Empties : December

Empties December - still on the quest of perfect natural foundation

Hello Lovelies,

1.Balea Professional Brown Shampoo 1-2 Euro, 200 ml
A good solid shampoo that lathers up very well and smells heavenly like caramel. It is enriched with brown pigments and gives your hair an insanely shine boost! It was gentle on my scalp and did not cause dandruff or irritation. It cleans so thoroughly that I only needed to wash my hair every 5-6 days instead of 3 days. It contains no silicones but some peg derivates that smooth your hair and might dry out your hair if used for a long time. I like to switch it up every now and then.
Repurchase? At the moment no but in a while sure!

2.Alverde Glanz Spuelung 2-3 Euro 200 ml
The Alverde Shine Conditioner is a staple in my hair care as well as in many other natural beauty bloggers, Bobby uses it forever now and especially to shave her legs! It smells very nice and sweet like oranges and banana and gives my hair a nice shine. It is not too good in detangling but that is normal for a silicone free conditioner.
Repurchase? Yes. 

3.Isana Med Urea 5% 2 Euro 250 ml
This is a new shower gel that I tried out. I recently got psoriasis after a very very stressful exam period. Happily my elbow patches are gone now and that is due to the Isana Urea Series. I am using their body lotion with 10% Urea as well and also their face cream duo. It you have cracked dry itchy atopic skin I can highly recommend this brand. If you live in a corner of the world where Isana med is not available you can buy the Eucerin product series - Isana is just a low budget version of these. I have used Eucerin in the past and the priciest are very good - available at most pharmacies and well a little pricier of course. By the way a similar series does exist at DM - but I have to say their products are not rich enough for my dry skin.
Repurchase? Yes

4. Alverde Cream to Powder Make Up in 01 3-4 Euro
This version got discontinued! It was my favourite foundation because it was rich enough for my skin and light enough for my skin tone! I am a NC05 measured by MAC and this means most foundations don't work for me because of the colour. My alternative is just at the left corner :
Repurchase? Discontinued :(

5. Alverde Mineral illuminating Foundation Stick in 01 Naturelle
This foundation stick is my new substitute. It covers up nicely, is very creamy and oily which is great for my skin. The coverage is really good and I get a wear of 6 hours with it. The only downside is the funky fragrance they used - really weird and sweet. At first I thought my product might have gone bad! The second downside is the colour it does not match my skin tone and is a little too dark for me sadly. Also I have to say that I used it up pretty quickly I think it did not last more than 3 weeks which is a bit quick in my opinion!
Repurchase? Yes If I don't find a lighter coloured product.

Since I am still on the quest of a good foundation for very fair and dry skin I would be very happy to hear your recommendations!

Empties November

1. Isana Creme-Oil Lotion  2-3 Euro

The body lotion was a good solid product that did a good job in moisturising my skin. My skin was very soft and the fragrance was very pleasant and slightly sweet like almonds. The only downside why I would not purchase the product is that the lotion contains silicones and you do feel the silicone on your skin! Repurchase? No.

2. Palmolive Sanft&Sensitive 1-2 Euro
The shower gel lathered up nicely and had a very clean unisex smell that I did like. However it dried my skin out and the incis are not at all wonderful. The good thing was no allergic reaction though! Repurchase? No. 

3. Toleriane - La Roche Posay Dermo Cleanser 400 ml 20 Euro
This is the third(!) bottle that I used up - cleans my skin without drying it out - no allergies no break outs and perfectly clean moisturised skin! It is very expensive in my opinion and I did not repurchase it simply because I am trying to switch my products up to better, organic ingredients! My next milk cleanser is this one fragrance free, parabene free, organic from Alterra and I will review it once I used it for some time. Repurchase? Not at the moment.

4. Glossy Braun Conditioner  1-2 Euro
The Glossy Brown Condi is one of my favourite conditioners - it gives your hair brown pigments, helps a lot in detangling and smells heavenly like chocolate and marzipan. It is silicone free though not an organic brand! Repurchase? Yes.

