ElectroCat

This is my January lot of empties with couple of products that I threw away without finishing. 1. Tan Organic self-tan (binned) :( This tinted liquid absorbed well but have next to no colour. Plus the tint rubbed off everywhere. I felt like using it was a waste of time.   2. Perricone MD No Foundation Foundation :) I did a review of this foundation  here . It was a nice product but was more like a BB cream rather than foundation with very little coverage. 3. Vichy Normaderm Moisturiser (binned) :( I like the Night Detox version but this one was way too high in alcohol and it irritated my skin.   4. Pure Precious Bath :) Nice and moisturising shampoo but I really wish the scent was a bit more exciting.   5. Senka Perfect Whip Face Wash :) A face wash that I've picked up in Japan. It is very affordable yet removed make-up and impurities well without stripping skin too much. Would definitely buy again.   6. Bobbi Brown Longwear We...

 One day I was browsing Mecca and decided that I wanted a light foundation that would feel next to nothing on my skin. I was recommended some sort of BB cream from Urban Decay but it smelled bad so it was an instant no from me. Then I was on the fence about other few other products until I was shown Perricone MD No Foundation Foundation. The shade selection was super limited but given how light it was it blended well. I loved the citrus scent so I took it to the counter. I had some vouchers to use otherwise I would hesitate to fork out $88. The product was nicely packaged and came with the pump and a screw top cap. It is described as foundation, formulated with alpha lipoic acid and vitamin C ester, works to reduce the look of wrinkles and pores, correct undertones and protect with a mineral based SPF 30. The skin is left looking beautifully youthful, dewy and glowing. Sounds like a BB-cream to me! It had a yogurt-like consistency and it ...

Somehow the second half of 2018 escaped me at a speed of light and I just realized that I haven't posted any "empties" reports for good 6 months. however I have been diligently collecting my empties for a group photo... I am not going to bore you with huge description of each item, just a quick summary to say what I think. 1. Dessert Essence Raspberry Conditioner - smelled like stale dried cranberries and made my hair very heavy and oily. Pass. 2. Jergens Natural Glow Gradual Tan - not a bad product, took a while to build-up nice colour and felt a bit heavy. 50/50. 3. Yves Rocher Apricot Scrub - I got it because of apricot jam smell but as a scrub it wasn't that great. Pass. 4. Kloraine Tinted Dry Shampoo - my favorite brand of dry shampoo however i prefer the clear version. 5. Clinique Take the Day off Cleansing Balm - got it because of hype (and free GWP), it wasn't as good as some of the cleansing oils and gels I've tried plus it felt a bit ...

Boom and another month is gone! Another nine items are done and dusted. Here is what I finished in May. 1. Sephora Bi-phase Make-up Remover My overall impression - very similar to lots of other bi-phase make-up removers out there and to be honest they seems to be phasing out (pun intended). Would I buy it again? No. They don't work well in my opinion as I always seem to have traces of mascara left behind plus I always end up with a weird fild on my face that I need to wash off. 2. Lush Candy Cane Roulade My overall impression - It came as a part of Christmas gift pack and had super strong smell but when I was using it it filled the shower with the most gorgeous sweet mint scent almost identical to candy cane. It also felt very creamy but unfortunately went a bit soggy. Would I buy it again? Not sure, loved the scent but wasn't a fan of sogginess. 3. Kerastase Christaliste Shampoo My overall impression - I fell in love with this shampoo as it seemed to be...

April was very fruitful when it came to empties and as a result my drawers are looking a lot better. 1. Wella Hydrate Mask My overall impression - I was recommended this hair mask few years ago when my hair was long, blonde, brittle and dry. I needed a non-bias advice so I went to the shop that had many professional brands. It saw instant results and haven't looked back. It infuses my hair with a lot of needed moisture yet it doesn't weight it down (fine and straight). Would I buy it again? - Yes, this is my 4th or 5th jar. 2. Petitfee Gold Hydrogel Eye Patches   My overall impression - This was my first lot of Korean gel eye patches and I really liked them. I saw good reviews on iHerb and was sold. It fits under my under eye area perfectly and feels very nice and soothing. You do have to use them up withing three months otherwise the serum they are infused with is going to dry out. Would I buy them again? - Yes, they didn't cost much but moisturis...

