Empties

 Hello,

this is the second half of my empties for February.

This time around I have used up a Skin 79 BB cream. This one in the golden packaging is one of my favorites even though on the swatch (below) it looks a bit dark. It is easy to blend (like all Skin 79 BB's are) and is quite pigmented. I usually use it on vacation or for walks outside when I don't want too much make up and some extra spf.

Next is my very first bronzer which I got on sale for 1 EUR when it was discontinued approximately 10 years ago... and it is not even finished :( This Essence sun club 2 in 1 bronzing powder is in the shade Sunshine. The missing part was mostly highlighter which mixed together gave me pink glow on top of this bronzer. This one was so pretty on my face that now I am really sad that it is gone. Bronzer on its own is a tad too orange so I am throwing it away but it will be missed. Ever since I have been looking if Essence would come back with something similar but so far no luck

Skin79 BB cream and Essence Sunshine bronzer but only the remaining part without the highlighter.

My mom used to have this and I remember this being expensive so when I saw it at reasonable price I grabbed it immediately. It is Revlon 10 in 1 hair treatment. It smelled really good and it was a bit thick for the spray nozzle (towards the end I diluted it with some water to make sure most of it came out). I used it mostly on damp hair on my hair wash days and my hair were a bit smoother. I haven't noticed any big differences so probably I won't get it again but the scent was really nice.

I purchased a bunch of these Korres body lotions because the scent combos sounded so nice and before even trying them out I ended up with 5 or 6 of them. First I decided to try out Thyme & Honey option. At first I was disappointed because I hoped to be more honey like, instead it is creamy with some thyme and in the backdrop I can find a bit of honey. The lotion itself is nice but I wish it would smell more like honey.

This body wash from La Roche-Posay was gifted to me. It is their lipikar huile ap+ oil wash and the scent is somewhat green and bitter to me. Not my favorite but I power through, thankfully it was in a small tube. The oil was thin and didn't left any oily residue. I prefer the cream version used up earlier.

Lastly there is Xmas hand cream from Afrodita. It didn't have any particular scent but it was shimmery. I used most of it as a prank on my boyfriend. He always forgot that there was golden shimmer and then he would sparkle all night :) I used it too and it was really nice moisturising hand cream, I would prefer it without shimmer but we used it up nonetheless.

Thank you for reading and have a nice day

Empties

 Hello,

my plan to be more on time failed again, but it is okay since I am making the rules I can as well break them  :) Below are my empties for the month of June... time really flies through lately

I have used up two body washes simply because I couldn't decide. They are both Balea body washes which are very inexpensive and easy to get. First one is Plum and Almond scent and second is Floral (it reminded me of Cherry blossoms the most). I really like both and I can see myself repurchasing them if they will be still available (at the moment I have plenty of body washes so I really should not buy more).

Next two Rituals items were purchased together because I mistakenly thought that it is a body lotion and I wanted to top off the scent with a matching body spray... In reality this is a nourishing conditioner with argan oil and shikakai. The body spray is also a hair mist with Indian rose and sweet almond oil. Both scents were very close to one another, conditioner was liked by my hair and it made them soft and less frizzy but the mist didn't last long so I will not get it agin. Nice scent but not worth the price for me. 

Blue bottle is Ziaja micelar water. I was using it to remove last bits of my make up but after time I notice that it did not do its job very well. Often I would wake u the next day with mascara on my under eyes. It took me forever to use it up and I won't be buying it again.

Another blue product is The Body Shop seaweed oil-control lotion with SPF 15. I bought it a long time ago and I remember that I didn't like it on my face because it left my face oily. Only recently I started to use it again but this time on my body and it did sink into my skin pretty fast... I don't know if it is just my face which reacts differently of maybe I didn't wait long enough... anyway, now it is too late since the product is gone and so it seems The Body Shop in my area.

A while ago I purchased a full set of Bloom&Blossom products and one of them is this smooth moves stretch mark oil with Almond, Argan and Jojoba oil. It has a convenient pump but the product doesn't have a nice scent. In the past I had oils mentioned above and none smelled bad as this mix. The worst part is that my PJ and bed smell like it and I really didn't like it. I am super glad to be gone and I won't be buying it ever again.

The last two items are my beloved Essence Shine, Shine, Shine lip glosses. They are the last two that I will own because they reformulated them (I have already bought two new ones and I am loving them as well, so I won't be too sad). Warm nude is called Bright on! and the red one is Strawberry Red. Nude one is more pigmented and has more shimmer but I liked the fact that the red performed more natural looking and I didn't mind the nude being more obvious. They were very smooth, smelled great and lasted on my lips a decent amount of time. They will be missed but I am excited to dig into the new tubes.

