January, February and March 2015 Empties

I was - I'll say diligent - about making sure all of my 2014 empties posts went up before starting 2015 (what diligent means is my tiny bit of OCD kicked into gear and I just couldn't do empties posts out of order - the horror!). Anyway, I've very pleased with what I've finished so far in 2015. I've made a big effort to use up body care products. Well, to be honest, I want to finish everything that could technically expire. I had to throw away some things when I was cleaning our closets and all I saw was money washing down the drain. It stung. But just to make things clear, I am not jumping on the bandwagon of people who are buying nothing, getting rid of many of their possessions - even things they like, etc (I'm selling some clothes that no longer fit or aren't to my tastes and some makeup that I don't use or something I've had for way longer than I should without even trying which definitely suggests it would be better suited in another person's collection but I'm not making myself get rid of "x" many eyeshadows or telling myself I can't have more than 2 taupes (madness!) or condensing my makeup collection to something that fits in a small makeup bag). My husband collects board games. I collect makeup. We aren't starving, we live in a house that could be cleaner but wouldn't show up on hoarders. End of story. Ok, getting off my high horse now and onto the empties!

• Mor Italian Blood Orange Body Butter - This was scented beautifully but took forever to use up as it was quite thick and until I used the method of "heating your body butter", it was just too arduous to apply. It was like my skin needed it, but it couldn't consume it. Then I warmed it up and bam! sunk in like a dream and actually did what it was supposed to do and ... used all 5.1 ounces of this up!
• The Body Shop Cranberry Joy Body Butter - Another body butter that I destroyed after using the water bath method. This was nice, but I was starting to get tired of the scent and so was my husband so I was happy to move onto other things after finishing the mammoth 6.7oz tub.

• Bath & Body Works Sweet Pea Shower Gel 3oz - Sweet Pea took me back. I think I got this in a Beauty Army box or maybe it was a freebie at some point but back in the 90s this scent was all the rage. It's nice and sweet but easy to tire of.
• CO Bigelow Almond Superb Body Cleanser 2floz - This smelled/smells amazing. It's a sweet true almond scent. Not almond flower, not really marzipan. You can smell the nut and then you can smell a sweet vanilla on top. It was lovely.

• The Body Shop Ginger Scalp Care Shampoo - If you've been with me for any length of time, then you've seen plenty of these in empties posts. I really enjoy this shampoo as it smells much better than most effective dandruff shampoos on the market (a slightly spicy ginger ale) and it's actually effective. The only issue I have is it has to be switched up every few washes as my scalp seems to get used to it and then it doesn't work as well.
• Organix Hydrating Macadamia Oil Intensive Moisture Mask - I used this as my regular conditioner as my hair is quite dry (I use all moisture masks like that). This was ok. It smelled good. It did a decent job, but it has quite a number of silicones and I try to stay away from those. I am nearly sure I have another one of these. CVS put these on sale practically ever week in preparation for the brand's re-launch/rename.

Anyone want to ensure I win the lottery so I can douse myself in these oils everyday? These are wonderful body oils, but since my skin is dry, it drank these babies up. Granted, they are minis, but still. I can imagine this could be an expensive habit.

• African Botanics Marula Firming Botanical Body Oil (.57oz) - Didn't find it firming, but honestly, should we really expect things we place on top of the skin firm layers much deeper? I don't. Smelled delicious, sunk in quickly but was very effective in keeping my dry legs less dry. Would totally repurchase. 
• Caudalie Divine Oil (.5oz) - Caudalie indicates you can use this on body, face and hair but I used this on my legs. Pretty much the same comments as the African Botanics. Thoroughly enjoyed this one and was sad to see my little bottle get empty so quickly.
• Nuxe Huile Prodigieuse Multi-Use Dry Oil (.33floz) - I know this is a classic. I enjoyed it like the others, but wasn't quite so jived with the scent, though it was just as effective.

Soap! So a little story. I noticed that the soap in my husband's bathroom was running low as was the soap in the basement (his mancave more or less) but there were two soap bottles at each location and it seemed he had abandoned the nearly finished ones in favor of new ones. Oh men! So I took the near empty ones to my bathroom to use them up so they wouldn't clutter his counterspace and so they wouldn't just sit there gathering dust.

