Empty Products- the January Edition.

Hiya Lovelies, I've got my January Edition empties post for you today. Hope you enjoy :-)

Johnsons Cotton Buds- Yeah not much to say about these, after all, they are cotton buds. They are so handy, especially when applying makeup I find them invaluable to correct any smudges or create sharp lines with eye makeup!
Will I buy these again?
Already have.

John Frieda Sheer Blonde Hairspray- The fact that this has lasted me since I bought it in August is perhaps an indicator that I don't use all that much hairspray. I thought this was great when I did use it and would buy it full size. It held the style for a good amount of time and didn't smell as hidesouly strong as my Elnett hairspray!
Will I buy this again?
Yes.

Ojon Dry Recovery Shampoo- This month turned into one of those 'using up' months and I had a couple more washes left in the bottle. Whenever I have a shampoo and conditioner duo I have a terrible habit of ditching the rest of the shampoo when my conditioner bottle inevitably runs out first. What is with that by the way? I love the scent of Ojon products but really question the price tag.
Will I buy this again?
No.

The Body Shop Banana Shampoo- This doesn't lather up particularly well which was a surprise considering it contains SLS. That aside, I really enjoyed this shampoo and used in conjunction with the banana conditioner left my hair feel really lightweight and soft. I know I have got Catrine of Unnaked Nails addicted to this!
Will I buy this again?
Yes! And would recommend.

Clinique Take The Day Off Eye Makeup Remover- This was a deluxe sized sample however I cannot find it on the website so maybe it has been discontinued? Luckily I didn't particularly like it, it was one of those eye makeup removers that is really oily and left a residue behind, but it was fairly effective at lifting off long wearing eye makeup. I never thought I'd see the day where I say that I do actually miss Estee Lauder's Take It Away eye makeup remover because it was so good and oil free. Still too expensive though! The search continues....
Will I buy this?
No.

Etat Pur Miscellar Water (not pictured)- I won this in Sandra's giveaway along with a purifying mask and I have got to say I love both products so much that I might do a seperate blog post on them anyway. At first I was put off by the floral scent this had in comparison to my previously used unscented Bioderma solution. However I soon got over it and enjoyed using this. It worked really effectively and didn't leave a residue behind. Miscellar waters are great for removing makeup gently before cleansing, but don't let them replace your cleanser like I have seen so many bloggers do :-/
Will I buy this?
Yes I will as it is the cheapest miscellar water I have seen at only £6-7 pounds on the Etat Pur website and I am keen to try more of their products.


LUSH 'Cupcake' Fresh Face Mask- Ben and I shared this after we had drunk a couple of Baileys. We really didn't like the consistency or the sickly chocolate smell. As with all the fresh masks from LUSH that I have tried, I couldn't wait to wash this off, the consistency bought me to gagging point- so thick and lumpy! It did however make my skin feel soft and smooth afterwards as it exfoliates as you remove it. This was given to us, so I'm not disappointed as I didn't spend cash on it.
Will I buy this?
No!

Estee Lauder Advanced Night Repair serum- I'd become a bit slack in using this so this 30ml lasted me a while. To be honest I am not too sad to see it go, I don't notice a huge difference in my skin when I am using this to when I am not it had just become a staple in my routine for the past year and it felt odd not to use it. Some of you may know that I am on the hunt for a more natural serum, as this one does contain parabens.
Will I buy this again?
No.

Sample Pot- This was a sample of Bare Minerals' answer to Advanced Night Repair, similar in colour and texture this serum absorbs quickly and left the skin feeling a bit plumper and nourished. It is paraben free along with other undesirable ingredients however again, I'm not sure I loved this enough to buy it. Or perhaps I am just being stingy ;-)
Will I buy this?
Maybe.

