Empties #6

It's been only a month since my last empties post and again I managed to accumulate a double post worth of products. Again this will be in two parts otherwise I might lose your attention somewhere in the middle. As always blue text are links to either original reviews, additional information like prices, ingredients, more pictures and swatches.

 Holika Holika Peach Girl BB Cream SPF 37 PA++

I had the shade number #2 which was a bit too dark for me if I wasn't self-tanning. This is a very rich and thick BB with medium to full coverage that is fantastic on dry skin. If you're the one with parched skin and dry patches, this is great. Applied with a big buffing brush such as E.l.f. Powder brush it makes your skin look flawless. The staying power of this BB is really good, it pretty much lasts all day, in this respect it's bested only by Estee Lauder Maximum Cover in my stash of foundations. It also has a mini beautiful cream coral blush in the lid and a mini mirror. I like light-feeling foundations and I dislike ones that take more than a minute to dry/set like this one, so that was my main complaint. I did like it because of the coverage, staying power and it was great in colder months, but tackiness is a turn off.

Repurchase: Perhaps.

Maybelline Instant Anti-Age the Eraser Eye

I used up both tubes of my absolute favourite concealer for under the eyes. It feels light and looks like skin while still covering enough to hide my under eye redness. Some may not like it because it has more of a medium coverage or they may find it too creamy, but I truly love every bit of it. I even love the sponge because it really cuts down the blending time.

Repurchase: Yes. I already went to Croatia in search of it only to find they don't sell it there any more, so I'll have to resort to eBay. 

L'Occitane Brightening Cleansing Foam

Normally I don't like cleansing foams at all, but this one is seriously good. It feels so soft and it's absolutely lovely to use, however, the floral scent is too strong for my liking. So far this is my preferred choice for a morning cleanser, however, I'd like to find something cheaper and better smelling.

Repurchase: Perhaps.

Balm Balm Frankincense Deep Cleansing Balm

Wonderful product. My skin loves this cleanser. It's gentle and feels rich, it cleanses the skin while leaving it really balanced. The texture is perfect as far as my preferences go, my complaints are that it only comes in a 30 ml version and the frankincense-churchy scent mixed with D&G Light Blue, but scents are subjective and my cousin informed me I was out of my mind and that it smells fine.

Repuchase: I would, but I get more bang for my buck if I buy Balance Me Cleanse and Smooth Face Balm.

Clarins Gentle Exfoliator Brightening Toner

I don't think I can go without it in my skincare. It's a toner with glycolic acid that keeps my skin, mostly forehead, smooth and clear. Even at the "delightful holy women's days" (can you detect the sarcasm?) my skin is pretty much always clear. It feels moisturising despite the high alcohol content due to the glycerine in it. This has become a staple in my skin care routine.

Repurchase: Already did.

Eucerin Aquaporin Active Light

I love this moisturiser, this was my third tube so far. It's light, yet really hydrating, it sinks in fast and it's a great base for makeup. The scent is very gentle, a typical pharmacy cream one. 

Repurchase: Of course.

Nair Cire Divine Monoi de Iles a.k.a Divine Wax

Quite an attractive sight, isn't it? This massive 400 ml pot only lasted me two "sessions". I love the idea of a wax that hardens and you just rip off, but unfortunately this isn't very effective. Ever if I went through the same area several times, it only removed about 1/3 of hair. Also there could be more spatulas included. The scent is a bit weird burnt-plastic-like, but nothing too annoying.

Repurchase: No. I'm wondering if there are better versions or is this as good as it gets?

Part 2 a.k.a. Empties #7 will follow soon.
Have a great day!

Holika Holika Peach Girl BB Cream SPF37 PA++

After being super happy with my Skin79 Pink Label BB cream (which is still going strong, despite being a bit worried that it was running out) I purchased another one. This time I went with Holika Holika Peach Girl for very simple reasons: 1. higher SPF, 2. the cutest little cream blush in the lid, 3. mine was cheaper at the time for 50ml than Skin79 Gold Label (my second choice). 

Again I ordered from a Korean seller on eBay called sing-sing-girl and surprisingly it only took 2 weeks to arrive. I paid 10€ for it. Together with the BB cream I also received a couple of samples. I got the shade #2 which is almost identical to Skin79's Pink Label. #1 is lighter and according to other reviewers fits even the palest of the Snowhites (NC10). It has an SPF37 PA++.

The amount you get is a generous 50ml plus a very pigmented cream blush and a mini mirror in the lid. The packaging is a tube with a label sticker, nothing fancy but works just fine. If I compare it to Skin79 Pink Label, Peach Girl has a lot more coverage, I'd say medium and comparable to the original Healthy Mix. Second layer provides almost full coverage, so it covers dark circles and any darker red spots (I have a couple old blemishes on my chin and the second layer covers them just fine. For bigger spots some additional concealing is needed). As at Skin79 BB cream, Peach Girl is also a bit grey upon application. Now that I self tanning and I'm somewhere between Healthy Mix 52-53 (MAC N20-30), the grey cast is a lot more obvious, however, it adapts to your skin tone within a minute and isn't visible any more. Here are swatches on my untanned arm (so NC 15 or Healthy Mix 51) taken indoors. Bourjois Healthy Mix foundations run more yellow, while both BB creams have more pink undertones. Peachy Girl has a touch of peachy tones in it compared to Skin79's BB. I just happened to have a sample of Flower Perfection, so I added it to show the comparison of shades. But keep in mind that BB creams adapt to your skintone. In my experience Skin79 fits me if I'm NC15 (Bourjois 51) or if I'm self tanning. 

The finish is dewy and it makes your skin very healthy looking. However, if you have oilier skin you might find the dewyness a bit much, so I suggest using a powder over the top. Personally, I love the dewy finish of a foundation so I normally don't use powder (also my skin is a bit more on the drier side). As at Skin79's BB it looks very natural on the skin and you can't really tell you're wearing anything and this despite a higher coverage than Skin79's. It's definitely the most long-lasting BB/foundation I used, it stays put for the entire day and I tested it in the hottest weather of this year with temperatures reaching as high as 36°C. I even went swimming with it, but it didn't really survive that well (not that I was expecting that anyway). 

The blush in the lid is very pigmented and has a nice dewy finish, I don't require the use of highlighter with this one. The shade is a lovely peachy pink that gives a nice flush, probably my favourite colour from my selection of cream blushes. The fact it comes in a lid is even more appealing as it's very convenient and travel friendly. Here is a swatch of the blush and BB cream in direct sunlight. The blush is a touch more pink in RL, my camera just hates taking pictures of coral shades.

Get Peachy Girl if you want a BB that gives more coverage, also the blush is super cute. High SPF is another bonus and the price for the amount is quite reasonable. Overall a lovely product. 

Thanks for reading!