Empties! February 2016

I'm later than usual so here we go...

Skin care

La Clinica Anti Ageing Stem Cell Complex 3 Day Cream (50ml/1.76 fl.oz)* CF - This made my skin feel firmer immediately after applying and I liked the non-greasy matte finish which provided an excellent non-slip base for makeup.

The Body Shop Camomile Waterproof Eye & Lip Make-Up Remover (150ml/5.0 fl.oz) CF - This is now one of my favourite removers as it's as soothing and refreshing as water but it shifts the most stubborn waterproof eye makeup. 

Sukin Micellar Cleansing Water (250ml/8.46 fl.oz) CF/Vegan - I liked this but didn't love it as it felt a bit astringent rather than refreshing on my skin.

NIVEA Vanilla & Macadamia Lip Butter (19ml)* - This used to be one of my favourite thick, emollient (and yummy) lip balms for overnight use but sadly I won't be able to buy any more until it's CF.

Hand and body care

Sally Hansen Insta-Dri Top Coat (13.3ml/0.45 fl.oz) - Another ex-favourite off my list.  This did a great job of quickly sealing in my manicures but I'm switching back to China Glaze for now.

L'Occitane Karite Rose Shea Butter Hand Cream (30ml/1 oz) - I feel a bit guilty because this was a magazine freebie from earlier this year.  I still have a few more backups lurking around as I used to stockpile this stuff because it's so good *cries*.

Avon Foot Works Cracked Heel Relief Cream (100ml) - I haven't bought this in over a year but I still have 2 tubes left.  I mainly use it in the warmer months to keep my heels silky soft and prevent cracking. No repurchases after that though.

Crabtree & Evelyn Lily Gift Set (Bath & Shower Gel, Body Lotion, Body Cream, Fragranced Soap) - This was a set I received as a Christmas gift over a year ago and it's taken me so long to get through my backlog and use it (along with the soap not shown for obvious reasons).  The quality was typically good as C & E products are but the scent was a standard floral so I didn't hate it or love it. 

Sukin BioNatural Skin Oil (60ml/2.03 fl. oz)* CF/Vegan - This is a really nice body oil and so easy and quick for an after-shower moisturiser to replenish and restore youthful silkiness to the skin.  I can see myself buying more because it lasts ages and is very affordable too.

Rexona Clinical Protection Summer Strength Antiperspirant Deodorant (45ml/48 g)* - It worked very well as an antiperspirant but not so well as a deodorant. The search continues...

Hair care

Schwarzkopf Extra Care BB 11 in 1 Hair Beautifier (100ml)* - I actually really liked this as a detangler and softener for my hair as it did the trick without weighing down my fine hair at all and protected it from any hairdryer-induced frizzies.  Not a bad drugstore hair care product but this was the last of my non-CF hair products.

Cosmetics

I'm back counting my progressive tally in my 2016 Makeup Use Up:

5) L'Oreal Miss Manga Mega Volume Mascara (Black)* - Some people don't like the flexible tapered brush but it was my friend once I got the hang of it and the volumising formula was great too for creating big lashes with minimal coats. Unfortunately not CF.

6) Benefit Stay Don't Stray Primer (Light/Medium) - Don't be fooled by the sample sized tube because this primer took months to finish.  It was a great brightening base for eye makeup and anchored it in place but Benefit aren't CF so this won't be on my repurchase list. 

7) Face Of Australia Eye Pencil (Brown) - Face of Australia used to be CCF accredited but sadly are no longer and I can't be sure of their CF status.  The pencil?  It was reasonably creamy and smudgeproof but I have a lot of dark brown backups in my collection. 

Now I'm off to toss out all the trash!

(Products marked * were provided for my consideration.  All comments and opinions are my own.)

November - December's farewelled products

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

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.

Hand and body care

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.

Cosmetics

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.)

REVIEW: September's farewelled products

Here's my latest batch of empties to throw onto the yearly pile.  I also have quite a few near-empties hanging around at the moment too so next month's tally's already looking good...

Skin care

92) Olay Regenerist Intensive Night Revitalizing Cream (50g)

I only use a night cream when I really feel I need it so a single jar will last me months.  I bought this night cream based on its reputation as it's been voted best night cream under $35AUD by InStyle Australia magazine.  So what did I think?  I loved it!  The pale lavender tinted cream immediately absorbs into my skin and leaves it feeling plumped up with a smooth, velvety texture.  A definite repurchase because this cream feels very luxe for a drugstore product.

93) Simple Regeneration Age Resisting Cleansing Wipes (25 wipes)

These featured in my cleansing routine post and I still stand by my original opinion (here).  These refreshing feeling wipes are my favourites so far and I would definitely repurchase.

94) Yes to Carrots C Me Smile Lip Butter (Berry)

I can't believe how looong this little tube of berry scented lip balm lasted because I used it every single night before bed as my overnight lip treatment.  It contains coconut oil, olive oil, beeswax, sunflower oil, shea butter and - yes - carrot root extract.  All natural ingredients, and 95% organic, and 100% love from me cos my lips felt baby soft after using it.  Another drugstore winner! 

95) Sukin Facial Moisturizer (50ml/1.69fl.oz travel size)

I got this as a freebie in a skincare goodie bag some months ago so I used it in an effort to clear out my skin care backlog.  This paraben free moisturiser contains a whole load of natural ingredients including aloe, sesame seed oil, rose hip oil, shea butter, jojoba seed oil, avocado oil, and wheat germ oil.  Naturally scented and very rich, a little of this lotion went a long way on my skin.  It was little too rich for me (normal/combination skin with a little sensitive thrown in) so I would probably recommend it for normal to dry skin types.

Hand and body care

96) China Glaze Fast Forward Top Coat

I know I said this was a little on the stinky side and I don't particularly like the skinny brush but I've since talked myself around on this top coat because:  It doesn't dissolve the colour beneath (as some top coats can, with the bottle of top coat becoming discoloured as a result), doesn't shrink and the formula was good to the bottom of the bottle.  I didn't need to use any lacquer thinner either!

97) Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser (500ml) 

My fourth bottle for the year and now I'm onto the 1litre bottle!

98) Batiste Original Dry Shampoo (150ml/5.05fl.oz)

I actually bought this for my son for spray-on fake grey hair to wear to a school presentation!  He was dressed up as Australia's first Prime Minister Edmund Barton but anyway... So this can was handed on to me to finish off.  I used it a few times to freshen my hair at the end of the day and it worked really well without leaving my hair looking or feeling powdery.  The original formula blended well with my light blonde hair so I'll probably buy another can for summer, when everything gets a little limp in the heat...

99) OPI Original Polish Remover ( 120ml/4fl.oz)

My staple monthly empty and my eighth for the year.

Cosmetics

100) Maybelline Dream Lumi Touch Illuminating Concealer (02 Nude)

This is the second tube I've finished and I still think this is a great illuminating concealer.  After finishing this I bought  L'Oreal's Lumi Magique highlighter pen to try and yes, I love the super soft brush but it is obviously a highlighter only and doesn't offer the coverage of this fabulous little multi-tasker.  Repurchase, repurchase, repurchase!

Until next month

Vita :)