Space NK and Sephora Sale Mini Haul.

To be totally honest my beauty stash at the moment is in rather good shape and there isn't anything that I'm about to run out of, but y'know if it's on sale and if it's also something that I love then it seems silly not to take advantage of good offers... 

Having said that there wasn't all that much that caught my eye in either the Space NK or Sephora post holiday sales so my sale splurges were rather tame compared to other years and I only picked up three items.

First up Space NK: 

I had had my eye on the Oribe gift sets ever since I saw them at the Space NK Christmas preview so when I saw the Travel Essentials set on sale I popped it in my basket straight away! I have used the Gold Lust Shampoo and Conditioner and loved it. Not only does it smell amazing it leaves my hair soft, silky and manageable and it is so rich and luxuriant that you only have to use a small amount of it. Normally Oribe costs way more than I care to spend on shampoo and conditioner so I'm deliriously happy to have generously sized 50ml tubes of each of these. 

I've had numerous samples of Gold Lust Dry Shampoo over the years but there's always room for one more in my stash! I find that this is very much a dry shampoo, rather than a texturiser ,but it is an excellent dry shampoo that freshens hair and makes it smell wonderful without weighing it down or leaving any white residue behind. (I once made the mistake of being far too liberal with a hair oil and this put things back to normal in an instant!) This 62ml spray is the perfect size as well, small enough to carry around in a handbag, but large enough to last you a while when traveling. 

The item that sealed the deal for me with this purchase was the roller ball of Cote D'Azur EDP. This fragrance is a light wearable summery scent that smells very similar to the hair products. It is a citrusy floral with some woodsy notes and while it isn't the type of scent that I would normally pick out for myself I like it because it reminds me of the hair products. My usual perfume preferences are a lot warmer and heavier than this (I primarily like spicy scents with notes of Oud, leather and violet) but it's not always suitable to wear such fragrances so I like to have one that's lighter that I can wear during work times that won't offend people by being too overpowering... Having said that, I'm pleased that this is an EDP rather than an EDT so it does have a little staying power on me. I also love the fact that this is so portable and that I can use it if I freshen up after work before going on to an event or dinner. 

I've not yet used the BalmEssence Lip Treatment (I'm trying to finish things up before opening new ones at the moment) but I'm looking forward to cracking it open! It is a clear balm containing Shea Butter, Camelina Oil and Vitamin E, it smells like lemons and is the most fabulously packaged lip balm I ever saw in it's Versace-esque gold pot.

All of these Oribe goodies came in a smart grey toiletry/make up bag that is lined with a gold and grey fabric and has a metal framed opening so not only is it sturdy, you can easily see what is inside. Normally the bags from gift sets go straight into my give away pile but I like this one so much and it is so practical that I'm hanging onto it!

There was a time when every time I ordered something from Space NK I chose a sachet of Kane NY Serum Savant Primer as one of my three samples. I love this serum! It plumps and protects the skin whilst perfectly prepping it for the application of make up. Containing squalene, glycerine and Hyaluronic Acid it is a featherweight emulsion that always left my skin feeling comfortable and looking firm and lifted. BUT at $235.00 it was far too pricey for me to purchase... That is until it went on sale for $59.00! I( actually had $40.00 of NDulge points to spend also so this was a must buy for me.)

 I cannot wait to start using this but I know I'm going to miss it when it's gone as I doubt I will ever be able to afford it again! The packaging of this BTW is gorgeous, it has a very futuristic feel.         

And onto Sephora...

I had to peruse the Sephora sale although I wasn't looking (or expecting) to get anything... And then I saw the Etat Libre d'Orange Discovery Set on sale for less than $10.00!  I bought one of these samplers two years ago and enjoyed it so much. Etat Libre d'Orange is a perfume house that takes a modernist approach when creating their niche fragrances, which are all complex and somewhat unusual. 

