Biggest Empties Ever: Skincare

Well done if you made it to the end of this massive series of empties posts. I kind of forgot there was one outstanding until I saw that I had a folder of images saved on my desktop, and was reminded there was a job I was putting off doing. Falling into second place for the biggest category was skincare with a total of 57 items finished up in around 7 and a half months!

The series if you want to catch up:

Introduction & Pie Charts – Makeup & Nail Empties – Fragrance & ‘Essential’
 Body Care – Hair Care

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Likes

Garnier Micellar Water Sensitive x 2

My go-to daily makeup removal, I also go through this relatively quickly as tend to use products prior to photographing products to remove any powdery residue and make sure things are as shiny as possible. Affordable and lasts me months per bottle so wins points.

Repurchase: Already have 

Garnier Micellar Water Travel

The On the Go size from Garnier, which was slightly over looked in size as it’s over 100ml so isn’t carry on friendly – good one Garnier, that’s why I bought it! I like the original version, but tend to reach for the sensitive one now out of habit, to be honest though I don’t notice the difference between the two.

Repurchase: Yes

Elemis Smart Cleanse Micellar Water (review)

I liked this micellar water, however at 5 times the price of a Garnier one I do not like it enough to repurchase, also unlike Garnier’s this really stings my eyes! Does leave my skin feeling very fresh though, I know Danni who normally has some problems with Micellar waters on her face got on this well so maybe if you’re normally sensitive to Micellar waters it might be worth a try!

Repurchase: No

Emma Hardie Moringa Cleansing Balm 

I’ve always wanted to try this so was happy to see it in . Would still like to get the full size, but have enough cleansers at the moment to finish (& start!) before I consider getting another! I got 3/4 uses from this and it was a really nice luxurious formula that felt oily on the skin and left me feeling very smooth & nourished at the end of it.

Repurchase: Maybe

Ole Henriksen African Red Tea Foaming Cleanser (review)

I discovered a load of used up Ole Henriksen gems all at the same time and I’m really tempted to buy the same set again as I loved everything inside! This was one of my favourite items and I really enjoyed using this cleanser.

Repurchase: Maybe

Aurelia Miracle Cleanser (review)

I liked this cleanser but didn’t love it, I found it very similar to cream cleansers such as cleanse and polish from Liz Earle but it was around the £25 mark instead of £15, and for that much different it needs to impress me a lot more. Pleasant but not the best.

Repurchase: No

Mario Badescu Seaweed Cleansing Soap & Lotion (review)

I loved this set I got from the Beauty Bay as a freebie for spending too much! I hadn’t even really heard of MB until midway through the year but now it seems to be a name which crops up every where. The cleansing soap has already been repurchased – and almost finished up the full size, I use it every day in the shower and credit it for keeping my skin basically completely clear for 6 months. When I finished this sample up I noticed a massive difference in my skin within a week. The Lotion was more like a toner, I’m not very good at remembering to use a toner, or really seeing differences they make to my skin, but I enjoyed using it.

Repurchase: Soap yes, Lotion Nope.

Kiehl’s Ultra Facial Cleanser (review)

This was a really good all-round cleanser, it did a good job of leaving the skin feeling clean and fresh and removing any traces of makeup too. Completely safe around the eyes it did a good job of doing everything quickly.

Repurchase: Maybe

BareMinerals Skinlongevity Infusion

First time trying a Bareminerals skincare item and I must admit I didn’t have high expectations. The texture of this kind of reminded me of Good Genes, as did the smell – I went as far as comparing ingredients as I was starting to wonder if they had similar ingredients but they didn’t have any the same!

Repurchase: Maybe Actually

Liz Earle Skin Repair Moisturiser

I had featured this in my first products I’m trying to use up post. I’ve had this for years and it should have been in the dislikes pile rather than likes. I found this really greasy feeling, I couldn’t get this to work for me in the day time so ended up using it at night. Was happy to see the back of it once it was finished. Hurrah!

Repurchase: No

Kiehl’s Ultra Facial Cream

I liked this facial cream, whilst it was quite thick feeling I found it sunk in quickly to the skin and worked well as a base underneath makeup. I really enjoyed using this up – felt very nourishing and kept the skin hydrated perfectly.

Repurchase: Maybe in future, but for now no!

Ole Henriksen Truth Serum Collagen Booster (review)

I LOVED THIS, so did my skin. I used this is every morning and basically cried when I’d done everything I could to get every last drop out. This brightened, smoothed and plumped my skin beautifully.

Repurchase: Maybe

Organic Surge Intensive Smoothing Serum (review)

I really enjoyed using this up – it’s a product which had been in my drawers for ages. This did a great job of really moisturising the skin overnight. Had a slightly sticky feeling but I only ever used it at night so it was okay!

Repurchase: Unlikely

Kiehl’s Ultra Facial Moisturiser

Liked this but preferred the cream over the moisturiser, this was thinner in formula, just found that the cream did more and you needed less.

Repurchase: No

Boots Refreshing Cleansing Wipes

Only tend to pick up wipes in travel situations if I’ve forgotten to pack something and I think this was the case with these. I tend to always get these ones from boots as they’re usually on offer. Fine wipes but try to avoid them as they make me lazy,

Repurchase: Probably

When Glamour Base Mask (review)

Liked this sheet mask, thought it did a great job of brightening and plumping the skin for a pre-makeup boost. Won’t go too indepth as you can see about it in the review as it wasn’t the world’s longest review!

