March 2024 Empties

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

1. Ivon Cuticle Pusher: I purchased a three pack of these because my cuticles were starting to look raggedy and they 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.

 

2. reese robert Faux Fur 3D Feather Effect - Amplified Volume lashes x2: These lashes are beautiful, they really do have this wispy feathery effect that makes them dramatic yet also soft at the same time. That being said, I do find that they have a habit of wanting to come off at the corners.

3. berkley jensen Green Tea & Cucumber baby wipes: As I've mentioned previously, I like using these wipes to remove swatches off my hands/arms when I do them for the blog, I also like to use them to wipe down surfaces including those of my makeup items.

4.  Shiseido Prepare Dermaplaning Razor: It's about that time to replace this razor as it's getting a bit dull.

5. Skinfood Powder Puff: This is another item I'm replacing for hygiene reasons, as I've been using it frequently and it's kind of a bit worn down. 

6. ColourPop Blush Stix in Mini Me: I'm sad to have run out of this blush as it was such a pretty pink coral and I really liked it on myself. I think they discontinued this shade too, which is a shame.

7. Virtue Full Shampoo: I am just so devastated that after all this time I finished my bottle of this shampoo. I really love how this smells, makes my hair feel clean, and gives my hair the sensation of being slightly thicker. I probably won't be replenishing on it any time soon but I really enjoyed having it. 

8. wet n wild megalast Incognito All-Day Full Coverage Concealer: Unfortunately the shade I got this concealer in was too dark for me and oxidized quite a lot too. That said, I really liked the formula on this, it provided good coverage and blended really nicely as well. 

9. Secret Cool Waterlily Antiperspirant/Deodorant: I really like these deodorants because they keep me feeling fresh and clean while being gentle and non-irritating on my pits.

10. Kose softymo Deep Cleansing Oil: I am so sad to have run out of this because it was so good at removing my makeup. It wasn't the most thorough thing in removing waterproof eyeliner or lash glue but I found that in combination with a Makeup Eraser, they both removed all my makeup while leaving my skin feeling soft and hydrated.

11. innisfree Jeju Color Picker Real Color Nail in 2: This is a really pretty dark purple nail polish. Unfortunately I have worked my way to the last bits of it which are now goopy and difficult to get out of the bottle or apply evenly, so it is time to part ways.

12. Trader Joe's Lavender Hand Sanitizer Spray: I like these sprays because they're lightweight, they don't dry my skin out, and they smell nice. The lemongrass version is also effective as a bug repellant which is nice. 

13.  Bath & Body Works PocketBac in Afternoon Apple Picking: This smells like a crisp, fresh, sweet apple and was really nice for the fall season but in general I think it has a nice scent to it. 

14. L'Oreal Paris Advanced Hairstyle Boost It Volume Inject Mousse: This mousse did give a nice texture to my hair and I felt like it enhanced my curls/waves but I don't know that it gave me a lot of volume. It would probably be more noticeable if I used a hair drier on my hair but I only do so rarely. I do think my hair was more voluminous with this mousse in it versus how it would have been on its own.

15. Equate Tropical Mango Shea Sugar Body Scrub: I really like how abrasive these scrubs are and this one just smells absolutely delicious, it has such a good sweet yet somewhat tart mango scent to it. 

16. Equate Exotic Rose Shea Sugar Body Scrub: I really like how abrasive these scrubs are and this has that sweet rose scent to it that I love. It was such a joy to use. 

17. Trader Joe's Oatmeal & Honey Soap: This soap is an absolute must-have for me this time of year because I get eczema on my wrists when it's cold or there are steep weather changes, which only gets exacerbated by hand washing. This soap really helps to soothe my irritated skin and keeps it from getting worse. 

18. Bitter Lace Beauty Coral Cove Highlighter: I am so sad to have run out of this highlighter. It has made it onto several of my favorites and I just loved the pretty peachy, golden glow that it gave my cheeks. I feel like it's bittersweet because I have so many other highlighters to use up but I'm sad that this one is completely gone. 

19. Trader Joe's Brazil Nut Body Wash: This body wash smells absolutely delicious - it is very reminiscent of the scent of Sol de Janeiro Cheirosa '62; I also found it to be fairly gentle on my skin. 

Disclaimer: I purchased all of the above with the exception of the Colourpop blush which was given to me as a gift.

Best of 2023 Favorites

Hey folksickles. I feel like this list will be shorter than years past as I stuck to mainly the same products and things in 2023 especially so, there's that. But alas here are the products and things I very much enjoyed and would repurchase. I will say that I don't have photos of the products here because I've used up many of them and thrown them away but... there's always Google and in the instance that I've reviewed a product, the product name will be clickable and you can take a gander at the review.

1. Soap & Glory The Righteous Butter Body Butter: It's been a minute since I've used this body butter and I remember why I used to love this so much. It smells delicious and leaves my skin feeling smooth and silky. 

2. Smith's Brambleberry Rose Lip Balm: This stuff is SO GOOD -  it makes it to favorites repeatedly because every time my lips are a chapped mess this lip balm just comes to the rescue! A few weeks ago, my lips were really chapped and this brought my lips back within a week and felt extremely soothing and hydrating to apply. I highly recommend any of the Smith's Rosebud salves but this is my favorite scent/flavor of the line.

3. UGG Ansley Moccasins: Ok so I don't really talk about fashion at all on this blog but I just HAD TO mention this because I am so blown away by them. Now, I wasn't the biggest moccasin wearer and in fact I didn't wear them at all but one of my friends got a pair of these fuzzy moccasins in 2019 and said they were super comfy which had me wanting a pair. I mean I got my first pair of proper UGG boots (the Bailey Bow, if you're curious) in 2019 and I absolutely LOVE them, they're super cozy and warm but the slip-on, slip-off aspect of the moccasins got me curious. So when I saw that these were on sale I decided to go for it. Well, these are BEYOND my expectations. I wore them out in 30 degree (F) weather and with bare feet and they kept my feet warm and feel like sticking your feet into cuddly warm clouds, it's just wonderful. That being said, I like to wear nylons with them when the temperature falls below 35(F) just to protect my skin against the elements. They are perfect to throw on for shopping or driving or just generally when you want comfort and can't be bothered with boots (alas they're not rain or snow-friendly, I haven't really worn them in either condition but I wouldn't try it).

