Alright you guys, I am a gross amateur when it comes to applying nail polish, forget gorgeous nail art! (I’m in constant awe of my friend Kaitlyn who manages to pull out some insanely beautiful nail art on her gorgeous nails!) However, for whatever unknown reason, my nails have gotten long and strong recently, so I find myself wanting to do *something* with them.
And the easiest thing I know is a French tip because it’s basically fool proof since I use the nail stickers (I buy them for like 99 cents on Ebay!).
Left to right: Seche Base, Seche Vive, China Glaze Liquid Leather and Julie G Albuquerque
I’m personally not interested in the usual French tip colours of nude and white, so I opt to switch it up and play with colour. Since Halloween is around the corner, I wanted to stick with a seasonal orange and black nail. And since I did this just for me and wasn’t planning on doing a post about it, I really don’t have a step by step guide for you guys, but I can tell you about some of my favourite products for nails!
I don’t know how I did any nail polish whatsoever before I discovered Seche Vive/Seche Vite back in August. Seche Vive is the new gel-like fast drying finish, but I think a lot of people are already aware of Seche Vite (the original). This stuff dries so freaking fast and makes my manicure last at least 7 days (but really it’s usually closer to 10-12 days). I wish I’d gotten on the bandwagon a lot sooner because in the past my nails were always chipped by day 2!
Halloween Nails – polish being held is China Glaze Liquid Leather
The black nail polish I’ve been using for years is China Glaze‘s Liquid Leather. It’s not a single coat black, but it’s pretty darn close. (And if you watch Simply Nailogical, you’ll know that this one was one of the better black polishes in her recent roundup. It’s also one of the easiest to get your hands on that’s for sure!) One of the reasons I like this so much is I’ve probably had it for 4-5 years and although I can’t tell how much I’ve finished in the bottle, I can say that the formula remains just as fluid as the day I got it. No gunking up in this bottle!
Halloween Nails – polish being held is Julie G’s Albuquerque
Although not available in Canada, Julie G‘s nail polish line is one I look forward to buying whenever I’m in the US and have access to a Rite Aid. Julie G is one of the original YouTubers I remember watching when I first got into the beauty world. When I first spotted her line while on vacation, I was happy to support her… and then even happier to discover that I really, REALLY liked her shimmery polishes (I’ve only tried one cream polish and I didn’t love it as much). This particular shade is Albuquerque and I’m drawn to it because it’s not only a stunning shimmery metallic orange, but it’s also the city Julie lives in as well as being the city that Breaking Bad took place in. (God I miss that show soooo much!)
Black nail with an orange tip
In short, how I got this nail look is first by coating my nails with the Seche Base. Waiting five minutes, coating with one layer of black polish. Waiting another two minutes and then applying a second layer of black polish. I then coated my nails with a thick layer of Seche Vive so I could use the nail stickers soon thereafter. Thirty minutes and a load of laundry later, I then applied the French tip nail stickers, did two coats on the tips of my nails with orange polish, peeled off the stickers and re-coated them with Seche Vive.
This is the easiest time I have ever had doing French tips! In the past, I always had problems with the stickers yanking off the base layer polish. This time Seche kept my base layer intact! As you can maybe see from the ridiculous sheen in the photos, Seche Vive adds one hell of a glossy topcoat to my nails. It’s really, really nice to look at in person, but it’s hell on a camera lens!
Although this post was accidental and I hadn't actually done my nails with a post in mind (seriously, I think this is my first ever nail post), please note that the Seche Base and Seche Vive products were sent to me for consideration.
I don’t know about you, but I often struggle to think of reasonably priced, small items for stocking stuffers. Here are some items that stick to $25 CAD and under that I think most beauty lovers can appreciate on some level.
Rollerball perfumes
Since they’re small and compact, rollerball perfumes are one of the easier things to pick up. Almost every brand out there has a rollerball sized perfume, but it’ll be up to you to figure out the scent the person you’re gifting will most like to receive.
My suggestions:
Elizabeth & James Nirvana Black ($14 CAD for the ornament sized rollerball): Nirvana Black was a new discovery for me this year and it’s unlike anything I’ve ever worn. It has notes of alluring violet, sensual sandalwood, and rich vanilla.
