31 December 2022

Empties

 Hello,

it is the last day of this year and I'm cleaning my space. Pretty much my entire closet got a fresh start and I have to do the same with skincare and make-up. These are the last empties for the year and it is time to move on.


I purchased this body wash this year and the scent was so nice that I just had to use it immediately. It is from Balea and is named Flower Shower, to me it is a creamy blackurrant scent and I liked it a lot. I know this is a limited edition scent and probably I won't be able to get it again but if I see it I will buy it.

Next is Biobaza body lotion in the Spring Flowers option (Rose and Geranium). This to me smells more like Lavender and I was ok with that because it smells so comforting and lovely, quite perfect for going to bed. I think this is still available and I will get it again. The texture was on more liquid side so I had to be extra careful when I would open it but that is the only minus I can see. 

Then there is Hazelnut oil from Milnica and I used it as my first step of removing my make-up. The packaging is a bit awkward because it has a large opening so spilling too much happened frequently. The oil itself is nice, it lifted my make-up and didn't irritate my eyes. I would get it again. 

The very last item is my beloved Catrice Powerfull 5 liquid lip balm in the shade Fresh Acai Berry. I treat it more like a lip gloss but in reality it is more of a hybrid between a lipstick and a lip gloss in my opinion. It has pigment (that lovely fresh off red shade which made my lips look more plump but not overly tinted) but still is a bit shiny (not glossy but also made it last a bit longer than a regular gloss). The pigment stayed on my lips for longer than the shine did and I love that also this particular shade was a good match for me. I really liked it and would get it again in the same color, the only negative point is that it wasn't moisturising at all.


Thank you for reading and have a nice day

18 December 2022

Empties

 Hello,

this time I'm very late due to some internet issues but also my own laziness got the best of me.


This time around I finished up two lip products, first is Avon Supreme Nourishing lipstick in the shade Revitalising Raspberry. I am having a hard time explaining this shade, in its essence it is red but not too vivid, it has some brick tones in it but it is far from being orange. I loved putting it on as a lip stain just to get that flushed look. This line of lipsticks is already discontinued and I think it is a shame. It was nourishing (as the name suggests) because it has balm infused formula (white swirls among the pigment) but at the same time pigmented. It was on a creamier side so there was a risk of getting it over the lip line but I usually just tapped it lightly and pressed it into my lips and that helped with the longevity and I was also able to achieve the desired look.


Second is my last Catrice Generation Plump & Shine lip gloss in the shade Pink Topaz. I love this line of glosses and this particular shade was amazing. Pretty similar to the lipstick mentioned above. It did have some golden shimmer but nothing too obvious. Lovely shade to bring some life back into my lips and generous shine to add the fullness. My lips were never dry while using it so I would get some more shades from this range, I would love to get this particular again but I think it is discontinued.

On the bottom is my second pot of Teaology face matcha fresh cream. I love that it is a light gel which absorbs into my thirsty but oily skin pretty fast, barely there scent is tea like and if I don't exfoliate this feel nice but if I do use my enzyme scrub and put this gel over it, it can tingle over some sensitive areas but it doesn't cause redness. I have also noticed that recently my skin got a bit more dry and even flakey, when I put thin/normal layer over it it didn't hydrate it enough. At the moment I'm not thinking of getting another one but when Summer comes along I'm getting myself a third pot of it. I love the lightweight feeling and no extra oils on my face when my skin isn't acting out.

I was thinking of getting the perfume but just couldn't bring myself to blind buying it so instead I got myself a lotion version. It is Replay Signature perfume body lotion. The texture was on the liquid side so I had to be careful when opening the tube but I still managed to spill it at the beginning. The scent was predominately musk-y and over time I went from liking it to loving it. Now I'm seriously thinking of getting the perfume but often the perfume hits slightly different than the lotion, just because of different textures and ingredients... At the moment I have enough fragrances but this one is definitely on my list. The moisturising properties weren't too bad, my skin is now a bit dry but it didin't get itchy which would be a sign that is not hydrated enough. 

And the last item is this huge Iliria Green Apple shampoo for hair and body. I used it only on my hair simply because my hair loved it. It is on the cleansing side and using it constantly without any conditioner afterwards my hair could get dry so I made sure to use conditioner every once in a while and I always use some heat protection spray while blowdrying my hair and after I'm done I put a drop of oil on the tips to nourish them even more. I love the big bottle which lasts for months, the pleasant scent, how clean, fresh and shiny my hair looked after washing them with this rather cheap shampoo. I will definitely but it again after I finish up what I already have in my stash.


Thank you for reading and have a nice day


30 November 2022

Empties

 Hello,

it is almost the end of the year, how is that possible? It feels like the Summer was here just yesterday and today it is freezing outside.


First is my beloved Avon care glycerin hand and nail cream. It has a soft floral scent, light texture which gets absorbed pretty quickly and my hands are left soft and moisturised afterwards. I bought this cream numerous times and I already have a few backups.

Next is L'occitane Fleur d'or & Acacia body oil. I remember having hand cream back In the day and I loved the scent but since this collection got discontinued and I couldn't get my hands on it. Up until recently where I saw this oil and swapped it with some fragrance. This oil still to this day smell divine to me, there is just something about Acacia scent which makes me all weak. The oil itself was on the dry side, it sinked in fast but at the same time I didn't have the felling that it did much for my skin, so I was layering it over something more moisturising and just enjoyed the scent.

Second to last is another repurchased item in my routine. It is Alkmene tea tree face wash. I used to love this face wash but lately I found myself just liking it. I think I prefer the Cerave one. This is gel like product, it thoroughly washes my face. It doesn't irritate my skin and the packaging works. I still have nothing bad to say about it but I feel like my skin just prefers something else at the moment.

And the last one is a mini, it was a gift with purchase (10 ml, otherwise you can get it in a bigger bottle). It is La Roche Posay Pure vitamin C10 serum. It has a bit of a weird scent (not citrusy but rather more chemical), it came as a thicker gel and even though it looks tiny, this bottle lasted me two weeks. I did like it but I think there are other cheaper options out there so probably I won't buy it again just because of the price.


Thank you for reading and have a nice day

15 November 2022

Empties

 Hello,

this time I don't have a lot of products but almost all of them are make-up... I'm super happy to finally finish up some of my colored cosmetics since I find these to be much harder to get through plus some of these I almost got tired of and I can't wait to start using something else as a replacement.


First is my beloved Bioderma anti redness cream, it is a staple in my skincare routine for years now. I use it every second day at night time and my face is less red in the morning. The texture isn't too greasy which I appreciate as well. I already have a new tube and this cream will always be in my bathroom.

Next is MAC studio face and body foundation in the shade N1. On the bottom photo you can see swatch and on me this pulls yellow/orange and it is too dark. My solution was to apply it sheer... but then there is no coverage... I of course bought it blindly to get such an off matching but at the end I made it work. I was using it lightly on my neck, to avoid 'make-up face and bare everything else' look, just to have a sheer layer on my neck to help blend my face foundation better. I will not buy it again since the formula didn't work for me.


