Its EMPTIES time again! This year, I have decided to really focus on finishing up what I have and because of this focus, I have a few full size skincare empties this month. This is something that is quite rare for me so I am relishing it! This month, a few of my favourites have been completely used up and whilst it is really sad to say goodbye, I know that I will be reunited with these products again soon (or have already) as I have enjoyed using these very much.
***Please note that anything marked with a * has been kindly gifted to me. I have simple added these item/s in because they are well…empty! All opinions expressed on the products are my own honest opinions.
African Botanics Resurrection Cell Recovery Serum*
I won’t talk about the African Botanics Resurrection Cell Recovery Serum as I wrote a very detailed review about it here. I was so so SO incredibly devastated when I used this up. I don’t know if I could ever live without this serum – I absolutely love it. It is by far one of my very favourite evening serums as every single time I use it, my skin feels calmer instantly and looks refreshed, bright and very happy the next morning. I raved about this serum in my dedicated review and I stand by what I said whereby this would be hands down one of my favourite evening serums. If I had to pick one, this would very well be it.
Would I be repurchasing? It is a resounding yes, and I was so lucky enough to get another bottle of this amazing serum. A 30ml bottle of the African Botanics Resurrection Cell Recovery Serum will cost USD$160 from African Botanics, GPB£132.00 from Cultbeauty and AUD$233 from Mecca Cosmetica. One to two pumps is all that is required to cover the face, so you will find that a little does go a long way with this precious serum!
Mahalo The Unveil Cleanser Melt Concentrate
The Unveil Cleanser Melt Concentrate was my first foray into the much raved about Mahalo Skincare line. In a nutshell I loved using this. Everything about this is just beautiful – the smell, the texture, the colour, its ingredients to the way it felt on the skin and how it emulsified. This cleanser is the full package of everything I could hope for in a cleansing balm and I am so glad that I caved and purchased this.
What I love about Mahalo’s Unveil Cleanser Melt Concentrate is the scent. It is quite unique and I wouldn’t know how to describe it as its quite complex. The smell of this a little bit fruity, a little bit nutty with a hint of floral in it. It is so very beautiful and really refreshing in the morning or evening, making it such a pleasure to use. In terms of cleansing, Unveil does an amazing job of ridding the face of makeup (just be slightly careful around the eyes) but the product is just too good to be used as a first cleanse. The formulation of this balm makes it so easy to work into the skin and the beautiful scent of this makes it an absolute joy to use – this balm melts into a beautiful rich oil cleanse that glides so smoothly over the complexion. I find that Unveil not only does a wonderful job of making your skin feel fresh and clean, it also keeps the skin so nourished due to its concoction of beautiful oils and butters. I also have found that this gives the skin a slightly deeper cleanse due to the addition of fruit enzymes in the formulation and have at times just kept this on (like a mask) for about 5-10 minutes to allow a deeper cleanse. Unveil just keeps my skin super soft and also gives a subtle glow when all washed off. What I also love about Mahalo’s Unveil is the fact that this cleanser comes as a balm, melts into the skin like beautiful oil and emulsifies and washes off like a cleansing milk with water, cleansing clothes are not necessary. It is so easy to use and so handy to take when travelling (when cleansing cloths may not be ideal). The ingredients listing is the following and it is important to note that this formula contains no water!
