Fall Empties 2018

I have a ton of concealer empties this time around. I decided to use them all up and put them to a final test! Let's see how it all shook out.

I managed to blow through another Estee Lauder Double Wear Stay-in-Place Flawless Wear Concealer this past Fall. I had one of these in my last empties post. I seem to have a bit of skin tone discolouration on one of my cheeks and I have been covering it up religiously for months. It has improved but it still bugs me. I decided though after buying this product constantly for the past few years that it isn't the best concealer I have in my arsenal. The colour Light Medium (Cool) that I have matches perfectly with my foundation but it's not as opaque as I would like. Enter Urban Decay Naked Skin Weightless Complete Coverage Concealer in Light Neutral. This was light a miracle covering up skin imperfections. I only had a small travel sized tube but I was amazed. Now, I previously used this only under my eyes and I did not like the result. But when I applied it over blemishes and skin tone discolouration, it was fantastic! So I rushed out and bought the full sized tube. There was a hiccup. The full sized tube is not as thick and fantastic as the small one! Ahhh! However, the full sized tube still does a good job, better than the Estee Lauder anyway, just not as great as the small tube.

Maybelline Fit Concealer in 20 Sand has been my go to for under the eye for awhile. It is not perfect, but it doesn't crease and the colour match isn't bad. It looks better than most concealers, but I am still searching for my holy grail. I have repurchased. 

NARS Concealer in Medium1 Custard did not impress me so I am glad I only had the trial size. It creased under my eyes big time. Also it seemed dry to me and no one wants a dry concealer that doesn't sit well. Won't repurchase. 

Shiseido Facial Cotton - It's expensive for what it is, but worth every penny. Best facial cotton ever. Can't go back to drug store cotton rounds ever again. I'm really going through these lately! 

I feel like I need to lump a bunch of these make-up remover wipes together because in my mind they were all the same - crap. Be. better Sensitive Natural All-in-One Make-Up Remover Wipes (Rexall brand) was soothing on my skin and non-irritating. But guess what? It didn't remove hardly any makeup. These were the worst of the group. Useless. Moving on. Life Brand (Shoppers Drug Mart brand) 3-in-1 Facial Cleansing Wipes. Rubbish too, didn't remove enough make-up and the cloths were a tad rough. Goodbye. Thank goodness I only use these for travelling. Simple Eye Make-Up Remover Pads (Target brand) were not good. Rough on the eye, irritating, stung and removal of make-up was subpar. Do yourself a favour and just skip these! 

Ok moving on to Pantene Pro-V Moisturizing Mist Detangler. Did it detangle? Yes. It could have been better but it worked well enough. I didn't like the smell of it - a little too chemical for my taste. It was reasonably priced of course. Don't think I would repurchase unless I was desperate. 

Time to talk about MAC. I feel a Back to MAC happening soon....I finished another MAC Painterly Paint Pot. I don't know how many of these I have gone through over the years. Quite a few...I have already repurchased and honestly I cannot imagine doing my makeup without it. Holy grail product for sure. I also finished off my MAC Craving lipstick. I liked the colour and I would repurchase but frankly I need to get rid of some more lipsticks before I can move new ones in. MAC Lipglass in Nymphette wasn't bad. I would repurchase but the colour was more neutral than I would like. I think it would look great on a fair blonde. 

Estee Lauder Advanced Night Repair Eye Concentrate Matrix was such a let down! I love the regular face version of this but this does nothing for my undereye area. I didn't think it was super moisturizing at all and my undereye circles were worse than usual when I used this. Have you seen the price of this stuff? It's a big pass for me. Speaking of Estee Lauder, another Double Wear Zero-Smudge Lengthening Mascara bites the dust. Already repurchased two. The only real non-smudge mascara out there as far as I am concerned.  

Oh Kat Von D you are a little minx. Most of your products are so fabulous, I can't even put my love into words. Your Tattoo Liner in Trooper is my favourite liquid liner ever. This was a small travel tube or pen and it lasted forever. I think this might have been my third. I have already repurchased two and have them in other colours. If you haven't tried this, what on earth are you waiting for???

Finally, L'Occitane en Provence 20% Shea Butter Dry Skin Hand Cream is my favourite purse hand lotion. Countless purchased and this one too served me well. 

I'm already working on a December empties post, because I seem to have a lot building up this month! Lots of Drunk Elephant coming up and we have to talk about some Tatcha products. 

