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

Saturday 4 May 2019

April Empties 2019





*This post contains affiliate links and PR products. 

Skincity.co.uk 
How are we in May already?! This year is flying by. I love May as it's my birthday month. Anyway on to April's empties. Get comfortable as there's loads...

REN AHA Smart Renewal Body Serum (bought myself, costs £35 for 200ml, available from REN and Space NK) - This serum is super light and hydrating. It leaves skin really smooth thanks to it containing AHA acid. It smells of really sweet orange.
Marks out of 10: 7/10
Do I recommend it: Yes
Will I repurchase? No as I prefer Ameliorate Transforming Body Lotion.


Drunk Elephant B-Hydra (bought myself as part of The Littles set, costs £44 for 50ml available from Space NK and Cult Beauty) - I love this serum, it's incredibly hydrating and leaves skin plump. Check out my full Drunk Elephant review HERE for more info.
Marks out of 10: 8/10
Do I recommend it: Yes
Will I repurchase? Yes, I've got another couple of minis like this already.


Paula's Choice C15 Super Booster (bought myself, costs £45 for 20ml, available from Paula's Choice, Skin City, Look Fantastic UK and USA) - This is my all time favourite Vitamin C serum. It brightens skin really well and layers perfectly with other products. Read my full review HERE.
Marks out of 10: 10
Do I recommend it? Yes to everyone, often!
Will I repurchase? Yes definitely but I have a couple of other Vitamin C products that I need to finish first. But I'll be missing using this!


Drunk Elephant Protini Polypeptide Cream (sample, available from Space NK & Cult Beauty for £57) - I will buy this in full size soon - I promise! It's a gorgeous light gel / cream hybrid that leaves skin soft and hydrated.
Marks out of 10: 8/10
Do I recommend it? Yes
Will I buy it? Definitely at some point.


Elemis Peptide4 Eye Recovery Cream (sample, available from Elemis, Look Fantastic UK & USA for £38) - I was really looking forward to trying this as I adore the night cream from this range. Sadly this made my eye area sting and left my skin red and sore. I've heard lots of great reviews of this though, so must just be me!
Marks out of 10: 0/10
Would I recommend it: I'd suggest trying a sample, it might work for you!
Will I buy it? No.

Jordan Samuel The Performance Cream (sample, available from Jordan Samuel.com for $38) - Another product that I was dying to try and sadly that wasn't for me. I wasn't too keen on the scent of this. It wasn't unpleasant but it just wasn't to my taste. The cream itself however was lovely, light and hydrating.
Marks out of 10: 4
Would I recommend it? I'll say yes, as not liking the scent is my personal taste, not a fault with the product itself.
Will I repurchase? No.

Paula's Choice Skin Balancing Ultra-Sheer Daily Defence SPF 30 (sample, available from Paula's Choice, Skin City, Look Fantastic UK and USA for £29) - I'm pretty sure I've has a mini tube of this before. It's a super light, runny lotion consistency that absorbs into skin really well, giving a fairly matte finish. I perfect SPF for oily skin types like mine.
Marks out of 10: 8/10
Do I recommend it? Yes
Would I repurchase? Yes.


Dr Dennis Gross C + Collagen Brighten and Firm Vitamin C Serum (sample, available from Space NK, Cult Beauty,  Look Fantastic UK & USA or £79) - I was rather underwhelmed by this serum. Not that you can tell full effects from a sample but the consistency was a bit thick and sticky, which is a huge no no for me.
Marks out of 10: 2/10
Would I recommend it? I'd suggest trying a sample.
Would I buy it? No

Sisley Hydra-Global Serum (sample, available from Space NK for £185!) - I'm afraid I didn't have much look with these samples as I didn't like this one either! It was nice and hydrating but smelt awful.
Marks out of 10: 2/10
Would I recommend it? Again I'd suggest getting a sample.
Would I purchase? No


Omorovicza Omoressence (sample, available from Space NK, Cult Beauty, Look Fantastic UK & USA for £65-78) - Finally one I liked!! lol This has the same gorgeous scent as the Queen of Hungary mist. It's a water consistency that really hydrates skin beautifully. I found it to be calming too.
Marks out of 10: 8
Would I recommend it? Yes
Will I buy it? It's going on my wishlist!




Jordan Samuel The Matinee Gel Cleanser (sample, available from Jordan Samuel.com for $28) - Another hit! This was a lovely gel that left my skin soft and clean without being stripped. 
Marks out of 10: 7/10
 Would I recommend it? Yes
Will I buy it? Probably once it's available in the UK.




