September's farewelled products

Here are my first spring empties for the season...

Skin care

103) Simple Kind To Skin Micellar Cleansing Water (6.7 fl.oz/200ml) - Finally I've proven to myself that not all micellar waters are the same.  I could feel and smell the alcohol in this version every time I used it and yep it contains Hexylene Glycol and Panthenol.  Will not repurchase.

104) Maybelline Makeup Remover Eye & Lip (70ml/2.4 fl. oz.) - I just finished another bottle of this reliable little remover but the wanderer in me has moved onto to trying other things so stay tuned for some changes in this usually boringly same area.

105) Indeed Labs Hydraluron Moisture Jelly (1.0 fl.oz/30ml)* - I became quite hooked on this non-greasy moisture jelly, ended up using it day and night so got through it quickly. It's on my repurchase list for a refreshing summer moisturiser. Read my full review here.

Hand and body care

106) L'Occitane Dry Skin Hand Cream (30ml) - Another tube of my absolute favourite heavy duty hand cream is done and dusted.

107) Natio Wellness Hand Cream SPF15 (100ml/3.3 fl.oz) - Now this hand cream is another favourite.  It's not quite as heavy duty but I love the pomegranate scent and the SPF offers added protection for daytime wear.

108) Crabtree & Evelyn Rosewater Hand Therapy (25g./0.9 oz) - I can't say this hand cream isn't a favourite either as I'm a longtime fan of C & E hand creams.  Let's face it I'd repurchase - and have repurchased - all of these hand creams!

109) Manicare Noir Collection Black Vanilla Nail Polish Remover Pads (32 pads) - I packed this for my Singapore vacation and finished it off after I returned. I wouldn't bother trying it on glitter polish but it worked really well to remove cream polishes as it removed and moisturized in one go.  I actually liked the black vanilla scent too.

Hair care

110) L'Oreal Professional Volumetry Anti-Gravity Effect Volume Spray (125ml/4.2 fl.oz) - A few spritzes on pre-blowdried hair gave me soft and touchable volume without stripping the shine from my hair.

111) L'Oreal Elnett Satin Hairspray Normal Strength (75ml purse size) - I only buy small sized cans of hairspray because I don't use it that often.  This hairspray did the trick for adding a little more staying power to my hairstyle when I needed it without it looking stiff.

Cosmetics

112) Kevyn Aucoin The Volume Mascara (Black) - Unfortunately this tubing mascara was a huge disappointment for me.  It added no volume (The Volume?) and the tube dried out in record time - just over a month!

113) Revlon Colorburst Lipstick (001 Lilac) - Such a pretty and wearable lilac for everyday but unfortunately the entire line of these lipsticks were discontinued some time ago.

114) Fresh Sugar Rose Lip Treatment SPF 15 - I have to thank the wonderful Larie for gifting this to me - I loved it! So richly moisturising with just the right amount of shine and a very flattering tint.

There weren't any samples finished this month as I fell into a bit of a happy routine with my skincare and makeup so that's all until the end of October rolls around!

(Products marked * were provided for my consideration.  All comments and opinions are my own.)

May's farewelled products (and beauty diet update)

 

I was less voracious about emptying products in May so this will be a reasonably speedy post.  I can practically hear you all heaving a collective sigh of relief...

 

Skin care

 

47) Montagne Jeunesse Passion Peel-Off Masque - I enjoy the ease of using a peel-off mask for deep cleaning my skin without needing to wash it all off afterwards and these single use sachets are highly portable and just fun you know?

 

48) Milk Beauty Wipes (25 wipes) - I discovered these HG beauty wipes last year and I was always going to repurchase. To recap:  these are extra large, alcohol and paraben free, and are heavily textured on one side for exfoliation.

 

 

49) Simple Refreshing Facial Wash Gel  (50 ml) - I always say this is a no-frills cleanser, but inevitably and without exception it's the only cleanser I buy for travel. It does the job gently and effectively and the 50ml tube lasts for a good few weeks!

 

50) Chanel Precision Ultra Correction Lift Eye Cream (2 x 3ml sample tubes) - On the one hand I can't believe these two little tubes got me through a month!  On the other hand...Chanel promises minimized puffiness and dark circles with this cream but seriously I don't know that I noticed any real difference apart from softer skin.  A sensory pleasure only.

