2014 Empties Part II

This part of my 2014 empties is going to focus on skincare. While I was taking photos I realized how many more cleansers than moisturizers I used up in 2014, which for me is a bit odd. Then I remembered that I mix most of my face creams with face oils (yes, even in the morning before makeup) and I have a nearly finished face oil in my bathroom right now (currently loving a drugstore one, actually - Palmer's Cocoa Butter Formula Skin Therapy Oil - quite nice and much cheaper than the ones you can get at Sephora). Anyway, here's what I used up in 2014 (and a sneak peek - there will be a makeup/lip balm items empties post - including more than 1 foundation!).

 Several (7) packs of makeup remover wipes, starting from the left:

• 2 packs of Lumene Gentle Cleansing Wipes 25 count - I remember these being nice, but not much else. Gentle which means not entirely effective, but I usually use wipes for face makeup anyway and use my *broken record* Makeupforever Sens'eyes for eye makeup.
• Safeway Makeup-Remover Cleansing Towelettes (compare to Pond's) 15 count - Since I'm not a fan of the Pond's, I'm not sure what possessed me to pick these up, but my guess is I needed them in a pinch as I picked the smallest pack they sell. No other memories of these!
• Olay Wet Cleansing Towelettes "Sensitive" 30 count - Sensitive is in air quotes since according to a previous mini review, these made my eyes water, so I used another pad for eye makeup removal. Meh. I seriously hope I don't have another packet of these floating around as they were only ok.
• Simple Cleansing Facial Wipes 25 wipes - As it says in the linked review, I fell in love with these after getting them in one of the now defunct free Target beauty bags. Really like them but they are on the pricey side so I only buy when there is a particularly good sale and as I say in my review, they are much larger than your normal makeup wipe which is a bonus.
• Nuance Salma Hayek Detoxifying Facial Cleansing & Toning Towelettes 25 wipes - I've been buying and using up these towelettes since they first came out (I think I've gone through at least 6 of these since they launched in 2011 - which considering the price is quite a lot for me). I still like them and as I've said, I only purchase when they are on sale.
• Simple Kind To Eyes Eye Makeup Remover Pads - While I love the regular Simple Cleansing Facial Wipes, these suck. They just aren't effective. If I need another eye makeup remover to saturate an already "saturated" remover pad, then it's just not worth the money. The only redeeming thing is I didn't pay near full price as they came in a beauty box.

• First Aid Beauty Daily Face Cream 1oz - As you can see, I really enjoyed this, though it wasn't quite moisturizing enough for me, hence my mention of face oils above. I've repurchased. I was a bit scared of some of the ingredients but it didn't break me out and it actually wears well under makeup.
• Origins Drink-Up Intensive Overnight Mask - During a moment of sheer exhaustion, you can see my decision tree that mentions this product. Yes, I used it during the day and yes my makeup stayed on all day. What can I say? Dry skin does sometimes have its perks.
• Eve Lom Cleanser (original) and Morning Time Cleanser (both 50mL/1.6oz)- I found it slightly amusing that when I first reviewed this back in 2011, I was pretty convinced I would never buy it due to the price point; well every since, spacenk has satisfied my craving for this product by putting their holiday sets on clearance most years - though I think I missed this last one. Even though these jars were meant for travel - (being the smallest size they offer), which I completely took advantage of, it took so long to use them up! I'm currently trying to get through one of the regular sizes and holy moly, a little goes a long way. I'm not defending the price point, but it's not as bad as you think considering the amount you use and my dry skin loves these. Sometimes, I leave it on extra long when I have time as more of a mask. And since there's nothing worse than the dry air of a train or airplane for my skin, I'm keeping the small empty jar around for future travel. 

• Tatcha Pure One Step Camellia Cleansing Oil - I really liked this deluxe sample, but I'm not sure if I'd spring for the full size as I tend to prefer balm cleansers and when it's not a balm cleanser, it's an oil cleanser with a pump - though to be fair, the full size may be a pump and not a pipette, in which case, I would consider a repurchase.
• Bliss Fabulous Foaming Facial Wash 2oz - This multi-purpose cleanser would not die. First of all, you need to use the smallest amount. This little deluxe size sample bottle lasted far longer than I thought it would. I am so glad I didn't spring for the full size when Sephora was offering it half price several months ago. For me, it's a little drying, but it's a nice product, especially if you're pressed for time since it's a cleanser and mild exfoliator in one. I'd probably recommend it more for normal to oily skin types though.
• The Body Shop Moisture White Shisho Make-up Cleansing Oil - Really enjoyed this one and I'm eager to try the newer Camomile Silky Cleansing Oil waiting for me in my cupboard. Would repurchase with a sale, definitely, even if there isn't a pump!
• Lierac Micellar Water - This cleansing water does a decent job of removing facial makeup but it doesn't nothing for anything remotely waterproof on the eyes. More convenient for some though since it's carried at various drugstores and with sales, it makes it less costly than some of the higher end versions.
• Soap & Glory Clean Mary Cleansing Milk - Honestly, this is quite old, but when I found it in the back of my cabinet, I was compelled to use it up. It smelled the same and didn't have a weird texture and didn't irritate my skin so I went with it. I have a sneaking suspicion that the Peaches & Clean that Soap & Glory subsequently put out is the newer version of this. This is a great morning time cleanser as it has both oils and natural exfoliators, so it gives a minor exfoliation without being too drying prior to applying moisturizer and makeup.

