March '14 empties

March had been a crazy busy month for me. Between settling into a new place and trying to adjust my schedule now that we live slightly further from the train station, I was also wrapping up my first year of teaching in high school.

Our apartment was still filled with boxes (most of which I packed and labeled, but still manage to forget what's exactly inside) that I had to dig through almost everyday to get what I want. Not easy, I'll tell you, when the Little Tako seems to be getting heavier and more wriggly by the nano second.

This month saw some samples and a couple of products that I  had really enjoyed using.

Bifest bi-phase Eye Makeup Remover
Something that has already been featured in one of my previous empties posts and needs no introduction nor explanation.
Repurchase: Have another backup bottle somewhere in one of my many boxes...

E.L.F. Shimmer Gloss in Miami (discontinued)
Exactly the same as their (also discontinued) Minty version except this one smells and tastes a little fruity. Plastic-fruity, if I may add. Boring, work-safe, kept my lips moisturized for a couple of hours, nothing to write home about.
Repurchase: No (discontinued)

Clarins Multi-Active Night Youth Recovery Comfort Cream (sample)
Something that Mister Homebody had thoughtfully picked up for me seeing that I'd been having skin woes due to hormonal changes. This is the first cream in a long while that didn't make my face oily overnight. Instead, my face felt normal which is something I don't even remember feeling first thing in the morning. Smells relaxing and luxurious, too.
Repurchase: Bought the full-sized jar

Clarins Gentle Foaming Cleanser with Tamarind (sample)
Came together with the little baggie from Mister Homebody. Has little scrubby bits that I'm pretty sure are not synthetic because they feel like crushed nutshells on my face. Love the scent and the fact that it rinses away clean with no residue. I used this as my morning cleanser and it didn't leave my face tight even in the cold and dry weather.
Repurchase: Bought the full-sized tube

Maybelline Dream Fresh BB in Light/Light Medium
I'm not sure if this has been discontinued as I got it in a swap and it's not available in Japan. Never having been a fan of BB creams, I had actually really enjoyed using this as the cut up tube shows, till the very last bit. I loved the zero effort needed for the sheer and light coverage it gave me and wore it all summer through winter. Only difference was, I skipped the moisturizer in summer as I tend to get oily. A quick buff with a face brush followed by a light sweep of powder and I'm good for the day. I do get shiny through the day, of course, but that's by no fault of the product.
Repurchase: No (not available in Japan)

Clinique Fresh Bloom Allover Color in 01 Peony
Color is crazy pretty (for lack of more descriptive words) but it shattered and became so messy that I hardly bothered since I transferred it into a little jar. Soft and easy to blend but may be a little light on my skin tone.
Repurchase: No

Canmake Perfect Serum BB Cream Light in 02 Natural (sample)
Not sure if I used this wrongly but it looked really cakey and melted on the sides of my nose and below my lower lip. I did powder over it as I tend to do on long days but I just look cake-faced. It was also a shade darker so I'm glad it was just a sample. I might try out the lighter shade if I can get my hands on another sample, though.
Repurchase: Possibly in a lighter shade

Esprique Moist Makeup Base (sample)
Love. LOVE. I'm not one who bothers with primers and foundation bases but I wish this little foil packet had more than just one use because I'm so in love! It worked wonder for my winter skin and I saw zero dry patches, yet, no trace of shine. So easy to smooth and the SPF25 was a bonus for me as my skin is highly reactive to sunscreen ingredients.
Repurchase: Definitely (after I'm done with my current tube of sunscreen)

Esprique Flat Control Base UV (sample)
Another win for me. Should've discovered this sooner and I imagine that it would work very well for me in summer. No allergic reactions, too!
Repurchase: Yes

Clarins Multi-Active Day Early Wrinkle Correction Cream (sample)
Item #3 from Mister Homebody's baggie and you must be thinking, "Is it safe for pregnancy?" Answer is yes. Clarins has stated that their products are pregnancy safe, but of course, if you're feeling iffy then skip along. I liked this one, very much. Not heavy or oily for day use and perfect under makeup (although I'm still figuring how to layer on the pesky sunscreen and not be cake-faced). Smells beautiful, just like other Clarins products and seems to calm my skin more than my current moisturizer.
Repurchase: Bought the full-sized jar

All in all, it's probably the best empties month I've had so far with wonderful new discoveries as well as using up makeup products (they never seem to die, do they?)

