My Current Empties

Hello everyone! Long time no see on the blog, I've been really busy with school work and job commitments, but I finally have a post for you all about a set of empties I have. Empties are a really great way to judge a product because you've taken the time to use it and you can see its performance over time.

Here I have for you a few of my most favourite products for makeup removal and hair care! Sorry for the blurry photo quality, I don't have any other cameras besides my phone right now!

The first is Shiseido's Creamy Cleansing Emulsion. I use this as an all-over face cleanser to remove my face makeup at night, and I wipe it off with tissue before I wash my face. It's really moisturizing, yet it doesn't leave that sticky residue that I typically associate with creamy cleansers. (For those who know me, they'll know darn well I don't like the texture of thick facial creams!) I used this bottle almost daily for the past 8 months, so it'll last you quite a while!

I also have Yves Rocher's Express Eye Makeup Remover for Sensitive Eyes with Cornflower. I've been using this eye makeup remover for a few years now; there's just something about dual formulations that I love. It lasts me around 4 months per bottle, making it a great deal, since it retails for $6, but you can almost always get it on sale!

Next I have yet another Yves Rocher product that I ABSOLUTELY LOVE- their Éclat Radiance Rinsing Vinegar. I have gone through 2 (or was it 3?) bottles of this and I started using it in January of this year. I noticed that it made my hair smoother and shinier, and helped it feel clean after my shampoo without that squeaky-clean stripped hair feeling. I apply a few pours into my hair after shampooing and conditioning, and I leave it in for a minute before thoroughly rinsing. ALSO, did I mention that it smells absolutely fabulous? It smells just like real raspberries with a hint of vinegar on occasion, just like raspberry vinaigrette you would put in your salad.

Overall, I would definitely repurchase all these items and I plan to use them all for a long time to come. They are very good investments!

Review: BUXOM Buxom Full-Bodied Lip Gloss in YOW

Happy November everybody! To kick off, I'd like to share with you an item I picked up at the Sephora F&F Sale! As you may recall, I posted a previous wishlist last week of what I wanted to look at (HERE.) and I ended up picking up my regular Shiseido moisturizer, a Sephora by OPI nail polish (to be reviewed!) and this all-star beauty pick-me-up right here: I present to you, the Buxom Full-Bodied Lip Gloss in the shade YOW, a pearly pink :

Now, I had actually been planning this purchase for some time, mainly because I like the effect of a plumping gloss (temporarily, of course) but without any sting or tingle. After trying this gloss out for a few days, I can say that while it doesn't give me a lot of lip volume, it is EXTREMELY moisturizing as it promises and really delivers on keeping your lips baby soft. A huge plus with this gloss is that it doesn't leave that cakey white residue on your lips after it's been applied for a while, and even with a drink in tow, this gloss lasted me quite a while, around 2 hours! Without eating and drinking, I would say it lasts around 4-5 hours on me, which is pretty good! This is my go-to gloss for now, and I've been loving it as it is non-sticky, has a minimal sweet crème brulée scent, and is a great everyday colour!

Sephora Friends & Family Sale: What I Plan To Buy!

Have I got some exciting news to share with all my lovely readers or what?! As some of you may know, from October 18-31 this year is the highly anticipated Sephora Friends & Family (F&F) sale where a lot of people stock up on holiday gifts and things they have been looking at because of the (usually) 20% off discount. However, instead of making the sale public to everyone this year, it is quite literally a F&F sale where you have to obtain a card or online code from a sales associate. Luckily enough for me, I will be picking up the card from my friend and I will be heading off to Sephora next week!

Here are a few of my choice picks of what to get with 20% off:

1. Clarisonic Mia in Lavender

I'm not sure if I really need the Clarisonic, to be honest! I've been told my skin doesn't require such a thorough cleansing with something like the Clarisonic but maybe I'll take a look at the different brush heads they offer and see if I can find an option for normal and slightly combo skin. I've heard so many great things about this and I tried it out for a minute last time, it seems nice! I will at least do some in-store research and listen to what the experts have to say on it, since the Sephora guys and gals can be very knowledgeable!

