I posted a June Empties a couple of posts back but I wanted to be on time, so here's another one! I have tons of stuff on its last legs so August will probably be busy too. Do you ever run out of things at the same time? That happens often for me, haha. So let's talk about the nine products I finished up this month!
MAKEUP
*REVLON PHOTOREADY EYE BRIGHTENER + PRIMER -- $10.99usd for 0.08oz
Revlon was one of the first brands I ever bought from. Everyone went gaga over their foundation so I thought I'd give this product a try. If you have oily and/or hooded eyelids, you know the struggle of keeping eye makeup in its place. So primer is a definite must. This is marketed as an eye brightener and some days, it works and other days, it looks horrible. Your undereye area has to be moisturized or smooth elsewise it'll emphasize the texture and dryness. The pale pink did work for general brightening but if I'm rocking dark circles, it'll make the area look grey. As an eye primer, it does lighten the discolored eyelids but it's not sticky enough to grip powder eyeshadows. If you're using cream or stick eyeshadows, this primer will work to keep oil from breaking up the product and provide a smooth canvas. But I mainly use powder so the shadow would dust right off, especially if I was using a drier formula. I still have tons of product but it's over 2 years old so it's gotta go.
Bottom Line: Would not repurchase.
*ETUDE HOUSE DRAWING EYE BROW PENCIL (haul) -- $2 to 4 usd for 0.2g
Finding for an eyebrow pencil to match my hair has always been a pain. It's a very dark brown with no red tones in it. For some reason, drugstore eyebrow pencils here in the US always have a red undertone, making it very obvious that I'm wearing it. The only one that matched was from Revlon but I went through it so quickly that I couldn't justify it. So, I went to Korean brands and found not one, but two matches! I don't know what color I have here but it's either Dark Brown or Grey Brown. I can use both interchangeably with no difference. When I bought it, they were around $2usd but on Amazon, they're $4usd, still cheaper than anything else I've found. I bought this two years ago and finally finished it, haha. They're a harder formula for softer brows. The tip is not a pointed kind but triangle, if that makes sense. It's not good for precise, hair-like strokes but if you have okay brows or want something quick, this is perfect. Instagram brows are nice but I still like to see individual hairs and some skin under my brows for a naturally full look. Lasting power is average but I don't have problems with eyebrows fading (if only my concealer could stay on as long!). Don't rub your brows, obviously, but if you're not going in the water and are a minimally sweaty person, it'll still be there at the end of the night.
Bottom Line: Etude House have physical stores in mainland China, which requires animal testing, sometimes without the company's knowledge. For this reason, I will not be repurchasing. Gutted because it's the only pencil I've found to match my brows.
**BBIA LAST AUTO GEL EYELINER in 01 NOIR -- $5 to 7usd for 0.5g
I was on the search for an affordable dupe of Make Up For Ever pencils. I've had great results with Korean makeup so I gave this brand a try. Definitely creamy, pigmented yet long lasting. However, it dried out but I'm not sure why; probably the cap wasn't on tight enough. I stupidly tossed it out but I remembered that you could revive pencil liners with a bit of glycerin. Gah.
Bottom Line: Couldn't find information on whether or not BBIA is cruelty-free. As far as I'm aware, the only Korean brands that are Leaping Bunny-certified are RE:P, Neogen and Code9.
MURAD OIL-CONTROL MATTIFIER SPF 15 (review) -- $39.50usd for 1.7oz
This is marketed as a mattifying moisturizer but I use it as a primer of sorts. Though it claims to be lightweight, I find it thicker than other moisturizers I've used. The consistency is like Elmer's Glue that's been sitting out for a bit. Scent-wise is also like liquid glue. It also takes a heavier hand to blend into my skin. Off-putting as it sounds, it's a decent moisturizer if you're willing to work at it. It's no miracle worker at keeping oil at bay but it doesn't leave me shiny like other moisturizers. Great under makeup and SPF is always nice if you apply enough of it and all over your face.
Bottom Line: Would not repurchase but a more affordable alternative would be The Body Shop Seaweed Mattifying Moisture Lotion SPF 15 (review).
This is marketed as a mattifying moisturizer but I use it as a primer of sorts. Though it claims to be lightweight, I find it thicker than other moisturizers I've used. The consistency is like Elmer's Glue that's been sitting out for a bit. Scent-wise is also like liquid glue. It also takes a heavier hand to blend into my skin. Off-putting as it sounds, it's a decent moisturizer if you're willing to work at it. It's no miracle worker at keeping oil at bay but it doesn't leave me shiny like other moisturizers. Great under makeup and SPF is always nice if you apply enough of it and all over your face.
Bottom Line: Would not repurchase but a more affordable alternative would be The Body Shop Seaweed Mattifying Moisture Lotion SPF 15 (review).
