Empties – Page 2 – Rosebud's Diary

Skincare stash decrease project – update 2

Hello everybody!

Here is the second update of my skincare stash decrease project. So, these are my empties from March.

Farmacy Green clean cleansing balm – I have already written about this cleansing balm in my Empties post. This is my favorite cleansing balm. I will not bother you again with my enthusiastic review about this buttery cleansing goodness. I can say that I haven’t changed my mind a bit. I love it and will continue buying it. I will be without it for some time until I decrease my stash. I wish I’d bought one for back up before my no-buy.

Bobbi Brown cleansing oil (15ml) – I got this oil as a gift with my HG eye cream Bobbi Brown. It is a lightweight oil that feels like satin when you start to cleanse your face. It is not oily at all, it emulsifies nicely and removes well the makeup, spf, everything.. I really like it and will definitely think about purchasing a full size product.

Glow Recipe Blueberry bounce cleanser – My opinion about this cleanser and Glow Recipe as brand in general is really an unpopular opinion. This is second product I tried from their range and I equally disliked it like their watermelon sleeping pack. I have been literally forcing myself to empty this 30ml bottle for almost a year!! I didn’t even go through it all, I just had to throw it away. So, you can guess what kind of opinion I have about this cleanser. Each time I applied it, my skin was feeling tight, like it was “getting smaller” with each second after I washed it off. On top of that, it burnt my eyes really badly while I was washing it off. And I didn’t even try to remove my eye makeup with this. Honestly, I cannot imagine that I would ever try to remove my eye makeup with product that contains AHA!! I think my exploration of Glow Recipe products ends right here (I have already written about Glow Recipe watermelon mask in my previous post).

Pyunkang Yul Essence Toner 20ml – Pyunkang Yul Mist toner is one of my HG toners, so I thought I could also like Essence Toner. And I wasn’t wrong. Of course by its consistence this is more an essence than a toner. It is hydrating, but more than that, it is calming and healing. It provides instant relief to the skin, is absorbed nicely without any sticky residue. Unlike the Mist Toner, this is basically perfect essence. I will for sure buy a full size bottle.

Cosrx Advanced Snail 96 mucin power essence – this is my HG of Kbeauty skincare. I do not count how many bottles of this essence I have emptied so far. I am always wondering how something so slimy and sticky can be so hydrating. This is also my go to skincare product, my skin saviour when I have some issues like skin redness, failed routines that cause some sensitivity, etc. It is gentle, hydrating, calming, soothing. I love it and will always keep buying it.

Goodal Green Tangerine Vita C dark spot serum – Although my skin loves a good vitamin C serum, I wasn’t quite happy with this one. I have been using the vitamin C serums for more than a decade and I have tried my share of these. My skin enjoyed in almost all these serums, but I honestly cannot explain what is wrong with this one. It has a jelly texture which is easily spread, it does leave some sticky residue which disappears with the application of the next layer. The form of vitamin C used in this serum is ascorbyl glucoside which is stable against light and that why it is packed in a transparent bottle and not in a dark bottle as most vitamin C serums are. This form is non-irritating at all. And still I didn’t like it. Maybe it is because its main targets are the dark spots which I do not have. What disappointed me also is that I didn’t even notice the immediate brightening effect and healthy glow which I got from almost all vitamin C serums. I also bought the pads from same line which I use also in my morning routine (one day I used the serum and next the pads). I will not repurchase the serum.

Tiam Vita B3 source – I use the niacianamide each day. Since I started to use religiously spf cream, I introduced some changes to my routine and switched the niacinamide and vitamin C serum. So now I put the niacinamide as first step in my evening routine. I really like the texture of this serum which feels a little bit greasy between the fingers (probably due to the arbutine), but once you start massaging it, it disappears instantly. It is gentle, not drying like some niacinamide serums tend to be (especially the ones with zinc). It clears the complexion, it brightens it, improves the skin texture. I will repurchase this for sure.

Bioderma Matricium – I use those on days that follow the application of A313 Vitamine A pommade. It is a thick, but still liquid, it is tacky, but really calms down any redness you might have. This flacon is for 2 uses. I still have more than 20 pcs in the stash.

Drunk Elephant Hydra-B serum – I bought this together with DE C-firma serum. Neither one of those serums didn’t wow me, although I must say that Hydra-B is little bit better than C- Firma. It is a jelly serum that penetrates the skin fast, is not sticky, but the level of hydration it provides to skin is nothing extraordinary that would justify the price tag is has. I will not repurchase.

The Plant Base Quesera Ceramide serum – I had this on my wish list for a long time and I was really excited when I got my hands on this shinny bottle. I really must command the fancy golden packaging and the pressure dropper which makes the dosage easier. The serum itself is of a milky texture with some slip to it. The application is really easy and comfortable, the serum is absorbed fast and almost perfectly, it doesn’t leave any tacky residue. We all know that the ceramides are important for strengthening the skin barrier. Mine is not damaged but I like to use some form of ceramides ever since I introduced the A313 (form of Vitamin A). This serum calms and nourishes the skin, makes it smooth and glowy. I don’t like the bottle size (20ml) through which I went really very quickly. However, I will repurchase at a certain point.

A’pieu Glacier water hydrating ampoule – I liked this simple hydrating ampoule that combines the glacier water and sodium hyaluronate. It sooths and calms skin while cooling and moisturizing it at the same time. The texture is of a watery gel, easy to apply and well absorbed. Although I used it during the winter, this could be a perfect summer cooling/hydrating ampoule. I will repurchase.

Peter Thomas Roth Blue Marine Algae Intense Hydrating mask – this is an average wash-off mask. It provides some cooling effect, sinks in the skin and gives certain amount of hydration, but not the intense hydration as the product name says. Each time I put this on my face, I started to feel the tightening effect as if I didn’t provide my skin with sufficient care. Just like the PTR cucumber mask version, it is absorbed completely, but the result is far from expected. I will not repurchase.

Oskia Renaissance mask – I got this luxury sample in one of Lookfantastic’s Beauty boxes and I enjoyed in every single masking. Although I wasn’t using it on a regular basis, it impressed me each time I applied it. At the beginning, I was afraid of some negative reactions like burning, so I left it only for 5-6 minutes and then I washed it off. I didn’t feel any burning, only slight tingling and only for first 2 times. I usually kept the mask on not more than 10 minutes. Once it is washed off, you can really see the difference. The skin is visibly brightened, very smooth and soft and it stays like this for days. Basically this mask does the chemical peeling (it contains lactic acid) but in a gentle way. Although the full size is rather pricey, I will buy it for sure.

Huxley Secrets of Sahara Good night sleep mask – Since I really like Huxley’s Secrets of Sahara oil essence, I thought I would enjoy this sleeping mask which is also made with prickly pear cactus extract. However, I didn’t. It is not a bad product, it is hydrating and soothing, feels comfortable on the skin, it is non-sticky and sinks in fast, but each time I put this, I have a feeling that my skin craves for one more layer of something, like my routine was unfinished. And this is not how your skin should feel after applying a sleeping pack which is supposed to seal everything in as a last step of the routine. I don’t think I will repurchase.

I thought I would be using more sheet masks since I’m constantly at home. However, this month I only used 6 sheet masks. Among them, I absolutely have to mention Secret Key Starting Treatment Essential mask. It completely blew my mind!! It made my skin so hydrated, calm, bouncy. I kept looking at the mirror and admiring the effect. I even took a selfie and I almost never do that!! And what’s funny it’s that I didn’t even choose purposely this sheet, it came in a sheet mask set from Jolse. The reason why I would have never chosen this sheet mask before is because of my experience with Secret Key fte that I tried at the very beginning of my Kbeauty journey which did absolutely nothing to my skin. And this sheet mask could easily become one of my favorite mask.

And here is one of my rare selfies (and first posted on my blog) taken after the use of Secret Key sheet mask. Please be kind and remember I’m 44 years old 🙂

I must admit I broke the no-buy this month and bought some things. I emptied Goodal c vitamin, so I ordered Timeless C+ E ferulic acid although I did have The Inkey List vitamin C in my stash. However, I changed a bit my routine and switched vitamin C and niacinamide serum so I put vitamin C in the morning and niacinamide in the evening. Although I like The Inkey List, its silicony texture which requires some waiting before next step is not suitable for the quick routines before going to work. Then again, due to Covid-19, I changed my mind again as I described in my previous post about the products I opened in March and opened The Inkey List Vitamin C serum.

