September 2015 Empties Part 1 – Makeup & Fragrance

Where did September go? Seriously I don’t know why the months insist on flying by faster than the one before! It doesn’t feel like 5 minutes ago I was sat typing up August’s Empties, but here I am again with September’s, there’s more haircare and makeup than usual this month with less skincare. Mid month I thought I was going to have very few empties to talk about as the box was all but empty, but they all crept up in the last week or so and my empties box was pretty much overflowing!

Makeup

Charlotte Tilbury Magic Foundation Sample

I received a sample of this by registering online to try  out the newest product, and I was excited to try this as I haven’t tried anything from Charlotte Tilbury before! Firstly I did pick the wrong shade it was a shade or 2 too dark, but I just found that it made my skin feel really oily and by midway through the day my makeup looked awful. Probably better suited for dry/normal skin rather than oily/combination.

Repurchase? No

MaxFactor Miracle Match Foundation

This was stuck on the inner pages of a magazine and I was expecting it to be rubbish. I’ll eat my words as I loved this foundation, it had excellent coverage and the texture/effect it left on the skin reminded me a lot of MAC’s Studio Fix Fluid Foundation. This was the perfect shade for me in ‘Medium’.

Repurchase? If I needed another foundation I would, but right now my drawer is overflowing, I’m making a mental note for when I do need something new.

Pixi All Over Magic in Bare Radiance

It’s a testament to just how much I LOVE this product, I’ve only had this highlighter since around the end of May and I’ve made my way right through it. This was the perfect highlighting shade that just gave that ‘lit from within look’ and was very neutrally tinted, so didn’t have a glow of pink/white or gold which I don’t tend to love. This looked very natural on the skin and could be used all over the face almost to create a very luminous look or built up on the cheekbones for a more obvious highlight.

Repurchase? When I bought this it was in the sale being discontinued. This makes me incredibly sad and if I could buy 10 of them I would. Need to research dupes immediately after finishing writing this post.

Mirenesse iCurl Mascara

I never got around to reviewing this miniature mascara! I like to try mascara’s out for a good week or 2 to see how they change once air gets in them – as that’s usually when they’re in their prime for me. I was waiting for this to get good but it never did. Personally I didn’t think it curled my lashes more than a normal mascara did, it added a little length but no volume, so just looked like a natural fluttery lash, which isn’t what I like.

Repurchase? No

The Body Shop Instablur Primer

I won’t talk too much about this as I posted a review about this here. My only added comment would be that I seemed to use this really quickly and it’s not a ‘cheap’ product. Considering sample sized ones from Laura Mercier have lasted me 6 months and this lasted me 6 weeks I didn’t think it gave me great value, but I do really like the product.

Repurchase? Already have.

Ready To Wear Powder

I bought this in a staff sale, this is a classic TV shopping product if you’re in the US and sold on the likes of HSN. We were the exclusive UK stockist although I think we’re now discontinuing it (hense finding it in the staff sale), I think I bought this for £2 – where it’s normally more like £15. I liked it, but it reminded me a lot of my Revolution Translucent powder which is £2.

Repurchase? For £2 yes, for £15 no

fragrance/nails

Alaia Perfume Sample

Stuck inside a magazine I’d never heard of this brand and had no idea what to expect. It reminded me of rich fragrances like Tom Ford or Chanel – but it had something lighter and slightly floral about it which just took the edge off it being super sophisticated (which I like as I never feel like I wear those perfumes very often !). This lasted really well on the skin too and had people ask me what I was wearing at work right into late afternoon.

Repurchase? Making a mental note to check this out when I next need to repurchase any perfumes. (Approximately 75 years)

007 For Women Perfume Sample

I was expecting this to be horrendous but wasn’t as bad as I thought it would be.  Didn’t have tremendous staying power, but had a very balanced fragrance of floral top notes, musky base notes and fruity heart notes.

Repurchase? Probably not unless I spotted it on a good offer, but was nice to use!

Affair 102 Solid Perfume Stick

I decided to put this in my handbag in a ploy to finally use this up and it worked! Received in a glossybox god knows how long ago, I’ve had this in my collection for ages and have never really loved it. I like the fragrance of this it’s very rose based but it has such a greasy sticky feeling that never really leaves the skin.

Repurchase? No

Cutex Ultra Cleansing Nail Polish Remover

Think we’ve all heard about this a bazillion times before. It’s fine it does the job. Not the most amazing, but is quite cheap

Repurchase? No Immediate need to as trying something else, but would repurchase.

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Stay tuned for part 2 on Friday!

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