Makeup and Skincare Empties + Review July, August, and September 2017 (Project Use Up All the Samples 2k17)

... Okay, this is a bit insane but I kept three months worth of empties. I was lazy okay (￣□￣) I couldn't fit everything into one photo so I don't have a photo of everything.

I got a helix piercing at the beginning of September because I had wanted one for the longest time. Since I have long hair and the jewellery is tiny, very few people have noticed it.

In this time period, I also went to Kcon and saw EXO perform live! I'm still a bit in denial, it was a dream come trueeeee. I was a bit bummed that my current bias D.O (Do Kyungsoo) didn't end up coming but I saw all the other members! Lay wasn't going to come anyway so I wasn't too disappointed at not seeing him.

I also won a Peripera Airy Ink Velvet lip tint in #4 Beautiful Coral Velvet from the beauty panel at Kcon (*adds more lip products to my collection*). 

BTS keeps on rising. I was slightly disappointed with DNA but it grew on me quickly. I love every song on the album and I have a deep appreciation of the hidden track 'Sea'. 'Mic Drop' and 'Dimple (Illegal)' are my favourite tracks. Of course, being Jimin biased, I love 'Serendipity' as well. Will stop fangirling now and move onto my unbelieveable three months worth of empties.

My friends and I also booked a holiday for next year. I'll be gone for most of February 2018! Super excited.

Samples

Makeup and Skincare Empties + Review May and June 2017 (Project Use Up All the Samples 2k17)

I'm so behind on blogging my empties. Whoops^^;; I've just been plodding along with life, wanting a bit more from work and my relationship(s). 

There's a lot here because I combined two months worth of empties. Let's go!

Benton Papaya D-Sun Cream Review

****This product was provided by Benton for review purposes and does not affect my honest opinion in any shape or form.

It has been cold and raining a lot for the past few days, but that's not an excuse to not wear sunscreen! Even through cloud cover, you will still be exposed to UV light. Of course, you should make it a habit to wear sunscreen everyday if you want to protect your skin from harmful rays and early signs of aging.

An avid user of sunscreen, I was pleased to hear Benton announce their newest addition to their skincare family-- a sunscreen! This is Benton's first sunscreen and is made up of a mixture of physical and chemical agents.

 I've previously reviewed other Benton products on my blog. What I like about Benton is the use of interesting and effective ingredients.  Many of the products are intended to be used 'fresh' and so end up having a shorter shelf life. 

The standout ingredient in this sunscreen is papaya! I do like papaya milkshake... but other than being delicious, papaya contains vitamins to help skin retain moisture and vibrancy. 

Makeup and Skincare Empties + Review April 2017 (Project Use Up All the Samples 2k17)

Lots of full empties this month! I think I'm getting better at using up my stash at the moment-- I think it's mostly just finding the beauty subreddits I like to hang out in 'boring'. I'm mostly on a discussion sub now, and scrolling through the front page.

As I mentioned in my last post, I've been putting more money into clothes... to the extent where I've spent the same amount on clothes this year as what I've spent on all makeup/skincare/hair care all of last year. Whoops. I am so bad and actually need to invest my money properly as a grown up.

The last thing I spent 'big' on in April was tickets to see BTS in Sydney! I knew exactly what I wanted and finished checking out and got my email confirmation at 2.02pm when the Ticketek website started crashing lol. Tickets were released at 2pm so *shrug*

Using my phone to take photos again. It's convenient but the quality isn't as good as my camera. I'm just so put off with using my camera after all those lens issues T^T

Makeup and Skincare Empties + Review February and March 2017 (Project Use Up All the Samples 2k17)

It's been awhile since my last empties post. I didn't think that I had accumulated quite enough empties (...rubbish) for the month of February which is why I decided to combine February and March together. Throughout the two months, I've mainly been enjoying my regular staple items rather than working through samples.

The thing that is worrying me this month is that I am using all the money I could have saved by not purchasing any makeup and skincare (I've been sooooo good about this) into buying clothes. So many clothes. Which I don't really have much of a chance to wear. WHY??? T^T

 

Nature Republic x EXO Natural Butter Lip Balm 01 Cherry (Baekhyun) & 02 Strawberry (Chen) Review

I saw Nature Republic released these lip balms on my birthday in December 2015. I lusted after these for the longest time, but then rationalised that buying the hand creams were better value. A single lip balm is 6000 won, but you get two tubes of hand cream and a photocard for 6600 won. So I decided not to get the lip balms.

