Monthly Empties: February 2019

❤ – like, 🙄 – eh, & 👎🏻 – dislike

1 & 2. Yes to Coconut Hydrate & Restore Ultra Hydrating Micellar Cleansing Water & Yes to Cotton Protects & Minimize Irritation Comforting Micellar Cleansing Water, both I love to use especially in the morning as my pre cleanse before moving onto with my cleanser and sometimes when I’m really lazy to use a cleanser I just use this in place of my cleanser. Both are super hydrating micellar water that I personally use with a cotton pad to sweep across my face like I would when using a toner. They come in other scent with targeted areas for the skin as well. Definitely, will be repurchasing. ❤

3. Mario Badescu Skincare Facial Spray with Aloe Herbs and Rosewater, I’ve had this for like a year and a half or something before finishing up the bottle which is amazing! I love this facial spray and I love how it’s so multipurpose like I use this after a hot shower, when I’m feeling hot, when I need some sort of spray to wake myself up a bit, and before and after makeup as a setting spray. I love that it comes with so much product at an affordable price too. They have other scented sprays as well that you can try out and my most favorite scent from them is the facial spray with aloe, cucumber, and green tea one. I’ve already repurchased one of a different scent. ❤

4. Laneige Lip Sleeping Mask, is the most incredible lip sleeping mask I’ve ever tried and only one to be honest. I mostly use it as a lip balm too and carry it around with me wherever I go just because I love how moisturized it makes my lip feel. I love the berry scent! I got this with one of the Sephora gift set I got awhile ago, so this was a deluxe sample size but I’ve already repurchased in the full size although it’s quite pricey it’s definitely worth it in my opinion, a little goes a long way. ❤

5. iUNIK Tea Tree Relief Serum, a super smooth and relaxing serum for the skin after essence of course. It doesn’t really have a scent and it makes the skin feel super smooth and non irritant when I use it. I love that it honestly, faded some of my acne scar with continue use. It is really moisturizing and also brightens up the skin complexion. I definitely will repurchase once I finish up my other serums that I have but it is an amazing product and it lasted for such a long time when I use this as my morning serum and night serum. ❤

6. Skinfood Black Sugar Strawberry Mask Wash Off, the last out of the three sugar mask I’ve tried from them. I heard they came out with a Honey and Coconut scented one awhile ago so definitely have to pick those up once I finish up my other exfoliators I have in my skincare drawer. I love that it smells like fresh strawberry an artificial scent but still smells wonderful and leaves the skin feeling super smooth after using. I definitely use these mask wash off as an exfoliator but you could also use it as a mask! If it’s a bit harsh pro tip is to add a little bit of water and it won’t be too abrasive on the skin. ❤

FTC: This blog post is not sponsored and I bought everything with my own money aside from the iUNIK Tea Tree Relief Serum which was sent to me for free for review purposes. I am in no way obligated to write a positive review. All opinions are my own. All images are my own unless stated otherwise.

Current Skincare: 11-step routine

1. Pre Cleanse: The Body Shop Camomile Sumptuous Cleansing Butter

This retails for $16 alone but I was able to snag this at TJ MAXX it came with two travel mini eye makeup removers for $9.99. I had to get it because it was at an amazing price and Christine from @christineincolorbeauty on Instagram raved about how good this product was. It definitely lives up to her expectations as well as mine. There is only about half of this product left and it just feels so good on the skin alone and once you rinse it off your skin is baby smooth. I use this as my first cleanse before using my water cleanser.

2. Water Cleanser: Tatcha The Deep Cleanse

I received a deluxe sample of this from Tatcha awhile ago and only got to using this now and wow it is amazing. It’s not like any other cleanser I’ve used it’s interesting because it has these exfoliating luffa fruit like tiny beads that leaves your skin super smooth once you rinse everything off. I like that it is gentle and not harsh on my skin at all and it smells amazing. Usually, I’m not a fan of heavily scented things but this is just the right amount.

