Hey
guys! Long time, no see. I apologise for the lack of updates this last month.
I've just been in the process of moving house (again). Before we moved I did a
huge clean out of my room, and when I found this shoebox, filled to the brim
with empty beauty products, there was no way I was going to take these with me.
So I made sure to take heaps of photos before throwing them away.
QV Exfoliating Polish
This is my
favourite exfoliator at the moment. It does have those tiny little exfoliating
beads, but they don't seem as rough as some other drugstore brands I've tried.
My skin has only improved since I started using this.
QV Gentle Facial Cleanser
Another QV
product I'm in love with. This cleanser is so
gentle, and so moisturising. It's one of
the few drugstore cleansers that doesn't strip my skin. My face feels baby soft
after I use this! It also doubles as a really nice body wash as well.
This
cleansing water is a great dupe for the Bioderma micellar water. There's only a
tiny difference between the two concerning a few ingredients (namely some
unknown amount of cucumber water). At a quarter of the price, the Garnier
cleansing water gets the job done just as well as the Bioderma.
It was a
sad day when I realised I had squeezed out the very last drops of this face
mask. It was a great mask, but in my opinion, it didn't do enough to justify
the price. It will be some time before I try this one again. RIP
Parsley Seed Masque!
When this
one ran out, I quickly jumped online to buy my next tube. This mask won't break
the bank, and it really helps with reducing blackheads and congestion.
This spot
remover is fantastic for eliminating those pesky pimples quickly.
Unfortunately, it can be a bit too harsh to use all the time. This guy can
really dry up your skin, and no amount of makeup or concealer can hide scaly
skin. That's why I opt for tea tree oil for a daily basis, but without a doubt
I'll be re-purchasing this one again.
Tea Tree Oil
Another
great pimple fighting treatment. I much prefer the undiluted, 100% natural tea
tree oil, that way it won't dry out your skin, and it's much easier to hide
pimples under makeup when they're not dried up into flaky little prunes.
This is a
product that has been sitting (empty) in my cupboard for years. I'm glad I kept
it, because until recently I realised I had given up on snail products. I
didn't have much luck with the Benton range, but this gel cream was fantastic.
It really helped clear up bad skin with speed and efficiency, and I had
forgotten how badly I had wanted to try the other products in this range. I
wonder if they're still around…
This is
the tube that started it all. If you suffer from sensitive or irritated skin,
whether it's allergies, eczema, or even razor burn, this product helps
moisturise and remove any irritation. I've since moved on to the lotion, but
it's just as moisturising as the cream, and much easier to spread over a large
surface area. It also comes in a very convenient pump bottle!
Laneige Perfect Renew Refiner
I used to
hate Laneige. The first few products I tried really didn't work for me, and I
vowed not to waste my money on another one of their products again. But for
some reason I ended up buying this skin refiner (stupid, pretty packaging!).
This product alone reversed my opinion of the brand. It didn't break me out
(which was my main concern about Laneige products at the time), it moisturised,
plumped up and brightened my skin immensely. I will definitely be buying this
again, and I can't wait to try out the rest of the range!
Neogence C+ Whitening Serum
This
product was actually sent to me by accident. I thought maybe they had sent me a
sample to try (albeit a very generous sample), but I quickly realised someone
had accidently added it to my order. Oh well, like I was going to complain.
Truth be told, this was the first whitening product I ever tried. It took some
time and research before I fully understood what that meant and tried it out.
It literally cleared up and brightened my skin over-night. This is the only
product I've used that made such a huge difference to the scarring across my
face. Within a month they had disappeared completely. Since then they have
changed up their ranges, focusing more on hyaluronic acid based products, so
it's sad to think I might never be able to try this product again, but it's
definitely put this brand (a Taiwanese based brand I never would have
considered trying in the first place) on my radar.
This was
one of the few products that I really enjoyed in the Benton snail-bee range. It
was quite mild, and it took time to see results, but it did help bring a little
bit more clarity to my skin. Unfortunately, I will definitely be leaving this
range behind me. It just didn't seem to do enough for my skin.
I eat
through rosehip oil like chocolate, so I'm surprised there's only one in this
empties post. The Antioxidant + was a pleasant change from the regular rosehip
oils. The extra vitamins and antioxidants gave the oil a bit more of a kick,
and because the formula was thinner than its counterparts, it absorbed much
faster. A little tweak that some may consider a deal maker. I had hoped to see
an improvement in the acne and brightening department, but I didn't really see
much of a difference between this and their pure rosehip oil.
Physicians Formula Organic Mascara
After
reading all the rave reviews on this mascara I caved into the hype and decided
to try it out myself. It was a huge disappointment. There were
a couple of things I liked about it, it was organic, it didn't contain any
nasty ingredients that could potentially damage my lashes in the long run, and
I loved that it seemed to quadruple my lashes in number. But it never seemed to
set. The mascara never dried, I couldn't wear this out because the slightest
touch would cause it to smudge. And the parts that did dry tended to flake. On
the packaging it claimed this product was non-comedogenic and wouldn't irritate
the eyes, but when it flaked it really stung and itched like crazy. I'm just
glad I bought this off iherb.com for $5 instead of at my local drugstore for
$30. The mark-up on this brand in Australia is ridiculous. This is not a $30
mascara.
One Day Tattoo 24hr Waterproof Liquid
Eyeliner
This has
to be the best waterproof liquid eyeliner I have ever tried. When it's on, it
does not budge. Seriously, no amount of water, sweat or humidity can deter this
liner. You'll need a really good gentle waterproof makeup remover or cleansing
oil to remove this. Liquid liners are the only liners I can work, and I really
appreciate the length and fineness of the brush.
NYX Photo-Loving Primer
My first
NYX product. Yup, I'm being serious, and it was fantastic. This felt identical
to the Smashbox primer I had previously been using, but a quarter of the price!
There were no anti-redness benefits that I could see, but I couldn't care less
at that price. It did its job well.
Swisse Hair Skin Nails Oral Liquid
When my
skin was going through a bad phase I decided to give this oral supplement a
try. I was quite impressed with the results. They weren't instant, but I saw a
huge difference in the bouncy-ness and clarity of my skin. In general I had a
bit more energy as well. I didn't see much difference in my hair or nails. My
nails are already freakishly strong, and my hair…well, it is what it is.
Batiste Dry Shampoo x2
Last but
not least, the infamous batiste dry shampoo. I particularly like this one, that
way I don't have to worry about my roots looking too white. I used to use this
almost every second day, so I'm surprised I didn't eat through more these last
six months.