What did you finish up in March?

A year of lip products #47

I have recently discovered that I own an obscene amount of lip products. In an effort to downsize without having a blog sale or burning all the makeup in my possession in a bonfire, I thought it would be a neat little idea to take inventory of my lipsticks, glosses and stains.

Pictures are taken in natural daylight with no color correction or manipulation.

Revlon Super Lustrous Lip Gloss (SPF15) in Lilac Pastel

I like lip glosses more than I do lipsticks, really. I find that they (usually) keep my lips moisturized longer than lipsticks and look more effortless than an opaque lip color. In general, I veer towards lip glosses more also for the fact that I don't have to be too careful about slicking them on. A good one will spread itself out easily and fill in the lines of my lips without making them stand out. This comes with your standard doe foot applicator that picks up just enough product for one application without the need for double dipping. From the tube, I deducted that I'd get at least a semi opaque, high shine finish on my lips. That's half true, because it did go on kind of opaque, but the problem I had after that was how patchy it looked on my lips. It went on easily enough when I stretched my lips a little bit, however, as soon as I pucker up, the products settled into lines that I never even knew existed. The more I smooshed my lips together in attempt to spread the product out evenly, the worse it looks. There was some stickiness though I totally expect that out of lip glosses. As the color is clearly not for the nude-loving people, I won't go into how it's not your everyday lip gloss. It did take a lot of trying for this to look decent in the picture and I got a good couple hours of wear without eating or drinking.

A year of lip products #45

I have recently discovered that I own an obscene amount of lip products. In an effort to downsize without having a blog sale or burning all the makeup in my possession in a bonfire, I thought it would be a neat little idea to take inventory of my lipsticks, glosses and stains.

Pictures are taken in natural daylight with no color correction or manipulation.

Cyber Colors Vitamin Duo Lip Gloss in 06 Royal Carol

Probably the only product I own from this brand. Not entirely sure but I think it's a brand from Hong Kong and could be easily found in Hong Kong. Do I like it? No. This was a gift from an old college girlfriend and it's a dual ended lip gloss. The label is only one one side so I don't think there's a shade name for either side except a number. While I had really enjoyed one side of it (finished it up so I couldn't even take pictures!), I sort of hated this side. It's glitttery and gritty on the lips and the wand never seems to pick up anything so I needed to keep dipping to get product out. I generally dislike lip products that won't show on my lips (sheer is alright, but nothing is not) and the only good point I can think of for it is that it work-safe. I wouldn't even go as far as to say it's moisturizing because it really just sits on my lips and that stops them from drying out. Glad that I didn't spend any money on this one.

A year of lip products #43

I have recently discovered that I own an obscene amount of lip products. In an effort to downsize without having a blog sale or burning all the makeup in my possession in a bonfire, I thought it would be a neat little idea to take inventory of my lipsticks, glosses and stains.

Pictures are taken in natural daylight with no color correction or manipulation.

Senna Cosmetics duo lip gloss in Chocolate Cherry

This is the Chocolate side, I'm assuming, as the other other side is a much lighter, creamier nude kind of color that I don't particularly favor. To be really honest, I've only really used this side twice in the entire time that I've had it. And now, I'm wondering why I haven't picked it up more often, seeing that the color really isn't as old lady as I thought it was. Yes, it's brown and shimmery, but on my lips, it doesn't appear that way at all. I'd say this is a warm color that I can wear regardless of season (except maybe on really windy days because no lip gloss has passed that test yet). Some people might label this "frosty" or "contains micro shimmer particles". I'm really not all that great with descriptions, so you can take a look at yourself at how non scary it looks on the lips as opposed to the heavy swatch on skin. It doesn't hide flakiness completely but I'd say it's good enough for the days when lipstick just doesn't cooperate. Like most other lip glosses, it's not meant to have lasting power and I'm completely fine with that. Who'd ever finish up a lip product that you don't need to reapply anyway? Not too glossy, slightly sticky, and medium-glossy (in the sense that I don't get a mirror-like shine from wearing this). Pretty ho-hum, really.

