Empties – February 2020

Hi there! Since it’s the first working day of a new month, this post is about all the products I emptied last month. I used a few single use face masks (of which I didn’t keep the sachets – as usual). But if you want to read about the face masks I tried recently, click here. Alright, let’s look at the bigger tubs, tubes and bottles. 👀

1 My Little Pony Fruity Lip Balm – this was one of my all-time favourite lip balms. I’ll miss the heavenly honeydew flavour!

2 Max Factor Pan Stik 25 Fair – best foundation ever! I’m so sad this amazing oil-based makeup has been replaced by an oil-free matte foundation. 😭 I’m glad I stocked up on original Pan Stiks!

3 Olay Essentials Glow Perfectors BB Cream Light – a decent tinted moisturiser. The shade light is way too dark for me (it’s more like a sunkissed medium), but otherwise, it’s not a bad product. I won’t repurchase it, but I think I might have a backup!

4 Bvlgari Omnia Paraiba – a terribly cheap smelling fragrance. It was good enough for work for a few weeks. I got compliments from a few female co-workers who consider Impulse sprays to be fragrance. That tells you what this Bvlgari fragrance smells like! Yes, it’s perfectly OK to like Impulse sprays, but you wouldn’t pay £24 for a can, right? Anyhoo, I’m glad Omnia Paraiba is gone. And I won’t be blind-buying any more Bvlgari fragrances.

5 Herbal Essences Shimmering Colour Conditioner – this was the last of its kind! I’m sad to say goodbye to it. 😭

6 Radox Essentials Soft Care Bath Cream with Milk – one of my all-time favourite bath products. Too bad it was discontinued, but I have 1 more bottle in my stash!

7 Imperial Leather Japanese Spa – another lovely shower gel from Imperial Leather! And yes, I have another bottle in my stash!

8 Skin Assistant Collagen Morning Glow Serum (no photo) – I came close to finishing this facial oil when the lid broke. I didn’t want to bin the product, so I mixed the last few drops of oil with my current face mist – success! 💪 I might repurchase this facial oil once I’m a bit more on top of my facial oil and serum stash! I’m sorry there’s no photo. It was just too messy to even try to reattach the lid!

9 Radox Feel Glam With Berry Burst Shower Cream – I love this stuff! Repurchase? Absolutely!

10 Hair Repair Colour Shield Nourishing Conditioner – I liked this shampoo and conditioner combo, and I might buy it again.

11 Garnier Ultimate Blends Body Soothing Hydrating Lotion With Delicate Oat – this is a lovely body lotion that I will buy again, no doubt!

12 Poundland #6 Anti-Ageing Eye Cream – this is a nice eye cream that’s a lot better than its price suggests. I’d recommend it, and I can definitely see myself buying it again!

13 Dove Purely Pampering Almond Cream With Hibiscus – this is a nice shower cream. I have another bottle.

14 Montagne Jeunesse Blemish Mud Face Mask – this one served me well. I might buy this face mask again in the future.

This is everything I finished last month. Not bad for a February! Sorry about the strange lighting in all the photos. I’m still figuring out how and where to take the best photos at our new place. And thanks for stopping by! 😘

Mrs Strawberry Blonde

Empties – March 2018

Hi there! It’s the 2nd of April, so it’s time for my March Empties post! As always, I used a couple of single-use face masks. I didn’t keep the empty sachets, but you can read about my latest face mask finds if you click here. Now onto the “real” empties!

1 My Little Pony Rarity Shampoo – this is a good quality shampoo. If Hasbro does another MLP toiletries set for Christmas this year, I can see myself picking it up!

2 The Body Shop Almond Milk & Honey Shower Cream – I think this shower cream was alright. I received it as part of a gift set, but I wouldn’t buy it for myself.

3 The Body Shop Vanilla Chai Shower Gel – my husband and I liked this shower gel a lot. So yes, I would buy it again. This one’s a shared empty.

