March Empties | Favourites and Fails!

Welcome to another Empties post! Apparently, I missed doing my February empties... I'm pretty sure I was just recycling things for that month as I changed up my empties storage area and no longer have that much space for saving up all of my empties. My last empties was January's, linked HERE in case you'd like to check it out.

I have some haircare, skincare. makeup, and one pet health product to share. I'll share links to products in the headings and provide a brief review for each item.

MARCH EMPTIES

SKINCARE AND MAKEUP

Drunk Elephant Protini Polypeptide Cream 15ml
This was a small sample size. I had heard so much hype over this product. The sample size wasn't enough to form a solid opinion on it and for the price, I would have liked to see some results pretty quickly. I thought it was a decent skin cream but wasn't impressed enough (atm) to go purchase the full-size. Glad I was able to try before I buy though.

Repurchase- Not likely, but possible :)

Tarte TarteGuard Tinted Moisturizer in Medium 25ml
This product really grew on me! It actually checks off all of my boxes for what I look for in a tinted moisturizer. It has a skin-like appearance on my face, has SPF, light-medium coverage, and it's moisturizing. The medium shade is a hair dark for me in the winter but it gives me some colour and I can sheer it out so it works. This sleek bottle also lasted quite a while (although I do alternate my products).

Repurchase- Yes, but I think I can get something at the drugstore that does the same thing for less, so I'll be checking out the drugstore next

Algenist Ultra Shine anti-ageing Lipgloss in Romance 15ml
I LOVED this lipgloss! I did not find it "ultra-shiny" but it certainly was hydrating and reduced the look of lines in my aging lips. The colour, Romance, is a beautiful, everyday pink shade. This lived in my purse and I wasn't even able to finish it up before it expired. (Unable to find online).

Repurchase- Yes!

Essence Lash Princess False Lash Effect Mascara
This has been my go-to mascara for a few years now. I still try other mascaras but this one still reigns supreme! It gives me both length and volume and doesn't' flake or smudge. Plus, it's easy to remove! Also, cruelty-free and gluten-free!

Repurchase- Yes

Milk Makeup Kush Mascara (Sample- Sephora birthday gift)
This was a sample size and I used it about 3 times before I had finally had enough and tossed it in the bin. I heard a lot of great things about this mascara but it didn't work for my lashes, unfortunately. The bottle quickly became a mess and it gave me the wimpiest lashes! I like a much wetter mascara that will coat my lashes, this barely coated my lashes at all.

Repurchase- NO

HAIR PRODUCTS

.
Tre Semme Keratin Smooth Flat Iron Smoothing Spray
I have had this bottle for so long I can't even tell you how old it is- it definitely lasts forever! I always use this product when I use hot tools. I should probably use it before I blow dry as well but I have so many products that I'm trying to use up and I don't like to layer too many products in my hair as it gets weighed down. I can't tell if it actually protects my hair from heat, but I'm not going to chance it by going without. It definitely does help with frizz though, and that's enough to make me repurchase it, plus the price is great!

Repurchase- Already have

Loreal Absolut Hair Repair Lipidium, Instant Resurfacing Conditioner for Very Damaged Hair
Phew, that's a long name! I had high hopes for this conditioner. It sounded so good! I have damaged hair from bleaching it and colouring etc. Unfortunately, I didn't notice much except maybe softer hair when I used this. I was expecting to notice some repairing going on, based on the name.

Repurchase- Not likely

Olaplex  Hair Perfector No3
I had heard so much about this product doing wonders for people who have damaged hair from bleach etc. I didn't notice any improvement to my hair while using this. Although, I did notice that my hair lightened more easily if I used it before I would do my highlights. I purchased it from Amazon and I've heard it could be a fake but since I hadn't used it before this bottle, I had nothing to compare it to.

Repurchase- Possibly (would probably purchase from Sephora to see if there is a difference)

PET HEALTH

Mercola Ubiquinol Q10 for Cats and Dogs
I've been taking Q10 ever since I found out that I had a heart condition and it's possible that it's the reason that my heart condition improved. Q10 has so many reported benefits that I also give it to my kitty cat. This one by Mercola is easy to dose and is in an airtight pump. I just put a pump in his wet food and he laps it up.

Repurchase- Already have

I hope you enjoyed seeing this month's empties. Hopefully, I can finish up many more products for next month. It's just so gratifying to finish up products when you have so many to use up!