Thank you for reading and have a nice day

Empties

 Hello,

this time I combined my empties from the past two months into one. There were some unforgettable products that really made an impact on me.

First is Syoss keratin heat spray. My mom used to love this brand so I decided to try this heat protection spray. It did smell very nice and was very liquid in texture. I don't know how well it protected my hair since heat damage isn't something I can detect quickly. My hair don't look split or dry but I did notice less frizz, so it had to do something :) plus I really liked the scent. I will probably get it again but first I have to use up the product I am using right now.

Big bottle next to it is Bioderma Atoderm ultra-soothing balm, great for sensitive and reactive skin. I had high hopes for it but the best part for me was the packaging. I liked the pump but the product wasn't nourishing enough. My skin went through itchy faze and this balm didn't help me much. I was glad that it was used up and I won't be buying it again.

Next is another body balm and it is The body Shop Argan lotion. The scent on this is divine, the texture is light but the scent just keep on lingering. As weird as it might sound this felt more nourishing on my skin than the previous balm... I would get it again but our shop is closed, I fear that it is permanent.

A little while ago I was eager to find face cream with Salicylic acid and I have purchased a bunch of La Roche Posay products. First to go for a spin was this Effaclar duo + cream with corrective and unclogging care for anti-imperfections lotion. I used this a few days in a row all over my face and little pimples emerge. I stopped using it and after my skin calmed down I used it again and same thing happened so at the end I was using it sparingly, two or three times a week just to get it done. Something in it just doesn't suit me. It could be the zinc but I can't be sure.

This is my second tube of Essence bye, bye panda eyes mascara. I really liked it the first time and my love continues. It coats my lashes, makes them a bil longer and thicker but not clumpy (I don't like the clumpy look), quite natural but a bit more visible and I liked the name as well. It just made me smile.

On the bottom there is Ahava Time to Hydrate active moisture gel cream (I previously had day moisturiser from the same line but this one feels lighter in texture). I was using it in warmer days and it was perfect. The other one felt a bit light and not hydrating enough but I have used it in cooler weather so I did not made the same mistake and I did use this one when my skin didn't need a heavy layer and it was really nice. The mix of gel and cream texture felt perfect. I would get it again for warmer days.

In the past I used up one of these Beauty of Joseon serums and I wasn't too impressed, now I have the remaining two (I know there is a fourth one out there but i don't have it). One is Glow Deep Serum with Rice and Alpha-Arbutin, the other is Glow Serum with Propolis and Niacinamide. The first one felt like water and I used it under moisturisers but with not much of an effect. Second one was my favorite, I assume Propolis made the texture thicker and my face had glow for longer. Somehow I conected that with hydration and under the line the glow serum with Propolis was my favorite but I can't decide if it is worth buying it again. 

My favorite COSRX product is this salicylic acid face wash. It creates thick white foam/cast and it is so soft to the touch. I noticed that I was massaging it into my skin for minutes since it is so pleasant and my skin loves it. The active ingredient helps my oily and acne prone skin stay fresh, only thing is that this seems to be out of stock here (it is back :)

At the end I used up two mini hand creams. I love these in my purse as little helpers on the go. I purchased a set of Frudia hand creams, that is the reason I have so many at once. Brown lid indicates richer texture. I am usually not a fan of thicker creams but this particular one in Cactus was an exception. The scent was freas and fruity and the formula quickly absorbed into my skin. The other one is Banana scented (it was like the real fruit but sweeter) and it should be lighter in texture but it wasn't. They felt quite similar besides the scent. I like both of them and would get them again. 

Thank you for reading and have a nice day

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

Empties

 Hello,

I just got from my beach vacation and I seriously thought I will finish more SPF infused products but I took with me way too many bottles and use all of them, so no wonder I couldn't completely finish up many.

First is Milnica's Almond oil. I liked this thicker oil (it doesn't absorb super fast into the skin) on my face to help me remove my make-up but soon I realized that my skin doesn't like it which resulted in some new acne. I quickly switch it to my body and managed to finish it up. I like it but I prefer oils which I can use on my face and body so I won't be buying it again.

