Sorry for missing Monday's blog post!
My computer has been down for a few days now,
& typing on my ancient laptop was my last resort.
No excuses now, let's just jump into my Wednesday blog post- Empties!
For those who are unfamiliar with the concept of Empties,
it literally refers to products that I have used up in the past few weeks or months.
I have always enjoyed watching Empties videos on Youtube by various beauty bloggers,
as they really do give a good sense of whether the product is good,
& how much the Youtuber or beauty blogger really liked it.
I mean, most of the time if you do not like a product, you wouldn't finish it right?
Also, to finish a full product, (especially skincare) would mean a sufficient amount of time is given, to rate and review the efficacy & effectiveness of the product.
So here are my Empties from the past few months, & what I really think of the products!
SKINCARE
In the past few weeks & months, I have been enjoying a lot of skincare products.
Some of which you may have seen in my past 4 or 5 monthly favourites too.
If the details on some of the products are not too precise or detailed enough,
check back on my previous posts as I have featured a full review on most of them.
KAO MegRhythm Steam Eye Mask (Rose & Lavender)
This is one of my favourite pamper treatments!
Although this eye mask is pretty pricey (SGD$6.50 for 5), I really love the function of it.
It gives you the most relaxing 20-30 minutes of your life,
with the lightest steam & nicest scent during this pamper session.
Whether it is used before sleep, during a nap, or just a 20 minute shut eye,
this mask helps to relax your eyes, body & mind.
I personally love the Rose scent more as the Lavender scent is a little too strong for my liking.
If you have insomnia problems like me, why not give this a try?
For me, I often drift off to sleep within the first 10 minutes of having this eye mask on.
The perfect non-medicinal remedy to a good night sleep.
Available at Watsons, Guardians & other pharamacies.
First Aid Beauty Instant Oatmeal Mask
This is my go to if I have problematic skin on that very unlucky day, or just after a good ol' exfoliating/deep-cleansing mask.
It soothes, calms & moisturises the skin amazingly well!
Formulated for even the most sensitive skin, feel rest assured that this product only does you good.
It is a simple 10 minute wash off mask that is gentle on the skin,
& has a very light oatmeal smell that I simply love.
I have featured this in my past few blog posts on my "Monthly Favourites" & "Favourite Masks".
Sad to say, this mask is often Out Of Stock (OOS), so if you do see it at our Sephora,
or even on online sites like Beautybay.com, please grab it!
(& tell me about it!)
I am almost done with my 2nd bottle and I can't find this mask anywhere!!
Glamglow Youth Mud & Glamglow Bright Mud Eye Treatment
I featured this 2 products in a few of my previous blog posts.
Read my "All About Glamglow" for an in depth review.
I am on my 2nd bottle of the Glamglow Youth Mud,
and it is my absolute holy grail mask.
No wonder HOLLYWOOD Stars love them so much!
I even have one stocked up from the recent Sephora VIB Sale!
It sucks out all the dirt & grime in our skin surface, and the grittiness of the mask when dried,
is the perfect exfoliating scrub!
Imagine having clean, fresh skin with the smoothness of a baby's bottom.
However the Bright Mud Eye Treatment on the other hand, was a disappointment.
If you do suffer from eye bags & puffiness under your eyes,
this is the product for you.
But if you are thinking of getting rid of your dark eye circles, like I did,
forget about this product.
It won't work for that purpose..
The Body Shop Body Butter in Moringa
Favourite, Moisturising, Nourishing, Fresh & subtly floral scented.
Those are the words that perfectly describes this product.
If you want to try out the body butters from The Body Shop,
get the small sample sizes that are cheaper & smaller in size.
I have always loved The Body Shop products as they are not only cruelty free & free from animal testing, but they often give back to society.
What better way to look your best, feel your best & do the best for others?
Loccitane Precious Balm & Eye Cream
A very expensive purchase that I made when I was travelling in Europe,
They are however, super luxurious & moisturising on the face & eyes.
A definite repurchase when I am done with my skincare stash.
* I am already missing the feel of the cream on my face, and also the smell of it.. *
Read more about the Loccitane lovin' here:
Tarte Maracuja Brightening C Eye Treatment
Featured in my September favourites,
one can easily tell how much I loved this eye cream.
I absolutely love the texture, and moisturising effect of this eye cream.
With a slight brightening effect, the Tarte & Loccitane eye cream have a close fight.
But both are easily my holy grail everyday eye cream.
* Already repurchased a 2nd bottle during the Sephora VIB Sale. *
Dr. Lee Ji Ham's Skincare Range: Hydra Whitening Intensive Booster
A very luxurious whitening & hydrating serum that I really enjoyed.
