Trimming My Stash - January, February And March 2023 Edition - Empties And Mini Reviews* **

Nothing proves more that life gets in the way than this blog post - Already way later than I intended I originally started drafting it way back in December, which worked out fine for most of it, but not for the new year, new start introduction that I'd originally planned, so please forgive me for this probably garbled beginning. This post is the first of four that I'm hoping to get up before the end of February, sharing all of my beauty empties from 2023 with you. I've been debating for a while over which was the best and quickest way to do it, and I've decided to split all of 2023 empties into 4 blog posts, each post focusing on 3 months worth of empties, starting today with January, February and March.

January, a month supposedly of new beginnings and change, or in reality for most of us I guess, the start of more of the same! - I mean I always try to start the year on a positive note and make the odd change but that's not usually how it stays or what actually happens, but I guess that's life for you!

Beauty Pie Renewed Density Anti Hair-Loss Ampules - 14 x 8ml
Stericlens Sterile Saline Spray - 240ml
AVON Advance Techniques Reconstruction Shampoo - 400ml
Jolen Face Wax Strips - 16 Wax Strips
Bath & Body Works Merry Christmas Winter Candy Apple Gentle Foaming Hand Soap - 259ml

Total - 5 Items

My start to 2023, at least trimming my stash wise, wasn't too bad. It wasn't a spectacular start by any means, but it was a good steady month where I managed a pretty respectable 5 items, including 1 festive product, and a few staples.

1. Beauty Pie Renewed Density Anti Hair-Loss Ampules - 14 x 8ml

This first item first made an appearance on the blog in my August 2022 empties post, and whilst you will see it mentioned in a quite few upcoming empties posts, it does now appear to have been discontinued or at least altered.

As I've said on many occasions I don't know whether it's down to illness or medication, but despite taking all of the gummy vitamins in the world, and spending a fortune on hair products, I'm sure that I still lose way more hairs than the average person.

This particular product was just one of my many anti hair loss products that I've tried over the years, and I have to say that these little vials did seem to help. You can read a little bit more about them and my experience with them here, but you just massaged some of the colourless, water like serum into your hair and scalp, and let it do its thing. My hair had more volume and felt thicker, and it looked a bit fuller as well. The biggest compliment you can give a product though, is when you stop using it you really do notice the difference, hence it's something that I've repurchased again and again.

Alas I couldn't justify keeping my Beauty Pie subscription, but my bestie still has hers, and she's been kind enough to place the odd order for me so I can still make use of the member prices. As I say though this product does appear to have been discontinued, or at least replaced by the Renewed Density Anti-Hair-Loss Treatment, which comes in a 100ml bottle and has a recommended member price of £19. The ingredients and description are very similar to these ampoules so I'm hoping that it's just a packaging switch up - I've got one to try so I'll let you know my thoughts when I've used it up x 

2. Stericlens Sterile Saline Spray - 240ml

Now in my previous empties post, I mentioned that 2022 was the year that I rediscovered my love of ear piercings, adding another 3 piercings to my admittedly quite small ears, and something that you need to do with especially new piercings is to clean them, preferably with saline solution.

While the NeilMed spray is by far my favourite. I did buy a couple of cans in a row that had problems with both the nozzles and the pressurisation , so I ended up trying a few other brands, while my anger subsided. 

For the price and the size of the can, this particular one is probably the best value saline spray on the market, but unlike the NeilMed spray it dispenses an awful lot of product at once, the mist is nowhere near as fine, so it tends to go everywhere, and obviously you end up wasting quite a bit as it ends up in your hair and running down your neck, but as I say it is a bit cheaper than the NeilMed version, and again it's pure saline with nothing else added, so I guess it depends on how your going to use it, and what type of piercing it's for.

This 240ml can of Stericlens Sterile Saline Spray retails at around £7.44 on Amazon, and the smaller 100ml bizarrely retails at around £8.48 also from Amazon. Various sizes and multipacks are also available from eBay.

3. AVON Advance Techniques Reconstruction Shampoo - 400ml

If you're a regular reader of my empties posts then you'll know that there are some products that I buy over and over again, and this is definitely one of them. I'm not going to bore you by talking about it yet again, so I'll just say that I love this shampoo and so does my hair. If you're interested in finding out more about it them use the search function in the sidebar and have a little read.

This 400ml size retails at around £5 from both the AVON website, and via your local AVON representative, and if you love it as much as I do, then you can also get a 700ml super size, which retails at around £8.

4. Jolen Face Wax Strips - 16 Wax Strips

Next up something else that you're probably sick to death of seeing on here, so especially since this won't be there only appearance in this post, I'll keep it brief - Jolen Face Wax Strips = A literal holy grail product for me! You can read a full review here x Nuff said!

5. Bath & Body Works Merry Christmas Winter Candy Apple Gentle Foaming Hand Soap - 259ml

Now I'm a huge fan of Bath & Body Works as a brand, and whilst I love so many of their scents, this particular one was one of the first fragrances that I ever tried from the brand, and as a result it has a special place in my heart.

For me the quintessential festive scent, Winter Candy Apple, is fresh, fruity, and spicy. With notes of apple, rose petals, and candied orange, it will definitely appeal to anyone who loves fruity and foodie scents. Teamed up with Bath & Body Works, aloe, shea, and vitamin E, non drying foaming hand soap formulation, and you have a festive bathroom essential.

Alas this one has probably disappeared from shelves now till at least the Autumn but you might still be able to find it, in an in store sale section or on the secondary market.

So they were my January empties, as I say not a spectacular start trimming my stash wise, but a steady foundation and a place to build from.

