Friday, June 12, 2026

May 2026 Empties

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

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1. equate Tropical Mango Shea Sugar Scrub I love how gritty this scrub is. This has a really yummy, sweet, juicy, fruity mango scent to it. This leaves my skin feeling very soft and smooth, and is great for shave prep. 

2Jiocolor Wispy Lashes x3: 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. 

3. Sol de Janeiro Cheirosa '62 Eau de Parfum: I'm so sad to have run out of this perfume! It smells so delicious and I loved wearing it! I'll be honest that often, when I come to the tail end of perfumes I don't love them the same any more but this is a rare occasion where I'd love to purchase another bottle someday.

4. bodycology strawberry cheesecake 2 in 1 body wash & bubble bath: This body wash did a good job of leaving my skin feeling soft and clean. It was also gentle on my eczema and I found it didn't really irritate my skin. That said, the scent is just a bit too sweet and frosting-like for my personal tastes. I'd be open to trying out a different scent from them. 

5Maybelline New York Tattoo Studio Jet Black Ink Pen Liquid Eyeliner: It was about time for me to replace my eyeliner so I picked up a new one. However, this was still going pretty strong but with my eyes getting dry lately I just didn't want to risk an eye infection. I really like this eyeliner, I like that it's a pen-style brush and think it's precise and easy to use; it glides along the lash-line nicely.

6. The Ordinary 100% Plant-Derived Squalane: As predicted, due to the unfortunate fall of this product and a lot of it leaking out onto the carpet, I ran out of its remnants quite quickly. As you know, I love my squalane oil and have a replacement. 

7. Organic Kitchen Pistachio Mafia Polishing Face Scrub: This is another item I was sad to have run out of because I enjoy using this scrub, it smells yummy, and it leaves my skin feeling soft and smooth without being too abrasive. 

8. Dr. Sante Nature & Innovations Pre Age Ceramide + Prebiotic Barrier Moisturizing Mask: I really enjoyed how hydrating this mask is. It left my skin feeling really hydrated and replenished. I think it's fantastic for the wintertime because it kept my skin from drying out.

9. L'Oreal Paris Voluminous Original Mascara in 970 Deep Violet I loved the purple tint on the mascara! It's obvious enough to be purple but is still dark enough to give my lashes depth. The formula is also really nice and gives my lashes both volume and definition, which I adore. That said, it has developed quite an intense scent so it was time to go ahead and replace it.

10. Dove pamper shea butter + vanilla body wash: This is a really nice, hydrating, gentle body wash that leaves my skin feeling soft and silky smooth. I love using this for shaving because it gives my razor a nice glide and makes my skin feel so nice. It has a really soft, soothing, slightly sweet scent too which I found comforting especially in the colder months.

11. Children's Soap with Bur-MarigoldI was unable to get to Trader Joe's to buy my holy grail oatmeal and honey soap so I picked this one up at a nearby Russian-speaking pharmacy instead. In truth, I love this soap very much! It leaves my skin feeling very clean but also soft and hydrated without triggering any eczema flares.  It's also got a very silky, frothy foam to it which I enjoy. 

12. The Face Shop Rice Water Bright Foaming Cleanser: This is such a nice, gentle, creamy, hydrating cleanser. It left my skin feeling really soft and smooth after using it without any stripping or irratation. It also worked really great to give slip for my razor when I was shaving. I really enjoyed it while I had it. 

13. Etude House Collagen moistfull cream: I'm sad I ran out of this moisturizer - it has a really nice gel cream texture that's very hydrating but absorbs quickly. It left my skin feeling hydrated and plump. It also has a sour, floral, tea-like scent that I enjoy. 

14. Youth to the People Adaptogen Deep Moisture Cream While this cream is hydrating, it is also lightweight and despite it being called "deep" moisture, I found that, especially as I was using this mostly in the winter that the hydration it provided was insufficient to keep my eczema and flakey skin away. 

15. equate Green Apple Sugar Scrub I love how gritty this scrub is. This has a really yummy, sour apple scent to it that I just adore! I feel like it not only smells juicy and delicious, but it's an invigorating scent that wakes me up.  This leaves my skin feeling very soft and smooth, and is great for shave prep. 

16. DUO Brush-On Adhesive with Vitamins: My tube of glue has just gotten really gunky and gross so it was time to replace it.

17. Marc Jacobs 240 So Rouge Le Marc Lip Creme: I'm usually so sad when I run out of things but I was actually quite excited to run out of this lipstick. Don't get me wrong, this had a lovely formula and was a beautiful true red, it went on smoothly and wore comfortably. That said, I feel like in my effort to use them up, I have been wearing red lipsticks back to back to the point where I miss wearing softer colors. So I'm quite excited to wear something other than red for the time being. 
 
