EMPTIES | January to March 2019 Skincare Empties

Welcome back to part two of my empties series for the months of January to March! Part one covered all the makeup items I finished, so check that out if you're interested in reading my thoughts on various concealers, setting sprays, and eyebrows pencils. But for now, let's discuss my skincare empties.

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EMPTIES | March 2017

Happy Monday everyone! The Monday blues are nowhere to be seen here and with the sunshine, I feel so uplifted. I've been hoarding these empties for a while now so to justify my pack-rat tendencies, let's write about them! This was a slow month for me but I did finish a few full-sized items.

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BEAUTY ROUNDUP | Year in Beauty: 2016 Edition Part 2

I decided to split this up into two parts because it was getting too wordy. Hopefully, this makes things easier to digest! In this part, I'll be talking about eight other products I've loved throughout the year 2016 but didn't have a category for them. *EDIT 7/18/18* Wow, it's now mid-2018...way to go procrastination. I literally had three products to talk about before I could post this and just left it until now...well, at least I have a good memory because those last three left a very lasting impression on me. >.<

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EMPTIES | February 2017

 So I don't remember which month I finished all the products but I'm going to go in order to keep a semblance of order. I'm slowly working through all the photos I have so bear with me as I catch up. Besides that little hiccup, let's get into the products I'd repurchase and which ones I'd pass.

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EMPTIES | December 2016 & January 2017

I've been holding onto my empties for over a year now so to justify my hoarding, I've decided to write about them. As I write this, it's Valentine's Day and what better way to end the night with some blogging about what I loved and what I didn't? 

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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 | August 2016

The end of August has been a busy month for me as I went back to school. As such, blog posts will be even more sporadic than they already are, haha. But anyway, let's talk about all the products I've been using all month. This one is heavily skincare-based as I've been reaching for all the same things from the previous months, so if you want to know about my makeup favorites, check the previous Beauty Roundups!

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PRODUCT SMACKDOWN | Vitamin C Spot Corrector: Garnier vs Paula's Choice

It's been a hot minute since I've done a product review so I'm sorry if it's not up to my usual thoroughness. Also, it's been a year and a few months since I've finished these products so my memory isn't the best but I'll be as descriptive as I can. You're probably here because you have some dark spots you'd like gone. So let's see how these stack up to each other, eh?

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DE-STASHING PROJECT | Samples Weekly Edit #2

If y'all were wondering what happened to last week's installment, I deeply apologize. I'm not the best when it comes to consistency but I had a bad reaction to an insect bite over the weekend. I talk about it detail in my Just Peachy Summer Makeup post so head on over there for the full scoop and a tutorial! Now, let's move onto the samples I used these past two weeks.

HAIR & BODY

L'Oreal EverSleek Sulfate Free Shampoo. Conditioner and Humidity Defying Leave-in Creme -- I like the idea of sulfate-free shampoos but if you have oily hair like me or use lots of hair products, you're going to go through a bottle of this in weeks. It did clean my hair but like always, the mop got oily and flat by the end of the night. I much prefer the Volumizing line by L'Oreal. 

Bottom Line: It's a pass...

Living Proof Prime Style Extender -- I like the smell of this, a peppery citrus scent. However, I didn't notice much extending of my style. Maybe it's because I don't blow dry my hair after applying this, letting my hair air dry instead. But my hair is notoriously hard to style. It's sleek and straight so clips and bands slide out in minutes and curls drop by the end of the hour. I prefer to let my hair dry in a bun, which is the only way for the curl to stay for longer than two hours. This didn't help add shape or curl like the L'Oreal Volume Filler Densifying Creme. The Living Proof Perfect Hair Day Treatment is much better at adding volume and holding a curl.

Bottom Line: It's a pass. 

Le Couvent Des Minimes Gardener's Hand Healer -- I've been gardening more and constantly washing my hands and digging holes does a number to my already dry hands. This is a lightweight watery lotion. The smell is quite medicinal and herbal. It's not a scent I enjoy but it did help my hands without being greasy.

Bottom Line: Not going to purchase...

Ahava Dead Sea Osmosis Body Concentrate  -- Serum for your body is what this claims to be. It targets dull body skin, toning and evening skin texture. I haven't much luck with Ahava products in the past but this piqued my interest. Not sure if this works on stretch marks or hyperpigmentation marks (from old insect bites) but that's where I applied it. Since this is just a sample, I didn't see any difference. Skipping lotion after a shower pretty much guarantees my skin will look like the Sahara Desert but this is moisturizing enough for me to skip lotion altogether.

Bottom Line: For $45usd, I'm not going to be shelling out for something like this. Good concept though!

Matrix Biolage Blue Agave Blow-in Control Shape Memory Cream -- 

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DE-STASHING PROJECT | Samples Weekly Edit #1

As I mentioned in my Beauty Samples Hoarder post, I've made a commitment to use up more of my items. I like to save things for rainy days or for travel but they end up going bad before I get any use out of it. Stockpiling items has made my collection grow out of control and like I mentioned before, I've lugged all of these items through 3 houses and since I'm about to move again, I really need to clear things out.

Each week, I'll pull out at least 5 samples from 3 categories: hair & body, skincare and makeup, to use throughout the week. Every Sunday, I'll report back and give mini-reviews. I'll try to include swatches but since these aren't official reviews, I apologize ahead of time if there aren't any!

So with the introductions made, let's get into the juicy bits!

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REVIEW | Josie Maran Argan Cleansing Oil

Putting on makeup is one of life's many pleasures. I find the process very relaxing and empowering. Taking it off, however, is a whole 'nother story. I'm an all-in kind of gal so a full face of makeup is my preferred look. I'm always wearing waterproof eye makeup or long lasting lip products so a gentle cleanser won't cut it. That's when I cal in the big guns: cleansing oils. Ever since discovering them, that's all I use, save for the occasional makeup wipes when I'm lazy. I received a sample of the Josie Maran Argan Cleansing Oil in a Clarisonic collab . It promises to prevent skin dehydration, inflammation, hyperpigmentation, and excess sebum production. 

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REVIEW | Simple Cleansing Wipes

Makeup wipes aren't the best when it comes to makeup removal as the rubbing motions could lead to premature wrinkles. However, if you're in a pinch or just can't muster enough shizz to care about wrinkles, these babies have got your back. The Simple Cleansing Wipes come in a pack of 25 wipes and are tough on makeup yet gentle on skin. Let's see if it lives up to that claim, shall we?

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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 | Ariel Memebox

The last of the Princess-themed Memeboxes I purchased, Ariel holds a special place in my heart. She's actually my favorite princess It's ironic really because being in water makes me nervous. Even watching videos about the ocean or ones where the camera goes underwater makes my heart beat faster. The Disney movie doesn't bother me and I love the songs; I can probably sing them all off the top of my heart! Anyhoo, the Ariel Memebox is focused on skincare which I hate buying but love trying, haha. All six items are full size-win!

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EMPTIES | March 2015 ♡

It's a bit late but a good Spring cleaning was in order. I used up 14 products, which is a great accomplishment! Some products I'm sad to see go, others...not so much. There's quite a disappointing one but you'll have to keep reading to find out! Starting off with makeup since this is a makeup blog after all ;)

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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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