5. Lavera Eye -Cream with White Tea 13 Euro
I absolutely loved the Incis and the result of this eye cream. It moisturises and protects the eye area it does not burn or sting in your eyes and a little goes a long way! The only downside for me personally is the strong fragrance, don't get me wrong the fragrance is very pleasant and flowery. It is just that I prefer unscented products because of my multiple allergies. If you are looking for a good eye cream I can definitely recommend the Lavera Cream - an excellent cream! I however did purchase an unscented organic version from Alterra.  Repurchase? No.

As you can see I am trying to use up all conventional products that I have and switch them to organic products. The problem with organic products is that they are not always suitable for sensitive hypoallergenic skin but there are some new affordable lines by Alterra e.g. (linked up in the review) that are really good - have a look at them if you are looking for healthy alternatives to french pharmacy products! 

Empties: June

Hello Lovelies! 

It is already June and finally we all can enjoy a real summer without too much rain and lots of sunshine! I can't believe how many products I have used up this month, I hope I will have some products for July because all my skin and hair care products just finished at the same time :o) . Here we go. I know it's a lot :) I just might be a little obsessed with beauty products. Oh my :p

Empties June - Avene Mousse Nettoyante, La Roche-Posay Micellar Solution, Lavera Lavender Shower Gel, Khadi Amla Hair Oil, Giovanni 2chic Avocado Conditioner, Alterra Feuchtigkeitsshampoo, Yves Rocher Natuerelle, Nivea Make-Up Remover Wipes

Giovanni 2chic Avocado & Olive Oil Ultra-Moist Conditioner (325ml/12 Euro) I really liked this conditioner. I will have a review up on this one as well. It contains avocado and olive oils as well as aloe vera juice which is always great. The consistency was very thick but I still needed a lot of conditioner. On a care level I would say it is in the medium range, it would be a good conditioner for fine to normal hair that needs a little body against fly-aways. Repurchase? Yes.

Alterra - Feuchtigkeits-Shampoo Granatapfel & Aloe Vera(200ml/2 Euro) The Alterra Moisture Pomegrate and Aloe Vera series is a really good line that works well for multiple hair types from very coarse and dry like my hair to fine and straight hair like my friend Lenja's. I have used up multiple bottles of both conditioner and shampoo and they always work well. It has a sweet fresh smell that can be a little annoying over time but has the best combination of drugstore friendly price - ingredients and effect in my opinion. A great series for newbies regarding organic hair care. Repurchase? Yes.

La Roche-Posay Hydreane BB Cream in light (40ml/15Euro) Like I said in my previous empties post I do like la roche-posay which is a french pharmacy brand because their products all work on my hypo-allergenic skin. The brand is not organic and the incis are not the best but until I find a reasonable proved organic brand I do think I will stick with it. The baby cream has a SPF of 20, gives you a slight lovely glow and is great on dry skin. Fragrance free and no itchiness or redness and no break-outs. Repurchase? Yes.

Khadi Herbal Hair Oil Amla (210ml/14Euro) I simply love Khadi Oils. I think they are among the best quality oils that you can use for your body and hair and I loved every single drop of this oil. I also used it on my scalp, normally I only use my hair oils on lengths and ends, but this one contains Amla exctract and was also beneficial against hair loss. Full review here. My next oil is the rose oil and I am excited to start using that one :) . Repurchase? Definitely! 

Yves Rocher- Naturelle Perfume (75ml /20Euro) I even finished my perfume this month ^^ . I am a big fan of fresh flowery fragrances and I love D&G light blue perfume. Yves Rochers is a very good dupe and for a fraction of the price. It smells like cedar trees, lemon and jasmine. My new perfume was a gift from my mum and is very different from what I would normally use and buy but I love the smell - it was such a surprise! My new perfume is Chanel Allure Sensuelle which contains jasmine, rose, iris, candied fruits and vetiver with vanilla and patchouli as a base note. I always use only one perfume at a time. Repurchase? Maybe once I was light blue back. 

