Product Empties: July

It's product empties time again. Now I know it doesn't sound very appealing keeping trash to share with people on the Internet but if like me you're just extremely nosy it makes you want to know what that person is throwing away and if they liked it or not. My empties bin was overflowing by the time it came to taking the pictures. A lot of it is stuff I'd finished as the last couple of months passed but a big chunk of it was face masks, so I'm going to get those out the way first.

Let's start with what you know is going to be in this post. The Garnier Moisture Bomb Chamomile Mask is one of my all time favourites. Not only does it leave my skin feeling hydrated but it also soothes and helps reduce the appearance of any redness I have. These are always going to be in my empties posts as I use and buy them on the regular. I'm surprised I only have three in this empties but I have had other sheet masks that I've wanted to use to review or to just get rid of.

And alongside those I've used up some of the other Moisture Bomb Sheet Masks. Ever since Garnier released new masks I've been using the original less and less hence why there's only one in this post. The Green Tea Combination Mask isn't my favourite normally but a ridiculously hot spout has made these skin saviours. And then there is their new De-Tiring Mask with Lavender Essential Oil that I just had to try as soon as I brought it. It's just as nice as the Chamomile as it's soothing, hydrating but relaxing as well, making it perfect for an end of day treat.

A couple of sheet masks I used but didn't really enjoy were these Yesto Masks. I tried both the Cucumber Calming Mask and the Coconut Hydrating Mask but found they didn't really do a lot for my skin. Plus they didn't fit my face well and were flapping everywhere within five minutes of being on my face. I'd possibly buy the Coconut One again as it did seem to help with a breakout I was having but apart from that they didn't really wow me.

Another couple of sheet masks I used up to just get rid of our these two. The first is the Boots Ingredients Charcoal and WillowBark Sheet Mask. It was potent and I couldn't leave it on my face for the 15 minutes suggested. It didn't help my skin either and whilst it fitted my face much like the Garnier do, I wouldn't rush out to purchase it again. And the other disappointing mask I tried is this one from Nails Inc. It didn't leave visible results, it didn't fit the face properly and it's printed mask whilst cute, didn't look cute and ended up looking gimmicky. Definitely not one I'll be purchasing again, especially as it's slightly dearer at £5 a pop.

The Miss Spa Deep Clean Sheet Mask wasn't horrendous but didn't blow my socks off either. It didn't fit the face but was easy to cut and play about with until it did. It didn't sting skin or leave it feeling irritated like some deep cleaning masks can do but it didn't make me go wow when I took it off either. I'd probably buy this again and keep it for when I don't have any Garnier (never then) but I won't make it top of my to buy list.

Moving on from sheet masks I've also used up quite a few different one use masks. Four of them come from Garnier and I'd quite happily repurchase them over and over again. The Garnier SkinActive Masks are one use sachet masks, each aimed at a different skin need. My favourites are the four in front of you. That is the Juicy Mask, the Aqua Mask, the Volcano Mask and the Matcha Mask. Each one leaves my skin looking better than ever, each time I use them and I find myself reaching for them whenever I'm not using a sheet mask.

Another Garnier mask I've used up is one half of their Double Pure Active Self Heating Mask Sachet. I've used these for ages as I like how well they detox my skin and after each use it feels smooth, soft and treated. One pack is two uses so I never seem to go through them as quickly as you'd think but they really do work on the skin and at such an inexpensive price tag you can't blame a girl for having several in her mask collection.

Another couple of masks that I won't be repurchasing yet again come from Yesto. Don't think there's nothing wrong with the brand, there isn't and I love a lot of their products but these masks just did nothing for my skin. Both masks are mud masks; one containing Argan Oil, the other containing PrimRose Oil. Whilst they left my skin feeling supple and soft to the touch they didn't really meet the claims they had on the packaging and I felt because of the amount of product you receive in the sachet I wasted a lot of it.

Some products I did love from Yesto are their Two Step Kits. I picked up all four but have only gotten round to using two so far. The 2-Step Eye Kit wasn't my favourite purely because the under eye patches wouldn't stay in place but it did work to make my under eye area look better than it had been. The 2-Step Nose Kit is something I'd definitely repurchase. The cleanser worked well at opening my pores and digging deep to rid my skin of any dirt and grime whilst the charcoal nose strip really grabbed a hold of any blackheads I had and made them go bye bye. Definitely one I'd repurchase.

Under eye patches are some of my favourite things at the moment. And these ones from Rodial are my favourite. Their Dragon's Blood Eye Masks are a cellulose eye mask that work to hydrate and tone the under eye mask. They are pricier than others out there but the results are instantaneous and last for a good few days afterwards which is longer than some of the less expensive masks. Definitely something I'll be repurchasing soon.

