May 2024 Declutter

Continuing on with my slow declutter of health and beauty products, these are the ones I let go of in May 2024.

In May, I decided to go through a section of products that I don't use often - tanning products.  I had a feeling some of them would be expired, so I wanted to check if any were salvageable and could be tried out.  I don't like to waste products, but most of the self-tanners and after suns I owned I'd received in beauty boxes over the years, and I hadn't gotten around to trying them.

I also had another quick check through some of my lip products to look for any that had expired, or were old, and I didn't use anymore.

• B. By Superdrug Sunkissed Glow Bronzing Mousse - I don't really use self-tan products except for sometimes on my face, so out of these tanning products, this is the only one I had actually bought myself; the rest were from beauty boxes.  I bought this Superdrug tanning mousse years and years ago to try out, but never got around to it.  I finally tested it, and it seemed to be expired, as it came out green.

• Vita Liberata Fabulous Self Tanning Gradual Lotion - I had tried this before, and the texture of it was still ok, but it didn't smell very nice anymore, so it had also probably expired.

• Bellamianta Self Tanning Tinted Lotion "Medium" for Face/Body - Another expired tanning product that I had never actually tried - it seemed to have separated in the tube, as it came out like a thin liquid rather than a lotion.

• James Read Gradual Tan Sleep Mask Tan Face - The James Read tanning lotions are ones I have used in the past and work out quite well on my face.  This one had become very runny though, so it needed to go.

• Monuspa First Defence Soothing After Sun - I'd not gotten around to trying this after sun, and it didn't smell very nice, so it also had to go.

• MineTan Replenishing Rapid Recovery After Sun Gel (2 x 50ml) - Both of these were meant to have a gel consistency, but they were more like water, so they were decluttered.

• Percy & Reed Big, Bold & Beautiful Dry Instant Volumising Spray - I tried to use this quite a few times, but I didn't like the way it made my hair feel.  It did help to add a bit of volume, but it didn't last very long for me, so I let it go.

• COSRX AHA 7 Whitehead Power Liquid - I'd had this for quite a few years and used it on and off, but I'd never really seen much improvement from using it.  It also irritated my skin a little sometimes.

• Philosophy Purity 3-in-1 Cleanser for Face and Eyes - This had, unfortunately, expired - it smells awful, which was a shame.

• Nip+Fab Fixes No Needle Fix Eye - I tried this for a little while, but I just didn't like the way it felt on my skin.  It was very thick and sticky, and didn't fully soak in, which caused issues when applying concealer near my eyes.

• Bali Balm Lemon & Black Pepper - This still smelled really nice and lemon-y, but the consistency of it didn't seem quite right, so I parted with it.

• W7 Bare All! Uncovered Pressed Pigment Palette - I had all 3 of the W7 Bare All palettes, and this was the medium shades one.  Unfortunately, the colours would pull very warm and orange on me, which isn't my preference.  The shadows themselves performed quite well, but I decided to pass it on.

• BPerfect Stacey Marie Carnival IV The Antidote Liquid Shadow "Brass" and "Honey" - I really wanted to love these liquid eyeshadows, as the colours were really pretty.  Sadly, they would go on quite patchy and didn't last very well on me.  I tried different techniques for applying them, as well as using different eye primers, but I couldn't get them to work well, so I let them both go.

• Huda Beauty Lip Strobe Metallic Lip Gloss "Angelic" - This was a gorgeous gloss, but I don't really wear metallic lip products anymore - it was also quite old.

• Bellápierre Cosmetics Kiss Proof Lip Crème "Antique Pink" - This was a very nice shade of pink, but it didn't smell very good anymore, so it had possibly expired.

• Barry M Matte Me Up Matte Liquid Lip Paint "Signature" - Another metallic lip product that I wouldn't use anymore.

• Barry M Gloss Me Up Lip Gloss "Party Starter" - This was a really lovely, sparkly lip gloss, however, the smell of it had changed so it had probably also expired.

• MUA Luxe Whipped Velvet "Ritzy" - This was quite a nice lip product, it had a powdery, matte finish and used to smell really nice.  However, it was another that seemed to have expired.

• Barry M Take A Brow Shape & Define Brow Gel - I'd used this clear brow gel for a few months, and although it didn't have the best holding power, it worked well enough for me in most situations.  It had started to discolour though from being contaminated with brow pencil residue and foundation, etc. going back into the tube, and in turn, this was leaving a light tint on my eyebrows and was making them look flaky.  I have other brow gels to try still, but this is one I would buy again, but try to get the spoolie clean before putting it back into the tube.

That was everything I parted with in May 2024 - not as much as some previous months, but I feel like I'm in a better position to be able to give products a bit longer to try out before making a decision on whether to let them go than I was earlier in the year.

There are still some categories of products I know I need to go through and check if they've expired - body creams especially - but this is an ongoing thing for me, and I will eventually be able to check through everything.

As ever, anything that can be hygienically passed on will be, and the remainder will be recycled where possible.

Are there any categories of products you know you have too many of and won't be able to use before they expire?

May 2024 Empties

I'm back with another "empties" post - this time from May 2024.  This was another good month for me for finishing products and resisting the temptation to buy more, although I did buy some coloured eyeliner pens.

I managed to reduce my stockpile of items by 25 again this month - pretty decent progress if you ask me - quite a few were samples and mini-sized products that I've received in beauty boxes over the years, but there were a few full-sized products too.

I tried to focus on remembering to use certain types of products this month (primarily face masks and pulse point rollers) to whittle down my collection even more.

Here are the products I used up in May, and whether I'd repurchase them or not.

