November Empties: Products I've Used Up

Another month is rapidly coming to a close so I think it's time for another Empties post! Here are my thoughts on everything that I've managed to use up recently, and whether I would repurchase them again.

Antonia Burrell Bright & Light Eye Cream* 

I featured this beautiful eye cream in my February Favourites earlier this year and I'd say it's one of my top 3 favourite eye creams, ever! I loved everything about it - from the light but easily absorbed texture, the way it smoothed and nourished my skin, to the cooling roll-on applicator which made puffy eyes disappear in the morning. Repurchase? Yes, definitely! I have some other eye creams to use up first, but it's on my shopping list!

Green People Natural Lip Primer*   

I have notoriously dry lips, especially during the Winter months, so I'm not surprised to see this Natural Lip Primer in this month's Empties pile. It feels like a regular, moisturising lip balm that comes in a twist-up lipstick style applicator and provides the perfect smooth base for any lipstick. Repurchase? Maybe - I'm not sure that it did anything that my regular lip balm doesn't do, but I did enjoy using it.

Caudalie Divine Oil

I've lost count of the number of times that I've raved about this amazing multi-purpose oil and its gorgeous scent, but I think this might be the last travel size bottle in my stash - nooooo! I love applying this to the ends and lengths of my hair as a leave-in conditioning oil, and it's simply divine as an all over pampering body oil too. Repurchase? On the Christmas wishlist!

Balance Me Restore & Replenish Cream Cleanser

Despite being a big fan of Balance Me, I didn't particularly like this cream cleanser for my combination skin. I felt it was too heavy and left a bit of residue, so you might like this more if your skin is drier. Repurchase? No.

Green People Fruit Scrub Exfoliator*

This is a really nice and gentle facial exfoliator made with natural and organic ingredients. Did a great job of unblocking clogged pores and made my whole complexion look brighter and clearer. A lovely find! Repurchase? Yes.

La Roche Posay Effaclar Duo+

There was a time when I used this on a regular basis and saw results, but for some reason, this product no longer works for my skin. It just doesn't seem to do anything for me anymore and simply feels like a regular moisturiser that's neither hydrating or mattifying. Repurchase? No.

Tisserand Sweet Dreams Bath Oil*

Regular readers (and my Instagram followers no doubt!) will know that I'm not a good sleeper so I rely on a lot of aromatherapy products to help me unwind. I love Tisserand's Sweet Dreams range for this reason and their Bath Oil is so lovely and relaxing to use before going to bed. Repurchase? I think I already have a travel size of this somewhere - will need to dig it out!

Giovanni Tea Tree Triple Treat Invigorating Shampoo & 50:50 Balanced Hydrating-Calming Conditioner

I've gone through a couple of these travel size bottles from Giovanni's haircare range, and this combo is definitely the one that works the best for my hair. The shampoo is great for oily roots but doesn't feel stripping, and the conditioner is just moisturising enough for regular use and doesn't weigh down my fine hair. Repurchase? Yes, I'll definitely pick up the full sizes once I've used up some of my other haircare products. 

Kadalys Hydramuse Comforting Cream*

I discovered this in a French beauty box and it's a beautiful daily facial moisturiser that feels calming and hydrating, and sinks into the skin quickly without any greasiness or sticky feeling. Great for Winter skin and makes a super smooth base for makeup in the morning. Repurchase? I can't find anywhere that sells this in the UK - if anyone knows a stockist, please let me know!

Which beauty products have you used up this month?

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February Beauty Favourites

Happy Friday! Pull out your wishlists because it's time for my monthly beauty favourites, showcasing the best skincare and makeup products that I've been loving throughout February.

 Superdrug Naturally Radiant Glycolic Acid Daily Cleansing Pads* (60 pads, £5.99, link)

Heads up if you're a fan of Nip & Fab's Glycolic Fix Pads, because Superdrug have just released their own version for half the price! I've been using these since they launched earlier last month, and they've been giving me the same results as the Nip & Fab pads, but the Superdrug ones are less drying on my skin as they don't contain any alcohol. The pads are soaked in a blend of Glycolic Acid and Fruit Acids to exfoliate the skin and improve the overall texture, plus they're great for adding some glow to your complexion as well. Currently on offer for a mere £2.95 which is an absolute steal IMO. Cruelty-free and suitable for vegans too - I love them! 

 HAND (Have A Nice Day) Purifying Cleanser* (soon to be released, shop info here)

For my morning cleansing routine, I've been switching it up as I've been mainly using this gel based cleanser from HAND. It's wonderfully refreshing and does an excellent job of gently cleansing my face without making it feel tight or dry afterwards. A little goes a long way and I find that it works really well with a Konjac Sponge for smooth, clear skin. Free from SLS, SLES, Parabens, Alcohol, Mineral Oil etc, it's a good one to look out for if you're on the hunt for a new Spring cleanser. 

 Too Faced Love Flush Blusher in Your Love Is King* (reviewed here) & Too Faced Better Than Sex Mascara*

Makeup wise, I've been obsessed with this beautiful heart shaped blusher from Too Faced which I raved about (and swatched) in my Valentine's Day post here. It's such a gorgeous wearable shade and one that I've been reaching for almost every day lately. I've been careful to just try to use the top part though as I still don't want to destroy those cute bunnies! Another Too Faced favourite, but one that's more of a rediscovery for me, is their infamous Better Than Sex Mascara. I featured it back in my Best Of 2015 products, used up a few tubes and moved onto some others, but have since gone back to loving it now because it's such an awesome mascara. Lasts all day without smudging or flaking, and makes my lashes look amazing.

