Thursday, March 2, 2017

January 2017 Empties

I'm on yet another business trip (nowhere exciting) so I have some hotel down time to catch up with empties. I was very pleased with my progress in January!




Foil packet madness:


I travel a lot so I love foil packets. 

First Aid Beauty Ultra Repair Cream
Opinion: This was a perfectly fine moisturizer. That's about all I have to say.
Purchase?: I'll pass. The price point is pretty good for a decent sized tub though.

Bare Minerals Skin Longevity Vital Power Infusion
Opinion: I honestly don't remember too much about this in particular. I do know that I have liked all Bare Minerals products I have sampled or purchased.
Purchase?: No. If I can't remember much about it, it certainly didn't $48 "wow" me.

Hada Labo Skin Plumping Gel Cream
Opinion: This felt amazingly luxurious on my face. It was a nice thick gel that soaked in while leaking my skin super moist and yes, definitely plump (but in a good way).
Purchase?: I will likely be looking for this the next time I am at Target!

Bare Minerals Brilliant Future Age Defense & Renew Eye Cream
Opinion: LOVED this. It was one of the few eye creams that I actually felt "did" something. It made my sad saggy undereye skin feel hydrated and plump all through the night until I woke up.
Purchase?: I have another packet of this to use, thankfully! And then I think I am on to some other eye cream samples. I definitely have this one earmarked for a potential future purchase/splurge.

Too Faced Born This Way Foundation in Light Beige
Opinion: I know this is an itty bitty sample, but it was my first time trying this formula so I wanted to share. This was just okay to me. The color did not match, since I seem to be getting paler by the minute. It was a serviceable enough foundation, didn't cause my oily skin to get too angry, but it just didn't "wow" me.
Purchase?: No. I can get similar or better performance out of a much cheaper product.

Makeup type items:



Urban Decay All Nighter Setting Spray
Opinion: LOOK AT ME using a different setting spray! I have always wanted to try this, but I have been soooo in love with my much lower priced NYX spray. I finally got to try this product thanks to my Sephora Play box and you know what? I didn't like it!! I don't think it performed any better than my NYX spray.....and I hated the smell! I think it smelled like bug spray. No me gusta!
Purchase?: Big fat NOPE on this one!

The Balm Put a Lid On It Eye Shadow Primer
Opinion: My original love, before I discovered Urban Decay's Primer Potion. This was a mini I had in my travel bag that was a little old and started to separate.
Repurchase?: Not as long as I can keep getting UD on sale! Seriously, it seems to go for half off several times per year.

Cover FX Illuminating Primer
Opinion: A decent enough primer. Nothing out of the ordinary - did its job just fine.
Purchase?: I actually recently scored my HG Laura Geller primer on Haute Look super cheap. It's a 3 oz tube that I am sure will last me forever. So no, I am not in the market for any more primer at the moment.

Tarte Smooth Operator Amazonian Clay Setting Powder
Opinion: A VERY nice setting powder! My oily skin sucks this stuff right up. It was milled very finely and gave me a natural, soft finish.
Purchase?: I am knee deep in setting powders right now, but I will keep this on my list for when I run out.

Starlooks Pro Luxe Longwear Eyeliner Pen
Opinion: I somehow got two of these in a subscription box. My mom stole the black one, and I was left with this beautiful aubergine color. I used the crap out of this. The applicator tip was fantastic, and the staying power was unreal. I was super sad when this pen started to skip on me.
Repurchase?: I have mixed feelings on this. I love liquid eyeliner. I love pencil eyeliner. I go in phases with each. Right now I am playing with several different colored pencils. Also, I am not sure what the heck is going on with this brand lately. It is unlikely that I will be splurging on this product in my future.

Skin related things:


Simple Dual Effect Eye Make-Up Remover
Opinion: I H-A-T-E-D this!! But I persevered and used the entire bottle because I am cheap. I greatly dislike oily makeup removal products. This was oily and barely worked. It was a chore to get through the entire bottle.
Repurchase?: Hell to the no!

Trader Joe's All-In-One Facial Cleanser
Price: I believe it was $5-7 for 8.45 oz
Opinion: This was a nice cleanser that I was happy to have occupy my shower. It was very gentle and lasted forever.
Repurchase?: Yes. I have a lot of other cleanser to get through at the moment, but you really cannot beat this for the price.

Lancome Advanced Genefique Youth Activating Serum
Price: $140 for 2.5 oz (!!!!)
Opinion: I really liked this, but I knew there was no hope of me ever spending the money on a full sized version.
Purchase?: No, this is way too expensive for me.

La Roche-Posay Anthelios 60 Ultra Light Sunscreen Fluid
Opinion: I decided to mix up my moisturizing routine by adding a little bit of sunscreen to use up this sample. This was actually very nice for a sunscreen. It didn't reek like most sunscreen, and it was indeed very light and not greasy. 
Purchase?: Probably not. I have some other products with SPF in them. Also, I really like the spray on stuff when I'm outside in the summer and need some good protection

Clinique All About Eyes
Opinion: This was nice enough. It worked about as well as most eye creams I have tried, which means I did not notice much of a difference.
Purchase?: No. I'll be saving up for the Bare Minerals one.

IT Cosmetics Confidence in a Cream Moisturizing Super Cream
Opinion: I swear everything this brand makes gets hyped up beyond belief. That being said, this was a very nice product. It was probably the thickest moisturizer I have ever used. 
Purchase?: Since this is so thick, a little does go a long way. However, it is still a bit overpriced for me.

Tarte Maracuja Bronzing Serum
Opinion: I got this forever ago in Glossy Box. It was probably the first fake tanner I ever used. I was scared to put it on my face at first, but the effect was very subtle. You can still use it a few days in a row and build up a little more color though. I did not like the smell, which I think was like fake tanner mixed with maple syrup. The consistency was also very weird. If you did not rub it into your face very quickly, it got pretty sticky. I used this bottle up by applying every few days so my face would match my foundation further into winter. 
Repurchase?: Likely not. I think I will be sticking to Jergen's for my fake tanning needs from here on out.

Miscellaneous:



Eva NYC Hungry Hair Oil Treatment
Price: $20.00 for 3.38 oz
Opinion: I don't have anything to say about this product besides the packaging is TERRIBLE. It's in a glass freaking that dripped all over the place and made a huge mess. It looks like the full sized is the same way.
Purchase?: Ugh no. I can get cheaper hair oils that do not make messes.

Vince Camuto Amore
Price: $85.00 for 3.4 oz
Opinion: I love perfume. I am not even very picky about the scent. I have amassed a very large collection of very small vials, bottles, and roller balls. I have been trying to go through some of it rather than hoarding it lately, so you will likely see more empties on here. I used this one up over a couple of weeks once I obtained a duplicate. I did rather enjoy doing so.
Purchase?: I need to get through some of my minis before I even consider splurging on a full sized version of any scent.