Empties #3

Soap and Glory Smoulder Kohl eye liner 
This knocked my previous favourite eye liner Rimmel Eye Definer off it's top spot. Soap and Glory Smoulder Kohl liner is creamy and waterproof. It also comes with a pencil sharpener in the lid!  Unfortunately I lost the top to the sharpener and the last couple of inches dried up. This is my favourite black pencil liner and it's reasonably cheap.
Repurchase? Yes 

KVD Vegan Discovery Go Big or Go Home Mascara  (Formally Kat Von Dee Beauty)

I got this in my Christmas beauty calendar and the packaging is different than what's currently on sale. This mascara dried up very very quickly which may be to do with the toothpaste tube like packaging instead of a traditional mascara tube which is the current packaging . The brush is a bristle type brush and like the name the brush is very big! This creates a lot of volume to the lashes and is good  at separating lashes.  It does what it says on the tin lives up to it's claims. It retails for £20 and the mini is £11. I would buy this again, normally I would choose a mini size as I very rarely use up all the mascara in the tube within 3-4 months but I'm slightly concerned that it dried up so quickly.

Repurchase? Yes.

Marks and Spencer Absolute Ultimate Formula 8 hours Sleep Cream
This a great night-time moisturiser it's creamy rather than greasy and does a good job of hydrating the skin. It's paraben free and contains hyaluronic acid to hydrate your skin and anti aging ingredient peptides. It is fairly strongly scented, it a floral, fresh fragrance but it doesn't exacerbate my asthma.  I also haven't broken out despite my sensitive skin.   
Purchase? Yes 

Simple Moisture Cream with SPF30
Simple has unfortunately discontinued this product which I'm heartbroken about. It's a great light but nourishing moisturiser that contains SPF30. SPF30 is the recommended factor to protect skin. Most moisturisers go up to SFP15-20 which isn't enough.

Simple Dual Eye Make Up Remover
I chose this because I like the No 7 dual cleanser where you have oil and cleanser which you shake before use, The oil is good at removing waterproof mascara and eye liner. I found that I got through this quicker than my usual no 7 one but it does remove eye makeup well.

Repurchase? Yes

F.A.B Ultra Repair Hydrating Serum (Sample Not Pictured)
This is very similar to Hylamide's serum but slightly thicker. It has a clear gel texture, without much of a scent which is great as it's less irritating on the skin. It's good and as effective as Hylamide's version and would be worth picking up.
Purchase: Yes 

Murad Hydro-Dynamic Quenching Essence (sample Not pictured)
Essence lotion hails from Korea and is used after toner as an extra hydration step in a skincare routine. Murad's Hydro-Dynamic Quenching Essence contains Mexican Blue Agave leaf extract to improve the skin's ability to attract and retain water. A mixture of watermelon, apple, and lentil also help reduce dryness and flakiness. As well as improving hydration this essence contains glycolic Acid to gently exfoliate  so that your skin is smoothed. 

It is a gel consistency and smell slightly floral. I applied this 3 times on one side of my face. I found that my skin felt softer on the side I applied it or 'silkier' as Murad puts it. I didn't notice it contained glycolic acid until the final use. I have sensitive skin and it felt quite gentle but I'm not sure if the irritation would kick in the longer I used it. Because it has active ingredients of glycolic acid this essence acts more like a serum so that probably explains the high price point of £65. It works but it is expensive at £65.

Purchase? I'm not sure. This is seems gentle on my skin considering it contains glycolic acid but it's too expensive for me on my current budget.

Neutrogena Visibly Renew  Elasti-Boost Hand cream SPF20
A friend gave me a sample of this and I actually really like it. It has a nice fresh scent that's not overpowering. It's quite a thick formula which rubs in well but it does leave your hands tacky but not greasy afterwards. However it's a lightweight moisturiser and I feel that it's not moisturising enough  to use during the current pandemic. They say that your hands give away your age so having an SPF is a good idea to prevent brown spots though a higher SPF 30 would be better.

Purchase? Maybe 

Boots Strawberry Lip Balm
This is my go-to lip balm it's moisturising, doesn't leave a white tint or make your lips tingle  and cheap! The scent isn't too bad either.
Repurchase? Yes. 

Shampoo and conditioners

Philip Kingsley Anti Dandruff Shampoo
This shampoo contains the ani-microbal pirotone olamine to calm the scalp while cleaning your hair. It has a fresh but very subtle scent that smells to my like watermelon and cucumber. 

However I found that I had to wash my oily hair twice and I still had dandruff. 

Repurchase? No. 

Tresseme Moisture Rich Conditioner
This smells really nice and made my hair shiny and sleek.
Repurchase? I'm tempted to pick it up again but I'm trying to find MCI/MI free (preservative than can cause contact dermatitis) conditioners.

