EMPTIES | January 2020

It's been a while since my last post so I thought I would ease in with one of my favorite posts to write about: empties! With what's going on in the world right now, I have time to devote to this space and also, I wanted to reconnect with y'all! So, let's get started with what I used up in the month of January.

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BLOGMAS | Day 12: My Winter Skincare Routine for Combination Dehydrated Skin

I haven't written a dedicated skincare routine post in two years and while the steps haven't changed, the products sure have! My current routine is much more involved and focuses on hydration rather than maintenance. I still use my Paula's Choice products for acne treatment so I didn't include them here. These are all the basic steps that I think should be included in a skincare routine if you have normal to dry skin like me. 

I divided this post into my morning and night routine to make things easier to digest. I don't think the actual products matter but the function they serve is important. If you already have something you love serving that purpose, then keep using it! These are some of my recommendations if you wanted something new to try.

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HAUL | Sephora 2016 VIB Sale

November is my favorite month because not only do we celebrate Thanksgiving in the U.S. (food! family! FOOD!), it's my birthday month! It's so dangerous because there's so many great sales to tempt me. I pretty much picked up items that I've had my eye on for ages and a gift for my sister. So let's get into the items. :)

I tried a sample of the First Aid Beauty Ultra Repair Cream in my Samples Weekly Edit #2, and while it was too rich for summer, it's perfect for this drier fall season. The First Aid Beauty Winter Skin Savers ($38usd) contains one Ultra Repair Cream, One Ultra Repair Cream Intense Hydration in Vanilla Citron, and two Ultra Repair Lip Therapies, one in colorless and the other in Rosy Red. These are going to be a gift for my sister since she's been complaining about dry skin so I'll have to ask her whether or not it was a good one! Since I too also suffer from dry skin in the colder months, I bought a 2 oz tube of the First Aid Beauty Ultra Repair Cream Intense Hydration ($12usd). They come in various sizes but this one is a good size for me because I only need it for winter so I think this size would see me through the colder weather.

Lisa Eldridge always has the prettiest nails and I was mesmerized by a jade color she was wearing in one of her videos. I didn't want to get that one so I was looking for a dupe and came across the Formula X Nail Color in Supersonic ($10.50 usd). It's very similar in tone to my jade bracelet, so bonus points for that. I haven't tried it on my nails yet but will do so at some point in the future. Unfortunately, it seems as if this brand is being phased out of Sephora so check your local stores to see if they have this color. If you're interested in this color, OPI Jade is the New Black was my inspiration (not cruelty-free though).

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BEAUTY ROUNDUP | September 2016

It's Friday, y'all and while I still have classes this weekend, I'm super excited because it's a whole new month for new successes! September has been a turning point for me so I'll always be thankful for second chances. So before I get too sappy, let's talk about things beauty bits I've been loving (and not so loving) this past month.

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EMPTIES | July 2016

 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!

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EMPTIES | June 2016

 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? 

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EMPTIES | Collective + May 2016

I can't believe this is the first empties post of 2016 and the year is half over, naughty blogger...If you've been through traumatic events, you know what I'm talking about. Your normal routine disappears, self-care becomes survival mode and hobbies goes out the window. But this post is not about that so I'll talk you through the products I will repurchase until the end of time and the products I'd run the other way from.

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BEAUTY REVIEW | May 2015 ♡

This month was minimal makeup month so I don't have too many beauty favorites. I have a mish-mash of items that I'm going to share with y'all after the jump ;)

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REVIEW | The Body Shop Seaweed Starter Kit

Photo courtesy of the Body Shop

I first got this set a year and a half ago. My skin was going mental and I decided to take a chance on a "natural" brand, whatever that means. Fresh, ocean-y scents are my favorite so the Body Shop Seaweed Starter Kit seemed like a good place to start. 

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UNBOXING | January 2015 Ipsy Bag

This is the last one I'll be posting as I need to cut back on beauty spending...trying to be a responsible adult >.< Anyhoo, the long and short of it is that you get 4-5 products every month. A whole week has gone by with no post so I'm glad to be posting this finally :D Let's get into it!

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UNBOXING | Holika Holika Memebox

I'm sure most of you have heard of both MEMEBOX and Holika Holika by now if you've dabbled in Korean makeup. This box is one of my favorites as I've been able to get use out of all the items, which is rare for me in mystery subscription boxes. Featuring mostly makeup, keep on reading to see swatches and my thoughts :)

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EMPTIES┊October and November 2014 ♥

I've been trying to be diligent and use up products every month to cut down my stash. I didn't post an October Empties but I did use up a few things during that time (15 to be exact). November was a bit slower but 12 items isn't so bad! December might be a bit smaller as I'm running out of products that are almost done but we'll see how it goes. I still have 22 days to sort that out :D

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EMPTIES┊August & September 2014 ♡