Whew, just 2-3 more of these to go before I can get back in the rhythm of regularly scheduled empties posts. Check out Part I here!

October and November Empties

So today I present you October and November empties! To be honest, I was expecting there to be quite a bit more in this post but apparently I have a cleanser and scrub that just won't die. Anyway, onward!

Nuxe Micellar Cleansing Water - This is a really nice micellar water. It does take off mascara and it was pretty successful with harder to remove mascaras too. My one complaint, as I mentioned in my review is the added fragrance. Nonetheless, it is gentle on the face and eye area. I'd repurchase.
Nuxe Reve De Miel Lip Moisturizing Stick - This I was less enthused with. I didn't find it moisturizing and while I prefer this to the delivery method of the pot, it isn't something that I would go out of my way to try again. It does smell like chocolate oranges which is very pleasant but I wasn't the biggest fan.
Eve Lom Cleansing balm sachet - I did really like this, but I doubt I'll repurchase due to the price.
Babor Anti-Stress Anti-Jetlag Cream - Babor is the only brand that I've ever seen do heavy glass sample jars! This 1/2 ounce deluxe sample came in one of my beauty boxes. I think it was Beauty Army. I liked this cream but I wouldn't go out of my way to repurchase, especially since the full size is over $70! I found it nice and moisturizing but light on the skin. I've enjoyed everything I've tried from Babor so far.
Nuance by Salma Hayek Detoxifying Cleansing & Toning Towelettes - You probably shouldn't be surprised to see another one of these in my empties posts. I buy them if I can manage to get them under $5.

Softsoap Pampered Hands Foaming Hand Soap in Pampered Plum - This came in an Influenster box. I liked this hand soap but the scent wasn't my favorite so if I repurchase, it would be a different "flavor".

Abba True Curls Curl Enhancing Conditioner - Someone remind me to stop buying liter containers for hair products! This lasted forever. It smells like lemon heads and has oregano and rosemary in it which are great ingredients for temperamental scalps. It has no chemical preservatives, sulfates and is DEA free. It's nice but I had it for far too long and I am looking forward to using a different conditioner!!

Philosophy Vanilla Birthday Cake shower gel (3-1) - This was last years Sephora birthday gift. I'm not a huge shower gel person in general but I've been making a point of using up some shower gels I had laying around. This was creamy, smelled good and produced a nice lather. I used this with my exfoliating gloves and the combination was nice. In fact, I've actually started using shower gel over soap in the shower lately. Shocker!

What have you used up recently? I recently hit pan on my MAC Studio Fix powder and I sincerely hope my face wash is gone by the end of December since I'm getting tired of it!

September Empties

It's been a little busy here at Jeweled Thumb headquarters. I had my wisdom teeth removed on Friday so I'm still recovering but I do feel 10x better than when I got home from surgery. Obviously, I underestimated post surgery exhaustion since I planned to blog for the last few days but I was just soooo tired. Anyway, here are my September empties.

Renpure Organics Amazing Miracle Deep Penetrating Reconstructor -  I really enjoyed this deep conditioner. It smells delicious and seemed to moisturize my hair well. I would repurchase.

Befine Night Cream with Cocoa, Millet and Rice Bran - As I said in my review, this a nice light moisturizer but it wasn't quite enough for me, though I'd recommend for those that have more oily skin.
Neutrogena Visibly Bright Daily Facial Cleanser - I'm pretty sure this came in one of the Target beauty bags. I used this for quite awhile and it is a decent cleanser though it felt a little drying for my drier skin. I also found it slightly amusing since it is shimmery. Thankfully, the shimmers are easily washed away but it's a little weird to apply shimmery facial cleanser. The grapefruit smell was pleasant but I don't think I'd repurchase.
Nuance Salma Hayek Detoxifying Facial Cleansing and Toning Towelettes - Whenever these go on sale, or I get a particularly high value coupon, I tend to pick these up. Nice wipes and I repurchase if they come to under $5 but not at their nearly $8 regular price! I've used quite a few of these up over the last few months.

eos lemon drop SPF lip balm - Even though you can still see some balm, it's pretty impossible to get to at this point so I consider this done. The lemon drop is not my favorite of the eos balms as I don't find it as hydrating. I kept this at work and untwisting and twisting the little sphere did prove as a stress reliever but I don't think I'd repurchase this flavor.

What did you use up in September?

April Empties

It is officially May. Ok, it was May about a week ago but this weekend I was uber lazy and didn't feel like photographing a bunch of empty bottles. Sue me. I didn't do too badly in April and this post definitely has more than last month's though I'm hoping it picks up a little. I also have gotten the spring cleaning bug so I tossed a bunch of products that may have not smelled 'off' but were old enough for me to double think putting them near my face or body.

