AD/PRESS DROP/AFFILIATE
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*PR Samples
**Repurchase/ Bought after trying a press sample
***Travel Size/ Mini
****Gift/ Gift with purchase
This is my 14th 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. I also wanted to add that I have never had any facial treatments at all including botox, fillers etc. There are 42 products this time so let's get straight into it.
*Trinny London BFF Cream Skin Perfector SPF 30 30ml, 12m, Made in Italy €50
This is a product that is meant to be worn either as a first step in your makeup routine or worn alone for sheer coverage. It contains microencapsulated pigments that are supposed to blend perfectly with your skin tone and tone down the appearance of redness. It has SPF 30 for protection and porcelain flower, an antioxidant that enhances the skins glow. The brand recommends using 2 pumps and they say it should last 10-12 weeks of every day use when using this amount. I’d heard really good things about this product before I received it as a press sample, so my expectations were high. I can totally understand why people rave about this product. It really does give your skin the most beautiful luminous appearance and evens out your skin tone. There are just 5 shades which I would usually scoff at but as it has such sheer coverage, each of the shades will work for many skin tones either side. I was sent the lightest shade and it worked perfectly for my very fair skin tone. I can see how this kind of product would be ideal for people who want to combine several steps in their routine or people who prefer very sheer coverage. It also makes for a beautiful prep step for anything that follows as foundation applies beautifully over it.
If I was using this as my sole sun protection I would need to use more than two pumps for adequate protection. Therefore I would get through it much quicker than 10-12 weeks. As it’s €50 for 30ml of product that could end up being quite expensive. The only way I’d feel comfortable using a product like this is on top of my SPF, otherwise I would go through it too quickly. Most of my sunscreens are 50ml-60ml therefore using a 30 ml size SPF product isn’t going to last me very long and at that price point I couldn’t justify it. It really does give my skin such a beautiful radiant finish and I loved wearing it alone and under foundation. It’s quite a unique product and I can completely understand why people love it. Like I said my biggest issue is the amount of product for the price and if you’re using it as your main SPF you’ll need more than 2 pumps (depending on the size of your face). I loved using this product and I think it will be a dream product for a lot of people but I couldn’t justify purchasing it myself as an SPF, it makes more sense to me as a makeup primer or sheer coverage base product. I wouldn’t use it as my primary sun protection. I was very sad to use this up as I truly loved it but I’d probably only consider buying it myself if it was a 50ml size.
Iconic London Underglow Blurring Primer 27ml, 12m, Made in Italy €30
This is the primer I used on my wedding day so I think that says it all! I learned about this product from makeup artist Lila Childs via her TikTok videos. She used it so much that I became so curious and decided to buy it at the beginning of the year. I wanted to see if it could be a replacement for my previous favourite primer, the YSL Touche Éclat Blur Primer (which is €44). I like a primer that is hydrating, luminous or blurring depending on the area of my face. I have combination skin and my t-zone tends to get oiler throughout the day which makes my pores become more visible. I like a blurring primer that gives my t-zone a soft focus appearance so it looks a bit more smooth. My foundation always applied beautifully over it and it improved the look of my skin with foundation on so that’s always a good thing. I have a few primers on the go at the moment but I will definitely repurchase this one. It’s replaced the YSL one and it’s a third less expensive.
*Vieve Invisiveil Setting Spray 100ml, 6m, Made in Italy €33
I was sent this at the beginning of the year and when I finished the Charlotte Tilbury Airbrush Flawless Setting Spray I opened this one. As it happens it was the setting spray I used for my wedding makeup. I probably would have gone with the Urban Decay All Nighter if I had to buy one but I was more than happy to use this as I found it did the same as both the Urban Decay (which has since been reformulated) and the Charlotte Tilbury. It is described as an ultra lightweight, hydrating setting spray that preps, sets and refreshes and locks makeup into place for 16 hours. It’s supposed to preserve the original look of your makeup preventing fading, melting and transferring. It’s also alcohol free. It’s worth noting it also has a light scent which is the same neroli scent as their Skin Nova product. For my wedding makeup I used the Lisa Eldridge Seamless Skin Foundation which has excellent longevity on my skin but for a special occasion I’ll always use a setting spray to prolong the look of my makeup. It was 19 degrees on our wedding day and my face tends to get quite sweaty when I’m nervous or just when it’s warm and I thought my makeup held up exceptionally well at the end of the day. I was so impressed by this setting spray and I preferred it to the Charlotte Tilbury one. It’s also cheaper than the other two so that’s another pro. It has a fine mist that sprays easily, you don’t have to push the sprayer too hard (which I’ve had with other setting sprays). It comes in two sizes, 100ml and a 35ml travel size if you wanted to try it before committing to the full size. I’ll definitely buy this one again.
