PR Products I've Repurchased With My Own $$
Earlier this month I shared a post on PR products I would not repurchase with my own $$ cause I like indulging my inner negative Nancy. But today I'm putting a more positive spin on the topic and chatting about products that I've received as PR and loved enough to repurchase my own money!
I don't really think there's anything else for me to say in this intro so let's just get into it 🙃
It’s easily the best makeup remover/ micellar water that I’ve tried. It removes most of my makeup including waterproof mascara and eyeliner (I usually use an oil/ balm cleanser afterwards to really deep clean), doesn’t leave an oily residue behind, doesn’t dry my skin out, isn’t fragranced (no synthetic or essential oils), and most importantly—does not irritate my eyes.
I’ve tried quite a few of the more affordable and more expensive alternatives from Simple, Garnier, Etude House, La-Roche Posay, Dior, and Sephora and what I’ve learned is that I will love nothing as much as Bioderma. The others don’t remove as much of my makeup, leave a film, and most times irritate the fudge out of my eyes. I’ve been tempted by some of the newer releases popping up at the drugstore but I’ve resisted. Why mess with perfection?
Ingredients: Coptis Japonica Root Extract, 1,2-Hexanediol, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Sodium Hyaluronate
I’ve tried A LOT of mists. One could say I’m a mist enthusiast since they’re my favorite step of skincare and I use at least 1 every single day. Most days it’s more like 3. And come summer it’s more like 7. One of these days I’ll write a post all about my favorite mists.
But for now, let’s talk about this Pyunkang Yul mist! It was featured in my summer beauty favorites a while back. I’ve since finished that bottle I received as PR from Ohlolly and have started on a second.
It has an incredibly simple ingredient list and a relatively fine mist (it doesn’t disrupt my makeup.) And it feels oh so refreshing! I love spraying this throughout the day as it adds a nice kick of hydration to my skin. I also love spraying this in-between steps in my skincare routine to make my skin extra bouncy. Some mists don’t seem to have any lasting effects on my skin, but this actually adds some moisture to my skin.
P.s Ohlolly will be celebrating their 2nd birthday in February! I've got the inside scoop that they'll be having a variety of sales and promos to celebrate the milestone 🎉
I loved it so much I repurchased it and then bought another different gel mask from the brand! I just talked about this in my hydrating wash off masks post so I won’t repeat myself so soon 😇
When the Stila eyeshadows were first released, I was not all that impressed. I quickly swatched them on my arm in stores and didn’t get all the hype. They seemed to smudge incredibly quickly and a lot of the colors looked similar to me.
Then I received one in a PR box from Urban Outfitters and changed my tune. After giving them a second look I realized why they were so hyped!
While a lot of the colors do look similar at first glance, when applied to the eyes they have a variety of finishes and effects. Some of them have chunky glitter, some of them have finer glitter, some of them are duo-chrome, and some of them have opaque bases. There are two lines within their liquid eyeshadow lineup—there’s the shimmer & glows and the glitter & glows.
And the reason they smudged so easily on me the first time I wore them is because I didn’t wait for them to dry down all the way. There is a bit of a learning curve to them but once you’ve got your method locked down, they’re a breeze to use. I’ll apply them over an eyeshadow primer, wait 30 seconds for them to dry down, and then move on with the rest of my makeup! They wear nicely throughout the day with minimal fallout and creasing.
I bought one of the new shimmer & glow shades (these seem to have the opaquest bases) and it’s the perfect shadow for a one shadow look. I’m not particularly skilled when it comes to eyeshadow and I’m also really lazy with my makeup most days so a shadow like this is the perfect solution for me!
I've been meaning to dedicate a proper blog post to these beauties, but have been struggling to take nice swatch photos of them. And since I'm writing this I'm being publically held accountable!! Fingers crossed the post is up within the next two weeks 🙃
Unlike the Stila shadows, I loved these at first swipe. The pigmentation is truly there. You can easily blend them out over other shadows, but 9 times out of 10 I wear them by themselves out of laziness... although they each have a unique depth and dimension to them. When I blink or move my head from side to side, it truly looks like I'm wearing more than one shadow. Or at least it does to an eyeshadow noob to me.
