Posts Tagged Reviews
It’s Giveaway Time!! Get Ready for Our Spring 2013 Beauty Envy Bag!
It’s time for the Spring edition of the Beauty Envy Bag! We want to share our springtime beauty essentials with you by giving you the chance to win a makeup bag filled with products we love.
For those of you who may be new to our blogs, here’s a quick introduction.
Check out the reviews for the featured products in the Spring Beauty Envy Bag:
- Illamasqua Nail Varnish in Harem & Venous (Reviewed by Lakeisha)
- Bite Beauty High Pigment Pencil in Quince (Reviewed by Latoya)
- Kat Von D Shade Shifter Eyeshadow in Devotion (Reviewed by Leticia)
- Dior Vernis Haute Couleur in Lilac Colorvision (Reviewed by Lola)
Extras that are also included in the bag:
- Hourglass High Shine Lipgloss in Child
- NARS Pro Prime Eyeshadow Base
- NARS Illuminator in Copacabana
- MUFE Aqua Eyes in 12L
- China Glaze Nail Apps in Cherry Blossom
- Philosphy Hope Oil-Free spf 30
Here is what you need to know to enter in the Rafflecopter widget below:
- Must leave a blog comment (just one blog, doesn’t have to be all four) letting us know your favorite spring beauty product.
- Additional entries for following each blog on social media networks (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram)
- Open internationally
- Must be 18 or older
- Giveaway closes on Sunday May, 26 at 11:59 EST
Good luck, everyone!
Beauty Low-Buy Update: Month Eight (And All’s Well!)
Posted by Latoya in 2012 Beauty Challenge, Aveda, L'Oreal on September 20, 2012
So here we are again. For obvious reasons, this month has been pretty lean in terms of shopping, especially on the beauty front, where I reallydon’t need anything, anyway. And it was pretty easy to resist almost everything; when you have a goal in mind (to have the most awesome of times in New Zealand), and a life change (double the mortgage!), it’s really a no-brainer. And actually, the purchases I did make were all before everything happened – the only thing I bought since then was a body lotion, which I needed (though…maybe not as pricey, but I was in a town with a Holts – IMPOSSIBLE to not buy ANYTHING).
As usual – The Guidelines:
1) Makeup: Purchase no more than 10 items per season (excludes replacing staples of foundation, concealer, powder)
2) Nail Polish: Purchase no more than 5 polish per month
3) Skincare/Haircare: Use one, Buy one
And here we have it!
Purchased (August 20-September 19):
- Kiehl’s Creme de Corps ($37.50CAD)
- Mill Creek Botanicals Biotin Shampoo ($9.89CAD)
- Kariderm Neutral Natural Soap with Shea Butter & Vitamin E ($5.29CAD)
- Weleda Almond Soothing Facial Lotion ($24.99CAD)
- OPI Every Month is Oktoberfest ($10.50CAD)
- Zoya Dea ($8.75CAD)
- Zoya Anchor Base Coat ($12.50CAD)
FYI: The L’Occitane shampoo I purchased back in July I returned, unopened. I was just too nervous to use something so fragranced and really – I shampoo my hair like, twice a month, so why spend big bucks on something I hardly use!? I haven’t yet tried the Mill Creek stuff because I just finished my last shampoo, but I have high hopes 
I picked up the shampoo, bar soap and the Weleda lotion from Well.ca – my first order from the company – and I had a $10 coupon code, so it was a good first experience!
Also, you may notice lately I’ve been buying a lot of base coats – I really find it makes a difference with my polish wear time if I’m using a compatible base. I’m trying to pick up one from each brand I own essentially, and already my polishes have been lasting SO much better. I might be crazy, but whatever works, right?
It might not seem like I pared down that much, but when you add up the actual dollar amount I spent this month ($109) as compared to the last ($198)…yea, you see what I’m sayin’? ~pats self on back~
Used Up (August 20-September 19):
You see those empties? Not too shabby eh??
Ah, my old friends. No need to discuss Aveeno’s Eczema Care Cream, or the body wash, or the Neutrogena Hand Cream again – you’ve seen ‘em all before. Bye bye!
These were both just OK. The L’Oreal Studio Silk & Gloss Curling Spray didn’t make my hair TOO crunchy, which was nice, but I don’t even know why I bought it because I hate spray gels. Blah. The Aveda Scalp Benefits Shampoo (which I bought last November if you can believe it! See how much I <don’t> shampoo my hair??!) was fine – I did like the way it seems to clean my hair without stripping it, and it made it soft – but I just don’t like the standard herbal smells of Aveda…I never learn. Also, if you’re a fan of shampoos that lather a lot (I’m not, hence why I bought it), you won’t like this.
On the right – Clinique’s Makeup Brush Cleanser. Pretty good stuff, though nothing crazy. It lasts a fair while and I like that if I’m really in a rush, I can spray, wipe and go. I rarely do that though and typically spray, rinse, spray, rinse, dry. Just to make it more difficult on myself.
On the left – I know you’re thinking “What the…!?!” Well…does anyone remember when they carried the brand Pupa in Shoppers Drug Mart? This was something they came up with, this ridiculous cow with a makeup palette inside. It’s double-sided, too!
When I was traveling around Europe, this thing was GENIUS, with two blush, a bronzer, a powder, and a handful each of eyeshadows and lipglosses. But guys – that was 6 years ago. Since then, I’ve kept it in my office drawer ‘for emergencies’ and rarely used it. When I moved my cubicle a couple weeks ago, I decided it was time to go. Too bad, so sad, we had some good times! ~Mooooooooo!~
And the pitiful makeup empties – they’re always so frickin’ tough to accumulate! I finally finished that blasted tube of Jack Black’s Lip Treatment (two months later than planned), and my travel size of Hourglass’ Veil Mineral Primer. I sort of fell out of love with it for a while, then got back into it when the weather cooled. I found that it, on top of my Clinique City Block, didn’t mix well and I still got greasy throughout the day. As a replacement for sunscreen (it has an SPF of 15) on rainy or overcast days, it’s pretty good. Not sure I’d spend $70 on a full-size though (sorry Liz! *ducks*).
I also had a small sample of a L’Occitane Ultra Comforting Serum that seemed nice, but those kind of samples tell me NOTHING about the product as a whole, so no further comment there. The mascara in the front is from Pur Minerals - and I used it once and just couldn’t. Awful, awful stuff! The brush was horrid and the formula was clumpy. However, it could be old and I generally don’t make opinions on mascara based on sample sizes because it never seems true to form. The mascara sample in the back is the famed Urban Decay Supercurl Curling Mascara I’d featured in a couple FOTD’s, which sadly isn’t why my lashes are so curly (all-natural, sorry! *ducks again*). But it was still nice and not even remotely clumpy and defined the lashes well. Not sure I’d buy the full size though.
Lastly, we have a nail file. I know that’s weird but I threw it in for fun, what the heck. It is so worn down there is no filing to be had any more from this. It was also in my desk at work, and it appears there’s food or some crap stuck to it – for that I apologize. Another reason it has to go!
Phew! Ok then – let’s Recap:
1) Makeup: 0 makeup items purchased [6 non-staples this season (Summer)], 1 palette and 3 samples used/tossed
2) Nail Polish: 2 polish purchased this month (20 total since the beginning of 2012)
3) Skincare: 3 skin/1 hair bought, 3 skin/2 hair used
Wha-wha-whaaaat!? No makeup bought??? This is unheard of! I didn’t even realize ’till I just did up those tally’s. Wow!! That actually makes me really happy – I’m trying so hard to use what I have an enjoy it rather than jumping on every next big thing. I could handle a massive slow-down of makeup purchases for a while, no doubt! And it’s likely to continue at least until I return from New Zealand, so hooray!! And this ends the 10 per season for Summer…back to the drawing board for Fall!
Speaking of, I’m hoping to come back with less makeup than I bring while away – I’m packing the very dregs of a lot of little samples and ends of liners and stuff, so here’s hoping it’s gone over the course of 5 weeks. Although, to be honest, I’m not even sure how much makeup I’ll be wearing down there! In any case, I’m going to show you what I’m packing before I leave so you can be nosy and see for yourself
So, another month down! Only four more to go before I can stop boring you with these posts, and I right!? I’ll still continue with the continuous whittling down, but maybe not so regimented. Though I always look forward to showing you guys – it’s like hoping for a gold star from the teacher 
It’s likely – no, a for sure – that my next post will NOT be on time, as I’ll be away, but I’ll do a special edition featuring the stuff I used up while away when I return. I hope it’s a HUGE one!
Which do you like more: seeing the purchases or the discards? What’s your average monthly beauty budget?
Beauty Low-Buy Update: Month Seven (You’ll Never Believe What I Finished… x 2!!!)
Posted by Latoya in 2012 Beauty Challenge on August 20, 2012
Go, GO, GO! Moving right along into month seven and again, all things seem fairly equal. This is all old hat to me now! The trickiest part is remembering what I purchased throughout the month – thank god I’m anal and have a spreadsheet that tracks all my purchases
Le Guidelines (I’ll drill them into you yet!):
1) Makeup: Purchase no more than 10 items per season (excludes replacing staples of foundation, concealer, powder)
2) Nail Polish: Purchase no more than 5 polish per month
3) Skincare/Haircare: Use one, Buy one
It felt like I was shopping a lot last month – and indeed for the whole month of July I was a little less thrifty than I’d like – but it was mostly that I was buying bigger ticket items rather than larger quantity. I’m hoping to pare down to next to nothing for the rest of August and all of September – only 45 days till New Zealand, yeehaw!!
Purchased (July 20-August 19):
- Aveeno Eczema Care Cream ($12CAD)
- TiGi Catwalk Curl Collection Curlesque Curls Rock Amplifier ($23CAD)
- L’Oreal EverCreme Nourishing Leave-In Spray ($12CAD)
- Parissa Strip Free Hot Wax and Microwaveable Warm Wax ($10.50CAD each)
- Giorgio Armani Eyes to Kill Silk Eye Shadow #24 ($33CAD)
- Too Faced Sun Bunny Classic Bronzing Powder (swap)
- a-England Camelot ($8CAD – promo)
- Laura Mercier Eye Color Duet in Suspense (approx. $25CAD)
- MAC Raizin Blush (matte) (swap)
- Ellis Faas Creamy Lips in L102 ($36CAD)
- NARS Velvet Gloss Lip Pencil in More (approx. $28CAD)
I had to write out the whole TiGi product name because it’s absolutely insane – and how many times do you need to say CURL for people to get that it’s for CURLS?! Jeez Louise.
