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*PR Samples
**Repurchase/ Bought after trying a press sample
***Travel Size/ Mini
****Gift/ Gift with purchase
This is my 15th 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 36 products this time so let's get straight into it.
**Aveeno Apple Cider Vinegar Shampoo x2 300ml, 28m, Made in Greece €9.49
Aveeno Apple Cider Vinegar Conditioner 300ml, 18m, Made in Greece €9.49
I've reviewed this shampoo in a previous empties so I'll be brief. We went through two bottles of this since my last empties post in September because Simon has started using this too. It's a pH balanced shampoo that is supposed to gently clarify congested hair and enhance/boost/restore vibrancy and shine while helping the scalp to stay balanced. It's suitable for all hair types and it's clinically proven to soothe the scalp and also improves the appearance of a dry, flaky scalp. I also bought the conditioner this time and I found both products to work very well on my hair. I use a pre-wash treatment and the shampoo cleanses my hair without stripping it and the conditioner is lightweight but still moisturising. I've already repurchased both of these as I find them to be great, affordable products for my hair.
*KIKO Milano Haircare by Rossano Ferretti Spiral Shine Hair Cleansing Balm 200ml, 12m, Made in Italy €18.99
This was sent to me as a press sample along with some other products from the collaboration. This range was developed with Italian Hairstylist, Rossano Ferreti. I was unaware of his work before I received these products but apparently he's a well known celebrity hairstylist. This product was developed to shampoo curly hair. I've used these kinds of products before and it can be slightly disconcerting the first time you use them as they don't lather like a normal shampoo. It's more like a conditioner-shampoo hybrid. I tend to like cleansing conditioners as they're more hydrating than usual shampoo which works well on my curly/dry hair. I liked this product, I didn't love it. It worked well, the scent was quite perfumed but not overbearing. As far as I know this range is limited edition so I won't be buying it myself. There are other cleansing conditiners I've used that I prefer and aren't too far off this price so I'd rather spend my money on those products.
Garnier Method for Curls Mask 370ml, 12m €13
This is a relatively new range and I bought this product as well as a couple of others from the range when I saw they had an introductory offer in Boots. I bought this mask to use in lieu of a conditioner as I find they tend to be more hydrating than most conditioners. It contains a hyaluronic acid complex and shea butter. I liked this product and I'd buy it again because it's quite an affordable price and it worked well for my hair.
A'Pieu Raspberry Hair Vinegar 200ml, 12m, Made in Korea €14.79
I’ve never used a product like this before. It has the texture of water but it’s supposed to balance your scalp if it’s too oily or too dry. You apply it after shampoo as an extra way to cleanse your scalp, it also contains ingredients to nourish your hair. I thought this might be stripping and drying on my hair but it wasn’t at all. It was great for when I had more product build up than usual or just felt like my scalp needed some TLC. I have the JVN Pre-Wash Scalp Oil at the moment but I would definitely repurchase this as it’s a great product at such an affordable price and I’m always looking for products to improve my scalp health.
**/***JVN Hair Complete Instant Recovery Serum 25ml, 12m €14
I’ve reviewed this product multiple times, it’s a repairing and protecting style primer. It repairs and strengthens the hair, gives heat protection, balances porosity to prime the hair for other styling products. I really love this product, even though it’s a cream texture, it’s very lightweight so it hydrates my hair without weighing it down. I like that it does a few things for my hair in one product. I find it works really well with the Air Dry Cream. I have lots of other styling products so I don’t need to repurchase this at the moment but I will in the future.
**Umberto Giannini Curl Whip Curl Activating Mousse 200ml, Made in the UK €12
I've bought this product multiple times over the years and it works really well on my hair. The problem I had this time was that the nozzle broke when I was about 2/3 of the way through it and so I had to finish it by half spraying out watery mousse. I decided to try a different curl mousse when I finished this one but I would probably still buy this one again as I like what it does for my hair and it's quite inexpensive.
****Haruharu Wonder Centella Sunflower Makeup-Melting Cleansing Balm 100g, 12m, Made in Korea €17.50
I’ve tried a few K-Beauty Cleansing Balms now and I’ve liked all of them, this was no different. I got it as a free gift with purchase. It’s another lovely cleansing balm that feels gentle, hydrating and removes makeup very well. I tend to prefer a cleansing oil as I like the pump, it’s not as messy as having to scoop out a cleansing balm. They also tend to have more product in the bottle compared to a cleansing balm so I feel like I’m getting more for my money. If you like cleansing balms, this is a nice one.
