Product Empties #53

 

It’s my first empties of the year so I’ve got a big batch to get through! Let’s get into it! 

 

Haircare

Living Proof Advanced Clean Dry Shampoo

This is probably in every empties post I publish now! It was originally sent to me in PR but I have continued to repurchase it and I restock every year on the value set they do at Christmas! It works really well on my hair to make it look less greasy so I can go another day (or two) without washing! Have already repurchased! Read my full review here!

 

Batiste Dry Shampoo

I got this one while I was home at Christmas and really enjoyed it! I’m usually not the biggest fan of Batiste but this was way better than their classic one and worked well to for my hair as well as smelling fresh and clean and being affordable! Would repurchase!

 

Virtue Recovery Shampoo and Conditioner

Enjoyed this mini duo and it made my hair feel soft and clean! Not a repurchase at this time!

 

Living Proof Triple Bond Complex

This is a mini but I have a full size too! It’s a weekly leave in treatment that you apply to damp hair after washing. It works to construct new bonds within the hair to help strengthen it as well as protect it and visibly reduce the look of split ends. It also offers heat protection up to 232˚C to help prevent future breakage and is silicone-free. It leaves my hair feeling protected, smooth and manageable with a good shine and I have noticed my ends looking way healthier with less split ends even when my hair is overdue a trim! Already have a backup!

 

Bodycare

Naturium Bio-Lipid Restoring Body Lotion

This is a thick body lotion but still manages to sink in quickly and kept my body well moisturised. I went through it quickly but it’s a good price for the amount you get and often on 20% off! It’s unscented and I have other more affordable moisturisers I like just as much but this was a treat so I repurchased in the Black Friday sale!

 

Murad Blemish Control Clarifying Body Spray*

I cannot get over how long this bottle lasted! I used it daily and it lasted years! They recently changed the packaging on this but the continuous 360° spray was so good and made it so easy to apply to my back as well as chest! I still got some breakouts so it’s not a repurchase for me as I have some other sprays to use but would pick this up on offer in the future!

 

Lush Snow Fairy Shower Gel

A Christmas fave! Smells super sweet and some might say sickly but I love it and it’s so nostalgic to me, I have to get one every year! Will repurchase!

 

Sol de Janeiro Brazilian 4 Play Shower Cream Gel

Another great shower gel that smells amazing! Already have a mini backup!

 

L’occitane Amande Shower Oil

Enjoyed this and it’s been great for winter and my dry skin but I do prefer the Naturium Multi-Oil body wash which is much more affordable so not a repurchase for me! 

 

Nivea 3in1 Repair Hand Cream

Loved this! Thicker than the usual Nivea hand cream I get but it sank in so quickly and didn’t leave my hands feeling greasy which is a pet peeve. Will repurchase when I finish up some other hand creams!

 

Moroccan Oil Hand Cream

I find the Moroccan oil scent a bit sickening so I was glad to be finished this! Not greasy but didn’t sink in as quickly as the Nivea hand cream. Not a repurchase!

 

The Body Shop Shea Body Butter

Another scent I wasn’t a huge fan of but this was a great moisturiser and got rid of all my dry patches with ease! I don’t think The Body Shop is available in Canada anymore so this won’t be a repurchase!

 

Clarins Body Shaping Cream and Clarins Moisture Rich Body Lotion

These were both nice, lightweight creams that smelt lovely and I always feel fancy using Clarins and enjoyed both of these but not a repurchase as I feel like I need to use more and they are pricier than what I normally use!

 

First Aid Beauty KP Bump Eraser Body Scrub

This is great and works so well to smooth my entire body but especially the back of my arms! Will repurchase once I use up a few more exfoliators!

 

First Aid Beauty Ultra Repair Cream

Another great moisturiser especially for winter and dry patches! Not a repurchase for me right now but would again in the future! 

 

Skincare

Paula’s Choice Omega+ Complex Cleansing Balm

Really enjoyed this cleanser! A little less on the luxurious side as there is no scent but this removed makeup easily, contains omegas 3, 6 and 9 and felt gentle and hydrating! Would repurchase!

 

Alpha H Melting Moment Cleansing Balm

Loved this one even more than the PC! Effective at removing my makeup and also has a beautiful fresh citrus scent! It’s antioxidant rich and anti-inflammatory and left my skin soft, cleansed and hydrated! Feels and smells luxurious and spreads easily so a little goes a long way! Would repurchase! Read more about both cleansers here!