Haircare

• TRESemmé Rich Moisture Conditioner - I've used the TRESemmé conditioners for years now as they are good value and leave my hair feeling softer and smoother than with others.  This big bottle lasted for months and it smelt really nice.  I already have a replacement and will continue to buy it for the foreseeable future.

• Umberto Giannini Scalp Scrub - I used this a few times a month, and it felt like a nice treat for my scalp.  The scent was quite nice, it wasn't too harsh on my scalp (but you could still feel it scrubbing) and it washed out fine.  I feel like my hair stayed fresher for longer when I'd used it.  I would repurchase it.

• Bleach London Reincarnation Mask - This smelt ok, but I didn't really see or feel any difference in my hair when I had used it, so I wouldn't buy a full size.

• Philip Kingsley Elasti-Styler 5-in-1 Treatment - Although I love the Philip Kingsley Elasticizer mask, I wasn't a fan of the Elasti-Styler.  My hair didn't look or feel very different when I had used it, and it took a bit longer to dry with a hairdryer.  Another I wouldn't re-buy.

• Dr. PawPaw 7-in-1 Hair Treatment Styler - I mainly used this as heat protection when drying my hair.  It had a nice scent, and my hair looked a bit shinier after using it, but it didn't wow me enough to want to repurchase it.

• Batiste Stylist Hold Me Hairspray - I really liked this hairspray, it managed to help my hair hold curls without feeling stiff or sticky.  Unfortunately, it looks to be discontinued, so I can't repurchase it - otherwise I would!

Bodycare, Supplements and Toothpaste

• Imperial Leather 'Let's Flamingle' Pink Lychee & Raspberry Fantasy Icons Shower Gel - This smelt absolutely beautiful - the raspberry came through really well.  It made my skin feel soft and clean when I used it.  It's such a shame it was a limited-edition scent, or I would have repurchased it.

• Rituals... The Ritual of Jing Relaxing Body Scrub with Salt & Magnesium - This was an ok body scrub, but a bit too oily for me.  It had a lovely scent, though - as most Rituals products do!  I prefer the TreacleMoon body scrubs now, so I wouldn't buy this one again.

• Lynx Attract for Her Rose & Bergamot Deodorant Bodyspray - Despite this being classed as a rose scent, it wasn't overpoweringly floral.  I do prefer cream deodorants, but I used this one throughout the day when needing freshening up.  I still prefer the Sure spray deodorants, though, as I think they last longer, so I wouldn't buy this again.

• Weleda Evening Primrose Age Revitalizing Body Oil - I'm sure I've mentioned before, but I don't really like the feeling of body oils on my skin (I don't like the sticky texture).  I did use this one up, though, since it was such a small bottle.  I used it on my legs after a bath, and it soaked in a bit better than others I've used before - however, I still wouldn't buy a full size of it.

• VeryWell Beauty Collagen Gummies - I'd decided to try some collagen supplements to try and improve the condition of my skin, nails and joints.  I went with gummies to start with as I was already taking a few other tablet supplements, and these ones were quite tasty - they were apple and blackcurrant flavour.  I took these for a while, but couldn't really say if they made much of a noticeable difference.  They were on an offer in Asda when I initially bought them, so I had a few bottles to work through.

• Colgate Elixir White Restore Toothpaste - I really enjoyed the Elixir toothpastes, although I think the charcoal one performed better than this whitening one (though it did have a lovely spearmint flavour!).  The only negative with them is that the bottles are quite hard, so it's tricky to get all the product out at the end.  They look to be discontinued now, though, or I would possibly keep repurchasing.

Skincare

• Garnier SkinActive Micellar Cleansing Gel Wash - This was an ok face wash.  It did a pretty good job of removing makeup, but it left my skin feeling a bit tight after use, so I wouldn't repurchase it.

• ESPA Clean & Green Detox Mask - This face mask had a nice fresh scent, but it was a bit too drying for me, so I wouldn't re-buy it.

• Korres Greek Yoghurt Probiotic SuperDose Face Mask - I got a few uses from this tube, and the mask made my skin feel a little softer and brighter, so I would like to possibly buy the full size to try out once I've worked through other face masks I have.

• Sand & Sky Australian Emu Apple Super Bounce Mask - I'm not quite sure how I used up so many face masks this month!  This one was another that left my skin feeling a bit tight and dry after using it, so I wouldn't buy this one again either.

• Cetaphil Moisturising Lotion - I used this on my face on days when my skin was feeling a bit drier, and it seemed to do a good job of hydrating my skin.  I would like to buy a full-size of it to try it out for a bit longer.

• Hawaiian Tropic Silk Hydration Air Soft Face SPF30 - I really liked this SPF cream, it smelt really nice, and soaked in well without causing any issues with my other skincare products.  I would definitely re-purchase it once I've used up some other SPFs I have.

• Polaar SPF30 UVA-UVB Velvety Sun Fluid Face & Body - This SPF was ok.  I don't feel it soaked in as easily as the Hawaiian Tropic one, though, so I wouldn't get this one again.

• Olay Serums Vitamin C + AHA 24 Day Serum - This serum made my other skincare products pill if I used slightly too much, so I had to be a bit more mindful when applying it.  I've since tried a couple of other vitamin C serums which I really enjoyed using, so I wouldn't buy this one again.

• Medik8 Hydr8 B5 Intense - This was a decent hyaluronic acid serum, but I've used a couple of other (much cheaper) ones now which I liked more, so I wouldn't buy the full size of the Medik8 one.

• Becca First Light Priming Filter - I didn't really see much difference in my makeup when I used this product.  It gave a slight sheen to the skin when applied, but I don't feel it showed up much after applying foundation/skin tint.  Another pass for me.

