First off, I'd like to apologize for the blurry photos. I was in a rush to get these pictures because I had a family commitment to attend. When I got back, my mom had already tossed my trash. T_T Why does mom have to be so diligent??? Anyhoo, I'm sure you'll still want to know about the products so I'll just get on with it...
BODY & SKIN
Simple Cleansing Facial Wipes (review) -- $4.49usd for 25 wipes
As y'all know, I'm not big on makeup wipes for removing a full-face of makeup BUT when I'm wearing light makeup or just need a quick refresher, they come in handy. I prefer soaked wipes rather than bone dry wipes. These wipes were on the drier side and didn't seem to remove makeup as well as I would've liked. They had a manure-like scent that made it uncomfortable during use so if you're sensitive to scents, I would pass on this. Eventually, I used them exclusively to remove arm swatches or clean my fingers after makeup application. The scent did gradually fade towards the end. I was under the impression that these removed makeup as they say you can use this to remove waterproof mascara but I wouldn't use this alone as my only cleanser, especially if I was wearing a full face of makeup. I actually have a review so I'll stop here.
Bottom Line:Wouldn't recommend
The Body Shop Body Butter in Atlas Rose (favorites) -- $20usd for 6.7 oz
At first, I really loved this body butter. Rose is one of my favorite scents in the world so this was a no-brainer for me. However, I got sick of the scent after 3 months of continuous use. It did take longer to sink in but I attributed it to the thicker texture. However, I've tried two more TBS body butters after this and don't have that problem. I feel like it did moisturize better due to the watery, slicker feel but I don't want to slip and slide around my house, ya get my drift??
Bottom Line: Love the TBS Butters but this one is best for
those who apply their butters at night before bed or don't walk around much.
mini The Body Shop Shower Gel in Smoky Poppy -- $4.50usd for 8.4 fl oz
I posted about the Smoky Poppy Body Butter in a previous empties post and this came in that duo. The shower gel wasn't anything remarkable other than it didn't make my skin feel parched afterwards. I like that squeaky clean feeling as much as anybody but slathering on tons of lotions and butters afterwards kind of defeat that purpose as I'm left a sticky mess. The translucent black gel became white foam as I lathered it up. The scent isn't one of my favorites so I'm glad that it was more muted than the body butter. I could smell it on my skin after my shower but only if I put my nose directly on my skin. This was limited edition for Valentine's Day but they're having a massive sale on this scent as I write this post so if you like it, don't walk--run@
Bottom Line: Wouldn't recommend the scent but
the shower gel isn't terrible for dry skin peeps.
The Body Shop Camomile Waterproof Eye Makeup Remover -- $16usd for 5 fl oz
Oh, how I love thee. I didn't think anything could beat my Neutrogena Eye Makeup Remover but this one is liquid gold. It removes all the waterproof makeups and my liquid lipsticks without leaving behind an oily residue. I had trouble with the dispensing mechanism at first but came to appreciate the smaller opening; it made it easier to soak my cotton buds without spilling all over the place. Since it is duo-phase, shaking is involved but I find these work the best. It's paraben, fragrance and color-free. Taurine is listed as a fragrance ingredient but it's an amino acid and I wasn't aware amino acids had a scent. Paula's Choice lists thiotaurine as an antioxidant so I'm going to make a leap and say that taurine is also an antioxidant (don't shoot me!). There's also a gentle formula but I prefer the strong stuff.
Bottom Line: Would recommend! Would buy more because
TBS is currently doing their 3 for 3 sale!
DKNY Be Delicious EDP sample -- $48usd for 1oz
There's been many iterations of this fragrance but I still prefer the original. This was actually the first ever perfume I ever fell in love with. When I was in high school, I hoarded all the samples I could get because my mom wouldn't purchase a fragrance for me. I never got around to purchasing myself the full size of this one but I've just reminded myself how much I loved this.
Bottom Line: If you like crisp florals bordering on citrus scents, I'd recommend!
Josie Maran Cleansing Oil sample (review) -- $32usd for 6 oz
To reiterate the main points of my review, it did an excellent job of removing my full faced of makeup without leaving it feeling dry and tight. Due to the deceptively moisturized post-wash feeling, I had to apply my creams and potions. While I didn't experience any facial irritation, my eyes did sting when product got into it accidentally, something I haven't experienced with other cleansing oils. It's probably the grapefruit oil so be careful.
Bottom Line: Wouldn't recommend
MAKEUP
*Disclaimer Notice* All the makeup here haven't been used up but since it's been 2+ years since I've had these products and I'm not reaching for them anymore, I'm letting them go.
Wet n Wild Take on the Day Eyeshadow Primer -- $4.99usd for 0.34fl oz
After trying several dud primers from the drugstore, I was excited to finally find a hit! The flesh-toned primer eased the veins and discoloration of my lids so that eyeshadow showed truer to pan. I did get creasing and eyeliner transfer by the end of the day, but it was very minimal, especially compared to if I hadn't used any primer. I stopped using this because I moved onto UDPP, which is a thicker, creamier texture. If you don't use it for a while, the product separates so a good shakeup once in a while is good. If I squeezed too hard, product would leak out, which was a bummer. Regardless, I think it's a good deal for 5 bucks.
Bottom Line: Would recommend for those on a budget!
