April – June 2020 Beauty Empties & Discards

My last empties and discards post focused on just skincare (January – March 2020 Skincare Empties & Discards), but for the second quarter of the year I have tried to include a few other categories of beauty products.

Empties

Skincare

• Pixi Rose Tonic

This toner does feel quite hydrating and plush on the skin, but I’m not too fond of strong rose scents these days.

Will I repurchase? No

Review | Pixi Rose Tonic

• COSRX Advanced Snail 96 Mucin Power Essence

I finally finished it!! This seriously took me ages to get through as a little goes a long way for my combo skin. I usually just need 2 pumps for my entire face and neck, but sometimes I would use up to 4 pumps if my skin felt particularly dehydrated. I actually love using this as the last step in my routine because it doesn’t feel heavy or clog my pores. Of course I’m still on the hunt for a good cream to seal in all the goodness but it’s very hard to find one with the right texture and finish.

Will I repurchase? Yes – I absolutely love this product!

Review | COSRX Advanced Snail 96 Mucin Power Essence

• Kiehl’s Ultra Facial Cream

This is one of the rare creams that hasn’t clogged my pores or left a heavy feeling on my skin. If I don’t find anything else I like then I’ll probably stick to this one.

Will I repurchase? Yes

Review | Kiehl’s Ultra Facial Cream

• Epul Acne Cream

I love how quickly this soothes pimples and helps with the healing process. The only downside is that it does at times dry the pimple out too much, so I try not to rely on it solely.

Will I repurchase? Yes. I have one more left, but when that finishes I will add this to the list of products to repurchase.

Review | Epul Acne Cream

• Innisfree Skin Clinic Mask Collagen

This sheet mask is quite decent, it leaves my skin hydrated and bright without any sticky residue or irritation.

Will I repurchase? Yes, but not anytime soon as it’s not a must have for me.

Review | Innisfree Skin Clinic Mask – Collagen

• Aritaum Fresh Power Essence Mask Collagen

This sheet mask would probably be suitable for combo dehydrated skin that is not acne prone. For my skin, the finish of the product was a bit heavy and caused tiny whiteheads.

Will I repurchase? No. But I might try other versions in the range after checking the ingredients.

Review | Aritaum Fresh Power Essence Mask – Collagen

• Etude House 0.2mm Therapy Air Mask Hyaluronic Acid

I had high hopes for this one, but it fell flat. It didn’t really do much for my skin and the sheet seemed to dry out quickly in some areas, which is a big no no when it comes to sheet masks.

Will I repurchase? No. But I might try other versions in the range after checking the ingredients.

Review | Etude House Hyaluronic Acid 0.2mm Therapy Air Sheet Mask

• Mediheal Teatree Care Solution Essential Mask REX

It was my first time trying this popular mask, and I must say my first impression of it is pretty good. It can’t say it give me perfectly what I want from a sheet mask (hydration and brightening), but it is definitely one of the best masks I have tried in terms of sheet size and essence texture. The sheet size is smaller than other brands which is perfect for me and the essence is quite lightweight and absorbs well. I’m also a fan of the smell of teatree so that gives this sheet mask more plus points.

Will I repurchase? I have 8 more of these plus an anti-dust version to try. So let’s see after I get a better idea of it. But for now it seems like a yes.

• Holika Holika Pig Nose Clear Blackhead Kit (Step 2 Only) x7

These were pretty old so I don’t remember why I only had the step 2 part of the kit, but step 2 is the main blackhead removing strip anyway so it came in handy. I’d say these strips are decent at removing blackheads and not too painful either.

Will I repurchase? No. I’m trying to move away from relying on these kind of strips as they’re not good for you in the long run. I still have around 30 Biore strips which is my favourite brand for blackhead removal strips but once those finish I’m going to try stop buying them and focus on using chemical exfoliators instead.

• A’pieu Cica Clear Spot Patch

These spot patches adhere really well to the skin. They’re quite standard in terms of effectiveness though and by standard I mean hit and miss depending on the type of pimple, but they do a good job of preventing me from touching pimples and are not too obvious on the face.

