Empties: Makeup and Skincare

 Hello everyone!
Today's post is going to be an empties post, with mini reviews of the products I've used up.

Makeup Empties

 

L'Oreal True Match Foundation W6 Sun Beige- One of my go-to foundations. It's got a nice medium buildable coverage with a natural finish. My best colour match, and I often mix this in with foundations that are far too cool-toned (pink) for my skin. I tend to use this foundation on days when I don't want a full matte face. This product doesn't break me out or clog my pores. I always repurchase this foundation, and I already have one in backups draw.

Revlon Colorstay Brow Pencil (Soft Black) - This brow pencil has quickly become one of my absolute favourites. The formula is super creamy and pigmented, so a little product goes a long way. With light pressure, you're able to achieve hair like strokes, with increased pressure, you can obtain the perfect Instagram brows. The spoolie on the end combs the product through evenly. I genuinely enjoy using this product, and since repurchasing it, I've been using it every time I do my makeup.

Kleancolor Mellow Gel Eye Pencil (Indigo) - Pigmented, and creamy while it lasted. I was thoroughly enjoying this inexpensive eyeliner until the bottom of the pencil snapped off, and the product just dropped straight out 😞. Not going to repurchase!

Hair and Skin Care

Biore Charcoal Cleanser - Favourite face wash of all time. I've had less blackheads and breakouts since I started using this product. I tend to repurchase this whenever I get low, and recently I had a lot of difficulty finding this cleanser so I switched temporarily to Noxzema Cream Cleanser, which I've been enjoying but I can't wait to return to this cleanser. I may begin to rotate between the Noxzema and Biore as they're both inexpensive, and clean the skin well without over-drying. However, the Biore tends to keep breakouts at bay better than the Noxzema for me.

Simple Protecting Light Moisturizer SPF 15 - Favourite moisturizer of all time. I started using this in 2016, and it's the only moisturizer I continually repurchase. It's light enough to be worn under makeup without breaking down the product, but still incredible moisturizing. My skin tethers between combination to extremely oily, and this just brings balance to my skin. I absolutely love this product.

Neutrogena Triple Moisture Silk Touch Leave In Cream -  I have chemically straightened,and dyed hair, and this leave in kept my hair hydrated and soft to the touch. It has UV shields that help prevent color fading, and lock in the moisture as well. This was my third bottle, and now I cannot find it to repurchase anywhere in Trinidad 😢😢. I have been without this now for 2 months, and my hair gets extremely dried out by the sun without it. I may have to switch to something new, but I don't know what to try. If I find it, I will definitely be stocking up.

QOTD: What is your favourite leave in conditioner or leave in cream? Feel free to leave a comment, because I would love to get your recommendations.

Until next time,stay happy, healthy, and positive.
Bye (^_^)/

Product Empties: Skincare and Makeup

Hello and welcome everyone!

Today is a quick post about products I've used up, or am about to completely finish, and give you a small update on the products, if I've reviewed them before.

Skincare:

1. Simple Smoothing Facial Scrub - This scrub is the purest definition of non-abrasive exfoliant. It is perfect for anyone with sensitive skin, as it does not irritate the skin, nor does it have any fragrance or perfume. However, for my skin, it was far too gentle. I have oily/combination skin, and sometimes my skin needs something with a bit more grit to it. Lately, my skin has been tumultuous and this scrub did not cut it. At the moment, I'm back to using Freeman's Charcoal & Black Sugar Polishing Mask, which I adore. Although this scrub is nice, it isn't a favourite, and sadly this is one Simple product I will not be repurchasing.
   
2. Bio-Oil - I already have a back-up bottle of this stuff. I really love Bio-Oil. It has helped with my hyperpigmentation and uneven skin tone greatly. This product is amazing. 

Makeup:

1. Revlon Brow Fantasy in Dark Brown - I know you're probably looking at the picture and saying that it is not nearly used up, however, the brow gel has begun to dry out, and the pencil is now merely a stub. This is my usual everyday, go-to product, but I do want to try something different for a bit. Would I repurchase? Yes, I would. It is a great two-in-one product to have especially if you're always on the go, and need to do your brows in a pinch.
   
