August Empties | 2016

Hey everyone! Here is a closer look at all the products that I finished up this month!

Face

OXY - Emergency Acne Vanishing Facial Cleanser - This is formulated with 5% benzoyl peroxide lotion and claims to ‘rapidly kill acne bacteria to quickly help heal acne blemishes.’ This consistency was too liquid-y and I felt that it rand right through the spaces between my fingers even if they were closed. It did have a rather strong smell to it and I did have to really moisturize my skin afterwards because this was rather drying. Also, it is medicated and there is an expiration date on the back of the bottle towards the bottom so keep an eye-out for that!

Biore - Deep Cleansing Pore Strips (8 count) - You already know that I love using pore strips. I have recently heard that they may not be the best solution for your skin, but I will continue to use them because I love the results that it gives my pores! It also gives instant gratification by seeing all the blackheads and whiteheads that have come out of your pores to achieve a deep clean!

The Face Shop - Blackhead Out Dual Nose Strips - Here is the thing about this product, I tried to make it work but it did not work for me! Step 1 tells you to wash your face and then apply the ‘blackhead out nose strip’ for 10-15 minutes. I felt that it was too thick and kept moving around on my nose, not really sitting well or adhering well to my skin. I left mine on for 15 minutes and when I took it off, you are supposed to use cotton swabs to remove blackheads. I felt like some of my whiteheads, (I don’t get blackheads often,) loosened but they did not come right out like I imagined they would. 

Now during step 2 was where I had the most trouble. The directions tell you to clean the bridge of your nose and then go in with the ‘pore tightening nose sheet.’ I peeled off the backing and applied to to my nose for 20 minutes. I peeled it off and I felt that nothing had happened. I generally apply the Biore Pore Strips to a wet nose and tried using the other side of the strip that was not sticky to my wet nose making sure to leave it on for about 15 minutes but nothing happened! I was disappointed in this product and felt that I had wasted both my time as well as my money on it. Would definitely not recommend this item. I have loved everything I have purchased or received from The Face Shop in the past and this product really caught me off-guard!

The Face Shop - The Solution Moisturizing Face Mask (1 single-use face mask) - The hot weather has really been drying out my skin lately and simply applying moisturizer has not been cutting it for my lately. I wanted another option to bring moisture back into my skin and this really did it for me! I felt as though my skin drank up this face mask and there wasn’t much essence to pat into my skin face after removing the sheet mask. I also liked that it is marketed as a ‘light-as-Air Sheet’ that is only 0.21 mm and is semi-transparent. It really fit my face better and I have found other sheet masks that I have used in the past too thick and this was really ideal for me to use!

Hands

Bath & Body Works - Deep Cleansing Hand Soap in Boardwalk Vanilla Cone - I could be wrong, but this may be the last back-up I have of this scent! I know I have featured this scent a lot in my previous blog posts. This is the old bottle and formula. Bath & Body Works has completely re-done the packaging and the new formula is now green.

Bath & Body Works - Gentle Foaming Hand Soap in Honolulu Sun - To be honest with you, I had high hopes for this scent just based on reading the description alone which said that it consists of: ‘fresh island coconut and pacific palm.’ I didn’t really smell either of those fragrances and got tired of the scent half-way through the bottle.

Other/Miscellaneous

Nature’s Bounty - Hair, Skin & Nails Gummies with Biotin (80 gummies) - This product needs no introduction because it is a staple in my beauty routine. My nails are currently extremely strong and growing fabulously mainly due to this inexpensive product!

Sally Hansen - Hard As Nails Hardener - I can’t tell you how many of these that I have gone through and this product really works! I will continue to purchase this product for as long as they make it or until I find something better which is highly unlikely!

Bath & Body Works - Scentportable in Watermelon Lemonade - I have been using this product for years in my car but I have always forgotten to show you the label! This is a nice refreshing smell that is perfect for summer time. The only thing that I dislike about these scentportables is that the scent doesn’t last for more than 3 weeks for me and in the summer months, they can get quite warm to the touch in my car.