Tirtir Mask Fit Make Up Fixer 80ml, 12m, Made in Korea €15
This is described as a lightweight, water-based formula that absorbs quickly and locks makeup for 24 hours. The formula is also powder-infused so it absorbs excess oil and sebum and leaves the skin with a fresh, matte finish. It’s long-wearing, blurring effect, water, smudge, touch, sweat and transfer proof. It worked so well at keeping my makeup intact, particularly during hot Summer months when I was sweating a lot. It’s definitely more suited to combination/oily skin. It could be too mattifying for dry skin as it does have that powder-infused formula. It doesn’t have a discernible scent and I prefer the Vieve sprayer to this one but that’s a small detail. This is one I’d buy again specifically to use during the Summer months as it was great for warm weather. It’s also a great price, it’s €15 but can be bought cheaper from websites like Stylevana and YesStyle. It’s quite accessible in Europe now as it’s stocked in Boots and Superdrug. Definitely worth trying if you have oily/combination skin and you don’t want to spend double the price with brands like Urban Decay, Charlotte Tilbury and Vieve. I’ll absolutely be buying this one again.
NYX Professional Makeup Lift & Snatch! Brow Tint Pen (Ash Brown) 1ml, 6m, Made in South Korea €13.95
This worked better for me than the Glossier Brow Flick which is the only other brown pen I’ve tried. It’s a great shade match and if you store it upside down and make sure the cap is closed properly it should last for a good while. I still prefer a micro brow pencil, like the one below but there are times when I like the look of a brow pen so I will definitely buy this one again.
**NYX Professional Makeup Micro Brow Pencil (Ash Brown) 0.09g, 12m, Made in South Korea €12
I’ve had several of these pencils now and I still love it. It’s a very thin diameter but it’s quite affordable and the shade works really well. There are 12 shades which is one of the best brow pencil shade ranges on the market. I like that the pencil isn't too soft so you can achieve good definition. I'm using a different brow pencil at the moment but I'm sure I will buy this one again in the future.
**Soap and Glory Archery Brow Pencil (Dark Brown) 0.1g, 12m, Made in Korea €12.99
This is very similar to the NYX Micro Brow and I’ve had several of both over the years but having used them one after the other I think the NYX one is a better formula and shade for me. This one has a slightly softer formula and I prefer something a bit more stiff as I find it holds its shape better. It also has just 3 shades compared to 12 from NYX. So I don’t think I’ll buy this one again.
*Maybelline Tattoo Brow Styling Gel (Soft Brown) 6ml, 6m, Made in Italy €17.95
I haven't yet found a drugstore brow gel that I like better than the Kosas one. I prefer a thicker pomade texture and this one was too much of a liquid to work well enough for me. I found it got onto the skin around my eyebrows too easily and would make my brows look muddy. I recently repurchased the Kosas Air Brow in Medium Brown when Space NK had a 20% off discount as no tinted brow gel has surpassed it for me yet.
Maybelline Lash Sensational Sky High Mascara Waterproof 6ml, 6m, Made in Italy €15
This was my wedding mascara. I was planning on ordering a K-Beauty one like the Clio Kill Lash or buying the Urban Decay Perversion Waterproof which are two of my favourite waterproof mascaras but I didn’t place an order in time and so I decided to just buy the waterproof version of a drugstore mascara I know I liked. I bawled pretty much the whole way through our ceremony and it didn’t budge so what more could you want. I probably won’t buy it again because I really love the Clio Kill Lash and it’s less expensive although the shipping takes a while. It did exactly what I needed it to do and you can’t really go too far wrong with a Maybelline mascara.
*Lisa Eldridge Kitten Lash Mascara (Black) 8ml, 6m, Made in Italy €35
I’ve already reviewed this mascara in great detail in a previous empties post and I stand by what I wrote after using a second tube so I’ll add that review here.
