The Glueless Scr4pbook.

Kiehls Blue Astringent Herbal Lotion (250ml/ £16.50)

"This unique formulation has been created for use after shaving or on oily prone areas."

As I have blemish prone skin I love it when I find something that really helps so I thought I'd share my thoughts about this today. Now I do not use this everyday as it is really strong and very drying on the skin (it doesn't cause dry patches or flaking, just a dry tight feeling) but it is great for very angry spots or problem areas. I wouldn't apply this to my whole face, just where it is needed and it then dries up that area while soothing and preventing any further breakouts. A little goes a really long way with this and even though it smells really strong it is gentle on the skin, doesn't sting or cause irritation at all like a lot of drug store brands tend to do. I recommend this to those who suffer with bad blemishes, hormonal breakouts and generally oily skin, it is well worth the money in my book.

Have you tried it?

Mac Mineralize Skinfinish Natural (£23/ 10g)

I have actually used this way back in the day and completely forgot about it but since everyone raves about it I put it on my Christmas list and Santa complied. Of course, being a powder there isn't much to say but I thought I'd say it anyway. This is a really finely milled, feather light powder which gives a natural looking finish, matting away the shine but letting the light of the skin show through, it doesn't add colour or coverage at all and it also doesn't gather in creases. I much prefer the packaging now too, handy to have a mirror in the compact. This really reminds me of the Soap & Glory One Heck Of A Blot powder, I would say that is definitely a drugstore dupe.

Do you love this powder too?

Nars Pure Radiant Tinted Moisturiser SPF 30 (£29/ 50ml).

I recently picked this up because I had heard about it a lot and thought it was about time I owned a tinted moisturiser, I was a bit scared to be honest because I didn't know wether I would like it or if the coverage would be enough for me but I actually love it so I thought I should do a review to tell you why.

Firstly, it comes in a tube which is both handy and hygienic, and it means you can get every last bit of product out too. This is a cream product which is really soft and lightweight on the skin, it gives a light to medium coverage as it is buildable but can also be sheered out. The finish is dewy and healthy looking but tacky to the touch so oily skin types will want to set it with a powder, I do find that because of the consistency and finish that it does move around somewhat during the day but nothing crazy. On my skin it lasts for around 4-6 hours but on a dry skin type it would be longer for sure. This also has a really nice soft fruity scent and SPF 30.

I'm really loving this so far and I can see me wearing it throughout spring and summer, have you tried it before?

I thought I'd split my empties into categories from now on (if there are loads) because it's quite hard to keep these type of posts short and sweet, hopefully this will work out a bit better, so this is the Hair & Body category and Make Up & Skincare will be up soon.

VO5 Give Me Texture

I bought this in hope it might be a drugstore dupe for the famous Oribe dry texturising spray and to be fair it did a pretty good job, it wasn't sticky and brushed straight out but I think it would work best on shorter hair.

Label M Sea Salt Spray

I really liked this, I love the smell, it gives a sort of tousled look but it works best in wet hair before drying because it leaves dry hair a bit sticky.

H&M Vanilla Sweets Body Splash

Not much to say apart from that it smelt good.

& Other Stories Punk Bouquet Bodywash and Body Soufflé 

This range smells so good, it's my favourite, I think I've tried almost everything, I love the hand cream and this soufflé was amazing too.

Redken All Soft Shampoo & Conditioner

This range does exactly what it says on the tin, super soft hair, a little fly away but so shiny and healthy looking. Totally worth every penny, already on the next bottles.

Nivea Powder Deoderant

Boring I know but it smelt nice and worked well.

Vaseline Cocoa Radiant Spray & Go Body Moisturiser

I love these, such a good idea and still such a good moisturiser, I hate thin watery body creams usually but this one still feels moisturising and dries in quickly.

Avene Micellar Lotion (£13/ 200ml)

I can't believe I have never reviewed this. It's the best Micellar water that I have tried so I can't believe it's taken me this long to talk about it, I'm sure I have mentioned it in favourites and empties before but just a few words on why I love it. Firstly obviously it cleans of all my make up perfectly and quickly, even my eye and lip make up but secondly and most importantly it is so gentle, not drying at all and once everything is removed the skin looks fresh and feels soft and smooth, there's no struggling to move the muscles in your face etc. I then just clean my face with my normal cleanser and continue the rest of my skincare routine. This is a bit more pricey than other cleansing waters but you can feel the difference in quality, I like this for night time especially, it smells great too.

