Empties #6

Dove Go Fresh, Pomegranate and Lemon Verbena Deodrant - 250ml £1.72 - This is my favourite deodrant by far and I love the fact that you can smell it on your skin for ages and that it does the job and it does it really well!

Will Repurchase - I would have a few of them dotted around my world but I am trying to use up other products - hopefully they finish up soon!

Soap & Glory Breakfast Scrub - 300ml £9.50 - I'm just preparing myself to make a really grand statment about this product... and that is that this is possibly one of my favourite products. I love the smell, the texture and what it does to my skin not to mention the packaging and the brand as a general. It leaves my skins beautiful soft and smells AMAZING.

Will Repurchase - I already had one in the cupboard just in case (forever forbid) that I would run out and not have a replen pot. I can't wait for Christmas because this is a usual staple present in my stocking!

Sanctuary Foaming Bath Soak - 250ml £5.50 - With Sanctuary products it is all about the scent for me really, there is just something about the smell of their products which just makes me take a deep breath and absorb it with a big relaxing "ahhhhhmmmm". This bath foam is my favourite for when I am going through really stressful periods because I find that it helps me sleep easier at night.

Will Repurchase - Just because it is a rescue remedy for me and I can't afford to spend £4 on Lush products for every bath (considering I have them 3-4 times a week) 

Nivea Soft Refreshing Soft Moisturising Cream - 75ml £2.45 - A thick and creamy texture and it is senstive enough to put on all of your body. Though I find that it is unsuitable for my face because it doesn't sink in and makes my skin oily. Good for the hands but again you can't be using them straight after as it doesn't sink in quickly.

Won't Repurchase - Mainly because it is Okay, there isn't much that I liked or dislike about it. 

Percy & Reed Moisturising Conditioner - 100ml £8 - This works better when left on the ends on the hair for a few minutes like a quick mask rather than using it a standard conditioner. It smells nice and the formula is good a detangling hair though be weary of putting too near the roots other it will be oily and you need to make sure you wash it out properly as it takes a little more effort than some conditioners.

Might Repurchase - It was nice enough to make my hair smooth but I love testing around different hair conditioners to find GREAT products but this was good. 

The Body Shop Mattifying Foundation Shade 04 - 8g £14 DISCONTINUED - Eurgh this product is horrid, I'm not quite sure why or what made me choose this product. The product is too thick and cakes onto your skin, it gravitates to oily or dry patches so then it looks blotchy. The colour seemed to change and the packaging is vile and the sponge applicator absorbed too much of the make-up.

Won't Repurchase - Read above... Enough said.

Batiste Dry Shampoo Cherry - 250ml £2.50 - Okay so the Lush Dry Shampoo is actually my favourite at the moment but you couldn't carry it around in your bag. I actually quite like the scent of this one because I haven't been keen on many of the others. It is a beauty essential and a quick fix!

Will Repurchase - I generally like batiste and it is so handy to have in your handbag and gym bag :) You can never have enough in my eyes. 

 

Overall a pretty positive empties post :)

F*ck Monday: Breast Cancer

Good Monday All! 

Hope your week hasn't been too deary now that we are set for a wet and cold winter and everyone is really a little down in the dumps due to this grey days and dark nights.I just wanted to apologise for the lack of weekend blogging, my boyfriend and I went up to see his family in Coventry for the weekend which was really lovely, I got to meet both his Nan and Sister for the first time even though we have been together over 18months... Time flys.

Anyway the main topic that I wanted this blog post to be about today is around breast cancer/cancer in general. This is going to be a really personal post about what has happened to me in the last couple of months so if your not keen on that then return back to my site tomorrow for a more perkier post.