Hand and Nail Care

• Cuccio Naturale Lavender & Chamomile Butter - I love the scent of this hand and body butter!  I use it on my hands after I've painted my nails (when they've fully dried) and it's so creamy and hydrating.  I've used it for a long time now, and I'll continue repurchasing it for as long as it's sold.  I do also have it in a different fragrance to try.

• NEOM Organics Pulse Point Great Day Mood Lifting Roller - This had a lovely scent - minty and bright.  I enjoyed using it up, but I wouldn't repurchase it.

• Scentered 'Love' Pulse Point Balm - This also smelt beautiful - slightly floral and woody, but also a little musky.  As much as I enjoyed the scent, I had to consistently remind myself I had this balm to use, so I wouldn't buy it again.

• Leighton Denny Miracle Mist Speed Drying Spray - This seemed to work ok to make my nails touch-dry a bit quicker after painting them.  They still took a similar length of time as usual to fully dry, though, so I wouldn't repurchase this.

• The Body Shop Strawberry Hand Balm - This smelt ok, just a bit more synthetic than I'd have expected.  It still did a good job at moisturising my hands, but I will stick to my favourite - the satsuma hand cream.

• The Body Shop Mango Hand Cream - This smelt nicer than the strawberry hand balm, but it also had quite a soapy scent.  I liked using it, but I wouldn't buy this one again.

• Bubble T Cosmetics 'Berry Christmas' Cleansing Hand Gel - This hand gel didn't smell as fruity as I expected it to - it actually wasn't an overly pleasant fragrance.  It dried quite quickly, and didn't leave any residue on my hands, though, but I wouldn't repurchase it.

Another good mix of products used up this month, but not quite as many that I would go out and buy again.  I am enjoying working through different products, though, and seeing which work for me and which don't.  It's also nice to see my hoard of products become a little smaller each month!

Have you used any of these products too?  Do you have any recommendations for good hydrating and brightening face masks?

Review: April 2024 LookFantastic Beauty Box

One of the main reasons I enjoy monthly beauty boxes is that they often include products I wouldn't buy or try myself otherwise.  Over the years, they've helped me find some new favourites, as well as encouraged me to try other products from brands that I've discovered from the boxes.

As of April 2024, LookFantastic - The Box was the only beauty box I was still subscribed to.  Like I've said in previous blogs, this box generally contains a good mix of products from a decent range of brands, although some recent boxes have left me feeling a little underwhelmed.

LookFantastic - The 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.  Usually, one or two products included in the box will vary per person - there are different variants of boxes sent out - but you don't get to choose what you will receive.

My April 2024 LookFantastic - The Box was "Variant 2" and included: 

• BeautyPro Squalane Nourishing Facial Sheet Mask (full size / £5 value - though currently on sale for £3.75) - I do love a sheet mask!  I like to use one if I'm having a bit of a pamper session, and they usually make my skin feel softer/smoother.  This BeautyPro mask was intended to hydrate the skin and claimed to have an anti-aging formula.  I used it recently - there was plenty of liquid in the packet without a strong fragrance, and it felt nice on the face.  I left it on for the recommended time, and although it did make my skin a little red afterwards, my face did feel quite nourished from using it.

• We Are Paradox Volume Blow Dry Spray 30ml (£5.40 value - no longer on the LF website, and can only find this version on clearance at £36 for 2 x 100ml bottles on QVC) - I've tried quite a few volumising sprays over the years that I've received from beauty boxes, and I've not really liked any of them - some did work quite well, but I just don't like the texture feeling they leave in the hair.  I'm currently testing out a Philip Kingsley texturising spray, and then I'll give this We Are Paradox one a try - it does smell quite nice if nothing else.

• GLOV Picture-Perfect Makeup Blender (full size - no longer on LF, but it is £10.75 on the GLOV website) - This is a little smaller than some of the beauty sponges I own, but it has a nice feel to it, so it should be good to use around the eyes and nose areas especially.  I've only used GLOV makeup remover cloths before, which I find really useful, so it will be nice to try another of their products.

• Elemis Pro-Collagen Energising Marine Cleanser 30ml (£9.60 value / £48 for 150ml) - I surprisingly haven't received this cleanser in a beauty box before, only the cleansing balm, so I'm looking forward to trying it out.  I do like the Elemis Pro-Collagen night cream though, and I'm hoping this cleanser is as nice to use!

• Rituals The Ritual of Sakura Rice Milk & Cherry Blossom Magic Touch Body Cream 70ml (£7.29 value / £22.90 for 220ml) - I really like Rituals products, mainly as they smell incredible - I'm actually currently working through a mini Rituals home perfume in this fragrance!  I'm pretty sure I've had this body cream from a box before, but it has the prettiest scent with soft florals and sweet notes.  I'm looking forward to using it again.

• Ciaté London Velvet Skin Cream Blush "Fancy" 5g (£9.50 value - no longer on the LF website or for sale officially elsewhere, but the Dewy Blush version is for sale on LF for £19 for 10ml) - I don't usually use cream blush products, I much prefer powders for my skin type, but this seems like a nice formula.  It looks very pigmented when first squeezed from the tube, but it blends easily into a more subtle colour, and seems like it will be buildable.  The colour itself is quite pretty too; a cool-toned mauve.  I'm looking forward to giving this one a go.

The box also included a 1.2ml sample of Mugler Alien Hypersense EDP which I won't include in the value of the box, but was a nice little extra to receive.  I actually own this perfume already, as I am a fan of the Alien and Angel fragrances.  I don't think Hypersense is as unique as what the original Alien smells like, it's fruitier and not as intense, but it is still a lovely wearable scent that lasts quite well throughout the day.