Have a great week, everyone and stay safe! 💗

Jeindeer Eyelash Curler Review

I was recently sent this eyelash curler for review. I have to admit, I have been quite lazy when it came to my makeup recently, so one of the steps that I've been skipping is curling my lashes. Since receiving this lash curler for review, I have been back to curling my lashes on the daily to assess this product.

Getting back into the habit of curling my lashes for this review has made me remember how much more oomph I get from my lashes when I take the time to curl my lashes. I even find that I can wear less makeup when my lashes have more impact.

About:

• An eyelash curler to give a graceful and beautiful curl to real or false eyelashes.
• The curler's handles are designed based on how women actually hold them.
• Premium steel design to suit all eye shapes and sizes.
• 100% Guarantee: Unconditional money-back guarantee. If you're unsatisfied with this item for any reason, we'll immediately refund your purchase price.

Before and after using eyelash curler and mascara

The Jeindeer eyelash curler comes in a box with a replacement pad which is always appreciated. The curler is sturdy and well made. Because of the sleek design of this curler, I am able to get right to the base/root of my lashes and therefore get more lift out of my lashes.

It only takes about 5 seconds per eye to get a good curl that lasts all day.

One of the best anti-aging tips I've received is that you can get the look of an eye lift by using an eyelash curler and mascara. One look at my before and after picture (above) is proof that it really does give the illusion of an eye lift.

As we age, everything goes south, lifting the lashes up using a good eyelash curler and mascara lifts everything up, giving us a more youthful look. Curling and lifting the lashes is also a great tip for hooded eyes or if you're just trying to look more awake and refreshed.

I like that this product comes with an unconditional money-back guarantee. This always makes me feel more confident when purchasing a product.

This product retails for $9.99 USD currently and is available for purchase on the following sites (not affiliate links): Amazon USA Amazon UK Amazon DE

*not sponsored. product provided as PR. All opinions are my own. No affiliate links used in this post

Review | Arbonne It's A Long Story, Mascara

I had heard of Arbonne over the years, mainly in regards to skincare, but I had never tried them out. I heard that they made high-quality skincare and were cruelty-free, both high on my list of things that I look for. But, I had no idea that they also sell makeup, hair care, body care, health products, and more!

Turns out they are an eco-friendly and socially responsible company too.

From Arbonne: " It’s not just what we put in our products that makes them superior. It’s what we choose to formulate without. We integrate the most beneficial botanical ingredients from nature with the principles of green chemistry — we craft products with integrity, expertise and innovation. And we do it responsibly, taking care of our earth at the same time."

I was so excited to get the chance to try a few of their products out thanks to one of their fabulous representatives, Sarah. - Thank you again, Sarah!

Sarah sent me a few samples, one of which was this full-size "It's A Long Story, Mascara." This tube has 12 grams of product, which is a generous size. I find most mascaras have around 8 grams of product. This mascara is also ophthalmologist tested and made in the USA. It's also Clinically tested and formulated to be water-resistant and long-wearing. It retails for $48CAD.

My Verdict:

It's quite a wet formula but it's on the thicker side, so it applies easily and one coat is really enough. It wears well and I had no smudging or flaking by the end of the day. I like that it is removed easily so I don't lose any lashes when I take it off at the end of the day.

I have very hooded eyes and I had no issues with the mascara transferring to my upper lids during application nor later on during the day.

In the first picture, I am wearing one coat of the mascara (top lashes only). In the second picture, I have two coats on (top lashes only). I applied the second coat after the first coat was completely dry, which was fine, but I find that I get even better results when I apply the second coat before the first one dries down completely.

Note: I am not wearing any eyeliner on the top or bottom of my eyes. The only other eye product that I'm wearing in these photos is a matte taupe eyeshadow in the crease of my eyes.

As you can see, the mascara alone gives my eyes quite a lift and creates a lot of impact.

Arbonne Mascara- One Coat

Arbonne Mascara- Two Coats

Overall, I am really impressed with this mascara. I love the impact that I get and how it adds both length and volume. It really seems to lift my lashes, which gives my eyes a real lift, which I can certainly use!

I hope to share some more reviews of Arbonne's products. I have a lipstick by Arbonne that I'm currently testing out as well, and it's definitely worth sharing with you too!

Have you tried any products by Arbonne? What do you recommend?

XO

*Product was sent to me for consideration. All opinions are my own. No affiliate links are in this post.

Instagram Challenge: Finish #7bySpring

In January I decided to join some other beauty junkies on Instagram who were participating in a challenge called #7BySpring. The objective was to finish up 7 beauty products by spring aka today!