A year of lip products #41

I have recently discovered that I own an obscene amount of lip products. In an effort to downsize without having a blog sale or burning all the makeup in my possession in a bonfire, I thought it would be a neat little idea to take inventory of my lipsticks, glosses and stains.

Pictures are taken in natural daylight with no color correction or manipulation.

Clinique Long Last Glosswear SPF 15 in Kissy Fit 

I like this. I really, really do. I'd even wear it regularly if my hair didn't fly around all the time and get stuck on my lips. First of all, pink is not in my usual list of picks for lip color as I believe the ship may have sailed and I'm a little too old to be sporting bubble gum colors. Of course, I am wrong, since this is right up my alley and didn't make me look like a pre-teen. In the tube, the shimmer is glaringly obvious and the color stands out as a pretty bold pink (not loud, just bold). Even on the skin swatch, the shimmer particles are quite evident, but like with other lip products that I own, they're not in your face once applied onto the lips. I love, love, that it fills out my lips and smooths out all the fine lines. I don't even need to worry about flaky lips as I find that the product spreads out so evenly to camouflage any dryness that I might have. One coat of this (no double dipping, yay!) and my lips are perfectly juicy and luscious. It is, however, a little thick and sticky so I definitely have that something-is-on-my-lips feeling.

July '13 empties

Another month, another empties post. Seems like all this blog is about is just the garbage that I accumulated, eh?

This month brought me tons of disappointments, but as is my OCD nature to finish up everything right down till the very last drop/dollop/sheet, I think I did pretty damn well.

One more finished lip product this month!

Shiseido Senka Perfect Whip Face Foam

Hates it. Even with my oily skin, I always feel like my face is stretched beyond limits after I use it. And don't get my started about the itching that came with that crazy dry feeling. On the bright side, I use it with my Clarisonic and I love how it really foams up.

Repurchase: No

Cleansing wipes from 100 yen store

I don't use these on my face, ever, but I keep them on my vanity for wiping my fingers off after using cream shadow, BB cream, before dipping my fingers into anything etc. You get the idea. Somehow this box must be either a really old one or the seal sticker inside doesn't really seal. They were pretty dry by the time I got to the third sheet. They don't seem to clean very well. either. I usually have to press hard on the dirty spot and swipe a few times before anything comes off, especially cream eyeshadows.

Repurchase: No

Bifesta bi-phase Eye Makeup Remover

Went on a crazy buying spree during my brief period of insanity and bought 3 bottles of these. I didn't even really start wearing eye makeup regularly till I started working in April. Must've been some demon possession going on there when I clicked purchase, I'm sure of it. This bi-phase eye makeup remover does its job well and lasted me a very good 4 or so months before I got to the last drop. Doesn't sting my eyes and never left me with cloudy vision either. Some of my eye makeup can be a little stubborn to remove, like my Bobbi Brown gel liner and waterproof mascara, but all they need is 10 seconds of this stuff on a cotton pad on my eye, and a few very gently swipes. All clean. Even in between my lashes. My only gripe is that it doesn't smell like garden flowers and babies, but I guess that's alright.

Repurchase: Already have 2 backup bottles

Etude House Lemon sheet mask

So I went trip happy at Incheon Airport during my many flights between Shanghai and Kuala Lumpur and I bought, like, 10 of these. Which is a lot, considering I don't use sheet masks. So, what did this do for my face? Absolutely nothing. It claims to brighten skin and is supposed to be great for acne skin types. But, well, nothing happened. Smells great, though. And chilling it in the fridge 10 minutes before applying it onto my face felt pretty awesome in this summer heat. I do, however, hate the sticky feeling that the essence left. I don't care what anyone says, it does not absorb into skin. It just stays on the surface no matter how much I try to massage it in. I ended up rinsing a second time just so that I could apply my moisturizer after. Oh, I have to say that it's a pretty good fit for my face too. And they weren't skint on the essence because there was plenty left in the packet even after I took the mask out.