Alpha-H Liquid Gold Rose Limited Edition - 50ml
Easy Piercing Saline Solution - 50ml
Elizavecca Milky Piggy Carbonated Bubble Clay Mask - 100ml
Bath & Body Works Aromatherapy Eucalyptus + Spearmint Stress Relief Sugar Body Scrub - 368g

Total - 4 Items

Unfortunately I couldn't quite live up to that start in February 2023, and I only managed to finish another 4 items, including a couple of things you've seen before, something new and a limited edition item.

1. Alpha-H Liquid Gold Rose Limited Edition - 50ml

A few years ago you couldn't read a blog or any other form of beauty editorial or content without seeing at least version of this product been talked about and hyped up.

One of the original glycolic acid preparations on the market, this water like toner of sorts which contains 5% glycolic acid, is perfect for brightening and improving the texture of the skin, and I swear by it for helping reduce the appearance of pores, and keeping spots and blackheads at bay.

This particular bottle isn't the original though, this was and I believe still is a limited edition, and contains plant and flower extracts, such as lotus flower and damask rose. It has more moisturising ingredients than the original and it's recommended for people with a drier skin.

Whilst the scent was still quite astringent, it has a slight rose, geranium aroma, and whilst the familiar liquid gold tingle was still there, I personally though found this rose gold version to be a bit more gentle on the skin.

Whilst his version is quite hard to find now Cult Beauty do currently have the 100ml bottle in stock which retails at around £37. If you're a purist though and love the original, the original Liquid Gold is still widely available with the 30ml bottle retailing at around £14.99 from various retailers including ASOS, Space NK, Cult Beauty and Amazon. You can also get a large 100ml bottle for around £43, for most of these other retailers as well as from Look Fantastic, and M&S and if you fancy saving some money it's currently on offer at Amazon for £34.39!

2. Easy Piercing Saline Solution - 50ml

Next up another saline spray, what can I say I was still mad at NeilMed! I think I picked this particular one up because it was cheap, and I knew it must be decent because it's stocked at the studio where I get my piercings done.

Agin it's just pure saline solution with nothing else added, this 50ml spray actually lasted longer than I thought it would, and it would be perfect for travel or for just throwing in your bag to keep your piercings clean on the go.

I bought this particular bottle from Amazon where it retails at around £6.94.

3. Elizavecca Milky Piggy Carbonated Bubble Clay Mask - 100ml

If you've been reading my blog for sometime now then you'll probably have already realised that I'm an advertiser or influencers dream. If something gets a cult reputation or if everyone seems to be talking about a product, then you can guarantee that I'll pretty much need it, and this was just one of those products.

I don't even think that it was that hyped up over its skincare benefits, it was more for the novelty value, with people turning their faces in fluffy, bubbly clouds that was the true selling point.

You can reads my review here, but I think that after finishing another pot my opinion has changed a little bit. This pot seemed to have a slightly different fresher scent, and I don't know if that was why, or if my skin has changed (probably more likely!) but I didn't seem to get on with this mask quite as well as I did. Whilst it still looked fun, I found the bubbling and tingly feeling a bit more uncomfortable this time round, so much so that I couldn't wait to wash it off, and it left my skin looking pretty pink.

Needless to say I probably won't be buying this again, and it's clear to see that the hype has now well and truly died down because this product is now really hard to find in the UK.You can find it on eBay, and whilst Amazon no longer stock the Elizavecca version there are several very similar looking products in their lists ranging from around £9.99 to £11.99.

4. Bath & Body Works Aromatherapy Eucalyptus + Spearmint Stress Relief Sugar Body Scrub - 368g

Now it wouldn't be an empties post without the appearance of at least one body scrub, and this one was a new one for me. Whilst I definitely have a list of my favourite scrubs, that I'll definitely repurchase, I can't resist trying new ones, and this one if I remember rightly was a sale purchase again from Bath & Body Works.

From their 'Aromatherapy' range, comes a sugar scrub, which contains jojoba oil, in this case essential oils of eucalyptus and spearmint, as well as clary sage extract and safflower oil.

With a chunky, oily brown sugar like appearance, it has the super scrubby texture that I love, but it isn't too harsh or scratchy thanks to the high oil content that leaves the skin both exfoliated, moisturised and silky soft.

On paper this scrub is perfect for me but I just wasn't a huge fan of the scent. If I buy a product with eucalyptus in it, that's what I want it to smell like but for what ever reason, no matter what the brand I always end being disappointed. This scent isn't horrible by any stretch of the imagination it just isn't my favourite. The eucalyptus scent is definitely there but it's covered up by a lot of other things so you just end up with a herbal, green scent, a bit minty, head clearing but not really what I expected. This is definitely a unisex scent and I do think that a lot of people will love it, it just wouldn't be top of my list. There are a couple of other different scents in this scrub including a few lavender based scents though that I definitely want to try.

This scrub now comes in slightly different packaging, and retails at around £18 from NEXT Beauty online, and from Bath & Body Works stand alone stores and concessions.

So not a vintage performance in February, but could I do better in March 2022?

Eclat Advanced Foot Exfoliation Peeling Mask - 2 Socks - 60ml
Ginvera Green Tea Hydrating White Mask - 1 Sheet Mask
NeilMed Neil Cleanse Piercing Aftercare Fine Mist Wound Wash - 177.6g
Jolen Face Wax Strips - 16 Wax Strips
AVON Advance Techniques Reconstruction Conditioner - 400ml

Total- 5 items 

Well, it turns out that I could - I went one better in March and equalled January's total of 5 items, including 3 things you've seen before, something new and an item from deep, deep in my stash!

1. Eclat Advanced Foot Exfoliation Peeling Mask - 2 Socks - 60ml

Something that March usually signifies is that winter is coming to its close and that spring is well and truly on its way, barring the odd rogue snow shower in April obviously! and if you're anything like me that means taking a closer look at what those boots, and fluffy socks have been hiding over the winter months.

