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*PR Samples
**Repurchase/ Bought after trying a press sample
***Travel Size/ Mini
****Gift/ Gift with purchase
This is my 13th empties post over the past three years since I started writing this series. If you're not yet subscribed to my YouTube channel I am now also doing a corresponding Empties video so that you can watch or listen instead of reading if that's easier. There will be more details here, as I always add the product quantity, shelf life once opened, country of manufacture and the price. I also mention the amount of PR products versus those I bought myself just to be fully transparent. I apply a one-in, one-out rule to my skincare so that I can accurately evaluate how each product affects my skin. There are 34 products this time so let's get straight into it.
*Maybelline Express Brow Fast Sculpt Mascara Made in Italy €10.99
This is a tinted brow gel and I had the shade medium brown which was a great match for my eyebrows. I liked this enough to use it up however I had the same issue with this as I do with most "drugstore" brow gels, it can be messy to use, especially at first when there's more product in the tube. I find it gets onto the skin around my brows and can make them look muddy. I prefer a pomade texture like that of the Glossier Boy Brow or the Kosas Air Brow. I wouldn't buy this myself for that reason. I'm using another Maybelline tinted brow gel at the moment and once that's used up I'll probably go back to the Kosas one which is my favourite out of all of the tinted brow gels I've tried.
Clio Superproof Brush Liner Kill Brown 0.55ml, 6m, Made in Korea €9.77
This was the first brown liquid liner I've tried. It's waterproof and has a thin brush nib that allows you to create super thin lines. I loved this liner, it lasted so well and the shade was actually brown rather than an off-black. I'm currently using a different brown liquid liner from another Korean brand but I'll probably buy this one again once that's used up as it was such a great product and a nice alternative to black. It's also so inexpensive.
**Missha Magic Cushion Moist Up No. 21 15g, Made in Korea €7.19
I first tried this about 6 years ago when my friend brought it back from Japan for me. At that time there was no way for me to repurchase it so when I made a Stylevana order last year I decided to try it again. The shade isn't 100% perfect but I love the formula so I was delighted to try it again. However, I won't be repurchasing it because the shade range is atrocious. There are literally just two shades. I don't think I've ever seen a base product with only two shade options. I know there are a few Korean brands who have shade extensions which was long overdue so hopefully Missha will follow suit as it's a shame that such few people can use this product. I just received the cushion from Parnell so I'll be reviewing that soon.
***Hourglass Vanish Airbrush Concealer (Crème) 1.3ml, 12m, Made in Korea €20
I bought the mini size of this because I had heard it was a great full coverage concealer. I bought the shade Crème 1.5 which is described as fair with a cool undertone. I'd usually go for a neutral shade but the fair neutral looked too yellow. There are actually 32 shades in this concealer. The distribution isn't great. Hourglass doesn't have the best track record of inclusivity when it comes to shade distribution and particularly deep skin tones. I'm hoping they will add more shades as this is such a great concealer. It's full coverage, weightless and waterproof. I use it to pinpoint conceal as I prefer a medium coverage under my eyes. The full size is €41 for 6ml, the mini size is €20 for 1.3ml. The full size is much better value but I bought the mini because I didn't want to buy the full size without trying it first, it's also a full coverage concealer and because I only use it to pinpoint conceal, it lasts such a long time. I'm using the Lisa Eldridge Pinpoint Concealer at the moment but I would definitely buy this again.
*YSL Beauty Lash Clash Waterproof 8.6ml, 6m, Made in France €35
I had the original, non-waterprof Lash Clash in the dark brown shade last year and I loved it. You can read my review here. I didn't love this one as much because the formula was a bit drier so I found it more difficult to work with, especially with the big brush. I have partially hooded eyes so I tend to prefer a smaller brush or a slightly curved brush as I find it fits my lashes better. I wouldn't buy this again as I preferred the non-waterproof formula and there are other waterproof mascaras I much prefer like the Clio one, the BBIA one and the Urban Decay Perversion waterproof.