First up, is a bottle of The Body Shop Ginger Scalp Care Shampoo. As most of you know, this is holy grail but it doesn't seem to work as well about midway through the bottle. I need to find an anti-dandruff shampoo that doesn't smell like tea tree to alternate. Deodorant is not usually something I put in empties posts. I usually draw the line somewhere but I had to include this because this is the last tube of the 4 tubes of this I bought on clearance ages ago. I don't know if you can see the sticker, but it was 74 cents and then I had $1 off 2 coupons (yes I remember, how sad) which made them too cheap to pass up. Plus, I love the scent of the Lady Speed Stick Orchard Blossom. Still there comes to a point where you need a little variety, it is the spice of life after all. 

Salma Hayek Nuance Facial Cleansing and Toning Towelettes - As I've mentioned several times, I do really like these, but only on sale!
Jane Iredale Lip Drink Lip balm - Love! I've used up quite a few of these and I have one waiting when I finish some other balms.
Missha Deep Cleansing Oil - I actually didn't use this to wash my face, I used it in conjunction with some dish soap to deep clean my brushes! It works well and smells good (and I have quite a few bottles that I got on sale through the Missha website).

Haus of Gloi Soft Bubbling Scrub in Snow Wolf - Love these. The price has gone up a bit since I started buying them but they are entirely worth it in my eyes. Plus, I enjoy supporting small businesses that have good products and customer service. Haus of Gloi 
Softsoap Coconut Scrub Soap - I finished off another one of these. It's good but is not as scrubby as I like. Still a nice soft non-stripping soap at a great drugstore price. 

And finally, two samples: Fresh Soy Face Cleanser (really like) and Mor Basil & Grape Hand Cream (love and have since ordered the full size)!

So there it is. No real makeup products but I am nearing the end of the Physicians Formula Healthy Wear Powder so I imagine that will be in next month's post. What have you finished recently? If you have an empties post, please link it below, I love to read them!

March Empties

It is nearly the end of the semester and I couldn't be happier. I'm exhausted but I am so looking forward to the summer. I'll still be working of course, but I've decided to save my last class for the fall so I can regroup a bit. In March, my goal was to use up some samples. Not only do I get samples through subscription services like Birchbox, I get them in Sephora and Bloom orders too. I rarely use the little packet samples but now that I have a few sample jars in use, I've been cleaning and refilling them to actually test the products. What's somewhat crazy is that a lot of samples contain quite a few uses of the product so I can get a sense of how something works and I've confirmed that I will never have to buy another eye cream ever.

 

Wen Cleansing Conditioner in Winter Vanilla Mint - This came in a QVC Beauty Test Tube and I adore this conditioner. The scent is delicious and I found it very moisturizing (also it tingled a bit on my scalp which I happen to like). What I didn't like so much is the pump. It doesn't allow a lot to come out and the little tube going to the bottom doesn't actually reach the bottom. Using up the last bit of this was a drag but it was so nice. I'm tempted to buy more Wen but I know one is coming in the next QVC Beauty Test Tube and this scent was limited edition. 

Goldwell Sun Reflects After-Sun 60 second treatment - I was first introduced to this line when I received it for review a couple summers ago. I believe this is my second or third tub of this product and it is a nice deep conditioner when my hair is feeling dry. I'm not going to repurchase unless they come out with a fresh batch again as I've been repurchasing on Amazon and don't want to buy really old product.

Nuance by Salma Hayek Facial Cleansing Towelettes - Is it obvious that I haven't made it out to Big Lots recently? I buy these when the Salma Hayek range is on sale and I do really like them though one day soon I'll head out to Big Lots and get my beloved Epielle Cucumber wipes for a buck.

Karess Krafters Chai Tea Body Polish - Smells yummy and works but it doesn't wash away clean and I was getting tired of the scent midway through the jar. I'm back to using samples of the Haus of Gloi bubbling scrubs I love. Good scrub for the price though!

Samples!

First Aid Beauty (fab) Ultra Repair Cream - Ok, prefer the Oilatum.

Fekkai Shea Butter Moisturizing Shampoo & Conditioner - Eh.

Bare Minerals Purifying Facial Cleanser & Purely Nourishing Moisturizer - Eh.

Fresh Soy Face Cleanser - Pretty good.

So not too great this month but I've been so busy that most days I just threw on some powder foundation if anything. What did you use up in March?

December Empties

It's now the beginning of 2012 and I'm here once again with my empties post for the prior month. I'm definitely going to continue these into 2012 and hope to use up even more products in 2012.

I've learned that items like skincare, body care and lip balm are things that I know I will use up. Makeup is a little harder. I've tried to devote my weekdays to specifically using products I want to use up, with some flexibility of course. I also never have more than 1 mascara in rotation. Who knows if I will ever use up an eyeshadow, it's not looking likely at this point though technically I have the whole year in front of me.

