July 2023 Empties for the Face, Body & Hair

Purchased & Press Sample (Affiliate Links)

I managed to use up 8 products during the month of July, and I thoroughly enjoyed everything that I used. I would definitely use all of these products again, but other than the hand soap from Trader Joe's I have other products to use up before I consider replacing what is featured here. 

Men's Spongellé Men's Super Buffer from the For the Two of Us Gift Set (on Sale for $20.00 from Spongellé): Men's Super Buffer Verbena Absolute: "The invigorating scent of Verbena Absolute is the perfect scent to kick-start your day, take to the gym or to refresh in the evenings. Enriched with a blend of energizing extracts , this All In One Men’s Treatment will cleanse, scrub and hydrate." This set is such a deal, and the Men's buffer smells fantastic! Purchase Again? I am tempted to buy a few as gifts because the price is excellent.

Fragrance Notes:

Top: Apple, Pineapple, Rum

Middle: Clove, Sage, Pepper

Base: Sandalwood, Amber/Spicy, Vanilla

Spongellé Body Wash Infused Buffer in Freesia Pear Body ($16.00 from Spongellé): This buffer boasts a very refreshing and uplifting aroma that features floral middle notes that are tempered by woody base notes and fresh fruity top notes. This amalgam of notes is a decidedly fruity floral with warmer edges, and the result is an uplifting delight to the senses. Purchase Again? Yes, but I need to use up my remaining Spongellé body buffers first.

Fragrance Notes:
Top: lemon, grapefruit, pear
Middle: freesia, peony, floral bouquet
Bottom: woody, musk, amber

Trader Joe's Pink Pomelo Grapefruit Hand Soap ($3.99 for 17 oz. from Trader Joe's): Trader Joe's Lavender Chamomile Hand Soap and Trader Joe's Pink Pomelo Grapefruit Hand Soap are worthy of your consideration! They both produce a satisfying lather, and yet they neither strip, nor dry out the hands. The former doesn't overpower with the potential pungency of lavender because it is tempered by the chamomile, and the latter isn't an overly powerful citrus. Instead, they are both uplifting, pleasant and delightful. Hands are left soft, nourished and lightly hydrated. Purchase Again? I already have!

FaceTory Urban Calm Gel Cleanser with Fermented Pear and LHA ($42.00 for 4 oz. from FaceTory and their Amazon Store): This is an ultra-gentle lightly lathering gel cleanser that thoroughly cleans the skin without stripping it, and leaves it very soft, smooth and hydrated. It has a very light and fresh herbal aroma, but it isn't long lasting or in the least bit cloying. Purchase Again? Not in the near future because I am swimming in facial cleansers, but I would definitely consider purchasing this when I need to purchase a cleanser.

Clinique Moisture Surge Hydrating Supercharged Concentrate ($46.00 for 1.6 oz. from Nordstrom): is an effective water-gel hydrator that immediately melts into the skin, without leaving behind a greasy residue, and it infuses the skin with a serious surge of hydration– just as the name would suggest. It is fragrance-free, formulated for most types of skin and it leaves skin soft, smooth, hydrated and balanced. Furthermore, it contains Hyaluronic Acid- which effectively helps to retain hydration while lightly plumping the skin. I am personally very fond of water-gel moisturizer formulas for my normal/combination skin, and I think that this is a good one. I like to layer this under my regular moisturizer du jour, and find that it offers my skin sustained hydration throughout the day. Purchase Again? While I really loved this, it is going to be a very long time before I need to purchase a Hyaluronic Acid based serum.

Banish The Defender Mineral Sunscreen Broad Spectrum SPF 50 ($59.00 for 50 ml. from Banish): is a lightweight mineral sunscreen that is neither greasy, nor does it leave behind a white film. It boasts a peptide-rich formula that offers skin light hydration, ample sun protection, and the formula offers a light blurring effect. It plays well with makeup, and it is fragrance-free. It is water-resistant for up to 80 minutes, and like all sunscreens it should be reapplied frequently (about every 60-80 minutes) to remain effective. Purchase Again? I just opened a new sunscreen, and therefore it will be a while before I need to purchase another, but this was excellent!

