Empties #3 2021 – July-September #

I’ve been away from blogging for a long time following the loss of my dad and a few other personal issues but I’ve still been using beauty products in that time and still saving my empties as usual. I’m unsure if I will return to regular posts or not but I kept a write up of my empties, finishing 80 products in total between July and October 2021.

Haircare

Living Proof Restore Repair Mask

I’ve had a mini size of this hair mask before and I keep meaning to try and grab the full size on offer but I haven’t yet so I was happy to use this sample.

Briogeo Don’t Despair, Repair Treatment Oil

This isn’t really a big enough sample to accurately form an opinion but I’m not the biggest fan of hair oils anyway and this one smelt like toilet cleaner.

DevaCurl No-Poo Decadence Shampoo & Conditioner

This is a generous sample size but sadly I didn’t really get on with this. My hair is badly in need of a haircut right now so maybe it will be better when my curls aren’t so heavy but it just my hair a bit dry and didn’t do much for my curls.

Soap & Glory The Rushower Dry Shampoo

This is a mini but I do have the full size. This is the classic Soap & Glory scent and it works fine enough but I generally prefer Batiste.

Revolution Plex Bond Restore Treatment 3

This is obviously intended as an Olaplex dupe and I bought the full steps 3-6 set. Much like when I tried Olaplex, I didn’t notice any major differences from using this in my hair but it does feel soft and it didn’t do anything bad, it’s probably just not what my hair needs.

Garnier Ultimate Blends Watermelon & Pomegranate Hair Mask

This hair mask is meant for fine hair which I definitely don’t have but I find these Garnier masks pretty much do the same thing for me, it’s just a case of scent preference.

Beauty Works 10 in 1 Miracle Spray

This is a styling product with multiple purposes, similar to the Revlon Uniq One or Perfect 10. It’s a bit too thick of a texture for a spray bottle and it gets quite difficult to use towards the end but I liked this for adding moisture and as a heat protector if I was feeling lazy.

Revolution Haircare Argan Oil Moisturising Hair Mask

I do think this hair mask was decent and left my hair feeling smooth and soft but I just couldn’t stand the smell. It’s only a 200ml size as well so I think there are hair masks I prefer in this price range.

Maroc Maroc Amande en Crème Nourishing Hair Mask

Not a brand I’m familiar with but this came in a Latest in Beauty Box I think. It was fine but only a 40ml size so I didn’t really use it enough to notice if it did anything.

Primark Andrew Fitzsimons Fresh Dry Shampoo

I liked this but 175ml doesn’t seem a lot for £2.50. I feel like you could pick Batiste up just as cheap and more easily available. Anyway, this dry shampoo is pretty comparable to Batiste I’d say in that it does leave a white residue but it soaks up oil really well.

Aussie SOS Supercharged Moisture Hair Mask

I really liked this. It is a little pricey for a hair mask but it lasted a while, smells good and made my hair feel soft and hydrated. A lot of hair masks do basically the same thing for me but I do think this might be worth paying the extra for.

Neutrogena T-Gel

This features in all my empties posts. I switch in other shampoos now and again but I always have to use this because of my dry scalp.

Makeup

Ole Henriksen Banana Bright Face Primer

I’m glad I got to try this but I probably wouldn’t rush to repurchase. I like the pump packaging, it smells great and it leaves a nice glow to the face that can be used before makeup or on its own. I just feel like I have other products like glow moisturisers that do the same thing so I don’t always need a primer like this.

Lime Crime Wet Cherry Gloss in Maraschino Cherry

I loved this lip gloss. It smelt amazing, the shade is a juicy bright red and it’s one of those gloss formulas that doesn’t feel too gloopy or sticky. I also have this in the shade Cherry Slime and would consider trying others when I’ve used up more lip products.

Anastasia Beverly Hills Lash Brag Mascara

I’ve heard mixed things about this mascara so I’m glad I managed to try a mini. This was a great mascara for my personal tastes- I already have long lashes and I like quite a dry formula for fluttery, volumized lashes.

