Empties: October 2019.

I feel like I didn't finish too many products in October. I used up thirteen full-sized and fifteen minis/samples.

Skincare.

I've included a bottle of Simple Micellar Water in this months photo. I actually finished it last month but it failed to be included in the photo then for some reason! I like this inexpensive and effective Micellar Water a lot for removing eye makeup and strong lip colours.

I used a tube of Dr Haushka Cleansing Cream. This is a bit of a misnamed product for me as it is actually a paste made of ground almonds suspended in oil that you let down with a little water and use as a gentle gommage. It is very gentle as it is made from ground almond rather than shells and it left my skin feeling wonderfully soft. However, it does smell a little funky as it is a natural formula and I did find it difficult to rinse it away thoroughly. I ended up using this as a morning face wash because I didn't find it effective as a makeup remover and it was easier to rinse odd pieces of paste from my hairline this way. It was interesting to try but I wouldn't repurchase.

I used three tins of thermal water, a large one from Vichy and two small ones by Evian and Avène. I use these to rinse my face after cleansing it as well as as a cooling hydrating mist. I liked them both, the Vichy one feels more minerally, the Evian one is a little minerally and the Avène one more purified.

I finished a bottle of Hello Organics Vitamin C Serum. This was a nice hydrating serum which also contained Hyaluronic Acid. It absorbed well and wasn't tacky, my skin was left nicely plumped. I didn't have any areas of discolouration or hyperpigmentation to treat but it kept my skin looking bright and evenly toned. I thought this was a good inexpensive daytime serum.

I was sad to finish my Votary Rose Maroc & Sandalwood Oil. It smelled gorgeous and a couple of drops of this at night meant I woke up to plump fresh-looking skin, it absorbed well and didn't feel heavy on my skin - a lovely blend. It's not a cheap oil but this lasted me for a long time as you only need to use a few drops.

I finished a full-sized Goldfaden MD Bright Eyes Eye Cream. It is a good all-round eye cream. I've used a few of these over the years and while there are other creams that may 'do' a bit more this one offers a good burst of hydration and depuffs while feeling comfortable.

I also finished a tube of  CO Bigelow My Favorite Lip Balm. I'm not sure if it is my favourite but I do like this a lot. It is very light in texture but feels moisturising and has a clear glossy finish.

I used up ten skincare samples, two of which were gel cleansers. Drunk Elephant Beste Jelly Cleanser is a slightly foaming non-drying cleanser. It works well as a morning face wash and doesn't leave my skin feeling tight. Susanne Kaufmann Cleansing Gel is a slightly more creamier gel. I used this in the morning and also as a second cleanse. It left my skin incredibly soft. There's not much to choose between these two but I slightly prefer the Susanne Kaufmann one.

I love Natura Bisse Diamond Cocoon Hydrating Essence so much that I have bought a full-sized one. I use this before my serum in the morning for an extra boost of hydration and protection.

Chantecaille Bio Lifting Serum is a super expensive liquid gel serum. It didn't feel bad but this was a tiny sample so its difficult to assess it properly.

I loved a sample of Nannette de Gaspé Baume Noir for Eyes. It was a stretchy pale pink cream that absorbed instantly. It had an instant tightening/lifting effect and kept my eye area hydrated for the whole day. I was very impressed with this cream but unfortunately, it is very expensive.

I used two samples of moisturiser. I love Drunk Elephant Prontini, it's possibly my favourite moisturiser, it has a light texture and is deeply nourishing. I used 37 Actives Cream as an occlusive layer at night, its a little too thick and oily for me and I find that it tends to sit on my skins surface rather than sink in. I'm not impressed with this one especially considering its price point.

I enjoyed 3Lab Perfect Neck Cream, it was a light gel-cream that absorbed well but it is not something that I would purchase as it is very expensive.

I'm always torn about how I feel about Drunk Elephant Umbra Tinte SPF30. It is a tinted sunscreen, sometimes it can appear a little grey or make me look shiny, other times it works perfectly as a bare skin moisturiser. I think it probably depends on what I have on under it. Anyway, it falls into the group of products that I am happy to use but wouldn't ever buy.

I was impressed with the single Zitsticka Pimple Patch I used. I wore it overnight and it dramatically reduced the size of an under the skin bump which then failed to materialize as a pimple. Impressive!

Bodycare.

I only used two body lotions and a hand cream this month.

Soaper Duper Zingy Ginger Body Lotion was a cream that absorbed well and wasn't greasy.

It did a good job of moisturising my skin. It smelled nice and I could detect a little ginger but it wasn't the bright, zingy awakening ginger scent I was expecting which was disappointing.

Crabtree & Evelyn Citron Honey & Coriander Body Lotion was quite light in texture and I needed to use a fair amount of it for my skin to feel soothed. On the plus side, its pump bottle worked very well and I liked its lemony scent that was bright and uplifting without being too sharp.

Crabtree & Evelyn Lily Handcream smells of Lily of the Valley rather than pungent Tiger Lilies. I love the formula of these and the size of them is perfect for carrying in my bag. I have used countless tubes of these hand creams in various scents over the years.

Haircare.

I used two full-sized haircare items.

Acure Pear & Fig Conditioner was a nice thick creamy conditioner that left my hair soft without weighing it down. It had a lovely fruity scent that wasn't sickly which smelled predominantly of pear.

Philip B Lovin Leave-In Conditioner was a lightweight cream leave-in conditioner. Its Passionfruit, Lemon & Chamomile scent was gorgeous and I liked how it lingered in my hair but it didn't feel moisturising enough and my ends were still a little frizzy. I feel like this would suit baby fine hair but otherwise, it may not be enough.

I also used a sachet of Living Proof TBD Multi-Tasking Styler which was another leave-in conditioner. The first time I used this I used too much and it made my hair look lank, but when used sparingly it worked well.

Miscellaneous.

I used a mini Ilia Fade Into You Soft Finishing Powder which I loved so much I purchased a full size. It is the best setting powder I have ever used, it is totally invisible and my makeup lasted much longer whenever I used this.

I used a vial of Diptyque Eau Rose EDT. This is a simple rose scent, very delicate, not too sweet, and very easy to wear.

I also used two sachets of Beauty Blender Cleanser. This is a clear liquid soap for cleaning makeup brushes and sponges. It works well but I don't see the need to buy a specific product to clean brushes so it is not something that I would ever purchase.

And that's all for October. I'm hoping to have a bigger pile of empties next month as I have a few things that are almost finished.

Empties September 2019.

My aim in September was to try and use up lots of the sample sachets that I had accumulated over the past year. I'm pleased that I managed to use up 112 and my stash is now quite dramatically reduced.

Most of the sachets that I used were skincare and the biggest category was moisturisers and creams of which I used thirty-one. I used twelve sachets of serum, thirteen of cleansers and five of eye creams. I also used three sachets of lip balm and three single-use mask sachets along with one each of primer, essence, and sunscreen for a total of seventy skincare samples.

I also used four sachets of body wash and thirty-eight haircare samples which were all shampoo and conditioners.

In addition to the sachets, I also managed to finish thirteen full-sized products and eight deluxe sample-sized items.

Skincare.

I used nine full-sized skincare items.

