Beauty Trash: July 2016

Another quarter, another round of my beauty trash!  I’ve changed the name of this re-occuring post to Beauty Trash from Used & Abused because it didn’t really click with me how inappropriate that could be perceived.  Eek.  Call me naive.   Anyway  I’ll get my repeats out of the way first thing, and then it’s on to new products I used up!

REPEATS

Batiste Dry Shampoo: Only 3 bottles this time – however I’m really loving the new Ella Henderson scent!  I’m hoping this isn’t limited edition and it sticks around permanently!

Repurchase?: Yes

First Aid Beauty Ultra Repair Cream: One of the only hand creams that I regularly repurchase and always have to have on hand.  I go through a lot of these in the Winter because when my hands get really dry, my eczema tends to flare up but this keeps it in check.  I absolutely love this stuff!

Repurchase: Yes

Sephora Triple Action Cleansing Water: My favourite micellar water, hands down.  Full review here.

Repurchase?: Yes

be Delectable Super Smoothing Body Polish (Strawberries & Cream): This is my second “tube” of this scrub but the Strawberries & Cream scent is divine.  It reminds me of a Strawberry Shortcake doll (do you remember those?) More details on why I like it here.

Repurchase?: Yes

SKINCARE

CeraVe Facial Moisturizing Lotion – PM: I really enjoyed this night-time moisturizer and it lasted me a long time – almost a year!  I appreciated that it included active ingredients such as Niacinamide and Hyaluronic Acid and I actually found I experienced similar results to one of my favourite moisturizers – Peter Thomas Roth’s 10% Glycolic Acid moisturizer.  It left my skin feeling moisturized and seemed to decrease the amount of redness I’d experience after washing my face.  The only drawback is that this does include parabens, which I’m not crazy about.  I haven’t repurchased it yet but I expect to at some point.

Repurchase?: Yes

Peter Thomas Roth Max Sheer All Day Lotion: I’ve had this for a while and barely used it but unfortunately it’s expired so I chucked it.  I didn’t mind this but I don’t think I’d repurchase it – while it did its job as a sunscreen, it took a really long time to absorb and left my skin feeling a little greasy.  I had a really hard time trying to make this work under foundation so I wouldn’t repurchase it.

Repurchase?: No

Sephora Total Purify & Cleanse Gel: I loved this extra gentle face wash – my only gripe is that it didn’t remove my eye makeup very well.  My skin always felt so soft, yet clean after using this and my sensitive skin was just in love with it.  It had a light green tea scent that I found calming and soothing when used before bed.  I’m currently using some other cleansers but I wouldn’t hesitate to re-purchase this in the future.

Repurchase: Yes

Fresh Soy Face Cleanser: This was just okay for me; it was gentle and I had no issues with irritation but I wasn’t crazy about the light cucumber fragrance (I hate cucumbers and anything cucumber-scented).

Repurchase: No

Clinique Liquid Facial Soap (Mild – Dry/Combination): Another cleanser sample that I was just ‘meh’ about; it did the job but it didn’t do anything special and I found my face felt a little tight after using it.

Repurchase: No

Purlisse pur-delicate Gentle Soy Milk Cleanser:  This was a sample I received in a previous Luxe box; the first few times I used this I actually quite liked it – it seemed to take all of my makeup off easily, even eye makeup.  Then I stopped using it and went back to a few weeks later and it didn’t seem to work as well.  So I’m not sure what changed?  Regardless, it appears to be discontinued, not that I could see myself paying $36 for it anyway.

Repurchase: No

The Face Shop Character Mask – Moisturizing (not available online): This was also included in a previous Luxe Box and I was excited to use it because it looked hilarious.  And it was, but I didn’t really feel like it did anything but I haven’t found a sheet mask that has.  My skin felt moisturized for about an hour after and that was about it.

Repurchase?: No

Kirkland Daily Facial Towelettes (available in-store): I use these to remove swatches and clean my countertops and makeup vanity.  I do not put these anywhere near my face because these are beyond irritating to my skin.  Read more about it here.

Repurchase?: No

BATH & BODY

Frilly Lilly Shea Butter Creme (Argentinian Lemon): I picked this up at a local esthetics salon by the same name and at first I wasn’t sure about the lemon scent but it totally grew on me and I find it perfect for summer!  I also loved how it didn’t leave my hands feeling greasy or slick – it just moisturized them nicely.

Repurchase: Yes

L’Occitane Hand Gel Creme (Citrus Verbena):  Another hand cream that smells absolutely amazing!  This smells so fresh and clean and the gel formula is cooling and refreshing.  I’ve already bought another tube of this but I’m not going to lie, the $12 for 1 oz price tag kind of hurts given that this only lasts me a couple of weeks.  But L’Occitane has sucked me in so I’ll probably still keep buying them!

Repurchase: Yes

St.Ives Fresh Hydration Lotion (Naturally Energizing): I’m not sure if St.Ives is no longer carrying this particular scent as it’s not showing up on their website (just on Amazon) but if that’s the case I’m kind of disappointed because I really liked it.  I prefer body lotions that aren’t too thick but still really moisturizing and that describes this perfectly – except it’s in a handy-dandy spray format.  I’m using up some other body lotions right now but I will be picking up another one of these at some point.

Repurchase: Yes

Hawaiian Blend Aloe After Sun Lotion: I’ve had this for years and finally used it up – and I’m pretty sad about it.  This is such a great product to apply after you’ve spent a day in the sun, or if you’ve had a burn and need something to soothe your skin and prevent peeling.  I find that applying aloe vera gel helps cool your skin but doesn’t do much to moisturize it, which if you’re burnt, you really need.  I’ll definitely be picking up another bottle of this the next time I’m in Hawaii!

Repurchase: Yes

Bath & Body Works Twisted Peppermint Body Lotion (no longer available): Another oldie, I don’t even want to know how many years I’ve had this lying around for.  I finally decided to use it up and I didn’t expect to like it as much as I did.  This actually provides a pretty good amount of moisture!  Plus the cooling peppermint sensation was kind of nice too.

