Ode to an Empty: ELEMIS Pro Collagen Energizing Marine Cleanser

Ahh, Elemis. How I love you. How I miss you when you are gone. This is the second product by this company that I have finished and again, I am left both bittersweet and satisfied. All I can do now is write this goodbye blog post and, of course, do my usual assessment.

1. Did I use this?

Clearly, as I'm writing about it after it has been completely emptied. And I do mean completely. I was squeezing the very last bits out of it to have as many days with it as possible. 

2. Was it a good amount?

Speaking of me getting product out of this tube, I must say it certainly lasted me quite a while. I was only using it as a nightly cleanse, but still, for a deluxe mini to last over two months is pretty great. Of the many things one must give Elemis, being generous with product is certainly one of them. 

3. Did I enjoy it?

I think one of the keys to sticking to a skin routine is finding products you look forward to using. Whenever I thought about starting my nightly face ritual, the idea of putting this product on my skin always made me happy. It has a mild, lovely scent that always leaves me feeling very fresh and calm. It went on gently. My skin felt good after each use.

4. Did it live up to my expectations?

Elemis is an expensive product, so I expect a lot from it. So far, it has not disappointed me. As I mentioned above, I always receive a good amount, even in the minis, and have a great experience. This was no exception. My skin is so much better after using this cleanser.

5. Would I repurchase?

If I had the money to shell out for it, I would purchase it in a heartbeat. 

Another great thing about this cleanser is that it lasted until it absolutely needed to. I have more cleanser arriving today so this worked out well. I mean, it's not like that was planned or anything, but it's a nice little touch.

Ode to an Empty: Elemis Peptide4 Plumping Pillow Facial

Last night, I ran out of my ElemisPeptide4 Plumping Pillow Facial. I loved this cream! It was wonderful and soothing and calming for my skin. I need that because my skin tends to stay irritated most of the time. This is also supposed to reduce redness and fine lines. I have a lot of stuff going on my skin right now to reduce redness and fine lines so I can't say as to how much this contributed to that, but I can say that it certainly helped.

My two favorite things about this product were the scent and the texture. The scent contained Star Avensis, Indian Night Jasmine, bitter orange, orange, and coriander. I love all of these, though admittedly, while I love the smell of coriander, I am one of those people who thinks cilantro tastes like soap. However, the combination of all of these left me relaxed and happily ready for a good night's sleep. The texture was was very gentle and lightweight. As soon as I put it on my skin, I could feel it not only absorbing but also helping to absorb the serum and eye cream I had on under it. After that, my skin felt soft without any kind of greasy or oily sensations.

When it comes to skincare, one of the things I make determinations on is just how it makes me feel afterward. Mind you, a lot of the time, that's just nothing at best or covered in textures at worst. But with this, I actually felt better about things. I felt serene, tranquil. That's a very good way to feel before bed and certainly an indication of a successful overnight mask.

As I finished the tube, clearly I loved this. In fact, found myself reaching for it as often as I could. Would I repurchase? I certainly would were it in my price range. This product is expensive, but if you have the funds, it would be worth the investment.

Ipsy Icon Winter Box

 Ipsy Icon Winter Box

I didn't get to choose anything in this box, so everything was a big surprise. In some ways, that's actually more fun because nothing is expected. However, I think getting to choose a few of the products would have been better. I really didn't need another mascara or lip pencil or face mask. If I had options, I would have skipped those items. This somewhat puts them at a lower ranking just because I really didn't need them. Anyway, this is what I got.

I only got two skincare items. The first of these is the Dr. Brandt Skincare Glycolic SkinRenewal Mask. It's supposed to help with signs of aging and uneven skin textures. The cream is very thick and lux feeling. It smells vaguely of mint. You are supposed to put this on clean, dry skin and leave for 5-10 minutes to let it do its thing, then wash off with lukewarm water. My skin is pretty sensitive so this stung. It stung a lot. I didn't enjoy the sensation of having it on at all. After about the first five minutes, either the stinging settled down or I got used to it or my face was numb. My skin did feel nice and smooth afterward. It's a fine mask. We'll see if it helps with anti-aging over time.

My next skincare item was new to me as well. It was 8 Faces Brilliance Serum. I was completely drawn to this from the beginning. For one thing, the packaging is beautiful. The bottle is glass and so beautifully decorated. It also has a glass pipette with a rounded tip. It has rosehip and pomegranate oils, with lotus plant cells, Vitamin C, cica exosomes, and collagen peptides. It smells richly and warmly of citrus. I am discovering that I really love beauty oils. This one glides on gently and absorbs into the skin really well. I've been using it as part of my skin routine, and even after I use the bottle up, I'm keeping it because it's just so lovely.

