Tag Archives: Barry M

Empties – February through September 2015

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These Empties posts fill me with dread. Made worse by the fact that I haven’t done an Empties post since January, so that means I’ve got 8-9 months of garbage to talk about. This type of post isn’t even something I enjoy reading on other peoples’ blogs because it’s soooo cluttered with deodorant, toothpaste and shampoo. (Sorry guys.) But let’s be real here… no one cares if you finished up your deodorant.

With all of that being said, I do get asked for Empties posts and I do see it come up in search terms for my blog, so I thought I’d keep going with them. I do approach my Empties posts with the mentality of “if I wouldn’t put it in a monthly haul post, I won’t include it in an Empties”. So this is primarily makeup with some skincare. Enjoy!

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Duralash by Ardell: These single lashes are great for fluffing up your lashes without adding too much “fakeness” to them. I finally ran through the whole package  and decided to chuck them. Repurchase? Yes

Ardell Demi Wispies: I got a lot of uses out of these (maybe 7-8?) and really loved wearing them. They recently started to not stick to my lash line, I think due to glue build up, so I had to chuck them. Repurchase? More than likely, but not anytime soon since I’ve got a bunch of House of Lashes waiting for me.

Femme Fatale lashes in Catwalk: I was sent these and absolutely loved them. They’re soft and gorgeous (full review here). However, I don’t know if I was too rough with them, but after the third time I wore them, while I was pulling the glue off the band, a chunk of the lashes just fell right off. So now they look patchy and I’d rather not deal with them. They were gorgeous when I used them though. Repurchase? Unlikely. At the elevated price point, I don’t think a section of lashes should be falling off the band.

J. Cat lashes in EL13: These came in an Ipsy bag and I really enjoyed them. Easy to wear and just the right amount of oomph. Repurchase? Maybe, but I don’t even know where you can get this brand.

Revecen lashes in 6: THESE ARE FUCKING GARBAGE. They’re super plastic (like, they even look shiny), the band doesn’t bend and the edges would ping off my lash line. Repurchase? NO. Get the hell out of here you garbage lashes. Ugh.

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Urban Decay Primer Potion in Original and NARS Smudeproof: The Urban Decay one used to be my holy grail primer. It would keep my shadows in place without creasing and I loved it. Then, oddly, about a year and a half ago, it just stopped working. It’s like my eyelids adapted to the formula and decided to overpower it. Now it’s crease city if I use this primer by itself. However, I have noticed that if I layer it with the NARS Smudgeproof base it works very well. The NARS one won’t work on its own for me either though which is kind of shocking since EVERYONE raves on about it. Repurchase? Possibly, but I’d have to buy them together, which is just kind of silly and expensive. Right now the Milani primer is working just fine for me.

Duo lash adhesive: I used to love Duo, but I’ve found lately that it’s just not sticking as well as it used to despite the tube being relatively fresh. I think I finished about half of this tube before I gave up on it. Repurchase? Nah, I’ve moved on to House of Lashes glue.

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Barry M Nail Paint in Diamond Glitter: All finished up! I use this kind of silver/disco glitter polish exclusively on my toes at all times (and have since my teens). I loved this brand so I’ve actually had three bottles of this. I will say though that it tends to peel off in rather large chunks so I’ll probably move on to a different brand soon. Repurchase? I already have another back up bottle I’m in the midst of using right now!

OPI Nail Lacquer in My Boyfriend Scales Walls: I got 75% of the way through this bottle before it got too goopy to use. So handy to have a white nail polish in your arsenal for french tips and gradients, or even just wearing it on its own. Repurchase? I can’t since this one was limited edition. The OPI formula was great though!

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Kat Von D Tattoo Liner in Trooper: This is the absolute best liquid liner on the market. The brush tip makes this so, SO easy to use and I love that the formula is water resistant (it may say waterproof, but I wouldn’t say it’s totally waterproof). My only beef is that it’s not truly matte since it has a bit of a sheen. If they could only just make it totally matte this thing would be utterly legendary. Repurchase? Yes, absolutely. I already have another one cracked open!

Benefit They’re Real Push Liner: BE GONE DEVIL. This thing is an effing disaster to use. Chunky, not smooth and hard to apply. I’m so glad I got a sample size as I would’ve hated to pay full price. Repurchase? BAHAHAHAHA. …No.

