Too good to be true: counterfeit cosmetics!

So my boyfriend told me yesterday about something he had watched on T.V lately and I didn't actually start paying attention until he mentioned MAC.
What he was telling me was that the show was about investigations into people selling counterfeiter cosmetics.
I already knew that this was rife. Everywhere.
But what he said next really shocked me.
These counterfeit cosmetics contained chemicals such as mercury!
Now I'm no chemistry whizz but I know mercury is extremely harmful!

Where are these counterfeit good being sold?
EVERYWHERE!
From markets to ebay!
As a rule I only buy cosmetics from places where I can be sure they are 100% authentic.
However I do own a 'MAC' eyeliner that I know is counterfeit so it went straight in the bin as soon as I saw the program!

In future, please remember that if something like this seems to good to be true. It probably is!
I now actively avoid buying products on ebay being sold under 'buy it now' and exercise caution when bidding on items which appear to be genuine (i.e. someone bought the wrong shade and is selling it so it wasn't a complete waste of money).

To check this out for yourself just click here.

Have you had any experiences with fake cosmetics?

August & September Empties.

You may or may not have noticed that in August I didn't do an empties post.
I had hardly any products to show you but over the month of September they have accumulated greatly!

I've decided to use up a lot of my products that were half full or less because I'm terrible for switching up my products before they're finished.

So first up is body products!

Tesco Soft & Smooth Hand & Body lotion - I only use this on my hands and have for years. I find that it's the only hand lotion that works for me no matter what else I try!

Nair hair removal cream - This is just the original formula and I really didn't think much of it. I prefer the newer options and probably wont re-purchase this unless I can't get any thing else.

Impulse Magical Glamour shower gel - I really love this scent! I got about 4 gift sets with this in at Christmas and only now am I finishing them all up! I didn't find this shower gel particularly moisturising , but as a shower gel - it did it's job!

The Pink Cow A Very Quiet Body Scrub - I love love love this scrub and it smells ridiculously amazing! It's got a really gentle coconut fragrance and works fantastically  However it leaves a horrible residue in the bottom of the bath (but what body scrubs don't?).

Ayuuri Body wash in Sandalwood - I loved this shower gel (and so did my boyfriend). The scent is very uni sex and a little goes a long way! I received this in a Glossy box and know that you can get it in Tesco.

Sure Long Lasting perfection deodorant - pretty boring really, just an armpit spray. It's nothing revolutionary but it's not awful either.

Nivea Invisible protection deodorant - really not a great product, i mean it didn't stain my clothes but it was so moist, and that's not what I want from a roll on!

Hair care products.

Dove Intensive repair mask - This is a product I was trying to use up and only got one use from it (I'd already used the majority of it). I wouldn't label it as an 'intensive care' product but it was ok. There are much better products for a similar price.

Charles Worthington mineral hair rescue - you know I love this product ... I don't need to go into too much detail .. but it's amazing, I highly recommend it!

Lee Stafford Treatment for hair that never grows past a certain length - I picked 3 of these up when boots were having a 3 for £12 offer (I basically got these for half price!). They are good as a mask but I'm not really noticing a difference in growth (but that's a whole different blog post).

Uniq one all in one hair treatment - This is a sample product I got form a beauty box and I really like it. I've used it as a leave in conditioner as well as an all over mask - just a shame the sample was so small!

Wilkinson heat protection spray - For just a pound this product does it's job just as well as more expensive alternatives.

Charles Worthington moisture seal conditioner - I loved this conditioner, but I am a conditioner whore, I'm always trying new brands! I would 100% re purchase this product!

Fragrance

Karl Largerfield Sun Moon & Stars -I wore this all the time from about when I was about 12-15 and it always brings back great memories! I got one squirt from it last week as it was practically empty!

Ghost - Another fragrance I wore as a teenager and loved!

