August Empties and Reviews

August was a busy month for me! It was my sister in law’s wedding and I came through with my DIYs, I have been spending almost every day after work with my niece but I still had to my 30plus empties in! My skin has been good(ish) this month with only 1 breakout (which happened in the last few days of the month!). Anyway here’s what I have used up this month and my thoughts on them

Skincare/makeup

Collosol Water Milk Cleanser– this was such a beauty to use! I have my full thoughts here. I finally finished The Ordinary’s Glycolic 7% Toning Solution– this is a beautiful toner which I used in the PM only. Not every day but definitely needs SPF every AM. Another bottle of Beauty Pie’s Super Healthy Skin Daily Defense Serum.  Elemis Pro-Radiance Cream Cleanser x2– I have two of these because I got one in a beauty advent calendar (can’t wait for this years’ calendar) and I won one at my work quiz lol. This cleanser is so beautiful and easy to use! It deep cleanses the skin and is very effective against makeup and excess oil.  It breaks down eye makeup with ease. Using this very night, I definitely saw my skin glowing! I used these back to back so overall I think I used it for 2 weeks and a little more. I understand the hype on this and I will definitely consider buying it. It has a lovely buttery soft texture that feels so good on the skin. Another cleanser that impressed me so much this month was the Youth to the People Superfood Cleanser. This is definitely an ‘Instagram made me’ buy it purchase. All my skincare fanatics rave about this and it’s very easy to see why. It washes off so easily for a gel cleanser and the texture just feels so good on the skin! It gently cleanses but it’s very effective and doesn’t leave the skin stripped. I used it as a PM 2^nd cleanse and it does so well at removing makeup reside and leaving my skin smooth! Again I will recommend and definitely repurchase at some point. First Aid Beauty Deep Cleanser– I will have a full review of this soon but in summary, it was an ok cleanser. I have used some impressive ones this month so this was underwhelming. Rodial Dragon’s Blood Sculpting Gel– lovely lightweight gel serum that sinks so easily into the skin. Feels weightless on and provides hydration and plump skin! Smells amazing and layers well on top of another serum I use it with. I didn’t have to use a night moisturiser with this (I do sometimes) and I wake up to soft glowing skin. I didn’t have enough for any ‘real’ long term benefits but I really enjoyed using this. Elizabeth Arden SPF35– this was a Glamour Beauty find and it was a pleasant surprise. Beautiful lightweight texture. Feels like a lightweight lotion. It has a pleasant scent and easily absorbed into the skin. I love the instant brightenness the moisturiser provides and instant hydration and leaves my skin glowing. This moisturiser is 100% invisible on the skin with a high SPF 35. I don’t think the moisturiser provides long term hydration as towards the end of the day my skin feels slightly dry and tight. It doesn’t layer too well with primer if you use a big amount. Its fine if you use a 50p sized amount but anything bigger would pill. I love to slaughter on SPF to ensure I get the full protection so this is a slight inconvenience. Mario Badescu Drying Lotion– I have used this many times and it’s very temperamental in its performance. I have found something better and cheaper so I won’t repurchase.

Tony Moly Collagen Mask– large cotton fibre mask that feels like good quality material. Soaked in serum and easy to put on. It fits well and stays on. Leaves the skin plump and hydrated, no residue and layered well with 2 serums and moisturiser. My skin didn’t feel as hydrated the next day but it wasn’t dry either. Overall it’s a good sheet mask Jinju Cucumber Sheet mask– I absolutely loved the avocado sheet mask and I really liked this cucumber one too. It’s refreshing soothing and hydrating to use. Image Skincare Biomolecular Hydrating Recovery Mask– this was on the smaller side but really left my skin hydrated. It’s a gel mask so the chin area doesn’t stay in place. 8x DIY compressed masks. Rohto Vitamin C Essence Mask– this J beauty find on YesStyle was a great addition and a very easy way to add vitamin c to my routine. I mostly used this in the AM as a toner or in PM as a quick & easy mask. These are not as soaked as the previous vitamin c masks and they are also much smaller. I still really liked this and they last a while. It comes with 32 individual sheet masks that dispense like baby wipes. Primark Wipes and Simply Soft face wipes

