M's Favourite Beauty Products of 2013

I really enjoy seeing the all stars line-up of beauty products from others, so I figured I would follow suit from my best of 2012 post and write one up for 2013:

Used Up Beauty Products / Empties #6

It's only been a month since my last empties post... dang, I'm going through products like mad!
Definitely continuing to plow through my samples.

Used Up Beauty Products / Empties #1

Aside from haul videos, my favourite videos from beauty youtubers are their "empties" ones.  Beauty youtubers seem to own everything within the beauty industry, so one can become confused as to which products are worth purchasing.  Empties videos showcase products that are fully used up or are so unbearable that they have to be tossed out before being finished.  In my opinion, these videos tend to be most truthful of the integrity of a product.

Behold, my first empties post...

M's Nighttime... DAYTIME!

My original title was "Shit M puts on her face" but figured I should at least attempt to come up with a better one. I was reminded of this ridiculous thing my friend does:

Yea, I know... wtf, right?

---

To give you some context to my skin...
It's got attitude.  It's sensitive/combination/hormonal acne prone.
When I say it's sensitive, I mean really sensitive.  Part of this reason is because it's super thin.  There are many sensitive-specific and self-proclaiming gentle products (both department and drugstore) that I cannot use as a result of this.  You're not sold that I have stupid sensitive skin... Ok, imagine having deep red/purple blotchy skin coming out of the shower... not from the heat, but from the water... yea.
The combination part is quite typical of the mould.  Except for the forehead area just above and in between my eyebrows, my T-zone is oily.
Hormonal acne... ugh.  I shouldn't complain too much about it, but I always know when the time is coming when I welcome a bright red pimple shoves itself into the picture.  Also, chocolate, chips and other fried goodness highly invite acne for me.

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Nighttime...

PHILOSOPHY purity (24 oz)
It comes out of the bottle like a watery lotion.  I have a big face, so I use about a quarter coin sized amount.  There's no bubbles or froth, unlike other facial cleanser products I've used in the past.  You just smooth it over your face and rinse off.  I keep this in the shower, and use it at night.  It also acts as a makeup remover.
If your skin is as sensitive as mine, I would highly recommend this.  It broke me out the first two times I used it, but has been absolute heaven afterwards.  I think it was getting all the deepass shit out of my pores.
Repurchase?  YES.  A HG for me. It's fucking expensive, but lasts forever.  (I've tried going back to my Olay Deep Cleansing Witch Hazel face wash, but failed so badly, because I've become too snobby).  I bought this 24oz Purity from Sephora.com for $42 CAD.

CLINIQUE dramatically different moisturizing gel (125mL)
It has a fucking long name.  They could just call it "Gel" for all I care, cuz that's all I look for when I pick it up.  (Note:  there's also a lotion one).  I've been using this lotion for more than 10 years, as it is the only lotion I know that doesn't make my face throw a tantrum at me.  It is definitely a gel, and is definitely the perfect moisture amount for me.  I dot my forehead, cheeks, nose, and chin with one pump each (about the size of a pea), and spread it around.  The product fully seeps into my skin within two minutes, and my face is smooth to the touch.  I hate products that leave your face feeling like there's a film or oil, cuz 1) you feel like a butterface and 2) you're just asking for shit to stick onto your skin.  I put this on after coming out of the shower.  It calms my post-shower blotchy red face (as mentioned previously).
Because it's a water-based gel, it's very easy to use the product completely up, without leaving anything inside the packaging.  I use the pump until I can't get any more product through it anymore, then I just keep the bottle upside down whenever I set it down.  All of the gel will slide right down to the bottleneck.
Repurchase?  Duh, yes.  No other product is more HG than this one.  I have maybe 3 bottles in reservoir.  I get mine from The Bay for $24.50 CAD whenever Clinique is giving out free sample kits (early September is one of the times during the year).

BURT'S BEES natural acne solutions (7.5mL/0.26 fl oz)
It directs you to use it in the morning and night after cleansing--DONT.  Only use this at night when you're definitely not going out until the day after, because it smells like shit.  Even washing your hands with soap won't get rid of the smell.  The smell is so revolting, but the product works amazing.  It's a spot treatment acne product.  I basically use my finger to dap it onto the pimple and just around it.  Don't use a cotton swab, because it'll just be a waste of product.  The skin soaks up the product immediately with 0.75% of Salicyclic Acid.  If I use this, a fresh pimple will disappear within 2 days with no dark marks or scarring (unlike a lot of other acne spot solutions that end up drying the shit out of the pimple and leave you with a dark mark).
Repurchase?  Yes, until I find one that does the same stuff without the odour.  I get mine for $9.99 USD at Walmart.

