October/November Empties 2024

 

Sorry this post is so far into December, but better late than never as they say! I have a few products to review this month that you don't normally see from me so there is a little more variety than usual. Let's jump in! 

Summer Fridays Lip Butter Balm in Vanilla - I loved this product! It's better than Laneige and way better than Ole Henriksen. I particularly liked the Vanilla scent even though it is clear. I also have the Cherry one and a holiday set of 4 minis in different scents. I'll be reporting back to you on those as I finish them but suffice to say I really like this product and will be buying more. 

L'Occitane en Provence Amande Hand & Nail Care - Any hand cream from L'Occitane is alright with me, I love them all. This one was good of course and I would happily repurchase. 

Dr. Jart+ Ceramidin Cream - I had heard this was good for rosacea and it is. It is very good at helping restore and maintain your skin barrier. I already have 2 travel sized tubes of it at the ready to use when needed. My only complaint about this product is that it doesn't seem to do anything else for your face. There aren't any anti-aging benefits nor does it make your skin glowy or dewy etc. if it had that, I would buy this by the bucket but sadly it only seems to have one purpose. All that being said, the one purpose it does serve, it serves it well. 

The Inkey List 10% Azelaic Acid Serum – This is hands down, the best product I have ever found to treat my rosacea. Already repurchased. Highly recommend if you struggle with redness.

Sol de Janeiro Samba Foot Fetish Cream - Overall, this wasn't very good. I was very disappointed. The cream came with a foot file which I have yet to use. The only pro was that this cream absorbed extremely quickly and did not leave any greasiness behind. However, it did not really moisturize that much. I've used random hand creams and body lotions on my feet that did a better job than this. Will not repurchase. 

Charlotte Tilbury Hyaluronic Happikiss Lipstick Balm in Pillowtalk - Love, love, love this product. I believe this was the second one that I finished and I have 2 more waiting for me to use. Paired with Charlotte Tilbury's Pillowtalk Medium Lip Liner, this is a combo that cannot be beat. It goes with every makeup look and outfit pretty much. It feels great on the lips. This product is both something and nothing at the same time as it is very unassuming at first glance. If you wear it alone or with another lip liner than the one I recommend, it's not as great but still good. 

Estee Lauder Sumptuous Bold Volume Lifting Mascara - I swear I don't know how many of these samples I have gone through. Most of these tubes dry up after you use them a few times. I would never buy this as it simply is not good. Doesn't do much for me in terms of volume, length nor lift. I only use this product if I have it because it was free and only use it if I am not going anywhere special. 

iT Cosmetics Superhero Mascara - This was a recent discovery from earlier this year. This may now be my favorite mascara. Everytime I wear it, I get compliments and sometimes I get asked if I am wearing false lashes. It gives crazy volume and length. I still love my Gxve mascara, but that one may now be my #2 favourite. I already have a travel sized version waiting for me to use and you can bet I will be buying another full sized tube soon. 

Kerastase Elixir Ultime L'Huile Originale - This hair oil is mad expensive. I bought this bottle awhile ago, during the Sephora sale, and at the time, it was way less expensive at regular price than it is now. The product is currently $90 Canadian for 75 ml. The bottle I have is 100ml. So they shrunk the size and increased the price! I think I maybe paid around $70 for mine then got the Sephora sale discount on top of it so I paid a pittance compared to what they are charging now. 

Ok, let's talk about the product itself. For me, it doesn't do anything for me when I apply it to dry hair. Nothing. Waste of time. When I add it to my wet ends, it gives me glorious smoothness, managability and shine. I sadly had used a lot of this bottle before I realized you need to use it on wet hair (only mid-lengths to ends) to see results. It says you can use it on dry hair but I wouldn't bother, you'll waste good product. Would I buy this again? Yes, but it would have to be on sale because it is not worth $90 my friends, it is not life changing. You can find other similar products for less. 

Klorane Floral Water Make-Up Remover - Love this. There is no substitute. Will always buy this until it is no longer available.  

Ciate Mint Chocolate Nail Polish Remover - I don't see that Ciate sells nail polish remover any longer. To be honest, it wasn't very effective and I had to use a lot to remove any type of poish I had on. There are only two good things about this product. One, it was in a glass bottle. Love that, more companies should do this. Second, it smelt good in the sense that I didn't have to smell nail polish remover per se, it was a nice smell if you like the scent of mint chocolate. My husband didn't even complain when I used it and he hates the smell of nail poish and nail polish remover with a passion. 

