Tempted by beauty treats? Addicted to buying beauty products? Is your collection bursting with favourites? Join fellow beauty lovers in this supportive group!

[Experiment627]

Welcome to this beauty product lover's haven! If you're constantly tempted by the latest beauty treats or find your collection overflowing with cherished products, you're in the right place. Whether you're looking to share your latest finds, swap tips, or simply indulge in some beauty chat, this is the perfect spot for you. Let’s unite, inspire, and celebrate our love for all things beauty!

This thread has been going for YONKS! Many have been "cured" of their beauty product addiction from the support this group gives... We share reviews and our empties/chucks - so when we do decide to buy something again, we can do so armed with collective wisdom.

Gloss is good, glitter not so much!

Its been a very slow month for me. Not sure how much I'll get used up, but hopefully I'll be able to have a bumper month in March :)

A few more empties:

Q&A azelaic acid serum - 30ml. The second one of these I’ve been through. Not sure of the percentage of azelaic acid but either way it is a lovely, affordable hydrating serum. Makes my skin feel really looked after.

Murad retinol serum - 10ml. Not sure it did very much but didn’t cause any issues either. Going to try an Eve Lom one next - not convinced any over the counter retinol serums are going to do much, but might as well use up the ones I have.

Elemis pro-collagen night cream - 15ml. Didn’t want to like this as it’s so expensive, but it was one of the nicest moisturisers I’ve tried. I’ve got another one of these minis plus one of the overnight matrix (not sure what the difference is), so no need to contemplate buying a full size any time soon.

Rodial lip oil - really liked this, but I go through lip oils quite fast so not cost effective for a lip balm addict like me. I tried to get the stopper out to get at the bit left at the bottom but was risking slicing my hand off so gave up.

No 7 HydraLuminous dark circle concealer - this did quite a good job on the inner corners of my eyes. Might get a replacement, though have plenty of other concealers to be going on with.

Lush Freeze body scrub - 300g. Smelled incredible (peppermint). Wasn’t very scrubby but my skin still felt lovely afterwards from the oils in it.

Lush Frozen body lotion - 100g. So strongly scented with neroli that I could only use it on my legs (too much neroli gives me a headache). Nice lotion formula though.

Bath & Body Works Coco Shea body lotion - 230ml. A bit thicker than the standard B&BW lotions (which made getting the last bits out of the bottle impossible, should be in a pot). Smelled very strongly of coconut.

I’ve just been to TK Maxx and undone all my good work. Oops 😂

Biodance collagen mask - Apologies for stock photo, I can't be bothered to retrieve the packet and photograph it. I've wanted to try these for a while so bought a 3 pack a few weeks ago.

Tried the first one last night. You're supposed to either wear it overnight or leave it until it dries clear (approx 3 hrs). I managed to leave it on around 2 hrs before I'd had enough. Skin felt nice afterwards but can't say it's wowed me considering how viral it went. I'll use the other two up but don't think I will RP. The time it takes is too long for me - I much prefer a mask that is 20-30 mins max.

Oopsie @CorneliaStreet easily done 😂

@OvaHere - I am certain you lasted longer than I ever could. I can barely tolerate 10 mins.

Oh tell us what you bought. I was in tk maxx yesterday and managed to resist but going to the shops definitely doesn't help with restraint.

I am now coveting a La Neige icons to go sample kit which came up on my Facebook feed. 'Only small' says the little voice in my head!

@Choux I was determined not to get any shower gel as I’ve got loads of Lush ones to get through, but they had the Tree Hut pineapple one and that’s my favourite Tree Hut scent so had to get that. Also got the Tree Hut pineapple scrub (despite the fact I’ve already got one in the shower and several other scents in the cupboard), a Ciroa manuka honey & macadamia scrub that looked nice and a massive tube of hand cream. Plus several bottles of hand wash but I file that under household goods rather than beauty so that doesn’t count 😄

I did manage to avoid getting any skincare. They had a lot of K-beauty stuff like Cosrx, Some By Mi and Banila etc but I didn’t think the prices were that good.

There were also some spectacular Easter decorations. Three foot high, sparkly, bonnet-wearing bunny, anyone? Not sure how I managed to resist those 😂

Ha ha that reminds me that last time I went into TK Maxx I bought hand wash - Crabtree and Evelyn La Source which I love. It seems to always be in TK Maxx and I only bought one even though both the bathroom and kitchen bottles (other brands) are getting low so I can 'treat' myself to a second new choice in a month or two.

