• November 2018 Product Empties

    December 3, 2018

    Hi Everyone!

    Here are last month’s product empties:

    Amika Nourishing Mask – I got this on Amazon, so this is the old packaging. The new one looks pretty much the same (design-wise), but the font is a bit bigger. This mask made my hair smooth and shiny.

    Repurchase? Maybe. I did really enjoy it, but I think I would rather get a hair mask from the drugstore because I really enjoyed the Garnier ones I’ve tried.

    Sephora Yuzu Micellar Cleansing Water – The lemon scent makes me think of dish soap. While it does the job to remove makeup, it kind of makes my eyelids tingle. I gave it to my mom (who doesn’t have sensitive skin) and she noticed that when she used it, her face would be red after removing her makeup. She rarely has reactions from products, so it was weird. I used what was left in the bottle to clean my makeup sponge.

    Repurchase? I don’t think they sell it anymore. Even if they did, I would not repurchase.

    Tarte Maracuja Oil – I love this oil! I use it as a moisturizer and a primer.

    Repurchase? I already repurchased a supersize bottle! The supersize is available on Tarte and it’s $22 more than the regular size, but twice the size. I got it during the Black Friday sale when it was 20% off!

    Make Up For Ever Step 1 Equalizer Primer (Redness Correcting) – I love the MUFE primers, but this one is kind of useless. If you want to colour correct redness, get an actual concealer that corrects instead of a primer. I’ve written a This or That post comparing this to the Smashbox primer. While this one performs better than the Smashbox one, it still doesn’t do as much as an actual colour corrector.

    Repurchase? Not the redness correcting primer, but I have already repurchased other MUFE Step 1 Equalizer Primers.

    The Body Shop Pink Grapefruit Exfoliating Gel Body Scrub (read my review) – The gel texture of this made me use it faster because it was easy to just scoop some out with my hand and get too much.

    Repurchase? No.

    BCL SPA Lavender + Mint Dead Sea Salt Soak – I enjoyed this a lot and it made me feel very relaxed.

    Repurchase? Probably not.

    BCL SPA Lavender + Mint Sugar Scrub (not pictured) (read my review) – I loooved this; it smells amazing and makes your skin feel baby smooth. I’m sad I used it up so quickly because it’s so expensive.

    Repurchase? Probably not. I just can’t justify the price tag, but I will try to duplicate it with a DIY sugar scrub or find one that’s more accessible and affordable.

    Live Clean Coconut Milk Moisturizing Shampoo & Conditioner (conditioner is not pictured) – I liked the smell of this and it made my hair feel soft.

    Repurchase? Possibly.

    Johnson’s Baby Shampoo – I used this to clean my makeup brushes and sponges.

    Repurchase? Yes.

    Lady Speed Stick Invisible in Cool & Fresh – The smell is very nice, but after a while, it started to smell different; not as fresh. I want to start using natural deodorants that don’t have aluminum.

    Repurchase? No.

    Delectable by Cake Beauty The Everything Powder – When I first tried it, I loved it. It doesn’t have talc and it was great to use as a setting powder, but I just don’t love the smell that much. I’ve said it multiple times, but it smells like this toy that my cousin had. It was a baby that comes with a bottle and spoon and you put the spoon in the bottle and it ‘fills’ up with cherries and you feed the baby and the cherries disappear.

    Repurchase? No.

    Delectable by Cake Beauty The Everything Balm – I enjoyed this when I got a little tube from a Topbox, so I bought a full-sized bottle. The full size comes with a pump, but the pump sucks. It doesn’t dispense the product and it smells a bit different from when I used the small tube.

    Repurchase? No.

    COSRX Acne Pimple Master Patches (read my review) – I love these. They’re amazing.

    Repurchase? YES!!

    Neutrogena Hydro Boost Eye Gel Cream (read my review) – This didn’t hydrate my eyes as much as other eye products I’ve tried which was disappointing because it’s a good price for an eye cream.

    Repurchase? No.

    Essence The False Lashes Extreme Volume & Curl Mascara (read my review) – This mascara held the curl of my lashes well, but it was quite flaky.

    Repurchase? No.

    Rimmel Moisture Renew Universal Transparent Lip Liner in 001 Universal – This is a clear lip liner that you can use for any lipstick. The only problem with it was that I could see where I was drawing on my lips. Also, it’s retractable and I prefer a pencil that you can sharpen so I can get a more defined line.

    Repurchase? No.

    Revlon Super Lustrous Lipstick in 855 Berry Smoothie – This was a gorgeous shade, but I just didn’t like it on me. It looked like my lips were stained from eating berries and I always wore it with Vaseline on top or underneath to sheer it out.

    Repurchase? I would consider repurchasing a Revlon Super Lustrous lipstick, but not in this shade.

    Bourjois Twist Up The Volume Mascara (read my review) – This was an interesting mascara, but if I were to spend over $20 on a mascara, I would get one from Sephora that I like better.

    Repurchase? No.

    Milani Color Statement Lipstick in 26 Nude Crème – I loved this shade. It was a “My Lips But Better” shade, but I didn’t love the watermelon scent of the lipstick.

    Repurchase? Maybe.

    Check out my Black Friday Haul!

    What did you finish last month?

