These are all of the things that I finished in December (I didn't necessarily start them all in December, FYI). I had a lot more misses than hits this month; many more things I will never repurchase.
Skincare:
Bliss Makeup Melt Jelly Cleanser ($12 for 6.4oz): Bliss did the damn thing with an entire physical appearance overhaul, and I was here for it. I picked up a few of their masks, and at the time I didn't have a gel or oil makeup remover in my routine, so I thought I'd try this one. Save your money. This product is straight garbage. It reminds me of Glossier's Milky Jelly Cleanser which I absolutely cannot stand. Also it doesn't actually remove your makeup!!! It just sort of moves it around on your face?? So tell me what the point even is then? It's supposedly "gentle and effective" but it makes my face feel dry and I ultimately have to go in with another sort of makeup remover, which makes this product moot. I didn't even get through the whole bottle because I just couldn't keep using it anymore, and I tried really really really hard to finish it. I honestly wish I saved my twelve bucks on this one. Please do yourself a favor and do the same.
Which brings me to a product that actually effectively removes my makeup:
Garnier SkinActive Micellar Cleansing Water All-in-one Mattifying ($8.99 for 13.5 oz): This is one of three varieties of this micellar water; they also have an original and a waterproof variety. I haven't tried the other two, but if they work as well as this one does I would not be opposed to trying them. I like that this one is catered to oily skin, and removes my makeup surprisingly well. It's supposed to be a "cleanser" as well but I always cleanse after I use micellar water, just to make sure I've gotten rid of all the makeup on my face. I already have a backup of this bottle, because it was on sale one day at Ulta (on top of it already being ridiculously affordable). I am going to take a break before I jump into the next bottle of Garnier because I have a bottle of Bioderma's Sebium H2O Micellar Water that I've been hoarding since Amazon Prime Day that I'm excited to try.
Mario Badescu Hydro Moisturizer with Vitamin C ($18 for 2 oz): This moisturizer is just okay. I initially bought it because I'm a sucker for anything that claims to have Vitamin C in it, and I think I got it for $10 instead of $18 because Ulta was having a sale. It's incredibly lightweight and non-greasy, which are two of my big factors when buying a moisturizer. It absorbs into your skin very quickly, which I also like. However, the bottle that it comes in is pretty ineffective. The moisturizer dries and gets stuck in the hole at the top so you end up having to squeeze harder than you anticipated and then you have way too much moisturizer all over your hands, and it's wasteful. A mess. I can confirm that this stuff never broke me out though, which is a plus. I am definitely not going to repurchase this. I love Mario Badescu, but I'll stick to their facial sprays for now.
ACURE Seriously Soothing Blue Tansy Night Oil (~$11-$13 for 1 fl oz. depending on where you order from. Amazon tends to be the cheapest, with Target and Whole Foods usually a dollar or so more): I cannot sing the praises of this oil highly enough. I've been using ACURE's products for well over a year and a half now. I have everything in their Brilliantly Brightening line, I've tried all of their sheet masks (which are amazing, btw), and I have their Marula and Argan oils. But this--this oil right here? It's packed with ingredients like blue tansy, kale, and argan oil to keep skin looking supple and feeling refreshed. I love the way my skin glows the following morning. It also drastically calms down any inflammation I have on my face. A lot of people try and compare this oil to Herbivore's Lapis, and I've only tried a sample of Lapis and can confidently say that I like ACURE's oil so much better. Plus it's way more affordable. I've recently added their Cloud Cream as my nighttime moisturizer, combining it with their night oil and I am so impressed with the results. My skin sometimes feels parched in the morning, but not with these two products.
Drunk Elephant Baby Facial ($80 for 1.69 oz) and Virgin Marula Luxury Facial Oil ($72 for 1 oz): Okay. So I have a lot of thoughts about these products. After using them consistently for two months now (I got the mini versions in an Allure Beauty Box a couple of months ago), I don't think I've seen any significant improvement in the texture of my skin. I've saw more improvement in the chemical peel I got after 7 days than I did with these products in 2 months. And this is supposed to compare to an at home chemical facial... I was so ready to be excited for this product. But I honestly think Drunk Elephant is overpriced and overhyped. There. I've stated my unpopular opinion. The first time I used Baby Facial I felt the slight tingle for a few minutes, and then nothing. My skin didn't feel immediately softer or anything and I always paired it with the Marula oil... which, ya'll--is just a regular marula oil. There is no reason for this product to be seventy-two doll hairs. Or even forty for the mini size. Legit none. There are so many oils on the market that do the same exact thing for cheaper (i.e. ACURE oils). I guess what I'm trying to say is, if this stuff works for you, kudos, I'm so happy for you. It ain't it for me though. 🤷🏾♀️
Makeup:
Peter Thomas Roth Skin to Die For No Filter Mattifying Primer & Complexion Perfector ($28 for 1 oz): This is one of my favorite primers, this and Becca's Ever Matte. I tend to get incredibly oily (especially during the summer months), no matter what kind of mattifying products I put on my face, but this primer blurs my pores really nicely and does a great job of keeping me shine free for ~6-8 hours. This will always be a repurchase for me.
Nest Midnight Fleur Rollerball ($27 for 0.27 oz): I think I got a sample of this in a Sephora order years ago, and I immediately bought the rollerball. Mainly because it takes me forever to get through a bottle of perfume, and rollerballs are perfect to just throw in your purse for whenever you need it. Midnight Fleur is comprised of notes of exotic wood, patchouli, and black amber, mixed with jasmine and vanilla orchid. It's bold and makes me feel like a sexy woodland creature of sorts. I used to wear it on special occasions, but now I can't get over the scent so I wear it all the time 😅. Nest's Indigo is a close second favorite scent for me. Yes, I have already repurchased this rollerball.
Colourpop Cosmetics Clear Brow Boss Gel (originally $6, now $4.20 on Colourpop's website for 0.11 oz): I don't usually reach for brow gel that often as my brows are thin (but getting thiccquer every day baby, don't sleep on 'em), so it took me a while to get through this product. But I liked how it made my brows stay in place after I lined and colored them in. Is it a necessity for me, no. Will I repurchase it again? Maybe, but it would totally be an impulse buy.
ELF Cosmetics No Budge Retractable Eyeliner ($3): I probably have 10 of these stashed in purses, I have two on my vanity, one in my car (which isn't a great place to keep it because it will totally melt), and elsewhere I'm sure. I wear either super duper high end eyeliner (Marc Jacobs Highliner is my eyeliner of choice) or I'll wear these. They have staying power, they're black as night, and eyeliner is the one product that I can't leave the house without, so it's nice that these are so cheap. I will definitely repurchase once I finish my collection.
And that's it ladies and gents! If you got this far, thank you as always for reading. I appreciate the support :)