March 2024 Empties

Two posts in one month?  Who is this?  No, but seriously, I've made myself a little schedule to try and get my posts back up-to-date as soon as I can, as I do enjoy writing them!

Looking back at the spreadsheet I created at the beginning of the year, which tracks how many products I have to use, I had reduced my overall products by 6 at the beginning of March (down from the start of February).  Now, this might not seem much of a reduction, but I did buy a few products (mainly some eyebrow pencils to try) which bumped my total up a bit again.

Having said that, looking at my bag of empties from March, I think I had a pretty good month for using products up, so my total at the beginning of April will be a bit better.

Here are the products I finished throughout March, and I'll let you know which I would repurchase.

Haircare and Toothpaste

• L'Oréal Paris Elvive Dream Lengths Heat Slayer Iron Spray - I've used a few of the products from the L'Oréal Dream Lengths range and enjoyed them, and this was another nice one.  It had a nice scent and didn't leave any heavy or sticky residue on my hair - plus my hair looked quite smooth after I'd used it, so I would buy it again.
• Living Proof Perfect Hair Day Weightless Mask Treatment - I tried using this hair mask as directed (applying after washing, leaving for 5 minutes, then rinsing) and I tried using it as a pre-wash mask by leaving it on for about 30 minutes, but I wouldn't say I noticed much of a difference with my hair either way - I wouldn't repurchase it.
• Morning Street Hydrate & Restore Leave-In Treatment - This had a lovely scent, but my hair just doesn't get on with most leave-in treatments.  A lot of leave-in creams make my hair feel heavy, or make it tangle more easily, so I wouldn't re-buy this one.
• Centrum Women Multivitamins - I talked about this in my previous blog, and I still don't feel like they are doing much for me overall.  I've also started taking a separate iron supplement recently, so I'm really considering stopping taking these multivitamins over the next few months, and maybe just taking individual ones that I feel would really benefit me.
• Colgate Elixir Cool Detox Toothpaste - Unfortunately, this toothpaste seems to have been discontinued, otherwise it would have been a repurchase.  It was on the more expensive side for toothpaste, but I felt like it made my teeth feel cleaner, and you were able to get every bit of product out of the tube due to its design.
• Colgate Advanced White Charcoal Toothpaste - I was using this as my backup/travel toothpaste, so it's taken me a bit longer to use it up.  I generally like Colgate toothpastes, but especially the ones with charcoal as an ingredient.  I wouldn't say it made my teeth dramatically whiter, but it left my teeth and mouth feeling fresh after use, so I would buy it again.

Bath and Body Products

• Molton Brown Serene Coco & Sandalwood Bath & Shower Gel - I really enjoy using the Molton Brown bath & shower gels, they smell and feel very luxurious!  They're quite a thick liquid too, so you don't need to use much in one go, and I find the scents linger on my skin for longer.  I liked this scent, it was more subtle and gentle than others, but I do have my favourites (Fiery Pink Pepper!) - so, I would repurchase the product, but in a different scent.
• Lola's Organics Lemon Sherbet Triple Shot Bubble Bath - This smelt amazing - so bright and citrus-y!  It lasted me for quite a few baths too, as you only needed to use a small amount to get lots of bubbles.  Unfortunately, the company's website isn't available anymore, so I can't buy this again.
• Foamie Papaya & Oat Milk Shower Body Bar - This soap smelt really lovely, and it felt nice to use on my skin.  I know there is a debate at the moment between using soap VS shower gels to get a proper clean, but I do prefer bath & shower gels as I don't like the way my skin feels after using soap most of the time.  So, I liked it, but I wouldn't buy it again.
• Bloom & Blossom All Night Long Calming Sleep Spray - I could have included this further down with my other sleep spray, but this one I generally used after I'd had a bath later in the day, to try and help me relax.  I didn't really like the smell of this one though, so I wouldn't repurchase.
• Miller Harris Tea Tonique Body Lotion - I had a sample of the Tea Tonique perfume a long time ago, and it smelt incredible, but I couldn't bring myself to spend £105 on 50ml of perfume.  So, I ended up buying some of these travel-size body lotions in the same scent, and they smelled beautiful too!  I have a couple more still to use up, after that I probably wouldn't repurchase them as the lotion itself is a bit too thick for my liking.
• Laidbare Hair Today, Gone Tomorrow! Hair Minimising Moisturiser - I used this on my legs, and even though I used it up, I didn't really see any reduction in the speed of re-growth.  I wasn't a huge fan of the smell or texture of it either, it felt a bit sticky, so I definitely wouldn't re-buy it.

Cleansers and Skincare

• Liz Earle Cleanse & Polish Hot Cloth Cleanser - I've used this product on and off for years now.  I like to use it after when I've been wearing a bit more makeup, as I feel using it with a muslin cloth, it helps to remove makeup easier without having to scrub too much.  The only downside is that I can't use it on my eyes, as it makes them sting a bit.  This is the original scent, which is quite a nice and fresh scent.  I already have some more of this product to use, but I would continue to repurchase it, too.
• Garnier Micellar Cleansing Water 400ml - I really like using micellar water to remove eye makeup and mascara.  I've used the original/sensitive Garnier one quite a lot of times now, and it does a pretty good job at removing the makeup, and it doesn't sting my eyes if I get any in by accident.  I have some of the other versions to use for now (vitamin C, aloe, etc.) but I will be buying this version again.
• Garnier SkinActive Micellar Cleansing Water 125ml - This is the same as the big bottle, I just had this one for when I travelled anywhere.  It looks like they don't make this size anymore, only the slightly smaller 100ml, but I'll be buying that one to take with me on any trips.
• Disciple Dreamy Skin Retinyl Night Oil - Even though this was a tiny bottle, it lasted me quite a while as I only needed a couple of drops for my whole face.  I loved how this felt on my skin.  I used this at nighttime, and I felt my face and skin looked more nourished in the mornings after.  I've actually already repurchased this as I liked it so much!
• Elemis Rehydrating Ginseng Toner - This was ok - the scent was inoffensive and it felt nice when wiped over my skin without leaving it feeling too sticky.  However, toners are the one product I probably could do without, as I don't feel I ever see much benefit after using them - so I wouldn't re-buy it.
• Inc.redible Prime, Protect & Set Good Day Jelly Spray - This was such an unusual product, as it was very jelly-like in the bottle, but when you sprayed it, it turned into a liquid.  I liked using the product, it didn't cause any irritation to my skin, and it was quite refreshing to use after washing my face.  Sometimes it would spray out a bit aggressively though - it wasn't a nice, soft mist.  This one wouldn't be a repurchase either.
• Figs & Rouge Breakout Rescue Cream Blemish Corrector - I used this one up even though it was past its expiry date (it smelt fine though, and didn't cause any reactions!), so that might be part of the reason why I didn't really see any benefits from using it, but I wouldn't buy it again as I have a similar product that does seem to help with blemishes more.
• Revolution Skincare CBD Nourishing Skin Oil - I used this on my face for a while, but I think it was a bit too thick, or some ingredient didn't agree with my skin, as it did break me out a bit.  However, I did like the feel of the oil, so I ended up using it on my legs and elbows to finish it off, and it made them feel smoother.  Unfortunately, I wouldn't repurchase it.