That's all for me for now! I wish everyone a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! 

September 2024 Empties and Trash

Happy October everyone! I had a few empties piling up from September so I decided to do a post for just that month. Let's jump right in to my mini reviews! 

Laneige Lip Sleeping Masks in Berry (mini size x2) and Peach Iced Tea (midi size) – Another three of these bite the dust. I have bought a few mini sets over the last couple of years and recently found myself using up 2 mini berry ones. I also used up a mid-sized (not regular sized) Peach Iced Tea which is my favourite scent ever. It pained me to finish it, but I have a full sized one left in reserve. Love these, already have repurchaed a bunch of full sized ones. 

Gxve by Gwen Stefani Can't Stop Staring Clean Lengthening & Lifting Mascara - Love this mascara! This was my first tube and it has already been repurchased. It quickly became one of my top 3 mascaras. It lenghtens, adds volume, separates and lifts just as it claims to. Love the solid packaging.

Nivea Pure & Natural Body Milk – I have gone through a number of these bottles and refills. Looks like the refills may have been discontinued, I am not sure, but I don't see them in the store any longer. I decided to switch things up and try a few new body lotions recently so you will see the empties on those in a bit. Would totally repurchase this though. Solid lotion, good price point.

EOS Lip Balm - No idea what scent this one is. Out it goes. I keep finidng them around the house. I think my cat likes to hide them. In case you haven't read any of my previous posts, I had a bad allergic reaction to these. 

Urban Decay Lip Junkie in Wallflower - This was a mini as you can see. It was one of my favourite lip products for a long time. I had the full sized version too. There is hardly any left and it smells bad now and has changed colour so out it goes! I had left this in a old purse and recently found it which is why it is so old and was still kicking around. This product was discontinued awhile ago. 

Lancome Sheer Magnetic Fruits Delicieux Lipstick - I bought this so long ago, that it would frighten most of you. This is long discontinued. At the time I bought it, this may have been the most expensive lipstick I had ever bought. I remember feeling pain as I paid for it. It was a very dark sheer colour meant for fall or winter. Very similar to Clinique's Black Honey. I loved this lipstick at the time. I found this one too in an old purse (I was doing some cleaning) and there was enough left for one more use. I took it out of the tube with a Q-tip and it smelt funny so needless to say I didn't use the last drop. I still consider this an empty and used up! Happy to be finally pitching this tube. I got my money's worth! 

Skinfix Triple Lipid + Collagen Eye Treatment - This was a travel sized tube and it has come in handy when I am on vacay. I had the full sized jar and was not impressed with this product. It's ok, no better, no worse than that. It did nothing for my dark circles and was not even the most moisturizing eye cream at all. Given the price point of $73 Canadian, I would pass if I were you. Won't repurchase. 

Quo Beauty Luxury Cotton Facial Pads - This is a Canadian brand so I am sure some of you may never have heard of it. These were AWFUL! They are so coarse and rough! I believe this is the second time I have bought these (once years ago) and they are still simply horrible. I don't think they were marketed as "luxury" previously and in fact, if memory serves me correctly, there are a couple of different versions or levels of these. Let me tell you, Shiseido does not have to lose any sleep over this "competition" for their facial cotton. Never again, it's Shiseido only for me or bust! Can't remember if they were $7 or $11 but the savings are not woth it for such an inferior product. 

Aveeno Skin Relief Moisturizing Lotion and Intense Hand Cream - Love Aveeno body care products. Been buying them for years. Already repurchased. 

Charlotte Tilbury Collagen Lip Bath Gloss in Pillow Talk - I have mixed feelings about this product. This is a mini size. I got a set of 3 in different colours. I am working on a second one as we speak. So far, the two I have tried are pretty colourless and the difference between the shades is basically undetectable. So I don't love that. They are minty and do appear to make your lips look more juicy with less lines. I normally hate lip plumpers and the discomfort they cause but this one has zero discomfort. This is where the product excels. I tend to dab a bit of this over whatever lip product I am wearing if it is looking a tad dry. Works wonders. A full sized tube is $47.50 Canadian which I think is outrageous for a what amounts to a fancy, clear, slightly plumping gloss. I would never pay full price for this. There are other products on the market that work just about as well for half the price such as the Fenty ones. I would buy these again in a mini set if I got them on sale. 

