Beauty at 40 and Beyond

You Beauty Discovery Box - August 2014

noreply@blogger.com (Beautyat40andbeyond) — Thu, 21 Aug 2014 13:20:00 +0000

Firstly, apologies for this very late post. I received my You Beauty Discovery Box at the beginning of the month but, what with it being the school holidays, I just haven't had time to get this list written until now!

The theme for August is Summer Essentials.
There were several items I wanted this month. I almost chose the Louise Galvin Treatment Masque but it didn't state which hair type it was for so I didn't risk it. The Eucerin Mattifying Face Fluid also looked good but because I'm not going on holiday I decided against it.

The first item I chose was JustBe Hydrated Hydrating Serum 10ml RRP £11.65.
This serum should be applied twice daily onto cleansed skin and is supposed to provide skin with an instant feeling of firmness and improved elasticity. At my age, if it works, then it's a thumbs up from me! I've never used this brand before so I am looking forward to trying this out.

The second item I chose was Gazelli Skincare Triple Youth with White Oil Duo each 5ml total RRP £16.
Again, not a brand I have encountered before. The serum is to be used twice a day and the moisturiser over the top of the serum. Again they are supposedly anti-ageing products. Yay!

The box also contained 4 extra items:
Jimmy Choo Eau De Parfum 2ml sample
Jimmy Choo Man Eau De Toilette 2ml sample
FaceD 3-Luronics face cream serum
4 way nail buffer.

The products I chose had a value of £27.65 and that's not including the 4 extras listed above. I think that is great value from a box that costs just £6.95 delivered to your door!

What did you choose this month?

Thanks for reading.
Enjoy the rest of your day.
Take care,
CJ xx

**purchased with my own money

Recipe Challenge: Custard Cream Biscuits

noreply@blogger.com (Beautyat40andbeyond) — Fri, 15 Aug 2014 14:58:00 +0000

Seeing as the new series of The Great British Bake Off started last week, I decided that for this weeks recipe challenge I would do some baking. A few weeks ago one of the bloggers I regularly read made some Custard Creams, from "Feast" by Nigella Lawson, so I decided to give them a go because I had never made them before.

If you have a food processor, then they are so quick and easy to make. Basically you put all the ingredients - flour, custard powder, sugar, butter and shortening - into a food processor and whizz until it resembles breadcrumbs. Then you add the egg and milk until it combines to a dough. Pop the dough into the fridge for 20 minutes to firm up and then roll out. Cut out into whichever shape you choose and pop onto a baking sheet.

Then prick out a pretty pattern on each biscuit if you wish and bake in the oven for 15 minutes.

While they are cooking you can whizz up the custard cream icing, again in the food processor. Just pop in the icing sugar, custard powder, butter and boiled water and within a minute you have a lovely custard cream filling.

Once the biscuits are cooled, sandwich 2 biscuits together with the filling mixture and voila - yummy homemade custard creams!

Nigella makes her biscuits in a heart shape and says this recipe makes 15 biscuits. I used a fluted circular cutter and made 34 biscuits from mine! Obviously mine are smaller but psychologically I think eating 2 small biscuits is better than 1 large one because it feels more of a treat!

I don't have Nigella's book but I found the recipe on the lovely blog The Amber Spyglass and you can find the full recipe, including ingredients list here.

VERDICT:

Would I bake these again? Yes, yes, yes!

My family gave these a 3.5 out of 4 thumbs up. I loved the biscuits texture, much more "melt in the mouth" than shop bought ones. They were a real winner and I have already made 2 more batches. They are simple to make and delicious. I have since passed on this recipe to 2 friends who have also loved them.

I am really enjoying doing this recipe challenge because we are trying something new each week. What have you baked this week?

Thanks for reading.

Enjoy the rest of your day.

Take care,

CJ xx

Quick Heads Up! Alpha-H TSV on QVC UK Tuesday 19th August

noreply@blogger.com (Beautyat40andbeyond) — Thu, 14 Aug 2014 16:02:00 +0000

Today I received a postcard through the post from QVC with details of their Alpha-H TSV which launches this Tuesday 19th August at midnight.

The TSV is called the Alpha-H 3 Piece Fresh Skin Anti-Ageing Essentials Collection.

It contains the following products:

Protection Plus Daily SPF 50+ 50ml, a 3 in 1 moisturiser, sunshield and make up primer which helps diminish the appearance of wrinkles.
Liquid Gold 100ml, a powerful treatment which works to revitalise tired and ageing skin while you sleep.
Micro Cleanse 100ml, an invigorating exfoliant which helps banish signs of fatigue with cooling cucumber and refreshing mint.

Their postcard doesn't state the TSV price but I'm thinking around the £30 plus P&P (but don't quote me on that!).

Will you be buying it? I'm undecided at present. I do use Liquid Gold and I do like the sound of the other 2 products but I still have lots of skincare in my stash already... No doubt I shall watch the programme and be convinced that I NEED it all!

Thanks for reading.
Enjoy the rest of your day.
Take care,
CJ xx

Empties: Items I've Used Up in July 2014

noreply@blogger.com (Beautyat40andbeyond) — Mon, 11 Aug 2014 11:41:00 +0000

First up is make up. I rarely have any make up empties because a) it lasts for ages and b) I have so much make up, I am always chopping and changing so never finish anything!

Laura Geller Balance N Brighten Foundation in shade Porcelain (RRP £28)
Would I repurchase? Yes, I have lots in my stash already!
This is my go to foundation and has been for several years. It is so easy to use because it is a baked powder formula and seems to last for ages. I keep thinking about changing to a liquid foundation because I feel it may be better for my fine lines but I really don't like the feel of liquid foundation on my skin. Perhaps I just haven't found the right one for me so, for now, this is my Holy Grail.

Elf Wet Gloss Lash & Brow Clear Mascara (RRP £1.95)
Would I repurchase? Perhaps.
I wasn't that bothered about the mascara side but perhaps that would be ideal for younger girls who aren't able to wear mascara to school. The brow side was fine and I did use it to set my brows. It didn't "wow" me but it did an okay job and at under £2 I can't complain. My only reason for perhaps not repurchasing is because I can only order online and unless I place a large order I would have to pay postage which bumps up the price.

Next up are my skin care empties.

Omorovicza Refining Facial Polisher (RRP £65 for 100ml)
Would I repurchase? No.
Since I've been using an exfoliant toner, I no longer use facial scrubs but I received this little sample so I gave it a try. It smelled lovely. It reminded me of Radox bath salts or Badedas bubble bath, a nice clean, fresh smell. It's green in colour which is a tad worrying when it is applied but it left my skin feeling clean and refreshed. The reason for not repurchasing is not down to the product, but down to the price!!! If I am going to spend £65 on a skin care item, it would be a moisturiser, serum or eye cream but not a scrub.

Pixi Skintreats Glow Tonic (RRP £16)
Would I repurchase? Yes and already have.
I have been using this for over a year now and it really seems to help keep my skin bright and I rarely exfoliate with scrubs since using this. My "Holy Grail" that I don't want to be without. The packaging has now changed and the new bottle doesn't have a pump. Luckily I still have one with a pump which I shall probably decant into because I do find it better.

Balance Me Balancing Face Moisturiser (RRP £24 for 50ml)
Would I repurchase? No.
Nothing wrong with the product, just not rich enough for my skin. I think it's probably better suited to an oily skin rather than my normal to combination skin. Did stop the shine on my forehead though. I just need more moisture on my cheeks.

