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*PR Samples
**Repurchase/ Bought after trying a press sample
***Travel Size/ Mini
****Gift/ Gift with purchase
This is my first empties of the year. I've been doing them since 2022 and every three months since the start of 2023. They take a long time to put together and I could do them more often but I don't want to do too many per year. Just in case this is your first time reading one of these posts I'll give you a brief overview of why I decided to start writing them. I wanted to have somewhere to write more in depth review than an Instagram caption so that I am doing the products justice. Everything is so fast on social media and I missed the days of reading a review and getting more detail instead of seeing press drops and never hearing about the product again. I was opening products as I got them and using several in the same category at the same time so I couldn't tell what each product was doing. I decided to only have one product in each category open at any given time and once I finish it I write a short review with my thoughts, whether I think it's worth the money and if I would buy it again. At the end of the post I calculate how much I spent versus how much the press samples add up to as well as the amount of product, the recommended shelf life once opened and the country of manufacture. Most of the links are affiliate links to websites where the products are in stock and at the best price. I find this a great way to keep track of my spending habits as well as the products that I've been sent as press samples. After only having 24 products last time, I now have 43 to review so let's get into it.
****Maison Margiela Replica By the Fireplace Eau de Toilette 100ml, 24m, Made in France €138
I haven't finished a fragrance this size in a long time. If I remember correctly, I was given this as a gift for Christmas 2020, so it took me three years to finish it. It wouldn't have taken me that long only for the fact that I didn't wear perfume for about a year or so after my daughter was born. I probably could have used this up a lot sooner but I was really rationing it because I know I won't be able to buy it again for a long time as perfume purchases are not exactly a priority at the moment while I'm not working. I'm also lucky enough to be sent perfumes from different brands, including Maison Margiela and I have a number of beautiful perfumes open at the moment. By the Fireplace is one of the first Replica scents I ever tried. I used to spray it on myself every time I was near a counter for about a year before I bought it myself and I was subsequently given this one as a gift for Christmas. As you can imagine from the name there is a smokiness to it, but it's also warm and sweet and sensual. It has top notes of Pink Pepper Essence, Orange Flower Absolute and Clove oil. Middle Notes of Chestnut Accord, Gaïac Wood Oil and Cade Oil. Base Notes of Vanilla Accord, Peru Balsam resinoïd and Cashmeran. I don't know what half of those things are but I adore this scent. If you like Jazz Club, Autumn Vibes or Whispers in the Library, this is along the same lines as it's quite an Autumn/Winter or evening scent, although I'd wear it any time of the year. Despite it being an eau de toilette, I find it lasts really well. You can smell that smoky wood scent at first and as you wear it throughout the day the warmth and vanilla become more apparent. I will absolutely be buying another bottle of this in the future because it makes me so happy to wear it. For now, I have Autumn Vibes and YSL Black Opium both of which I were sent as PR samples and will fill the void of By the Fireplace for now.
*Lisa Eldridge Seamless Skin Foundation 30ml, 12m, Made in Italy €53
I have a full review of this foundation which you can read here. It's been a while since I wrote that review and I am probably even more enamoured with it now. My sister and I were actually chatting about it recently as I was telling her I was almost finished my bottle and she had recently finished hers. We were both saying that it's such an excellent foundation and nothing really compares to it. I received this as a PR sample in December of 2021 and reviewed it in April of 2022 so I've been wearing it for just over 2 years. Despite having a recommended 12 month shelf life once opened, it was still performing the exact same 2 years later. I’m not recommending that you use your products past their expiry date but I felt comfortable because the scent and texture were the same. It's 30ml of product and I probably would have finished it sooner but you need so little of it to get the perfect finish. I usually use no more than a pump and a half for my whole face and it's the perfect amount for medium coverage. You can build up the coverage in thin layers if you wish. It works so well at concealing redness and marks left behind from blemishes. I am keeping a tiny amount in the bottle so that if I can get my hands on the new Enhancing Tint, I can compare the shades. I also have a sample card of all the light shades so I can use that if I'm really missing it. I'm very curious to see how the coverage compares as I do like a very light coverage most days so hopefully I will get to compare them.
The Seamless Skin Foundation has been my go-to for events or days when I want my makeup to last. It was so reliable and looked great at the end of the day which is quite a rarity for my combination skin. I am so sad that I finished the bottle as I can't justify buying another foundation. I will absolutely buy this foundation again at some point in the future. If I was working and had more expendable income I would have bought it straight away because it truly is the best. I know that many people are cutting back at the moment and so we want our products to really work for us. I feel 100% confident recommending this product and I feel it's worth the price because it lasts so well and it has versatile coverage. If I was ever to get married I would wear this on my wedding day. If you haven't tried it yet, I highly recommend trying to get one of the sample cards on the website. I am hoping now that Space NK are stocking the brand, we will see a Lisa Eldridge counter in Dublin soon as I know that would be such a great resource for anyone who likes to try before they buy. For now, I'll have to live without it. Just a reminder that I also have a blog post where I swatched all of my concealers and foundations beside each other so that it might help you to choose the right shade. You can read it here.
