Gone But Not Forgotten: Products I Used to the Last Drop and Their Replacements from Bubble, Mario Badescu and Shiseido!

As a beauty blogger, I'm constantly trying new products. I'll test something for a few weeks (or however long the instructions say it takes to see results), decide whether it's worthy of a review, and then, if I liked it, it gets promoted to my stash of partially used products. When I'm between testing assignments, I shop my own shelves and drawers for something to use until the next new arrival comes along.

 

The downside? I have enough partially used beauty products to open a small department store, and actually finishing something is a relatively rare occurrence. I'm much better at starting beauty products than saying goodbye to them. So when I managed to use up not one, not two, but FOUR products, it seemed worthy of its own post. Seriously, somebody alert the beauty industry!

 

Here's what made it to the finish line, and what I've decided to replace them with...

  

All used up: Foreo Night Cleanser Celestial Melting Gel - This blue-grey cleansing gel was infused with ultra-fine meteorite particles for gentle deep cleansing and exfoliation, along with moringa extract and almond oil to dissolve and remove makeup, daily pollutants and impurities. It was fantastic at removing makeup, and I was genuinely sad to see it discontinued. I believe Foreo has since introduced a new line of cleansers, but since I don't have any of those sitting in my stash (shocking, I know), I moved on to...

 

Bubble Soft Launch Hydrating Cream Cleanser - 125ml - $22.99 - A delicate daily cleanser designed for dry, sensitive skin, this light, creamy formula creates a soft foam that cleans without leaving skin feeling stripped, tight or dry. It can be used on its own or as the second step in a double cleanse. The formula includes allantoin to soften, moisturize and soothe, avocado oil to nourish and help reduce redness, and plant-based ceramides to replenish the building blocks of the skin barrier. 

 

Basically, it's a cleanser that gets the job done without leaving your face feeling like you've just washed it with dish soap. And in colder weather or for anyone with dry skin, that's a very good thing - extra bonus points for the pump dispenser!

 

Available at Shoppers Drug Mart, Loblaws/Real Canadian Superstores and select Walmart stores across Canada and online at beauty.shoppersdrugmart.ca, amazon.ca and hellobubble.com. 

 

All used up: Aveda Intensive Hydrating Masque - An oil-free, aloe- and kelp-based cooling gel mask with a wonderfully calming wild lavender scent. It was one of those products that made applying a face mask feel like a little spa moment, particularly because I absolutely loved the lavender aroma. 

 

Aveda has since replaced it with the Botanicals Kinetics Intense Hydrating Masque, which I considered purchasing. However, after discovering that it doesn't have that lovely lavender scent, I wasn't quite convinced it was worth the $43 price tag. If I'm going to spend that much, I want the whole experience, thank you very much! Instead, I decided to try...

 

Mario Badescu Super Collagen Mask - 56g - $28 - A collagen-enriched clay mask designed for dry, dull complexions in need of a little pick-me-up. Formulated with smoothing collagen, soothing oatmeal, nutrient-rich red algae extract, purifying kaolin clay and oil-absorbing zinc oxide, it helps draw out excess oil and impurities while reducing the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. 

 

A good option when skin is looking a little lacklustre and could use some attention. Because apparently, even our faces occasionally need a reminder that we're taking care of them and mine thinks this makes it feel smooth and look brighter - as an added bonus when you walk around with it on, your green face will scare the crap out of your husband/cats!

 

Available at Shoppers Drug Mart and Sephora stores across Canada and online at beauty.shoppersdrugmart.ca, sephora.ca, amazon.ca and mariobadescu.com. 

 

All used up: Shiseido Ultimune Power Infusing Serum - And this one? No replacement shopping around, no lengthy deliberation, no trying to convince myself that something else might be just as good. I loved it so much that I went straight out and bought the refill. When a product gets that kind of endorsement from me, you know it's good!

 

Shiseido Ultimune Power Infusing Serum - 50ml - $150, 75ml - $195, 75ml refill - $172 - This powerhouse serum helps boost the skin's resilience against the effects of aging and environmental damage while delivering hydration, radiance and smoother-looking skin. It's one of those products that has earned its permanent place in my skincare routine, and clearly, it's not going anywhere. Well, except into the recycling bin once the bottle is empty! You can find my original post/rave here.

 

Available at Shoppers Drug Mart, Sephora, London Drugs and select Holt Renfrew stores across Canada and online at beauty.shoppersdrugmart.ca, sephora.ca and shiseido.ca.

All used up: Mario Badescu Facial Spray with Aloe, Chamomile and Lavender - A multi-purpose, Vitamin C-infused facial mist featuring hydrating aloe vera and calming chamomile and lavender to help brighten, hydrate, replenish and balance the look of skin. A lovely little pick-me-up whenever skin needed some extra hydration, and another product that managed to make it all the way to empty. I decided to stay with the brand but switch things up a little and try another mist from the collection...