 

Nuance by Salma Hayek Detoxifying Facial Cleansing & Toning Towelettes - I know my initial review of these wasn't super favorable but I've since bought a few more packs on sale and I quite like them. Due to the packaging, even if I don't use these every day, they seem to remain more moist going towards the bottom of the pack. I mentioned them again when I reviewed the Ponds wipes. Also, the last time I was at Big Lots, I couldn't find my beloved Epielle due to the massive Christmas beauty sets so I'm hoping the next time I'm there, they will make a reappearance. As much as I like the Nuance ones, I would never pay full price!
CVS Soft Cloths Supreme Unscented -  I'm sure you've all heard at one point or another that baby wipes can double as makeup removing towelettes. It's true. These are really nice and very cheap.

Jergens Ultra Healing Extra Dry Skin Moisturizer - I swear this bottle never ended. I will try to stop buying these 10floz bottles! It also left a bit of a film on my skin and never seemed to fully penetrate. Neither I nor my husband was a fan of the scent and because it didn't truly sink in, the lotion (and the scent) stuck to our sheets. Very happy to see this empty! I won't be repurchasing!
The Body Shop Cranberry Joy Body Butter - This on the other hand, I love! It's a great fruity tart scent that sticks around after applying but not in a bad way like the Jergens! This is the smaller 50ml size I brought with us to Georgia. It feels light on the skin but is extremely moisturizing and sinks in quickly. I love The Body Shop body butters and will continue to repurchase them!
Mor Basil & Grape and Sugar Rose Tiger Lily Hand Cream sample packets - Oh my goodness. I'm so glad I discovered the Mor brand as I've enjoyed everything I've tried from them thus far. These scents are to die for, the texture is rich and moisturizing yet sinks into the skin. I've never been a big fan of rose scents, but even I like the Sugar Rose Tiger Lily likely due to the sweetness of it. The Basil & Grape isn't something I would normally be attracted to, but it's a nice sweet, yet fresh scent. I am definitely going to be buying more Mor (teehee) in the future. Really enjoyed these. I received these both in one of my recent Bloom orders as the Bloom Bonus.

On10 Schweppes Club Soda lip balm - The On10 made a brief debut in Sephora but has since disappeared. This lip balm is very nice and also something I took with me to Georgia. It is lightly scented/flavored and has the slightly thicker more waxier texture I enjoyed. It is reminiscent of the Fresh Sugar or the Caudalie as far as texture is concerned. And one can not fault the cute bottle cap inspired sleek metal packaging. I would repurchase if it was available.
Woody's Citrus Lip Ice - I really like this lip balm, as with the prior, it is a slightly thicker textured balm. I know this balm can be gotten online but I think the Woody's line might have discontinued it as I haven't seen it in stores. I know it's a mens line but this lip balm is really great for everyone.
Becca Luminous Skin Color in Sand - If you remember, I finished the Porcelain shade of this back in June. This is basically a fancy expensive tinted moisturizer. Even though the Sand shade is a tiny bit darker, I feel as though it didn't oxidize as much as the lighter, more pinker shade. As I mentioned in June, I don't think I'll repurchase as less expensive BB Creams such as the Missha offer a similar product at a fraction of the cost.


Not too shabby. I will be happy to discard the Becca as the emptier it gets, the harder it is for the product to come out! Onto the next foundation/tinted moisturizer victim!


Is there anything that you've finished recently? Feel free to link your own empties posts below! I love to look!

September & October Empties

I barely finished any products in September so I decided to compile September & October empties into one post. To be honest, I'm a bit disappointed with my progress. And I still haven't managed to finish the H2O cleanser which is a bit insane all things considered! Onward.

Missha Green Tea Sheet Mask - This is a nice, light and refreshing mask. I bought a few of these Pure Source masks when Missha had a sale and they are quite nice. This one is meant to be moisturizing and brightening. I'm not sure I noticed any brightening but it definitely was moisturizing and I didn't need to apply my nighttime moisturizer after using this in the evening.
Dr. Dennis Gross Extra Strength Alpha Beta Peel Pads - I think this might have come in a Birchbox? Either that or one of my Bloom orders. These helped my flakies a bit when I used it but I doubt I'd spring for a full size box of them as they are quite pricey!
Nuance Salma Hayek Detoxifying Facial Cleansing & Toning Towelettes - I know I was a bit lukewarm with these in my review but that's mostly due to the price compared to other towelettes (and my Epielle's) on the market. I actually re-bought them when Nuance was on sale, though these are the original pack. The slight nubby texture on them really helps pick up makeup.

OPI Polish Remover Non Oily - This is a sample size that came in a kit. Not impressed enough to seek this out when I need remover.

The Body Shop Ginger Scalp Care - No one should be surprised finding another one of these in my empties post! Holy grail!
Biolage Delicate Care Organic Certified Oil - This stuff lasted forever! Granted, I've had the opportunity to try loads of different hair oils since trying this out but this one has been pretty nice. Once I get through the copious Birchbox samples and my generic moroccan oil, I'd definitely consider repurchasing this one. The price isn't too bad, it smells nice and the dispenser is probably the best of the ones I've tried. I'm actually tempted to keep this bottle and just decant my other oils into this container!

