Sunday 22 September 2013

Products I've Used Up | Summer Empties (#3)


Good afternoon, you lovely bunch. Today's post is an empties/products I've used up, with a very slight summer theme to it. It's the tubs, tubes, bottles and cans that I reached the bottoms of over the past couple of months of sunshine so there's a few SPF moisturisers and an aftersun, but it's mostly just a mixed bag of bits and bobs! I've split the items into 3 categories: Hair, Skincare and Shower & Body, and have given a quick run down on my final thoughts of each product, and whether or not I'd want to buy them again. Enjoy!


HAIR


Batiste Dry Shampoo - Dark / Deep Brown
Ah, good ol' Batiste! The most reliable dry shampoo brand, and in my eyes one of the best out there on a budget. If I ever need to replenish my stock of dry shampoo then I'll always go to Batiste first. It helps to give you an extra day between hair washes, mopping up any excess oils creeping in and giving the hair a general refresh and extra breath of life. The brunette tint to this version helps with dark hair too! 
Would I repurchase? - Yes, definitely.

Phil Smith Dry Clean Revitalising Dry Shampoo
A new brand of dry shampoo that I tried with an open mind, but it just fell a little bit short of Batiste standards. It freshened up the hair, but didn't keep it fresh for very long, unfortunately. The can also ran out very quickly! :(
Would I repurchase? - No.

Lee Stafford Hair Growth Treatment Mask
This mask is probably the product I've raved about most on my blog. It's featured in a few favourites posts and probably every single empties post I've done! I get through a fair few of these every few months. I am convinced  that this is what helps to give my hair it's abnormal growth speed, but not only that, it is also one of the best for general deep conditioning and helping the hair to feel soft, smooth and bouncy. My number one all round hair mask!
Would I repurchase? - Yes! I'm waiting for Boots to do their '3 for £12' deal on Lee Stafford again then I'll be running down to buy 6 tubs!!

Moroccanoil Oil Treatment
Boo, I was so sad when I used the last drop of my mini Moroccan oil! :( This is one the best things that I have ever, ever used on my hair and it really is worth the whole craze over it. It's a little bit pricey but it fixed and maintained all of my hair issues and I've never looked back after using this!
Would I repurchase? - Not right now as I'm currently using a lovely bottle of argan oil from Amargan, so don't feel like I 'need' another oil at the moment, but I can guarantee that a super size bottle of Moroccan Oil will definitely be on my Christmas list (I can't wait for it to be back in my life!). 

Macadamia Healing Oil Treatment
You're probably wondering how on earth my hair is coping at the moment without the ultimate duo of hair oils anymore, haha! If you're looking for something to really sort out your locks, then Moroccanoil or Macadamia will be your best moves. They're both equally as amazing; I slightly prefer Moroccanoil, but Macadamia is a little bit cheaper.
Would I repurchase? - I have already bought a larger bottle of this (thanks to BuyAPowa bargains), and it currently lives at my boyfriends house ..for me, not him. 

Neal & Wolf Daily Shampoo and Conditioner (sample sachets)
These samples were gifted in a 'goodie bag' from an event and when I eventually got around to using them I was very pleasantly surprised! They're actually very good and are for 'all hair types'. They left my hair feeling clean and refeshed, but not stripped, and fairly smooth and free from frizz.
Would I repurchase? - They were good, but nothing to shout from the roof tops about. I'd maybe buy them again.

SKINCARE



Caudalie Beauty Elixir
Caudalie Beauty Elixir is a funny little one, I have talked about it in full before and explained how it doesn't do a great deal and I'm convinced that it has absolutely zero skincare benefits, but for some reason I still absolutely love using it - it just feels nice and refreshing to use on the skin with a bit of a minty tingle. I use this to give my face a quick spritz in the morning inbetween cleasing and moisturising.
Would I repurchase? - Argh, this a tough one! When I finished my last bottle I said that I wouldn't buy it again, but now I'm feeling the temptation to buy another one just to have it hand for the moments when I feel I need it. I can't decide! Maybe if a 20% Caudalie sale arises and I have pennies to spare, then maybe. 