 

Hand and body care

 

51) Yes to Carrots Hand & Elbow Cream (6.76oz/191g) - I'm sure this gargantuan hand cream has been discontinued because it's no longer on the Y to C website.  I really liked it too although it had an unusual scent which my husband strongly disliked - I had to move it from the bedside table to the office desk where it kept moisturizing my hands for months.

 

 

Cosmetics

 

Now for this month's beauty diet empties.  Anissa and Norlin  are still at it too and another beauty obsessed blogger is about to join our support group very soon.   Now I admit sometimes the beauty diet does get tough going for me with all of those limited edition releases out there (and all those expertly styled pictures on social media) but so far so good!

 

52) Estee Lauder Crystal Lipstick (Crystal Cherry) - This was a very flattering glossy cherry red lipstick but unfortunately prone to bleeding.  I ended up using it as more of a soft lip stain to make it work for me.

 

53) Nude by Nature Natural Mineral Cover (Light Skin Tones) - This mineral powder foundation provides a natural looking soft matte coverage but definitely needs a primer to get the best results and longevity of wear.  Once I figured that out I grew to really like it.  Click here for a detailed review.

 

54) She Pure Magic Primer (30ml) - You know I bought this to wear beneath the Nude by Nature and it's the first primer I've ever tried.  It's a strange mousse textured product but it blended in smoothly to mattify the skin and hold my makeup in place.  I know this sounds contradictory but if I could change one thing it would be to make this perhaps a little more moisturising (I'm guessing?) because I noticed it emphasised dry patches on the tops of my cheeks from time to time. Since I've moved on to another product that hasn't been an issue.

 

55) Benefit They're Real! Mascara - Mostly this is great stuff! I love the brush because it gets right down into the lashes and the thickening, lengthening and hardwearing formula.  My gripe is this is absolutely hell to take off! Stubborn is the word that comes to mind when I think of this mascara but I still love it anyway.

 

Culled...

 

 MAC Amplified Lipstick (Molassie) - This brown lipstick has been sitting in my cupboard for years and I've finally let it go. I don't know how I got talked into buying this but I bought brown - and such a caca brown at that - because it never worked for me.  A brown lip hasn't worked for me since the '90's!  I've even toyed with the idea of using this as a cream contouring product but then I decided I'm not prepared to work that hard and admit defeat.  This is much better put to use as a Back 2 MAC swap for a more flattering lipstick!

 

Until next month's empties!



June/July's farewelled products (2013 mega edition)

 

Let the purge happen before the beauty binge you're going to see in my next post!

 

Skincare

 

 

52) Johnson's Daily Essentials Fragrance Free Facial Cleansing Wipes (25 wipes) - It was so long ago I finished these that I'm a bit fuzzy on the details.  Suffice to say there wasn't anything memorable about them. They did the job of cleansing with a single wipe but I think I wasn't a big fan of the cloth texture as it was a little too slippery on my skin.

 

53) Sasatinnie Cherry Blossom Makeup Remover Wipes For Normal Skin (10 wipes) - I forgot to pack wipes when I went overseas so I bought multiple packs of these in Sasa Hong Kong, firstly because of a 3 for 2 offer, then bought some more because I loved them so much!  They border on being sudsy, and quite wet, but these well textured wipes did a thorough job of removing makeup and grime from my tired face at the end of the day and left my skin feeling soft and moisturised.  These do have a lingering soft scent so they won't be for everyone but I personally loved the relaxing floral scent on my face.

 

54) Sasatinnie Rose Makeup Remover Wipes for Sensitive Skin (10 wipes) - As above but supposedly gentler (I found the Cherry Blossom wipes equally gentle on my skin) and these have the distinct scent of rose petals. Very pretty and indulgent!

 

 

 55) Skinvitals Hydraflex Multi-Peptide Flex-Cloth Mask (sample pack) - This mask was my first ever sheet mask experience! Funny it was too because my unsuspecting son walked in on me mid-mask and jumped backwards in shock - ah well, lol! The formula promises firmer, brighter, more youthful skin.  I can't say any miracles took place in 15 minutes but I massaged the residual serum into my skin after removing the mask and woke up with soft skin the next morning so at least it provided lasting moisture. I now have a bundle of sheet masks to try from my trip - but you'll have to wait and see...

 

56) Maybelline City Rescue Total Clean! Express Eye & Lip Makeup Remover (70ml) - See May's post here for my full review.

