Hi everyone! I hope you’ve all been doing well and enjoying the summer. It has been SO HOT here in the UK, and as an Autumn/Winter kinda person, I’ve been struggling.. add being heavily pregnant to the mix and I’ve basically felt like death. It’s finally cooling down though and I’m starting to function again thankfully. Today I am going to share another empties post – I have been saving these up for quite a while now and I have a good bunch of stuff to talk about before I can recycle them all and get rid of them for good! So if you’re interested to see my thoughts on some products I’ve completely used up then just keep reading.
The Body Shop Almond Milk Body Butter (£6 for 50ml)
I got this in a big TBS set for my birthday in January. I love the almond milk, and the almond milk and honey range from TBS so I was so pleased to get a big set with lots of products. I have used up the body butter on my baby bump in the earlier stages of pregnancy. It was great for this as it has such a thick luxurious texture which really hydrated my skin! If you want something that will soak in super quick then I wouldn’t recommend such a thick butter, but if you want that intense hydration then definitely give this a go!
Repurchase? When I’ve used up more body creams I would definitely consider this one.
Clinique All About Eyes Rich (£30)
I’ve used up another of my favourite ever eye creams! I love this rich eye cream as I have pretty dry under eyes which really benefit from a thicker cream. I love how much smoother and hydrated this cream makes my under eyes, meaning I am able to apply a heavier concealer without it looking awful to cover my intense under eye circles. If you have dry under eyes definitely give this a go… if not maybe try the original as the ‘rich’ version is quite thick.
Repurchase? I have one ready to go, but I am experimenting with other eye creams currently!
L’oreal Hydra Genius Aloe Water (£9.99)
I’ve used up this super light weight water/gel moisturiser recently and I enjoyed using this in the hotter weather and when my skin felt a bit oily/greasy (which pregnancy has kind of made my skin feel). I have mine in the normal to dry skin version and it is super hydrating without being heavy or too much for the skin. I like how quickly this soaks into my skin and how refreshing it is. My only reservation is the high alcohol content, which kind of puts me off as I’m worried it will dry my skin out in the long run, so for that reason I probably won’t repurchase this one.
Repurchase? Probably not.
Liz Earle Cleanse & Polish Hot Cloth Cleanser (£28)
This cleanser seems to be a common product in my empties posts as it has been my go to cleanser for a while now. My skin tends to be quite dry so I like this thick creamy cleanser as it cleans my skin without stripping it at all. It feels so comfortable and soothing! As I mentioned above, during pregnancy my skin has felt a little more greasy and oily, so this hasn’t been cleaning my skin quite as well as it normally does. The product is aimed at all skin types, but I personally much prefer it when my skin feels drier! I did repurchase and I am currently going through another tube, however I also have been using other cleansers some days too.
Repurchase? Yes.
Hyco San Plus (£12.99)
A bit of a boring one, but a product I can’t live without so I still wanted to include it in my empties. I wear contact lenses every single day, so my eyes can get a bit dry and tired either in the morning or the evening. I don’t need to use these every single day, but I like to have them on hand for when my eyes need them as it literally provides instant relief! Much better than any other eye drops I’ve used in the past – although they are pricer too. I think I use these about 2-3 times a week.
Repurchase? Yes.
Bondi Boost HG Shampoo & Conditioner (£22.50 each)
I had such high hopes for this duo, however I really did not find them to be that great. These felt the same as any other shampoo and conditioner and it definitely didn’t make my hair grow any quicker as it is meant to, which for the price is quite disappointing. I don’t recommend anyone wastes their money on this!
Repurchase? No.
Function of Beauty Shampoo & Conditioner (£39)
I used up another duo of this FoB hair care products. I’m sure most people have heard of this brand now, as it’s all over instagram and YouTube, however if you haven’t it’s personalised hair care in which you can choose your own ‘hair goals’. I have been using this for a while, and at first I really loved it, but for some reason the past two times I’ve purchased my hair doesn’t seem to love it anymore. My hair is so fine and prone to breakage, so greasy and so flat! This used to somewhat target these issues and improve them, but now I can’t see that they are doing that, and for the price I can’t justify continuing to purchase.
Repurchase? Maybe I will return to this in the future when my hair has had a break from it.
Dove Nourishing Secrets Anti-Perspirant (£2)
Really enjoyed using this deodorant as it didn’t leave white marks, didn’t dry out my skin and smelt lovely for a long time. I found this kept me fresher than a lot of other ones I’ve used before. I can’t find the lotus flower and rice water scent online anymore, but I did find other scents which sound lovely.
Repurchase? Probably, though I tend to just pick up whatever is on offer.
Batiste Dry Shampoo & Volume (£4.25)
As you can see I have been through a number of these, and I don’t think I actually saved every single bottle. This is my favourite dry shampoo as the added ‘volume’ really does seem to make my hair look fuller and nicer! However I know how bad dry shampoo is for your hair and I really am trying to rely on it less, but my hair gets greasy so easily that I struggle to not just spritz this through my roots. My hair is in bad condition at the moment and I’m worried all this dry shampoo is to blame.