This is probably the best mascara I've ever used. I don't say that lightly because mascara is one of those beauty items that seems to be so difficult to get right because everyone wants different things. It made my lashes defined, lengthened and fanned-out. The slightly curved, tapered brush ensured that every tiny little lash was coated and it made my lashes look lifted and fluttery. It works well without a lash curler and even better with one as it holds the curl really well. It performs almost like a tubing mascara as it doesn't flake and it's long-wearing but not waterproof. When you apply a second or third coat it adds more volume but without clumping resulting in dramatic, wide eyes. I've never used a mascara that layers so well. It's usually all or nothing and it's hard to do both. That makes it incredibly versatile and a mascara that will work for so many different preferences. I used this mascara for almost 6 months and it didn't really start to dry out until about 5 months of us. I was using it a lot even though I had other mascaras open in my collection. The formula remained the same the whole time until it was nearing the 6 month mark. This is something else that rarely happens. I usually get a maximum of 3/4 months from mascara and they usually start to dry out or give a subpar performance after about 2 months. I was so impressed with how long it lasted. I think most people can agree that €35 is a high-end or luxury price for a mascara but given how long it lasted and its versatility, I think it's well worth the money. I have lots of application videos of this on my Instagram if you'd like to see it in use. I was so sad when I had to give in and retire this tube but it's definitely going to be my treat mascara in the future. I know it's difficult to test a mascara before buying but Lisa Elridge has once again completely nailed a new category of makeup for her brand!
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*Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer Potion Original 10ml, 6m, Made in the USA €26
This is one of my most repurchased makeup products of all time. This one happens to be a press sample but I’m rarely without it. My preference is for the anti-aging one as I find it’s a bit more forgiving on my eyelids. I just recently bought a different eye primer to test out as I wanted to see if it was better. I haven’t been using it long enough to say and it’s more expensive than this one so it would have to be really great for me to completely switch over. I’m sure I’ll buy this one again once I’ve finished the one I’m using.
Colorgram Re-Forming Contour Stick (02 Cool Tone) 1.3g, 24m, Made in Korea €12.71
This is another product I’ll definitely repurchase as I found it was a great shade for my fair skin and a lovely creamy and easy to blend formula. It has a thinner stick than the likes of the Fenty Beauty contour stick but I don’t mind that because I usually apply it to the back of my hand and then work it into a brush before applying it to my face. It’s double ended with one side having a small dense brush. I didn’t use this at all because it was too dense and hard to blend adequately. The cap of the brush kept coming off too so I ended up just keeping it off. The biggest negative to this product is that there are only three shades, a warm, cool and neutral but they’re all better suited to fair/light skin tones. They definitely wouldn’t work on medium/deep skin tones and there are other brands with much better shade ranges. I would buy it again because the shade worked really well for my skin tone but it’s definitely not going to work on everyone which is a pity because it’s a great formula and price.
*Kiss Magnetic Eyeliner and Lash Kit (Lure) 3m €20.95
I used this set of lashes a few times before I retired them. They were easier to apply than I expected, however they’re only really suitable for when you’re planning on wearing a dark liner as part of your eye look as the magnetic liner is black. I usually applied some dark black shadow on top to softly blend out the magnetic liner. I’m not the biggest fan of strip lashes as I find they can feel uncomfortable and look a bit too intense. The thing that was handy about these is that you can move them around a bit because of the magnetic liner as opposed to lash glue. I’m more of an individual lashes person but if you like strip lashes I would recommend these ones.
**Garnier Micellar Cleansing Oil Infused Water All-in-One 400ml, 6m, Made in Poland €12
I used this as a waterproof eye makeup remover and I need to repurchase it as I’m completely out of any waterproof remover. There's not much else to say about it except that it's formulated for people with sensitive eyes so I find it to be very gentle and it doesn't sting my eyes at all. I prefer it to the one below as it’s 400ml and it’s practically the same thing.
**Garnier Express 2 in 1 Eye Makeup Remover 125ml, 6m, Made in Poland €6.49
I’ve repurchased this time and time again. I bought this small size to bring with me to remove my waterproof mascara from my wedding makeup otherwise I would have just bought the above product again. The 400ml bi-phase remover is better value so I’ll be repurchasing that one instead.