Repurchase: Yes

Ombra Aromatic Foam Bath (Eucalyptus): One of the first things I do when cold weather or the flu hits is go out and pick up this bubble bath.  It’s fantastic for soothing sore and aching muscles and the eucalyptus oil helps you breathe easier.

Repurchase: Yes

Cake Milk Made Supremely Rich Bath & Shower Froth:  I’ve gotten to the point now where I literally cannot live without this stuff – I always have a bottle on hand to replace the one I’ve just finished up.  I use this mostly as a bubble bath, but it works really well as a shower gel too.  They have various scents but this one might be my favourite because it’s so unique – it smells like whipped cream tastes, with a hint of raspberry.  Plus it leaves my skin feeling soft and smooth.

Repurchase: Yes

Rocky Mountain Soap Bubble Bath – Vanilla Ginger (no longer available): Can you tell I like bubble bath?  This was a Christmas gift and I enjoyed it I felt like I was bathing in gingerale.  The only drawback was that this was pretty liquidy so I used it pretty fast.  I wouldn’t purchase this regularly but it’s nice as a treat once and a while.

Repurchase: Yes

Mitchum Gel Anti-Perspirant (Unscented): This is the only anti-perspirant/deodorant that I’ve found that works for me; TMI – I tend to sweat a lot but I can actually wear this every other day and get away with it.  I’ve tried others and they just don’t compare.

Repurchase: Yes

Britney Spears Fantasy Perfume: Yes it’s Britney Spears perfume but it’s awesome.  Plus it’s super affordable and lasts all day.

Repurchase: Yes

MAKEUP

Smashbox Photofinish Primer (Blemish Control): I was a little afraid to use this because I expected it to be drying given that it contains salicylic acid; it wasn’t but I didn’t find it did anything to keep my oily t-zone under control.  If you have blemishes and dry skin, this might work okay for you but I have other primers that work much better for me.

Repurchase?: No

CoverGirl Oh Sugar! Lip Balm (Cupcake): My initial thoughts on this really haven’t changed much – you can read them here.

Repurchase?: No

Better Than Sex Mascara: I still really like this mascara but I might be falling slightly out of love with it.  While it checks every box (lengthening, thickening, volumizing, separating) the flaking and smudging are starting to drive me nuts.  I’m tempted to try the waterproof version to see if it’s any better.  I’m currently using up another sample size of this so I’m going to finish that one up before I decide if I should purchase it again.

Repurchase?: Undecided

LipSmackers Lip balm (Strawberry Coconut / Dr. Pepper): Technically these should fall under Repeats but I forgot to split them out in the photo, so they’re down here.  Full review on Dr. Pepper here. Strawberry Coconut performed the same but it didn’t have the tint that Dr. Pepper has.

Repurchase?: Yes

TOOLS

Beauty Blender: I’ve said before how I didn’t expect to love my Beauty Blender as much as I do.  I bought it because of the hype but I truly feel it does live it up to it.  I’ve tried other versions and I find that they work fine for the most part, but they’re just not quite as good as this. This one lasted me a whole year; make note that I didn’t use it every single day but I took good care of it and cleaned it regularly and thoroughly.  I know they recommend to replace it every 3 months but out of pure curiosity I cut my open before I threw it out and it literally looked brand new inside.  My personal opinion is that if you take good care of it, one can last you way past the 3 month mark.

Repurchase?: Yes

Sephora Eyelash Curler: I’ve been wanting to get rid of this eyelash curler for a while and it sealed its fate one day a few weeks ago.  I went to curl my lashes with it and one of the silicone covers flew off, causing my hand to slip and resulting in a handful of lashes being ripped out.  #ouch  That’s my biggest complaint about this curler – the silicone covers were always coming off.  I’ve since purchased a replacement (Tarte’s version) and I haven’t looked back.

Repurchase?: No

Wow that took a while, I think I need to do these more often.  What products have you finished using lately?

Used & Abused – Product Empties

It’s been a long time since I’ve done an empties post and my basket overfloweth so this was long overdue.  So on to it!

HAIR PRODUCTS

Batiste Dry Shampoo: I talk about Batiste all the time on my blog and I did a review on it very early on into my blog.  I only wish they’d bring more scents to Canada – the Floral, Tropical and Fresh scents are the only ones I’ve seen stocked regularly in store.  It’d be nice if there was more selection as I know they definitely make quite a few different scents than just those 3.  Won’t stop me from using it though!

Repurchase: Yup!

Chi Magnified Volume Finishing Spray: This made my list of Top 15 of 2015 Products because it does what a hairspray is supposed to do.  I know that doesn’t seem like much but me and hairspray don’t typically get along.  My hair is stubborn and this shows it who’s boss.  If you have problem hair like me, I’d recommend it!

Repurchase: Yes

Paul Mitchell Color Protect Daily Shampoo: Another product on my Top 15 of 2015 (God I’m boring!) but I’m estatic to have finally found a shampoo that works for me (it’s been a long journey, believe me).  This moisturizes my fine hair just the right amount and leaves it feeling silky and smooth.  Also because I colour my hair using a shampoo with colour-protecting properties is important to me so I appreciate that too.  I’m already on my third bottle of this.

Repurchase: Yes

David Baba for WildAid Bohemian Beach Spray: I bought this at Winners quite a few years ago and I always threw it in my travel bag to use on beach days.  I haven’t used many beach/sea salt sprays but I was pretty impressed with this one.  It definitely gave my hair some texture and a bit of wave (which is something given my hair is naturally stick straight).  I had to be careful not to overuse it though as too much of it made my hair crunchy and sticky.  I had about 1/2 a bottle left of this but I had to dump it out as it was starting to smell a little funky and looked like it was discoloured.  I’d love to be able to find this again but I haven’t been lucky enough to come across it.

