Empty Products- the October Edition.

It's that time of the month again, empties time!! I've racked up a total of 13 empty products this month, which is pretty good going for me. They're a mixture of skincare, haircare, nails, makeup and fragrance! Read on to see what I think of each. :-)

Bioderma Crealine h2O Solution Micellaire- I really enjoy using miscellar waters, I think they're great because they remove face/base makeup effectively and are gentle enough for all skin types. Bioderma was the first I purchased and probably remains my favourite of them all. It's unscented and I notice an improvement in my skin when I remove my makeup with it before cleansing my face, rather than just using a cleanser on it's own to remove my makeup as well as clean my skin. Bioderma isn't readily available in the UK (though I heard miniatures are on sale in Harrods now) so I use an eBay seller, I think this 500ml bottle cost me between £12-£15. There is something so simple yet tactile about the bottle too, I just love it.
Will I buy this again?
I've got an Etat Pur one to use now but I'm certain I'll buy this again in the future.

YSL Top Secrets Pro Removers Eye Makeup Remover- This 30ml bottle came free with a selection of YSL products in a makeup bag that I was given last Christmas after spending so much on the counter! I absolutely loved this, it removed eye makeup instantly and gently, without irritating my sensitive eyes.
Will I buy this again?
I've got a full sized eye makeup remover still unopened, but I would buy this full sized.

Liz Earle Cleanse & Polish- Another month, another empty Cleanse & Polish! This is my go-to fail safe cleanser of the moment, it cleanses really well and gently removes any excess makeup. I think it's price is so reasonable for the quality, it contains gorgeous natural ingredients such as chamomile, cocoa butter and eucalyptus oil.
Will I buy this again?
Already have.

Vichy Aqualia Thermal Light moisturiser- This claims to offer 48 hour hydration and is targeted towards those with sensitive skin. The consistency of this is quite fluid and it takes quite a long time to absorb. For once, a Vichy product left me quite opinionless.
Will I buy this again?
No.

L'Occitane Ultra Rich Body Cream- This was a sample given to me after my boyfriend spent £22 on a body wash for my birthday. I absolutely adored this, while I only used it once I noticed how quickly it absorbed for such a rich cream that contains 25% Shea Butter. It softened my legs and elbows, and the nourished effects could still be felt in these areas days later, after further showering.

Will I buy this?

I would love to have this full size, it'd be a perfect winter moisturiser.

Kiehls 'Creme De Corps' All Over Body moisturiser- This was a favourite of mine and was featured in my May favourites. Luxurious, soft, and doesn't take too long to absorb, it's ideal if you're looking for an unscented intensive body moisturiser. This is technically Ben's, so he used it up and I thought I'd include it in the post, I only used it sporadically but I always enjoyed it when I did.
Will I buy this again?
I'm sure Ben will ;-)

Lee Stafford Hot Shots 4 Blondes- I used to use these religiously when I had white bleached hair when I was younger. This time around, they don't seem to have done much though girls at work keep commenting that I seem to be blonder and blonder each week so perhaps it has been working more than I know noticed. It's a purple treatment that you lather into shampooed hair, before conditioning. You're meant to leave it on for 2 minutes but I always try and do 5, it eliminates brassy, yellow tones to colour treated hair to create a more pure blonde.
Will I buy this again?
This was a repurchase but this time I'm undecided. I think I will try another purple treatment first.

Batiste Dry Shampoo in 'Cherry'- This will probably appear every month. You can read what I think here.
Will I buy this again?
Already have.

17 Miracle Matte pressed powder in 'Ivory Porcelain'- While this was nice n' pale, it was too powdery and heavy on the skin no matter how little I used. The entire product lasted me about two months, but it did shatter when it was near empty and I lost a lot of product when I subsequently opened it!
Will I buy this again?
No.

