Six months worth of empties...June-December '18
Somehow the second half of 2018 escaped me at a speed of light and I just realized that I haven't posted any "empties" reports for good 6 months. however I have been diligently collecting my empties for a group photo...
I am not going to bore you with huge description of each item, just a quick summary to say what I think.
1. Dessert Essence Raspberry Conditioner - smelled like stale dried cranberries and made my hair very heavy and oily. Pass.
2. Jergens Natural Glow Gradual Tan - not a bad product, took a while to build-up nice colour and felt a bit heavy. 50/50.
3. Yves Rocher Apricot Scrub - I got it because of apricot jam smell but as a scrub it wasn't that great. Pass.
4. Kloraine Tinted Dry Shampoo - my favorite brand of dry shampoo however i prefer the clear version.
5. Clinique Take the Day off Cleansing Balm - got it because of hype (and free GWP), it wasn't as good as some of the cleansing oils and gels I've tried plus it felt a bit unhygienist scooping it out of the jar (I've used spatula the entire time). Pass.
6. MOR Blood Orange Candle - it burned evenly and lasted for ages, the scent had very subtle projection though. 50/50.
7. Lacura Verde Hand Wash - I wouldn't normally bother to include hand was in this list but this $5 Aldi product is the best hand wash I've tried! It is SLS-free, non-drying, packed with natural essential oils, smells fantastic and dare I say it performs much better than $40 Aesop product. Would buy again.
8. Batiste Dry Shampoo - doesn't give me as much volume and dryness as Kloraine one. Pass.
9. Clinique Fresh Pressed Vit C - Vit C been a find of the year for me but this formula is not that great. You get a huge amount but you suposed to use it within 10 days. It lasted me at least one months making 60% of the product a bit useless. I would prefer a smaller quantity or a more stable formula. Pass.
10. Elizabeth Arden Ceramide Capsules - updated version of the classic cult product. It felt nourishing but at the same time not too heavy. I wouldn't use it every day. Would re-purchase.
11. La Bang Body Oil - this product came highly recommended from my co-workers and I must say I am a fan too! It absorbed nicely but left my skin with beautiful sheen and nice scent. The only thing I am not a fan of is packaging - it is very hard to make it stay and not spill. Would buy again.
12. GHD Hairspray - your hair will stay out for hours after using it minus the crusty feeling and discoloration. It comes in a handy small bottle too however I wish they made it more travel-friendly and included a cap. Would buy again.
13+14. Aesop Classic Shampoo and Conditioner - I always thought of Aesop as a slightly pretentious and overpriced brand in beautiful vintage pharmacy inspired packaging. However this duo changed my mind. It left my hair nicely hydrated without weighting it down. Plus I love how the bottles look in my bathroom. Planning to get my hands on the full sized duo in 2019.
15. GlamGlow Supermud Mask - another product that is worth their high price tag! I've tried finding an alternative but Supermud is still the best. It does what it claims - sucks the oil out of my pores and clears my skin. Will definitely buy again.
16. Vichy Purete Thermale Face Wash - pearly and creamy foaming face wash that a lot of other brand do. This one works well too at cleansing my skin without stripping it too much. Would re-purchase.
17. Vichy Aqualia Thermale Moisturiser - once upon a time it was my go-to product as it was one of few that didn't break me out. Ever since then I've discovered a lot of Japanese and Korean products that work better for me. Goodbye old friend, won't re-purchase.
18. Lancome Energie de Vie Overnight Mask - I never had good luck with Lancome skincare but this generous trial-size face mask surprised me. It made my skin nicely hydrated without feeling too heavy. Will probably re-purchase.
19 - 22. Drunk Elephant B-Hydra, Marula Oil, Glycolic Serum, C-Firma - obsessed with whole line except for Marula oil (still an alright product but not as good as others). They come in cute packaging, have good company ethos and most importantly they work!!! Would definitely buy again.
23. Ritual Cedar Oil Body Wash - not a fan of scent, pass.
24. Mentholatum Rohto Deo Ball - I picked up my first Deo Ball from pharmacy in Japan and loved it so much that I had to have the entire range. They come in super cute and portable ball packaging, make you feel fresh and smell nice all day. They do run out quickly but you can get them them online for under $10. Will buy again
25. Missha Cusion Foundation for Oily Skin - another product I've picked up in Japan. I've heard a lot about this Korean brand and they were the first ones to break into Western market. This cusion sadly is a big pass for me. It felt greasy, the product moved around and worst of all it broke me out. I ended up throwing most of it away. Pass.
26. NYX Stay Matte but Not Flat Powder - I liked how tested performed in a store but was a bit skeptical about its long-term performance given a low price tag. I was pleasantly surprised and ended up finishing this product. It provided medium coverage with barely there sheen. Would buy again.
