• October 2022 Product Empties

    May-Oct 2022 Product Empties

    Hi Everyone!

    I didn’t realize I was so behind on my monthly empties posts! Here’s what I finished during the spring and summer!

    Kiehl’s Ultimate Strength Hand Salve* – I wish I had known about this hand salve sooner. After trying it, I bought some for my family to try as well. My mom and sister get cracked hands in the winter. My mom said she had a crack on her thumb and it helped heal it faster than Vaseline. Whenever I forget to apply it, my hands are so dry. When I use this, my hands feel super soft.

    Repurchase? I already repurchased it and I’m on my second tube.

    How long does it last? I was sent the 200mL tube and it lasted 250 uses (most of the time, I used the same amount, but I used more in the winter). This last 8.5 months of daily use (applied at night only).

    Dove Deep Cleansing Cucumber & Green Tea Hand Wash – If you’ve tried Dove Shampoos, the hand wash smells exactly the same. I’m currently using the Deep Moisture one. They are nice hand washes that don’t irritate my skin. They come in bottles with a pump.

    Repurchase? Yes.

    Cetaphil Moisturizing Lotion – This is not moisturizing enough for me in warm weather, so I can’t imagine it being enough in the winter time. I prefer the Cerave Moisturizing Cream or Aveeno Daily Moisturizing Lotion.

    Repurchase? No.

    Aveeno Skin Relief Body Wash – This is an unscented body wash that’s super gentle. It does have a certain scent to it (smell from the natural ingredients). I think it’s the oatmeal, but you can’t really smell it on the body.

    Repurchase? Maybe.

    The Inkey List Omega Water Cream* – This gel cream was okay. I didn’t think it was anything special. I was hoping it would be similar to the Sonia Roselli Water Balm where it beads up like water, but it was different. I didn’t like the smell of it. It had this wet smell.

    Repurchase? No.

    How long does it last? 2 months.

    Youth to the People Triple Peptide + Cactus Oasis Serum* – I really liked this serum, but it seems like I finished it fairly quickly. The pump also tends to spurt product out (I don’t know if I had a defective one, but this also happened with the Retinal + Niacinamide one). Comparing this to a Volition Beauty serum with the same amount, I finished the YTTP serum a month faster. With the Volition serum, I was able to control the amount by doing a half drop, but you can’t control the amount with this pump (can’t do a half pump).

    Repurchase? Yes.

    How long does it last? The 30mL bottle lasted about 3 months of daily use (once a day, I mostly used one pump per use).

    Volition Beauty Skin Rhythm Balancing & Clearing Serum* – I was a bit skeptical about this one being able to help deal with hormonal acne, but when I used this, I noticed that my acne during that time of the month wasn’t as bad. I did still get some hormonal breakouts every now and then, but I think this definitely helped.

    Repurchase? Yes.

    How long does it last? I used the 35mL bottle for 5 months. For the first month or so, I was only using it at night, but then I started using it twice a day. A small drop was more than enough for each use and I would only apply it on my problem areas (nose, chin, jawline). It lasted 210 uses.

    Volition Beauty Yaupon Tea Glow Awakening Moisturizer* – I didn’t really notice a huge difference in my skin. It was kind of similar to the celery green cream to me. Both are nice, but I probably wouldn’t buy it. I prefer the volition products that come in bottles: serums and oil.

    Repurchase? Probably not.

    How long does it last? About 3 months. It’ll last longer depending on how much you use. I feel like I used quite a bit for each use.

    The Inkey List Tranexamic Acid Hyperpigmentation Treatment* – I didn’t notice a difference to my dark spots, but this gel wasn’t bad. My skin was pretty clear when I had this in my routine so I can’t say if it helped with new dark spots.

    Repurchase? Maybe.

    How long does it last? 2 months.

    Bolden Skincare Hydrating Cleanser* – It’s a nice cleanser, but I didn’t see anything special about it.

    Repurchase? No.

    Bolden Skincare Awake Under Eye Patch* – The eye patches were a nice selfcare item, but I didn’t notice my under eyes being brighter or anything. I think I would need to use them regularly for a longer period of time.

    Repurchase? No.

    How long does it last? It depends how often you use them. You could finish the pack of 10 in a week and a half or it could last a couple of weeks if you only use them every few days.

