September Empties

Another month, another empties post. This month I got through quite a few products without really trying; I was surprised to see that my 'empties' bag was bursting!

I ran out of three face products this month; my primer, foundation and powder. The MUA primer was nice but the packaging was frustrating because I always ended up squeezing out too much product so I'm not sure if it's something I'd repurchase. It's good if you're on a budget, though. My beloved Chanel Vitalumiere Aqua  foundation finally ran out this month but I've moved on to the YSL Touche Eclat foundation; espect to see a review of that one soon. I will probably repurchase Vitalumiere Aqua at some point in the future. The powder I finished up was the Clarins Ever Matte. I liked it but I do think it's a bit overpriced. My Chanel Rouge Noir nail polish finally became too gloopy to use. I've been looking for a similar shade but can't find one that seems just right so if you have any recommendations please leave them in the comments. 

I used up a second pot of the Lierac Smoothing Energizing moisturiser, a small bottle of Osmo's Beber Oil treatment and a Fresh Brown Sugar fragrance sample. I enjoyed using all three of these products but I don't expect to repurchase any of them just now.

This Johnson's 24 Hour Moisture Hand Cream is a great budget buy; I used to use this all the time and it's something I always seem to go back to. The Botanics All Bright Cleansing Face Wipes were just okay and not something I'm particularly keen to use again. I got through two pots of Lush Fresh Face Masks and enjoyed using both but much preferred BB Seaweed over Brazened Honey. 

This Boots Nail Polish Remover is another go-to budget buy for me. I've tried more expensive removers but none work as well as this one for me. I reviewed the Yes To Cucumbers Soothing Body Lotion yesterday and if you read that post you'd know that I have mixed feelings about the product. I don't think I'll be repurchasing. I would, however, consider picking up another tube of the Jergens Cocoa Butter Body Lotion; partly because it smelled delicious and partly because it felt really nice on my skin.

I wasn't overly impressed with the scent of Soap & Glory's Foam Call Shower Gel when I first smelled it but it seems to smell a lot nicer in the shower. I like that it comes with a pump because I tend to be too generous with shower gel. I'm not sure if I'd buy it again immediately but it is a nice product. I used up two shampoos this month; the L'Oreal Ever Strong Reinforcing Shampoo and the John Frieda Full Repair Full Body Shampoo. I realise that it seems as though I've used a lot of shampoo this month but the L'Oreal only had a little left in it at the beginning of September and I gave some of the John Frieda to a friend to try. I have reviews of both these shampoos coming up soon. 

I've had this can of Boots Firm Hold Hairspray sitting around for quite a while but I've been wearing my hair up a lot more recently and was reaching for it to tame flyaways. I don't think it's a particularly good hairspray but it did the job for me. The Tresemme Volumising Dry Shampoo is one of my all-time favourite hair products and one I posted about recently. I've already purchased another can! LUSH Rub Rub Rub is another product I reviewed positively recently. I still can't believe how much I loved the scent and it was a really effective exfoliator. I was given Prada Candy last Christmas and whilst I liked it initially I did get a bit bored of it so I'm quite pleased to have finished it up. There's just something about it that isn't right. I wish I could explain it!

So, those are my September empties. Did you use up many products this month?

Stace xx

August Empties

It's empties time again! I didn't get through a lot of products this month but I did use up more make up items than in previous months.

Garnier Body Tonic Sugar Scrub

I mention this body scrub far too much on this blog but it really is my favourite! I've already bought another tube of it.

Sanctuary Mum To Be Shower Oil

I got this as an extra in a swap once and thought it was a bit strange to be sent something meant for pregnant women but I decided to use it up anyway. It's just okay.

The Body Shop Green Apple Shower Gel

I love the scent of this product; it really does smell of apples. It's not the most moisturising shower gel out there but I still like it.

Osmo Berber Oil Rejuvenating Shampoo

I enjoyed using this shampoo. I recently reviewed a trio of products from this line (here) including this shampoo. 

Clean & Clear Dual Action Moisturiser

This moisturiser is great if you have blemish prone skin. I apply a thick layer of it before bed when I feel my skin needs it. It also works well under foundation so I sometimes use it in the mornings too. I've already picked up a couple of new tubes of this.

Revlon Lip Butter in Fig Jam

This is/was my favourite lip butter shade. It's a dark brown/plum shade that is a lot more flattering than it sounds! I actually tracked down a MAC lipstick to dupe this because Fig Jam is sadly not available in the UK. 

Estee Lauder Invisible Fluid Sample

I mixed this with my Chanel Perfection Lumiere foundation sample to help with staying power/oil control and loved the combination but I won't be heading out to pick up the full size of this.