• CVS Mandarin Citrus Anti Bacterial Foaming Hand Soap (7.5floz) - I doubt I paid much for this if anything. Smelled citrusy, was effective. Basically, cheap and fine. 
• Essence of Beauty Lemon Twist Hand Soap (12floz) - This was a gel and took forever to finish. I know as I am occasionally allowed in the cave (just kidding, I'm downstairs all the time). Anyway, I got this super cheap when they were about to change the packaging on Essence of Beauty Products. Smelled lemony but not too pledge-like and was effective. 
• Mor Hand and Body Wash in Basil and Grape (11.8floz) - After the blood orange scent, I think the Basil and Grape scent is my absolute favorite from Mor. The reason I started using this was my lotion's pump in the same scent had broken and I needed to replace it. I e-mailed Mor but they were unresponsive so I decided to take matters into my own hands (literally). I had originally thought I was going to use this as a shower gel, but due to massive amounts of shower gel I was trying to work through, I noticed this was a hand and body wash, so it became my daily soap. No anti-bacterial properties and as it was meant for body as well, it was not quite as drying as other hand soaps I've used in the past. Sad to see it's gone as Mor is no longer sold in the US to my knowledge, but I do have another hand cream in the scent. I actually wound up giving the broken bottle to a colleague of mine who sniffed it every time she walked by. She didn't even care the pump broke!

• L'Occitane Dry Skin Hand Cream (.3oz) - This is actually the hand lotion my husband prefers but in another edition of men, he had used maybe 85% of it before deeming it finished, but there was still enough for me to use it for a week (I have since bought him the magic key, even though it is $10 for a piece of metal, it really helps make sure you finish the metal tubes of these without puncturing them and causing a lot of mess and waste). This isn't my favorite hand cream as the scent doesn't do it for me, but it is rather effective.
• Caudalie Hand and Nail Cream (1floz) - This is my absolute favorite hand cream. I made sure I got every last drop in this tube out! 
• butter London Powder Room Nail Polish Remover - Ugh! I found another one. This smells like baby powder mixed with acetone, though it says it's acetone free. I hate this nail polish remover. Not to say it isn't effective, but the scent is just vile. Seriously. They need to stop putting this in sets and kits. No one should have to use this stuff.  

• Maybelline Lash Discovery - This Lash Discovery was a true unexpected discovery. I had forgotten mascara on a trip and my husband and I popped into a local grocery store. I picked the cheapest waterproof mascara they had where the brush wasn't massive and a love affair began. I literally got to the point of trying to pump the wand in the tube and wiggle it around to get more product! My only complaint is why was this something ridiculously cheap like $4.50 in Georgia and when I look for it in Maryland it's nearly $10. Not cool, Maybelline!
• Makeupever Sense'Eyes Waterproof Sensitive Eye Cleanser - Holy grail, holy grail, holy grail. Seriously, skip the Bioderma and all the hype and use this. I have been using it for years and nothing, really nothing compares.

• First Aid Beauty Ultra Repair Cream - I know many people use this cream on their hands, but I use this on my face under makeup, and not just this cream, I add a generous helping of whatever oil of the moment I'm on. (I know some of you will be jealous, but oily skin prevents wrinkles!) My foundation lasts all day with the repair cream + oil combo. Anyway, this was so good that I cut open the tube to ensure I got every last bit of product out. While I like how hygienic tubes are, they do waste a lot of product if you don't destroy the container, and some packaging just isn't suited to that. Already repurchased.
• L'Occitane Amande Shower Oil - I used this for shaving as many do. It's nice and I certainly wouldn't say no to it free or significantly discounted, but I don't think I'd repurchase.
• Sure or unsure?

Some foil packets: La Fresh Makeup Remover Wipe, La Fresh Instant Body Soother, Glamglow Supermud Clearing Treatment, 2 Nivea In-Shower Body Lotions, Pangea Organics Balancing Oil

Now you could really tell I was missing blogging when this happened. Exhibit A: Writing notes on the back of finished products with my brief impressions. Apparently, when I used these in NYC, I found the Tocca Cleopatra Grapefruit Cucumber Body Cream "Yum" on January 12th (uneaten) and wrote quite a bit on the Hada Labo Ultimate Anti-Aging Facial Mask which I recently repurchased during the 20% off sale (the 4 pack). I can't really make out my notes, since the sharpie turned purple and smudgy (likely from all the oils I used up), but I did the mask on January 10th and I remember loving it and noting (thankfully un-smudged) "lots of extra serum if you squeeze". Well, don't mind if I do.

I also decided not to share my ""last empty"", a broken hair elastic that literally lasted for years. But I know how the internet tends to feel about hair. Thank goodness they don't live with me, I shed everywhere so I wouldn't want to subject those people to a few stray strands.

What have you finished recently?

Maybe I'll have a decent amount going forward that I can do these every month so they don't get massive.