Prunus amygdalus dulci (sweet almond) oil and in-house phytonutrient infusion* [medicago sativa (alfalfa), arnica montana (arnica), calendula officinalis (calendula), symphytum officinale (comfrey), centella asiatica (gotu kola), ocimum sanctum (holy basil tulsi), azadirachta indica (neem), scutellaria lateriflora (skullcap)], persea gratissima (avocado) butter*, macadamia integrifolia (macadamia) oil*, helianthus annuus (sunflower) oil*, jojoba esters, mangifera indica (mango) butter*, theobroma cacao (cocoa) butter*, astrocaryum murmuru butter*, theobroma grandiflorum (cupuacu) butter*, argania spinosa (argan) oil*, cera alba (beeswax)*, ricinus communis (castor bean) oil*, cetearyl olivate (and) sorbitan olivate, non-gmo mixed tocopherols, salix alba L. (willow) bark*, plukenetia volubilis (sacha inchi) oil*, coco glucoside, camellia sinensis (green tea) leaf*, calophyllum inophyllum (Polynesian tamanu) oil*, cucurbita pepo (pumpkin) seed oil* & papain*, lecithin*, montmorillonite (french green clay), citrus lemon oil*, agonis fragrant (fragonia) oil*, elettaria cardamomum (cardamom) oil*, zingiber officinalis (ginger) oil*, schinus molly (peppercorn) oil*, frankincense sacra oil*, melaleuca quinquenervia (niaouli) oil*, citrus aurantium var. bergamia (bergamot) oil*, commiphora myrrh oil*, rosmarinus officials (rosemary antioxidant) extract*, limonene+, linalool+, zingiberene+, gingerol+
Hand blended in small batches by MAHALO Skin Care in Hawaii, USA
*clean ingredients: organic + local and/or wild harvested (when available)
^lemon oil might have photosensitizing effects, avoid wearing in the sun, best use this product as intended facial cleanser only
+component of essential oil
The only downside to The Unveil Cleanser Melt Concentrate is possibly the price. At USD$70 for the 50g jar from the Mahalo website, this may be a little steep for some. However, the fact that Unveil is possibly everything you could ever need and want in a cleansing balm makes it worth the price for a cleanser junkie like myself and would definitely consider repurchasing in the future, if not soon.
Pestle and Mortar Pure Hyaluronic Acid Serum
In a Skincare Favourites posts, I likened Pestle and Mortar’s HA serum to my favourite – the Indeed Labs Hydraluron. The fact that I have finished this hyaluronic acid serum is a testament to how much I really have enjoyed using this as almost every other HA I have struggled to finish or have given away. Pestle and Mortar’s Pure Hyalurnic Acid Serum is so fantastic at keeping my skin hydrated and plump. I love the fact that only a little goes a long way due to its almost water like consistency. I found this HA serum to be quite potent and only two drops of this is enough to hydrate my face and neck and give me that all day hydration. If you compare Pestle and Mortar’s HA to others on the market, there is not doubt that this definitely is in the ‘luxury’ price bracket as it retails for GBP£33 for 30ml. However, unlike its more wallet friendly counterparts, I do find that the product itself does last a lot longer (as so little is required) and that it does work remarkably well in comparison to other serums of the same variety. The effect of the of the Pure Hyaluronic Serum is instant and as soon as it is applied, I find that is sinks into the skin effortlessly. There is no ‘film’ feeling that I sometimes get with hyaluronic acid serums. When applied, I find that my skin is immediately softer, smoother, plump and hydrated and this effect lasts throughout the day. This is fantastic underneath moisturisers and makeup and the ingredients of the Pure Hyaluronic Serum is the following:
Aqua, * Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, *Sodium Hyaluronate, *Cucumis sativus fruit extract, Butylene Glycol, *Tocopheryl Acetate, *Glycerin, *Xanthan Gum, Phenoxyethanol, *Caprylyl Glycol.
*Plant Derived
As you can see, the ingredients of the Pestle and Mortar Pure Hyaluronic Serum is relatively simple, uncomplicated and really packs a punch in terms of hydrating ingredients. After Aqua (water), the next two ingredients are aloe vera (a very hydrating plant extract) and of course sodium hyaluronate (hyaluronic acid) which is a wonderful ingredient for its ability to retain 1000 times it’s weight in water. This therefore makes it a powerful molecule in retaining water and keeping skin hydrated and plump, therefore minimising the signs of fine lines and wrinkles. The Pestle and Mortar Pure Hyaluronic Serum is hands down one of the best and most effective dedicated hyaluronic acid serums that I have ever used and my skin just absolutely loves this and its wonderful effects really do show.
The Pestle and Mortar Pure Hyaluronic Serum comes in a 30ml dropper bottle and is available from the Pestle and Mortar Cosmetics website for EU€43.00.