I use Simple Micellar Cleansing Water to remove my eye makeup and strongly pigmented lip colours. It is cheap, effective and doesn't sting my eyes. I've tried this back to back with some expensive micellar waters and this one performs just as well so I will continue to purchase it.
(Not pictured)

I've used a few Rodial Glamtox Cleansing Balms over the years but it has been discontinued and sadly this was my last one. (I bought three on sale when it was discontinued as I loved it so much!) This balm was a lovely consistency with a soft lemon scent and it felt warming when you applied it to your face. It broke down and removed makeup well and emulsified into a milky substance that rinsed away completely with ease. It was an excellent balm and I'm sorry that I won't be able to use it again.

I finished two facial sprays in September. 

Andalou Naturals 1000 Roses Floral Toner contains Hyaluronic Acid and Aloe Vera so it adds moisture and calms the skin as well as feeling very refreshing. It has a deep floral rose scent which is heavenly, it is definitely the rosiest smelling of all the rose facial sprays that I have tried and that's a good thing in my book! It is a great spray for the price - I think it is around $12.00

Emma Hardie Plump & Glow Facial Mist also contains Aloe Vera and Hyaluronic Acid. This has a floral citrus fragrance and it is a truly lovely spray, however, it is on the spendy side and costs around four times the price of the Andalou Naturals one. Is it worth it? Well, I do like it better but I'm not sure I would pay that much for a spray, to be honest! The tube style packaging of this is pretty unique and it makes it very travel-friendly which is a plus, there is some left inside although that won't spray out - this is one tube I will definitely attacking with scissors!

I used a bottle of Vichy Mineral 89 which is a Hyaluronic Booster that you can use as a light moisturiser or as a serum or in addition to a serum. It's like a cross between a serum and an essence and I like it a lot. I have plenty of other products for now but I will repurchase this in the future as it does give my skin a plumpness and softens and fills fine lines temporarily. 

Manuka Doctor Radiance Serum is a lovely silky creamy serum that plumps and smooths skin. I liked this one a lot and used it during the day as it does have a slight light-reflecting shimmer in it. It worked well with other products and left my skin feeling comfortably hydrated.

I finished my full-sized Drunk Elephant TLC Framboos Serum and also used a mini of it from The Littles kit. It is an AHA/BHA gentle chemical exfoliating serum for nighttime use. I like this a lot but there are other exfoliating serums that I prefer so I don't see myself repurchasing this right now. The packaging is excellent and it lasts for a long time, however.

Dr's BotanicalsMoroccan Rose Superfood Facial Oil was wonderful. It is a blended oil with ingredients as diverse as Bakuchiol and Aloe Vera amongst others. It was very nourishing and absorbed beautifully. I also really loved the rose fragrance of this product and it is relatively inexpensive.

Beauty Kitchen 5 Minute Miracle Mask was a great quick mask that cleansed and moisturised. It felt like a creamy clay and wiped off easily. It was so fast and easy to use that I found myself using it in the mornings, I would simply put it on, brush my teeth and then it was ready to take off. This had a nice calming mallow scent that I loved and I also liked its airless pump packaging.

I finished five skincare samples including the Drunk Elephant TLC Framboos.

I used a sample of DHC Cleansing Oil. I have to say that this worked extremely efficiently and that this mini lasted me for some time as you only need a little but it was a very boring product to use. I like my evening routine to feel spa-like and this was simply too utilitarian for that.

I really enjoyed a mini Emma Hardie Protect & Prime SPF30. It was a lightweight runny cream that smelled of moringa and citrus and it worked well with everything I used it with. The SPF30 was adequate for me as I used it on days when I would be mostly inside.

There are so many La Roche Posay Anthelios products that they become confusing. I don't like all of them, some I actively dislike, but the Clear Skin SPF50 was a good weightless formula that I enjoyed.

Clark's Botanicals Deep Moisture Mask is a balm textured mask with a heavenly floral scent. I mostly use this over retinol products as an overnight mask and it works like a dream whilst I sleep. My skin is always clear and plumped the following morning.

Haircare.

As I mainly used sample sachets I only used up one haircare item and even that was a sample. Bumble & Bumble Straight Blow Dry is a protecting leave-in product intended to be used before styling hair but I found a dab of this in my damp hair worked well as a leave-in conditioner on air-dried hair also.

Bodycare.

I used four full-sized body products, one body wash and three body lotions.

Nivea Body Wash Care & Cucumber is scented with Cucumber & Melon. I love Nivea body products and this creamy shower gel smelled amazingly fruity and refreshing - a lovely bright awakening scent. This was a great drugstore buy that I will definitely repurchase. 

I used it with Nivea Aloe Vera Body Lotion which was a perfect lotion to use in the heat, it was light yet hydrating and had a fresh clean scent. This lotion felt very cooling because of the Aloe Vera but it didn't have any stickiness or tackiness.

REN Moroccan Rose Otto Body Lotion is a gorgeous lotion with a delicate rose scent, it has a rich creamy texture and is intensely nourishing but isn't at all greasy. I also love that it comes in an airless pump.

Andalou Naturals Body Lotion 1000 Roses is another rich non-greasy rose-scented cream that does a wonderful job of soothing and moisturising my skin. If you are looking for a rose-scented lotion at an affordable price then this is the one for you.

Makeup and Perfume.

 I used up two makeup items and they were both from Hourglass. Their Veil Mineral Primer is my favourite primer, it does an excellent job of making my makeup stay in place and doesn't cause my skin to become congested. I've used many bottles of this over the years but this is the first time that I have bought the bumper-sized tube and I prefer it in this format, I already have another tube of this open. I used a mini Hourglass Caution Mascara, I really like this one, it thickens and lengthens quite dramatically and never flakes or runs.

I used two perfumes. 

A small vial of Miss Dior which I liked a lot more than I was expecting to. It is an aldehydic synthetic floral that is quite powerful, it reminded me of Putain des Palaces without the dirty undertones.

 I also used a handbag-sized Diptyque Do Son. This is a Tuberose scent that is quite strong and heady at first but it softens up nicely to become a very wearable floral that isn't sweet or sickly.

And that's it for December. I'm pleased that I got through so many sachets and still managed to use a decent amount of other products. I hope I manage to do so well in October!

Empties: August 2019.

August is my birthday month and it has flown by. However, I did manage to finish quite a few products, in total I used up thirteen full-sized products and thirty samples or minis.

Skincare.

I only managed to finish four full-size skincare items.

Estee Lauder Daywear with SPF15 is something that I used to use sometimes in the distant past and I picked it up in an Ulta sale to see what I thought of it now. I still like its cucumber scent but that's about all, it felt a little greasy to wear during the day especially as I had to put another SPF on top - because really what is the point of including factor 15?

Rodial Dragon's Blood Eye Gel was a product that grew on me. I wasn't too impressed to begin with but over time I noticed that it softened fine lines in my eye area. It's a cool feeling gel that sinks in immediately leaving no trace of stickiness. I did run through this quite quickly though and the pump pot is quite bulky and uses a lot of plastic.

Heritage Store Rosewater & Glycerine is basically what it says on the label - water, glycerine and rose hydrosol. This is super cheap and easily available from health food stores. The pump works fine and there's nothing wrong with this but it is kind of boring and basic. I've always been interested to try this and now I have but I wouldn't repurchase it unless I really needed a facial mist and this was the only option.

Green Leaf Naturals Aloe Very Gel is something that I use with my NuFace device. It is inexpensive and quite liquid in texture and I like that it isn't sticky like a lot of other Aloe products are.