Lancome Nutrix Soothing Treatment Cream - Great stuff if you have dry and sensitive skin and even though it is very rich, it doesn't break me out. If anything, it calms down the breakouts I have and brings deep painful ones to the surface faster. I'll be using my H2O one now but the Lancome is definitely richer. If you have a recommendation for a similar cream I'd love to hear it (or what will happen is I'll likely just repurchase this one).
Caudalie Nourishing Body Lotion - This is a really nice lotion but I highly doubt I would pay the full retail price which is a bit ridiculous. It has a light slightly citrus scent and sinks in quickly. I wouldn't say it is the most moisturizing lotion on the market but I tend to prefer lighter ones even though I really need one that's heavy duty.
Mor Belladonna Body Butter - This was a sample that came in my last Bloom order. I really like this body butter. It isn't so thick that it is sticky or greasy, but you can definitely tell that your skin is moisturized. The only thing I wasn't a huge fan of was the scent. It is a nice warm scent but there is a baby powder note that I don't enjoy. But again, these are crazy expensive in the full size and I think they only come in tubs which I don't prefer (though they do make a few lotions in pump bottles). Anyone else remember when they carried Mor at Sephora?

Caudalie Lip Conditioner - I really liked this lip conditioner. What I didn't like was towards the end of the tube, the product is a lot lower than is convenient to actually use. So you either dig all of it out or let it go to waste. I of course dug with a lip brush to get all the product out but it's definitely not convenient to do so.
Makeup Forever Aqua Smoky Lash mascara - I'm actually a bit surprised how long this lasted given the usual consensus regarding MUFE mascaras. I quite liked this. It holds a curl and is definitely waterproof. My only complaint is towards the end of the tube, it started transferring on me which is a bit weird. It's one of the most expensive mascaras I've tried and honestly, it doesn't perform that much better than drugstore mascaras. I'd probably rebuy during a sale or if I had a gift card.

Makeup Forever Sens'eyes Waterproof Sensitive Eye Cleanser - I'm sure you are all shocked, absolutely shocked that I went through the bottle of this. Just teasing! Yes, I used up my mini bottle and now I have a full sized bottle that should last me quite awhile. This is probably one of the most gentle eye makeup removers that truly removes any type of mascara. I love it and will always have a bottle on hand.

Whew. Well another month has passed and I still have not finished eyeshadow or blush. Maybe next time?

Review: Salma Hayek Nuance Walnut Facial Scrub

When I tried and reviewed the Salma Hayek Nuance Walnut Body Scrub, I was really impressed by the texture and thought that it was similar to my much beloved and discontinued MAC Microfine Refinisher. Now, clearly the body scrub is not meant to be used on the face, but the line also contains a Walnut Facial Scrub which I clearly bought as I'm reviewing it for you now. As you can imagine, I'll be comparing the two in this review, especially since I bought it hoping it would be a dupe!

The Nuance Walnut Facial Scrub comes in a thin white squeeze tube and has a flip top and a small hole to squeeze out the product. It comes with 4oz of scrub and retails for approximately $8, though so far I've noticed that the pricing of the line has not been consistent among all CVS stores and their website so you may pay a bit more.

The product is the same unfortunate color of the body scrub which I'll refrain from showing you as it resembles slightly frothy mud. Either way, the product is quite good. As with the MAC Microfine Refinisher, this scrub is a cream with suspended scrubby bits in it. I found the Salma Hayek Nuance one a bit less dense (less scrubby bits) and had a variety of sized particles. This is probably due to the fact that it's actually walnut powder so I would expect there to be differing sizes. However, I did find them very similar. After using the Salma Hayek Nuance scrub, my skin was equally as soft (as one can predict) and did not feel stripped. While there did seem to be less particles suspended in the cream, it wasn't a significant amount and felt just as exfoliating as the MAC. One of my major pet peeves is buying something that claims to be an exfoliating product and there's hardly any particles in it to actually exfoliate! That wasn't the case with this scrub.

I'm pleased that the products are close enough that I can stop worrying about finishing up my MAC backups and scouring at places like the Cosmetic Company Outlet and simply buy the Salma Hayek Nuance one instead. At the $8, it's a third of the price that the MAC one was anyway, so it's a bit of a bargain, really.

So while it's not the exact same product, I'd say it's about the same as far as consistency and scrubbiness are concerned. Really, it's a bit hard to say skincare items are dupes unlike makeup items. Anyway, I'd definitely rebuy this and I'd recommend it as an alternative to the MAC Microfine Refinisher.

Ingredients: Water (Aqua), Polyethylene, Juglans Regia (Walnut) Shell Powder, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Disodium Laureth Sulfosuccinate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Glycerin, Bixa Orellana Seed Oil, Passiflora Edulis Seed Oil, Oryza Sativa (Rice) Bran Oil, Euterpe Oleracea Fruit Oil, Orbignya Oleifera Seed Oil, Caffeine, Butylene Glycol, Tetrasodium EDTA, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Polysorbate 60, Sodium Lauryl Sulfoacetate, Menthol, Caramel, Stearic Acid, Xanthan Gum, Aminomethyl Propanol, Fragrance (Parfum), Phenoxyethanol, Methylchloroisothiazolinone, Methylisothiazolinone, Titanium Dioxide (CI 77891), Annatto (CI 75120), Red 40 (CI 16035).

