Empty 8

DKNY Be Delicious perfume

This was a perfume I loved for a long time, described as "a fresh, sophisticated fragrance from the heart of New York City. Be Delicious opens with crisp and edgy top notes including American Apple, crisp Green Cucumber and sparkling Grapefruit. The middle notes are sweet and sinful with Magnolia, Tuberose, White Muguet, Rose and Violet. In the base, Sandalwood and White Amber round out the scent with an innocent and sexy appeal." I must say, I'm just not feeling the design for this one, I think it can look a little cheap and there is still that annoying little bit of product trapped inside with no way to escape but packaging aside it does smell good. The only reason I don't seem too enthusiastic is because I think I've gone off this perfume, maybe because I've had quite a few bottles already. Repurchase? Not any time soon.

Impulse Tease body spray

This body spray reminds me so much of my younger self as I would always have one of these in my bag. I love using body sprays throughout the day to freshen up when you find yourself a little hot and bothered, and it prevents me from having to lug a perfume around with me, using it up twice as fast. As with most aerosols the immediate scent is pretty strong but it transforms into a lovely girly, fresh scent. I seriously wish I was talented at describing scents, it does state that there are notes of zesty pineapple, however, I smell no pineapple. I think Impulse have it spot on with their packaging, an easy twist top which is definitely not going to leak in your bag. Repurchase? Yes, I would. 

Hackett London body wash

I may have been a little bit naughty as this somehow ended up travelling home with me from the Alton Towers hotel. Admit it, everyone likes to sneak hotel toiletries into their luggage. This may be why I can't find it online anywhere so I won't say much. This smells like men. Nice smelling men. I like that. It is for men after all, maybe that's why. Sadly, the scent of nice smelling men seemed to wash away down the plug hole leaving no remains on my skin, I'm sounding creepy now aren't I haha, it was a nice enough body wash I guess.

Boots essentials cleansing wipes

L'Oreal triple active ideal balance cleansing wipes

So the Boots ones are my usual face wipes, are you sick of hearing about them? Basically they're nothing special, inexpensive wipes which do the job of removing the majority of my make up before cleansing. Other wipes seem to irritate my skin leaving it looking red and blotchy, not these though, they're quite soft without leaving residue and I haven't found that they dry out. On the other hand, the L'oreal ones did seem to irritate my skin, although the effects weren't long lasting. They did have more moisture to them and quite a nice scent but consequently left a layer of residue on the skin which isn't really a problem if you're going to cleanse after. If you're wondering what the 'ideal balance' idea is all about, basically they're supposed to eliminate excess oil on parts of the skin whilst hydrating others. I don't have combination skin therefore didn't notice a difference in the overall condition of my skin but if you do you could consider these I guess. Both packs contain the usual 25 good sized wipes. Repurchase? Guess what, I've already repurchased the Boots ones, what a surprise haha. 

Sorry this empties post is so boring, forgive me? Love,

Rachael xx

Empty 7

Viktor and Rolf Flowerbomb perfume

Here we have one of my all time favourite perfumes. Love the scent, love the bottle, don't love the price so much, it will set you back £47 for just 30ml so it's definitely a special occasion only perfume, especially as I have a problem using perfume sparingly. Ask me if I like floral fragrances, I would say no. If you're like me don't let that put you off giving this a sniff as it definitely doesn't smell like a florist shop, the key ingredients include: centifolia rose, India osmanthus, catleya orchid and sambac jasmine but it still manages to smell slightly sweet. I'm no good at describing fragrances but seriously, this is beautiful, so feminine! It lasts a long time on the skin too which is something I struggle to find in other perfumes. Repurchase? Already have.

Hollister Solana beach body mist

This appeared in my last empties and here it is again. This is definitely more of a summer scent, like I said i'm rubbish at describing scents but this is how Hollister do it: "Conditions and cools with aloe vera, raspberry, apple and strawberry mix with jasmine and white musk for a fresh, lively scent." It really is a lovely, fruity summery scent which is nice and cooling, leaving you feeling fresh. A 250ml bottle costs £12 but it does last. Repurchase? Yes, although I will probably only use it in the Summer, I was pleased to receive another bottle for my birthday.

Boots essentials cleansing wipes

No7 beautiful skin quick thinking wipes

Simple kind to skin cleansing wipes

Lets face it, they're all face wipes and they all do the same thing. I do like the fact that the No7 ones have a lid as it definitely stops the wipes from drying out, although I wouldn't pay £7 for them even if they do have 5 more wipes than normal (30), that's when the No7 vouchers come in handy! I use wipes to remove my makeup before cleansing and found that they all did the job, they weren't too great for eye makeup but I guess that's expected, the Boots ones were probably the best to be honest as I found the others would sting my eyes and for £1.49 per pack you can't go wrong! I really don't have much to say, I do still prefer the Boots ones as they don't irritate my skin at all whereas the others left it looking a little red and they leave no residue. Repurchase? I'll continue using the Boots ones but I really fancy moving onto a micellar water.

