• January 2019 Product Empties

    Hi Everyone!

    Here are this month’s empties! Can’t believe it’s already the end of the month. I probably say that each month, but January really went by so quickly!

    Tula Pro-Glycolic 10% pH Resurfacing Gel – I really liked this toner, it didn’t cause any irritation or additional redness to the areas of my face (nose and chin) that are already red.

    Repurchase? Yes! I want to use up my Pixi Glow Tonic before I repurchase this though.

    Tula Illuminating Face Serum – LOOOVE THIS! It was light and it helped lighten some dark spots on my face!

    Repurchase? Already did!

    Tula Hydrating Day & Night Cream – Although this is fairly light in texture, it’s a bit too heavy for my personal liking. Also, I prefer a tube or bottle instead of a pot for hygienic reasons. I’m going to try the gel products from Tula to see if I prefer those.

    Repurchase? Maybe. If I find a gel product I like better, I would prefer to buy that instead.

    Josie Maran 100% Pure Argan Oil – I don’t know why, but the smell of this oil reminded me of a fruit roll up? I have no idea why. I decided not to use this on my face because I love the Tarte Maracuja Oil so much and it’s been working. I didn’t really want to try a new product and possibly have a reaction. I used it on my hands and feet since they’re so dry from the winter air.

    Repurchase? Probably not.

    The Body Shop Aloe Vera Gentle Foaming Wash – This is exactly what it says in the title: gentle, foamy and aloe.

    Repurchase? Yes, on sale.

    Glow Recipe Watermelon Glow Sleeping Mask (mini) – Love this.

    Repurchase? Would definitely purchase a full-size pot.

    Origins Original Skin Retexturizing Mask with Rose Clay (mini) – I liked this, but I wouldn’t say I loved it (probably because I don’t love rose-scented products). It did make my skin feel very soft after using it.

    Repurchase? Probably not, but I would try other Origins masks.

    Innisfree No Sebum Mineral Powder – This powder was great at mattifying the t-zone, but it did make my undereyes looks quite dry when I set my concealer.

    Repurchase? No. I wasn’t a huge fan of the minty-herbal scent of it.

    NYX Micro Brow Pencil in Black – On a whim, I decided to try this brow pencil and ended up loving it. This was my second time purchasing it and I will definitely pick it up again.

    Repurchase? Eventually. I think I will try the second darkest shade since the Black can be a bit too dark (even on my dark brows). I want to try other brow products before circling back to it though.

    Essence I Love Colour Intensifying Eyeshadow Base – I barely used this because I don’t really wear colourful eyeshadows to begin with. Although I did test this and it did make shadows more vibrant; I’m not sure about longevity though. You would probably need to use this with a primer if you wanted to extend the wear time of your shadows.

    Repurchase? No. I don’t need it.

    Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer Potion (mini) – I have no idea when I got this, so it’s good I finished it :/

    Repurchase? I think so.

    The Estée Edit The Edgiest Kohl ShadowStick in 03 Guilt – This was okay, it wasn’t the best shadow stick I’ve ever used. I still have an extra that I bought in the same shade. 

    Repurchase? Brand is no longer available in stores.

    Flower Beauty On Your Mark Liquid Eye Liner in Black – I don’t know why I bought this because I don’t really wear liquid liner. I just saw Flower Beauty at Winners and got excited to try something from the line.

    Repurchase? No.

    Clio Kill Black Calligraphy Liner in 01 Black – Again, I made an impulse purchase at Winners because I wanted to try a brand that I’d never used before. I had also heard a few YouTubers talk about the Kill Black Liner, but this wasn’t the one. The Clio Kill Black Waterproof Pen Liner is the that people like.

    Repurchase? No.

    What did you finish this month?

    Love,

    jen

     

  • YouTubers Made Me Buy It

    Hi Everyone!

    Have you ever watched a beauty YouTuber review a product and they rave about it so you have to go buy it too? Or read a beauty blogger and saw swatches of the prettiest highlighter that you had to get? Well, there have been quite a lot of products that I’ve purchased over the past two years because I saw a cool video or I watched/read reviews. I’ll let you know if I liked the product and if I’d repurchase.

    Cosrx Acne Pimple Master Patches (read my review) – I love these, but I kind of wish they had different packages for different sizes. Sometimes I have a ton of the smallest size left over until I get a teeny, tiny whitehead.

    Repurchase? Absolutely!!

    Cosrx BHA Blackhead Power Liquid – I bought this last year and don’t know if it was working that well. I had to stop because my skin was reacting to something I was using.

    Repurchase? Probably not.

    Cosrx Salicylic Acid Daily Gentle Cleanser – I quite liked this cleanser and it didn’t dry out my skin too much from the salicylic acid.

    Repurchase? Yes.

    CUCNZN Blackhead Remover Suction Black Peeling Mask – This is kind of messy. If you put too much on, it can drip. It’s very hard to wash off your hands and clothes. The best way is to let it dry and then peel it.

    Repurchase? No, I’d rather try a Biore Pore strip for the face.

    Essence I Love Colour Intensifying Eyeshadow Base – I haven’t put this through testing yet, but I like the formula and I have noticed that it does intensify eyeshadows.

    Repurchase? Yes.