4. MIZON Multi Function Formula Snail Repair Eye Cream: I've really been enjoying using this eye cream lately because it feels very refreshing and hydrating to apply. My eye area has been really in need of something deeply moisturizing yet not overly heavy lately and I think this eye cream is perfect.

5. Soap & Glory Clean on Me Hydrating Body Wash: This body wash smells so good! It has that signature Soap & Glory scent to it, which I personally really enjoy. Additionally, it makes my skin very smooth and silky.

6. ColourPop Mini Me Blush Stix: I have added this into the rotation since I finished my last cream blush and I have been loving this so much! It goes onto the skin beautifully, even over a powder, and looks very smooth. I also really love the coral shade of this, I find it flatters my skin tone nicely.

7. Bitter Lace Beauty Coral Cove Highlighter: I have been absolutely adoring this highlight because it's such a beautiful glowy off-white peachy gold but also with a pink shift and golden glitter bits. It's an intense highlight and I just love the way it reflects light on my cheeks.  

8. ColourPop clay it cool Pressed Powder Palette: I've been playing with this palette this month and have just been absolutely loving it! The shadow quality is phenomenal, all the shades work with each other so well in terms of both the shade selection and the way they all blend together; the shadows themselves are very soft, smooth, and pigmented. I also just personally love the way this palette looks on my eyes, I find the shade selection to be very flattering. I love the way this has shadows that I could use as blush and highlight on the face as well. Despite being on the neutral side of things, I like that it still has some color to it and have been enjoying playing with it. 

9. Virtue Labs Full Shampoo & Conditioner: Both this shampoo and conditioner feel very high quality (which they should, at their price point) and leave my hair feeling clean, smooth, hydrated, and manageable. My hair just looks and feels better/healthier when using these products. Additionally, even though Virtue Labs has their Flourish line, I prefer the scent and effect that the Full line has in terms of making my hair feel thicker and healthier.

10. Tocca Gia Eau de Parfum: I love it so much - this is a great combination of sweet, floral, yet lightweight and fresh. I absolutely adore it!

11. Charmed Aroma Strawberry Donut Candle: In keeping up with the tradition of having nicely scented products as my favorites, I have to say I absolutely adore this candle! It smells so delicious - it has this berry dough scent that I just love and I love having my room smell like it.

12. Bath & Body Works Berry Waffle Cone Scented Candle: This candle has already made it into several favorites and it's no surprise to me that it's made favorites again. This just smells so good and cozy which I think is perfect now that we've transitioned into colder weather. I would say its scent isn't so much ice cream as it is some kind of gently cinnamon sugar sweet dough. I think it smells delicious!

13. Bobbi Brown Neutral Rose Luxe Lip Color: I think this lipstick is just absolutely perfect because it's a nice neutral pink shade that literally pairs well with any eye look in a way where it looks harmonious and complementary without anything competing. The formula is lovely wherein it glides on, feels hydrating, and stays put nicely. My only issue is the high price point on this.

14. Hourglass Blush in Sublime Flush: This blush is just absolutely gorgeous! It blends into my skin seamlessly and gives a beautiful brightening effect that I think works nicely with any look that I do. I am really loving it!

15. ColourPop Bare necessities Pressed Powder Palette: This didn't make it to any of my monthly favorites which, honestly, is a shame but I'm putting it on here because I absolutely LOVED it. If you were going to ask me which neutral Colourpop palette to get, this is the one I would recommend. Granted, I personally am biased toward warmer tones when it comes to neutrals and would communicate that being the case, for something cooler-toned that's still wearable and won't make you look dead I would recommend the ColourPop Stone Cold Fox Pressed Powder Palette. Now, granted, purists will argue that technically the ColourPop Stone Cold Fox Pressed Powder Palette is still warm-toned, it's just on the cooler end. If that's why it's wearable and doesn't make me look sickly, I'm fine with it! I just love the color selection and quality of this palette so much! If I was someone who needed to wear neutrals on a daily basis I could see this easily becoming a go-to palette for me.

And now, some shows I really loved. I feel like I watched so much trash anime last year that I can't say anything other than this moved me enough to recommend that others watch it:

16. Tokyo Revengers: Ok it's been a very hot minute since I brought up a show on here BUT it's also been a hot minute since I've genuinely enjoyed an anime and wasn't watching some random crap isekai. While Tokyo Revengers is largely about a group of hoodlums and is therefore filled with loads of what most would call senseless violence, it's also filled with a lot of wholesome friendships amongst (we can only assume) heterosexual men that want to come off like tough guys but have feelings and emotions too. The beauty of Tokyo Revengers for me is its depiction of masculinity, especially in teenage boys, as complex rather than giving all these hoodlums an "alpha" male personality. It's also beautifully lacking in what I would call anime bullshit - common but unnecessary tropes in anime that I genuinely want to say no one asked for, and if they did... why? Things like characters randomly having crushes on their relatives or harems that are there for the sake of having a harem but the characters literally do nothing that would actually take place within a real harem so having it be there is kind of pointless. In any case, I've watched both the first and second seasons and really enjoyed the show a lot, I've yet to watch season 3 but I'm looking forward to it!

17. Hoozuki no Reitetsu (Hoozuki's Coolheadedness): When Hoozuki came upon my list, I wasn't expecting much and was  just so pleasantly surprised by this show! If things like hell, Japanese pop culture and folklore, perhaps Chinese folklore, and somewhat unhinged humor are up your alley, I would absolutely recommend checking this show out. I am genuinely devastated that I've finished it because now I'm going to really miss Hozuki and co. 

