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Curiously Carmen

Product Empties – Summer 2017(Part 2/2)

August 14, 2017

After 3.5 years of blogging and not having a single product empty post, I am now back with two in a row! How funny is that =P I would love to write more empty posts, if only I could finish products fast enough. But I will try to motivate myself and write another one in the fall.
 I’ll also link the original review if possible, in case you’re interested in reading more about the product!
Dove Visibly Smooth Deodorant: I mentioned in the past empties post that products lose its effect on me after prolonged use, which is why it’s hard for me to write empties often! Anyways, I found this deodorant to be okay… Well, it was good at first but then I got tired of the scent. I only buy deodorant on sale so if this is line is on sale and there aren’t other scents I like more, I’ll get it.

Would I repurchase? Meh… if on sale I would.

Amie Deep Cleansing Mask: This is not a well known product at all, and I don’t even think they sell it in Canada despite saying so, but I LOVE it. It’s great for breakouts! I received it twice as a PR sample, so I actually went through two bottles. Since they don’t sell it in Canada and I loved it that much, I decided to order it online which is rare for me. Anyways, it took over a month but it’s finally here.

Would I repurchase? Yup, already did!

Kat Von D Tattoo Liner: Hah! This goes without saying… my go-to liner that will never disappoint me. My absolute makeup staple.

Would I purchase? I lost track of how many times I repurchased this! Actually I repurchased this for the 23423th time last month, except they were out of this one so I tried the new felt tip. No problems at all with the felt tip!
Crabtree & Evelyn Handcream: I really enjoyed this handcream, and will probably keep an eye out for when it goes on sale again!

Would I repurchase? Yup!

Weleda Evening Primrose Body Wash: Surprisingly, I finished this body wash pretty fast! Well maybe not surprisingly, body wash is the easiest to use up because I shower every day…. and I hope you do too! Anyways, I never ended up writing a separate review for this body wash which I kind of regret, because it’s amazing. I wrote a review on their day and night cream which works really well too.

Would I repurchase? Yup!

———-

Stay tuned for the next empties post… coming to you in another 3.5 years! LOL jk, I am going to make a huge effort to write another one for fall!


Filed Under: Beauty, body, face, makeup

Product Empties – Summer 2017 (Part 1/2)

August 11, 2017

I am so excited and happy to finally be doing an empties post! The first ever on my blog! Well obviously I have finished products before this but there weren’t ever enough at once to write a post about it.

Why am I so excited? Because excluding my daily products of brow pencil and eyeliner, it takes me a super long time to finish products! I’m talking like… a year… or more because I only use my brow pencil & liner everyday, and I like to switch up my face products, foundations, etc.

I find that if I use the same moisturizers, face wash, deodorant, etc.. it slowly minimizes their effect because my skin has gotten used to it. And I know I’m not the only one because I’ve heard about it from Youtubers!

Anyways, enough rambling… Even more great news, I managed to have enough empties to do TWO blog posts! So I will be doing a part 2, because I hate super long blog posts!

Estee Lauder DayWear Matte cream: I have been using this on and off due to trying and testing new moisturizers. But when I don’t have any new ones to try, I can always rely on this to moisturize my skin! This cream is more of a gel and feels very light weight.

Would I repurchase? Yes!

Weleda Almond Soothing Facial Lotion: I talked about this product three months ago. It is a bit odd that I can finish a moisturizer in three months, but this thing is super tiny! It is a very gentle moisturizer, with a hint of almond scent. Here is my original review on it.

Would I repurchase? Yes!

Sephora Waterproof Eyeliner: This product has been tossed around from makeup area to various makeup bags, traveling, etc… that the print is completely gone and the smudge tip is long gone. It wasn’t one of my favourite eyeliners because it smudged easily. By the end of the work day, I would have a bit of a raccoon eye. Honestly don’t know why I kept using it, but at least it’s finally done.

Would I repurchase? Nope!

First Aid Beauty Face Cleanser: I received this as a present 2 Christmases ago, and I finally finished it! I LOVED this cleanser. It’s very gentle, but also removed my full makeup looks effortlessly. As well, it never dried out my skin. I liked to “save” this for occasions when I wear a full face of makeup because it’s $15 for a travel size. Although now that I think about it, that’s cheap compared to other face products at Sephora. Here is my original review on it.

Would I repurchase? Yup,  in fact I bought another one two weeks ago!