So now I am going to tell you all about one of the scariest moments in my life. Last year my boyfriend and I went to Mexico, I got slightly burnt on my chest one day but never thought much of it. According to my doctor I am very unusal that I don't have a single mole on my body - all I have is a handful of freckles and normal colouring. A few weeks after my holiday I noticed a werid lumpy red blemish which was on the front of my right boob. I didn't think much of it as I thought it was a spot. A few months had passed and it seemed that the mark had got bigger. So in May I went to my doctors and he looked at it and measured it said that he didn't think it was anything to worry about but just to keep an eye on it. It kept growing and started to get lumpier so I went back to the doctors it was the end of June and he remeasured it and agreed it had changed and had increased by 30% in size. I was referred to a Dermatologist who saw me within 3 weeks and after my first consulation she wanted me to go back within a week for a biopsy. This did scare me and I started to fret a little, if I am honest I was more scared of the proceedure than what the outcome was going to be. On the day of the biopsy the Dermatologist kept hovering over this lump a little longer than was comfortable. She called in another doctor and a nurse where it was agreed that they lump needed to be removed as had changed since the consultation. This meant that it was going to be a bigger proceedure and I was going to have 6 stitches.

I am a born worrier but with this I did keep it to a select few of friends and it did make me feel very emotional. I couldn't help but worry and let me imagination run wild whilst I waited for my results. I didn't know how I should had felt and some moments I just got caught up in my thoughts. Luckily the results came back clear of cancer and it was a burst blood vessel (which they are now investigating because it is an odd place for them to occur). But it was a huge relief and now I just had to wait for the cut to heal.

After the stitches were removed, the tissue had actually healed together proper and split open, now because I have a sensitive stomach I won't go into too much detail. But I pulled off a plaster one day and I caught my boob in my hand and it was leaky muck and blood dripping though my hand. I was terrified I thought my boob had burst. Now that was 2 and a half months ago... and it still hasn't healed in fact it is getting worst. There is no infection in the wound, it just had something called over granulation... it was quite confusing all the things that were mentioned. But since then I have been going to the doctors once a week to get it checked and dressed. But I am very fortunate enough to have great parents and boyfriend who have helped me so much with the dressing faff. It is too awkward for me too do because my boobs are so big and natural which means they tend to fall south which causes pain. I have had to pack the would with idoine patches and worn padded dressing which look really attractive... NOT.

This how experience has been dragging on me a little and I know some days I am just feeling sorry for myself but it is because of the time that it has been going on. It sounds so daft but it makes me feel really ugly and at times I thought 'Oh, Olly (that's the boyf) won't find me attractive because my boobs so rotten.' Even though I know he is isn't that shallow like at all  but when you feel horrible it can just drag on you. It has helped that before this happened I was getting fitter and losing weight which was making me feel better but I haven't been able to excercise because I have to let them have little movement as possible so it doesn't leak or get bigger. A result of this and me feeling like crap I have put a bit of weight on, not too much, but enough to make me feel grim. I just not sure how I would had got through these last few months without my family, friends and boyfriend - all whom have helped me so much.

To be honest I am one of the lucky ones, because it could had been a lot worst than it was. It is just a shame that it is taking a LOT longer than it would had to heal. But my advice to every girl out there is if something comes on your body which isn't normal for you get it checked out because you never know what it might be. 

If anyone out there is going through something like this or wants to talk. Just contact me on twitter @MissLaceyLoves or by email on misslaceyloves@gmail.com

Where Are My Knees? 10 Week Pledger

The girls from the Where Are My Knees blog have created this 10 week pledge to get fitter/trimer for Christmas. I have been thinking about Christmas and the New Year and how my resolution is lose weight pretty much most years and again as another year is drawing in and I haven't lose any weight and I don't really want to have that disappointing feeling again so at least I know if I can try and lose a stone (14lb) by Christmas then at least I know I would had achieved something. 

On these dates I will be doing a post on my progress what I have done, eaten and little slips up (hopefully not too many)

Week 1: 21st October                                      Week 6: 25th November
Week 2: 28th October                                     Week 7: 2nd December
Week 3: 4th November                                    Week 8: 9th December
Week 4: 11th November                                  Week 9: 16th December 
Week 5: 18th November                                 Week 10: 23rd December

This means I need to be more gyming it and less eating all the bad foods which I have been indulging in. Packed lunch for work and lots of water and herbal tea for me :) I'm also going to try and gut out gluten too because I want to see if that changes or helps with my bloating. 