I suffer from horribly dry feet and every now and then I love to use one of these masks to get rid of some of the worst calluses. I actually bought this particular one after seeing it mentioned on a Buzzfeed list which surprise, surprise featured predominantly Amazon products!.

You should know the drill by now - the sachet contained a pair of fibre lined plastic socks, cut them open and the socks contained a clearish liquid, which contained lactic and salicylic acids, lots of different alcohols, and oat kernel extract, which had a warm apple like, but slightly astringent scent.

As per the instructions I put the booties on to clean dry feel, and like every other similar product that I've tried they felt pretty squishy. They did feel slightly warm and stingy but nothing too strong or uncomfortable.

The instructions advised to leave them on for anywhere between 60 and 90 minutes, so you've guessed it, I left them on for the full 90! When I removed them my feet were covered in a slightly oily bubbly like solution. After rinsing my feet in warm water they looked a touch pink but nowhere near as red as some similar peels that I'd used in the past.

I initially had really high hopes for this peel, my skin started to feel tighter within 24 hours, and within 3 days the peeling had started, which is by far the quickest time of any previous mask that I'd used! Alas that was pretty much as good as it got, the dry skin peeled off here and there for another 5 or 6 days, and then it stopped. My feet were definitely smoother and less callused but it had barely made inroads into the dry skin on my heels. 

If you have the odd bit of dry or callused skin on your feet, then I would definitely give these a go, but unlike the original article suggested if your heels especially are thick and dry, then don't expect miracles.

That being said these aren't actually that expensive so they are probably worth a try. You can pick these up on Amazon for just £4.45 which is a pretty good price especially if you're a Prime customer (If you aren't though and you're in the UK don't forget you can use my link and sign up for a free 30 day trial!) You can also find them for various prices and multipacks on eBay.

2. Ginvera Green Tea Hydrating White Mask - 1 Sheet Mask

The next product on March's list came from the deep, deep depths on my skincare stash, and to be honest with you I have no idea where I got it from! 

I'm a huge, huge fan of the Ginvera Green Tea Marvel Gel facial peel, and this mask comes from the same brand. Containing green tea, vitamin C, and aloe vera, like so many Asian created masks this one is designed to hydrate, brighten and whiten.

The mask was a nice quality fibre sheet mask, I'm not sure how old this was so it wasn't really surprising that it wasn't the wettest mask that I'd ever used, but at least that made it fairly easy to unfold!

It didn't really have a lot of scent and since it seemed to dry out quickly I had a little lie and chill session for the 15 or so minutes that I had it on.

Despite the lack of moisture in the mask there was a little bit of leftover serum on my skin. I massaged it in an although it felt sticky for a good five minutes or so afterwards, my skin actually looked less red and more even, and my eye area especially looked a lot brighter.

Unfortunately I can't find this mask anywhere online, or I would have definitely considered repurchasing it. Even when it was 'way past its best' I still saw some good results, so if you know where I can buy this or if you can even recommend a reliable stockist of the Ginvera Green Tea Marvel Gel, then please let me know in the comments x 

3. NeilMed Neil Cleanse Piercing Aftercare Fine Mist Wound Wash - 177.6g

So after trying a few other saline sprays, I eventually retuned to my HG product - I talked about this is my previous empties post, so you can have a read and find out just way I rate this stuff so highly. If you have fresh or healing piercings then buy this! 

4. Jolen Face Wax Strips - 16 Wax Strips

Blah, Blah - Love them, I don't want to bore you and talk about them again - repeat to fade...

5. AVON Advance Techniques Reconstruction Conditioner - 400ml

Question, are you one of those people who finishes their shampoo first or do you always end up using more conditioner? If you fall into the latter category then please tell me how that works - I just don't understand it!  I've use way more shampoo than I do conditioner, and again so it's proven, I finished the corresponding shampoo in January and I didn't finish the matching conditioner until March!

I've spoken at length on many occasions about how much I love the products in this range (have a little search if you don't believe me!) so if you've made it almost to the end of this post I'm not going to start boring you even further - lovely conditioner, my hair likes, and even though I'm currently using and loving something else at the moment, I will definitely continue to use and repurchase this product.

This 400ml size retails at around £5 direct from the AVON website or from you local rep.

If you've made it to the end of this post then thank you for your dedication and perseverance in reading this somewhat epic, longwinded post. I know it was long but I think that this is going to be the best way to try and my empties posts back up to date again x 

All in all a solid but not necessarily spectacular start to 2023 what with quarter of the year gone and 14 items down, surely if could only get better in the next quarter? Well, if you want to spoil the surprise then you can have a little look in my sidebar, otherwise you can hang on for my next empties post which should be live soon but in the meantime I'll have some fresh, probably beauty related content up soon x In the meantime though if you have any questions then please help save me from the spam and leave me a comment below, I hope that you all have a great start to the week and I'll see you all soon x 

*This Post Contains Automatic Affiliate, Added Affiliate And Non Affiliate Links

**Prices And Information Correct At The Time Of Publication

A Very Late Trimming My Stash - September And October 2022 Edition - Empties And Mini Reviews*

When life gets in the way dear reader, you just need to accept that some blog posts will go live nearly a year later than they should have done LOL, so let's cut out the waffle and take a little trip down memory lane with my September and October 2022 beauty empties.

L'Oreal Elvive Colour Protect 8 Second Wonder Water - 200ml
AVON Foot Works Healthy Intensive Callus Cream - 75ml
Molton Brown Delicious Rhubarb & Rose Bath & Shower Gel - 100ml
Boots Botanics Cleansing Toner All Bright - 250ml
This Works Stress Check Gentle Wash - 250ml

Total - 5 Items

After a pretty decent performance in August 2022 when I finished 7 items, on reflection I think I would have been a little bit disappointed with how the remaining months of 2022 panned out, at least trimming my stash wise, but as I've said before they all count, and in September 2022 I managed to add another 5 items to my yearly total. It certainly isn't planned but again I managed to finish a a good mix of products including shower, and body products, a haircare item and a skincare product.