St. Ives Apricot Scrub: Okay, this is like a washroom staple… I say this because I’ve seen many homes carry this product (Yes, I notice what products people use when I go to their washrooms LOL). Plus, it’s a very affordable price and works really well! I started off using this scrub on my face, but over the years, my skin became slightly more sensitive and this was too harsh.

So, I ended up using this as an exfoliator for my body to prevent ingrowns, pimples, etc.

Would I repurchase? Yup, I ended up buying it in a jar format because it’s easier to use in the shower. As well, in high school, I bought this many times so you could say it’s definitely a staple for me!

———-

Stay tuned for part 2 of my empties! On a side note, I didn’t know that talking about empties was considered a weird thing to people who aren’t interested in beauty. In one of the Facebook groups I’m in, one blogger joked how we like to take pictures of our garbage and share it with others who love to see our garbage. LOL!!!


Filed Under: Beauty, body, face, makeup

Hard Candy Stroke of Gorgeous Eyeliner Duo

August 7, 2017

I wasn’t sure what to title this post because the packaging had many different names on it. I ended up following what was labelled on the product itself. I have been trying out Hard Candy products this summer, so keep your eyes out on more Hard Candy reviews! This Hard Candy product is a double tipped eyeliner.

What it says (Taken from PR release):

This dual-ended eyeliner equips you with both a soft kajal eyeliner and an ultra-black long-wearing liquid
liner: everything you need for perfect eyeliner every time. Glide on the soft kohl kajal along the lash line’s inner rim and smudge to fade around the edges. Then, line top lash line with the blackest black, precision tip liquid liner for eye-popping drama.

Application: The application was one of the things I enjoyed most about the eyeliner! The overall feel of the liner reminded me of a felt marker in elementary school! So cute! The size is about the same as well.

Since there are two applicator tips, I will start with the felt tip. The felt tip was thicker than I was used to, but it wasn’t a problem. I wasn’t able to get a tight, precise line so I only used the felt time for winging out my liner. For the pencil/kajal (I’m describing it as a pencil because some people might not know what a kajal tip is), it was thinner so I used that to tightline and line the rest of my eyes.

Wear: Both tips were intensely black! I normally wear the blackest liner so this was right up my alley. However, I was quite disappointed with the wear. Within a couple hours, the liner started to crease and smudge. Overall, it did not look good or fresh anymore.

– Beautiful, intense black
-Both tips were easy to apply, colour glided on smoothly
-Good price at $7.98 CAD

-Lasted only two hours on me before it started to crease & smudge

Nay…


Filed Under: Beauty, eyes, makeup

Hard Candy Colour Correct Cushion Wonder

July 20, 2017

When I first heard of the brand Hard Candy, my mind immediately went to Madonna. Even now that I’ve tried a few Hard Candy products, I still think of Madonna!

Anyways, today’s post will feature the first ever Hard Candy product on my blog! It is quite a long name – the official name is the Color Correct Cusion Wonder. For simplicity’s sake, I will be referring to it as simply a concealer from here on.

What it says (Taken from Hard Candy’s website):

This color-correcting serum instantly provides weightless color correction of any skin coloration concern.

Packaged in a tube with a cushion tip, no additional tools are needed!

Blend into your skin to target and CORRECT your skin concerns in 1 simple step!

The concealer comes with a very soft cushiony tip for convenient application. For a drugstore product at only $7, this is a really good bonus!

Am I the only one who hates ruining a beautiful, clean brush? I was so reluctant to use the cushion tip because I didn’t want to ruin it!

Application: Application was easy-peasy. It wasn’t messy to use and the cushion tip was very soft. Despite being a liquid concealer, the consistency turned soft and almost powdery upon application. It made blending very easy. This is a light coverage.

If I was going to a big event and wanted to put on my full make up face, I would definitely use a foundation and setting powder with this. But on a daily basis, the coverage will do.

Wear: Throughout the evening, the wear was very comfortable and I forgot I was wearing it until it showed up on my glasses.

  • A very good price- $7 CAD!!!!
  • Very soft cushion tip for easy application & touchups
  • Easy to blend and lightweight
  • Good for those who want light coverage

  • Wouldn’t call this a colour correcting product, better described as a concealer

Yay!

Availability: Hard Candy products are available exclusively at Walmart.

Media product featured. Opinions are own.


Filed Under: Beauty, face

Laser Hair Removal: My Experience

July 18, 2017

Last summer, I decided to finally invest in laser hair removal for my legs. Laser hair removal has always been something that has been at the back of my mind, but I never did it… mostly because I never thought of it enough to commit fully, thought it was expensive, and painful.

