Time for an Empties Post!
Skincare:
Acure Beauty The Essentials Moroccan Argan Oil (1 fl oz for $8 on Amazon)
This was the very first product I bought from Acure, so it holds a place near and dear to my heart. Their oils are incredibly lightweight and absorb nicely (they do leave a little bit of shine, but I use them at nighttime when I need more hydration). Argan oil helps restore the appearance of texture and tone, and can be used literally all over the body. Face, hands, nails, décolleté, elbows and heels. I love that all of Acure's products are incredibly affordable and work really well on all skin tones. I don't plan on repurchasing this oil right now as I have a million other oils to get through, and these technically have a 6 month shelf life.
Acure Beauty Seriously Soothing Eye Serum Stick (0.38 fl oz for $9.99 at Target)
Okay, so everyone knows I speak incredibly highly about Acure (see above description, and literally every other word I've written about them). But OMG do I abhor this product (pullin out a high school vocab word for y'all). I picked this up because it's a part of their Seriously Soothing line (which I am absolutely obsessed with), and because the packaging is creative. But it's annoying to use. You have to click the button on the front until the product comes out, so for the first use I had to click a million times before anything came out. I initially thought it was broken and almost went to return it. But alas, finally it worked. You apply it with the cooling metal applicator (my favorite part, tbh). The formula just suuuucks. After it absorbed the skin underneath my eyes felt tight and dry which is the complete opposite of what I expected it to do. And don't even think about adding concealer or any other type of makeup on top. Pilling central. I also initially paid $20 for this product, and now it's listed for $10. I'm wondering if that's because of the reviews. Hopefully Acure reformulates this formula because it's such an innovative product! Definitely not repurchasing.
Avarelle AM Spot Patch* ($7.50 for 24 patches on Amazon)
Avarelle gifted me their AM and PM spot patches a few months ago and I only had the Cosrx Acne Patches to compare them to. These are formulated with rosehip seed, tea tree oil, and calendula oil. The circular patches come in two sizes, extra small and small, and they're definitely discreet enough that you don't see them once applied. I like the fact that they come in two sizes, however, they seem to slide and/or fall off a lot easier than the Cosrx patches. I don't know that I would repurchase these, just because I've been using the Cosrx patches for many years and they get the job done for me. Plus I can get a pack of 4 (with 24 patches each) for $13.
Be Transcendent Mini Balance Toner for Oily Skin* (2 oz for $10 at Be Transcendent)
Be Transcendent is a black owned brand, and the products all contain natural, plant-based ingredients. The products are also catered to your skin type (they have Normal/Dry, Oily, and Combo). This product is really the reason I decided to buy from this brand. I saw a few of my InstaFriends™️ rave about it (shoutout to Abiola @skinwithabiola & Funmi @skincaregoalsAF-check my girls out) and I had to get it. I love this toner. It's made with rose water & myrrh oil and feels so hydrating and so refreshing upon application. It has a slightly less rosy smell than the Thayer's toner, which makes me love it even more. Honestly if you're going to try something from this brand, this toner is it. I won't repurchase this at the moment because I have two Indie Lee Co-Q10 bottles to get through, but I will definitely be buying the bigger size of this toner in the future.
Boscia Detoxifying Black Charcoal Cleanser (1.7 oz for $10 at Sephora)
I bought this on a whim at Sephora when I traveled to Chicago last September and realized I didn't pack a cleanser (amateur hour). This gel cleanser warms on application (for a mere .5 seconds, but still) which is something I had never experienced before. It's is formulated with activated charcoal to detoxify, absorb excess oil and impurities, and exfoliate; vitamin C to help brighten skin tone; and glycolic acid to improve skin appearance by accelerating the exfoliation process. This product has lasted me a really long time--I've been using it purely for travel purposes since September (around 6 trips), and I just ran out. I like the cleanser, but I don't need to repurchase it at present.
Burt's Bees' Complexion Rescue Stick (0.26 oz for $6.99 at Target)
I constantly repurchase these. I think this is my fifth or sixth vial of this stuff. It is made with ten herbal ingredients, like tea tree, juniper oil, willow bark and calendula which work naturally with your skin to calm inflammation. I use this whenever I see or feel a blemish forming. It works it's magic to diminish your inflammation in just a few hours. The roll on makes it incredibly portable, and it goes on clear so no one can even tell that it's there. It does have a strong scent, but it's not overwhelming or overpowering and subsides in like five minutes or less.
