April 2026 Empties

 All my monthly trash on display for you to see. :P

1. e.l.f. Shadow Lock Eyelid Primer: I liked this primer because it's clear and has a very thin formula so it doesn't alter any eyeshadow that's placed on top of it. It really helped my eyeshadow stay in place and kept it from creasing. My only issue is that the product packaging makes it difficult to get every last bit of product out of it. 

2. Dove pamper shea butter + vanilla body wash: I feel like this body wash is great for colder weather because it's deeply hydrating, moisturizing, leaves my skin feeling soft and smooth, and also has a warm, inviting scent that isn't too heavy or too sweet. As always, I like to use this as a shaving cream because it helps my razor glide along my skin smoothly and lasts much longer than traditional shaving foam would. 

3. wet n wild photofocus Loose Setting Powder in  Translucent: I love this setting powder because it keeps my makeup in place but has a really nice, skin-like finish where it neither looks nor feels powdery.  

4. OPI Heart and Con-Soul Nail Lacquer: This is a really pretty orange-y red nail polish. Unfortunately my bottle is essentially all out to the point where even thinning it out with nail polish remover doesn't make sense to do. It also is prone to chipping so while I really liked the color, it's time to say goodbye.

5. Jiocolor Wispy Lashes x2: These are a pretty wispy shape, I like the alternating short and long bits. I will say that these are very thin and delicate so while they do glue onto the eyelid fairly easily, they're also easy to bend out of shape or to get lash glue all over the band. So, it's important to be careful and gentle with them. 

6. Alterna Caviar CC Cream 10 in 1 Complete Correction Leave-In Hair Perfector: This was a really nice styling cream that gave my hair softness and shine. I feel like it made my waves look shiny, soft, and pretty. 

7. White Barn Peach Bellini PocketBac anti-bacterial hand gel: This hand sanitizer just smells so yummy! Peach Bellini has been one of my absolute favorite scents since I was in college so it's very nostalgic to me.

8.  essie mint candy apple nail lacquer: I'm so sad to have finished up this nail polish because as you know, I love wearing mint on my nails! But it's gotten to the point where I already thinned it out with acetone and there's not much left and what is left is quite goopy. It is time to say goodbye. 

9. equate Cherry Vanilla Sugar Scrub:  I love how gritty this scrub is. I think this scent is newer and I LOVE it!  It's a yummy, sweet cherry scent that's reminiscent of a Cherry Jolly Rancher; I don't really get any distinct vanilla in it but I'm not too upset about that. This leaves my skin feeling very soft and smooth, and is great for shave prep.  

10. Ole Henriksen Sheer Transformation Perfecting Moisturizer: I love the texture of this moisturizer, it's a lightweight, almost whipped feeling, cream texture that melts right into the skin. I think it's fantastic for oily skin because of how light it is. That said, I found it to be quite hydrating, for the most part, even for my dry skin. I was a little worried using this at the end of winter/start of spring because it was still quite cold outside and that's when my skin tends to be at its driest but I'm pleasantly surprised that I didn't really experience much dryness or flakiness when using this.

11. COSRX Snail 96 Mucin Power Essence: Even though I have another bottle of this, I am sad to have used it all up. Over the years this has become something of a holy grail product for me when it comes to having a hydrating serum that makes my skin feel bouncy, juicy, soft, and supple. 

Disclaimer: I purchased all of the products mentioned above with the exception of the bodycology body cream which was a Christmas gift and the Paula's Choice and Kerastase items which came as samples with purchase.

Primer Review: Missha M B.B.Boomer Primer

 Today's review will be for the Missha M B.B. Boomer Primer.

Availability: This retails at $12-$16 for 1.35 fl. oz. (40 mL). It is available at misshaus.com, amazon.com, and yesstyle.com. 

Would I buy this again?: Yes!

What is this product designed to address?

According to misshaus.com: 

A creamy-soft illuminating primer to pair with BB cream to extend wear time and finish. Providing a dewy finish, BB Boomer offers moisture, brightening, and wrinkle care effects with ingredients like squalene, moringa, adenosine, and pearl powder.

Primes skin, prolongs foundation wear time, moisturizes, brightens, and prevents wrinkles.

Recommended for all skin types.

Does it contain any special/beneficial ingredients?

Once again, according to misshaus.com, the key ingredients are:

Moringa Oil (Patented): Hydrates and protects against environmental factors

Mannan: Moisturizes and softens skin through quick absorption

Squalene: Aids in moisture retention and improves overall skin health

What is the texture like?

This has a creamy, hydrating, refreshing, and cooling feel to it. 

