June 2015 Empties/Mini Reviews

Hello hello!

Long time no blog again.... O_o|||  Hope all is well with you all!

So a lot has changed in the last month, with graduation and moving and all that. But maybe I will give that a write another time, cuz I sense this is gonna be a long post lol. Anyway! I'm obviously settled enough to be able to sit down and write a blog post ;)  By the way... I don't have my blogging camera with me... and it's kind of broken anyway -_-  so I'm not sure what to do if I want to do any kind of swatches/reviews, cuz the camera I'm using now automatically corrects tones and makes colors more vivid @_@  and I'm not really in the place to invest in a new camera. So we'll see. I love doing quick reviews on Instagram but I don't think foundation reviews are ever complete without application photos >_<

Now let's talk about the products I finished over the last few months!

1. Aveda Stress-Fix Body Lotion

I had it for a long time, but I rarely used it because I was always trying to save it for when I'm feeling extra stressed or tired LOL. I really like the lavender scent of this body lotion... it's not the fake, icky type of lavender scent that is so common among many lavender scented products. I found the scent to really be relaxing and soothing :) anyway I decided I needed to stop just hoarding my nice/expensive products and saving them for special occasions and just use them while they're still fresh LOL. Will I repurchase? Yes! But only when I'm feeling spendy... this I consider a luxury/pampering product lol. In terms of how well it moisturizes... it's decent. It gets more points in the scent department; the "moisturization" is just so-so.


2. Ryo Hair Mask

Err... forgot the name of this product. Sowee! XD  I think it contains ginseng and is supposed to smell like ginseng... but for some reason, it totally reminds me of this Chinese dessert... the red bean soup thingy


↑ This. LOL!! I swear every time I used it I wanted a bowl of red bean soup hahaha. It was a hair mask but I just used it as a conditioner. It was alright. Nothing special. I didn't purchase this it was a free gift.


3. The Face Shop Rice Water Bright Cleansing Foam

To be fair, I think it's an okay cleanser but somehow I just got so sick of the scent @_@ For some reason the scent really started to bother me. So about half way through I just started using it as a body wash so I can use it up quickly LOL. Waste not! Won't repurchase. By the way, I threw out the Rice Water Bright Cleansing Cream (please refer here) cuz it was SUCH A PAIN IN THE ASS to use. Takes wayy too long to work makeup off my face (namely... my super waterproof mascaras) I officially write off cleansing balms/creams... just gonna stick with cleansing oils from now on. Oh and I also tossed out the Screen Cell Cushion.


4. Wen Lavender Re Moist Intensive Hair Treatment

It was good. Can't think of anything else to add cuz I feel like I already talked about Wen too much in the past LOL. Won't repurchase.


5. DHC supplement for slimming

Bought this when I was in Japan. I can't really read Japanese but I understand this is for slimming (how though I'm not sure). I got it because I was curious as to if it actually works or not. Ummm I noticed no difference XD Didn't notice any appetite changes or anything. Nor did I notice any diarrheal effects. Hahahaha.


6. Skin MD Natural Shielding Lotion

This is my replacement for my favorite summer moisturizer-- Shiseido Pure Matifying Moisturizer. It's really light and great for summer! Also an awesome medium for mixing heavier creams/lotions. Will repurchase. Although since my recent move I'm now at a much drier climate... not sure if this will be enough. Currently still using Cetaphil and it works great.


7. Innisfree the Green Tea Seed Serum

I mentioned before this thing broke me out all over my face. Was gonna give it away to friends but none of them were interested lol was gonna try to sell it but it isn't the most practical cuz the shipping fees alone are ridiculous. So I used it on my body LOL. Interestingly when I used it on my body, because it's a gel formulation, I feel like after the initial moisturized feeling, my skin would actually feel dried out O_O didn't notice that when I used it on my face, but then again I didn't use it on my face for that many times and I use a lot more follow-up products on my face. For those who don't know... it's extremely fragranced... I wouldn't describe it as a herbally scent (which is usually typical of Innisfree products)... smells like a cleanser to me. 


8. Aveda Rosemary Mint Hand and Body Wash

My favorite body wash O_O! This was a sample gift. If you don't like mint you obviously want to stay away from this XD But it has a nice cooling effect and I just love the smell. Also it doesn't leave that residue-feeling some body washes do. Will I purchase? Ehhh too expensive. Hahaha. I'll stick with drugstore body washes and soaps.