1. L'Oreal Elvive Colour Protect 8 Second Wonder Water - 200ml

First up the singular hair product, and it was a new items for me, all be it one in a familiar format! I've spoken at length on the blog in the past about my love for the L'Oreal Elvive Dream Lengths 8 Second Wonder Water, and whilst it's something that I've continued to buy and to use, you know how much I love to try new things, so when I saw a new version of wonder water that was specially designed for colour treated hair, then you've probably already realised that I had to give it a whirl!

With the same 'lamellar water technology', moisturising ingredients and amino acids, this version is designed specifically for coloured or highlighted hair, and claims to combat the damage colour can cause, leaving the hair shinier, and more hydrated.

I've got to say that despite the similarities, my hair didn't seem to like this one quite as much, the smell whilst still pleasant was different and wasn't as fresh or fruity, it made my scalp tingle and sting a little bit more than the original, and my hair just felt a little bit coarser, and it seemed a lot more untamed, and it felt nowhere near as smooth.

Whilst I'm still keen on trying the new Hydra Hyaluronic version, I definitely think I'll be sticking with the original Dream Lengths version in the future. If you fancy trying the Colour Protect version for yourself thought, then you can buy it from most major retailers including Boots, Superdrug and Tesco for around £9.99, or if you shop around a bit you might find online for less - it's currently for sale on both Amazon and Look Fantastic for just £5 and for around £6.50 on eBay UK.

2. AVON Foot Works Healthy Intensive Callus Cream - 75ml

Now even though September usually signals the end of summer with pumpkins and selection boxes already filling the shelves, you should still be looking after those tootsies just in case, like this week hopefully, the sun decided to make an appearance. I've just started a new tube of foot cream and looking back to 2022 I'd just finished this product from AVON.

Despite the fact that I scrub my feet and slather them in cream on a regular basis, possibly thanks to a thyroid condition, my heels remain resolutely scaly! so sometimes only intensive products like this one do the trick.

Especially designed for hard calluses this thick and sticky cream contains a mixture of glycerine, lactic acid, aloe, rice bran oil, menthol and vitamin E. With a minty, menthol scent it wasn't the most pleasant of feeling creams, it took an age to absorb and it seemed to almost coat your feet in a sticky protective layer, but I kept persevering with it and popped a pair of thick socks on, and after a few hours whilst my feet still felt a touch sticky, overall they felt smooth, and my heels looked less dry and white.

I'm not 100% sure whether or not I would purchase this particular cream but if you're in need of some serious hydration it could be something worth trying. Whilst this particular product in the same packaging is still available on reseller sites such as eBay UK, AVON currently have a product called the AVON Foot Works Intensive Callus And Corn Foot Cream, which contains the same ingredients and just appears to be the same product under a different name which retails at around £4 online or from your local representative. 

3. Molton Brown Delicious Rhubarb & Rose Bath & Shower Gel - 100ml

Next up a product that I talked about way back in 2020, and it probably highlights just how crazy my beauty stash really is. Yes, it took me 2 years to finish a bottle of shower gel! Embarrassing, but in fairness I really liked this product, so I may have tried to eek it out for as long as possible!

This lovely Molton Brown shower gel originally came in the August 2020 edition of Glossybox UK, and you can read my review here x It really was a lovely product with the perfect combination of fruity and floral notes, and a lovely gentle formulation. If I wasn't currently digging my way through a mountain of shower products I would definitely consider making a repurchase.

The full 300ml size retails at around £25 and it available direct from Molton Brown, from Amazon, John Lewis, Cult Beauty, and Sephora. This smaller 100ml size is available in various gift sets, as well as in Molton Brown stores, and online as part of their pick and mix selection, as well as on eBay.

5. Boots Botanics Cleansing Toner All Bright - 250ml

For someone who used to claim to be a beauty junkie and I guess still does, I have quite a scary confession to make - whispers - I haven't been to Boos since before Christmas!!! I know, I know but as I've said on several occasions not only do I get out and about less than I used to, I've also been feeling pretty overwhelmed with the amount of stuff and in particular beauty products that I own, so I haven't really wanted to buy anything new and instead I have been and am continuing to shop my stash, hence the appearance of this old Boots Botanics product.

This product was probably one of my first forays into the world of acids and AHA's, and whilst it's nowhere near the levels of PIXI Glow Tonic or some of the other products that I've moved on to, it brightened my skin, helped to control the oily patches, it tingled just enough to make you feel like it was doing something, and compared to a lot of the other glycolics and the likes on the market it's still fairly reasonably priced.

Although now given the alternatives I probably wouldn't buy this now, it used to be a bit of a skincare staple for me and I would happily use it again. In all new packaging the Boots Botanics All Bright Cleansing Facial Toner With Natural AHA's is available exclusively from Boots and retails at around £5.49.

6. This Works Stress Check Gentle Wash - 250ml

For as long as I can remember I've always loved and been suckered in the by the concept of a free gift - yes I was that child that always wanted the cereal with the free stickers or the pencil topper, I really was a marketers dream and I think that I probably still am. Either last year or the year before I took advantage of free gift offer and placed an order with Simply Be, and this product was part of the free gift that I received alongside a matching hand cream.

From skin, body and sleep specialist, This Works comes a cruelty free, vegan, paraben, phthalate and sulphate free, calming hand and body wash, that contains vitamin B5, ylang ylang, lavender, neroli and patchouli.