I finished fifteen skincare minis and samples as I was away for a good part of the month.

Seven of these were from Drunk Elephant so I'll run through those first.

Beste #9 Jelly Cleanser is a foaming cleanser, its okay as a morning in the shower face wash but not my favourite. It feels a little ordinary and it can be a little drying, I'm happy to use up the minis of these that I have but I wouldn't buy this for myself.

I would buy CTango Eye Cream though! I love this creamy hydrating cream, it works miracles on my eye area and is one of my favourite eye creams.
I also love CFirma a protective brightening serum, it absorbs well and is good at reducing hyperpigmentation or maintaining your skin's brightness. I especially love it layered with some BHydra which is Drunk Elephant's Hyaluronic Acid product. There are cheaper HA products out there but this one is a very good one that I would definitely purchase.

I have been totally wowed by Prontini from Drunk Elephant. I would say it's my favourite moisturizer at present, it is a gel-cream that is packed full of peptides and it absorbs brilliantly. I've been using this by itself as a daytime cream and mixed with a little Marula Oil at nighttime - my skin drinks this combination up! I have used up two of my mini Prontinis and one Marula Oil. The Marula Oil is okay used like this but not something that I would see myself purchasing as I find it a little heavier than I like even though it is quite thin in consistency.

I have been loving Natura Bisse Diamond Cocoon Hydrating Essence so much. It is almost like a very light serum, thick enough to apply with my hand and I have been using it as a pre-serum. It feels comfortable on my skin, adds moisture and also protects against pollution and blue light. I'm going to get a full size of this soon.

La Mer The Lifting Eye Serum is a very lightweight clear liquid serum, it was okay but I didn't notice it doing much, to be honest.

Omorovicza Rejuvenating Night Cream was an excellent night cream. It didn't feel too rich but it was very nourishing, I'd put this in my group of favourite night time moisturizers - it reminded me of the Zelens Triple Z which is possibly my all-time favourite

Chantecaille Stress Repair Concentrate is a creamy eye cream that absorbs well and temporarily smoothes my eye area. I like this but it is super expensive.

I used samples of three masks. 
Eve Lom Rescue Mask is a deep cleansing kaolin mask. It has a medicated type of scent and it does dry out quite a lot but it doesn't dry my skin. My skin looks clear and even when I remove this and it is also good for clearing areas of congestion, or I have used a dab as a spot treatment. I've never bought this but I have used countless samples and always found them to be effective.

Givenchy Hydra Sparkling Mask had a whippy gel texture and was very highly perfumed. It was a basic hydrating mask, I found that it just seemed to sit on top of my skin and not sink in, leaving a sticky residue. This was a bust for me.

Biologique Recherche Masque VIP O2 was a thin milky mask. By itself, it didn't do much for me but people rave about using it in conjunction with the Masque Vivant so hopefully, I will get to try it again in that way.

Coola Makeup Setting Spray SPF30 is something that I carried around to use as a sunscreen top-up during the day. It smelled like vodka and it stings if you get it in your eyes but it did offer sun protection. Definitely not a fun one to use for me but it did its job.

Haircare.

I managed to empty quite a lot of haircare during August. I used up four full sizes and six minis.

I used up two full-sized bottles of shampoo, both of which were drugstore and neither of which I much liked. They have been in my cupboard for ages and I have mostly used them for decants when travelling, I was happy to see them finally emptied! 
Garnier Fructis Triple Nutrition had a pleasant tropical fruit fragrance and it produced an abundant amount of bubbles but it left my hair feeling very stripped, I wouldn't recommend this one to anyone I'm afraid. Herbal Essences Hydra-Licious Shampoo smelled of berries and probably my least favourite of the many Herbal Essence products I have tried over the years. It didn't strip my hair but it wasn't particularly hydrating.

I used a full-sized bottle of IGK Instafamous Blond Conditioner. I've had this a while because I only use it maybe every 10 days or so if my hair colour needs correcting. It is a purple conditioner that takes away any brassy tones. I love this thick conditioner it corrected my hair colour, left my hair in great condition, and unlike other purple hair products I have used it doesn't leave my shower messy or stained. I'd definitely get this again.

I used a full-sized Klorane Leave-In Detangling Milk Spray with Oat Milk. This was a water weight spray that had a fresh green fragrance. I sprayed it onto wet hair and it made combing it through very easy. I enjoyed this more than I was expecting too.

I used a mini of Philip B Peppermint Avocado Shampoo. This is very minty and awakening. It lathers and rinses well. I like this but it's not something that I would see myself purchasing a full size of as it doesn't stand out for me in any way except for its zingy scent.

I'm continuing to work my way through my stash of hair masks by using them as conditioners. Miriam Quevedo Platinum & Diamonds Luxurious Mask has a powdery perfume-like scent, it left my hair soft but using this every day was a bit too much as it is a very deep conditioning mask. Davines The Spotlight Circle is a quick 5-minute mask that I like. It is quite light and left my hair nice and soft. I also like the way this is packaged (although it doesn't reseal once opened) and its light fragrance was lovely.

Oribe FeatherBalm is a lightweight Leave-In Styling Cream that I used on damp hair as a leave-in conditioner. It is rare that I dislike an Oribe product and while this wasn't bad I found that it was so lightweight that I needed to use a lot of it so I would much rather use Supershine. It did smell very good though! 
Bumble & Bumble Repair Blow Dry is a leave-in creamy conditioner. I don't blow dry my hair but this worked equally well on air-dried hair. The fragrance had a slightly chemical scent but it wasn't noticeable on my hair.

The final haircare product I emptied was Ouai Wave Spray. This has Ouai's signature powdery scent and is the first wave spray I have used that didn't leave my hair crispy and crunchy. I applied this to damp hair, let it dry and it left me with soft piece-y locks. Very impressed with this one!

Bodycare.

I used four full-sized body products and one mini.

Ren Moroccan Rose Otto Body Wash is one of my favourite body washes. It's not cheap but I almost always manage to find it on sale after Christmas (usually in a set with its matching lotion). It has a 'clean' formula that leaves my skin feeling comfortable and a soft rose scent (it's not a green rose scent, it is somewhat sweet but it is very delicate and not overpowering). The sealed pump packaging of this works well and it produces a plentiful lather.
Rituals Ritual of Sakura Foaming Shower Gel is the best of the aerosol gel-to-foam body washes that I have tried. This is the only one that I have used that dispenses as a gel before foaming. The scent is quite a sweet rose, a little too sweet for me (I much prefer the Ren rose scent) but it doesn't linger. Overall I like these foaming gels and they are fun to use but I do find that I get through them very quickly and there are other fragrances that I prefer. 

Crabtree & Evelyn Avocado, Olive and Basil Body Lotion was very nice indeed. It had a fresh green lotion-like scent that I enjoyed and it sank in well leaving my skin soft and nourished. However, it was very thick, almost like a body butter, so the packaging of this one wasn't perfect and it spent all its life upside down so I could get it out of its solid plastic bottle which was a bit annoying!

Coincidentally I used a handbag-sized Crabtree & Evelyn Hand Cream in the same fragrance. I love the formula and format of these and they are frequently in my empties. I also used a mini pocket sized L'Occitane Hand Cream. This had a powdery fragrance and although it is quite similar to the C&E one I find it a little greasier in feel.