I just realized I had the waxing kits turned to the French side – my bad! I have a very traumatizing yet hilarious story about these kits, but I’m going to dedicate it’s own post to them so keep your eyes peeled.
Also, just word to the wise – I bought that GA Eyes to Kill shadow from Neiman Marcus (remember, one of my fave shopping sites?), and it came to $35.90CAD taxes and fees in. As compared to $42CAD plus tax ($48.30) at Holts. So I saved myself almost $13. Canadians, do yourself a favor! I also order the NARS gloss pencil and the LM eyeshadow from Neiman’s, because I’m impatient and they were in stores here yet Savings wasn’t as good though.
I did a fair bit of swapping this month – some items still to arrive – and I’m really pleased with the two items here I picked up. MAC’s Raizin would look terrifying to many people as it’s so dark and brownish, but on me it looks really good. FOTD coming up soon!
Used Up (July 20-August 19):
- Fresh Brown Sugar Body Lotion (100mL size)
- Life Brand Skin Relieving Moisturizing Lotion
- Clinique Dramatically Different Moisturizing Gel (50mL)
- MAC Nico Lipglass (discontinued)
- OJON Rare Blend Oil Total Hair Therapy (sample)
- Clinique Comfort On Call (preview sample)
- Laura Mercier Full Blown Volume Mascara
- Clinique High Lengths Mascara
- Lavanila Vanilla Grapefruit Rollerball
So, not too much going on here, I guess – OH WAIT IS THAT TWO BOTTLES OF PERFUME I SEE YES IT MOST CERTAINLY IS!!!!!
…Ok, sorry. But seriously dudes, how frickin’ cool is that!? I can’t remember the last time I finished a fragrance – hence why I always buy the smallest sizes possible, because I get bored and then they take forever to finish! I’ve had that J.Lo. bottle since I lived at home, which is AGES ago, and I never wear it, but this summer I kept spritzing like mad, determined to finish it once and for all. I used to love sickly sweet scents like that, but now it’s a bit too much for me. Unfortunately for my bf, every time I wore he was like “YUM!” and I had to keep reminding him that I was never buying it again. LOL.
The rest really is kinda ho-hum though, couple ‘o mascaras, a small Clinique DDMG along with a preview sample jar of a product we no longer sell, my trusty pseudo-Aveeno body lotion…all kinda boring! I finally made peace with myself over never being able to finish that horrid MAC gloss – gah, what an awful shade, that SA should be shot – and decided out it goes. I also finished up the Fresh Brown Sugar cream I got in a gift set at Christmas; loved the scent, but didn’t trust it not to burn my skin off, so I used it very infrequently and in impervious places like my feet. Lastly, I had a sample of the new OJON Rare Blend Oil, which I think is a bunch of hooey as the first ingredient is dimethicone, which pretty much ensures none of the good stuff is even touching your hair. Meh.
And now, Le Recap:
1) Makeup: 4 makeup items purchased + 2 swap [6 non-staples this season (Summer)], 3 used/tossed
2) Nail Polish: 1 polish purchased this month (18 total since the beginning of 2012)
3) Skincare: 3 skin/2 hair bought, 4 skin used
*bonus: Two fragrances used!!
It’s funny – I look at the purchases I made and think “Geez, that’s not too crazy!”, but when I told my friends that I only buy a couple actual makeup items per month, they said “Uh…that still sounds like a lot” LOL! THIS is why I blog, so I can feel normal!! I know you guys totally get it
Anyone else still doing some sort of a no/low-buy!? I am *almost* tempted to do a no-buy for the rest of the time until New Zealand…it would be a great challenge, and I think I’ve gotten all the fall items I wanted from the collections (which is to say, not many…I was sort of underwhelmed by a lot of it!). I’m not sure its wise though, given how I don’t work well with total restrictions – and I stop in L.A. on the way to and from NZ, so that could be disastrous lol.
Do you think that 3-4 makeup purchases a month is too much (or not enough)? What have you finished lately that you’re proud of?
Beauty Low-Buy Update: Month Six (and I’m Feeling Sort of Triumphant!)
Posted by Latoya in 2012 Beauty Challenge, Bobbi Brown, Clinique, MAC, NARS, Revlon, Tarte on July 20, 2012
Ok, so I’m halfway through these monthly updates, and they’re starting to be all business – and this post is no exception, I’ve got a LOT to cover! I did a fair bit of buying, but I think I did an equal amount of using (that sounds SO wrong), which justified most of the purchases I made. Anyway, I’m giving the whole thing away – go see for yourself, huh?
As usual, a recap on the guidelines:
1) Makeup: Purchase no more than 10 items per season (excludes replacing staples of foundation, concealer, powder)
2) Nail Polish: Purchase no more than 5 polish per month
3) Skincare/Haircare: Use one, Buy one
Fairly straightforward (at least to me…goodness knows that sometimes my challenges can be convoluted LOL) – so, here are my purchases for the past month!
Purchased (June 20-July 19):
- Benefit Boi-ing Industrial Strength Concealer ($26CAD)
- Rimmel Lasting Finish by Kate Lipstick in 06 ($5.79CAD – on sale)
- Rouge Bunny Rouge Original Skin Blush in Florita ($31CAD)
- Shiseido Pureness Balancing Softener Alcohol Free ($29CAD)
- DermaE Vitamin A Wrinkle Treatment Moisturizing Gel ($13.99CAD)
- Vichy Capital Soleil 30 Mexoryl XL Sun Protection Cream SPF30 ($16.99CAD – on sale)
- Aussie Catch the Wave Mousse + Leave-in Conditioner ($5.49CAD – on sale)
- Bumble and Bumble Creme de Coco Tropical-Riche Masque ($32.75CAD)
- Revlon Nail Enamel in Whimsical ($5.95CAD)
- China Glaze Nail Lacquer in For Audrey ($6.50CAD)
- Deborah Lippmann Daytripper nail polish ($16CAD – *Sidenote: they lowered the prices of these at Mills to match the US!! Yay!!!)
- Chanel Vernis in Inattendu ($26CAD)
I’m happy to say every single item I purchased (save for one) was well thought-out and part of my ongoing wishlist of products, which is my ultimate goal when buying now. The Kate Moss Rimmel lipstick was an impulse, one that I’m unsure of (review to come), but it was so cheap I’m not going to beat myself up for it. Anyway, moving on to the good stuff…
Remember my just-wont-die-discard pile from last month? Well, let’s check out the empties and see just how many I conquered >_< (Side note: It’s funny how my photography for these posts are SO lacking…but who really wants to shoot snazzy images of empty, crappy old containers of stuff? I mean really)
Used Up (June 20-July 19):
- Kate Somerville Quench Oil-Free Hydrating Serum
- Clinique Repairwear Laser Focus Wrinkle & UV Damage Corrector
- Ole Henriksen Total Truth Eye Creme SPF15
- Avon Foot Works Paraffin Moisture Treatment Mask
- L’Oreal EverSleek Sulfate-Free Smoothing System Humidity Defying Leave-in Creme
- EarthScience Olive & Avocado Deep Conditioning Masque
- Revlon Quick Dry Top Coat
- Witchcraft Durable Base Coat
Seems I’ve written reviews on many of these products (what a good lil doobie I am ), and the all still held true to the last drop. I disliked the Ole eye cream so much I used it up by using it on my neck for a couple weeks LOL – ’cause lord knows how long eye creams take to be finished! The Avon foot mask was fine – nothing like a paraffin treatment really, but did leave my toosies soft and hydrated.
I actually liked the Revlon top coat a lot, even though I’ve heard opinions to the contrary. It stayed fairly thin and easy to apply right till the bitter end – by which I mean, when I couldn’t reach it any more with the brush (why do they make polishes that way, anyway??). Same end came to the Witchcraft base coat, though I was ambivalent toward it; it didn’t perform badly, but it didn’t blow my mind either. I got it free, so whatever!
- Bobbi Brown Corrector in Dark Peach
- NARS Multiple in South Beach
- MAC Lipglass in Evolution Revolution
- Clinique Brush-on Cream Liner in Black Honey
There’s not a whole lot to note about the makeup – the BB corrector looks frickin’ orange when you apply it, but it brightens the eye area nicely and I like that it’s creamy and keeps my eye area looking young. But in terms of coverage, it’s not the greatest. I know that the purpose is to then use the concealer too, but I wasn’t wowed by the two together when I tried it in store. I’ve also purchased the concealer solo twice, again for the creaminess (and also for the shade selection), but for price vs the amount of product you get, I won’t be buying it again.
The South Beach multiple was a lovely, slightly peachy-toned highlight for my skin which looked great almost all the time. But MAN have I mentioned I hate sample sizes? So I was glad to see it go. I’d like to say I’d repurchase, but the way this took FOREVER to finish, I’d hate to have the full size too! Lose-lose. Also lose-lose is MAC Lipglasses – I’ve been powering my way through this one and planning to start on the other two I have left, and once they’re gone: never again. Too sticky, and there are SO many better formulations out there. I’m done with them!
Lastly, the Clinique liner was great when it wasn’t dried out, a deep brown shimmer, but I’ve had it for several years now and it fell by the wayside for a while, so it got crappy and it’s gotta go. Sayonara, sucka!
- Tarte Smooth Operator Amazonian Clay Illuminating Serum deluxe sample
- Steam Cream moisturizer sample
- KO Denmark Jasmine Neroli Rose Body Wash sample
Meh to all of these. I read a great review of the Tarte serum on Scrangie, but I never found it did much of anything for me. The moisturizer and body wash sample were two of the three I received from Beauty Habit, and while it was nice to try different brands, neither wowed me. Not much else to say about that!