AOA Super Soft Paw Paw Wonder Blender - I have so many thoughts on these. I bought them because 1) I hate paying full price for a beautyblender 2) many beauty influencers have sworn these are just as good as the beautyblender or even better! So I took the plunge and ordered a pack of 6 from Amazon. First of the all, the price is right. You get 6 for less than half the price of a beautyblender. What is not to like about that? I find these smoother and less porous than the beautyblender, which I don't like but some people may. These soak up less product so there is some money savings in that; however, I find it takes longer to blend my makeup as is tends to sit on the surface of the sponge. I don't feel I get as flawless of a look either with these, some areas of my face can hold too much product because of the blending issue. They wash very easily, although, I find that they can rip easily after a couple of washes while you are washing them so I don't find them long lasting. They are almost too soft. That's what happened to this one, I ripped it badly at the base washing it so it's done. Beautyblenders are more sturdy in my opinion, but they do get more tiny rips in them over time. I don't see myself repurchasing these but I will use them up for sure. 

Drunk Elephant Lala Retro Whipped Cream - I have mentioned before that my skin looked so good for a couple of years there when I started using Drunk Elephant products. This was before I got rosacea. I still have some products unused lying around as a result since some are too strong for my skin now. This product is one of the exceptions. My skin really likes this and I use it at night sometimes. I know the price of Drunk Elephant has gone through the roof so there may be better options out there. I may repurchase this but won't anytime soon as I have a ton of other moisturizers I like that I need to use up. 

Fable & Mane Holiroots Hair Oil - I got this on a whim and bought this mini. My scalp gets very dry in the winter in recent years and hey if this can strengthen and grow more hair for me, I am in! The smell of this product is simply intoxicating. I would buy this for the smell alone! I feel it does a very good job of moisturizing my scalp. The jury is still out on whether or not it strenghtens or grows more hair as I have only been using it off and on for about 3 months. I have repurchased and will be using it more consistently especially with winter coming. I will report back on how it goes. 

Caudalie Hand & Nail Repairing Cream in Rose de Vigne - I got a set of 3 of these in a holiday kit last year. I really like them. They are all different scents. I think they could be better, but for the price point they work well enough for me and I like them for my purse. They are strongly scented though and may offend some people. Would repurchase. 

Caudalie Premier Cru The Eye Cream - This came in a holiday set I bought last Christmas. I really found nothing extraordinary about it. Didn't notice it doing anything for me. Mine is a mini as you can see. Full size is $104 Canadian and there is no way it is worth that. I do really like their Premier Cru moisturizer at night but that is a far superior product to this. Will not repurchase. 

That's it for this month and that was a lot! Happy Thanksgiving to those in Canada! 

Late Spring/Summer 2024 Empties

I have a lot of empties ready to talk about so let's dive in with some speed reviews! 

Caliray Come Hell or High Water Mascara (x2) – I only used one of these over late spring and summer. The other one I finished at the end of last winter. I had put it in my empties basket and then it disappeared. I recently found it in a strange place and the obvious answer is that my cat must have fished it out of the basket and played soccer with it. Anyway, I love the fact that this mascara doesn’t budge or smudge so it is great when I am wearing my glasses. It gives good length, volume and curl too. Not my favourite mascara, but definitely in the top 5 and it serves a specific purpose for me.

The Inkey List 10% Azelaic Acid Serum (x2) – I discovered that by using this twice a day, instead of once, my rosacea is so much better. Since then, I have started blasting through these tubes. At $24 Canadian, at least the price is right! The product looks like clay but doesn’t leave a grey cast on the skin. Highly recommend if you struggle with redness.

Acure Brightening Facial Scrub – I use this on my body, not my face. I like it very much and it makes my skin look and feel better. The sea kelp and French green clay certainly give it a memorable smell, but not a bad one. I believe this was my first tube and I have since bought 3 more. That’s how much I like it.

Laneige Lip Sleeping Masks in Berry, Sweet Candy and Chocolate – Another three of these bite the dust. I really like the minis, especially for travel, but I go through them so fast. It is nice to get different scents though to try. Two smaller sizes were from a holiday set I believe. The Chocolate was maybe from a Valentine's Day set last year. It did turn my lips a bit brown (not a good look on me) so I only wore it in the house, but it smelt amazing. 

