April Empties: Products I've Used Up

It's that time again! An Empties round-up of everything that I've used up recently and my thoughts on which ones I'll be repurchasing in the near future.

Lavera Self-Tanning Lotion* (reviewed here)

If you're looking for a more natural and affordable Self-Tanning Lotion to try out, Lavera's is a good one to pick up as it's easy to use and gives a gorgeous sunkissed glow to the skin with not a hint of orange in sight! This is my second or third tube. Repurchase? Yes.

Dr Organic Pomegranate Deodorant (reviewed here)

Long time readers may be familiar with this one as I've been using it on and off for years now. I love the scent of it and it's free from lots of common nasties. Repurchase? I'm using up one from Evolve at the moment but will happily buy this again at some point.

Tropic Blue Lagoon Blemish Prevention Serum* (reviewed here)

Anyone else suffering from spotty skin since lockdown began? Luckily, this little gem from Tropic has been stopping my complexion from having a full-blown breakout! I tend to use it as a preventative measure twice a week as part of my evening routine. Repurchase? Yes.

Herbfarmacy Easy Breathe Balm* (reviewed here)

First featured in one of my Winter Wellness posts at the start of the year (link above), I've now finished off Herbfarmacy's fantastic chesty balm which came in so handy whenever I was suffering from a stuffy nose and blocked sinuses. Repurchase? Yes.

S5 Neutralise Cleanser* (reviewed here)

One of my favourite high-end cleansers, I can't recommend this enough if you have oily or sensitive skin. It's a super lightweight oil-free cleanser that just works so well for my troublesome skin. Particularly lovely for soothing any irritation or redness. Repurchase? Definitely!

Badger Balm Sleep Balm* (reviewed here)

Like many, I haven't been sleeping well at all recently so I've been using Badger's Sleep Balm every single night to try and help calm my stressed mind. It's lasted a long time as you only need to apply a tiny amount to wrists/pulse points and then breathe in the relaxing scent. Repurchase? I'm testing out a few other similar products at the moment so we'll see.

Human+Kind Watermelon 3-in-1 Cream

No surprises to see a hand cream in this round-up! I finished off this multi-purpose moisturiser from Human+Kind which has a fresh and fruity watermelon fragrance. Perfect for dry hands, rough elbows and cracked feet. Repurchase? Might do in the future.

Trilogy Blemish Control Gel* (reviewed here)

I like to use a targeted blemish treatment on those pesky 'under the skin' spots and Trilogy's Blemish Control Gel has been my go-to for quite some time. It works but doesn't sting or dry out the skin like similar products do. Repurchase? Yes.

Evolve Organic Beauty Daily Defence Moisture Mist* (reviewed here)

If someone asked me to only choose to use one toner product for the rest of my life, you guys all know it would be this beauty! Packed with Hyaluronic Acid and Peptides, it never fails to give my skin a hydrating boost! Repurchase? I'm currently using the new formula here.

Dafna's Eye Care* (reviewed here)

It sure was a sad day when I reached the bottle of this one recently :( It's such a gorgeous formula with a silky texture that smooths out fine lines and wrinkles around the eyes. If you can afford it, it's definitely worth the investment. Repurchase? On my wishlist.

Antipodes Divine Face Oil* (reviewed here)

Anyone know how many of Antipodes Divine Face Oil bottles I've gone through over the past couple of years? I have no idea, I've simply lost count! Here's another empty to add to that growing list - it's amazing for fussy combination skin types. Repurchase? Yes.

Badger Balm Cuticle Care* (reviewed here)

All that handwashing has left my cuticles feeling cracked and sore so I've been giving them some much needed TLC with this Cuticle Balm from Badger. I try to remember to use a small amount each night before going to bed to help soothe and rehydrate. Repurchase? Yes.

Soapology Secret Garden Soap

Speaking of washing your hands, I finished off this lovely bar of soap from Soapology which I kept next to the kitchen sink. This one's specially formulated for gardeners so it's extra gentle and caring, plus it's palm-oil free.

P.S - How To Recycle Your Beauty Empties!