Caudalie Vinoperfect Day Perfecting Fluid SPF15
A sample bottle I received when I bought the Elixir. This moisturising lotion works like a primer and a treatment in once, helping to correct dark spots when used continuously and also helps to smooth, perfect and protect the skin, while adding radiance. It was really lightweight on the skin and felt like heaven. It left the skin surface looking and feeling so smooth, and was slightly tinted to add a teeny amount of coverage too. Loved this!
Would I repurchase? - As lovely, lovely, lovely as this was.. it is £38 for a 40ml tube, and that's a little bit out of my price range. If I was made of gold, then yes, I'd buy this again.

Alpha H Balancing Cleanser with Aloe Vera
This is the cleanser of a lifetime for me. Is that a thing? It is now. This was what I used at the beginning of my 'let's sort this yucky skin out' overhaul and it was a brilliant place to start. The creamy cleanser is so moisturising on the skin, but effectively cleanses and removes all traces of make up (it's remarkably good at removing eye make up), and also tones and then rebalances the skins natural PH with calming Aloe Vera and softening Vitamin E. This worked absolute wonders at restoring my skin's balance and settling things down - great for creating a blank canvas to start a proper skin care routine. This deserves more praise!
Would I repurchase? - Yes, absolutely and no doubt about it! I have another sample size of this left, but once that is gone I will swiftly be making an order from Alpha H. It's only £23.00 for 200ml which I think is great value for this!

Alpha H Micro Cleanse with Glycolic Acid and Rice Bran (sample)
Part of the 'Radiance and Renewal' set that I bought, this super exfoliating cleanser was a once a week treatment to manually exfoliate with it's tiny rice bran grains, and also chemically exfoliate with it's glycolic acid. Definitely too harsh to use more than once a week and made the skin feel a little bit sensitised, but it created really lovely fresh and bright skin. It reminded me a lot of Origins Modern Friction exfoliator in consistency and results.
Would I repurchase? - It was nice to use, but I can't see me buying it again. 

Alpha H Daily Essential Moisturiser SPF30 (sample)
I thought that I liked this at first, and I'm not disputing the fact that it moisturised the skin and also protected from the sun, but it did also leave a serious shine issue on the face. No amount of powder could blot away the greasy sheen that this moisturiser left behind. 
Would I repurchase? - No. 

SHOWER & BODY



Original Source Pink Grapefruit Shower Gel
Okay, we can't talk too much about shower gel because it's boring.. but this one foamed up nicely, kept me clean and fresh, and smelling sweeeet! The zingy but sugary fragrance of pink grapefruit is such a lovely summer scent and this shower gel gets a thumbs up from me.
Would I repurchase? -  Yes. I am keen to try every single scent from Original Source now.

Pampered Shower Smoothies - Berry Exfoliator
Pretty sure this was £1.00 from Home Bargains that my mum got me when I started uni last September, but it's great! It's a soft and creamy shower cream with quite large, but sparse exfoliating grains within it. It lathers up to create a foamy body wash but also gentle exfoliates with the beads in it. Worked great as an every day body wash.
Would I repurchase? -  Yes, I would.

Soap & Glory Flake Away Body Scrub
Comparing this to Soap & Glory's 'Sugar Crush' body scrub, this one is just no where near as good. I just don't feel like it was doing a whole lot of scrubbing on my skin. The beads were soft and gentle, but for me they were just too gentle and trying to give yourself a pre-shave or pre-tan exfoliate with this was like a waste of time!
Would I repurchase? -  I doubt it. If I received one as a gift I would definitely still use it though. 

Piz Buin Tan Intensifier After Sun Lotion
Handed down to me after my mum wasn't getting use from this, I used this as my after sun after sunbathing sessions in the summer. It cooled the skin and kept it hydrated and free from flaking and peeling, but the tan intensifying claims seem like a bit of a fad and I don't think it was anything special.
Would I repurchase? -  No.

