A Whole Lotta Empties
Empties posts aren't something that I find myself creating very often as the thought of hoarding rubbish and trying to make it look appealing isn't something that screams fun to me. However, empties posts are something I find incredibly useful when it comes to buying beauty products as you really get to know someone's thoughts on an items when they've used it up. I've been really trying to use up a lot of beauty products at the moment in my never-ending quest to get rid of clutter and here is everything that has made it's way to my recycling bin lately.
LOTTIE #LASHGOALS MASCARA *
Technically this isn't empty because I got rid of it before it was finished as I just couldn't bear to use it anymore. And not because it wasn't a good mascara, it worked well, gave me volume and lift and didn't smudge or flake away after a long day. But the shape of the brush makes this so difficult to use and not get all over your eyes which isn't something I have the time or patience for. And it wasn't until I used this that I realised just how picky I am about the mascara brushes I use. I'm not exactly a marketers dream when it comes to this area of beauty because I love bog standard brushes that just get the job done. When things are warped and twisted, let alone with spikey balls on the end I don't find myself reaching for them because they're more than likely going to spoil my haphazard champagne eye.
REPURCHASE? NO
REN 1 MINUTE FLASH RINSE FACIAL*
I've got a few REN minis in my stash that I'm currently making my way through. And one that I've reserved just for when my skin really needed a quick pick me up and I didn't have time for a proper mask was the 1 Minute Flash Rinse Facial. Even though I've looked through the ingredients of this I'm still not quite sure what makes this mask so nice but it's really lovely. It's not something you're going to use and be blown away by the results but it does make the skin look brighter and firmer. And because it's so quick to get to work it's something that you can use in a morning, especially if maybe you haven't been so kind to your skin the night before. Even though I did enjoy what this product did to my skin I don't think I'd ever go out and rush to buy it.
REPURCHASE? NO
GARNIER MICELLAR WATER
Something that I'm really on the quest to do is reduce the number of cotton pads I'm using so that means saying goodbye to my beloved micellar waters. And I still stand by every single thing that I've said about them in the past, they make removing makeup so incredibly easy that you don't need to worry about pulling and tugging at your eyes or skin. I just wish there was a way to use them without going through cotton wool at a rapid rate. Anyway, throughout all the years of micellar water being my preferred way to remove makeup I have found that for the price and the effectiveness of the product that the Garnier Micellar Water is the best on the market for me. There are a number of different formulations available now which means you can more than likely find something to suit your skin.
REPURCHASE? NOT RIGHT NOW
MARIA NILA CREAM HEAT SPRAY*
Using a heat protectant on my hair when using any heated tools is something I find pretty important, especially now I've added colour to my tresses. I found this in the bottom of my hair basket and I remembered just how much I enjoyed it but when I tried to use it again it appeared to have become blocked making it unable which is a serious pain. And as it's quite a thick liquid in consistency, which I liked because it felt really nourishing on the hair when applied it's not something that is very easy to distribute even when you've taken off the spray pump. However, when this did work I really enjoyed and did feel like it made a difference to the condition of my hair and help it stay as soft and nourished as possible. But for the price, I'm just not sure I'd go back to it as it's a pretty expensive product for it to become unusable and heat protectant is one of those things that I'm not sure you need to spend a lot of money on to get an effective product.
REPURCHASE? NO
INIKA MICELLAR WATER*
Another micellar water to join the ranks and this one I preferred more as an easy cleanse rather than a way to remove makeup as I didn't find it the best for doing that, it still got the job done but not to the same standard as the Garnier. I really enjoyed this in a morning if I was going to the gym I would give my face a little once-over with this and it left my complexion feeling fresh and clean without making my skin feel stripped or dry. I've always said this but micellar waters shouldn't replace traditional cleansers in your routine as that's not what they are for, regardless of some fancy tv ad. They are great for removing makeup and giving your skin a quick once over when needs be but in the long run, they don't keep the skin clean enough. Although I did like this option from Inika, I wouldn't buy it over something from the high street.