Caudalie Premier Cru The Serum – I got this little bottle in a Caudalie set I bought last Christmas. I really like the cream (which was the main component of the set as it was full sized) but honestly I didn’t feel like this serum did much for me. I saw the same results when I used the cream with another serum, in fact the results with another serum were better. This was only a travel/sample size. The full sized bottle is $178 Canadian. Unless this gave me a miraculous result, I wouldn’t repurchase so will not be buying this again. Kudos that they put this in glass though!

Benefit Cosmetics The POREfessional Hydrating Primer– This is a solid primer if you are looking for a hydrating primer that makes your makeup last longer. I would argue it is smoothing and reduces the look of pores too. I have no idea why no one is talking about this product. It’s solid and I have repurchased. I think at $47 it’s a tad pricey though. The one I used up here was a large sample. 

CeraVe Eye Repair Cream- I bought this because I was really frustrated with all of the eye creams I have tried and none of them were helping my dark circles. This eye cream had very good reviews and it was inexpensive (tired of wasting money on expensive ones that did little to nothing) so I thought what the hell. Anyway, this did nothing for me. It was ok hydration-wise but nothing spectacular. It did nada for my dark circles. I am amazed I even finished it. To make matters worse, the entire tip broke off when I was 90% done the product. Never had that happen with an eye cream before. Will not repurchase, cannot recommend. 

Tarte Sea Hydroflex Serum Foundation – I cannot begin to tell you how delighted I was to finish this foundation. I found it was hit and miss some days. Once in a while, it looked ok and other times it felt tight and dry and looked bad. I swear I shook it every time! I know my used bottle looks like a train wreck, but I did abuse it. Hated the packaging. I mostly wore this for on camera work meetings since no one would see it up close. Good riddance. I believe this product has now been discontinued. 

Sonia Kashuk Latex-Free Makeup Blender Sponge – I bought these in a set of two. I have already repurchased a second set of two. This is a large sponge and if you have a little face, it may be a bit much. I do prefer a smaller sponge myself. The sponge itself is so cute so props to Sonia Kashuk for making it appealing. It works well, but in my opinion, the Beautyblender and Paw Paw sponges from Amazon are superior. I may repurchase in the future, but I may simply stick with the Paw Paw or Beautyblender ones instead. A word of caution for the Sonia Kashuk sponges. They do not dry quickly, tend to hold water for ages and can get spots of mold. That is why I am throwing this one out. Yes, I washed it many times. I have never had this issue with my other sponges. The Sonia Kashuk didn’t rip or breakdown in any way though, which I cannot say for other sponges. It lasted me a long time and it was very inexpensive.

IT Cosmetics CC+ Cream Full Coverage Color Correcting Foundation with SPF 50+ - Another tube done. I really like this foundation as it is full coverage, covers all my redness and the SPF makes it a good choice for the summer especially. It gives a nice, glowy finish. I always buy the shade “Light” but I find it is really yellow and taupe on me but it hides redness like nobody’s business. I find the yellow and taupe hues fade quickly and blend into the skin so it’s ok. I may try a new shade the next time for a change. Already repurchased in “Light” though haha.

Nivea Pure & Natural Body Lotion in Organic Oat – I have gone through a number of these bottles and refills. I decided to switch things up and try a few new body lotions recently so you will see the empties on those in a bit. Would totally repurchase. Solid lotion, good price point.

L’Occitane Foot Cream – Simply the best. Have been using this for 9 years and I love it. Already repurchased. High recommend.

Pixi Correction Concentrate in Brightening Peach – I am so thrilled I have finished this. I had this for years. It didn’t go bad and I used every last bit. It was ok. One of the best drug store correctors you can buy but I have better ones in my stash. Will not repurchase but would if I was in a jam.

Bobbi Brown Corrector in Peach – This was a holy grail for so many people for so long. It was decent, but I have better correctors in my stash. I used this for years and then forgot about it. I noticed I only had a tiny amount left and decided to finish it off. Would repurchase possibly but not as long as there are better ones out there. The packaging with the cute little mirror is perfect for a corrector and Bobbi Brown gets the award for that, hands down. 

Charlotte Tilbury Magic Cream – I have gone through so many of these. A great moisturizer, makeup primer etc. If you have dry skin, you need to get this. Already repurchased. This was from the Tinkerbell collection and I got it on sale, 2 for 1! Great deal!

