Spring Empties

I would call this June Empties but that would be a massive lie. I don’t go through products very quickly at all so this is just a collection of everything that I’ve remembered to save over the last few months. I’m hoping that I will have a few more empties to share with you over the next few months though as my super money saving drive is encouraging me to use up more of what I have!

Herbal Essences Hello Hydration Intensive Mask - £4.39

I was never really a fan of Herbal Essences back in the day of the old style bottles (that coincidentally made a comeback last year) and it took me a while to give their new range the opportunity to impress (seven years actually, a very long while!). Over the last year or so I’ve dabbled in the world of revamped Herbal Essences and been relatively impressed considering I think of them as a ‘nothing special’ sort of brand. The Intensive Mask was great, I have very frizzy long hair so I actually used it every time I washed my hair and it was great for keeping the ends moisturised  and less ‘frizz-tastic’.
Would I repurchase? I would definitely consider this mask in future but I want to try out some other brands first as this is the first hair mask I’ve used in quite a long time.

Garnier 5 Second Perfect Blur Primer - £12.99

I purchased this primer last year just after it launched. I did really like the primer and the finish it left was great for applying makeup or wearing alone. I was quite disappointed with the packaging though, the primer seemed to splatter out of the tube and end up everywhere and there was still a lot left in the tube when it seemed like I couldn’t get any more out (as you can see I chopped the top off to get the rest out!). I have seen this compare to Benefit’s Porefessional a lot and I can see why, but for some reason my skin really doesn’t get on with Porefessional so this is a much better choice for me.
Would I repurchase? Maybe. I think this is good value for money so potentially, but I have plenty of others to get through and if I have the money I think it’s worth investing in a more expensive primer.

Botanics All Bright Hydrating Day Cream SPF 15 - £4.99

I bought this when I was at a stage where I just couldn’t find a moisturiser that was really ‘right’ for my skin. It absorbed well and did the job and is great value for money but there was nothing amazing about it. If anything this was just too rich for my combination skin, I’m also not a massive fan of having this style of packaging, I much prefer a tube.
Would I repurchase? No, I’ve since found moisturisers much better suited to my skin.

L'Oréal Paris Skin Perfection 3 in 1 Purifying MicellarSolution - £4.99

Having not tried Bioderma I purchased this hoping that it would do a similar job at a much lower price. I found this perfect for removing makeup (although I can’t speak for waterproof mascara) and it was really gentle and perfect to use on eye makeup too.
Would I repurchase? No, I also cleanse with Liz Earle Cleanse & Polish so I just like a micellar water to get with of the majority of makeup. I’ve found that the Garnier Micellar Cleansing Water is just as good and even cheaper.

La Roche Posay Effaclar Duo - £13.50

I purchased this once I realised that the Eucerin Dermo Purifier Concentrate wasn’t as good as I’d hoped and I was really, really impressed. I prefer the slightly thicker texture of this and it made a massive difference to my previously spotty forehead and chin. I used this twice a day at first, and then once a day once things had cleared up, but this tube still seemed to go on and on.
Would I repurchase? Definitely, now replaced by Effaclar Duo [+] I would turn to that if I ever have spotty skin problems again.

Eucerin Dermo Purifier Concentrate - £9.50

I purchased this last year when in this haul when I went into Boots to buy Effaclar Duo but was persuaded otherwise by the Eurcerin offer and the Eucerin representative in store.  This is a lot thinner than Effaclar Duo and it was really nice to use but I just didn’t find the effects as impressive as with Effaclar Duo. This would be a good cheaper alternative to the new £15.50Effaclar Duo [+].
Would I repurchase? No, I’d rather spend a bit more for Effaclar Duo [+].

Lush Big Shampoo - £11.95

I absolutely adore this shampoo. It works wonders for my oily hair, giving it a really deep clean and leaving it feeling light, soft and silky. I used to just use this once every few washes because of the price tag, but it really does go a long way and the results are just too amazing to not treat myself to every wash, so now it’s a regular thing!
Would I repurchase? Yes! My last few pots have been gifts but I will definitely be treating myself when my latest pot runs out.

Lush BB Seaweed Face Mask - £6.25

This was a gift from Russell and it was a perfect choice. Although not specifically for oily/combination skin, it is so calming and exfoliates and removes excess oil anyway. I really enjoyed using this and found that my skin felt wonderful afterwards.
Would I repurchase? Yes, once I’ve finished my Cupcake face mask and tried Love Lettuce.

Jade Rebecca x

August Empties

I have to admit, I'm not generally one for using things up, it's rare that I find a product that I really love and when I don't I tend to flit between different products.

