April's Empties

This month has been a normal empties month:

• Pai daycream in Macademia & Rose has not been finished yet, but it reached the expiry date. I quite like the neutral texture but I opened it too late 

•  De Mamiel Spring oil is nice, but I'm not too fond of it's lemony, home-cleansing scent. I added some neroli & geranium to perk it up: that worked 

•  Nourish Revital-eye made it to my Best of 2013 List. I've emptied my 2nd tube & keep on loving its effect on my eyes.

• Avene eau Thermale had been on my wishlist for a while. I got the samplesize and like it, but I cannot really distinguish between this one and La Roche Posay: I just like both types.
•  Ren Evercalm cleanser is lovely, but these days I'm more partial to either cleansing oils or micellar waters. But it's nice to try
• Kris dAmour makes some lovely oils. The soothing faceoil, is everything it promises, delightfully soo
• Estelle & Child lifting Eyecream was a bit of a miss for me. It gave me an irritation: the saleswoman told me it was because the eyec  re am contained too many actives but I don, t have yhis promblem with either Pai Echium nor Nourish Revital-Eyes. It's just not working for me.

Both of my pot eyeliners dried out.  

I really liked RMS Unpowder which explained why I finished in 4 months

• Nexxus Emergencee changed into Polymedic: the formula is still similarly brilliant and givesmhair a good dose of protein.
• Trilogy Refresh and Shine is an excellent, organic conditioner with light but effective detangling properties
• Less is MORE Lindengloss shampoo smells amazing and cleanses light but effectively. I want themfull size now!
• Ila Nourish body lotion is light and has that hwrbal scent. Lovely, but the full size would be a tad too pricy for me
• Last but not least has been Timothy Dunn Mille Fleurs candle: so good that it should become a perfume.

November Empties & December Full's

My empties of November: 

1. Inner Me Pretty Locks haircapsules:

The cute packaging of a Zoe Deschanel look-a-like in animation + the promise of bountiful hair = purchase. I'm not sure if I repurchase as similar ingredients come cheaper in other formulas.

2. REN F10 Smooth and Renew Mask: 

I really liked the thicker texture of this mask/exfoliator and it removes enough skincells without going overboard. I'll consider repurchasing as REN is easily available in Holland and it works quite well.

3/4. Intelligent Nutrients Body Elixir in Attune & Restore

I bought both on sale and I liked both (review here). They are oils with a slightly sticky texture, so it works wonderful as an evening oil. I prefer Attune's fragance as Restore is a bit too pepperminty. They're both smaller sizes 50 ml so I'm not sure if I'd repurchase when full priced.

5. Sophyto Exfoliating Treatment

Yes, another exfoliator and another good one as well: I often exfoliate more after a holiday and during autumn. The texture is so much thinner as REN: a lotion-like substance that gives a bit of a tingle after 10 minutes. It works just as adequate as REN in exfoliating terms and is slightly cheaper, but I have to order it online.

6.  Neil George Indian Gooseberry treatment for hair (the whole package of 6)

I once received a free sample and liked it a lot. I love it for my dryer (highlighted) hairs close to my scalp: it adds moisture and seems healing without making it loose volume.  I think it is an expensive set so I tried the pure Amla (Gooseberry) oil but that version was so intensely fraganced and quite heavy & oily in the pure form. So I'd repurchase but only after payday.

6. Aveda Invati Exfoliating Shampoo

A wonderful & slightly herbal scented shampoo. It adds a certain degree of 'thickness' and it never feels stripping. I use it in combination with their Revitaliser so I cannot tell how it works on itself. But my hair on top looks a lot healthier these days.

7.  Pai Echium Eyecream

My second bottle used up (1st review here). I am not sure if I got this one for free or that I bought this one and got something else for free. I love this thicker eyecream but curiosity made me buy the similar looking Nourish RevitalEyes with Kale.

8. RapidLash Eyelash growth Serum

I've gotten eyelash extensions during summer and for my last holiday. They're handy for the beach but at a certain moment I get tired of them: as they feel unnatural after 3 weeks and the constant refreshing is expensive and time-consuming.  I think they slightly wreck your own eyelashes so I'm trying to recover them by RapidLash. It worked lovely the last time as they grew normal and even more sensually long after a month: wonderful!

Those have been my empties, so I bought myself a Ciate Mini Mani Advent Calender to surprise myself every day:

It's really a good value if you like Ciate with a couple of newbie colours too. 

I already 'cheated' and added day 13 to my nails (spoiler: it's Ferris Wheel).

But as a good girl I added day 1 on top today: Snow Globe, a gorgeously greenish-silver holo flecked goodiness:

And that will absolutely not be the only newbie beauty product for December: I'll keep you updated : )

Eye por Pai: Pai Echium & Argan Gentle Anti-ageing Eye cream

Winter eyes need different kind of care.

I was attended on my frailer state of eye-skin after a visit in one of my fave niche skin/perfume shops in Holland. I didn't go for eyecare but after the saleslady asked me for my preference of samples, she asked me several times if I really used an eyecream.

I did, but those remarks and the skin around my eyes in the mirror did seem quite dehydrated for sure.

I eventually went for a brand not available in the Netherlands (yet) based on a GWP and some good reviews. It helps that it's an organic brand, and I've been trying some other samples from them and liked them a lot.

When you take the bottle, the first thing you notice that it's small and thin. It looks like one of those lipstick/balm pencils that NARS has.

Generally, 10 ml is not that much, but the hygienic pump-system hands out the right amount of micro doses that is enough to cover around both eyes.

Pai Echium eyecream: rich, but absorbs easily

I really prefer these kind of sizes as I love to travel as the liquid goods rules only limits you to a certain amount of producs on airplanes.  Bulky jars, even though made of pretty glass, can be unhandy in that plastic satchel carrying around and these sizes are easy to put in. Sample satchets aren't always handy either: sometimes I don't use all the product inside but leaving them opened might get you that *cream/liquid/ect-in-your-plastic-satchel*-effect...bleeeeerg.

I took my Pai Echium on my last long-distant trip and I loved applying in generously and tapping it in for a while. These rituals can be soothing being in a place that is not that normal (to me, some people travel so much for their jobs)

Thus, the verdict:

• a rich, winter-proof eyecream that absorbs quickly
• both suitable for day & nighttime (on semi-mature skin)
• fragance free
• instant relief in dryness after application
• perfect for travel
• more rested appearance around eyes in the morning (after sleep)
• I do not have that many dark circles, so I cannot report on how it works in that field
• perfect doses of product after one pump for both eyes
• one bottle lasted me almost 2 months, with frequent application in a dryer, colder winter
• Last time I visited the niche/cosmetic shop, that same saleswoman didn't say anything about my eyes anymore (not that I had other cosmetics concerns, eg. hair, but that one was covered)
• mid-price range for about £21.60. 

Conclusion:

I really like this eyecream. The only reason I haven't repurchased it yet is because I'm still curious about the Barefoot Botanicals Rosa Fina eyecream that I have stocked up on, and had really high ratings in the beautybible tests.

Availability:
I bought mine on naturisimo.com (here) but it's also available on feelunique.com. Naturisimo is cheaper, though, and you have the choice between 5 samples of a generous range of products (here).
EDITED:
Thanks to a commenter: If you buy from their website www.paiskincare.com and spend more than £20, use the code GTG on checkout and you get a free full size Echium Eye Cream until February 4th.