Products I've Used Up/Empties Vol. 17

My empties bin was getting full, and I was sick of looking at it :-) Typically I wait at least 2-3 months between my empties but I just could not look at these empty jars :-)

Here goes :

Dr. Teals Lavender Foaming Bath: My favorite bubble bath, I love everything I tried from Dr Teal's. I don’t get a lot of time to have bath everyday, but I do use it whenever my body is aching for some relief. I work on compressed work week so I get Fridays off every other week; I have my yoga class on Thursday evening. So every other week Thursday night is my self-care pamper night! I enjoy my Yoga class, grab something to eat, have a relaxed bath and get ready for a good nights sleep (or may be for a watching a movie). The whole ritual is very soothing and very relaxing to me. I will continue to repurchase. 

Shea Moisture Damage Rehab Treatment Masque: It was the surprise of this bunch. It really, really impressed me! I have thick, coarse but very very frizzy wavy hair. This mask was so easy to apply, I only needed a little bit to coat my entire length of hair and I only needed to keep it on my hair for just 3-5 minutes. That short time really impressed me because I hate conditioner that needs 10 minutes - 10 minutes in bath is hard especially in winter. I think this mask made my hair softer and moisturization and softness was there till my next wash! I was also shocked to realize that this tiny sachet packet lasted for four uses on my hair. I have a long, voluminous hair and I totally thought that I will need the entire packet in one wash. I would like to repurchase but looks like it is out of stock everywhere.

Maybelline Classic Eye Makeup Remover: I used to love this remover, I think I have gone through a couple of bottles. This was the last backup I had! I have found better makeup remover now so I would not repurchase.

Shieshedo Cleansing Oil: I absolutely loved this oil. It removed makeup quite easily; even stubborn eye makeup! It would stink a bit if it gets into my eyes, and I would need to use eye makeup remover if I had heavy eye makeup on. But I really did enjoy this. I am not sure if I repurchase as I have quite a few remover to use up.

Philosphy Ultimate Miracle Worker & Clinique Pep Start Hydrorush Moisturiser: Just some tiny travel size moisturizers that was bugging me in my backup. I am glad that I was able to finish them up. Nothing special about either about these two.

Korres Greek Yoghurt Sleeping Facial: I love Korres products and collect them in value sets but they are quite pricey. So I never really repurchase them in full size. It was nice though, both of these!

L'OCCITANE Immortelle Divine Cream: Absolutely loved this moisturizer. It smelled incredible and it really did moisturize my skin. I finished two of the travel size cute little jars. I already have a few moisturizer backup so I don't think I will repurchase this right now. I loved it though!

Farmacy Sleep Tight Firming Night Balm: I love the smell of this - very herbal and relaxing. Also, the consistency/texture of the formulae kind of threw me off at first. It is very slippery, almost like a thin Vaseline. It is almost like a solid layer of protection against the hard cold winter. I will not repurchase but I did enjoy it.

Tata Harper Purifying Mask: I tried a travel size jar of this mask and I was so impressed with it that I invested in a value set that had this in full-size. But now that I have finished the full size jar, I realize that it is over priced. It is a "purifying" mask, and it does function as intended. And it smelled amazing. My skin felt cleansed but somehow I feel the affect of the mask to be less noticeable compared to how I felt in the beginning. Hopefully I am making some sense! I do not see myself repurchasing it. 

Fresh Beauty Rose Deep Hydration Face Cream: It was my moisturizer discovery back in 2018 and it has now become a staple now. The texture is silky smooth, the smell is natural & beautiful. It is also easy to apply and it absorbs almost immediately. The best part is that it keeps my dry, parched skin moisturized. I collect travel sizes whenever possible from Sephora and I am currently going through a fill-size and have a backup. So, yes I will definitely repurchase.

Juice Beauty Stem Cellular Booster Serum: This serum had an intresting gel-like texture. It was so easy to apply and it absorbed quickly. It is an expensive product and this here was a generous sample I got from Ulta as GWP. I really liked it for the 1-2 week I was using it. But as a brand, Juice Beauty does not intrigue me much! I don't understand why is that! It is a organic and clean brand but for some reason it just comes off as boring. I will not purchase.

Caudalie Vinosource Moisturizing sorbet: I don't use Caudalie products on a regular basis but I love the brand and almost all the products I have tried from this brand. This is no exception! It is a very lightweight formulae but it is quite moisturizing. It is great for summer  and fall weather but might be a little bit thin for winter. I may not repurchase an individual full-size but I would definitely love to get it in any value set. 