3. Exfoliator: Skinfood Black Sugar Strawberry Mask Wash Off

I definitely am a huge fan of Skinfood products as this is my third mask wash off I’ve tried from them. I have yet to try their honey and coconut one and I plan to purchase those one next after I’m done using this one. I use this about once or twice a week depending on how many blackheads/pores I have on my nose. If it’s a bit harsh all you gotta do is add a bit of water but it works wonder and smells amazing if you love strawberry scented things. My nose is usually super soft afterwards and I notice less visible blackheads/pores.

4. Toner: Son & Park Beauty Water and Skin Toner

I’m still using the same toner as my previous skincare routine post. I literally love this toner because it lives up to the hype that everyone is talking about. I love that it’s multipurpose and leaves a beautiful scent on the skin. It leaves my skin hydrated and not stripped like other toners I’ve tried out.

5. Essence: COSRX Advanced Snail 96 Mucin Power Essence

I’m still using the same essence and honestly, I love this essence because it feels like a hydrating serum compared to other essence that are a watery consistency. This one is made of snail mucin so it is kind of sticky once you pump a little bit onto the palm of your hand but once rubbed onto the face it absorbs quickly. It’s definitely worth the money as I’ve been using this for quite sometime now.

6. Serum: iUNIK Tea Tree Relief Serum

I’m still using this serum and it lasted me for quite a while now and it’s amazing. I love that it absorbs into the skin quickly and definitely has a mild scent to it which I love in any product pretty much. I’m literally 2/3 done with this product and hope to try out other serums from this brand. It’s so hydrating on my dry skin and definitely not sticky once it absorbs into the skin.

7. Sheet Mask: TonyMoly I’m Real Avocado Mask Sheet

My sheet mask always change because I’m always excited to try out new sheet that are out there. This happens to be the one I’m using this morning and it’s amazing just like other TonyMoly masks I’ve tried. Most of them claims to be radiant, glowing, and moisturizing and they all live up to that expectations. It smells so good cause it’s avocado. I love sheet masks, if you don’t know what to get me personally, I would say sheet masks.

8. Eye Cream: Benefit Cosmetics It’s Potent Eye Cream

I got a deluxe sample of this and been trying it out and I’m loving it. It’s watery and absorbs quickly into the skin and it does have a mild scent but can’t pinpoint what but it smells good. It’s a great eye cream in my opinion and I hope to purchase the larger size of it next. You only need a tiny amount of it, a little goes a long way because I’ve been using this tiny jar for quite sometime and still have a lot of product in it.

9. Moisturizer: iUNIK Beta Glucan Daily Moisture Cream

I ran out of my first aid beauty moisturizer so it was time to test this one out from iUNIK. It smells amazing since iUNIK uses natural ingredients and it’s kind of like a light fruity scent. It has quite the same formula as my favorite first aid beauty one. It definitely hydrates my face and absorbs quickly into the skin. It leaves no residue behind and leaves the skin looking healthy and glowing. It’s a great moisturizer at an amazing price point.

10. Sunscreen: Missha Mild Essence Sun Milk SPF 50

Low behold, still using this sunscreen it lasts a long time but I’m 2/3 almost finish with it. Definitely, thinking about repurchasing this again because I love the scent even though it’s kind of overpowering but that disappears after it’s set onto your skin. I love the watery consistency and that it’s SPF 50.

11. Facial Spray: Mario Badescu Facial Spray With Aloe, Herbs, and Rosewater

I literally have a tiny amount left of this product just because it’s that good. I love using this before my moisturizer recently because apparently moisturizer soaks into the skin when it’s wet better. But I use this whenever I want a wake me up as well as before and after my skincare routine just because it’s a good mist. I love that it hydrates my skin and it smells wonderful.

P.S. I love updating my skincare routine and posting about them so I can look back and see what kind of products I’ve tried and how far I have come with my skincare routine. I’m more of a skincare junkie than a makeup junkie. I love trying, testing, and reviewing skincare products and hope you guys enjoy it too.

FTC: This blog post is not sponsored and I bought everything with my own money aside from the iUNIK Tea Tree Relief Serum and iUNIK Beta-Glucan Daily Moisture Cream which was sent to me for free for review purposes. I am in no way obligated to write a positive review. All opinions are my own. All images are my own unless stated otherwise.