Elizabeth & James Nirvana White ($14 CAD for the ornament sized rollerball): Nirvana White is the softer side of the Nirvana line and while it’s not precisely to my tastes, it’s been a huge hit for a lot of people this year as well. It has notes of delicate peony, chic muguet (lily of the valley), and tender musk.
Pacifica French Lilac (~$11 CAD): I picked up this Pacifica rollerball back in May from a health food store and it was love at first roll. This smells exactly like lilacs and reminds me of the lilac bush my parents have in their backyard when I was growing up. Pacifica has an ENORMOUS selection of roll on perfumes, so there’s plenty to choose from for really reasonable prices.
Nail polish
Another small item that’s perfect for stockings is nail polish! And the cheap stuff is almost always as good as the expensive ones. I’ve included some of my favourites and recent collection additions:
Julie G: Created by beauty YouTuber JulieG, this line is not only enormous, but she also has regular seasonal collections. What I’ve tried from the line not only wears well, but also doesn’t seem to thicken up even after years of owning it! And you’re looking at less than $5 USD each! Colour pictured is Mermaid’s Tale.
H&M Beauty: Priced at $7.95 CAD each, H&M’s nail polish line is no joke. (Seriously, it’s enormous and the colours are varied!) Colour pictured is December Dawn*.
China Glaze: China Glaze first stole my heart with their yearly Halloween collections. And then I fell for their Christmas collections. China Glaze always puts out fantastic glitters (the one pictured is old and was limited edition) and they’re around the <$8 CAD price mark.
Formula X: A more expensive brand (~$15 CAD each), the Formula X by Sephora polishes are fantastic. They have an enormous selection and I consider them one of the better brands out there simply because their variety of polishes is so unique. The shade pictured is Alchemy II*.
Lipstick & lipgloss
Another small item great for stockings are lipstick and lipglosses. The NYX butter glosses are great for any age, but are especially good for pre-teens since they’re not as strongly pigmented as a lipstick and the glossiness of the product keeps it quite fresh looking. If you’re giving a lip product to someone who loves lipsticks, you really can’t go wrong with a lipstick by MAC (more pricey) or one by Revlon (less pricey). Or, give them a sparkly lipgloss like the Sephora* ones and they can be used alone or as a topper to any lipstick.
Lipstick & lipgloss – swatches
Look at the fine glitters in the Sephora glosses!
Lip balm
Lip balm is a reoccurring option for stockings in my family. My grandmother always gives me some Burt’s Bees lip balm and it usually ends up in one of my winter coats pockets for easy access when it’s blustery outside. Lately I’ve been ploughing through my Nivea lip butter in Vanilla & Macadamia (the smell is divine) and the EOS Sweet Mint has been in my bag for travelling. Sephora also has the Super Kisses* lipbalm trio that can be given as one gift, or broken apart for three separate people. These Sephora balms do pack some colour punch – just something to be aware of when you’re gifting them!
Blush & eye liner
Don’t be fooled by the ridiculously low price tag (less than five bucks each!), essence makes some of the absolute best blushes on the market. They’re pigmented, easy to blend and the colours are gorgeous.
The Sephora Diamond eyeliners* are not just plain old eyeliners… instead, they’re shot through with small glitter particles! The black base brings out the colour and you’re left with a subtle shimmery red (Swagga – my personal favourite) or purple (Phat Rock). These liners will set you back $18 CAD, but they’re awfully unique and I think if this was received as a gift, the person would be awestruck by the colour (I know I sure was when I first swatched these).
Blush & eye liner – swatchesMakeup crackers and spray shimmer!
Last two items!
The Body Shop has released limited edition Sparklers ($22 CAD each – comes in gold or silver) for the holidays and these guys are pure magic in a bottle. They poof out clouds of shimmer and smell like vanilla! While this is far more elegant than those old 90s bottle of roll on jelly glitter I used to love in my teens, this still makes me squeal whenever I spray it. Perfect for the holidays. (I plan to douse myself in it on Christmas and New Year’s!)
Lastly, are these amazing holiday crackers* by Quo. They come in a set of four (perfect for breaking up and putting into stockings!) and contain one lip gloss and one eyeshadow. All the colours are fairly neutral so you won’t struggle with the decision on what colour to give each person in your life. I love how the packaging adds a bit of extra flare too.