Makeup and Perfume.

I used one full-sized makeup product, a Chantecaille Le Camouflage Stylo. I love these for brightening my under eyes. They aren't really concealers, but they bounce the light back and imperfections appear lessened. The product is dispensed with a click onto a built-in brush so it is easy to apply and the formula is light and blendable and plumps out rather than settling into fine lines.

I used four perfume vials.

Versace Dylan Blue Pour Femme smelled like a fruity shampoo, definitely not my type of fragrance and the full size comes in hideous looking packaging.

Berdoues Azur Riviera is very fresh and aquatic. It has a summery vibe and is refreshing but it strays a little too far into aftershave territory for my liking.

The Harmonist Yin Transformation is an aquatic floral. It smells quite strong and has longevity but is a little generic for me. Its nothing special in my book and I must admit I was expecting something a bit more unique for the price this is.

Etat Libre d'Orange Cologne is a straight-up Cologne. It smells very 4711 on application then dries down to be more lemony. It isn't my favourite type of scent but it is very refreshing to use in very hot weather.

And that's all for my August empties. I'm on a mission to finish up lots of samples in September so I'm excited to see how that goes, wish me luck!

Empties July 2019.

In July I managed to use up twenty-four samples and fifteen full-sized products.

Skincare.

I only managed to finish three full-size skincare items in July

I used my last bottle of the old formula of Sunday Riley Ceramic Slip which has been a staple for me for many years. It was great as a morning face wash. I loved its earthy scent and how cooling and refreshing it felt. It was particularly good for greasier skins, and it left my skin balanced and clean without being stripping. I don't dislike the new formula which is meant for all skin types but it is less liquid and clay-like with more of a gel type consistency that I don't find as refreshing. I'm happy to use the new version but don't see myself purchasing it sadly.

Ark Skin Perfector De-Stress Serum reminds me of Caudalie VinoPerfect Serum. It is a nice lightweight, wet-feeling, fresh-smelling serum. It feels very hydrating and was great to use after masks and treatments for calming my skin. The dropper system worked well but I did need to shake it before use as it tended to split (this was mentioned on the packaging, I didn't get a dodgy bottle!). It is a little pricy and I probably wouldn't buy it as I'm not sure how easy it is to get in the US but I did enjoy it immensely and found it a useful product to have in stock.

Neutrogena Ultra Sheer Liquid Sunscreen SPF70 is inexpensive and it works! Comfortable, no white cast, layers well with other products and it doesn't make my face look shiny. I have bought this many times previously and will do so again. I also like that the bottle isn't huge so it is easy to carry around and I don't have to worry about it going off. 

I used fourteen skincare samples, four of which were cleansers.

Drunk Elephant Slaai Cleansing Balm is great, it whisks everything away and rinses away cleanly leaving no residue. I like this balm a lot and it reminds me of Clinique TTDO Balm. However, I do like an aromatic balm so I'm not sure if I would purchase a full size of this simply because it is unscented - I realise this is a positive selling point for many people but it isn't for me I'm afraid.

 I finished a deluxe sample of the new Sunday Riley Ceramic Slip. It was good to try this and the old one side by side, but as I said I probably wouldn't buy this version although I am happy to use samples.

Oskia Renaissance Cleansing Gel is an old favourite, a lovely gentle pink gel that smells like Turkish Delight. It is gentle, non-foaming, non-drying and effective. I would use this as a first or second cleanse but I mostly use it as a morning face wash. I have bought this many times and will continue to do so.

Drunk Elephant B-Hydra isn't an exceptional HA serum but it is a very nice one that I would definitely purchase in full size. I always enjoy this. It leaves my skin looking plump and hydrated and it works very well with other products.

Revivé Anti Ageing Eye Serum is very light and runny. It lasts for ages but I don't feel that it does much beyond hydrating my eye area. I expect more from an item at this price point.

Rodial Bee Venom Moisturiser is another spendy item. I finished two different-sized samples of this thick moisturising cream. It has a scent that reminds me of honey and it absorbs well and feels moisturising, It does prickle a bit on application which makes it feel a tad gimmicky, to be honest
 it is a little underwhelming for me considering its price.

Dr Dennis Gross AB Exfoliating Moisturiser is very light, almost lotion-like in consistency. I used it at night as it contains acids and while I didn't dislike this cream I didn't really form an opinion of it as I only used it for a few nights.

Drunk Elephant Prontini is a moisturiser with a light almost gel-like texture. I used this over serums during the day and mixed it with a little oil at night. It made my skin feel incredibly soft and balanced my skin not leaving it greasy at all. I don't often rave about a moisturiser but I think that this is exceptionally good and it suits my skin very well, I also found that I needed to use very little of this for it to be effective. I would definitely get a full size of this if I ever need to purchase a moisturiser (unlikely) and much prefer it to Drunk Elephant LaLa.

Dr Haushka Lip Care Stick is a solid lip balm in the manner of chapstick. It is made from castor and other oils and leaves lips with a little sheen. Its quite soft and I used this up fairly quickly. I felt like this was one of those balms that sit on top of the lips without really doing much and I needed to apply it fairly frequently. It's not something that I would purchase again.

 I used two samples of Natura Bisse Diamond Cocoon Pollution Protection Spray. It is a water weight spray that you apply over sunscreen or makeup before going out. It protects skin from pollution and also blue light. It felt nice and refreshing and sat well over my makeup but I'm not sure how effective it is given that it only deposits a fine mist on the skin.

Finally, Peter Thomas Roth Camu Camu Power C Sleeping Mask is a declutter. I actually thought this had oxidised when I used it but after reading many reviews online it doesn't appear to have. It is orange in colour and has an odd strong fragrance (I thought it smelled like a sweet dessert wine) that lingered on the skin. This gel-like cream seemed to sit on my skin whenever I applied a generous layer of it and when I tried to rub this in it tended to pill. Also because of its colour, I wasn't inclined to sleep in this on my white sheets. The only good thing I have to say is that the pump packaging was very efficient otherwise, it was a total bust!

Haircare.

I enjoyed Windle & Moodie Nourishing Treatment Shampoo with Rooibos and Argan Oil. The pump worked well as this was quite a thin shampoo. It lathered and rinsed well and left my hair feeling good. I actually preferred this to the matching conditioner and this bottle lasted me for a long time. I think I would repurchase this although I wouldn't rush out to get the conditioner from this range again.

I'm continuing to use up my stash of hair masks by repurposing them as conditioners. I used up three mini Briogeo Don't Despair Repair Masks in this way. It is a rich, thick, slightly oily feeling mask with a light berry scent. It did leave my hair feeling soft and feeling somewhat thicker but it also left my bath scummy with oil which was annoying.

I'm trying to transition to better (ie more expensive ) hair care but one drugstore item that I can't see myself giving up is L'oreal Elvive Extraordinary Oil! I love this inexpensive leave-in hair serum/oil. It smells like Argan Oil, smoothes and detangles, keeps frizz away and leaves my hair feeling soft without ever weighing it down or making it appear stringy.

I used Oribe FeatherBalm Weightless Styler as a leave-in conditioner too. It smells divine as you would expect from Oribe and whilst it did detangle my hair and make it more manageable I found it difficult to know how much to use. If you have very very fine hair this may be good for you, otherwise, I would stick with Supershine because you just end up using too much of this version.
Living Proof Restore was a water weight leave-in conditioning spray. It worked well and didn't weigh my hair down, I liked this and was impressed that the pump on this sample was so efficient.

