Empties August 2017.

 I wanted to finish up as many products as possible in August to make room for new purchases in September, which is one of the best months to beauty shop, as there are always such good GWP's to be had. Although it was a slow start and I failed to empty much in the earlier part of August, towards the end I was more successful and I have quite a few things balancing upside down in my bathroom that are almost done!

I was pleased at the end of the month to find I had used up fourteen full sized items and eighteen samples.

Skincare.

I finished two bargain toning products: Mario Badescu Facial Spray with Aloe, Herbs and Rosewater and Nip+Fab Glycolic Fix Pads Extreme, both are products that I have used many times before. The spray smells lovely and the pads are very handy for traveling (although I like them enough that I also use them at home).

I emptied two serums: Algenist Power Serum and Peter Thomas Roth Retinol Fusion PM. The Algenist Serum felt hydrating but I don't think that it did much beyond that, I used this mainly during the day and found that it did layer well with other products. While I did find the PTR Retinol Fusion to be effective (I used this at night under an oil and it wasn't too strong for me) it had an extremely thin consistency. It resembled a slightly oily feeling water and I found it a little difficult to apply. I would love this if it were available in a creamier formula but in it's current form I wouldn't repurchase it.

I used up two moisturisers: Shiseido Ibuki Refining Moisturiser and Zelens 3t Complex. Shiseido isn't a brand that I seek out but when I do use their products I'm always impressed. This moisturiser was lovely to use during warmer weather especially during the day, it is very fluid with a slightly gel like consistency, and felt very soothing and hydrating. The Zelens 3t was amazing! It felt very indulgent and it lifted, firmed and moisturised. My skin looked wonderful whenever I used this -there's a reason it is so hideously expensive! I would love to use this again but most likely won't as I can't justify the price.

I am making an effort to use up some masks and finished five mask samples. Evan Healy Green Tea Clay was a powder that you mixed with water to form a paste. This did leave my face bright and healthy looking and it rinsed off easily but I find masks that you need to mix are unnecessarily messy.

I loved Tata Harper Clarifying Mask, it was thick and glossy and didn't crinkle my skin as it dried like a lot of other clay masks. My skin looked and felt very fresh after this and it actually pulled some gunk out of a congested area on my chin. This one is going on my shopping list!

Dior Hydra Life Fresh Jelly Mask reminded me of the REN Glycol Lactic Mask but it felt a little stronger - there was a definite tingle happening when I applied this. It brightened my skin but wasn't the easiest mask to remove and it contained some small scrubby particles which annoyingly made their way into my hairline. Farmacy Honey Potion Mask felt gimmicky to me. It resembled honey without the stickiness and turned into a white cream that heated up when you applied it. This again felt tingly on my skin and when I removed it my skin continued to tingle and burn uncomfortably, and was very red. My skin looked very stressed the next day so this is not one that I would use again. Peter Thomas Roth Cucumber Gel Mask feels nice on and improves my skin a little, it's good but not special enough for me to consider purchasing.

I finally tried out Sunday Riley Luna! I used it for five days sandwiched between a serum and moisturiser. I found that it was a light oil that absorbes easily and made my skin look plumper. It also contains a gentle retinol that didn't irritate me. Kora Organics Noni Glow Facial Oil was very good, very light it absorbed quickly leaving my skin soft and supple. I used this at night but it is so light I would also use it in the day.

Vichy Mineral 89 is a clear gel containing a host of minerals and Hyaluronic Acid. It felt light, wasn't sticky, and worked well as a daily serum with other products. I can see myself getting this before too long as not only is it inexpensive, it left my skin nicely plump and juicy.

Lancome Absolue Eye Premium was just OK. I found it a little too oily for daytime use and it didn't do much beyond temporarily hydrating my eye area. 

Haircare.

I have a lot of haircare products on the go right now so I finished very little.

Not Your Mother's Beach Babe Sea Salt Spray had a lovely coconut/beach scent. It did make my hair fall into nice piece-y chunks but it did leave my hair a tad crisp - no more so than a lot of other sea salt sprays. Overall I enjoyed it. Sample sizes of Pantene Daily Moisture Renewal Hydration Shampoo and Conditioner left my hair soft and tangle free. They were totally fine drugstore hair products but I wasn't mad about their fruity fragrance. I also used a sample sachet of Miriam Quevedo Extreme Caviar Serum, a leave in conditioning cream that I like as it doesn't weigh my hair down.

Body Care.

