September 2026 Empties

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

1. Veleasha Lashes in Sunny T-4 x2: These are a really cute spiky lash, which I tend to like because I feel like they make my eyes look larger. I know for some folks these lashes might seem dramatic but to me they're on the smaller side, I almost wish they were larger - meaning just longer with bigger spikes. My  issue is that not only are the lash bands thick and plastic-y so it takes them a while before they bend to the shape of the eye nicely but they tend to separate from the lash clusters when I pick glue off them, and I'm typically quite gentle, so they don't hold up too well over multiple uses. I have to be careful with them.

2. Neutrogena Ultra Sheer body mist sunscreen Broad Spectrum SPF 70: I personally like this sunscreen spray because it's very lightweight, doesn't cause me any sensory issues, and I feel as though I do tend to burn less if I'm wearing it. I like that it doesn't pill up or start coming off in clumps. That said, I do a double layer of spray in circle motions and then I rub it in to make sure that I'm fully covered. 

 

3. wet n wild photofocus Loose Setting Powder in Soft Pink: Unfortunately, despite liking this powder in the past and finding it brightening and loving that its pink tone helped to color correct any foundations that happened to be too orange-y or oxidized orange-y on me... I feel like they've reformulated the powder to be a darker and more obvious pink than it once was. It's just too pink for me personally, it looks somewhat odd on my face and I've gone back to purchasing the translucent version. 

 

4. Organic Kitchen Pistachio Mafia Polishing Face Scrub: I'm a bit sad to have used this all up because it seems like my local pharmacy is no longer selling it. This was a nice scrub that was gently gritty but not so much so that it irritated my skin. It left my skin soft, supple, and hydrated. This smelled delicious too!

 

5. Organic Kitchen Silent Hour Revitalizing Face Mask: This mask has a yummy berry yogurt scent. It gave my skin a nice boost of hydration - leaving my skin soft, smooth, and glowing.

 

6. Anua Eternal Honmoon Anua Vita Brightening Collagen Mask in Radiance:  I have stepped away from sheet masks because I feel like they're wasteful in terms of there's so much trash involved in them that they're probably awful for the environment unless they biodegrade. That said, since I received this as a gift with purchase, I did go ahead and use it. My skin was so flaky, dry, and just not doing too cute when I used this mask. I found that the mask did a fantastic job of rehydrating my skin and also left my skin feeling very soft and velvety. 

7. Dove bond strength Damage Therapy Shampoo: I will say this shampoo did a fantastic job of leaving my hair clean and shiny. It also smells amazing! However, I find that these "bond repair" protein products tend to make my hair dry and brittle, so I would not get this again. 

 

8. Dove bond strength Damage Therapy Conditioner: Much like the shampoo, I wasn't a big fan of this. I was hoping for a thick conditioner that would replenish my hair but found that this simply wasn't hydrating enough on its own and had to mix it with another conditioner. 

 

9. scent theory Brazilian Coconut Moisturizing Spray hand sanitizer: I'm in a Facebook group where someone said this smelled like Sol de Janeiro Cheirosa '62 Eau de Parfum so I decided to pick it up and give it a try. I do like that this is a fine mist, it is hydrating, and it smells yummy. That said, I don't find this to be a direct dupe of the Sol de Janeiro Cheirosa '62 Eau de Parfum , but more of a close approximation. I didn't love it enough to want to purchase it again. I find these spray hand sanitizers are quite pricey for what they are and they are more bulky to carry around versus traditional small bottles of gel hand sanitizer. 

 

10. equate Island Coconut Shea Sugar Scrub:  I love how gritty this scrub is. This has a really yummy clean, watery smelling coconut scent to it, it has a very slight sweet creaminess to it but I'd say it's more of a "clean" scent. This leaves my skin feeling very soft and smooth, it's also great for shave prep.  

11. Children's Soap with Chamomile: 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. It's not as hydrating, in my opinion, as the bur-marigold variety though, so going forward I'd rather get that other one. 

 

12. Being frenshe Detox Scalp Scrub: I like this scalp scrub because it's gentle and not overly gritty, but between the scrub granules and the little scrubber attachment on it, I feel like it's quite effective at getting any dry skin or residue off my scalp. This feels very deep cleansing. It has a really nice ocean-y yet musky yet clean scent to it. It's not a scent I personally would gravitate toward but I actually really like it in a scalp scrub.   

13. Vaseline Cocoa Radiant Body Lotion:  I really enjoy using this body lotion because it's lightweight yet I find that it's deeply hydrating. Even the soles of my feet seem to stay generally on the softer side when I'm using this. This also has a really yummy warm scent to it. 

 

14. Dove sensitive hypoallergenic body wash: I really enjoy how hydrating this body wash is. It leaves my skin so silky smooth and is the perfect sub for shave gel. I find these bottles last me a month if not longer whereas, because I am a hairy beast, shave gel is something that only lasts me a week. When shaving with this, my skin is left so smooth yet hydrated. My skin isn't irritated at all. I really enjoy it.

 

15.  ogx smoothing + coconut coffee Scrub & Body Wash: I essentially use this as just body wash because the scrubbies in it are so gentle that I don't find that they're sufficient as a body scrub for me personally. This smells nice and I purchased it because I've had it before and I really love how soft and smooth it leaves my skin feeling. However, it has a scent that reminds me of burnt caramel. I wish it were more discernible as coconut coffee or at least had a discernible note of either in it. 

 

16. Milani Make It Last Original Natural Finish Setting Spray: This setting spray has become a holy grail for me in my collection and I never want to be without it. It really sets my makeup in place for all-day wear but in a way where my skin feels very soft, smooth, and hydrated. It takes away that powdery look while leaving a velvety feel. It's also fantastic for applying metallic or loose eyeshadows wet. In short, I absolutely adore it!

