April 2020 Empties

Empties time again

Benetton Colors EDT 100 ml

So proud of myself for finishing this bottle. I barely had an inch of the perfume left but it took forever... At least it felt that way. Loved the scent a lot but not repurchasing again.

Good Vibes Green Apple Gel 50 gm

Honestly I'm a little disappointed with these Good Vibes gels. They are nothing out of the ordinary & this one has a supremely strong fragrance which I hated. Glad to see it gone. Using the orange variant currently.

NY Bae SkinFIDENT Serum Eternal as the Empire State (Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate)

This is not an empty, per se. It just seems to have gone bad & that too a full year before it was supposed to expire. After the horrible experience using NY Bae SkinFIDENT Serum last time I was vary of using this one anyway. I don't know whether to be happy that they are actually using ingredients mentioned on the package or to be sad that they are making such poorly formulated products. Sigh!


Discards

ADS Matte Lipstick 38

Way too pale on me. This was part of a set with nude shades & every one of them is a winner.

Swiss Beauty Soft Matte Lip Cream in 12 Soft Pink

Nothing soft about this pink. It's a loud Barbie pink... Almost similar to the one I discarded last month

Swiss Beauty Matte Lipstick 212 Berry

Bought this only for the packaging & because it was supposed to be a dupe for Mac Rebel. The lipstick tends to settle into lines on the lips & makes me look years older. Plus I have a near perfect dupe. Won't be missing this one.

That's all for this month. Cheers

Makeup Inventory - Primers

At long last I've decided to finally inventory my makeup. This has been a long time in the making. Let's start with the primers. When I first started using primers 10 years back, they were an indespensible part of my routine. My oily skin simply loved it & my makeup stayed put for much, much longer. I started with the L'Oréal Base Magique one which was pretty much the only Primer available in India back then. While I loved the product I felt it was overpriced (like ALL L'Oréal products) at nearly a thousand bucks. After that I've used ELF Mineral Primer in Green which was also decent & tried the God-awful Nivea After Shave Lotion.

Now 10 years down the line, my skin is less oily & makeup seems to stay put without the use of primers. Consequently I use primers only for special occasions when I am wearing makeup for extended periods of time. Here are the ones I currently own.

ELF Mineral Face Primer in Clear

USD 5

Fairly decent quality. It's not the best but does an OK job.

Maliao Magic Perfecting Base Face Primer

INR 300 for 30 ml

I love this primer. It looks & feels so luxurious and performs like a BOSS. If I ever run out of primers this is the one I will be repurchasing.

SFR Color Primer in #120 Green

INR 99 for 30 ml

This is the worst primer I've ever used (not counting the Nivea one). Doesn't seem to do anything at all. Plus the green tint does not show & hence does not colour correct like it's meant to.

Ideal number of primers I would like in my stash - 1
(Including this just to track my progress in about a year's time)
Also Primers are on the No-Buy list since I have so many & don't use them nearly enough 

March 2020 Empties

I'm a little late with my empties this time. Somehow just did not feel like writing anything. Anyway here goes

Himalaya Herbals Purifying Neem Peel-off Mask

I love using peel-off masks in the summer, it somehow makes my skin look really clean. I recently came across this YouTube video by The Golden Rx who gave a detailed laundry list of why peel-off masks are bad for you. I'm in 2 minds about using one after seeing that. I still have one more peel-off mask in my kitty.


Harmony Strawberry Soap

I like using soaps more than body washes in summer & this one has a nostalgic feeling to it. This was what I used all through college. Decent soap, might pick up a few more after lockdown ends.


Pond's Light Moisturiser

I hated this. Even this light moisturiser was not light enough for my oily skin & I had to mix in an equa quantity of Lacto Calamine to make it work. The scent is also super strong. Never buying ever again.


Now on to the decluttering part

Kiss Beauty Lip Gloss

I bought this a while back. It's a bright Barbie pink colour & this is one colour that I gravitate towards especially in swatches. I think I have several dupes of this. I will be getting rid of them all one by one. Fingers crossed.


Heng Fang Kiss Callector Lipstick 

I bought this simply because I loved the name & I hadn't bought a bullet lipstick in a while. The colour is too pale on me & looks more like concealer. Pass


MN Blush

This one's supposed to be a dupe of the blush in Lily Cole collection by The Body Shop. I like the colour, it's just difficult to apply & blend. The difference between no colour & clown cheeks is very thin + it's a whopping 13 gm of product. I'll never be able to finish that.


That's all for this month. See you all soon. 