    PanOxyl Creamy Acne Wash – 4% Benzoyl Peroxide* – This was a nice acne wash with benzoyl peroxide. While it wouldn’t clear acne super quickly, it did help bring some painful underground ones to the surface. I would only use this on areas where I needed it. At 4%, it was gentle enough that it didn’t make my skin red and irritated.

    Repurchase? Maybe.

    How long does it last? About 4-5 months. I didn’t use it daily, but I used it when I needed it.  

    PanOxyl PM Overnight Spot Patches* – I did not like these. Read my This or That post on Acne Patches.

    Repurchase? No.

    How long does it last? It lasted about 3 months (I had some bad breakouts this summer).

    Nacific Fresh Herb Origin Spot Patch – These were good, but they are on the more expensive side (cost per patch). Again, check out my This or That post on Acne Patches to see a cost per patch breakdown of the pimple patches I’ve tried.

    Repurchase? No, there are others that are cheaper.

    Herbal Essences Tealightfully Clean Shampoo – I liked the fresh, clean scent from this shampoo.

    Repurchase? Yes.

    Dove Daily Moisture Shampoo – My go-to shampoos are drugstore ones. I sometimes splurge on higher end ones or hair masks/treatments, but I don’t use those as often. I don’t style my hair that often and I haven’t dyed it in a long time, so I don’t need anything special for my hair.

    Repurchase? Yes.

    The Inkey List Glycolic Acid Exfoliating Scalp Scrub* – I really enjoyed this one. I don’t really do treatments with my hair since I don’t do much to it (don’t curl or straighten much, haven’t dyed it in a long time). I would do this scalp scrub every so often and I did notice that my scalp felt cleaner after using this scrub. It was gentle and I preferred it much more than a sample of the Drunk Elephant one I tried.

    Repurchase? Yes.

    How long does it last? It took me 10 months to finish the 150mL bottle, but I honestly don’t know if I used too much or too little each time. I’m pretty sure I used too much lol. I didn’t use this frequently so if you used this every couple weeks or so, it would only last a few months. Over the 10 months, I used it about 15 times. If you use quite a bit, it would last at least 6 months (using it every 2 weeks).

    Spot any favourites in my empties list?

    Love,

    Products marked with * were sent to me for review.

  • Haul | YesStyle.com

    Hi Everyone!

    Today, I’m sharing my haul and first impressions ordering from YesStyle!

    If you’re a Canadian and you’re considering making an order from YesStyle, here’s some information:

    • I spent over $110 which means I got free shipping. If you spend $70-$110, you pay $18.62 shipping and if you spend below $70, you pay $10.64 for shipping
    • There were no duties
    • I ordered on July 8th and my order was delivered on August 7th
      • It took 8 business days to ship (July 20th) – Even though all of the products I ordered were either ‘ready to ship’ or ‘ships in 1-2 days’
      • It was released by Customs on August 2nd, arriving in Vancouver

    I ordered some things for my friend. She ordered 6 things. So, all 16 items we ordered added up to $110 (not just what’s listed below).

    • COSRX Acne Pimple Master Patch
    • COSRX AC Collection Acne Patch
    • Shiseido Senka Perfect Whip Face Wash
    • Rohto Mentholatum Hada Labo Gokujyun Hyaluronic Acid Face Foam
    • Too Cool for School Artclass by Rodin Shading Master Set – #01 Classic
      • I wanted to get the Modern one since the shades had cooler undertones, but I chose this as a Sponsored Item and I think they were only offering the Classic one (or maybe because it was my first time, I just didn’t know how to switch to the other shade…)
    • rom&nd Juicy Lasting Tint Bare Juicy Series – #22 Pomelo Skin
    • rom&nd Juicy Lasting Tint Bare Juicy Series – #23 Nucadamia
    • rom&nd Glasting Water Tint – #03 Brick River
    • ETUDE Fixing Tint – #05 Midnight Mauve
    • YUGO Hair Fringe with Sideburns – Black
      • lol, I chose this one for fun because I wanted to see how I looked with bangs without having to commit to cutting my hair. I know there’s virtual try-on apps, but I just thought it’d be fun to try

    I had trouble deciding on the lip products. There are so many shades available and they look so different in the pictures vs. swatches. Also, the product pictures all show girls who have full lips. I wouldn’t say my lips are thin, but they’re also not as plump as the ones pictured. I also watched and read a few reviews, but I just went with the ones that weren’t too bright or dark.

