We’ve reached the end of the second quarter and I’ve managed to gather another load of emptied products to write about. If you want to read any of the full reviews which have more detail, please click on the product name.
Here’s all the empties I collected throughout April to June this year:
Skincare
Cleansers
Hanskin Pore Cleansing Oil BHA
I used this cleansing oil more for general first cleanse purposes rather than makeup removal as the few times I removed eye makeup with this it did sting my eyes. It works decent for light base makeup and you can see the makeup removal test I did on the back of my hand in the full review. It has a nice citrus scent but I do still prefer products to not smell of much. It’s not bad but I’ve tried better so I won’t repurchase. Also for anyone who wants to try this and isn’t sure whether to get the BHA or PHA version, I’d say go for the gentle PHA version because they work just the same.
Klairs Gentle Black Fresh Cleansing Oil
I like that this cleansing oil does a good job of unclogging my pores and keeping my skin clear right from the first cleanse, then all I need is a water based cleanser to remove excess residue and I’m good to go. The only thing that I don’t like is the very apparent vegetable oil smell that smells like I’m putting a light cooking oil on my face. I can let that slide though as it’s an effective yet gentle oil cleanser that doesn’t cause my skin any issues. I have one more bottle of this so I don’t need to repurchase it yet, but it is on my repurchase list.
Klairs Gentle Black Facial Cleanser
This is a lovely cream type foaming cleanser that does a good job of cleaning my skin whilst not stripping it of its natural oils so my skin doesn’t feel tight after. I would prefer it to be a touch creamier though so that I can create a more luxe feeling dense foam, but that’s just a minor point that has nothing to do with the cleansers efficacy. This is also great to use paired with the Klairs Gentle Black Fresh Cleansing Oil first, so both on my repurchase list.
Troiareuke Acsen Oil Cut Cleanser (Travel Size)
This was my second bottle of this cleanser. I took it on holiday with me and this travel size was enough for my husband and I to use in 2 weeks and continue using it a little longer when we returned. My opinion stays the same, this cleanser is really effective in removing makeup, sunscreen and impurities. The only thing that bothered me was the strong perfume-like scent and it does sometimes sting my eyes. I won’t repurchase it unless Troiareuke come out with an unscented version.
Jumiso All Day Vitamin Clean & Mild Facial Cleanser
This cleanser had a lovely uplifting grapefruit scent but the cleansing power was a little too weak for me so I won’t repurchase it.
Heimish All Clean White Clay Foam
This foam cleanser felt quite luxurious and made my skin look clean and refined after using it but it is quite drying so not the best for my dehydrated skin. I won’t repurchase it, but I do think it would be good to try if you have a more typical oily congested skin type that isn’t also dehydrated.
Exfoliators
Honestly its My Addiction Foaming Scrub Powder
I love this coffee scrub! It makes my skin look and feel so smooth, moisturised and healthy. I originally only used it on my body but I tried the last sachet a few times on my face, not as a scrub but just gently applying it as a mask, letting the coffee do it’s thing and then gently washing it off after a few mins. It left my skin looking alive, pores refined and dark circles temporarily reduced. If Honestly its could come out with a finely milled version of this or even a gentle coffee face mask, I would jump at the first chance to get it, but until such a day arrives, I’ll happily repurchase and keep using this My Addiction Foaming Scrub Powder gently on my face and body.
Masks
AXIS-Y New Skin Resolution Gel Mask
This is a bit of a sad one for me, because I loved how refreshing it felt upon application and it did a pretty decent job in brightening and hydrating my skin and making it feel soft and smooth, however it was short-lived as my skin ended up reacting to the fragrant essential oils, causing tingling, itching, heat and redness. I stopped using it on my face, and used it up on my body instead where my skin is a little more resilient. It felt nice and cooling on my body in the hot weather.
Toners, Essences & Serums
Hanskin Real Complexion Hyaluron Skin Essence
This is one of the hyaluronic acid essences that doesn’t feel too tacky on my skin and absorbs well. I have one more travel size so I don’t need to repurchase it any time soon. Generally I’m not that keen on stand alone hyaluronic acid products and much prefer the ingredient to be part of a well rounded mixed ingredient product, but if I were to purchase or recommend a stand alone one, this would be one of them.
Although this also sits on the side of Hyaluronic Acid Toners that I do like, it sometimes doesn’t absorb as quickly as I’d want it too but sometimes does absorb perfectly leaving my skin plump and comfortable, so it’s odd. If I had to choose between this and the Hanskin one, my mind right now says to pick Hanskin but I do have another travel size bottle of each so I’ll make them battle it out at some point with other contenders too and might write a comparison post in future only if there is a significant difference. As I said earlier, I’m not in a rush to get another toner that has hyaluronic acid as the main or only ingredient as I prefer multi-tasking toners anyway.
This lightweight toner worked great for controlling my skin’s sebum production. I have one more travel size and I would purchase it again in full size when that finishes.
The Sioris My First Essener reminded me of a more viscous, stickier version of the Isntree Green Tea Fresh Toner. The colour, natural scent and how it regulates sebum production were the same for me but the texture and finish were different. If the Isntree one is too light for you, you might like to give this Sioris one a go. The Sioris one does also have mugwort and hyaluronic acid but I can layer those ingredients from other products I like if I want to so I don’t need to settle for this tacky texture just because it has these other star ingredients, however if you don;t mind tacky textures and want a single product that contains green tea, mugwort and hyaluronic acid then this Sioris product is worth a try. I personally didn’t like how tacky it can get so I won’t repurchase it.