Jelly Belly - Minnie Mouse Special Edition - I received this as a gift for my birthday and I absolutely love the packaging! There are delicious flavours inside such as: Berry Blue, Birthday Cake, Bubble Gum, Coconut, Cotton Candy, Cherry Passion Fruit and Strawberry Cheesecake!

Gillette - Venus Swirl Razor - This came with one razor and two refillable cartridges. I wanted to try it out because there was a lot of hype about it. I had seen numerous commercials and it happened to be on sale when I walked into Wal-Mart that day. The packaging also caught my eye because it said that it was new, had a flexi - ball (which I was intrigued about,) and it mentioned on the packaging that it ‘contours better to tricky areas for a flawless shave.’ I liked the idea behind it but I felt that there was so much going on with this razor and the razor head was too large for my liking. It is great if you are shaving your legs like it showed on the commercial, but I epilate my legs. It is also good to shave your armpits with but overall, I still love my BIC Soleil razors because they are small, disposable and get the job done!

Samples

Cetaphil - Gentle Skin Cleansing Cloths (25) - I have used these in the past and they are an amazing product. They are durable enough to take off all of my makeup and they do not break while I am doing so. The cloths themselves are soft and gentle enough for sensitive skin. I will definitely purchase a pack of these when I run out of my current makeup wipes.

Caudalie - Vinoperfect Radiance Serum - I have been hearing a lot of people talking about this brand lately and I was glad to have finally been able to try it out. This is an oil-free formula that should be used on the face, neck and décolleté. It is complexion correcting and helps reduce dark spots, acne marks as well as acne scars. I feel like I would have to test out this product more to really be able to speak about it more. However, I tried searching it online on Sephora Canada and it told me that this item is restricted in Canada. I don’t know what is going on with this product and I feel like I would either have to find another retailer here that sells the product or I would have to purchase it in the USA.

Dr. Dennis Gross - Alpha Beta Glow Pad for Face (1 individual towelette) - This product is an ‘anti-aging exfoliating self-tanner with active vitamin d.’ It has potential but I recently got a natural tan from being outside and when I applied the towelette onto my face, I didn’t see any difference at all. I would say that it works best on more lighter-complected people.

Dr. Dennis Gross - Alpha Beta Ultra Gentle Daily Peel - I really did enjoy using this product because I loved how it made my skin feel after the fact. There are two steps to this process where step 1 exfoliates & smoothes the skin and then you go in with step 2 which firms and lifts the skin.

Hourglass - Immaculate Liquid Powder Foundation Mattifying in shade Shell - I really loved how skin-like this foundation felt! The shade wasn’t too far off from what I would be in this foundation. I applied it with a beauty blender and it did transform from liquid to powder! I was impressed overall.

Urban Decay - Eyeshadow Primer Potion 24-Hour Eyeshadow in: Original, Eden, Minor Sin and Anti-Aging - Of course the original is a cult favourite which dries invisible and keeps even the most vibrant colours in place. Eden is more of a nude matte formula which I enjoyed using. The third one is ‘minor sin’ which is a shimmering formula which has a slight pink tint to it which I enjoyed. It transformed my nude shades from the Urban Decay Naked Basics Palette to more purple-toned shadows which I found to be very cool! Tip: I accidentally squeezed too much product out of this same shade and I just used my fingers to use it as a base for my highlighter on my face which worked out perfectly! Lastly, the anti-aging formula was nude shade and helped to colour-correct as well as to blurs any flaws. I traveled with several of these primers and thought that this was a genius sample pack!

L’Occitane En Provence  - Dry Skin Hand Cream with 20% Shea - This is great to put in your purse or take on-the-go. I do have dry hands due to my psoriasis and this really gave me the kind of moisture that I was looking for that my hands really needed. It is a great product.

Colgate - Total Clean Mint Toothpaste (x2) - This was a very standard and basic toothpaste to use. It is great to travel with and keeps your breathe smelling fresh.

Until next time,

STAY CLASSY.

