L'occitane

Empties | Out With The Old #6

2:16 PM

I can't \not\ mention my being away for a long time. I don't really have a good excuse, just the usual reasons that I'm sure we're all aware of. Life got busy, things happened. I got a new computer recently, so things are going to be looking generic and pretty boring while I get all my settings figured out and previous fonts transferred over to this new guy. This OWTO batch is pretty big, since I just kept tossing them in my 'toss' bag instead of actually tossing them.




Let's start with skincare, starting with the Almay Oil Free Eye Makeup Removing Pads - These are nice. I bought these in a pack of two these bottles. I like them, but would not purchase again - they leave sort of a sticky residue on my eyes and don't remove mascara well. I don't really wear mascara that much, mostly eyeliner, and this does the trick with eyeliner, but I wouldn't repurchase.

The Body Shop Shower Gels for Earth Lovers - Fig & Rosemary scent - This was a rather nice shower gel, albiet a very watery texture. This didn't bother me, as it foamed up well and was pretty cleansing. This particular scent didn't smell like either fig nor rosemary to me, and smelled like sage - a scent I love dearly that brings back wonderful memories. It's a sharp, spicey scent and I would certainly repurchase if I ever, ever run out of the millions of other shower gels I have sitting around waiting to be used. 

Boots No7 Melting Gel Cleanser - I was certain I wrote a review on this but now can't find it. I have featured it in a few posts, the most detailed description of it is here. I like this, and it smelled very nice, but I will not be repurchasing. It was just kind of a hassle to use.

H20 Marine Toner - this toner has long been discontinued by the company. I think the full bottle of it costs $18, which is definitely not worth it for this product. It's not bad, but definitely not life changing. I wouldn't repurchase even if it was still out.

Yes to Cucumbers Calming Night Cream - I loved this moisturizer, loved it so much. It was thick and moisturizing, but sunk in very quickly. It smelled nice and soothing, and always left my skin happy and satisfied. I would definitely repurchase, and probably will. 

Mary Kay Timewise Firming Eye Cream - this little bottle cost $30!! I got it as a present and luckily did not pay that much, and I definitely do not recommend. It took far too long to sink in and did literally nothing for my skin; didn't moisturize or plump up the area. The pump, while a nice touch, was also very difficult to control. If you pumped out all the way you'd probably get enough product for your entire face. That being said, there's a lot of product in the bottle, considering how little you really need to cover your eye area. 

Meishoku Organic Rose Moisture Cream - this was a light moisturizer that smelled lovely and rosey. I liked it and would recommend; if I get the chance to buy this again I will, but I didn't love it enough to go out of my way to purchase it.

C.O. Bigelow Rose Salve - this is my favorite lip product of all time. It's the only one that really seems to work for me, giving me deep, long lasting moisture. I have repurchased since then and will probably never leave this lip balm.


Mary Kay Suncreen SPF 50 - this was a weird, thick cream that never seemed to sink in and would leave my limbs feeling oily and strange. Would not repurchase.

Yes to Cucumbers Daily Calming Moisturizer SPF 30 - oh my god, the things I could say about this. Bad things, to clarify. It was a thick, white paste that took so much effort to spread in; it smelled like cardboard, always left me ghostly white, and didn't sit well/feel good on my skin. I suppose one could argue that this is more of a sunscreen than a moisturizer, but I'd rather just stick with my Coola sunscreen. I will not be repurchasing.

LO'ocitane Shea Butter Hand Cream - Personally I don't like the scent of shea butter, as it smells too much like diaper ointment to me. This is a really thick hand cream that does deeply moisturize, but the scent just bothered me too much. It also separated into a strange oil/cream mixture towards the end. Will not repurchase. 


Be warned, most of this makeup is old and disliked, hence why I'm tossing most of them. The four lip products (Pixi Tinted Brilliance Balm, NYX Mega Shine Lip Gloss, Elizabeth Arden lipstick) are all products I just don't use anymore, so why keep them around? They're all fine, but just fine. 