Charlotte Tilbury Beauty Light Wand in Spotlight

I‘ve had this in my project 10 pan for a while but I think I’ll miss having it in my collection because it’s such an easy liquid highlight. It has a sponge applicator that I know some people won’t like but I pulled mine off by accident and you lose a lot of product squeezing it out without the sponge there. The shade Spotlight is really pretty and natural for me but I would like to try her other wand products.

Revolution Soph Lip Balm in Candy Icing

As I said in my review of this lip balm, there’s only 0.9g of product in here so I knew this was going to get used up pretty quickly. I love Soph and I think this coming in a lip kit with a liner was a great idea but realistically, I’m not going to repurchase because I think the price is too high for the amount you get and it can only be purchased in the lip kit currently.

PS…Lip Liner in Toast

It does look like there’s quite a lot of this lip liner left but the last bit is really difficult to sharpen and the product kept breaking so I’ve called it done. This is a lovely warm brown nude from Primark’s range of super affordable lip liners so I would get it again if I see it.

Bobbi Brown Longwear Shadow Stick in Golden Pearl

I really enjoyed this mini cream shadow stick and it lasted a long time. The shade was super pretty for an all over the lid look and it lasted really well on my eyes. I would pick one up again maybe in the future.

Charlotte Tilbury Hot Lips in Glowing Jen & Amazing Amal

I have far too many lipsticks to use up and Glowing Jen mini seemed like an easy target. I love all the CT lip formulas I’ve tried and this one is lovely too but I would have preferred something more sheer because I feel like darker creamy lipsticks don’t look good on me. The Amazing Amal shade is really similar to other lipsticks I have so I used it to make my own tinted lip balm.

Fenty Beauty What it Dew Makeup Spray

This mini size lasted a long time and I do love the fine mist and the refreshing feel of this setting spray. The biggest downside is that it’s pretty heavy on the fragrance and that’s something I’m trying to cut out of products because my skin gets irritated.

Missha Perfect Cover BB Cream

I loved this BB cream. My previous fave was the Skin 79 one but I think this is cheaper, just a bit harder to get hold of in the UK. There’s 50ml of product in here, love the pump packaging and it lasts ages. Again, it does contain fragrance and other potential skin irritants so not sure if I will pick this up again just yet but this is just the perfect amount of coverage for me.

Benefit Porefressional Hydrate Primer

I liked this hydrating version of the classic porefessional a lot more than the original one and enjoyed using this mini. If you like pore-filling primers but don’t want anything too silicone-y, drying or mattifying, I think you’ll like this.

Touch in sol Metallaist Liquid Foil & Glitter Shadow Duo in Titania and Grace

I really like these liquid shadows but they do dry up quite quickly so these minis are good to try. Grace is the purple one and Tatiana was like an iridescent pale pink that gave me mermaid vibes but wasn’t the most everyday shade out there. There is still some of the glitter pigment left so I might try and empty that into a container like I did with the bigger sized one.

Dr Pawpaw Multipurpose Soothing Balm

I’m not sure what shade this is but it’s one of the tinted ones. This was like a coral orange shade that didn’t really suit me as a lip balm unless I applied the tiniest amount but it did make a pretty cream blush. Not something I would rush to pick up again but I would try another shade if I had one.

Avon The Big Gel Pencil in Rich Copper

I used to bloody love Avon gel eyeliners and this is such a stunning sparkly copper shade. Gel pencils do run out quickly though because they’re so soft.

ColourPop Crème Gel Liner in Lover Boy

I mostly used this as a lip liner because I have another eyeliner in a really similar shade of pink and it was just an easy way to use this up.

ColourPop Disney Lux Lip in Beast and Flynn

I have all of these from the Disney collection and initially I wanted to keep them for collectors purposes but they’re a soft lip cream type formula and I feel like they’re starting to go off so I’m trying to use them up instead. The shade Beast is a nice everyday nude shade and Flynn is a bit more mauvey so I thought these were the easiest to use up and I do enjoy the formula.

