They’re gone! I’m keeping track of all the beauty products I finish up this year, and sharing pictures and thoughts on a monthly basis. Follow along on my instagram @sharanadarcel, or keep an eye on this post for updates! I think it’d be really cool to see at the end of the year how much I’ve used up.
Some of the links in this post are affiliate links, they’re marked with 💰. If you use them to make a purchase, I will earn a commission. I only link to products I genuinely love to use, and not because of the commission. Whether or not you decide to buy something using my affiliate links is completely up to you.
I received some of these products in gratis when I used to work at Sephora, those are marked as (gratis).
Empties by Month
(Click on each image to go to that month’s product reviews)
December
Softsoap Body Wash- I stocked up on a bunch of cheap body wash when there was a sale, so I’m still working through that stash. This one is a nice basic body wash, smelled nice and didn’t leave my skin too dry. Would repurchase – I also really like the pomegranate scented one
NIOD Multi-Molecular Hyaluronic Complex- Got this in the Caroline Hirons Spring Kit and LOVED it! I’d been using the Inkey List Hyaluronic Acid serum which is nice, but this is like a step up. The formula is lighter and more watery, and absorbs into my skin faster without leaving any residue or sticky texture. Would definitely repurchase with a sale or coupon, I was really sad when I used this up
Briogeo Scalp Revival Exfoliating Shampoo (sample)- This is a nice scalp scrub! My scalp gets pretty dry and I get dandruff quickly, so I like using scrubs every now and then to exfoliate my scalp. This one isn’t too harsh on my scalp, but still leaves it feeling clean. If I could find a coupon or good sale I would repurchase this, but I’m interested in trying less expensive scalp scrubs
Glossier Milky Jelly Cleanser- I didn’t like this at all. The scent was overpowering and I really didn’t like it, and I didn’t like the texture on my face either. I used it up as a body wash just to not waste the product, but because it doesn’t lather up, I felt like I wasn’t getting clean. Would not repurchase
CeraVe Hydrating Cleanser (sample)- This cleanser really surprised me! I wasn’t expecting much from a drugstore brand (I’d never used CeraVe products before), but this was good! I could use it to take off makeup at the end of the day -usually just mascara and concealer, and then use it again as a second cleanse to get my skin clean. I also liked it as a morning cleanse because of how gentle it felt. Would definitely repurchase
CeraVe Facial Moisturizing Lotion (sample)- This moisturizer was just ok for me. It’s SPF 30 which is good if you like your SPF and moisturizer in one, but personally I prefer to have them separate so I know I’m applying enough sunscreen. The texture was fine, but the SPF left a white cast on my skin, so I had to use foundation powder on top to cover it up. Would not repurchase
Bath & Body Works Cashmere Glow lotion- I’ve got a stash of body products that I’m working through, and I pulled this travel size from that stash. My original plan was to add it to my 2020 Project Pan, but I used it up within a week so I didn’t even need to. I LOVE this scent, and B&BW lotions are always pretty good, so I would repurchase
Bobbi Brown Crushed Oil Lip Gloss- This was a 100pt perk from Sephora, and I loved this gloss. It’s moisturizing on my lips without being heavy or greasy, and the color was neutral and not too light (this shade is Free Spirit). After I got through the majority of the product, I pulled out the stopper to try and get the rest of it, but then it leaked in my bag so I had to toss it out. Would repurchase, I already bought a full size during the Sephora VIB sale
November
Golde Turmeric Sampler- I know this isn’t skincare or makeup, but I wanted to share something that surprised me this month! A Black-owned wellness brand, Golde mixed turmeric with other spices and created 3 delicious blends: original, cacao, and matcha. Turmeric is believed to have anti-inflammatory benefits (if you ingest a LOT of it, like way more than these packets offer), but I mainly like these for the taste over any health benefits. My favorite is the cacao mixed into frothed almond milk like a latte, or mixed into coffee to make a mocha flavor- so good! Would repurchase, I’ve already bought full sizes of the original and cacao flavors
💰Shop here (referral link- save $5 off your first order)
Lancome Monsieur Big mascara- One of my favorite mascaras, this one has a wire brush that separates my lashes really well while still giving them nice volume. I don’t want a ton of volume or clumpiness to my lashes, I just want them to look longer and a little bit thicker, and this mascara does exactly that. What’s also nice is that it’s got a nice formula that isn’t overly wet- some mascaras work better after they’ve dried out a little bit, but this one doesn’t have that problem. Would repurchase – personally I stick to minis since I throw out mascara after 3-4 months of use, and can’t finish a full size in that time