Repurchase: Yes

BATH & BODY

Radox Time Out Herbal Bath (Lavender & Mimosa): I purchased this bubble bath in the clearance section at Superstore later last year for something like $3.  I’ve used bubble baths from this brand before and had always been happy with them.  I like having lavender-scented bath products around for when I am struggling to sleep; there’s nothing like a lavender-scented bubble bath to drift me into dreamland.  This definitely does the job but I don’t see myself making a point of repurchasing this; I liked it but I just picked it up because it’s on sale.  No complaints with it at all though!

Repurchase: No

Delectable Vanilla & Cream Super Smoothing Body Polish: Mmmm this stuff smells divine – like a delicious vanilla cake.  The scent won me over immediately but I also love that it’s a gentle yet effective body scrub.  If you’re looking for a super intense scrub this probably isn’t for you but my sensitive skin loves this stuff.  I’ve tried the Strawberries and Cream scent too and it’s equally as amazing.

Repurchase: Yes

Ombra Aromatic Foam Bath (Berries): Ombra makes my favourite Eucalyptus bubble bath and I actually received this mini bottle when I purchased that exact product.  This worked just as well as the Eucalyptus version but it smelled like cranberries.  It foams up well and the bubbles don’t dissipate which is key to a good bubble bath.

Repurchase: Yes

Delectable Coconut & Cream Ultra Nourishing Hand Cream:  I love this hand cream but I hated the scent.  And I love coconut-scented things!  But this just smells too synthetic to me, kind of like one of those fuzzy car air fresheners that hang off the rear-view mirror.  So while I wouldn’t buy this lotion in this particular scent, I know I’d be happy with the vanilla or strawberry versions.

Repurchase: Yes

SKINCARE

Sephora Triple Action Cleansing Water: Another repeat offender in my empties – I’ve been using this for years mainly as my eye makeup remover, sometimes as my all-my-makeup remover when I’m feeling lazy. I did a full review on it here.  I’m happy with it – it works great and I have no complaints with it but I kind of feel like trying something new.  We’ll see.

Repurchase: Yes

Clinique Moisture Surge Extended Thirst Relief: This is a fantastic moisturizer for dry/dehydrated skin!  I have combination skin but it made such a difference in the dry patches that I sometimes have flare up.  I also loved it as an overnight moisturizer if my skin was feeling parched – I’d wake up the next morning with super soft, re-hydrated skin.  I particularly loved the gel texture of this – I found it be to really cooling and soothing.  I didn’t really find that it did anything for wrinkles or fine lines though so I wouldn’t buy it for that reason.

Repurchase: Yes

Too Cool for School Egg Cream Sheet Mask: Maybe I haven’t found the right one yet but I’m not sold on sheet masks. I haven’t tried a lot of them but the ones I have tried haven’t done anything amazing to my skin that I feel I couldn’t get from just a regular face mask in a tube or bottle.  I had high hopes for this one but again, it just fell into that “ok” category.  My skin felt moisturized after – yes.  But that only lasted for about an hour or so and then my skin was back to way it was.  Perhaps you need to use these regularly to see lasting benefits but that would get really expensive.  I’d much rather spend more money on mask in a jar or bottle that will last me months than continually buy these.  Anyway back to this mask – I kind of expected this to smell like eggs but it didn’t thank god (gag – that would have been gross); it had more of a light floral scent.  No issues there.  I did find it a little difficult to apply as there was a sheet of thin plastic mesh you had to remove first and I ended up ripping the mask trying to do that.  Ugh.  Anyway I got it on and I found it to be quite goopy/tacky although once I took it off and rubbed the serum into my skin the tackiness disappeared.    One last thing I will say about sheet masks in general though – they will force you to relax.  It’s pretty much impossible to do anything but sit there and will it to stay on your face.  So if you’re in need of some relaxation, you might want to give one a try.

Repurchase: No

BareVitamins Skin Rever-Upper: I’ve mentioned before that I just don’t do thick moisturizers in the morning.  My skin takes forever to absorb anything so I don’t have time to sit and wait.  Which is why I like this stuff!  I have a more detailed review on it here but in short, it’s lightweight and absorbs quickly but still leaves my skin moisturized.

Repurchase: Yes

CeraVe Eye Repair Cream: Eye creams are another thing that I just can’t ever get to work for me.  There hasn’t been one that I’ve tried that’s done a darn thing.  No exception here – this did absolutely nothing. Note that I rarely have dark circles or puffiness but I didn’t even find that it moisturized my under eye area.  Despite that, I was trying to use it up but I contaminated it when I had my eye infection so there’s still a good 1/2 of the tube left.  Can’t say I’m super torn up about that.

Repurchase: No

Peter Thomas Roth 10% Glycolic Acid Moisturizer: This was the very first product I reviewed here on my blog (a few months short of a year now – time flies!).  This is another product I’ve used for years and I’ve kind of fallen out of love with it because I don’t find it works as well as it used to on me.  I was using it twice a day however, so I feel like my skin got a bit too used to it and it stopped being so effective.  Either way, I did see results when I used this – my skin was clearer and less prone to breakouts, it helped fade old scars, and decrease redness.  And as I write I feel like I want to go purchase another tube of this, just to have on hand and use a couple times a week.  The only thing that bugs me is the price – but one tube would typically last me 6 months..  So if you’re a fan of glycolic acid, I’d recommend this!

Repurchase: Yes

Olay Wet Cleansing Towelettes: These are my go-to makeup remover wipes – I’ve tried a few different brands and types and I always come back to these because they work.  They’re gentle on my skin yet strong enough to actually remove a face full of makeup, including eye makeup.  They also stay moist right through to the last wipe – I hate it when wipes dry out halfway through the package.  Most importantly for me – no breakouts!  I always pick up a package of these before I travel anywhere.

