Empties time!
In April we used up lots of plastic free shower goodies, a whole bunch of hair treatments, and of course skincare too. And I was thrilled to find that the number of plastics is still steadily going down as I finish up the products in my beauty and wellbeing stash. As I've mentioned before, I'm doing my best to keep away from unsustainable materials, but it can be tricky. I can't wait until manufacturers develop more options - I feel like so many brands would get on board if there were affordable alternatives for them.
Overall it was a great month, and there was only one product I wasn't super keen on. The rest were pretty fab, and I had several stand outs that I have already added back to my wishlist. I love when that happens!
But let's just jump into it, shall we??
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* This post contains affiliate links
some of these items have been gifted
No matter how I have received a product, whether it has been purchased with my own money, gifted by a brand, been subsidized by a brand, won, gifted by friends/family, or purchased with a gift voucher, my approach is always the same -- honesty, integrity, and highlighting both the good and the bad. You can find more information on Disclosures and Privacy here.
Oilixia Gummy Facial Cleanser
Enjoyed?: yes (second bottle!)
Positives: totally unique texture, slightly sweet aroma is lovely, gives a great clean feeling to face but without drying out skin, rinses really easily, transforms from gummy gel to milky froth
Negative: plastic bottle
Buy Again?: yes - will definitely pick up another tube soon
Further Reviews
Mauli Supreme Skin Serum
Enjoyed?: yes (this is my third bottle)
Positives: great for PM routine, nourishing, grounding aroma (jasmine, rose otto, sandalwood), softening and restoring, gives a nice dewy finish to skin
Negative: scent is a little overpowering at times
Buy Again?: already have another bottle
Casa Mencarelli Sicilia Green Clay & Lemon Face Mask & Scrub
Enjoyed?: yes (second sample I've tried)
Positives: super gentle, doubles as an exfoliation treatment, detoxifying but doesn't dry out skin, versatile and blends well with different hydrosols and oils
Negative: none
Buy Again?: yes time to pick up full size soon!
Further Reviews
Friendly Shaving Bar in Orange & Lavender
Enjoyed?: yes (can't even count how many of these we have used now!)
Positives: plastic free, easy to use, long lasting and super affordable, lathers so well, doesn't dry out skin, helps get a close clean shave without irritating skin, smells fab (subtle and uplifting)
Negative: none
Buy Again?: already have!
Rossi Rose & Rosemary Face Toning Mist
Enjoyed?: yes
Positives: smells lovely, affordable and generous size, refreshing, soothes skin
Negative: spray is a bit too concentrated - I prefer a lighter mist
Buy Again?: doesn't seem to be available anywhere...
PHB Brightening Hand Wash
Enjoyed?: yes
Positives: smells fab (neroli + ylang ylang), gentle on skin, lathers great, fully cleanses without drying out skin, pumps perfect amount each time
Negative: plastic bottle, no longer in the PHB lineup
Buy Again?: I would if I could
Moksa Chandra Midnight Oil
Enjoyed?: yes (this was my second bottle)
Positives: such a calming unique scent (gets stronger as you apply to skin), sinks in quickly, leaves skin soft, perfect for PM routine, gives lovely glow to face next morning
Negative: none
Buy Again?: perhaps in future as I do really like this oil
Madara Boost 3 Min Growth-Boost Scalp Treatment
Enjoyed?: yes!
Positives: lasts a long time, truly worked - hair loss slowed and new growth helped fill in balding patches, great control for application thanks to nozzle, gentle
Negative: plastic bottle
Buy Again?: 100% yes
Further Reviews
Rahua Hydration Conditioner
Enjoyed?: yes
Positives: makes hair feel super silky, helps restore my dry locks, doesn't weigh down hair
Negative: not as keen on the aroma of this version
Buy Again?: tempted to pick up a full size to see how my hair responds longer term
Max & Me Circle of Protection Body Oil
Enjoyed?: yes! (this is my second bottle)
Positives: absolutely stunning in every way - nourishing but not too heavy on the skin, smells incredible (delicately sweet and soothing), gentle, healing, gives a nice glow to skin
Negative: none
Buy Again?: as a special treat yes
Kind2 Shampoo Reinvented The Hydrating One
Enjoyed?: yes!
