Another month of the usual beauty product carnage - and I've been doing pretty well on the beauty diet too! So well that I'm now reaping rewards and finally shopping for items on my wish list. I'll save those for another post (or two)...
Hand and body care
No facial skincare this month funnily enough. All body products this time!
12) Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser (500ml) - My reliable old in shower soap-free Cetaphil makes a return to the empties, although I've downsized to the 500ml bottle because the 1 litre was too impractically big for the shower caddy. Expect more of these throughout the year, especially when winter hits and my skin gets that sensitive dry skin itch happening again.
13) Soap & Glory Hand Food (50ml) - This was gifted to me by a close friend and I immediately fell in love with the scent! The scent is the highlight of this hand cream for me (sure it does contain Shea Butter, Macadamia Oil and Marshmallow too) so I can feel the need building to explore the Soap & Glory range in search of more of that delicious scent. Oh yeah, back onto the hand cream: I didn't find it too greasy and it penetrated well. It's not a super heavy duty hand cream so I'd probably need something richer in the cooler months although it's perfectly fine as an everyday handbag option.
14) OPI Expert Touch Lacquer Remover (120ml/4 fl.oz) - On par with my average of around a bottle per month this is my second bottle for the year.
15) La Clinica Dry Skin Relief Body Butter (250ml/8.5 fl.oz) - Ling's getting me onto La Clinica in a big way so this is going to be the first of a long list of La Clinica products I'm going to finish over the coming months. This rich body butter is scented with Vanilla and contains Organic Rose Hip Oil, as well as Sweet Almond Oil, Shea Butter and Sandalwood Oil. Further down the list it even contains Patchouli and Ylang Ylang which explains the exotic aroma - vanilla with a bit of added depth and mystery so this is your everyday vanilla body butter's sexier friend. I found this very thick and rich so learnt very quickly that a little goes a looooong way - use too much and it can sit on top of the skin - used sparingly gets the best results and meant this jar lasted a long time too.
16) Natio Wellness Body Scrub (450g/15.8 z) - Yet another deliciously scented body product! I love all the products in Natio's Wellness range and they all have the same wonderful pomegranate scent. This almost jelly-like scrub contains sugar, apricot seed powder and "antioxidant pomegranate" so it can be applied on dry or damp skin for a gentle exfoliation. It also leaves the skin feeling rather silky and moisturised afterward. I must admit I do tend to use too much when the product comes in a tub, scooping out generous handfuls but I did enjoy using it.
14) OPI Expert Touch Lacquer Remover (120ml/4 fl.oz) - On par with my average of around a bottle per month this is my second bottle for the year.
15) La Clinica Dry Skin Relief Body Butter (250ml/8.5 fl.oz) - Ling's getting me onto La Clinica in a big way so this is going to be the first of a long list of La Clinica products I'm going to finish over the coming months. This rich body butter is scented with Vanilla and contains Organic Rose Hip Oil, as well as Sweet Almond Oil, Shea Butter and Sandalwood Oil. Further down the list it even contains Patchouli and Ylang Ylang which explains the exotic aroma - vanilla with a bit of added depth and mystery so this is your everyday vanilla body butter's sexier friend. I found this very thick and rich so learnt very quickly that a little goes a looooong way - use too much and it can sit on top of the skin - used sparingly gets the best results and meant this jar lasted a long time too.
16) Natio Wellness Body Scrub (450g/15.8 z) - Yet another deliciously scented body product! I love all the products in Natio's Wellness range and they all have the same wonderful pomegranate scent. This almost jelly-like scrub contains sugar, apricot seed powder and "antioxidant pomegranate" so it can be applied on dry or damp skin for a gentle exfoliation. It also leaves the skin feeling rather silky and moisturised afterward. I must admit I do tend to use too much when the product comes in a tub, scooping out generous handfuls but I did enjoy using it.
Hair care
17) L'Oreal Professionnel Volume Expand Volumising Root Lift Spray for fine hair (125ml/4.2 fl. oz) - I really didn't love this product. Rather than lifting my hair it made it almost sticky to the touch and look more in need of a wash when it had been just washed. It's not like I was using that much either, as I sparingly spritzed twice or maybe three times over my entire head. Not repurchasing this one!