Tata Harper Purifying Cleanser
Many of you in the skincare community would agree that Tata Harper have a fantastic range of cleansers – with four to pick from. Having tried a few of her cleansers now, I would have to say that the Purifying Cleanser is by far my favourite within the range. As Caroline Hirons has mentioned many times before (and it is the reason why I even bought it) – this cleanser is fantastic to use in the morning. It has a wonderful and refreshing citrus scent which is a wonderful and revitalising way to wake up to in the morning. On the Tata Harper website, this cleanser is recommended for those with Oily/Combination Skin or Normal Skin Types, however I would say it would suit most skin types! The ingredients list is as follows:
Helianthus annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil, Capric/Caprylic/Triglycerides, Water (Aqua), Glycerine, Propanediol, Glyceryl undecylenate, Aroma**, Sucrose Stearate, Decyl Glucoside, Oryza sativa (Rice) Extract*, Glyceryl Caprylate, Lactobacillus/Punica granatum Fruit Ferment Extract, Papain, Curcuma Zedoaria Root Oil, Magnesium Aluminum Silicate, Sucrose Palmitate, Zingiber Officinale Root Oil, Salix alba (Willow) Bark Extract*, Eugenia Caryophyllus Flower Oil, Sucrose Laurate, Abies PectinateLeaf Oil, Foeniculum Vulgare Oil, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extracts, Kaolin, Bioflavanoids, Leuconostoc ferment filtrate, Montmorillonite, Mica, Brassica Oleracea Italica (Broccoli) Extract, Superoxide Dismutase, Soybean Peroxidase, Citral, Citronellol, Eugenol, Geraniol, Linalool, Limonene *Ingredients from Organic farming **Clinical grade essential oils blend
I find that this cleanser is great for the summer time as my skin does sometimes feel a bit congested from the heat and humdity – this cleanser does a fantastic job of helping to decongest, purify and balance out my skin (it won’t magically unclog all your pores…that isn’t quite possible but it does help). It contains papaya enzymes help to rid the skin excess dead skin cells and also willow bark extract which has been found to help balance the skin in some scientific studies. These ingredients combined with other botanical extracts in the Purifying Cleanser help to give my skin a deeper clean whilst also keeping my complexion feeling refreshed and revitalised in the morning (when I most like to use this) or in the evening after a first cleanse. This cleanser has like a cream/gel like consistency that turns into an oil when applied to the skin due to the use of sunflower seed oil. It won’t lather up (and its formulation isn’t supposed to) and I find that it feels like a less oily version of an oil cleanser. Even though the Tata Harper Purifying Cleanser will emulsify and wash off with warm water, I do still like to use a cloth to wipe off any excess. The result in using this cleanser leaves my skin feeling refreshed, energised and radiant – the perfect way to start my mornings!
The Tata Harper Purifying Cleanser (125ml) can be purchased from Tata Harper for USD$62, Cultbeauty for GBP £49 or from Eve’s Organics for AUD$78
NARS Bronzing Powder – Laguna
This isn’t a skincare product but it is a product that I often repurchase over and over again. NARS Laguna Bronzer really needs no introduction as this product is considered to be one of those cult beauty products that almost anyone who is addicted to beauty has tried and generally loved. For me, I absolutely love this bronzer – the shade is perfect for me as it is so flattering on my yellow based skin tone.
I love the fact that this bronzer is quite matte (little shimmer) and it easily lifts my complexion, giving it a flush of ‘colour’. It is perfect for a quick morning makeup routine as it is so easy to use. A quick swipe with my brush and on to my jawline is generally the effort this is required to for me to look semi acceptable. Its also perfect in the evening as it sits so well over my foundations and the colour is long wearing – lasting all day and night. Laguna is generally my go to bronzer and I would definitely be repurchasing this again.
NARS Bronzing Powder in Laguna comes in an 8g size and can be purchased from NARS Online for USD$40, at John Lewis for GBP£29.00 or at Mecca Cosmetica for AUD$58
Have you used any of these products before? What did you think of them? What were your empties like this month? I would love for you to share in the comments section below.
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