Monika @ RocailleWrites

Beauty Product Empties: 2nd Quarter of 2014


Technically, the second quarter of the year isn't over yet, but: my sizeable bag of empties hath overfloweth. So it's high time to dump out the contents, arrange them in a semi-artistic fashion, shoot the trash and recycle. Because such is the cirle of life.
No, this first photo isn't even everything! Do you guys ever reflect upon how much goo we smear all over ourselves every day, all in the name of beauty? It's a bit ridiculous when you look at it in ounces and milimeters - or empty containers. By the way, as always, reviews of individual products are linked where possible.

First stop: haircare. I've been making a concentrated effort to use up all the little travel and deluxe sample sizes that are cluttering my bathroom. There's some progress!
Products I disliked and wouldn't repurchase: Oscar Blandi Volumizing Shampoo - smells like lemon bathroom cleaner, hair feels dry and not particularly volumized.
Products I enjoyed, but I'm trying out other things: TRESemme Naturals Lightweight Mousse, Enjoy Hydrating Shampoo, S Factor Health Factor Sulfate-Free Daily Dose Shampoo, Alterna Bamboo Kendi Oil Dry Oil Mist
Products I would repurchase (but am probably trying out other things too): Healthy Sexy Hair Soy Touchable Hairspray, Pureology Precious Oil Conditioner
Bodycare... and essential oils? I use these as home fragrance in a wax warmer, or pour a couple drops into my bath water, if anyone's particularly confused. Let me know if you'd be interested in a post about my favorite ones!
Products I disliked and wouldn't repurchase: French Red Clay Soap - tied with Lush Porridge for the most drying soap I've ever used, and Sweet Orange Essential Oil - turns out, I'm allergic (ouch!).
Products I enjoyed, but I'm trying out other things: Weleda Birch Cellulite Oil, The Body Shop Almond Hand & Nail Cream, Lemon Essential Oil - replaced with Lemongrass and Bergamot.
Products I would or have repurchased: Mitchum Power Gel Unscented Antiperspirant (already repurchased), Lavender Essential Oil (already repurchased from Aura Cacia), Kiehl's Bath & Shower Liquid Body Cleanser in Coriander - fantastic fresh scent, cleanses well without stripping.
Boring things out of the way, here's a plethora of skincare.
Products I disliked and wouldn't repurchase: Angel Face Botanicals Ambrosia Facial Cleansing Grains - messy and a bit too abrasive for my sensitive skin, and Mario Badescu Glycolic Acid Toner - not a dislike per se, but too strong for my skin and causes an allergic reaction when not used with caution.
Products I enjoyed, but I'm trying out other things: Elemental Herbology Purify & Soothe Cleansing Balm, Origins Clear Improvement Active Charcoal Mask, Estee Lauder Advanced Night Repair (this the old, discontinued formulation), La Roche Posay Soothing Physiological Toner, Aubrey Organics Pure Aloe Vera Gel (used in conjuction with the Ambrosia Cleansing Grains - good skincare ingredient to have on hand, but I'm trying to downsize).
Products I would or have repurchased: LiLash Eyelash Serum - already on a new tube, First Aid Beauty Facial Radiance Pads.
Skincare sample sachets and sheet masks (all three masks reviewed in detail here):
Products I disliked and wouldn't repurchase: Freeman Beauty Facial Hydrating Paper Mask, fresh Soy Face Cleanser, Murad Age Reform Moisturizer SPF 30
Products I enjoyed, but I'm trying out other things: Estee Lauder Advanced Night Repair for Eyes, Murad Essential C Moisturizer SPF 30 (it's a lie - I'm not trying out other things, I'm actually working through a full size of this. But once I run out, I would like to try other things. Does that make sense?)
Products I would repurchase: TATCHA Luminous Deep Hydration Lifting Mask, Sesha Skin Therapy Rejuvenating Anti-Wrinkle Mask
Make-up and nail polish. Look at it, you guys!!! Ok, part of it isn't used up, I just decided to get rid of it finally, as mentioned in my latest 'Products I Regret Buying' post.
Products I tossed (disliked and wouldn't repurchase, obviously): NYX Jumbo Eyeshadow Pencil in Cottage Cheese, Inglot green corrective concealer, Lancome Juicy Tubes lipgloss, Revlon Colorstay Mineral Glaze lipgloss, Wet n Wild MegaImpact mascara, random dried out Asian lash glue, Sinful Colors nail polish in Opal - replaced with a China Glaze flakie.
Products I used up, enjoyed but I'm trying out other things: Annabelle Smudgeliner in Rich Chocolate, Covergirl Lash Blast Volume mascara, Sephora Anti-Shine make-up primer, Essie Good to Go top coat (prefer INM Out The Door), Bourjois Healthy Mix Serum Foundation.
Perfume - not buying any for the next foreseeable future, and working hard on using up what I have.
Fragrance samples I enjoyed: Kenzo Flower, Estee Lauder Sensuous Nude (possibly my favorite of the bunch, tied with Flower), Tom Ford Violet Blonde, Jo Malone English Pear & Freesia
Fragrances I disliked: Gucci Flora, Bulgari Omnia Coral, Viktor & Rolf Flowerbomb (I used to love that stuff!)

All in all, I feel very good about my progress - I'm actually starting to see more physical space in my various cabinets and beauty drawers, and was even able to completely empty one drawer of remaining beauty bits - and then I reorganized the stash and filled it back up with overflowing nail polish bottles. But my beauty space has become more compact, I think! For more stash-reducing progress, watch out for the second update on my Project Make A Dent, coming towards the end of this month.

Have you managed to reduce your beauty stash in the past quarter or has it grown again?
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