Hello everyone! Long time no blog...and it's getting repetitive. The long and short of it is that I am going through some tough family issues that pretty much suck all the happiness out of my life. I'm not a crier but I've broken down twice this week. Instead of moping around and feeling sorry for myself, I decided to return to the things I love, mainly blogging and makeup. So, I'm starting my return with a June empties post, even though it's the middle of July, haha. I'm not the most consistent when it comes to blogging these days but bonus points for being unconventional?
MAKEUP
Hallelujah! I have finished some makeup items that aren't mascara (which I throw out most of the time). This tiny sample of Urban Decay's Eyeshadow Primer Potion has lasted an ungodly amount of time, even with nearly everyday use. I don't want to tell you how long I've had it but I will say it's under 3 years 😖 I've tried several other brands, but this is my favorite. The consistency is thicker but blending with a finger will smooth it all out. I have slightly discolored lids with some veining yet this covers it without looking cakey. This stuff grips onto eyeshadows so well. It's on the sticky side so I do use a skin tone eyeshadow beforehand to help with blending. I have oily eyelids but this keeps my shadows from creasing or fading and it intensifies the pigment of my eyeshadows. This is so highly raved about because it works!
Bottom Line: Will continue to repurchase!
I'm really sorry to see Benefit's Fake Up Concealer go. I have mine in shade 2 Medium. It's just the right tone and consistency for my undereyes. I don't have the worst dark circles but I do appreciate a slightly brightened undereye. Mind you, this is no Kim K-type of concealer but for everyday, this was perfect. The pigment center and hydrating ring concept is genius! I don't like to use eye cream in the morning so the hydrating ring was just enough moisture for that area. It blended easily, looked great even with powder over top, and never emphasized texture. Unfortunately, Benefit Cosmetics is not cruelty-free so I'm not going to buy the full size but this was my holy grail undereye concealer.
Bottom Line: Not CF so no repurchase.
SKINCARE
I'm not too particular when it comes to night creams. All I need is moisture because I'm a fan of the layering method. The Yes to Carrots Nourishing Night Cream ($10.99usd for 1.7 oz) did just that. My skin was going through a dry phase this past winter so this came in handy. It's a lighter cream that sunk in quickly without leaving a greasy feel. The smell took some getting used to but I didn't even notice it towards the end. It did sting my face a little if I was using a BHA toner and acne treatment but it went away. I think I need to wait longer in between steps but I'm impatient to get into bed. Though it is a cream, I don't think it would be enough for really dry skin. I have dehydrated skin but would still wake up feeling tight, and not the good kind. So I would still pair this with an oil to lock in the moisture. This would be better in summertime or for normal skin. Oily skin types would probably loathe the cream texture. Yes To is cruelty-free so I'm looking forward to exploring more of the line.
Bottom Line: Maybe in the future, but I want to try other things.
Aveeno Daily Moisturizing Lotion ($6.99usd for 8 oz) is a staple in my family. I've been using this for years and it's the only thing that works on this perpetually itchy area on my thigh. A good lotion barometer is if the area doesn't itch after using a lotion, that one is a keeper. It keeps that area satisfied while being a lighter texture that doesn't feel greasy. There's no scent so I can layer on my perfumes to my heart's content. Surprisingly, Aveeno is not cruelty-free so I'm going to finish up the last couple of bottles and move onto something else. If you have any recommendations, please let me know!
Bottom Line: Not going to repurchase.
Ampoules are mainly a Korean thing so I've never used one before this. The Lee Jiham Vita Propolis Ampoule ($38usd for 0.5 oz/15ml) is a good one to start with. It definitely gives you that dewy Korean glow, gwang, and sits well under makeup. I used this during the colder months so it definitely helped my skin from peeling. The star ingredient, propolis, is a mixture of bee saliva, beeswax and plant saps. It is purported to protect and nourish skin but it does matter where the propolis was collected as the construction materials are specific to individual hives. Other ingredients are 3 types of vitamins, sea buckthorn extract, witch hazel extract and centella asiatica extract. It is free of parabens, mineral oil, colorants, silicone and alcohols. I'm not too fond of putting bee spit on my face but hey, it didn't aggravate my skin and gave it the wet look that I prefer.
Bottom Line: Might repurchase.
OTHER
I think this is the second toothpaste I'm talking about here on the blog. Dr. Collins Natural Toothpaste Vanilla Mint with Goji Berry (5.99usd for 4.03 oz) is the first "natural" toothpaste I've tried. I'm quite lucky in that most of face behaves but the troublesome area for me is my chin. I'm not sure what they are but the tiny bumps are skin-colored and take weeks to come to the surface. They don't hurt but they make the skin texture uneven. I read that toothpastes with sls or fluoride can be the cause of them so I decided to say goodbye to my beloved Crest and try something new. Lo and behold, those tiny bumps started to disappear while using this toothpaste! It contains a bunch of mumbo jumbo plant extracts and vitamins that I don't care for but I did enjoy the slightly minty flavor. I hate when the mint taste lasts and lasts, making my coffee taste funny. Crest was good but it did burn the surrounding skin if I got the toothpaste foam on my chin and mouth. The only thing is that I go through a tube of this very quickly, in a little over a month. Because it's SLS free, it doesn't foam so I tend to use more to feel clean. But that's a tiny gripe in comparison to getting rid of those pesky bumps. I've just finished another one that I'll talk about at the end of the month and am now moving onto yet another.
Bottom Line: Will repurchase if I can find out of it's CF or not.
Batiste Dry Shampoo ($7.99usd for 6.73oz) is the best dry shampoo I've ever tried and I don't think I'll bother with any other brand from now on. The floral essence scent is my favorite so far. I know that in the past that I complained that the scent was too strong but nothing else works as well on my hair. My hair gets super oily and stringy if I don't wash it everyday. This helps keep the oil at bay and gives me awesome volume (without teasing or blow drying). It's easily accessible at most drugstores, which is a bonus. Ulta usually has buy one, get one 50%, which is when I stock up. I prefer aerosol cans because I'm a klutz and cannot trust myself with loose powder. Definitely a must-try if heavy fragrance isn't a deal breaker! Batiste is cruelty-free but its parent company is not.
Bottom Line: Have repurchased and will continue to do so!
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