 

17. Misc mermaid flat shader brush: Unfortunately the ferrule of the brush just snapped off the handle so it's time to part ways with this brush. 

 

18. Misc unicorn large dense fluffy brush: When I first started using this for foundation, I really liked the finish it gave me and how quickly it would blend everything out because of how large this brush is. That said, it's so large that I couldn't really get into smaller areas with it. Additionally, it is shedding so much that it's become intolerable and the entire brush head popped out of the ferule.

 

19. L'Oreal Paris Voluminous Original Mascara in 960 Deep Green:  I loved the violet version of this mascara so much that I wanted to try the other colors. That said though, the green doesn't ever really show up as green. It's more of a black with a greenish shimmer through it and looks black on the lashes. I so wish it were clearly green. This mascara also develops something of a funky scent to it when it's time to replace it.

 

20. DUO QUICK-SET Striplash Adhesive: Unfortunately this glue had started to become very goopy so it was time to replace it.

 

21. MIZON Multi Function Formula Snail Repair Intensive BB Cream SPF 50+ PA+++ : After I fell in love with the MIZON Multi Function Formula Snail Repair Eye Cream I thought I'd like the other products in the snail line too and picked this up because I was running low on BB Cream at the time. Unfortunately, this BB cream is thick and felt somewhat uncomfortable in hot, sticky weather wherein I'd feel it sitting on my face. It gave me nice coverage but I wish the formula were more thin and lightweight. It also wasn't as hydrating as I wish it were given that it has snail secretion filtrate in it.

 

22.  LEBELAGE High Protection Extreme Sun Cream SPF 50+ PA++++: This is a really hydrating SPF cream but I found its texture a bit too thick for my personal taste.

 

23. Physicians Formula Eye Booster Waterproof Ultra-Fine Liquid Eyeliner: This was starting to dry out so it was time to go ahead and replace it. 

 

24. now essential oils 100% pure peppermint: I like to have this around to deter any critters from invading my space. It's great to just drip a bit on carpet or to use in an oil diffuser. I also find that peppermint helps to unclog my sinuses.  

 

25. L'Oreal Paris Eye Defense Eye Cream: I found that this eye cream, despite having a nice brightening function, did not provide enough hydration for me. Toward the end of the jar, it would leave my eyelids irritated and inflamed so I'm happy to just be done with it.

 

Disclaimer: I purchased all of the products mentioned above with the exception of the mermaid and unicorn brushes which I received as a gift. The Anua mask and the LEBALAGE SPF I got as gifts/samples with purchase. All opinions are my own. 

August 2026 Empties

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

1. Veleasha Lashes in Sunny T-4 x3: These are a really cute spiky lash, which I tend to like because I feel like they make my eyes look larger. I know for some folks these lashes might seem dramatic but to me they're on the smaller side, I almost wish they were larger - meaning just longer with bigger spikes. My  issue is that not only are the lash bands thick and plastic-y so it takes them a while before they bend to the shape of the eye nicely but they tend to separate from the lash clusters when I pick glue off them, and I'm typically quite gentle, so they don't hold up too well over multiple uses. I have to be careful with them.

2. deal worthy Fresh Scent Body Lotion: As you know, I liked this lotion and found it to be a good basic body moisturizer that lasted me quite a while because the bottle is large. I'm kind of annoyed because, as its name suggests, this was affordable and now it seems like they've stopped making it. 

 

3. Skinfood Facial Water Vita C Cream: This was a really nice moisturizer for the face. It is a gel cream texture so while it provided moisture, it was also lightweight and refreshing which was great during the summer heat.

 

4. COSRX Snail 96 Mucin Power Essence: This is just a holy grail serum product for me and one I constantly repurchase. I feel like it makes my skin feel so smooth, hydrated, supple, and bouncy. I never want to be without it.

5.Children's Soap with Celandine: 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. Frankly, in Soviet culture, celandine is considered a calming and cleansing herb so it makes sense that my skin is good with it. 

 

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

7. Cococare 100% Natural Peppermint Oil: During this time of year I sprinkle this oil all over my carpet nightly to deter any critters from coming to my room.

 

8. inm Out the Door Topcoat for Nails: Unfortunately this top coat is running low and has become goopy so it's time to bust out my new bottle. 

 

9. Bath & Body Works PocketBac Island Margarita Anti-Bacterial Hand Gel: I love this scent so much, it's just nostalgic for me at this point. It has a very yummy sweet margarita scent to it.

 

10. equate Green Apple Shea Sugar Scrub:  I love how gritty this scrub is. This has a really yummy juicy sweet-tart apple scent to it. It leaves my skin feeling very soft and smooth, it's also great for shave prep.  

11. Children's Soap with Bur-Marigold: 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. BEAKEY Triangle Powder Puff: I really love these triangle-shaped puffs! They're plush, soft, and because of their shape they get into tight areas like underneath the eye or around the nose easily. They're great for cleanup work for contour or around the eye area as well. 

13. beauty blender BLENDERCLEANSER Solid Charcoal Brush Cleanser:  I  am just absolutely gutted that I'm done with this because it appears that they've discontinued it in the jumbo size. I feel like this was such a good deal and, as you know, I love the solid cleanser for deep cleaning brushes that I use for liquids or creams. I'm so sad that I can't outright replace this. That said, they likely discontinued it because this chunk of soap would last me over a year even with weekly brush deep cleaning, so people weren't replenishing on this size much. 

 

14. Green Pharmacy Rose Water and Almond Oil Facial Toner: As I've mentioned in the past, I like to use this as my daily toner because it is lightweight but leaves my skin feeling hydrated and replenished. 

