Empties #3 - My trash, people!

All of these products have been collecting under my bathroom sink for the past 3 months.  It feels like there are alot of products, but I am pretty sure that there were a few that I tossed out while traveling etc. that are missing. 

As in prior Empties posts, I will provide my thoughts on the product and whether or not I would buy them again.

Regarding my BUY/NO BUY label, I will only label if I feel STRONGLY one way or the other. If there is not a label, it means that I may repurchase if it was on sale, and would not be opposed to trying it again. Kinda wishy/washy, take it or leave it!

HAIR: I chopped off my hair in March so have been trying to patiently let it grow out.  I miss ponytails and of course have not really tried anything new and exciting with my 'do.  You may feel that this does not seem like enough for 3 months, but I only wash my hair about 2-3x/week (and yes I shower more frequently, just don't always wash my hair) so don't go through very much.  Also, we brought nothing from Chicago, and started brand new bottles in June.  With 3 bathrooms, the useage gets pretty spread out.

1. Bumble & Bumble Thickening samples - first of all, I do not have long hair.  It is almost to my shoulders, relatively thick so this sample size should have been enough for at least 1 thorough wash & condition session. Nope, barely made any impact on that cleanliness feel and was not enough to condition my hair. Did not like and will not buy. NO BUY
2. Organix Ever Straight Brazilian Keratin Therapy - I like the whole Organix line so would re-purchase these in full size once I have some empties.  Smells sweet, gives me that summer feel.  Did not make my hair noticiably straighter or less frizzy, so do not believe the claims, but my expectations for any shampoo/conditioner are so low, that it is pretty hard for me to be discriminating.  BUY
3. L'Oreal Superior Preference Conditioner - this is from the permanent dye for my roots.  These are great thick conditioners and leave your hair so soft.  I wonder why they do not sell these separately, would BUY if I could.  Maybe they do and I am unaware, hey it happens......

BODY: Let's keep it clean and soft baby!

1. Vaseline Spray & Go - Love this.  Not very moisturizing, but I do a heavy layer during and after a shower.  This is terrific for touch-ups to get rid of any ashiness.  Already repurchased in the cocoa butter flavor - BUY
2. Lush Olive Branch Shower Gel - like the smell, not too flowery.  Hub likes it too and suds up well. BUY
3. Up & Up Acetone Nail Polish Remover - pretty drying, but works well to remove all nail polishes (even glitter polish).  This from Target generic brand, similar to other acetone removers.  Would BUY again if I happened to be in Target and needed remover.
4. Korres Body Butter in Guava - mild floral scent, very moisturizing, but $$$$$.  Would BUY if on sale.
5. Philosophy Love Sweet Love sample shower gel - was ok, sudsy, fresh sweet scent. 
6. Mac Naked Honey Body Wash - found this at a CCO (cosmetics company outlet), still pretty pricey.  Smells good, not too flowery, Hub liked it too.  Would BUY if discounted
7. Jo Malone fragrance samples - have a ton of these, love mixing them up.  Have purchased several of them (may need to do a separate post on collection).  BUY

FACE: very happy I am making some progress in finishing products!  Now if I would just stop buying them!