I love Korres Body Butters so much that I finished two tubes of them this month! They are formulated with natural ingredients so you do need to wait a few minutes for them to sink in but they are very moisturising and more of a lotion/cream consistency that feels comfortable rather than being heavy and sticky as their name suggests. The 'Apple Blossom' one had a delicate fragrance that felt clean and fresh and the 'Cassis Fig' scent was a perfect compliment to my Philosykos Perfume. I also love the packaging of these as it features an easy to read guide on the back of the tube detailing exactly what is and isn't in them.Vaseline Intensive Care Aloe Soothe was also very hydrating with a refreshing scent. It was quite a light formula and wasn't sticky as some aloe lotions can be.

Wholefoods Hand Cream was packaged in a handy easy to carry sized tube and I liked it's Peony, Mint & Blackberry scent which successfully managed to smell harmoniously of all three of those things, but it didn't feel very moisturising or give much relief from dry feeling, itchy hands.

Finally, I had been looking forward to trying Spongelle, a body wash infused buffing sponge. I thought that this would be an ideal item for travel as it saved you from carrying a body wash. However, I found the sponge to be a little too rough (and I don't shy away from scrubby body things as a rule!). It was quite foamy but not enough foam was made for it to feel pampering or to shave with. It also lacked a cord to hang it with so I could never get it completely dry, these are supposed to last eighteen days, I gave up on mine on day twelve as it was becoming a little gross. I still think it's a great idea but it needs a little refining...

Make Up and Perfume.

I finished both a full size and a sample of Hourglass Veil Primer this month. I love this primer, it feels comfortable and my make up stays in place for so much longer when I use it. I always have one of these to hand and have already started a new one!

I finished a full sized NYX Eye Shadow Primer - I'm not sure of the exact name of this as the writing has vanished from the tube, but it was excellent! Flesh toned with a doe foot applicator this made my eye shadow last all day. I have been using this tube for over a year so it's also excellent value as it's less than $10.00. It always seems to be sold out so I'm obviously not the only one who loves it, if I see more I will certainly repurchase!

I finished a mini Chantecaille Faux Cils Mascara. This is a very good, if somewhat spendy, mascara. I find it enhances lashes, adding a little lift and curl in a way that looks fairly natural and it never gets clumpy.

I finished a mini Chantecaille Brilliant Gloss in the shade 'Lucky'. I love the formula of Chantecaille glosses. This was a little light for me but it worked well over a nude lipstick, it does look very sparkly in the tube but once on it isn't, merely very glossy so it makes lips look plump and full.

I used two vials of perfume: Atelier Cologne Sud Magnolia and one by Raw Spirit. I wasn't keen on either. I also finished a sample of Diptyque Volutes Solid Perfume. I like the idea of solid perfumes and am surprised that they aren't more prevalent (having said that I've never bought one!). This warm spicy fragrance is softened by floral notes and feels very enveloping and comforting, it lingers on my skin longer in this solid formula too. 

August produced a satisfying amount of empties and I'm sure that September will also as I have a lot of samples that I'm aiming to use.

Product Love: Ouai Hair Oil.

As someone with fine processed hair I find that I need to use some sort of leave in conditioner/dressing whenever I wash my hair. I need something that I can apply to wet hair that will smooth things out so that I can comb it easily without breakage and I need something that gives my hair a heavy boost of hydration so that it remains frizz free throughout the day. Oh, and because my hair is fine I don't want to use anything that is too heavy or greasy which will weigh it down. (I don't blow dry my hair or use heated appliances on it so I don't need any heat protection.) 

For a long time I used Oribe Supershine (which is an amazing product that I will certainly go back to) but I get bored and sometimes I like to swap things around and try new or different products. 

OUAI haircare is a newish kid on the block of luxury haircare and my first purchase from the range was their Finishing Cream. I hadn't done my research (by which I mean read the 'How to Use' section on Sephora's website!) and expected this to be something along the lines of Supershine that I could apply to my wet hair but it turned out that it really is a finishing cream that you apply to the ends of dry hair to avoid strays and frizzes...which is fine but I really needed something that I could use on wet hair as a detangler as well. When I tried this on wet hair it simply made my hair look greasy and stringy so it wasn't what I needed.

And then I got a bottle of OUAI Hair Oil as part of a gift pack, which was fortunate as I wouldn't have picked this out for myself - I tend to stay away from oils as they can be too heavy for my hair. However, I found that one pump of this applied to wet hair ticked all the boxes of my haircare needs. It made my hair easy to comb, it hydrated it, conditioned it, protected my colour, made it smooth and shiny and even lightly scented it, all without weighing it down.

