[A HUGE] EMPTIES | January '16

The end of January is sneaking up so quickly, and with that, it's time for my monthly Empties! There were HEAPS this month, I couldn't believe how many products I ended up finishing - obviously, these have all been used for a couple months at least, not all finished in 4 weeks. There's a few hair products, makeup bits and as always, lots of skincare.

L'Oreal Professional Wild Stylers by Techni.Art Mineral Powder Fixing Spray*

This made a feature in my November Most Loved (here) and I was so sad when I used it up at the start of this month. It gave a lot of texture without feeling sticky or tacky in the hair and had a matte finish. I've not tried the Oribe Dry Texturising Spray but I imagine this would be quite close to that, and easier to get in NZ. I'm yet to buy another can but need to get one ASAP as I miss using it in my hair routine.

NAK Thermal Shield Protective Sealant*

I got this product in the Lust Have It Women's Beauty Box for June (here), so it's done me really well as I only finished this earlier in January and basically used it every day. As far as heat protectors for your hair go, this one was good, but nothing special. The smell was a little funky and although I think it did its job OK, I've already gone back to my trusty Tresemme Heat Tamer Protective Spray.

Dove Hair Therapy Nutritive Solutions Daily Moisture Shampoo + Conditioner*

When it comes to shampoos and conditioners I'm not overly picky but generally, stick with Tresemme or Dove, so I knew I was going to get along with this duo. I really liked both the shampoo and conditioner - it made my hair feel soft and clean, while also not drying it out. If you want an affordable duo, I would recommend the Dove range.

Essano Rosehip Gentle Cleansing Facial Wipes [20 Wipes]

After not being able to find the amazing Garnier Micellar Face Wipes, I decided to grab these ones when I was at the supermarket. For a face wipe, it did the job, I don't use these all the time (I mostly use them for wiping swatches off my arm when I'm taking photos!), but they took off the bulk of my makeup well, although I didn't find they did much for the eye area. They weren't drying on the skin which I liked and felt soft to use. I'm not sure if I'd purchase these again, but they're a good option if you're into face wipes.

The Body Shop Glazed Apple Body Butter [Mini]*

Over Christmas, I took this with me when I went back home and it was the perfect travel size. The Glazed Apple scent was limited edition for Christmas, which is a damn shame because this smells out of this world. The body butter was great and very moisturising for my skin, especially after being out in the sun and swimming in the sea. It does feel quite greasy on the skin for a while, but I don't mind that because the scent is so delicious!

Maybelline Makeup Remover Eye + Lip

Yep, I got through two bottles of this amazing liquid again. It's my go-to for eye makeup remover and also for stubborn lipsticks (especially the liquid kind). I can't rave about this enough - it does its job so well and doesn't sting the eyes or dry the area out.

Daiso Japan Detergent for Puff + Sponge

This is one of my all-time favourite discoveries of 2015 - this is a game changer and it washes my makeup sponges to look as good as new again in only minutes. You put this clear gel-like formula on a dry sponge, massage it around a bit and then run it under water squeezing it out and the makeup builds up just runs right out - it's kind of amazing. You can buy this off eBay, or from Daiso Japan on Queen Street (if you're Auckland based) and you can get 3 for $10, or one for $3.50 - I went in and stocked up on this the other day! 

The Body Shop Seaweed Clarifying Toner

This is my go-to toner as you might know if you're a regular reader of my Empties. The Seaweed range helps to keep my combination skin more balanced, without over-drying or being too rich and the Toner is great for calming the skin after cleansing and removing any excess dirt or makeup I might have missed. I've already got a whole new bottle of this on the go.

Sukin Antioxidant Eye Serum

I bought this on a whim about 4-5 months ago as I had finished another eye cream and wanted to try something different. This lasted me for ages and I was using it every single day, most mornings and at night. I didn't find it to do anything groundbreaking but it did keep my under eye area well moisturised, the downside was that it took a bit of it to blend and sink into the skin. I'm not sure if I'd buy this again as I'm currently trialling one from Clinique, and then will move onto an Antipodes one.

The Body Shop Tea Tree Blemish Fade Lotion

Yet another CM staple is this night cream as part of the Tea Tree range. I've been using this long before I started blogging and won't be stopping anytime soon as it really helps to fade my red marks and acne scars over time. It also helps to treat any active breakouts at the same time. For oily skins, I would recommend!

The Body Shop Vitamin C Glow Boosting Moisturiser*

This Empties is turning out to be very The Body Shop heavy - I just love their products! This was a really nice moisturiser to use, especially through the cooler months coming into Spring and Summer, it gave my skin a good boost of freshness and revitalization that it needed. It felt very lightweight, sunk into the skin quickly and worked really well under makeup - not making me any more oily than I normally am.

Linden Leaves Clay Cleansing Masque*

I love face masks and have quite a few that I chop and change between weekly depending on what my main skin issues are at the time. I am a big clay mask fan, as they work well for my oily/combination skin. This one is good for if you need a quick fix, the white clay dries in under 10 minutes and it helps to draw out impurities in the skin. I always love how my skin feels after using it and I'm sad that I've finished it!

NIVEA Men Sensitive Post Shave Balm*

You might be wondering what this product is doing in here, 1. I don't shave my face and 2. I'm not a man, but hear me out on this one! You may have seen a lot of hype around this product as it makes a really amazing makeup primer! I actually reviewed this a little while ago (read it here) and have been loving it more and more each day as I find I reach for it over many other primers I have. Basically, the glycerin in it helps to adhere your makeup to it and keep it in place for longer - it's been a saviour on these humid days we've had in Auckland lately! I really like it and have cracked into a brand new bottle this week.

Bourjois Air Mat 24hr Hold Foundation in 01 Rose Ivory*

And finally, one of my new favourite foundations came to an end. I reviewed a whole bunch of new Bourjois releases back in November (see it here), but this foundation was a standout for me. The formula I really like as it gives medium to buildable coverage lasts for well over 12 hours and blends well on the skin without settling into pores. I have another darker shade of this but have been on the hunt for this particular shade as it matches me the best, and it's been out of stock! Hopefully, I'll be able to get it soon, because I really miss using it!

What products did you finish this month? Have you used any of the products I got through?

*PR Samples.

bloglovin' | facebook | twitter | instagram | pinterest