As much as I like sharing my thoughts on beauty products after I’ve finished them, there’s a few products I’m not done with yet but I still want to talk about them. My friend Ade from @adethinksskin on Instagram felt the same way and started sharing Empties and Opens to include all those products in one place. Keep reading for my mini reviews on these 15 beauty products!
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Quick Beauty Reviews
Inkey List PHA Toner β’PRβ’
I talked about this product a while back in a YouTube video talking about products to help with dark spots, and my thoughts have changed a bit over time. I still think it’s a good product if you’re looking for gentle exfoliation in a product that’s lightweight and stays on your skin, vs a product that rinses off like a cleanser. Maybe I had mine open for too long because the fresh scent that was there initially went away, and it started to smell off. Overall, I’ve got other exfoliating products and another niacinamide toner that I like using better than this. I’m glad I got to try this product, but I wouldn’t purchase it.
Native Deodorant
This isn’t for me. The coconut & vanilla smells nice, but I can only use it on days that I’m not leaving the house or not moving around a lot. Otherwise, I feel like I smell after a few hours. Supposedly if you “detox” your underarms before switching to natural deodorant, it works better. I still have to go in-person to work everyday, so that’s not something I’ll be doing. If you’re interested in natural deodorant then this might be good for you, but I’m not repurchasing this
π° Fenty Mascara
This is a really nice mascara! Normally I don’t look for volumizing mascaras because they look too clumpy on me, but this one gives me volume without the clumps. It also lengthens my lashes nicely which is what I really want from mascara. I prefer to buy mini mascaras since you’re supposed to throw them out after 3 months of use, and I never finish a full size in that time. Definitely recommend and would repurchase this mascara
π° Maybelline SuperStay Concealer
This is a nice concealer for everyday use. I usually only wear mascara and concealer, so I want the concealer to blend nicely with my skin and not need a foundation layered with it. This one does exactly that, and it still has enough coverage to help with my dark circles. I didn’t use it enough to finish the full tube before it started to go off, but I’m glad I picked it up. I also love the fact that it’s a drugstore product that doesn’t cost a lot, so if you can find your shade, I recommend it and will definitely repurchase
π° Inkey List Symbright Moisturizer β’PRβ’
This was a nice basic moisturizer that claims to brighten skin tone over time. I didn’t use it consistently enough to see any brightening effects, but I did think it was a nice moisturizer. The texture wasn’t too heavy or too light, so I think it could work year round. You also can’t go wrong with that price point. There’s other moisturizers I like better than this one, so I would recommend it but I wouldn’t purchase it for myself
π° Inkey List Niacinamide Serum β’PRβ’
I’ve gone through 2 bottles of this serum now, and I like it a lot. I think it’s a great serum for anyone looking into adding niacinamide to their routine, but doesn’t want to spend a lot of money on a new product. I’m getting away from using single ingredient products and back to products that have a good formula with different ingredients. Because of that, I’m not planning to repurchase this, but I do recommend it
π° Neutrogena Invisible Daily Defense Face Serum – SPF60
I saw this sunscreen recommended by someone on Instagram who has darker skin, so I figured it would be a good one to try. It’s a very lightweight texture, almost like a serum instead of a thick moisturizer, which is really nice on my oily/combination skin. It has a slight orange tint but doesn’t leave a cast on my skin tone at all, even if I go in with two layers (sometimes I do that if I’m going to be outside and want to make sure I applied enough). It’s also one you can find at the drugstore, which isn’t always true for good sunscreens. The one downside to this is that it stings my eyes if I get it too close. Even if I avoid my eye area, the sunscreen moves over time and still makes my eyes sting by the end of the day. If you’ve got sensitive eyes I wouldn’t recommend this, other wise I really like it and would recommend and repurchase
π° Inkey List 15% Vitamin C Serum β’PRβ’
This is another product I received in PR from the Inkey List that was part of their skin brightening range, and I like this one more than their original vitamin C serum. The original one was 20% vitamin C which was kind of strong for my skin and always stung, so I had to mix it in with another serum to tone down the irritation. This vitamin C is 15% and has a different formula/texture, so it didn’t sting at all. I didn’t use it consistently enough to see any brightening effects, but I think it’s a good vitamin C serum for someone who’s interested in trying one without spending a lot of money. I’m currently looking for a vitamin C serum that’s kind of a step up from this one when it comes to formula, but I do recommend and would repurchase this one