Repurchase: No

Etude House Pearl Extract sheet mask

Bought 10 of these as well on the same day I got the Lemon ones(!). Nope, didn't like them, either. Claims to brighten skin, hydrate blah blah blah. Whatever. This one didn't even smell nice. I had the exact same issues I did with the lemon one. But I do love the feeling of slapping one on when the summer heat is unbearable and taking a short nap with the air conditioning on. Not sure if it's just me, but my face itched a little after.

Repurchase: No

The Body Shop Pink Grapefruit Shower Gel

I'm one of those devoted lifelong users of The Body Shop's shower gels. While I won't particularly pick this one first out of the many other scents they carry, this one's apparently manly enough for Mister Homebody. I like how foamy it becomes and how the scent lingers in the shower. However, it contains SLS which I'm trying to cut down and eventually out.

Repurchase: No

Kose Softymo Speedy Cleansing Oil

I first tried this one out when I was in Hong Kong and everything sells for cheap there. It removes my makeup very well and doesn't leave my skin feeling tight or dry. Now, I have a very complete cleansing routine whenever I'm wearing makeup (which is pretty much almost everyday now that I have a job) and it involves what most people would call "tedious". I start with the Bifesta eye makeup remover to remove all my eye makeup (obviously) and I use the cleansing oil for the rest of my face. After I've rinsed off, I always follow up with my regular cleanser, which may be whatever I'm using at the moment as I've not been loyal to any particular brand since Biotherm. I've been doing this for ages and it seems to work best for me out of all the other methods I've tried, from cream cleanser to makeup wipes and everything in between. It's slightly runnier than other types of cleansing oils that I've used previously but I don't see how that makes it inferior or work any less than other more expensive types. Although I have sensitive skin and really should stay away from fragranced products, I do sometimes wish this had at least a teeny bit of fragrance in it to spice things up.

Repurchase: Already have 2 backup bottles

Clinique Long Last Glosswear SPF 15 in Clearly Pink

I've never had a Clinique lip gloss before and I'm clearly blown away by this one. It fills out all the fine lines and gave me smooth silicone looking lips while not making me look like I used a lip plumper. The formula is awesome and glides on easily. I never needed to double dip because somehow, the doe foot applicator always picks up the right amount of product. The SPF 15 is an added bonus too, though they're chemical sunscreens which I randomly get allergic reactions from. While I love almost everything about this lip gloss, I don't think I'd repurchase simply because I'm currently trying to phase out buying products with ingredients that I'm iffy about.

Repurchase: No

DHC Eyelash Tonic

I used this for the recommended 6 months because apparently that's how long it takes for some people to see results. I did miss a few days in that span of time but I don't think it's supposed to make a difference to the results I was supposed to get. Because it did absolutely nothing for me. If anything, it annoyed me that I had to apply this to my lashes everyday and sometimes I somehow manage to poke my eye with the wand. It started out as a clear gel but in time it grew cloudy and I think it's due to the fact that I always moisturize beforehand and it's the moisturizer that's making the product cloudy. In the beginning I felt that I had less falling out of my lashes but after 6 months, it was just another extra 2 minutes that I had to spend every night which yielded zero results. I even tried using this on my eyebrows because mine are so sparse. Nothing. Just a waste of my time.

Repurchase: No

Muji cotton pads

Not sure if these cotton pads are organic cotton but I find that they tend to shred less than the ones that I usually get from the 100 yen store. They even withstand removing glitter nail polish, and that is really saying something. I don't feel like they work any better or any worse but I do like that I don't get bits of cotton stuck on my face and fingers all the time. They feel smooth enough on my face, yet rough enough to remove nail polish easily. Slightly more expensive than my regular 100 yen cotton pads, but since I live in Muji land and prices here are cheap-to-reasonable, I don't see why not?

