Product Empties #4

Every now and again I find myself with a pile of empty products that if I don't put into a post will sit there forever and be forgotten. So before that happens I thought I'd put together post and show you what I've finished lately.

I'm going to start with a product that pretty much features in every product empties post I write. This is my Clean and Clear Deep Cleansing Lotion and I believe this is like the millionth (joking) bottle I've gone through. I use this every morning and some evening to cleanse my face off any dirt, grime or bacteria. It's quite a strong cleanser but is aimed specifically at sensitive skin so it's not going to affect your skin. It contains salicylic acid to help clear away and reduce any bacteria on your skin that could give you a blemish or two. I've been using this for nearly a decade now and I can't find anything else that works as well for my skin. Expect to see a bottle of this in my next empties post as well.

Whilst we're talking cleansers let's talk about my favourite and most used evening cleanser. This is Soap and Glory's Peaches and Clean Cleansing Milk. I've gone through quite a few bottles of this already and I only discovered last summer. It's the perfect gentle yet thorough cleanser to remove all traces of make up including eye make up or just to give skin a good cleanse. A bottle like this can last a while depending on how often I use this but if you do happen to go through it quickly then no worries as it's under a tenner a bottle. I've gotten a full review of this which you can find here.

Let's move onto my favourite face wash. This is the Olay Anti-Wrinkle Exfoliating Face Wash. This is a cream based face wash that contains tiny exfoliating beads that work to remove any dead skin and rejuvenate the skin. I really like how gentle this is on the skin and how soft my skin feels after every use. It doesn't irritate my sometimes sensitive skin and never leaves my skin looking red after I've used it. I don't see any anti wrinkle results from this but as an exfoliator this is better than a lot on the market.

An Olay Anti-Wrinkle product that does actually show anti ageing results is their Firm and Lift Eye Gel. This small pot lasted me month and the results only got better the more I used it. A cool clear gel, this helps reduce signs of puffiness, dark circles and any fine line or wrinkles that you may have. A little bit goes a long way and personally my eyes thanked me every time I used this. Pop a bit on in the morning at the end of you skincare routine and your eyes will look less puffy, more awake and the skin under your eyes will look smoother and line free. The only problem with this product is that it's a bit hard to find to repurchase but for me that's not a problem as I know it works.

Let's continue on the eye cream front. This I like to mix in with my Olay Eye Gel to brighten my under eye area and to help reduce the look of my dark circles. This is the Naturally Radiant Brightening Eye Cream. A small dot of this goes a long way and a tube of this could last a good three months at best. Containing Kiwi and Mulberry extracts this works to soothe the under eye and to blur the appearance of any dark circles you have. I like mixing this with other eye creams to get the best of both worlds but it works well on it's own as well. I've written a full review here if you want to find out more about it.

Another skincare product I've finished lately is this Vitamin E Refreshing Toning Mist. This is like my fourth bottle as I use it every day, two to three times a day. It's so refreshing and hydrating on the skin you can't help but spritz this every chance you get. Containing a mixture of skin loving ingredients this is perfect not only as a toner after you've cleansed but as a pick me up for those warm spring or summer days where you need to cool yourself down. A very fine mist, this won't drench your face and sinks into skin quickly and without disrupting any other products you have on your skin. A product I know I'm going to get a lot of use out in the summer.

Up next we have my Holy Grail night cream. This is the third pot of the Garnier Miracle Sleeping Cream and I can already tell you there will be a lot more of these featured in empties posts. I swear by this cream and have managed to get both my best friends and half my work colleagues addicted to this. A thick gel like cream, this is instantaneously soothing when you apply it to the skin and once it's sunk in all you have to do is sleep and let it do it's magic. When you wake up the next morning your skin will look refreshed, soothed and hydrated. It's like a good nights sleep in a pot. A full review can be found here but I'd recommend checking it out without even reading the review.

