September Empties: Products I've Used Up

I'm a little late posting my Empties (I blame the flu!), but I hope this massive post makes up for it as I've used up a hell of a lot of products recently. It's been one of those month's where everything just seemed to run out at once! So here's what I've used up and whether I would repurchase it again or not.

REN Wake Wonderful Night Time Facial*

This is my third tube and it's one of my favourite overnight skincare treatments that's packed full of Glycolic and Lactic Acids to exfoliate, hydrate and moisturise. Really does give you glowing skin in the morning and makes my complexion look much brighter. Repurchase? I have a few similar products to use up first, but I'll definitely buy this again.

Aveda Botanical Kinetics Purifying Creme Cleanser

Another product that I've gone through a couple of bottles of is this lovely cream cleanser from Aveda's Botanical Kinetics range, which I'm a big fan of. I love using this in the evenings as it removes all of my makeup easily, and works just as well as a second cleanse or as a light morning cleanser. Repurchase? Will do once I've used up some other cleansers.

Juice Beauty Stem Cellular 2-in-1 Cleanser*

If you prefer gel based cleansers, this one is brilliant and like the Aveda one above, can also be used to remove makeup as well as being a wonderfully refreshing morning cleanser. It's got a great organic formula that includes fruit based AHAs and Vitamin C, so it's a great one to try if you have dull skin that you want to brighten up. Repurchase? Definitely will once my cleanser stash is more under control!

NB Labs Bio-Extracts Hydra Boost*

These nifty syringe style boosters from NB Labs are a fantastic way to literally 'boost' your skincare routine as you just add a shot of the serum-like formula to your daily moisturiser and away you go. They do a bunch of different ones and Hydra Boost has been perfect for those times when my skin has been feeling dehydrated or dry. So easy to use and makes a big difference. Repurchase? Yes.

Liz Earle Eyebright Soothing Eye Lotion

Eyebright is something that I always use in the Summer months as it's a godsend for puffy eyes when hayfever season hits. This toner style formula instantly soothes and cleans the eye area, getting rid of pollen and other irritants, without the need for using eye drops. Genius stuff. Repurchase? Will do next Spring! 

Herbfarmacy Lip Conditioner*

Finally - I've used up a lip balm! I have so many on the go all over the place but this one from Herbfarmacy was a definite favourite. 100% organic, smells like vanilla and is really nice and moisturising. Repurchase? I have far too many to justify buying any more at the moment, but if I ever run out, I would happily pick this up again.

Evolve Organic Beauty Skin Saviour Body Oil*

This is a great oil for using on any kind of scars and marks including stretch marks and old blemish/acne scars, as it helps to reduce the appearance of them over time. Also lovely to use as an all-over body oil and perfect for dry skin. Repurchase? Yes.

NUXE Rose Petals Micellar Cleansing Water

Picked this up in a recent GWP and was excited to try it after reading some positive reviews, but I was pretty underwhelmed with it to be honest. It's nice and gentle on the skin, but doesn't remove all of my eye makeup and struggled to shift high coverage foundation. Repurchase? No.

Malin + Goetz Peppermint Shampoo

I thoroughly enjoyed using this travel size bottle up; it's very refreshing and zingy on the scalp and gives a deep cleanse without using SLS. Lovely stuff! Repurchase? Tempted to splurge on the full-size at some point!

Vita Liberata Self Tanning Anti-Age Serum*

Although I've finished this up, I found this self-tanning serum to be very 'meh'. The colour is great and looks natural, but I didn't see any of the skincare benefits so I'll be sticking with my James Reed and Tropic products when it comes to facial self-tanners in the future. Repurchase? No.

Vichy Ideal Body Serum Milk*

This is a lovely body moisturiser for anyone who hates thick lotions and wants something thinner and more milk like in texture, but still with all the hydrating properties of a thicker lotion. I really liked the fresh and clean scent that this one has. Repurchase? Yes.

Tisserand Sweet Dreams Pillow Mist*

Regular readers will now that I have a lot of problems with anxiety and sleeping, so I regularly use pillow sprays like this to help me relax and send me off to sleep. It's not as potent as the This Works Deep Sleep Pillow Spray which is my holy grail, but it's still a very good option if you want to try something more affordable. Repurchase? Yes.

Caudalie Beauty Elixir*

I only seem to reach for this in the Summer months as it's a little drying for me to use any other time of the year, but I do love how revitalising and refreshing it is. A cult classic in the beauty world, I love the awakening citrusy-meets-minty scent, and it instantly perks up tired skin with just one spritz. Repurchase? Will do next Summer.

Weleda Evening Primrose Revitalising Body Wash

I love Weleda's creamy body washes because they're so moisturising for my dry skin and this Evening Primrose scent was gorgeous. Clean, fresh and floral, without being too sweet - perfect! Repurchase? Yes.

Caudalie Premier Cru The Elixir

This is my second bottle and I was just as sad to see it used up as I was when I finished the first one. It's one of those serum-meets-face oil-hybrid types of products, so I often used it when I didn't have time to do a full skincare routine in the evening. Makes my skin wonderfully soft, smooth, hydrated and glowy, what more could you want?! Repurchase? I need to use up some similar products first but I'll definitely be saving up for another bottle!

Caudalie Purifying Mask

Another Caudalie product that I've used up and loved to bits in the past is this Purifying Mask which is brilliant for anyone who has congested and spot-prone skin. It draws out impurities a treat but doesn't dry out the skin, and also helps to rebalance excess sebum, so it comes in really useful over the Summer when my skin is naturally oilier. Repurchase? Will do once I've finished up a couple of other masks.

What beauty products have you used up this month?

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July Empties: Products I've Used Up

Can you believe that another month is coming to an end?! You know what that means - it's time to rummage through my rubbish and see what beauty products I've managed to use up this month. Here are my July Empties!