Bio oil

We all know that bio oil has many different uses, it can be a bath oil for dehydrated skin as well as a treatment for uneven skin tone, scars, stretch marks and ageing skin. The reason I bought it was stretch marks. It contains vitamins A and E as well as calendula, lavender, rosemary and chamomile oils and claims to be non greasy with its purcellin oil, it does have a subtle scent which I would say is slightly floral. I feel like I haven't really given this a fair chance as I did only use it once a day instead of the recommended twice and when I did use it, I was so determined to get rid of these god damn stretch marks that I did use a lot of product therefore I did find it pretty greasy and not so easily absorbed, this 60ml bottle really hasn't lasted long either because I did use a lot. Bio oil are honest and say that stretch marks cannot be completely removed, only improved and I have seen a slight improvement in terms of how obvious my stretch marks are. There is a handy little leaflet too telling you the best way to apply bio oil for your certain skin concern. Repurchase? I think I will as I'm interested in seeing how it works when used for a longer period of time but if any of you have found any miracle products for stretch marks please let me know!

Ghost body lotion

I always seem to have at least one of these as I get them in a gift set with the perfume (which I love) but I'm pretty sure it can't be bought alone. It is quite heavily scented, smelling exactly like the perfume which is described as a "feminine soft floral" so it can sometimes be a bit much but it does fade, hanging around in a non overpowering way. This is a nice, light moisturiser which absorbs pretty quickly whilst moisturising, it is nothing intensive though. To me this somehow manages to feel quite cooling when applied so was ideal for minor sunburn.

Soap and Glory clean on me shower gel

This was actually my first ever soap and glory product and I am impressed. I absolutely adore the retro packaging, how cute is the little quote "cleanliness is essential when godliness is improbable." Of course the pump is a great addition too, allowing control over how much you're using. This is a lovely thick, creamy shower gel which lathers up well whilst feeling very moisturising on the skin with its built in body lotion, it does have natural mandarin peel extract too but that definitely doesn't make the scent an obvious orange. It has the 'signature soap and glory scent' which is named original pink and is described as containing orange leaf, lemon, peach, sweet strawberries, summer rose, gardenia blooms and jasmine therefore it isn't overly fruity or overly floral, it does smell lovely! This 500ml bottle has lasted me ages so it is definitely worth the £5.50 price tag. Repurchase? Yes I would!

Random base coat

I won't say much as I have no idea where this came from but it did the job.

I hope you're all enjoying the last of the summer holidays if you're still in school. 

What products have you used up this month?

Love, 

Rachael xx

Empty 6

Boots essentials cleansing wipes:

You're probably all sick of hearing about these, I know I have mentioned them in quite a few empties and I was going to give it a miss this month but since we're seriously lacking on the empties front here I thought why not. Now, these are pretty basic, nothing amazing or luxurious about them but I just keep repurchasing because they're so inexpensive yet they do the job of removing the majority of my make up before I cleanse. They are fragrance free so they don't irritate my skin, they also don't leave any residue which is always good. These wipes do remove mascara too, not extremely easily mind but they work. They're only £1.49 for 25 wipes so you can't go wrong, they seem to always have some really good offers on them too, currently on 3 for £3. Repurchase? I have many times and wouldn't say no, however, I think I'm at the stage where I fancy getting my hands on something new. Any recommendations? 

MAC pro longwear foundation:

This is the fifth bottle of this I have used up, if that doesn't show that I really like it then what will? Firstly, I like the packaging, the obvious plus is the pump for easy control and I like how it locks securely to avoid any leakage. A glass bottle may not be too travel friendly but I like the sleek design. As for the colour, all of my previous bottles have been NW20 which was, in reality, too dark although I thought I could get away with it whereas this is an NC15 and is slightly too yellow but once again isn't overly noticeable. It's such a shame they don't do an NW15 in this foundation because I think that would have been perfect! I also found that I needed a lot less product with the NW20 to get full coverage which is strange, meaning that this one hasn't lasted me long at all. MAC market this as a sheer to medium coverage but I definitely think it's more on the medium to full side unless I just apply a lot, it lives upto its name of being long wearing as it really does last on the skin without transferring or looking much different which is a winner for me. The formula is nice too, on myself it dries matte without feeling mask like, it becomes a little dewy throughout the day but not at all shiny or oily, for reference I have normal skin which is a little on the dry side at the minute. It also has an SPF of 10 which is good but be aware of flashback, we don't want ghostly faces! I find that the product dries quite fast so you have to work quickly to blend it well, doing a section at a time makes this easier, I apply this with just a makeup sponge, I find it works better than hands or a traditional foundation brush. Also, I should probably mention that this foundation definitely has it's good and bad days, sometimes it can look a bit funny and patchy for no reason what so ever but when it's good, it's really good. The price of this has just increased to £24 for 30ml. MAC really need to stop thinking it's ok to hike up their prices! Repurchase? Once again I wouldn't say no but this foundation isn't the most natural looking and now that my skin has improved I can get away with a lighter coverage, I'm really enjoying the L'oreal lumi magique at the minute so don't feel as if I need to repurchase.

Simple replenishing rich moisturiser:
Once again, I have repurchased this a few times so I do like it, the formula is more of a liquid than a cream so it doesn't feel heavy on the skin and it absorbs super quickly without feeling greasy creating a nice base for make up. As usual with simple there is 'no perfume, colour, unnecessary ingredients or harsh chemicals', I think it's useful how the packing mentions some of the ingredients and what they do, it's good to know that there are actually some working ingredients in there, it does have UV filters but no SPF so don't rely on this for sun protection. This moisturiser claims to be 'rich' but I think my skin has become a little dry recently and I have sometimes felt like I have had to apply 2 layers as my skin just drinks this stuff up so I don't know how great it would be for those with very dry skin. However, it does do the job of moisturising and one 125ml bottle lasts a very long time! It's only going to cost you £3.89 and is easily available. Repurchase? No, with my skin being a bit dry at the minute I feel like I need something more hydrating, I'm thinking of trying Oilatum, has anyone tried it?