Salma Hayek Nuance Line On Sale Again!

In case you missed the promotion where Salma Hayek Nuance products were buy $20 worth, receive $10 of Extrabucks back, you're in luck. The same promotion is running this week, starting tomorrow. It says limit 1 in the circular but maybe it will be limit 2 again like last time? Either way, I thought I would compile the posts I've done recently for the brand in case you were interested in picking up a thing or two from the line.

Nuance Dark Cacao & Coffee Firming Body Cream, Nuance Flawless Wear Tinted Moisturizer (light swatch only), Nuance Ultra Shine Lip Gloss

Nuance Detoxifying Facial Cleansing & Toning Towelettes

Swatches of the full range of the Nuance Flawless Wear Tinted Moisturizer

Nuance Walnut Body Scrub 

Nuance Lights, Camera, Action Eye Trio Pewter/Silver Shimmer 065 

Let me know if you have any questions! Happy shopping! 

Review: Nuance Salma Hayek Lights, Camera, Action Eye Trio Pewter/Silver Shimmer 065

As you'll remember, I picked up the Nuance Salma Hayek Lights, Camera, Action Eye Trio Pewter/Silver Shimmer 065 (.115oz, $8.99) this past week when I did the CVS Nuance Extrabucks deal (which ends tonight). The pewter/taupey color on the end definitely piqued my interest. Well I've had a decent amount of time to play with it and see how it wore throughout the day.

From looking at the product, you can't really tell much about it, other than perhaps a general color scheme and that it contains 3 different products in a container a bit longer than a regular mascara tube. When you twist it open, you see the following:

A taupey/pewter shimmery cream eyeshadow

A shimmery white eyeshadow stick, and

A black retractable eyeliner

I think the idea of the set is quite fun, but given the general set up, I was expecting one of the ends to contain a loose eyeshadow, like the Tarte Lock & Rolls.

The white stick highlighter is not something that I would use on the brow bone; it's too stark and too metallic and shimmery looking for my tastes. I personally would have preferred a powder eyeshadow the same color as the cream.

As I mentioned, I played with this quite a lot during the week. As far as wear time is concerned, the cream eyeshadow creased pretty significantly during the day and I doubt it lasted for more than an hour on its own. I also layered it with Urban Decay Primer Potion and it lasted a bit longer. It lasted all day on me with Primer Potion and another powder eyeshadow on top. However, the eyeliner lasted all day with only minimal fading even without the Primer Potion. It's a very deep black color and goes on opaquely. It is a little harder than most of the eyeliners I prefer these days, but I didn't find that it tugged or irritated my eyes. I wish they would put out this retractable eyeliner separately as I doubt there's very much product in this particular product (I know they have regular stick gel liners but I love the ease of the twist up especially for work mornings). The white cream eyeshadow... eh - again, there's no way I would wear this on my brow bone but it's an ok inner corner highlight. Again, I would have preferred they replace this with a powder eyeshadow.

For $8.49 it's a convenient little set for traveling or to stash in your hand bag. My only complaints is I wish the cream eyeshadow was more long wearing on its own and that the metallic white stick wasn't included. I was really impressed with the eyeliner and would definitely buy that separately if it was available.

Salma Hayek Deal Limit 2!

You guys all should know by now regarding the Salma Hayke Nuance deal at CVS. This week (ending tomorrow), if you buy $20 worth of the Nuance line, you receive $10 Extrabucks back. Combine this with coupons and you are bringing down the price of the products significantly. The ad indicates that this deal is limit 1 (ie, you can only do the deal once), but they increased the limit to 2! So you can roll the deal or just use the Extrabucks for another beauty (or some other item CVS sells) product. Basically, you can now get $40 worth of the line for $20 after the Extrabucks back!

Remember, this deal ends tomorrow if you want to take part!

Review: Nuance Salma Hayek Walnut Body Scrub

I should probably just go ahead and deem this Salma Hayek Nuance week!

Nuance Salma Hayek Walnut Body Scrub retails for $7.99 online and comes in an 8oz squeeze tube (I paid $8.50). I've found that the prices are a bit higher in store, so if you can manage without the immediate gratification, it may be worthwhile to order from the website especially if they are running a coupon code.

Given my lackluster opinion of the Nuance line so far, I wasn't expecting to like this. I will go through my reactions:

"Salma - again with the brown color? Ugh"
[applies scrub]
"Oooh"
"Ahhh"
"I wonder if they make a facial scrub like this!"

Really. Would you want to rub that all over your body? I did in the name of blogging and I'm glad I did!

Originally I wasn't really excited as I couldn't see any visible exfoliating bits but when I started to rub it on my body, I noticed the texture reminded me of the MAC Microfine Refinisher! It has tiny little sand like particles within the cream and does a great job of exfoliating. The color I could do without. The smell is pretty unoffensive and is pleasant enough. What I love about this is even though walnut is in the product, there are no obnoxious large bits of walnut that don't really do much for your body unless they happen to scratch you on a jagged edge, but manage to get caught in your drain. A plus, it's not a sugar or salt scrub so the particles don't actually dissolve the minute they hit water and it's not oily so it doesn't make your floor slippery.