    Love,

  • skincare hair empties

    May-June-July 2021 Product Empties

    Hi Everyone!

    I haven’t finished many products over the past few months, so I combined three months’ worth of empties. I haven’t really touched my makeup in a long time, so I only have body, skin and hair care empties.

    Rael Miracle Acne Patches (read my review) – I love these and I will continue to buy them. I like that there are only 2 sizes of patches and the plastic they’re attached to is perforated so it’s easy to peel them off nicely.

    Repurchase? Yes.

    Skinceuticals Phlorectin CF* – I didn’t like the smell of this one (it smells like brown sugar or coffee?). It made my face feel tacky the whole day and I didn’t notice a huge difference in my skin either. Even if this was a more reasonable price (it’s $190 CAD for 30 mL), I wouldn’t purchase because of the scent.

    Repurchase? No.

    Neogen Pore Tight Aqua Mask – I don’t really use sheet masks anymore. I’d prefer to just use moisturizers, serums or sleeping masks. This mask didn’t really align with my face well. The eye holes were really high up, so part of my forehead wasn’t covered and a lot of the sheet mask was under my chin. It doesn’t have a scent, but for some reason, it gave me a headache. It dries down tacky which I didn’t like.

    Repurchase? No.

    Cerave Moisturizing Cream – I like this cream. It keeps my skin moisturized throughout the day.

    Repurchase? Yes

    Dove Cool Moisture Shampoo – I like cucumber-scented shampoos. They’re refreshing.

    Repurchase? Yes

    Dove Nourishing Rituals Energize Shampoo – I like the refreshing scent of the grapefruit and lemongrass.

    Repurchase? Yes.

    Australian Bodycare Intim Shave Gel* – I didn’t really notice if this helped with ingrowns or any redness/razor bumps.

    Repurchase? No.

    Pixi Glycolic Body Wash* – I was using this on my legs mostly. I am prone to ingrown hairs, so I think the exfoliating qualities of the body wash were helping my legs.

    Repurchase? Maybe.

    What products have you finished lately?

    Love,

    Products marked with * were sent to me.

  • december 2019 empties

    December 2019 Product Empties

    Hi Everyone!

    Here are my last empties of the DECADE!

    Smashbox Photo Finish Primer Oil – I started using this as a facial oil because I kept forgetting about using it to prime my face. It also started to smell funny and I had to declutter it.

    Repurchase? Probably not.

    Make Up For Ever Step 1 Equalizing Primer (Nourishing) – This was a nice primer that smells good, but it isn’t my favourite hydrating primer. I prefer the Smashbox Primerizer.

    Repurchase? Probably not.

    Garnier SkinActive All-in-1 Cleansing Water – I don’t use waterproof makeup, so the pink micellar water works well for me.

    Repurchase? Absolutely.

    Banila Co. Clean It Zero Original Cleansing Balm – This was a nice cleansing balm that removed my makeup well. I don’t use waterproof makeup, so I can’t say if it’s good for that. I didn’t love how scented it was though. I’d rather pay a bit more for an unscented one even though it’s only on my face for a short time.

    Repurchase? Probably not.

    COSRX Acne Pimple Master Patches (read my review) – These were the first acne patches I tried. They will always have a special place in my heart because of that, but I’ve started to prefer the Rael patches (read my comparison post).

    Repurchase? I would definitely still buy them, but as long as I can get the Rael ones, I think I’d prefer those.

    L:A Bruket Hand & Body Wash in Lemongrass* – I didn’t mind the hand/body wash itself, but I’m not the biggest fan of lemongrass scent. I would prefer one of their other scents.

    Repurchase? Probably not.

    Volition Beauty Strawberry-C Brightening Serum* (read my review) – Loved this serum! That’s all I have to say.

    Repurchase? YES!

    Good Molecules Ultra Hydrating Facial Oil* – I enjoyed this facial oil. For extra hydration, I would mix it with my Volition serum.

    Repurchase? Yes.

    Love,

    Products marked with (*) were gifted to me.

  • October 2019 Product Empties

    Hi Everyone!

    Perricone MD Cold Plasma+ Face Serum* (read my review) – This was a nice product, but it’s way too expensive for what you get. I used this up in about a month (used it day and night). Because it comes in a tub and it’s very fluid, I used way more than I needed to and therefore finished it quicker than a bottle of the same size.