Avene - mattierender Reinigungsschaum (150ml/15Euro) I think this one is Europe exclusive? No allergic reaction, it did a good job getting make-up of and has a very nice system with a little pump that automatically foams the cleanser. It did dry my skin out though. Repurchase? No, I need something that is better for my extremely dry skin.

La-Roche Posay - physiological micellar solution (200ml/15Euro) Micellar Solutions are basically cleansing waters that can clean your skin, remove make up and be a toner at the same time. I love the idea of this product and this cleanser was amazing in removing eye-make up and purifying the skin. It did not burn a little bit and had a good effect on my skin as well. I really loved this product! Similar ones are the Bioderma water and nano solution from Avene. Repurchase? Yes.

Lavera - Organic Lavender Showergel (150 ml/4Euro) It is a lovely shower gel that lathers up well, foams nicely and leaves the skin hydrated and fresh. I love lavender so the smell here was definitely a plus. Repurchase? Yes.

Nivea - Make-Up Remover Singles for sensitive Skin. (4Euro) These were terrible. They burned while using them, dried out fast and had too much perfume. I used them later as little wet towels for my hands. I wish there would be good product as face wipes because I love the idea! I have tried Alterra's and Alverdes's but they gave me itchiness - I guess because of the fragrance. Has anyone a good recommendation? Repurchase? No.

Do you know any of the products I have used up? How was your experience? Am I the only one who finishes everything at the same time ^^ ?

Empties : May

Hello Lovelies,

I have always liked Empties reviews about used up products and their final verdict. A friend just told me latey that there is not too much beauty content on my blog - so why not change it a little and start a new category. I will incorporate all beauty products not just hair products because I tend to use a product for a long time. I think you will never get a better review than one of a finished product. Please let me know if you would like to read more of these monthly posts :). 

Bionike Proxera Body Emulsion for very dry skin. (20 Euro/200ml) Fragrance free, parabene free, nickel free. I did like the body lotion because it did not give me any allergic reaction like red dots and itchiness. My skin is extremely dry and this body lotion really hydrates all your skin layers without feeling sticky. It is one of the most moisturising lotions I have used so far. It does take a little time to soak in though. It is a little pricy and finishes quickly. It had no fragrance but a slight metallic smell that did bother me though. Repurchase? Maybe.

Balea Ultra Sensitive Intensive cream for very dry skin. (5Euro/50ml) This product is as well formulated for very dry allergic skin. It is very oily and does not moisturise well. Unlike most of my beauty products I was very glad when I used up the tiny tube. It is fragrance free and very neutral. After application of the product my skin felt as if there was a film on top - I have to say I did not like the product at all. I noticed more blemishes as well. Repurchase? Definitely no. 

Yves Rocher Jardins du Monde, California Almond (3Euro/100ml) This showergel has a creamy formula and lathers up very well. It did not cause any allergic reaction and has a very slight fresh smell with a little hint of marzipan. It did not dry out my skin and was very mild. Repurchase? Yes, i already got the Organic Aloe Vera Version ! :)

White Camellia Shampoo (15Euro/11oz) Review here. I simply love the white Camelia Series. The shampoo is very rich so I like to use it when my hair feels especially dry - on the beach or during winter time. I have now switched to a lighter shampoo but I love to have a bottle around whenever I need lots of moisture in my hair. Repurchase? Yes.

GBP Conditioner (15Euro/11oz) Review here. I am still in love with the GBP Series. It is heaven for dry ends and an itchy scalp and the herbal scent is great during summer. The only downside of the series is that it is so rich in protein that you need to alternate every few washes otherwise you will have an protein overload which results in dry ends and straw-like hair. Repurchase? Yes, I think this is my 3rd bottle.

Do you have any recommendations for a good face cream for dry itchy allergy-prone skin? As you can see I am still on the hunt :( .