#BathroomBlitz #3 - Pampering Treats & Laundry Cupboard

Three months into my concerted effort to clear out some of the half used bottles and tubes in the bathroom and I can't see much difference compared to the photo I took for the badge ! However, I am definitely clearing out more space in the drawers so this month, I had a few pamper sessions to use up face masks and lotions and potions. I'm also always amazed at how much laundry detergent/fabric softener we get through, but I suppose it makes sense, as a family of five.

Here's what I managed to finish up this month :

1. Montagne Jeunesse Blemish Mud Mask - With aloe vera and willow to deep cleanse and soothe. This felt really nice and left my skin feeling nicely moisturised. It also gave the kids a laugh when they walked in and saw me with a green face ! Would I buy it again? Yes, I would - they're cheap and cheerful but they do live up to their promises as a fun pampering treat.

2. Persil Bio Small & Mighty - I always think Persil is a great all-round laundry detergent. It always gets the stains out so it's great for washing the kids' clothes after they've got muddy or covered in paint. Would I buy it again? Yep.

3. Comfort Intense Fuchsia Passion - I love the floral, fresh, uplifting fragrance and, as the Persil doesn't really have a fragrance, it means that the washing smells lovely, along with the whole house when the tumble drier is on the go ! Would I buy it again? Definitely. Love the fragrance.

4. Olive Oil Intensive Hand Cream - It's quite greasy so I used to put it on at night. It smells nice but the main reason I bought it was because it was on our trip to Turkey last year and a little old man was selling sea sponges, soaps and creams - none of which I really wanted but he gave little "evil eye" badges to the kids for free so I felt duty bound to buy something because he was so lovely. Would it buy it again? For the product itself, no, but in the same situation on holiday, probably !

5. Nivea Nourishing Cocoa In-Shower Body Moisturiser - I never like jumping out of the shower feeling all clean then smothering my body in greasy body lotions, so the in-shower format works really well for me. Not sure I really need it though as my shower gel is already moisturising enough. Would I buy it again? Maybe, if my skin started drying out.

6. Yves Rocher Patch d'Institut Nose/Forehead/Chin Pore Strips - I love using these on my nose and actually used all of them - even the chin and forehead ones - on my nose. I love seeing all the gooey bits that come out of the pores and get stuck on the strips ! Would I buy them again? Yes, definitely, but I've been looking for more (of any brand) and can't find any in the shops.

7. Vosene Kids 3-in-1 Headlice Repellent Shampoo - I'm not overly keen of the smell of this but the kids love it and (touch wood) they haven't come home with itchy heads this year. Would I buy it again? Yes, I would.

8. Tesco Loves Baby Non-Bio Laundry Gel - It's cheap and cheerful and does the job just fine for run-of-the-mill washing that's not particularly dirty. Woud I buy it again? Yes, because it's cheap and pretty efficient, but I need fabric softener to add a nice fragrance.

9. Lenor Unstoppables - Pierre loves pouring a capful of these little pearls of perfume in the washing machine, although they do often ping out all over the floor ! They smell gorgeous but I'm more likely to use a fabric softener than just a laundry perfume. Would I buy them again? Maybe, if they were on offer, but it's an added expense I probably don't really need.

10. Regener8 Argan Conditioner - I do love argan oil but I didn't get the feeling that this contained much of it, to be honest. It was very thick so I had to dilute it when I got half way down the bottle or it was impossible to get out. Even then, it was hard going. Its thick, rich texture does make it very nourishing though. Would I buy it again? Possibly but I'd prefer it in a tub as it would be easier to scoop out.

11. Ritual Yogi Flow Indian Rose & Sweet Almond Foaming Shower Gel - This felt very decadent - love the texture, love the packaging, love the fragrance. Would I buy it again? Probably - no idea how much it costs though as it was part of a gift set.

So, for the first month ever, I did it ! I hit my personal target of ten products ! :)

#BathroomBlitz 2 - Dejunking the kids' stuff

Last month, I set myself a new challenge. After the #KitchenClearout, it was time to bring on the #BathroomBlitz ! This came about after realising there were several totally empty or nearly empty bottles cluttering up the shower and the side of the bath, not to mention the hidden away clutter in the drawers (in particular all my free samples of beauty products) so this was a great way to give me a nudge to use them up. I set myself a target of ten products per month, including samples, and in my first #BathroomBlitz, I got to nine. I don't actually keep a tally going so I'm discovering how well I did this month at the same time as you !

So, here are this month's empties ...

1. Le Petit Marseillais Sweet Almond Milk shower cream - Madhouse Daddy has been using this one as it's a nice, refreshing, unisex fragrance. There was only a smidgeon left in the bottle so I finished it off and I was impressed at its moisturising properties. Would I buy it again? Yeah, why not.

2. Calpol Six Plus - Juliette had braces fitted and finished off the Calpol Six Plus in the first few days when they were hurting. Luckily they've settled down now and even when she had them tightened last week, they only hurt a tiny bit for one day. Would I buy it again? With three kids in the house, it's indispensible. There's always a spare bottle in the cupboard.

3. Regener8 Argan Shampoo - I love argan oil. I love its fragrance and how well it conditions your hair (and skin and nails ...). This was nice enough but it doesn't seem to have much argan oil in it. Would I buy it again? Maybe, but not if I specifically wanted an argan product.

