• September 2018 Product Empties

    Hi Everyone!

    This month I went through a lot of products! So, let’s get started!

    Bioré Blemish Fighting Astringent – This would sometimes sting my skin (even if I didn’t have a pimple. The alcohol content was very high and would make my eyes water.

    Repurchase? No.

    belif bergamot Toner – This was a very nice, gentle toner.

    Repurchase? Maybe.

    Spectro AcneCare Wash – This was a great acne wash that wasn’t too strong.

    Repurchase? Yes.

    COSRX Acne Pimple Master Patches (read my review) – Cannot get enough of these patches, they’re amazing!

    Repurchase? Yes.

    Clinique Pep-Start Quick Cleansing Swipes – These were gentle and removed makeup okay.

    Repurchase? No longer available, I believe.

    The Face Shop Clean Face Clear Away Spot Treatment (read my review) – This wasn’t very strong, I would rather buy the Kate Somerville eradiKate or Mario Badescu Drying Lotion.

    Repurchase? Probably not.

    The Face Shop Jeju Volcanic Lava Self-Heating Clay Mask (read my review) – This was interesting. The self-heating factor might be good for body aches (although it would be a bit messy).

    Repurchase? Probably not.

    Live Clean Baby Colloidal Oatmeal Eczema Cream – This cream definitely smelled like oatmeal. I don’t know if it did anything to help. I was using it when I didn’t have any eczema flare ups.

    Repurchase? Probably not, I would rather get a Cetaphil cream bottle.

    got2be Guardian Angel Gloss Finish Flat Iron Balm – I have only ever tried 2 heat protectant sprays, but this did the job and made my hair look glossy.

    Repurchase? I have.

    Remay Shave Gel Bar – I received this for free and while it smelled nice and was very nice to shave with, I probably wouldn’t purchase it.

    Repurchase? Probably not.

    Amika Perk Up Dry Shampoo – I got this in a Topbox and I knew it was expensive so I kept not using this little bottle. I love the smell of this dry shampoo and I got compliments twice when using it that I smelled nice.

    Repurchase? I finally splurged and bought a new one. I got a mini because the big size was out of stock.

    Live Clean Mineral Clay Rebalancing Shampoo + Conditioner – I liked this shampoo and conditioner.

    Repurchase? Maybe.

    Coastal Scents Eclipse Palette (read my review) – This is a good concealer palette if you’re just starting out and don’t want to splurge. You can use it to colour correct, conceal and contour.

    Repurchase? No, because Coastal Scents charges shipping to Canada.

    Colourpop No Filter Concealer in Light 20 – This concealer was bought before they added more shades, so there’s no longer a shade called Light 20. This concealer was okay for me. It oxidized really quickly. I would rather get Maybelline Fit Me Concealer since that’s easier for me to pick up.

    Repurchase? No.

    Milani Retouch + Erase Light-Lifting Concealer in 02 Light – This is a thick concealer that blends out nicely. I wasn’t sure if I would like it because I thought it might cause creasing under my eyes, but I wore it for over 8 hours and it didn’t crease 

    Repurchase? Maybe.

    Smashbox Photo Finish Foundation Primer (Colour Correcting- Adjust) (read my review) – This did nothing to cover redness.

    Repurchase? No.

    Nude by Nature Perfecting Primer (read my review) – This was an okay primer, I didn’t love it and didn’t hate it.

    Repurchase? No.

    Make Up For Ever Step 1 Equalizer Primer (Smoothing) – This is one of my fave smoothing primers.

    Repurchase? Yes.

    Make Up For Ever Ultra HD Invisible Cover Foundation in Y245 – This was a great foundation, but the shade was too yellow. I think I’d need to mix two shades with different undertones to get the right match.

    Repurchase? Maybe.

    Burt’s Bees Goodness Glows Liquid Foundation in 1025 Natural Beige (read my review) – Because this foundation is very natural, it washed away easily with water. I didn’t like the smell of it either and it lingered after applying it.

    Repurchase? No.

    Fenty Pro’Filtr Soft Matte Longwear Foundation in 150 – This was too matte for me. While it was beautiful, I prefer something more luminous and natural.