 

Kiehl’s Overnight Rehydrating Mask with 10.5% Squalane

This is a thick balm to oil formula that worked well overnight to hydrate my skin! Enjoyed it but not a repurchase for me right now and have other overnight masks I prefer!

 

Sioris Drops of Omija Calming Mist*

This is an antioxidant and inflammatory mist that I loved! It contains 34% Omija extract, Centella Asiatica extract, aloe vera leaf juice, Zinc PCA and beta-glucan and is so soothing and calming! My skin feels nicely hydrated, redness is reduced and my skin barrier feels strong! Prefer this to the Sioris Time is Running Out Mist and would repurchase!

 

Keyes Soulcare Reviving Aura Mist

A nice mist that I used throughout the day at work to freshen up and hydrate my skin! I am a bit sick of rose scents in skincare though so not a repurchase!

 

REN PHA Exfoliating Facial*

Loved this! It contains a blend of chemical, enzymatic and physical exfoliants, yet still feels gentle, removes dead skin and leaves it feeling smooth and looking brighter and more even! This was only launched last year but seems to be hard to get a hold of now so not sure what is going on but I would repurchase!

 

Lancome Renergie Yeux H.C.F. Triple Serum*

Didn’t want to but I loved this. The formula features three separate serums (Hyaluronic Acid for hydration, Vitamin C and Niacinamide to brighten and Vitamin F for skin barrier support) made more potent with the addition of a tripeptide for advanced anti-aging care. It feels lightweight and absorbs well and has helped brighten and smooth my eye area, kept fine lines at bay and helped reduce the look of my eye bags and dark circles! Will consider a repurchase in the future when I get through my eye cream back ups and if I see it on a sale! Full review of this, the REN and Sioris here!

 

Vichy Capital Soleil UV+ Age Daily SPF 60*

One of my favourite SPF’s! it’s formulated with 1% Vitamin E, 4% peptides complex, 2% niacinamide, and 10% Vichy volcanic mineralizing water and probiotic fractions and has a lightweight fluid texture. It has no white cast (I have pale skin for reference), absorbs easily and sits very well under makeup with no pilling! It doesn’t melt off when I sweat or sting my eyes! Can’t recommend this enough! Have a back up already! Full review here!

 

Pixi Vitamin C Serum Capsules*

This was my first foray into capsule skincare and I loved how handy this was for travel! Sadly, this wasn’t my favourite Vitamin C formula and I found it pilled around 80% of the time which was frustrating! Not a repurchase!

 

Caudalie Vinergetic C+ Instant Detox Mask

Really enjoyed this mask and I think it helped mattify my skin as well as working well on blemishes! Have a full size I got in an advent calendar a while back so happy to still have it in my stash!

 

Kiehl’s Ultra Facial Cleanser

This was a great gel to foam cleanser that contains squalane so kept my skin hydrated and supple and feeling clean without drying it out! Would repurchase!

 

Youth to the People Superfood Cleanser

Another nice antioxidant packed gel to foam cleanser. Even though it’s targeted towards acne prone and oily skin, this worked well to leave my skin feeling cleansed and didn’t make it feel dry or stripped! Would repurchase!

 

Estee Lauder Advanced Night Cleansing Gelee

Can you see I really focused on my minis at the start of this year! Enjoyed this gel to foam cleanser with amino acids to support the skin barrier. I really enjoy what I have tried from the Advanced Night Repair range and this was no exception, my skin feel soft, balanced and clean! Would repurchase!

 

NIOD Copper Amino Isolate Lipid 1%

I don’t love this quite as much as the Copper Amino Isolate Serum but this is still a gorgeous product! It’s pro-collagen, pro-lipid and pro-fat and aims for healthy looking skin. It also has the added benefits of building and enhancing skin elasticity. I tend to use this as my last step in a simple evening routine. My skin feels well supported and hydrated overnight and like with CAIS, overall, it looks better and healthier with consistent use. Not a repurchase for now but I do have a bottle of CASI to open! Read my full review here!

 

The Ordinary Retinol 1% in Squalane

I actually used this up on my chest and found it did irritate my skin if I used it too many nights in a row! In general though, it worked well to smooth skin and I would repurchase!  

