Empties #5: Spring Face and Body Products

Another empties post? Yeah! I have to move out in two months and I'm frantically trying to use up all of my products. I feel so anxious already staring at my stash of stuff. Anyone else start to feel crazy when moving out is on the horizon? Holla. 

Anyways, let's go through some reviews of the stuff I've used up!

Soap & Glory Peaches & Clean 3-in-1 Deep Purifying Cleanser

Yes, there's still a little bit of stuff there. I'll explain. So I got this cleanser because I had seen many good reviews. I have enlarged pores and blackheads and had never used a targeted cleanser before. I thought that the milky consistency would be good for my skin. It even says "for all skin types". However, I have sensitive skin and the HEAVY fragrance of peach and citrus irritated my skin. It was also very tingly, which I thought meant it was working. However, once I used this as hand soap in a pinch and it MAJORLY stung my hands. That shouldn't happen. What you put on your face should be safe enough to use on your hands, which are tougher than your face anyway. I also noticed no difference and a bit more breakouts while using this product, which seems to be a problem for other people too. I honestly just ended up using it as washing up liquid for my dishes and mixed in the end of a hand-soap until the soap wouldn't come through the pump anymore. 

Simple Kind to Eyes Eye Makeup Remover (Travel Size)

I purchased this whilst traveling over Christmas. I liked it a lot better than The Body Shop Gentle Eye Makeup Remover, but it still had a soapy consistency and did sting my eyes near the end of its use. I prefer an oil-based eye makeup remover due to my sensitive eyes. However, this did work amazingly at getting off waterproof makeup. I'd totally recommend it if you don't usually get stingy eyes! I won't be repurchasing, as I have a Christmas purchase to work through and then I will be purchasing dual-phase eye makeup removers.

The Body Shop Moringa Body Butter (Mini)

AMAZING. That's all I have to say about this. I love how each scent of the body butter's have their own consistency. I've used the Chocomania scent, which was slightly hard and balmy, the Honeymania scent, which was a bit more on the whipped side, and this one, which was almost like an amazing smooth Greek-yogurt-y consistency. I absolutely love the smell and it was so moisturizing. I will definitely be repurchasing in the future. I think it's perfect for early spring. Now that I'm in summer I'm using the Papaya tropical scent.

Bath and Body Works Fresh Picked Honey Crisp Apple Hand and Body Cream

I absolutely love this! I'm so glad that BBW introduced apple scents year round, as so many people crave their Winter Candy Apple scent all year long. I really like the idea of the fresh-picked line at BBW. A lot of their products are complex fragrances and I like that they're taking the one-note idea from The Body Shop to appeal to a wider audience. I also happen to really love this product. I didn't use it so much as a hand cream as much as a rich body cream. It is almost like whipped frosting in consistency. It's definitely thick but there's something light about it that sinks in quicker than body butters. If you can find it on a deal, I would recommend it! I might repurchase but have so many lotions to work through at the moment. 

Simple Kind to Skin Soothing Facial Toner 

This was a pretty average toner. I was looking for a gentle, hydrating, soothing toner to use before my moisturizer and saw the "soothing", the cheap price tag, and picked it up. However, if you look in the first seven ingredients there are no soothing agents such as glycerin. Panthenol is actually the third ingredient. While not harmful and a Vitamin B5 derivative, it is also an alcohol. An alcohol-based toner is not going to be soothing! I didn't found that this did much to my skin other than take off a bit of extra makeup that my cleanser wasn't getting, which isn't the point of toner. I won't be repurchasing in favor of a glycerin-based toner. Takeaway: always check the ingredients, labels can be misleading!!

Philosophy Time in a Bottle

I'm not really sure if this little sample drastically changed my skin or not. Serum samples that make big claims are difficult. Since I don't have massive problems with wrinkles but I do have some and some scars and redness, I thought this would be good. It didn't break me out. I don't know, I can't justify the price but I would have to test the product for a longer period of time to see if it drastically changed my skin.

Matriskin Technology Vitamin C 5% Serum

Again, I'm not sure if this did anything good for my skin, but I did like using it. It is supposed to work to brighten the skin and fade scars, like most Vitamin C products do. I have replaced this with a glycolic serum and I feel like it's doing more for my skin than this did. Again, this is a high price item that I received in a beauty box so I'm not sure that I would repurchase.