This month I have actually managed to use up a grand total of... (drum roll please!)... three products! This is actually quite an achievement for me, I was helped by the increasing number of things on my mental wishlist that blogging has introduced me to. Using up one product means it's compulsory to find a replacement right?

Boots Dry Shampoo Paradise Island
I try not to wash my hair more often than once every other day so I regularly use dry shampoo to freshen my hair, I've generally used Batiste in the past but I don't find it to be amazing and it's not particularly cheap. I saw the new Boots dry shampoo that, at £2.29 for 200ml, is slightly cheaper than Batiste, at £2.99, and decided to give it a go.

The Boots Paradise Island Dry Shampoo is a good dupe for the Bastiste range and I actually think it smells a lot better than some of the Batiste dry shampoos. If you love Batiste, I'd definitely recommend giving the Boots version a try. As I was looking for something a bit better than Batiste, that would make my hair look generally fresher and not just less oily, I'm still on my quest to find my perfect dry shampoo.

Would I repurchase? No, I'm sure there are much better products out there and I'm currently enjoying trying out the Lee Stafford Dry Shampoo.

Remove It Benefit Makeup Remover
This was a bit of a spontaneous purchase when I was picking up some bits from a Benefit counter a while ago. For the price I expected something amazing, I'm not sure what but I definitely thought I would use it and have a 'wow' moment. Unfortunately it did its job, removed makeup and waterproof mascara well, but nothing extra.

Would I repurchase? No, for £16.50 for less than 200ml (177.4ml to be exact...) I'm sure there are much better/cheaper products out there.

No7 Stay Perfect Liquid Foundation - Calico
I'm rather in love with my Smashbox foundation but I like to have a cheaper brand to hand for less special occassions (like when I'm working a five hour shift and amazing staying power and a flawless look isn't essential). I actually really like the No7 Stay Perfect, it has a good coverage and lasted well even on my combination skin.

Would I repurchase? Definitely, in fact I already have. It's a great everyday foundation and I think £14 is a really reasonable price.

Have you tried any of these products?

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Review: Sanctuary Spa 5 Minute Thermal Detox Mask

I've never been one to buy a face mask tube before, usually I buy single use sachets and never really stick to the same one. I was intrigued by the Sanctuary 5 Minute Thermal Detox Mask's claims:

As well as purifying, the mask also rebalances the skin’s oil levels to clarify, cleanse and leave skin with a silky touch, essential oil of myrrh helps soothe and calm. 

Purifying and rebalancing oil levels seemed like the perfect treat for my spot-prone combination skin, the idea of a thermal mask was also an incentive.

The mask is quite thick and heats as soon as it is rubbed into the skin. I thought that the thermal aspect may be a little disappointing but I was actually really surprised at how warm the mask got.

The mask does have a plasticy smell that I wasn't expecting as it is something that I have never noticed with face masks before, I think the smell is probably due to the thermal property of the mask and is noticable but not overpowering or enough to ruin the relaxing experience.

The name suggests that the face mask should be left on for five minutes, I got a bit carried away and left it on for fifteen minutes, it was still easy to remove with a face cloth and warm water but it had lost its warmth by the time I took it off.

The mask left my skin really really soft and the warmth felt like it was great for cleansing pores. I'm interested to see what sort of long term effect the mask has on my skin after regular use but for now I'll really enjoy using it as a relaxing treat.

I can safely say that I have been converted from randomly selecting single use sachet masks, at £10.50 this mask is great value for money.

What's your favourtie face mask?

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Review: Bioré Deep Cleansing Pore Strips

I've been wanting to try pore strips for a while and, after watching a few Youtube reviews yesterday, I decided to take the plunge and give them a go. I chose to use Bioré strips, as there seems to be little choice in the UK (drugstore brands, T-Zone or Bioré) and I had heard most good reviews about Bioré.

Pore strips work by removing dirt from and unclogging pores, although many sources suggest that they don't actually reach deep-down dirt they do claim to reduce the appearance of blackheads and, overtime, make pores appear smaller. I have the unfortunate gift of a nose full of glorious blackheads so I was keen to discovered whether the pore strips would live up to their claims and make my blackheads at least a little less prominent.

There seems to be a lot of pore strip controversy in the skincare world, some people claim that they are amazing and their go-to product when it comes to lessening the appearance of blackheads, yet others believe that they are an awful product that does nothing but strip surface dirt and enlarge pores. As the dirt that is removed from pores by the pore strips tends to be tear-drop shaped, I can see how dirt removal may result in pores being stretched, however pores can also become enlarged as a result of being clogged - can we win when it comes to avoiding enlarged pores?! Perhaps not!

