Skincare Empties ~ March 2020

Well if this doesn't go down as the most bizarre month in the history of our lifetime!
Life as we know it has changed completely, but, in fear of sounding too trite, my skincare routines have gone on! It's been a comfort to hold on to the familiar of my skincare routines. I haven't felt much like blogging this month - not when the world seems so precarious at the moment. But for my own peace of mind, and hopefully, something that still may hold a bit of interest, here is a run-down of my March 2020 empties.

Key

WR - Will repurchase or have already repurchased

MR - Might repurchase at a later date.

WNR - Will not repurchase. Either it didn't work for me, I didn't like it, it's too expensive or it had ingredients that didn't suit my skin.

Skincare

* Argentum - La Potion Infinie (WNR)
When I first received this as a Latest in Beauty Pick I was very excited to try it. Argentum Apothecary is a cult brand which is highly thought of - and the price of even this small pot of La Potion Infinie was eye-watering to say the least. But basing a product on its price is a bad move - I definitely had higher expectations for it than it delivered, pretty much based on its price and reputation. I popped this back into my stash and didn't use it for a while, only pulling it out recently as it was near expiring. However, with a more consistent use, I did end up rather liking this rich moisturiser as a pre-bedtime/last step of the routine product. But not so much that I'd shell out that kind of money, even if I had it! Nice enough - but to me, it doesn't live up to the hype.

* Joanna Naturals - Intense Facial Oil (WR)
Because I am guilty of having far too many facial oils in my stash, I needed to use this up before it expired and ended up using it on my peri-menopausal itchy arms to soothe them. For its intended use as a facial oil, I cannot fault this - it's rich and nourishing yet absorbs well and leaves my skin plump, hydrated and soothed.
See a review here.

*Joanna Naturals - So Calm Facial Oil (WR)

This was loved by both myself and my oldest son who used it to calm his extremely sensitive skin - in fact it's the only skincare product he will use!

The So Calm Oil suits Rosacea Prone skin but we found it a perfect skin barrier for irritated winter skin. I love the Joanna Naturals extensive range of facial oils and this will definitely be a repurchase when my stash of oils becomes a bit more depleted.

See a review here.

* A. Florence Skincare - Intense Night Repair Oil (WNR)
When I first bought this some time ago, I really loved it. It's a fantastic softening, hydrating night-time facial oil. However, when I recently pulled it out of my stash to bring into my routines again, I found that it was breaking me out (which is very unusual for me). At this point, there wasn't much left in the bottle, so I used it on the backs of my hands and arms to use it up. I probably wouldn't risk trying it again on my face.

* Evolve Beauty - Hyaluronic Serum 200 (WNR)
This is only a 'will not repurchase' because I just don't really reach for hyaluronic acid serums anymore as I find most make my oils pill (and I'd always choose an oil over HA!).
As HA goes, this was a lovely little serum and didn't leave my skin tacky after use. I mostly used this on my neck and chest area. Great value too.

* Five Dot Botanics - Deep Feed Serum (WR)
I had a bit of break from using this when I needed to finish another serum up. And re-using this gorgeous serum made me realise just how superior it is! Fantastic to use in my morning skincare routine at this time of year, the serum is rich and nourishing yet absorbs beautifully and is suitable for use under makeup without making me too oily.
This is one of those serums that you absolutely need in your stash! It's a real skin-feeder and glow-giver. My skin always looks much more fresh and alive and after using this.
See a review here.

* Krave - Matcha Hemp Cleanser (MR)
I was hugely excited to try out this iconic second cleanser from Korea. And yes, it well deserves the hype. Low-foam, non-drying, perfect PH balance, great ingredients. The only thing lacking was a bit of extra sparkle. This is a great cleanser that does everything you want it to, but without an exciting scent, it just doesn't hit the level of 'holy grail' for me. Sorry!
See a review here.

* Verso - Foaming Cleanser (WNR)
Another brand who I was interested in trying and got the chance to when this 25ml sample became available as one of the Feel Unique's Beauty Kit picks.
I enjoyed this well enough - low foam, gentle and non-drying and did a good job as a second cleanser. But there were no 'extra' thrills - and I have other, cheaper second cleansers who tick many more of my boxes than this did.

* Darphin - Intral Soothing Cream (WNR)
I kept this mini in my gym bag for using after a shower until I got home to do my usual skincare routine. It was good for this purpose but I never liked it enough to introduce into my regular routine. It was a bit too rich for my skin for daytime use.

* Skin & Tonic London - Gentle Scrub (WNR)
Unfortunately, this didn't really work for me. I found it too light as even a gentle exfoliator and lost a lot of product when even the tiniest bit of water was added. I prefer other powder exfoliators over this.

Body, Hair, etc

* Ziaja- Caramelised Almond Sugar Body Scrub (WR)
You really can't fault Ziaja for their extensive range of great value skin, body and hair products. This body scrub was a Christmas special and an absolute treat to use. Lovely scent, just the right degree of scrubbiness, and big value pot too. Hopefully this particular one will be available again, but I'd be happy enough with any other flavour.

* Eden Days - Jiggle Wiggle Body Butter (WR)

Such a great value tin of body butter, as all of Eden Days products are! I've got a lot of jiggle and wiggle so this particular body butter really appealed to me! It set quite solid in the tin during the colder months - but no problem, I just picked it up and used it as a solid bar, which worked just as well as this balm type body butter just melts beautifully on contact with skin. Gorgeous stuff!

* Belenos Skin Botanique - Feng Shui Love Bath & Body Oil (WR)
Together with my Lime & Lilac Capri Body Oil, this is my favourite body oil ever! Beautifully scented with Bergamot, Mandarin and Orange Blossom and with dried tiny rose buds suspended in the oil, this is a real dream to use. Plus it's amazing value for money. Will definitely be repurchasing after I've cleared more from my stash.

* Rituals - The Ritual Of Ayurveda Hand Balm (WR)
After trying a sample of this, I loved it so much that I went and bought two of them so I could have a back-up! This is an intensely rich hand balm that makes your skin silky smooth and protected in a nourishing cocoon without leaving your hands greasy. This also has great staying power - you can still feel it working to protect your hands after washing them. It has a gorgeous rose scent too.

* Trifle Cosmetics - Sugar Pear Lip Scrub (WNR)
Urgh! I'm surprised that I managed to stick with this all the way. I tried to use this only when necessary as I really didn't like the sugar pear taste! It would remain in big clumps that would sometimes go into my mouth and make me feel all grody! I'm going to stick to more solid lip scrubs in the future - I just don't like that gloopy texture.

* Clockface Beauty - Hand & Cuticle Oil (WR)
Another beautiful product from Clockface Beauty. I used this several times a day and I really noticed that it helped to strengthen my nails without making them brittle. The oil was light enough to use on my hands too without making them too greasy. Sad to see this go.

* Molton Brown - Suede Orris Bath & Shower Gel (MR)

I'm always happy to receive these mini Molton Brown products in subscription boxes or as gifts because I love the Molton Brown scents. This size is also perfect for sticking in a gym bag or for travelling. I probably wouldn't repurchase, purely due to the price, but I'll hold out and hope that more of these make their way into my hands one day!