Repurchase: Yes

Sephora Collection Express Cleansing Wipes – These used to be my go-to makeup remover wipes – but I think they’ve since changed the formula.  I wasn’t able to remove all my makeup with just one of these – I often had to use 2 or 3.  Then, halfway through the package, they dried up. Which is surprising given they have the plastic tab to seal them.  These are double the price of the Olay ones I mentioned above but don’t work near as well.

Repurchase: No

MAKEUP

CoverGirl Outlast Stay Fabulous 3 in 1 Foundation: I rave about this often because it’s my favourite foundation to date.  This made my Top 15 of 2015 for a reason; full review here.

Repurchase: Yes

Almay Clear Complexion Concealer: This was an okay concealer, but I’m not sure I’d re-purchase it again.  It provided a good amount of coverage but I found it to be pretty dry, which is most likely related to the fact that it contains salicylic acid in it.  It’s supposed to help to clear up any blemishes but I honestly didn’t notice any difference.  And it’s use is limited because of that – you most definitely can’t put this under your eyes.  However it didn’t cause any additional breakouts so that’s something!

Repurchase: No

Buxom Big & Bushy Mascara: This is kind of a horrible name for a decent mascara.  I had just started using this when I got an eye infection last month and I had to chuck it before it’s time because I didn’t want to risk re-infecting my eye.  This has my kind of brush – a wand with full with “natural” (not silicone) bristles.  It provided some pretty good volume but I wouldn’t say it was massive as the description states.  It also references maximum length which I can’t really agree with – it gave a good amount of length.  Overall I feel I can obtain similar results with a number of drugstore mascaras though.

Repurchase: No

Covergirl The Super Sizer Mascara: This was my second time purchasing this mascara and even though I loved the first tube I purchased, this time I was kind of meh about this.  First off, my brush was wonky when I opened it – not sure if it went into the tube weird when it was packaged or what but the wand was all bent.  I did my best to straighten it out but it didn’t seem to function normally as a result.  I also experienced way more clumping this time, whereas I was able to comb any clumps out no-problem with my last tube.  If this had been my experience the first time I tried this mascara, I never would have re-purchased it. I’m hoping I just had a lemon.

Repurchase: On the fence.

Lancome Hypnose Drama Mascara: This was another “meh” mascara.  It had a really weirdly shaped brush – similar to an S shape and it was quite large and fluffy.  Which normally I would like, but because of the S shape, I found it hard to apply evenly.  It did give me some decent volume but it flaked like crazy.  No go for me.

Repurchase: No

Too Faced Better Than Sex Mascara: This little sample introduced me to my new favourite mascara that didn’t come from the drugstore.  I haven’t purchased a non-drugstore mascara in ages because I never found one that was worth the extra cash.  This one is.  Crazy volume, length, thickness, super black formula, definition.  The list goes on and on.  It checks all the boxes but be warned – it does flake.  I find using no more than 2 coats lessens the flaking but the good far outweighs the bad for me with this guy!

Repurchase: Yes

L’Oreal Infalliable Super Slim 12H Liquid Eyeliner: This is one of my favourite drugstore eyeliners.  It stays put all day, is super black and the slim tip makes it easy to draw a precise line.  My dislike is also the slim tip – it’s flexible so it damages easily and once it’s damaged you might as well just chuck the whole thing.  I tend to be a little hard on my eyeliner so I find I go through these quicker than I would like; however I experienced the same issue with the Stila Eyeliner that everyone raves about and it was much more expensive.   I get similar results with this one so I’ll just stick with these as they are about half the price!

Repurchase: Yes

e.l.f Eyelid Primer: This is the best “drugstore” eyelid primer I’ve ever tried. I still can’t believe its is only $3!  Full review here.

Repurchase: Yes

Too Faced Shadow Insurance: My favourite non-drugstore eyeshadow primer!  It made my top 15 of 2015; love this stuff!

Repurchase: Yes

 

Lipsmackers Dr Pepper Lip Balm: My favourite lip balm ever, hands down.  I’ve been wearing Lip Smackers since I was in elementary school…so let’s just say that it’s been a very long time.  I almost had a heart attack last year when they said that they were potentially no longer making Lip Smackers – thank goodness someone stepped up and continued production.  Out of all the flavours I’ve tried, the Dr. Pepper one is the best – it gives my lips a hint of colour and smells like my favourite soda.  Can’t go wrong!

Phew and that was everything!  Apparently I need to do these more often as this was much too long.  If you read it all, or even just a portion – thanks for reading!

Used & Abused – Product Empties

It’s been a while since I did one of these posts so I’m long overdue.  As you can see from the picture above, I’ve been hanging on to all these empty and used up products for a while and it was time to finally throw them out – and share my thoughts on them with you!  I’ve combined products into categories for ease of reading.

HAIR PRODUCTS

Batiste Dry Shampoo:  I’ve used up 3 bottles of this (possibly more – I may have inadvertently thrown out a couple) so I obviously like it.  I’ve tried others, and they just don’t compare.  I can get away with only washing my hair 2-3 times a week versus every day (my hair is fine and greases up easily).  It absorbs oil and gives me a little bit of volume and it smells great.  I used to be able to get the Cherry scent here but for a while now I’ve only been able to find the floral, fresh and tropical scents.  The fresh scent isn’t my favourite – reminds me of laundry soap.  I don’t mind the floral version, but out of the 3, the tropical scent is my favourite.  Lastly, you can’t beat the price of these – I typically purchase them at Winners or Homesense and pay $6.99 a bottle.  A bottle typically lasts me 2 weeks, which given how much I use it, is impressive.

Repurchase: Yes

Amika Undone Texture Spray: This past summer I visited the Birchbox store and made my own Birchbox.  I included this in my box and was really excited to try it out.  My first impression of this wasn’t great and unfortunately my opinion didn’t change after I finished this up.  It kind of clumped and tangled my hair together and left it a matted mess.  You can read the review here.