If you have been wanting a scrubby yet not abrasive body scrub, I'd definitely try this one. I was quite impressed and if the review online is any indication, the facial scrub in the line is similar. Possible a replacement for my much loved MAC facial scrub?! We shall see!

Ingredients: Water (Aqua), Polyethylene, Juglans Regia (Walnut) Shell Powder, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Disodium Laureth Sulfosuccinate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Glycerin, Bixa Orellana Seed Oil, Passiflora Edulis Seed Oil, Oryza Sativa (Rice) Bran Oil, Euterpe Oleracea Fruit Oil, Orbignya Oleifera Seed Oil, Caffeine, Butylene Glycol, Tetrasodium EDTA, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Polysorbate 60, Sodium Lauryl Sulfoacetate, Stearic Acid, Xanthan Gum, Aminomethyl Propanol, Phenoxyethanol, Methylchloroisothiazolinone, Methylisothiazolinone, Fragrance (Parfum), Caramel, Titanium Dioxide (CI 77891), Annatto (CI 75120), Red 40 (CI 16035).

Swatches: Salma Hayek Nuance Flawless Wear Tinted Moisturizer

As I mentioned in my CVS haul, the Salma Hayek Nuance line is offering more samples than most drugstore lines and it's a good thing too, considering the price range is a bit higher than most other drugstore brands. The Flawless Wear Tinted Moisturizer comes in 5 shades and retails for $13.99. Since I picked up testers of all the shades, I thought I'd share swatches here.

 Light, Light/Medium, Medium, Medium Deep, Deep

The shades do adjust a bit once on the skin, you can see in the packet, the darkest 3 shades look nearly the same and they only look slightly different once swatched. I also found it weird that the Light shade looked much lighter than the original sample I showed so I'm not sure which shade it actually is, though it appears too yellow for my skin tone regardless. Medium and Medium Deep are practically the same color, with Medium Deep being slightly more orange and Medium being only a tiny bit more neutral though it's clear that all of these shades run warm.

I hope this was helpful!

CVS Haul

There are quite a few good sales at CVS this week, although I've only participated in 1 of the beauty related ones. I'm referring to the buy $20 worth of Salma Hayek Nuance get $10 in Extrabucks back. I would also recommend that you look around for the temporary displays as they have samples which include $2 off coupons for her skincare and cosmetic items. I was able to use 2 of these coupons that brought my out of pocket expenses (after extrabucks) to around $6. These coupons are great either way, as the line is quite expensive.

I also highly recommend to seek out your store's clearance displays. It changes depending on your store. Sometimes they are in the back in bins, sometimes a shelf is selected randomly where items are marked down. Some of the items in today's haul were from these sections (I also found some batteries on clearance but they aren't included in this post).

I love my microfiber hair turban so much that when I found these towels on clearance, I quickly scooped them up. Microfiber is much more gentle on hair than a regular towel and cuts down on frizz for us curly girls. These towels were regularly $5.99 which is pretty cheap anyway but since they were marked down to $1.49 a piece, they were definitely a steal!

In the clearance section, I also found Orly Here Comes Trouble marked down to $1.74 - bargain! Body & Soul blogged about this Pin Up Collection back in April. The opacity of this glitter looks amazing.

And the Salma Hayek stuff I picked up: I bought the Walnut Body Scrub ($~8.50), the Light Camera Action Eye Trio in Pewter/Silver Shimmer (~$8.89) and to put me over the $20 mark the mini size of the Blue Agave Curl Cream ($~3.50). I sincerely hope these impress me more than the other Nuance items I've tried but considering the price I wound up paying, it won't be a huge loss.

Also, the red machine of awesome was spitting out coupons for free Newton Thins cookies, and a $10 off $50 purchase coupon. Between that and the free allergy pills, free tampons and other great deals, CVS is definitely a great place to stock up on essentials this week!

Review: Nuance Salma Hayek Detoxifying Facial Cleansing & Toning Towelettes

The only skincare item that I've tried from the new Nuance line so far are the Nuance Salma Hayek Detoxifying Facial Cleansing & Toning Towelettes. Think they could have come up with a longer name? Anyway, these retail for a slightly high price of $7.99 for 25 pre-moistened wipes. If I remember correctly, I think they were priced slightly higher at my local CVS but I've now misplaced the receipt. The towelettes are also on the small side: They are slightly smaller than some of the other wipes I've used in the past and measure approximately 7.5"x 5.25" (for reference Garnier wipes are ~$6 at 5.9" x 7.8").

I found these did a really good job of removing all of my face makeup but I need a stronger remover for my eye makeup as I wear waterproof mascara (thank you MUFE). They are slightly textured so they pick up a lot yet are soft so they don't irritate. They come in a baggy but with a flip-top plastic cap to keep the moisture in. I did rub it over my eye area after the initial pass with the remover and they didn't burn my sensitive eyes. They smell like laundry detergent which may bother some but it far beats the sickly sweet cucumber scent from the Yes To Cucumber ones for me. I still prefer the cucumber scent from the Epielle and the Garnier one is also pleasant but as long as it's not overpowering, I'm not too picky.

