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Beauty Product Empties 2024

- Vicki Leave a comment

I have quite a few empties I want to tell you about. A few of them are favourites that I always repurchase (products that I know and love) but there are also a couple of new things that have surprised me. So let’s get to it, as there is lots I want to tell you about.

BYOMA now this was a brand that I had been aware of (they are all over social media) and was excited to be sent two of their cleansers, Melting Cleansing Balm* &  Milky Oil Cleanser*. I used them to double cleanse and really liked how they made my skin feel. I would say that if I was to recommend one out of the two, it would be the jelly cleanser, this cleanser contains Byoma’s Barrier Lipid Complex to help strengthen the skin barrier. Its oil-based formula contains moringa seed oil, olive fruit oil and squalane to intensely hydrate and soothe skin without clogging pores or leaving behind an oily residue. It is gentle but a really great at soothing skin and getting rid of the dirt and grime of the day. Have you tried anything from this brand, or do you have your eye on anything?

My favourite Garnier Hydrating Body Lotion is a forever repurchase for me, I hate the feeling of heavy lotions on my body and this one is lightweight but is deeply moisturising. You have silky smooth legs all day with this lotion and the aloe vera makes your skin so soft and over time using it keeps your skin hydrated for longer. You have none of that tacky, greasy feeling. Plus it is affordable, and a bottle lasts for ages. 10/10 love it.

If I could recommend one brand for you to explore it would be Miller Harris, they have a range of the most exquisite, luxurious and timeless fragrances to choose from. I have tried so many of their scents over the past 10 years and I can’t say enough good things about them, I am never brand loyal and usually enjoy trying lots of products but I always, always have a bottle of Miller Harris. I am currently wearing L’Eau Magnetic (a new scent to me) which is a beautiful fresh, zesty and sophisticated Spring perfume. I have also just used up my number one perfume from them, Peau Santal, have repurchased this particular fragrance so many times. It is deep, creamy, woody, and slightly masculine. I adore it!

The woody notes add a real touch of warmth and class, whilst the bergamot and cashmere give it creaminess and class. The pink pepper, amber and vanilla make it modern and very sexy. If you get the opportunity to try out this brand or pop into a store, then you really must, and let me know which one of their perfumes you fall in love with.

No7 Future Renew Night Cream* – the entire future renew collection from No7 is incredible, and I noticed visible improvements in my skin from using it. The night cream is the product I used up first, and I really liked the consistency, it felt nourishing and substantial without feeling heavy and thick. Whilst you sleep, this cream helps reverse uneven skin tone and texture, dryness and loss of elasticity with its line up of skin loving ingredients alongside the peptide blend it has shea butter, niacinamide and hyaluronic acid and an antioxidant blend of vitamin C, E and mulberry extract to help protect the skin and give your skin radiance.

It is great for nourishing skin, reducing fine lines and evening out skin tone. This really is a fantastic night cream and if you’re looking for skincare that targets damage from environmental aggressors and UV, as well as hydrating and replenishing tired skin.

StriVectin Multi-Action Restorative Cream now this is a power house of a moisturiser, it is expensive but absolutely worth every penny. It has been formulated to target the 12 visible signs of ageing

Fine lines, wrinkles, density, firmness, sagging, texture, dehydration, dullness, discolouration, clarity, resilience and enlarged pores.

So quite the all-rounder, if you are looking for a moisturiser that will give you results and are in my age bracket (mid 40s) you will see a huge change in your skin after using this cream. My skin looks refreshed, brighter, and my eye area is noticeably smoother.

If you are not a fan or body lotion / butter, then I highly recommend the L’Occitane Almond Supple Skin Oil. This is a very luxurious, smoothing body oil that locks in moisture and leaves your skin feeling hydrated without the heavy feeling of a cream. It is formulated with almond oil, sunflower oil, which are rich in omegas 3 and 6, so it will replenish, hydrate and smooth your skin. Oh, & it smells incredible, very luxurious.

This Time Bomb Funk Off Double Detox Charcoal Mask was a great mask for using after wearing SPF all day. Great at unclogging pores and balancing sebum. Sadly, it seems that Time Bomb as a company are no more, which is sad because I really rated their skincare. If you have any recommendations for other affordable charcoal masks, then please leave them in the comments.