Makeup Products and Lip Balm

• Kandi Cosmetics Pre Glow Up Mist - I really liked using this, it gave a nice sparkly glow.  However, it would also get all over your clothes if you weren't careful when spraying it!  I couldn't find this product anymore when I searched for it online (it is from a few years ago), but, after reading some reviews, I decided to try the Iconic London Prep-Set-Glow spray which seems to be quite similar.
• Tarte Double Duty Beauty Busy Gal Brows 'Black Brown' Tinted Brow Gel - This is one of my favourite tinted brow gels.  The brush is so slim and small, and the colour is really nice for my very deep brown brows.  It also helps to give some shape, and lasts all day.  I have another to use already, and will definitely continue to repurchase it, too.
• Makeup Obsession Mega Conceal Longwear Concealer with Caffeine '08' - This was a really nice concealer.  It had quite a thick consistency, and did have quite good coverage without looking too dry or thick on the skin.  Unfortunately, you can only buy select shades of it online now as it has been discontinued, so I'm on the lookout for a similar concealer.
• Pumpkin Pie Chap Stick - I do have a bit of an obsession with anything pumpkin or pumpkin spice related, and not just in the Autumn, but all year round!  So, when I found this originally, I was so happy as, in the UK, we don't get all the seasonal versions of products that some other countries do.  I really like Chap Stick lip balms, and this one smelt amazing (tasted ok too!).  It did give a very slight orange/peach tint to the lips, but it also kept my lips feeling smooth during the colder months.  It's not really available to buy anywhere at the moment except for eBay, but if it reappears in shops again this Autumn, then I would definitely buy a couple more!

Hand and Nail Care

• Cutex Care Ultra-Powerful Nail Polish Remover - I go through so much of this nail polish remover, I wish they did bigger bottles!  Cutex is my favourite brand for nail polish remover.  They make different "strengths", and this ultra-powerful one is great for removing dark colours and glitters.  This one is a little drying, but not too bad and doesn't irritate my nails or skin.  I already have replacements of this, and will continue to buy it.
• Elegant Touch Acetone Free Nail Polish Remover Pads - These were ok, but they worked better to remove lighter polishes and ones that didn't have glitter or shimmer.  I didn't like the feel of them on my fingers as I was using them, though.  I wouldn't buy these again.
• The Body Shop 'Pink Grapefruit' Hand Cream - I really, really like the Body Shop hand creams - the Satsuma one is my all-time favourite!  I picked this Pink Grapefruit one up to try a different scent, and it is nice but not as nice as the Satsuma - or Vanilla Pumpkin (which is sadly unavailable).  I would use this again, but it wouldn't be my first choice of scents.
• Rituals... 'The Ritual of Ayurveda' Soothing Hand Balm - The Ritual of Ayurveda is my favourite Rituals scents range, and this hand balm smelt amazing, however, it was just too thick for me to use as a hand cream (I have a thing with textures on my hands).  I didn't want to waste it though, so I used it as a foot cream, and it kept my feet feeling quite soft.

Home Fragrances and Perfume

• Yankee Candle 'Berry Mochi' Medium Candle - This was an interesting smelling candle.  There were quite prominent fruity notes, with an underlying vanilla scent, but there was something else that I couldn't quite pin down, that kept it from being overly sweet.  It was pleasant, and I liked using it, but it could be a little overpowering if left to burn for too long - the smell also lingered for a while afterwards, which isn't a bad thing.  I wouldn't repurchase this scent, though.
• Feather & Down Sweet Dreams Pillow Spray - I love the smell of this spray, it's so comforting and relaxing!  I do think on the nights that I sprayed it on my pillow, I had a better night's sleep.  I'm trying a different brand's sleep mist at the moment, but I certainly have the Feather & Down one on my repurchase list.
• Calvin Klein 'Obsessed' For Women EDP - This is the first full-size perfume I've used up in a long, long time.  Obsessed is a different one for me, as I usually go for fruity, plummy, woody perfumes, whereas this one is quite aromatic, herbal and musky.  I did enjoy wearing it, and had some compliments about it, too.  I wouldn't buy it again for myself, but if I was given it as a gift, then I wouldn't complain.

That's everything for March.  I think I had quite a good month for using a variety of products up, and I've found a few new ones that I would want to continue using.

Does anyone have any good concealer recommendations?  One that has good coverage, but doesn't look too noticeable on the skin, and doesn't crease too easily?

Review: February 2024 LookFantastic Beauty Box

So, I have gotten very behind again with these beauty box review posts, but I'm still going to post them in case anyone is interested in the previous boxes and their contents.

The LookFantastic Beauty Box is the only subscription box that I was subscribed to for the first half of this year.  In general, I enjoy the boxes as they tend to have a better mix of products than other subscription boxes, although some haven't been as exciting recently as ones in the past.