Repurchase? Yes I’m too addicted… but hopefully I won’t go through it as quick.
Johnsons Makeup Be Gone Makeup Wipes (£2.50)
I’ve used up a couple packs of my favourite go to makeup wipes. I have definitely been using less makeup wipes than in the past, however I still have used up 2 packs and I am going through a 3rd. I try to not use as many as before for environmental reasons, so I definitely don’t reach for these daily anymore. I know makeup wipes aren’t great for the skin, however these wipes are a good option as they’re so saturated in liquid so they easily glide across the skin and remove makeup without tugging or pulling at the skin! I have to cleanse afterwards of course, but these wipes do remove most of my makeup!
Repurchase? Yes.
Jack Wills Body Spray
This came in a little set that I got for my birthday. I loved the smell of this one and it was super handy to just throw in my handbag for work for a little freshen up! I’m pretty sure most people carry around a little body spray if they have a bag. I have loads of affordable body sprays still in my collection so this one has been replaced by another in my bag.
Repurchase? I’ll probably just make my way through other sprays.
Becca Under Eye Brightening Corrector (£24)
I finally used up this cult classic Becca Under Eye corrector! When I first got this I didn’t really like it at all and couldn’t get it work for me, but then when I gave it another go I absolutely fell in love and considered it a product I can’t live without. I have such dark under eyes and I also have some fine lines where concealer loves to settle.. when I use this under concealer it really brightens the area and the sticky texture somehow stops concealer from sinking into the lines quite as badly. When Becca announced that they were closing I was so sad! I ended up only using this up for special events etc instead of day to day. However Smashbox have since released a couple of the most popular Becca products, including this! Which makes me so happy! I picked up a new one from Beauty Bay, however it doesn’t seem to have launched on the UK Smashbox website yet strangely enough.
Repurchase? Yes.
Paula’s Choice 2% BHA Liquid Exfoliant Travel Size (£11)
This is another product which I initially didn’t like, but again it is something which grew on me when I tried it again. This is a super popular liquid exfoliant which is has a pretty high percentage of salicylic acid. When I brought it into my skincare routine, I think it broke my skin out as my skin just wasn’t used to it and maybe I used it a bit too often straight away – so I stopped using it. When I reintroduced it, my skin reacted much better and I felt it helped brighten my skin overtime and helped with texture. I use it about every other day, or sometimes a little less.
Repurchase? Yes, I have a bigger bottle of this now!
YSL Effet Faux Cils Mascara (£29)
Well I finally get to pop this one into an empties post.. It was probably beyond expired by the time I actually used the whole tube up. I wasn’t a fan of this from the very first time I used it, it made my lashes look okay but lots of affordable (and high end) mascaras do a better job, and for the price that is not what you want! This also smudged quite a lot and transferred really easily, which with my deep set eye shape I have to be careful with mascaras and choose something that doesn’t transfer so easily. I definitely don’t recommend this one – if you want a high end mascara I would go for Too Faced Better Than Sex or the KVD Beauty Go Big or Go Home!
Repurchase? Never.
Maybelline Lash Sensational Mascara (£9.99)
Another mascara empty! I’ve spoken about this one tons of times here on my blog, so it is no secret that I love this one, and for the price you really can’t complain. This gives me longer lashes AND more volume. It isn’t clumpy at all and it also doesn’t seem to transfer either. I find the wand really easy to use too which is a bonus.
Repurchase? When I’ve used up a few more mascaras.
Soap & Glory Jingle Blooms Body Wash Mini
This is another product I got from a Christmastime set. Every year you’ve just got to receive some Soap & Glory or it just isn’t Christmas right? This one is basically the clean on me body wash with a slightly different scent, but it feels the exact same and lathers up the same way too.
Repurchase? I’m sure I’ll get more this Christmas!
Imperial Leather Tropical Rainforest Shower Gel (£1)
For shower gel I pretty much just pick up whatever is cheap or on offer – often that is imperial leather. I don’t have much to say about this one other than it did the job well and smelt lovely and refreshing!
Repurchase? Maybe.
Palmolive My Fresh Splash Body Wash
I picked up two of these on a deal in (I think) Wilko. Again, it was just a cheap option! I like grapefruit scented things as I find them super refreshing in the shower. This scent was limited edition and I can’t find it for sale anywhere online so maybe it isn’t made anymore.
Simple Charcoal Purifying Sheet Mask (£1.90)
I definitely used up a few Simple sheet masks but this seems to be the only one which has found it’s way into my empties bag. I actually really enjoyed this charcoal one and it left my skin feeling clean, fresh and hydrated. This is aimed at blemish prone oily skin which I would never have described myself as having, however pregnancy changes skin and I’ve definitely had my share of breakouts and greasiness! So this was a great addition to my routine.
Repurchase? I still have quite a few sheet masks in my skincare cupboard!
That’s everything for my empties post this time! & I’m so glad to be throwing all this stuff out and starting to collect again. If you’d like to check out a previous empties you can do so HERE.
I hope you enjoyed reading this post, please feel free to leave any post suggestions in the comments below!
Jazmin xx