Empties #1 | Mariam

I've recently acquired a load of empty tubes, jars and bottles so I thought I would give you a little low down on the products I've used up.

Let's start off with the boring ones shall we?

Nivea Pearl and Beauty 48hr Anti-Perspirant

I get through a lot of these, so there's really no surprise at this being in here. I'm no anti-perspirant buff, but this is really the only one I will buy. It just smells so nice and clean and girly – a lovely way to enhance (or even completely substitute) your perfume. As for keeping sweat patches at bay, it seems to do the job! Not quite sure about the 48 hour claim, but I doubt anyone has such a busy lifestyle.

Maybelline One by One Volum'Express Mascara

This is a good all-rounder mascara – it lengthens, volumizes and the tapered synthetic brush catches all the little lashes in the inner corner. If there wasn't a huge number of other mascaras out there that I wanted to try, this would probably be a repurchase for me.

The Body Shop Banana Shampoo

I was really intrigued by the Banana hair range by The Body Shop and while my conditioner is still going strong, the shampoo is all used up. This shampoo helps my hair feel really clean and light, and it's noticeably made my hair much shinier. I've tried to repurchase this but all stores I've been in are out of stock. Just checked the website – out of stock! What is going on?

Percy & Reed Totally TLC Hydrating Mask

You may remember Glamour magazine giving these Percy and Reed products away a couple of months ago, and I was so mad for this Deep Treatment mask I even snapped up three! While I cannot say that this is a miracle hair saviour, it makes my dead ends feel a bit more nourished and combing through my mane that little bit easier. Again, the main thing about this product is the smell. I've probably never enjoyed the smell of a hair product this much. Interestingly, it smells a lot like the deodorant pictured above. A strange concept, but to me it smells delightful.

Mandara Spa Amber Heaven Moisturising Bath Essence

 This is actually a bath essence but I've been using it as a body wash, as it has proved rather difficult taking baths in my shower. It's worked well, though. I just absolutely love the smell of the Amber Heaven range. It's not my usual taste; it's very musky, very woody, very deep, but there's something almost hypnotically beautiful about it. I'll definitely look for the Amber Heaven body butter the next time I'm in a bigger Sainsbury's.

Mandara Spa Tropical Blooms Softening Body Cream

This was another little sample included in the set. This is a really nice light moisturiser that sinks in really nicely to the skin, leaving behind a silky smooth finish. It smells floral, but not overly so. Again, another product I'd love to own full size.

Mandara Spa Honeymilk Dream Nourishing Hand Cream

It's taken me a good half year to use up this hand cream but I can sleep easy as I've got a mini back-up. Quite simply, this hand cream is delectable. It makes my hands feel extremely soft and nourished, and like all the Mandara Spa products I've tried, it smells sensational. So sweet and comforting, like a big fluffy duvet.

I'm actually a huge fan of the Mandara Spa range. They're available in most larger Sainsbury's as well as here. If you feel like you need a bit of (affordable) luxury or are looking for a nice present for someone, I really recommend this brand.

Have you used up any products lately? I really like summing up products I've used, I'll make this a regular feature.

Mariam xx