New To My Stash | Gifted

New-in beauty, skincare, fragrance and other bits I'm giving the once over...

New To My Stash is exactly what is says on my tin. A kind of haul/blogger mail hybrid that brings an overview of the newest products in my collection. There will be a good mix of PR stuff and things that I've bought: mainly makeup, a bit of skincare, maybe some hair care, and even a few random bits I think you need to know about too. You might have seen these products floating around on my social media channels, but this is the place for my quick first impressions before I really get chance to put things to the test. If I really fall in love with a product, you might see it in a Hall of Fame post [as a Beauty Bargain (under £5), Drugstore Gem, High-end Hero or Luxury Love] which will showcase my ultimate faves and the things you really need in your life. Alternatively, keep an eye on my empties and declutters on YouTube to find out how I got on with them. So without further ado...

The Makeup

Rimmel Stay Matte Liquid Lipsticks (£5.99) | The liquid lipstick launch the drugstore has been waiting for! These really impressed me in my first impressions video, and I've been wearing them a ton since. They dry down to a transfer-proof matte finish that isn't too drying on the lips, and they last a decent amount of time too. I'm particularly loving the shades Be My Baby, which is a peachy nude, and Rose & Shine which is a rosy pink. I'm yet to wear Blue Iris out the house because I'm a wuss but I definitely need to pick up more shades, they're such a bargain!  | Rating: 9/10

NYX Suede Lip Liner in On The Beach (£4) | I've been wearing bright corals a lot recently, but they're not the easiest to apply without a lip liner. Unfortunately it's not the most readily available liner colour, but I managed to find this one from NYX, which actually matches their Liquid Suede lip liners. This one is a wooden pencil, so isn't as creamy as some of the other lip liners in my collection, but it certainly fills the coral liner void in my makeup collection. | Rating: 8/10

The Skincare

Boots Botanics Hydration Burst Range | I picked up a couple of products as they were on clearance due to their re-release in updated packaging (and hiked up prices!). I'd been eyeing up their Day Lotion for quite a while, but decided in the end to go for the Day Cream (I paid £4, new RRP £8.99) as I thought it would be more nourishing. When I first opened the tub (which is a let down as it is in really cheap white plastic packaging), I was really surprised at the texture, as it's not really a cream, more so a runny gel-cream kinda situation. I also picked up their Serum (which doesn't appear to have made it into the new range) as it was reduced to £2 as I had almost run out of their All Bright Radiance Serum (Nope, not over the fact that they've upped the price from £2.50 to £8.99!). Again, it gets a thumbs down for the packaging, and the texture wasn't what I expected. It's not the kind of watery texture I'm used to, it is thicker and is a white colour. It sinks into the skin quickly and feels nice, but it feels a bit silicon-y. The same also goes for the moisturiser. It is quite hydrating, but it's the silicone texture I don't love - I can feel it's not doing my skin as much as I'd like and it also has the tendency to ball up on my skin. They're not products I'll continue to use | Rating: 3/10

Nivea Daily Essentials Rich Moisturising Day Cream (£4.09) | I picked this up after being a bit disappointed with the Hydration Burst moisturiser. I used to use the one with the blue lid back in the day and I don't remember it being awful, so when I saw this in my local Bodycare for around £2, I thought I'd give it a go. It has quite a strong powdery scent, but its not too overpowering. The cream is rich and creamy and has a nice soothing quality to it. It feels surprisingly moisturising and it makes my skin feel nice and soft. On first impressions, I really like it, and my Mum's been helping herself to it too! | Rating: 9/10

Fresher Me Mud Mask* (£25/Currently £16.99) | I was really attracted to this natural dead sea mud mask as it has a really clean ingredients list, being all natural and paraben free. I find the packaging a bit basic, but I went in with an open mind and was impressed! It has a very similar scent to the Sanctuary Thermal Detox Mask that I have in my Project Pan, and has quite a thin texture so I think it would be easier to apply with a brush rather than the fingers. It has ingredients such as coconut oil, shea butter, apricot kernel oil and aloe vera, which which stops it drying out your skin. I  also found it really easy to rinse off, and left my skin feeling really nice and soft. I like it! | Rating: 8.5/10

The Fragrances

Accessorize Love Lily Gift Set* (RRP £19, currently £10) | This affordable set comes with a 75ml fragrance and a body lotion. It has notes of raspberry, orange, jasmine and musk. To be honest, this isn't really my cup of tea, but I can see a lot of people enjoying this. It reminds me a lot of something like Paco Rabanne Lady Million, so if you're looking for an affordable alternative, I'd definitely recommend checking this out. It has the same bold feel and has a good strength to it.

Next Summer Sun (£8) | My mum spied this as we were wandering around Next as she loves anything coconutty and tropical. As soon as I smelt it I was like "That's a Bronze Goddess dupe!", so it didn't take long before it went into my basket! It's so similar to its high-end counterpart, but is a fraction of the price. I can't get enough of it so expect a full post very soon! | Rating 10/10

The Other Bits

Bondi Sands Self Tan Eraser (£14.99) | Something I picked up after a bit of a fake tan mistake. After seeing so many people sing its praises, I put it to the test. It is a mousse formula, so it feels a bit like shaving foam when you apply it. It does dissolve onto the skin, and it can be hard to know how much to apply. You leave it for 5 minutes before hopping into the shower, armed with an exfoliating glove. To be honest, I was expecting magic, especially for the price. It did remove some of my tan, but I still had to scrub at it. I usually wait until a week before removing my tan and it comes right off with a mitt, but I'm not sure how easy 3 day tan is usually to remove. I definitely wouldn't say it's an essential product. | Rating: 6/10

Batiste Stylist Texturising Spray (£2.99) | I'm forever on the search for the perfect texturising spray, so as my V05 Give Me Volume spray is running out, I decided to pick up the Batiste offering when I saw it on offer. I expected this one to have a bit more hold to it, as I don't like to have to use a hairspray as well, although this would be great if you're after something really lightweight. If anyone has any recommendations for a great dry texturising spray, let me know in the comments! | Rating: 6/10

Graze Protein Bites* (£2.50 for 4) | Individually wrapped, handbag sized bites of flapjack-y goodness (we all know I can't resist a Graze flapjack), with the addition of protein crispies to keep you going 'til lunch. These new snacks from Graze have been well received, being the perfect thing to throw in my bag for a breakfast/mid-morning snack on the go. They are available in three flavours (Banana & Oat, Cocoa Vanilla and Honey & Seed) which are all equally as yummy and are available from supermarkets at £2.50 for a box of 4, which is a great price compared to a lot of healthy snacks. I'm a bit addicted and I'll definitely be stocking up in my weekly shop! | Rating: 10/10

Have you tried any of these products?
What's new to your stash?

- Post contains PR samples (*) and affiliate links -

- This does not affect my views and I will always give my honest opinion of a product -