They're also really easy to use. I don't even need a brush to blend them out. I'll use the applicator to apply them onto my lid and then smudge it out with my fingers. I have even less glitter fall out with these than with the Stila, especially when I only wear the liquid side of the shadow.
Another post I plan on writing up later this month is a round-up of relatively affordable (think under $20) candles I've been loving lately! Just cause I've been indulging my growing candle snob tendencies, doesn't mean I'm gonna shun the more affordable options out there.
One surprise hit was the Urban Outfitters in-house brand candles! I'll be honest, despite the fact that I'm a longtime UO shopper and UO beauty section shopper, I never really gave their in-house brand a second look. It wasn't until I burned the first candle I got from a PR gift that I realized my oversight.
The scent on this is sweet in a yummy way and not a disgusto-chemical sorta way. It also burned nice and evenly. I also haven't had any issues with it smoking (make sure to trim the wick before lighting!) And the smell was pretty consistent all the way down. A lot of times I've found cheaper candles to be top heavy-- they'll start off strong but as you burn your way down the candle the scent disappears.
It doesn't have the same throw as a Byredo candle, but it also doesn't cost $80.00. For the price, I was happy with the scent cloud it creates.
Recently I received some constructive criticism that my posts were getting too long to read. I’m forever grateful for honest feedback so I wanted to ask openly—should I try to make my blog and Instagram posts shorter?
It’s a bit selfish to say this, but for the most part I blog for me. On the other hand, blogging is no fun if I’m just talking into an empty echo chamber. I like interacting and conversing with fellow beauty addicts! I have a conversational style of writing and that can make my posts unnecessarily wordy. If there’s an overwhelming push for shorter content, I’ll try to amend that! I personally enjoy reading longer posts, so I guess that’s also why I enjoy writing longer posts myself. (Although I don’t always read the entirety of longer posts. That’s where sub-headings come in handy!)
In general, do you guys prefer longer or shorter posts? Or does it matter on the blogger? Or on the content?
I don't really think there's anything else for me to say in this intro so let's just get into it 🙃
Bioderma Sensibio Micellar Water
$14.90 available via Dermstore, Amazon, & Beautylish
Ingredients: Water (Aqua), Peg-6 Caprylic/Capric Glycerides, Cucumis Sativus (Cucumber) Fruit Extract, Mannitol, Xylitol, Rhamnose, Fructooligosaccharides, Propylene Glycol, Disodium Edta, Cetrimonium Bromide
If I look at my skincare collection, this is one of the products I've been repurchasing for the longest time. I've been using it long before I received it as a PR gift, and have since repurchased it!
Ingredients: Water (Aqua), Peg-6 Caprylic/Capric Glycerides, Cucumis Sativus (Cucumber) Fruit Extract, Mannitol, Xylitol, Rhamnose, Fructooligosaccharides, Propylene Glycol, Disodium Edta, Cetrimonium Bromide
If I look at my skincare collection, this is one of the products I've been repurchasing for the longest time. I've been using it long before I received it as a PR gift, and have since repurchased it!
It’s easily the best makeup remover/ micellar water that I’ve tried. It removes most of my makeup including waterproof mascara and eyeliner (I usually use an oil/ balm cleanser afterwards to really deep clean), doesn’t leave an oily residue behind, doesn’t dry my skin out, isn’t fragranced (no synthetic or essential oils), and most importantly—does not irritate my eyes.
I’ve tried quite a few of the more affordable and more expensive alternatives from Simple, Garnier, Etude House, La-Roche Posay, Dior, and Sephora and what I’ve learned is that I will love nothing as much as Bioderma. The others don’t remove as much of my makeup, leave a film, and most times irritate the fudge out of my eyes. I’ve been tempted by some of the newer releases popping up at the drugstore but I’ve resisted. Why mess with perfection?
Pyunkang Yul Toner Mist
$12.00 available via OhlollyIngredients: Coptis Japonica Root Extract, 1,2-Hexanediol, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Sodium Hyaluronate
I’ve tried A LOT of mists. One could say I’m a mist enthusiast since they’re my favorite step of skincare and I use at least 1 every single day. Most days it’s more like 3. And come summer it’s more like 7. One of these days I’ll write a post all about my favorite mists.