 

Mario Badescu Facial Spray with Aloe, Herbs and Rosewater - 59ml - $9, 118ml - $15, 236ml - $24 - This cult-favourite facial mist combines rosewater and aloe vera to revive dehydrated skin and give it a healthy, dewy glow. The formula also features antioxidant-rich gardenia extract, clarifying thyme extract, mineral-rich bladderwrack seaweed and soothing aloe vera. 

 

It has a pleasant, classic rose fragrance and can be used on the face, neck or even hair. A nice little multi-tasker, and with three sizes available, you can decide whether you want a handbag-sized spritz or enough to practically hose yourself down. 

 

Keep an eye out at Shoppers - they usually come out with a gift set of the small size in all 3 scents (there is also a cucumber one) which is a great way to try them all if you aren't sure which one you might like!

 

Available at Shoppers Drug Mart and Sephora stores across Canada and online at beauty.shoppersdrugmart.ca, sephora.ca, amazon.ca and mariobadescu.com.  

 

 

So, will it be another six months (or more likely six years) before I manage to use up another four products? Probably! My beauty stash certainly isn't getting any smaller, and there will undoubtedly be another parade of new products arriving before I get through everything I've already opened. 

 

But that's half the fun of being a beauty blogger. There's always something new to try, something old to rediscover, and occasionally, something that actually makes it to the bottom of the bottle! 

 

Here's to the empties! May there be more of them, fewer half-used bottles cluttering my shelves, and absolutely no shortage of new things to play with!

 

- Lisamarie - 

Mist Opportunity: Spray Your Way to Great Skin with StriVectin, Mario Badescu, Grace & Stella & Blue Lizard!

Facial sprays are having a full-blown main character moment - and honestly, it’s about time! Gone are the days when your only option was that giant can of Evian mist that felt more like a light drizzle than actual skincare. Now? Everyone and their glowy cousin has a spray, each one promising to hydrate, soothe, refresh and possibly fix your life. So naturally, I volunteered as tribute and tested a few… for science of course. You’re welcome.  

 

StriVectin Barrier Restore+ Soothing Milky Mist - 50ml - $49 

If your skin has been acting a little dramatic lately (red, stressed and  generally over it), this is the calming friend you call. It’s a milky mist - which sounds fancy because it is - and it delivers that soft, cushioned hydration that makes your face feel instantly more expensive. Powered by their NIA-114 (basically niacinamide’s overachieving cousin), plus turmeric peptide, ceramides, hyaluronic acid - you know, the whole skincare Avengers lineup - it works to strengthen your barrier while cooling everything down. One spritz and your skin goes from “don’t talk to me” to “I’m thriving, actually!” 

 

Available at Shoppers Drug Mart stores across Canada and online at beauty.shoppersdrugmart.ca, amazon.ca and well.ca.

 

Mario Badescu Facial Spray with Aloe, Cucumber and Green Tea - 59ml - $9, 118ml - $15, 236ml - $24 

The OG. The icon. The one that’s probably been in at least one of all of our handbags at some point. This is your no-fuss, feel-good refresher that wakes up dull, tired skin like a tiny splash of iced cucumber water to the face. It’s light, it’s cooling, it smells like you have your life together, and it gives that dewy “I drink eight glasses of water a day” illusion - even if you absolutely do not!

 

Available at Shoppers Drug Mart and Sephora stores across Canada and online at beauty.shoppersdrugmart.ca and sephora.ca.

 

Grace & Stella Spray All Day Rose Spray Hydrating Facial Spray - 30ml - $13.95, 240ml - $24.95 

If you like your skincare with a side of “stop and smell the roses,” this one’s for you. It’s giving soft, dewy, effortlessly pretty energy. Made with 100% rose water and hyaluronic acid, it hydrates, balances  and helps tone things down when your skin (or your mood) is feeling a bit puffy. Bonus points for being vegan and clean, and honestly? The fact that it can double as a setting spray and tame flyaways makes it the overachiever of the group - we love a multi-tasker!

 

Available online at amazon.ca. 

 

And while we’re out here misting like dewy queens, don’t forget the one spray that actually does the heavy lifting—SPF. But let’s be clear: we are not blindly spraying our faces like we’re seasoning a salad. Spray into your hands first, then apply like the responsible adult you are. 

 

Blue Lizard Sensitive Mineral Sunscreen Spray SPF 50 - 148ml - $22.99 

This one’s for the sensitive-skin crowd who wants protection without the drama. It’s mineral-based (hello zinc oxide), fragrance-free and actually rubs in without leaving you looking like a Victorian ghost. You get solid broad-spectrum protection, water resistance and a formula that feels lightweight instead of sticky and suffocating. Plus, it’s reef-friendly, which means your beach day isn’t ruining someone else’s.

 

Available at Shoppers Drug Mart stores across Canada and online at shoppersdrugmart.ca. 

 

Final verdict? Whether you’re hydrating, soothing, refreshing, or protecting, there is truly a mist for every mood - and every level of skin chaos. At this point, not carrying one feels like a missed opportunity… or at the very least, a very dry one!

 

- Lisamarie -