Tarte gel liner in Black: Loved this so much. It stayed soft and creamy for over a year and I actually ran through the entire pot of it. Super rich in pigmentation and so very easy to apply to the lid. Repurchase? Eventually, but I’m already working through MAC’s Blacktrack fluidline and I have an Inglot black gel liner waiting in the wings… so it could be years before I purchase this one again. I do really, really love it though!

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Nivea Lip Butter in Caramel Cream Kiss: I loved the pants off this lip butter! I loved the scent and the texture of it so much that it became my nightly balm. It worked well to heal my lips overnight and kept them very supple. Repurchase? I’m working through the Macadamia one right now, but yes, eventually!

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Too Faced Better Than Sex mascara: This gave me soft and fluffy lashes. Great formula! The only downer for me is the damn brush – I hate the double bubble. 🙁 Repurchase? I wouldn’t buy full size just because I never have to with all of the minis going around. I’m currently using another mini of this right now.

pur minerals Big Look waterproof mascara: A waterproof mascara is always nice to have on hand, but this one wasn’t my favourite. It added enough volume, but it made my lashes feel crispy. Repurchase? Nah, pass.

essence Lash Princess mascara: This one gave me a ton of volume, which is not something I expected from such an inexpensive mascara. I even liked the shape of the cobra wand since it made it easy to apply. (Full review here.) Repurchase? I would, but not in the near future as I’ve got a backlog of mascaras at the moment.

CoverGirl Clump Crusher mascara: This used to be the be all, end all mascara for me. I used it for a year straight and loved it. I found this tube wasn’t as great as I had remembered, which made me a little bit sad. Still, a great drugstore mascara. Repurchase? Yes, but not right now.

Make Up For Ever Smoky Stretch mascara: This is it folks. This is my holy grail. Smoky Stretch gives me the BEST LASHES. The formula stayed quite wet for months which is something I personally enjoy in a mascara. (Full review here.Repurchase? Yes, absolutely. I’ve got one in my Sephora cart right now just waiting for the November VIB sale!

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Bourjois Healthy Mix Serum foundation in 52 Vanilla: I finished it and now I want more. This foundation is the absolute best. It smells amazing and provides just the right amount of coverage for my tastes (light-medium). The shade range isn’t extensive, but it works for me! (Full review here.Repurchase? YES! A wonderful blogging friend was in England recently and picked one up for me!

Pixi Flawless Beauty Primer: This is an oddly pink toned primer that I got in an Ipsy bag a while back. I didn’t notice it doing anything amazing really. Repurchase? Nah.

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Lavanila Vanilla Grapefruit perfume: I freaking loved this scent so much. I remember using it a lot when I went on vacation to Prague last year, so whenever I wear it now (I got another one) it reminds me of that awesome vacation. It’s a very sweet, candy-like smell, so use it sparingly when you first start wearing it. Repurchase? Yep, I’ve already cracked open a new bottle.

Elizabeth & James Nirvana Black: I don’t typically include little samples in hauls/empties, but I loved this perfume so much that it actually lead me to purchase the full size bottle. It’s not a typical “me” scent, since I tend to prefer aquatic/water scents (not that the Lavanila one is anything like that either) but I still really, really enjoy it. Repurchase: Yes, I think I’m always going to have a bottle of this on hand now.

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Bioderma Crealine H2O: Always a winner. I keep a bottle in the bathroom and one by my makeup table because I love it so much. I use it to clean up makeup mistakes, remove makeup and to refresh my face if it’s feeling grungy. This stuff is fantastic. Repurchase? Yes, definitely!

L’Oreal Skin Perfection Micellar Gel: I saw this at a drugstore in Prague last year and since it wasn’t available yet in Canada, I decided to purchase it. I really didn’t like it though – it’s awkward to use (since it’s a goopy gel) and it didn’t do a very good job of getting my makeup off. I was really happy when I finished the damn thing. Repurchase? Not a chance.

Marcelle Gentle Make-Up Remover for Sensitive Eyes: This is my favourite makeup remover ever. I’ve easily gone through over 30 bottles in the ten years I’ve been using this makeup remover. There is nothing better on the market that I’ve ever experienced. 100% worth it. (Full review here.) Repurchase? Absolutely. I have another bottle already open and three more (they were on sale) sitting in my closet ready to be used.

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Dermal Therapy Heel Cream: I have gross heels – they crack and get dry. Yum, right? This stuff is freaking magic on them and actually heals the deep cracks. Much love. Repurchase? Yes, I already have another tube open.

