May 2026 Empties

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

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. 

2. Jiocolor 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. 

5. Maybelline 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-Marigold: I 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. 

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. 

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.

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. 

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. 

 NARS Erdem Fleur Fatale Eyeshadow 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 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. 

Sunscreen Review: Biore UV Aqua Rich Watery Gel SPF 50+ PA++++

Hello folks. Today's review will be for the Biore UV Aqua Rich Watery Gel SPF 50+ PA++++.

Availability: This retails anywhere between $12 - $15 for a 70mL bottle and is available at stylevana.com, japanasetaste.com, amazon.com, and target.com. 

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

What is this product designed to address?

According to target.com: 

Highlights

Offers broad-spectrum protection with SPF50+ and PA++++

Water-based gel texture that is fast-absorbing and non-sticky

Provides a cooling effect while protecting skin from UV damage

Great for all skin types, including oily and combination skin

Description

Biore UV Aqua Rich Watery Gel SPF50 PA+, Lightweight Hydrating Sunscreen Gel, 2.4 oz delivers intense sun protection in a refreshing gel texture. Ideal for body and face, it glides on easily and provides long-lasting hydration and comfort. 

Moisturizing and lightweight texture

Suitable for face and body

Water-based and fast-absorbing

Leaves skin smooth and non-sticky

Does it contain any special/beneficial ingredients?

Glycerin: Helps attract moisture to the skin. 

Hyaluronic Acid: Assists skin in retaining moisture, holds up to 1000x its own weight in moisture.

What is the texture like?

This starts off as a very thin liquid that turns serum-like as it blends and absorbs into the skin. I'm unsure why they called it a gel because it doesn't really have any gel properties to it.  

Is it scented?

This has a soft, subtle soapy floral scent. 

My overall experience/comments on the product:
I'm sure you're all wondering how this compares to my beloved Biore UV Aqua Rich Watery Essence SPF 50+ PA++++. I purchased this because my beloved was out of stock. In comparison, the formula of this is thinner and a tiny bit more lightweight, but I find that it leaves a white cast behind that takes a few minutes to absorb and dissipate. I'm quite pale, so I'm unsure if this would leave those with darker complexions ashy. While this is lightweight, I find it to be fairly hydrating where I would recommend it to all skin types. If someone is particularly dry, I would suggest layering this on top of a moisturizer. Because it's lightweight, I think it would play nicely when layered on top of other products. It also leaves the skin feeling very soft and smooth, so if you're a makeup wearer, this could function well as a primer on its own without the need for additional product. 

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

Disclaimer: I purchased this myself.

April 2026 Arrivals

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

1. Milani StayPut Eyeshadow Primer Longwear Eyeshadow Base in Universal: I've run out of my eyeshadow primer and since it's a product I swear by and have heard good things about this one, I decided to give it a try.

2. Organic Kitchen Pistachio Mafia Polishing Face Scrub: I'm running low on my current jar of this so I decided to go ahead and replenish on it.

3. Green Pharmacy Rose Water and Almond Oil Facial Toner: Since my current toner is also running low, I decided to pick this one up because it's inexpensive, smells nice, keeps my skin soft, and honestly I like it well enough to keep repurchasing it. 

4. timeless Skin Care Squalane Oil 100% Pure: Since unfortunately my bottle of The Ordinary 100% Plant-Derived Squalane fell and most of it spilled out, thus causing me some heartbreak, I decided to try out a new squalane oil. Frankly, since The Ordinary keeps going up in price and it was less pricey for me to purchase a 2 oz. bottle of this oil instead, I decided to get it and see how I'd like it.

5. Missha M B.B. Boomer Primer: The name of this product doesn't really say much regarding what this is but in short, it's a glowy primer. I really like glow boosting primers because they make my skin look healthy and luminous so I figured I'd give this one a try. 

6. Missha Perfect Cover B.B. Cream: I'm running low on both my tubes of bb cream and like to wear it when I'm not doing a full face. It has been an absolute age since I last used Missha and it seems like they've released a lighter shade so I decided I'd try it again.

7. L'Oreal Paris true match Super Blendable Foundation in C 0.5 Cool Light: I am running low on my current foundation and wanted to replenish. I decided to give this a try because there are more shades in it than the L'Oreal True Match Lumi Healthy Luminous Makeup and have been really liking it so far. 

Disclaimer: I purchased all the items listed above myself. All opinions are my own. 

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 essie polish, which was a gift.

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.