Barneys New York Love Yourself GWP Spring 2018.

It feels a little odd writing Spring when it's chucking down snow outside but at least yesterday when I went to Barneys to pick up my Love Yourself purchases and bag was warm and springlike!

Barneys Love Yourself event is one of my favourite beauty events to shop. Purchases of $200.00 or more (pre tax) get an amazing gift of samples, mini and even full sized beauty products all packaged in one of Barneys own design toiletry bags. These goody bags are always packed with a range of high end products and along with Space NK Beauty Edit bags are my very favourite gifts! Barneys offer either a male or female gift bags(I always get the female one!) and in addition to the bag itself many brands offer extra samples or small step up gifts with a certain amount of purchases. 

The Love Yourself gift bags always contain a mix of skincare, haircare and perfume items. This time around there is only one make up sample, which I don't mind as make up samples with the exception of mini mascaras are the samples I tend to use the least. There's also no body care items this time unless you count a mini tube of toothpaste as body care! 

It's certainly a skincare heavy bag although I can't see anyone being disappointed with this as a gift!

There are thirteen skincare items, including the standout item of a full sized box of five Vitabird Dual Mask Sheet Masks. I'm not a huge fan of sheet masks as a rule but I'm quite excited to try these out as I was so impressed by the Vitabird C powder that I received in the last Love Yourself bag.

Whilst I'm in the mask department I'll mention that there's also an eye mask from MDNA Skin included, a sample of Malin+Goetz Detox Face Mask, which is a deep cleansing gel mask along with a 20ml sample of The Organic Pharmacy Collagen Boost Mask. (I feel bad complaining about free samples but The Organic Pharmacy Mask has hardly any product inside - maybe three or four ml at the most - I hope I was just unlucky and they are not all like this. This would have been a great sample if it were full as it's almost half size and would have been worth over $50.00).

Moving on to other skincare items there are three cleansers. 5ml of classic Eve Lom with a muslin cloth, a tube of Cle de Peau Softening Cleansing Foam (excited to try this as I'm hoping it's similar to The Ginza Foaming Cleanser!) and a big 30ml sample of Sunday Riley Ceramic Slip which I'm very pleased about as I love this cleanser, especially in the warmer weather or if my skin feels a little congested.

There are two super fancy eye cream samples: Revive Anti Age Eye Serum and 3Lab Super Eye Treatment. These two samples alone are worth $71.00 which makes up for my Organic Pharmacy Mask disappointment! 

Finally for skincare there are four samples of luxurious face creams: Sisley Black Rose Skin Infusion Cream, La Mer Moisturising Cream, Georgio Armani Crema Nera Extrema and Chantecaille Anti Pollution Mattifying Cream.

There are four generously sized haircare samples including a tube of my favourite Oribe Gold Lust Shampoo. I also love OUAI Hair Oil and I like Davines Oi All In One Milk so I'll use all these up pretty soon. There is also a sample of Sachajuan Ocean Mist Salt Spray which I will eventually use, although not for a while as I have so many salt/texturizing sprays already from gift bags which is good as it means I never have to buy any!

There are six perfume samples including the 'his n hers' samples by LOEWE that seem to come in every Barneys' gift bag. Other perfumes are Maison Margiela By the Fireside, Tiziana Terenzi Andromeda (I just had a spritz of this and it's gorgeous! It's a fruity white floral with outstanding sillage.) and two very different rose fragrances - the very wearable Diptyque Eau Rose and Byredo Rose Noir which is a heavier musky, almost leather like rose. 

Final bag items are a mini Marvis Toothpaste, always a useful if somewhat odd inclusion in this bag I feel, and a mini Le Rouge Mat Lipstick from Givenchy is the shade 'Rouge Stiletto' which, although I adore anything by Givenchy, is not a wearable shade for me so I will pass it along to someone who can.

And now for the extra samples I received...

 As ever I used this event to stock up on items from Chantecaille and Kiehl's. 

Chantecaille's extra gift was a yellow reusable shopping tote commemorating their twentieth anniversary along with samples of a mask, serum and cream from their luxurious Bio Lifting range.

Kiehl's gave out luxury samples of their Super Multi Corrective Cream, Super Multi Corrective Eye Opening Serum and the classic Midnight Recovery Concentrate Serum.

I was also given three Diptyque samples. Along with their 34 EDT I was given samples of their new Fleur de Peau EDP and Tempo EDP. Both of these new fragrances are gorgeous! Tempo is exactly my kind of scent and although I had intended my next fragrance purchase to be Byredo Velvet Haze I'm now undecided after trying this... I can't get them both as they are actually very similar to my nose....ahh decisions, decisions!

I didn't picture my purchases as they are always so similar for this event - I definitely use it to restock rather than explore! But in case you are interested I bought Chantecaille Just Skin TM along with one of their Cheek Gelee cream blushers in the shade 'Lively'. From Kiehl's I restocked Mr C&C with a bottle of Midnight Recovery Concentrate Serum and a tube of Midnight Recovery Eye Cream.

My beauty cupboards are full to bursting now, and while I'm not exactly on a 'no buy' I've plenty of things that need using so it's going to have to be a super special deal to tempt me to buy anything soon!

If you've read this far and want some Barneys' beauty goodies for yourself (or as gifts?) the Love Yourself event is on until the end of Sunday 11th in stores and also online at barneys.com

Happy shopping! 

Product Love: Vichy Mineral 89.

I rarely buy skincare in the drugstore but when I do, with the exception of Nip+Fab Glycolic Pad, it is almost always something that is by a French pharmacy brand. 

The recent combination of extremely cold dry weather, wind, and coming inside to aggressive central heating has been making my face feel (and appear) more dehydrated than usual. I had been searching for something that would give instant and lasting hydration while being soothing and calming and the simple formula of Vichy V Mineral 89 Daily Booster is the one has been ticking the requirement boxes of my skincare needs of late! 

This clear, oil free gel contains 89% Vichy mineral water along with Hyaluronic Acid. Vichy recommend using this as a moisturiser but I find that it is perfect to use as a daytime serum sandwiched between spritzes of Vichy Eau Thermal before a daily moisturiser. Mineral 89 layers beautifully with other products (I haven't experienced any rolling or piling with it) and it preps my skin perfectly for make up. In addition it absorbs easily and doesn't feel at all sticky as some H.A. products have a tendency to. As a further bonus, due to the presence of fifteen minerals in Vichy spa water, both of these products help to strengthen skin while re balancing its PH and help to protect it from the effects of airborne pollutants and extreme weather conditions. 

Mineral 89 is easy to find in drugstores (I get mine from CVS/ cvs.com) as well as high street beauty retailers such as Ulta/ ulta.com. 

