An obsession with skincare, makeup and all things beauty. Honest reviews and opinions.

Thursday 3 October 2019

September Empties 2019



*This post contains PR and affiliate links. Space NK UK


September is over, Autumn is in full swing now! It'll soon be Christmas! Anyway here's my empties from September.


Evy Technology Daily UV Face Mousse SPF 30 (PR, available HERE for £25 or save 15% using my affiliate code TORIA15, also available from Space NK) - I'm sure you all know by now that this is my all time favourite SPF. It's super light, hydrating, not sticky, non-comedonic, great protection and works brilliantly under makeup - no pilling at all! I use this exclusively now when I wear makeup because it's the only one that doesn't cause pilling issues. I save my other SPF's for no-makeup days. This must be my 4th bottle now.
Marks out of 10: 10/10
Do I recommend it? Yes to everyone!
Will I repurchase? Yes, always!




Beauty Pie Japanfusion Hydra Prep Lotion (bought myself, available HERE for £6.83 for Beauty Pie members) - If you're not familiar with Beauty Pie - read my blog post HERE which explains is all. As you can see, I've not finished this. It's getting passed on to a friend. It's a lovely hydrating toner but I'm not keen on the fragrance. It feels a bit rich for my acne prone skin too.
Marks out of 10: 5/10
Do I recommend it? Yes, this would suit those with dry skin.
Will I repurchase? No.




Instytutum Resurfacing Glow Toner (won in a giveaway, available HERE for £47) - Another product that I'm passing on. Theoretically I should have loved this as it contains Niacinamide and Glycolic acid but I just didn't find myself reaching for it. It's a very thick essence - I think that's what I wasn't keen on - I prefer a water consistency toner. It did leave my skin soft and radiant though.
Marks out of 10: 6/10 purely personal preference though!
Do I recommend it? Yes
Will I repurchase? No.




VEN Effect Anti-Aging Lip Treatment (sample, available HERE for £68) - This is the second time I've had a sample of this and I absolutely love it! As you can see, I've cut the packaging open to get every last bit out. It's a rich cream that sinks into lips beautifully. I really nourishes and moisturises like nothing else. You only need the smallest amount too so I think a full pot would last ages!
Mark out of 10: 10/10
Do I recommend it? Yes
Will I repurchase it? It's definitely on my wish list.




Tula Kefir Ultimate Recovery Mask (bought myself, available HERE for £35) - This is such a lush, nourishing mask. It's a thick cream that smells of apples and vanilla. Most of it absorbs into your skin. It leaves skin super soft and calmed.
Marks out of 10: 9/10
Do I recommend it? Yes
Will I repurchase? No because I ever so slightly prefer REN Evercalm mask so will always by that instead. But if there was a good deal on this one, then most definitely!




Clinique All About Eyes (won in a giveaway, available HERE for £27.50) - This is a gorgeous, rich eye cream. It's really gentle and soothing. I occasionally become sensitive around my eye area because of retinol. This was perfect to use then - it would nourish without stinging. Love it! I wouldn't say it does anything for dark circles or fine lines though, other than plumping due to hydration.
Marks out of 10: 8/10
Do I recommend it? Yes
Will I repurchase? Yes certainly in the future.




Zitsticka Pimple Patches (PR, available HERE for £26.99 for 8) - You can read my full review of these HERE - but to re-cap - these are pimple patches with a state of the art difference! They have microdarts which pierce your spot and dissolve, depositing zit shrinking ingredients right where you need them. They work brilliantly, especially for those deep under the skin spots that would never come to a head.
Marks out of 10: 8/10 purely marked down as they're expensive!
Do I recommend them? Yes
Will I repurchase? Yes




Beauty Pie Flawless Foundation Blending Sponge (bought myself, £4.85 for 2) - I've used a number of these now and love them! They're just as good as Beauty Blender or Real Techniques and are much cheaper!
Marks out of 10: 9/10
Do I recommend them? Yes
Will I repurchase? Yes




Dr Dennis Gross Ferulic + Retinol Wrinkle Recovery Peel (bought myself as part of a beauty box, available HERE for £88 for 16) - This is a pre-soaked pad that contains Retinol, Ferulic and a mix of acids. It leaves skin super smooth and refined. They're designed to be used 2-3 times a week. As good as they are, I think they're too expensive. Great for travelling though.
Marks out of 10: 8/10
Do I recommend them? Yes
Will I repurchase? No on their own. If they're in a beauty box again, then definitely!




The next few are samples so obviously I can't comment on long term effects - these are purely first impressions.


Paula's Choice Peptide Booster serum (sample, available from numerous retailers including Paula's Choice, Skin City, Cult Beauty, Look Fantastic for £48 - however there's usually an offer on somewhere so shop around!) - This was thicker than I expected, it's a traditional serum consistency. I expected it to be watery like the Niacinamide and C15 boosters! It absorbed well and hydrated my skin nicely.
Marks out of 10: 7/10
Do I recommend it? Yes
Will I purchase it? Maybe.