The tag line on this sampler is 'Find the Scent that Calls Your Name' and while I liked them all there are four that I particularly liked:

Fat Electrician, a smoky yet creamy incense like fragrance with vanilla notes.

Jasmine and Cigarettes, a soapy jasmine with tobacco notes.

Fils de Dieu, a heavy oriental scent containing citrus notes that is quite powdery and a little musty.

Putain des Palaces, intensely powdery and warm, very long lasting, with dirty amber notes.

This time around the vials came with atomisers and were packaged in a round metal tin so it felt more like an actual gift rather than a set of samples.

I had been using my previous set somewhat sparingly but now with a back up I'm happy to use them more generously!

So that's my sale round up, some luxury hair care, an everyday perfume along with some quirky ones for the weekend and a premium primer. I'm so pleased with these three items - perhaps sometimes less really is more!

Product Love: Vichy Mineral 89.

I rarely buy skincare in the drugstore but when I do, with the exception of Nip+Fab Glycolic Pad, it is almost always something that is by a French pharmacy brand. 

The recent combination of extremely cold dry weather, wind, and coming inside to aggressive central heating has been making my face feel (and appear) more dehydrated than usual. I had been searching for something that would give instant and lasting hydration while being soothing and calming and the simple formula of Vichy V Mineral 89 Daily Booster is the one has been ticking the requirement boxes of my skincare needs of late! 

This clear, oil free gel contains 89% Vichy mineral water along with Hyaluronic Acid. Vichy recommend using this as a moisturiser but I find that it is perfect to use as a daytime serum sandwiched between spritzes of Vichy Eau Thermal before a daily moisturiser. Mineral 89 layers beautifully with other products (I haven't experienced any rolling or piling with it) and it preps my skin perfectly for make up. In addition it absorbs easily and doesn't feel at all sticky as some H.A. products have a tendency to. As a further bonus, due to the presence of fifteen minerals in Vichy spa water, both of these products help to strengthen skin while re balancing its PH and help to protect it from the effects of airborne pollutants and extreme weather conditions. 

Mineral 89 is easy to find in drugstores (I get mine from CVS/ cvs.com) as well as high street beauty retailers such as Ulta/ ulta.com. 

It's also wallet friendly, a 50ml bottle (almost double the size of most serums) costs $29.50. 

And if you are super dry and in need of lots of extra hydration the thermal water aerosol costs just $14.00 for 150g. I highly recommend that you buy both and use them together for optimum results.

 

Skeletons.

As the only child of only children Jen had always yearned to be part of a large and loving family. When she marries Jason her dreams become true as his devoted parents and siblings are part of the package. Jen loves being part of the boisterous supportive Materson family but when she catches her father in law in a somewhat compromising position Jen realises that everything in the family she has come to adore may not be quite as perfect as it seems. As Jen struggles to keep secret what she has found out, it begins to cause tension and take a toll on her marriage. When Jen finally unloads her secret to the family explosive repercussions occur...

I was in the mood for a light hearted chick-lit style book and I have read and enjoyed a couple of other books by Jane Fallon immensely so I picked this up expecting some light hearted escapist entertainment. Sorry to say Skeletons was a big disappointment to me. There were simply too many scenarios that were unrealistic for me in this slow moving, shallowly plotted book and considering it was based around a tight knit family the characters didn't appear to know each other all that well at all. Normally when I read a book I get a pretty good picture in my head of the characters but I simply couldn't get one of Jen, the pieces didn't add up, she seemed dithery, slightly irritating and dull. 

The writing wasn't bad but there were simply too many cliches and stabs at humour that didn't come across all that well for me to enjoy it. On the plus side I did like all the references to things that were very English but at the end of the book I felt that it had been something that I had read more to pass the time rather than for enjoyment.

The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo.

Evelyn Hugo was one of Hollywood's biggest stars, an Oscar winner with a film career spanning four decades. Evelyn Hugo was also one of Hollywood's most scandalous stars with seven marriages to her name. Now an aging recluse living in Manhattan Evelyn is ready to tell her rags to riches story, reveal the truth about her seven marriages, and name the true love of her life. 