Karuna Hydrating & Clarifying Face Mask: I am slowly finishing off the face masks from a value set I got some time ago! I enjoyed it. It was the hydrating mask and I think it worked. However it is very expensive and I do not think I will repurchase. The clarifying was just ok but did not do a whole lot. I enjoyed but I don't remember noticing anything extra-ordinary.

Renewal Eye Mask: I have no idea what brand this is and I am not able to find a link. Also  for some reason I don't feel or see any visible difference on my skin after applying an eye mask. It feels nice and it hydrates my skin under my eyes but that's about it. I will not repurchase.

BeautyBlender The Original Beauty Blender: My holy grail foundation application tool! I do not care if beauty market is filled with newer and cheaper sponges, I will forever love this! I have extremely dry skin and if I am not careful, I end up with dry patches after I apply my foundation. Even with a lightweight liquid foundation and even with a hydrating primer. Beauty Blender helps in applying a good seamless layer of foundation on my face without this issue. I don't wear foundation everyday (in fact I only wear foundation may be 5-8 times a month) so this sponge lasts for a long time. I definitely get my money's worth. Besides, I always buy them during sale or in a value set - so I will repurchase it.

Real Techniques Miracle Complexion Sponge: Yes, I finished two beauty sponges at the same time :-). But my Beauty Blender lasted me much longer. This was working just fine, but one day it just stopped working. It started cracking up at places; would not completely get wet soaked when I would wet them and started to become difficult to use. Where as the beauty blender works good enough even on its very last leg. The miracle Sponge did a good job, very comparable to Beauty Blender if not better. But because it lasted only a few months (out of which I used my Beauty Blender in tandem with this at least 70% of time), I will not repurchase.

Too Faced Hangover Face Primer: I could not really use it up. But it has expired and time to throw it away. It was not anything special. It felt like a glorified moisturizer. 

I finished so many perfumes this time but nothing that stood out. I liked using most of them but I don't think I will invest in full-size in any of these.

So, that was it for the last empties of this decade! Not too shabby, ha?

Love,
~Arrru

Products I've Used Up/Empties Vol. 16

I hoard a lot of beauty products so for me it is always so fun to write about the products I have used up!

All the Makeup & Fragrance Empties:

Bvlgari Omnia Coral Eau de Toilette: Cute little perfume bottle! I got this in a set with three other scents and I want to display the set once I am finished with all of them. This is a nice scent but I will not repurchase.

Burberry Perfume:  Nice & long lasting perfume in a cute little fragrance bottle. Whats not to love?

Clinique Take The Day Off Cleansing Balm: A makeup remover that I really enjoyed! No wonder the Internet beauty community absolutely loves this. You need a tiny bit but it will remove all the makeup on your face. Even the toughest of the eye-makeup; & it does not irritate my eyes! Typically, all eye makeup remover have a tendency to irritate my eyes if I have a lot of eyeshadow & mascaras to remove. I am currently finishing up another small travel-size jar but I am definitely interested in purchasing this in full-size.

Sephora Collection Soft Touch Cotton Pads: I love these cotton pads. They works very nicely and are quite cost effective. Right now, I do have something else from other brands that I am using up but I can see myself repurchasing these.

Make Up For Ever Step 1 Skin Equalizer Primer - Hydrating: I finished this face primer awhile ago but somehow forgot to put it in my empties basket. I remember liking this. It did really hydrate my dry skin. Will I repurchase though? not quite sure.

Make Up For Ever Ultra HD Invisible Cover Foundation: This is my regular foundation. I love playing with makeup but honestly, I don't enjoy wearing foundation that much! And I don't really experiment a lot with foundation either. This is the only full-coverage foundation I use on a regular basis. I love it and will continue to use it. I do collect all these tiny travel-size bottles whenever I can.

Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer Potion - Original: I finished this awhile ago but somehow forgot to put it in my emtpies basket. It is a cult favorite eyeshadow primer and I can see why it is such a favorite. I do remember using and liking it. But I don't think I will repurchase. But I will definitely use it if I get it as GWP or in value set.

Bioderma Micellar Water: This is a good micellar water and it does work nicely to remove all traces of makeup; especially eye makeup. But I think it is a bit expensive for what it is! I still have one big bottle to finish but after that, I am not sure if I will repurchase.

Here are skincare products:

Milk Makeup Hydrating Oil Stick: This is a definite hit for me - I enjoyed this so very much! I got this in a value set from Birchbox last summer, and I started using it around thanksgiving and this is the only face oil I used the entire winter! My life was very hectic and very sad (read all about my PE Exam here) at that time and the sheer convenience of using it was so helpful! This is a face oil in a stick. Convenient easy to use mess-free face oil stick for a dry-skinned girl is a dream come true! I mean, give me more of that! I took this with me for my 5-week vacation to India in January '19; oh, it was perfect for the mild winter there. The convenience of carrying it around during all my travels was incomparable. And it was fast to use so I did not need to spend half an hour in my skincare. My sister got so impressed that she got herself one. So, packaging and convenience-wise, 100 out of 100 marks! It is a good oil, I have used better oil than this. It did not absorb as fast as I would have liked it but for the convenience alone, I will definitely repurchase.