It has been a while since my last blog post. So finally I got motivation to sit down and write a post about my recent empties and share my thoughts about them. This year I have also made a decision to minimize my possessions and use up the make-up and skincare products I already have. It also means that I have decided not to buy any more for a whole year to see what happens. I might do a separate post about it. First quarter of the year in and my stash is already starting to look more manageable. This is what I have emptied in march. 1. Alfaparf Semi Di Lino Conditioner My overall impression - I got this conditioner when I dyed my hair red to help with colour maintenance. It had light texture yet left my hair moisturised. The scent was nice too - very clean and subtle. Would I buy it again? - Yes, it was a good-quality professional product and did what it supposed to. I would have to hunt it down in special though as it can retail for quite a lot. 2. Anastasia Beverly H...

I was recommended iHerb probably four years ago by a good friend who was regularly using it to get protein bars and other supplements. It is a US based web site that ships almost everywhere and unlike a lot of overseas retailers it charges very little for shipping. Ever since it has been by go to place for Method cleaning products (they make the best dish washing liquids and hand soaps) and teas. Not long ago they have introduced a lot of Korean skincare brands as well as Real Techniques brushes that cost a lot less than they do over here. Recently they had a nice sale so I couldn’t resist trying few K-Beauty items. Most of these were blind buys but they didn't disappoint! This is what I ended up with... 1. Petitfee Gold Hydrogel Eye Patch...$12.50 I was imagining soft moist sheets that you apply under your eyes in style of sheet masks. Instead I was pleasantly surprised to find that they were fine silicone sheets with very pretty golden shimmer. You get 60 patches...

Every now and then I get emails from DFO notifying me of their latest shopping event. That's when majority of shops offer extra discounts to entice customers to shop big at the centre. I was after few thing and given that this weekend is a long weekend I have decided to spend my Saturday morning there.  This is what I walked out with (in order of shops I went to)... 1. Fossil Sydney Crossbody Bag...RRP$199, paid $79.60 (60% off promo)  I am usually not a huge fan of Fossil bags as they are not my style but this little crossbody bag was exactly what I was looking for. It is made from quality grainy leather, has two decently sized zip up compartments plus a side pocket, features a minimalistic design and black will go with everything. 2. MIMCO Kerfuffle Booties...RRP$229, paid $59.50 (50% off reduced price) Whenever I go to Mimco outlet I always head to their "last sizes" section as they often have some nice shoes left in my size at 50% off reduced price. Th...

It just dawned on me that I haven't done empties in a long, long time and in fact I have finished a lot of products in the last few months. So it time I will do them by category. These what have been emptied in my make-up stash...   1. Gurlain Noir G Mascara mini   My overall impression - Look at that stunning packaging! My mini version came in a plain tube but the actual product was very good. Probably not as good as some other mascaras out there but it still gave me long and well-coated lashes. Would I buy it again? While I did like the formula I don't think i could justify splurging $66 on a mascara even though it comes in the most beautiful case. 2. Buxom Lash Mascara mini   My overall impression - Wow that brush is huge and stiff! It felt very scratchy against the gentle skin of eyelids but coated lashes well and gave them separation. Would I buy it again? Nope, don't like the applicator. 3. Clarins Instant Light Lip Gloss mini   M...

About a month before I got this parcel I've received an email saying they will no longer have that service. I felt a bit sad because I like the frequency of the parcels and the content was good too. I suppose if it didn't make them much money it was time to pull the plug. So this is what I got in my last parcel...   1. QV Hand cream...value $6 Gentle, simple and unscented hand cream that does a good job at relieving dry hands. I don't think its easy to find unscented hand cream these days so its a perfect option for those who don't like everything smelling like roses etc. It also absorbed really fast so I would definitely put it in my work drawer. 2. Revlon Uniq One Hair Treatment...value $29.95 I haven't seen this product before, maybe because on the box it says its a salon-only product. It is a leave-in treatment that supposed to repair hair, add shine, volume, make styling easier, act as a heat protector and make hair smoother. I like products that sav...

After few hiccups with the last couple of parcels this one was delivered on time and without any issues. I got it the day before I was heading to Japan (Japanese beauty products blog coming up) hence why it took me few week to write the review for it. Overall I must say I was very happy with that I have received in this parcel and will surely use every single product in this parcel. 1. Palmer's Cocoa Butter Night Cream...value $3.50 This cream is very moisturizing yet my skin soaked it up fairly quickly. It is packed with natural oils but I am a bit hesitant to use it on my face due to me being prone to breakouts. I might moisturise my chest and neck with it instead. 2. Estee Lauder Bronze Goddess Skin Scent...value $2.85 I love Estee Lauder summer fragrance range. They been bringing out Bronze Goddess every year in slightly different packaging but the scent remained unchanged. You get a gorgeous but light tiare flower on the background of citrus and coconut. It instantly...