The LookFantastic Beauty Box is a monthly box which costs from £13 a month (with a 12-month subscription) and usually contains 6 beauty products with a "minimum value of £50", according to the website.  Sometimes, 1 or 2 products included in the box can vary per person, but you don't get a choice over what you will receive.

My February LookFantastic Beauty Box was "Variant 3" and included:

• Christophe Robin Cleansing Purifying Scalp Scrub with Sea Salt 40ml (£6.88 value / £43 for 250ml) - I've had this quite a few times from previous subscription boxes and advent calendars, and I do enjoy using it (plus, I think it smells great - like hair gel from the 90s!).  It has a very thick formula but feels nice to massage into the scalp, and it does seem to help my hair stay cleaner for longer after use.  I have considered buying the actual product, but it's a bit too on the pricey side for what it is, unfortunately.

• Aromatherapy Associates De-Stress Muscle Gel 40ml (£10.13 value / £38 for 150ml) - This is a bit of a different product to receive in one of these boxes.  It has quite a nice herbal scent in the tube, and I'll definitely try it out when I have some aching muscles.  I did a little test patch on my arm and it somehow smelt a bit like vinegar (although it faded after a few minutes), but it did soak in ok.  Probably wouldn't be a product I'd buy though.

• Spectrum B06 - Fluffy Blender Makeup Brush (full size - only available in a full set on the LF website, although it is £5.99 on the Spectrum website itself) - I've had several Spectrum brushes from beauty boxes over the years (a few in this colour scheme), and I've bought some as well as they are very nice brushes in my opinion.  This is a fluffy blending brush which will be very useful for applying eyeshadow.  I always feel it's a shame when subscription boxes supply a brush but not the product to use it with.  Regardless, I'll definitely be using this brush in the future.

• Peter Thomas Roth Rose Stem Cell Anti-Aging Gel Mask 14ml (£4.95 value / £53 for 250ml) - This mask sounds very fancy, but I'll probably only get a couple of uses out of the sample size, so won't be able to see any full benefits as it states to use it "2 to 3 times a week, or daily depending on your skin needs."  I do like that it's one of those masks that you can use as a 10-minute treatment, or use overnight though.  It does look to have some positive reviews on the website though, so hopefully I'll look refreshed after using it!

• Grüum Hydrat Moisture Body Massage Bar 40g (Full size - no longer on the LF website, but it is £10 for 35g on the Grüum website) - I feel this is a bit similar to the muscle gel that was in this box, though this is more for relaxation than relief.  It has a nice scent, of lavender and neroli, and has luckily not melted in the box in the recent warm weather we've had.  I've used a few Grüum products in the past, and I like how they appear to use a lot of natural ingredients and don't have unnecessary packaging - the only downside is I feel the products expire a bit quicker.

• Lottie London Ready Set! Go Brightening Pink Powder 5g (£2.32 value / £6.95 for 15g) - I've used the translucent version of this powder, and it performs quite well to set my makeup, although it isn't as long-lasting as some other brands.  I've not used a pink powder before, but I have seen that it's meant to be especially good to use under the eyes.  I'll give this one a go and see how it looks - it does seem a very fine powder.

The February box has an actual value of £41.70 when looking at the full-size versions of the products. This is slightly more than the January box, but is still over £8 less than the advertised value.  This is disappointing again, especially with two of the products having a value of under £5 each.

I do like the mixture of products in the box, but feel they should have only put in either the muscle gel or the massage bar, not both, and maybe they could have included an individual eyeshadow or a mini palette to use with the brush instead.  Hopefully, there will be some nice, bright makeup product, like an eyeshadow or lipstick, in next month's box.

Do you subscribe to the LookFantastic Beauty Box?  Or if not this one, which box do you subscribe to?

February 2024 Declutter

I didn't consciously declutter products throughout February as much as I did in January.  I did finish going through some of my lip items to get rid of some of those, but the other products that I've included in this post are just things I tried throughout the month and decided to let go of at the time.

Like I said in my January post, the reason I am decluttering is that I have collected way too much over the last few years.  I have too many makeup and skincare products that I can't possibly use them all up before they expire.  Also, some don't really suit me, and others I just don't really like anymore.

• Rimmel London Lasting Finish Colour Rush Colour Balm in "Rumour Has It" and "Drive Me Nude" - I have had these for so many years!  They were one of the first lip products I bought when I started buying makeup more often, and I've used them quite a lot over the time.  The pink one still had a lovely soft vanilla-like scent.  The nude shade had the tendency to stain the lips pink, which was a bit annoying, though.  I am letting these go mainly due to their age, and the fact I have a lot of newer products which I use more often now.
• W7 Lip Wizard Magic Lip Colour "Bitter Sweet" - This was one of those lip products that was supposed to change colour depending on PH levels.  It would go on a peach-pink colour and change to a deeper pink for me.  I hadn't really used it a lot, and it smells as though it has expired now, so it's being decluttered.
• Revolution Lip Gloss "In Waiting" - This lip gloss was a metallic pastel pink shade which didn't suit me at all.
• Fleur de Force Lip Gloss "Starry Starry Night" - Although this was a lovely deeper pink shade, it felt too sticky on the lips and bled into the lines around the edges.
• LOLA Make Up by Perse Liquid Lipstick "001" - This one was a light chocolate shade which was quite nice, but I didn't like the feel of it on my lips - and again, it smells like it is starting to expire.
• Nyx Turnt Up Lipstick "Beam" - The Turnt Up lip products are super pigmented, but, unfortunately, this shade didn't suit me very well, so I'm letting it go.
• Lord & Berry Crayon Lipstick "Fire" - This lip crayon applied really nicely, and went on very smoothly.  However, I have another similar orange shade by the same brand which suits me a bit more, so I decided to part with this one.
• Lord & Berry Maxi Matte Crayon Lipstick "Intimacy" - I didn't mind this nude-pink shade, but I have similar lipsticks which I am more likely to use than a crayon/pencil.
• LOC x Millie Ultra-Gloss Lip Pencil "Bohemian Rose" - Another pink lip crayon, which, again, I have similar lipsticks to that I would reach for more, so I'm decluttering this one.
• Nude Stix Gel Color Lip + Cheek Balm "Siren" - This was too bright a red for me to use on my cheeks, but the product was also too soft to apply it neatly to my lips.