Nameless tub on the bottom left: My friend Alison made this awesome body butter for me and I finished it all up! Repurchase? It was a gift and only she makes them!

Miracle 10 Light Serum: This is a gel type facial moisturizer that I wasn’t in love with. The scent is overly medicinal and it wasn’t enough moisture for the winter months. Definitely more of a summer moisturizer. Repurchase? I wouldn’t buy it, but I do have another bottle because of a blogger swap. So I suppose I like it enough to use it again, but it wouldn’t be my first choice of moisturizers to spend my money on.

Embryolisse Lait-Creme Concentre: When I first got this a few years back, I didn’t think much of it. It’s a simple moisturizer that doesn’t smell like much, what’s there to fall in love with? But I kept going back to it, and buying it times and time again. This is my fifth tube and I’m still using it just as much as ever. Repurchase? Yep! Already have another one waiting for me.

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Jealous Body Scrub: I was sent this, but there’s no denying the amazingess of this coffee and coconut scrub. It smells like a highly caffeinated dream and does wonders at restoring moisture to your skin. (Full review here and here.) Repurchase? Yes, definitely.

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The Body Shop Shower Gels in Pink Grapefruit and Fijian Water Lotus: The Body Shop can do absolutely no wrong with their shower gels. The Pink Grapefruit scent has been a favourite of mine for something ridiculous like 15 years and I still love it! The Fijian Water Lotus is a new one to me and my mom gave me some for last Christmas. I love the watery scent of it. Repurchase? Yes! And definitely yes to both scents. They’re wonderful.

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Johnson’s Baby Shampoo: Oh crap, I was totally bitching about shampoo empties was’t I?  Bahahah. WELL, I use this as a cleanser for my makeup brushes so I’m basically telling you how awesome the shampoo is for my brushes… that’s different right? 😉 Repurchase? Absolutely and I already have!

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Makeup Removing Wipes: My favourites are the two on the left – Neutrogena‘s Hydrating wipes, but I’ll use the Boots No7 ones as a stop gap if I need to. Repurchase? The Neutrogena ones for sure as they’re the most hydrating/wet ones I’ve found and work the best.

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Clean & Clear Deep Action Cream Cleanser: I don’t have an acne problem, but I do use the Clean & Clear products because I love the scent, texture and feel. Plus this cream one has a nice icy feel to it so I find it highly enjoyable. Repurchase? Yep, already have a new one!

Miracle 10 Cleanser II: This was a nice cleanser. Nothing miraculous, but hey, it did the job of keeping my face clean! Repurchase? Unlikely – Miracle 10 products are very expensive and since I don’t have problems with my face I tend to just stick to the cheap stuff.

Olay Fresh Effects Out of this Swirled!:  Ugh, I hated the scent and that just ruined it for me. It’s a fine grit scrub that worked well enough, but I hated the artificial scent of it. Repurchase? Nope!

Annnnd DONE! Wow. Nine months of empties all wrapped up. And, tragically, my empties bin is already filling up again. Ughhhhh. I may stick to doing this twice a year because that was far too lengthy of a post for my tastes. If you made it this far though, kudos to you!

What I Bought This Month – September 2014 Haul

Settle in folks, this is another doozy of a haul. I spent almost two weeks in September travelling in Europe and this meant getting to dabble in makeup brands that I don’t have access to in Canada. I picked up a lot of different brands and products overseas, as well as a few new releases here in Canada/US.

Makeup Geek Vegas Lights palette ($37.99 USD)
Makeup Geek Vegas Lights palette ($37.99 USD)

The most exciting thing I picked up was the brand new Makeup Geek Vegas Lights palette. I hemmed and hawed over this sucker for a little while, but in the end splashed out for it. I love Marlena of Makeup Geek, and I *love* her eyeshadows.

Vegas Lights: Casino, Sin City, Roulette, Mirage, Desert Sands, Bada Bing
Vegas Lights: Casino, Sin City, Roulette, Mirage, Desert Sands, Bada Bing

The colours in this palette are right up my alley – specifically Sin City and Roulette. The bottom row really helps ground any look you can come up with this palette. I’m impressed thatMakeup Geek managed to put out a palette that actually has serviceable neutrals along with some beautifully coloured shadows. I think this palette is limited edition, in which case, consider picking this up before it’s completely gone!