Drunk Elephant Lippe Balm - Review

Hello! I have been trying a huge range of products in the Drunk Elephant line for the past several months and I have a lot to say about them. Some I totally love and can't get enough of, and others are a bit more meh. I thought I would start off with talking about Drunk Elephant's Lippe Balm. I got this in a set of their products. Before trying this, I wasn't planning to purchase it as it is $22 Canadian on it's own. Now I love me some Bite Agave Lip Mask and I pay a pretty penny for it, but it is a holy grail product that I cannot live without. I am not paying $22 Canadian for a sheer lip balm unless it knocks my socks off and rocks my world.

The tube contains 3.7g or .13oz. of product which seemed like a fair amount to me until I looked at my Burt's Bees Lip Balm and see that it has 4.25g of product. Drunk Elephant is not so generous then and it is like 5x the price of Burt's Bees.

Lippe Balm is nice in the sense that it doesn't have an offensive smell and it feels great on the lips. It's moisturizing, soothing and very comfortable. I am totally using this daily and I will finish this tube no problem. Other than the price, my main complaint is that I find the balm doesn't last long on my lips. Sometimes an hour later or a few hours later I find my lips feeling bare and a little dry. They don't look dry but they feel dry. It's very strange. So naturally I have to reapply fairly frequently.

It's not a bad product but I will not repurchase due to the lack of staying power and the price. So far this is probably my second to least favourite Drunk Elephant product and let's face it, my complaints about it aren't that crazy.

Next up is an empties post and then lots of Drunk Elephant to follow.

Mid to Late Summer 2018 Empties

Here we are, another empties post. I have so many things that I am scraping the bottom of that I hope the next empties installment will be quite something. I have 3 other non-empties posts that I hope to do soon too. 

Without further ado.....

Seventh Generation Hibiscus and Cardamom Natural Hand Wash - Ok, ok I know I am beating the hand wash thing to death but I thought this one might be worth mentioning. I thought this was going to smell terrible but it smelt really good and not overpowering. My only complaint about these Seventh Generation ones is that you go through them so fast!

Bumble and Bumble Bb Thickening Full Form Mousse - This is one of the best mousses I have ever used. I'm still looking for that holy grail, but this one should be tried. I bought it at an Estee Lauder/MAC sale for a fraction of the retail price which is good because it is very pricey. I think I have another one kicking around here. Just have to find it....

Klorane Floral Water Make-Up Remover - Love it. Take your Bioderma and just pitch it out now.....countless bottles purchased and finished. (review here)

The Green Beaver Company Foaming Hand Soap in Fresh Mint - I am going to keep this very real right now. This stuff was terrible! It's clear in the bottle but it turns green when it dries out of the bottle. It's a sappy, sticky mess that oozes out of whatever container you have it in. A total nightmare to clean. Hated it. Oh it's green alright! Gremlin sludge! Smelt too much like toothpaste as well.  Never foamed once. WTF??? Yuck! Never again. 

MAC Jest Eyeshadow - I think this may be the first pot of Jest that I ever owned. I think I have 2 more Jest eyeshadows in pro refill format. I finally finished it. This is by far one of my favourite MAC eyeshadow colours ever. Let another round of Back to MAC begin! 

Bite Beauty Agave Lip Mask - Love this...I've gone through countless tubes of these. Already repurchased two more. It's this or bust for me when winter hits. Holy Grail product for sure. (review here) 

Shiseido Facial Cotton - It's expensive for what it is, but worth every penny. Best facial cotton ever. Can't go back to drug store cotton rounds ever again. 

Estee Lauder Advanced Time Zone - Not a bad moisturizer at all. Not my fave but hey it came with a gwp so I'll use it when I want a change. 

Estee Lauder DayWear - Also not a bad moisturizer. Works well for the summer. It was with a gwp also. (review here)

Aveeno Intense Relief Hand Cream - One of my new favourites. I keep one of these on my desk at work. Already repurchased. By far, one of the best Aveeno products. 

Living Proof Perfect Hair Day Conditioner - This was a small travel sized sample - good for travel. I was ok but the 5-in-1 styling treatment Living Proof has is still the best. 

Origins Plantscription - Countless tubes I have had....more will be purchased. 

Moroccanoil Extra Volume Shampoo - I had this bottle forever! Decided it was time to finish it. It was decent shampoo but I wasn't over the moon about it and I didn't overly love the smell. 

That's it for now. Lots of makeup items coming in next empties post! 

Estee Lauder Double Wear Nude Water Fresh Makeup in 2C3 Fresco - Review

Okay so as some of you may know, Estee Lauder discontinued their Double Wear Light foundation a number of months ago. I snatched up what I could find on the market. I still have a few drops left in one tube. This has been my go-to foundation for several years and I was not very happy about it. I wore shade 2.0. Estee Lauder is scheduled to come out with a new version of Double Wear Light any minute now. I believe Ulta in the U.S. is already carrying it. Friends, I am nervous. There are very mixed reviews on the new version and some are very disheartening. All agree, it ain't the same stuff.