Peter Thomas Roth Water Drench moisturizer- This is a really nice gel moisturizer that was great in warmer weather. It absorbs into my skin very quickly, feels slightly cooling because of the gel texture, and doesn’t really have a fragrance. Once it started getting cooler outside this wasn’t enough for my combination skin, so I either used two layers of this or layered this underneath another moisturizer that was a little more rich. Would repurchase for the summer if I had a coupon or a great bundle deal, $52 is pretty steep for moisturizer to me
Good Molecules Caffeine Eye Patches- I’m not supporting Good Molecules any more after the founder said in a live youtube panel hosted by Black beauty creators that he was ok supporting a racist brand owner because (paraphrasing) “the products make us good money, and not all Black people are against him”……. SOOO yeah, they’re not getting any more of my money. About the product: these patches were fine, very juicy to the point that I had to wipe off excess to keep them from sliding down my face. There was only a 6 month expiration date and they started to smell weird once I passed that mark, so I did not finish the pack. Would not repurchase from this brand, but I do like using hydrating/cooling eye patches for a quick pick-me-up feeling and would purchase from a different brand
Fresh Umbrian Clay Purifying Mask (gratis)- I received this mask in gratis from Sephora over 2 years ago, and even though it’s OLD it was hard for me to throw this out. This mask is great when my skin is extra oily and breaking out, and I also used it as a spot treatment to dry out pimples when I needed to. Would repurchase a mini size since I don’t use that much at once – although, it’s VERY expensive at $58 for a full size and is basically just a clay mask you can find from other brands for like $5, so I might just find a cheaper one honestly.
Victoria’s Secret Bombshell Diamonds shimmer lotion- This lotion is over 6 years old and as part of my Project Pan, I’m working through all my super old body care products. I liked the scent of this lotion, but didn’t like the amount of glitter that was in it. I thought it would be more of a subtle shimmer instead of straight glitter. Pretty sure it’s discontinued now, but I’d repurchase a glitter-free version of this if they made it
Fresh Rose Oil-Infused Serum- I got this sample with a Sephora order I placed, and I liked it. It added a really nice layer of hydration to my skin before I layered moisturizer on top, and the fragrance wasn’t overpowering which is good. It’s not as watery as a toner, but not as thick as a serum. I’d try a mini of this so I could test it out for longer than a few days, but if I use a toner I like it to do more than just hydrate, so not sure if it’ll turn into a staple for me.
Jordan Samuel Aftershow Cleanser (sensitive)- This cleanser came in the Caroline Hirons Spring Kit I purchased in May, and it’s my first experience with JS products. It’s a very nice gel cleanser that was gentle on my skin and removed makeup without irritating my eyes, and it emulsified nicely when I added water to massage it into my skin. Because this is the sensitive version, there’s no fragrance in this cleanser. I used this as both a first and second cleanse, and liked it a little better as a second cleanse because I didn’t want to waste this on removing makeup. Would definitely repurchase, and I’m interested in trying more from Jordan Samuel’s brand
October
Supergoop Unseen Sunscreen- I really like this sunscreen! It has the same texture of a silicone primer, so it goes on the skin smoothly and completely clear (no white cast!) It works well underneath makeup too, which is great. I wouldn’t use this if I was spending a lot of time outside like at the beach, but I think it’s nice for running errands or going to work. Would repurchase
Biossance Squalane + Peptide Eye Gel– This is my holy grail eye product – I’ve tried a bunch of others and keep coming back to this one! It has a gel texture that’s lightweight on my skin, and it hydrates my under eyes nicely. It also works well under concealer which is exactly what I want. I recommend waiting for a sale if you don’t want to spend $54 on one product, but I would repurchase & recommend
Herbivore Lapis Facial Oil– I love this facial oil, even though Herbivore doesn’t use preservatives and is a “clean” brand (read my full thoughts on clean beauty). The blue tansy is great for balancing out my combination skin, and the oil is not greasy at all. Would recommend but only in a mini size, I wouldn’t risk buying the full size in case it goes bad before I finished it
Josie Maran Whipped Argan Oil Body Butter (gratis)- This sample was my first time trying this body butter, and I liked it. The honeysuckle vanilla scent was really nice without being overpowering. I feel like it moisturized my skin well, but it didn’t absorb completely right away and it left a little bit of a slippery feeling on my skin. Would repurchase a small size, not sure if I’d splurge on a larger one