The other thing I couldn’t resist to was the possibility of bidding for By Wishtrend Polyphenols in propolis 15% which I wanted to try for a long, long time. And the price I paid for it was great (15€) instead of maybe 27-28$ which is the usual Ebay rate. However this serums is still travelling from South Korea and I’m not sure if it will ever be delivered.

In March, I emptied:

3 cleansers / 1 toner / 1 essence / 2 acid – active treatments / 3 serums / 2 wash-off masks / 1 sleeping pack

March total: 13 empties + 6 sheet masks

Yearly total : 20 empties + 8 sheet masks

So, at the end of March 2020, this is current status of my skincare stash:

17 cleansers
20 toners and mists
19 acid & active treatments
13 essences
15 serums / ampoules
4 emulsions
23 moisturizers and sunscreens
7 sleeping packs
11 facial oils
20 masks
5 eye creams and eye masks
111 sheet masks

Till next time stay healthy and beautiful!

Skincare stash decrease project – update 1

Hello everybody!

This is the first update of my skincare stash decrease project. Basically these are my latest empties and I do not have a lot of them since it’s been only a little bit more than a week since I posted the stash inventory.

Krave Beauty Matcha hemp hydrating cleanser – this is such a nice cleanser and one of best Kbeauty cleansers I tried in a while. It has a jelly texture, little goes a long way. It is very gentle and yet very effective second cleanser. It doesn’t foam a lot which I really like. It leaves the skin very smooth. It does need little bit more water splashes to wash it off, but it washes off completely and without any residue. I will repurchase.

Acwell licorice ph balancing and cleansing toner – this was my HG toner for quite a long time. However, due to the fact that it was difficult to find it online, I didn’t use for more than a year. I was very happy I noticed these small 30ml bottles available at Ebay. I must admit I’m not so crazy about this toner anymore. I always use at the very beginning of my routines. I do not feel that boost of hydration I used to have from it and I do not feel that my skin is supple. I tested it both applying it with fingers and with cotton pads. I must say I currently prefer the application with cotton pads. I’m not sure if I will repurchase.

Tatcha The watery cream – I really like this moisturizer. When applied to the skin, you can instantly feel the burst of hydration. I feel like when it touches the skin, it turns into water and drenches the skin. It sinks in completely and perfectly leaving the skin very hydrated and soft. However, I must admit I’m not sure if I would spend 68$ for a moisturizer no matter how perfect it is. And it really is a perfect moisturizer.

Glow Recipe Watermelon sleeping mask – this is such a huge disappointment for me. Since everybody is raving and hyping this, I thought I would love it. However, I do not like it at all. Although its texture is rather thin and watery, it leaves a sticky feeling on the skin. No matter what routine I put under it, it is always pilling so in the morning I always have on my face a small bits of something that look like I forgot to remove the peel-off mask. The only thing I like about it is the scent. But since this is not a perfume, that’s obviously not important. I will never buy it again.

Labiotte UV moisture veil spf50 (30ml) – I love this sunscreen. It’s a gel with such a nice lightweight texture, it is easily spread and absorbed flawlessly. It contains some micro-granules that melt once they touch the skin surface. There is no white cast, the finish is not matte, but it leaves some fancy glow (not a greasy one). I used this on my no makeup days since its spf filters are different from my Missha bb cream ones, and they do not work well together. I will repurchase again.

Ohui Miracle moisture skin softener – this is milky toner that does exactly what its name says: it softens the skin for the application of next steps. I use it as first step of my routine when I do not use the first treatment essence. It makes the skin soft, supple and gives a dab of hydration. However, I prefer the fte, because they provide more hydration. I don’t think I will repurchase this.

Prreti berry white eye serum – I used this in my morning routine. It provides such a nice hydration and relief to the eye area and brightens it. It works well under my bb cream, it does not pill. And the price I paid for this is ridiculous: 1,34 $ at Beautynetkorea! I will repurchase.

Last week I only used 2 sheet masks: Blithe Blue Zone Marine Intensive Mask Sea Cucumber and Isntree Ceramide Deep moisture cream mask. Neither one was anything extraordinary. Blithe’s Sea Cucumber could be great sheet mask with real brightening effect and moisture it provides if only it weren’t of that terrible scent.

I emptied:

1 cleanser / 1 toner / 1 moisturizer + 1 sunscreen / 1 eye cream / 1 sleeping mask.

Besides the empties I had, I gave as a gift 1 moisturizer (Tonymoly The Green Tea chok-chok).

February total: 7 empties + 2 sheet masks

So, at the end of February 2020, this is current status of my skincare stash:

20 cleansers
21 toner and mist
20 acid & active treatments
14 essences
18 serums / ampoules
4 emulsions
23 moisturizers and sunscreens
8 sleeping packs
11 facial oils
22 masks
5 eye creams and eye masks
117 sheet masks

I hope I will have more empties next time!

Till then, stay healthy and beautiful!

Empties 6

Hello everybody!

And once again I have my share of empties, but not a huge quantity as in my Empties 5 post. That was really a massive overview.

You’re probably wondering how I manage to empty so many products. Basically I do not skip my routines ever, I do the double cleansing each night, I apply the niacinamide every morning, I put my vitamin C every other day. I use 2 toners or first essence and a toner in both of my routines, I use 2 serums each night. I do not apply the same products each day, I use the products according to my skin needs. On top of that, I tend to be generous when applying products (not all of course). And that’s how I get to empty so many products.

So this is what I have emptied lately.

Tonymoly Pro-clean smoky lip & eye remover – this is not the first time that this makeup removers appears in my post. It’s my favourite makeup remover, very effective, but at the same time gentle to my eyes. You got a big bottle of 250ml for affordable price which is not the case for western makeup removers. I have already repurchased the new bottle.

Elra Story Alpine remedy Light-up toner – it took me a while to empty this bottle. Since it contains some essential oils, I was quite hesitant about using it during summer although I do use a spf cream. Once the summer was over, I restarted using it in my morning routine after the niacinamide. It is really a refreshing toner. It is watery, but still has some body to it and is absorbed fast. I must admit I had used some better toners, but it is still good. I’m not sure if I will be repurchasing it again.

Guerisson 9-complex essence – this is also one of my HG products especially in my winter routines. It is a nice essence which calms and nourishes the skin, it is not tacky, it is absorbed quickly and what is the most important, it really makes a difference in my routine when the heating season begins (when a “wrong” routine can make my skin feeling a bit tight). I have already bought a new bottle and will keep on buying.

Klairs Supple preparation toner – I tried this toner in the beginning of my Kbeauty journey and I think I liked at the time, but I didn’t repurchase. I had to try it again. I used it as a first step of my routine instead of first treatment essence. At first I was applying it with cotton pad, but I didn’t like the overall feeling, so I switched to applying it with my fingers (the usual chok-chok method). It is refreshing and soothing, it softens the skin and makes it supple. I do like it, but honestly I do not know if I’m going to repurchase it, since I like better Acwell licorice toner when applied in the same way.

Hanyul Artemisia miracle relief essence – I used this essence as a first treatment essence. Unlike Missha’s artemisia fte, I really liked this mugwort essence. It was not sticky, not even if I put few layers of it. My skin feels like it is really deeply hydrated and calmed and prepared for next layers. I went through this 50ml bottle fast because I really enjoyed using this. I will repurchase for sure.

Coreana Ample:n peptide ampoule – When I bought this, I was hoping that I had found a cheap, but effective peptide ampoule. However, this is the first peptide serum that did actually nothing for my skin, except delivering some nutrition. I’m so happy to see the bottle in the trash. I will not repurchase.

Skinfood Royal Honey Propolis enrich essence – Although it is declared as an essence, for me it is a serum and I was always using it as such. It is really a nice propolis serum that nourishes deeply the skin and gives a nice and healthy glow. It sinks in nicely and doesn’t leave a sticky residue as lot of propolis serums do. I will repurchase.