Innisfree Capsule Sleeping Pack Review

It's a season of duds y'all it's a season of duds. I wanted to try the Innisfree Sleeping Mask ever since I saw them on meme boxes eons ago. However I felt they were overpriced & waited patiently till they released a capsule version of the same. I always do a cost per ml/gm before buying skincare & I simply couldn't justify spending 15 bucks on 1 gm of product. I was feeling a little indulgent & a lot lightheaded during the October sales that were going on everywhere. I made up my mind to get 2 of these & only on adding them to my cart did  I noticed that there was a "Buy 3 Get 3" offer on them on Flipkart. I did the only thing I could & bought 6.

Here's my review of the Innisfree Capsule Sleeping Pack in the variant Bamboo. I started using this after I got back from a holiday & my skin was in serious SOS mode. I thought I would be able to gauge the effects (hah!) on my skin better. A mask is one product where I expect instantaneous results. I applied a thin layer on my skin & went to sleep. I was honestly expecting fantastic results given the overwhelming positive reviews everywhere. I woke up to same old skin. Talk about disappointed! I used this continuously thinking my skin would benefit. It lasted a good 12 days when I used a thin layer on my face & neck. I could discern very less difference even after using this for a week. I only started noticing plumper skin after day 10. That's a long time for a mask to work.

The mask comes in this thin circular plastic container with a foil covering. I personally found the packaging very flimsy... would have preferred a more sturdy lip balm type container. All the ingredients & other details are mentioned on the back of the pack. The mask itself feels & looks like any old aloe vera gel but it smells fantastic.

Ingredients - Water, Glycerin, Betaine, Methyl Propanediol, 1-2 Hexane-Diol, PEG-40, Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Panthenol, Tromethamine, Carbomer, Phenoxyethanol, Dipropylene Glycol, Algae Extract, Eclipta Prostrata Leaf Extract, Glyceryl Polymethacrylate, Allantoin,. Ethylhexylglycerin, Fragrance, Fructooligosaccharides, Tetrasodium EDTA, Beta Glucan, Lecithin, Butylene Glycol, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Dextrin, Citrus Unshiu Peel Extract, Opuntia Coccinellifera Fruit Extract, Orchid Extract, Theobroma Cocoa Seed Extract, Camellia Japonica Leaf Extract, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Centella Asiatica Extract, Ficus Carcia Fruit Extract, Bambusa Vulgaris Extract, Ulmus Davidana Root Extract, Blue 1 (CI 42090), Ceramide NP


INR 150 for 10 ml

Only after I read the ingredient list did I finally figure out why it wasn't working well for me. While a lot of reviewers & possibly the brand themselves want you to believe that the mask works because of the various fruit extracts present in them I think it's because of good old Hyaluronic Acid which is mentioned somewhere in the middle of all the ingredients. No offence to the natural extracts but they simply can't work as well as acids. And the reason it took forever to show results on my skin was because I normally use a more potent version of Hyaluronic Acid in my skincare & this diluted form simply didn't cut it.

I'm still stuck with 5 of these. Sigh! These BOGO deals I tell ya. 

February 2020 Empties

Restarting empties has been so much fun. I honestly didn't think I would have any products at all this month.
Nevertheless managed to finish using up these

Everyuth Tulsi Turmeric Face Wash

Everyuth Lemon Face Wash has my most favourite scent of all time & I picked this one up with a lot of hopes. It's a decent face wash but I simply couldn't stand the scent. Finished this by using as a body wash. Never purchasing again


Nivea Whitening Deodorant

I had been looking for a good deodorant from some time now. This feels gentle on the skin, probably due to the absence of alcohol. The scent is nothing to write home about though. However I'm not happy with it... Simply does not work for the Indian summer + I'm leaning towards natural products. Still have 2 more of this.


Multani Mitti


I love using a mixture of Multani Mitti and besan to wash my face & go through this quickly. This particular Multani Mitti I picked up from Amazon simply because I was intrigued that the seller was selling it for 1 buck + shipping. I mean just the audacity to offer a product for 1 Rupee was crazy & I was expecting a so-so product at best (if that). I'm surprised that the quality is decent. Will repurchase soon.

Moving on to the decluttering part. I recently did an inventory of all my makeup (post should be coming up soonish) & discovered that I have 80 nail paints! So I am doing the only logical thing & getting rid of the colours I don't like/will never wear. Both of these are from a 24 nail polish set I bought from Flipkart. I absolutely dislike the darker green shade. The lighter green I tried to tone down with white nail paint but the neonness (is this even a word!) would not go. I'm getting rid of both.


Maybelline Colorsensational lipstick in Iced Orchid

Jettisoning this because I hate frosted lip shades + the cool undertones clash with my warm skin. But mostly because I'm trying very hard to follow the one in one out rule. Oh & it is at least 5 years old.


See you soon with more empties. Fingers crossed. 

Purplle Sale Haul

Purplle recently had their biggest sale of the year. I had decided to not buy anything since I have way more makeup & skincare than a normal person would need. And like a nitwit I decided to check out what was on offer. We all know how that would have ended & here we are with my haul.