So while I suffer waiting to see if the new version is any good at all, an Estee Lauder rep recommended I try this - Estee Lauder Double Wear Nude Water Fresh Makeup. Right away I knew I was going to be disappointed because as soon as I hear the word "nude" I think coverage will be crap, but what is a girl to do? First things first. The shades do not match the regular Double Wear foundation even though the shade names are the same. Say what??? That's right. I wear 2N1 Desert Beige in the regular Double Wear line and in this line, the "Nude" line, it's way lighter. So I had to settle for 2C3 Fresco which is a tad too pink for my taste but the colour will match my skin well enough in a pinch. Disappointment #1.

The Estee Lauder rep warned me that this product is very watery, runny. Oh brother, here we go I thought. She didn't lie. Better apply it fast because it will make it's way down you face in a hurry otherwise. For whatever it is worth, the reviews online are not good and people seem to take particular exception to the wateriness of this product saying it's a hot mess to even keep the bottle clean whether they have a pump or not. However, I have had no issues keeping my bottle clean and I am not using a pump yet. Of course, I have been super careful with this bottle knowing the warnings. Disappointment #2.

Let's talk about the coverage. I knew immediately before I even put it on my face that I was not going to be happy with the coverage given the name and how watery it is. I would say this is a hair better than light coverage maybe even I could say light to medium coverage. For my taste, and given my botchy skin, this coverage isn't going to cut it. To my mind, Double Wear Light was medium coverage and that stuff stayed on all day! I will say that I made this stuff work as I took it on vacation to the Caribbean and man is it hot there in July. It did move around my face but if I wore a primer under it, that seemed to help immensely. That also helped with the coverage issue. I don't want to have to fuss so much though with my foundation to "make it work". At least it blends easily but it doesn't "stick" to the skin as much as I would like. It kind of floats on it. Disappointment #3.

This product has SPF 30. Was this good to have on vacation? Yes. Is it good for pictures? Hell no. Do I want SPF in my daily foundation? No. I am not an outdoorsy gal so sorry I don't need SPF in my daily skincare regime. Disappointment #4.

When I touch my face while wearing it, it comes off on my hand. Doesn't matter how many hours I've had it on. I hate that. I have to keep my hands from my face while I have this on. Disappointment #5.

Will I finish this bottle? Yes, because it cost a good chunk of change and I can use it here and there. It was $48 Canadian or it's $42 U.S. As a side note, I have gone and bought the regular Double Wear formula to use in the meantime until Double Wear Light resurfaces. The regular Double Wear is a bit too heavy and full coverage for my daily needs but I think if I mix it with some Estee Lauder BB cream, we may be ok.

In summary, Estee Lauder Double Wear Nude Water Fresh Makeup isn't as terrible as some people make it seem, you can make it work. I can understand the hate though. I will definitely not be repurchasing. I am a little mystified why Estee Lauder even has this on the market. There are so many boxes it doesn't tick. But hey, at least it's in glass. Estee Lauder normally make such solid products. This one is a bit of a dud.

Packaging: 10/10  (it's glass)  

Pigmentation: 6.5/10 

Easy to Work With: 5/10 

Longevity: 4/10 

Texture: 5/10 (watery) 

Price: 5/10 for what it is

Ingredients: 8/10 

Travel Worthy: 8.5/10 

Attractiveness of Product: 6/10

Would I buy this again? NO

Overall Rating: 6/10

Late Spring/Early Summer Empties 2018

Hello! My empties are piling up again so it's that time to do an empties post. I already have a few items set aside for my "Summer Empties" post so stay tuned for that. I have to do a review in the next day or two about a new Estee Lauder foundation and I have a lot to say about it, so that is up next.. Let's dive in.

A La Maison de Provence Citrus Blossom and Sweet Almond Liquid Soap - I've said it before and I will say it again, I don't tend to post about my hand soap or bar soap empties. I go through a lot of soap and it's just not really an interesting topic I find in terms of makeup and beauty empties. I really like this brand though and I plowed through two bottles over the last little while. I bought these at Marshalls/Winners for $7.99 Canadian. They smell nice (natural) and do a good job. I would definitely repurchase.

Aveeno Daily Moisturizing Sheer Hydration Lotion - I have really started getting into Aveeno and I have a review and an interesting story to share with you very soon about one of their lotions. This is not the particular lotion that I speak of. Anyway, I find that I am loving some Aveeno lotions but others are meh. This was a meh. I found it did not absorb well, was not very hydrating, and was very light, too light of a moisturizer for me. I would not repurchase this particular Aveeno product.