REPURCHASE? NO
SOAP & GLORY HEEL GENIUS*
This is a body product that I've used for years and another tube just recently bit the dust. I always use a foot cream after a bath or shower and it's even more important now I walk a good few miles a day so my feet are often looking a little worse for wear. And because I live in sandals in the warmer months I want my feet to feel and look as nice as possible. The Soap & Glory Heel Genius is a product that keeps your feet looking and feeling soft and supple but it doesn't overwhelm them in moisture. As it's not as a really intense product you might not find this effective enough if you have really dry or cracked skin on your feet but for an everyday top up of moisture, it's lovely.
REPURCHASE? yes
DECLÉOR MICELLAR OIL*
I mentioned this dreamy cleansing oil in a somewhat recent post and I've just to the end of it. I've become a complete convert to the world of cleansing oils and I think I may even prefer them over anything else right now which is quite the claim to make. This oil feels incredibly comforting on parched winter skin but it doesn't overload the complexion with moisture allowing it to become unbalanced. Once massaged into the skin it melts everything away every scrap of makeup you're wearing, even tough to remove mascara. The only downside of cleansing oils is that it's easy to get through them at quite a rapid rate meaning they aren't always that cost friendly.
REPURCHASE? NOT RIGHT NOW
JO MALONE BLACKBERRY & BAY
notes: blackberry, grapefruit, bay, floral accord, vetiver, cedar
I'm not sure if I might have included this in a post before but I finally got my last spritz out of it. It's a perfume that I've had in my collection since 2013 so that's quite a long time to hold onto a scent and it was way past its best. For many years this reigned supreme in my scent collection and it's still something I adore but not something I find myself wanting as much as I used to. It's a lovely scent from the brand as it can be transitioned throughout all the seasons and it's got a lovely warming musk to it as well as the sharpness from the blackberry and grapefruit. As always with Jo Malone fragrances I never find I have trouble making them stay around which is something that comes up a lot when they're spoken about. I'll more than likely come back to this scent at some point when I've worked my way through all my other options as I've got quite the perfume collection at the moment.
REPURCHASE? NOT RIGHT NOW
SJP LOVELY*
NOTES: MANDARIN, ROSEWOOD, LAVENDER, APPLE MARTINI, BERGAMOT, ORCHID, PATCHOULI, CEDAR, WHITE AMBER, WOODS AND MUSK
Something I say every time I mention this fragrance is that typically I don't love celebrity scents but I did like this and I love the packaging too, so simple, feminine and classy. I can't deny I'm a real sucker for a well-packaged beauty product, especially perfume. And with cheaper scents I always find them to last an incredibly long time on the skin which is awesome and nobody wants something that is only going to last a few seconds. I think it's the amber in this scent that I love so much as well as the combination of florals. Weirdly, I feel like SJP might even wear this scent [do celebrities actually wear their own scent?], it always makes me think of the Aidan years of Sex & The City.
REPURCHASE? NO
PIXI HYDRATING MIST*
When I first started using this hydrating mist I was a little on the fence. Hydrating toners, in general, are something that are very nice to use and do leave my complexion lovely and plump but they're not a total necessity in my skincare routine. What I absolutely adore about this is that it's formulated with Hyaluronic Acid. Which is a known ingredient for giving the complexion a serious hit of hydration and something that my skin laps up. So during the recent cold snap, I found this a huge comfort to my skin and it kept it balanced rather than turning into the Sahara desert and I could use this over makeup to inject a little bit of moisture on a powdery face which was great.
REPURCHASE? yes
ALPHA H LIQUID ROSE GOLD*
I've been savouring the last few uses of this product whilst I can because it's something I absolutely adore but I've finally got to the end of it and I don't want to repurchase it until I've got to the end of some of my other exfoliating toners. I use chemical exfoliants daily but nothing made my skin glow like this glycolic acid even though it's the same percentage as some of my others. I finally built up my tolerance level to be able to handle this alone without a moisturiser over the top for a really intense resurfacing treatment. So just a word of warning about this products intensity, it's strong so you will need to build your skin up a little and make sure you're using an SPF too as it does make the skin more vulnerable.
REPURCHASE? yes
Products that are nearly at the end of their lives
jo malone - peony and blush suede: Repurchase? Yes
mac mineralize skin finish natural: Repurchase? no
it cosmetics cc cream*: repurchase? yes
maybelline lash sensational mascara*: repurchase? yes
davines the spotlight circle hair mask: repurchase? Not right now