 

Josie Maran 100% Pure Argan Oil

A lovely hydrating oil that’s good for face and body! I was sent a back up by the brand and I need to get back into gua sha-ing with it!

 

Elemis Pro-Collagen Night Cream

Wasn’t a fan of this, too heavily scented for my liking and not hydrating enough! Not a repurchase!

 

Summer Fridays Jet Lag Mask

Don’t really get the hype with this one, it’s OK as an overnight mask but again not the most hydrating product I’ve used! Have another mini to use up so not a repurchase!

 

Shiseido Utimune Power Infusing Concentrate

Love this! Have been through so many minis over the years and it is so smoothing and luxurious! Wish I could afford a full size, if so, it would be a repurchase!

 

Tatcha The Dewy Skin Cream

This was much thicker than I was expecting but was nice and hydrating and I enjoyed the scent! Not a repurchase for me but I would love to try more from Tatcha!

 

Dermalogica AGE Smart Rapid Reveal Peel x3*

Enjoyed using this treatment up! My skin felt smooth and clear! Not a repurchase due to price! Read my full review here! 

 

Evio Skin Hyrdogel Eye Therapy x2*

Nicely hydrating and love the work this brand does with domestic violence shelters across Canada! Good extra step to have in my routine but not a repurchase!

 

Pixi Clarity Blemish Stickers*

Love having these to hand and love the Pixi clarity range! They are definitely not miracle workers but do help spots calm down! Have another pack left then might repurchase! 

 

Makeup

Pixi H20 Skinveil Powder in Translucent*

Pixi makeup is so underrated! This is a weightless, loose water powder that sets makeup and mattifies my combo skin all day without looking flaky or cakey! The pot looks small but it lasted me months and I only needed a tiny amount to set my whole face. Would repurchase! Read my full review here!

 

So that’s it for empties for the first quarter of the year! Mini centric as I took a lot home with me for Christmas and was trying to use up my stash! I really need to do a declutter of makeup soon too whether finished or not! What have you been finishing up recently? Have you tried any of the products I mentioned? Let me know your thoughts!

 

*denotes a PR sample that was sent to me.

All opinions are my own. Affiliate links used.

See my full disclosure here.

 

Danielle xx

 

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Best Beauty Discoveries 2024 | Skincare

Last week it was makeup and this week I have my favourite skincare discoveries of 2024! Again, these aren’t necessarily new releases, 2024 is just when I tried them!

 

 

Starting with the one product I didn’t hang onto the packaging for, the Then I Met You Living Cleansing Balm RRP £38. I used this up quite early in the year and it was a beautiful fist cleanse! It’s a soft balm with a citrus scent that smells amazing. It contains plant oils, olive oil and grapeseed oil as well as persimmon and Vitamin E (think fatty acids and antioxidants). It feels very luxurious and I didn’t need much to get my full face of makeup off and it left my skin feeling hydrated as well as clean! Read my full review here!

 

Moving onto eye creams and I really enjoyed two this year! The Lancome Rénergie H.C.F. Triple Eye Serum RRP $120.50 CAD | £69* is the pricier of two pricey options here but has worked so well for me. The formula features three separate serums (Hyaluronic Acid for hydration, Vitamin C and Niacinamide to brighten and Vitamin F for skin barrier support) made more potent with the addition of a tripeptide for advanced anti-aging care. It feels lightweight and absorbs well and has helped brighten and smooth my eye area, kept fine lines at bay and helped reduce the look of my eye bags and dark circles!

 

The Estee Lauder Advanced Night Repair Eye Supercharged Gel-Creme Eye Cream RRP $100 CAD | £56 is another good one and probably the most hydrating eye cream I have ever used. This is a silky gel and works so well to hydrate under and around my eyes reducing fine lines! I didn’t notice a huge difference in under eye darkness which it does claim to target but I still really like it because of how smoothing I found it! It also claims to fight the

effects of blue light on skin’s appearance, as well as other environmental aggressors like pollution which I love as I stare at a computer or my phone for most of the day. It absorbs fast and works well under makeup too!

 

The REN Radiance PHA Exfoliating RRP £34* was my favourite exfoliation discovery this year. It contains a blend of chemical, enzymatic and physical exfoliants, yet still feels gentle, removes dead skin and leaves it feeling smooth and looking brighter and more even! This also seems to be out of stock everywhere at the moment so must be a popular one!