I finally finished up a blush! So very happy to see it gone. It was a lovely pastel peach shade and it will be missed but at the same time I'm ready to use something else as well. It is Tony Moly Salmon Nude shade but to me it is nether Salmon or nude like. It was completely matte and light in pigmentation. I really liked the formula since it was hard even for my pale complexion to get too much blush and I like sheer blushes, they work for my style of make-up.

The very last item is Catrice generation plump & shine lip gloss in the shade Rosy Amber. It was a light nudy-pink shade. On me a little too light and milky but a light layer looked ok. I loved the formula just the shade wasn't my favorite but I still made it work. I would not repurchase this shade (I think it is already discontinued) but I have one more to go through and that shade is more up my alley. 


Thank you for reading  and have a nice day

03 November 2022

Project Polish

 Hello,

I think this will be the last project polish post for this year and since I went through 17 bottles and my collection downsized I call this a success.

First is this gorgeous light and bright shade from Essence and it is called Eclectic Blue. It was vivid and it made me smile. I'm a sucker for this type of blue and I already have a few similar shades already so no need to hunt down this shade.

Next is also from Essence and it is named Indigo to go, dark base with blue shimmer. Super pretty and sparkly when the sun or the right light shined on it, otherwise it looked pretty modest. I love these almost black shades which hide a little secret :)

Beside blue I also love a good black with a twist. This is Misslyn Universe which dried to a sand finish witch has to be my favorite finish. This brand is no longer available here but thankfully I have a similar shade from Avon ready to be used up next.

The last in a row is another Essence, this one called Glitter Choc. A lovely dark brown which again was only noticeable in a bright light, otherwise it looked black. I absolutely adored this shade and after I will finish more bottles I will try to find a substitute. The only issue I had with this one was a massive tip wear.


Ok, all of these aren't finished but I'm giving up on them for various reasons. I will give them to my sister so maybe she will get some use out of them.

First is a lovely looking Catrice Want to be my brightsmaid? shade. I thought that it will be a milky soft color for everyday but it applies a bit streaky and uneven and after three coats it looks ok but I have other shades that look similar in tone but look so much nicer after just two coats so I decided to part with it because I don't like how sheer and uneven this one is.

Next is super old Essence Mother earth is watching you shade. Neutral with a silver frost. I recently pulled it out and decided to play with it but I'm just over it, it no longer makes me happy so I will pass it on, the formula is still really nice.

I bought this Catrice Clarity nail polish this year thinking it will replaced my lovely Misslyn Beauty Natural but this one is a tad more nude/brown and it just didn't look right in my opinion. besides the color this one also formed tip wear the very next day and I just don't want to deal with it so I will give it away.

The last one is Rimmel Sweet Retreat which I bought to use on my toes years ago but I only used it now. There is nothing wrong with it but my taste simply changed and I don't want to wear such a bright pink, that is all.


My number of nail polishes is still high but every year I manage to bring the number down and can't wait to get to a more manageable sized 'collection' of nail varnishes.


Thank you for reading and have a nice day

31 October 2022

Empties

 Hello,

it is the last day of the spooky month and I have a nice collection of empties.


First item is Avon care replenishing moisture body wash with Avocado. It is a bit creamy so when I squeezed it out it didn't spill out so that is much appreciated. The scent was also very nice and creamy, not sure about the Avocado scent but I really like it. I can see that they repackaged this one and I can only hope that it is still the same because I really like it and I would buy it again.

COSRX Salicylic acid daily gentle cleanser with 0,5 % Salicilyc acid content. It is creamy in texture and I used it almost every day in the shower on already cleansed face. My face really liked it since my skin responds well to the Salicylic acid and using it daily improved my overall look of my skin. It is more clear and if breakouts do come for a visit they are gone faster than usual. I really like this product and I already bought myself a new tube to use in the shower.

Avon wild berries hand lotion with Raspberry, Vanilla and Orange is this next tube. This has to be one of the best scented hand creams but unfortunately the formula for me didn't work. It was a thicker lotion and the cream just sat on top of my hands, leaving  greasy prints everywhere and my hands still felt dry. When I washed my hands hours after applying it it just came off. Avon has better creams but I will miss the lovely scent.

Next is another Avon's product, this is eye shadow quad in the Stone Taupe option. I used up one of the shades and the other three had massive pans showing but unfortunately I dropped it and the remaining powers shatter so there is nothing to show. I loved all of the shades but at the moment I'm in reducing and decluttering so I won't buy it again but after I finish some more shadows this one is likely to be repurchased (light cream shade, sateen taupe, light and dark grey were the shades included-cool toned shadows for lighter complexions).

Mini in there is Clarins lip comfort oil in the shade Honey. I bought four minis from Clarins to try them out (lip oil and lipstick didn't work for me so I already pass them on) and this oil was probably what made me buy it in the first place. This mini held 2,8 ml of product, enough to really try it out. It is yellow but there was thankfully no tint, I expected to have more prominent honey scent but it was very glossy even though it didn't last for long, most oils don't last. The other day I had pretty dry and flaked lips so I thought that this is perfect to test it out since lip oils are supposed to be very nourishing... I didn't notice any difference, my lips remained dry so this product didn't live up to my expectations so I won't be buying it.

The very last item is Essence Mosaic compact powder in the shade Sunkissed Beauty (I think it is the only shade available). It had different shades included and when mixed all together this bronzer had a peachy tone to it while also being very light. All in all this worked very well for me, it was not too warm but peachy tone nicely complimented my cheeks, it did had some random shimmer but I don't think it was very noticeable or at least it didn't bother me. I almost repurchased it but then I decided to use up what I already have and then get it again since this has to be one of my favorites.


Thank you for reading and have a nice day

29 October 2022

Medex elanosol lip balms

 Hello,

cold season is in front of us and my lips need some extra pampering. I purchased these two from Medex, brand famous for their Honey and Honey infused products. 


Because I couldn't decide only on one so I got two elanosold lip balms (they have many more). First is Care for dry lips with natural honey wax, Shea butter, Buckthorn oil and vitamin E. The other version is Junior with natural honey wax, propolis, honey, Shea butter, vitamin B2 and E. Based on all these ingredients I thought I would prefer Junior version... The are both soft and melt nicely into my lips and at the same time last for quite a while so I don't need to reapply non stop and I love that.



First one is Care which is a bit paler in comparison with the Junior but here lays, at least in my opinion the only flaw. Junior is darker and also tinted, one layer means nothing but reapplying it through the entire day the color builds and I ended looking like I have been eating eggs or some other yellow food but forgot to wash, it is so tinted. After I figure that out I kept it at home and used it when no one would be around. They are quite greasy which is only a plus in my books and also nicely nourishing. Ingredients used are nice are support my needs. Care version smells a bit like Honey while Junior is Orange scented. I will buy Care option again, mabe even try some others but Junior is a no go for me, solely because of the yellow tint.