Archeia Rose Rejuvenating Cream (RRP £47.99)
Would I repurchase? No.
I decided to choose a little 5ml sample of this in my You Beauty Discovery box last month. The main reason being was, because it is so expensive, I wanted to know why! Well this pot lasted just 1 week - 10 days and it didn't wow me at all. On the plus side, the rose scent wasn't string and overpowering, it was quite subtle. However at almost £50 for a 15ml pot. (I think that's the size - their site doesn't say!?), it would have to work miracles for me to repurchase.

Onto hair products:

Herbal Essences Bee Strong Strengthening Shampoo & Conditioner (RRP £3.99 for 400ml)
Would I repurchase? Yes, already have bought the conditioner and will buy the shampoo once my stash is depleted!
I believe I got these samples sachets inside a magazine. I was very impressed with them. They smell lovely and the conditioner left my hair soft and shiny. A winner from me!

Avon Advanced Techniques Celloshine Treatment
Would I repurchase? Discontinued
I wouldn't repurchase even if I could! It said it was a hair treatment but did no more than a normal conditioner and not even a good one at that!

Finally, my bodycare empties:

Original Source Vanilla Milk & Raspberry Shower Cream (RRP £2.30)
Would I repurchase? No.
I usually love Original Source shower gels but not this one. It's fine if you like smelling of a raspberry milkshake, but I favour a slightly more sophisticated smell! I guess the clue was in the name of it. I love the smell of vanilla and I like the smell of raspberry, but together in a shower gel was not for me.

Champneys Spa Indulgence Distant Shores Body Scrub (RRP £10 for 200g)
Would I repurchase? No.
I did quite the scent of this but I felt I needed to use a lot in order to get a decent scrub. Therefore it is not very economical so for that reason I wouldn't repurchase.

Dove Visible Effects Body Lotion
Would I repurchase? Discontinued??
I did like this lotion. It was a free sample I received a whole ago and I felt it moisturised well and smelt nice too. Unfortunately I cannot find it for sale anywhere so perhaps it has been discontinued.

Ellie Saab Le Parfum L'Eau Couture (RRP £31 for 30ml)
Would I repurchase? Perhaps.
This was a nice enough perfume, not my usual scent. I wouldn't go out of my way to purchase it, but if I had it bought for me, then I would happily wear it.

So out of my 12 product empties this month, I had 3 Hits, 5 Misses, 2 Maybes and 2 discontinued. Hmmm, not a very good hit rate there, but then aren't we always on the search for our "Holy Grail" perfect product?

Thanks for reading.
Enjoy your day.
Take care,
CJ xx

Recipe Challenge: Hit 'N' Run Traybaked Chicken

noreply@blogger.com (Beautyat40andbeyond) — Sat, 09 Aug 2014 05:25:00 +0000

The recipe I chose for Week 2 of my recipe challenge was from Save With Jamie by Jamie Oliver. The recipe I chose was Hit 'N' Run Traybaked Chicken.

It is a very quick and easy recipe. You basically cut all the vegetables into large wedges, add unpeeled garlic cloves, sprinkle over the herbs and spices, drizzle with oil and balsamic vinegar, toss and ensure the chicken thighs are placed on top for roasting. Cooks in about an hour, and baste occasionally.

Here is Jamie's photo:

And here is my version:

VERDICT:
Would I cook it again? Unlikely. We have given this 2 out of 4 "thumbs up".
All four of us gave this a neutral halfway thumb! (Each recipe scores 1 point for a thumbs up, 0.5 for a halfway and 0 for a thumbs down!). None of us hated it but nobody loved it either. If I had this served to me, I would eat it, but I wouldn't go out of my way to cook it again because, in my opinion, there are much nicer recipes out there. Sorry Jamie!

We served this with crusty Tiger bread which was the best bit! Sadly not homemade!

I won't post the recipe here for copyright reasons, but you can find it on Page 100 of the Save With Jamie recipe book or online here.

Have you cooked anything new this week? Although this recipe wasn't a hit with my family, I am enjoying trying something new. What to cook next week...?

Thanks for reading.
Enjoy the rest of your day.
Take care,
CJ xx

Magazine Freebies! August 2014 (Part 2)

noreply@blogger.com (Beautyat40andbeyond) — Fri, 08 Aug 2014 15:52:00 +0000

Just a very quick post because, since posting my first August 2014 magazine freebie blog post earlier this week, I have found another freebie that you may be interested in!

This free gift is with Company magazine, priced at £2.60, and is out now. The free gift is a Company Thick & Thin Felt Eyeliner. It looked like it was in black. I didn't go for this freebie because I rarely use eyeliner. I couldn't see a value stated on the front of the magazine.

I did buy Marie Claire magazine with the free Ghost Eclipse Fragrance. It is 3ml and comes in a cute rollerball. Details and a pic are on my earlier post here! I'm also still undecided about getting the REN free gift with Instyle.

It appears the freebies are a bit thinner in the ground this month, unless I have missed any.

Thanks for reading.
Enjoy the rest of your day.
Take care,
CJ xx

Magazine Freebies! August 2014 (Part 1)

noreply@blogger.com (Beautyat40andbeyond) — Mon, 04 Aug 2014 15:29:00 +0000

Yes, it's that time again - magazine freebies!
So far I've only managed to find 2 freebies, but I shall post if I discover any more.

First up is the September issue of Instyle magazine, out now and priced at £3.90.
This comes with a little REN kit worth £12.
The kit comprises of:
Evercalm Day Cream 10ml
Vita Minerals Active 7 Eye Gel 3ml
Evercalm Cleansing Milk 10ml

UPDATE: I have been told some people cannot find Instyle with the free REN gift but all those who did get one saw them in Tesco. I am wondering if this freebie is exclusive to Tesco so please bear this in mind if you want it and have troubling finding it. Thanks.

I saw this magazine and the freebie when I was grocery shopping this morning and I "ummed and ahhed" and decided not to get it until I checked my stash. I've still not checked my stash yet, but I really wish I had bought it now!

The other freebie this month is with Marie Claire magazine, out on the 7th August. This magazine is also £3.90 and comes with a handbag sized Ghost fragrance. I have no idea of the exact size, but I think I shall be purchasing this.
UPDATE: I've have now bought this magazine so I can confirm that it is 3ml and comes in a cute rollerball - see pic below.

Sorry that I've not managed to find any more freebies just yet but fingers crossed there will be some more.
2ND UPDATE: I have since found another freebie! Details on my Part 2 blog post here!

Have you found any others? Please let me know.

Thanks for reading.
Take care,
CJ xx

Quick Heads Up! Clinique Bonus Time at Boots UK 31st July - 16th August 2014

noreply@blogger.com (Beautyat40andbeyond) — Fri, 01 Aug 2014 06:24:00 +0000

Just in case you are a Clinique fan and haven't heard already, there is a free gift with a £50 spend at Boots stores in the UK now until 16th August 2014. It is also available at Boots online!

The gift comprises of:
Cosmetics bag
Nail enamel in Pinkini
Mascara
Dramatically DifferentMoisturiser
Liquid Facial soap
Moisture Surge CC cream
Moisture Surge Extended Thirst Relief

Will you be going for it? What will you buy?

Have a great day.
Take care,
CJ xx

Recipe Challenge: Chicken Pie with Stuffing Pastry

noreply@blogger.com (Beautyat40andbeyond) — Thu, 31 Jul 2014 06:00:00 +0000

For week 1 of my Recipe challenge series I chose a recipe from The Way I Cook by Lisa Faulkner. The recipe I went for was Chicken Pie with Stuffing Pastry.

The stuffing pastry is made by smoothing a layer of stuffing over one half of the rolled out puff pastry, twice the size of the pie dish.

