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 March 2019.

Although I only managed to use up twelve full-sized products in March, and a set of eye masks, I did manage to use up twenty-seven minis and samples.

Skincare.

I emptied just three full-sized skincare items.

Shiseido Benefiance Extra Creamy Cleansing Foam was okay as a first or a.m. cleanse. It wasn't drying or excessively foamy (it is more creamy) and like other Japanese cream cleansers that I have used I found you only needed a tiny amount so this tube has lasted me for quite some time. This contains a grain of some sort that felt like bran but I wouldn't call it an exfoliating cleanser. I did find it a little hard to remove completely as it was so thick and creamy and although there isnt actually anything wrong with it there are so many other cleansers that I prefer I can't see a repurchase.

I love Caudalie Vinisource SOS Serum, it is very soothing and supremely hydrating. It is very easy to fit into any routine, smells fresh and feels cooling. My only complaint is that I run through a bottle very quickly!

Sarah Chapman Skinesis Eye Recovery is a good multi-purpose eye cream which absorbs well and doesn't irritate my eyes. It used to be possibly my favourite eye cream and while I have others that I prefer these days I would repurchase it.

I was pleased to have used up eighteen skincare samples and minis.

Chantecaille Rose Eye Makeup Remover is delicately scented with roses and has a water-like consistency. I love how gentle this is when I use it, it works well but some waterproof mascaras don't always dissolve instantly. It is also very expensive  - too expensive for an eye makeup remover in my opinion so I relished using this sample.

I used up three samples of cleanser. Omorovicza Cleansing Foam is a lovely morning face wash with a light, whipped consistency and a neroli scent. Beauty Kitchen Seahorse Plankton Everlasting Radience Cleansing Gel is a gel/cream cleanser that reminded me a little of Sunday Riley Ceramic Slip. It has quite a strong scent that I enjoyed, is non-foaming and left my skin clean and very soft. I would happily repurchase this if it is ever sold stateside. Eve Lom Cleanser is a classic but it's not my favourite balm as I don't find it the easiest to rinse off completely and I'm not a fan of the scent.

I used two eye cream samples. Dr Dennis GrossHyaluronic Marine Dew It all Eye Gel is a creamy gel that is very light in feel. It is very hydrating, and smoothes and soothes the eye area. I like it so much I already have a full size. Derm Institute Youth Alchemy Eye is a thick cream that absorbs well. You only need to use a small amount of this as it is so rich. It has an immediate cooling and lifting feel to it that is a little uncomfortable but not offputtingly so. It is extremely expensive however.

I used three mini serums up.

Rodial Pink Diamond Instant Lifting Serum is an expensive serum that I wouldn't buy for myself as I don't feel that it does anything other than add a layer of hydration. Derm Institute Cellular Rejuvenating Serum is a fluid-like gel that melted into my skin. It had a slight chemical fragrance but felt cooling and hydrating and left my skin soft. I liked it a lot though it is another expensive one.

Drunk Elephant TLC Framboos Glycolic Night Serum is a gentle nighttime peeling serum in a lightweight gel form This 5ml mini lasted me for ages. I like this serum and it definitely brightens my skin but I do prefer Sunday Riley Good Genes so would buy that in preference to this.

REN Glycol Lactic Mask is a gentle peeling mask with a jam-like consistency and apricot scent. I find it fun to use and it leaves my skin even and glowing. I like to use this as part of a three mask routine.

I used four samples of La Roche Posay Toleriane Double Repair Moisturiser. This is a basic moisturising fluid that sinks in well and is good to use as a  nighttime top layer or after treatments.

I also used a sample of Kat Burki Vitamin C Intensive Face Cream. This rich cream is easily absorbed, layers beautifully with other products and has a gorgeous white flower fragrance. It is pretty much the perfect face cream as far as I'm concerned!

I user a couple of samples of sunscreen both by La Roche Posay. I found Anthelios 60 Face and Body Activewear SPF far too thick and heavy to wear on my face, so much so I didn't even finish using the sachet. However, Anthelios Mineral 60 was very good. I found it to be light, non-greasy and very natural looking with no white or grey cast. It evened out my skintone rather than giving it BB type coverage but I did like it a lot and would get it again.

I used up a mini tube of Fresh Sugar Rose Lip Balm. I love these balms but they are expensive. They smell and taste pleasantly lemony, and the rose colour of this was a natural buildable pink. I love the sturdy metal packaging of these but the bullet itself is a little soft and easily broken, especially in warm conditions. 

Finally, I used a pair of 111Skin Celestial Black Diamond Eye Masks. These felt rubbery but fitted so well I forgot I had them on. I wasn't expecting to be impressed by these but they were amazing! They did a great job of smoothing fine lines and brightened and depuffed my eye area - they really perked things up and I would recommend using them before a big event even though they are quite pricey.

Makeup.

Its rare I finish a make up item so I was pleased to finish three this month.