**Haruharu Wonder Black Rice Moisture Deep Cleansing Oil 150ml, 12m, Made in Korea €18
I prefer this to the cleansing balm above. They’re both very gentle and easily remove makeup but as I mentioned I like the pump and I feel like this lasts longer than a cleansing balm as there’s 150mls compared to 100g. This one is also unscented which I know will be great for anyone sensitive to fragrance. I’m currently using this again as I was sent it by the brand and I bought a cleansing oil from another K-Beauty brand as a backup. I loved this one and I’d happily buy it again.
***/****Haruharu Wonder Black Rice Hyaluronic Toner 30ml, 6m, Made in Korea €5.99
I got this as a free gift with purchase but it was a good size that allowed me to properly test the product and form a reasonable opinion on it. I don’t think I’d buy the full size because I have other similar products I prefer and other products that include hyaluronic acid.
Beauty of Joseon Ground Rice and Honey Glow Mask 150ml, 12m, Made in Korea €20
I like this mask but I don’t know if I’d buy it again because for me, masks are a bonus product that I don’t necessarily need in my routine. I’m quite bad at remembering to use masks so I don’t know if I get the benefit from them. It’s supposed to brighten, soothe, hydrate and gently exfoliate in one step. It also contains kaolin clay to help reduce excess sebum. I liked using it but I also have skincare products with ingredients that do the same thing this mask claims to do so it’s not something I really need.
*Lancôme Clarifique Double Essence 250ml, 12m, Made in France €150
I don't think this size is available anymore, there is a 150ml size for €75 which is absolutely bonkers money for an essence. I’m not even going to get into the ingredients because I don’t think this product is worth that hefty price tag. The 250ml bottle did last for ages but it’s still not worth it to me. I preferred using the Beauty of Joseon Ginseng Water Essence.
*Remedy Science Remedy for Aging 30ml, 12m, Made in the USA €41.95
*Purito Seoul Wonder Relief Centella Daily Sun Lotion 60ml, 12m, Made in Korea €14.70
I was sent this product by Yes Style earlier this year and I wasn't sure how I felt about it at first but the more I used it the more I loved it. The formula is developed for sensitive skin with ingredients like centella asiatica, glycerin, hyaluronic acid, niacinamide and panthenol. It's lightweight, fast absorbing and has no artificial fragrance. I think any skin type could use this sunscreen but it would be particularly great for those with sensitive skin. I also love that it is a 60ml size instead of the usual 50ml so it feels like you're getting a bit more for your money. I'd happily repurchase this product.
Beauty of Joseon Relief Sun Aqua-Fresh Rice + B5 SPF 50+ PA++++ 50ml, 12m, Made in Korea €18
I bought this to trry as I love the original Beauty of Joseon sunscreen and this one is formulated for oily/combination skin. It has a lighter texture to the original. It has rice seed water to gently nourish the skin, panthenol to enhance skin moisture barrier, colloidal oatmeal, ceramides, glycerin, hyaluronic acid and ferulic acid. It has a light texture that I loved for the warmer months and it layered well with my other skincare products and didn't interfere with my makeup application. I loved this and I would defintiely buy this again as I prefer it to the original formula now particularly for the warmer months.
*Auric Plush Ritual Recovery Ceramide Lip Treatment 8ml, Made in the USA $33/€28
I’m so torn about this product because I really love it but it’s expensive for how quickly I went through it. I bought the original tinted Plush Ritual shortly after it was first released and I reviewed it in an empties (read the review here). I wrote about how I loved it but it’s expensive for the amount you get and you have to add in shipping and customs as it ships from the US. This is such a beautiful lip balm formula. It feels amazing, as the name suggests it's a plush, cushiony feel that immediately makes my lips feel better. I love the packaging with the metal applicator as it's quite cooling and calming. The formula contains premium olive oils for instant hydration, french white lupin which helps to stimulate the synthesis of collagen and ceramides to help with elasticty and reduce the appearance of wrinkles. It's also fragrance free which is great for anyone with sensitive skin as most lip balms nowadays have some kind of fragrance. I loved using this lip balm just as I did with the tinted one that I bought a few years ago. If Auric had an EU stockist I would definitely buy it again because it really works so well for my lips. The US based shipping means that the price almost doubles between the customs and shipping charges so it ends up being quite expensive and for an 8ml lip balm I can't justify it. I'm hoping that they will have a European based stockist in the future as it would make the brand accessible to much more people. They are also stocked on Beautylish which is also US based but I think it works out cheaper overall if you did want to order Auric products.
