Batiste Dry Shampoo: Empty-Review

Empties: Mini Reviews

Today I finished this tiny travel sized floral scented dry shampoo from Batiste that I've had for about 9 months.

A dry shampoo is a product to use on 3rd day hair or when your hair is getting a bit greasy but you're not quite ready to wash it fully in the shower yet. I don't use a dry shampoo loads, but I do get it. I'm just not quite as obsessed with the idea of it as some other people are.

I bought this tiny size to take to Reading Festival- dry shampoo is definitely a festival essential! No one wants greasy hair but having a shower at festivals is more of a challenge and effort than you'd expect.

This product does leave a bit of a white cast on your hair- it needs to be rubbed in properly otherwise you'll have white hair! I bought this when I was blonde, so maybe when I repurchase this I'll buy a different version- Batiste have one specially for brunettes which is a deeper coloured spray.

Will I repurchase this product? I already have a large bottle of this (literally half the size of one of my arms) in my hair products drawer. I'll probably always want to have a dry shampoo in my possession, and I've heard from everyone who's tried this that this is the best one out there. So I don't necessarily see me trying any other brands of dry shampoos.

Do you use dry shampoo? Which scent from Batiste is your favourite? Let me know in the comments below.

Burt's Bees Body Wash: Empty-Review

Empties: Mini Reviews

Today I finished: this Peppermint and Rosemary Body Wash from Burt's Bees.

This is slightly smaller than the normal size as I got it in a gift set a few months ago.

I used this to clean myself in the shower, it has a nice, fresh scent which might be a bit overpowering for some people, but I liked it. Also the formulation is quite thick but I found this was a good thing and not a hindrance.

I don't think I'll repurchase this as I have other body washes or shower gels ready to use, and others I probably prefer more than this. A good alternative but still a similar product to this are the shower gels from The Body Shop which I actually prefer to this.

What's your favourite brand? What product did you last use up? Let me know in the comments below.

Benefit Benetint: Empty-Review

Empties: Mini Reviews

Today I finished this mini sample of Benefit's cheek stain Benetint.

I got the sample in an old box set I got as a gift many many years ago now- it was one of my first makeup products and I don't have any of the other elements of the box left.

The full size is around the £20 mark, as with most Benefit products.

I used this as a lip product as well as a cheek one, as it gives a nice natural flush to the lips without being a proper classic red lipstick or anything. On the cheeks I also noticed it blended out very well. Other cheek stains have the tendency to be really patchy, but this is not.

The little but firm brush which came with this product was amazing

Will I repurchase this product? I don't think I'll buy the full size because it's just not something I particularly need. But i can see the benefits -sorry- to using a cheek stain, and especially this one which is the best I've tried.

Have you tried Benetint? What's your favourite Benefit product? Let me know in the comments below.

Bourjois 1 Second Nail Polish Remover: Empty-Review

Empties: Mini Reviews

When I completely finish a product, I upload a quick blog post reviewing it.

This is kind of a mixture of an empty and a 'i'm gonna have to get rid', as it's just not working as it used to.

Today I'm throwing out the Bourjois Magic 1 second Nail Polish remover.

This product is I think £5.99 (but I technically got it half price because at the time it was on buy one get one free), and I got it from Superdrug probably around a year to two years ago.

This pot of magic (*not really magic) is a lifesaver and I will never return to the conventional 'cotton pad and nail varnish remover' method after using it. It's basically lined with a thick cushiony material soaked in polish remover which lifts off any nail polish when you put your finger in. I use what I explain as 'the dip and twist' method, where you rub your finger against the cushion as you twist your finger round. 

Does it remove nail polish in 1 second? Not really, and especially not for glitter. But there is no doubt that it is such a time and money saver.

With time, clearly it takes more effort to remove nail polish. Also, as you can see from the picture below, due to me using this hundreds of times before, the polish remover/water inside has become stained, and as a result leaves a purpley line on my finger where I have used the product.

However this mark does wash off after a few hand-washes, and leaves no permanent stain.

The cushiony thing inside is a bit battered now also.

It leaves a slight oil residue on the hands (which dries off though, it just takes a while), and a vanilla/almond scent.

Quick tip: If your tub is drying up a bit, just pour in some nail polish remover to top it up! I've done this and it means it lasts way longer!