Repurchase: Yes

So out of 10 empties, I ended up with no to 7 of them. Not sure if I'm just too picky or I buy all kinds of crap products because of my no-loyalty personality. I do, however, like seeing my stash get smaller after I've used up/thrown out stuff, though.

On to more product discovery!

June '13 empties

Finished up a whole bunch of stuff and one discard this month. Not bad at all, homebody, not bad at all!

Étude house Pomegranate and Royal Jelly Sheet Mask

Hate pomegranate but love LOVE the royal jelly one! Both didn't do much for my face in terms of beautification. But the royal jelly smelled so good that I wouldn't mind using it just for that. Used up 2 this month because the weather was absolutely sweltering and having them chilled in the fridge and on my face after is sheer bliss.

Repurchase: No

Claudia Jansen & Co nose strip

Funny story. My face was going through a very dry phase because of the medication I'm on but it's also oily at the same time with the crazy high humidity in summer. My blackheads were annoying the crap out of me and I couldn't stand them anymore so I applied this after my usual nightly shower. Thing is, I exfoliated the night before, and I usually exfoliate again before I put on a nose strip. Left it on for too long, peeled it off, and I saw bright scarlet dots on my nose bridge. Yep, I was bleeding. Actually, that wasn't really funny. And I didn't even manage to get a lot of gunk out.

Repurchase: Yes

Shu Uemura eyelash curler pad

Finally changing the pad after 7 years! I read somewhere that you're supposed to use it for only about 6 months, no? But I wore makeup like once in a month in the past 7 years and didn't curl my eyelashes all that often so I think I can make an exception.

Repurchase: No (not for sale)

E.L.F. minty lip gloss (shade Miami)

My favorite lip gloss, which has been sadly discontinued. Why?! I love the way my lips get all tingly and cool when I slick it on. I even believe that it cools me down in summer, even if it was just for a few minutes. Color wise, it was pretty sheer and did nothing to dress up my face and the applicator doesn't pick much product up at all. I usually have to dip twice just for my bottom lip and twice again for my upper lip. Guess that explains why I could finish it up quickly. That, and also the minty taste.

Repurchase: No (discontinued)

Ban medicated antiperspirant roll on deodorant

This isn't technically a beauty product but I thought it's worth the mention because of how good it is. There's been many comments about how Japanese deodorants are utterly useless and I haven't tried enough of them to know. While I'm not big on antiperspirants in general because they contain aluminum and aren't all that great for our bodies, I do like that this one is unscented and kept me stink free. I wear light perfume and body sprays and hate when my deodorant interferes with my scent of choice. There is some wetness if I'm sweating way excessively (which happens when I take the 25 minute walk to school) but I don't smell. I'm on the fence about this because I want to switch to a more natural deodorant but at the same time I also can't go through an entire day with soaked pits.

Repurchase: Yes

Kose Softymo Speedy Cleansing Oil

First bottle that I got in Hong Kong had me hooked. I know there is another variant that is generally preferred over this one (don't know why) but this one does exactly what I expect it to. My face doesn't feel stripped or dry and it gets all the warpaint off.

Repurchase: Yes (a few backup bottles in storage)

Clinique Sun Broad Spectrum SPF 30 Sunscreen Face Cream

I have very sensitive skin and while my experimental nature and attention span of a goldfish makes me want to slather every possible product on myself, the (sometimes horrible) reactions that I get after always made me think more than twice. This product is supposed to be suitable for sensitive skin, oil-free and dermatologist tested. Horse crap, I say. I applied a thin layer on my arms (prefer not to go straight to my face) and I broke out in a rash that refused to go away for days. The allergy reaction wasn't as bad as the worst I've had, but it was enough to make Mr. Homebody sit up and notice that my arms had splotchy red patches and they felt like hundreds of little bumps on my skin. The redness went away after a few days but the bumps were more stubborn. Luckily for me, this was thrown in with a bunch of stuff for a swap so I didn't have to spend actual money on it. Mr. Homebody, who has tougher skin and is religious with his sunscreen wanted to try it before I threw it out, until I pointed out that this is purely a chemical sunscreen and I'm not sure if it'd be such a good idea. Out.

