Beauty Empties 2023 - #1 ♡ ft. Sol de Janeiro, Biore, Caudalie, Essence and more

Last year I explored some new beauty brands and one of them that I absolutely fell in love with was Sol de Janeiro. Initially I thought their products were expensive and unnecessary, but after trying their bum bum cream and fragrance mist, I haven't stop buying from the brand.

In my recent beauty empties (items collected from beginning of 2023 to date), I used up a few of their popular products and I'm excited to share my thoughts!

    SOL DE JANEIRO BRAZILIAN CRUSH CHEIROSA 62 

Fragrance notes: pistachio, almond, heliotrope, jasmine petals, vanilla, salted caramel and sandalwood.

This is one of my favourite Sol de Janeiro fragrance mists, it smells so yummy and I love that it's safe for hair as well (not all of their fragrance mist is safe for hair). The only problem I had with this mist was, it's not long wearing, the smell stays on for a few seconds and it's gone, I felt like I was spraying water, hence the bottle empties so quickly.

I also own the other scents like 40, 68, 39 and 71, and those are quite long wearing on me.

    SOL DE JANEIRO BOM DIA BRIGHT CLARIFYING AHA BHA BODY WASH 

I think the Bom Dia Bright range has the same fragrance as the Cheirosa 40, which is my number one favourite scent from the brand. 

I absolutely love the smell of this body wash, but the product itself was average.

    SOL DE JANEIRO BRAZILIAN BUM BUM CREAM 

This was the product that made me fell in love with the brand. It's got the same fragrance as Cheirosa 62, I love the smell, I love the cream, I love everything about it except the price.

Honestly, I think a moisturiser over $40 is very expensive, but this cream is amazing. The consistency is creamy, it's fast absorbing, it keeps my skin moisturised all day and the smell has more staying power than the fragrance mist itself.

    SOL DE JANEIRO BOM DIA BRIGHT CREAM

This one I love the smell and the cream is amazing.

So far for their cream range I have tried the Bum Bum Cream, Bom Dia Bright Cream and Coco Cabana Cream and my top favourite has to be the coconut one, which I might feature in my next beauty empty post.

As an oily skin gal, I am a big fan of Biore products, especially their face wash, I cannot recommend it enough to people with oily skin!

    BIORE PORE CLARIFYING TONER

This toner claims to tightens pores, controls oil and fights acne. 

I bought this out of curiously and it took awhile for me to adjust to the smell. I didn't like that it has a very strong alcohol smell, but now that I'm used to it, I actually quite like it. Also I'm not sure if it's the toner doing its thing, but my skin has become visibly clearer since using it.

    BIORE DAILY PURIFYING CLEANSER

Also bought this out of curiously, because it's got rose quartz, it's pink, it's pretty, but it's no way as good as the charcoal one that I always recommend.

    BIORE DEEP PORE CHARCOAL CLEANSER

This is my absolute favourite and most re-purchased cleanser ever! It's amazing for oily skin, very refreshing during wash and very good at controlling those facial oil.

    CAUDALIE BEAUTY EXLIR

This is my most re-purchased facial mist ever. 

I often get asked why is it so amazing and why everyone recommends it. To me this is like a "wake-me-up" mist, it's so refreshing and works well to keep my face from being oily throughout the day.

    GLOW LAB BLACKBERRY & BAY BODY WASH

Always on the look out for locally made beauty brands. 

Glow Lab is made in New Zealand, so far I have tried majority of their body wash and hand wash and to this day, I have nothing but great experience. 

    ESSENCE EXPRESS DRY DROPS

I used to buy the Essie quick dry drops, it works amazing, but it's very expensive. Until I came across the Essence one, works the same and only cost a few bucks.

    PERRICONE MD FACE FINISHING & FIRMING MOISTURIZER

This moisturiser claims to smooth fine lines and wrinkles, lift sagging skin and minimise discolouration. I can't speak from my experience as I have only received a tiny sample to try, but I can say that the consistency felt like glue and it smells like glue too.