Thank you for reading and have a nice day

15 October 2022

Empties

 Hello,

today I have only a few empties, maybe next time it will be a bigger group.


I finished two Avon Planet SPA Ayurveda Ritual body butters with Indian Turmeric Root and Coconut Milk. My sister actually got me hooked so I bought one and immediately got myself a backup because they discontinued them... It is a rich body butter with a pleasant creamy scent, it has Coconut for sure but it isn't overly sweet or sunny scent, perfect for a cold Autumn weather. If I could get it again I would but as mentioned before it is gone.

Next is my trusted Batiste dry shampoo, this particular version is The Cherry one and it has to be one of my favorites. The formula is just superb, very effective with minimal white cast. I noticed that they are changing the packaging design and also are selling them for more money... I will still buy them but at the same time I will start looking alternatives.

The mini bottle up front is Cacharel Yes I am Glorious. A fragrance which is supposed to smell like a creamy Peach but I get a sweet Peach wrapped in candy. Still very nice and uplifting, whenever I put it on I started to smile and not a lot of fragrances do that. I was about to get myself a full bottle but then I stopped myself because I already have a lot of bottles and this one also doesn't last on me. I get around one hour of wear and it is such a shame. If it would last longer I would probably get it but since I rarely retouch my fragrance during the day this poor longevity seems like too big of a drawback, but still it is a very nice scent.


Thank you for reading and have a nice day

01 October 2022

Empties

 Hello,

  a little late but still here :)


First is The Body Shop Wild Argan oil for body and hair. I had this bottle for so long that now it really was the last time to start using it before it turned on me. To me it smells divine (I had a body butter in this scent and it was also a love) and it was a bit of a shame that I used it as a make-up remover... but that was the only way to finish it up before going bad. It did work well as a first step of removing make-up but the scent is just too good to use it for that. I would buy it again but to use it a moisturizer as intended so the scent would linger and last all night.

Next is another oil, this one is Avon Advance Technique moisturizing serum with Argan & Coconut, this one is specifically for hair and surprisingly I did use it on my hair exclusively. One pump on slightly wet hair after washing them really made them soft and less frizzy. I would buy it again but I have a few other just as amazing oils left and I really need to go through all of them before buying more.

A few years ago I fell in love with chemical and enzyme scrubs because I find them more suited for my acne textured skin. This is Q+A Apple AHA exfoliating gel. I used it on cleansed skin in the evening and the next day my skin felt softer and smoother. It is a gel texture so I had to be careful when I opened the tube because the product would just come out. Even though acid can be strong for my sensitive skin this one didn't irritate me and I just massaged it into my skin and then rinsed it off and continue with my night time routine. I would get it again but at the moment I'm using something different and I need to finish what I already have.

I previously had hair conditioner from Nivea in a blue tube but they discontinued it and replaced it with this pink tube so I decided to buy it and see if it is just as good as the previous version and I can say that they are super similar and make my hair look their best. It is Nivea hairmilk natural shine mild conditioner. It is a thicker gel which I use after washing on damp hair, I leave it on for a few minutes and then rinse. My hair are softer, smoother (less frizz and shinier) I also noticed that my hair would be more straight (my hair are naturally straight but sometimes I get a random curl after sleeping on them but not after using this conditioner, they look almost as if I straighten them, just more polished and it looks like I put way more effort into styling them in the morning than I actually did). I already bought a new tube and using it in my shower.

The last item is Nivea hand cream, smooth care in mini 30 ml packaging. I received mine in an advent calendar so I'm not sure you can buy this little size (I at least haven't seen it in the store but I can get it in the same type of packaging but bigger). This is super cute and the product inside is also nice, scent vise it is nothing special but the cream is lightweight and absorbs quickly. I do find it moisturizing when my hands aren't very dry, when I get super dry skin this isn't enough. I know still I have Cherry Blossom version that I need to finish but probably I won't buy more because there are better creams out there.


Thank you  for reading and have a nice day

16 September 2022

Empties

 Hello,

one short empties post ahead. I didn't finish up whole lot of products this time but at least there are some big bottles and tubes.


First two products are Dove derma Spa Summer revived body lotions with self tanning properties. One is for light to medium and the other is medium to dark skin tone. They are both very light and only with a consistent use my skin got a bit of color. In a way it is good that the shades were light since it didn't make me look all blotchy but I also liked the fact that the scent wasn't too strong. It was present but faint. So far I liked these tanning lotions the best but probably I won't repurchase them again because I think I'm done with self tanners.

Avon Advance Techniques shampoo which claims to instantly controls and tames frizz with Lotus shield technology. First I would like to touch on the scent. It is the same as it is with all AT products from Avon and to my nose this is one of the most pleasant hair scents, I love it. The texture isn't too runny and it foams nicely. I noticed that it gently removed products buildup and oils but I had to make sure I rinsed it off well otherwise my hair looked greasy the next day. Every once in a while I would use a cleansing shampoo which removed everything and left my hair super clean, just to make sure my hair weren't weighted down. After using this shampoo my hair never looked dry but rather shiny and healthy. If I can find it again I will get it.

This next item is somewhat new. Avon revamped their senses line and I just had to get something. It is Avon senses Raspberry delight shower gel. This had perfect Raspberry scent and when I took it with me on a vacation I also use it instead of shampoo and my hair smelled like fresh Raspberries even the next day. I'm giving this product A+ for the scent alone and I will definitely get it again.

The last one is Beauty Glam Vitamin C serum. I get a lot of my serums from this  brand and they seem to work for me. This serum had a bit thicker consistency and I liked to apply it in the evening. It did absorb quickly into the skin and left no residue behind. With a consistent use, paired with other brightening products this on fit perfectly into my routine and I'm planning on buying it again. 


Thank you for reading and have a nice day

03 September 2022

Liquid Lustre Gold

 Hello,

I think Summer is the perfect time to wear something extra glowy and this particular product is just that, great for hot summertime.


I purchased Makeup Revolution London liquid highlighter in the shade Liquid Lustre Gold. It comes in a large 18 ml bottle with a pipette.


I purchased it online so I wasn't completely sure how the shade would suit me. It is bronze toned gold but still a bit too dark to use on its own on my fair skin. My plan was to mix it into foundation so being too dark didn't bother me much.



It is on a liquid side and that makes it easier to use or mix into other liquids. It is also very metallic and reflective (think of a mirror like finish). 


On me, slightly sheered out it came off as slightly peach toned but still too obvious to wear on its own.


Here the reflection is seen better, you could blind someone while wearing it solely on your cheeks, but since my idea was to mix it into my foundation I noticed that it kind of got lost in there and I was just left with a shimmery face. Not the look I was going for, I kept it for the Summer time and I thought that perhaps I will wear it on a vacation but since I didn't use it not even once I decided to give it away to my sister.