It's also wallet friendly, a 50ml bottle (almost double the size of most serums) costs $29.50. 

And if you are super dry and in need of lots of extra hydration the thermal water aerosol costs just $14.00 for 150g. I highly recommend that you buy both and use them together for optimum results.

 

Cheap Thrills: Mario Badescu Facial Spray with Aloe Herbs and Rosewater

I'm a big fan of facial sprays and spritzes, indeed it is rare that I encounter one that I don't like, so when I find one that I love that also comes at a bargain price I have to share!

Mario Badescu is a widely available face spray that comes with a wallet friendly price tag and is often featured in those 'Products I Can't Live Without' type of articles in magazines.

I first used this when I had a sample in a goody bag (no surprises there!) some years ago and ever since then there's almost always a bottle of this somewhere in my bathroom either in use or as a back up.

A base of water contains Aloe, Rose, Gardenia and Thyme in a handy spray bottle and it's suitable for almost anyone (excepting people with highly sensitive skin obvs). 

It's rose scent is an instant pick me up and it is wonderful to use as a refreshing, hydrating spritz at any time. Not only does it gives skin a quick burst of hydration, the aloe feels soothing (keep it in the fridge to make it even more soothing and refreshing) and it's a particularly nice spray to grab after any sort of sun exposure (although it isn't a total substitute for after sun lotions). 

Mario Badescu suggest you use it as a spray for hair, which I haven't done, but I can imagine it coming in handy for refreshing or restyling hair on the go. 

It's a versatile product to have to hand when applying make up. A quick spritz of this before applying make up preps and primes skin, making make up appear softer and skin healthy and glowing. Lightly sprayed over make up it helps to set it and makes it last a little longer. I also find this great to spritz onto brushes, sponges and beauty blenders to help seamlessly blend make up.

Skincare wise I like to use this as a toner, either by itself in the morning, or as a second toner at night after an acid toner. I like to layer this between products (serums and moisturisers) especially those containing Hyaluronic Acid as it helps my skin's hydration levels and makes skin look plumper and juicier.  And I'll use this if I'm going to apply a mask as they will spread out better on slightly damp skin. 

Honestly, there are just so many uses for this!

I gripe a lot about Mario Badescu's terrible packaging but this actually comes in a rather good sturdy bottle with a pump spray that works like a dream - one that actually sprays a fine mist rather than spurting out product. So far I've not suffered any spillages or leakages with this and it even looks pretty attractive compared to a lot of other MB products.

Oh, let's not forget to mention the price! 4fl oz is $7.00 and 8fl oz is $12.00. Cheap thrills indeed...

You can find it at mariobadescu.com  

Cleansers: November 2014.

It is hard to believe that four months has passed since I last talked about my cleansers in any detail. I've been away from home a fair bit since then and I have also been trying to use up samples. This, coupled with the milder weather we have been having until very recently means that these aren't a full on Winter/cold weather edit. This cleanser selection is somewhat random and it's either what I am enjoying at the moment or trying to use up.

Without further ado here's a look at the selection of cleansers that I am currently using on a daily basis.

May Lindstrom The Pendulum Potion.

This small bottle of cleansing oil has been around since my Spring round up of cleansers!

It's intended as a cleansing oil and although I do very occasionally use it as a second cleanse I mostly use this as a treatment oil to balance my skin. Once or twice a week I press a few drops of it into my face before I step into the shower where the steam helps it absorb. (I find a facial oil used in this way to be very beneficial if my skin feels at all congested.) This oil leaves my skin softened and cleansed and as an extra benefit I enjoy the aromatheraputic effect of it's comforting herbal/cocoa scent.

Lately I have been mixing this into a gentle physical exfoliator once a week as well, to make a gentle scrub even more gentle.

Repurchase?

Hmmm, perhaps.

I do like this - it is expensive but when I use it in this way it lasts a very long time. However, another cleansing oil that I like to use as a treatment is MV Organics 9 Oil Cleansing Tonic. This is even more expensive but it suits my skin better and gives even more impressive results than The Pendulum Potion does. When I do finally need to replace this I think the extra splurge on an even more expensive cleansing oil will be worth it.

Rodial Glamtox Balm.

I've been using this almost every night to remove make up and sunscreen, sometimes doubling up and using it for a second cleanse as well. It's a brilliant product for a first cleanse and removes everything effectively leaving my face feeling soft, clean and comfortable. This balm is a perfect consistency for facial massage as it is very easy to move across skin without any pulling or tugging and it warms up a little on the skin which ups my enjoyment levels no end! As you would expect it is super effective at dissolving make up and everything rinses away easily leaving no trace. The pump bottle cleanly dispenses exactly the correct amount you need to cleanse with each time so there's no waste and it has a refreshing light fragrance.

Repurchase?

I would get this again in a heartbeat if I could but it has been discontinued. I have a back up bottle in my stash but once that has gone that's it I'm afraid.

Tata Harper Purifying Cleanser.

This is the same bottle from my last cleanser post and it's probably my favorite cleanser of all time! The Purifying Cleanser is a lightweight non foaming gel with an uplifting grapefruit-y fragrance which contains fruit enzymes to exfoliate oh-so-gently. I like to use this as second cleanse or as a morning face wash. It leaves my skin feeling very clean and fresh but not tight or dry at all. This isn't the cheapest cleanser around but you only need to use a very small amount so a bottle doesn't work out as expensive as you would think.

Repurchase?

Hell yeah!

Mario Badescu Enzyme Cleansing Gel.

This wallet friendly cleanser is an old favourite of mine. It does a pretty good job of removing make up but really comes into it's own as a second cleanse or a morning facewash for me. Like Tata Harper Purifying Cleanser this contains gently exfoliating fruit acids and I swear that my skin looks brighter and clearer whenever I use it. Don't let the fact that this comes in an ugly bottle, is bright green, and smells like an old lady's handbag put you off - this actually is an excellent cleanser at an unbeatable price.

Repurchase?

Yes.

Dr Dennis Gross Colorsmart Cleanser and Mask.

I bought a couple of tubes of this to use when traveling as the packaging was so practical and it worked as both a cleanser and a quick skin brightening mask. I recently pulled this out of my travel bag to try and use it up before it goes off. It's a nicely textured cream but it's an oddly beige colour which becomes bright orangey-yellow when you massage it into your face and neck. 

I don't find that this does all that good of a job as a make up remover and so it is better suited to being used as a second or morning cleanse. My main gripe though is that it is simply very messy to use and it is terribly difficult to remove every last trace of it from my hands and face (it leaves a terrible stain on flannels and towels).
One good thing about this is that it does leave my skin looking bright and clear so I'm trying to use it up as a morning in-shower face wash but it's a cleanser I'm reaching for with great reluctance...