Repurchase: No

Biotherm Biosource Exfoliant

This baby has been with me for a very long time. I mean, VERY. Got it when I was still living in Malaysia, took it with me to Shanghai and finally ended up here. Like other Biotherm products, I love the fragrance, which I can only describe as fresh and slightly manly, yet totally female-friendly. I know I totally excel at describing scents but, whatever. The exfoliating beads are not too grainy and they don't hurt my skin when applied. With this one, a little goes a long way as the gel is so densely packed with beads that I don't have to work on spreading it around so that I get an even scrub. My face always feels smoother and softer after using this and I absolutely love that I don't get that tight feeling after rinsing. All that said, I'm moving on from Biotherm simply because I prefer to use stuff that have shorter ingredient lists due to my highly reactive and temperamental skin.

Repurchase: No

The Body Shop Bath Lily

Can't say how many of these I've used in the span of the past 15 or so years, but I just can't stop using them! As you can see, this one is totally floppy and out of shape and coming loose from the center so it had to go. I find that the bath lily works extremely well for people like me who love lather and suds. They don't grow mold or get that damp smell and they rinse out pretty good. I love the gentle exfoliation that isn't as harsh as say, a body brush or scrub gloves, and I use less product when I have this. 

Repurchase: Yes

E.L.F. Essential Lip Stain (Pink Petal)

The thing with marker/felt tip makeup is that they tend to soak up whatever's on your skin, like saliva and dead skin, possibly small food particles. So, that's just way gross. This marker had a sharp felt tip that proves to be good for precision lining and the tip is saturated just enough to deposit the right amount of product on your lips. The color looks a lot pinker that I'd usually go for but once on my lips, they looked right at home there with that I'm-wearing-a-lip-color-but-it-looks-just-like-my-lips kind of pink. The lasting power, though, isn't great, although that might be the color and not the longevity of the stain itself since it's so light. Apply this on, top it with a balm and you're good to go, for a couple of hours at least. Now, the really horrible thing about this is that awful, awful smell that tells you that something had contaminated it and is multiplying disgusting germs by the bajillion per nano second. I've managed to get only one use out of this before it smelled worse than a month's worth of dirty socks. Out.

Repurchase: No (discontinued)

Cleansing wipes from 100 yen store

One of the better ones that I've tried. I have no loyalty for wipes, really, since I never use them on my face. At most they make their way to my inner arm when I'm swatching makeup, but that's the furthest they'd go. The seal worked pretty good at keeping the moisture in and I was able to go through all 30 sheets with minimal drying out. Problem is, I can't remember exactly which 100 yen shop I got them from when there's one around every corner.

Repurchase: Yes

Clinique Dramatically Different Moisturizing Lotion (old formula)

Cult favorite, this one is. To be very honest, I loved it. My parched winter skin was saved by this little tube of awesome. I didn't wake up greasy faced and most of the time I could even use it in the day, and this is saying a lot, coming from someone with oily skin. The texture is so much lighter than the rich cream-type moisturizers that companies churn out for dry skin and it spreads easily with an absorption rate that isn't too time consuming. I don't feel like I have product sitting on top of my skin and this is one of the most important factors for me, even if I was just going to bed and will probably know nothing when I'm asleep. The bad: very long list of ingredients that essentially tells me I'm using too many things on my face that I don't need. I used to think that Clinique was the perfect brand for people like me, no fragrance, dermatologist tested, allergy tested, blah blah blah. But then I started clueing myself in and realized that HORSE CRAP THAT IS A LOT OF CHEMICALS GOING INTO ONE PRODUCT.