Krave Beauty Great Barrier Relief Serum (1.35 fl oz for $28 at Krave Beauty)
I am so so so happy that I tried this product. It's a skin-soothing serum that restores your skin barrier while evening out your complexion. This baby green serum has a creamy consistency that feels thick but absorbs quickly, leaving my skin feeling super hydrated. It has an interesting scent that's hard to describe (like nutty and earthy)--I don't love it but it's not overpowering. It's made with ingredients like tamanu oil, safflower oil, and rosehip oil (which my skin LOVES) and is vegan, dye free, fragrance free, and essential oil free. As soon as I ran out I quickly went to repurchase it online but it was still out of stock 😩. I finally re-ordered it this morning!!! Seriously, if you can get your hands on this serum your skin will love ya forever.
Mario Badescu Facial Spray with Green Tea (4 oz for $7 at Ulta)
I bought a ton of these like years ago when I first found out about facial mists and I'm finally getting to the end of my stock. I literally give one of these away in each of my giveaways and I still have more 🤦🏾♀️. Now I'll only buy the Fresh Vitamin Nectar Spray, because it's better for my skin and I like how much finer the mist is vs. the Mario sprays. IF I was to repurchase a Mario spray (which I can't really see happening ever again) it would be the Orange Blossom variety just because I truly am obsessed with the scent, even though the ingredients of the product itself are iffy.
Thayer's Witch Hazel Rose Petal Toner (12 oz for $8 on Amazon)
This shiz popped off in the last couple of years even though it's been around forever. The toner is gentle and hydrating and has a slight rosy smell which I am just okay with. I've been using this for a long time (years at this point)--this is probably my 6th or 7th bottle, but I think I've been reborn after trying the Indie Lee Co-Q10 toner. I don't know that I'll ever go back to Thayer's. I've seen such a drastic change in the evening of my skin tone after using Indie Lee for two weeks than I had ever seen after using Thayer's for years. If you are a newbie and looking for an affordable toner, however, I would try this one out. They come in a lot of different varieties as well, although Rose Petal is the only one I've ever tried. But personally, I won't repurchase.
Makeup:
Covergirl Flourish Blast Mascara in Black 805 (0.4 oz for $6 on Amazon)
I hate this mascara lol. I think I've gotten bougier though after using so many trials of high-end mascaras that this was just never going to cut it for me. I purchased it on a whim because they were on sale sale at Ulta and I'm always down to find a drugstore product that works well for me. It says that this is formulated with coconut, avocado, and papaya oils, which you would think would make the texture more hydrating on the lashes. Nope. This stuff was drying and started flaking after, I kid you not, 8 minutes. The only upside is that it was easy to remove. Usually I have a tough time removing mascaras because they're so thiqq. At least she was cheap so I don't feel so bad about this purchase.
E.L.F. Instant Lift Brow Pencil in Deep Brown ($3 at Target/Ulta)
This is the product that taught me how to shape and love my brows. It lasts all day (I usually top with Colourpop's Clear Brow Boss Gel) and I haven't had any problem with the product breaking (which I truly assumed would happen because it's so cheap). They don't achieve as much detail as my Benefit Precisely My Brow or Colourpop's Precision Brow Pencil, but it's great for an everyday brow. I'm truly impressed with the quality of this, and I've already repurchased it.
Peter Thomas Roth Skin to Die For No Filter Mattifying Primer & Complexion Perfector (1 oz for $28 at Sephora and Ulta)
MIAMI'S HEAT APPROVED 😎-This is my third tube of this primer, and it's my favorite (along with Becca's Ever Matte) for in the summer when I tend to get a little more oily than I am during the rest of the year. It's got a beige tint that sheers out to nothing on the skin. It has a silicone-like texture, so if you're not into that you might not like this. It does instantly blur my pores, however, and keeps me matte for up to 8 hours (topped with a setting powder of course). This will always be a repurchase for me.
And dasssss it.
Thank you guys as always for reading my content!!! It truly means the world to me. Leave some comments! Would love to hear from you.
* gifted by brand