Hollister Solana beach body mist:
I have had quite a few bottles of this too and I absolutely love it! The scent amazing, so fresh and summery! I'm rubbish at describing scents but this is how Hollister do it: "Conditions and cools with aloe vera, raspberry, apple and strawberry mix with jasmine and white musk for a fresh, lively scent." It really is nice and cooling, leaving you feeling so fresh. A 250ml bottle costs £12 which is a little pricey I guess compared to other body sprays but then again is very inexpensive compared to a perfume, it's so worth it though! Repurchase? Yes, I have a little bit left in another bottle and have asked for a new bottle for my birthday so fingers crossed.

I can't believe we are in July already, it's so crazy! I hate it when time goes by so fast, you just feel as if your life is flashing before your eyes. I do think I'm living it how I should be though, I'm one very happy, content girl. The fact that it has reached July does turn me into a little excited child, this month I will be running the race for life, finishing school for summer, seeing Jessie J live and jetting off to Gran Canaria for 2 weeks as well as finally turning 17! I'm so looking forward to learning to drive, I'm not sure how I'm going to spend my birthday yet but my lovely friends have something planned which is a little bit of exciting as I know nothing, they'll probably be relieved when it's over so I will no longer have to batter their heads trying to urge the hidden information out of them. Talking of Gran Canaria, I leave on the 26th so I'm not too sure how I'm going to work out this months empties, I was going to take my laptop with me but I am far to addicted to my beautiful little pink dell inspiron that I have come to the conclusion that it would be best for us to spend some time apart so I can appreciate the real world a bit more. I think I'm going to get through a fair few things in the month of July so I may post my July empties when I return back to the UK, it'll just be rather late. This weekend has been a lovely long weekend as our school decided to generously give us Friday and today off, back to the grind tomorrow though to crack on with some A2 level work, oh dear. What have you lovely lot been up to? Also, which products did you manage to finish off last month? 

Thank you for reading. Love,

Rachael xx

Empty 5

Boots essentials cleansing wipes:

Just my usual wipes, they're basic and not the most luxurious but they do the job of removing most of my make up before I use my cleanser without irritating my skin or leaving any residue. They do remove mascara too, not extremely easily but they work. I like using these in the morning to make my face feel nice and clean before applying my make up as I often don't bother with my cleanser in the mornings. They're cheap too, often on 3 for 2 but they are only £1.49 for 25 wipes.

The Body Shop jolly orange body butter:

I have had this for forever so it isn't actually sold any more, it sounds like the satsuma one could be the same thing though, retailing at £12.50 for 200ml. There is quite a lot of product but I can't decide whether the price is reasonable or not, hmm. This scent is nice but the smell of orange isn't one of my favourites and it does linger for while. I'm sure you have all heard a lot about these, I like the fact that natural ingredients are used and the texture is thick and buttery which smooths onto the skin really nicely. However, on me it doesn't sink in straight away. Maybe this is because my skin isn't very dry, from what I have heard, they sink in really well for those with dry skin. This definitely did leave my skin feeling nice and soft though and I would like to try some of the other scents.

Carmex lip balm:

So, I do like the retro looking packaging of this product and the easy, hygienic application, no fingers in pots! This is an almost clear gel like texture which glides on the lips leaving a glossy finish. As for the scent, the menthol is definitely detectable. It does seem to include some good ingredients but one thing I don't understand is why it contains salicylic acid, isn't that often used to dry out spots? That's just my curiosity creeping in. It is slightly tingly which some may prefer more than others, so many people love this product and I wanted to be one of them, however, this just doesn't do the job for me as I do have very dry lips most of the time. When my lips aren't as dry I do think it does a better job of moisturising therefore might be better for me in the milder weather or for those who generally don't rock the very chapped look. My mam has bought me the cherry one so I shall see how that compares. This product retails at £2.69 for 10g at boots. 

Dove original roll on deodorant:

Personally I do prefer a spray over a roll on, however, this product is only £2.35 for 50ml and has lasted me way longer than a spray deodorant would! This didn't leave any flakiness or white marks and it does feel very creamy and moisturising with a subtle but nice fragrance which I like but for me, I find spray deodorants are much better at carrying out their job and this was a little disappointing in that area. It didn't dry too well either, my mam did end up repurchasing this for me before I had a chance to tell her that I would prefer a different one so I now have 2 more to be used, it really isn't that bad though so I will use them just won't repurchase. 

Color trend eye shadow duo:

Who remembers the color trend range at Avon from their childhood? I remember this being only £1-£2 and now they're £4.50! They do have a good offer on at the minute though if you did want to pick anything up from the range. This is in the shade hot chocolate and consisted of two shimmery shades; a champagne colour and a dark brown. I really liked both shades, they weren't glittery at all and were both nicely pigmented and applied really well. The champagne colour was a perfect all over lid colour or highlight and the brown worked well in the crease. You do have to make sure to tap the brush beforehand to get rid of the excess and they are pretty small with quite cheap looking but sturdy packaging, for the price I paid I couldn't fault these but I'm not sure I would pay £4.50 for such a small amount of product. I should let you know that I also have the shade powder pink, yes, pink eye shadow what was I thinking and the quality isn't as good. 