Mac Prep + Prime Highlighter in Light Boost (£18.50/ 3.6ml)

I'm not hugely into the whole contour movement, I don't paint half my face one colour and the other half another or anything crazy like that (if I had the time or patience, sure) but I do like certain elements of it, I like a dab of contour cream or a bit of KA sculpting powder under my cheek bones and a sprinkle of highlight powder on the tops of my cheeks, that's as far as I go usually, but I have seen this baby in action on YouTube and I needed it in my life.

I don't go crazy with it but I usually do foundation, concealer and then add this in a V shape under my eyes, around my nose and in the centre of my forehead, it works best when I have fake tanned or used cream bronzer on my face but even without all that it's still really effective, it has reflective qualities without being glittery. It's highly pigmented but it's still best to use it over a concealer in my opinion, it's really creamy and easily blendable but it has a wet finish so it needs to be set with powder. I find this work well for all areas of the face not just the under eye area but it does crease slightly throughout the day even when set which is a bit annoying.

Benefit Roller Lash Mascara (£19.50)

This months ELLE magazine gave me a free sample so I have been trying it out over the past few weeks and I really like it, it's very similar to the famous "They're Real" in that it defines and separates really well. This mascara is designed to curl lashes and to keep that curl in place for 12 hours, I can say that is half true, the wand is a rubber one that actually hooks onto the individual eyelashes making sure they are all coated and the formula holds the curl for around 4-6 hours on me. I would say the only bad point about this mascara is that it tends to print on my upper lids throughout the day which is pretty annoying considering it is supposed to be a water resistant formula. 

It is also worth noting that this mascara contains Pro Vitamin B and Serin which are "ingredients known for their lash conditioning benefits".

I am not one to really spend money on high end mascaras as they have such a short shelf life, the only one I buy is the trusty Lancome Hypnose, but I would buy this. Have you tried it?

Nars All Day Weightless Foundation (30ml/ £32), shade Mont Blanc.

"Weightless, 16 hour wear, Oil Free. All day luminous weightless foundation reaches an extraordinary level of perfection with ultra lightweight complete coverage and a uniquely fluid silky feel. Ideal for all skin types and tones. It sweeps on weightlessly, absorbs quickly and blends easily for all day natural luminosity. Without oil, alcohol or fragrance."

So here we have the new Nars foundation, it is packaged in a sleek frosted glass bottle and comes with a pump unlike the other Nars foundations, the pump is a special design as it only gives about half the product of a normal pump and one of those pumps is supposed to be enough to cover the entire face. I actually use 1 pump for each half of my face and if I need to I use a third pump to cover any redness or blemishes. 

So you have to shake the bottle thoroughly because it is such a thin consistency, it reminds me of the L'oreal Magique Foundation and the Chanel Perfection Lumiere Velvet in the way that the pigment and coverage is there (this is a medium buildable to full coverage) but the formula is still weightless rather than thick and creamy like the Mac Studio Fix or Laura Mercier Silk Creme.

The foundation does not stay wet on the skin, it dries straight in and leaves a demi matte but glowy finish (almost identical to the finish of the Perfection Lumiere Velvet), therefore, even for oily skin only needs setting in the Tzone. This is supposed to be good for all skin types but I think it would definitely work best on oily or normal skin as it does tend to cling to dry areas, I also find it creases and settles into fine lines throughout the day which wouldn't be great for aging skin. They boast 16 hour wear but on me it only lasted around 6 hours.

They recommend applying this with finger tips but I find this is only good for a lighter coverage as most of the product is wasted. I tried applying this with a brush but found it left the foundation sitting in my pores but from other reviews this seems to work best for most people, I found a damp sponge was the best way to get an even full coverage finish.

I don't think I would buy this again as I prefer the Chanel version but it is still a very nice foundation, have you tried it?

Burberry Effortless Eyebrow Definer, No. 02 Sepia (£22.50)

This is extremely like the Hourglass Arch, with a flat chiselled tip at one end and a spooly at the other. I ordered this to find out if I might prefer this over the Hourglass version, the outcome... No.