I purchased this sun protecting lotion for the face a while ago. It is Vichy ideal soleil SPF 50 emulsion mattifying face fluid with a dry touch. High protection and matte finish really caught my attention but unfortunately didn't work for me. At first it is greasy, just like any other SPF cream, it takes a while to settle and even then I had a feeling like my make-up doesn't sit well on my skin (it created a layer on my face so foundation couldn't grip and when my skin got oily it just moved around). It also has a non typical scent, more alcohol and something artificial, but then again I wouldn't be surprised if they would claim that they didn't add any fragrances to make it more pleasant. At the end I used it up on my arms and legs, far away from my face.

Avon care glycerine hand & nail cream with and vitamin E hand cream has to be one of my favorites. I love this light jet moisturizing formula and the scent is somewhat clean (like fresh soap), I don't get much floral. I think this is discontinued but I should have a backup or two left.

Krauterhof aloe very gel was somewhat failed purchase. I remember they had a really good deal if you get two of them (which I of course did ;). The first one is already gone and this is the second one and I'm overjoyed. Aloe vera gel from Fruits of the Earth is my favorite but can be a little expensive so I opted for this brand thinking I will get the same thing for less. I still remember when I applied a thick coat of it all over my face and after a couple of minutes my face started to tingle (it felt like my face is covered with tiny ants, not quite burning sensation but very unpleasant) I checked myself in the mirror and notice my face turned bright red (neck and chest areas where I also used the gel were normal). I quickly washed it off and promised myself that I will never again buy cheap aloe vera. I used it on my body and as a hair gel.

Next is my beloved Fruit of the earth aloe vera gel which is the best that I tried. This is the large bottle and it took me years to finish it up. There is no irritations just relieved skin. I love putting it into toners (it completely dissolves if you use little bit and amp up the moisturizing properties), under my oils, after sun exposure, on bug bites, on my hair (it is a fabulous hair gel, on its own or again you can mix it with some water and pour it into a spray bottle if that is your preferred way of applying it) and probably there are some more ways to use it but I can't think of at the moment. I already repurchased it but this time in a smaller tube.

The very last item is Avon advance technique sun-light spray beautifying hair protector with UV protection. It had this signature AT scent which I love and since I am slightly obsessed with applying SPF on my skin I thought why not protecting my hair? It turns out I would mostly forget about it and again it took me years to finish it up. Most of it was also used on a vacation where I used tons of it at once. I even added some shimmer in it (I crushed one of my older highlighters which I didn't love anymore) and finally this year it is gone. I don't think I will repurchase it again because I just couldn't get into a habit of using it.

Thank you for reading and have a nice day

Empties

Hello,

I'm still here just a bit distracted. I am aware that this month has been a really dry for my blog but it is what it is. I will try to get back on track and blog more next month.
But till the next time here are some empties that I keep accumulating...

Zara Green Apple and White Freesia body spray was the very last bottle from the trio that I owned. In the last year I got super excited about fragrances (especially designer) and I'm trying to finish up my older, cheaper ones and to use any body sprays that I have because they don't make me happy anymore. This particular one was fresh and flowery at the same time. I would say Spring in a bottle. It smelled like a fresh morning. The nature is bursting in white blooms and the distant green notes gives it naturalistic appeal. The fragrance didn't last on me for long (it is a body spray after all) so I was coating myself with it and was able to finally finish it up. I love my rich, sweet scents but this one was a nice departure.

The next fragrance is Avon Outspoken Fresh by Fergie perfume which is also super old. I started to notice that this scent would slowly go bad. When I would spray it in the last couple of weeks the scent at first wasn't pleasant so I wasn't using it on my body but rather as a room refresher. It was clean and fruity but I could never decipher of what kind of fruit it reminds me of. Some sort of a mix with some clean notes added to it. I used to really like it but now I didn't care for it anymore.

This is my second used up bottle of Beauty Glam clear skin serum with 2% Salycylic acid and I know that I said that I won't repurchase it again because I couldn't notice my skin loving it. It was only after I wasn't using it daily anymore (after I was finished and wouldn't have any backup) that my skin started to act up and not in a good way. There are a lot of factors involved but I believe not using this serum was also one of them. During the sale I picked up two more bottles so I don't ever need to be without of it.

Next item is another old one and it is Avon Advance Technique instant repair hair mist. It is supposed to help with damage but to me it was like water. Watery texture made my hair wet and after they dried they looked exactly the same. I have to take in account the age of this product (it is for sure a couple of years old) but if I tried it when it was brand new and I couldn't see the difference... I see why I put it  in a dark corner and forget about it.

