Skincare Empties - July 2020

I'm on a strict no-buy for the next couple of months, so I've been 'shopping my stash' quite a bit and revisiting some of my over-looked products. 

It feels quite good to go back to being frugal!

Skincare

* Naturally Thinking - Orange Blossom Floral Water (WR)
You can't beat Naturally Thinking for their great value range of cosmetic ingredients. I love their range of floral waters and always buy several a couple of times a year. The Orange Blossom is one of my favourites and I already ordered a back-up so I'll always have some to hand.

* Glossier - Milky Jelly Cleanser (MR)
When I first tried this cleanser I thought, 'this is it - the perfect second cleanser', but after a while I changed my mind a bit! It really does tick all the boxes but the trouble is, it's just a bit too gentle. I love this as a morning cleanser, but after an oil cleanser in the evening, it just feels slightly ineffectual. Would possibly repurchase in the future.

* Terre Verdi - Acqua Di Rosa Balancing Mist (*Gifted) (WR)

By far, the loveliest rose water I have ever used! This is the smaller 30ml travel size that Terre Verdi offer and I got a month's use out of it, so it's actually good value for money. I used this as a toner, but mostly as a refreshing spritz when I was hot or between layers.

A definite repurchase.
Read my review here.

* Bespoke Aroma - Refreshing Facial Mist (WR)
Peppermint floral water is my summer go-to choice for facial mists as it's so cooling and refreshing. This 30ml bottle hardly lasted a month as I keep it on my desk to spritz my face regularly throughout the day. Gorgeous stuff.

* OV Naturals - Vital Botanical Facial Oil(*Gifted) (WR)
Vital is one of the more luxurious facial oils that I've tried. It has triple rose in the ingredients and really is a completely pampering and sensuous experience to use. Not only that but it's ultra nourishing and softening. I admit that this is one of those products that I 'kept for best', a silly old habit of mine that I find hard to break with my favourite products! Will certainly repurchase this when my facial oil stash has depleted somewhat.
Read my review here.

* Figs & Rouge - Hydra-Activ Smart Nutrient Day Cream (MR)
I often struggle finding the right day cream for my skin - so many of them are too heavy for daytime. This is the second deluxe sample of the Figs & Rouge day cream that I've tried and it suits my skin perfectly. It's also great for adding any oils or serums to.

* Evolve Organic Beauty - Daily Renew Facial Cream (WNR)

I just want to clarify that this is not a WNR because it was rubbish but just because it wasn't suitable for my skin. I found it far too rich for day time use and used it as a night cream instead. It's very rich and has a delicious coconut scent so I can imagine if your skin suits this type of heavy cream then it would be lovely. Just not for me, I'm afraid. It also reached it's expiry date, so I used it up on my body, where it felt like a rich body butter.

* NK Naturals - Spring Cleansing Balm (*Gifted) (WR)
I've fallen head over heels this year for NK Natural's new seasonal skincare range. Nicola kindly gifted this cleansing balm to me and I was blown away by it's beautiful silky consistency, glorious scent and effective yet gentle cleansing powers! I shall definitely be buying the 'Autumn' version of this cleanser.
Read my review here.

* Pure Savvy - Multi-Tasker Beauty Balm (*Gifted) (WR)

I always keep a pot of balm on my desk for various uses and this was my latest companion. What an absolute joy of a balm. 100% perfection! So many uses too - including all the usual balm needs but also silky, soft and light enough to be used on my face at night.

Stunning scent too. Will definitely be repurchasing this when I've cleared my stash a bit.
Read my review here.

* Slow Ageing - Essential Face Wash (MR)
At first, I was unsure whether this was a first or second cleanser (I'm sure Slow Ageing probably want it to do the job of both). It suited better as a second cleanser. Despite the ingredients being botanical, this strangely had a scent of bubblegum - not that I minded!
A lovely creamy, non-drying face wash, I'd be happy to repurchase but the only thing that puts me off is the cost.

* Meadow Skincare - Gently Surfacing Facial Exfoliant (WR)
Phew! I thought I'd lost this but had luckily just put it back in the wrong place and found it before it expired! This is a perfect exfoliator for people who like me who don't like, or are too sensitive for, harsh physical scrubs. This waterless exfoliant is super gentle on skin but still manages to freshen up tired and dull complexions. Because it is oil-based, it helps to moisturise and soften your skin and so you can expect absolutely no irritation or dryness after using.
Read my review here.

* Omoi Skincare - All-in-One Multipurpose Balm (WR)
Omoi Skincare have such fabulous products and one of my favourites is their All-in-one multi-purpose balm. It does exactly as it promises, has a multitude of uses  and is incredibly effective. I can highly recommend this if you have extra dry patches of skin (or Eczema) as it feeds the skin beautifully and also calms down irritation and redness.

* Medik8 - C-Tetra Eye (WR)
Although a sample of this size can't really give a great indication of how a product will work in the long term, especially a Vitamin C product, you can often get a really good 'feeling' on first use. And that's exactly how I felt with this C-Tetra eye serum sample. It felt great on my eye area, worked well with other products and under makeup, plus it promises a lot! So as soon as my 'No Buy' is over, I will be repurchasing this.

* Mei Botanics- Nurture Facial Oil (WR)
Another small sample sachet that had me falling in love at first use!
Such a delicate, light and dry oil which really packs a punch. Perfect for summer too as it is so light and because it has a beautiful mint/herbal scent. I've been hugely impressed with all three Mei Botanics facial oils, I've tried. You can read about my first impressions of this brand here.

Body care, Hair care and Makeup.

* Malin + Goetz - Eucalyptus Deodorant (WNR)
This was a pick from a Latest in Beauty box some time ago. 
I found that this wasn't as effective at keeping me fresh on really hot  or active days. I've been preferring deodorant creams (which seem to offer me the most protection). It's quite pricey too - so for that reason, I wouldn't repurchase.

* Lumene - Instant Glow Beauty Serum (WNR)
This was my first experience and first introduction of 'barely there' tinted face coverage and I loved it for hot summer days and days when my skin was looking good enough to get away with just a light foundation or tint. But since buying this, I have tried other tinted fluids which I've preferred, so I probably won't choose this again, even though I liked it a lot.

* London Balms - Hawaii Kukui Balm (WR)
This sample pot came in the last Skin Organics Clean Beauty Box and I used it religiously ever since receiving it. Such a gorgeously scented, silky soft balm - I used this on my feet every night and it kept them super soft and kept those awful dry and cracked heels at bay. Will definitely be repurchasing a full size of this when my no-spend is over!

* Nudge Boutique - Shampoo Tablets (WR)
I haven't really looked back since trying Nudge's solid shampoo. You can hear all about my love for them here. These are just fabulous! Zero waste and work brilliantly. They're also great value for money. I have very long, thick hair and one of these bars lasts me for about a month. I only have one of these left, so I am going to have to break my 'No Buy' to buy another pack - after all, this is an essential!

* Sol de Janeiro - Brazilian Joia Shampoo & Conditioner (WNR)
The first thing I expect from Sol de Janeiro products is the strong iconic scent - which can sometimes be just that bit too overpowering. I wouldn't mind at all if my hair were to smell of that scent, but these shampoo and conditioner samples were surprisingly lacking on that scent.
It was nice to try but I'm more than happy sticking with my usual Nudge Boutique solid shampoo tablets.