Nails Inc 'Harley Street' ridge filler- Though this isn't technically empty, it has died a death. The brush no longer reaches the product unless tipped and the product is a gloopy mess. This has served me well as a base coat and I've used it so much over the last year. It smoothes the base of the nail well and doesn't take very long to dry.
Will I buy this again?
I've got another basecoat to use up at the moment, but it doesn't even compare to this one. I will buy this again when I've got a spare tenner.

Hugo Boss 'Orange' EDT-  I've had this for a loong time and for a while it was my favourite but then I felt that it didn't last very long on my skin and stopped wearing it as often. I think my tastes have changed (working next to the perfume department hasn't helped!) so I won't buy this again even though it is a gorgeous scent. I remember an old friend of mine telling me 'if I was a girl, I'd want to smell like that' when I hugged him, and I was wearing this at the time. That sounds quite funny written down, but it was a nice compliment all the same.
Will I buy this again?
No.

Dolce and Gabbana 'Pour Femme' EDP- This was a 2ml sample size of the new fragrance. I've never really liked D&G perfumes and this one was no exception; it's overly sweet, heavy and unoriginal.
Will I buy this?
No.

Marc Jacobs 'Daisy' EDT- Another sample. This is a pretty, feminine and playful scent that I imagine would appeal to a large age range. It's fresh and floral, a lovely day scent or for the summer.
Will I buy this?
No- I don't love the scent enough, and I don't like the bottle!

Do you use any of these products, if so what do you think of them? Please link me to your empties posts too, they're my favourite to read!

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 :-)

Vichy, I love you.....

Vichy Purete Thermal One Step Cleanser, £11.00 for 200ml.

I think one of the best beauty discoveries in the last year (for me) has been the French thermal water brands that can be found at very reasonable prices in larger Boots stores.

I first wrote here about La Roche Posay and how it transformed my naughty skin in under three weeks, since then I've tried Vichy's water spray and Avene's factor 50 cream for the face (though I love slathering it over my body too!) and now it's time for me to tell you about Vichy's creamy cleanser...

Despite me literally daydreaming about Emma Hardie's Moringa Cleansing Balm my budget at this present time cannot quite stretch to it (though the moment I get a new job it's being purchased!) so I asked myself what else I wanted to try and of course Vichy popped into my head, as I am yet to have a bad experience with the brand.

The consistency of the cleanser is a milky liquid and about the size of a 5p piece on the palm of your hand will gently wash your makeup away, though I always repeat this a second time just to be sure and thorough! It's white and has a soapy scent which I love and is a welcome change to the herby smell of Cleanse & Polish.
Personally I have found it is best applied to a dry face then splashed off, then the second cleanse lathers up and creates more of a deep clean rather than just makeup removal.

I only have good things to say about this product, it is gentle yet removes stubborn eye makeup with ease. My skin feels so fresh and comfortable afterwards and it didn't disrupt my skin one single bit. I've been using this for a month now and I've noticed that my skin condition is constant and I have developed less spots than usual (however I have been using it in conjunction with a weekly application of Origins Clear Improvement mask- review to come on that one!)

As ever, I do not review skincare until I feel it has been properly trialled. At £11 I think this cleanser is worth every penny, plus it should last me a while even when used twice daily due it's whopping 200ml size.

Vichy is paraben free and targeted towards sensitive skin though I can see it benefiting all skin types
Although this product claims to be a 3in1 product (cleanser, eye makeup remover and toner) I still use a toner seperately to then be followed by a serum and moisturiser.

Have you dabbled in the delights of these French skincare brands? What is your favourite cleanser?

My summer must have- Avene 50+ SPF.

Eau Thermale Avene Very High Protection Emulsion SPF 50+, £15 for 50ml.

Rhossili Bay, South Wales

Monday brought an old friend coming to visit (who is an absolute sun worshipper) and the weather finally brightening up to high heats and sunshine. Keen to explore South Wales a bit better (I have lived here a whole year now and still haven't visited many 'landmark' sites) we set off each day in my little car, sat nav in hand to discover some beautiful beautiful beaches.