That’s it for this gift guide – good luck with your shopping!
Items marked with an asterisk(*) were provided by PR for consideration.
Nope, not a La Senza haul, instead this is a product empties post and that big ole La Senza bag just happens to house all of them.
Product Empties
Having never really saved my empty products until I created this blog, I was a bit surprised that I had enough empties for another blog post only three months after my last one. I’m only posting products I’d actually haul – so you’re not going to be seeing shampoos and toothpaste in here.
First up are the actual makeup products, because I know that’s what interests me most when I read these kinds of posts.
CoverGirl Clump Crusher (water resistant) and L’Oreal Voluminous Carbon Black (waterproof)
These are my two staple mascaras. The CoverGirlClump Crusher mascara is probably my favourite out of the two of them, but even though this is the water resistant formula (a true waterproof one doesn’t actually exist in this formula) is really isn’t water resistant at all. I’ve said this before, but it’s worth repeating, if you get water near your lashes while wearing this, it will definitely run or smear. That being said, the formula really is fantastic and it’s worth wearing – although I stick to the summer months when my eyes are less likely to tear up.
During the winter, or when I need a truly waterproof mascara, I’ll use L’Oreal‘s Voluminous Carbon Black mascara. I always come back to this formula, but I definitely prefer it when it’s in the “wet-er” stages, which is within the first month of opening a new tube. I’m currently using another tube of the L’Oreal one right now.
The Revlon Lip Butter in Cherry Tart is a beautiful shade on the lips, it goes on smooth and looks rather glossy. The wear time is about average for a balm (~1.5 hours before you need to re-apply) so don’t expect this to be a particularly long lasting product. I’ve used up as much as I can get out of the tube without actually digging into the bottom of the bullet (can’t be bothered really). While it’s lovely on the lips, I’ve also grown rather tired of the maintenance required with non-long-lasting lip colours so while I like the colour, I just don’t have the patience to keep touching up my lip colour every hour or so.
Verdict: Unlikely re-buy
Ardell Lashes – 102 Demi
These Ardell102 Demis are my favourite false lashes to wear and I have certainly worn these to death. I don’t wear false lashes often (once or twice a month, if even) and I believe I got about 8-10 uses out of these. They’re starting to look rather gungy (not to mention they’re also quite old) so it was time to just throw these out and start in on a fresh pair.
Verdict: Definite re-buy – I’ve already got another set waiting in the wings!
Jack Black Lip Balm in Natural Mint
This Jack Black balm was included in my Products I Want To Use Up In 2014 post, and I’m happy to have finished it. You can see remnants in the tube, but I really can’t squeeze anymore of it out. This product was… adequate. I don’t feel it did much for my lips, neither helpful nor destructive, it was just kind of there. It was great for protecting against windburn throughout the winter since its main ingredient is petrolatum. The thing I liked most about this product is that it comes in a squeezy tube, which makes it easy to apply. I’m not a germaphobe at all, and double dipping in my potted lip products really doesn’t bother me from a hygienic point of view, but I reaIly wish more lip products came like this if only because it’s so much easier to apply on the go.
Verdict: Unlikely to purchase again
l-r: Clinique Superprimer Universal Face Primer, Urban Decay Primer Potion in Eden, L’Occitane Delicious Hands Almond, Illamasqua Hydra Veil, Laura Mercier Face Polish, Nourish Organic Face Lotion, Laura Mercier Foundation Primer
I know sample size empties are hardly exciting, but sometimes they’re worth mentioning for that first impression.
Clinique Superprimer Universal Face Primer – Won’t buy full size
I used this just for the sake of using it. I didn’t notice it affecting how long my foundation lasted on my skin, but then again I’m not prone to foundation just sliding right off my face in the first place.
Urban Decay Primer Potion in Eden – not sure what to think…
I’m not sure what to think about this. I started using this primer right around the time where even my OriginalUDPP started creasing on me (which shocked and frightened me, to be perfectly honest), so my only exposure to Eden is to say that it creased on me. But so did my usual primer at the time. So maybe it was a weird hormonal fluctuation in my skin, but this didn’t work out for me at the time that I used it.