I don't use face wipes to clean my face but they do come in handy for wiping down any spillages/swatches or taking my lipstick off after a long day. Since my last empties I've gone through three packs. The B Sensitive Micellar Wipes were nice but did tend to dry out quicker than others. The Johnson's Pampering Wipes were effective but had a strong fragrance and unfortunately strong taste as well. Whilst I liked them I wouldn't repurchase them just for that alone. And then there are the Simple Cleansing Wipes which are my favourite. Not drenched but not dry, these work wonders on anything I use them for and don't have a strong scent or taste that lingers afterwards.

Moving onto other skincare I've used up, I finally finished my Emma Hardie Moringa Cleansing Balm. This is only a travel sized and I used it sparingly but loved it with every use. It's thick, nourishing and really breaks down make up without leaving skin feeling oily or greasy. I haven't been able to bring myself to purchase a full sized tub but I think with how much I love it I'm going to have to just bite the bullet at some point.

I've used up another bottle of my Liz Earle Cleanse and Polish. I have to have a bo

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ttle of this in my collection no matter how many other cleansers I have on the go. One use of this and any irritation my skin may have is gone. Plus it breaks down make up and mascara brilliantly whilst nourishing skin. And as I write this, I realise I need to purchase a back up as I'm quite a way through my current bottle.

Something you see regularly in my empties is this Clean And Clear Deep Cleansing Lotion. I'm not going to bore you with the details but this is my go to morning cleanse as it really works to wake up and invigorate the skin. I'm pretty sure you'll be seeing another bottle or two in future empties as I'm never without one.

An eye make up remover I've finished is this Simple Dual Effect Eye Make Up Remover. It's a bio-phase remover that works to break down eye make up without rubbing the eyes too much. I like this for when I'm wearing a more heavy duty mascara that sometimes requires more work to remove. It contains oil but doesn't leave the eyes or the skin around them feeling greasy or oily to the touch. I'm already halfway through another bottle and will be stocking up whilst they're half price in Superdrug.

Nip And Fab do some of my favourite pre soaked pads of all time and usually there is a tub or two of their Glycolic Fix Pads in an empties but this time it's the turn of the Bee Sting Fix Toning Pads. These contains Bee Venom and Witch Hazel to tone and deeply nourish the skin whilst the Witch Hazel helps keep blemishes at bay. I absolutely love these pads as they really make my feel tighter and more toned after every use. I already am halfway through another tub of these and have a back up tub in my collection.

I finally finished my miniature of Alpha H's Liquid Gold. I received this in my M&S Beauty Advent Calender last year but because it's such a strong formula I've only just gotten round to finishing it. Containing a high glycolic acid content this works to tighten, tone and exfoliate the skin. I absolutely love how my skin looks and feels after using this but limit myself to using it just once a week so it doesn't strip or irritate my skin. I already have a full sized bottle I'm using and a back up as well. Thank god for Beauty Bay and they're brilliant two for one deals.

I finished a full size and a miniature of my favourite Liz Earle Instant Boost Skin Tonic Spritzer. I love using this in the mornings to rejuvenate my skin and whilst we've been having these hot snaps I've loved having the miniature in my handbag for when things need a little refresh. I'm definitely going to be repurchasing both sizes again as this is the only thing that works well enough on my skin when it needs a refresh and cool down.

A mist I enjoyed but wasn't too sure if it worked comes from Garnier. Their new Moisture Bomb Ultra Protecting Mist contains an SPF of 30 and claims to hydrate skin whilst protecting it from UVA and UVB damage. It smelt like my childhood inhaler and seemed to run out quicker than it should. I have another one and am enjoying it but don't think it's as effective as it claims to be.

I finished my first bottle of the new Loreal Hydra Genius. Containing nothing more than Aloe Water and Hyaluronic Acid this is just one giant drink for skin. And because it's such a lightweight formula it's works deeper into skin and continuously hydrates skin for up to 72 hours. I have already opened a new bottle of this and I can guarantee that you'll be seeing a lot more of these in future empties, I can't get enough of it.

I finished another pot of the Garnier Moisture Bomb Water Gel Cream. This paired alongside the Loreal Hydra Genius is a hydration dream. Lightweight, glow enhancing and long term hydrating I love how this works with my skin, especially under make up. I've nearly finished another pot of this and I can guarantee a lot more of these will be appearing in future empties.

A pot of the Ganier Moisture Restore+ Night Cream was finished recently. This is no longer available in stores but I stocked up when they went cheap and am so glad I did. This is a lot like the Moisture Bomb cream in that it's very lightweight in texture and sinks into skin to work over a longer period of time. It also smells divine and strangely relaxes me after every use. I don't know what I'll do when I finally run out of these.

