I don’t know what happened during September because this is the biggest haul of monthly empties I think I’ve ever had! Not that I’m mad or anything, I’m super happy that I am actually using up some of my huge makeup and skincare collection so hopefully I will continue to power through my products during October as well.

Skincare

Valjean Labs Facial Mist – Clarify

I really liked this facial mist. It’s not created as a setting spray however that’s how I used it mostly. It sprayed out such a fine mist that it was perfect for settling any powders I’d applied without leaving a shiny layer on my skin. The smell was very light and refreshing and if I only applied a light layer then it wouldn’t react badly on my oily skin as many other setting sprays can. The bottle was also a lovely frosted glass so it looked pretty on my counter.

Would I buy again? Yes.

Benzac AC Gel 5%

I’ve always struggled with my oily, temperamental skin. I often have small breakouts somewhere on my face and this product was the latest in the line of my attempts to quell those breakouts. Unfortunately I can’t say I noticed any change in my skin caused by applying this cream. None of my breakouts ever reduced enough for me to visibly notice a change after using this product so I am glad that I have finally finished it.

Would I buy again? No.

Origins GinZing™ Refreshing Eye Cream to Brighten and Depuff

I received this eye cream as a small, free sample from Mecca and it’s lasted me throughout the past month using it morning and night. As for how it performs I can’t really comment as it’s not aimed for reducing any eye area issues that I have. The formula was nice and light, it sank in quickly and wasn’t tacky or sticking in my fine lines. It also didn’t irritate my eyes at all so that was good. I can’t say I noticed any brightening effects as it claims nor did it depuff my eyes as my eyes aren’t ever puffy.

Would I buy again? No.

The Ordinary 100% Organic Cold-Pressed Rose Hip Seed Oil

Another bottle of this finished. I must have been using this facial oil for around 2 years now and I think my skin has finally tired of it. I say this because over the last few months I have noticed my skin becoming increasingly more oily and no matter how I changed my skincare routine it only improved after I finished this facial oil and didn’t start using another. I think I’ll give my skin a break from this and then I would be interested in going back to it maybe in 6 months and seeing how I go. Because I really have enjoyed this facial oil for my oily skin. It has a light formula that actually reduced my oil production when I first started using it, I think my skin has just gotten used to it’s effect by now and so it’s not as potent anymore.

Would I buy again? In the future

Advanced Snail 92 All In One Cream

I’ve yet to find my ideal night cream so this is probably the tenth different brand I’ve gone through and it’s still not the one for me. I’d also never tried any snail skincare before so this product intrigued me enough to give it a go. The formula was very slimy and stringy, to the point where it became messy upon application. It was fairly light in its consistency however I had to pat it into my skin for it to sink in, otherwise the sliminess of it would just sit on my face. It was also not strong enough for me to use it as my night moisturiser, I would end up layering a couple other serums on this for some extra moisture boost.

Would I buy again? No.

Essentials Vitamin E Hand Cream

I’ve used this hand cream before and it’s even featured in a previous empties post where I said I wouldn’t buy it again but when I was having a recent cleanout I found another of these stashed away in one of my handbags! So I went through the process of using it up all over again. To restate my thoughts on this hand cream, the formula is almost mattifying which is odd for hand cream and it’s moisturising effects don’t seem to last that long.

Would I buy again? No.

Dr Ceuracle Royal Vita Propolis 33 Ampoule Sample

I am currently working through a lot of samples looking for a new night serum/oil and this has been one of my favourites. The formula of this was not too thin or thick, sank in quickly and left my skin moisturised and plump. There was no oily shine just glowing skin, I was thinking about buying a full size but I see the brand has changed this products name recently and I don’t know if they changed the formula too. I’ll wait a little while and see what the reviews are for the new version.

Would I buy again? Maybe

Benton Snail Bee Ultimate Serum

I received a sample packet of this serum and have been using it over the past few nights. Similarly to the Snail 92 Cream above, the texture of this was slimy and thin although it seemed to sink into my skin better than the Snail 92 Cream. However, even so, it’s just a bit messy of a texture and not my favourite feeling for a serum. I can’t say I noticed any of the complexion-boosting benefits aside from looking a little extra glowy.

Would I buy again? No.

