EMPTIES | October '17

Nothing like being 11 days into November to get my Empties for October up, but neither the less, here they are! As always I just seem to get through products at an alarming rate, obviously, these weren't used up in just 4 weeks and have been products I have been using for a couple of months at least!

Kerastase Reflection Chroma Captive Conditioner*

I don't know about you but I always tend to use conditioner a lot quicker than I do with shampoo, but I swear I use the same or less. I have had this conditioner and the matching shampoo in my shower for a couple of months and really enjoyed the range. I had never tried Kerastase for myself but really enjoyed these. They are designed for colour hair (perfect for me) and it helped to keep my hair looking shiny and smooth and also kept the ends from getting too dry.

Hask Essentials Express Blow Dry Hair Drying Spray

This is such a great product and has featured in many an Empties post. Spray this on wet hair and it helps to make it dry a lot quicker than if you just left it to air dry, it also makes the blow drying time a lot shorter too. As well as that I always find it softens the hair and makes it a bit less frizzy. I always have this one in my beauty cupboards.

Daiso Detergent for Puff + Sponge

One of those other classic Cass products is this sponge cleaner from Daiso. It is the best thing I have used to get rid of all foundation etc from my sponges and leaves them looking almost new again! Word on the street was that they were discontinuing this which actually made me want to cry but other sources have said they have repackaged. I will have to suss this out and let you all know

Queen Helene Mint Julep Masque

I have had this hanging around for a while and thought it was about time to part with it as it has been well used. This is a clay masque that comes out in a very peculiar green sort of shade and is aimed for acne prone and oily skin types. Because of the mint is has a very cooling sensation on the skin and really helps to calm down any breakouts on the skin. It's a really great face mask and this huge tube lasts for ages! I got mine from iHerb and it's very cheap at around NZD $6.00 here.

by nature Purifying Facial Cleanser with Rosehip Oil*

If you haven't heard of by nature, they are a brand well worth checking out. They are NZ made and owned and have a small line of natural products.This cleanser is super affordable and works a treat to clean the skin and remove makeup and build up with a clear gel-like texture. The tube is huge and lasts for ages. 

The Body Shop Seaweed Oil-Balancing Toner

Whenever I am out of toners to try, I always back to this one. The trusty Seaweed range suits my oily/combination skin perfectly and removes any traces of makeup I might have missed and helps to calm the skin and treat the oil situation.

Avene Soothing Eye Contour Cream*

I have been using this eye cream for about a month or so and wish that it came in a bigger tube because I really enjoyed it! It worked well to hydrate the eye area all while having a light formula. All Avene products are non-comedogenic, hypoallergenic, and paraben free, and designed for those who are hypersensitive to products.

Manuka Doctor Drops of Crystal Cashmere Touch Serum*

I almost got through a whole skincare routine, with a cleaner, toner, eye cream, and now a serum. This one from Manuka Doctor is from their more premium range of products - the Cashmere Touch range. In the past, I have used their Moisturiser and I really loved it, the serum was good but didn't wow me. I feel as though this would be better suited for those with more mature skin tones as the main aim is to lift and rejuvenate the skin.

Royal Nectar Cream Cleanser*

This is a New Zealand homegrown brand out of the Nelson area, first starting with supplying honey, but more recently they have started doing skincare products. I have had this cleanser around for quite a while but was making a conscious effort to use it up. It's a very light cream cleanser that aims to gently clean and renew the skin with ingredients such as Manuka Honey, Bee Venom and natural oils. It's a really nice cleanser and definitely would be great for those who have more sensitive skin.

Biore Pore Pack

There is nothing more satisfying than doing a pore strip and these ones from Biore always do a great job. These ones I bought at an Asian supermarket in Auckland and the pack contains 10 strips. These worked so well for me and because of the black/charcoal colour when you pull it off you can see the gunk on the strip.

Collection Lasting Perfection Ultimate Wear Powder*
I had hit pan on this a while ago and was trying to use it more but decided to just throw it out as is and use up some other powders I have. I really like this powder though, it gives a little bit more coverage on the skin but mattifies and keeps the skin matte for most of the day.

Benefit The Porefessional Agent Zero Shine Pro Powder
For on the go powdering, this was such a handy product to have in my handbag. It definitely got a lot of use and worked well to get rid of any shine throughout the day. The top screws off and acts as a lid to sift the powder out into and the bottom part unscrews to reveal a dense brush to help powder the face. I did find it handy although it took a bit more effort to use than say blotting papers.

L'Oreal Brow Artist Plumper in Clear*
I always have a clear brow gel on hand and although sometimes I prefer to have a tinted gel, for more natural brows and everyday wear a clear brow gel works perfectly. This one from L'Oreal has a small brush which I prefer and it helps to set the hairs in place without creating too much crunch.

Benefit Precisely, My Brow Pencil
Benefit is known for their amazing brow products and I was super impressed with this relatively new pencil to their range. I used shade 4 and it was the perfect shade for me, the pencil was hard enough that you could really work it through the brows and keep them looking pretty natural, but you could build it up to make them fuller. I would totally buy this again!

OFRA Long Lasting Liquid Lipstick in Mocha*
I have never been through a liquid lipstick but it doesn't surprise me that I finished this one as this shade is perfection and the formula on these are amazing! This is only a mini size, so I definitely need to get my hands on the full size. This is one of the most comfortable matte liquid lipsticks and the formula doesn't dry out the lips and lasts all day.

What products have you finished lately?

*PR Samples.