Review: Nuxe Reve De Miel Ultra-Nourishing Lip Balm

Oh Nuxe! I so wanted to love your Reve de Miel. I tried the stick version and just wasn't impressed. Then I ordered the pot and even though I hate pots, I thought - "ok, now it'll wow me". Well, it's good, don't get me wrong. It comes in a frosted glass jar which is very elegant and it makes my lips feel moisturized in the morning, but it's in a pot. And that means I need to stick my finger (or designated non grimy object) into it to apply. And well, that means I only really get to use it at night or on the weekends (since I'm too rushed to do it in the morning - my own fault of course) and I don't get home until late (darn you DC traffic).

So it's good, yes. And you can get it for less expensive on international sites like feel unique ($15.68 btw) but I wish Nuxe would put this formula in the tube. I mean, it can't be that hard, right?

 

I may re-buy, but not because I enjoy using potted balms!

*tip: Make sure to really rub it in upon application like you would a lip scrub

Feburary and March Empties

Sure Deodorant - Pretty standard.
Zoya Remove+ - As I mentioned in another empties post, Zoya sends free gifts if you reach a certain total with your purchase and they tend to like sending these 2oz sizes. I, for one, am not complaining!
The Body Shop Coconut Beautifying Oil - I've quite enjoyed using this oil from The Body Shop. It smells good, it sinks in quickly and it does have a positive impact on my often dry legs. Would definitely repurchase!

Noodle & Boo Ultimate Cleansing Cloths - These are basically overpriced baby wipes. I needed to reach a certain dollar amount for an order and $9.50 for 75 wipes isn't too shabby. These have an added fragrance which I wasn't a fan of, but I found they did a decent job of removing makeup and somehow they managed to stay very moist even down till the last few wipes. I wouldn't repurchase but they did serve me well for several months.

Rimmel Lash Accelerator mascara - I had heard a lot of great things about this mascara but I didn't care for it. It was too wet, it didn't hold a curl. It didn't seem to make my lashes grow either. Wouldn't repurchase.

Josie Maran Argan Oil - I loved using this for my cuticles. On my face or hair it wasn't that amazing, but on the cuticles it rocked! I think I have another one of these small sizes hanging around, but I'd repurchase!
Embryolisse Lait-Creme Concentre - I know tons of people rave about this moisturizer, but to me, it was only ok. It didn't seem moisturizing enough for me and I think the added fragrance irritated my skin. I much prefer the Oilatum cream. Wouldn't repurchase.

Ophelia's Apothecary Shaving Balm - I had a bad experience with this particular etsy shop, but I loved this shaving cream. I try to shave my legs rarely so it lasted for a long time but I think I'm going to continue seeking shaving balms in lieu of the drying shaving creams that you can buy at the drugstore.

A few samples:
La Fresh Makeup Remover Wipes - Surprisingly effective and nice!
Nuxe Reve De Miel Ultra Comfortable Foot Cream - eh
Macadamia Deep Repair Mask - Made my hair soft and smell good.
Alcohol pads from the Sally Hansen Gel set - Don't buy these, "make" your own!

Well there are my empties that spans two months. What did you finish recently?

October and November Empties

So today I present you October and November empties! To be honest, I was expecting there to be quite a bit more in this post but apparently I have a cleanser and scrub that just won't die. Anyway, onward!

Nuxe Micellar Cleansing Water - This is a really nice micellar water. It does take off mascara and it was pretty successful with harder to remove mascaras too. My one complaint, as I mentioned in my review is the added fragrance. Nonetheless, it is gentle on the face and eye area. I'd repurchase.
Nuxe Reve De Miel Lip Moisturizing Stick - This I was less enthused with. I didn't find it moisturizing and while I prefer this to the delivery method of the pot, it isn't something that I would go out of my way to try again. It does smell like chocolate oranges which is very pleasant but I wasn't the biggest fan.
Eve Lom Cleansing balm sachet - I did really like this, but I doubt I'll repurchase due to the price.
Babor Anti-Stress Anti-Jetlag Cream - Babor is the only brand that I've ever seen do heavy glass sample jars! This 1/2 ounce deluxe sample came in one of my beauty boxes. I think it was Beauty Army. I liked this cream but I wouldn't go out of my way to repurchase, especially since the full size is over $70! I found it nice and moisturizing but light on the skin. I've enjoyed everything I've tried from Babor so far.
Nuance by Salma Hayek Detoxifying Cleansing & Toning Towelettes - You probably shouldn't be surprised to see another one of these in my empties posts. I buy them if I can manage to get them under $5.

Softsoap Pampered Hands Foaming Hand Soap in Pampered Plum - This came in an Influenster box. I liked this hand soap but the scent wasn't my favorite so if I repurchase, it would be a different "flavor".

