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.