November Empties!

Hi, everyone! The turn of the month has come and gone, so it's time to share with you my empties from November. It seems I polished off quite a bit, including longtime staples, some new loves, and a serious selection of samples. What did I love? What will I repurchase? What let me down? Read on to find out! 

Aesop B Triple C Facial Balancing Gel (sample)
Featuring a strong dose of vitamin C and a honey-like texture, this moisturizer is quite unique and touts a high price tag to match. The first time I used this, I woke up to incredibly calm, even, balanced skin. The second time? Not as dramatic.
Repurchase? Promising, but will have to sample again to determine whether it's worth the cost!

Aesop Fabulous Face Oil (sample)
This has a gorgeous herbal scent and a perfect mid-weight texture (not too dry, not too greasy). Wore really well under makeup and was also a lovely overnight treat. No hint of breakouts or irritation!
Repurchase? Definitely considering it! Though I think I still love my trusty Antipodes oil a bit more.

Aesop Primrose Facial Hydrating Cream (sample)
This was a pleasant surprise! Felt rich and soothing, but was not too heavy for my oily skin.The floral herbal scent was quite pleasant and a little went a long way!
Repurchase? Maybe!

Kiehl's Powerful Strength Line Reducing Concentrate (sample)
I was eager to give this a go, as it promises to banish pigmentation and is one of the brand's most popular products. I was let down to find that this has a very silicone-heavy texture. Definitely concerned that this would lead to breakouts if I used it for an extended period of time.
Repurchase? No. 

Chantecaille Fruit and Flower Acids Mask (sample)
This is the second time I've sampled this, and once again I was impressed! This exfoliates very thoroughly without irritating my sensitive skin. Leaves my complexion looking even and brighter. Really quite lovely- I just wish it weren't so expensive!
Repurchase? Not anytime soon, but only because there are more affordable exfoliating masks out there!

Filorga Meso Mask (sample)
I was excited to see this brand in Holt Renfrew recently, as I've heard very good things. This is supposed to be a do-it-all hydrating and brightening mask. It indeed left my skin feeling very soft and smooth afterwards, but unfortunately, it also led to breakouts the next day. 
Repurchase? No. 

Erno Laszlo Beta Mask (sample)
This minty green-coloured mask was really a pleasure to use! It surprisingly didn't irritate my skin and I think it did help to minimize my breakouts. Thing is, I could not justify paying tons for this mask, given that the ingredients are quite basic.
Repurchase? No.

Erno Laszlo Phelityl Day Lotion SPF 15 (sample)
My first impression of this is that it was one of the lightest-weight sunscreens I've tried! It truly sunk in instantly. Unfortunately, this soon began to feel quite greasy on the skin, perhaps due to the shea butter inside, and did lead to some breakouts.
Repurchase? No.

Estee Lauder Perfectionist Youth Infusing Makeup in Ivory Nude (sample)
I sampled this foundation in a quest to find a luminous base that would last on my oily skin. This gave a flattering light-to-medium coverage and was a great colour match for me. However, I did get shiny earlier in the day than I would have liked.
Repurchase? No. A lovely foundation, just not for my skin type!

Revlon Lash Potion Waterproof Mascara in Black
At first I really didn't like this stuff. The secret is that it gets better with age. As the formula begins to dry out slightly, it thickens and actually gives a nice kick of volume to the lashes! Not the most dramatic effect, but totally reasonable for daily wear. And it really is waterproof!
Repurchase? If I'm in the market for a drugstore waterproof mascara, yes!

Anastasia Tinted Brow Gel in Caramel
This stuff is fabulous! It wears perfectly over my brow powder and gives a final touch of hold and polish. The shade works perfectly with my colouring, the formula never feels flaky, and this tube lasted well over a year!
Repurchase? Already have!

Antipodes Apostle Skin Brightening & Tone-Correcting Serum
I picked this serum up because I'd been impressed with all the Antipodes products I'd tried to date and Essie Button had raved about it numerous times. This did an incredible job at reducing redness in my skin and leaving my complexion looking brighter without any hint of greasiness. It was ultra lightweight and smelled like berries!
Repurchase? Yes! Probably next summer, as it is a very lightweight formula, better for warmer months. 

BeneFit They're Real! (mini)
This stuff rivals my trusty Clinique Lash Doubling for my favourite mascara ever. It really gives the most incredible volume and length and wears perfectly all day. If only it weren't such a pain to remove!
Repurchase? Already have!

Urban Decay Primer Potion (mini)
My favourite eye primer, hands down. Never even tempted to try another. No bells and whistles, just does the job!
Repurchase? Already have (and will forever!)

Origins Mega Mushroom Skin Relief Advanced Face Serum (sample)
I snagged a sample of this, as it sounded perfect for my sensitive skin, especially as the harsh winter temps began rolling in. It worked well enough to lightly hydrate my skin, but didn't seem to have any immediate or overnight effects on redness/irritation in my skin. Perhaps it's something that works in the longer term?
Repurchase? Don't think so.

Revlon ColourStay Makeup Combination/Oily Formula in Buff
My all-time favourite foundation. Wears perfectly all day, covers nearly everything, and doesn't feel cakey on my oily skin. My go-to summer base that always keeps me coming back!
Repurchase? Duh!

Jouer Anti-Blemish Matte Primer
This was quite the lovely primer! It's very similar to the Laura Mercier Oil-Free primer (which is a fave of mine), but with just an extra kick of mattifying power. Did a nice job at keeping oil at bay without leaving skin feeling parched. I'm not sure if it did anything for blemishes, but it definitely didn't break me out or irritate my skin in any way.
Repurchase? Next summer, quite possibly! 

B. Kamins Acne Wash
This had been my holy grail evening post-cleansing oil face wash for a few years. It does an amazing job at keeping my breakouts at bay without stripping or angering my face. Since Sephora no longer carries the brand, I've been trying to take a break from it. I don't think my skin has been as happy since, so I may have to hunt it down elsewhere!
Repurchase? Most likely!


Phewf! Perhaps my longest Empties post ever! So I'll keep my conclusion short- Have you tried and loved (or hated) any of the products I featured here? Have I tempted you with anything?

Thanks for dropping by! xo