18. In The Flesh: Honestly, this is a show I've rewatched recently and really enjoyed it. I'm so sad it was never given the continuation it deserves because it ended on such a cliffhanger and from my understanding it never received further funding. Arguably, the characters aren't as charming and loveable as many from Hoozuki but there are still characters here who I got attached to and that I'm sad to leave. I'm sure you can gather from the above show poster that it's about zombies, but well, it's about zombies so obviously if you're not into that this show would be a skip for you. That being said, I am not a fan of the zombie genre and found this show to be very well-written and compelling enough to the point where I've watched it several times.

And! There's music to talk about:

19 & 20.  Of Monsters and Men as well as Asgeir in particular stand out as a band, and artist, respectively, I listened to the discography of last year and really thoroughly enjoyed. Ironically, both are from Iceland and I'm unsure if that has anything to do with why their music is so great but either way I recommend checking both out. Both have a bit of an indie folk sound with, in my opinion, Of Monsters and Men leaning on the side of rock or pop rock whereas Asgeir's music is somewhat more on the electronic end. 

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

Disclaimer: I paid for all these items with the exception of the Bobbi Brown, Charmed Aroma and Colourpop blush products which were provided free for testing purposes and as gifts, respectively. 

November 2023 Empties

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

1. UNICAT Loose Setting & Matte Finish Mineral Powder: If I'm being honest I purchased this powder because the packaging is just absolutely adorable. That said, it's a bit too matte for my liking - it didn't emphasize texture or anything like that but it gave me a finish that was more matte that I would have liked. I think this would work nicely for someone with somewhat oilier skin than me.

 

2. Disney Jasmine Storylook Palette golden sands bronzer: I have to admit that I am shocked that I used up an entire bronzer but here we are. This gave my skin a nice bronzy glow without being too intense or over the top.

3. CALA SPOOKY LASHES in Electra x2: These lashes are beautiful - I personally really love the wispy yet spiky effect that they have. That being said, I find that they like to pop off at the inner and outer corners of the eyes so they're a bit fiddly to apply.

4. Clinique Moisture Surge 72 Hour Auto-Replenishing Hydrator: I really liked how hydrating yet lightweight this moisturizer is. It really makes my skin feel plump and juicy. 

5. lune + aster Yes We Can Lip Balm: I am so sad that this balm has now come to an end because I loved it so much. This gave my lips a nice bit of moisture while also having a very soft, rosy color to it that I think worked well with nearly any eye look I did. 

6. Bath & Body Works Golden Sunflower Body Cream: This is a really nice, hydrating body cream that smells nice too. Unfortunately these have gotten too pricey for me to purchase without the semi-annual sale ,however, as I don't feel like they're worth $17/tube.

7. Soapology Dead Sea Salt Scrub in Rose: This scrub smells absolutely delicious and decadent, a truly wonderful floral experience. It's also really abrasive and scrubby just how I prefer my scrubs to be. That being said, I personally found that this is somewhat greasy and tends to leave a residue behind on everything it touches whether that's surfaces or skin which is then, in my experience, difficult to remove. Additionally, as someone who shaves, I prefer sugar scrubs mainly because when salt gets into wounds it stings in quite a prominent way and that's no fun.

8. Bath & Body Works Berry Waffle Cone Scented Candle: I'm so sad that this candle has come to and end because it smells delicious and cozy. I enjoyed burning it every night.

9. Virtue Full Conditioner: I'm genuinely sad to have used this up as the Virtue Full line is my favorite out of all the hair lines I've tried. This smells so good and leaves my hair very silky and shiny. 

10. wet n wild photofocus Eyeshadow Primer: Unfortunately, this primer dried up before I was able to use it up completely. Other than that though I think it's a fantastic primer - it helps my shadow go on smooth and wear without creasing for 8+ hours. 

11. Juvia's Place I Am Magic Concealer in J21: I absolutely love this concealer - it has good coverage, you get a lot of product so it lasts a long time, and has a glowy, skin-like finish. My only issue is that this shade is a bit too light for me as it's difficult to perfectly color match online.

12. Shop Miss A AOA Studio Dermaplaning Face Razor: I honestly realize that even though I use them for dermaplaning, I prefer using smaller brow razors because they give me better precision. This feels too large and sort of clunky. 

13. Laura Mercier Powder Puff: This is the mini size that came with the mini setting powder. I find that this works really nicely to powder my face but I've had this puff for a long time now and it's gotten quite stiff and not soft the way it once was so I believe it's time that we part ways.

Disclaimer: I purchased all of the above with the exception of the Disney, lune+aster, Soapology, and Clinique products which were gifts and/or provided for review. 

June 2023 Favorites

Hey folksickles,

Alright, all the goodies I've been enjoying in June :) 

1. Virtue Labs Full Shampoo & Conditioner: I'm sure you can tell from the size of the bottles in the above photograph that I loved these enough to purchase the jumbo sizes. Both this shampoo and conditioner feel very high quality (which they should, at their price point) and leave my hair feeling clean, smooth, hydrated, and manageable. My hair just looks and feels better/healthier when using these products. Additionally, even though Virtue Labs has their Flourish line, I prefer the scent and effect that the Full line has in terms of making my hair feel thicker and healthier.

2. Charmed Aroma Peach Sugar Kiss Candle: Unfortunately, while this candle didn't have any jewelry in it (I mean my bestie, who bought me this, couldn't have known), it smells absolutely delicious and has a wonderful throw. I'm adding it to favorites not only because it was a gift from my bestie but also because I would really look forward to lighting it so my room could smell delicious. 

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

Disclaimer: I purchased the products discussed above myself with the exception of the candle, which was a gift from my bestie.

March 2023 Empties

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

1. Virtue Flourish Conditioner for Thinning Hair: I really enjoyed both this and the accompanying shampoo (which I am still working on) as they both really did make my hair feel thicker and more dense. This has a spa-like herbaceous scent to it that I really enjoy as well. 

2. AOA Studio A+ Glam 3D Premium Faux Mink Lashes in New York: I really love how big and full these lashes are and how big they make my eyes look, but they have the tendency to want to pop off the inner and outer corners of my eyes.