Ghost original eau de toilette:

May was a sad month for perfume, all of mine are on their last legs and two of them sadly left my collection this month. I have managed to use almost 4 perfumes since xmas, how do people make them last! Anyways, I had the 30ml bottle which is £24.90 at Boots. I like the simple, clean looking bottle and the smell is really nice. I usually go for the more young, sweet or fruity scents but this one is a little different and I haven't smelled anything like it before. I am really bad at describing fragrances but I think Boots have got it just right: "Ghost fragrance is a timeless, feminine and romantic soft floral. Mellow hibiscus, rose petals, and musk characterise Ghost - the first fragrance from the designer label. Subtly combined jasmine, spicy sandalwood, and warm incense dominate with gentleness, while overtones of vanilla, musk, ambergris, and apricot provide a satiny quality to the fragrance." It is definitely only a soft floral so if you dislike floral fragrances like me you will still really like this. This is one of those scents where when someone is wearing it, I know exactly what it is. I have had many bottles of this and will carry on writing it on my birthday and xmas list because I love it!

Britney Spears fantasy eau de parfum:

I also had the 30ml bottle of this which retails for £23 at Boots. I know so many people love this and I do too! The packaging is very different to Ghost and won't be to some people's taste as others may think it's on the tacky side but I really like it, it's nice and girly. The fragrance is one of my favourites and is another that I will keep repurchasing, it is definitely a sweet scent but not sickly and is described on Boots as: "a light, feminine scent that unfolds with enticing mix of lush red lychee, golden quince and exotic kiwi. The middle notes are laced with a delicious cupcake accord, jasmine petals and sexy white chocolate orchid. In the base, a spell is cast with an unexpected finish of creamy musk, enchanted orris root and sensual woods." I would definitely recommend having a sniff of this, celebrity fragrances often get slated but I do think there are some nice ones out there!

So, there are my empties done for another month! I hope you are enjoying the long weekend and jubilee celebrations. I have totally enjoyed this weekend, Friday was the little surprise party for a friends birthday and it turned out to be a really good night, we did an all nighter so decided to take quite a stroll to McDonalds at 5am for a tasty breakfast. Somehow the tiredness didn't affect us and we decided to go swimming in the afternoon, it was the first time I had been swimming (excluding on holiday) for at least 5 years so I was a little nervous, especially as I'm hating on my body so much right now but I chucked on a little beach cover up playsuit and it was so fun! Later on yesterday I went to the local fair with my friends and after going on the waltzer 4 times, leaving me feeling a little out of it me and boyfriend came back to mine. I am now spending today being lazy but I really feel like I made the most out of yesterday, it was so good! I didn't even get to sleep until half 12 this morning so overall managed to stay awake and in a good mood for 39 hours! What have you been up to this weekend and going back to the point of this post, what products did you manage to get through this month?

Thank you for reading. Love,

Rachael xx

Empty 4

Hello! I hope you're all good and enjoying this wonderful time of year; exam season. I joke of course, I cannot wait until the end of May when all exams will be over, I hate this time of year so much, talk about stress! I know so many people say this but it really is worrying how fast the time goes, I never seem to have time to do anything these days but now I finally have a chance to sit down and crack on with my empties post, of course blogging is one of the things I always want to do most but if I want to get somewhere in life I guess revision has to come first eh, I shall not rant for any longer, here are my April empties...

Britney Spears fantasy work your magic body souffle: 

I'm pretty sure you cannot buy this alone as it is another Christmas gift set product so I won't say too much. This is one of my favourite celebrity scents, a mix of fruity and sweet I would say and I really like the girly packaging. This body lotion has the exact same smell as the perfume which hangs around in a non-overpowering way. The product has a nice, light formula which absorbs quickly and definitely moisturises normal skin but is nothing intensive.

Simple gentle care shampoo: 

I really like Simple's skincare so thought I would try a shampoo from them, the brand that claim to have no unnecessary or harsh chemicals. I did think this would mean it wouldn't contain SLS, however, it does so isn't for those who react to SLS. It doesn't affect me though so it's all good, this shampoo did take a hell of a lot to lather up and I do like a good lather. Other than that it was a clear, nice consistency which did have a very slight, natural type scent despite not containing perfume but this didn't remain on the hair once it had dried. This is a really gentle shampoo and you may already know that I don't tend to notice a difference no matter what shampoo and conditioner I use and this was no different; my hair was left looking shiny and healthy. I think i'm  on the lookout for a volumizing shampoo/conditioner because my hair really is as flat as a pancake, any recommendations let me know! I even used this without conditioner to see if shampoo actually made any difference at all but it did! If you're wondering the goodness in this is vitamin B5 to enhance sheen, chamomile to soften and smoothe and glycerin for hydration and nourishment. You can buy this from Boots for £2.69 (200ml) so it's nice and cheap. I'm sure you can get it elsewhere too. 

L'oreal casting creme gloss conditioner: 

This is the teeny little white container you can just see by the way, the label came off with the water which annoys me, why make a label that can't deal with water when it's going to be in water! Anyhow, this is small and only comes with the casting creme gloss semi-permanent hair dyes, I did attempt to dye my hair lighter recently but it didn't turn out too well, my friend later told me my hair would have to be stripped, don't think i'm gonna bother. This conditioner is lovely and thick and has quite a strong, unique scent, I really cannot describe it. My mam loves it yet i'm not as keen, it's not too bad though and only slightly hangs around on dry hair. I like how you can feel results as soon as you wash this out and as per, my hair is left soft and shiny.