Sexy Hair Love Oil did work pretty well as a leave-in conditioner but it was very silicon like in feel and left a lot of build-up in my hair. I also hated the cringe-worthy name.

John Frieda Frizz Ease Glossing Mist is a declutter. I have had this finishing treatment sat on my shelf for so long. Every so often I will take it down and realise that the reason it is still on my shelf is that it makes my hair look oily when I use it.

Bodycare.

I finished six full-sized body products: two hand creams, two shower gels and two body lotions.

St Ives Purifying Sea Salt & Pacific Kelp Body Wash was surprisingly good considering how cheap it was (I think I paid 99cents for this as I found it on special offer and had a coupon!). This was a creamy body wash so it didn't make tons of lather but it was frothy enough. It had a fresh minerally sea scent and big chunks of sea salt for a natural exfoliation. I enjoyed this more than I expected to.

I didn't enjoy Olay Cleansing Infusion Body Wash, however. It was another creamy wash but it made my skin feel a little itchy after use and had silica for exfoliating. I bought this because I love the smell of ginger but it wasn't as gingery and zingy as I would have liked. Also, the silica scrubby bits stuck to my shower which was very messy.

I love Nivea Original Daily Moisture Body Lotion. It smells like classic Nivea and is very moisturising but it is one of the heavier lotions that Nivea make and is a bit too heavy for warm weather. Nothing wrong with this at all but it is much better suited to winter use.

What is great as a summertime body moisturiser is Bliss Grapefruit and Aloe Body Butter! While it is thick I wouldn't call it a body butter as it feels light in texture and the Aloe makes it more of a gel-cream. This literally melts into the skin and feels very soothing and hydrating. It has a subtle grapefruit scent that isn't too sharp and the Aloe lends it a cooling effect. I'm going to get more of this and I'm a bit gutted that I have stuck with the Bliss Lemon & Sage Body Butter in the past as I much prefer this one.

I used two hand creams. Grove Bergamot & Orange hand cream was lightly scented and had a light fairly runny texture. I liked this subtle orange scent and it did an okay job of moisturising my hands without leaving them feeling greasy. I love having mini Crabtree & Evelyn hand creams to carry in my bag, the formula is one of my favourites and this Festive Fig scented one smelled sweet and raisin-like without being lingering or sickly.

Makeup and Perfume.

 I used a full-sized bottle of Diptyque Philosykos EDT which I think is the best fig perfume, it is the perfect blend of sweet fig with a spiky greenness and creamy base notes. I always wear this scent in summer and have a mini backup in stock already. I will definitely be buying another full-sized bottle very soon.

I used up four perfume samples. Kate Spade In Full Bloom is a generic mixed floral scent with strong rose top notes. I found it to be not outstanding in any way and honestly it wasn't all that nice.

Giorgio Armani Si Passione is a strong, long-lasting fruity floral. This smelled quite apricot-like on me, it was an old fashioned department store type of scent that I found overly sweet and cloying, definitely not one for me. Juicy Couture Oui is a sweet fruity floral. It is youthful and easy to wear. I preferred it to the two above scents but it is still one of my least favourite offerings from Juicy.

L'Etate d'Orange Libre Cologne is a great warm-weather fragrance. It is very uncomplicated compared to other perfumes from this house, opening with strong classic 4711 Cologne like notes and soon becoming very lemony. I wouldn't say this is my favourite sort of scent but its very refreshing to have a spritz of in hot weather and its very easy to wear.

Finally, I finished two makeup items.

 I love Chantecaille Faux Cils Mascara, it adds darkness length and thickens without ever clumping. It gives a very natural-looking enhanced lash but it is very expensive - more than I would pay for a mascara - so I'm happy that I frequently get samples of it.

Hourglass Ambient Primer in 'Luminous Light' is a declutter. I love Veil Primer from Hourglass but this one failed to impress and I've had it sitting around unloved and unused for too long. It did even out my base colour and add a highlight effect but I felt like it sat on top of my skin and didn't really bond with other products in the way that Veil does.

And that's all for my July empties. I'm hoping to use up a lot of things in August as I will have some purchases coming up soon as GWP season is upon us!

Empties: June 2019.

During June I managed to finish twenty-three samples and thirteen full-sized products.

Skincare.

I used up nine full-sized skincare items.

La Roche Posay Eau Thermal is great for refreshing and rinsing skin and to use as an extra hydrating layer between products. Reasonably priced, packaged in an aerosol can this French pharmacy staple is a welcome addition to any routine and a must have in warm weather.

Emma Hardie Midas Touch Revitalising Eye Cream has a creamy gel texture and absorbs instantly offering immediate hydration and a temporary smoothing of the eye area. It was very nice but didn't stand out for me in any way and there are plenty of other (similarly priced) eye creams that I prefer.

I used two full-sized serum and one oil.

Vichy V Liftactiv Vitamin C Brightening Skin Corrector is a water weight serum that feels slightly tacky on application. I used this mainly for protection as I don't have any hyperpigmentation right now. Once absorbed it layered well with other products but I didn't see any noticeable difference in my skin. It comes in a tiny 10ml bottle and ml for ml works out to be more expensive than Drunk Elephant CFirma which surprised me. I was a bit disappointed in this one, to be honest, and wouldn't repurchase it.

 Kat Burki Retin-C Treatment Complex is an absolutely beautiful night time serum. It is a very lightweight 'wet' serum that has a wonderful white flower scent. I'm always on the lookout for a  retinol product that is effective, feels moisturising and doesn't cause redness or flaking - this is it! Worth saving up for.

Beauty Kitchen High Definition Facial Oil is a thick viscous oil scented with Anjelica that absorbs really well despite its thick consistency. I really liked this, it was plumping and moisturising and didn't feel at all greasy.

 I used two full-sized moisturisers up.

Tata Harper Repairative Moisturiser is a lightweight liquid moisturiser with a  fresh clean grassy scent. It is very nice but it's expensive - more than I would usually pay for a moisturiser so I don't see myself getting this again.

Beauty Kitchen Everlasting Radiance Moisturiser is nice and creamy. It feels very comfortable on my skin and absorbs well. This is a good inexpensive moisturiser with a clean formula that I would recommend and one that I would definitely repurchase if it was freely available in the US

Unanai Dermo Defence Mask is a basic Aloe mask that is very cooling and soothing. I found it great to use after a treatment or as a final mask in a three mask masking session. I have had this a while and ended using it up with my NuFace face firming device which needs an oil-free Aloe gel to conduct its ultrasonic waves.  Overall this is a very good basic aloe product that I liked because it wasn't at all sticky or tacky.

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I always carry a spray-on sunscreen for top ups throughout the day as needed in the summer. This one, Hampton Sun Continuous Mist Sunscreen SPF 35 was effective but I didn't enjoy its strong chemical fragrance and it stung my eyes if I got it in them or too close. I wouldn't repurchase this for those reasons - even though it worked well.

I also finished eleven skincare samples.

I used Biore Charcoal Cleansing Micellar Water to remove my eye makeup and it worked well.

Dove Gentle Cleansing Face Wash was a creamy cleanser that felt gentle. It was surprisingly good for a drugstore cleanser!

