Hi everyone!
Welcome to the second installment of my “Empties” posts! I have accumulated quite some crap, so let’s not waste any time and get right into it:
As you see, there is a lot to talk about. To make it easier, I will split the post into Skin Care and Makeup products.
Makeup Products
1. Catrice eyebrow filler
My brows and I have an odd relationship….On the one hand, I think they are already full and quite ok-shaped, so there is no need to fill them in. On the other hand, I find myself constantly being tempted to buy brow products. My most recent wish was to buy an Anastasia Dipbrow pomade…Thank god, I realized on time that that would be a mistake! I’d spend a lot on something, I’d just never use.
I’ve mentioned before that when I take close-ups, especially for the blog, I do fill my brows and I use the Catrice powder duo for that. It works really well, the colour is great and the final result looks pretty natural. However, for everyday purposes, I still find it too much and too heavy. My perfect in-bewteen solution turned out to be the Catrice eyebrow filler. Basically, it’s a mascara for your brows. It has a mid- dark brown, quite taupe-y colour and comes with a spoolie (just like a mascara). The price was around €3,50 (or something in that range, affordable anyway).
At first, I didn’t get along with this product. I just combed it through my brows and it wasn’t doing anything for me, than just keep the hairs in place. So, that’s what I used it for for a while..but then I discovered another strategy. I started using the very tip of the spoolie, where the most product sits, to apply the colour on the brows, and then comb then into shape. Does that make sense? Anyway, it made all the difference…It fills in nicely the bold spots, gives some colour, and keeps the hairs nicely in place. And all that, without being too overwhelming. The result is very natural, but still somewhat neater-looking brows.
I repurchased this product 🙂
2. KIKO Ultimate eyeliner pen
I love this eyeliner pen! I cannot believe that it only cost me €3,50! It’s definitely better than the Catrice and Essence versions I have tried. The colour is really black, the tip of the eyeliner is just the perfect length and width and it doesn’t bend too easily, giving you loads of control when winging it. Just perfection!!!
Mine is not completely used up yet, but I can feel that it’s getting there. During my next visit to KIKO, I will definitely stock up on this baby!
3. Hema makeup base
The Hema makeup base is the first of these types of products that I have every tried. It’s a quite ok product. It mattifies, smooths and has a slightly cooling feeling upon application. It definitely does not feel as the more silicone-rich bases…so if you are not a fan of the silicone feel, this may be a good product for you to try. The price is €3,50. Foundation and bb cream go slightly better over this base. It doesn’t really protect you from shining for too long (4-5h tops…longer on colder days) but then again, what really does?!
I am using a Korean makeup base now, the Innisfree no sebum mineral primer. That one feels a lot more silicone-rich. I will probably review it later on.
And that was it for the makeup products I have used up lately. Let’s proceed to:
Skin Care Products
1. Balea shaving foam
I didn’t expect to like this as much as I did. First of all, when I bought it, in April, I didn’t think it would last me 3 months. It did! And mind you, I use it daily. The product comes out as a white foam, very fluffy…supposedly it contains Argan Oil, and NO: parabens, silicones, mineral oil. If you are afraid of those, this is your shaving foam. It has a very slight, pleasant scent. The price is €1,60, I believe. You can find it in dm.
I repurchased this too 🙂 it is so much cheaper compared to my previous favourite, Gillette.
2. Etude House HAPPY fresh foam Witch Hazel
This is a Korean face wash, which contains the allegedly good-for-acne-prone skin witch hazel. I bought it online (ebay, around 6-7$). The product is not a foam…more like a really gentle scrub/cleanser. Mostly, it is a cleanser, but it contains micro particles, which exfoliate too. It leaves you with s squeaky-clean face. It does not dry the skin out…I use it daily, even twice a day on occasion.
Again, I have a re-stock of this, so me likey 😉 Generally, I have a good experience with Korean face wash products, and intend on trying more in the future. I use the Missha Strawberry Latte, and also love it.
3. The Body Shop Chocomania body butter
Not much to say here….I have previously expressed, even rhymed!, about my undying love for TBS body butters. This one makes no exception. A very thick and rich butter to hydrate your skin in the winter. It smells divine!
I have a bunch of others now…around X-mas I got two gift cards for the Body Shop, and every time they have a 50% off sale, I am there hoarding body butters LOL. And other things…
4. The Body Shop Aloe Calming Facial Cleanser
This is rated among the best TBS products. It is aimed at sensitive skin (which I don’t have), but it was very cheap at the time, and I needed a new makeup remover. It has milky consistency, removes makeup quite well (even the black Inglot gel liner, which is a bitch and needs some more work to take off). It’s very gentle on the skin, so I can imagine why people with sensitive skin would benefit from it.
I purchased the Camomile waterproof eye/lip makeup remover (to make my life easier when removing eyeliner), but have not tried it yet. I hear good things about the camomile line in general, so it seems promising.
5. Himalaya Herbals Apricot scrub
This is a facial scrub, which I use once a week for a more thorough exfoliation. It’s a fairly rough scrub in the sense the exfoliating particles are a little bigger and may feel rough to some people. I have never had issues with it irritating my skin. I do not recall the price, but Himalaya products are quite affordable and considered “natural”, whatever that means.
I have another scrub from Alverde now, since I like to mix it up a bit. Nevertheless, overall, I am a fan of Himalaya products.
6. Tarte Pure Maracuja oil
I talked about this oil in my Let’s Talk Skin Care series (part 3). I praised it and I am so sad that my baby bottle is gone. It did take me a good 3-4 months to use it up, but now it is really finished…I smeared the last drops of it on my face last night. “Farewell, lovely Tarte Maracuja oil! I will never forget you!!!”
Maracuja (= passion fruit oil) is a very light-weight oil which, among other things, is rich in vitC…so it brightens up the skin very visibly. I applied this on my face every eve before my Olaz 7 in 1 Total effects cream. Loved the result!
I have really gotten into plan oils for skin/hair care. Argan oil is very good for dry eye area, and dry hair. I did not find passion fruit oil around here, so after some research, am now going to try grapeseed oil. It’s the closest one in terms of lightness and it is recommended for use on problematic skin because of its anti-septic abilities. We shall see….
Well this post really turned out to be quite long. Done! 🙂
What did you use up lately? Is there something you’d recommend?
XOXO
longlivemakeup 