Then fold over the left half onto the right side and gentle roll down to form a seal.
The filling is basically a creamy chicken and mushroom filling and is a great way to use up leftover cooked chicken.

Here is Lisa's photo of her pie:

And here is my pie:

VERDICT:
Would I cook it again? Yes, I will give this 3.5 out of 4 "thumbs up".
In our family, whenever I cook something new we have a "thumbs system". If they like it, it gets a thumbs up, if they dislike it, obviously it's a thumbs down, and if they think it's okay, then it is a neutral halfway thumb! There are 4 of us in our family and for this recipe there
were 3 thumbs up and one neutral, hence the score of 3.5. Clear as mud, eh? But hey, it works for us!

A couple of points to note; I did double the amount of stock that Lisa specified in the recipe because I felt there wasn't enough sauce in the filling for us. Also, next time I make it, I will probably use a quarter less of the stuffing mix because the stuffing layer was a tad too thick for our taste.

Sorry but for copyright reasons I cannot publish her recipe here, but if you are interested in trying this recipe, it can be found online here. If you want to purchase her book, it is available here and you'll find this recipe on page 17.

What do you think of my pie? Did I do Lisa's recipe justice? Have you cooked anything new this week? I really enjoyed trying a new recipe and look forward to trying a different one next week.

Thanks for reading.
Enjoy the rest of your day.
Take care,
CJ xx

Review & Swatches: Makeup Revolution Baked Eyeshadows in Chocolate Deluxe

noreply@blogger.com (Beautyat40andbeyond) — Tue, 29 Jul 2014 20:08:00 +0000

It's been a couple of weeks since I received my Makeup Revolution order and I have had time to have a good play with them so here is my first review.
The first item I have chosen to review is the small Baked Eyeshadows palette in Chocolate Deluxe.

The packaging of this palette isn't as nice looking as some of their larger palettes, it is just plastic with a clear lid and no mirror, but it costs just £2.50 so I think this can be forgiven and it's certainly not a deal breaker for me.

The palette contains 5 eyeshadows. They are not named but there are 2 pale shimmery pinks which are very similar but one is slighter warmer than the other, a deep pink, and two chocolate browns, one slighter bronzer than the other, see swatches above. There is some fall out but not too much considering the cost.

The joy of baked eyeshadows is that they can be used both wet and dry. Above is a swatch of them wet. As you can see it makes a more intense colour.

When I try a new brand I like to do a longevity test and when I first use a palette I do not use any primer so that I can see how well it lasts on its own.
Here are the shadows applied, dry:

I found they applied easily and I was pleased with how they looked.
However, 10 hours later...

I was so disappointed to see the shadow had creased and had almost disappeared. Then I realised the price of the eyeshadows, which works out at 50 pence per colour, and thought what did I expect?! Anyway, determined not to be defeated, the next day I applied the same eyeshadows, but this time I first primed my eye lids with Urban Decay's Primer Potion.
This is the result after 10 hours with primer...

Wow! What a difference a primer makes! I really do like the shades in this palette and, if applied over a primer, then I think this is a lovely little palette and well worth the £2.50 price tag. I haven't tried them wet yet, so perhaps they will last longer on their own once applied wet. Makeup Revolution Baked Eyeshadows can be purchased from their website here or from Superdrug. There are currently 5 different baked eyeshadow palettes available.

I am really impressed with this range and look forward to reviewing the rest of my purchases from them.
Have you tried this range? Do you have any recommendations?

Thanks for reading.
Enjoy the rest of your day.
And, as usual, take care!
CJ xx

**puchased with my own money

First Impressions & Swatches: Laura Geller Tuscan Sun Collection

noreply@blogger.com (Beautyat40andbeyond) — Sat, 26 Jul 2014 12:22:00 +0000

The recent Laura Geller Tuscan Sun Collection TSV from QVC UK arrived in super quick time. In fact it arrived the next day. Well done QVC!

Upon opening the parcel, my first impression was how nice the straw tote bag was! To be honest, I didn't even factor this into my purchase because it was the make up I wanted so to like the bag is an added bonus.

It's not as big as I thought it would be but that is good for me because now my boys are teenagers I no longer have to take the kitchen sink out with me! It has a couple of sewn in pockets inside which I suppose are meant for a mobile 'phone. I wouldn't use it as a handbag though, because I am too security conscious and prefer a zip closed bag.

Now onto the make up. First up is Balance N Brighten. I chose the shade Porcelain which is the palest shade it comes in. This is a pink toned baked foundation and is ideal for my pale skin. I often think, now that I am above 40, that I should switch to a liquid foundation because it would probably be more forgiving on my fine lines. However, I really don't like the feel of liquid foundations on my skin so for now, this baked foundation is my Holy Grail and I have many (too many!) in my stash. I like this foundation for its colour correcting properties. In the summer months I use it in conjunction with the shade Fair which is darker with more yellow tones. I have tried to swatch it below, but as it is so pale the camera hasn't picked it up very well.

Now I need another blusher like I need a hole in the head! I have so many! This is a Baked Elements Blush infused with Italian Spring Water no less!! I wasn't sure at first when I saw the shade Siena in the pan because it looked too orange for my complexion but it is actually a lovely apricot colour when applied. I love that this blusher comes with a little brush underneath the compact too. Not the best brush but ideal for when you're out and about for quick touch ups.

The Baked Brûlée Highlighter in Honey Lavender is a lovely, subtle shade, not too shimmery. Laura says it can also be used as an eyeshadow so I shall have to give that a try too.

A new product in the range is the Lasting Love Lip Stain. This set came with the shade Tuscan Peach. When I saw this stick in the set, the packaging colour looked quite orange and I didn't think it would suit me at all, however upon application it is more of a mid pink than orange - see swatch below. I will do a full review of this regarding longevity, etc once I have had time to try it properly.

Finally, the kit also came with a Spackle Primer with SPF 30 and a double ended brush. I have tried a different formula of Laura's Spackle and I wasn't too keen so perhaps I will give this one a try but not too sure yet. The brush I probably won't use, it has a brush one end and a large sponge applicator the other end. I'm happy enough with my Real Techniques brushes, so shall probably pass this on to my mum.

Overall my first impressions on this set are very positive and I have signed up for the Auto Delivery option whereby I get the same set (but with a different blusher and lip stain colour) in October and January but at the special TSV price.

I purchased this set from QVC for the special price of £38.96 plus £4.95 postage. This price was just for 24 hours and the price has now increased to £49 plus £4.95 postage but if you are still interested in purchasing it is still available here.

Have you tried any products from the Laura Geller range? What are your favourites?
Thanks for reading.
Enjoy the rest of your day.
Take care,
CJ xx

**purchased with my own money.

Stuck In a Rut?! Recipe Challenge!

noreply@blogger.com (Beautyat40andbeyond) — Mon, 21 Jul 2014 18:18:00 +0000

Today's post is totally different to my usual content and is not beauty based at all. I wasn't even sure if I should post it at all considering this is essentially a beauty blog but I have been blogging for 5 months now (I know, I'm still a newbie!) and I feel blogs evolve and you should write about what interests you.

Well, besides beauty, I love baking and cooking. However, lately I have found myself stuck in a bit of a rut! I seem to be cooking the same dishes for my family over and over again. You know the ones - Cottage Pie, Spag Bol, Curry, Chilli, Roasts, Pizza, Toad in the Hole, etc. All the usual favourites which my family DO enjoy, but it does get a tad repetitive. The same goes for baking. I can knock up a Victoria Sandwich cake in my sleep, along with cookies, brownies, fairy cakes but again I stick to a few trusted recipes because I know my family love them and will eat them, rather than risk something they may not like.