NYX Nude Matte Shadow 04 Maybe Later is a powder eye shadow that wears and blends well. It has a good amount of pigment and was quite finely milled so there was very little fallout. This shade is a mid brown with a slight gingery undertone that I found flattering and easy to wear.

These two Dream Bouncy Blushes by Maybelline are both discontinued and I have to admit to keeping them and using them for longer than I should have simply because I can't replace them! Both of the cases are broken and they are getting a little dry but in their prime they were a dream to apply and blend with buildable colors. 06 Coffee Cake gave a natural sunkissed bloom and 45 Orchid Hush was a delicate pink with blue undertones that gave a healthy flush to cheeks. Easy to apply and wear, I'm going to miss not having these two creamy blushers around.

Haircare.

I only used up one full sized haircare item, Herbal Essences Bourbon Manuka Honey Conditioner, I thought that this was a good drugstore conditioner, it detangled well and didn't weigh my hair down and it had a nice fresh scent that was slightly floral.

I'm on a quest to finish up my many mini haircare items so I was pleased to get through nine of them in March. Vitabird Scalp Shampoo was a generously sized mini, it smelled like grapefruit and had a light runny consistency. This shampoo was SLS free but lathered and rinsed well. 

Philip B Oud Royale Shampoo has a curious stretchy consistency, it smells wonderful though and again lathers and rinses well - it is a pricey shampoo that feels very luxurious and it left my hair in great condition. 

Rahua Hydration Shampoo and Conditioner were lovely but I do prefer the original Rahua range. The hydration range smells very sweet, like an old fashioned candy but they worked well and left my hair feeling lovely.

I love the scent of Moroccan Oil products! The Structure Repair Conditioner was no exception and left my hair soft and manageable. 

Sachajuan Hair Repair is a quick (5min) hair mask that I repurposed as a conditioner. It was very thick and while I found it too rich to use every day It did condition well. I don't like the smell of Sachajuan products however as they smell quite chemical like and the fragrance lingers in my hair.

I finished three mini leave-in conditioners. I have used OUAI Leave In Conditioner before and really like it. It is far too thick to dispense from a spray nozzle so I always end up pouring a little into my hands and applying it like that. I've not used R+Co Waterfall before but I liked it a lot. This lightweight leave in cream smelled great and worked well, I was so impressed by it that it is on my wishlist! IGK Thirsty Girl was a leave in conditioner that came in an aerosol - a first for me! It took a couple of goes to gauge the correct amount to use but once I had I liked this and it left my hair feeling great, I was disapointed that it didn't smell of coconut though.

Bodycare.

I used two full sized body washes. OGX Extra Creamy coconut Miracle Oil Body Wash was indeed creamy. This lathered well, was non-drying and smelled like coconuts. The Body Shop Atlas Mountain Rose Shower Gel had a slightly sweet almost almondy rose scent. It lathered up nicely and was altogether a lovely body wash.

The Body Shop Black Musk Body Lotion was nourishing without being greasy and sank in well but I found the scent a little too overpowering and a bit sickly. I'd get The Body Shop body lotions again - but not in this fragrance.

I finished two hand creams. The Body Shop Wild Rose Hand Cream was a big tube of pale pink cream. I loved how this smelled, it had a fresh green rose scent but I didn't find it to be quite nourishing enough. 

There's frequently a handbag sized Crabtree & Evelyn Hand Cream in my empties! This time it was a Spiced Earl Grey version. I love the consistency of these creams and the packaging is perfectly sized for carrying around. I could definitely detect tea in the fragrance of this but I didn't find it spicy smelling, it was a clean and refreshing scent.

I was disappointed that I didn't finish too many full-sized products in March but I have quite a few things that I'm almost done with so perhaps April will be a bumper month for empties! 

Let's see!

Space NK Spring Beauty Edit 2019.

Space NK always has the most wonderful GWP events in the Spring and Autumn and I always plan my major beauty restocks around them. Not only do I replenish my favourite products I get a bunch of samples and mini sized luxury beauty products to try out!

This years event was open to NDulge* members on Tuesday 12th February and to all other customers on Wednesday 13th. It goes without saying that this would make a perfect late Valentine's/Galentine's Day gift to yourself - there are some gift bags still available but if you would like one do hurry as they go fast. 

To qualify for a gift bag you need to spend $285.00 (pre-tax) either in-store or online (us.spacenk.com and enter the code SPRING18 at checkout). I know that it is quite a lot of money to spend all at once but if you do need products now is a good time to shop for them as the gift bag has an amazing value of over $450.00. 

The samples and minis come packed in a blush cosmetics bag that is actually smart enough to be used as a clutch bag. All the samples are generously sized and all come from premium brands such as Omorovicza and Oribe.