Have you tried any of these products? Do you like a good empties post? Let me know in the comments!

xoxo, Kels

Empties #4: Oops and Ahhs

Hello all! I thought I would write a quick review of some products I have used up recently. So, without further ado, from left to right clockwise: 

1) Colgate Max White One Sensational Mint Alcohol Free Mouthwash

Man, this year I feel like I've gone through mouthwash like crazy, whereas in the past I've hardly touched the stuff. This was nice, not much else to say!

2) Twining's Chamomile & Spiced Apple Herbal Tea

This was my fall/winter tea that I finally just used up. I wanted something that was like a spiced apple cider, but had some tea benefits as well since packet cider is usually just sugar and flavoring. This was a lovely tea that had a mild taste with a strong smell of a hot apple cider. Highly suggested if you're in the mood for autumn drinks! However, the tea did get dusty and powdery as I got to the end of the box, but I guess that's standard. 

3 ) Lady Gaga Fame Body Lotion

I got my mother this fragrance because it actually suits her really well. The set came with lotion and shower gel but my mom doesn't really use heavily scented shower gels or lotions so she passed them on to me. I was happy with the scent. This was my go-to lotion when I needed something light that would sink in quickly. The black color of the lotion does fade away as you rub it into the skin and it leaves a nice smell behind. 

4) The Body Shop Chamomile Gentle Eye Makeup Remover

This is my "oops" of the bunch. I went in to The Body Shop in September to buy the waterproof dual-phase version of this product, which I had used and been very happy with back in the United States. However, the store didn't have any on display so I assumed this would be similar. IT IS NOT. I still used up the whole thing because that's how I am, but it was AWFUL. The good things about the waterproof version are that it's gentle, hydrating on the skin around the eyes, and didn't sting my eyes. Most things will sting my eyes as they are very sensitive, so finding something that didn't was a miracle. This gentle eye makeup remover is not gentle. It's drying and kind of soapy, tugs on the skin, doesn't remove all eye makeup and really stung my eyes.

5) Lancome Hypnose Star Mascara in 01 Noir

This is a little sample size of the mascara that I got in a Christmas sample pack. It was a very nice mascara that I was impressed with at the beginning. The wand was great and the formula is amazing. I prefer a small, plastic wand as my eye is small and it's easier to use. I also like a wet formula because dry ones can get clumpy on me very easily. This ticked all the boxes until the formula became too dry. I'm not sure I would repurchase because it's out of my price range, but it was so nice to use. 

6) LUSH Flying Fox Shower Gel

This was my first ever LUSH purchase ages ago. I loved the scent at the beginning, but by the end it had become a bit too sickly sweet. I do love the sexy smell that it has and I really enjoyed it. I'm not sure I would repurchase because it is a bit more expensive than I would like, especially in the States. 

Alright, that's it for my quick empties post! I probably won't be repurchasing these items anytime soon and definitely won't repurchase The Body Shop eye makeup remover, but I hope you enjoy the reviews regardless. 

Have you finally used up any fall and winter products? Let me know in the comments!

- xoxo, Kelsey

Empties #3: Hits and Misses

Hey guys! I can't believe I have another empties post already, it seems like a lot of things I bought at the beginning of fall all ran out at the same time! Without further ado, here's what I've used up recently...

1. L'Oreal Paris Skin Perfection 3 in 1 Purifying Micellar Solution. I'm still pretty new to the micellar makeup-remover scene. After hearing about Bioderma and realizing there was more to makeup remover than Neutrogena wipes, over the summer I purchased a Boots No7 product from my local target. The packaging made it difficult to take in my move to the UK, so I took the opportunity to purchase the L'Oreal Micellar Solution that everyone was talking about. It's been heralded as a drugstore "dupe" for Bioderma. I haven't tried Bioderma, so I can't make any claims to its dupe-ability. It does remove makeup well, but I feel like I have to use ten cotton pads and continuously go over my face. The packaging allows for a lot of spill and product waste. It also left my combo/dehydrated skin feeling very tight. I've found that my skincare routine does much better with a hydrating cleansing balm to remove makeup, followed up with my regular cleanser. I have purchased Garnier's micellar solution, only because I do find that micellar water is great for travel or nights when just need to get the crap off my face and FAST. I wouldn't recommend this product for anyone with sensitive, dry, or dehydrated skin, as it made my skin feel tight and sometimes would sting. It is NOT good for the eye area either. 