Monthly Empties: June 2018

❤ – like, 🙄 – eh, & 👎🏻 – dislike

1. SKIN FOOD black sugar mask wash off, I’ve used SKIN FOOD rice wash off and I enjoyed using that one as a mild exfoliator but with this one it’s kind of harsher because it’s sugar but it works wonder for getting rid of blackhead and exfoliating on areas of the face. If you find it to be kind of harsh just add water and honestly, doesn’t feel like anything is on your face. It’s amazing and I love the scent of black sugar from SKIN FOOD. I definitely want to repurchase this product. ❤

2. The body shop camomile gentle eye make up remover, I only used this as what the product claimed to do and it does exactly that. It’s super gentle compared to other eye make up removers I’ve tried as it is very gentle and it doesn’t burn my eyes or anything which is a definitely win-win for me as there are eye make up removers out there that just tend to sting the eye but this one doesn’t. I already have a back up mini of this. ❤

3. First aid beauty skin rescue deep cleanser with red clay, was a good gel cleanser but I wasn’t a huge fan of the scent. It got the job done but I wasn’t really in love with it as I think there are probably other great cleansers out there at an affordable price. I don’t think I’ll be repurchasing this anytime soon. 🙄

4. SKIN FOOD black sugar perfect cleansing oil, my very first cleansing oil in a full size that I finished. As you can tell, I bought this once I discovered the black sugar mask and well it’s amazing and it gets the job done. It’s such a gentle cleansing oil that works super well as the first step in cleansing your face. It’s hydrating and doesn’t leave the skin greasy or deprived of moisture. I will definitely repurchase this once I finish up my other cleansers. ❤

FTC: This blog post is not sponsored and I bought everything with my own money. All images are my own unless stated otherwise. All opinions are my own.

Skincare: 11-step routine

1. Facial Spray: Mario Badescu Facial Spray With Aloe, Herbs, and Rosewater

I love that this facial mist refreshes and hydrates my skin before starting my skincare routine and after. It’s lightweight, smells amazing, and is super hydrating for my dry skin during the cold winter months and whenever I need a pick me up throughout the day. I don’t only use it to prep / lock in my skincare but I also sometimes use it as a setting spray for my makeup. It just gives the face a dewy look. It’s great to spray right after taking a shower too, to replenish the skin.

2. Oil Cleanser: Skinfood Black Sugar Perfect Cleansing Oil

Three months later, still using this cleanser. This cleanser does not break me out at all and is very gentle on my skin. I use about two pumps and that cleanses my face and neck overall. Not only that, my boyfriend loves it too! For more review on this product check out my previous skincare routine linked down below.

3. Water Cleanser: Fresh Soy Face Cleanser

I got this deluxe sample size water cleanser from the Sephora Favorites Skincare Routine: Combo Skin links to my beauty haul awhile back. I’ve been using this for quite some time now and honestly, I know everyone on earth talks about this cleanser and loves it. However, for me the scent just wasn’t cutting it for me… I felt like it was a strong soy scent that I did not enjoy. It’s great at removing makeup and hydrating the skin but for me I simply, could not stand the scent.

4. Exfoliator: Skinfood Wash Off Black Sugar Mask

This is a two in one: a wash off mask as well as an exfoliator. I finished up the Skinfood Wash Off Rice Mask so I wanted to try this as it goes hand in hand with my oil cleanser. This stuff smells amazing and I use it twice a week to give my face some good exfoliation when I need it. I love the grainy texture of it and how after you exfoliate it leaves the skin super smooth, hydrated and dewy. Tip: If you find it to be a harsh exfoliator just add some water to it, and it’ll be gentle on the skin. Overall, Skinfood Black Sugar line has never failed to disappoint me as I love the two products from the Black Sugar line already.