Will I repurchase? No, as there are cheaper alternatives that do the same thing even though probably not as adhesive.

Review | A’Pieu Cica Clear Spot Patch

• A’pieu Madecassoside Needle Spot Patch

I found that one pimple needs multiple of these over time to have any visible result, so that’s not worth the money in my opinion as you only get 10 in a pack.

Will I repurchase? No

Review | A’Pieu Madecassoside Needle Spot Patch

• A’pieu Madecassoside 4 Step Sample Kit x5

I don’t like the overly silky silicone finish that this leaves on the skin. As a 4 step kit, it’s a bit heavy for my skin type. The only good thing about these products, were the cooling and brightening effects that they gave.

Will I repurchase? No

Review | A’Pieu Madacassoside 4 Step Sample Kit

• A’pieu Aqua Marine Mineral Skin and Lotion Samples x2 of each

This toner and lotion was quite decent and didn’t make my pores feel clogged. The only problem is the fragrance can be potentially irritating for some (not all) and also quite simply put it just didn’t wow me in any way.

Will I repurchase? No

Review | A’pieu Aqua Marine Mineral Skin and Lotion

• Dr. G Filaggrin Barrier Activator Creams and Balm Sample Pack

This sample pack contained 3 different products, a cream for oily sensitive skin, a cream for dry sensitive skin, and a balm. In general I wasn’t really fond of the silky but also slightly greasy finish that each of these left behind. They also were all very similar with only just a very slight difference in thickness. The cream for oily sensitive skin was a thick white cream that melts into the skin in a lightweight way like a gel cream but almost balm-like and left a slight film on the skin. The cream for dry sensitive skin was a white, translucent balm-like gel and felt a bit greasy with a slight residue left on the skin. Both creams had a light fresh citrus scent. The balm was a cloudy translucent jammy ointment with a smooth refreshing feeling but left a shiny bright greasy film on the skin.

Will I repurchase? No

• The Saem Natural Condition Scrub Foam Samples x3

This scrub foam cleanser reminds me of some other Asian cream type foam cleansers such as Senka and DHC – minus the scrub part. My fiance always needs a foam cleanser and I usually turn up with watery liquid foam cleansers that he complains about not realising that cream type foam cleansers are what he actually wants. After a long time, we used these samples and now I get it, the cream type feels better. The downside with this particular one is that because it is for deep pore cleansing, it left my skin feeling quite tight and dry shortly after – but my fiance likes that super clean feel as long as he has good hydrating products to use after.

Will I repurchase? No. I’m sure other cream type foam cleansers I’ve tried in the past were not as drying as this one.

• Holika Holika Smooth Egg Skin Peeling Foam and Gel Samples

These weren’t very memorable I’m afraid, so there isn’t much to say. I think all I remember is that they both had artificial fragrance and stung quite a lot around open pimple sores.

Will I repurchase? No

• Eucerin Hyaluron Day, Night and Eye Creams Sample Kit

What is it with creams and that fake silky finish many of them love to give? Can’t I just get a good cream that doesn’t feel like something’s sitting on my face? Anyway, I thought these Eucerin samples would have been good but they were too heavy for me. This prompted me to check all the ingredients of all the products on their website and I’m only interested in trying the UltraSensitive Soothing Care range in future.

Will I repurchase? No.

• Fresh Soy Face Cleanser, Sugar Face Polish, Lotus Youth Preserve Rescue Mask and Rose Deep Hydration Face Cream Samples Pack

Fresh seems to be quite a popular skincare brand but honestly I think the products are way over priced for what they are. I also don’t know why the products are so heavily fragranced, it’s probably just to attract customers but many of us know that fragrance does not actually give any benefits to the skin and can be sensitising for some people. Sure I understand that fragrance helps to mask the somewhat plastic scent of certain other ingredients, but if the product already contains naturally fragrant oils and extracts, why add additional fragrant components and artificial fragrances on top? The products have so much potential and I’d be happy to see the brand say bye to any unnecessary ingredients, but I doubt that will happen. I’ll give more details on each product in my full review coming soon, but spoiler alert, the Soy Face Cleanser is my favourite out of all the samples and it’s one of the only ones that is lighter on the fragrance.