    Repurchase? Probably not.

    Pixi Vitamin-C Tonic* – I enjoyed this and my sensitive skin didn’t have any reactions to it.

    Repurchase? I would definitely buy this in the future.

    Heimish All Clean Balm (read my review) – I don’t know if the cleansing balm went bad or something, but it smelled very different from when I first got it. My skin was reacting to something and I don’t know if it was the cleansing balm or something else, but now I won’t know because I probably won’t repurchase it.

    Repurchase? Probably not.

    Amorepacific Treatment Cleansing Foam – It was nice, but my face felt quite dry after using it. It wouldn’t become my everyday cleanser, but I might use it once a week to get a good clean.

    Repurchase? Probably not.

    Benefit Precisely, My Brow Pencil Ultra Fine Shape & Define in 6* (read my review) – Love this!

    Repurchase? Absolutely.

    Elle Derm Anti-Stress Age Perfector Rejuvenating & Brightening Cream* (read my review) – This cream had salicylic acid. I prefer having a salicylic acid in a cleanser or a serum instead of my creams. 

    Repurchase? Probably not.

    Herbal Essences Hello Hydration Shampoo – I’m picky when it comes to coconut scents, but this is one of my favourites. it doesn’t smell like fake coconuts or plastic.

    Repurchase? Probably.

    Tarte Rainforest of the Sea Frxxxtion Stick 3-in-1 Exfoliating Cleanser – I like this exfoliating stick. It’s gentle on the face and easy to travel with.

    Repurchase? Yes.

    COSRX Acne Pimple Master Patches (read my review) – Love these. If you haven’t tried them, you should get acne patches!

    Repurchase? Absolutely!

    What did you finish this month?

    Love,

    Products marked with * were sent to me.

  • july 2019 beauty empties

    July 2019 Product Empties

    Hi Everyone!

    I have quite a few cleanser empties this month! I use several at a time (one for morning, one for night). I also switch them up to test different ones out for a bit so that I can post a quick review on Instagram. I also have a few makeup empties for you this month, keep reading to see what products I’d repurchase!

    Cosrx Low Ph Good Morning Gel Cleanser – I didn’t love the herbal smell of this cleanser. It cleansed well, but I’d rather use Cetaphil which is unscented.

    Repurchase? No.

    Pixi Glow Tonic Cleansing Gel* – This cleanser was okay, I tended to squeeze out a lot more than I needed because the cleanser was more liquid than other cleansers I’ve used. The scent of this cleanser reminded me of kitchen cleanser because it smelled like lemons.

    Repurchase? No.

    Youth to the People Superfood Hyaluronic Acid Moisturizer (read my review) – Love this moisturizer! It’s clean at Sephora and has no added fragrance which is great for my sensitive skin.

    Repurchase? Absolutely!

    Holika Holika Pig-Nose Clear Black Head Massage Gel – I wouldn’t say this worked super well for blackheads, but in the beginning, it worked okay as a peeling gel for my nose. It would moisturize my nose and also get rid of some of the dead skin.

    Repurchase? Maybe.

    Holika Holika Golden Monkey Glamour Lip 3-Step Kit – I really enjoy this 3-step lip kit. It turns chapped lips into smooth, ready for lipstick lips. First, you exfoliate your lips and then put a lip mask on and follow up with some honey to moisturize. Personally, I could do without the honey. I’d rather just put some lip balm on my lips because the honey is so sticky.

    Repurchase? Yes.

    Mizon Apple Smoothie Peeling Gel – I enjoyed this peeling gel. It sloughed off dead skin well and it was a good price for the amount. I’ve used others that work a little better, but this is a gentle one that’s inexpensive.

    Repurchase? Maybe.

    Rael Acne Healing Patch (read my review) – I love these!

    Repurchase? Yes.

    Lancôme Miracle Cushion Foundation in 025 Beige Naturel – I really enjoy this cushion foundation. It’s a lightweight, buildable coverage. The shade is a bit off though – it looks a bit orange sometimes, so I might have to find a better shade match.

    Repurchase? Yes.

    Bobbi Brown Nude Finish Illuminating Setting Powder – This is a translucent pressed powder that’s supposed to give you a glow from within like the Hourglass Ambient powders. I’ve swatched the Hourglass ones before and they look beautiful, this Bobbi Brown one just looked like I had shimmer on my face.