9. Michael Todd Jojoba Charcoal Facial Scrub

To be fair I remember liking it and it is a nice and effective facial scrub. But I just prefer my St. Ives scrubs with salicylic acid treatment. So I ended up using this to scrub my underarms LOL. Ehhh TMI?  It gets kind of messy though... I have to make sure to rinse my bathroom walls/tub cuz the black stuff gets everywhere.

10. Clinique Smart Custom-Repair Serum

Already talked about this before. Holy grail status. Smooths away flaky skin and helps skin repair faster. Already repurchased. I don't use it every day-- only use it when I need it in case my skin gets too used to it. 


11. Evian Mineral Water Spray

Also an old product. I prefer canisters over spritz bottles cuz I found they dispense the mist more evenly. I haven't really been using mists that much as of late... may or may not repurchase.


12. Dr. Hauschka Eye Contouring Day Balm

Why this is called a day balm still mystifies me to this date. How on earth do you use this during day time??? It really is a balm... I don't know how anyone can apply makeup over this thing without it creasing/slipping off. I used it at night. It didn't do anything for me. Glad to get rid of it. Will not repurchase.


13. A'PIEU Essential Source Snail Vital Cream

Was super excited to try this but it broke me out as well... think I've mentioned that before?? Anyway so I also used it as a body moisturizer. It's a very thick clear gel formulation... kind of reminds me of sleeping masks but even thicker. Didn't smell like anything. Actually, as a body moisturizer, it wasn't bad :P  Will not repurchase obviously.


14. Innisfree Long Wear Cushion

Had a full review, as well as follow-up here. I technically haven't used it all the way up yet... but pretty close. The reason I have to toss it out is because it started to smell funny. I tried applying it on my face cuz I felt like it was such a waste XD It still performed great but it did break me out hahahahaha so it was time to go. I still love the formula and think it's an awesome cushion and I love the way it makes my skin look... but I think cushions just aren't that hygienic. However I wouldn't say I won't repurchase this though... I might :P


15. YSL Le Teint Touche Eclat Illuminating Foundation

You guys are probably sick of me talking about this foundation, but it was my holy grail winter liquid foundation. It is SO GOOD. I think I've had it for a couple of years?? (Hahaha yeah not advisable... should try to finish it within 6months-1 year after opening) and I loved it for the two years that I was using it. However, I haven't missed it as much as I thought I would be O_O maybe because I could only use it for winter only anyway, but I've been using the Innisfree Smart Foundation in Super Moisture and I'm pretty darn happy with that one as well. The formulations for the two are not comparable because they're pretty different, but in terms of the finish, I think it's kind of comparable-- they both give that super nice and glowy dewy finish. Innisfree perhaps more "moist" looking than YSL. 


Sample fest!! Haha


16. Caudalie Vinoperfect Radiance Serum-- Ehh didn't do anything for me
17. Sisley Ecological Compound Emulsion-- I remember really enjoying it but I can't remember why hahahaha XD I think I liked it but not enough to splurge
18. Lunasol Moist Conditioner-- It's nice! I liked it! Very moisturizing toner. Thought about purchasing it but I already have some awesome toners that do much more than moisturizing XD
19. Obagi Vitamin C Serum (10%)-- Got the sample when I was in Japan. It's nice... and it smelled so good O_O But I've used better products for brightening lol. 


20. Dermalogica Skin Hydrating Masque

Really good moisturizing mask if you guys are looking for something like that :) it's my staple when I'm flying long haul flights. I also apply it to the rest of my face when I apply clay masks to my nose lol. Don't think I will ever purchase the full-size product cuz this little sample/travel size lasted me quite a long time.  I would've repurchased it except I wasn't able to find the travel size the last time I looked on Amazon. 


 
21. Innisfree Skinny Microcara (brown)-- This is the none waterproof version. Will not repurchase. I prefer the waterproof version... it's easier to remove with my cleansing oils O_O Also I don't like the color of this brown mascara... it's too light... also on the red brown side. I found it just blends my lashes into my eyeliner. Not a good brown color. I think a deeper brown would've worked so much better. Anyway I have a bunch of Majolica Majorca mascaras now so I won't be repurchasing any of the Innisfree microcaras lol. To be fair, I do like the regular black waterproof skinny microcaras. Although they tend to be on the dry and clumpy side midway through the tube.