15. Kose softymo Deep Cleansing Oil: I absolutely love this oil for removing my makeup - or at least helping to break down most of it before I go in with my Makeup Eraser cloths. I feel like this is deeply cleansing but, because it's an oil, it also leaves my skin soft, nourished,  and hydrated. 

 

16.  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. 

 

17. Misc small flat-top blending mermaid brush: I received a set of these brushes for my birthday a few years ago and they're cute but unfortunately this started to fray and fall apart. 

 

18. Shiseido Prepare Dermaplaning Razor: I like to use these once weekly to really get any stray hairs on my face due to my PCOS.  It's about time to replace this razor, as it's getting a bit dull. 

 

Disclaimer: I purchased all of the products mentioned above with the exception of the mermaid brush which I received as a gift. All opinions are my own. 

March 2026 Empties

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

1. equate Tahitian Vanilla Shea Sugar Scrub:  I love how gritty this scrub is. It has a yummy, vanilla cookie scent combined with the kind of yeasty scent that freshly baked bread has. This leaves my skin feeling very soft and smooth, and is great for shave prep. 

2. Organic Kitchen Reboot Revitalizing Face Mask: This mask left my skin feeling soft and hydrated after using it. This is a fantastic mask for those days when the winter weather left my skin feeling a bit dry, raw, and needing an extra boost of moisture. 

3. 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. 

4. Shiseido Prepare Dermaplaning Razor: I like to use these once weekly to really get any strays on my face due to my PCOS.  It's about time to replace this razor, as it's getting a bit dull. 

5. LUSH Rose Jam Body Spray: I have to say that, unfortunately, this is one of those scents that the longer I had it, the more I grew sick of it. While generally, it does have a yummy sweet rose scent to it, it also has a very powdery note that seemed to get more intense the longer I had the perfume and I didn't really enjoy that aspect of it. I'm glad to have finished it up. 

6. Organic Kitchen Silent Hour Revitalizing Face Mask: I really enjoyed the berry yogurt scent of this mask and how soft and smooth it made my skin feel after using it.

7. CALA 3D Faux Mink 35151 Multi-Dimensional Lashes x2: These are a pretty fluffy-looking lash that I feel help to open up my eyes and make them look larger. That said, I find that they have the tendency to want to pop up at the inner and outer corners.  

8.  Kose softymo Deep Cleansing Oil: While I'm sad to have run out of this as it's my favorite makeup removing oil, I do have to say I appreciate that a bottle of this lasts me nearly an entire year. It does a fantastic job of removing the majority of my facial makeup and I use it with my Makeup Eraser or similar cloths and remove the rest. 

9. Suave Skin Solutions Nourishing Lotion in Cocoa Shea: This lotion has a really nice cocoa butter scent to it, it helps hydrate the legs after shaving, absorbs quickly, and is lightweight. However, other than my legs, the soles of my feet need hydration as well and this just isn't as hydrating on the soles as I wish it were. I feel like they just suck up all that moisture quickly and become dry again. 

10.  The following eyeshadows all developed an off scent so I am discarding them:

Colourpop Super Shock Shadow in Nillionaire

Colourpop Super Shock Shadow in IRL

Colourpop Super Shock Shadow in Banana Daiquiri

11. Arencia Cloud Body & Scalp Scrub in Black Tea & Yuzu: I purchased this scrub specifically for use on my scalp and it worked fairly nicely for what it was. It has a very luxurious scent to it which smells expensive. I just wish that it was a bit more abrasive. I feel like the scrub particles would dissolve quickly and it would lather up a lot which was nice in the sense that it doubled as a shampoo. I will say that it kept my dandruff and scalp flakiness away so it did do the job. 

12. Green Pharmacy Mask in Pomegranate and Argan Oil for Dry, Damaged Hair: I find that this mask was hydrating but it's also very lightweight. I would say that if someone is looking for hair that feels silky and hydrated that this works alright, but doesn't provide the kind of nourishment I'm after in a mask. 

13. berkley jensen Scented baby wipes in Green Tea & Cucumber x2: As I always say, I love these wipes because you get a lot in the package, they smell nice, and they work great for wiping down surfaces, cleaning my makeup, as well as cleaning makeup or skincare swatches off my hands or arms. They're quite versatile to have on hand. 

14. equate Almond & Shea Shea Sugar Scrub:  I love how gritty this scrub is. It has a yummy, sweet kind of almost almond cookie scent to it, it's not cloyingly sweet though. This leaves my skin feeling very soft and smooth, and is great for shave prep. 

15. bodycology strawberry cheesecake body cream:  My wifey got me this for Christmas and it smells very sweet in almost a buttercream with a hint of berry type of scent. If 'm 100% honest it's a little TOO sweet for me. But, that said, I did like how hydrating this was on both my legs and feet. It has a nice texture, so I'd be curious to try out other scents from this line. 

16. The Ordinary 100% Plant-Derived Squalane: As you might know, this has been something of a holy grail product for me so I'm always sad when I run out. This oil reduces redness in my skin, it makes my skin soft and smooth, and it also gives me a nice glow. I absolutely adore it.

17. Paula's Choice SPF 50 5% Vitamin C Sheer Moisturizer: I was so looking forward to trying this moisturizer because I haven't had anything from Paula's Choice before and wanted to try it out. However, I am sad to report that I am woefully disappointed with this. I was hoping that because it has Vitamin C, that it would smell a bit citrusy but it is entirely unscented, which isn't necessarily a bad thing. However, it's also very runny and liquidy, which I find makes a big mess. It also has that kind of tacky tell-tale sunscreen feeling despite being thin and I don't like that about it.

18. Kerastase Decalcifying system, reparative shampoo: As you can imagine, I cannot comment on if this decalcified my hair. I'm unsure if we have hard water here - my hair generally feels ok, so perhaps not. That said, I found this shampoo to be deeply cleansing yet simultaneously deeply nourishing. It's a combination of things I highly appreciate. My hair is very soft, shiny, and easy to manage. That said, as the line is very pricey, I likely won't be going out to purchase this shampoo without some sort of magical windfall coming my way. 