27. YSL All Hours Foundation - for some reason few months ago a lot of high-end make-up companies were running "come try our foundation" promo via FB. So I ended up testing this one for about a week. Loved it and ended up getting a full sized product.
28. Chantecaille Flower Harmonizing Cream - got a generous trial size from one of my Mecca Beauty Loop boxes (you can check out others via my IG @electro_cat). It felt tad too heavy and there is no way I would spend $161 on a full sized version. Pass.
29. Fresh Sugar Advance Therapy - this cute mini size was a Sephora 100 point reward and it came in a nice metal case which was perfect to take traveling with me. It felt light on my lips and had almost no taste but nice fruit candy scent. However there is no way it is worth $35. Pass
30. Benefit Roller Lash - not a bad mascara but I've tried better ones that give me volume and curl. Plus I am not a fan of the wand. 50/50
31. Urban Decay Hi-Fi Shine Gloss - I was glad to see new glosses on the block as opposed to yet another matte liquid lipstick. I though it would be same-same but I loves this formula - not too thick, moisturizing with sweet taste and minty scent. I loved holographic formulas in their range but this mini was no frills almost clear gloss. Ended up buys two full sized glosses.
32. MAC Lindering Brow Pencil in Lingering - I've hears the rumor that the new version with spooley has slightly different formula. Lets hope it is as good as their original version which is not too waxy yet gives you good amount of pigment. Would definitely buy again.
33. LiLash Lash Serum - I was a bit skeptical about those lash serums but them two people told me how their lashes grew super long after using LiLash. It worked wonders for me too and for about 4 months I had super long lashes. They do go back to normal once you stop using the product. I've tried other less expensive brand but it wasn't the same. Maybe I will bit the bullet and fork out for LiLash again.
34. Lancome Grandiose Mascara - Lancome mascaras been considered the bees knees in beauty community for years and this product lives up to the company's reputation. It gives me beautiful lifted and curled lashes without smudging. The mascara also lasts me a while too. Maybe i should stp experimenting and stick to Lancome. Would definitely buy again.
35. NuFace Primer - NuFace device is post worthy on its own (it lived up to my expectations). This primer is a great product too, packed with hyaluronic acid it gives skin a shot of hydration. Be sure to tissue it off after using the micro-currant device otherwise it can interfere with the foundation. Would buy again.
36. L'Occitane Soothing Scalp Oil - I used to be an avid user of L'Occitane product but they have been appealing less and less to me as they discontinued some of my favorites and introduced products that don't work for me (I think they are trying to target more mature market these days). This oil was a nice product to use before shampooing my hair, it helped with dry scalp and smelled very nice. I didn't reach for it often enough as I often can treat dry scalp with nourishing hair mask. So it is a pass for me.
37. Clinique Beyond Perfecting Foundation and Concealer - another product from my "try out foundation" spree. This one offered super high coverage so my face resembled a mask. I still want to see my skin and invest a lot of time and money into skincare so i don't need to cover everything up. Pass for me.
38. Perricone MD Serum Foundation - I was hoping it would be similar to my old favorite discontinued Lancome Air Du Teint but this product was just weird. It comes in only one shade but claims to self-adjust. It didn't for me, still looked dark and patchy plus provided weird oily sheen. Pass.
39. YSL Fusion Ink Foundation - another YSL product that I loved and ended up buying a full size of. This one was harder to find so I have a feeling that All Hours must be a replacement. This one has thinner consistency compared to All Hours but still looked beautiful on skin. Buy, buy, buy while you can.
40. NARS All Day Luminous Weightless foundation - meduim-to-full coverage yet barely detectable foundations seem to be all the rage this year. This one sadly didn't work for me (like many other NARS foundations). It was hard to work with as it was setting too fast, it oxidized and looked patchy. Pass.
41+42. Kerastase Resistance Hair Mask (plus shampoo, not pictured) - I got it as a part of trial/travel kit and loved all products in this line. It made my hair shiny and flowing plus it reduced breakage. I found that you only need to use it 2-4 times per month so I splurged on full size. Will buy.
43. Lush Fairly Traded Honey Shampoo - it was given to me as a sample after I told Lush SA that Honey I Washed the Kids solid Shampoo was a huge waste for me (no other shampoo made my hair so freaking dry, but then I looked at the ingredients and it was basically SLS plus a bit of honey and fragrance, lucky they told me I can bring it back and excahnge it for another solid shampoo). This product smelled and looked like real honey but still didn't impress me. I've stocked up on a lot of Lush products during last year's Boxing Day sales and most of them been a big "pass" for me. I didn't even bothered going there this year.
