Empties!

This is my first empties post! They are one of my favourite posts to read on other girls' blogs, as I find the reviews to be more trustworthy and reliable as you know they've been given a good test run! I hope you like mine...

L-R: James Brown Rich Moisture Conditioner, James Brown Rich Moisture Shampoo, Doublebase Gel, Mac Studio Fix Fluid in NC15, Body Shop Shower Gel in Mango, Superdrug Coconut Oil, Cath Kidston Hand Cream in Bluebell, Gosh Velvet Touch Lipstick in Darling, NYC "Smooth Skin" Loose Powder

James Brown Rich Moisture Shampoo & Conditioner: I picked this shampoo up because it was on offer in Boots and I was running out of my usual Aussie Miracle Moist. The sleek packaging and promising name drew me in - who doesn't want a hair product entitled "rich moisture"!? Despite the awesomeness of the packaging, I found that the product itself failed to deliver. Instead of feeling moisturized, the shampoo left my hair feeling tangly and the conditioner made my hair feel heavy and unclean. I would not repurchase this product because of this. Sorry, James Brown!

Doublebase Gel: Love this. I've gone through about four of these massive bottles in the past year or so. This is the perfect heavy, hydrating formula. It's a gel so it doesn't feel sticky, and applies smoothly. Before bed, I like to apply a heavy layer of this and although it takes a while to dry, the results are soo worth it when I wake up the next morning with super smooth skin! I also like to use it thinly after showers and baths, because applied lightly this product glides on and sinks in like a dream. It also provides the perfect hydrating, non-greasy base for primer and makeup in the morning - you can't lose! My boyfriend also tends to use this when he's giving me shoulder rubs (perfect boyf?!) as it moves around well and makes his hands nice and soft. As you can see I have a little bit left - but I've already got my next bottle ready and waiting. I will definitely continue to repurchase this for a long time. 

MAC Studio Fix Fluid foundation in NC15: I want to like this - I do. It was my HG foundation maybe two years ago or so but since then I've stopped fake tanning and found it's too dark for me and doesn't cover up imperfections as well without. The coverage is good but not really buildable which I don't like. I like to mix this with my Illamasqua Skin Base foundation to get the right colour and consistency for my skin. This is an okay foundation, I know a lot of girls swear by it but I probably wouldn't repurchase unless I started tanning again. It's a decent price for a high-end foundation, but I reckon I could probably find one to suit me more (hello Revlon!) for a much lower price at the drugstore.

The Body Shop Shower Gel in Mango: I'm going to be honest - my boyfriend used most of this. He loved it and used it every morning in his shower. I feel I can write an apt review on it though because I adored how it smelled on him! I used to go up and sniff him after he'd gotten out of the shower because it smells so gorgeous - much like most of The Body Shop's products! The few times I did use this, it left me smelling good and didn't irritate my skin. I have a lot of other Body Shop shower gels kicking about, because I always get them in sets for birthdays and other special occasions but I would probably consider repurchasing this just for Tom (and my nose)'s benefit!

Superdrug Coconut Oil: This is okay. I don't rate it as a moisturizer - it's much much too greasy. Makes me feel like I've rolled around in butter, ick ick. It does make your hair feel good when used as a hair oil; I like to apply it to my hair ten or fifteen minutes before blowdrying and it leaves a soft silky sheen (and glorious smell!) in the hair but does leave a bit of residue. I found the best way to use this is to scoop a ton out and use it as a hair mask before shampooing - I swear, I've used nothing like it! It's so damn gooooood! I've got another tub of this to use up, but once that's done I'll definitely be rushing out to buy more coconut oil as I think it's a must-have item.

Cath Kidston Hand Cream in Bluebell: This is okay. I received this as a gift from a friend for my 13th or 14th birthday. It's taken me this long to use up - it smells divinely floral but is a bit thick and buttery for my hands. It also does that awful thing where it rolls off in little balls if you use too much. I probably wouldn't repurchase this again, but I will keep the packaging to store things in as it is soooo adorable!

Gosh Velvet Touch Lipstick in Darling: The perfect nude! I plan on buying MAC's Myth to try out but I will still be repurchasing this as it is an old faithful of mine. Soft, moisturizing and creamy - and also the perfect colour for my super-pale skin! Enough said.

NYC "Smooth Skin" Loose Powder: I used to love this, I really really did. Recently I've noticed my skin getting drier and bumpier, and I have some of those tiny "milia" things around where my dark unereye circles are. I find that because of all this, whenever I use this powder my foundation tends to flake and separate all over my face, especially under my eyes where the tiny bumps are. I've switched up everything in my makeup routing trying to find what it is and I've narrowed it down to this. Although it's the perfect colour, it doesn't leave me with the flawless finish it used to. I will be sad to say goodbye to this super cheap, super good powder, but I am excited to hunt for a new one! My next try will either be Rimmel's Stay Matte, or ELF's HD powder. A very kind lady from the "Random Acts of Makeup" section on Reddit said she'd send me over a little sample of MUFE's HD powder, which I am super excited to try also! Let's hope I can find a suitable one ey?

What have you used up this month? Have you tried any of these products? How did you get on?