Elensilia CPP French propolis ampoule – Unlike Skinfood propolis, this one was a big miss. Although this is such a small bottle, I must admit I was really happy when I emptied it. Don’t get me wrong, this is not a terrible product, but the stickiness it leaves, kills every benefit it has. I really do not have an issue when I have to think how to incorporate certain more “complicated” products like acids or retinols in my routine, but I honestly do not want to spend so much time thinking about what to do with a propolis serum/ampoule. And with this one, this was exactly what I was forced to do (when to apply, what to put before or after, should I mix it with something, with what to mix it, etc). You guess I will not purchase it again.

Mad Hippie C vitamin serum – before I started my Asian skincare journey, this was my favourite C vitamin serum and I still like it and buy it from time to time. It gives my skin a healthy glow and brightens it. If I have a breakout (which I rarely do), it helps the pimples to disappear / heal faster and helps the scars to fade away. I will repurchase again.

Sidmool Dr Troub niaten serum – this is yet another one of niacinamide serums that I really like. It calms the redness, brightens the skin, it is not harsh in any way, doesn’t sting or cause irritation and has a perfect watery texture. I prefer watery niacinamide serums since I use it as a 1st step in my morning routine. I have already repurchased.

The Inkey List Niacinamide – as mentioned in my last post about 2019 skincare journey, the niacinamide was the ingredient that marked my 2019 from cosmetic point of view. This serum was one of the niacinamide serums I tried. The price

Swanicoco Herb & Snail emulsion – this emulsion was purchased by mistake since I actually wanted to buy Swanicoco Snail ferment emulsion. This purchase turned out to be fine. Honestly I didn’t explore so much this category of products, so I do not have a lot to compare. This emulsion is excellent choice for spring / summer as a replacement for a moisturizer. I like the light texture it has and the way it refreshes/hydrates/moisturize the skin without the overload of any kind. Although I do not think that the emulsions are indispensable in my routine, I would repurchase this one.

The Inkey List bakuchiol – nice moisturizer at a really affordable price. It contains a very interesting ingredient, bakuchiol, marketed as a botanical replacement for retinol, but without any reactions that are usually linked to the use of retinol. As I said, it is nice moisturizer that has a texture of an emulsion, it is easily spread and absorbed. It worked well under my bb cream. It nourishes the skin, gives it a nice glow and suppleness, but also some firmness. I cannot speak about its impact on wrinkles, since it is really short time and basically I do not have wrinkles, except the mimic ones on my forehead. As you can see I went through 2 tubes and I’m thinking of buying 2 more.

Drunk Elephant C-firma day serum – I’m so happy I only had this small bottle and not a really expensive full size product. It went bad even before I could use it all. On top of it, my skin didn’t like it at all since it made it red and burned it. I will not repurchase.

Laneige Cica sleeping mask – I had so many different thoughts on this sleeping mask whilst using it and yet it is only 10ml jar. At first I didn’t see any benefit for my skin. Maybe I wasn’t used to its texture since it is on a thicker side, basically it has a texture of a moisturizer. But once I started using it as a moisturizer/ only occlusive in my routine, I really started to like it. It is nourishing and really calming. I especially liked this to be finish of my routine on the nights after I introduced A313, a French pommade containing vitamin A. I must say that I’m no fan of Laneige and besides Laneige cream skin refiner, this sleeping mask is the only product I liked so far. I have one more sample size and I will for sure buy a full size.

Mamonde Moisture Ceramide Intense cream – this is a nice moisturizer. It provides a great balance of moisture and nutrition and it is perfect for my skin. It has a nice texture and it is spread easily, it is not greasy in any way, it is absorbed fast. Beside Primera Alpine berry cream, this is the best moisturizer I tried lately. I will repurchase again.

Manyo Factory Miracle overnight pack – this was my big discovery of 2018 and my HG. Unfortunately, it is discontinued or at least it cannot be bought under this name and in this packaging (tube). I’m still trying to find it out. This was perfect sleeping mask and perfect finish of my routines to lock all the goodness I put on my face. I would repurchase again if I could!

MAKEUP

Lancôme Liquid matte rouge L’absolu velours – I do not remember the name of this colour and the letters on the packaging disappeared. Fuchsia is one of my favourite lip colors (and red of course). This formula feels comfortable on lips and not drying at all. The applicator shape is really nice and it makes the application smooth, easy and precise. However, the color doesn’t last long and the reapplication is a must.

Benefit They’re real mascara – I wasn’t happy with this mascara. Maybe it is good one, but it is not a good choice for my lashes. I didn’t like the brush and its short and sharp bristles. Basically, apart from nice color, this mascara didn’t do much for my lashes. Also it smudges a bit. I still have a mini size of this mascara, that I got as a gift with this purchase, but I will not repurchase it.

Kiko Skin trainer cc blur – it has a nice, fluffy texture and is easily spread. It smoothes, matifies and evens the skin. It can be used as a primer, but I used it instead of a bb cream. If you look for a full coverage, you should skip this. The coverage is not very important for me and my skin needs. I will repurchase again (when I stumble upon a Kiko store somewhere).

Milani eye primer in nude – this is an excellent eye primer at very affordable price. It keeps put my eye-shadow and eye-liner throughout the whole day. It is not dry, neither greasy (just like my eyelids). I have already repurchased.

And as always, I finished some hair and body care items.

Till next time, stay healthy and beautiful!

Empties 5 – Mostly Kbeauty – Massive overview

Hello everybody!

After a really long absence from my blog, it’s time again for another Empties post. As I have already mentioned few times, I’m trying to decrease my stash and trying to empty as much products as I can, without troubling my skin. However, this is becoming extremely difficult since every now and then I have some shopping blackouts which result in some smaller or bigger hauls (again). As, I said it’s been a while since I posted something, but I did empty quite a lot products.

So, if you want to read my post, take some snack or even a sandwich, since this might take a while 😀

Farmacy Green clean cleansing balm – as you can see, I have 2 jars and the 3rd one is already in use, so you can guess that I love it. It is gentle, but very effective. It removes all make up, dirt, grime. It looks like vax, but it is like the finest butter once you start massaging the face. You need only small amount to cleanse the entire face. The price point could be an issue, since it does cost around 30 GBP for 90 ml, but I will keep buying it.

Acwell 5.5 micro cleanser – I was using this as a 2nd cleanser or sometimes as a morning cleanser. It is a creamy cleanser which doesn’t foam a lot (it almost doesn’t foam at all). It is gentle and effective and leaves the skin clean and soft. I didn’t feel any dryness or tightening. Little goes a long way and this tube lasted for 8 months!! I would probably buy again if I wasn’t so curious when it comes to the cleansers.

Tonymoly Pro clean smoky eye and lip make up remover – this is my favorite eye makeup remover which I alternate with the other one from the photo, Klorane Lotion florale démaquillant. I have already written about those 2 products. Both very effective in removing eye makeup and both packed in big bottles. Will repurchase!!

Mandom barrier repair essence lotion – this is wonderful lotion made with rice milk. It hydrates and nourishes the skin at the same time, it softness it, calms down any redness. I would probably buy again if I hadn’t tried I’m from rice toner.

Neogen Real ferment micro essence – I’m in love with this beauty! I was watching it for so long, that I was really afraid that it would be a disappointment once I tried and oh boy, I was wrong. It is the best essence I tried; it tops every single one of them. I just wish I could have a bath in it. It leaves the skin so hydrated, soft, shinny and still does what other first essences do and that is preparing the skin for next steps and providing better absorption of the next layers. My skin purrs when in contact with this essence. Will continue buying (I already have 2 bottles in my stash).

May Coop Raw Sauce – my HG product. It refreshes, hydrates, nourishes. It can be used with other toners, but can also easily replace few steps of your routine. It is such a great product! Will repurchase for sure.

Mario Badescu Facial spray with aloe, cucumber and green tea – I wasn’t using this as a mist, but as a toner, since the sprayer is to strong for my face. I used to refresh the skin and for those purposes is ok. I find this to be a basic hydration and that’s about it. I wasn’t impressed by this spray. I won’t repurchase.

Omorovicza Queen of Hungary mist – I got this in one of Lookfantastic beauty boxes (or maybe in Advent calendar). Unlike Mario Badescu, I give big thumbs up for the sprayer which produces the finest mist. I also think that the glass bottle is really classy. However, I hate the scent (I would say it’s fit for older ladies). It gives an instant refreshment, but honestly I do not see why it is so expensive. I won’t repurchase!