2. Urban Decay Primer Potion (Original) - A fresh tube of UDPP is an amazing experience. Perfectly smooth application, that allows for creaseless eyeshadow wear all day.
   An old tube of UDPP is a wreck. I found that the product itself did not apply well to my eye region, my eyeshadows ended up creasing within a couple of hours of wear. I already have a second un-opened UDPP that was gifted to me by a friend, which I will hold onto, because I've really been enjoying my Milani Eyeshadow Primer. Although the UDPP is great, the Milani Primer does the same job, maybe even better job, and is a fraction of the price. Sorry UDPP, you've been benched!
   
3. L'Oreal Magic Nude Liquid Powder Makeup (328 Sun Beige) - It took so long to finish using this foundation, because a little goes a long way. I love the finish and the weightless feel of this foundation. In recent months, Trinidad's temperature has been hitting some staggering highs, and this foundation never completely broke down. My oils would break through the foundation, but rarely did I ever notice the product disappearing from my face. In the extreme heat, it held its ground. Would I repurchase? Yes, I would but only if the price drops at my local stores. TT$100 really??? L'Oreal True Match and Maybelline Matte and Poreless are both less expensive, and I absolutely love them, and I would quicker repurchase them. 

 See, a super quick and simple post. My internet has been dropping all day, hence the super late post. Nonetheless, thank you all so much for stopping by this crazy place known as J's Mind Palace. I'm J, and I hope you all enjoy your weekend!

Bye guys!
(^_^)/

My Current Skin Care Routine

Hello everyone!

Welcome back to my blog. Today, as promised I bring to you the products that are in my current skin care regime.

Thank you so much for visiting my blog, and let's jump straight in!

Cleanser: Bioré Deep Pore Charcoal Cleanser

I have always been a fan of Bioré face washes and cleansers, so I was really hoping to enjoy using this one also. Verdict: I really like this stuff. It cleans the face without stripping it, so essentially, after washing your face, it doesn't feel tight or uncomfortable. My face feels a lot smoother after using this wash, and looks brighter and more alive. I've recently repurchased this product, because I am almost out, and it cost TT$56 at SuperPharm.

Bioré Deep Pore Charcoal Cleanser *new bottle*

 

Exfoliators: Frutique Papaya Enzyme Exfoliating Gel & Freeman Pink Grapefruit Exfoliating Scrub

Frutique Papaya Enzyme Exfoliating Gel

Frutique is a fairly new brand I've seen in SuperPharm, and I decided, why not give this a shot to see how it works. This exfoliating gel is considered to be a resurfacing gel that detaches dead skin cells and removes impurities. How it works, is you pump product onto your finger tips, massage into the face for 30-60 seconds, until you start to see your dead skin cells "appear in flakes". Those flakes for me a just big balls of gunk, that initially freaked me out! You do get used to it though, and after you rise with warm water (it has to be warm water, or else the flakes and product won't wash off properly), it's like your skin has just been revived. After using this, my skin looks brighter, my skin feels softer, and appears more even in terms of my skin tone. I really like this stuff, but if I do recall correctly, it is bit pricey between TT$75-TT$120, but to me it was worth it. Since purchasing, I actually had a week when I chose not to use this product, and my skin was not happy. I didn't realise that my skin needed something like this to truly remove dead skin and impurities.

N.B. It is recommended that you use this product twice a week, and I only use it at night!

Frutique Papay Enzyme Exfoliating Gel

Freeman Pink Grapefruit Exfoliating Scrub

This scrub is on the gentler end of exfoliating scrubs, it's not abrasive, it does not contain microbeads, and it smells heavenly.   

I probably use this once or twice a week, depending on whether I've been wearing more makeup than I normally do, but I don't use it on the same day as my Frutique Exfoliating Gel. It does the same job as the St. Ives Apricot Scrub, but with a better scent and price (roughly TT$30), and not to mention it is very gentle on the skin, I would highly recommend this for sensitive skin guys and girls out there! 

Freeman Pink Grapefruit Exfoliating Scrub

Toner: Witch Hazel

Serum: L'Oreal Youth Code Dark Spot Corrector Serum

I enjoy changing my skin care products every 3-4 months, so it is rare that I have one product that sticks around for an extended period of time. This product has been in my regime for approximately 2 years, maybe more, and I genuinely love it! It has been in past empties posts I've done, but this stuff just works for my skin and for getting rid of hyperpigmentation. It does cost TT$180, but it works!