 Mysteriously Evelyn chooses to reveal all to a young unknown reporter, Monique, rather than a more accomplished writer. As Evelyn tells Monique her life story, Monique learns things about herself and her family that will change her life completely.

The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo is not the type of book that I would normally read but it had had such great reviews and been featured in so many book club and subscription box picks that when I saw it at my library I picked it up. 

It's quite a long book (400+ pages) and although I did find it enjoyable I began to feel a little bored as it neared the end as there were quite a lot of repetitive small dramas that were related in great detail which seemed to drag the story out unnecessarily. (I really think that I would have liked this more if had been better edited and a hundred pages shorter.) I also wasn't too keen on the main characters as, in addition to being not particularly nice people, they all felt a little one dimensional.

The book spans from the 1950's to the present day but there wasn't all that much given in the way of period details. This coupled with the fact that the characters of Evelyn and her contemporaries barely changed or grew as the story progressed meant that I found it quite difficult to place what era I was reading about throughout the book. 

I didn't totally dislike The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo. The story did flow well and the writing was, on the whole, good but I wish that I could have felt more sympathetic towards the main players and that the atmosphere and glamour of the movie business had come across in more detail.

I also thought that the ending of the book seemed a little contrived and it didn't sit very well with me or my expectations of the story. 

For me this was an okay beach type read but I must admit that I was expecting to enjoy it more considering the many glowing reviews I have seen of it.

Do Not Become Alarmed.

Two cousins, Liv and Nora, and their families embark on a luxurious cruise setting sail from L.A. that will visit Central and South America. On the families' first excursion ashore as their husbands play golf, Liv, Norah, their four children along with another woman and her children, are involved in a minor car accident. Unhurt but with their shore plans disrupted they opt to spend a relaxing afternoon on a secluded beach. As the three women spend time napping and exploring, the unsupervised children disappear and cannot be found.

I'm not sure how to classify Do Not Become Alarmed, it was more of a family drama than the suspense filled thriller I was expecting it to be.
It was quick and undemanding to read and I did get caught up in the story but it didn't really engross me or keep me gripped. Part of the reason for this, was that the characters were very undeveloped (I had some difficulty remembering which children belonged to which parents) which in turn meant that I felt detached from them and was less interested in the outcome of the story than I would have liked to be. In addition I felt that some of the side plots and characters, such as the story of Noemi, seemed somewhat superfluous to the main story and I didn't appreciate that so many of the characters and situations in South America were portrayed in such a cliched/stereotyped manner.

On the whole I would say that this story was very straight forward, there wasn't too much of a plot, certainly there were no real twists and turns to keep the reader on the edge of their seat and the ending was rather predictable. The concept behind Do Not Become Alarmed could have been very good but the characters needed to be more distinct and the plot more interesting and cohesive for the story to be a satisfying one.
I didn't hate this but I wouldn't recommend it and unfortunately I won't be rushing to read more books by Maile Maloy.

A Small Deciem Sale Haul.

In all honesty there wasn't even one thing that I needed to add or replace beauty wise when the post Christmas sales came around, but sometimes sale bargains are simply too good to miss out on, and if I have money in my budget available, as long as it is something that I will use up at some point, then it seems silly not to take advantage of what's on offer.

  

These items are actually from the Black Friday sales but I didn't receive them until just after Christmas so I'm counting them as part of a post Christmas sale haul.

  Deciem really are a beauty company like no other and they proved it once again with their Black Friday Sale policy. They had a number of special offers but there weren't any limit to the amount of them available. With a caveat of one per customer for each offer if you ordered one you got one, even if they had run out of stock and you had to wait for the next batch of that product to be produced. How brilliant is that? Way to build customer loyalty Deciem!