L'Occitane Shea Hand Cream
This lovely little mini tube was gone in about 2 days because I loved it so much and just constantly wanted to apply it! L'Occitane hand creams are well known for a reason - because they're amazing! This was fantastic for keeping hands and nail areas nourished and moisturised but not greasy, with a lovely shea scent. One of the best hand creams I've ever used.
Would I repurchase? -  I'd like to, yes. 

Apologies, this post ended up being a little longer than I expected it to be! But, I hope that you're all good, and thanks for reading! 
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Check out my September Gold advertiser, Lydia, and her amazing blog:
Lydiarosexo.blogspot.co.uk

22 comments:

  1. I used to use the hair growth mask, totally forgot about it so thank you for reminding me! Also, if you feel like you need more Moroccan Oil in your life go to Aldi as they sell an amazing one for £4! I love mine as much as the high end brands.

    Belle x
    Mascara & Maltesers

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  2. Lovely post, you have used up a lot products! I'm really interested about the Alpha H Balancing cleanser now and both the hair oils seem to be winners! :)

    isabella <3

    http://pinkiepromisebeauty.blogspot.co.uk/

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  3. Lovely post, you have a great sense of humour coming across in your posts :) Love your hair products, some of my faves in there too :)

    Claire | AgentSmyth

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  4. I love the l'Occitane hand cream!

    Jodie Marie | à la Jode

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  5. I wish I could try Lee Stafford products, but here so hard to find in NY!

    -Trina ♥
    trinawears.com

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  6. I need to start using my lee Staford hair growth range again! X

    http://theressomethingaboutalice.blogspot.co.uk/

    Check out my giveaway - Win a MAC lipstick of your choice!

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  7. Great post!! I seriously need to look for a dry shampoo as I have very fine, oily hair but dont want to wash every other day b.c it causes so much damage. I love the moroccan oil! I currently have the tiny bottle and it is so wonderful on my dry ends!

    http://fashionqueen294.blogspot.com/2013/09/fall-fashion-2013.html

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  8. I really do need to remember to save my empties, I am awful at remembering xx

    Beautyqueenuk xx

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  9. I tried that Lee Stafford hair mask ages ago and I remember really liking it, I might pick up another one soon after reading your recommendation!

    kooky capricious

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  10. I use flake away and breakfast scrub by soap and glory religiously, it's perfect and leaves my skin so smooth.
    I also tried the lee stafford hair treatment a few times and it's never made a great effect on my hair :-( It does smell beautiful though
    I want to try all these products now though haha

    mollyrosecleaver.blogspot.com x

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  11. Hiya!
    I just lovelove posts like this, I don´t mind it being long, I find it quite informative and in a fun way! :) Doing one myself soon, just have a few bottles left that´s empty sooon hihi:)

    Oh I love batiste too, I had that one for brown hair as well, but after I went back to blonde it´s not really a good deal for me anymore;) But I love the regular ones, especially cherry and tropical with coconut ^^ New follower btw :) xx

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  12. Love the little reviews that you give each product. Such a good post, but very bad for my bank balance.

    www.becka-thisismyworld.blogspot.com
    Becka! :) x

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  13. Love batiste! Never tried the dark coloured one which is probably a great idea because you ALWAYS find that grey patch at the back off your head while you're out!x

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  14. There are a few products here that i really want to give a try! Thanks for sharing!

    www.britishbeautyaddict.com

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  15. That's a lot of empties - good job! I can't be without the Caudalie Spray and always have a few around :O). Xx

    http://makeupbycandlelight.blogspot.co.uk/

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  16. SO many empties! I feel like I never use up my products!

    -Erica xx
    www.ericawears.com | Bloglovin

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  17. Hi, I've featured you on my '10 Blogs I Recommend post' you can check the post out here http://www.blue-bow.co.uk/2013/09/10-blogs-i-recommend-you-check-out.html

    S x

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  18. That Alpha-H cleanser sounds fab! I'm yet to try any Alpha-H products - perhaps this one will be my first? x

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  19. I really need to pick up that lee stafford mask. I always say il pick it up, but for some reason I haven't.
    I love posts like this for some reason.

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  20. The raspberry and cream original source shower gel I think it's is, THE BEST ONE OF THEM ALL! Xx

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