Empties #3

The third installment of my empties posts is probably long overdue (it's been about four or five months since my last one), but alas I don't have a huge collection of empty products to share. I just don't finish things very quickly! I don't get how people can accumulate bags full of empties after only a month. Anyways I thought I would share the products I've run out of recently and my thoughts on them.

Organic Everescents Moisture Shampoo and Conditioner

My mum won these in a pack from her hairdresser and she gave them to me as she prefers volumising products. I really enjoyed these! The are fully free of silicones, sulfates and parabens and are made up of really good ingredients. Also, the packaging is made out of recycled plastic! I didn't find these intensively moisturising, but they did leave my hair feeling soft and clean. The shampoo lathered pretty well despite being sulphate free.

Repurchase? Probably not as they are quite expensive and there are other sulphate free shampoos/conditioners that I would like to try.

Nivea Express Hydration Body Lotion

A nice, basic body moisturiser. It's a nice thin, lotion consistency that sinks in and absorbs into the skin quite quickly. It has a lovely clean scent too. My skin was soft and nourished after use and for the day following.

Repurchase? Probably

Soap & Glory Night in Shining Armour Night Cream

I really liked this for a basic but intensively moisturising night cream. It wasn't too heavy or greasy feeling on the skin and absorbed reasonably quickly. It left my skin feeling very moisturised and soft in the morning, and I had pretty much no dry patches while I was using this!

Repurchase? Not at the moment, though possibly in the future.

Natural Instinct Clarifying Toner

I really loved this toner! It felt like a nice clarifying toner but contained really lovely ingredients that left my skin feeling refreshed rather that tight or dry.

Repurchase? Probably in the future!

Estee Lauder Idealist

A couple of samples I finished up that lasted me quite a while actually. I used it both as a slight (and subtle) illuminator mixed in, and a morning time serum. It was a pleasure to use and felt lovely on the skin though I don't really think it yielded any long term results in terms of brightening or evening out the skin tone.

Repurchase? No

Mario Badescu Buffering Lotion

I had a sample of this which lasted a decent while. I used this on any cystic or under-the-skin pimples which is what it is designed for. I found it did work really well on them, helping bringing them to the surface quicker and reducing any pain. Whether I found it to be more effective than your standard spot treatment...I don't think I had enough to truly ascertain.

Repurchase? Maybe, I might get another sample first.

La Roche-Posay Effaclar Duo

Holy grail product. Helps clear up my acne as well as prevent it. I'm halfway through my second tube and have a third waiting in the wings.

Repurchase? Definitely!

Beauty Care Co Makeup Remover Pads

These are the cheapest cotton pads I've seen around - 200 for $2. Granted, they're not the best quality. They are thin and do fall apart quite easily, but for me they do the job. I'm not really fussed at all and honestly will grab the cheapest I can get. I've finished about three (100 pads per) packs and am working on one more right now.

Repurchase? Probably, unless I find something cheaper.

Beauty Care Co Green Tea Facial Wipes

These are a little on the dry side, but the towelettes themselves are decently soft and don't irritate my face or eyes. They remove everything bar waterproof mascara. I still go in with a cleanser as they don't completely clean my face, and definitely don't get deep down into the skin. These are also $2.

Repurchase? I'm halfway through another pack and unless I find something cheaper I'll probably buy them again.

Michika Complexion Synergist Facial Mask

My first experience with sheet masks and I quite liked using these. I still have three left. They left my skin feeling very soft and I do think it offered slight instantaneous brightening effects. Thye did sting a little in my eyes though, nothing crazy unbearable but just a little bit of irritation.

Repurchase? I'd like to try out other sheet masks before I come back to these.

Essence Lash & Brow Gel Mascara

Dayum, I'm pretty sure I used every last drop of this! It works well and does the job at a very low price. The packaging is super shoddy though, the spoolie broke off and the lid died a bit. Regardless, it was obviously still useable, albeit a little gross!

Repurchase? Yes - and already have!

Majolica Majorca Lash Expander Frame Plus Mascara

I really liked this but when it started to smudge on me and smell a bit funky, I knew it was time to bin it. It contained fibres which made my lashes look longer, and it held a curl like no other! A really lovely mascara!

Repuchase? If I ever have the opportunity again - maybe! Though I will try new ones before returning to this one.

Maybelline The Colossal Volum' Express mascara

I think I've had this WAY too long and it just needed to be binned. It was still useable though but towards the end I didn't notice it doing too much for my lashes. It was a nice mascara but since my lashes are pretty weak to begin with, it didn't have any extraordinary results.

Repurchase? No.

Products getting the chuck:

The Garnier BB cream is pretty atrocious - little coverage, quite orangey and left me very oily. Should have thrown it out long ago! Clinique lipstick that is sheer and frosty. The Napoleon lip glosses I actually really liked, I got them free a few years ago so they're pretty old now and the packaging was leaky and bad. They were a bit sticky too.

Hope you guys enjoyed this empties post! I feel like I might have a few more products next time (maybe) as I'm nearly finished a few.

