Charlottes Collection | Leeds UK Blog : Fashion | Beauty

I'm trying to be a bit more conscious of using up the contents of my beauty collection at the moment - living in my parent's spare bedroom means I don't have that much space to store any beauty newbies, and I suppose the more I use up now the less stuff I have to transport to the new house in two weeks!

The Aussie Take the Heat shampoo is one of my favourites, I think that Aussie are just an all round great brand and always leaves my hair feeling clean and in great condition. Aussie is always a brand for shampoo and conditioner. I've blogged about the No7 Melting Gel Cleanser in the past, the hydrating formula has done wonders for my skin in this harsh transition period into winter. I would use this most days, replaced by an exfoliator once or twice a week for that deeper clean.

Another staple product of mine, that I've used for years, is the Neutrogena Oil-Free Make-Up Remover. I love this for taking off eye make-up quickly and easily. A couple of swipes using a couple of cotton wool pads removes the majority of my make-up, prepping the skin for a final cleanse. The Neutrogena Oil -Free Make-Up Remover also leaves my skin nicely moisturised if used as a final step.

St Tropez Self Tan is pretty standard. I've not used any kind of fake tan in a while, but as the tan from my September trip to Malta has well and truly faded I thought I'd use up the last little bit up in this small bottle. I love the colour that you get from using St Tropez but I do feel it dries out my skin more than I'd like. The Soap & Glory Moisturising Mist nicely countered that though, and smells amazing!!

The YSL Forever Youth Liberator Serum was an absolute pleasure to use, I got this tiny sample in a Glossybox and totally forgot to use at the time. Unfortunately it's just a tiny bit outside of my budget to purchase anytime soon! Uniq One All in One Hair Treatment was another Glossybox sample, from a long time ago. I absolutely loved this product, it was an a savour on days when my hair was seriously knotty after a shower! I'd definitely repurchase this one.

The Maybelline Dream Fresh BB Cream is one of my favourite budget BB creams. Although I've found it doesn't blend too well with a brush, if you're happy to use your fingers this 8-in1 BB cream gives a lovely natural finish that covers imperfections and lasts a fairly decent amount of time - even on oily skin like mine! I go through this stuff quite quickly but for the price (roughly £6 - £7 depending on where you get it from) it's not that big a deal.

Twitter | facebook | bloglovin' | hellocotton | LOOKBOOK | Instagram

Beauty Blogger Products I've Used Up Empties

I've been working hard for you guys lately, using up products to bring you reviews! It's a hard life :) Here is the latest bundle of products that I've managed to empty.

A lot of my recent empties have a bit of a hair theme. First off, the Aussie Miracle Hair Insurance is one of those products that gets repurchased time and time again by me. I don't know how I manage it but I manage to tie my hair in knots in the shower, this product os the best for detangling. It smells great and leaves my hair in great condition. The Avon Advance Techniques Dry Ends Serum is another product that I've been using regularly for years, around 15 years +! It's mum that got me onto this little beauty, she swears by it. This serum makes dry ends appear smoother, softer, conditioned and shinier.

The more disappointing hair products in the bunch were the Lush Retread and Phil Smith Dry Clean. I didn't actually use up the Lush Retread, more like find it in the back of the cupboard when I was having a clear out! I washed out the remainder of the tub as I really didn't get on with it. You can read my full review here though. Unfortunately I didn't get to try The Phil Smith Dry Shampoo all that much, I received this in a Joliebox (I think) and I must have received a faulty one. I used it once or twice, and then came to use it one morning to find nozzle full of powder! It must have malfunctioned, but anyway the can was empty so that was the end of that! It was ok, not that memorable. I'll stick to my Batiste I think.

I absolutely loved the Elemis Fresh Skin Exfoliating Face Wash, I've not yet repurchased a full size after finishing this sample - I've just had so many other face washes to finish up first. You can ready my original review here. The Dead Sea Spa Magik Cleansing Facial Wash is one of those cleansers I've been using. It really leaves you feeling squeaky clean - though it did sting my eyes a bit if I got a bit in there by accident.