So…am I the only one who’s pretty stoked about all those empties, including makeup items!?! All month I’ve been tossing and chucking and eager as anything to to show you guys! All but the Jack Black lippie (which initially I was in no hurry to finish, but after reading this on Temptalia, consider my mind changed :S) and the MAC Arena shadow, which was really only thrown in there because of PAN (sidenote: yes, I will capitalize that word every time I write it, because PAN is a very elusive thing for a beauty aficionado such as myself! – and speaking of PAN, last night I had a dream that I hit PAN on some product I own — seriously, a frickin’ DREAM, and it was SUCH a good one — which makes me sound even crazier than you probably already think me to be lol), was used up from the discard pile I was working my way through, plus some!!
OK! Putting it all together, here’s a quick recap:
1) Makeup: 3 makeup items purchased [2 non-staples this season (Summer)], 5 used/tossed
2) Nail Polish: 4 polish purchased this month (17 total since the beginning of 2012) + 2 polish tossed
3) Skincare: 3 skin/2 hair bought, 4 skin/2 hair used
I’m really quite pleased with the way this month turned out The thing is about this whole process – the restricted buying and the selective shopping – is that I’m working toward being both able to fully enjoy beauty and all it has to offer, while reconciling it all with my personality as a whole. I realized today the best way to describe it: I want to TRY everything, not OWN everything – does that make sense? I compile lists upon lists of beauty items I want to experience, but I don’t want to be overwhelmed with piles of them in my bathroom and having to feel like I have to ‘use them up’. I want to fully enjoy things rather than love it for a day or two before moving on to something else that’s grabbed my attention. So the hope here is that eventually I’ll streamline my stash to be filled with only products I’m not eager to finish, ones that I don’t mind owning for years because every time I pull them out, no matter how (in)frequently, they still bring me sheer joy every time I use them. I know I’ve sort of said all this before, but it really clarified itself for me today, and I wanted to explain myself more clearly for anyone who isn’t sure just what my freakin’ deal is I hope that you might be able to relate a bit more with my goal now!
To anyone who’s engaging in a version of a low-buy/no-buy, I sincerely wish you the best – I know from experience how hard it can be at times, and how it’s a challenge to want to be restrained and at the same time want everything! Hopefully you’re making headway in your own endeavours
What’s your approach to beauty in terms of acquisition etc? Does an ever-expanding collection give you stress at all?
Beauty Low-Buy Update: ‘Meh’ Month Five
Posted by Latoya in 2012 Beauty Challenge, Clinique, Estee Lauder, Fresh, Skincare, Urban Decay on June 20, 2012
The past 30 days seemed to drag on, don’t you think? I found this month a bit tough to keep myself under control – nothing too serious, but I kept feeling like it should be time again for me to be able to buy something else pretty guilt free I think my mini Burberry haul really added to the heft my purchases list has this month. I’m not going to worry about it, since it was a 30th birthday splurge and I’m worth it, dammit! But, back on the horse – I plan on doing better this coming month. I think I’m one of the last ones standing regarding the low/no-buy (except Larie, who’s extended her ban – hooray!), so possibly these posts have lost their zest for you, but nonetheless I’m going to keep pressing on because otherwise I have no one to hold me accountable!
I think I should be recapping a few of the guidelines before jumping right into the empties/purchases, so let me just refresh your memory:
1) Makeup: Purchase no more than 10 items per season
2) Nail Polish: Purchase no more than 5 polish per month
3) Skincare: Use one, Buy one
Ok, now that we’ve got that out of the way – let’s see how I’m doing (gulp!).
Purchased (May 20-June 19):
Here we have:
- Marcelle Hydra-C Facial Exfoliating Gel ($10.74CAD – sale)
- Life Brand Skin Relieving Moisturizing Lotion ($5.99CAD – sale)
- Aveeno Sensitive Skin Sunscreen ($10.99 – sale)
- Zoya Arizona & Wednesday polishes ($8.75CAD each)
- Essie Bikini So Teeny & Blanc polishes ($7.99CAD – sale – and $11.99CAD, respectively)
- Orly In A Snap Quick Drying Top Coat ($12CAD)
- Essie First Base Base Coat ($12CAD)
- Sparitual Aurum polish ($12CAD)
- Burberry Fresh Glow Luminous Fluid Base ($66CAD)
- Burberry Light Glow Blush in Russet ($54CAD)
- Burberry Sheer Eye Shadow in Trench ($33CAD)
- Chanel Illusion d’Ombre in Abstraction #88 ($37CAD)
Err…yea. Not great…but in fairness, my birthday was last month and I felt it was appropriate to treat myself Ah well! Many of these I’ve reviewed already – and I plan on posting the other polish shades soon, especially Bikini So Teeny – LOVE this shade!!! And the Marcelle scrub is actually quite lovely as well.
My discard pile is somewhat meager this month – and I blame the handful of products I have that just won’t die!!!! They’re driving me crazy. I even took a shot of them so you could see what I mean:
I have the Lavanilla bottle upside-down because the bottom of the vial narrows and it looks like there’s a lot more than there is if I stand it upright (I realize I am insane).
All of these products have been *thisclose* to being finished for like a month. Well, excluding the MAC shadow (in Arena – great natural brow highlight for darker-skinned ladies), I just threw that in there because – PAN! PAN! PAN!! Being able to see pan is very exciting for me; I only have one other full-size product showing pan in my stash, a blush from CoverFX, and it’s just HUGE. As for the rest…it’s just ridiculous, half of these are deluxe sample sizes, WTF are they still kicking around for?? I can’t STAND sample size products :S I promise you that next month, these will be finished, kaput. Or else I’m gonna go stark raving MAD.
…Anyway. Empties, anyone?
Used Up (May 20-June 19):
And the winners loser are:
- Clinique Moisture Surge Tinted Moisturizer SPF15 in 06
- Fresh Sugar Lip Treatment SPF15 Original
- Estee Lauder Sumptuous Bold Volume Lifting Mascara (sample)
- Urban Decay 24/7 Liner in Bourbon
- Clinique Moisture Surge Intense Skin Fortifying Hydrator
- Clinique City Block Sheer Daily Face Protector SPF25
- Life Brand Skin Relieving Moisturizing Lotion
- Clinique Moisture Surge Face Spray
So there’s a lot of Clinique, and a lot of the Moisture Surge line eh? Hmm. Guess my skin’s been thirsty lately I do like the line, and almost every school we get a bottle of the Face Spray, which used to sit in my cupboard going mostly unused, ’till I read this article on Beauty Editor, and now I use it daily and it is AMAZING. I thought it was just for a pick-me-up, but it’s way better when used between skincare applications. The Moisture Surge Intense was nice, but I actually like the original better, which is weird because that one is merely a temporary solution, whereas this one supposedly restores your moisture barrier to help ‘fix’ the problem. I just didn’t like the texture as much, or something. The Tinted Moisturizer provides quite good coverage for that kind of product, but it’s a bit too hydrating for me (re: greasy), especially in the Summer. Would be perfect for someone with drier skin though!
As for the other Clinique product, the City Block Sheer, I honestly think switching to physical sunscreens has been the difference-maker in my skin. I have absolutely NO irritation ever and my skin has never been better – I haven’t needed to wear foundation in months. I will never go back to chemical if I can help it. Also, I find that using only this sunscreen in the warmer months, with no ‘official’ moisturizer during the day, has made me SO much less oily, I hardly have an issue with it now at all (though it could be because I’m also not wearing foundation). Hallelujah!
Here lies the second Fresh Lip Treatment which I have finished, and finished HARD:
I’m sad to say but I won’t ever repurchase these again, as I find that due to the high fragrance in them they cause irritation in my lips, which means that even though they’re hydrated, their often rough and chapped. I have one more to finish and then I’m done with them! Too bad because they’re lovely but just not for me!
I snagged a sample of the Estee Lauder Sumptuous mascara in April which was sweet because I was considering picking it up as my next mascara. However, I was underwhelmed. I sort of don’t think mascara samples are fully representative of the full-size product, but at the same time, the brush was just OK (very reminiscent of Clinique’s Lash Doubling, which I could just order for free on my gratis), and it didn’t give me KA-POW lashes in the least, which is sort of my goal. So, I’ll pass for now.
I used to love the UD 24/7 pencils and wanted to acquire them in every shade (I still have probably 5-6), but lately I find that they’re so gritty feeling with all the sparkle, and its just not comfortable on my eyes. I did like this shade, Bourbon, a lot though. But, once a pencil gets down too far for me to sharpen it, out it goes!
Lastly…the Life Brand Moisturizing Lotion, which I’ve talked about before (I really should just stop putting those in because ~snooze~ but you can see how fast I go through them eh?) Also, I know how much you enjoy the fact that I cut these tubes in half to get as much product as I can LOL (also see the Clinique SPF). What can I say? I hate waste
OK! Putting it all together, here’s a quick recap:
1) Makeup: 4 makeup items purchased [12 this season (Spring)] *Tossed 3*
2) Nail Polish: 5 polish purchased this month (13 total since the beginning of 2012)
3) Skincare: Used 5, Bought 3
This time around, that’s 5 full-size skincare products, 1 sample, and 2 makeup items
So…I didn’t succeed on the makeup front, but I’m pretty pleased overall that I was able to only buy 12 items over the course of 3 months – it felt like I was buying a lot more! Happily, only one of those products was really a ‘filler’ purchase (the Revlon lip butter from last month’s recap) , which I’m trying to avoid, so even though I went over my limit, I mainly only picked up items I really wanted/love, which is ultimately the goal of this whole endeavor anyway, so YAY to that!
However, I will admit – SO happy that we’re into the Summer season now and I have 10 more items I’m allowed to buy!!!!!!! (Though…condo furnishings will probably deplete my budget for the next little while, so no fear of going over 10 this time around!)
Have you tried any of the products I mentioned? What are your feelings on sample size products? What’s the last ‘filler’ purchase you made?