But for now, let’s talk about this Pyunkang Yul mist! It was featured in my summer beauty favorites a while back. I’ve since finished that bottle I received as PR from Ohlolly and have started on a second.
It has an incredibly simple ingredient list and a relatively fine mist (it doesn’t disrupt my makeup.) And it feels oh so refreshing! I love spraying this throughout the day as it adds a nice kick of hydration to my skin. I also love spraying this in-between steps in my skincare routine to make my skin extra bouncy. Some mists don’t seem to have any lasting effects on my skin, but this actually adds some moisture to my skin.
P.s Ohlolly will be celebrating their 2nd birthday in February! I've got the inside scoop that they'll be having a variety of sales and promos to celebrate the milestone 🎉
23.5N Oriental Beauty Tea Balancing Gel Mask
$5.00 (travel)- $30.00 (full-size) available via Beautibi
Ingredients: Aqua, Tea Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Carbomer, Tremella Fuciformis Extract, Niacinamide, Benzyl Alcohol, Mantha Piperita (Peppermint) Extract, Methylchloroisothiazolinone, Methylisothiazolinone
Dior Addict Lip Glow
$34.00 available via Sephora, Nordstrom, Macy's, & Neiman Marcus
Another product that I talked about recently -- this one in my fall favorites post as well as my 2017 beauty favorites post. So far my lip glow count is up to 3. I have the original that I got as PR, then I bought the berry and raspberry shades within the past two months. Yes, they’re stupidly expensive but I’ve been getting near daily wear out of them. They’re so perfect for a sheer, natural flush of color. I’m interested in picking up one of the two new matte shades next! I just haven’t decided which one though; what say you, matte pink or matte raspberry? 🤔
Another product that I talked about recently -- this one in my fall favorites post as well as my 2017 beauty favorites post. So far my lip glow count is up to 3. I have the original that I got as PR, then I bought the berry and raspberry shades within the past two months. Yes, they’re stupidly expensive but I’ve been getting near daily wear out of them. They’re so perfect for a sheer, natural flush of color. I’m interested in picking up one of the two new matte shades next! I just haven’t decided which one though; what say you, matte pink or matte raspberry? 🤔
Leaders Sheet Masks
$4.00- $5.00 available via Ulta & Peach & Lily
Leaders was one of the first sheet masks brands I ever tried two years ago. And they're still some of my favorites! I've been lucky to deserve a decent amount of PR from Leaders over the past year, but I've still continued to purchase their sheet masks myself (or at least I had until my sheet mask ban started a few months ago.)
The material is soft and the fit is spot on, not too big around the mouth nor too small around the mouth. All their masks are generously soaked in essence and really hydrate my skin. Some of them brighten, some of them tackle acne, some of them soothe the skin, there's a whole host of options. They also all have a very similar, calming scent to them.
My favorite masks from their classic cotton sheet mask lineup are their AC Clear and Tea Tree masks. Both are ace at gently tackling acne while hydrating your skin at the same time. I also love their 7 wonders coconut gel sheet masks which fit so damn well!
The material is soft and the fit is spot on, not too big around the mouth nor too small around the mouth. All their masks are generously soaked in essence and really hydrate my skin. Some of them brighten, some of them tackle acne, some of them soothe the skin, there's a whole host of options. They also all have a very similar, calming scent to them.
My favorite masks from their classic cotton sheet mask lineup are their AC Clear and Tea Tree masks. Both are ace at gently tackling acne while hydrating your skin at the same time. I also love their 7 wonders coconut gel sheet masks which fit so damn well!
Stila Liquid Eyeshadows
Then I received one in a PR box from Urban Outfitters and changed my tune. After giving them a second look I realized why they were so hyped!
While a lot of the colors do look similar at first glance, when applied to the eyes they have a variety of finishes and effects. Some of them have chunky glitter, some of them have finer glitter, some of them are duo-chrome, and some of them have opaque bases. There are two lines within their liquid eyeshadow lineup—there’s the shimmer & glows and the glitter & glows.
