Skincare Empties! Serums, Essences, Moisturizers, and All That!

Another few months have passed, and with that more empties! Yes I have been trying to use up my products instead of just accumulating them (because truth be told as a beauty junkie you do accumulate a LOT after a short period of time). Anyway over the past few months, I (with a little help from some of my family members) have managed to accumulate quite the literal pile of products. Behold! My empties!

As usual, I wait for months until my empties pile up to the high heavens before it occurs to me to do an empties post, LOL

Since these are a lot to get through, they're going to be split into two parts - skincare, and makeup. We'll start with the skincare first. Basically every face product you can think of - lotions, essences, creams, masks, eye creams, are all in this post. Except sunscreens, because they're grouped with makeup this time round (mostly just to prevent this post from getting too long).

Alright, let's get to it!

L'Oreal Super Liner V-Sculptor Swatches and First Impressions

L'Oreal's Super Liner V-Sculptor eyeshadow sticks were launched last month, and yes, I'm only just getting around to swatching them. I wanted to blog about these because they're pretty interesting as far as eyeshadows go. These are powder eyeshadows, but instead of being in a pan and coming with a brush, these are actually in a pen form, with a cushion tip, as you can see below. The idea behind the cushion tip is that it's easier to blend the eyeshadow out to get a natural-looking application. As for the eyeshadow powder, it's stored inside the cap of the pen.

L'Oreal Super Liner V-Sculptor: A powder eyeshadow with a cushion applicator for better blending

If these look a bit familiar, it's because these are basically the eyeshadow version of the L'Oreal Tint Caresse that was launched last year. Pretty much everything is the same - the pen format, the cushion tip (right down to the cushion material), the storage of the powder product in the cap. So if you've ever looked at the Tint Caresse and thought, "I'd like this in eyeshadow form", well, here we are!

L'Oreal Youth Code Skin Activating Ferment Pre-Essence Review and Ingredients Analysis

The L'Oreal Youth Code Skin Activating Ferment Pre-Essence just launched earlier this month, and already it's making quite a splash here. Firstly, this is supposed to be an upgrade of the original L'Oreal Youth Code, which was already a pretty popular product in its own right. But beyond just "sequel syndrome", the marketing is pretty eye-catching, too. The product claims to have "98% Ferment Essence (extracted at 98% purity) to stimulate skin metabolism and accelerate cell renewal". So the Ferment Essence is really a huge draw here, too.

L'Oreal Youth Code Skin Activating Ferment Pre-Essence: With claims of 98% Ferment Essence, this product has been making a splash

For those with some familiarity with the original L'Oreal Youth Code (as well as a similar product from L'Oreal's sister brand, Lancome's Genifique Youth Activator), you might recall that the "ferment essence" used in those products was Bifida Ferment Lysate. And indeed, it seems that L'Oreal has increased the concentration of Bifida Ferment Lysate in the updated Youth Code. Beyond the increased use of Bifida Ferment Lysate, L'Oreal also claims that the Pre-Essence will "boost skin recovery ability against fatigue and aging signs".


L'Oreal Youth Code Skin Activating Ferment Pre-Essence: An updated version of the L'Oreal Youth Code
That sounds pretty cool, but how does the Pre-Essence work? What ingredients are in there to help in skin renewal, or in anti-aging? And how different is the new product from its old formulation? Well, we'll find out!

L'Oreal Tint Caresse Orchid Blossom Review, Swatch, Ingredients Analysis

L'Oreal Tint Caresse was launched a few months ago, and basically, it's a pretty nifty powder lip tint. Yes, powder, with a sponge applicator! L'Oreal advertises this as the "1st lip gradation cushion tint for lips that blossom with delicate colour", and the idea is that the sponge and powder combination is supposed to make it easier for you to get that on-trend ombre lips look.

L'Oreal Tint Caresse Orchid Blossom: One of a range of Tint Caresse shades

The Tint Caresse seems to be developed out of Japan, or at least, the packaging and wrapping all has Japanese text. Sometimes L'Oreal does develop Asia-exclusive products, so perhaps this could be one of those - indeed, the idea of gradient lips is pretty much a Kbeauty/J-beauty sort of concept. I'm always pretty happy with such products though, as it often results in some pretty innovative and unique products. The shade I'm reviewing today is Orchid Blossom, which is one of several shades.


L'Oreal Tint Caresse Orchid Blossom: The Tint Caresse seem to be an Asia-only product
This is the first time I've seen a powder lip product before, so I have to admit, I had all sorts of curious questions about it. How did L'Oreal formulate a powder lip product? What does it feel like on lips? What does it look like? Well, let's find out, by starting at the ingredients list!

L'Oreal Revitalift Filler HA Essence and Cushion Cream Reviews and Ingredients Analysis

L'Oreal's Revitalift Filler HA Micro Volumizing Essence and Revolumizing Cushion Cream have both hit stores here in Singapore, and these are two new additions to L'Oreal's already-popular anti-aging Revitalift skincare range. The Revitalift Filler HA products contain hyaluronic acid, as you might have guessed from the "HA" in the names. I've had these two products for awhile, so I thought it was about time that I reviewed them properly!

L'Oreal Revitalift Filler HA Essence and Cushion Cream: The latest additions to the Revitalift line

Obviously, hyaluronic acid is a big selling point for the Revitalift Filler HA line, and also the "volumizing" or "filler" aspect. Basically, these claim to "fill up lines" and "restore skin plumpness" (I'm quoting those two claims directly from the packaging there). The idea is that it's not just wrinkles that make a person's skin look old, but also a lack of facial volume and plumpness, and the Revitalift Filler HA line is supposed to address both these concerns. We're already familiar with hyaluronic acid as a humectant, so in this sense it could be useful in skincare to help hydrate the skin. In addition to the "micrometic hyaluronic acid", there is also Fibroxyl, which L'Oreal explains is a derived from rye seed and is an anti-wrinkle and firming ingredient.


L'Oreal Revitalift Filler HA Essence and Cushion Cream: Advertised as containing hyaluronic acid, and Fibroxyl
Well, that's a whole lot of claims for two products, so let's get down to the review! We'll take a look at the Essence first, and then the Cushion Cream. And of course, we're going to start right at the ingredients lists, to see if the products really live up to their claims. But first, let's talk about Fibroxyl, which appears in the products as Secale Cereale/Rye Seed Extract, and what that actually does in skin!