Revolution Cut Crease Canvas

There is a bit of product left in here but I hate the applicator so much and it just gets really messy to apply. I used this mostly as a general eye primer rather than for cut creases and it’s nice but nothing incredible.

L’Oreal Skin Paradise Tinted Water Cream

I like these types of lower coverage products but I prefer either my expensive Lumene Skin Tint or cheaper BB cream alternatives like the Missha one. This looks nice on the skin but again the ingredients aren’t good for when my skin is breaking out.

Skincare

Pixi x Caroline Hirons Double Cleanse

I’ve had this unused in my drawer for ages but I did actually really like it. It has both a cleansing balm and a cream cleanser with 50ml of product each so I did use it up quick but I think it would be ideal for travelling.

NIA 114 Moisture Rich Barrier Cream

I’ve never tried this brand before. This was a nice, thick face cream, good at hydrating for when I’d overdone it with exfoliating but I can’t see myself really needing a larger pot.

Farmacy Daily Greens Oil-Free Gel Moisturiser

I love trying minis of skincare and gel moisturisers are generally my favourite. This one has a strong fruity type scent that won’t be for everyone but I did enjoy it. I do have the full size of this already because I liked it but it does contain some irritating ingredients so I’m not sure yet what to do with it.

Paula’s Choice Essential Glow Moisturiser

I liked this because it gave enough of a glow that I didn’t need to add an extra primer or extra layer to my skin, it has SPF and the ingredients are nice. Will probably pick up the full size when I’ve used up some moisturisers.

Bobbi Brown Extra Eye Repair Cream

This has lovely highend packaging and is quite a thick, luxurious feeling eye cream. I did really enjoy this at first but all creams seem to stop working on me for some reason. I liked it but maybe not enough to repurchase at this price point.

Drunk Elephant Beste No. 9 Jelly Cleanser

I like Drunk Elephant and I did like this foaming gel type cleanser. It can remove makeup but I generally used it as a second cleanse. Something I’d use again but wouldn’t rush out to buy it.

Farmacy Very Cherry Bright Vitamin C Serum

I’m unsure about this serum because I didn’t really notice any changes in my skin while I was using it but I feel like my skin looks duller since I finished up this mini. I love Farmacy products but the full size of this serum is very pricey so maybe I will treat myself if it goes on offer.

Sand & Sky Australian Emu Apple Super Bounce Mask

I only got one use out of this sample size so I don’t have much to say. I liked the bouncy texture and it left my skin feeling clean but it also felt a little stripped so it’s either too harsh or I applied it wrong. There are no directions on how to use on the packaging and I couldn’t be bothered looking it up.

Soap & Glory Purifying Declog Mask

I feel like this product is a bit of a gimmick because it’s just two single-use pods of a peeling mask. I got it in a set but definitely wouldn’t purchase at the RRP. I don’t really use peeling masks like this anymore anyway.

Charlotte Tilbury Goddess Cleansing Ritual

My thoughts on the Charlotte Tilbury skincare range are that it’s nice and feels lux if you love CT and want to treat yourself but it’s also full of fragrance and not great ingredients so you definitely don’t need to spend this much to get good skincare. The cleansing oil side of this was good at removing makeup and had that spa-like feel to it but I found the charcoal step a bit too drying on my skin.

Ole Henriksen Truth Juice Daily Cleanser

I like the gel texture and the fresh scent of this cleanser but I did break out a lot after using this mini consistently so I’m not sure if this was the culprit or not. I’m glad I got to try this but I have cleansers I prefer.

Glow Recipe Watermelon Glow Pink Juice Moisturiser

I love Glow Recipe products and I really like their watermelon range. This moisturiser does have fragrance and potential irritants in it so that would put me off repurchasing but it smells lovely and gel moisturisers work well for me.