Well not any more! I have 50+ recipe books and most of them have "post-it" tabs where I have marked recipes I like the sound of. Every couple of months I do indeed try a new recipe but then I return to the treadmill of the family faves listed previously.

I have decided to try a new recipe every week, either baking or a family meal, and I shall post both my successes and failures here. If I hold myself accountable via this blog then hopefully I will stick with this challenge! I have already done my Meal Plans for the week ahead and I have chosen a new recipe to try on Wednesday. I will report back with the results later this week/beginning of next week.

Thank you for indulging me. Is anyone else going to join me in this challenge? It doesn't matter if you are a great cook, an average cook or a bad cook, just try something different.

Thanks for reading.
Enjoy the rest of your day.
Take care,
CJ xx

Quick Heads Up! Laura Geller TSV on QVC UK Wednesday 23rd July 2014

noreply@blogger.com (Beautyat40andbeyond) — Sat, 19 Jul 2014 19:28:00 +0000

Today I received a postcard through the post from QVC with details of their Laura Geller TSV which launches this Wednesday 23rd July at midnight (so it looks like a late Tuesday night/Wednesday morning for me!).

The TSV is called the Tuscan Sun Collection and it contains the following products:

Balance & Brighten baked foundation in choice of shades - Porcelain, Fair, Medium, Tan or Deep.
Baked Elements Blush (shade possibly Siena?)
Baked Brûlée Highlighter (shade possibly Honey Lavender?)
Spackle under make up Primer with SPF 30
Lasting Love Lip Stain in shade Tuscan Peach
Brush/applicator
Plus it comes in a lovely straw shopper bag (not pictured) but there is a link to it here.

The postcard doesn't state the price but I am hoping it is around the £40 mark. If it is more, then I may have re-think buying it because I have several Balance & Brighten in my stash already and I also already own the Honey Lavender highlighter if it is that shade in the TSV.

So fingers crossed it will be under £40 because I do like the look of the blush and lip stain and the bag!
Do you like Laura Geller make up? Do you think you will be purchasing?

Thanks for reading.
Enjoy the rest of your day.
Take care,
CJ xx

The Fragrance Discovery Club Beauty Box - Summer 2014

noreply@blogger.com (Beautyat40andbeyond) — Fri, 18 Jul 2014 14:33:00 +0000

I'd completely forgotten that the Summer 2014 Fragrance Shop Discovery Box was due out so it was a complete surprise when I received a despatch email!

This quarters box again contained 7 fragrance samples (usually there are 5).

5 are women's fragrance and 2 are for men.
This quarters selection were:

Candy Florale (Prada)
Lady Million Eau My Gold (Paco Rabanne)
Fatale (Agent Provocateur)
Dahlia Divin (Givenchy)
Eclipse (Ghost)
L!ve (Lacoste)
Gentlemen Only Intense (Givenchy)

Each sample contains between 1 - 2ml of fragrance and you also get a booklet describing each scent along with a £5 off voucher for each scent if you decide to purchase the full bottle.

This box costs £5 each quarter and that includes postage. I know lots of stores give out these samples free of charge but if, like me, you don't live near a department store then this is a relatively cheap way of trying out new fragrances and perhaps trying a fragrance that you would normally steer clear of.

I'm really looking forward to trying these out, especially Eclipse because I think that might be a lovely summery fragrance.
Full details about this box can be found here.

Do you subscribe to this box? What is your favourite perfume?

At the time of writing, Quidco are still offering £1.50 cash back with any new Discovery Club subscription, so if you are a member then it is worth going through their link.

Thanks for reading.
Enjoy the rest of your day.
Take care,
CJ xx

**purchased with my own money.

Recent Purchases: Makeup Revolution

noreply@blogger.com (Beautyat40andbeyond) — Fri, 11 Jul 2014 08:34:00 +0000

Yes, I know, I know, I'm very late to the party with my very first purchase from the Makeup Revolution range. I have been tempted ever since this range first launched because the Naked dupes looked fantastic. However, I already have all 3 Naked palettes plus the MUA dupes for 1 and 2 so I resisted. Then they released some more products and resistance was futile!

As soon as I saw the Girls On Film palette I knew I HAD to buy it for my best friend. Back in the 80's she was a massive Duran Duran fan, a Durannie as they were known. I knew she would love this palette purely based on the name of it and love it she does. She says when she opened it she bored her hubby by singing the lyrics the shades are named after!

Now being a virgin to Makeup Revolution, I couldn't make an order without trying out the brand for myself, I mean it would be rude to give a gift before I knew if the quality was any good, wouldn't it?! So into my basket I popped another Girls On Film palette for moi along with a Cover & Conceal palette, a Blush & Contour palette, a baked eyeshadow palette, an eye primer and a lipstick! Well if you spend over £30 delivery is free, so it would be silly not to...

I've not had chance to have a proper play with them all yet, but first impressions are good and I think I will definitely be going back for more.
Why did they not sell decent, affordable make up like this when I was a teen? *Shudders at the thought of my Constance Carroll days!* (anyone, not young enough to be my child, remember that brand?!).

I will be doing a full review of each product in due course.
Have you succumbed to Makeup Revolution yet?
What did you buy?
You can purchase the range from Superdrug or online here.

Thanks for reading.
Enjoy the rest of your day.
Take care.
CJ xx

*all items purchased with my own money*

Review & Swatches: New CID Lip and Cheek Tints

noreply@blogger.com (Beautyat40andbeyond) — Tue, 08 Jul 2014 20:59:00 +0000

This months Cosmopolitan has a great freebie from the brand New CID. I've not tried anything from this brand before so decided to buy all 3 shades to try. (I gave the mascara a miss because I have lots of others on my stash).

The 3 shades are (from left to right): Strawberry Soufflé, Rose Tint and Plum Cordial.

Here they are blended:

I think they need blending a tad more, but I ran out of hand! I would say less is definitely more if using these as a cheek tint!

Strawberry Soufflé is a red colour. I never wear red lip colour because I don't think it really suits me, but I thought for £3.70 it was worth a try.
Here it is applied to my lips:

Rose Tint is the most natural colour of the three. It is a pinky, coral colour and I do like it.

Finally, is the shade Plum Cordial which is quite a vibrant pink.

This is the shade I decided to try out for longevity and give a full review. Above is a photo of it first applied.

This is after 4 hours, I had a couple of drinks and a snack but not a full meal.

As you can see, it has faded a little in the middle of the lips but I think it held up pretty well.

This is after 11 hours, 2 meals, several drinks and no touch ups:

There isn't much left and my bottom lip looks pretty dry but there is some staining left on my lips. However, my lips weren't dry the next day but perhaps when I use these tints for any length of time I shall apply a little balm over the top.

I used the Rose Tint shade for a blush but the camera couldn't pick up the colour, hence no photo. I was impressed with how long the colour lasted on the cheeks, though.

The lip and cheek tints come in a crayon formula and they do smell and taste quite waxy. The smell reminds me of how cosmetics smelled years ago but I don't find it unpleasant.
You don't need to sharpen these crayons because the bottom of the crayon twists to push up more lip product when needed.

Overall I am pleased with these lip and cheek tints and I am looking forward to trying the other 2 colours on my cheeks. I have not been able to find them online to suggest a RRP but at £3.70 with the magazine I think they are well worth the money. I think the 3 shades are all very different too. Grab them whilst you can!

