This is an Epic Empties in the sense that I finished a massive 12 products! Quite a few were nearly empty, so I guess I has a head start. There's a lot to get through, so I'll try not to ramble on. Let the emptiness begin .....
Rexona Women Crystal Anti-Perspirant Deodorant
Nothing mind-blowing, but at least the fumes don't choke you like the Nivea sprays!
Toni & Guy Cleanse Dry Shampoo
I'm a massive fan of Toni & Guy dry shampoo, so when I saw they had come out with a new range, in spiffy white cans instead of silver, I was pretty excited. I actually really love this 'Cleanse' dry shampoo. It's a super-fine gentle mist that disperses brilliantly, soaking up grease and oils, leaving my hair clean, refreshed and full of volume. Also, the can is bigger; great for if you power through the stuff like I do. It costs a little more, but I've been able to get this on special at PriceLine for $12 instead of the usual $17.
The Body Shop Pear & Lemongrass Shower Gel
I got this and another fragrance from the Earth Lovers range half price at The Body Shop while in Singapore. I'm going to have a break before I start the next one as I've got a few other shower gels on the go that need to be finished first (and frankly, I'm enjoying them more). I've reviewed the Pear & Lemongrass gel here.
Sunsilk Keratinology Detoxifying Shampoo
I can't even remember if this was any good. It can't have been terrible, because I'd definitely recall that. No re-purchase, I think this just happened to be in the cupboard. Now it's not. Adios!
Clinique Chubby Stick in Whole Lotta Honey
Devastated this is gone! It was such a creamy, gorgeous consistency with a flattering shade of balm that really moisturised my lips. I'm not enjoying its replacement, the Super Strawberry Chubby Stick, nearly as much. I actually got a cotton bud and started digging the product out, you can see the concave hole in the photo above! I've blogged about this product here.
L'Oreal Preference High Shine Colour Conditioner
This is the conditioner that comes in the box of hair dye and it's seriously the best conditioner ever. I only colour my hair twice a year, but the conditioner is a highlight in the procedure. It gives me smooth, soft, silky, detangled hair. Love it.
St Ives Moisturizing Olive Scrub
Yeah, I've really gone off this now. No re-purchase. I've talked about it here.
Trilogy Rosehip Oil Antioxidant
I'm getting into all the rosehip oils and tissue oils again, so I thought I'd start with this tiny sample. Trilogy makes a great rosehip oil. It leaves my skin soft, smooth and nourished.
Maybelline Masterliner in Black
I adore this product. If you have a problem with eyeliner smudging, smearing, running or wearing off during the day, you must check this out. This little beauty stays put all day long and it looks fantastic on. It's retractable, so only wind it up a little bit when using, to minimise breakage.
Revlon Colorstay Eyeliner in Black
This is basically exactly the same product as the Masterliner, except it's a bit crappier. It tends to break more frequently. Utilise the above tip and proceed with caution.
Revlon Super Lustrous Lipstick Pink In The Afternoon
Really missing this. It was the perfect pink shade for daytime wear, when I was looking for something subtle yet more colourful than a nude. Versatile, felt great on and the colour suited my skin tone.
Kate Moss Lasting Finish Lipstick in 07
Love this! Already purchased my back-up when they were on special, WAY before this one was getting low. It's probably the most flattering nude I have, it's super-creamy and wears well. Great value for money.
Disclaimer - All products were bought by me with the exception of the teeny tiny Trilogy Rosehip Oil, which was a free sample.
Have you tried any of these products? What are you thoughts on them?
Toni & Guy Refreshing Dry Shampoo
Well if you read this blog you'd know I love this stuff and use it regularly. I usually go through one per month. It's the best, and I'll continue to purchase it due to its high quality. I've blogged about this product here
St. Ives Naturally Clear Green Tea Cleanser
This is quite a mild, gentle formulation, with satisfactory results, but it's not a favourite of mine and I won't be re-purchasing. I have previously reviewed this product here
Clinique 7 Day Scrub Cream
This smaller-sized product came as part of a GWP (Gift With Purchase) and I wasn't all that impressed with it, even though I've read that many others swear by it. It felt quite harsh on my face and is very dense with exfoliating (grainy) bits. I learned to use this product sparingly and to be very gentle while massaging it in, otherwise my face went a bit red. A big no on the re-purchase question.
Neutrogena Oil-Free Acne Stress Control Power-Clear Scrub
I didn't really like this and ended up using it as a body wash/scrub. The particles were few and far between and I wasn't a fan of the texture. Also it claims to "help prevent acne even before it emerges". I want to make a smart-arse comment about the possibility of scientifically proving a products ability to prevent something before it emerges (because how would you know of the possible existence or non-existence of something if it was stopped in its tracks before becoming visible, if you know what I mean) but I won't. LOL. This scrub is bullshit and I won't be re-purchasing.
