So here I am doing my blog housekeeping, clearing the backlog starting with my beauty empties from late last year. Even though I hadn't fully jumped onto the cruelty free commitment at that stage it's interesting to see just how many of these items are cruelty free especially when it came to skin care. For reference I've marked all cruelty free items as CF.
Skin care
Hand and body care
130) bareMinerals Instant Waterproof Eye Makeup Remover (47ml/1.5 fl.oz) CF - This is the typical dual-phase remover that I favour although this formula seemed more oily than some I've tried. I've got a backup because of the handy travel size but other than that I don't think I'd rush to repurchase.
131) Natio Cucumber & Aloe Micellar Cleansing Water (200ml/6.7 fl.oz) CF - I really enjoyed this cleansing water. No weird smell, no astringent tightness, just clean comfortable skin after using it.
132) Natio Restore Delicate Foam Cleanser For Normal to Dry Skin (100ml/3.4 fl.oz) CF - The consistency of this cleanser made it incredibly hard to squeeze out of the tube. The product itself was nice (it lathered to a creamy foam that felt rich on the skin) but not enough to make me want to go through the daily struggle of trying to get it out in the first place!
133) Sukin Super Greens Detoxifying Facial Scrub (125ml/4.23 fl.oz)* CF - This creamy scrub was gentle enough to be used every day if I wanted and I really loved the natural cranberry scent.
134) La Clinica Anti Ageing Stem Cell Complex 3 Night Cream (50ml/1.76fl.oz)* CF - This is one heavy-duty night cream that gets to work and leaves me with soft skin the next morning. It feels very rich on the skin at first yet it penetrates quickly and is not greasy in the slightest. Another plus is there's no distracting scent or perfume which can - surprisingly - be an issue with some night creams out there on the market.
135) L'Oreal Youth Code Luminosity Extraordinary Serum (30ml) - I bought this some time ago because it claims to correct dark spots and illuminate the skin. No dark spot miracles here I'm afraid. It did illuminate the skin but honestly a good illuminating primer will do the same. This serum had a lovely texture and delicately luxe scent but I won't be repurchasing because I didn't really notice any lasting benefits and L'Oreal is not a CF brand.
136) Shore Soap Company Mermaid Kisses Liquid Soap (235ml/8 fl.oz) CF - This can be used as a body wash but I used it as a luxury hand wash in our powder room - to impress the visitors you know! It has the most delicate yet not overly feminine scent, is really gentle and non-drying on the skin with its aloe-rich formula, yet as my son perfectly puts it: "It really cuts through the grease!"
137) Love Soap Handwash With Organic Lavender & Meadowfoam (200ml) CF - This is gentle on my eczema-prone hands was a repurchase and I'm likely to buy it again.
138) Miller & Moore Moisturising Shea Butter Hand Cream (65g) - This was gifted to me as part of an older Christmas set. I was surprised by how well this shea hand cream performed so I used it as my bedside hand pamperer. The Miller & Moore brand is one of those discount supermarket releases and seems to be discontinued so I can't find out much about it and I've got no idea of its CF status -although my guess is it's probably not.
139) Nivea Refreshingly Soft Moisturising Cream (75ml) - I'm sad that Nivea isn't cruelty free because this was a great multi-tasking moisturiser and very handy for throwing into my bag. I still have several Nivea products so I will continue to use them but won't repurchase unless their CF status changes.
140) Vaseline Intensive Care Spray Moisturiser Dry Skin Repair (190g)* - See my full review here. I really enjoyed the convenience of this moisturiser but unfortunately I won't be repurchasing as Vaseline is not cruelty free.
141) Natio Mineral Body Wash & Polish (210ml/7.1 fl.oz) CF - This is really great soap-free exfoliating body cleanser, scented with orange, peppermint and rosemary so it was a great early morning pick me up. Unfortunately it's been discontinued!!!
142) Miller & Moore Moisturising Shea Butter Body Scrub (100ml) - This was utterly useless with no scrubbiness at all so I promptly poured it down the drain.