Beauty Low-Buy Update: Month Four (aka The Month That Rocked)
Posted by Latoya in 2012 Beauty Challenge, Clinique, Estee Lauder, Korres, Ole Henriksen on May 21, 2012
I’m just gonna get right to the point here: I kicked ASS this month in the low-buy. Whooped some major butt. And once I got on a roll, it just kept getting easier! Dudes, I only bought TWO THINGS – and not even fun stuff. Check it out:
Purchased (Apr. 20-May 19):
Life Brand Skin Relieving Moisturizing Lotion, Compliments Nail Polish Remover (Lemon Scented)
NARS Desire
Unfortunately, my little spree at Holts will run my monthly budget right back up to where it normally is, despite my frugality lol…Oh well! You only turn 30 once
Sadly however, my empties are fairly modest this month too, to match my purchases. I have a handful of products that are *thisclose* to being finished, but I just couldn’t get there. How annoying. I find when I’m down to the dregs of a product, I’m just dying for it to be over and done. Blah. However, there are a couple makeup items that I just couldn’t justify hanging on to any more – I know I’m never going to wear them and I don’t think I can pawn them off on anyone either – so out they go.
Used Up (Apr. 20-May 19):
So what’ve we got here? A defiled tube of Aveeno’s Moisturizing Body Lotion – gotta get every last drop! I stopped buying the big pump containers because it’s harder to get it all out. I also think I’ll stop buying the Aveeno version and go with the knockoff one I bought above – it’s a couple bucks cheaper and the ingredients are identical.
I can’t quite remember why I switched from TRESemme’s conditioner to Infusium23 Moisture Replenisher Conditioner – likely because TRESemme’s bottle was HUGE – but I know I grabbed it for the lower levels of ‘cones, and because fragrance is one of the last ingredients listed. I quite liked this actually – it’s no frills but I kept my hair hydrated and smooth.
I kept Glysomed Hand Cream (fragrance free) by my bed and applied it every night. Super basic but kept my hands moisturized without any worries of irritation. Snoozeville, I know, but it works!
MAC’s Cleanse Off Oil, which I picked up in a swap like two years ago, and only used when I wore heavier makeup. Works fairly well, and smells heavenly but I won’t repurchase for that exact reason.
I keep getting these sample bottles of Clinique’s Take The Day Off makeup remover in the GWP’s, and I keep using ‘em up – it’s great for removing heavier eye makeup for if you’ve got major lipstick going on. This size is actually perfect for me too because I use it infrequently – anything bigger would be too much.
Another defiled tube…I LOVE Clinique’s Moisture Surge Extended Thirst Relief, and hoard samples of this like mad. I like it even better than the newer version, which actually repairs your moisture barrier (whereas this is basically a fancy aloe gel and offers just a temporary fix). And every customer I have that comes in for it feels the same way – we don’t *need* it exactly, but gosh darn does it ever feel great! Its perfect especially for oilier skins that still crave hydration but hate the greasy feel. I use this often as my base before any occasion, as it makes my skin super-soft and plump.
I’m disappointed that they no longer make Korres Yogurt Velvety Moisturizing Mask – this was great for oily skin to hydrate and smooth, and I used it once a week to great results. It’s tough to find hydrating masks for oily skin. I guess I could recreate my own yogurt mask to similar effects, but…I wanna pricey mask in a fancy jar! *pout*
My second bottle of Ole Henriksen’s Truth Serum. I do still like this but I read more infomation on it after it and realized I could be using something much more effective for about the same price.
Mario Badescu’s Glycolic Foaming Cleanser was fine, though I didn’t notice that my skin was extra smooth (exfoliated) after use. I was considering buying a wash with glycolic acid to get my exfoliation that way, since I no longer use scrubs, but the system I have going now is working really well so I’m putting that on the backburner for now. I wouldn’t buy the full-size of this wash anyway, it was filled with sulfates, which I avoid – especially on my skin.
I received Estee Lauder’s Advanced Night Repair as a sample when I bought the Shimmering Sands gelee. I’ve tried it before and my thoughts are still the same – it may work but I’m not seeing the fruits of it’s labour. That’s no fault necessarily of the product, as I don’t have visible damage to see improvement upon, but I also don’t notice any benefits like softer, smoother skin – which I DO experience from Clinique’s Repairwear Laser Focus – so for me it’s a no-go at this stage. It’s also got a sticky texture which is a bit of a turn-off (though if it worked miracles, that’d be my last concern).
When I bought the Sephora + Pantone kit for my giveaway, everyone at Sephora was so excited since I was the first to buy it, that they threw in a little treat for me too – a Bare Minerals kit with the Flawless Definition mascara, along with a hydrating powder, and a lip color. You recall my review on the mascara when I purchased it a few months ago? Yea, thoughts haven’t changed. It still has a funky smell – which I now realize is just the mascara itself, not that it’s gone bad – and it’s just plain dry!! It’s soo tough to put on, blah. It’s too bad, because the brush itself is great, and with the right formula I think this really could be quite volumizing, but alas that’s not the case.
This is Bring on the Bling by OPI, from the 2010 Burlesque collection. Gorgeous shade, but 1) glitter is a PITA, as we all know, and 2) it got thicker than molasses after only a handful of wears. I tried thinner and it didn’t do a darn thing. This is completely unwearable, so I’m not sure why I’m hanging on to it. Bye bye!
I’ve been hanging on to this lippie in the hope that I’ll make it work one day, but the fact is that Revlon’s Raspberry Mousse Colorstay lipstick is just not for me. It’s just a too TOO blue-leaning hot pink, and also has a shimmer finish, so it’s bad all around. If it were matte, maybe I could work this somehow, but its not and I’m just not keeping it any longer. I’ll find a rockin’ pink to take it’s place that WILL get a lot of love.
OK. So, let’s look at this month’s tally – 6 full-size skincare products, 5 samples, 1 makeup item and 1 polish. Meh. Next month will be better Though…next month I’ll also have a lot more purchases, so….
Now. It’s been an absolutely beautiful weekend, and I am finding it impossible to stay indoors. So I’m gonna end this here so I can get back out there! I hope everyone’s having a great long weekend (in Canada)/had a great weekend, and I hope anyone else participating in a low/no-buy had a good month – can’t wait to read all about it!!
Beauty Low-Buy Update: Month Three – And a Little Tweaking
Posted by Latoya in 2012 Beauty Challenge, Aveeno, Body Care, Clinique, Creative Nail Design, Eye Liner, Lip Care, Sally Hansen, SPF, Stila, Styling Products, Top Coats on April 20, 2012
Well, hello dolls! Ready for your monthly installment of what I’ve been buying vs tossing? I’m pretty chatty in this post, so sit down, get comfy, and let’s jump right in!
Used Up (Mar. 20-Apr. 19):
Aveeno Skin Relief Fragrance Free Body Wash and Moisturizing Body Lotion
As boring as these two products are, I’m fairly certain that I’ll be using this duo for the rest of my natural born life – the body wash is the only one that doesn’t irritate my skin and keeps it soft and smooth, and the Aveeno lotions and creams work miracles at keeping my eczema at bay. Since I’ve finally committed to using these continously, I’d had a lot less (body) skin issues, so dull and boring it is!
Hawaiian Tropic Sheer Touch Sunscreen Lotion SPF15
I’ve been using Hawaiian Tropic sunscreen for years, and I love it (even though it IS a chemical sunscreen, which I try to avoid as they can cause irritation in sensitive skin). They changed the scent when they changed the bottle a year or two ago, which I was disappointed in at first, but now I’ve come to like the new scent as it’s less overwhelming and it doesn’t compete as much with any fragrances you wear (though its still beachy-smelling). I can’t comment on if this causes any breakouts anywhere (it doesn’t say oil-free or non-comedogenic anywhere) – I didn’t experience any, but I didn’t use it on my face and my body doesn’t usually have that issue. I used up the rest of this bottle when I was in Jamaica, and was bummed when I had to switch to the other sunscreen we had, Coppertone. When that runs out, I’ll likely pick up another bottle of this!
BedHead TIGI Foxy Curls Contour Cream
This is my second bottle of this stuff…the last time I bought one was back in May 2011 – so this lasted almost a full year!! Holy moley. I love the smell of this – like Skittles – but sadly that’s why I won’t be repurchasing in my effort to go as fragrance-free as possible. It works well though, and you only need a tiny bit (clearly!) to do the trick
Clinique Turnaround Concentrate Radiance Renewer
I’m sure I’ve mentioned this loads of times before. Great exfoliating product that doesn’t irritate the skin whatsoever. Makes my face feel nearly like a baby’s bottom! This bottle seemed to go faster than normal – I only got about two months out of it and I was only using it at night. I’m glad it’s done though, because I’m eager to start using my new Kate Somerville Quench Serum (more on that later)!
Alpha Hydrox Enhanced Cream 10% Glycolic AHA Anti-Wrinkle
I got this in a swap ages ago, as I read in the MUA reviews that it was awesome. Interestingly enough, the glycolic acid in this didn’t mess my skin up – it definitely tingles to the point of almost burning upon application, but the sensation dissipates within a minute and there’s no residual irritation afterward or the next morning. To be safe, I only used it every few days or so (and not in conjunction with the Clinique Concentrate, but it did make my skin feel lovely!
Ole Henriksen Truth Revealed Super Creme with SPF15
I reviewed this product previously, and my thoughts still hold – it was thick and hard to spread, and generally just didn’t feel very nice on my skin (though it felt lovely). I used this on my neck until it was gone so as to not waste it. I’m SO glad to toss this!
The Body Shop Pink Grapefruit Lip Butter / Nova Scotia French Vanilla Lip Balm
I bought The Body Shop lip butter back when I had a boyfriend who really liked grapefruit (how silly!) – except the taste of this is like ASS (well…not really, but you know…). GAH, it’s horrible! Somehow I managed to make a big dent in this but I haven’t touched it in years so it’s really pointless to keep it.
The Nova Scotia balm, well, I got this at our Pride Parade several years ago and I guess they just slapped a Nova Scotia label on it. It’s nothing special. It had SPF in it which has since expired, and I have other lip balms, so it’s time this kicked the bucket.
CND Cuticle Eraser AHA Cuticle Treatment
I think I read on All Lacquered Up that this was Michelle’s cuticle treatment of choice, so I picked it up to try it out about a year ago. I found that while it might have kept my cuticles smoother, it irritated my skin (but the AHA cream above didn’t – go figure), so I used it very sporadically. It caused little bumps on the skin just under my nails – whether that was an eczema reaction or not, I’m unsure, so I can’t say if this would happen to anyone else. I love my Burts Bees butter so I think I’ll just stick to that
Sally Hansen Insta-Dry Anti-Chip Top Coat
I plan on doing a round-up of a few base and top coats in the future, so I won’t get into too much detail about this – just suffice to say, it was like Seche Vite in the fact that once it got half finished, it got majorly goopy and hard to use. I can’t deal with screwing up my manicures, so out this goes!