Lisa Eldridge Skin and Makeup Enhancing Mist 125ml, 12m, Made in the UK €45
This is quite a mist heavy empties and I'm starting with my favourite of the four that I finished recently. I bought this on the day it launched last April along with the Skin Enhancing Treatment Cleanser (reviewed here). I've been using it for almost a year so I've really gotten to grips with the formula and what it does for my skin. This is a multi-purpose mist that can be used as part of your skincare routine, to prep the skin for makeup, to settle makeup after application or to refresh your skin throughout the day. It's quite different to the other three mists mentioned below or the likes of the Urban Decay All Nighter which is more of a setting spray although this does set your makeup too. It's formulated with 98% natural-origin ingredients. It contains Filmexel which is also in the Seamless Skin Foundation and the Elevated Glow Highlighter. It restores radiance, smooths and sculpts the skin, prolongs the staying power of makeup and acts as a barrier against free radicals. It also contains Niacinamide which helps to improve skin barrier function and boosts radiance, Aloe Vera Leaf Juice to soothe, refresh and improve the skin's moisture levels as well as a mixture of 8 amino acids. This product is so much more than a mist and it truly does make a difference to the overall appearance of my skin and my makeup. I found it particularly brilliant for the colder Winter months when my skin can be quite dry and sometimes makeup doesn't sit as well. I had a mist that I was using in my skincare routine so I kept this to use when I was wearing makeup. It was ideal for prepping my skin if it was particularly dry or if it had been a while between applying my skincare and starting my makeup. It was also excellent at bringing cohesion to the makeup. If my foundation wasn't looking it's best, if my skin looked a bit dry, if I applied too much powder or if anything looked disjointed in any way. This mist was a miracle worker for bringing everything together and making my skin and makeup look more harmonious. It has a very fine mist and no scent which is very rare to find in a mist as they are usually quite fragranced.
I know it's objectively expensive but if I was to recommend one of the four mists from this round of empties it would 100% be the Skin and Makeup Enhancing Mist. If you look at the price per litre, the Clarins Fix' Make-Up is €30 for 50ml so it would be €75 for 125ml. The YSL Nu Dewy Mist probably would work out the same price as it's only 100ml. If this sounds like your kind of product and your budget allows, I really don't think you would be disappointed. This is one I was truly sad to use up and I hope I can buy it again in the future.
*YSL Beauty Nu Dewy Mist 100ml, 12m, Made in France €33
I've been using this since I got it at a YSL event last year and I've been especially loving it during the Winter months. It is a bi-phase mist like the Pixi Glow Mist mentioned below so you have to shake it up before use. It contains 7% oils, hyaluronic acid and glycerin so it's ideal for anyone with dry skin or anyone who likes extra hydration and a more dewy finish. It has a satisfying ultra-fine mist and a scent that I love. You could use it just as a skincare mist but I loved using it over longwear foundations, if I had powdered too much or if my skin was particularly dry. I didn't use it every day so it's lasted me a long time but I'd recommend it if you have dry skin or if you like a dewy finish to your skin. However, the Pixi Glow Mist below does pretty much the same thing and although it's 20ml less it's significantly less expensive so I'd probably opt for that instead, even though I did love this one.
**Pixi Glow Mist 80ml, 12m, Made in Korea €20
I've bought this product countless times over the years. If you search "Pixi Glow Mist" in the search bar on the blog you will see it's one of my most used products. I've also reviewed it in a previous empties post in 2022. I usually buy the 160ml size bottle as it's only a few Euro more than the 80ml. This is usually the only glowy mist I have in my collection and I would have used it up sooner but I had the Lisa Eldridge one and the YSL Nu Dewy Mist. I would say it's the most similar to the YSL one as they're both bi-phase with an oil layer and they both add glow to the skin. It contains a mixture of oils including rose flower oil, lavender oil, olive oil, grape seed oil, evening primrose oil, jojoba oil, safflower seed oil and tea tree leaf oil. It also contains niacinamide, hyaluronic acid (in the form of sodium hyaluronate), panthenol (a humectant that helps to moisturise the skin) and adenosine (anti-inflammatory, helps to boost collagen and elastin production and helps with barrier repair and protection). The only reason I'm not buying another one straight away is that I have three hydrating mists that I was sent from other brands in my stash and as I mentioned I'm trying to only buy products if I don't have anything similar in my collection. I have no problem whole-heartedly recommending this to anyone who wants some extra hydration or glow to their skin as it's such great value for money and it genuinely works. I will without a doubt be buying it again at some stage in the future.