Super Facialist by Una Brennan Tea Flower Deep Clean Mattifying Moisturiser- I loved this and have already repurchased. It is my perfect day moisturiser as it is a light lotion that absorbs so quickly leaving the skin feeling fresh and ready for makeup! I have written a full review here but in short it is great for combination or blemish prone skin as it contains salicylic acid which cleans out pores. Really lovely stuff but I do wish it had inbuilt SPF.
Will I buy this again?
Already have :-)


Origins High Potency Night A Mins- This lasted me approx three months and was my chosen night cream. Firm in consistency, I was worried it would feel too heavy on my skin but it was quite the opposite. It soaked in fairly quickly and in the mornings my skin didn't feel dry or irritated. It's only since this has run out that I've realised how much I liked it. I LOVED the smell, it smells like orange sherbert.
Will I buy this again?
It's been ordered!

Empty Products- the September Edition

As I mentioned before, empties posts are one of my favourites to both write and read. I also secretly really enjoy hoarding my empty products throughout the month so that I can give myself a pat on the back for using something to the end and not getting bored of it halfway through use. #beautybloggerissues

 

Batiste Dry Shampoo in 'Cherry' - Cherry is my chosen 'flavour' for Batiste, I'm not a fan of the other scents apart from the 'Original- Clean and Classic' one. Since I've gone blonder the slight white residue that this can leave behind at times isn't as much of an issue which is a plus. I would like to try other dry shampoos, such as the new VO5 one, but I don't like to gamble my money on hair products that might not work for me.

Will I buy this again?

Already have!

 

John Frieda Sheer Blonde Moisturising Conditioner- This was a 50ml miniature that came in a set with it's matching shampoo and and hairspray for about a fiver. This conditioner lasted me about 4-5 hair washes which means it's the perfect travel size for a holiday. It was thick and luxurious but I didn't notice that it brightened my blonde.

Wil I buy this again?

I'd be tempted to buy the travel kit if I saw it again and was going on holiday, but I doubt I'd get this full sized as it didn't do much for brightening my blonde and I've been enjoying using his Full Repair range here.

John Frieda Full Repair Deep Conditioner- As I was sent this to review I used it during every wash so that I could see the full effects. I really like this product, I like it's scent and the way that it does seem to do what it says on the tub- after washing it out my hair feels healthy and soft and best of all there's no residue left behind. See my full review here.
Will I buy this again?
I will definitely buy this, and will probably use it every other wash to make it last longer, as it is an intensive treatment. 

Soap and Glory 'Clean On Me' Shower Gel- For a fiver you get a huge amount of shower gel that has lasted me well. I have always loved the sweet, soapy smell that this has, and love even more that I can smell it on my skin hours after showering. It's creamy, lathers well and feels more expensive than it is to wash with. I wish I hadn't looked on the ingredients list after I'd bought this, I think it's a shame that parabens have been included and while I know that I must use products that contain them everyday, I feel it's unnecessary in a body wash.

Will I buy this again?
If my judgement hadn't been a bit tainted I would have, but sadly I've been put off it a bit.

Mitchum 48 Hour Advanced Control aerosol deodarant in 'Powder Fresh'- This is the first and last time I'll include a deoderant in an empties post or it'll bore you all to death seeing the same one month after month. This is the best deoderant I have ever used and since discovering this a few years ago I've never looked back. It totally works, and isn't particularly harsh on the skin. Would recommend if you're looking to try a new one.
Will I buy this again?
Already have and always will!

Vichy One Step Cleanser- This 200ml bottle lasted me approx 6 weeks and was used twice a day. The milky fluid made a change to the stiff cream of Liz Earle's Cleanse and Polish, and while it was enjoyable to use, you had to work it more to remove makeup and dirt. I liked how gentle this was. Full review here.

Will I buy this again?

I think I will, but for now I've gone back to 'ole reliable Liz.

Estee Lauder 'Advanced Night Repair' serum- This is my second bottle finished, the 30ml lasts me about 3 months. Advanced Night Repair is a night time repair serum that works on mending any damage caused to the DNA within the skin cells to help prevent premature ageing. It's hard to put my finger on what this product is doing for my skin, but it just seems to improve the quality of it; when I meet women who have been using this for years, their mature skin looks plumper and in better condition compared to other women of their age. Ben has suffered with patches of eczema on his face for years- since using this in conjunction with the Advanced Night Repair eye cream he hasn't encountered any bad flair ups. You can see a mini review here.
Will I buy this agin?
Absolutely, my skincare routine feels lost when I don't have this to hand.