Indie Lee CoQ10 toner – this is the only western toner that can stand aside with the Asian toners. It provides a perfect ratio of hydration and moisture. It nourishes the skin and makes it glowy. The only downside of this toner is its price. However, I have already repurchased a travel size to have it for a treat for my skin.

Pyunkang Yul mist toner – I’m sure you ha0ve already seen this toner in my posts. This is one of my favorite hydrating toners. Of course, I have already a back up bottle in my stash.

Mizon AHA/BHA toner – you have already seen this toner in my Empties. I’m using it under all acid treatments and it gives them such a nice boost.

Missha artemisia first essence – I used this essence rather quickly due to its size. However, I must say I’m not that crazy about it. It is good, it does what it is supposed to do and that’s preparing the skin for next steps. But what I didn’t like is that I felt some stickiness from time to time, when I applied more than 1 layer. Otherwise, it’s good. I don’t think I will repurchase.

Missha Time Revolution first essence (not in the photo) – I tried this at the beginning of my Kbeauty adventure (when I had no clue about anything) and I didn’t like it. I gave it a second chance now and I didn’t regret at all since this is really such a nice first essence. It is hydrating, soothing and really effective in making my skin soft and facilitating the absorption of the next steps. I will repurchase!

Primer Miracle Seed essence – I read so many raving reviews about this essence that I had to try it. However, I only used it 3-4 times before I managed to spill more that half of this small bottle. I can say that it could have some potential, so I bought another one to try it again.

Laneige cream skin refiner – lovely milky lotion that nourishes nicely the skin. It sinks it fast without any tackiness. Just like May Coop raw sauce, it can replace few watery steps of your routine (I prefer May Coop for summer, and Laneige for colder days). Already repurchased.

2sol niacinamide – this was the first niacinamide I tried and I loved it. It contains 10% niacinamide and 1% panthenol. I used it in a serum step and now when I think of it, I could have obtained even better result if I had been using it as a 1st step (like I do now with all my niacinamide serums). This serum is really watery and basically it is perfect choice for the 1st step. It doesn’t cause any redness (what I experienced with some other similar products), it sinks in fast and brightens, clears and evens the skin. I will repurchase!

Manyo Galactomy Niacin serum – I have been trying to use the niacinamide regularly in my morning routine, so I have emptied few different ones lately. At first, I wasn’t so happy with this serum, because I felt like it was leaving a greasy, sticky residue. However, after few uses, this stickiness disappeared. The skin is smooth, brightened, clear. It doesn’t sting or provoke any redness. I will buy again, but not right away.

Medi-Peel Bortox – this is one of my favorite peptide serums. It is white and milky ampoule which sinks in fast and dries completely. It nourishes the skin, it has a tightening and plumping effect on my skin and it made my forehead wrinkle less deep, so I would say it does work. I do not expect any serum to erase my wrinkles, but this is close. I will repurchase.

2sol Bifida power ampoule – Before I started to explore the peptides and niacinamide serums, bifida was the ingredient of the choice for skin brightening and anti-age. It brightens and plumps the skin. It has watery texture and sinks fast. I cannot tell much more about some other effects since I wasn’t using it regularly.

Isntree C-niacin toning ampoule – this is a great choice for those who like to use the niacinamide and C vitamin in one single product. It is a nice brightening ampoule. Since I use this type of product as a first step in my morning routine, its jelly texture might not be a perfect choice for my routine (I prefer the watery textures from 2sol or Sidmool niaten that I currently use). However, it is still a nice product.

The Inkey List vitamin C – this was the first product I tried from The Inkey List range and I loved it. Although it is a serum, it has a texture of a moisturizer. When it comes to the ingredients, its inkey list is rather simple: 3 types of silicones and high percentage of vitamin C. Since I like to use the vitamin C serums as a first step, I was applying it as a first step despite its silicone texture (I have to make a longer pause before the next step). When applied, I felt stinging, but it wasn’t very unpleasant and it lasted few seconds. I have mentioned few times that my skin adores the vitamin C serums and once again, this one wasn’t any exception. My skin was brightened, evened. This serum also helped a pimple scar to heal faster. I have already repurchased.

Scinic peptide ampoule 95 – at first, I wasn’t happy with this ampoule since it tends to leave a sticky residue and I didn’t feel that this provided any benefit for my skin. However, as I was coming close to the bottom of the bottle, I felt like it was tightening and plumping nicely my skin. Maybe I would have felt its full potential if I had gone through another bottle. I will think of repurchasing.

It’s Skin Power 10 formula LI effector – this is one of my HG serums which I always have in my stash. It is my go-to serum together with Cosrx snail mucin ampoule for the skin accidents (if my skin reacts to some ingredients or if I overdo with some treatments, etc). I have already repurchased.

Iunik Beta-glucan Power Moisture serum – I wanted to try this as I had read that it was a good replacement for the hyaluronic acid serums. It does provide the nice hydration, but it is sticky and I do not like that. Actually it reminds me of a snail muccin and it felt like I applied something that contains snail mucin (which I like in a skincare).

Liz K first C serum – after reading so many raving reviews for this, I thought I would just love this serum, especially since my skin enjoys a good vitamin C serum. However, I had an impression that this serum wasn’t doing anything for my skin, not even that immediate brightening effect that I see from every vitamin C serum. Luckily, this serum is packed in a miniature bottle so I went through it rather quickly. I will not repurchase.

The Ordinary Granactive retinoid in squalane – I had to throw this bottle since it was open for too long. I was using at beginning of this year till end of March and then I stopped using it. I cannot tell a lot about this serum since I wasn’t using it regularly and enough to see the results (it does take longer for a retinol to show the results).

Aritaum cotton pads – from time to time, I buy a box of Korean pads, because the difference between the western and Asian ones is huge. Korean pads do not waste a lot of product and yet they spread better the product over the face. However, they are still much more expensive than our regular ones, so I treat myself maybe twice a year.

Petitfee Superseed lip oil – I didn’t finish this small bottle. I liked it maybe for few first applications, but then I started to feel some dryness (which is usually an issue for me). The only thing I liked about this oil is the scent and the taste. I won’t repurchase it obviously.

Missha Perfect cover bb cream – my shade is #27. You can also see this bb cream often in my New-in posts since I have been using this bb cream for years now.

Dr Jart Shake & shot rubber mask (soothing) – If you want to add some fun to your skincare routine, try the rubber masks!! Mixing the ingredients, shaking them, trying to apply the mask evenly on your face, looking funny with the masks dripping from your face, it is really a fun. I must however admit that this Dr Jart rubber mask was a lot less messy from what I expected. If applied evenly, after it dried, you can remove it in one piece, like a sheet mask. The skin is nourished and glowy, calmed. However, it’s a bit pricey for a 1-shot product, but I will buy again.

Skinfood Rice mask – nice and gentle wash off mask. It brightens the skin, makes it soft and plump. The grains are big, but not harsh and provide gentle exfoliation. The mask smells nice and looks like a nice rice pudding. I will repurchase once I decrease the number of masks I opened.

Bobbi Brown Extra repair eye cream – so many swear by this eye cream, so do I. It is my HG eye cream. It delivers definetely! It is very thick, nourishing and it really made my crow feet wrinkles look almost invisible. I have already repurchased!!

Dr Dennis Gross exfoliating pads extra strenght – I got those 2 samples with my purchase in Sephora. I was a bit scared by that extra strenght remark. I thought it could possibly burn my skin. And that is so not true. These pads are actually strong when you see the result: brightened and extremelly soft skin obtained in few swiping movements, but without burning, without itching, without any nasty thing that usually comes along when using acids. I was blown away with these pads at first application. I have already ordered a 5-pcs packaging. O yeah, I forgot to mention that these are very expensive, but really expensive and that’s why I didn’t buy bigger packaging. But they are worth every penny!!

Peter Thomas Roth cucumber mask – I’m so happy I have only luxury sample size of this mask (from a 5-pieces set of PTR masks). I was using this usually after the beach days this summer and didn’t see any benefit of it at all (at least I didn’t see more benefit from what I could have gotten from a simple aloe vera gel). No matter how big quantity I put, my skin “drunk” it up fast leaving the surface still “thursty”. It did calm the skin, but that was all. I will definetely not repurchase it.

