July 2014 Empties

What I used up in July 2014

REN Rosa Centifolia Hot Cloth Cleanser* – I really like to use this in the evening as my first cleanse because Its great at removing every trace of makeup, decongesting your skin and it was gentle enough to take around my eyes. Its creamy and hydrating and left my skin very soft. Full review of this here

dr Organic Vitamin E Deodorant – This has been my go to deodorant for about a year now. It does a good job, its gentle and leaves my underarms soft. Its also free of any harsh chemicals which I like. I have many backups – a girl can’t be without deodorant.

No7 Beautiful Skin Hot Cloth Cleanser – This is my favourite budget friendly hot cloth cleanser. I always stock up on this when Boots do their No7 vouchers. Its a bargain but it is also gentle and you get a lot of product for your money 200ml last me a good couple of months. If you haven’t tried this yet give it a go, I highly recommend it.

Organix Teatree Mint Shampoo* – I finished the conditioner in this range last month. My husband really liked this shampoo & conditioner duo. I thought it was hydrating and left my hair manageable but not flyaway & it smells so minty & invigorating. Perfect for the mornings. When I can get to a Waitrose I will be replacing them & they last for ages as you get 385ml of product.

Caudalie Beauty Elixir – I have a love hate relationship with this face mist. I really dislike the scent but I like how refreshing it feels on my skin. I like using this when I fly (which isn’t that often) as it a really nice way of keeping hydrated on a flight. Im always torn about buying it & tend to purchase it when its on sale.

No7 Soft & Soothed Gentle Toner – This was my morning toner & it felt like it took forever to use up – this 200ml bottle lasted for about a year. It is a gentle toner that helps hydrate and sooth the skin. I did really like it & would repurchase it again.

REN Vita Mineral Active 7 Eye Gel  – I loved using this eye gel and really liked it for my overnight eye treatment. It helped tighten (but not dry out) the skin around my eye and left the area looking bright and well rested. It was so gentle and felt cooling too. It lasted me about 3 months so thats a big plus.

Bioderma – This was my first bottle of Bioderma & I always wondered what the fuss was all about. Now I know. This Micellar Water is SO good at removing makeup and leaving my skin very soft. It was gentle and you didn’t need to tug or rub to remove eye makeup, it didn’t sting my eyes at all. This bottle lasted me for 2 months & that was using it almost daily. I will 100% repurchase this.

Bee Good 2in1 Cream Cleanser* – This was so lovely and really good for my skin. Its creamy texture was soothing and left my skin feeling clean and fresh. Its kind on the skin, good to bees & a British skincare brand so it ticks all the boxes. This has been a lovely brand discovery & I have a few more products from them in my skincare routine. I’m really enjoying them all.

Indeed Labs Hydraluron Face Masks – If you’re skin needs a boost of moisture then these are the masks for you. They’re sheet masks and look funny & a little scary when on but they work like little miracles. These leave my skin feeling plump, radiant and my makeup sits so much better after using them. After using the mask make sure you pat the excess product in to your skin. Shame to waste all that Hyluronic Acid goodness as they’re are quite expensive but if your have dehydrated skin they will be worth every penny.

Kleenex Shine Absorbing Sheets – These have sadly been discontinued but Home Bargains were selling them for 29p a pack (50 sheets in a pack) so you better believe I bought a butt load of them. I will never run out. These have been a staple in my handbag, on my desk & in my car during this crazy heat wave. They keep me looking shine free & don’t interfere with my makeup.

MUA Undress Your Skin Radiant Under Eye Concealer – This was a little meh & didn’t really do a lot of concealing. This would be better used as a highlighter in my opinion. Oh and this has a shimmer to it, not what I want in a concealer.

Products that are marked with an * have either been sent to me for my consideration or I’ve received at events. I’m under no obligation to review them on my blog. However if I do, the reviews are 100% my own.