Ouai Leave In Conditioner (got in a GWP, available from Space NK, Look Fantastic UK and USA for £22) - Loved this. Smells amazing and leave hair super soft and conditioned without being crispy or stiff.
Marks out of 10: 8/10
Would I recommend it? Yes
Would I repurchase? Yes 




Indeed Labs Retinol Reface (gifted, available from Boots and Indeed Labs.com for £19.99) -  This is a fab gentle retinol product, especially for the money. You can read my full review HERE.
Marks out of 10: 9/10
Do I recommend it? Most definitely!
Will I repurchase? Unlikely as I've moved up to much stronger retinol products now.


Tula Pro-Glycolic 10% pH Resurfacing Gel (won in a giveaway, available from QVC and Tula.com) - I love this exfoliator! It's strong and effective without being harsh. It leaves skin super soft and smooth.
Marks out of 10: 9/10
Would I recommend it? Yes
Will I buy again? Unlikely as I have other exfoliators that I prefer now.


Verso Night Cream (got in a GWP, available from Space NK, Skin City, MMCL.com, Look Fantastic UK and USA for £95) - I love this cream! It's a strong retinol that's hydrating too. You can really feel it packs a punch! It leaves skin looking fab the following morning.
Marks out of 10: 9
Do I recommend it? Yes!
Will I repurchase? I'd certainly consider it. The only downside it the price but I do think it's worth it!



Odacite Pomegranate & Rose Geranium Serum Concentrate (bought as part of the Space NK x Caroline Hirons beauty box, available from Space NK for £41) - A rather unusual oil. It's the thickest consistency I've come across. I found it hard to use on it's own because it was so thick, it was almost hard to spread! So I used this by mixing it into a moisturiser instead. It worked perfectly that way and was amazing at hydrating skin. 
Marks out of 10: 7/10
Do I recommend it? Yes
Will I repurchase? No, I prefer a lighter oil. 




A.Florence Blemish SOS Oil (gifted, available from A.Florence's website for £32) - This amazing oil has helped my skin on countless occasions! It's a non-greasy oil that's light and easily absorbed. It contains 2% Salicylic acid to really clear out those pores. It's very similar to Sunday Riley's UFO but better in my opinion! There's still a bit left in this bottle but it's been open too long. You only need a couple of drops so it lasts a long time, even with regular use!
Marks out of 10: 10
Do I recommend it? Yes! Along with all the other products from this brand - they're wonderful!
Will I repurchase? Most definitely - I think I'll buy the smaller bottle though as I'm less likely to waste any then.


Privacy UV Sun Face Mist SPF 50 (bought from YesStyle.com for about £12) - This SPF has expired now but it was brilliant last summer for top ups in the day! It has a really fine mist so it was even ok sprayed over makeup. Obviously it doesn't give full coverage but any top up is better than nothing.
Marks out of 10: 9/10
Do I recommend it? Yes
Will I repurchase it? It doesn't appear to be on YesStyle any more so no.


Clarins Double Serum (bought myself, available from Boots for £58) - This is what I'd class as an everyday serum. It's great to hydrate and just generally improve skin all round.
Marks out of 10: 9/10
Do I recommend it? Yes
Will I repurchase? No because I prefer active serums.


Boots No7 Laboratories Line Correcting Booster Serum (received through Boots Review Panel in return for an honest review, available from Boots for £38) - I was really excited to try this but sadly I was left unimpressed. The packaging is awkward. The serum was a strange consistency - it left skin feeling greasy. I applied it to my forehead as that's where my main lines are. I used for 4 weeks and saw no difference at all.
Marks out of 10: 0!
Would I recommend it? No
Would I purchase? No.


Laura Mercier Flawless Fusion Ultra-Longwear foundation (sample from Space NK, costs £36) - I got colour matched for this in Space NK York. The sales assistant recommended it to me. I looked lovely on initially and the shade was a good match. Sadly it broke up and separated on my skin within a few hours of wear. Not what I expected from a long wear foundation! To be fair, it was too heavy for me anyway.
Marks out of 10: 2
Do I recommend it? I'd suggest getting a sample.
Will I purchase it? Nope.



Omorovicza Acid Fix (bought myself, available from Space NK, Cult Beauty, Look Fantastic UK & USA for £87) - This is a really lovely exfoliating serum. It contains AHA and BHA acids and leaves skin super soft and smooth.
Marks out of 10: 8/10
Do I recommend it? Yes
Will I repurchase? No because I've found other exfoliating serums that I prefer. 




Dr Roebuck's Noosa Crème Cleanser (bought myself, costs £20, available from Space NK) - This is a gorgeous cream cleanser is designed to be super gentle and nourishing. It smells amazing - like lemongrass. I liked this as a second cleanse. I did find that it sometimes stung my face a bit though which surprised me. It wasn't anything bad, just a bit sensitised.
Marks out of 10: 7/10
Do I recommend it? Yes
Will I repurchase? No because of the stinging.


