August Empties

Once again, I can't believe that another month has flown by! August has been a busy one for me, and as a result I haven't managed to get through as many products as I would normally, but there's still some lovely things to talk about!
 

This Vineyard peach shower gel has been so lovely to use! It's such a gorgeous summery scent and my skin has loved using it. Body Shop shower gels are a bit of a treat for me, I don't tend to buy them very often but I've loved this one so much I can easily see myself buying it again!

Urban Veda are one of my favourite skincare brands, and I loved using this exfoliating face wash. It has tiny exfoliating particles in it that gently buffed my skin so that it was silky smooth. I can definitely see myself purchasing a full size tube of this at some point.

I also finished up this tube of Embryolisse Lait-Creme Concentre. This was such a fantastic moisturiser to use. It felt really light on my skin and was a dream to apply make up over. I have a lot of moisturisers to use up at the moment but I will definitely consider repurchasing this when I eventually get through them all!

This sample of the Vasanti exfoliating cleanser came with this month's Birchbox, and I was really excited to try it out. I did find that this was a bit rougher on my skin than the Urban Veda face wash, and much thicker too. I also didn't find that it was fantastic at removing my make up so it's unlikely that I'll be buying this in the near future!

Have you tried any of my August empties before? What did you think to them?

July Empties

I've managed to get through another bumper crop of empties this month, with some of them being more successful than others!

I've been on a bit of a body lotion rampage and managed to get through three samples in July. The Bee Kind lotion had a slightly lemony/honeyish scent to it that I really liked, but I found that it didn't really sink into my skin very well. I really loved the Naobay and Whish lotions though. The Naobay had a lemon scent which is great for this time of year, and the Whish was a lavender scented lotion which I expected to hate but actually really loved! Both of these were great for my skin and sank in really nicely.

This sample of Glamglow's Supermud Clearing Treatment lasted for 3 or 4 applications and did a really good job of cleansing my skin. Unfortunately I can't really afford the full size, but if you fancy a splurge I'd say it's worth it! I've been using the Blanc Cachemire moisturiser for a while now but I found that it really didn't work well with my make up. It made my skin quite greasy so I was really glad to finish it up! I didn't really get on well with the L'occitane Repairing shampoo and conditioner either. They irritated my scalp and made my hair greasier than normal.

I was really sad to finish up my sample tube of Lancome's Hypnose Drama mascara. It's been my favourite mascara for a really long time so I decided to bite the bullet and splash out on a full size tube. I'm really glad I did because I absolutely love it! I also finished up one of my many samples of the Porefessional. I'm using this every day at the moment so once all of my samples have run out I might end up buying a full size tube.

I've also made headway through my massive shower gel collection! This Dove shower gel was the last of the christmas smellies! It's a really nice nourishing shower gel, just what you'd expect from Dove really. The Anatomicals shower gel was from a previous Love Me Beauty box and even though rose isn't really my kind of scent, I actually really liked this shower gel. I probably wouldn't repurchase it, but it made a nice change from my usual fruity showers!

What did you use up this month? Have you tried any of my empties?

June Empties

Well June has just flown by! I managed to get loads of things used up again this month which I'm really surprised about. When I first started doing these posts I was convinced I'd have months where I hadn't used up anything, but I've proven myself wrong!

I received this shampoo from Neal and Wolf in one of my Love Me Beauty boxes and I really enjoyed using it. It smells fantastic and left my hair super soft, I only wish I'd had the conditioner to go with it! 

Repurchase? I might get the shampoo and conditioner if I'm feeling flush!

I really wanted to like this shampoo and conditioner from Beauty Protector. I loved the hair oil I had to try out, but I found that the shampoo made my hair feel sort of sticky and it also seemed to irritate my scalp a bit. 

Repurchase? No.

 

This shower gel from Soap and Glory was one of the last items from the Yule Monty set to get used up. It's a lovely zesty lemon scent and it exfoliated my skin really well.

Repurchase? Maybe, I have lots of shower gels to use up at the moment.

This Magnolia shower gel from M&S was a Christmas present that I have only just gotten around to using! It had quite a heavy floral scent which really isn't my kind of thing, but it was only a small tube so it didn't really matter.

Repurchase? No.

I think I received this bath oil from Aromatherapy Associates in a Birchbox, and I managed to get two baths out of it. It smells fantastic, and I definitely felt extremely relaxed after using it.

Repurchase? At £40 a bottle, probably not!

This lotion from Yin Yang was another Birchbox sample. I mainly used it as a hand cream and it was quite nourishing, but it didn't really do a lot for some of the dry skin I had on my knuckles. It had a really nice scent though, it sort of reminded me of herbal tea!

Repurchase? No.


 This Garnier body oil sample came with the May Glossybox, and even though lots of people seemed really keen on it, I didn't really like it that much. I might have needed a bigger sample to try it out for longer, but I just didn't feel like it was a particularly outstanding product.