Makeup Geek shadows: Chickadee, Glass Slipper, Shark Bait ($5.99 USD each)
Makeup Geek shadows: Chickadee, Glass Slipper, Shark Bait ($5.99 USD each)

When I put in the order for the Vegas Lights palette, I also put a few shadows in the order. I have this (completely useless) idea of collecting all the Makeup Geek shadows so had to plug in a few more for this order.

MAC Chromacake in Landscape Green ($31 CAD)
MAC Chromacake in Landscape Green ($31 CAD)

For this year’s Halloween costume, I’m going as Gamora from the Guardians of the Galaxy. Because of Gamora’s green skin, I’m going to need a heck of a lot of coverage so I hopped on over to the MAC Pro store and picked up a Chromacake in Landscape Green. I’ve never used a Chromacake before, or any kind of body paint before, but I’m hopeful that this will turn out well.

MAC pigment in Landscape Green (free)
MAC pigment in Landscape Green (free)

The lady at the MAC Pro store was kind enough to give me an insanely generous sample of Landscape Green pigment to match my Chromacake. In fact, she gave me so much pigment I was actually able to mix it with alcohol and press it into an eyeshadow pan. Very handy!

essence – Life’s a Cherry ($3.99 CAD)
essence – Life’s a Cherry ($3.99 CAD)

I’ve been loving the Autumn Peach blush by essence that I was previously sent, that I wanted to check out the other shades. Life’s a Cherry is a lovely pink veering on red shade. I think the lighting on the shot above really doesn’t make it across right, but so far I am loving this other essence blush as well.

e.l.f. Disney Ariel Eye Collection ($5 USD)
e.l.f. Disney Ariel Eye Collection ($5 USD)

The Disney Ariel collection was never released in Canada as far as I could see, so a friend in the US shipped a bunch of the products up to me. The eyeshadows aren’t bad, but that eyeliner is absolute crap.

e.l.f. Disney Ariel Bronzer & Mini Kabuki Brush ($5 USD)
e.l.f. Disney Ariel Bronzer & Mini Kabuki Brush ($5 USD)

The brush on this one is far too scratchy, but the bronzer is fairly nice. Pretty glittery, but still useable.

Ardell Disney Ariel Lash Kit ($8 USD)
Ardell Disney Ariel Lash Kit ($8 USD)

And lastly from the Ariel collection, a couple pairs of false lashes. They’re regular Ardell lashes but specially packaged up for this Little Mermaid collection.

Tarte – Rainforest After Dark ($26 USD)
Tarte – Rainforest After Dark ($26 USD)

My wonderful friend Sara whom I was vacationing with in Prague managed to snag me a few goodies in the US that she very kindly brought over for me. She managed to get an awesome deal on the Tarte Rainforest After Dark palette.

Rainforest After Dark
Rainforest After Dark

Having only ever tried Tarte’s blushes and bronzer, I was curious how their eyeshadows would perform. There are some lovely shades in here, but the palette on its own needs help. There’s no matte brow shade that works for me (the light pink is too dusty of a pink colour) and the pale lavender-grey is actually quite sheer and requires a lot of packing on. That being said, this sucker is super handy. The browns on the right side are wonderfully pigmented, the bronzer and the highlighter are wonderful and the blush is like all of Tarte’s blushes – easy to blend and looks great on my cheeks. This palette is wonderful for a full face – something quite rare in a palette of this size.

NYX – Fizzies ($5.99 USD)
NYX – Fizzies ($5.99 USD)

I had bought NYX‘s Butter Lipstick in Fizzies back in March but had managed to mangle it when I took it out to a club one night with me. The bullet broke in half and no matter what I did, I couldn’t put it back together. Since NYX‘s Butter Lipsticks still aren’t available in Canada, once again Sara managed to pull through and picked me up a tube in the US. Here’s hoping I don’t break this one as well.

Too Faced Melted Lipsticks in Melt Berry and Melted Candy ($21 USD, each)
Too Faced Melted Lipsticks in Melt Berry and Melted Candy ($21 USD, each)

She also snagged me two of the newer shades of the Too Faced Melted lipsticks. I haven’t actually tried any yet, but I’d been lusting over them for several months. As they’re cheaper in the US, I broke down and had her buy me two – Melted Berry and Melted CandyMelted Candy is AMAZING. It’s almost fluorescent and shows up amazingly in pictures.