I enlisted my boyfriend, Russell, to provide a 'not so dirty porey' perspective, as I probably have about 10 times more blackheads than he does and I doubt I provide a true representation of the population!

Bioré pore strips should be applied to a clean face over a wet nose and left on for between 10 and 15 minutes, until hard.

The strips are soft when first applied and harden as they dry. The Bioré instructions warn that the strips should be removed promptly when they become hard. We left the strips on for around 15 minutes, they were hard when we removed them and probably could have been removed a little earlier, I wouldn't recommend leaving them on for too long as they may become painful to remove!

Removing the strip wasn't particualrly painful, it did make my eyes water a bit, but nothing like the pain of waxing. I was quite disgusted at what my used strip looked like so if you'd rather not know, don't scroll any further down.

Drumroll please...

It's safe to say I definitely achieved more than Russell did, as soon as I removed the strip I could see the difference in the appearance of blackheads across my nose. I would use the strips again but, at £7.99 for 6 strips, I wouldn't do so particularly regularly. The instructions warn against using the strips more regularly than once every three days, I think I would actually use them once every week or two.

Ultimately, dirt will always return to pores, and pore strips alone won't completely rid you of blackheads but I have to say pore strips are very satisfying. If you don't particularly suffer from blackheads I doubt pore strips will make a massive difference and you may prefer to stay away from them as the positives will be unlikely to outweigh the negative opinions. If your nose is blackhead city like mine, pore strips are definitely worth a try!

Have you used pore strips?
What are your opinions?

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Review: Soap & Glory Breakfast Scrub

As soon as I smelt the Soap & Glory Breakfast Scrub exfoliator I fell in love, it has an amazing sweet maple syrup oaty smell (if I didn't know better I would probably be tempted to eat it...). I've read some reviews that say the smell is too sickly sweet, I think that the sweetness is just right, but maybe I'm just an extra sweet kind of person!

Aside from the wonderful smell, the Breakfast Scrub has some other great features. We all know that exfoliators can be drying but the scrub contains shea butter, as well as all the scrubbing ingredients, which is a great moisturiser. There is also something really reassuring about how the scrub takes on a milky consistency when it is mixed with water, almost proof that it's hydrating as well as exfoliating the skin.

The scrub is really quite thick which gives it quite a luxurious feel and I much prefer the packaging to that of the cylinders of the other Soap & Glory scrubs. The bowl shaped pot contains 300ml and costs £8.00, it's not the cheapest body scrub but there are also plenty that are more expensive. One pot goes a long way as it lathers well for a scrub and I definitely think it is well worth the money.

I use the scrub around three times a week and I find it leaves my skin looking and feeling really soft. I sometimes think it would be great if the smell stayed for longer but it's probably a good thing that it doesn't as it's so distinctive that it would interfere with any other fragrances used.

I will definitely buy this again when it eventually runs out, it seems to be really moisturising and exfoliates well without being too harsh. I don't fake tan often, but if I do this is the perfect pre-tan exfoliator and the gorgeous smell makes up for the infamous fake tan scent.

This product has definitely reassured me that Soap & Glory isn't just about great smells and jazzy packaging!

What's your favourite Soap & Glory product?

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Flexitol Hand Balm

I wanted my first post to be about something I love that hasn't been written about hundreds of times before. So here's the most super amazing fabulous "insert more adjectives here" (yes I really love it that much) Flexitol Hand Balm For Very Dry Skin.

It's name is a mouthful and the tube will never be the most attractive thing in your hand bag, but the contents more than makes up for its appearance.

I've had awfully dry hands for as long as I can remember. My mum suffers the same and had allergy tests to find out that she's allergic to nichol, she works in a bank so her horribly cracked and dry skin makes sense, unfortunately I don't handle thousands of coins a day so I'm still not sure what my problem is!

My hands are always worse in the winter so in January, out of desparation after trying tens of other counter and prescription creams I bought this Flexitol beauty.

The balm is quite thick but is absorbed well, it leaves my hands a little shiny but it doesn't look 'bad'.

The smell's nothing exciting, if anything it has a slight medicinal smell.

I used the balm as recommended 2-3 times a day, I did this for a few weeks and, when I started to use it less often my hands stayed lovely and soft. I now use the balm once a day and my hands are better than they have ever been.

In case you're still wondering, I would definitely recommend this! If you're after a beautiful smell you could use this balm morning and night and use something 'prettier' in the day time.

Jade Rebecca
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