And the reason they smudged so easily on me the first time I wore them is because I didn’t wait for them to dry down all the way. There is a bit of a learning curve to them but once you’ve got your method locked down, they’re a breeze to use. I’ll apply them over an eyeshadow primer, wait 30 seconds for them to dry down, and then move on with the rest of my makeup! They wear nicely throughout the day with minimal fallout and creasing.
I bought one of the new shimmer & glow shades (these seem to have the opaquest bases) and it’s the perfect shadow for a one shadow look. I’m not particularly skilled when it comes to eyeshadow and I’m also really lazy with my makeup most days so a shadow like this is the perfect solution for me!
Touch in Sol Metallist Liquid Foil & Glitter Shadows
$25.00 individually or $40.00 for a set of 6 minis (both via Sephora)
I've been meaning to dedicate a proper blog post to these beauties, but have been struggling to take nice swatch photos of them. And since I'm writing this I'm being publically held accountable!! Fingers crossed the post is up within the next two weeks 🙃
Unlike the Stila shadows, I loved these at first swipe. The pigmentation is truly there. You can easily blend them out over other shadows, but 9 times out of 10 I wear them by themselves out of laziness... although they each have a unique depth and dimension to them. When I blink or move my head from side to side, it truly looks like I'm wearing more than one shadow. Or at least it does to an eyeshadow noob to me.
They're also really easy to use. I don't even need a brush to blend them out. I'll use the applicator to apply them onto my lid and then smudge it out with my fingers. I have even less glitter fall out with these than with the Stila, especially when I only wear the liquid side of the shadow.
Urban Outfitters Gourmand Candles
$14.00 available via Urban Outfitters
Another post I plan on writing up later this month is a round-up of relatively affordable (think under $20) candles I've been loving lately! Just cause I've been indulging my growing candle snob tendencies, doesn't mean I'm gonna shun the more affordable options out there.
One surprise hit was the Urban Outfitters in-house brand candles! I'll be honest, despite the fact that I'm a longtime UO shopper and UO beauty section shopper, I never really gave their in-house brand a second look. It wasn't until I burned the first candle I got from a PR gift that I realized my oversight.
The scent on this is sweet in a yummy way and not a disgusto-chemical sorta way. It also burned nice and evenly. I also haven't had any issues with it smoking (make sure to trim the wick before lighting!) And the smell was pretty consistent all the way down. A lot of times I've found cheaper candles to be top heavy-- they'll start off strong but as you burn your way down the candle the scent disappears.
It doesn't have the same throw as a Byredo candle, but it also doesn't cost $80.00. For the price, I was happy with the scent cloud it creates.
Indie Lee CoQ-10 Toner
Ingredients: Purified water (aqua), Aloe Barbadensis, Coenzyme Q10, Hyaluronic Acid, Anthemis Nobilis (Chamomile), Salvia Officinalis (Sage), Carica Papaya Leaf Extract, Cucums Sativus (Cucumber) Extract, Citrus Aurantium Flower Oil, 1.3 propanediol, Ethylhexylglycerin
I'm glad that my skin loves this because I would want to repurchase it for the scent alone. It has a sweet, honey smell that reminds me a lot of the Papa Recipe masks! I talked about why I loved it so exactly a month ago in my fall beauty favorites post 😜
I'm glad that my skin loves this because I would want to repurchase it for the scent alone. It has a sweet, honey smell that reminds me a lot of the Papa Recipe masks! I talked about why I loved it so exactly a month ago in my fall beauty favorites post 😜
Feedback!
If you made it this far I assume you read/ skimmed the entire post!Recently I received some constructive criticism that my posts were getting too long to read. I’m forever grateful for honest feedback so I wanted to ask openly—should I try to make my blog and Instagram posts shorter?
It’s a bit selfish to say this, but for the most part I blog for me. On the other hand, blogging is no fun if I’m just talking into an empty echo chamber. I like interacting and conversing with fellow beauty addicts! I have a conversational style of writing and that can make my posts unnecessarily wordy. If there’s an overwhelming push for shorter content, I’ll try to amend that! I personally enjoy reading longer posts, so I guess that’s also why I enjoy writing longer posts myself. (Although I don’t always read the entirety of longer posts. That’s where sub-headings come in handy!)
In general, do you guys prefer longer or shorter posts? Or does it matter on the blogger? Or on the content?
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