Clinique Pep-Start HydroBlur Moisturizer: Travel size moisturizer; nothing special about it. I will not repurchase.

SK-II Facial Treatment Essence: This is an old school favorite essence for me. I believe this is my 1st full-size bottle but I have finished a couple of travel-size bottles. When my skin goes absolutely haywire, and is riddled with acnes and everything else - I use this exclusively with may be just a moisturizer! I love this essence. Right now I am finishing up a couple of other serums but I will continue to repurchase it.

Sephora Collection Coconut Protecting Oil: Oh, I am disappointed about this product. I typically love Sephora Collection body products. They are one of the affordable brands that are found in Sephora and they really perform quite well. But this was not worth the price tag. First of all it is a tiny bottle and I used this in 2-3 weeks. It wasn't even that moisturizing! I did not enjoy it at all, & I will rather stick to my Neutrogena Light Sesame Body Oil.

Korres Body Butter in Guava: I loved Korres body moisturizers. This "Guava" smell was not the best that they offer but it is a great body moisturizers for my dry skin. I would absolutely repurchase it but I have not been to find a good value set anywhere. Full-size at regular price can get a little expensive.

L’Occitane Almond Smoothing and Beautifying Supple Skin Oil: I love using body oils because my dry skin really need it. I have been trying and  using a lot of different body oils for a long time now. And I was quite excited about this one because it is a cult favorite within the beauty community. I liked it but at times it felt a little bit heavy. It also has a sweet smell from the almond which I am not a big fan. I am not quite sure if I want to purchase a full-size just yet. But I do enjoy these mini sizes when I get them in value-sets. They are really handy when I am travelling.

Rituals The Ritual of Happy Buddha Shower Oil: I have stated before - I love trying out body care products from different brands. I bought this oil in the pursuit of trying and enjoying a new body wash! This was really nice and I absolutely enjoyed the smell of it. It reminded me of fragrances I used to find in a typical temple like settings in India. Perfect for cozy fall/winter showers. Would I buy it again - not sure! It is a little pricey and it was not that exquisite! 

Philosophy Amazing Grace Shower Gel: I love experimenting with different body products from different brands! But this is a body shower gel that I have been using every now and then for a couple of years now! It's a good shower gel and I will definitely repurchase at some point of time! 

Farmacy Hydrating Coconut Gel Mask - Brightening: I have used some other masks from Farmacy! I enjoyed this one - love the gel consistency of the mask and it was quite hydrating. I could not really tell if it really helped brightening my skin though. I bought a value set and I have a few more masks to finish off. 

Karuna Brightening Face Mask: This was in a value set that was packaged like a book. It was a cute packaging. This is an expensive brand and some time ago, it did have a lot of good reviews. That is why I saved them for special occasions. They are really good masks; moisturizing! To be honest, I do not have a lot of special occasions in my life and every time I do, I am always running out of time. Either I am too busy packing for a trip or I am cooking & caring for house guests or something else! Point is, I am never relaxed enough and free enough to enjoy the joy of the mask. So, I am not sure if I will spend this much money again! I did enjoy it though!

Herbivore Blue Tansy AHA + BHA Resurfacing Clarity Mask: This has been one of my very favorite clarifying mask. I use this mask very regularly; at least 2-3 times a month. It helps keep my skin clean; at least to an extent. I still get acnes but I think this helps in somehow keeps my skin from going completely crazy! This was my 2nd jar and I have already repurchased.

Boscia Charcoal Pore Pudding Intensive Wash-Off Treatment: I also love masks from Boscia. But not this one! It had white and black clay and it was quite weird for me to manage which part (white or black) should go to which part of my face. My skin is combination type - I have lots of acnes in my cheek area but I have a lot of dry skin patches as well. I felt like the mask was trying to do 2-3 things at once but could not shine in anything. So, I am not interested in repurchasing. 

Fresh Beauty Vitamin Nectar Vibrancy Boosting Face Mask: When this mask came out, I was mesmerized by it. I had to try it; I love Fresh for face masks. However, I was probably over-excited about it and could not garner much love for it. I have little packets that I will happily use up!

