EMPTIES | December 2014 & January 2015 ♡

I know we are in the middle of February already but I just wanted to post this before February's empties comes around. Since I was on break, I didn't use my makeup or anything, really, so this empties will be a bit smaller. Nevertheless, let's jump right in!

e.l.f. Essential Lipsticks in Charming and Gypsy -- $1usd for 0.12oz/3.5g

I've had these for years but I broke the bullet so they were just sitting there unused. Instead of tossing them in the trash, I repurposed them into a "cream" lip+cheek product. Still working on putting that post up but so far, so good. They smell fruity but not sickeningly sweet. Decently pigmented, a really good bargain buy for beginners!

Bottom Line: Will not repurchase

L'Oreal Color Riche Balm in 418 Caring Coral -- $5.59 - $7.99usd for 0.10oz/2.9g

I ordered this online to get free shipping (always gets me to spend more than I meant to!) so I wasn't expecting much. Definitely surprised me when I used it up so quickly! The balm is on the thinner, slicker side but nevertheless, was hydrating for me. Applying this on top of dry and peeling lips wasn't painful and actually helped my lips get better. It didn't cover up the mess but it didn't aggravate it either. Staying power wasn't anything to write home about but the hydration left behind stayed for an additional 2 hours. It has a corally tint that isn't too bright and looks good and natural on me even when I didn't have any makeup on.

 Bottom Line: Would repurchase!

Covergirl Outlast Stay Fabulous 3 in 1 Foundation in 842 Medium Beige -- $7.79 - $12.99usd for 1 oz/30ml

Definitely a bandwagon purchase for me. The hype on Youtube was enormous and like a sheep, I followed--and was not disappointed! The most important things for me when purchasing foundation is coverage and color match. One pump easily covered my uneven skin tone, redness, and my faded post-acne hyperpigmentation marks--what I consider medium coverage. It didn't look cakey, blended out well, has a pump, contains SPF and lasted a long while too. While it didn't keep me oil-free the entire day, this is the most long-wearing foundation I've tried, even without powder. Revlon ColorStay Foundation for Oily/Combination Skin was good too but the heaviness was a deal breaker for me. I needed to sheer it out with the Beauty Blender and having to wash that all the time gets tiring. At the time, I was much more oily than I am today so this was a godsend. Only thing I didn't like was this shade is too pink for my skintone but that's user error. I didn't finish the entire thing but it expired on me.

Bottom Line: Would repurchase but in another color!

Lancome Hypnose Drama Instant Full Body Volume Mascara in Excessive Black -- $27.50usd for 0.22oz

Since I had such a good experience with the Lancome Hypnose Star Mascara, I was excited to give this one a try. Definitely volumized my lashes without clumping or spideriness but it was not immune to my watery eyes. I'd see a grey ring on the outer corner of my lower lash line at the end of the day.The S-shaped wand was a bit weird for me and I kept hitting my eyelid with it. The tip of the wand is slightly tapered so it's not impossible to get my tiny inner lashes but I do need to be careful. Bristles are longer than the Tarte mascara but not as dense, which prioritized volume over length in effect. Don't blink so soon after applying this because it will transfer slightly to the under eyes but it doesn't take a long time to dry--10-20 seconds depending how how heavy the mascara coat is. Since the formula is on the wetter side, it doesn't hold my curl well and weighs my short and sparse lashes down. As with every Lancome product I've tried, there's the signature rose scent that didn't irritate my eyes when I compare it to other mascaras. I only got to use it about 4 weeks before I had to toss it due to a possible eye infection but it doesn't dry out quickly, at least. 

Bottom Line: Wouldn't repurchase as I need staying power and length in my mascaras.

Tarte Lights, Camera, Lashes 4-in-1 Mascara -- $20usd for 0.24oz

One of my favorite mascaras that I've tried--definitely top 3! It does most of the things I need, namely length and separation, with some nice extras, like volume. The only thing I wish for is that it stood up to my watery eyes but so far, only 3 mascaras I've tried do. The grey ring isn't as bad as others that I've sampled so that's why I still like it. It doesn't make my curl fall but it doesn't really hold them all day but nothing a lash curler can't fix! It easily comes off with eye makeup remover without much gentle rubbing. The formula is on the drier side so I don't have to worry about blinking and getting it everywhere. Wand is also one of my favorites as the bristles are shorter and dense, giving great separation and volume at the base of my lashes. No problem hitting my inner corner lashes! Sad to see it go but it's been 6 months since I opened it.