Fresh Tea Elixir Skin Resilience Activating Serum – I tried a sample of this and I loved it so I bought the 30ml bottle. This makes my skin look glowy, feel bouncy, minimizes fine lines and softens. Already repurchased. 

Skinfix Barrier + Triple Lipid + Collagen + Niacinamide Activating Serum - Another refill done! Already repurchased. This is great for keeping my face hydrated and reducing redness.

Tower 28 SOS Daily Rescue Facial Spray – This was a mini bottle and sadly did not last long. I have bought the same product in a generic format for a fraction of the price and maybe 10x the size and it works just as well. Full disclosure, I already have another mini bottle of the Tower 28 I got in a Sephora Favorites Set. If your face is red, itchy or irritated in general, this is a good product for that. 

Sephora Solid Brush and Sponge Cleaner with Pad - This is almost as good as the Beautyblender version. The Beautyblender one smells better and I think conditions my brushes a tad more. However, the difference between the two is not significant. The price of the Sephora version has gone up and as a result, it is nearly the same price as the Beautyblender one. I think Sephora has some nerve charging nearly the same price for their version. As a result, I have gone back to the Beautyblender one. 

Early Spring Empties 2024

Hello! More empties to talk about today! 
 

Real Techniques Miracle Complexion Sponge - This is a decent backup for a Beautyblender sponge but not as good. Can't recall if this is my first or second sponge but I have repurchased for sure. 

MAC Pro Palette Eyeshadow Refill in Naked Lunch - This is one of my all time favourite go to eyeshadows. I can pair this shade with just about any other colour from any palette. It's a great lid colour. I believe this may have been the second one I have finished. Third already repurchased. This is a top drawer makeup item that everyone should have in their regular rotation. 

Laniege Lip Glowy Balm in Grapefruit - This scent was ok. Not my favourite. I hate to say it but I have come to the conclusion that the Summer Fridays Lip Butter Balm is better in the tube format at least. It seems to be richer and last longer. Yes, I would consider repurchasing but I would be picky about the scent but would buy Summer Fridays first though. 

Stila Stay All Day Waterproof Liquid Eye Liner - This is the OG for a reason. I've bought so many of these over the years. Already repurchased. 

Tarte Maracuja Creaseless Concealer in Medium - This was a mini. The colour was too dark for me. I find it is so hard to find a shade match within Tarte complexion products. I didn't think it was great at covering my dark circles. It was thick and globby too. Won't repurchase. 

Lancome Matte Shaker Liquid Lipstick in Rosemantic - Sorry in advance for the ranty review. I hated this product with a burning passion and I am glad it's finally dead. This was one of the worst products I have ever used and I am mystified how this is still on the market. I initially bought another colour and returned it to Sephora because the product and the colour were so bad. I can't remember the exact hiccup, but I had used points or bought it on sale so they basically told me no refund (or it would be a small amount refunded) or it was exchange so I got this colour instead. 

The new colour was ok but that is not where the trouble lies here. This is a watery, poorly pigmented lip product. Doesn't stay on the lips for long and it feels like you have put nothing on but coloured water. When I wore this I used to put on a glossy lip balm then apply this product over it to give it a hint of colour. But again, the colour didn't last. The sponge applicator is horrid. Mine was ripped to shreds. It's a thin sponge over a hard tip. I have a feeling there is ton of product left in the bottom but I can't get at it and no more product will come out of the 3 small holes inside. My final complaint is that the product collects around the lid and it turns into a dark brown and it looks like liquid chocolate. Gross! Never again will I buy this. 

Drybar Triple Sec - This product did nothing for my hair. It was like spraying air into it. This was a sample size and the sad thing is that I have a second one somewhere. It's supposed to texturize, amplify and refresh. Did none of the above. Will not repurchase. 

Estee Lauder Double Wear Light in 2.0 - It pains me to throw this out. This is the second last tube of my stash of this discontinued product. For years, this foundation was my ride or die. Wearing it now, it's still damn good but I think a couple of my NARS foundations are better. Still, this was a solid foundation and I hope they bring it back one day. 

The Inkey List Supersolutions 10% Azelaic Acid Serum - This product has been a lifesaver for my rosacea. I have already repurchased two. Can't live without it now. I was using this once a day and it was making a difference. When I increased it to twice a day, it was life changing. This is a must have for anyone with rosacea and the beauty is you can layer it with other serums. This is by far, the most recommended product I have so far for the year. 

