Okay so it's mid February, and I should have done this a long time ago, but alas life happens, and I happen to be lazy so... sorry I am the way that I am. This hopefully isn't going to be that long of a post, but I did repurchase a lot of the stuff that I emptied which is exciting because that means I now know how to ~effectively~ shop for skincare/makeup that works for me!
Skincare:
ACURE Brilliantly Brightening Glowing Serum ($18.99 for 1 fl oz, usually ~$4 cheaper if you order off of Amazon): I've actually purchased this quite a few times before; it was actually my first foray into serums. Although it's not a true serum... but I'll get to that. At the time ACURE was a fairly new brand, they had just popped up at my local Target and I was looking for a serum that would provide hydration and perhaps also brighten some discoloration in my skin. I've said it before, but I love ACURE as a whole. They use ingredients that I'm genuinely excited about applying to my skin. For instance, this serum is packed with Argan oil to restore moisture, and pumpkin and cranberry as added antioxidant protection. Not only that but it leaves your skin incredibly radiant. Ya girl over here decided to just recently (like two weeks ago) read the "how to use" on the box, and guess what? This stuff is actually an oil. AKA you're supposed to use it post-moisturizer. *Face palm* It's lightweight enough that I didn't realize it was an oil, and don't know that I ever would have if I hadn't read the box. But who cares, at the end of the day it goes on my face and I love the results. I didn't repurchase this because they came out with a Brightening Super Greens Serum ($18.99 for 1 fl oz) packed with ingredients like kale, spirulina & broccoli seed oil that I've been dying to try. If you haven't used anything from ACURE, I highly recommend it! Quality skincare at an affordable price point!
Nip + Fab Glycolic Night Pads Extreme (~$8 on Amazon for 60 pads): I've had these forever. I picked them up on Amazon Prime Day last July and have not been using them as routinely as I needed to. I just finished them. Because of this minor factoid, I don't know if they effectively treated my skin. They have all the ingredients in them that I love: 5% glycolic acid (to gently exfoliate and help fade acne scarring or pigmentation), salicylic acid (to unclog pores and help combat black heads/blemishes), lactic acid (to remove dead skin cells and toxins for an smoother more even toned surface), AND hyaluronic acid (to improve skin hydration and keep skin feeling soft and looking plump). I have repurchased them and plan to use them consistently for two months and get back to you.
Olay Mist Ultimate Hydration Essence Calming with Aloe and Chamomile (~$10 for 3.3 fl oz): This was a 1000000% influenced by Jackie Aina purchase. But sis, this ain't it. I love facial mists. I think that they are totally unnecessary but I love them nonetheless. The mister for this bottle was wayyyyy too fine for my liking. I didn't feel anything on my face. At all. The mist is reminiscent of Fresh's Vitamin Nectar but at least I feel the hydration hitting my skin with that one. The bottles are also cheaply made--when you first spray a new bottle it sort of sprays out everywhere, and same when you get to the end of the bottle. It's also made with cheap plastic that bends when you spray it... nahhh sis. I did not repurchase this, but I did buy the sister scent Energizing when I purchased this one, so I have to suffer through that one next.
Neutrogena Hydro Boost Water Gel Moisturizer ($16 for 1.7 fl oz): This lightweight gel is a dream come true. It really does provide the intense hydration of a thicker moisturizer, without all the extra BS. I personally use it both day and night, I just use a larger amount at night time even though it's not really necessary. It smells heavenly, doesn't make my skin oily at all, and doesn't make my sunscreen pill underneath it. I've already repurchased this and will continue to do so 🙌🏾. They actually just came out with a variety that includes SPF that I'm going to look into next!
Trader Joe's Micellar Wipes (~$4 for 20 wipes): The closest Trader Joe's to me is around ~15 miles away so whenever I get to go it's a goddamn treat. I picked these up on a whim along with their Rose Facial Toner (that I have been loving, BTW) and I am insanely impressed. I haven't used wipes to remove my makeup in a while, but I was about to go on a trip and instead of packing my large bottle of micellar water and my cleansing oil I thought these would be a better fit. These have a light floral-y scent, but nothing too overpowering. It effectively removed some of my most stubborn makeup with just one wipe (including most of my waterproof eye makeup). They're made of 100% natural fiber cloths that contain no alcohol, no colorants, no allergens and no parabens. I bought two packs of these on my last TJ trip, so I have another pack to get through. But I would definitely buy these again in the future, especially for traveling.
Makeup:
Hourglass Caution Mascara Mini ($14 for 0.19 oz): I'm trying to be better about throwing out my mascaras after 3 months, which is why I primarily buy mini mascaras. I don't typically wear mascara more than once a week. But I got a trial of this with a Sephora order after it first dropped and this has been my favorite mascara since last August. I've barely used anything else (other than Benefit's Bad Gal Bang). When I tried this Hourglass mascara for the first time, I was soOoOoOo impressed. It added dramatic length and volume with just one coat (and I don't curl my lashes first, mind you), it didn't clump, and it dried pretty quickly so when I inevitably rubbed my eyes a few minutes later, it wasn't a smudgy mess. And Hourglass's packaging is top notch. I've already repurchased it. So yeah. I love it.
Milk Makeup Kush Mascara Trial Size (I don't remember the oz on the trial, but the mini size is $12 for 0.13 oz): I love the brush of this mascara. It gives me fuller looking lashes but keeps them looking natural. It also feels very lightweight, and doesn't smudge at all. I like that this brush can accommodate both my top and bottom lashes without making a huge mess. I haven't repurchased this because, like I said before, I tend not to use mascara everyday, and I have a couple of staples that I stand by right now. But if you're looking for thicker yet natural looking lashes, I would totally recommend this one.
AND DAS IT.
Thanks for sticking with me once again. Promise my next empties post won't be the middle of the following month. 😝
xo