Heimish All Clean Balm 120ml, Made in Korea €17.35
This is one of those viral K-Beauty skincare products. It’s a great cleansing balm, it removes everything without leaving your skin feeling dry or tight. It also has a little spatula in the lid so you can scoop it out in a more hygienic way. While I still love Cleansing Balms, I think I slightly prefer a cleansing oil because they have a pump and there’s usually more product in the bottle. For that reason I probably won’t repurchase this one, I’ll get the Skin 1004 or HaruHaru Wonder cleansing oils instead.
**Caudalie Beauty Elixir 30ml, 12m, Made in France €18
I love this product and I’ve used it for years. For me it’s more of a sensorial experience than a product that totally transforms my skin. It’s quite expensive for the size so for now I’ll be sticking with the HaruHaru Wonder Bamboo Mist which is much better value. I’ll always love this product, mostly for the scent and I’m sure I’ll pick it up again at some stage in the future.
*Axis-Y Artichoke Intensive Skin Barrier Ampoule 30ml, Made in Korea €28
I was sent this serum from Stylevana along with some other skincare products earlier this year and I loved it! I used it day and night until it was used up. The artichoke extract is an antioxidant that strengthens the skin barrier and prevents moisture loss. It also contains Centella asiatica, licorice root and aloe which are supposed to help visible signs of irritation and dullness. It helps to improve your skins natural ability to protect, heal and stay calm and gives your skin deep hydration without heaviness or pore congestion. It’s an ideal serum for anyone who has sensitive or irritated skin as it’s very gentle. The texture is lightweight so it pairs well with any moisturiser that you apply on top. It's such a lovely serum and a great price point. I have a good few serums to use up before I need one but I’d happily spend my own money on this one. Axis-Y is now also available in Sephora UK, Beauty Bay and Pure Seoul as well as Stylevana and YesStyle.
*Lancôme Advanced Génifique Youth Activating Concentrate 50ml, 12m, Made in France €110
I've been sent PR samples of this product a few times over the years. It contains Beta Glucan-CM technology which helps to visibly reverse signs of skin damage, strengthen the skin barrier and restore a youthful glow. It also contains hyaluronic acid, licorice root extract and pre and probiotic fractions. The results should be an improvement in the overall quality of the skin, instant soothing and long lasting hydration, a reduction in the look of redness and fine lines as well as smoothness, evenness and luminosity. It's a serum that's really supposed to improve the overall look of your skin. While I think this serum is excellent and really does work, it's not in my budget so I've never purchased it myself. If you have the budget for it and you're looking for a product that will help with a bit of everything, this is a great option. The only negative for me, apart from, the price is that the dropper is a bit tricky to use, you have to position it a certain way to get enough product in the pipette for an application. Perhaps it was just this bottle as I can't remember it being an issue before but it's just something to be aware of if you are thinking about purchasing this product.
*Lancôme Rénergie H.C.F. Triple Serum 50ml, 12m, Made in France €127
This was my third bottle of this serum, I’ve written a review here if you’d like to read more but I think you’ll already know that I won’t be buying this myself. While I think it’s a lovely serum and it does make a difference to my skin, I could get a whole skincare routine for the price of this one product so it’s just completely out of my budget.
***/****Illyoon Ceramide Ato Concentrate Cream 30ml, 12m, Made in Korea €5
I had never heard of this brand until my sister introduced me to it. She’s been on the K-Beauty journey with me and we usually alternate ordering from either Stylevana or YesStyle together. She is big into researching products and had read about this one so decided to order it. She got a free small 30ml size and gave it to me to try out. This is a cream designed to deeply hydrate, soothe and repair the skin barrier. It’s particularly ideal for anyone with dry, sensitive skin or those dealing with eczema, rosacea or a compromised skin barrier. It contains ceramides, fatty acids, panthenol and Centella asiatica. The results should be deep hydration, barrier repair and soothed skin. It’s also fragrance free.
This is such a great moisturiser. Even though I had a smaller size it was enough to properly test it out. I primarily used this in the evening as it has quite a rich texture, but it absorbs easily and doesn’t sit on your skin like some moisturisers can. It was great for when I was using retinoids and wanted to really soothe my skin. It comes in a few different sizes so you could get a smaller size to test it out. I’ll definitely buy a bigger size of this the next time I’m placing a K-Beauty order.