Space NK GWP's tend to be quite heavy on skincare items as a rule which is something that pleases me immensely!
This year's bag contains sixteen skincare items.
There is a full-sized pack of face wipes from Patchology and two chemical exfoliants from 111 Skin and Malin+Goetz. I am very pleased that there were four serums (including my favourite Sunday Riley Good Genes) and a face oil by Emma Hardie as I have completely run out of serum samples. There are five face cream samples, two of which, Omorovicza Rejuvenating Night Cream and REN Glow Daily Vitamin C Gel Cream are generously sized 15ml ones. Finally skincare wise, for a deluxe pampering session, there are three masks, including one of my all-time favourites - Clark's Botanicals Deep Moisture Mask.

For makeup lovers there wae three lip products; a Kevyn Aucoin Lip Pencil, a tinted mini balm from Ilia and a clear sparkling Altered Universe Gloss by Lipstick Queen.
I was also happy to find minis of ByTerry Hyaluronic Hydra Powder and Hourglass Veil Mineral Primer which are both great to carry around and take on trips and I'm keen to try out Coola MakeUp Setting Mist containing SPF 30 as soon as the weather heats up.

Haircare items are all generously sized. 

To refresh and style my do there is a handbag size Oribe Gold Lust Dry Shampoo and a Bumble+Bumble Thickening Spray. To ensure my hair is in tip-top condition there are masks from Briogeo, Christophe Robin, and Miriam Quevedo, along with a mini Rahua Classic Conditioner and Waterfall which is a leave-in moisture and shine enhancer by R+Co.

  

The final treat is a mini Diptyque candle.

It goes without saying that I'm thrilled with my gift and can't wait to get stuck into the gift bag and discover some new favourites!  

*NDulge is Space NK's customer rewards program and it is well worth joining if you are not a member. As well as early access to sales and promotions, there are invitations to special events and every time you shop you are rewarded with points that convert to cash rewards that you can redeem on future purchases.
us.spacenk.com

All the Empties: 2018.

In 2018 I managed to use up a total of one hundred and thirty-two full sized products and an astounding four hundred and thirty-eight samples! 

That's a ton of samples but I did do a 'Month of Foil' where I tried to use as many samples as possible and a hair product 'Month of Foil'. (And yes, I do still have lots and lots of samples!) 

Read on for a breakdown of full-sized products by type. No breakdown of the samples used though because I'll admit categorizing samples is too nerdy, not to mention complex, even for a list-lover like myself!

Skincare.

I used fifty-five full-sized skincare items. 

Eleven of these were cleansers along with two bottles of eye makeup remover.

My love of spritzes and facial sprays shows no sign of abating and I used up nine of them. I also used one full-sized bottle of Glycolic toner and one pack of Glycolic pads.

When it came to putting moisture back into my skin I did pretty well, using up three full-sized eye creams, three bottles of facial oil and nine tubes/jars of moisturiser. I also managed to get through nine bottles of serum of various types. 

I mostly use sachets and samples of masks but even so, I used up three full-sized masks. 

I could do better when it comes to sunscreen. I only used up two bottles but again I did use quite a few samples.

Finally, I made an effort to finish some of the many opened lip balms and treatments that I have hanging around and used up five of them.

Bodycare.

I always go through a lot of bodycare and this year was no exception. I used forty-four full-sized products.

I'm not big on body scrubs as I use a loofah but even so, I used up two tubes. 

Daily showers saw me getting through fourteen bottles of shower gel. 

I also slathered on fifteen bottles of body lotion.

Thirteen hand creams sounds like a ridiculous amount, but most of them were handbag sized ones.

Haircare.

I've been using more expensive haircare as a rule this year,  and I do find that I tend to use a lot less of it than I do drugstore products. However, I still used up twenty -three items, seven of which were shampoo and nine of which were conditioners. 

I also used up four leave-in conditioners/oils/serums and one large pot of hair mask.

I tend to 'wash and go' mostly so I only used one hairspray and one texturising spray.

Makeup.

Makeup takes forever to finish so I'm quite pleased that I used up ten items.

On my face, I used one primer, two tinted moisturisers and one concealer/brightener. 

I used up two full-sized mascaras and one single pan eyeshadow.

Finally, I finished two lipsticks and one lip gloss.

I wonder how many products I will use in 2019?

Empties: December 2018.

I'll be rounding up my empties for the whole year in my next post but for now here's a look at December. I'm pleased with this the final pile of 2018 as I managed to finish twenty-one samples and fourteen full-sized sized products.

Skincare.

I can't believe that I haven't used Emma Hardie Moringa Cleansing Balm before! It used to be difficult to find in the U.S. but I'm happy to say that that is no longer the case as after having finished my first jar I think it may well be my favourite cleansing balm. It smells lovely, melts away makeup, rinses off with ease, and feels gorgeous on my skin. The only thing that I don't like about it is the oversized clunky feeling jar. I do have plenty of cleansers at the moment but I will definitely repurchase this at some point in the future. 

