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!

pixi

Pixi Flawless Vitamin Veil | Review

9:42 PM

Hi, everyone! Today I'm writing a review on a new foundation I've been trying out. Read on to see my thoughts!


What it is: cream-to-powder foundation
Where it is: Target and online
Price: $10 for the mini that I'm reviewing, $24 for the full size
Pixi products are not tested on animals.

Pixi says that this product "miraculously evens out skintone and makes it look like you have no foundation on. It also treats your skin to a host of vitamins, minerals and skin-enhancing goodies. It plumps lines, hydrates, nourishes and protects while perfecting skin. Hypoallergenic. Fragrance free. Suits all skin types." There are three shades available; this is the shade Medium.


The product I have is a mini size that comes in a simple compact with a snap-shut lid. The regular sized product comes in a sizeable compact with a mirror and a drawer with a puff. My mini contains .105 oz of product, or 3 grams.


Pixi claims that this is a "neutral medium tone" but I'd describe it as more of a yellow toned medium. It matches my skin tone perfectly and cancels out redness to a pretty good degree. It offers light/medium buildable coverage. I'm not sure if this is the deal with everybody, but whenever I use a cream product with a brush (rather than a sponge) it just looks patchy and bad. Anyways, I'm sure that you can infer what I'm about to say: when applied with a damp sponge, this looks natural and skin-like, but when applied with a brush, it's visable on the skin. This product is a lot longer lasting than expected. I'd say it starts fading around the 8/9 hour mark on my normal/dry skin. I find that this does set down to a powder finish, but it's not particularly powdery, nor does it help with oiliness, so I'd recommend a setting powder.

Honestly? While this product isn't bad, it's not remarkable in the slightest. Pass.

pixi

Pixi Lash Line Ink | Review

2:53 PM

Good morning, afternoon, or evening! Question, when do you read your blogs? I read them morning and night. I find it a really relaxing way to start and end the day. Anyways, today I've got a review on a product I got really recently, the Pixi Lash Line Ink.


What it is: liquid eyeliner
Where: Target and online
Price: $14
FYI: Pixi products are not tested on animals

Ever since Emma mentioned this liner, I've been itching to have it. I'm really sick of my usual liquid liner, so I figured I'd pick this up. Pixi is an expensive 'drugstore' brand that generally is overpriced, but good quality products.

 Anyways, Pixi claims that this "deep black ink liner applies flawlessly, featuring a waterproof, non-feathering, quick-drying formula. Flexible precision tip makes it easy to apply directly into lash line for extra definition - perfect for a natural look or full-on cat eye." It's formulated without parabens, sulfates and phthalates and is dermatologically approved. It's only available in one shade, Black Silk.


The packaging, as always, is basic but nice. A felt-tip eyeliner in pen form. Pixi products have a minty blue-green packaging, and this pen has it too. The part where your hand holds the pen is slightly hourglass shaped and matte, so you have a good grip on it. The only problem I have with the packaging is that the cap doesn't lock on particularly snugly, so I'm afraid it'll dry out soon. In the meantime, I'm keeping it stored with the pen pointed down to keep the ink near the nub.


As you can see, the nub is very long and comes to a very thin and fine point. It's really easy to create super thin or thicker lines, as shown below. The point makes it great for flicking out the liner for a sexy cat eye or winged liner. 


Look how black it is! Incredible. The nub dispenses product evenly and at a good amount. It dries down super fast, so you could line your eyes and be out the door without worrying about the liner smudging all over your lids. It doesn't smudge or flake off, or go gray at the end. This pen, while advertised as waterproof, isn't quite waterproof on the eyes (on the hands it is... this swatch was still on my hand after two days) - but it is super long lasting. Overall, great formulation!

I highly recommend! I realize it's kind of pricy, but it's really really great.

eyeliner

Pixi Extra Eye Bright Liner | Review

10:00 PM

Today's post is a review! I'm pretty excited to be publishing this review, when I was looking online I could only find a handful of reviews on this particular product. Most of the reviews were on the original, not this shade.


What it is: a brightening eyeliner
Where it is: Target and online
For how much: $17
Anything else: Pixi does not test on animals

Pixi products really interest me. In case you didn't know, Pixi is a British based brand. Their products are sold exclusively in Target stores in the States. All of their products are packaged nicely and the green shade they have is gorgeous. There are also testers at the store, which is great. The only problem is that these products are pretty overpriced. I mean, come on! For a drugstore brand, do you really need to sell an eyeliner for seventeen dollars?  Even considering this, I have a pretty long Pixi wishlist...