Not quite working as it used to, gross non-permanent stain on my fingers, definitely time to throw it out

There is no doubt in my mind that I will be repurchasing this as soon as I throw it out, as being without this is just not something I want to experience.

How do you remove your nail polish? Will you be checking this product out? Let me know in the comments below.

Biore; Nose Pore Strips, Empty-Review

Empties: Mini Reviews

When I completely finish a product, I upload a quick blog post reviewing it.

Today I finished a pack of pore strips from Biore. I bought them from Superdrug about six months ago.

Around the nose is the biggest area of concern pore-wise for most people, and this is definitely the case with me too. These strips get placed around the nose, left to harden, and when you peel it off it takes out any dirtiness that was clogging your pores previously. You'll see the little black dots left behind- it's quite gross actually.

Each came in a packet like this, and there were 6 in one packet. It cost around the £7 mark, which I thought was quite a lot, but there didn't seem to be many alternatives to this product in the 'drugstore' and I had heard many people talk about these from this brand, so I thought I would give them a go.

They're really easy to use and quick. I normally apply this and do a face mask on the rest of my face at the same time. 

It really does harden (like having solid paper mache on your nose), and peeling it off is therefore quite the task- it hurts, but it's satisfying. Afterwards I cleanse my face to remove any residue, and then moisturise. It leaves the skin feeling really smooth- just like freshly shaven/waxed legs hehe.

Would I repurchase this? Probably yes. It's not a necessity in my skincare routine but nice to use once in a while and no doubt these really work well.

Have you tried pore strips before? Are there any other good products from Biore you reccomend? Let me know in the comments below.

Burt's Bees; Deep Cleansing Cream, Empty-Review

Empties: Product Reviews

When I finish a product I do a quick blog post reviewing it.

Today I finished the Soap Bark and Chamomile Deep Cleansing Cream from Burt's Bees. I got this around two weeks ago in a gift set which I believe was bought online for about £12.

It is a rich creamy white cleanser, despite being thick still foams well. I used it with my Clarasonic in the shower and I absolutely loved it. It gave a tingling sensation afterwards and my face felt amazingly fresh and clean. My skin was glowing and smooth. 

This is a 20g size because it came in a travel pack set. The full size, 100g I think, can be bought here, and is £10.99 from their website.

Burt's Bees isn't too expensive as a brand (but more than drugstore), their products are amazing and great for the skin in the long term because of their natural ingredients. 

I'll definitely be buying more skincare items from them in the future. So far I've only tried their lipbalms, which are amazing.

Would I repurchase this? Possibly. It's a bit more expensive than I usually spend on a cleanser, and it's not the easiest thing to buy because i'll have to get it online, but it was really good.

Have you tried this product? What Burt's Bees products do you recommend? Let me know in the comments below.

Burt's Bees; Hand Cream, Empty-Review

Empties: Product Reviews

When I finish a product I do a quick blog post reviewing it.

Today I finished the Thoroughly Therapeutic Honey and Grapeseed Oil Hand Cream from Burt's Bees. I've had this for a few months, and it was a present, I believe bought in a set from amazon.

It is a thick white cream consistency. 

It came in a package with a selection of 4 or 5 other Burt's Bees products.

This is amazing for hand and nail care. I also even used this as foot cream.

It sinks in and doesn't leave your hands feeling greasy, despite its thickness.

Would I repurchase this? A hand cream isn't really a necessity for me, and I have other ones i'm currently using, so probably not. But this is one of my favourite hand creams I've tried so far.

Have you tried this product? What Burt's Bees products do you like? Let me known in the comments below.

Carmex; Moisturising Lip Balm, Empty-Review

Empties: Product Reviews

When I finish a product I do a quick blog post reviewing it.

Today I finished the Carmex Moisturising Lip Balm. I've had it for more than a year and you can buy it from Superdrug.

A lip balm moisturises the lips if they're dry, and is especially good to use before applying a lipstick to ensure an even finish.

It's around the £4 mark, and basically I love this stuff. No other lip balm even comes close to this for me.

You get a gentle sensation on application, and I don't know how but it seems to evaporate any dry or cracked skin- it's amazing.

Using up a massive tub like this is definitely an achievement, this lasts longer than any other lip balms I have ever bought.