Repurchase? No.

This S5 moisturiser lasted me for ages, as I only needed to use a tiny bit at a time. I think it would be better suited to people with really dry skin, as my combination skin seemed to struggle with the amount of hydration this moisturiser provided.

Repurchase? No. 

 

 If you're a regular reader, you'll know that Simple face washes are a staple for me! I picked up this moisturising face wash as my usual one was sold out. I didn't like it as much, but it was fine for what I needed.

Repurchase? If my usual face wash wasn't available, yes.

This cleanser from Essential Care is amazing. Even though it is described as a coconut cleanser, it doesn't smell like coconuts. It just has pleasant slightly herbal scent, and left my skin feeling amazing. It removed a lot of make up, although it did struggle a bit with certain mascaras.

Repurchase? Yes.

May Empties

 Due to going on holiday this month, I managed to get through some of the many samples I had piling up, as well as some of my usual products!

This Redken conditioner came with the April LoveMe Beauty box and I loved using it! It had a fantastic cranberry scent and left my hair silky soft. It's intended for those with coloured hair (mine isn't) so I can't comment on whether it prolongs your colour or not, but still a lovely product. 

Repurchase: Yes, if I dyed my hair again, and could find it online!

 Simple face wipes are a regular repurchase for me. I know they aren't the best thing for your skin but these ones are so soft and they remove my mascara really well. 

Repurchase: Already have.

This Gilchrist and Soames shower gel came with a Birchbox a while back, and I took it with me on holiday as an alternative to some of my more floral ones in case Luke wanted to use it. It had quite a neutral scent, which wasn't unpleasant and meant we were both happy to use it, but with a full size bottle priced at around £14 I probably won't be repurchasing.

Repurchase: Probably not.


I also took this sample of Balance Me's Super Toning body wash. This had a really weird consistency, it was incredibly thick and reminded me of honey! The scent was a mix between floral and herby, with the ingredients including juniper, bergamot, geranium and lavender. We both enjoyed using this shower gel, as with the Gilchrist and Soames one, the scent was quite unisex.


 Repurchase: No. We have so much shower gel at home already! 

I also took a couple of these Herbal Essences minis with us. I love Herbal Essences, the cute colourful bottles and the amazing scents are right up my street and I'd forgotten how good they are! After using these on holiday I can definitely see myself picking up the bigger sizes.

Repurchase: Yes.

I received this sample of Caudalie's Divine Legs lotion with this month's You Beauty Discovery box, and decided to save it until after my holiday. Initially I was quite wary, especially as it looked very dark when it came out of the sachet, but I actually think that this is a great beginners tanning lotion. It left my legs subtly tanned and wasn't at all streaky. Plus, it washes off easily.

 

Repurchase: At £26 a bottle, probably not.

This Charles Worthington Moisture Seal Hair Healer Leave-In Conditoner (What a mouthful!) was also in the You Beauty Discovery box, and a post-holiday treat. It was incredibly easy to use, I just combed it through my hair after washing and left it. The next day my hair felt nourished and conditioned, it was a really lovely way to pamper my hair after it had been exposed to chlorine, sun, and the sea!

Repurchase: This is only £5.99 for a 200ml bottle, so I probably will at some point.

Finally, I finished up this sample of Betty Hula's Secret Wonder Oil. I've been using it on stretch marks and have seen a slight improvement. I could have done with a bigger sample to really get a feel for the product, but I found that the rollerball was great for applying it as it meant less greasiness overall.


Repurchase: Maybe.

I can't believe how much stuff I got through this month! Have you tried any of these products? What did you think to them?

April Empties

 Another month has whizzed by, so I've got my empties to show you all! I managed to get through quite a few things again this month.

I've been using this Rodial moisturiser for ages. I got it in the December Love Me Beauty Box, and initially I wasn't that impressed. After a while of using it though, I found that it moisturised my skin really nicely, and it was also great as a base for make up. Unfortunately I don't really like Rodial as a brand, and they're really expensive with a full-size tube of this coming in at around £60-£75.

Repurchase? No.

 

This Dr Brandt Pores no More Pore Refiner lost out to the Porefessional in one of my recent posts, and I didn't really enjoy using it. I stuck with it all the way to the end of the tube though! I found that it made my skin feel quite oily and almost grimey at times, although it was quite effective at blurring my pores.

Repurchase? No. 

 

I was really sad to finish this little pot of La Claree's gentle cleansing milk. This was great at removing make up, and left my skin feeling really refreshed. It's about £19 for a full size bottle, so if I'm feeling flush one day it might fall into my basket!

Repurchase? Hopefully!

Urban Veda is one of my favourite brands, so this sample was never going to last long! This has that trademark Urban Veda scent, quite floral with a hint of herbs, and my skin felt great after using it. At £8.99 a tube, I think I could see myself buying some more items from this range!

Repurchase? Yes.

