Empties

Hello,

happy new year. I hope you survived your holidays well and are ready for new adventures.
I have decided to shop less this year and rather use my extensive stash of products but Essence is teasing me with all the products that they will discontinue soon (everything will retire, every single product!!!! I can't believe because I thought that I have found my holy grail concealer and powder but soon they will be gone). I will try to pull myself back and not buy every single product but in the mean time I'm using what I have which is evident on the two photos below.

First is Avon ultra shiny tubes in Dreamy Peach. I love the formula on these but this quite glittery orange shade didn't rock my boat. Now they have them in slightly different packaging but they still feel the same. I did use mine a bit but like I said the color didn't suit me so eventually it went bad and I'm tossing it in the bin but I'm thinking of getting some other shade.

Then there are the two EOS sphere balms in Vanilla Bean and Pumpkin Spice. The scents were okay but the formula was really not for me. They are very hard and even when I rubbed like twenty times it felt like nothing on the lips. I prefer a bit softer balms that melts into my lips and nourish them. These two failed and while there is still plenty of product left in both, I'm getting rid of them.

Biobaza makes this Bee balm with some SPF and I thought that it will be great for the beach time. I was wrong. This balm is much softer and when I took it with me on Summer vacation it already started to melt so taking it with me to the beach was a no no. At the end I did used it up but next time I will look for some other balm to take it with me to the beach.

Essence used to make these Sheer & Shine lipsticks which were absolutely amazing (now they have Color up! Shine on! line which is very similar). My red shade is named I feel pretty and it really is pretty. I used almost entire tube of it but at the end it started to taste a bit weird so I'm throwing it away because I don't want to risk any infections.

The very last item is Avon ridge filling base coat. It was a bit thicker but otherwise a pretty regular, standard base coat. I like it but I have a couple of other bottles left and I have to use them up before buying something new (I'm on a low buy so I have to keep telling that to myself so I don't forget  ;).

I have bought this set from Aldo Vandini two years ago and I'm super glad that I finally used it up. The pink tube is body wash and white is body lotion. They are both Magnolia scented and it is the scent that remind me of my childhood and I love it a lot. The body wash was nothing special but the lotion was top notch. The scent on my skin developed and after using it a couple of days in a row my sheets and pj started to smell like it and I dare to say that it even helped me fall asleep faster. I would repurchase the lotion in a heartbeat but since I have plenty of tubes and bottles already it will have to wait. The body wash like I said nice but I prefer to buy cheaper washes and rather splurge on lotions.



Thank you for reading and have a nice day

Empties

Hello,

I already posted my empties in the middle of the month, like usual and for the empties at the end of the moth I decided to split them into two posts since I accumulated way too much stuff. Today I'm showing you the first half.

First we have Lee Stafford dry shampoo in the mid brown shade. This is my favorite dry shampoo out of the ones I tried and are still available (I like the Batiste brunette and Avon AT but each has one thing about them that bothers me slightly, this pink bottle has it all). This shade blends in perfectly, it smells like hair saloon product and after the scent settles it really smells like clean hair, what I love the most and I haven't found in any other dry shampoo is when I go through my hair with my fingers I don't get that powdery residue on them. That really is important to me, with this one in my hair not only that they look clean, when I tease them, it also feels like that. So, now you would expect that I will say that I will repurchase it forever but sadly I won't unless if money starts growing on trees. This small bottle is expensive, the last time I checked it was 8-9€, to me that is too much.

Next, in the black tube is Avon Anew total body age repair moisturizer. I think this is supposed to work against cellulite, tighten the skin... I honestly haven't noticed any difference but that could also be because this is old, I can't even remember when this was available. The scent was very faint to the point that after putting on my pj I can't smell it anymore. It was nice, moisturizing but that is it. I'm happy that it is gone so now I can enjoy something else.

Cute purple tube with a kitty belongs to the Holika Holika Petit Moisture BB cream. This was one of my first Asian BB creams, it was so cheap but almost to good to be true. I reviewed it back when I just started the blog and photos aren't super helpful but everything I wrote about it is still true. A little longer review is here. So really quick, this is still sold but with a different packaging and the tube is now blue (I haven't tried the new version so I don't know if it is still exactly the same but I will order it soon). The shade is not super pale so I had to mix something lighter in it to get my shade, the coverage is buildable and you can reach really high opacity to the point where you don't need a concealer. It has a slight flowery scent but nothing too disturbing, this formula is great for dry skin type as it is dewy, I used powder and it worked fine. I have a backup tube of it and when I'm done I will order the new packaging to see if it is still the same.

Last tube is Aldo Vandini Volume lip balm. I talked about it here. I still love it how moisturizing it was and the lovely pink shine it had but mine tube exploded. Once it just cracked open at the other end where I put black metal string to keep it together. I used it for a couple more days but then I just couldn't prepare myself to use it even though there is still some left, probably enough to get me through one more month. The product was exposed to the air and started to come out and creating a mess so I'm tossing it but I will miss it. I still have a lot of balms to go through but I just might repurchase this little baby.

The last product in the middle is Skin Food charcoal jelly cleansing konjac sponge. I've heard so much good about konjac sponges, everybody raves how soft their skin feels after they use it since it slightly exfoliate your skin, everyone was claiming how clear their faces become... I was using it every single day, morning and night for two months and I haven't notice anything. I used less face wash since this foamed my gel wash better but that is it. I still have acne, nothing is cleared out because of this guy and I still need proper scrubs to get my face smooth. Would I repurchase it? No. I just don't see how could this help me.


This was part one, for tomorrow I have prepared second part with slightly more products.



Thank you for reading and have a nice day

Pink lips

Hello,

two days ago we were surprised by snow. Out of the bright blue sky white flakes started to fall and it got so cold that we had to shovel our way out to get to work and electricity was also out so I couldn't even use internet but today I have something really good for you.

Aldo Vandini Volume lip balm

This lip balm/gloss is by Aldo Vandini. I bought it a long time ago but started using it recently. I took two versions and the first one which was adorned with purple flowers and it was supposed to be moisturising was not good. Mediocre moisturising properties and horrible plastic taste just aren't my thing so I didn't had high hopes for this one.

Aldo Vandini Volume lip balm

This one is supposed to be volumizing which I haven't noticed but it has a lovely sweet scent but no taste what so ever. The packaging is just right, 10 ml, and the hole where the product comes out is nicely sized and angled applicator makes it easy to apply while on the go.

Aldo Vandini Volume lip balm

I know here it looks like bugger but on the lips it looks nice. It is pink with some pearl shine, no distinctive shimmer or glitter just pearly shine and I guess that is the volumizing part of the product. I have been using it all day and my lips are nourished and soft. I wish it would be glossier, juicier just like a proper lip gloss but it is still all right considering that this is actually a lip balm. It provides my lips with some shine but to maintain I have to reapply quite often. At the end I don't mind if the product really nourishes and keeps my lips from looking dry and flaky. I think that this is a nice little product for girls who like just a tad of color and soft, kissable lips  ;)


Thank you for reading and have a nice day