After completing all 6 sessions of my laser hair removal, it is finally time that I write about my experiences here on the blog!

DISCLAIMER: Before we get started, it is very important to do research for yourself. You came across this post somehow, which is great – you’re doing your research! Laser hair removal is not for everyone. Please do extensive research into the facility you choose, after care, etc etc. 

What is laser hair removal?

Laser hair removal is a form of permanent hair reduction on your body. To keep this as concise as possible, the colour black absorbs light easily, hence why when we wear black clothing, we feel warmer. Laser works the same way. The intense laser beam shoots light at the dark hair follicles, which kills them.

Where did I go?

I went to Beauty Light Laser in downtown Vancouver. There was a Groupon so I was able to save lots! I decided to go with a Groupon because I trusted my friend who went here before me, and the reviews online were great. The picture below is the treatment room and laser machine that Natalya uses.

Photo credit: Natalya, Beauty Light Laser

How many sessions did I do?

Usually, packages start at 6 sessions. You can purchase sessions by itself, but to see the full benefits of laser, it is better to purchase the full package. I did 6 sessions over the course of 10 months. Once my sessions ended, Natalya said that I could purchase more individual sessions in the future, if I felt like I needed or wanted to.

Photo credit: Lutronic (http://www.usa.lutronic.com/hair_removal_patient)

How long does a session take?

For my lower legs, each session was really quick. The zapping session for both lower legs was done in under 5 minutes. It really is just a quick touch up and down your legs! I imagine that other areas such as your underarms, bikini line, face, and arms would take even faster since there’s less surface area.

Does it hurt?

Beauty is pain… but it doesn’t always have to be! I was a bit nervous about the pain, but I was really glad that it wasn’t extremely painful! Like on a scale of 1-10… it was probably a 2 at most for my legs. The front of my legs were probably like a 1, and the back were a 2.

I wouldn’t even consider doing my legs painful… it was more of a slightly uncomfortable feeling.

If you’ve ever done waxing before, laser is wayyy less painful than waxing! Compared to waxing my legs, I rather laser ANY DAY. If you can bear waxing, laser will be a breeze for you. With waxing, the area stings for a couple seconds or more after the wax strip is pulled off, which is the most painful part to me. However with laser, there is no lasting stinging. It is a quick, annoying little prick or rubber band snap.

Some areas are more sensitive than others though… such as the bikini area. That is definitely more painful!

Is it effective?

I was told I wouldn’t see results until a 2-3 sessions later, which was correct! I started to REALLY see a difference after 3 sessions. After shaving for years, my leg hairs have become thicker and they also grew faster. But after laser, the hairs that grow now are thin and it grows slower.

I would say that 80% of my leg hair has stopped growing, which is soo much better.

Do I have any regrets?

Definitely not! In the past, one of the things I dreaded most about summer was that I constantly had to shave my legs. This is something some girls are okay with, but to me it was such a drag and so annoying. Then, my legs would become itchy growing back, stubbly, and I would get those annoying bumps and dots despite exfoliating. Idk, my legs just really hated razors and I could never wait long enough to wax.

The only regret I have was not doing it sooner! It has made my routine so much easier and I don’t have to be self conscious about my legs with dots anymore.

Important things to note?

-Don’t do anything except shave between sessions! This includes waxing, tweezing, depilatory creams, etc!!! Each session targets the hairs at different growth stages in order to kill it. So when you wax/pluck/etc you are interfering with the hair growth cycle.

-Make sure you do a consultation first. If you go to a place where they say consultations aren’t necessary, RUN. RUN!!!! And write a bad Yelp review haha. Like I mentioned earlier, laser hair removal is not for everyone. In particular, it is harder to laser light blonde hairs or dark skin tones… so your technician needs to look at your particular hair and see if it works for you. I’ve seen horror pictures of laser hair removal burns and that just sounds horrible!

-Be patient and not lazy. For LHR to work, you need to be patient with the results because it’ll be worth it! For myself, I didn’t see results until 3-4 months afterwards. Since appointments are made 1-2 months in advance, make sure you keep it in your calendar. Beauty Light Laser was not a convenient location for me to get to but I liked it there.

-Don’t expect your hair to be 100% gone! I still have some leg hair, but the hair grows back slower and thinner.

Yay!

Disclaimer: Laser hair removal package bought on Groupon by myself. Opinions are own.


Filed Under: Beauty, body

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