*Clarins Fix' Make-Up 50ml, 18m, Made in France €30
As you can probably tell if you've read the above reviews, this was my least favourite out of the four mists I used up recently. It wasn't a bad product by any means, I enjoyed using it. I've mentioned it in a previous empties post too. It has the same fine mist as the others and a light rose scent which is quite fresh rather than perfumed. It contains glycerin, rose flower water, grapefruit extract, allantoin (soothes, skin-softening, protecting and healing), aloe leaf juice and camellia leaf extract/ green tea (antioxidant, anti-inflammatory). It's more of a traditional setting mist like the Urban Decay All Nighter but it also refreshes and hydrates the skin. The only reason I would choose the others over this is value for money. It's €30 for 50ml which is the most expensive per litre out of the four and sadly that means I would say the others are better value. This is another case of a product that isn't bad, I just have others I prefer that do the same thing.
*/***Lancôme Monsieur Big Mascara 2ml, 6m, Made in France €8
I know I've reviewed this mascara on my blog before so I'll keep this brief. I still love this mascara, it's up there with my all-time favourites for volume and impact. I first bought it about five years ago and you can see me wearing it here, here, here and here. I also have a video on Instagram where you can see me applying it. Depending on your preferences this may not be the ideal everyday, minimal makeup mascara but it's perfect for when you're wearing more eye makeup and you want your lashes to stand out. I'm sure I will buy this again at some point in the future.
*Lancôme Idôle Liner Ultra Precision Waterproof Liner 1ml, 6m, Made in Germany 01 Glossy Black, 04 Matte Emerald Green €27
I was sent both of these liners as PR samples last year and I was excited to try them because I know they're the result of Lisa Eldridge working as the Global Creative Director for Lancôme. I tend to prefer a thin brush tip liquid liner so I wasn't sure if I would like this product as it has a felt tip. However, the nib is super thin and flexible so it is very easy to create a line. I loved the matte emerald green shade in particular as it was such a nice alternative to black. I wore this with just mascara quite a bit when I wanted something on my eyes that didn't take too much time or effort. You can see me applying the black here and the green here. While I loved these liners, I still prefer the Hindash Heroline or the Surratt Auto-Graphique and I have recently started using the Lisa Eldridge Kitten Flick which has the thinnest brush I've ever tried. The Hindash Heroline is the least expensive so I would probably go for that but I do think this is a great liquid liner.
*Clio Kill Lash Superproof Mascara (02 Volume Curling) 7g, 6m, Made in Korea €12.79
I was sent this in a PR package from Stylevana last November. I didn't know what was being sent but I was delighted when I opened the package and saw this because Alexandra Anele always raves about it in her YouTube videos and I've been dying to try it. There are 8 different types of this mascara including a chocolate brown and a rose brown. This is a no-nonsense, waterproof mascara that holds a curl and lasts all day without flaking and smudging. It has a thin wand that allows you to get right into the inner corners and the lash line so that you can coat every tiny lash fully and get most of the volume at the roots of the lashes. It's such a great waterproof mascara, I don't always wear waterproof but I like to during the Summer because I suffer from hayfever and my eyes water a lot. I have three mascaras open at the moment and a few others in my stash so I don't need a new one at the moment but I will definitely buy this myself in the future and I'd recommend it for anyone with particularly straight lashes because it's so great at lifting and holding a curl. I have a few Instagram videos applying this mascara, you can see one of them here.
The Inkey List Tripeptide Plumping Lip Balm 10ml, 6m, Made in UK €12
I have four lip products to review this time around and three of them were disappointing products that I wouldn't buy again. Sadly this is one of those three. I bought it as I had seen someone recommend it on social media and it was on offer in Boots at the time so I thought it would be worth trying as it's always handy to have a tube of lip balm to keep in my bag. From the first use I didn't like this product. It has an artificial, almost plastic kind of scent that I find quite unpleasant. I also find the product seems to separate in the tube so when I squeeze it at first the thinner oils come out and then the thicker balm part comes out so it's a bit messy. I also find my lips feel more dry after using this. It's not nourishing enough for me and I was very disappointed. I'd much rather go for the Naturium Phyto-Glow Lip Balm (reviewed here) which is almost the same price for the same amount and feels much better on my lips.