Have you tried these tints? Did you like them?
Thanks for reading.
Enjoy the rest of your day.
Take care,
CJ xx

Magazine Freebies! July 2014

noreply@blogger.com (Beautyat40andbeyond) — Sat, 05 Jul 2014 07:07:00 +0000

Well, it looks like it's another great month for freebies!
First up is Cosmopolitan priced at £3.70 and out now.
There is a choice of 4 items from New CID - a black mascara or a choice of 3 different shades of lip & cheek tint. Collectively they are worth £60.

They only had 2 of the shades of the lip & cheek tint in my local shop so I chose the shade Plum Cordial, swatch above. It looks a little bright for me but I've yet to try it on my lips or cheeks but will do a review in due course.
I've never tried anything from this brand before so I thought I would give it a try.
UPDATE: for a review and swatches of all 3 shades, see my post here.

Next there is Harpers Bazaar, out now, priced at £4.20.
This comes with the choice of 4 L'Occitane fragrances worth £8 each.
I didn't buy this but I peeked at the fragrance names, although our shop only had 2.
They were Jasmine & Bergamote and Thė Vert & Bigarade (green tea and bitter orange).

Elle magazine, priced at £4 has a little skincare set from Malin & Goetz worth £10.
This travel sized set comprise of a grapefruit cleanser, vitamin E moisturiser and a lip moisturiser.
I'd not heard of this brand before so I passed on it because I have so many skincare samples already. Now I have looked it up online, I am tempted to go and buy it!
Have you tried anything from this range? Is it good?

Red magazine, also priced at £4 has a free Rodial lip balm worth £19.
I did pick this up but then thought better of it because I have numerous lip balms already and returned it to the shelf.
Again I have never tried this brand before so again I am tempted to return to buy it! Argh! These magazines know what they are doing don't they?! Have you ever tried this lip balm?

The August issue of Instyle magazine comes with a free gift of Neal's Yard hand cream worth £10.
I didn't go for this because I have several hand creams in my stash and to be honest I rarely use the ones I do have.

Marie Claire, priced at £3.90, has the choice of 2 items from the Balance Me range, collectively worth £25.
The free gifts are the Cleanse & Smooth Face Balm 25ml or the Moisture Rich Face Cream 40ml.
I have heard that this magazine is available at WH Smiths for just £2.50 this month but, because I don't have one local to me, I cannot verify this. However, if you have one locally it may be worth trying there first.

Finally, we come to Glamour magazine. This months free gifts are from Clinique.
There is a choice of a High Impact mascara, Dramatically Different Moisturising Lotion or 2 Chubby Sticks in the shades of Super Strawberry or Woppin Watermelon.
I was thrilled to hear of this freebie so set off to buy both shades of Chubby Sticks. After driving to no less than 4 supermarkets and 7 newsagents and rifling through a hundred or so Glamour magazines with the mascara and lotion attached, I could not find the elusive Chubby Stick. I am so disappointed because this was the only freebie I really wanted this month. Never mind, there are worse things in life than not owning a Chubby Stick! Were you lucky enough to find one? I hope so.

Well that's it for the freebies this month. Please let me know in the comments if I have missed any. Which freebies did you go for this month?

Thanks for reading and enjoy the rest of your day.
Take care.
CJ xx

You Beauty Discovery Box - July 2014

noreply@blogger.com (Beautyat40andbeyond) — Thu, 03 Jul 2014 18:20:00 +0000

Yes, it's that time again and today I have taken delivery of my July You Beauty Discovery Box. It arrived in super quick time this month!

July's theme is You Travel.
To be honest, I wasn't as impressed with this months selection as I have been in previous months. That said, it is still fantastic value for money at £6.95.

The first item I chose was Tan Organic Oil Arganic Moisturising Dry Oil 100ml RRP £24.99. It says it is a multi-purpose dry oil which can be used on face, body and hair. I think I shall try it on my hair first because I've just used up my Avon Argan oil. I'm not sure if it's to be used on wet or dry hair, though. If anyone has tried it, please let me know which is the best way to use it.

The second item I chose was Archeia Rose Rejuvenating Cream 5ml. This is a tiny pot, but the full size 15ml pot retails at a wapping £47.99 so this tiny pot is worth £16! It is meant to have anti-ageing properties so I am looking forward to seeing if it is worth its expensive price tag.

The box also contained 3 extra items:
a sachet of Egyptian Magic Skin Cream,
an Agent Provocateur Fatale Eau de Parfum sample vial
and a 50ml Dove Men Pro-moisture Shave Cream.
I shall pass the shave cream onto my hubby or one of my sons. I did feel the men's shave cream was a bit random for what is essentially a female beauty box.

Did you subscribe to any boxes this month? What are you favourites?

Thanks for reading.
Enjoy the rest of your day.
Take care,
CJ xx

**purchased with my own money

Empties: Items I've Used Up in June 2014

noreply@blogger.com (Beautyat40andbeyond) — Wed, 02 Jul 2014 13:00:00 +0000

It doesn't seem 2 minutes since I was writing my May empties post and here we are again already with my June empties. I've been making a concerted effort to use up products that I've had on the go for far too long so there are quite a few products again this month.

I'll start with face skincare items:

Collin Resultime Micellar Radiance Cleansing Water 50ml (RRP £5)
Would I repurchase? No.
This was the first time I had used micellar water and it was a gift with purchase. I did like using it but it is expensive, the full size is £19.50. I cannot justify spending that sort of money on a water that I essentially wash off with cleansing balm. I have since bought the much cheaper Garnier brand and I can't see much difference between the two.

Alpha-H Absolute Eye Complex 15ml (RRP £34.50)
Would I repurchase? No.
For my 60 day trial, results and full review see my post here.

Alpha-H Rejuvenating Cream
Would I repurchase? Discontinued.
I've had this moisturiser for a long time and I tended to use it when I had breakouts because this seemed to help clear them. It did make my skin tingle which I wasn't keen on but it did the job so it's a shame it has been discontinued.

Collin Resultime Regenerating Collagen Gel 50ml (RRP £47)
Would I repurchase? Yes, and I already have.
I love, love, love this! Yes, it is expensive but it is divine! It smells wonderful, a sort of light floral smell but not at all over powering. My skin feels wonderful when I use this. I use it every morning, like a serum, before my moisturiser. I also use it at night and sometimes apply it thickly and leave on my skin as an overnight mask. My skin feels plump and nourished by morning. I am trying to source a cheaper alternative but, now I'm 44, I feel my skin deserves this!

Merumaya Youth Preservation Moisturiser 15ml (RRP £17.50)
Would I repurchase? No.
See my review for this product here.

Steamcream 75ml (RRP £12.95)
Would I repurchase? Undecided - although i do have another in my stash.,
I love the texture of this cream, it is very light although I feel I have to wait a while before applying make up. My main problem with this product is the smell. It smells of lavender, which is a scent I usually like, but this lavender scent is so strong. To me it is far too strong for a product that can be used on the face and is more suited as a body or hand cream. It can be used on face, body and hands. I have a couple more tins in my stash from beauty boxes which I will use but I am not sure if I would go out of my way to repurchase. I do love the tin designs, though. What do you use your empty Steamcream tins for? I'm thinking of using this one for hair grips/bobby pins because they are just too cute to throw away!

Next are my body product empties:

Australian Bodycare Tea Tree Oil Skin Wash 1 litre (RRP £30)
Would I repurchase? No.
I hated the antiseptic fragrance of this wash. I suppose that's the tea tree oil. To me, it smelt more like an antibacterial cleaning product, not something I wanted to wash my body with! I have repurposed this by pouring into empty hand wash bottles. It is perfect for washing hands but not my body!