Repurchase.

No, I'm thankful that I bought this on sale rather than paying full price however.

I've some very nice balms and oils waiting in the wings at the moment and these will be what I will be opening to replace empty cleansers over the next few months, as we head into colder weather and my skin needs more nurturing and moisture...

Cult Beauty Global Goody Bag 2017.

Did I need this? Honestly no. Did I want this? Hell yeah!

I know that I only recently pulled the trigger and bought both the Space NK Autumn Edit and Barneys Love Yourself bags but... I tend to spread my purchases, not going much above minimum spends for GWP events, and there are a few items that I will need to buy before the next round of goody bags. So, after much debate I made a Cult Beauty order and told myself that was it, beauty spending done for the remainder of the year! (Unless, of course, there is a fantastic 'Box of Dreams' offering from Cult Beauty and Caroline Hirons at the end of the year and then that will be a Christmas present to myself).

Further justification - global shipping is free, the pound to dollar exchange rate is favourable for me and as UK sales tax (V.A.T.) is removed from my order (I live outside the E.U.) the pricing of European products works out to be less than in the U.S.

What I Bought.

Bella Freud Lion Candle.

I finished burning my Bella Freud Loving Candle last week and I have had this Lion version on my wish list for at least two years (I would also love a Lion jumper!). The fragrance is described as being 'Cedarwood and Pepper' and that's a descrition I can't really top. Warm and woody with spicy peppercorn notes this is the perfect candle for cooler weather.
And that container - Bella Freud candle jars are not your regular candle jars! This one mirrors the box, it's black with the red, green and gold Lion symbol - a little bit afro punk, a little bit Notting Hill Trustafarian, it's exactly my taste. This may well be my new favourite candle.
(And yes, that Lion jumper, if I can find my size, it may well have to be a Christmas gift to myself!)

Charlotte Tilbury Colour Chameleon Eye Pencil.

'Smokey Emerald' is the daytime pencil for hazel eyes in the Colour Chameleon range. I bought one of these in 2015 as a replacement for the (sadly discontinued) Sue Devitt Bangalore Eye Intensifier  and I've used it down to a stump - it's in the next Empties post! I love a chunky eye pencil and the formula of this is one of the best I have ever encountered. It applies like a dream, is easy to smudge and blend, then sets and stays in place all day - no further smudging or migrating across your face guaranteed.

Mabel+ Meg Enchanter Hydrating Eye Serum.

Mabel+Meg are a new brand for me and I'm keen to try out this eye product after reading some good reviews. I'm constantly on the look out for the perfect eye cream that doesn't cost an arm and a leg and this liquid gel serum is certainly wallet friendly. Containing peptides, Hyaluronic Acid, Ceramide and Caffeine this addresses all the major concerns of the eye area as well as offering protection from further damage. It is also fragrance free.

Caudalie Vinosource S.O.S. Serum.

This is one of my all time favourite daily hydrating serums, a lightweight lotion that sinks in instantly leaving my skin feeling softer, plumper and above all comfortable. I find that it works well when layered with other products and under make up so it is ideal for day time use. But I'll use it anytime and will even apply a thick mask like layer which I leave to sink in if my skin is especially dehydrated. 

The only problem that I have with this is that I use it up so quickly as I love it so much!

Oskia Renaissance Cleansing Gel.

Because no Cult Beauty order is complete without a bottle of this gentle but effective rose scented cleansing gel... it is one product that really does live up to the hype surrounding it!

The Global Beauty Bag.

There's a good mix of products in here, perhaps a little heavy on masks but all the samples are generously sized and there are four full sized products included in the bag (actually six if you count a sheet mask and make up sponge as being full sized items). There isn't an actual 'bag' with this GWP but I'm actually quite happy about that as I have so many already. I'll take extra product rather than a bag anytime!

Skincare.

Skincare  items are always the most exciting part of gift bags for me! 

There are four masks, if you include a Verso Hydrating Sheet Mask. I'm happy to get two exfoliating masks (ECooking Peeling Mask and Nurse Jaime Dermalase AHA Exfoliating Mask) as I like to use some sort of exfoliating treatment weekly in addition to my acid toners and the ECooking Peeling Mask is full sized! There's also a pack of two single use deep cleansing masks from KBeauty brand Caolion - one is an Oxygen mask and the other is for pores.

I love cleansing, washing my face may well be my favourite part of the day (I know, weird right?) Both of the cleansers included here, Alpha H Essential Cleansing Balm and Farmacy Green Clean are ones that I have been interested to try.

I'm thrilled by the inclusion of a generous 10ml sample of Zelens 3t which is one of the most effective and luxurious creams I have ever used - it suits my skin so well. I'm also happy to be given some SkinOwl Maqui Beauty Drops, an antioxidant rich healing night time facial oil as I enjoy this brand a lot. Although I don't really see the point of using a separate neck cream they are always one of the first items I use in gift bags and the fact that this Firming Neck Cream is by ultra luxe brand Omoroviczia means that this sample will be no exception.

Finally, there is a sample of Buchu Enzyme Polish by African Botanicals. I'm not a big user of physical exfoliators and I have heard that this one is quite scrubby so this is probably the least exciting skin care item featured for me. However, I find it's good to have a few different samples of facial scrubs around as I do occasionally use them, so I'm sure this will get used at some point in the future.

Make Up.

There are four make up items including a Micro Mini Beauty Blender. I'm very pleased to have another mini Beauty Blender as I love using these with under eye concealers.
I'm also looking forward to finally trying out Benefit Rollerlash Mascara.
 Stroke of Beauty Mixed Media LipShine isn't really my colour as it's red but it looks as if it wears as a sheer wash rather than a deep pigment. In the tube it looks exactly like a Chantecaille Super Lip Sheer and I like the balm type look and feel of those a lot so I will give it a go.
I'm a bit disappointed/confused by he inclusion of the Cover FX Contouring Kit as I feel that contouring is a bit 'last year' already. I may/may not use the highlighter here or try to use the kit as a bronzer. This product really isn't for me but I'm sure it will have it's fans. On the plus side, it is full sized with a nice big mirror and it comes with a brush.

Haircare.

 I always love getting mini shampoos and conditioners to try out. I haven't used anything by Pureology for a long time but I'm looking forward to trying these two from their Fullifyl range.

The gift contained either a Hair Oil or a Dry Shampoo from OUAI. I'm happy to report that I lucked out and got a hair oil - I have so many dry shampoos at the moment, and this Hair Oil is one of my favourites.

Bodycare.

Who doesn't like the Sol De Janeiro Bum Bum Cream? Ridiculous name aside this slightly shimmery cream is wonderfully hydrating and softening and it smells like summer in a jar - it's a full sized jar as well!