Here are just some samples I finished up – nothing too stand-out. Bioderma’s Sebium AKN, which is supposed to ‘restore the skin’s natural clear aspect’ – I used this as a spot treatment, but didn’t find it did much in that capacity. It might be much more effective if used as an all-over face lotion. Clinique’s 7-Day Scrub, which is too creamy for my oily skin and leaves a slight filmy feeling, which would be nice for dry skin but just feels unclean on mine. However, it DOES exfoliate well, and gently! I used Korres Yogurt Cooling Gel down South, and it was OK, but it was such a small sample that I can’t really give a fair evaluation. I mainly used Clinique’s After Sun, which was admittedly AWESOME, so that doesn’t help. Lastly, I used the sample of Ojon’s Instant Restorative Hair Serum while in Jamaica as well, and it left my hair feeling lovely and hydrated after penetrating in the sun all day. It wasn’t too heavy or greasy-feeling either, or too strong-smelling as some Ojon products have been in the past. I’d consider buying this for the Summer to protect my hair from the sun and add a bit of shine.
…..Wow, right? This is just pitiful. Two products!? Oh man. I sincerely apologize for my miserable turnout this month! What’s worse, I didn’t realize I did so crappy until RIGHT NOW. I almost scammed you guys by accident and included three ‘tossed’ beauty products that I had already accounted for last month. I guess I felt bad about throwing them out when there was so much product left, and kept them in the empties bag. Oops! Double-oops too because I thought I wasn’t doing THAT bad getting rid of makeup…shoot. Oh well – maybe next month 
ANYWAY, what’ve we got? NYC’s Color Wheel Mosaic Face Powder in All-Over Bronze Glow, which I mentioned last week, for one. I tried to make it work in Jamaica and it just didn’t do much. I’m done trying to make it work; no matter if I’m tanned or not, it just doesn’t seem to do it for me. Second, we have Stila’s Smudge Pot in Black, a surprize toss. I happened to open it up to use it last week and realized that it was pretty dried out and had pulled majorly from the sides (like a few millimeters!). Er, yea, time to go!
So that’s what we have for this month downsizing efforts – 11 full-size skincare products, 4 samples, and 2 makeup items. Not too shabby, though I’m a little let down with the meager makeup empties. Hopefully that’ll mean next month will be quite respectable!
Moving on to the scary portion of the post, lets take a look at what I purchased in the past month. In fact, aside from two items, everything I picked up I bought in the span of a week. Ah snap.
Purchased (Mar. 20-Apr. 19):
Yea. All of these items I bought in one week. Oh dear. Oh, well the three items in the front right were part of a deluxe sample set I got for free from Sephora. But the rest…no excuse. Here’s the list:
- Hugo Naturals Shower Gel in Vanilla & Sweet Orange $9.99
- (ANOTHER) Aveeno Skin Relief Fragrance Free Body Wash $8.99
- TRESemme Flawless Curls Curl Hydration Conditioner $3.99 (on sale)
- Kate Somerville Quench Oil-Free Hydrating Serum approx. $66 (15% off reg. price – $78)
- YSL Glossy Stain in #12 Corail Aquatique approx. $29 (15% off reg. price, $34)
- MUFE #17 Eyeshadow (matte brown) approx. $19 (15% of reg. price – $22)
- MAC Crosswires Lipstick $17.50
I know that I just preached a bunch about going fragrance-free, and that the Aveeno Body Wash is my HG…but it doesn’t mean I LIKE it, so I picked up the Hugo body wash in the ‘green’ aisle at the grocery store, as the fragrance is all-natural – so I’m hoping I’ll find a loophole in my own rule
To add to the above, I also picked up:
- a-England Nail Polish in Princess Sabra (Tristam Eyes) approx. $10 (30% off reg. price, approx. $14)
- Revlon Lip Butter in Peach Parfait $7.99 (on sale)
And to round it all out, I also bought two blushes from Illamasqua, Lover & Hussy (approx. $13 each [half off reg. price - approx. $26]). *I have yet to receive these in the mail
BAM.
So yea…I had a busy month. As you can see, I got some pretty excellent deals on almost all of my purchases, which is partially why I went a little crazy. Sephora definitely reeled me in with the 15% off, and when I received the email about the Easter Egg Hunt sale from Illamasqua, I had to check it out (the day we were leaving for Jamaica, I got the one about certain blushes being half off, so I thought I’d take a look – I totally expected it to be unpopular shades, but each of the 5 shades were some of their top sellers! How could I NOT buy Lover and Hussy!? It would have cost me $65CAD to buy them full price (incl. shipping) and instead it came to $40 (with shipping). Sa-weet!!). So yea. A bad month according to my guidelines, but kind of a great month too! And it gives me LOTS of material for upcoming posts
However. In light of my spectacular failure to adhere to ANY restrictions regarding my purchasing, I have decided to restructure my guidelines. It just doesn’t make sense to me to pretend to follow a low-buy when in fact I seem to be on a ‘grab all you can’ buy. I still need some structure, but I need to tweak it a bit. So here’s the new rule for makeup (all other guidelines remain unchanged):
- 10 makeup purchases per season (previous: max of 3 LE purchases per season; non-LE items on a use two, buy one system)
Now, before you go and think that I’m being entirely too easy on myself (if I wasn’t already before!), let me explain why I’m making these changes. First of all, to be clear: while part of this low-buy is to weed through my stash, over the past couple months I realized that it’s not necessarily to scale it back, but to eliminate items that just don’t really ‘do’ it for me. I’ve come to grips with the fact that in being a beauty blogger, and being as obsessed as I am with beauty, the plain truth is that my makeup collection is going to continue to grow – there’s just no way I’m going to be able to use everything (c’mon, blushes last for YEARS) and I’m certainly not going to stop shopping until I do. What I really want to do is make sure that everything I own I love, and I’m really making headway in that area, so I think that’s an achievement!
I have to be honest with you as well, that the other part of the low-buy is definitely related to cash flow. While I’m managing my addiction fairly well, I do think that maintaining some sort of guideline is a smart thing to do, so that I don’t get too crazy or wrapped up in wanting everything – I find since blogging I want to be able to review every product that comes on the market, but I just can’t afford to! This way I can make sure that I have ‘controls’ in place so I know when I’m nearing a reasonable limit. AND it helps to ensure that whatever I’m purchasing, I absolutely love – which relates back to the first point! It’s a win-win in my books (ALSO…with Jamaica behind me, I have to get my butt in gear to save more $$ for New Zealand – definitely a huge priority!)
Fiordland, New Zealand *Photo courtesy of PacificIslands.com
You may think that it’s almost pointless to have any guidelines at all, since many others who are on a no- or low-buy are quite restricted in their purchasing. However, I do find it difficult not to just buy every single thing I’d like, so I think the above restructure of the guidelines allows me to have some fun while still keeping me in check. When I initially created the ‘Limited Edition’ rule, I had actually done so to make sure that I indulged in some of the great LE items, as I often missed out on them in the past. Well, I think I’m definitely over that behavior (LOL!), and a purchase is a purchase, so I just lumped all makeup spending together and made it a number that seemed reasonable. Again, if I get the urge to shop just for shopping’s sake, and buy something I don’t really love, that still counts as one – so I’ll be more likely to avoid doing that if I know my purchasing power has a limit.
Oh the silly things we do! I’m sure some of you find these kinds of rambles terribly boring, and I don’t fault you for it I just know that if I don’t have anyone to hold me accountable, I could go all sorts of crazy and buy everything I laid my hands on (I feel that urge more often than not!). And since I know some of you are going through similar bans of your own, I hope that on some level you can relate.
I hope it doesn’t seem like I’m bailing on my original terms or that I’m making things too easy on myself. This plan IS easier in the fact that I don’t have to bust my balls trying to find products I can use up or toss, which just started to feel ridiculous to me, but it is more in line with my true feelings about makeup. While I still get overwhelmed at how much I have and the impossible notion of how to use it all, I am actually developing a collection of products that I simply adore, and I can only get rid of so much before I am just basically throwing away money for no good reason. The low-buy has really opened my eyes and I feel SO much more at peace with my stash and all the connotations that come with it! That in itself to me is the best achievement I could ask for
I will continue to do monthly updates on my progress, as I still plan on challenging myself on holding back from making any ‘unnecessary’ purchases, and also because it’s a great way to give you an overall picture of my beauty world – what I’m using (up) and what new items I’ve been enjoying. I can’t wait to read about everyone else’s progress as we continue to push forward – I support each of you in your own reasons for your no/low-buy, and hope it’s going well. For you and anyone else engaging in a beauty challenge, I wish you good luck and hope you stay strong!!
END RANT.
(So sorry if you stuck with me through the whole thing! I try not to do too many of these lengthy posts :S)
Beauty Low-Buy Update: Month Two
Posted by Latoya in 2012 Beauty Challenge, Base Coats, butter London, Buxom, Cleanser, Clinique, Concealer, Foundation, Fresh, Josie Maran, Lips, MAC, Mascara, Maybelline, Moisturizers, NARS, Ole Henriksen, Smashbox, Styling Products on March 20, 2012
Well…I’m pretty much sucking at this whole low-buy thing. You’d think, a gal who could give up buying cosmetics altogether during Lent last year could do a silly low-buy that consequently enables her to ALSO buy up to 5 nail polish a month and 3 LE items per season? Er, no. Seems I can’t. I am simply struggling to finish enough products in order to justify the amount I’ve purchased!! I tell you, it’s becoming impossible. There are just too many awesome products out there, it’s *sooo* not my fault!