NYX Soft Matte Lip Cream in Istanbul (free)
NYX Soft Matte Lip Cream in Istanbul (free)

And finally, she also kindly gave me a few products that hadn’t worked out for her. NYX‘s Soft Matte Lip Cream is a product I’ve heard about constantly over the years, but had never picked one up. The colour above is Istanbul and I’m excited to try it out.

NYX Butter Gloss in Red Velvet and Fortune Cookie (free)
NYX Butter Gloss in Red Velvet and Fortune Cookie (free)

And lastly, Sara handed over two NYX Butter Lip Glosses that hadn’t worked for her. (Shock, horror!) I’ll always happily add more of these to my collection!

Soap & Glory Lid Stuff in What’s Nude (£10 GBP)
Soap & Glory Lid Stuff in What’s Nude (£10 GBP)

I had a layover at Heathrow on my way to Prague and made a mad dash for the Boots they had in one of the terminals. Thankfully, this particular Boots had Soap & Glory makeup products and I was able to pick up their Lid Stuff eyeshadow quad in What’s Nude.This is a handy quad to bring along with a super bright palette, quite similar to one of the Urban Decay Naked Basics.

Soap & Glory Sexy Mother Pucker in Raplumzel (£8 GBP)
Soap & Glory Sexy Mother Pucker in Raplumzel (£8 GBP)

Also from Soap & Glory is their Sexy Mother Pucker Gloss Stick in Raplumzel. This is completely unlike any other balm sticks I own. It’s way more buttery and soft, very reminiscent of a Revlon Lip Butter except that this smells like caramel or something. Delicious!

Boots No7 Stay Perfect Foundation in Deeply Ivory (£14.50 GBP)
Boots No7 Stay Perfect Foundation in Deeply Ivory (£14.50 GBP)

Boots’ own brand No7 was having a deal on where if you spent enough money, you’d get a free goodie bag. I was interested in picking up more foundation from No7 as I already use their Instant Radiance foundation quite often. I got re-colour matched with their fancy handheld device and they paired me up with Deeply Ivory, two shades darker than what I had been previously using. I really love just how well the colour match seems to work with this brand, I’ve never been disappointed! I have zero idea if the technology is the same, but I’ve found that the Boots one gives me accurate results whereas the one from Sephora is seriously dodgy.

Boots No7 Lipstick in Sweet Copper (£9.95 GBP)
Boots No7 Lipstick in Sweet Copper (£9.95 GBP)

The lady at the Boots counter was doing colour matching to “find your perfect shade of lipstick”. I’m sure this suckers some women in, but it was really just about colour matching your skin and then finding a few shades that seem to match it based on some card they had. I thought it was basically a bunch of garbage, but I picked out a colour I didn’t think I had (yeah right) and it turned out to be Sweet Copper. Beautiful shade and I really love the consistency.

Boots No7 Exquisite Eyes Gift with Purchase (free)
Boots No7 Exquisite Eyes Gift with Purchase (free)

And because I’d spent enough money on their No7 line, they gave me this set. It includes a mascara, an eye pencil, a brush and a shadow.

Barry M Nail Paint in Diamond Glitter (£2.99, each)
Barry M Nail Paint in Diamond Glitter (£2.99, each)

I spotted the Barry M display and snagged the last two Diamond Glitters left on the display. I had previously gone through an entire bottle of it and I knew I loved it. I was happy to re-stock this in my collection because I can’t get Barry M in Canada.

Too Faced – Melted Nude (456 Kč)
Too Faced – Melted Nude (456 Kč)

Because I had loved the Too Faced Melted lipsticks that Sara had brought me up from the US, that I ran out at bought Melted Nude in Prague. Bonus being that it was on sale (price above is the non-discounted price) and it was cheaper than I could even get it in Canada. Sold!

Sephora Eye Lash Curler (315 Kč)
Sephora Eye Lash Curler (315 Kč)

This one was a necessity. I had forgotten my eyelash curlers at home and had to pick up a pair while on vacation. I’ve been using Tweezerman ones for years and I guess I just assumed eyelash curlers are supposed to pinch your eyes? Wrong, so wrong. I was happy to discover that Sephora‘s eyelash curlers are wonderful! No pinching of my lids at all! Think I’ll be throwing out my Tweezerman ones immediately.