I'm very happy indeed with the Global Beauty Bag. Cult Beauty always offer great goody bags as GWPs and I think that this is the best one I have ever received from them. If you don't already subscribe to their emails sign up at cultbeauty.com for notifications of future gift bags and promotions.

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.

Cleansers: Summer 2017.

Once again it's time to take a seasonal look at the current crop of cleansers I'm using. (I don't use any of these to remove eye make up by the way - my eyes are very sensitive so I always use a separate specific eye make up remover product.) 

 Now that it is hot I'm all about beauty products that feel cooling and fresh on my skin. I don't need to use products that are quite as thick or nourishing as the ones that I use in the colder months but 

 I need something that is effective enough to remove heavier sunscreens whilst still being gentle on my skin. 

 My current selection features a couple of old favourites and a couple of newer (to me) products. They are all pretty light formulas, I can't deal with a thick balm or anything too oily when the temperature is scorching so let's take a look...

Mario Badescu Cleansing Gel.

It's been a while since I have had a bottle of this on my shelf but it's an old favourite that not only does a great job of both removing make up and cleansing skin but is also wallet friendly. I must admit that I had my reservations when I first used this some years ago - it is a lurid shade of green and it's old fashioned fragrance is incredibly strong - but it feels lovely, rinses away easily and leaves my skin feeling soft and looking clear and bright thanks to gentle fruit acids that lightly exfoliate. This doesn't sting my eyes at all so it's a good face wash to keep in the shower. 

I do hate the ugly home made looking packaging of this but I like the product so much I'm willing to overlook it! 

ulta.com

Tata Harper Purifying Cleanser.

This may well be my favourite cleanser! Like the Mario Badescu Cleansing Gel it is non foaming and lightly exfoliates with fruit acids but it does everything that Mario does just a little better and it feels so much more luxurious. 

I love everything about this lightweight non foaming gel but I particularly enjoy it's zippy uplifting fragrance. This is far too good to use to remove my make up so I use this purely for second cleansing at night or as a morning face wash if I need something to awaken me. There's nothing I don't like about this - although it's expensive you only need to use a little so a bottle lasts for quite some time and it's a very pretty bottle to have hanging around at that.

us.spacenk.com

Lierac Cream Cleansing Milk.

Lierac is a French pharmacy brand that is very much overlooked in my opinion. It's not the easiest to find in the USA but whenever I come across it I try to pick something up and so far I have loved every product that I have tried from them. 

I'm not normally a fan of cleansing milk finding them often to be too liquid to be effective and somewhat messy to use but this is thicker than most other milks that I have tried with more of a body lotion like feel which means that it is perfect for massaging into your face. It's not at all greasy yet it dissolves make up like a dream and rinses off easily. It also cools and soothes skin on application and I like it so much that often I will use it as a first and second cleanse particularly if I feel that my skin feels irritated or needs some extra moisturising.

dermstore.com

Soap & Glory The Ultimelt.

TBH I've got somewhat mixed feelings about this thick creamy cleanser. It's easy on the pocket and comes in a practical tube that makes it a cert for your travel bag. It's a truly lovely consistency, thick and creamy but lightweight at the same time and it melts away make up almost instantly. But sometimes when I use this it makes my skin feel a little prickly - it doesn't make me red and it's not all that often that it does but there is something about the particular blend of oils in this cleanser that doesn't quite agree with my skin and makes it temporarily uncomfortable. And that's a real pity because other than that it is a very good product. I've almost come to the end of this and sadly, because there are a lot of aspects of this that I liked, I won't be getting it again.

ulta.com 

May Lindstrom The Pendulum Potion.

This is the only product left from my post about Spring Cleansers. 

Although it is intended to be used as a cleansing oil I use this as more of a treatment once or twice a week when I press a few drops of this into my face before I shower. Once in the shower the steam helps it absorb and when I get out my skin feels softened and clean. This does a good job of relieving any congested areas that I may have and it smells very aromatic. It is expensive but using it the way I do it will last me for quite some time so I expect it will be here again when I look at my Autumn round up of cleansers!

maylindstrom.com 

I feel that this is a rather pared down streamlined collection of cleansers compared to some previous selections of mine but it covers all my needs and sometimes it's nice, not to mention easier, to have fewer choices...

I went to Ulta!

I had heard a lot about Ulta beauty stores but until a couple of weeks ago I had never actually visited one. The nearest one to my home is in Queens but it is still pretty far from nearby, so imagine how excited I was when I pulled into a Barnes and Noble car park when I was recently in Rhode Island and next door was a brand new branch of Ulta... and I mean brand spanking new as it had only opened the day before. Of course I managed to while away a couple of hours there making a few purchases and gathering a few impressions of the Ulta experience.

The Store. 

The store was brand new so obviously it was immaculate. The decor was very light and bright and there was a small hair salon and a Dermalogica face station offering mini treatments and skin analysis.

 To the right of the door were the higher end brands, the central front part of the store had promotions and mid range brands that appeal to younger shoppers and behind this there was a small perfume section with mostly department store type scents. On the left side of the shop were budget make up brands with a small range of Korean skincare behind them. Beyond that drugstore hair and body care products were stocked along with salon haircare. 

The general feel and layout of the store reminded me a lot of Boot's stores in the UK. 

The Brand Selection. 

I was surprised at the vast range of brands carried. They covered every price point and there were brands to appeal to all age groups. There were department store brands such as Estee Lauder and Lancome, drugstore brands, Korean brands, international high street brands such as The Body Shop and No7 and a very good selection of mid range Sephora/Blue Mercury type make up and skin care as well as a great selection of haircare and body care ranging from drugstore to high end. 

Customer Service. 

Staff were friendly and helpful. There are numerous special offers both in store and online along with a free to join loyalty card program that offers redeemable points on purchases and birthday gifts etc.

The Purchases.

Well, I had to have a little splurge whilst here didn't I?

Although I'm not a huge fan of the Mario Badescu range I do like their Enzyme Cleansing Gel very much especially as a morning face wash in warmer weather and their Facial Spray with Aloe, Herbs and Rosewater is a very good budget friendly refreshing spritz so I picked up both of those items. 

I have been intrigued (and somewhat frightened) by Japanese Foot Peeling Masks after seeing them on Youtube. Tony Moly Changing Magic Foot Peeling Shoes are a Korean dupe for the originals. The plastic booties contain a mix of lactic, glycolic and fruit skin peeling agents, you wear them for an hour or so and a few days later your feet shed their hardened skin in a horrific, yet apparently truly satisfying, lizard like way. So far I have been too much of a wimp to put these to the test but I will very soon and report back. 