I finished a bottle of my Hawaiian Tropic SPF 30 for the face. This is my favourite out of the two variations available as it doesn't leave my skin feeling greasy or weighed down. I've lost count of how many of these I've gone through because I wear it every day, no matter the weather.

I finished not one but two of my Barry M Hydro Fix Primer Waters. Not only is this an amazing primer which works beautifully under a numerous amount of foundations but it's also brilliant at redampening your beauty blender when it dries up. It has been three months since my last empties so I'm surprised there isn't more of these but because of a couple of hot snaps and some dental problems I didn't wear a lot of make up throughout the month of June which probably kept my third bottle fuller than it would have been.

Another primer I finished was my Maybelline SuperStay Primer. This works in perfect conjunction with the Barry M Primer Water and keeps my make up locked in place all day. And I finished what may be my final bottle of the Maybelline SuperStay Setting Spray. I say final bottle because I've not only fallen out of love with this but I am enjoying using the Collection Fixing Mist a lot more as it's results are better than that of the Maybelline. However you never know, a few months down the line I may like this again. Having a favourite product can be a fickle thing sometimes.

A favourite product that never changes is the Collection Lasting Perfection Concealer. I've gone through two of these since my last empties and would probably have gone through a third if I'd worn more make up during the last few weeks. However I'm back to wearing it on a daily basis so I'm sure there will be more in the next empties.

A foundation I finished is the Loreal Nude Magique Cushion. I absolutely adored this when it first released last year but was disappointed when it dried up quicker than expected. So when the hotter weather started to appear I repurchased a new one and decided to finally part with this one which should have probably gone out a long time ago.

And the final product in this empties is a hair product. I don't feature a lot of hair products in empties because I just automatically just throw them away when I'm done but I actually remembered one this time. This is the Garnier Ultimate Blends The Sleek Restorer Balm. Packed with Cocoa Butter and Coconut Oil, this leave in conditioner is perfect for leaving through the ends of my hair to make them sleeker and more manageable. I already have another on the go alongside a couple more of their Ultimate Blends collection.

Review: YesTo Sachet Masks

One use sachet masks used to be my go to skin treat but ever since Loreal released their Pure Clay Masks and I discovered Origins and other amazing mask brands I stopped using them. That was until recently when I discovered that YesTo had their own range of one use sachet face masks.

There are only two masks in this range at the moment but I'm pretty sure it'l be expanded at some point. The first mask is this primRose Oil Mud Mask. A Primrose Oil Mud Mask this is perfect for senstive skins. It claims to soothe and hydrate skin whilst unlocking skin's inner glow. And because it's a soothing mask means it perfect for anyone who suffers from redness or roseaca.

 And the second one is the Argan Oil Mud Mask. This is another oil mud mask and suits all all skin types as it's deeply nourishing and leaves skin feeling ultra hydrated and smooth to the touch.

These masks are nice but not outstanding. There is plenty of product in the sachet and it doesn't leave any skin looking patchy or sparsely covered when it's on but the results weren't really outstanding. They left my skin feeling soothed and hydrated but apart from that there weren't any other visible results. There are other one use masks that do exactly the same thing as these and cost half the price. If you're a big fan of Yesto as a brand then I highly recommend that you try these but if you're just a skincare junkie then I think you'll find them a little disappointing. I do have their sheet masks to try soon and don't think they're going to be as much of  a let down as these were.

Review: Yesto Cucumber Two Step Eye Kit

Dark circles are the bane of my life, no  matter how many hours sleep I get or litres of water I've drunk, my occasionally horrendous dark circles never seem to disappear. So I started looking at solutions if not permanent at least temporary. And that's where under eye patches come into it.

There are so many under eye patches to choose from, from high end brands such as Estee Lauder and Skyn Iceland to more budget friendly options such as Masque Bar and Yesto who's product I'm talking to you about today. Recently Yesto have released a selection of Kits ranging from pore reducing, lip scrubbing to conquering dark circles and under eye bags. I've already tried the Yesto Tomato Nose Strip Kit and loved it, so when I saw the Cucumber Eye Kit I couldn't resist picking one up.

A two step kit that's designed to reduce the appearence of dark circles and depuff and soothe under bags. The first step is a pair of under eye patches that are soaked in Cucumber, Caffeine and Evodia Fruit that are supposed to soothe and depuff the under eye area. The second step is a Cucumber infused eye treatment that helps with the appearence of dark circles.