2. Shiseido Pureness Mattifying Moisturizer Oil-Free
To be honest, I've gone through a few bottles of this, and I really love it. It is great for daily moisturizing and really keeps my face hydrated even though it is in the form of a light gel and not a thick cream as you expect anything deeply moisturizing to be. I even use this one in winter and it does a great job, and it won't affect any makeup you put on top of it!

3. Buxom Full-Bodied Lip Gloss in YOW
I've always been curious about the Buxom gloss line because of the plumping properties...but I don't like products that sting or have a minty tingle, as the original Buxom glosses have. Luckily for me, they came out with this new gloss with hyaluronic spheres that gently moisturize and plump lips over time without the sting! I look forward to trying this out!

4. Urban Decay NAKED Palette
The essential stash of neutral eye makeup shadows, Urban Decay always produces some of the highest quality shadows. I started out using Yves Rocher shadows and Urban Decay, and other brands have not compared in terms of colour payoff and ease of use and softness. Urban Decay is one of my absolute favourites, plus the colours are well suited towards my skintone!

5. Vera Wang Princess Eau de Parfum
I have been looking for a new perfume for a few weeks now, because I want a more mature fragrance to represent me and embody who I am. Of course, just doing online research and reading reviews is not enough to determine what I need, but going off of those, plus having used it once before, and loving the scent and packaging, I think I will give this one a go!

Does anyone know anything good that I should try out during the F&F sale? Do let me know by leaving a comment!

Review: e.l.f. Baked Eyeshadow in Toasted

So I did a tiny e.l.f. haul with my friends a while back because the shipping is fairly affordable and I've grown to like the cosmetics offered by e.l.f.! For those lovelies who are new to e.l.f., it stands for "eyes lips face" and is a company whose mission is to offer cosmetics at the lowest price possible to make them affordable for everybody! All of their products are very affordable and I may consider doing another order sometime soon!

When e.l.f. released their baked blushes and eyeshadows, a lot of people (myself included) were very excited to see the price point, which is significantly lower than that of most other baked cosmetic products. I wanted to give it a try first, because I have never used baked makeup before, believe it or not! I ordered one of the baked eyeshadows in the shade Toasted for a mere $3, check out how pretty it is!

As you can see, the amount you get is very generous (a whopping .12 oz or 3.5 grams!) and the colour is very metallic! It has a slight shimmer finish, but no glitter, and reminds me of the colour of MAC's Rubenesque paint pot. I like to pair this eyeshadow with my Bare Study paint pot and a taupe crease colour for a daily eye look! I think it'd look great on a variety of skin tones because of the finish, and it doesn't lean too pink, which is perfect for me. Overall, I give this shadow two thumbs up because it is super affordable and is very long lasting!

Review: Maybelline Dream Lumi Touch Concealer in Nude

So now that midterms are hitting all of us university students hard, it's time to bring out the concealers and hide those dreaded undereye circles so you can look your best! It's my first time trying out a concealer, and based on many reviews, I decided to go with the Maybelline Dream Lumi Touch Concealer in the shade Nude. It was on sale for $6.99 which is a great price for a drugstore concealer, and I love the click pen idea where you can get just as many dabs as you need without drying out the rest of the product. As with all click pens, it takes a good minute or so of continuous clicking to get any product to start flowing. After that, each time I spin it one click for each eye so that I get a small dab of fresh product.

The shades available in this concealer are made for lighter skin tones, and the luminizing agent may actually make some people's skin seem paler and ghastly! For me, the trick is to use this in moderation and to pat it in light circles to thoroughly blend the product in with your natural skintone, as skin tends to be darker for me under my eyes. It also has a tendency to accent drier undereye skin if you cake on too much.

I think a product that might be comparable is the Rimmel Match Perfection concealer, which I might try next! What drugstore concealers do you like best?