May 2021 Empties

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

Sheet Masks Galore:

papa recipe  Bombee Black Honey Mask Pack x4: Frankly I think I like these even better than the original honey mask! This smells just as delicious but it leaves my skin even more radiant, hydrated, and smooth. The mask itself feels more silky and luxurious. The only downside is that the masks themselves are somewhat small and I feel like they're designed for someone with a smaller face. 

innisfree Jeju Root Energy Masks in Kohlrabi, Carrot: I bought a set of these masks and frankly I have to say I genuinely enjoyed every mask in this series. I wouldn't say they differ much mask-to-mask, the main difference being that some have a more cream-type serum whereas others have a more watery, essence-type serum; some also have an ampoule serum but personally I didn't feel a difference between the ampule and the essence-types. All of these masks add beautiful hydration to the skin, give the skin a nice radiance, and leave my skin feeling like a baby's butt for days! For the sake of not repeating the same description for each individual mask, I've grouped them all in the description area. 

Skinceuticals Biocellulose Restorative Masque: Honestly I don't really think this did anything for my skin and I'm not sure if it's because I didn't have any procedures done and this is meant to be used post laser treatment or anything else where there's some skin damage that happens. There's no serum in this mask and, from the info on the packet, it appears that the mask is supposed to act as a temporary barrier on the skin to help soothe it. It's soothing in the essence that the bio-cellulose is cold-feeling but I found that it didn't stay put on my face very well. In addition, it's only meant to stay on for 7-10 minutes so it's not really providing any long-term solution for compromised skin in need of healing or with a compromised barrier. 

JMsolution Glowing Luminous Flower Firming Mask in Rose: This is a really hydrating mask that leaves my skin feeling soft and smooth. It has a pretty floral rose scent.

Nature Republic Real Nature Mask Sheet in Rose: This is a really hydrating mask that leaves my skin feeling soft and smooth. It definitely has a rather soft rose scent. 

papa recipe Bombee Honey Mask x4: These masks feel really refreshing and they leave my skin feeling hydrated and smooth. They have a delicious honey scent. 

Nature Republic Real Nature Mask Sheet in Olive: I really liked this sheet mask, it has a nice smell to it - just kind of like a sweet lotion but not fruity, almost nutty. It has a nice, milky serum that's very hydrating but isn't heavy. 

IlYang Pharm Daily Beauty Collagen Mask: Ok so this is fun times friends - this comes with a step 1 which is an ingestible collagen powder - if you look at the promos it looks like the girl is eating it like PIXY STIX. But, as you may have gathered, I don't speak Korean and the packaging of this product, other than saying "Daily Beauty Collagen Mask" has no other English on it, other than the pack saying "Step 1" so I just... put the powder on my face... which I'm sure isn't harmful. It felt rather abrasive like perhaps a powder scrub would and I just stuck the mask on top of it and then rinsed it all off after the 20 minutes. I mean I know technically, you should just pat the serum in and leave it but I did the mask pre-shower and alas. It left my skin feeling very soft and smooth but, haha, I had no clue I was supposed to have just eaten the powder. I feel like I missed out and I'm curious what the powder tastes like but since I did like the mask I might just buy another. 

Etude House Madecassoside Air Mask: I put this mask one right after using one with AHAs that has a tingling sensation to it and let me tell you my skin felt INSTANTLY soothed and wrapped in a blanket of hydration. Madecassoside has anti-inflammatory benefits but never have I felt them the way I did today (5/31 :P) as I'm using it. My skin feels very hydrated and soothed. This has a milky serum to it that's hydrating without being too heavy. 

2. Tata Harper Hydrating Floral Mask: I wasn't really a fan of this mask - it's really milky and sticky the same way that condensed milk is and it has the sugary scent sort of reminiscent of condensed milk if you also threw flowers into it. Now don't get me wrong, I love condensed milk but like... as a sauce on my French toast or drizzles over berries, not on my face. It left my skin feeling ok, but still somewhat sticky - and due to it being sticky, it was difficult to wash off. Overall it's ok at hydrating but I don't like its texture. 

3. Tata Harper Water-Lock Moisturizer: This has a really nice, refreshing, gel-cream texture that I really like but I found that it's not hydrating enough for my skin. 

4. patchology POSHPEEL PEDI CURE: This stuff is absolutely fantastic for getting rid of dry, rough foot skin especially in areas that are stubbornly dry and rough but not thick enough to cut or file the way a callus would be. 

5. Tata Harper Resurfacing Mask x2: Out of the Tata Harper masks I've tried, this is by far my favorite. I notice a smoothness to my skin after I use this that makes me feel like this mask genuinely fixes textural issues like dry skin. In addition, this leaves my skin with a beautiful glow. 

