Empties - Peter Thomas Roth Minis

 

Good  morning everyone!

It's a beautiful day! At least where I am and then rain all week next week so I plan on soaking up the sunshine while I can.

A ways back I had some Sephora points to spend so I picked up a set of mini skincare products from Peter Thomas Roth. I really didn't know much about the brand but was curious to find out more about them. I did a review on their Anti Aging cleanser which you can read here.

That was a part of this set as well but I decided to bundle up the rest as one review as I've used them all up now!

Water Drench Hyaluronic Cloud Cream Hydrating Moisturizer: I wish I hated this because the full size runs about $65 CAD. This is one of the most incredibly hydrating moisturizers I've ever used. It feels cool as you rub it into the skin which soaks it up leaving no sticky residue behind. I only wish the sample size had been a tad bigger!

Hungarian Thermal Water: I didn't exactly understand what this product was supposed to be so I read up on it and apparently it's supposed to be a moisturizer? I didn't experience any hydration when using this nor did I notice any differences in my skin at all. It heats up as you rub it into the skin which is an odd sensation that I personally didn't care for. Maybe the sample size was too small to create a noticeable difference? But I can't see myself buying the full size even to test it out some more.

FirmX Peeling Gel: I liked this, the particles were rough enough that I actually felt as though the scrub was removing the dead, dry skin. Once you wash it all off your face is left feeling incredibly smooth. Due to the harshness of this however I would recommend using only 2-3 times a week.

I enjoyed three out of the four products in the set and am interested in seeing what else Peter Thomas Roth has to offer. I've hear great things about their face masks so maybe I'll give those a go next!

What do you recommend from the brand?

♥

Bri

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Overhyped - Biore Pore Strips

 

Hey loves!

Who doesn't struggle with blackheads these days? I know I do. Recently I've read some articles regarding how using pore strips can actually do more damage to your skin than good but this was after I already gave these a go so let's get into it shall we?

At almost a dollar a strip these aren't cheap seeing as you can DIY them for cheaper. I didn't find these to work absolute miracles but they did manage to pull out some of that blackhead gunk leaving my nose not completely blackhead free but much clearer than before. I wouldn't purchase these again but I am interested in giving the DIY version a go as from what I've seen it works extremely well!

Have you tried a DIY pore strip, how did it work?

♥

Bri

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Soap & Glory - Peaches and Clean

Good morning loves!

Anyone who loves makeup knows how bad it can be for our skin. It's a necessity that we clean our faces off every night. I find that most cleansers are far too drying.

Soap and Glory's Peaches and Clean Cleansing Milk is a whole other ball game. It's a large bottle that retails for $18 CAD at Shopper's Drug Mart. It claims to purify, clarify smooth and energise the skin! While I didn't find my skin "energised" it did a fantastic job of melting away makeup. For those who like dark, heavy eye makeup I would recommend using an eye makeup remover first as this alone won't remove it completely. I don't have suffer with sensitive skin so I can't comment on that but for my dry skin I haven't found it to be at all drying, it leaves my face feeling fresh and smooth which is exactly what I'm looking for in my cleansers. The bottle is huge and you only need to use about two pumps so it's going to last you a long time making it a great value for the price. The one negative I do have is the scent, being marketed as peaches I expected a sweet peach scent almost like the Too Faced Sweet Peach Palette but it smells almost like mildly rotten fruit and maybe that's due to the gojuice extract? I'm not sure what it is but it's unpleasant. For how well it's been working thus far though I'll be continuing to use it.

Have you tried Soap and Glory/
 ♥
Bri

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Loreal Hydra Genius

Good morning loves!

It's been a minute and I'm sorry. I've been stuck in a blogging rut and although I've had tons of empties sitting around waiting to be reviewed I just couldn't find the motivation to do so until today!

Time and time again I've mentioned how dry my skin is. It's horrible! Truthfully, I'd love to have oily skin. I'm always hunting down new products that promise non stop moisture. Call in Loreal's Day and Night Hydra Genius face cream. It promises 72 HR hydration!

It's priced at $25 CAD and can be found in most Shopper's Drug Marts. It's packaged in a sturdy glass jar giving it more of a luxurious feel. The cream inside is nice and cooling as you rub it in the skin and as it soaks in it does make the skin feel more plumped with moisture, 72 hours worth though?  No, definitely not.
Overall, a good value for your money, it plumps the skin and although it doesn't last the forecasted 72 hours if use this day and night you will find it helps retain your skin's moisture. I'd buy it again but am still searching for something with more hydration.