5. Toner: Son & Park Beauty Water and Skin Toner

I finished up my Thayers Witch Hazel Alcohol Free Toner Rose Petal a couple weeks ago and decided to try this out since I bought this during Soko Glam Black Friday sale. It smells like wine to me but I enjoy the scent and it is not too overpowering like the Fresh Soy Face Cleanser. I love that this product is also multipurpose it’s a cleanser, exfoliator, and toner all in one. I love that it’s hydrating on the skin and for resetting my skin’s pH levels. Sometimes, if I don’t have time to do my skincare routine I’ll only use this as it is multipurpose.

6. Essence: COSRX Advanced Snail 96 Mucin Power Essence

I purchased this from Ulta when they had the 20% off coupon. I watched a bunch of reviews on this product before purchasing it. And frankly, I’m in LOVE with this product. I love the sticky consistency and gooeyness of this product. It feels wonderful on the skin sort of like a thick hydrating serum but is lightweight and the sticky feeling goes away as it absorbs into your skin. I like that it locks in the moisture in my skin. It’s a great product to try since it’s different than most essence as those are a watery consistency, while this one is more of a thick consistency.

7. Serum: iUNIK Tea Tree Relief Serum

I’ve been using this serum for the past two months and find that this product helped relieve my irritated skin and also lightened up my sun spots and acne scars. They aren’t dark as they were before using this product. I like that it is a mild scent, light colored green serum, moisturizing and leave the skin looking dewy. I find that this product absorbs into the skin quite quickly too compared to other serums that I’ve tried out. It does leave a light stickiness once applied to the face but that quickly disappears as it soaks up into the skin. I find it super moisturizing for my dry skin. Overall, I enjoy this serum and cannot wait to try other serums from the brand.

8. Sheet Mask: Neutrogena Deep Clean Purifying Hydro Gel Mask

My sheet masks varies from time to time but this happen to be the one I’m using today. I need to do a separate review for this sheet mask like I usually do for my sheet mask reviews since I’m a sheet mask fanatic. I never really use a hydro gel mask before so this is one for the books ha. It’s interesting that this is a two piece mask one for the upper part of your face and one for the bottom portion of your face. It sticks to your skin since it’s hydro gel and I left it on for 15-20 minutes… and well stay tune for a review.

9. Eye Cream: Murad Resurgence Renewing Eye Cream

It’s been month since I’ve used this eye cream and honestly, I notice no visible difference in reduction of my dark spots under my eye or even wrinkles. I feel like it gets the job done at moisturizing my under eye but other than that I feel like it’s any other eye cream out there. Please let me know, if you guys know any good eye creams out there once I finish this up.

10. Moisturizer: First Aid Beauty Ultra Repair Face Moisturizer

I love that this moisturizer goes on lightweight, has a settle scent to it, and is ultimately moisturizing for the face. It’s a wonderful moisturizer that I even bought a backup of it once I finish this bottle up. I even convinced my brother to buy a bottle since I loved it so much. It’s a great bang for the buck moisturizer since a little goes a long way. AMAZING let me know what your holy grail moisturizer is? Mine is this one right here.

11. Sunscreen: Missha Mild Essence Sun Milk SPF 50

A little goes a long way in my opinion because if I don’t have time for my skincare routine, I always make sure to apply sunscreen before heading out. I realize the importance of sunscreen as it prevents me from getting more sun spots and wrinkles. I’ve been loving this sunscreen and cannot wait to try something else once I finish this gem right here.

Monthly Empties: February 2018

I was doing good with my blog until winter break ended and honestly, I didn’t have any empties during the month of January. But as you can tell, during the month of February I hit some empties and I’m proud of it. Let’s get started shall we?