I predominantly used it as a hand wash which on reflection was probably a mistake, it was quite thick and a small amount went a long way, it produced a good foam, and it didn't dry out the skin, but the scent from me was just a bit too overpowering especially since it tended to linger on the skin for quite a while afterwards.

If you love aromatherapy based, natural essential oil scents then you might love this but since I can take or leave patchouli oil in particular, so having it linger on my hands was just a little bit too much. I think using it as a shower product would probably have made it a little bit less concentrated and intense but sadly this scent wasn't for me and it therefore goes without saying that I passed the matching hand cream onto my mam.

If you love this type of scent though, or if you're a fan of the Deep Sleep Pillow Spray then this would make a very economical body wash or a pretty intense bathroom hand wash. The This Works Stress Check Gentle Wash comes in a 250ml pump action bottle and retails at around £15 direct from This Works, as well as from Amazon, John Lewis, and NEXT Beauty.

So they were my beauty empties from September 2022, admittedly 2 down on the previous month but probably on reflection not a bad month, it's just a shame that I suffered another drop off in October!

The Ordinary Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5 - 30ml

Sand & Sky Australian Emu Apple Super Bounce Mask - 10g
AVON Advance Techniques Heat Protection Spray - 100ml
Beauty Pie Soul Providers Re-Energizing Dry Oil Sugar Scrub - 475g

Total - 4 Items

Yes, in October 2022 I managed to finish just 4 items, 1 less than in September, not great but not awful either, and again I finished a nice mix of products including some new products and one old favourite.

1. The Ordinary Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5 - 30ml

When it comes to skincare, I've always been one for a lazier, or should I say simpler routine. Given my so called and self confessed beauty junkie status that probably sounds odd, but I used to, and still do to some extent try to cut corners when I can, and up until last year or maybe the year before I got away with it, bit as I've gotten older my skin has changed and it's needed a little bit of extra help, or should I say a different kind of help, so I've had change my routine up and I've had to add a few new products to my regime.

Despite all of the beauty and product knowledge that I've gained in my years of blogging, as someone with an oilier skin type, I was always pretty scared of adding any more 'moisturising' product to my routine, but you're probably already well aware of the fact the oil doesn't always equal moisture, and oily skin can often be a symptom of skin lacking in hydration, so your skin can look like an oil slick, and still be lacking in moisture - so when my skin started to look a little dull and feel a little tighter, I decided to have a play around and introduce a serum into my routine.

Not wanting to spend a fortune in case it wasn't quite what my skin needed, I picked up a product from budget friendly, yet high tech skincare brand The Ordinary. If your skin is dry, thirsty and just a little bit upset one of the best ways to make it happy again is to give it a drink of water, or a nice little shot of hyaluronic acid, to keep that moisture locked in. With hyaluronic acid and vitamin B5, this water based super serum has been specially designed to enhance both short and long term hydration, as well as to smooth and plump the skin, and to reduce fine lines and wrinkles.

To be honest if appearances are anything to go by this stuff doesn't look that exciting, just a clear, unscented, watery like serum, packaged in a utilitarian dropper bottle, but as the saying goes looks really can be deceiving! Just apply a few drops to damp cleansed and toned skin, and massage into the skin before applying your usual moisturiser, and you've given your skin an extra boost of moisture with very little effort.

Despite reading some pretty good reviews, I wasn't really expecting very much from this serum, but I could see and feel a difference in just a couple of days. With just this one addition to my regime my skin felt smoother, more supple, less tight, and thankfully it didn't my skin oily or greasy, in fact it actually seemed to control the oil on my t-zone!

I've tried a few different hyaluronic based serums since I first tried this one, but so fair this is one of the best that I've tried, and one of the cheapest. Whilst the results have often been pretty similar, the texture of this one from The Ordinary puts it straight at the top of my list. It's more water like, less oily and way less sticky, it absorbs pretty quickly and it doesn't make your moisturiser pill or roll off! I'm now a total hyaluronic convert, it's so easy to add into even the most basic of routines, a little bit seems to go a long way and it's made a real difference to my skin.

As you would expect from The Ordinary it's also really competitively priced with this 30ml size retails at around £7.90 direct from The Ordinary, Cult Beauty, Look Fantastic, John Lewis, Boots, and Space NK, and if you really this stuff, and you can't be without it it also comes in both a 60ml bottle and a 120ml supersize! I have a few different hyaluronic based serums, that I've both picked up and that I've got in various beauty boxes and advent calendars to use up but I will definitely be buying this one again.

2. Sand & Sky Australian Emu Apple Super Bounce Mask - 10g

Next up another skincare products, and this was something that came in the April 2022 edition of Glossybox UK.

When you hear the name Sand & Sky at least beauty wise, the first product that you probably think of is the Australian brand's iconic, and much copied Australian Pink Clay Mask (which I still need to try by the way!), but that isn't the only mask in their extensive skincare range.

April 2022's box contained a tiny, 3 application max, 10g tube of their Australian Emu Apple Super Bounce Mask. From their Glow Berries range, this mask contains the antioxidant glow berries, emu apples, to combat ageing and boost brightness, hyaluronic acid complex, kakadu plum, a source of vitamin C to boost brightness and break down pigmentation, and jojoba oil to hydrate and aid water retention; This mask is also sulphate, paraben, silicone, and phthalate free, and it's also cruelty free and approved by PETA.

Created to hydrate, protect and brighten the skin, this mask is almost an ashy pink in colour, and it had an unusual light and fluffy, almost bouncy yet dense texture, and sadly given all the fruity ingredients, very little scent.

As instructed I applied a thick layer to clean skin, and since it was a cream mask it was really easy to apply. On application it felt ever so slightly tingly and warm on the skin.