May Empties 2014

I’m currently living with family & trying hard to not to take over the main bathroom with all my lotions and potions. So I have been trying to use up one thing before opening another. Thats harder than it sounds for a self confessed beauty junkie. May was quite a successful month in terms of empties & here is what I finished,

Empties

Germaine de Capuccini Total Comfort Lotion £24.80 for 200ml- I bought this toner in a local salon where I go for my facials. I bought it about a year ago when my skin was sensitive and quite red in places, this was a great toner for calming my skin and keeping it hydrated. This bottle lasted me ages. I also have a foundation by the same brand which I love too. I would re purchase this again as it lasted so long.

ESPA Zesty Lemon Ylang Ylang & Crushed Tonka Beans hand wash £15 for 250ml – my husband loves the ESPA hand washes (I do too) but this one was in his bathroom and he enjoyed using it. It smells fresh and quite summery, it leaves your hands soft and clean but not stripped of all their moisture. I always put hand lotion on after I wash my hands but my husband said this was OK on its own. These hand washes are a little slice of luxury in the bathroom & the scent really lingers after you’ve used them, they last a good 3 months so I’d say they were well worth the money

The Body Shop White Musk Smooth Satin Body Lotion – I like the scent of the body spray & perfume from this White Musk range but this body lotion wasn’t as nice. The scent wasn’t as fresh, I used it all up but don’t think the formula is as nice as The Body Shop’s Body Butters & it wasn’t as hydrating & nourishing so I won’t repurchase.

Garnier Micellar Water £4.99 for 400ml- This bottle lasted me ages, longer than any other Micellar Water & I really liked using it, I used it as the 1st step in my cleansing routine. To tale off my eye makeup and a little of my foundation too. It was gentle enough to take up around my eyes and it did a good job of taking off my mascara & eyeliner without too much rubbing. I would repurchase this & think its a handy product to have. I always follow up with a Hot Cloth Cleanser or an Oil based cleanser.

Tommy Guns Fig & Plum Shampoo* £5.50 for 250ml – This was a great shampoo for taming frizz and a good first step in achieving sleeking more manageable hair. This also made my wavy hair look glossy & my curls looked more polished & less messy. I also had the conditioner in this range & they made a very good pair. I always use conditioner much faster than shampoo so they never run out together. I would repurchase these & noticed my local John Lewis store had a really good selection of Tommy Guns products so I’m going to try a different combo next time. Maybe a hydrating one.

May's Empties

Baylis & Harding Hydrating Honey Hand Wash* £2.99 for 300ml – This was in our kitchen & was a lovely hand wash, not as luxurious as the ESPA one but I guess the price tag is more affordable (especially if you go through them quickly). This was a gentle formula and sweetly scented always a good combination. It lasted a good amount of time & I would repurchase it again. This is also a Fair Trade product so if that is something you look for in products then give this a go. Its affordable, smells nice & leaves hands feeling soft.

Dr. Organic Aloe Vera Deodorant £5.49 for 50ml – I’ve tried to make the switch to natural deodorant a few times but never found one that worked well enough for me to feel comfortable. Then I discovered the Dr. Organics range & they have quite a good selection, this Aloe Vera one was the first one I’ve tried from them & loved it. It left my underarms soft & not irritated. When I’m really hot I get a little damp under my arms but I’m not worried about being sweaty. This aloe one has a very light fresh scent. I will have to see how I get on during the warmer summer but I have since bought 3 new bottles so I am all stocked up. If you have a natural deodorant suggestion for me, let me know.

Origins Make A Difference Skin Rejuvenating Treatment Lotion  – Loved this toner so much, it helped keep my complexion looking bright & feeling hydrated. I thought it was very good at helping to clear up stubborn blemish scaring & I will be repurchasing, although I think since I bought this it has slightly reformulated & improved so I’m excited to compare them.