Erno Laszlo Hydra-Therapy Gel Cream (Renamed Mattifying Gel Cream. $144.00 for 1.7 oz. from Erno Laszlo): is a moisture-rich, deeply hydrating and fast-absorbing gel cream that melts into the skin, leaves behind no residue whatsoever, and immediately delivers results. The antioxidant-rich cream is formulated to be utterly weightless and it does an exquisite job quenching dry and dehydrated skin. It calms and soothes inflamed skin, and leaves it soft, supple and luminous. While it contains fragrance, toward the middle of the ingredients, it doesn't have much of an aroma to speak of. Purchase Again? I just opened another jar!

shu uemura muroto volume shampoo for fine hair ($52.00 for 10 oz. from shu uemura art of hair, Sephora and The Bay): This shampoo thoroughly cleans the hair without stripping it, drying it out, and without leaving behind any sort of oily residue. It rinses clean and it has a nice light aroma, but the scent is neither long lasting, nor in the least bit cloying. Purchase Again? It is on my list, but I need to use some open shampoos first!

Overall Assessment: I really enjoyed each and every one of these products, and would definitely use them again, but as I said I have a lot of open products to finish before I consider purchasing anything other than the Trader Joe's Hand Soap. What did you use up, toss out, give away or return in July? Any real winners or losers to report?

Purchased and Press Samples (Affiliate Links). All views expressed are categorically my own. 

Copyright © 2023 www.lolassecretbeautyblog.com All Rights Reserved.

Clinique Moisture Surge Hydrating Supercharged Concentrate

Press Sample (Affiliate Links)

Clinique Moisture Surge Hydrating Supercharged Concentrate is an effective water-gel hydrator that immediately melts into the skin, without leaving behind a greasy residue, and it infuses the skin with a serious surge of hydration– just as the name would suggest. It is fragrance-free, formulated for most types of skin and it leaves skin soft, smooth, hydrated and balanced. Furthermore, it contains Hyaluronic Acid- which effectively helps to retain hydration while lightly plumping the skin. I am personally very fond of water-gel moisturizer formulas for my normal/combination skin, and I think that this is a good one. I like to layer this under my regular moisturizer du jour, and find that it offers my skin sustained hydration throughout the day.

According to Clinique,

A supercharged water-gel hydrator that instantly quenches dehydrated skin. It keeps skin hydrated for a full 72 hours and helps break the cycle of dryness and environmental stress that can lead to premature aging. Liquid-Sphere™ Technology combines water-binding ingredients with encapsulated antioxidants, while hyaluronic acid fragments and activated aloe water plump skin with moisture.

Features:
- 100% fragrance-free; paraben-free; phthalate-free; oil-free
- Allergy tested
- Nonacnegenic
- Helps break the cycle of dryness and environmental stress that can lead to premature aging.
- Antioxidant-infused water-gel that's ultralight yet delivers an intense moisture.
- Skin types: very dry, dry, dry/combination, combination/oily, oily and normal.

Directions: Apply to clean skin morning and evening.

 Key Ingredients:
- Liquid-Sphere™ Technology combines water-binding ingredients with encapsulated antioxidants.
- Hyaluronic Acid fragments and Activated Aloe Water plump skin with moisture.

Ingredients: Water\Aqua\Eau, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Phenyl Trimethicone, Propanediol, Sucrose, Hydroxyethyl Urea, Alteromonas Ferment Extract, Hydrolyzed Rice Extract, Acetyl Glucosamine, Trehalose, Algae Extract, Caffeine, Cholesterol, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Water, Sodium Hyaluronate, Pentaerythrityl Tetraethylhexanoate, Dextrin Palmitate, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Sorbitol, Sodium Polyaspartate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Carbomer, Dehydroxanthan Gum, Citric Acid, Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate, Benzophenone-4, Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate, Sodium Hydroxide, Sodium Citrate, Disodium Edta, Bht, Chlorphenesin, Phenoxyethanol, Red 4 (Ci 14700), Yellow 5 (Ci 19140).

Overall Assessment: If you are a fan of gel and water/gel moisturizing formulas that are effective and fast-absorbing, then this is definitely worth trying. If you aren't sure, it might be worth testing it at your local Clinique counter to see if you like it. I would encourage you to ask for a sample while you are there!

$46.00 for 1.6 oz. from Nordstrom (Affiliate Links).
Press Sample. All views expressed are categorically my own.
Copyright © 2019 www.lolasscretbeautyblog.com All Rights Reserved.