• Lush "Unicorn" Lip Scrub - I do like the Lush lip scrubs, though I can't use them very often as they can be a bit too rough on my lips at times.  This one, however, was over a year past it's use by date, so it was definitely time to declutter it.
• FRUU Colour Balm "Strawberry Creme" - This one has expired, it's turned quite hard now.
• Nivea "Strawberry Shine" Lip Balm - This is another that has expired, the scent has turned very bad.
• Maybelline Baby Lips "Mint Candy" and "Pink Punch" - I'm not sure if it's that my lips don't like Baby Lips products anymore, or that these have expired (they are quite old now!), but I tried both of these a few times again and they dried my lips out and made them flaky.
• Maybelline Baby Lips Dr Rescue "Just Peachy" - Same as above, this caused my lips to dry out rather than helping them during the colder months.
• BonnieXocosmetics Lipstick "Sand" - This was a nice nude shade, but it has expired now.
• Moart Lipstick "Cotton Rose" - I really liked this shade too, but it smells of crayons now, so it has expired.
• W7 Lipstick "Silk" - This one hadn't expired, but the shade didn't suit me as much as other nude lipsticks I have.
• W7 All That! Mega Impact Glitter Lipstick "Chill Pill" - This wasn't as glittery as the packaging and name made out, it actually looked more metallic on the lips than sparkly, so I'm letting it go.
• Mellow Matte Lipstick "Madness" - I know this is a matte lipstick, but it feels incredibly dry when applying it, and it's a bit uncomfortable on the lips.

• W7 "Queen Bee" Eye Shadow Palette - Another type of product I have an incredibly large amount of is eyeshadow palettes.  I've been working through all the W7 ones I owned for the past year or two now.  Even though this Queen Bee one was a lovely neutral palette with some nice golden shades, I decided to declutter it because I have other neutral palettes I can get more looks out of and that have more cool-neutral shades - which I think suit me more.
• W7 Lift & Sculpt Face Shaping Contour Palette - I hadn't used this a lot as I don't really use cream products much, I prefer powder bronzers and highlighters.  This has a crayon smell now, so it has expired.
• BPerfect "Lockdown 1.0" Pressed Setting Powder - I really wanted to like this powder, and I did use it quite a bit.  But, no matter if I used a brush or a powder puff to apply it, it just made me look so pale.  I prefer to use loose powders to set my makeup and don't usually have that issue, even with white/translucent ones.

• Thisworks Deep Sleep Body Cocoon - I used about half of this as I really liked the scent, but I wasn't a fan of the way it felt on my skin.  I have plenty of other lotions to work through, so I decided to declutter it.
• Lush "Dream Cream" Body Lotion - I didn't really like the smell of this or the way it made my skin feel.  It's well past the use by date now too, so it's time for it to go.
• Cuticula "Unicorn Poop" Nail Tape - I had used this quite a bit as it was a really good nail tape which would peel off well.  Unfortunately, even though I'd closed the bottle tightly, it had dried up, so I've had to get rid of it.

That was everything I parted with in February.  There shouldn't be as many lip products going forward as my main declutter of those is now complete!  However, I will keep decluttering as I go along in order to get down to a more manageable, and usable, amount of products.

Any products which are safe to do so will be passed on to someone else, but the rest will be recycled where possible or binned.

What's your oldest makeup product that you still continue to use? Or are you someone that sticks to the expiry dates?

February 2024 Empties

I'm already a month behind with this, but, don't worry, I will catch up!

At the beginning of January this year, I created a spreadsheet to keep track of how many skincare, haircare, makeup, and other products I had that hadn't been used yet.  Although I used up and decluttered quite a few products throughout January, I did end up adding on items from my Christmas beauty advent calendar and some beauty boxes.  This meant I ended up with an increase of 47 products by the beginning of February.  So, although not a good start, this should be the only month with an increase in products!

In February, I feel I've gotten into a better pattern of using moisturiser on my body before bed, and I've also been trying to moisturise my hands more often too.

So, here are the products I used up in February and which, if any, I would repurchase.

Haircare and Vitamins

• L'Oréal Paris Elvive Dream Lengths Restoring Shampoo - I liked this shampoo, and I really like the Dream Lengths range as a whole.  It smelled nice and left my hair feeling smooth and looking shiny.  I will definitely repurchase it in the future - I just like to cycle through different shampoos so my hair doesn't get too used to a certain one.
• L'Oréal Paris Elvive Colour Protect Rapid Reviver Power Conditioner - I also really liked this conditioner.  I used it every 2nd or 3rd hair wash, and I could tell the difference between when I used this one versus another conditioner.  I've already repurchased this to use, as well as the Dream Lengths power conditioner.
• Color Wow Color Security Shampoo - I wasn't too fond of this shampoo.  I know it was only a small sample, but I got about 3 washes out of it, and my hair didn't feel as smooth as it did with other shampoos.  I also wouldn't say it helped my dyed hair to last longer than with my other shampoos.  I wouldn't rebuy this one.
• Centrum Women Multivitamins - I've been taking these vitamins for quite a long time now, but to be honest, I don't really know if they make much of a difference to me as a whole.  Having said that, for now I will continue to repurchase them. 