Estee Lauder 'DayWear' moisturiser- This is a fresh cucumber scented moisturiser with sun protection factor 15. I found this to be a good moisturiser as I didn't experience any dryness while I was using this, the only downside was that I found it took a while to absorb at times. I would prefer the oil free version next time.
Will I buy this again?
I've got a miniature of this from my Gift With Purchase so will use that up but I'm not sure that I would buy this again as I am developing a big interest in natural skincare at the moment.

BareMinerals Matte SPF15 foundation in 'fair c10'- At the time I bought this, it did wonders for me. My skin was a post-Christmas mess and I was yet to invest time and money into researching skin care. Every liquid foundation I was using was seperating on my skin after a couple of hours and looked awful, so I trotted over to the BM counter and tried this. It offers a light medium coverage and works with the natural oils of the skin over a few hours to develop into a beautiful, flawless skin finish, it's not often you can say a foundation looks better halfway through the day than when it was first applied. It got ignored for a while, and I used the last dregs of this as a setting powder this month, which also gives a nice finish.

Will I buy this again?

I think I will oneday in the future, but I do think it is pricey for the amount you get, and the fairest shade is still a wee bit off (it's not obvious though).

L'Oreal Lumi Magique 'Touch of Light Illuminating Pen' in 01.- I liked this as it was a good high street offering for those who can't fork out for YSL's Touche Eclat. I enjoyed using this, it offers a natural light coverage and does brighten the under eye area. 

Will I buy this again?

I think I would but it's not a must have for me.

Do you use any of these products? Make sure you link me to your empties posts as they are my favourite to read :-)

Emily's current skincare routine

Hola!

I know skincare product posts are never as exciting as makeup posts, but unless your skin is in good condition, nothing will look good on top! You need a good base! 

I love skincare, granted I don't know masses about it but I am learning more and more all of the time and feel pretty settled and happy in my current routine, so let me know if you use any of these! For reference, my skin tends to be dry combination, but changes depending on the season. My skin was also a wreck when I moved to Wales last July and so was my hair...I think it took a while to adapt to the different water!

From L to R; Liz Earle Hot Cloth Cleanse and Polish, Estee Lauder Advanced Night Repair Eye Cream, Muslin Cloth, Johnsons Facial Cleansing Wipes, Benefit Moisture Prep, Estee Lauder Daywear Advanced Multi- Protection Anti- Oxident Creme SPF15, Estee Lauder Advanced Night Repair Serum.

Johnsons Facial Cleansing Wipes (£3.49 for 25); I use these in the evening to remove my makeup. Now I know, I know, these aren't particularly good for the skin, however I've been using these for a few months and they haven't particularly affected my skin whether it be for better or worse. I don't use these wipes as my sole cleanser, I use them to remove the majority of my makeup so that the muslin cloths I use with my Liz Earle cleanser don't end up looking like this after one use....

 

Exactly....who wants this drying in their bathroom everyday?! Better to remove it with a wipe!

Liz Earle Hot Cloth Cleanse and Polish (£13-14 for 100ml) not much needs to be said about this, to call this a cult product is an understatement. This cleanser has transformed my skin completely, it feels nourished, healthy and thoroughly clean after using this. I use it twice a day and it freshens my face up nicely. It's consistency is a very thick mousse that lathers and you remove it with a damp muslin cloth that has been heated in a hand- hot sink of water. It has that typical Liz Earle smell, it's quite herby, natural and botanical with hints of lemon and tea tree and ingedients such as rosemary and chamomile, not particualrly feminine or sweet but I like it. A 100ml tube seems to last me about 5-6 weeks at a time. It's not cheap, but it's certainly not expensive for what it is considering how long it lasts and that I use it twice daily, I don't think I'll ever use another cleanser now!

