The beauty empties series continues with a focus on… pink products. That’s right, beauty products packaged in pale pink boxes, fuchsia caps and baby pink bottles. Certain beauty categories have adopted a colour code such as orange for vitamin C products, but with pink I couldn’t find a theme… maybe radiance? That might just be because I’m naturally drawn to that result and therefore a good half of my beauty arsenal is dedicated to achieving the ultimate glow. From a brightening mist to a skin protecting SPF, over 70% of this month’s empties are packaged in a shade of pink.  

Caudalie Resveratrol-Lift Firming Cashmere Cream

It’ll come as no surprise that yet again Caudalie features in my beauty empties posts. The brand is a near constant feature because many of their products have become regular staples within my skincare routine: from their bestselling Beauty Elixir to one of my favourite serums from their Vinoperfect Radiance, I’ve always got a Caudalie product on the go, the latest one being their classic Resveratrol Lift cream which has had a – pink – makeover. Now containing vegan collagen, the 97% natural rich cream perfectly nourishes my dehydrated skin, leaving it satisfactorily plumped and smoothed. I’m still a die-hard fan of the Vinoperfect collection, but this is a beautiful anti-ageing cream. How did I dispose of this empty pot? The jar and box go in your everyday recycling bin, and the lid can be brought back to store to be recycled via Terracycle. 50ml RRP £42.00

Aveeno Baby Daily Care Moisturising Lotion and Hand Cream

Not a pink shade in sight on this duo’s packaging, but I still managed to work my way through the lotion and the hand cream this month due to a bad eczema flare up all across my back, shoulders and arms. Once the hydrocortisone cream had done its job I stole my son’s Baby Lotion (which he now refuses to use) and slathered it all over my back to keep my skin hydrated without irritating fragrances and essential oils. And when I ran out of that I applied my Aveeno Hand Cream. I’ve yet to find a more reliable source of skin soothing ingredients than Aveeno’s range which features colloidal oatmeal, known to lock in moisture and help protect and nourish dry skin. These products have a pleasingly thick texture and soothing result and will continue to be a bathroom cupboard staple for when my skin needs a hug. 150ml RRP £5.99 and 75ml RRP £5.99

The Body Shop Skin Defence SPF50 PA++++

This is the first winter when I’ve been diligent about wearing SPF – better late than never. I can deal with thicker sunscreens during the summer, but in the winter I want a light fluid that sits comfortably under makeup. This Skin Defence SPF50 not only provides great protection but also comes in a super light milk to water essence with an added boost of vitamin C for a radiant complexion without a trace of greasy residue. Tick, tick and tick. If you’re looking for an ultra-light fluid this is the best one I’ve found in suncare, although beware it does smell of alcohol which is not to everyone’s taste. 40ml RRP £18.00

Cake The Mane Manager

Anything that claims multi-purpose use and I’m sold. Case in point: this 3-in-1 leave-in conditioner from Cake Beauty which immediately caught my attention as the perfect time saviour. A rinse-free formula that untangles, hydrates and revives hair – yes please. My locks have been pretty low maintenance this winter: after washing them with Earth Kind shampoo bar I just spray onto damp hair, focusing on the mid lengths and ends), brush through and perform a rough blow dry for a smooth finish and soft to touch. As the brand name would indicate, these haircare products have a distinctive sugary sweet scent (as well as an all pink approach to packaging) which won’t be to everyone’s taste – if you like fresh citrus scents stay clear – but the fragrance does die down quite quickly. When I first tried this leave-in conditioner I found it a little heavy for my fine hair so shelved it for a few months, but re-discovering it now it seemed to work perfectly for my dry ends and shorter, highlighted hair. 120ml RRP £8.99

Boots Glow Brightening Mist

I love a good facial mist. Now that I have a dedicated work space at home, I’ve come to rely on a mid-afternoon spritz of whichever mist I have on the go, strategically placed next to my laptop to ensure it’s always within easy reach. I thought I’d work through this 100ml bottle as quickly as I did the Glow Radiance Tonic from the same pleasingly millennial pink range, but this Brightening Mist lasted a surprisingly long time. The whole collection has an odd sweet scent but once I got used to that I enjoyed spritzing for a refreshing feeling and a dewy finish. 100ml RRP £4.00

Nourish Radiance Skincare Essentials

Whilst this collection boasts a fuchsia trip of colour on the labels to identify it as the radiance range – yes again, I know – at least it’s not accompanied by a whiff of candy floss. Nourish skincare doesn’t shout about fashionable ingredients or the latest beauty trends, but it consistently delivers effective formulas and noticeable results. This mini set consisting of a purifying cleanser, refreshing toning mist, rejuvenating peptide serum and brightening moisturiser lasted around 2 weeks and left my skin looking rested, calm and nourished. The thin dark grey bag the products come in leaves me indifferent to say the least – I’ve seen more appealing – but based on the contents I would trade up to the full size. The plastic bottles and glass jar are easily recycled but the pumps need to be taken to a brand store that is signed up to the Terracycle scheme. 2x 50ml + 2x 15ml RRP £29.00

Lowens Lipbalm

I love a good lipbalm. So much so that I’ve rated it my desert island beauty product and typically have 3 on the go: one on my desk, one in my handbag and another by my bed. This stick from Canadian natural skincare brand Lowens delivers effective fuss-free results: moisturised lips with a delicious – and subtle – vanilla scent. I scraped out every last bit. 4.25g RRP $6.00

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