E.L.F. COSMETICS EYELASH CURLER REPLACEMENT PADS -- $1usd for 5 pieces
e.l.f.'s eyelash curler is my all-time favorite eyelash curler. It's not the most durable but the shape is perfect for my flatter eyes. Once the pad starts pinching my lashes, I know they need to be replaced. With daily use, that's around 3 months for me. This eyelash curler is a close dupe of the Tarte in terms of the flatter curve. But they don't make replace pads so these e.l.f. ones come in super handy. They fit perfectly and I haven't had any problems. The pads come in two colors, black and white, but I don't notice any difference in terms of performance. Black shows less makeup but white reminds me to clean my curlers. **PSA** Most people remember to clean their brushes but forget about the curlers. That's going super close to my eyes so I wipe them down once a week and then spray isopropyl alcohol to disinfect.
Bottom Line: Would repurchase!
*CVS PHARMACY CLEANSING & MAKEUP REMOVER TOWELETTES -- $5.29usd for 36 wipes
I seem to mention this in every empties post lately, haha. I'm not too particular about my wipes; I buy whatever is on sale. Mine came in a 60 wipes pack, which is $7.99usd ($0.13usd per wipe). I like my wipes to be soaking wet, which these are. However, the packaging isn't durable so the lid came off and the last few wipes I had in there dried out. These are textured which helps get more makeup off. My skin also feels lightly exfoliated afterwards, which I appreciate. They are durable so I don't get ripped or stretched out wipes after use. But I mainly use wipes to remove swatches, lightly clean brushes and makeup messes. But for lazy days, these do the job. While I feel clean, I still go in with a micellar water or a toner to remove any lingering traces, especially around my eyes. The scent isn't strong and is a pleasant spa smell. These are great if you can find them on sale or get them on discount.
Bottom Line: Won't be repurchasing because the CVS brand isn't cruelty-free.
BODY & NAIL
TOM'S OF MAINE ANTIPLAQUE & WHITENING FLUORIDE-FREE TOOTHPASTE -- $4.99usd for 5.5oz
As you may have read on my blog, I've been struggling with tiny bumps on my chin. I read somewhere that it could be a reaction to fluoride or SLS in my toothpaste so that's the theory I'm working with. This actually exacerbated the problem for me so I have deduced that it could either be the peppermint or the SLS that's irritating me. Upon initial use, I was shocked by how bad it tasted. I didn't know this before but there's sugar in most toothpastes and I was so used to it that this tasted horrible. Obviously, I got over my initial shock and finished it up. It does foam up nicely due to SLS but that's not important to me. The peppermint taste isn't as strong as in Crest, which is a good thing for me. I hate tasting that minty flavor in my breakfast or feeling the burn afterwards. Didn't notice any significant whitening but I think I'd have to go to my dentist for that.Tom's of Maine is cruelty-free so I'm testing another kind from this brand at the moment. Fingers crossed that it doesn't irritate my chin!
Bottom Line: Will not repurchase.
*SALLY HANSEN NO CHIP ACRYLIC TOP COAT -- $5.29usd for 0.45 fl oz/13.3ml
I accidentally bought this one. My all-time favorite is the Insta-Dri top coat but some rude person switched the bottles so I thought I was getting the Insta-Dri. This one is great for that high shine gel nail look. It did prolong the wear of my polish. However, my polish would still smudge and smear if I didn't let it dry completely and run my hands under cold water. Towards the end, it got thick and gloopy, which caused my polish underneath to bubble. My brother is an artist so he told me that adding isopropyl alcohol to thick paints thinned them out. So I tried that with this polish and unfortunately, it caused the formula to separate, ruining it completely. I'm not mad about it because that was my own dang fault and I have tons more top coats to go through. Lesson learned: only use nail polish thinner to thin out my polishes!
Bottom Line: Will not repurchase because I prefer fast dry top coats. Sally Hansen is also not cruelty-free...boo!
EARTH THERAPEUTICS HAND REMEDY PROTECTIVE CONDITIONER -- $9usd for 6oz
I bought a bunch of their products after have good results with their Cooling Foot Scrub. This one doesn't feel any different from their Foot Repair Balm and looking at the ingredients, they are practically identical, give and take a few. This is a thinner texture than most hand creams but feels moisturizing. I wash my hands often so this helps give back the moisture without feeling sticky. It does wash away after a proper hand wash but it's easy to reapply. The tube does make me more liberal than with traditional hand creams but this can be applied everywhere. I apply this on my legs before sleep so I don't wake up to dry and itchy skin. I went through this relatively quickly because I was applying this all over my body but I like that I can use it everywhere. Before this, I was using a body butter for my legs and feet and a separate lotion for my arms and hands. I prefer using this in the summer because it isn't thick and sticky. In the winter, my skin need extra TLC so I use a body butter right after the shower and this throughout the day as needed. This one smells like an actual citrus fruit rind (can't remember the name of it), not like a generic lemon scent. Scent is meh but I prioritize moisture and non-stickyness in my body products. Definitely recommend!
Bottom Line: Would repurchase after I work through my stash, haha.
So that's everything for July! Working on a post of all the stuff I've been using for July so look out for that next! It's finally cooling down slightly here in Cali so I feel more productive. Let me know how the weather is where you are. That's one of the things I love hearing about, oddly enough. :D
(*) denotes a brand that is not cruelty-free.
(**) denotes a brand whose cruelty-free status is unknown/unverified.
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