*Lisa Eldridge Kitten Lash Mascara (Burnt Umber) 8ml, 6m, Made in Italy €35
I've already reviewed this formula so you can read that here if you'd like more information. This is the Burnt Umber shade in the Kitten Lash formula and it's such a great brown mascara. I haven't tried many brown mascaras but this one is the best I've tried as it's a proper brown with some warmth to it like the Seamless Glide Eye Pencil of the same name. I have an application video which you can watch here and a full review on YouTube. I already knew I loved this formula so it was just a case of testing out the shade. I loved having a true brown mascara in my makeup bag as it's such a nice alternative to black for days when you're not wearing any other eye makeup. I think this shade would be particularly great on anyone with very fair hair, blonde or red. I didn't find it too warm, but it is discernable as brown which I loved. If you're someone who prefers brown mascara I definitely recommend checking this one out. I'm currently on a no-buy so I'm using the products I have and I have a few mascaras to use up before I need to buy another one. It's on the more expensive end so it's not something I would buy all the time but I can absolutely see myself buying this again in the future as I loved wearing it and I love the formula so much too.
**essence Bye Bye Panda Eyes! Mascara 16ml, 6m, Made in Luxembourg €3.49
This is a tubing mascara that I use on my lower lashes. It doesn't flake or smudge like a traditional mascara which is why I like it on my lower lashes. It doesn't have enough volume for my upper lashes but it subtly defines and separates my lower lashes which is just what I want. It's so inexpensive that it's definitely worth trying if you prefer a tubing formula. It's not something I'll always have on the go but if I'm trying out a mascara that smudges or flakes under my eyes I'll buy this again to use instead.
Charlotte Tilbury Airbrush Flawless Setting Spray 100ml, 12m, Made in Germany €38
I bought this at the end of last year thinking if I liked it I'd use it for my wedding makeup. I ran out of it in 4 months as I was using it quite a bit. I ended up being sent another setting spray from Vieve, their Invisiveil Setting Spray that I used on my wedding day instead. I liked this and I think it did what it claims however I didn't find it any better than the Urban Decay All Nighter which I've used for years, or the Vieve one both of which are less expensive. It didn't blow me away enough to spend the extra money on it. I'd buy the All Nighter or Invisiveil before I'd buy this one again. It's not a bad product, I just have other products that are similar and less expensive.
e.l.f. Power Grip Dewy Setting Spray 80ml, 12m, Made in China €12
I bought this to try out as it was significantly less expensive than my usual favourite setting spray, the Urban Decay All Nighter. The sprayer on this seemed faulty to me, it's supposed to be a fine mist but it was frustratingly so, you can to spray it quite a lot to get an adequate amount from the bottle. I just bought the Coconut Dewy Setting Spray version of this and it doesn't have the same issue so perhaps it was just that particular bottle but I won't be taking the risk. I do really like the Coconut one I'm using at the moment though.
*Lancôme Absolue Nurturing Brightening Oil-in-Gel Cleanser 125ml, 6m, Made in France €92
I've reviewed this multiple times already as I have received it in PR drops multiple times over the past few years. I think it's a nice cleanser, it removes all makeup very well and I quite like the gel-oil texture. I don't like the scent, to me it smells a bit like shoe polish. It's not bad enough to stop me from using it but it's just quite strong. It's also unbelievably expensive for a cleanser. It's a nice product but there are cleansers a fraction of the price that I prefer, like the one below which is also 200ml as opposed to 125ml. It's a no-brainer for me.
Skin 1004 Madagascar Centella Light Cleansing Oil 200ml, 12m, Made in Korea €18.20
As the name suggests, this is a lightweight cleansing oil. The brand suggests that it may be best suited to normal/ dry/ sensitive skin. I have combination skin and I think any skin type could use it. I really loved the lighter texture compared to other cleansing oils I've tried. I reviewed the HaruHaru Wonder Cleansing Oil in January and I loved that one too. I actually just repurchased it when I was making a Stylevana SPF order recently. They're quite interchangeable to me, I'd happily buy both of them again. This one has the edge slightly as it has 200ml and the HaruHaru Wonder one has 150ml. They are quite similar prices, both from Korean online stockists and Boots. If you're a fan of cleansing oils, I highly recommend this one.
*REN Clean Skincare Ready Steady Glow Daily AHA Tonic 250ml, 9m, Made in the UK €35
REN just announced that they are shutting down as a brand so there's no point in me reviewing this product.
*Skin Proud Refresher Hydrating Face Mist 90ml, 12m, Made in Taiwan €12.25
While looking for the details of this mist I discovered that Skin Proud appears to have shut down so there's no point in reviewing this product.