Primera Alpine berry watery cream – this one goes to my list for futur full size buy (though this won’t be any time soon, since I have few unopened moisturizers). This cream provides a perfect balance of hydration and moisture, it is not oily and yet it gives a nice glow to the skin. It is spread easily and it sinks in fast. I was using this in the night routine as last step (when I was using this moisturizer, I wasn’t putting the sleeping mask) and in the morning, my skin was soft and velvety.

Eyenlip salmon oil nutrition cream – When shopping on Beautynetkorea, I put often this 15ml cream in my shopping basket. I use it mostly during the colder period of year, since it is a great occlusive and delivers fine nutrition, but still it is not greasy. I do not use in summer. I will repurchase.

Eyenlip eye patches – Salmon oil nutriton (packed in a fancy rose-gold packaging) and Gold & snail (packed in regular jar). I like to use the eye patches, but none of these will provide a longterm result. However, they do hydrate nicely, make the eye area look rested and fresh. I liked both of these, with the smsll complaint for Gold & snail which are really soaked and move a lot if you do not lay down. I like exploring the eye patches and usually always buy a kind that I haven’t tried before.

Elemis Pro-collagen marine cream – again a really great moisturizer which delivers a nice balance of moisture and nutrition. The skin texture is so soft and even. I cannot speak about the anti-aging effect, since this was a luxury sample (15ml) obtained in one of Lookfantastic beauty boxes and I haven’use it enough to verify the claims. However, I got a full size product in Asos advent calendar, so I will be able to test more properly.

And of course, I emptied my share of body care, hair care and hand care products.

Till next time, stay healthy and beautiful!

Empties 4

Although I wasn’t present a lot at my blog lately, I have been really active when it comes to emptying beauty products and I hope I will continue with this pace since my big goal is to decrease my stash. I’m trying to use/finish as much products as possible, without, of course, troubling my skin or overloading my routines.

So, without further ado, here are my empties (and once again, due to a really long absence from my blog, I have again a big pile of empties to write about).

SKINCARE

Harumada Triple balance one-step cleansing pads – Excellent cleansing pads, very travel friendly. These pads do a great job in removing the makeup, dirt, grimes without having to do a double cleansing. I use these for my so called lazy cleansing routine. Would repurchase for sure if I could find anywhere!!

Kose softymo cleansing oil – nice, effective cleansing oil which turns into nice emulsion when mixed with water. It is affordable and lasts really long time. I will repurchase again, but not immediately since I really like to try new cleansers.

CNP Laboratory Perfect barrier cera cleanser – this complimented really well my 1st cleanser. It is gentle, not drying at all, effective, you only need a small quantity to wash your face (a pea size). But my problem with cleansers is that I do not stick to one, not even when I find an excellent cleanser and this one was excellent for me.

The Saem Healing tea garden White tea lip & eye remover – I struggled with this one, since I used much more cotton pads to remove my eye makeup than I usually need with my regular Tonymoly remover.

Pyunkang yul mist toner – this is one of my favourite toners. For the moment, I have 1 opened and 1 bottle waiting in my stash. I use it often and usually in both my morning and my evening routines. It provides a perfect hydration to my skin, while refreshing it at the same time. It is a nice watery toner which is absorbed easily and it doesn’t leave a sticky feeling. Since it is watery, it can also be used in 7-skin method. It is colourless and scentless which I really appreciate. My skin loves it and I will be repurchasing this toner again and again.

Isntree aloe soothing toner – this toner was one of my big discoveries of 2018. It is a colourless, odourless liquid, more viscous than water. It provides nice hydration, soothes the skin and gives it a nice glow. It isn’t sticky at all which can sometimes happen with aloe containing products. I was usually using it as a 2nd toner, sometimes as the only toner. I can say that my face was feeling really happy when I applied this toner. I will repurchase!!

Mizon AHA/BHA toner – great preparation toner which functions great with all acid treatments and vitamin C serums. It is not irritating at all and it gives every treatment such a nice boost. Already repurchased!

Olivarrier dual moist toner lotion 5.5. – I bought this toner to try it as a replacement for Acwell licorice 5.5 which became rather difficult to find online. It seems that this one is pretty same when talking about difficulty to purchase. It is a nice toner which I used usually as a first toner in my routine. It is thicker than water, yellowish, unscented and is absorbed quickly. Due to the squalane and alantoin this toner contains, it is also nourishing. Actually, it is more nourishing than hydrating. If you’re looking for a hydrating toner, this shouldn’t be your first choice. I liked this toner, but wasn’t crazy about it. Maybe I will repurchase it in the future.

I’m from Magnolia wake essence – I opened it on New Year’s day and mentioned it in my post about first morning routine in 2019. I was putting it almost every morning under my bb cream. I didn’t treat it as an essence since it has a jelly consistence and is thick and not watery. It is absorbed nicely providing a decent hydration and glow. However, I did have to apply more than my usual 3 drops of serum (1 on each cheek and 1 on forehead) and I ran out of it quite quickly. I tried to find it again on ebay, but without too much success, so I guess it is discontinued. Sadly I don’t think I will repurchase.

Melano CC serum – I have already mentioned few times in my posts that my skin adores serums containing vitamin C and this serum wasn’t any exception to that rule. It brightens the skin, it evens the texture and helps the scars and the pimples heal faster. The packaging is great and prevents the serum from oxydizing. This is an excellent serum which I will repurchase!

Hanskin Real Complexion Hyaluron skin essence – I really liked this essence and how it pushes in the watery layers previously put and how it makes the skin plump and hydrated. I felt like it wipped out completely the surface of the skin in few seconds without actually drying it. I will definitely repurchase when I decrease my stash!

Missha first treatment essence Intensive moist – I used this essence at the very beginning of my Kbeauty adventure and I honestly didn’t see many benefits from using it. I’m not even sure if I used it in a correct manner. However few FTEs and few years later, I decided to give it a second chance and I really liked it. It is really effective and, at the same time, really hydrating first step which nicely prepares the skin for next steps.

Manyo Factory Miracle overnight pack – this is my biggest discovery of 2018 and my HG when it comes to sleeping masks. It has a gel consistency, it sinks in the skin perfectly while sealing in all the goodness previously put, is refreshing, hydrating and in the morning I wake up with glowy glass skin. Already repurchased and will continue to!

Dr Botanicals Facial oil – I got this in one of my Lookfantastic beauty boxes. This was the most watery and runny facial oil I have ever seen. Actually it’s not oily in any way! I felt like I was using a toner or lotion, not an oil. I was using it as a last step of my night routine, after my moisturizer and for me, this was a perfect combo. My skin was just perfect in the morning: silky, shinny, not oily at all. Before I opened this oil, I haven’t been using the oils for years. And this reminded me of how my skin loves nice facial oil. Although this was really nice oil, for the moment I will not repurchase it, since I bought few new ones (The Ordinary, Sunday Riley Juno, Farsali).

MAKEUP

Peripera Airy ink velvet in shade Sold out red – I have few different Peripera’s liquid tints and I love them all. This is perfect red, cool toned tint which suits well my complexion. It is well pigmented and creamy, it is not drying at all, but still it is not tacky. And it is really crazy how long it stays on lips even with eating, drinking, talking. I was really impressed with this lip tint. Will repurchase!!

Missha Perfect cover bb cream in shade 27 – my favourite bb cream and you will probably see it often in my posts. This shade can be hard to find and that’s why I always try to have at least one back-up tube.

SHEET MASKS AND SAMPLE SIZE PRODUCTS

I made an inventory of my sheet masks collection and sorted out some masks that are coming close to the expiry date. Some of the masks below were used before the sorting action took place.

Oolu dr Ohkims Ginseng gold – I mentioned this sheet mask in my Favourite sheet mask post. Unfortunately, this was the last Oolu mask I had in my stash. I cannot find it anywhere and I’m so sad. My skin looks great after it, it is glowy, soft and even.

Tosowoong Pure deep sea water mask – it provides a fine hydration to the skin, softens it and evens the complexion. I also like the scent which is powdery and not overwhelming at all.