Is it scented?

This has a faint floral scent to it. 

My overall experience/comments on the product:

Y'all know from my past reviews that I love a glowy primer. I really do find that they improve the coverage of my foundation versus using nothing. This gives my skin a really pretty glow, a lit-from-within effect with foundation over it. It actually reminds me a lot of MAC's original Strobe Cream because it has that slightly thicker, slightly initially tacky texture (this does dry smooth though) and a pink iridescent glow to it. I'm sure it would make a pretty sheer cream highlight if you wanted to use it for that as well. 

Please let me know if you have any questions or comments.

Disclaimer: I purchased this myself.

Oil Review: timeless Skin Care Squalane Oil

timeless Skin Care Squalane Oil

Availability: This is available at timelessha.com, sentisenti.com, target.com and macys.com (and perhaps in some physical store locations as well), yesstyle.com, and amazon.com. It retails at $11.95 for 1 fl. oz, $16.95 for 2 fl. oz, and $44.95 for 8 fl. oz. at standard pricing; that said, the 8 oz. size is available for $32.88 on yesstyle.com as of when this blog is originally published, so if you are wanting the large bottle; that's the best deal. 

Would I buy this again? Yes!

What is this product? What is it supposed to do?

According to timelessha.com:

PARABEN FREE | SULFATE FREE | NO FRAGRANCE | DYE FREE | CRUELTY FREE | VEGAN
The Protector - As a dry oil, Squalane Oil maintains skin’s healthy glow without leaving an oily sheen. This light-weight oil seals in moisture and is also anti-bacterial, making it ideal for acne-prone skin and protecting skin against pollutants. It is also perfect for priming the skin before makeup for a smoother application, helping to set everything in place, so it stays on all day!
Recommended for: All skin types including oily prone skin type
Targets: Dryness, Blemish-prone skin
Helps minimize moisture loss
Regulates oil production in the skin
Instantly relieves skin that feels tight & dry
Great body moisturizer
Excellent for dry, cold, or extreme climates
Helps heal chapped lips
Squalane naturally occurs in human sebum and helps in the protection and lubrication of the skin. Our Squalane is sourced naturally from olives and helps improve skin elasticity and radiance.

Does this contain any special/beneficial ingredients?

Squalane: Squalane has anti-inflammatory properties, is lightweight, and helps smooth the texture of skin. 

What is the texture like?

This has a bit of an oily feel to it when first applied, but it absorbs readily and quickly into the skin. I find that it feels lighter in comparison to The Ordinary 100% Plant-Derived Squalane.

Is this scented?

This has no discernable scent to it.

What has my experience with the product been like?

I'm sure many of you readers know, if you've read my blog for any length of time, of my deep love for squalane oil. While I am a bit of a loyalist to The Ordinary 100% Plant-Derived Squalane, I decided to try something else after the second time that a bottle of The Ordinary tipped over and spilled much of the oil out, making me sad. Is one better than the other? Frankly, no. For anyone that needs a recap, I personally love squalane because, when I use it regularly, my skin is far less red and I constantly suffer with skin-irratation related redness because, due to my PCOS, I shave my face. Additionally, squalane oil makes my skin feel silky smooth unlike anything else. So due to both the buttery skin texture and the reduction in both irratation and redness, I love my squalane. I'm convinced it's keeping my skin bouncy and healthy. Additionally, since the large 8 oz. bottle of this particular oil is more economic to purchase overall, I'll probably purchase that going forward. I wanted to try a smaller bottle first just to make sure I liked it. But since I end up typically purchasing 2-3 bottles throughout the year, it makes sense to just buy the large bottle. I mean, in addition to just using it on the face, it's great for areas of eczema or otherwise dry skin on the body because it absorbs quickly and is anti-inflammatory so it won't leave you feeling greasy; I used it often on my tattoo when it was in the healing stage back in 2019 (I mean not this one, but squalane oil was used), it works great as a cuticle oil again because it's lightweight, it can also be used on the hair to enhance shine and to reduce any inflammatory issues on the scalp so there's plenty of uses for it. You can also add a few drop to foundation to give it a glowy finish or to thin the foundation out if it is thick. I'm glad I came across this brand as another option. 

 

Please let me know if you have any comments or questions.

Disclaimer: I paid for this myself.

Love It Or Leave It; Review 2.0: Morphe Boss Mood Palette

Hello folksickles. As a makeup junkie and blogger you may have realized that I review a LOAD of eyeshadow palettes and I like to think of myself as being largely an eyeshadow junkie. In order to declutter a bit I've decided to pick out a palette or series of eyeshadows for the month and have that be my monthly selection for those instances where I'm not doing a tutorial for the blog. Every month I'll do a recap on the eyeshadows - how I feel about them and whether I'll be keeping them or giving them away (and why :P) as well as if I think it's worth its price tag. 

