Beauty Empties #3

 

    I didn't have to wait long to accumulate these empties! Usually I keep my empties for more then a month to make sure I have enough to show you guys but this is just for September. Looks like I had a very productive month.

1. Softsoap Spring LE French Macaron Body Wash: I mainly bought this because I'm in love with French Macaroons (isn't everyone?) but this doesn't smell anything like macarons. In fact it smelt exactly like Softsoap's usual Milk and Honey body wash. It's a nice body wash - moisturizing, creamy, doesn't dry out your skin - but I wouldn't purchase this again.

2. L'Oreal Sublime Soft Micellar water: I review this micellar water every time I have an empties post. I definitely adore this micellar water and I can't wait 'til it goes on sale so I can stock up!

3. Olay Essentials Sensitive Skin Lotion: I was using this lotion as a night cream and I didn't really like it. It was hydrating but didn't afford me the deep hydration I want for night time.

4. Clean and Clear Brightening Cleanser: I said I wouldn't buy this cleanser again but there it is! My mom accidentally bought it and she lost the receipt so we didn't bother trying to bring it back. I like how well it removes makeup but it's a drying cleanser that's full of extra additives for those colourful bursting beads that don't do anything. This cleanser doesn't brighten my skin at all. I'm not repurchasing this.

5. Sephora Sleeping Masks (Honey, Lotus and Rose): These are absolutely fantastic. At five dollars a pop and a generous size (I get 7 uses out of each mask) these are my favourite skin care pick me ups. I love how fresh and hydrated my skin feels when I wake up. And they don't stain my pillow or make my face sticky! I've even noticed a slight decrease in my t-zone oil thanks to these. These all had similar effects on my face; nice dose of hydration and a boost of evenness and radiance the next morning.

6. St. Ives Even and Bright Scrub with Pink Lemon and Mandarin: This is a nice scrub with a nice smell. I like a more abrasive scrub to really buff away dry skin and clogged pores. My skin always looks more even after I use this scrub, but the effects are temporary and very fleeting.

7. Degree Women Dry Spray in Clean: Great spray deodorant. It didn't feel like it was working - I'm used to my stick deodorant - but it really works. It kept me dry and smelling great. And it lasted me nine weeks - and I used it daily - so it served a good purpose.

8. Thayer's Unscented Alcohol-Free Witch Hazel Toner: Great toner, horrific smell. Smells like Maybelline's Dream Fresh BB cream which smelt sour and acidic. I loved how hydrating and refreshing this toner is. I loved it so much I purchased the Rose Petal version of this toner to use.

9. Mane 'n' Tail Carrot Oil Crème: This is such a nice leave-in conditioner. In the summer my hair was texturized and I used this to hydrate my thirsty hair. It smells so delicious; exactly like carrot cake. It's got this hydrating, light texture that didn't weigh down my strands or cause them to revert. But lately I haven't been able to find the crème in stores but when I do find it, I will repurchase it!

10. Clean and Clear Deep Action Cream Cleanser for Sensitive Skin: It's a nice cream cleanser but nothing revolutionary. Didn't leave my skin as dry as a foaming cleanser but didn't leave my skin as comfortable as well as my current cleanser (Neutrogena Ultra Gentle Foaming cleanser). I won't repurchase this.

11. Now Solutions Sweet Almond Oil: This oil was a gateway oil for me into the world of oils. I bought this back in 2014 and it's lasted me until now. This is an excellent oil that feels so silky on the skin and didn't break me out when I used it on my face. I used it as a moisturizer on my extra dry bits, as an all over body moisturizer, as a moisturizing treat for the bath, as an ingredient in my DIY leave-in conditioner sprays, and the list goes on. Definitely going to repurchase a bottle of this stuff.

12. Maybelline Dream Wonder Liquid Touch Foundation in 90 Coconut: I bought this foundation in the winter and it worked well for me because I was paler then I am right now. I reviewed this foundation here. I liked how light this foundation was and how well it blended in but it really dried out my skin with prolonged used because of the alcohol denat in there. Wouldn't buy it again.

13. Hask Hair Oil in Keratin (Silver Cap) and Monoi (Peach Cap): These saved my hair this summer. I used this as a daily treatment when my hair was out of braids and texturized. These vials of oil might look small but each one last me a full month (I used the monoi oil up to three times a week). You don't need a lot of oil to work it through your hair and that's what makes these vials last so long. I definitely loved the monoi oil more - smells exactly like pina colodas! - and it's not as drying as the Keratin protein one (which is good for strengthening but you're not supposed to use high protein hair products too often).

14. Bath and Body Works Pumpkin Pecan Waffle Nourishing Hand Cream (Fall 2014 LE): This was a great concept but I didn't realize how weird it was going to be to walk around with hands that smelt strongly of maple syrup! The texture on this hand cream was so rich and creamy but the smell drove me up the wall. This would've been better as a candle.

15. Live Clean Baby Shampoo and Wash: I picked up this little sample size to wash my makeup brushes and it did a fantastic job. Had a great smell and rinsed my brushes clean and left them soft. I don't like it as much as my Johnson & Johnson baby shampoo but it's a nice option.

16. Nyx Retractable Lip Liner in Cocoa: One of my favourite lip liners. I've got four of these stocked up. The tawny colour is just perfect for altering lipsticks. Love this colour and I love this formula. It's pigmented and glides on so creamy with a lovely matte finish. I will buy this liner as long as Nyx makes it.

17. Bath and Body Works Caribbean Escape Pocketbac: I really like the fresh, coconut smell of this pocketbac. I love having this on the go and using it to keep my hands clean.

18. Maybelline Great Lash Lots of Lashes Mascara: This is my Holy Grail mascara. This is the fourth tube of this mascara that I've used. I love the small wand and how easy it is to maneuver on my lashes. The formula is so dark and smooth. This mascara just makes my lashes so plush and long.

19. Maybelline Baby Lips Crystal in Pink Quartz: My favourite baby lips ever. I love the slight pink flush and soft pearly shine it gave my lips. The smell is delicious too; like juicy raspberry. I wish it had SPF in it (and was a thicker and less greasy) then it would be my Holy Grail lip balm.

Beauty Empties Edition #2

It's been a while since I've done an empties post but the time was right. The bag I use to hold all of these empty packages was so full it looked like it was ready to burst!

1. L'Oreal Ideal Moisture Day Lotion for Dry Skin: I used this throughout the winter when my skin was incredibly dry. I usually have combination skin but last winter my skin got so dry it was flaking. I loved how moisturizing it was on my skin! It was a very heavy moisturizer but it was great. And the SPF25 didn't leave my skin with an ashy cast. I'd repurchase for use in the winter or when my skin is going through a dry spell.

2. Essence All About Matt Finishing Powder: The powder itself was really great quality, truly translucent with this wonderful pore blurring effect. It mattified my skin right away but the packaging was incredibly fragile and it didn't stay matt all day. Wouldn't repurchase.

3. Dove Pistachio & Magnolia Body Wash: My favourite body wash of all time. I love the delicious warm, sweet, nutty scent and how soft and hydrated it leaves my skin. I adore this body wash!

4. Dial 7 Day Moisturizing Lotion for Dry Skin with Shea Butter: Not my favourite lotion. Had a generic lotion scent. Had a generic lotion feel. I didn't feel like it hydrated my skin that deeply. Wouldn't repurchase.

5. Rimmel Scandaleyes Xtreme Mascara: The brush on this mascara is absolutely fantastic (its in the same vein as the Maybelline Lash Sensational brush and the L'Oreal Voluminous Butterfly brush) and helped to get my lashes looking long, think and defined really quickly. I didn't feel the need to build a lot of coats. Sadly this mascara dried out and got clumpy within a month.

6. Freeman Golden Grain Brightening Face Mask: This is an okay product. The gel was hydrating while it was on but didn't boost the brightness of my skin at all. It didn't help with the formation of dark spots either and that's mainly what I purchased for. Wouldn't buy it again as I've found nicer hydrating masks.

7. Freeman Charcoal and Black Sugar Polishing Mask: This is a fantastic scrub that really worked well to keep my skin soft and keep my blackheads under control. As a mask it didn't really stay on my face, but as I scrub I loved it and can't wait to repurchase this mask and get it back into my life! Once I stopped using it my blackheads returned in full force.

8. Cetaphil Moisturizing Cream: This is so soothing on my skin. My skin is eczema prone so this really helped when I was going through a really horrible spell of eczema. It also works really well as a facial night cream that hydrates deeply without clogging. Love this stuff.

9. The Body Shop Cocoa Butter Body Butter: This body butter was really nice. It was very hydrating on my skin and had a divine melted butter consistency and it smelt like chocolate but still wasn't overpowering. I'd definitely repurchase this.

10. The Body Shop Blueberry Body Scrub: This caught my attention immediately because I thought it was so neat that it looked like blueberry jam. After a while the smell became cloying and I couldn't wait to finish this body butter. Wouldn't buy this again.

11. L'Oreal Sublime Soft Micellar Cleansing Water: My first micellar water and still remains one of my favourites. Click here to read my review. I still love this stuff!

12. Life Brand Clear Action Dual Action Moisturizer: This is Shopper's Drug Mart's dupe of the Clean and Clear dual action moisturizer. I much prefer the Clean and Clear one even though both seriously skimp on moisture and don't include SPF. I don't know if my tube was old or something but it smelt sour. Definitely not repurchasing despite the fact that it did help the acne spots I have, I've found spot treatments that work better.

