Empties #22: July 2015 – Part 1

It’s time for July’s empties! O. M. G. This is insane! I probably say this every month but time just flew by. Sometimes there’s a positive side to time flying by – because there’s less time to harp on nasty things. I’ve been working like mad to avoid the fact that I don’t enjoy my current workplace. I have made plans to move on but I’m working on them – I just need some time to make sure everything is in place, which means I just have to bear with it for a few more months. Anyway, let’s get to the empties!

Empties #20: April 2015 – Part 2

Welcome back to Part 2 of my empties post for April 2015! Do you ever feel like, when you’re nice or the responsible one, people seem to take advantage of you? This is what my April felt like – I’ve been running around helping other people and I can feel myself burning out. My to-do list for others are so long, but a lot of things are for people really close to me so I just can’t say no. Add on all of my own issues to settle – and my skin suffers. I’m going to hold back trying new stuff for the next month or so, to let my skin have a rest; so I’m guessing that next month’s empties won’t be so full! But then again, I always surprise myself. Anyway, let’s dig into my beauty trash!

The 5Min Review: Clarins Gentle Exfoliator

I’ve heard so much about this Clarins Gentle Exfoliator, especially from Caroline Hiron’s blog, but it was so hard to find – this is not sold in Singapore, I couldn’t find it online, and when I finally found it in Italy, it was sold everywhere. I finally found the last one in a countryside store and grabbed it. Can’t remember how much it cost though – at that point, I really didn’t care because I finally found it!

This is meant to be a brightening toner, with Tamarind and White Nettle to get rid of dry surface cells and enlarged pores. This contains glycolic, salicylic and tartaric acid.

This has a pretty strong chemical scent, but this does not feel as bad as it smells. I’ve tried a few other acidic toners and some of them really sting the face – but this does not. The texture is slightly thicker than a lot of toners I’ve used – it’s still liquid just not as fluid in consistency as water. I use this once a night, putting it on a cotton pad and wiping it over my face.

In short, I like it – it’s not drying on my skin, and doesn’t sting. I feel like it keeps pimples at bay, and my skin feels slightly less congested when I’m using it regularly, but I can’t really see the brightening effect. I wouldn’t go out of my way to find it again though – I don’t think it did enough for me to scour the entire world for it but if it’s convenient for you then I would recommend it.

Empties #18: February 2015 – Part 2

I love making lists. Especially when it’s lists of empties! Here’s a ginormous list for Part 2 of February’s empties… it’s going to be a really long list, so I hope everyone enjoys reading these lists too! There’s tons of sachets, skincare, and a lot more makeup this month so let’s get to it!

Empties #17: January 2015 – Part 2

Welcome back everyone, to part 2 of my January 2015 empties! I’ve got a few makeup items this time round, and a lot more skincare products, so let’s cracking on!

Empties #15: November 2014 – Part 1

Feels like every alternate month, I have a huge chunk of empties! This month I will be adding a little system to make running through and doing short reviews on a ton of empties easier. Yes, I kinda copied or adapted this scoring system from someone else. Please don’t be mad with me if it looks similar to yours; copying is the best form of flattery! It just means that I think you have something great going on there! Okay, with that out of the way, let’s get on to my empties this month!

Empties #11: July 2014 – Part 1

Hi everyone! It’s empties time again! Another large empties post – managed to accumulate A LOT of products; some completed, and some too old and needed to be thrown out. I routinely check through my stash every few months and toss out items that are bad, expired or opened for too long.

I don’t always follow the expiry date for makeup – I toss it if it’s no longer in good condition/quality and sometimes if it’s too old, but I’m quite strict about doing so for skincare products. I don’t know why, since it all goes onto my face! Anyway, let’s see what empties I have this month!

Midweek Peek #13: Serums & Essence I’m Currently Using

I’m a skincare addict so at any one time, I have several different skincare products in each category in rotation. A quick peek today on some of the serums and essence that I’m now using. To me, essence and serums are pretty much the same thing – both have concentrated amounts of active ingredients that targets specific purposes. I use them after cleansing and toning, and before all other creams and oils.

My daytime serum has been the Sulwhasoo First Care Activating Serum; this is very lightweight, with an amazing ginseng scent. I use this during the day because it’s not sticky at all and does not cause my makeup to shift around despite the tropical Singapore weather and humidity.

The Clarins Shaping Facial Lift is something that I apply to my neck when I remember to – this is more for prevention; I don’t have saggy skin yet so I don’t know if it works. This has a rather thick cream-like texture but absorbs quickly without leaving a sticky film. My mum loves using this too.

I picked up the O.S.T Original Pure Vitamin C20 Serum after reading a lot of great reviews, particularly on healing scars and skin brightening. I use this at night; the texture is really thick and sticky, so I usually mix a drop or two with other more fluid serums. It takes a while to sink in, but I feel that my skin does appear to be brighter and clearer since I started using this.

A new addition to my night time routine is the Skinc Skin Regenerate Vitamin A Serum which I recently received in a beauty box; meant to help with uneven skin tone and dark eye circles, this has little beads that pop on application. The texture is light and watery, and absorbs really quickly, but I havent been using this long enough to see results.

Lancome Visionaire Advanced Skin Corrector is something that I have been trying to finish up; this is really expensive but I’m unable to use it on a daily basis as it causes me breakouts if used consistently. I don’t see any improvements in my skin and I won’t be repurchasing.

Other than these, I also rotate in other sample size serums from beauty boxes regularly. I like to rotate products not just because I love trying new products, but I also think the skin can get used to a certain product when used over prolonged periods. There are also days where I feel my skin requires specific care – like moisture, blemish-control, soothing, etc; these requires specific products to meet the needs.

What are the serums that you’re loving right now? Do you rotate between different serums too?

Unboxing: The Little Black Beauty Box June 2014

Yes, another beauty box! After the wonderful beauty box from Vanity Trove last month, I decided to give another beauty box a try. This month I decided to try a different company so I googled for “beauty boxes in Singapore” and randomly chanced upon StyleXStyle. Incidentally, they were coming out with a beauty box – they don’t do beauty boxes regularly but there was one coming out in June and will be a collaboration with Tangs.

For non-Singaporeans reading this post, Tangs is a department store, with a really big beauty hall that carries mainly high end and exclusive brands. I love shopping at the Tangs beauty hall! At S$22.90, I thought it was a great price to sample from high end brands and also wanted to check out the new beauty box service! Are you curious about what’s inside it?

Empties #8: April 2014 – Part 1

I had to split up this month’s empties into 2 posts because there were just too many products – which is a good sign! I could be typing forever if I did it all in 1 post! I tried to split them by type, but thought if I tried to show all the bath items in 1 post then it would be pretty boring. So, random it is!

1. Petitfee Collagen & CoQ10 Hydro Gel Essence Mask
2. My Beauty Diary Birds Nest Mask
3. Clearderm Herb Essence Mask
4. Dermal Royal Jelly Collagen Essence Mask
5. Dermal Grape Collagen Essence Mask
6. My Beauty Diary Earl Grey Tea & Macaron Sheet Mask
Used up another bunch of sheet masks. I love using sheet masks! They’re so convenient and relaxing, great for an after-work quick pampering.

7. Pangea Organics Japanese Matcha Tea Facial Mask
I like the scent and how it works both as a mask, and as a scrub upon removal. However, I don’t like how it claims to “do everything all at once” (including deep-cleanse, detoxify, exfoliate, tone, hydrate, prevent wrinkles, nourish, protect and balance), and then ask you to follow up with a moisturizer and oil. I thought it’s supposed to do everything?

8. Ciracle Good-bye Blackhead Blackhead Off Cotton Mask
This is a really weird mask – it’s actually a sheet mask for the nose, and then followed up with a cotton bud to wipe off excess sebum, and then extract the other blackheads. The mask is suppose to dissolve blackheads to make extraction easier, but I’m not a big fan… it smells strongly of chemicals and I don’t feel that it is good for my skin.

9. Clarins Extra-Comfort Cleansing Cream
Reviewed here. A nice comfortable cleansing cream, but not one for makeup removal. I like using it when my skin is feeling extra sensitive.

10. Make Up Store Brush Cleansing Soap
The second one I’ve used up; I’ve just repurchased another two and I love it! It’s my preferred method for cleaning brushes; review will be up soon!

11. Love More Deep Hydrating Aqua Brulee
Reviewed here. I like the texture but find it not moisturizing enough.

12. L’occitane Shower Gel 3 Essential Oils
Just a little shower gel that I bring along to the gym; took it from a hotel stay – nothing special about it, and I won’t pay to purchase it.

13. Sally Hansen Mega Shine Extended Wear Top Coat
14. Sally Hansen Complete Care Extra Moisturizing 4-in-1 Treatment
A couple of nail items that has dried out. I don’t think they did very much; the top coat did not give enough shine, especially as compared to Seche Vite, even though it claims to be “mega shine”. And I just don’t use the treatment consistently enough to see a difference in my nails.

15. Simple Kind to Skin Soothing Facial Toner
Reviewed here. I really liked this; simple, affordable and does the job well.

16. Tsubaki Head Spa Shampoo
I’m not sure if I’ve mentioned this item before but I do like this; it’s not an everyday shampoo, more of a weekly deep cleansing for the hair to get out all the gunk for the week. It’s too drying to be used daily, but I love how clean and light my hair feels after the weekly cleanse.

That’s it for the first part of my empties post! Stay tuned for part 2, which has more makeup items, soon! 🙂