How else is in? I would love to know if anyone else is on a mission to get a little sexier for christmas!

Catch you later girls :) x

My Night Time Skincare Routine

Lancome Gentle Softening Cleansing Fluid Face & Eyes £11 125ml

Clinique Take the Day Off Eye Make Up Remover £6 50ml (See Post)

 The Body Shop Cucumber Freshening Water £4 250ml (See Post)

Estee Lauder Advance Night Repair Eye Serum Sample 5ml 

Lancome Anti-Stress Moisturising Cream Sample 15ml

Korres Shea Butter Lip Balm Sample 5ml

With my skincare routine I liked to use this as an opportunity to try and test out some of my samples. It helps feed my addiction of trying out new products whilst also using up a lot of samples which get built up over time. 

Now this regime is after I have take most of my make-up with a face wipe. I have just started getting into the swing of using a separate cleanser to actually let it clean my skin apposed to just being used as a make-up remover. I do a little confession that I am a little lazy especially in the evening so all of these products are usually next to my bed and can be down before I snuggle down. 

Eye Make Up Remover - Like I said I have normally taken most of my make-up off but I usually get some left over mascara or eyelash glue if I have been wearing falseys. I have to soak a cotton wool pad on each eye for it to clear completely. 

Cleanser - This cream cleanser is perfect for my skin whilst the seasons are changing and my face is trying to strengthen up against the harsh winds and cold mornings. I tend to get quite sore skin in the winter so preparing myself for it is key. 

Toner - Because I use a cream cleanser I need a toner which will help lift and remove and excess product which has been left on my skin. This cucumber water is light and refreshing and doesn't stick onto my skin and I have the clean feeling so I am able to moisturise my face.

Moisturiser - This Lancome one was one of my favourite because it was thick enough to nourish my skin enough over night but not too heavy that is clogs my pores. The only thing that I didn't particularly like about this was the smell because it is very perfumed and I don't particularly like that. 

Eye Cream - This is a treat, I wish I could afford the full size because I feel when I wake after putting this on my eyes feel refreshed and I look like a spring chicken (even though I'm not that old). The product is a thick consistency and you only need a tiny amount so a little goes a long way, which makes me happy because this little sample pot is lasting longer. Woop!

Lip Balm - It is nice and soothing and stays on your lips for ages which is why it is perfect for the night or during the cold winter days. I love the smell and the texture of it but it still doesn't beat my favourite one.

Have you changed your skincare routine for the winter?

The Body Shop Hair Care

Cottonseed Curl Boost - £7 from The Body Shop 

Macadamia Straightening Balm £7 from The Body Shop

I brought these products ages ago and I also go through stages of using them and then not. They are both reasonably price at £7 for 150ml which I think is great. I wished they had heat defence in them because when it comes to my hair I would rather have one product that does everything than loads of different products because I hate how it builds up on your scalp. However, a big bonus of these is that they are pumps and not sprays which although you have to work into your hair but it is good because that means you can focus on the area of your hair which needs it most.

Now the macadamia straightening balm is my favourite one out of the pair and is also probably the only one which i'll purchase again. The cottonseed has a runny consistency and I find that I waste a lot on my hands than on my hair. It doesn't help curl my hair which is what I am looking for because my hair is wavy and it needs that extra boost to help it curl. It smells quite pleasant too and the I like the packaging - I just wished the product actually worked on my hair. 

I love how my macadamia straightening balm feels on my hair once it has been dried. It makes the ends a lot soft and less frizzy which is great as I have quite dry ends so I need a product that not only helps the dryness but that also makes it look better. I think this product is definitely worth the £7 that it retails at. The only down side is that now my tube is running out and where the product is quite thick and creamy it is hard to get the rest out via the pump. But I'm finding ways around that... I may try and scoop all the remaining product into a pot.