π° Inkey List Hyaluronic Acid Serum β’PRβ’
Another Inkey List product that I’m glad I tried. I like layering this serum after I spray on a facial mist because I feel like it helps lock that moisture into my skin when I’m feeling dehydrated. It’s a lightweight gel texture that layers well with other products. You also can’t beat the price point of Inkey List products so that’s a plus. I’ve tried a couple other HA serums that I like a little more than this one because they’re a bit of a step up, so I’m not planning on repurchasing this one, but I do recommend it
π° Farmacy Green Clean Makeup Removing Balm
Ok this makeup remover is SO NICE! I don’t usually wear a lot of makeup so regular cleansers are enough, but this is great for days that I’m wearing more makeup or it’s layered over a few other products like sunscreen and primer. There’s a faint scent to it but that doesn’t bother me. I can also use it around my eyes with very little issues, the only thing is that it sometimes makes my eyes blurry if it gets in them, but that doesn’t happen often. It’s a little pricey so wait for a sale or coupon, but I definitely recommend and will repurchase
Glow Recipe Watermelon Mist
This mist was just ok to me, which was kinda disappointing from all the hype it was getting. The watermelon scent is nice but can be a little overpowering sometimes. I bought this because it claims to be hydrating and glowing, but it wasn’t hydrating for me. When I tried using it as more of a skincare product layered with serums and moisturizers, it didn’t do anything for me. I liked this better as a makeup finishing spray when my face looked too powdery or heavy because it does give my skin a nice glow. I’ve got other mists that I liked better than this one, so I wouldn’t repurchase or recommend, especially looking at the price
π° Sunday Riley Luna Retinol Oil
This is a product that has become a staple in my routine, I love it so much. Luna is a retinol oil that is great if you’re new to retinol products, or want one that isn’t too intense. The blue tansy in the formula is good for soothing your skin and is nice when retinol could be irritating, and my skin LOVES this ingredient. I tried a sample size first and fell in love, then waited for a coupon code before buying a full size. My skin feels and looks smoother after I use this consistently, I do about 3x a week right now and it’s the perfect amount for me. Definitely will be repurchasing and definitely recommend
π° Milk Makeup Vegan Milk Cleanser
I. LOVE. THIS. CLEANSER. Omg this product really surprised me and is the reason I wanted to start including reviews for products that I haven’t finished yet because I couldn’t wait to talk about this one. I received this in gratis when I used to work at Sephora, and left it in my stash for a while because I didn’t think it’d be that good honestly. I was wrong! This is a creamy cleanser that feels very hydrating and soothing on the skin. It takes off my everyday makeup very well and doesn’t irritate my eyes at all. I’d like to find a drugstore cleanser that’s similar to this texture because I don’t like spending money on cleansers, but I’ll just wait for a sale or coupon for this one. Definitely will repurchase and recommend
Inkey List Fulvic Acid Brightening Cleanser β’PRβ’
This is a nice cleanser that got pushed to the side after I tried the Milk cleanser -oops. It’s a gel texture with ingredients that are supposed to help brighten the skin, but again I didn’t use it consistently enough to see those results. It claims to remove makeup too which it did, but I didn’t like using this to remove my eye makeup because it felt a little irritating. Overall I think it’s a good cleanser for the price, but there’s others that I liked using more. Wouldn’t recommend or purchase
Victoria’s Secret Love Spell Body Spray
Last product I wanted to talk about is one of the body sprays I’ve got open at the moment. I’ve had this one for way too long and I’m ready to use it up, but I really like the scent of this Love Spell spray. The scent doesn’t last long, which is typical for body sprays compared to perfumes, but I don’t mind that. If you don’t mind supporting Victoria’s Secret then I recommend this product and would repurchase (but I’ve got a bunch of perfumes to get through, so that won’t happen for a while)
That’s it for this month’s mini reviews! Let me know if you like this format of sharing my thoughts on different beauty products. Follow me @sharanadarcel on Instagram and YouTube for more content like this!