Cosmetics
As you can see there's been more progress with the makeup empties on my beauty diet! Since writing this post I've finished another item so I'm now up to 7 for the year. Joining me on this downsizing exercise are Anissa and Norlin and we have been cheering each other on all month.
18) MAC Frost Eye Shadow (Vex) - If I tell you this is the second pan I've finished of this particular eye shadow then you'll get the idea of how much I love it. This multidimensional shimmery beige/green/pink shade works beautifully on its own or paired with a deeper accent. I will repurchase at some stage I'm sure.
19) No 7 Lipstick (Blossoming Pink) - I won this lipstick a few years ago in a blog giveaway from the empties queen herself, Claire of UK blog Eyelining Obsessions. I had no trouble finishing this glossy mauve lipstick at all because it was very much a MLBB for me and went with literally everything. I've just visited the Boots UK website and this lipstick still appears there but is out of stock - I'm pretty sure it was a LE but I'd be happy to be corrected on that!
20) MAC Slimshine (Gentle Simmer) - Discontinued and I bought it a while ago. It was a very pretty glossy peach nude but it disappeared very quickly from my lips and obviously in the tube too.
21) MAC Lip Glass (Sizzle Peach) - Another old LE lip colour from an old holiday collection. Kind of weird silvery peach with yucky chunky glitter. I suppose I could have just thrown it out but opted to wear it around the house instead. That probably makes me seem kind of weird too now that I ponder it.
Fragrance
These two fragrances were Spring/Summer favourites so it makes sense they gave it up last month...
22) L'Occitane - Pivoine Flora (EDT 75ml) - Notes: bergamot, grapefruit, green notes, peony, magnolia, violet, vanilla, cedar, musk. I saw this soft green floral as very much a spring scent. It's soft and subtle, with no sharp edge and a work-appropriate everyday choice.
23) YSL - Elle Summer Edition (EDT 90ml) - Notes: Grapefruit, sambac jasmine, pink pepper, benzoin, amber. A summer favourite fragrance and I would repurchase either this or the original Elle because I've loved wearing both. I love the layers of this fragrance as it clearly starts off with the fruity grapefruit freshness then settles down to the amber base.
23) YSL - Elle Summer Edition (EDT 90ml) - Notes: Grapefruit, sambac jasmine, pink pepper, benzoin, amber. A summer favourite fragrance and I would repurchase either this or the original Elle because I've loved wearing both. I love the layers of this fragrance as it clearly starts off with the fruity grapefruit freshness then settles down to the amber base.
So that's it for the February empties!
Good job! You're doing so well! I just did a major clean-out. But I had such trouble downsizing the blushes this time haha! Over the past year I've really learned what I actually use, so yeah-no more eyeshadows will I be buying that's for sure!
ReplyDeleteHow brave of you to downsize your blush! At Anissa's suggestion I'm trying to get together a use it or lose it pile myself although I struggle with tossing things out unless they're real stinkers :p
DeleteLove your empties posts and beauty diet updates, Vita! Haha, I've started wearing a bit of lipgloss around the house as well - nothing wrong in looking pretty for the audience of just your husband is what I think :)
ReplyDeleteYay thanks Rocaille! I feel just a little more normal now :)
DeleteOops I should have called you Monika! Apologies :p
DeleteI did a bit of a clean-out like Tracy as well - all the pencil eyeliners got chucked (well, most of them), and I'm carefully editing other things as well.
ReplyDeleteAnd, like Monika, I often wear lip products just around the house...for funsies! Hahaha.
I just don't like the feeling of bare lips - I keep thinking they're going to dry out and crack - so I use gloss or balm even when I'm home. Go you guys with your makeup edit! I'm trying!
DeleteI was so inspired by you lately that I started finishing things off that had been tottering around for a long while. I'm always stressed about lip glosses going bad, so I've been using up an old MAC around the house to get rid of it and I'm almost finished! You're so good, Vita. Proud of you!
ReplyDeleteI must admit to feeling overdone if I slick on a lipstick when I've got nowhere to go and I'm not expecting anyone to come around. Gloss does the job perfectly because I feel just that little bit pulled together without any contrived effort. Go you with your own beauty diet!!
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