Estee Lauder Pure Color Gloss in Electric Cherry

These glosses smell delicious and I love the non-sticky formula. This particular shade looks a bit weird on me (according to my boyfriend anyway!) and it was limited edition, I believe, so I'll not be repurchasing it. I am interested in trying other shades from the Pure Color gloss range, though.

Maybelline One by One Mascara

I liked this mascara and reviewed it (here) but I don't think I'll be repurchasing it for a while because there are so many other mascaras I still want to try.

Chanel Perfection Lumiere Sample

I used this up by mixing it with the Estee Lauder Invisible Fluid and loved the results but on it's own I wouldn't recommend this foundation. 

Make Up For Ever Smoky Lash Sample

I really liked the effect of this mascara but it was so dry and quite difficult to use so I'm not sure if I'd purchase the full size. Besides, I've not managed to find a UK seller which stocks this.

MAC 188 Brush

I want to cry about this one! This isn't an empty as such but I managed to break/ruin my MAC 188 brush. I was washing it and pulled a little too hard on the bristles so the whole brush head popped out. I've had this brush for well over a year and it was my favourite highlighting brush. Let this be a lesson to you all...be nice to your brushes. 

Sally Hansen Insta Dri Top Coat

I've already repurchased this. It's frustrating when I have to get rid of these when they're still half full but they just become too gloopy to use.

Did you use up many products this month?

Stace xx

Osmo Berber Oil Collection

When I was offered the opportunity to try out the Osmo Berber Oil range I jumped at the chance. I've been a fan of the Macadamia Natural Oil range since the beginning of the year and wanted to see how the Osmo range compared. I was sent the Rejuvenating Cleanser shampoo, the Hair Treatment oil and the Restoration Therapy mask.* 

All three products are generous travel sizes; I got between 15-20 washes from the 75ml shampoo (and I have very long hair), I've used the 75ml mask four times and still have lots left and I used the 10ml oil each time I washed my hair. These will definitely get you through a fortnight in the sun! 

I should point out that the Osmo range is, on the whole, more affordable than the Macadamia range I was using. The smaller sized items I'm reviewing are priced at £3.59 for the shampoo, £3.99 for the mask and £5.90 for the oil. The full sized products are £7.99 for the shampoo and mask (250ml each) and £17.60 for 100ml of the oil. The biggest difference in price is between the masks; the Macadamia Deep repair mask is £20.35 for 250 ml. I also find the packaging of the Osmo range to be a bit more travel friendly and easier to use in general compared with the bottles and jars the Macadamia products come in. 

I have to admit I didn't think this range would be as good as the Macadamia products I love but I've been so impressed by the Osmo Berber Oil range that I actually prefer a couple of the products to the equivalents from Macadamia. I should probably tell you a bit about the products now, shouldn't I?

The first thing I noticed about the Rejuvenating Cleanser shampoo was the scent; it's spicy and fruity and delicious! It is quite thick in consistency which made it a bit more difficult for me to work it through my hair but I generally stick to shampooing the roots anyway. Aside from cleansing the hair this shampoo aims to hydrate the hair and leave it looking radiant. I'd say that it does deliver on those claims for me but I don't have particularly dry or damaged hair. In the past I've found that shampoos which claim to 'hydrate' hair usually just make mine look greasy but this one didn't, thankfully! If you're in the market for a new shampoo, I'd definitely recommend this one if you don't have any major hair issues; this is my favourite product from the range. 

The Restoration Therapy mask is the product I've used the least because I can only use it once a week. I find if I use a hair mask any more than that, my hair gets greasy and limp. I could only use the Macadamia mask once every ten days because it was so thick and hydrating but this mask from the Osmo Berber Oil collection is a little more lightweight. I apply it to damp hair after shampooing, leave it on for five minutes and rinse out. It leaves the ends of my hair looking smooth (despite the fact I'm in desperate need of a hair cut). The lighter texture of this product means I can use it a little more often and if I was on holiday in the sun I'd probably use it every couple of days without worrying about it weighing my hair down. If you do have quite dry or damaged hair, you would probably prefer the Macadamia mask but if you've got normal/oily hair, I'd recommend this one instead.

The Hair Treatment oil is the third product I tried. I used this through the ends of my hair after washing it and whilst I did like it, I get better results from my Macadamia equivalent. This oil is a bit thinner in consistency but leaves my hair feeling a little weighed down with product even when I only use a tiny bit. It does make my hair look smooth and shiny, though. It's not a terrible product, I just found it to be a bit too nourishing for me.

All the products mentioned in this post are available on FeelUnique.com (link)  

Have you tried this range or anything similar?

Stace xx