4 Herbal Essences Rainforest Flowers Shimmering Colour Conditioner – one of the best conditioners ever. And yes, this product has been discontinued. I think I have one more Rainforest Flowers Shimmering Colour shampoo & conditioner combo in my stash

5 Boots Extracts Zingy Satsuma Body Wash – I really enjoyed this one. Too bad it was a limited edition!

6 Boots Extracts Zingy Satsuma Body Lotion – another lovely body lotion from Boots! And, unfortunately, another limited edition.

7 Superdrug Intensive Moisture Hand Cream – this is a decent hand cream, but I wouldn’t buy it again because (thanks to Poundland, Poundworld and the likes) there are better hand creams out there for the same price.

8 Superdrug Sweet Snuggles Hand Lotion – I really liked this hand lotion. I am fairly certain I have a back-up!

9 The Body Shop Vanilla Body Mist – I’m glad it’s gone, and I wouldn’t buy it again. If you’re looking for a nice and simple vanilla fragrance, don’t bother with this one!

10 Nina Ricci Ricci Ricci – I received this one as a present. Ages ago. I liked the fragrance, but I didn’t love it. So I wouldn’t purchase it again. And yes, the name of this fragrance is Nina Ricci Ricci Ricci (or Ricci Ricci by Nina Ricci).

11 Superdrug Cocoa Butter & Vanilla Body Scrub – this is a great body scrub. It’s effective and it smells lovely. I have 2 back-up tubs!

12 Bourjois UNE M18 Casual Matt Colour Lipstick M18 – this is the perfect lip colour for me. I’ve already repurchased this lipstick!

13 Boots Time Dimensions Nourishing Eye Cream – this is a decent eye cream. Hydrates nicely, plays well with make-up. It’s super old, and it’s not available anymore. But I do have a back-up!

14 NSPA Rich Body Butter With Moisturising Shea Butter – this is a really nice body butter. I’m sure I’ll buy it again!

This is everything I emptied in March. Not bad, eh? By the way, here’s a photo of what I do with every single moisturiser tube!

Once a tube’s almost empty, I cut it open. Yes, I do that with every single tube that contains a product that I can’t rinse out in the shower (so that’s basically everything that’s not a shower gel or a shampoo). This way I get to use every last drop of product. Some may say I’m overdoing it, but I like that I’m not being wasteful. By the way, I’ve been doing this since I was a teenager!

Now… have you tried any of the products I finished? If so, let me know your thoughs. And what have you finished last month? Please feel free to get in touch. And thanks for stopping by!

Mrs Strawberry Blonde

 

Empties – August 2016

Hi there! It’s the 1st of September – this means it’s time for the monthly empties post. Again, I managed to use use up quite a few products (I’ve done well this summer!), so here’s what I’ve said goodbye to in August.

1 Jennifer Lopez Live EDP (100ml) – I’ve worn this fragrance on and off for about five years. It’s one of my favourite fragrances and a guilty pleasure because in real life I try my best not to tell people that I’m in love with a J Lo fragrance. However, I’m happy to recommend this fragrance on my blog (Try it!) and I’m just as happy to tell you I have another 100ml back-up bottle!

2 NSPA Passionfruit Fragrance Body Mist (200ml) – I’ve used this body mist on and off since last summer – as a body and scarf spray. 🙂 It’s a decent fruity body mist. But I won’t buy another bottle because I’ve got too many fragrances and fragrance mists, but if you’re looking for a budget-friendly, simple, fresh, fruity and tropical body mist, I’d definitely recommend you try this one.

3 Alverde Grapefruit & Kiwi Body Spray (100ml) – I bought this body spray in 2010 and I’ve finally used it up. I actually liked this body spray. The fragrance is (well, was) 95% kiwi – very fresh, a little sweet and a little tangy! This one was a limited edition, so it’s no longer available. But I wouldn’t repurchase it anyway because I’ve got other fragrances that want to be used up!