Olay Total Effects 7-In-1 Anti-Ageing Cream
Absolutely LOVE this moisturiser. Love everything about it. Absorbs quickly, provides an unbeatable base for makeup, evens out my skin tone, reduces the appearance of fine lines, makes my skin supple and smooth and just in general, makes my skin look its best. It's my staple moisturiser and I can't recommend it enough. You definitely need to try this, if you haven't already. It really makes your skin look amazing (and that can be a hard task to perform sometimes on my skin).
** Out of this lot, just the St. Ives Green Tea Cleanser was provided for consideration. I am not affiliated with any of the above Companies.
If you're new at Empties (like I was until recently), it refers to the products that beauty bloggers finish. For some weird reason, it's fascinating to peek inside someone else's bathroom and see what products they've been using. Here are the ones I finished in June.
Schwarzkopf Extra Care Super Styling Lacquer Extreme Hold
This is a staple in my bathroom, a product I've been using for years. My favourite ever hairspray.
Batiste Dry Shampoo in Tropical
You probably all know I'm a massive fan of dry shampoo, and this is my second favourite, after Toni & Guy Dry Shampoo. This works well and has a lovely, refreshing scent.
St Ives Moisturizing Olive Scrub
This scrub was so-so on my face, not really up to the standard I've set for a face scrub, so I used practically the whole thing as a body scrub. I really loved it as a body exfoliant, because it was very moisturising and left my skin feeling soft and gently exfoliated. It's just not the type of product I want to use on my face, though.
Yves Saint Laurent Paris Eau De Toilette
I'm so sad I've finished this, my favourite perfume ever. But luckily I can now start on the smaller version hubby bought me. WOO!
Head & Shoulders Anti-Dandruff Shampoo
This was a free sample I procured from somewhere. I have no idea if its any good at reducing dandruff 'cos I dont have it. But it was free and I used it. Not something I'll be buying in the future. Even the name 'Head & Shoulders' kind of freaks me out. Hehe.
Bellaboo All That Clean Skin Facial Wash
This came in a set of Bellaboo products I won some time ago. It's actually a cute little wash, clearly aimed at teenage girls. The scent was quite pleasant, and it did a satisfactory job on my face.
A'kin Rose & Geranium Cleanser & Toner in One
Quite a nice creamy cleanser. I'm not in love with it though, and probably won't repurchase. Quite a small size, so it may have come in a trial pack of A'kin products. I can't really remember where I got it from.
The Body Shop Strawberry Body Butter
This smelled gorgeous and was so creamy to apply. Loved the consistency and the way it absorbed quite quickly and left my skin feeling luxurious. This was part of a pack given to employees as a Christmas gift about four years ago, right before I left work, so it has held up really well over time. It's been sitting in my bathroom for years, half-used (poor thing!); I'm really glad I rediscovered it. I may go and look at other Body Butter varieties from The Body Shop, because it's a great product.
** This product was provided for consideration. All opinions are my own.
rrp $9.99
St. Ives say: "St. Ives Naturally Clear Green Tea Cleanser helps to gently clear breakouts and soothe irritation caused by acne. Formulated with a blemish-fighting solution and 100 percent natural green tea, the cleanser washes and soothes skin. Green tea also helps to protect skin from harmful environmental factors and free radicals that are known to age skin. Oil, paraben and phthalate-free. Dermatologist tested. Hypoallergenic."
This green-coloured cleanser from St. Ives is very gentle on the skin and has an awesome smell, very refreshing and pleasant. It leaves my skin feeling clean, refreshed and smooth to the touch, and didn't dry my face out at all. I'd recommend it for young girls just starting with a skincare routine, as it’s very mild in formulation. Also it would be great for people in their 20’s or those with sensitive skin.
I found no real difference in the appearance of my skin after using this, however, I’m still pleased with its performance and will continue to use the bottle until it runs out. My skin is clear at the moment, but I think that’s more to do with my daily use of the fabulous Alpha-H Gentle Daily Exfoliant (reviewed here) which has done wonders for my skin. I digress. There’s nothing wrong with this cleanser; it’s gentle, effective, non-irritating on the skin and pleasant to use, it just doesn’t blow me away.
I’m loving that you can see exactly how much product is left in the clear bottle, and the push-down lid is very handy, as it’s easy to open in the shower with wet, slippery hands. I do have to use this in conjunction with an exfoliating scrub, as this gel alone isn't enough to give me a deep down clean. It’s an overall satisfactory-performing cleanser, that I won't purchase after my current bottle runs out.