NUXE Very Rose Lip Balm 15g, 6m, Made in France €15
This was another lip disaster, it's not technically an empty because I couldn't bring myself to finish it. It's probably 2/3 full. I have bought and used and loved the Rêve de Miel for years, my first mention of it on this blog was 12 years ago! I've bought countless pots of it over the years but I haven't had it in a while because I started using the Laneige Lip Sleeping Mask. I know it's been reformulated since the last time I used it so I don't know how much it has changed but last year I decided to try this rose version as I hadn't had a NUXE lip balm in a while and I figured I'd like it since I loved the Rêve de Miel. I don't know if I got a defective one but the texture of this lip balm is so grainy and uncomfortable. It feels like I brought it to the beach and got sand in the pot. The scent is quite sickly and unpleasant too. I usually quite like rose-scented products but it's a sweet, perfumed rose that is not nice to have on my lips just under my nose all day. I hated applying this lip balm and I got to the point where I had to give up because I was dreading putting it on. I hate wasting a product but I couldn't do it to myself. I don't think I'd buy the Rêve de Miel again now either just in case it has that same texture. I do think it was such great value as a tub usually lasted me for 6 months of daily use but I'll have to do some research before spending my money on it again. If you've had a similar experience, or if you've tried the reformulated Rêve de Miel, please do let me know.
Rhode Peptide Lip Tint 10ml, 12m, Made in Italy €20
This is one of the most hyped products of recent years and it's all down to the brand founder, Hailey Bieber. I can't remember the last time someone was so influential in the beauty world. I know Hailey Bieber as being the "Nepo Baby", daughter of Stephen Baldwin, a model and socialite, married to Justin Bieber and what I would describe as a celebrity Influencer. She could make any product or makeup look go viral and it's truly fascinating to see how she has influenced the beauty industry and social media. Launching her own brand was a genius move and Rhode seems to have gone from strength to strength with products selling out, a viral lip balm holder phone case and rave reviews from Content Creators, Influencers, Makeup Artists and Beauty Journalists. When Rhode started shipping to Ireland last October, I decided to place an order and see for myself what the fuss was all about. The order took a while to arrive and while I was waiting on it I saw a few of the creators that I follow mentioning that their Peptide Lip Treatments and Tints had a grainy consistency. I was hoping that it wouldn't happen to me but sadly both of the Peptide Lip Tints I bought felt grainy. I was able to make this one, Ribbon, work by keeping it in my pocket so that my body heat melted the grains but when I opened Toast it was much worse and trying to warm it up doesn't help it all. It's uncomfortable to wear, it feels like you wore a lip balm to the beach on a windy day and ended up with sandy lips. After paying €20 for each of them I was obviously very disappointed. It was inconvenient to have to preempt wanting to wear the first one and having to keep it in my pocket before applying it but I just can't wear a grainy lip balm, it's not a pleasant experience. When the grains melted in Ribbon it was actually a lovely product that felt nourishing. It wasn't 100% smooth but it looked nice and kept my lips hydrated. I can't recommend them based on my experience. I know people who love these lip products and have never experienced the graininess but I wouldn't risk buying another one and wasting more money. If I receive a reply from their customer service I will update this blog post. If you're looking for something similar and more reliable I loved the Summer Fridays Lip Butter Balm and the Naturium Phyto-Glow Lip Balm.
EDIT: I heard other people say they emailed Rhode and didn't get much of a helpful reply so I didn't bother to email customer service at first but after writing this post I decided to drop them an email. Their customer service team got back to me quite quickly asking for the order details and batch numbers and they then refunded me for the two Peptide Lip Treatments so I'm happy with that. I don't think I'd ever buy from them again though, there are so many brands out there and I wouldn't want to risk something going wrong again.
I first bought one of these when they launched in 2015 and I mentioned it in my 2017 favourites. It has since been reformulated and I reviewed it again which you can read here. Since I've already written a full review I won't go into too much detail except to say that this is one of those holy grail lip products for me. I've been wearing them for 8 years now, I've bought them myself and been sent press samples. It's also probably the product I have bought the most for friends and family as birthday or Christmas gifts because it seems to be a hit with everyone and the shades are so sheer you can't really go wrong. I love everything about them. The packaging, the applicator, the shades, the scent and the texture. It also genuinely makes my lips feel and look better. I used the shade Honey as an overnight lip treatment. The more colourful shades like Apricot, work great when worn alone, over a neutral lip liner or on top of a stain or lipstick for added shine and hydration. It is formulated with 93% naturally derived ingredients including jojoba, hazelnut and organic rosehip star oil to nourish, comfort, strengthen, hydrate, repair and protect the lips. It has a consistency that's thicker than an oil so it adheres to the lips but feels smooth and comfortable. The scent is fruity and sweet and makes you want to apply it over and over again. If you can't tell I love this product. I have two open at the moment that were sent as press samples and a third arrived last week so I'm stocked up for a while but I would have no problem spending my own money on them again. You can see me applying it here.
**Garnier Express 2-in-1 Eye Make-Up Remover 125ml, 6m, Made in Poland, €4.99 X2
This product has been in multiple previous empties posts so once again I'll keep this brief. This is my go-to waterproof eye makeup remover. I usually only use it when I have a waterproof mascara so I'm not using it much at the moment. I tend to stock up when it's on offer for a third off in Boots. It's inexpensive and it removes waterproof eye makeup with ease without irritating my eyes. I'll continue to buy it unless something better and cheaper comes along.