When applied both day & night before my moisturiser,
I noticed a fairer & brighter/radiant complexion.
The serum has a watery consistency that is easy to apply and the skin absorbs the product almost immediately.
A slight citrus scent that is refreshing, and perfect for use even under makeup.
Available online at www.hkcplaza.com, with free international shipping.
Stay tuned for my full review on the Dr Lee Ji Ham's Skincare range.
Clarisonic Brush Head (Sensitive Skin)
A very dirty Clarisonic brush head.
I use my Clarisonic on most days of the week, especially when I have a full face of makeup on.
I believe in double cleansing & even triple cleansing the skin when needed.
The Clarisonic goes well with my favourite Philosophy Purity Cleanser that lathers up well with the help of the brush.
It effectively cleanses the skin, & leaves no grime or residue in the pores,
which have always been the potential cause of breakouts, clogged pores, blackheads & whiteheads.
I love using the Sensitive brush head, as it is slightly less harsh on the delicate skin.
Clarisonic has also come up with a few more luxurious brush heads like the Cashmere ones.
If you are willing to invest, feel free to head down to Sephora to feel the brushes & get them for yourselves.
I simply love the Cashmere one, but couldn't justify the price for something that I have only 3 months of use of.
BODY WASH
Caudalie Body Wash (From Florence, Italy)
Bath & Body Works Shower Gel (Shipped directly from USA) Paris Amour & Dark Kiss
Caudalie shower gel is an absolute luxury to bathe in.
The shower gel is thick in consistency & extra nourishing on the skin.
Add a tad of water to the gel texture & you are good to go.
The orange packaging stands for a citrus ginger fresh scent that is a absolutely refreshing.
Though expensive, about $20 SGD, it is one of my favourite "feel good" kind of a shower gel.
Bath & Body Works are not only famous for their candles, but also their shower gels.
The assortment of flavours & scents is astounding.
& I am always overwhelmed by the wide array of choices.
Paris Amour is a chirpy, sexy scent.
Not too strong or sexy, this is the perfect everyday scent of a girly girl.
Not too strong or sexy, this is the perfect everyday scent of a girly girl.
Dark Kiss like the name suggests, is a rather mysterious & alluring scent.
Perfect for nights out, & well, days when you feel like seducing yourself or someone else.
MAKEUP
3 of my past months' favourite foundations!
& all 3, I have repurchased!
Loreal Lucent Magique Foundation:
I love this foundation!
It gives a dewy, glowy, radiant finish to the skin & provides medium to full coverage.
& what's best is that it is a drugstore product!!
This foundation is also highly raved in the US by beauty bloggers,
however the foundation is known as Lumi Magique there,
If you are looking for an affordable drugstore foundation which gives a medium coverage,
& a dewy glowy finish- this is the one for you!
However, as I have dry skin, this suits me very well.
But I would not be sure for oily skin, as the dewy finish would cause an oily skin to look even more oily.
MAC Mineralize Moisture Foundation
The perfect MAC Foundation for dry to normal skin.
Medium to full coverage.
Dewy, glowy, radiant effect.
The colour match for MAC products are simply amazing & spot on,
I am in the shade NC25, & I love this foundation because it does not dry out the skin,
but even provides the skin with a little bit of moisture.
My skin just feels amazing under this foundation.
& did I mention the lasting power? I could party for a whole night, and still have amazing looking skin.
Bourjois Healthy Mix Foundation
Did you know that Bourjois is the sister company of the big brand, Chanel?
I have read that Victoria Beckham herself is a big fan of the brand.
& this is no wonder!!
Coming from the same factory as Chanel, you can easily get Chanel quality foundations for so much less.
The foundation gives you hydration, radiance, glow & has an anti-oxidant formula,
that combats with all the environmental factors that harms our skin.
* Bourjois Healthy Mix is said to be a dupe for the Chanel Vitalumiere Foundation!! *
NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer (in Custard)
My holygrail concealer.
Expensive & always OOS in the shade, Custard.
But this is the most moisturising, creamy, full coverage concealer that is easy to apply, & glides on like a dream!
However, it does crease a little, so perhaps consider setting it with a powder.
SG's NARS are always OOS of this.
So if you are overseas, & have a NARS counter nearby, lucky you!!
Collection Cosmetics 16h Lasting Perfection Concealer (02 Cool Medium)
My affordable drugstore favourite concealer.
Super full coverage but slightly drying on the undereye area.