I had a sample of Andalou Naturals Apricot Probiotic Cleansing Milk in a gift bag and enjoyed it so much I went out and bought a full sized one almost immediately. I must admit that this doesn't do the best job of removing makeup but as a skin cleanser it is lovely with a consistency and slip that is just right for facial massage. I already have another bottle of this wallet-friendly cleanser as I enjoy using a milky cleanser in the winter when my skin gets stressed and dry.

The toner from the same range, Andalou Naturals Blossom+Leaf Toning Refresher, is another winner for me. It feels soothing and refreshing and has a floral scent with Geranium and Neroli notes that was very pleasant. The spray mechanism on this isn't the best as it doesn't deliver a fine mist so I decanted it into an older glass bottle with a good spray nozzle.

Vichy Eau Thermal is a drugstore product that often shows up in my empties. I always have one of these cans of water to hand as they are very useful. Not only can they be used as a cooling, refreshing spray, I like to use them if my skin is delicate or compromised, they are great to use to 'rinse' off products, and, of course, they are very hydrating.

Vichy V Mineral 89 has become a staple in my routine. I like to use this as a 'booster' applying a thin layer over serum, before cream, in the morning. This Hyaluronic Acid rich product holds moisture and leaves my skin looking and feeling plump and juicy.

I actually gave out a yelp of disappointment when this next product gave me its last pump! Drunk Elephant CTango MultiVitamin Eye Cream lives up to its hype, rich but not greasy, it absorbs instantly, and addresses all of my eye area concerns. I have a few other eye creams in stock but this is a product that is definitely on the repurchase list.

Tata Harper Purifying Mask was a very good clay mask that left my skin feeling clean and looking bright and evenly toned. I liked this a lot but it works out to be quite expensive - I was shocked when I saw how tiny the jar was! Although I loved the results I won't repurchase this because the cost per use doesn't make sense, even Omorovicza's pricey masks which I prefer, work out cheaper.

I managed to use up sixteen skincare samples.

Shiseido Ultimune Power Infusing Concentrate is a pre-serum-serum which apparently makes your serum perform better. I did like this wet serum-like-lotion but I don't think I need to add another step to my routine. This one belongs on the 'happy to use but would never buy' pile!

Sunday Riley CEO Serum is an orange scented, creamy feeling, 15%Vit C serum. Easy to wear, I enjoyed this but didn't use it long enough to see if it gave results.

Dr Lancer Omega Hydrating Oil wasn't my favourite facial oil as it felt a little heavy and greasy, I used this as a final top layer at nighttime to seal everything in. I do enjoy the texture of Sunday Riley Luna more and this gentle feeling retinol pairs well with Good Genes at night, I'm not keen on the scent or the blue colour though.

Embryolisse Lait Creme Concentrate is a basic moisturising milk. There is nothing wrong with this but I don't find it to be moisturising enough for my skin which becomes easily dehydrated at this time of year. My bad call with this one, I should have used it in the summertime.

Lancome Energie de Vie Water Infused Cream is a cooling gel cream. Although it is intended for daytime use this reminded me of a KBeauty sleeping pack and I used it as an overnight moisturiser.

111Skin Space Anti-Age Day Cream is such a heavy greasy cream that I can't imagine anyone using it during the day! It also has a strong chemical fragrance that I dislike. I did use this up as a night time top layer but only because I know it's expensive and didn't want to waste it.

Weleda Skin Food is a multi-use cream. It is another thick, greasy cream but I like applying a layer of this occasionally and leaving it to slowly absorb overnight if my skin feels very dry.

La Mer Moisturising Cream is yet another rich thick cream, it is okay but I prefer their Soft Cream (however I don't think that either of them warrants the high price tag that they carry).

Malin+Goetz Advanced Renewal Cream was lovely. I enjoyed its lightweight texture and lavender scent. It did a good job of moisturising my skin and left it feeling soft.

I love all of the standard Derm Institute skincare range but I can't say that their extremely expensive Youth Alchemy Cream stood out in any way for me.

Malin+Goetz Brightening Enzyme Mask is fantastic, it is quick and easy to use and instantly brightens. I also loved REN Wake Wonderful Night Time Facial, which made my skin look plumped and fresh the morning after I used it.

Tarte Tarteguard SPF30 was a little too greasy feeling and took a bit of time to absorb, I wouldn't buy this. It's rare that I don't finish a product but I failed to use up MD Solar Sciences Mineral Tinted Cream SPF30. It felt extremely uncomfortable on my skin and made me look very grey, I really disliked this one! I used my last Dr Dennis Gross Alpha Beta Glow Pad. These are a super easy to use self-tanning facial product that leaves my skin with a touch of colour and increased radiance.

Bodycare.

I love REN body care so I was keen to try their new-ish Atlantic Kelp & Magnesium Anti-Fatigue Body Wash. It produced abundant lather and had a relaxing mineral/ozone scent but I'm not sure that it relaxed or soothed my muscles any more than any other shower product. I can see the bath products in this range being effective but if I were going to get another REN shower gel I wouldn't choose this one again as I much prefer their others.