4 Original Source Extreme Deep Clean Liquorice Body Scrub – I’ve used this one on and off since mid-July. If you love liquorice, you need to try this shower scrub. It’s brilliant. My husband likes this scrub too. And since he’s also used it a couple of times, this one is a shared empty. And yes, I have a back-up bottle. 🙂

5 I Love… Raspberry Vanilla Shower Cream – I’ve used this one on and off since May. It’s very nice! It’s sad that it has been discontinued. 😦

6 Imperial Leather Revitalising Grapefruit & Pomegranate Shower Cream – I’ve used this one on and off since mid-June. It’s a super refreshing shower cream that’s perfect for those summer days when it’s too hot to use a body lotion after the shower. Unfortunately this product has been discontinued and I can’t buy it again. But I’ve got at least two back-up bottles.

7 Boots Botanics Skin Brightening Deep Clean Gel – one of the best face washes I’ve ever tried. I’ve used this face wash on and off since mid-May and I’m very happy with the results. But I’ve used this face wash before so I knew how brilliant this product is. Unfortunately this face wash has been discontinued, so I can’t buy it again. But I have three tubes left, so there’s no need for me to panic.

8 Rimmel 60 Seconds 740 Clear – one of my favourite clear polishes. Applies like a charm, dries quickly…. I have several back-up bottles and I’ll continue to buy this polish for as long as I can find it.

9 Dove Intensive Nourishing Hand Cream – my go-to hand cream until it was almost empty and I forgot about it. But I’ve made an effort to use it up now. I really liked this hand cream. Too bad it’s been discontinued.

10 Herbal Essences (Rainforest Flowers) Sensuously Smooth Conditioner – one of the best conditioners ever made. It made my hair feel incredibly smooth and soft. This conditioner mops the floor with comparable drugstore conditioners that promise smooth hair! Whilst I have a few back-up bottles of the shampoo and the conditioner, I think it’s very sad that the wonderful Rainforest Flowers collection has been discontinued. 😦

11 Radox Brazilian Fusion – a decent shower gel that’s actually more of a shower cream. It smells of white flowers which is nice, but not very special. This empty is another shared empty (my husband used this shower gel a few times too last month). This shower gel has been discontinued – but I wouldn’t rush out to repurchase it anyway.

12 Bronnley Lemon & Neroli Body Lotion – a light moisturiser that’s perfect for summer. This lotion doesn’t feel sticky at all – and it’s paraben-free! Whilst I don’t think I’ll repurchase this particular body lotion (it’s £12 for 250ml), I would recommend it to anyone who loves the classic fragrance of lemon and neroli and who doesn’t mind spending a little more on a body lotion.

13 (no photo) – I’ve used several face masks (Superdrug, Montagne Jeunesse) – but as usual, I didn’t keep the empty (=messy) sachets.

So this is what I emptied last month. Not too bad, eh? This month is going to be awesome for empties as I’m making it a priority to use up several travel-sized products and to empty a few half full bottles, tubs and tubes which I have plenty of!

Mrs Strawberry Blonde

August Beauty Awards

Hi there! Since it’s end the of August, it’s time for my monthly favourites post – aka Mrs Strawberry Blonde’s August Beauty Awards. 🙂 I’m also making one change to my monthly favourites. From now on I’ll be choosing my favourites from all the products I’ve written about during the month.

This way I don’t have to keep track of what’s really new in my stash and when I’ve used what. I think it’ll also make more sense with products I’ve been using for longer – i.e. I like to use certain products for a few weeks to see if and how they work, and then I write about them.

OK, that’s sorted then. 🙂 And now, let’s get to my monthly favourites!

3rd place – Superdrug Clearly Youthful Hydrating Day Serum

Even though the serum has its flaws, I’m happy with the results it helped me achieve. I will definitely continue to use it and I will – without doubt – repurchase it. It will become a beauty staple!

Runner-Up – Superdrug Clearly Youthful Retexturising Glycolic Peel Off Mask

I cannot recommend this face mask enough. Within only a few weeks this face mask made a huge difference to my skin’s overall appearance. I’ll definitely continue to use it. And as soon as there’s another half price or BOGOF offer, I’ll stock up!