Shop here (looks like the honeysuckle scent isn’t available any more so I linked the unscented)
September
Melanin Haircare Multi-Use Leave In Conditioner- I’m so proud of Whitney for releasing this line! Background info in case you don’t know, Whitney aka Naptural85 is a natural hair blogger who’s been making videos since 2009. I’ve been watching her videos and taking her hair advice since 2011, and my hair is so healthy thanks to her! When she announced she was taking her DIY products and making them into a shelf-stable version for sale, I pre-ordered the entire line! This leave in conditioner leaves my 4C hair so moisturized without feeling weighed down. I’ve used it as a cowash when I didn’t want to use shampoo, and as a deep conditioner, and it works well no matter how you use it! My boyfriend has even started using it now that he’s growing his hair out, and he loves it too. Would absolutely repurchase and recommend, I’ve already got another bottle ready to use
Melanin Haircare Multi-Use Pure Oil Blend- Another winner from Whitney, this oil is INCREDIBLE! It’s lightweight and doesn’t make my hair feel greasy or heavy, but still works well to lock in any moisture I’ve added. It claims to be a multi-use oil instead of just a hair oil, and they’re right. I’ve used this as nail oil, facial oil, and even body oil after the shower, and my skin feels sooo soft and not greasy at all. Using it as a body oil after the shower is such a luxurious feeling compared to just slapping on body lotion, and it makes me want to try other body oils now. Highly recommend and would definitely repurchase, I already opened up my second bottle to use
Fresh Beauty Rose Face Mask sample- This is a nice face mask. It’s a gel texture that has rose petals mixed in, but the rose scent isn’t very strong which is nice. This mask claims to soothe and hydrate, which it definitely does for my skin. This would be a nice mask to have in winter when my skin is more dry. Would repurchase a travel size since I wouldn’t use it very often
Korres Greek Yogurt Probiotic Face Mask (gratis)- I really wanted to like this mask. It felt nice going on my skin initially and the smell is fine, but after it sat on my skin for a few minutes, it started tingling really badly. I wouldn’t say it was burning, but it was definitely uncomfortable. I don’t have sensitive skin, but within 5 minutes I had to rinse this off. I also started feeling heat around my lips which was super uncomfortable. Did not finish, and would not repurchase
Lancome UV Expert Aquagel Defense 50 (gratis)- This sunscreen was a fail for me and I did not finish it. It claims to be a primer & moisturizer as well as SPF 50, which I think is too many types of products to mix together. The only makeup I wore over this was concealer and powder, and I looked shiny at the end of the day so it didn’t work well as a primer. It was ok as a moisturizer on my oily/combo skin, but it never really absorbed into my skin and left me feeling a little greasy. I didn’t get a white cast from the SPF which honestly surprised me. The biggest reason why I didn’t finish this product (and honestly only used it twice) was the scent. I have no problem with fragrance in products, but this was TOO MUCH! It had a rose floral scent that was so strong, I could still smell it on me at the end of the day (maybe it rubbed off onto my mask and that’s why, but still). I tried wearing it as SPF on my legs when I went for a walk one day, and I had to wash it off my hands before using a different sunscreen on my face and arms because the smell was so strong. Didn’t enjoy using this, would not recommend, and would not repurchase
Maybelline Age Rewind Concealer in Tan- Pulled from my project pan, I finally finished this concealer I’ve had since 2018 -oops- It’s a great color match for my under eye area, and it blends in nicely even when I’m not wearing foundation, which is nice since I don’t wear foundation regularly. It’s a lightweight texture that still gives decent coverage and helps minimize the look of my dark circles without looking like I’m wearing makeup. TIP: pull off the sponge that comes on the top of the tube! (learned this from Beauty News) I felt like the sponge was absorbing a lot of product, and I didn’t like blending with that sponge anyway. Once I took off the sponge and just blended with my fingers, the concealer lasted a really long time. Would repurchase
💰Shop here (2 pack)
Kate Somerville Exfolikate sample- This is my favorite physical exfoliator! I’ve been using this for a few years now (not this exact tube obviously) and even when I try other physical exfoliators, I always come back to this one. It smells kind of spicy like like cinnamon which I love, but I know not everyone likes scents in their skincare. I don’t need a lot of product to cover my whole face, and I really only use it when my skin is freaking out; it’s not a regular part of my routine. Because of that, I would repurchase, but I’d stick to the mini since you only need a little bit and the full size is so expensive (~85 for 2oz!)