Juara Candlenut Hydrating Shower Gel and Body Cream were both lovely. The shower gel smells creamy while the body cream has a more spa-like scent.

I've had this bottle of Weleda Pomegranate Body Lotion sitting around for a while. Honestly, it's not my favourite but I was determined to use it up! I find it to be too thick and oily and it never absorbs completely so the scent, which has a funky health food shop kind of note to it, lingers on your clothing.

Dr Barbara Sturm Anti-Aging Body Cream was an unscented body lotion that did a good job of hydrating without being greasy but it was a little basic and boring to use. It is very expensive and if I am going to spend a lot on a body product I expect it to smell wonderful and feel very indulgent, so this was a miss for me.

Kiehl's Ultimate Strength Hand Salve is something that is often on my empties pile. This doesn't leave hands greasy but does sooth and hydrate them efficiently. I also like its clean smelling eucalyptus scent.

Haircare.

I only finished one haircare item this month. I didn't even know that Crabtree & Evelyn made haircare but when I saw their La Source Revitalising Seaweed Conditioner on sale in TJ Maxx I thought it was worth investigating. It was a very nice lightweight conditioner with a fresh mineral scent that left my hair soft and detangled. I enjoyed this and will pick up more if I see it on sale again (I paid around $5.00) but I don't think that it is worth its full-price which is $20.00 or so.

Makeup and Perfume.

A wee sample of Urban Decay Eye Shadow Primer Potion lasted me forever. It does do an excellent job of keeping my eye makeup smudge and crease free but I prefer eyeshadow bases that apply with a doe-foot as I find they drag less on my eyelid.

Chantecaille Just Skin Tinted Moisturiser in the shade 'Nude' is my 'ride or die' face product. It is pricey but a tube lasts six months and as well as giving a medium coverage this helps protect and also improves my skin so it's well worth the cost as far as I'm concerned.

Kiehl's Lip Balm #1 is a very basic petroleum jelly balm. I feel that it doesn't actually do a lot for my lips but I have a few of these from GWP's etc lying around that I am trying to finish up.

Lipstick Queen Belle Epoque 'Belle Wine' was a very nice tinted lip balm which felt nourishing. The pigment in this wasn't too strong, the 'wine' colour wore as a deep yet wearable pink that I found to be both flattering and long-lasting.

I used two perfume vials in December. 

Maison Margiela Replica By The Fireplace is a warm and cosy scent with woodsy berry notes. I don't dislike it and it's very suitable for this time of year but I do always think that it would be much better as a scent for a candle.

Narciso Rodriguez Fleur Musc For Her was a very sweet powdery floral. Initially quite strong this faded very quickly on me which was good as I didn't much care for its overt sweetness.

And that's my final empties pile of 2018. If you like lists check back for my year-end round up of all the empties soon, and of course I'll be back at the end of January with another 'normal' empties post.

Happy New Year!

Empties: October 2018.

I feel that I'm not doing as good a job as usual with my empties of late because I have been swapping up my routines and as a result have a lot of different products open all at the same time. Nevertheless, I did manage to finish twelve full-sized and twenty-three empties during October.

Skincare.

I only used three full-sized skincare items but I did manage to finish fourteen samples. 

I used two full-sized facial sprays. Caudalie Beauty Elixir is a classic, but I have to admit to not loving this one, I like the smell, but it feels a little drying on my skin. (I think that this is really overpriced for what it is). Little Barn Apothecary Coconut+Mint Cooling Mineral Mist was lovely however. It felt very fresh and cooling and the blend of coconut and mint smelled great. This spray contains aloe rather than water as its main ingredient so it was very hydrating as well. I have a ton of sprays and toners at the moment but I can definitely see myself repurchasing this in the future. The other full sized item I used was Algenist Complete Renewal Eye Balm. I like this eye cream, it is easily absorbed and addresses a whole range of eye area issues. It isn't the best eye cream I have used but it is fairly effective all around.

I enjoyed Odacite Black Mint Cleanser so much. This non-foaming liquid cleanser was fantastic to use in the morning, it was just minty enough to be invigorating and left my skin feeling clean but not stripped. This is top of my shopping list!

I liked Tula Exfoliating Treatment Mask a lot too. It is a pale blue clay type mask with a few exfoliating grains. I liked it because it didn't dry out and pucker my skin and wiped away easily. It also left my skin looking clear and bright and saved me having to use a cleansing clay mask and an exfoliating one.

The two serum samples by DCL that I used were both absolutely fantastic! DCL Skin Brightening Complexion Treatment is used in the morning and their C Scape High Potency Night Booster Serum is used at night. Together these two made a visible difference to my skin in just a couple of uses. My skin was brighter, more evenly toned and generally fresh and healthy looking after using this duo. They aren't cheap but they are powerful and they really do make a difference! 

Trilogy Q10 Booster Oil was a dryish oil that I loved using at night, it was plumping and easily absorbed.