57) Simple Refreshing Facial Wash Gel (50 ml) - A basic, no-frills gel formula cleanser.  I bought this to take away on vacation and it lasted the distance for 3 weeks of cleansing.  I've reviewed this cleanser previously here and felt a bit underwhelmed by it but it's one of the few travel sized cleansers in the Australian drugstore market and so I bought it for the convenience.

58) Garnier Dark Spot Corrector Daily Illuminating Moisturizer (50ml) - If you've been following my empties posts you'll know I've tried a few different anti-pigmentation products over the past few years and I've had pretty modest results.  I've moved from product to product as a result.  Well finally I think I've hit on a winner.  I had significantly pigmented patches on my cheeks after my January beach vacation and after using the dark spot corrector the patches have noticeably faded.  Noticeably faded.  If only I'd known I would have done the 'before and after' photo comparison to prove what I'm saying.  I love the convenience of this product too as it's a treatment and overall moisturizer in one.  Just so you know I'm not just blowing hot air I've bought another tube today!  

 

 

Hand and body care

 

59)  Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser (1 litre) - This is my number 1 no-fuss, gentle body cleanser and my second bottle used for the year. 

 

60) QV Flare Up Wash (150ml) - I've been using this as a hand wash during the colder months to relieve the itchy eczema on my hands.  This cleansing foam is pH balanced, soap free and fragrance free and formulated to remove any bacteria that can aggravate eczema.  It can also be used in the shower or bath as an overall body cleanser although I personally prefer using it just for my hands because it's not as moisturizing as the Cetaphil cleanser. Repurchase for my seasonal eczema? Yes.

 

61) Daiso Enamel Remover (120ml) - I bought this $2.80 nail enamel remover on a whim from Daiso.  It works almost as well as my usual OPI remover although I did find it a little more drying. Probably not a great idea for a fickle nail polish wearer like me but perfectly fine if you're not removing polish several times a week and a bargain for the price!

 

62) The Body Shop Chocomania Body Scrub (200ml/7.75 oz) - Yummy stuff! This is the second tub I've used this year.  If there's one thing I could fault it's the fact that a tub doesn't seem to last long enough - but then I do scoop out very generous amounts to exfoliate my skin!

 

 

 

63) Aveeno Daily Moisturising Lotion (10ml sample) - I've used this moisturiser many times before and would definitely purchase it again.  It absorbs quickly, leaves skin soft and not greasy at all, and is unscented so doesn't clash with perfume.  Unfussy and reliable stuff.

 

64) Vaseline Total Moisture Aloe Fresh 24 Hr Nourishing Lotion (120ml) - I bought this travel sized lotion from Watsons in Singapore.  My opinion of Vaseline body lotions hasn't changed - I still don't love them.  The only thing I did like was the refreshing aloe scent.  The lotion itself just sits on my skin and never fully absorbs.  Proof of this was my son recoiling from touching my 'sticky' arms.

 

65) Palmer's Olive Butter Formula with Vitamin E (50ml/1.7 fl.oz.) -  Unlike the Vaseline lotion I love this stuff because it balances perfectly between being rich and being easily absorbed.  I would have been better off buying two of these little bottles instead of the Vaseline for my body moisturiser!

 

66) The Body Shop Chocomania Body Lotion (250ml/8.4 fl.oz.) - It has the same delicious chocolate scent as the body scrub.  Chocolatey but not too sickly sweet or strong so I found it quite wearable.  The lotion formula is quite thick but spreads easily for good coverage and absorbs easily too. 

 

 

67) Dermaveen Everyday Intensive Hand Cream (100ml) -  This hand cream was my bedside table overnight hand treatment.  It's formulated for dry, sensitive skin and where other hand creams can actually sting when my skin is irritated I found this one instantly soothing on my eczema inflamed hands. 

 

68) Crabtree & Evelyn La Source Hand Therapy (25g/0.9oz) - I'm becoming quite a fan of Crabtree & Evelyn's hand creams! They're right up there for a luxe pamper because they have a silky, easily absorbed formula and a lovely range of scents.  La Source has a fresh beachy (if that makes sense), slightly salty scent and I loved carrying it as my handbag pick-me-up and an antidote to winter.  I would definitely purchase a full size tube for a treat.

 

 

Cosmetics

 

 

69) Maybelline Dream Lumi Touch highlighting concealer (02 Nude) - My review keeps popping up on my sidebar.  This concealer is one of my favourite discount beauty products.