So this eyeliner is basically a brightening liner. I've been interested in getting one of these since reading an article over on The Beauty Department.  There are two shades available, I'm reviewing 2 Extra Bright. Extra Bright is packaged the same as the other, but the box it comes in is different. Pixi describes this pencil as "This waterproof precision inner rim liner is designed to brighten the eyes and make the eye whites look whiter. Twist-up, non-sharpening precision point pen makes it easy to use and adds a brightening effect exactly where you want it. The pale white-pink-lavender colour enhances the whiteness of the eye white, giving the illusion of larger, more bright and awake eyes - your own little wakeup makeup secret!" This liner is hypoallergenic, paraben-free, mineral oil free, and suitable for sensitive eyes. It contains sunflower seed oil to "soothe eyes and help skin retain moisture." Sounds lovely, right?


 The packaging for this is simple and functional. It's a retractable eyeliner, meaning you don't have to sharpen, but the tip does wear down and it's less hygienic. The cap on my liner is actually pretty difficult to get off, the first time I opened the product I thought perhaps the lid was jammed? Nope, it just catches on so sturdily that you have to put some elbow grease into it just to use the liner. That being said, at least I know for a fact that the lid won't come off and leave me with pink marks on the inside of my makeup bag!

The color of this pencil is really pretty. Like Pixi describes, it's a pale mixture of white, lavender, and pink. I think this liner would be a good match from pale to medium skin tones. There's no shimmer, but this liner reflects light nicely, brightening the areas where you put it. I use this on my lower rim and inner corners for a quick wake-me-up on days where my eyes are looking especially exhausted. It really makes me eye whites lighter and also makes my eyes appear a tad bit larger. I also like to use this on my Cupid's bow for a subtle highlight. Anyways, the texture of this liner is a lot harder than I imagine. You have to warm it up first, which I don't like, but it really wouldn't be a problem for most people. What I like to do is warm it up by drawing on the back of my hand, then dipping my pinky into the product and patting it in the inner corner. Then I draw a line on my waterline with the now-warmed pencil.

 Bottom line? I like this liner, but I wish it was softer. I recommend for anyone who doesn't mind having to warm it up first.

eyeliner

Pixi Endless Silky Eye Pens

12:25 PM

Okay, people, first of all, before I start this post, I just wanted to say that these eyeliners are AMAZING. They're totally perfect.


What it is: a traditional pencil liner
Where it is: Pixi products are sold exclusively at Target stores and online
Cost: $15
Note: Pixi products are not tested on animals

Pixi products have always drawn me in. Their ethereal light green packaging is so dainty and pretty. The lighted stand at Target is always calling me in. "Emmiiiiiiiilyyyyyy come spend $15 on eyeliiiiiiiner." I've always been reluctant to try out the products because they're not cheap. Their products usually range from the $10 - $30 range, which is expensive, especially for a drugstore brand.

 Pixi claims that these are "waterproof, super-long-wear, no-smudge, no-budge eye liners. They glide on like seamless silk, and in a single sweep motion create a flawless, solid jewel-toned line. No retouching required all day - or night! Gentle on eyes, yet intensely coloured and super-silky. Waterproof. Paraben-free. Mineral oil-free. Preservative-free. Hypoallergenic."

 These pencils are available in ten perfect shades. The two I have are Black Noir (intense black) and Black Cocoa (deep brown).


These liners are traditional liners, meaning that they must be sharpened. This can result in some product being wasted, but it also means that it's more hygienic, as you get new, untouched product every time. They're housed in a pretty green wooden pencil with flowers printed on the wood. The back end of the pencil is a corresponding color with the shade.


These pencils are amazing. The pencils are super pigmented. When Pixi says Endless Silky, Pixi really means it. They glide on like silk, no skipping or dragging on the delicate eyelid. I feel like they're like a liquid, gel, and pencil eyeliner all in one. They're in the easy-to-apply form of a pencil, yet give the intense color of a liquid (taken from the box of the pencil - what, it's true!). They have the staying power of a gel eyeliner as well. The pencils set in a good amount of time, enough for you to smudge out the product if you want but not enough that you have to be careful blinking. They're perfect.

Bottom line: Incredible eyeliners. Get them if you can.

pixi

Pixi Tinted Brilliance Balm Unique Pink Review

4:05 PM

Good morning, afternoon, and evening. A few weeks ago I did a review on the Pixi Tinted Brilliance Balm in Rosy Red, where I said I wanted to try out another shade from that collection, Unique Pink. Today's review is on just that.