Boots conditioning nail polish remover: 

Although this has more of a fruity scent mixed in with the typical smell of acetone making it slightly more pleasant it is still very strong and will catch the back of your throat. However, this definitely didn't dry out my nails like some others do which was impressive and it removed polish pretty well, obviously darker polishes took a little longer and I did have to use a lot of it sometimes but all of my nail polish would be removed in the end so yes, I would repurchase. It's orange too which is cool I suppose. Easily pleased. This is £1.30 (150ml) from Boots.

Batiste tropical dry shampoo: 

This product is such a life saver. I have repurchased this over and over and have yet another new can waiting for me. I haven't tried many of the other versions because I love the scent of this one so much, it smells of coconut and other tropical goodness, it does stay in your hair too. This is so easy to use, just spray it on and as long as you massage it in well you won't be left with any white residue, I use this in between washes to disguise the greasiness and any other time to add some volume which it does a great job of whilst leaving your hair soft and both feeling and looking clean. It is sometimes a little hard to control how much comes out and if you end up using too much your hair can feel a little over powdery but a little extra massaging and it should be all good. The packaging seems to have changed from above on the Boots and Superdrug websites but my mam got me a new one the other day with the same packaging as above, hmm, I have no idea where she got it from. I do like the packaging by the way. Anyways, you can get this from Boots, Superdrug and many other places, it comes in various sizes too which is always good. 

MAC pro longwear foundation:

I was going to do a full review on this as this is the fourth bottle I have finished and I am almost done with another so I clearly do like it. However, I've decided i'm not going to repurchase and hunt down a cheaper alternative, once again, any recommendations please let me know! So, the obvious plus is the pump for easy control and I like how it locks securely to avoid any leakage. A glass bottle may not be too travel friendly but I like the sleek design, as for the colour, this is an NW20 and was, in reality, too dark although I thought I could get away with it whereas my newest one is an NC15 and is too yellow but once again isn't overly noticeable. It's such a shame they don't do an NW15 in this foundation because I think that would have been perfect! I also found that I needed a lot less product with the NW20 to get full coverage which is strange, meaning that my NC15 hasn't lasted me long at all. Anyways the plus points to this foundation are that it is medium to full coverage and lasts for a good 8-9 hours on the skin without transferring or looking much different which is a winner for me. The formula and feel is nice too, on myself it dries matte but becomes more natural and a little dewy throughout the day but not at all shiny or oily, for reference I have normal skin which fluctuates between slightly dry and slightly oily. It also has an SPF of 10. On the other end of the spectrum there are things that I don't love about this, apart from the whole shade thing I find that it dries very fast so you have to work at the speed of light to blend it well, doing a section at a time makes this easier though. I apply this with just a makeup sponge, I find it works better than hands or a traditional foundation brush. Also, I should probably mention that this foundation definitely has it's good and bad days, sometimes it can look a bit funny and patchy for no reason what so ever but when it's good, it's really good. You can buy this at MAC for £22.50 (30ml).

Johnson's dreamy skin night facial cleansing wipes

Just gonna start off by saying that these smell lovely! It is a really calming scent of moonflower aroma, perfect for a night time before you hit the hay. The wipes themselves are nice and thick, they are super soft with a lot of moisture and glide across the face like a dream. They removed face makeup well but I don't agree with the claim to remove waterproof mascara, I found that it took a lot to even remove normal mascara and they stung my eyes like crazy. I also felt like they left a residue on the skin, I like to use wipes in the morning too before my moisturiser but these aren't suitable for that, at night I cleanse afterwards so don't see it as much of a problem. However, although they claim to be for all skin types, these did sometimes irritate my skin a little. You get 25 in a packet from Superdrug at £3.05.

Boots essentials fragrance free cleansing wipes

I have mentioned these before but just thought I would give them another mention, not too sure why to be honest but these are great basic fragrance free wipes which don't irritate at all although after using the Johnson's ones I have noticed that these definitely aren't as soft and smooth as I once thought but they do the job of removing makeup without leaving any residue. They do remove mascara too, not extremely easily but they work. I like using these in the morning to make my face feel nice and clean before applying my makeup, I suppose I should really use my cleanser in the morning too but I just don't have time, would rather have an extra 5 minutes in bed. They are only £1.49 for 25 from Boots and are usually on a 3 for 2, cheap and cheerful! 

So there we have it, another long empties post from me. I have a good idea what will be appearing in this months empties which excites me. As for other news, I went to see the Hunger Games last week and really enjoyed it! I'm a big soppy girl at heart so usually stick to my usual romantic, lovey dovey, why isn't life really that way films but I do love a good action or horror film. I wasn't sure whether I was actually going to like it to be honest but I was really impressed, it was great! Have you seen it yet? I did try to take some outfit photos on that night so I could break my 'ootd' virginity but it just wasn't happening, the best I could get were mirror pictures that really didn't show off the outfit well. However, I shall keep trying! I think that's about it, I'm currently revising and trying to organise work experience, everywhere is full already! I'm looking to go into social work so if you have any ideas for places to try please let me know. I hope this post was helpful and not too ridiculously long.

Thanks for reading. Love, 
Rachael xx

Empty 3

Hello again, is it really the end of March already? The months are flying by, it doesn't seem like 2 minutes since I sat down to write my previous empties post and here we are again, I hope this is somewhat helpful.