18. Dove Daily Moisture Shampoo: This isn't in the picture because my mom threw the bottle away. In terms of the product itself, I found that it was a gentle shampoo that smelled nice and left my hair lightly hydrated but not weighed down. If you have very dry hair though, I would suggest something more nourishing but otherwise this is great for maintenance. 

19. PRETTYSKIN Snail Collagen Toner: I'm sad to be out of this toner - it lasted me since last November, which is quite a while. It also is a lightweight, watery texture but adds a really nice boost of moisture and hydration to my skin. It left my skin looking glowy and feeling bouncy. 

20. one+other Original Nail Polish Remover Sponge: I purchased this with the hopes that because it isn't 100% acetone that it would be gentle on my nails. Truly, I forgot how quickly the sponge inside gets to feeling absolutely disgusting and just goopy. Sticking my fingers in there to take the nail polish off felt gross and I felt like I had to leave them in there soaking to get it off too. I will not be picking it up again. 
 
21. IVON Cuticle Trimmer: I feel like these do a good job of removing excess dead tissue along the sides of my nails and around the cuticle area. That said, they can be sharp so it's important to be gentle and careful with them not to take off too much skin. 
 
22. Colovis Eyebrow Razor: I got these for dermaplaning as I prefer using smaller, more precise razors for it versus those larger blades designed for the face. I think these do a fairly decent job of getting rid of hair in small, detailed problem areas like under the chin or on the chin itself or on the upper lip. 

23. Laura Mercier Powder Puff:  I had such high expectations for this puff given that it's from a luxury brand and, I'm not sure if it's just because I had it for such a long time, but I really wasn't a fan of the puff. I felt as though it was sort of dry to the touch and it took it a while before it got soft and flexible - something close to about a month. Even so, the puff has developed a lump on the inside of it. It's also decent for just powdering all over the face but if you're looking to do precision work with it like under the eyes or around the nose, it was a bit too large and cumbersome for that. Overall, unfortunately, I wasn't a fan of it. 
 
24. deal worthy Fresh Scent Body Lotion: I have been enjoying this lotion for post shaving my legs lately. It comes in a large bottle, is fairly inexpensive, smells nice, and leaves my skin feeling silky smooth and hydrated. It works alright for the soles of my feet too, but I do wish it was just a tiny bit thicker or that the brand would release a body butter. Other than that, the bottle lasts me a long time, so I really enjoy that aspect of it as well. 

Disclaimer: I purchased all of the products mentioned above with the exception of the Youth to the People moisturizer which was gifted to me for testing and the Marc Jacobs lipstick that was a gift with purchase. All opinions are my own. 

Tuesday, June 9, 2026

May 2026 Arrivals

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

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1.  L'Oreal Paris Voluminous Original Mascara in 960 Deep Green: I had this in the deep purple shade and really loved it, but unfortunately that mascara has developed a strange scent so I decided to replace it with this one. I don't think I've ever seen a mascara in this shade before and really want to see how the green will look on my brown eyes. That said, it also comes in blue and burgundy so I might get both of those to try out in the future. 

2. Biore UV Aqua Rich Watery Gel SPF 50+ PA++++: I'm running low on my current Biore UV Aqua Rich Watery Essence SPF 50+ PA++++ and needed to replenish. However, they did not have the essence at my local Teso Life so I went ahead and got the gel. I figure it might be nice and lightweight for summer while still giving my skin hydration. At least the tester felt hydrating in-store. 

3. L'Oreal Paris Eye Defense Eye Cream x2: I got this two pack at BJ's where I felt they were decently priced at about $18 for two jars. I picked this particular eye cream because the one I'm currently using is running low and I'm finding it not hydrating enough. I wanted something that hydrates, depuffs, and brightens so this one seemed promising and I decided to give it a try. 

4. Organic Kitchen Silent Hour Revitalizing Face Mask: I just ran out of one of my face masks and since I liked this one in the past, I decided to pick up another one. It's a nice, lightweight, hydrating and refreshing face mask that smells like berry yogurt so I enjoy the sensory experience of using it. 

5. Maybelline Instant Age Rewind Eraser Multi-Use Concealer: I'm running low on my current concealer and I have not had this particular concealer in ages and have had it on my wish list so I decided to pick one up and see how I like it now. 

6. Physicians Formula Eye Booster Waterproof Ultra-Fine Liquid Eyeliner: As you know, this is my absolute holy grail eyeliner so when it was time to replenish and this was in stock, I went ahead and picked it up because I love it!