The only think I need to buy soon is shampoo and a new eyebrow gel. I have never heard of Tree Hut. Will look out for it next time I am there.

18/100

111 under eye patches, as good as many others. Using patches in the morning definitely make a difference.

Rituals Jing shower foam, I like rituals a lot. This was part of a gift set I received and it's lovely

I have a few empties:

8) Murad Retinol Night Cream - liked this, it was a good consistency for me. Have another in the stash somewhere.

9) KP Bump Eraser - ok. Smells a bit like vinegar. Wouldn't bother to RP

10) Elvive colour protect shampoo - regular purchase

11) Bramley Shampoo - not keen

Total 11/110

No purchases so far this year. Really need to not buy anything beauty related at all for at least the first half of this year.

I finished a TirTir mini cushion foundation. They live up to the hype IMO. (I finished a regular one a few weeks ago.) I have washed out the mini and intend to refill it when my “foundation” arrives. It’s not really foundation, but Fenty Body Sauce. I’ve nearly finished my second tube of this - lasts years - and it’s been discontinued! I purchased two from the website for 70% off. I use the lightest one and it’s perfect for my light-med olive skin.

Also TirTir - a mini set. Cleanser (fab), hydrating toner (meh), milky toner (amazing) and moisturiser (great for me, but not necessarily groundbreaking.) Also a heap of skincare freebie sachets and some Lador hair oil. I have two others from a GWP but will absolutely repurchase eventually.

Threw out Redken heat protection - I bought the tube instead of the mist. It’s like greasy glue. Weighs hair down and makes it look dirty.

@Fraaahnces I like the TirTir milky toner too although the Mary and May Blackberry Essence has the slight edge for me on creaminess and hydration - have you tried that one?

I've also got a mini cushion but only used it a couple of times. It looked great when I first applied it but I ended up with dry patches around my nose and chin later in the day. It's maybe not ideal for dry skin types.

@OvaHere I haven’t tried Mary & May yet, but have the toner and the moisturiser in my basket waiting for me to finish what I’m working on. Thanks for recommending it!
As for the dry patches, I highly recommend the TirTir Ceramic Skin Ampoule for this under your makeup. You only need a couple of drops pressed over your face and it is honestly what I was expecting from Glossier Futuredew. It makes a LOVELY makeup base, and is one of the most effective, soothing moisturizers ever. The dropper kinda sucks but you can pour it from the bottle if necessary.

@Fraaahnces I have the TirTir ampoule. I bought it a while back after you recommended it before. I hadn't considered using it as a make up base. It's a fantastic product but agree the packaging sucks - I don't reach for it as much as I should and it's largely due to the frustrating dropper.

Some empties:

Johnson kids conditioner. Works well, pleasant smell, nice texture. I have 2 extra waiting to be used.

Pearl drops pro white toothpaste. Does the job and apparently my teeth are slightly whiter. Might work in conjunction with an electric toothbrush. My toothpaste stash is full to the brim so I won’t rp for the time being.

Garnier almond milk shampoo. Very mild and nice on hair. Smells similar to Timoteo almond that I used when I was yours. I will rp only for the memories it brings back.

Nivea soft cream. Good cream, nice smell, and cheap.

A little sample pot with the new Olay serum that looks holographic in the bottle. It’s not sticky and absorbs well, as for the claims… I am not looking any younger.

4 or 5 bath bombs that my DDs used. Keeps them entertained.

Infamous Mason and Miller hotel minis. The conditioner is not as bad as the shampoo. Getting there.

Clinique cleanser soap sample. Too stripping for my face.

Fair cosmethics soap from a Hotel. This one is lovely, smells nice and does it’s job properly. I would bring more home if I find them in hotels.

Denenes gel shampoo. Used it as shower gel only, as shampoo is terrible but it smells glorious and I use it a lot.

Savon for hand and body rose. By Lidl. Copy to L’occitanes, it smells delicious and the soap is thick and gentle on hands. Can’t comment on body. Would rp.

Mildewn baby cologne for babies. Brought back from Spain from Aldi. Exact scent as Nenuco. Very cheap body splash and I use it to comb my DDs hair. I have not seen it since but would rp.