Tropic Skincare Vitamin Toner £12.00 for 120ml – This is a really nice refreshing facial mist, it smells quite fruity and is packed full of skin loving vitamins & antioxidants and is alcohol free. I like spraying this at every possible opportunity as it made my skin feel soothed and hydrated. I do recommend using it in the morning before you apply your serum / moisturiser & again in the evening after cleansing & before applying your skincare. The spray action was like a light mist not a full on drown your face in liquid (thats happened before). Id say this bottle lasted me a good 7 months. I would repurchase this again, especially as a summer toner.

Have you used any of these products, did you like them / repurchase them? Let me know.

Products that are marked with an * have either been sent to me for my consideration or I’ve received at events. I’m under no obligation to review them on my blog. However if I do, the reviews are 100% my own.

Holland & Barrett Big Beauty Swap

A heads up to all my lovely readers, you have until June 11th to take part in Holland & Barrett’s Big Beauty Swap – they are encouraging everyone to bring their empty / half used products such as shampoo, shower gel and moisturiser to their local store and swap them for 25% discount off a huge selection of natural alternatives. So have a clear out & see what you can find.

Beauty Swap

Holland & Barrett are proud to only sell products that contain no nasties & this started 5 years ago when they banned toiletries containing chemical preservatives, such as parabens and sodium laurel sulphate (SLS), as part of their public commitment to natural beauty products.

So if you want to get involved in their Big Beauty Swap pop in to your local store armed with your empty products (which they will recycle). I’m a regular shopper in my local store and made the switch last year to use Natural Deodorant after having quite a severe allergic reaction to one that wasn’t natural so I can highly recommend the Dr Organic Organic Deodorant (my deodorant of choice).

There are so many of my favourite brands included in the sale such as Burt’s Bees, Dr Organic, Manuka Doctor, Dead Sea Spa & Montagne Face Masks.  If you’re unable to get in to your local store don’t worry, the 25% discount is also available on their website until June 11th.

Holland & Barrett

Let me know if you treat yourself to any of their natural beauty products, here is what I have my eye on.

Skincare

 

*Sponsored

YOU BEAUTY DISCOVERY ADVENT CALENDAR DAY 14, 15 & 16

What treats I have had so far. There are still a few doors to open, but these are the products from behind doors 14, 15 & 16.

Green People Eyeliner

Behind door 14 is this Green People Anti Age Eyeliner – This is a deep grey eyeliner pencil, it contains Vitamins C and E for Anti Ageing and protection of delicate skin. It also contains Shea Butter and Jojoba Oil that offer nourishing and moisturising benefits. Thats alot for an eyeliner. Sounds great to me. I am going to take this away with me to Scotland over Christmas and see how it wears. Green People are a leading brand offering Organic Skincare & Natural Beauty Products. This eyeliner is full size £10.95

Bioeffect

Behind door 15 is this Bioeffect EGF Serum – This Serum sounds like a miracle worker it stimulates and accelerates natural skin renewal This reduces wrinkles, pores and pigmentation. ‘Its key ingredient is Epidermal Growth Factor (EGF), a substance which occurs naturally in human skin and which has the ability to speed up the rate of cell turnover within the skin’. They say a few drops of this is going to keep your skin looking radiant, this sounds like a product I could get along with! I’m not sure how big this sample is but the full size is 15ml & costs £125.

Dr. Organic Eye Rescue Roller Ball

Behind door 16 Dr. Organic Dead Sea Mineral Eye Rescue Rollerball – This will come in handy over the Festive period, when I’m suffering from lack of sleep and too much partying. This rollerball is designed to cool your eye area, reduce puffiness and help reduce dark circles.

This has a combination of Rhodiola – to reduce fat deposits and boost cell metabolism, Betaine – Controls excessive fluid build up and Probiotic stressed yeast extract to increase cellular oxygen consumption to energise the skin. I am looking forward to putting it to the test. This is a full size product 15ml for £8.99

3 great products, all of which I will be taking with me for my Christmas break .