*La Roche-Posay Anthelios UV Air 50+ 40ml, 12m, Made in France €29
I'll begin by saying that for the past few years I've been using mostly Korean sunscreens and I can't see myself going back to buying non-Korean sunscreens for the foreseeable future. I was sent this to try out as it's the latest addition to the Anthelios range, one that I have historically liked. This was a lovely sunscreen with a lotion texture and a light powdery scent. It did its job of protecting my skin against the sun. I just prefer the overall experience of a Korean sunscreen. They're so gentle, mostly fragrance free, lightweight but hydrating and more affordable. There's nothing wrong with this one but I just have others I prefer and they're more affordable.
Beauty of Joseon Relief Sun Aqua Fresh Rice + B5 SPF 50+ PA++++ 50ml, 12m, Made in Korea €18.99
If you've read these posts for a while you might have seen me mention the Beauty of Joseon Relief Sun a few times. It's one of my favourite sunscreens and I feel it's completely worth the hype. So when I saw they had a new version I decided I'd try it the next time I was making a K-Beauty order. I got quite a good deal on this from Stylevana, it was almost half the price it is in Boots. I loved this formula, it's a lighter texture than the original, but it feels just as hydrating. It was the ideal texture to use during the Summer months. It has a couple of different ingredients to the original one, mainly rice seed water and panthenol. It was formulated for combination/oily skin whereas the original one is for all skin types. They also have a stick and a serum version which I havent't tried yet. I think I preferred this to the OG, particularly for the Summer months. I may stick to the OG for Winter but I do think this is really ideal for anyone who prefers a lighter texture. If you have combination/oily skin I highly recommend trying this out. A definite repurchase!
*Remedy Science Remedy for Dry Lips All-in-One Lip Treatment 10ml, 12m, Made in the USA €17.95
This is such a great staple lip treatment. If you have dry, cracked lips, it's the ideal product to repair and protect your lips and get them back to normal. The formula contains ceramides, squalane, peptides, shea butter, dimethicone and petrolatum. It's described as a three-in-one peptide treatment, hydrating mask and sealing ointment. It's comfortable and smooth, it doesn't feel too heavy or sticky and it doesn't have any fragrance. I was sent this at the end of last year and the only reason I didn't use it up sooner is I had lots of other lip balms so I saved this one for when my lips were particularly dry or irritated. It's the ideal all in one lip balm that does everything your lips could need. They do two and four packs and you can also sign up to a subscription to save money. The only thing that prevents me from purchasing this myself is that Remedy ships from the US so if you're ordering to Europe you'll have to pay shipping and customs which is going to bring the price up quite a bit. As I mentioned in previous reviews of their other products I've tried, I hope that they will be stocked on a European based website in the future so that it doesn't cost as much to buy their products because I really think it's such an excellent, results driven brand.
CNP Laboratory Propolis Lipcerin 15ml, Made in Korea €12
I used this as an overnight lip mask in lieu of the Laneige Lip Sleeping Mask when I ran out of it. It contains propolis and honey extract, glycerin, fruit extracts, squalane, vitamin E, shea butter, ceramides and exfoliating ingredients. If you liked the sound of the Remedy Lip Balm but it's out of your budget, this is a great alternative. It's available from YesStyle, Stylevana and Olive Young. It's also a great price and it's 15ml so in terms of value, it's hard to beat. It comes in a pot that you click and the product comes up from a hole in the centre. It's quite a thick texture and feels very nourishing. I preferred it overnight because of the thicker texture so I personally wouldn't use it to prep for makeup because of the texture. It's quite interchangeable with the Laneige Lip Sleeping Mask for me as they do the same thing for my lips. I probably prefer the scent and texture of the Laneige and it's also 20ml but I'd happily buy either of them. The CNP is probably a bit more nourishing so it might be better suited to the colder months when I really want to slather my lips in lip balm before bed. I'd happily buy this product again.
**ZIIP Electric Complex Conductive Gel 80ml, 12m, Made in the USA €39.99
There’s not much to say about this product, it’s necessary in order to use my ZIIP
Halo microcurrent and nanocurrent device. I stocked up on two of these during their Black Friday sale last year so I saved a good bit and I’ll probably do the same this year and the two I bought lasted me for ages. I tried a different brand that was cheaper and it just didn’t work so I won't stray from the ZIIP ones again.
