February 2025 Departures

Ok folksickles. Departure blogs will contain items that aren't empties but that are going to be given away for one reason or another. I'm working hard to curate my makeup collection and want it to include only the products that I think truly work well, that I reach for often and do what they're supposed to do.

1. MAC Coquette and Charcoal Brown Single Eyeshadows: I'm passing both of these shades on because both are a bit too warm-toned to use as brow shades, and Coquette is a bit too light and blondish. Additionally, I have plenty of transition/crease brown tones within my palette collection so I don't see a need to keep singles that I never reach for. 

Disclaimer: I purchased these eyeshadows myself.

February 2025 Arrivals

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

1. Biore UV Aqua Rich Water Essence SPF 50+ PA++++: I'm running low on my SPF currently and decided to just go back to a favorite of mine. 

2. Green Pharmacy Rose Water and Almond Oil Facial Tone: Similarly to the above, I am starting to run low on my toner so I picked up one that I enjoyed in the past. 

3.  Ardell Professional Active Lash in Speedy and Wispies The Original Feathered Lash in Demi Wispies: I ran out of lashes as well so I decided to pick these up since both types look natural but with a bit of an oomph, which is what I'm leaning toward lately. 

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

Disclaimer: I purchased everything listed above. 

February 2025 Favorites

Hey folksickles,

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

1. Lorac Mega Pro 3 Palette: I feel like I am such a sucker for a good warm-toned neutral palette and this is no exception! I was genuinely sad when it was time to move on to the next palette. These shadows are beautifully pigmented, buttery smooth, blend easily, and generally play nice with one another. Truly a pleasure to use!

2. ORLY Beautifully Bizarre Nail Polish: I love this polish because while it's this safe pastel pink that looks nice with everything, the teal pearl in this gives it a little something extra in a fun way! 

3. Hourglass Blush in Sublime Flush: You can see I've made a significant dent in this blush. It's been a while since I've used it and now that I've come back to it, I once again appreciate this. It's such a lovely, brightening pink that I think would look good any time of year but right now it's really giving me spring vibes, and I'm very much looking forward to spring!  

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

Disclaimer:  I purchased the products mentioned above myself.

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.

Mask Review: Compliment Banana and Guava Face Mask

'Ello folksickles. Today's review will be for the Compliment Clay Face Mask in Banana and Guava

Availability: I can't seem to find a retailer online for this, but I bought it at my local Russian-speaking pharmacy for $5.99 for 80 ml.

Would I buy this again? Yes.

What is this product? What is it supposed to do?

According to the packaging (note: I edited my translation for enhanced grammar):

Restorative mask for the face: enriched with natural yellow clay, banana and guava extract. Assists in preserving the health of the skin while simultaneously gently removing dead skin cells.

Does this contain any special/beneficial ingredients?

Kaolin Clay: Has oil-absorbing, exfoliating, anti-inflammatory properties. It helps the skin retain its hydration and is gentle on the skin. 

Illite (Yellow Clay): Has oil-absorbing and antibacterial properties. 

Sweet Almond Oil: Has hydrating and anti-inflammatory properties.

Banana Fruit Extract: Has hydrating, exfoliating, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory properties. It also contains Vitamins A (helps skin cell turnover), Vitamin E (has antioxidant properties), and Vitamin C (brightens, lightens, and tightens the skin) and can help prevent sun damage. 

Guava Fruit Extract: Is also rich in Vitamin C; has hydrating, antibacterial, anti-inflammatory properties and helps regulate sebum production. 

What is the texture like?

I would describe this mask's texture as being a soft clay mask, it does dry out a bit but it doesn't set to that very tight, somewhat dehydrating sensation that traditional clay masks tend to have. 

Is this scented?

I would describe this scent as being a creamy, banana-forward scent that's reminiscent of mashed bananas or banana pudding. 

What has my experience with the product been like?

Personally, as someone with dry skin that can be sensitive or get inflamed easily but who also struggles with sebaceous filaments that aren't super prominent but bother me, this mask sounded very much up my alley. I was shocked when I washed this off and my skin felt soft and hydrated because I never have that sensation with clay masks. Even ones that don't dry down to a tight, dry feel, will leave my face feeling maybe deep-cleansed and a bit stripped but never outright hydrated. I really enjoy using this mask and I feel like it leaves my skin feeling soft and supple while also deep cleansed, a win/win in my book. 

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

Disclaimer: I purchased this myself.

Mask Review: Compliment Lychee and Peach Face Mask

'Ello folksickles. Today's review will be for the Compliment Clay Face Mask in Lychee and Peach

Availability: I can't seem to find a retailer online for this, but I bought it at my local Russian-speaking pharmacy for $5.99 for 80 ml.

Would I buy this again? Possibly.

What is this product? What is it supposed to do?

According to the packaging (note: I edited my translation for enhanced grammar):

Nourishing mask for the face: enriched with natural pink clay, peach oil, and lychee extract. Effectively assists in preserving the skin while simultaneously gently removing dead skin cells.

Does this contain any special/beneficial ingredients?

Pink Kaolin Clay: A type of kaolin clay that has anti-inflammatory, deep cleansing, hydrating, skin-smoothing, and exfoliating properties.

Peach Kernel Oil: Has hydrating, antiaging, and anti-inflammatory properties.

Sweet Almond Oil: Has hydrating and anti-inflammatory properties.

Stearic Acid: Has hydrating, anti-inflammatory, cleansing, and skin barrier strengthening properties.  

Shea Butter: Has hydrating properties and is rich in Vitamin A and E.

Lychee Fruit Extract: Is rich in Vitamin C which helps brighten, lighten, and tighten the skin; also has anti-inflammatory properties.

What is the texture like?

I would describe this mask's texture as being a soft clay mask, it does dry out a bit but it doesn't set to that very tight, somewhat dehydrating sensation that traditional clay masks tend to have. 

Is this scented?

I would describe this scent as being fruity, floral, and perfume-like. I personally like it but I can see how someone might find it a bit intense or too sweet.

What has my experience with the product been like?

Personally, as someone with dry skin that can be sensitive or get inflamed easily but who also struggles with sebaceous filaments that aren't super prominent but bother me, this mask sounded very much up my alley. I was shocked when I washed this off and my skin felt soft and hydrated because I never have that sensation with clay masks. Even ones that don't dry down to a tight, dry feel, will leave my face feeling maybe deep-cleansed and a bit stripped but never outright hydrated. That said, this tingles and irritates my nasolabial folds in a way the other masks in this collection don't, so while I like its hydrating properties and its smell, I don't know that I'd repurchase it.

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

Disclaimer: I purchased this myself.

Nail Product Review: miss spa Quick Dry Nail Color Top Coat Ultra Shiny Nail Polish

miss spa Quick Dry Nail Color Top Coat Ultra Shiny Nail Polish

Availability: This seems exclusive to CVS but I can't find any info for this product online.

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

Notes: Frankly I let my nails dry for about 30 minutes before doing anything when I paint my nails and make no exceptions for something that claims to be quick-drying. I feel like this does help the surface of the nails FEEL drier to the touch but if you're not careful and do something too hand-involved without giving this at least an hour or a bit longer to FULLY set (I'm talking like, you're playing with slime, knitting, crocheting, unpacking boxes, or take a nap) the under-layers of the nail polish can still move around. That said, I do find that this extends nail polish wear and, most of the time, this stays put for about 5 days before I see much noticeable chipping on my nails.

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

Disclaimer: I bought this myself.