Before

The instructions said to leave the mask on for 10 minutes, and whilst in some places the mask had absorbed completely into the skin, in other places there was still product sitting on the skin, and whilst it was drier than it was on application, it hadn't dried our completely or set hard, so it was pretty easy to wash it off with warm water and a muslin cloth.

On Application 

I'm not sure how obvious it is from these pictures, but after rinsing it off my skin looked a touch pink in patches, and my face felt a little bit tingly for a moment or two, but it wasn't uncomfortable, and I think that feeling was worth it for the results that I saw - my skin was definitely brighter and it definitely had a glow to it, I looked more awake and it felt smoother. It's recommended that you use this mask 2-3 times a week for maximum benefit, but I since an improvement after just one use, and further improvement after another 2 weekly applications, it's down to personal choice.

After Rinsing 

I know it tingled a little bit but as long as it isn't too uncomfortable I don't actually mind that

feeling from a product. I like things that feel as though they're doing something, and I definitely think that this mask did that, so I would definitely consider using it, and trying some more products from the Sand & Sky range in the future. 

The full 100g size comes with an application brush and has an RRP of around £34. It's available direct from Sand & Sky, as well as from Beauty Bay, ASOS, and Amazon. The full size as well as this 10g tube are also available from Look Fantastic and eBay UK.

3. AVON Advance Techniques Heat Protection Spray - 100ml

From skincare to hair care, and whilst I'm trying to take more care of my hair, and I'm trying to lay off the heat a bit, I'm sorry I have very wavy / curly / wild / uncontrollable hair, and it often needs a set of straighteners or a blow dry to bully it into submission. It therefore goes without saying that I spend a fortune on conditioners, hair treatments, and heat protectors, and I never allow a straightener, a curler or a dryer near my hair without a squirt or two of heat protector spray.

Whilst I'm ever faithful to the Tresemme Heat Defence Care & Protect Spray, I do occasionally stray, usually because of a recommendation or a special offer, and I think I picked up this AVON heat protector up when it was on offer.

Containing moisturisers and protective ingredients, it had a nice fresh almost fruity scent, and it didn't leave the hair sticky or hard. Not badly priced at just £3 I would definitely use it again, but the one drawback is the small, although ideal for travel, 100ml size of the bottle, and that's why I'll be sticking to my beloved Tresemme spray in the future. 

4. Beauty Pie Soul Providers Re-Energizing Dry Oil Sugar Scrub - 475g

The final item on this long awaited September and October 2022 countdown is another product that you've seen before on several occasions and it's something that you're more than likely going to see again in the future.

Yes, it's the fabulous Beauty Pie Re- Energizing Dry Oil Sugar Scrub. You can read a full review of it here, but if you are in any doubt I absolutely love everything about this stuff from the scent, to the texture, and to how it makes my skin feel. Although I'm currently using a good budget alternative that I will definitely repurchase, when I'm feeling a bit flusher I'll definitely be picking up this Beauty Pie scrub again.

As you probably know Beauty Pie works on a subscription model, so if you pay either a monthly or annual subscription fee, you can get discount prices on a whole range of high quality beauty products. This particular product retails at £16 for members and £55 for non members.

If you've made it to the end, congratulations! that was a long one, and it's probably going to set the scene for every up and coming empties post at least until i get myself up to date again, so be prepared for an epic amount fo beauty reviews coming soon, but in the meantime if you have any questions on any of the items that I've mentioned in this post or anything else you fancy then please leave me a message below, and I'll see you soon with a new post x 

*This Post Contains Automatic Affiliate, Added Affiliate And Non Affiliate Links.

A Very Late Trimming My Stash - June And July 2022 Edition - Empties And Mini Reviews*

To say that it's been a while since I last posted an empties post would be an understatement, but I'm back with one today and I have some serious catching up to do!

Although I pretty much gave up on everything else last year, at least blog wise, I still continued to collect, photograph, research and count up all of my beauty empties, so over the next few week I'm going to be sharing all of my remaining empties from last year with you, as well as all of the goodies that I've managed to finish so far in 2023.

There will be a few posts where I combine a few months in 1 post, and a few stand alone posts for your delectation and delight. First up though we're going to take a trip back to early summer, and take a look all of my beauty empties from June and July 2022.

Aldi Lacura Pink Clay & Golden Glow Multi Mask - 2 x 50ml
Elemis Pro-Collagen Marine Cream - 30g
Jolen Face Wax Strips - 16 Wax Strips**
L'Oreal Elvive Dream Lengths 8 Second Wonder Water - 200ml

Total - 4 Items

After several half decent months in 2022 trimming my stash wise, June was a bit of a damp squib, and despite all of my best efforts I only managed to finish 4 items! and whilst none of the items that I finished were that exciting, there were a few almost holy grail standard products, and a pretty decent budget buy.

1. Aldi Lacura Pink Clay & Golden Glow Multi Mask - 2 x 50ml

First up a product from Aldi's much hyped and slightly controversial, Lacura Beauty line. This is basically 2 dermatologically tested face masks in one cleverly divided jar. You can either use the masks separately or you cocktail them and use them on different parts of the face. 

The first mask is the 'Purifying Pink Clay Mask' which is supposedly a pretty decent dupe of the much more spendy Sand & Sky Australian Pink Clay Porefining Face Mask. Containing extracts of Australian Kakadu Plum and Witch Hazel, it's designed to detoxify the skin, draw out impurities and refine the pores.

Pale pink in colour it has a creamy, clay like texture - it was a touch thick but it was still fairly easy to apply evenly to the skin with the either the fingers, the enclosed mini spatula or with a mask brush. Initially I felt a little bit of warmth and a little bit of tingling but that feeling disappeared quite quickly. Like most clay masks it tightened as it dried which can be a touch uncomfortable if your skin is sensitive.