Repurchase: No (discontinued)

Clean & Clean Oil Absorbing Sheets

My absolute favorite oil blotters. I get so much satisfaction from seeing the sheets turn transparent from the oil that's lifted off my greasy face. I'm weird, I know. This is by far the best oil blotters that I've tried, and I've tried many. Even the superior Japanese brands with their powdered and fragranced sheets can't compare to this. With this, I'm shine free in 2 sheets maximum. With the other ones, I can go up to 6, and they're usually bigger, too. I've always just used the press motion when blotting and never wipe like how some people tend to, and I do notice some makeup being lifted off, but I suppose it's normal when my facial oils have melted my face off? Only thing that I'm not very happy with is that this is not a cruelty-free brand.

Repurchase: Yes

You got through this empties post (phew!) so, congratulations! Soldiering on to pare my collection down!

A year of lip products #10

I have recently discovered that I own an obscene amount of lip products. In an effort to downsize without having a blog sale or burning all the makeup in my possession in a bonfire, I thought it would be a neat little idea to take inventory of my lipsticks, glosses and stains.

Pictures are taken in natural daylight with no color correction or manipulation.

E.L.F. Studio Minty Lip Gloss in Miami

One of those products that I wear often because everyday makeup is really understated here. Also, I'm too chicken to prance around in something bright. Nothing that stands out, to be honest, but I have a deep love for everything that's mint and it makes me insanely happy when my lip products are mint scented or gives me that tingly feeling. Here, you have one of those MLBB colors that gives your lips a slight shine with some barely there shimmer. Wear time isn't great but I'm a really bad judge because I'm always eating or drinking. Not that I can complain because it gives me more excuse to reapply! I find that E.L.F. lip gloss wands are not the greatest when it comes to picking up enough product for application so I basically need 4 dips to do my lips. Yes, 4, since I like them shinier and one dip is barely enough for either upper or lower. The tingly sensation lasts for about 5 minutes but don't expect lip plumping effects or anything, though. I'd repurchase in other colors, but sadly E.L.F. doesn't carry them anymore :(

A year of lip products #8

I have recently discovered that I own an obscene amount of lip products. In an effort to downsize without having a blog sale or burning all the makeup in my possession in a bonfire, I thought it would be a neat little idea to take inventory of my lipsticks, glosses and stains.

Pictures are taken in natural daylight with no color correction or manipulation.

LORAC Multiplex 3D Lip Gloss in 4D

Here's something slightly more showy for this festive season. I've not heard of LORAC until pretty recently, and I wish I'd known about them sooner! Because I absolutely love everything LORAC that I have so far! This here is a 3D lip gloss that delivers exactly what it promises and way more. First off, the applicator is a short bristled brush that is pretty stiff. I did find that I have to double dip to get enough product to cover my lips. I also noticed that with most brush applicators, I get a streaky application and often have to do some work to even it out. But aside from that, there's so many things to love in this tube of gloss! In the tube, you can clearly see that it's absolutely packed with glitter and this is one of those products that gives you exactly what you see, no swatches necessary. Depending on the lighting and angle, I get slightly different results due to the multi-dimensional glitter and holographic effect the gloss gives. At the core, this is a cool, blue-toned bubble gum sheer pink grapefruit scented gloss that you can use either on its own or to dress up a boring lipstick. It doesn't, in any way at all give me the feeling of having disco lips when I've got this on. It also fills out my lips nicely and makes them look full without being overdone. I end up with a gorgeous (albeit slightly frosty) shine that I really love. Although sticky, I don't mind it too much because my lips don't feel dry at all.

A year of lip products #6

I have recently discovered that I own an obscene amount of lip products. In an effort to downsize without having a blog sale or burning all the makeup in my possession in a bonfire, I thought it would be a neat little idea to take inventory of my lipsticks, glosses and stains.

Pictures are taken in natural daylight with no color correction or manipulation.