Marks and Spenser Butterfly EDP - This was a gift for Chistmas and I wore it all over the new year period and again have such good memories associated with this scent (is any one else like this?). It's such a light and girly scent and the perfect size to carry in my bag!

Skin Care

Tesco Cucumber Cleansing wipes - my usual wipes. They get the job done and are only 99p!

Tesco Sensitive cleansing wipes - I picked these up because there were no cucumber wipes in the shop and I was in desperate need! I didn't like them as much as the cucumber ones.

L'Oreal Dermo expertise eye make up remover - My favorite make up remover - I get through this stuff so quickly!

Taaj Make up remover - (this has a fancy french name but it's make up remover!) I loved this product and its on par with my L'Oreal make up remover. I received it in a Jolie box but have yet to find a UK retailer!

Mac makeup brush cleanser - Not really skin care but I thought I'd chuck it in this part anyway. It's a good brush cleaner but I probably won't buy it again as it's a bit pricey for what it is.

L'Ooccitane D'angelique hydrating Creme - A fantastic product! I loved using this. The only down side was the smell. It has a very herbal scent which I don't like but  it made my skin feel amazing!

Nail products.

Elagant Touch nail polish remover -This polish remover was excellent but I felt like it really damaged my nails!

NYC top coat, Grand central station - My Favorite drug store top coat! It dries fast and gives a great finish!

Do you use any of these products?

What are your opinions on them?

Tuesday Treats

This week I am participating in the Tuesday Treats Bloghop (by Frances at Spot of tea).

So this week I'm lusting after

Miu Miu Grey Glitter Sunglasses!

I love the look of these and with they weather we are currently experiencing, they are perfect for Tuesday Treats!

Mac Impassioned Lip Stick

Pink is my favourite lip colour and this is just such a traffic stopping colour which will look fantastic with all the bright colours of summer!

What are you lusting over this Tuesday?

Head over to Frances' Blog and join in the bloghop!

x

Mac and Elf haul

Two boxes arrived in the post for me recently!

Sometimes I forget that I've ordered things on line and get a nice surprise when they pop through my font door!

I love ELF so much! 

It's amazing that a lot of their products are only £1.50 and their products range from make up to brushes and brush cleanser.

Even their products which aren't £1.50 are great quality at a good price!

ELF orders come packaged really nicely and neatly, which may not mean much to most people but I love organised packing (and cutely packed parcels!)

I ordered these three quads, one for me, one for my sister and one for my mum.

£1.50 for 4 eye shadows! Bargain.

L-R Nymph Dreams, Teal Dream & Rocker

Finally from ELF I ordered 5 eye shadow brushes.

Top: Eye Liner Brush & Blending Brush

Middle: Lip Defining Brush & Defining Eye Brush

Bottom: Eye Shadow Brush

Click here to visit the ELF website and grab yourself some bargains!

Annnnd the other box is from MAC!

Right now MAC have apromotion on their website, spend over £30 and get free delivery.

I spent a little over £30 and got a few products which I know I'll get loads of use out of and have wanted for ages!

Another neatly packed box of goodies!

This is a frost eye shadow in the shade 'Miss Piggy Pink'. Its a nice pink colour with purple undertones.

This is a pressed powder in the shade Light Plus.

It comes in a compact with a mirror and a dusting sponge.

And finally a small bottle of Fix Plus.

I've never used a finishing spray before and have been really excited to try this!

Have you ordered any make up recently? Do you have an recommendations?

Beauty haul

Brace yourselfs beautiful people this is going to be a looong haul!

Recently it feels like I've done nothing but shop, and in the process emptied out my bank account! This has to stop!

Here is what I bought today!

First off is Mac's Face and Body foundation. This is the first Mac foundation I have bought so had no clue what colour I was. When I went into the mac store it was mega busy and the girl who helped me was like 'c1 is your colour'. 

I'm amazed. She was right. I wish I had that superpower!

So I've got this on now (along with the next few products) just to check that it does match my skin colour properly and you can see for yourself below how lovely it is!