2. Batiste Dry Shampoo Clean & Classic Original. First, I don't use dry shampoo for styling purposes, but only as an oil reducer for second or third-day hair. I usually style my hair naturally curly, so it is only if my curl has subdued itself to a wave that I use dry shampoo. In comparison to other dry shampoos (and I'm still pretty new to the game), this was incredibly chalky and plain uncomfortable. I hated touching my hair because I would be left with residue on my hands. I won't be repurchasing, as I'm just not a fan of that residue.

3. Wilko Hairspray Control Holds It Extra Firm. I don't use hairspray that often except to keep my fringe in check or to hold a curl, so this was a cheap quick buy. It lasted me a while and I can't really complain. It was fine. I wouldn't say it lives up to its Extra Firm claims, but it was a nice cheap hairspray. I would have repurchased except that my local Wilko was out of stock!

4. Mitchell and Peach Shower Wash. This was an okay shower wash. I found it to be quite a strong, herby scent so it was nice to take while traveling with my boyfriend over the holidays. It has a scent that suits both guys and gals. I doubt I would repurchase, as I have a billion shower gels in my stash and the scent just didn't wow me. I got this in a Love Me Beauty Box and definitely appreciated having a mini to travel with, and the unisex scent saves space when packing (just one shower gel instead of two!). 

5. Rimmel Scandaleyes Liquid Liner Pen. This pen is something I won't be purchasing again. My only other liner pen comparison is Revlon's ColorStay liquid liner, which performed much better than this one. The Rimmel pen has a flimsy tip, which makes it difficult to control the line you make, and it dried out faster than my Revlon pen. I think that liner pens, just like mascara, are something very personal. Just because I didn't like it doesn't mean you won't, and it is incredibly affordable! I don't think I will repurchase. There are so many liner pens to try!

6. e.l.f. Small Angled Brush. I used this brush all the time to do my eyebrows. As you can see, it's taken a beating. I think I got it in the summer and at this point the bristles are warped out of shape. It was fine, it does the job, but there are even cheaper brushes in the UK a la Barry M that I have found to work better for a more controlled, hair-like line. It's cheap, though, so if you are new to the shadow-method for filling in your brows and don't have an angled liner brush I would give it a go! 

7. Arm & Hammer Ultra Max Unscented Solid Antiperspirant Deodorant. This is a hidden gem. Seriously. My mom has used Arm & Hammer unscented deodorant for my entire life, and I'm finally on the bandwagon. Less likely to cause irritation, its fragrance-free no-nonsense formula is a great drugstore find in an aisle of sickly smells. You have to be careful with your black clothing. But it's great! 

8. Bath & Body Works True Blue Spa Shea Cashmere Body Lotion. Ahh, the wonderful smells of BBW. This smells exactly like frosting and is really nice and moisturizing. It's got a hefty price tag since it's in the True Blue Spa range, but it is more nourishing than their Signature Collection line, in my opinion. Definitely a nice skin treat that I used up to the last drop! This is nice if you have a coupon or a deal, often there will be a promotion to get this and other products at a discount. Otherwise, it's slightly out of my price range for a lotion.

9. EOS Lip Balm. I love these suckers! I kept this by my bedside for ages and it finally ran out. I do have a great tip for anyone wanting to extend the life of their EOS balm. The balm itself is held in by spokes in the bottom half of the EOS ball. If you have any extra travel pots lying around or can get to a craft store, you can actually use a small spoon to get out the rest of the lip balm that is stuck in the spokes. You'll have to use your finger to swipe on the balm from the travel pot, but at least you aren't wasting product! 