    Repurchase? No.

    Coastal Scents Revealed3 Palette (read my review) – These had some great neutral colours if you’re starting out with eyeshadows.

    Repurchase? No.

    Urban Decay troublemaker Mascara – This deluxe sample was hard to judge the full-sized because it was such a short stick, I couldn’t apply the mascara very well to my lashes.

    Repurchase? No.

    Bella Pierre Cheek Stain in Coral – It was pretty, but I feel like I never gave it a fair shot. I think I’d prefer a cheek stain that twists up or in a pan instead of a pot.

    Repurchase? No.

    Burt’s Bees Nourishing Mascara – While this was easy to wash off, it didn’t do much for my lashes.

    Repurchase? No.

    bareMinerals Gen Nude Radiant Lipstick in Tutu – It was a pretty pink shade, but a bit too pale pink on me. I might consider buying a different shade.

    Repurchase? Probably not.

    Dior Addict Lipstick in 983 Insoumise – My mom bought this for my sister’s wedding, but it was way too pink for her and had shimmer in it, so she gave it to me. It’s a beautiful pink shade, but it’s a bit too pink for me too. I would sort of do an ombré lip with this on top of a nude/pink lipstick and it added the perfect amount of shine and pink.

    Repurchase? Not this shade, but I loved how hydrating this lipstick was, so I would definitely consider getting the Dior Addict Lip Glow or purchasing a different shade.

    What products did you finish this month?

    Love,

    jen

  • Review | The Face Shop Jeju Volcanic Lava Self-Heating Clay Mask

    Hi Everyone!

    Today, I’m reviewing The Face Shop’s Jeju Volcanic Lava Self-Heating Clay Mask. If you’re a regular reader of the blog, you’ll know that I love the cleansers from The Face Shop because they make me feel squeaky clean. I picked up the clay mask last year when I bought a few cleansers and popped this into the cart to give it a try. I thought I would review it on the blog because it’s an interesting product and my first time using a self-heating mask- Keep reading to find out if it actually works!

    The heating pore mask containing Jeju Volcanic Ash purifies skin as a warm sensation opens pores upon application.

    Jeju Volcanic Ash is the product of volcanic activity on Jeju Island. Its porous texture absorbs excess sebum and provides intensive pore care.

    City Defender Complex*, formulated with ingredients from Jeju Island, helps defend skin against the elements and fine dust.

    After washing your face, apply a sufficient amount and spread evenly on areas requiring pore care. Gently massage for 3 to 5 minutes and rinse off with warm water.

    The mask comes in a hard plastic bottle that has a silicone applicator. It’s quite interesting because you press the ‘button’ on the side and the mask comes out from a hole in the silicone pad. If you don’t spread it evenly though, it can drip off. So, make sure you have an even layer on your face. The consistency isn’t too thick or runny; it’s kind of like honey and it doesn’t smell like anything. It’s brown and you can see tiny specks of black (the ash). It’s not like other clay masks where you wait for it to dry and then wash it off. You massage it for a few minutes and then wash it off.

    As soon as you apply it, you can feel it start to heat up. I like using a larger silicone pad to massage it in. It easily removes with water (it’s not sticky or anything), but I do like to use a cleanser and use some cold water to close up the pores again. After every use, I also like to run the applicator under some warm water to clean it off.

    RATING: 3/5

    To be honest, I don’t really know how well this works. While my face does feel clean and pretty smooth after using it, I don’t know how deeply it’s cleaning the pores. Therefore, I’m giving it a 3/5 because it works pretty well, but it is kind of pricey (i would wait for a sale). I think I’d rather try other products in the Jeju Volcanic Lava line, possibly the Pore Mud Pack, Pore Scrub Foam or the Peel Off Nose Pack. Although, I did think of a good use for it. Since it opens up the pores, I thought I would take advantage and do a nose strip. I wonder how this would work on sore muscles since it’s self-heating? The perfect time to do it would be right before a shower or something so it’s easy to rinse off. I should give it a try.

    Have you tried self-heating masks or anything from the Jeju Volcanic Lava collection?

    Love,