Seventh Generation Mandarin Orange & Grapefruit Natural Hand Wash - Are we sick of talking about hand wash yet? Haha. This is another of my favourite hand soaps. My only complain at these Seventh Generation ones is that you go through them so fast! If you get a deal though you can buy them for like $3.50 Canadian so it pays to shop around or wait for a sale. I believe Amazon sells these as an add on item for chump change sometimes. Anyway, already repurchased 3!

Nutrafix Hair Reconstructor Giovanni Eco Chic Hair Care - I bought this at Winners on a whim. I've never seen this brand before and I've never seen it since. It worked well! I would consider buying it again. Very moisturizing!

L'Occitane en Provence Dry Skin Foot Cream - I have gone through countless tubes of these. One of the best foot creams on the market, hands down. Already repurchased. If you haven't tried this, you need to get on that already.

Estee Lauder Advanced Night Repair - Another free sample done. I will purchase the full sized version one of these days but I keep getting them in my gift with purchase. 

Estee Lauder Double Wear Light Foundation - Used dozens, my go-to and discontinued for now...ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh. We will discuss this week for sure my friends. 

Murad Anti-Aging Moisturizer SPF 30 - I got this in a set. Might have been a Sephora rewards set. Super handy for travel. It has SPF and it was moisturizing with it being anti-acne at the same time. I don't feel that I got a true sense of what it could do for me based on such a small tube but while I used it, I would say it was decent. May repurchase but I have a bunch of other moisturizers to give a try to first I think. 

Estee Lauder Double Wear Zero-Smudge Lengthening Mascara - The one and only smudge proof mascara. This is my "work" mascara as it does the job and lasts all day but it's not lashes galore. Already repurchased. Wish it wasn't so pricey though. 

Neutrogena All-in-One Make-Up Removing Wipes - I don't understand why this is a cult favourite. It can burn a bit around the eyes and it does not remove all of my makeup. I always have tons more coming off when I wash my face right after. I am not crazy about the smell either. I don't plan on repurchasing. I used them for travel. 

Estee Lauder Double Wear Stay-in-Place Flawless Wear Concealer - Love this. My shade is 2C Light Medium. I use it all the time. Blends perfectly with my foundation. Already repurchased. 

Dr. Hauschka Rose Day Cream - I have gone through numerous tubes of this. I will definitely repurchase. I am trying something else right now which I will report on soon. Felt like a change.

Estee Lauder Perfectly Clean Multi-Action Foam Cleanser/Purifying Mask - I finished a tube of this while I was travelling and I didn't want to drag it back home. So I took a picture before I chucked it. Pic is below. I really like this stuff. I have bought the full sized version before and I will likely do so again. Your skin feels really clean afterwards. Highly recommend this. 

Shiseido Urban Environment Oil-Free UV Protector - Review

This product comes highly recommended by a lot of bloggers and critics so I bought it. I haven't been taking my facial sunscreen seriously enough and I'm getting older so it's high time I did. I have to say I'm really happy with my purchase. What I like the most about it is that it absorbs quickly and it's easy to work with. Not all facial sunscreens are. It looks great under my makeup. It doesn't have much of a smell which is a good thing. I don't feel like I added another layer to my face - another plus.

The bottle is small, convenient and damn cute. Also the product is water resistant up to 40 minutes. This sunscreen is a definite keeper. My only complaint is that it's pricey at $40 Canadian for 30 ml. It's worth it though considering it's not a product I need every day as I'm not the outdoorsy type. Perfect for taking on vacation.

Briogeo Don't Despair, Repair! Deep Conditioning Mask - Review

The ends of my hair have been looking fried lately and I am not due to go to my hair dresser for another week. I had a few samples of this product lying around so I thought what the hell, I'll give this a shot. My mind was actually blown by how bad this product was for me. I think perhaps if you have poker straight hair and you are looking for some volume and softness you might really like this product. If you have curly, frizzy, unmanageable hair, please pass and move on.

The only pro that I found for myself personally was that my hair was left feeling super soft. Very silken. Did it look that way? Uh no. My hair seriously looked like I stuck my finger in a light socket. I let my hair air dry and pinned it up. When it was dry I combed it out and it was frizzy like I have never seen before. Totally bananas. I proceeded to attack my hair with product and a curling iron. I got my hair under control or so I thought. My hair was like a big swirling mess of electrified cotton candy after about an hour. I attacked it later with a straightening iron. It was better but man when I brushed my hair it looked completely fried - insane. Hair still felt soft though!