~Boo Hoo~ Enough with the whining I guess…you want to see the damage, I take it? Check out what I bought/swapped for in the last month (reviews for products will be eventually forthcoming):
1) Olay Foaming Face Wash Sensitive Skin (bought)
2) Neutrogena Moisture Oil Free Sensitive Skin (bought)
3) Le Metier de Beaute True Color Eyeshadow in Corinthian (bought)
4) Milani Liquif’Eye Metallic Eye Liner Pencil in Aqua (bought)
5) Hourglass Immaculate Liquid Powder Foundation in Warm Beige (bought)
6) Laura Mercier Full-Blown Volume Mascara (bought)
6) MAC Refined Golden bronzer (swapped for*)
7) MAC Pigment in Melon (swapped for*)
8) Bobbi Brown Shimmerbrick in Nectar (swapped for*)
9) Estee Lauder Illuminating Powder Gelee in Shimmering Sands (LE) (bought)
10) Zoya Cho (bought)
11) Nfu-Oh #51 (bought)
12) Nfu-Oh Aqua Base (bought)
*For the swapped items, I exchanged for my MAC Soft Ochre Paint Pot, MAC Electra and Strike a Pose eyeshadows, Urban Decay Zero 24/7 eyeliner, the Fyrinnae Shinkirou eyeshadow, and a Marc Jacobs perfume and a handful of perfume samples. So that totals to 5 makeup items.
OK. So I am at a surplus with my polish allowance – all good. I’m already down one for my Summer LE quota (which I can already forsee is going to be a HUGE problem with all the amazing items coming out!!!). Otherwise I picked up 2 skincare products and 7 makeup items. Hmmm…let’s see how I did in the *purge* category.
Last month I was kickin’ butt at using up my makeup, but this month hasn’t been so successful. I did get rid of a couple of straggler products overall, but still…I’m disappointed. Take a look:
Skintimate Signature Scents Moisturizing Shave Gel
Suddenly, this was finished this weekend – I had no idea I was on my last pump, but I am SO happy about it! Shave gel = useless product.
Live Clean Moisturizing Body Wash
I used this to soak my feet in after realizing I wasn’t a fan of the generic soap-scent. Worked well in that area, at least! It foamed up really nicely.
Redken Real Control Crema Care (50mL)
This is a great styling lotion if you’re looking for a travel product – it holds and softens hair at the same time, but it’s a bit sticky feeling. I wouldn’t buy the full size version.
butter London Nail Foundation ($20CAD)
I enjoyed this for the first couple months, loving how *flawless* it made my bare nails look, and how it helped eliminate VNL, but it didn’t adhere my polish any better than any other base coat, and it got thick fast. I added thinner to no avail. For that price tag – bye bye!
Clinique Clarifying Lotion #3 (200mL) ($15CAD)
I know a lot of people have issues with the Clarifying Lotion. I don’t dislike it, but I’m not necessarily a fan, and if you have sensitive skin it can be a pretty harsh exfoliant. I’d recommend the mild version for most skins, which I may try some day. For now, I’m glad this is gone. I got it for free, so you know I *had* to use it.
Ole Henriksen Truth To Go Wipes ($10CAD)
I have yet to have luck with any wipes which don’t seem to harm my skin in some way. The first time I used these, I loved how soft they made my face feel (and still with that lovely orange-y scent, yum!). But then the next day my face seemed to be extra-reactive, and I think these may have been the culprit. There were only 10 wipes, so I just used them on the nights when I was just TOO lazy to wash my face. All done now
Fresh Soy Face Cleanser (50mL) ($17.50CAD)
Travel size of this cleanser. I bought it to check it out, and when I realized it wasn’t much of anything, I used it to travel with. However, I’ve been slowly running out of cleansers and I am trying to use them all up before buying more, so I started using this in the shower daily. It’s pretty fragrant so I worry about the effect it has on my skin – seems OK but I’m always suspicious. I wouldn’t buy this again.
Josie Maran Argan Oil (15mL) ($18CAD)
I sadly can’t get behind the hype of this product; it didn’t do anything amazing for my skin, and I was SO prepared for it to! I might be great in the warmer months for a nighttime product, but during the Winter days and nights, it was both greasy and yet not quite moisturizing enough some how. Fail.
NARS Sheer Glow in Syracuse ($55CAD)
I finished a foundation!! I can’t remember the last time I did that I’ve spoken of this one before – I really liked it; the color match was superb, the coverage just right (sheer to medium) and it didn’t irritate my skin in the least. I could use this on the sensitive skin around my mouth and it never caused any problems, and actually hydrated it a bit. I can’t use this in the Summer because it’s a bit too much for my oily skin, but in the cold Winter month it was just what the doctor ordered. I’d even potentially buy this again next year!
Clinique All About Eyes Concealer in Medium Honey ($20CAD)
- This used to seem like the perfect shade for me…but lately I found it to be a bit grey, for whatever reason. So it was a good thing that it was nearing it’s end. It’s pretty old too, probably 4 years+, and the sides are cracking so that I’d get concealer on my fingers when I squeezed too hard. How annoying. Time to go!
Maybelline One by One Volum’ Express Mascara in Blackest Black
- I know some people really enjoy this mascara, and the first time I used it I LOVED how long it made my lashes look – but it quickly got dry and super-clumpy, and I never felt like I had enough product on the brush since it comes in the package with the brush separate from the mascara tube to begin with. I dunno. It got old quick, literally
Buxom Mascara in Blackest Black (sample)
- I received this back during the Sephora opening, and only started using it about two months ago. Could be because it was older, but it just never gave enough *oomph* for me. It was absolutely AMAZING for getting every lash and for not clumping, ever, but it almost somehow faded throughout the day and my lashes seemed to get more and more puny as the hours wore on. I’m not into the au naturale look with lashes so this is not for me. And NOT Buxom by any means!
Clinique Surge of Color Lipstick Palette
- I got this in a gratis or through a school or something…and it’s SO not for me! Not only am I not a huge lipstick wearer, I don’t wear ANY of these shades, and I get irritated having to use a lip brush every time I want to apply it. No thanks man! I had this in a drawer at work just collecting dust – it’s time it kicked the bucket.
Annabelle Lipliner in Spice and Smashbox Sheer Lip Pencil in Smashing Content
- I think I picked up the Annabelle liner looking for a recreation of MAC’s Spice liner, which I heard a lot about. Whether or not they’re dupes, I dunno…I barely used this because a) I just don’t use liner, and b) it was a muddy color on my lips. Boo. I’ve had this for like, 10 years – why am I keeping this kind of crap! BEGONE.
The Smashbox lip pencil, well…it’s sheer, and its a lip pencil. Not. For. Me. TOSS.
MAC Gleam Lipstick ($17.50CAD)
- I went through this kick a few years back where I wanted that pale nude-lavender lip look (see my post with Keri Hilson’s look) and this was the shade I picked up thinking it could help create it. Uh, no. This is like a pale silvery-beige-purple sheer lippie that makes me look dead. I tried mixing it with other shades to make it work, and I could, but good gosh – I don’t want to have to work so darn hard! It’s going, I can’t deal with it any longer. And it looks ugly in the tube. I hate when my makeup gets ugly-looking. GET OUT OF MY LIFE.
MAC Venetian Lustreglass ($17.50CAD)
- A couple years ago I had my makeup done at MAC for a Christmas party, and this was part of the look. It looks fantastic then, and then…never again. It’s too much of a blue-based red, and because it’s more on the sheer side, it looked weak as well. I am the most proud of this getting tossed – I mixed this with every friggin’ lippie I could to get rid of it, and hallelujah – success!! I could probably get a couple more uses out of it, but NO. NO, I REFUSE. I AM DONE WITH YOU.
So….yea. Getting a bit angry there, sorry! It’s just that those items that were long overdue to get the boot and it was driving me insane that they were hanging around forever. I hardly have any of those kinds of items left now though, sa-weet! …Except that means that I have very few products that are going to get used up any time soon, which means…very little allowable purchases for awhile (supposedly – hopefully I get some willpower this coming month). DANG.
Anyway, lets do the tally:
Limited Edition (Summer) – 1 of 3
Acquired – 9 (2 skincare, 7 makeup)
Got Rid Of – 22 (7 skincare, 1 hair, 14 makeup)
Skin- and haircare don’t even really warrant discussing – I think I’m always going to have more going out than coming in (although…how is that even possible? Hmm…eventually it’ll be one to one I guess) – but on the makeup side, I managed to achieve my use 2, buy 1 guideline by the skin of my teeth. I’m going to be up-front – I pretty much ransacked my stash to see if there were any items I didn’t want or even like and got rid of them just so I could ring in on the level. I know I need to strap down and really take this more seriously; the whole point of engaging in this challenge was to use and appreciate what I have…and lately I feel like I’m just chasing after the next thing and the next, and barely even registering what I’ve gotten. Which is a terrible habit to get into, and more than anything else I want to stop that cycle.
Next month, I PROMISE to do better! And hold me to it – there’s no point in engaging in another 9 months of this if I’m just going to continue on the same way I always have. My arse needs a good kick sometimes!
How do you keep your purchases in check? What are your suggestions on how to truly slow down and appreciate what you already have, and resist the siren call of new products?
A Proud Moment: Downsizing at it’s Best
Posted by Latoya in Alterna, Anti-Aging, Aveda, Aveeno, Base Coats, Benefit, Body Care, Cleanser, Clinique, Cover Girl, Dior, Eucerin, Eye Liner, Eyeshadow, Giorgio Armani, Hair, Hand Care, Joico, Lancome, Lips, Make-up, Mascara, Moisturizers, Neutrogena, Paul Mitchell, Phyto, Revlon, Seche Vite, Serums, Shampoo, Skincare, SPF, Styling Products, Top Coats on December 17, 2011
This post has been a long time coming, as I’ve got quite a few empties to show you that have been piling up over the past weeks. I kept putting it off as I had a handful of makeup items that were nearing completion and I wanted them to be included. Even still, I have about three more that are thisclose to being finished, but I couldn’t wait any longer. This is gonna be a doozy, so let’s get right to it. Note: In an effort to keep my inherent wordiness down, I won’t be giving my usual lengthy descriptions of each – otherwise you’ll be here till Christmas But, if you do want further details on any product mentioned, don’t hesitate to ask!