Anna Sui Lip Gloss in #300

I have always had a love for Anna Sui everything for the goth loli packaging and their signature subtle rose scent. This was probably one of the very first Anna Sui products that I bought when I started wearing makeup. Back then, I had practically zero knowledge about war paint and with the few dollars that I had as a student, all I could rely on was the girl at the counter for advice. Granted, this is not the color that I would personally pick today as it's a little too pale for my liking, but this gloss here had gained me a few compliments here and there every time I wore it. The wand applicator is not your typical doe foot and I actually like that I can use any surface I want because it picks up just enough product for one application. It has the lovely signature Anna Sui rose scent, which I love but it's pretty much tasteless, which is slightly disappointing. In the tube, the shimmers can be a little daunting and it looked really opaque. The hand swatch says otherwise, though. The texture is a little jelly-like and the microscopic flecks of shimmer is almost unnoticeable. My one gripe is how the product highlights the lines in my lips instead of plumping them up. It could be because the color is paler than my lips but they seem to settle in pretty quickly. This is one of the stickier glosses that I own and it takes a little bit of work to get a nice finish. I do, however, get a pretty decent wear time out of it considering it's a gloss that I wear only on its own.

A year of lip products #4

I have recently discovered that I own an obscene amount of lip products. In an effort to downsize without having a blog sale or burning all the makeup in my possession in a bonfire, I thought it would be a neat little idea to take inventory of my lipsticks, glosses and stains.

Pictures are taken in natural daylight with no color correction or manipulation.

Tokidoki at Sephora Prisma Gloss in Sandy

Something right up my street! I'm usually sold on packaging over quality and end up with some duds and fails over time. Tokidoki in Japanese means "sometimes" and I'm not too well versed with the history of the brand, but, whatever. The packaging itself is really quite something as it's slightly bulkier than your regular gloss and it's got a really cute charm on the cap. Sort of reminds me of snow balls (is that what they're called?) where you turn them upside down and watch the snow fall. So cute! The other thing that I love about it is how the applicator is spatula style and I can get a more precise application. Both sides are the same so I use one side for my bottom lip, and the other for my upper lip. The gloss itself may look pretty scary as it's in a toxic-looking green that doesn't seem too friendly for any time of the day. But have a look at the hand swatch where it's only very slightly tinged in green, which in my opinion makes a great neutralizing color. And on the lips, well, it looks just like a clear gloss except for the mirror-shine quality that most other glosses lack. Wear time isn't all that great because the glossiness kinda fades a little after an hour or so although it does keep my lips feeling moisturized enough. The scent isn't something that I can put a finger on; something that isn't yummy, that's all I can say. Most people would scoff at this glorified "clear" gloss and I totally understand. But how cool is it to just pull it out of your bag in public and make a show of touching up with a green tube?

A year of lip products #2

I have recently discovered that I own an obscene amount of lip products. In an effort to downsize without having a blog sale or burning all the makeup in my possession in a bonfire, I thought it would be a neat little idea to take inventory of my lipsticks, glosses and stains.

Pictures are taken in natural daylight with no color correction or manipulation.

The Balm BalmShelter Tinted Lip Gloss SPF 17 in Valley Girl

My very first product from The Balm is...very disappointing. To be fair, this was sold as a tinted gloss so I shouldn't really expect anything more than a tint. The color looked perfectly safe for everyday wear and the added sun protection factor sounded promising. It comes in your standard spongy doe foot applicator that I honestly don't like at all because I get paranoid that it will harbor all sorts of nasty stuff in those little nooks and crannies. Not much product is picked up and it annoys the hell out of me to dip 3 more times to do my lips. From the tube itself, I gathered that there's some shimmer but what I didn't expect was that they were practically glitter when I swatched it. Thankfully, it doesn't translate to lips and I have to say (albeit grudgingly) that it left me with a nice soft shine. I didn't experience any stickiness that usually comes with glosses nor did I particularly feel that my lips were moisturized. If anything, I thought my lips felt drier after some time. I was also pretty disappointed that while it smelled pretty decent (some fruity indistinguishable scent), it had zero taste. Overall, this is so underwhelming and meh that I don't think I ever want to wear it again.