Origins Original Skin™ Retexturizing Mask with Rose Clay: Origins is one of the my favorite skincare mask - especially for masks. This one probably is not as favorite as some of the other ones I enjoy from Origins (like their black charcoal mask or clear improvement mask). It is a good mask but I did not feel anything special about it. So, I will not repurchase.

Oribe Supershine Moisturizing Cream: I am so very SAD that this is finished now. I absolutely loved using it. It smelled so incredible and when they say "supershine" they are not kidding! It really makes your hair very shine-y but in a natural way! It is quite expensive though, so I am debating if I should repurchase. I want to!

IT'S A 10 Miracle leave-in Plus Keratin: I absolutely love this leave-in conditioner! It’s been much more than 2 years since my last hair-straightening treatment and hence my original hereditary crazy waves are coming back! May be because of that its effect has not been as mind-blowing as before. But it still does a great job in managing my uncontrollable wavy hair and makes them look smooth & presentable. I will continue to use it.

Love,

~Arrru

Products I've Used Up/Empties Vol. 15

So, here it goes! My last empties post was sometime back in May 2018! Also, I goofed up! I typically save all my empty tubes and bottles but because all the havoc in my life last year, my memories is kind of shit :-) I pictured same bunch of products (with different juxtposition of course) but I just did not want to miss anything.. ha ha! 

Let's talk about the makeup empties first, God knows it takes forever to finish these up!

ILIA BEAUTY Lip Conditioner in Bang Bang: This is called a lip conditioner - a somewhat fancy name for what essentially is a tinted lip balm. Personally, I don't like such balms. I will rather wear full pigment on my lips. But this won my heart! It has such a smooth consistency - keeps my lips moisturized. The shade provides a subtle, easy hint of red. I love layering it over my everyday lip shades like Mac Amorous or to provide an added moisturization middle of the day when I use a long-wearing red lipstick. This thing is pricey, so I will wait for a sale before I repurchase.

MAC Satin Lipstick in Amorous: This is such a great everyday shade for my complexion! For most of 2018, when my life was in havoc, this was the only lipstick I wear - in fact the only makeup item I wore! It is a satin finish I don't find it drying at all. and it stays put all day! Because of the subtlety of the shade, it is also very easy to layer it. I will surely miss it! But, I already have so many other lipsticks that I need to finish, so I am not going to repurchase it just yet.

URBAN DECAY Perversion Mascara: I have said this before that I am not too picky about mascaras. But I love this one, I think this is my third tube! I always get this in travel size :-) I can see myself repurchasing it. Also, Sephora & Ulta often includes this in travel size as Gift with Purchase.

ESSENCE Super Fine Eyeliner: Honestly, I dont remember much about it! It has a bigger than normal felt tip liner, but if you enjoy a bold winged liner, this was nice to use. I finished it long ago and don't really remember much else though!

Here are the other skincare products!

ULTA Juice Infused Lip Oil: This was one gift with purchase, I think. I actually really enjoyed it as a lip oil/moisturizer. The effect does not last very long but I used it a lot during winter. I am not sure if I will repurchase though!

NIVEA A Kiss of Smoothness: This is one of the best lip balm that money can buy. I am on the last tube from my backup drawyer and I do need to repurchase.

HAIR FOOD Volume Shampoo (Kiwi & Exotic Fig) & Volume Conditioner (Kiwi & Exotic Food): I got these from Influenster in one of their voxboxes and I absolutely loved using it. I have thick, coarse but frizzy long hair! This was gentle, very effective and it had a very lovely smell. O loved it so much that I eventually bought the Honey & Apricot version. And I love that one too! I will definitely repurchase the shampoo. I like using the conditioner also, but I am not sure if it is the best conditioner I have ever used. Also, these are also quite inexpensive.

CHRISTOPHE ROBIN Masque Regenerant: This is a hair mask and I was not that big of a fan. It had a strong smell to it. Although it did an ok job of conditioning my hair, I could not get over the smell.

BRIOGEO Scalp Revival Micr0-exfoliating Shampoo: This shampoo has managed to build a following in the beauty community. This is a very small tube to build a opinion for me. I think I was only able to get 2 usage for my hair. I do have a lot of dandruff and honestly, I do not remember if I liked this or not. I will be willing to test out another sample product but right now I am not interested in purchasing the full size right now.

VERB Hydrating Mask: It was big tube to finish off. It was ok I think, it wasn't great though! I also did not like the smell that much! I don't think I will repurchase.

MACADAMIA Professional Nourishing Moisture Masque: One of my absolute favorite mask. It is very efficient in providing conditioning and moisturization to damaged, dull hair! This is probably my 3rd bottle and I definitely repurchase.