L'Oreal Youth Code Dark Spot Corrector Serum

Day Cream: L'Oreal Youth Code Dark Spot Corrector Day Cream with SPF 30.
 I figured if I love the serum, why not give the day cream a try. So far it's been working pretty well. It isn't super greasy, or too heavy for my skin, but it is a thick consistency creamy, so you only need to use a small amount to cover the surface of the face. I don't have any major complaints, but I am not 100% sure if I absolutely love it.

L'Oreal Youth Code Day Cream

Night Cream: Garnier Ultra Lift Miracle Sleeping Cream
Now I honestly don't think miracle is the correct word to describe this. This cream is marketed as an anti-age and anti-fatigue night cream, and claims that after the first use, the first morning, 93% of users said skin felt smoother & hydrated, while 77% said their skin looked well rested.
Well, after my first use I woke up with oily skin, but it did look brighter. After continued use, I still found that my skin would look bright, but not feel hydrated, it just looked oily.
The consistency of this product is very weird, it feels like pizza dough, and even smells that way also. It hasn't broken me out so I'll use it until I finish it but I don't see it becoming a necessity...and yes I know this is targeted towards older adults, but hey it's never too early for a near 24 year old to start thinking about anti-aging products.

Garnier Ultra Lift Miracle Sleeping Cream

Optional: Garnier Moisture Rescue Refreshing Gel Cream & Bio- Oil
These two products I rotate in and out of my routine, as moisturising options after having used my Frutique Exfoliating Gel. They both absorb into the skin quickly, and leave the skin feeling hydrated. The Bio-Oil has the added benefits of evening skin tone, reducing the appearance of scars. The Bio-Oil is roughly priced around TT$99, while the Garnier price, I cannot recall.

Bio-Oil and Garnier Moisture Rescue Gel Cream

This is my current skin care routine, and it will definitely be changing towards the end of the 2015, but I do hope you enjoyed. As always, thank you so much for taking time out of your day to visit J's Mind Palace, and I hope you will stop by again very soon. I won't be doing a dedicated favourites post this month, because I haven't really bought much new products that I haven't already spoken about, but I may post something over on my Instagram (@ladyjpsych).

Thanks again for dropping by, stay happy, healthy and positive, and I shall see you next Friday!
Bye (^_^)/

What's Up #7 - Chit Chat & Thank You :D

Hello lovelies,
Today, I'm doing a short chatty blog post mostly due to the fact that I tweaked my right wrist, so I can't hold my camera and I can barely manage to hold any of my makeup brushes.
Also, let this be a reminder to be very careful when exercising, especially when integrating a new exercise move into your regime.

It's been a super quiet week for me, I've been feeling down in the dumps as of late, and I've had no interest in doing anything but exercising. To be honest, exercising is just a temporary fix for my mood lately but I know myself well enough to know I should be back to some degree of normalcy by next week. Then again, what is normal? Normalcy is relative...and why am I turning this into one of my old psychology classes, I don't know.

Football this week (for me at least) = (T_T) </3 *sighs* Bayern you broke my heart!....
Liverpool, actually getting back into the winning form (I hope), after getting slaughtered by Arsenal *shudders*...dark times for us. YNWA!

Blog Stuff
Ohhh, I've been testing out a new moisturiser lately, well new to me, not new to the market, and I am planning to do either a full post here or a quickie review on my Instagram. I've been changing up my skincare products lately, because I've been hormonal as heck and my hormones and my skin don't get along nicely at all...(damn you PCOS!) I'm currently dealing with random breakouts/scarring and dark spots (post-breakout) + my pores are opened and so visible it's driving me nuts. What made it better, was none of my old faithful products seem to be helping, so I'm back to using a full Bioré cleansing routine and switching between regular moisturiser and oil, to keep my skin moisturised.

Winged Liner Tutorial - I'm still on the fence on whether or not to make one. There are soo many pictorials and video tutorials out there, that I feel as though mine would get lost in the masses, also I'm not a makeup artist, I'm not qualified to teach these things. My internal debate is still ongoing, but I will let you know if one will be made or not.

I've recently decided, to move all hauls strictly to my Instagram (@ladyjpsych). It's easier and most effective for hauls to just do them via instagram and then do a review on the products on here on the main blog. (See, I can make decisions! I've no idea who I'm trying to fool here.)