 

70) Essence XXXL Nudes Lipgloss (03 Nude Kiss) - I think this shade has been discontinued? Anyway I packed this natural lipgloss for my vacation and I wore it literally every day.  I loved the vanilla sugar scent, although the watery formula meant constant reapplication was necessary and it's not surprising I used it up in that time!

 

71) Rimmel 100% Waterproof Mascara (001 Black) - This is a great drugstore mascara.  Waterproof and most definitely sweat and tear-proof and it served me well through the heat and humidity of Hong Kong.  It coated my lashes evenly, and my lashes felt soft rather than crunchy.  I'm already using a backup.

 

72) BYS Minerals Naturale Compact Foundation (Sand Beige) - I'm glad I only spent $10AUD on this foundation because I've never finished a powder pan so quickly! The foundation offered light coverage (medium with primer) and was not as finely milled as many other powder foundations out there.  It's fine as a budget product but I doubt I'll repurchase.



 

Fragrance

 

 

73) Tom Ford Lys Fume EDP (1.5ml/.05 fl.oz) - Another Tom Ford sample vial, and another intoxicating scent.   The top notes are Italian mandarin, pink pepper, turmeric and nutmeg;  middle notes are white lily, ylang-ylang, Artemisia and rum;  base notes are Madagascar vanilla, labdanum, styrax and oak.  This powerful lily fragrance vaguely reminds my undiscerning nose of Dior Poison and I preferred wearing it as an after-dark scent.

 

74) Estee Lauder Sensuous Nude (1.5ml/.05 fl.oz) - I took this vial away with me on vacation because it had such a deliciously warm summer feel about it.  Such a smooth honeyed scent and yes, sensuous. Top notes are Sicilian bergamot, mandarin, black and pink pepper;  middle notes are jasmine, lily of the valley, coconut water, honey and musk;  base notes are sandalwood, vanilla, amber (all guaranteed to hook me into a fragrance), heliotrope and wood.  This is one of the most appealing fragrances I tried from EL for a long time.

 

 

If you've read this overblown post in its entirety I thank you for your patience! 

 

 

Now I'm off to sort through my HK haul pics...



REVIEW: September's farewelled products

Here's my latest batch of empties to throw onto the yearly pile.  I also have quite a few near-empties hanging around at the moment too so next month's tally's already looking good...

Skin care

92) Olay Regenerist Intensive Night Revitalizing Cream (50g)

I only use a night cream when I really feel I need it so a single jar will last me months.  I bought this night cream based on its reputation as it's been voted best night cream under $35AUD by InStyle Australia magazine.  So what did I think?  I loved it!  The pale lavender tinted cream immediately absorbs into my skin and leaves it feeling plumped up with a smooth, velvety texture.  A definite repurchase because this cream feels very luxe for a drugstore product.

93) Simple Regeneration Age Resisting Cleansing Wipes (25 wipes)

These featured in my cleansing routine post and I still stand by my original opinion (here).  These refreshing feeling wipes are my favourites so far and I would definitely repurchase.

94) Yes to Carrots C Me Smile Lip Butter (Berry)

I can't believe how looong this little tube of berry scented lip balm lasted because I used it every single night before bed as my overnight lip treatment.  It contains coconut oil, olive oil, beeswax, sunflower oil, shea butter and - yes - carrot root extract.  All natural ingredients, and 95% organic, and 100% love from me cos my lips felt baby soft after using it.  Another drugstore winner! 

95) Sukin Facial Moisturizer (50ml/1.69fl.oz travel size)

I got this as a freebie in a skincare goodie bag some months ago so I used it in an effort to clear out my skin care backlog.  This paraben free moisturiser contains a whole load of natural ingredients including aloe, sesame seed oil, rose hip oil, shea butter, jojoba seed oil, avocado oil, and wheat germ oil.  Naturally scented and very rich, a little of this lotion went a long way on my skin.  It was little too rich for me (normal/combination skin with a little sensitive thrown in) so I would probably recommend it for normal to dry skin types.

Hand and body care

96) China Glaze Fast Forward Top Coat

I know I said this was a little on the stinky side and I don't particularly like the skinny brush but I've since talked myself around on this top coat because:  It doesn't dissolve the colour beneath (as some top coats can, with the bottle of top coat becoming discoloured as a result), doesn't shrink and the formula was good to the bottom of the bottle.  I didn't need to use any lacquer thinner either!

97) Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser (500ml) 

My fourth bottle for the year and now I'm onto the 1litre bottle!