NIVEA aqua sensation eye creme (14g/0.5 oz)
I've tried the Bobbi Brown one that everyone raves about... and thank goodness I didn't buy a full sized to try, because this one kicks its ass, without burning holes in your wallet.  I wouldn't exactly call this a cream, as it is more of a slight more moisturizing eye lotion.  It hydrates my eyes without leaving any oily residue or film.  I put it underneath my eyes on my eyebags and on my eyelids before I go to bed.
Repurchase?  Probably.  I got mine from London Drugs when it was on sale for $10 CAD (I think).

... DAYTIME!

CLINIQUE dramatically different moisturizing gel (125mL)
(I'm lazy and it's stupid to copy & paste the same shit within the blog... so, stroll up to see my rambles about it)
I use this right after I brush my teeth and wash my face in the morning, too.

L-R:  Almay foundation (160 naked), Chanel concealer (20), Laura Mercier concealer (wheat)

ALMAY clear complexion makeup - 160 naked (30mL/1 fl oz)
On the bottle, it says that it "clears blemishes" (with 0.6% Salicylic Acid) and is for oily skin.  I'm not sure if it clears blemishes, but it doesn't break me out nor dry my skin, so good enough.  It's a foundation, but I use it as a concealer during the summer.
Repurchase?  Yes.  I've been using it since I started using makeup.  I buy mine from London Drugs or Superstore whenever it goes on sale.  It's usually around $10-12 CAD.

CHANEL correcteur perfection long lasting concealer - 20 (7.5mL/0.26 oz)
I bought this in April 2011.  It has very good coverage and doesn't look dry.  I use foundation or powder on top, and it looks unnoticeable.  I tab it with the wand, and then blend with a triangle sponge.
Repurchase?  I'm not quite sure yet.  It's a good product, good for both winter and summer, but so fucking expensive.  $40 USD for this tiny tube is fuckrageous!  In my last post, I said that the Laura Mercier one is a dupe, but I'm like gahhh, is it really, because I love this one.  It's undetermined at the moment.  Fuck you, Chanel!  (See my previous vegas haul post on the Laura Mercier).

TARTE amazonian clay 12-hour blush - dollface (5.6g/0.2oz)
(see my vegas haul post on this).

COVERGIRL lash blast fusion - water resistant black-brown (13.1mL/0.44 fl oz)
(not in photo).
Everyone seems to hate this mascara, but it's my HG mascara.  I have the typical sparse stick-straight short lashes.  I also have oily eyelid creases.  This mascara gives the illusion that I actually have eyelashes with a slight curl that looks like it's natural, as if I'm not wearing any mascara at all.  Everyone hates this product, saying that it's not water resistant at all, but I think it is.  I've chickflick balled my eyes out with this product on, and I end up walking out of the theatre without any runs everytime.  It's also super long lasting without any flaking specks or panda eyes underneath my eyes.
Repurchase?  YES.  HG mascara.  I've tried sooo many expensive ones from Dior, YSL, Buxom, etc., but always reach for this one as my trusty one.  I get mine from Walmart for $7.99 USD.

YSL dessin des sourcils - 2 dark brown (0.04 oz/1.3g)
(not in photo).
I LOVE THIS EYEBROW PENCIL.  Sooo, I have no eyebrows.  Without makeup, the ends of my eyebrows are crazy sparse.  I also have very thin hairs, so they barely show.  I use this pencil to fill in my eyebrow, and then use the brush end to make it look very natural.  The formula is very smooth and soft.  It also lasts all day without reapplication.
Repurchase?  YES.  HG eyebrow.  This is my first one.  I bought it at Sephora when I was in Vegas in August 2010 for $28 USD.  I'm not even half way through yet!

ECOTOOLS blush brush
I use this as a regular blush brush, yes...  BUT, I also brush it all over my face (with no blush on it, of course) to smooth out any concealer areas.  It's quite dense and is super soft.  It's softer than any other brush I've fondled.  What I really like about it is it was just as soft after I washed it for the first time.  Sometimes, there are very slight changes in texture after the first wash... maybe it's something manufacturers coat on them?  I bought mine last year at London Drugs when it went on sale for $5something CAD, and it still looks brand new with the exact same shape and texture.  (Yea, yea, I know it's only been a year... non-shitty brushes shouldn't show any changes until much later.)
Repurchase?  When this one dies, yea.  I don't see it dying for a while though.

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That pretty much finalizes all the shit I put on my face on a daily and nightly basis.  There's two other products that I use... but occasionally--Olay exfoliating brush and BB cream.  Those two products deserve their own spotlight posts... coming soon.

Sorry, there are so many words and so little makeup porn for your eyes... I figured I'd wipe up some of R's nail polish jizz with slaps of words... kidding... ish.  I'm just too lazy to take ghetto pictures of everything individually.  Plus, this post would be way fucking longer than it is already!

- M

My turn!

Because everybody and their dog went to Vegas, I, too, hauled my share of goodies from that bright little strip in the desert.  I did not go with M, but she was with me in my heart.  I stayed at the Vdara and enjoyed this magnificent view.

I know we've probably overused the word "Practical" at this point.  Still, I cannot help but bring to your attention that my purchases were indeed quite practical.  For a more colourful and glam haul that is more fitting for the city, please check out M's haul below.  

While blogging about a haul (and a Vegas one at that) is not particularly original , I think that starting off with one may serve to tell you a bit about our tastes - how M and I are similar, but also how we complement each other.  Hence, our joint efforts at this blog!

My apologies, the photos are a bit ghetto.  BUT!  Hold on to your knickers.  I am still figuring out how to best capture these without my man-hands casting ominous shadows.

Butter London - Melt Away Cuticle Eliminator $24 CAD
I have had several manicures in my lifetime, probably less than what the fingers of two hands can account for.  The results have always left me wanting.  I figured I could do as good a job, if not better, so why pay 20-30 bucks a pop for such an expensive habit?  Armed with arrogance, I maintain my nails myself.  For the longest time, I stayed away from cuticle removers because - well, they scare the shit out of me.  What the heck is in this stuff to dissolve your frickin skin?  And for god's sake, how does it know how or when to stop at the dead skin?  I mean, why would it stop there?  Couldn't it dissolve the nail, too?  AND YOUR ENTIRE FORKIN FINGER?
Fortunately, vanity does help to quash irrational fears of digital mortality.  I have heard some people talking about Sally Hansen's cuticle removers.  Par exemple, the lovely Sandra in video form and bloggity goodness and Michele showing us her manicure routine.  However, I decided that I wanted to try this one:

 

I slap it on and wait a minute or two.  Then I use my fancy cuticle pusher (ie. my own nails) and start pushing like a pregnant woman with a dilated - never mind.  I find that it works even better when I put it on right before I hop in the shower, as the warm water facilitates cuticular (I like to make up my own words too) removal.  Or, you could do it the fancy way and delicately dip your fingers into a crystal dish of warm mountain spring water while being fed grapes.

Cut the BS: I really like it.  But given that I haven't tried any other brand of cuticle remover, I cannot say whether or not it is necessary (or sensible) to spend $24 for it.

By the way, when I googled "Cutical remover", the first result was "Cuticle remover poisoning."  It scared the daylights out of me until I read on to "Cuticle remover poisoning occurs when someone swallows this substance."  So...no, I don't planning on swallowing it.  But...thanks for the offer.  (I know, I know, kids could see it and think it's lemonade, blah blah blah.)

*****

Deborah Lippmann - Turn Back Time Rejuvenating Base Coat $18 USD

My search for the perfect base coat has come to an end.  This may just be my HG base coat.  I have used various drugstore base coats, OPI's regular base coat, OPI's Nail Envy (Original), and Seche's Crystal Clear Base Coat.  The consistency of OPI's base coats start off very thin, but often get really thick when the bottle is halfway done.  Seche's, on the other hand, is extremely thin and has this weird cooling sensation that freaks me out.
Then it was Vegas time and I found this at Nordstrom.  It applies evenly and dries quickly.  It even claims to have "diamond core spheres."  Hey, I believe it.

As you can see, there is a creamy pinkish tone to it, which imparts the perfect translucent pink creme on my nails, thus achieving the elusive "my-nails-but-better" result.  I used to use OPI's Moon over Mumbai (looks grey in the bottle, but oddly enough, gives my nails a nice translucent pink) to achieve this look.  But hey, if a base coat can do it, it means one less step for me and one less layer that needs to be dried.  FYI: Because I am paranoid over having yellow nails, I always apply two coats of base coat before applying any coloured varnish.

Cut the BS: HG.  That is all.

*****

Sephora by OPI - Nail Colour Remover (2 oz) $7 CAD

I was in need of a nail polish remover during my trip and I wanted to get a travel-sized one.  I have used ones found at the drugstore, OPI's acetone-free remover (which does not seem to be on their website anymore), Chanel's Nail Colour Remover, and currently, the much-raved-about one by Zoya.
The thing about removers is that I really cannot stand the smell.  In fact, it is a huge ordeal for me to remove nail polish because my hands always reek of it afterwards.  Ergo, I have been on the hunt for one that is the least offensive to the good ol' olfactory.  Although the abovementioned one by OPI claims to be acetone-free, the fumes that emanate from that stuff is enough to shave a few years off your life.  You might as well be snorting meth.
Anyhow, I digress.  I just wanted a travel-friendly one that hopefully did not burn my nostrils.  I decided on the following:

In addition to removing the polish effectively, I must say that the odour is tolerable.  In fact, I was using it in an small, enclosed environment once (car), and my Mr. Lova Lova agreed that its fumes were virtually, if not completely, non-existent.   
Cut the BS: No complaints.  It works.  But at $7 for 60mL, you would think that its active ingredients would at least include unicorn tears.  I read the ingredients list.  It does not. 

