100% Vegan & Cruelty-Free – Marks & Spencer Warm Neroli Eau De Toilette

Hi there! Today’s post is about this Marks & Spencer Warm Neroli Eau De Toilette. I bought this a few months ago when I sampled most of M&S’ new(ish) fragrances. You could say I had a power sniffing session. Whilst I disliked most of the fragrances I sampled that day, I thought this fragrance was nice. It’s been living – unused – in my stash since then. But I finally started to use it. And here’s what I think.

This fragrance contains the following notes: neroli, bergamot and musk. I generally like fragrances with these notes, but this one is an exception. This fragrance is just bad! What did I think I was smelling when I tested it? I guess my nose was confused after sampling so many fragrances…

What is this fragrance like? When you spray it, it’s immediately harsh and unpleasant – and breathing in this fragrance will make you cough. It’s awful. Once the fragrance has settled, it smells like an unrefined and cheap mess. It reminds me very much of those questionable bottom shelf hairsprays from the 90s. I wore this fragrance for one day only, I hated it instantly, and even my husband asked me if I could “forget” this fragrance at the office. Yes, that’s what I’ll do!

If you’re interested, Marks & Spencer Warm Neroli Eau De Toilette is available as 30ml for £6 and 100ml for £10. Also, this fragrance is vegan and certified cruelty-free (it carries THE Leaping Bunny logo).

Mrs Strawberry Blonde 💙💛

I Love… Peachy Passionfruit Nourishing Body Butter

Hi there! Today’s short post is about this I Love… Peachy Passionfruit Nourishing Body Butter. I’ve used lots of I Love… products in the past, and I generally liked their body butters, so why would I not give this one a try?

I think this body butter is amazing. It has a sunny, yellow, fruity fragrance which I know I’ll enjoy over the coming months. And the formula is simply gorgeous – rich and nourishing, but not tacky. This body butter leaves my skin feeling super soft without feeling like product – I love it!

I Love… Peachy Passionfruit Nourishing Body Butter is (or was) available as 200ml. I have several of these, so I guess these were from Poundland! 😀

Mrs Strawberry Blonde 💙💛

Empties – April 2023

Hi there! Today’s post is about all the products I emptied in April. I did a little better than the past few months. Now onto the products I said goodbye to in April!

1 Treacle Moon That Vanilla Moment Bath And Shower Gel – a lovely shower and bath gel. I have another bottle in my stash.

2 Aussie Mighty Mega Shampoo & Conditioner – one of my favourite conditioners. A definite repurchase (along with the matching shampoo).

3 Original Source Pink Grapefruit Shower – an old favourite. Unfortunately discountinued, but I think I have 2 more bottles in my stash.

4 Boots Extracts Cocoa Butter Body Butter – one of my all-time favourite body butters. Unfortunately discontinued.

5 Boots Garden Collection Rose Body Wash – this was a nice shower gel from a Christmas gift set. I would buy it again if I could.

6 Superdrug Naturally Radiant Glow Gentle Cleansing Milk – a very nice make-up remover. I will buy this product again!

7 Palmolive Memories Of Nature Berry Picking Shower Gel – this is a nice shower gel. Another repurchase.

8 Neutrogena Clear & Soothe Toning Mist With Turmeric – one of my all-time favourite facial products. Yes, I’ll stock up on this face mist!

9 Sukin Certified Organic Rosehip Oil – not the best facial oil, but alright. I wouldn’t buy it again though. I’ve had better facial oils.

10 A’kin Sensitive Calming Day & Night Cream – I used this moisturiser on my feet as I couldn’t stand the smell on my face. Glad it’s gone. Wouldn’t buy it again.

11 Olay Anti-Wrinkle Firm & Lift Day Cream With SPF 15 – this is such a lovely moisturiser! A definite repurchase!

And this is it for April’s empties. Not sure if May will be as good. I will finish 2 products by the end of this week, but there’s not much else looking anywhere near empty in the near future…

Mrs Strawberry Blonde 💙💛

Palmolive Memories Of Nature Berry Picking Shower Gel

Hi there! Today’s post is about this Palmolive Memories Of Nature Berry Picking Shower Gel.

I’ve previously had a shower gel from this collection – Flower Field – which I didn’t love. But I tried this one anyway. First of all, Palmolive shower gels are usually awesome. And secondly, who doesn’t love berries?