Berrz <3

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December Empties | 2015

Hey everyone! It's that time again! Time for another month of empties! What makes this post different is that it is the last empties post of 2015! Feel free to sort through my garbage with me one more time before the new year!

Also, I want to give a HUGE thank-you to all the readers because I have reached over 10,000 ALL TIME VIEWS! That is very exciting for me and I couldn't have done it without all of you!

Hair

Redken Scalf Relief Dandruff Control - The only reason why I bought this at Ulta is because I thought that I had psoriasis on my scalp but in reality, I just need a good clarifying shampoo to get rid of all the build-up from the products that I use on my hair. I can’t really give an opinion on this product but I wanted to use it up regardless.

L’Oreal Hair Expertise Fibralogy Hair Mask - This is my favourite hair mask on the market right now and I have been recommending it to all my friends! It works best on hair lacking thickness and it is an intense texturizing mask. My hair was getting very thin in the past months and I wanted something to help make my hair full again. This did just that for me and not to mention that it smells incredible! I already have the conditioner from the same line and I want to try other products from this line because I have had great results so far! This jar lasted me a decent amount of time as well! It is very inexpensive and I bought mine at Wal Mart.

Teeth

Crest 3D Luxe Whitestripes in Glamorous White - This are my go-to favourite white strips. I have repurchased and have not found any ones that work better so far. They do a great job at whitening your teeth. They are reasonably priced but I suggest trying to purchase them when they are on sale.

Crest 3D Luxe White Toothpaste - I have used this product before and it is in my top 3 favourite toothpastes to use. It really does a good job at cleaning your teeth and I like the mint flavour. 

Colgate Total Toothpaste in Clean Mint - This is a basic and very standard toothpaste. It doesn’t do anything out of the ordinary and I really don’t care for it. I probably just bought it because it was on sale to be honest.

Face

Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleansing Cloths (25 count) - I used up another pack of these. I really like them because each towelette is a decent size, it does not break when you are removing your makeup and the cloth does not feel dry. It says on the packaging that it “leaves your skin feeling fresh and clean,” which I would have to agree with!

Biore Deep Cleansing Pore Strips (8 count) - These are my go-to and I will continue to use these for years to come! These strips really get out all my white heads and keep my skin in check.

Elta MD Skincare UV Daily SPF 40 Daily Moisturizing Lotion - I bought this from the laser clinic that I go to and this really does a great job at protecting my skin from the harmful UV rays. I use it daily, in the morning and it is great underneath makeup because this formula absorbs quickly into the skin. It is a little bit on the more expensive side but it did last me quite some time - maybe 6+ months with daily use.

Hands

Bath & Body Works Gentle Foaming Hand Soap in Cherry Blossom - This particular scent wasn’t anything special and I don’t feel the need to repurchase it.

Bath & Body Works Deep Cleansing Hand Soap in Boardwalk Vanilla - You already know that my household loves this scent and that I still have many more back-ups of this scent that you will see in upcoming empties blog posts in 2016.

Body

Bath & Body Works Intense Moisture Body Butter in Twilight Woods - I love this scent because it is musky and warm smelling. The body butter is just what I needed for the colder months. It really hydrates your skin and leaves it feeling moisturized.

Eucerin Original Lotion - My dermatologist recommended this to me when my psoriasis was at its worst. This really helped with the flaking and the dry patches. It didn’t irritate my skin at all and I can’t recommend this enough! I will definitely be repurchasing this in the future because it was a saviour! You can find it at your local drugstore and it if fairly inexpensive. My brother was even using this lotion because it is unscented and didn't leave him smelling like a flower.

Other/Miscellaneous

Nature’s Bounty Hair, Skin & Nails Gummies - This product needs no introduction and I have gone through yet another bottle.

Softswabs Cosmetic Applicators - I love these and find myself always reaching for these when I do my makeup. There is one pointed end and one flat end. I use the pointed edge to clean my my lipstick and also for the inner corners of my eyes as well as to clean up any smudged eye liner. The flat edge is great for right underneath the water line and to fix up any minor makeup mistakes such as fallout.