Repurchase?: No

Aveda Color Conserve Shampoo:  The salon I go to is an Aveda exclusive salon (meaning they only use Aveda products) and my hairdresser uses this shampoo on me every time I’m in for a cut and colour.  This isn’t the first bottle I’ve gone through – I’ve used this off and on over the last few years.   I’ve usually been pretty happy with it but going through this last bottle made me realize that it dries out my hair. And my hair already tends to be dry given that its colour-treated and subjected to heat styling each day.  So I finished this up but I don’t see myself purchasing this again.

Repurchase: No

Kenra Volume Spray Super Hold Finishing Spray 25: This is another product that I’ve been using for quite a while – at least two years  I think.  I bought it after hearing Kate Bryan from the Small Things Blog (one of my favourite bloggers who has the most fabulous hair) rave about it and highly recommend it.  And when I first started using, I did like it.  It’s a very fine finishing spray that provides a medium to strong hold.  It takes a lot to get this to build up and feel stiff or sticky.  Which is a good thing!  But my hair is weird and after a while products just seem to stop working for me.  Which is what happened with this.  About halfway through this can, I just couldn’t get it to hold my bangs in place, or my style in place.  So I finished it up and looked for something else.

Repurchase: No

Living Proof Prime Style Extender: This is the first product I ever tried from Living Proof.  Initially I was intrigued by this because my hair tends to fall flat with even the slightest bit of humidity or with a tiny gust of wind.  Given that ‘stye extender’ was in the name, I thought I could benefit from this.  And it definitely does work.  I’d apply a dime size of this to freshly washed hair before any using any of my usual styling products and then I’d style as usual.  Despite adding an extra product to my lineup, I appreciated that doing so didn’t add any buildup or greasiness to my hair (which I’m prone to).  And, my style definitely lasted longer (although it wasn’t completely fool-proof).  The only thing I don’t like about this is the price.  Unfortunately none of Living Proofs’ products are cheap and the full-size of this runs for about $25.  I always purchased the travel size for $15 and it would last me about 6 months.  So given that this lasts a while, I can justify the price.

Repurchase: Yes

Living Proof No Frizz Shampoo & Conditioner:  I picked these up for travel purchases and because I wanted to give their no frizz line a try.  I typically don’t experience frizz when humidity hits – my hair just goes flat.  This specifically stated it blocked humidity so I was interested to see if it would work for me.  Unfortunately I didn’t find it worked great for that particular purpose.  I still suffered from flat hair on humid days.  I did notice that this made my hair feel noticeably smoother though.  So perhaps if frizz is your nemesis, this may work great!

Repuchase: No

FACE PRODUCTS

Sephora Collection Triple Action Cleansing Water: I did a full review on this earlier this year and nothings changed, I still love it.  This is my go-to makeup remover and I’ve been using it for years.  It’s a little pricey but it’s gentle on my skin and so effective!  I use it daily.  Love that it comes in pump form too!

Repurchase: Yes

St. Ives Even & Bright Pink Lemon & Mandarin Orange Scrub: This was one of products I first reviewed on my blog and at the time, I loved it.  It smelled so.freaking.good, it was just the right amount of scrubbiness and the price was right.  Then I discovered (surprise, surprise!), it was causing breakouts.  Seriously, sometimes it feels like there’s nothing I can use! So I stopped using it on my face and used it in the shower instead, just to use it up.  I honestly think if you can use this and not breakout from it that its one of the best drugstore scrubs out there though.

Repurchase: No

L’Oreal Sublime Soft Gentle Micellar Solution: When I ran out of the Sephora makeup remover/micellar water noted above and I couldn’t make it to Sephora, I picked this up at Shopper’s Drug Mart to hold me over.  I didn’t really expect to like it but I was pleasantly surprised.  I felt this performed similarly to the Sephora option, although it didn’t quite take off my eye makeup as well.  In addition, I hated the packaging.  There’s no pump, so I had to “pour” it onto a cotton pad and rarely did it always go where I intended, or distribute as much (or as little) as I wanted.  I think I got this on sale for $6.99 but I definitely wouldn’t pay more than that for it – if you’re comparing it to Sephora’s version , this actually ends up being more expensive so I probably wouldn’t re-purchase this unless I was in a bind.

Repuchase: Yes and no (explanation above)

BATH & BODY

Bath & Body Works Deep Cleansing Hand Soap (Bourbon Street Buttercream): I love BB&W hand soaps but I won’t purchase the deep cleansing type any longer.  I didn’t realize these contain polyethylene (aka microbeads), which if you weren’t aware, are super bad for the environment (read more about it here).  I now only purchase the foaming hand soaps and hopefully B&BW will take action to remove microbeads from all of their products soon.  FYI this scent is no longer available but it was nice but nothing special – similar to a vanilla cupcake.

Repurchase: No

Bath & Body Works Body Scrub (Vanilla Bean Noel): This is by far, my favourite BB&W scent.  I love it so much that last year, I purchased this body scrub.  I didn’t realize this had glitter in it – which at first I thought I would hate but it didn’t stick to my skin so that wasn’t an issue.  Unfrotunately this also contains polyethylene so I won’t be repurchasing it.  Which is too bad because I actually felt like it worked pretty well.  Not worth sacrificing our oceans for though!

Repurchase; No

Cake Supremely Rich Bath & Shower Gel (Desserted Island): I’ve spoken about these bubble baths/shower gels previously and how much I love them.  I find these giant bottles at Winners or HomeSense for $14.99 and they last me months of religious use.  They work really well as a bubble bath or as a shower gel but I mainly use them for bubble bath.  Using just a dollop in the bathtub results in a generous amount of frothy bubbles that last a while.  Plus these all smell amazing – this particular scent smells slightly sweet and of coconut.  Highly recommend these guys!

Repurchase: Yes

HAND LOTIONS

The Body Shop Almond Hand & Nail Cream: If you can’t tell, I go through a lot of hand lotions.  This one was a bit of a letdown for me.  First impression was that I liked it – it seemed moisturizing and the scent was pleasant.  But the more I used this the more I realized how overpowering the smell of this was. It’s supposed to be almond scented, but in my opinion it was more perfume-like.  Plus, I HATED the packaging – I could never get the cap back on and when I neared the end, trying to squeeze the last drop out of this squishy foil material is next to impossible.