 I've managed to get through a couple of hand creams this month. This Lavera cream initially put me off because I found the scent to be a bit sun creamy, but it definitely grew on me the more I used it. It didn't sink in as well as I normally like my hand creams to, and left a slight greasy feeling. 

Repurchase? Probably not.

 The other hand cream I used up was this super cute sample from the March Birchbox. This hand cream smells absolutely amazing! Rhubarb is definitely the main scent, I could hardly detect any rose at all. It sinks into your skin very quickly, and left my hands feeling soft and nourished. 

Repurchase? At some point, yes.

This sachet of the Organic Pharmacy's Antioxidant face cream came with this month's You Beauty Discovery box, and I loved it. It's had a very thick creamy formula that meant that I hardly had to use any, and it sank into my skin like a dream. I just wish it wasn't £40 a pot!

Repurchase? No, too expensive.

 

Finally, I managed to get down to the bottom of my bottle of Soap and Glory's Sugar Crush shower gel! This came with the Yule Monty set and it has literally taken me 4 months to use it all up. This has a lovely lime scent, and worked really well with the body butter I got from the same set. I'm not sure I'd repurchase Soap and Glory products individually as they're quite pricey, but I'd definitely get another set similar to Yule Monty!

Repurchase? Maybe as a set.

I can't believe how many samples I got through this month! I can't promise that May's empties will be as jam packed as this month, but I'll try my best! 

Have you tried any of this month's empties?

March Empties

 So after my first empties post last month, I promised I would have more products to talk about. I've definitely achieved that! 

This Imperial Leather shower gel was actually used more by the husband than by me, but I absolutely love the scent. Imperial Leather normally release these around autumn, and this blackberry fragrance is just perfect for that time of year! Unfortunately these are limited edition, so I'm not sure whether repurchasing will be an option. Plus, we are still working through our Christmas haul of shower gels.

Repurchase: Perhaps later on in the year.

 I have so many hand creams on the go at the moment, but I managed to finish this Weleda cream which came with one of my Love Me Beauty boxes. The scent of this is quite odd, and initially I really wasn't a fan. However, the cream itself absorbed into my skin amazingly well which is what won me over. I can't stand that greasy feeling which some creams leave on your hands after applying! 

Repurchase: Probably not. I have way too many hand creams at the moment!

 These Elegant Touch nail polish remover pads came with a Glossybox at some point last year. They remove normal polishes quite well, but anything with glitter in is a nightmare. They also left quite a greasy residue behind on my fingers after using.

Repurchase: No.

I always keep a packet of these face wipes from Simple handy. I've mainly been using them for removing my mascara this month, but they're also quite nice to use for removing other types of make up. They remove mascara and eye make up really well, but I do find that they struggle with waterproof mascara. They do remove it, but you can be stood in front of the bathroom mirror for quite a while!

Repurchase: Already have.

I received this face mask from Murad with the March Love Me Beauty box. You can see a full review of it here. My main thoughts on it were that it left my skin super clean and clear, but I really wouldn't want to spend £25 on sachets.

Repurchase: No.

This is the first product from my Yule Monty gift set that I've finished! This Peaches and Clean face wash has been really lovely to use. I absolutely adore the peachy scent, and it has managed to successfully keep my skin clear from any outbreaks of spots. My skin also felt lovely and soft after using this. £8 is quite expensive for cleanser, but I will definitely be keeping my out for offers in Boots!

Repurchase: If I can get it on offer, definitely.


Hae you tried any of these products? What did you think of them?

February Empties

This is my first empties post! I always enjoy reading what other people have finished using during the month and what they think of the products, so I've decided to start doing my own!

Obviously I don't have an awful lot of things to talk about, because I only decided to start doing this at the start of the month! Hopefully at the end of March I'll have a few more things to talk about. The first product on my list of empties is this Moisture Balancing Conditioner from Philip Kingsley. This sample came with the January Birchbox and I managed to get about 3 uses from it. It left my hair super smooth, but at £18 for the full-size, this is out of my price range. 

Repurchase: No, unless I could find it somewhere for cheaps!

This Dove Deodorant is a regular repurchase. I love the scents in this range, and I've always found the Dove formula works really well for me! 

Repurchase: Already have.


 This hand and body cream from Marks and Spencer was a Christmas present. I've mainly been using it as a hand cream. I didn't find that it moisturised my hands too well and I would have to reapply a hand cream at work occasionally. It also had quite a strong floral scent seeing as it is Magnolia, which I wasn't particularly keen on. I've also got loads of other hand creams to use up at the moment!

Repurchase: No.

 I love a bubble bath, and Radox is the usual brand I go for! This Eastern Spirit formula is a limited edition but it smells fantastic, I hope Radox will keep it going! I've also bought the hand wash in this scent because I like it so much. 


Repurchase: Yes.


So that's my first empties post! I hope you've enjoyed seeing what I've used up this month, and hopefully next month I'll have some more lovely products to share with you all.