After using this my hair looked 100 times worse than it did before I used it. Brutal. I will not be purchasing that is for sure and now I have all of these spare samples lying around. As a side note, I once tried a sample of a hair gel that Briogeo makes and my hair was also a huge frizz bomb after using it. I just don't think their products are meant for people that have anything other than straight hair. Not sure how this product is an award winner.

Packaging: 8/10

Easy to Work With: 8/10 (at application sure) after the fact 0/10

Longevity: not sure what to say softness remained and frizz had major longevity  

Texture: 0/10 (my hair that is) 

Price: 0/10 

Ingredients: 8/10 

Comfort: 0/10 fried cotton candy is not comfortable on one's head 

Attractiveness of Product: 0/10 

Would I buy this again? Didn't the first time and sure won't in the future 

Overall Rating: 0/10 for me anyway 

March/April Empties 2018

Okay, where to start? I have a few hair care products this month and you may have noticed I haven't had much in the way of hair care product empties lately. I stopped using Wen several months ago after the scandal and I was also sick of it. So I have been dusting off some older bottles of stuff and trying a few new ones. Let's get to it.

Pantene Daily Moisture Renewal Complete Therapy Conditioner - this bottle was ancient! Decided I wanted to finish it. It's the old packing too and I think they have changed the name and the smell etc. For drug store conditioner, this is probably as good as it gets. Not my fave, but it will do in a pinch! I have repurchased other Pantene conditioners to try in its place.

Aveda Invati Exfoliating Shampoo - Bought this on a whim. Man I used to love Aveda and I think I may return to it. I am not losing hair but it is overall thinner than it used to be. The reviews were good so I thought, "what the heck". It does make a difference, even my hairdresser noticed. This stuff is expensive though! Ouch. I have tried the conditioner that goes with it and I don't find it does much for me except tangle my hair. If I use the shampoo alone, my hair is easier to comb out. Go figure. I have repurchased and I am currently using it. Just trying to figure out what is the best conditioner to use with it.

Aveda Invati Thickening Conditioner - Please see comment above. Meh. Will not repurchase, however, I have a few travel samples and such to use up in my stash of this.

Alterna Bamboo Smooth Anti-Breakage Thermal Protectant Spray - I think I need to give Alterna products some more attention. This was a great product with the exception of the packaging. The spray went everywhere when I could get it out of the nozzle. The product is thick and I found it easier to spray into my hand and then apply it. Seriously. I had this bottle forever. Got my money's worth. May repurchase, have not decided yet. (review here)

Nivea Express Hydration Body Lotion - As good as the drug store gets. Would and have repurchased.

Klorane Floral Water Make-Up Remover - Love it. You can keep your Bioderma. Countless bottles purchased and finished. (review here)

Estee Lauder Nightwear Plus - It was ok. Got it in a gwp. Would not repurchase. Not Estee Lauder's finest.

Origins Eye Doctor - I can't find anything else that compares. So another one done. I just wish it did more for dark circles.

Tarte Park Ave Princess Bronzer - This is hands down my favourite bronzer. This was a smaller version or travel size I think. It lasted forever and has been around the world with me. I have several replacements including stand alone versions and some within palettes.

Estee Lauder Double Wear Light Foundation - Used dozens, my go-to.

Clarins Instant Concealer 02 - This lasted me longer than I care to say and I used it a lot. I mostly used it under the eyes if I am wearing glasses but it is not enough on its own if I am not wearing glasses. There is something unique about it. I would consider repurchasing. I imagine for many people this might be all you need in a concealer.

Amore Pacific Future Response Age Defense Serum - I feel like I used this up ages ago and forgot to put it in my empties bin. It was just a trial size. It didn't wow me. I reminded me of the poorer cousin to Clinique's Smart Custom-Repair Serum.

So that's it! I have some makeup remover products and hair products coming up soon for review.

Sephora Lashcraft Big Volume Mascara - Review

I bought this last Fall during the Sephora sale I believe. The regular price is $18 Canadian or $14 U.S. The tube is huge! Ridiculous actually. It reminds me of Benefit's BADgal lash mascara in terms of size. The mascara wand itself is an interesting shape - hourglass (see picture below). The wand is also a bit big for my taste and my smallish eyes. 

When you first apply the product is goes on smoothly and with a little effort you get good results - decent volume and decent length. Better than most drug store mascaras! I haven't noticed any flaking and minimal smudging with this mascara. My only real complaint about the product other than the massive size of the tube is that I find it constricts or shrinks if you will my lashes after the product has dried and the issue seems to get worse as the day or night, as the case may be, progresses. It's like it shrinks but curls your lashes. Weird. This is a deal breaker for me I am afraid. I won't be repurchasing as a result. 