These can obviously found only at CVS stores and online. This was nice to try and I'll finish my pack but I won't likely repurchase (unless there was a particularly good sale - $8 seems ridiculous to me after spending $1 on the Epielle ones for so long).

August Empties

Lately I've been focusing on my crazy stash of items that would live in my shower if I had any room. I am trying to be as successful as Phyrra was during her Project 15 "pan" of body care items. You see, it's even more ridiculous for me because I've found I much prefer soap to body wash. And once I get into a routine, it's hard to switch it up. Either way, I've moved any soap I was dying to try out of my bathroom and moved the shower gels in.

The Body Shop Merry Cranberry Body Smoother - I can not resist The Body Shop during their winter sales and I really should especially when it comes to shower gels. This is supposed to be a body exfoliant, but it's nowhere near the scrubbiness I like (the walnut particles and cranberry seeds were not dense enough to do much good) so I basically used this as a shower gel. It smells absolutely delicious and made me feel as though fall would get here eventually which helps during some of the awful heat we've had this summer. The scent lingers a little after you shower but it doesn't last for long. I love their Cranberry range but I'd be smart to skip this product this holiday season!
H2O Hair Repair Seaweed Masque - This can be used as a masque or as an everyday conditioner; I've used it as both. I found this did a great job of moisturizing my hair and it has a nice ocean-y scent. I picked this up at Tjmaxx and I'm not sure H2O still makes this but as I've mentioned before, the line is seriously overlooked!

Epielle Cucumber Cleansing Tissues - In August I went back to my beloved Epielle Cucumber makeup wipes! I love these and for $1 they can't be beat. The cucumber version is very soothing and doesn't burn my eyes like the regular version. Plus, they smell lovely.
Vichy Pureté Thermale 3-in-1 Calming Cleansing Solution - I reviewed this here. I like this micellar water but I've realized I'm partial to products that aren't as watery. With liquids I feel as though there is more waste. Still, I have another bottle to get through and it's nice and is very gentle on my sensitive skin. I tend not to use this for makeup removal as it's more work than a wipe. I usually use this when I'm feeling especially lazy in the morning to "wash" my face or as a refresher if I'm home. And an update to my prior review, it does not remove waterproof mascara or really any heavy makeup. Let's just say I wouldn't trust this as my main makeup removal method.

So unless you want to count the paltry sample of the Nuance Body Cream which I despised, that's the lot for August. Have you used up anything recently?

Salma Hayek Nuance Beauty - Initial Thoughts

Since the Salma Hayek Nuance line is "Buy 1 get 1 Free" at CVS this week, I thought I would do a few mini-reviews of the products I've tested or swatched thus far so you can get an idea of what to possibly try and what to skip. I'm hoping to try out more from the line myself so there may be future reviews. So far, I have mixed feelings. I think the price point on some of the items is a little high, some of them are a little weird, some are decent quality and probably worth the price - anyway, onward!

The first thing I tried was the Dark Cacao & Coffee Firming Body Cream which retails for $14.99 but I tested one of the free sample packets available. First of all, I think the price of this is a little ridiculous for a drugstore lotion (whether or not the firming claims are valid). Second, I don't know if Ms. Hayek did any kind of test market for this lotion cause it's gross looking. It's a murky brown-gray color which I posted on twitter but won't subject you all too and it just looks disgusting. It is not something I would want to rub all over my body but I did for the blog (for you, I did it for you!) and I survived. It's fairly moisturizing and light when you apply it. The smell is a bit pungent (DH wrinkled his nose when he entered the room) and sticks around for awhile after application. Really, my biggest issue is how the product looks and I will not be buying it!

I also picked up a sample packet of the Flawless Wear Tinted Moisturizer in the shade Light 245. I kind of had an idea that the light shade (the lightest in the range) wouldn't be light enough for my pale skin and from swatching it, it looks like I'm right. This retails for $13.99 and contains your typical 1floz of product which is a bit more comparable to drugstore prices. I didn't get a chance to wear this on my face as it would have looked ridiculous, but if you've tried it, definitely leave your comments below!

 swatch

rubbed in a bit

One of the items I actually purchased was the Ultra Shine Lip Gloss which comes in your standard slanted squeeze tube and retails for $7.49 for about 1/2 oz. This promises "intense hydration" and has a lot of nourishing ingredients. It has a sweet smell and taste and is slightly sticky upon application but becomes a bit less so when it's been on the lips for a moment. I found this gloss similar to the Lancome Juicy Tubes - a bit sticky, gel-like, sheer formula, sweet taste & smell. This is ok, but I prefer more moisturizing & less sticky lip glosses. The shade I bought was Pomegranate which is a nice bright & juicy coraly-peachy-pink.

As you can see, so far I haven't found something in the line I'm in love with but I'm willing to try a few more things before giving up and this is the best week to do so with the sale! Any recommendations for those of you who have tried other items that you loved?

Have you tried anything from the Salma Hayek Nuance Beauty, Skincare & Bodycare range? I bought the cleansing wipes as well (though I haven't tried them yet) and I think I'm going to try the eyeshadow next or maybe a lipstick, or both?