HIMALIYA Herbals Nourishing Skin Cream: This is actually my mom's! I don't know why I am still hanging onto it. She finished it back in 2017 when she and my dad visited me! :)

ATELIER COLOGNE Bergamote Soleil: Aah, I love this niche brand of purfume, they have very intersting approach to fragrances! This one must be one of my favorite fragrance they offer - a little lemon-y and very refreshing. I am not great at describing scents. It also last quite a while. Also, look at the petite size, it is so easy to carry around while travelling.

GUCCI Guilty: I enjoyed the staying power of this one but the scent is not my favorite. I was very indifferent towards it.

VINCE CAMUTO Perfume: I could not figure out the exact name for this perfume. But it was a bit too strong for me. The bottle is cute though!

ALGENIST Genius Anti-Aging Melting Cleanser: First of all, how clever is the packaging. It shows marker/scale so that you can keep a track of your usage! Works out great if you are a blogger/instagrammer and you love to keep track of your empties or you participate in Project Pan. Anyway, I was not that big of fan. It worked but nothing special aboutit. Also, there is a weird film after using this which take forever to wash off!

HIMALIYA Neem Face Wash: This is one of the product from back home that I still use occasionally. I will pick it up once in a while when I go home. It is gentle cleanser; perfect for washing off simple, everyday looks.

BOSCIA Tsubaki Beauty Oil: Another product from Boscia that I absolutely enjoyed. I think I need something like for my super dry winter skin! The best part is that you only 2-3 drops for each use and it absorbs almost immidiately. I will probably repurchase it for next winter.

BOSCIA Cool Blue Hydration Essence: I enjoyed using this essence so very much! I think I prefer essences over serums. This one true to its name! It provided absolute hydration and it also absorved so quickly - I did not have to wait 5 minutes before going in with my moisturizer! But it is sad that it is now apparently discontinued! I am very sad about it.

SK-II Facial Treatment Essence: This is an old school favorite essence for me. When my skin goes absolutely haywire, and is riddled with acnes and everything else - I use this exclusively with may be just a moisturizer! I love this essence and I will continue to repurchase it.

ORIGINS Ginzeng Energy-boosting Moisturizer: This is one of my ABSOLUTELY favorite moisturizer. It has a thin gel-like consistency which is PERFECT for my dry skin which has is also acne-prone. I love the smell of this as well. I have gone through at least 4-5 tubs and I can definitely see myself repurchasing.

JOSIE MARAN Nirvana Hydrating Treatment Mist: First of all, how stunning is this bottle? I finished it quite some time ago, so I honestly don't remember if I enjoyed or hated it. I definitely did not hate it. But I probably did not like it enough to to buy the full size.

ERBORIAN Ginseng Milk: I was using this when the weather was getting a bit too hot to handle. Absolutely love it for that time. It is very moisturizing but also very light! It will not be best for winter but I would love to use it during summer again!

MILK MAKEUP Hydrating Oil Stick: Absolutely adored this product. This winter was stressful for me. Between very hectic work schedule, preparing for my Professional Engineering Exam and a very hectic India Trip, this saved me a lot. It is so very easy to use - very fuss free! And it is quite hydrating and less oily. It takes a few minutes to completely absorb it but I like that during the extreme cold months!

PETER THOMAS ROTH Max Sheer All Day Moisture Defense Lotion: I absolutely love this sunscreen. It was very light on my skin and it did not disturb the makeup over it. It has a pump which is always a blessing. I have gone through at least 2-3 tubes so I think I will eventually repurchase again!

COVERFX sunscreen: I did not finish it and I did not care for it.

MURAD Nutrient-Charged Water Gel: I did like using it but I have a fear that it started to break me out. So, I would not think of repurchasing.

FRESH Rose Face Mask: This is very favorite mask of mine. It is always in my routine and I have gone through many tubs of it. It is very hydrating and it does not break me out at all! I am currently trying to use up a big ol' tub of this :-) and I will probably repurchase once I finish that. 

H2O Plus AquaDefense Protective Matcha Facial Moisturizer: I have no idea why the product names have started to get longer and longer. But I actually did like using it, however I don't remember liking it eonough to try it again. I have other moisturizers that I like more.

FARMACY Sleep Tight Firming Night Balm: I am not sure if this is firming or not, I liked the hoisturization it provided. This is a sample size which comes quite regularly in Sephora gift sets. So, no need to buy another one right now.

OLE HENRIKSEN Sheer Transformation Perfecting MoisturizeR: Another moisturizer that enjoyed but I have other moisturizers that I like more.

FIRST AID BEAUTY Coconut Water Cream: My skin typically does not like any of First Aid Beauty product. This was different. I liked using it and surprizing it did not break-out my now-sensitive skin. But again, I have other moisturizers that I like more.