Congratulations if you made it to the end of the list and Happy New Year!!!
I am not going to bore you with huge description of each item, just a quick summary to say what I think.
1. Dessert Essence Raspberry Conditioner - smelled like stale dried cranberries and made my hair very heavy and oily. Pass.
2. Jergens Natural Glow Gradual Tan - not a bad product, took a while to build-up nice colour and felt a bit heavy. 50/50.
3. Yves Rocher Apricot Scrub - I got it because of apricot jam smell but as a scrub it wasn't that great. Pass.
4. Kloraine Tinted Dry Shampoo - my favorite brand of dry shampoo however i prefer the clear version.
5. Clinique Take the Day off Cleansing Balm - got it because of hype (and free GWP), it wasn't as good as some of the cleansing oils and gels I've tried plus it felt a bit unhygienist scooping it out of the jar (I've used spatula the entire time). Pass.
6. MOR Blood Orange Candle - it burned evenly and lasted for ages, the scent had very subtle projection though. 50/50.
7. Lacura Verde Hand Wash - I wouldn't normally bother to include hand was in this list but this $5 Aldi product is the best hand wash I've tried! It is SLS-free, non-drying, packed with natural essential oils, smells fantastic and dare I say it performs much better than $40 Aesop product. Would buy again.
8. Batiste Dry Shampoo - doesn't give me as much volume and dryness as Kloraine one. Pass.
9. Clinique Fresh Pressed Vit C - Vit C been a find of the year for me but this formula is not that great. You get a huge amount but you suposed to use it within 10 days. It lasted me at least one months making 60% of the product a bit useless. I would prefer a smaller quantity or a more stable formula. Pass.
10. Elizabeth Arden Ceramide Capsules - updated version of the classic cult product. It felt nourishing but at the same time not too heavy. I wouldn't use it every day. Would re-purchase.
11. La Bang Body Oil - this product came highly recommended from my co-workers and I must say I am a fan too! It absorbed nicely but left my skin with beautiful sheen and nice scent. The only thing I am not a fan of is packaging - it is very hard to make it stay and not spill. Would buy again.
12. GHD Hairspray - your hair will stay out for hours after using it minus the crusty feeling and discoloration. It comes in a handy small bottle too however I wish they made it more travel-friendly and included a cap. Would buy again.
13+14. Aesop Classic Shampoo and Conditioner - I always thought of Aesop as a slightly pretentious and overpriced brand in beautiful vintage pharmacy inspired packaging. However this duo changed my mind. It left my hair nicely hydrated without weighting it down. Plus I love how the bottles look in my bathroom. Planning to get my hands on the full sized duo in 2019.
15. GlamGlow Supermud Mask - another product that is worth their high price tag! I've tried finding an alternative but Supermud is still the best. It does what it claims - sucks the oil out of my pores and clears my skin. Will definitely buy again.
16. Vichy Purete Thermale Face Wash - pearly and creamy foaming face wash that a lot of other brand do. This one works well too at cleansing my skin without stripping it too much. Would re-purchase.
17. Vichy Aqualia Thermale Moisturiser - once upon a time it was my go-to product as it was one of few that didn't break me out. Ever since then I've discovered a lot of Japanese and Korean products that work better for me. Goodbye old friend, won't re-purchase.
18. Lancome Energie de Vie Overnight Mask - I never had good luck with Lancome skincare but this generous trial-size face mask surprised me. It made my skin nicely hydrated without feeling too heavy. Will probably re-purchase.
19 - 22. Drunk Elephant B-Hydra, Marula Oil, Glycolic Serum, C-Firma - obsessed with whole line except for Marula oil (still an alright product but not as good as others). They come in cute packaging, have good company ethos and most importantly they work!!! Would definitely buy again.
23. Ritual Cedar Oil Body Wash - not a fan of scent, pass.
24. Mentholatum Rohto Deo Ball - I picked up my first Deo Ball from pharmacy in Japan and loved it so much that I had to have the entire range. They come in super cute and portable ball packaging, make you feel fresh and smell nice all day. They do run out quickly but you can get them them online for under $10. Will buy again
25. Missha Cusion Foundation for Oily Skin - another product I've picked up in Japan. I've heard a lot about this Korean brand and they were the first ones to break into Western market. This cusion sadly is a big pass for me. It felt greasy, the product moved around and worst of all it broke me out. I ended up throwing most of it away. Pass.
26. NYX Stay Matte but Not Flat Powder - I liked how tested performed in a store but was a bit skeptical about its long-term performance given a low price tag. I was pleasantly surprised and ended up finishing this product. It provided medium coverage with barely there sheen. Would buy again.