And some more extra I found ready to go:

foamburst mallow and cherry blossom. Smells so sweet and delicious and the texture is amazing. My only problem is that towards the end it is impossible to get anything out, leavening some product inside.

Garden mint and bergamot hand wash my Lacura Aldi, delicious. I would rp if the bring it back.

White mulberry hand wash, Lacura. Very green Christmasy scent. Similar to blackberry and bay leaf by Jo Malone. I don’t think I will rp.

Mason and miller shower gel, considering the hate I have for this brand it’s a miracle I decided to finish them.

Dercos anti dandruff shampoo sample. I don’t enjoy the scent, the colour and that it is verY difficult to lather. Won’t buy it.

22/100

Margaret Dabbs - overnight hand cream. It's excellent. When I finish my rituals one I will buy this without hesitation.

Vilhelm mango skin - gorgeous, I'll seek out some on eBay

Percy and Reed - this is a great product for my fine limp hair. I've got a couple of similar things to use but will certainly buy this

Not pictured - hand soap, one more done and many more to go!

Pic

@Choux I did not think Crabtree and Evelyn were still going! I adore their Jojoba range... maybe I need to take a look at TKMax!

I just tried to use the Amika perk up ultra oil control dry shampoo 84 ml for the 3rd time & it is EMPTY!!!!!!!!!!! WTAF!!!!!!!!!!! What an absolute rip off! It did not work either.

I am chucking The Inkey List succinic acid blemish treatment which I have had for about 6 years... it works but is messy and stains and I way prefer spot stickers.

Some more empties:

Klairs Gentle Black Facial Cleanser - 20ml. A little bit stripping.

Dermalogica Biolumin-C serum - 30ml. One of the few serums I’ve tried that has made a noticeable visible difference to my skin - made it look a bit brighter and more even-toned. Unfortunately I got this in an advent calendar and the RRP is £96, so won’t be repurchasing.

Flanerie Water Lily PHA exfoliator - 45ml. A wash off exfoliator, a clear gel with exfoliating bits in. It felt lovely to use but didn’t leave my skin as soft as the Murad one does. The best thing about it was that the scent was exactly like a cucumber cleanser I had in the 1990’s (Body Shop, I think).

Aveeno volumising shampoo - 300ml. Been through a couple of these before. Pretty good, seems to suit my hair.

Philip Kingsley Elasticizer - 150ml. I find the get your hair wet half an hour before you shower thing a faff, so started using it as a five minute mask in the shower instead and it worked fine that way.

Larry King A Social Life For Your Hair - 30ml. Think this is designed for much thicker hair than mine. It made my hair straggly if I put it on dry hair, but worked really well if I used just a little bit on when my hair was damp.

Lush Scan Me For Scares shower gel - 120g. Didn’t like the scent of this one, was supposed to be cranberry but it smelled a bit musty.

Lush American Pie body conditioner - 105g. This is supposed to be used after shower gel as an in shower lotion, but it left my skin greasy if I did that. Ended up using it before shower gel, which kind of defeated the purpose.

Tree Hut pineapple body scrub - 510g. My favourite body scrub formula, in my favourite scent. Have a back up thanks to my recent trip to TK Maxx.

Organic Shop vanilla & orchid body lotion - 250ml. Really runny and didn’t smell of much. Think it might have been a dud as all the other body lotions I’ve had from this brand have been good.

Philip Kingsley Elasticizer - 150ml. I find the get your hair wet half an hour before you shower thing a faff, so started using it as a five minute mask in the shower instead and it worked fine that way.

@CorneliaStreet I have some Olaplex minis I haven't used for the same reason. I'll try that.

Just as a PSA to anyone who uses THG Recycle Me app for empties, they are changing the T&Cs from April 1st. You should have an email but I put the full details in a post in the Beauty Chat thread for anyone interested. Main gist is they are reducing the number of awards that can be claimed in a month and 5 sachets will equal 1 empty.

Yes, the doing it in advance is a pain but I find 5 minutes in the shower more irritating. What I do now is wet my hair in the sink, slather it on and the put a shower cap on top and go and have a leisurely cup of tea before showering.

Obviously only works on a non work day.

Elemis cleansing balm. Love it.
Gatineau cleanser, was good.
Jo Loves pink vevetier - love the fragrance but doesn’t last at all.

11/80