143) SODA & Co Sugar Scrub (Mint Burst 225g)* CF - I loved this concept of a body scrub and moisturiser in one. If I have one criticism it's that I could easily get through a tub in a single week if I used it every day! Read my original review here.
144) Nivea Stress Protect Clinical Strength Deodorant (40ml)* - I didn't like the way the dry solid stick dragged across my skin on application and I didn't think this controlled perspiration exceptionally better than my regular choice.
Hair care
145) Original Mineral Conquer Blonde Silver Shampoo (250ml/8.4 fl.oz) CF - I use this salon quality shampoo every other day to tone done brassiness in my hair and I've since repurchased (again).
146) Original Mineral Fine Intellect Conditioner (350ml/11.8fl.oz) CF - Another repurchased hair product because I like a conditioner to "condition" without weighing down my hair.
147) Organix Moisture + Vitamin B5 Shampoo (385ml/13 fl.oz)* - Damn I wish this brand was still cruelty free because this shampoo cleansed my hair without stripping it and it smelt pretty good too.
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148) John Frieda 7 Day Volume In-Shower Treatment (118ml/4 fl.oz)* - This treatment is applied after conditioning the hair, left on for a few minutes then rinsed out. It's supposed to give added volume for up to 7 days but with my daily hair washing it only lasted 2 to 3 washes at best for me and then I had to go back to using my usual thickening sprays.
149 & 150) Benefit The Porefessional - Yep this really does minimize the appearance of pores and worked well as a smoothing primer but I won't be buying it again because you know...
151) Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer Potion (6ml/.20 fl.oz) CF - This worked really well to control shadows from sliding off my oily eyelids although I'm wondering if I'd prefer a more smoothing formula?
152) Maybelline Dream Lumi Touch Highlighting Concealer (02 Nude) - This is a long-time favourite that I've repurchased several times - and I still have one more backup - but, alas, it will be the last as Maybelline is not cruelty free.
153) Essence Shimmer Effect Eyeshadow (Cappuccino, Please!) CF - This was a repurchase as this satiny beige was a great dupe for MAC Shroom but unfortunately it's been discontinued.
154) Nude By Nature Pressed Mineral Cover (Medium)* CF - I have mixed feelings about this pressed mineral foundation - I love it for natural looking coverage but I was having issues with hard pan. I have a review in the works so I'll tell you all about it soon.
155) Revlon Colorburst Lip Butter (Berry Smoothie) - This was probably my favourite shade from Revlon's now discontinued Lip Butter line.
156) Chanel Glossimer (119) - This was quite an opaque, lightly shimmery gloss in a MLBB mauve and traveled everywhere with me as a result.
157) MAC Lip Glass (C-Thru) - Milky beige and great worn over a nude lipstick.
158) bareMinerals Marvellous Moxie Lip Gloss (Show Off) CF - I'm having a bit of a love affair with bareMinerals lipsticks at the moment and I didn't mind this lip gloss either! It has a subtle mint scent and has a long-lasting, bleed-proof formula. This particular shade worked perfectly as a topper for my bareMinerals lipstick in the warm pink shade Speak Your Mind so I might consider a repurchase.
Fragrance
159) YSL Black Opium EDP (30ml/1 fl.oz) - I received this bottle as a gift from my husband for Christmas 2014 and as I'd finished this warm gourmand fragrance in record time - and my husband loved me wearing it - I received a backup bottle this Christmas. The fragrance notes are coffee, pink pepper, orange blossom, jasmine, vanilla, patchouli and cedar. I will be savouring the bottle much longer this time around.
160) Terry de Gunzburg Fruit Defendu EDP (1.5ml/0.05 fl.oz sample) CF - This sweet fruity cocktail smelt like summer to me and is now on my wishlist for a future fragrance splurge. Top notes are bergamot, mango and pineapple; middle notes are turkish rose and pink pepper; base note is white musk.
161) L'Occitane The Vert & Bigarade EDT (7.5ml/0.25 fl.oz) - This was another summer choice as it's a refreshingly green scent. The opening notes are sparkling citrus in an accord of sweet and bitter orange, while the base includes notes of green tea.
That's 2015 all stitched up! I'm a bit exhausted after going through that lineup so I'm off to have an afternoon lounge out in the yard...