**Caudalie Beauty Elixir 30ml, 12m, Made in France €18
This is a product I’ve used on and off for the past 13 years. I think I bought it for the first time in Paris in 2012. It’s one of those love it or hate it products (mainly due to the scent) and I am part of the former group. I adore the scent of this mist, I find it invigorating and uplifting. I’m a big fan of face mists and this is one I will continue to buy now and again as it’s such a nostalgic product and I love using it.
*CALECIM Professional Eye Contour Lifting Cream 15g, 12m, Made in Singapore €173
CALECIM is a brand that is completely new to me. Before they contacted me, I hadn't heard of them. I wanted to read up about the brand before I agreed to try any of their products. I was immediately intrigued when I read about their patented and proprietary ingredient, PTT-6. According to their website, "It is the only skin and hair care ingredient in the world with an unprecedented concentration of growth factors: one milliliter of PTT-6® contains over 3,000 active growth factors and exosomes. This level of potency is only possible with CALECIM®’s unique source of extraction — PTT-6® is derived from ethically sourced stem cells."
They sent me a few products, one of them being the Eye Contour Lifting Cream which contains PTT-6 and is supposed to restore thinning skin around the eyes, strengthens the skin with collagen-activating exosomes (exosomes are messenger cells that signal cell regeneration and rejuvenation in the skin). The cream can be used on the entire eye area to address thin skin, discolouration and puffiness and enhance luminosity. It is also meant to repair, firm and lift the eye contour area.
It’s €173, so I definitely won’t be buying it myself as it’s way out of my budget. It’s probably the best eye cream
I’ve ever used so I’m sad it’s not more affordable but it was interesting to try such a unique brand and if I had the budget to buy it I would.
*Trinny London Plump Up Peptide HA Serum 30ml €91
As the name may suggest, this serum contains ingredients that will hydrate and plump the skin. It has hyaluronic acid as well as advanced peptides to promote collagen and elastin production. I enjoyed using this products and I do think it worked very well for my skin however it's €91 for 30ml and for me that's too expensive. There are other hydrating serums I like that are much less expensive and I don't have the budget to spend €91 on one skincare product that is only 30ml. So while it's a lovely product that works, it's just too expensive for me.
*Dermalogica Multivitamin Power Recovery Cream 50ml, 12m, Made in the USA €106
This is the first Dermalogica product I’ve tried in years and it’s made me a fan all over again. This moisturiser contains an ACE Vitamin complex. It treats and helps prevent signs of stressed skin including the appearance of fine lines, dehydration and dullness. It also contains lactic acid, ceramides and lots of botanical oils like rosemary, jojoba, sunflower, rose and soybean. I absolutely loved using this and what it did for my skin. It’s quite a rich cream so I preferred using it in the evening, especially because it contains retinol. It’s one of those all in one products that does a bit of everything. It’s also 50ml so it makes the €106 price tag sting a little less. This lasted me about 5 months of daily use, I also used it twice a day for about a month. A little bit goes a long way. I have a lot of moisturisers to get through before I need to buy one but if I had the budget I’d have no problem buying this myself as it made a visible difference to my skin.
*REN Evercalm Overnight Recovery Balm 30ml, 9m, in the UK €48
Sadly REN has just officially announced it is shutting down. Therefore there isn’t much point in reviewing this product. In an oversaturated market it’s hard for brands to maintain the attention of consumers. Throughout my 15 years writing about beauty online, REN has consistently been one of my favourite skincare brands so I was disappointed to hear they will be no more. I can imagine they wont be the last brand to close its doors this year.
****Tocobo Cica Calming Sun Serum SPF 50+ PA++++ 50ml, Made in Korea €13.59
I was sent this as a gift with purchase with a Stylevana order last year. They give free gifts depending on what tier you're on and this was such a nice surprise as I'm always up for trying out another Korean sunscreen. This is a chemical sunscreen that contains ingredients to reduce inflammation and hydrate the skin. It has a green tint so it might be a good one for people who have redness. It has a light texture and aborbs easily, it also has a light fresh scent but I know that won't be for everyone. While I liked this product, I still prefer the Beauty of Joseon, the Skin 1004 and the HaruHaru Wonder sunscreens.