What do you use to retain moisture?

♥
Bri

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Peter Thomas Roth - Anti Aging Cleansing Gel

 

Good morning loves.

Before Christmas I was in Sephora and had some points to spend so I grabbed this mini skincare saviors set from Peter Thomas Roth. I'd never tried the brand before and thought it'd be a great idea as there were a variety of different skin care samples. (this was 500 points, for minis....)

I loved just about everything I tried. The cleanser priced at $47 CAD for the full size while good I find to be expensive. It does a fantastic job of wiping your face away at the end of a long day and perks you up with it's citrus smell. It didn't dry out my skin but I've read complaints on other sites that it does dry out the skin so maybe my moisturizer is finally heavy enough to do it's job properly. If you're looking for a luxurious feeling face wash and don't mind shelling out some extra dollars then this is definitely worth trying out but again for me it's just a bit too pricey.

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Neutrogena - Eye Makeup Remover

Hey guys.

I know, it's been awhile but I've been busy trying to create Halloween looks over on my Instagram which I would love if you gave a follow - @briannarue

I wear quite heavy eye makeup on the daily so a lone cleanser just doesn't cut it for me. I need an eye makeup remover to help remove the majority of it before going in with my cleanser. This is an oldie but a goldie. As often as I've seen this across the blogging community this is the first time I've thought to pick it up and give it a go. I'm pleasantly surprised with this, it's extremely affordable and works well at getting that tough gunk off the eyes. I had no issues with it stinging or burning my eyes which I've had with some other so called "eye makeup removers" although I don't suffer with sensitive skin either so I can't speak to that. There's really nothing special about this product but it gets the job done effectively which is really what I was looking for.

What do you use for that pesky eye makeup?

♥

Bri

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Olay - Age Defying Eye Gel

 

Hello loves.

Alright, who isn't looking for a miracle cure for those pesky wrinkles and dark circles on the under eye area?

I've yet to find one and this one from Olay was another dissappointment. I've been using it for just over two weeks and have noticed almost nothing albeit a subtle difference in the way my makeup sits on that area. I'm currently using the Rimmel London Lasting Finish Foundation which is extremely drying and has caused severe creasing on the under eyes. After using this cream my makeup no longer seems to crease as badly into my fine lines but that is the ONLY thing I've noticed this has helped. There was no change in my dark circles or the fine wrinkles that signify the beginning of my aging! If any of you can recommend me an eye cream that won't break the bank, I would really appreciate it!

How do you combat the aging process?

♥

Bri

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Neutrogena Nourishing Naturals Multi Vitamin Moisturizer

 

Hello loves.

I'm here today with an empty product. To be honest this post should have been done when I originally finished this and to say it's been a month or so is an understatement (oops). 

I was totally underwhelmed by this. I didn't expect miracles but I expected something. This didn't deliver any moisture, in fact I found it to be slightly drying on my skin. I don't know why I went into this expecting so much but maybe that could be the cause of why I was so let down when it didn't perform. I do appreciate that it's a cruelty free product but for it supposedly being fragrance free it sure does have a strong aroma to it.

I wouldn't purchase this again. I've never had a great experience with any Neutrogena product. I don't know why but this is one of many products by them I've tested that I haven't enjoyed.

Do you guys like Neutrogena as a brand?

♥

Bri

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Aveeno Absolutely Ageless - Moisturizing Cleanser

 

Hey loves.

Wow, it feels like it's been forever. I got handed yet another job title at my work which now means I do the work of three different people.

So, as you can imagine I've been completely swamped.

I'm always looking for products to bring moisture back to my skin and cleansers have been one of the more difficult ones to find on a drug store skincare budget. I picked up this Aveeno one which out of the hundreds I feel like I've tried has impressed me more than most.

I never believe the 99% claims on any product. Whether it's skin care, cleaner or makeup. Despite that this does a great job at removing all traces of makeup albeit those stubborn tiny bits of eye makeup. I usually double cleanse as to get all my eye makeup off because I go quite heavy with it on the daily. It doesn't dry out my skin excessively but I do go in with a serum and heavy cream moisturizer after every use because my skin is as dry as the desert. So far, out of all the drug store ones I've tried that has been the best but I'm still thinking there's probably something better. The hunt continues.

What's your skincare regimen like?

♥

Bri

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*Le Petit Marseillais

Hello loves!