Bottom Line: I have several backups and have given away my other mascaras, speaking volumes about how much I like this one :D If I had the money, I would keep repurchasing Lancome's Hypnose Star Mascara but this one is just as good, albeit the smudging issue.

Blinc Mascara -- $26usd for 0.21 oz

Since traditional mascaras can't stand up to my eyes, I decided to give a tubing mascara a try. The peanut-shaped wand has a continuous spiral bristle with no space in  between. Despite the staying powder, it has a lot of problems that make it one of my least favorite. Since there's a lot of space in the bristles, it clumped my lashes together and not in an attractive way. Length was so-so. It also took a long time to dry--if I blinked, I can be sure that this is on my lower lash line. Taking it off with my regular eye makeup remover was not pleasant--much easier to take it off with water. It did hold a curl well enough so it's not all bad. Nevertheless, I think this mascara would be better for people who already have long and full lashes and wanted to add more definition to their eyes. Some people layer their mascaras for the desired effect but I'm not a fan of doing so. I rarely have time to apply makeup in the first place and just want a mascara to do it all, is that so much to ask? xD I tried layering it with the Lancome mascara above--Blinc on top but it got a bit too clumpy for my tastes. However, the clumpiness isn't as bad as the Blinc on its own. Tossing it because I think I had an eye issue during the use but not heartbroken over it.

Bottom Line: Will not repurchase.

Kat Von D Unlock-It Makeup Remover Wipes -- 30 wipes for $15usd

Seriously, the name is so cute and a play on her "Lock It" series. Cute names aside, it's the most saturated wipe I've used which means it truly removed a lot of my makeup--eye and face! I even had enough to give my neck a good wipe down. The wipe itself is thick but very soft. It didn't stretch or feel cheap at all. The residue didn't make my face feel sticky but it didn't dry my face out afterwards. 

Bottom Line: Wouldn't repurchase but that's only because of the price!

Josie Maran 100% Pure Argan Oil (mini) -- $16usd for 0.5 oz 

I have the regular size that I use at home but since I was travelling, I took this along to combat the winter dryness. It kept my face flake-free without the heaviness of a cream. I seriously cringe whenever I apply facial creams these days--even my lightweight Supergoop! Everyday Sunscreen Broad Spectrum SPF 50 PA+++ feels like a bother on my skin some days.This tiny one was golden until the dispensing system collapsed on me--literally. I tried to pump some product out but the glass dropper just fell out. I noticed a leak of some kind in my makeup bag and black bits everywhere but never suspected this cutie! Since the dropper was out of order, the entire bottle was unusable the rest of my break. When I got back, I poured the remaining product into my big bottle, which thankfully, has shown no signs of malfunctioning. 

Bottom Line: Love facial oils so will repurchase some off-brand ones. Will not be buying the mini size anymore.

Hada Labo Ultimate Anti-Aging Facial Mask -- $15.79usd for 4 masks; 0.7 fl oz/20ml each

Since it was the holidays, I was getting serious about taking care of my skin. This hydrated my face very well and made my face glowy the morning after. The sheet mask fit my face well with minor adjustments. I can't recall the scent or anything but it wasn't unpleasant or else I'd have noted it right away. Hyaluronic acid is known in the skincare world to be great for retaining moisture. I can't say anything on anti-aging since I'm only 21 years old but it definitely delivered on the "Deep Hydration" claim!

Bottom Line: Price is a bit steep for me, especially since I've tried some affordable ones from Korea that hydrate my face well too. Probably will not repurchase.

Vaseline Lip Therapy in Cocoa Butter -- $1.79 - $2.27 usd for 0.25oz/7g

Probably not any different from the original Vaseline but the scent and portable size definitely won me over. The corner of my lips were doing some horrible cracking and bleeding last winter and  so I bought this to keep the area from drying out and hurting. Did irritate my lips after a while but after that one time, everything was okay.

