It's always after christmas that people get loads of new products to try.

Last Christmas, as you may or may not know, I had the You Beauty Discovery Advent Calendar and have found a few products that I've fallen in love with. 

The first one to mention is the one I got on the 1st December, the Liz Earle Hot Cloth Cleanser. I love it so much that I've actually ran out and need to purchase the full size product. It leaves your skin so soft and I've found that it's controlled my oil levels, leaving me with fewer spots. 

The second thing I seem to be enjoying is- oddly enough, the thing that I opened on the 2nd December. The laura Mercier Primer, I like how a little amount goes a long way, but I'm unsure of when repurchasing I should get the oil free one and it is slightly oily for me. However, I am enjoying it nonetheless. It keeps my make up in fact and doesn't irritate my skin. 

I've been using two other products together from the calendar, these are the teeez desert metals mascara and the Eyeko eyelash curlers. Both of which work really well, and when combined give lots of volume. The only thing I've noticed is the more I use the mascara, the clumsier my eyelashes seem to get with each use.

Finally, I have been loving the Rodial Stem Cell Glam Balm. It smells very strong so is probably one thing that I don't like (I feel as though I'm eating roses) but it does leave your lips soft and moisturised, so I'd recommend if you have troubled lips. 

I do have a few other favourite products up my sleeve but I might leave them until the end of the month!

All of the products mentioned have a quick blog post about them so be sure to have a look if you're interested. The links are all available there too so you can check them out for yourself, maybe they might creep into your favourites sometime soon!

Emma :)

The last advent of the month, something I already have and love!

This works Deep Sleep Pillow Spray! 

It's a 5ml bottle which may seem small but you never need much of it. It smells like lavender and although I'm not a fan of that, it is very relaxing. I find this definitely helps me sleep! 

I know that I like this product already but it's a good little size to take on holiday with you. 

Emma :)

Only one more day to open!

Today I opened the Maddi Alexander Rose Bath Oil. 

It's 30ml so a good size, I can imagine it to smell really nice in the bath as it does in the pot, a very strong rose smell. I'm not sure if it will be bubbly or not with it being an oil. But hopefully it's as relaxing as it seems.

I might use this sometime soon! 

Emma :) 

Wow, this month has well and truly flown.

This is bar the biggest gift of the month of 150ml. It's the Rituals Fortune Scrub in Organic Mandarin & Yuzu.

The tube is a nice orange colour, reflecting the scent- which smells amazing, so fruity. I hope that it's a nice and bubbly one too since those are my favourites. The large size is good because you can really see if you like it. 

Looking forward to trying this! 

Emma :) 

Only 4 days!

I've always been a bit wary when it comes to oils, just because my skin is oily enough. I know that there is such thing as good oils but I still can't seem to like them. Hopefully when I give the Bio Effect EGF Serum, I'll change my mind.

It's only small but comes with a pippet in the lid so that you can squeeze a small amount out- which I'm assuming is all you need. 

I'll let you know if I give this a go! 

Emma :)

5 days!

I've said before that I'm not a big fan of self tan, so I'm not entirely sure about James Reed Sleep Mask Tan. 

It's 25ml so a good size. The directions of use say to use the James Reed Mitt but as this didn't come with it, you would have to purchase that separately. 

I'm not sure if it's a little glow or a full fake tan, but I probably won't give it a go. 

Emma :)

It's now officially, less than a week!

I've had Benefit The Porefessional  before, but after running out, I hadn't repurchased for some reason, so I was glad to find it in my advent calendar this morning. 

It's a minature version of the original at 7.5ml but I'm sure I'll remember to buy it again when I run out this time! 

It's soft of the skin and does what it says, minimises pores! I normally use it underneath foundation, just so it gives a nice base for applying make up. 

If you haven't tried it already, I definitely recommend it! 

Emma :) 

Only a week until the big day!

Technically the gift I got today is two products! It's the John Masters Organics Citrus & Neroli Detangler  and the Lavender Rosemary Shampoo  (for normal hair.) 

I love the smell of the Detangler- if you haven't noticed by now, I have to smell everything, but I'm not a fan of the shampoo smell. Mainly for the fact that I hate lavender, it won't put me off trying it though. 

They are both 30ml and a little bit hard to squeeze so I think when running out, that may be a problem for wasting product. 

I'll give these a go and see how I get on!

Emma :) 

A week until Christmas Eve!
I don't know if it's just me, but winter always makes my lips far too dry and after having the body shop strawberry lip balm for quite a while, so I was excited to find Rodial Stemcell Glam Balm  this morning. 

I've been using it throughout the day and already notice a difference. It's 10ml size is handy to keep in your handbag and can even fit in some coat pockets for frequent use. 

I like how glossy it looks on the lips and how smooth it makes them after use.  It does smell familiar but I can't quite put my finger on it. I'll definitely continue to use it throughout the cold months ahead! 

Emma :) 

Only 10 days! 

I was confused as to what today's gift was, as the packaging is so light, it's hard to read. It's the Roger & Gallet Fleaur de Figuier.  