Repurchase?: No

L’Occitane Shea Hand Cream: This is a classic hand cream that I always end up going back to…because it actually works.  It has a very light, pleasant scent and the shea butter moisturizes my hands without feeling greasy or oily.  You can’t go wrong with this.

Repurchase: Yes

EOS Hand Lotion (Berry Blossom): I’m not a fan of EOS lip products so I’m not sure why I bought this.  Figured it would be easy to throw in my purse I guess.  And it was.  And it smells good.  But that’s where the positives ends.  This could possibly be one of the worst hand lotions I’ve ever used.  It had such a thin consistency that I barely felt like I had put hand cream on; plus it had zero moisturizing benefits.  I hated the hard plastic bottle too – guaranteed there’s still product in there but it’s so hard that you can’t even squeeze it out.  Wouldn’t recommend this.

Repurchase?: No

The Body Shop Coconut Hand Cream:  I love coconut scented things and this was a pretty good one!  It smelled authentically like coconut but it was a light scent, nothing too strong.  The lotion itself was light but it absorbed well and left my hands feeling soft and moisturized – for a couple hours anyway.  I wouldn’t say it’s the most moisturizing lotion I’ve ever used but it was a good one for the summer when I don’t need intense moisture.

Repurchase; Yes

Soap & Glory Hand Food: Soap & Glory is not a widely available brand around these parts; a few of the Shopper’s Drug Marts close to me have a small selection of their products, usually situated on an end of an aisle. I came across this travel sized hand cream in the clearance section and it sounded interesting so I bought it.  I think I paid $4 for it which was reasonable.  What I loved most about this was the scent – it smelled like sparkling lemonade.  The hand cream itself was pretty good too – it was thicker so I definitely noticed a difference after using this.  This did take a bit of time to absorb into my skin though. Despite that, if I can ever find this again, I’d definitely re-purchase it.

Repurchase?: Yes

Nivea Smooth Replenishing Hand Cream : Another travel sized version to throw in my purse.  This to me was just your everyday drugstore hand lotion.  Had the slight perfumey scent and was pretty basic, despite having macadamia nut oil in it.   I didn’t love it but I didn’t hate it.  Don’t see myself picking it up in the full-size though!

Repurchase?: No

MASCARAS

Maybelline the Colossal Volum’ Express: I did a review on this back in the Spring (read it here) and I don’t really have anything new to report.  I still think this is a really good mascara, the only thing I don’t like about it is that it can flake off a bit and it has a scent (which confuses me).  You don’t get intense volume or length with this but it its a good everyday mascara.

Repurchase: Yes

Maybelline the Mega Plush Volum Express: Another decent mascara that I reviewed back in June (review here); in short I wasn’t too fond of the flexible brush but overall it got the job done.  This didn’t give me mile-long, super thick lashes by any means but I like having mascaras like this on hand when I just want something fool-proof and easy to apply.

Repurchase: Yes

LIP PRODUCTS

Fresh Sugar Lip Treatment (Rose):  I’ve gone through a few of these tinted lip balms over the years and I must say that I do like them.  They are super moisturizing and they add a nice hint of colour to your lips (in this case a light rosy hue).  I think they’re a good thing to have in your purse, in the event that you forgot your lipstick or other lip product.  What deters me from buying these regularly is the price – I just find $26 steep for what this is. Plus it annoys me that the lettering rubs off.  And I didn’t like the rose scent of this.  Still, I’ll probably continue to purchase these once or twice a year – usually as an impulse buy.

Repurchase: Yes

Lancome – Baume In Love: I have no idea why I purchased this or even when.  Am I the only one that does that?  I think this may be the only Lacome product I’ve ever owned, perhaps ever own.  It’s not a brand I tend to gravitate to – but maybe I’m missing out?  Anyway, this was another sheer tinted balm; don’t see myself re-purchasing this one though.  It left my lips a slightly toned down version of a hot pink so I wasn’t fond of the shade.  It provided okay moisture but I feel like I must have had rocks in my head when I decided to pay $32 for this.  I can get similar results with something way cheaper.

Repurchase: No

And that’s all of it!  Phew, that seemed like a lot.  If you tried any of these products let me know how they worked for you!  And if you read right until the bitter end or even if you just skimmed through, as always, thanks for reading!

Used & Abused – Product Empties!

Happy Saturday!

Today’s post is going to be all about products I’ve recently Used & Abused aka product empties!  I’ve been saving these up for a while so I have quite a few to get through!:

First Aid Beauty Face Cleanser – $12.50 CAD

I picked this up a few months ago by accident; I thought it was the First Aid Beauty Repair Cream which I absolutely love, particularly in the winter.  I was a disappointed when I discovered that it wasn’t what I thought it was but thought I’d give it a try rather than returning it.

The good: This removes all kinds of makeup like nobody’s business.  I rarely use my face wash to take off my makeup because I’ve never found one that is actually effective.  This is an exception to the rule; it removed my liquid eyeliner and numerous coats of mascara with ease.  It also has a creamy, rich texture that lathered and foamed up really nicely.  My skin definitely felt cleansed after using this.

The bad: So while my skin definitely felt cleansed after using this, it also felt tight and dry after too.  Which is a pet peeve of mine. I definitely had an urge to slather on the moisturizer after using this which was disappointing to me.

Repurchase?  Unfortunately I’d have to say no on this one.  While I really liked how well it removed makeup, the way it left my skin feeling tight and dry after was a deal breaker for me.  I feel like this could potentially work well for someone with oily skin so I’ll leave it for them!