❤ – like, 🙄 – eh, & 👎🏻 – dislike

1. SKIN FOOD rice mask wash off my very first wash off mask ever but honestly, I barely used it as a wash off mask. I enjoyed using this as a mild exfoliator for my dry to normal skin. I loved that it left my skin dewy, smooth, and smelling great after each use. I love that the rice is so finely milled that it doesn’t hurt when I rub it into my skin. Unlike, the black sugar mask which is more harsh for my skin but adding water to it, to exfoliate the skin doesn’t make it so bad. I will definitely repurchase this after I go through the rest of my exfoliators. ❤

2. Boscia sake cleansing water no-rinse makeup remover and cleanser. I got this from my purchase of the Sephora Favorites Soko To Tokyo kit awhile back. I pretty much used this cleanser as a pre-cleanse with a cotton pad before my double cleanse. The only downside about this product is the squirting sometimes, if I applied too much pressure it would kind of dispense the product not onto the cotton pad but onto the bottom surface of the pump. I felt like it wasted product every now and then. I don’t think I would be repurchasing this as I didn’t use it as a no-rinse makeup remover but instead using it as a pre-cleanse product. Plus, it’s kind of expensive and I feel like there might be better alternatives out there. 🙄

3. Mario Badescu enzyme cleansing gel, an interesting product that is great for all skin types. My boyfriend and I really enjoyed this when we used this cleanser. It leaves the skin super soft, clean, and well it smells kind of fruity and I love it. It’s super gentle on the skin and I love that. I also love that it doesn’t dry out the skin like other cleansers does. My boyfriend and I both have dry skin especially during the winter months and this leaves our skin hydrated. I definitely plan on purchasing the full size once I use up all my other cleansers. ❤

4. Avene hydrance serum I received this sample from my one month subscription to Birchbox awhile back. This is a great hydrating serum that I liked to use during my morning skincare routine. In my opinion, it’s quite comparable to the first aid beauty serum I emptied awhile back just this one isn’t translucent it’s more of a milky consistency whereas the first aid beauty one was more like a watery consistency but both did the job at hydrating my skin. I plan to repurchase this after finishing up my new serum I’m using at the moment. ❤

5. Olay regenerist luminous toning perfecting cream moisturizer I received many samples of this from Ulta awhile back and haven’t had the time to use it till this month literally. I used this on a burn that I got and haven’t even noticed till later when it got darker. It honestly, helped heal my burn back to almost my normal skin. I’m pretty sure it’ll work great as a moisturizer but for me, I used it on my hands and it smelled delightful. I probably won’t purchase this just because I have so many other moisturizers I have to get through first. However, I did enjoy the sample while it lasted.❤

6. Clinque moisture surge a sample, once again from Ulta. I mean I thought it was okay. I feel like there are other moistruizers out there that are better but that’s just my opinion. I have a couple of these deluxe sample sizes to get through as well. I wasn’t a huge fan of it but it did it’s purpose as a moisturizer I guess. I probably won’t repurchase this. 🙄

7. Loreal hydra-genius normal/dry skin, I thought it was okay I wasn’t really a big fan of the scent on this moisturizer. It did it’s job as a moisturizer.. but I don’t think I’ll repurchase this product either just because as the reasons stated above. 🙄

8. Garnier moisture bomb again, I thought it was okay as a moisturizer I feel like the clinique, loreal, and this all felt similar. Probably, won’t repurchase either. 🙄

FTC: This blog post is not sponsored and I bought everything with my own money. All images are my own unless stated otherwise. All opinions are myown.

Skincare: 10-step routine

1. Oil Cleanser: Skinfood Black Sugar Perfecting Cleansing Oil

I love the consistency of it (thin and not sticky), feels like water at first when it’s on your hands but when you start rubbing it onto your face it gets super oily and it helps get rid of makeup and even some waterproof makeup such as eyeliner. However, I have normal to dry skin so my dry skin kind of soaks the oil up so I use two pumps of it for my entire face and neck. It gets the job done and you get so much of it. It’s a must have because the scent smells amazing too. I also love that when you wash it off, it feels like your washing soap off of your face because of the milky consistency it gives off.

2. Water Cleanser: H20 Plus Elements Keep It Fresh Face Cleanser

I’ve used water cleansers before but never religiously like I’ve been the past couple weeks. I received this from one of my ipsy’s bag awhile back and decided to give it a try. The consistency is lightweight and not sticky and once you apply it onto the face it has a cooling sensation. Once you rinse it off the face, it’s sort of foaming but not quite there yet but it’s a wonderful clean feeling on the face and it leaves your face smelling fresh and clean.