Abba True Curls Curl Enhancing Conditioner - Someone remind me to stop buying liter containers for hair products! This lasted forever. It smells like lemon heads and has oregano and rosemary in it which are great ingredients for temperamental scalps. It has no chemical preservatives, sulfates and is DEA free. It's nice but I had it for far too long and I am looking forward to using a different conditioner!!

Philosophy Vanilla Birthday Cake shower gel (3-1) - This was last years Sephora birthday gift. I'm not a huge shower gel person in general but I've been making a point of using up some shower gels I had laying around. This was creamy, smelled good and produced a nice lather. I used this with my exfoliating gloves and the combination was nice. In fact, I've actually started using shower gel over soap in the shower lately. Shocker!

What have you used up recently? I recently hit pan on my MAC Studio Fix powder and I sincerely hope my face wash is gone by the end of December since I'm getting tired of it!

Review: Nuxe Reve De Miel Lip Moisturizing Stick

I recently purchased the Nuxe Reve De Miel Moisturizing Stick and was really excited to try it out. I've heard a lot of great things about the Nuxe line and have also purchased the pot version of the lip moisturizer to try. I'll cut right to the point and say that I was not impressed with the stick version. It's in a lipstick type of tube and is a bit hard but does melt into the lips eventually. I found it moisturized my lips while it was on, but the minute the balm wears off, it's almost as though I had never applied it. After wearing it overnight, my lips didn't have the same level of moisture I usually get from some of my other lip favorites. It smells like chocolate oranges which is light and nice. After purchasing it, I've read quite a few reviews indicating that the pot version is significantly better than the stick so I hope I'll have better luck with that. At $9.50 for .14oz it's a little too pricey to be just OK.

Ingredients: Octyldodecanol, Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea Butter), Polyethylene, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis (Sweet Almond) Oil, Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil, Macadamia Ternifolia Seed Oil, Oleic/Linoleic/Linolenic Polyglycerides, Oryza Sativa Cera Bran Wax (Rice), Cera Alba (Beeswax), Glyceryl Dibehenate, Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil Unsaponifiables, Hydroxystearic/Linolenic/Oleic Polyglycerides, Jojoba Esters, Tribehenin, Citrus Grandis (Grapefruit) Peel Oil, Oryza Sativa (Rice) Bran Oil, Sunflower Oil/Palm Oil Aminopropanediol Esters, Tocopheryl Acetate, Tocopherol, Glyceryl Behenate, Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea Butter) Extract, Argania Spinosa (Argan) Kernel Oil, Hordeum Vulgare Cera/Spent Grain Wax, Citrus Medica Limonum (Lemon) Peel Oil, Mel/Honey, PEG 8, Aqua (Water), Citric Acid, Limonene, Citral, Linalool, Geraniol

Review: Nuxe Micellar Cleansing Water with Rose Petals

When Nuxe recently opened their new US site and had a promotion, I ordered a few items I've had my eyes on from the line. The first being the Micellar Cleansing Water with Rose Petals. I've made it a point of trying multiple micellar waters on the market. I've enjoyed quite a few so far although I haven't yet tried the famous Bioderma, maybe one day. Until then, we have quite a few options that are far easier to get a hold of in the states.

I am by no means a lover of rose, but the scent in this micellar water is pretty light and doesn't give me a migraine, a good thing since this is a great micellar water. It removes face makeup easily though it does require saturating quite a number of cotton rounds. My biggest surprise was it removed eye makeup. Not just any eye makeup either, the super long wearing Lashfood mascara which even my Makeup Forever Sens'Eyes has some trouble with.

I do have a few complaints: 1) I don't know why they felt the need to add fragrance to the product; surely the rose water already listed is sufficient? Is it not fragrant enough? 2) The price, at $23.50 for 6.76floz it's up there though not ridiculous considering you could get away with bringing a decanted bottle of this on vacation and have makeup remover, cleanser, toner and a refresher all in one (more than I can say for some of the others on the market). The added fragrance doesn't irritate my skin but I'd rate this a little more if they removed it.

If you like roses and you have been curious about this cleansing water, I would definitely pick it up as it truly is an all in one product. Me being the product junkie that I am went out and bought the Caudalie one as well. So I'll be testing that out and reviewing after I've finished the Nuxe.

Ingredients
AQUA/WATER, ROSA DAMASCENA FLOWER WATER, GLYCERIN, PARFUM/FRAGRANCE, BENZYL ALCOHOL, CAPRYLOYL GLYCINE, CITRIC ACID, COCO-GLUCOSIDE, SODIUM HYDROXIDE, ALLANTOIN, CAPRYLYL/CAPRYL GLUCOSIDE, TETRASODIUM EDTA, DEHYDROACETIC ACID, SODIUM HYALURONATE, LINALOOL [N2305/A].