September 2018 Empties

All my garbage of the month! :D

1. Sheet Masks Galore is Back!:
Etude House Tea Tree:I think this would be a great mask for someone with congested skin or who's suffering through breakouts but honestly I didn't feel like it did much for me other than feel refreshing.
Etude House Ceramide: This felt refreshing and hydrating.
Etude House Blueberry: This mask felt refreshing.
Etude House Hyaluronic Acid: This felt refreshing and hydrating.

It's Skin Honey: Ah we have landed on a mask I'd get again! This smells incredible - like sticking your face in a honeypot! It left my skin feeling hydrated, refreshed, soft, and supple. I honestly did not want to take it off!
Etude House Olive: This is quite hydrating - I liked that aspect of it a lot. It left my skin feeling really supple and glowing.

Etude House Aloe: Out of the Etude House masks I'd have to say this is my favorite - I used it right after a peel which typically turns my face tomato red and has me feeling mega inflamed - well, I put this mask on directly after I washed off the peel product and I hardly had any redness after! If your skin is irritated or needs a little extra TLC this is incredible!
Etude House Green Tea: This felt refreshing and hydrating.
Etude House Calendula: This mask felt fairly hydrating.
It's Skin Avocado: So, as of me writing this, I just took this mask off and it's another I really DID NOT WANT to remove! It felt so good on the skin, very hydrating, refreshing, soothing and nice-smelling (a little sweet and fresh). It left my skin feeling like butter. I absolutely adore it and because I loved both of the It's Skin masks so much I'm very eager to try what else they've got in their line.

Bath & Body Works Face Sheet Mask + Hyaluronic Acid: This mask was just alright, it left my skin  feeling refreshed and hydrated.
Bath & Body Works Skin Goals Illuminating Sheet Mask with Triple Berry Complex: I really enjoyed this mask as it smelled nice and delivered the glow it promised. My skin was left feeling refreshed, soft, and supple. 

Bath & Body Works Rose Water Sheet Mask : I'm so sad to report that this mask was, overall, disappointing. From its lack of rose scent to its lack of hydration it was overall just a meh experience.
Etude House Lemon: This mask felt refreshing and hydrating.

2. Bath & Body Works Ultra Shea Body Cream in Midnight Pomegranate: This is my favorite body moisturizer formula at Bath & Body Works as it hydrates deeply without being heavy and does a wonderful job of hydrating everywhere but the soles of my feet (I've given up on my soles to be honest - I absolutely moisturize them day and night because I fear they'll crack otherwise but nothing leaves them deeply hydrated). The Midnight Pomegranate is a beautiful throwback scent - a little tart, a little sweet, a little sultry - I absolutely adore it!

3. Olay Fresh Outlast Cooling White Strawberry & Mint Body Wash: I purchased this to shave my legs with and I have to say that, for shaving, this is just ok - I prefer a formula that's creamier and a bit thicker. However, it smells absolutely incredible! I'd say the scent is really refreshing and a bit sweet/fruity but I can't necessarily place is it strawberry or mint.

4. Beauty 360 Original Nail Polish Remover:  I bought this hoping it would be similar to my beloved yet seemingly discontinued Sephora Instant Nail Polish Remover and while, structurally, it's a similar product - housing a perforated sponge soaking in polish remover solution. That said, it doesn't do nearly as good of a job and I feel like I'm left soaking my fingers longer than I'd like to get the nail polish off them.

5. Tree Hut Shea Sugar Scrub in Pomegranate Acai: As you all know, these are my favorite body scrubs as they feel really scrubby but aren't irritating - they leave my skin feeling really soft and smooth. This one smells really fantastic - kind of like a Shocktart but a bit more fruity! I like it a lot!

6. Clorox Disinfecting Wipes in Crisp Lemon: I love that these wipes are disinfecting. That said, they have an intense artificial chemical cleaning solution kind of scent and I feel like they're overly saturated in the liquid solution they come in.

7. Trader Joe's Mango Tangerine Scented Candle: I really liked this candle and am sad it was limited edition. It has a beautiful refreshing, citrusy sweet scent.

8. Ardell Faux Mink 811 4-Pack: I feel like I've said it before and I'll say it again. I'm not a fan - I feel like the structural integrity of these lashes is lacking - the bands are thick, they're somewhat inflexible, and I don't like that picking the lash glue off them kind of activates some funk in the structure that causes the lash band to separate out, this causing the lash to fall apart. :/

9.  CVS Chocolate and Coffee Self-Heating Clay Facial Mask: If I'm going to be honest I really didn't like this mask. It didn't smell like chocolate, coffee, or strawberries as it implied it would, but rather cheap and hinting at chocolate. It also didn't clarify my skin in any way and kind of felt heavy and balmy. I wouldn't get it again.

10. Rosette Hello Kitty Apple Gommage Peeling: This is a really great chemical exfoliator - a little goes a very long way and it's satisfying watching the dead skin roll off your face while your living skin is left feeling smooth and shiny. I also liked the subtle apple scent of this - it's quite nice.

