EMPTIES - Out With The Old

There is nothing more satisfying than using up your beauty & skincare products, especially at the beginning of a new year where you can then start afresh. It takes me ages to use up products these days as there are always new products out on the selves that I cannot wait to try. The empties below are some of my favourite items that I repurchase time and time again or have become  discontinued :(
(Why are always the best products discontinued!!!!)
Ok, lets get started.........

L'Oreal Expert Pro-Keratin Refill Protective Cream For Damaged Hair

DISCONTINUED ALERT!

I have bleach dye in my hair which makes it very dry and prone to breaking. I always blowdry my hair so I have hunted around for the best products to protect my hair against the heat. I am so sad this product has discontinued. It contains Pro-Keratin and In cell to reinforce hair and is a cream that protects hair against heat & other external aggressors. This product made my hair shiny & healthy, nourished & stronger.   This was the best heat protector around. You might be able to find it on eBay or Amazon. Only one other product did the same, Botanics Heat Protection Shine Serum, but this has been discontinued too :(

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Ole Henriksen Clean Truth Cleansing Cloths

I don't use cleansing cloths/wipes everyday, only when I am feeling lazy, this is the easiest option to remove my makeup at the end of the day. I don't like using wipes as the ones I've tried have always dried my skin out. Until, that is, when I discovered these from Ole Henriksen. Formulated with vitamin C to brighten skin  and contains green tea to stop collagen breakdown. I not sure about that but   they did not irritate my skin or give me breakouts and it removed most of the makeup. Might need extra help with mascara. Made my skin soft & glowing which makes this product stand out from the high street/drugstore versions. Readily available in the US but I am now struggling to find them in the UK :( 

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Burt's Bees Soap Bark & Chamomile Deep Cleansing Cream

You cannot go wrong with Burt's Bees. Their products are 100% natural and gentle on the skin.  I found this cleanser made my skin clean, reduced my oiliness  & improved breakouts. It contains menthol, which left my skin feeling fresh. If the tingly affect is not for you, then apply a moisturiser afterwards  and this will stop.  It's quite a big bottle too so it lasts longer & is value for money. I have already used up two bottles of this.

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The Body Shop Honeymania Hand Cream

DISCONTINUED ALERT!

The Body Shop & Crabtree & Evelyn do the best hand creams. This Honeymania one from The Body Shop was my favourite. Absorbs quickly and leaves my skin feeling soft. The smell was really nice & not overpowering.  It's now discontinued and looks like it has been replaced with the Almond Milk & Honey range,  which I have yet to try. All of The Body Shops hand creams are really nice but this was the one for me.

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The Body shop Cocoa Butter Cream Body scrub

DISCONTINUED ALERT!

 Y'know when you get those little tiny bumps on the back of your arms? This scrub, everybody, took all that alway. My arms were so smooth and silky after using this product as did the rest of my skin. A real winner. This is the type of scrub that contains tiny beads. These type of scrubs/exfoliators are now banned as the tiny beads (which I did not realise by the way) can be harmful to marine life. So, even though this was a great product I am happy it is no longer on sell as I am always up for saving the planet. If you want to read more about the plastic microbead ban there is a good article here.

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T-Zone Face Pore Strips

I'm gonna be bold here. I find face/nose strips do remove some blackheads/dirt but actually make your pores bigger! I have nothing against T-Zone, they have better pore strips then other brands. They have a new charcoal range out which I am interested to try & compare with the original strips.  I just personally prefer to use a gentle face mask or exfoliator instead.

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Bio-Oil

Hmmm. the jury is out on this one. I didn't use Bio-Oil for stretch marks or scars so I cannot advise on that but I used it mainly for pigmentation.  Maybe I didn't use it as regularly as I should have. I used it once a week rather than everyday. I found it did not reduce pigmentation or correct uneven skin tone. This bottle lasts a very very long time so I have been using it a while.

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Origins GinZing Refreshing Eye Cream

This does refresh my tired eyes and makes them feel less dry. I purchased this especially for my dark circles but it did little in reducing them. It was moisturising but I feel the Kiehl's  creamy eye treatment moistures better. I still would use this one again especially after a long day travelling.  It does give a good highlight, I have even used it above my cheekbones. It does seem a little pricy for the little pot but  it does last for a long time.

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Max Factor Xperience Weightless Foundation

DISCONTINUED ALERT!

 I loved this foundation. It was light, silky and made my face look flawless.  I used the shade 40 Light Ivory which matched my skintone perfectly. It covered my red patches around my nose & chin. It never clogged or went dry and I truly believed it helped in a big way preventing any breakouts. I'm sorry to see it discontinued :(

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L'Oreal Lumi Magique Stylo Touche De Lumiere Concealer

This is a highlighting concealer, so I wouldn't use this over blemishes or around the nose. I use this over another concealer. It instantly brightens around my eyes & does make my dark circles less noticeable. I like that it has a soft brush/pen style applicator that makes it easy to apply. I have repurchased this a couple of times now. I am finding it a little difficult to find in shops but it is readily available online.

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Maybelline Eraser Eye Concealer

I use this as a base around my eye area. Again, this is another concealer I do not use on blemishes or other areas around my face as it is a little heavy. I love how the product glides on with the soft , cushiony applicator. Not sure about the anti-age aspect of it, but it does slightly conceal my dark circles. Although the shade is in light I would like a shade lighter. I use this as a base first, then use a little Nars Creamy Concealer over the top, finishing with L'Oreal's Lumi Magique Concealer.

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Check out my Empties - Everyday Beauty Favourites blog post from last year here. I am still repurchasing the featured products.

Where To find

L'Oreal Expert Pro-Keratin Refill Protective Cream For Damaged Hair
Ole Henriksen Clean Truth Cleansing Cloths
Burt's Bees Soap Bark & Chamomile Deep Cleansing Cream
The Body Shop Honeymania Hand Cream (similar)
T-Zone Face Pore Strips
Bio-Oil
Origins GinZing Refreshing Eye Cream
Kiehl's Creamy Eye Treatment with Avocado        
L'Oreal Lumi Magique Concealer
Maybelline Eraser Eye Concealer
NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer