May/June/July 2020 Edition
Wow, we are here. Towards the beginning of the second half of 2018 – I swear time flies, doesn’t it? Before you know it, the Christmas prep and shopping would have begun. Its a little scary just how quickly time has flown this year.
Its been a while since I last did an empties post and I think I have accumulated quite a significant amount empties. The past few months have been a little bit of a blur and I haven’t been so great at keeping up to date with products I have used up. However, I am proud of myself for using up quite a few products. So much so, I do think I have to split this into two parts! Here’s a little taste (part one) of what I have been using up since May.
***Please note anything with a * has been kindly gifted to me without the expectation of a review. These are my own honest opinions, and the reason why I am writing about them is…well…they are empty! Any links marked with a ^ is an affiliate link which helps me to support my blog. I won’t be offended if you don’t use them!
J.One Skincare Jelly Pack*
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There was a time where Hourglass’ Veil Primer was my go to, and don’t get me wrong it was (and still is) a great primer. However, the J.One Jelly Pack is now my primer of choice and my all time favourite due to the dewy/natural finish it gives my makeup and the fact foundation just clings to this and wears so wonderfully throughout the day.
The J.One Jelly Pack has a really interesting texture that takes a while to get used to at first. Typical of Korean Beauty products – this jelly pack has a unique texture – it comes out of the pump like a gel but when applied it feels ‘sticky’. Don’t stress, – this sticky feeling soon disappears once foundation has been applied over the top and what it reveals is a really beautiful glowy radiance.
I find that makeup just clings so well to this and barely moves throughout the day. My NARS Sheer Glow, for instance, stays put that little longer when I use the J. One Jelly Pack. I find that I don’t look at all greasy or undone at the end of the day, it even performs well in the summer heat. However what I love the most about the J.One Jelly Pack is quite simply, my makeup lasts on my combination skin – without that silicone feeling that we often find with primers. I find that my skin feels and looks more luminous, hydrated and plump when using this primer, compared to others I have tried in the past. Foundation doesn’t ‘settle’ and skin doesn’t look as dry when I choose this primer in the morning over others.
Marketed as an ‘all in one’, I honestly haven’t tried this as a mask or as a moisturiser – for me, this has primarily been used as a primer with the added bonus of ‘skincare’ properties. The stickiness of the product on its own probably would make it a little uncomfortable to be used solely as a skincare product for me. However as a primer – the J.One Jelly Pack absolutely performs – so much so that I have repurchased it along with the new RED version as well (which I think I may love more).
The J.One Jelly Pack can be purchased from Amazon (#ad).
Eau Thermale Avene Tolerance Emulsion*
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When it comes to simple moisturisers that is truly simple in formulation – the Avene Tolerance Emulsion is hands down an absolute winner. It’s simple, effective and short ingredients listing makes it not only perfect for those with sensitised skin but also for those who are using actives in their daily routines. The formulation of the Tolerance Emulsion is simple enough that the actives contained in serums/oil won’t interact negatively with the moisturiser itself, making this perfect for layering.
What I love about this moisturiser is that whilst it is simple enough to lock in all the active skincare products underneath, it also works extremely well to keep the skin moisturised without that heavy greasy feeling. It is also great for when skin is feeling a little sensitised, as on its own, it will work to nourish and hydrate the complexion as the formulation is just so simple (8 ingredients all up!) and will most likely not aggravate anything further.
The Avene Tolerance Emulsion comes in a 50ml tube and can be purchased from Amazon (#ad).
moss skincare Beurre Celeste Cleansing Balm*
I wrote about how much I loved this last week and of course – now I am all out of my first Beurre Celeste Cleansing Balm. Not to fret though, I’ve already purchased a back up of this. Not much else needs to be said as I’ve gone into much detail here, but overall, I would say this is a holy grail cleanser for me. It’s just THAT good.
I received my moss skincare Beurre Celeste Cleansing Balm from the Boxwalla Green Beauty Box – at USD$49.95 these boxes are of amazing value (the moss skincare June Box and the upcoming African Botanics box is a testament to that!).
African Botanics Fleurs d’Afrique Intensive Recovery Cream*
There isn’t much that African Botanics has done wrong for me when it comes to their skincare and this beautiful, luxurious cream is an absolute testament to that. It’s truly a stunning cream that takes you to another place once you open up that opulent black glass jar. I absolutely adore this night cream for many reasons and it is often a go-to of mine in the evening due to its scent, texture and the way my skin looks and feels when I wake up in the morning. I’ve written an in-depth review here if you want to know a little bit more about why I love this.
The African Botanics Fleurs d’Afrique Intensive Recovery Cream comes in a luxe, glass 60ml black jar.
African Botanics Fleurs d’Afrique Intensive Recovery Oil*
The partner in crime to African Botanic’s Intensive Recovery Cream is the luxe Fleurs d’Afrique Intensive Recovery Oil which is wonderful on its own, mixed with a moisturiser or your choice or – my personal favourite, mixed with the Intense Recovery Cream. This oil is unlike any evening oil I have used before as this luxurious concoction simply sinks into the skin so effortlessly upon application and leaves the skin looking refreshed and fantastic the next morning.
Created with exotic cocktail indigenous African plant oils and extracts, the Intensive Recovery Oil works to nourish, balance, protect and rejuvenate the complexion. Alongside these beautiful plant oils and extracts, come some great actives such as CoQ10, Vitamin C and Retinol which give the African Botanics Fleurs d’Afrique Intensive Recovery Oil a little more oomph in its formulation. These actives work gently alongside its ‘natural’ counterparts and my skin loves the effect the combination of nature and science found in this formula.
The African Botanics Fleurs d’Afrique Intensive Recovery Oil has overall worked exceptionally well to keep my skin feeling balanced, soft and revitalised the next day. Out of all the oils in the evening, I really do like to reach for this due to its lightweight texture upon application and the results I see overnight. When my skin feels a little dull or looks a little tired or stressed I will often turn to this luxurious oil as it will boost my complexion and leave it looking healthy and nourished in the morning. Not only does this oil work wonders for the complexion, the delicate yet heavenly scent of this makes it an absolute treat to use in an evening routine, reminding me very much of a walk through an exotic jasmine garden.
There are some great things going on with the African Botanics Fleurs d’Afrique Intensive Recovery Oil.
CLE Cosmetics CCC Cream
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CLE Cosmetics CCC Cream is a fantastic formulation – it works to well to be an all in one- providing colour, coverage and SPF. This white tube provides the skin with amazing coverage, blurring powers and an SPF of 45. This unique formula comes in 5 different shades and will at first appear white when squeezed out of its tube. The magic starts to happen as the CCC cream is worked into the skin, the white slowly starts to adjust the colour of the skin giving a buildable and very natural looking light to medium coverage of the skin.
What I love about the CLE Cosmetics Radiant Skin CCC Cream is the coverage it gives my skin and its ability to make my skin look almost perfect when it really isn’t. It gives a beautiful dewy finish to and blurs out my imperfections (like scarring) on the skin. The magic is in the blurring capabilities of the formula – those PIH marks or pesky spots look barely there when I apply this with medium coverage and the formulation lasts well throughout the day. On application, this did leave a slight white/grey tone to my skin, but I suspect it is more so due to the fact the colour I have isn’t quite a 100% match for me. For me, the CLE Cosmetics CCC Cream sits well and doesn’t pill underneath my daily skincare routine and overall, it performs really well and gives the skin that radiant, natural glow. I will be definitely looking to purchase this again once I have used up some of my existing foundations/tinted moisturisers but perhaps a different colour as this particular colour looked a little grey on me.
The CLE Cosmetics Radiant Skin CCC Cream comes in a 30ml tube can be purchased from Amazon.
MAC Cosmetics Prep + Prime Lip*
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A tried and true favourite and a product that I will continue to repurchase forever and ever. The MAC Lip Primer is something I highly doubt I can ever be without. Bold coloured lipsticks just stay put when I use this – whether it be matte or creamy in formulation. The littlest of feathering will occur with lipsticks that do tend to ‘wander’ and this primer works it very hardest to give the lip the smoothest foundation possible for a bold lip. When I use this lip primer for my lips, I rarely use lip liner, not just because I am lazy but I also find that I really don’t need this step for a day to day makeup look. It really is a favourite of mine and I don’t think I will ever be without.
The MAC Lip primer helps all the lip products that I use to effortlessly glide over the surface of my lips and doesn’t pull the product. The result? A near perfect pout.
MAC Cosmetics Prep + Prime Lip can be purchased from Amazon (#ad).
Drunk Elephant La La Retro Whipped Cream*
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I won a pack of Drunk Elephant’s Littles a little while ago and was looking forward to being reunited with La La Retro Whipped Cream. This moisturiser really is whipped in texture and feels so incredibly soft on the skin. It looks and feels like it is quite heavy, however, once applied this does disappear and sink into the skin beautifully. I find that it is a great moisturiser to mix with oils or wear on its own if the skin needs a little more hydration or nourishment.
In the colder months, this is perfect for my combination skin as it provides my skin with that extra boost that I need. In the summer, I would probably use this in the evenings only as it does start getting a little heavy (I like really light textures in summer). I find that this does a fantastic job of giving the skin that boost of extra nourishment and protects the skin from getting dry due to its formula which is rich in plant oils. It keeps skin that is lacking moisture and hydration looking smooth, soft and firm. Due to its relatively neutral formula, this is a great option for those who like to layer or mix oils into the moisturisers as the ingredients of La La Retro will not interact. I would consider purchasing this again the colder months as it has worked so well keeping my skin hydrated and protected from the cold and intense heating. This is a mini but a full-size version of Drunk Elephant’s La La Retro Whipped Cream is from the Amazon website (#ad).
Go To Skincare Pinky Nudey Lips!
Go To Skincare possibly makes one of the best lip balms ever (I am a huge fan of the original formulation) and I have gone through various tubes of the Lips! and Pinky-Nudey Lips! as it is after all my go to (excuse the pun) lip balm. I love the fact that this is so hydrating and nourishing for my lips. When my lips are looking quite dry and I apply Lips! on, I find the condition of my lips improves quite significantly. The Pinky-Nudey Lips! formula doesn’t feel ‘sticky’ or ‘tacky’ on the lips but instead is a really comfortable formulation to wear on its own. The added ‘tint’ to the formula is a really lovely universal ‘pinky nudey’ shade which resembles a little like NARS Dolce Vita. An added bonus to this version of the Lips! Lip balm is also the fact it has an SPF15 to it.
There’s a reason why I continue to buy (for myself and international friends) the Go to Skincare lip balms – quite simply they work wonders for. The cute packaging (and my added girl crush on founder Zoe Foster-Blake) is a bonus. Pinky Nudey Lips!
How have your empties been like this month? I would love to hear more in the comments section below!