Do apply a thick eye cream before applying this to prevent creasing & settling into fine lines.
A matte finish, so feel free to skip the powder setting.
Lancome Hypnose Doll Eyes Mascara
Holygrail status, though expensive,
this mascara gives me the best amount of both Volume & Length.
The first month of fresh mascara is my favourite, as the product is fluid & wet,
& no flaking is observable.
However, towards the end of 3 months, this mascara does flake on you after application, though minimal.
I have repurchased this in huge quantities & stocked up from Duty Free.
You can save as much as $20 SGD per mascara, when buying from the airport instead of Sephora or Lancome counters itself.
But do note that mascaras once twist opened, are best kept for 3 months maximum,
else risk getting an eye infection.
Model Co Fat Lash Mascara
Another holy grail status, but a cheaper alternative.
Half the price of the Lancome mascara even.
However, this mascara does not give you that much of volume as compared to the Lancome one.
Definition & length would be best described as what this mascara does.
However, I absolutely love the hourglass fat wand, as you can easily define lashes with the tip,
then fill it up with volume using the mascara wand body!
This mascara also flakes towards the end of 3 months.
I have repurchased 2 of this during a Bellabox sale,
as I realised that Luxola has stopped selling them.
If you want to try this, grab it fast, as it is not available for purchase from anywhere else.
ZA Eyebrow Pencil in Brown
Been using this eyebrow pencil since I started doing my makeup when I was about 18, 19.
Never really change it up much as I think this is the simplest & most affordable pencil.
I do not really use this much as I have had eyebrow embroidery done with Prestige Brows & Lashes.
I do not really use this much as I have had eyebrow embroidery done with Prestige Brows & Lashes.
However, do note that the shades for the pencil, are pretty limited.
CLIO Pen Liner in Black
This pen liner was a holy grail product for me.
Notice the word "was".
I used this eyeliner since it first launched in Singapore many years ago.
However, I have came to realise that the formula has somewhat changed over the years..
No longer is this product long lasting, it smudges..
& worse still, for a contact lens wearer myself, it irritates my eyes so badly when it smudges & enters the eye.
I will be tossing out the other ones I have opened that are not done yet, & giving my unopened one,
one last try before I give the official & final verdict.
I hate to see how much I hate this product now, when I used to love it in the past.
I even recommended this so frequently to my friends, & have even posted it up on my Instagram before.
Clio, why did you disappoint?!?! ):
Lavie Lash Falsies & Marie Beauty Lash Glue
Lavie lash is the perfect go to, if you love light lashes with thin bands.
I personally prefer light lashes, but with slightly thicker bands as thin bands have proved themselves to be too fragile for reusing again.
However, this lashes are still a dream to have on.
* Available from Luxola *
The eyelash glue was a brand that I found while shopping at Far East Plaza long ago.
I can't remember which shop I got it from, but I know many eyelashes shops sell them.
I even got the same ones in repeat on Taobao & in KL even.
A simple glue available in white & black, which offers pretty good withholding power.
No fuss, affordable & easily available.
The 3 items that shattered or broke, that made my heart shatter too,
Toofaced Chocolate Soleil Deluxe Sample size.
Featured in my Favourites before, this Chocolate Soleil was my only go to for contouring & bronzing.
I love the texture, pigmentation, colour & also the chocolate-y smell!
But yes, I didn't even hit pan on this when it shattered after the drop.
The Balm Cindy-Lou Manizer
Another beautiful product that shattered on me.
I simple love this pink toned highlighter.
It gives the perfect sheen to those cheekbones, & fakes such beautiful radiance to the skin.
& ultimate favourite yet affordable highlighter.
You can get this from Sasa SG, or ASOS.com.
MAC Lipstick in Chatterbox
Another favourite of mine.
Holy Grail!!!
Blue toned, perfect pink, & perfect everyday lipstick.
Everything about this lipstick is perfect.
It is an amplified formula, which means that it is super pigmented.
Creamy, easy to apply, & smells sweet like candy.
Lasting power is pretty ok.
Bought a replacement for this the moment it broke into half.
So if you are looking for the perfect everyday pink, that even makes your teeth look whiter,
try this out at MAC stores!
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That is all for my beauty related empties!!
Hope you have enjoyed it, & that it gave you a better sense of the product.
Stay tuned for my Friday's post!
xoxo, @clarabeltan
I love using KAO's Meg Rhythm Steam Eye Mask's too! ^ ^
ReplyDeletewww.thedailydollyblog.com
I am so glad that you enjoy Kao's Meg Rhythm eye mask too!! Hi 5~~
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