L’Oreal Micellar Gel (119 Kč)
L’Oreal Micellar Gel (119 Kč)

Now this was interesting! I picked this up at Rossman, one of the drugstores in the Czech Republic, because I had read that L’Oreal regular liquid version was similar to Bioderma‘s micellar liquid. This is the gel format and I’m curious to see how this works in comparison with my other makeup removers.

Dermacol Soft Heel Balm (72.90 Kč)
Dermacol Soft Heel Balm (72.90 Kč)

Picked up Dermacol‘s Soft Heel Balm solely because of the packaging. I have nasty heels and anything I can use to repair them is definitely right up my alley.

Dermacol Party Time mascara (179 Kč)
Dermacol Party Time mascara (179 Kč)

I wish I’d bought more Dermacol, but I didn’t actually realize that they were a Czech brand until very late into my trip. This was another item bought purely because the packaging screamed at me. Not opened yet because I have a bunch of other mascaras I need to finish up first.

essence blush up! in Heat Wave and Pinky Flow (105 Kč, each)
essence blush up! in Heat Wave and Pinky Flow (105 Kč, each)

Snagged these two up because I’ve never seen them in Canada! Bush ombres are just way too pretty to pass up and the one on the left looks like a dupe for MAC’s Ripe Peach, a blush I had never managed to get my hands on.

Astor Lipcolor Butter in Feeling Feline (169.90 Kč)
Astor Lipcolor Butter in Feeling Feline (169.90 Kč)

Hot pink, slightly sheer and called Feeling Feline! We had to go to three or four DM stores before we finally found one that hadn’t already been used. I also like how it’s not cut at the top like all the other chubby stick lip products.

Catrice Liquid Liner in Dating Joe Black (94.90 Kč)
Catrice Liquid Liner in Dating Joe Black (94.90 Kč)

Nikkie of NikkieTutorials claims this is better than Make Up For Ever’s liquid liner. Sold!

Gabriella Salvete Glitter Enamel (89.90 Kč)
Gabriella Salvete Glitter Enamel (89.90 Kč)

Yet another 3D silver glitter polish to add to my  collection! I think this one is textured though.

Gabriella Salvete Liquid Eyeliner in Black (129.90 Kč)
Gabriella Salvete Liquid Eyeliner in Black (129.90 Kč)

I really don’t need more black liquid liner, but this one claims that it’s matte. I’ve yet to meet a liquid liner that’s actually matte, but hey, I’m willing to give it a shot!

Embryolisse Lait-Creme Concentre (15 €)
Embryolisse Lait-Creme Concentre (15 €)

My brother brought this over from France as I was getting low on the one I had back in Toronto. I had thought this was around 7 or 8 euros, but it turns out it’s a lot more expensive than that. I wonder if the price got jacked up recently?


That’s it for this post! There were a few things I picked up in Vienna that I don’t have on me now (forgot them in the car, my friend in Germany is going to mail them to me) so they’ll be in next month’s post.

 

Empties – May through July 2014

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Garbage time!

My empties bag has clearly since better days. Poor guy.

As per usual, makeup items first.

Benefit They’re Real mascara
Benefit They’re Real mascara

It’s a mascara graveyard here today. I had so many bite-sized mascara samples to use up and they got completely mauled throughout the last few months.

Anyway, back to the actual product. Benefit’They’re Real is amazing. I’ve never given in to high end mascara hype because I don’t WANT to love the product. I really do not want to develop a habit of enjoying $30 mascara at all! However… My mom even thought I was wearing false lashes when I had this on. Having used this sample size, I have to say that there’s a high chance I’ll actually end up dishing out the money on this one in the future (once I run through all my deluxe mascara samples!).

Purchase? More than likely.

L’Oreal Voluminous Carbon Black waterproof mascara
L’Oreal Voluminous Carbon Black waterproof mascara

I used to love this mascara, but this time round the block L’Oreal‘s Voluminous Carbon Black mascara just didn’t cut it for me. I’ll leave it for a while and then revisit it in a year or so. Maybe.

Repurchase? Eventually.

Make Up For Ever’s Smoky Lash Extravagant
Make Up For Ever’s Smoky Lash Extravagant

A surprising favourite out of the bunch. MUFE’Smoky Lash Extravagant builds up quite well and doesn’t clump. It dried up after a month or two though. I didn’t love it more than the Benefit one though.

Purchase? Unlikely.