L'Oreal True Match Liquid Concealer in W4-5 & N4-5 -- $8.99usd for 0.17oz
When I first started out with concealers, there wasn't many choices at the drugstore. Since I liked the foundation so much, I decided to purchase the matching concealer. It covered my under eyes and hyperpigmentation spots well and didn't feel heavy. It did slip and slide if I didn't set it so keep that in mind. There's 9 colors, 3 shades for each undertone. They coordinate with the foundation shades but don't quite match the every shade in the range, either too dark or too light if your shade is at either ends. Color-wise, it was a good match for my skintone at the time. The brush tip applicator was easy to use, even if it picked up too much product. Fingers blended this product best because brushes can soak up too much product. After a while, I stopped using it and I'm getting rid of it now because it's been 2 years.
Bottom Line: It's been good while it lasted, but I wouldn't repurchase.
Maybelline Fit Me Concealer in Medium -- $6.99usd for 0.23oz
I love, love, LOVE this concealer! From the doe foot applicator to the coverage, it has everything I look for in a concealer. Shades do run on the warmer side but that's great for me. It was too dark for my face demons (bonus points if you get my reference!) but the orange-y tone corrected my under eye darkness well without needing any other makeup. I guess my darkness isn't that bad anymore cuz now I can tell that it looks a little orange for my under eyes so I bought one in Sand. I don't have problems with it leaking so whoop whoop!
Bottom Line: Highly recommend!
Covergirl Mineral Power Liquid Concealer in Light -- $6.94usd for 0.18oz
Oh my gosh, I'm embarrassed to still have this in my collection. I bought this when I was in high school, which was several moons ago. It's been so long that this product isn't even carried in the US anymore but I've seen people in Asian countries still using it. It's very hydrating and thin so while it felt nice on my under eyes, it didn't cover much. I used to mix this in with the L'Oreal concealers above to get it to match my skintone better. So glad I haven't broken out from this or anything but yeah, it's time to clean up and ship out!
Bottom Line: Wouldn't recommend unless you just need brightening
or had very minor things to conceal
Holika Holika Petit BB Cream SPF 30 PA++ in Moisture & Clearing -- Price varies for 1 oz
I bought this very early in my makeup days. I was introduced to BB creams due to K-dramas and liked the Skin79 ones enough but wanted to find the best one. These two are on the thicker side and provide much more coverage than Skin79 BB creams. The scent was pleasant and didn't irritate my skin. What made me not reach for them was that unlike the Skin79 BB creams, these don't oxidize and stay their greyish, ashy color. If you're on the fair side, you could probably pull it off but for my light medium skin tone, these were a no-go. Moisture was lighter in color than Pore Clearing so I don't know if that also applies to the other formulas. I didn't use them long enough to figure out if they lived up to their claims due to the color mismatch and I don't care to find out now. Packaging is adorable of course!
Bottom Line: I would recommend them if you have fair, dry skin
that needs a bit more coverage than a tinted moisturizer.
L'Oreal Magic Skin Beautifier BB Cream in Light -- $10.99usd for 1 fl oz
I tried two samples of it from a magazine and liked it enough to buy the full size. The products comes out white and as you rub it into your skin, the color changes to a supposedly flesh-toned color. I don't know if mine was just a bad batch but Light was very orange on me--oompaloompa even. Since then, I haven't touched it and so I'm deciding to let it go. Shame, as it was lightweight and blended easily...
Bottom Line: Would not recommend
Josie Maran Argan Color Stick in Love (review) -- $22usd for 0.55oz
I wasn't a fan of cream blushes until this one. The color was perfect for my skintone, giving me a very natural flush. However, it dried out quite too quickly for my tastes and has become unusable. I'm contemplating whether or not I should decant this and try mixing in some argan oil to see if I can salvage it. Let me know how YOU revive your cream blushes!
Bottom Line: Wouldn't recommend unless you pick one color and use it consistently!
NYC Cheek Glow in Central Park Pink -- $2.99usd for 0.29oz
This was the first blush I ever bought so it's quite a momento. The color was safe and fresh-looking. However, the pigment was lacking. Even with intense layering on my part, I could never get more than a hint of color to show and most likely, it was my cheeks getting irritated from frenzied brushing. The formula is dense and hard so I couldn't pick up any product. I see that I made a considerable dent in it compared to most blushes in my collection but I don't think it's worth the effort. If you're looking for affordable blushes, I would recommend NYX!
Bottom Line: Wouldn't recommend unless you like a good elbow workout...
or are deathly, deathly pale. But even then, look elsewhere.
Revlon Colorstay Foundation Combination/Oily in 240 Medium Beige (FOTD) -- $10.39usd for 1 oz
This is the full coverage gold standard at the drugstore and for good reason. Nothing shows through this, even with just one layer. True, it is thick but sheering it out with a wet sponge still retains the immense coverage. The color I picked leaned pink on me, even from the beginning, so I didn't use it as much. Since it is on the thicker side, blending and even more blending is crucial to getting it to settle nicely on the skin. Drier skin types will probably not like this. Even with my combo skin, I didn't like how mattifying it was.The bottle is basically full but since I've had it for 2.5 years, I think it's time to say our goodbyes.
Bottom Line: Wouldn't recommend unless you're willing to put time
into blending this out/need a lot of coverage
And that's it! It always seem to me that my empties are composed of products I wouldn't recommend but weirdly, I finished them up. Are you like that too? Using something up just to get rid of it?
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