Bath Products

• Lola's Organics 'Slam Bar' Bath Dust - I've been working through a bunch of bath bombs, bubble bars and other bath products I bought from Lola's Organics (a small business) last year.  This bath dust smelled really nice, it reminded me of a Wham bar - with a sweet fruitiness - and didn't irritate my skin.  Unfortunately, the Lola's Organics website isn't up anymore, so I couldn't repurchase it even if I wanted to. 
• Lola's Organics 'Pink Peppercorn' Bath Dust - This bath dust had a nice spicy, peppery scent, and left the water a sparkly pink.  They were a great price for the amount you received as well.
• Lola's Organics 'Iced Fairy' Shower Jelly - I know these were labelled as shower jellies, but I used them in the bath.  This one had a similar scent to Lush's 'Snow Fairy', and lathered up quite nicely to use on the skin.  It did start to fall apart after a few uses though.
• Lola's Organics 'Misrule' Shower Jelly - This jelly was meant to smell like Lush's 'Lord of Misrule', but I don't think it was as similar.  This one started breaking apart even quicker than the 'Iced Fairy' one too, but I still got quite a few uses out of it.
• Gillette Satin Care Sensitive Aloe Vera Glide Shave Gel - I've used this shave gel for years and it's one product I'll continue to buy unless they drastically change the formula.  Even though it's scented, it's not overpowering, and my skin feels fine after using it thanks to the aloe vera.  I already have more of it to use.
• Veet Miraculous Oil Multi-Benefit Oil - I used this to shave when my skin had had a bit of irritation from something, and it worked nicely to also moisturise the skin with it being an oil.  It did seem to dull razors more quickly though.  I've got another bottle of this already as a backup.

Skincare and Deodorant

• Sandangels Organics Cornish Powder Clay Antioxidant Face Mask - This mask had a very earthy scent, but felt quite nice and cooling on the skin.  I didn't see any noticeable differences after using it though, so I wouldn't repurchase it.
• Garnier SkinActive Micellar Cleansing Water All-in-1 - This is another of my go-to skincare products that I've been using for a long time.  It worked well to remove most kinds of makeup and felt nice on the skin.  I have some of the other types of the Garnier micellar water to work through, but I'll definitely keep repurchasing this one.
• NEOM Perfect Night's Sleep Overnight Facial Cream - I really liked the scent of this, it was a relaxing smell, so it was nice to use before bed.  It made my skin feel a bit softer and more moisturised than normal.  It's quite expensive for the full size though, but if I see it on offer at some point, I'll treat myself to some!
• Sure Maximum Protection Anti-Perspirant 'Clean Scent' - I use this and the Dove maximum protection deodorant interchangeably, as I think they're both as good as each other.  This one worked really well at keeping my armpits drier for longer throughout the day, and I really liked the clean and fresh scent.  Another product I'll continue to rebuy.
• Maelys B-Flex Lift & Firm Arm Cream - I've been trying to use this up for a long while now.  I had been putting it on my upper arms, and it would cause quite a strong tingling sensation where it was applied that would last for a little while.  I can't say I noticed any difference from using it though, so I wouldn't buy it again.

Hand and Nail Care

• Bubble T 'Peach Bellini' Restoring Hand Cream - This hand cream had a very pretty peach scent, and the lotion itself soaked in nicely without leaving any greasy texture on my hands.  It wasn't as moisturising as other hand products I've used, and I wouldn't go out of my way to buy it again, but if I saw it on offer I would pick some up.
• Patisserie De Bain 'Rhubarb & Custard' Hand Cream - This cream smelt incredible - I love anything rhubarb and custard scented!  However, it left a texture on my hands which I wasn't too fond of.  I used it up due to the scent, but I wouldn't repurchase it.
• A Little Something 'Peach Paradise' Hand Cream - This didn't smell as peachy as the Bubble T cream, it was a bit more perfume-y, but still nice.  It soaked in nicely though, and moisturised ok, but, again, I wouldn't rebuy it unless I saw it on offer.
• Primark PS... Top & Base Coat - I'd been using this as a base coat for quite a few months, and I was impressed that it didn't go thick like a lot of top and base coats usually do after a while.  It wasn't great for preventing staining, but otherwise it was a decent basecoat.  I wouldn't repurchase it though, as I have plenty of others to work through, and some which do prevent staining better.

Honorable Mentions

• Imperial Candles 'Hocus Pocus' Soy Candle - I bought this around Halloween last year along with a different scented one which was a gift.  I'd seen them advertised online quite a bit, and with the uniqueness of having a surprise piece of jewellery in the candle I thought I'd try them out.  This candle had 2 pieces of jewellery included - I got a nice ring with an amethyst coloured stone (you get to select a ring size when you place your order), and a pair of silver stud earrings too - they both had a declared value of £30.  The scent of the candle was pleasant, though I wouldn't say it was overly Halloween/spooky scented.  The candles themselves are quite expensive, but you're paying for the chance of getting an expensive piece of jewellery inside.  I do think this would be a nice to give as a gift for someone who enjoys candles and jewellery.
• Yankee Candle 'Crackling Wood Fire' Candle - This is one of my absolute favourite Yankee Candle scents, and I'm sad to see that it's been retired!  It had such a lovely musky, subtly smoky yet perfumed scent, and it was perfect to use during the colder months.  I'll probably have a look on eBay or somewhere every now and then for one to buy, and also keep my fingers crossed that they bring it back in the future!

That's all the products I finished using in February.  I think I've had another quite successful month, and I know I have a good amount of items to write about for March too!

Can anyone recommend a really good hand cream?  One that doesn't leave a texture or greasy feeling, and that really moisturises?

Review: January 2024 LookFantastic Beauty Box

The LookFantastic Beauty Box is the only subscription box that I am still signed up to at the moment.  I have been receiving the box for quite a few years now as I think it (usually) contains a good mix of products from various brands.

So whilst I wait for my March box (it seems to be delayed!), I thought I would do a belated review of the January 2024 box.

The LookFantastic Beauty Box is a monthly box which costs from £13 a month (with a 12-month subscription) and usually contains 6 beauty products with a "minimum value of £50", according to the website.  Sometimes, 1 or 2 products included in the box can vary per person, but you don't get a choice over what you will receive.

I do like that the boxes themselves changed a while ago to be more environmentally-friendly.  The box it is delivered in is the actual beauty box now, rather than a box in another box.

My January LookFantastic Beauty Box included:

• Philip Kingsley Maximiser Root Boosting Spray 60ml (£6.96 value / £29.00 for 250ml) - I'm generally not a fan of hair volumising products as they tend to weigh my hair down and make it look greasy quite quickly.  I have used a few Philip Kingsley products in the past though (I'm a big fan of the Elasticizer hair mask), and I like that this root boosting spray doesn't seem to have much of a scent, so I will give it a chance and see how it performs.