NYX HD Concealer - This bottle is half empty, and I still can't make up my mind about it. It's very high coverage, but accentuates any flaws on your skin. So while you could definitely use it to cover up some bumpy, discolored skin (like my chin and nose), it would bring attention to the uneven skin texture and cling desperately to any dry patches of skin. It's also too thick to use under the eyes. I will not be repurchasing.

Sonia Kashuk Liquid Light Concealers - these are my favorite liquid concealers! As the name implies, they have a light texture that is comfortable to wear. The coverage isn't incredible, but the concealers are luminizing and will bounce light from any trouble spots. I have already repurchase both these shades, as they're perfect for my undereyes and on my scars. 

NYX Eyeshadow Base - NYX has several versions of this; this is the nude shade. There's also a white color and one to help with glitter, and a liquid HD primer that I happen to love. A lot of people say that this product works excellently for them, but it just didn't cooperate with me. It would crease and ruin any eyeshadow I was wearing on top of it. I really liked the texture though, and the price was definitely agreeable. While I myself wouldn't repurchase, I encourage anyone with $5 to spare to try it out. 

Maybelline Color Tattoo 24hr whatever it's called - this product is old as hell, and I've never really used it. Time to go! 

Victoria's Secret Volume Plump Mascara - I think this was part of a BOGO deal or something; I didn't expect to like it but I really did! It lasted all day without smudging and always removed easily. It accentuated my lashes and I would repurchase.

NYX Gel Liner and Smudger - this liner is old and drying out. I really liked it, except that it dried out way too fast! But the creaminess and opaqueness of the product definitely warrant a repurchase. 

That's all for today, thanks for reading!

NYX

NYX Eyeshadow Base in Skintone | Review

4:35 PM

I realized that I haven't had a blog post up in a while. For some reason I thought I had queued a bunch of posts, but I was sorely mistaken. Anyways, look forward to a few posts coming your way soon. Today's is on the NYX Eyeshadow Base in Skintone.


What it is: an cream eyeshadow primer
Where: Ulta, Target, select CVS stores, and online
Price: $7
NYX is cruelty free! 

I was hoping this product would be similar to a MAC Paint Pot, something you apply either alone to cancel out redness or underneath product to make it stand out more. NYX says to "maximize the intensity, longevity and brilliance of your eye shadow statements with our eye shadow primer pots. Each of the three NYX Eye Shadow Bases—for vibrant, pearl or neutral tones—creates a smooth canvas for color, increases its durability and prevents fallout." There are three shades available, a white, a shimmery white, and this one, Skintone.


The packaging is typical for a cream eye product, albeit a little bland. The product comes in a plastic jar with a white twist off cap and contains .25 oz, or 7 grams of product. This is a unhygenic but totally normal for a cream product.


The color of this is definitely visible on the eye. It's a super warmtoned (almost orangy) medium skintone. Those with medium to medium-light complexions could definitely pull this off alone but if you have a very fair or dark skintone someone will be able to see the product.

This is so creamy it's ridiculous. It's easy to smooth and blend out over the eye and definitely makes colors pop, but the downside is that it tends to crease when you use even the smallest bit too much. There's a weird algorithm for applying this; I find going in two thin layers is best as it won't crease but is enough to make the colors pop. I think this base is great for holding shadow on the lids longer and I've heard good things about the other two colors making bright shades pop, but for those looking to prevent creasing this is definitely not it.

NYX

NYX Born To Glow Liquid Illuminator in Gleam | Review

8:00 AM

Hey, y'all. How are you doing? I hope the warmer weather's been good to you. Today I've got a product that's pretty fitting for warm weather, especially in summer.



What it is: liquid highlighter
Where it is: Ulta and Target, plus online
Price: $7.50
NYX is cruelty free!

Now that summer is nearing, people are ditching matte products in order to achieve a dewy, healthy glow. This product is one of the contenders out there. NYX says to "Capture that sexy glow with our lightweight, multi-functional illuminator. Use as a foundation base or over cheekbones, décolletage, or cupids bow for that refreshing luminosity that'll have everyone talking." This product supposedly contains .6 fl oz and is available in two shades, Sunbeam (a more pinky shade) and Gleam (a more peachy shade), which is what I'll be reviewing.



