Product Empties (August - November)

Hey y'all! *Effect of watching too much SoothingSista hehe* Happy Thanksgiving and T.G.I.F! This post will feature 13 products that I've used up since August (I am such a hoarder). Read on to find out whether or not any of these products are good enough for a repurchase!

From left to right:

1. Michael Todd True Organics (MTTO) Blue Green Algae Antibacterial Toner

In my opinion, MTTO is one of the best brands out there in the market. With the use of organic ingredients and their firm stand on protecting "the skin for years to come without the use of potentially harmful ingredients so common in many other brands" (from the "Why Organic" tab on their website), what's there not to love about this brand, right? This toner here is one of my favourite toners out of all that I've used in my life. The name itself is quite intriguing with "algae" written on the bottle - I don't think we know of many skincare products that include algae as one of the ingredients! I'm not sure of its effectiveness alone but when combined with other ingredients (organic aloe leaf juice, organic kelp extract, black willow bark extract etc), this toner did play a part in clearing my skin and preventing new blemishes from forming. It does claim to speed the elimination of toxins and promote cellular renewal, which may explain the benefit I've reaped from having used this toner. For someone with blemish-prone skin, I definitely appreciate this! I'm currently using another one of MTTO's toners, which I'll talk about if I have another Product Empties post, but I'll most probably be ordering this again soon (I'm halfway done with my current one). What I really love about their toners is that the first in their ingredients list (which means the ingredient with the highest percentage) is aloe leaf juice - very uncommon as most other toners will have water (aqua) as its first ingredient instead. And of course, aloe vera is much better and more soothing for your skin as compared to water!

Will I repurchase this?
YES.

2. Jorubi Aloe Vera Gel

Aloe vera is seriously a power ingredient. I haven't heard of anyone whose skin reacts negatively from using aloe vera / aloe-vera-based products. I went through a period of breaking out in June so I decided to substitute whatever moisturiser I was using with this. My blemishes did not heal overnight but this undoubtedly helped to speed up the healing process. My skin has unfortunately been acting up again (you'd know if you've read my previous blog post) so I should really be getting my hands on this again ASAP. And honestly, even if your skin isn't like mine, aloe vera gel is a beneficial product to have at home nonetheless. It is such a multi-purpose product; whether you have dry skin, (sun)burnt skin, blemish-prone skin, or even if you're just looking for a basic skin moisturiser, you can count on aloe vera.

Will I repurchase this?
YES. Although, it isn't the cheapest aloe vera gel so if you can afford to wait, do wait for the occasional 20% discount at Watsons.

3. Urban Decay All Nighter Makeup Setting Spray

This is a product my oily skin cannot live without. Until I find a better (and cheaper) alternative, I will continue to have this in my makeup stash forever and ever. I have no idea why this does what it does, but it sets my makeup very nicely and prevents it from melting down or caking up. It has served me extra well recently, ever since I've been skipping my foundation and relying only on concealer and pressed powder; it seriously helps to take away that powdered look! The nozzle spray has also wow-ed many people (me included) because it never fails to disperse super fine sprays that will not cause those annoying droplets on your face (if you have used facial sprays or other brands of makeup-setting sprays, you may know what I mean) that may ruin your makeup. I also have the De-Slick version for days when I know I'll be out for long, and I thoroughly enjoy both versions!

Will I repurchase this?
YES. In fact, I already have a back-up.

4. Rimmel Stay Matte Long Lasting Pressed Powder - Translucent

This isn't completely used up, but that's only because the remaining (as seen in the picture above) has hardened. Before I stopped using foundation, this was my go-to powder; I had used up about 3 or 4 of these and this one right here is the last of the lot. It's not available in Singapore but you can quite easily find a few people who bring these in from the U.S. (try Carousell). I got mine in the shade Translucent 'cause my foundation already matched my skin tone perfectly. I just needed a powder that was able to set my foundation for a good few hours without adding any extra weight or coverage, and this did its job very well. With the affordable price point despite being imported from the U.S., this is a powder worth trying out, especially so if you have oily skin. 

Will I repurchase this?
I actually have a back-up for this too, but I won't be opening it for now. If I start using foundation again though, I definitely will.

5. Naturals by Watsons Anti-Bacterial Hand Sanitiser - Green Tea & Aloe

I always need hand sanitisers with me and Watsons has very affordable ones with pleasant scents. This one with green tea and aloe is definitely my favourite. I also own the Hello Kitty and Dora the Explorer versions that you can get from Watsons as well hahahaha! *hides face*

Will I repurchase this?
YES.

6. Batiste Dry Shampoo - Oriental

A holy-grail product fo' sho'! I was using the one by Lush before, which is effective but oh-so-messy! With this Bastiste one, it works by spraying the product directly onto your scalp, hence making the process a lot neater and more convenient as compared to Lush's! Can I add that this particular scent smells incredible? I'm huge on floral scents so this one really speaks to me! The only downside is that it finishes so quickly; I was done with this bottle in about a month. I've been using the Lush one since forever and I'm only halfway done.