**Beauty of Joseon Relief : Rice + Probiotics SPF 50+ PA++++ 50ml, 12m, Made in Korea €18.99
I think this is my third tube of this sunscreen and I've just placed an order for the Aqua-Fresh version as it's supposed to be more lightweight and better suited to oily/combination skin. I thought it would be a good one for the warmer months as I like to wear lighter textures during the Summer. I still love this sunscreen after two years of using it. As I mentioned above, this one, the Skin 1004 and the HaruHaru Wonder are my favourites that I've tried so far. It has a light creamy texture, it absorbs quickly, works well under makeup and doesn't sting my eyes. I tend to go for whichever of my three favourites is the least expensive. I'm excited to try the Aqua-Fresh formula and compare them. This is one of those skincare products that 100% lived up to the hype for me and I'll defintely buy it again. You can get this in Boots now, however as always it's a better price from Stylevana and YesStyle if you don't mind waiting a few weeks for it to ship from Korea.
**Aveeno Clarify & Shine Shampoo X 2 300ml, 18m, Made in Greece €9.49
This is another product that I was recommended in a TikTok video. It's a pH balanced, gentle shampoo that clarifies the hair and soothes the scalp. I use it once a week depending on whether I have product build up. I've found it's worked really well to thoroughly cleanse my hair without leaving it feeling stripped. I don't colour my hair so I don't know how this would work on coloured hair but I think it would be gentle enough for anyone to use as it contains colloidal oats. I've gone though two of these and I went to repurchase it the other day but accidentally bought the conditioner so I'll be buying the shampoo again the next time I'm in Boots.
*CurlyCo Curly Defining Shampoo 250ml, 6m, Made in the UK €18.99
*CurlyCo Curly Defining Conditioner 250ml, 6m, Made in the UK €18.99
This is an Irish brand and these were the first products I tried from them. I was sent a set that included the shampoo, conditoner, a mask, scrunchie and claw clip. The shampoo is meant to gently cleanse, detangle and strengthen your hair while the conditioner will smooth and deeply moisturise the hair. I really loved using both of these products. They have a fresh citrus scent that I don't think I've ever had from a hair product before and I much prefer to those overly perfumed scents. They worked really well for my hair and I'd definitely buy the shampoo again but I prefer the mask as a conditioner. I don't wash my hair too often as it's quite dry, usually twice per week and I like to use a mask instead of conditioner one a week. It's great to see an Irish brand that specialises in curly hair products and I'd happily spend my own money on them as I found they really worked for my hair.
L’Oréal Paris Elvive Dream Lengths Heat Slayer Iron Spray 150ml, 12m, Made in France €8.49
I was looking for an inexpensive heat protectant and this one did the job. It's supposed to keep your hair sleek and frizz free while protecting it from heat styling and I would say it did just that. I don't heat style my hair that often, maybe twice a month so these kinds of products tend to last me a long time. I just bought one from a different brand as it was on offer and I know I like it but I'd happily buy this one again.
Kérastase Paris Fresh Affair Refreshing Dry Shampoo 233ml, Made in the USA €39
I tried this on a whim because I'd heard good things about it but I should never have strayed from my tried and true Living Proof Dry Shampoo. I didn't buy it full price but it's still more expensive than the Living Proof one, I wasn't mad about the scent and it just didn't work as well as the Living Proof one. I'll definitely be buying the Living Proof one again as I've never found anything better than it.
Dr. Organic Aloe Vera Gel (With Tea Tree) 200ml, 12m, Made in the UK €10.99
My sister recommended this to me as we both have very sensitive skin on our legs. I use it after hair removal as the aloe vera and tea tree are very soothing, I also love the scent of Tea Tree so that's a bonus. I just repurchased this as well as the Tea Tree Body Lotion from Holland & Barrett as they usually have a buy one get one half price deal. It lasts for ages because I only use it on my legs just after hair removal which I do once a week because I use an epilator. I'll continue to buy this as I find it work so well to soothe my sensitive skin.
**Palmers Cocoa Butter Formula Body Oil 250ml, 24m, Made in the USA €7.49
I've been using this for probably 20 years now on and off. As I mentioned I have very dry and sensitive skin on my legs and I find this product great for applying just after I get out of the shower while my skin is still damp as it locks in the moisture. I don't always have this on hand and I just bought the Dr. Organic Tea Tree Body Lotion so I won't repurchase this for now but I defintely will in the future as it's an inexpensive product that works.