First up, we have the hair products. From left to right: Joico Moisture Recovery Treatment Balm, Phyto Phytolactum+ Intelligent Shampoo, Paul Mitchell Smoothing Super Skinny Relaxing Balm (sample), Alterna Bamboo Kendi Oil Dry Oil Mist (sample), and Aveda Smooth Infusion Style-Prep Smoother (sample).
Joico Moisture Recovery: I bought this at Chatters for something like $17CAD. It has good reviews on MUA and I wanted something to hydrate my parched hair. I don’t heat style for the most part, or do any coloring or other treatments to my hair, so it’s pretty healthy but bone-dry. I don’t like Joico much but this worked fairly well – though I wouldn’t repurchase.
Phyto Phytolactum+ Intelligent Shampoo: I picked this up from Sephora last March (see how often I shampoo?) and had high hopes it would sooth my dry scalp and not strip my hair. Mistakenly I thought this wouldn’t contain sulfates (it does) – though it was pretty gentle nonetheless. But it did nothing for my dry scalp, so I wouldn’t repurchase.
Paul Mitchell Super Skinny Relaxing Balm: I was in a buying mood when I picked up this travel size sample at Chatters – I don’t know why I get these ‘smoothing’ products because it’s really meant for people who blow out their hair, which isn’t me. I know you’d like that smoothing might be helpful to tame my curly hair, but I really find it doesn’t do much of anything. This product smelled lovely but that made me nervous (due to my eczema) so I was glad when it was finished.
Alterna Bamboo Kendi Oil: I had just read a couple good reviews on this and then they offer this as a 100-point perk at Sephora so I got it to try out. Again, pointless product for my hair type. Also contained fragrance so I was happy to finish it and be done with it. Can’t comment on it’s effectiveness, unfortunately!
Aveda Smooth Infusion Style-Prep: ANOTHER smoother. I know. Anyway, this actually ended up being quite a gem – if I used this after I applied my usual styling creme, it really kept my hair soft and frizz-free. I’m not a huge fan of the herbal Aveda scent, but it’s also not a deterrent either. I probably wouldn’t buy the full size though; I find Aveda products so expensive!
Next – Hand and body creams. Left to right: Aveeno Eczema Care Cream, Neutrogena Norwegian Formula Hand Cream (frag. free), Eucerin Aquaphor. I’ve discussed all these in length here and here respectively. I’m using a different body lotion right now and I can’t wait till it’s done, it doesn’t measure up to Aveeno’s cream at all. Sometimes you should just stick with what works. I have a new tube of the Norwegian Formula at work – I really like this a lot – but I don’t think I’ll buy the Aquaphor again, it was a bit too thick and contained …. so I’d just rather not.
Facial products. Left to right: Clinique Repairwear Laser Focus (sample), Neutrogena Healthy Skin Anti-Wrinkle Cream SPF15, Clinique Liquid Facial Soap Mild (sample).
Clinique Repairwear Laser Focus: I extolled the virtues of this product here, and I still stand by my view – it was a great serum that make my skin feel uber soft and look radiant. However, now I’m onto Ole’s Truth Serum (though it’s almost finished, waaaah!) and I think I’d opt for that over this just because 1) I LOVE the scent of the Truth Serum, 2) Ole’s is slightly cheaper (by about $3CAD), and 3) I think Ole’s serum is more targeted for my age, whereas I was really using Clinique’s serum prematurely. I still think it’s great though!
Neutrogena Healthy Skin Anti-Wrinkle: I’ve used this a few times in the past, and while I really like it – it leaves the skin really smooth – I think my sensitized skin can’t handle the retinol any more, which is pretty bad considering this is a very low dosage. But, for some one with hardier skin who’s looking for a great, cost-effective (it’s around $24CAD) moisturizer with SPF and anti-aging benefits, I highly recommend this.
Clinique Liquid Facial Soap Mild: I got this in a GWP or something I’m sure, and hung on to it because it’s great for travel. But then I realized I had all these samples and they were starting to annoy me so I began the ‘war on samples’ to mega-reduce my stash. This isn’t really the best formula for my skin, as I’m more oily, but it does the trick for an AM wash, especially in the cooler months. It contains emollients so that it doesn’t leave the skin feeling dry, so that’s a nice perk.
Now, get excited…here comes the makeup portion!!!!
Mascaras etc. Top to bottom: Benefit They’re Real!, Clinique High Impact, Giorgio Armani Eyes to Kill, Diorshow Maximizer Base (sample), and Clinique Bottom Lash.
Benefit They’re Real!: See my initial review here. I really enjoyed this mascara and may even repurchase in the future. It was easy to use and gave me nice looking lashes. ‘Nuff said.
Clinique High Impact: Still one of my favorite mascaras – lots of volume and some length, and makes my lashes stand out. Also very easy to use. I wouldn’t recommend to those who want a really natural look however, as I’ve heard complaints of it getting clumpy (though personally I’ve never experienced this). And the $18CAD price point is much more reasonable than any other department store brand!
Giorgio Armani Eyes to Kill: I have been waiting to re-review this, as I have some sad news – this is the root cause of all my eye sensitivities and irritation! I’m makes me slightly disappointed (since it was great….but tres expensive, hence why I’m only slightly disappointed), but mostly really pissed off, because my eyes have been a trial ever since I used this. I blamed it on the cat (as I’m allergic), and while I am still very careful of Vegas (the cat – yeah baby!), this mascara is the real reason my eyes aren’t like they used to be. I had stopped using it in August because I fell in love with Benefit’s They’re Real, and my eyes improved – then I realized that it was going to dry up and be wasted, so I started using it again, only to find my eyes get totally itchy and messed up! I stopped using it immediately, and while my eyes aren’t as bad, they still get irritated pretty easily ever since. SO not cool. I couldn’t find the ingredients online anywhere so I don’t know the offending irritant, unfortunately. In any case, all I’m saying is that I recommend trying this out somehow first before fully committing!!
Diorshow Maximizer Base: I got this via a coupon code at Sephora.com. Meh. It made my mascara harder to apply and I didn’t see any maximizing whatsoever. I wouldn’t waste the $$.
Clinique Bottom Lash: Awesome. Seemed like the most gimmicky thing in the world, but ended up being really great. For $12CAD, you get this mascara with a mini brush that makes it ridiculously easy to apply mascara to your bottom lashes. It only removes with warm water, so you can cry your heart out with it on (or swim, or sweat) and it won’t budge. It lasted for AGES too (I know you’re not supposed to use mascara for longer than 3-4 months, but this seemed like an exception ).
Lips and cheeks! Left to right: Clinique Superbalm in Currant, Lancome Juicy Tube in Simmer (sample), Cover Girl Wetslicks in Guava Splash, Clinique Blushwear Cream Stick in Rosy.
Clinique Superbalm in Currant: I love these balms! They’re a bit thick and very glossy, and wear pretty well while keeping my lips mega-hydrated. I’ve had this for like, 4 years now so while I’m a little sad to see it go (the shade is neutral and goes with everything!), I’m mostly glad it’s finally done! Having anything for more than like, two years just seems like too much to me!
Lancome Juicy Tube in Simmer: I read once that Denise Richards liked this lip gloss in this shade…she commented that it ‘looks good on everyone.’ While that may be true, I didn’t particularly like this shade for some reason. I used to love Juicy Tubes but thankfully grew out of that stage – it seems like one of those things to buy when you’re just getting into high end makeup so I guess the memory of being a newbie turns me off a bit lol. Nonetheless, these are nice glosses that wear well, but for me their time has come and gone. And this one in particular has had it’s time – I’m sure I’ve had this for well over 7 years! Yikes!
Cover Girl Wetslicks in Guava Splash: I bought this after seeing a makeup shot in Allure in which they suggested this gloss to re-create the look. It was pretty close, so good call by them – but I really didn’t like the formula of this at all. It was soo thin and slippery, I had to reapply it constantly! Blah. I’ve only had this gloss a year so the fact that it’s already gone is a testament to how quickly it wears off. Good riddance to bad rubbish!
Clinique Blushwear Cream Stick in Rosy: I got this as a gift from Clinique a couple years ago, and wasn’t enamoured with it as it seemed too light for my skin. However, I reintroduced it in my rotation this Fall and realized I was missing out! It gave me cheeks the best natural flush ever. I am partial to cream formulas because I like the way they leave the skin glowing, and this one was nice because it wasn’t greasy at all. It had OK wear time – nothing terrible but not spectacular either – so I wouldn’t repurchase, but I sure did enjoy it while it lasted. It went with every makeup look I’d try – can’t beat that!
Unfinished but still must go. Clockwise from left: Revlon Streetwear Double-Ended Liner (discontinued), Revlon Luxurious Color Eyeliner in Blackened Sapphire, Lancome Color Focus Eye Shadow Quad (sample), Rimmel Metallic Eye Gloss in Equinox (discontinued).
Revlon Streewear Double-Ended Liner: I brought this product up in my eyeliner post, and committed to tossing it, so here goes! I’ve definitely had this for over 10 years, I don’t know what I was waiting for!
Revlon Luxurious Color Eyeliner: Also discussed this in the eyeliner post. My mother has this too, and when she wears it (usually on her bottom lash line), it looks awesome – but since I’m too ~fragile~ to wear liners on my bottom lashes now, I just don’t get a good effect from this liner. On my top lashes its just kinda blah. So, time to go!
Lancome Color Focus Eyeshadow Quad: The shades are Daylight (the pale cream), Contrast (deep purple), Blink (khaki shimmer), and Peep (pale pink). I’ve also had this for way longer than I want to admit, and I never use it, so it’s really gotta go. I’m not really a fan of sample eyeshadow palettes anyway, they annoy me – when I get them from Clinique I always give them away. I want the real thing, darn it!
Rimmel Metallic Eye Gloss: Do you remember when eye gloss was a ‘big thing’ back in the day – around 8-10 years ago? Yeah, this was bought then. Oops! I couldn’t get it to work without creasing like crazy so I may have only tried it a handful of times. Fun idea, but just not easy to translate into real life. Toss!
Honorable Mention. Seche Vite’s Dry Fast Top Coat. This bottle isn’t finished, though you can’t really tell from the photo. There’s about 40% left, but you KNOW how goopy and impossible it gets around that time!!! I kept it in my drawer, hoping for a miracle, but it’s time has come. Begone, you most-awesome-of-top-coats-until-that-time-when-you-become-absolutely-NOT-awesome-and-in-fact-a-total-nightmare top coat!!
