Welcome to another Empties post! I don't have as many things as last time, but hopefully there will be something interesting?
OPI Expert Touch Lacquer Remover- 16oz
This isn't technically gone- I have a small amount still decanted into one of those Zoya flipper bottles. I cannot really tell the difference between this and Zoya's Remove +. I like them both. Unlike Remove+, this OPI remover does contain acetone, and might be more of a workhorse for that reason, although like I said, the difference seems negligible to me.
Zoya Remove+ Polish Remover
A small 2 oz bottle that I'm sure I got free in some order. I like Remove +, but it's a little spendy, in my opinion, and there are recipes to make your own at home- although I'll never balk at a freebie!
NYC In A New York Color Minute Quick Dry Top Coat
This is a great drugstore quick dry top coat! It might not be quiiiite as fast as Seche Vite, but it is pretty damn fast, and shinier than the Revlon Quick Dry, which I had a little fling with. It does go gloopy disappointingly quickly though! It's a small bottle to begin with, so I'm sure that's a contributing factor. I've recently combined the gloopy remainders of this bottle with a half-full bottle, and added thinner. I'll let you know how that goes. Still, can't really beat the performance of this top coat for ~$3.
EOS Smooth Sphere Lip Balm in Sweet Mint
I think this is like the crowd-favorite EOS flavor, but it didn't moisturize my lips as well as some of the other EOS balms. The scent/ flavor is alright, nothing to write home about. This one does have peppermint oil, so maybe my stupid sensitive lips just can't handle that.
Cailyn Tinted Lip Balm in Apple Pink
I received this in a recent Ipsy bag, and UGH! That is all I have to say. I basically tried it on my lips twice, and into the trash it is going. It's so horrible that donating it or giving it to a friend would just be inflicting a scourge of terrible, unusable lip product on some poor, unsuspecting person. The problem is that it is definitely NOT a balm in any way. It is the most drying thing I have almost ever put on my lips. It also went on patchily- and to boot, the color was unflattering. A bit of a nightmare! So far, I am really not impressed with Cailyn as a brand, and I hope I stop receiving their products in my Ipsy bags.
Victoria's Secret Hydrating Body Lotion in Pure Seduction
The final random lotion from a gift set. I spoke about a few of the others here. The 'Pure Seduction' (LOL) scent is very fruity and florally, and is a little pungent. I am glad to be done with all of those!
Bath & Body Works Body Lotion in Warm Vanilla Sugar
I can't remember where I got this or for how long I've had it. I don't really shop at Bath & Body Works, so it is a mystery! The scent actually kinda nice, but I do tend to love vanilla things. It was also fairly moisturizing for a simple lotion.
Triple Lanolin Cocoa Butter Creme
I recently picked up a couple of these tiny 3/4 oz tubes on nailsupplies.us to keep in my bag, since I was so impressed with Triple Lanolin's Aloe Vera lotion. It is nice, although I didn't realize how small 3/4 oz really was. I blasted through it, but I am a total hand cream junkie. The texture of this one is fairly thick, and when it sinks into the skin, it feels very rich and mineral oil-y, which makes sense as that is the first moisturizing ingredient. It does have lanolin, but it's farther down the list, so I'm not sure how much you actually get.
LORAC Behind the Scenes Eye Primer
This is the sample-size tube that is packaged with palettes and such. I believe I received this when I got my Unzipped palette, which was about a billion years ago. Just in the last year or two, I've gotten into using eye primer daily, and this has been my go-to.
It is fabulous. For me, it works better than the more popular Too Faced Shadow Insurance. I have oily, hooded eyelids, which means they fold down on themselves naturally, so getting product to stay can be challenging. The LORAC almost always works flawlessly for me, and the Shadow Insurance is hit or miss, depending on the type of products I layer over it. I will repurchase the full size. Also this small sample tube probably lasted a year and a half- I think I don't use very much primer, although I do use it every day. I love you Behind the Scenes Eye Primer.
Dove Energy Glow Daily Face Moisturizer with a Touch of Self-tanner
I have been trying to use up this moisturizer for a few years. In fact, I think it's the product that motivated me to start documenting my empty products. As a moisturizer, I don't like it. It never fully sinks in, and fails to actually moisturize my skin. I also didn't notice much of a color change/ self-tan thing going on. I do use an AHA or BHA exfoliant daily, so maybe I was just exfoliating it all away. Who knows. Not impressed.
Missha All-Around Safe Block SPF 45
I like this! It is such an improvement to the Neutrogena sunscreen I was using previously. It spreads onto the skin very easily, and sinks in. It's no problem to put makeup over. It's only 50ml, and I think I paid around $13 for it on Amazon. Missha makes a few different sunscreens, so I would check them out if you need one!
Tarte Pure Maracuja Oil .23 oz
Like seemingly everyone who tries this, I love it. I used it as a light daytime moisturizer when I needed one. This particular bottle is the sample size, which I got with some Sephora points. It's a light, drier oil, so it might be more suited for combination-oily skins (mine is combination dry, but I heavily moisturize at night).
One thing I will say is that this product is extremely overpriced ($46 for 1.7 oz!!! WTF) "Maracuja" oil is just passion fruit seed oil, and you can get various versions of it online (for instance, Garden of Wisdom has 4 oz for $17.30). Just make sure the version you end up getting is cold-pressed, and intended for facial/skin care.
I won't repurchase this due to the price, but if it comes up again on Sephora as a point perk, I might get another cute little bottle! (Let's be honest: the glass bottle with the built-in medicine dropper is perfection.)
Mario Badescu Collagen Moisturizer SPF 15
This is the tiniest sample pot, but I actually do like this. It seems like Mario Badescu is not just name-brand and hype. I've tried a few samples now, and liked them. This has SPF, but not enough protection for me to rely on it alone, so that aspect is disappointing. It doesn't really have a discernible smell, at least to me.
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That's it! Right now my 'empties bowl' is empty, which is a wonderful feeling, but I'm sure it will fill up fast by the end of June!
Wow that's a lot of products you finished this month! I had similar things finished too like the EOS lipbalm and some lotions too :)
ReplyI have been curious in the tarte maraca oil forever and a day! tarte is not available in Austria, but if I ever go to the states, I'l definitely bring their blushes and that oil with me - that is, if it smells nice :)
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