Skincare Routine | Morning

Hello all! Today's post will be the first in my skincare routine 'series'. There will be three; my morning routine, night routine and extra products I often use. In this post I'll be sharing the skincare products I use every morning!

Starting out with cleansers:

Clearasil Daily Clear Vitamins & Extracts Daily Wash

Lately, this cleanser has been my pick for morning time cleansing. It is a nice light, creamy texture that smells divine! I find it very gentle, and if I have any eye makeup that has appeared after sleep, I can remove it with this. It doesn't dry out my skin at all and in fact feels moisturising. My skin feels clean and refreshed! I also think that is does help somewhat with acne, my skin has been quite well behaved since using this consistently. It also functions as a mask, but I don't find it too effective in that regard.

Some other cleansers I like using in the morning are:

Clarins Cleansing Milk with Alpine Herbs

This is a really light, liquidy milk that is very gentle and can also be used around the eyes. In the mornings I look for very light cleansers as there isn't much dirt or makeup that needs to be removed, just the previous night's skincare and any yuckies that have accumulated overnight. This work really well!

Natural Instinct Foaming Cleanser (Full review)

When I feel like my skin is a bit oilier, I use this cleanser as it is foaming. It doesn't dry out my skin at all but it helps if my skin is feeling particularly oily. Like the others, it is light, refreshing and gentle around the eyes.

Toner time! I have full reviews of both of these toners which will be linked so I won't talk too much about them.

Natural Instinct Clarifying Toner (Full review)

This is my preferred of the two, but I'm running out of it! I'll probably repurchase it once I get the chance. I find this tones and refreshes the skin well, and doesn't leave the skin feeling dry or tight at all.

T.N. Dickinson's Witch hazel toner (Full review)

This one does contain alcohol so I do find my skin is left on the dry side, not tight or uncomfortable, but it is dry. It is an effective toner and I will continue to use it, but won't be repurchasing.

Indeed Labs Hydraluron

This is a hydrating serum that has gotten so much hype and good grace throughout the beauty community, particularly from Caroline Hirons ie. skincare goddess. To be completely honest, I'm not really sure I notice any difference in my skin when I use this, possibly my skin feels a little softer and slightly more hydrated, but nothing substantial. My skin is combination, oily in the t-zone and normal everywhere else. Maybe it's not really suited for my skin type, and I guess I was expecting miracles from this product.

Garnier Dark Spot Corrector Daily Illuminating Moisturiser (Full review)

I love this moisturiser, and this is my second tube. I find this helps brighten my face, even out my skintone and help fade acne scars. I have been using this for a long time (since the beginning of the year) and I can't really say that it totally makes my scars disappear, but it helps a lot. It's a nice moisturiser for day time too. It's lightweight and doesn't make my skin oily.

Lush Grease Lightning (Full review)

I don't hate this product nor do I love it. I find it works decently but not amazingly. I'm using it to finish it but won't repurchase. If you have spot treatment recommendations, let me know!

Neutrogena Ultra Sheer Suncreen

This is my second mini sample tube. I actually got my mum to get the gift too haha so I've been scraping out every last drop. I really like this sunscreen and it's not greasy or thick like others can be. I would purchase the full size, but I'm going to Hong Kong later this month and would prefer to try out some Asian SPFs which seem awesome! This one is definitely my favourite that I've tried so far though.

I hope you guys liked my first installment of my skincare 'series'. The others will be up soon!

What are your favourite products for the morning?

Toned, Naturally.

Howdy! Today I have another Natural Instinct product to review from their facial line. It is their Clarifying Toner*. I haven't tried too many toners in my life, and to be completely honest, I still don't really know what their purpose is, but I feel like they are necessary in my skincare routine. I feel just plain weird if I don't use one. So I was very eager to try out this more natural, gentle alternative!

The packaging is nice and practical like all of the Natural Instinct products. It comes in a small plastic bottle with a flip top lid (that can sometimes be very hard to pry open!) and a small spout which does a good job at not dispensing too much product. 

One thing that appeals to me most about this toner is that it doesn't contain any alcohol (or any other nasty ingredients!). The toner I was using previously (T.N Dickinson's Witch Hazel Toner) does contain alcohol, and although it's a rather small percentage, I still feel uneasy about using it. Now that I've tried the Natural Instinct one - I don't think I want to go back! In comparison, it doesn't dry out my face at all. The T.N Dickinson's one doesn't leave my face feeling tight or uncomfortable, but it is eager for moisturisation. This one, as the label suggests, makes my face feel refreshed.

The Clarifying Toner* contains some really nice ingredients like Witch Hazel, Rosewater and orange flower. The smell is pretty unassuming, a little bit nutty/wheaty? I don't really know what I'm smelling, it's neither bad nor pleasant, but just 'there'. I've been sweeping this over my face morning and night for quite a while now, more than two months. Like I said before, I'm not entirely sure what the true purpose of a toner is. I've been cleansing really efficiently lately so there isn't a lot of extra dirt left for this to pick up, but if there is, it does. My skin has been in quite good condition lately which could be due to a number of different products, but this certainly hasn't deteriorated my skin's state, and if anything, it is doing good. 