PHILOSPHY Amazing Grace Whipped Body Creme: I do enjoy this crème. Somehow, I end up collecting sample sizes of it. So, yes I will continue to use it.

PHILOSPHY Amazing Grace Shower Gel: Another definite love! I typically have one back up in my vanity.

HERBIVORE Blue Tansy AHA + BHA Resurfacing Clarity Mask: This is my second tub. And I will surely repurchase. I love the resurfacing/muldly exfoliating properties of it. It is really effective in curbing my acnes to some extent. Big love!

PHILOSOPHY Purity Made Simple One-Step Facial Cleanser: This is my very first favorite cleanser. I have discovered some other ones that I enjoy as well, but I still do love using it in my rotation. It is simple, gets rid of the left-over makeup! .

BVLGARI Body Lotion: cute bottle, good enough moisturization. Nothing more to it.

NEUTROGENA Body Oil Light Sesame Formula: This is one of my HOLY-GRAIL products. I cannot do without this oil, especially during the winter! And when winter lasts 8 months in a year, it's a savior :-) I have gone through many, many bottles of these and I need to repurchase before winter is here! You know it is just around the corner.

SHEAMOISTURE Massage Oil Fruit Fusion: I love body oils; my dry as desert just soaks it up. I love the Neutrogena body oil but I have been using that one for a long time so it gets boring. Hence I tried to venture out. I did like using it. It is quite heavy in texture and does not soak up that quickly. But I did enjoy it. I would only use it after a night-time bath! Will I repurchase? May be not... I will rather try something new!

KORRES Body Butter Japanese Rose: I absolutely loved the pline of body butters from Korres. It is very moisturizing, easy to apply and sinks into the skin so quickly. I still love the Jasmine scent more but this was also nice. The smell of Jasmine is quite subtle but oh-so-lovely! I have one other body butters from Korres in my backup shelf but I would definitely repurchase in the future. Also, it is not so difficult to find gift sets of these so I will buy them in sets; otherwise it can get a bit expensive

JOSIE MARAN Whipped Argon Oil in Sweet Citron: I dont really understand why this is called an oil, it has the texture of a moisturizer. I finished it in 2018 summer and honestly don't remember whether I liked it or not!

H2O+ BEAUTY Eucalyptus & Aloe Body Wash: Loved this body wash! Gets the work done and smells nice as well. But I love experimenting with body washes and I am already to the new one!

ROSEBUD PERFUME Co. Rosebud Salve: One of my very favorite lip balms. And the tube is huge. I had to transfer into smaller pots very daily use. It lasted me a VERY long time! Also, very very good for overnight use. I apply a thick coat and it saves me from all the winter chaffing and blistering. I am already missing it from my routine! Definitely need to repurchase - soon!

Love,
~Arrru

Products I've Used Up/Empties Vol. 14

It has been 4 months since my last empties post. But I am back it at again with quite a few products that I have used up :-)

Yankee Candles Appalachian Daisy 2-wick Candle: I bought this candle at a discount but cannot exactly remember from which store. I really like the fragrance and if I find it at a fairer price again, I will repurchase.
Bath & Body Works Eucalyptus Mint 3-wick Candle: I soooooo loved the fragrance of this candle! Now that I have tried a few different brands now, I have finally arrived at the conclusion that the performance of BBW candles is much superior; especially when I can get them during sale! I will definitely repurchase, but of course, I will wait for a sale.

Voluspa 3-wick candle in Mokara: This Mokara fragrance is such a familiar fragrance to me, I cannot really pinpoint why and how, but I think this fragrance brings back childhood memories. While I loved the smell, I did not like the quality of this candle. It has 3-wicks but as you can see it did not burn evenly and there is still a lot of wax left unburnt. The throw also was not that strong. I will not to repurchase but I love the smell so much!

Skincare & Hair Empties:

Redken No Blow Dry NBD Just Right Cream: I saw absolutely no effect of this cream on my hair. It just felt like an additional step without resulting in any benefit. I am just glad to get it finished. Will not repurchase.

Living Proof Timeless Shampoo: This was a deluxe size and hardly lasted me for a single use :-)! Honestly I don’t exactly remember if I liked it or not. I did not have any negative experience though :-)

O.P.I. Avojuice Coconut Melon Hand Body Lotion: I sincerely hope this is the last of a set I bought quite some time ago. This was ok  but it took a little bit of time to sink in which was not very convenient. As you can imagine, I will not repurchase.

L’Occitane Almond Smoothing and Beautifying Supple Skin Oil: I love using body oils because my dry skin really need it. I have been trying and  using a lot of different body oils for a long time now. And I was quite excited about this one because it is a cult favorite within the beauty community. I liked it but at times it felt a little bit heavy. It also has a sweet smell from the almond which I am not a big fan. I am not quite sure if I want to purchase a full-size just yet.