The packaging is pretty basic but functional. It comes in a small squeeze tube that corresponds to the shade inside. The black cap screws on tightly and securely, so I have no fear that it'll come undone and ruin its surroundings.


This gives a gorgeous peachy sheen to the skin. To be perfectly honest, I have a more oliveish tone and although I could see hints of the peach it was mostly a healthy, light reflecting glow. Although this is a liquid product, I find the texture to much more solid than other liquids. It feels like a whipped cream product and is really easy to apply and blend. It blends like a d r e a m. You can apply directly to focal points of the face (nose bridge, cheekbones, Cupid's bow) or you could mix it in with your foundation for an all-around glow. A little goes a long way - think about a quarter of a pea sized is how much you need. The only issue I have is that there isn't actually very much product in here; it's about halfway full, making it a bit pricey for the amount given. But since you do only need the slightest amount, you should be set for a while. While this isn't the most long lasting product, it wears nicely throughout the day and won't smear. 


That's what the color looks like on a baby wipe, in case you wanted to know how peach it is.

Thanks for reading! What are your favorite highlighting products?

NYX

NYX Cream Eyeshadow in Suede | Review

4:15 PM

Happy Thursday! I don't know about you, but this week has been dragging me along, day by day. It's been brutal. Anyways, today I'm writing a review on the NYX Cream Eyeshadow in Suede. Read on!


What it is: a cream eyeshadow
Where it is: Target, Ulta, select Sears, and online
For how much: $5
NYX is cruelty free!

I've had this product in the back of my mind for quite some time now. I'm not sure why; to be truthful, it doesn't look exciting, and it seems like a pretty basic product. I suppose it could be the colors, they're quite beautiful. 

Anyways, NYX says that these shadows are "bursting with intense shimmering pigments in assorted hues. These exceptional shadows come in a variety of shades that have a velvety texture, dries promptly after application and lasts all day. Wearable for every season and occasion." There are twenty shades available, from a bright electric blue to pretty neutral shades.


The packaging is pretty basic and a little unhygenic. These come in round doe-foot applicator tubes. I don't really mind the applicator, but some people dislike them. The handle is a little too short for comfort, but that's not a big deal at all.


Suede is this amazing coppery-gold shade. It's a fairly shimmery shade that I think would look amazing on all skintones. It's very shimmery, and almost looks wet. It's really hard to tone it down though, so either go big or go home with these.


As you can see, this shadow has phenonomal color payoff - but a bit of an issue with blending. The top swatch is blended out immediately, and the bottom swatch is blended out after a few seconds, perhaps around 8 or 10. This shadow does not want to blend after it sets, it sort of pills up and just rubs away. Don't take the time to apply this to both eyes before blending, apply, blend as fast as you can, and then do the other eye. That being said, it does set while you blend and you can feel it too, but the product just doesn't want to blend with a brush. You gotta work fast. This might be an issue for some people. It bothers me, but I can make it work. The problem is that this creases so badly on me. I have fairly oily eyelids, but even applying this after a base doesn't do much. If you have dry eyelids and don't mind blending immediately after applying, this could be a great product for me, but I really wouldn't recommend it to anyone else.

Thanks for reading! What are your favorite cream shadows?

NYX

NYX HD Photogenic Concealer | Review

8:25 PM


What it is: liquid concealer
Where: Ulta stores and online
Price: $5
BTW: NYX is cruelty free!

Before I'd ordered this I was considering it for a while. I don't generally buy face makeup online; I find swatches and descriptions unreliable because I'm still quite unsure what my undertone is and pictures can appear different on screens. So honestly, I took a bit of a wild guess and just hoped it would match. I've heard whispers that this is a little bit like the NARS Radiant Concealer.

