I’ve previously written about my excessive and arguably unreasonable beauty stash, but I haven’t discussed my progress in a while. Well, I’m sure you’re pleased to know that I’m slowly but surely working through a number of products, and I wanted to share my thoughts on a few that I’ve finished recently.
Do note: this is in no way all of them, and I have a lot more that I need to blog about before I discard them… so let’s hope I get them in a post soon so I can eventually put them where they belong: in the trash.
Now, a few of these I have written about before, so I’ll just some mini-reviews to recap my thoughts.
Nature Republic The First Essence
I previously gushed about this baby and swiftly called it my “bae”, and that pretty much sums up my thoughts on this one. Honestly, from the moment the sales assistant in Myeongdong applied this to my hand, and I saw the difference between my normally dry back-of-hands and the newly supple and juicy one, I was sold. It was incredible. Whenever I use this, my skin just drinks it up and I get a really nice radiant glow — but not too glowy, if you know what I mean. Just right.
Nature Republic Forest Garden Argan Cleansing Oil
I first heard about Nature Republic’s argan oil from Sheryll (on her blog, I think), and was immediately intrigued. I had previously used (and loved) their Chamomile Cleansing Oil, and definitely needed to more about this new addition to the family. Well, let me tell you — this is a dream to use.
Aesop Geranium Leaf Body Scrub
This is another product I’ve raved about — and for good reason. Honestly, I’m not usually such a big fan of scrubs, as the line between “exfoliating” and “torturous” is paper-thin for me. But the thing about this scrub (apart from the fact it smells like geraniums, mmm) is that the scrub is… embedded in a forgiving gel-like formula. Hard to describe, but delicious to experience. Just trust me on this one!
Aesop Parsley Seed Anti-Oxidant Hydrator
I purchased this with the Parsley Seed Anti-Oxidant Serum back when I first arrived in Malaysia. I had been slaving away in Korea and was determined to reward myself with some luxurious and particularly expensive beauty products. Because… yolo. In my previous review, I mentioned this lotion is a little sticky, and not always necessary. But I did enjoy using it before bed — although I am still trying to find the perfect night cream. Ah, the hunt continues!
Missha Time Revolution The First Treatment Essence Intensive
Okay, so this is a follow-up product to the original product that the Nature Republic First Essence is based on… and this one was created as a dupe for the SK-II Facial Treatment Essence. Ah, the cycle of “inspiration”! I wrote about my thoughts in this post, and basically, I really loved this product too. I am, however, curious to try the “original” Missha First Treatment Essence, as it’s garnered a cult following, and is miles more affordable than the SK-II investment.
Okay, this is a real throwback product for me, as I’ve been using it since 1998. Yes, seriously — I had a cold once and my nose was so sore, and the sales assistant at my local chemist suggested this balm to ease my skin. Well, I took that and really ran with it!
They used to just sell it in the tubs, but now they’ve branched out into these handy tubes that are great for travelling and throwing in your handbag. In fact, I have about 5 tubes, all at different life stages, strewn about in my various bags and cupboards. It’s all a bit of a game, really. I don’t have much to say about this, except it’s amazing and was genuinely life-changing for me. True love!
Essence Plump No Clump Volume Mascara
As far as I’m concerned, mascara is mascara is mascara, and the effect doesn’t really change if you’re spending $10 or $100 (although I hope no one actually spends $100 on mascara… although that’s none of my business!). When it comes to skincare, I am genuinely prepared to spend a lot (especially if I’m buying a bunch of different products), but makeup just doesn’t excite me as much — and I do see mascara as a crucial but unchanging element. Which is why I decided to try out this budget brand I found here in Malaysia.
And good news: it worked great! I do think I’m quite fortunate in the lashes department, in that they’re long and naturally pretty curled, so the effect of mascara on my naturally light lashes is immediately evident and straightforward. Actually, eyelashes generally scare me and, after having pinched myself with them on my eye, I just don’t bother. Too much faffing. But anyway, this mascara did the job and coated my lashes to perfection (if that’s even a thing).
And that’s it for today’s mass of empty products! The good thing about doing these posts is that I generally really like all of the products — because I wouldn’t bother to finish them otherwise (or I’d really draw it out and leave it past the expiry date). So these are always fun posts to write — let me know if you’ve tried or enjoyed any of these products too. 🙂
Until next time,
Steph x