I haven't written many empties posts so I thought one was long overdue. Below are products I have finished over the last few months and my opinions on them.
Boots Essentials Cucumber Cleansing Lotion
My skin suddenly got very dry and I had to switch from a hot cloth cleanser to something that wasn't as drying and much more creamier. For me the cucumber scent is so nostalgic: it reminds me of the Boots Natural Collection cucumber spray I had in my teens, the scent is very fresh. You're supposed to massage this into your skin and then wipe away or wash it off. Usually I rinsed my face afterwards but on lazy days I applied this with a cotton wool pad and then wiped it off with a wet or another dry cotton wool pad and my skin was fine, it doesn't leave a film on the skin. Initially I found that it made my cheeks feel rubbery, I don't know if this was due to the silicones (dimethicone and Silicone) but this feeling only lasted the first four times I used it.
This cleansing lotion will remove some mascaras (Benefit They're real but not Rodial) and generally all waterproof eye liners although not as easily as No 7's eye make up remover. I have sensitive skin and this hasn't irritated it or broken me out. It does contain paraffin liqiuidium (mineral oil) which has a bad rep for clogging pores and 'suffocating' skin. However a thin layer of mineral oil in a well formulated cream won't actually suffocate skin, your skin will work just fine. However I know some people are allergic to this ingredient. The cucumber extract is almost the last ingredient on the list which makes me wonder whether the cucumber has any cleansing properties at all or if it's just there for fragrance.
Repurchase? Yes, especially if I was on a tight budget.
Simple Micellar Water (sample size 50ml)
I'm a big fan of Simple's products because I have sensitive skin. I've been using this as a morning cleanser and at night as a general cleanse or as a first cleanser in a double cleanse routine. Initially I found that this had a warming sensation on the skin but then it went after a two weeks of using it. It hasn't broken me out though. It is aimed towards dry or dehydrated skin and while it didn't leave my face feeling tight afterwards I did need to follow up with something moisturising. However It didn't leave a film afterwards which was good. It doesn't have any artificial perfumes or colour which I appreciate and it's one of the reasons why I choose Simple products, but this micellar water has an odd smell-like earth and moss mixed with something chemical. However you can't really smell it once it's on your face and has dried down.
I feel that this is an 'ok' or average micellar water, it doesn't leave a film, irritate or break me out but it also doesn't give you a squeaky clean feeling and takes a lot of effort to remove waterproof eye liner.
Purchase? I'm not a big fan of micellar waters they seem to require a lot of cotton pads so it doesn't feel very effective. This did get my skin clean without irritating it and the price isn't bad (currently £4.94 for 200 ml) so I might buy it again if it's on offer and use a separate eye remover.
E45
This is my go-to moisturiser. It's fragrance free and very gentle on the skin. It's not greasy but because it's a lightweight lotion I have been adding a drop of The Ordinary's Squalane or Rosehip oil for a nourishing boost. I always buy this moisturiser in a tube because I feel that they're more hygienic than the tubs.
Repurchase? Yes.
Clinique Moisture Surge Extended Thirst Relief
I tried this once in the winter and found that is wasn't moisturising enough. I then used this in the summer and found it moisturised well. It is gel like rather than a cream which I not sure I liked but the lightweight formula makes it a good to use in the summer for those with oily-normal skin. It contains lady's thistle extract, birch bark extract, green tea and I was surprised to read caffeine! It has a fresh scent. This can be used as a lightweight moisturiser but is supposed to be an additional 'drink' or 'thirst relief ' for the skin.
Purchase? Not right now. Maybe in the future. I would like to try more in Clinique's Moisture Surge range but at the moment I can't because of budget restrictions. If my skin is dehydrated next summer I may purchase this. However I just feel that buying a hydrating serum might be a better way of adding moisture to the skin.
