Darling Magpie

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March 2014 Empties

It's yet another month, and another empties post! This one isn't as impressive as last month, but it looks like April might be a bit of a mega-post as I'm close to finishing a half-dozen products only a week in. So here are the good, the bad and the ugly from March 2014!

Revlon Extra Life No-Chip Topcoat - This was a product I bought on sale while I was in-between bottles of Sally Hansen Insta-Dri, but I don't think I will again. The formula is a little tacky, but oddly it's not fast-drying. It does result in thinner top coats which work well for nail art, but it doesn't have a glossy or gel-like coating which I prefer. Won't rebuy.

Burt's Bees Intense Hydration Night Cream - I received this in BzzAgent kit about a year ago and it has become my go-to night cream and moisturizer. It is THICK so I don't use it too much in the dead of summer, but it helps lock in moisture during the winter and even my boyfriend loves it. I actually qualified for a new jar of this through Sample Source last week so I won't be without it for long. Definite rebuy.

Burt's Bees Sensitive Facial Cleanser - This is a thick, cream based cleanser that works really well for sensitive, combination skin. It cleans but it's not drying, leaving your skin with that fresh "just showered" feel, without that dry 'squeaky clean & tight' feeling. It's also virtually fragrance-free which is great for scent sensitivities. Would rebuy.

John Frieda Luxurious Volume Touchably Full Shampoo & Conditioner - Overall this was a pretty average product. The scent didn't overwhelm but it didn't woo, and my hair actually felt like it was a little greasier than normal. It was still manageable, but it just didn't do much else. Won't rebuy.

Prada Candy - Just like its namesake, this perfume was ADDICTIVE. It actually smells like vanilla and caramel and really felt like a treat to put on every day. I'm not sure I'd buy it because the price point was a bit high for a heavily vanilla-scented product, but I'd keep it in might. Might rebuy.

Juicy Couture Peace and Love - This was a sweet, spring-like floral scent. Nothing too strong, but also nothing very memorable. I like the lightness of the scent however, because it was playful without being overwhelming. Probably won't rebuy.

Cargo Lashactivator  - I was a big fan of this product for three reasons. 1) The wand is rubber, flexible and had small bristles that allowed you to drag it along your eyelashes easier. 2) The 'primer' ingredient helped separate each lash and coated my lashes so well that fewer lashes were removed when I took my mascara off at night. 3) The mascara was long-lasting. I really liked this wand. But that was before I found Benefit's They're Real.. Would've rebought... before I discovered They're Real!

Benefit Foamingly Clean Facial Wash - It's funny because this cleanser is literally the exact opposite of the Burt's Bees one I reviewed above, but I also love it. A little goes a LONG WAY with this product, it has a very old-school 'soap' scent, it definitely leaves your skin feeling tight, but not agitated, and it really kills any blemishes or pimples before they get started. I recommend using this if you have oily/combination skin. If you have dry skin it might be too drying for you. Definite rebuy.

Baléa Detoxifying Face Mask French Clay - I usually avoid a lot of Baléa face masks because I had a bad allergic reaction to one, but I did some research and this one was recommended for people with sensitive skin. The packet could EASILY be two masks, but I lathered it on in one sitting anyway and it left my skin feeling radiant and refreshed. It doesn't harden, it just sets into your skin and removes impurities, but it doesn't tingle or anything really, it just moisturizes and gets in your pores. Would rebuy.

Pantene Daily Moisture Renewal - Like many of the older Pantene products, this shampoo had a strong generic 'shampoo' smell, but it definitely kept my hair manageable and soft. I think I prefer the new lines (Nature Fusion and Detox) but this was a good sample to finally finish. Won't rebuy, would purchase newer lines instead.

And I've saved the worst for last. This Korres Wild Rose 24-Hour Moisturizing & Brightening Cream made me break out after only one day of use. It also left my skin flaky and dry, almost like a rash but not quite. I looked it up later and found that other people have had the same reaction to this product. For all the 'natural' claims of Korres, there are an awful lot of chemical in their products. WON'T rebuy, ever.

Phew, and that's all she wrote for March! Did you finish anything particularly awesome or terrible lately?