Will I repurchase? Probably only the Soy Face Cleanser, but it is quite expensive and there are so many affordable options out there that are better, so it’s not a must have.

First Impressions | Fresh Skincare Samples

• Sun Society Mind Your Beauty Hyaluronic Acid Sample

This is a hyaluronic acid essence that can be added to skincare and haircare or used on its own. I found that using it on its own doesn’t do much for me, but mixing it in my moisturiser or in my conditioner gives a bit of a boost to my skin and hair.

Will I repurchase? I still have half a full-sized version of this product to use, but once I finish that I won’t buy it again as there are so many products that already have hyaluronic acid in them, and this particular brand is quite pricey in comparison. If I feel like I need a HA booster, I’m curious about The Ordinary’s Marine Hyaluronics which although is not actually hyaluronic acid, I hear it works in a similar way and is quite lightweight and much more affordable.

Bodycare

• Innisfree My Perfumed Body Green Tangerine Body Cleanser

I love this shower gel! The scent it really refreshing and energizing. I only like this kind of heavy fragrance for my body and hair, definitely not for my face. Either way, people with very sensitive body skin might want to avoid this one.

Will I repurchase? Yes

Review | Innisfree My Perfumed Body Green Tangerine Body Cleanser

• Sure Motion Sense Aloe Vera 48h Anti-perspirant Spray

This spray was decent on the skin, but the mist it creates in the air was too powdery and often made me feel like I can’t breathe well. I’ve noticed that’s typical of spray type antiperspirants so I’m going to stick to roll on from now on.

Will I repurchase? No

• Beyond Classic Hand Cream Intensive Total Recovery

This was a nice thick cream that moisturised my hands quite well without feeling too clammy. I enjoyed the scent too and like that it comes in quite a big size.

Will I repurchase? Yes

Review | Beyond Classic Hand Cream Intensive Total Recovery

• Etude House Missing U Hand Cream – Fairy Penguin

I love the Fairy Penguin character and have to admit the first time I bought this back in 2012 was purely because of the cuteness and not so much for the hand cream. I then realised that I actually really like the lightweight hydration and moisturised feeling it gives my hands especially as a cream to use in the daytime, and I also like the fresh baby lotion cotton scent. I bought it again several times since then and have one more to use at the moment.

Will I repurchase? Yes

• Lush Rub Rub Rub Shower Scrub

I got this in a gift set as a birthday present last year. It’s quite a nice fresh scented gentle scrub but also very slippery so I always had to be careful not to slip in the shower. I’m not sure why I added it to the haircare picture below, it should actually be in the picture above for the bodycare category – sorry.

Will I repurchase? No

Haircare

• The Body Shop Rainforest Moisture Hair Butter

This was originally my sister’s, but she couldn’t fit it in her luggage to take back to Korea with her so she gave it to me. It’s one of her favourite hair conditioners but she uses it as a leave in rather than wash out – even though the instructions say to wash it out. I used it as per the instructions and it did a good job of detangling my bird’s nest hair. I’m not too fond of the scent though.

Will I repurchase? No I won’t but I know my sister will.

• The Body Shop Shea Beautifying Oil Dry Oil For Body, Face & Hair

I actually like this dry oil but I don’t use it for my face. I’ve used it for both my hair and body and it’s super lightweight and absorbs really quickly just leaving a nice healthy sheen.

Will I repurchase? Maybe

• Innisfree My Hair Recipe Repairing Conditioner

This did a good job of detangling my hair but would probably be better if my hair wasn’t as long and damaged as it is at the moment. I wasn’t fond of the baby powder scent for my hair as I like my hair to be more minty fruity fresh.