*Remedy Science Remedy for Pimples 36 Patches, Made in Korea €10
I was sent these by the brand and I don't have much to say as most pimple patches are pretty much the same thing. I won't buy these ones again because Remedy ships from the US and therefore the shipping and customs would make this product cost so much more. However I think they're actually priced quite well considering other pimple patches on the market. I usually buy mine when I'm making an order from a K-Beauty website as they work out at a much more inexpensive price.
Some by Mi Micro Pin Spot Patch 9 Patches, 24m, Made in Korea €12
I wanted to try these as I'd only every tried the basic hydrocolloid patches. They have micro pins coated in ingredients including salicylic acid, niacinamide, hyaluronic acid, tea tree and centella. I find these ones particularly great for any of those spots that are sore, red and like a little lump under the skin. Those are always the hardest to get rid of and take the longest to heal. As soon as I feel anything I put one of these on overnight and usually by morning the spot is flat and not as sore. I find they just speed up the process of getting rid of those kinds of spots which is a win for me. I'll definitely buy a couple of packs of these the next time I'm placing a K-Beauty order.
*ZIIP Clear Gel 80ml, 12m, Made in China €59.99
There’s not much to say about this as it’s a conductive gel I use with my ZIIP Halo so it’s a necessity. I’ve mentioned before that I’ve tried other conductive gels that didn’t work as well. I wouldn’t buy this one as it would end up being quite expensive and the original gel does pretty much the same job for me and it’s much less expensive.
*Prequel Urea Advanced Relief 10% Urea Moisturising Milk 400ml, Made in the USA $22/€18.50
Prequel is a brand that I tried for the first time this year and I've been really enjoying thier products so far. I want to preface this review by telling you that sadly that do not yet ship internationally so I can't purchase this product again. I wanted to review it anyway as I know people from all around the world read my blog and follow my social media so I wanted to share my thoughts for those of you in the US who can order this brand as I think it's a great, affordable skincare brand. Like Remedy, Prequel is founded by a Dermatologist and they focus on clinically proven ingredients that work for all skin types. This moisturiser is for both face and body and it contains 10% urea, niacinamide, shea butter and glycerin. It's supposed to help to soften, smooth and moisturise as well as improve dry, rough and flaky skin and uneven texture. It's also fragrance free and suitable for eczema prone skin. I love that it comes in a big 400ml pump bottle as that always encourages me to use a body moisturiser more frequently. I was sick in November and I ended up getting a post viral rash that was incredibly itchy. My doctor told me to keep my skin hydrated and I found this product really helped to soothe my itchy skin. The hydration also lasts to the next day which is great for someone like me with very dry skin on my body. I'd love to buy this one myself as I love the formula, results, packaging and price but unfortunately at the moment I can't order from Ireland. If you're looking for a similar product and you're not US based, the Eucerin Urea Repair body moisturiser is very similar so I'll have to go back to that one for now.
**Neutrogena Intense Repair Cica Hand Cream 100ml, 12m, France €9.99
I use this hand cream before going to bed as I find it works well overnight to really nourish and repair my hands. It's very gentle and feels almost like a balm. I've bought this multiple time before and will continue to do so as it's not expensive and works really well on my dry skin. It contains 45% glycerin and soothing panthenol so it's just a great hand cream for anyone who has very dry and itchy hands.
Replica by Maison Margiela Autumn Vibes EDT 100ml
Autumn Vibes is described as a woody and spicy unisex scent. It features top notes of pink peppercorn, cardamom essence and coriander essence. Heart notes of carrot seed essence, nutmeg essence and olibanum and Base notes of cedar wood, moss accord, labdanum resinoid and fir balsam. I would describe it as the feeling of walking through a forest on a crisp Autumn day where the trees are half bare, the sun is peaking through the trees and the ground is carpeted with rusty coloured leaves. There's a faint smell of pine needles and you've got a warm drink and a fresh cardamom bun in hand for a stroll with someone who smells amazing. I don't know if that makes sense but that's what it smells like to me. I guess Maison Margiela are doing something right because their scents are designed to evoke specific memories or feelings and that's exactly what they do. I was sent this by the brand and I used it over the space of the past two Autumn/Winters as it's a fragrance that makes the most sense to me during the colder months of the year. If you're a fan of By the Fireplace, Jazz Club or Whispers in the Library I think you would like this one. I'm a big fan of By the Fireplace and I would probably chose that over Autumn Vibes but I do really love this too. I'm so sad it's all used up.
