2013 Favorites: Hair, Body, & Tools

Finally, the last installment of my overdue 2013 Favorites featuring haircare, body care, and tools (including brushes). There were a surprisingly large amount of items in this category, and many extremes (i.e. mentions of Bath & Body Works items while also Oribe). I've found myself over the last year really getting into makeup brushes and starting to appreciate the art of a well manufactured brush and that affects it can have on your makeup application. I've even already made a few more brush investments in 2014 that I'm excited to share and review! Let me know what you think of the video in the comments below and I hope you enjoy!

Products Mentioned

Korres Body Butter Guava

Origins Ginger Souffle Whipped Body Cream

Origins Ginger Burst Savory Body Wash

Bath & Body Works Cashmere Glow Shower Gel

Bath & Body Works True Blue Spa Malibu Smooth Body Scrub

Kiehl's Creme de Corps Soy Milk & Honey Body Polish

L'Occitane Almond Delicious Hand Cream

Beauty Blender

Real Techniques Buffing Brush

Real Techniques Expert Face Brush

Real Techniques Contour Brush

Real Techniques Multi Task Brush

Real Techniques Stippling Brush

Real Techniques Deluxe Crease Brush

Sephora Classic Mineral Powder Brush #45

Sephora Pro Flawless Airbrush #56

Sigma F80 Flat Kabuki

Sonia Kashuk Domed Blusher Brush No. 29

Sonia Kashuk Blusher Brush No. 2

MAC 150 Large Powder Brush

MAC 109 Small Contour Brush

Kevyn Aucoin Concealer Brush

Bobbi Brown Ultrafine Eye Liner Brush

MAC 217 Blending Brush

MAC 219 Pencil Brush

MAC 286 Duo Fibre Blending Brush

MAC 239 Eye Shading Brush

Oribe Dry Texturizing Spray

Living Proof Flex Shaping Hairspray

Love,
Claire

Empties: November 2013

The last day of December and I'm posting my November Empties. I've become such a cliche bad blogger. But I promise, I will not apologize. Empty products and mini reviews are fun to read/watch regardless of when and how long it took to finish the product. Moving on, November was a month of finishing large quantities of key hair styling products while also getting rid of a few products that have been needing to move out of my collection. Products to be missed are the Bumble & bumble prep and the Mario Badescu Keratoplast Cleansing Lotion. Be sure to check out the video below to watch my mini reviews on all the products listed.

Products Mentioned:

Dove Go Fresh Body Mist, Rebalance: Plum & Sakura Blossom
Banana Boat Protect & Hydrate Sunscreen Lotion SPF 50*
Bath & Body Works Gentle Foaming Hand Soap "Keep Calm Carve On" (Sweet Cinnamon Pumpkin)*
Julep Facial For Hands Glycolic Hand Scrub*
the Balm En Root Moisturize My Hair Shampoo*
Bumble & bumble Color Minded Conditioner
DevaCurl Styling Cream*
Suave Kids Double Dutch Apple Detangling Spray*
Bumble & bumble Prep*
The Healing Garden Cleansing Body Wash Soothing White Tea
H&M Body Butter Coconut Line (discontinued)
Mario Badescu Keratoplast Cleansing Lotion*
Etre Belle Collagen & Aloe Vera Hydro Mask*
Origins Clear Improvement*
Urban Decay De-Slick Oil-Control Makeup Setting Spray*
Maybeline Dream Lumi Touch Highlighting Concealer Radiant*

Travel/Sample Sizes

Jack Black Industrial Strength Hand Healer
Pureology Hydrate Shampoo*
Pureology Hydrate Conditioner*
L'Oreal EverCreme Intense Nourishing Conditioner*
Number 4 Hair Clarifying Shampoo
St. Ives Ultra Moisturizing Body Wash Oatmeal & Shea Butter
Korres Body Butter Apple Blossom*
Origins Modern Friction*
bareMinerals Prime Time Eyelid Primer*

* = will repurchase

Hope you enjoyed!