I'm sorry it's been so long, I've been given yet another hat to wear at work. I now have the workload of three jobs but am only getting paid for one but tomorrow I'm supposed to have a meeting regarding my compensation so wish me luck.

I've been so busy with my home and work life that my little space on the internet has been a tad neglected. Although don't worry darlings I have a lot of posts planned for the near future.

Influenster kindly sent over a sample of the Le Petit Marseillais body wash to try out in exchange for an opinion which is completely my own.

Whenever I think french I think luxury maybe due to brands like Caudalie but this was just an average run of the mill body wash if you ask me. Despite their claims I found nothing about this excited me or made me feel the need to rush out and purchase it. The thing I was most underwhelmed by was the scent as every other citrus scented product I've tried has been extremely overpowering and this was almost too subtle to notice. In all honestly I won't be purchasing this. Im sorry for coming back with such a negative review but there was just no wow factor here.

What's your favourite body wash?

Bri 

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Garnier Moisture Rescue

Good morning loves.

Usually winter means dry skin for most people but for me, dry skin is a year round problem.

I'm constantly trying out different moisturizers and facial oils to bring back some moisture. The only problem, I still haven't found the perfect one.

I picked up the Garnier Moisture Rescue as it was on sale at Shopper's and other moisturizer's I've picked up from Garnier have worked well, albeit not well enough. The packaging is quite nice for how affordable this is. It's housed in a hefty glass jar with a simple white lid, sleek and simple, though not the most sanitary way to package something as you're constantly dipping your fingers into the product. I do prefer pumps.

It's a gel like texture and when applied soaks right into the skin and leaves a nice cooling sensation. Although it's marketed for dry skin I'd say it's too lightweight for actual dry skin. I don't find the moisture long lasting enough for my poor parched skin.  The hunt continues.

Anyone else suffer with dry skin? What do you recommend?

♥

Bri

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PORES BE PURE

 

 Happy hump day everyone!

The middle of the week, only a few more days and we're home free for the weekend. 

Lately, I've been feeling like I needed something extra in my skin care routine.

Introducing the Formula 10.0.6 Pores Be Pure face mask.

I have a love/hate relationship with masks. If I find one I like I'll use it consistently until the products gone and then it'll be another three to four months before I pick up a new one. I haven't found yet that really wows me but the hunt continues.

I'll start with this, if you are sensitive to scents you will hate it. It's strongly scented. Being infused with strawberry extract it smells like, you guessed it berries! I love the scent and how it lingers as the mask drys.

To use, you apply a thin layer on the face & neck and leave it for about 10-15 minutes. I leave it for 15 minutes, then rinse it off with warm water.

Being a clay mask it will dry out your skin. That's easily solved with a moisturizer. For a clay mask I expected it to dry my skin out more harshly than it did. Compared to other clay masks I've used in the past this was minimally drying. It left my face feeling incredibly smooth and has in the most subtle way minimized some of the texture on my skin. Other than that I haven't seen outstanding results but for the price it's great to pick up if you need a pamper night.

What's your favorite mask?

♥

Bri

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Vichy Quencing Mineral Mask

Hello loves.

Winter, the season of dry & dehydrated skin. For me winter only exacerbates my already problematic dry skin. I'm always looking for something to soothe the thirst my skin requires and it's a daunting task.

I actually spotted this mini mask from Vichy on my mom's vanity and noticed she hadn't been using it so naturally I asked her if I could have it.

It's the Quenching Mineral Mask from Vichy which is formulated for dry skin types.

It's unlike any mask I've used before, you pat it into your skin and let it sit for five minutes then you're to massage the excess in. I love the feel of this mask! As you apply it, it soothes & leaves a cooling effect on your skin which lasts as it soaks in. For me, even before the five minutes was up my skin had sucked in all the possible moisture it could obtain. It left me with little to no excess to rub in so I don't think it's quite heavy enough for me during these cold, dreary winter months. When summer comes you can bet I'll be purchasing a full size of this! The gel texture and cooling effect of this mask captured my attention, I definitely want to see what other skincare products Vichy has to offer.

What do you recommend from Vichy?

♥

Bri

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Lancome Creme Radiance Cleanser

 

Hello loves, I hope you all had a wonderful weekend!

