10 Products That You Probably Don't Need

I get ridiculously excited about all things beauty-related, anyone who knows me or has read my blog in the past knows this to be true. I am probably the easiest person in the world to sell to, I want to like everything I try and I can find a use for even the most inessential items. Despite this my rather over-enthusiastic nature, there are some products out there that are too specific or to silly for even me to fall for. Therefore, I have written what I believe to be a little guide to products that you probably don’t need to buy. I have wasted my money on SO many of these in the past! Note that I'm not talking negatively about any specific brands here, it's more the concept of the product.

Here are my top, or should I say bottom, 10 products you don't need:

1)      BB Creams

Seriously, what are they? Is it a moisturiser? Is it a tinted moisturiser? Is it a day cream? Is it the miraculous answer to all your skincare problems? BB Creams do a combination of all of the above apparently, but I personally think that in trying to achieve so many things, they cannot be focusing on any of the specific problem areas well. Plus the coverage in them is hugely variable and limited in tone, often not catering to dark skins. I would save yourself the money in buying one, and invest in a better day cream or foundation instead.

2)      Facial Mists

Unless you fly a lot or do a lot of professional makeup, chances are you don’t need one of these. I think that they are a little bit silly, the good ones are pretty expensive and the mark-up on them must be horrific because it’s basically glorified water. On the other hand, they are so lovely and refreshing to spritz on now and then that I own a couple anyway, oops. I personally love Caudalie Eau de Beaute and Jurlique’s Rose Balancing Mist. But would I recommend one? No, its pretty unnecessary.

3)      Cuticle Cream

Just rub extra hand cream into your cuticles, or if you have a body or hair oil, rub that into your cuticles and nails. Sometimes I even use lipbalm, Whipstick from Lush has almond oil in which is great for your nails. This is especially good to do after you take off nail varnish.

4)      Eyelash Primer

Personally I have never found these to be particularly effective, and finding the right mascara often replaces the need for one anyway. Plus, who has time to use an eyelash primer and then a mascara in the morning?! Fair enough for a special event where makeup has to be looking fantastic for a long period of time, but for everyday use, I wouldn’t bother.

5)      Foot Lotion

I always just use hand cream instead of foot lotion, although I never do this the other way around as so often foot lotions have a strong fragrance I don’t want on my hands. It’s not that your little piggy’s don’t need a bit of love, but using hand cream saves you buying an extra product.

6)      Shaving Foam

Conditioner makes an amazing moisturising base before defuzzing yourself (body only!). The soothing and softening qualities are great for your skin as they help soothe shaving irritation and they also replace some of the moisture your skin loses when shaving . This is definitely better than using shower gel, as often the foaming agents in the gel strip and irritate skin more.

7)      Soothing Eye Patches

I think I’ve mentioned this in a previous post, but wet and cool green tea bags are lovely restorative eye patches to take down puffiness and redness, and brighten your eyes. There are a lot of expensive alternatives on the market but this is a cheap yet effective alternative. Plus you get to enjoy 2 cups of green tea which is bursting with antioxidants and burns 40 calories per cup you drink!

8) Eye Serums
You can use your regular serum all over your face, including your eyes, dontcha know.  Eye cream however, is essential and I would recommend using this every night, whatever your age.

9) Nose Strips
Oh my god, SO bad for your skin, literally ripping off layers of skin is not going to do you many favours. If anything, it will leave your pores more exposed to dirt and bacteria, so it won't necessarily stop blackheads, it may make them worse. Get a good exfoliator or mud-based mask to get rid of blocked pores and blackheads more gently.

10) Solid Perfume
The idea of solid perfume really appeals to me, I like the concept that I could pop it in my handbag or travel with it easily. However, the reality of solid perfume, in my opinion, is that the fragrance never lasts on the skin, no matter which brand I try, and that it's a bit messy and inconvenient. Plus I love the whole ritual  and luxury of spritzing on a fragrance, and I feel like you don't get any of that in a solid. There's no magic there.