Positives: surprisingly nourishing, easy to hold, long lasting, plastic free
Negative: none
Buy Again?: yes definitely will get another
Further Reviews
Kind2 Conditioner Reinvented The Restoring One
Enjoyed?: yes
Positives: long lasting, doesn't fall apart or go mushy, no strong scent, plastic free, doesn't break me out, gentle, not too heavy (doesn't leave hair looking greasy or clumping)
Negative: not always intensive enough for my hair needs
Buy Again?: already have another bar to use
Further Reviews (plus see above)
Urban Veda Daily Purifying Facial Wash
Enjoyed?: mostly
Positives: smells very invigorating, refreshing, thoroughly cleanses skin, feels clarifying, affordable and generous size bottle
Negative: plastic bottle, a little too harsh as a daily treatment for my skin (leaves it feeling dry if used on regular basis)
Buy Again?: maybe
Rahua Classic Shampoo
Enjoyed?: mostly yes
Positives: lovely smell, lathers okay in hands before applying, doesn't dry out hair, leaves locks looking refreshed and light
Negative: plastic bottle, sometimes felt like I needed to apply 2x to fully cleanse hair
Buy Again?: I think the other shampoos are more suited to my hair type
Rahua Classic Conditioner
Enjoyed?: mostly yes
Positives: smells incredible (palo santo is a stunner), unique texture (almost airy), gives a decent boost to hair, not too heavy, hair is smoother after use
Negative: needed to use a lot to fully coat my hair, not as nourishing as I expected, plastic bottle
Buy Again?: love the smell but I think the other versions are more suited to my hair type
Flaya If... Perfume
Enjoyed?: yes!
Positives: love everything about this - pretty packaging, easy to use, long lasting aroma, delicate and so beautiful
Negative: none
Buy Again?: YES - will get a full size when I finish up some of my perfumes
Further Reviews
Earth Mother Soul Sister Chamomile & Calendula Facial Wash
Enjoyed?: no
Positives: thoroughly cleanses skin, lathers well, long lasting
Negative: left my face feeling a bit dry, strong scent
Buy Again?: no (and I can't seem to find it anywhere now anyways...)
Samaya Ayurvedic Skincare Kapha Hydrating Cleanser
Enjoyed?: yes
Positives: super nourishing, gentle, doesn't break me out (many cream cleanser do), transforms into a milky wash and rinses easily, doubles as a moisturizer on low maintenance days, also great as a flash mask
Negative: a little rich in feel (though this is also what makes it healing)
Buy Again?: may pick up another bottle for winter months
Tata Harper Hydrating Floral Mask
Enjoyed?: yes!
Positives: gorgeous texture (super smooth, gel-like but not sticky), leaves skin feeling plumped and rehydrated, doesn't break me out, super smooth skin after use, rinses easily
Negative: not super keen on the scent, very expensive
Buy Again?: if I can find it on sale or am splurging yes
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Moksa Wild Rose Toning Mist
Enjoyed?: yes (this was my fourth bottle)
Positives: fab even and lightweight mist, soft rose scent, eases mind, makes skin less tight, refreshing, affordable
Negative: none
Buy Again?: yes I love this mist
Further Reviews
BAO Skincare Healing Bath Salts
Enjoyed?: yes
Positives: no bits (petals etc) so no cleanup, calming aroma that is subtle but lovely, very soothing
Negative: chunky salts so I found I had to use a fair amount each bath
Buy Again?: maybe
Reminder: I make sure to finish up any products that are more than half gone already, as I follow the 'rule of whisky' which Tim so cleverly pointed out to me a few years ago -- basically, a bottle of whiskey stays 'fresh' until the halfway mark, but then once you drop below that point the flavour/aroma begins to change over time.
My approach to skincare and beauty products is pretty similar, and once a bottle reaches a certain point I try to finish it up within the next month or so just to make sure it doesn't go off. And that's why I sometimes have loads of empties in a single month - if a product has reached that turning point, I make sure both Tim and I work on finishing it up quickly!
While this month didn't have a crazy amount, there were still lots of green goodies that we managed to get through. 21 in fact!
Which of them caught your eye? I am always curious to hear what you think, so let me know in the comments below. And feel free to share what you finished up too! xx
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