Sanskrit Saponins is a skin cleanser (as opposed to a make up remover) and this huge tube of it was only $9.00 instead of $55.00 which is truly an offer to good to refuse! I have recently started using it and so far I'm impressed with this creamy, earthy smelling cleanser. I have been using it as a nightly second cleanse and it leaves my skin feeling very clean, preps it perfectly for products, and I've noticed that my skin looks pretty darn good whenever I use it. The only complaint that I have about this is that I don't know how to store this giant, toothpaste like tube! This is a 6oz tube and it is going to last me for such a long time but will be on my repurchase list when the day finally comes that I need more. 

I also bought a set of two Fountain supplements in this sale which cost $23.00 instead of $70.00, again too good a deal to refuse. 

The two supplements were The Hyaluronic Molecule and The Phyto Collagen Molecule.

 The gel/liquid formula of these supplements make these easy to take neat (so far I have only taken the ginger flavoured Hyaluronic Molecule and while I wouldn't say it was delicious, it tastes totally fine) or you can mix them into a drink or smoothie. I've never taken a liquid supplement before and I'll admit to being a little on the fence about supplements on the whole but as long as they aren't harmful I'm more than willing to try them out. 

The Hyaluronic Molecule is supposed to plump skin as well as aiding in lubricating joints and hydrating dry eyes. I'm forever applying Hyaluronic Acid to my skin, as it's one of my favourite serum ingredients, so I'm interested to see if it works from the inside out as it were

The Phyto Collagen Molecule is another molecule that is of benefit to the skin as the ingestion of a collagen will supplement and support the body's own collagen production. Again, I'm keen to see if there will be any difference in my skin after I have been taking this for a while. 

There's always a lot of information to consider and digest (no pun intended) when it comes to anything dietary so I suggest that if you are interested in any sort of dietary supplement heading over to www.fountain.co where there's a heap of information to be found to help you decide. 

Of course, now I've looked I'm interested in trying out some more! Glow, Geek, Happy, and Energy in particular all appeal, but I'm going to try the ones I have already and see how I get on with them before committing to more purchases. (I feel that more buys may be inevitable however giving the glowing reviews from satisfied customers on the site).

If you don't already subscribe to Deciem's news letter (incidentally they don't bombard you with bumph, they only send you information regarding your orders or very special deals) or would like to know more about their ranges of products take a look at deciem.com

I think you will be interested and impressed!  

Little Fires Everywhere.

The Richardson family are well regarded pillars of the community in the affluent Shaker Heights neighbourhood of Cleveland, that is until their lives are upturned by the arrival of free spirited artist Mia Warren, and her daughter Pearl, who move into one of their rental units. 

As the lives of the two wildly different households become entwined the Richardson children are drawn to Mia and her daughter and family matriarch, Elena Richardson, begins a quest to find out more about her mysterious tenant.

I'll be honest and admit that I was pretty reluctant to read Little Fires Everywhere as for some reason I simply didn't think that it would  be my kind of book but I ended up absolutely loving this engrossing domestic drama! It was a great pick and got my New Year's reading off to a flying start.

Well written, witty and humourous, yet also thought provoking and sad, the characters were superb and the plot was intricately woven. I did find that it was a bit of a slow starter but once the characters were developed and the story got going I was thoroughly involved with this story. The ending was left somewhat open so, who knows, maybe (fingers crossed) there will be a second installment of Little Fires...

Recommended. 

Nobu: A Memoir.

Nobu is a short memoir by acclaimed Chef and restaurateur Nobu Matsuhisa. Opening with a brief account of his childhood and his apprenticeship in a sushi bar in his home town, it goes on to tell how he started his own restaurants first in Peru and then America. Following on from this he talks about the origins of some of his signature recipes, his concepts of hospitality and how his own personal values and a belief in striving for excellence has helped shape the business empire he helms today.