L'oreal Smooth Sugars Nourish Scrub for face and lips
This is a manual face scrub rather than an acid exfoliator. It contains grains of fine sugar which you apply to dry skin. Then you add water and rub the scrub in circles until the sugar dissolves. It is a very gentle scrub with cocoa seed butter to soothe dryness and the lipids in the coconut oil protects the skin barrier. The sugar grains are fine, they don't feel scratchy on the skin and there are lots of them which makes it much more effective than the Elemis Gentle Rose Exfoilator which did not have enough jojoba beads to actually exfoliate the skin. It smells of cocoa butter but it contains so much more than that, with apricot kernel oil, soybean oil, sunflower seed oil and rosemary extract. L'oreal promises instant and long lasting, visible results. Immediately after use and several days later my skin felt soft and smooth.
Purchase? Yes!
Clinique Moisture Surge Tinted Moisturiser SPF15 in 03 Medium Sample
I was surprised at how much coverage this gives- I'd say has the coverage of a light foundation. The colour match was pretty good though it was slightly pink/orange toned for me (I am more yellow toned) but it didn't matter because it can be applied in a sheer layer across the skin. It didn't irritate my sensitive skin and I liked the addition of an SPF and the fact it's oil free. (For reference I am MAC NC15/Bobbi Brown Warm Sand/Nars Ceylan.)
Purchase? Maybe. I used to buy Clinique's foundations before I realised that they were too orange toned for my yellow toned skin. If I could get a shade that had more of a yellow tone I'd buy it. However as it stands they only have four shades.
Simple radiance cream
The radiance in this cream is gold glitter. You may not want to wear this to work as the glitter is very noticeable. I only had a sample and I didn't have enough to use under foundation to see if that way of applying it would give a subtle radiance instead. If you wear contact lenses be careful about washing all the gold glitter off before putting your lenses in.
Purhase? Probably not.
No 7 Eye Makeup Remover
This is a dual phrase makeup remover where you shake the oil and rest of the liquid together. It's ophthalmology tested and does't sting my eyes as some makeup removers can. It removes waterproof mascara and eye liner without any trouble. I often get this when Boots give vouchers for no 7 skincare for around £3.
Repurchase? Yes
Too Faced Shadow Insurance Eye Primer in Candlelight (Not pictured)
I often worry when trying a new eye primer that it will really irritate my sensitive skin, but thankfully my skin gets on with Too Faced Shadow Insurance original formula and the candlelight version. Candlelight is a champagne tinted eye primer. I often wear gold/ champagne eye shadows as they brighten up the eyes and this acts like a primer and base eye shadow rolled into one. Initially I really liked this but then I began to feel that the gold looked too bright and brassy and not as soft and subtle as I would have liked.
Repurchase? Yes but in the original formula.
Body Shop Body Butters
Mango
This was the first body butter I tried and I'd say it is the best. It smells gorgeous and more importantly it mositurises incredibly well even if I skip a day applying it my skin still feels mositurised. I'd describe the consistency as being more like a lotion than a cream.
Olive
Although organic olive oil is the third ingredient this body butter it doesn't smell of olives. To me it smells of that Boots Natural Collection Cucumber spray I mentioned above. It smells very fresh. This is aimed at those with very dry skin but I found the mango more mositurising. The consistency is thicker than the mango being more like cream/mousse hybrid. It did leave my skin soft and I loved the smell.
Strawberry
I loved the smell of this in the shop, but I actually found the strawberry scent to be really fake and cheap despite having strawberry seed oil in the ingredients. So it went in my drawer for a few months before I decided to use it again. This time around the smell didn't bother me as much. The consistency is like a mousse. It's also aimed at those with dry skin and while it made my skin soft I prefer the mango and olive body butter.
Coconut
This body butter smells very tropical but can sometimes be a bit too sweet. It moisturised my skin really well.
Repurchase? Yes to the Mango, Olive and Coconut. No for the strawberry body butter.
Aveeno Daily Body Yogurt
This is lighter than The Body Shop body butters but very creamy and moisturising. Although it doesn't state on the sachet I think this is the vanilla and oats version. I like the scent despite not being a big vanilla fan.