27. YSL All Hours Foundation - for some reason few months ago a lot of high-end make-up companies were running "come try our foundation" promo via FB. So I ended up testing this one for about a week. Loved it and ended up getting a full sized product.
28. Chantecaille Flower Harmonizing Cream - got a generous trial size from one of my Mecca Beauty Loop boxes (you can check out others via my IG @electro_cat). It felt tad too heavy and there is no way I would spend $161 on a full sized version. Pass.
29. Fresh Sugar Advance Therapy - this cute mini size was a Sephora 100 point reward and it came in a nice metal case which was perfect to take traveling with me. It felt light on my lips and had almost no taste but nice fruit candy scent. However there is no way it is worth $35. Pass
30. Benefit Roller Lash - not a bad mascara but I've tried better ones that give me volume and curl. Plus I am not a fan of the wand. 50/50
31. Urban Decay Hi-Fi Shine Gloss - I was glad to see new glosses on the block as opposed to yet another matte liquid lipstick. I though it would be same-same but I loves this formula - not too thick, moisturizing with sweet taste and minty scent. I loved holographic formulas in their range but this mini was no frills almost clear gloss. Ended up buys two full sized glosses.
32. MAC Lindering Brow Pencil in Lingering - I've hears the rumor that the new version with spooley has slightly different formula. Lets hope it is as good as their original version which is not too waxy yet gives you good amount of pigment. Would definitely buy again.
33. LiLash Lash Serum - I was a bit skeptical about those lash serums but them two people told me how their lashes grew super long after using LiLash. It worked wonders for me too and for about 4 months I had super long lashes. They do go back to normal once you stop using the product. I've tried other less expensive brand but it wasn't the same. Maybe I will bit the bullet and fork out for LiLash again.
34. Lancome Grandiose Mascara - Lancome mascaras been considered the bees knees in beauty community for years and this product lives up to the company's reputation. It gives me beautiful lifted and curled lashes without smudging. The mascara also lasts me a while too. Maybe i should stp experimenting and stick to Lancome. Would definitely buy again.
35. NuFace Primer - NuFace device is post worthy on its own (it lived up to my expectations). This primer is a great product too, packed with hyaluronic acid it gives skin a shot of hydration. Be sure to tissue it off after using the micro-currant device otherwise it can interfere with the foundation. Would buy again.
36. L'Occitane Soothing Scalp Oil - I used to be an avid user of L'Occitane product but they have been appealing less and less to me as they discontinued some of my favorites and introduced products that don't work for me (I think they are trying to target more mature market these days). This oil was a nice product to use before shampooing my hair, it helped with dry scalp and smelled very nice. I didn't reach for it often enough as I often can treat dry scalp with nourishing hair mask. So it is a pass for me.
37. Clinique Beyond Perfecting Foundation and Concealer - another product from my "try out foundation" spree. This one offered super high coverage so my face resembled a mask. I still want to see my skin and invest a lot of time and money into skincare so i don't need to cover everything up. Pass for me.
38. Perricone MD Serum Foundation - I was hoping it would be similar to my old favorite discontinued Lancome Air Du Teint but this product was just weird. It comes in only one shade but claims to self-adjust. It didn't for me, still looked dark and patchy plus provided weird oily sheen. Pass.
39. YSL Fusion Ink Foundation - another YSL product that I loved and ended up buying a full size of. This one was harder to find so I have a feeling that All Hours must be a replacement. This one has thinner consistency compared to All Hours but still looked beautiful on skin. Buy, buy, buy while you can.
40. NARS All Day Luminous Weightless foundation - meduim-to-full coverage yet barely detectable foundations seem to be all the rage this year. This one sadly didn't work for me (like many other NARS foundations). It was hard to work with as it was setting too fast, it oxidized and looked patchy. Pass.
41+42. Kerastase Resistance Hair Mask (plus shampoo, not pictured) - I got it as a part of trial/travel kit and loved all products in this line. It made my hair shiny and flowing plus it reduced breakage. I found that you only need to use it 2-4 times per month so I splurged on full size. Will buy.
43. Lush Fairly Traded Honey Shampoo - it was given to me as a sample after I told Lush SA that Honey I Washed the Kids solid Shampoo was a huge waste for me (no other shampoo made my hair so freaking dry, but then I looked at the ingredients and it was basically SLS plus a bit of honey and fragrance, lucky they told me I can bring it back and excahnge it for another solid shampoo). This product smelled and looked like real honey but still didn't impress me. I've stocked up on a lot of Lush products during last year's Boxing Day sales and most of them been a big "pass" for me. I didn't even bothered going there this year.
Congratulations if you made it to the end of the list and Happy New Year!!!
.grid-5x2.jpg)
Comments
Post a Comment