Empty Products- the August Edition.

I've not done one of these before but found myself really enjoying other people's posts on what they've used up so am giving it a bash myself. Grab yourself a cup 'o tea, I hope you enjoy!

 17 Photo Flawless primer 

Since becoming a DoubleWear convert I have strayed away from using primers as I haven't found it completely necessary to use one due to the 15hr staying power of the foundation. I've owned this product for a while and repurchased many times as I found this primer to be of excellent quality particularly for the price and I noticed no difference between this one's performance and the infamous Smashbox Photo Finish primer. If you're looking for a cheap silicone based primer that will mattify the surface of your skin and absorb excess oils aswell as minimise the appearance of pores, then give this one a go!

Will I buy this again?

Oneday I'm sure I will, but I don't need it right now.

17 BB Blemish Balm, All In One Magic Makeup, SPF15.

I was so impressed by this, as always the quality of 17 makeup seems to surpass it's pricetag. In hindsight it was too deep for my skin but I did enjoy mixing it in with Illamasqua's Skin Base foundation for a while. The SPF15 is quite low considering this is meant to be a BB cream and while I didn't notice particular skincare benefits, it offers a great coverage and leaves the skin looking so fresh and healthy. Full review here.

Will I buy this again?

Whilst I recommend this, it's not a product I need or want at the moment so I probably wouldn't.

Revlon Colorstay Makeup in 'Ivory'

In a bid to use stuff up before I moved house, I used up the last few drops of foundation after it sitting at the back of the drawer for a few months. This was a foundation I absolutely loved last year, despite it's initial stench of emulsion paint this foundation offers medium, buildable coverage and lasts really well. Pretty much a DoubleWear 'dupe' on the highstreet, plus it comes in really pale shades- wahoo!

Will I buy this again?

I will certainly buy this again, it's a good foundation to have 'just in case'. 

CHANEL Poudre Universelle Libre AKA Natural Finish Loose Powder  

A full review can be found here if you wish to know more detail however I'll state a couple of points about it. I love how fine this setting powder is (it's like dust!) and the amount you get is so generous that this product lasted me 6 fabulous months. The grate that controls the product can be a little wasteful at times and the packaging is huuuge and bulky!- Definitely one you want to depot if going away for the weekend! 

Will I buy this again? 

For now, no. I do think there are better powders out there for perhaps a cheaper price. I did love having a bit of Chanel luxury on my face everyday, though and it was a great match!

MAC bronzer in 'Bronze'

Yeah this is a pretty good bronzer, it's matte, fairly soft and not too dramatic on fair skin. You get a fair amount of product and don't need to use much, but I haven't felt the need to use bronzer much and so just used up the last scraps of it this month.

Will I buy this again?

Unlikely.

Avene Very High Protection Cream Factor 50.

I have given this a full review here and stated my love for this product. I believe it is a must have for everyone, but especially fair skinned ladies such as myself. It absorbs well and keeps me completely protected and burn free on those sunny days.

Will I buy this again?

Already have, haven't I!

Liz Earle Hot Cloth Cleanse and Polish

I'm always a little bit sad when this runs out as I do think it is a brilliant cleanser, and it has done wonders for my skin. I've recently been using Vichy's 3in1 cleanser instead, however I don't like not having one of these in a drawer somewhere as a 'back up.'

Will I buy this again?

Absolutely, it's a must have!

Lee Stafford Flat Iron Protection Shine Mist

I've been using this for a long time as I think it does the job alright for the price. As I've said numerous times before, I'm terrible at hair and don't really know much about it or what it needs, but yeah, this seems good.

Will I buy this again?

Most probably, plus I like the sweet musky smell!

Cutex Nourishing Nail Polish Remover

This is my standard, go-to nail polish remover. After the disaster that was Sally Hansen Acetone Free Nail Polish Remover I slapped myself on the wrist for even daring to try another. This works and does the job efficiently, and doesn't smell too bad.

Will I buy this again?

I'll never betray you again, Cutex. (Already repurchased)

Elie Saab 'Le Parfum'

I've actually got through several samples of this as the 5ml tubes do not last me long considering I like to soak myself in the stuff! This is such a me scent at the moment, I could literally bathe in the stuff and I'm hoping to have a full sized bottle in my possession ASAP! Elegant, feminine, floral. Lovely.

Will I buy this agin? 

Yes please!

 

If you have any questions about any of the products mentioned, you can leave a comment below or tweet me @emilydimplesxo. Do you use any of these?

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.