I think it is a cool product if you like super glowy highlights and I suggest to use it on its own, I think it looks better than mixed into foundation.



Thank you for reading and have a nice day

01 September 2022

Empties

 Hello,

a little late but still here none the less. It is my 'collection' of empties and it is dare to say a big one.


First purple bottle is Avon Encanto inspiring body lotion creamy violet. It has a lovely floral and slightly fruity scent. Very nice bed time fragrance, moisturizing properties are ok but I don't like how I can't take every bit out of it. I feel like the lotion is slightly too thick and it would be better to be in a squeeze out tube, at least in my opinion.

Next is Balea Niacinamide serum. In the past I had one from The Ordinary and because I couldn't get it I just found another option. I'm not so sure about this one, I haven't noticed any big difference but maybe that is just because when I finished up the first bottle I started to use this one and I used it regularly. I will try not to open the new bottle and see if I can spot the difference now after when it is gone...

I purchased this tube already last year and I don't remember having issues but this year my face burst out in pimples while on vacation (maybe it is already expired) and I can blame ether this or BB cream... so this vacation I only used it on my body and just finished it up. It is Bioderma Cicabio SPF 50+, soothing repairing care with a very high chemical protection for weakened skin exposed to the sun. I liked that is wasn't particularly greasy or left much white cast. I still applied BB cream over it for some coverage and my face didn't burn. In theory I really liked it but that mass of pimples bothered me so much that probably I won't buy it again even though I'm not 100% sure this cream is to blame (now I used one form Shiseido and a different BB cream and I didn't get any pimples...).

Little 10 ml bottle is travel sized bottle of Mugler Alien Goddess fragrance. I really liked this one, it is still very tropical, fun time on the beach type of a fragrance but to my nose it doesn't resemble to the Alien EDP. It is a completely different scent and while I really enjoy wearing it I won't buy it in a larger bottle since I already have a few other bottles with similar vibe and I really don't need another one but since this is a refillable bottle (I love that) I will keep it and maybe put something else inside.

 Next bottle is from Langhaar Mädchen and it is heat protector and has anti-frizz effect. I really like this item, at first I fell in love with the scent, floral and creamy at the same time (this smell really resonates with me as it smell like hair 'should' smell like, it has a hair saloon type of a scent but in the most pleasant one). When I didn't use it my hair were more frizzy and less shiny so I made a point in using it every single time after washing my hair. I would shake it well and generously apply it all over my hair and the next day my hair were silky soft, just the way I like it. I will start using a different heat protection serum (I heard a lot of good stuff about it from two different people and I can't wait to see how it performs). It has big shoes to fill since I loved this one so very much.

Next bottle isn't very exciting, it is Ebelin nail polish remover. It is very efficient and it cost very little. I already repurchased it and I'm planning on buying it more even in the future.

I stopped counting how many tubes of this face moisturizer I finished up. To put it simply, it has everything in it. Great packaging (I love how thin the tube is, very convenient for traveling), lightweight texture (I have oily skin and something light yet moisturizing is very well received from my skin) and very efficient when it comes to moisturizing. I'm already using new tube and have a backup of this little 'miracle' Neutrogena oil free moisturizer.
 

Long gone is this Catrice eye shadow in the shade Princess Mattleine. When I bought it years ago it was already being discontinued so I know I can't get it again but fortunately I already have something similar in my collection to replace this beautiful dusty rose shade with lovely sateen finish. I especially loved it on my cheeks, it wasn't bold or anything outrageous but it rather gave my cheeks a little definition which is the perfect way to go for me. At the end I liked to also sweep a little over my lids but the focus remained on the face. Great shadow for that all over look.


Thank you for reading and have a nice day

21 August 2022

Polish empties

 Hello,

I haven't done one of these is a long time and even this post is long overdue since I finished them up a while ago. During this Summer I liked to wear barely there shades or muted blue with a spark of lavender thrown in the mix.

I'm still on the cream and blue kick so you can expect some more empty nail polish bottles in these colors.


First is this lovely bottle of L.O.V. nail polish in the shade Pure Expression. I remember when I first tried it out I complained this to be too sheer... now I don't know what I was thinking. Maybe I didn't shake it enough and the pigment settled on the bottom so I wasn't getting the right results? With me anything is possible but with each use I liked it more until it become my favorite. It is a creamy and milky color which was super easy to apply (wide brush which hugged my nail beds perfectly), the formula was smooth and fast drying. No chipping or tip wear for a week and the color was super flattering on me. It was an all and all perfect nail polish but sadly this brand is no longer available here so now I will have to find another perfect cream color to replace this beauty.

Next is super duper old Essence Nail Candy varnish in the shade Soda Pop & Candy Shop (I bought a bunch of these years ago and now I have two full bottles left). This is similar to the first one except I need three coats at least for an even application with a hint of slight pink hue. It is less pigmented and looks more natural than the first one. Mostly I used it as a base coat under other nail polishes.

One of my favorite shades to wear on my nails is Lavender and this one was that perfect shade for me. It is Avon gel finish in the shade Lavender Sky. This is one of my favorite polish ranges and it applied smooth as butter. I will miss it but I have another lavender shade to go through.

The very last one is from H&M Beauty and it is called Slate. Lovely dusty blue color for whenever I felt moody :) I personally like shades like that (give me lavender, blue or gray or any kind of mishmash of these colors and I'm happy, especially if they are on the lighter, pastel range of color). It had super flat and wide brush, a bit too big for my pinky but for the other fingers  it was great, it made application super fast. 


Thank you for reading and have a nice day


15 August 2022

Empties

 Hello,

I'm back with a reasonable sized empties post. 


First is a hand cream which is a must in my pockets, drawls or purses. It is Avon care antioxidant moisture with Pomegranate hand cream for all skin types. It smell fruity, not too intense. The formula absorbs quickly into my skin but the most important thing - restoring moisture... not the best. It is not bad but when my skin is on the dry side it just doesn't work that well. I prefer the Jasmin, Banana or the Coconut ones from care line.

Next is Avon Planet SPA Korean charcoal cleanse & refine (deep cleansing face wash). It is grey (just like the bottle) and the texture is very lotion like. It doesn't emulsify which I find odd. If I use just this all over my face covered with make-up it doesn't remove it, if I use it after oil did its magic on my face it also doesn't remove anything... I started mixing it into other face washes just to finish it up because on its own it does nothing for  me.

Pretty bottle is Salvatore Ferragamo perfume named Amo Ferragamo. Sweet Orange scent was nice but I didn't use it on myself but rather on my bed before sleeping. I used it daily and I'm super excited to finish it up. During the last two years my fragrance collection grew in size and I have no more room to store so finishing up a bottle is huge for me. This scent will not be repurchased but I enjoyed using it while it lasted.