My first makeup item was the Rodial Glass Powder in translucent. I love Rodial. I use some of their eye creams and they seem to be doing a good job. Even though it's translucent, it has some soft peach undertones that are supposed to help make your skin look poreless and flawless. I was pretty pleased with the results. The first time I used this, I'd made the mistake of using an older, thicker, matte foundation. My skin looked patchy and messy, but the powder made it work. I applied it with a large brush and it went on like a dream. The only issue I had with this powder at all was that the protective plastic cover over the holes inside was very difficult to remove.

Next, I received the Persona CosmeticsVolumizing Tubing Mascara in black. This is a pretty standard mascara. The wand is really nice. It has short bristles and a curve to it. Everything applies well. Is it the best mascara I own? No, but for day-to-day use, it's fine.

The next box actually had two items in it. Bisha Essential Eye Designer Duo Set in Downtown Black and UptownBrown. I was pretty excited about this to begin with because yay two items. I also really loved the packaging. Both were in sleek gold tubes. The black was very black and the brown was a darker chocolate brown. I find that they don't have much lasting power on my skin though. Not too long after application, both had faded and started to migrate. I'm still looking for eyeliner that won't do this to me.

I also received a double set with the Lithe Beauty Soft FillLip Pencils in Scarlet and Dusk. I have some questions. First of all, neither of these seem to be lip pencils. They're really thick. They're more like lip crayons. Second of all, neither color really seems to represent what they say it is. Maybe Dusk does, but the Scarlet one is really not scarlet colored. They glide on well though. I enjoy them.

The last two items were from the featured beauty icon for the season, Natasha Denona. First we got the RetroPalette 15 Eyeshadow Palette. The palette itself is a solid metal and a good size. It has a beautiful mirror. It contains one duo-chrome shade, one with a multi-color sparks topper, 4 metallic shades, and the rest are mattes. Five are cream powders. The colors are in the burgundy and mauve ranges, and are very passionate. Now, admittedly, these are not usually shades I wear. I tend to lean toward nudes or warm autumnal shades. However, I am giving this a chance. Everything is very pigmented and glides on well. I wore them for several hours and they seemed to hold up on my eyes very well.

The other Natasha Denona item that I received was the I Need a Nude lipstick in the shade 36NP Amorosa. It contains Gotu Kola and Orchid extracts that are supposed to heal and nourish your lips. It's described as one of those 'your lips but better' shades and I would say that's true. It looks really good on me. It's also supposed to be universally flattering and work with all skin types. Besides the shade (which I do love) there are two other things I adore about this lipstick. First of all is the packaging. As you can see from the pic above, it's a decadent, bright red metal container. It also has a magnet in it that snaps it back into place when you're done with it, which makes it feel so lux. The other thing I like about it is the feel on the lips. So often lipstick feels waxy and thick. This one feels so light and easy. It's something you could wear all day and not feel like you have something on your lips.

ORDER OF FAVORITES FROM MOST TO LEAST

1. Natasha Denona I Need a Nudelipstick 36NP Amorosa

2. 8 Faces Brilliance Serum

3. Rodial Glass Powder
4. NatashaDenona Retro Palette 15 Eyeshadow Palette
5. Dr. Brandt Skincare Glycolic SkinRenewal Mask
6. Persona Cosmetics Volumizing Tubing Mascara
7. Lithe Beauty Soft Fill Lip Pencils
8. Bisha Essential Eye Designer Duo Set in Downtown Black and Uptown Brown

Allure Box January 2026

The item we got to choose color options from this month was Tarte Cosmetics' Sculpt Tape Contour. I chose the cool bronze. This is an interesting product for me because it has a built-in sponge applicator. In theory, the applicator is a great idea, but it does make controlling the amount of product that comes out somewhat of a challenge. I'm not sure what I think of the color yet, but of the choices I had, it was the lightest and so probably the best for me. I'm not really a huge bronzer kind of person, but we'll see how it goes.

My next product was the one I was most excited about, Obagi Hydrate Facial Moisturizer by Obagi Medical. Oh, I was seriously NOT disappointed. This product is amazing! It's scentless and comes out in a thick, slightly amberish color. It goes on very smoothly and makes my skin feel stunning. I have so many problems with dry skin during the winter months, especially because of my CPAP. With the Obagi, that has not been a problem at all. I would very much love to keep using this. 

The thing I was second most excited about was Blake Brown Beauty's Fundamental Nourishing Mask, admittedly partly because I find the packaging so beautiful. It looks more expensive than it even is. I enjoyed this product a lot. It really coats the hair well, and it smells wonderful. The scent notes are nerol and cardamom on the top, lily of the valley and nectar in the heart, with bottom notes of cedar wood and Madagascar vanilla. It worked well with my body chemistry. I was pleased with how soft my hair felt after my shower. 