I finished four samples of moisturiser. Caudalie VineActive 3-in-1 Moisturiser was just okay. It didn't do much for me beyond hydrating and I noticed that the formula had a tendency to separate in the tube which isn't great. La Roche Posay Toleriane is a very basic moisturiser for sensitive skin. I used this when my skin felt stressed or compromised, it's not an exciting product but it calms and hydrates nicely and it's very reasonably priced. La Mer The Moisturising Soft Cream always leaves my skin feeling soft and smooth but it is exorbitantly priced for what it is so its samples only of this one for me!

I used up two eye cream samples, both from La Mer. I really like The Eye Concentrate as it absorbs so well, it's very expensive though and doesn't impress me enough to actually by it. The Eye Balm Intense is a pale green cream, lighter in texture this also sinks in beautifully but I didn't find it as good as The Eye Concentrate.

I used three sunscreen samples. Coola Organic BB+ Cream SPF30 wasn't to my liking as it left an odd grey cast on my face and felt uncomfortable on my skin. Peter Thomas Roth Max Sheer All Day Moisture Defense Lotion SPF 30 is oil free but it still felt heavy and oily to me. I did like Clinique Pep Start Hydrorush Moisturiser SPF 20 though, a lightweight moisturising gel cream that layered well with other products and worked well under makeup.

Finally skincare wise I used up a mini ByTerry Baume de Rose. I know this cult product has many fans but it fails to impress me and I find the price of this shockingly high.

Bodycare.

I used four full-sized and four mini bodycare items.

Softsoap Shower Gels are a frequent drugstore purchase for me, they are cheap, they smell great and they leave my skin feeling pretty soft. I honestly don't think that you can beat these considering their price! 'Almond and Coconut' had a sweet summery scent that wasn't overpowering, and I really liked the 'Luminous Oil Coconut Oil and Lavender' which had a rich powdery, almost patchouli type of fragrance. I also finished up two of the Rituals Foaming Shower Gels. 'Yogi Flow' and 'Ritual of Sakura' are both slightly sweet florals. Of all the foaming shower gels on the market, these are the best as they dispense as a gel which then turns into a foam - the other cheaper ones that I have tried come out of the tin as a foam. I like these a lot but I do think that they are a bit uneconomical as I always get through these very quickly.

I've a few body lotions open at the moment so the only ones that I finished were samples. Jo Malone 'English Pear and Freesia' isn't a scent that I would have picked out for myself but I have to admit I loved how this smelled! These are very effective and luxurious body creams but not something that I could see myself buying as they are pretty expensive - they would make fantastic gifts though. I also used a sample of Nivea Aloe Vera Body Lotion. I love Nivea lotions and this smelled and felt very fresh but the sample was teeny tiny which felt a bit wasteful.

Crabtree & Evelyn hand creams are some of my favourites, they are so convenient for carrying around and the formula is great, soothing and moisturizing without being greasy. 'Old World Jasmine' smelled amazing, I love Jasmine anyway but this was perfectly blended so it just smelled clean and sweet rather than sickly. Molton Brown Gingerlily Hand Cream was very nice but didn't feel quite as nourishing as the C&E one and its scent was very light. I also used a sachet of Mario Badescu Hydrating Hand Cream, which felt nice and moisturising. It was very lightly scented and I liked it enough to consider purchasing it in the future. 

Haircare.

I finished three full sized and two samples of haircare. Rossano Ferretti 24/7 Vivace was a water weight leave-in conditioning spray. It smelled quite nice, like an old-fashioned ladies' hairdressers but I didn't feel that it did anything to my hair other than perfume it.

I used two travel sized Pantene Foam Conditioners both of which were 'Sheer Volume'. I can't help but feel that these are a tad gimmicky. The conditioner dispenses from the can as a foam and while it did an okay job of conditioning my hair it didn't add any volume and I used these up so quickly, each one only lasted around a week.

Aveda Smooth Infusion is intended to be used as a  pre-styling product but I merely used it on damp hair as a leave-in conditioner. It worked well but had a rather odd scent that smelled a little like curry, not unpleasant, but definitely odd! Philip B Light-Weight Deep Conditioning Creme Rinse was okay. Nothing outstanding so I don't see that it warrants it's high price.

Makeup and Perfume.

I used another ByTerry Terrybly Growth Boosting Mascara. I like the formula of this, it thickens, lengthens and defines lashes, although it doesn't add any curl and I didn't notice any growth but it does get a little flaky when it begins to dry out.

I used two perfume vials. Byredo Bal d'Afrique is a deep warm scent, perfect for colder weather. On me, it smells of amber and florals. I liked it but it is a little generic and there are examples of this type of fragrance that I like much better. Diptyque Fleur de Peau smells like warm skin, I love the initial scent of this but I cannot smell it on my skin at all, I really wish this one wore a little stronger.

And that's it for empties in October! All in all, I'm fairly pleased with what I managed to use up but I'm hoping to concentrate on using opened products and get through a few more in the way of full-size skincare items next month. Let's see if I will!