Purchase? Yes.
Salcura Bioskin
Salcura Bioskin is used to treat skin allergies such as eczema. The ingredients are 99% natural and smells of essential oils. The leaflet that came with these samples had amazing before and after photos. However it did little to soothe, moisturise or improve my skin during my eczema break outs.
Purchase? No.
Head and Shoulders Anti Dandruff Shampoo Smooth & Silky
It's always good to have an anti dandruff shampoo in the bathroom cabinet and this has such a gorgeous fresh smell. I am looking for a new shampoo without MCI and MI preservatives but unfortunately this has both.
Purchase: Maybe. I absolutely love the smell but having sensitive skin and eczema I should really avoid these preservatives.
Pantene Pro V Smooth and Sleek Shampoo
I usually use Pantene Pro V Classic shampoo but I bought this smaller sized bottle for a weekend away. I noticed that I needed less of the Smooth and Sleek shampoo to lather up and the scent is very sweet. However the Classic shampoo is better at keeping oily roots at bay.
Repurchase? Maybe if I couldn't find the Pantene pro V Classic Shampoo.
Palmers Shampoo (not pictured.)
The coconut in this shampoo will make you smell like a Bounty chocolate bar. However it didn't control my oily hair because I had to wash it again 24 hours later. If you don't have oily hair then you may like this.
Purchase: No.
Givenchy Very Irresistible Perfume EDT
Usually I don't like sweet, floral perfumes but this one is actually really nice. It's quite modern so it's not in the 'smells like a grandma' category of perfume. The top notes are cassia, lemon verbena and anise. The middle notes are floral with rose, peony and magnolia and the end note is taif rose. To me all I can smell are the florals, mainly rose. I can't smell the lemon and I actually hate anything that smells (and tastes) like anise (such as aniseed, licorice and fennel) but it doesn't ruin the perfume for me. I guess it counterbalances the floral ingredients so they don't smell too sweet. It's a modern and feminine perfume but not really me. I prefer fruity and oceanic perfumes.
Purchase: If someone gave me a bottle I'd happily use it but I wouldn't rush out to buy it.
My skin suddenly got very dry and I had to switch from a hot cloth cleanser to something that wasn't as drying and much more creamier. For me the cucumber scent is so nostalgic: it reminds me of the Boots Natural Collection cucumber spray I had in my teens, the scent is very fresh. You're supposed to massage this into your skin and then wipe away or wash it off. Usually I rinsed my face afterwards but on lazy days I applied this with a cotton wool pad and then wiped it off with a wet or another dry cotton wool pad and my skin was fine, it doesn't leave a film on the skin. Initially I found that it made my cheeks feel rubbery, I don't know if this was due to the silicones (dimethicone and Silicone) but this feeling only lasted the first four times I used it.
This cleansing lotion will remove some mascaras (Benefit They're real but not Rodial) and generally all waterproof eye liners although not as easily as No 7's eye make up remover. I have sensitive skin and this hasn't irritated it or broken me out. It does contain paraffin liqiuidium (mineral oil) which has a bad rep for clogging pores and 'suffocating' skin. However a thin layer of mineral oil in a well formulated cream won't actually suffocate skin, your skin will work just fine. However I know some people are allergic to this ingredient. The cucumber extract is almost the last ingredient on the list which makes me wonder whether the cucumber has any cleansing properties at all or if it's just there for fragrance.
Repurchase? Yes, especially if I was on a tight budget.
Simple Micellar Water (sample size 50ml)
I'm a big fan of Simple's products because I have sensitive skin. I've been using this as a morning cleanser and at night as a general cleanse or as a first cleanser in a double cleanse routine. Initially I found that this had a warming sensation on the skin but then it went after a two weeks of using it. It hasn't broken me out though. It is aimed towards dry or dehydrated skin and while it didn't leave my face feeling tight afterwards I did need to follow up with something moisturising. However It didn't leave a film afterwards which was good. It doesn't have any artificial perfumes or colour which I appreciate and it's one of the reasons why I choose Simple products, but this micellar water has an odd smell-like earth and moss mixed with something chemical. However you can't really smell it once it's on your face and has dried down.
