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05 November 2015

Empties Post #5: Makeup

I feel like I haven't done an Empties post in forever. That being said, I have a big pile of empties under my bed, so expect these types of posts more regularly! Today's post is solely on makeup products that I've finished.




Primer

The Victoria Secret Make It Last Primer & Set Makeup Spray featured in my monthly favourites back in March (you can read it here). It's a colourless liquid in a spray bottle with a fine nozzle that can be used as a primer as well as a setting spray. I have used it as both, but I prefer to use it as a setting spray or to dampen my beauty sponge as I normally use different products to prime my skin. It's not the cheapest setting spray, but at R190 it's also not the most expensive. The 120 ml bottle will last you quite a while. I really enjoyed using this and I've already bought a second one.

Powders

The essence All About Matt! loose powder has been a staple in my beauty routine for quite a while. The powder is super fine and doesn't look cakey, but it's a pain to travel with. I also think this has been discontinued as I haven't seen it in store for ages. I did manage to pick up another one somewhere in a sale bin, but I think this is it for the loose powder. The Catrice Prime and Fine Mattifying Powder is a slightly larger but much flatter compact (and it has a mirror!). It's a pressed powder which means you can throw it in your handbag without worrying about a cloud of dust if it spills. I bought a few Bourjois pressed powders which I want to use up first, but for the price point (around R90) I will definitely be repurchasing the Catrice powder.

Concealers and highlighters

The Bourjois CC Eye Cream in "23 Golden Beige" is a CC cream for your under eye area: it brightens and evens out the skin tone. Instead of the usual brush it has a silicon tip and a twist-up end that dispenses the right amount of product. It's a lovely product and lasts a long time. I haven't repurchased this as I am trying out a few other things, but I definitely will repurchase it!

The Clarins Instant Light Brush-On Perfector is Clarins' answer to the YSL Touche Eclat. It comes in the most beautiful gold packaging with a twist-up end and a brush. I have it in the shade 02 which is the perfect shade for me. I love using it under my eyes, in the inner corner of my eyes, and everywhere else I would like a bit of highlighting. This is an amazing product and I will definitely be repurchasing it.

Eyebrow products

I have been through quite a few of the Smashbox Brow Tech To Go eyebrow pencils but had to find an alternative as it became almost impossible to find my shade (Taupe) anywhere! The product contains a twist up pencil on one end and a spoolie with brow gel on the other end. It's a two-in-one product that makes doing your eyebrows a breeze. When I run out of my current eyebrow products, and my shade is in stock again, I will definitely be repurchasing.

While I was between Brow Tech To Go's, I tried the Empro Triangular Brow Pencil. It has a twist-up pencil on one end and a rather large spoolie on the other side. I struggled to use the pencil as you had to press really hard to make any sort of mark. The colour also came out quite uneven. I won't be repurchasing this.

Lip products

In this empties post I have a whopping five lip empties, but if you know how religiously I apply lip balm, you'll know that this isn't a lot! The Nuxe Rêve de Miel is a cult classic and it's easy to understand why: classy glass jar, French product, thick rich balm. This lip balm is a thick yellow colour and the texture is at times slightly grainy. It smells almost citrussy with a hint of honey and it soothes the most dry and chapped lips. At R150 it's quite a pricey lip balm, but believe me, it goes far. I apply this every single night before I go to bed and this jar lasted me just over a year. Cost per use is pretty fair, I'd say. I have already purchased a second jar and am still using it every night.

Another favourite is the Elizabeth Arden Eight Hour Cream Lip Protectant Stick. It's basically the much-loved eight hour cream in smooth stick form. You apply it as you would a lipstick, and I liked applying it when I start doing my makeup, so that when I need to apply lipstick my lips are nicely hydrated. The only problem with this is how quickly you go through it... It lasted only a month or two and I remember it being quite expensive.

I love The Body Shop's Aloe Lip Care tube and have already gone through a few. It's a nice thick gel-balm and is easy to pop in your handbag. It's not a fussy lip gel, but it does the job very well. Dry lipped gals (and guys), this one's for you...

The Lip Ice Natural Infusion Honey Cream lip balm had a lovely creamy honey scent, but I didn't enjoy the feeling it left on my lips. I like lip balms melting into my lips, but this felt like it just sat on top of my lips. It also felt like, the more I applied it, the more I had to apply it. I won't be repurchasing this.

The last product for this month is one of the Maybelline Baby Lips lip balms ("Intense care"). I have to be honest, the colourful packaging drew me in! It has a subtle smell and I found that it moisturised my lips better than the Lip Ice, but not as well as the others mentioned here. I probably won't be repurchasing this, I'd rather try some of the other variants in the range.

Phew, thanks for reading all the way to the end! You definitely deserve a cup of coffee or tea after this...

Until next time!

Hildegarde
xoxo




3 comments:

  1. The Baby Lips Dr Rescue are pretty good!

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  2. Hi again!
    How long did your Smashbox Brow Tech last you?
    I also love this product, I just found that it only lasted a short while, which makes it expensive to repurchase the whole time. Maybe because my pencil-side broke after the second use, but it's still a fantastic all-in-one brow product, I'll also repurchase.
    BTW, Redsquare online has stock of Taupe, if all else fails :)
    And then, where can I buy the Nuxe lip balm from, either online or in store? Thanks xx :)

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    Replies
    1. Hi Marné! My brow pencil lasted a good couple of months, but the last one I had also broke off so maybe that's a design flaw! Luckily there are a few good alternatives nowadays that don't break the bank. As for Nuxe: I bought my second one from Kalahari.com but I don't know if Takealot sells Nuxe now. Large Foschini stores also stock it and some online places too, I'll try to see if I can find a few places. I hope that helps! Thanks for leaving a comment. X

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