Hello to all you avid readers of my empties posts. This month’s empties are all skincare finds that I’ve loved enough to use all the way to the end. Believe me, I have drawers full of half-used stuff that never makes it this far and ends up getting chucked away because it went out of date. So these are the real deal!
Emma Hardie Midas Touch Revitalising Eye Serum £49.00
There’s hardly an Emma Hardie product that I don’t like. This Emma Hardie Midas Touch Revitalising Eye Serum is one that I love. I’ve reviewed it previously here and here’s where you can buy it. I think you’ll love it.
Emma Hardie Moringa Cleansing Balm £47 full size
Ok so now this is where I have to qualify my statement above about there hardly being an Emma Hardie product I don’t like – because this is the one that I don’t like that much. Don’t get me wrong, every person I’ve spoken to that’s tried this can’t sing its praises high enough, so it must just be me. It works like a dream and does everything it claims to do but I just don’t like the texture. It feels lumpy rather than smooth and there doesn’t appear to be any purpose to the lumps. The cleansing cloth that comes with it is beautiful and luxurious but the two sides of the cloth, rough and smooth, separate as you rub which means that it’s hard to get any purchase on the skin with it. Still, this is the good thing about a trial size (mine came as part of an Emma Hardie Christmas Cracker). You don’t have to invest until you know it’s the product for you
To balance my negativity I should say that this is an award-winning cleansing balm, that removes all makeup gently. If you have dry skin you can use this as an overnight hydrating mask. You can buy a full size here.
- natural salicylic acid
- grape-seed polyphenols
- organic essential oils
It works to reduce blemishes, tighten pores and refine skin texture. It has a gel-like formula that I found sinks in really quickly and doesn’t feel oily or greasy at all. It feels really clean and the organic rose water gives me a glow but without any shine. It has a pleasant natural scent that’s fresh too.
It’s 98% natural and 10% organic as well as being non-comedogenic and dermatologically tested. There are no synthetic fragrances and no parabens, phenoxyethanol, phthalates, mineral oils or animal-derived ingredients are used. so good stuff! Here’s where you can find it.
Caudalie Vinosource Serum S.O.S Thirst Quenching Serum £29.00
The Caudalie Vinosource Serum S.O.S Thirst Quenching Serum (pictured here on the left) is rich in organic grape water and hyaluronic acid and designed to capture and continually diffuse water. It’s light-textured, non-comedogenic, and suitable for all skin types. I started using this in the summer and it was amazing at keeping my skin hydrated. You can buy it here. I’ve featured it previously here along with some more of the range.
When my blogger stash failed me and I needed to purchase a new foaming cleanser (as my second cleanse) I went back to one of the first brands that supported me when I started blogging for this La Roche-Posay Effaclar Purifying Foaming Gel. I love this brand and find that it has such an amazing range of skin care products for every type of skin and every skin issue. I never hear from them these days but am always thankful for being introduced to them so early on in my blogging journey. They set the standard for what I expect and they’re great value for money.
It’s a purifying foaming gel suitable for oily skin although my skin is combination and I didn’t find it too drying. It’s paraben and soap-free, hypoallergenic, non-comedogenic, and is specifically formulated for sensitive skin. And a top tip – it can also be used as a body wash. Here’s where to find it.
Yardley English Rose Luxury Body Wash from £3.00
Yardley – I have such a strange relationship with this brand. The products are amazing, good quality, and a dream to use. I just struggle with the branding. No matter how many times they rebrand or try to focus on a younger demographic I, and everyone I know sees them as something that your granny would buy. Well, I’m not a granny technically but I’m definitely in that age range still, the branding doesn’t work for me. I’m perfectly happy for it to have a heritage look – other brands manage to avoid the look that seems to sit in the 70s or 80s.
Still like I said the products are a dream to use. This body wash is infused with Yardley London’s English Rose fragrance of light rose with notes of rosebud, magnolia, and cassis. It’s a rich blend that gives a creamy lather that contains floral extracts, shea butter, and moisturising oils. It has 85% naturally derived ingredients and is paraben free. If you can get past the branding this gorgeous body wash is available here.
I trialed a travel-size bottle of this gorgeous Kiehl’s Ultra Facial Moisturizer that I picked up in the Covent Garden branch of Kiehl’s. This is a light lotion-style moisturiser that gives lasting hydration. Ingredients include squalane and vitamins A & E and it’s suitable for all skin types. I’ve found it effective and enjoyable to use. You can find it here (although if you get a chance to visit the Covent Garden store I would highly recommend it as the staff are amazing and fun too!)
Last up (Well done and thank you if you have read through to the end) is the B. Energised Sunshine Vitamin Shot. This is such a clever product. It’s designed to mimic the effects of Vitamin D that you would get from exposure to the sun. (And that’s in short supply in Tooting right now I can tell you!) It suits all skin types and promises to:
- Strengthen the top layer of the skin
- Firm, smooth, and comfort
- Reduce moisture loss from within the skin.
- Acts as a shield to help protect against environmental aggressions
This was a winner for me and I would definitely re-purchase. You can find it here.
So, I hope that you’ve enjoyed this long-awaited, (and long!) blog post. I would promise to write here more often but you know I don’t like to break promises so I’ll just say I hope to bring you my next post very soon.
Hazel
This post contains PR samples and affiliate links.
strandonbeauty.com 
Fab empties post! I agree with you re the Emma Hardie cleansing cloth, the way the two different textures separate during use makes it awkward to work over the skin. X
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Glad it wasn’t just me being picky! Thanks for commenting x
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