This was a brief, accessible book and there were many parts of it that I found fascinating (his tales of being an apprentice and his visions as a hotelier for instance). It was written in an easy to read manner and although it is a memoir I feel that it would be a valuable read to anyone who dreams of running their own restaurant, or indeed, any other type of business.  Matsuhisa-San comes across as being a modest and kind man and I enjoyed this look into his life and achievements. 

It may not be the perfect read for everyone, but I recommend it to anyone who is involved with the world of hospitality in any way and for fans of his restaurants.

Reading this memoir also gives you the perfect excuse to visit a Nobu restaurant! (I've been and it is a memorable experience both in terms of the food and service).   

A Little Life.

A Little Life tells the stories of four close friends, Jude, Wilhelm, J.B., and Malcolm. The four met at college and at the beginning of the book they are starting out, trying to make lives for themselves in New York. As the book progresses more is revealed about the four of them and their lives as they all become successful in their chosen fields.

Of the four men, Jude is the principle character and A Little Life is above all his story. After a horrifically abusive childhood and adolescence which has left him with disabilities and recurrent pain (both physical and mental) which he refuses to address Jude becomes immensely successful in his career and although he is surrounded by people who love and support him he cannot overcome his past.

A Little Life is quite simply one of the best books that I have ever read.

 It has been on my reading list for some time, but knowing that it was going to be a harrowing read I waited until I was in the right frame of mind to read it. It is beautifully written and the characters are so convincingly real that when I finished I felt as if I had parted company with real people. 

It is profound and deeply moving, a very raw read that I found to be highly rewarding. This is a long book - over 700 pages - but I never found myself losing interest  or wishing for it to end.

Quite frankly it's superb, not an easy read, but a rewarding and brilliant one. 

Recommended.

A Small Beauty Restock #3.

I've not exactly been on a 'no buy' kick but I have been trying to use things up so I have bought a lot less than usual over the past few months - beauty wise that is - clothes it seems are a whole different thing and I have made quite a few clothing purchases although in all fairness my wardrobe did need a bit of a re-jig.  

Anyhow I had some Space NK NDulge points to use and I also had a $20.00 off code to use so I stocked up on candles. There's nothing else that makes a house feel luxurious yet at the same time cozy and homely in quite the same way as a very nice candle I feel, and I've been yearning for a little bit of Byredo in my life! I love the sleek design of these candle jars and I adore the look of the black wax they are poured from, not only does it look surprising chic, should you overlook trimming a wick the wax isn't going to get dirty and nasty looking with soot and smoke. 

I bought Bibliotheque for our living room which is apowdery leather fragrance touched with my favourite notes of patchouli and violet (I love, love , love these two scents together!). It's a little masculine, very cozy and warm feeling - perfect for winter. For my bathroom I chose Burning Rose which wears its name well as it is a woody rose scent that smells somewhat smoky and also has notes of leather and violet to add to its complexity. Both of these are truly gorgeous and they compliment each other very well. 

(Diptyque you may have to stand aside I think I've found my new favourite candles!)   

Before Christmas I also received a $15.00 voucher from Sephora. I wasn't in need of anything in particular but I decided to put it towards one of their value sets and I picked out this one by Caudalie. I'm a big fan of pretty much anything by Caudalie so I was keen to try out their newest range, VineActive. This range contains polyphenols to protect and repair skin from damage caused by environmental pollutants along with Vitamin C to aid with pigmentation issues and increase 'glow'. In addition the eye cream is loaded with peptides and the serum contains Hyaluronic Acid.

The set includes a full sized serum along with a 15ml moisturiser and a 5ml eye cream. It contains $83.00 of product and retails for $52.00, which with the addition of my $15.00 voucher meant that this really was too good an offer to miss out on!

Sephora also had some rather amazing weekly deals in the run up to Christmas. I'm a bit of an eye shadow wuss - I know what I like and stick to it as a rule - but I have had my eye on the Urban Decay Naked Ultimate Basics Palette for a while as it's not a 'scary palette'! It has twelve wearable matte neutral shades and when I saw it was available for half price, $27.00, it was the perfect time to pick it up as a little Christmas present to myself.