 

Benefit Moisture Prep* (£23.50 for 177.4ml) This is part of the b.Right skincare range that was launched about a year ago now. As a range, it seems pretty nice, I used to really like the Total Moisture facial cream and Moisture Prep is my other favourite product from the range. I use it after my cleansers and apply it to a dry face, it is supposed to prepare the skin for your moisturiser and optimise the skins ability to maintain moisture. It's a milky substance, a little goes a long way I've been using this since November and am about halfway through it now. It soaks in fairly quickly and it seems to smoothe the skin over. I'll admit that I am a bit dubious of using Benefit's skincare range solely because they're all for the puns and fun marketing I find the message of what the product actually does can sometimes get lost in translation. I do like this though, the skin does feel firmer after using is and it feels nice and fresh on and it contains good ingredients like Aloe leaf and Vitamin E.

Estee Lauder Advanced Night Repair* (£54 for 50ml) Read About This HERE.

Both of these items were free in the Estee Lauder Gift with Purchase promotion in Debenhams a couple of weeks ago, for those that aren't aware of what that is it's an event that normally scopes about 2 and a half weeks and is an offer that if you buy two Estee Lauder items you get a free gift, the one this month was worth over £60! Their usual full prices are £36 for a full sized pot of the Advanced Night Repair Eye and £37 for 50ml tub of the Daywear moisturiser.

The eye cream* feels like a thicker version of it's partner serum and is the same in colour. It's easy to use, soaks in quickly and doesn't leave any residue. The smallest amount goes a long way, too, so this 5ml tester size should last a while! 

I've just ordered a full sized tub of the Daywear Advanced Multi- Protection Anti- Oxident Creme* (what a mouthful!!!) it's got SPF 15 which is a nice bonus. Texture wise, this moisturiser feels so luxurious and cooling on the skin. It's scent is a fresh cucumber smell which is lovely. It can be slightly greasy on the skin as it takes a while to completely soak in and isn't oil- free, but it leaves my skin feeling hydrated and soft. It's got ingredients that protect and work against premature signs of ageing, and apparently was also voted the best moisturiser with SPF for the In Style Best Beauty Buys 2012! My skin feels a lot more more radiant and ready for makeup after using this and I would recommend it.

And we're done! I hope you enjoyed this post, I like reading about what people think about skincare but it is very objective and such a personal choice to make, but hopefully these reviews will have helped a few of you. 

I know it was pretty Estee Lauder heavy but to justify I met a 48 year old lady the other day who has been using Estee Lauder skincare since she was 23, and she genuinely doesn't look a day over 41! 

Let me know if you've got anything to recommend or if you use any of these products!! Have a lovely Sunday :-)

*I didn't pay full price for this item/I didn't pay for this item at all.

Estee Lauder Advanced Night Repair celebrates its 30th birthday!

Estee Lauder 'Advanced Night Repair' £54 for 50ml

Apparently 8 of these are sold per minute worldwide! That figure astounds me but I can understand why this is such a popular product, just days after using it, it had made me skin feel healthier, smoother and just generally in better condition. Two months into using it, it has become a staple product in my skincare routine.

I like the packaging a LOT! The dark brown glass bottle reminds me of vintage eras and old apothoceries yet there's a certain sophistication to it too. The pipette you use to dispense the product is really fun to use! (Or maybe I just need to get a life...)

Because it is a serum is soaks into deeper layers of skin than a moisturiser would and works on repairing damage to the skin, and minimising visible signs of ageing. At 22 years old I'm not sure that I can comment properly on the anti- ageing part, but I suppose time will tell.

The colour is a muted mustard yellow and the consistency is a thick gel that almost feels sticky until it has soaked in. A small amount covers the face and I'm hoping that my bottle will last 5-6 months. It is definitely a luxury item as the price isn't cheap! I use it after toning my face but before my moisturiser at night, it only takes seconds to soak into the skin so it doesn't feel like an awkward 'added step' to my skincare routine.

The design of this bottle is slightly different to the usual, the gold on the front is there to commemorate Advanced Night Repair's 30th birthday, that's pretty impressive and I'm a sucker for LE packaging!!

Do you use Advanced Night Repair? I've been using the eye cream too lately so expect a review on that soon :)

*I did not pay for this product.