While on my gap year, I've been determined not to spend so much money on anything beauty and fashion related and, after five months of travelling, I'd say I've done pretty well. There have certainly been a lot less transactions on my bank statements anyway, even if the same amount of money is coming out each money (Can Richard Branson please adopt me because I can't keep spending so much on air travel). Because I've been on an economy drive, I've been rediscovering plenty of beauty and skincare products that I had floating around in various drawers and make-up bags, so many in fact, that I'm probably going to end up having to repurchase everything at once (swings and roundabouts...), but that can wait until I'm back on British soil, just so that I don't have to pay so much for extra baggage... Now that my suitcase is probably about seven kilos lighter, here are some of my empties...
- YSL Black Opium: Sob. My most favourite perfume and I've officially run out. Fun fact: I'm currently 30,000 ft in the air, flying to Singapore, you can probably smell me from back at Perth airport, thanks to one too many spritzes in duty free.. I clearly did spray a bit too much as an assistant came up to me and asked me if I was going to buy it. Awkward. Despite spraying it so much (I'm a nervous flyer and the smell comforts me), a little really does go a long way - one or two squirts should do it. With my birthday coming up soon (I'm going to pretend September is soon), I already know what;s going to be at the top of my birthday wishlist. I always get compliments when wearing this. My ex-boyfriend even said he was going to have to concentrate or he'd crash the car because I smelt that good.
- Ted Baker Perfume: Despite not being a fan of Ted Baker, I actually really like this perfume. I also have the moisturiser, though that's back home in Spain, and the shower gel, which I finished months ago. If you're not a perfume snob (I was until I discovered this and ZARA perfumes), then I'd definitely recommend this. Despite the bottle being pretty small, it lasts a long time. The only thing I'd say is that I'm not a massive fan of the packaging as it's in a plastic bottle, but then this equates to the price being much lower than your average perfume. I had to make sure to wrap it in an extra pair of socks whenever travelling somewhere, out of fear that it'd break. I've heard there is another, slightly more floral and feminine version of this, which I'll have to look into picking up buying once I'm back somewhere that has a Boots (I miss Boots. I miss going in and walking out 15 minutes later with a much lighter purse and one too many products to try but, more than anything, I miss the 3.49 GBP meal deals. You really can't get more British than that).
- Rexona Strawberry and Apricot Deodorant: If it wasn't for the new DKNY Be Delicious (name) perfume that I was given recently, I'd probably stink right now. I saw this recently and had to pick it up. It was such a blast from the past as it is the deodorant I took with me to TITP Music Festival a few years ago, and I associate the smell with that. I initially didn't realise it was the same one and just picked it up because of the pretty packaging but, as soon as I spent it, I knew it was the same. Long lasting and the scent actually lingers.
- Wake Me Up Concealer: It's typical how I really started to enjoy using this just as it was starting to run out. I'm now actually scraping the last tiny bits out of the tube. At first, I found it to be okay on some parts of my face, but not the best on others. I liked it on redness and around my nose, but not for my eye bags or on blemishes. Now I love it all over my face! I don't know if it's because my skin is a little bit dryer now or if something else has changed, but I've been loving it. That said, if someone could create a concealer that combines covering up bags and also actually brightening up the undereye area and actually doing it well, then please tell me.
- Rimmel 25 Hour Lasting Perfection Foundation: This is, hands down, one of the best foundations I have ever used. It, in my opinion, blows the Bobbi Brown foundation that everyone raves about right out of the water. It is long-lasting, has great coverage and isn't heavily scented like a lot of foundations around at the moment have. I will definitely be repurchasing this.
- True Essentials Make-Up Remover: I've probably read one too many of Caroline Hirons' blog posts, but I am a firm believer in not using make-up remover wipes. If I see any in a friend's bathroom or washbag, I have to resist the temptation to chuck them out. I also avoid make-up removes that foam, like Simple's (I'm NOT a fan. It broke me out and it took me a while to realise that it was the culprit). One thing I do like and believe in is buying skincare from drugstores or supermarkets. It doesn't have to be expensive to work (Rimmel's 25 hour Lasting Perfection foundation is proof of that), which is why I was determined to find a make-up remover during a visit to Woolworths (Woolworths is a supermarket in Australia. Not quite as good as the British version but sells make-up so I'll live). This is actually my second bottle of True Essential's, an Australian brand, make-up remover, so you could probably say I've enjoyed using it. At just 2 GBP, it's a serious steal as it removes every ounce of make-up. As bad as it sounds, I dry my face with a white towel, just to make sure I have managed to get the last of it off. Before discovering this, there were always a few foundation streaks on the towel.
- Simple Moisturiser: Though I'm not a fan of Simple's Make-Up remover, I do like their moisturiser, which is a a particularly good one for a drugstore moisturiser. I think I actually like everything from the brand other than their MU remover. It lasted me a seriously long time too. I moisturise twice a day, yet this somehow ended up lasting from October until June. So good.
- Clinique Very Dry to Dry Face Wash: This has been a part of my daily skincare routine for as long as I can remember. I initially started off with their face soap, which I soon realised was a massive mistake as it is just so unhygenic. I repurchased this a few months ago Bicester Village and, though i love it, I have been counting down the days until this ran out. I have combination skin but they had run out of their combination formula face wash when I purchased this in Bicester, so I ended up with the Very Dry to Dry and you can seriously notice the difference. The Very Dry to Dry face wash is much more of a cream and obviously more hydrating, whereas the Combination is a gel. While the very dry to dry has acted well on my cheeks and acne prone areas, where I'm quite dry, it doesn't feel as good on my T-Zone.
- Shampoos & Conditioners: Thanks to Jenn and her massive clear out, I've been trying out a lot of shampoos and conditioners. While some aren't empty, I thought I'd include them as they will be heading off to other homes as I haven't been very keen on them, but there are others that are empty that I've enjoyed using. A shampoo that I haven't enjoyed using is the Matrix Biolarge, which just leaves my hair looking so greasy that I could easily achieve the slick backed look that Kim Kardashian favours without even touching a product. Not a fan. Conditioners on the other hand, are another matter. One I've been using most is the L'Oreal Ever Creme, despite having such thick hair that tangles & knots if I even blink, my brush goes straight through my hair after using this, even if I do brush it a whole four days after having washed it, before I get in the shower to wash it again and begin the cycle all over again...
Are there any products that you've been loving and have used up recently?
Let me know in the comments below!
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