I was handed the Rituals T'ai Chi Foaming Shower Gel sample as I was walking by the store. The White Lotus and Green Tea smell is so fresh and stunning, it was a real luxurious experiencing using this shower gel. The gel itself is rich, thick and creamy - a joy! Another joy to use was the This Works: Perfect Hands. I got this purely for the smell - rose is the main scent and it's my favourite. The cream is non-greasy and only leaves my hands super soft, it also evens out out coloration - red patches faded quicker, I imagine it being great for older skin as it's aimed at reducing the appearance of dark spots.

Have you tried any of these products? Let me know your thoughts!

Twitter | facebook | bloglovin' | hellocotton | LOOKBOOK | Instagram

I'm really pleased I've managed to finish quite a few products recently! Not only because I've got so many more products waiting in the wings to take their place and be tried properly, but also because it means I'm in the best position to bring you guys an honest review!

It's probably a bit sad to say, but the product I've most enjoyed using out of this bunch was the Original Source Orange and Cinnamon shower gel! Over Christmas I've been loving the traditional spiced scents... I wish they sold this seasonal Edition year round! The other really great products from the group are the Avène Skin Recovery Cream (review) and the Bioderma Make-Up Remover (review). I've repurchased these numerous times now - what more can I say!

A nice simple product, and very affordable, is the Neutrogena Hydrating Spot Treatment. Though it wasn't always hydrating enough to serve as my sole moisturiser, it did feel like it was working hard trying to clear any breakouts.

The Clinique Moisture Surge was recommended to me by a Clinique lady - who first got me into thinking that my oily skin was due to dehydration. This is lovely moisturiser, it did make my skin feel a lot more hydrated, it was as if my skin was just drinking it up. It didn't prevent my skin from becoming oily however - which why I bought it, so I'll be trying other things for now, but the moisture surge is definitely something I'll pick up again in future. The Clinique Pore Minimizer was also a good product. A little goes a long way so this tiny tube actually lasted quite a while! Similar to Benefit's Porefessional in texture and results, the only thing preventing me re-purchasing this (or Clinique's reformulated version) is the price!

Price is a big factor when it comes to my view on the Estée Lauder Advanced Night Repair Eye Recovery Complex. I think the price was what put me off using this as often as I should have... it felt so lovely and soothing every time I applied it before bed, but because I saw it as a luxury I didn't apply it religiously and so didn't notice that much of a difference with my fine lines. Doh!

There wasn't anything wrong with the Toni & Guy Frizz Smoothing Curl Conditioner. I just didn't notice much more of a curl to my naturally wavy hair, and because I didn't find it moisturising enough to replace my usual conditioner, I just don't think it'll make it on to my re-purchase list.

As for the Elizabeth Arden Eight Hour Cream Lip Protectant Stick SPF15, what can I say, it's a staple product that everyone should own - I've owned quite few and can't live without it, summer or winter! (Review)

Twitter | facebook | bloglovin' | LOOKBOOK | Instagram

I've been hoarding empty bottles like a crazy person the last few weeks so that once I had a good amount I could let you guys know my thoughts. I most appreciate reading these types of posts myself. You get a true opinion from someone who has used up every bit of the product, more so than the 'I've being using this product a week now' posts... just saying.

Well, I thought I'd start with the fun stuff, products I'd definitely repurchase! I actually got the Soap & Glory Righteous Butter in a gift set well over a year ago, but only started using it this summer, having so many body creams to get through! What can I say, it smells lovely and just does the job nicely. I love using it on damp skin just after the shower, it really locks in the moisture. The same goes for Burt's Bees Milk & Honey Body Lotion. I was so upset when I ran out of this sample (received in a Glossybox - post here). The body lotion is pretty much as thick as body butter, and incredibly nourishing.