• Weleda Skin Food 10ml (£1.99 value / £14.95 for 75ml) - I've had this product from several boxes in the past, and it's a fine moisturiser.  I usually use it on the drier parts of my body (knees, elbows, ankles, etc.) and it moisturises them well.  It's just a shame that it's such a small size tube included in this box though.

• Dr. Lipp Superfood Elderberry Tint 8ml (full size / £6.99 value - though currently on sale for £4.89) - I can't see myself using this for eyes or cheeks like it mentions on the tube, as it is quite a glossy and sticky formula.  However, for my lips it should be great and, hopefully, quite moisturising.  It is slightly tinted with a hint of plum-red which is just visible when worn, but it will be perfect for days when I only want a slight tint of colour on my lips.

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• Thisworks Stress Check Mood Manager 10ml (£4.29 value / £15.00 for 35ml) - I've had this recently from another box, and although it smells quite nice, I can't say it really does anything for me in terms of stress or energy.  I'll use it though, as I like to spray it in the morning when I first get up.

• Nails Inc Get Hard Rebuilding Nail Hardener 14ml (full size / £9.00 value - though currently on sale for £7.20) - Nail art is one of my biggest passions, so I was happy to receive a Nails Inc base coat in the box.  My nails have grown longer over the past year, but they can be quite soft and bendy, so, occasionally, I have been using a nail hardener to try and strengthen them.  This will, hopefully, be a great polish for that purpose when my other base runs out. 

• So Eco Jade Stone Gua Sha (full size - no longer on the LF website, but for sale on Beauty Bay for £11.00) - I must have had at least 5 gua shas from beauty boxes in the past couple of years alone - some have been stone, some plastic, some with slightly different shapes, etc.  I use one every now and then, but not often enough to need multiple.  I do, however, appreciate that this one is made from real jade stone.  It feels very smooth compared to others I've had, and it is also cool against the skin, so it will be nice to use.  Just please - no more for a while!

The January box has an actual value of £40.23 when looking at the full size versions of the products - which is almost £10 less than the advertised value.  This is quite disappointing, especially when 2 of the "full size" products are an 8ml lip/beauty balm and a gua sha.

The box does have a decent mix of products - haircare, skincare, nail polish - but there is nothing that is really fun or exciting this month.  Hopefully, next month there will be some more makeup products, or more luxurious skincare.

Do you subscribe to the LookFantastic Beauty Box? If so, what have you thought about their recent boxes?

January 2024 Declutter

One thing about me is that I really don't like being wasteful.  However, this leads to me keeping things even if I don't, or won't, use them - which is wasteful in itself.  This also leads to me having larger than needed amounts of products that I can't work through before they start to expire.

Last year, I started to go through all my lip products (lipsticks, glosses, balms, etc.) and decluttered ones that had expired, dried up, or just didn't suit me - and I did a decent job with this, and probably halved my collection.

I've decided to do this again this year, but to also have a look through some other products I have that have possibly expired, or that I simply won't finish up, and I wanted to share them here and the reasons why I'm decluttering them.  There are a lot of lip products for the month of January, as that is where I focused mainly for the month.

• Revolution Lip Liners in "We Rule", "Sovereign", "Glory", "Bow Down", "Majesty", "Grandee", "Empress" and "Regal" - I would very rarely actually wear a lip liner, mainly as every time I grabbed one it would be blunt or dried up, so this is the first type of product I decided to have a look through.  I had bought a lot of the Revolution lip liners as parts of sets over the years, but, unfortunately, most of these had dried up, and even after trying to sharpen them they were unusable.  We Rule, Sovereign and Empress weren't fully dried up, but they were metallic shades and I just couldn't see myself ever wearing these again, so I've parted with them.
• Odylique Lip Liner "701" - This one looked a pretty shade of pink, but it had also fully dried up.
• MUA Lip Transformer Shade Brightener & Darkener - I'd never really used this as I had a white lipstick which did a similar job to lighten colours and was easier to use.  This MUA one has expired now anyway - it smells of crayons!
• Arrow Boost Nourishing Lip Oil "Color Enhancing Pink" - I tried this on and although it still looks OK, it stung my lips more than I remembered and didn't really change colour. 
• Dr. Lipp CBD Tint Multi-Use Skincare - This seemed to have expired, as it had gone quite hard in the tube and barely anything came out when you squeezed it.
• Arrow Boost Color Enhancing Lip Balm - This had also expired, it smelled very bad.
• Barry M That's Swell Plumping Clear Lip Gloss - I've had this quite a long time and used it quite a lot (as you can see, all the writing has come off the tube!) but it smelled like it has expired a bit, plus, I have plenty of other lip plumpers to try out.
• Project Lip Matte Plumping Primer - Another one that had expired.

• Revolution Matte Liquid Lipsticks in "Grandee", "Bow Down", "Glory", "Siren", "Fire Breathing", "Dragon Lord" and "Velvet Depravity" - For someone whose lips don't seem to work too well with matte lip products (they rub off in the middle of my bottom lip quite easily) I definitely have too many!  I'd kept the unusual colours last year "just in case" (although I did wear that brighter purple out and about a few times) but I just couldn't see myself wearing them anymore.  The paler shades didn't suit me either.
• Laritzy Matte Liquid Lipstick "Power" and Undressed Liquid Lip Stain "Deep Orchid" - Although these were both lovely deep shades, I have others which look similar and have better staying power on me.
• Sleek MakeUp Matte Me Lip Cream in "Birthday Suit" and "Rioja Red" - Again, they were both nice shades, but they didn't last long at all on me.
• Barry M Matte Me Up Liquid Lip Paint "Blowout" - This looked like a nice shade in the tube, but it didn't suit me very much.
• Lime Crime Diamond Crushers "Heirloom" - I absolutely loved this when it first came out (and I still think it is super pretty!) but I couldn't see myself actually wearing it anymore.
• Milani Amore Matte Metallic Lip Crème "Matte About You" - This also looked very pretty in the tube, but I feel I don't really suit brighter metallic lip shades now.
• Ciaté Liquid Velvet in "Smitten" and "Fling" - I quite liked the formula of these, but the colours didn't suit me very well, unfortunately.
• LA Splash Liquid Lipstick "Runic" - I loved this one a lot - it was a deeper lilac shade with a slight teal duochrome effect, I thought the packaging was really cool, and I have worn it quite a few times in the past.  However, I am trying to simplify my lip products so that I will wear them more often, and this isn't one that I could wear easily as it would flake off in the middle of my lips quite quickly.