Lumene Quenching Aqua Serum this was a really lightweight serum, and it saved my skin over the Winter. Packed full of hand-picked arctic ingredients that all have specific benefits for your skin. This is a company that uses naturally derived, vegan ingredients so your skin is in good hands.

  • Nordic Red Algae – nourish and hydrate the skin
  • Pure Arctic Spring Water – to increase skin hydration
  • Nordic Birch Sap – to make your skin supple and encourage and cell renewal
  • Hyaluronic Acid – to improve skin hydration and overall glow

StriVectin Anti Wrinkle Cleanser this was a nice cleanser, I didn’t notice any changes in my skin after using it. It was a great gentle cream cleanser, but I wouldn’t say rush out & buy it. I think their moisturisers are a much better place to invest and see results. I always wonder just how good a cleanser can be & when they stop being worth the price tag.

L’Oréal Bond Repair Shampoo* – I love this entire range and have all my family on the hype. It is a range of haircare to help strengthen, repair and give structure to hair that is prone to breakage. If you use heat on your hair regularly or notice breakage when you brush your hair, this entire range is fantastic. It strengthens and restores weak hair as well as giving it a healthy glossy shine. I am also here to say the leave in serum is 10/10 too & I have repurchased it so many times.

L’Oreal Hydra Moisture Boost Shampoo – This is a great range, but I can’t use it too often as it makes my hair a little greasy. If you have more dry hair, it would work really well for you. It does give great volume and bounce, if you have naturally wavy/curly hair. I do like the intense hair mask from this collection as a treat for my hair after I have been swimming or out in the sunshine.

So there you have it, have you used any of the products I have mentioned. Or do you have any recommendations of skincare you have been loving this year, I would love for you to leave me any suggestions in the comments.

Products marked with an * were PR samples. I have not been paid by any brands to mention their products. I have also used affiliate links, of which I would receive a tiny % of any items sold.

Backup Skincare

- Vicki 1 Comment

I can’t be the only person that has backups of their favourite skincare / beauty products?! I consider myself to be quite low-key when it comes to hoarding products or buying new things, even though I love beauty and skincare. There are just a couple of items that I will always have a spare of so that when I run out I have one to replace it straight away. I wanted to share with you the 3 items that I have religiously repurchased and recommend time and time again.

Q+A Oat Milk Cleanser

This Oat Milk Cream Cleanser is my go to hot cloth cleanser. It is a lovely rich cream and I like how gentle it is on the skin, but that it also removes makeup.

  • Oat Seed Oil – rich in fatty acids, omegas and oleic and linoleic acid, this moisturising oil is easily absorbed into the skin. Vitamin E and ceramides help to lock in moisturise, promoting a healthy skin barrier.
  • Sodium Lauroyl Oat Amino Acids – which are gentle and less stripping, they leave your skin feeling less dry. They protect the skin barrier and reduce water loss for a deeply moisturising and gentle cleanse.

The Q+A skincare range is very affordable and great quality. I have been through countless tubes of this. I just need a mini version to take away on holiday.

 

Garnier vitamin C Brightening Night Serum

This serum has been years in the making from Garnier and contains, 10% Pure vitamin C & Hyaluronic Acid. It is of the best, affordable products I have tried for achieving glowing, fresh skin. It is great at reducing sunspot and uneven skin tone and rejuvenating tired skin, which is just what I need.

  • Vitamin C – A potent antioxidant with brightening properties
  • Hyaluronic Acid –  A humectant that retains moisture to hydrate the skin

I have to say that I like the day serum too, they make a wonderful skincare duo.

Kiehl’s Ultra Facial Cream 125ml

Both my husband and I swear by this cream, especially in the colder months. It is so hydrating and perfect if you have sensitive skin. It is non-greasy, lightweight and doesn’t feel heavy on the skin. It is what I reach for if the weather is cold, my skin is feeling dry or my makeup is not going on as well as usual. Fantastic at giving you that boost of hydration, and I travel everywhere with a mini pot of this.

  • Glacial Glycoprotein – Sourced from Antarctic sea glaciers to deliver intense hydration
  • Squalane – A natural moisturising agent and antioxidant
  • Pro-Ceramides to smooth skin and help boost hydration!

I would love to know what products you always stock up on.