Bioderma Sensibio anti-redness face cream is a staple for me. Lightweight cream which I use at night time, approximately every second day and my face is way more even, less red. I can't imagine being without it so I already have two backups, just in case :)  I find rose oil just as effective but this is not as greasy so I prefer it.

Next is my must have Catrice HD liquid camouflage foundation in the shade Light Beige. A perfectly buildable formula with very close shade match. I love everything about it, the packaging is perfect for this texture, coverage can be full, shade match plus the price tag is super affordable. I already have two backups but I heard that they changed the formula... I have not tried it out but I sincerely hope that it is still relatively the same because it is already perfect.

The last item is the 'new' Avon Supershock volume light mascara in black. It used to be in the all black packaging but now it is offered in this half pink tube with slightly different formula. The brush stayed the same, it is still huge. I think this mascara used to be known for combing lashes end elongating them, it didn't clump or add much volume. This new formula feels more liquid and therefore it is prone to sticking lashes together. When this tube was still relatively new I had to be careful while applying it but as the time passed by and the formula started to dry it seems like it is more similar to the now 'old' formula that I loved so much. I think I will buy it again but make sure to dry it out a bit to hit that sweet spot when it is the best.



Thank you for reading and have a nice day

31 July 2022

Empties

 Hello,

it is the end of the month and I'm back with a short little post about my empties.


When I purchased my bottle of Bvlgari Aqua Divina fragrance it also came with these two miniatures, body lotion and a body wash which I took with me on my trip. This fragrance smells like a spa to me. Fresh, relaxing, calming, salty but cold. Like a walk down the beach in the Spring time, before the sun lotion is in the air and I also smell grey stones in here. The kind of stones they use for a massage... Very interesting scent and I made a significant dent in my fragrance bottle but I decided to completely finish up these two minis. The body wash smelled a bit oilier and the lotion came off a bit fresher. I enjoyed using them up and if I could get them separate I would.

Next is another body wash and this one is from Balea, soft-öl dusche body wash. Creamy in texture and in the scent, very pleasant but the texture was a bit too liquid for my liking since I used it up way too fast. I probably won't buy it again because I prefer to use body wash that is a bit thicker so majority doesn't get spilled into my drain. 

The last items are two dry shampoos. First is Batiste Fresh. Fresh scent indeed and I  liked it very much, my hair got visibly refreshed and the scent didn't interfere too much with my fragrances so I already repurchased it.

And the last one is dry shampoo from Langhaar Mädchen, floral and powdery. Quite strong scent  but since I like it it didn't bother me. I actually finish another bottle before and I really liked it, but now I feel like I won't buy it again since the white residue bothered me. I don't know if previous versions weren't as white or I just didn't notice it... it started to bother me so I will buy dry shampoos from other brands.



Thank you for reading and have a nice day

15 July 2022

Empties

 Hello,

I just got back from a short trip to the beachside and managed to finish up some SPF lotions, unfortunately none of these will be repurchased since I found others to suit me better.


First item is this large, 400 ml bottle of Ziaja Orange butter body lotion. It took me months to finish it up and I'm still not sick of it. Love the convenient pump and the lotion type of this moisturizer, it spread easily and nourished my skin (no dry or itchy skin) and the scent is mild but very lovely orange blossom type. Very nice to go to bed and sleep well with it. I will repurchase it.

Next is another Ziaja product but this one is sun cream for the face with high SPF 50 in a light shade. Surprisingly the shade is not orange at all and I can see people actually match this shade, for me it was still too dark but I'm pretty pale. Putting shade aside the formula was a bit weird. At first it looks nice but since it is a bit greasy (still it is a chemical sun protection with ingredient called Diethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzonate) it takes some rubbing to get it around and then the tint starts to separate and I just couldn't get an even application no matter how much I tried. There were areas full of tint and some without, it looked weird so at the end I just used it all over my legs and even then I had to be careful not to rub them together (since the tint would lift and start flaking) or rub it against some fabric. It did survive swimming in the ocean since after an hour of being in the water the tint was still there, uneven but still. 

Neutrogena Hydro boost city protect fluid with SPF 25 intrigued me since I love their oil free face moisturizer which comes in the same packaging... I thought that this might be similar but with added SPF, a quick check at the ingredients list told me I was wrong and also the formula feels very different. It feels like a cream but doesn't absorb quickly, it also leaves a greasy residue which I don't like on my already oily skin and it is just slightly tinted light blue. It is a chemical sun cream and contains Octocrylene. I haven't used it on my face more that three times since I didn't like the feeling on my face but I used it on my body and I had no reactions or sun burns.

My tube of Skinfood Tomato sun cream with SPF 35++ is very old. I used to love to use it on my face but I was never able to finish it up, so this year I just took it with me and layer it over some other sun creams all over my body. It is a true mineral protection with Zinc Oxide and cast a white layer all over. At first it is pretty greasy but over a few minutes it tones it down (it was not matte but not overly greasy). I always put some BB cream over it (I like a little coverage even at the beach + some tint helps with a white cast). This never cause my skin to break out so I thought that it will be forever repurchased but since I found something better with no white residue so I won't buy it again.

Next is one of my favorite deodorants and it is Nivea deo beauty elixir deomil fresh option. I had different one before within the same line and would get it again but they discontinued this line of products and I was only able to get one bottle of this fresh version. It is very similar in term of scent, creamy and some what fresh, like clean laundry. Since it is a deodorant it didn't stop me from sweating but I'm okay with it as long I don't stink. This really was nice (love the creamy non-irritable texture and pleasant scent) so I was disappointed when I couldn't find it anymore.

And the very last item is The Body Shop tea tree anti-imperfection daily solution. I love tea tree products since my skin likes them and my acne not so much :) I loved using it in the evening under my moisturizer. It is a watery serum which absorbed quickly into my skin. Did it make my skin drastically different? I honestly don't know but the psychological effect felt real. Give me products with tea tree scent and I will apply them regularly with joy ;) I might repurchase it since the easily absorbed formula felt good.



Thank you for reading and have a nice day

30 June 2022

Empties

 Hello,

this post is prepared a bit in advance since I'm on a vacation. These are all the products that I finished before my trip to the beach and after I come back I will probably have a lot more empties, especially products with SPF.


First is Aveno body wash with Tiare flower and Coconut water. Very inexpensive but for me these are hit or a miss, scent wise. Unfortunately this one landed on the miss side after trying it for the first time. It has this typical tropical scent but on me it turns a bit plastic and I don't like it. I did finish it up since the scent doesn't last, it did foam up and make me feel like it did clean my body so it wasn't a big deal (if it would be a lotion then probably I wouldn't be able to finish it up). I won't repurchase it again, maybe I will get some other scents but not immediately. I will take my time off and maybe after a while I will forget :)

Next is Melvita's floral Lavender water face mist. I used to love these (Lavender in particular but also Rose was close) but now I don't use them as regularly as I used to. First, the mist on these bottles is amazing, so I'm keeping the bottle and reusing it, second, the blue color is lovely and third, the product itself is great. I like using it on my face after I'm done applying my cream make-up (concealer and foundation) to melt everything together and make it one with my skin and afterwards I'm applying powder. That is my secret when my skin feels a bit dry. I also use it on clean skin in my skincare routine but I feel like it is really great with my make-up. At the moment I have some other ones but probably I will return to this one.

