I am back today with some more empties!!! Perfect day to review a few of these since a few of these will be included in the Sephora 15% off sale is starting!!! I am reviewing them differently today, and giving you the good and the bad. Tell me if you like this format better than just spilling it all in one paragraph.
**some affiliate links because if you are going to click anyways, then why not earn a little penny?**
Clinique Moisture Surge Intense
The Good– I am obsessed with this stuff you guys!!! I think I have mentioned it on my blog quite a few times. This is one of the best moisturizers I have ever used for my combination skin. It makes my skin feel so soft and smooth. My makeup applies so well over it that I really don’t use primers anymore. I am repurchasing this during the Sephora sale!
The Bad– The only bad thing I can say is that it comes in a jar instead of a tube. I always wash my hands before washing my face and using this product so it isn’t a big deal for me. And honestly, being in a jar ensures that you can use every last drop of it.
Repurchase: YES!!!
Spongelle in Freesia Pear scent
The Good– Let’s start with scent. This scent is amazing!!! I like that this is an all in one. The soap is built in to the sponge so you just scrub all over your body with it. It leaves my skin soft and exfoliated, without stripping it of moisture. It was fun to use and it lasted a lot longer than I thought it would! I cant even remember when I got it??
The Bad- Other than being a little on the pricey side, the only negative thing I have to say is depending on your shower set up…it might be odd to store it between uses. We didn’t really have a good place to lay it in our shower stall without it getting hit by water constantly, so I kept it by my sink and had to take it in to the shower each use.
Repurchase: This isn’t something I would purchase on the regular, but I would certainly pick one up if I want something different and fun to pamper myself with from time to time. I would 100% purchase it as a gift for someone else too.
Smashbox Photo Finish Primer
The Good – Decent primer, keeps my oily skin in check.
The Bad – Pretty pricey and gets used up quickly.
Repurchase: I have purchased this many times in the past, but with my current face routine and moisturizer…I find myself not really needed a primer.
Younique Moodstruck Natural Fibers Mascara and Transplanting Gel
The Good: I liked the length that this mascara provides. My eye lashes looked pretty fantastic when I used it!
The Bad: You have to purchase it through a Younique distributer. I don’t know if it is just me, but the mascara flakes off and bothers my eyes. It is a little pricey.
Repurchase: No. There are mascaras from both the drug stores and Sephora that don’t bother my eyes the way this did and are easier to purchase.
Burt’s Bees Mama Bee Belly Butter
The Good– Safe to use while pregnant. Super moisturizing. I found that my belly itched less when I used this.
The Bad – I couldn’t stand the smell of this stuff for half of my pregnancy. I used it the second half of my pregnancy and still have stretch marks from hell so it wont prevent stretch marks if they are in your genes. I think you are either lucky and wont have stretch marks because your mom/grandma didn’t get them….or no matter what you rub on your belly the stretch marks are going to appear because that is your fate.
If I can only recommend one thing, it would be the Clinique Moisture Surge Intense! And honestly, it isn’t near as pricey as some of the other moisturizers out there. This jar lasted me several months too! What are you going to purchase during the Sephora sale? I am getting the moisturizer and I was thinking about ordering another Kat Von D Everlasting Liquid Lipstick (my favorite!!!!) or this set.
22 Comments
I really need to try that clinique moisturizer! And I actually prefer jars over tubes because as you said you can get every bit of product out.
I’ve never heard of Spongelle but anything freesia pear sounds amazing! I’m always torn when stuff is in a jar vs a tube, because it is nice to be able to easily get out all of the product, but sometimes you do wonder if anything is getting mixed in. I really liked this format of the good & bad!
I think mascara with the false lashes in it is becoming more popular. I have some from essence that has that for a volume effect and I’m pretty sure the flakes a little and irritates my eye… It looks awesome, though. Ha.
I just restocked on everything that I might need in the future with the Sephora sale! I just really can’t say no! I swear Clinique has some of the best moisturizers out there! I love their All About Eyes moisturizer!
I used to use the Clinique Moisture Surge and then I stopped, for no real reason now that I’m thinking of it. I think I just ran out and then tried something else and have been trying different moisturizers since. I might need to revisit this again. I did like the way it made my face feel. Beautifully Candid
Clinique products are amazing! I wondered about that Burts Bees body butter? I think I might have to try it. I’m funny about smells. I have used Smashbox primer for years and love it.
I love anything pear scented. I absolutely love pears. And I swear by the NYX primer. It’s not as pricey as smashbox, but I think it works just as nicely. 🙂
I love this new format!! So I think I fucked up because I used my 20% off from Ulta and bought a neutrogena moisturizer (that’s supposed to be good) completely forgetting that I could buy Clinique there! I’m almost out of Moisture Surge and agree that it’s one of the best I’ve ever used. May just have to buy it during the Sephora sale…
I always had the hardest time with that mascara flaking off too. I’d always have those little specks under my eyes. Beautiful, huh? & it would always dry out on me in less than 30 days. Too much money for that.
I love Clinique’s All About the Eyes! It is by far one of the best eye creams on the market. I don’t care for Burt Bee’s products as I find the scent of almost all of them too much.
These are some of my favorite posts since I feel like we have the exact same skin type!
I slathered that Mama Bee Butter on like no tomorrow while pregnant, but I’m so sorry the smell irritated you in the beginning. It’s amazing the things that repulse us during those rough first several weeks.
Stretch marks are stupid . . . I have a belly full. I rubbed all the cocoa butter on too but it what it is! 🙂
I’m sad to say that I’ve already plopped down a Benjamin over at Sephora, and I plan to make even more purchases, since spring and summer are my stock up times for Sephora and I’ve saved up plenty of gift cards. I know I’ll want at least a couple of BB backups at the very least, but this first round went to a couple of Favorites sets I’ve had my eye on– the sun kit and the fragrance minis sampler. (I’ll probably use the voucher for a full size Flowerbomb.) All that said, the Ulta opening up soon will probably change my Sephora shopping habits, but I need to become familiar with their sale cycles so that I can properly strategize.
The Clinique moisturizer sounds amazing as I have combination skin as well. I agree that it would be better off and less messy in a tube than a jar…maybe they’ll change that someday. They tend to have a lot of their products in jars for some reason.
Oh I need to try that Clinique moisturizer! I am always on the hunt for a good one. Mascara that flakes off would drive me insane too! Thanks for sharing your thoughts on these 😉
i have been curious about Younique for a few years but not enough to try it. there are plenty at drugstores and the like to try instead. love the good and bad set up, easier to read (and decide what to buy lol). i have stretch marks from growing when i was younger, so whatever. they are inevitable i reckon lol
I used to use a lot of Clinique face products. I still use their sunscreen.
I think Younique looks like spider legs.
I couldn’t stand the smell for the second half of my pregnancy! Even still, if I smell it I will immediately get nauseous!
I heard that about the belly butter–the smell! I’ve never had kids but have stretch marks, boo! I love Clinique–they make some good stuff!
I’m not really into beauty products, but I LOVE having empties of things like lotion, body spray, etc. I get a huge sense of WINNING for some reason when I finally finish something LOL, so I enjoy these kind of posts.
I use the same Burts Bee’s Mama Bee lotion and thankfully the smell isn’t bothering me yet. I like that it helps with the itchy-ness. I don’t have any stretch marks from pregnancy yet, but I do have them from when I was a teenager and grew really quickly so I’ve always assumed that I would probably have them from pregnancy eventually as well. I’ve heard (like you mentioned) that it’s a lot more about your genes than anything else.