This one is just in the classic scent, which I don't love loads, but it's different. I've repurchased it in the cherry flavour, and I've also tried the strawberry one but in the tube form. I think the cherry is my favourite. The one I have in the tube is perfect for popping in my bag, and also has a spf of 15 which is great.

Would I repurchase this product? I already have, and would continue to do so. This is hands down the best lip balm/ lip moisturiser I have ever tried.

Have you tried this product? What lip balms do you use? Let me know in the comments below.

Nivea; Soft Moisturising Cream, Empty-Review

Empties: Product Reviews

When I finish a product I do a quick blog post reviewing it.

Today I finished the Nivea soft Refreshingly Soft Moisturising Cream for face, body and hands. I bought it from Superdrug for around £5.

I use a moisturiser after cleansing my face, so before bed and before applying makeup. It smooths the skin and preps perfectly for makeup by giving you an even surface to work with.

This sunk into the skin and made my face feel soft and clean. For the amount you get, the price is really very good- 300ml last forever, especially compared to the usual 50ml or 100ml max.

In the final days when I was trying to use this up, I started using it on my feet as a foot cream overnight. It made my feet amazingly soft and supple. 

With the amount you get in this tub, I think it's alright to use it on your feet or body, but it definitely worked as a face moisturiser too. The white cream is extremely light (this is perfect for oily skin like mine) and smooths out to completely clear.

Completely empty!

Will I repurchase this? Possibly but I won't be rushing out to buy a new one asap or anything. I have other moisturisers on the go and this wasn't amazingly special. It was nice though and the price was right for the amount of product.

What moisturiser do you use? What Nivea products should I try next? Let me know in the comments below.

Clearasil; Deep Cleansing Pads, Empty-Review

Empties: Mini Reviews

When I completely finish a product, I upload a quick blog post reviewing it.

Today I finished these Deep Cleansing Pads by Clearasil. They are around the £4 mark and I bought them from Superdrug a few months ago.

I usually used this product as more of a toner; after the makeup is removed from my face in the evening (or after cleansing in the morning before moisturiser). It removed any excess makeup and left me with an extremely smooth and clean-feeling face.

The actual pads were both durable (don't break apart like some other more flimsy pads I have tried) and meshed, meaning they gently but effectively exfoliated the skin which is very satisfying.

I wouldn't recommend using these too close to the eyes as they are strongly chemical and will cause you to have a stinging effect. The scent despite being fresh cleaning also had a distinctly fruity smell which was unlike other strictly chemical-smelling cleanser/toner pads I have used.

Clearasil is a brand I thoroughly rely on for skincare, and this product with 65 pads (lasts a long time!) is another one from the brand that once again I really loved.

It has ingredients for fighting spots and claims to give you clearer skin every day. This definitely helped to clean my skin.

This product worked well and I definitely will be repurchasing these or another set of cleansing/toning pads very soon, it's something I think people should attempt to fit this step into their skincare routine if they don't already.

Have you tried this product? What products from Clearasil do you recommend to me? Let me know in the comments below.

The Body Shop; Pink Grapefruit Body Butter, Empty-Review

Empties: Mini Reviews

When I completely finish a product, I upload a quick blog post reviewing it.

Today I finished a mini size of The Body Shop famous body butter in pink grapefruit scent.

A body butter is an all-over body moisturiser I use to nourish my skin usually after baths or showers or just before bed. 

This body butter gives a healthy shine to the skin without that greasy feeling- it sinks fully into the skin. I mainly use it on my arms or legs.

It's useful to have a small pot, only 50ml, good for travel and festivals which was what I mainly used it for last summer, especially as the normal size pots seem to last forever. I think the price is under £5, but usually The Body Shop have 50% deals on so be sure to pop in on those days!

I've been using body butters from The Body Shop for a long time, and this scent is delicious, fruity and not too sweet. They leave a smooth feel to the skin and a non-overbearing scent for a few hours.

Will I repurchase this? Probably not right now because I do have a few body butters still on the go. But the scent is up there with my favourites (along with passion fruit and blueberry) and I will forever rely on body butters from The Body Shop.

Have you tried this product from The Body Shop? What other body moisturisers should I try? Let me know in the comments below.

Benefit; Total Moisture Facial Cream, Empty-Review

Empties: Mini Reviews

When I completely finish a product, I upload a quick blog post reviewing it.