Judydoll Curling Iron Mascara (02 Brown) 6m, Made in China €8.18
I bought this mostly because I was curious about the wand which instead of a brush has little indents that you comb through your lashes. I just didn’t get on with this mascara, I found it difficult to separate my lashes and to build volume and length. My lashes always ended up going in the opposite direction and because of the long wearing formula I couldn’t move them so they looked messy. I know lots of people love this mascara but it just didn’t work for my preferences.
*Lancôme Lash Idôle Flutter Extension Mascara 8.5ml, 6m, Made in France €34
I was sent this as a press sample earlier in the year and I was excited to try it as I tend to really love most Lancôme mascaras. As you can imagine from the name this mascara has a very fluttery lash effect that gives length and slightly fans out at the ends. I liked this one but I didn't love it. Lash Idôle and Monsieur Big are still my two favourite Lancôme mascaras so I'd buy one of those again instead as I love the look of both of those mascaras.
Essence I Love Extreme Crazy Volume Mascara 12ml, 6m, Made in Italy €3.75
I bought two Essence mascaras a while ago when I needed to stock up and I wanted a brown and a black. I don't like spending too much on mascaras as they tend to dry up after 2/3 months so I have quite a high turnover of them in my collection. I bought this one and the one below. I definitely preferred this one as it was more volumising and lengthening. It was easy to remove and smudged a bit but no more than any other macara I've tried. It's very difficult to beat the price of this one as it's probably the most inexpensive mascara I've ever tried but it's up there with some that are almost ten times the price. I'd absolutely buy this one again.
Essence Lash Princess False Lash Effect Mascara (Black/ Brown) 12ml, 6m, Made in Luxembourg €4.19
As I mentioned above I boought both of these mascaras together and I was so impressed with both formulas. This one is more of an everyday, minimal makeup mascara. The shade was a dark brown that made it work well when I wasn't wearing much eye makeup. It gives a more fluttery effect than the one above. I would happily buy both again but I think I preferred the I Love Extreme one slightly more because of the volumising effect. I don't think you can go wrong with either of these mascaras as the prices are unbeatable.
Unleashia Shaper Pomade Eyebrow Fixer (Clear) Made in Korea €8.99
I bought this product because my sister recommended it to me and because it looks very similar to the REFY Brow Sculpt which I had a few years ago so of course I was curious to see how they compare. From what I can remember of the Brow Sculpt, they are very similar products. They both have a white coloured formula that turns clear once you apply it and it sets. They also both have excellent hold and a brush under the lid that allows you to further shape your brows or give that laminated effect if you so desire. I would definitely buy the Unleashia Shaper Pomade as an alternative to the REFY Brow Sculpt as I found they did pretty much the exact same thing for my brows and the Unleashia one is half the price.
WBCo. Prep Mist Refill Coconut Facial Spray 100ml, Made in the UK €21.50
West Barn Co. are sadly discontinuing their SoapBrows (I’m devastated!) so I’m assuming they will also be discontinuing this product therefore I won’t say much about it except it’s such a pity they’ve had to discontinue the Soap Brows, it’s such a great product but I can understand that it’s not the most profitable product because it lasts for such a long time. It’s a product I’ll really miss.
e.l.f. Camo Liquid Bronzer & Contour (Fair) 4ml, 12m, Made in China €10.50
I quite liked this product as the shade was a great cool toned sculpting shade and the liquid formula, although quite pigmented was easy to blend. You only needed a small amount of it. I liked it but it wasn't a love and I wouldn't rush out to buy it again. Overall I preferred my Colorgram Re-Forming Contour Stick so next time I am buying a sculpting product I'll repurchase the Colorgram one instead. If you have pale cool skin, this could be a good option if you don't want to spend too much money.
