Our beauty team is wholly at your service, testing, trialling and giving our honest reviews of every product that we get our hands on, so you know what buys are actually worth your money.
Between the best new beauty launches and cult classic formulas, we try scores of products each and every week, meaning it's rare for us to actually get to the end of any bottle, tub or tube. However, this April, we gave our beauty kits a much-needed spring clean and parted ways with nine products that we had loved so much, we'd run them dry. We're talking about the best lightweight foundations, a gently clarifying shampoo, and one of the best Amazon Korean skincare buys for sensitive skin.
And what could be a more compelling recommendation than a product that we've run dry, or should we say nine products that we've used every last drop of – with some aesthetically pleasing photos to prove it...
The 9 products our beauty team have emptied throughout April
Warning – the following buys have left a seriously positive impression on the woman&home beauty team. This includes one of the best eye creams for smoother, firmer under-eyes and a scent that our Beauty Writer deems one of the most long-lasting perfumes on the market – and garners her compliments everywhere she goes.
RRP: £14
If you're looking for a way to gently exfoliate the skin, without causing any irritation, look no further than Cetaphil's Gentle Exfoliating Salicylic Lotion. Created with sensitive skin types in mind, meaning it's designed to be kind-to-skin, this lotion boasts a triple blend of salicylic acid, mandelic acid and gluconolactone to buff away dead skin cells and minimise the appearance of dry skin, bumps and dullness. Plus, it has hydrating actives that delicately nourish the skin to bolster the moisture barrier. I love it so much that this is my second bottle I've got through. It leaves my complexion deeply hydrated, smoother and with a more even appearance. I might've already bought another bottle so I don't go without, but this gem will forever be on my repurchase list each and every time I run out of it.
RRP: £34
"From the very first time I swiped this complexion stick across my skin, I was hooked and haven't stopped using it since - hence why I'm one use away from hitting the plastic holder. I haven't touched a single one of my liquid foundations in months, nor any of my concealers for that matter, as this formula renders them both unnecessary with its buildable, radiant and lasting coverage. It helps to cover my dark circles, redness and blemishes, whilst also giving my skin the most natural and illuminated glow. It also blends like a dream and never looks cakey or dry. I don't throw the word 'essential' around lightly, but this stick is truly an essential in my everyday routine; I'm never without it."
~ Naomi Jamieson, Digital Beauty Writer at woman&home
RRP: £17.39
If you could take a look at my skincare routine right now, you'll be able to tell that I have been trialling an array of Korean skincare in recent months. Many formulas have replaced multiple steps in my own regimen, with Celimax's Noni Energy Ampoule Serum being one of them. It boasts a calming formula that is rich in antioxidants, minerals, vitamins and skin-loving ingredients, which is music to my ears as someone with sensitive skin. Its silky texture glides on, immediately hydrating the skin and delivering a radiant, plumper appearance – without causing any irritation. With continuous use both day and night, my skin appeared calmer, clearer and enhanced with an enviable glow. I might still have a few drops left, but once it's gone, this serum is at the top of my restock list.
RRP: £72 for 30ml
If you ever ask me what perfume I'm wearing, Narciso Rodriguez's For Her Intense is my answer 95% of the time (the other 5% includes having to test other perfumes for my job as a Beauty Writer). Since discovering this gem of a fragrance just over a year ago, it has quickly gone on to become my signature scent – something I never thought would happen after years of searching. This is one of the most sensual and moreishly feminine scents I've ever smelt. As a modern chypre perfume, it is equal parts sweet yet musky with notes of peach, bergamot, white flowers, musk and vetiver for a warming and addictive fragrance. The best part? It truly lasts all day long (I'm talking 12 hours+) and gets me compliments everywhere I go.
RRP: £72
"I really adore this eye cream, so much so that I use it every morning and night. It feels so hydrating but lightweight on the skin, it sits well under makeup and helps ward off any dryness and texture, as well as smoothing lines. It's an all-rounder, and I just love the ritual of scooping out some product with its little gold spatula and applying it to my under-eyes."
~ Naomi Jamieson, Digital Beauty Writer at woman&home
RRP: £32
As someone with fine hair that is prone to quickly getting greasy, it's rare for me to find a shampoo that I rave about. It's no secret that I'm also a fan of Living Proof's Full Shampoo, however, I found the magic recipe to swap my favourite Full Shampoo out for the brand's Clarifying Detox Shampoo once a week in order to banish any excess oil, product build-up and impurities. This activated charcoal-enriched formula offers a deep yet gentle cleanse of the scalp, clarifying the hair without stripping it of all its moisture. In fact, it leaves my typically fine, limp strands feeling clean with a lightweight bounce to it. If you, too have oil-prone locks, this formula needs to be on your radar.
RRP: £44
"If you've been keeping up to date with our team empties, you'll know that this is about the third bottle I've featured, which goes to show how much I use and love it. It feels like a glass of water for my dry skin and leaves it feeling so nourished, soothed and dewy."
~ Naomi Jamieson, Digital Beauty Writer at woman&home
RRP: £16
I'm not usually one for fancy hand washes, typically opting for whatever will get the cleansing job done, however Neal's Yard Garden Mint & Bergamot Hand Wash has changed that for me. Not only did I thoroughly enjoy having the aesthetic cobalt blue-hued glass bottles perched on my sink, the organic formula inside was also impressive. Its botanical blend is infused with the green scent of freshly picked garden mint and zesty Sicilian bergamot for a clean, spa-like scent that filled my bathroom. It also lathered up extremely well, meaning you only needed a little bit to thoroughly cleanse your palms – so you get more bang for your buck!
RRP: £33
I'm not ashamed to admit that I've steamed my way through Laneige's Water Bank Aqua Facial since its launch in January. One of the best Laneige skincare products on the market, this multi-tasking buy acts as both a hydrating and re-texturising serum, working to deliver long-lasting hydration and smoothing uneven texture for a glass skin glow. Radiant isn’t in my skin's vocabulary as I have a naturally dull, tired complexion, but just patting three drops of this formula onto my skin morning and night made it appear brighter, glowy and plumper. Also, as someone with sensitive skin, I’m always sceptical about trying products with exfoliants, such as PHA, BHA and AHA – all of which this serum is equipped with – however, it is gentle enough for me to use twice a day. I shall be reinvesting in another bottle to ensure I don't lose my complexion's glass skin glow.