10. The Body Shop Mini Body Butter in Chocomania. OHHH man. This stuff. This was actually my first ever Body Shop body butter. I know. Shock horror. Over the summer I passed through the store and was obsessed with the lotion and decided to order the mini body butter later with an online 40% off promotion. This is definitely my "Summer 2013" smell, and I will always think of South Carolina and the beach when I use it. 

11. One Direction Our Moment Fragrance Sample. I had a lot of sample deals over Christmas through Sephora and other gift order deals, and this was one of them. I'm not incredibly in love with the fragrance, but I am impressed for a celebrity fragrance line. It's just too much equal parts sugar and floral, with no subtle undertone to bring the two scents together. I think this would make a lovely gift for anyone who likes sweet or floral scents. It honestly is more sophisticated than I expected. Not your average "candy" young girls scent!

12. Palmolive Naturals Nourishing Liquid Handwash with Milk and Honey. I liked this a lot! After using Bath & Body Works hand soap near exclusively, it's good to remember that there are some really nice hand soaps out there on the average store shelf.This was inexpensive, incredibly moisturizing, and smelled like sweet honey. All wins in my book. I have repurchased the hand soap, but in a different scent and I absolutely love it!

13. Bath & Body Works Frosted Cranberry Mini Candle. I love these candles, and this was so nice! I will probably repurchase in the Christmas season. I love the frosted cranberry hand sanitizer as well. There's just something about the tangy sweetness of cranberry that I love. 

14. Yankee Candle Vanilla Chai Candle. I really liked this scent! Some people may think it's overkill, but it reminds me of a cinnamon coffee cake with apple spices. It was a great fall scent and the first and only candle I bought in the UK for a while. I like Bath & Body Works candles better, but could see myself buying this again in the fall. 

15. Bath & Body Works Creamy Pumpkin Small Candle. This was such a nice, warm, vanilla-y scent for fall. In fact, this trio of candles created a really lovely fall scent and made my university room so much nicer. 

If you've read through all of these, wow, you are a trooper. I hope you've enjoyed my take on the products I've managed to use up completely. 

xoxo, Kels

Three Miracle Skincare Items That Have Changed My Skin

Hello lovelies! Long time no see! I have had a very busy winter and I've had some time to test out some amazing products that have mythologized the dry winter skin in my life. Let me start by telling you about my skin and typical problems and then I'm going to introduce the three amazing products that have changed my life (and are likely to bankrupt me in the future...oops):

MY SKIN

My skin is dehydrated/dry combination. I get EXTREMELY dry everywhere, even the parts that produce oils. Basically, the skin itself goes dry and textured while oil blocks my pores from seeing the light of day. Hence the combination. I have whitehead/blackhead issues on my nose, chin, and a bit on my cheeks. If a moisturizer is slightly too comedogenic I will get all crazy blocked up, but too lightweight and my face is dry and tight. If a mask or cleanser is too clarifying I just want to dunk my face in water. This is most likely due to the fact that it is dehydrated and I need to drink more water and be better to myself, but that's another talk for another day. 

I also have very sensitive skin and suffer from rosacea on my nose. Seriously. Rudolph was one of my grade school nicknames. Just putting on my moisturizer makes my face red and harsh treatments or fragrances make it sting. Lately I was also dissatisfied with how dull it looked, the texture was patchy, uneven and not smooth, and I couldn't go out in public with feeling that I at least needed to even things out with a BB cream. 

In summary, my skin problems: dry, clogged pores, redness, dullness, discoloration/uneven skin tone

THE MIRACLES

Please keep in mind that I have very finicky skin, and that these products might not work for you. However, if you find that your skin is dehydrated or dry, you've got clogged pores, and uneven skin or redness this might be the trio for you...

For blocked pores: Murad Blackhead and Pore Clearing Duo 2.2 oz total ($49.50). I received a sample size of this in either a gift-with-purchase from Sephora or a beauty box I purchased. Regardless, this duo has been really amazing at changing the surface of my skin. I have seen a small improvement in my pores and blackheads, but also in the overall softness of my skin. Step one involves an exfoliating mask with a light scent that you leave on for up to ten minutes. Instead of just wiping it off, you wet your hands with warm water and start to use it like any old exfoliant. I find that it's not too harsh and I can rinse it off if my face starts to hurt. While it's on, it feels really tingly and it might be my head but I can see those little clogged-pore worms wiggling out of their caverns (wonderful image, right?). Using this product in combination with the other two products has helped with exfoliating away dead skin cells and has really made my skin look and feel amazing. Plus it doesn't freak out my sensitive skin, WIN! Since I only use it once a week (have I mentioned my sensitive skin?) I can see this being a worthwhile product that would last me a long time and will probably repurchase once I move back to the states. No clay mask or exfoliant I've tried has ever yielded such amazing results so quickly.