4. Radox Passion Fruit Splash shower gel - I love the vibrant yellow colour (of the bottle and product) and above all the zingy, fruity fragrance which is guaranteed to put a smile on my face when I step in the shower. Would I buy it again? Definitely.

5. Paddy's Bathroom Squirty Stuff (Juicy Pineapple Hair & Body Wash) - Juliette has recently switched from baths to showers and this is the product she took to the shower as hers. It's a foaming mousse that is OK for baby hair or short hair but Juliette needs a more nourishing shampoo for her long locks. It's a lovely fragranced, easy-to-dispense shower product though. Would I buy it again? Probably, especially if it was on offer.

6. Montagne Jeunesse De-Clog Pores Nose Strips - You get three in a pack and there were two left to use up so I did one a week. The orange fragrance smells more of mouldy oranges than the zingy citrus burst that I was hoping for but they stick well, pull out a disgusting amount of gunk and don't hurt when you peel them off, unlike some ! They did make the skin on my nose look clearer too which was impressive. Would I buy them again? Probably, depending on the price.

7 & 8 : Two packs of plasters. Both totally empty and both sitting in the first aid cupboard when I went to get the Calpol. It never ceases to amaze me how quickly we get through plasters in our house, but I suppose that's par for the course with three kids ! Would I buy them again? Like the Calpol, there's always a spare pack in reserve.

9. Cussons Mum & Me Little Explorers Squishy Soap - This is like shaving foam that gets you clean. Pierre loves it and its great for a fun and whinge-free bathtime ! Would I buy it again? Not all the time but every now and then as a treat.

Well, that's funny - I seem to have hit nine again ! I have made some headway in my luxury samples (ie the mini pots with several applications rather than a monodose) so there should be lots more skincare products in next month's roundup.

#BathroomBlitz #1 : Time to declutter the bathroom

A few weeks ago, I spotted a post on one of my favourite blogs showing all the empties of beauty products that the blogger had got through during the month. (I've tried to find it again but failed miserably so if it's you, give me a shout so I can link through to you !) I commented to say that I needed to do this too  ... then decided that I would. After the #KitchenClearout, the #BathroomBlitz is born !

I've set myself a challenge of using up ten products per month from the bathroom - that might sound like a tall order but I'm including samples and also the cleaning/laundry products in the cupboard just outside of the bathroom. I should also point out that I have a large collection of half used (or even almost empty) bottles and tubes that never get finished off before the next lot of products arrive to review ! This first round-up has been really easy (and gratifying) because I've been hunting out all the almost-empties then finishing them off. It's amazing the amount of clutter that has got rid of already so I'm looking forward to getting on to my free samples drawer and really blitzing the bathroom !

So here's what I've managed to finish off and throw away this month :

1. Artistry by Amway Advanced Skin Refinisher - I've been using this at night and/or in the morning and it leaves my skin feeling lovely and soft but not greasy. It's great if my skin is feeling tight or tingly due to being dried out or irritated by the cold weather. Would I buy it again? Not sure I could justify the price tag, even if it is lovely (£53.35 for 30ml) (see my review here)

2. Colgate Total Pro-Gum Health Toothpaste - A great all-round multi-purpose toothpaste. Love the flavour, my teeth feel nice and smooth on my tongue and it keeps my mouth feeling fresh as a daisy ! Would I buy it again? I already have !

3. Mystery Floor Cleaning Product - No idea what it was as it was for a product test but it did the job and had a nice lemon fragrance. Would I buy it again? No because I don't know what it was !

I managed to use up two ends-of-bottles in one shower - go me !

4. Herbal Essences  Smooth & Soft Shampoo - It's OK but nothing particularly special. I was hoping for a big, brash Herbal Essences fragrance so I found it a bit bland.  Would I buy it again? Maybe, maybe not.

5. Palmer's Coconut Oil Formula Repairing Conditioner - Nice enough but I'd have preferred a stronger coconut fragrance and I found it hard to get out of the tube because it was very thick. Would I buy it again? Possibly if it was on offer.

6. Surf Flirty Shades of Surf with Scentsual Oil - The Fifty Shades inspired bottle made me smile every time I saw it and it got the washing clean but the fragrance could have been stronger. Would I buy it again? Probably, if it was on offer.

7. Sure Maximum Protection Sport Strength - This comes out as a cream which I wasn't sure I'd like but it doesn't feel wet or greasy. I like the fact that you put it on at night before bed rather than in the morning and that it still gives great protection. Would I buy it again? Definitely.

8. Radox Mango Mayhem Shower Gel - Love the sunshiney orange colour and the zingy fruity fragrance that is guaranteed to get me in a good mood after a long day at work. Would I buy it again? Definitely.

9. Tesco Squid Soap - A fabulous idea. When you press on the soap dispenser, you get an ink spot (squid ink, get it ?!) on your hand which means you have to wash your hands thoroughly for 30 seconds to get it off. The only trouble was, our ink spotter didn't work which was a shame. Would I buy it again? I would if the ink spot works next time.

Well, I didn't quite make it to ten but nine's still pretty good going ! I'm already peering in drawers and cupboards to see what else can be decluttered this month ...