Beauty Empties NO. 004
WELCOME TO ANOTHER EDITION OF BEAUTY EMPTIES, a series where I, an AVERAGE clean beauty USER, share my unbiased personal opinions (read: I’M AN ENTHUSIAST, not AN expert) on the CLEAN BEAUTY PRODUCTS THAT I’VE RECENTLY USED UP, WHAT I TRULY, HONESTLY, NO HOLDING BACK LOVED (AND DIDN’T) ABOUT EACH OF THEM, AND WHICH ONES HAVE EARNED THEMSELVES A PERMANENT SPOT IN MY BEAUTY CABINET!
Beauty Empties NO. 004
JANUARY LABS RETEXTURIZING NIGHT CREAM C/O //
pros // I honestly feel like January Labs can do no wrong, and this powerhouse of a night cream is no exception to that rule. I always wake up with better looking skin that just looks brighter, fresher, younger and softer. And doesn’t want that? Even better, the cream isn’t at all harsh, rather super gentle and moisturizing, with no added fragrances, making it an especially perfect option for someone, like me, with sensitive skin.
It’s also a great alternative for retinol, whether to use it on alternate nights where you aren’t using some kind of retinoid cream, or in place of one for someone whose skin maybe can’t tolerate retinol. I especially love bringing it with me when I travel as I feel like my skin needs extra help to stay fresh when I’m on the go, but it also gets more sensitive and doesn’t always tolerate retinol as well in other climates.
It’s also been great for helping me with acne as well as uneven skin tone. And I love the pump dispenser a) so the product isn’t as exposed to air and elements, and b) so it’s less messy (Anyone else hate having to dip their fingers into a container of cream and then feeling like half of it gets stuck under my nails instead of actually going on my skin where it needs to be??!).
notes // The texture and smell, while not at all bad, takes a few uses to get familiar with. I would say the texture feels a bit like it’s almost pilling on your skin versus sinking in, as a more traditional cream might do. And the smell is a kind of milky/chalky smell. It also takes skin a few times to get used to it so expect some extra peeling, dryness and/or redness initially. And, last but not least, don’t think of this as you might a traditional thick and moisturizing night cream.
Instead, it’s more of a treatment (an incredible one, at that) that also moisturizes. If you’re looking for something super thick and extra moisturizing, this isn’t it. But if you’re looking for something to alternate with another rich night cream and/or retinol, or a great lactic acid treatment, or a product that is a powerhouse of active ingredients, I couldn’t recommend this one enough!
will I buy it again? // Absolutely!
JANUARY LABS TRIPLE ACTIVE RECLAIMING SERUM C/O //
pros // If you’ve been looking for a clean, gentle, every night retinol, then look no further. This one is, by far, the gentlest retinol I’ve ever used. It’s formulate without fragrance and specifically for people with sensitive skin who may not even be able to normally tolerate retinol, which I can personally vouch for being true. I never need to alternate nights off and it’s never once caused irritation, redness or dryness with my sensitive skin, unlike every other retinol that I’ve used.
notes // If you really want to see some skin magic, combine this with the retexturizing night cream (above) for a real powerhouse duo.
will I buy it again? // For sure!
CAUDALíE LIP CONDITIONER C/O //
pros // Great, super moisturizing, softening and smoothing, nothing fancy, easy to throw in a bag and take on-the-go, easy to apply, no added fragrance, just simple and gets the job done!
notes // While Caudalíe is part of 1% for the planet and is constantly improving their sustainability efforts, and their products can be recycled either in your own recycling bins or through their own program, as of now, this product does come in a plastic tube, which I’m not the biggest fan of.
will I buy it again? // I have no reason not to, however, I’m always trying new lip products, so I wouldn’t say I’m necessarily rushing to the store to re-stock on this particular one.
JOHN MASTERS INTENSIVE DAILY SERUM C/O //
pros // Such a great vitamin c serum that’s clean, reasonably priced, didn’t make my skin breakout (rare for me with a vitamin c serum) and actually made a difference in the tone and texture of my skin!
will I buy it again? // Absolutely!
INSTANATURAL VITAMIN C SERUM //
pros // A super affordable Vitamin C option
notes // Sadly, this made my skin breakout and I couldn’t even finish the bottle, which I’m quite bummed about because I really liked the ingredient list and the price point.
will I buy it again? // Nope, can’t say I will.
DR. STURM HYALURONIC SERUM //
pros // A clean product, has a great texture, feels nice on skin, comes in a glass bottle.
notes // I’m sorry but I’m just going to come out and say it, I don’t understand the hype nor the price point of this product. I truly can’t tell the difference between this and a hyaluronic serum that costs 1/10th of the price. And, of course no shade to anyone who does botox (You do you, boo!), but most women I know who use this serum and have amazing, smooth skin also do botox so I can’t help but think it’s really just the botox making their skin look so young and great and not actually this serum, as they might have you believe. I know Germans don’t mess around when it comes to skincare (My favorite skincare line is, in fact, German!), but I truly just don’t get the hype around this one. And after seeing severally medically trained skincare professionals say that it is not worth the hype, that’s all I need to know.
will I buy it again? // I’m going to probably the only person on the planet to say this but…no, I can’t see myself ever re-buying this product.
OVERT HYDRATOR SERUM C/O //
pros // A great hyaluronic acid that is the same, if not better, than the one I just mentioned, but for a fraction of the price. And from a company that also is giving back and doing good and being super sustainable, too!
will I buy it again? // Yes, I already have re-bought this twice!
PLAYA CONDITIONER C/O //
pros // By far one of the best conditioners I’ve ever tried! So thick, so creamy, so moisturizing. I notice such a difference when I use this and when I don’t, specifically when I blow dry my hair. If I use this, it makes blow drying much easier na faster, and my hair is smoother with less frizz and flyaways versus when I blow dry my hair and don’t use this conditioner.
notes // Especially great for someone with thick, curly, dry and/or damaged hair who battles a lot of frizz and flyaways. However, it might be a bit to heavy for someone with fine and thin hair.
will I buy it again? // I already did (and in the bigger size, too!)
KOSAS CONCEALER //
pros // I absolutely love how brightening this concealer is! Great application, blends easily, very smooth and soft on the skin.
notes // All that being said, I did feel like around the eyes there was some slight creasing/settling (Maybe I’m just getting too old?!), and I found myself needing to re-apply this throughout the day to keep the full coverage going. I was also hoping for a bit more coverage with my dark circles, however I personally felt like this was more brightening than concealing for them, so I often ended up using a thicker concealer (the W3ll People one) to cover them, then this Kosas concealer to brighten the area. Now, to be fair I do have particularly dark circles under my eyes and feel like I need some extra help in the area, but for someone who doesn’t this is a great option. It also makes a great primer for eyeshadows, and it was nice to use in other areas I wanted brightened with some slight concealing, such as around the nose.
will I buy it again? // I’m not totally opposed to it, but I will be trying some other concealers for my under eye area first.
OTHER EMPTIES INCLUDE: CAUDALíE PURIFYING TONER + JANUARY LABS, WHICH, IF YOU’VE READ THIS POST, YOU PROBABLY ALREADY KNOW THAT I’VE MOST DEFINITELY RE-PURCHASED AND STARTED USING NEW BOTTLES OF BOTH (I THINK I’M NOW ON MY 3RD OR 4TH BOTTLE OF EACH).