On the subject of hair, the box also contained the Paul Mitchell Super Skinny Serum. I was pretty meh about this. It's not really an expensive product, and I have a lot of 'apply to your damp hair' leave-in stuff right now. However, one of its claims really intrigued me. It said it cut down drying time. I had no idea if that was even possible, but I slathered this stuff on my hair, hoping it was. You know what? It actually did cut down on drying time. My hair was dry within minutes, which is great because it's cold right now. Also, that meant there was less time for the hairdryer to mess things up. My hair is fine, thin, and wispy. When I blow dry it, I often look like Angelica's Cynthia doll. Because it dried so much faster this time, I was able to control the shape a lot better. 

I also received Mitchell & Peach English Leaf Body Soufflé Cream. Okay, I have a lot of thoughts. This one has certainly been a process. The notes on it are English leaf, citruses, coriander leaves, basil, mint, and floral oils and grass.  I didn't like the scent at first. I let my roommate try it, and he really hated it. I loved the feel of the lotion though, and after a while, I enjoyed the way the scent settled on my skin. It contains honey, cocoa, and Vitamin B5, and all of that works well with my skin. Over time, I also began to enjoy the bold leafy/herby scents. It's funny how that can happen. In the end, I found myself really liking this product and will probably use it up completely. 

My bonus item was Levitate Beauty's Hydrogel Under Eye Masks (3 pairs) that contained collagen, ginseng, and pearl extract. I have to admit I was disappointed when I didn't get the other bonus item option, but actually, I enjoyed these masks quite a lot. They were bigger than most eye masks I usually use, but also thinner, which means they stayed in place better than eye masks often do. It also meant I could apply them to my upper lid after using them on the lower one, and they stayed put. They had a removable layer on them to help put them in place. There was a good amount of extra liquid in the packets, meaning you could basically coat your whole face while wearing the masks, a nice added benefit. 

MY LIST FROM FAVORITE TO LEAST. (Though I have to admit, I liked a lot of these and basically had several ties.)

1. Obagi Hydrate Facial Moisturizer by Obagi Medical

2. Paul Mitchell Super Skinny Serum

2. Mitchell & Peach English Leaf Body Soufflé Cream

2. Blake Brown Beauty's Fundamental Nourishing Mask

2. Levitate Beauty's Hydrogel Under Eye Masks 

6. Tarte Cosmetics' Sculpt Tape Contour

Ispy Box Jan 2026

Today I got my Ipsy box for January. It arrived rather quickly.

The first item I received was Kulfi Beauty Badi Lash Smudge Proof Volumizing Tubing Mascara in Black. I really loved this! I don't have very long or thick lashes, but this mascara really gave me some good volume on them. Because it's tubing, it stayed on until I decided to remove it. The wand was thin and long and the formula was really great.

Then I got the BYROE Sugar Plum Shimmer Lip Oil. The formula was good and I liked the way the oil felt on my lips. I even though the glitter aspect of it wasn't uncomfortable on my lips. HOWEVER, it did transfer a lot to my chin. This might not be a problem if I had on lip liner, but I didn't so it became an issue. 

Next up was WANDER BEAUTY On-the-Glow Blush & Illuminator in Dusk. This was a good size and had a liquid blush on one end and the illuminator on the other. Both colors worked well with my complexion. I think the illuminator works better on my eyelids than on my cheeks. I didn't try it on my forehead but it might work well there too. I found the blush to be very easy to blend and it was buildable enough.  It looked good on my lips, cheeks, and eyelids. 

Item four was EVEREDEN'S Hair and Body Fragrance Mist in Darling. It works with sensitive skin and has notes of rose, strawberries, and vanilla. I wasn't sure how I would feel about this because the brand skews young and I'd never used a hair mist before. However, I find that I really love the scent and enjoy the way it blends with my hair. 

Lastly, I received CHICA BEAUTY Mirame Liquid Liner. I'd gotten a palette from them before and liked it a lot so I had some high hopes for the liner. However, I found it to be pretty streaky and it didn't stay on my eyes very well. Within an hour or so it was already smudging and running. Of everything here, I liked this the least. It didn't help that they'd sent it in black. Since I've gotten older, I tend to wear brown or gray liners for my eyes. It's frustrating because Ipsy actually asks you what colors you want and I'd told them browns and grays. 

MY LIST FROM FAVORITE TO LEAST.

1. The Kulfi mascara-- beautiful on the lashes, very nice for the price.
2. Evereden hair mist--great scent, good for sensitive skin, blends well with my chemistry. 
3. The Wander stick-- good colors on me but a bit too pricy for what you get.
4. Byroe shimmer lip oil-- feels good on the lips but glitter transfers to the face.
5. Chica Beauty eyeliner--streaky and not the right color for me.