**Then I Met You Living Cleansing Balm 90g, 12m, Made in Korea €43
I've mentioned this in two other empties posts here and here. I haven't had it in a while because it's expensive but last October Cult Beauty released some beauty edits and one of them was a skincare one that included this cleanser and it was only €2 more than the cleanser itself. It also included some other great products so I took the opportunity to have it back in my life because I've really missed it. I won't go into too much detail as I've already written about the brand and the ingredients in those previous empties posts but I still love this cleanser. It's such a joy to use as it has the most beautiful soft balm texture and a citrus scent that feels invigorating. It removes makeup easily and a little goes a long way. This cleanser and the Lisa Eldridge one are my top two cleansers of all time. It is expensive so I only ever buy it when there is 20% off but if you have the budget it's such a gorgeous product.
*YSL Pure Shots Clean Reboot Mousse Cleansing Cream-to-Foam, 125ml, 12m, Made in France €40
I'm not a big fan of mousse/foam cleansers so this cleanser was already at a disadvantage. I prefer a balm, oil or creamy texture. I used this after removing my makeup with a balm and as foaming cleansers go it didn't leave my skin feeling dry which can happen with most foaming cleansers. It's supposed to control excess sebum and cleanse the skin from all urban life impurities like pollution. It has a fresh floral scent too. It wasn't a bad cleanser by any means but it's just not my texture preference and for €40 I would want to love it.
*Lancôme Crème Mousse Confort (Dry Skin) 125ml, 12m, Made in France €36
I've mentioned this in an empties post from last year which you can read here. It's a similar idea to the YSL one above but it's more aimed at dry skin and I find it more comfortable and creamy. I much prefer this one as I like a cleanser that feels more hydrating. It has a fresh rose scent so if you don't like fragrance I would avoid it. I used this after using a balm to remove my makeup and in the morning if I felt my skin needed a cleanse. I liked it but I wouldn't buy it myself as I tend to spend less on a second cleanser.
**Liz Earle Instant Boost Skin Tonic 200ml, 12m, Made in UK €23
I mentioned this in my first empties post from 2022 as I had been using the Instant Boost Skin Tonic Spritzer which has been discontinued. I decided to buy the tonic version which I had years ago and decant it into a spray bottle. I bought it on offer in Boots so it was about 20% off and because it was 200ml it lasted for ages. I use this after cleansing and before serums as I find it calms and comforts my skin and it has the best scent. I have a couple of mists that were sent by other brands so I'll use those up before repurchasing this but I'm hoping they will relaunch the Spritz version as I loved it.
*IT Cosmetics Miracle Water Anti-Aging 3-in-1 Tonic 250ml, 12m, Made in Korea €35
This product has been discontinued which seems to be a common occurence with IT Cosmetics products. I was recently at an event with IT Cosmetics and Brand Ambassador Rose told us that usually when they discontinue something it's so that they can reformulate and make it better. Hopefully that will happen with this product as I found it to be a great multi-use product that works as a micellar water, treatment and essence. There's not much point in me writing a full review but if I hear that it's coming back I will update this post.
**REN Daily AHA Tonic 250ml, 9m, Made in the UK, €34
This is another recurring empty, it's my third bottle since 2022 and I have a fourth open at the moment. The PR team from REN recently contacted me for the first time and sent me another one. I'm delighted as it's one of my most repurchased products and I've been using it for almost ten years now. It's an exfoliating toner containing lactic acid to gently eliminate dead skin cells and excess sebum leaving the skin clarified, hydrated, smooth and more even. This product works really well for my skin and it lasts for ages so it's great value for money. It's probably the product that has been in my skincare routine the most consistently and I can't imagine ever not using it.
***/****Clarins Comfort Scrub 15ml, 18m, Made in France €9.90
My mam got this as a gift with purchase when she was buying her Clarins Cleanser and Toner and she gave it to me because she knows I like it. I had the full size in 2020, she sent it to me as a surprise during lockdown because she had used it and loved it and thought I'd like it too. I usually go for chemical exfoliants but sometimes it's nice to have a physical one. This is an oil-based scrub with sugar microcrystals made from beetroot. It also contains squalane, glycerin, mango butter, sunflower seed oil and rosemary leaf extract. It's recommended that you use it once or twice a week and the full 50ml size is €33. It does last for a long time as you're not using it that often. It has a beautiful sweet scent and it really does feel warming and comforting on my skin. It's great at getting rid of any dry or flaky skin which I can sometimes get around my nose or after a blemish but because of the oils in the formula, it doesn't feel stripping like some physical exfoliants. It's not something I would always have in my routine but I would definitely buy it again.