Bee Good Honey & Wild Flax Daily Moisturiser

My skin can be quite fussy with moisturisers in the Summer months, but this one is a winner for oily/combo types! It's perfect for balancing the oiler areas, whilst keeping the drier parts hydrated and there's Honey and Propolis in the formula which have great antibacterial properties for keeping blemishes at bay. I've gone through a couple of tubes of this over the past few years! Repurchase? I have some other moisturisers to finish up first, but will definitely pick this up again in the near future.

STARSKIN Walk of Fame Foot Mask Socks*

Loved these, have used them in the past and they are one of the best products of this kind out there. They really do help to sort out any dry bits and they'll leave your feet feeling wonderfully soft for days afterwards. Repurchase? They're pricey, so I'll be keeping an eye out for an offer or discount code first!

NUXE Splendieuse Anti-Dark Spot Perfecting Mask*

If you follow me on Instagram, you may have seen my rather unflattering selfie wearing this last night in my Instagram Stories and it was the last one in my pack. I really like these ones for brightening up a dull complexion as they have Vitamin C in them so they're great before a special occasion or a night out. Repurchase? I have a bunch of sheet masks to use up from various brands before I can justify buying anymore, but once I've got a handle on my stash I will be treating myself to some more of these!

Masque Bar Eye Treat Dark Circle Reducer Minimizing Patches*  

If you have dark circles and need help brightening them up, these eye masks from Masque Bar are fantastic. They're not a miracle worker but they do give me a noticeable difference whenever I use them and are perfect to use the next morning after a late night or before a special occasion. Repurchase? Like the sheet masks, I have a couple of eye masks to get through, but I'd definitely pick these up again.

Vita Liberata Self Tanning Night Moisture Mask

This travel size sample was from a recent GWP and although I've gone through a full size tube of this mask before, I'm still undecided about this product - how weird is that?! Sometimes I put it on and love it, other times I just think it's a bit 'meh' as the colour is very subtle. Repurchase? No, I think I'm just going to stick with the James Reed Sleep Mask Tan for the time being.

Liz Earle Cleanse & Polish Hot Cloth Cleanser

I've lost count of how many tubes of this cleanser I've gone through over the years and I always, always have one or two in my skincare stash. It gets rid of every single trace of makeup so effortlessly (including waterproof mascara), and I really like using it as a first cleanse in the evenings to remove everything else like daily grime and sunscreen. Repurchase? Already have!

Caudalie Premier Cru The Elixir

Another sample freebie from a GWP, I actually have the full size bottle of this which I'm about halfway through, but I used this up first as it was in my travel bag. It's a beautiful half oil/half serum type of formula and is amazing for keeping the skin hydrated. Feels like such a treat whenever I use it! Repurchase? Will do after I've used up the full-size.

Urban Veda Purifying Hydrating Toner

This is a lovely summer skincare product for my oily/combo skin. It contains Ayurvedic Neem, Witch Hazel and Tea Tree Oil to rebalance and detoxify congested skin, but there's also Rose Water in the formula to put some essential moisture back in so you get the best of both worlds. If you have blemishes or breakout prone skin, you need to try this! Repurchase? Will do after I've used up some other toners first.

Hairy Jayne Pre Shampoo Treatment Oil*

If my scalp feels dry or itchy, I'll use something like this to re-balance and rehydrate it. This one from Hairy Jayne has an Olive and Argan Oil base, plus several key essential oils like Clary Sage and Lavender to make my scalp feel happy again. You only need to use a few drops per treatment, so this bottle has lasted me a long time! Repurchase? Yes.

Hairy Jayne Citrus Hair Perfume with Heat Protection

Another product that I love from Hairy Jayne are their all-natural hair perfumes as they also double up as a heat protector for blow-drying and straightening. I've tried all of their scents, but this Citrus one is my favourite and I think this is my second or third bottle that I've gone through. Again, a little goes a long way so they're great value for money and last ages. Repurchase? Yes. 

Origins Maskimiser 

Despite initially liking the concept behind this product (it's designed to be a hydrating spritz that you use before applying any face mask to 'maximise' its benefits), I didn't notice any differences from using it. It just feels like a regular hydrating toner which is nice, but it doesn't seem to enhance or 'maximise' anything in the short or long term. Repurchase? Nope!

Weleda Arnica Sports Shower Gel

Although I absolutely love Weleda's Creamy Body Washes, this shower gel is something that I like to go back to during the summer months because it's so lovely and refreshing to use. Great for using after a workout or just if it's been particularly hot and sticky that day. Repurchase? Yes. 

Aveda Stress Fix Composition Oil

You guys all know how much I adore the Composition Oils from Aveda and their Stress Fix scent is one of my all-time favourite fragrances from a luxury pampering brand. Whenever I use this, I always feel instantly more relaxed and you can use these oils in the bath, all over the body and as a scalp and hair treatment too. It's a multitasking superstar! Repurchase? Definitely.

What beauty products have you used up this month?

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July Favourites

July was a particularly good month for new beauty discoveries, so here are my favourites of the bunch!

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Summer Self-Tanning: Vita Liberata Phenomenal Tan Mousse, Night Moisture Mask, Body Blur, Anti-Age Serum & Marula Dry Oil Self Tan review

Last month, I was introduced to the world of Vita Liberata - the luxury self-tan experts who have some pretty nifty and innovative formulas. I've been testing out a mix of some of their bestsellers and new launches to give you an idea of what they have to offer.

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Budget Beauty: You Beauty Box - February 2016 review

As I mentioned last month, the You Beauty Discovery box has undergone a re-branding and become simply You Beauty box. The first official box since the change came out a few days ago and I'm very happy with it! 

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