19. Trader Joe's Oatmeal & Honey Soap Pure Vegetable Soap: I love these soaps because they cleanse well without triggering my eczema. They leave my skin feeling soft and smooth. I find that this soap also helps my skin recover when I'm going through an eczema flare up. 

20. equate Coconut Hibiscus Shea Sugar Scrub:  I love how gritty this scrub is. It has a yummy, sweet tart scent to it, it's not obviously coconutty but does have a slight hint of hibiscus.  I really like the way it smells! This leaves my skin feeling very soft and smooth, and is great for shave prep. 

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.

December 2025 Empties

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

1. Ardell Wispies in 113 Black x3: These lashes are pretty and provide some nice length. That said, I find that they're delicate and bend easily so if you cry with these on or take a nap or something, it will bend the lashes funny and impact their longevity. You have to be careful with them! Otherwise they're easy to work with, have thin bands that bend to the eye nicely and wear well.

2. Green Pharmacy Honey & Coffee Face Scrub: Honestly, I didn't love this scrub. It doesn't smell like honey or coffee, which was something I found disappointing. Additionally, it is too abrasive for my liking - it leaves my skin soft but it's more scratchy than I'd like it to be. 

3. equate Coconut Hibiscus Shea Sugar Scrub: I love how gritty this scrub is and how delicious it smells; it has a tart yet sweet, kind of fruity floral scent. This leaves my skin feeling very soft and smooth and is great for shave prep. 

4. Crabtree & Evelyn Peach body lotion: This lotion has a really delicious sweet peach scent to it. It left my skin feeling silky and hydrated.

5. Isle of Paradise Body Beautifully Balanced Body Butter: I personally found this body butter a bit too thick for my liking, it needs to be warmed up to properly spread and I don't love that aspect of it. I prefer something with a lighter, more whipped texture that melts into the skin. Outside of that, this does leave my skin fairly hydrated and silky. 

6. Milani Make It Last Original Natural Finish Setting Spray: I feel like every time I run out of this setting spray I'm sad because it generally lasts me quite a long time so it almost feels abrupt that it's gone even though obviously it's clear there's less in the bottle. I feel like it really helps keep my makeup in place and reduces any powdery appearance; it also helps metallic eyeshadow go on very vibrant and keeps it lasting on my eyelids until I'm ready to remove it at the end of the day.

7. wet n wild photofocus Loose Setting Powder: I just adore this powder so much. It gives my skin a smooth, slightly blurred appearance, doesn't particularly crease under the eyes, and doesn't grab onto or emphasize dry patches. It also leaves my skin feeling smooth and velvety. It's very lightweight and doesn't look powdery or dry at all. 

8.  The Ordinary 100% Plant-Derived Squalane: I'm always sad when I run out of my squalane because I love it so much. In fact this bottle is even sadder because I ran out faster than I normally would have on account of having spilled some of it while I was away last month. Alas, I have restocked.

9. e.l.f. Suntouchable Sunlight Whoa Glow Broad Spectrum SPF 30 Sunscreen: I liked this primer alright and I do feel like it gave my skin a nice glow. But that said, the sunscreen in this makes it feel heavy and since I use a sunscreen regularly anyway I just don't think I'll be purchasing this again.

10.  berkley jensen Scented baby wipes in Green tea & Cucumber: As mentioned previously, I like using these wipes to wipe down surfaces, especially my makeup collection and to remove swatches from my hands and arms when I take photos for the blog.

11. e.l.f. 16HR Hydrating Camo Concealer: This is a very full coverage concealer and, as such, a little goes a long way. I apply it with a concealer brush so I can get both the placement and control that I need. Due to its high coverage properties, this tube does last quite a while and I find that once you get the hang of how to work with it, that it blends into the skin quite easily. 

12.  Dr Teal's Pure Epsom Salt Soaking Solution in Pomegranate & Black Currant: These salts have a nice, subtle fruity scent. I really like using them when I do pedicures at home to soothe sore feet and to soften my feet as well. 

13.  ecotools powder brush: I've had this brush for ages now and it was one of my very first makeup brushes. The quality is fantastic and it's super soft. But that said, the handle of this broke off and I feel like it'll fall apart soon as I only have the ferule. So, as much as I love it, it's time to say goodbye.

14. Juliette Has A Gun Not A Perfume: I feel like I prefer this kind of perfume on other people and not on myself. It smells kind of musky and sweet in a way that I personally don't enjoy. I prefer either fruity florals or more fresh-smelling scents.  

15. equate Island Coconut Shea Sugar Scrub:  I love how gritty this scrub is and how delicious it smells; it has a clean smelling, slightly sweet coconut scent. This leaves my skin feeling very soft and smooth and is great for shave prep. 

16. dossier Floral Berries: I feel like the perfume, despite me knowing it was running low, came to an end quite abruptly. It's a nice fruity floral and this 50ml bottle lasted me for a little over a year. I'm not sure that I'd get it again, it smells nice but it isn't my favorite. I'd be down to try more dossier fragrances though but I wish there was somewhere I can smell them in person because going off notes alone is difficult - things can sound good in theory but not smell quite like I imagined they would.

17. ColourPop Super Shock Shadows:  Unfortunately the following shades developed an off smell so I am discarding them:
Erotic

Chirp

Fantasy

REM

18. innisfree Jeju Root Energy Mask in Lotus Root: It's been an absolute age since I last used a sheet mask and due to that I was so unused to the sensation of sitting there with something wet on my face for 20 minutes. In any case, this mask gave my dry winter skin a nice boost of hydration. My skin has a beautiful glow to it and feels smoother and more supple than before.