The Tresemmé Glossing Spray with Argan Oil has been a joy to use and I'll definitely buy it again. I won't pretend that the Argan Oil did anything to improve the condition of my hair, but using this prior to blowdrying, and again as a finishing spray did leave my hair lovely and glossy! Tresemmé is always very affordable too, so even better

Liz Earle Cleanse and Polish, I don't even know how many times I've repurchased this product... a lot! Used with the muslin cloth it really does remove all traces of makeup and leave skin soft and smooth. You can read a full review of this, and a few other Liz Earle products, here. Despite all this I haven't actually repurchased this yet, I'm currently trying another hot cloth cleanser at the moment - so watch out for a review of that!

Another product I'm yet to review fully is the L'Oréal Nude Magique BB Cream. I've completely used this up and already repurchased! Though I'm slightly worried, I picked up my second tube in TK Maxx... don't products usually end up there if they've been discontinued?! I hope that's not the case with this product. Though I really enjoyed it, the one thing I thought was a bit dubious was the 'white to your skin colour' formula, gimmick much? You soon forget about this though and this worked really well for me as a BB Cream. Keep an eye out for a full review!

I have already reviewed the the No7 Beautiful Skin BB Cream - check out the review here. This is my second tube and I'm definitely going to be repurchasing, though next time I might try the lighter version - the medium is just that little bit dark for me now my summer tan has started to fade!

The products I wouldn't bother with again (at least for now) are the No7 Protect and Perfect Intense. Now don't get me wrong, this is a really nice beauty serum (and I actually have a second bottle in my collection) but I didn't notice any life changing effect and there are a few others that I would prefer to try first! This is my second tube of La Roche-Posay Effaclar M, after my first tube (read the full review here) I said I wouldn't bother repurchasing this moisturiser, but I obviously don't take my advise because when my skin got particularly oily again I thought I'd give it another go! I just found that I needed a more intense moisturiser, so think this will be my last tube of this formula. I'll be trying more from La Roche-Posay though.

The one product I'm umm-ing and ahh-ing about is the Caudalíe Beauty Elixer, in my full review I mentioned I enjoyed using the Elixer and loved the refreshing feel this brought on a morning, though I didn't see any real benefits to my skin. However, I'm going to France at the beginning of December... so you never what I might come back with!

Have you tried any of these products? What did you think?

I'm giving away some gorgeous studded boots from cloggs.co.uk! Click here to enter!

Twitter | facebook | bloglovin' | LOOKBOOK | Instagram

As I'm sure you can see, I'm down to my very last drop of Clinique take the day off makeup remover for lids, lashes & lips. I actually got this sample sized bottle in a Clinique Bonus Time Gift bag. While wondering when the next Bonus Time was, so that I could repurchase this product and get some lovely little freebies, I realised that if I like this product enough to buy the full sized version then why not let you guys know what I think about it!

Take The Day Off is great at removing every last trace of makeup, even heavy duty mascara and eyeliners, with perfect ease. I don't really wear much lipstick, but it would definitely also do the same job there. Even though I really know you shouldn't, I have been known to rub away at my eyes when I've been tired, just to get my makeup off quickly before bed. However this just isn't necessary with Take The Day Off. Thanks to the two-way formula, all you have to do is shake well and using cotton wool hold it to your lids for about 10 seconds, wipe very gently and voilà! Every last scrap of makeup is gone! The best bit about this product is that it doesn't irritate my skin in the slightest, even if it gets into my eye! I'm prone to dry skin around my eyes and they can be pretty sensitive at times but I feel comfortable using this every single night, the formula even leaves the skin around my eyes feeling soft and slightly moisturised.

So, I'm definitely heading down to House of Fraser in Leeds between May 12th and 28th to pick up this eye makeup remover as well as the Clinique Bonus Time gift. As Clinique themselves say, 'Clinique Bonus is a great time to discover what's new and your time to receive a great free gift filled with new products, classic favourites and exclusive items only available during Clinique Bonus.' Click here find out the dates and locations of the Bonus Time offers near you!

twitter