Bumble and Bumble Hairdresser's Invisible Oil Conditioner - This is my favourite conditioner and I have purchased multiple tubes. Really good at taming frizz and helping with manageability. I have not repurchased as yet, simply because I am trying to get rid of some other conditioners I have kicking around. I will be repurchasing soonish though. 

Aveeno Skin Relief Moisturizing Lotion (Cooling Menthol) - This is a great lotion. Especially the Cooling Menthol version. I find it even helps speed up the healing of burns and cuts. Very moisturizing and far superior to other Aveeno lotions in my opinion. Already repurchased. 

Laneige Lip Treatment Balm - This was really good. I was sad when I finished it. It was only a mini. I would totally repurchase this. It is several steps up from the regular Laneige Lip Sleeping Mask in case anyone is wondering. 

Laneige Lip Sleeping Mask in Pink Lemonade - Speaking of Laneige, another one of these done. The scent was ok. My all time favourite remains the Peach Iced Tea. Have already repurchased 3 regular sized ones of these in other scents plus I bought more minis. 

Clinique Bottom Line Mascara - This is a really good product and I have enjoyed it. It is small though and dries out fast. I am preferring to use my Caliray Come Hell or High Water Mascara these days for my lower lash and sometimes upper lash if I want a smear free day. I have repurchased already. 

Sol de Janeiro Rio Deo Refill - I quite like this deodorant and have gone through a few of these already. I would'nt say though that it is workout appropriate, you would need something stronger but it's great for day to day. I find the refill a bit fiddley and it never seems to sit right but it is a slight inconvenience I can overlook. Already repurchased. 

I have a bunch of empties already stacking up for June so should have another post up by the end of the month. 

End of Winter 2024 Empties and Mini Reviews

Hello! The end of winter is practically here and I have collected a few empties so time to clear them out.

Shiseido Facial Cotton (x 2) - Another two done! I think I forgot to include one in my last empties so that is why I have two in this post. I would repurchase these in a flash but they are so expensive now at $17.50 Canadian. Even with the Sephora sale, they are still pricey. I bought another similar product to try which is less than half the price. I will report back on them but I fear I will be disappointed and be back to buying Shiseido before I know it.

Nivea Pure & Natural Body Body Milk (x2) and in Organic Avocado (refill) - I love the fact that I can now buy these in a refill format. I have been buying Nivea cream for years and suddenly I feel the need for a change. So I have bought a couple other brands and will report back. I still have a couple Nivea bottles kicking around the house though I believe to use up.

Klorane Floral Water Make-Up Remover - Love this. There is no substitute. Will always buy this until it is no longer available.  

Tower 28 Beauty MakeWaves Lengthening + Volumizing Mascara - I really love this mascara. It quickly became my favourite mascara right after I bought this and then the unthinkable happened. I acquired 3 other mascaras that outdid this one. Unbelievable! So this went from #1 to my #4 favourite mascara within record time. Would I repurchase this? Hell yes! But it may be awhile before I do. This mascara lengthens and volumizes. Considering I have very short and sparse lashes, this works great. 

Skinfix Barrier+ Triple Lipid-Peptide Refill Face Cream - I am not sure how many jars of this I have gone through but this is one of the few skin creams that helps my rosacea. I hear they have reformulated this product so I am living in fear. I don't know if the replacement I have is the new or old formula so we will see. Already repurchased as mentioned.

NARS Mini Radiant Creamy Concealer in Medium 1 Custard - I bought this awhile ago. I barely used it and it's all dried out. I am not sure if I got an old one from Sephora, but the product was always very dry and I really didn't understand the hype. I feel as though I wasn't really able to test this out because it was so dry and I hardly got anything out the tube. I am not even sure about the colour! I have repurchased another mini in another colour because it is killing me that I don't understand what the fuss is all about. I made sure to get it on sale though. The colour I bought is too dark on me. Grrr. Hopefully, I will solve the mystery and hype behind this product one of these days.

Tower 28 Beauty ShineOn Lip Jelly Non-Sticky Gloss in Pistachio - Loved this gloss! It is not a typical gloss in that it is quite watery and milky but I liked it. This is the perfect gloss colour to go on top of lipstick that you want to add a shine to or some extra moisture to without disturbing the original colour of the lipstick much. The gloss is fine on it's own too but I would use a lip liner if you do as it is a tad slippy on the lips. I would 100% repurchase this and will in this and other colours. I have so many glosses at the moment, I feel I need to use a few up before I bring more into my life. So I think once I have thrown out 2 or 3 I will repurchase this for sure. Also, I love the packaging! It's got some good weight and it's very attractive to look at. Solid purchase. 