The April box has a value of £47.54 when looking at the full-size versions of the products - this is below the stated £50 value, but this may be due to the We Are Paradox hair product which I couldn't find an original value for, so I'll let it slide for this box.  Otherwise, I'm a bit more impressed with the value of the individual products in this box compared to the previous one - none under £5 this time!

Also, I finally got the colourful makeup product that I'd been hoping to receive for a few months! Yes, it was a cream blush which isn't something I'd ordinarily use, but it's nice to see some colour in the box.  I feel this month's box had a good mix of products again - skincare, makeup, haircare, a beauty tool, etc. - so I'm overall quite happy with it for a change.

What types of products do you enjoy receiving in beauty boxes the most?  Are there any you would opt out of receiving if you had a choice?

April 2024 Declutter

I'm back with another month's worth of decluttered products - this time from April 2024.

I've been treating this process as more of a slow declutter, as I've allowed myself time to test most products out again before deciding whether to let them go or not.  I really don't like wasting products, but a lot of what I own is many years old now and already past its prime.  So, if I haven't felt that something suits me, or I haven't enjoyed using it, then I have decided to part with it in order to use another item that I do prefer and don't want to expire before I can use it up.

In April, I focused a bit more on lip products again to reduce my overall amount.  Even today, I still have more lip products than any one person could realistically use up, but my decluttering is an ongoing process.

• Dr PawPaw Hot Pink Multipurpose Soothing Balm - This was very pigmented, but it wasn't the best formula to apply neatly, and it didn't last long on the lips.

• Nivea Strawberry Shine Lip Balm - This didn't smell very nice anymore, so it had most likely expired.

• Raw Skincare Rescue Me 100% Natural Lip Balm - This had also expired, probably due to it containing natural ingredients.

• Dr PawPaw Scrub & Nourish Lip Sugar Scrub & Balm - I think my lips just don't like something in the Dr PawPaw products, as this one dried my lips out quite a bit, so I stopped using it.

• Revolution Glow Bomb Lip Balm "Firestorm" - This had a light mint scent which was nice, but it was a pale pink shade which didn't suit me very well, and it also made my lips feel dry after using it.

• INC.redible Jelly Shot Lip Quencher "Fuelled By Luck" - I did try using this again for a couple of weeks, and it was ok, but it didn't really do anything for my lips.  I let it go in order to try out some, hopefully, more moisturising lip balms.

• Revolution Lip Trends Ultra Vamp 2017 Gloss "Lip Sheer" - This had survived my initial lip product cull, but when I tried to use it again, it just looked a bit patchy on my lips, and it was also not a colour I would have worn much.

• Revolution Lip Gloss "We Rule" - I don't use metallic lip products anymore, so this one was let go.

• Smashbox Gloss Angeles Lip Gloss "Shimmer Nova" - Even though this gloss was really pretty, it had developed a bit of a smell which made me think it had expired, unfortunately.

• Smashbox Gloss Angeles Lip Gloss "Mercurial Mauve" - Same as with the nude gloss, this sadly seemed to have expired.

• Illamasqua Loaded Lip Polish "Vogue" - Another that had developed a strange smell, so I let it go to be on the safe side.

• INC.redible Glazin Over Intense Colour Lip Glaze "_daily inspo" - This was quite a nice pink shade, but it made my lips feel a bit dry after using it a few times.

• BareMinerals Gen Nude Lip Gloss - This was a really pretty bronze shade, but as I said, I don't wear metallics anymore.

• Lip/Power Natural Matte Liquid Lipstick "Tiphaine" - This was such a stunning red shade, but it smelled rather expired.

• Lord & Berry Maximatte Crayon Lipstick "Here-and-Now" - I decided to let this lip crayon go as I have a couple of orange toned lipsticks which I am more likely to use than this.

• Rodial XXL Lip Liner "Nude" - This had completely dried up, unfortunately.

• Laritzy Cosmetics Lip Liner "Beau" - This had also dried up a bit, and was quite scratchy on the lips when I tried to use it.

• W7 "Socialite" Indulgent Multi-Textured Pressed Pigment Palette - This was a very pretty palette with lots of warm neutral shades.  However, I felt I was only using a handful of the shadows, and the pressed glitters were a bit crumbly, so I decided to let it go.  "High Society" and "Extravagance" were stunning shimmer shades though!

• Illamasqua Beyond Powder Highlighter "OMG" - I don't use highlighter as much as I used to years ago, and this was a little too gold toned for me, which caused some shadowing, unfortunately.

• Revolution Liquid Highlighter "Unicorn Elixir" - I think I'd mainly kept this over the years as it looked so pretty, but I hadn't used it for a very long time, and it had become very thick, so it was time to let go.

• Nuxe Huile Prodigieuse Or Multi-Purpose Dry Oil - I hadn't used this for a little while either, but when I came back to it, the scent had changed, so it had probably expired.

• DefyBrow Brow Atelier Styling Brow Soap - I tried using this for a couple of weeks, but I just didn't get on with it, so I went back to using my usual coloured brow gel.

• HD Brows High Definition Brow Wax - This was a bit easier to use than the brow soap, but I felt it didn't set my brows in place as much as some clear brow gels would, so I stopped using it.

• Barry M Anna Lingis Eye Foil "Alhet" - This had dried up in the tube and wasn't usable, so it had to go.

• Laura Geller Baked Balance n Brighten Foundation "Fair" - This was many years old, and although I had enjoyed using it in the past, I felt it was a bit too dry for my skin when I came to try using it again.

• BPerfect Cosmetics Lashout Brown Mascara - This smelt very much like paint to me, so I didn't want to risk using it near my eyes.  I would like to find another brown mascara, though.