22. Integrate mascara primer-- it's decent. It definitely grew on me as I was using it, but at the same time I don't really miss it when it's gone. I prefer Majolica Majorca mascara primer. But it does the job-- holds curls and volumizes.  


23. Caudalie Premier Cru La Creme Riche sample

I enjoyed it! It's on the thicker and heavier side so I usually mix it with Cetaphil or SkinMD. It was a free sample and while I enjoyed it, I don't like it enough to splurge on the actual product. The smell reminds me of calamine lol.


24. DHC L-carnitine supplement



So I bought it because I thought it's supposed to help with more efficient metabolism... I misunderstood the picture and Kanji XD  I think it's actually intended for aging/dieting ppl to replace L-carnitine (amino acid). Haha. Uhhhh. I don't need this at all LOLLLL. I didn't have Internet with me when I bought these -_-


25. Clarins One-Step Gentle Exfoliating Cleanser sample

I like! It's a really good exfoliator! My face feels super clean and nice and soft after using it. But I still prefer St. Ives hahaha XD What can I say... St. Ives is cheap and cheerful. I don't feel the need to splurge on the full size item =P


26. Aveda Shampure Shampoo

Aveda shampoos are LOVE. Enough said XD If you're new to Aveda and not sure what to try, this is a good one! It's basic and... the cheapest one XD I think this one is awesome for daily use. Have repurchased.


27. First Aid Beauty Ultra Repair Cream sample

Already talked about it on my Instagram XD So here it is

New skincare that I was testing out. It was LOVE 👍 tbh, I was never interested in first aid beauty... Simply bcuz their packaging never attracted me 😓😂 this being the "ultra repair cream" and "intense therapy" led me to think that this moisturizer should be super thick and heavy duty. To my surprise, it was so light 😳 but so effective. This is one of these moisturizers that don't do anything special, but I just love the way it applies and how my skin feels after. This sample lasted me a good 2.5 weeks 😳 (I mostly only used it at night though). Sad it was finished. This gets a big 👍 from me and is definitely something I would purchase in the future 👌PS. It contains colloidal oatmeal... No wonder it's so good 😝 I'm so oatmeal-biased hehe 😁#firstaidbeauty #sephora #beautyblogger #bblogger #review #instareview #skincare #moisturizer

A photo posted by Frances (@bbudgie) on Jun 8, 2015 at 12:18am PDT

That's  all I have! Hope you guys enjoyed this "quick" one. Have you guys tried any exciting products as of late? I feel like there have been a lot new launches but nothing has piqued my interest.  Did I just jinx myself by saying that? LOL. Anyhow, I really ought to control my spendings anyway >_< I spent enough on the last Sephora haul as it is.

Hope you guys are enjoying the summer weather! WEAR SPF!!!!!! Lol.


<3 Frances

February 2015 Empties

Hello everybody!!

You know what it is... so I'm just gonna get right into it (so sleepy... LOL. Just waiting for my yogurt mask to sink in). Here's my empties over the last few months =)

----------------That intro was clearly written on a different day LOL-------------------

1. Caudalie Polyphenol Anti-Wrinkle Defensive Serum

Another sample... honestly I used it up so long ago I can't really remember much about it. I think I've reviewed this in another empties before. Nice but nothing exciting? 


2. Dove Nourishing Oil Care Shampoo & Conditioner 

I think drugstore wise this is my favorite line of shampoo. Smells really nice too. But since I've gone back to using Aveda... I won't be repurchasing these lol. For drugstore though I definitely recommend it =)


3. Fresh Sugar lip balm

This thing is SO OLD. It's been like this for a really long time at the bottom of my drawer lol. I just decided it's time to toss it out. I remember really liking it back then =) The color is really nice. In terms of moisturizing/nourishing properties... it's very buttery and nice but I didn't find it amazing/mind-blowingly good. This was a free birthday gift from Sephora I believe. While I enjoyed it, I will never pay the full price for this product.


4. Aussie 3 Minute Miracle "Strong" conditioner

I usually get the "Moisturize" one but I spotted this and got curious. Couldn't resist a new product =P it was good... I think the same formula as the blue/moisturize one. Won't repurchase cuz I prefer the scent of the blue/moisturize one. 