Today I finished the 'Total Moisture' cream by Benefit, which is an intense moisturiser I got probably close to a year ago for free (this is a small sample size, nonetheless lasting me for a long time), with a purchase at a Benefit counter. I didn't even ask for it the server just threw it in there for me- thanks!

With combination-oily skin (an oily t-zone), this moisturiser, as the name suggests, was not the one for me. It sunk in fairly well but still left my skin feeling a tad greasy, especially in my oily area, the t-zone. The product is a thick white cream and I only needed to use a tiny bit to cover my whole face.

The full size is around £27 for 48g. This may not seem a lot of product, but with all moisturisers a little goes a long long way, and especially with this one.

If you have dry skin, check this out! I'm sure this would be great for you. Oily or normal skin- probably not.

I'd like to try some other high end moisturisers and skincare, as I usually stick to the drugstore ones (might do a top 5 drugstore moisturisers as I've been through my fare share- is anyone interested in this?), and if anyone has any skincare recommendations be sure to let me know.

Would I repurchase this again? No. I'm sure it's a great moisturiser but just not for my skin type. Benefit, if you're reading this (lol), it would be great to do a moisturiser for normal or oily skin, as this one is only really suitable for dry skin, or perhaps normal skin if only a little bit is used.

Have you tried this product, or will you be picking one up? What benefit products should I try next? Let me know in the comments below.

Paul & Joe; Eye Makeup Remover, Empty-Review

Empties: Mini Reviews

When I completely finish a product, I upload a quick blog post reviewing it.

Today I finished the 'Eye Make-up Remover' by Paul & Joe which I got for a birthday present probably over a year ago.

It was one of those products I tried not to use excessively all the time because I was aware of how special it was and it just felt expensive, probably due to the extremely chic glass bottle packaging (which I'll have to find some alternative use for; I won't be able to just throw it away it's too beautiful) and even the pattern on the box it came in was beautiful.

As an actual makeup remover, it was good. But nothing amazingly special. It took off most of my makeup but no quicker than things I currently have.

You get 100ml and can find it around the £14 mark. Here is the product on their website.

This was my first and still currently only product I have owned from Paul & Joe, and I haven't heard much about the makeup brand on youtube or blogs at all. I don't think it's a brand I'll be buying more things from right now, as it's more expensive than drugstore prices and there aren't any unique-looking products I have my eye on in particular.

Would I repurchase this product? I'm going to say no. This is mainly because right now i'm in love with the Nivea Double Effects (review coming soon) oil and water mixture which is only around £3 and I haven't found anything better than that so far.

That and my Bioderma are getting me through.

Have you tried this product, or will you be picking one up? What products should I try from Paul & Joe next? Let me know in the comments below.

Numark; Round Cosmetic Pads, Empty-Review

Empties: Product Reviews

When I finish a product, I do a quick blog post reviewing it.

Today I finished these Numark round cosmetic pads which my mum bought for me (you can get them for around £2 in pharmacists for 100 pads) which I used every day to remove my makeup.

These were not the best pads I have ever used, but there's nothing wrong with them and they were really cheap, so I can't really complain.

When I buy makeup pads I don't really care, I usually just buy Superdrug own brand or ask my mum to pick me some up.

Would I repurchase these again? As mentioned, I'm not really fussy with cosmetic pads, so I may come across these more in my life but I won't specifically seek them out.

What makeup do you find hardest to remove? How do you remove your makeup? Let me know in the comments below.

Nivea; Double Effect Makeup Remover, Empty Review

Empties: Mini Reviews

When I use a product up, I do a quick blog post reviewing it.

Today I finished another Double Effect Eye makeup remover from Nivea; a brand which can be bought from the drugstore.

I just... I cannot put into words how much I love this product.

This might be my 5th repurchase, and it's not coming to a stop any time soon.

I use this to remove my eye makeup and sometimes my face makeup too.

It's around the £3 mark, which for 125ml is a great price. Once I saw this in superdrug on offer for £1 and I couldn't believe my eyes. £1 for this amazing product really is a price to shout about.

Photo from the ocado website, just to show what a full bottle looks like

I wanted to show a picture of the full product. It's an oil/clear liquid mix that you have to shake thoroughly until the two make a pale blue colour. Make sure to mix it properly!