    Love,

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  • The Body Shop Skincare Haul | September 2018

    September 26, 2018

    Hi Everyone!

    As you may have already gathered, I really like The Body Shop skincare products. The tea tree oil line has been great for controlling and preventing acne.

    Check out my reviews:
    Tea Tree Oil Anti-Imperfection Daily Solution (I don’t think they sell this anymore)
    Tea Tree Oil Targeted Gel Blemish Stick
    Colour Adapting BB Cream

    The Body Shop was having a Buy 2, Get 1 Free sale, so I decided to pick up products that I haven’t tried yet. I chose three of the tea tree oil products, an aloe cleanser and the pink grapefruit exfoliating gel scrub.

    Tea Tree Oil

    I tried this out already and it’s not oily like the Tarte Maracuja Oil (which I was expecting), it was similar to the Anti-Imperfection Daily Solution. It smells very strong (more than the solution).

    • Targeted care for blemished skin
    • Can be used direct on skin or for facial steaming
    • Soothing
    • Does not dry out skin

    Tea Tree Oil Anti-Imperfection Night Mask

    I have not tried this yet, but I’m excited to see how well it works.

    • Skin instantly looks and feels refreshed, purified, and soothed.
    • In the morning, imperfections* appear reduced.
    • Skin looks healthier, smoother, and mattified.
    • Improves appearance of pores.
    • Helps maintain clearer-looking skin.
    • Tone, texture, and oiliness
    • Features a refreshing memory-gel texture and is infused with tea tree oil grown in the foothills of Mount Kenya.
    • Alcohol-free, no pillow-staining formula.
    • TOP TIP: Pop the Night Mask in the fridge for an ultra-refreshing feeling.

    Tea Tree Oil Skin Clearing Mattifying Toner

    I haven’t tried this yet because I recently picked up the Thayers Witch Hazel toner and just started using it. I didn’t want to try too many new products all at once.

    • Refreshing, purifying toner
    • Made with purifying tea tree oil from the foothills of Mount Kenya
    • Removes residual make-up and impurities
    • Shake-to-activate mattifying powders reduce shine
    • Skin appears visibly clearer
    • Pores appear tighter

    Pink Grapefruit Exfoliating Body Scrub

    I’ve used their body scrub before, but they’ve reformulated it since then. I’ve tried the one that’s more like a sugar scrub. This one is interesting because it’s a gel texuture, but then when you rub it in, you can feel the grittiness of it. It smells refreshing and it works well. Is it worth $22 though? I’m not sure.

    • Body exfoliator
    • Smoothes and refines skin
    • Buffs away dead skin cells
    • Leaves skin beautifully softer and refined
    • Fresh, energizing gel texture
    • Energizing scent

    Aloe Vera Gentle Foaming Wash

    This is very light and I like that it’s foamy. My sensitive skin hasn’t reacted to it, but it is a bit pricey when it’s regular price.

    • Formulated for sensitive skin
    • Pure Community Trade aloe from Campeche, Mexico
    • No added fragrance, color or alcohol
    • Formulated without preservatives

    I will post reviews of the Tea Tree Oil products once I’ve tested them out properly.

    What are your fave Body Shop products?

    Love,

    jen

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  • This or That | Pixi Peel & Polish vs. Tarte Rainforest of the Sea Frxxxtion Stick 3-in-1 Exfoliating Cleanser

    March 10, 2018

    Hi Everyone!

    Today, I’m comparing two exfoliating scrubs: Pixi’s Peel & Polish and Tarte’s Rainforest of the Sea Frxxxtion Stick 3-in-1 Exfoliating Cleanser.

    20180310_093137.jpgPeel & Polish

    This radiance revealing enzyme peel resurfaces for smoother, softer skin, and a healthy looking glow. Natural fruit enzymes loosen dead skins cells, lactic acid gently exfoliates, cellulose peels & sugar extracts polishes, lifting away dullness revealing brighter skin.

    20180310_093151.jpgRainforest of the Sea Frxxxtion Stick 3-in-1 Exfoliating Cleanser

    The hypoallergenic gel stick gently sloughs away dead surface cells & polishes skin as it cleanses to fight dullness & pump up the radiance. Great for all skin types, it can be used on a regular basis without stripping skin’s moisture or left on as a treatment mask to absorb toxins & reveal smooth, sexy, glowing skin.

    TIP: You know when you’ve finished a lipstick and you can’t push up anymore, but there’s still a lot of lipstick in the tube? This is the same. I was able to scrape out a full face’s worth of cleanser from my tiny, travel-sized stick.

    20180310_092449.jpg
    Peel & Polish (left), Frxxxtion stick (right)

    The Frxxxtion stick is more gentle than the Peel & Polish. I think I might use them at the same time; use the Frxxxtion stick on cheeks and forehead and use the Peel & Polish on areas that need more exfoliating. Both don’t have the most pleasant smell. The Peel & Polish almost smells like paint, while the Frxxxtion stick has a scent that I can’t quite put my finger on, but since they’re both scrubs that you wash off after a few minutes, it’s not a big deal.

    My face feels super soft after using both of them and the price points are similar so I think the verdict is obvious:

    WINNER: It’s a TIE!

    What exfoliating scrubs do you use?

    Love,

    jen

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