11. Kiehl's Creme de Corps: Frankly folks, I don't understand why this is such a popular, cult-classic item. I was so disappointed! I had such high expectations! I was so excited to have a little trial size of this! This hardly provides any moisture and absorbs way too quickly. I also hated the bottle - I'm unsure if the full-sized ones have similar issues but I could hardly get any product out without violently banging the bottle against my counter-top. :/

12. M-61 Hydraboost Cream: This is a deeply hydrating moisturizer with a beautiful, lightweight texture. I really enjoy this type of product because it provides my skin with the hydration it needs but because it's neither thick nor heavy my skin can absorb it.

13. NARS Pore & Shine Control Primer: This is a wonderful primer for someone who suffers from oily skin or for someone who uses a lot of dewy foundation that maybe doesn't wear as nice as one might hope because it's too dewy. It gives the skin a matte, velvety texture on top of which foundation glides on beautifully.

14. Maybelline Fit Me Dewy + Smooth: I honestly felt like this foundation didn't "fit me" - I received many compliments on my skin when I wore it but honestly I just found that it didn't stay on my skin the way I wished it would and it seemed like it slid off in patches. :/

15. Skinceuticals Discoloration Defense: Although I liked that this felt hydrating I just don't think I was the most appropriate candidate to test a dark spot product when I don't really have any dark spots on my face.

16.Bath & Body Works Hot Cocoa & Cream Scented Candle: I'm so sad that this candle is gone - I absolutely loved it! It smells like really nice, high-quality cocoa with just a hint of salt and whipped cream. So cozy for rainy or cold nights.

17. Bite Beauty Agave Lip Balm: This is a really nice lip balm that left my lips soft, smooth, and silky. I loved how this absorbed fairly quickly while keeping my lips moist so the lipstick I applied over it looked beautiful. I would certainly consider purchasing this at one point or another.

18. Givenchy Prisme Libre in 7 Voile Rose: I really liked this for the under-eye area - I find that it beautifully brightens the under-eye area and is neither too rosy or sparkly like I was concerned it would be. I used this almost exclusively for the under-eye area and really liked the way it set my concealer and brightened that area up.

19. Indie Lee Co-Q10 Toner: This toner was alright but truthfully I don't find that it did anything spectacular for me, it just felt refreshing when I spritzed it on my face.

20.  Colourpop Cry Baby Creme Gel Colour: Unfortunately this has gone off so I am parting ways with it.

21. Sephora Collection Starlight Radiant Luminizing Drops: These have also gone off so I am tossing them.

22. Sephora Collection Morning Light Radiant Luminizing Drops:  Lastly, these have also gone off so I am parting ways with them.

23. Fresh Soy Face Cleanser: This is another case where I genuinely don't understand why people like this product so much. It doesn't foam as nicely as other cleansers, it doesn't have a particularly nice smell, it doesn't hydrate or mattify as well as other cleansers - it's just middle of the road, vanilla, basic... I suppose I'm looking for a cleanser to wow me and this doesn't.

24. Hollywood Beauty Tea Tree Oil: A great tea tree oil formula. I really like using this if I catch an athlete's foot outbreak but also when I clean my air conditioner units because it's antibacterial and anti-fungal but is a natural alternative to something like bleach.

25. Clinique Acne Solutions Clinical Clearing Gel: This stuff is THE TRUTH when it comes to spot treatments. It gets rid of stubborn acne like nothing else I've ever tried - bringing all the gross gunk to the top where it can be quickly dealt with. I really appreciate that as every once in a while I'll get a painful deep cyst and this really takes care of it for me. It also helps get rid of any little acne bumps or pustules practically overnight.

26. NARS Smudge Proof Eyeshadow Base: This is a fantastic color-free eye primer that keeps your shadows vibrant and crease-less. Now, I've never had very much issues with things smudging as I don't really use a lot of things that smudge (i.e.: kohl or gel liners) but it is extremely crease-resistant in areas where I typically get creasing (the inner corner of my crease) which I really appreciate.

27. Creme de La Mer Moisturizing Cream: A cult classic in the luxury skincare section. I liked this moisturizer OK but had someone not told me it was La Mer and asked me to put a price on it I'd tell you oh... maybe $30-40. It has what I'd refer to as a vintage skincare scent, kind of slightly floral and powdery. In my personal opinion the formula feels thick and I have to work it into the skin some to get it to absorb. It feels... not as luxurious as something you pay $170 should feel, it doesn't melt into the skin, it doesn't make the skin feel like a baby's behind, it doesn't absorb quickly but sits on top of my skin... Like get with it La Mer! I would say the higher the price point on something is the more critical I am of it because if I'm going to shell out crazy money for a moisturizer it better really blow me away and unfortunately I can't say that I feel like this is worth it.

28. Bath & Body Works White Citrus Lotion: This has a nice smell to it and is lightly hydrating but, to be perfectly honest, I prefer the body creams because they're thicker and richer.

Disclaimer: I purchased all of the above with the exception of the Kiehl's, M-61,  Maybelline, Skinceuticals, NARS, Indie Lee, Fresh, Clinique, La Mer, Bite Beauty and Givenchy products.