I wish I could say I'm one of those girls who lays about on the weekend in her sweats and a makeup free face but that's not the case. I love doing my makeup on the weekend as I work full time in an office. When the weekend rolls along I love to experiment with colors and different ways of doing my eye shadow to really get my creative juices flowing. It's the perfect time to sit down and take my time. If like me you constantly love looking done up you have to make sure you're taking care of your skin which is where the Lancome Creme Radiance cleanser comes into play.

My skin care routine could be better and I'm fully aware of that but for now here's what I do;

First, I use a makeup wipe to remove the majority of my face makeup. After that I go in with cleanser and a separate eye makeup remover (I wear heavy eye makeup on the daily). After all the makeup's been removed I go in with an eye cream (also Lancome) and a moisturizer to keep my skin hydrated. 

The Creme Radiance is a cream to foam cleanser. As you rub it in it begins to foam up on the skin. It lathers well and removes makeup easily although I don't think it works well enough as a sole cleanser. It does not remove mascara well at all and stings the eye area which is why I've taken to using a separate method for my eyes. I've found most cream cleansers really dry my skin out but haven't had any issues with this, just be sure to follow up with some moisturizer!

I don't know if I want to continue using this. I'm going to keep my eyes open for cleansers that are created for helping dry skin as that's what I suffer with most.

What's your favorite cleanser? 

♥

Bri

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Garnier Clearly Brighter Moisturizer

 

 

Hello loves!

I'm always on the hunt for that holy grail moisturizer and unfortunately have yet to find it.

The Garnier Skin Active Clearly Brighter SPF 15 Daily Moisturizer while not a bad product at all fell short in terms of what I needed.    

It has an antioxidant complex of vitamin E & C which is used to help make the skin look more even toned and radiant. 

With winter well on it's way I need a much heavier formula as I found this to be a little lightweight for my parched skin. It worked well during the last of the summer months but again I wish it had a higher SPF. I believe you can buy this same moisturizer with SPF 30 which I just found out while looking at the Garnier website. 

In terms of my skin, I didn't notice a difference in the tone but it did give it a little bit of extra needed hydration. If you are sensitive to scents I would steer clear of this as it is heavily scented. I love the scent it smells like citrus and the smell alone helps to wake you up in the morning!

While not the holy grail I've been searching for I would pick it up again during summer as it was by no means a bad product.

What's your go to moisturizer for Winter?

♥

Bri

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LUSH - Sex Bomb

When I'm having a bad or stressful day I always turn to Lush.

You really can never go wrong with a nice long soak in some bubbles. I live in a tiny rural town with the nearest mall about an hour away so when we headed to the city I headed straight to Lush to stock up on some old favorites and some new products (for another blog post).  

The Sex Bomb Bath Bomb was one of the first products from Lush I'd ever tried and one that has stuck with me as a firm favorite through the years. When dropped in the bath it creates a lovely blend of purple and pink making you feel like a princess as you bathe and releases the faux rose petals inside as it fizzes away leaving a fresh floral scent lingering in the air.

Infused with soy milk, ylang ylang & clary sage oil this leaves your skin silky smooth and moisturized.

What's your favorite Lush product?

♥

Bri

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Garnier Micellar Water

Hello everyone!

It snowed in my tiny little town yesterday and is forecasting snow again this weekend. What happened to spring?

I'm a bit late to the party on this but about two years ago micellar waters blew up the world of beauty & skincare. Bioderma was the first one I saw appear on the scene followed by many other brands with more affordable versions. I'd seen this Garnier one splashed across many blogs and YouTube channels comparing it to the Bioderma one, some even claiming this one was better.

I've not tried the Bioderma one but after giving this one a shot I think I will. This didn't blow my mind by any means. I wouldn't recommend using this alone to remove your makeup but it's a nice added step to give your skin a thorough cleaning. I use this on my eyes first to get the majority of my eye makeup off as it doesn't sting or burn around the eyes like a lot of cleansers do {or at least the one I'm currently using}. Then I go in with my cleanser to make sure all the makeup and dirt has been removed and I follow up with my night moisturizer.

Micellar Waters are an interesting concept and are great for those with sensitive skin. I'm interested in trying different brands to see if there is any major differences.

What do you think of Micellar Waters?

♥

Bri

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Drug Store Haul

 Hello loves!

I have some exciting news to share with you before we get into this drug store haul.

I'm so close to hitting my 25 follower mark on Bloglovin and as you know I wanted to do a giveaway once I reached that goal. 

My question for you guys is what would you like for the giveaway? 

Originally I wanted to do a Huda Beauty Liquid Lipstick but there's been so many new things released since then! 