Pink Clay On Application 

After about 15 minutes or so it had turned white and was completely dry. Like most clay masks it took a little bit of washing off, but after a lot of massaging with warm water and a muslin cloth off it came.

My skin initially looked quite pink and felt a touch tight and a little bit dry, but after around 10 minutes that feeling had subsided and my skin was left feeling soft and smooth, my pores were clean and less obvious, and the oil and shine on my t-zone in particular had all but disappeared (all be it temporarily), and my skin looked more matte and even.

Pink Clay After Removal

This mask was perfect for oily skin, and problematic skin that just isn't behaving itself blemish or shine wise, but what about those days when your skin is at the other end of the spectrum, and needing a little bit of moisture or a wake up call? Well instead of going out and having to be a different product, this pot also cleverly contains 50ml of the 'Lacura Brightening Golden Glow Mask'. Containing hyaluronic acid, and extracts of mangosteen and pomegranate, this mask was specifically designed to hydrate the skin, and to give it a healthy glow.

This one had more of a cream like texture, as the name suggests it was gold in colour, and it seemed to be filled with microscopic gold sparkles. Being a cream mask it was really easy to apply your fingers, a spatula or as I did a mask brush.

At first it felt quite cool on the skin but as it sat on my face I did start to feel a slight tingling sensation which lasted until I washed it off after about 15 minutes.

Golden Glow On Application

As it was a cream mask it was really easy to wash off with a muslin cloth and warm water. Again, at first my skin looked a touch pink and felt a touch tight but it quickly went back to 'normal'. On the whole my skin did look a touch brighter, and a little bit more 'awake' but I couldn't really see too much of a difference, still I loved how it looked and in a weird way it actually felt quite nice, and with the same white floral, fresh fruity scent as the pink clay mask, it smelled lovely as well.

Golden Glow After Removal

I mainly used these masks separately but I did cocktail them once or twice, and use them at the same time on different areas of my face to treat different skin concerns, for example I used the pink clay mask on my t-zone and on my chin, and the golden glow mask under my eyes and on my cheeks.

Due to the tingling I experienced I probably wouldn't recommend these masks if you have a really sensitive skin, but if you fancy a cruelty free spa treatment on budget, then this mask could be something worth trying.

As you know Aldi can be a bit hitty missy when it comes to stocking beauty products but if you can find it, this mask duo retails at around £6.99. You can on occasions also buy a 60g size of the Purifying Pink Clay Mask on it's own, both in store and online. I've always been pretty pleased with the things that I've tried from Lacura, so it's definitely worth having a look in the beauty and middles aisle next time you're in Aldi.

2. Elemis Pro-Collagen Marine Cream - 30g

Next up another skincare item and it's one of my holy grail skincare products, the Elemis Pro Collagen Marine Cream.

Okay, this stuff is pretty spendy but for me it's worth every penny, and believe it or not my 92 year old godmother agrees with me! I'm in my 40's with a combination skin, and she has a drier, more mature skin, and I don't know how it does it but this stuff just works for both of us.

Admittedly neither of like heavy or sticky moisturisers, so that may be why, but the texture is a huge selling point. It has a light cream / gel texture, that sinks straight into the skin without leaving any stickiness or residue, and the skin is left feeling silky soft and hydrated. Crammed full of botanical and marine plant extracts, it can be used all over the face and if you're lazy also as an eye cream. It also makes the perfect make up base, and it never feels heavy, and it never caused any breakouts or increased oiliness. I love it and it's something that I hope that I'll be able to continue using (finances permitting!).

The one drawback is of course the price, Elemis is a prestige British brand and uses premium ingredients all of which are reflected in the price. The full 50ml size retails at anywhere between £89 and £94, with this 30ml jar having an RRP of around £63. Not cheap but a little goes a long way and if you can shop around a bit you can often get a better deal. You can pick up Elemis Pro-Collagen Marine Cream from a variety of retailers including direct from Elemis, Boots, John Lewis, Amazon, Look Fantastic, ASOS, NEXT Beauty, and Sephora.

3. Jolen Face Wax Strips - 16 Wax Strips

Ah! Another holy grail standard product and a more recent one, the Jolen Face Wax Strips! I was sent a couple of packets of these to review back in February / March of last year and I absolutely love them. You can read my full review here, but for just £1 a box these strips remove even the tiniest hairs, and they nearly always get the roots out, no mean feat on my previously thick and spiky tache hair! Just to add after just over a year or purely using wax strips on my upper lip area and chin, my facial are definitely finer and sparser - result! 

As well as Savers, I recently also found these strips in my local B&M store, so if you're a waxer or even if your not there is no excuse for not giving these a try.

4. L'Oreal Elvive Dream Lengths 8 Second Wonder Water - 200ml

The final product on June's list was something else that I've talked about before, the L'Oreal Elvive Wonder Water. I don't know how it works, but what I do know is that it makes a difference to my hair when I use it. My hair seems easier to control, and it's less frizzy. I actually ran out a month or so ago, and I've just started using this again after a little break and I really can see the difference. I've tried one of the newer varieties which I'll talk about in a future empties post, but this one is my real love and it's something that I will continue to use. It has an RRP of £9.99 but it's usually on offer for around £4.99 from a variety of retailers including Superdrug, Boots, Look Fantastic and Tesco. If you're like me though and you don't want to be without this product then you can lock in your saving by doing what I've done and buy it on subscribe and save, which is a kind of auto delivery option from Amazon, so you can guarantee you'll never run out ;).

So they were my June 2022 empties, not too many of them I admit but they all count, and thankfully July was a slightly better month.