It's 10ml of a nice floral scent, one I think I might use in summer. Although it's not perfume, but a 'fragrant water' which hopefully means it's not too strong.

I'm excited to give this a go! 

Emma :) 

I can officially say that it's less than 2 weeks until Christmas! 

It's time for a pamper! I'm not sure if I should already start worrying about looking youthful but I got a Glamglow Youthmud this morning so it's worth a go! 

It's fairly small at 15g so I don't think you'll get many uses out of it. I do like the shiny packaging though and it smells nice so I can imagine it to be fresh on the face. 

I'll be sure to let you know if I like it!

Emma :)

15 days to go, almost two weeks! This month is just flying by, but I suppose it always does when you have something to look forward to. 

I'm normally stay away from Burt's Bees, as I've tried their lip products before and never really took to them. I was quite surprised as I hear a lot of people rave about it, so with a bit of luck, I'll like the Burt's Bees Almond &Milk Hand Cream.

 

I always find it strange when creams come in such small pots, however, I suppose it makes it more convenient to travel with especially in the winter when you lose the hydration in your skin.

I like the smell of it, you can definitely tell it is almond and milk, but it has that sort of natural smell about it, no added extras kind of thing. Usually if I can smell chemicals, it reminds me a bit too much of medicine (I admit, I have mentioned in previous blogs that this can be a plus- I know that it works.) I had a quick glance inside the pot, it's a pale cream kind of colour and looks like it might be a thick consistency. 

I haven't tried the product yet so I'll be sure to throw it in my handbag before I attempt to battle the weather.

Emma :) 

16 days now!

I've been feeling far too comfortable with my current mascara and needed a change. So I was happy to find a Teeez Desert Metals Mascara in my calendar in the shade Midnight Sky.

 

I absolutely love the packaging, the colours and patterns just work well together. Thankfully, the product has the same design. It also says on the back that they use no animal testing, it's smudge proof and also, long lasting. What more could you want?

I've already used it and I can tell I'm really going to love it. It doesn't clump, adds volume but still looks natural. The brush is thin at the end and gets gradually thicker, which I think works well for application. 

A possible future favourite? Only time will tell!

Emma :) 

17 days.. Where is this month going? 

I opened my little window to find a hair product today. I'll be honest, my hair is something that I don't tend to bother with a lot of products for. However, I may change my ways! This is the Philip Kingsley Elasticizer. 

 

It's a pre-shampoo treatment that you leave in wet hair for 10-20 minutes. It's 75ml so quite big so hopefully I enjoy it. 

I squeezed a little bit on my hand to try and get an idea of the smell and consistency. I couldn't really smell anything but it feels quite thick. 

I haven't tried anything like this before so I'm hoping it has good results and will perhaps convince me to try more hair products! 

Emma :) 

18 days to go! 

When I first looked into the you beauty discovery calendar, I was delighted to see that you get an Aromartherapy Relax candle  as like most girls, I LOVE candles. I just think they complete the whole room and today I opened the little door to find it! 

It's a bit of sweet smell, which is what I like in a candle, and it's a nice white colour. I prefer these as I think they brighten up the room instantly (without being lit I mean!) 

Hopefully if I enjoy the brand then I can use the handy little voucher that you get with it. I'm sure that I'll burn through it in no time at all! 

Emma :)

I'm going to get really annoying with the whole countdown thing but that's what an advent calendar is all about.. 19 days! 

So this little brand is not something I'm familiar with. It's the Sisley Paris Radiant Glow Express Mask. 

I love the peachy colour on the outside, it's also the smallest gift so far at just 10ml. It smells quite strong and reminds me a little bit of a medicine so not sure I'd enjoy that on my face.

It is the season for parties though so  maybe a bit of a glow would do me good! 

Emma :)

So today I opened number 3! And found a sweet smelling Molten Brown- Orange and Bergamol body wash.  Like the other two Christmas treats, I don't believe I've ever tried this brand before. 

It came with no outer packaging, but in a little bottle with a silver screw cap with the brands name on. I like this small detail as it looks somewhat 'classy' (I think so anyway!) It is 30ml and fairly transparent. I haven't yet tried it but from quickly smelling it, it smells very sweet and it's a kind of Christmassy scent. 

I can imagine my showers to smell amazing when I use this product so hopefully I like it! 

Emma :)

Finally, the most anticipated month of the year has arrived! 

It's December and of course that means the opening of the advent calendar begins. So for today, I had the pleasure of finding Liz Earle Cleanse and Polish. Hot Cloth Cleanser inside my calendar. 

                             

I love the packaging, as it came neatly wrapped in tissue paper with a sticker sealing it. Inside, there is the cleanser, the cloth and a little booklet explaining the directions of use for the product etc. 

                              

                             

The product itself is in a light blue tube and is 30ml. Which is a good size for trying the cleanser, as sometimes I find little ones aren't enough to use it a good couple of times and it can take a few days for my skin to start to accept new skincare! 

The cloth smells fresh, feels a little rough but I think this will just be more to get any dirt from the skin rather than damaging it. 

I'm excited to try this and hoping that I will like it!

Emma :)