The Ordinary Glycolic Acid 7% Exfoliating Toner 240ml, 12m, Made in Canada €13.90
I bought this for my body rather than my face. I saw it being recommended for use on your body before applying a urea-based moisturiser as a way of helping to reduce Keratosis Polaris. I got this chemical exfoliant and the Eucerin body moisturiser and used them on my arms and legs to help with the texture. You can buy products that have both ingredient such as the one below but I found the combination of these products worked well at reducing my KP and improving the texture of my dry skin. I'll definitely buy this again for use on my body as it's quite a good price and lasted for ages too.
****Dermasence Seborra Skin Clarifying Body Lotion 200ml, Made in Germany €28
This was a gift from my friend Jessica. We've chatted through DMs for years and she's always been such a big supporter of my content which means the world to me. She very kindly and generously sent me a care package before my wedding which included this product. Jessica lives in Germany and this is a German brand that she recommended after seeing my review of the Remedy Body Moisturiser. The formula contains 10% glycolic acid and urea so it's ideal for anyone with dry, flaky skin or KP. I found it made my skin feel smooth and hydrated and significantly lessened the appearance of my KP. Sadly it's not available to buy in Ireland or online so I can't get another one at the moment. If I can find a stockist that ships to Ireland I'll definitely order another tube of this as it really worked.
**O’Keefes Working Hands Hand Cream 80ml, 24m, Made in the USA €11
I've mentioned this product before so I won't repeat myself but I do prefer the Overnight Balm version of this product as it's better as a night hand treatment. I probably won't buy this one again, I'll stick to the overnight one instead.
****Davines Momo Shampoo 250ml, 12m, Made in Italy €25
****Davines Momo Conditioner 250ml, 12m, Made in Italy €25
I'll review these as a pair since that's how I used them. I actually won this set in a competition on the Davines Instagram page. It was such a generous prize with lots of products from B Corp certified businesses. There was jewellery, coffee, chocolate, skincare and then of course some Davines products. I was already a big fan of the brand but I had only tried their curly hair products. This particular formula is for dry and dehydrated hair and the gel texture gently cleanses hair while giving strong hydration. The conditioner is a very lightweight texture with a moisturising formula that is designed to untangle the hair, hydrating it and leaving it soft and silky. I loved using these products, firstly they smell amazing. Secondly, I love how light yet hydrating they feel. While I loved these products and the results from them, they're a bit out of my budget at the moment so I won't be repurchasing them. I would probably buy their curly hair products again if I did have the budget. I highly recommend this brand though.
**Aveeno Apple Cider Vinegar Blend Shampoo 300ml, 18m, Made in Greece €9.49
I've already reviewed this shampoo so I'll be brief. I love using this once a week to cleanse my hair of any product build up. It leaves my hair feeling and looking clean without feeling dry or stripped. I'm on my third bottle of this now and I'll keep buying it as it works for my hair and it's very affordable.
*Curly Co Curly Conditioning Mask 200ml, 6m, Made in the UK €22.99
This mask is formulated to deeply condition medium to thick curls. The formula contains orange oil which conditions and strengthens the hair, sweet almond oil to smooth the hair and hydrate the scalp and glyceryl stearate to lock in moisture and prevent dehydration and damage. I used this once a week to give my hair some deep conditioning. As my hair is curly, it can be quite dry so I find it benefits from hair masks. This one smells amazing, like oranges, it leaves my hair feeling smooth and hyrated and looking its best and I think the price point is great considering it's a 200ml size. It lasted me a long time because I only used it once a week. I'm using a different curly hair mask at the moment and it's just not as good as this one so I'll defintely be repurchasing this once I finish the one I'm currently using. It's also an Irish brand which is always great to be able to support.