**Farmacy Honey Potion Renewing Antioxidant Hydration Mask 50g, 12m, Made in the USA €42
This is another product that I have reviewed in a previous empties post. I bought it for the third time in December of 2022 along with the Caudalie mask below. This is an excellent mask for the Winter months as it gives your skin a boost of comfort and hydration. This version seems to be discontinued and there is the Honey Potion Plus Ceramide Hydration Mask now. It's a warming mask with a sticky consistency and a honey scent. You massage it onto the skin for a couple of minutes and it warms up and transforms into a white cream which you then leave on for 10-15 minutes before rinsing off. I find it comforts my skin, gives it a boost of hydration and leaves it feeling replenished. I tend to use this once a week during the colder months so I'll probably wait until next Autumn to buy it again. It also has a magnetic spatula that attaches to the lid, a genius idea! It comes in a 50g size and also in a 117g size.
Caudalie Vinergetic C Instant Detox Mask 75ml, 9m, Made in France €29
I bought this because I like to have a clay mask for my T-zone when it gets particularly oily. I used this once a week or as needed on my T-zone so it lasted me a long time. It contains kaolin and bentonite which absorb excess oil and make pores appear smaller. It also contains grape extract, lavender oil, sandalwood oil, parsley seed oil and glycerin. I hate the word detox used to sell anything but if you want a mask that will remove excess oil it definitely does that. I bought this at 20% off and it lasted me for about a year so I would buy it again but I also wouldn't be opposed to using any other clay mask. It's not a necessity unless you have particularly oily skin and you find these kinds of masks help. It also comes in a 35ml size so that you can try it out before committing to the full size.
Naturium Multi-Peptide Eye Cream 15ml, Made in the USA €21
I bought this along with the Phyto-Glow Lip Balm from Space NK last year as I needed an eye cream to use during the day. I had heard some great things about Naturium and the products are well priced. There was also 20% off at the time so I think it worked out at around €16. I loved this product, I found it worked well at keeping my eye area hydrated but it wasn't too heavy. My makeup sat perfectly on top of it too. I tend to have dry under eyes and can suffer from milia and dry patches sometimes and this eye cream didn't cause me any issues. I use the Medik8 Crystal Retinal Ceramide Eye 3 in the evenings so it was great to have a hydrating eye cream for the daytime. It contains peptides, glycerin, hyaluronic acid, niacinamide, jojoba seed oil, squalane and panthenol. I also love that Naturium has an ingredient library on the website so that you can read about all of the ingredients they use in their products. I have a couple of eye creams I was sent in press drops that I'm using at the moment and once I've used them up I'll be buying this again.
*Lancôme Rénergie H.C.F. Triple Serum 50ml, 12m, Made in France €125
I reviewed this in my second empties in July of 2022 which you can read here. It's since gone up in price (like everything) from €112 to €125. Since I've already reviewed it I'll try to be brief. It contains a cocktail of hyaluronic acid, vitamin C + niacinamide and ferulic acid. This combination is supposed to visibly correct the look of wrinkles, firmness and dark spots. I loved what this serum did for my skin and the only reason I wouldn't buy it myself is that it's not in my budget.
*bareMinerals Ageless 10% Phyto-Retinol* Night Concentrate 30ml, 12m, Made in the USA €66
For a product that I would consider to be expensive, I didn't find this did anything noticeable for my skin. Phyto-Retinol is never going to do what retinol does but it could be a good substitute if you can't use retinol for one reason or another. There are other night serums I prefer, the bareMinerals Skinlongevity Serum worked so much better for my skin. I wouldn't buy this myself.
*L’Oréal Paris Midnight Serum 30ml, 12m, Made in Poland €39.99
This serum contains ingredients like glycerin, squalane, salicylic acid, vitamin E, biotin, hyaluronic acid and black tea ferment (which smooths skin and mproves radiance and texture). It’s a nice serum but I didn’t notice much of a difference in my skin with it. The dropper was particularly annoying because half the time it didn’t lift up any product so I had to try over and over to get anything in the dropper and it was always such a tiny amount. I’ve seen other reviews where people have said the same thing so I know it wasn’t just me. If it was an amazing serum I might still have bought it myself despite the dodgy dropper but seeing as I have others I prefer I wouldn’t buy this myself.
*IT Cosmetics Confidence in a Cream 60ml, 12m, Made in USA, €53
This cream was recently reformulated and this jar was the older formula so I don't know how relevant my thoughts will be but my mam is currently using the new formula and she loves it. I really love the IT Cosmetics skincare line (even though they love to discontinue products). I've been sent products and I've bought them myself which I think is always a good sign. It's quite a good in-between price point that you can often find with 20% off. This would be more of a cold weather moisturiser for me as it's quite thick but I loved using it. I prefer the gel version during the Summer as it's hydrating but lightweight. I don't think you need to spend this much on a moisturiser, I don't think I'd buy this myself as it's a bit too expensive for my budget and I'd prefer to spend on treatments and serums and buy a less expensive moisturiser.