Every time I went wandering around in the city, I would go into one of the many shops which sell Korean and Japanese makeup and look at their testers. I kept on swatching these lip balms and convincing myself that they weren't worth it (even though they smell really, really good). I love the Nature Republic Wild Cherry hand cream that got discontinued a year or two ago and kept on thinking maybe, just maybe, I should pick up the Cherry version of this lip balm because the scent was so similar. Baekhyun (who happens to be my bias) is also on the packaging.

Makeup and Skincare Empties + Review January 2017 (Project Use Up All the Samples 2k17)

Since my year of using up samples and documenting product usage went well throughout 2016, I have decided to continue this 'project' throughout 2017. I am really going to try and cut down my spending on makeup and skincare... but unfortunately, I think my spending has now migrated over to clothes (which is even more expensive orz). Better get that pay rise haha >_>

I got a new phone so I tried to take photos with it rather than taking out my camera (urghhh it breaks my heart that the lens isn't working properly). Honestly, I have no idea why my photos come out blurry and I didn't notice it until I looked that these pictures on the computer. Oh well. And I didn't colour correct the photos soz.

Not a strong start to the year in terms of empties, but it might because I spent a lot of time at home by myself over Christmas/New Year (that or I'm starting to run out of samples)!

Makeup and Skincare Empties + Review December 2016 (Project Use Up All the Samples 2k16)

The year 2016 is officially over! I calculated I spent $662 on makeup, skincare, and hair care. This is compared to $550 I spent on makeup (including circle lens), skincare, and hair care in 2015. In 2017, I'd like to save money and spend less on 'fun' purchases in makeup and skincare.

Although the majority of my money is spent on transport and food (~$2000), my main goals this year is to just repurchase skincare necessities and spend less frivolously on makeup. I have enough in my back up box for all of 2017 and probably 2018.

Unfortunately, as I was taking photos of my empties today, I realised my Olympus 14-42mm lens is broken and it wouldn't zoom past 25mm. In my worry, I forgot to take a group photo of everything for the month even though I set it up that way ;( As something extra, I have posted a picture of some items that are not yet finished, but will be thrown away.

Etude House My Little Nut Dear My Enamel Lips-Talk (Christmas 2016) PK004 Review

I'm so excited for Christmas! I received this lipstick from my Black Friday Testerkorea 'mini' haul the day before my birthday. Perfect timing tbh. I'm so glad nothing melted because it was 36 degrees that day.

Lip products are my weakness. I have to admit I was drawn by the packaging of this lipstick. The shade I purchased (PK004 Puzzling Pink) is not a new shade. In fact, it came out in 2015 when the Dear My Enamel Lips range first came out and Joy from Red Velvet was promoting it. This year, the lipstick got repackaged and then repackaged again for Christmas. There are of course, other shades in the Christmas collection that are My Little Nut exclusive but I thought I'd be practical and get a shade I can wear everyday.

Makeup and Skincare Empties + Review October 2016 (Project Use Up All the Samples 2k16)

This month has flown by! I'm not sure how but I think part of it was just constantly being so busy at work, and trying to keep on top of everything and not dropping the ball. I don't think I'm burning out, but I'm starting to lose that bright spark of organisational commitment I felt when I first started. Maybe I'm browning out?

I had a lot of fun with watching the Melbourne Cup with my colleagues. We went out for lunch, and after that, we all got an early mark to go home. Yay.

I'm glad that the festive season is approaching! I love Christmas decorations and the Christmas spirit. I'm not excited about the weather heating up again... I don't miss the 45 degree days. I have to be a bit more protective about changing up the storage for my lipsticks on hot days as I don't want them to melt or go bad in the heat. My MAC Lady Danger lipstick had a rough day yesterday and experienced a little bit of wax bloom.

I think I used up plenty of full products this month:D

Makeup and Skincare Empties + Review September 2016 (Project Use Up All the Samples 2k16)

My laptop decided that my only user profile on Windows 7 is corrupted and locked me out of it. It also decided to delete EVERYTHING except for my Word and Excel files. Those are the most important things I guess... I think I have most of my drawings and most of my photos backed up. Not everything though, especially my pictures of makeup and such. Also, all of my pixiv/dA/Facebook photos. Also ALL of my EXO photos, cosplay reference photos T_T Photoshop, MTT, Paint Tool SAI... all gone.

I think I need to save up for a new laptop rather than spend it on makeup in the future. So sad. Anyway, after this post I'll probably post a cumulative purchase for August, September and first half of October. Let's move onto the empties!

Makeup and Skincare Empties + Review July 2016 (Project Use Up All the Samples 2k16)

I always take my photos right at the end of the month or the first weekend of the month. However, I've been finding that I haven't been able to post on time due to computer problems or just general laziness. No wonder why it feels like I only posted very recently... because I did.

ibuybeauti Etude House Juice Bar review

What no buy? Seriously though, I thought I did a good job because I actively tried NOT to purchase makeup. And I didn't. Much. Everything else was skincare or haircare *hangs head in shame* I did just start a new full time job and received a promotion in the space of 6 weeks so I thought it was okay to treat myself.