I’ve been using this shower gel on and off the entire month (I finished it this morning), and I think it smells very nice. It has a beautiful and refreshing blackberry fragrance.

I also like the gentle formula. The shower gel is definitely cleansing, but it’s doesn’t make my skin feel dry at all. Very nice!

If you’re interested, Palmolive Memories Of Nature Berry Picking Shower Gel is available as 250ml. I paid £1 (special offer, Superdrug).

Mrs Strawberry Blonde 💙💛

Yves Rocher Oui A L’Amour L’Eau De Parfum

Hi there! Today’s post is about this Yves Rocher Oui A L’Amour L’Eau De Parfum which I started to use earlier this month. This fragrance has been in my stash for ages. I never even tried it because the girly pink box made me think of overly sweet fragrances aimed at teenagers. And, equally, it also reminded me of some rather old-fashioned floral fragrances without much finesse. Obviously, you shouldn’t judge a book by its cover, but hey ho…

Alrighty! This fragrance contains the following notes: angelica, rose, cedar. That’s a rather short list! But let’s see if this fragrance is any good…

I think Oui A L’Amour is a lovely fragrance. It smells like vanilla-kissed roses with a whiff of citrus. It’s really nice! This fragrance has a fresh and modern feel about it. I’m glad that it doesn’t smell overly sweet, and that it’s not a loud and unrefined mix of all sorts of different flowers.

One thing I have to deduct an imaginary point for is the staying power of this fragrance. It lasts for 2-3 hours the most, and it doesn’t even linger on clothes or scarves. Since I got this fragrance as a free gift with purchase, I don’t mind spraying it rather liberally. But if you were to pay full price, I can imagine that the lack of staying power would be disappointing.

If you’re interested, Yves Rocher Oui A L’Amour L’Eau De Parfum is available as 30 and 50ml.

Mrs Strawberry Blonde 💙💛

Westlab Salt Shack Mango Moods Bath Salts

Hi there! Today is about these Westlab Salt Shack Mango Moods Bath Salts. These are limited edition bath salts which have moved from the supermarkets and drugstores to the bargain stores. I picked up my bag at my local B&M Bargains for well under £3 (can’t remember the exact price though).

How are these bath salts? I think they’re good but not great. They smell wonderful from the bag and for about a minute in the bath, but the fragrance evaporates into nothingness rather quickly. But they make for a decent bath. They’re just not special.

If you’re interested, Westlab Salt Shack Mango Moods Bath Salts are available as 1kg. I’d say if you find them for a low price, and if you don’t mind that their fragrance is short-lived, they’re worth buying. But I wouldn’t pay more than £3 for these bath salts.

Mrs Strawberry Blonde 💙💛

100% Cruelty-Free – Montagne Jeunesse 7th Heaven Pink Oxygen Bubble Mask

Hi there! Today’s post is about this Montagne Jeunesse 7th Heaven Pink Oxygen Bubble Mask which I just tried.

This is a bubble sheet mask. Before you use it, rub the sachet to activate the bubbles. Apply the mask to a clean face and then leave it on for 5-10 minutes. Then remove the mask, massage the bubbles into the skin, rinse and pat dry – and that’s already it.

I’ve given this mask a try, and I was disappointed. The face mask didn’t create lots of bubbles, and the fragrance was borderline unpleasant. I can’t comment on whether I’ve received old stock. I had high hopes for this mask (I love all things grapefruit and I love bubble masks). Sadly, the mask did absolutely nothing for me.

If you’re interested, Montagne Jeunesse 7th Heaven Pink Oxygen Bubble Mask is available as a single use mask. The price depends on where you shop. I’ve seen this mask for between £1.25 and £1.99. This face mask is certified cruelty-free. It carries THE Leaping Bunny logo!

Mrs Strawberry Blonde 💙💛

TRESemmé Biotin Repair Shampoo & Conditioner

Hi there! Today’s post is about 2 new hair products that I’ve tried for the first time – TRESemmé Biotin Repair Shampoo & Conditioner. I’ve used a few different TRESemmé products in the past. None of them wowed me, but none of them were terrible. Well, here’s how I like this combo.

TRESemmé Biotin Repair Shampoo feels cleansing but not stripping. I’ve used it on freshly coloured hair. Whilst it leaves my hair feeling clean, it doesn’t suck the colour out of my hair. The fragrance is generic but pleasant enough. Not bad at all!

