Sunday 18 August 2013

August empties

I usually have several products on the go at the same time for different needs, moods etc but this month I've tried to be disciplined and finish some of them, before throwing myself at a new unopened one.... oooh there's nothing like opening a brand new product!

The first empty this month is a cheeky chappy from Avon - The Naturals Kids Mango Crazy Hair Tamer. Since I have long hair that always has a mind of its own after getting wet, this is perfect to help comb out all the kinks. It's a gentle and non sticky formula with a super fresh apple/mango scent. I know it's for kids, but it's a cheap and cheerful favourite of mine that really makes detangling less painful and my hair smooth, sleek and shiny.

Another old favourite that I finished is Clarins Hand and Nail Treament Cream which I have used on and off for years. It's a very rich and luxurious cream that contains sesame oil and Japanese mulberry to soften and protect the skin and I love massaging it into my hands, cuticles and elbows - completely random I know, but it works a treat! The cream has a subtle fresh and clean cotton scent with a small hint of orange or citrus. I adore this hand cream and it's a good thing I bought a duo pack the last time, so I don't need to be without for a little while.

I got a small pot of Cherry Body Butter from Body Shop a while back in their sales - Body Shop Bargain post, and although I wasn't completely sold on the scent at the time I really enjoyed using it. It didn't have that sweet, earthy cherry scent that I was hoping for but the amazing qualities of the body butter make up for it. It doesn't really matter which of Body Shops' tempting scents you go for - the formula is the same with its thick, buttery consistency that quickly absorbs and still leaves your skin feeling deeply moisturised. The body butters definitely are great value for money!

At the beginning of the month I finished my Estée Lauder Hydrationist Maximum Moisture Creme which unlike many products does exactly what it says on the beautiful pot. It's a gorgeous velvety, silky cream that melts into your skin with a very gentle, subtle scent. When you apply it, you'll feel a noticeable difference immediately. It's like a mega boost in hydration and not only that - it continues to last throughout the whole day. Since I started to use Hydrationist I no longer carry with me a small moisturiser during the day for dry areas - a spritz of Caudalie Beauty Elixir is enough to keep my skin going. Apparently this is because the formula encourages the skins natural ability to retain moisture which fights the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. I LOVE this cream and will definitely get another one at some point.

A couple of times a week I use a mask of one sort or another either to hydrate, nourish, deep cleanse - whatever my skin needs most that particular day. It had been a while since I had used a Fresh Face Mask so I got the Lush Oatifix for dry skin which is supposed to moisture the skin leaving it soft, nourished and brightened. The mask contains bananas, oatmeal, ground almonds and is scented with a little bit of vanilla and to me that all sounds like the shopping list for a really yummy dessert! In the pot it looks fairly creamy and easy to work with, but when you apply to your face it falls into a million pieces. Unless you are lying down for 5-10 mins while the mask is doing its thing, there is no way that it will stay on your face. I liked the polishing feel of it, but the fact that it wouldn't stay on was enough for me to not want to buy it again. I have almost all of the product left, which says a lot about how I feel about this mask. It pains me to say it because I've always loved every Lush product I've tried, but this one definitely didn't work for me. I haven't given up on the fresh masks though, so if you have recommendations on another one with hydrating qualities, please leave a comment below!

A mascara that I have been using a lot the past few months is L'Oréals False Lash Telescopic Mascara in Magnetic Black. The formula is lovely and fluid which makes it easy to work with (not dry like some mascaras) and it's specially made to build intensity and to elongate the lashes. It comes with a long, very thin and flexible brush that easily reaches even the shortest lashes, close to the corner of your eye and I also find that it kind of curls the lashes as you're working with it. I'm so happy with this mascara that I've repurchased it several times and can highly recommend it to create long defined lashes.
L'Oréal False Lash Telescopic Mascara brush

Lastly, if you read my Body Shop Bargain post, you may remember that I was so excited about a Jasmin & White Frangipani candle, which smells absolutely amazing with a very genuine Jasmine scent. Now maybe I've been unlucky because not only did the glass break almost straight away, but it's also one of those candles that just burn straight down into the tumbler and creates a big crater, with lots of wax on the sides that doesn't burn - what a waste! I will try another Body Shop candle in a different scent to check if this was a dud, who knows - the others might be brilliant.

Have you finished a product this month you can't live without? Leave me a comment and let know what you'll be buying again as soon as you hit the shops!


17 comments:

  1. Replies
    1. Hey Asmitha - thanks a million. I like to read empties and to find out which products worked and which won't be repurchased, so I'm glad you liked it too :O). Xx

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  2. Hi Deanna! Thank you so much for visiting and for your nice comment. Hope you'll come back again soon :O). Xx

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  3. Lovely post! Shame to hear about the Lush mask, I've been wanting to try that but might give a different one a go now. Sounds messy! x

    Claire | AgentSmyth

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    1. I know - but I haven't given up on the fresh face masks yet and actually bought Cupcake yesterday :o)! Xx

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  4. I love the formula of the Body Shop Body Butter too! I used a kids detangling spray on my hair as well and use it all the time now.

    Hannah x
    http://b-l-a-b.blogspot.co.uk/

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    1. Hi Hannah, hope your new job is going well! Well I'm glad I'm not the only one using stuff intended for kids :o). Xx

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  5. i just complete the tag post !!!!!!!!
    nice post :)

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    1. Hey Jannat, just read it - thank you so much for joining in :o). Xx

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  6. Oh I love mango so much that I am very interested in the Avon hair tamer, especially since my hair is curly and loves getting itself into tangles. The Lush mask sounds very frustrating though, I haven't tried any of their fresh face masks but I hear there's a honey one that sounds incredibly tempting to me! I have acquired a decent pile of mascaras to try out but once I finish up those I will definitely keep this one in mind for the future :)

    I adore adore empties posts and definitely look forward to your future ones! it is so much fun to finish a product... I am thinking I might finish a face wash sample today!

    writingwhimsy.com

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    1. Yeay! So we'll see a review of it soon then :O). Xx

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  7. I have the cherry body butter and I like it but I also have the strawberry and I LOVE it! :)

    www.gingerbreadsmiles.blogspot.co.uk

    x

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    1. Hiya! Thank you so much for visiting, you can never have to many of them I think, I'm tempted by the peach one they have at the moment. Hope you'll come and visit again soon :o). Xx

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  8. Nice post, I have not tried any of these products

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    1. Thank you so much for the nice comment. If I was to recommend only one it would be the Estée Lauder Hyrationist, it gives such a deeply moisturising feeling.:o), Xx

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  9. Love the Estee Lauder Hydrationist!..I have really dry skin...it works perfectly for me. Works better than Clarins Hydraquench for me :)

    xx

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    1. I actually have Clarins Hydraquench on my list for next month, so it'll be interesting to see how it measures up. Hydrationist is so rich and wonderful and I'm sceptical if I can find anything better :O). Xx

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