Polysporin Vitamin E enriched Formula - I have been using this since I was a kid and still find myself reaching for it. If I have a cut or anything that needs to be treated, this is my go-to! Like the packing suggests, it really helps the cut or blister to heal fast! 

Samples

Facial Oils:

The Body Shop Oils of Life  - I really do like this oil. I have used many samples of it and am considering purchasing the full sized version. It doesn’t leave my face greasy and leaves my skin soft.

Nude Omega Treatment Rescue Oil - This oil was alright. I feel like I would have to use it more to really get a better opinion of it. The scent of it did remind me of a plant which I didn’t mind.

Origins High-Potency Night-A-Mins Skin Refining Oil - I could smell the vanilla in this oil and really enjoyed that! I did enjoy using this sample

Moisturizers:

LaNeige Water Bank Moisture Cream - I really can’t remember the pros from using this product. All I can remember is that it did not stand out and i probably wouldn’t ever purchase it.

First Aid Beauty Ultra Repair Cream Intense Repair with Fab Antioxidant Booster - I didn’t care for this cream but I did like the other cream I tried out from First Aid Beauty!

First Aid Beauty Ultra Repair Cream Intense Hydration for Dry Parched Skin - I enjoyed using this sample more than the Intense Repair because I felt as though this targeted my skin’s concern better. I would considering buying this in the near future.

Makeup:

Sephora Colorful Blush No5 Sweet on You! - It was alright. Nothing that blew me away though. Just a standard colour with a standard formula. I wouldn’t purchase.

Lancome La Base Pro Pore Eraser - I really enjoyed using this sample and was sad when it ran out. I will consider purchasing this product when my Porefessional runs out. It helps minimize pore and your makeup glides on so much easier with this underneath. 

Lancome Miracle Cushion in 03 Beige - I hated the concept of this item. There is a cushion compact that you dab into the product and then apply to your face. This coverage is build able but I just didn’t think that it was full enough coverage for my liking. It is not cake feeling, it is actually weightless but I just can’t be bothered with this product. I also kept thinking of the bacteria inside the sponge that would occur with constant use.

Facial Masks:

Peter Thomas Roth Cucumber Gel Mask - I really enjoyed this product. From the cucumber scent to the feeling your face is left with after you wash this off, it’s really an awesome product. Luckily for me, I got  a jar of this in a Peter Thomas Roth Gift Set that I received for Christmas!

GlamGlow ThristyMud Hydrating Treatment - I really liked this mask! It was easy to use and the directions were easy to follow. There are many benefits to this product to such as: that it is paraben free, it is for all skin types and that it is for men and women.

Cleansers/Multiple Step Treatments:

Fresh Soy Face Cleanser - I liked this product because it did a good job at getting rid of my makeup. It is gentle and didn’t burn my eyes while using it. I am all for this product.

Dr. Dennis Gross Alpha Beta Ultra Gentle Daily Peel - Step 1 & 2 - I really do like this product a lot. My skin felt so refreshed and firm after 1 use! I wish that it wasn’t so expensive to buy otherwise, I would have already started using it already.

Ole Henriksen 3-Step System for ALL Skin Types - It was nice to use but I can’t see myself using this down the road. It comes with a facial gel, a facial cream and a facial serum. You use the serum in conjunction with the cream in the AM and then you switch over to the facial gel in conjunction with the same facial cream again in the PM. I wasn’t a huge fan of the Truth Serum Collagen Booster. 

Until next time,

STAY CLASSY.

Berrz <3

P.S. I DO plan on doing Project 10 Pan again in 2016 because I had fun doing it the first time around and it's a great way to set a goal for yourself to use up current items from your stash in order to make room for more items.

P.P.S. If you have been reading my blog for some time now, you may have noticed that I have updated the colours of my blog to incorporate the two Pantone Colours of this year which are: Rose Quartz and Serenity.

P.P.P.S. THIS BLOG POST IS BY NO MEANS SPONSORED. SOME LINKS ARE AFFILIATE LINKS.

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