Fresh Soy Cleanser is a cucumber scented gel cleanser that I love to use as a morning face wash as it is very gentle and doesn't strip my skin. I've done well with samples of this one over the years!

Chantecaille Anti-Pollution Mattifying Cream is a mattifying daytime moisturiser/protector. It was a light gel that didn't feel stripping and prepped my face nicely for makeup.

I used two samples of very expensive face creams. 

Revive Moisturising Renewal Cream is an overnight exfoliating moisturiser and an old favourite of mine. Augustinus Bader The Rich Cream is an extremely thick cream that I used at night. I found it was far too heavy for my skin. I also don't think that it warrants its rather astronomical price tag.

3Lab Super Eye Treatment is a lightweight gel that I actually really like but it is another super pricy product. There is no way I would (or even could!) buy this but I will be delighted to use any more samples that come my way.

Sunday Riley Good Genes is always a joy to use. It is one of my favourite ever serums and one that really makes a visible difference to my skin.

I finished three samples of facemasks.

Goldfaden MD facial Detox Mask is a deep cleansing mask that I love. It has zinc and camphor but is gentle, effective and not at all drying.

Biologique Recherche Masque Vivant looks, smells, and feels like Marmite! It's very odd but it is amazing. As soon as I washed this off I could see that my skin looked evenly toned, clearer and brighter and smooth.

Chantecaille Bio Lifting Mask is a nice hydrating mask that feels soothing. I like this but it is again something that I wouldn't buy as it is so expensive.

Bodycare.

I used up two full-sized body lotions.

Andalou Naturals Citrus Sunflower Body Lotion is so gorgeous. Fragrance wise it reminds me a lot of Fresh Sugar Lemon (perhaps a little bit less zingy?) It is very refreshing and did a great job of moisturising my skin - there was no stickiness whatsoever with this product which literally melted into my skin. This one is a definite repurchase!

Nip+ Fab Viper Venom Body Serum is more of a firming product and it wasn't quite moisturising enough for me. It was a thick waxy gel with a very faint fresh scent. It did absorb well and surprisingly given its consistency it wasn't sticky bit overall it was a bit of a miss for me.

Olay Whip Body Wash is a body wash that dispenses as a foam. It has a slightly fruity fragrance. This didn't feel all that cleansing to me and it left my skin feeling a little tight and itchy. I  also ran through this pretty quickly too so overall it is not something that I would purchase

I repurposed three face washes as body washes as they were all too drying for my face.
Biore Baking Soda Pore Cleanser worked well for me as a body wash and it smelled kind of spa-like which was nice. Bliss Rose Gold Rescue Gentle Foaming Cleanser smelled like face cream and also worked well as a body wash. Both of these produced abundant amounts of bubbles! Lancôme Creme Radiance was a thick creamy cleanser that was very frothy, it left even the skin on my hands and body feeling very tight and stripped. A reviewer on the Lancome website says it leaves their face 'squeaky clean' which I think says everything we need to know about this one!

I also finished 2 months worth of Goop High School Genes supplements. There are 5 pills to take each day and I like how these come packaged in daily doses. This version has a multivitamin, an Omega 3 capsule, an Alpha Lipoic Acid pill for enhanced antioxidant activity, a gut balance pill made with herbal extracts, and a natural metabolism booster. I can't honestly say that I noticed a difference when I took these to when I didn't but I'm pleased to have had a chance to try these somewhat pricy supplements and didn't suffer any ill effects from taking them.

Haircare.

I used up two full-sized and five minis/samples of haircare.

Windle & Moodie Nourishing Conditioner had a thick slightly oily consistency, contained green tea and cocoa butter and smelled lovely. The packaging was stylish and the pump worked well.
This did a good job of detangling wet hair but I found it wasn't moisturising enough for the ends which got a bit frizzy still. I wouldn't repurchase this one even though I love the brand as there are other luxury conditioners I prefer.

I used up a handbag sized Tressame Fresh Start Volumising Dry Shampoo. I'm not sure why I used this up when I have so many luxury dry conditioners but it was actually pretty good! There's a little bit of a chemical edge to its scent, and while it did add a good amount of texture and volume to my hair without leaving any white residue it, my hair did feel very matted after using this and I needed to use a clarifying shampoo the next day.

I finished three travel-sized conditioners.
 I love Beauty and Planet Argan Oil and Lavender Conditioner. It smells gorgeous, has a 'clean' formulation and performs like a much more expensive product.

I also liked Nature Box Coconut Oil Conditioner which was another drugstore offering. The coconut scent is slightly too sweet and synthetic but it left my hair extremely soft and manageable.

Sachajuan Colour Protect Conditioner is really lightweight - it is very runny and so you have to use quite a lot of it as it is difficult to work through your hair. I love the results, my hair is left hydrated and very soft and sleek but I dislike its strong chemical fragrance and it stung my eyes quite badly.

Davines Oi All in One Milk is a spray on leave in conditioner. It smells great and it works well but the formula always separates into a cream and a liquid no matter how hard I shake the bottle so I never use it as a spray but rather tip a dab into my palm and smooth it on that way.

I also used a tiny vial of Wella Cr Oil Reflections. I liked it well enough and it didn't weigh my hair down or make it look greasy but I probably wouldn't buy it, simply because it's not that easy for me to find.

Makeup and Perfume.
I didn't use up any makeup this month but I did finish three fragrance vials:

Loewe 001 Woman EDP is a warm, spicy, sexy, amber. It's really more of a winter scent but I like it a lot and am happy to wear it year round

Tory Burch EDP is a bright tangerine scent that's a little soapy. It is a refreshing summer scent albeit a little generic.
I didn't realise Paco Rabanne 1 Million EDT was an aftershave! It is a big amber fragrance that is strong and has a lot of projection and longevity. It is a very warm scent with leather and rose notes, I liked this on myself but wouldn't like it on a man.

And that's all my empties for June. It's a bit of a mixed bunch but I'm pleased with the skincare samples I finished - let us see how many I can use up in July!

Empties: May 2019.

In May I finished fifteen full sized products and twenty-one samples.

Skincare.

I used up two full sized cleansers.

I hated the packaging of Niod Sanskrit Saponins but liked the earthy smelling non-foaming cream inside. It rinsed away easily leaving my skin feeling comfortable. I bought this in a Black Friday sale and it was only $7.00 instead of $55.00. It was a bargain at $7.00 but I wouldn't pay full price for it even if they changed the packaging. 

Sarah Chapman Skinesis Ultimate Cleanse lives up to its name. It is a beautiful balm cleanser that comes in a pump and it smells lovely. It turns washing your face into a spa experience and you only need to use a tiny amount so it lasts for ages.

I used two facial sprays. 

Omorovicza Queen of Hungary Mist is lovely but not worth the high cost. I used one of these up last month too (both were gifted).

Vichy Thermal Water is a French pharmacy 'water in a tin' that is pocket-friendly. You can use this for many things - I like to use it for rinsing my face and misting over HA products for a little extra burst of hydration.

I was sad to finish my jar of Sarah Chapman Comfort Cream D-Stress. At first, I thought this calming moisturiser would be too rich but it absorbed brilliantly without any greasy feel. I absolutely loved this cream. It was good to use after a peel or treatment or if ever my skin was feeling tight or irritated. I'd happily use this every night however!