Caudalie Vinopure Purifying Cleanser (sample, available HERE for £16) - This is a gel cleanser that is aimed at blemish prone skin like mine. It contains salicylic acid. It was nice enough, it did the job. My skin was left feeling soft and clean. It wasn't bad but it didn't wow me. 
Marks out of 10: 6/10
Do I recommend it? Yes
Will I buy it? No




Kora Organics Noni Bright Vitamin C serum (sample, available HERE for £60) - I was looking forward to trying this. It's a standard serum consistency. I found it left my skin a bit sticky afterwards, which is a huge no no for me. 
Marks out of 10: 5/10
Do I recommend it? I'd suggest trying a sample.
Will I buy it? No.




Dr Dennis Gross Alpha Beta Extra Strength Daily Peel (GWP, available HERE for £18 for 5, £87 for 30 & £146 for 60) - I've used quite a few of these now and love them! You get 2 pre-soaked pads - one containing a mix of AHA and BHA acids and the other to neutralise the acids. It leaves skin super soft and smooth. The only downside is the price. I think they're very expensive. I get similar results for exfoliating serums so would always pick those instead as they're more cost effective. These are fab for travelling though.
Marks out of 10: 9/10
Do I recommend them? Yes
Will I repurchase? Probably not because of the price. 




Veneffect Anti-Aging Eye Treatment (sample, available from Space NK & Cult Beauty for £90) - This was a rich, nourishing cream. It was nice but it didn't wow me enough to justify purchasing it. 
Marks out of 10: 7/10
Do I recommend it? Yes but I'd say you could probably get something similar for much less money.
Will I but it? No.




Jordan Samuel Skin The Matinee Cleanser (sample, available HERE for $28) - This is a traditional gel cleanser. It's very gentle and leaves skin soft and clean. I find it a bit boring though, to be honest but that's purely personal taste.
Marks out of 10: 6/10
Do I recommend it: Yes
Will I buy it? No.




Starpowa Gummie Supplements (bought myself, available HERE for £39.99 however they're often on offer for £19.99, Holland and Barratt sell them too and they're usually included in one of their offers) - These tasted great but I didn't see any difference in my skin or hair. 
Marks out of 10: 2/10
Do I recommend them? No
Will I repurchase? No.




Wow You Beauty Sugar Lips Coconut Lip Scrub (GWP, available HERE for £8) - This is a fab lip scrub. The sugar helps exfoliate dead skin off your lips whilst hydrating and nourishing them with oil. Plus it tastes nice! Haha. It works brilliantly.
Marks out of 10: 9/10
Do I recommend it? Yes
Will I repurchase? Yes




Wow You Beauty Macaron Lip Butter in Coconut (GWP, available HERE for £7) - Also a brilliant lip product - this balm is packed with nourishing and hydrating ingredients. It leaves lips super soft.
Marks out of 10: 9/10
Do I recommend it? Yes
Will I repurchase? I've already got another one.




Nuxe Reve de Miel lip balm (bought myself, available HERE for £10.50) - Sadly this didn't work for me. I found it too thick and waxy rather than being hydrating. I liked that it stayed on my lips overnight but didn't feel like it nourished them. It also developed crystals in it quite quickly too. I think this is from the honey and is natural but I didn't like it. 
Marks out of 10: 3/10
Do I recommend it? No
Will I repurchase it? No.




Becca Under Eye Brightening Corrector (bought myself, available HERE for £21) - Before I started using Drunk Elephant C-Tango eye cream, I really suffered with dark under eyes that I struggled to cover with concealer alone. This was my solution! It's available in two shades one for Light - Medium skin tones and one for Medium - Dark. I've obviously got the light version. It's a super thick pale pink cream that instantly brightens the eye area. It covers dark circles like nothing else. I could actually wear it alone as it matches my skin tone fairly well but I always applied concealer over the top. To say how thick it is, it's not cakey, it doesn't crease or crack. It's amazing! However thanks to C-Tango, my dark circles are pretty much non-existent and are easily covered with my concealer alone. So I've not used this for ages and now it's definitely past its best.
Marks out of 10: 10/10
Do I recommend it? Yes
Will I repurchase? Hopefully I won't need to!




A. Florence Balm To Milk Cleanser (PR, available HERE for £32. The packaging has changed since I got this, you now get 120ml not 100ml!) - I'm sure you know by now that this is my holy grail cleanser. It's the most heavenly cleansing balm. It has a gorgeous orangey / zesty scent, it melts makeup instantly. You can use it round the eye area without it stinging eyes (I can anyway). I gives a brilliant slip for massaging your face too. I love everything about it - it feels like a treat every time I use it! 
Marks out of 10: 10/10
Do I recommend it? Yes to everyone!
Will I repurchase? Always!