I bought this tinted balm for $16 at Target, which is not cheap. The Clinique Chubby Sticks cost the same, and Clinique is a high end brand. Pixi does not test on animals and products can be purchased online (although this particular shade is sold out online) or in Target stores.

So the whole gimmick of these is that they are a lip staining balm that leaves a stain based on the pH level of your lips, so that each person gets a personalized color. Apparently all these balms are packed full of lip loving ingredients like jojoba oil, vitamins E and A, and shea butter. They have a strong peppermint smell and taste, which I personally don't mind, but if you're sensitive to scents it might bother you a bit. All of these balms are in a little twist-up crayon, so no sharpening required. They leave a glossy sheen on the lips that fades away when the balm is gone (maybe half an hour or so?) but the color does tint your lips for hours afterwards.

This particular shade, Unique Pink, applies on clear and then adjusts the color after a matter of seconds and you are left with a very natural "my lips but better" shade of pink. 


That little patch of dark towards the bottom of my hand (above the shadow) is the swatch
This swatch was so sheer I could barely photograph it. My particular color was a rose pink, very natural and pretty. I quite like this balm. I think it's handy and the color is great for any time, as it's your very own pink!

You should get this balm if you can afford it! It's very nice.

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!

Beauty

Everyday makeup!

7:27 PM

Hey there. Thought I'd show you my everyday makeup routine, if I'm even wearing makeup.


I always start with my undereye concealer. The one I'm currently using is the Garnier Anti-Dark Circle Eye Roller, and I'm not sure what shade this is as there was only one color when I purchased it. I roll onto my dark ring and draw a triangular shape from there to the tip of my nostril and blend out with my off-brand beauty blender.

Then I dot the Sonia Kashuk Radiant Tinted Moisturizer in Beige evenly all over my face and blend out with my fingers, or my off brand beauty blender.

Following that, I dab some L'Oreal True Match Super Blendable Crayon Concealer in Light/Medium W4-5 on any acne, scars, or hyperpigmentation on my face and blend out with my fingers.

The next step is is to add a light wash of color onto my eyelids. I've been really loving the Maybelline Color Tattoo in Inked in Pink, it's part of the Metals line, which may or may not be made permanent.

Then I sweep the No7 Maximum Volume Mascara onto my lashes. Crap mascara for volume, length, or definition (meaning all you really want in a mascara) but good for a natural look.

The last step is to dab the Pixi Tinted Brilliance Balm in Rosy Red onto my lips for a natural red lip. Read my review of this product here.

That's it. I have a pretty simple routine. Thanks for reading!

Beauty

Pixi Tinted Brilliance Balm Review in No. 7 Rosy Red

2:53 PM

So I'm sure you've noticed the whole "tinted balm stain" craze that Revlon's Just Kissable Balm Stains sent everybody into a doozy. Today's review is on Pixi's take on that, the Tinted Brilliance Balm in No.7 Rosy Red.

Pixi Tinted Brilliance Balm - No.7 Rosy Red
This tinted balm was $16 at Target, which costs the same as the Clinique Chubby Sticks. Pixi products can be purchased online and at Target stores. I have mine in the color Rosy Red (in case you couldn't tell from the title). Pixi does not test on animals.

Left is blended out, right is heavily swatched.
Rosy Red is described as a "clear red," which I totally agree with. It's red enough to give your lips color, but still a little see-through. This color is definitively buildable. 


It's in a little twist-up crayon, which is nice and portable. The whole concept of these Tinted Brilliance Balms is that after the balm goes away, the lips are supposed to be left tinted with a personalized color based on your lips' pH level. It has a strong minty smell, and feels waxy on the lips, but is very hydrating. It's packed full of things that are good for the lips like jojoba oil, vitamins E and A, shea butter, rose extract, and peptides.



I quite like this balm. Granted, it's the only shade I've tried out of the ten colors available, but I like this balm a lot. It gives nice color, hydrates my lips, adds a nice sheen, glides on smoothly, and does leave behind a tint that doesn't transfer when you've been drinking, eating, talking, etc. I'd definitely recommend to anyone who wants a subtle wash of color! 

I'll be repurchasing. The next color I'll be trying from this collection is Unique Pink, which is one of those intuitive lip balms that change color according to your natural lips! Check out this post from The Beauty Department to learn more about those, as that's another post for another day.

Okay guys, thanks for reading! 

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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!