Believe it or not, even with the "shrinkage" issue it's still a better mascara than most that are on the market in my opinion! Maybe if you already have long lashes you won't notice this issue as much as I do. It is a nice black colour - I have 01 noir. Not jet black but not dull either. A nice rich black. 

Packaging: 4/10

Pigmentation: 10/10

Easy to Work With: 8/10 (at application but wand is big) 

Longevity: 2/10 due to serious shrinkage of lashes! 

Texture: 9/10 

Price: 6.5/10 

Ingredients: ? threw out clear wrapper that I couldn't read 

Comfort: 8/10 lightweight 

Travel Worthy: 2/10 big

Smudge Proof: 8/10

Flake and Clump Proof: 9/10

Attractiveness of Product: 4/10 after a few hours of wear and tear 

Would I buy this again? NO 

Overall Rating: 6.5/10

January/February 2018 Empties

I had full plans to do 3 mascara reviews before the next empties post that I did. Well my cat took off with one of them (can't find it), I realized I had already done a review on the second one and I can't find the third one but I don't think the cat is to blame. But, cat may be guilty again...hmph. She quite likes to toss them in the air and play soccer with them. I will no doubt find one of them soon behind a couch or buried in my closet. In the meantime, I have a palette review up next after this one.

It's recycling day coming up so I decided to get my empties post out of the way so I can chuck this stuff. I swear I will do better than just empties posts!

Let's get to it because I have a lot to get through.

A La Maison de Provence Rose Lilac Liquid Soap - I don't normally share my bottles of liquid hand soap with you unless they are of some note. I really like this brand and have bought a number of bottles before. This particular scent is gross! Even my husband was complaining that the smell was stuck to his hands all day and it was making him ill. It's just too strong and flowery. Thank goodness I finished it. Awesome brand normally though. I have bought a replacement in a different scent.

Bath & Body Works Creamy Pumpkin Hand Soap - I dare not tell you how long I have had this stupid soap. It's not my favourite scent but it was ok. I thought the packaging was cute so I brought it out year after year for my guest bathroom at Halloween. It even expired. Couldn't get rid of it. So I put it in a spare bathroom I have and used it up little by little whenever I was in there. I actually tend to do my hair in that bathroom so the product eventually went. Won't be repurchasing but I have a cupboard full of other scents. Is it me or is Bath & Body Works just not the same fun as it once was? I think the quality of their soaps has gone downhill.

Estee Lauder Double Wear Light - This needs no introduction yet again for any of you who read my blog. Another one done. Repurchased of course times two.

Estee Lauder Double Wear Zero-Smudge Lengthening Mascara - The one and only smudge proof mascara. This is my "work" mascara. Has already been repurchased.

Beautyblender This was my fifth? beauty blender. It's done. Can't live without this now. Bought another colour for a change. I will keep you posted. (review here)

Korres Body Butter in Papaya Mango - This stuff works well although this was not my favourite scent. I have said it before but a couple of ingredients are not the best but I used this sparingly. I have a friend that raves about these. I did a review of a similar scent previously (review here) 

Eos Hand Lotion in Cucumber - I once thought this was the best purse hand lotion. I still think fairly highly of it mostly due to it's packaging. I hate the cucumber scent and that is what this was. It's so hard to find the Fresh Flowers these days. I've kind of said screw it and am now carrying L'Occitane in my purse. Damn the price of L'Occitane and everything, I'm going to suck it up and use that instead. (review here)

Clinique Smart Custom-Repair Eye Treatment - This was a travel sized tube and it lasted me a good, long while. It didn't dazzle me. It was comfortable but it didn't do anything for my dark circles.  

Clinique Smart Custom-Repair Moisturizer SPF 15 - This was a travel sized jar as well. It wasn't bad. It worked ok. Again, I wasn't dazzled. Wouldn't rush to repurchase. 

Clinique Repairwear Laser Focus Eye Cream - Enough Clinique already! Can you tell this was a set I got? Anyway...this was a tiny travel sized jar. This too didn't wow me but was ok. Not a an item I would repurchase.

Origins Original Skin Renewal Serum with Willowherb - Naturally since Origins' Plantscription serum is so good I assumed this serum would be too. Man, was I wrong. This did nothing for me. I even noticed a laugh line forming when I had been using it for a few weeks. Now that I am back to Plantscription, the line is practically gone. I got this at a MAC/Estee Lauder sale. Don't waste your money.

Estee Lauder Revitalizing Supreme + - It was ok. Honestly, I think their Advanced Time Zone moisturizer is much better. It was a gift with purchase. Will not be a repurchase.