TRESemmé Biotin Repair Conditioner is good too. The formula is thinner than expected – it reminds me of Nivea Soft Cream. I would have expected a richer formula. However, the conditioner definitely gets the job done, and it makes my hair feel nice and soft. I’m also happy to report that I haven’t noticed any product build-up with this hair care combo, so I can continue to use the shampoo and conditioner on a daily basis without having to use a clarifying shampoo in between.

Based on my experience, I’d recommend these hair products. TRESemmé Biotin Repair Shampoo & Conditioner are available as 440ml and 680ml. The price for the big bottles is just under £6, but there’s almost always a Half Price or Buy 1 Get 1 Free offer (Superdrug right now), so there’s no need to spend more than you should! 😀

Mrs Strawberry Blonde 💙💛

Garnier Organic Thyme Purifying Perfecting Toner

Hi there! Today’s post is about this Garnier Organic Thyme Purifying Perfecting Toner for combination to oily skin which I started to use a few weeks ago.

This toner is recommended for daily use. It promises to purify and to mattify the skin, to make pores appear tightened, and to make the skin texture appear more refined. OK then!

When I started to use this toner, I found it rather harsh. It’s definitely not the type of toner that you want to use around your eyes to remove the last few traces of make-up that your cleanser and cloth didn’t catch.

Fortunately, I didn’t use it around my eyes. The strong scent and the borderline scary feel of the toner on my forehead were enough of a warning.

What does the toner do? Good question. I have very dry and moody skin, and the only thing I’ve noticed is that this toner makes my skin feel very dry for a few minutes – and then my skin starts to produce more oil than ever.

I can’t speak for people with oily skin types, but I would find that counterproductive.

Well, I will use up this toner but I won’t buy it again.

First of all, it has a strong chemical smell. It says the fragrance is 100% natural –  which is a good thing, I guess. But it doesn’t smell good. And it’s not a subtle fragrance either. It’s also not the most suitable product for my skin type. Granted, I’m not the customer this product is aimed at, but it shouldn’t feel so wrong to use it. I would definitely recommend a patch test* if you have sensitive skin. Whilst I haven’t had any bad reaction to this toner, I can see the possibility that it might be a bit too strong for some people with sensitive skin.

If you’re interested, Garnier Organic Thyme Purifying Perfecting Toner is available as 150ml for £5.99. I paid £3.99 (Save 1/3 at Boots).

*You should always to a patch test for any new product you use. Always check the ingredients to make sure a product is safe for you. If it is (based on the ingredients), then do a patch test.

Mrs Strawberry Blonde 💙💛

Empties – March 2023

Hi there! Today’s post is about all the products I said goodbye to in March. The post is a bit late – again. Hopefully work will be less of a hot mess soon! Alrighty, onto the empties!

1 Diesel Fuel For Life Unlimited Body Lotion – the perfect body lotion to match the incredible Fuel For Life Unlimited fragrance. I found another bottle of this amazing body lotion in my stash. I hope this means that there’s another Fuel For Life Unlimited fragrance somewhere!

2 Pantene Pro-V Miracles Grow Strong Biotin + Bamboo Conditioner – a great conditioner! I will buy it (and the matching shampoo) again. My husband is enjoying the leftover shampoo quite a bit.

3 Imperial Leather SkinKind Raspberry & Lime Blossom Enriching Body Wash – a decent shower gel but not a favourite. It’s been discontinued and I’m OK with that.

4 Palmolive Naturals Black Orchid & Moisturising Milk Shower Milk – I think this was the last of its kind. So sad that this incredible shower gel has been discontinued!

5 Nivea Happy Time Shower Cream – this is a nice shower gel that I bought and enjoyed before and that I’ll buy again. Although it pales in comparison to the beautiful Palmolive shower gel…

6 I Love… Raspberry & Blackberry Bubble Bath & Shower Cream – this is a lovely shower gel. I have a few more of these in my stash!

7 Beckham Fragrances Intimately Beckham Eau De Toilette – I love this fragrance! Such a shame that this beauty has been discontinued!

8 L’Oréal Skin Perfection Velvety-Soft Toner – this toner is awesome! It’s not available anymore with this packaging, but I believe the current Fine Flowers toner is the same (or similar). I will try it soon.

9 I Love… Choca Mocha Lala Moisturizing Lip Balm – this was such an amazing lip balm. Sadly, discontinued as well.

I thought March would be better for empties, but hey ho… Thanks for stopping by today! xx

Mrs Strawberry Blonde 💙💛