3. REVLON Colorsilk Beautiful Color After-Color Conditioner x4: So the woman my mom currently works for passed down a bunch of these post-color conditioners because apparently her daughter doesn't use them - which I think is criminal because boxed dye dries out the hair quite badly - but in any case I really like this! It's deeply hydrating and helps nourish my dry ends. I personally happen to think it smells nice too.

4. Fourth Ray Beauty Night Dew hydrating jelly mask: This mask does a fantastic job of adding a boost to my nighttime routine. While, as most things, it didn't really help my eczema patch much I did find that overall my skin was more hydrated and had a nice, soft texture while I was using this.

5. one+other Pro Strength Nail Polish Remover: I found that this did its job as a nail polish remover. 

6. exederm for eczema and dermatitis flare control cream: Unfortunately I didn't find this more helpful than something like just cortisone and that's probably to do with the fact that the main ingredient here is cortisone to begin with. Initially I thought it was better than just regular cortisone but over time the results were essentially the same. Suffice to say I will probably just use plain cortisone for my eczema going forward. 

7. Dr Teal's Shea Sugar Scrub in Cannabis Sativa Hemp Seed Oil x2:  I really love how gritty these scrubs are. This has an earthy, fresh, green scent to it that I didn't think I'd enjoy but I do. At least it doesn't have that signature scent one might associate with cannabis and I appreciate that.

8. Dr. Barbara Sturm Face Cream: I'm kind of unsure as to why I liked this so much in my original review of it. I've used up my second tube of it and it's alright at moisturizing and everything but it feels and acts very basic for something so pricey. My eczema patch has calmed down a little bit, but I would almost say it's the warmer weather that's helping and not this specific product. Although this is supposed to have skin regenerating ingredients in it, I really didn't see a difference. I felt like it was just okay. 

9. Skinfood Peach Cotton Multi Finish Powder: I really enjoyed the smooth finish of this powder and that it had a bit of a peach scent to it. That being said, the sifter here is not removable which makes me feel like there might be product left behind that I just cannot get to. 

10. Nutrius Brazilian Body Butter Cream: I had asked my mom to get these for me hoping that they were a dupe for the Sol Janeiro Bum Bum Cream and while the cream smells nice, it is no dupe. Unfortunately, I found this overall like a thin body lotion and I wish it were more hydrating. It hydrated my legs ok but really didn't do much for the soles of my feet. 

11. Marc Jacobs O!mega Lash Mascara: I am so glad to be done with this mascara because, it may be because it dried out, but it really didn't do anything noticeable for my lashes. In fact it hardly coated them at all because the formula would just stick onto the brush rather than to my lashes. 

12. Garnier Fructis Smoothing + Avocado Hair Treatment : I bought this on a whim because I needed a hair mask and ended up really loving this. It makes my hair very soft, smooth, and nourished-feeling while also smelling delicious. I love that its scent lingers in my hair.

13. Marc Jacobs Velvet Noir Major Volume Mascara: Unfortunately it seems as though this mascara has also dried out to the point where it does nothing but comb through my lashes without doing anything for them. 

14. wet n wild Vitamins super nutrient face mist: I really enjoyed this mist, it smells yummy, kind of like Emergen-C or Fanta to me. In addition, I think it did a nice job with helping my skin feel refreshed and helping my makeup stay on. 

15. COSRX Aloe Sun Soothing Cream SPF 50 PA+++: As always, I am so sad to have run out of this. It is by far my favorite sunscreen that I've used for face because it's hydrating, fairly lightweight, and absorbs well. It doesn't have very much of a white casting either.

16. lune+aster Desert Moon Bronzer, Blush & Glow Palette: This was a really nice face palette that, while I wasn't sure that the bronzer here would work for me, actually created quite the natural, glowing, sunkissed appearance especially when all the shades were used in tandem. I quite enjoyed it and am sad to have finished it up.

17.  Quo Curl Effortless Mascara: Unfortunately, this mascara has developed an off-scent, it smells fishy, so I'll be discarding it.

18. AOA studio A+ Glam 3D Premium Faux Mink Lashes in Paris x2: These are beautiful, large, false lashes that really open up my eyes and make my eyes look large. That being said, I have trouble getting these to stick in the inner corners of my eyes.

19. Trish McEvoy Jet Black Lash Curling Mascara: Unfortunately, this mascara has developed an odd scent to it so I think it's best for us to part ways. 

20. Tarte Lights, Cameras, Flashes! Statement Mascara: This mascara has completely dried out.

21. up&up 100% acetone nail polish remover dip-it: This has gotten quite dirty so I've replaced it. 

22. Urban Decay Naked Skin Illuminating Beauty Balm: I've been using this as a primer because, on its own this doesn't have much coverage but gave my skin a bit of an orange tint because I assume it was meant to give a "bronze" effect. That being said, it worked well at holding my makeup on and smoothing out any texture on my skin. 

23. Dove gentle exfoliating sea minerals body wash: Honestly, I like to use these body washes for shaving and the exfoliating version isn't my favorite because it's a bit gritty. That being said, the exfoliating factor of this body wash is extremely mild and it still provides me with a smooth shave.

24. Freeman Deep Clearing manuka honey + tea tree oil Clay Mask + Cleanser: I really enjoyed using this as a mask because I found that it left my skin feeling genuinely deeply cleansed but without being tight or dried out. 

25. The Ordinary Retinol 0.5% in Squalane: I enjoyed this retinol formulation in particular because I believe that due to it being in squalane oil, that it was generally well-tolerated by my normally sensitive skin. However, I have complained for nearly a year now of this horrid eczema patch on my chin and I wonder if perhaps the retinol hadn't been making the spot worse. I have purchased a bunch of gentle, hydrating products since the start of this year and I'll be taking a break from the retinol now that I'm done this bottle so we'll see if it was, in fact, the retinol that may have been causing or exacerbating the patch.