Radox Nourish Shower Cream - Shea Butter & Ginger 250ml (RRP £1.99)
Would I repurchase? Yes.
This smelt so lovely. Every time I used it, it reminded me of holidays. I should imagine it is the Shea butter that gives off that beachy, sun cream smell. Can often buy this half price so it is wonderful for an every day shower cream.

Anatomicals You Need a Blooming Shower! Your Nose Smells Rose Body Cleanser 250ml (RRP £3)
Would I repurchase? No.
I usually love rose scented products, but this just didn't hit the mark for me. It just smelt too artificial and I was glad to see the end of it. I didn't even cut open the tube to get the last dregs out, which tells you all you need to know!

Finally, my hair product empties:

Batiste Dry Shampoo in Boho 150ml (RRP £2.99)
Would I repurchase? No.
I don't tend to use dry shampoo but, like the one mentioned last month, I won this in a giveaway ages ago so thought it was about time I used it! I am not keen on dry shampoo because they tend to leave a white caste/residue on my hair and I'm afraid this was no exception. If anyone could recommend a dry shampoo that doesn't do this (I have ginger hair) then please comment below. Thanks.

Avon Advanced Techniques Leave In Conditioner 250ml
Would I repurchase? No, no, no!!!
I don't often use leave in conditioners but I think this came in a set that I bought ages ago. I can't find it in the Avon website so perhaps it is discontinued. I'm not surprised! It is so runny that it was hard to get it on to my hair without making a big mess. I gave up less than half way through this bottle and binned it.

Percy & Reed Bodifying Cream 50ml (RRP £2.69)
Would I repurchase? No.
I didn't feel this actually did anything for my hair so seems pointless repurchasing. It also is highly fragranced. I don't mind a bit of fragrance but I don't want it to compete with my perfume. All Percy & Reed products are highly fragranced which I would overlook if it loved the product, but this one is not for me.

VO5 Weather Resistant Hairspray 100ml
Would I repurchase? Maybe
I bought this as a travel size when I had a weekend away. What can I say? It's a hairspray, it did what it said on the tin! I've never found a "Holy Grail" hairspray, I find them all much of a muchness. I tend to buy whichever is on offer. Prove me wrong - tell me which is the hairspray I HAVE to have.

Avon Moroccan Argan Oil Leave-in Treatment 30ml (RRP £5.50)
Would I repurchase? Yes.
This oil/hair serum can be used on wet and dry hair. I used it on the ends of my wet hair after washing. It helped ensure there was no frizz. It's frequently on offer, in fact at the time of writing it is priced at £3.30. A little goes a long way and it is a great little serum.

Well sorry for the long post. I didn't realise I had so many empties in May. Alas, most are items I would not repurchase - only 3 hits to 8 misses and 2 "maybes".
Thanks for reading.
Enjoy the rest of your day.
Take care,
CJ xx

Recent Purchases: YSL Rouge Volupte Shine Lipsticks plus Free Gift With Purchase

noreply@blogger.com (Beautyat40andbeyond) — Sun, 22 Jun 2014 07:08:00 +0000

When an email dropped into my inbox from YSL offering a free gift with purchase (GWP) I resisted for a whole week before going on their website and placing an order!

I decided to order 2 Rouge Volupte Shine lipsticks because I absolutely love the formula and the packaging is fantastic. Yes, they are expensive but so worth it. I do think the colour swatches on the YSL site are dreadful so I did a fair bit of research on various blogs before I decided upon no 7 Rose Infinite and no 17 Rose In Tension priced at £25 each. I shall do swatches in another post because I want to get this post up quickly because I'm not sure when the free gift offer ends.

Now if you have never shopped at YSL before, you receive 2 free samples with every order. You cannot choose these samples but you can see what you will receive because they add them to your basket. Although only 2 samples were shown in my basket, I actually received 3 samples. The samples I received were: 1.5ml Eau de Parfum of Manifesto, 1.5ml Eau de Toilette of L'Homme and a 2ml mini Mascara Volume Effet Faux Cils (Luxurious Mascara for a False Lash Effect), all pictured below.

The email I received from YSL said that if I spent £45 or more and quoted JUNETREAT in the promotional code box then I would receive a 5 piece deluxe makeup gift set worth £50.

The items are received were: another L'Homme sample, another Mascara Volume Effet but on a card this time, 3ml Forever Youth Liberator Eye Creme, 0.8g Waterproof Eye Pencil in black and a mini Rouge Pur Couture lipstick in shade no 9 Rose Stiletto.

I've never tried a YSL mascara or eyeliner so I can't wait to give them a try. I've also never tried the Rouge Pur Couture formula lipstick so I am eager to try that too. I am really pleased with my free GWP. I am not sure how long the offer is on for so if you are interested I wouldn't hang around because it is probably just whilst stocks last.

Since my order I have received another email offer from them. Argh! This is for a free summer make up gift set with a £40 spend.
The code required is SUMMERTREAT
Now I don't know if this new code means the one I used is no longer valid, which would be a shame because I feel the JUNETREAT is a better gift. The Summer gift does not have a lipstick and has a make up bag instead and still has the mascara but alas no eyeliner.

There was also a code in my parcel for £10 off any L'Homme fragrance, code LK24Z4, but again no expiry date. I wish they'd state expiry dates!

Have you tried YSL make up? What are your recommendations?
Thanks for reading.
Enjoy the rest of your day.
Take care,
CJ xx

**purchased with my own money

Recent purchases: Sandals - Birkenstocks & Next

noreply@blogger.com (Beautyat40andbeyond) — Fri, 20 Jun 2014 19:08:00 +0000

Well now the summer is supposedly here in the UK I thought it was about time I bought some new sandals. Now I am unlike most women because I hate shoe shopping! I have small feet (size 3.5) but they are extra wide. Shops seem to equate small sized feet with delicate, petite feet, not the fat feet that I have!

I have been wearing Birkenstocks for years, way before they became fashionable. I bought my first pair in a sale many moons ago for the princely sum of £16. They were the Arizona style but a floral print. I wasn't keen on the floral print but for that price I wanted to see if the comfort claims were true. I used to refer to them as my "granny" sandals! If you've never worn Birkies before then the first time you try them they are so uncomfortable. I felt like I had 2 planks of wood strapped to my feet! Anyway, after a week of wearing them round the house they were so comfortable by the end of the week. When we went to Disneyworld in Florida 4 years ago, my Birkies were my footwear of choice. Hours of walking around theme parks in sweltering heat and not a single blister and they didn't even rub. Since my first pair, I have bought several pairs of Birkenstocks but the Arizona style, although not the most glamorous of their styles, have always been the most comfortable to wear.
My old pair are still in regular use but are looking battered and bruised so I decided to go for some black Arizona's because they'd be the most versatile. I also decided to get a leather pair because I knew I'd get lots of wear out of them. I purchased these from Amazon for around £43. If you've never bought Birkenstocks before then I'd recommend trying on in a shop first because they can come up quite large. One thing about my new pair that has concerned me is the branding. All my previous pairs have had the name emboss stamped on the side, whereas on this pair it is just printed on top. I was concerned they were fakes but I bought them direct from Amazon rather than a seller, so surely they must be genuine? The box looks authentic. Does anyone have a new pair and could tell me if theirs are printed too. Pics below:

New Birkies - printed branding.

Old Birkies - embossed branding.

Everything else is fine, it is just this branding that is niggling me. Silly, I know!

The other pair of sandals I bought were from Next and they were in the sale at £14. They aren't particularly exciting, just a wedge sandal. I cannot wear heels so this is a good compromise to get a bit of height.

