April- Running on Empty

Hello there dolls.  Welcome to this month's edition of Running on Empty.  Here is what I ran out of this month:

Eight products total- which is pretty good, no?

  

Up & Up Nail Polish Removers:

These babies are cheap and easy to get at any Target store.  I'm not particularly picky on which brand I get of nail polish remover-as long as it does the job.  

Repurchase?  Yes.

Epielle Facial Essence Mask:

I like how moisturizing these masks are, but this month, my skin has been acting out so I only went through one of these.  

Repurchase?  Sure, but I have only seen these at Big Lots so sometimes they are hard to get.

Boots #07 Mattifying Matifiant Make-up Base:

Remember my review here?  So glad that I finally finished this.  And that was with everyday use.  I did find that this works much better with a liquid or a wet foundation on top rather than mineral or a powder alone.  It does also pill if you are too vigorous with application, so be careful.

Repurchase?  No.  I tried it and I've decided that I'm not really a fan.

Revlon Eye Lash Curler:

This baby is old.  Ridiculously old.  I found it while cleaning the other day under my sink.  Out it goes.

Repurchase?  No.  I'm still using my electric lash curler from Avon, which does a much better job at curling my lashes.  

Shiseido Whitening Mask:

I reviewed this product here already, so not saying much about it here.

Repurchase?  Yes.  These are relatively cheap and you really only need to use them once a week.

 Bare Minerals Mineral Veil

This came with my $60 kit that I bought a while ago.  I ended up taking off the sifter top so that I could use it all up.  

Repurchase?  No, I have other powders that I need to use up.

CoverGirl TruBlend Foundation

I bought this at Big Lots last year along with another shade.  I used this all fall and winter long and am finally done with it.  It just offered more coverage than my mineral foundation so I stuck with it in order to use it up.  It is mousse-like and very easy to blend.  I do have to set it with powder though for it to last me throughout the day. 

Repurchase?  No, these are discontinued.  I do plan on using up the other shade that I purchased though.

What have you run out of this month?

Always,

Shiseido Face Mask-Review

Hello dolls.  I wanted to do a thorough review on the Shiseido face mask that you have seen me purchase previously in these photos.  I will be reviewing the white one today.

The package is in a different language, so I actually had to Google the directions for use.  This is a very thick mask that you have to spread on your face with your fingers.  It has the consistency of school glue, but gladly does not smell like it.  

I made the mistake of trying to wash my hands fingers after application, but it is better to wait for it to dry and then just pick it off.  Running my hands under water right away did nothing to dissolve this hot mess.  I had to scrub and scrub and scrub and then I worried about clogging up my sink. lol.

It leaves a refreshing, cooling feeling once on your face.  This mask is to be left on for at least thirty minutes, and then peeled off once dried.  It is important to paint this mask on in an even layer or else you will have some areas that don't dry as quick as other areas.  

Also, it is important to avoid your hairline and upper lip.  (I found this out the hard way.) I was literally ripping out individual strands of hair when it came time to peel the mask off.  Ouch.

Here is what the mask looks like when it is peeled off.  If you're careful you can do it in one piece.  Just discard the mask once peeled off.  It does hurt a bit to peel off, but go slowly and do a bit at a time.  I do have a high threshold for pain though, so it did not bother me as much as it might someone who has more sensitive skin.  I did this while watching t.v. late at night, so I just made sure that I had a garbage can next to me while I picked my face off. lol

This mask left my skin feeling slightly tingly after taking it off-so I would not recommend this to people who have sensitive skin.  This type of mask is advertised as a 'whitening' mask in Asia.  Although I did not buy it for the purpose of 'whitening' I felt it did do a good job of deep cleaning and exfoliating. 

I also found out while Googling images and directions that the black mask is specifically targeted for blackheads and pores.  I will do a review on that one as well, so stay tuned.

Final Thoughts

Pros:

• Affordable @ $1 each mask
• Good for deep cleaning treatment
• Not scented (as far as I could tell)
• Whitening properties

Cons:

• Hard to find (in my area)
• Not recommended for those with extremely sensitive skin
• Rather thick which makes hard for an even application
•   Some may find removal painful 

Repurchase?   Yes, I think that next time I am in MN again, I will get some more of these.  They are quite affordable at just $1 each and they do a good job of giving my skin a good deep cleaning.  I will stock up on these next time.

Love,

Recent Buys

Hey loves.  Here are some recent buys from when I was in MN.

I bought this sunscreen for $6 from a vendor.  Truth be told-it was the packaging that got me.  *sigh*  Hello Kitty!  I die. ^_^  But I like that it does have a higher dosage of SPF.  Great for summer.  I swatched it out on my hand and it leaves a bit of a white cast, but hopefully I can add a drop or two of tinted moisturizer to it to offset that.

I also bought this set of mismatched earrings.  SO cute.  I love the cherries.

I also bought these Shiseido face masks for $1.50 each.  I am giving away one of these masks in my 50 follower give away.  If you haven't checked that out yet, please do so! 

That's all for now.  I am trying to not buy so much this month, especially with Xmas coming up soon.  :)

Love,

Shiseido Ultimate Sun Protection Cream

I have found that I really need the extra protection from the sun now that I am older.  I always layer on sunblock and sunscreen on my arms, back, neck and chest whenever I am outside for long periods of time but I often neglect my face because I do have problematic skin and don't want to clog my pores.  I usually just wear a big floppy hat and sunglasses and make do with that, but if I'm swimming or lounging by the water- that can be cumbersome at times too.   So I really needed a sunscreen that I could use on my face for the summer.

I found this Shiseido sunscreen at TJ Maxx for $19.99.  I chose the higher SPF - SPF 55 so that I could wear it alone in the summer without makeup or with very minimal makeup.  

It is lightly scented but nothing too unpleasant for me.  If you can do without the pefumey smell I would suggest that you try something else.  I swatched it out on my hand and it is very creamy but blends very well without the sticky, tacky feeling.  I also like that it is water resistant- great for when I want to take a dip in the local pools to cool off with my family.

I haven't noticed that it clogs my pores and I don't have a bad reaction to it at all which is very good.  Overall, I am very happy with this purchase and am glad I spent the extra money.  This bottle should last me all summer and more! 


Sunscreened & Protected,
Cherrie