💰Shop here (mini)
Peter Thomas Roth 24K Gold Hydra-Gel Eye Patches (travel size)- I got this in a holiday set with two other PTR products, so this travel size only had 15 sets of patches instead of the 30 sets that come in a full size. I wasn’t a fan of these eye patches- they felt more dry than I like, and after I removed them I had an odd shine on my skin right where the patches sat that was hard to blend away. They were fun for pictures, but not very functional. Would not repurchase
The Inkey List Niacinamide Serum- (forgot to include this in the original photo haha oops) This is a nice basic serum! Niacinamide is a great ingredient to help balance oily skin and even out skin tone, which is exactly what I want from my skincare. There’s also hyaluronic acid and squalane mixed into this formula, which helps add moisture to the skin. The texture is a gel that absorbs into the skin nicely and layers well with other products. Personally I don’t mind the basic plastic packaging and flip top lid; the only issue I’ve had is that the serum dries up on the lid and looks clumpy, but that doesn’t bother me. I love that I can get effective skincare ingredients for less than $10, and would definitely repurchase
August
Fresh Sugar Lemon Lip Balm- This is such a nice lip balm! A little bit of a splurge at ~$18, but it lasts me a while. I leave this on my desk or nightstand at home so I’m not dipping my fingers in while I’m out. The balm makes my lips feel moisturized and not sticky, and that feeling lasts for a while- it doesn’t go away quickly like some other balms. This one smells just like lemon meringue pie (which I love); I’ve also used the caramel and blood orange flavors, and those are delicious too 🙂 Would definitely repurchase
Inkey List Hyaluronic Acid- I think this is a nice basic HA serum. It isn’t too sticky on my skin, and mixes well with other serums (I like mixing this one with the Inkey Vitamin C serum and that mix goes on very nicely). This has kind of a watery gel texture, and feels lightweight going on. I have another HA serum that’s more expensive than this one and feels more like an essence (NIOD MMHC), but personally I don’t mind using this cheaper version that’s only $8. Would repurchase
Black Girl Sunscreen- I’m so glad I learned about this sunscreen! This doesn’t leave a white cast, and also doesn’t feel heavy on my skin. ~Check out this post where I share 3 other sunscreens that work on dark skin~ I can use this on my body as a body lotion if I’m going outside, and it doesn’t feel like I’ve put on a heavy lotion. It also works well under makeup, although I do get a little bit of shine on my skin after using it. For about $16, this is one of the best inexpensive sunscreens I’ve used. Would repurchase (I’ve already bought 2 backups!)
July
Briogeo Don’t Despair Repair gel-to-oil overnight treatment – I didn’t like this treatment, I don’t think it was enough for my thick coily hair. This travel size came with a holiday kit I purchased that included the deep conditioning mask I love, but I would not repurchase this treatment.
Discontinued?