    Essence Volume Stylist 18h Lash Extension Mascara –  This mascara is like $5 and it’s great! It does dry out fairly quickly, but it’s not as painful as buying a $30 tube  and having it dry out on you.

    Repurchase? Probably. I just bought two other Essence mascaras to see how they compare.

    Finishing Touch Flawless Facial Hair Remover (read my review) – It removes hair pretty well and I like the light it has attached when you turn it on.

    Repurchase? I’d get the rechargeable one if I get another one.

    Garnier All-in-One Cleansing Micellar Water – Originally, I was like, “why does everyone love this water? Isn’t it just water?” Oh, how wrong I was to think that. I love this stuff!

    Repurchase? Already have!

    Glow Recipe Watermelon Glow Sleeping Mask (read my review)- I love the smell of this. It smells so fresh and feel so nice on the skin.

    Repurchase? Yes.

    Innisfree No Sebum Mineral Powder – This powder is very finely milled and comes with a cute little puff. I’m not a huge fan of the mint smell, but it sets and mattifies my makeup nicely.

    Repurchase? Possibly.

    L’Oreal Voluminous Lash Paradise (read my review) – I compared this to the Too Faced Better Than Sex Mascara and I’m sad to say that I’m not a fan of either one.

    Repurchase? No.

    Makeup Eraser The Original Makeup Eraser (read my review) – I saw this in a BuzzFeed video, I believe and had to see if it really worked. I really like it because it’s so soft.

    Repurchase? I bought a dupe that was a 4-pack, so it’ll take me a while, but I’d repurchase when I need to.

    Maybelline FaceStudio Master Chrome Metallic Highlighter (read my review) – This is a beautiful highlighter that gives that wet, metallic look.

    Repurchase? Yes, I really want some of the other shades.

    Maybelline Fit Me Foundation – I’ve tried the Matte + Poreless and the Hydrate + Smooth, I preferred the Hydrate + Smooth because it gave a dewy finish.

    Repurchase? No. No more drugstore foundations for me.

    Maybelline Lash Sensational Mascara – I read that the Meghan Markle, the Duchess of Sussex, uses this (don’t know if she still does) and I had to try it for myself.

    Repurchase? I bought this, but haven’t tried it yet.

    Maybelline Super Stay Better Skin Concealer + Corrector – This smells like chemicals to me.

    Repurchase? No, I’d rather get the Maybelline Fit Me Concealer.

    Maybelline Super Stay Better Skin Skin-Transforming Foundation – This was the first drugstore foundation I got. I bought the wrong shade and back then, I didn’t know what primer was or that you had to wet the sponge. Knowing what I know now, I could probably get a better match and get a more beautiful application, but no more drugstore foundations for me.

    Repurchase? No. I didn’t love the smell of this.

    Nars Sheer Glow Foundation – If you read my Mid-Year Inventory on Foundations (click here), you’ll know that I’m looking to find high-end foundations with different finishes and coverage. I didn’t love this one and I’d rather get the Lancome Miracle Cushion Foundation as my sheer foundation.

    Repurchase? No.

    NYX Setting Spray (Matte) – I think I’d rather pay a little more for a better quality setting spray. I don’t know if this helped a whole lot, but it made my eyes water.

    Repurchase? No.

    Physician’s Formula Butter Highlighter – Why pay $50 when you can pay a fraction of that for a gorgeous, butter highlighter?

    Repurchase? Absolutely!! I need more shades!!!

    Physician’s Formula Murumuru Butter Butter Bronzer – Blends like a dream and smells so good (which is surprising because I’m not a huge fan of scented things!!)

    Repurchase? Definitely!!

    Pixi Glow Tonic – I got a pack that had a travel-size bottle of this and I will definitely be picking up a bigger size when I’m done my current toner.

    Repurchase? Definitely!! (UPDATE: I think I’m allergic to witch hazel which means I can no longer use this).

    Pixi Hydrating Milky Mist (read my review) – I love Pixi and it smells so good and keeps the face hydrated.

    Repurchase? YES!

    Pixi Peel & Polish (read my review) – I liked this, but it smells like paint to me and I’ve found other brands I like better.

    Repurchase? Probably not.

    Real Techniques Miracle Complexion Sponge (read my review) – This sponge gets huge when it’s damp and I love that it has a flat side. I bought this at Winners (4 pack for $20) which was cheaper than at the drugstore.

    Repurchase? Absolutely! At Winners though.

    Shu Uemura Eyelash Curler – I didn’t know what I was missing until I bought this eyelash curler. Previously, I’ve used a Tweezerman, Revlon and Sephora lash curler, but this one beats all of those.

    Repurchase? When I need to buy a new one, yes!! Although I hear that the Shiseido one is good too and you can buy just the refills for that.

    Wet N Wild MegaGlo Highlighting Powder – So pretty!! I wish I could get more shades, but Wet N Wild is hard to find in Canada and Rexall only has a selection of Wet N Wild products.

    Repurchase? If I can get my hands on it, yes!!

    A lot of the products on this list, I would repurchase. For most of these, I heard more than a few good reviews, which made me buy them. So, it’s no surprise that I love them too.

    What products have you bought because of a YouTuber’s recommendations?

    Love,

    jen