(Products marked * were provided for my consideration. All comments and opinions are my own.)
I admire your goal of commitment to CF products now! It's so hard. I've been trying to being a more ethical consumer in terms of food and other products, but in all honesty I'm probably best at dealing with food so far. It's hard to keep it in mind all of the time, despite my best efforts. You've inspired me to try a little harder!
ReplyDeleteAnd I had a sample of Black Opium and I couldn't quite get on with it. Coffee in perfume really sets me off, I think, so that must be it. It's definitely a bold one!
If I can inspire just one person then I'll be so happy! It's a journey so I admire that you're tackling it with regard to other things - ideally that's something I'd want to look at next!
DeleteThat's interesting in regard to Black Opium. I remember not getting along with a Diptyque fragrance that combined coffee and salt but the YSL combination of coffee and vanilla just smells so warm and sexy to me! It's bold for sure!
I've had the CF thing on my mind for some time. All my skin care is CF, save my body lotion and hair care. I've been beating myself up about last year's makeup purchases, but 2015 is over and I'll be more mindful this year.
ReplyDeleteOne of my goals is not to spend any money on makeup in 2016. I plan to cash in store loyalty points, and redeem MAC empties for an eyeshadow. This strategy may be tricky as I won't have access to many CF brands I have been yearning to try (e.g., Hourglass, Charlotte Tilbury, Milani) . For example, last year I cashed in points to get a pressed Guerlain Météorites (over an Hourglass powder) and a Bobbi Brown bronzer. In retrospect, I should have gone with NARS for both, especially since I was replacing a NARS powder to begin with! (umm... except I preferred the Bobbi Brown bronzer to NARS Laguna... My life is so hard...) :D
I have more non-CF makeup in my inventory than I thought. Mostly MAC. In 2016 I plan to finish/pan my 5 MAC eyeshadows and finish my MAC concealer. My MAC bronzer and highlighter are in crumbs and hopefully will die by the end of February. I don't have specific plans for the small bottle of MAC Face & Body that I just purchased. (Aarghghghh!).
Anyway, my ramble is over. Happy new year again!
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DeleteOne more thing: in 2016 I pledge to wear eyeshadow.
Deleteamendment:
Delete"In 2016 I plan to finish or hit pan on 4 of my 5 MAC eyeshadows..."
Good goals!!! Don't be too hard on yourself with the non-CF stuff. I have truckloads of it - MAC, YSL, Tom Ford and all the drugstore stuff, especially Revlon, Maybelline and Rimmel. Unless something is specifically not working for me I won't be tossing it out, I'll be working on using it up. I was pondering the Back 2 MAC thing too and have decided, like you, that I will continue to Back 2 MAC because I'm not giving them my money. By the way, just in case you didn't know, one of our favourite drugstore brands Essence IS cruelty free! :-))
DeleteI hear you on not being so hard on myself. I think it's unrealistic to expect to use loyalty points only to buy all my makeup.
DeleteGreat empties gathering! I too was very disappointed to learn Nivea isn't CF as I love so many of their products and find them effective and economical. And Maybelline! ARGH! Revlon discontinued the Lip Butters?! I'm learning all kinds of things here today, lol! I'm currently in love with the Bare Minerals Marvelous Moxie Buttercream lip gloss in Flirty Mauve. It's a pigmented, creamy dusty pink - a total Inta shade! - and the Buttercream glosses don't have tingle and taste like vanilla brûlée. Maybe after you finish 5 more glosses, you can pick up a new one! I shouldn't be tempting you, though - but it's definitely worth checking out if you decide to buy a gloss!
ReplyDeleteI'm totally bummed about Nivea! I have enjoyed just about everything I've tried and the fragrance of their creme is a favourite from way back to childhood. We can hope they'll jump on board by not selling to China - or if China itself actually ceasing animal testing! Goals...
DeleteHmmm...I will be thinking about another Marvellous Moxie gloss - maybe when I go to buy a backup of my Marvellous Moxie lipstick in my favourite shade Speak Your Mind! :-))
Fab! ❤️
ReplyDelete