 

I have loved the Sioris Drops of Omija Calming Mist RRP $34.48 CAD* - Omija being an antioxidant and inflammatory ingredient that strengthens the skin barrier derived from the reddish berry fruit of Schisandra chinensis also known as five-flavour berry/fruit plant which is native to Korea. This contains 34% Omija extract, Centella Asiatica extrace, aloe vera leaf juice, Zinc PCA and beta-glucan and is so soothing and calming! My skin feels nicely hydrated, redness is reduced and my skin barrier feels strong! I love the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties and I prefer this to the Sioris Time is Running Out Mist!

 

I discovered one of the best Vitamin C serums I have used last year (and one of the most expensive too!) in the Skinceuticals CE Ferulic RRP $208 CAD | £165*. This contains 15% pure Vitamin C (L-ascorbic acid), 1% Vitamin E, and 0.5% Ferulic Acid to enhance protection against environmental damage that can contribute to visible signs of aging. It is a beautiful formulation that absorbed quickly and didn’t pill with other products or makeup, helped brighten my skin and kept it looking more even. Marks from any spots that popped up while I was using this faded much quicker too! I didn’t notice my nasolabial folds forming a fine line at all which is the first thing I normally do notice when it comes to signs of aging! I can definitely see the hype with this and if you are in a position to afford it, I cannot recommend enough! Read my full review here!

 

For moisturisers, last year I loved the Vichy Mineral 89 100H Moisture Boosting Cream Rich RRP $45.95 CAD | £24*. It’s formulated for dry skin and contains hyaluronic acid, squalane, vitamins E and B3 to help diminish the look of fine lines and texture. Despite being a rich cream, this was great for my combo skin in the morning as well as the evening. It kept my skin hydrated and looking plump and sat well under my makeup! My skin drank this up overnight as well and my skin felt supple and smooth the whole time I was using this! Read my full Vichy Mineral 89 range review here! 

 

A more recent addition is the Farmacy Honey Halo Ultra-Hydrating Ceramide Moisturizer RRP $65 CAD | £44* and I am so happy to have this in my skincare collection! It is an intense moisturiser containing ceramides and honey and is deeply hydrating and replenishes dry skin, smooths fine lines and sits perfectly under makeup too! It’s creamy and works equally well for both AM and PM and I love the jar it comes in too! My skin was feeling so sensitised and rough a few months ago and this really helped calm it down and get it back to normal!

 

I took the Tocobo Bio Watery Sun Cream SPF50+ PA++++ RRP $30 CAD to Mexico with me earlier this year and it was amazing! It’s a chemical sunscreen containing mung bean extract to soothe irritation, along with bio-hyaluronic acid to boost skin moisture. It felt lightweight and absorbed quickly into my skin leaving no white cast (I have fair skin for reference!) and sat beautifully under makeup with no pilling! My skin was protected and I didn’t get burnt on my face or ears while using it! Use my code DANIELLESBB5 for up to 5% off on YesStyle! Read my full review here! 

 

The Dr Ceuracle Cica Regen Vegan Sun SPF50+ PA++++ RRP $27 CAD* also impressed me this year! It’s another chemical sunscreen formulated with centella asiatica extract and bamboo complex and helps calms inflammation and protects skin against external aggressors. It’s a waterproof formula in a lightweight cream texture and like the Tocobo this absorbs quickly into skin leaving no white cast and doesn’t pill!

 

Lastly, the Lanolips 12-Hour Overnight Lip Mask RRP £13 was my go-to overnight lip treatment for most of the year! It’s made with lanolin to deeply hydrate as well as vitamin C, hyaluronic acid and ceramides. This has a super thick texture with some stick to it and lasts all night leaving my lips so soft and smooth in the morning!

 

Most of these products are now finished or very nearly ready to be and I am gutted as I have loved them! Looking forward to trying some new products this year and seeing what comes out on top! What was your favourite skincare pick of 2024? Read my best makeup discoveries of 2024 here and shop this post here!

 

*denotes a PR sample that was sent to me.

All opinions are my own. Affiliate links used.

See my full disclosure here.

 

Danielle xx

 

If you want to keep up to date with my posts, don’t forget to follow me on

Instagram | Links and Discounts | Shop My Favourites | Pinterest