I feel that this is an 'ok' or average micellar water, it doesn't leave a film, irritate or break me out but it also doesn't give you a squeaky clean feeling and takes a lot of effort to remove waterproof eye liner.
Purchase? I'm not a big fan of micellar waters they seem to require a lot of cotton pads so it doesn't feel very effective. This did get my skin clean without irritating it and the price isn't bad (currently £4.94 for 200 ml) so I might buy it again if it's on offer and use a separate eye remover.
E45
This is my go-to moisturiser. It's fragrance free and very gentle on the skin. It's not greasy but because it's a lightweight lotion I have been adding a drop of The Ordinary's Squalane or Rosehip oil for a nourishing boost. I always buy this moisturiser in a tube because I feel that they're more hygienic than the tubs.
Repurchase? Yes.
Clinique Moisture Surge Extended Thirst Relief
I tried this once in the winter and found that is wasn't moisturising enough. I then used this in the summer and found it moisturised well. It is gel like rather than a cream which I not sure I liked but the lightweight formula makes it a good to use in the summer for those with oily-normal skin. It contains lady's thistle extract, birch bark extract, green tea and I was surprised to read caffeine! It has a fresh scent. This can be used as a lightweight moisturiser but is supposed to be an additional 'drink' or 'thirst relief ' for the skin.
Purchase? Not right now. Maybe in the future. I would like to try more in Clinique's Moisture Surge range but at the moment I can't because of budget restrictions. If my skin is dehydrated next summer I may purchase this. However I just feel that buying a hydrating serum might be a better way of adding moisture to the skin.
L'oreal Smooth Sugars Nourish Scrub for face and lips
This is a manual face scrub rather than an acid exfoliator. It contains grains of fine sugar which you apply to dry skin. Then you add water and rub the scrub in circles until the sugar dissolves. It is a very gentle scrub with cocoa seed butter to soothe dryness and the lipids in the coconut oil protects the skin barrier. The sugar grains are fine, they don't feel scratchy on the skin and there are lots of them which makes it much more effective than the Elemis Gentle Rose Exfoilator which did not have enough jojoba beads to actually exfoliate the skin. It smells of cocoa butter but it contains so much more than that, with apricot kernel oil, soybean oil, sunflower seed oil and rosemary extract. L'oreal promises instant and long lasting, visible results. Immediately after use and several days later my skin felt soft and smooth.
Purchase? Yes!
I was surprised at how much coverage this gives- I'd say has the coverage of a light foundation. The colour match was pretty good though it was slightly pink/orange toned for me (I am more yellow toned) but it didn't matter because it can be applied in a sheer layer across the skin. It didn't irritate my sensitive skin and I liked the addition of an SPF and the fact it's oil free. (For reference I am MAC NC15/Bobbi Brown Warm Sand/Nars Ceylan.)
Purchase? Maybe. I used to buy Clinique's foundations before I realised that they were too orange toned for my yellow toned skin. If I could get a shade that had more of a yellow tone I'd buy it. However as it stands they only have four shades.
Simple radiance cream
The radiance in this cream is gold glitter. You may not want to wear this to work as the glitter is very noticeable. I only had a sample and I didn't have enough to use under foundation to see if that way of applying it would give a subtle radiance instead. If you wear contact lenses be careful about washing all the gold glitter off before putting your lenses in.
Purhase? Probably not.
No 7 Eye Makeup Remover
This is a dual phrase makeup remover where you shake the oil and rest of the liquid together. It's ophthalmology tested and does't sting my eyes as some makeup removers can. It removes waterproof mascara and eye liner without any trouble. I often get this when Boots give vouchers for no 7 skincare for around £3.
