Archive for category Aveda
Beauty Low-Buy Update: Month Eight (And All’s Well!)
Posted by Latoya in 2012 Beauty Challenge, Aveda, L'Oreal on September 20, 2012
So here we are again. For obvious reasons, this month has been pretty lean in terms of shopping, especially on the beauty front, where I reallydon’t need anything, anyway. And it was pretty easy to resist almost everything; when you have a goal in mind (to have the most awesome of times in New Zealand), and a life change (double the mortgage!), it’s really a no-brainer. And actually, the purchases I did make were all before everything happened – the only thing I bought since then was a body lotion, which I needed (though…maybe not as pricey, but I was in a town with a Holts – IMPOSSIBLE to not buy ANYTHING).
As usual – The Guidelines:
1) Makeup: Purchase no more than 10 items per season (excludes replacing staples of foundation, concealer, powder)
2) Nail Polish: Purchase no more than 5 polish per month
3) Skincare/Haircare: Use one, Buy one
And here we have it!
Purchased (August 20-September 19):
- Kiehl’s Creme de Corps ($37.50CAD)
- Mill Creek Botanicals Biotin Shampoo ($9.89CAD)
- Kariderm Neutral Natural Soap with Shea Butter & Vitamin E ($5.29CAD)
- Weleda Almond Soothing Facial Lotion ($24.99CAD)
- OPI Every Month is Oktoberfest ($10.50CAD)
- Zoya Dea ($8.75CAD)
- Zoya Anchor Base Coat ($12.50CAD)
FYI: The L’Occitane shampoo I purchased back in July I returned, unopened. I was just too nervous to use something so fragranced and really – I shampoo my hair like, twice a month, so why spend big bucks on something I hardly use!? I haven’t yet tried the Mill Creek stuff because I just finished my last shampoo, but I have high hopes 
I picked up the shampoo, bar soap and the Weleda lotion from Well.ca – my first order from the company – and I had a $10 coupon code, so it was a good first experience!
Also, you may notice lately I’ve been buying a lot of base coats – I really find it makes a difference with my polish wear time if I’m using a compatible base. I’m trying to pick up one from each brand I own essentially, and already my polishes have been lasting SO much better. I might be crazy, but whatever works, right?
It might not seem like I pared down that much, but when you add up the actual dollar amount I spent this month ($109) as compared to the last ($198)…yea, you see what I’m sayin’? ~pats self on back~
Used Up (August 20-September 19):
You see those empties? Not too shabby eh??
Ah, my old friends. No need to discuss Aveeno’s Eczema Care Cream, or the body wash, or the Neutrogena Hand Cream again – you’ve seen ‘em all before. Bye bye!
These were both just OK. The L’Oreal Studio Silk & Gloss Curling Spray didn’t make my hair TOO crunchy, which was nice, but I don’t even know why I bought it because I hate spray gels. Blah. The Aveda Scalp Benefits Shampoo (which I bought last November if you can believe it! See how much I <don’t> shampoo my hair??!) was fine – I did like the way it seems to clean my hair without stripping it, and it made it soft – but I just don’t like the standard herbal smells of Aveda…I never learn. Also, if you’re a fan of shampoos that lather a lot (I’m not, hence why I bought it), you won’t like this.
On the right – Clinique’s Makeup Brush Cleanser. Pretty good stuff, though nothing crazy. It lasts a fair while and I like that if I’m really in a rush, I can spray, wipe and go. I rarely do that though and typically spray, rinse, spray, rinse, dry. Just to make it more difficult on myself.
On the left – I know you’re thinking “What the…!?!” Well…does anyone remember when they carried the brand Pupa in Shoppers Drug Mart? This was something they came up with, this ridiculous cow with a makeup palette inside. It’s double-sided, too!
When I was traveling around Europe, this thing was GENIUS, with two blush, a bronzer, a powder, and a handful each of eyeshadows and lipglosses. But guys – that was 6 years ago. Since then, I’ve kept it in my office drawer ‘for emergencies’ and rarely used it. When I moved my cubicle a couple weeks ago, I decided it was time to go. Too bad, so sad, we had some good times! ~Mooooooooo!~
And the pitiful makeup empties – they’re always so frickin’ tough to accumulate! I finally finished that blasted tube of Jack Black’s Lip Treatment (two months later than planned), and my travel size of Hourglass’ Veil Mineral Primer. I sort of fell out of love with it for a while, then got back into it when the weather cooled. I found that it, on top of my Clinique City Block, didn’t mix well and I still got greasy throughout the day. As a replacement for sunscreen (it has an SPF of 15) on rainy or overcast days, it’s pretty good. Not sure I’d spend $70 on a full-size though (sorry Liz! *ducks*).
I also had a small sample of a L’Occitane Ultra Comforting Serum that seemed nice, but those kind of samples tell me NOTHING about the product as a whole, so no further comment there. The mascara in the front is from Pur Minerals - and I used it once and just couldn’t. Awful, awful stuff! The brush was horrid and the formula was clumpy. However, it could be old and I generally don’t make opinions on mascara based on sample sizes because it never seems true to form. The mascara sample in the back is the famed Urban Decay Supercurl Curling Mascara I’d featured in a couple FOTD’s, which sadly isn’t why my lashes are so curly (all-natural, sorry! *ducks again*). But it was still nice and not even remotely clumpy and defined the lashes well. Not sure I’d buy the full size though.