Empties: September 2018.

Because I concentrated on using up foil sachet samples in September my empties pile of full-sized and mini products was somewhat smaller than normal. Nevertheless, I did use up six full sized products and thirteen minis/ non-sachet samples. 

Skincare.

I only finished three full-sized skincare items but they were all great. 

I love Sunday Riley Ceramic Slip Cleanser. It is great at balancing my combination skin without leaving it feeling stripped or tight and I love how easy to use it is and how cooling it feels on my skin. It's not cheap but a bottle lasts a long time as you don't need to use much of it. I've gone through quite a few bottles of it over the years and already have a new one in stock. 

Caudalie Grape Water is one of my favourite 'waters in a tin'. It is refreshing as a spritz and I also use it to spray between layers of product and as a rinse after cleansing. The nozzle delivers a fine mist and the can is huge. I'm currently working my way through the face sprays that I already have but when the time comes I will repurchase this. 

Kane Serum Savant was an item I found on sale (normally this all-around serum is eye-wateringly expensive). I loved the futuristic packaging of this and while I didn't dislike the serum I can't say that I noticed it doing much to my skin. I'm glad I got the opportunity to try this but I don't think I would repurchase it even if I saw it on sale.

I used six samples of skincare, three of which were cleansers. Cerave Foaming Facial Cleanser was too foamy and stripping for me so I ended up using it as a handwash. Tarte Deep Dive Cleansing Gel did a good job of removing makeup and felt gentle. It foamed ever so lightly without any drying effects but I wasn't too keen on the scent as it smelled a little washing up liquid like. I expected to like Dr Dennis Gross Alpha Beta Cleansing Gel more than I did. I used it as a morning face wash and while there wasn't anything wrong with it, it was just a little underwhelming and boring to use.

Eve Lom Rescue Mask is a classic clay mask with a Eucalyptus like fragrance. It deep cleans without drying out skin and flannels off easily, it also does a great job of drawing out and drying up spots and blemishes. 

I used Rodial Dragon's Blood Sculpting Gel as a serum. It is one of those products that seem to sit on the top of your skin and offer a temporary tightening lift but that's all it does. Unfortunately another underwhelming product for me that's not worth me buying. Natura Bisse Tensolift Neck Cream is lightly textured yet rich in feel. I don't dislike this but I don't feel the need for a targeted neck treatment so while I was happy to use this I would never buy it.

Haircare, Bodycare, Makeup and Perfume.

I used one haircare sample, Karite Hydrating Shine Day Cream. I liked this unscented leave in conditioner, it didn't weigh down my hair and left it detangles and nicely softened.

I used four bodycare samples, three of which were body lotions. Both of the Aveeno lotions (Daily Moisturising Lotion and Skin Relief Gentle Scent Lotion) were hydrating and soothing but a little boring. Free & Lovely Coconut & Rose Body Butter from Bodycology was a nicely textured cream that melted into my skin but I found the scent a little sickly. Molton Brown Shower Gel has a great formula and the 'Rose Absolue' fragrance of this one was lovely, a grown-up deep velvety rose and I liked it a lot.

I used up four makeup items. I'm gutted to have finished Kevyn Aucoin Single Eye Shadow in 'Soft Clay' #104 as these single powder shadows have seemingly been discontinued. This pale grey-pink shade has been my daily go-to colour for the past couple of years, not only was the colour easy to wear, the formula was great, very easy to blend with a strong long lasting pigment and very little fallout. ByTerry Terrrybly Growth Booster Mascara lasts all day and darkens, thickens and lengthens without getting clumpy. I've not noticed any extra growth in my lashes but it's a great formula that makes lashes look enhanced but subtly so.

Chantecaille Le Camouflage Stylo has a built-in click brush-type applicator that makes it easy to apply. It's easy to blend and doesn't settle into creases. I like to use this under my eyes, it minimizes the appearance of dark circles making my eye area and whole face look brighter. 

I'm not much of a face powder user but it was so hot and humid this year I found I needed one whenever I was wearing makeup. ByTerry Hyaluronic Hydra Powder is totally transparent and doesn't settle into fine lines. It is slightly mattifying which isn't my favourite thing but it did make my makeup last in the heat and it is so fine I couldn't feel it on my skin at all.

Finally, I used three vials of perfume. Hermes Twilly is a powdery white floral which I found a little heavy and old-fashioned. Victor & Rolf Flowerbomb is a strong yet sweet fizzy floral. It is much sweeter than my usual scent choices but there is something very joyful and fun about it that I like. Loewe Woman 001 is a warm sexy amber scent that I like a lot, there's something leathery about this one that I find quite seductive.

Added to the sample sachets I actually managed to work my way through quite a good amount of products in September so although it's a smaller empties pile than usual I am still quite pleased with it.

   

Empties: Month of Foil 2018/Sample September.