 Morphe Boss Mood Palette

You can find a look I did with the palette here. These are the looks I created this month:

So as you can see I created all sorts of colorful looks with these shadows. I have very mixed feelings about this palette. Firstly, it's very obviously Autumn coded so playing with it in the spring... I suppose if I intentionally stuck to mostly the neutrals and greens it might have worked but I wanted to give the full palette a fair chance and I feel like the looks I landed on ended up having an Autumn vibe overall. That part is neither here nor there, because I can simply just reach for this palette in the Autumn season going forward. My other issue is that some shades, especially the matte purples tend to go on patchy and be a bit of a pain to work with and blend. Additionally, some of the colors in here are sort of so similar as to be repetitive and I would have liked a bigger color variety. Despite these complaints, I will be holding on to the palette for the time being because the matte olive tones in here are unique to my collection and I'd like to hold onto them because I like wearing green eyeshadow. 

Please let me know if you have any questions or comments.

Disclaimer: I purchased this palette myself. 

March 2026 Departures

Ok folks. Departure blogs will contain items that aren't empties but that are going to be given away for one reason or another. I'm working hard to curate my makeup collection and want it to include only the products that I think truly work well, that I reach for often and do what they're supposed to do.

1. NARS Mojave Palette: This is a great little palette from the standpoint of having something to perhaps travel with or throw in ones' purse or handbag. The colors in here are nice neutrals that go with everything and the quality of the palette is such where the shadows are pigmented, easy to blend, and generally easy to work with. But that said, I just know I have similar shades in palettes I am far more likely to reach for, so I will be passing this palette along. 

Disclaimer: I received the NARS palette for testing purposes. All opinions are my own. 

March 2026 Arrivals

Ok folksickles! I'm back to replenishing on things that I'm running out of and buying mostly just necessities.

1. Dr. Sante Nature & Innovations Hydro Intensive Hyaluron + Aloe SOS Hydrating Mask: Since I ran out of my other masks I decided to pick this one up to try. 

2. The Ordinary 100% Plant-Derived Squalane: I am running low on my current bottle and needed to restock because I don't like being without my squalane. 

3. Paula's Choice SPF 50 Broad Spectrum 5% Vitamin C Sheer Moisturizer: I decided to give this moisturizer a try because I haven't had anything from Paula's Choice before and have heard of the brand for years. I've been quite curious. Additionally, my skin tends to react well to Vitamin C and I hadn't used a Vitamin C product in ages, so it'll be fun to try this out. 

4. Kerastase decalcifying system,  reparative shampoo: So exactly a year ago, I got a sample of the Kerastase Chronologiste Youth Revitalizing Hair Mask and fell entirely in love with it so when I saw another opportunity to try a Kerastase product I jumped on it. The heart aching thing about falling in love with that mask is knowing that at such a high price point that I would never be able to get my hands on it. 

5. L'Oreal Elvive Total Repair 5 Damage Erasing Balm: On the topic of the Kerastase mask, my hairdresser friend told me that this was technically a dupe or similar to it.  So, since this is at a far more approachable price point, I decided to give it a try. If anything, I'm out $10 and not $60-70.

6. Jiocolor Wispy Lashes x7: I was on my last pair of lashes and decided to give the large multipacks online a chance. These are a pretty wispy shape, I like the alternating short and long bits. 

7. Veleasha Sunny T-4 Lashes x7: I think I mentioned in the past that I like spiky lashes on myself and these are so pretty in the packaging! I'm excited to try them out. 

8. Kose softymo Deep Cleansing Oil: This is my holy grail makeup removing oil so I had to go ahead and replenish on it since I am near running out of my current bottle.

9. Being frenshe Hair Wellness Detox Scalp Scrub: I am currently running out of my scalp scrub and decided to give this one a try. I feel like unlike dandruff shampoo, that using scalp scrubs once weekly really and truly keeps my scalp flake-free the vast majority of the time so I like having one around.

10. wet n wild Loose Setting Powder in Soft Pink: As you all know, I love the translucent version of this powder. I decided to give the pink version a try since sometimes my foundation can oxidize a tiny bit orange so I'm hoping this might soften out that issue. Perhaps it'll also offer some under-eye brightening as well. 

Disclaimer: I purchased all the items listed above myself with the exception of the Paula's Choice and Kerastase samples. All opinions are my own.