 Finally I had a lot of Sephora points to cash in. I have a feeling that they now expire after a certain amount of time, am I right? I would hate to loose them so I have been checking out the Reward's Bazaar from time to time. I'm generally not too impressed by the offerings there (hence me having a bundle of points) but I thought that this Lancome reward was pretty enticing. I already like their Bi-Facil Eye Make Up Remover which is gentle and effective and this 1.7 fl oz bottles will last for a good amount of time. The kit also contains good sized samples of the new hydrating Energie de Vie range, these jars of day, night and eye cream will be perfect for my wash bag when I travel.

I'm very pleased with my new purchases and I'm eagerly awaiting a few more from the sales which I will no doubt feature in a Part Two of this post sometime soon!

Porter Magazine: Subscription Gift #2.

Porter is a sumptuous glossy magazine from luxury e-commerce site Net-a-Porter which, in addition to some spectacularly visual fashion pages, also contains well written and interesting articles about travel and the arts as well as featuring candid interviews with newsworthy women. 

I like to swap out my magazine subscriptions from time to time and recently, when another magazine subscription of mine ran out I decided that it was time to resubscribe to Porter.  As with other subscriptions it is great value. Costing $25.00 for a year it allows access to the digital version of the magazine and mails six glossy issues to you a year. (Porter is a bi-monthly magazine, issues are Spring, Summer, Summer Escape, Fall, Winter and Winter Escape.)

If I've not tempted you to subscribe already may I add that Porter offers some stunning GWP's with subscriptions? With my subscription came a stunning ByTerry Parti Pris Eye Shadow Palette featuring six shimmering powder shadows in very wearable shades and a half sized ByTerry Terrybly Mascara. The gift has a value of $82.00, which is pretty impressive considering the price of the subscription.

From now until February 8th new U.S. subscribers can receive a Kjaer Weis Cream Blusher and Mascara worth $93.00. (Subject to availability, a gift of similar value will be sent if this offer runs out - don't despair if it does, all of the subscription gifts are amazing). 

If you fancy subscribing to a great magazine and would like a luxurious little extra for yourself simply go to portersubs.com/KJ.

(After February 8th a different gift will become available but you will need to seek out a new code either online or in a magazine to be eligible for the new gift). 

Don't forget that the subscription will auto renew so you will need to cancel it at the end of your year if you don't wish to receive further issues. Honestly though, I can't see why you would as it is a such a good magazine.

 

All the Empties 2017.

My love affair with all things beauty wise showed no sign of abating in 2017 and I used a whopping total of one hundred and forty three full sized products and three hundred and eighty five samples! June's Month of Foil project accounted for one hundred and thirty two foil samples alone with the rest of the foil samples, minis and full sized products spread pretty evenly throughout the year.

Here's a breakdown of the full sized products that I used (because analyzing my use of samples and sachets is a bit too nerdy - even for me!)

Skincare.

I finished fifty eight items of skincare over the course of 2017. The largest category of which were, unsurprisingly, cleansing products of which I used thirteen in total made up of three milks, three gels, two balms, two creams, one oil, and one pack of wipes. I used one bottle of foaming cleanser which I re purposed it as a hand wash and I have included this in my count. In addition I used four separate eye make up removers, two of which were packets of pads and two of which were liquids.

I enjoy using facial mists and spritzes and used six facial sprays as well as four aerosol containers of fancy spring water. In addition to these hydrating toners and sprays I used four packs of glycolic acid pads and one bottle of glycolic toner.

I used ten bottles of serum and two bottles of facial oil along with nine facial moisturisers and three eye creams. I also used one bottle of Vitamin C powder.
Somewhat shamefully I only managed to use one full sized sunscreen but my daily make up and primer both contain SPF and I rarely sit in the sun and never sunbathe.

Body Care.