The Body Shop Pinata Colada Shower Gel: It is a decent shower gel. I did not really enjoy the smell. I have never tried the drink so I don’t really know how close is the smell is to the actual drink. But it was a bit thicker in consistency and I had hard time getting the gel out. I will not repurchase.

The Body Shop Mango Shower Gel: One of the very few scents I can use from Body Shop is this Mango one. I still would not want to repurchase a full-size.

Ole Henriksen Nurture Me Water: I love a good facial spray! This is one out of the 3 sprays from a set and I have already finished the Truth Facial Water. That was my most favorite. This was enjoyable too! Would I repurchase? I do not know :-) Btw, they have changed the packaging and it looks so much better now.

Sephora Collection Super Supreme Body Butter: Can you tell I go through Body moisturizes like crazy? I absolutely loved this one! It is a huge jar but because it has been a long winter and often I have been it using twice daily, I finished it sooner than I expected! It is very moisturizing with a lasting effect. It is kind of a thick cream but easy to apply all over my body. I think I purchased it randomly just to get qualified for picking deluxe sample, & I can definitely see myself repurchasing!

Tree Hut Mediterranean Salt Scrub: I absolutely enjoy Tree Hut products. As it is evident from the total 3 Tree Hut products I finished here. I absolutely enjoy the smell of this one, it is sooo comfortable and relaxing! And it was perfect for winter. However, I actually prefer their sugar scrub formula more than the Salt one. I will not repurchase the salt scrub but I already bought 2 or 3 sugar scrubs as backup.

Tree Hut Shea Body Butter in Coconut Lime: Another lovely body butter. I have loved almost everything from this brand. This was no exception. It was lighter in consistency than the Sephora body butter.But it was enough for the transitional Spring weather here. I will repurchase full-size at some point but for now I would love to repurpose this jar from my travel needs. 

Korres Body Butter in Jasmine: I am sad that this is finished. I absolutely loved the product. It is quite moisturizing, easy to apply and sinks into the skin so quickly. The smell of Jasmine is quite subtle but oh-so-lovely! I have two other body butters from Korres in my backup shelf but I would definitely repurchase in the future. Also, it is not so difficult to find gift sets of these so I will buy them in sets; otherwise it can get a bit expensive.

First Aid Beauty Pure Skin Face Cleanser: It is a very generic, very simple cleanser. It did a good job as a basic cleanser. This 1 oz. tube also lasted for quite some time. I love my Philosophy Purity Cleanser as my second cleanser. Hence, I would not repurchase. It was a good enough cleanser while it lasted.

(2) Caudalie Vinosource Moisturizing Sorbet: I do not know if there is any difference between the pink and the white packaging, The name of the moisturizer seems to be the same. I do detect a ever-so-slight difference fragrance. It is a decent lightweight moisturizer; not quite enough for my dry skin during winter. I think I would enjoy it more during the summer months. I will not repurchase but I would not mind it in smaller size in skincare kits. 

Kinerase Advanced Cream: I do not know about this brand & I did not care for it either. Just glad it is finished.

Philosophy Miracle Worker Overnight: I did not love this night cream. It did not sink in quickly and it kind of peeled on my face, especially near my face. I ended up using this on my neck. I will not repurchase.

CAUDALIE Resveratrol Lift Face Lifting Soft Cream: I got this deluxe sample size in a Sephora Favorites set. This is a glass jar, I appreciate it so much because it is almost rare to see companies put the same quality in deluxe size samples compared to the full-size products. In general, I do like Caudalie products. Most of them I really, really love. This one however was not extraordinary. I did not like the consistency that much! Like all other Caudalie products, I enjoyed the faint nice smell of this product but other than that it was just ok.

Fresh Beauty Rose Deep Hydration Face Cream: This was the first new product I tried in 2018 and I very much ENJOYED it. The texture is so silky smooth, the smell is so natural & beautiful. It is also easy to apply and it absorbs almost immediately. The best part is it keeps my dry, parched skin moisturized. I have already collected a deluxe-size from Sephora & I truly want to buy the full-size but right now, I have 2-3 other full-size moisturizers that I want to finish up.

Sunday Riley Luna Sleepng Night Oil: I ended up collecting three of this sample sizes from Sephora in order to see if those product works for me. This is second bottle I finished and honestly I not excited by it. I accept that I have not been very diligent in using this but I don’t even find any excitement to use it. It is an expensive product to begin with so naturally I had high hopes. It felt greasy on my face which would have been ok if I would have seen any improvement of my skin’s overall health. I will definitely not repurchase.