I wish I could wear sexy high heels and I have tried but I end up with blisters and I find them so uncomfortable. Don't misunderstand me, I wore my fair share of heels in my teens and twenties but now I'm over 40 I rarely wear them. I only own one pair now and I last wore them to a wedding a year ago and yes I ended up with blisters! I also have to be careful when I buy sandals because I cannot go for anything with an ankle strap. Why? I have the dreaded "cankles"! I hate them. I also hate the person who invented the word cankles! Dreadful word! Anyway, I'm waffling as usual, so suffice to say, although the Next sandals aren't going to win any style awards, they will give me a bit of height without drawing attention to my legs!

So are you a heels or a flats kind of girl?
If you have discovered heels that are comfortable please comment below and covert me!

Thanks for reading.
Enjoy the rest of your day.
Take care,
CJ xx

Happy Father's Day!

noreply@blogger.com (Beautyat40andbeyond) — Sun, 15 Jun 2014 14:00:00 +0000

Today it is Father's Day here in the UK so I decided to dedicate this blog post to my wonderful Dad, Richard. The photo above is not the best pic of him but it was only taken last Sunday so is the most recent. Ideally I would have loved to have put up a photo of him as a young man with me as a baby but all those pictures are on slides and I have not had the chance to convert them to a photo file in time for this post. Perhaps if I find time this week I will add one to this post.

I am a true "Daddy's Girl" and I love my Dad so much. Today will be the first time in many years that we have been able to see each other on Father's Day. He used to live 3 and a half hours car journey away so, because his birthday is at the end of June, we used to time our visit to celebrate that instead. This year is different, though. Sadly towards the end of 2012, my step-mum died, so Dad decided to move nearer to me. Obviously selling houses takes time, but in July 2013 he finally moved down to be near me and my little family. In fact he moved into the same road as me, almost opposite! It has been lovely to see him every day, although it is tiring for me at times because I do all his cleaning, laundry, etc and sometimes running 2 households does get me down. He is not in the best of health these days and I am well aware of his mortality which is hard but if I can make the last chapter of his life a happy one then it is a job I undertake gladly.

My Dad is one in a million. He brought my brother and I up alone when my mum left. I was 8 years old and my brother 10. It's not that common now, but single dads in the 1970's was unheard of! It can't have been easy, holding down a full time job as well as looking after 2 children, he had no family support, but he did it.
My brother and I turned out okay so he didn't do so badly! He always made sure I knew how much he loved me. As children we didn't fully appreciate what he did for us, but now, as an adult I do. Now the roles are reversed and I look after him. Yes he can be a grumpy, old man at times but I adore him.

Happy Father's Day Dad, I love you more than words can ever say. Thank you for everything you have done for me and the love you have given me.

To all the dads out there, have a wonderful Father's Day.

To all those who no longer have their Dads, I hope today isn't too hard for you. Hugs.

Thanks for reading.

Take care,

CJ xx

Empties: Items I've Used Up in May 2014

noreply@blogger.com (Beautyat40andbeyond) — Tue, 10 Jun 2014 08:30:00 +0000

Well this is my first ever "empties" post and I do apologise that it is a tad late for May but I didn't want to wait to include them with June empties at the end of this month because there are quite a few.

Let's start with face skincare items:

There are actually 3 cleansers this month. I always have at least 2 cleansers on the go and these 3 all decided to finish this month, but no worries because I've lots more in my stash...

Clinique Take The Day Off Cleansing Balm 125ml (RRP £21)
Would I repurchase? Yes - and I already have!
This balm is quite thick and is great for my evening first cleanse because it removes all my make up with ease. It is unscented so great for those with sensitive skin. I previously used Emma Hardie Moringa Balm and I loved the EH fragrance lots so was disappointed that the Clinique balm was unscented, but then I had a VERY bad reaction to Emma Hardie which I think must be down to the essential oils so I have had to be very careful ever since.

Merumaya Melting Cleansing Balm 100ml (RRP £14.50)
Would I repurchase? Yes - once I've worked through my stash!
For my review of this product, click here.

Alpha-H Balancing Cleanser with Aloe Vera 200ml (RRP £23)
Would I repurchase? Yes - and I already have.
I tend to use this cleanser when I have breakouts because this seems to do a great job at calming them and clearing them. For me it is a "no nonsense" cleanser and isn't as luxurious to use as some of my other cleansers but it does a great job when my skin needs that extra help at certain times of the month.

Boots Essentials Fragrance Free Cleasing Wipes 25 wipes (RRP £1.50)
Would I repurchase? No.
I don't tend to buy or use wipes but I inherited my late step-mothers beauty stash. She died 20 months ago and I am still working my way through her stash of beauty products. It is taking time because I have a fair stash of my own too! Nothing wrong with these wipes, I just don't tend to use them but I have been using these to remove my make up and then doing a double cleanse.

Merumaya Iconic Youth Serum 15ml (RRP £20)
Would I repurchase? No.
See my review for this product here.

Next up are my body product empties:

Nivea Happy Time Shower Cream 250ml (RRP £1.99)
Would I repurchase? Yes - once I've used up my stash.
Love, love, love this! It is an orange blossom fragrance and I love using this for my morning shower. It lathers well, is very creamy and is often on offer at half price so for 99p what's to dislike?! I want to buy this again but I am being good and working my way through the rest of my shower gels first but I do miss this.

Ted Baker Butterfly Wings set (RRP £10)
Would I repurchase? Maybe.
I received this little set for a birthday present last year. It contains a body spray, body wash, body scrub and body lotion. I do like the scent. It is quite a sweet scent which I am a fan of. Individually the products aren't fantastic, i.e the scrub doesn't do a lot, body wash doesn't lather as much as I'd like but, as I said, I DO like the fragrance. I wouldn't go out of my way to repurchase but, if it was in the Boots sale, then I would perhaps be tempted for the scent alone.

Molton Brown Oatmeal & Milk Exfoliating Bar
Would I repurchase? No.
This was another birthday present and it came in a box of 4 bars. I cannot find this on the MB website so perhaps it has been discontinued? I was totally underwhelmed by this. It didn't exfoliate at all and was more like a normal bar of soap with a few bits of oatmeal in. Unimpressed!

FoM Body Contouring Serum sample size
Would I repurchase? No.
I bought this sample from Latest In Beauty so that I could give it a try. To be honest I don't think any creams/serums etc can get rid of cellulite but I thought I would give it a go. It is called a serum but I felt it was more of a runny oil. I didn't like it because you had to apply to wet skin and I had to remember to do this as soon as I got out of the shower which more often than not I had towelled off before I thought about it. Too much faff!

Philosophy Pure Grace Body Lotion 8 fl.oz (RRP £15)
Would I repurchase? Yes - I already have a spare in my stash!
I love the smell of Pure Grace. To me it smells so clean, like freshly laundered washing. Mmmmm. The lotion absorbs well and my only gripe is that the container it comes in is not very flexible which made getting out the last of the lotion very hard. I think perhaps once I have used the one in my stash I would think twice to a repurchase due to the price. I do think it is expensive for a body lotion and if I could source a cheaper alternative with the same scent then I would. Does anyone know of a Pure Grace dupe please? Doesn't have to be body lotion, any dupe be it perfume, shower gel would be most welcome! Thanks.

Sure Women Crystal Clear Aqua Anti Perspirant 250ml (RRP £3.19)
Would I repurchase? Yes - already have, lots my stash!
This is my deodorant of choice. To be honest I do prefer a solid stick deodorant because I feel they are more effective, but they tend to mess up the underarms of any tops I wear so I have switched to spray deodorants now. Has anyone found a stick deodorant that doesn't leave any residue?

