Product Empties #4 - Skincare & an Eye Drop (August 2014)

Hello loves!

In Part 1 of my Product Empties #4, I mentioned how I had too many products to write about and so I decided to split the products into two posts! Here's Part 2 of the products I've currently used up! =D

My Scheming Provence Lavender Soothing Mask

I've been using quite a few sheet masks recently, and this is one of the masks in my collection that I decided to use. My skin was flaring up not too long ago and the soothing lavender in this mask appealed to me. This mask claims to be specially formulated for sensitive skin (perfect for me!) to soothe any tightness of the skin as well as improve skin elasticity and give radiant, smooth skin. After cleansing my face at night, I removed the plastic backing from the sheet mask and placed the mask on my face, adjusting it to fit my face. The shape of this mask fits my face pretty well, which is good. Fast forward 20 minutes, the mask is removed and excess serum from the mask is thoroughly patted into my skin to ensure it is absorbed. The light lavender and floral scent of this mask is definitely soothing, and after application, my skin felt soothed, looked less red and was more calm. My skin felt soft too, and was still soft the morning after! I experienced no irritation, itching or breakouts- sensitive skin approved!

Simply Beauty Spain Rosemary Clear White Silky Mask

Simply Beauty is a brand I do not often see in Watsons or Guardian back home, so when I saw this in a Watsons some time back, I picked this up to try. This mask focuses on pore minimising, oil balancing, and brightening the skin - all things which my skin could do with. I applied this mask like I normally do with all my sheet masks (the way I explained it for the lavender mask above). The after-effects of this mask were pretty good. My skin felt clean, soft and looked brighter and more awake. My skin also felt soft, which tends to be the norm for many Asian sheet masks I've tried. My pores (especially the huge ones on my nose, ugh) were minimised, but this was only temporary, and by the next afternoon, my pore size went back to normal. Scent was a soothing light floral infused with a rosemary herb scent. I found the scent quite relaxing. No irritation, breakouts or itchiness with this one either. Try this out if you're looking for different face masks to try - if you can find it, of course!

Sothys Paris Hydra-Protective Softening Emulsion (Normal to Combination Skin)

I received this little sample from a sales assistant giving it out from a Sothys counter in a mall (gotta love samples!). Went back to find the counter some time last year and it was no longer there.. so I am not sure where to find this in Malaysia. This fluid cream claims to protect the skin, maintains its hydration and gives it a matt appearance. I applied this both morning and evening and I found that it left my skin feeling very soft and plump. The texture is like a watery cream, if that makes sense. I can't quite put my finger on the exact scent of this product but it is a very comforting scent. It also soothed my ever-sensitive skin and left it looking less red and splotchy. It also claims to be an excellent make up base, and I somewhat agree. It helped my foundation stay on my skin for a good few hours, and helped give an even base for makeup application. Not sure whether I would purchase this as I can imagine it would be quite pricey, but for those willing to splurge, this is quite a nice emulsion for dry/sensitive/combination skin.

My Beauty Diary Hello Kitty Strawberry Milk Mask

How cute is Hello Kitty?! I'm not the biggest Hello Kitty fan, but I have to admit I bought this largely because the packaging looked rather cute- hehe! And a mask that smells like strawberry milk? I was sold. Okay, so I don't think the mask smells 100% like strawberry milk, but it does have a sweet, milky scent to it, which somehow reminds me of yoghurt. This whitening and smoothing mask is suitable for all skin types, and is especially recommended for dull and tired skin. Not so sure the whitening aspect lived up to its claim, but I can say it did brighten my face, albeit temporarily. My skin felt like a baby's bottom and looked more awake and fresh after application. Thankfully, no rashes or breakouts with this one too!

My Beauty Diary Earl Grey Tea & Macaron Sheet Mask

I think this is limited edition (I bought it as part of a set), but will just write about it anyway in case you manage to find it stocked somewhere or on the Internet. =) The name of the mask intrigued me. How do you combine the essence of earl grey tea with the scent of macaron?! The mask promises to illuminate and clarify to combat skin dullness. I find that it does illuminate and brighten my skin, but the effect is not long term, so like most sheet masks, I use this to just pamper my skin and refresh/soothe it. I did not detect any sweet macaron scent; instead, it smelled like a mix of sweet English tea and something citrus-y to me. Maybe it was meant to be a lemon flavoured macaron or something- hehe! Anyhow, it was still a nice, pleasing scent. One thing that bothered me about this mask was the fact that it tore here and there when I adjusted it to fit my face. I think this is due to the fact that the mask is made of thinner fabric than other masks I've tried. A slight annoyance but that can be countered by just handling the sheet mask with more care.