Leave me a comment below telling me what you would love to see for a giveaway.

I got all the above products (not the charmed aroma candles) for only thirty five dollars! Pretty impressive if I do say so myself. The lipsticks were on sale for $3.99 and the lip liner was only $2.99. Hello steal! The hairspray & blistex were just a couple of things I needed.

I was in desperate need of a new shampoo. I've never used HASK products before but the promise of moisture sucked me in. It says its Paraben and Sulfate free but I read through the ingredients and parabens and sulfates still appear and quite high up in the ingredient list unlike the coconut oil which appears closer to the bottom. Say hello to false advertising. Either way I'm willing to try it and see how it fairs. I'll update you guys once I test it out for a while.

{left to right - 1000 Kisses (lip liner), 220 Dusty Rose, 510 Mayfair Red Lady, 700 Nude Delight & 705 Let's Get Naked}

This lip liner I've seen pop up across many blogs so I have high hopes for it. It's the Rimmel Exaggerate Lip Liner in the shade 1000 Kisses.

I've never used Rimmel lipsticks outside of the Kate Moss Lasting Finish ones which I L O V E.

Usually, I prefer more of a matte finish where as these are more creamy. Looking at the swatch of Nude Delight I'm realizing it may be a bit to light for my skin tone but we will see. These are all from the Rimmel Moisture Renew range and I'm excited to see if these will turn me away from the matte trend I love so much.

Please leave your giveaway suggestions below!

♥

Bri

One more follower till I reach my goal and to doing a giveaway. Please follow me on Bloglovin!

Lancome - Bi-Facial Double Action Eye Makeup Remover

Hello loves!

The lighting gods were completely against me today. No matter how I tried to change it or what angle I took the photo at they all turned out terrible. I mean look at the reflection of the light. So sorry you guys! 

If there's one thing I despise about winter it's the horrendous lighting. You can never get natural light after working 9-5 and unfortunately I don't have the funds to get a professional set up just yet.

I digress.

The Lancome Bi-Facil Double Action eye makeup remover is my holy grail and you'll rarely catch me without it. I would however like to branch out more and try some high end ones as most if not all the other eye makeup remover products I've tried have been drug store.

I always remove my eye makeup first as I find it's the most stubborn to remove especially for someone like me who likes to wear heavy eye makeup daily.

This is a double action oil based remover. To use, gently shake the bottle to mix the contents together then soak a cotton pad and remove. No fuss needed and removes even the toughest water proof mascara/eye liner. It won't remove everything completely which is fine because I've yet to find one that does and I always proceed to wash my face with a cleanser afterwards.

Since this is oil based it will leave your face with a greasy film which is another reason I do this step first.
Then I finish up with a cleanser to remove any left over eye and face makeup as well as dirt.

 My skin isn't sensitive so unfortunately I'm unable to comment on that factor but it doesn't irritate or sting my eyes. I know that should be a given for makeup removers branded for the eye area but you'd be surprised at how many do burn when used around the eyes.

Until I find something better, I'll never be without this.

What do you use to remove your eye makeup?

♥

Bri

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Clean & Clear - Daily Pore Cleanser

Why is it that we always run out of products just days before payday?

As I ran out of my very pricey Estee Lauder Foaming cleanser at the most inconvenient time I headed to my local drug store searching for a cheaper alternative.

The first thing that caught my eye was the Clean & Clear Daily Pore Cleanser ($8.99 CAD). Now, Clean & Clear is a brand that is targeted towards oilier skin types however it was the cheapest cleanser I could find and it said on the back that it wasn't drying. As long as you have a good moisturizer you should be fine no matter what you use. 

I do have dry skin as I've mentioned time and time again on this blog.

In terms of removing makeup this worked extremely well! I wear heavy eye makeup daily and even though I use an eye makeup remover on top of this, you don't really need to with this.

There are micro - exfoliating beads suspended in this but they are so tiny that you don't even feel them making it perfect for daily use.

It was drying which I expected but my moisturizer solved that problem.

It left my face feeling soft by exfoliating away the dead skin cells but overall I wouldn't say it was a miracle worker. My skin doesn't look noticeably different but it worked well to remove the makeup and clean the face. I did notice last night a small blemish on my chin. I don't generally have break outs and this has been the only new product in my routine but this blemish could also be attributed to it being that time of the month, its hard to say. I'll continue my hunt for that perfect cleanser.

What cleanser do you use/recommend?

♥

Bri

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