I've never purchased an eyeshadow palette before. I wanted my first to be a limited edition as there were so many beautiful collections I didn't buy when I started going on an Etude House binge in 2012. The Etude House Juice Bar was released as a summer Play Color Eyes palette and was sold out everywhere at some point. By the time I realised I wanted it, I had to find it on ebay. I paid 20.55USD (27.83AUD) for it through ibuybeauti's ebay store;u; 

Of course, it is now available everywhere for a bit cheaper than that. The palette itself retails for around 18,000won in Korea.

Nature Republic EXO Hand and Nature Hand Cream Review (D.O Shea Butter and Baekhyun Wild Berry)

EXO is my kpop weakness. Do I need more hand cream? Do I want this hand cream beyond the EXO branding, the packaging, and the photocards? Well...

The answer is no. I still purchased these hand creams anyway.

These Nature Republic Hand and Nature Hand Creams are from the same series as this set of hand creams I reviewed a few years ago. They were repackaged at the end of 2014 and got an EXO makeover at the end of 2015. You can purchase the regular packaging if you do not like the EXO branding.

I drafted this post on the 24th of April, but haven't posted it until the 24th of July. As a result, I have actually used up quite a bit of both hand creams and can give a more accurate representation of my opinions on both these hand creams.

Makeup and Skincare Empties + Review June 2016 (Project Use Up All the Samples 2k16)

I got a bit itchy for new products this month (what is this no buy I put myself on:/) and purchased the Melano CC toner and essence, a Lucky Box, an eyebrow product, and a new cream. In terms of Priceline purchases, I got a face oil and a hydrating toner mist from Swisse.

Makeup and Skincare Empties + Review June 2016 (Project Use Up All the Samples 2k16)

I got a bit itchy for new products this month (what is this no buy I put myself on:/) and purchased the Melano CC toner and essence, a Lucky Box, an eyebrow product, and a new cream. In terms of Priceline purchases, I got a face oil and a hydrating toner mist from Swisse.

Makeup and Skincare Empties + Review May 2016 (Project Use Up All the Samples 2k16)

May was a happy month for me. I went out to Free Comic Book Day and wore a dress I made. A few strangers came up to me to tell me I looked cute:) This month I used up quite a few staple HG products. I find that six months is usually the sweet spot for me, and a few of the full sized products I used up were opened in December.

Makeup and Skincare Empties + Review April 2016 (Project Use Up All the Samples 2k16)

April was a big month for me. I started my second full-time job ever in a field where I can use my degree. I also treated myself to a limited eyeshadow palette I have been eyeing since February. It started getting sold out in various online stores so I decided to grab it off ebay for a few dollars extra before it completely sold out. 

My dad came back from a business trip to Malaysia, Indonesia, and Singapore, then went to Melbourne for a different business trip the week after. A few days he came back he got very sick. Several days after that, my mum caught whatever he had. I was so worried I was going to get it too because my mum kept on coughing everywhere and her doctor told her to not pass it onto my brother and I. Both my parents took sick days off to recover and have since fully recovered.

Cosmetic-Love Mini Haul and Review

Nature Republic released another new EXO collaboration in mid December 2015 (pretty much on my birthdayT_T). I have been getting itchy about getting the lipbalms because it came in a Cherry flavour and it had a cute Baekhyun cartoon on it. Also the 2nd photobook/catalogue. After thinking about it for three months and checking out multiple online retailers, I decided to settle with two sets of the handcreams from Cosmetic-Love.

I like that Cosmetic-Love allows you to change the currency to something other than USD and KWN. I found it very helpful to see how much everything costs in AUD. There is also free shipping worldwide which I find to be a better deal when purchasing bits and pieces. However, I don't find the site particularly easy to navigate and I keep on missing out on the 'prices from' text on the bottom of selected items. 

There was a 10% discount on Nature Republic so I thought it was a fantastic opportunity to pick up some handcreams. I am currently on a self-imposed no-buy and I used this as an opportunity to celebrate my small win of getting some contract work. I consistently work through and use my handcreams so I wasn't worried about hoarding these.

Makeup and skincare empties + review: March 2016 (Project Use Up All the Samples 2k16)

It's already April and I still haven't found a full time job T_T On the plus side, I have gotten a few offers for contract jobs from other people who work in the field whilst twiddling my thumbs and going to interviews.

I also made another decent dent in my sample collection! Looks like everything I used up this month was skincare. Hopefully I'll finish a lip tint in April.