Prestige

July 2016 Empties

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I don’t often do empties posts because I don’t tend to run through a ton of products in a close enough time-frame for it to be worth it. I don’t tally up my empties for months. This month, however, was one such month where the stars aligned and I ran out of a handful of things.

clinique

Clinique Dramatically Different Moisturizing Gel – I first tried this in Spring 2015 and really liked it. It ultimately became my daytime moisturizer. Since I revamped my skincare process, it’s become my go-to everything moisturizer; I add in a few drops of oil if my skin is feeling super-parched. I purchased a second bottle a couple months ago since I knew this was coming. Like all of Clinique’s skincare, this is a fragrance-free product. It contains no SPF, so you will need to wear a separate one.

July 2016 Empties - Clinique Black Honey
Clinique Almost Lipstick – Also on the Clinique train, I didn’t realize it until yesterday but my tube of Black Honey is almost spent! I had restocked during a recent Ulta haul without even realizing how far gone my existing one was. Good thinking, past me. Black Honey is effortless.

See the rest of my July 2016 Empties after the jump…

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The Estee Edit Flash Photo Gloss

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Estee Edit Flash Photo GlossThe Estee Edit Flash Photo Gloss

The Estée Edit is supposed to be Estée’s hip-and-happening brand to appeal to younger customers. I received two tiny sample tubes of the Estee Edit Flash Photo Gloss with my March haul but couldn’t be bothered with it until, well, now.

I’m glad I hadn’t wasted my time before. It’s god-awful. It’s been a long time since I’ve tried something *this* bad.

This translucent gloss goes on clear with the faintest hint of bluish-purple iridescent shimmer. Application is NOT easy – it skips and tugs, and the formula is ridiculously sticky. I did not find that it enhanced my lipcolor – and in fact, it screwed it up with the skipping and tugging.

On top of being sticky, removal is difficult. I wiped it away with a tissue but my lips were still tacky. I had to resort to micellar water. Really!?

The bluish shimmer is SUPPOSED to pick up the flash and make your smile look brighter. Spoilers: It doesn’t.

The Bottom Line

This is a positively ridiculous gimmick. The 2.5 stars on Sephora’s site speak volumes. Don’t waste your time unless you fancy the idea of throwing away $20. Wet n Wild Megaslicks gloss is higher quality at $2.

Sephora Play June 2016

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Sephora Play June 2016Sephora Play June 2016

Never having jumped on the subscription box bandwagon, in May I signed up for Sephora Play! I received my first box in mid-June, and finally have time to talk about it what I got!

Tocca Florence

I’m highly picky about fragrances. When I realized this was a floral, I nearly tossed it out without popping the cap off the vial. I decided that wasn’t fair, so I removed the stopper and…was pleasantly surprised! For the first time since the Marc Jacobs Daisy line, I’ve found a pleasant floral. That said, I’m not going to rush out and buy a full sized, $68 bottle of Florence. I will enjoy this sample vial, but juggling several bottles of perfume is not for me. I would consider buying a rollerball. If you like subtle florals and are in the market, give this a shot.

Tarteguard

I’ve always thought that the packaging for Tarte’s sunscreen was cute, but I didn’t give the product much consideration. If I was going to drop $32 on a sunscreen, I’d probably go Shiseido, Clinique, or Murad…or I’d go with a BB Cream product. So far, I’ve used Tarteguard on my hands and forearms only – where it has done a good job. I was reluctant to introduce change to my routine so soon after finding a routine that my skin is responding well to (plus I <3 my Biore one!). Furthermore, the reviews this sunscreen has received have indicated a high incidence of breakouts in relation to use. Unfortunately it isn’t going anywhere near my face anytime soon. It DOES has a faint, pretty scent that I can’t place and none of that nasty, “sunscreen smell.” For what it’s worth, a fellow, makeup-obsessed friend swears by this stuff and reports that it doubles as a good primer.

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June 2016 Favorites

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June 2016 FavoritesJune 2016 Favorites
1. Stridex Pads, $5 / 2. Sensationail Polish to Gel, $8
3. Excipial, $12 / 4. Becca Shimmering Skin Perfector, Moonstone, $19

Thanks for bearing with me last month since my favorites were a bit of a mess, but I’ve got my act together just in time to share my June 2016 Favorites.

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Skincare Arsenal Update – June 2016

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I needed to take my own advice and get back to basics. My skincare routine became too complicated and had too many moving parts. I was vacillating between Cetaphil Gentle, philosophy Purity, Noxzema Triple Clean, and random cleanser samples I had received from Sephora and Ulta (because that’s what you do when you’re a beauty blogger who reviews things). I was inconsistently using this toner, that moisturizer. Exfoliant roulette. Masque roulette. You get it. I was all over the place.

All that combined with a stressful eight months and my skin just wasn’t my biggest fan. It was making me crazy, and it was preventing me from having as much fun with my makeup. So I revamped my skincare arsenal and process to get back to consistency, and I’ll just need to go longer between trying new skin products for science. Tomorrow, I turn 25 – and I’m doing so with skin that is behaving.

Makeup Removal & Cleansing

Skincare Arsenal Update - Cleansing

Micellar Water – I am really impressed by how well the Garnier one I reviewed is treating me. As I don’t use waterproof mascara or go hardcore, full-face every day, I’m delighted with the way this stuff has been (oh-so-gently!) treating my skin. A lot of people have eschewed their other face products in favor of this minimalist product; I can see why. I’ve picked up the one by Simple (I liked their Micellar wipes, after all) to try, but I’m not remotely unhappy with the Garnier one. I still have Kirkland Makeup Wipes; they’re effective, inexpensive, and convenient – but I’m growing tired of the fragrance. They’re still a good product and a great value, but I am scaling back my usage in favor of micellar products. Personally, I’m also not in love with something so disposable for everyday use.

Cetaphil Gentle – Tried and true. Just as good without water as with. Plays nicely with both my Clarisonic and my Luna Mini.

philosophy Purity – For when I need a deeper clean. This is about as ‘hardcore’ of a clean as I want, these days. Also plays nicely with both aforementioned tools.

Keep reading for more on my Skincare Arsenal Update…

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Ulta Platinum vs Sephora VIB

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Ulta Platinum vs Sephora VIBUlta Platinum vs Sephora VIB

Beauty chains companies are realizing that they have a a fiercely loyal group of customers that it is wise to maintain. Ulta features Ultamate Rewards and Sephora features Beauty Insider, respectively. They work differently and have different perks but they do have one thing in common – a tier system to reward their, “frequent fliers,” and top spenders with premium perks. So when it comes down to Ulta Platinum vs Sephora VIB which wins?

In late 2014, I hit Platinum status at Ulta and got to keep that status this year. I have no idea how this happened (reality, not being cute); I was shopping at Ulta less frequently than Sephora and I tended to spend less there; so I’m chalking it up to occasionally shopping with a friend who was content to have her purchases apply for my rewards.

In Spring 2015, with the purchase of the Silk’n Flash n Go Freedom (no longer sold at Sephora) and the Foreo Issa, I hit VIB at Sephora.

So between Ulta Platinum vs Sephora VIB – which is better?

This was originally published in December of 2015, but felt it could use some refreshing. Not joining rewards programs is like leaving money and/or product on the table, so I want to help educate my readers!

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