• Elf No Budge Shadow Stick "Rose Gold" - This was a lovely shade, and it would last overall quite a long time, but it would also crease a bit.  I have a similar shade eyeshadow stick which I prefer, so I let this one go.

• Rimmel London Ink Me Stamp Tattoo "Black/Heart" - I'd had this for quite a few years and maybe used it two or three times.  I couldn't really see myself using it anymore, so I parted with it.

• Me Now Pefect Eye/Lip Liner Pencil "Navy" - This had dried up quite a lot, so it wasn't easy to use anymore.

• Laritzy Eye Pencil "Black" - This had dried up, it barely gave off any colour anymore.

• Insette IceCool Spray Mist - I enjoy using these sprays during the warmer weather, but when I came to test this one, it just would not spray anymore.  I tried everything to get it to work, but had no luck.

• L'Oréal Paris Colorista Hair Makeup "Copper" - Despite this being intended for brunette hair, the colour did not show up very well for me, so I let it go.

• Prai Ageless Throat & Décolletage Creme - I did try using this a couple of times, but it was almost as if it wouldn't soak into my skin properly - it would sit on top and ball up.

• Rainbow Connection Nourishing Cuticle Oil "Pumpkin Spice" - I love anything pumpkin spice scented, so I was sad that this cuticle oil had expired by the time I came to use it.

• FOM London Hydra Bright Night Complex Treatment - This had developed an unpleasant smell, so it had also probably expired.

• Nip + Fab Exfoliate Glycolic Fix Overnight Purifying Gel - I tried using this a few times over a couple of weeks, but it would make my skin turn increasingly red and hot - to the point on the third time that I had to wash it off after a few minutes, but my skin still felt hot and uncomfortable for a while after.

• GrandeLash-MD Lash Enhancing Serum (full size and mini) - As I mentioned in my March declutter, a lot of lash serums contain prostaglandins which make them work, but can also have quite severe side effects.  I've since watched an informative video about this, which was interesting, and luckily most side effects do usually reverse once you stop using the product.  I didn't want to risk having any more issues after experiencing some with the UKLash serum, though, so I decluttered both these GrandeLash ones.

That was everything I decluttered in April 2024.  I was glad I was making some progress with lip products, but I knew I still had other categories that needed attention too - eye makeup products especially!

Working through so many lip products has made me start to wonder if I have a sensitivity to certain ingredients, or if the products are just a bit too old, causing my lips to become dry and sore.  This is something I'll keep an eye on as I work through more balms and glosses.

As usual, anything that can be hygienically passed on will be, and the remainder will be recycled where possible.

Do you follow expiry dates on products?  Or do you go by smell and texture changes too to know when to stop using them?

April 2024 Empties

Continuing on with my "empties" posts from 2024 - I feel April was a pretty good month for me working through products, so there are quite a lot for me to write about, and to say whether I'd buy them again or not.

I started keeping a spreadsheet at the beginning of last year to track all the products I had to use, and how many I had remaining at the end of each month.  Throughout April, I managed to reduce the overall amount of my backlog by 25, which I think is good considering I had replaced a few of my staple items too, as well as buying a few new setting powders to try.

So, here are the products I finished in April, and my opinions on them.

Haircare

• L'Oréal Paris Elvive Hydra Hyaluronic Moisture Boosting Shampoo - I do like using L'Oréal shampoos, and this one made my hair feel quite nice and soft.  It had a pleasant scent too.  I don't really stick to any particular shampoo, though, but if I saw this on special offer I would buy it again.

• Percy & Reed Turn Up the Volume Volumising Dry Shampoo - I don't tend to like volumising sprays, as I don't like the texture they leave in your hair, but this one wasn't as bad for that.  It worked well as a dry shampoo on 2nd day hair, and didn't show white marks.  I do prefer the Batiste dry shampoos, though, so I wouldn't purchase this one again.

• Batiste Dark Hair Colour Dry Shampoo - Despite the Batiste dry shampoos being my favourite, I think the formula had changed with the brunette spray, as it didn't seem to work as well as it used to.  This spray felt wetter when I used it, so it didn't soak up oil as well as the original version did.  I would keep buying the non-coloured sprays, but I wouldn't repurchase the brunette/dark hair version unless it was in the original packaging style (and, hopefully, original formula).

• Color Wow Dream Coat Supernatural Spray - I wrote about this in my January empties, and my feelings on it didn't change this time.  It did leave my hair feeling nice and soft, and looking a bit shinier than usual, but I wouldn't say it created a barrier against moisture.  This wouldn't be a re-purchase.

• Grow Gorgeous Defence Anti-Pollution Leave-In Spray - This was fine, it had a lovely scent, but I didn't really see any benefits from using it.  I wouldn't buy it again.

• We Are Paradox Repair Game Changer Hair Mask - This mask smelt so nice, and made my hair feel really smooth when I used it, so it would definitely be a product I'd look to buy again.  It's still showing on the LookFantastic website, but marked as 'coming soon', so, hopefully, it hasn't been fully discontinued.

• Bumble and Bumble Don't Blow It Fine (H)Air Styler - I don't really ever air dry my hair, so I used this as I would have any other blowdry cream, and my hair felt ok after it.  It didn't leave my hair feeling like there was product in, which was nice, but it didn't make enough difference for me to consider buying a full-size version.

Bath and Body Products

• Dove Deeply Nourishing Body Wash - One thing I do really like about Dove skincare products is the scent - it's just so fresh and clean smelling.  This body wash was fine, it did the job and left my skin smelling nice, but it wouldn't be one I would go out of my way to purchase.

• Dove Gentle Scrub Body Wash - Similar to the body wash, this smelt nice and was a very gentle exfoliating wash.  I prefer a little bit of a coarser body scrub if I'm going to use one, though, so I wouldn't repurchase this.

• Feather & Down Sweet Dreams Bath Essence - This smelt divine, similar to the pillow spray which I used and enjoyed last year.  It produced enough bubbles without irritating my skin, and made for a very relaxing bath.  I would definitely repurchase this!

• Soul Energy 'Black Raspberry Vanilla' Bath Bomb Dust - Soul Energy is a small UK business that sells bath bombs, bath dust, whipped soaps, etc.  I've used quite a few of their bath bombs, and they gave off amazing colours as they fizzed away, but if you have sensitive skin they might be a bit irritating.  The bath dust/powder was nice to use and it had a lovely fruity scent.  I'd consider buying more when I've worked through my stockpile of bath bombs.

• Gatineau Paris Defi Lift 3D Firming Neck and Décolleté Gel - I don't really use moisturisers or creams on my upper body much, as my skin there is a bit more sensitive to certain ingredients and fragrances.  I did use this up, and it did irritate me a little at times.  I didn't see any improvements in my skin from using it either, so I wouldn't repurchase.

• Soap & Glory The Righteous Butter - I adore the original Soap & Glory scent, so I really enjoyed using this product.  The body butter was very thick, but soaked in really well without making my skin feel too sticky.  I'll be buying more of it, although I do already have a few minis in different fragrances from Soap & Glory's recent advent calendar.

• Beauty Formulas Organic Aloe Vera Lotion - I really enjoy using creams and gels with aloe vera in, as I think they soothe and moisturise my skin really well.  I wrote about this product in January's empties also, and although I like using the lotion, I would buy the gel version over it, as I think it feels nicer on my skin.

Cleansers and Skincare

• Liz Earle Cleanse & Polish Hot Cloth Cleanser - I finished one of these in February, and I'll probably mention them a few more times in the future as I had quite a few in my stockpile.  I liked using this cleanser on days when I'd worn a bit more makeup, as it worked well at cleansing the skin more deeply than some other products.  It had a nice, herbal scent and didn't irritate my skin, although I won't use it on my eyes as it can sting a bit if it gets in by accident.  I still have some more of these to use, and I also received a set of them for Christmas - but it will be a product I'd continue to buy.

• Simple Moisturising Facial Wash - This must have been quite a few years old with it being the Little Mix limited edition one!  However, it smelt fine and didn't irritate my skin, so I used it up.  I do like this face wash - it cleans quite well without drying the skin too much.  It wouldn't be my go-to, but I would repurchase it to have it as a backup.

• Dr Botanicals Cocoa & Coconut Superfood Facial Cleansing Bar - I'm not a fan of how soap can leave the skin feeling after use, but I still gave this one a go.  It smelt pretty nice (even though coconut isn't one of my favourite fragrances) and did a good job at cleansing the face.  However, I ended up using it on my body to finish it off quicker, as it made my face feel a little dry after a few uses.

• Superdrug Clearly Youthful Retexturising Glyolic Peel Off Mask - I really liked this mask - despite it being several years old, it still worked well for me.  If I left it on a bit too long, it could make my skin a bit red, but it would also make my face look and feel really smooth.  I'm quite sad they don't sell this anymore, and I've been searching around since for a similar peel-off mask, but there aren't many options.  It would definitely be a repurchase if it hadn't been discontinued.

• Korres White Pink Volumizing Serum-in-Moisturizer - This was ok.  I wasn't overly keen on the scent of it, but it worked fine as a moisturiser.  It's not something I would look to buy again.

• Feel Free Antioxidant Eye Contour Cream - This was fine as an eye cream.  I did like that it had hyaluronic acid in it, although I didn't really see any improvements to my under eyes.  It worked ok under makeup, too.  I wouldn't repurchase it.

• Elemis Superfood Glow Priming Moisturiser - This was an interesting product, as it was a moisturiser that had a bit of a tint to it.  I ended up using it over my normal moisturiser, though, as I didn't feel it was quite as hydrating as I would have liked.  It created a pretty nice base for makeup, but I wouldn't buy it again.

Makeup Products and Perfume

• Eylure Dybrow Permanent Tint for Brows 'Dark Brown' - I don't tint my brows often (mainly as I forget to do it!), but when I used this one, it worked well.  It darkened some of my white eyebrow hairs and slightly tinted the skin at first.  I wouldn't say it lasted 6 weeks for me, probably around 2 at most, but that could be due to the face wash products that I use.  I'm currently working through a different brow tint, but I would buy this again when I've used that one up.

• Omorovicza Budapest Queen of Hungary Mist - I've received this product from beauty boxes a few times over the years, and it always feels like a luxury product due to the packaging.  It had one of the softest mists of any facial sprays I've tried, smelt lovely, and felt nice on my skin.  However, I wouldn't be able to justify the cost of the full size version when I have used other cheaper mists which made my skin feel similar after use.

• Barry M Feature Length Black Mascara - This mascara had such a skinny brush, but it made my lashes look really nice.  It lasted well throughout the day and washed off ok, so I would consider repurchasing it once I've worked through my backlog.

• Baylis & Harding 'Midnight Plum & Wild Blackberry' Perfume Roller - I got this in a set one Christmas along with a matching hand cream, and the fragrance was absolutely beautiful.  It was a perfect deep fruity scent for winter.  It's just a shame that this doesn't seem to be sold separately, or I would buy it in a full-size bottle.

• Dr PawPaw Plumping Lip Oil - This was more of a normal lip oil to me, it didn't seem to have much of a plumping effect.  The oil didn't last on my lips for very long either.  I wouldn't repurchase this.

• Centrum Women Multivitamin Food Supplement - I've mentioned these in a couple of blog posts now, and I've decided to use up what I have left and then stop taking them, and just start taking a smaller selection of individual vitamins to see if there is a difference.  I don't think this is a bad product - I just don't know if the multivitamins benefit me much. I do still have a few more packs to finish off, though.

Hand and Nail Care

• Molton Brown Vintage with Elderflower Fine Liquid Hand Wash - This was from the Christmas range and had glitter in it, so it looked really pretty.  The fragrance was nice, more masculine than the usual hand wash fragrances I choose - the scent lasted on my hands for a little while after washing, too.  I would gladly use this hand wash again, but it is a bit too expensive to be an immediate repurchase - if I saw it on clearance though, I'd snap it up!

• Johnson's Body Care 24 Hour Moisture Radiance Hand Cream - I didn't like this product at all.  I tried using it to moisturise my hands and had to wash it straight off as I didn't like the texture of it.  I ended up using it on my feet though, as I didn't want to waste it, and it worked ok, but I've used nicer foot creams.  A definite no to buying again.

• Margaret Dabbs Fabulous Hands Hand Lotion - This was a really nice hand cream, it felt nice applying it, and it soaked in well.  I've used the foot cream by Margaret Dabbs too, and I remember that being a lovely product.  It is quite pricey, but it's sometimes sold on QVC in bundles for lower prices, so I will keep an eye out to repurchase it.

• Naobay Natural & Organic Orange Juice Hand Cream - This didn't smell as nice as I thought it would, it was more creamy than zesty and bright.  It was quite a thick moisturiser, but I managed to use it up, mainly overnight.  I wouldn't buy it again.

• The Body Shop Satsuma Hand Cream - This is an instant repurchase for me!  It's my all-time favourite hand cream, and it's my favourite skincare scent - I've recently bought the Satsuma body mist, and it's delightful!  The hand cream smells amazing, soaks in easily and makes my hands feel lovely.  I have 4 or 5 of these in my stash, but will continue to buy them, especially when they're on offer.  I just wish it was sold in the larger sized tube.

• A Certain Becca Lacquers 'Jelly Babies' Cuticle Oil - This was a nice smelling cuticle oil, and was fine to use.  I've since bought the ingredients and have made my own cuticle oils, so I don't need to buy any for a while now.

I think there was a good mix of products that I would use again, and some I definitely wouldn't, from April.  I'm starting to see which products are my more regulars, and also realising I use a fair bit of hand cream!

Have you used any of the products I've mentioned this month? Are there any you really like, or dislike?

Review: March 2024 LookFantastic Beauty Box

I'm finally continuing on with my very delayed beauty box reviews - I can't wait to be caught up!

As a refresher, since it's been a while - for many years, I used to be subscribed to multiple different beauty boxes.  Some of them ended over the time, some I unsubscribed from for one reason or another, but the one I stayed subscribed to for the longest was the LookFantastic Beauty Box.  I liked this box as it generally had a good mix of products from some well-known brands as well as ones I'd not heard of before.  In the early months of 2024, this was the only box I was subscribed to, and I still want to post about the boxes now even though it's many months later.

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.  Occasionally, a couple of products included in the box can vary per person as there are different variants of boxes sent out, but you don't get a choice over what you will receive.

My March 2024 LookFantastic Beauty Box was "Variant 1" and included: 

• Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Genius Brow Serum 2ml (£34.86 value / £61 for 3.5ml, though currently on offer for £30.50) - I've been using The Ordinary Lash and Brow serum for quite a few months now, but haven't seen much improvement in my brows.  I am very interested in seeing how this ABH one compares, especially given the price difference between the products.  The reviews for it seem generally good, I just hope there's enough product to last long enough to see any real results.

• Gatineau Paris Hydra Aura Water Cream 30ml (£19.20 value / £48 for 70ml - no longer on the LF website, but available from Sephora) - This seems like an interesting product, as it can be used as a face moisturiser, a booster on the face, or on the neck and décolleté.  I've used quite a few different Gatineau products over the years and often find them a bit too strongly fragranced, but I'll give this one a go as a moisturiser and see how it makes my skin feel.

• Nail HQ Nail Lacquer "Crimson" 10ml (Full size - no longer on the LF website, but the Nail HQ polishes have a value of £3.99 elsewhere) - Even though I own hundreds or nail polishes, I don't think I have any by this brand.  It's quite a nice shade - a deep red with a jelly-creme finish.  It has a nice sized and shaped brush, so I'm looking forward to trying it out properly and seeing how it performs on my nails.  I did test it out on a swatch stick - it seems like a nice formula and was touch dry pretty quickly, it should take 2 coats for good coverage.

• Mio Clay Away Body Cleanser 2-in-1 Wash & Mask 30ml (£2.70 value / £18 for 200ml, though currently on offer for £5) - I'm looking forward to trying this, it has a nice smell in the tube.  I'm currently using a Lush mask in a similar way that this can be used on the body, so I will try this afterwards and compare.  I like that it seems to use plant-based ingredients and should be quite gentle, too.

• First Aid Beauty Anti-Chafe stick 9.9g (£4.13 value / £20 for 48g) - I don't wear skirts often, so I wouldn't really use this on my thighs.  However, it does say it can be used on underarms, which I may try, as sometimes knitted jumpers can rub and irritate my skin there.  I'll test it out and report back on how it performs.