To cut the long story short my tonsils needed to come out ever since I was a child and I never grew out of having constant issues with them. So in my late 20's I saw two ENT specialists and decided to go on a public hospital waiting list as the issue wasn't too pressing. After three years I got the letter and a phone call and my surgery was booked three weeks later. That gave me enough time to arrange some time off work (I was told to have two weeks but I was back on day 12) and also prepare for the surgery. A both ENTs informed me that there will be quite a bit of pain so I have decided to read some stories on the internet. In retrospect I don't think it was a great idea as most of the stories were of people complaining and describing it as the most agonizing experience and wished they never had it done. Let me tell you it wasn't too bad. Day 1. My surgery was scheduled for 12 but got moved to 2 and hospital sent me an SMS so I would get there a bit later. After...

I love my perfumes and I have quite a collection of them. Last year I've managed to acquire 12 new ones not counting hair mists from Byredo that I absolutely love and rotate in my handbag plus couple of minis. I don't have a particular preference however I can't seem to wear heavy, overly sweet and potent scents. I do rotate them seasonally too. I go for citruses in summer, musky and woody scents in winter and florals in spring and autumn. This is what I got my hand on this year: 1. Guerlain Idylle Eau Sublime This version of Idylle has a lush rose and jasmine in the center, sweetened by lychee and peach and softened by musk. Guerlain knows how to make a good perfume! I imagine a huge spring garden in the evening, when the scent of flowers intensifies in the air. 2. Marc Jacobs Daisy I must admit that it took me a long time to appreciate this fragrance. I think for a while I could smell it on every second girl and it delayed me purchasing it. I managed to pic...

Today I got up nice and early so I could beat the mad rush and get to the boxing sales early. I wasn't brave enough to go to my local shopping centre as the parking over there would be nearly impossible to find so Brisbane CBD seemed like a better idea. I scored a parking spot only 10 minute walk to the shopping precinct and arrived to the shops at 9 20 am. David Jones was my first stop and let me tell you it was already packed. I quickly made my way to Guerlain counter and the perfume selection and there was nothing that grabbed my attention. On my way out I've spotted Kiehl's Midnight recovery 15ml reduced to $28 so I grabbed all three. I've used this oil before and I love the way it makes my skin feel and look. After DJ I went downstirs to Kikki K and picked up a Cute Diary pack for $20.97 reduced from $34.95 and Bucket List journal from $17.47 reduced from $24.95. I have only discovered Kikki K recently and think it is very cute store. On the way to the ...

I was very impressed with the early delivery of The Parcel this time round. It is all about summer and has everything to make you more tanned, protect you from the sun, rehydrate your hair and get rid of the unwanted body hair. Upon closer inspection "Chemist Warehouse" came to mind as the majority of the brands on offer can be found at the discount pharmacies and Priceline. Nevertheless I am keen to try them out. 1. Jergens Natural Glow Daily Moisturiser...$10.99 This product caught my eye the other day when I was browsing my local supermarket. It is a gradual tanner that supposed to keep your skin nicely moisturised and not have that fake tan smell. To me it smells very similar to Dove gradual tanner, lets just hope that the formula gets absorbed nicely unlike Dove that likes to sit on my skin. 2. Avene Micellar Lotion...$30.95 I get a new bottle of Micellar water in nearly every box which I don't mind as I do use it (takes me ages to go through a bottle ...

Another lot of ten products done and dusted. I must say I did enjoy most of them and I think it is a good place to be as I no longer tend to buy many products I don't particularly like. The exception would be the products I get from my subscription boxes or sampler totes but that's what they are for in the first place. 1. Nesti Dante Dolce Viviere Portofino Soap My overall impression - Gorgeously scented Italian soap that has been manufactured for over 70 years in Tuscany. It is the best soap I have ever used! It doesn't go soggy, leathers up like a dream and doesn't dry my skin out too much. Plus it comes in a lot of different scents but the Dolce Viviere line that has been inspired by Italian cities is my favorite. And they come wrapped in luxurious paper. Would I buy it again? Definitely, I am currently obsessed with the line and got probably two kilos worth from Strawberrynet the other day. I have also seem them at small florist shops and upmarket homeware...