The Body Shop Haul

The Body Shop products have been featuring a lot on Affordable Treats lately! Many are in my routine (see here), but I still wanted to try a few more, so took advantage of the 40% off online and in-store code currently making the rounds. Full prices given.

Bath Lily - £2

I always have a couple of these in my stash. I find TBS ones are softer and create a richer lather than others, so like to pick one up when I'm buying other products.

Mango Body Sorbet - £7

This isn't online yet, so I bought it in-store. My first impressions are that it smells amazing (obviously), isn't sticky in the slightest, absorbs quickly, and leaves you feeling refreshed. I don't feel that moisturised after using it, though, so don't know if it's actually doing anything for my skin. However, I have normal skin, so don't need an intense moisturiser.

Camomile Silky Cleansing Oil - £10

This is a repurchase because I'm down to the last third of my current bottle. You can read my review here.

Vitamin E Moisture Serum - £11

I've never tried a serum, so thought I'd give this one a go. I've read mostly positive reviews, but will let you know how I get on with it personally in the next few weeks!

Colour Crush Shine Lipsticks in 18 Sunset Romance and 15 Fuchsia Flirt - £10 each

I wanted to try a couple more things from the makeup line, and these were calling my name. They're apparently similar to the likes of the Revlon Lip Butters, in the sense that they're light and balmy. You'll no doubt be seeing these again soon!

Have you made any purchases from The Body Shop recently?

New Things

I used my iPhone for the photos above because my camera and I aren't getting on at the moment. I may use my phone for future hauls, too, because it's a lot quicker! This week, I've received my dissertation and final assignment grades (all good, thankfully), updated my CV and applied for a job, finished watching Chuck, watched the first season of OITNB, started watching Prison Break, and shopped. All in all, it hasn't been bad!

I featured the necklace in my New Favourites #05 post. It's from Accessorize and was £6, which isn't too bad for them. It's small, sits on your collarbone nicely, and goes with most things. I also have my eye on another Accessorize necklace, but it's £15, so I'm going to wait and hope it's in their next sale!

Even though my ELF Studio Eyebrow Kit in Light is still going strong, I wanted to buy a back up. I bought it here for £4.99 including P&P. Now that it's gone up to £3.95 on ELF's website and P&P is £2.95, it's cheaper to get it on eBay. I know ELF often have codes floating around, but I didn't want anything else.

I bought the No7 Instant Radiance Highlighter yesterday for £6.95 because I had one of those £3 off vouchers to use. I wasn't planning on getting it, but loved how it swatched. Also liked the BB Lips Beauty Balms, and wish I'd picked one up now!

I then bought the Barry M Loud Mouth Extreme Liquid Lip Colour in Show Off for £3.99. It's a warm, coral pink, which is very pigmented and similar to the Sleek Pout Paints. I tested it out yesterday evening and it was still present after three hours, a stir fry, and a bowl of ice cream (half a tub, really...). It had faded, but it was even. I then went ahead and ordered another three shades, so look out for reviews and swatches soon!

The mug is from Wilkinson and was £2. The print is nice, but the main reason I bought it was because of its size. It's like a small bowl, fitting two normal sized cups of tea in!

The tins were from TK Maxx and cost £2.99-£3.99. I'm always on the look out for tins because they're great for storing my baking bits (and anything else).

The yellow satchel was from Primark and cost £6. I've only ever used bags for school/uni, so have never owned a small one. I loved the colour of this, though, so just had to get it. They also had it in mint and pink. This is probably my favourite item I bought yesterday because it's so different to anything I have!

The knickers were also from Primark, and were only £1 each. They have a nice shape and look good on, so I'm happy.

The last three photos are of boring items, but they're items most of us use. The lint rollers were from Primark and were £1.50 a pack. Lint rollers are a must in an animal filled house! The Bic Soleil razors were from Superdrug and were down to £1.83 from £3.69. I already had a couple packs stored away, but couldn't resist a couple more. They're something I'm always going to use! The Mitchum deodorant sticks were £1.48 and £1.66 from £2.99 and £3.35 (this offer isn't online, though). I started using Mitchum deodorants earlier this year and they seem to work better than others I've tried. 

I use Simple Baby Moisturising Wipes for removing makeup before cleansing, spot cleaning my brushes, and freshening up. They're normally around £1.99 for 80, which is great in comparison to standard facial wipes. However, I usually get them when they're 99p or 6 for £5 at Lloyds Pharmacy. My sister also happens to work at the latter, so gets staff discount. 67p for 80? Yes please!

The last photo shows my inner age. My new net curtains arrived yesterday and I really like them! It's surprising how much a new pair of net curtains brighten your room. I'm mentioning them because they were a bargain from eBay. For my large window, I paid £5.70 including P&P. You can find the listing here. You can probably get nicer ones, but for the price, these are great. They also look better than others I've had in the past.

What have you been buying recently?

New Favourites #05

I've written positive reviews on most of the products above, but realised that they haven't been in a Favourites yet, so here we are!