I used thirty nine body products of which eleven were shower gels and one was a bath oil. I also used one shower gel infused sponge. I need to moisturise after bathing and used up fifteen bottles of body lotions and three pots of body butter. As my hands are in water a lot I also slather on hand cream and I finished eight tubes throughout the year (some of these were handbag sized but I count these as full sizes as they retail as such).

Haircare.

I used twenty six hair products up in 2017.

I used a lot of sachets and minis during the year so there were only five empty bottles of shampoo but I did manage to use eleven bottles of conditioner! I used one tin of texturising spray, one salt spray and one hair spray. I also used three handbag sized dry shampoos which I used to add grit and texture rather than as cleansers. I used up one large pot of conditioning hair mask and three leave in hair oils/serums.

Make Up.

It takes so long to finish a make up product but I did try my best to finish a few things up and managed to empty fourteen. 

I used one primer and one eye make up primer. I used four other face products: two tinted moisturisers, one cream blusher and one highlighter. I used one single powder eye shadow, two eye liner pencils and two full sized tubes of mascara. I finished three lip products: a gloss, a balm and a liquid lipstick.

Miscellaneous.

Finally six products that I couldn't quite categorise: two facial sheet masks, one foot peeling mask, one bottle of perfume, one book of facial blotting papers and one bottle of top coat for nail polish.

I used up more products in 2017 than in 2016 so who knows what 2018 has in store!

Empties December 2017.

Well that came around quickly! I cannot believe that it is the New Year already and that it's time to wrap up the holiday season and take a peek at December's Empties. After a bit of a slow start to the month I managed to end up finishing eleven full sized products along with eighteen samples.

Skincare.

I finished my last ever box of Sephora Express Eye Make Up Remover Wipes. I loved these individually packaged wipes for travel but they are discontinued and I haven't seen them in the Sephora sale so I guess they are gone for ever...

Another discontinued item I finished was Rodial Glamtox Cleansing Balm which I love. I find that the light texture of this dissolves make up well and it emulsifies and rinses away like a dream. This also warms a little when you apply it which makes it feel even more special. I have one more of these unopened in my stash but after that this too is gone for good.
Tata Harper Purifying Cleanser is another favourite cleanser of mine. This is my third or fourth bottle and it won't be the last!
I also finished a mini bottle of May Lindstrom The Pendulum Potion which I used more as a treatment than a traditional cleanser - I applied a few drops of this before showering and let the steam from the shower help it to clean and balance my skin. It's a very aromatic oil and I did like it but there are other aromatic cleansing oils that I much prefer. 

I finished a bottle of Mario Badescu Facial Spray with Aloe, Herbs and Rosewater. This is one of my favourite inexpensive skin treats. I use it as a toner or to spritz between different layers of products, it is very soothing as well as hydrating.

Vitabird C12 Face is a high quality Vitamin C powder that mixes easily into serums. I found this surprisingly easy to use and it made my skin bright and luminous with regular use.

The Ginza Moisturising Emulsion is a very impressive basic moisturising lotion. I found it very nourishing and it was ideal to use at any time, day or night.

Darphin Exquisage Cream is a rich feeling cream that I used mostly at night. Usually I love Darphin products but this was only okay for me, I didn't think it did much beyond adding some moisture to my skin and I didn't like the scent of this at all (it smelled like a department store type of fragrance).

I used nine skincare samples up in December. Tula Purifying Face Cleanser was a little too foamy and drying for me, I also didn't like the fragrance of this one - it smelled a little too 'shower gel-ly' to my nose. I used another sample of Omorovicza Thermal Cleansing Balm which I think is one of the most gorgeous balms ever, it leaves my skin softened as well as clean.