Thank You <3
A massive thank you to everyone who reads my blog post/visits my blog, close to 500 views, which to me is pretty crazy. I started my blog as a place to just post my babble, and to know that there are people out there who read and I would like to hope enjoy my babbling, it really means a lot to me! \(^w^)/ *Internet hugs all round*

I think I've babbled and rambled on for quite a bit now, so I will end things here for this week. Stay tuned though, next week I'm planning to post all about my go-to brushes (they're all inexpensive and cruelty-free!). Until then, stay happy, healthy and positive (I know I'm trying to!) and I shall see you all soon.
Bye-Bye (^_^)/

August Favourites

It's the end of August and I was just bombarded by the fact that 10 years ago today, at the age of 12, I started Secondary School........I feel so old!!!!!! (-____-'')......
Alright, I need to stop feeling sorry for myself and get onto my favourite products from last month.

Skin Care:

• Garnier Nutritioniste Moisture Rescue Refreshing Gel-Cream - I'm pleasantly surprised by this product. It's my first time using a gel moisturiser and I must say I love that it doesn't make me look exceedingly shiny. My face doesn't feel oily at all, it feels hydrated and soft. A big yes to this product especially if you are an oilier individual and if you have drier skin, I do believe Garnier makes a formula specific for dry skin.

• L'Oreal Youth Code Serum - I mentioned this in my skincare empties a while back and nothing has changed, I still absolutely love this product and will continue to repurchase it. It truly fades dark spots and dark marks, it leaves the skin looking luminous and it's just a great product. Highly recommend! 

Makeup:

•   Avon UltraGlazewear lip glosses - I hauled these a while back and these two glosses have rekindled my love of lip glosses. For the past 2 years I gave up on lip glosses because I could not stand the sticky and gunky feeling of some of the glosses I owned, so I went exclusively to lipsticks. However, these bad boys have converted me. The shades I own are rich Raspberry (left) and Palm Beach Pink (right). The colours are beautifully pigmented, slightly tacky but not sticky, and they wear beautifully. They've been living in my handbag ever since I bought them and I really do want to get more of these glosses. Avon keep up the awesome work with the makeup products, I love'em!

• Avon AeroVolume Mascara - This mascara I've been using for just over a month now and I do like it, however it's not the best mascara I've ever used but it's good. It thickens the lashes and adds a decent amount of volume. It's not the outrageous volume you would expect from something named AeroVolume, but it's more volume than a natural lash look but it's not super dramatic.

• Real Techniques brushes - I've been lusting over these brushes for so long and now that I finally own them, I can see why so many people love them. They are AH-MAZE-BALLS!! Super soft and plush, the Expert Face brush blends and buffs foundation like a dream. However, it's the Fine Liner brush that takes my heart. It tales the work out of applying gel liner. It picks up just enough product for a full application to the eye, without the need for constantly dipping the brush back into the product and  it makes doing winged liner so much easier. I will not be surprised if my brush collection slowly starts developing into a Real Techniques shrine.

Videogames:

•  Sims 3 - I've recently started back playing the Sims 3 and I forgot how easy it was to just get sucked into that game for hours on end. The Sims 4 will be released later this month and I know that I need to buy it....goodbye non-existent social life!

• Pokémon Y - I'm going to become a Pokémon master no matter how long it takes me! I've been breeding and trading Pokémon in a desperate attempt to complete the Pokédex before the release of Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire, hopefully I can get it done in time *fingers crossed*

 I've been pretty slow on finishing a couple of books I've been reading. I need to finish The Hobbit, The Percy Jackson Series as well as Philip Zimbardo's Lucifer Effect (because Psychology lol). Doctor Who is the only thing I watch on television lately and I must say I'm loving Capaldi.

Anywhosers, that's it for this post, hope you all enjoyed. Feel free to tell me some of your faves in a comment and until next time, stay happy, healthy and positive and I'll see you soon.
P.S SNS links are on the side if you want to chat with me or follow me
Bye (^____^/)

Skincare Empties: Likes, Dislikes and Everything in Between

I promised that I would have two post up this week and I'm a girl who keeps my promises.

Today, I'm going to share with you my most recent skincare products that I've used up and whether I love them enough to repurchase them or if they fail miserably and were a waste of money.