98) Batiste Original Dry Shampoo (150ml/5.05fl.oz)

I actually bought this for my son for spray-on fake grey hair to wear to a school presentation!  He was dressed up as Australia's first Prime Minister Edmund Barton but anyway... So this can was handed on to me to finish off.  I used it a few times to freshen my hair at the end of the day and it worked really well without leaving my hair looking or feeling powdery.  The original formula blended well with my light blonde hair so I'll probably buy another can for summer, when everything gets a little limp in the heat...

99) OPI Original Polish Remover ( 120ml/4fl.oz)

My staple monthly empty and my eighth for the year.

Cosmetics

100) Maybelline Dream Lumi Touch Illuminating Concealer (02 Nude)

This is the second tube I've finished and I still think this is a great illuminating concealer.  After finishing this I bought  L'Oreal's Lumi Magique highlighter pen to try and yes, I love the super soft brush but it is obviously a highlighter only and doesn't offer the coverage of this fabulous little multi-tasker.  Repurchase, repurchase, repurchase!

Until next month

Vita :)

Coming clean about my cleansing routine...

Beauty confession:  I used to be pretty lazy laid back about cleansing which is a big beauty no-no but I'm now proudly reformed!   I take just as much interest in the different cleansers to meet my moody skin's needs nowadays as I do in my serums and moisturisers.  So - why not do a mini review of the cleansers on current rotation? You'll see I've got all the possibilities covered with my small collection...

Avene Eau Thermale

Extremely Gentle Cleanser

I bought this a few months ago when I was in a state of desperation over my sensitive and irritated skin, caused funnily enough by another (too harsh) cleanser which you'll read about a little later.  My skin felt raw and burning so I was after the most gentle cleanser without having to pay an exorbitant price.

The Avene Extremely Gentle Cleanser is formulated specifically for sensitive and irritated skin and is ideally applied with a cotton pad, then tissued off.  Now, I like to finish my morning cleanse with a rinse off in the shower so I've never actually done this and haven't suffered for it.  You can see the cleanser is a cloudy, watery gel like formula and I've read somewhere it was described as being quite similar to a certain male bodily secretion (if you know what I mean! I'll let you figure that one out...).  It's unscented and feels quite soothing when first applied and rinses off (and probably tissues off) quite easily.  

Oh yes, it DID soothe my irritated skin and it returned to normal after using this cleanser for a few days.  Since my skin's settled down I no longer need to use it daily but continue to rotate it with my other cleansers.

Nivea Soothing Cleansing Mousse
For Dry & Sensitive Skin

This gentle foaming cleanser is one of the newest additions to my cleanser collection and is a newly released Nivea product!  For once I've happened across a beauty product ahead of the pack - now that's a first *cue applause*!  

I've always loved foaming cleansers and Nivea's Soothing Cleansing Mousse has an added fun element as it's self-foaming.  It reminds me of shaving foam as the clear fluid transforms to a creamy mousse via the pump dispenser. I apply it to my dry face then I lather it up more as I massage it over my skin.  It's got a delicate but familiar Nivea scent, and feels cloud like on my face.  This Almond oil enriched mousse rinses off quickly and leaves my skin feeling soft.   I'm not over the novelty of this one yet and I'm just loving it!

Olay Regenerist
Thermal Skin Polisher

I bought this to exfoliate my skin and took the blurb on the front of the tube "Your daily mini-peel treatment.." perhaps a little too literally, initially using it as my daily cleanser.  Big mistake - after four days my cheeks were feeling raw and irritated and had me running to the Avene to rescue my skin.

Okay, so daily use is too much for me and my sensitive skin, BUT if I use this on my skin 1 - 2 times a week I don't have a problem and it actually is a good exfoliating treatment. The thick, lilac tinged, micro-crystal infused skin polish is massaged onto wet skin, and heats on contact as it reacts with the water - it feels quite freaky really. I rinse it off thoroughly in the shower and my skin feels baby smooth from the combined exfoliating actions of the micro-crystals and glycolic acid. 

Lesson learnt:  This exfoliating cleanser is best used as an occasional treatment if you have delicate skin!

Simple Regeneration

Age Resisting Cleansing Wipes

If you've been reading my monthly empties posts you'll know I'm a fan of cleansing wipes because they take care of the cleansing business when I'm feeling lazy, i.e. most nights! I've been working my way through the different wipes on the market and currently I'm using these Simple Age Resisting cleansing wipes.