I also bought a sachet of The Body Shop British Rose Fresh Plumping Face Mask simply because I liked the sound of it and thought it would be a good addition to my travel bag for a pampering session while away from home.

I have wanted to try out the Your Skin But Better CC Cream from It Cosmetics for some time so I was pleased to see that Ulta had a large range of It Cosmetics and while I did dabble with the CC Cream it didn't impress me enough to purchase it... Unlike the Naturally Pretty Eyeshadow Palette which caught my eye and did tempt me! I'm not the biggest fan of palettes, after an initial play session I find that I only use one or two colours and ignore the rest, but there was something about this palette that screamed my name. It has fourteen matte shadows along with a larger pearl transformer that you can use to sweep on top of the other colours transforming them into shimmering shadows. The packaging is sturdy and although it does contain a mirror I was happy to see that there weren't any cheap brushes or applicators included. I have already used the four darker shadows as liners and tried out most of the remaining ten and they are all flattering and highly wearable. I find the formula of these shadows to be outstanding. Containing collagen and Vitamins A, C, and E, they (allegedly) protect the skin around your eyes. The colours are true to the pan and they apply like a dream with no fallout whatsoever. They feel velvety smooth, are easy to  blend and build beautifully on the lid. They also last all day without creasing, even when used without an eyeshadow primer. Indeed I think these are currently my favourite eyeshadows!

As I was so impressed with the shadows when I swatched them on my hand I picked up an eyeshadow brush from It Cosmetics to try as well - the Airbrush 112 which reminded me of my all time favourite the MAC 217. Side by side although the brush hairs are not as long as the MAC they are otherwise identical. It is an excellent brush with super soft synthetic fibers, a nicely weighted handle, so far no shedding and it is only $13.00 which is a fair bit cheaper than the 217. (Most of the airbrush range including this brush is exclusive to Ulta.)

Overall.

I thought that Ulta was a great store to browse in. I liked that they had a mix of drugstore and higher end items and I was impressed that they carried a selection of fun K Beauty products. To me it felt that it was an all inclusive store where you could enjoy shopping whatever your age or budget. I'm sure I will be back  before too long! 

Empties: May 2017.

May was another month in which I managed to use up a lot of products resulting in a big old pile of empties. In all I used up thirteen full sized products and twenty five samples and a lot of the samples were very generously sized ones at that. (As a rule if something comes as a sample as long as it doesn't retail in that size I count it as a sample, if it is sold in that size, such as a handbag sized hairspray, then I count it as a full sized product).

Skincare.

I was sad to finish a pot of Darphin Aromatic Cleansing Balm. It feels very indulgent and leaves my skin feeling clean and soft. It is also a very sensory product to use, it smells so good and always feels like a special treat. I will be getting another jar at some point for sure. I also enjoyed Darphin Eye Make Up Remover Solution which was effective and gentle, it isn't at all oily and it didn't sting my eyes.

Tatcha Pure One Step Cleansing Oil is pretty good for removing make up but, honestly, it isn't one of my favourites. There's nothing wrong with it exactly but I find it to be a little thin to work with so it can be bit messy.

Although I'm not big on physical exfoliation I have used Lancer The Method Polish before. I find this to be quite an aggressive scrub so I only occasionally used a very small amount mixed in with a creamy cleanser.

Ren Clarimatte Toner is a gentle exfoliating toner, it leaves my skin looking bright and preps it well for other products. It's not all that easy to find here which is a pity. Dr Haushka Facial Toner was a refreshing spritz that smelled of geraniums. I didn't love this as it did make my skin feel a little 'prickly' on a few occasions.

Serum wise of course I loved the sample of Sunday Riley Good Genes which I use nightly, and Caudalie Vinosource S.O.S. Serum which I use to give my skin a boost of moisture during the day.

Samples of Clinique Sculptwear and Vichy Idealia Radiance Boosting Serum left me somewhat underwhelmed (I didn't notice any difference or improvement when I used either TBH). But I was extremely impressed with a sample of Dr Dennis Gross Ferulic+Retinol Wrinkle Recovery Overnight Serum. This was a creamy serum with a pleasant fruity scent, a little went a long way and the next day my skin looked plumper and fuller. I have been looking for an overnight retinol treatment for a while and will definitely be buying this in the near future.

Skin & Co Truffle Therapy Eye Cream had a very runny consistency which meant that it was difficult to apply easily to a specific area and it didn't appear to do much except give a boost of temporary hydration to the eye area. On the plus side it didn't sting or make my eyes water but overall I wasn't very impressed. 

Somme Institute Eye was lightly textured and good to use as a daytime eye cream under make up but again apart from a little temporary hydration that smoothed the eye area it didn't seem to do much. I loved the look of the sleek minimalist packaging of this but it left a little dried 'tail' of product that oozed out each time I used it so it wasn't very practical and was quite wasteful.

Algenist Regenerative Anti Aging Moisturiser was a good basic daytime moisturiser with SPF 20. I used this almost daily in the cooler weather under make up.

I didn't notice any brightening effects from Eve Lom Brightening Cream and ended up using it as a final 'sealing' coat of moisture over serums and oils overnight.

Juice Beauty Green Apple Peel (Sensitive) was a gel cream mask. I didn't notice much difference when I used this, even though it had a bit of a tingle going on, and it smelled a little funky so it didn't impress.

Haircare.

Bumble+Bumble Surf Shampoo and Conditioner are some of my favourite haircare products. I'm not adept at styling my own hair, I nearly always wash it and let it air dry so I love that these two products give it some grit and texture. I do find that they can be a little drying if I use them daily so I normally only use them at the weekend. They have a clean fresh mineral scent that I like and I will certainly repurchase these again when I have used up some of the many shampoos I have in stock.
John Frieda Luxurious Volume Colour Care Shampoo gave my hair a bit of body and kept my colour looking fresh.When traveling I used a sample of John Frieda Frizz Ease Moisturising Conditioner which didn't weigh my hair down but it did leave it soft and frizz free. I think John Frieda is a good drugstore range, I also love the practical packaging of these products.
I also used samples of Schwartzkopf Gliss Hair Repair Shampoo and Conditioner. These were both okay but they weren't my favourites. They were both rather thin in consistency and I wasn't keen on their strong floral fragrance. I also hated the packaging of these which was top heavy and had a very small opening which made it difficult to get the product out easily.

I don't use a lot of hairspray so it has taken me a long, long time to use up a handbag sized Oribe Superfine Hairspray. It smelt great and lightly held hair in place without making it brittle or sticky.

Body care.