Vichy Idealia Pro Dark Spot Corrector

This deep dark spot corrector claims to correct 5 major types of dark spots: sun spots, age spots, brown spots, blemish marks and blotchiness to reveal a more even, luminous complexion. It claims to be hypoallergenic, non-comodegenic and free of parabens. I had two sachets of this goodie which I applied before my moisturiser both morning and night. I did not experience any correcting for my blemish marks and blotchiness concerns but that is to be expected as this product should be used for 4 weeks in order to see results. I did, however, see a very slight reduction in my skin blotchiness, and my skin looked more glowy after using it. The texture is a light, gel-cream serum which sinks easily into the skin and is non-greasy. Scent is also a pleasant light floral scent. I like the feel of this product on my skin but am not sure I will purchase it as it is quite pricey for me and I think there are other serums/emulsions out there which can also help tackle my skin concerns at a lesser cost.

The Face Shop The Smim Skin Density 101.0 Repair Serum

Containing fermented rice grain extract, snow fungus and Natto (a traditional Japanese dish made from fermented soybeans- the Chinese and Koreans eat it too!), this rich serum promises to improve skin's elasticity. Although I was unable to test its claim (one sachet barely does anything), I found this a nice serum to use. It's light cream texture absorbs easily into the skin and is non-sticky and non-greasy. The light floral scent pleases the senses without being overpowering, and did not irritate my sensitive skin. I used this before moisturiser at night and it left my face feeling plump and hydrated. I quite like it, so I might just consider purchasing it once I get home.

Superdrug Contact Lens Eye Drops

This is the only non-skincare item in this post! I have quite dry eyes that tire and become red easily after a long day of wearing contact lenses and I like using eye drops to soothe my eyes. Slightly cheaper than other brands like Bausch & Lomb and Alcon (which are what I normally use), this pretty much does the job of soothing my eyes, although I sometimes have to use a few drops to help with that. The only  problem I have with this is that I can't use it when my eyes are extremely red, tired and irritated as it makes them sting- so that somewhat defeats its purpose. I can only use this when my eyes are slightly dry and irritated. It's a product that does its job, but if you have very sensitive eyes like mine, it's probably best to stick to a brand which helps your eyes no matter how tired and irritated they are. That's what I'll be doing from now on.

Boots Botanics Ultra Calm Skin Relief Serum

I bought this when my skin was on a crazy pimple rampage to try to soothe my skin. The unique blend of marshmallow, Linden flower and liquorice in this product claims to reduce redness and skin sensitivity in 2 weeks, so I definitely had to try it. This 30ml tube lasted me a good 4 months although I applied to my skin in the morning and at night. Only a small amount of this emulsion is needed for the whole face and it absorbs quickly without any trace of greasiness or stickiness. This product was part of a duo (the other half being The Body Shop Aloe Night Cream) that honestly saved my skin. This helped calm my skin down, reduced the redness and skin sensitivity and as a result, helped reduce my pimples and blemishes too. It took about 3 weeks for my skin to calm down instead of the promised two weeks, but that did not bother me. My skin also stung a little the first few times I used this but it was fine after that. I really like this product and I would definitely repurchase this!

Soap & Glory The Fab Pore Hot Cloth Cleanser

The first thing I noticed about this was the scent - I loved it! A calming, herbal-like scent with hints of lavender and orange, the scent always helped me relax. I initially used this cleanser with the complimentary facial cloth it came with but got lazy after that and just used it on its own. This cream cleanser helps dissolve makeup (but not so good with waterproof mascara) and leaves the skin feeling soft and clean after cleansing, whether or not I used a cloth to remove the cleanser. It did not leave my skin feeling greasy, and did not cause any irritation or breakouts. A little pea-sized amount of this baby was sufficient to cleanse my face- so a little goes a long way. This is no longer sold but I think this is repackaged as the new Soap & Glory The Ultimelt Deep Purifying Hot Cloth Cleanser.

Biore UV Aqua Rich Watery Jelly Water Base Sunblock SPF 30 PA +++

Sunblock, for me, is an absolute necessity. I admit I never used to wear it religiously, but after deciding to properly take care of my skin a few years back, I've been wearing it every day, whether it rains, shines or snows. I dislike sunblock that leaves the skin feeling sticky, greasy or leaves a white cast- which is why I like this sunblock. It does none of what I just mentioned, but helps protect my skin from the sun's burning rays. The texture is a light, watery fluid which sinks easily into my skin. I think this sunblock would be perfect for those who have oily/combination skin and those who do not want a sticky greasy feel on their face. I will definitely repurchase this after I am done with my other sunblocks!

Phew! Was that a long post, or what? I'm finally done with my product empties posts and I hope you enjoyed reading it!

Have you tried any of these products? Is there any product you have used up that you would or would not recommend? =D

xx Amanda