Moving onto the only two skincare products that I've finished lately are the Soap and Glory Sugar Crush Body Scrub and the Palmers' Cocoa Butter Body Scrub. I love using these two together as they not only create a divine smell but really give my body the exfoliation it needs. The Soap and Glory scrub is a jelly like scrub that smells like limes and is packed with micro beads of sugar and larger beads of scrub to really make sure skin is soft and smooth after every use. The Cocoa Butter scrub is more of a cream based scrub and hydrates the skin as you use it. The two together give a good deep exfoliation to skin without being too harsh or stripping. The smell as well is delicious and will fill your bathroom for hours even after you've finished your bath or shower.

And finally I have an empty shampoo to show you. I go through countless bottles of this as I have really long thick hair but I never think to save a bottle for these posts. This is the Garnier Ultimate Blends The Strength Restorer Shampoo. Containing Honey, Royal Jelly and Propolis this is aimed at fragile hair or hair prone to breakage. I don't have those problems with my hair but as I wear my hair up everyday I use this to help combat any damage that it causes. Ever since I've used this my hair has looked and felt stronger and less damaged. Also it smells divine and the scent lingers in the hair after you've washed it. I've got a full review of the shampoo and conditioner here if this sounds like a good shampoo for you.

So that's it for my product empties. What are you product empties? Are any of them the same as mine? Let me know in the comments.

Top 3: Body Scrubs

When it comes to exfoliating my body then I'm all for those full on scrubs that you can practically feel removing your skin. But it doesn't mean I'm not for those that are gentler on the skin and less likely to rub you raw. And in my body scrub collection I have a mixture of both so today I thought I'd take you through my Top 3 Body Scrubs.

My ultimate favourite body scrub has to be the Soap And Glory Sugar Crush Body Scrub. Firstly it smells divine; for those who haven't smelt it, it smells like lime. It's a very addictive smell, I always spend a good five minutes smelling this before even applying it to my body. And secondly it is a bloody good scrub. Literally after the first use of this scrub my body felt smoother and softer than I've ever felt before. It feels almost like a gel when you first apply this to your body but when you start to rub it over your skin it loses it's gel like consistency leaving all the exfoliating beads on your skin. This can be quite a rough scrub if your a bit rough when it comes to scrubs but I'm sure with a gentler hand it can be less abrasive on the skin. Once this is washed off the skin you're left with smooth, soft skin that will easily absorb moisturiser and stays looking moisturised for longer.

Up next is another scrub that smells divine. It's the Palmer's Cocoa Butter Body Scrub. It's a lot less abrasive than the Sugar Crush Scrub but gives you the same results. Packed with cocoa butter, shea butter and vitamin e, this scrub not only exfoliates the skin but nourishes it at the same time. It's a lot creamier in consistency compared to the first scrub and a little bit does go a long way but because it comes in a smaller tub I find I use more of this compared to my Sugar Crush Scrub. The smell alone drew me into this product, the strong cocoa sent fills the bathroom well after you've closed the tub. I also like to mix this scrub with the Sugar Crush Scrub so that my skin gets that nice exfoliation but also gets some nourishment at the same time. Plus the two combined is drool worthy scent wise.

And the third scrub I find myself reaching for quite a bit is the Boots Extracts Brazil Nut Scrub. This is the most gentle of the three scrubs but you still get a good result with it. It's perfect for people who have slightly sensitive skin or who's skin are irritated by harsher scrubs. More of a cream consistency than the others this is very easy to rub over the skin. Yes, it doesn't leave arms feeling as smooth as the Sugar Crush Scrub does but if you're in a rush and don't mind if it's not perfect then this is the scrub for you. It smells lovely and if Brazil Nut isn't your kind of scent then no worries as these come in a variety of scents ranging from Strawberry to Cocoa to Almond (it smells like marzipan).

So that's it for my Top 3 Scrubs. How do they compare to your favourte Scrubs? Are any of them the same as mine? Or do you have one you think I'd like? Let me know in the comments.