1. Make Up Forever (MUFE) Smoky Lash Mascara - love this stuff!  I got this in a kit and considering buying it, but it is $$$$.  It def creates volume and makes my lashline look thicker.  BUY
2. Nars Laguna bronzer (small size) - again, came as part of a kit (sidenote: Sephora Favorites kits are terrific for value, get to try many diff products for minimal $$). Worked fine, but would not say it is my favorite.  I used it to warm up my face, but during summer was not dark enough to contour.  One peeve - breaks apart once you hit pan, so it would spill all over - booo! NO BUY
3. Wet n Wild Brulee eyeshadow - love!  So inexpensive, and provides great coverage for those of us with veiny lids. BUY
4. Tarte Gifted mascara (sample) - this took me a while to like, perhaps it needed to dry out? Prefer Tart Lights Camera Lashes so NO BUY
5. Almay Get Up and Grow Mascara (waterproof) - really like this for volume and swimming.  Great drugstore BUY
6. Clinique High Impact Mascara (sample) - good volume and the size of the brush allowed me to get the smaller inner lash hairs.  Good volume (are you sensing a theme yet?????), and black color payoff.  BUY
7. Korres Lip Butter Glaze in Guava - lovely light pink color and very moisturizing.  This had a slight glossy finish, but would classify this more as a balm than a gloss.  Great for on the go use, but prefer the original lip butter for keeping my lips soft.  NO BUY
8. Make Up Forever 0L Black eyeliner - eh, still smeared a bit.  NO BUY
9. Fresh Twilight Freshface Glow primer - really liked this glowy primer either under foundation or standalone with concealer for a "no makeup" look. BUY
10. Soap & Glory Sexy Motherpucker Lipstick/Crayon in Nudist - fave nude gloss.  Love the formula and portability of the crayon.  Not sticky, sheer color.  BUY

FACE-SKIN - picture would not load, so here is just the text:
1. Koh Gen Do Cleansing Spa Water - good makeup remover for non-waterproof makeup.  I don't wash my face in the morning, so this was good as a pick me up.  BUY
2. Colgate Optic White toothpaste - eh, no diff in teeth color, good strong minty flavor.
3. Kate Somerville Exfolikate - terrific facial exfoliator that combines physical (scrub particles) with chemical exfoliants.  I used this in the shower about 3x/week and will repurchase. BUY
4. Embryolisse Eye Contour Care - eh, no diff, moisturizes.  NO BUY
5. Kiehl's Clearly Corrective Dark Spot Corrector (sample)- I did not use this consistently or for long enough (ran out, it was only a sample!) to see results.  Have heard good things about it, so maybe BUY after further reviews and research.

Already started the next Empties bag and added 2 items into it this morning!  Ooooooooh the suspense!

Empties #2 (part 1) - making some progress!

First off, apologies for being absent.  I have been going through some personal/work stress, making some decisions, etc. that are going to affect me, family, work, home and been really focusing on those.  I will post on those changes most likely beginning of January, once it all is finalized.

So on to Empties!  As you will see there are quite a few hair/body items that have been used up.  Now I will confess that in some cases, it was a family effort to finish these up.  I do have a few shower products that I keep hidden when not in use and take them into the shower with me, then hide when I am done.  The primary reason for this is $$$$.  Love Hub and Kids, but the fact of the matter is that some of those "secret" items are pricey (Exfolikate by Kate Somerville) and/or hard to get (Haus of Gloi body scrubs and butters) so I want to keep grubby little hands off so they do not go to waste and down the drain.  Hub does not care as long as there is some version of shampoo, conditioner, face scrub, and body wash.

Regarding my BUY/NO BUY label, will only label if I feel STRONGLY one way or the other.  If there is not a label, it means that I may repurchase if it was on sale, and would not be opposed to trying it again.  Kinda wishy/washy, take it or leave it!

I have divided them up by body part/usage to make it a bit more organized (messed up a couple hair products in the pics, but you will get the gist).  I also need to break this up into 2 parts since there is a Label limit.  So on to hair and body.  Make-up/face stuff will follow.

Looks like alot - right?  It is to me!

HAIR:  I am not a hair-person.  As long as it is relatively clean and not all frizzed out, I really do not care too much.  I see all these really cool styles and have great admiration for those that can do a waterfall braid on themselves.  I just ain't one of them!  With that being said, use the hair product reviews at your own risk!