I do find that I need to be careful not to be too heavy handed with this but one pump is exactly the right amount for my shoulder length hair.

While it's not exactly cheap at $24.00 for 1.7fl oz it's cheaper than a lot of other luxury haircare products, and the fact that I use a small measured amount of this means that a bottle lasts a long time so it works out to be fairly economical in the long run.

If you are looking for a conditioning hair oil I recommend that you give this a one a go. You can find it at sephora.com or us.spacenk.com 

  

Product Love: Caudalie Grape Water.

I think that, along with cleansers, my favourite category of skincare may well be facial spritzes and sprays. I tend to vary my sprays and toners and most of the time have a few of them on the go but Caudalie Grape Water is the one that is a constant presence in my bathroom.

I know deep down that this is simply water in an aerosol, but it's fancy French water that has been extracted from grapes. Primarily it is meant for hydrating and soothing skin but you can use it in a whole range of ways. 

You can take it to the beach or the gym for a refreshing spritz or, in fact, just keep it to hand to refresh and moisturise your skin at any time. It feels wonderfully calming after shaving and comforts sunburn. It can be sprayed on top of make up to help it set and avoid it looking powdery. When used as a toner or layered between products it helps with slip and absorption. Recently I have been spraying it on my face before putting on masks as it makes their application so much easier. 

I think it is one of the most versatile beauty products around and as it is100% organic and free of all fragrances and preservatives it can be used on even the most troubled skin.

I have had a few issues with the packaging of some Caudalie products but the Grape Water packaging is perfect as the aerosol produces a very light continuous mist. It also comes in two sizes, the economical 200ml (6.7 fl oz - $22.00) tin lasts forever and is the one I buy most often but there is also a 75ml (2.5 fl oz $13.00) one which is great for travel and use on the go.

Grape water is available in pharmacies and at Sephora and of course at us.caudalie.com

Product Love: Dr Dennis Gross Hyaluronic Moisture Cushion.

I love the feel of a gel moisturiser! Light and cooling on my skin they are something that I often opt for in the warmer months when I want something that feels comfortable and lightweight which will absorb easily in the heat without leaving any greasy residue (nice!) on my face. 

Recently, I have also been choosing them in the colder weather when my skin becomes dehydrated and fine lines appear from seemingly nowhere. The past few weeks saw me playing around with a few of these gels and the best one by far was Dr Dennis Gross Hyaluronic Moisture Cushion.

This pale blue gel smells fresh and feels weightless on my skin. The main ingredient is water but there's also a little Lactic and Glycolic acids in here to aid with absorption along with the star ingredient Hyaluronic acid which helps hold onto the water in the gel leaving you with hydrated skin that looks and feels softer, plumper, lifted and generally healthier. I found that it temporarily softened those fine lines caused by dehydration and that because my skin was smoother it reflected light better and so had a bit more of a glow. 

There's a whole host of good support ingredients in this too: fruit extracts, sugars, aloes and collagen to name but a few. The gel absorbs like a dream so you can use it during the day - it preps skin for make up very nicely thank you - or you can use it at night layering it with other products.

I did find that as I liked this so much and it absorbed so well that I tended to be a bit heavy handed with the application of it so I did speed through this jar rather quickly (especially as I was reaching for it on a daily basis) but that is the only minus about it for me.

Having said that, while it's not cheap, it is at the cheaper end of the price range for quality skin care  products and I enjoyed it so much I will certainly be repurchasing it before too long.

You can find it in the usual places: sephora.com us.spacenk.comcultbeauty.com or direct from drdennisgross.com.

(In the US it costs $58 for 1.7 fl oz. In the UK it is around the £50.00 mark).

Product Love: SKYN ICELAND Pure Cloud Cleanser.

Oh I do love a good cleanser and let me tell you that SKYN ICELAND Pure Cloud Cleanser is a very good cleanser indeed. I first received a tube of this in one of the Cult Beauty Caroline Hirons Beauty Boxes and TBH it wasn't something that I was overly excited about until I tried it... And once I had, it became one of my most reached for cleansers. A repurchase was in order and now here I am racing my way through my second tube still enamoured and yes, I will be buying a third tube before too long.

Pure Cloud Cleanser is a creamy (yet not oily feeling) cleanser that you apply to dry skin and remove with a wet cloth. I use this in the shower in the morning and as a first or second cleanse at night. I find that it effectively removes make up and leaves my skin feeling soothed and nourished. It is also the perfect consistency for facial massage and very easy to rinse away.

