The first thing I did after coming back from my trip to Moscow is round up all of the products that need to be finished ASAP. There were actually quite a lot, and some of them you will probably recognize from past favorites posts and roundups. In the end I managed to empty eight full-sized bottles, which is something I’m quite proud of. For some reason I was convinced that there won’t be any empties for a while because I just had so many different products to test.
SKINCARE:
1 // Jan Marini Hyla 3D HA Activating Complex* ($125) – This is one of the best hydrating serums for combination/dehydrated skin I have tried. It made my skin look and feel plumper and more youthful, and the facial contours appeared more defined and lifted. In my experience, it’s one of those products that only ‘work’ while you actively use them, but I still recommend trying it if the price is not an issue. My skin always looked SO good with this one, and I could even use it during periods of severe irritations – it’s really gentle.
Repurchase? I would, but it’s not in my budget right now.
2 // Eminence Bearberry Eye Repair Cream* ($70) – I pretty much love everything about this eye cream: the light silky texture, the delicate herbal scent, and of course the way it makes my peepers look rested and wide awake. It won’t reduce the dark circles, but it still improved the overall appearance of the skin around my eyes. Plus, it was very soothing too – I used it to calm irritated the areas in the outer corners of my eyes with great success.
Repurchase? Maybe.
3 // DR. MJ Real Mucin Restore Sun Cream SPF45 ($40) – I’ve been using this sunscreen way past the expiration date, which is probably not something I should be advertising as a beauty blogger, haha! However, it still worked wonders to prevent my skin from tanning and protecting from sunburn. The formula contains one of my favorite ingredients – snail mucin – which aids in skin repair and acts like a breathable barrier. This is a great product and it made an appearance in several ‘monthly favorites’ posts, but I won’t be repurchasing it because I love trying different sunscreens.
Repurchase? No. Besides, I think it got discontinued.
4 // Laurme Peptide Complex Serum* ($36) – Laurme is a small indie brand that makes surprisingly sophisticated skincare. This serum is absolutely divine – it has a thick, milky consistency, so it can replace a moisturizer if you have oily skin or if you just fancy something lighter. Long story short: it made my skin look healthier and more radiant.
Repurchase? No, but it’s a great serum for all skin types and I recommend giving it a try if you are looking for something new.
BATH & BODY:
5 // Zents Sun Detoxifying Epsom Soak ($20) – I bought a whole bunch of these bath soaks on sale and use them quite often. This is just a regular epsom salts soak, infused with one of the brand’s signature fragrances. The main thing that attracted me to Zents in the first place is the fact that the company was founded by a fellow scent-sensitive person, and all of their fragrances have been tested by scent-sensitive people. So far none of them have caused me to have a migraine, so it must be true.
Repurchase? Yes.
6 // NOW® Solutions Xyliwhite™ Neem & Tea Tree Mouthwash* ($9.99) – I used to buy my mouthwash from big national brands but decided to switch to a more natural option from NOW® a couple years ago, and it was a gamechanger. My gums were always irritated from the harsh additives in conventional mouthwash, but Xyliwhite™ products turned out to be very soothing. I am now on my 6th bottle or so, and don’t plan on switching to anything else anytime soon. It just works so well!
Repurchase? I have 3 backups!
7 // Bumble and Bumble Sunday Shampoo* ($26) – My roots get super oily in the summer, so I use a clarifying shampoo at least once a week to give them a thorough cleanse. Sunday Shampoo from Bumble and Bumble is hands down the best one I tried, and I featured it in my favorites posts and on Instagram many times before. It’s a very simple, straightforward formula that gives the hair a nice deep clean and boosts volume.
Repurchase? Already have!
8 // COOLA Guava Mango Sport Continuous Spray SPF50* ($36) – It’s summer, folks, which means I am burning through my sunscreen reserves like there’s no tomorrow. COOLA has been one of my favorite department store sunscreen brands for about 5 years now, and one of the first non-drugstore ones I tried. This sunscreen spray is wonderful – it really does protect me from burning. I spent an entire day out in the sun and didn’t turn red or develop a tan at all. Make sure to reapply every 2 hours for best results.
Repurchase? Yes! Maybe not this particular scent, but other products from the brand for sure.
What products have you emptied recently? How many beauty products do you typically finish every month? Let me know in the comments below!
* Indicates PR samples.