Bottom Line: Wouldn't repurchase unless the lip crack thing comes back!

Paula's Choice CLEAR Anti-Redness Exfoliating Solution with 2% Salicylic Acid -- $24usd for 4 fl oz/115 ml

Seriously, this is the best thing to happen to my skin since sliced bread. No lie. It evened out the texture of my skin, found my skin's radiance that I didn't even know was missing, and keeps the blemishes at bay with consistent use.I seriously cannot live with this stuff and I'm already on my third bottle! I try to get it on sale as $24usd is a bit more than I want to pay but I'll gladly do so without much complaint. I know everyone's skin is different but this has done a lot for my skin. If only it could get rid of my post-acne hyperpigmentation marks but I'm trying something for that right now ;)

Bottom Line: Will keep on repurchasing!!

Ology Sulfate Free Moisturizing Shampoo in White Pear & Cucumber -- $5.99 usd for 13 fl oz/384.5ml

I used to used Head & Shoulders for my "dandruff" but didn't really know if that was my issue. So I switched to a silicone & sulfate free shampoo to see if it's the sulfate that irritates my scalp--and it isn't. I mean, it does dry the heck out of my hair but I didn't get flakes from the Head & Shoulders. My issue with a lot of sulfate-free shampoos is that I feel like I have to use more to clean my hair. I just like the foaming action but I'm going to keep trying to find a good one. If it matters to you, this shampoo is paraben, artificial fragrances, phthalates, silicones and animal testing free and made of 100% post-consumer materials.

Bottom Line: Will not repurchase.

Sally Hansen Double Duty Strengthening Base & Top Coat -- $3.67 - 5.79usd for 0.45 fl oz/13.3ml

I'm not sure how many bottles of this I've gone through but it's safe to say that this is my favorite base coat. It prevents my nails from getting stained--learned that the hard way when I didn't use it once. The dry-down is quick so that I can apply my color right after I finish top coat on all my nails. I haven't had shrinkage or peeling issues using this base coat but that might be due to your nail type. Using it as a top coat is not my favorite since I prefer my quick dry ones. One bottle lasts a long time (6 months-12 months), especially now that I only use it for base coat. This one still has a bit left but it's a bit dried out and hard to get to. It does everything a base coat is supposed to do so I see no reason to move onto a different one!

Bottom Line: Will keep on repurchasing! 

Miss Dior Blooming Bouquet Eau de Toilette -- $75usd for 1.7oz

This one was a sample from a Sephora purchase. I actually quite liked the scent. The notes are Sicilian Orange Essence, Pink Peony, Damascus Rose, and White Musks. To me, it smells like fresh floral without being overpowering. The light scent makes it good for daytime and for others around you who might be sensitive to fragrance (but really, avoid wearing fragrance if you know you're going to be around someone who's sensitive). 

Bottom Line: Would rather not purchase but the scent is really good--might ask for this sometime!

Batiste Dry Shampoo in Wild -- $5.99 - $9usd for  6.73 fl oz/net wt. 120 g/200ml 

Really love this brand! It absorbs all the oils without leaving my hair crunchy or feeling like there's a ton of product in it. My hair still feels like hair when I run my fingers through it. The added volume is also great for my fine hair--no teasing required! Only thing is that the fragrance is very strong, even to my weak nose. I like to wear perfume and such so I don't want the two scents to be competing. The scent of this one is like a warm vanilla with a hint of sexiness but the product didn't last long for me. Might have been because I stored this one its side for a while before I used it because that also happened with another one I had previous. I prefer subtle fragrances rather than overpowering ones so I'm on the search for a dry shampoo without a scent. I've tried two other ones and while the scent isn't as strong as the Batiste, there is still a fragrance. I haven't tried powder ones but I can just imagine the mess I'd make. If you have one that is scent-free, let me know! 

Bottom Line: Sadly, I will not be repurchasing but if they come out with a fragrance-free version, I'd be all over it!

And that concludes my December & January Empties! There were some repeats but mostly, there's a few items that I'm glad that I'm finally able to purge. I'm going to be going through my collection again for old products so February's empties will probably reflect that. 

What items have you repurchased?

Tell me below what you've finished up/repurchased lately!

XOXO,MWAH ♥

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