• Revolution Lipstick "Date" - This was a lovely bright fuchsia pink shade, it just felt a bit more drying on the lips than some other similar lipsticks I have.
• Hikari Lipstick "Reef" - This was quite a bright orange shade that I loved the look of in the tube, but it didn't suit my skin tone at all. 
• Luna by Luna Lipstick "Pixie" - This was a nice pink-red shade that looked OK on me, but I have others that are very similar that I prefer.
• Saturated Colour Lipstick "Naked Pink" - This was a darker dusky-pink shade that I couldn't decide whether it suited me or not.  I've parted with it as I still have quite a few other pinks I feel look nicer on me.
• Revolution Conceal & Correct Green Colour Correcting Concealer - I'd had this for quite a while and I didn't use it very much, it was a bit too thick and had quite a strong scent.  I've since bought another colour corrector from Collection that seems to have a better formula.
• Barry M Waterproof Eyehshadow Pencil "No. 2" - The formula of this wasn't the best, it was a bit too hard, meaning you had to drag it to get colour onto your eyelid, which didn't feel very nice.
• Diego dalla Palma Black Kajal Eyeliner - I did like that this was a wind up pencil, but it would smudge very easily when being worn.
• Rimmel Ink Me Stamp Tattoo "Black Heart" - I thought this was cute (you could have little heart shaped beauty marks!) but it had dried up a bit, plus I couldn't really see myself using it anymore.
• Teeez To Die For Eyeshadow "Glow on the Go" - I would mainly use this for inner eye highlight as it was a shimmery cream colour, but it was no better than just using a highlighter, so I parted with it to reduce products in my collection.

That was everything I decided to declutter in January.  Anything that is safe to pass onto someone else to use, then I will be doing that, but I imagine most things will have to be recycled or binned.

I look forward to continuing sorting through my products and trying to reduce my collection down to a more manageable, and usable, amount.

Is there any type of product that you have too much of and want to declutter?  Or are there any products you don't use anymore, but can't bear to part with?

January 2024 Empties

It's really been 6 and a half years since I last posted here!  A lot has changed in that time, but my love of nail polish, skincare and beauty products is still going strong.

I continued to subscribe to multiple monthly beauty boxes for a few more years since I last posted, but have reduced that down to just one now - the Lookfantastic Beauty Box.  And I do treat myself to their beauty advent calendar at Christmas too, as I think you get a good mix of products from a range of brands.

Due to these subscription boxes, and other purchases I've made over the years, I did build up a bit of an overwhelming amount of beauty and skincare products.  However, I have actively been working on using up as many as possible for a while now, so this is why I thought I would start doing monthly empties posts - to help me keep track of how many products I've worked my way through, and to share my thoughts on which I would re-buy, if any.

Haircare

• OGX Renewing Argan Oil of Morocco Shampoo - This shampoo was ok, but I felt my hair got a bit greasier more quickly after using it.
• Milk_Shake Normalizing Blend Shampoo - I would repurchase this one, as I didn't need to use so much of it to make my hair feel very clean.  Plus, it left my hair soft and smooth looking, and it also smelled lovely.
• L'Oréal Professional Vitamino Color Shampoo - It had a nice smell and left my hair feeling clean and soft, but I wouldn't go out of my way to re-buy it.
• Color Wow Color Security Conditioner - It was an ok conditioner, but it didn't do anything special for me to repurchase.
• Dream Coat Supernatural Spray - I used this product as directed - splitting my hair into sections, fully coating it in the product, then drying it - and it did leave my hair looking shiny and feeling smooth, but I wouldn't say it was any more waterproof after using it.  I did like that it didn't leave my hair feeling like it had any product on it though, but I wouldn't repurchase.  I do have another mini to use up though.
• Amika Flash Instant Shine Mask - My hair was noticeably shinier after using this, so I'd like to buy a full size and try it for a bit longer.  It also smelled lovely!

Body Washes and Lotions

• Sanex Zero Shower Gel (for normal skin) - I like that it was quite a gentle, simple body wash that didn't dry my skin out - plus it's very affordable!  I have another to use already, and would repurchase it in the future.
• Lola's Organics 'Tutti Frutti' Shower Soufflé - I bought this from a small business, it smelled delicious, but I didn't really like the texture of it on my skin, unfortunately.
• Superdrug Vitamin E Spray-On All Over Body Lotion - Body creams are one of the categories I have the most products for, as you often get them in beauty boxes, but it is the one part of skincare I skip most often - and I'm a bit picky if the texture isn't quite right.  This spray-on lotion went on quite nicely and did soak in ok overnight, but it was a bit messy, so I wouldn't re-buy.
• Beauty Formulas Organic Aloe Vera Lotion - I liked this product, but I prefer the aloe vera gel more than the lotion from the same company, as it's nice and cooling on the skin too.
• Maelys B-Foxy Inner Thigh Firming Cream - I do have another of these to work through, but I'm not sure if I'm seeing any actual results from it, so it may end up being a product I declutter in the next month or so.

