. This one contains sea water amongst other things and so, not surprisingly, it smells exactly like a mineral laden sea breeze. You can use this on your face but I prefer it for my body. The nozzle produces a very fine mist which makes it perfect for cooling down anytime, or calming and hydrating parched skin.
bigelowchemists.com

The classic one that is a bit of a bargain.

Mario Badescu Facial Spray with Aloe Herbs and Rosewater.

This cruelty free facial spray is great to use as a toner, to set make up, or for a quick refresh. It has a lovely rose fragrance that is very feminine and calming and while it's packaging isn't the most beautiful, the simple spray does deliver a light even mist.
ulta.com

The Basic One.

La Roche Posay Eau Thermal.

I always have some sort of what I call 'water in a tin' in my bathroom. I know it's merely water but it is fancy French mineral water, and not only is it so much better, it's easier to use than splashing your face with tap water that could contain who knows what! I like to use this after serum and before moisturiser to give my skin an extra boost of moisture - I find it is particularly effective if you use products containing Hyaluronic Acid. I also like to use it after a peel or when my skin feels in need of something soothing. There are plenty of options for a basic water in a tin, this happens to be the one I have at the moment, but I also like Vichy Eau Thermal and Caudalie Grape Water.
cvs.com

The Luxury One.

Omorovicza Queen of Hungary Mist.

Beautifully packaged in a frosted glass bottle this one is the 'Rolls Royce of facial sprays' and it comes with a Rolls Royce price tag as well! It's fragranced with rose and neroli and is a wonderful pick me up as well as being refreshing and hydrating. It's truly lovely, but honestly, I can't justify the price of this, especially as I used it up very quickly as I was spritzing it at every opportunity! This is the ultimate indulgent beauty treat but certainly not a necessary one. If you want to try a luxurious spray in a similar vein you may want to check out Caudalie Beauty Elixir which comes with less of a sticker shock price.
us.spacenk.com

The one for Witch Hazel fans.

Ole Henrikson Balancing Cucumber Face Mist.

I find Witch Hazel to be a little to astringent for me but if you like it this may be the facial spray for you! A mix of water and witch hazel with cucumber, chamomile, ginseng, apricot and aloe, it smells more green and herbal rather than straight up cucumber-y. The spray mechanism of this doesn't deliver a fine mist so I suggest you decant it into a different container or use it on a cotton pad. This spray isn't for me but if you want a slight upgrade from drugstore Witch Hazel this is one to try.
amazon.com

The one for problem skin.

La Roche Posay Serozinc.

This one's a bit of a cult product and it is basically the LRP Eau Thermal plus zinc sulphate which when applied to skin has anti inflammatory effects and promotes healing. Although it's recommended for greasy skins, it's a good one for anyone with skin that can be problematic or breaks out easily.
amazon.com

The one that gives a subtle glow.

Hampton Sun Serious Shimmer Cooling Spray.

When I first saw this body spray I was put off by how gold and shimmery it looked. Once on, there's not a trace of sparkle to be seen just a subtle sheen that enhances a tan. Subtly fragranced with Hampton Sun signature 'Privet Bloom' fragrance it has a delicate floral aroma and contains a host of soothing ingredients including aloe, glycerine, chamomile and fruit oils that hydrate and leave your skin feeling noticeably cooler. This one feels quite luxurious and is the perfect spray to use before going out in the evening after a day at the beach.     

bluemercury.com

The fun one.

Hint Sunscreen Spray SPF30.

There's nothing funny about SPF but the fact that it can be a chore to apply and often feels dreadful once on often means it's not applied as frequently as it should be. This broad spectrum sunscreen appears almost water like and when sprayed on the body it doesn't feel greasy so it's comfortable to wear and there's no white caste to it. It's super easy to apply and water resistant for eighty minutes which makes it a beach bag essential. What sets this aside from other spray on SPFs in my book though is the scent. It's made by Hint, who are better known for their fruit flavoured waters, and it smells exactly like fresh fruit. I have the Pineapple version but it also comes in grapefruit or pear. It's very zingy and uplifting and the scent is pretty strong when first sprayed but it quickly fades into a subtle tropical fragrance. It's a joyous product and I think that the fruity fragrances make these very appealing to children who can be notoriously shy of using sunscreens.
drinkhint.com 

The natural one.

Evan Healy Lavender Facial Tonic HydroSoul.