L’Occitane Delicious Hands Almond – won’t buy full size
Smelled like almonds and worked well but it’s pricey and not a scent I’d usually pay a lot of money.
Illamasqua Hydra Veil – possible purchase
My first exposure to a gel moisturizer – this felt SO COOL. When I think of gels (of any kind), I think of alcohol, so I didn’t really understand how the heck this was going to moisturize my skin. This felt really neat on the skin and I *loved* the smell of it. However, at the $48 CAD price point, I’d have to be gifted this because I’m perfectly happy with my Aveeno facial moisturizer and that is way too steep of a price in my books.
Laura Mercier Face Polish – won’t buy full size
This felt cool to use, but it’s not something I really need or want. The granules in the polish are so small that they actually feel kind of soothing as you rub it into your wet skin.
Nourish Organic Face Lotion – will avoid for life
The smell became rather sickening after a while and after this dried down on my face it felt like I had a thin mask over my face that I had to crack just by moving my features around. Unpleasant all around.
Laura Mercier Foundation Primer – won’t buy full size
Just like the Clinique one, I don’t find this foundation primer actually did anything for my makeup. /shrugs
China Glaze – Kiwi Cool-Ada
I used the pants out of this China Glaze shade. Kiwi Cool-Ada was a matte neon polish (use a top coat to get some shine) that just glowed in the daylight. Since the polish went on rather streaky, you usually needed about three coats before it looked perfect.
Verdict: Possible re-buy, but I’d rather use up some of my other polishes first.
Marcelle Gentle Makeup Remover for Sensitive Eyes
MarcelleGentle Makeup Remover for Sensitive Eyes has been my go-to makeup remover for years and years. It’s an oil-based remover (shake before using) which, of course, ensures that it’ll take off any and all waterproof makeup. I find this works just as well as MAC‘s makeup remover (the one in the red/pink tube), if not better, and at almost half the price. Since the Marcelle normally runs around $15, I usually wait for a sale at Shoppers and/or buy it when it’s in the larger bonus size bottle (like the one above – 33% more product). I can’t recommend this enough, I’ve been using this remover for well over six years now and haven’t found anything better.
It’s hard to vocalize just how disgusting these Make-Up Cleansing Tissues from Absolute! are. I saw on the Ipsy forums that someone referred to these as smelling like beer… and they nailed it. In my original Ipsy review, I said that they smelled like some kind of alcoholic fruity drink, and I was kind of close, but also off the mark. These smell like beer that has gone rancid. They don’t smell like pomegranate, that’s for sure. And they don’t even work that well either – removing waterproof mascara was a nightmare and I’m fairly certain I pulled out more lashes than I actually cleaned. (Let it be known that it also said on the packaging that it would remove waterproof mascara.)
Verdict: You couldn’t PAY me to use these again – avoid like the plague
The Body Shop Body Butters – Satsuma & Coconut
The Body Shop Body Butters are legendary – I don’t think I’ve ever actually heard of someone disliking them. They’re thick, moisturizing and these two in particular, Satsuma andCoconut, smell especially fantastic. Satsuma was my favourite one out of these two and I’ve got a backup sitting on a bookshelf behind me.
Verdict: Love these and will definitely repurchase at some point.
Embryolisse – Lait-Creme Concentre
I picked up Embryolisse‘s Lait-Creme Concentre while vacationing in France in 2012 (picked up a few tubes actually, this was my last one) because I’d heard so many people rave about it. And it’s… okay. It’s not especially expensive (under 10 euros I think), which is rather nice, and cheaper, than my usual facial moisturizer. It feels kind of fancy to say you use French skincare that you bought in France… but the reality is that I didn’t notice anything different about my skin after using this cream. It smelled like generic “unfragranced” skincare and goes on smoothly.
Verdict: Will repurchase if I’m in Europe again.
Bath & Body Works – Midnight Pomegranate Body Lotion
This Bath & Body Works lotion in Midnight Pomegranate took me forever to use up. It’s one of the mini bottles, but the scent was so strong that it was actually incredibly overpowering when I used this a few times at the office (just ask my coworkers from several offices over). I was happy to finish this up (and I’m still struggling with the 3-wick candle I have in the same scent, although I have to say the candle is far less powerful than the lotion) but it’s not something I can say I really enjoyed. The lotion is on the thin side and really didn’t seem to do anything other than fragrance my skin.