I much prefer the burberry packaging as it is smaller, sleeker and actually fits in my Muji drawers and the colour is an even better match but unfortunately the consistency was just a bit too hard for me, for someone who has an awful lot to fill in on their brows I need something quick and easy, this just takes that little bit of extra time that I don't have most mornings. I can eventually get the same result it just takes a while, this is slightly more on the pencil side and the Hourglass is slightly more on the crayon side so it tends to be a bit more creamy.

The conclusion is, I like it, but I will be reserving it for weekends. Have you tried it yet?

Aesop Control Gel (£15/ 9ml).

I picked up this Aesop Control gel after Christmas so I thought it was time to give you my thoughts. So it comes in a tiny metal tube which is great for hygiene and travel purposes, it is a clear gel, quite thick and sticky in consistency, smells very pleasant for a spot treatment, not chemically but zesty and refreshing. This spot gel contains salicylic acid to fight spots but also a lot of natural oils such as lemon peel, tea tree leaf, witch hazel and sage. 

Once applied it creates a seal over the area but doesn't dry it out at all so it is great for under make up and for those who have dry skin. This is definitely no miracle worker but it's a really nice, gentle solution for blemishes and as a little goes a long way I would buy it again.

Of course I picked up plenty of samples whilst I was there too and I feel some money is soon to be spent.

Have you tried any Aesop products?

I have been wanting to do a post praising & Other Stories for their jewellery collection for months now, and this is finally it, although I have chosen to concentrate on their rings, they are my weakness for sure. Really I just wanted to show my collection because I love them and I wear them all the time, plus I just recently picked up some new ones. Unfortunately 4 of the rings are now sold out but there are plenty more to chose from online and instore. I love the modern sleek designs and how delicate they are, they are really on point for the blogger styles of the moment too. I think they are beautiful and give an instant chic look to any outfit. The prices vary but all are affordable starting from as little as £2.

Do you have any & Other Stories jewellery?

I was lucky enough to recieve one of the limited Victoria Beckham for Nails Inc polishes (£25/ 14ml) for Christmas and I thought it was about time I reviewed it for you guys.

So firstly I chose the shade Bamboo White which is a really pretty pale beige colour, even though I loved the red too, I knew I would get more use out of the nude. This shade kind of reminds me of Essie Fiji, Barry M Lychee and the like. The formula is quite thick which I would say is the only fault, it could do with just a bit more slip to smooth the application, this is pretty pigmented for a nude and fully opaque after two coats which is impressive. The brush is one of the flat variety like the YSL ones which evenly distribute the product and it dries fast too which is great but it does mean you have to work fast aswell. Finally the packaging is gorgeous, sleek matte black (or white if you chose the other shade) bottle with sheer sides to identify the shade, perfect, as this was a special collection it also came in its own box and gift bag, which don't quite make the price justifiable but they help.

Over all I'm really pleased with this polish and although slightly overpriced I still think it was worth it. Did you get your hands on one?

I have been trying to be good after Christmas and not spend too much money on new things while I use up what I already have, but of course I have picked up a few bits and got some nice freebies lately too so I thought I'd just do a quick post to share them.

& Other Stories rings are my weakness, I love that they are so sleek and modern, my most recent purchases were the angled ring (£7) and the wave ring duo (£2) above and I'm loving them.

After seeing Essiebutton talking about the Burberry Brow Definer (£23) on her blog before Christmas I knew I'd be 'needing' it so I finally ordered it the other week and a review will be up soon.

I love these simple old school watches that are coming back everywhere at the moment and I managed to find this on on eBay for around £4, bargain.

This months Elle comes with a free Benefit Roller Lash mascara which is still yet to be released Instore so I've been trying that out for the last week, I'll be reviewing it when I've come to a good enough conclusion.

My brother got me a Space NK voucher for my birthday so I decided it was a good time to stock up on some bits I'd been after, I chose the Nars Pure Radiant Tinted Moisturiser (£29) and I can't believe the coverage considering it gives such a natural finish. Review coming.

I also spotted the prettiest tulips I've ever seen, all white with pink at the tops of te petals. I loved them while they lasted.

Lastly, I'm a sucker for H&M homeware so I ordered this gold tray (£9.99) and these pink candles (£1.99/£2.99) but I got a discount so only paid £12. They are now living on my dressing table.

Have you bought anything new lately?