 I loved Sunday Riley Auto Correct Eye Cream. It absorbs well, doesn't sting, is very hydrating and appeared to depuff my eye area. It has a slight peachy pearlescence hue for cosmetic brightening and is an altogether excellent all round eye cream that I would definitely repurchase.

 Amazingly I managed to finish two lip balms!

Shea Moisture Shea butter Vegan Lip Balm was a thick balm that tasted of mint and ginger. It was so thick that it was a bit hard to get out of the tube, but it worked well and was inexpensive so I'd get it again.

Patchology Lip Service Gloss to Balm was excellent, one of the best lip balms I have tried in a while. It smelled and tasted of coconut and mint, looked like a clear gloss when applied and left my lips feeling soothed. I will definitely repurchase this once I have worked my way through all the lip balms I have floating around.

NuFace Gel Primer is an aloe gel that came with my NuFace tightening device. You need to apply a thin layer of this in order for the device to work but you can use a generic aloe gel which is what I am doing now as this one is quite pricy.

I used thirteen skincare minis.

Koh Gen Doh Cleansing Spa Water is a good micellar water, I use this for eye makeup removal but wouldn't buy it as there are more budget-friendly options available.

 I love Cle de Peau Softening Cleansing Foam. It is very soft and creamy, lasts for ages and removes makeup well

Kiehl's Calendula Herbal Extract Toner is a lovely gentle toner containing real petals. I'm more used to using a facial spray but this is very soothing and hydrating.

Revive Anti-Aging Eye Serum is a thinly textured eye product with a  pearly peach tone. It lasts for ages and is okay but not something that I would buy as it is very expensive. 

DermaE Vit C Concentrated Serum is lightweight and hydrating. It is inexpensive, I was impressed with this and think it is a  good budget-priced Vit C product.

Eve Lom Radiance Facial Oil is thick oil but it absorbs well. It smells a little oily but I liked this as an overnight oil, it left my skin looking plumped and radiant the next day.

Cerave Facial Moisturising Lotion SPF30 was quite thick but it absorbed well and was good for a drugstore sunscreen.

Zelens Hydra Shiso Balancing Moisturiser is a refreshing gel moisturiser that I like a lot. It is great to use in warmer weather.

Chantecaille Rose de Mai Cream is another lightweight gel moisturiser which smells of roses and is very nice indeed.

Clark's Botanicals Retinol Rescue Overnight Cream is a gentle retinol which didn't irritate me at all. It has an almost balm-like texture. I used this by itself for a few nights and my skin was nice and soft in the morning.

Coola Makeup setting Spray SPF30 was a good SPF but it smelled like hairspray and stung my eyes. The spray mechanism on this mini didn't deliver a fine even mist - perhaps it is better on the full sized version?

Chantecaille Bio Lifting Mask is an excellent hydrating mask but it is very costly.

La Mer The Intensive Revitalising Mask reminded me of Sisley Black Rose Mask. It was very hydrating and left my skin feeling very soft but it is another very pricy facemask.

Haircare.

I didn't finish any haircare products during May - I think this is the first time this has ever happened!

Bodycare.

I emptied one full-sized and one sample of Kiehl's Soy Milk and Honey Body Polish. This scrub smells delicious and can be used either as a scrub on damp skin or as a creamy body wash. It's not something that I would purchase (because of the cost) but these gifted items were a real pleasure to use.

Kiehls Soy Milk and Honey Whipped Body Butter also smells divine. It is very nourishing - an expensive but rewarding bath time treat leaves skin soft and nourished.

Nivea Oil Infused Body Lotion is definitely oilier feeling than the original Nivea Body Lotions but it absorbs well and is very moisturising. This one has a warm soft vanilla scent which I enjoyed and while I was happy with this there are other body lotions by Nivea that I prefer.

Crabtree &Evelyn Hand Creams are frequently in my empties pile. They are the perfect size to carry around, the formula is nourishing and not greasy and there are millions of scents to choose from so I don't ever get bored of them. This one was scented with Rose & Pineapple which was a soft and refreshing perfume.

Makeup and Perfume.

I managed to use up two full-sized makeup items.
You will have seen Chantecaille Just Skin in the shade 'Nude' here before as I use it every day. It is a medium coverage Tinted Moisturiser which contains SPF15 and a whole host of good skincare ingredients that offer anti-oxidant protection. I love this so much, it would be my dessert island skincare pick!

Too Faced Insurance Eye Shadow Primer works well and lasts forever. It is very much like the Urban Decay one but lighter in texture. It was excellent but I think that I prefer an eye shadow primer that is applied with a doe foot as it pulls on the eye area less.

I used up two mini makeup products.
Hourglass Veil Mineral Primer is my favourite makeup primer. It does a fantastic job of prepping my skin and prolonging my makeup and it never clogs my skin or causes breakouts.
Mac In Extreme Dimension Lash Mascara was excellent! I loved this mascara even though the brush was scratchy sounding when I applied it.

Finally, I finished four perfume vials.

I loved Byredo La Tulipe which was a fresh green floral that smelled exactly like tulips.

Diptyque Fleur de Peau is another scent that I love. It is slightly musky and smells like warm skin. It is very subtle and easy to wear, this one is on my shopping list.

Juicy Couture Viva La Juicy Glacé is a fruity floral. It feels young and although it is a bit generic and not my usual sort of scent I do quite like it.

Serge Lutens La Fille de Berlin is pinky red in colour. It smells like a somewhat musty rose and didn't last long on me. I normally enjoy rose scents but I wasn't too keen on this one.

Empties: April 2019.

I've been so busy that I'm a little late with April's empties but here they are. I managed to use up twelve full sized products and twenty-four samples and minis.

Skincare.

I always remove my eye makeup with a separate specific cleanser and generally I prefer creamy cleansers to oily ones, although I do also use Micellar waters. I was happy to discover Andalou Naturals Lid + Lash Makeup Remover as its a cream make up remover that you swipe on and off with a cotton pad. It is very similar to Kiehl's Extremely Gentle Eye Makeup Remover which was my go-to until it was abruptly discontinued. While this isn't quite as good as the Kiehl's one it almost is. I found it easy and effective to use and it only stung my sensitive eyes on a couple of occasions when I used far too much. The pump packaging works very well, it is inexpensive and does a stellar job of removing dark lip stains as well as eye makeup. I will definitely repurchase this one.

KatBurki Vitamin C Nourishing Cleansing Balm is so lovely! It has quite a curious whipped consistency with some harder small pieces suspended in it. I was using this as a second cleanse - it is far far too nice to waste removing makeup. It smells like an expensive bunch of white flowers, is lovely to use for a facial massage, and wipes off easily leaving skin perfectly clean and softened. Every evening was like a spa night when I was using this!

It Cosmetics Bye Bye  Makeup Cleansing Balm is very effective, at removing makeup and easy to rinse off. This reminded me a lot of Clinique TTDO Balm but it has a slight lemony scent.

The Organic Pharmacy Rose Facial Cleansing Gel smells lovely and is ever so slightly foamy. It is nice as a morning face wash and it wasn't drying - overpriced though.

Omorovicza Moor Cream Cleanser is like a creamier version of Sunday Riley Ceramic Slip. I like it a lot but it is a bit too expensive for me to consider purchasing, happily, this one often pops up in gift bags!