Arkive by Adam Reed The Good Calmer Cushioning Moisture Cream 180ml, 12m, Made in China €17.99
This was another TikTok recommendation and I've since bought multiple products from this brand. This product is meant to provide deep hydration, protection and smooth and calm the hair for a frizz-free finish. The main ingredients are Baobab protein and oil which increase the strength and elasticity of the hair, add moisture, shine and calm frizz. Sunflower extract which prevents water loss and softens the hair and vitamin E to hydrate. Firstly, it smells incredible, Arkive has four different scents for their products which are now available as perfumes and the scent for this product is called No One Elsie which smells like rhubarb and custard. It's so fresh and I adore having my hair smell like it. I liked this product but I don't think it was hydrating enough for my hair type. My hair needs a lot of hydration and I think the JVN Air Dry Cream works better for me. If you're hair isn't as dry as mine this might be the ideal product for you but I just don't think it was strong enough for me.
**Living Proof Perfect Hair Day Dry Shampoo 198ml, 24m, Made in the USA €29
I've reviewed this before and I said I'd never stray from it again, well reader, unfortunately I didn't listen to myself and I have since bought from a different brand. While not terrible, it's not as good as the Living Proof Dry Shampoo and I think I need to just learn to not try any other dry shampoos. This one works the best out of all of the dry shampoos I've ever tried (and I've tried a lot). I haven't found anything that is as good or better than this one so I'll definitely buy it the next time I need a dry shampoo.
*L'Oréal Paris Elnett Satin 200ml, Made in France €8.49
This is one of those products that brings me back to a very specific time in my life. It's not a product I would buy anymore because I'm not a fan of the scent even though it's quite nostalgic. Elnett is a strong hairspray and it really does work. However I don't have many occasions to need my hair to stay in place. I tend to prefer a hairspray that's not as hardcore. My favourite one is the Sam McKnight Modern Hairpray which is a three in one product, it smells amazing and it leaves my hair soft while still giving it hold. I'm using a hairspray from a different brand at the moment and I wouldn't buy Elnett again because it's not the type of hairspray I need on the rare occasion I do need a hairspray.
Kure Bazaar Paris Nail Polish (Java) 10ml, 24m, Made in France €18
Kure Bazaar Paris Nail Polish (Platinum) 10ml, 24m, Made in France €18
I'll review these two shades together as they're from the same brand. I first heard about Kure Bazaar when Lisa Eldridge mentioned them in one of her videos years ago. She has worn their shades in a lot of her videos and I was curious to try the brand. A couple of years ago I decided to buy one of their Box to Compose sets where you can choose three shades and get a discount. I chose Java, a bright warm red, Platinum, a metallic silver and Parisienne, a deep burgundy. I used up Java and Platinum but I still have some of Parisienne left. I absolutely loved both of these shades and I was so sad to finish them. Java is the perfect bright red, it's ideal for Summer or if you're going on holiday. Platinum is a shade you can wear any time and it's cemented my love of silver nails. I've since bought another silver from Essie but I love Platinum so much. I'd happily buy these shades again because I do my own nails so I don't have the expense of paying to have them done. I like to buy a new nail polish shade from time to time. The only negative for me was that the brush is smaller than the Essie one. I tend to prefer a bigger brush as I have a larger nail bed so it makes the applciation that much easier but it's not a dealbreaker. I definitely want to try more shades from this brand as they have such a beautiful selection.
**Sally Hansen Insta-Dri Top Coat 13.3ml, 24m, Made in the USA €8.99
I've been buying this product on and off for over ten years now and I've already replaced this one. If like me, you do your own nails at home, this is such a great product to have on hand. I've tried a few of this type of product from various brands over the years, but in my experience, this one is the best and a great price point too. I usually do my nails in the evening after my daughter is in bed but I like to use this top coat anyway because I'm the worst for smudging my nails so the quicker they dry, the better. This product is a forever repurchase for me.
Discontinued products
Zoya Nail Polish (Kaede) 15ml, 24m, Made in the USA €16.95 (discontinued)
Catrice Galactic Glow Translucent Effect Nail Lacquer (Night-Time Stargazing) 8ml, 24m, Made in Italy €3.95 (discontinued)
ASP Signature Power Stay Nail Polish (Cosmopolitan) 9ml, 24m, Made in the USA £11.99
The totals are as follows:
13 PR Products: €526.33
25 Products bought by me: €395.73
1 Travel/Sample Size
10 Repurchases
4 Gifts or Gift With Purchase: €83
The total is 42 products: €1005.06
I finished these products over the three month period since my last post at the end of June. As I always mention, the amount of money I spent on those 25 products is much lower as I rarely buy anything full price. I probably didn't spend any more than €300 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