Rituals Mild Exfoliating Body Scrub was a very gentle creamy body scrub with very fine grains. It did smooth my skin and soften it but I did need to add a lot of moisture to my skin after using it. The Tao fragrance of this was a little too soapy for me, I would have preferred something a little more bright and zingy.

Yardley Sea Mineral Bath and Shower Gel had quite chunky salt grains in it so it exfoliated as it cleaned. The sea mineral fragrance of this felt very fresh and clean. It wasn't massively foamy but I would get this again as I think it is a very good product considering its low price.

I used another mini Rituals Yogi Flow Foaming Shower Gel which is a fantastic product, one of my favourite shower gels in fact. I also used a sample of Dove Deep Moisture Body Wash which I don't particularly like. I prefer something that is foamy rather than creamy when I shower and I don't like any of the fragrances that Dove use in this range.

I used another Nivea Express Hydration Body Lotion. This is my favourite Nivea Lotion, it is light in texture yet intensely moisturising. It absorbs well and leaves my skin feeling softened and it has a fresh, clean spa like fragrance that I like.
Mio The Activist Body Oil is a dryish body oil that doesn't leave my skin greasy. It is very good but a little expensive to use daily so I am always happy to get samples of this!
I used two small jars of Juara Candlenut Body Cream. I found the formula was dry rather than oily and I could slather a lot of this on and it kept sinking in. I liked how this felt on my skin and it had a unique nutty fragrance that I enjoyed. Again this is a pricey body item so I wouldn't see myself buying it even though I liked it a lot.
Nubian Heritage Body Lotion with soy milk, frankincense and myrrh was so thick that I would call it a body butter rather than a lotion. It's creamy incense like fragrance is exactly the type of scent I adore and it was very nourishing. 

Kat Burki Hand Therapy was a rich hand lotion with a lovely honeysuckle fragrance. I was a little disappointed in this - I normally love Kat Burki products but this felt too greasy on my hands and took a while to sink in even when I used it sparingly.  

Make Up and Perfume.

Hourglass Veil is my favorite primer. It makes my make up last longer than anything else does and it doesn't make my skin congested.
I used up a(nother) tube of  Chantecaille Just Skin in Nude. I use this everyday and love everything about it, I have yet to find a product that equals it. It gives a medium amount of coverage to my skin leaving a 'glowy' finish, it has SPF 15 in it and contains antioxidants to protect skin from pollution.

I used three vials of perfume. Both Replica scents, Lazy Sunday Morning and Flying, smell quite chemically on me rather like fabric softeners and although I like Aerin Amber Musk, which is a warm feminine vanilla infused musk, it doesn't have much longevity on me.

I'm not expecting to have many empties next month as I am going to be concentrating on using up sample sachets. I'm also going to try and use up perfume vials which I have opened.

I'm sure I will discover a few must haves along with a few duds!

Barneys Warehouse Men's Spring Gift Bag 2017.

I was browsing on line the other day when I came across this bag of male grooming products for sale on Barneys Warehouse site. If it looks familiar it is because it is the male offering from March's Barneys Love Yourself GWP event.

For the last couple of years Barneys have offered a choice of two bags, one for women and one for men, when they hold this promotion which means I procrastinate and spend way too much time trying to decide which bag is the better deal before always opting for the female gift. 

Of course the chance to purchase the 'other' gift was something that I couldn't miss. There's over $180.00 of products here and the bag was on sale for $37.00 with free shipping. (I ended up paying $32.00 by the time I had factored in various coupon codes and ebates links).

Everything pictured above came packed in a grey tie dye cotton dopp kit and there's an excellent selection of products (some of which will be making their way into my bathroom rather than Mr C+C's).

Skincare.

For facial cleansing there is that GWP bag staple: Malin+Goetz Grapefruit Face Cleanser and a mini of Baxter Herbal Mint Toner.

 Moisturising options include Kiehl's Age Defender and La Mer Soft Cream. There is also a Verso Night Cream #3 which I think I may have to keep.

I'm also going to hang onto the three masks in the bag: Givenchy Hydra Sparkling Mask, ReVive Purifying Clay Mask and Sisley Black Rose Cream Mask which is by far my most loved face mask.

Hair, Body and Shaving.

There are generously sized samples of two shampoos: Sachajuan Scalp Shampoo and one from Martial Vivot. 

There is a small bottle of Aesop Resolute Hydrating Body Balm which is also going to be kept by yours truly as it smells so good! Black Pepper and Patchouli? That's exactly my kind of fragrance. 

There is a massive full sized jar of Harry's Barber Edition Shave Cream and a travel sized tube of The Art of Shaving Sandalwood Shaving Cream.

Fragrance.

There are seven perfume vials from various niche brands, including one of Diptyque Philosikos which is my summer fragrance.

Finally there is a mini tube of Marvis toothpaste.

It appears that the bag is sold out but why not take a look at the beauty section of barneyswarehouse.com there are plenty of other beauty bargains to be found there.

Brand Love: Darphin.

Over the years Darphin has been one of those brands that, although I don't use any of their products on a regular basis, I keep on coming back to. I have tried many of the products from many of the ranges and I have loved everything that I have tried. 

Darphin is an older French brand (almost 60 years old) carefully formulated with high quality ingredients. Everything about Darphin products is so well considered, even the packaging. Some of their ranges are expensive but the pleasure of using them along with the results they give make them a justifiable indulgence. The fact that Darphin has so many loyal devotees (even though it is somewhat under the radar having practically no advertising presence and featuring infrequently in editorials) is testament to the quality of it's products.

  Recently I have picked up quite a few items from Darphin which I love using either together or with products from other brands to make routines that suit my skin's needs. I truly appreciate the quality of  the products featured here and they all are a great joy to use.

Azahar Micellaire Cleansing Water is perfect for sensitive skin and does a wonderful job of removing make up. I'm not a big user of micellaire waters but I find this one is good when used to lift strong lip colours and remove eye make up. It has a soft floral scent that is very relaxing.

Eye Make Up Remover Solution is exactly as promised on the bottle, both gentle and effective. I find this removes even waterproof eye make up almost instantly. There's no need to tug or rub the skin around eyes, it is not at all greasy and leaves eyes feeling clean and refreshed with no irritation or stinging ever.

Aromatic Cleansing Balm is one of my all time favourite cleansers! I used to use this regularly but it disappeared from the market for a while. Now it seems to be freely available again which pleases me no end as it is a real treat at the end of the day. It smells very spa like, warm and floral. With a drop of water added to it, it is the perfect consistency for facial massage and it rinses away easily, leaving my skin clean and very soft.

Darphin are renowned for their essential oil elixirs that target different needs. They are all wonderful but the best of the bunch for me is the total anti aging 8 Flower Nectar. It has a lovely consistency, is not at all sticky, absorbs well and leaves my skin feeling nourished yet balanced.