Lastly, we have a nail file. I know that’s weird but I threw it in for fun, what the heck. It is so worn down there is no filing to be had any more from this. It was also in my desk at work, and it appears there’s food or some crap stuck to it – for that I apologize. Another reason it has to go!
Phew! Ok then – let’s Recap:
1) Makeup: 0 makeup items purchased [6 non-staples this season (Summer)], 1 palette and 3 samples used/tossed
2) Nail Polish: 2 polish purchased this month (20 total since the beginning of 2012)
3) Skincare: 3 skin/1 hair bought, 3 skin/2 hair used
Wha-wha-whaaaat!? No makeup bought??? This is unheard of! I didn’t even realize ’till I just did up those tally’s. Wow!! That actually makes me really happy – I’m trying so hard to use what I have an enjoy it rather than jumping on every next big thing. I could handle a massive slow-down of makeup purchases for a while, no doubt! And it’s likely to continue at least until I return from New Zealand, so hooray!! And this ends the 10 per season for Summer…back to the drawing board for Fall!
Speaking of, I’m hoping to come back with less makeup than I bring while away – I’m packing the very dregs of a lot of little samples and ends of liners and stuff, so here’s hoping it’s gone over the course of 5 weeks. Although, to be honest, I’m not even sure how much makeup I’ll be wearing down there! In any case, I’m going to show you what I’m packing before I leave so you can be nosy and see for yourself
So, another month down! Only four more to go before I can stop boring you with these posts, and I right!? I’ll still continue with the continuous whittling down, but maybe not so regimented. Though I always look forward to showing you guys – it’s like hoping for a gold star from the teacher 
It’s likely – no, a for sure – that my next post will NOT be on time, as I’ll be away, but I’ll do a special edition featuring the stuff I used up while away when I return. I hope it’s a HUGE one!
Which do you like more: seeing the purchases or the discards? What’s your average monthly beauty budget?
Working Hard or Hardly Working: Yes, I’m Still Downsizing!
Posted by Latoya in Amore Pacific, Aveda, Clinique, CoverFX, L'Oreal, MAC, Neutrogena, Ole Henriksen, Philosophy, Phyto, The Body Shop, Vaseline on February 3, 2012
The past couple months has been a slow one for using up products it seems – like anything else, when it rains it pours, but in those in-between times, it seems to be a bit of a drought. I’m just on the precipice of finishing a handful of products, but before that happens, I want to round up all the items that I finished before I began my beauty challenge – I want to be fair and transparent (lol can you tell I work for the government?), so when the time comes to match products used to products bought, I’ve got clear evidence to show you that I’m still following the guidelines. Meticulous to a fault, eh?
The list of products below are pretty boring, I have to say – most weren’t very memorable and I wouldn’t repurchase the majority of them. There are also a handful of samples that seemed to take AGES to finish, despite some being tiny. Anywho…enough chat – let’s hop to it!
Phyto Phytheol Intense Shampoo and L’Oreal Total Repair conditioner. The former is an anti-dandruff formulation which I had hoped would help with my seasonal dry scalp, which I thought was dandruff. Turns out, its more likely dermatitis, as per my dermatologist – surprize, surprize, the girl with eczema has one more skin issue to worry about. Yay…. 
Anyway, this didn’t do a lick for my scalp, but since I don’t seem to have dandruff, I can’t really give it a fair rating. I think there are probably treatments out there though that are more effective and far cheaper than this.
L’Oreal’s Total Repair conditioner was OK, but absolutely nothing to rave about and to be honest, I just stopped using it a few weeks ago and already I don’t remember what it was like. It wasn’t as hydrating or as smoothing as I wanted it to be, so there’s that. I can tell you that I already enjoy my current conditioner, an Infusium23 product, wayyyy more. I bought this because it was on sale. End of story.
Philosophy’s Purity cleanser. I’m sure everyone and their dog has tried this basic product at some point. It’s a good standby and I didn’t have any issues with it, but jeez louise this size lasts AGES. I know that’s a great thing for some, but for Miss ADHD here, I get bored halfway through and am just dying to use something else. I always feel that there could be something better. This cleanser didn’t irritate my skin, but I didn’t find it soothed it either, and right now while I’m fighting tooth and nail to keep my skin under control (this cold, cold Winter is doing a major number on it!), this just isn’t going to cut it. Great for slightly sensitive skin or, of course, non-reactive skin in general though. 
The Body Shop’s Wise Woman Eye Cream, Ole Henriksen’s Truth Serum, and a mini jar of Vaseline (though apparently I took the label off…?). The Wise Woman eye cream was nice, decently hydrating but nothing crazy either way, so if you’re super oily/dry, you’ll probably need something else. It didn’t help with my dark circle, which was one of it’s claims, and I’ve had other eye creams that kept my undereye area more supple. But for $24CAD, it was a decent price and lasted me a good year or more.