Biossance Squalane & Tea Tree Detox Mask – This mask was nice for breakouts, I used it like a spot treatment instead of all over my face because I didn’t want it to be too drying. Got this sample size along with an order I placed. Kinda seems like just a clay mask with some tea tree oil added, so I wouldn’t spend a lot on the full size but I’m glad I tried it. Would not repurchase
Biossance Squalane & Omega Repair Cream – This cream was way too rich for my combination skin. I tried this as my moisturizer when I was in North Carolina back in January, it’s the only thing I brought, and it was SO HEAVY on my skin and almost seemed to clog my pores a bit because I had more texture on my skin the next day. I finished this as a hand cream because I just couldn’t put it on my face again, but if you’ve got very dry skin you’ll probably love it. Would not repurchase
Herbivore Phoenix Facial Oil – Even though I don’t like Herbivore’s “green and clean” marketing, I like some of their products including the facial oils. I never buy anything larger than travel sizes because since they don’t use synthetic preservatives, I don’t want the full size to go bad before I can finish it. This oil came in a minis kit with 2 other kinds and it was nice but not my favorite. I used it on days when my skin was more dry than normal. Would repurchase (mini only)
Sephora Collection Ultra Shine lip gloss in #17 Browny Touch – LOVE this gloss! It’s my perfect ‘your-lips-but-better’ shade, and the gloss is thick enough to feel hydrating, but not so thick or sticky that it’s annoying. I feel like I can use this with or without makeup and it doesn’t look weird either way. Would definitely repurchase
June
Jamberry Smooth hand cream – this cream was just OK to me- not very hydrating, especially with how much I’m washing my hands. I left this on my desk at work to use when my hands got dry, but I felt like my hands would get dry again not long afterwards. Would not repurchase
Loreal Bambi Eye mascara – This mascara was nice! I want my mascara to lengthen and separate my lashes, I’m not big on a lot of volume, and this mascara gave me exactly what I wanted 🙂 I have pretty decent lashes as it is, so maybe I’m not the best judgement for mascara, but it’s the one makeup product I wear almost every day (that and lip gloss). I like that this brush is actually like a comb, so it separates lashes really well. Would repurchase
Arbonne vanilla lip salve – I bought this from a friend who was a rep for the company, and it wasn’t bad. Because it’s a salve, it’s moisturizing and more of a barrier that stays on your lips kind of like Vaseline but it’s much better than Vaseline. Smells nice (I love vanilla scents) but was pretty pricey for what it was. Would not repurchase
Inkey List Retinol serum – Great beginners retinol! It’s got 1% Retistar, which is a more gentle form of retinol, and 0.5% granactive retinol. If you want more info on retinols, check out Caroline Hirons blog where she goes in depth (she’s a skincare esthetican from the UK who knows her stuff). I’ve already bought a second bottle, but I might step it up to a stronger formula after I finish it. Would repurchase
Laniege Lip Sleeping Mask – This lip mask is nice, but it’s kinda just a lip balm to me. It’s a thicker consistency and if I put it on before bed, I still feel it on my lips in the morning which is nice. Smells good and locks in moisture, but it didn’t blow my mind and I think it’s overpriced (Although the full size would probably last me a year so maybe it’s not overpriced) Would repurchase a travel size maybe
Jamberry brow duo in Dark – This was the brow gel that helped me figure out how to use brow gels haha I bought this when I was a Jamberry rep and they launched beauty products a few years ago, but even then I thought it was really overpriced. The gel was nice, color was a good match for me, and it stayed on all day – even when I have to wear a face shield at work and it hits my brows. I didn’t like the highlighter end at all- it was way too light for my skin tone. There are other brow gels that work just as well for a way lower price. Would not repurchase
May
Victoria’s Secret Hydrating Body Lotion in Acai – Pretty sure I had this lotion for like 6+ years, I’ve got a huge body lotion/spray collection I’m working through this year. This one was just ok- smells nice but didn’t moisturize my skin. I’d put it on and then my legs would feel dry in a couple hours. It was like I needed 2 layers for it to last, but who wants to do all that. Would not repurchase
Discontinued