1. L'Oreal Eversleek shampoo and conditioner - sulfate-free, can be hard to get a lather if I have been using alot of dry shampoo.  Decent, would get again IF on sale!
2. Bain de Terre Lemongrass Volumizing Shampoo - cleaned my hair, great smell.  Was OK.
3. Global Keratin Juvexin Shampoo and Conditioner - received this via Glossybox and it made my scalp itch.  It could be the cold weather that we are having, but it was noticable enough that I have to rate this as a NO BUY.
4. Fekkai Brilliant Glossing Shampoo - in general, I like all Fekkai products, so would BUY.
5. Fekkai PrX Intensive Fortifying Mask (sample) - ditto see above, but I have to confess that I do not see a big difference between a "hair mask" and regular conditioner - I am such a heathen!
6. Macadamia Healing Oil Treatment - I like hair oils in general.  Since I have fine hair (just alot of it), I need to be careful that I only apply to the lower 1/2 of my hair, or it will be grease-city.  I think this stuff is pretty expensive, and I have a few others that I am trying out so will not be rushing out to re-purchase any time soon.
7. Aveda Pure Abundance Style-Prep - This is a spray that you apply to roots to give it volume.  Saw an immediate difference that did not last all day.  Too expensive for it not to last - NO BUY
8. Biosilk Silk Therapy - really smoothes out the hair, just need to be careful on amount used and placement. Again, have a few similar products that I want to use up before I purchase.
9. Clairol Natural Instincts Color Treat (step 3 in hair dye process) - this came from my box of home hair dye - yes, I dye my roots every 3-4 weeks.  I started going gray at 18, and need my monthly fix or I look like a Pepe lePew's girlfriend.  I pretty much buy whichever permanent dark brown dye is on sale, and sometimes buy in bulk if on clearance.  Sooooo sad..........

BODY:  I love body stuff.  Scrubs, exfioliators, oils, lotions, buffers, etc.  I have VERY dry skin, and tend to get scaly especially in winter.  I also like taking baths, but the tub in our house is so small, that it is just not comfortable.  So it is a bit surprising that I do not have that many empties, but I have 5-7 open containers right now.  I will try to use them up before trying the next new thing.

1. Dr. Teal's Epsom Salts in Relax - smell good, especially for night.  Kids used this most of all.  Terrific price for a large amount.  BUY
2. Philosophy Pure Grace Foaming Bath and Shower Cream - great suds, a little goes a long way.  This scent was a little too flowery for me.  I prefer clean, fruity scents for body washes.  May buy a couple other scents.
3. Philosophy Hands of Hope Cream - really like this hand cream, not a feminine scent so Hub likes it too. Have bought back-ups already, BUY
4. L'Occitane Hand Cream (sample) - have bought this in the past and may buy this when my Philosophy is used up.  It is a little richer, and leaves more of an emollient feeling on hands.  Can see using this more for night, or if I will be outside for long periods of time. BUY
5. Memoire Liquide Creme de la Creme in Amour Liquide - I got this in a QVC Beauty Test Tube and I liked how it applied and absorbed into my skin.  However, the scent is too sweet for me (creme brulee?).  I ended up using the last of it on my feet after the shower.  NO BUY
6. Ulta 3-in-1 Shower Smoothie - I mainly buy these for the kids since they love the smell.  They clean the kids, but the bubbles die out pretty quickly.  My son also has VERY dry skin so I need to make sure he gets some lotion on after using this.  Would only buy again when on super sale.

Stay tuned for Part 2!

Taaaa Daaaaaa........Empties #1

Woot woot!  I have empties!  I realize that I started this blog to focus on reducing my cosmetics, but as we know from my last post, I am not really hitting my stride (ahem - discipline) yet.  But I need to feel like I am accomplishing something, and just seeing all these items headed for the recycle bin makes me feel sooooo productive.

Empties #1!!!!!!!!

The majority of these are completely empty.  However there are a couple items that I am tossing because they smell/look funny, and we all know that ain't a good thing when applying to your face/body.