NYX says that "this lightweight cover-up obscures imperfections, discoloration and under eye circles, without ever looking cakey or obvious. Little wonder the Concealer Wand is one of our best-sellers. The concentrated, emollient-rich formula goes on like a dream, and creates medium to heavy coverage." There are eleven shades available, including three correcting shades. I have mine in Meduim.


Packaging is pretty standard and nothing special; it comes in a doe-foot applicator. I don't like to apply this directly on my face, but rather I scrape some off on the back of my hand. I find this not only warms the product up but lets me control exactly how much I want and need, not to mention that it's much more hygenic.


So! Medium is described on the website as "medium beige with olive undertones." So far, warm, neutral and cool tones haven't worked seamlessly on me so I figured I'd give olive a go. But this undertone isn't exactly olive, it has a light to medium shade that has a peachy pink undertone. Not particularly unflattering, and nothing that somebody else would notice, but regardless I can see it and it irks me. I mean, it works but it just bothers me, you know? But let's talk about the formula. Spoiler alert: it's great. This creamy, lightweight concealer blends like a dream, leaving full coverage where applied. It doesn't look like concealer, more like skin. When properly set with a powder this lasts all day, but you have to be careful to let it set on its own first before applying a powder. This is great for blemishes and scars, but I wouldn't recommend it around the eyes or nose because it tends to settle into fine lines. Not exactly crease, but sink into the skin where there's space to sink in, if I'm making sense. But other than that, this is a great concealer for the face. 



These photos are a little blurry and out of focus but you can clearly see that it makes my chin scars look nonexistent!

So what's the final verdict? This is a really good concealer, but be wary around the eyes and make sure the shade matches you.

Thanks for reading! Have you tried this concealer?

eyebrows

NYX Eyebrow Marker | Review

1:16 PM


What it is: a brow marker
Where it is: Target stores, Ulta stores, and online
For how much: $9.75
Anything else: NYX is cruelty free and their products are hypoallergenic!

NYX is a brand that I've only tried a few products of but really want everything from. Everything's so damn cute and affordable. They started selling at Target stores a couple months ago, so I vowed to try some more products... but there aren't many products there! Anyways, I've been wanting to get my hands on a brow marker, and since they aren't too available here in the States I grabbed this as soon as I laid eyes on it.


In case you didn't know the concept of a brow marker, it's like a felt-tip eyeliner but for your brows. They're supposed to give quite a natural brow look, which is my jam. I love fluffy, natural brows. There are two shades, Medium and Deep, which is the one I'll be reviewing. NYX says, "Sculpt, fill in and enhance your natural eyebrows with our felt-tip Eyebrow Marker. The color resists smearing and smudging, and wears all day long." This marker is opthalmologically tested, paraben-free, hypoallergenic, and cruelty free.


The packaging is pretty simple, it looks like a felt-tip pen. The cap locks on securely, so no fear that the tip will dry out. The tip is actually a lot shorter than I expected, especially since eyeliners are so much longer.


This isn't very pigmented, but brow pens aren't supposed to be. The color is supposed to be quite faint, as you can see by the swatch it is. On my hand, it looks to be pretty neutral toned, but on the brows it's quite red-toned. When I remove it the cotton pad comes back as red. It's really odd. The formula is pretty great, it's smudgeproof and so long lasting, but since the tip is so precise you have to really trace over your brows, which inevitably leaves you with brows a lot fuller than expected. Brushing out does no good either since it's budgeproof, but if I apply brow gel the wand comes back red! How weird. 


Like I said earlier, I'm all for natural-looking brows. If this product was a bit more hazy and suited my hair color more I'm sure I would love it, but for now I'll just save it for any occasions where I absolutely cannot use powder. I would recommend for anyone who likes a strong brow look.

Thanks for reading! Have you tried any brow markers? Are they all as weird as this one?

garner

Everyday Makeup Routine

4:33 PM

I wear very little makeup on a daily basis. After all, I really see no reason to get dolled up. I'm getting up early in the morning to go sit with a bunch of other children who also get up early in the morning just to stare at an adult who asks us to answer questions. You can see that I really care how I look during school (sarcasm, for you slow ones). However, I do wear some makeup everyday and since I really enjoy reading these types of posts, I thought I'd write one too.