Elemis Pro-Collagen Overnight Matrix Night Cream 30ml, 12m, Made in England, €125
I got this as part of the Cosmetips X Katie Jane Hughes collaboration in 2022. It contained 11 full size products for £115 and this moisturiser was £102 at the time so it was excellent value (if you wanted the products of course). I haven't tried much from Elemis, I think the only other product of theirs that I bought was the Superfood Cleansing Butter. I liked this moisturiser but for €125 it would want to be the best I've ever tried. I could never justify spending that much on a moisturiser that will only last a few months.
*/***Lancôme Rénergie H.P.N. 300 Peptide Cream 15ml, 12m, Made in France X2 €39 (30ml)
I was sent two 15ml sizes of this moisturiser on separate occasions so I decided to use them one after the other to get a good idea of what I thought of it. As the name suggests, it is formulated with over 300 types of peptides along with hyaluronic acid and niacinamide. This combination is supposed to help the skin regenerate faster, reducing the appearance of wrinkles, evening out skin tone and helping with elasticity. All I know is that I loved the results of using this cream, particularly combined with the Rénergie Serum. It comes in 4 different sizes, 15ml, 30ml, 50ml and 75ml and the 75ml is around €125 so it's an expensive moisturiser which is why I wouldn't buy it myself. If you find these particular ingredients work well for you, you could always try the 15ml to see what you think. If you're looking for something similar, Naturium has a Multi-Peptide Moisturizer (I mentioned the eye version above) and it contains peptides, niacinamide and hyaluronic acid and it's €24 for 50ml. I'm not saying you're going to get the same results with both, I know that products could have the exact same ingredients but be formulated completely differently and have different quality ingredients but it's worth a try if like me, you don't have the budget to spend €100 on a moisturiser.
*IT Cosmetics Confidence in a Neck Cream 80ml, 12m, Made in Korea €51
This is yet another IT Cosmetics product that has been discontinued. There's no point in me reviewing something that can't be bought anymore so I'll be brief. I don't think you need a neck cream, you can just bring your facial skincare down further which is what I do. If it's something you would like to use, lots of brands have neck and décolleté creams including Neostrata, Prai, Clarins and L'Occitane, Nécessaire, Dermalogica, Chantecaille, La Mer and StriVectin. I gave the bareMinerals one to my mam last year and she absolutely loved it. However, at the moment it's not a product I would seek to buy again.
**JVN Complete Pre-Wash Scalp Oil 50ml, 12m, Made in the USA €29.50
I've already mentioned this twice before so if you want to read my full thoughts you can do so here and here just so I'm not repeating myself too much. This was my third bottle and I haven't repurchased it yet because I'm using a different scalp treatment at the moment but I definitely will be once I finish my current one. I get my hair cut once a year and I don't spend any money on getting my hair blow dried or getting treatments done. I don't colour my hair at all either so overall my hair routine is quite low maintenance. I'm happy to buy good haircare products that I feel help to maintain the condition of my hair and this is one that really makes a difference.
***Oribe Supershine Moisturizing Cream 50ml, 12m, Made in the USA, €24
I bought the hair version of the Cult Beauty Edit box and this was one of the products that came with it. I've never tried anything from Oribe before so I was excited to try this travel size. It's a lightweight leave-in conditioner that is supposed to even out moisture levels in the hair, calm frizz, elevate shine and protect against heat. I applied it to damp hair and then diffused it dry. I'm always sceptical about hair products because I've tried so many and I've found few that actually make a difference. This product worked so well for my hair. I have fine hair that I would describe as 3A curls and there is a lot of it. It tends to be on the dry side and I would have a lot of frizz. I found this cream moisturised my hair without weighing it down and left it smooth and soft with defined curls. It also smells incredible, not a necessity but it definitely helps. The 50ml size lasted much longer than I thought it would too. The full size is 150ml and it's about €66. I would love to buy this again but it's just too expensive. For now, I'll have to stick to my JVN Air Dry Cream.
