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Thursday 1 May 2014

April Empties!

Hi, everyone! It's that time of the month when I round up all of my spent products and share my two cents about each. During April, I finished off some perennial favourites as well as some brand new, surprisingly wonderful skin care treats. Here's my take on each of my April empties:



Batiste Instant Hair Refresh Dry Shampoo Cherry Scent 
I will buy this dry shampoo again and again, as it's effective, affordable, and smells lovely! I cycle through various scents from the range, but it's the cherry fragrance (and the matching adorable packaging), that keeps me coming back.
Repurchase? Yes, definitely!

B.Kamins Acne Wash
This is my all-time favourite face wash, especially when my skin is acting up. It clears and smooths my skin so effectively without stripping or irritating. It has just enough cooling menthol to feel refreshing, without aggravating my sensitive complexion. I will never be without this!
Repurchase? Already have!


Hard Candy Glamoflauge Heavy Duty Concealer in Light
I bought this budget-friendly concealer a couple years ago when it was a new release and all the rage. It is incredibly pigmented, which means a little goes a very long way. It's a super product for the price, but this just didn't measure up to some of the other cover-ups I've tried. It felt a bit heavy on the skin, which wasn't the best texture for my oily complexion. A good one, but not great.
Repurchase? No. 

Mario Badescu Seaweed Cleansing Lotion
This is the third bottle of this I've finished in the past year or so- it's really fab! This alcohol-free, aloe-rich toner keeps my oily, sensitive skin clean and balanced. Doesn't strip the skin or break me out. At less than $20 a bottle, I have no reason to leave this out of my daily rotation.
Repurchase? Definitely! 

Clarins Pure and Radiant Mask with Pink Clay (sample)
I received this as a sample from Shoppers Drug Mart a few weeks back and didn't have high expectations. Don't get me wrong, Clarins makes lovely products, but my skin hasn't always gotten on well with their botanical ingredients. But I gave this a go, and boy was I impressed! I got three uses out of this little tube and after each session my skin was left fresh, clean, glowing, and calmed. This seemed to minimize redness and breakouts without stripping skin or leaving a greasy residue. It was like magic!
Repurchase? Just bought a full size!


Shu Uemura Skin Purifier Anti/Oxi Skin Refining Anti-Dullness Cleansing Oil (mini)
I'm a huge Shu Uemura cleansing oil devotee, and I got a mini-size of the Anti/Oxi formula in holiday gift set. This did a wonderful job at removing makeup, had a pleasant scent, and didn't break me out. So, a great cleansing oil, but not worth the higher price tag than my trusty High Performance Balancing Cleansing Oil (the yellow version).
Repurchase? No. 

Eve Lom Age Defying Smoothing Treament
I received this little treat in my recent Cult Beauty Goody Bag. This anti-aging product comes housed in tiny, individual-dose capsules  that release a translucent serum-like gel. This leaves the skin instantly smooth and incredibly soft and each time I used it in the evening I woke to perfectly hydrated, calm skin. It erased redness and made my complexion look plump, but not oily. What a wonderful product! If only it weren't over $150. Yeesh!
Repurchase? If Cult Beauty ever has a super duper sale, maybe!

So there you have it! I finished off some holy grail products this month, as well as some new little gems. Have you used any of the goodies featured here? Have I tempted you with anything?

Thanks for reading :)

25 comments:

  1. Lovely products! The MB toner sounds amazing, I need to check out more of the line. I've only recently started using a couple of his products. That cleanser sounds awesome too, I've never heard of it!

    Tasha // shiwashiful.

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    1. The toner is definitely worth checking out- the cleanser too! Thanks for stopping by :)

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  2. ooo i'm liking all the stuff that takes away redness! ive been thinking about getting the glamouflage for a while but i think thickness wise, it would be comparable to my MUFE full cover.
    Jenn
    A Beautiful Zen

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    1. It is similar to Full Cover- and I do like the MUFE better!

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  3. I just love batiste but never got around to trying the Cherry one yet it sounds amazing will need to get it for summer :D x

    www.krystelcouture.com
    Real Techniques Core Collection Giveaway

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  4. Everybody seems to love that dry shampoo. I'm not a dry shampoo user, though. My hair is so weird in the morning that I absolutely have to wet it or wash it. The cleansing lotion/toner does sound "fab"!

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    1. Heehee, it is! One of my faves for sure :)

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  5. I want to try that Mario Badescu Seaweed Cleansing Lotion! I am on the market for a new toner :)

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  6. I need to try the Batiste dry shampoo!!!

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  7. Mario Badescu Seaweed Cleansing Lotion, I need. Haven't got a good toner, so it would come in very handy :)!

    xx
    http://gita-oddsandends.blogspot.com/

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    1. Ah, you should definitely check it out, then! xo

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  8. Good empties! I love reading these posts - I always feel like I finish way more than others, though!

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  9. I've got to try the Mario Badescu Seaweed Cleansing Lotion!! :)

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  10. I will never be without my batiste! Love the stuff! Also, the clarins mask sounds amazing, would love to try it as their products always seem to impress me X

    Zandra // AZTEC DOLL Fashion & Beauty Blog

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    1. You should definitely check out the Clarins mask- gentle, but effective! :)

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  11. your skin seems so amazing so it's difficult to imagine you needing the acne wash but that's so good to know you already re-purchased. I've also been wanting to try that dry shampoo. Everyone seems to love it. =)
    xo,
    nancy

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    1. Aww, thanks, Nancy! My breakouts are fewer and farther between lately, but I still break out quite easily. The Acne Wash is a winner :)

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  12. Great empties!
    I too also didn't like that Hard Candy congealer it had a weird scent to it too!
    That Eve Lom Soothing Treatment sounds amazing but $150!!
    Let me know if they have a sale too!
    TarteTanya

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  13. ooh thanks for your comments on the items! I really want to try the dry shampoo! They're perfect for on the go when you need a touch up or are at the gym and don't have time to shower! I had a dry shampoo from another brand that I got from Ipsy and ran out, but good to know there are other nice brands that also work!! I might have to purchase this one!
    - Andrea
    www.phdfashionista.com

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    1. Definitely worth checking out! Batiste has never let me down :)

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  14. I feel like the last person in the beauty community to try Batiste. I need to finish this can of Pssst soon so I can move on to Batiste. lol

    Laura
    www.lauraneuzeth.com

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All of your lovely comments make my day! Thanks for taking the time to share your musings, ideas, and opinions. Feel free to leave a link to your blog- I'd be happy to check it out :)