Avene Cleanance Expert Lotion

I bought this after trying the mini because I really liked the soothing qualities of this moisturiser. It has a thin texture and sinks in well but I’m not sold on this being good for oily, blemish-prone skin like it says because it contains fragrance.

Emma Hardie Moringa Cleansing Balm

I’ve tried this before but I used this mini for travel and decided to finish it off since it was open. This is a cleansing balm that does the job but I don’t personally feel like I need to spend the money on this. I’m also not convinced it was best for my skin.

CeraVe Hydrating Hyaluronic Acid Serum

This probably isn’t the best serum for my skin type because I don’t always need moisture but I really like CeraVe as a brand and I think drier skin types will like this. It was nice to apply and sank into the skin well, I just don’t think I need it. Excited to see what other serums they come out with though.

Dermalogica Eye Gel

This felt nice and hydrating but I’m not sure if it did anything else. Would use it again but won’t rush out to buy.

Q&A Charcoal Mask

I’ve only just discovered this skincare brand but I really like the products I’ve tried. This mask is only 50ml in size but they’re pretty affordable and I like the ingredients of this one if you’re looking for a clay mask that will clean your skin and not dry you out.

Q&A Niacinamide Daily Toner

This toner is the reason I found this brand because I was looking for an affordable niacinamide toner with no nasty ingredients. I think this did the job I wanted but it’s only available in 100ml size which means I would go through a lot of plastic bottles if I use this regularly.

Nip+Fab Glycolic Fix Daily Cleansing Pads

I was getting very frustrated with my skin when I bought these and remembered that they had previously worked to clear up scarring. They might still do the job but they’re also full of irritants and are probably terrible for the environment. I mostly used this on my body in the end.

La Roche Posay Anthelios Invisible Fresh Mist SPF

I loved this SPF spray so much I repurchased it before I’d finished my last bottle. Now, I still think it’s good but I’ve discovered that Garnier also sell a spray SPF that I picked up a bit cheaper so I think I’ll probably be sticking to that one.

Murad Retinol Eye Serum

This has been my go-to eye cream for ages now, especially on a night. With every eye cream I try, I feel like I really notice the effects at first and then it gets less impressive and this kind of did that too but the initial results were much better than I expected. I love the pump packaging and I love how hydrating this felt even though it’s a retinol product.

Elemis Marine Cream

This is the sort of face cream that smells lovely and feels lux to apply but I am conscious of the fragrance and potential skin irritants it contains.

Glow Recipe Banana Souffle Moisture Cream

I like Glow Recipe as a brand but this isn’t my favourite product of theirs. The cream itself is quite thick but sinks in quickly and smells like banana sweets. This is fine if you just want a moisturiser to provide light hydration on top of a retinol serum or whatever you’re using but I think a cheaper moisturiser would do the same thing.

SVR Sebiaclear Micro-Peel Toner

This is a niacinamide toner with a lovely fresh scent. Another product with fragrance in it so I probably won’t buy it again but the other ingredients look decent if you have clogged pores.

Aurelia Probiotic Skincare Miracle Cleanser

I used to be more into hot cloth cleansers but they’re not really my thing anymore. This one smells lovely, like a spa but it does contain a lot of essential oils and potential irritants so you might not like this if you have sensitive skin.

GlamGlow GlowStart Moisturiser

I did a full review of this here. It’s nice as a glowy primer type product but it’s not my favourite anymore because I’m trying not to layer up too many products and I have glow moisturisers that are more hydrating. It smells incredible though for applying on a morning.

Oskia Renaissance Mask

I really enjoyed using this mini mask. It felt super lux and left my skin soft and bright. The full size is alarmingly expensive so not sure if I’ll pick this up again but I’d definitely use it if I got another sample size.