Will I repurchase this?
Still a big fat YES nevertheless! I mentioned on my Instagram before that I do not (or try not to) wash my hair everyday because it's not good for your hair in the long run, so this is a NEED.

7. Biotherm AquaSource SuperSerum

This was a lifesaver for my nose area when I caught a bad flu sometime back and the area became so dry and flaky. It also worked great on any dryness that I had on my face due to my pimple cream(s). This particular one though, has been discontinued and replaced with their current Deep Serum. Because of this, I'm not able to state whether I'd repurchase this one! However, I must say that I'm currently using a sample tube of Clinique Moisture Surge that I got in a Clinique travel pack, and it does remind me a lot of the SuperSerum! I see the same results for both products, which is quite amazing for the Clinique one as it's a moisturiser, whereas the latter is a serum - generally more intensive and moisturising (therefore more expensive) than a moisturiser.

Will I repurchase this?
Since it has been discontinued, I highly recommend you to try the Clinique Moisture Surge if you face the same dryness-from-pimple-cream/medication problem as me! It is probably also catered to oily skin users (like me) since this product is gel-based. If you have dry skin in general, Clinique also has a more intensive version - Moisture Surge Intense (cream-based product).

8. SK-II Facial Treatment Essence

Holy-grail product like no other. It's a pricey product, no doubt, especially when I use this twice daily. But when it helps in closing up my pores, brightening my dull skin and (most importantly) treating my blemishes, I cannot possibly say no to this product! I've used it since I was 17 and I doubt my loyalty will ever falter. It is certainly not described as "miracle water" for nothing. *two thumbs and two toes up* 

Will I repurchase this?
YES, YES, YES. I already have a back-up as well.

9. Simple Rapid Action Spot Zapper

I "talked" about this in a previous Instagram post titled "Pimple Busters" so do check the link out!

Will I repurchase this?
It's honestly not a cheap product if I am to compare it with Clean & Clear's (also featured in my Instagram post) - which I LOVE and am currently using. But if I'm no longer able to get hold of it (I explained why on Instagram), I will repurchase this.

10. Bioré Hydra-Clear Makeup Remover

Sadly, this is another discontinued product which has been replaced by their current Aqua Jelly Makeup Remover - what I'm using at the moment. Oil-based makeup removers are supposedly better because of the "oil removes oil" theory, but I do enjoy these 2 water-based ones by Biore because they do the job for me; they can even remove my waterproof mascara so I don't need to use a separate makeup remover for my eyes.

Will I repurchase this (or rather, their current Aqua Jelly version, since this has been discontinued)?
I do wish to try an oil-based makeup remover next, so although this is a pass for me now, it does not mean that this is a bad product in any way - since I've said that this does the job for me.

11. Yves Saint Laurent (YSL) Touché Éclat - Shade #2 Luminous Ivory

"Meh." This is the word that came to my mind when I looked at the above picture. I really, honestly, truthfully don't get the hype for this one at all. Especially for its price, I expected it to do magic for my skin but, meh. I even thought I was using it wrongly or that I picked the wrong shade but, no...

Will I repurchase this?
No. In fact, there are several dupes, like Topshop and L'Oréal, that have similar textures and finishes so I'd rather be exploring these cheaper alternatives that may probably give very similar results.

12. Michael Todd True Organics (MTTO) Antioxidant Carrot Multivitamin Serum

You know my love for MTTO products already, so I wish I love every single one of their products. This however, is another "meh" product in my Product Empties. While it did not aggravate my skin / cause my skin to breakout / any of the sort, it did not do anything for my skin as well. I just did not see any difference in my skin while or after using this product.

Will I repurchase this?
No.

13. Dior Capture Totale DreamSkin

Oh goodness, this pricey little gem. I was so sad when I finished this because the bottle was still heavy and I remembered being kind of shocked when I realised I could no longer dispense anything out. Plus, the bottle is opaque too so I wasn't able to see how much product I've used - anyone else dislikes this? As for its effectiveness, I wouldn't say it provided any long-term benefit for my skin (I used this both day and night), but I LOVED using it as a primer! It made my pores appear smaller and my skin so, so soft. As for nighttime, the only benefit I noticed was that my nighttime products absorbed into my skin better. 

Will I repurchase this?
Priced at S$150, it is honestly too expensive for me to repurchase when I treat this like a primer. But I truly enjoyed it while it lasted! Maybe if someone gifts this to me *coughs*... I'll be more than willing to use it again :D

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Allow me to do a curtsy as you have officially come to the end of this post! Thank you for taking the time to read my blabbers, but I hope this post has been helpful to you in one way or another. To those to celebrate Thanksgiving, have a blessed and happy one <3

With love,

Jolynn Lim

My Beauty Road

"Don't forget to love yourself."

Follow me on Instagram @mybeautyroad for more beauty updates!