If you haven't tried this yet- what are you doing! Go out and buy it! It's worth a try.

The oil means if you get this directly in your eye it won't feel too good- a gentle sting. That's its only con, it's not as gentle as Bioderma. It leaves your face with a shiny oily residue, but don't fear- this does sink in within a minute, and for an oily skinned person like me, it isn't a problem. In fact, I find it controls the oils on my face.

How do I use this product? I squirt a bit onto a makeup removing pad, press it onto the eye for a few seconds, wriggle it around a bit and then gently swipe off. This removes almost all of my eye makeup in one go. Even mascara. One pad (flip it over and use the other side!) comfortably does all my face on a school day and up to 2/3 of my makeup when removing night out makeup.

It's better than the nivea one I used to use, it's better than Bioderma.

Will I repurchase this product? 100 times over. I have yet to find another eye makeup remover as amazing as this one, and until I do I will continue to buy this. There probably are better ones out there, but I just haven't found one yet, and especially not as cheap as this is.

Will you be picking this product up? What's your favourite makeup remover? Let me know in the comments below.

Mac; Pro Longwear Concealer, Empty-Review

Empties: Mini Reviews

When I completely finish a product, I upload a quick blog post reviewing it.

I used up a makeup product! 

Today I finished the 'Pro Longwear Concealer' from Mac, which with two other mac products were my first purchases from the shop. Wow! It must be over two years ago that I bought this product having heard absolutely nothing about it, and I definitely didn't appreciate it that much at the time and not experienced with makeup I felt this was thick and it was also a bit dark for me (the colour (NW15) is perfect for me now).

The aim of a concealer is to cancel out any discolouration on your face or cover up spots. 

In the last few months I have grown to love this. Despite the awful packaging (I'm sure you've heard all about the pump, basically it's impossible for it to distribute the correct amount of product, it always gives waaaay too much, especially not good as this is a full coverage concealer and you only need the tiniest bit to cover anything up.

I think it's about £16, which is definitely a lot when you can get great drugstore concealers from £4. As with other mac cosmetic products, this lasts forever (not literally obviously because it's in my empties -ugh-, i'm sorry), so for that I definitely recommend it. If you like wearing a fuller coverage foundation when you go out, buy this. I wouldn't recommend wearing it without foundation unless you sheer it out.

It may not look completely finished, but I swear it is! Not a drop left and no way of getting any possible excess out. It's finished completely down to the bottom.

I used to use this on spots because of its coverage, but recently every single Youtuber seems to use it as their under eye/highlighting concealer, and I started doing the same. It's amazing for this. It's longwearing and doesn't look too unnatural considering the amount of coverage it gives.

Would I repurchase this again? Yes, just trying to use up some of my other concealers at the moment. Not having this to use is quite saddening actually. It's definitely worth buying a slightly more expensive concealer.

Have you tried this product, or will you be picking one up? What Mac products should I try next? Let me know in the comments below.

The Body Shop; Blueberry Body Butter, Empty-Review

Empties: Mini Reviews

A new layout I'm going to do in which when I finish up a product completely, I'll post a quick blog post reviewing it.

The product I just finished today is the Blueberry flavoured Body Butter from the Body Shop.

Body butters are a sort of all-over body moisturiser to keep your skin hydrated, and I usually use them in the morning before getting dressed or after a shower.

The Body Shop are well known for this product especially, as their body butters smell delicious and are extremely moisturising to the skin. At one point I had about 10 of these in different flavours and have gradually been using them up one by one.

The blueberry scent was one of my favourites, along with the passion fruit and raspberry ones, with the chocolate being a new favourite of mine.

They sell usually for around £12, but the great thing about the Body Shop is that they ALWAYS have some sort of discount or deal on, so make sure to pick their products up when they've got a 50% discount or something, trust me it's worth waiting for.

These last for EVER and I highly recommend trying one (perhaps get a mini size that they offer, which are also great for festivals/travel) if you haven't already.

Will I repurchase this item? Probably not this exact scent straight away, as I have at least 5 body butters still in my collection that I'm working through one by one, but if I ever run out of body butters I know I can depend on the Body Shop ones.

What are your favourite products from The Body Shop? What do you recommend for me to try next? Let me know in the comments below.