NY Bae x Shakti Liquid Lipstick in Tango Tease

INR 280 for 2.7 ml (Sale price 140/-)

This was the first thing I got. I'm a sucker for good packaging & wanted this from when I had seen it. I got this shade on the recommendation of my namesake Tripti who runs a YouTube channel Anantmaya Beauty. I love this caramel shade.

NY Bae x Shakti Creamy Matte Lipstick in Heel Pull 9

INR 249 for 4.2 gm (Sale price 125/-)

I loved the packaging when I saw it online but in person it's not that impressive. I love the shade though.

NY Bae Nail Laquer, Sugar Effect, Sprinkles Sundae in Plum Yogurt Sprinkles Sundae

INR 75 for 6 ml (Sale price 38/-)

This was the first thing I tried from this entire haul & loved it immediately. The best part of this is that it dries in 5 minutes flat + it doesn't have that typical nail polish smell. It's very much there when you apply but it disappears soon after. The only con is that it chips quite fast.

I - AMSTERDAM Nail Paint in Tenderness of Tulipa Single Early

INR 75 for 7 ml (Sale price 38/-)

Who names these things! It's insane. Nice pretty pastel pink. I can see myself using this all summer.

NY Bae Nail Lacquer Remover in Pink

INR 50 for 30 ml (Sale price 25/-)

With most branded nail polish removers hiking up their prices like crazy I was on the look out for something new & affordable. 25 bucks is peanuts for this. Let's see how we'll it works.

Alps Goodness Face wash in Mulberry & Rose

INR 99 for 100 ml (Sale price 50/-)

I have tried this brand's face masks & scrubs in the past. Waiting to try this one out.

DermDoc Skin Restoration Face Serum with Squalene & Vitamin E

INR 199 for 10 ml (Sale price 99/-)

I wanted to try this brand & something with Squalene. 2 birds with one stone.

Biotique Bio Dandelion Visibly Ageless Serum

INR 230 for 40 ml (Sale price 115/-)

This is one my favourite skin serums of all time. I obviously couldn't pass up on a flat 50% off & decided to stock up and bought 2.

Vayam Ayurveda Eladi Moisture Restoring Night Cream

INR 200 for 30 gm (Sale price 100/-)

One more brand I have been meaning to try from a while. Let's see how it goes.

Aroma Magic Moringa Skin Toner

INR 125 for 100 ml (Sale price 63/-)

Aroma Magic Rose Hip Skin Toner

INR 125 for 100 ml (Sale price 63/-)

Aroma Magic makes my favourite toners & I couldn't pass this up.

Biotique Bio Almond Lip Balm

INR 25 for 10 gm (Sale price 13/-)

JLT purchase

Biotique Bio Berry Plumping Lip Balm

INR 175 for 12 gm (Sale price 88/-)

Another thing I've been eyeing from some time.

Good Vibes Lip Balm - Pinacolada

INR 125 for 8 gm (Sale price 63/-)

Pretty much the only product from Good Vibes that I haven't tried yet.

Good Vibes Hydrating Hand Cream in Cherry Blossom 

INR 145 for 50 gm (Sale price 73/-)

I wanted to try the Nivea hand cream but couldn't find it & settled for this one instead.

Alps Goodness Essential Oil - Tangerine 

INR 99 for 5 ml (Sale price 50/-)

I've tried essential oils from this brand before & loved it. Will be trying this in a few DIYs.


These are the things I simply couldn't resist. If my stash wasn't as substantial I might have bought a lot more. Did you guys shop at the Purplle sale too?

Jan 2020 Empties

I've been toying with the idea of restarting my empties posts. Not that I finish a ton of products but just in a keep track kinda way so I don't end up buying things I didn't like in the first place.

Let's start with all the products I managed to finish in January

Clean n Clear Foaming Face Wash 

INR 150 for 150 ml (got this on BOGO) 

I've been using this for more than a decade & still buy it out of sheer habit I guess. It's a decent face wash, doesn't really help in controlling acne.

Patanjali Body Ubtan

INR 60 for 100 gm

I tend to use face wash just once in a day - at the end of the day to get rid of makeup & sunscreen. I don't really see the point of using a face wash when you only have a night cream on. I love this Patanjali Ubtan, I just mix it with equal quantities of besan & use.

Good Vibes Liquorice Facial Essence 

INR 225 for 10 ml (bought this on BOGO as well) 

I started using this with a lot of hopes of getting rid of my acne marks. Does. Not. Work. I don't know why Good Vibes products are so hyped up. Their aloe vera gel is nothing to write home about either. I will however be repurposing the container.

Decluttering

Getting rid of this Cover girl lipstick in shade Crimson Cat. I have enough reds & this happens to be 5 years old.

That's all for this month. Cheers