Tarte Ready, Set, Radiant Skin Mist was a little too viscous, more like an essence than a mist, this was just okay for me.
I've had several samples of 111Skin Space Defence Bright Eye Lift Gel and they have all had defective pumps which is annoying. I find that this clear gel does have a lifting effect but it doesn't do much in terms of hydration, it's also very expensive. 
Estee Lauder Advanced Night Repair Serum is an iconic beauty product and while I quite like it there are so many other serums that I prefer. Elizabeth Arden Eight Hour Oil had a very nice fresh scent but I found it to feel quite heavy on my skin, I generally prefer 'dryer' feeling oils and I found that this didn't absorb very well.
Verso Night Cream was the one sample that really worked for me this month. I find that my skin reacts well with all of the Verso range and when I next need a Retinol product I will certainly consider this night cream which I found effective but also gentle without any side effects.

GoldFadden MD Fresh A Peel Mask was a huge disappointment to me. The first couple of times that I used this it felt a little uncomfortable (I'm usually fine with exfoliating acid masks and treatments BTW) the third and last time I used this my face became unbearably hot and even though I rinsed this off and applied cooling products almost straight away it left inflammation around my lip area. Luckily I had some cooling treatments to hand but I certainly won't be trying this mask again. 

Derm Institute Anti Oxidant Hydration Masks are amazing! Very cooling and immensely hydrating, I love the fact that these are packaged in individual sachets which makes them perfect to use when traveling (I use these before getting on a plane to prep and protect my skin and again after flying to repair and replenish it). 

Haircare.

I used up two full sized and two mini products, none of which were new to me. I like Herbal Essences Hello Hydration Shampoo a lot, it's one of my favourite drugstore bargains and I found the beachy scent of this cheering even though it's freezing outside! Shea Moisture Weightless Creme Rinse is another product with a summery scent, although this one reminds me of a fruity creamy drink or dessert! I find this to be more of a detangler than a conditioner, but I like that it doesn't weigh down my hair at all and leaves it manageable.

It's a 10 plus Keratin leave in conditioning spray and Davines Oi All in One Milk are both multi functional leave in products. I like the effects of both of these but find that they both need to be shaken vigorously before use as they tend to separate into a water like liquid and a cream.

Body Care.

REN Moroccan Rose Otto Body Wash is a very lovely shower product, it feels gentle, lathers well and has a rosy fragrance that manages to smell like roses without being cloying and sickly. The only downside to this is the somewhat bulky packaging and the fact that the bag inside the container still contains a fair amount of product that I can't get out without attacking it with scissors. Even though I'm not a bath taker I managed to use up a bottle of Therapie Equilibrium Bath and Shower Essence by applying it before I got in the shower. This oil smelled amazing and left me with soft skin but I wouldn't repurchase it purely because it is more of a bath than a shower product and it is rather expensive.

I used up a huge tub of The Body Shop Body Butter, this one had the warm, floral scent of Moringa blossom and while I did enjoy this, I have to confess to being a little bored of it by the time I reached the end!

I used up a mini, mini L'Occitane Hand Cream. I find the Shea Butter in this very moisturising in the cold weather.

Make Up and Perfume.

I took a small sachet of Hourglass Veil Mineral Primer with me when I went on a recent trip. This is my favourite ever primer and I'm happy to report that I managed to get five uses out of this tiny 1ml sample.
I loved Benefit Roller Lash Mascara! It enhanced my lashes in every way without any clumping and I found the almost bristle-less applicator a dream to use. I don't often buy mascaras but if I ever need to this will be a strong contender.

I used two perfume vials: Elizabeth & James Nirvana Bourbon, a powdery vanilla, which reminds me of a sweeter version of Diptyque Eau Duelle and Replica By the Fireside whose sweetly, spicy notes remind me of a Christmas cookie. I didn't dislike either, but also they didn't make it onto my wish list. By the Fireside would make a fantastic candle however! 

Before the week is over I'm going to be totting up all of my 2017 Empties - list lovers this one's for you! - and as always I'll be back with a look at January's Empties at the end of the month. (I'm hoping for a big pile as February sees the start of Spring GWP's!)