Lancome Miel-En-Mousse Foaming Makeup Remover

I’ve had this mini makeup remover kicking about for far too long and decided to just use it up. It’s basically a foaming oil cleanser that does a decent job of removing makeup and left my skin feeling clean. Not sure if I would rush out to buy it but I did like it.

Filorga Lift Structure Ultra Lifting Cream

This is a bit too heavy and rich for my face so I mostly used this mini on my neck and elbows. I actually thought it did a good job but I wouldn’t repurchase it just for that!

Revolution Pink Clay Detox Mask

I’m sure I’ve used this pink clay mask before and got on well with it but I didn’t really notice anything this time. I know some Revolution masks have better ingredients than others but I’m not sure about this one.

La Roche Posay Serozinc

I enjoyed this mostly because it felt a lot like the Morphe Continuous Setting Mist only in skincare form. I’m unsure if it’s actually any good for my skin but I do like using a spray toner and this one felt super cooling.

M&S Formula Eye Makeup Remover

I got this in a skincare set and it’s fine if you like cream eye makeup removers and works okay with contact lenses which is a big thing for me. I just don’t really need a separate eye makeup remover product because I can just use micellar water.

Embyolisse Lait-Crème Concentrate

I really wanted to try this moisturiser so got a little sample. It’s a  very nourishing cream but I don’t think it’s something I would use as an everyday moisturiser.

Bath & Body

Replica Bubble Bath EDT

I heard someone on Youtube discussing this perfume brand who make scents inspired by real life, hence this is intended to replicate the scent of a bubble bath. I really love the idea of this and I liked this sample scent but maybe not enough to rush out and buy it.

Soap & Glory Bubble in Paradise Body Wash

I really love the scent of this one. It has summery packaging but it feels very comforting on the skin and gives me more wintery vibes. S&G have loads of body washes so I think it’s just a case of picking a scent you like.

The Body Shop Mango Body Butter

TBS Body Butters are a classic but they’ve never been my favourite. I do like the mango scent but I prefer a thinner lotion texture. Something I’ll happily use if I get it in a giftset or whatever but wouldn’t buy for myself.

Santuary Spa Shower Oil

I think I got this because it was fairly cheap and I needed to make up an order value on Amazon. It feels nice if you’re into oils but it’s best used for showering and I’m more into baths these days.

ESPA Bergamot & Jasmine Body Lotion

I’m not a fan of jasmine so I knew I wasn’t going to enjoy the scent of this. It does have that spa-like luxury feeling to it so I think you’d like this if that’s what you’re into.

Nuxe Beautifying Scented Body Lotion

I got this in a free gift I think and it was nice to use, absorbed quickly and felt really luxurious. The scent is very strong, I personally quite liked it but it won’t be for everyone.

Repurchase? No but would use again

Radox Muscle Bath Salts

I love these bath salts but I haven’t purchased anyway for ages. I actually got this box as a gift in a little care package from my colleagues at work which was really nice.

Palmers Natural Vitamin E Concentrated Cream

I’m surprised at how quickly I used this up considering I mostly used it like a hand cream when I got dry skin. This is a really hydrating and nourishing cream if you have dry patches and can be used for multiple things.

Misc

Barry M Under The Sea Nail Paint in Pacific Flame

I’m not a nail polish lover but I do love this duochrome shade. It has that brown to blue shift similar to the MAC pigment everyone used to love. Sadly, this one has become too thick and gloopy to use up the last bit.

111Skin Anti Blemish Facial Mask

I never buy sheet masks any more and I definitely wouldn’t buy from a pricier brand like this but it was fine, very serum-y and left my face looking clean.

Tea Tree & Peppermint Foot Pack

I think this was from B&M or somewhere so not too sure on the brand but nice for a little pamper session. This isn’t the foot pack that makes you skin peel but I did notice a difference in softness after using this so I was pretty impressed.

Real Techniques Bronzer Brush

It’s been a while since I’ve talked about a makeup brush but this one sadly fell apart while I was trying to clean it.

Recycle count: 39 out of 80 products were reused or recycled