So here are the items and quick thoughts on them:

Bliss Lemon + Sage Body Butter (super sized) - never again will I get such a large size!  Yes I know economically it makes more sense, but when you have the attention span of a gnat and want to move on, the never-ending size drives you bonkers!  That said, good hydration, love the scent - BUY

Kiehl's Rosa Arctica Eye Balm (sample) - love, just wish I had less eye creams so I could purchase right now - def BUY

Eve Lom Cleanser (sample) - Blech!  Hate the smell and consistency, felt like I was spreading super-thick Vaseline on my my face and the muslin cloth it came with was crap - NO BUY

Neutrogena Makeup Remover Cleansing Towelettes - my basic make-up wipe.  I do feel like I need to rinse my face after I use these, but I get a huge amount for little money at Costco.  Not totally in love, but will keep buying them - BUY

Chantecaille Nano Gold Energizing Eye Cream (sample) - holy schlamoley, this stuff costs $265 full sized!  Good thing I liked the Kiehls stuff better - NO BUY

Fekkai PrX Reparatives Shampoo/Conditioner (samples) - eh, ok?  I am not a hair goddess and I only wash my hair 2-3 times/week.  As long as it is clean, smells decent, and doesn't (unintentionally) turn my hair hot pink, I am ok with it.  Probably would not make special effort to buy it - NO BUY

 Befine Night Cream with Cocoa, Millet, and Rice Bran (deluxe sample) - good basic cream.  Used it this summer when it was humid and did not slide right off.  Better stuff out there. Not enough hydration for cold winters - NO BUY

Clairol Colorseal Conditioning Gloss - this came with my hair dye and I actually like it as an intensive conditioner.  I do not know if they sell it alone, but this tube lasts me a while and I have back-ups already.  However, this is due to the fact that my hair grows pretty fast and I have to do my grey roots pretty frequently, bummer - BUY

Origins Vita-Zing SPF 15 - bwaaaaahhhhhh, so sad I am done with this.  I held firm during the various F&F sales and did not repurchase this, but it was hard.  Love this stuff and will re-buy as soon as I get through my other SPF stuff - BUY

Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk Foundation in 5.5 (sample) - coverage was good, did not cake or build-up on my skin - BUY

Lucy B's Roll-on Perfume Oils (samples/ Birchbox) - love fragrance oils, just seem to linger longer on my skin than typical perfumes - BUY

Heaven's Alchemy Fragrance Oil in New York - have had this in my travel bag for so long I cannot remember where I got it. eh - NO BUY

Josie Maran Argan Oil  - HG moisturizer especially for winter - BUY

L'Occitane Honey & Lemon Foaming jelly (deluze sample) - delish scent, just need a little to get lots of foam - BUY

Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer Potuion (old packaging) - works terrific, but I did not finish since the paint (?) on the package started flaking off and getting on my lids.  Have a couple samples in new packaging, assuming performance is same - BUY

Giorgio Armani Regenessence Rejuvenating Eye Balm (sample) - little bit went a long way, only used it for a little time so could not see any difference.  Still like Kiehls above better - NO BUY

Alfred Sung Shi roller perfume - used to love this scent, have had it for YEARS and the scent has changed so I am tossing it.  Do not need any new scents - NO BUY

Maybelline Dream Smooth Mousse Foundation - bought this last year, color texture, and application was fab.  However, brought this out again for winter and there is a layer of greasy oxidized stuff on top.  Yuck - NO BUY

Chantecaille Foaming Cleanser (sample) - it was ok, felt a little grainy and am not sure if it was supposed to. Eh - NO BUY

Skin79 Super BB Cream (sample) - used mostly this summer, decent coverage, but it did wash me out a bit. - NO BUY

Trish McEvoy Precious Pink Jasmine (sample) - really liked this, but it is pretty light and more likely to wear it for spring/summer - BUY

CoverFx Brite Prep Primer (deluxe sample) - this has some luminizing properties and I really liked it.  Need to get through all my back-ups - BUY

Whew - that was actually quite a bit!  I have a few more items that I am on the tail-end of and may not wait so long for #2.  I am glad that I getting through these (especially all the samples) so I can focus on what I really like and in which I am willing to invest.