Ren Evercalm Global Daily Protection Day Cream - This was a free travel sized tube that I got from Sephora. I have bought the full sized version in the past. I would purchase this again. It's really great in the summer but occasionally it makes a nice change in the winter. (review here)

Estee Lauder Advanced Night Repair - Another free sample done. I will purchase the full sized version one of these days but I keep getting them in my gift with purchase. A saleswoman at the Estee Lauder counter basically told me the other day that I better use this every night or I am committing skin suicide and I will be doomed for all eternity. Yes it works but let's not get crazy here.

Blendercleanser Solid - I recently bought some that of that Dr. Bonner's Soap that everyone raves about and some say works better than this product at cleaning your beautyblender and brushes. Sorry no contest - the blendercleanser solid is way better. I must have used 10 applications of the Dr. Bonner's on my beautyblender and it still wasn't even close to clean! This was maybe my fifth bar. Already repurchased.

So that is it! I have 2 mascara reviews coming up (if kitty points me in the right direction), a palette that was a disaster and a shampoo/conditioner review.

Back to MAC February 2018

Okay so I finally have 6 MAC empties and they are going back to MAC first thing in the morning. Some I am sad to see go and others good riddance! You've seen most of these in my empties over the past few months.

First up is a MAC Lustre lipstick in Plumful. It's a good colour. I would consider repurchasing. I think I am going to pick up Candy Yum Yum or Landy Danger tomorrow for my freebie.

MAC Cremesheen Glass in Double Dare. I had this forever....finally finishes it. A good colour to take with you to Vegas...this shade has been long discontinued I believe. I do like the formula of the cremesheens and would buy this product again but in a different colour.

MAC Lightful Marine-Bright Formula. Glad it is gone. I made it a mission the last few months to get rid of it. I am proud that I used it all up. Not enough moisture for me. Weird thing is it worked better at night.

MAC In Extreme Dimension 3D Black Lash Mascara. I bought this at the MAC Estee Lauder sale awhile back. It wasn't bad! One of MAC's better mascaras. I am since on the hunt for my holy grail though and this wasn't it. The search continues....

MAC Pro Longwear Concealer in NC 30. I am not totally convinced that this was the right colour for me. It was a very good concealer and if you can get past the packaging, you should totally get it. I bought this for under my eyes. It worked but my dark circles are bad and I needed a pinky base under it for it to work. The product is thick and a little goes a long way. So much product is lost if you don't break open the packaging. That ticked me off.

Finally MAC Lustreglass Star Nova. Loved this shade and it's discontinued. Boo!

Full review of MAC In Extreme Dimension 3D Black Lash Mascara next**!

**My apologies, I already did this review a few months ago!

Empties Galore End of 2017 - Part 2

I had full intentions to have this up sooner but here we are. I realize it is the middle of February and I am just finishing up 2017 empties. Better late than never. I still have a bunch of empties in my basket from last month and this month so another empties post coming soon! I have 3 mascara reviews I need to do coming up as well. Let's get into it in no particular order.

Dr. Hauschka Rose Day Cream - I have used up a countless number of these over the past several years. I keep coming back to it. I had vowed to use up some of my other moisturizers but of course I returned to this soon enough. 

Bite Beauty Agave Lip Mask - I love this and another one bites the dust. Already repurchased and in use. Can't not live without it.

MAC Lightful Marine-Bright Formula Moisture Crème - I dare not tell you how long I have had this for. If you search my blog you might just find out as I had it in a MAC haul blog ages ago. I finally buckled down and used it all up. I need to do a back to MAC stat. Anyway, I didn't love this. Sometimes I felt as though it made my skin softer but only when I wore it at night and I don't think it was meant for that purpose per se. It did not have enough moisture for me as a day cream. It had a gel like texture. Will not repurchase.

MAC Star Nova Lustreglass - Speaking of MAC...here is another for a back to MAC. I loved this lip gloss. What a pretty colour. It made me want to buy MAC lip glosses and I am not a big lover of lip gloss in general. This colour is now discontinued. Boo MAC, boo!

Klorane Floral Water Make-Up Remover - I talk about how much I love this product all of the time. Bioderma is a poor substitute. Nothing compares. (review here)

Gehwol Soft Feet Cream - You have to try this stuff! It works great and the product doesn't transfer to your shoes etc. like some other Gehwol products. This was the regular sized tube (125 ml or 4.4 oz.). Must post blog review...seriously! 

First Aid Beauty (FAB) Ultra Repair Cream - Funny story. I got this in a set of FAB face products and thought I had hit the jackpot with this large tub (170g/6 oz.) of face cream but silly me it's body cream! Sheesh. I realized after putting it on my face a couple of times that this was not face cream. It's been a long, dry winter so I used every last drop. It was pretty good stuff but I have tried better and the smell of this product was a bit mothball plastic-like for my taste.