bareMinerals Gen Nude Blonzer (Kiss of Pink) 3.8g, 12m, Made in Canada €32
If I remember correctly I bought this in 2021 so it's been knocking around my makeup collection for over 4 years now. I probably could have finished this a long time ago as there hasn't been much left for over a year. I used this blush so much during the first year or two that I had it as it was the only powder formula in a long time that I actually liked on my skin. It's such a beautiful sheer to medium coverage, luminous finish formula that almost blurs the skin and looks so flattering on larger pores and texture. There are only 5 shades and they all seem to skew warm toned. I think this shade is slightly warmer than I'd like but because it's sheer I can get away with it. They did release more shades after the original launch and one of them was called Kiss of Mauve and I'd like to try that but sadly there are no bareMinerals concessions in Dublin anymore. I have so many amazing powder blushes now that I don't need to buy another one any time soon. I really love the formula though so if you're in the market for a blush that's easy to apply, these one are worth checking out.
*Laura Mercier Translucent Loose Setting Powder 29g, 12m, Made in the USA €45
I don't like reviewing powders because I find them to be such boring makeup products. I went back to check and I was sent this in August of 2021, literally the week before my daughter was born! I don't think I opened it until 2022 so I'd say it's been on the go for about three years. I've used other powders on and off in that time but I always came back to this one. I know it has cult status and I can understand why, it's a great setting powder. I'm more of a loose powder person myself and even though this product is pricey, it lasts such a long time you absolutely get your money's worth from it. I was recently given the travel size from my friend and I don't think I'd ever buy the full size one again as the travel size would last for ages. It lightly sets without looking like you're wearing powder which I much prefer as pressed powders tend to look too powdery on me. When I eventually finish the other one I have, I will more than likely buy it again.
e.l.f. Dewy Coconut Setting Mist 80ml, 12m, Made in China €13
This was another product that didn't do much for me. I liked it but I didn't love it and I'd rather spend a bit more money and get a setting spray I really love. It also has a coconut scent which may be offputting so some people.
*Violette_FR Yeux Paint (Scarabée d'Or) 3g, 12m, Made in the USA €37
This is one of the most beautiful eyeshadows I’ve ever tried. It’s such a unique shade and formula and I adore it! I’ve worn Scarabée d’Or many ways, as a liner, all over my eyelids blended out and as an opaque graphic shape. It’s such a versatile formula and a shade that I haven’t yet duplicated. I’ll be doing a no-buy for the first 6 months of 2026 so I may treat myself to this after that’s finished.
Half Magic Chromaddiction Matte (Sky Juice) 5.3ml, 12m, Made in the USA $26.50/€22.50
This is another liquid eye product that is one of my favourites of all time. I love the formula and have a few other shades of Chromaddiction Mattes but for me it’s the shade that really makes this product such a favourite. It’s the perfect periwinkle blue and wearing it just makes me happy. It’s great on its own or as a base for shimmers and glitters. I’ve worn it so much, there are many many looks on my social media using this shade and as soon as Half Magic have a new EU stockist, I will be buying a new one.
*Lisa Eldridge Kitten Flick Liquid Eyeliner 6m, 0.46ml, Made in Italy €30
I was sent this product last year and it only just started to run out. It’s the most ideal brush size, a teeny tiny brush tip that makes creating a flick easier than ever before. The only other liquid liner that rivals it for me is the Hindash Heroline. I’m not sure if it’s supposed to be waterproof but it’s very long-wearing and smudge-proof which is great for anyone with watery eyes like me. The thin nib and flexible brush means it’s so much easier for me to do a flick, as I get older and my eyes become more hooded it’s harder to do a sharp winged liner but this product makes it so much easier. I’m just waiting for her to bring this out in a brown shade as I’ve bought a few from K-Beauty brands and I love how a brown liquid liner looks. I have a couple of other liquid liners at the moment but the next time I’m in the market for one I’ll absolutely buy this one.
The totals are as follows:
13 PR Products: €632.13
21 Products bought by me: €284.86
2 Travel/Sample Size
6 Repurchases
2 Gifts or Gift With Purchase: €23.49
The total is 36 products: €941.48
I finished these products over the three month period since my last post at the end of September. As I always mention, the amount of money I spent on those 21 products is much lower as I rarely buy anything full price. I probably didn't spend any more than €200 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.
Emma x