Products: 

1. Freeman's Clay Mask Mint and Lemon - Love it! Leaves my face feeling refreshed and clean, definitely will repurchase.
   
   
2. Freemon's Facial Polishing Mask Charcoal and Black Sugar - Love it! I did a blog post about this mask, and I can't stop praising it. It helped to reduce the number of blackheads I had. Highly recommend this mask for anyone with oily skin or prone to blackheads.
   
   
3. Simple Kind to Skin Soothing Facial Toner - Eh....it's okay but it's definitely not my favourite. My favourite toner/astringent is the Bioré Blemish Treating Astringent. If you have super sensitive skin or dry/normal skin the Simple Toner would be great for you but for me it just didn't make a difference. Will not be repurchasing.
   
   
4. Simple Kind To Skin Hydrating Light Moisturizer - I do like this and I've already repurchased this product. It's lightweight as the name implies and very moisturizing. My only problem is that my skin tends to get oily when I used coming down to the end of the bottle. That never happened in the beginning, so I'm quite perplexed as to why it happened. Nonetheless, it's a great moisturizer that is not super heavy, so I don't mind busting out the blotting sheets once in a while.
   
   
5. L'Oreal Youth Code Serum Corrector - I'm officially on my fourth one of these, so if that isn't love I don't know what is! It leaves my face feeling baby soft and luminous (not oily). It makes my skin looks as though it's naturally glowing and it has reduced my hyperpigmentation dramatically. I love it! I love it! I love it!
   
   
6. Simple Kind To Skin Vital Vitamin Night Cream - I have a love/hate relationship with this guy, one night I absolutely love it because it's very moisturising and it makes your face feel plump and nourished (good!)  but the next night it just feels heavy and greasy and my face looks and feels oily (bad!!). I'm currently trying out the Garnier  Nutritioniste Moisture Rescue Refreshing Gel-Cream as an alternative to this Simple Night Cream and I'm liking it so much more, so I won't be repurchasing the Simple Night Cream.
   
   
7. Olay Age Defying Eye Gel (not pictured) - Hate it! I had to be upfront about this, I cannot stand this eye gel. It does absolutely nothing. It made my eye area oilier than it usually is, my dark under eye areas looked as though they got darker and I just...I don't like it one bit! Will not repurchase this at all!

Now, I really don't want to end this post negatively, so I'll mention my favourite face wash and scrub which I keep in stock because I love them. My favourite face wash is the St. Ives Blemish Control Green Tea Gel Cleanser and my favourite facial scrub is the St. Ives Blemish Control Apricot Scrub. Both contain salicylic acid, are oil-free  and both absolutely amazing.

We've reached the end of today's post, but I will be back next week with a new post and it will be Avon related. I'm super excited to get working on that Avon post and it isn't a haul, I've been trying to behave myself and not shop for makeup as much as I usually do. So until then have a great weekend, a great week, stay happy, stay positive and I will see you soon.

Bye-Bye :)

First Product Review!! Freeman's Mask

This bad boy has honestly become a favourite in only a few weeks. I absolutely love this stuff! 

The Charcoal and Black Sugar Facial Polishing Mask, is an Allure Magazine Best of Beauty Award 2013 Winner. 

According to bth the website and the packaging, "this mask and scrub works double time to detox skin. Firstly, naturally purifying Activated Charcoal helps absorb oil and impurities without over drying. Then Black Sugar helps exfoliate away dulling skin cells for softness and clarity. Perfect for all skin types." 

I have incredibly oily, sometimes incredibly sensitive skin and it doesn't help that I live in a hot and humid climate (yay Carribean girl life!) so I need to exfoliate often to prevent over-production of oil and to remove excess sebum. This mask does this and it does it so well. It's bumped my usual St. Ives Apricot Scrub from my skincare routine. It's that amazing!!! 

It looks very odd and you will scare people when you apply it to your face.

The mask as soon as it makes contact with my skin produces a warming sensation, it is by far one of the strangest things I've ever experienced. 

Now I've seen reviews where people complain about the mask burning them but I've personally never experienced that, so please be careful, just because it worked well for me doesn't mean it'll be the same for everyone else. 

After one use, my skin felt baby soft and look brighter. 

After using it for a few weeks, I've noticed the number of blackheads I had was reduced, my skin is clearer and brighter! 

I absolutely love this stuff and it's definitely a product I will repurchase! 

So tell me what's your favourite face mask is, I would love to know :) 

Until next time, stay positive and happy!