ULTA 21 DAYS OF BEAUTY: DAY 3 TUESDAY, MARCH 20

Affiliate Links

Welcome to day two of Ulta's 21 Days of Beauty. Here are the deals for Tuesday, March 20:

PÜR 4-in-1 Pressed Mineral Foundation SPF15 (NOW $14.75. REG $29.50): Correct, smooth, balance & plump for younger looking, flawless skin.

JUICE BEAUTY STEM CELLULAR Anti-Wrinkle Moisturizer (NOW $35.00. REG $70.00): Organic ingredients firm skin & fight damage.

CLINIQUE 3-Step Introduction Kit (NOW $9.75. REG $19.50): Customizable skincare system – for all skin types.

                     Visit: www.ulta.com for daily deals!

Clinique Different Lipstick in A Different Grape | Review and Swatches

Provided Courtesy of Nordstrom during their Trend Event (Affiliated Links)

I have to admit that it has been quite a few years since I really tried anything from Clinique's makeup line, but during a recent Nordstrom Beauty Trend Event the lovely department manager sent me home with a huge bag filled with various gifts with purchase. Among them was a really nice Clinique Gift that included a Different Lipstick in A Different Grape. I have to admit that I didn't take a close look at the contents initially because I was so busy at work, but when I finally did–  I zeroed in on the lipstick. When I opened the tube I gasped when I saw this beautiful berry shade.

According to Clinique,

This lipstick feels silky smooth while giving lips a soft, colorful shine. Its emollient-rich formula is available in a wide range of shades. Different because of its smooth, comfortable feel. Moderate, non-staining coverage. Lightweight.

A Different Grape is described as a pinkish grape from the violet family, and despite its depth of color it does not stain the lips, and it tends to be more sheer than opaque. It effortlessly glides across the lips, deposits color evenly, and it does not bleed or settle into lip lines. It has a soft shine, and looks beautiful on the lips, and I found the formula moderately moisturizing. It is very comfortable on the lips, and feels a bit like a lip balm due to its emollience. I get a couple hours of wear out of the formula, but I have extended it by applying it over a lip liner.

While A Different Grape is a rich buildable color, it can easily be sheered out. This makes it a very approachable and infinitely wearable shade for people who want to try a darker color, but who find such shades out of their comfort zone.

Overall Assessment: A Different Grape is such a beautiful color, and the formula is quite lovely. Clinique offers a whole range of colors in this formula, and all of them are quite beautiful. It's definitely worth taking a look at these lipsticks the next time you find yourself near a Clinique counter. I have my eye on a few other shades now!

$16.00 for .14 oz. from Clinique, Sephora, Nordstrom, Macy's, Bloomingdale's, Neiman Marcus, Bergdorf Goodman, Saks Fifth Avenue, Dillard's and Selfridges (£17.50) (Affiliate Links).

Gift Courtesy of Nordstrom at Westside Pavilion. All views expressed are categorically my own.
Copyright © 2015 www.lolassecretbeautyblog.com All Rights Reserved.

Empties Post: Volume II- September 2012

I should preface this post by stating that I made a concerted effort to work my way to the bottom of lots and lots of samples this month. With real determination, I managed to get through a great many little vials, jars, and bottles. I have a rather frightening pile of samples that I have been testing, and the first on my hit-list were those that were partially used. Also in fairness, many of the full-sized products were getting pretty close to empty, but not empty enough to make it into my August Empties Post. 

Skincare Products: Lots and lots of Suki Skincare empties this month! I finished up a full-sized bottle of Suki Renewal Bio-Resurfacing Facial Peel (fantastic, but probably too active for those sensitive skin), and piles of the small glass vials of travel sized Suki products. Since they are natural products, I figured that I should use them up before they went bad- most of them were partially used up- so it took very little effort to empty them. There were a few Sunday Riley empties this month as well. Also lots of little jars of various creams, lotions and cleansers. I also made my way through two Shiseido sunscreens samples, a Tatcha Gentle Rice Enzyme Powder (this stuff is extraordinary!), several packets of Sponge products (a truly magical line that has stolen my heart), there's also a Tata Harper sample, and then finally a full-sized jar of Bobbi Brown Vitamin Enriched Face Base- which was a really lovely oil-free lightweight, but moisturizing cream that works very well under makeup.