Repurchase? Yes
Too Faced Shadow Insurance Eye Primer in Candlelight (Not pictured)
I often worry when trying a new eye primer that it will really irritate my sensitive skin, but thankfully my skin gets on with Too Faced Shadow Insurance original formula and the candlelight version. Candlelight is a champagne tinted eye primer. I often wear gold/ champagne eye shadows as they brighten up the eyes and this acts like a primer and base eye shadow rolled into one. Initially I really liked this but then I began to feel that the gold looked too bright and brassy and not as soft and subtle as I would have liked.
Repurchase? Yes but in the original formula.
Body Shop Body Butters
Mango
This was the first body butter I tried and I'd say it is the best. It smells gorgeous and more importantly it mositurises incredibly well even if I skip a day applying it my skin still feels mositurised. I'd describe the consistency as being more like a lotion than a cream.
Olive
Although organic olive oil is the third ingredient this body butter it doesn't smell of olives. To me it smells of that Boots Natural Collection Cucumber spray I mentioned above. It smells very fresh. This is aimed at those with very dry skin but I found the mango more mositurising. The consistency is thicker than the mango being more like cream/mousse hybrid. It did leave my skin soft and I loved the smell.
Strawberry
I loved the smell of this in the shop, but I actually found the strawberry scent to be really fake and cheap despite having strawberry seed oil in the ingredients. So it went in my drawer for a few months before I decided to use it again. This time around the smell didn't bother me as much. The consistency is like a mousse. It's also aimed at those with dry skin and while it made my skin soft I prefer the mango and olive body butter.
Coconut
This body butter smells very tropical but can sometimes be a bit too sweet. It moisturised my skin really well.
Repurchase? Yes to the Mango, Olive and Coconut. No for the strawberry body butter.
Aveeno Daily Body Yogurt
This is lighter than The Body Shop body butters but very creamy and moisturising. Although it doesn't state on the sachet I think this is the vanilla and oats version. I like the scent despite not being a big vanilla fan.
Purchase? Yes.
Salcura Bioskin
Salcura Bioskin is used to treat skin allergies such as eczema. The ingredients are 99% natural and smells of essential oils. The leaflet that came with these samples had amazing before and after photos. However it did little to soothe, moisturise or improve my skin during my eczema break outs.
Purchase? No.
It's always good to have an anti dandruff shampoo in the bathroom cabinet and this has such a gorgeous fresh smell. I am looking for a new shampoo without MCI and MI preservatives but unfortunately this has both.
Purchase: Maybe. I absolutely love the smell but having sensitive skin and eczema I should really avoid these preservatives.
Pantene Pro V Smooth and Sleek Shampoo
I usually use Pantene Pro V Classic shampoo but I bought this smaller sized bottle for a weekend away. I noticed that I needed less of the Smooth and Sleek shampoo to lather up and the scent is very sweet. However the Classic shampoo is better at keeping oily roots at bay.
Repurchase? Maybe if I couldn't find the Pantene pro V Classic Shampoo.
Palmers Shampoo (not pictured.)
The coconut in this shampoo will make you smell like a Bounty chocolate bar. However it didn't control my oily hair because I had to wash it again 24 hours later. If you don't have oily hair then you may like this.
Purchase: No.
Givenchy Very Irresistible Perfume EDT
Usually I don't like sweet, floral perfumes but this one is actually really nice. It's quite modern so it's not in the 'smells like a grandma' category of perfume. The top notes are cassia, lemon verbena and anise. The middle notes are floral with rose, peony and magnolia and the end note is taif rose. To me all I can smell are the florals, mainly rose. I can't smell the lemon and I actually hate anything that smells (and tastes) like anise (such as aniseed, licorice and fennel) but it doesn't ruin the perfume for me. I guess it counterbalances the floral ingredients so they don't smell too sweet. It's a modern and feminine perfume but not really me. I prefer fruity and oceanic perfumes.
Purchase: If someone gave me a bottle I'd happily use it but I wouldn't rush out to buy it.
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