It's empties time again! As per the usual, I've got a heap of skincare and almost zero makeup but hey, at least I'm using up my products! Not much more to say in this intro, so let's dive in!
12/02/2018
10/09/2015
Empties #9
It hasn't been that long since my last empties, but wow - I've been on a roll! Either a bunch of products just decided to finish simultaneously or I've actually been using them (what a shocker). But yes, I'm trying to (sort of) make more of a conscious effort to finish products! These empties posts always end up being super long and rambly, so imma try and keep it short (ish) as we have a lot to get through!
18/09/2014
Disappointing Products #2 // Lips
Sorry to put a damper on your day peeps, but I'm back at it with the disappointing products! You can check out the first installment here, but today, it's all about the lips. I didn't intend on featuring so many lip products, but it just so happens that because I have so many, I'm very easily disappointed! Like last time, there are a few hyped up products in here...but hear me out!
In my review of this, I pretty much detailed my dislike of it. To sum it up, I basically felt like this barely nourished my lips at all. I felt like I was constantly reapplying because it would sink in super quickly, but my lips didn't feel much more hydrated. To top it off, I'm fairly certain this gave me a lip rash!
EOS Lemon Drop with SPF 15
Now I really did love the Summer Fruit flavour when I used it, however there is just something off about the Lemon Drop one. It doesn't feel overly moisturising (it's okay), but the kicker is that it almost feels a bit gritty? Like the balm itself doesn't feel completely smooth, which is such a shame because this is the only one with SPF in! Also, not the hugest fan of the Sweet Mint one either.
I've already done a full review of this so do have a read, I explain my disappointed-ness quite explicitly there! Basically I feel like the formula is very thick and doesn't actually absorb into the lips but more so sits on top and almost sets over the lips, creating a layer or film. Said film then needs to be scrubbed off the next morning. Annoying, and it didn't even make my lips feel uh-mazing.
Kit Cheek & Lip Tint
I didn't really have high hopes for this anyways (it was a hand-me-down from my sister), but especially on the lips - it really sucks. At first application, it looks pretty dece! Goes on well, gives a nice berry stained look. But then, it absorbs - like really quickly - and the colour pretty much disappears. I layer it and layer it, each time the colour gets patchy, sheer and eventually my lips shrivel up like a dry, pale sultana. Beautiful imagery, I know.
Face of Australia Lip Quench Moisturising Lipstick in Lychee Crush
My distaste of this lipstick has been well documented here on da blog. Let's sum it up - horrible scent, tastes foul, too creamy that it settles/bunches/looks uneven and the shade is too pale and pink for my skintone - making me look like I'm meant to be a participant of a zombie walk - you know the ones.
Maybelline Baby Lips in Pink Punch
Oop - Alert! Alert! Hyped up product coming at ya! Kay, so these American/now UK Baby Lips have been so hyped up over the past few years, and I got my hands on a couple of them early last year - they featured in one of my early hauls (Wow - throwback!)! I've already given Cherry Me away - that one wasn't so bad. But Pink Punch is actually really pigmented for a tinted lip balm! Theoretically that sounds really good, but the formula is very creamy, meaning if you apply too much it can settle and gather, and if you rub your lips together, it seeps out of the lip line - yucky. The shade is a very hot, almost neon, cool-toned pink which totally clashes with my warm skin tone.
"Ahaha, worst name EVER. It's clearly PINK not beige!!!!" - Every beauty blogger ever. (had to do it). ANYways! I'm fairly certain I probably got a dud tube because mine is SO sticky and gloopy I can't stand to even apply it to my lips. It's terrible. However, when I swatch these glosses in store, they don't seem sticky at all! Plus everyone loves them for not being sticky....The shade is really pretty though. A very muted PINK shade. ;)
I've also mentioned a few times on the blog why I don't like these but pretty much, they are very glossy, VERY pigmented products that don't. set. down. So they stay wet on the lips, which leads to transfer central. Don't even try to eat with one of these suckers on. You will get it on your chin/teeth/general facial area. Oh, and the food you're eating.
This was a limited edition shade, but my qualm isn't really with the shade itself. Though, it's really nothing special - pretty much clear with silver shimmer. Really though, I find the Lipglasses way too sticky for my liking, and for such an expensive price tag, not worth ma time.
Sorry if I was very rambly and hyper in this post lols, I finished my last exam for the term today (Tuesday when I'm writing this) and I'm finally freeeeee (until next term...)! So I'm feeling a little cray. Hope you guys liked this post though! Let me know your thoughts on these products!
04/09/2014
Honey Hydrate
Oh yes, the famed Nuxe Reve de Miel, often touted as "the best lip balm ever", has been gracing my lips for the past few weeks and I'm here to report my thoughts. Do keep reading, because it's not the average rave review...
Packaged in a weighty, frosted glass jar, it definitely has a luxurious feel to it, and it should considering it costs $20 a pop! It does contain 15g of product, and it's a balm I've reserved for the bedside table.
I wouldn't actually call it a 'balm', but more so a very thick paste. Because it doesn't really have an oily, balmy consistency, it has a semi-matte finish, that in thin layers, sits really well beneath lipsticks - especially those of the matte variety. It has a very pleasant scent and one that I quite enjoy. It smells like honey and lemons! Onto the claims, "this concentrated formula helps nourish, repair, soothe and protect lips" with ingredients like honey, shea butter and other oils. It's even been tested in conditions of the extreme Canadian cold, so it must be pretty hardcore right? Well, it is very thick, and doesn't absorb immediately into the lips, to the point where you can still feel it the morning after. I wouldn't say that the hydrating elements are instantaneous but I do think this is a very nourishing lip balm, that produces soft and hydrated lips.