Korres Body Butter in Vanilla Guava - This stuff works well and I recently got some more as a gift. A couple of ingredients are not the best but I used this sparingly. I have a friend that raves about these. I did a review of a similar scent previously (review here) 

Live Clean Sensitive Skin Body Lotion - I had this on my desk at work for the past couple of years. That's how long it took me to finish it. It worked well enough but I wasn't crazy about it. I would consider repurchasing but it won't likely be my first choice. 

OPI RapiDry Top Coat - I love me some OPI like no one's business. My collection is quite something. It likely would disgust some people at it's extensiveness. I have never even finished a whole bottle with the exception of this one! Crazy. This was a mini I got in the Texas mini collection from years ago. I was not impressed with it. Seche Vite is way better. What is left in this bottle went hard and is not useable.   

Leanne Grace Blissful Body Butter in Creamy Peppermint - I was meaning to do a blog review on this ages ago but I feel I have a lot to say about it and I have decided to do one big review on all of their products that I have. I will try to get to that in the next week or so as it is long overdue. I will quickly say a couple of things though. The good - it's in a glass jar (bonus!), works fairly well and smells amazing. The bad - I don't like the texture of this body butter (powdery) and 2 of the 3 shipments I have received from them in the past have been damaged. I did contact them and they made things right on the first shipment as one jar was destroyed with glass everywhere in the package. I didn't bother to contact them when the 3rd shipment was damaged, but not destroyed. The lid on this particular jar is cut. 

So that's all for today folks! Three mascaras and my Leanne Grace group of product reviews to come! 

Empties Galore End of 2017 - Part 1

I haven't done a post in forever and my empties are piling up something fierce. I've decided to break them up into two parts for now. This will be Part 1 of course. Many are the usual suspects. Let's jump in.

Shiseido Facial Cotton This was my third bag. Is this expensive? Yes. Is it worth it, actually yes! I would buy this again and again. No other cotton pad compares.

Estee Lauder Double Wear Light This needs no introduction for any of you who read my blog. Another one done. Repurchased of course times two.

Estee Lauder Double Wear Zero-Smudge Lengthening Mascara The one and only smudge proof mascara. This is my "work" mascara as it does the job and lasts all day but doesn't give me as much "va-voom" as other mascaras. Already repurchased.

Origins yet again. Plantscription serum. I have been using this for years and I really like it. Seems to be keeping the fine lines at bay. Will be repurchased very soon as I have tried another Origins serum and it was no where near as good. Review on that to follow.

Beautyblender This was my fourth beauty blender. It's done. Can't live without this now. (review here)

Murad Time Release Acne Cleanser I quite like this product. This was my second tube and I have already repurchased #3. (review here)

Living Proof Perfect Hair Day I am not sure what number this is. I find this product lasts me forever. Also, I have had a number of sample tubes I've been using. Already repurchased. I have said it before and I will say it again, if you only purchase one new hair product this year make it this one. (review here)

Smashbox Full Exposure Mascara  Wasn't a fan. Found it a tad dry and it smudged even when not wearing glasses. Length and volume was meh. Will not repurchase. Got this in a set of Smashbox products awhile back.

Clinique Repairwear Intensive Night Cream I dare not tell you how long I have had this night cream. In my defense I had it unopened in my stash for ages before I opened it and decided to use it. It wasn't bad. I wouldn't say I loved it, but it was decent night cream. I would not be disappointed if another one fell into my hands.

Bumble and Bumble Surf Infusion Total side note, I have a guy friend who calls this product line Bumble and Grumble (yet he uses their products!). This was the newer version of this product and it was much better than the older one that was a pure salt bath for your hair. My bottle shown is only the small version. I will repurchase the full sized version. Sadly, I have bought a couple of sorry imitations in other brands recently and I may use those up first.

Verb Leave-In Mist I have mixed feelings about this one but overall it's good. Best to read my review. (review here)

Tata Harper Clarifying Moisturizer I quite liked this product but it is so damn expensive I can't justify buying it unless I get it during a Sephora sale. Maybe one day I will pull the trigger but in the meantime I will wait.

Lise Watier Eyeshadow in 117 Ecru Mat I had this eyeshadow forever. It became a mission to use it up and I did. It had good payoff but I wasn't madly in love with it. Will not repurchase.

Ok, that's it for Part 1! I have 2 mascara reviews I will try to get up in the next week and also Part 2 of this Empties post. Stay warm everyone, it's freezing where I am!