7. one+other Pro-Strength Nail Polish Remover Dip: The current dip polish remover I have has just gotten so gross that sticking my fingers into that goopy, sticky liquid and sponge gives me the ick! Hence I have gone ahead and bought a fresh new one. I also feel like the 100% acetone removes my polish faster which means I can go wash my hands quicker so overall, it's probably causing less damage than soaking my fingers quite a while in the non-acetone one to get all the polish off. 

8. DUO Quick-Set Striplash Adhesive:My lash glue was also getting quite gunky and gross so I went ahead and replaced it. 

9. Milani Make It Last Original Natural Finish Setting Spray: I'm running low on my setting spray and since this is my very favorite I decided to just go ahead and pick up a bottle. 
 
Disclaimer: I purchased all the items listed above myself. All opinions are my own. 

Monday, June 8, 2026

May 2026 Favorites

Hey folksickles,

Alright, all the goodies I've been enjoying in May :) 
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1. Tocca Gia Eau de Parfum: This fragrance has made it to several favorites in the past and it is now back! It has such a lovely fresh, sweet, floral scent to it that is perfect for springtime but if I'm being honest, I love it for any time! I'm glad I've come back to it!  

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

Disclaimer:  I paid for everything mentioned above. All opinions are my own. 

Sunday, June 7, 2026

Love It Or Leave It; Review 2.0: NARS Extreme Effects Eyeshadow Palette

Hello folks. 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. 

You can find a look I did with the palette here. These are the looks I created this month:
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So as you can see I created all sorts of colorful, soft, neutral, and smoky looks with these shadows. I personally have found that these shadows are easy to blend and the pigmentation on them is fantastic. All of them work really great! This palette is definitely a keeper both for its versatility and the incredible quality of the eyeshadows. They are so buttery, smooth, creamy (despite being powder), and blend like an absolute dream! Frankly sometimes my color picker (I use the Spin the Wheel app and pick 5 shades) would pick combinations I felt initially unsure about but I love how everything came together! 

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

Disclaimer: I purchased this palette myself. 

Thursday, May 28, 2026

Eye Cream Review: L'Oreal Paris Eye Defense Eye Cream

Hello folksickles. Today's review will be for the L'Oreal Paris Eye Defense Eye Cream.

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Availability:  This retails for $13-$18 and can be purchased at drugstores that carry L'Oreal. I would suggest calling ahead to ensure the product is in stock if you're interesting in purchasing it in-person.

Would I buy this again?: I'm not sure.

What is this product designed to address?
According to lorealparisusa.com this is what the product is and what it does:
PRODUCT DETAILS
Reduces puffiness, lines and dark circles. Light-weight, non-greasy. Dermatologist and Ophthalmologist Tested.

Defend the delicate eye area against the first signs of aging. Eye Defense smooths fine lines, reduces puffiness, and diminishes dark circles. This light, non-greasy gel-cream is designed for all skin types.
 
Does it contain any special/beneficial ingredients?
Glycerin: Helps draw moisture to the skin.
Jojoba Seed Oil: Has hydrating properties.
Caffeine: Helps boost circulation thereby reducing puffiness and dark circles.
Oat Kernel Extract: Has hydrating, soothing, and anti-inflammatory properties.
Hyaluronic Acid:  Helps skin retain and lock in moisture.
 
What is the texture like?
I'd describe the texture as a lightweight yet hydrating gel cream. 

Is it scented?
It has a"clean" soap-like scent.

My overall experience/comments on the product:
Honestly I have been playing with this eye cream for about a month now and have really been liking it. I like that it's lightweight but gives my eye area good hydration, it's not heavy, it absorbs quickly, I do find that it de-puffs my under eye area because of the caffeine and the gel texture being cooling, it plays nice with makeup, it's easy to get my hands on it. All pluses, I was ready to rave about it. That is, until I read others' reviews, people are saying that this burned their eye area all of a sudden. Someone even said she started to have vision issues. That has not been my experience thus far but I'm afraid to repurchase this once I use up the two jars I got at BJs to avoid any potential complications. Hence, I likely won't get it again. It has been quite some time since I purchased my very beloved MIZON Multi Function Formula Snail Repair Eye Cream and I think I'll try to get my hands on it again when I'm done with this. 

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

Disclaimer: I purchased this myself. 

Tuesday, May 26, 2026

Love It Or Leave It; Review 2.0: NARS Erdem Fleur Fatale Eyeshadow 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. 

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 neutral, smoky looks with these shadows. I personally have found that these shadows are easy to blend and the pigmentation on them is fantastic. All of them work really great in my experience. That said, I just know I have similar shades in palettes that I'm likely to reach for more often. Belladonna, the matte taupe in here, makes a great eyebrow powder for me so I will hold on to this palette until I use that up. But afterwards I am likely to just pass it along.

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

Disclaimer: This palette was provided for testing purposes, I am under no obligation, nor am I being compensated, to mention it on this blog.