So usually, I use five products, but on some days I feel like dolling up I toss some more into the mashup. The first thing I do is fill in and define my eyebrows. I like using powder for a more natural look. Who wants to look like they have drawn on eyebrows for school, anyways? I pull out my trusty Sonia Kashuk Eye on Neutral palette for this purchase. Then I set my brows with brow gel, the No7 Lash and Brow Perfector being my card of choice. After brows, I move onto concealer. I use two different concealers, a light coverage liquid for my undereyes to brighten, and a heavier cream on my chin and around my nose to conceal imperfections. I like the Garnier Anti-Dark Circle Roller for my undereyes and the Sonia Kashuk Hidden Agenda Concealer Palette for my face. After that step, I slap on some color on my lips and I'm good to go. I always have a billion colors floating around in my bag, the one I'm using most at the moment is the Sonia Kashuk Moisture Luxe Tinted Lip Balm in Hint of Pink.

Now for the more complicated days, I'll add a little more to the mix. Sometimes I'll throw on a little eyeshadow. I prefer matte ones because there's no fallout and they look more natural. The eyeshadow look I go for is a contoured eye, I put a darker shade on the outer edges of my eye and into my crease. Once again, I love the Eye on Neutral Palette. Then I apply liquid liner, very close to my lashline. This just makes my lashes appear more defined. My favorite is the Physician's Formula Eye Booster, the nib is so fine and precise. I love applying liner to my lower lashline and smudging it out, so I'll grab a brown liner and do just that. I love the NYX Slide On in Brown Perfection. I almost never wear mascara (only because I hate the hassle of removing it), but when I do, it's usually the No7 Exquisite Curl, sometimes the Elizabeth Arden Ceramide.

Thanks for reading! What's your everyday makeup routine?

lipstick

NYX Soft Matte Lip Cream Review

8:59 PM

Hi, everybody! I've got a review for you, today it's on NYX's Soft Matte Lip Cream in San Paulo.


What it is: liquid lipstick with a matte finish
Where it is: select drugstores like Ulta and online
What's the price: $6
Anything else - NYX products are cruelty free, some are vegan friendly

NYX claims that these liquid lipsticks are "neither lipstick nor lip gloss, this matte lip cream is a new kind of lip color that goes on silky smooth and sets to a matte finish. Soft Matte Lip Cream is surprisingly durable and, unlike some matte lipstick formulas, also moisturizing."

 These lip creams are available in ten shades, ranging from bubblegum pink shades to deep reds. I have mine in San Paulo, which is described simply as a "plummy pink". I think San Paulo is a berry toned mauvy-pink, a nice color for an everyday lip if it matches your complexion well, which it does me.

The packaging is really simple - it's like a lip gloss with a doe-foot applicator. The sifter sometimes won't remove enough product and you're left with a little too much and have to wipe it on the mouth of the tube, but otherwise the packaging is fine. It functions fine.

This is insanely pigmented. I've heard only wonderful things about all of the shades, and I intend on owning them all the next time I get around to an Ulta or somewhere that sells NYX products (they can be a little hard to locate sometimes). As you can see, the swatch is opaque and the color payoff is phenomenal. The cream itself also smells incredible, like cookie dough or something I could eat.

These are incredible. Love at first use. They're super creamy, glide on evenly and fade evenly (I get a couple hours wear from these - they also wear comfortably!), dry to a matte finish quickly, and they don't dry out my lips. Granted, these aren't exactly hydrating, but they do not dry out your lips at all.

 Bottom line: you get yourself some of these. I definitely will. They're affordable and really really great, and live up to the claims.

 Thanks for reading! Have you tried these products, or any liquid lipsticks? What did you think?

lip gloss

NYX Megashine Lip Gloss in Tea Rose Review

8:57 PM

Come on in! I didn't see you there. Come, sit down. Let's have a talk. What about? How about the NYX Megashine Lip Gloss? Hmm?