The Body Shop Camomile Silky Cleansing Oil - £10/200ml - review here

I love both this and the Sumptuous Cleansing Butter, but have been reaching for this more often because it's quicker. Instead of unscrewing a lid and scooping, I can just pump. It removes all of my makeup well and leaves my skin feeling really soft. 

The Body Shop Vineyard Peach Body Mist - £7.50/100ml - review here

I have quite a few of The Body Shop body mists, and this is my new favourite. It smells like a fresh, juicy peach. Amazing.

Blistex Intensive Moisturiser - £2.59/5g at Superdrug, £2.63 at Boots

I have yet to mention this on Affordable Treats. Blistex were giving away 500 of these on Facebook a few weeks back, and I was lucky enough to win one. I wasn't expecting it to be anything special, but was blown away when I first used it. It feels like it moisturises your lips right the way through, instead of just the first layer of skin. I apply this at night, let the menthol do its thing, then wake up to moisturised, plump lips. I rarely have chapped lips, so cannot comment on if it helps to that extent, but it seemed to help my sister's. I'll definitely be buying another tube!

NYX Butter Gloss in Peach Cobbler - £5/6.5g - review here

Like I said in my review, I'm not usually one for gloss, but this is something else! It's not as orange as it looks in the tube, and it's not as pink as my swatch suggests, but a beautiful coral. It feels buttery, like the name suggests, but in a good way. It's also pigmented, lasts a few hours, and fades evenly. I also have Apple Strudel, but that shades tends to settle into the lines on my lips. Peach Cobbler doesn't.

Soap & Glory Sugar Crush Body Buttercream - £10.50/300ml - review here

My sister bought me this from eBay for just £4.69 including P&P. It smells like lime cheesecake, absorbs into the skin quickly, and leaves it feeling moisturised. Couldn't ask for more!

Accessorize Daisy Necklace - £6

I normally include my non-beauty favourites in my Currently Loving posts, but thought I'd just include this little item here. I like jewellery, but don't wear a lot of it because I always forget to. I went into Accessorize with my sister the other day because she wanted a ring, and she picked out this for me. I was surprised it wasn't more than it was, and love daisies, so decided to treat myself. It's small and sits perfectly on my collarbone, going with most of my tops. I could have bought a lot more, but will probably wait for their next sale!

What have you been loving recently?

Blanx White Shock Gel Pen and Mouthwash

Blanx White Shock Gel Pen* - 1.8ml/£10.99

Blanx White Shock Gel Pen is the whitening treatment without hydrogen peroxide that you can take anywhere! Exclusive Blanx White Shock Gel Pen formula with Actilux, the patented active that reacts to light, naturally whitening your teeth at every smile, all day long. Practical, safe, and doesn't damage tooth enamel. Apply the product directly on the enamel with the soft top of the pen. Leave for 15 minutes, then brush teeth to remove any residual gel. Repeat twice a day for 2 weeks.

I like the convenient concept of this, the shade scale it comes with, and that it caused no sensitivity. However, I didn't notice much of a difference in terms of whitening. Additionally, it was a little annoying to apply. The gel would mix with saliva, so you didn't know how much of it you were actually applying to your teeth. This also meant the soft top would get messy. Then, if you even closed your mouth a little, the gel would be removed. You don't get much product, either.

Blanx White Shock Mouthwash* - 500ml/£5.50

The only light activated Whitening Mouthwash in the world with Actilux, the innovative formula protected by two international patents. The light reactive formula of BlanX White Shock Mouthwash with Actilux removes bacteria, cleans and continues to whiten your teeth all day long. The more you smile, the whiter your teeth will get. 

I like this more, and will continue to use it. It's very refreshing and maintains a fresh breath. I'm not sure about the claims, or if it helps whiten my teeth, but it's still a good mouthwash.

Have you tried anything from Blanx?

Collective Haul

I handed in my last ever uni assignment yesterday and then panicked about my future, so today's shopping trip was much needed! I thought I'd also include some other bits I've bought recently. 

I'll start with the Primark T-Shirts dominating the photo. I mostly bought these for lounging around the house, but will probably wear them out, too. The two grey scoop neck ones were £2 each, while the rest were £3 each.

The Primark Beach Hut Pyjama Bottoms were £6. I've wanted them for a while, so thought I'd just get them today!

The Primark Cosy Socks were £2. Socks need no explanation.

The Primark Tights were £3.50. Expensive for one pair (compared to Primark's other tights), but they're the 'super silky opaque tights with 3D lycra for a perfect fit' ones which I love.

The Primark Pop-Up Laundry Hamper was £3. I also bought the Shower Curtain (£5) and Hand Towel (£3) in this design, but they're already in use! They add a pop of summer colour to the bathroom.