PHEW!!!!! OMG I’m so sorry to submit all of you to that uber-lengthy post, but it had to be done. 25 items (though 8 were samples, to clarify)! Are you proud of me or what?! I have been chomping at the bit to get this out so you can all revel in my awesome downsizing abilities. What’s that you say? I have in fact replaced many of these products with new ones?! Oh, well, forget that part then, will you? The whole purpose to reduce is to buy more, is it not?? No? Huh. Well, I will keep trying, in any case. Looking at this post alleviates some of my guilt at least. ‘Till next time!!
By George, I Think I’ve Done It! My Near-Perfect Skincare Regime
Posted by Latoya in Anti-Aging, Boscia, Clarins, Cleanser, Clinique, Eczema, Exfoliants, Eye Care, Josie Maran, Korres, MAC, Masks, Moisturizers, Ole Henriksen, Philosophy, Serums, Skincare, SPF, The Body Shop on November 29, 2011
Over the past few months, I’ve been researching products and tweaking my skincare regime, trying to streamline it as well as find effective products that don’t irritate my sensitive, eczema-prone skin. While there are still a few items I’d like to incorporate, for the most part I think I’ve successfully found a system that works to effectively cleanse my oily skin, keep it smooth and soft, and which doesn’t cause eczema flare-ups (fragrance free is a must) – all while preventing aging as best as possible. While I’ve had good success with all of the products I’m about to show you, note that everyone’s skin is different and requires (and tolerates) different ingredients and treatments, so these are just some that work well for MY skin and it’s particular traits. Nevertheless, I thought it might be handy for others who have similar concerns or for those looking to try a new product
First of all, a quick description of my skin (if you aren’t already familiar): Oily, but not overly so – gets shiny in the t-zone by mid-day and on cheeks closer to my nose. Blotting once a day is necessary. Pores are slightly visible on cheeks and nose, but not a concern. Break outs are infrequent, though the odd pimple may occur every month or so, and high stress can cause consistent breakouts. If breakout is severe, scarring may occur (seen as dark spots). Can have dry patches (particularly on forehead, around mouth, and jawline) due to eczema; sometimes scarring (seen as lack of pigment) results. Skin around eyes is normal, very few lines, and has recently become somewhat sensitive and can have dry patches at outer corners. Little, if any signs of aging overall (yet!).
OK! So now, here’s the rundown of the products that are floating my boat as of late (oh yeah, and by the way – this is gonna be a wordy post, so get comfortable!):
Cleansers
MAC Cleanse Off Oil, Boscia Clear Complexion Cleanser with Botanical Blast
Currently, for my morning wash I’m just using up the last drops of my Purity cleanser from Philosophy to cleanse my skin. When that runs out, I’m unsure if I want to use the Boscia both day and night, or find something else for the morning. I also have Philosophy’s The Microdelivery Wash, which I specifically bought to use in the AM – but I suspect its too harsh on my skin and was causing eczema flare-ups, so I’d feel more comfortable finding something else. Some days I don’t even wash my face in the morning if I feel like its a particularly cold and windy day. Likely I’ll find a creamy cleanser just to rinse off the night’s product/sebum but that will cushion the skin from the cold.
At night, if I wore a full face of make-up, I’ll use the MAC oil (which I’ve reviewed here) to remove it first, and then go through my normal cleansing routine with the Boscia. I picked up the Boscia cleanser a few weeks ago, and have only started using it last week. It’s supposed to ‘purify pores and bolster skin’s natural defenses against irritations and reactions,’ and does not contains parabens, sulfates, or fragrances – hello, this product was designed for me! I’ve used it enough to determine whether it will or won’t work with my skin, and it’s a definitely winner. It comes out of the pump sort of with an oil-gel texture, and then foams when applied to a wet face. The foam is one of the most luxurious I’ve felt, its so creamy and smooth and doesn’t feel like it’s stripping my skin at all – but when I rinse, I feel perfectly clean with absolutely no residue. I love it! It’s a pleasure to use each evening. I just wish it were in a bigger container (only 5oz) – another reason why I want to have a separate day cleanser, because I want this to last! At $32CDN a pop, it’s not exactly the cheapest cleanser ever. But well worth the price for the way it feels and works.
Daytime Moisturizers/Treatments
Ole Henriksen Truth Serum Collagen Booster, Clinique Superdefense Age Defense Moisturizer SPF25 (Combo-Oily to Oily), Clarins Sun Control Eye Contour Care SPF30
After cleansing in the morning (if I do), I apply Ole’s Truth Serum to my entire face and neck (previously reviewed here). I leave it on for as long as I can to let it penetrate before adding Clinique’s Superdefense SPF25 moisturizer on top. Though I’m starting to feel like its silly to use a separate SPF product for around the eye, I use Clarins Sun Control eye cream every day. As it seems like a lot of products cause irritation to my sensitive eye area now, I think it’s better to be safe than sorry, and this doesn’t cause any issues whatsoever – and it lasts for freakin’ ever!! This is my second tube and I’m sure I’ll have it for another year (or until the expiry runs out). I got two years out of my last one; for about $30, I’ll take it! That’s like $0.04 a day (for those who like to do the math like I do ).
Nighttime Moisturizers/Treatments
Clinique Turnaround Overnight Radiance Moisturizer, The Body Shop Wise Woman Eye Cream
Nighttime is a pretty quick affair! After cleansing, I just slap on Clinique’s new Turnaround moisturizer, and add a dab of The Body Shop’s Wise Woman eye cream and I’m good to go! Eye creams have got to be the best ever – people have a hard time shelling out what feels like a lot for such a small jar of product, but they last forever! I’ve had this one since probably this time last year – phew! It’s gotta be nearing the end, though I can’t tell. Once I finish this up, I’m going to move on to the bottle of 100 Percent Pure Coffee Bean eye cream I got from eBeauty last month (reviewed here). Mainly I’m looking for a product that’ll help alleviate darkness (next to impossible) and which contains antioxidants to prevent aging. The 100 Percent Pure product is actually better suited to my needs, but I read on MUA that the Wise Woman cream was pretty stellar. It’s supposed to reduce the appearance of dark circles and puffiness, hydrate, and smooth the skin around the eyes by ‘filling in’ lines via cotton fibers. I do like it – it hydrates nicely and I haven’t seen any increase in lines around the eye – but it’s a bit of a premature purchase considering who it’s actually designed for. Great price though, at $24CAD (15mL).
Extras
Complex 15 Daily Face Cream, Josie Maran Organic Argan Oil Moisturizer, Queen Helene Mint Julep Masque
These are products that I use semi-regularly, but not every day. The Complex 15 moisturizer is a great drugstore basic that I use if my skin is being reactive, or if I’ve done a treatment and need something no-frills to avoid creating a reaction. It doesn’t contain lanolin, which I’ve recently discovered can cause allergic reactions to those who are also allergic to wool such as myself (as it is a wool-derivative). You learn something new every day.
The Josie Maran Argan Oil was going to be my antioxidant ‘serum’ (as it’s rich in Vitamin E) but then two things happened: 1) I received the Ole Henriksen Truth Serum and fell in love, and 2) I realized that this Argan Oil is a bit to rich for my skin to use on a regular basis. So, how I use it now is on the weekends, usually Sunday, I thoroughly cleanse my skin and then apply this all over my face and neck as sort of a treatment, to really hydrate and nourish my skin. I try to avoid wearing any makeup on top as well – which works as this oil kind of gives you a great, healthy glow so that no makeup is really needed. This is a travel-size bottle and it cost $18CAD for 0.5oz, which is a bit pricey for the size, but you don’t need to use a whole lot, and for my purposes it should last a while. Jury’s out on if I’ll repurchase, however.
I picked up the Queen Helene mask well over two years ago, when I was in Vegas. I had read great things about it on MUA, and I was experiencing a lot of oiliness and a few breakouts, so I thought I’d pick it up. It was super cheap, like $4.99US, but I’ve never seen it anywhere here in Canada. In any case, it’s just your standard clay mask I think, nothing terribly special, although it’s fairly gentle so I don’t feel sensitivity after using it and it doesn’t make me feel as dry as the Sahara, so that’s a plus. For the price I don’t mind either way, though it’s lasted me SOOO long (I use it about once a week just on areas of oiliness/breakout) – I’m just sort of done with it now. But I don’t want to toss it just yet. If it’s not finished by next Summer, out it goes. I’ll be time for a new oil-absorbing mask by that time!
So there you have it, the full low-down on my skincare regime! There are just two products I’d like to add eventually (aside from a morning cleanser) – one, REN’s Glycolactic Renewal Mask, which I’ve had a few samples of and is absolutely AMAZING – results in baby soft skin, with absolutely no irritation whatsoever; and two, a retinol product to use at night (which will likely replace the Clinique moisturizer as I don’t think the two would get along well). Retinol is one of those ingredients that seems to have stood the test of time in the skincare world – years later we’re still hearing that it is the be-all end-all in terms of fighting off aging and repairing existing damage. Sign me up, please! I just want to find an affordable option that is also effective…so far I’m coming up empty-handed. I won’t give up the search though!
I’d like to note that what you see in this post is almost my entire skincare ‘wardrobe’ (so to speak) that I have! I’ve really pared down. Aside from a small handful of samples which are nearing completion (YES!), I only have a few other unmentioned products, which were excluded as I do not currently use them for various reasons. I have another serum (Clinique’s Turnaround Concentrate, which I got free and am saving for warmer months), two other masks (Pangea’s Japanese Matcha Tea Facial Mask, and Korres Yoghurt Face Mask, both of which I like in theory but which may or may not irritate my skin – the Korres is up for swap), the Philosophy Microdelivery Wash (which is up for swap), and Kiehl’s Micro Dermabrasion Scrub (which I received in a swap, have used only a handful of times, and may put back up for swap – scrubs are too irritating for me!).
Ok, end ramble…now! What do you think of my regime? Any products you’ve tried and loved/hated? Any suggestions on products to incorporate/check out??
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