Next is super old Avon planet SPA Heavenly Hydration with Mediterranean Olive oil face mask. It is more of a gel texture mask which you are supposed to apply on clean face for 20 minutes (I once made a mistake and left it on for way longer, it is a moisturizing product what can go wrong? The moisture disappear and the texture becomes thick which makes it hard to take it of, I had to scratch it to get it off my face) but if I stick to the instructions it was okay. I didn't notice any difference so at the end I was just using it to finish it up, I will not be buying it again but I remember the body butter and hair mask from this Olive line being amazing.

Second to last is The Body Shop Strawberry body yogurt and I have to say that the scent is amazing. Very realistic and juicy, plus the scent lasts. The texture is jelly like and fun to use, it absorbed super fast but it is not very moisturizing on its own. I had one before and still have one left (I purchased three at the time all in different scents). They do recommend to use them in the Summer time when our skin isn't so dry and I would agree but then again why buy something which isn't as nourishing or hydrating as it can be? Probably for the scent because that is what all three have in common and are a joy to use. I will finish the last one but at the end I probably won't buy more of them, I will rather spend a few Euros more and just get some of their lotions or butters.



I finished up one more lipstick :) It is the last one I have from this Catrice limited edition, collaboration with Peta that they did a few years ago, this shade is called Have Mercy, peachy nude with shimmer, it can look very natural with just a hint of flush but if I'm reapplying it all day long than shimmer becomes a bit too much for me and the color build up also doesn't look too appealing on me. I like this lipstick in a small dose and it looked nice, I will miss it but also at the same time I have so many that it is a relief to finish some.



Thank you for reading and have a nice day


15 June 2022

Empties

 Hello,

this time around I have some more empties and some of them are my holy grails... the rest are all nice products, nothing terrible in this bunch...


This is definitely one of my favorite shampoos and this time I have finished a big bottle of it. It is Ilirija Birch shampoo for all hair types. This magical potion cleanses my hair and leaves them shiny and smooth, just what my hair need. It can be a bit too drying but nothing a little bit of hair oil can't fix. I will definitely repurchase it again and again.

Another one of my favorites is this REN flash rinse 1 minute facial  with vitamin C. I already used up a few tubes of it and already have a backup. It is a slightly grainy product which feels like a scrub but after massaging it with dry hands, then add a few drops of water and it turns instantly into an oil type of a product and then it can slightly burn over more sensitive areas (I guess the vitamin C is then activated  and it can sting) the magic is that my skin doesn't turn red even though it is very prone to redness and is super sensitive. The next day my skin is baby soft and pimples are reduced. Even my sister with perfect skin is a loyal fan.

I finally finished up a Labello original lip balm. I remember having it before and loving it but now I felt like it was just okay. It was greasy (which is a plus in my books) but I felt like it just sat on top of my lips instead sinking in and working its magic. Maybe they changed the formula or I got a different batch this time? It wasn't bad but I also didn't feel like it did much.

Another lip balm is presented in this tube with a convenient pump and it is Blistex conditioning lip serum. I liked it for the night time since it did leave a bit of a white trace but it was nourishing and my lips looked nice in the morning. I'm more inclined to repurchase this one than the Labello one.

Next is a pot of hand cream but honestly I used it as a body moisturizer. It is Avon planet spa Blissfully Nourishing with African Shea Butter hand, elbow and foot cream. As mentioned I used it all over my body since I was trying to just finish it up. It was heavily fragranced and I have to admit that in small dose it is gorgeous but all over the body it was sometimes a bit too much. I still wanted to finish it up since it is pretty old and I was scared that it might go bad, plus the 75 ml packaging is somewhat small for the entire body. The texture was quite thick and it took me a long time to finish it up. If I ever get it again I will start using it immediately but only on my hands and little by little.

This next serum tried to replace mine The Ordinary 10% Niacinamide and 1% Zinc serum (whenever I try to order it it is sold out...) it is from a SI brand Miss Alice (Milnica) and is named Face it, you love me serum (I really do love the name ;), it has Niacinamide, Collagen and firming Peptides in the formula (how much of each is undisclosed). It was a nice serum but I think I seen better results with  previously mentioned The Ordinary serum so probably I won't repurchase it again unless I will notice my skin misbehaving now since I'm out of it. 

The very last item is another hand cream but this one I did use as a hand cream. It is from The Body Shop and it is their limited edition Joy and Jasmin scent. It is floral but also pretty green smelling, the scent alone is not my favorite but I could handle it, even men in my life liked it since it wasn't too floral but it is quite strong and the scent does linger. I won't repurchase it in this scent but I'm willing to try some new editions since the cream does absorb pretty fast and makes my hands feel soft.



Thank you for reading and have a nice day

31 May 2022

Empties

 Hello,

it is the end of the month and I expected to havemore finished items... probably I will finish a whole lot more in the next couple of days.

First is Avon's care revitalising with Banana hand cream (one of my absolutely favorites). It is lightweight and it does its job done. My hands are soft and supple even after washing, that for me is the ultimate test and this one succeeds. This particular one is in the limited edition packaging but is it exactly the same. I already have a new tube waiting to get used.

Next is another hand cream and is also a gem. It is Neutrogena's unfragranced hand cream which has a very interesting formula. Like a thick gel, perhaps? A little goes a long way and I agree, this tube lasted me more than a year (I didn't use it all the time but still it lasts way longer than any other hand cream that I tried). I like that it isn't sticky or tacky (well, it can be if I put too much on at once but if I apply little by little it is okay). I also already repurchased it but I think now I have the fragranced version.

In the middle is a Rosehip face cleansing oil from the Q + A brand. I recently discovered this brand and I bought a bunch of their products, this oil is just the first to be finished. I liked the packaging (the bottle has a nice and precise pipette and it doesn't leak) but I expected this oil to be more Rosehip... in fact there is Sweet Almond, Rosehip, Hemp seed, Avocado, Argan, Kernel, Castor and Sunflower seed oil. It was on the thicker side and it definitely leave oily residue but that doesn't bother me too much since I double cleanse if my first step is oil. The one thing that is making me rethink is that it didn't completely remove my eye make-up, in the past I had some other oils and were better at removing my eye make-up so I won't repurchase this one again.

