Empties: June 2012

Just a quickie this month..

They were all good except for the Maybelline Nude Glow(200) lipstick which I had to throw out because the colour just did not suit me nor anyone else in the house. It was a gift and though it looks really nice in the tube, it actually applies on a bit pale on my lips; making me look sickly.

SK-II cleanser was great, so was the CLARINS Whitening Velvet Emulsion which absorbs really quick and leaves a velvety feeling on your face.

I also went through another can of Batiste dry shampoo, LOVE this stuff. My fave scent would probably be a toss between Diva and Blush.

The rest of the products were okay, but I probably wouldn't repurchase them.

Total products emptied: 6

Total thrown out: 1

Total: 7

Total Feb- June: 51

Cooking: Beef & Asparagus Tomato (Ketchup) Fried Rice

One of the things I really enjoy doing is cooking! If I could find the time to cook everyday, I most definitely would. The dishes I cook are usually fuss-free and fail proof, but come out tasting pretty good. I might have said this before, but I'll say it again.. I sometimes crave for my own cooking! Haha am I the only one?

Here is how I make one of my favourite meals:

1.Stir-fry Aspargus with garlic and butter, remove from pan and set aside..

2. Cook marinated minced beef with garlic and butter as well..

3. Once browned, throw in cooked rice and mix well in the same pan.

4. Add in as much/little ketchup as you like and stir the rice again, I used almost half the bottle. Heinz is my choice of ketchup but you can use any brand..

5. The rice should not be soggy (too much ketchup), then put the Asparagus back in and stir again..

Voila! So easy and tasty! Not to mention there is not much to wash up after :D

Red red lips

I find myself reaching for reds a lot these days..

On me: Lanvin for H&M Red Lipstick, On le bestie: CHANEL Lover

All dressed for a wedding dinner I invited myself to, just 2 hours before it started. The red is more true to colour in the first 2 pictures.

I have a few red lippies and each is different- a daytime red, a fun red, a nightime red, a deep dark red.. haha. Every female should have at least one red lippie!

Materialist...

Striking off another product I have lusted over for a while, this time the CAUDALIE Beauty Elixir.

Many raves about this product online and I have only been using it for 2 days and I definitely FEEL a difference. My face is immediately softer and absorbs my serum and moisturizer better too.

The bigger bottle is more cost effective but I didn't want to get it; what if my skin reacts badly to it right? It is a little too early to say, but I like this! Will do a full review in about a month or two.

I enjoy using face mists and I only have 3 left in my stash at the moment:

Tony Moly Pocket Bunny Sleek Mist

L'Occitane Rose Hydrating Facial Mist

Caudalie Grape Water Mist

Out of all the mists I have tried, Caudalie Grape Water Mist dispenses the best (to me), the mist is just fine enough to cover your face but not too heavy that it drenches you. In fact, it dispenses even better than the Beauty Elixir. Would definitely repurchase that when I run out.

Face mists are slowly becoming a must in my beauty regime.. what do you think of them?

Empties: May 2012

It's June already?!

I am always late with posting Empties, but my best friend and Claire (her first Emptes post!) have already posted theirs, and on time too! 

These days I find myself finishing off sample and travel sizes, and I honestly haven't bought any skincare/makeup that I don't need (with the exception of one product which will be revealed below). Really happy with the conscious effort I am making. Here are my May's Empties:

1. ASIENCE Deep Nourish Shampoo

This is a travel size which I had kept for weekend trips, but have decided to finish it off as it has been sitting around for ages. As I have mentioned previously, Asience used to be my favourite shampoo/conditioner/treatment to use as it left my long hair really soft and nicely scented. My only gripe it that my roots end to get oily by the end of the day. I am currently trying a new shampoo and am liking it so far. Review to come! Repurchase? Only if I can't find something better.

2. BATISTE Dry Shampoo (Diva)

Reviewed here. I go through 1 can every month or so, as I only wash my hair about 2-3 times a week. Love this product! Repurchase? Yes!! There is only ONE can left in my stash!!

3. AQUOLINA Wild Strawberry Scrub Shower Gel, 300ml

I added this to my SaSa shopping basket to qualify for free shipping; I figured I couldn't go wrong with strawberry scented body wash. And I was right, it smells like strawberries but not the sickly sweet kind and it always leaves my bathroom smelling very nice too. There is black bits in the gel as well to help exfoliate, and they are not harsh at all. Repurchase? Probably, if I can't find another product to qualify for free shipping on SaSa.com.