19. Dove Ultra Care Daily Moisture Conditioner for dry hair:  This conditioner smells really nice and gave my hair moisture without weighing it down. I will say that personally, I prefer something with a bit of a richer texture but this did the job.

Disclaimer: I purchased all of the products mentioned above with the exception of the perfume which came as a sample with purchase and the sheet mask which was a Christmas gift.

July 2025 Empties

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

1. saie Glowy Super Gel: This is a really pretty, glowy, lightweight product that I personally liked applying as a primer to give my skin a bit more radiance. It also has a lovely lilac scent that I enjoy. That said I'm unsure if I'd buy it because there are similar items at a lower price point that work just as well.

2. The Creme Shop Flexible Fit 3D Faux Mink Lashes in Bossy x2: I really like how long, voluminous, and spiky these lashes are. 

3. WOW Skin Science Organic virgin coconut oil + avocado oil conditioner: Despite being fairly lightweight, I found this to be a nourishing conditioner that gave my hair a lot of shine and bounce without weighing it down. As someone who likes coconut scents, I appreciated the fresh coconut scent that this has. 

4. The Ordinary 100% Plant-Derived Squalane: As anyone who's been following this blog for a while might know, this facial oil is an absolute holy grail for me so of course I purchased more as soon as I started running out of this. It takes the redness out of my skin and leaves my skin with a beautiful glow and soft texture.

5. Hourglass Blush in Sublime Flush: I am so sad to have run out of this blush - it's a really pretty, brightening yet natural-looking pink shade that gave my skin a nice glow. 

6. berkley jensen Scented baby wipes in Green Tea & Cucumber: As I mentioned in previous posts, I like using these to wipe down my makeup when it gets dusty or messy and for removing swatches from my hands and arms.

7. KISS Lash Couture Super Strong Strip Lash Adhesive in Clear: I don't see why they called this lash glue "super strong" as I found it to have the same level of hold that literally every other brush-on glue I've tried in the past has had. That said, this also took quite a while to get tacky and stick to my lashes so I probably won't be getting it again.

8. deal worthy Fresh Scent Body Lotion: At the price point that this lotion is, I really can't complain. I do wish that it were slightly thicker and more hydrating because while it does an alright job on the soles of my feet - where I need the most hydration, it gets absorbed rather quickly and then my feet are dry again. It does do a great job of hydrating my legs post-shave though.

9. L'Oreal Paris Voluminous Panorama Mascara: I'm honestly sad to be letting this mascara go because it made my lashes look so fantastic! This gave me the length and volume I've been seeking from mascara for ages!

10. equate Tahitian Vanilla Shea Sugar Scrub: I love how gritty this scrub is and how delicious and sweet it smells. I like that its vanilla scent feels sweet in a sophisticated way and isn't cloyingly sweet. This leaves my skin feeling very soft and smooth and is great for shave prep. 

11. Cococare 100% Natural Peppermint Oil: This time of year I use this oil as a deterrent for critters getting into my room and scaring me in the middle of the night. Unfortunately it doesn't do anything for centipedes but it seems fairly effective otherwise. 

12. COSRX Advanced Snail Peptide Eye Cream: I find that this is a good eye cream if what you're looking for is mainly hydration. It depuffs slightly, but I wouldn't say it's necessarily the most depuffing and it doesn't really do much to brighten the under-eye area.

13. miss spa Quick Dry Nail Color Top Coat Ultra Shiny Nail Polish: Unfortunately this top coat has gotten really goopy and difficult to work with which I feel happened quickly but alas. 

14. Dove refreshing cucumber & green tea body wash: As you know I like to use these Dove body washes in place of shave gel and like how they leave my skin soft and silky. This one has a nice refreshing yet sweet scent.

15. Physicians Formula Eye Booster Waterproof Ultra-Fine Liquid Eyeliner:  It was time to replace this and given it's my favorite, I just went out and picked up another one.

16. e.l.f. 16HR Hydrating Camo Concealer in Fair Rose: I honestly think this color is the best match for my skin-tone over Fair Beige, which is a hair too dark, but this is a hair too light and I wish there was a pinky shade in between those two.

17. pixi skintreats Rose Remedy Mask Nourishing Toning Jelly: This is a really great mask if you need an extra boost of hydration. It's gelatinous in texture which makes it feel cooling and soothing while it's on your face. I also personally think you don't need a thick layer of it to achieve results so the jar actually lasts quite a while if the mask is used in thin layers.

18. Green Pharmacy Rose Water and Almond Oil Facial Toner: I like this toner because it's gentle, hydrating, and feels refreshing to apply. I feel like the newer bottle doesn't smell as nice as this one did, but it still makes my skin feel nice.

19. Erbario Toscano Lavender & Lemon Purifying Soap: I really enjoyed this bar soap because it's very big, so it lasted quite a long time - about 4 months as a hand soap. Additionally, it smells really refreshing without being heavy and leaves my hands feeling soft. It's not harsh or drying like I feared it might be, so I really loved it. 

Disclaimer: I purchased all of the products mentioned above with the exception of the saie product which I received as a sample with purchase. All opinions are my own.

February 2025 Empties

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

The following two moisturizers have separated entirely and have a weird texture now that I don't feel comfortable using:

1. Chamos Acaci Pomegranate Anti-Wrinkle Cream: 

2. Sephora Collection Instant Moisturizer: 

3. Laura Mercier Devotion Velour Lovers Lip Color: Unfortunately, this lipstick has developed an off scent so I've decided to discard it. I used up most of it anyway so it's not that big a loss.

4. Dove deep moisture body wash: I feel like this body wash is perfect for shaving especially for this time of year. It doesn't have any kind of fancy scent to it. But as its name implies, is deeply hydrating, which leaves my skin feeling soft and smooth.