Finishing beauty products can be quite the challenge. Products like mascara are easy since we replace them on the regular. I ended up adding a mascara to this challenge as I didn't have anything else that I could come close to finishing up.

These challenges can get tedious as we end up using the same products everyday, which kind of takes the fun out of playing with makeup. But, it's also rewarding to finish products up so we can move on to something new and say goodbye to the old.

For challenges like this, I recommend selecting products that are older and may expire if you don't use them up.

Here is a screenshot of my initial Instagram post, showcasing the items I chose for this challenge. 

And, here we are today on the first day of Spring and the last day of this challenge

I don't remember the last time I finished up a lipstick!

Products I finished:

-Marcelle Sheer Tint Fluid Moisturizer- I have used for years and would repurchase

-Elf Lash and Brow Clear Mascara- I use this all the time and will definitely repurchase

-Jordana Best Lash Extreme- Another product I've used for years and will repurchase

-Maybelline Color Whisper in Lust for Blush- I recommend this formula for aging lips as it's very hydrating and doesn't accentuate lines. It's a more sheer formula and I do like it, but I became a little sick of it after using it everyday. I started to mix it with a lipstick I have that is too brown for me and then I wound up with the perfect pinky-brown/ mauve shade! (I liked it so much I did a blog post on it HERE).

Products I did not finish:

-Physicians Formula Mineral Wear Face Powder- I was sooo close to finishing this! I would not repurchase this as I found I became oily quickly with this powder and it was a little heavy and accentuated pores. I would buy other powders by PF like their Youthful Wear powders.

-Garnier Skin Renew Anti-Dark Circle Roller- This thing just keeps on ticking! It's made it through 2 "empty" challenges and it's still going. I got this on sale for such a good price that I have backups! I just hope they don't expire!

-Essence Eye Shadow Base- This is just like the Garnier Roller above, it doesn't end. It has also survived 2 Instagram "empty" challenges and doesn't seem to be close to being empty. I would buy it again but I have another eye primer that I bought last summer that is still waiting on standby!

I guess 4 out of 7 isn't bad. 

I'm definitely looking forward to using my other products now that this challenge is over! And, I'm also looking forward to some new challenges!  

If you know of any fun challenges, please leave them in the comments or click on my Instagram link at the top of this page and leave me a comment there..

Thanks for stopping by!

Amy

xoxo

Covergirl LashBlast Fusion Mascara Review! #bzzagent

I recently had the opportunity to try out one of Covergirl's LashBlast Mascaras through BzzAgent.  BzzAgent one of the Legit sites out there that connects consumers with new products to trial in exchange for honest reviews. They are an international network.

Each Buzz kit contains a choice of one of four COVERGIRL LashBlast Mascaras:

• LashBlast Volume
• LashBlast Fusion
• Clump Crusher by LashBlast
• Full Lash Bloom by LashBlast
• $2-off coupons to share the blast with friends and their lashes

I selected the Fusion mascara which claims to provide both volume and length, I mean why should I have to choose between volume or length? I want both, so the choice for me was easy :D  The product came in the colour, Very Black. 

Of course, I broke into the package and had to try it out the day I received it. I just love a good mascara as it can really open up and brighten your eyes. I have hooded eyes so for me a good mascara is almost like an eye lift or a "lift" for the eyes.

The mascara came with a rubber-like wand that is quite large in size. It went on easily and layered really well, not all mascaras layer very well. Within two coats I had major volume AND length! I did not have any flaking or transferring onto my hooded eyes which is a big deal for me. I felt this compared to Benefit's They're Real mascara, with one exception: the Covergirl washed off easily so I didn't lose any lashes in the removal process, another big deal for me!

Here are some pictures of the product and results that I got with just 2 quick coats. Note, that I do not have any eyeliner on, I wanted to give the product the true test to stand alone and see what it could do. The results were impressive! Ha, sorry for the scary close-up, but I really wanted you to see what this mascara achieved. ;)

I think the picture really is worth a thousand words. Again, I do not have any liner on and I did not put mascara on my bottom lashes- just a habit of mine.  I am really impressed!  ps. I'm still working on my selfie skills.

Have you tried any of the Covergirl LashBlast mascaras? Let me know what ones you've tried and what you thought.

And, if you're interested in trying out BzzAgent, they have my highest recommendation. No gimmicks here.

I received this product free from BzzAgent for trial purposes. All opinions are my own.

#GotItFree  #ABlastForEveryLash

Amy
xx