Verdict: Won’t repurchase
Lindesa – Skin Conditioning Cream
I was given this Lindesa hand cream as a gift and I believe it came from a German Christmas market. The cream seems to contain a substantial amount of beeswax, so it could feel pretty heavy on the hands. The smell was really nice, although mild, and it was a great moisturizer for when my hands were on the drier side.
Verdict: Unlikely re-buy since I have no idea where to even get it!
Sabon – Body Gel Polisher in Lemon Mint
I never see any Sabon products mentioned in the beauty world but I love their products so much. I first discovered them in New York City about seven years ago by accident. They also have a location in Toronto, but it’s nowhere especially close to where I live. Anyway, this Body Gel Polisher is fantastic, it’s a full body exfoliant, but you don’t need a ton of product to get the desired effect. I quite like the Lemon Mint smell, although I’ve been told my others who got a whiff of it that they can’t stand the smell of it – to each their own!
Verdict: Will repurchase when convenient.
Not an especially exciting empties roundup, but I was happy to empty out my bag of garbage!
Come with me, will you, while we rummage through my trash!
Bioderma Sensibio H20 – Solution Micellaire
Quite an amped up product in the beauty community. I bought this bottle of Bioderma last year and expected miracles out of it. What I got was basically an overhyped makeup remover that didn’t work on waterproof cosmetics as far as I could see. I ended up using this to clean up makeup mistakes and occasionally to remove oil residue from my face (read: after I’d used my other oil based makeup remover to actually remove my makeup). It does work very well for removing lip products, but the taste of this product is so bitter that it made me not want to use it to remove lipstick. For what it did for me, it wasn’t worth the cost. It’s definitely not a bad product, but it just didn’t work as efficiently as my usual makeup remover (Marcelle Eye Makeup Remover – oil based).
MAC Pearlglide Intense Eyeliner in Undercurrent
You might be asking why does this pencil look so jacked up, especially since it hasn’t been sharpened all the way down to the very nub. Well, the pencil itself is about two years old, and the last time I used it it was becoming harder and harder to apply to my eye. In my infinite wisdom I thought I’d McGyver the crap out of the pencil – melt it down into a little pot and then nuke it in the microwave to soften it up.
This is not what happened.
In the end I succeeded in burning my fingers and burning the product (the actual pencil caught on fire, I kid you not). By the time I got anything out of the pencil, after having smeared most of it on my hands, I had a very hard lump of burnt eyeliner sitting in a tub. By the time it had cooled, the product was so rock hard that I gave up hope and threw it out. Sigh.
That being said? MAC‘s Undercurrent eyeliner is the best eyeliner I have ever owned. It took 2 or more years to dry out, but it was a beautiful colour that almost melted onto the lids when applied. The teal colour of the pencil was shot through with glitter that didn’t flake off. I will definitely buy this particular liner again.
MAC C-Thru Lipglass
I love this lipglass. This is the second tube of C-Thru I’ve finished. There was a bit left, but the scent had started to go off and I didn’t want to risk wearing it any longer. On me, it gives a bit of a milky texture to the lips. It definitely sinks into my liplines and does a nice job of blanking out my lips – I’m aware this sounds utterly unappealing, but I really do like the pale look it gives my lips, particularly when I’m wearing a very intense dark eyeshadow look.
MAC Prep + Prime for Lips
This stuff is AMAZING. I was continually having problems with lipsticks bleeding outside my lip line no matter what I did. Liner, blotting, powder blotting, lip liner brush, edging my lip line with concealer… you name it, I tried it. Frustrated, I finally asked someone at MAC for help and they pointed me towards their Prep + Prime for Lips. I was very skeptical, but I used it with Russian Red the next day and it didn’t budge. I now use it every time I wear lipstick and will never be without it!
As a tip, when I apply this, I apply it not only to my lips, but also slightly outside my lipline so that I fill in any fine lines around my lips that I may have. I also make sure to wait until the product feels tacky on my lips (about 60 seconds after application) and then I apply my lip colour. I find this works a lot better than applying lipstick right after I’ve applied the primer as it hasn’t been given a chance to go tacky yet.