Ysatis Eau de Toilette 100ml (RRP £47.50)
Would I repurchase? Perhaps.
I have had this perfume for many years and I believe the packaging has changed now. This was my perfume of choice back in the late 1980's, early 1990's. It has lots of memories attached to it, so in a way I was sad to see it go. It was the perfume I wore when I met my husband and I wore it on our wedding day too. That said, there are many other perfumes I prefer these days. This is a heavier perfume than I tend to wear now. Perhaps one day I will revisit it for nostalgic reasons but for now I prefer a lighter, sweeter fragrance.

Leighton Denny Best Defence Hand Cream 30ml (RRP £5.50)
Would I repurchase? No.
My review for this product is here.

Finally, my hair product empties:

Batiste Dry Shampoo in Diva 150ml (RRP £2.99)
Would I repurchase? No.
I have had this so long I don't think they even do this fragrance anymore! I don't tend to use dry shampoo but I won this in a giveaway ages ago so thought it was about time I used it! I know a lot of people swear by Batiste, but I am not a lover of dry shampoo because I find they all leave a white caste/residue on my hair and I'm afraid this was no exception. If anyone could recommend a dry shampoo that doesn't do this (I have ginger hair) then please comment below. Thanks.

Head & Shoulders Shampoo in Cool Menthol 500ml (RRP £4.99)
Would I repurchase? Yes - I already have.
I suffer from psoriasis on my scalp and I have tried lots of shampoos, both prescription and over the counter but this seems to be the best at easing my itchy scalp. I've not found anything that clears it up completely but this helps the irritation. I actually find the Cool Menthol variety better for this than their Itchy Scalp one. I haven't been able to find the Cool Menthol in the shops but I have purchased one called Menthol Fresh which has the same packaging so fingers crossed it has just been renamed. I might have to drop them an email to check...

Dove Damage Therapy Intensive Repair 200ml (RRP £2.69)
Would I repurchase? Maybe.
This conditioner didn't wow me but I didn't hate it either. It did what it needed to do - conditioned my hair without weighing it down. I would perhaps repurchase this if it was on offer but I am still on the hunt for my Holy Grail conditioner.

Well sorry for the long post. I didn't realise I had so many empties in May.
If you are still here, thanks for reading.
Enjoy the rest of your day.
Take care,
CJ xx

Magazine Freebies! June 2014 (Part 2)

noreply@blogger.com (Beautyat40andbeyond) — Mon, 09 Jun 2014 12:12:00 +0000

I have already blogged about the magazine freebies for June but, since writing I have discovered some more, so here is Part 2.

First up (Thanks to a lovely reader, Lovesandloathes, for the heads up on this one!) is Instyle magazine, out now. It is priced at £3.90 and the July issue comes with a 30ml REN Rosa Centifolia Hot Cloth Cleanser with a luxury cotton cloth. This is the only freebie I have gone for this month.

Whilst shopping today, I saw the July issue of Cosmopolitan magazine. Priced at £3.70, it comes with a free pair of sunglasses and a packet of strawberry Mentos! There are 3 styles of sunglasses to choose from.

Finally is Harpers Bazaar magazine. The July issue, out now, priced at £4.20 has a free Leighton Denny nail polish. The polish is worth £11 and there are 6 colours to choose from.

It certainly seems to be the month for free nail polish!
I've not managed to track down Tatler so have yet to see what their sunglasses are like.

My post regarding this months magazine freebies Part 1 is here.
Please comment below if there are any others that I have missed out on.

Thanks for reading.
Take care,
CJ xx

Review: Merumaya Skincare - Melting Cleansing Balm, Iconic Youth Serum & Youth Preservation Moisturiser

noreply@blogger.com (Beautyat40andbeyond) — Sat, 07 Jun 2014 10:44:00 +0000

Several months ago I saw a skincare range on QVC that I had not heard of before and before I knew it the Merumaya 3 Piece Discovery Collection was in my basket.

I wanted to give the products a good try before posting my review and now I have used them up I thought it was about time I posted my thoughts.

Merumaya is the brainchild of Maleka Dattu and her products are paraben free and are not tested in animals. I love the fact that she used the first 2 letters of her parents names, her sister and daughter and herself to name her range. If you want to read more about the ethos behind her brand, then details are on her website here.

The set I purchased contained; Melting Cleansing Balm 100ml, Iconic Youth Serum 15ml and Youth Preservation Moisturiser SPF15 15ml.

First up is the Melting Cleansing Balm (£14.50). I found this balm quite strongly scented. I am useless as describing scents (sorry!) but I felt it was quite floral. I didn't love the fragrance but then again I didn't hate it either. It comes in a tube which is much more hygienic than a tub. Here it is applied to my hand:

I applied this neat to my face and worked it in to give a thorough cleansing. Then once I had done that I applied a little water to my hands and used this to wet the balm.

This turned the balm to more of a cleansing milk, see below.

I then used a warm damp flannel to remove the balm. I really did enjoy using this balm. It left my skin feeling clean and not at all tight. I love the fact than it is both a balm AND a milk. I used this for my second cleanse and for my morning cleanse. I did not try it for my first cleanse so I do not know how good it is for removing full make up but I am sure it would cope well, although perhaps you may need a bit more help removing waterproof mascara.

For me, this is the hero product of the 3 items I have tried. I think it would be ideal for travel because it would avoid the need for packing 2 cleansers because this can be both a "light" and more "heavy duty" cleanser. I really do like this balm and, once I have worked my way through my cleanser stash, then this will definitely be going on my shortlist for repurchase. If you do purchase this, please ensure you cut open the tube once it's finished because I found a good 2 weeks worth clinging to the sides. Waste not, want not!

Next up I tried Merumaya Iconic Youth Serum (£20). Unfortunately I don't have a photo swatch of the product to show you. Apologies. From their website it says this serum is "an exclusive complex of 10 active ingredients at full concentration makes this uniquely formulated serum an essential part of every skincare routine. Skin appears youthfully vibrant and radiant."

It has a pump dispenser and I used this morning and evening and it did feel nice on the skin. Unfortunately, for me, I didn't see any difference to my skin so I won't be repurchasing.

Finally, I tried the Youth Preservation Moisturiser (£17.50). This also came in a pump dispenser. I found the cream quite thick but that is probably due to the SPF15 that it contains. I always find SPFs a tad too heavy on my skin. See swatch below:

I found it took a bit of working into my skin but it did keep it moisturised all day. I am not really a fan of SPF in moisturiser so for that that alone I will not be repurchasing. I have yet to find any moisturiser that contains SPF that I love. I did have a teeny "niggle" with the packaging of both the moisturiser and the serum. The labels on both cover the bottle right the way round at the bottom of the bottle so that you have no idea that the product is about to run out until it has! I'd much prefer to see how much product is left BEFORE it is too late. As I said, it is just a small niggle and it wasn't a major problem for me because I always have other serums and moisturisers in stock but if you don't stock pile then you could have an "oh no!" moment when you realise you've run out!

Overall, I do like this brand. As I said, for me the stand out product is definitely the Melting Cleansing Balm. I would also happily use the serum and moisturiser again if it came as part of a set (hint, hint QVC, TSV please!) but I probably wouldn't seek those out individually.

I am also interested in trying the Pure Radiance face mask once I have depleted my stash a tad...

If you are interested in trying Merumaya for yourself, it is available from QVC or directly from the Merumaya website.

Have you tried this range? Which were your stand out products? Are there any you would recommend? I would love to hear your thoughts.

Thanks for reading.

Enjoy the rest of your day.

Take care,

CJ xx

**purchased with my own money