£25.50 - Mac

This 17 mascara from Boots was a right bargain at just £4! I don't own any waterproof mascaras and thought that at £4 this should be the one I own! At first impressions as you can see the brush is HUUGE and I do like it, but it could all change!

£4 - Boots

Now normally I wear a bright pink blush but I feel like as we move into summer (slowly) I needed a different shade. I decided to go with a more peachy/brown shade so picked up natural collection blush in 'Rosey Glow'. Now this blush is super cheap so if it doesn't suit me I haven't lost much!

£1.99 - Boots

Since the Revlon Lip butters were launched in the UK I've heard mixed reviews and that the Loreal Colour Riche Lipsticks were much better. So after weeks of selecting a shade I finally bought 'Aphrodite Scarlet'.

£7.99 - Boots

So here is me with just a very quickly applied face of make-up using all the above products. 

Mac Face and Body foundation - C1

17 Va Va Voom Mascara - Black

Natural Collection Blush - Rosey Glow

Loreal Colour Riche Lipstick - Aphrodite Scarlet

I'm undecided about the blush but I love all of the other products. What are your opinions on the blush and are there any you recommend?

This eyeliner pencil is from a shop I recently discovered called Kiko. This eye liner is in the colour 'Mattita Occhi' and is unlike any other I own. Its a really nice mushroom colour which seems to be well pigmented and very creamy!

£2.50 - Kiko

There was a wide range of lip sticks in Kiko starting at £2.50. I picked up this lipstick in shade 42 which is a  gorgeous shimmery red.

£2.50 - Kiko

I own three other Kiko nail polishes and really love them so I picked up two more in the shades L: 703 (magnetic) R: 344

£2.50 each - Kiko

This is a lip gloss pencil! I have never seen these before so had to get one! This is shade 07 which is a really nice pale pink/almost nude colour. This is so much more pigmented than a lip gloss and still leaves lips with that freshly applied lip gloss feeling.

£3.90 - Kiko

It seems like everybody has these Bourjois Chocolate powders! They are available in a lighter shade (for highlighting) but I am in desperate need of a bronzer. I picked this up in shade 51 and OMG it smells amazing! I don't usually sniff my powders, but as soon as I opened this baby up the smell hit me! I could just eat it up!

£6.99 - Superdrug

I don't know about you guys but I have a bit of an issue with Benefit make-up. A friend of mine used to work at a Benefit make up counter and has recently left the company and she basically told me 'Benefit are awful!' I'm not going to go into it now, but may at a later date. But sometimes I find that if I have Benefit products for more than a month they irritate my skin. Some of their products are great so it's annoying spending so much money on them and then having to chuck them out after a month! The sample sizes are a great way for me to use the products and not spend too much money. This little set was in Boots and consists of 'some kind of gorgeous - the foundation faker' 'Hoola bronzer' and 'Bad Gal mascara'. There will be a review of these soon!

£9 - Boots

I've never tried H&M cosmetics before but this nail polish was just too pretty for me to resist! The colour is 'Pink Road'

£1.99 - H&M

And finally some skin care! I try to use natural products as much as possible on my skin and don't like to overload it with too many different products. However recently I've been getting the odd spot and sometimes need it gone quickly. So I bought this tea tree spot stick, which was on promotion - 2 tea tree products for £.399. I didn't know what else i wanted so after deliberating between the pore strips and the cleansing pads I chose the pore strips as I'm happy with my current cleanser.

2 for £3.99 - Superdrug

Mac madness

I've Been really interested in trying some more mac make up recently. In the past I've only used their eyeliner and brush cleanser but there is just so much in the stores at the moment that is catching my eye!
Today I treated my myself to Mac's face and body foundation in c1.
I look forward to testing this out and showing you guys a haul of all my recently bought mac goodies as well as some reviews!


What are your favourite mac products and products which you would steer clear of?