5. LUSH "Big" Sea Salt Shampoo

I believe it also comes in a shampoo bar form, which I've also tried before. They're the same thing and I got the same experiences/results. Already did a review on Instagram so here it is

Review: LUSH "BIG" Sea Salt Shampoo. I'm not sure why but with sea salt shampoos, I noticed I only get good results when I use this very sparingly. My hair would feel fluffy, voluminous and weightless. However when I use it consecutively (like if I use it two days in a row), then the second day the result is just like my any other typical drugstore shampoo. Weird. Anyway so I only use this occasionally. I'm very 50/50 abt this product... Like I won't mind repurchasing and using it again, but I won't feel sad to do without it. For the price however, most likely won't repurchase 😆 also one thing I really hate is the container. No matter how tightly I screw the lid, it always gets loose and water would get in there. Really annoying 😒 #lush #seasaltshampoo #seasalt #shampoo #review #hair #beautyblogger

A photo posted by Frances (@bbudgie) on Nov 8, 2014 at 9:12pm PST

6. LUSH Fresh Face Mask

LOL. I was clearly obsessed with them hahaha. You can see that BB seaweed is my favorite :) The only one I don't have here is the Cosmic Warrior. I did purchase that one, but after using it two times, I just gave up. It smelled DISGUSTING. I kept feeling like I have bad/rotten garlic on my face. ME NO LIKE. I had to take it back and exchange it... I felt so bad /__\ I consider myself having high threshold for unpleasant scents but I just could not deal with the garlic one. Anyway, the ones I would probably repurchase besides BB seaweed would be Ayesha, Love Lettuce, and the Sacred Truth.


7. SK-II Facial Treatment Essence

Finally used up my 330ml bottle. If you want to see my past thoughts on this product... just go to the label section and look under SK-II, you will be able to find all of them lol. I clearly lied when I said in my last empties that I won't repurchase, cuz I did LOL. But to be completely honest, it's more of a psyche thing. It doesn't do much for me. I'm using it for preventative/anti-aging purposes. I feel safer having this... if that makes any sense? XD as a child I always saw my grandma using rice water to wash her face... and she had beautiful skin. So I really believe in the power of rice XD I tried using rice water to cleanse my face but it was so. much. hassle. -_- sense of security sure comes at a hefty price tag... LOL -_-"


8. Shu Uemura Depsea Water Facial Mist (Lavender)

I wonder if it's meant to say "deep sea water"??? LOL. Anyway, this product is OLD as well (haha prob shouldn't have tried to use it up but it smells fine XD). I got it in a value set ages ago. It was my second bottle.  I LOVE the scent of this... it's not the kind of gross lavender scent you get from some products, very relaxing. But otherwise it's just water and nothing special.  Anyway, while I enjoyed it, I for sure would not spend $25 on this... Just get Evian or Avene or something. They do the same thing and are much cheaper (minus the lavender scent though lol).


9. Chloe Perfumed Body Lotion

Sorry if the bottle looks nasty. This was a free sample size that I got from Sephora. This sample was the reason why now I'm obsessed with the Chloe perfume XD I got a new full size of this lotion in a value set from Nordstrom =D but I haven't used it yet haha. Think I will just stick to the perfume from now on (if I don't get tired of it that is lol) cuz I feel like having the lotion is kind of overkill.... aka too luxurious XD



10. REM Micro Polish Cleanser

Honestly when I saw this in my "empties bag"... I was like... huh??? Did I use this??? LOL. But then I remembered! I ended up using this to scrub my underarms (aka armpits... underarms sound so much nicer HAHAHA) to prevent ingrown hairs after epilating. So in short, good and effective, but too harsh for the face for my liking. If you think St. Ives scrubs are harsh, then for sure you wouldn't like this.


11. Shiseido Pureness Matifying Moisturizer

Used to be my favorite moisturizer for the summer =) super light, watery gel consistency. But after I discovered the SkinMD moisturizer, which in my opinion is very similar to this, just gonna stick with SkinMD instead cuz it's much cheaper =D Don't get me wrong I still think this is a good product especially if you have oily skin and just want something super super light, but it's just not that cost-effective for me.