All of the glass, aluminium tins and easy-to-recycle plastic PET empties will be put into my council's blue bin kerbside recycling scheme, but for the harder-to-recycle stuff, I will be:-

• Recycling the pumps and atomisers with Neal's Yard Remedies - more info at the bottom of their website here.
• Recycling any other products that my local council doesn't accept, such as flexible plastic tubes at The Body Shop, L'Occitane or with Garnier's Terracycle partnership - more info here.

What have you used up recently?

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Introducing: Badger Balm - Mineral Lip Tints, Cuticle Care & Sleep Balm review

Badger Balm is a popular natural and organic skincare brand that I often see pop up on many of the green beauty blogs that I follow. They have a whole range of brilliant balmy type products, as well as sunscreens, and with their adorable packaging, I just had to include them in my Introducing series for anyone who hasn't come across them before!

Like many successful business ideas, Badger Balm was created when founder Bill Whyte was looking for a natural product to use on his weather-worn hands which always cracked during the bitterly cold winters in New England, USA. After trying various remedies, he finally struck upon the idea of blending Beeswax with Olive Oil, which resulted in the first Badger Balm product back in 1994. Since then, this family-owned company has developed several different types of balms that heal and moisturise a variety of skin concerns, alongside aromatherapy based balms and more recently, natural sunscreens and tinted lip balms. 

I was kindly sent two of these newly reformulated Mineral Lip Tints to try out, which arrived with two of their popular balm products.

 Badger Balm Mineral Lip Tints in Rose Tourmaline & Garnet* (4.2g, £5.99, link)

Tinted lip balms are something that I seem to use more and more of these days, and the main reason is because they are just so low maintenance and easy to use! These zero fuss, twist-up sticks can be thrown into any purse/handbag/suitcase and within seconds, you can simply swipe them on and get a nice wash of colour on your lips without having to get a mirror or lip liner out. 

The Badger Mineral Lip Tints come in a range of colours and I received Rose Tourmaline (a subtle hint of pink), and Garnet (a deeper plum-red hue that gives off a 'just bitten into a cherry' vibe). Both are incredibly moisturising and creamy thanks to a blend of Beeswax, Olive Oil, Cocoa Butter, Coconut Oil and Shea Butter, and they have a slightly sweet but floral sort of flavour to them. Perfect for Summer when you want to keep your look light and fresh!

Badger Balm Cuticle Care* (21g, £5.99, link) & Sleep Balm* (21g, £5.99, link)

Two bestsellers from Badger are the Cuticle Care and Sleep Balm. Packaged in their iconic round tins (available in mini and larger sizes - the 21g mini tins are shown above) that feature the brand's adorable mascot, it's easy to see why they are so popular from the minute that you try them.

The organic Cuticle Care balm is an intensive and super hydrating formula which will give even the most cracked and damaged cuticles, the moisturising TLC that they deserve. Packed full of Shea Butter, Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Castor Oil and Beeswax, you only need to apply a small amount of this thick balm to your cuticles before going to bed, and you'll see a big difference in their overall condition in the morning. It also contains Rosemary extract which helps to encourage strong and healthy nail growth so that's a welcome bonus too!

If you have trouble getting to sleep like I do, a product like Badger's Sleep Balm may help. This specialised, all-natural aromatherapy balm has a base of Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Castor Oil and Beeswax, which is infused with pure essential oils of Bergamot, Ginger, Rosemary, Lavender and Balsam Fir. Dabbing a tiny amount onto the pulse points and temples helps to create a relaxing aroma that calms and balances the mind - ah, bliss! It's a handy one to have in your travel bag if you're a nervous flyer as well.

Have you tried anything from Badger?

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October Favourites

Skincare and makeup have been two passions of mine for such a long time now, but I still get excited like a little kid on Christmas day, when I discover new products to fall in love with. This small, tried and tested handful are my October Beauty Favourites.

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February Empties / Products I've Used Up

It's Empties time once again!  Here are the products that I've managed to finish off this month, my thoughts on them, and whether I'll be repurchasing or not. 

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Xmas Green Beauty Swap!

When I heard that Ria and Tania were organising a Christmas beauty swap, I instantly knew that I wanted to join in.  The swap was open to all bloggers, with the only caveat being that the products sent were to be 'green' i.e as natural as possible etc.  

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