5. CVS Health Intense Dry Skin Therapy Deep Repair Lotion: I would say that the title of this product can be misleading in the sense of, if you have an area where the skin is thin but very dry, it will hydrate and exfoliate that area and leave it feeling soft and smooth. However, if you have dry, cracked soles and you're looking for something to revive your feet - this isn't the product. Let me explain - I mostly use body lotions on my legs post-shaving and on the bottom of my feet twice daily because my feet tend to dry out - they rarely crack, but they can peel occasionally. For my legs, this worked perfectly, it leaves them silky smooth; but for my feet - while it did slow the growth of calluses and kept my foot skin soft overall - I found that my skin absorbed it rather quickly and then felt like it wanted more hydration or something thicker. 

6. Dr Teal's Lavender Shea Sugar Scrub: This is very strongly scented of lavender which, I'm not mad at, but it can feel intense at times. It being a sugar scrub, it's very abrasive which I prefer because its abrasion feels invigorating.

7. berkley jensen Green Tea & Cucumber baby wipes: I like to use these wipes to wipe down surfaces, especially when I'm cleaning my makeup collection. I also like them for removing swatches from when I take blog photos. These smell really nice and refreshing, I also like adding a bit of alcohol to them to make them antibacterial. 

8. CALA Eye Adore Lashes in Wispy: These lashes are pretty and have a "natural" look wherein they give the eye oomph without being too dramatic or over-the-top. That said, they take quite a few wears to mold to the eye and have the tendency to want to pop off which can make them a pain to work with.

9. Dr Teal's Pink Himalayan Salt Scrub in Glow & Radiance: Honestly, I wasn't expecting to like this scrub because many salt scrubs irritate my skin, due to them being salt based, and then shaving after using them is an unpleasant experience. Hence you'll see me using sugar scrubs instead. But that said, this left my skin feeling silky smooth, wasn't irritating at all, and smells delicious! It has a very yummy tart-sweet citrus scent. 

10. ORLY Bonder Rubberized Basecoat: While I find this to be a reliable, basic base coat, I don't particularly find that it helps my nail polish to stick on. As in, this doesn't prevent chipping and doesn't really do much for nail health either. Because my nails have the tendency to peel, I have found more nourishing base coats keep my nail polish on longer because it sticks better onto healthy nails. 

11. Isehan Kiss Me Sunkiller Perfect Water Essence Alcohol Free SPF 50+ PA++++: This is a decent sunscreen that left my skin feeling moisturized without the need for additional moisturizer underneath. However, in comparison to my beloved Biore UV Aqua Rich Water Essence SPF 50+ PA++++, this has a heavier texture that I don't like as much.

12. TRESemme Ultra Fine Hairspray: This bottle is so gigantic that I was shocked when I ran out merely because it lasts for something close to a year - and that's using it on my head daily and also using it as an anti-static spray for some of my clothes. I love that this has a touchable hold and that it doesn't leave my hair feeling sticky or crunchy. 

13. Ivon Cuticle Pusher: I purchased a three pack of these because my cuticles were starting to look raggedy and these do a really nice job of getting rid of the dead skin but I feel like they're not as invasive as literal cuticle nippers and are easier to use.

14. Ardell Professional Active Lash in Speedy: I really like how soft and natural these lashes look, they add a little length and volume without being over the top. That said, similar to many other pairs I have issues with, they really like popping off at the inner corner and it's a bit of a fight to get them to stick on there.

15. Unnamed Powder Puff: I'm unsure where this powder puff came from but all I have to say is that its overall quality was just not good. It ripped early on in use and the internal foam came out wherein I had to discard it. 

Disclaimer: I purchased all of the products mentioned above with the exception of the Sephora Collection item which I received for testing.  All opinions are my own.

December 2024 Arrivals

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

1. Shiseido Prepare Razor L-Type: I really like to use these razors to dermaplane and to fix up any precise areas of facial hair growth (for instance right under the nose) that's in sensitive areas and would hurt to pluck.

2. CVS Health Intense Dry Skin Therapy Severe Dry Skin Lotion: I picked up this lotion because I feel like lately the lotions I've used don't hydrate enough for my liking so I just went in with something labeled to be intensely hydrating to see how I like it. 

3. dossier Floral Berries: This is allegedly a dupe for Jo Malone's Peony and Blush Suede, which I've coveted for a long time, but it's pricey and not necessarily the longest-lasting perfume, so I've always hesitated to purchase a bottle for myself. That said, since this is a fraction of the price I decided to try it out. Although I don't have the Jo Malone to compare them side by side accurately, in my recollection the Jo Malone smells a bit different. Perhaps slightly sweeter. But I like the way this smells so I'll be holding onto it. 

4. COSRX Snail 96 Mucin Power Essence: I love this essence for the winter season because it's extremely hydrating and keeps my skin from getting prune-y and crusty. 

5. The Ordinary 100% Plant-Derived Squalane: This is an absolute holy grail product for my skin so I refuse to be without it! This oil really helps take away any redness, irratation, and inflammation in my skin. This also helps smooth out my skin's texture so my skin is left feeling very soft and supple. 

6. wet n wild photofocus Loose Setting Powder in Translucent x3: I love this powder because it's not overly matte or powdery, it is friendly to use with my dry skin because it doesn't emphasize or cling to dry patches, it helps with the longevity of my makeup, and ultimately my skin looks like skin with this on. Hence, I stocked up on this while it was on sale. 

7. Brow Brush/Lash Comb: I purchased this because my current one has lost many patches of hair from the brow brush section so it was time for a new one. But that said, I like lash combs with metal teeth because the plastic ones tend to not hold up very well. I find this to be an indispensable tool to comb through my lashes after I apply mascara to help comb out any clumps. Additionally, if there's lash glue stuck in my lashes, this is a great tool to gently dislodge it!

