Product empties - would I buy them again?
Hello friends! I’m back with a bag full of empty bottles and products! I love trying new skincare/beauty products. Although lately I have become a bit mindful about not buying too much or not opening a new product before the old one has finished. But over time I have accumulated enough product empties, to write about them - my honest review and whether or not I would re-purchase them! Before I begin, you should know two things (1) my skin type is ‘normal’ to ‘dry’ (2) I have had enough time to use these products to form an opinion of them for my skin, but your skin is different so you may or may not agree with what I have to say! Having said that, I hope this post helps you in some way!
Boots Ingredients Vitamin C serum (30 ml/ £6.00)
I was quite excited when Boots launched their Ingredients range last year and I promptly bought a few products to try them out. I’m a big fan of the Boots Botanics range and I regularly use their products. So obviously I had really high hopes from the Ingredients range - it is their version of ingredient-led skincare, completely affordable, and the products/packaging will remind you of The Ordinary or The Inkey List. The Vitamin C serum however was not my favourite. Here’s why -
The serum feels watery. I kind of expect a serum to have a certain consistency, but this feels like you’re literally applying water on your face. I am not kidding! I have no idea how much the concentration of Vitamic C is in this serum (they don’t say, or I haven’t seen it) so the product feels really diluted and watered down. I basically don’t feel like it’s done anything for my skin.
The packaging is quite poor. The spray nozzle is really annoying and you either get too much product or too little, or it sprays all over your clothes or the floor.. I think I lost a lot of product because of the bottle design. I understand this is a ‘budget’ product, but the quality of packaging could still be much better IMO.
Will I re-purchase: No - I think I’ll pass. I don’t think this serum did anything for my skin TBH. A serum is the closest product to the skin and gets absorbed in the deeper layers, so it needs to be concentrated and must make a difference for me to consider to re-purchase.
Boots Ingredients Caffeine Eye Cream (15 ml/ £6.00)
I have mixed feelings about this eye cream. I have dark under eyes and the area around my eyes is quite tired and dull, so I thought caffeine might do the trick! I used this cream twice daily for several months, crossed my fingers and toes and hoped for the best! But have I seen any difference? Unfortunately not. Having said that, it is also true that no topical product can actually fix my dark circles, so I can’t be overly hard on this product. I have to say I like the consistency, and it is light and great under makeup/concealer. So for that I would recommend, but there are other eye creams on the market that I feel have worked better for me - Ole Henriksen Banana Bright Eye Creme and Shiseido Benefiance Wrinkle Smoothing Eye Cream are my two favourites!
Will I re-purchase - No, because I want something stronger for my under eyes and something that makes a visible difference, even if it’s negligible.
Boots Ingredients Hemp Seed Oil (28 ml/ £6.00)
I started using facial oils a couple of years ago as part of my night time skin care routine, and I feel like they’re great for locking in everything that you’ve put on your face - like a sealant, and when you wake up the next morning, the face doesn’t feel dry and stretchy, especially in winters. This oil is really light weight, not too ‘oily’ and gets absorbed really well into the skin. Hemp seed is rich in fatty acids and promotes healthy looking and younger skin. It also doesn’t clog pores so I would imagine it is suitable for oily skin as well! It’s really affordable and I believe it has helped in locking in the moisture overnight and made a difference to my skin.
Will I re-purchase: Yes, most definitely! It’s a great facial oil.
Ole Henriksen Truth Serum (30 ml/ £42.00)
Now here’s a product that has truly made a difference to my skin! I got this as part of a Christmas promotion at Boots so I didn’t pay £42 for it, but boy does this work! My skin felt glowy and bright after a couple of weeks of using this serum, and I’m talking actual visible glow. It has 15% Vitamin C which is a good, effective percentage to have. The serum is not sticky and gets absorbed quickly into the skin. It also has a lovely citrusy fragrance and you don’t need a lot of product for each application. It is expensive, but it works and I would highly recommend it!
Will I re-purchase: Yes, but only if it’s on offer. It’s an expensive product and I will consider other brands like Tatcha and Skinceuticals as well. However, Vitamin C serums (the good ones) are generally on the expensive side.
La Roche-Posay Retinol 0.3% + B3 Serum (30 ml/ £38.00)
Another highly effective product! I’m blown away by how good this serum is! This was the first ‘Retinol’ product I ever tried and after a few weeks of using consistently, I have to say that it made my skin smoother and softer. I only used it 3 times a week and as part of my night-time skin care routine. The only thing I don’t like about it (but I’m willing to let go) is the smell. I have a really sensitive nose and anything can give me a headache. While the fragrance isn’t necessarily unpleasant, it is still quite strong for me and I could do without it. But the product works, has a lovely consistency and gets absorbed quickly in the skin, so I can live with that!
Will I re-purchase: Yes, 100% I will re-purchase this serum, and would recommend!
Ouai Wave spray (50 ml/ £10.00)
I’ve always loved the whole beachy, wavy vibe and this spray is supposed to provide with that effortless, beachy look. It does provide some texture and slightly more defined waves, but the product is really sticky, and leaves residue, and I need to wash my hair more often than usual when I use this spray, so I’m not really happy with it. However, I read a lot of reviews before buying this one and a lot of people swear by it, so maybe it’s just not worked for me! It does smell kind of lovely though, but that’s about it, for me at least!
Will I re-purchase: No, this isn’t for me, but I’m still in the market for a texturizing hair spray, so do let me know if you have any recommendations!
Nip+Fab Glycolic Fix Night Pads 60 packs extreme (60 pads/ £12.67)
I’ve used these for over a year, once a week and they make the skin clear, and squeaky clean! The 5% Glycolic acid is really effective in exfoliating the skin and over time, helps in reducing some dark spots. These are quite strong and I wouldn’t recommend using these more than twice a week! There is such a thing as over-exfoliating, and a lot of toners and cleansers have some degree of exfoliation, so please make sure you’re not over-doing it! Also, if you have breakouts or your skin is sensitive, these will sting, so beware! On most days though, these do not sting when I use them. For me, these lasted for over a year so I think it’s good value for money.
Will I re-purchase: Yes, these are super effective so I will definitely stock up for the next year!
Kiehl’s Lip Balm #1 (15 ml/ £10.00)
I used to be a huge Kiehl’s fan! I remember I got their advent calendar a couple of years ago and most products were excellent! So I bought this lip balm as well because I read some amazing reviews. This lip balm however did not blow my mind. It’s basically like Vaseline in a tube, so I was a bit underwhelmed. I mean, it does the job and is quite pleasant, but it’s not the amazing Kiehl’s product I was expecting it to be!
Will I re-purchase: No, I’ll just buy the regular Vaseline instead.
Liz Earle Cleanse & Polish™ Hot Cloth Cleanser (100ml/ £12.40)
This is such an effective cleanser, I’m really glad I purchased it! It’s gentle, but removes most of the makeup and dirt and has a lovely fragrance. It is cruelty free, and feels really luxurious and gives a spa like feel every time you use it! I use it as my first step in the cleansing process - I usually use some micellar water and toner after this, so my skin is literally squeaky clean! I have tried a few Liz Earle products and have been really impressed overall.
Will I re-purchase: Yes, absolutely. I’m going to keep a watch on this one and whenever it’s on offer or sale, I will most definitely re-purchase!
I hope you found this useful! Let me know in the comments below! I’ll try and do more of these as and when I have enough products to write about! Take care, stay well!