 

Miller Harris L’Eau Magnetic EDP

- Vicki Leave a comment

Miller Harris was founded 15 years ago by expert parfumer Lyn Harris who spent five years training in Paris, then in Grasse at Robertet, the world’s leader in natural aromatic ingredients. Whilst respecting tradition, Miller Harris strives to push the boundaries, creating exquisitely crafted fragrances that are innovative yet timeless. Miller Harris perfumes are beautiful, luxurious and timeless. 

I was first introduced to Miller Harris almost 6 years ago, and I have not looked back. I have repurchased my favourite scents from them over and over again. I’ve tried five of their fragrances up to this point, and when they had their 50% sale at the beginning of the year I decided to try something completely new to me and treated myself to their

100ml EDP in L’Eau Magnetic.

You know that feeling when you find a perfume that makes you feel amazing when you wear it? well, that is how L’Eau Magnetic makes me feel.

This fragrance is not what I typically go for, I tend to like masculine, heavy, rich scents but as Miller Harris were having a sale, I thought it would be the perfect opportunity to try something completely new and different. I am so glad I did as L’Eau Magnetic has layers of sophisticated citrus, woody notes that are light, fresh, and crisp, but after you initially spritz it settles down to reveal a sophisticated, sexy layer with a zingy, zesty twist.

I would say this is a beautifully unusual scent that is perfect for long Summer evenings, it reminds me of the ocean and warm late nights on holiday. It is unlike anything I have in my collection, I am glad to have discovered it.

Top notes : Bergamot, Pink Pepper, Citron and Lemon

Middle notes : Petitgrain and White Cedar Extract

Base notes : Tobacco, Bourbon Vanilla and Tonka Bean.

The packaging for L’Eau Magnetic is very pretty, I really like the bold blue outer box, and inside the bottle shape is the familiar weighty squared off design that Miller Harris do so well. This fragrance comes in a simple, sophisticated clear glass bottle with a delicate leaf pattern and sophisticated black text. The bottle design is modern, minimal, and sleek, a look that compliments the fragrance.

I think this is the ideal scent for the fresh, warmer months, so if you’re looking to add a new fragrance to your collection I highly recommend checking out, L’Eau Magnetic. Miller Harris is available online at www.millerharris.co.uk.

All Miller Harris products are vegan, suitable for vegetarians and Cruelty-free. You can be confident that their products are formulated entirely without animal-derived products.

You can use my code 65KS83S82 at checkout for 20% discount

This post contains affiliate links

Samaya Ayurvedic Renewing Exfoliant Pitta

- Vicki Leave a comment

Samaya is an ‘all natural’ brand based on ancient Ayurvedic principles (one of the world’s oldest holistic healing systems) which focuses on maintaining balance through the health and wellness of your mind, body and soul and their products are the perfect antidote to a stressful, busy and hectic lifestyle as it allows you to incorporate balance and wellness into your daily skincare routine.

My dosha was identified as Pitta which tend to be: Well-proportioned and compact build, with a focused mind and a love of order. Confident and passionate, enjoying challenges. Prone to anger and impatience when out of balance. Benefits from gentle skincare as skin can be sensitive and irritable, susceptible to wrinkles, sunburn, and inflammation.

Which I have to say is a damn good match for me & my skin concerns.
I really like that the Pitta skincare focuses on healing, repairing and soothing, which is so up my street.

You can learn which dosha best suits you here, by answering a few simple questions

I’ve been trying out the Renewing Exfoliant. It’s a creamy non-abrasive enzyme based exfoliant. You use it every other day, apply to dry skin, leave it for 20 minutes then rinse it off.

I tend to use it when I have got a little more time, and that is more often than not in the evening. It gently removes dead skin cells, helps unclog pores, smooths skin and prevents blemishes.

It is also great at preventing and reducing pigmentation, fine lines and scarring. The cream texture means that it won’t damage your skin and that the exfoliator works without you having to scrub away a layer of skin. A much more gentle approach.

The ingredient list is packed with natural skin loving, beneficial oils, extracts, and plant based goodness. It is rich in nourishing & soothing ingredients,

If you haven’t used Samaya skincare then you are in for a treat, I would describe them as a premium skincare brand, that use key, concentrated ingredients to ensure their products delivers results.

*this product is a PR Sample, but all opinions are my own.