I don't often pick up beauty products at the health food store but when I do it's likely to be one of Evan Healy's Hydrosols. This one which is made from 100% organic lavender is great for calming irritated skin or skin that may have had a touch too much sun. I find that these really help with hydration levels as well. This doesn't smell sharply of lavender, it smells a little like a  health food shop if you know what I mean, but it's quite relaxing and it doesn't make my skin feel at all prickly as some lavender products can. Finally, these come in a glass bottle with sprays that work extremely well, so well that I often find myself reusing them with other products.
wholefoods.com

I think the selection above covers pretty much all my spritz and spray needs for the summer, but they are one of my most beloved products and there is always one for one more in my spray wardrobe!

The Sunshine Sisters.

Ronni Sunshine was a successful actress with little time for anything other than her career, even her own family. Now living in near seclusion in Connecticut she has been diagnosed with a serious illness and wishes to die. Before she does, she feels the need to reconnect with her three estranged adult daughters making what amends she can to them and encouraging them to get to know each other again. 

The daughters are all wildly different: independent Nell, insecure Meredith and successful but spoiled Lizzy, each going through difficulties of their own. Can a rekindling of sisterly love help them to reconnect and find their true selves again?

Summer is not really summer without a new Jane Green novel in my beach bag I feel, and this has definitely been marketed as such - just look at that cover! (Which I must say bears little or no relevance to the story). This wasn't exactly a light hearted, feel good, beach book, the family is far too dysfunctional and the characters have too many problems for that to be so, but it was a fast and enjoyable read perfect for whiling away a few days. Jane Green writes in her usual trademark flowing style, but I have noticed that of late her books contain highly detailed descriptions of meal preparations and interior design details which I find somewhat annoying and superfluous. Having said that, that's about my only criticism and I thought that this marked a return to form for the author after her last book, Falling, which I found to be severely disappointing. 

I zapped my way through The Sunshine Sisters, the storyline wasn't challenging but there was quite enough happening to keep me engrossed. The ending wrapped everything up neatly, if a little predictably, but all in all this was an engaging read.

Recommended for your beachbag!

Substance: Inside New Order.

Substance by New Order's bassist Peter Hook tells the complete story of the band New Order, from their formation by the remaining members of Joy Division to their (sort of) final split.

If you are a fan of the band then you are bound to enjoy this, and even if you are not there are countless hilarious tales about life on the road and in the recording studio that you will like. 

In addition to telling the story of the band the book chronicles an important time in the development of popular music as computers and digital formats are introduced and draws an accurate picture of life in the North of England during the whole Madchester/rave scene as well as recounting Peter Hook's personal life.

Substance is a long book, over 700 pages (although there's probably a hundred of these that are lists of tracks, tour dates etc) but I found it kept me entertained with tales that come at you thick and fast, many of which made me laugh out loud. It's the perfect follow up to Hooky's previous two books, it's brutally honest, both about his relationships with the band's other members (he certainly doesn't hold back!), and his own addictions. 

I had a blast reading it.

Recommended.

Empties: July 2017.

This summer has been somewhat hectic and I've been absent because sometimes you simply need to have a bit of down time instead of constantly rushing around trying to get a million and one things accomplished in a day. However, if there's one thing that's guaranteed to get me back on the laptop it's an empties post. I'm back and here it is!

In July I used up sixteen full sized products and seventeen samples.

Skincare.

I finished three full sized cleansers this month. 

I already wrote about Soap & Glory The Ultimelt in my Summer Cleansers post. It was something I really wanted to love as it did a great job of removing make up and had a luxurious rich creamy texture but sometimes it made my skin feel a little prickly. I have been using Dr Dennis Gross Color Smart Cleanser & Mask as a second cleanse when away from home It's packaging makes it travel friendly as does the fact that it's a dual purpose cleanser and mask. (I apply this and leave it on while brushing my teeth as it only needs to stay on for 3-4 minutes). I didn't find this great for dissolving make up TBH but when used as a second cleanse it definitely made my skin look a little clearer and brighter. On the down side I wasn't keen on the chemical scent of this and it was a little messy to use, being a beige cream that becomes orange as you massage it on your skin. I felt this was a little gimmicky and although I have another tube of this that I will use I can't see myself repurchasing it. Overall I felt it was a bit disappointing for a Dr Dennis Gross product. Caudalie Instant Foaming Cleanser smells lovely but it leaves my skin feeling tight and dry. I have had this in my cupboard for quite some time and as I didn't want to use it on my face I ended up using it as a hand wash. I also used a sample sized pot of Eve Lom Cleanser. I find this to be good for removing make up but I'm not at all keen on the fragrance and it is far too thick and heavy to use as a second cleanse for me.

I adored Omorovicza Queen of Hungary Mist which I used as a second toner as well as a refreshing spritz. This smells so good, I used this up in no time at all! I won't repurchase this, as lovely as it was, as it is very expensive and I don't feel that it does much more than refresh skin.

