Beauty Empties - 2020

Buckle Up! This is a big one, as I get the house ready for spring it of course includes a big tidy…not forgetting about the dreaded vanity unit in the bathroom.

This past weekend I managed to do a huge overhaul, and sort out all the unwanted bit and pieces and compiled a giant list of empties so here we go. Don’t worry I won’t give you a full description of all the products…we’d be here for ages otherwise.

Skincare:

• Elemis Superfood Day Cream

• Micro Delivery Re-surfacing Peel - Philosophy

• Peel & Polish by Pixi

• The Ordinary Vitamin C

• Dermalogica Multi-Active Toner

• Elemis Peptide 4 Night Recovery Cream-Oil

• The Ordinary Caffeine Solution 5%

• Fresh Black tea Corset Cream, only a sample size but loved the scent and formula if I didn’t have so much to work through it’s likely I would buy it as a full-size night cream

• Drunk Elephant Protini Polypeptide Cream

• BeautyCounter Vitamin C Serum

• BeautyCounter Adaptive Lotion

• R+F Soothe Sensitive Skin Treatment

• Kopari Coconut Rose Water Toner

• R+F Micro-Dermabrasion Paste

Out of all these skincare products my favourites include the Micro Delivery Peel from Philosophy, Dermalogica’s Active Toner, BeautyCounter’s Vitamin C Serum and Rodan + Fields Micro-Dermabrasion Paste. While these are fairly high-end prices they are worth the cost.

The Micro Delivery Peel is probably one of my favourite at-home facials and the two-step thermal reaction feels so nice and gets out all the dirt and grime you didn’t know was hiding on your skin. As for the Micro-Dermabrasion Paste from R+F I would suggest to keep as a luxury item, once a week while you soak in a luxury bath and if you’re in a drier climate (Like Calgary) perhaps 2-3 times a week over the winter. While there are plenty of high-street options I did find this one to be a more superior option.

Face:

• It Cosmetics ByeBye UnderEye

• Benefit Hello Happy Flawless Brightening Foundation

• BeautyCounter Skin Twin Med 310

• Ordinary Serum Foundation 2.0N

• Tarte Tartiest pro-glow palette

• Colourpop highlight swipe right

• Colourpop blush soulmate

• Elf baked highlight

For undereye concealer It Cosmetics it’s one of the best In my opinion, a little bit goes a long way and does a super job of covering up those tired eyes. I would repurchase, but I do tend to reach for a lighter concealer on a daily basis for my under eyes. If you’re looking for a fuller coverage and potentially more overall face concealer this could be the one for you. It is quite thick so be careful not to put too much on as when it warms up on the face it does blend.

BeautyCounter Skin Twin is the foundation I have found myself returning top time and time again. I would pass on the Hello Happy Flawless Brightening Foundation, just didn’t do the trick for me. However, if you are on a budget I would suggest checking out the Ordinary Serum Foundation, I believe they have a couple other formula’s as well.

Tarte’s Tartiest Pro-Glow Palette came to me through a FabFitFun Subscription box, and I loved it. When it was an option as an add-on I picked it again, and now I’ve hit pan on my second palette it’s likely I’ll re-purchase it again, unless someone else can suggest another contour palette?

Eyes:

Fair warning this is mostly mascara, as I tend to buy Sehpora’s Holiday Gift Kits. These include mini and full-size versions of multiple brands of mascara. I use these throughout the year, so don’t be alarmed I have not gone through 10+ Full Size mascara’s in one year.

Mascaras:

• Smashbox X-Rated Mascara: Traditional spooly, Good volume not a super wet formula.

• L’Oreal Unlimited Mascara: Pass, a bit gimmicky spooly is a narrow triangle with plastic bristles.

• Bad Gal Bang by Benefit Better than L’Oreal, same style of spooly shape with a point and plastic bristles — more pliable.

• Elizabeth Arden Grand Entrance : Has an arc, drier formula and again plastic bristles, on the sturdier side.

• Sephora Lash Craft Big Volume: Wetter formula and hourglass brush, found it transferred on me so stopped using it.

• Smashbox Super Fan Mascara: Oval-shaped brush with plastic bristles and medium consistency

• They’re Real Benefit: Straight brush with rounded spike tip to get into the inner corners, good consistency and good effect, again not a fan of the plastic bristles prefer fiber.

• YSL Vinyl Couture: Wanted to love this one so much has fibre bristles, but formula was wet and ended up irritating my eyes, I do however like Shock by YSL.

• Mac 3D Black Lash: only a sample size Drier formula rough bristles and straight brush

• DiorShow Base Mascara: Only used a handful of times, wouldn’t necessarily buy it unless you have super faint lashes and want to build them up

My favourites mascaras are Damn Girl and Better Than Sex from Too Faced. Charlotte Tilbury’s newest mascara, I believe it’s called Push Up has become a new favourite.

Eyeshadows & Palettes:

• Too Faced Totally Cute Palette

• Mac Dusky Rose Times Nine: My first ever proper palette — way over the recommended 12 months, it was time to toss.

• Makeup Forever Trio — Custom colours, I don’t remember which ones I picked.

• Buxom LBD — black eyeshadow

• Tartelette Tease Palette - would re-purchase.

• Lancome Eyeliner Drama Liquid Pencil

• City colour shimmer shadow: Cheers to Life

• Pixi Bare Brilliance

My favourite palettes to date are Anatasia Beverly Hills Renaissance, Too Face Peach Palette, Colourpop Bare Necessities and Tarte Tease palette, I was about to re-purchase and then Too Faced’s new Game On palette caught my eye instead.

Eyeliners:

I don’t typically wear eyeliner, so I don’t have any recommendations.

• Stila Stay all day liquid line

Lips:

• Smashbox Chill Zone Always On Liquid Lip

• Tarte: Nude

• EOS Lip Spheres: have so many old ones I needed to toss, I can’t remember all the names…

I also got rid of 28 Lip shades of various brands I’m not going to bore you with the entire list, but here are a few I was sad to part with:

• Bourjois Rouge Edition Velvet: 07

• Buxom: Sophia

• Bite: Mauvember 2016

• Nude Stix: Rose

• Kiko lip pencil: 535

• Bite lip pencil shade: 094/016

• Colourpop lippie pencil little one

I plan on replacing some of these lipsticks/pencils/glosses with: Buxom’s Moscow Mule, White Russian, and BeautyCounter’s Opal. I’ve also heard great things about Charlotte Tilbury lipsticks, any shade suggestions?

Hair:

• Head & Shoulders Supreme Purify & Hydrate: Shampoo & Conditioner

• Prep Rally

• Colorista Spray

• Oribe Gold LustDry Shampoo

• B.B Thickening Dry Spun Finishing Spray

I currently have a terrible haircare routine, I am in desperate need to pick up some proper products from my hairstylist. I have been using up old hotel shampoos, it helps to declutter my linen closet haha!

Body:

• Yogahhh Calm and Clean Body Wash with Lavender Oil, this was in a subscription box, I don’t know if I’d go out of my way to buy, but I did enjoy it. I typically use Saje bath salts.

Tools:

• Orange Blending Sponge — Great replacement for the original BeautyBlender, I also love BeautyCounter’s blending sponge.

If you made it this far, thank you, and let me know what your favourite beauty product is (or skincare).