DU’IT Tough Hand Intensive Skin Repair

Another hand cream come and gone. This product is definitely aimed at men with it’s very masculine packaging however it’s a hand cream so it’s universal anyway. The formula of this is like a smooth, thick gel. It sinks in well and doesn’t leave a tacky feeling on the skin. It also left my hands feeling very smooth and soft. It claims to repair very dry, cracked and irritated hands which wasn’t quite how bad mine were however I did use it all throughout winter and definitely noticed my hands were much less irritated than normal.

Would I buy again? Yes.

Makeup

Fyrinnae Highlighter: In the Spotlight

I’ve talked about this highlighter before and I described it as the highlighter I reach for when I’m wearing an all matte look. The reason for this is because this is one of the softest, least blinding highlighters I’ve ever worn. Unfortunately I didn’t buy this highlighter so that it would perform very lightly and fade quickly so it has been a disappointment in terms of being a highlighter. In the end I mixed this product with my RCMA setting powder to create a slightly glowy loose powder that I used to set my face when I was going for a glossy look and that is how I finished it off.

Would I buy again? No.

Innisfree Skinny waterproof microcara

This was an unexpectedly great little mascara. The tiny size of this wand made it perfect for applying mascara very precisely to the roots of my lashes and my lower lashes. It also had tiny fibres in the formula which volumized my lashes nicely. The only downside I found was that the formula went dry very quickly. Whether this was from the small size of the tube or maybe I got an already old product however it didn’t last me through even six months which is short for how my mascaras normally go.

Would I buy again? Maybe

Physicians Formula Eye Booster 2-in-1 Lash Boosting Eyeliner

Due to my very hooded and round eyes I don’t often wear liquid eyeliner so this is currently the only tube I’ve ever bought. So I can’t speak from previous experience with these but this eyeliner also dried out very quickly. I think I must have gotten and old product from the beginning because this formula was dry and patchy from the start, to the point where it looked more grey than black.

Would I buy again? No.

Makeup Revolution Conceal & Define Concealer

I’ll admit I was dragging this concealer out for the last few months because I really didn’t want to see it go. This has featured in my monthly favourites before because it’s been my favourite concealer that I’ve ever tried. The formula was very high coverage and the range of shades is good for my skin and undertone. The applicator was nice, it picks up a lot of product and the formula blends out well and doesn’t crease. I will miss this concealer.

Would I buy again? Yes

Oxx Gloss

Another Oxx gloss down! This 10 pack is seriously lasting me forever. I’m hoping I can make it through another 2 tubes of this gloss before the end of the year and by then I’d be down to only having 2 left out of the original 10. I do like this formula, it’s thick enough without being sticky and the applicator and tube are convenient to use. The only downside is the colours are very sheer, I would have liked a bit more pigment from them.

Would I buy again? Yes, but not it a 10 pack

Perfume & Haircare

Pureology Colour Fanatic Multi-Tasking Hair Beautifier

I have owned this hair spray for a couple of years now and I’ve finally finished it this month. Since shaving my hair off at the end of last year I’ll admit it’s taken me as long to finish the last quarter of the bottle as the first three! While this is supposed to have 21 essential hair benefits they’re mostly aimed towards coloured hair of which I haven’t had over the last year so I can’t comment on how it helps aid that. For a general hair spray I would say you can find cheaper that perform equally as well.

Would I buy again? No.

Briogeo Scalp Revival Charcoal + Tea Tree Scalp Treatment

For how expensive this little bottle was I expected my dry scalp to become healthy, moisturised and nourished within the month and I couldn’t have been more wrong. I religiously used this product every night, as instructed, and after many weeks my dry scalp had not improved in the slightest. So I took a break and switched to using hemp seed oil on my scalp and almost immediately I saw a massive improvement. After a while I swapped back to this treatment and once again my scalp became dry and uncomfortable. I can’t see how a product designed specifically to revive a scalp could do the exact opposite however with this product I can see no other explanation.

Would I buy again? No.

The Body Shop Italian Summer Fig Fragrance

I have owned this perfume for years and thought it was about time that I worked on finishing it. The scent of this was light and fruity however it had a slightly chemically smelling undertone that I think comes from cheaper perfumes. It also wouldn’t last very long on my skin before the scent faded completely. I have a feeling that’s why I’d owned this for so long without finishing it, I never liked it enough to wear it a lot.

Would I buy again? No.

And that concludes the long list of this months empties! Like I said earlier, I don’t know where they all came from but I’m glad to see my collection slowly reducing in size. I really do own too many makeup and skincare products.

If you have any thoughts on the products above I’d love to hear about them in the comments below!