12. SK-II Skin Signature moisturizer and Cellumination Deep Surge EX

These are super old as well... and the reason why I only used them up now is because I forgot about them -__-" I actually bought these sample size jars from Sasa.com a long long time ago. I remember trying out the Skin Signature and it broke me out in red little bumps all over my face (usually happens when a skincare is too rich for me I believe). Tried the Cellumination one and same thing. Was gonna try and sell them but that never happened lol so it they were just sitting in my drawer. Anyway I ended up mixing them with my body moisturizers XD heyyy why not. Might as well get my money's worth (not really... but you know XD) I loved it when I used the cellumination one on my body O_o I can definitely feel my skin much smoother and hydrated when I used that one. Can't tell the difference from the Signature one. Anyway, since these don't work for my face, I'm obviously not planning on purchasing the full size items. Maybe I will revisit them in 5-10 years or something lol. 


13. Majolica Majorca Lash Expander Edge Meister Mascara and Innisfree Skinny Microcara (Waterproof)

Edge Meister-- Y'all know Majolica Majorca makes my favorite mascaras... but this isn't my favorite from them. Reason being it's packed full of fibers and I found that with fiber-rich mascaras, as they start drying out (as you keep using them... not because the caps don't screw tight lol)... the fibers just kind of stick out and poke my eyes. This mascara is no exception. Will I repurchase? Well... I did. A LOT of them O_o but it was because they were on sale for 15% off!!! And usually MJ mascaras don't ever go on sale!! So I went cray cray even though they're not my favorite haha. Did a review if you guys want to see this mascara in action. I neither recommend or not recommend this mascara... depends on how you feel about fiber mascaras.


Innisfree-- I actually used up two of those, but I have no idea where the other one went O_O must have tossed it out by accident. Anyway, since I did use up 2 of them, obviously I repurchased XD I liked it a lot initially... but I noticed as these dry up, they get quite clumpy. Really not the most flattering look. I guess I don't mind this particular mascara... the lengthening/volume are quite impressive... but I just don't like the formula as I make it half way through the tube. I think it's worth checking out, and I am currently working on using another one up, but I'm not planning on repurchasing. Oh by the way, no curl hold.


14. Dr. Hauschka Rose Day Cream

It's quite thick and you can see it contains some oils because as you squeeze out the product, you can see a bit of the separation. I enjoyed it but I think I just got tired of it toward the end lol. It was nice though =) Really good for winter. Not planning on repurchasing. 



15. GlamGlow Youthmud Tinglexfoliate Treatment

Little sample I got from Sephora. Talked about it before if you want to check that post out. It exfoliates well, does nothing to extract blackheads, but makes the bumpiness of my nose (from blackheads) smoother. I liked it, but you all know what I think about GlamGlow... wayy over-priced. $69? You've gotta be kidding me.



16. Albion Skin Conditioner, Eclafutur, Exage Moist Crystal Milk

Albion Skin Conditioner-- You all know how I feel about this toner so not gonna elaborate. LOVE. Not a toner person but still get a high from using this every morning XD

Eclafutur-- This to me, I think is kind of like the Clinique Smart Serum that I raved about. Got these samples when I was in Japan, and I wish wish WISHED that I had tried it then =( cuz I would've gone back to purchase the full size bottle. My skin was visibly smoother, brighter and plumper the next day after using it. And I noticed it helped with healing as well (which is why it reminded me of the Clinique Smart Serum). The only thing though is I don't know if it helps smooth out flakiness, which is the main reason why I am smitten with the Clinique Smart Serum. And price point wise I think it's wayy more expensive than Clinique. This to me is a luxurious product... if I can ever get it at this low Japanese currency... I will pick it up. But I'm not gonna go out of my way to purchase it (I had ample of opportunities to purchase it while I was in Taiwan but the price was so inflated... so... NO).

Exage Moist Crystal Milk-- it's called a "milk", which kind of leads you to think it's a moisturizer, but it's not. I think this is one of the best selling products from Albion. This is supposed to be an enhancer... or something. Kind of like Lancome Genifique-- you apply it after toner, and before everything else. It's supposed to help prep your skin, help all other products penetrate your skin much deeper and thus more effective. Honestly... felt no difference XD But it was only two samples, who knows. It'd be such a splurge if I do purchase it, but I'm not really convinced of the necessity of it. 