Hand and Nail Care

• Lauren B. Beauty Polishing Hand Scrub - I wasn't very fond of the texture of this, it felt very thick and sticky.
• Human+Kind Moisturizing Hand Scrub - I have already repurchased some of this scrub as it smelled really nice, and I loved using it when I'd removed nail polish to freshen up my nails and hands.  I don't know how much longer it'll be available to buy though, as I could only really find it on eBay now.
• Duft &Doft Stockholm Rose Nourishing Hand Cream - I didn't like the feeling of this on my hands, it left a "sticky" feeling, and didn't soak in well.
• Cuccio Naturale 'White Limetta & Aloe Vera' Butter for Hands, Feet & Body - I have a big pot of this, but in the Lavender & Chamomile scent, that I've been using for quite a while - it has such a rich, creamy feeling and smells beautiful!
• Nails and Face 'Cinnamon Apple' Cuticle Oil Pen - I love using cuticle oil pens, they're so handy for taking out with you.  This one had a nice smell and nourished my cuticles well.  I wouldn't repurchase it though, because I've actually bought a lot of the ingredients used in the pens to make my own at home.
• Cutex Ultra-Powerful Nail Polish Remover - I paint my nails a lot, so I go through a lot of nail polish remover naturally.  This is one of my favourites to remove deep colours and glitters - and it does it well!  It is 98% acetone though, so it can be drying.  I already have more of this product to use.
• Templespa Aaahhh! Soothing Balm for Aching Feet and Limbs - I prefer thick creams for my feet, and this one was quite lightweight.  It had an almost menthol scent which wasn't unpleasant, and soaked into the skin well, but I wouldn't repurchase it.

Skincare

• Real Chemistry Fresh-Start Foaming Cleanser - This had a bit of an odd scent, and I didn't like the soapy, squeaky feeling of it on my skin.  It also left my face feeling a bit tight after using it, so I wouldn't buy it again.
• Pai Light Work Rosehip Fruit Extract Cleansing Oil - This was a nice oil cleanser which washed off well with warm water and left my skin feeling smooth.  I thought it had a bit too much fragrance though.  I would consider repurchasing it though, unless I can find a better oil cleanser.
• Paula's Choice Skin Perfecting 2% BHA Liquid Exfoliant - I didn't have any problems using this (I used it every other night), but I didn't see any effect from it in the time I tried it, so I wouldn't buy more.
• First Aid Beauty Facial Radiance Pads - I used these every night for 10 days, and didn't have any negative reaction but, again, I didn't see any positive changes to my skin either.
• Nip + Fab Hydrate Dragon's Blood Fix Essence Mist - I used this morning and night after washing my face, and it felt very refreshing and cooling.  I've got quite a few other face mists to try already, but I would consider repurchasing this one in the future if it's still available.
• Superdrug Vitamin C Invigorating Skin Booster - I've used this every day for quite a long time now, but I don't feel it has any really positive effects on my skin.  It's also quite a thick formula, and even when only using a little, it would sometimes cause pilling with other products.  I've got a different Vitamin C product to try now, and I probably wouldn't rebuy this one again, unfortunately.
• Avant Supreme Hyaluronic Acid Antioxidising DUO Moisturiser - This moisturiser felt really nice on my skin!  It seemed like it added so much moisture, especially in the winter, and made a nice base for makeup.  It's very expensive to me though - £100 for 50ml!  I'd love to buy it again, but only if it's on sale.
• Dr. Eve_Ryouth Vitamin C + Hyaluronic Acid Night Moisturiser - When I had any dry patches of skin from the cold weather, this would sting quite a bit (especially around my nose).  It had a nice texture and soaked in well, but I wouldn't re-buy it.
• Decléor Intense Glow for Eyes Dark Circle Corrector - I used this up even though I felt it made concealer under my eyes crease more than normal.  I didn't like the smell of it that much either, so I wouldn't repurchase.

Lip Care and Makeup

• W7 Jelly Jewels 'Gold Lust' Lip Plumping Mask - This was a weird product - it was a thin jelly formula, with glittery stars in, which you applied onto your lips and had to leave it on for several minutes before wiping off.  I wouldn't say that I saw any plumping effect on my lips, but I did feel a bit of stinging/tingling if my lips were a bit dry.
• Jelly Pong Pong 'Coffee + Coconut' Lip Scrub - This smelt really nice, but was a bit too thick and rough for my lips, so I couldn't use it very often.
• The Body Shop Hemp Heavy-Duty Lip Care - I loved using this over the coldest weeks, it moisturised and softened my lips better than most other lip balms I've tried before.  I'll definitely be repurchasing this!
• Barry M Coco Loco Lip Oil - To me this was more of a lip oil and gloss combo.  The texture was a bit sticky on the lips, and it didn't last long, but it did help with my dry winter lips a bit, although I wouldn't re-buy it.
• Barry M Ready Set Smooth Loose Setting Powder (Translucent) - The powder itself was quite nice and set makeup ok, though it didn't last as long as some others in terms of starting to look shiny.  However, the big negative with this product for me was the container - it was so difficult to get product out once about half had been used, as the powder would just stick in the little holes inside.  I wouldn't re-buy this.
• Revolution Aqua Seal Liquid Eye Primer - I tried this with a few different types of eyeshadows and I wouldn't say it worked the best for me, there was still creasing and some colour fading.  I'm still on the lookout for a great eye primer!
• Lottie London 'Savage' Eye Foil - There is still product in this, but it has dried up now.  I did really like this eye foil, it was super pretty and sparkly although it would crease quite easily.  I have quite a few other eye foils and creams to try now.
• Maybelline New York The Colossal Curl Bounce Mascara - I really liked this mascara, I felt it added length and some curl to my lashes.  It also lasted well and didn't flake.  The only negative would be when removing it - it would take more effort than others.  I will re-buy this mascara in the future.

Honorable Mention

• Aery 'Winter Thyme' Candle - I know it's not a beauty or skincare product, but I do also have a collection of candles and wax melts I'm working through, so I wanted to show those too.  Up close, this one had a lovely spicy and almost herbal scent, but I don't think it had much throw, unfortunately.  It burnt evenly and all the way down to the bottom, but I wouldn't repurchase.

That's everything that I used up in January, I think I did quite well.  I do want to continue working my way through my stash of products, but I don't want to be wasteful about it if I can help it.  Hopefully, next month I'll have a good selection of products too!

Let me know if you've used any of the products above, and if any of them are your favourites.