WINNER – Herbal Essences Shimmering Colour & Sensuously Smooth Shampoo and Conditioner

I cannot praise the original Herbal Essences collection enough. It’s bottled magic. It’s a shame the relaunched Rainforest Flowers collection has been discontinued again. 😦 I do have a few shampoos and conditioners left (needless to say I stocked up in time), but one sad day they’ll be gone… So if you see any of these Rainforest Flowers products in a bargain store near you, just buy them! You won’t regret it.

Now to the honourable mentions! Other products which I’ve enjoyed (and which I’ll continue to enjoy) big time are Original Source’s Liquorice and Mango & Macadamia shower products and Garnier’s Peach Body Lotion.

What are your favourite products this month? Have you used any of the products I’ve used? Feel free to get in touch. And thanks for reading!

Mrs Strawberry Blonde

My Holy Grail Of Hair Care Part 2 – Herbal Essences Shimmering Colour & Sensuously Smooth Shampoo and Conditioner

Hi there! If you read the original Holy Grail Of Hair Care post, you know I love the classic Herbal Essences products. The newer Herbal Essences products (in the curvy bottles) don’t do anything for me – I tried three different shampoo and conditioner combos but I really didn’t like them at all. (And neither did my husband.) So I’ll stick to my original Herbal Essences favourites! 🙂

OK, let’s look at the shampoos first. 🙂 The Herbal Essences Shimmering Colour and Sensuously Smooth shampoos are amazing. They smell of tropical flowers (this line was once called Rainforest Flowers) and they make my scalp and my hair feel incredibly clean. But these shampoos are very gentle at the same time. They’re perfect!

The conditioners are better than what I could dream up if it was my mission in life to dream up the perfect conditioner. Nothing detangles hair the way Herbal Essences’ Classics conditioners do. And nothing else makes could make hair feel silkier or look shinier. These conditioners offer tons of moisture without weighing hair down. Why other manufacturers of hair care products don’t copy these conditioners is something I’ll never understand…

Now let me say a few more words about the two product lines. The Shimmering Colour shampoo and conditioner really work for freshly coloured hair. Normally my hair colour bleeds quite a bit for a few days after I’ve dyed my hair, but this shampoo and conditioner combo seems to make the colour hold on to my hair. Brilliant! These two products are even better than L’Oréal’s Colour Protect offerings!

The Herbal Essences Sensuously Smooth products really do what they’re supposed to. You may remember my last hair post about Pantene’s Colour Protect & Smooth products. OK, you don’t remember. But that’s OK. 🙂 I said that Pantene’s products really make my hair feel smooth. Now, a few weeks ago I emptied the Pantene conditioner, and I went on to use these Herbal Essences products. And guess what – my hair is so smooooooth, it’s insane! Verdict? Herbal Essences Sensuously Smooth mops the floor with Pantene!

I think, along with Herbal Essences Classics Moisture Balance and Silk N’ Shine, Herbal Essences (Rainforest Flowers) Shimmering Colour and Sensuouly Smooth are the best hair products out there. Unfortunately they were relaunched as a limited edition, and they have now disappeared from the shelves – but I’ve stocked up when I noticed them disappearing, so I’ll be OK for a while. However, I still hope that Herbal Essences will relaunch them again. Fingers crossed!

Mrs Strawberry Blonde

Empties – May 2016

Hi there! Last month’s empties post was really fun, so I collected this month’s empty stuff too. Now here’s what I used up in May 2016.

1 (no photo) 3 Superdrug Dead Sea Purifying Clay Masks & 3 Superdrug Fruit Sorbet Antioxidant Peel-Off Masks – I really love these face masks and I’ll repurchase them again. Sorry, there’s no photo but I didn’t want to keep the empty (and sticky) sachets.