26. Freeman Anti-Stress dead sea minerals Clay Mask: This is another mask I really enjoyed using  because I found that it left my skin feeling deeply cleansed without being tight or dried out. 

27.  lune + aster Powerlips Lip Oil: Unfortunately, although I really enjoyed this lip oil and found it hydrating, it has developed a weird off scent/flavor and I feel like it's best that I discard it. 

28. YSL 5 Fuchsia Temptation Crème de Blush Cream Blush: Frankly I'm kind of shocked that I finished this blush because it very, very slowly and very, very gradually just came to an end. It was a really fun, bright fuschia pink that added a nice brightness to my cheeks. I really enjoyed using it.

29.  Dr. Bronner's Rose Magic Soap: I really like to use these soaps to wash my brushes with. I do find that this has quite an intense floral scent to it that I wouldn't pinpoint as being rose. 

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

Disclaimer: I purchased all of the above with the exception of the Dr. Barbara Sturm, Marc Jacobs, lune + aster, Quo, Trish McEvoy, tarte, Urban Decay, Freeman, YSL, and Nutrius products. 

May 2022 Empties

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

1. Dove restoring coconut & cocoa butters body wash: This body wash smells like a coconut cookie and is extremely hydrating without making the shower/tub a slip and slide. I loved this as a shaving cream substitute in particular because it's more hydrating than the other Dove scent variations and leaves my skin feeling extremely silky post-shave.

2. Odacite Mood Cleansing Ayurvedic Bath Soak: Overall I found this to be a nice soak and used it to soak my feet in when I gave myself pedicures. That being said, the scent is too herbaceous for my persona taste. 

3. The Ordinary Caffeine Solution 5% + EGCG: This works nicely to depuff and refresh the under-eye area while giving it a very gentle boost of hydration.

4. the Crème shop 3D Faux Mink Lashes in Boujee: I loved these lashes so much! They bent to my eye shape nicely and are fairly easy to work with for a faux mink lash, in my opinion. Plus they looked beautiful on and had a nice, eye-opening effect. 

5.  Dr. Teal's  Shea Sugar Scrub in Citrus: I really loved this scrub. It has a very nice, scrubby texture to it without being greasy so you don't have to worry about slipping and falling in the shower which is obviously an anxiety-inducing, non-fun activity. If you like sweet citrus scents I think you'd love this! it smells so good without being cloying. In my personal opinion, it's a great scent to wake me up in the morning. 

6. REN Clean Screen SPF 30: I'm unsure if it's because my product has aged but, honestly, this felt absolutely awful on my skin. I felt like I had this very heavy cream sitting on my face but it would dry to this matte finish that left my skin feeling tight yet somehow also wet and sweaty. It was quite bizarre and due to the heavy feeling of it I was very turned off.

7. Virtue Curl Shampoo: I feel like this shampoo lasted me forever! This foams up beautifully and leaves my hair feeling clean while, in my opinion, helping to increase how curly my hair was and helping the curl pattern look neat and pretty.

8. MAC Oil Control Lotion: I've held onto this longer than I'd like to admit and kept it around because it smelled fine. It no longer smells fine and smells quite foul to be honest. I am discarding it.

9. the Crème shop 3D Faux Mink Lashes in Crème de la Crème: Frankly, I had high expectations for these lashes because the Boujee pair I talked about above worked so well. Unfortunately, that wasn't the case with these. They are beautiful in the packaging but their bands are thick and don't bend to my eye shape so I was constantly fighting with them to glue onto my eyes and not to pop off either at the corners or leave a gap in the center. They look beautiful on but the application process is generally disappointing and I won't be getting them again. 

10. Korres Elasti-Smooth Body Butter in Cashmere Rose: This body butter smells amazing, lasted for quite some time, and leaves my skin feeling super nourished and hydrated. It even did a pretty decent job on the soles of my feet, which is a rare find. I'm so sad that it has come to an end as I thoroughly enjoyed using this while I had it.

11. Layered Fragrance Body Spray in Rose Muscat: I'm absolutely shook I went through this as fast as I did because I usually don't go through fragrances quickly and I used less of this than my typical perfumes because it's so potent. This literally smells like Moscato wine with just a hint of rose which, while I enjoyed it, I probably won't be repurchasing just because the scent is so intense.

12. Ivon Cuticle Pusher: I purchased a three pack of these because my cuticles were starting to look raggedy and they 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.

13. Shiseido Prepare Eyebrow Razor L Shaped: To be honest I use these mostly on my upper lip and to quickly trim any hair that wants to hang around my face and be unsightly. They do a great job but the blade on this has become dull over time.

14. e.l.f. Cosmetics Total Face Sponge: I really enjoyed using this sponge because it doesn't absorb as much product as other ones tend to do. That aspect makes it easier to blend out product with this sponge, create a fuller coverage, and it's also easier to wash the sponge. It seems like a lot of people enjoy using it from what I hear on Youtube and, in my opinion, it's definitely worth checking out.

15. Dr. Teal's Shea Sugar Scrub in Black Elderberry: I have really enjoyed these scrubs! Because they're a sugar scrub, they have a great level of grit but they're not greasy so you won't be slipping and sliding all over your shower floor or tub grasping at the walls for dear life. This particular one has a nice sweet-tart berry scent to it.

16. Rock Creek Soaps Loofah Soap in Sweet Sunshine: This technically has a pineapple and mint scent, although honestly it just smells of pineapple juice to me and I'm not mad about it. This smells absolutely delicious and was a joy to use back in March when it was cold because its scent makes me think of summertime. It's still a joy to use and I'm shocked that this piece of soap lasted a good three months. It does a wonderful job of lightly exfoliating the body by having the loofah as part of the soap, smells amazing (as I've said), and leaves my skin feeling super soft and smooth. I really loved having it!

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

Disclaimer: I purchased all of the above with the exception of the Odacite, Rock Creek Soaps, and REN  products. 