Charlotte Tilbury Hyaluronic Happikiss Lipstick Balm in Pillowtalk - OMG would you believe me if I said I have already repurchased 4 of these????!!!! Three are in Pillowtalk and one in Crystal Happikiss. I have a problem and I know it. This is mostly what I wore last summer and I finally finished my first one a few weeks ago. Already well into the second one. Paired with Charlotte Tilbury's Pillowtalk Medium Lip Liner, this is a combo that cannot be beat. It goes with every makeup look and outfit pretty much. It feels great on the lips. This product is both something and nothing at the same time as it is very unassuming at first glance. If you wear it alone or with another lip liner than the one I recommend, it's not as great but still good. 

Cerave Hydrating Cream-to-Foam Cleanser (Removes Makeup) - This was by far one of my best finds in 2023. The fact that it is easy to get (any drug store) and is reasonably priced is the cherry on the icing on the cake. This cleanser is very hydrating, gentle, does not play with my skin barrier and removes my makeup including eye makeup! Makes my skin so clean! I tend to use this only at night but I think you could use it morning too if you want. Already repurchased. I cannot say how much I love this. It will replace most of the cleansers I have as I phase those out. 

Sephora C+E Ultra Glow Serum - Interesting story with this one. I have no idea what possessed me to buy this. I think I was trying to save a buck. If there is one thing I keep learning over the years, it's that I have wasted a lot of money trying to save a buck by buying inferior products or ones that leave me wanting. This product did not react well on my skin, specifically my face. It irritated it. Please bear in mind that I have very sensitive skin. However, I have found that what irritates my face does not always irritate my neck. That is where this came in. It's glorious as a neck serum. It gives a nice youthful glow to my skin and it very hydrating. If I need to work my foundation down my neck a bit, it serves as a great skin base. I repurchased this on sale and I believe it has either been discontinued or reformulated with a slightly different name. As a result, not sure I will repurchase after I finish my second bottle if the formula has changed. I will report back as some point on this. Last thing of note is that the packaging, or rather the lid to the dropper sucks! The coating has all flaked off and it is a hot mess! I hate having to wash my hand off everytime I use it as I end up with small white bits all over my hand. How cheap. 

Fenty Beauty Pro Filt'r Soft Matte Longwear Foundation in 260 - This was a free sample I got from Sephora. The colour was too dark for me. I started mixing it with other foundations that were lighter and really liked the effect. So much so, I bought it in a lighter shade. I have had that full sized bottle longer than I care to admit and it is only half used. The colour I bought was too light. I can't win. My skin started changing from oily to dry around the time I bought the full sized bottle. I soon found this foundation way too drying on my skin and it was going on patchy. I have mixed it with other foundations or skin tints to make it wearable but I don't love it at all and will not repurchase. Fenty Beauty has come out with other foundations since and my understanding is that they are far superior to this product. I would be tempted to clean out this sample and save it for putting other foundations in it for travel, but the pump sucks so out it goes! 

December 2023/January 2024 Empties

 

Here are my latest empties with some mini reviews included. 

Shiseido Facial Cotton - Another one done! Already repurchased. My favourite cotton pads, period. As a side note, I swear these used to be $11 and now they are $17.50 Canadian! Talk about inflation! I do my best to only buy them on sale.

Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer Potion - What was left in this tube was hardened so I am throwing it out. Already well on my way through another tube. This is the only eyeshadow primer that I trust these days. 

Beautyblender - I keep trying other sponges to save a buck but the original Beautyblender is still the best. Already repurchased.  

Nivea Pure & Natural Body Lotion in Organic Oat (refill) - I love the fact that I can now buy these in a refill format. I believe I have already repurchased two more refills. Best drugstore lotion in my opinion. If anyone has a better suggestion for body cream from the drug store, please let me know.  

Grown Alchemist Body Cream in Mandarin, Rosemary Leaf - I got this in a subscription box and at first I quite liked it. So much so that when I had the opportunity to buy another one on sale for around $8, I pounced. As time has passed I don't find this to be as good as I thought it was. I will use up the other tube for sure but will not be repurchasing as I have gotten sick of the smell and it doesn't moisturize as much as I would like. 

