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?

Introducing: My Suteki

It shouldn't be allowed, ever, but I'm going to do this anyway.

SHAMELESS PLUG ALERT!

A good friend in Malaysia and I had recently started venturing into opening a little blog shop of our own. We thought that with her still being in Malaysia, and I, now living in Japan, we could probably send each other parcels now and then to make ourselves feel loved (I know, I know).

Japanese cosmetics and skincare had long been known for their quality and performance and I figured there was no better was to prove the myth by trying them out for myself. Truth be told, I haven't had the chance to try out many things yet as I had brought along with me approximately 6 months worth of skincare when I came here. And the sheer volume of products here is really just mind blowing.

I love going to drugstores to browse and do swatches. It really surprised me that drugstore cosmetics here are of reasonably good quality and at highly affordable prices. They tend to wear very well, too. Though the colors may not be as daring and bold as, say, American brands, I have to commend the Japanese on mastering the nudes.

Without further ado, I present to you, My Suteki.

The site is still a work in progress as I'm still constantly sourcing products that I honestly think are good and well worth the buck.

If you want something but don't see it in the store, why not shoot me an email and I can hunt it down for you. I have access to pretty much anything when it comes to Japanese skincare and cosmetics so I could most likely do a CP for you.

Do take a look and please shoq us some love!

Purchase Mistake: ELF Studio Tinted Moisturizer SPF20

Product: 

ELF Studio Tinted Moisturizer SPF20

From here:

This lightweight and hydrating formula is breathable and provides anti-aging sun protection with UVA/UVB SPF 20. Achieve even skin tone and naturally radiant skin with this moisturizing sheer tint of color. The smooth formula enhances your complexion with the nourishing key ingredients Aloe, Cucumber and Vitamins A, C & E.

Why I bought it:

I developed an allergy to SPF products in my early 20s after a bad bout of sunburn. As a swimmer in my teens, I trained 7 days a week, rain or shine. I had a perpetual tan and my skin gladly welcomed sunblocks and creams of any kind. Somewhere between school and college, my body had started to reject sunscreen. Each time I applied it would result in breaking out in hives. One time, the allergic reaction was so bad that I had to be rushed to the hospital for treatment because my throat had started closing in. When I went to college, I stopped swimming and my lifestyle changed. Where I spent most of the day at the pool when I was a teen, I now spent my nights outdoors instead, going to clubs, working on college assignments and indulging in late night suppers. It was perhaps this change of lifestyle that threw my body off balance (I'm just assuming, really) and I was baffled when I had a bad burn after a weekend at the beach with friends. To say it was a bad sunburn was understatement; I had to get a jab on the drive back from the beach to the city. I was in so much pain and my body temperature was rising steadily. During the consultation, the doctor told me that I suffer from a condition called sun allergy. I know, right. What nonsense! But, yes, in addition to being allergic to sunblock, I also have sun allergy. Oh, joy. Needless to say, products that said "SPF" on their labels couldn't find a customer in me for years. Slow, though, I started experimenting with SPF products again. After all, the doctor did say that we develop and get rid of allergies in our lifetime. It started with a powder foundation with an SPF. My skin didn't react to it any more than when I didn't use it. Being in my late 20s now, I shudder at all the sun damage inflicted on my skin in all the years that I did away with sun protection. I thought it was safe to reintroduce it into my beauty regime.

Why I hate it:

It has practically zero moisturizing properties. The first time I tried it without my regular moisturizer, it just dragged across my poor face like a very dry expired moisturizer. It went on streaky and wouldn't spread properly. When I finally (and with much difficulty) managed to smooth it out as best as I can, it just sits on the surface on my skin like an orange mask. I looked like I had a very bad fake tan on my face. Being so dry, it was flaky on some parts, which is a huge surprise for me as I have always had a combination-oily skin type. Flakiness was unheard of until then. I gave it a second try the next day and applied it over my regular moisturizer. Nope, didn't work, too. While it went on streaky before, now it clumped up my moisturizer and I was left with little orange balls all over my face. So I spent another 5 minutes fixing my face. It worked badly with makeup, however minimal. My face was oilier than usual in less time, and blusher doesn't seem to sit well on it. The cherry on top, however, would be when I broke out so badly the next day. I had more than 10 pimples all over my face and rashes in certain areas. It took me 4 days with an antihistamine and 2 weeks for it to clear. Needless to say, there was no third try for this product. I gave it to a friend to try (hence no actual picture of the culprit) thinking that she might fare better than I did, given my history with sunscreen allergy and sensitive skin. She had the exact same reaction as I did. So, off to the bin it went.

Why I definitely won't repurchase:

Not only did it not work for me (and my friend), it caused so much damage to my skin that could possibly be irreversible. It has been 2 months since that incident and I still have some dry spots from when I had rashes. I had badly wanted to like this product after reading all the good reviews about it. Sadly, this falls far too short of my expectations, even with its $3 price tag. Also, not sure if this is a usual complaint, but the tube was only half full when I got it. Dud, much?