What's a 'Month of Foil? 

It's nothing complicated I simply concentrate on using up all the sample sachets of product I have accumulated in an effort to use up old product and declutter, I try to do it once a year.  

If I had multiple samples of the same product I used them up one after the other. Obviously, with only one or two applications of product it's difficult to form a proper opinion of results (although I could pretty much tell with a couple of uses if I didn't like something) but if I had multiple sachets the cumulative use of them allowed me to be a better judge of them.

How did it go?

Well, if I say so myself, I had a rather successful month and I managed to use up a total of 110 foil sample sachets.

I was out the gate running with this project as I had plenty of samples to choose from and on the first day I opened a lot of sachets! I started ripping sachets open but soon found that some sachets are better made than others and after a few messy openings I learned to keep a pair of scissors to hand to avoid spills and waste. I did find that even with neatly clipped corners it was easy to squeeze out too much product and I certainly used more product than needed on quite a few occasions to use up what had oozed out or to finish a sachet if there wasn't enough product left for a second application.

On day one I was full of enthusiasm but a few days in I wasn't as enthusiastic or particularly thrilled by the prospect of only using samples. After a week I was a little fed up of samples and took a night off and made a routine that incorporated all of my favourite skincare items. The next day I felt a bit guilty and was enthusiastically back on the sachets!

Two weeks into the project I was accustomed to using sachets. I had got into the routine of selecting different products each day and choosing what to use up next, although I'm not sure if that was because it was easier as I had less choice of products perhaps? I had by this time used up lots of odds and ends and had used up certain categories of product such as body lotions and cleansers so I was back to using full sized products for at least some of my routine.     
At the end of the month, I was pleased to have put all those samples to good use. I had discovered a couple of new products to put on my shopping list and tried out a few things that I didn't like at no expense. A couple of times during the month I dipped into my usual products if I felt my skin needed special treatment/attention but overall my skin looked pretty good considering how many different products and combinations I had used on it - I did have a lot of samples though so I could still tailor my skincare needs.

The Products.

Skincare.

Altogether I used up fifty-four sachets of skincare. Nine sachets of cleanser, five of toner, eight eye cream sachets (I'll admit to being a little heavy handed with the eye cream on a few occasions), nine serums/oils, a whopping twenty-one sachets of moisturiser (again I tended to slap this on at night), one single-use mask sachet and one sachet of lip balm.

There wasn't anything skincare wise that I truly disliked although I wasn't too fond of Olay Deep Hydrating Eye Gel as I didn't find it to be particularly hydrating.
I enjoyed all the cleansers that I used. I was impressed by Omorovicza Omoroessence, it isn't something that I would ever purchase (purely because I already spend enough on skincare and don't need to add another step to my routine), but I liked the extra hydration boost that it gave me.

I liked Royal Fern Phyto Active Anti Age Serum a lot, but it is a product that is way out of my pocket price wise. A more affordable product that impressed me was Korres Wild Rose Oil, this was a lovely textured oil with a gorgeous rose fragrance. When I used this overnight I could see a distinct improvement in my skin the following day - my skin was plumped and juicy looking and I would seriously consider buying this face oil when I next need one.

I'd never heard of Dr Roebucks but their basic Face Moisturizer was another impressive product, no bells or whistles on this one, merely a great no-frills moisturiser!
I tried a selection of products from Derm Institute and I loved everything. While they aren't the cheapest range around they are comparable price wise to some brands that I currently use and I definitely think that I will be getting a product or two of theirs in the future. 
I'm always on the lookout for a good Lip Balm and Patchology Lip Service was a very good one indeed, this is another thing going on my shopping list.

Makeup.

I rarely hang onto any blister packs of makeup but I did have a few sachets of Smashbox Photo Finish Primer which I took away, on a trip. I used it once before recalling that I really, really don't like it. I hate the way this primer feels on my face and I have problems with it causing other products to pill. I abandoned the sachet that I was using and put the others in my giveaway bag.

Bodycare.

I used fourteen sachets of bodycare up. Mostly shower gels and body lotions but also a few sachets of hand creams. I loved Oribe Cote d'Azur Restorative Body Cream, it smells divine and melted into my skin, leaving it soft and scented (oddly I didn't like its matching Body Wash). The body cream is more expensive than I normally spend on body products so it was nice to have a couple of generous sachets to use. I'm hoping I find this on sale one day!

Haircare. 

I used up forty-one sachets of hair products. There were a couple of masks and one of Bumble+Bumble Don't Blow It Leave In Conditioner which is great and something that I regularly use, otherwise, the rest were shampoo and conditioner duos. Of course, I loved Oribe Gold Lust and was also taken by R+Co Atlantis but I also was impressed by two more budget-friendly options, Apothecare Rosehip, Geranium and Aloe and Verb Sea.

I made a good dent in my samples during September and I will certainly do this again but now I'm enjoying using my full sized products and trying out my new purchases which I will tell you about another time.