8. Ivon Cuticle Trimmer x3: I'm on my last cuticle trimmer and I like to replace these about every 3 months when they start to dull and for hygiene reasons. Given these were on sale, I decided to restock. 

9. Sally Hansen color therapy Strengthening Base Coat: I'm running low on my base coat and since I have some nails that are prone to peeling, I figured I'd try a base coat that's meant to condition and strengthen the nails and see if that doesn't help with the issue. 

10. miss spa Quick Dry Nail Color Ultra Shiny Top Coat: I ran out of my topcoat completely, it got so gloppy that it wasn't useable so while waiting for the shipment of my trusty standby, I went and purchased this as an emergency solution. I'm finding that it works alright but it doesn't have the same smoothing effect that the one below does. 

11. inm Out the Door Topcoat for Nails x3: This is my absolute favorite topcoat for nails. It smooths out any issues with the nail polish, it looks and feels smooth, and it actually does help speed up drying time. Granted, I still like to give my finished nails a good 30 minutes to fully set. But regardless, they often feel dry to the touch well before the 30 minutes pass.

12. be natural by ProLinc cuticle eliminator: The name of this product sounds very dramatic. Anyways, I bought this because frankly it's less expensive to buy cuticle remover in bulk so I went for a larger bottle. In fact I bought the super jumbo bottle of this because I like the way this product works and I have the smaller bottle to use for refills. 

13. fino Premium Touch Hair Mask: Since I'm running low on my current hair mask and my wife recommended this one highly, I decided to pick it up because it was also on sale. 

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

Disclaimer: I purchased everything listed above. 

December 2024 Empties

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

1. inm Out the Door Topcoat for Nails: This has gotten to its tail end and I can't reach into the bottle properly in order to be able to use this. 

2. Deborah Lippmann Gel Lab Pro Nail Polish in Rule Breaker: This is a pretty purple nail polish but I have a similar issue as the one above - this is at its end and it's nearly impossible to coat the brush properly in order to get this to apply nicely.

3. Equate Tropical Mango Shea Sugar Scrub: I really like that these scrubs are gritty without being overly abrasive and are at an affordable price point. This has a really yummy sweet, fruity, tropical scent that I really enjoy.

4. Clean Beauty Smoke & Mirrors 6 Pairs of Reusable Lashes with Lash Glue (bottom pair): These are made out of the material that bends easily so they were easier to work with versus some of the other pairs in this set. That being said, I wasn't a fan of this lash shape on myself so they were just ok. 

5. Vaseline Intensive Care cocoa radiant Lotion: I like the texture of this moisturizer and it smells pretty nice but unfortunately I feel like it just isn't hydrating enough for the wintertime. 

6. wet n wild photofocus Loose Setting Powder in Translucent: This is a great setting powder that has a satiny finish, stops the under-eye area from creasing, but still has the skin looking like healthy skin which I adore. 

7. The Ordinary 100% Plant-Derived Squalane: As we all know I absolutely adore squalane oil and don't want to be without it. This oil takes away much of the redness and inflammation, helps to soothe, and smooths out my skin's texture - making it baby soft, supple, and almost buttery. 

8. Chaos Makeup Watermelon Highlighter: I'm sad to have used this all up. It's a beautiful pink highlight with a greenish gold shift and looks really pretty.

9. Bath & Body Works PocketBac Anti-Bacterial Hand Gel in Turquoise Waters: I like these hand sanitizers in general because, for the most part, they smell nice and don't irritate or dry out my skin. But that said, I feel like the scent on this was just so intense and lingering.

10. Christophe Robin Curls Care x Style Luscious Curl Cream with Flaxseed Oil: While my hair is arguably more wavy than it is curly, I really loved this styling cream. This added a nice boost of hydration to my hair, helped define my waves but left them soft and touchable, and it smells nice as well.

11. Sephora Collection Pro Brow Comb 21: I loved this brush so much because these lash combs with the metal teeth work great for removing mascara clumps or lash glue from lashes and them being metallic meant they stayed intact and didn't fall apart the way their plastic counterparts did. That said, a few clusters of hair have come out of the brow brush end of this and it was time to replace it. 

12. miscellaneous lashes: One of my friends offered these lashes to me and I figured why not, I won't say no to free lashes. These are pretty and fluttery but they had a stubborn lash band so I had issues with them wanting to pop off at the inner corners.

13. Equate Juicy Citrus Shea Sugar Scrub: I genuinely think this is my favorite of the Equate scrub scents, it's so sweet-sour and yummy! Just like the rest of these scrubs, it's gritty and gives me an invigorating exfoliation.

14. berkley jensen Scented Baby Wipes in Green Tea & Cucumber: As I mentioned in previous posts, I like to use these wipes to wipe down surfaces and to remove swatches if I take blog photos. They smell really nice and these large packs last quite a while. 

15. Secret Powder Fresh 24 Hr Invisible Solid: I really like these deodorants because they keep me dry, smelling fresh, and don't irritate my armpit skin. 

Disclaimer: I purchased all of the products mentioned above with the exception of the lashes which were a gift from a friend. All opinions are my own.

October 2024 Empties

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

1. Green Pharmacy Green Tea and Tea Tree Oil Facial Toner: I like that this toner feels refreshing, leaves my skin soft, and has a prominent green tea scent that I enjoy. 

2. Vaseline Intensive Care cocoa radiant Lotion: This is a nice, lightweight lotion that left my legs feeling very soft and silky post shave. That said, I wish it were a bit richer as it doesn't hydrate the soles of my feet as much as I would like. 