More Skin Conditioner


And more LOL. Told you the Albion MUA gave me so many samples. =)


17. Yes to Cucumbers Soothing Body Wash.

I like =) I didn't repurchase this particular scent but I got the grapefruit one. I think as far as drugstore goes, this is pretty good. Doesn't dry out my skin, but it also isn't moisturizing to the point that you feel like there's a layer of residue.


18. Embryolisse Lait-Creme Concentrate

I bought this because Pixiwoo always use it LOL. It smells very pharmaceutical. Emm... it really didn't blow me away. I think it's really nice for the winter. I can see why dry skin ppl would love it, but it's just okay for me. This thing is old too... I ended up using it as a body moisturizer as well XD


19. Banila Co. Clean It Zero

Little sample as well. Of all the cleansing balms I've tried (wait actually, have I even tried anything else other than REN?? I think the other stuff I tried were cleansing creams not balms LOL) this is probably the only one I would consider purchasing/recommend. But since I prefer cleansing oils. I won't purchase. Smells nice, effective. And I would think it's quite affordable! =)


20. Majolica Majorca Mascara Primer, Innisfree Skinny Microcara (not waterproof)

Oops, should've grouped this with the other mascara products. Oh well lol.

Majolica-- Fav mascara primer.

Innisfree-- Got this thinking it'd shorten my makeup removal process. WRONG. Since it's none-waterproof... it refuses to come off with cleansing oils. Well it does come off eventually... but that's with extra extra EXTRA massaging. Gawd such a pain in the ass. I ended up just using my cleansing oil to remove everything else, then hop into shower and let the warm water do its job. But then since I have mascara primer underneath... I have to pay extra attention to wash my eye area with my facial cleanser to make sure there is no residue. My regret purchase lol. Should've just stuck with the WP version.


21. Za Ever Brows

Yay!!! Finally used it up =DDDDD Well you can see I have a teeny tiny bit of product left, but it's to the point that the plastic part scrapes against my brows when I try to fill them in, so it's time for it to retire =D first brow product I've ever used up!! So excited XD Prob wouldn't be my first brow product to use up if I hadn't make a conscious effort to though. Liked it. Worth checking out. Not my fav. Review here.




22. Clio Kill Brown Waterproof Brush Liner

So... I didn't use up this product per se... It dried out on me =________________________= I prob got less than 20 uses out of it... what a waste. I think I mentioned on my Instagram that for a liquid/pen eyeliner, I was impressed by its lasting power. I still think it was good for a liquid pen standard, but as I tried it out more, it started smudging out on me more. Don't know how it managed the minimal smearing the first few times I tried it =/ anyway. I know some ppl absolutely love this product. To each and their own. If you've never had smudging problems with liquid pen eyeliners, then you will probably like this (I wouldn't say love cuz it's on the drier side... it wipes off when repeated lined... and the color is not very opaque/intense). I just ended up using it to line my upper lash line. To me, huge waste of money, cuz Clio is on the more expensive side for drugstore. Regret.


 Whew! I actually didn't think I had that many products, but I guess I did LOL. I thought I'd be able to just breeze through this mini review/empties post, but man it took a lot longer than I thought. I hope you guys enjoyed it and it was helpful to some of you. Until my next post, take care, stay warm, and be safe everyone ^_~


<3 Frances

20% Off Haul from Wholefoods, Beauty.com, and Sephora!

Hi guys,

Ummm... if you can believe it, this haul is even bigger than the last -_-...
I'm actually quite surprised that I haven't seen many haul videos/posts on Youtube/blog =( at least not from the people I subscribed to. I love seeing what others buy!!  Oh well, since I have a lot to share, let's just get right into it ^_^

Wholefoods:

So Wholefoods was having a 5-day 20% off all Dr. Hauschka's prodcuts, and I jumped! I've always wanted to try out Dr. Hauschka ever since learning about it from Lisa Eldridge, what better time to try out the products? :) I later found out that Beauty.com carries Dr. Hauschka's products too LOL.