Tosowoong Dr Troubex sparkling mask – it is extremely calming, it makes the skin soft and velvety, it gives it such a nice glow. It is really sparkling as its name says

Klairs Midnight blue calming – If one day I would have to decide to stop buying the sheet masks and to pick only 5 sheet masks to keep buying forever, this mask would be one of these 5 masks. It does everything what it claims: calms, sooths, hydrates. It is really a big relief for a skin. Already repurchased and will continue buying.

Benton Goodbye redness centella mask pack – I wasn’t so thrilled with this sheet mask as I thought I would be. It’s an average sheet mask. It doesn’t provide lot of hydration and it’s not that soothing as I expected it to be. Will use the remaining sheet, but will not purchase again.

Aprilskin Honey & Reed ginseng – this was for quite a long time one of my favourite sheet mask. Unfortunately it is discontinued. This was the last one in my stash.

Papa Recipe Bombee Green Honey – the reason why I enjoy so much in Papa Recipe’s sheet mask is the divine scent that spreads once you open the packaging. I thought I would start to cry of happiness when I opened this one. Just divine! As for mask, it is excellent, hydrating, soothing, but still I like a little bit more my Papa Recipe Bombee honey (in yellow packaging). But will repurchase this green one.

Dr Jart Ceramidin – I didn’t try any other product from Ceramidin line, but I heard lots of great reviews for the liquid, the cream, so I expected that this sheet mask will do the wonders. Obviously it didn’t. It is a nice sheet mask that nourishes and soothes the skin, but I didn’t like the strong scent which didn’t not vanish throughout my whole masking time.

Tosowoong Deep&Quick mask – tone-up care – nice sheet mask, as all Tosowoong’s masks I tried.

Sulwhasoo First care activating serum EX – Although it is called a serum, basically it is a first treatment essence with a gel consistency. It has that particular scent that all Sulwhasoo products have, but it disappears fast. It is absorbed nicely and it really gives a great boost to all other layers. I love it!

SU:M37 Losec summa softener – a great toner with a gel-like consistency. It smells nicely and refreshes the skin while softening it at the same time. I use it as a 2nd toner.

Ohui Miracle softener – it is a milky toner and it does what it claims: softens the skin to facilitate the absorption of the next steps. I find it ok, but nothing special. From time to time, depending what I put on top of it, I felt an unpleasant tingling. I have one more bottle in my stash, but I won’t repurchase.

BODY CARE

Lierac huile seche 3 fleurs blanches – I don’t tend to write about the body care products since I think that this category is too much dependant on a personal taste, since the scent is pretty important for this type of products. However, I really must mention this dry oil since this is my favourite body oil. No other oil is close to this one for me with the care and scent it provides.

I have already started to work actively on my next Empties post. I’m keeping my beauty garbage bin busy.

So, till next time, stay healthy and beautiful!

Empties 3 – last memories of 2018

My last Empties post almost turned into longreads, so I decided that I would try to have a monthly empties post, even if I have only few products. I failed immediately first 2 months (November and December 2018). And now, since I’ve been really active lately in emptying the products, I have again lot of material to comment and I have to divide my post in two. So, without further ado, here are my new empties, mostly remaining from last year. Once again, a post that is a long overdue one!

SKINCARE

Acwell Licorice ph balancing cleansing toner – this is really a great toner: mild and hydrating, it softens the skin and gives it a healthy glow. If it wasn’t so difficult to purchase it, I would always have a backup. However, I think I will not repurchase it, especially since the only ebay seller who is selling this toner, increased its price for 6 USD since my last purchase.

Lierac Mesolift serum – This was one of my favourite serums before I started to use Asian beauty products. That’s why I bought it this time just to check out if it was still working. Unfortunately it isn’t. It is stinging, tingling and I feel it on my face all the time when applied, but not in a good way. I didn’t finish the bottle, I threw it away.

Ren Evercalm antiredness serum – this is one of only few non-Kbeauty products that I stick to. It has such a nice texture, is very hydrating and extremely calming. It does calm the redness and fulfils what its name claims. Will repurchase!

Tosowoong propolis sparkle ampoule – This is my 3rd bottle. Enough said! It provides the perfect hydration and glow, it sinks in fast and it isn’t sticky as some products containing propolis, tend to. Will repurchase for sure!!

The Ordinary Buffet – this was the first Deciem / The Ordinary product I tried. I really like this serum. It is a white gel-like serum. I was using it both as a first step after cleansing and sometimes in a serum step of my routine. Used as a serum step, I felt from time to time a bit of stickiness after I applied it and sometimes it was absorbed nicely in the skin. The skin is left soft and smooth. I honestly have a feeling that it filled some fine lines and that it downtoned a bit two wrinkles on my forehead that have been my companion since I was 12. For the moment, I’m trying some Kbeauty peptide serums, but Buffet is definitely on my To repurchase list.

Neogen Dermalogy Bio peel Gauze wine – this product is just a proof of how innovative Kbeauty brands are and how they can turn the exfoliating into fun. And of course, the ingredients they use are just crazy. I would have never thought that I would exfoliate my face with a product based on wine. Otherwise, these are really nice pads, which leave the skin soft, smooth and they are not aggressive. This product also thought me a lesson: to read the instructions. I had a small accident after the first use: I didn’t wash it off and it reacted badly with the rest of my routine turning my face into a red tomato. It took me few days to solve the problem. So, no worries if you rinse it off. I would like to try the Green tea pads also.

Holika Holika aloe gel – At first, I bought this aloe gel mostly for handling summertime accidents: sunburns, insect bites, etc. However, some time ago, inspired by some girls from a Kbeauty message board that I attend a lot, I tried it as a step before BB cream in the morning and a step before sleeping pack in the evening. Ever since, I didn’t stop using it as a part of my routine. It is calming, moisturizing, it is not tacky at all (like some European aloe gels I tried). I only need a small quantity to refresh my whole face. I will try now the Saem version with 99% of aloe, but will repurchase this gel from Holika Holika for sure.

Enature birch juice hydro sleeping mask – I have already written about this sleeping pack in my previous empties post and in the post about my summertime favourites. I will just add that it is great and it works even better if it is put immediately on the previous step (without a pause between the steps). It locks in everything perfectly, is absorbed immediately and the skin is perfect next morning.

Carenel lip sleeping mask – this didn’t do a thing for my lips. It was just sitting on top of them, sinking in very slowly and in the morning, I felt like I hadn’t put anything. It is not moisturizing and sometimes I even thought that it was drying my lips. Won’t repurchase!

MAKE UP

Tonymoly Lip & Eye makeup remover – nice, effective makeup remover which does its job great. It is gentle for the eyes what is really important for me, since I wear the contact lenses. Big plus is the bottle size: 250ml, which is quite a lot when compared to other eye makeup removers which are usually smaller. Will repurchase.

Physicians Formula mascara – From the very beginning, I wasn’t very satisfied with this mascara. It has a nice brush and the shape that usually suits my eye lashes, but from the beginning, I had problems with the fallout. That’s a huge issue for me since I wear the contact lenses.

SHEET MASKS AND SAMPLE SIZE PRODUCTS

Ever since the heating season has begun, I reintroduced the sheet masks in my routine (I neglected them for a while now). And lately, as you can see, I use them often, but still not as much as I want to.

A by bom Leaf ultra water mask – While holding the mask, I was so afraid how my skin would look like once I remove it. The reason for that was the strong floral scent which didn’t disappear not even for a second and it made me think that it had some irritating ingredient. However, my skin was nicely refreshed, soothed and hydrated.

A’pieu Madecassoside gauze mask – This is a nice, soothing mask which calmed the redness of the skin. I like it.

Scinic snail matrix sheet mask – Although I really like snail mucin in my skincare products, the sheet mask are the exception to this. I always have some kind of drying feeling when it comes to this kind of sheet mask. I had a similar experience with Naruko snail sheet mask and some others. I didn’t like the cut either, especially around the eyes. Won’t repurchase.

Dearpacker Moisture microfiber mascream sheet mask – Although the scent of the mask worried me at first (some kind of floral scent I cannot explain since the main ingredient is avocado oil), I liked this mask. It is moisturizing, nourishing and calmed down the redness. I must mention that the face wasn’t left so soaked as usual when I remove the sheet mask. It was like I had put some stronger serum.