 Antonia Burrell Bright + Light Eye Cream* (15ml, £39, link)

My undereye areas have been particularly dry and sensitive throughout the Winter months and I've been slapping on eye cream like no-one's business. Due to this, I've been trying out a whole bunch of new eye creams from various brands recently, but the only one that's made any difference for me so far is this latest release from Antonia Burrell. Her new Bright + Light Eye Cream has a lovely cooling round metal applicator that's great for instantly de-puffing eye bags first thing in the morning, and the light, moisturising formula is packed full of active natural ingredients such as Pomegranate & Orange Blossom Peptides, Beet Extract and Oat Oil. Absorbs quickly and makes my dry under eyes feel nourished and super smooth. 

NB Labs Bio-Extracts Hydro Boost & Glow Boost* (10ml, £19.50 each, link)

Serums are something that I use in my skincare routine every day, and I've been getting into more of a mix and matching habit where I'm trying to choose a serum based on how my skin is feeling on that particular day. I was introduced to Bio-Extracts by the lovely Galina from A Curious Russian In London, and she was kind enough to send me some full sized products after I was impressed with the try-me samples that she initially sent. Out of these, my favourite products are the Hydro Boost and Glow Boost serums which come in really cool syringe style packaging. The serums do exactly what they say they'll do; Hydro Boost offers an intense shot of hydration and has botanical Hyaluronic Acid in its formula to plump up the skin even further, whereas Glow Boost helps you to wave goodbye to a dull complexion for brighter, more glowy skin in the morning. I particularly like how all of the products from Bio-Extracts are clearly labelled with no long convoluted names - it's a very easy brand to shop with!

Which beauty products have you been lovely recently?

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New In Green Beauty: Antonia Burrell Biotech Supreme Pressed Serum, Nourish Kale 3D Cleanse & Tropic Super Greens Nutrient Boost Serum review

New and innovative skincare products are emerging from the green beauty world left, right and centre at the moment, and there's plenty to be getting excited about. Here are just a mere handful of the latest releases from three key British brands, Antonia Burrell, Nourish, and Tropic, who are flying the flag for effective, natural skincare. I've been testing them all out for about 4-5 weeks now, so here are my thoughts!

 Antonia Burrell Biotech Supreme Pressed Serum* (50ml, £85, link)

Antonia Burrell is something of a green queen superstar in the skincare industry, and I love her holistic approach to skin health, as well as her sheer passion for what she does. Her new Pressed Serum has been five years in the making and is described as a 'skin perfecting elixir' which can be used by everyone regardless of your skin tone, skin type or skin condition. It's a true multi-tasker as it can be used as a standalone moisturiser, primer and a serum. The formula boasts four plant-powered biotechnologies (Plant Stem Cell, Natural Peptides, Fermentation, and Olesome) which work in synergy to deliver the best possible results for your skin, and also includes a range of plant actives such as White Bird of Paradise Flower (brightening/evens out skin tone), Amaranth Oil (rich in Omegas 7 & 9 to calm, soothe and nourish), and Poria Cocos Root Extract (popular fungus used in Chinese medicine to reduce redness and irritation). 

I first tried this out in place of my regular moisturiser and whilst I liked the instant plumping effects, it wasn't quite hydrating enough for me during this freezing cold weather. I swapped it around in my skincare routine to use as a serum instead, and I've been loving it! It pairs well with any day and night moisturiser that I've tried with it and really helps to brighten up my skin, as well as reducing redness. I also feel like my skin has become less sensitive since using this as it doesn't seem to get as irritated as easily anymore. It does take a little longer than most of my serums to absorb, but for the sake of an extra minute or so, it's truly worth the wait. If you've got the cash to invest in a new clean, green, effective serum, be sure to check this one out.

 Nourish Kale 3D Cleanse* (100ml, £25, link)

I've been a long time fan of Nourish and two of my favourite products from them come from their popular Kale range. I'm currently on my second or third tube of their Kale Biomimetic Anti-Aging Eye Cream, and I used up another Kale Enzymatic Exfoliating Cleanser last month which you can see in my December Empties post here. It's safe to say then that I was pretty excited when I heard the news that they were going to release a new Kale related product, and I couldn't wait to try it!

Nourish's Kale 3D Cleanse contains a blend of key ingredients such as Hyaluronic Acid, Probiotics, Oxygenating Extracts, Kale and Griffonia, to remove makeup, impurities and daily grime, and it helps to protect the skin against pollution which helps to minimise the signs of ageing. It comes out as a clear cream, but when you start to massage it into your skin, it transforms into a light green colour which is strangely satisfying to watch. I really enjoy using this as a morning cleanser because I feel it 'wakes up' my skin as it's very refreshing, and makes my skin thoroughly clean without leaving it tight, dry or stripped. 

Tropic Super Greens Nutrient Boost Serum* (30ml, £42, link)

We all know that green smoothies are great for our health, but how about utilising the benefits of greens into a serum?! Tropic have done just that with their new Super Greens Nutrient Boost Serum and as you just read above, I'm a big fan of kale in my skincare, so I was eager to try something like this to see if it lives up to the hype.

Hailed as a 'green juice for your skin', this Super Greens Serum is packed full of vitamin-rich and skin nourishing ingredients such as Chlorophyll, Kale, Maca Root extracts, Green Coffee, Marula, Tamanu and Kendi Oils. It has a nice lightweight texture that sinks into the skin quickly, and don't be alarmed by the green coloured composition - this soon disappears once it's absorbed. I didn't see any immediate results when I started to use this, but it seems to be one that gets better the more you use it as after the second and third weeks, I began to notice some differences. My skin has started to look more glowy and healthy in the mornings (I've been using this in the evenings), and the overall texture of my skin was much smoother. So far so good then!

Have you tried any of these?

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