I am pretty sure I called it in my Empties for June, that July's was going to be a lot larger... and well, I wasn't wrong! I managed to get finish up quite a few different products, and also at the end I show the casualties of my huge makeup declutter I did.
Nivea In-Shower Rich Body Lotion Skin Conditioner Very Dry Skin*
I am super lazy when it comes to moisturising my body, I go in and out of phases of moisturising daily and then not at all. But using this in the shower definitely helped, especially during winter when you want to spend less time without clothes on! I really like this product and I think it works well to hydrate the skin. My one issue is the bottle itself - it's ridiculously hard to squeeze out product near the bottom due to the shape! Regardless, it's a good one to have in the shower and if you are a lazy moisturiser like me, you will benefit from this!
Johnny's Chop Shop Johnny's Sheen Hair Pomade*
This is not a product I finished up, but actually, my boyfriend did! He was sent (via me) a bunch of products from this uber cool brand that you can now get in Farmers. While he doesn't have a complex beauty routine at all, he is picky when it comes to hair gels and overall he really enjoyed this one. It always looked good in his hair, wasn't thick and sticky and you could never visibly see it in the hair. I think it is definitely something he would use again!
Vaseline White Petroleum Jelly
Ever since I was a kid I have used Vaseline and to this day I use it every single day, morning and night on my lips. It's also handy to have in the cupboard for a whole bunch of other reasons like dry skin (when I have a cold I always slather this around my dry and red nose), for chaffing, and I also use it around my hairline when I dye my hair so it's easy to remove any excess dye that gets on the skin so it doesn't stain. It takes me ages to get through a tub, but it's something I will always have on hand.
Maybelline Eye + Lip Makeup Remover
Well, what a surprise. This is one of the best makeup removers around, it doesn't sting or irritate the eyes at all and gets rid of all the eye makeup easily. I am actually trying out a different one right now from Avene, but I always end up going back to this one!
The Good Vitamin Co. Good Glucosimine Joints + Good Biotin Skin Hair Nails*
I thought I would include these in my Empties as they are somewhat beauty related but also just good to have for your everyday health. I was approached by the brand a few months back and they sent me this great pack of with these vitamins in as well as some stickers and info about the brand. It is aimed at kids, but they also have this range for adults too. They are gummy vitamins which literally taste like lollies and are all natural, non-sugar coated, gluten-free, with no artificial flavours and are formulated in NZ - what more could you want! The kid's range has 4 different types; Vita-C, Multi, Calci and Omega 3 and I could definitely see kids having no problem taking these!
Manuka Doctor Hydrating Facial Cleanser*
I am becoming quite a convert to the Manuka Doctor range, having been lucky to try out quite a few products of their range over the past years. This cleanser became a quick favourite and really has done a great job at removing makeup and dirt without stripping the skin. It can be used straight on to a dry face to break down makeup and then lathered up with some water or can be used as a traditional cleanser. It broke down makeup really easily and felt really nice on the skin. It's definitely something I would consider purchasing.
The Body Shop Seaweed Oil-Balancing Toner
I think toner is such an important step in any skincare routine because I have combination skin, I always like a toner that is going to keep excess oil at bay but also not overly strip the skin. The Body Shop has always been my go-to and the Seaweed range is specially formulated for skin just like mine. The toner works well to remove any traces of makeup left over and helps to balance the skin. I am already into my next bottle.
L'Oreal Revitalift HA Filler Eye Cream*
I have already mentioned this eye cream in one of my Most Loved posts (see it here) and I finally squeezed the last of it out earlier this month. As eye creams go, this one was a winner and it made my under eye area look a lot plumper and moisturised than normal. With a cooling applicator and a thick gel like texture, this works very well to hydrate especially with the addition of hyaluronic acid (HA).
Kiehl's Pure Vitality Skin Renewing Cream*
I probably don't need to review this as sadly (and very quietly) this was discontinued by Kiehl's not long after it had a big launch! Apparently, the reason was that there was a minor raw material in the cream that was causing irritation, which I had not experienced at all myself. According to this very in-depth post which goes through the whole saga here, it was still safe to use if you hadn't experienced any discomfort. Interestingly, there has been no public announcement or warning from Kiehl's about it, which I feel should have been addressed and the only reason I had found out it was discontinued was my mum had tried my tub and really liked it then went to buy it and was told it was no longer being sold. Despite all that, I did finish the whole tub and did really like it as a rich night cream. Obviously, I can't repurchase it, even if I wanted to! If you do have this already, and it is reacting with your skin, I would go to a Kiehl's counter and see if they can refund or give you another option.