4. ETUDE HOUSE Sweet Heart Creamy Body Lotion, 290ml

It had half left when my sister passed it to me, I used it as a night lotion for my legs and arms. Smells nice and floral, I always wake up to soft skin. However I wouldn't use it in the morning as it makes my skin sticky under the humid air. Repurchase? No, nothing special plus I want to try other lotions.

5. VARDI & MIGDAL Dead Sea Body & Hand Cream (Natural), 150ml

"Rich in natural moisturizers, dead sea minerals and natural oils", the scent of this lotion reminds me of pears, in a good way. I bought this with my best friend in 2010 and just got round to finishing it (I saw hers just the other day and it is still full! Stalk her here). It is very moisturizing but leaves no residue nor stickiness, infact it absorbs really fast. Repurchase? Though it was good, this product is actually not available for sale in Malaysia, we bought it in Singapore on one of our trips down.

6. CACHAREL Amor Amor Body Lotion, 50ml

I love this body lotion, it absorbs quickly and the scent is very soft and reminds me of Adelaide cause I always used the matching perfume when I visited a good friend of mine. I kept this on my work desk and used it as a hand cream. Repurchase? Yes, when I get round to buying the perfume again.

 7. ROSETTE Hello Kitty Apple Gommage

Just like many girls, I have a soft spot for Hello Kitty (not so much these days) and when I saw this as Isetan, I just grabbed them thinking how cute they would look in my bathroom. This is actually a face peel which you use on dry, clean skin. It is a clear gel and as you keep rubbing gently on your face, the gel starts to pill and you are left with white bits of squishy flakes. This didn't do much for my skin, no nasty reactions and it left my skin slightly softer but it wasn't great or anything. It has been open since late 2010 and I was basically using it on my body just to finish it off. Repurchase? No, it's cute but it doesnt work very well.

8. ROSETTE Hello Kitty Collagen Wash

Okay, by now I have read enough to know that collagen can NOT be absorbed by the skin via application of creams but instead has to be produced internally to see a difference in my skin. This cleanser shares the same scent as the Gommage, and a little bit foams up to a nice, fluffy lather. I have a few cleansers open and I used this on/off in the mornings. It does leave my skin very clean, though a little taut but it's nothing a little face mist can't fix. I was also using this as a body wash as it has been sitting on the counter for way too long. Repurchase? No, I am moving towards more "botanical" face products.

9. KISS ME Heroine Make Essence in BB cream, 30ml

I have tried many BB creams and this is my favourite so far. In terms of coverage, oil control, ability to last for more than 12 hours, I love this! I am not sure if it comes in other shades but I am usually a CHANEL 20 & MAC 20 (fair with pink undertones) and this suits me PERFECTLY! I dont even need to blend it into my neck. This lasted me for more than a year, but only because I was switching between foundations and other BB creams. Repurchase? Most definitely, if I can't find a better BB cream after I finish/test out the other BB creams in my stash: Garnier, Maybelline, Luview..

10. & 11. SHU UEMURA Deepsea Hydrability Serum & Gel cream moisturizer

My skin, although prone to oiliness on the T-zone is actually very dry on the surface, which creates a huge problem for me as I can't use oil-free/oil-control as it would further dry it out and I also can't use too moisturizing creams as my sensitive/acne-prone skin would breakout. I was expecting my skin to be smoother and more plumped up with use of these products but unfortunately I didn't see much of a difference. Infact, I think the gel-cream might have caused me to break out as well (but it might have also been hormonal) and I ended up using that on my neck instead. The serum is light and absorbs very well if you don't use too much. Repurchase? No, not very keen on Shu Uemura products besides their cleansing oils which are awesome- the 450ml bottle really lasts a loooonnggg time. Which is kinda annoying me because I want to open my other products! haha 

Total products emptied: 11
Total thrown out: 0
Total: 11
Total Feb-May: 44

And for the one product which I bought but did not really need...

CHANEL Hydra Beauty Gel Creme "Protection, radiance booster + softness". SOLD.

The pouch/clutch was a nice gift my SA reserved for me as a regular customer. No purchase necessary!  If you like the service/tips which was shared by a SA, always return to purchase from them. They will definitely remember you and keep you in mind for future events/promotions. My SA has been serving me since 2008!

I won't be using this until my skin clears up even more. It is looking much better these days but I still want to wait, plus I have quite a few other opened products on the dresser. The scent in this moisturizer is a natural camellia extract, very soft and pretty! I've been really good so I can afford to splurge a little, plus I do need a proper night moisturizer *justifying my purchase*.

Half a year has already flown by, quite a few things have changed in my life and things are going to change even more. I can't wait!