Best of 2021 Favorites

Hey folksickles. Here I thought I was late to the game posting these but last year I didn't do a favorites of the year until April so I'm feeling better now. Anyway, I feel like this list will be shorter than years past as I stuck to mainly the same products and things in 2021 so, there's that. But alas here are the products and things I very much enjoyed and would repurchase. I will say that I don't have photos of the products here because I've used up many of them and thrown them away but... there's always Google and in the instance that I've reviewed a product, the product name will be clickable and you can take a gander at the review.

1. Eminence Organics Strawberry Rhubarb Dermafoliant with Lactic Acid: I love this scrub so much! It remains fairly scrubby even with water added and I love that it's a combination of physical and chemical exfoliants. It smells absolutely delicious, like really good fresh strawberries and leaves my skin feeling like a baby's bottom. It has somewhat of a hefty price tag but given how far a tiny bit of it goes I find that it's genuinely worth the money. It also provides a nice radiance to my skin and isn't irritating at all. I have to add that I bought this bottle in 2020 and it's still going strong in January so even though it's pricey, it lasts a very long time and you don't need a lot at all!

2. ColourPop Just A Tint Lip Crayons: You know I've raved about these lip crayons before and this time I'm omitting a particular color because sooner or later literally every one I own has made it to a favorites list. I love how smooth and hydrating they are while leaving a pretty pop of color behind.

3. UGG Ansley Bow Moccasins: Ok so I don't really talk about fashion at all on this blog but I just HAD TO mention this because I am so blown away by them. Now, I wasn't the biggest moccasin wearer and in fact I didn't wear them at all but one of my friends got a pair of these fuzzy moccasins in 2019 and said they were super comfy which had me wanting a pair. I mean I got my first pair of proper UGG boots (the Bailey Bow, if you're curious) in 2019 and I absolutely LOVE them, they're super cozy and warm but the slip-on, slip-off aspect of the moccasins got me curious. So when I saw that these were on sale I decided to go for it. Well, these are BEYOND my expectations. I wore them out in 30 degree (F) weather and with bare feet and they kept my feet warm and feel like sticking your feet into cuddly warm clouds, it's just wonderful. That being said, I like to wear nylons with them when the temperature falls below 35(F) just to protect my skin against the elements. They are perfect to throw on for shopping or driving or just generally when you want comfort and can't be bothered with boots (alas they're not rain or snow-friendly, I haven't really worn them in either condition but I wouldn't try it).

4. Maya Chia The Straight A Serum Advanced Gentle Retinol Treatment: This is a joy to use for nighttime. In terms of retinols I've found in the past that my skin tends to get irritated by them if I use them too frequently or, because I don't have any particularly significant signs of aging, I don't notice that retinol treatments make a difference to my skin after I spend time building up a tolerance to them. This, however, was worth the investment in my opinion. First of all, it's genuinely gentle, I can use it nightly without any issues. It has a beautiful rose scent which I find soothing - although I would suggest avoiding this product if you dislike rose scents or are allergic to roses. In addition, it just gives my skin a beautiful glow and radiance. I still don't have aging issues to comment on.

5. m-61 Hydraboost Oil-Free Sunscreen SPF 40: The reason I love this sunscreen so much, other than being a pale AF person who's also a retinol user, is its texture is just SUBLIME. Oftentimes sunscreen can be thick or sticky but this has a beautiful lotion-like texture that absorbs nearly instantly. I know this is technically not supposed to double as a moisturizer but personally I find that on top of a facial oil, this hydrates adequately enough for me to not need a moisturizer with it. 

6. Virtue Curl Line: Given how much I love Virtue, when the curl line dropped I picked up all the products in it - the shampoo, conditioner, and the curl-defining whip. I have to warn you ahead of time that while I like the products, they are intensely moisturizing so if your hair is curly and oily, this might be a skip. The line is designed to help enhance curls and give them the hydration that they're often missing, so when I purchased this I was thinking, well my hair is wavy so maybe this will help it somehow because Virtue always does the most for my hair. Friends, my hair is so curly now, as in it looks like I purposely went and curled it but I didn't, it just falls into this really lovely curl pattern. If you need something for your curls or you're someone who curls their hair and wants their hair to stay curled I would highly suggest looking into this line of products. The whip isn't my favorite though, honestly, because it's a bit heavy for my hair and my canister of it broke with plenty of product left inside, but I really love using the shampoo and conditioner!

7. Orly Nail Lacquer in Kiss The Bride: This is such a pretty pastel bridal/ballet type pink that looks elegant and is just perfect for absolutely any occasion.

8. Charlotte Tilbury Hollywood Flawless Filter: I love this primer because it creates a really beautiful, glowing finish on the skin. Everything you put on top of this just glides on beautifully and takes on that really pretty glow. I feel like it just makes the skin look really healthy. Additionally, the bottle lasted for nearly a full year of continuous use which I found impressive.

9. Trader Joe's Watermelon Facial Mist: You folks might remember how much I loved this when I purchased it last year so when I saw it again at Trader Joe's I just had to have it! This smells nice and gives the skin a wonderful, refreshing boost of hydration. For a $4 mist it is worth every penny!

10. LUSH Rose Jam Body Spray: This body spray just smells absolutely delicious! It took a while to figure out how much to spray, as a small spray can go a long way here but I've been really enjoying it. 

11. Bath & Body Works Pineapple Mango Scented Candle: It just smells so good! A wonderful candle for the summertime or for when you're longing for summertime.

12. Bath & Body Works Tiki Beach Scented Candle: A repeat favorite! I love this candle so much and have mentioned it in many favorites posts in the past. In fact I have it burning as I'm writing this, it just smells so delicious and comforting.

13. Lune+Aster 05 Porcelain Skin Tint: I have been really enjoying this lately! The way that it just glides onto the skin so beautifully, has a nice satiny glowing finish to it, and gives me good coverage without me needing to use a ton of product just makes me really happy. 