Love,
Claire

Empties: January 2012

Another month, another absurd amount of empty products. I really thought that I would slow down at some point, but that is obviously not the case. Anyhow, my addiction to beauty products and makeup and my rate of using them can hopefully help me compare and contrast so many different products. Make sure to check out the video below to hear mini reviews on each of these products. 

Products Mentioned:

REN Clear Calm 3 Replenishing Night Serum*

MAC Wipes*

365 Cotton Rounds*

Petite Phyto Detangling Spray

Herbal Essences Touchably Smooth Hair Mousse

Kiehl's Olive Fruit Oil Nourishing Conditioner*

Korres Face & Body Quick Tan SPF 15

Neutrogena Ultimate Sport Helioplex 

Kiehl's Super Fluid UV Defense SPF 50+*

Aveeno Continuous Protection Face Sunblock SPF 100

MAC Bronzing Powder Golden*

Sample/Travel Sizes:

Willa Nautrals Start Fresh Foaming Facial Cleanser

Glam Glow Exfoliating Tingling & Exfoliating Mud Mask*

Caudalie Vineexpert Firming Serum (x2)*

Bumble & Bumble Spray de Mode*

it's a 10 Miracle Finishing Spray

Ojon Damage Reverse Restorative Conditioner*

Ojon Color Sustain Shampoo*

Oscar Blandi Jasmine Smoothing Conditioner

Fekkai Advanced Salon Technician Color Care Shampoo

Phyto Phytojoba Intense Hydrating Brilliance Shampoo*

Crabtree & Evelyn Avocado Olive & Basil Skin Revitalizing Body Lotion

Pharmacopia Citrus Body Wash*

Cargo 3 Triple Action Mascara*

Lancome Definicils High Definition Mascara

* = I would repurchase

Hope you enjoyed!

Claire

Empties: December 2012

Another month, another empties video. Because of the move and the traveling over the holidays, December was full of finishing sample and travel sizes. I found a few new interesting products and also finished up some old favorites.

In the video I make three mistakes that I would like to mention. The first is the Koh Gen Do Cleansing Water. I say that the size I have finished up is the biggest available, but that is not the case. A very large size is available at sephora.com (which I will soon be picking up). The second, is that the Nivea deodorant that I used up is not available in the US. However, as you can see in the link below, it is available online. I would not however recommend it. Finally, I said that The Enchanter Bath Bomb is limited edition, wrong again (see the link below).

As far as the discontinued Kiehl's scrub, I was able to go around to a few Kiehl's locations and ask if they had any leftover in the back (I was able to get one more backup). I suggest doing that if that is also one of your favorite products. Even with all the addendums to the video, I hope you guys still enjoyed!

Products Mentioned:

Cetaphil Moisterizing Cream*

Korres After Sun Moisterising*

LUSH The Enchanter Bath Bomb*

Korres Wild Rose 24-Hour Moisterizing Brightening Cream*

Keihl's Milk Honey & Almond Scrub*

Boscia Soothing Cleaning Cream

Jane Iredale Pommist Hydration Spray*

Nivea Double Effect 24-Hr Deoderant

Sample/Travel Sizes

Peter Thomas Roth Mega-Rich Shampoo*

Peter Thomas Roth Mega-Rich Conditioner*

Sebastian Color Ignite Multi-Tone Hair Color Protection Shampoo*

Sebastian Color Ignite Multi-Tone Hair Color Protection Conditioner

Tresemme Tres Two HairSpray*

Bumble & Bumble Prep*

Red Flower Arctic Berry Cloud Milk Cream

de-luxe Bain Body Wash Rosemary Mint

Old Post Road Oils Pear Tree Specialty Liquid Soap

Red Flower Active Organic Milk Forest Purifyer

Koh Gen Do Cleaning Spa Water*

Laura Mercier Flawless Skin Face Polish*

Urban Decay De-Slick Oil-Control Makeup Setting Spray*

Juicy Couture Viva la Juicy Eau De Parfum

Stella McCartney L.I.L.Y Eau de Parfum*

Fresh Sugar Lip Treatment*

* = I would repurchase

Thanks for watching/reading!