First Aid Beauty Daily Face Cream (no longer available – alternative)

This is another First Aid Beauty product I picked up a while back, although this one was on purpose.  I was looking for a new everyday moisturizer and this one seemed like it would fit the bill.  Just so you’re aware, Sephora no longer carries this specific product but its been replaced with the Skin Rescue Daily Face Cream.  I compared the ingredients and they are basically the same, give or take a few ingredients.

The good: While they refer to this as a cream, I personally would label it more as a lotion. It has a very lightweight, thin consistency which I prefer in a moisturizer, especially in my daily moisturizer.  As a result, this absorbed into my skin quickly which I always appreciate!  I hate waiting around for products to soak in before I can apply my primer or foundation or whatever.  I also appreciated the packaging on this – it was in a plastic bottle with a pump so it was easy to throw in my travel bag and keep sanitary (no dipping fingers into a jar!).

The bad: So given that this product is touted as being oil free, safe for sensitive skin, fragrance free, allergy-tested AND non-comedogenic, I felt pretty comfortable with leaving my sensitive, acne-prone skin in its hands.  That was a mistake.  This made me break out in and around my chin area just a day or two after using it.  I’m not sure what ingredients are in this that caused the breakouts but it was super disappointing.

Repurchase?  Unfortunately not.  I’ll never repurchase a product that causes breakouts as there’s just too many other options out there.  Unfortunately I do have sensitive skin so there are a lot of products out there that work wonderfully for the majority of the population and just don’t work for me.  That said, the new formula could have removed the ingredient(s) that was irritating my skin but I’m just not willing to take the risk, given that while I found it to be a good moisturizer, there was nothing special about it.  However, if you have normal skin and are looking for a lightweight, oil free moisturizer, this may be a good option for you.

Peter Thomas Roth AHA/ABA Acne Clearing Gel – $59.00

I’ve said many times how much of a fan I am of Peter Thomas Roth products.  Whenever I’m experiencing breakouts I turn to them and 9 times out of 10, they help.  I’ve had this product for 2 years and just recently finished it up.  Which was good timing because it recently expired!  Important to note: This product is not available in Canada.  I purchased this in the US when I was visiting a while back.

The good: This is a fantastic spot treatment for acne, and this is exactly what I used it for over the last 2 years.  It provided great results and would shrink and dry up any breakouts over night.  I found it also helped with fading any old acne scares.

The bad:  Because this contains maximum strength salicylic acid and glycollic acid, it’s drying.  Which, to be honest, is what I want when I’m trying to get rid of breakouts.  But if you overuse it or use it with any other products that contain similar ingredients, you’re likely to end up with flaky, irritated skin.  So you need to use it sparingly and in my opinion, as a spot treatment instead of an overall face product.  Also it is quite expensive!  Because I saw results with this, I was fine to fork over the cash for it – plus it lasted forever.  I literally purchased this bottle 2 years ago and just finished it up a month ago.  You get a lot of product in the bottle and a little goes a long way.  I did notice that as I neared the end of the bottle and the expiry date, it wasn’t as effective as it used to be, but that’s not uncommon.

Repurchase?  Yes!  I love this stuff and will at some point re-purchase it.  It’s disappointing that it’s not available in Canada so I’ll need to pick up a bottle the next time I’m in the US.  I have some other acne spot treatments that I’m trying to use it up but once I’m finished with those, this will be on my shopping list for sure.

Estee Lauder Double Wear Light Stay-in-Place Makeup – $44.00 CAD

This is one product I”m really on the fence on.  I know this foundation is well-loved amongst the masses and considered to be a holy grail product for many.

The good: When I first started using this I really liked it.  I was looking for a full-coverage foundation with some serious staying power and this is a very long-lasting foundation.  I was able to put this on first thing in the morning and by the time I got home at the end of the day, there was still quite a bit of it left on my face.  Which, for me, is rare.  I really struggle trying to get foundation that sticks on my face, even when I touch up halfway through the day.

The bad: Like most long-lasting foundations, this is drying.  The weird thing is that I found after wearing it for a few months, it appeared dryer and dryer on my skin as time went on.  I also didn’t find the staying power as good as it was in the beginning.  I definitely had to use a primer with this, in order to avoid having it sink into my pores and highlighting any dry patches.  Near the end of the day, I’d still have foundation left but it tended to look really patchy and uneven on my face.

Repurchase?: I don’t think so.  I think this is a good quality foundation but it is expensive and while I liked it at first, as time went on it just ended up being too dry for my skin.  I could see this working very well for those with oily skin.

Sephora Collection Perfection Mist Airbrush Foundation – $35.00 CAD

The good:  This is another product that people seem to love and I can understand why.  I started wearing this late last year and was wearing it up until early this year.  What I really liked about it was how clean and simple I found it to apply.  I’d just spray a few spots of it on my face, blend it in with a buffing brush or beauty blender and I was good to go.  It truly gave my skin an airbrushed finish and it felt so light on my face, I hardly felt like I was wearing foundation at all.  I also love the packaging – it’s super light and easy to travel with (I’ve mentioned my sincere dislike for glass bottle foundations).

The bad:  I realized quickly after using this that it wasn’t a long-lasting foundation.  I always carried a powder compact with me to touch up throughout the day because within a few hours of wearing this, I’d get super oily.  Not uncommon for me, but I liked it so much I was okay with doing those touch-ups.  Then back in December I went to renew my Driver’s licence and as a result, needed a new picture.  When I received my new licence in the mail, I was appalled at the picture because I looked like I had stuck my face in a vat of Crisco!  That immediately prompted to me to start searching for a new foundation and I haven’t used this much since.  I think I can get away with using it if I’m just going out for a few hours but no more than that.  I tried wearing this again recently just to confirm that it’s not for me and I noticed that it oxodizes on my face now.  Perhaps it did that all along and I’m just noticing now but it’s just another strike against it.

Repurchase?: Well unfortunately I have 2 of these sitting in my makeup storage because I stocked up on them when I thought this was the best foundation ever.  But I won’t be going back for more once those are done.  Again, I could see this being another option for those with dry skin!