Repurchase: Unlikely

Sephora Green Tea Mask (review)

This is the first from the Sephora Sheet Masks that I felt actually did something noticeable to my skin. Read more in the review if interested!

Repurchase: No, didn’t like it enough to go to the effort!

Garnier Skinactive Moisture Bomb Mask (review)

Reviewed just last week so definitely won’t talk too much about it. A great high street sheet mask that is also completely budget friendly!

Repurchase: Maybe

NSPA Eye Mask Treatments

I normally hate these gel type eye mask (I think they feel like condoms LOL) but these ones were bareable!

Repurchase: Still have another pack in the cupboard!

Nuxe Gentle Toning Lotion & Nuxe Gentle Exfoliating Gel

Got these as a sample from somewhere – probably a beauty box! I really liked the rose scent of both of these. The Exfoliator was okay – it was  nice feeling but a bit too ‘seedy’ for the face for what I normally like. The Toning Lotion is the same as the Mario Badescu one really – honestly no idea what difference a toner makes to my skin.

Repurchase: No

Various Samples

Lots of samples that I liked here, Origins Ginzing Mask (not actually a sample but an individual pod) which I reviewed here, The Tony Moly Tomatox massage pack was actually great, I got on very well with it I remember it being quite tightening. The Kiehl’s Midnight Recovery Sample lasted me about 3 weeks of using it daily, it’s a massive sample to have at once.

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Dislikes

Garnier Oil Infused Micellar Water

I didn’t necessarily not like this, but it’s not my favourite from the bunch. I found it reseparated very quickly and I couldn’t tell what the oil was actually adding to the mix. It felt no different to normal.

OZ Naturals Vitamin C Cleanser (review)

This wasn’t too bad a cleanser it did a good job of making the skin feel fresh, the problem? The smell – this smelt so strongly of bleach it was just unpleasant to uses because of it.

Ark Exfoliator

I didn’t like the texture of this exfoliator, it was largely cream based but it had very sharp crystally type particles in it. It did the job but didn’t particularly feel pleasant.

Boots Moisturising Face Wipes

First time I’ve bought this version of Boot’s wipes, I think they were on offer but the green ones I normally get were not. I don’t know if I got a bad packet, but they felt very dry top to bottom.

Lancome Energie De Vie Moisturiser

I was given a sample of this in Boots when it launched earlier in the year, I didn’t love this enough for the price. It was a gel moisturiser which was okay – but didn’t delivery enough for a £20+ price tag.

B. Revealed Glycolic Cleansing Peel

I tried this in several different ways – used more regularly as a second step cleanse or left on for a few minutes in the shower before being rinsed off – either way I can’t tell you what it did, I noticed nothing when using this. Other than a little bit of a weird smell.

Gatineau Melatogenine Cleansing Cream (review)

Wasn’t impressed with this super pricey cleanser, it also always left my skin with this weird unsmooth feeling, like my hands would struggle to run over my skin without it dragging.

Pommade Divine Natures Remedy Balm

I remember really not liking this, but I can’t remember why now it’s that long ago I used it up. I have a feeling I found it really greasy feeling on the skin!

La Roche Posay Effective C10

Another product I remember not liking but I don’t remember why – I think it just did nothing for me!

Vasanti Brighten Up

Sent with my swap items from Chris @ FiveZero, similar to the Ark Exfoliator I just found this to be a bit scratchy for me. One of my friends had this in a Birchbox though and asked if I knew where she could get more of it as she loved it – If I’d known about a month before she could have had mine!

Geneva Guild Body Cream

Another mystery Geneva Guild Body Cream, no idea where it came from. I see to remember this was just a bit basic!

JR Naturals Mandarin and Chamomile Balm

I didn’t not necessarilly like this, but this sample pot didn’t even have enough for one use!

Kiehl’s Powerful Strength Line Reducing Concerntrate

This sample lasted me about a month. Sadly I struggled to find out what it was doing for me, but I have a feeling I may not quite be the generation it was targetted at yet. I used this as an eye cream, but preferred the texture of the Kiehl’s Creamy Eye or Midnight Recovery, this had a slightly oily residue.

Vichy Normaderm Moisuriser

Been ages since I finished this – I think it was right near the start, and yet again I’m struggling to know what the problem with this was, guessing just nothing that was tangibly different about it!

White Rabbit Coconut & Lime Cleansing Water (review)

I wanted to love this as I loved the ethics behind this brand – but self confessed safe around the area this made my eyes sting for hours after use! Did a nice job of cleaning the skin, but I want an my makeup remover to also be fully safe around my eyes I can’t deal with the faff of it being otherwise!

When Travelmate Mask (review)

Didn’t find it did as much for me as the Glamour Base one from the same range. Not worth the price for me!

Josie Maran Light Oil

I didn’t like this at all. Not a big fan of argan oils for the face and this was no different.

Filorga Nutrifiller 

HORRID – greasy greasy greasy, I seriously had to cleanser my face about 3 times to get the residue of this off.

Kiehl’s Powerful Line Reducing Concentrate Sachet

Same problem as already listed. Just too youthful I think for this yet!

Time Revolution ???

Can’t read what this product actually was, and can’t remember why I didn’t like it – but never the less, one less sachet in the drawer!

Embroylisse Lait Creme Concerntrate

This cream was really watery and just ‘nothing’. Gave me about a week’s worth of use at night and was glad when I’d managed to get it gone!

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If you read all of my empties, thank you – you deserve a medal for doing so! I will never be leaving it this long again – I have a few empties so far but have used up a hell of a lot less since finally getting around to tackling the pile!

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