Erborian Bamboo Crème Frappe Skin-Revining Fresh Gel: I finished this back in January, I think. And I am having a hard time remembering how i felt about it. All I remember is that it was very light consistency, and it was refreshing!  But it still offered moisturization. Beyond that, I don’t remember if I wanted to try it in a bigger size!

Drunk Elephant T.L.C Framboos Glycolic Night Serum: Oh man! The hype around this brand! I finished this serum back in February, and I must admit that I am definitely missing it in my routine. I used it 1.5-2 pumps almost every night and it lasted me only 3 months. That seemed a bit quick for such a pricey product. Now that it has 1-1.5 month without using it, I do have to accept that I really did see positive effect of the serum on my skin. I had uneven texture along with a lot of cystic acnes and I could feel this serum smoothening that out. My acnes were also under full control! I did get one or two here and there. Now that I have not been using this serum, I can definitely feel the issue of uneven texture coming back to haunt me. I have repurchased a 0.5 oz size bottle in the Acid Trip during Sephora VIB Sale. I do have other serum type products that I want to finish up first though!

Lotus Herbals Aloehydra Aloe Vera Gel: This a product from India and my sister passed it onto me. I actually mainly used it on my elbows. I don’t have much to say about it. I did like using it so when I go to India next, I may pick it up again but for now I not missing it in my routine.

Freeman Beauty Infusion Cleansing Sheet Mask: This was the first charcoal “sheet” mask that I have used. What I liked about it is that I did not feel the need to wash my face after using the mask. It claims to instantly boost purity but I did not feel any special cleansing effect on my skin. Overall, I did feel good right after using the mask. However, the very next day, I got two huge acnes right on my skin! So, I am terrified now.

Makeup & Perfume Empties:

Marc Jacobs Daisy Deluxe Sample: Look how cute is this tiny bottle? I am going to display it along with the other mini perfume bottles I have finished up :-) This is a cult favorite scent. It is a simple, clean fragrance. It is not a favorite per se, but I don’t dislike either. I do not need repurchase this because I have way tooooo many perfumes to use up.

Urban Decay Perversion Mascara: I have said this before that I am not too picky about mascaras. But I love this one, I think this is my second tube! I always get this in travel size :-) I am using another tube now and I can see myself repurchasing it. Also, Sephora & Ulta often includes this in travel size as Gift with Purchase.

Bite Beauty High Pigment Lip Pencil in Meritage: I absolutely adored this lip product. It is a beautiful rose hued shade; perfect for every day. It was one of my favorite shade last year and I would love to repurchase but I fear that Bite Beauty is discontinuing this product line. Do you guys have any idea?

Bite Beauty High Pigment Lip Pencil in Rhubarb: Another Bite Beauty product that I thoroughly enjoyed! This formula is so moisturizing on the lips and on me it stays almost the entire day. I would not repurchase this over Meritage though!

Stila Stay All-Day Waterproof Eyeliner in Intense Black: This has been my holy grail eyeliner since 2014. One of these I finished a long time ago but for some reason it never made it to my empties bin! This first liner lasted me a long time too! However, the second one did not even last me a year. It makes a bit sad! I loved this liner, mainly because of its waterproof quality and its jet black color. I have worn this for my sister’s wedding and it survived beautifully through a hot, humid, hectic and emotional night till the next morning! I want to repurchase but I am hesitant because the second  one dried out sooner! I recently picked up a few colored ones from this line during Ulta’s 21 Days of Beauty and I want to see how they perform, then probably decide.

Clinique Pink Honey: This was a tiny, deluxe sample but it was in my #finish17in2017 project pan. Nothing special about this but I am just glad this is finished! The shape of the bullet makes it difficult to use up till the very last bit of product.

Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleansing Cloths: I have been trying to cut down my usage of makeup wipes. I have to say that I have been somewhat successfully. Anyway, this was a good enough wipe. It had enough moisture in it and it did a decent job in removing the first layer of makeup! Will I repurchase? Probably not!

Aquaphor Heal Ointment Mini Jar: Such an inexpensive lip balm. And this tiny jar lasted me a long time. I typically used this before I go to bed and it healed and smoothened my lips for the next day. I always used this at night if I knew that I will be using matte liquid lipstick or any drying regular lipstick next day. I would ABSOLUTELY repurchase.

I also finished up some samples (and of course my trusty contact lens solution!) 

Bite Beauty Agave Lip Balm & Agave Sugar Lip Scrub: This tiny little sample lasted for almost two weeks. But keeping the price of these products in mind, I don’t think they are worth it. Just my experience.

Love,
~Arrru