Illi ginseng firming hydrogel mask – this is one of my favourite sheet masks. I mentioned it in my Favourite sheet masks post. I always have a few in my stash.

Polatam Moisturizing Oak tree sap essence sheet mask – Nice sheet mask, material is very soft, feels gentle and nice on the skin. It is cut nicely around eyes and mouth. It is moisturizing and calming and it evens the skin. Love it!

It’s skin LI sheet mask – Since I really love LI effector, I had high hopes for this one. The material is really dense, it is really soaked, so soaked that I had some problems unfolding it. The cuts around eyes and mouth are ok. And just like LI effector, which is my go to serum when I occasionally have problems with irritated skin, this mask has calming and soothing effect. I also used the remaining essence as a step in my routine the following day. Thumbs up for this sheet mask!

My Beauty Diary Oligopeptide Firming sheet mask – All I have to say about this sheet mask is that it wowed me completely!! It is cheap and yet no other more expensive sheet mask has ever given such a result: skin is firm, plump, lifted, completely even. I kept looking at the mirror and kept repeating:”Wow!!!” I was using the remaining essence from the packaging for 3 days and the result was also great (as if I had used the best peptide serum). Definitely will repurchase!!

Aprilskin Red ginseng honey – this is one of my top 5 sheet masks and it seems that it doesn’t cease to amaze me each time I apply it. The skin is always left well moisturized, soothed and looks perfectly even. It is such a shame that it is extremely difficult to purchase it.

Sulwhasoo capsulized ginseng fortifying serum (in pouches) – this is really nice serum. It has a gel consistency, it absorbs fast in the skin, it makes the skin soft and plump with healthy glow. It has a specific old fashion scent which some people might not like. Although I had 40 pouches, I didn’t use this serum on a regular basis to be able to confirm some big changes when it comes to wrinkles and skin tonus, but I see lot of potential. Will think about repurchasing.

I have already a new pile of empties to write about, so stay tuned!

Till next time, stay healthy and beautiful!

Empties 2

Hello everybody!

Although I promissed myself that I would be much more present on my blog, it’s been again a month now since I posted something.

I have already said that my favourite posts are the ones about the emptied products, so it was so logical that my first post ever was about my empties.

Since this first Empties post, I was pilling my beauty trash during few months and my cosmetic garbage bin is now full to the top and even over the top, so it’s time for my new empties post. I think I even have enough material for two posts. I will decide this during the process of writing, but I’m sure that this post could be marked as longreads if I write about every single product I emptied during past months.

As you will see, I do not have a lot of make up in my beauty trash, since I do not use a lot (bb cream, eye liner, mascara, lipstick and sometimes eye shadow). Also, I do not have lots of hair products since I go twice a week at the hairdresser who takes care of my hair (I obviously have some special discount as a frequent service user).

SKINCARE

SU:M37 Miracle rose cleansing stick – This is an excellent 2nd cleanser, gentle and not drying at all, very effective in removing the residues of 1st cleanser and everything else. It lasts long, it is very travel friendly due to the packaging form. And unfortunately lately it’s almost impossible to find it on Ebay and online shops. I sincerely hope it is not discontinued!!

Hanyul Pure Artemisia cleansing oil – Excellent cleansing oil, mild, yet effective in removing dirt and make up. You only need a small amount to wash your face. It is not thick as some oils, it turns into a nice emulsion quickly. It doesn’t leave a sticky residue, it is easily washed off and it smells nice. Although it is on the pricey side, I will definetely buy again since it lasts for a long time.

Labiotte Code derm Capsule cleansing water Adoucir – Nice cleansing water. It does what it is supposed to do and that’s removing make up and dirt. It is mild, effective, it doesn’t dry the skin. What I liked about this cleansing water is its nice rose packaging and the way it dispenses the product: you put the cotton pad on the bottle and you pump the product out. I’m not a big fan of cleansing / micellar waters, but I always have one in my bathroom for quick removal of make up when I’m lasy for double cleansing. I cannot say if I will repurchase this or not.

Farm Stay Visible difference snail toner – this is a very nice toner. It has a gel-like texture which is absorbed quickly. Although it contains a snail mucin, it’s not sticky or slimy at all. It is really refreshing and moisturizing. I use it usually as a 3rd toner in my routine. I will repurchase for sure.

Meishoku fragrance free astringent 170ml sensitive skin ceramide – I have a real love & hate relationship with this toner. This is my second bottle and it usually lasts a year. Before I finished this bottle, I started to feel like my skin will hate it again. It means that it is becoming more and more difficult for my skin to absorb it. And when this happens, it stops the nice absorption of everything I put on top of it. I interprete this as if my skin got enough ceramides for a certain period of time. However, when we are in love phase, it is a perfect 1st step in my routine which really strenghtens my skin, nourishes it and keeps my skin barrier well and protected. I will repurchase for sure in spite of bad phases.

Whamisa deep rich toner – At first, I couldn’t pass by the strong herbal scent which was bothering me and was preventing me to see how great this toner is!! Closer I was to the bottom of the bottle, more I liked it. So moisturizing and nourishing at the same time, it’s a real treat for the skin. I will definitely buy again.

Pyunkang Yul mist toner – I’m pretty sure that you will see this toner in lots of my posts since this is one of my 2 favourite hydrating toners. Perfect hydration, always excellent choise for use after HA toners, mild, absorbed fast and without any sticky residu. I will always have a backup bottle (for the moment I have 2).

Hada labo gokujyun hyaluronic acid lotion – this is definetely my HG product which makes a big difference for my skin. It is absored fastly without a sticky residue, it has a beautiful plumping effect, it feeds my skin with enough moisture leaving it soft and with healthy glow. Out of precaution, I always put a moisturizing toner after it. Just out of curiosity, I will try now a serum with betaglucan (from Iunik). Apparently it has better moisturizing effect than HA. I will let you know.

It’s skin Power 10 formula Q10 serum – another one of the cheap, yet great serums from Power 10 ampoule series. It plumps the skin, nourishes it nicely and I think that, in conjunction with another great serum from this line, Syn-ake version, it helped tone down a bit a big wrinkle on my forehead which is there since I was 12.

Klairs Freshly juiced vitamin C drops – I love this vitamin C serum!! I used it during summer in my morning routine and it really made a big difference to my skin. It brightened visibly my complexion and made it very even and smooth. It helped for some acne on my chin to heal faster. I used it in the serum step, before my bb cream. I’m in love with this serum and will repurchase it!!

Klairs Midnight blue youth activating drop – this is nice peptide serum. The name itself is rather attractive: Youth activating drop and it makes you wanna buy it immediately. We all know that the fountain of youth doesn’t exist, but this little bottle helps you keep it at least for a little longer. This is the most runny/watery serum I have ever tried which makes it very difficult to handle. I put all serums with the dropper directly to the face and then massage it, but the texture of this serum makes it almost impossible to put directly on the skin unless you want to spill it. I wasted few ml of the 20ml in the bottle before I decided to poor it in my palm and then to massage it. When applied, it is almost immediately completely absorbed. My face feels and looks firmer and brighter. It evens the skin and make it supple. Although it is serum, it is recommended to use it as a first step of the routine, so the peptides inside come immediately on the skin. Although with its 20ml only, it comes on a pricey side, I will repurchase it for sure, since I really like this serum.

Tosowoong Timeshift First Essence AP Therapy – this is one of my two favourite first essences (the other one is From Nature FTE). It makes my skin a perfect canvas for absorption of other products; my skin is soft, smooth amd hydrated. I just love it!! For a moment, I do not have either one of those two. However, when I reduce my current stash, I will repurchase for sure.

Huxley Secrets of Sahara oil essence – this product was my big discovery and big hit of this summer. At first, I used it in my morning and my night routine: in the morning before my bb cream and in the night as a last step or followed by light sleeping pack. Then I replaced it in my morning routine with Klairs vitamin c drops. Although it is declared as an essence, it is a perfect serum which gives the skin a perfect moisture, glow and healthy shine and at the same time, it keeps it under control during the summer in a way that prevents the skin of becoming oily. I was waking up every morning with perfect shinny skin and with no trace of oil at all (which sometimes happens to me during summer). It has a beautifull scent which doesn’t linger for a longtime. Will repurchase!!