Asda skin system hand and nail lotion: I'm usually so bad at remembering to use hand cream but as winter came and played havoc with my hands leaving them rather dry I found myself reaching for this product. It is super inexpensive at only 80p for 75ml, I should warn you the packaging has changed from above but judging by the ingredients it is the exact same product. This is a lovely light, non greasy hand cream which absorbs almost immediately to give straight up moisture although I feel it leaves a teeny bit of residue and I don't believe this would be as affective for very dry, cracked hands. The moisture lasts a good amount of time, leaving your hands as soft as a baby's bottom, it does soften cuticles too which is an extra advantage. As for the smell, I find it hard to detect any in this product at all, especially when on the hands but in the tube there is a nice, mild normal hand cream type scent. Overall i'm pretty impressed and you know what they say, our hands are a sign of youth!

Mark Hill sexy straight re-hydrating shine conditioner: I dislike the fact that a shampoo or conditioner has appeared in every empties post so far as honestly I very rarely see a difference in the outcome no matter what shampoo and conditioner i'm using, this may be because I don't have very problematic hair unlike the beginning of the year when the condition was at its worst. I did set a new years resolution aiming to look after my hair but I think all it needed was a good trip to the hairdressers and some milder weather as it seems to have restored itself and is no longer a problem in terms of dullness and dryness although the thinness, tattiness and flatness does still annoy me slightly (any more 'ness' Rachael?). As a result of washing, my hair is left looking shiny and hydrated every time. I received this 75ml bottle in a Christmas gift set and am unsure if it is available full size as the most similar product I have found is the straight-a-holic conditioner (£3.66 for 250ml at Boots) so whether it's just a re-package and re-name or a entirely different product who knows. I like the look of the packaging but feel a squeezy tube would have made it easier to get the last of the product out as the conditioner is thicker than the shampoo. Personally I like the smell but it isn't anything amazing and like the shampoo the idea of straightness didn't affect my natural waves.

Origins brighter by nature skine tone correcting serum: I don't want to say too much as I really don't feel like I have given this a fair chance as I am very forgetful and have only been using this every now and then, often leaving a long gap between each use therefore I didn't see any results, of course the fact that this is only a 5ml sample adds to that. Origins claims that this helps create an even skin tone, helping the appearance of dullness, dark spots and discolourations. The formula is very thin and quite watery which is strange for me but it does sink in very quickly with a nice, unusual, natural type smell. At £30.60 for only 30ml at John Lewis I really don't think I could justify the price for just a serum but I do love the sound of origins skincare and have had a few samples which I have liked. 

Maybelline the colossal volum' express mascara: I have had this for such a long time, I believe I got this when it first came out and me and my best friend were going through a mascara loving stage where we would always want the newest mascara. This and the next mascara are actually both the first makeup products to be used up in my project pan, yey! I will admit this has been dried out for a while but I have kept convincing myself that it has still been making the smallest difference to my lashes therefore I will have to go from what I remember, I apologise! Anyways, I have the 100% black non waterproof version. This mascara has a pretty big brush, I did find it hard to work with at first as it makes it much easier to get the product on the lid but I did like the formula and result of long, very full lashes. However, this mascara does have a strange smell and did give me the ever so stylish panda eye look by the end of the day which really seems to put me off a mascara. This mascara is £7.19 for 10ml at boots.

No7 intense volume mascara: Once again, this mascara has been dried out for a while and I have finally accepted the fact that I need to move on and chuck it in the bin, this is only a little 4.5ml version from a gift set and I actually have a back up which i'm using at the minute so it's all good. This product retails at £11.50 for 7ml at boots which is a bit on the pricey side but I do like it! It doesn't add thickness but does add a lot of length and curl while separating lashes, the curl lasts a long time and it doesn't leave panda eyes which impressed me. The brush is a nice size, slightly on the bigger side and with the formula being quite wet at first I found it really hard not to get product on my upper lid and had to work slowly with it which wasn't ideal for a rushed school morning but otherwise my lid would be covered in blackness, not too attractive. However, once the formula dried up a bit this wasn't much of a problem.

Kleenex eye make-up remover wipes: I kind of feel like I have lied to you here when these two forms of wipes are concerned. I did mention in my previous empties post that I was on the lookout for a liquid eye makeup remover because that is what I prefer, I also told you that I will continue to use the boots essential facial wipes. So, why are these in this post? Well, I have a memory like a fish and my mam knew I was out of wipes so before I could remember to pick some up for myself she had bought these for me. Even after telling her last night that I was going to get the boots ones (and then forgetting to take my purse today...) she has just came home with some more different face wipes for me, oh well, she probably knew I was going to forget. Anyways, I had seen various things around blogger about the facial wipes from Kleenex but nothing about the eye makeup remover wipes. They are unlike any other wipes I have tried as they are so thin, they are made with ecoform natural fibres (65% cellulose to be exact) meaning they have a lower environmental impact. I like how it tells you all this on the packaging, it even lets you know what each ingredient does which is interesting. However, because they are so thin you have to be careful not to rip them while getting one out of the packet. These are for sensitive skin and I was actually really pleased with them, they didn't irritate my eyes and I felt like they gently removed pretty much all of my eye makeup. They have a lot of moisture to them but don't leave residue and they smell lovely. These are £2.99 for 24 wipes at Superdrug.