Bumble and bumble Hairdresser's Invisible Oil Shampoo - I've lost count of how many of these I have finished. I feel like a may take a break from this shampoo for a bit a try a few others plus use up some shampoo I have in my cupboards. I will definitely repurchase though. May wait for the next Sephora sale in the spring. 

Bumble and bumble Hairdresser's Invisible Oil Heat Protectant Leave In Conditioner Primer - This product is all that. It's a heat protector, detangler and leave in conditioner. I will never be without it. Already repurchased.  

Christophe Robin No Frizz Care x Style Leave-In Anti-Frizz Rescue Milk - I got this in a subscription box and loved it. It tamed my frizzies and gave me some volume. I have been checking online for ages to see if I could buy another one. Sephora has stopped carrying this brand and the product's website didn't seem to carry it any longer. I checked this morning and see that it now says "coming soon" on Christophe Robin's website and the price is $51 Canadian. Wow! That's a lot of money for 150ml/5 fl. oz. of product. The product was good, but not that good! Doesn't look like I will be repurchasing unless I can get it significantly on sale. 

Charlotte Tilbury Pillow Talk Push Up Lashes! - This was an ok mascara in terms of the results it gives, but it wasn't anything extraordinary. Gave both length and volume but not as much as other mascaras I have tried. I found this this mascara was the most likely to smear onto my contacts too which was highly annoying and inconvenient. Will not repurchase. 

Charlotte Tilbury Magic Vanish in Medium - There are days when I am not convinced this this under eye corrector is good enough for my very dark circles. When I switch to another brand, I find I definitely look worse. So I have repucrhased. This product lasted me for ages. Well over a year and I would say it was worth the money. The packaging is sleek and great for travel. Already repurcased. 

Estee Lauder Advanced Night Repair - Whenever I used to use this, I noticed an improvement in my skin right away, as in the next morning! I lived on gwp samples of this for literally years. I finally took the plunge and bought a regular sized bottle and spent the money. Unfortuately for me, soon after I bought this, my rosacea got really bad. I have it semi under control these days but it is still a daily struggle. Because my skin needs have changed, I am not noticing any difference to my skin when I use this product now and I am not even sure my skin likes it any longer. I used it up by putting it on my forehead mostly each night as I do not have any rosacea in that area. Given how pricey it is, I will not be repurchasing unless the day comes when my rosacea disappears. Only then will I likely give it another shot. 

The INKEY List Super Solutions 10% Azelaic Acid Serum - I bought this as I had read it is good for treating rosacea. It is! I did notice very soon after starting to use it that it was helping. I was only using it at night originally. I later clued in that you can layer this with other serums. As a result, I started using it morning and night and the difference was fantastic. Already repurchased. This may become a holy grail I cannot live without. 

Beautyblender Blendercleanser Solid - Used up another. I really like the way this cleans my brushes and it smells so nice. I grab a free mini one every chance I get when Sephora is offering them as a reward or sample. Already repurchased. 

Bite Beauty Agave Lip Mask - I keep finding minis of these I have hidden all over the house. So sad they don't make this anymore. This was the original formula. Wish I would have bought a lifetime supply when I had the chance. 

Clarins Lip Comfort Hydrating Oil in Honey - I got a set of 4 of these around Christmas. I have only finished the Honey one so far. These are very much mini sized. I finished this one in maybe 2 weeks using it infrequently. I have not decided as yet how I feel about this product as I barely used it and it was done. I will have to use another one or two of them before I can form an opinion. 

Skinfix Barrier + Triple Lipid + Collagen + Niacinamide Activating Serum - Another refill done! Already repurchased. This is great for keeping my face hydrated and reducing redness.

Skinfix Barrier + Triple Lipid + Collagen Eye Treatment - This product is $73 Canadian. That's a lot of a money for an ok eye cream. For that kind of money, I expect to see some results. I found this eye cream to be very basic. It moisturized and did 0 for my dark circles. I can easily find hundreds of eye creams for far less money that are just as good. This eye cream is apparently recommended by dermotolgists. I am assuming it is for the non-irritating properties but otherwise I have no idea why. Maybe better ingredients? Kudos to Skinfix for putting it in a glass jar though! Will not repurchase but would take it if it's in a set of Skinfix products for a good price.

So that's it for now! Happy Ground Hog Day!