1. Dr. Hauschka Eye Contour Day Balm




Ingredients:



I desperately need a new/good eye cream cuz the fine lines underneath my eyes are getting OUT OF CONTROL. The perks of aging. LOL. Been using it for about 2 weeks now? It's alright, haven't noticed any difference =/ Glad I bought this with discount otherwise I wouldn't think it's worth the price. Also I don't understand why it's called a Day Balm? It's a balm texture so there's a certain ointment/oily quality to it, and I obviously cannot use that under my makeup. I just use it as a nighttime eye cream lol. Some people might not like it for the balmy texture. Also, it doesn't sink in immediately, so for those who don't like having products hang around on your face, you might not like this (but it does get fully absorbed while I sleep, because when I wake up in the morning it's completely gone... or maybe it just got rubbed of?? LMAO).



2. Dr. Hauschka Rose Day Cream

I have been using it every day, although I don't feel like I've been using a lot of it, it does seem like it's going pretty fast.

Ingredients:

I was debating between the Melissa Day Cream and this one, but in the end went for this one because it's described to be suitable for sensitive skin. I don't know about the calming effects, but so far I'm extremely happy with it. It's thick so I like to apply it to my face while my face is still damp to help it spread, but it's super moisturizing and I'm loving the way my skin looks in the morning. I don't know, I feel like my skin has been looking less tired in the morning since using this??? Does that even make sense? lol. Anyway, super happy with this and will be trying the Melissa Day Cream next.



3. MyChelle Capillary Calming Serum




Ingredients:





You guys all know about my obsession with my redness in my face lol. I will admit since using oatmeal to cleanse my face the redness in my skin has gone down considerably, but that doesn't stop me from being intrigued by this product XD I really love the scent of this product... it's a very soothing herbal scent, I feel really calm/relaxed whenever I apply this :) However, so far noticed no difference. Also my face always feels kind of itchy after using this??? My face doesn't turn red or break out or anything from this product, it just itches and it goes away after a while. Since I noticed no difference (and it's been about 2 weeks), I will be returning this.





Next, my haul from Beauty.com

Nothing new there, just stocking up on essentials :)




Origins Mega-Mushroom Skin Relief Face Cleanser and  Skin Relief Face Cream. You guys all know about the gist about my skin sensitivity problem and this is the only product that actually calms my skin (besides natural yogurt mask). If you're on a budget, I would recommend trying out the face cleanser first, because it is quite effective as well. Can't live without this cleanser :P I decided to pick up the face cream as well since I I have used this quite a lot this year and I'm almost running out.


Last but not least, from Sephora:



1. Clinique Even Better Dark Circle Corrector


Ingredients:


Ingredients continued:

Bought this because my dark circles are also going out of control lol. Although the best solution is probably to just go to bed early haha. Right now I'm using the Dr. Hauschka eye cream and the bareMinerals eye cream I bought a while ago so it will be a while before I get to this eye cream hahahahaha. Or I might just open it and start using it XD

2. YSL Rouge Pur Couture Glossy Stain



Got the colors in 9, 23 and 29.
.
Guys this is probably one of my top 3 exciting makeup items I've bought this year... >.<

I will admit I'm really not a gloss person, and if you've been reading my blog for a while you will notice I almost never use gloss. Lipsticks nowadays have such supreme and moisturizing texture, so I never feel the need to use glosses to make my lips look extra dewy. In fact, a lot of times I feel like glosses actually dry my lips out instead of moisturizing them. Plus not a fan of the stickiness of glosses (my hair always got stuck to my lips when I used to wear gloss haha).

So when YSL glossy stain came out and despite all the rave reviews that followed its "debut," I was just not interested at all. But last month when I went shopping with a friend, she wanted to buy a glossy stain so we stopped by a YSL counter. While she was trying out the colors, I decided to try some on because they looked amazing on her. I literally was not expecting anything but immediately I was BLOWN AWAY. The gloss is not sticky, and does not feel drying at all. That coupled with the amazing colors, I was immediately sold. I walked around the mall for the rest of the day and 4 hours later, the color AND the glossy finish were still there. On top of that my lips still felt moisturized. Fabulous! But I will say if you do eat and drink then the stain/gloss does not last at all. In that respect Revlon balm stains actually last longer than YSL lol because those do last through eating. I never thought I would see the day where I would splurge $34 on a gloss (but I had 20% off =D), let alone 3 at one go. But alas, my friends, it has happened. And worth it. Highly recommend!


