[Empties] January 2015

Empties: January 2015

Hey guys! I’ve been away for the LONGEST time, I was busy studying for the exams at the end of last year and then went to South Africa on holiday for a month. To ease back into blogging, I thought that I’d start with a post on the products that I’ve used up over the last few months 🙂

The Herbal Essences ‘Hello Hydration’ conditioner is one of my favourites, and not only because it smells absolutely amazing and makes me think that I’m away on a tropical holiday. It does a decent job of hydrating my hair and is super affordable too. I want to try out the rest of the Herbal Essences range, so it may be a while before purchase this particular conditioner again.

I received a sample of the Schwarzkopf Essence Ultime Omega Repair conditioner and didn’t think it was anything special. It has a pretty pearly appearance but didn’t do anything for my hair so won’t be purchasing the full size product.

The Body Shop’s Tea Tea Oil is one of those products that I’ll always repurchase, it does a fantastic job of reducing my blemishes and each bottle lasts me around a year.

Another sample that I used up was the Nivea stress protect deodorant so I might purchase the full sized product.

I wasn’t particularly impressed when I first started started using the Neutrogena Visibly Clear Pink Grapefruit Daily Scrub (reviewed in full here) but it grew on me towards the end.

Lastly the Bionike Defence B-Lucent Roll On Focus was something that I was using on my acne spots. It did work, but took ages for the blemishes to fade.

I can’t wait to get back into blogging! Hope that everyone has had a fantastic holiday 🙂

Fatima x

[Empties] May 2014

Another month of empties! It feels like just the other day that I was writing a post on my April empties, I’m amazed by just how fast the months are passing by. Here’s what I got through this month:

Herbal Essences Long Term Relationship conditioner

Loved the shampoo (which I finished last month) and I love the conditioner even more. The smell is awesome, it’s cheap and it leaves my hair feeling so soft. On a side note, am I the only one that can never finish a shampoo and conditioner at the same time?!

Repurchase? Yes.

Pantene Aqua Light shampoo

I received a sample of this product, it’s pleasant but I still prefer the Herbal Essences shampoos.

Purchase full size product? No

The Body Shop- Aloe Calming Facial Cleanser

This is a really gentle cleanser, I used it to remove makeup but found that I still had to follow up with the facial wash (below). The cleanser is quite thick (like a thick lotion consistency) and I sometimes had difficulty getting it out from the bottle. I enjoyed using this cleanser, and I think that people with sensitive skin would really love it. I’m not sure if I’d repurchase, because  it would probably be better to use a proper makeup remover and then a facial wash instead of this.

Repurchase? Maybe

The Body Shop- Aloe Gentle Facial Wash

This product is definitely gentle like it claims and I love the consistency and feel of this cleanser. It doesn’t leave the skin feeling tight and dry and comes in a handy pump bottle. The product is liquid but comes out as a foam, something I adore in cleansers. Another plus of this product is that is lasts FOREVER. With daily use, it took me almost two years to finish!

Repurchase? Yes.

A’kin Revitalizing Cellular Radiance Serum

I wasn’t able to see any visible improvements to my skin tone whilst using this product, but it did help prevent new dark spots from appearing. I’m trying out rosehip oil now, hoping to get better results!

Repurchase? No

Garnier Youthful Radiance Night Cream

The cream doesn’t actually make my skin look drastically radiant, but leaves my skin feeling super hydrated. It has a pleasant cucumber smell and absorbs fast. It’s also not heavy like a lot of night creams, which I love.

Repurchase? Yes

Dove cotton wool pads

These are really great quality, had mines for around 4 years (!!) and not sure if they sell it in Australia. If I do see it, I’d buy it again.

Repurchase? Yes

I didn’t realise how many products I finished this month until I wrote this post! I’ve been trying to use my old products first so I can start using my new ones, instead of having multiple products of the same type opened at the same time.

I’m looking forward to reading all the empties posts on my dashboard, have a fantastic weekend guys! 🙂

Fatima x

[Empties] March & April 2014

Empties time! I had to skip the empties post for March because I had only used up two products so here I am with a combined post.

Dermalogica Daily Microfoliant

The sample size of this product lasted forever, the powder is fine and left my skin feeling so smooth.  I used a similar product by The Body Shop called The Body Shop Moisture White Cleansing Powder and liked it more than the Dermalogica version , so if I’m ever after a cleansing powder I’ll buy that one instead.

Repurchase? No.