Love, Claire

Empties: October 2012

I absolutely can't get enough of these posts and videos. Over the month of October I finished quite a few of my favorite products. The big move is exactly 5 weeks away and I'm doing my best to get through the products that are more than halfway done. The truth is that my car will be full of makeup and beauty products regardless, but I try. 

Products Mentioned:

Michael O'Rourke Rock Your Hair Big Hair Rocks Shampoo

Michael O'Rourke Rock Your Hair Big Hair Rocks Conditioner

Nick Chavez Beverly Hills Volumizing Conditioner*

Philosophy Sweet Talk Shampoo, Shower Gel, & Bubble Bath *

H&M Coconut Lime Body Scrub*

Dirt. Luxe Salt Scrub Lemon Leaf

Lush The Hair Doctor Hair Treatment*

Thymes Lemon Geranium Petite Cologne*

Julep Facial For Hands Glycolic Hand Scrub*

Sephora by OPI Nail Colour Quick Dry Spray*

L'Occitane Hand Cream in Shea Butter*

Bath & Body Works Anti-Bacterial Deep Cleansing Hand Soap in White Citrus*

Sensodyne Pronamel Gentle Whitening Toothpaste in Alpine Breeze*

Sonia Kashuk Eye Makeup Remover*

Caudalie Pulpe Vitaminee Anti-Wrinkle Fluid*

MAC Viva Glam Ricky Lip Conditioner*
Face Secrets Cotton Cleansing Pads*
Walgreens Exfoliating Cotton Rounds*

Studio 35 Premium Cotton Rounds*
Simple Cleansing Facial Wipes*
Korres Milk Proteins Cleansing & Makeup Removing Wipes*
Walgreens Epsom Salt*
Lush Rose Queen Bath Bomb*

Samples:

Supersmile Professional Whitening System

Vasanti BrightenUp! Enzymatic Face Rejuvenator
Emu Oil
Nexxus ProMend Conditioner*
Nexxus ProMend Shampoo*
Nexxus ProMend Leave-In Treatment Creme*
Hanae Mori 'Butterfly' Eau de Toilette (3)

Bvlgari 'Omnia Coral' Eau de Toilette*
Elie Saab 'Le Parfum' Eau de Toilette*
DKNY 'pureDKNY'*
MAC Prep & Prime Skin*
MAC Prep & Prime Vibrancy Eye*

* = I would repurchase

Don't forget to check out the accompanying video!

Review: Korres Wild Rose 24-Hr Moisterizing & Brightening Cream

For the last 2 months I have been using this wonderful moisturizer regularly. Not only is the packaging luxe and wonderful, but the product itself has been the perfect solution to the change in climate. When it was still warm out and my skin wasn't as dry, I only used it in the evening. But now that my skin is drier and in desperate need of nourishment, I use it morning and evening. But be warned, it is a heavier moisturizer and I do not recommend it for the oily skin types. 

Korres is a brand that I have not once been disappointed with (I'm not the biggest fan of their guava body scrub scent, but the formula is great). As far as their skincare goes I have used their face wipes and now the moisturizer. I love their pencil eyeliners, lip butters, body butters, body scrubs, and shower gels. This is a brand that I thoroughly enjoy and look forward to trying more products.

Back to the moisturizer, it really only takes the slightest amount to cover my entire face, neck and décolleté  area. I still have a quite a bit left and haven't even hit the bottom after 2 months! The scent is lightly floral but not overpowering at all. 

I tried out this moisturizer via a Sephora sample and fell in love. I eventually saw it discounted on asos.com and finally made the purchase. 

If you have normal to dry, or dry skin and in the market for a new moisturizer I recommend going to Sephora and getting a sample and seeing if the price is worth it for you. 

Hope you enjoyed!

Love, Claire