SKYN ICELAND products harness the powers of mineral rich glacial water and arctic fruits to calm and nourish dehydrated, stressed skin and this cleanser also contains:

Cocoa and shea butters that do an excellent job of dissolving dirt and make up.

Cloudberries which contain high levels of Vitamin C and anti-oxident rich Polyphenol.

JoJoba and Aloe to smooth, soften and hydrate.

 Moisturising glycerine and kaolin to help balance skin.

Vegan and cruelty free, containing no mineral oils, sulfates or phthalates.

Pure Cloudberry Cleanser costs $30.00/£22.50 for a 5oz tube and is available at cultbeauty.com or direct from skyniceland.com

Product Love: Kiehl's Ultra Facial Toner.

I know that non exfoliating toners aren't essential but they are a quick and easy part of my routine and one that I take pleasure in. Kiehl's Ultra Facial Toner is one of my very favorites and  

it isn't often that there's not a bottle of this on my bathroom shelf being put to daily use. 

I simply soak a cotton pad with this and swipe it over my face in the morning after washing and use it in the same way at night after acid toning.

It feels very, very nice on my skin, cooling and soothing and it gives a little boost of hydration before I go in with the big guns - serums, oils and creams - as there is apricot, avocado and sweet almond oils in it along with glycerin. There's also sodium hyaluronate, which is a hyaluronic acid to help plump things out.

What sets this apart from other 'refreshing toners' is that it's very gentle as it doesn't have any drying alcohol in it (in fact it is alcohol free) and unlike other toners it is slightly viscous with a milk-like consistency.

It's also a bit of a bargain, a 250ml (8.4oz) bottle lasts for ages and costs just $16.00.

You can find it online at kiehls.com 

Product Love - Tata Harper Purifying Cleanser.

In January I focused on some of my favorite cheaper  products. 

This month my picks are somewhat more luxurious - case in point - Tata Harper Purifying Cleanser. I love good cleansers and I definitely have a soft spot for an indulgent high end cleanser but this may well be my favorite cleanser of all time! It's not often that I keep a back up of a product but this one, yep, I have a spare...

This gentle creamy gel is soap free. Fruit enzymes, broccoli extracts, ginger, aloe, natural sugars and glycerin are just some of the natural ingredients that it contains. While it's not cheap by any means ($58/ 45GBP for 125ml.) one pump of this is all you need so a bottle will last you for some time.

It does an excellent job of dissolving make up but it's far too good a product to use for make up removal. Instead use it directly on your skin in the mornings or as a second cleanse at night. The fruit enzymes gently exfoliate leaving your skin brighter and more radiant (dare I say that it 'gives you glow'?). It cleans skin superbly and is especially effective on oilier or combination skin as it balances without stripping or making skin feel tight or dry. 

And then there's the scent...  This cleanser has such a fresh, delicious, vibrant fragrance. Zesty and zippy it reminds me of lemongrass with a sweeter edge: it is awakening in the morning and uplifting at night.

And finally that bottle! It has a pump that works efficiently (hoorah!) and is a chunky solid piece of frosted glass - not for travel at all - but with its floral crown decor it makes a handsome addition to any bathroom shelf.

You can find Tata Harper Purifying Cleanser at cultbeauty.co.uk or us.spacenk.com

Cheap Thrills - Mario Badescu Enzyme Cleansing Gel.

I was given my first bottle of Mario Badescu Enzyme Cleansing Gel in a goody bag and it wasn't a case of love at first sight... There was that packaging for a start, MB's packaging isn't appealing, it looks and feels cheap with a somewhat home made (not in a good way) looking label and a top that looks as if it's going to clog up and leak at the same time. Then there's the colour, it's green, a disturbingly bright shade of green at that, that has a slight pearlescence to it. And then there's the scent, it's a strong almost overwhelming perfume that bears no relation to skincare but smells like something your Granny would wear if she were 'a bit out there'.

I tried it expecting to be seriously underwhelmed and use it once before demoting it to use as a hand soap but I have to admit I was totally wrong! It's seriously good stuff, a non foaming gel that does a great job of removing make up and rinses off easily leaving my skin feeling soft, clean and balanced without any tightness or dryness. 

I like to use this for a morning face wash or first cleanse anytime and a second cleanse in warmer weather. It has AHA's from grapefruit and papaya so there's a gentle exfoliation going on when you use it and it preps for skin for treatments brilliantly.

And it falls into the cheap as chips category as it's $14.00 for 8fl. oz. Yes $14.00 for a big bottle of a rather brilliant face wash - Insane!