The pre soaked eye patches are saturated in a cucumber and caffeine mix. The cucumber helps to soothe the under eye area whilst the caffiene works to reduce any puffiness around the area and helps reduce the appearence of dark circles. And they really do feel very cooling and soothing on the under eye area. I did struggle to apply this in a way that was comfortable and getting the most from the product itself. Once I had them in place I left them for twenty minutes and found they didn't move or slide about unlike other eye patches I'd tried in the past. Once I took these off my under eye area looked refreshed and didn't look puffy or tired looking.

Then it was onto the eye treatment. This is a very thick cream and reminded me a lot of a general night cream. It smelt strongly of cucumber but felt very luxurious as I applied it and once it had sunk in left my under eye area feeling very soft, smooth and moisturised. It didn't appear to reduce the appearence of my dark circles though which I found a little disappointing.

Overall I really enjoyed this product. The eye patches worked really well and were really good quality for the price tag. The eye treatment whilst I enjoyed it didn't really meet my expectations and once I'd used as much as I thought I needed there was still a lot of product left which I found a bit wasteful. However that is my only issue with this product as a whole. I would buy/will be buying this product again as I really enjoyed the eye patches on their own. At only £4.99 a pack these are a great budget pamper treat that not only meet skins needs but are also paraben, SLS and silicone free. Currently on offer at Boots I'd highly recommend checking these out when you're browsing their skincare aisle next.

What's In My Bag?

This is a post that I scheduled to write ages ago and completely forgot about until last week. So please forgive me if the pictures aren't fantastic or the writing seems rushed, I hadn't planned this out as much as my other posts.

My bag is from New Look and I'd had my eye on it for a while before I actually brought it. Then I had something to take back and used the value of that item to get money off of it. It's not the most practical colour but the design just screamed for my attention everytime I saw it in the shop.

The front zips are for decorative purposes only but the small clasp at the front does come undone to reveal a small pouch that you could easily pop your phone into. Apart from the front pouch, it's just one giant compartment which is handy to pop any small shopping items into but a pain if you're looking for your purse in a hurry.

The biggest item in my bag is my purse yet I still have a hard time finding it sometimes. It's from Accessorize and I thought that paying a bit more meant it would last longer, it's already breaking on one corner. It's a vibrant turquoise colour and has two compartments. The flap opens up to reveal card slots and a zipped change holder. I keep everything in this section as I feel it's more secure. The back section is nearly the same as the front but without the card slots or zipped pouch. It's where I keep any store cards I don't use as much and stow any reciepts I don't have room in the front for.

The next thing I keep in my bag is something I make sure is always well stocked. The make up bag is from Primark and as soon as I saw the lipstick print I knew I had to have it. It only cost a few pounds but looks like it cost more. Inside the bag itself I keep only a few things.

The first thing I keep in there is a compact mirror, this one is a really cute flamingo print one from Primark and was only a £1. The next thing I've always got in my handbag is hand sanitiser. My favourite is Hand Maid from Soap and Glory, it has that scent that automatically reminds me of the brand and it dries on the hands quicker than most. My next essential is a lip balm. I have lost count of how many I have around my house and in handbags. The one I've got in there at the moment is the Nivea Essential Care balm, it's not my favourite but it's perfect for popping on when I'm out and about. I also have a refresher wipe from KFC but the less said about that the better.

The next thing I always make sure I have in my handbag is a travel pack of face wipes and a travel pack of tissues. The tissues always come in handy as I'm probably one of the sneeziest people in the world. However it's the face wipes that I'm always grabbing for but don't worry I don't use them on my face. As you've probably worked out by now I'm always down a cosmetics aisle of some sort and can occasionally get carried away when swatching so these come in handy so I don't end up with bright red lipstick stains on my nice white t-shirt. My favourite at the moment are the Yesto Cucumber wipes, they're gentle on my skin and have a lovely yet discreet scent to them as well.

This next thing in my bag is something that lives in there 24/7 but doesn't necessarily come out a lot. I keep my sunglasses on me at all times not only to shade them from any brightness but to keep them protected as well. Mine are from Primark and didn't cost the earth as I'm always losing them but I prefer the Ray Ban style that are slightly fuller in the frame compared to other styles on the market. I have these in black but do prefer them in this tortoiseshell as it's less harsh against my skin. As I haven't lost these glasses yet I decided to buy a case to keep them in. The print of this isn't very clear but I chose it because it had flamingoes on it and I'm having a bit of a thing for them at the moment. This is yet another Primark purchase but for it's price is sturdy, something I can see lasting a long time.

So that's it for What's In My Bag. What have you guys got in your bag? Do you think I'm missing anything? If so let me know in the comments