Herbivore Rose Hibiscus mist (bought myself, costs £28, available from Space NK) - Such a gorgeous mist! Super hydrating, smells amazing and leaves skin plump and dewy.
Marks out of 10: 9/10
Do I recommend it? Yes
Will I repurchase: I've already got another bottle in my stash.


Drunk Elephant T.L.C Framboos Glycolic Night Serum (again bought myself as part of The Littles set, costs £76-113, available from Space NK and Cult Beauty) - The hype is real with this serum. It's a blend of AHA and BHA acids that exfoliate skin, leaving it soft and smooth. I love it, it's one of the best exfoliating serums I've tried.
Marks out of 10: 10
Do I recommend it? Yes
Will I repurchase? I've got a large bottle in my stash.


Clockface Beauty Green Clay and Rosewood mask (gifted, available from Clockface Beauty.com for £24 for 60ml) - You can read my full review of this mask HERE. To re-cap - it's a gorgeous moussey clay mask that leaves skin refined.
Marks out of 10: 7/10
Do I recommend it? Yes
Will I buy it? Probably not as masks are something I love to experiment with so I'm always trying new ones!


Tula Exfoliating Treatment Mask (won in a giveaway, available to buy from QVC and Tula.com) - This clay mask contains lactic acid. It's brilliant to exfoliate and clarify skin, leaving it soft and smooth. Much better than Glam Glow in my opinion.
Marks out of 10: 8
Do I recommend it? Yes
Will I buy it? Probably not as per above.


Mauli Supreme Skin Serum (bought myself, available from Space NK for £67) - This was part of the Caroline Hirons x Space NK beauty box. It's a gorgeous oil serum that's an absolute sensory treat! It smells beautiful and leaves skin looking and feeling great.
Marks out of 10: 8/10
Do I recommend it? Yes especially if you love a spa experience.
Will I repurchase? No. As much as I love it - I prefer a more active oil.


Wow You Beauty Ready To Glow moisturiser (gifted, available from WowYou.com for £17) - This is a gorgeous light and hydrating moisturiser, perfect for AM use. You can read my full review HERE.
Marks out of 10: 8/10
Do I recommend it? Yes
Would I purchase it? Yes definitely, just not at the moment. I've got too many in my stash to go at!


Herbivore Prism (bought myself, available from Space NK for £52) - This isn't an empty but one that I'm passing on to a friend. It's a lovely, super hydrating exfoliant. It's somewhere between an essence and a serum. I liked to use it after cleansing, before a serum. I found this to be very gentle exfoliating wise. It was effective though. My skin needs something a bit stronger though, hence me passing it on.
Marks out of 10: 7/10
Do I recommend it? Yes
Will I repurchase? No


Briogeo Scalp Revival Exfoliating Shampoo (bought as part of THIS set from Space NK for £21, full sized pot is £36 HERE.) - I wish I'd just bought the full sized pot of this as it's brilliant! It smells of minty, white chocolate. It's very slightly gritty. The mint / tea tree really refreshes your scalp. It's great if your scalp feels a bit itchy from using too much dry shampoo. I prefer this as a first shampoo, then I'd use my usual Function of Beauty shampoo for a second wash, then conditioner. I liked to use this every few washes.
Marks out of 10: 9
Do I recommend it? Yes
Will I repurchase? Yes.


Indeed Labs Resistance Booster serum (PR, available from Boots and Indeed Labs for £19.99) - This is a fab everyday serum designed to balance and restore skins health. It helps protect skin from environmental stressors and strengthens your skin barrier. You can read my full review of it HERE. Just to re-cap - it's a beautiful, silky, milky serum that works well with everything and nicely hydrates skin. 
Marks out of 10: 7/10
Do I recommend it? Yes
Will I repurchase? Probably not because I prefer the Mineral Booster more (see review HERE)


Touch in Sol No Pore Blem Primer (GWP, costs £15 for full sized available from MMCL.com, Debenhams, ASOS and soon to be sold in Boots!) - This is one of my favourite primers. It hydrates, smooths skin and blurs pores, which creates a perfect base for makeup. Plus it's an absolute bargain!
Marks out of 10: 10
Do I recommend it? Yes
Will I repurchase? I already have!


Clinique Anti-Blemish Solutions Foundation (bought myself, for £28.50 available from Boots and other retailers) - I love this foundation! It contains salicylic acid to help with spots. It's medium buildable coverage, long wearing without being heavy. It helps control oil pretty well too. The only downside with this is that it sometimes pills with certain primers containing silicone. I wear the lightest shade in the range - it's a tad darker than I like, so this was more of a summer foundation for me. 
Marks out of 10: 7/10
Do I recommend it? Yes
Will I repurchase? No due to it being a bit too dark. 


And that's finally it! April's empties was my longest yet. Did you spot any products that you'd like to try?
Space NK UK
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