Kao Biore spf50 spray – I was carrying it around since I walk a lot outside during the summer due to the nature of my job. It is excellent for renewing the sun protection and it can be used on top of make up. However, I ran out of it rather quickly, so I’m still not sure if I will repurchase or not since it is a bit on a pricey side.

Shangpree Marine energy eye patches – I had this for a longtime on my WL because of great reviews it had and I simply had to try it. This is not a bad product, au contraire… these are nice eye patches that brighten and refresh the eye area. However, you can get same results with cheaper eye patches (for exemple I found equally good or even better, but much cheaper eye patches like Berissom placenta, Petitfee gold snail). I have already bought 2 new types of eye patches. I like to try different products so I won’t probably repurchase again.

Berrisom placenta eye patches – As I mentioned above, I got really nice results with these eye patches who brightened and refreshed my undereye area. Of course, the results are always temporary and I do not expect that the eye patches will improve drastically the situation. However, I always have a box or two of eye patches and I love to use them few times per week.

Mizon Black snail All in one cream – This is one of the legendary K-beauty products. I love it and I repurchased it few times. I really love how it sinks nicely in the skin leaving it soft and silky and at the same time, it keeps the sebum balanced and under control. I used this jar at the beggining of the summer and didn’t repurchase since, but I will for sure. The only downside of this product is his packaging (jar) as I do not like to dip my fingers into the product. However, I found the solution for this and bought some spatulas which I use for products that do not come with one.

Enature Birch juice hydro sleeping pack – this is one of my summer favourites and I have already written about it. It is really a juicy product as its name says. It is really moisturizing and refreshing and I used it this summer both as a moisturizer and a sleeping pack. I still have one small jar to use and then I will test Manyo Factory sleeping pack. However, this Enature’s sleeping pack is really nice product and I will repurchase a full size product.

Cremorlab Fresh water gel – I was using these tubes while I was away from home since they were in my travel bag. So, I wasn’t using it on a regular basis, but only from time to time. What I can say about it, that is really a nice moisturizer and I would eventually like to buy a full size product.

MAKE UP

Klorane Lotion Florale demaquillante make up remover – for a long time this was my favorite eye make up remover. I used to buy it on Cocooncenter.fr since it was sold in 2-pack and the size of bottle is 200ml (unlike all others make up removers which usually come in small 30 ml bottles). This was really an excellent deal. And an excellent product!! It is gentle, yet effective. I only use 2-3 cotton pads to remove my eye make up, and this without rubbing my eyes. I just put a cotton pad soaked with this liquid on my eyes and keep it for a while. It removes well the mascara, eye liner, eye primer. You should keep in mind that I do not use waterproof mascara or lot of eye shadows. Will repurchase this eventually.

Beautybay lip and eye primer – I had it for such a long time. At first I bought it for my lips and later I was only using it under my eye liner. It was equally good for lips and eyes, although I used it on my lips only few times. It definetely made my red lipstick more vibrant and made it last longer than it usually does. On my eyes, it was also really effective since it kept my eye liner under control: there was no colour fading, no smudging. It is really a decent eye primer, not expensive at all. I tried to buy it again on Beautybay, but I couldn’t find it and I’m afraid that it is discontinued. Otherwise, I would buy it again for sure.

Missha Perfect cover bb cream in shade #27 – this is my HG bb cream that I have been using last few years and I always have a backup tube. My shade 27 is sometimes rather difficult to purchase and that’s why I always buy 2 pcs at a time. This is perfect bb cream for my needs in terms of coverage and finish. It took me a while to find a perfect shade for my skin, but once I found it, I will never be without it! Oh yes, I will repurchase!!

Kiko Fall 2.0 mascara – I loved this mascara which really enhanced my lashes in volume and colour (I have long lashes which need a bit of volume and density). Being LE product, I do not find it amymore online (there are no Kiko stores in my country).

BATH AND BODY CARE

I always say the bath and body care products are really subject to a personal preferences, especially when talking about the scents. For exemple, I am not big fan of floral or fruity scents, but I like powdery, argan, almond oil like scents. I will not write about each one of the shower gels above. I will just say that one of my favourites shower gels and favourite The Body Shop scents is Wild argan oil. I tried body butter, shower gel, body scrub, hand lotion and I adore it. I’m a bit affraid that it is also LE since it is difficult to find it from time to time.

And just to mention that the first black bottle is Afrodita Cosmetics Cotton flower Cream shower gel. Afrodita Cosmetics is Slovenian brand which has a skincare range and the bodycare range. I love the bodycare range, especially some shower gels that smell just great, but at the same time provide excellent care.

During quite a while, I was only using the roll-on deodorants. However, lately I’m using again some sprey deodorants and still exploring which one is the best.

As you can see, I have one anti-cellulite gel in empties. This is not my first bottle of Elyncyl Slim Design that I used up. I was using it last summer also and repurchased 2 bottles this spring. Obviously it did something for me since it is repurchased item. I know that it does not make a cellulite disappear. However, it smoothes the skin surface making it look firmer.

I used up also some sheet masks, some products in samples pouches or travel size, but I think this is quite enough for this empties post.

Till next time, stay healthy and beautiful!

Empties 1

I always liked the posts about the emptied products, so I consider normal that my first post is about my empties.

Most of my empties are Asian beauty products, but I use also “western” products.

So, let’s begin!

The Body Shop Shea hand cream (travel size): I really like TBS products, especially the body butters. This hand cream is no exception to that. It sinks in fast without leaving greasy residue, provides the decent moisture and it smells quite nice.

Fascy Moisture bomb hand cream Milk: I had high hopes for this one, but unfortunately I was a little bit disapointed. Beside very cute packaging and a kind of vintage scent reminding me of Nivea cream, I didn’t feel that moisture bomb like the name of the cream says. It sinks in fast, but doesn’t provide enough moisture. Won’t repurchase.

Max Factor Voluptuous False Lash Effect mascara: this was decent mascara which was fine for my needs. It gives my lashes the volume which they are a bit missing, it is not too wet, has nice black color, but it does not smudge.

Benefit Badgal lash mascara: this was complete miss for me. I didn’t use it for a long time, it was driving me crazy because it was smudging my undereye area. I looked like panda till 10 o’clock in the morning (I usually put my make up around 8:30 am). Obviously there will be no repurchasing for me.

Alverde eye and lip biphase make up remover: another big miss for me. I was looking for a replacement for Asian makeup removers, so I bought this in DM. I was so happy when I finished it. I needed 4-5 cotton pads to remove the make up and I don’t even use the waterproof mascara. It stinged my eyes like crazy and this is a huge NO for me since I wear the contact lenses.

Alpha-H liquid gold: this was my first AHA product I tried and I really love it. I had no side effects of any kind: no redness, no flaking, no bad reaction of any kind. Applied at night, the next morning it left my skin soft and shinny, with nice texture. Depending on how lazy was, sometimes I used it as only product in my routine and sometimes I put my whole routine after waiting for at least half hour. Lately, I use it in conjunction with Mizon ph adjusting toner and they are a perfect match. I already bought the bigger bottle of Liquid gold, but it is in my stash waiting for the autumn.

It’s skin Power 10 formula LI effector: I think this was my 3rd bottle. It’s my go to serum everytime I feel my skin will react to something (overloaded routine, bad product combination or else). This licorice serum calms perfectly my skin, evens the appearence and smooths it. I have already repurchased and opened the new bottle of this.

It’s skin Power 10 formula propolis effector: I also bought few bottles of Propolis effector. Generally speaking, these It’s skin serums are excellent investment: not expensive at all and yet very effective. Propolis effector is my favourite product containing propolis. My skin is moisturized, but not greasy or sticky like with some other products with propolis. It gives my skin perfect healthy shine. Will repurchase again and again.

The Face Shop Mild cotton pads: one more product which prouves that Asian beauty brands are ahead of western ones, even with the cotton pads!!! These do not “swallow” the product. They are so soft and feel so nice on the skin. I used them both for removing make up and applying some liquid products (acid, toners,..).

This is all for my first empties! Stay beautifull and healthy!