*****

Josie Maran - Bear Naked Wipes (30 wipes) $15 CAD
My first introduction to makeup wipes were from Mr. Lova Lova, actually.  He saw me rubbing fruitlessly at my eyes with cotton pads and decided to buy me a pack of Neutrogena makeup wipes.  Let me tell you right now that my skin is not particularly sensitive.  It is pretty tolerant of the average skin product.  However, the moment I put one of those wipes on my face, it burned like a mofo.  I resolved to use it to remove any makeup I swatch on my hands.  Even my hands were not immune to such burning.
So I decided to try my hand (ha!) at these:

 

I still have to resist rubbing my eyes, but if I hold this again my eye long enough, it does remove most of the makeup quite successfully. There is a light fragrance to it that I can only liken to lemon meringue pie...but I can attest to the fact that it does not burn my face and is relatively soothing.

Cut the BS: By itself, it is not enough to remove all vestiges of makeup and requires some backup, either in the form of a cotton swab + your favourite makeup remover, or your go-to facial cleansing routine.

****

Philosophy - Purity Made Simple (90 mL) $13 CAD
M's been raving about this since she swagged it from Sephora.  I was hesitant to use it because facial cleansers that exceed (or even come close to) $10 are extravagant in my mind.  When I was younger, I used the one by Neutrogena.  You know, the one that every teen used in the hope of vanquishing the evil that is acne.  Then I switched to one with little microbeads by St. Ive's.  Then I used the orange option of L'Oreal's Go 360.  I eventually gave up on drugstore facial cleansers because my face always felt dry and had that awful tight feeling - even when my face was still wet.  How does that work?  So, my solution?  Soap.  In fact, I haven't had any negative results from using regular (Camay and Nivea) soap.
Nevertheless, on the rare occasion that I put on makeup, I need something that works a bit harder at getting rid of every bit of shadow, liner, and mascara.  M swore up and down that this was the way to go:

It effectively removes the majority of my makeup (granted, I don't do hardcore smokey eyes), but some residue does remain that needs the assistance of makeup remover.  Most importantly, however, my skin does not feel dry or tight after using it.  The benefit of its creamy consistency definitely does not go unnoticed.

Cut the BS:  I got the 710 mL bottle when I got home.  Yeah.

*****

Josie Maran - Argan Oil to Go (15mL) $18 CAD
I first heard of Argan Oil a few years ago in one of Tiffanyd's videos.  I can't find it at the moment, but here is a blogpost she did on it.  I was curious, but the pricetag kept me away.  Until now:

This is the travel-sized one.  I'm not sure if I would ever get the big bottle, just because I don't go squirtin' whole tubes of it all over my body.  I tried using it on my damp hair a couple of times before blow drying, but because my hair is so long, it would take more effort to apply the oil evenly than I am willing to exert at the time being.  So for now, I mostly use it on my hands because the winter cold has been particularly vicious to them this year.  Especially since I use nail polish remover so often, which severely dries out my nails, there is an immediate and noticeable difference when I give my nails a few drops of this stuff.  You can almost hear my nails belting out a chorus of Hallelujah. 
Cut the BS: Very light and very moisturizing.  I'd give it a few minutes to absorb into the skin before touching anything, though.  So, if you happen to be the culprit at a crime scene and you don't let your skin absorb it some, you will definitely be leaving some prints behind that could forgo any dusting to be visible. 

*****

Nordstrom - Brush Set $24 USD
Sorry about the shadow on the bottom left corner.  No matter how I moved the lightsource, the camera, and my hand, it was unwilling to leave.  Just...focus on the brushes.   10 brushes for 24 bucks?  That's what I call a steal.  I know, I know.  Usually the quality of brush sets that come out during the holidays are lacking.  And with a bit of math, it comes to just over $2 per brush.  How on earth could these be good?  The reviews on the Nordstrom website were largely positive, so I really could not pass these up.
When I got to Nordstrom, the salesperson told me that they were all sold out.  But somehow, we spotted one sitting in the middle of a display counter.  He explained that it was probably one of the sets that were saved for their VIP event in the evening.  Elitist bastards.

I haven't actually tried these out yet.  I did deep clean them, and for some God forsaken reason, there was an almost fecal odour that emanated from the black-bristled brushes as well as the blush and foundation brushes on the far right.  Did they not clean the animal from which the hairs were plucked?!  Sorry, low blow.  I love animals.  And kids.  Suffice it to say that I will be deep cleaning these again.  Not sure why they have that particular odour and not sure I want to know why. 
Cut the BS: Results pending.  Stay tuned...

In the meantime, I hope you are feeling fresh and ready to start another year.  Have you tried any of these products or the products that M hauled?  Let us know what you think :)

-R