6. Bath & Body Works Cinnamon Spiced Vanilla: I'm generally not a fan of the Bath & Body Works cinnamon scented candles because they have this intense pure cinnamon scent and I like a more sugary cinnamon. This candle genuinely delivers on that bakeshop cinnamon sugar scent. I find it very cozy and comforting. 

7. Memebox Nameless Lip Brush: Remember a time when Memebox used to sell boxes of random Korean skincare? Well this was back from that time when they sold a set of brushes that were Artis knockoffs. I loved using this as a lip brush but unfortunately it broke off from its handle. 

8. Shea Moisture Coconut & Hibiscus Illuminating Hand & Body Scrub: This scrub just smells absolutely delicious and has little bits of actual hibiscus flower in it. It's nicely scrubby and I used to love it and hadn't had it in a while so it was nice to use it again. 

9. Nature Republic Hand & Nature Clean Hand Soap in Cherry Blossom: I really like the scent of this soap, it's a pretty Sakura scent and it foams up as well. Unfortunately (for me) most of this soap was used up by my mom because in the winter when my hand eczema was having itself a good ole time I wasn't able to use this soap - it wasn't hydrating enough. 

10. Tata Harper Retinoic Nutrient Face Oil: I found this face oil to be alright in terms of efficacy - it was hydrating despite containing retinol. That said, I really don't love its intense herbal scent. 

11. Bath & Body Works Aloha Kiwi Passionfruit: This is a really nice refreshing-smelling candle. It has sweetness from its fruit notes but also has a bit of a fresh ocean breeze scent that's really nice. A great option for summertime. 

12. Colourpop Faux Mink Lashes in Kitten: I think these lashes are really pretty. They're long and thick so they have a bit of a drag look but they're not as intense as actual drag lashes. They are a pretty intense-looking pair of lashes but I think they're fun. 

13.  Dove rejuvenating pomegranate & hibiscus tea Nourishing Body Wash: Another body wash that smells really delicious and refreshing. I really like to use these Dove body washes for shaving as they provide a nice, smooth glide for my razor and leave my skin feeling soft and silky. 

14. innisfree Pore Clearing Toner 2X with Volcanic Clusters: Overall I think this toner is just alright and didn't really do much in terms of clearing out my pores. I'm unsure if that's the case because most of my issues with pores come in the form of sebaceous filaments but it didn't really make a difference for them. 

15. Colourpop Pretty Fresh hyaluronic acid creamy concealer: I really liked this concealer, it gave me good coverage in addition to being creamy and moisturizing. It was also really easy to blend. Just overall an A+ and one I'd probably purchase again in the future. 

16. Overtone Pink for Brown Hair Coloring Conditioner: Ok so I used this as more of a dye and left it on my hair with a shower cap and a plastic bag for an hour before rinsing it out. I applied it with a tint brush through my hair after it was freshly shampooed. It truly did dye my hair though, despite me not bleaching my hair at all - the bits I have that were bleached back in 2019 (aka the very tips of my hair) were brighter than the rest - that said, it gave me a nice mahogany pinkish tone. In addition, unlike traditional box dyes this left my hair feeling super silky and conditioned post use with a nice sweet mint scent. I purchased a 2 oz. size so I could play around with other colors but I do see myself perhaps purchasing the full-sized one in the future.

17. berkley jensen Unscented baby wipes: As I've mentioned in the past I really like to use baby wipes to wipe down surfaces, especially those of my makeup collection, and to remove makeup swatches from my hands. These are fantastic in that they stay moist for a long time and you got lots of them in a package so they last for a long time too. 

18. Kiss So Wispy Lashes in 09: These are a very soft, natural-looking wispy lash that adds a little boost to any eye look without being too crazy or dramatic. I also have to sing some praises to these lashes as they have thin bands, they're very easy to mold to your eye shape and therefore easy to glue on and apply. 

The following two lip products have developed a rather funky scent so I feel that it's best to part with them.

19. L.A. Girl Fleur Matte Flat Finish Pigment Gloss:

20. L.A. Girl Obsess Matte Flat Finish Pigment Gloss: 

21. Sephora Collection Let It Snow Colorful Shadow & Liner: If you've spent any length of time on this blog you'd know this is a very loved product of mine as an eyeshadow base and one I've used in a great number of looks on this blog. That said I've pretty much used it up completely. 

22. Supergoop! Unseen Sunscreen Broad Spectrum SPF 40: This is a really nice sunscreen with a primer feeling to it. It leaves my skin feeling really smooth but it's also fairly lightweight.

23. Indie Lee Whipped Body Butter x2: I really love this body butter! Despite being whipped, it has a very rich texture that is quickly absorbed by my skin, leaving the skin hydrated and silky. This also has a light lemongrass scent that's nice and refreshing. I wish it was less pricey so I could maybe treat myself to the full size every once in a while. 

24. Mario Badescu Witch Hazel & Rosewater Toner: This toner was just alright. It smells really nice but the effects of it are nothing to write home about. Frankly I think it would be nice for someone younger who's just starting to use skincare products who doesn't really NEED a toner but wants one that smells nice. 

