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Charlottes Collection | Leeds UK Blog : Fashion | Beauty | Lifestyle




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.



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Beauty Blog Review Products Used Up
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)

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Beauty Blogger Products I've Used Up Empties
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!


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This is a very late post on the 1st Birthday edition of the Glossybox, but I wanted to get something up to show you what I got before the June box arrives!  The reason this post is so late is that I was feeling a little uninspired by the May box, and from reading other reviews this month I don't think I'm the only one.  I little disappointing after having few really good boxes recently, I suppose we all just had high hopes for the one year anniversary box!

The Noble Isle Bath & Shower gel does smell lovely, quite citrusy, though the scent is described as elderflower and gooseberry.  Nothing to get excited about, and with a full size bottle coming in at around the £20 not something I can imagine myself repurchasing!  Still, this will come in handy when I'm on holiday.  I don't like receiving these type of perfume samples in beauty boxes, I think that if we're paying for something the quality should be a bit better and these literally are the sample types that you can pick up from a perfume counter without even having to ask.  Both the Lolita Lempicka scents are nice, L'Eay en Blanc being very fresh, like fresh laundry and Si Lolita being more spicy.  I'm not sure either are quite my perfect scent however.  I'm not a massive fake eyelash wearer, I love the effect but am crap at applying them.  I must say I'm little freaked out that the Let's Go Lashes are 100% human hair... I wouldn't think twice about human hair extension but something about it being near eye feels a little strange!  I'll probably use these one day though!

Weleda is a brand that I'm quite pleased see in the Glossybox, though I was a little disappointed by not really knowing what this Wild Rose product is!  There is no english to be found anywhere on the packaging and the Glossybox product list wasn't very helpful either.  The little moon symbol on the packaging suggests this is some kind of night cream?  The consistency is quite thick, almost greasy, so I'm not really sure I'll be using it on my face.  The sample size is so small that I think I'm just going to carry it in my handbag to use up on my hands.  It is very moisturising though so I'm looking forward to using it up.

My favourite product of the box was the Uniqone All in One Hair Treatment.  A leave in mask that offers 10 benefits that hair needs and I must say I've enjoyed using it so much I've used up the whole sample!  I'm not sure about all the '10 benefits' but it definitely helps me brush out my tangled hair after a shower and it definitely leave my hair very soft.  I'm actually going to be purchasing a full size bottle!

So, other than the Uniqone product, this months Glossybox was a bit 'bleh' for me, even despite the extra gesture of a handy little compact mirror!

Are you subscribed to any beauty boxes?  What did you think of this months Glossybox.  Did any of you get the HD Brows Grow Baby Grow?  It looks quite interesting, I'm always on the look out for something to thicken up my sparse light brows!!

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Another Glossybox Post!  Woo?!  I'm starting to feel conflicted over the Glossybox posts, I can't help feeling slightly bored by them but at the same time I still  get very excited when the postman brings this box of surprises and I'm always very intrigued to see what everyone else received!  Let me know what you think about these posts, are you getting fed up of seeing them pop up in your reading list?

Anyway, onto the products!  I don't think I was the only to find this box a bit 'blah'.  But like it seems to turn out with most other months products, I think I'll get quite a lot use out of each in this months box!

DuWop Venom Gloss:  I'm not someone to wear a lot of lip product but if we're to get a lipgloss I'm glad to have received a nice sheer neutral like this shade, buttercup.  Apparently famous for lip plumping, though I've not actually heard of this brand before, I'm not sure I've noticed anything in that department, but it certainly does sting!

Paul Mitchell Super Skinny Relaxing Balm:  I love my self a good frizz controlling serum!  I also love wearing my hair wavy at the moment though, so haven't actually got round to using this product geared at relaxing wavy - curly hair.  I am really looking forward to using this product however!

Como Shambhala Invigorate Body Lotion:  My first thoughts were 'oh boring, another body lotion'!  I wasn't impressed at all with January's offerings in this category.  This eucalyptus, geranium, lavender and peppermint concoction is a lot more impressive, it totally reminds me of Neil's Yard products!  Still, not massively exciting though.  Another product I'll be saving for my hand luggage.

Dr Bronner Magic Liquid Soap:  I've spotted Dr Bronner in American Apparel, but never purchased... had no idea what it was actually for!  I still don't really, though think it's primarily a shower gel, though can be used on hair, face and even for softening water in the washing machine!

BM Beauty Pure Mineral Eyeshadow:  I was really disappointed with the shade I was given!  Luck of the draw right?  Oh well.  Along with the colour not being very 'me' I find that I never actually use loose pigment eyeshadows.  No matter how pretty they they look in the container, I just find them a pain to use!