    LANEIGE LIP SLEEPING MASK - VANILLA

I'm a big fan of the Laneige Lip Sleeping Mask! I especially love Gummy Bear (the purple one).

Not a fan of the vanilla one...

    TOO FACED BETTER THAN SEX EASY GLIDE WATERPROOF LIQUID EYELINER

I loved this eyeliner when I first tried it, I remember that I even recommend it on my blog a few years back, but this time I tried it I wasn't a fan. I didn't like that it smudges throughout the day.

    STILA STAY ALL DAY WATERPROOF LIQUID EYE LINER

This one dries out so fast and it didn't stay on through the day. 

Beauty Empties January 2021

MAKEUP & SKINCARE

 CAUDALIE GRAPE WATER 
very fine mist, moisturising and refreshing, especially love it this summer!

 SOAP AND GLORY DRAMA CLEAN 5-IN-1 MICELLAR WATER
gentle on the skin, it doesn't irritates my eyes, removes makeup easily, but not completely. 

 MECCA COSMETICA MICELLAR WATER
also good at removing makeup, but not completely, cannot remove waterproof makeup etc.

 IT COSMETICS CONFIDENCE IN A GEL LOTION (SAMPLE)
lightweight and moisturising, but I much prefer their confidence in a cream.

 KIEHL'S HYDRO-PLUMPING RE-TEXTURIZING SERUM CONCENTRATE (SAMPLE)
hmmm don't see much difference after using...

 CARMEX LIP BALM
my all time favourite lip balm!

 LANEIGE LIP SLEEPING MASK (SAMPLE - MINT CHOCO)
creamy texture, moisturising, mint choco tasted delicious haha.

 COLOURPOP BROW BOSS (DARK BROWN)
this has always been my go-to brow pencil, no matter how many times I say I need a break from it.

MASK SHEETS & MUD MASK

 A'PIEU REAL BIG YOGURT ONE-BOTTLE (PLAIN)
my favourite mask sheet! Plain and Strawberry are my favourite scents.

 KWAILNARA BANANA MILK REVITAL MASK 
this banana milk is far from what I have imagined... it smells like shampoo...

 WAFOOD MADE SAKE MASK
I have this in the cream/tube version and I much prefer that one to the sheet masks. The one that I have emptied in January is a packet that contains 5 mask sheets that are not wrapped individually, so every time I open to take out a sheet mask, it becomes less hygienic and by the time I was onto my last sheet mask, majority of the serum has dried out already.

 ABIB GUMMY SHEET MASK (MADECASSOSIDE STICKER)
I have never used a sheet mask with sooooo much serum in the packet as this! 

 ABIB GUMMY SHEET MASK (HEARTLEAF STICKER)
smells weird, feels sticky on the skin and it doesn't have as much serum as the above.

 PAPA RECIPE EGGPLANT CLEARING MUD CREAM MASK
creamy with a slight grainy texture, feels gentle on my skin but I don't find it hydrating or anything after use.

Beauty Empties November - December ♡ ft. Coconut & Lime Waterwash, Skincare and Makeup for Oily Skin + More!

 

 LISTERINE ZERO ALCOHOL MOUTHWASH - COCONUT LIME FLAVOR, I bought this out of curiosity, unfortunately it's nothing as I imagined. I couldn't taste the coconut or the lime, it smells just like any other Listerine mouthwash to me. I like that it's zero alcohol and it doesn't have that burning feel after use, but I much prefer the Sensodyne Cool Mint Alcohol Free Mouthwash.

 BIORE DEEP PORE CHARCOAL CLEANSER, I can't remember how many bottles of this I have emptied, but this is the best cleanser I have tried for oily skin and it's one that I often recommend for my oily skin friends. Although I can't see much difference in my pores or blackheads, I feel like I don't get breakouts unless it's that time of the month. I love the minty cooling sensation after wash and I like that it really helps control my facial oil. My face isn't that oily now compare to the days I use other cleansers.

