March Empties!

Hello, everyone! What do we have here? An Empties Post published on time? Stop the presses! Indeed, an April miracle has occurred, as I'm bringing to you my monthly Empties roundup right on time, for the first time ever! *High fives self* (*feels awkward*).

If you're not familiar with the "Empties" series, it's essentially a monthly feature where I share all of the goodies I've used up over the past 31 days (or 30! or 28!), providing a brief review of each. I polished up a fairly big lot during March, it seems. Here are the spoils!

Bumble and Bumble Dryspun Finish
I picked this up in late August during my quest for new styling products after chopping my hair  to shoulder length. I tested it out in Sephora and was immediately impressed with the volume this imparted! It creates height and life to the roots of my hair with ease and smells quite lovely. Problem is, it doesn't do much in the way of absorbing oil, which had me reaching for my handy Batiste more frequently than this one. I'm still on the hunt for a hybrid product that will both freshen and add volume. Will keep you posted! To see it at work in my hair, check out this post!
Repurchase? Maybe. It's volumizing power and scent are addictive!


Trader Joe's Tea Tree Tingle Body Wash
Ah, Trader Joe's. My one and only stop at this incredible store was during July of last summer while visiting my friend in Michigan. She promised me that amazing affordable, organic goodies were in store and I wasn't disappointed. Exciting food options aside, I was thrilled to find this body wash that smelled of mint and eucalyptus. It's packed with natural ingredients, was only $4, and was the ultimate pick-me-up for those pesky pre-7am mornings. Fresh and tingly!
Repurchase? Yes! So wish there was a Trader Joe's in Toronto!


Revlon Lash Potion Grow Luscious Waterproof Mascara in Black
I purchased this in a duo-pack from Wal-Mart, not realizing I'd grabbed the waterproof version. At first, I hated it. Didn't add much volume and seemed to flatten the natural curl in my lashes. I was disgruntled. But as the tube progressed and the formula began to dry slightly, this started to do a much better job at plumping my lashes. Plus, the formula truly was waterproof, which kept things in check over the blizzardy Winter. So, while this is not  my favourite, it did grow on me slightly. To see me wearing it, check out this Look of the Day!
Repurchase? No.


Bourjois Delice de Poudre Bronzing Powder #51
I bought this bronzer ages ago when it was on sale at Shopper Drugmart and it has been a staple in my makeup bag at the bf's house since them. It kept this position because the shade is quite fair-skin friendly and the finish is matte- plus it smells slightly of chocolate! Over the months (and years, really), I found that the finish of this began to appear more and more orange on my skin. Not a huge problem (really was a subtle orange), but since I've found a few other super amazing bronzers since then, this one eventually fell out of favour. To see me wearing it, check out this Look of the Day!
Repurchase? No.

Bioderma Cicabio Soothing Repairing Cream (sample)
I received this as a sample from Rexall, immediately thinking I'd toss it aside and never use it. Just days later my skin experienced a bad reaction to a skin care product, and this came to the rescue! This is a fairly rich cream, but sinks in nicely and can even be worn under makeup on my oily skin. It did a nice job at reducing the bumps and redness in my skin and didn't seem to cause any new breakouts. Overall, quite impressive!
Repurchase? Next time I spot this one sale, I'm likely to snag it :)


B. Kamins Acne Wash
Hard to say anything about this one that I haven't already, but here goes. This has been a staple of mine over the past two years, as it keeps my skin clear and smooth without drying or irritating. I will always want this by my side, though it's a bit trickier to find now that B. Kamins is not sold at the Eaton Centre Sephora. Was lucky to score this from Winners in the past, so have been keeping my eyes peeled! To see a full review of this, click here!
Repurchase? Definitely!


My Beauty Diary Broccoli Mask
I love sheet masks because they are both hilarious to wear and super effective. When I spotted My Beauty Diary masks for the first time recently, I was eager to give them a go! I opted for the Broccoli version, as it featured some killer ingredients and, hey, when else would I get to put broccoli on my face?! This did a great job at hydrating and calming my skin without irritation or breakouts. An all-around winner! To see the hijinks that ensured using this mask, check out this post and for a full review, click here!
Repurchase? Yes! Though I'd be eager to sample other My Beauty Diary offerings first.


Elisha Coy Always Triple BB (sample)
I was excited to receive a sample of this from one of my favourite Korean cosmetics stops in Toronto, Cathy Phuong Beauty, earlier last month.Wow, does this stuff apply like a dream! This provides instantly flawless coverage and the product glides and blends effortless on the skin. It also features SPF 30, which is a huge plus? Too good to be true? Kind of. The downside of the comfortable, cushiony formula is that it tends to get shiny 4-5 hours after application. But I'd still recommend this for those with drier skin who want a fuller-coverage BB cream! To see me wearing it, check out this Look of the Day!
Repurchase? Maybe, but not during the upcoming warmer months when my skin needs something more matte.

Tval Pore Refining Toner*
Tval is a wonderful Canadian-based skin care brand that was generous enough to send me a basket of goodies last Fall, all tailored to my specific skincare needs and fragrance preferences (the body products and face masks smell heavenly!). This alcohol-free witch hazel-based toner did a nice job at removing final traces of makeup and cleanser without stripping or irritating my skin. No major complaints!
Repurchase? No, but only because I already have other go-to toners that I can access more easily. 


Kiehl's Skin Rescuer (sample)
I snagged a sample of this last month when my skin was going through a bit of a freak-out. Even when my skin is at its best, it is plagued with redness and sensitivity, so I'd been eyeing the Skin Rescuer for a while. I think this did a pretty good job at soothing my skin and hydrating without greasiness, though I'm a bit suspicious that it broke me out slightly. Further testing is needed before I can give a firm verdict!
Repurchase? Maybe. Would like to sample it again during the summer...


Organix Nourishing Coconut Milk Hibiscus Creamy Body Wash
Regular readers of the blog will know that I'm pretty obsessed with the scent of the Organix Coconut Milk range. The conditioner has been a longtime staple and a feature of my Empties posts on a few occasions. This body wash had the same lovely scent (like coconut cream!) and felt extremely creamy on the skin, however it consistently left my skin feeling itchy afterwards. Something in it irritated my skin, which is a shame, since every other aspect was a sensory delight. 
Repurchase? No.


And one final jumbo-sized shot of all of my March Empties:

So there you have it! All of my Empties for the month of March. Hope you found the reviews to be helpful!

Did I tempt you with anything? Have you used and loved (or hated) any of the goodies I featured here? Thanks for reading! xo


* This product was provided to me for PR consideration by Tval. Thanks again!