• Brushworks Duo Satin Scruchies (Full size - only a 4-pack of satin scrunchies is available on the LF website for £6.49) - I received some of the big silk pillow scrunchies for Christmas which I've been enjoying using, so these smaller ones will be great to use throughout the day.  I've tried using one already, and it kept my hair in a bun securely for several hours, and I loved that it didn't tug my hair like normal hair bobbles can do. I think this is my favourite product in the box this month!

The March box has a value of £68.13 when looking at the full-size versions of the products - a large amount of the value is in the eyebrow serum though, without that it would be just £23.27! So, as much of an improvement the overall value is compared with the past few months' boxes, 4 out of the 6 products in this box have a value of less than £5, which is a little disappointing.

Saying that, I do think that this box has a good range of products, and I'm looking forward to trying them all, especially the brow serum (I have one brow a bit patchier than the other!).  I'm still holding out for a colourful makeup product, though, since we haven't had one for a while now.

Do you subscribe to any beauty boxes? Can you recommend any others you think I should try?

March 2024 Declutter

Hi everyone!  So, I know this is about 10 months late now, but I'd kept all the products and written notes for everything already, so I'm still going to post about them - and, hopefully, I'll catch up with the rest of last year's decluttered products posts over the next couple of months.

As a refresher, since it's been a while - I went through a phase many years ago where I was receiving multiple monthly beauty boxes, as well as buying other makeup and skincare products quite regularly, so my stockpile of items built up quite quickly.  Therefore, I made a decision over the past couple of years to try and cut down on my products, either by trying to use up as much as possible, or declutter things I no longer liked, had expired, or could be passed on to someone else if I wasn't going to use them.

In March (2024) there wasn't really a focus for items that I decluttered, it was more just letting things go as I was working my way through testing some different products.

• Maelys B-Foxy Inner Thigh Firming Cream - I tried this for over a month and didn't really see any differences from using it.  The tingling sensation wasn't as strong with this as with the arm cream I'd also used from this brand, but I just felt I would rather try some different creams instead of this.
• Thisworks Perfect Legs Skin Miracle - I almost never have bare legs, so this product wasn't really for me.  I did try it on my arms/hands, but didn't like the feeling of it, and it went a little streaky when it got wet.
• Dr PawPaw Limited Edition Red Sparkle Multipurpose Soothing Balm - I did actually try using this balm for a little while despite it being glittery, but I'm honestly not a huge fan of the Dr PawPaw balms as I don't think they last on the lips very long.  I have plenty of other lip balms to work through, so I let this one go. 
• I <3 Revolution Fantasy Lip Topper "Unicorn" - I do love a bit of shimmer, just not on my lips as much anymore, and this lip gloss was a very shimmery pink.  I loved how cute the applicator looked, but this wasn't for me.
• The Beauty Crop Oui Cherie Hydrating Lip Oil - I liked that this had a colour change effect when applied and would turn a pretty pink shade.  However, the oil didn't last long on my lips, and it made them feel a bit dry after being used a while.
• Maybelline Baby Lips Lip Balm "Intense Care" - I'd had this for many years, so it was probably expired, as when I used it for a couple of days, my lips started getting very dry.
• Maybelline Baby Lips Lip Balm "Mint Fresh" - I remember this smelling really nice when I first bought it years ago, but the scent had changed and had become very unpleasant, so seemed to be expired and time to let go.

• West Barn Co. Gel Brows Brow Styling Gel - I'd had this for quite a long time, but had not used it for a while as I prefer to use coloured brow gels.  It had gone quite hard in the pot, so was definitely time to part with.
• UKLash Eyelash Serum - I'd actually been using this for several weeks, but noticed I was developing a dark line along my lashes where I'd been applying it.  I did some research online and found out it contains an ingredient (prostaglandins) which can actually cause several issues around the eye area (orbital fat loss, darkening around the eyes, eye redness, etc), so I immediately stopped using it and have been looking for a safer one to use instead.
• Ciaté Stamp and Drag Liner - This was quite old - the stamp end wasn't as bold as it originally was and the tip on the liner end wasn't as pointed, so I couldn't get a nice, sharp wing anymore. 
• Soap & Glory Supercat Liquid Black Eyeliner Pen - I did like this eyeliner and hadn't been using it for a super long time, but it had started drying up already.
• Barry M All Night Long Full Coverage Concealer "Almond" - This colour was too dark for me to use as a concealer, but worse than that, it had started smelling strongly like paint, so it had probably expired.
• Lord & Berry Conceal-It Crayon Concealer "Beige" - I tried using this, but I just didn't feel it was a very effective concealer.  It's also a bit of a pain to have to sharpen it now and then versus having an ordinary liquid concealer in a tube.

• NARS Blush "Orgasm" - I feel like this is one of the most featured blushes in beauty boxes, as I have had many of these over the years.  I have another mini one which I keep for travelling as well as a full-sized one I'd purchased, so I let this one go.
• Physicians Formula Rosé All Day Petal Glow Highlighter "Soft Petal" - This has got to be one of the prettiest products!  Unfortunately, I don't really wear pink toned highlighters, and this was on the verge of being too dark for me, so I parted with it.
• Eyeko Spotlight Highligter Pencil "Champagne" - Similar to the concealer pencil, I feel a highlighter pencil is more inconvenient to use than a normal powder product.  The colour of this was pretty though.
• Iconic London Illuminator "Original" - I tried this under makeup, as well as in place of a highlighter, but it was just a bit too dark for me.

Those were all the items I decluttered in March last year.  Each month since, I have continued to sort through products and part with some, and I will continue to share what those items were over the next few weeks and months.

Anything that can be passed onto someone else safely and hygienically will be.  The rest will be recycled, if possible.

With the increase in popularity of "project panning" online over the past couple of months, are you taking part and trying to reduce the amount of products you own and use too?