Sunday Riley Ceramic Slip Cleanser– I have fallen in love with Sunday Riley. I have had the Ceramic cleanser for a long time but I discovered they had changed the formulation. Last month I used the old product and I absolutely loved it. It had vitamin c ester that just brightened my skin, it had a lovely texture that felt so good and smooth on the skin and deep cleanses without stripping the skin. I loved it so much I used it as an AM & PM cleanser! I got the new formula in the flash kit to test out and used it immediately after I finished the old one. With the new formulation, I realised they took out the vitamin C ester and it’s also plant-based. I do not like the new formulation. It no longer brightens my skin and I feel as though the cleansing power is not the same (its less). I also feel like this new formula leaves my skin slightly dry. The texture is quite different and I find the new formula is just slightly thicker than the old. This is really a case of ‘if it aint broke don’t fix it’. SR should have left the old formula alone and I find myself along with many other unhappy customers. I used the formulas back to back and I can definitely tell the difference. This cleanser knocked the Murad AHA/BHA cleanser off my fav luxury cleanser but its back to being my fav as this new formula just doesn’t do it for me. Ole Henriksen Truth Serum– I have waited so long to use this and I am so happy to have finally used it! It’s a vitamin c serum I used every AM. A very lightweight gel-like serum that smells amazing (reminds me of orange flavoured sweets) and sinks into the skin with easy. It doesn’t add much hydration but it layers really well with other products and doesn’t pill. Over time my skin was definitely healthier looking and glowing. Garnier Refreshing Toner– I have been using the Garnier Refreshing toner with Aloe for the last 2 months as an AM toner. I have also used it many times as a DIY sheet mask with a scoop of vitamin C. this is a great affordable toner. It doesn’t leave a residue and adds a touch of hydration. It layers well with other products in my routine. Really easy to use toner which I recommend.

Paula’s Choice 1% Retinol Treatment– so I have been using this product intermittently for a year but for the last 5 months, I have been using it consistently. For high strength retinol, I did not experience any irritation, even after using acids. It is a lovely lightweight textured lotion that moisturises the skin. Overall, my skin was smoother and brighter but it did not have a huge impact on hyperpigmentation. It is great retinol and it’s very easy to incorporate into a routine. it’s definitely something you need to use for a while before you start seeing any concentrate results.

A few disappointing products this month: Lixir Skin Vitamin C paste– I have full review here. I can’t tell you how disappointed I was with this after wanting to try it for so long! Beauty Pie Superdose Vitamin C Moisturiser– another huge let down with such a great concept.

 

Finally No7 airbrush away primer– which leaves the skin very smooth and extends makeup wear. It’s a good drugstore primer and if you love No7 it’s a good one o try. Mary Kay Lash Intensity– this is a very good mascara my only issue is that it picks up way too much product so it’s very easy to get clumpy lashes (I wonder if that’s where the ‘intensity’ comes from). It’s a long slim bristle brush and it’s great at separating lashes but it just picks up too much product.

Estee Lauder Advanced Night Repair Intensive Recovery Ampoules– I have never fallen in love so quickly with a product. This is a night time oil that revitalises the skin, leaves it glowing overnight! This is a trial size I received in a gift set when I purchased the full-size ANR so it only came with 15 individual ampoules. I used it twice a week, layered over the ANR. My skin the next morning always looked stress-free, radiant and healthier. This is also great for travelling. My sister in law got married this month and usually, late nights, heat and stress takes a toll on my skin and leaves it dull and textured but I was using this in the nights leading up to the wedding and let me tell you my skin looked so good! I have been so impressed by this that I want the full size! And it’s not cheap, the full size of this is £90! Very pricey but I will be saving my boots or Debenhams points to get this!

Haircare/Bodycare/Other

I finished the L’Oréal Curl shampoo– I loved everything about this shampoo and will recommend for natural hair. My full review is here. I dyed one of my wigs this month and I used the Crème of Nature conditioner– this box dye is really good even for dark hair and the conditioner actually softens hair. The one and only Gorilla Snort gel that slicks my hair down! I’m going to get another tub soon. Palmer’s Natural Fusions Hair Mask– I was really excited to try this on my natural hair but it fell short. The mask promises deep conditioning and hydration but my hair really felt no difference. I don’t remember it having a lot of slip for detangling either so overall I was quite disappointed by it. This is my second pack and I managed to use a little on my wig and surprisingly it worked better on that.

Nivea Fresh Clay shower gel– gosh I really don’t remember the last time I used a shower gel. This one smells so fresh and rinses easily and clean. I like that I gently cleanses the skin without leaving it super dry. Missguided Babe powder perfume– loved it so much I got it as my work scent now. Mitchum stick roll on– only roll on that keeps my dry. Holland & Barrett Vanilla oil– amazing vanilla blended oil I use in my body oil mixes. The scent is warm and lingering and stays on the skin throughout the day. Finally Veet hair removal and Superdrug cotton buds.

Total this month- 42. Total so far- 256/400