Ren Anti-Pollution Mist (gratis) – This mist was good- I used it as both skincare to add a layer of hydration to my skin, and makeup like a setting spray to take the powdery look away. I didn’t look into the ingredients for the anti-pollution claim, so not sure how true that is. The sprayer on this was nice too, which is hard to find. Would repurchase a travel size
Skin Laundry Gentle Foaming Face Wash (gratis) – When I first used this in the summer, it was fine on my oily skin but I still couldn’t use it all the time because it left my skin squeaky clean. After a while it was too drying even for occasional use, so I finished it up as a body wash because I didn’t want to waste it. Definitely don’t think it’s worth $30 either. Would not repurchase
Neutrogena Ultra Sheer sunscreen SPF 30 – I learned about this sunscreen through Evelyn from the Internets. It’s a good drugstore sunscreen, doesn’t leave a white cast on my skin, and I don’t mind using it on my face and body. Has a thicker texture and leaves a little bit of shine on my skin, but I just set with powder and I’m fine with it. I’ve also got the SPF 45 which I used at the beach, I think the 30 is fine for everyday use. Would repurchase
Smashbox Primerizer – It surprised me how much I liked this primer! It’s nice with or without makeup, similar to the Bare Minerals primer, so I liked using it almost every day. Sometimes I’d use this just as my daytime moisturizer because I liked the texture so much. The good skincare ingredients were a just bonus to me because I’m not sure of concentrations/ how much they’d really do for my skin with all my other skincare I use. Would repurchase with a sale
Fresh Soy Face Cleanser (travel size) – This is a good gentle cleanser- doesn’t strip my skin but still makes me feel clean, also takes off makeup (only tried when I’m wearing minimal makeup like concealer and mascara) but I like it as a second cleanse. Smells like cucumber and is a gel texture, which I like for my combination skin. Would repurchase a travel size, but not worth the full size price to me
Younique Lucrative lip gloss – I bought this from a Direct Sales party in 2018 but I didn’t like it. It was a little too sparkly for me, the color was sheer but fine. The main thing I didn’t like was the texture: it was sort of oily and not hydrating. Didn’t finish it, I tossed it out because it got old and started to smell weird. Would not repurchase
April
As I Am Leave-In Conditioner – This is a good leave-in conditioner for my hair. It’s not too heavy, but still made my hair feel soft. It’s a good price too, I bought mine from Walmart. Would repurchase
Herbivore Orchid facial oil – This is a really nice facial oil! I’ve used 3 of the Herbivore oils and I really like them. This one smells soft and floral but not too much, I don’t like a lot of floral scents. It’s lightweight and sinks into my skin, and is nice underneath makeup too. The only thing I don’t like about the oil is the cost- I’d love to find a less expensive version. Would repurchase a travel size or a mini kit
Jack Black lip balm in Lavender – I bought a 4-pack of these lip balms in a Christmas set back in 2018, and they’re SO GOOD! This is a great texture of lip balm: feels hydrating and locks in moisture, but isn’t super heavy on my lips and I could still put a lipstick on top if I want. I liked the lavender scent fine, but my favorites were the pomegranate and the shea butter ones. It’s a little steep at like $8 each, but I think they’re worth it. Would repurchase
Biossance Squalane + Tea Tree Cleansing gel (sample size) – I got this sample with an order I placed from Biossance’s site. I think it was fine- I liked the gel texture on my skin but the tea tree scent was pretty heavy. I normally don’t mind tea tree, but it was strong in this. I also felt like it was a little bit drying so I liked it better if my skin was freaking out and felt extra oily and I had breakouts going on. Would not repurchase
March
Herbivore Lapis facial oil – My favorite facial oil! I only use a couple drops of this at a time and only a couple times a week at most, but it’s so nice on my combination skin. I love the scent of blue tansy, and I think this is really good at balancing out my skin texture. My one negative is the fact that Herbivore doesn’t use synthetic preservatives in their products, so since I use so little of this at a time I’d be really scared to buy a full size for freaking $70 and then have it go bad before I could finish it. I’ve gone through like 3 of these minis and I think that’s what works best for me. Would repurchase travel size ONLY
Jamberry Nourish hand cream – a GREAT hand cream! Sad that it’s moved to available only around winter, I want to not be ashy year round. I’d rather not keep supporting the brand and I think it’s a little overpriced, so I’m looking for a dupe. Would repurchase