14. Juvia's Place I Am Magic Concealer: I really love the satiny, glowing finish this has (this seems to be a trend this month, ha!). I also really love that it's incredibly high coverage and a little goes a long way. I feel like this is going to last me a long time. The only complaint I have with this is that the applicator wand is gigantic and it's hard to get precision with it. I would recommend going in with another tool or even your fingers (if you're using this for yourself only) to deposit product as, like I said, you don't need a lot at all! It lasts a very long time and I think it's fantastic!

15. Essie Passport To Happiness: I really love the color mint, as many of you know so honestly it does make me genuinely happy to see this color on my nails when I use it.

16. Asakuki 300ml Ultrasonic Diffuser: So the diffuser I was using before this broke and I decided to replace it with this one. I really love having a diffuser in general but I like the design of this - I think it looks like a cute little bulb and I like the "wood" grain print on its base. These come in different shapes and sizes but something about the bulb-shaped one was really appealing to me. 

17. Trader Joe's Oatmeal & Honey Pure Vegetable Soap: I've mentioned my eczema on and off on this blog and this year it attacked my knuckles to the point of drawing blood - this soap honestly brought my skin back to normal. Granted, it took several weeks but I notice that when I'm washing my hands when my eczema is active on them, typical hand soaps tend to be extremely stripping and drying whereas this leaves my skin feeling super soft and replenished. It also foams up quite nicely. 

18. The Ordinary 100% Plant-Derived Squalane: I haven't used this in a while and now that I am, I see such a difference in just the texture of my skin and a reduction in redness. I know that I always rave about squalane but the difference it makes when I don't use it and come back to it is just so noticeable to me. My skin is A LOT less inflamed or dry and its texture is so buttery smooth. Every time I put makeup on I marvel at how smoothly everything goes on and I know it's squalane's work. 

19. Soap & Glory Original Pink The Righteous Butter Body Lotion: This seems to be that magical product that keeps both the soles of my feet (although I wish it was just a TINY bit more hydrating there) and my legs feeling soft. It also just, to me at least, smells absolutely incredible! It has quite an intense sweet floral scent that I really happen to enjoy.

And now, a show I really loved. I feel like I watched so much trash anime last year that I can't say anything other than this moved me enough to recommend that others watch it:

20. A Place Further Than the Universe: It's been a while since I've talked about what I've been watching and, well, this was a re-watch but I've never talked about it here so, why not? I feel like, personally, during the holidays especially, but usually always I like to watch shows that are action-y but also wholesome and this really fits the bill. To sum it up, this show is about a group of four girls going on a trip to Antarctica, the challenges several of them overcome in order to even be able to make the journey in the first place as well as the challenges they face when there. Overall the show may look kind of random and whatnot at first glance, but it's really inspirational in a YOLO kind of way, which you know I love, and does a beautiful job of covering themes like friendship, loss, and striving toward your goals. 

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

Disclaimer: I paid for all these items with the exception of the m-61 and Lune+Aster products which were provided free for testing purposes. 

November 2021 Empties

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

1. Kiss Lash So Wispy Lashes in Pompadour x2: These are a pretty, voluminous wispy lash. They're very lightweight and fairly easy to apply which I appreciate.

2. Bumble and bumble Bb Hairdresser's Invisible Oil Heat/UV Protective Primer: I love this product so much! It's great as a lightweight leave-in conditioner, a heat/UV protecting spray as its name suggests, and a hydration booster for dry ends, or to add a little extra hydration and smoothing on humid days. In my personal opinion, it smells really fantastic as well! I'm sad to have finished it up.

3. Shea Moisture 100% Virgin Coconut Oil Daily Hydration Crème Coffee Scrub w/ Coconut Milk & Acacia Senegal: Honestly I really liked how hydrating this exfoliator is but I also found it to be more lotion-like versus scrub-like. The gritty bits in here are dispersed in this lotion-like fluid and thus aren't as consistently gritty as I personally prefer. I felt like I ended up applying too much of the product hoping to get the exfoliation that I was after. This also has a scent that I'd describe as being odd, it smells super toasty but isn't distinctly coffee or coconut which, frankly, is disappointing because I really love coconut coffee especially as cafe cot dua.  Overall it was alright, especially for providing hydration but I wouldn't get it again.

4. Odacite 552M Argan+Coconut Shampoo Bar: Honestly I really enjoyed having this shampoo bar. It lasted a long time, I want to say maybe around 6 months of me using it regularly. This has a delicious lemongrass scent and leaves my hair feeling clean, lightly hydrated, and very shiny. It foams absolutely beautifully despite being soap free which I'm sure can be attributed to the sodium cocoyl isethionate that is contains and is an alternative to SLS. 

5. now essential oils in 100% pure lemon: I really love this lemon essential oil for my diffuser - it has a nice, sweet, uplifting lemon scent. 

6. Trader Joe's Toasted Marshmallow Body Butter: I enjoyed this body butter - it has a nice thick, yet not overly heavy, texture that is very hydrating and nourishing to my skin. It has a soft, sweet scent that I would say does have a hint of toasted marshmallow but is mostly just sweet and sugar; due to its softness it's not an overpowering fragrance, a quality which I personally like.

7. Trader Joe's Exfoliating Sugar Cube: I honestly wish this was a permanent body scrub in their lineup because I liked it so much! This has that nice scrubby, gritty sugar texture that I enjoy and also has a really nice green tea fragrance. 

8. Fourth Ray Beauty Face Milk in Matcha: Honestly I found this to be just ok. It does an alright job o of being a lightweight moisturizer that still provides enough hydration for my dry skin. That being said I was hoping it would have a prominent matcha scent and that just wasn't the case. 

9. Virtue Curl-Defining Whip: Overall I found this mousse to be a disappointment. Now, it did define my curls but I found that it left this plastic- feeling residue in my hair. The residue would wash out in the shower but my hair just felt weird with this in it. In addition, the mousse dispenser just completely died on me, there's still maybe a quarter or even a third of this bottle full of product (I'm guessing just based on how it feels) that I cannot get out because it simply will not dispense out. Given its price point of $36 I genuinely feel like those issues shouldn't have existed in the first place. Overall I love Virtue and I'm sad to be saying unpleasant things about one of their products but I feel like a lighter weight formula might be able to solve both those issues.