3. Phyto 7 Dry Hair Hydrating Day Cream with 7 Plants




Ingredients:

Been wanting to try this ever since seeing Lisa Eldridge talk about this in her favorite hair products/tools video. I have to say, I am SUPER impressed! Kind of shocked at how good it is; the texture just feels like your ordinary cream, but omg it makes my hair SO SOFT, SO SMOOTH, SO TANGLE-FREE. I also only use a tiny bit at the ends of my hair, so hopefully it will last me for a while. Highly recommend as well!


4. REN Rosa Centifolia No.1 Purity Cleansing Balm


Ingredients:

Note: The top ingredient is sweet almond oil. Unlike *coughs* Eve Lom, which the top ingredient is mineral oil and lanolin -_-"


Been intrigued about this cleansing balm ever since Claire mentioned it her her favorites video. Wasn't going to purchase it this time since I'm still working on two cleansing oils, but after trying it out in the store I was like oOoOOooohhhhh O_O+  Super excited for this. It's ridiculously expensive but you only need a little bit so hopefully it will last me for a good amount of time. I also picked up the REN BB cream sample while I was at the store, and I have to say I am super impressed with that too. It has sheer coverage so not what is typically expected from BB creams, but I adore the texture and the feel of it. I'm gonna be good and work on finishing my current 4 foundations though >_<

So that's the end of my haul! What did you guys buy from the Friends & Family sale?? Please do share!

Now onto other products I was contemplating purchasing but didn't end up buying because I didn't like them after trying out samples:

1. Murad Renewing Eye Cream



So originally I was planning on purchasing the Murad Renewing Eye Cream recommended by TiffanyD, since she said it helped with her lines, but I got a sample from Sephora and it broke me out -__- yep, it broke me out around my eyes, also on my cheeks (how did that happen?? LOL). Happy I tried it out first before buying it since it's no good for me.

2. GlamGlow Supermud

Also another product recommended by TiffanyD from that same video. Also got a sample from Sephora. It's basically a blend of different kinds of acids lol. I will say it helped smoothing the bumpy texture of my nose from the blackheads, but did nothing about diminishing them. Again, happy I tried it out before committing myself to the full-size product. Guess the best treatment for blackheads is just squeeze them out lol.


Now, onto other things on my wishlist but did not end up buying:

1. Dior Rosy Glow Healthy Glow Awakening Blush

This have been on my wishlist FOREVER ever since I saw it on Jen's blog. But $44 for a blush....... -__-" CANNOT JUSTIFY. This will have to wait until I'm rich LOL.


3. Marc Jacobs Honey Perfume


If you've read my recent blog posts you knew that I intended to purchase the full size. Well, it was originally on my list, but since I got distracted by the YSL glossy stains O_o I decided to forgo this perfume for now. Yes YSL glossy stain >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> perfume XD Plus I already bought two perfumes this year X_x I don't know, I might not end up purchasing this perfume after all. I still think Dot suits me best :P We'll see if I still like this perfume next year.

3. Dior Creme de Rose Smoothing Plumping Lip Balm


I'm not sure exactly who I've heard this product from... might be Hollyannaeree?? I can't remember lol I just know I've been seeing this a lot on Youtube lately. It's really funny because sometimes all the Youtube gurus I follow would all of a sudden be talking about/recommending the same products... which makes me wonder if we all watch the same channels? haha.


5. Dolce & Gabbana The Eyeshadow Smooth Eye Colour Quad in Desert 123

Yep, you've seen this before, and yep, still lusting after it. But I hardly bother with eye shadows on a daily basis... so... will not collect this in a very long time, hahaha. I just like to keep it in my "love" list and admire it XD

6. Bumble and Bumble Surf Spray


Saw this in Jenn's favorites video and I LOVE the effect it has on her hair! But as I hardly bother with hair-styling... XD Tried it in the store the other day and I feel like it gave my hair more texture/volume??? Maybe because of the sea salt in there drying my hair out???? (although my hair didn't really feel dry, but I read some reviews complaining about how this product really dries out the hair). Might try out the mini size of this eventually. Desperately need volume in my hair LOL.

That's all I have! Man I feel like there are so many product reviews I want to do but time just hasn't really permitted me to do so... =( Bear with me guys. The glossy stain swatches will definitely be coming soon though cuz I'm just way too overly excited about them =P

Have a lovely rest of the weekend guys!

<3 Frances