Make Up Forever High Definition Microfinish Powder – $39.00 CAD

I’ve had this powder forever and I think they’ve since changed the packaging, and perhaps the formula since I purchased this.  Which, in my opinion, is probably a good thing but more on that below.  For whatever reason, I really struggle to get translucent powders to work on my skin.  They always, always get stuck in my pores.  I don’t know why that is but I just steer clear of them now.

The good:  Lately, in an effort to use this up, I’ve been using this to set my concealer and for that purpose it works just fine.  Another plus to this is that it has lasted me a long time. There’s a lot of product in here (which there should be for the price).

The bad: As mentioned above, like any other translucent powder I’ve tried, this sticks in my pores.  It didn’t do anything to set my makeup or keep my face matte during the day.  I also felt it clung to any dry patches I had.  For me, it literally did nothing of what it claimed to do. 😦

Repurchase?: No.

John Frieda Luxurious Volume Touchably Full for Colour-Treated Hair Shampoo – $8.99 CAD

I’m always on the hunt for the next best shampoo.  I’m pretty picky about what I like in shampoo, mainly because I feel like I have some high maintenance hair.  It’s colour-treated and fine and I subject it to heat styling on a daily basis.  It’s very susceptible to humidity and damage, and doesn’t hold style very well, at least without a ton of product.  Because it’s fine I also deal with oily roots (dry shampoo is my friend!) and product build up.  I used to use John Frieda’s Blonde line years ago and liked it but I can’t remember why I stopped using it. The fact that this was formulated for colour-treated hair and claimed to increase volume was what drew me to purchase this.

The good: This is a bit of a stretch for me because there wasn’t a lot of good things about this, at least in my opinion.  It did have a pleasant scent and my hair did feel clean after using it….and that’s about it.

The bad: This did nothing in terms of adding volume or fullness to my hair.  After using it I found my hair to be pretty limp and lifeless, despite following my usual styling routine (hair primer and volumizing mousse).  I used it a few times and then passed it on to my husband who basically uses up any hair products that I buy and decide I don’t like.

Repurchase?  Nope.

Kenra Volumizing Shampoo – $15.99 CAD (Not pictured – I thought I had saved the bottle but I must have thrown it out!)

I purchased this a while back as well; it came in a set with the conditioner and a sample size of their heat protectant spray (which was actually pretty good, wish I could remember the name of it but I no longer have the bottle).  At the time I was using the Kenra Hairspray that everyone seems to love (which I’ve since fallen out of love with) and because I was impressed with it, I thought I’d give a Kenra shampoo a try.

The good: So I definitely noticed an increase in volume and body after using this, especially compared to the John Freida shampoo noted above.  I also noticed my hair kept curl/style longer which was nice.

The bad:  I know that some volumizing shampoos can coat hair your hair in order to add volume.  Maybe they all do and some just do so more than others?  I’m not sure about that but what I do know is that this shampoo definitely does that and I didn’t like it.  While my hair had more volume it also felt heavy and weighed down (yes I know I’m contradicting myself!).  Also, if I didn’t coat my hair in the corresponding Kenra Volumizing Conditioner, my hair was just a huge tangled rats nest after getting out of the shower.  The scent of this is pretty strong as well; it didn’t bother me but it’s a super sweet, kind of like that banana cough syrup you had as a kid scent?  I could see some not liking the scent but it doesn’t stick around after you wash your hair, you’d only smell it when shampooing.

Repurchase?: I don’t think so.  I hated how it coated and therefore, tangled and weighed-down my hair.  It also wasn’t cheap!  Again, too many options for shampoos out there so I’ll keep searching!

Jergens BB Body Skin Perfecting Cream – $9.99 CAD

I’m not one to use self-tanner, even though I probably should because 90% of the year I’m white as a ghost.  I personally just feel that much more confident when I have a hint of colour.  However I’m lazy and most times just can’t be bothered to first of all find a self-tanner that won’t turn me orange, exfoliate, apply self tanner with a glove, wait for it to dry, wash it off, make sure my sheets are dark so they won’t stain….ugh.  However, I came across this at Superstore a few months ago and  I was really intrigued by the multi-purposeness (I don’t think that’s a word but I’m going to use it anyway) of this!  It claims it will hydrate, illuminate, even, firm and correct – all within 5 days of use!  With those claims I couldn’t not pick it up and give it a try.

The good: If you’re lazy like me, this is a fantastic product.  I love that it contains a moisturizer and self-tanner in one and it did both of those jobs well.  I never had to worry about exfoliating before I used this, even though I did on occasion (which was strictly coincidence).  I did use this on my whole body but mostly on my legs as I like having a bit of colour on them in the summer when I tend to wear a lot of skirts and dresses, without nylons.  This would give me a hint of colour without making me look orange at all (note: I used the light/medium shade).  If you’re anything but fair, I’d probably recommend buying the medium to dark shade as the light to medium has a very subtle hint of colour.   I was not consistent with my use of this – sometimes I’d use this several days in a row, then I’d forget for a few and then start using it again.  I never had to worry about washing it off or it transferring to my clothing or bedding.  I applied it in the morning after I showered and by the time (most times before!) I applied my makeup and did my hair, it was dry.

The bad: This does have a bit of that self-tanner smell but it wasn’t overally strong and definitely less than a straight-up self-tanner.  I didn’t notice any firming benefits but because I wasn’t consistent with using this everyday, I can’t fairly judge if it does help with this or not.  Lastly, I found that when I used this and wore a skirt, my legs were so soft and moisturized that I struggled to keep them crossed during the day.  I know that’s a weird remark but it’s true!  I have a bad habit of wanting to sit with my legs crossed all the time so I should probably use this everyday so I can kick this habit.

Repurchase?:  Yes!  I’m going to pick up another one of these this weekend in fact!

Phew!  If you made it all the way to the end of this, I applaud you!

As always, thanks for reading and have a great weekend!