The last are two bottles of the same Cucumber toner from Milnica (I ordered 100ml bottle but apparently they were out of it so they send me two smaller bottles). The packaging has a big opening and since I am a very clumsy person I often spill... my solution was to pour it in a spray bottle and use it as a mist to refresh in the evening in the middle of my moisturizing routine or on days with no make-up or even on top of freshly applied make-up to make it melt into my skin better (but always setting with a powder on top). It was a nice refreshing toner, I didn't noticed any big difference but I like spraying my face :) my favorite still remains Lavender... I still have a few toners left that I need to finish before buying more but honestly I don't think I will repurchase it again, I might get the Chamomile one next.



Thank you for reading and have a nice day



22 May 2022

Project Polish

 Hello,

I'm continuing with the project polish where I handpick a few nail polish bottles and rotate among them until one is finished and replace it with a 'new' one from my already large collection. This is my way of minimizing and so far I have been successful (my number went down) and I'm realizing that I don't need to have 10 slightly different shades of pink at once.


Essence discontinued these nail candies a long time ago and I was so upset that I bought a lot of them at once to stock up (most of them were for my mom, because she loved them but I bought way too many of them so I kept some of them for myself). This one is my favorite shade and is named Like Love Birds, it is pink with a slight violet hue. Not opaque but milky in two coats sometimes I did three just to even it out and I love the 'clean' and polished look of a milky nail polish. This is my last bottle of this hue but I won't miss it because there are plenty of nail polishes that look similar.

The next one is also from Essence and it is called Sweet as Candy. This one is still available just in a different bottle design. It is also milky but less pink compared to the previous one, it is almost white and I comes off as a little more obvious/noticeable. I prefer this one because two coats were always sufficient and less pink tone looked even better on me. I decided not to buy a new bottle of it immediately because I have two other similar shades but at the end I did (I was buying products online and I needed to spend a few extra € to get free shipping... so I caved in and got myself a backup). This and the next one are some of my favorites.

Next in line is Misslyn Beauty Naturale and it was a limited edition shade so I can't get my hands on it again. It was such a lovely dusty pink with a bit of nude thrown in the mix. It almost looked like nothing (it was opaque in two coats) but the shade looked pretty similar to my skin tone so whenever I wore it, it made me think at a quick glance that my fingers were extra long :) It looked good with everything and it matched my every mood. It will be missed.

The very last one is also from Essence and it was part of their advent calendar from years ago and it is also the last left. It was an ombre top coat in the shade Candy Cane Lemonade. This red sheer liquid was a nice top coat, I often put it over all the three shades mentioned above and it just made them a bit brighter and vibrant (I used one coat over all of the nails, I didn't play with the ombre effect), I also liked it over light grey hues just to get a different tone out of it. I don't think I will buy nail polish like that again but writing this review made me miss it...


This was a bunch of nail polishes which I enjoy wearing a lot lately, I was really in a light pink mode ;)

Thank you for reading and have a nice day


15 May 2022

Empties

 Hello,

the first half of the month is already behind us and I seriously thought I would have more items finished up. There is a whole bunch of products hanging on their last legs which will be featured at the end of the month.


Teaology Matcha Latte body milk with Matcha Tea infusion and organic vegan milks is a lovely body moisturizer which I received free of charge when I bought my first face cream from them  (it is already used up and I already have a new one), the scent is the same, green tea like and very comforting and nice. It felt nourishing and my skin liked it but I didn't think it was anything too special, especially not for a bit higher price tag. Maybe I will get it again if I see it on sale but this 100 ml tube was finished up in just two weeks...that is a bit fast even for me. 

Next is The Ordinary Glycolic Acid 7% toning solution. I heard a lot of good things about this type of acid in toners and I wanted to try it out. I haven't noticed and changes which I could pinpoint to this product, after a while it started to get pointless for me and I started to use it less regular and that helped my skin even less. I know I just got lazy with this item because I know I should use it regularly but my laziness got the best of me. I still have some bottles laying around that I have to use up and maybe this next one I will use as instructed.

I managed to finish up a  bottle of a fragrance. It is only a 20 ml version of Victor & Rolf Flowerbomb perfume but still, this is a big deal for me because I have a lot of bottles. I really liked this scent but probably I won't repurchase it again because I have two other fragrances that smell similar but are even better to me (Armani In Love with You and Dior Miss Dior Absolutely Blooming).

This next item is a love of mine and I already have a backup of it. It is Alverde Dog Rose face oil. This little 15 ml bottle lasts for quite a while since I don't need a lot but it helps with my overall red tone of my face, it sooths and calms down my skin and I love it. Extra bonus is the nice rosey scent.

Second to last is The Body Shop Tea Tree pore minimizing face primer which is my very last tube of it because they don't make it anymore :( My skin is acne prone and using something with Tea Tree under my make-up makes my skin happy. I'm not 100% sure it helped fight off acne but it sure did have trick my brains and had a big psychological impact on me. I was sure I will buy this till the end of my days... my make-up also did look very nice on top of it. This doesn't feel like a regular silicone primer but rather like a face moisturizer, my skin afterwards did look a bit more matte but it didn't hold my oils at bay for long. As mentioned above, I liked the strong Tea Tree scent which triggered my brains into thinking that I'm using skincare under my make-up. If they ever come out with a similar sounding item I'm getting it immediately.

The very last item is Catrice LE lipstick (collaboration with Peta) in the shade Feel Good. A lovely mauve toned shade (my favorite  out of the three I had). I liked that it goes on pretty sheer but it can be intensified with an extra layer, it looks pretty glossy and juicy on the lips and it did nourish my lips for a while. I still used regular lip balm in between just so the color didn't build up too much but my lips looked happy using it. 



Thank you for reading and have a nice day




30 April 2022

Empties

 Hello,

this month was quite successful when it comes to finishing up products and if the month would have a few extra days I could squeeze even more empties in...


Balea comes out with limited editions pretty regularly and this one I just couldn't resist. It is Follow your heart body wash with a Floral and Tropical Fruits infused scent. I mostly just smell a mixed fruit scent but it is lovely. In the past I had some and most of them had a bit of plastic scent to them but fortunately not this one. If I will find another bottle I will get it again.

Next is the lotion from Avon Today, Tomorrow, Always collection. Mine is in the Today scent which is so far my favorite. A beautiful creamy white flower scent (I also had a bottle of perfume), it was a nice addition (not particularly moisturizing but I bought it for the scent alone) and it was so nice to go to bed smelling like this white floral lady :) I think I will eventually get it again just because I like the scent.

Catrice Bronze away to Fiji (LE from 2021)and Sungasm (LE from 2020) make-up fixing sprays. I used them together because I wanted to see if they performed different on my skin but I haven't noticed any difference. I feel like they make them very similar each year and release them under new packaging. I still have one bottle left from last year which will last me long enough to get new one this year if they will release one this Summer...