Spa deep cleansing facial wipes: Lastly, these are just cheapys from home bargains, I am unsure of the price as like I said, my mam picked these up. They are on the drier side and smell a little different to other wipes, probably due to the 'antibacterial action' but the scent isn't overpowering. I usually use face wipes in the morning as well as to remove my makeup at night, I did like them for giving my face a fresh feeling in the morning but felt like they didn't do a good job of removing my makeup, they seemed to drag and tingle my skin a bit, it definitely didn't feel like all of my makeup had been removed although I do like the idea of them being antibacterial. So yeah, not too pleased.

There we have it, another month, another selection of empty products. I am now finally off school for Easter, yay! Couldn't be happier about that, I am so ready for some time off. If you are on holidays too I hope you enjoy them. Thanks for reading. Love, 
Rachael xx

Empty 2

So here we are at the beginning of a new month with another empties post from moi. It really is crazy how fast the time goes these days. I did say last month that this month was looking good in terms of empties but i'm not sure that's the case, I didn't get through as much as I had hoped but I think that's just me persuading myself that things are not quite done yet when they obviously need to be thrown. 

Soft & Gentle deodorant: This one is in the scent verbana & waterlily which personally, apart from the fact it reminds me of my trip to New York, i'm not a fan of. I'm rubbish at describing smells but it just doesn't float my boat. Although these deodorants have rather pretty packaging and are inexpensive for 150ml, currently at £1.89 in superdrug, the reason I don't like them is because of the masses of product which escape one spray, filling the room and catching your throat resulting in a pretty unpleasant experience, it even set of a mini smoke alarm in our hotel room! It does keep you dry though and I didn't notice any white marks which is always a good thing.

So... irresistible shower gel: I'm sure we all remember the "so..." fragrances from our childhood, just me? As far as I know you can't buy these individually, I just gained mine from a Christmas gift set so I won't go into detail, as you can see the label has completely messed up with the water which irritates me and it didn't lather up well, only good point was the lovely cherry scent.

Mark Hill sexy straight nourishing shine shampoo: Well, wasn't that a mouthful. I also received this 75ml bottle in a gift set at Christmas and am not sure if this is available full size, the straight-a-holic shampoo is the most similar product I have found from Mark Hill (£3.66 at Boots). It did take quite a lot of product to create the lather that I love in a shampoo but the outcome was nice, shiny locks. Yes it's nice but I didn't notice any difference with this product compared to any other shampoo. Also, it claims to keep hair straighter and smoother for longer, I very rarely straighten my hair so can't comment on this but it definitely didn't attempt to flatten my waves which was something I was slightly worried about. It does smell good too and I like the packaging, always a plus in my opinion.

Simple replenishing rich moisturiser: This has been my daily moisturiser for a while now and I have once again repurchased, 125ml for £3.89 at boots you can't go wrong. I consider myself to have normal - combination skin so maybe this wouldn't be intensive enough for dry skin but with no perfume, colour or harsh chemicals this would suit those sensitive skin people out there, it definitely doesn't break me out. This moisturiser absorbs super quickly and creates a perfect base for makeup as well as giving a good amount of moisurisation. It is more of a liquid rather than a cream so isn't heavy on the skin and one bottle seems to last forever. 

Elemis pro-collagen hand & nail cream: Yes the top has been cut off, I do like to make sure I get every scrap of product. This is only a teeny 3ml sample and i'm not going to lie I actually found this pretty much empty so can't say much apart from what I remember; this kept my hands moisturised without irritation which is sometimes a problem with hand creams for me. This product is £29.70 for 100ml in Debenhams which no, I wouldn't pay as I have found more inexpensive alternatives.

Dr Lewinns ultra R4 eye repair cream: I had never heard of this brand until my grandma gifted me with this and a moisturiser (which broke me out) after she had experienced the use of this brand during a spa day. I have since learnt it is available in Debenhams where it is desribed pretty technically, this specific product is priced at a rather ridiculous £41! Of course my cute little tub is only 5 grams and the real thing is 15 grams. I am still young and shouldn't really need an eye cream but I rub my eyes so much the skin has become so thin, I liked the packaging, scent, consistency of this and how well it absorbed but of course I can't comment on wrinkles, although I feel it did do something for my skin tone in the area.

Boots essential cleansing wipes: Like every month I went through my usual makeup wipes, I actually used 3 packets this month which considering there is 25 per packet is a bit crazy. As I will continue to use these I will only mention them once in an empties post, bit pointless repeating myself really. Anyhow I love these as they are basic fragrance free wipes which have a good amount of moisture and do not irritate my skin or claim to do anything spectacular. I use one of these morning and night and am left with such a nice, clean feeling, however, I don't feel they take off every last scrap of makeup so I always follow up with my cleanser at night. They are only £2.03 in boots but I often grab them on a 3 for 2 offer which take place quite often.

Asda skin system eye makeup remover pads: I do prefer to use a liquid to remove my eye makeup as it is less harsh but as these are only £1.73 from Asda, currently on a 5 for £4 offer I thought I would give them a go. You get 30 wipes in a pack, however I had to use one for each eye so the pack doesn't last too long unfortunately. They are fragrance free and do have a good amount of moisture, removing the majority of eye makeup, although I didn't feel like it was all gone. I still do prefer a liquid formula and am on the lookout for a new one, any reccomendations?