***Hair by Sam McKnight Cool Girl Barely There Texture Mist 50ml, Made in the UK, €13.50
I bought this after my hair stylist used it on my hair the last time I got it cut. She was saying that she didn't like the scent and I can understand why, it's quite botanical and leafy, described as smelling like Sam McKnight's garden in the rain. It contains frankincense, juniper wood and water lily, it's definitely a scent that grows on you. I decided to buy this mini size when Cult Beauty had 20% off so it worked out at just under €11. I know this is one of those hyped up products but I found it worked so well. It's probably the most sophisticated texture mist I've ever tried. It's such a fine mist that doesn't feel heavy or sticky in your hair and can be brushed out easily. I was going to buy the full size but I needed a hairspray and I then saw that they have a product called the Modern Hairspray Multi-Task Styling Mist which is a heat protectant, hairspray and texture mist all in one and I've been loving using that. I don't heat style my hair too often so it should last me for a long time but I absolutely would buy the Cool Girl spray again, if you're looking for extra volume and texture, it could be worth trying this mini size. The brand is now available in Arnotts and Brown Thomas if you're based in Dublin and you want to try before you buy.
*L’Oréal Paris Elvive Full Resist Reinforcing Shampoo 250ml, Made in France €9.99
*L’Oréal Paris Elvive Full Resist Break-Proof Conditioner 250ml, 12m, Made in France €8.99
I'm reviewing these products together because I feel the same way about both and I used them together. This is a relatively new product line that is supposed to protect and strengthen your hair to prevent breakage and hair fallout. This line contains aminexil (an ingredient that fights hair loss by strengthening the hair fibers attachment to the scalp), arginine (an amino acid that promotes hair strength) and biotin (promotes hair growth). I found both products worked well for my hair, they didn't weigh it down, it felt clean and moisturised and the scent was nice. I'm not particularly loyal to any one shampoo or conditioner and I tend to go with what I can afford because I prefer to spend a bit on styling products. I'd buy these again because they are quite affordable and I liked using them.
****Clarins Hand and Nail Treatment Cream 100ml, 18m, Made in France, €26
I have written about this product in multiple other empties posts so I'm just going to copy one of those posts because everything I wrote still stands. This is a product I have used on and off for almost 20 years. My mam would buy it and I'd use hers (probably without her knowing) and then I used to buy it myself almost every time I was in the airport. It's one of those products that when you don't have it you don't think you need it but when you start using it again you realise that it's unrivalled in its excellence and it makes a genuine difference to your hands. I was just sent another tube from Clarins and I was so grateful. I probably won't have this product all the time but I will most definitely buy it again and again in the future.
**O’Keefes Working Hands Overnight Intensive Hand Cream 80ml, 24m Made in the USA €13.99
I've reviewed this product before and I'm currently on my third tube. It's a great overnight treatment for dry hands, it does what it claims to do and for that reason and the fact it's a good price, I'll continue to buy it.
L’Occitane Nail & Cuticle Oil 7.5ml, 12m, Made in France €17.50
This is a cuticle oil in a tube with a brush tip that allows you to easily apply it to your nails. It has the L'Occitane shea butter scent and the packaging means it's handy to keep in your bag. However, I repurchased the Essie Apricot Nail & Cuticle Oil instead of buying the L'Occitane one again. It's in a glass nail polish bottle and contains 13.5ml for €12.99. You can get it in a rollerball tube but it's €20.99 for the same amount as the glass bottle. The Essie one in the glass bottle is the best value for money and that's why I wouldn't repurchase the L'Occitane one even though it works well, smells beautiful and comes in convenient packaging.
O.P.I. Start to Finish Base Coat, Top Coat, Nail Strengthener 15ml, 24m, Made in the USA €23.90
This was a handy 3-in-1 nail product. I always do my own nails, I've never had them done professionally so I don't mind buying some good nail products. I'm using another base coat, top coat and nail strengthener at the moment but I might buy this again when I use those up as it would be convenient to have all three in one product and it's more cost-effective.
The totals are as follows:
19 PR Products: €720.76
19 Products bought by me: €561.37
6 Travel/Sample Size
4 Part of a Set
9 Repurchases
13 Products previously emptied and reviewed
Gifts or Gift With Purchase: €173.90
The total is 41 products: €1456.03
I finished these products over the three month period since my last post at the end of December. I've been using some of them for two years or more. As I always mention, the amount of money I spent on those 19 products is much lower as I rarely buy anything full price. I probably didn't spend any more than €400 on the products I bought and I would imagine it was less as some products were part of sets (like the JVN hair product, the Elemis Moisturiser and the Then I Met You Cleansing Balm). If there's anything you'd like to see me try or anything you'd like swatches of, a Reel on or a blog post about, please do send me a DM on Instagram or leave a comment here.
You can also visit my ShopMy profile to see collections of all my favourite beauty products by category. If you've made it this far, I want to thank you for taking the time to read such a lengthy blog post. I love putting these posts together even though they are quite time consuming so the fact that other people might find them helpful makes it so worthwhile. If you enjoyed this blog post or found it helpful and you'd like to support what I do, you can Buy Me A Coffee which helps to fund my work as a Content Creator.
I'd love to know if you've tried any of these products and what you think, does your opinion differ from mine? Are any of them on your wishlist to try?
Emma x
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