Biore seems like such a popular brand oversees and when it arrived in our stores I was over the moon but it still took me months to buy something. At the end I picked up a mechanical face scrub (I purchased it a long time ago) it is their Rose quartz collection with active charcoal infused formula. I no longer enjoy scrubs on my face but this one felt very gentle so it was easier to use up but I also used it on my body just to finish it up faster. Needles to say that I won't buy it again but maybe I will get something else since I'm still interested in what this brand has to offer.


I also finished up two Catrice all matt plus face powders in Transparent shades (they are skin colored not white). I had one at home and another one at work for touch-ups and finished them at the same time. These are some of my favorites and very inexpensive but I think they quietly replaced them with different ones since I can't find these anymore...

The Body Shop shine lip liquid in the shade Strawberry BonBon which is a lovely soft pink with an actual candy scent but it has no taste. The formula is infused with oils but my lips still got dry at the end of the day if I was only using this product. The biggest setback is the longevity, this lasts half an hour on me, it is not sticky and the shade is great but reapplying it constantly is not my jam so I won't repurchase it.

The very last item has most of its writing rubbed off but it is discontinued Essence plumping nudes lip gloss in the shade Big Softie. Neutral toned nude with a hint of cooling and since I don't like tingling lip glosses anymore this slight effect was bearable. This lasted up to one hour (much better than the previous gloss) but I still wouldn't repurchase it since this brown/nude shade wasn't my favorite. 


Thank you for reading and have a nice day


15 April 2022

Empties

 Hello,

for today I only have four items but by the end of this month I will have plenty more to show in my pile of empties.


This first item has become my holy grail of face washes for me. This CeraVe foaming cleanser for normal to oily skin in a massive 473 ml bottle is absolutely amazing. I love the pump which keeps it sanitary and I get even application per each use (one pump is enough for my face), the texture is liquid enough to easily spread all over my face (I use it with damp hands and it 'foams' up nicely) and it really removes most of my make-up and my natural oils. My skin afterwards feels refreshed, matte but never dry or dehydrated. This huge size also lasted me up to 8 months and I used it in the morning and at night. My skin has become really nice, I still get an occasional breakout but this face wash never irritated my skin or gave me any kind of discomfort. I already bought myself a new bottle but first I have to use up some other face washes and then I get back to this one.

I think this is my oldest body moisturizer and that is the sole reason why I started using it still in the cold weather even though the scent is pretty summery. It is The Body Shop Virgin Mojito body butter. It did smell like it sounds and it was a nice scent, the formula was a bit on the thicker side which I don't like that much especially not in the warmer weather, so at the end I think it was better for me that I used it up in colder weather. I think this scent is already discontinued but if it would still be available I wouldn't get it again. Now I prefer lighter formulas (lotions and milks) and the citrusy scents no longer float my boat.

I'm pretty sure I purchased this in some sort of set because I also have the face wash from the same line, which is next in line to be used up. It is Avon planet spa Korean Charcoal cleanse and refine peel-off face mask. Honestly I don't see much benefits after using it. Yes, it is fun to peel it off and my skin does look matte but in the unhealthy kind of way. To me it looks like it just takes away the oil sitting on top of my skin, it does nothing about cleansing my pores and by now I'm just happy to throw this empty packaging away.

The very last is jet another empty tube of my beloved Neutrogena oil free face moisturizer. I don't know how many I have already used up (they are all well documented on this blog, I should just count them) but it is still my favorite to use in the morning under my make-up. It moisturizes and keeps my face matte for longer than any other face cream, plus it is quite inexpensive. All in all, an amazing moisturizer for my skin.



Thank you for reading and have a nice day

31 March 2022

Empties

 Hello,

it is the end of the month and this time I collected a lot of empty or almost empty items to 'display' them on my shelf.


A long time ago I purchased this Himalaya refreshing & clarifying toner (alcohol free formula). Back in the days I was swearing on tones and they were a big part of my routine but as I got older I pushed them aside and rarely use them. This one took me months and now I'm super happy for it to be gone. I even pour it into a spray bottle to refresh my face during the day but I quickly noticed that it wasn't meant for it because some of it obviously landed on my lips and it tasted bitter. I'm slowly working through my toner collection, I still have a few but this one won't be repurchased (not just the bitter taste but I also didn't notice any change in my skin).

Second item is much closer to my heart and it is The Body Shop Tea Tree night lotion. It had a typical tea tree scent and a light texture which absorbed quickly into my skin. It wasn't super moisturizing but it also doesn't claim that (I used some oils on top to help with moisturizing my thirsty skin or I just skip this lotion and used something more nourishing). My skin in general does respond well to this ingredient and this lotion wasn't an exception. I have another face mask and a serum with tea tree but once they are gone I will probably repurchase this lotion unless they discontinue it (like they did with the face primer from this line).

Next is my second tube of 183 days foundation in the shade Matt-eska. It actually was quite pale but also very sheer in coverage. I used it on my neck and chest so I don't 'waste' my favorite and slightly more expensive foundation. Also on my neck I don't need coverage just a little evening out and connecting my  face full of make-up to the rest of my body. This item is already discontinued since the brand doesn't exist but it did what I wanted and it was very inexpensive product.

Next is lovely blue tube with cute Elephants and the brand is called Spa Ceylon (you have to check their online page, they have the most amazing packaging and products in general). My sister gave me this as a gift from her Honeymoon and I loved it. Mine hand cream is in the Frankincense and Kafir Lime scent. To me it smelled masculine with a hint of fresh Lime. The formula was a bit thick, if I applied a bit too much it was hard to absorb but if I used just the right amount it sinked right in, moisturized my dry hands and didn't leave sticky residue all over. If this brand would be available here I would repurchase it and also get some other itmes from their vast range.

This lip balm from Blistex Happy Lips Mango which I had before (I bought two at the same time) and I have to say that this is not my favorite lip balm. There was also the Strawberry version and I liked that one better. This one smells divine there is no doubt in that but the formula is a bit hard and stiff. I prefer softer balms which just melt into my lips but this one I have to rub extra hard to get some on my lips and it also disappears fast and my lips are quickly dry again. Not the best formula for my dry lips but at least the scent was nice.

 I managed to finish another lip product and it is Catrice limited edition lipstick in the shade Be tender. Very glossy and jet still pigmented bright pink, thankfully with a thin layer I only got a wash of color and it looked very nice on me if I brag a bit. I also found this one to be more moisturizing than the Mango lip balm. I have two more shades from this collection left and shade vise I like them even better than this one, so I'm going to have a lot of fun.



The very last item is this super old Essence Extreme Lasting Waterproof eye pencil in the shade Rockin' Taupe. I fell in love with this shimmery/metallic taupe shade which looks quite natural on the eyes jet offers some definition. Formula is very creamy, easy to work with but then it sets and doesn't move. My pencil is years old and got a bit dry, also the last bit of the pencil broke and fell of and before throwing away the broken tip I made a thick swatch. This pencil isn't available but I managed to get 3 backups before they were gone for good ;)


Thank you for reading and have a nice day