 ETUDE HOUSE SOON JUNG PH 5.5 RELIEF TONER, SoonJung is a very popular skincare line from Etude House. I bought this purely because of the packaging and it came as part of the Happy with Piglet Soon Jung Skincare Set. This toner aims to restore the oil and water balance of skin while hydrating it for hours and it's recommended for sensitive and oily skin, but I find it just average and I am so glad to have finally emptied it!

 ORIGINS ORIGINAL SKIN MATTE MOISTURIZER WITH WILLOWHERB, this is my go-to day time moisturizer and I literally cannot remember how many jars I have emptied this year. I love it so much because my face used to get so oily throughout the day and my eyes would stint so badly from all the facial oil, but ever since I started using this moisturizer, I no longer have to worry about my face getting oily. I love that the texture is lightweight, it absorbs quickly and it wears well under makeup.

 ORIGINS GINZING ENERGY-BOOSTING GEL MOISTURIZER, when I first started using this moisturizer, I thought the smell of oranges were too strong, but then I kind of got used to the smell and I end up absolutely loving this moisturizer! I use it as a night time moisturizer, it has a light texture, it feels hydrating, but not greasy. 

I have also tried the Ultra-Hydrating Energy-Boosting Cream and I find that one a bit too heavy for my oily skin. Currently I am using the Clear Improvement Oil-Free Moisturizer with Bamboo Charcoal, this one smells weird and it's cream texture, so it feels rather greasy. I'm thinking when I empty this one, I will go back to repurchasing the Ginzing Gel Moisturizer.

 TOO FACED PRIMED & PEACHY COOLING MATTE PERFECTING PRIMER, this is probably my most emptied and most re-purchased makeup item of 2020! I have talked about it so much, recommended it so many time and I love that, not only it smells like peaches, it keeps my face oil free for long hours. On days that I had full makeup on, I rarely had to touch-up throughout the day when I wear this primer. 

 URBAN DECAY ALL NIGHTER SETTING SPRAY, the cherry-scented all nighter setting spray is definitely the best one I have tried from all the scents Urban Decay has come out with, I bought a bunch and this is my last one, I hope that they bring back the cherry scent! 

 BENTON CACAO MOIST AND MILD SERUM, described as a lightweight and hydrating serum that aims to replenishes moisture to skin and keep skin feeling soft. I received this in my Hikoco Lucky Box earlier this year, I used it almost every night, but I didn't notice any difference in my skin.

 MECCA COSMETICA BRIGHT EYED EYE MASK, I received these in the birthday pack and I used it before bed. The patches feels cooling and refreshing, but unfortunately I didn't notice the great results that everyone raves about. 

 A'PIEU REAL BIG YOGURT ONE-BOTTLE MASK, I have been really loving the A'Pieu yogurt mask lately and my favourite scent is the Plain and the Strawberry. I also tried Mango the other day and it smells like shampoo. 

 GLAMGLOW BUBBLESHEET OXYGENATING CLEANSE MASK, this is my first time trying a non Korean brand bubble mask and I definitely like this more than the ones I have tried previously. It's quick and easy, mess-free and after I rinse off, I can see an instantly result, my face look so so clean!

 ANASTASIA BEVERLY HILL DIPBROW GEL, I bought this as a replacement for the Urban Decay Brow Tamer Gel that I absolutely love, but unfortunately it's been discontinued and I find that the ABH is so hard to use. The brush is so thick, the product goes everywhere and it wasn't easy to get the perfect shape that I wanted. The texture of the gel is quite thick as well and the pigmentation is too dark and powerful. 

 INNISFREE Skinny Microcara Zero, purchased out of curiously, unfortunately lashes doesn't stay curl.

 KVD VEGAN BEAUTY DAGGER TATTOO LINER, this is the best eyeliner to get that perfect cat eye look because of the angled brush tip. I love this as much as the original Tattoo Liner from KVD!

 FLORTTE EYEBROW PENCIL, this is my current favourite eyebrow pencil. 

 ETUDE HOUSE DR. MASCARA FIXER FOR PERFECT LASH, the one I am throwing out is the pink version which aims to Volume Up and the one I have always used and loved is the blue version which aims to lengthening lashes. 

and a few samples I have emptied during the months.