 This blend also comes in solid form as 8 Flower Nectar Oil Cream which is basically oil in solid form. I find this easier to apply and less wasteful but both products are fabulously indulgent. They both smell divine and are top of my list when it is time to shop for a new facial oil treatment.

(Just one word of cation - I was hesitant when I first used both of these and the cleansing balm as they are all strongly scented, but they were very gentle on my skin. However you may want to test these before investing if you are sensitive to essential oils).

I'm waiting to open Stimulskin Divine Eye Cream as I have a couple of eye creams already on the go but I have used it in the past and it is a favourite eye cream of mine. Packed full of peptides it takes care of my major eye concerns, plumping out fine lines whilst removing puffiness. Everything looks smoother so that dark circles appear less prominent and the whole eye area appears refreshed. I would buy this more regularly but it is somewhat pricey so this one is only on my shelves when I can find it on sale somewhere! 

  

Wrinkle Corrective Eye Contour Cream is much more reasonably priced and a jar of this lasts a long time. It is rich, creamy and replenishing. Although it does absorb well enough to be used during the day under makeup I like to use this as my overnight eye cream.

Hydraskin Essential is a creamy ultra hydrating moisturiser. I do find this to be too rich to use during the day but it is perfect to use at night over a serum. 

It is very rich but it never makes my skin feel congested or greasy. It smells lovely, feels comfortable and leaves my skin looking plump and juicy.

 Hydraskin Light is a gel cream that I find suits to my daytime moisturising needs. It works well under make up even in hot weather and I find that both of these products when used together as parts of day and night routines leave my skin looking fresh and lifted.

Exquisage Beauty Revealing Serum and Cream are part of one of Darphin's newer ranges. This targeted range is supposed to strengthen skin and boost collagen production, leading to a firmer, more radiant complexion. I haven't tried these yet but I am looking forward to opening them up before too long.

I find that I love everything about Darphin - the formulas, the fragrances, the way the products are intended to be used and even the luxurious packaging. It really is one of my favourite brands!

Empties: April 2017.

I finished a whole heap of products in April and a lot of the empties are full sized products. In total I managed to use sixteen samples and seventeen full sized products.

Skincare.

This month's skincare empties contain a lot of repeat items. I think it is fair to say that a lot of these bottles and jars would be on my favourite products list!

Oskia Renaissance Cleansing Gel is one of those products that I keep coming back to and I will certainly get this again when I next order from Cult Beauty. Eve Lom Morning Time Cleanser is a balm cleanser that is lighter than the original Eve Lom Cleanser - I much prefer it to the original. I find it good to remove make up with, as for me it is still rather heavy as a face wash. I'm not a fan of micellaire waters (I don't see the difference between it and face wipes TBH) but I did manage to finish one by Caudalie by using it primarily as an eye make up remover.

I used up two facial sprays. Caudalie Grape Water is a repurchase that I love. Kiehl's Cactus Flower and Ginseng Hydrating Mist is a new product that I loved. It smells so good and feels very refreshing!
Nip+Fab Glycolic Fix Night Pads Extreme have become a favourite way of acid toning for me, they are effective, economical and easy to find at the drugstore.

I finished two serums this month: Caudalie Vinosource S.O.S. Thirst Quenching Serum and Sunday Riley Good Genes. I love, love, love both of these, have used both of them many times previously and I already have new bottles of each of them!

Finally I used up five skincare samples, Chantecaille Flower Infused Cleansing Milk, Kat Burki Hibiscus Antioxident Face Mask and Tata Harper Purifying Mask were all ones that I liked all but none of them impressed me enough to make it onto my shopping list.
 I found Eveology Stay Clear Cleanser a somewhat basic face wash that felt a little drying. Derma E Hydrating Night Cream felt a little waxy and seemed to sit on the surface of my skin.  I needed to use quite a lot of it as it didn't spread out over my skin very well. I found it a bit of an odd product all in all.

Haircare.

Garnier Fructis Full & Plush Conditioner is my favourite drugstore conditioner as it does make hair thicker whilst still leaving it soft. I'm a big fan of anything by OGX and their B5 Conditioner didn't disappoint, it definitely seemed to make my hair a little stronger and I noticed less breakage when I used this, it was a lovely thick conditioner that could do double duty as a mask. Aveeno Nourish + Strengthen Conditioner was another thick conditioner, it was okay but I found that I needed to alternate this with a lighter conditioner or else my hair started to looked flat

 I emptied two very different sorts of volumising products. I finished my final sample of Bumble + Bumble Thickening Hair Spray (there was a time when this was in almost every goody bag it seemed). It does add volume but it leaves my hair a little crunchy. It is a good product but I feel that things have moved on a little since this was launched and there are now better options available. R+Co Death Valley Dry Shampoo is a modern day staple in goody bags and it's a product I like a lot. I find it to great for adding some gritty texture and volume to my hair and I adore it's figgy fragrance. 

Bodycare.

Softsoap Luminoius Oils Body Wash looks and feels much more expensive than it is. The avocado oil in this left my skin moisturised, the powdery Iris scent reminded me of Prada Iris and it didn't leave my bath a lethal slippery mess - I would certainly get this again. I liked Nubian Coconut & Papaya Body Wash, it was creamy and moisturising, but the fragrance was a little too fruity and creamsicle like for me. Juara Candlenut Shower Gel which was also creamy however had a lovely comforting warm nutty fragrance and it left my skin very soft.

 Kiehl's Creme de Corps Whipped Body Butter is a repeat product that smells good enough to eat (don't!). It is rich and highly moisturising - it's whipped airy texture makes it a joy to use! I like Dial body lotions a lot, 7Day Omega Moisture isn't my favourite one of the range(the yogurt one is) but I would certainly get it again. I liked it's light fresh scent and it wasn't sticky or greasy feeling as some cheaper body lotions can be.
I used another handbag sized Crabtree & Evelyn Hand Lotion, this time an English Honey & Peach Blossom scented one. I love the texture and packaging of these and although this one isn't my favourite C&E scent it does smell exactly like peaches and honey!

Make Up and Perfume.

I used three mascaras this month. Chantecaille Faux Cils is often in my empties, it gives a very natural looking effect. I didn't finish either Mally Volumising Mascara or YSL Mascara Volume as I found them both to be claggy and clumpy and both of them flaked terribly on me.
I also finished a lip product, Lipstick Queen Vesuvius Liquid Lipstick in the shade 'Blush'. This is the only liquid lipstick formula that I have tried and found comfortable to wear. It was easy to apply (you twisted the product up into a brush like a Touche Eclat), didn't dry down to a matte and left a stain that lasted very well. 'Blush' was an easy to wear nude that had a brick red tone to it, and it tasted slightly minty. I liked this product a lot.