This lip gloss was $5 at Ulta. I have mine in Tea Rose, which is a natural looking pink. NYX products can be purchased online and in select drugstores. NYX is a cruelty free company.




This gloss has a doe-foot applicator. It's a pretty big applicator, a little bit smaller than the first joint of my pinky. It dispenses a perfect amount of gloss on, not too much and not too little. This particular shade looks very nice when paired with a pink lip, which is what I do. However, it has nice pigmentation on it's own. (I don't have a swatch for you, so sorry, but it's pretty much the color of the tube). It has average lasting time, around an hour and a half to perhaps two. These are hydrating and very very shiny, as the name would imply. It smells delicious. Like candy. Mmmm.


Overall I think this is a very good gloss. I'm going to pick up more as soon as I can!

Beauty

NYX Slide On, Glide On, Stay On & Definitely A Turn On Waterproof, Extreme Shine Eyeliner in Black Sparkle Review

4:32 PM

This name is way too long to bother even copying and pasting. Today's post is on that. Mine is 02 Black Sparkle. I actually originally intended to just pick up the regular black one, but as I was in a hurry I didn't look too closely and disregarded the sparkly packaging.


So these are supposed to be dupes for the Urban Decay 24/7 Glide on Eye Pencils. I can't compare them, as I don't have any, but from what I hear they are very similar. Anyways, I bought this eyeliner for $8 at Sears. It contains 0.04 oz of product and was made in Germany. NYX is a cruelty free company. Their products can be bought online and in certain drugstores and Ulta.


Ha, even the company knows the name is way too long. This liner is a tradition pencil liner, meaning it has to be sharpened (some product will be wasted no matter what). This liner is very very soft. It glides on like butter, without skipping. The color payoff for this particular color isn't that amazing, but it's still fairly pigmented. Besides, this shade is supposed to be sparkly black, not jet black. Anyways, this liner won't budge after you give it time to set. It won't slide around on your eyelid, and it's waterproof. This one faded a bit, but it was okay. Nothing too bad.



I like this liner, but not this shade. I'm probably going to end up giving it away. When I get the chance I'm definitely going to go pick up a few more colors, and next time I'll actually look at the shade (;

Ingredients

Isododecane, Ozokerite, Cyclopentasiloxane, Ceresin, Paraffin, Polybutene, Microcrystalline Wax (Cera Microcristallina), Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil, Phenoxyethanol, Tocopheryl Acetate. May Contain (+/-): Mica (CI 77019), Titanium Dioxide (CI 77891), Iron Oxides (CI 77499, CI 77491, CI 77492), Carbon Black (CI 77266), Ultramarines (CI 77007), Chromium Hydroxide Green (CI 77289), Chromium Oxide Greens (CI 77288), Blue 1 Lake (CI 42090) (Ao1), Manganese Violet (CI 77742), Yellow 5 Lake (CI 19140) (Ki4), Carmine (CI 75470), Ferric Ferrocyanide (CI 77510), Synthetic Fluorphlogopite, Calcium Aluminum Borosilicate, Silver (CI 77820), Tin Oxide (CI 77861).

haul

Mini Haul

4:22 PM

Happy Memorial Day!

I bought some stuff. Stay tuned for the reviews coming soon.



  • NYX Za Za Zu Lucious Mascara
  • Pixi Tinted Brilliance Balm in 01 Unique Pink
  • NYX Slide On, Glide On, Stay On & Definitly A Turn On Waterproof, Extreme Shine Eyeliner in 02 Black Sparkle 
  • Sally Hansen Complete Salon Manicure in 200 Sheer Ecstasy
  • Physicians Formula Eyye Booster 2-in-1 Lash Boosting Eyeliner + Serum
  • Pacifica Hawaiian Ruby Guava Roll-on Perfume
  • NYX Sharpener 
  • (Not pictured) Palmer's Cocoa Butter Skin Therapy Oil
Reviews coming soon!

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Hi there, I'm Emily. It's nice to meet you. I'm a beauty blogger who also happens to be very interested in photography/film. Chat with me, let's be friends!