Body Care Products: The Erno Laszlo Hydra-Therapy Bodyskin Cream was a great moisturizer, but sadly it was one of the many things that they seemed to recently discontinue (hopefully they are planning on bringing it back). The Kiehl's Creme de Corps Soy & Honey Whipped Body Butter is awesome! It took very little time to get through the sample jar, but I still have a huge jar- so I am quite happy about that! I wouldn't usually even include a regular hand soap in my line-up, but all four that I featured were fantastic and worthy of mention. First the Green Tea French Milled Soap from Whole Foods is wonderful, and I will definitely repurchase it. The two Shannon's Soaps were lovely down to the last scraps, and definitely worth replacing. The biggest surprise was the In-Kind Natural Hand Soap that I grabbed from Pavilions (AKA Vons, Safeway) because it was on sale. It was a lovely moisturizing soap that I will definitely pick up again. The 80 Acres Verde Hand and Body Cream was a wonderful and delightful smelling and feeling discovery, and thankfully I have one of their soaps to try next. I made it through the small sized bottle of Shave with Benefits, and am now working my way through one of the full-sized bottles-- I love this stuff. Not that crazy about the Tom's unscented deodorant, but I am happy with the Lemongrass version that I am currently rotating with my Kai Deodorant (pure awesomeness). The Nourish Deodorant is a super natural deodorant made with Shea butter, cocoa butter and all sorts of emollient ingredients, but I found that it worked nicely.

Haircare Products: The Living Proof hairspray sample was quite nice, but I'm not much of a hairspray kind of girl. I loved the Oribe Signature Shampoo-- it was quite hydrating, smelled divine, and made my curly hair happy! The Davines Defining Paste was a great product-- I did dilute it with water in my hands and found that it gave me really nicely defined curls without feeling heavy or crunchy.

Makeup & Lip Balms: I made my way through a few more makeup items this month (which makes me very happy)! The Tarte emphasEYES inner rim eye pencil did not wow me in the least bit-- it was stiff and kept crumbling. I'm not big on wearing liner on my waterline, but it was too hard to use in that application. When I tried to apply it to my upper or lower lids- I would eventually get it to apply, but not without lots of wasted product. I really liked the Clinique Quickliner for Eyes, and was actually pretty sad when it was gone. The empty square pan beneath the pencils was a Trish McEvoy Mineral Foundation- it was another gift from my mom. It was pretty meh on my skin, and despite the fact that I have combination skin I found it a bit drying, but I did use the entire thing up. Yes, I actually finished both the EOS and the Suki lip balms, but let's all be clear that they were both well worn. All of the sample jars were either foundations, tinted moisturizers, or loose powders-- I was pretty pleased that I tried them all for a few days, and then the jars were empty.

Fragrances: Fresh Vanilla Eau de Parfum and Fresh Heperides Eau de Parfum were both lovely scents that I finally finished up (they were getting pretty old). To the right of the Fresh bottles is an empty reed diffuser that lasted quite a while. Of course I also have a nice pile of empty perfume samples, and as always if I don't like the way that they smell on me- I use them as room sprays near the kitty litter box. The only sample in this pile that resulted in a purchase was the kai perfume oil.

Almost Empties: I am absolutely determined to finish this pile of makeup. The MAC Eyeshadow Duo is getting pretty close- which is so exciting. The Trish McEvoy Blush & Eyeshadow pans are also almost done-- these were both given to me by my mom, and I have pretty mixed luck with Trish McEvoy makeup in general. These two products are okay, but nothing special for me. The two MAC eye pencils (Uniform and Feline) are nice, but won't likely be replaced because I have plenty of other eye pencils to use up first. I do believe that I have a backup of Feline though- so I will have to pull it out and use it once this one becomes a stub that can no longer be sharpened. The Shu Uemura lip pencil is really lovely, and while it is nearly gone I also have a backup of this beauty.

I am finding that my partially used makeup is serving as a source of motivation to really use what I have. I haven't set any sort of moratorium on makeup purchases, because that will only make me feel deprived- which will make me want to buy more makeup. Instead, I am forcing myself to be far more selective about my makeup purchases because my stash is already bursting at the seams. That said, skincare is my weakness, and all bets are off there. If I see something that really intrigues me- it will, in all likelihood, end up in my stash.

Did you manage to finish anything up this month? Have you tossed anything out because you didn't like it enough to keep using it? Did you return anything that was a total fail? Are you imposing any buying bans on yourself? Do tell!