2 Herbal Essences Shimmering Colour Conditioner – this stuff is amazing! I rejoiced when Herbal Essences reintroduced two of their Rainforest Flowers shampoo and conditioner combos in 2013. Unfortunately these products were discontinued again. 😦 I don’t know why – the products are excellent! I have a few more back-up bottles and I’ll do a proper review soon. 🙂 In the meantime, check out my post about the Herbal Essences Classics products – if you’ve never tried them, you really should do it now because they’re the best shampoos and conditioners out there!

3 Classics Nail Polish Remover – I’ve been buying this nail polish remover for years. It’s effective. It doesn’t dry out my nails. It’s cheap (£1 for 400ml). It’s simply great! And this product is made by a UK-based company and it’s not tested on animals. Repurchase? Absolutely!

4 Superdrug Cocoa Butter & Vanilla Body Lotion – a really nice body lotion that smells lovely and moisturises my skin nicely. Good quality, good price. Repurchase? Yes!

5 Olay Total Effects Radiance Enhancing Cream Wash – an amazing face wash! It exfoliates gently – but at the same time it’s creamy. It’s brilliant for dry skin! Too bad this product has been dicontinued.

6 L’Oréal Elvive Colour Protect Conditioner – one of the best conditioners out there, second only to Herbal Essences’ Classics conditioners. Repurchase? Yes! (In case you’re wondering what happened to the shampoo – as soon as I’ve used up a conditioner, my husband will finish the matching shampoo.)

7 Palmolive Oriental Beauty Sophisticated – a really nice shower gel, refreshing and not too harsh on dry skin. And it smells like a mix of tea and flowers. Nice! The product has been discontinued, so I can’t repurchase it. If it were still available, I’d buy it again.

8 L’Eau Par Kenzo Ice Pour Femme (50ml) – a fresh summer fragrance (which I’ll review properly in a few days). This one was a limited edition from a few years ago. But I wouldn’t repurchase it if it were still available – because it no longer tickles my fancy.

9 Kirstie Allsopp Lansdowne Rose Shower Gel – a gentle and pleasant rose-scented shower gel. Perfect in combination with Flower Pharm’s Wild Rose body butter. If it weren’t discontinued, I’d probably buy it again.

10 Yung Haircare Deep Conditioner – this one’s a cheap product from a German drugstore. I bought it years ago (!) but left it untouched until a few months ago. It’s an okayish deep conditioner, nothing special. I wouldn’t repurchase it.

11 Black eyeliner pencil – not sure which brand this is, but I liked this eyeliner pencil. Good quality. Comparable to Essence.

12 Superdrug Animal Mad Lip Balm – I used up one of these last month – and I’ve now used up another one. This lip balm was part of a limited edition set from last autumn so I can’t repurchase it.

13 Thierry Mugler Alien EDP sample – I love Thierry Mugler’s Alien. I’ve got a full size Alien EDP, but whenever there’s an Alien sample in a glossy mag, I’ll use it! Awesome stuff!

14 Boots No 7 Protect & Perfect Intense Beauty Serum – I have no idea how old the bottle was when I finally opened it. I used this serum a few years ago when it was introduced. But I never opened the second bottle – until a few months ago. I’ve now been using this serum on and off – and I actually still like it a lot. I’ll give the current version of the product a try and then I’ll report back. 🙂

15 Naturtint Shampoo & Naturtint Nutrideep Multiplier Protective Cream samples – I didn’t like these products. I’d probably use the shampoo if nothing else was available. But I wouldn’t use the protective cream again if you paid me. My last post explains it all…

16 NSPA Raspberry Body Butter – a rich body butter with the pleasant scent of juicy raspberries. I think this body butter smells a lot more natural than some of the considerably more expensive raspberry-scented body butters out there. And it’s only £3. Repurchase? Most likely – as soon as I crave raspberries again.

So this is what I emptied / used up in May 2016. I really enjoyed writing this post – so I’ll definitely make monthly empties a permanent feature. 🙂 Oh, and I’m really proud of myself for using up an eyeliner pencil before losing it. 🙂

Thanks for stopping by! I hope June 2016 will be an awesome month for all of us.

Mrs Strawberry Blonde