While toning is a bit of an extra step, it's one that I couldn't imagine myself not doing. This toner is a really lovely basic one that will do the job without drying out your skin and in fact feels lovely on the skin. It retails for AUD$9.95 for 125mL of product which I think is a really great price!

What is your favourite toner?

*Product provided for reviewing purposes

Foam & Cream

Hola! I have another couple of products from the Natural Instinct line to share with you today. They are both cleansers - the Foaming Cleanser* and the Cream Cleanser*. Let's get into the reviews!

Both cleansers are packaged in these practical and aesthetically pleasing plastic tubes! They are colour coded with orange as they are part of the facial line. 

Like I mentioned in my last Natural Instinct review, the brand uses no nasty products and sticks to the all natural ones with heaps of benefits for the skin! Some notable ingredients in each are:

Witch Hazel and jojoba oil in the cream cleanser, Burdock and horsetail in the foaming cleanser, and Rosehip oil and pro-vitamin B5 in both. They are both lightly scented with Essential oils and smell quite similar, natural and unoffensive, I can detect a slightly lavender scent. It actually smells quite similar to the hand cream.

Cream cleanser, Foaming cleanser

The Cream Cleanser* is quite a thick, very creamy consistency. I actually use this similarly to a hot cloth cleanser. It isn't as thick or slightly balm-like as the Soap & Glory but it is thicker than most cream cleansers I've tried. I find it really lovely for either morning or night use. I use it with a flannel and it removes makeup really well. It doesn't leave my skin feeling nourished per se but it doesn't feel dry or stripped at all. This is a really lovely cleanser and I would recommend if you want to try something similar to a hot cloth cleanser, but not as thick. I think any skin type could use this, if you have oily skin and tend to stay away from creamy formulas, don't be afraid of this one!

The Foaming Cleanser* has a very thin consistency as you can see in the photo above. I prefer using this in the morning as I prefer to use more substantial cleansers at night. If you want to use this to remove makeup, I would suggest doing a double cleanse. This is definitely one of the better foaming cleansers I've tried. Others tend to lather a LOT and leave my skin feeling dry, stripped and tight - yuck! This one is different though! It foams up effectively but only a little - you don't end up with heaps of bubbles on your face (and eating them or getting them in your nostrils!). It doesn't leave my face feeling dry at all and I would even go as far as to say that my skin feels slightly nourished after use. So, dry skin could use this guy too! The cleanser freshens my skin and wakes it up in the morning!

I really love both of these cleansers, and I think they are probably my favourites from what I've tried from the brand! The both retail for AUD$9.95 which I think is a great and affordable price for all natural products! I would highly recommend checking these out!

*Products provided for reviewing purposes

Getting Handsy

Hi guys! Recently I was given the opportunity to test out a selection of products from the brand Natural Instinct. Natural Instinct is an Australian brand with products completely free of any ingredients like sulphates, petrochemicals, parabens, PEGs and so much more as well as any mineral oils! With the exclusion of all these nasties, they use all natural ingredients that are really great for the skin! Also they are very reasonably priced. I really love the brand's ethos and recommend reading up more on the brand here. Today I'll be reviewing the Hand & Nail cream* but I also received the facial line, so those reviews will be coming soon also!

The packaging on the Natural Instinct's products is very clean and simple, with an 'organic' vibe and colour scheme to it. Each product is colour coded as to what line they are in. It is packaged in an easy, plastic squeeze tube.

The Hand & Nail Cream* like all of the Natural Instinct products, is filled with amazing natural ingredients. Some notable ones in the cream are Shea Butter, Cocoa Butter, pro-Vitamin B5, Jojoba and Rosehip oils. If you have any curiosity towards any of the ingredients, what benefits they have, etc, you can read up about them here. I really love that Natural Instinct has provided that glossary for their consumers! The Hand & Nail Cream* is lightly scented, and the scent itself is not overpowering at all, and doesn't linger too much once the cream is absorbed. I can mainly detect a hint of lavender as I'm not too sure what the other ingredients smell like! It is very natural, non-offensive, gender-neutral and overall a lovely scent! 

Like I said, the brand doesn't use any nasty ingredients, they are vegan, not tested on animals, among other really great things! The cream itself is very lightweight and easily absorbed and spread over the hands. It doesn't leave too much of a residue - nothing greasy, heavy, thick or uncomfortable - but you are left with a bit of slip to the hands. This does absorb reasonably quickly and the hands are left soft and nourished. It isn't the most intense hand cream, but it offers good moisturisation throughout the day. My hands and nails aren't in the worst of condition, so I can't comment on any drastic healing properties. 

Overall, I think this is a really lovely hand cream! I love the light scent and it moisturises my hands well. You can buy Natural Instinct products from Priceline, Terry White Chemists and other select pharmacies and health stores. The Hand & Nail Cream retails for AUD$9.95 for 125mL of product.

*Product provided for reviewing purposes