At the moment, I'm loving these wipes.  As far as wipes go, these are very lightly and freshly scented, alcohol and oil free and wet enough to do a thorough job of cleansing at the end of the day.  Very rarely do I need to use 2 wipes and my skin feels clean, refreshed and comfortable enough to go without any added moisture if I'm feeling really tired and lazy - and you know that happens more often than not...

So now you know all about my cleansing routine!

Do you rotate your cleansing products too?

That's all for now.

Vita :)

REVIEW: Products farewelled in October

Hmm, it feels like we're getting to the business end of the year - that time of year when we start to take stock of what's gone before.  I've learned a few things about myself through this blog and I'm already starting to think about my beauty resolutions for next year - not that I'm ready to reveal them yet!

Anyway, getting back on topic here are more empties to add to this year's growing tally.  I'll try to keep the reviews short and sweet this month:

Skin care

64) L'Oreal Gentle Make-up Remover for Eyes & Lips (125ml)
My 4th bottle finished for the year.  See my original review here.

65)  Simple Refreshing Facial Wash Gel (50 ml)
I bought this to pack for last month's trip because I like the sensation of foaming cleansers and it was a bit more compact than my current 150ml pump bottle from The Body Shop.  The formula is as simple and unfussy as suggested by the brand name with no perfume or colour and is suitable for sensitive skin. While it's supposed to lather when it comes into contact with water I found the minimal lather of this gel a bit disappointing - I like a good froth & bubble!  Rather than feeling foamy and velvety on my skin this gel felt a bit slippery and slimy and it took a lot of rinsing in the shower to get rid of that slippery feeling.  Although it was a bargain at $3.99AUD I won't be rushing to repurchase this.


66) Shiseido Bio-Performance Super Restoring Cream (7ml/.24fl.oz sample)
This little sample jar went a long way! I used this incredibly rich cream as a night treatment on those nights when my skin needed a little extra TLC.  According to Shiseido, this cream offers, "A rich, nourishing time-fighting ... revolutionary solution to wrinkles and age-related deficiencies in skin...".  Yes, this was super rich but I loved it.  As with all Shiseido products this had a lovely soft fragrance which adds to its luxe allure.  I'd love to buy this as an occasional skin treat but at over $100AUD for a 50ml jar it will have to wait until my wallet allows it!

Body and hand care

67) Kusco-Murphy 'Man' Daily Scalp Service Spray (200ml)
I included this bottle in my empties for your amusement!  My hairdresser used this on my new shorter style as a thickening spray so of course I bought it.  It's actually targeted at *ahem* guys with hair and scalp problems to promote healthy hair growth with a host of herbal oils, extracts and natural wheat proteins.  Anyway, I found it worked really well at giving a bit more body to my hair without that crunchy feel.  The downside is the 'masculine' smell which didn't appeal to my husband.   I stubbornly used it to the last drop but won't buy Man again (unless I suddenly need some husband repellant!)

68) Garnier Body Tonic Sugar Scrub (200ml)
This is the second tube I've finished this year. This scrub contains sugar and natural fruit extracts to exfoliate and smooth the skin.  I quite like the uplifting fruity smell when I'm in the shower and this is a reasonable exfoliant.  However, it's not my HG so after two tubes I've decided it's time to move on and try something new.

69) OPI Avoplex
This was luxe hand cream love for me.  See my full review here.

Cosmetics

 

70) Revlon Spa Age Defying Concealer (001 Light)

I bought this a few months ago when I was comparing pen concealers. Not bad for a basic concealing product but it doesn't have the illuminating qualities that I personally look for in a concealer (click here for my full review). 

71) Christian Dior Diorshow Mascara (Black - 5ml sample)

I got this as a freebie and I absolutely love it.  The formula is smooth and non clumping, the large brush manages to coat my lashes individually so the result is feathery, fluttery big soft lashes.  All the better to bat at my man!  At $52AUD I'll have to plan my budget so I can splurge one of these.

72) Essence Lip Liner Pencil (01 Soft Rose)

Another little winner from Essence.  This pencil was super soft, didn't drag at all on my lips and blended beautifully to create a soft natural outline.  Soft Rose was the perfect light nude and was a close shade match for my lips   The only downside with such a soft pencil is that I had to sharpen almost every time I used it but at $2.95AUD I'm not complaining. Of course I've bought a few back-ups!

That's all for this month.

Thanks for reading!

Vita :)