The E M P T I E S 004 // The Big One
1. Yes to Cucumbers Facial Wipes: There really isn't much to say about these - I usually buy a 10 wipe pack to take on travel and will usually use any remaining ones once I get home to wipe off makeup swatches when taking photos for the blog. Yeah - semi wasteful, but they dry up pretty quickly once the pack is open so y'know.
2. Clarins One-Step Gentle Exfoliant: This one came highly reviewed on Sephora when was looking for a gentle exfoliating face wash. And it's Clarins - everyone always raves about this brand. However I was not a huge fan of this scrub and tried using bigger dallops each time I washed my face to go through it faster. Perhaps it was the smell but I just wasn't a fan. It wasn't bad for my skin but it just wasn't for me.
3. Clarins Instant Eye Makeup Remover: This one is much hyped in the beauty community and I understand why, it removes the heaviest set waterproof eye makeup with no effort. The thing that bothers me is that it is heavily scented - which makes me uncomfortable as it's going near my eyes. I did like it, but I think I'll stick to my trusty Bobbi Brown makeup remover. If any of you have any good suggestions for other makeup removers - let me have them!
4. Kiehl's Superbly Restorative Argan Body Lotion: I bought this a few years back when I was in college as a way to repair my dry skin. I found this while cleaning out my bathroom items and found that it was probably way past its expiration and I'll be retiring it. But I'm saving this up to trade in for Kiehl's recycle program.
5. Boscia Revitalizing Black Hydrating Gel: I received a sample size of this and used it up, loved it, and purchased the full-size. It did only have 1oz of product so I'd say it's pretty pricey for the amount of product within it. I think this one is particularly great for the warmer seasons as it's lightweight and leaves your skin feeling refreshed.
6. GLAMGLOW Youthmud: This one was a bit too strong for my sensitive skin and I couldn't finish up the pot before it dried up on me. This one definitely burned and I would try and take it off ASAP - even before the recommended time of leaving it on had been met. This one wasn't for me, but as my skin has been really dry and patchy lately I thought I would try using the Thirstymud Hydrating Treatment.
7. EOS Shave Cream: I've always been one to use regular soap to shave, but my legs have been so dry and flaky as of late that I decided to be "better" and use a shaving cream. And wow does this make my skin so soft and smooth. I finished up the pomegranate scent, but I'm eyeing the Lavender Jasmine scent next as it sounds decadent and will pair beautifully with my Korres Jasmine Shower Gel.
8. Murad Rapid Age Spot and Pigment Lightening Syrum (Deluxe Sample): I didn't get a chance to finish this up as the remaining product did turn a deeper orange (originally clear). I used this on my existing acne scars and I do have to say that these helped to lighten the scars over time. I've *luckily* had well behaved skin for the past few months so I don't see myself needing the full size. But if a sample size showed up at Sephora or Ulta I'd snatch it up in a heartbeat.
9. KP Duty Body Scrub (Sample): I wasn't a huge fan of this as it was a bit too abrasive for my sensitive skin. It felt strange and the product felt like it was heating up while I used it - it just felt strange. I would not purchase this.
10. Kiehl's Rosa Artica Youth Regenerating Cream (Sample): My favorite manager when I worked in retail is now (to my excitement) working as a counter manager at Kiehl's. She gave me a ton of samples to try and among it was the Rosa Artica cream. This one has a slight rosemary scent, is non-oily, and extremely moisturizing. The price point makes me weep a bit but I'm highly considering picking this up once I go through the *8 or so* sample packets she gave me!
11. L'Occitante Hand Cream in Cherry Blossom: I went through so many of these in my previous empties and just finished tackling my last mini hand cream. I'm tackling my other hand creams at the moment but I'm definitely tempted to get another cherry scented hand cream for L'Occitane as it smells divine and does not leave your hands with that greasy layer.
12. Tarte Lights, Camera, Splashes: This waterproof mascara is so high up on my favorites list that I'll never let go of it. It's volumizing, lengthening, and holds a curl so damn well. I have a new one in rotation and probably always will.
13. NARS Eyeshadow Primer (Deluxe Sample): I've finally switched over to the NARS primer over the Urban Decay primer. It's less oily and allows my eye makeup to stay without smudging.
14. Smashbox Sumatra Eyeliner (x2): This stuff is hands down my favorite eyeliner, can you tell? The lid sharpens the pencil so each application has a perfect point. This does mean that product gets wasted, and I want to say that contributed to me going through two of these in the past few months.
15. Anastasia Brow Wiz: The never ending debate is ABH vs. Hourglass. I do prefer the wider nib of the Hourglass pencils, but now that ABH has released their Brow Definer pencil. At a much lower pricepoint than the HG version, it's definitely on my list of items to try.
16. Framesi Purple Shampoo: Avoiding brassy hair when you bleach darker colored hair is definitely possible when you use purple or blue shampoo. I didn't think this was overly special, but it worked well! It turns your shower a frightening purple, but rinses away easily with water. I usually mixed this with my regular shampoo to help get a small amount of purple shampoo in my regular regimen. I got this from my hair salon, so I'm not sure where to get this online. But any purple or blue shampoo should do!
17. It's a 10 Miracle Leave-In w/ Keratin: This one is a solid favorite - it helps prevent tangles, knots, and smoothes your hair. This in combination with the Macadamia Hair Masque allows my color treated hair to stay soft and smooth.