Will I repurchase? No

Review | Innisfree My Hair Recipe Repairing Conditioner For Damaged Hair

Discards

Makeup & Nails

• Benefit Ultra Plush Lip Glosses – Poutrageous, Lollibop & Kiss You

These lip glosses actually feel quite nice, soft and balmy on the lips without any stickiness. I don’t care for the colours much though and they’re quite old so I thought it’s time to get rid of them. While writing this post however I’ve decided to hold on to the clear one as it’s the only one that was unopened and I think it could work well with some lipsticks without altering the lipstick colour. As for the 3 coloured ones, they’re going straight in the bin.

Will I repurchase? No.

• Etude House Fresh Cherry Tint – OR202 Cherry Coral & PP501 Cherry Lavender

These particular shades just don’t do it for me. There’s something too cool and pastel in the tone that looks a bit pale on me. I’ve used other shades in the past which were much better, but in general I’m not too fond of these particular tints anymore because they always leave a film on my lips that ends up looking peely/ stringy over time.

Will I repurchase? No.

• Etude House Sweet Recipe Ice Cream Nail Polish – BL601

I’ll admit I bought this nail polish years ago purely because of how cute it looks. I had 3 colours in total, but only this blue one left and I thought it’s about time I dump it as I don’t see myself wearing blue nail polish or doing nail art anymore.

Will I repurchase? No.

• Rimmel 60 Seconds Super Shine Nail Polish – 315 Queen Of Tarts

This is one of my favourite red nail polishes. It sadly completely dried out and I don’t have any nail polish thinner so I’m just going to discard it and get a new one.

Will I repurchase? Yes

• Nails inc Exclusively for Diet Coke Nail Polish – 150 New York

Years ago, Boots had a promotional sale going on where you get a Nails inc nail polish if you buy a bottle of coke, so I picked one up and got this purple berry colour. I like the colour and used it quite a lot back in the day, but now it has dried up so time to discard it.

Will I repurchase? No. But I’ll look for a similar colour from another brand.

• Collection Hot Looks 60 Seconds Nail Polish – 57 Neon Art

I don’t have much to say apart from this doesn’t apply very well, doesn’t dry in 60 seconds and the colour is a bit childish on me.

Will I repurchase? No.

• Avon Arabian Glow Nailwear Pro

This is such a pretty warm coral colour with a slight golden undertone. I’m on the fence about discarding this one. I’ve got it sitting in the discard pile but I’m wondering if I should take it back out. The only reason why I want to discard it is because I don’t see myself reaching for the colour too often.

Will I repurchase? No.

• MUA Nail Polish – Bright Pink

A pretty pink with a neutral undertone. The MUA nail polishes have been discontinued but I remember picking this up because it was a decent nail polish for only just £1. I don’t see myself wearing this colour much anymore so it’s in the discard pile, but I might change my mind last minute just before the rubbish collectors come.

Will I repurchase? No. But maybe a similar colour from another brand.

• Essie Nail Polishes – 584 Tart Deco & Smooth Sailing

These two Essie shades belong to my sister but she told me to use them while she’s in Korea. Smooth Sailing has dried out so I’m throwing it, but Tart Deco is just to pastel for me so out it goes.

Will I repurchase? No.

• Barry M Nail Paints – 309 Strawberry, 302 & 17

I checked the Barry M website and all 3 of these shades have been discontinued. I don’t like 309 Strawberry at all as it’s too pale for me. As for 17, I don’t wear very bright corals anymore, and as for 302 I actually like this type of pink (similar to the MUA one mentioned above) but it’s dried out completely so I have to bin it.

Will I repurchase? No. But I’ll try to look for a similar colour to 302 pink in another brand.

• Nails Supreme Top Coat

This is one of the worst top coats I have ever used. It actually ruins my nail polish by making it sticky and streaky and seems like it is removing the colour more than sealing it on the nail.

Will I repurchase? No.