Briogeo Don’t Despair Repair deep conditioner – One of the best things I’ve put in my hair! I’ve got 4C coily low-porosity hair, so it takes some work to get the moisture in but once it’s there, it stays for a while. I put this in my hair, twist it up, and leave it for like 4+ hours, sometimes overnight, and my hair is SO FREAKING SOFT afterwards! I wish it wasn’t $30+ because I’m heavy handed with it, but I’ll just wait for a sale or coupon. Would repurchase
February
Caudalie Vinoperfect essence (gratis)- Love this essence! When I was first trained on it when working at Sephora, I bought one that day and then ended up getting one in gratis later lol. I like using this to add a layer of hydration under my skincare, and that it’s got brightening ingredients to help even out my skin tone. The price definitely went up, pretty sure I bought mine for like $36-ish and now it’s like $48- not cool. Would repurchase with a sale or coupon
Victoria’s Secret body spray in Rush – Pulled this from my body lotion/spray collection and forgot how much I love this scent. It’s slightly sweet but not too much, and works year-round for me. Would repurchase
Bath & Body Works shower gel in Moonlight Path – Another one from my body product stash, and I love this scent. It’s not drying on my skin, but it’s not hydrating either. Would repurchase
Shop here (Can’t find the shower gel but these are the other products with this scent)
Bare Minerals Combo Control primer – This was nice, I liked the texture on my combination skin – not too heavy on my oily spots but still hydrating on my dry spots. It worked well with or without makeup too, which made me want to use it more often. Would repurchase with a sale or coupon
Maybelline Total Tempation mascara – Looking for a good drugstore mascara that compares to some of the Sephora brand mascaras I like, but this wasn’t it. It worked better when it was a little more dried out, in the beginning it was a little too much volume and clumped on my lashes. The brush is nice and separated my lashes pretty well, but I found a drugstore mascara I liked better. Would not repurchase
Inkey List Q10 serum – This serum was nice but not amazing for me. (I did a full review on the Inkey List if you’re interested) It’s a nice gel texture, and Q10 is a good antioxidant, but I found other serums that did more for me than this one did. Would not repurchase
Drunk Elephant Protini moisturizer – I wish I didn’t like this as much as I do, but damn this is a good freaking moisturizer! It’s a gel-cream, so it’s lightweight on my combination skin. The peptides in it make my skin feel bouncy, like I could actually feel a difference when I put it on. It was light enough to use during the day but still nourishing at night too. I don’t want to keep supporting DE and definitely don’t want to spend $60+ on moisturizer, so I’d LOVE to find a dupe. Would repurchase with a steep sale or coupon
January
Equate Cocoa Butter body lotion – This is a good everyday body lotion. Love the cocoa butter scent, and it actually hydrated my skin! It’s Walmart’s version of the Vaseline lotion, I’ve used both and didn’t notice a difference between them. Would repurchase
Sunday Riley Good Genes serum (gratis) – I don’t know what changed with my skin, but I loved this at first and after a while it was too much. Maybe I just had it too long and the formula started to go off, but I used to use this as a serum that I’d leave on my skin, and then I got to the point that I could only use it as a mask. It made my skin feel really smooth, but there’s other exfoliators I liked more that were less expensive. Would not repurchase
Peter Thomas Roth Water Drench cleanser – This is a nice gentle cleanser that actually felt hydrating. There’s hyaluronic acid in the formula, but since you’re rinsing it off I still think you need more afterwards. It didn’t really have a scent, and was a creamy, almost fluffy texture. My one negative on this is the price, I think $30 is steep for something you’re rinsing down the drain. Would repurchase with a sale
Herbivore Bakuchiol serum – I got this deluxe sample when it first launched with an order I placed from Herbivore’s website. Bakuchiol is marketed as a retinoid alternative, but it’s NOT a retinoid. It made my skin texture feel smoother, but it won’t compare to using a real retinoid. This was a nice lightweight serum that played well with the rest of my skincare, but it didn’t wow me. Would not repurchase
Discontinued? Can’t find it anywhere
Bliss Kiss Simply Pure nail oil – This nail oil is SO GOOD for my nails! It’s got a jojoba oil base, which is the closest oil to our body’s natural serum, so it actually soaks into your skin and nails instead of just sitting on the surface. Would repurchase, already did and refilled this pen haha