A. Florence Super Serum (bought myself previously has as PR, available HERE for £33) - Another favourite of mine! This serum certainly lives up to it's name. It's a beautiful, silky emulsion packed with amazing ingredients including Vitamin C. It a perfect choice if you struggle with Vitamin C due to the type used - it's less irritating. Excuse the zoomed in photo - I forgot to take a proper one!
Marks out of 10: 10/10
Do I recommend it? Yes
Will I repurchase? Not at the moment as I've got another Vitamin C serum to try out but I will again in the future.




Paula's Choice Essential Glow Moisturiser SPF 30 (bought myself, available from Paula's Choice, Cult Beauty, Skin City & Look Fantastic for £30 - shop around, there's usually offers on!) - This was a nice. light gel / cream moisturiser. It didn't wow me but it did the job.
Marks out of 10: 7/10
Do I recommend it? Yes
Will I repurchase? No.




Kate Somerville Goat Milk De-Puffing Eye Balm (bought myself, available HERE for £32) - This is a fairly unique product. It's a twist up balm that helps cool and de-puff the eye area. It felt nice to apply but wasn't hydrating enough for me. I don't suffer with puffy eyes too often either.
Marks out of 10: 7/10
Do I recommend it? Yes
Will I repurchase? No.




Paula's Choice Antioxidant Pore Purifier serum (bought myself, available for £31 from the same retailer as linked for the moisturiser) - This is a runny traditional style serum. It absorbed quickly and easily. It contains salicylic acid to clear pores and antioxidants to prevent signs of aging. I need a higher strength than this of salicylic acid to really help with my acne.
Marks out of 10: 6/10
Do I recommend it? Yes
Will I repurchase it? No




Paula's Choice Hydrating Gel-to-Cream Cleanser (bought myself, available from the above linked retailers for £20) - This was nice enough but a bit boring for me. It's a clear gel that emulsifies to a cream when rubbed onto damp skin. It left my skin clean and soft. I prefer something more sensory with a cleanser though so it's not for me. For those that like unscented cleansers - it's a great option!
Marks out of 10: 6/10 purely personal preference
Do I recommend it? Yes
Will I repurchase? No




Formula Hydrating Face Mask (PR, was from Marks and Spencer however I can't find it on the website now so may be discontinued) - This was a lovely cooling gel mask that left skin soft and hydrated. It had a rose scent which I liked but may put others off. It was nice but nothing amazing. 
Marks out of 10: 6/10
Do I recommend it? Yes
Will I repurchase? No




Beauty Pie Juju Daily Cleanser (bought myself, available HERE for £9.46 for members) - This is a cream cleansers that loosens down into a milk when massaged into skin. I felt like it was similar to the Japanfusion cleanser which I adore but just not quite as nice. Theoretically I should like this one more as it has a lovely, light fragrance whereas the Japanfusion is unscented, but I don't! No idea why LOL. I think this made a nice second cleanse. It was effective as a first cleanse too. 
Marks out of 10: 7/10
Do I recommend it? Yes
Will I repurchase? No 




Now the next few I forgot to take separate photos of but I've got a group shot of them here...


Clarks Botanicals Deep Moisture Mask (GWP, available HERE for £58) - This has to be one of my all time favourite hydrating masks. It's a thick cream that smells insanely good - like vanilla and jasmine. It's intensely nourishing and leaves skin super plump. Love it!
Marks out of 10: 10/10
Do I recommend it? Yes
Will I repurchase it? Yes definitely

Sjo Skin Happy Honey Mask (bought myself, available HERE for £42) - This is a wonderful mask. It really does do it all - hydrates, calms, exfoliates, clarifies. It feels like a thick clay mask, it's slightly warming which is lovely. 
Marks out of 10: 10/10
Do I recommend it? Yes
Will I repurchase it? Yes  

NYK1 Lash Force Serum (PR, available HERE for £34.95, you can save an extra 10% using my affiliate code TORIA10) - You can read my full review of this HERE  which includes before and after photos - but to re-cap, this stuff is amazing! I saw results after about 4 weeks and my lashes have been getting longer and longer ever since. Highly recommend.
Marks out of 10: 10/10
Do I recommend it? Yes
Will I repurchase? Always!

Wow You Beauty Sea Hydrate (PR, available HERE for £17) - This is a brilliant hyaluronic acid serum. It's a silky, water consistency that skin just drinks up. It helps keep skill well hydrated.
Marks out of 10: 9/10
Do I recommend it? Yes
Will I repurchase? Yes

Medik8 Hydr8 serum (Gifted, available HERE for £33) - This has to be the best hyaluronic acid serum I've tried! It's incredibly hydrating and super silky. Love it.
Marks out of 10: 10/10
Do I recommend it? Yes
Will I repurchase? Yes

Freshly Cosmetics Golden Radiance Body Oil (PR, available HERE for £23) - This is a gorgeous body oil. It's intensely nourishing and smells amazing, like passion fruit! l loved applying in to still damp skin after a shower to lock moisture in. 
Marks out of 10: 9/10
Do I recommend it? Yes
Will I repurchase? Yes.

And that's it for this month! Thanks for reading. 


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