I then bought the Revlon Photoready Perfecting Primer (£8.99, normally £11.99) and Revlon Colourstay Concealer (£6.99) from Boots. I'm running out of my current primer and wanted to try a new one. This has mixed reviews, but so do most products, so I thought I'd try it out for myself. I also wanted to try a new concealer because the two I currently have are at opposite ends of the spectrum and I wanted something in the middle. The shade (fair) looks like a perfect match for my skin and makes one of my other concealers look orange in comparison!

The mint green/light blue sweatshirt at the bottom of the photo is from H&M and was £9.99. I prefer to keep the tops of my arms covered, but now that it's getting warmer, I can't wear jumpers. This is perfect because it's very lightweight and can be thrown on over a vest top.

The black and white aztec high waisted shorts are from New Look and were £11 down from £20, I think. They feel like great quality and were the only thing I ended up keeping from my order.

The Boston Warehouse Large Tumbler was £4.99 from TK Maxx. More than I'd usually pay for such an item, but I'd been looking for one for a while (my Primark no longer stocks them) and I loved the print.

The last things, in the top right corner, are from Poundland. I like the new Jane Asher range, so picked up the measuring cups & spoons, icecream/cake mix scoop, baking tray, baking sheet, and cake tin circles from it. The cake tin circles are so handy! I also picked up the oven glove and ice cube blocks. I already have some similar ice cube shapes and think they're so convenient. They don't dilute your drink and you can refreeze them.

What have you bought recently?

Empties #6 - Organic Surge Super Intensive Daily Moisturiser

First I finish a body butter this year, and now a moisturiser! Maybe I'll even get round to finishing a lip balm! (has anyone actually done this?). I wanted to dedicate an entire post to this empty because it's an achievement for me. I've never been big on moisturising. I'd use a new moisturiser for a couple weeks and get bored. Then I'd buy another and the same thing would happen. Organic Surge then had a sale (you can see my initial thoughts on my purchases here) and I couldn't resist the Super Intensive Daily Moisturiser for just £2.25 (down from £8.99, which is still affordable). It has taken me a year to finish, but I have been using other products, too, and I only started to regularly moisturise this year (with the motivation to look 10-15 years younger than I actually am when I'm older). This moisturiser is targeted towards dry skin, but my combination oily skin has been loving it as an over night treatment. This is because it's not greasy like other heavy duty moisturisers. It's still too heavy for me to using during the day, but works well at night. It sinks in straight away and leaves my skin feeling soft and hydrated. It's also 98.99% natural, animal friendly, and suitable for vegetarians and vegans.

Are you a fan of Organic Surge?

Decluttering My Makeup Basket #2

Before

After

The time has come to declutter my makeup basket again. If you didn't know, I have a basket on top of my beauty chest of drawers for my everyday products. Over time, this ends up being filled with much more! You can see my first Decluttering My Makeup Basket post here. Like I said there, no lip products are included here because they have their own section on my chest of drawers. They're organised in clear plastic lipstick holders, which I wrote a post about here. The eBay seller I bought them from has now lowered the price to just £2.87 including P&P!

So, many of the products that made the cut are actually the same as the ones in my first post (MUA's Cover & Conceal Concealer in Fair £1.50, The Body Shop's All in One Face Base in 02 £14, NYX's Cream Blush in Natural £5.50, ELF's Studio Eyebrow Kit in Light £3.95, Maybelline's Colour Tattoo Cream Eyeshadow in On and On Bronze £4.99, L'Oreal's Perfect Slim Super Liner £6.99, and Maybelline's The Rocket Mascara £7.99). If you want to see my thoughts on them, just head over there. I'll be talking about the others here!

I'm currently using MUA's Undress Your Skin Flawless Primer (£5) because I've used all my others. This one has a weird silicone-y feel, which is different to the gel and cream formulas I'm used to. My concealer applies smoother, though, and I haven't experienced any creasing around my eyes. Still, I haven't been blown away by it, so am on the look out for others. I currently have my eye on the Revlon and Gosh ones, so if you've used them, please let me know your thoughts.

To warm up my complexion, I've been using The Body Shop's Honey Bronzer (£13, review here). It's soft, matte, and blends well. It's also light in colour, so you don't have to worry about going overboard (it does take some building up, though).

I haven't even opened it yet, but have NYX's Powder Blush in Taupe (£6) in there. I've heard it's a great contouring shade for pale complexions.

I'm still using my favourite NYX Cream Blush in Natural (£5.50), which I talk about in the first post, but am now also using Illamasqua's Cream Blusher in Dixie (£18, review here). It's not as creamy, but is still one of the best formulas I've tried. Beautiful coral shade, pigmented, blends well, and lasts most of the day.

I'm also still using my ELF Studio Eyebrow Kit in Light (£3.95), which is one of my all time favourite products, but I've started using MUA's Clear Mascara (£1) to set it. It's cheap and it does its job!

I'm currently missing some eyelashes (sad times), so have dug out my Maybelline Eye Studio Gel Liner (£7.99) to press into my upper lash line. I've had this for a couple years now, so was surprised it hadn't dried up! It's pigmented and lasts throughout the day.

What products are currently in your everyday routine?