Beauty Empties Round Up: Products I've Used Up

 

It's that time again when I rummage through the wicker basket of empty beauty products under my bathroom sink and share what I've used up recently - here are my Beauty Empties! There's quite a lot this past month with plenty of skincare faves so let's jump straight in.

Therapi Lemon Myrtle No 1 Honey Gel Cleanser

Gel cleansers are a must-have of mine over the summer months as they really suit my oily skin when the weather heats up and Therapi has a fantastic range of them. I've used their Lemon Myrtle Honey Gel Cleanser on and off for years and it's brilliant; gentle, purifying, and perfect as a morning cleanser. Repurchase? As it's now Autumn, I'm switching to a cream cleanser but I'll happily pick this up again next year. 

Sukin Rehydrating Gel Cream* (reviewed here)

My skin often feels dehydrated during summer so another gel-like favourite of mine is a good hydrating moisturiser and I love this one from Sukin. Lovely and lightweight, it sinks straight in and makes a great base for makeup too. Repurchase? I'll certainly consider it again next summer.

Neal's Yard Remedies Bee Lovely Hand Wash*

If you haven't yet had the pleasure of smelling NYR's Bee Lovely range, you need to get yourself to one of their stores ASAP! Honestly, it's such a heavenly and uplifting citrusy scent - I simply adore it! This hand wash was gorgeous. Repurchase? I typically don't purchase hand washes in plastic bottles anymore (this was a PR gift), but I'll see if they sell a hand soap instead!

Kueshi Naturals Lemon Shower Gel

I think this came into my life via a beauty box, I'm not sure but I can't say I was impressed, unfortunately. The lemon scent is very weak and the ingredients are not as clean or natural as it appears. Repurchase? Not for me.

Moor Spa Nourishing Facial Oil* (reviewed here)

A lovely 100% natural facial oil that's great for massages and evening use. A simple but effective blend of highly nourishing plant-based oils and full of essential fatty acids. As with all facial oils, a tiny amount goes a long way so this has lasted me a good 3-4 months. Repurchase? Yes.

Aurelia Botanical Cream Deodorant* (reviewed here)

Hands down one of the best natural deodorants out there and trust me, I have tried a lot of them! This one does the job without any fuss and never lets me down. It's on the more spendy side as it's definitely a luxury product, however, Aurelia do offer a money-back guarantee where you can try it for seven days and then send it back for a full refund if it doesn't work for you. Repurchase? Yes.

Evolve Organic Beauty Rainforest Rescue Blemish Serum* (reviewed here)

My blemish-prone combination skin loves this serum and it's another skincare favourite that I've been using on and off for years. Unlike other targeted spot serums that can dry or strip the skin, this Evolve Rainforest Rescue Blemish Serum is 100% natural and uses Salicylic Acid to keep blemishes and breakouts in check. Repurchase? Yes.

Green People Nordic Roots Apple Complex Moisturiser* (reviewed here)

As my skin sometimes likes to throw tantrums every now and then, I like to keep a fragrance-free moisturiser on hand in my skincare stash for those troublesome moments. Green People's Nordic Roots Apple Complex Moisturiser ticks all the right boxes by providing soothing essential daily moisture when my skin needs it the most. Repurchase? Definitely.

Beauty Pro Coconut Infused Sheet Mask*

Beauty Pro has a fab range of vegan and cruelty-free sheet masks which are 100% plastic-free, plant-based and biodegradable. I've tried several of these masks and the Coconut one is a good all-rounder for when your skin needs a hydrating pick-me-up. Repurchase? Yes.

Rodial Dragon's Blood Jelly Eye Patches

I got these in a beauty box and they surprised me with how effective they are! Amazing for depuffing and revitalizing tired eyes that need a quick fix boost for a special occasion. Repurchase? Tempted!

Flamingo Soap Co Coffee Soap* (reviewed here)

For fans of all things coffee scented, you can't go wrong with this gorgeous soap from Flamingo Soap Co. I've had it in the shower for a while and it smells so good when you're struggling to wake up first thing in the morning! The wraparound paper label is studded with wildflower seeds that you can plant to provide food for the bees - how cool is that? Repurchase? Yes.

What beauty products have you used up recently?

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Sustainable Beauty: Just One Switch Campaign with Counter Culture #JustOneSwitch

 

This month, I've been taking part in Counter Culture's online campaign to encourage consumers to make more environmentally friendly purchases. The focus has been on making 'just one switch' in your daily beauty routine to get you started towards a more sustainable lifestyle, one step at a time.

Counter Culture is an online UK store that is home to some of the best sustainable beauty and wellbeing brands, and it's proud to champion female founders and indie/boutique brands as well. Their #JustOneSwitch mission resonated with me as soon as I received an email about it because I often see people on social media saying how difficult it is to go from using conventional products to finding more eco-friendly alternatives. 

It can be a consumer minefield out there and thoroughly overwhelming at the start, so by shifting the focus on making just one switch at a time, the journey to a more sustainable lifestyle suddenly becomes a much more attainable goal. But where to start?

Counter Culture kindly asked me to choose a couple of products from their online store to show you how easy it is to make 'just one switch'! 

Switch Your Deodorant: POSY Grapefruit & Lemon Deodorant* (70g, £9.95, link)

Get rid of polluting aerosol deodorants that are full of nasties and switch to a clean, natural, eco-friendly one instead. There are so many brands out there nowadays that do them, so my advice would be to pick one in a scent and format that you like the most. 

For this challenge, I decided to try POSY Grapefruit & Lemon Deodorant which comes packaged in a plastic-free cardboard tube that has an easy push-up, solid cream stick of deo inside. I find this ultra-convenient to use and I just love the fresh scent of grapefruit and lemon essential oils. It's made from natural and organic ingredients, and comes in a card tube or tin format, as well as a range of different scents.

Switch Your Hand Wash: Flamingo Soap Co Citron and Coffee Soap Bars* (£6 each, link)

Washing our hands has become more important than ever for obvious reasons and I honestly dread to think of just how many plastic bottles of hand wash have been used up and thrown away during the course of this awful pandemic. However, it's super easy to switch to using a bar of soap instead! I'd recommend buying a couple of these and placing them next to every sink in your home - you'll be amazed by how many plastic bottles just one bar of soap can replace as they really do add up throughout the year. 

I love these soaps bars from the Flamingo Soap Co as they're affordable, free from palm oil, parabens, and SLS, and they're vegan-friendly too. They're a completely zero waste solution to plastic hand wash bottles and even the label is embedded with wildflower seeds so you can plant it and feed the bees and butterflies in your garden. My two faves are the Citron and Coffee soap bars, and if you're already thinking of doing another sustainable switch, why not pop one of these into your shower to use instead and save even more plastic waste?

Switch Your Face Wipes: Bamboo Collection Bamboo Flannel* (£3, link)

When you're thinking about moving towards a more sustainable lifestyle, one of the easiest ways to adapt is by making a pledge to yourself to stop using anything that is single-use. From face wipes to cotton wool rounds, there are reusable replacements for all of these things that are kinder to your skin and the planet. 

I would suggest starting with disposable face wipes because they are so commonly found clogging up our rivers and beaches; a soft and luxurious Bamboo Flannel is the perfect switch for these. This one is made from a blend of 50% bamboo and cotton so it's naturally anti-fungal and super absorbent. When you've finished using it, simply put it in the washing machine along with your towels, dry, and reuse it again and again. A super easy switch!

Visit CounterCulturestore.co.uk for all of these eco-friendly products and more

What product have you switched to?

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