Pop Beauty mascara
Pop Beauty mascara

No. Just no. Useless and dry.

Purchase? Hah. NO.

NARS Smudgeproof Eyeshadow Base
NARS Smudgeproof Eyeshadow Base

Love this. I’m one of the unfortunate people that NARS Smudgeproof Eyeshadow Base doesn’t actually work on its own to prevent creasing, but it does work in conjunction with Urban Decay‘s primer potion to kill all creasing so I love it for that reason. Word to the wise though, even when the wand pulls out nothing from the tube, cut that baby open and get out the remainder. There is MONTHS more product in there even after it feels empty.

Repurchase: Definitely.

Revlon Lip Butter in Creme Brulee
Revlon Lip Butter in Creme Brulee

Absolute favourite. Revlon’Creme Brulee lip butter is my favourite nude lip. This is my second tube of the stuff and it’s one of the easiest lip shades to wear on my complexion.

Repurchase? More than likely.

MAC Omega eyeshadow
MAC Omega eyeshadow

*The* eyebrow shade for blondes. MAC‘s Omega has the right kind of grey tint to the powder that makes my eyebrows not look overly ridiculously blonde (not that I have much in the way of eyebrows to begin with). I loved this eyeshadow, but I’m currently plugging through my Anastasia Dipbrow Pomade to try something new because this eyeshadow lasted me longer than a year even with daily use!

Repurchase? Maybe eventually, but for now I’m having fun exploring other options.

MAC Prep + Prime for lips
MAC Prep + Prime for lips

Second… third maybe? tube of MAC’Prep + Prime for lips. Fantastic for preventing lipsticks from bleeding outside my lipline.

Repurchase? Already have!

Murad – Oil-Control Mattifier
Murad – Oil-Control Mattifier

I didn’t notice Murad’s mattifier working especially well, but then I also noticed the expiry date was roughly four months prior to when I used it. Whoops. It also smelled like glue. Ew.

Purchase? No thanks.

Barry M – Diamond Glitter
Barry M – Diamond Glitter

 

Ohhhh yes. Barry M‘s Diamond Glitter nail polish had a lovely home on my toenails for about six months this past year. The bottle is dead empty now which is a shame since you can’t buy Barry M in Canada!

Repurchase? If I find myself in the UK again, I will *definitely* pick this one up!

Quo – Nail Polish Remover
Quo – Nail Polish Remover

I swear Quo is the only brand of nail polish remover I can ever find at the drugstore. I default to this because it’s there, it’s functional and it’s relatively cheap.

Repurchase? Yes, because I don’t know of anything better out there!

Neutrogena Wipes
Neutrogena Wipes

No shocker here. Neutrogena‘s makeup removing wipes are the only ones I use now. Definite preference to the hydrating ones.

Repurchase? For sho.

Neutrogena Oil-Free Eye Make-Up Remover
Neutrogena Oil-Free Eye Make-Up Remover

 

I’ve used several bottles of Neutrogena‘s makeup remover now and have another one cracked open. It doesn’t work as well on waterproof makeup as my Marcelle stuff did so I think I’ll be reverting back to the Marcelle one.

Repurchase? I have an open bottle, but aside from that I think I’m going to try something else out next time.

MOR Hand Cream – Kale and Watercress and Urban Decay Anti-Aging Primer
MOR Hand Cream – Kale and Watercress and Urban Decay Anti-Aging Primer

The foil packets of the lot.

MOR Hand Cream in Kale and Watercress smelled nice, but it’s a hand cream… Nothing amazing here.

Purchase? Pass.

Urban Decay‘s Anti-Aging Primer Potion is basically the same as the Original really. I didn’t notice it really having any anti-aging properties (I basically think that anything that claims that is utter hogwash really) so meh.

Purchase? I’ll just stick to the Original one I normally use.

Fortune Cookie Soap – Captain’s Berried Booty Whipped Cream
Fortune Cookie Soap – Captain’s Berried Booty Whipped Cream

FCS‘s whipped cream body butter is an awesome formula, however, their Captain’s Berried Booty scent was totally nauseating to me. It’s fruitloops and cardboard, basically.

Repurchase? Not in this scent!

Fortune Cookie Soap – Tick Tock Whipped Cream
Fortune Cookie Soap – Tick Tock Whipped Cream

Another FCS whipped cream. I liked their Tick Tock scent quite a bit. I have no idea how the scent relates to the Hunger Games, but anyway… it basically smells like clean laundry to me. Very detergent-y, but it doesn’t bother me.