I finished a jar of Darphin Wrinkle Corrective Eye Cream which is a near perfect night time eye cream for me. It is rich, creamy and hydrating and absorbs well without leaving my eye area feeling greasy.

Aurelia Cell Repair Night Oil is beautifully fragranced with neroli and rose and I found it to be very sensory and calming. It's not too heavy, absorbs easily and as well as being an effective moisturising oil, it calmed and repaired my skin if it was at all stressed in any way. This bottle lasted me a long, long time and I will consider getting another when I next need a facial oil.

Alpha H Daily Essential Moisturiser SPF50 is my favourite facial sunscreen. I find it very comfortable to wear and it doesn't clog my skin. It also layers well with other skincare and makeup and it is invisible once on.

I used four skincare samples this month. 

Even though Anthelios 60 from La Roche Posay is a favourite of many and is advertised as being 'ultra light' it leaves my face greasy and shiny and if I use it for any length of time my skin tends to break out. I used Dr Dennis Gross Hydration Booster straight on my skin as a serum and found that it left my face feeling plump and juicy. It wasn't at all tacky as some Hyaluronic Acids can be and I would certainly get a full sized bottle of this to use as a daytime serum. Darphin 8 Flower Nectar is a delectable facial oil that smells amazing, another one for my shopping list! Finally, for skin care, I finished a generously sized sample of 111 Skin Space Defense Bright Eye Lift Gel. I generally prefer eye creams and serums to gels so this was just okay for me. I didn't notice any significant change in my eye area and didn't find it to be particularly lifting or moisturising which is rather disappointing when you consider the high price of this.

Haircare.

I used three sachets of Rahua Shampoo which may well be my favourite shampoo. Pantene Expert Intense Hydrating Shampoo was also very good, it had a pleasant fruity smell and it lathered well leaving my hair feeling clean but not stripped.

Another drugstore haircare product I liked was L'Oreal Expert Total Repair Extreme Conditioner. It smells like a boutique hair product, felt rich and slightly oily and left my hair shiny and bouncy. It did a good job of keeping frizz in check as well. It doesn't have the greatest/cleanest ingredients but it worked for me. Aussie 3 Minute Miracle Moist Conditioner is a product that I haven't used for years! For some reason I thought this would be heavy and weigh my fine hair down but it didn't at all. It's fruity fragrance was bright and summery as well.

I finally finished a tub of hair mask - Organix Macadamia Oil Intensive Hair Mask - which I have obviously had for some time as the company is now called OGX! I usually love products from this brand but this mask didn't impress me at all. I didn't notice much difference in my hair when I used this and it felt and acted more like a conditioner than a mask.

Sweaty heads and sun hats meant that I used up two texturising products this month. R+Co Death Valley Dry Shampoo and Oribe Dry Texturising Spray. I love both of these, they instantly tousle my hair adding volume and definition and both of them smell divine.

Body Care.

I'm still working my way through my stash of SpaceNK Life body products! I love the subtle yet uplifting citrus and mint scent of Jump Start Body Wash which as well as waking me up softens my skin with glycerine. Ultimate Unwind Body Lotion is lightweight and easily absorbed and I find it's light, slightly sweet, green tea fragrance to be both calming and energizing.

I've something of a soft spot for Yardley Body Washes finding that they are consistently nicer than their price would have you believe! Their Honey, Oat & Almond Creamy Body Wash was no exception, subtly fragranced this lathered well when used with a sponge and felt very comforting.

The Body Shop Polynesian Island Tiare Body Lotion was ideal to use in hot weather. It was very light and had a Gardenia type fragrance that was highly reminiscent of a tropical beach.

I thought I was going to hate I Love Raspberry & BlackBerry Hand Lotion for some reason, and although the strong fragrance was way too sweet and fruity for my taste the formula of this was superb. It was a very effective hand cream that I didn't find myself constantly needing to reapply.

Make Up and Perfume.

This month I finished a sample of Clinique Chubby Lash Mascara. I enjoyed this, it's brush grabbed every lash and made them look fatter and longer in a subtle way, it wasn't at all clumpy and was an intense dark black.

Finally, I emptied five vials of fragrance. I loved Diptyque Philosykos which I own already and I also liked Diptyque Eau Rose which is indeed rosy but has a spiky green element that stops it from being too sweet and sickly. I used another vial of Atelier Cologne Mandarine Glaciale which I'm pretty much indifferent about, a vial of Prada Candy which is way too sweet for my taste and another sample of Lady Gaga Fame was re purposed as a room spray as I find it much too heavy to wear.

I think I did a pretty good job at using things up in July and I enjoyed writing this post and it's mini reviews. I feel I may have got my blog mojo back!