For new skin: Rodial Glamtox Night 30 ml (£90). Holy mother of pearl this sh** is expensive. I received a deluxe sample of this in a Love Me Beauty Box (£10 plus p&p), which I really recommend for anyone in the UK looking to try out some great products. I've got reviews on here of the subscription so have a browse if you'd like. Anyways, I started to use this at the beginning of the month while traveling. I ran out of night cream and this said "night" on it. Literally my thought process there. I hadn't looked into the sample at all, the brand, or the product. I started to see a real improvement in my skin (hadn't even started to use the other two products yet) immediately! This is my first foray into retinols, so they must really work. I haven't seen any decreases in my forehead or eye wrinkles but I'm fine with that (hey, I'm in my early twenties and I get mistaken for a teenager, I NEED to keep those wrinkles!). What I have seen is an improvement in my skin's softness and elasticity (I lost a lot of weight, my face skin hated me for it) as well as the overall appearance of my skin tone. It claims to fade hyperpigmentation, reduce pore size, and thicken the skin. I'd say it pretty much does all of that! I'm not sure I'm going to be able to break the bank and purchase this one once my sample runs out, but you bet your bottom dollar I'm going to be running out to find something similar! I've heard it's comparable to REN products, but I'm pretty much going to look for any night time moisturizer with a retinol. Holla atcha girl if you know of such a thing.

For more even skin: Matriskin Technology Vitamin C 5% Serum 30 ml ($106/£56.35). If glamtox gave me new skin, this sucker gave me skin that was actually worth leaving the foundation at home. Even. The. Nose. I couldn't tell you how well this does on its own, but in combination with the Glamtox Night my face is a new face. I also received this as a sample size in a Love Me Beauty Box and so far it is lasting me a long time. You only need a thin layer on the face for it to work its magic. I'm not one to mix a bunch of serums around, so since I use Hydraluron (£24.99) at night for dehydration I use this one in the day for an added layer of moisture and awesomeness and because it sinks in and won't affect my makeup. Because of the hefty price tag I probably won't purchase this specific product, but I will be on the lookout for a Vitamin C serum that can make less of a dent in my wallet. Some I might consider are Avalon Organics Vitality Facial Serum with Vitamin C ($17.99), Yes to Grapefruit Correct & Repair Dark Spot Erase Serum ($16.99), Nip+Fab Pigmentation Fix ($15.99), Super Facialist Vitamin C+ Glow Boost Skin Serum (£15.99), Boots Botanics Triple Age Renewal Super Serum (£6.99), Vichy Normaderm Anti Aging Serum ($25), or Lumene Vitamin C Drops ($21.99) to name a few. One thing to keep in mind when using products with vitamin c, or anything that increases cell turnover is to USE AN SPF! Even if it's cloudy the UV rays can damage your sensitive new baby skin. Protect your investment. 

WHY IT ALL WORKS 

1) Glamtox Night contains RETINOL, which helps increase cell turnover. Topically it works, but you can also get it prescribed if you are that desperate to have baby skin.

2) Matrinskin Vitamin C Serum contains VITAMIN C, which is again amazing for anti-aging, evening out the skin tone, and fading dark spots. 

3) Murad Blackhead Duo more than anything works for me as an EXFOLIANT, which helps slough off the dead skin and reveal your new face.

So kids, what did we learn today? 

RETINOL + (VITAMIN C + SUNSCREEN) + EXFOLIANT + PROBABLY SOME CLAY MASK MAGIC = AMAZING SKIN 4 LYFE. 

Thanks for reading this ridiculousness, me and my makeupless infant-soft skin hope you have a great day :)