13. Dove Clear Tone Deodorant: I found this on clearance at Wal-Mart and I know now why it's been on clearance; it doesn't work. It did a good job of keeping my armpits dry and smelling fresh but it didn't even the tone of my underarms at all. I didn't expect it to work so I wasn't surprised. I won't buy these again because they don't work.

14. Maybelline Baby Lips Christmas 2015 LE Ruby Star: The cool red colour of this lip balm was the only thing I liked about it. It was too greasy for my liking. Click here to see my original review of both Ruby Star and Winter Flush.

15. Maybelline Baby Lips Christmas 2015 LE Winter Flush: Didn't like the colour or the greasy feel. I reviewed this at the same time as Ruby Star.

16. Nyx Soft Matte Lip Cream in Addis Ababa: I liked the mousse like feel this lip cream starts off with but then it quickly dries down. I actually liked how sheer this product was because then the colour wasn't too garish. Wouldn't repurchase as I didn't wear this lippie a lot.

17. Maybelline Colour Sensational Lipstick in Untainted Spice: Probably my favourite permanent nude lipstick ever. The colour is the perfect nude for my NW45 skin (It's nude but it's got enough colour to look almost MLBB). It doesn't make me look dead at all, and it looks surprisingly natural. Sadly the formula makes my lips feel numb so I stopped using the lipstick.

18. Essence Colour & Go nail polish in Sweet As Candy: I love this nail polish. It's a nice sheer pink that's great for a natural look or for using as a base for a French manicure.

19. Essence Colour & Go nail polish in Space Queen: My favourite glitter top coat. It also looks incredible over Sweet As Candy. It thickened up after a year which is definitely a first for any nail polishes I own. I really like this polish and would most likely repurchase.

20. Maybelline Baby Lips Electro Strike A Rose: Smells exactly like those sour rocket candies I hated getting in my pillow sack as a child during Halloween. The colour was really pink, cool and pigmented which made me really not like it at all as I didn't like the way it looked on me. Wouldn't repurchase.

21. Revlon Nail Enamel in Cherries in the Snow: I bought this colour mainly because I knew it was a vintage Revlon colour. I actually only like it on myself in the winter because during the winter my skin is paler and the polish doesn't look as bright and as shocking. I didn't wear it a lot and for that I wouldn't repurchase it.

L'Oreal Paris Sublime Soft Gentle Micellar Solution Review

I've heard that Micellar cleansers are popular in Canada and Europe, but I hadn't heard about Micellar cleansers until US beauty bloggers started talking about them! They sounded totally gimmicky to me - Water? This "water" is supposed to clean my face? Okay - so I decided to try it out. I could only find two at Wal-Mart (this L'Oreal one and another Nivea one) and I ended up picking this one because it was on sale, cheaper and had a smaller ingredients list.

So what exactly is a micellar cleanser / water / solution? In the simplest of the simplest terms; micellar water is a liquid that removes dirt and impurities without the need for rinsing due to molecules in the solution called micelles. You can read up on the science behind micellar waters here; http://colinsbeautypages.co.uk/what-is-micellar-water/.



Claims: Beyond makeup removal, the Gentle Micellar Solution cleanses and removes all traces of makeup from the face, eyes and lips in one step. So gentle, it is suitable even for sensitive skin.
Removes makeup and soothes. No rubbing, no rinsing, fragrance free and hypoallergenic. Removes makeup and soothes. No rubbing, no rinsing, fragrance free and hypoallergenic.

I purchased this cleansing water for $6.42 on sale at Wal-Mart but regularly it retails at Wal-Mart for $10.96. To use, you dispense it onto a cotton pad and apply it to your face and then go off about your day. The product has the texture of water but it forms bubbles very easily. It smells exactly like dish soap! Weird but whatever. It's colourless as well.

They say you can use this as a makeup remover but I use it after I wash my makeup off to get off any traces of product. I also use it in the morning to gently cleanse my face.

What I really like about this micellar cleanser is that it showed me which cleansers are actually doing their job of cleaning. I wash my face at the end of the day and then apply this micellar cleanser and I've noticed certain cleansers that I thought were doing a great job of cleaning wasn't doing any cleaning at all, and there was a lot of product coming off onto the cotton swab.

On the skin it feels very much like I was applying water. I was a totally unimpressed at that point until I took the cotton swab off of my skin; there was the dirt! This was after I washed my face! I thought it was clean! It wasn't a lot of dirt but it was enough for me to be impressed.

Sublime soft? Definitely. Once my skin is dry it feels so soft. It feels really soft. Not necessarily moisturized (I wouldn't skip my morning moisturizer) but I do like the fact that it doesn't make my skin feel tight.

In short; I like how gentle this on my skin, how soft it makes my skin, and the fact that it can get those last traces of makeup. I really like this cleanser and I'm looking forward to trying other micellar solutions!

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