OUAI Leave in Conditioner  Travel sized 45ml £10 / 140ml £22
This is the first leave in conditioner I've tried and I love it- it's a lazy girl's dream or for those who live with lots of people and want to cut down your shower time! It contains vitamin E, argan oil and primrose oil to moisturise and condition hair, while hydrolysed protein minimises damage caused by heat styling. The thick consistency doesn't look like it would work with a mister but it does deliver a overall fine mist and feels lightweight on the hair. It offers UV protection as well as heat protection. It's MCI/MI free  (known irritating preservatives)  paraben free and  OUAI do not test on animals. It did make my hair feel soft and silky, but it doesn't detangle hair well. Additionally if  you're looking for rich hydration you'd need to get an intensive conditioner. I think that the sweet scent may be overpowering for some but I love it it's a gorgeous floral scent.
Repurchase? It is more than I'd usually pay and doesn't detangle hair but I might get another travel sized one as the scent is so gorgeous!

Palmers Olive Oil Replenishing Conditioner
I bought this because it did not contain MCI and MI preservatives, but it's also free from sulphates, parabens, phthalates, mineral oil and gluten. It does contain dimethicone so if you're avoiding silicone this may not be for you. Extra virgin olive oil is known for nourishing properties and promoting hair strength and shine. It also claims to soften tight curls. The soya bean oil and keratin amino acids protects the hair from environmental aggressors and hot styling tools so that hair will look smooth and less frizzy, softer, bouncier and easier to style. It also contains Jamaican Castor oil which has a high lipid content to relieve dry itchy scalps while protecting hair from damage. I did not find that this reduced any frizziness . It did leave my hair feel soft and nourished although not sure if it made any difference it breakage.  It did leave my hair shiny but most hair conditioners do. I have long straight hair so I can't comment on curls. Apart from my hairdryer I don't use any hot styling tools. I also only apply conditioner to the ends and mid-length of my hair due to having an oily scalp so I can't comment on whether it helped my scalp.

I do love the squeeze tube packaging and the fact they have left some of the label transparent so that you can see how much product is left. I recommend using a comb to distribute the product even if it's mid to long length hair (I avoid my scalp as I have oily hair) because otherwise it will leave behind blobs in the bath. It has a mild refreshing scent.
Re-purchase? This was ok. Didn't blow me away but it's alright. The tube did last me a long time I want to try out other conditioners free from MCI and MI.

Empties #2

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.

Empties: Sample Edition

Garnier Moisture Match for Dull Skin (Wake Me Up)
This moisturiser is a clear gel which has a cooling effect that is very similar to anti cellulite creams. The gel actually smells like a perfume because it's so heavily fragranced and also has a strong alcoholic scent. The fragrance is fruity and fresh due to the grapefruit fruit extract and lemon fruit extract to energise you and wake you up. However the scent doesn't completely mask the strong alcoholic smell which irritated my eyes and stung a little on application probably due to the fact that alcohol denat is listed as the third ingredient. It does absorb quickly but I'm not sure how moisturising it is. It did wear well under my foundation (sleek oil free compact foundation.) It's also paraban free but does contain silicone (Dimethicone.)
Purchase? No. I like the concept behind this range- having moisturisers targeting different skin conditions but did not like the fact this has so much alcohol in it.

Merumuya Melting Cleansing Balm

This is probably the only negative review of  Merumaya's Melting cleansing balm which is such as shame as I was so excited and wanted to like it so much and it does seem to work for a lot of people. It smells like grapefruit (although there's no grapefruit instead it's citronelol: lemon.) It contains Echium Seed Oil (RevitElix ™) and Mangosteen extract too. The smell reminded me of Neals Yard's essential oil beauty products. The texture is very oily thanks to the almond oil and it's easy to massage onto dry skin while it emulsifies make up (the 'melting' part.) It then turns milky on contact with water. Then you're supposed to remove the balm with a cloth, I used one of the Liz Earle's muslin cloths. Merumaya recommend normal skins to repeat the cleanse and oiler skins to follow with Merumaya's Luxury Facial wash. Since this easily removed all of my Estée Lauder Double Wear Light foundation,  I can imagine that it would remove a much heavier foundation (i.e. Estee Lauder's Double wear foundation) without any trouble. It doesn't sting when gets into eyes. It can be used to remove eye makeup and I've read several reviews saying its fine but one who woke up with puffy eyes afterwards so I decided to err on the side of caution and to use a separate eye makeup remover instead (as I do with Liz Earle's Cleanse and Polish.) The next day the red patches on my cheeks got bigger and became sore (they weren't before) and I also got six painful under the skin spots. I did actually test this on half my face and was fine so I then used it all over on a different occasion thinking I would be fine. I think those with sensitive skin or dry skin should not apply this twice in order to prevent dryness and irritation. While it's cheaper than Liz Earle's Cleanse and Polish and Eve Lom, it is on the more expensive side compared to drugstore/high street cleansers, it retails at £16.50 for 100ml.

Purchase? No. It made my skin worse!

Body Lotions - These both lasted 2 weeks.

Aveeno body Lotion makes your skin feel so incredibly soft, however I didn't really like the smell (It's supposed to smell like oats, and although I eat porridge I couldn't really get with the smell) Purchase? I don't know. Maybe if it was on offer and if my skin was very dry- I would have to mix it with something that smelt nicer!