I didn't post an August empties so I decided to combine two months' worth of empty products. There's a lot of items to go through so I'll cut to the chase now! I mis-numbered the items so I actually have 16 products, not 17 but just ignore that little flub ^_^

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TIPS┊ My New Skincare Routine for Normal to Combination Skin

With all the skincare posts I've been doing this month, I thought a great way to round up everything is to introduce my skincare routine to y'all so you can see how it all comes together! Now, these are just the bare basics that I use on a (near) daily basis. I forgot to include my facial masks and spot treatments but those change depending on my mood so...that's my excuse for forgetting to photograph them X.X

Anyway, I divided it up into my morning and nighttime routine because there are some changes. I did include a special trio of products that I use when I need to but it'll make more sense when I describe my routine. Just to start off, I have normal to combination skin tone. My skin isn't particularly sensitive--I have only reacted badly to one product in my entire life so yeah, quite resilient. Disclaimer: These are the products that have worked well for me. I cannot promise that you will achieve the same results. Proceed at your own caution.

Starting with the morning stuff, I cleanse my face with whatever cleanser I have on hand. I was using the Paula's Choice Pore Normalizing Cleanser for a while but have now switched to the Body Shop Tea Tree Skin Clearing Facial Wash (not pictured). I've only been using it for a week so I can't really speak for its efficacy but so far, nothing bad to report. I will list the stuff I plaster all over my face in the order I uhh...plaster:

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REVIEW┊ h2o+ Deep Sleep Recovery Cream

I got this little sample from an Ulta gift with purchase a while back. I'm not actually looking for any firming action or anything miraculous other than for moisturizing benefits without the breakouts. Does this do a good job? Read on to find out!

⇥ AT A GLANCE ⇤

The H2O+ Deep Sleep Recovery Cream* helps to reveal renewed and firmer-looking skin overnight using amino acids and kudzu root extract. Formulated with marine collagen to support skin's resiliency and elasticity for a visible firming effect. Anti-aging nori, himanthalia and spirulina smooth and revitalize skin with nutrient-rich moisture.

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REVIEW┊ Holika Holika Skin & Good Cera Super Cream

Even though it doesn't feel like it here in sunny California (it's currently 76℉/ 24.44℃), autumn is coming in a couple of days and so I'm starting to pull out my heavy hitting creams, like this one from Holika Holika. The Holika Holika Skin & Good Cera Super Cream came in a Meme Box and I've been using it for the past couple of weeks. 

⇥ AT A GLANCE ⇤

This ultra-hydrating cream not only hydrates the skin but also enhances the water-holding capacity of the skin, thanks to the powerful hydrating ingredient, ceramide.

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REVIEW┊ Supergoop! Everyday Sunscreen Broad Spectrum SPF 50 PA+++

Though we are nearing the end of summer here in the Northern Hemisphere, SPF should be on everyone's mind (and face + body!) The Supergoop! Everyday Sunscreen Broad Spectrum SPF 50 PA+++ has been the one that got me through this summer with NO sunburns and NO clogged pores. If the fact that more than 90% of the signs of aging are caused by the sun doesn't scare you, how about skin cancer being the most common cancer in the US? That's pretty frightening for my US readers... X.x

⇥ AT A GLANCE ⇤

The Supergoop! Everyday Sunscreen provides broad spectrum (UVA+ UVB ray protection) for face and body in an oil-free, non-comedogenic lotion. This moisturizing, lightweight, and fast absorbing formula is ideal for daytime. It's also cruelty-free--yay! 

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REVIEW┊The Body Shop Seaweed Mattifying Moisture Lotion SPF 15

Hey everyone!  I've switched out my daily moisturizer and so I've been looking for one that helps me control my oil. The Body Shop Seaweed Mattifying Moisture Lotion SPF 15 for Combination/Oily Skin is designed as an all-in-one oil-balance, moisturization, and UVA/UVB protection, perfect for rushed mornings.

Ignore the top...I cut off the top so I could scrape out the rest of the product. xD
There was a good week and a half's left in there!

⇥ AT A GLANCE ⇤

As you all know, I have normal to combination skin. My t-zone gets pretty oily but my cheeks and forehead remain normal. What I'm looking for is a lightweight moisturizer that doesn't give me an oily appearance. Sun protection is a must and if it's unscented, that's a huge bonus. So does this Body Shop Seaweed Mattifying Moisture Lotion deliver?

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REVIEW┊ Tarte Pure Maracuja Oil

So did that convince you to buy this product? Anyone? Well, I'm here to tell you that this product has helped my skin look more radiant and hydrated without the grease face that most of us dread!

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EMPTIES| July 2014

On the quest to finish all, or being realistic, most of my beauty products before I move out, I'm looking through my stash and finishing up almost done products and my samples. I've divided it up below into skincare and makeup items so y'all can just scroll to whatever you're most interested in (but I do hope that you read everything!)

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