There's a product I have to thank for me staying burn free this week (aside from my back which I completely forgot to SPF on Thursday) and that is Avene Very High Protection Cream SPF 50+.

Avene is a brand that can be found with the Vichy and La Roche Posay products in your local Boots and is another French brand that boasts soothing properties from Thermal Spring Water contained inside of it.

It contains both UVA and UVB protection. This is a must have in any sun lotion, UVA protection helps prevent the ageing side effects that direct sunlight has on the skin. UVB protects against the skin actually burning as a result of being exposed to intense sunlight. It's very important that you choose a product that offers protection of both, and particularly if you are as fair skinned as I am!

Yesterday I noticed that the 50ml carton has depleated in size quite considerably. I do apply a lot of sun cream (you are advised to or it won't work to it's full effect) however I couldn't help but wonder why this sun cream was in such small quantity. 50ml?! It then dawned on me that this product is probably meant for facial use, after all Avene products are to cater for hypersensitive skins and the factor 50 is a popular choice for people to apply to their face, but I feel I must defend myself in saying that it doesn't state that this isn't for full body use on the packaging....anywhere! I know that at £15 a pop for 50ml some of you may feel this is a pricey habit to maintain but I'm here to tell you how fantastic this lotion is:

• The product absorbs into the skin super quick and doesn't feel heavy.
• The product leaves absolutely none of that greasy or oily residue which has annoyed me so much in the past with other creams.
• It's perfect for those with dry or sensitive skin, so is nice n' nourishing.
• It works SO well! I know this is probably a given, but this has protected me so well that I only had to apply the cream once in the morning, and could wear it throughout the day before an evening shower and I did not burn. Ok I did burn a bit on my foot where I completely missed a patch, photos for your amusement below.

Random burn on my footsie!

I can't sing this products praises enough. I'm slowly becoming a huge convert to these thermal water brands, and this sun cream specially formulated for blondes and red heads hits the spot and does the job so well. I also like the pump dispenser and because it is a smaller size it doesn't weigh your hand bag or beach bag down, it's a win win!

Vichy Thermal Spa Water

Vichy 'Eau Thermale', Thermal Spa Water, £7 for 150g.

Hello lovelies! Today I thought I'd let you all know how I've found this product so far!

A litle dubious of a product that is 100% water I gave into the fact that the water is from Vichy in France, the spring water from this town was recognised by medical bodies for having a large amount of minerals (15 to be precise) and fortifying properties.

Sprayed onto a bare face I always notice how quickly this water sinks into the skin, leaving it feel fresh and awakened. As it is pure water, it contains no scent which is a plus for me, and does seem to have helped soothe my skin, which is OK overall but suffers from irritated areas. It's hard to pin point exactly, but it seems to make my skin feel a bit plumper, and all round healthier and softer. I am currently enjoying using it in conjunction with my skincare essentials (Liz Earle Cleanse and Polish teamed with Estee Lauder's Advanced Night Repair are going to remain staples in my routine for a long time to come.)

Sprayed on top of makeup, I've found no negative effects. Although I'm not sure it necessarily sets or prolongs the wear of makeup (I don't think it claims to do this), it does freshen up the overall look and still manages to absorb into the skin well. Unless I was to spray too generously, droplets don't run down the face which could otherwise affect the look of makeup.

I would recommend this product but would warn not to expect a miracle worker (a mistake I always make when buying new skincare!). It's a lovely addition, either to spritz after cleansing, during work, or to keep in the car for those long, hot drives. I believe with regular use it has benefited my skin and a definite plus for me is that it doesn't affect my makeup. I'd imagine (though haven't tested it yet) that it could help soothe holiday issues such as sun burn and bites, but don't hold me to that! It is also recommended for sensitive skin and the Boots website tells me that it is hypoallergenic.

Have you used this water spray? Do you believe that water spray will benefit your skin?