10. AMNH Skincare Unicorn Dreams Whipped Body Butter: Unfortunately this was just way too heavy for my skin. Its base is mostly coconut oil and Shea butter so as you can imagine, in colder conditions, this would solidify and was a bit of an effort to spread and worked a lot better when my bathroom happened to be warm. That being said, this was still too heavy for my skin and just sat on my skin without really absorbing. The only spot on my body that this was genuinely helpful on was, yes, the soles of my feet. I feel like there needs to be some sort of compromise though where a body butter or lotion works well both on my legs and on my feet. This smelled really lovely, it has a sugary sweet-tart type of scent. 

11. Addison & Gates Lemon Verbena Soap: One of my friends gave me this and honestly I really loved using this. It has a lovely lemon verbena scent, felt hydrating, and produced a nice lather.

12. m-61 PowerSpot Clear: Alas I have finished the last of my backups of this. As I've mentioned many times I really liked this spot treatment because it really brought up all the gunk to the surface and helped clear up acne and its associated inflammation, irritation, and overall bumpiness and redness.

13. COSRX Aloe Sun Soothing Cream SPF 50 PA+++: I loved this sunscreen because it's lightweight, absorbs quickly, and provides my skin with moisture adequate enough to where I don't feel like I need additional moisturizer. As someone super pale, I appreciate its high SPF. 

14. Dove refreshing cucumber & green tea nourishing body wash: I've mentioned many times that I really like these to shave with and I have to give it a shoutout that when I had an eczema flareup in my groin region and was trying to use another body wash to shave with - I felt like it irritated the eczema whereas this soothed it. That being said, it's probably ideal to use the fragrance free one on eczema patches and avoid shaving the eczema-afflicted area altogether. In my personal defense, body hair really bothers me and makes me itchy, I shave it all the time for myself because I personally prefer feeling smooth and I feel like eczema treatments can better take care of my skin without hair interfering and acting as some weird barrier between the cream and my skin.  

15. Fourth Ray Beauty White Peach Body Milk: This body moisturizer smells really good but, in my opinion, it isn't hydrating enough. It's alright for my legs in the summertime but other than that I personally prefer something with a thicker, more hydrating, consistency. 

16. dermalogica redness relief essence: Unfortunately I didn't find this to have much of an effect on my redness. It boosted my skin's hydration nicely, which I appreciate, but I don't feel like it has its intended effect on my skin.

17. No 7 Laboratories Line Correcting Booster Serum: I really enjoyed the hydration boost that this serum gave me as well, but again I don't feel like its intended purpose was served here. I don't have much in the way of facial lines (thankfully!) so I can't say how well it would work on someone with significant lines going on.

18. Trader Joe's Frosted Cranberry Body Butter: Now this is an amazing body hydrator. This smells so good and has a wonderful texture that leaves my skin feeling hydrated, smooth, and silky. I wish they sold this in full-sized tubs.

19. Laneige Multi Cleanser: I think this is a really good basic cleanser if you're a fan of creamy, foaming cleansers. That being said, I personally like something with just a touch more hydration to it so while this did the job and I'm not mad at it; it's also not my favorite cleanser ever.

20. Garnier Whole Blends Repairing Shampoo - Honey Treasures: Frankly, when I don't do anything special to my hair, this shampoo can be a little bit heavy. That being said, when I had bleach in my hair I find that this really gives my hair the hydration it craves. I also find its scent warm, sweet, and comforting.

21. beauty 360 Original Nail Polish Remover Pad: Personally I wish that this was more saturated with nail polish remover but overall it worked really well and stayed moist enough for me to remove the nail polish from both my feet. 

22. Trader Joe's Peel-Off Charcoal Face Mask: I really wish this wasn't a peel-off mask because it has really good anti-inflammatory ingredients in it. That being said, this being peel-off really irritated my skin.

23. e.l.f. Halo Glow Setting Powder: I really wanted to love this powder, especially because I heard that it was a dupe for the Hourglass Ambient Lighting Powders but, unfortunately, I just can't say that I agree. It looks nice on the face, like I'm not mad at it, it gives the skin a subtle glow. That said, I really wanted this to work well as an under-eye setting powder and it just creases like no one's business even when I use the trick of using a sponge sprayed with setting spray to keep it under my eyes. If anything, that trick makes this crease even worse. 

24. beauty 360 Strengthening Nail Polish Remover: This nail polish is nothing to write home about but it does the job. I realized that I personally prefer using straight up acetone because it really isn't more drying to my skin than any other nail polish remover but makes much quicker work of removing nail polish. 

25. now essential oils 100% pure tangerine: This oil smells wonderful and like a tangerine rind but unfortunately it really stains my diffuser orange. Just a heads up for any of you diffuser users out there.

26. Mario Badescu Rose Body Soap: This body wash smells so delicious! It has a rose scent that's a nice balance between floral and sweet. It did a good job of cleansing my body. 

27. Ariose Monde Ocean Bliss Bath Salt: This is a rather grainy bath salt and I don't super love its scent but it worked ok in my foot soaks to soothe and relax my feet.

28. Colourpop Hourglass Blending Sponge: I was really not the biggest fan of this sponge. It's easy to hold on to but it's not the best shape for blending makeup in my personal opinion, it's very hard to work around the eye area with this sponge.

29. Trader Joe's Chai Shimmering Body Wash: I have to start by saying that thankfully this body wash didn't leave me glittery in any way. It has a subtle chai scent that almost reminds me of spiced apple cider, without the apple note. Almost gingerbread-like. I think it smells yummy but it's not a scent that I personally want to smell like, so I appreciate that it's subtle. This foamed up nicely and left me feeling clean.

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

Disclaimer: I purchased all of the above with the exception of the Bumble and bumble, Odacite, Addison & Gates, dermalogica, No 7 Laboratories, Ariose Monde, and AMNH Skincare products.