The Body Shop Camomile Sumptuous Cleansing Butter
As a lover of the Camomile Cleansing Oil, I finally got around to try it in the solid butter form and I love both! The butter works just as well as the oil does, but it's not as messy and much easier to travel with. It can be applied straight onto dry skin and then massaged in and removed with a flannel to quickly break up makeup. I actually bought this myself and then about 2 weeks later I got a very cool parcel from The Body Shop PR team and inside was one of these so I am already into my second tin and would definitely continue to repurchase it.
Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser*
I've had this cleanser in my shower for a few months now and this large bottle lasted me for quite a while! Cetaphil is one of those brands that has been around for a while but I'd never used their products. If you have sensitive skin, the Cetaphil range is a good one to try out. This cleanser worked well, it was nothing amazing or ground breaking but a good middle of the road one!
Mecca Cosmetica Ready Set Quick Dry Nail Spray
I love painting my nails but the one thing I don't like is having to wait for them to dry - this nail spray from Mecca has saved the day in that regard. I got this on a whim while visiting the new CHCH Mecca Maxima in November last year and have loved using it. My BF complains about the smell, it does smell a bit different but it's nothing awful. Once you've painted your nails you spray this over and let it dry and it makes you nails touch dry pretty instantly. I definitely need to get another one of these!
L.A. Girl Pro.Coverage HD Illuminating Foundation in Fair
I have talked about this foundation a fair bit lately and it's one that I can't stop using! I love the coverage and finish it gives and it does last me throughout the day (some days if my skin is a bit oilier than normal I do find it breaks up a bit). My one main gripe is the colour range, this shade here is the lightest and it's definitely just a bit too dark for me, so I need to use some sort of lightning foundation or mixer at the moment. I am already into my next bottle.
Colourpop Brow Pencil in Bangin' Brunette
This is one of my makeup staples, and I have been through so many of these! As I need to fill my brows in quite a bit as the hairs are sparse I do find I get through these pretty quickly. It's a great pencil and a good match for my current hair colour too.
Orly Color Care Polish Bond
I have been a big fan of this base coat for a while and it works well to keep your nail polish chip free for longer and also creates a good barrier between the nail and the polish so it doesn't create any discolouring. I have some other base coats to use up but it's one I can always count on.
e.l.f. Studio HD Under Eye Setting Powder
And yet another of my makeup staples is this under eye setting powder from the very affordable, e.l.f. I wish they did these in slightly larger pottle as I tend to get through them quickly. It's a great powder for under the eyes and sets, helps to prevent creasing and prolongs the wear of my concealer. I am already using my next one!
THE MAKEUP CLEAR OUT
Earlier this month I had a huge makeup declutter, I went through everything and got pretty ruthless in cutting down how much makeup I had so I can get the best out of what was left, and also get rid of products that were basically finished and or expired. You can see I got rid of a lot, and there was also about this much stuff that I gifted to friends and family of things that were still in good condition and usable. I still own a lot of makeup for the average person but they are all products I just can't part with!
I thought I would include some honourable mentions from the above literal makeup mess. For primer, the Maybelline Baby Skin Instant Pore Eraser is a good silicon primer, foundations I loved/love include the L'Oreal Infallible 24hr-Matte (I now have this in a better shade match for me), and the Covergirl Ready Set Gorgeous which is a good matte foundation for oily skin. In the bronzer department I managed to hit pan on 3 and sadly they needed to go; the NYC Sunny Bronzer is one of my all time favourites (and is crazy cheap), the NYX Blush in Taupe was awesome as a contour, and this mini sample of Benefit's Hoola was so nice to use (I need to get the full size!). The Sleek Contour Kit was a favourite for so long, but it got so battered that the lid is falling off. For the eyes, I had to part with the Too Faced Shadow Insurance Eye Primer (a great base), and the Collection Lasting Perfection Concealer which was basically empty. Two mascaras from the bunch I got rid of include the Tarte Lights Camera Flashes Mascara (so good for volume and length) and the L'Oreal Miss Manga Mega Volume* - both were great. There were some other amazing products I had to part with but as you can see by the huge volume, I can't write about every single one of them. I think my fingers would fall off and this post has already been long enough!
What products have you finished using recently?
*PR Samples.
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