Repurchase? I liked it, but not enough to repurchase it. There are other things I like more.

Tree Hut Coconut Lime Shea Body Butter
Tree Hut Coconut Lime Shea Body Butter

Sample size of Tree Hut‘s Coconut Lime Shea Body Butter. This was okay, but not amazing. The smell wasn’t really my cup of tea either.

Purchase? Nope.

Dermal Therapy – Hand, Elbow & Knee Moisturizer
Dermal Therapy – Hand, Elbow & Knee Moisturizer

This stuff isn’t fancy, or pretty, but oh man does it ever work. Dermal Therapy products are a godsend for anyone with incredibly dry skin. I get pretty scratchy elbows and ankles and this works miracles on them.

Repurchase? Definitely.

Dermal Therapy – Heel Care Moisturizer
Dermal Therapy – Heel Care Moisturizer

And this ganked up nasty jar is Dermal Therapy‘s Heel Care. The best thing EVER for heel cracks. This can repair the Grand-freaking-Canyon of heel cracks and make your heels look baby-butt smooth in the span of a week. I’m not kidding because I’ve seen it happen on me. (You’re welcome for that visual.)

Repurchase? Forever and a day.

Burt’s Bees – Almond & Milk Hand Cream
Burt’s Bees – Almond & Milk Hand Cream

Burt’s Bees Almond & Milk Hand Cream smells nice, but it’s super thick and super greasy.

Repurchase? Nah.

Clean & Clear – Deep Action Cream Cleanser
Clean & Clear – Deep Action Cream Cleanser

One of my usual cleansers. I like how this one has a cool tingle on the skin. I do find your skin gets used to that tingly feeling though, so I tend to swap out my cleansers pretty frequently.

Repurchase? Definitely.

Boots No7 – Beautiful Skin Foaming Cleanser
Boots No7 – Beautiful Skin Foaming Cleanser

Snagged this from a friend who didn’t want to finish it up. Boots No7 Beautiful Skin Foaming Cleanser is good but the scent is a little bizarre to me. This may be completely offputting to some, but it smelled faintly like cigarettes. Or like the afterburn of a cigarette. It truly wasn’t as gross as I’m making it sound, but there was that scent to it that was really hard to place.

Purchase? Maybe, if on sale.

Fortune Cookie Soap – Lemon Drop It Like It’s Hot Microdermabrasion Scrub
Fortune Cookie Soap – Lemon Drop It Like It’s Hot Microdermabrasion Scrub

FCS‘ first skincare item. I liked it at first, but the scent started to bother me over time. Nicely abrasive though.

Repurchase? Nah.

Philosophy – The Microdelivery Exfoliating Wash
Philosophy – The Microdelivery Exfoliating Wash

Another product I swiped from that same friend as before. Philosophy‘s Exfoliating wash smells terrible to me. Did not enjoy it at all.

Purchase? Nope.

Dr. Brandt Microdermabrasion Skin Exfoliant
Dr. Brandt Microdermabrasion Skin Exfoliant

Dr. Brandt‘s Microdermabrasion skin exfoliant was AMAZING. It completely cured me of a milium spot I had on my lower left eyelid. This stuff packs a hefty price tag, but I fortunately received this sample size in an Ipsy bag. If I had milia again in the future though, I would absolutely pick this up even at the full price.

Repurchase? If necessary due to skin problems, then absolutely yes!

Aveeno – Clear Complexion Daily Moisturizer
Aveeno – Clear Complexion Daily Moisturizer

A staple daily moisturizer for me. The packaging’s all messed up though. I normally get the Radiant one, but this one says Clear Complexion in English… but Radiant in French! What the hell? They’re normally two different types!

Repurchase? Definitely. I’m almost done another bottle in the bathroom already.

Eva NYC – Therapy Session Hair Mask
Eva NYC – Therapy Session Hair Mask

I wouldn’t normally post hair stuff, but this came in an Ipsy bag so I thought I’d mention it. This is nothing more than a hair conditioner. I don’t feel it did anything extra special to my hair, even when I left it on for a good ten minutes in the shower.

Repurchase? Nope.


PHEW! That’s a lot of garbage to get through. Looking at some of these products, I kind of wish I’d saved them for Kalyn’s Sample Killah month. Darn!