I'm not much of a one for physical exfoliation. I never buy them as samples last me forever ( I use them perhaps every week or ten days). Tarte Frxxxtion Stick looks like a small black solid deodorant and contains a gentle exfoliating grain. It is a novel product that you apply by rubbing over damp skin and was fun to play around with but I wasn't keen on its slightly marine like smell.

Omorovicza Queen of Hungary Mist is another luxurious face product with a cult-like following. It smells amazing and can be used as a hydrating mist or as a refreshing spritz, and while it is exceptionally nice, I don't think that this warrants its hefty price. Part of the appeal of this one for me is the spray mechanism which produces the finest veil of mist, I'm going to keep this bottle and use it with a cheaper facial spray! I may even repurchase Shea Moisture Matcha Green Tea & Probiotics Soothing Toner and Hydrating Mist to fill the QOH bottle. This mist had a refreshing tea-like scent and did everything that the Omorovicza one does at a fraction of the price!

Shiseido Benefiance Wrinkle Resist 24 Balancing Softener was midway between a toner and an essence, I used this on a cotton pad after washing my face. It has a strong, almost hairspray like, scent that I wasn't keen on and honestly, I prefer to use a facial spray rather than this sort of product these days. I didn't dislike this but don't feel that it did anything other than dampening my skin and adding a little extra hydration.

I loved the non-bulky airtight pump packaging of Manuka Doctor Radiance Serum.

It was a silky feeling serum that was quite creamy in texture and it had a slight pearlescence effect to it (just the right amount, it added a glow rather than full-on shimmer). I used this both morning and night and it left my skin looking smooth and plumped, it layered well with other products and is great value for money.

Sunday Riley Good Genes is my very favourite night time serum and is much featured in my empties posts. I love everything about this lemony scented wonder and love how it keeps my skin balanced and makes it look radiant.

Cat Burki Vit C Intensive Face Cream is quite simply a dream face cream. It smells and feels amazing, it has a lovely texture, layers well with pretty much everything and left my skin softened and plump. It is a gorgeous product that delivers.

Natura Bisse The Cure Sheer Cream SPF20  is a thinly textured tinted cream. It doesn't give much coverage, rather it evens things out. It looks natural and is good as a base or on no makeup days. SPF20 is an added bonus but doesn't offer enough protection for outdoor days.

Chantecaille Bio Lifting Cream is a neck cream. I'm not keen on the fragrance of this but it's light and hydrating and easily absorbed.

Emma Hardie Brilliance Facial Oil smells good but is too heavy for me - I prefer a drier feeling oil.

Haircare.

Alaffia Coconut Reishi Shampoo with Henna was really, really good. Made with coconut oil it has quite a runny texture and is low foaming but it left my hair in lovely condition - very soft. I also loved its soapy coconut scent.

Miriam Quevedo The Gold Shampoo is light in texture, shimmery gold in colour and has a faint melon/tea type of scent. This was okay but not outstanding in any way, I was happy to use it but it was nothing special.

Christophe Robin Cleansing Purifying Scrub with Sea Salt is a thick paste with large flakes of salt in it. This product baffled me at first but it is basically a deep cleansing shampoo. A little goes a long way as it produces lots and lots of lather. I love the salty mineral scent that this has and find it works extremely well when used once a week or so to remove product build-up. I also found this useful to use a few days after colouring my hair to remove excess dye and knock the brightness of the tone down a little (probably not how it's intended to be used and you may not want to do this yourself!)

I enjoyed Herbal Essences Bio-Renew Argan Oil Conditioner, it had a nice thick consistency and smelled like Moroccan Oil. It left my hair soft and tangle free and didn't weigh it down. I'd certainly get this again as it felt and performed like a more expensive hair product.

Rahua Classic Conditioner has a 'clean' formula and lovely nutty scent. This is probably my all-time favourite conditioner, it always leaves my hair in exceptionally good condition.

Coco + Eve Like a Virgin Hair Mask. I used this 5-10 minute mask as a conditioner andI loved how it smelled - its fig and coconut scent was like a tropical beach. It left my hair in okay condition but that was all, it's a pricey product so I was expecting it to perform better.

Tresemmé Botanique Intensive Mask with Pomegranate & Camellia Oil is a quick 3-minute mask that worked perfectly as a conditioner. This sample sachet contained 42g of product which was enough for four generous uses. Its fruity floral fragrance was sophisticated rather than sickly and it left my hair soft and frizz free. I think this is a great budget hair mask!

René Furterer Karité Mask was another quick 2-minute mask that again I used as a conditioner. It worked well and had a beautiful white floral fragrance. I liked this one but its not something that I would ever buy as it is expensive.

Ouai Hair Oil is one of my favourite leave-in treatments! It softens without weighing hair down and smells great.

Bodycare.

Softsoap Body Wash 'Hydra Bliss'. Softsoap make some of my favourite bargain drugstore body washes. I enjoyed the formula and its plentiful lather but the blueberry and coconut scent was heavy on the blueberries and low on the coconut so it was too sweet smelling for me.

Method Body Wash in Energy Boost was a nice formula with a fairly 'clean' ingredient list. It lathered well and wasn't drying but I wished the Citrus, Ginger and Sea Buckthorn scent had been a little zingier. It is at the expensive end of the scale for a drugstore body wash.

Aveeno Stress Relief Body Lotion scented with Lavender, Chamomile and Ylang Ylang has a light scent that doesn't linger. The lotion itself is okay but a little waxy in feel. My skin was comfortable and it absorbed well but it isn't something that I would repurchase - I didn't dislike it but equally I didn't really enjoy it

La Roche Posay Lipikar AP Balm is an unscented body lotion which feels very hydrating. It is a bit boring but very effective!

I love Kiehl's Creme de Corps Body Lotion, it leaves my skin so soft and it has a creamy buttery scent that is perfect, not too sweet. It is more than I care to spend on a body lotion though so I will stick to samples!

Crabtree & Evelyn Spiced Earl Grey Hand Cream. C&E hand creams are almost always in my empties! It is the perfect hand cream formula in an easily transportable tube. I love the new packaging design and the fresh clean tea-like fragrance of this one.

Makeup and Perfume.

Nars Velvet Lip Gloss in the shade 'Bound' was a flattering easy to wear mauve toned nude. It was easy to precisely apply from its chubby doe foot, it stayed in place exceptionally well and left my lips with a stain. I'd class this as a liquid lipstick rather than a gloss as it was quite matte but it was very comfortable and non-drying. I'd definitely purchase this if I needed lip colour but unfortunately, I already have so many.

Rodial GlamLash Mascara XXO enhances lashes in a very natural looking way. This mascara stays in place throughout the day yet is easy to remove. I also love the way that this puts and holds a curl in my lashes.

 I finished my second bottle of Diptyque Eau Duelle. It is a very easy to wear, warm subtly spiced vanilla scent that is not at all sweet and sickly - this is a sophisticated take on vanilla, perfect to wear year round.

Maison Margiela EDP 'Mutiny'. Hmmm, nothing Mutinous about this scent! It is a sweet and rather sickly fruity floral that smells very generic. I was expecting something woody that smacked of piracy and rebellion, rather than this young girl scent. Disappointing.

I like the sleek minimal packaging of Commodity EDP 'Bergamot'. It has a clean lemony scent that veered a little too much into aftershave territory for me. Unisex and good for warm weather but not my personal cup of tea.

And that's it for a rather late edition of April's empties, May's empties will be here before I know it!