October Empties (2013) (and August and September)

So I'll admit, I've been lacking in the empties department. At the beginning of September I was hospitalized so that accounts for the lack of posting and in the beginning of October I was on vacation. Excuses aside, I haven't finished a lot of stuff, though I am nearing the end of several products. Maybe these will make an appearance in the future November Empties post? Anyway, onward.

Without a fail, I definitely use up face wipes. Here we have the 60-wipe cucumber pack from Epielle, a 30 pack green tea pack from Epielle and various sample sizes (psst the Green Tea smells exactly like Elizabeth Arden's and even though it's fragranced, it doesn't burn my eyes). The La Fresh wipes came in an ipsy bag I think - they were decent enough but I don't think I'd purchase. Yes to Cucumbers is not my favorite but it was a free sample and convenient on our cruise. And the Kaia ones are nice but are super expensive.

The Wen Cleansing Conditioners are great for travel as you can lock the pump after opening. The only fail is the tube doesn't reach the bottom of the bottle so it takes herculean efforts to get the final drops of product out. Philosophy Snow Angel was a decent shower gel and I truly enjoy the Philosophy gels over some other brands. I wouldn't repurchase this particular scent but it reminds me of an old one from Bath & Body Works. The Joico K-Pak Revitaluxe was nice but not nice enough to repurchase given the price and the amount of product it takes for all my hair.

Woo! One lone makeup product. This actually got to the point of empty that I had trouble getting the product onto the wand so it was truly done. Maybelline Define-A-Lash Waterproof is a great mascara. It is very lengthening and holds a curl and the "brush" is thin enough so that it doesn't cause much spotting on my upper lid. Definite repurchase with a sale and when I get through some other mascaras.

The two Caldrea lotion samples came in a Birchbox. They were quite nice and light and perfect for the cruise but I don't think I'd repurchase either scent. Also, I am horrible with remembering to apply body lotion even when I need it. The Jack Black Double-Duty Face Moisturizer was really quite nice and I could see using this even though it is a product geared towards men. Light yet moisturizer, not uber scented. Quite nice, actually!

So that was a rather paltry round up of empties given the time frame. What have you used up recently?

April Empties

Yes To Cucumber Facial Towelettes - As I mentioned, I wasn't a huge fan of this and won't be repurchasing. Plus, I've found wipes 1/5 less expensive that work better (hooray for Epielle)!
MAC Microfine Refinisher - Now discontinued but an awesome scrub with super fine exfoliating bits suspended in a non-drying cream. If you can get a hold of this, definitely try it!
Avene Thermal Spring Water - A staple especially when the weather gets warmer. I've gone through so many of these!

Cargo Lash Activator Mascara - I had meant to do a review of this but to be frank, I wasn't the biggest fan. I've heard this is best used as a lash base, however I didn't find it do anything more than weigh down my lashes. It definitely didn't hold a curl, it ran and smudged and it's not the cheapest thing to boot though I bought it on sale. The rubber brush was only ok. The "bristles" are pretty far apart so clumping occurred. All in all, I wouldn't buy this again.
Prada Shielding Lip Balm - This is a discontinued product but I few years ago these Prada lip balms were all the rage and even more the rage when they started popping up at TJmaxx and Marshall stores. Individually packaged and sealed, these tiny balms can easily fit in pockets and the smallest of wallets or clutches. I was happy to find this one hiding in my collection and it hadn't turned! It's very moisturizing, no offensive smell or taste and an SPF of 15. The range had 7 or so other colors, this one was just clear. I hope one of the tinted ones pops up!

I'm a bit frustrated since I am so so so close to finishing 2 separate powder foundations but no dice so far. Let's hope May is slightly more successful! Anything you have finished recently?

Review: Yes to Cucumbers Natural Glow Facial Towelettes

I've heard good things about these towelettes so a month or so ago, I picked these up at my local Rite Aid (also found at Walgreens and some Targets). The Yes to Cucumbers Natural Glow Facial Towelettes come in a package similar to other facial wipes, however the case has a plastic flip top opening which does help in keeping the wipes moist. They retail for around $6 for 30 wipes.
First, I want to go into why I use facial wipes. If I'm feeling well, I use these before I clean my fave with another more involved cleanser. If I'm feeling poorly, in a perfect world, this would remove all of my makeup in an easy swipe and go.

I found that these wipes can only be used when I'm feeling well and wind up cleansing my face twice. They do not get rid of all my makeup, not even the foundation that I use which is usually a BB Cream or tinted moisturizer. Granted, my skin is dry and every foundation-type product I use clings to dry bits and is therefore harder to get off, but the La Roche Posay Cleaning Gel removed everything and the Vichy does as well with slightly more effort involved.

The other issue was the scent. I suffer from sinus headaches and/or migraines and this smell just puts me over the edge if I'm already feeling poorly. It is Bath & Body Works Cucumber Melon times 100. It is very strong and quite cloying. If you are a migraine sufferer, please be careful with these. One sniff and I felt the familiar zap and nausea.

So, these are just not for me. I'm going to finish my pack but not repurchase.