MAC Fix+
I’m trying to think what I actually feel about this product and I’m kind of stumped. MAC Fix+is okay, but it’s not amazing (I’m sure some people are shaking their heads sadly at me right now). I normally spritzed this on my face after I’d applied all my makeup to “soften things up”. Did it work? Maybe. But it also could make my skin look a little too dewy. I also used it to apply mineral eyeshadows or pigments and it will definitely intensify the colour of the shadows… but water does the exact same thing. A lot of people swear by this, but I personally haven’t repurchased it again.
Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer Potion in Original
Despite being into makeup as far back as I can remember, I had never used an eyeshadow primer until roughly 4 years ago. I couldn’t believe what I was missing out on! Suddenly my eyeshadow was no longer creasing by mid-day! Urban Decay’s Primer Potion was the first one I bought and still the only one I’ve used that I like. (I gave a MAC Paint Pot a shot, but that sucker creased on me pretty quickly.) I am curious to try out Too Faced‘s version, but I’ve been so happy with UD that I’ve been hesitant to even try. The tube above was probably my fourth tube and I already have another one already opened in my collection. For anyone interested, if I apply makeup 5-6 times a week, the tube will last me an entire year!
I had an odd relationship with this foundation. At first I hated Revlon Colorstay. It smelled like paint thinner, it felt awkward on my face (although it must be said that when I bought this, it was one of the first foundations I ever owned, so I was not accustomed to wearing foundation frequently) and I wasn’t really sure it was the right colour for my skin. And I’m still not sure it’s the right shade, but no one’s ever said to me it looked odd on my face. I eventually started to experiment with other foundations and stopped using this one… until I realized I still had a lot left in the bottle and I had better get to finishing it.
And suddenly, it was like the product was completely transformed. I suddenly LOVED Colorstay! The shade 220 Natural Beige was definitely not dark enough for the summer months on my tanned skin, but it was good for late spring and early fall as my tan started to fade. I loved the texture on my skin and I loved that it would hold up throughout an entire day. Compared to the other foundations I had started to experiment with, this was like pure gold!
I’ve since bought a lighter shade for the winter months but I’m not quite pale enough for it yet.
Revlon Colorstay Whipped Creme Foundation in 220 Nude
This Whipped Creme foundation on the other hand, vexed me. First of all, why is THIS foundation called “220 Nude” whereas the one I just finished above, the liquid version, is called 220 Natural Beige. WHY DOES THE SAME NUMBER HAVE A DIFFERENT SHADE NAME? And there *is* a Natural Beige in the Whipped Creme formula, but it’s number 240! It doesn’t make any sense and it’s just confusing for consumers.
I bought 220 Nude last year while visiting a friend (and attending her wedding!) in the US before the product was commercially available in Canada. After much internet research, I settled on this particular shade because I thought it was lighter than 220 – Natural Beige (in the normal liquid version of Colorstay). In the end, I think it’s actually a tad darker and I ended up wearing it throughout the summer. I’m not even sure why I bothered to finish the product, as I didn’t particularly enjoy it although it did have good lasting power. It just didn’t compared to the liquid version I loved so much I suppose. I’m glad I tried it, but I won’t be getting it again.
L’Oreal Studio Secrets Professional Magic Perfecting Base
The sticker is gone from the product as I intended to reuse the jar for something else before I thought to throw it in my “Empties” bin, but this is L’Oreal‘s Magic Perfecting Base. It’s not exactly a primer, as it doesn’t actually say it is, but it is supposed to facilitating foundation application. This is one of those products where I really have to wonder if it actually helped with my application. Overall, I’d say no, BUT I did find that it seems to do a pretty good job of smoothing out my pores. I would apply it with my fingertips and smooth it over my skin and it really did feel nice to apply it. That being said, it’s an expensive product and it didn’t do enough to my skin to warrant repurchasing.
Physicians Formula Happy Booster Bronzer in Light
I *loved* this product. Physicians Formula Happy Booster Bronzer in Light was absolutely fantastic on my skin. It was a light tan shade with a slight (VERY slight) silver glow to it and it smelled of lavender. Since all of my other bronzers with shimmer in them are a decidedly golden shimmer, this felt very unique to me. I’m browsing Physicians Formula’s site right now and it doesn’t look like they carry this product anymore. 🙁
Lush A Million Kisses Lip Tint
I received this as freebie from my mother who didn’t like it that much. I tried it once, twice, and then emptied the thing out of the container so I can return it to Lush later (for a free face mask). A Million Kisses tastes absolutely awful to me. The colour it gives the lips is quite pretty and I wish I could get over the scent/taste, but I can’t, and there’s no way I was going to ever finish that little tub.