HOWEVER, (yes there is a big however) I have one gripe with it, one very unusual gripe. Every morning after using this the night before, without fail, my lips will have some sort of sticky/thick layer sitting on top. It becomes very apparent especially after I wet my face to wash it. It's so thick that it needs to be scrubbed off and when it is, it balls up in a weird, almost dead-skin-mixed-with-lip-balm consistency. TMI? Whatevs, but it's the truth peeps, without fail. It's not that my lips are chapped, but almost like the balm has penetrated so deeply into the skin that my lips...shed their skin? Either that or the lip balm has almost set over the lips in a weirdly thick film, which is probably the more logical reasoning. Idek people, IDEK. I've literally never heard anyone talk about this odd sensation so I was completely caught off guard. It's actually a very annoying phenomena.
So as you may know, there has been a shiteload of hype about this lip balm and I've actually never come across anyone who didn't love it. Well I have now, and that someone is me. Don't get me wrong, I like it, and I think it's effective but really nothing groundbreaking. My lips feel the same? They're pretty much in the same condition as with every other lip balm, so for the hype and the high cost, I'm just not feeling the love. SO, there it is, Nuxe Reve de Miel left me a little lot underwhelmed.
I'm sure you guys love this product, have you ever had the same weird experience with it as me?
26/06/2014
Collective Haul // June 2014
It seems there is no shortage of hauls on this blog...oops. But! I bought majority of this on sale (of course), what with all of the EOFY sales and it means more blog content - yay! Let's dig in shallst we...
Antipodes Moisture Boost MINIs - Divine Face Oil (10mL) and Vanilla Pod Hydrating Day Cream (15mL)
I didn't end up picking up the Priceline Skincare goody bag GWP, though it did look really good this year! I ended up buying this little duo from Antipodes though, it was 20% off coming down to $15. I've really been wanting to try out the brand, and apparently this deluxe sized set is limited edition so I decided to pick it up while I still could! They also have a nighttime version, though that was sold out.
Nuxe Reve de Miel Lip Balm
I bought this from a shop at my local shopping centre, it's sort of like a watered-down Priceline. A couple of friends got me a voucher for there for my birthday and I decided to buy this MUCH raved about lip balm. It's quite expensive ($20) so I was glad I had a voucher! I've been using this for the past week or so and I'm not sure how I feel about it...
Rimmel Matte BB Cream in Medium
I got a sample sachet in the mail from a facebook promotion Rimmel was doing. It took forever to arrive but I finally got it and ended up really enjoying it! Medium is a really good shade match for me and I was pretty impressed by the formula - longevity, finish and coverage. It came with a $3 off coupon which I decided to use, bringing it down to $10.
Bourjois Happy Light Foundation in 52 Light Beige
Bourjois is 30% off currently at Priceline so I decided to take the plunge and pick up this foundation (came to around $20) - I've been hearing really good things about it, particularly from Anna, and even that it's comparable to Chanel Vita Lumiere Aqua. I intended to pick up the luminous primer as well but they were sold out (probably a good thing actually...). The shade range is horrendous. There are only four shades, and they are hella dark, like I'm the second lightest shade?! Ridiculous. Regardless I think it's a good match for me and I'm super excited to use it!
Bourjois Rouge Edition Velvet in 02 Frambourjoise and 04 Peach Club
I bought these a week and a bit ago when all Bourjois lip products were $10 each. These have been getting RAVES - the best liquid lipstick according to Anna, so of course I had to pick them up. They are retailing for something like $24 which is ridiculous, but ain't that the world we live in. And by we, I mean Australians. I needed to take advantage of the $10 offer, that's less than half price! Sadly, I doubt they will be this cheap again. Although the shades offered are really nice, I don't think it's the best range. These were the two that appealed to me most.
Maybelline Colour Elixir in Caramel Infused
Again these are coming into the market quite expensively - something like $18. I picked mine up for 10% off (~$16) at some VIP event they were doing at the Priceline nearest to me, but they're currently on sale for like $13. I had a swatch of them all and surprisingly I was content with just one. This shade seems to be the perfect 'my lips but better', and I'm really enjoying the formula, but more of that in a review post.
Sportsgirl Party Popper and Galaxy
It ain't a shiwashiful haul without a Sportsgirl nail polish ayy. As you can see, these were reduced (only way to go), and are super awesome matte glitters! The colour combos are really pretty and I'm really excited to give these guys a go.
Revlon Parfumerie Scented Nail Enamel in China Flower
This was actually in a duo I picked up for $10, the other shade was Pink Pineapple which I decided to save for a gift. I've already worn this and I must say, the formula was really nice. Basically opaque in one coat, shiny and it's a really striking, warm red. Can't say I was the hugest fan of the scent though (something about it reminded me of toilet cleaner? Like Duck or something? Idek.), but it actually grew on me slightly as it wore.
I picked these up from Dissh for only $20! I thought that was a really good deal as they were $60 full price. I'd seen these a few months ago when they were full price, and I really wanted them, so when I saw them on clearance I just had to pick them up! They've got ma fave neon peachy-pink shade throughout, and a cool metallic gold and neon aztec-y print. Plus they're high-waisted - ma fave. Definitely won't be wearing these till Spring/Summer rolls around, but boy I'm excited to!
So that was my haul for the month, I'm really excited about the products I picked up actually! And technically I didn't pay full price for anything - those be my bargain hunting ways ;)