3. Exfoliator: Skinfood Wash Off Rice Mask

I know this is suppose to be a wash off mask but I use this as an exfoliator as well. I also have the black sugar wash off mask, and the strawberry black sugar wash off mask as well and I use both of those as exfoliators instead of a wash off mask. Anyways, this wash off mask/exfoliator is really gentle and amazing on the face. It makes my complexion brighter and more supple and firm. The scent it leaves on your face smells divine.

4. Toner: Thayers Witch Hazel Alcohol Free Toner Rose Petal

You all know how much I love this toner hence my November Empties 2017 with my mini red that after I finished it up. I went ahead and repurchased it in the bigger size. I always love buying the travel size products or receiving samples of stuff that I can test out for a couple of days or even weeks so I know what kind of product work and don’t work for me. This is a very good and gentle toner that smells like roses what’s better than that?

5. Essence: SK-II Facial Treatment Essence

I received this in the Soko to Tokyo Soko to Tokyo kit from one of the Sephora’s favorites. I don’t think it’s sold in Sephora anymore but in the kit it included this essence. I believe the kit was around $40 but I bought it straight from Dote. Dote Shopping app is in the app store for apple users and you can receive $5 off your very first purchase along with free shipping! Use code: MV9S

This is my first essence and it’s wonderful in my opinion, it works wonders and it smells great. It’s lightweight to the point where you can layer it as many time as you want but usually I layer it and pat it onto my face about two times. However, it’s quite expensive for what it is and there are more affordable options out there. Once I finish this baby up, I’ll be trying out a new essence.

6. Sheet Mask: Innisfree It’s Real Squeeze Mask Kiwi

I had a big LOVE for sheet masks. Honestly, today I used a innisfree sheet mask but it depends. My sheet mask varies when it comes to targeting different things such as brightening, firming, moisturizing, skin problems, and etc. Today I wanted to brighten up my skin so I used this sheet mask but sheet masks varies all the time for me. This kiwi scent smelled amazing and was super hydrating.

7. Serum: First Aid Beauty Ultra Repair Hydrating Serum

I received this serum from the Ready. Set. Hydrate! Kit I bought at Ulta and the serum itself is super hydrating on the skin and it left a cooling sensation on my skin. It doesn’t really quite smell like anything to me but maybe like a clean smelling scent is how I would describe it. I think I have one or two more uses out of this and I will be finished with this product sooner than later. I plan on repurchasing because it leaves my skin super hydrated. Despite, the stickiness it leaves on the hand I can look past it because I love what it does for my skin.

8. Eye Cream: Murad Resurgence Renewing Eye Cream

I fell in the trap of buying an expensive eye cream… I mean it gets the job done but I feel like all it does so far for my skin is moisturizing and I haven’t really noticed a difference in the appearance of my wrinkles or anything on my eyes. Once I finish this product, I don’t think I’ll repurchase this anytime soon because I feel like there are better options out there for a much more affordable price as well.

9. Moisturizer: First Aid Beauty Ultra Repair Face Moisturizer

I initially bought the Ready. Set Hydrate! Kit from Ulta because I wanted this face moisturizer in particular but discovered amazing hidden gems as well. I bought it during one of their 21 days of beauty event a while back for around $22 I believe. I love how lightweight the moisturizer is on my face and it doesn’t leave a greasy feeling. My skin soaks up the moisturizer real fast and it leaves the skin super hydrated.

10. Sunscreen: Missha Mild Essence Sun Milk SPF 50

I never ever really wear sunscreen but I started to wear it right after reading The Little Book of Skincare 1st Ed. By Charlotte Cho and realized the importance of sunscreen so I bought this sunscreen and I’ve been using it daily ever since on my face and on the rest of my body. I’ve been enjoying the light weight feeling of it on my skin and the scent is kind of overpowering for my liking but it’s been good overall.

FTC: This blog post is not sponsored and I bought everything with my own money. All images are my own unless stated otherwise. All opinions are my own. However, the dote code is my referral code so thank you in advance if you end up using it (: