Empties of the Month - May

I can't believe the amount of empties I amassed in May, I usually struggle to finish anything! I have a habit of starting using one item, then get distracted by another and never actually finishing any. Most of these are small samples rather than full sized products so that may be why I got through them so quickly. So first up, hair:

The only hair product I finished this month was the VO5 Ultimate Hold Hairspray. I have short hair and I have to have it perfectly in place and well held, much more than when my hair was longer. Because of this, and the weather being so bad recently I had got this hairspray in the hope that it would live up to it's claims and hold my hair all day. Sadly it didn't quite manage this. It provided a medium hold to the hair, nothing like what I have with my current hairspray (one from got2b, their products are all incredible!) but it was a nice texture in my hair and the scent was quite pleasant so wasn't bad. Probably won't be in a rush to repurchase though.

Body:

First up is Radox Nourish Shower Gel -I love Radox shower gels, they always foam up brilliantly and there is such a large choice of fragrances to choose from that you really can't go wrong. To be honest, I get through a lot of these. I've just had another one run out this morning!

Dermalogica Exfoliating Body Scrub - This was a pretty good scrub. If like me you prefer your body scrubs to be a bit tougher then this is the one for you. It's beads are relatively small but nice and scratchy and the lotion is really thick and creamy. I apply this (mainly to my legs and arms) with exfoliating mitts and find that it really keeps my legs soft and fresh. Will definitely be repurchasing as I'm slightly disappointed it has run out :(

Femfresh - I didn't know if this was a bit TMI but I think that's a bit of a silly taboo really. I only wash my 'sensitive area' with specially formulated soaps such as this one (although Boots and Superdrug have own brand ones that are quite nice as well) as normal body washes can be harsh on sensitive skin. Poor sensitive skin... This one wasn't the nicest one from their range so I probably won't buy it again, they have a cranberry one which smells a lot nicer and is a more creamy consistency rather than a gel.

Gilchrist and Soames Shower Gel - I had thought I would love this, being an expensive 'posh' shower gel but actually I wasn't blown away. I found the scent slightly masculine for me and found the bottle really annoying (the hole to pour it from was huge and so I kept accidentally pouring far more than is necessary, I'm not a fan of wastage!). I much prefer Radox or Nivea offerings.

And finally, face:

Palladio Rice Papers - These were brilliant, as in really brilliant. As you may know by now, I have a really oily complexion and have to touch up my make-up a lot during the day. These instantly took the shine off my face without the need for loads of powder or affecting my make-up. Such  an effortless solution. I have found some at Boots though that are significantly cheaper so I'm going to try them to see if they are as good quality before I consider repurchasing.

Urban Veda Radiance Exfoliating Facial Polish - This was a lovely face scrub. It was nice and gentle on my face (I don't like them too 'scrubby' then) and it smelt amazing. Would definitely repurchase a full sized version of this. I've found many other facial exfoliators are too harsh on my face but this one was just right for me.

Dr Brandt Pores No More - This may surprise some people as I know it received some really great reviews, but I really didn't think much of this product at all. I found it had a really weird fine, grainy texture when applying to the skin and it didn't make any difference to my pores at all. Fair enough, when first applied it looked like it had made a difference but after about an hour those differences had gone. I found a seaweed pore refiner from The Body Shop which is much better, and smells a lot better actually! Sorry Dr Brandt...

Yin Yang Skin Cleanser - I wasn't overly impressed by this either. I found I had to use a lot (or what I thought was a lot) to remove my make-up and that it also left a residue on my skin. OK I double cleanse so that does get washed off but I have plenty of other cleansers that don't leave a residue and are actually a lot better at removing all my make-up.

Unica Radiance Plus Moisturiser - This I loved. It had a gorgeous cinnamon infused scent and it actually lasted ages for the tiny pot that it is. It applied so smoothly to my skin and felt so soft and nourishing. Plus it is all natural products. I recommend everyone to try this, immediately! :)

And that concludes my May Empties. It was a mixed one this time, some I loved and recommended to everyone I knew, some I just wasn't a fan. Have you tried any of these products? What were your views on them, differ from mine at all? All comments are very welcome, as always.

My Mum's New Facial Skincare Routine!

My mum is the biggest product-phobe you will ever meet. She has never used proper skincare products, apart from the odd Body Shop face mask here and there. Her usual routine is to wash her face in the shower with soap (!!!) and that's pretty much it! She actually does have very good skin considering, but doing her make-up the other day (another first for her, not a drop of make-up has touched that face ever, not even on her wedding day) I mentioned her skin was slightly on the dry side and she agreed to at least try a skin care routine. This decision was helped by the fact that she does actually have a few decent products that she has been bought by family members etc and so she didn't even have to go and purchase any. These are the products I advised her to start using regularly:

From top left clockwise - nSPa Brightening Detox Scrub, nSpa Replenishing Moisture Mask, Olay Anti-Wrinkle Firm and Lift Day Cream (SPF 15) and nSpa Youthful Eye Cream. Before going any further I thought I better mention as well that another reason my mum has agreed to start a routine (and let me try different make up looks for her) is because my brother's wedding is very quickly approaching and being the mother of the groom she wants to look her very best!

So, I had advised her to use the Detox Scrub once every few days, roughly twice a week. This is just to help buff away any dry skin and leave her face looking radiant, but not to overly use as that can lead to your skin overcompensating and producing a lot of oil. Her skin is also quite sensitive really and so would probably react if she used it more often than this. This product smells lovely and not at all harsh on the skin. It is actually perfect for her skin type, and she has already commented that she really likes this, well done nSpa, you may have my mum converted!

I have told her to only use this Moisturising Mask once a week, after exfoliating preferably. Again this smells LOVELY, but then I really think all nSpa products do, I really am a fan. I was once told not to use a face mask the day before a big event as they can cause break outs as they draw the impurities out of the skin and so your skin is always better a couple of days after using. Almost as in a 'it has to get worse to get better' sense. I strongly believe this and always make sure I use a mask at least 2 days before so that my skin looks great for that special occassion. Therefore, I have advised my mum not to use this within 2 days of the Wedding!!

I remember reading another blogger saying (sorry it slips my mind where I read it but it was quite recent!) that you should always apply your eye cream BEFORE your moisturiser so that all that lovely cream can sink in to your eye area without being interrupted by the moisturiser, and then once it's all absorbed apply your moisturiser. In theory this sounds a good idea and so I have been following this advice since. And so obviously I passed that advice on to mum. So now after washing her face (which she is still using soap for, not quite fully converted yet!) she applies a very small dab of her Eye Cream around her under-eye area and then continues getting ready. Then when she's all ready to go she just needs to rub in a little of her Anti-Wrinkle Day Cream before heading out for the day, simple!!

I tried to keep her routine simple as I knew that if I tried getting her to do a lot straight off she would have been put off completely. But as they say, every little helps. And I'm sure she will look positively radiant in all the upcoming wedding pictures!!

Can you recommend any good, simple skincare products for older women that can be easily done on the go?