I just want to let you know I am now on hellocotton, bloglovin' and of course you can follow my natter on twitter. Thanks for reading. Love, 
Rachael xx

Empty 1

Hello strangers! So I know it's been a while and I do apologize but last week was full of crazy stress as deadlines at sixth form seemed to come racing at me, the subjects I take (sociology, psychology and biology) don't often require a lot of work outside of school, you know that horrible thing called homework, so I have gotten used to living quite an easy life if I say so myself therefore went into crazy panic when I realised I had two lots of biology due in within a few days. Considering we were given the work before Christmas (I think) there was a hell of a lot of it. I have been a run down, exhausted, stressed mess lately but thankfully i'm feeling much better now and thinking positively. I did have a January empties post scribbled down in my mind as part of a list of post ideas but prior to this the bin men had sadly drove away with a few empty containers in their big smelly van leaving me with not much to show so I wasn't actually going to do this. However I enjoy these posts and like how I can cram some mini reviews into one. I get a good feeling when another product can be added to my empties pile, just me? It's strange to think that an empty product makes us feel good, shouldn't we feel sad it's all gone? I didn't achieve much in terms of empties last month, along with these three products a head and shoulders smooth and silky shampoo, a boots botanics pore perfecting deep clean mousse, my lush magic wand and two random bath fizzers have made it to the end of their lives. I have a lot products in my possession at the minute that are on their last legs though so this month should end with a slightly more exciting empties post.

Head and shoulders smooth and silky shampoo: I was actually using this in an attempt to rid my hair of the dull red tone my dye had left me with after hearing Gracie mention that she was using it to strip the colour from her hair. Many people have a negative experience with head and shoulders finding it to be drying which is probably why it has been used by others to help strip colour. Personally, we have always gotten along just fine and although it isn't the most luxurious of hair care brands I actually liked how it left my hair; smooth, shiny and nicely fragranced but nothing amazing. As for it stripping colour I did notice the colour becoming more dull but as it was quite a bright red they tend to fade quickly anyways and there wasn't too much product left for me to be able to tell a real difference, however, now that I am totally converted to dying my hair I wouldn't repurchase.

Boots botanics pore perfecting deep clean mousse: I always feel unfair when talking about skin care as I am on a form of the contraceptive pill aimed at clearing acne so it is hard to tell how much of a difference a product makes, please keep this in mind. With that said this is definitely the best cleanser I have used, inexpensive at £4.07 and aimed at blemish prone skin I love everything from the packaging and the natural scent to the way it feels whilst in use and how it leaves my skin. I was planning on repurchasing but unfortunately couldn't find it in my local boots so opted for a Neutrogena alternative but will definitely be going back to this, maybe not this particular product as my skin is not as oily anymore, but I would like to try more from the brand! 

Lush magic wand and two miscellaneous bath fizzers: I spoke about my love for my lush magic wand here, two words: definite. repurchase. Sadly this star shaped girly pink goodness is only available at Christmas with it having the scent of the oh so famous snow fairy shower gel but I really would recommend adding it to your wishlist this year if a slightly pink, luxurious, moisturising, sweet smelling bubble bath sounds good to you. As for the other two bath fizzers, well I have no idea where they came from but they did have a lovely smell of cherry.

Right guard deodorant: there's nothing worse than a deodorant which simply does not work, us girls are always on the hunt for a deodorant that works well to avoid embarrassing happenings and I think I may have found it. Not the prettiest scent and packaging but it really does work and lasts pretty much all day without having an offensive smell to it, and as for the 72h claim, who wears their deodorant for 72 hours! I would repurchase.

Britney fantasy shower gel: here we have one of those little shower gels we gain from perfume gift sets, often around Christmas time. I really don't understand why people have so much against celebrity perfumes as although they may not smell as 'expensive' I enjoy the lighter more fruity scents. This is one of my favourites and the shower gel smells exactly the same although it sadly didn't last on the skin, it did lather up well though but although I like the idea of using the same smelling perfume and shower gel I have to say I do prefer the likes of dove for a more luxurious shower or bath so wouldn't repurchase if you could buy this alone.

L'oreal tangle tamer: my hair has been getting crazy tangled recently leaving brushing more like a torture so although this is aimed at kids I bought it in an attempt to calm my hair. Firstly, I adore the fruity scent and the fact it stays in your hair as well as the childish design but unfortunately, although it didn't leave my hair greasy or anything, it just didn't do the job so I wouldn't repurchase. Maybe a child's hair is different? I am considering buying a tangle teezer, are there any products you would recommend for seriously disobedient tatty hair?

There we have it, I have been left slightly worried for this months empties post after this one turning out to be so long but i'm sure I can carry on learning how to condense my thoughts. Also, must stop saying 'I am considering to buy' as I know fine well I have only a teeny amount of money in my possession. As for what has been going on in my life I really don't have much to tell you, apart from my biology work I have just been lazing round with the boyfriend to be honest, I was at a small party last Saturday which I failed to get any decent photos from but that's about it. Sadly the boyfriends away to Scotland with work next week so I have been thinking of how to keep myself occupied, beginning with a Chinese meal in town with my girlies tomorrow, i'm so looking forward to a good catch up! Watching my 90210 box sets is on the cards for the rest of the week as well as a bit of pampering, I really have been letting my appearance go and am rather ashamed of my outgrown hair and unruly eyebrows but by the end of the week that shall be sorted, seriously thinking of a full fringe but not sure I can deal with such a change. That is all for now, I am off to watch dancing on ice, I hope you enjoyed this post. Thanks for reading. Love, 

Rachael xx