Berry Smooth Strawberry Foaming Salt Scrub - 240g
O'Keefe's For Healthy Feet Foot Cream - Value Size - 180g
Jolen Face Wax Strips - 16 Wax Strips
Gatineau Tan Accelerating Lotion - 400ml
Beauty Pro Avocado Infused Sheet Mask - 1 x 22ml Sheet Mask
Moksha Beauty Advanced Salicylic Acid & Sulphur Scrub Soap Bar - 100g

Total - 6 Items 

Yes, in July 2022 I managed to finish an extra 2 items, and I ended the month with 6 empty tubs, bottles and boxes. It was a nice mix of mainly different types of body care products with a couple of facial skincare items thrown in for good measure x

1. Berry Smooth Strawberry Foaming Salt Scrub - 240g

First up in July, one of my favourite things, a body scrub. I do love a body scrub and this one from Poundland had a nice, if slightly artificial strawberry / berry / bubblegum scent, and because it was a salt scrub, it passed the Louise scrubby test - You can read a bit more about it here x 

==

Alas I haven't seen this one in store for some time, but if you see a similar looking scrub in Poundland I'd definitely pick one up and give it a go -  I've tried a few scrubs from Poundland now including a cocoa butter one I've just finished and they've all been pretty decent and good value for money, even if most of them were more than a pound (£1.50 ;).

2. O'Keefe's For Healthy Feet Foot Cream - Value Size - 180g

I'm not sure whether it's because of my thyroid issue, but my feet at times are the bane of my life - my heels are always dry and no matter how much I care for them, they sometimes even crack!

Over the years I must have spent a fortune on exfoliators, pumice stones and moisturisers for my poor tootsies, and whilst I can usually keep them under control, sometimes you need to bring out the big guns. This particular product would never win any awards for its scent or its glamour appeal, but it you have dry or cracked heels or feet, get a tub or tube of this straight away!

With no real scent this thick, white cream doesn't look that exciting but massage even the smallest amount into your feet, stick on a pair of socks and if it's at night go to bed or pop them on in the morning and go about your day as normal, and if you're anything like me in just one use you'll see a difference, and if you don't see an improvement after 7 days of continuous usage then O'Keeffe's will give you your money back.

I won't be using  this all the time but when my feet 'really' need it or when I need to show them off, I'll definitely have a tube or a pot of this on standby.

The O'Keeffe's Healthy Foot Cream comes in a variety of different configurations including a various sized tubes a 91g tub and this 180g value sized tub. Like everything I'd advise you shop around a bit as prices can vary - O'Keeffe's products are available from a variety of retailers including Amazon, Boots, Superdrug, Savers and Tesco.

3. Jolen Face Wax Strips - 16 Wax Strips

Well, they do say that your hair grows faster in summer and so it obviously proved in June and July of last year, when I finished another packet of these Jolen wax strips. I know everyone is different but I normally need to wax properly every 4 weeks with the occasional touch up every now and then, but as I say my hairs are definitely finer and sparser than the used to be so fingers crossed that they will eventually give up and disappear completely - I live in hope anyways!

4. Gatineau Tan Accelerating Lotion - 400ml

Now I'm not going to lie this is another one of those products that I probably should have binned at least a year before I eventually finished it, but it still smelled the same, and it was too expensive and too good not to use it up, so when the sun came out last summer I dug this out and finished it off!

With a slightly old fashioned floral scent, on the surface this is just a nice, light, hydrating body lotion, but it's actually so much more than that. Containing sweet orange, allantoin, grape seed oil, narcissus bulb extract, and melanin activating peptide, this is in fact a tan accelerator. Use it for at least 2 weeks before a holiday, during your holiday, and for around 4 weeks after your holiday, and even with SPF, you will tan better and faster than you usually would, and it even works on pale pink people like me! Oh, and even if you're planning on staying in the UK, just use this instead of your normal body lotion for the summer months and then you're ready for the odd day in the UK when the sun comes out ;)

Again, as you would expect from a prestige French skincare brand, this stuff is a little bit on the pricy side with an RRP of around £55 for a 400ml bottle, but like with everything these days if you shop around you might get it a little bit cheaper or in a smaller bottle x The Gatineau Tan Accelerator Lotion is available from various retailers including direct from Gatineau, Amazon, QVC UK, Sephora and Look Fantastic.

5. Beauty Pro Avocado Infused Sheet Mask - 1 x 22ml Sheet Mask

Next up, it's another product that you've seen before and it's a product that came in the August 2021, 10th birthday edition of Glossybox UK!

I think it was an extra product as it wasn't in the official listing and I'd already received the same mask in the January 2021 box.

You can read a full review here but if you're looking for a cooling and moisturising sheet mask for the warmer months, then maybe this could be it.

The Beauty Pro Avocado Infused Sheet Mask is available for around £4.95 from retailers including Look Fantastic, Sephora and NEXT Beauty.

6. Moksha Beauty Advanced Salicylic Acid & Sulphur Scrub Soap Bar - 100g

Finally another body product, something else that you've seen before, and another one of my beauty must haves. 

Last year I was diagnosed with a skin condition called Hidradenitis Suppurativa, which causes painful spot like lumps on my body, and after reading a things about the condition and a few bits online, I was brought to this soap and I've been buying it ever since to help keep the lesions under control - you can read a little bit more about it here. I've actually just started a new bar and like most things in the intervening year has gone up - a 100g bar now retails at £9.99 from Amazon but for me it's worth every penny!

So there you have it, a very, very late June and July 2022 empties post, and what will be the first of many over the next few weeks. I'm going to try and break them up a bit with some different posts so you shouldn't get too sick of empties posts ;) but I promise that I'll try and get them all up to date as soon as possible. In the meantime if you have any questions on any of the products in this post, or if you just want to say Hi! then leave me a comment below xx

*This Post Contains Automatic Affiliate, Added Affiliate And Non Affiliate Links.