Are you guys subscribed to a beauty box?  What do you think of the products in this months Glossybox?



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How to Hair Heat Free WavesHow to Hair Heat Free Waves BloggerHow to Hair Heat Free Waves BloggerHow to Hair Heat Free Waves Blogger

I feel like I'm constantly in the midst of my 'Hair Conservation Project', what I named my continued quest to rid myself of split ends!  I've recently decided to use minimal heat as possible, which has meant having to be a little more creative when trying to create loose waves!  

Here's my current routine:
(bearing in mind my hair does have a bit of a natural wave to it, and isn't the thickest so dries quite quickly)
  • Shampoo and heavily condition the ends
  • Run some serum through the length of the damp hair
  • Blow dry the roots, gently blasting the rest of length - all on a cool setting
  • While the ends are still damp separate the hair into sections
  • Twist! Into what I can only describe as a mixture of dreadlocks/ ringlets
  • Continue twisting until hair is dry (or as long as you can face wait)
Additional step if you're going somewhere special
  • Spritz with a heat protectant spray
  • Curl a few strands with straighteners or curling wand to add a bit more definition.

In other news it was my birthday yesterday!  Thank you to all my friends and family that sent me cards and pressies, and everyone who sent me lovely birthday wishes, texts and messages on facebook and twitter!  I had a really quiet one, mainly because I was full of cold and felt pretty rubbish.  Chris ended up taking me for a lovely meal though, we went to a Greek restaurant.  Yum!

I'm currently every so slightly obsessed with Game of Thrones, I'm reading the second book on the kindle at the moment.  This bronze H&M jumper seriously reminds me of chain mail... which is kinda the fashion in the books!   The jumper is made of a really heavy, almost metallic type material.  It's not exactly warm, with the amount of holes it's got in it, but I love the colour and the really baggy fit.

H&M Jumper  |  Follie Folli Bracelet  |  Can't remember where the ring is from - sorry!



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This is my first ever monthly favourites post!  I get so much inspiration for new products from reading these posts on other peoples blogs, but it's only just occurred to me to share mine!

01.  I bought the Tangle Teezer about two weeks ago and have not looked back since!  Now that my hair is getting quite long, and with it being in pretty bad condition this little baby has been an absolute life saver throughout November.  It really does quickly and gently get out any those pesky knots!

02.  The good old classic Carmex has helped my lips with that nasty transition from summer to winter that always usually makes my lips horrendously chapped.  I've also been appreciating the menthol smell, it's been quite soothing while I've had a bit of a cold recently!

03.  If you read my Weekly Wrap Ups or follow me on instagram, you may have noticed that I've stuck to one nail varnish recently, Models Own Juicy Jules!  I love the disco ball effect of this nail varnish and have had it on my nail constantly, either alone or layered with greys, purples and pinks!

04.  After wanting to try the well known branded Moroccan Oil but not being able to bring myself to spending an absolute fortune, I quickly snapped up this little bottle of Argan Magic when I spotted it in TK Maxx for around only £12!  My hair is pretty dry and damaged at the moment, but after applying this sparingly to the ends of my hair twice a week, it's slowly starting to look healthier and tonnes shinier!  The best thing is I can't see this running out for ages.  Definitely a good buy!

05.  I received a gift voucher from Leeds' beautiful Victoria Quarter for this write up on one of their many fabulous events a while back.  After a lot of umming and ahhing I decided to treat myself to the Laura Mercier tinted moisturiser.  I'm not a massive foundation wearer, only really on nights out, so after reading rave reviews about this tinted moisturiser I thought it would be the best solution for my oily and breakout prone skin.  I bought it in September and wasn't convinced at first, I thought it was greasy and smelt funny!  However I turned back to it this month and love it!  The oil soon disappears and leaves my skin looking glowing and nicely covered.  You soon get used to the strange smell too!

06.  When picking up the tinted moisturiser I spotted the Baked Eye Colour in Black Karat, literally winking at me at the counter!  It was such a stunning shimmery khaki colour that I couldn't resist buying myself it.  It's been absolute favourite 'go-to' eyeshadow throughout November.  The colour is so amazing rich when used wet and perfectly suits the metallic trends around at the moment, however my favourite way of using it came about because of my laziness!  Running late for a night out I'd just finished contouring my face and just decided to quickly sweep some bronzer over my eyelids and be done with it, this looked a bit pants so I tried to fix it by roughly sweeping Black Karat over the top, it looked so good that I've been wearing the look non stop all month!



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Hello!

I'm Charlotte, welcome to my blog.

I'm a mummy and instagram obsessive, trying to blog when my little allows!

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