On the top is Avon true ageless overnight gel which I was super excited to try out ever since it came out. It is a proper gel texture which stays a bit sticky and full of bronze and gold bubbles which break when you massage them but the 'wrapping' doesn't dissolve so the next morning I would find these gold rubbery substance everywhere (on my skin, hair, PJ, sheets, floor...) plus I notice my skin breaking up and after quit using it, healing my skin and start applying it onto my freshly cleansed face just to see acne reappear... not a cream for my skin unfortunately. I finished it up on my legs and I'm happy to throw this packaging away.

The very last item is this big red jar of  Rituals Honey touch body butter with Indian Rose & Himalayan Honey. I completely forgot about it and I was super scared that it already went bad (it didn't). It smells very nice, like a luxurious lotion with a hint of Rose. The scent is not mild but I can't put my finger on how it smells like but I know it is very comforting and snugly. Perfect to cover my entire body with it and roll in bed.



Thank you for reading and have a nice day

Empties

Hello,

I like this collection from Avon naturals Raspberry & Hibiscus (it smells really nice, just like if I rolled in Raspberries) and this is hair mist to just add the scent to the hair. Since I started to use perfumes regularly this started to get unnecessary. I started to use it after using dry shampoo to get rid of the white cast and it helped to prevent white residue. I'm happy that I found a way to use it and that it is finally used up. I will no longer buy it because there is no need for it but I will for sure buy the shampoo and the conditioner from the same line.

Next is this Aveo Harmony hand cream that my mom gifted to me. It has a lovely scent of Violets and the formula isn't that bad. I still prefer the Avon Care hand creams but this is also very nice formula and they always have plenty of different scents to pick from. It helped to prevent dry skin and nourish my hands, you only have to be careful not to apply too much because then it won't absorb and your hands will be left all sticky.

This dry shampoo was an impulse purchase a while ago. It is from 'new' brand Langhaar Mädchen. They have lovely packaging and I also tried (smelled) their hair oil and it smells delicious but I decided that I don't need it at the moment but instead I got myself this dry shampoo and I could not be happier. The scent is kind of hard to describe it is very soft powdery-floral but it still makes a punch but the formula is what makes this one great. It has a very light white effect and when you shake or comb your hair they just look matte (what you wanted) and it doesn't change the color that much which is an absolute bonus. If I compare it to the popular Batiste they have more scents and are stronger but also the white cast is more obvious with the Batiste brand. So if you want something barely there go for this Langhaar Mädchen brand but if you prefer to switch out the scents then go with the Batiste. I think I will still buy from both brands (I can't forget the Batiste Peony scent but I prefer the formula of LM brand).

Next tube is the sad one :( In the past I have already used one and since I liked it so much I bought a set of this lotion and the fragrance. Unfortunately I have waited too long and this lotion went bad. It is Avon Perceive body lotion. The scent is powdery white flowers. Like clean cotton shirt that has been dried outside on the white flowers field, if that makes sense. I still have the 30 ml bottle of the perfume and for now that will have to be it. For a while now I'm not planing on buying new lotions since I have so many but if my taste won't change after I go through what I have I will probably buy it again but then I will make sure to use it up completely shortly after getting it.

Another Avon Perceive product and this one is the Oasis fragrance. To me it smelled like fresh cut Roses. Scent of Roses mixed with green notes, like a fresh cut bouquet. I used to really like scent like that but now I prefer something heavier and sweeter. I have been layering it and also using it as a room spray.

Another fragrance will leave my space and this one I liked even better than the one before. It is Avon Passion Fruit scentini fragrance. I know they have a bunch of these and they encourage you to buy more and layer them. I had quite a lot of them but at my recent decluttering I gave all of them away and kept only this fruity one. It is called Passion Fruit and that is how it smells like. Very fruity and at first it is also very strong. It doesn't have that much citruses added so it is not zingy but on a creamier side. Even though I'm not into super fruity scents this one still warm up my heart.

The very last items is this Rimmel London Stay Matte face powder in Transparent. After trying it a couple of times I fell in love with it and soon I found them on sale and bought a bunch of them as backups (I think I have five or six more ;). It performs very well on my oily skin. I like how it keep my natural oils at bay for longer and even when I reapply it at work it doesn't look cakey. Those two reasons are enough for me to go and buy multiples. I still love my Catrice all matt face powder but I got this Rimmel one for less  ;)



Thank you for reading and have a nice day