Suitable for all skin types, you can order it online at mariobadescu.com or bluemercury.com Go on I think you will like it!

Product Love - Charlotte Tilbury Eye Pencils.

I was a huge fan of Sue Devitt eye pencils and they were my go to until the brand went kaput and they were discontinued. I played around with various others but nothing really stole my heart until I bought Charlotte Tilbury eye pencils - I am totally smitten by these and have used them everyday since I bought them.

The skinny pencils are from the Rock and Kohl range - honestly how brilliant is that name? I'd buy them for that alone! 

The R'n'Ks sharpen up really well allowing you to apply a precise line, they glide on very smoothly and never drag your skin. They are perfect for using on the lid, around the eye and on the waterline. When first applied they are blendable but after a minute they set in place and last all day. Other pencils that I have used on the waterline disappear very quickly - these don't. 

I have the colors 'Barbarella Brown' which is a warm rich brown with a slight nod towards grey and 'Eye Cheat' which is a nude pencil that I use on my waterline to brighten my eyes and make them appear bigger.

The fat pencils are from the Colour Chameleon range. 

There are eight colors in this range intended to be used with different eye colours (there are two for blue eyes, two for brown, two for green and two for hazel) and each eye color has a daytime  and a nighttime pencil.

I have the ones for hazel eyes: 'Golden Quartz' for day and 'Smoky Emerald' for night (but I'm tempted to try the green eye colors also - a bronze and an amethyst).

The colors in these are highly pigmented and they do enhance the colour of your eyes so they are immensely flattering to wear. They are quite sparkly which at first I thought wouldn't work for me but the sparkly bits are minuscule so they give more of a shimmer that reflects the light back rather than being disco glittery. Because of the sparkle you can't use these on the waterline but otherwise they are very much like the R'n'Ks - very smooth to apply, very blendable and extremely long lasting. I tend to use these as liner but you can  also use them as a shadow all over the eye.

Both of these pencils are a joy to use and they really make the colour of your eyes pop!

Finally I must mention the sharpener. I bought this at the same time as the pencils and it's the best one I have ever used! The blades are incredibly sharp and do a brilliant job of sharpening without melting or over softening the product.

Charlotte Tilbury make up really does live up to the hype surrounding it as far as I'm concerned. It has limited retail outlets but you can buy it in Nordstrom stores in the US, Selfridges in the UK or purchase it on line at www.charlottetilbury.com

Product Love - Fresh Sugar Lychee Body Lotion.

Several years ago when I made a purchase in a Fresh store the assistant added me to their mailing list. From time to time they send me a card to exchange for samples of new or existing products. Handily, there's a Fresh shop right around the corner from where I work so I usually take them up on the offer.

 Now whilst I love the stores and the whole Fresh aesthetic, I have to admit to not being the biggest fan of their  facial skincare but their body lotions and shower gels... Oh my, are they good or what? Honestly if I were rich I'd use them all the darn time!

From time to time I feel a bit guilty for taking their samples and treat myself to a Sugar Lychee Body Lotion. 

It's not heavily scented but it smells divine, fresh and clean. It's not at all heavy or greasy yet it does a fabulous job of hydrating my skin and makes it feel really, really soft. It has tons of good stuff inside including shea butter, mango oil, vitamin C, vitamin E and brown sugar. It moisturises so effectively you don't need to slather it on so it actually lasts me quite a while. And just how pretty is that bottle?

If you don't live near a Fresh store you can order it here www.fresh.com

Product Love - Chantecaille Just Skin.

If I had to give up all of my beauty products 'cept one, this would be the one that I would be clinging onto - Chantecaille's Just Skin Tinted Moisturizer in the shade 'Bliss'.

Over the years I have bought this constantly. There's always a tube in my make up bag and always a back up in my stash. From time to time I'll buy another TM to try but after a few days I will come back to this. Honestly, I love everything about it!

. It's slightly thicker than other TM's but not at all heavy. 

. It is so easy to apply, with either fingers or brush (I use my fingers).

. It gives great coverage and evens out my skin tone.

. It covers dark circles and blemishes.

. It makes my skin look dewy and glowy.

. It lasts really well compared to other TMs that I have tried.

. It contains an SPF15 that doesn't make me break out.

. It contains natural antioxidants including green tea and honeysuckle to protect skin.

. It really is 'like my skin but oh so much better'.

Sure it's pricey, a 1.7oz tube costs $67.00, but one tube lasts me almost six months and my skin has improved drastically since I started using it. 

It's my HG product and I wouldn't be without it!