I like to use this toner when my skin is feeling a little sensitive and needs minimal good ingredients to help bring it back to a good condition. On regular days, it’s not hydrating enough on it’s own so I sandwich it between other minimal ingredient hydrating products. I have another mini travel size of this so don’t need to repurchase anytime soon, but once that finishes this is one I will repurchase at some point.
This serum felt and looked more like a silky soft creamy emulsion. It didn’t feel heavy, instead it was quite airy. The softness is likely due to the silicone content but it’s not the uncomfortable kind. I usually didn’t need to apply a cream after using this serum as it was enough for my combination skin, but I did follow up sometimes with a cream on any drier areas.
Jumiso All Day Vitamin Brightening & Balancing Serum
I like the way this serum felt on my skin – light, soft and smooth with zero stickness. It’s a good mild brightening product that I’d recommend to try if you want to dabble in vitamin c but scared to go for the highly concentrated ones. I will get the full size at some point to see the effects after using it regularly but so far I can say I liked the temporary brightening and healthy complexion I saw the few times I used it.
Creams & Sunscreens
I had previously emptied a smaller jar of this and now I’ve also used up this travel size tube. It’s a good nourishing cream that doesn’t feel heavy or clog my pores. I also doesn’t leave an uncomfortable residue on my skin. I would consider getting this again but I’m not in a rush.
COSRX Oil-Free Ultra-Moisturizing Lotion
This moisturiser felt quite refreshing and thirst quenching on my dehydrated skin so it’s been great for the summer mornings. However it did also feel slightly tacky until it would fully absorb, but then once it absorbs I’d always be left with plump and healthy looking skin. It also didn’t clog my pores or cause any breakouts. I also love the slight citrus and tea-tree scent. It’s not a must have for me, but it is nice enough to use again one day.
Troiareuke Acsen UV Protector Essence
I’ll be writing a full review of this sunscreen soon so please stay tuned. It wasn’t bad but I won’t repurchase it and I’ll explain why in the full review.
Body
Dr Althea Instant Hand Cleanser Gel
I got this hand sanitizing gel because I thought the packaging was cool and also because I needed to meet free shipping price criteria. The packaging was actually not ideal at all as It was a bit of a process unscrewing, turning upside down, then pressing some out – and it wouldn’t always easily come out either until I roll it down a bit light you would toothpaste. I much prefer a spray or standard flip top squeeze tube. The other thing I didn’t like was the heavy floral scent that would give me a bit of a headache. I won’t repurchase this.
Haircare
Lee Stafford CoCo Loco Coconut Balm
I like to use coconut oil in my hair as a nourishing treatment before washing it. It doesn’t have to be a specific brand but I had bought this balm type a few years ago for my Grandmother’s birthday but sadly she passed away later that same year. I didn’t know if I wanted to use it or keep it for the memory but last year I realised memories will remain even if I don’t have things in my possession so I built up the courage to use it and now it’s finished. It was a solid coconut oil balm that needed warming slightly to melt down before use, otherwise I’d have white chunks in my hair that get stuck even after washing. That happened twice so I made sure to melt it every time after that. There was a slight sweet fruity scent added to it which was pleasant but not necessary. In future I’ll just use any regular pure coconut oil and won’t repurchase this one.
The Vegan Glow Original Shampoo Bar
This shampoo was a little too drying for the ends of my hair but it did a thorough job at cleaning my scalp. It was also great for taking on holiday and I managed to use it as a body wash too so quite multi-purpose if you’re in a pinch. That being said, I probably won’t repurchase this shampoo. I do want to try the Conditioner Bar from this brand, but I’d use it after a shampoo that’s more suitable for my hair.
Tresemme Care & Protect Heat Defence Spray
This heat defence spray feel nice and light on my hair. It doesn’t feel sticky or weight it down. I like that it has some UV filters too so not only is it protecting from hairdryer heat but also from the sun to some degree. I would repurchase this, but I do want to try some others too.
Makeup
Maybelline Instant Anti-Age Eraser Multi-Use Concealer – 01 Light
This Maybelline concealer is great! It’s applies smooth and feels nice and creamy. It has medium coverage which is nice for daily use. The only problem I was having was with shade matching. Years ago I would use the shade Medium, but that’s no longer available in the UK so I picked up Light for that brighter undereye look, only to realise I prefer an exact skin match to conceal dark circles and blemishes, something a lighter shade can’t do. I got through the shade Light somehow and glad I can continue on with a more suitable shade. The shade Sand is a better match for me and I will probably repurchase that shade instead of Light or Medium.
Custom Mixed Foundation Cushion
I finally finished this cushion of my custom mix foundations. It certainly wasn’t the best but this is something I do sometimes when I don’t want to waste foundations / concealers that are too dark or too light. Mixing them together creates a better shade match but not always a good texture so I’ll be cautious of that in future.
I liked this eyeliner a lot. It’s not anything unique and there are others out there that are slightly more pigmented or have longer staying power, however I found the brush size and stiffness, as well as fluidity of the brush to be perfect for how I like to do my eyeliner, not too thin, not too thick, wet enough to glide smoothly but dry enough to not get messy. I’d repurchase this in brown next time.
So that’s everything I managed to collect in the second quarter of the year. Have you tried any other products mentioned above? I’d love to know what you think of them 😀
Simply Saima 