Empties + Reviews (December 2015 - March 2016)

Hi everyone!

I know it's been AGES since I last posted, but between the blog move and school things, my life has been going pretty much nonstop. It's been exhausting.

Fortunately, I have a massive post for you guys today, so hopefully that makes up for my lack of recent blog activity. Here are reviews of all the empty products I've accumulated from about December of last year to the end of March of this year. Since there were so many products to include, I've just done a quick run-through of the pros and cons of each product. Keep reading below to see my thoughts!

Primers and Base Products:

Burberry Fresh Glow Luminous Liquid Base (Nude Radiance No. 01)

Pros: nice light highlight under makeup that isn't super glittery, very natural
Cons: sometimes just isn't enough of a noticeable highlight, works well, but ultimately not worth the price

Rating: 7 out of 10

Smashbox Proto Finish Foundation Primer (Clear Silicone)

Pros: filled in pores nicely, gives skin a smooth look
Cons: felt a bit slippery on the skin almost like it would slide off completely, didn't make my makeup feel secure on my skin

Rating: 7 out of 10

Smashbox Pore-Minimizing Foundation Primer

Pros: did a good job mattifying skin, concealed pores well, felt less slippery on my skin than the other Smashbox one
Cons: shine came back later in the day like it would if I didn't use the primer

Rating: 8 out of 10

Foundation/Concealer:

Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk Foundation (Shade 3)

Pros: coverage was medium to full, nice and even coverage, thin consistency, natural radiant finish that let my skin shine through
Cons: shade was good for skin but slightly too yellow (could be reduced with blending)

Ratin: 9 out of 10

Estée Lauder Perfectionist Youth Infusing Makeup (1N1 Ivory Nude)

Pros: reminds me of the finish of the Tarte Amazonian Clay foundation, shade match was great, felt like it really melted into my skin like the Bourgeois Healthy Mix Foundation
Cons: none (that I can think of)

Rating: 10 out of 10

It Cosmetics CC Cream (Fair)

Pros: coverage and shade were great, nice mix of makeup and skincare, creamy texture
Cons: minty and herbal smell that takes time to get used to, can feel thick if you put on too much

Rating: 8 out of 10

Estée Lauder DoubleWear Foundation (Ivory Nude)

Pros: left my skin looking flawless and controlled oil throughout the day, shade match was great, foundation melted into the skin
Cons: can sometimes look cakey, can set too quickly before blending

Rating: 9 out of 10

Chanel Perfection Concealer (Beige Clair)

Pros: creamier texture and better coverage than the NARS concealer, good shade match
Cons: lasts about the same amount of time before disappearing off face, expensive

Rating: 8 out of 10

Mascara:

Estee Lauder Lash Primer Plus (2 bottles - yikes.)

Pros: moisturizing formula, prolongs the wear of mascara and greatly reduces flaking, white color doesn't remain on lashes after mascara applied, natural bristle brush that evenly coats lashes
Cons: expensive, white color that some people may dislike (but that I like)

Rating: 10 out of 10

Benefit Roller Lash

Pros: doesn't flake, makes lashes look really long, nice curved brush to coat each lash
Cons: expensive, plastic brush, not the darkest mascara

Rating: 7 out of 10

Laura Geller Glamlash Dramatic Voluming Mascara

Pros: brush is tiny and coats each lash, not clumpy, fans out lashes for volume and length, doesn't flake off
Cons: expensive

Rating: 10 out of 10

Tarte Gifted Amazonian Clay Mascara

Pros: natural bristle brush that distributes product well, very natural lash look, stays on all day
Cons: not super black, doesn't give an intense look

Rating: 8 out of 10

It Cosmetics Hello Lashes Macara

Pros: dark black color, glossy finish that gives great length
Cons: hard to apply with the plastic brush, smudges easily when applying, flakes of during day, expensive

Rating: 6 out of 10

Eyeko Black Magic Mascara

Pros: curved natural bristle brush coats lashes evenly, gives good length and volume, gives a natural look
Cons: expensive

Rating: 9 out of 10

Urban Decay Perversion Mascara

Pros: natural bristle brush that gives length and volume
Cons: brush holds too much product, smudges very easily, takes a long time to dry, lashes almost always look slightly clumpy

Rating: 4 out of 10

Smashbox Full Exposure Mascara

Pros: gives lashes a nice natural look
Cons: brush is slightly too large to apply product evenly in one go, color isn't too pigmented

Rating: 6 out of 10

Blush/Bronzer:

Kevyn Aucoin Sculpting Powder (Medium)

Pros: blended out really well, shade is good and just ashy enough for contour
Cons: didn't really do anything amazing for my skin, looked and lasted about the same as Hoola, expensive

Rating: 5 out of 10

Lipstick:

Chanel Rouge Coco Shine Lipstick (54 Boy)

Pros: Great moisturizing formula without feeling like color would slip off, applies smoothly and is a nice even wash of color
Cons: leans towards the more cosmetic-tasting and smelling range of product formulas

Rating: 9 out of 10

Skincare:

Glamglow Youthcleanse Daily Exfoliating Cleanser

Pros: not super abrasive, leaves skin feeling squeaky clean without being dry, can use every day
Cons: expensive

Rating: 10 out of 10

Sunday Riley Good Genes Treatment

Pros: did wonders for my skin the first few times I used it
Cons: noticeable difference it effectiveness after about 1.5-2 weeks, strong lemongrass smell, extremely expensive

Rating: 6 out of 10

Fresh Black Tea Age Delay Eye Concentrate

Pros: very moisturizing, can visibly see results, lasts a long time because you need so little
Cons: can be a bit heavy if you apply too much, really expensive

Rating: 8 out of 10

Supergoop Advanced Anti-Aging Eye Cream

Pros: sunscreen factor, decent moisture
Cons: a bit on the thick side, gave mediocre results, left skin with a slight white cast

Rating: 5 out of 10

Bobbi Brown Hydrating Eye Cream

Pros: decent hydration, absorbs quickly into skin
Cons: only mediocre results, expensive

Rating: 6 out of 10

Charlotte Tilbury Magic Cream

Pros: extremely moisturizing, leaves your skin feeling as if it were hydrated by an oil, works well as a foundation primer
Cons: much more suited for use in colder and drier months, in a pot, thicker consistency, extremely expensive

Rating: 8 out of 10

Keihl's Ultra Facial Cream

Pros: great moisture, light on skin, relatively affordable if you consider how much you get and how well it works
Cons: in a pot as opposed to a tube

Rating: 10 out of 10

Fresh Black Tea Age-Delay Lotion

Pros: absorbs quickly into the skin, smells fantastic, leaves skin feeling hydrated and plump
Cons: in a pot, expensive

Rating: 9 out of 10

Body/Other:

The Body Shop Body Butter (Honeymania)

Pros: smells like honey mixed with flowers, thick and moisturizing texture
Cons:

Rating: 10 out of 10

Secret Scent Expressions Deodorant (So Very Summerberry)

Pros: affordable, scent is light and sweet, stays all day
Cons: can feel powdery sometimes

Rating: 9 out of 10



Jeez, I think my hands are dead. But this post was totally worth it. I hope that my thoughts and reviews helped any of you who were considering buying one of these products! In the mean time, I'll go back to homework. And nursing my sore fingers.


Until next time,