*Remedy Science Remedy for Body Bumps 162ml, 12m, Made in the USA €30.95
I reviewed this product in my December 2024 empties and it was in my 2024 skincare favourites YouTube video too. I don't want to repeat myself so I'll insert the review from December instead as it all still stands. Remedy is a relatively new skincare brand founded by Dr. Muneeb Shah, a board-certified dermatologist and co-founder of the Doctorly YouTube channel. I’ve watched the channel for years so when I was contacted by the brand I was delighted to get the opportunity to try out the products. They sent me three products and one of them was the Remedy for Body Bumps.
It contains urea, retinol, ceramides and lactic acid. This blend of ingredients is supposed to alleviate KP, texture and redness, gently moisturise and exfoliate and promote a healthy skin barrier. I have very dry skin on my body, particularly my arms and legs and I have always had KP (Keratosis Pilaris). I've never found anything that made a huge differnce until I tried this product. I didn't completely get rid of it but it made a big difference to the look and texture of my skin. I would love to see them making a bigger size of this body moisturiser because I was applying it consistently every day, I went through it quite quickly (well more quickly than I usually go through a body moisturiser). The brand is US based and therefore it’s going to be more expensive to get the products here in the EU. I can definitely see them being stocked somewhere like Space NK in the future and that would obviously cut down on shipping costs for anyone based outside of the US. I loved what this did for my skin but the shipping and customs costs are a big drawback to purchasing this myself. I’ll have to have my fingers crossed that the brand does well and gets an EU based stockist soon!
Eucerin Urea Repair 10% Urea Intensive Moisturising Lotion 400ml, 12m, Made in Poland €21.50
As I mentioned above, this product was recommended in a video I watched about products to help with KP. I have KP and quite dry skin on my arms and legs so I wanted to try this in combination with glycolic acid to see if it helped. Like I said about the glycolic acid above, it didn't totally get rid of the KP and dry skin but it 100% reduced both significantly and that's probably all I can really hope for at this stage. I will definitely buy this again when the other peoducts I'm using are finished as I found this great value for money as it's a huge bottle and it really does keep my skin hydrated.
**Nursem Caring Hand Cream X 2 300ml, 12m, Made in the UK x2 €25.99
I've been using this product on and off for three years now and these two are my third and fourth bottle of it. The brand was developed by a nurse who ended up having to take time off work because of cracked and bleeding hands due to the handwashing assiociated with her job. She spent seven years, along with her husband trying to create natural effective skincare that would work for people suffering with the same issues. For every product you buy they give a month's worth of free Nursem to a nurse or midwife. The thing I like about it is that it's so easily absorbed, there's no residue left on your hands and you can use them straight away. It's also great if your hands are very dry and cracked and it doesn't irritate them further. The only issue I had was the pump bottle, while handy (no pun intended) you end up with product at the end of the bottle that the pump can’t reach so you have to turn it upside down which is awkward. In future I'll just buy the tubes as I find them easier to completely empty. I love pump bottles but I always have this issue with the last bits of product in a bottle especially when it comes to a moisturiser. I highly recommend this product if you suffer with dry hands and you dislike applying hand cream during the day because of the residue it leaves behind.
**O’Keefe’s Working Hands Overnight Intensive Hand Balm 80ml, 24m, Made in the USA €14
This is another hand cream I've reviewed multiple times. I was recommeded this by someone on Instagram when I asked about hand creams to help my dermatitis during the p*nd*m*c. I was washing my hands constantly in work and they were so dry, flaky and sore. I bought a different hand cream at the time but I kept this one in the back of my mind and finally tried it maybe three years ago. I've repurchased it again and again since then and will continue to do so as my hands have been great since I started using this one every night. I like the original one too but I think the overnight balm works that bit better and i prefer the Nursem one for during the day.
The totals are as follows:
13 PR Products: €707.17
20 Products bought by me: €331.97
1 Travel/Sample Size
8 Repurchases
1 Gifts or Gift With Purchase: €13.59
The total is 34 products: €1052.73
I finished these products over the three month period since my last post at the end of March. As I always mention, the amount of money I spent on those 20 products is much lower as I rarely buy anything full price. I probably didn't spend any more than €250 on the products I bought. 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