Bath & Body Works Warm Vanilla Sugar Triple Moisture Body Cream
This is my second tube of B&BW‘s Warm Vanilla Sugar in the Triple Moisture Body Cream version. I prefer this over the regular lotion that comes in a different bottle as that one feels too liquidy to me. This cream is thick and smooths into the skin nicely. The scent also has pretty good lasting power, so if you put clothes on right after you’ve applied this product, be aware that it will linger for quite a while – probably into the next day! Will definitely repurchase this at some point.
Lush It’s Raining Men Shower Gel
For me, this is a much better choice when compared to Lush‘s Honey I Washed The Kidssoap. It’s the exact same scent, but It’s Raining Men lasts a lot longer than that bar of soap does. I originally bought this smaller 250ml bottle so I could test it out and see how I feel about it. Well, the verdict is in, because the 500ml bottle is sitting in my shower caddy!
China Glaze It’s Alive Nail Lacquer
This bottle doesn’t look empty, but it has about a third of it left and it’s gone really clumpy and hard to apply. It’s Alive is a polish from China Glaze‘s Halloween 2011 collection and it was absolutely stunning. It would go on smoothly and the chunks of glitter were absolutely gorgeous. It’s a shame the product eventually clumped up, I would’ve like to have kept this another year!
Crush Glitter Nail Color in Platinum
It’s no secret – I always wear glitter nail polish on my toes. I prefer silver, or rainbow/disco ball glitter, and have been doing so since my mid-teens. I don’t stick to a particular brand, but I did end up with three bottles of this Crush brand one (bought it at a Boathouse store, I’ve never seen the brand anywhere else) and this is the last of the bunch. The bottle is actually completely used up, even if it doesn’t appear that way. Since I have no brand loyalty for glitter polish, I probably wouldn’t repurchase again just so I could try something new.
Aveeno Clear Complexion Foaming Cleanser
Not much to say about this other than that this is probably the 15th bottle I’ve owned. I buy Aveeno cleansers on a regular basis (any of them, they’re all excellent) and will continue to do so. They’re gentle on the skin and they smell nice. Winner.
Simple Cleansing Facial Wipes
I’ve seen people go on and on about these Simple Cleansing Facial Wipes as if they were the second coming. My verdict? They work and they don’t smell offensive. Are they my favouritest ones ever?!?! No, but I would repurchase them if they were on sale.
TRESemme Thermal Creations Heat Protectant
I actually have a bone to pick with this TRESemme heat protectant:
It weighs my hair down.
It doesn’t matter how much or how little I use, it ends up making my hair lay flat when I really didn’t want it to be doing that. It also definitely increased the greasiness of my hair which didn’t help my “lay flat” situation either. I’ll admit this is the first heat protectant I’ve ever used, but I’ve never had problems with dry, or damaged hair prior to using this, so I don’t even know what possessed me to buy this product in the first place. (Oh wait, I do know… everyone on YOUTUBE!) I know others seem to enjoy this product, so perhaps it really just wasn’t for me. But I have to ask… does anyone ACTUALLY notice a difference in their hair (in a positive manner) when they use a heat protectant spray? I sure didn’t notice my hair being any healthier than it was before. As a bonus though, it really does smell quite nice. But that’s not enough to make me repurchase this one.
Biore Deep Cleansing Pore Strips
Oh man, these are glorious. Is there anyone out there who doesn’t love Biore pore strips? I’ve been using these for about 15 years now and pulling these strips off my face never gets old. As a note, I use the ones made for the nose on my chin as well. I’ve found that the nose strips seem to have a stronger adhesive which makes the nose ones more successful at pulling out gunk from the pores on my chin as well as my nose. The strips made specifically for chins didn’t seem to have the same effect on me.
Phew! That was it! there was a lot more there than I had expected and I’m happy that I can finally actually throw out some of my trash!