I used four perfume samples. I sped my way through a 10ml sample of Diptyque Oud Palao and loved it so much I splurged on a full sized bottle. I used two samples of Jo Malone Dark Amber & Ginger Lily and a sample of Viktor & Rolf Flowerbomb, these were both OK but not something that I would buy.

I don't think I will empty so many things next month but there are a few things in my bathroom that are almost empty so you never know!

Empties: March 2017.

I'm pleased with March's empties pile as I managed to finish thirteen full sized products (fourteen if you include a sheet mask) and sixteen samples. I even managed to use up four full sized make up items this month which I don't think I have ever done before!

Bodycare.

Nivea Creme Body Wash was a good drugstore item. It was pretty basic with a minimal fragrance but it left my skin feeling soft. 

I used up two body moisturisers. C Booth Honey Almond Body Butter is one of my favourite drugstore products, not at all sticky and it smells delicious. If you are looking for a budget friendly alternative to Kiehl's Creme de Corps Whipped Body Butter try this out! Space NK Life Ultimate Unwind Body Lotion is a lightweight glycerine based formula that does a good job of softening  skin, although the fragrance of this is supposed to be relaxing I find it to be very fresh and uplifting with it's notes of lime, green tea, cardamom and ginger.

I finished two tubes of Kiehl's Ultimate Strength Hand Salve. This is one of my favourite hand creams as it absorbs instantly to soothe hands without making them feel greasy or sticky. I also used up a bottle of Revlon Top Speed Top Coat which made my nails very glossy and prolonged the time of a manicure. I don't often do my own nails and I have had this for a very, very long time, so long that I'm sure it is probably discontinued!

Haircare.

I didn't use up any full sized haircare products this month, only five samples but I liked them all. Moroccan Oil Light and Obliphica Seaberry Serum both made my hair look shiny while taming any stray hairs and frizz. Philip B Oud Royal Shampoo smelt wonderful and paired well with Philip B Light Weight Creme Rinse. Gold Lust Shampoo was another impressive product from Oribe that smelt amazing to boot.

Skincare.

I used a whole box of Sephora Express Eye Make Up Remover Wipes which I find to be very gentle and effective. They are quite large wipes and I find that one wipe is enough for both eyes.

They also come packaged in individual sachets so they are ideal for traveling with. 

Babor Mild Cleanser has been in my travel bag for some time. It only did an okay (not great) job of removing make up and I found it didn't quite feel right as a second cleanse for me. There wasn't anything drastically wrong with it - I mean I did use it up eventually - but I just felt that it didn't do anything for my skin and it didn't feel special.

The Ginza Creamy Cleansing Foam (which wasn't actually foamy) and Energizing Lotion were a beautiful addition to my routine that left my skin not only clean but brighter and smoother. I loved, loved, loved these! (So much so that they will get a 'Brand Love 'post of their own sometime soon!).

I confess that I used my sample of Fresh Seaberry Skin Nutrition Booster incorrectly using it as a serum rather than mixing it into a face cream. Despite my mistake I liked this very much, it absorbed well and left my skin looking plumped. I actually preferred this to Fresh Seaberry Oil, in part because it didn't smell as strongly.

 I feel that Caudalie Resveratrol Lift Serum firmed my skin mostly by hydrating it. I liked this but there are plenty of other serums that I prefer so I can't see myself getting this again.  The packaging of this was terrible btw. It had a slim glass dropped but the serum itself was too thick for the dropper to work. I think that it has recently been repackaged but things like this annoy me enough to put me off a product. I love Caudalie as a brand but have to say that some of their packaging is inexplicably bad.

Dermalogica Multi Vitamin Power Firm was an eye cream that made my eye area look smoothed but it felt very silicon like and I felt that it was more of a blurring product than a treatment.

I used another sample of Sunday Riley Tidal. It's a very nice gel moisturiser that's great for layering on top of other products.It's not my favourite gel moisturiser but its a good one and I like its cucumber fragrance.

I used two samples of Chantecaille Bio Lifting +. It was rich and slightly oily feeling but it absorbed well, my skin felt softened and smooth but I didn't notice that it was 'lifted'.

Finally for skincare, I used a Dr Jart Vital Hydra Solution Sheet Mask. I liked that this mask was saturated with product but that it wasn't at all drippy so it wasn't messy to use. It was very hydrating but my face did feel tacky when I took this off. This was one of the better inexpensive sheet masks I have used but I still haven't been converted and prefer traditional face masks! 

Make Up and Perfume. 

I only finished one sample of perfume, Clean Cashmere, quite a powdery scent that has a sharp chemical note to it when applied. It is quite a clean smell once that note dies down but it isn't my kind of fragrance I'm afraid.

I  can hardly believe that not only did I use up seven make up items four of those were full sized! Rimmel Lash Accelerator Mascara was supposed to strengthen and promote growth of lashes. I didn't notice any change in my lashes but it was a good formula that darkened my lashes without making them clumpy, I quite liked the natural look that it achieved. I also finished a mini mascara, Clinique High Impact Mascara. I love Clinique Mascaras, this darkened my lashes dramatically and gave them length and volume. I liked it a lot but must admit that I prefer the waterproof version of this one for it's superior staying power.

Another eye product I finished was Kevyn Aucoin The Eye Shadow Single in shade #104 Soft Clay. I love this grey toned pink eyeshadow, it's my go to for a minimal make up routine and I have already opened up a new one. 

I used two cheek products, a sample of Nars Illuminator in 'Orgasm' which I loved as it was sheer and blendable and gave my skin a natural sun kissed look. I also finished a full sized NYX Cream Blush in the shade CB11 Boho Chic. This cream blush looked bright and shimmery in the pan but was another sheer blendable product that gave a subtle pink blush to my skin, I'm upset that this has gone as it appears to be discontinued.

Finally two lip products. I have been trying to finish my tube of Laura Mercier Lip Glacee in 'Bonbon' for a very long time and finally succeeded. This gloss felt lovely to wear and it lasted really well on my lips, when the gloss did disappear it left a stain. Quite a bold pink, but one that I enjoyed wearing very much. I also liked its candy like scent. I have so many lip products at the moment that I won't buy this again right now, but if I did ever need a bold pink gloss I would definitely get it again. Lastly a half sized By Terry Baume de Rose in a lip gloss format. I'm still not wowed by this expensive lip balm, it doesn't appear to do much for my lips, but it was good to try it in it's new format.

March was a good month for empties for me, I'm especially pleased at finishing up so many make up products! I think that April is going to produce even more empties though as I have quite a few things that are already nearly empty...