Garnier Body Intensive 7 days lotion  I absolutely loved the scent, it smells like Shea butter (which is one of the ingredients) sweet without being sickly. However it does contain alcohol and mineral oil which could irritate some skin types. This lotion does leave skin feeling soft  but I think Aveeno pips it to the post in the skin softening stakes and the softening effect lasts longer with Aveeno despite not having a 7 day claim. 
Purchase? Maybe if it's on offer.

Sunscreen 

Hawaiian Tropic Satin Protection Ultra Radiance SPF 15
Hawaiian Tropic Satin Protection Ultra radiance SP30 has received a lot of criticism for not actually protecting up to SPF 30 according to the Which? study testing sun lotion in 2014. This makes me a little wary of the SPF15. More confusing is that both products seem to be recommended by the Skin Cancer Foundation judging by the stamp on the packaging. Anyway it smells so nice and summery, a floral scent combined with coconut and cocoa. The smell isn't overwhelming which is good as I'm sensitive to strongly perfumed cosmetics. The 'Ultra Radiance' effect is gold glitter which is noticeable in sunlight. This maybe a bit too bling/disco ball for some but it would give a glistening highlight when applied to the legs. However SPF15 is pretty low so I'd avoid this if you're pale or are going to be on the beach all day.
Purchase? Probably not, the sun protection factor is too low I usually buy SPF30-35.

L'Occitane Shea Butter Hand Cream
This is L'occitane's best seller and has even been in Vogue's Top 100 beauty products as well as wining a Bella Beauty award in 2015. This is their original 20% Shea formula, and while it does make your hands feel soft and moisturised with minimal grease, I really don't like the smell, it's sort of like baby talc powder. I prefer their Jasmine version.
Purchase? This one, no, but I would buy others in the range.

Perfume

Kenzo Flower in the Air EDP
This perfume smells floral and sweet, however there is a hint of fruit (raspberries) and pink pepper that stop it being too sweet. I tend to go for fruity scents and steer away from sweet floral scents. The raspberries gives it a fruity feel, but more in a sweet way rather than the fresh, light feel of apples in DKNY Be Delicious or other citrus-y perfumes. The top notes are raspberry and pink pepper, the middle notes are floral including rose, magnolia and gardenia. The base note is white musk. This sample is actually a EDP which is unusual since most perfume samples are more often EDT. The scent was strong for the first hour but it did fade through the day. Around 8 hours later I could just about smell the scent on my wrists but no-none else would be able to.
Purchase? I haven't fallen in love with this scent and I would have to in order to spend £51+ on it for the EDP. The EDT is cheaper at around the £30 mark but again this is not a 'must have' for me.

Makeup

Everyday Minerals Face Soft Bronzer 
I got this free with a brush I bought from Everyday Minerals. I think the 'soft' in the name refers to a soft, subtle warming bronzer for light skin tones. It's a pinky orange shade that probably won't show on medium and dark skin tones. On my hand it's close to my skin tone  but on my face it is a very subtle and more orange than brown (I'm roughly Mac NC25/BB warm sand/Estee Lauder intensity one.)  I applied it over liquid foundation and again on moisturised bare skin but it didn't look good either way.
Purchase? No. It's too orange and doesn't really show up. To be honest I'd suit a darker shade.

Shampoos

L'oreal Elvive Nutrigloss Luminiser High Shine Shampoo
I have fallen in love the scent of this shampoo, it's very fresh and floral. This shampoo is labelled as a 'high shine shampoo' that uses glycogel shine sealer technology to resurface the hair fibres of impurities that disrupt light reflection and help seal the cuticles, coating hair with a weightless gloss. Typically for a shampoo that promises smooth (and therefore shiny) hair it does contain silicon (dimethicone) but is is free of MI (Methylchloroisothiazolinone)  MCI (Methylisothiazoline) preservatives that can cause an contact dermatitis allergic reaction and nerve damage. My hair was shiny after using this shampoo but because I have straight thick dark hair almost all shampoos make my hair shiny. As promised it didn't weight my hair down but I still needed to wash my hair the next day as it didn't control my oily hair.

Purchase? Probably not because it didn't control my greasy hair as well as my regular Pantene shampoo. But it would be good for other hair types- such as normal or dry hair.

L'oreal Elvive Smooth & Polish perfecting Shampoo
This shampoo contains Keratin-polish to make hair smooth, control flyaways and calm static. The camellia extract also makes hair soft. As well as keratin it contains Silicon (Amodimethicone) but is MI (methylisothiazolinone) and MCI (Methylchloroisothiazolinone) free. The shampoo has a pleasant fresh floral scent (although I preferred the nutri gloss the most.) It left my hair smooth and shiny but as I said earlier that often happens with most shampoos. My hair does feel a little softer and did not get greasy until the evening of second day hair which is as good as my current Pantene shampoo. It does benefit from using a conditioner with it though as I noticed some frizz and my hair was a little drier using this.
Purchase? Yes. I would say it's best for oily hair, this is going on my shopping list, paired with a good conditioner this should be great.