2015 Empties - Fourth Quarter

Here we are, the final instalment of the products I used up during 2015. I'm pleased with the bits I managed to complete before the years end, and overall I think the year went well in terms of sticking to a skincare regime as well as using up more samples than I usually would.

MAKEUP & PERFUME

I managed to finish off quite a few base products this quarter, including the Illamasqua Skin Base Foundation, Maybelline Dream Pure BB Cream, Napoleon Perdis Auto-Pilot Primer and Maybelline Instant Age Rewind Concealer alongside two sample pots of the new Too Faced Born This Way Foundation which I love. I also did quite well on the perfume front following my Perfume Purge post, I used up a bottle of Michael Kors Very Hollywood and a travel sized bottle of Urban Rituelle's Cotton Candy - I also have another empty perfume for my next empties post, ripping through them now!

SHOWER & BODY PRODUCTS

I used up some travel sized shower gels taken from hotels I stayed at for my honeymoon and anniversary, as well as the awesome Palmolive Peppermint Crush Body Butter Body Wash that I reviewed here and used as my festive body wash for December. I'd definitely purchase that one again, it's one of the nicest mint body products I've come across and it's easy to throw in during the weekly grocery shop. I adored the el cheapo Kmart body scrub in Jasmine and will definitely repurchase, and I'll always have a soft spot for Aveeno body products as the are such great quality.

Can you tell what our favourite deodorant is? Rexona is the best of the best but there are only so many times I can rave about them on the blog, so from now on my empties posts won't include deodorants unless a new one is worth a mention.

HAIRCARE

A bit lousy on the haircare front, I only used up my basic staples and a hotel travel sized conditioner, but I have a few products almost out in the wings so the first instalment of 2016 empties should be slightly more impressive.

SKINCARE

I was glad to finally finish the Mario Badescu Enzyme Cleansing Gel and Kiehl's Washable Cleansing Milk* as they had been open for quite a while and I didn't want them to expire. I also finished up the Simple Micellar Cleansing Water which did the trick, and the Garnier Moisture Match Light Softening Cream which was a repurchase for me. A few samples made it out of my stash too (Clinique Take the Day Off Remover for Lids, Lashes and Lips, Dermalogica Skin Prep Scrub*, Bioderma Sebium H2O) I was so sad to see the end of the Clinique Take the Day Off Cleansing Balm, and will have a full review up shortly professing my love for it.

I've really enjoyed sharing my empties in a quarterly post and have decided to continue that into 2016 - to check out the other products I finished in 2015, here are some links!
First Quarter
Second Quarter
Third Quarter

-Emma

*Product provided for consideration. Honesty, always.

October Favourites

I feel like I'm repeating myself with quite a few of these selections, but I'm all for hearing about the top notch products that someone always uses so figured I'd share what I'd been loving for the month of October anyway. I was firmly focused on using up some makeup and skincare during the month as well as purging my nail polish collection so I didn't trial too much in terms of new products, but I did fall in love with a new lip combination, test out a new release foundation and fall back in love with some old favourites. 

I stuck to primarily one look this month, and it was a quick and simple one that had me out the door fast whilst still looking pulled together (I hope!) My main base of choice was a sample pot of the newly released Too Faced Born This Way Foundation that a lovely sales assistant at Mecca Maxima Doncaster gave me - this is definitely on the to-buy list and a little birdy told me a lighter shade is being released in early '16 so am waiting it out for now...eyes were my Inglot Trio Palette which looks quite new despite being thrashed around all the time at Chez Bovary! I then alternated between two lip looks for the month - either a swipe of MAC Vamplify Lipgloss in Anything but Demure*, or a layering of Rimmel Exaggerate Lip Liner Eastend Snob + Colourpop Westie + MAC Cremesheen Glass Fashion Scoop for a complex but perfect pale pink lip look.

Lovely smelling favourites were my Travalo perfume atomiser which helped me use up a few perfumes and my L'Occitane Lavande Cologne* which is serious bedroom luxury. I was going to sneak in a picture of my new nail polish drawers (I'm seriously obsessed!) but they aren't fully organised yet so I'm going to save that for another day. I also couldn't post a favourites without mentioning the skincare that I've fallen in love with and am sad to be finishing up - Clinique Take The Day Off Cleansing Balm, it was love at first scoop!

 

What products did you love in the month of October?

What cleansing balm do you think I should try next?

-Emma

 

*Products provided for consideration. Honesty, always.

Serious Sephora Skincare

Looking at all of these Sephora VIB sale posts (see Liz's post, am swooning) is making me lemm things I'd never even heard of before - I still have to pinch myself at the realisation that by this time next week I will have visited a Sephora store for the first time ever! I'm not a VIB (obviously) but I have signed up for the Sephora emails etc and I can't wait to start accumulating some points on our holiday!

I've been perusing the skincare section of the Sephora site for a while now and have a wish list that is quite extensive - I was a good girl and used up the cleansers I already had to allow myself to go crazy in America in this regard, so I'm going to leap at the chance to choose myself some lovely new skincare soon. Would love to hear recommendations from those in the know, too!

Clarins Liquid Bronze Self Tanning (for face)
I'm hesitant about the whole fake tanning thing, but a wee bit of colour on my pasty mug wouldn't go astray and I've heard this one is the bees knees!

Clinique Take The Day Off $28.50 USD/3.8oz
This is a sure thing, I've wanted to try it for so long but it's something like $55AUD so there was no chance of that happening. I need a good cleansing balm in my life right now!

Peter Thomas Roth Skinstant Mask Magic $20 USD/3X 0.5oz
This is a bit of an excitement extra for me, I've seen some good reviews of the PTR masks and I'd like to be able to put my two cents in, plus 3 mini sizes for $20 isn't too crazy for a little thrill.

Ole Henrikson Pure Truth Melting Cleanser $34 USD/4oz
Put the word melting near cleanser and I am all yours, Ole!

Boscia Makeup-Breakup Cool Cleansing Oil $28 USD/5oz
Seemingly a YouTube girl favourite, this one is more natural than others I've been checking out and I'm looking forward to trying this brand for the first time.

First Aid Beauty Facial Radiance Pads
Love the Dr. Dennis Gross Peel Pads (may get those too...) but these come with rave reviews from people I trust so I'm on board with trying them out.

Also quite tempted by some Glamglow goodies (never tried the brand before!) but I guess we'll see how overwhelmed I get once I hit U.S shores (we fly out tomorrow!)
Any other skincare bits I should be looking into?

Emma x