25.  Molton Brown Fiery Pink Pepper Bath & Shower Gel: This has a rather sweet scent with just a slight spicy kick from the pink peppercorn. It's alright and I enjoyed it while I had it but I personally think it's rather pricey to purchase at full price. 

26. wondergloss beauty Makeup Assassin: Wow I cannot believe that I've never written up a full review on this makeup remover but no worries I bought another tube and hopefully I'll write one up in the near future. Now, since I've been using makeup cleansing cloths like the Makeup Eraser I thought that I was done with makeup removers but one of my friends convinced me to purchase this and give it a try. Friends, this makeup remover is MAGIC - and the reason I say that is because it completely removes lash glue residue which no other makeup remover does for me. It keeps me from scrubbing at my eyes and leaving them irritated the next morning. It also has a delicious rose scent. That said, a few warnings, obviously if you don't like rose scents or are sensitive to fragrance stay clear of this as the scent is fairly prominent. The product also has a tendency to just come pouring out the tube so be careful when dispensing it. 

27. Skinceuticals C E Ferulic: Frankly I don't know what it is about Skinceuticals but a vast majority of their products don't work for me at all and I'm not sure why that is because I know a lot of research and development goes into the products, thereby causing them to be pricey. I suppose that's a good thing for my wallet. This is no exception. I really despise its hot dog water scent (coming from the Ferulic acid, given that it's an iron derivative). Because the scent dissipates fairly quickly though, I'd be ok with tolerating it but this product just... I've found other vitamin C serums give me a much more noticeable radiance, feel nicer, and smell nice too. In my personal opinion this just isn't worth its hefty price tag but as it is the #1 selling item from Skinceuticals I'm sure plenty of people will disagree with me.  

28. Anastasia Beverly Hills #12 Brush: This is a great brush for brows as it's precise and gives nice sharp lines. That said, unfortunately I've had mine now for something like 5 or 6 years and it's just deteriorating. It's just not as precise as it once was and all the paint is chipping off it. 

29. misc no name foundation brush from Crown: I purchase a few flat foundation brushes from Crown a while back specifically for use in putting skincare masks on and this one is fantastic for that but unfortunately all the paint is chipping off it which makes it a hassle to use.. 

30. m-61 PowerGlow Toner: Frankly I thought I was going to like this a lot more than I did in practice. When I put it on the back of my hand, which I don't often exfoliate or do a lot of skincare on, this made the back of my hand glow in a nice way. That said, on my face, if anything this was slightly irritating due to it having glycolic acid in it because I already use things like exfoliators, masks, and retinol so it was somewhat overkill. 

31. White Barn French Baguette Scented Candle: I love this candle so much! It's very comforting and smells like freshly baking bread.

32. patchology Warm Up Best Foot Forward: These are essentially a sheet mask for the feet - they're meant to hydrate the soles and tops of your feet. I find that they're very efficacious and although the packaging instructs to leave them on for 10 minutes I leave them on for about an hour. They leave my feet feeling very soft and rejuvenated. That said, if you're looking for significant warmth to occur I just don't feel like these heat up much, if at all. I typically wear socks on top of them to get the optimal heat and moisturize absorption. These have a yummy, creamy coconut scent. 

33. Fourth Ray Beauty Soak It Up hydrating hyaluronic Mask: I have been using this as a hydrating sleeping mask and I love it. It's lightweight but adds a nice boost of moisture to my skin. I really love its silky, creamy texture. 

34. innisfree Eyebrow Razor: I've had this for quite some time now - I'm talking years - and I figured it's best to replace it.

35. Colourpop Detail Blending Sponge: This is your basic tear-drop shaped blending sponge. It does a great job of blending primer, foundation, concealer, and other cream products on the skin and does a great job of precise powder application as well. I think it's a great investment if you're thinking of getting one. They're having a Memorial Day sale so now's a good time to get one if you're thinking about it. 

36. Peter Thomas Roth FirmX Peeling Gel: This was alright as an exfoliator. It made my skin feel soft and smooth after I used it but I just personally think it's expensive for what it is. 

37. Shea Moisture Lavender & Wild Orchid Calming Hand & Body Scrub: I really enjoyed this scrub as it was scrubby enough to feel a difference with and had little lavender buds in it - they added a really nice scent and just a sensual experience to the scrubbing process. 

38. ReVive Revitalizing Eye Mask: I used this as eye cream and I found that it was extremely hydrating but, at least for me, it didn't provide any other benefits and I don't find that it is worth its hefty price point given that it only gives me hydration. 

Disclaimer: I purchased all of the above with the exception of the Skinceuticals, innisfree (toner), Supergoop, Indie Lee, Mario Badescu, Molton Brown, Anastasia Beverly Hills, Peter Thomas Roth, Revive, and Tata Harper products.