3. Dove revitalizante cherry & chia milk body wash: As I mentioned, I like using these in place of shaving gel. The reason being I find that the body washes last me two months versus a week with shave gel because I am a hairy beast with sensory issues that hates the feeling of hair on their body. I also find that most of the body washes in this line are hydrating and gentle on my skin. Anyway, this one has a yummy cherry scent that's a bit creamy and reminiscent of cherry yogurt.

4. The Face Shop Calendula Essential Moisture Cream: I am really sad to have run out of this as it's a rich yet not heavy facial moisturizer. As in, it is rich enough where it helps to hydrate and heal any eczema patches I might have on my face but it's not so heavy that I feel it sitting on my skin and not getting absorbed. This left my skin feeling very hydrated, soft, and supple. 

5. wet n wild Rose Addiction Photo Focus 3-in-1 Primer Water: As much as I like how this feels refreshing to spray on my skin and the way it smells, I feel like I went through this product extremely quickly and wish it came in larger bottles. 

6. Cococare 100% Natural Peppermint Oil: In the summer I used this as a deterrent for water bugs trying to come into my room and that seemed to work quite well, because since I started gratuitously sprinkling this on my carpet they left me alone. Now that the weather is cooling off I bought another bottle to use in my diffuser.

7. Clean Beauty Smoke & Mirrors 6 Pairs of Reusable Lashes with Lash Glue (second pair from top): Frankly my love and success with the top pair set me up for failure when it came to this pair of lashes. The top pair are a wispy lash with this gelatinous lash band that molded to the eye easily. These, on the other hand, are some kind of papery plastic material that just is flimsy in the sense that it did not want to mold to the eye and loved to pop off at the inner corners especially, but on the outer ones occasionally as well.

8. Equate Tahitian Vanilla Shea Sugar Scrub: I really like that these scrubs are gritty without being overly abrasive and are at an affordable price point. This has a really yummy, almost nutty vanilla cookie scent - I was afraid vanilla might be too sweet or overpowering for me but I actually really enjoyed it. 

9. Physicians Formula Eye Booster Waterproof Ultra-Fine Liquid Eyeliner: I love this eyeliner so much! It's easy to use, precise, and long-lasting. That said, I've had this particular one for a while and for hygiene reasons it's time to replace it.

10. L'Oreal Telescopic Intense Lash Length Original Mascara: Frankly, while I didn't love this mascara at first, I actually started really enjoying it when it dried out a bit, which is common with mascaras. This gave my lashes a nice lengthened appearance it a little bit of extra volume and thickness, nothing crazy, but I think they looked good. 

11. DUO Brush-On Adhesive with Vitamins: For some reason this tube was particularly leaky but other than that this lash glue worked just fine as expected. I prefer the brush-on ones because they're easier to apply and don't have that urine scent of the formaldehyde like the glue in the squeeze tubes does. This is another item I'm replacing because of hygiene reasons. 

12. L'Oreal Paris Excellence Creme Caring Deep Conditioner: I actually used this from my mom's hair color because she doesn't always use these conditioner tubes and I really love this. It's deeply conditioning and left my hair feeling hydrated and silky. 

13. one+other Advanced Nail Polish Remover: I like this remover because I find it easy to use and it just gets nail polish off quickly.  

14. Clean Beauty Smoke & Mirrors 6 Pairs of Reusable Lashes with Lash Glue (third pair from top): These, like the other pair I talked about here, are some kind of papery plastic material that just is flimsy in the sense that it did not want to mold to the eye and loved to pop off at the inner corners especially, but on the outer ones occasionally as well.

15. Crown Pro C510 brush: Unfortunately this brush has become extremely frayed to the point if being difficult to use, so I am discarding it.

The following lipsticks all have an off scent so I'm discarding them, I'm sad about all of them since they're such pretty colors:

16. Clinique Pop Lip Colour + Primer in Grape Pop: 

17. Incendio Beauty Lipstick Potion in Fairy Blood: 

18. Juvia's Place The Empress Lip Collection Metallic Liquid Lipstick in Ditu: 

19. MAC Lipstick in Hot Gossip: 

20. MAC Lipstick in Mind Control: Especially sad about this one because it's such a beautiful red!

21. Bath & Body Works Island Margarita Anti-Bacterial Hand Gel: I really love this hand sanitizer! It smells delicious and doesn't dry my skin out. 

22. wet n wild photo focus Concealer in Fair Beige: I liked that this was a good shade match for me and that this concealer provides buildable but natural-looking coverage. That said, even though I removed its wand wiper, I had an impossible time of getting to the product on the edges of the tube because it's so narrow, I can't quite get anything in there to fully scrape it out and I feel bad throwing out usable product. I suppose I don't love the packaging on this.

23. Neutrogena Ultra Sheer body mist Broad Spectrum SPF 70: While the 100+ is my favorite SPF of all, given how fair I am and how easily I burn, I really like this as a stand-in. I feel like it really does keep me from burning. Additionally, the formula is genuinely very lightweight, non-sticky, and doesn't pill or move around oddly which makes it comfortable to wear. 

24. method body peony, rose water, pink sea salt pure peace body wash: This body wash has such a nice light, sweet, floral scent. It's very creamy and foams up well which leaves my skin feeling clean and hydrated. I really enjoyed using it.

25. Equate Almond & Shea Sugar Scrub: I really like that these scrubs are gritty without being overly abrasive and are at an affordable price point. This has a really yummy, almost almond cookie scent, kind of like a biscotti. I like how the scents on these are neither heavy nor cloyingly sweet, I feel like they're enjoyable while in the shower but not that I'm actually left smelling like a cookie. 

Disclaimer: I purchased all of the products mentioned above with the exception of the Clinique lipstick which was provided for testing and MAC Hot Gossip which I got through the Back To MAC program.  All opinions are my own.