The Body Shop Strawberry Gel

This had me smelling so yummy  and left my skin soft and cleansed. Would love to try more scents from the Body Shop gel range!

Repurchase? Yes.

Norsca Antiperspirant

This is honestly the worst antiperspirant that I ever purchased, I had to hold my breath each time I sprayed it because it lingered in the air for ages and I kept breathing it in. Also, the can reminded me of insect spray. On the plus side, it did  prevent me from sweating and did not leave yellow or white stains, as claimed on the packaging.

Repurchase? No.

Herbal Essences Long Term Relationship shampoo

This shampoo left my long hair feeling so soft and hydrated. It also smells like raspberries and comes at a friendly price so what’s not to love?!

Repurchase? Yes.

The Body Shop Born Lippy – Watermelon

The Born Lippy lipbalms are a favourite of mine, I usually have a few open ones lying open at the same time. The watermelon flavour has no color, and is thicker and more hydrating than other flavours that I’ve tried.

Repurchase? Yes.

Nads Facial Wax Strips

The Nad’s Facial wax strips have a soft fabric backing, not plastic like other brands that I’ve tried in the past. These were average, it took a few strips to get off all the hair from my upper lip each time I tried using it so I just went back to using hot wax.

Repurchase? No.

Maybelline Falsies Mascara (not pictured)

I swapped this mascara at the Benefit Mascara Swap so it has not been included with the rest of my empties above. This mascara was fantastic to use, the brush took some getting used to but I got the hang of it eventually. It gave me really huge lashes in terms of curling and volume and stayed on all day without smudging or flaking. This mascara didn’t lenghten or provide a false eyelashes effect but it’s really good to use daily if you’re just looking for volume and huge lashes.

Repurchase? Yes.

That’s it from me, I can’t believe that it’s already Friday tomorrow! Definitely looking forward to this weekend 🙂

Until next time,

Fatima xx

[Top 10] Beauty Products of 2013

Hi everyone!

Today I thought that I would share with you my top 10 favorite products of 2013. 

Mor Little Luxuries Marshmallow Hand Cream- Fell in love with this little beauty the first time that I sampled it at Myer. The cream has a lovely, thick consistency and leaves my hands feeling soft and nourished. The packaging is gorgeous and is ideal to treat yourself or give to a loved one as a gift. I find that the scent usually lasts between 3-4 hours. This is an ideal size to keep in my handbag and to use on the go.  I’m looking forward to buying the perfume and the rest of the range in 2014!

Herbal Essences Hello Hydration shampoo- I know I’m a bit delayed in trying out this range but I love this shampoo! This is perfect for summer because face it, who doesn’t want to smell of coconuts and wild orchid?!

The Body Shop Aloe Gentle Facial Wash– I have been using this wash for the better part of the year and it doesn’t disappoint. The product is a foam cleanser and gently washes away makeup. I have normal skin and this doesn’t leave my skin feeling dry.

Garnier Fructis Miraculous Oil- This is my first time trying out a hair oil and I’m really impressed. I only need a small amount of product and apply it to the ends of my hair. The smell of the product is beautiful and it leaves my hair feeling soft and manageable.

Maybelline Falsies Volume Express [Black Drama} -I absolutely freaking love this mascara!! It curls, volumises and lengthens slightly. The mascara wand took some time to get used to but other than that, it definitely delivers what it claims to do.

Revlon Colorstay Liquid Liner- This liner is perfect. It lasts all day without smudging, is pigmented and easy to apply.

Garnier Youthful Radiance Night Cream– The cream doesn’t actually make my skin look drastically radiant, but my skin drinks it up! It has a pleasant smell and absorbs quick. It’s also not heavy like a lot of night creams, which I love.

Estee Lauder Double Wear Foundation [5W1 Bronze]- This is my holy grail foundation, it provides medium to heavy coverage and is buildable. I have dark marks on my face and I usually skip concealer because this foundation covers most of it perfectly. The foundation is perfect for daily use, it doesn’t feel heavy and doesn’t look caked on. Also lasts for over 8 hours WITHOUT primer. This product is absolute gold, will forever be repurchasing.

Rimmel Kate Moss Lasting Finish Lipsticks- Shade 20 is my current favourite, but I’ve just purchased shade 09 which I’m also in love with. The lipsticks are affordable and great quality, making it a good buy.

Body Shop Born Lippy [Watermelon]-  These lip balms smell great, look cute and leave my lips feeling soft and moisturised . They’re a handbag essential and I usually keep one lying around my room.

Have you tried any of the products above? What are your favorite products of 2013?