    Repurchase? No.

    Catrice Light Illusion Loose Powder in Yellow Matt – I didn’t like this powder. I wanted to try a banana powder, but I prefer translucent powders.

    Repurchase? No.

    Wet N Wild Megaglo Highlighting Powder in Precious Petals (read my review) – This is a cult favourite for good reason. I was only able to get my hands on the shade Precious Petals which was too dark for my skintone, but it was still beautiful. I used it a lot as an eyeshadow instead because it was just a bit too golden for me.

    Repurchase? Yes, in a different shade.

    Love,

    items marked with * were gifted to me.

  • Let’s Talk About Acne Patches!

    Hi Everyone!

    I’ve tried a handful of pimple patches, so here are my thoughts on them. I haven’t tried patches that have tea tree or microneedles. I have only ever tried the hydrocolloid patches that just absorb pus.

    I know there are so many brands out there, but unfortunately for me, I can’t get them in Canada without having to pay an arm and a leg. For me, I’ve found ones that work well, so I don’t really need to try all of them out there. 

    I’ve tried both tapered and non-tapered patches. The originals are ones that are the same thickness all around while the tapered ones are thinner around the edge so that it blends into the skin more easily. Tapered are great for wearing out of the house while non-tapered ones are great for overnight use and also can absorb more.

    Check out my reviews:

    COSRX Acne Pimple Master Patches | COSRX Clear Fit Master Patches

    COSRX vs. Rael | COSRX vs. Nexcare

    I have tried five different patches from four brands:

    Regular, non-tapered patches – COSRX Acne Pimple Master Patches, Nexcare Acne Absorbing Covers

    Tapered patches – COSRX Clear Fit Master Patch, Rael Acne Pimple Healing Patch and Subi Perfect Pimple Patch

    This picture is not mine, it was taken from Google.

    Nexcare acne absorbing covers are my least favourite patches I’ve tried. They smelled like plastic and both sides were quite sticky (sometimes I didn’t know which side was the sticky side). They were also more yellow than the other patches which made it more noticeable on my skin.

    COSRX Acne Pimple Master Patches are my favourites for overnight pimples.

    The tapered ones are the best for wearing out of the house and for spots that are curved. Sometimes the non-tapered ones are too thick to put on the jaw/chin or nose, so a tapered one won’t unstick from your skin.

    To me, the COSRX Clear Fit Master Patch, Rael Acne Pimple Healing Patch and Subi Perfect Pimple Patch are all the same in terms of efficacy. So, the deciding factor would be the price and whether you want one or two sizes.

    *All prices are in Canadian unless stated otherwise

    COSRX Acne Pimple Master Patches

    1 pack = 24 patches with 3 sizes (10x7mm, 5x10mm, 9x12mm)

    Amazon.ca – $15 for a 3 pack (72 patches) = 0.2083 per patch

    Chuusi.ca – $4.50 for 1 pack (24 patches) = 0.1875 per patch

    COSRX Clear Fit Master Patches

    1 pack = 18 patches with 1 size (18x10mm)

    Amazon.ca – $24 for a 3 pack (54 patches) = 0.44 per patch

    Chuusi.ca – $4.50 for 1 pack (18 patches) = 0.25 per patch

    Subi Beauty Perfect Pimple Patches

    1 pack = 18 patches with 1 size (18x10mm)

    Subi Beauty – $29.95 USD for a 3 pack (54 patches) = $0.55 USD per patch

    Rael Acne Pimple Healing Patches

    1 pack = 24 patches with 2 sizes (12x10mm, 12x12mm)

    Amazon.ca – $25.49 for a 4 pack (96 patches) = 0.27 per patch

    Nexcare Acne Absorbing Covers

    1 pack = 36 patches with 2 sizes (24x8mm, 12x12mm)

    Amazon.ca – $11.50 for a 1 pack (36 patches) = 0.32 per patch


    For me, as a Canadian, the COSRX Acne Pimple Master Patches are the cheapest from Chuusi.ca and the Clear Fit Patches are the cheapest tapered patches (also from Chuusi.ca).

    I do like the option of having two sizes from Rael, but if I’m already making an order on Chuusi.ca, I would buy the COSRX Clear Fit ones.

    What are your fave acne patches?

    Love,