I’m not going to talk anymore about Ole’s Truth Serum – I know you’ve heard enough!!! If you haven’t though, or need a refresher, see my original post here. I’m on my second bottle of this now.
Ah, Vaseline. A medicine cabinet must, even though overall I’m not a fan of petroleum. But I use this on my lips every night before bed and my pucker stays nice and hydrated for the most part, so for the couple bucks it costs, and the length of time it lasts (seriously, like 2-3 years for this tiny thing…crazy), I’ll keep on buying it!
Another Vaseline product – Intensive Rescue Soothing Hand Cream. I really liked this a lot – it wasn’t as occlusive as the Neutrogena Norwegian Formula, but it softened my hands big time and kept them moisturized for hours. It even helped with some of my eczema patches, which is always a bonus in my eyes. It had a relatively thick consistency but abosrbed fairly quickly and didn’t leave my hands greasy. I can’t remember the price but it was something like $8.99 – around the same as Norwegian Formula etc. 
Here’s a sample size of Aveda’s Smoothing Body Polish. I haven’t owned a body scrub in a while – in keeping with staying away from abrasive products as a whole, I’m sort of off the scrubs – but I picked this up in the Fall and used it sporadically here and there. It had a fairly good granular quality though I never felt that I left the shower super-smooth, so not sure what that was about. It worked better on damp skin than fully wet. I wouldn’t buy the full size.
More samples! I’ve had the Amore Pacific Treatment Enzyme Peel for years, but finally got on finishing it last year. It was pretty great, actually – the scent made me nervous, kind of floral and pretty strong – but it didn’t seem to irritate my skin that I noticed. It comes as a fine powder, with you put in the palm of your hand and add water, then it foams and you apply it to your face for 30-60 seconds and the enzymes exfoliate. It did make my face feel really smooth afterward, and this sample, if I had used it consistently (say, every 2-3 days) would have lasted me a few months – you only need a bit of powder each time. If there were no fragrance, I’d pay the $60-odd dollars for the full-size of this; crazy price, but it was pretty lovely.
The CoverFX Nourishing Foundation Primer and Anti-Aging Serum was another sample that lasted quite a while considering its just a little packet. I normally don’t include those types of samples, but because it lasted so long I thought it was worthwhile. If I recall, Liz did a post on this a few months back, that was pretty thorough. I don’t remember it too much, but I think it was nice enough – definitely more like a treatment serum than a primer, as Liz noted. I think there are a bunch of different formulations of these, and they aren’t cheap, something like $39CAD? I wanted to buy one but the packing is sooo tiny for that price! Funny the things I’ll shell out for and those I won’t eh?
That little sample jar on the right was the Philosophy Help Me that I tried out. I still maintain that it worked quite nicely considering my skin is almost always flared up and red these days – it didn’t add to the irritation – but the fact that the retinol in the ingredients is soo far down the list concerns me. Obviously that would contribute to why it didn’t irritate my skin, but at the same time – do I want to pay $59CAD for a product that doesn’t really do what I bought it for??? The sample lasted almost a full week using it nightly though, so it seems to go pretty far.
Finally, some makeup!! Though sadly, only one product here is full-size; the others are all sample sizes. Nonetheless, I got through them! Here you see a random eyebrow comb that broke (both ends – the comb part you still see is just attached for show) which I included just because. Then we have a Clinique Lash Doubling mascara sample – this is probably my second fave mascara by the brand after High Impact. Gives nice volume and some length, but doesn’t clump at all. Then below it, is one of Clinique’s Vitamin C Lip Smoothie’s in Strawberry Bliss. The lip smoothies have antioxidants in them to help keep the lips healthy and more youthful looking. This shade was just a dark but sheer pink shade, but it was really nice and I think the color would look good on almost anyone. However, this sample went fast – I didn’t use it all that often and even so, it was gone in two months. I also found that the texture of the gloss is a bit thicker than I’d like – not a big issue, just something of note.
Underneath the lip smoothie, we have a Long Last Glosswear SPF15 by Clinique, another sample size, in Knockout Nude. Nice cool shimmering beige-nude shade that looks good on most skintones, but I find the newer glosswears with SPF get sticky faster than the old ones without sunscreen. And they get funky after a while and develop this nasty plastic-type smell. No thanks! You can see I didn’t finish it – and I don’t plan to! I also didn’t finish the L’Oreal On-the-Loose shadow pot in Five Alarm below it – if you recall I swatched this with my new L’Oreal Infallible shadow I bought a few weeks ago, and realized how much nicer and more pigmented the newer one was. And also, I had to bite the bullet that this old shadow was over 10 years old, so it HAD to go. It’s still got about a 1/4 of the container left, but…oh well!
Lastly, we have a sample jar of a MAC Pro Longwear concealer (shade NC42). I included this because this was another sample that lasted forever – I had this for several months and was using it on my undereyes almost every day. It was ok – it covered my darkness but didn’t completely erase it. I’m terribly fussy with undereye concealers and have yet to find one that lives up to my expectations, to take my review with a grain of salt – for some, this might be total love, as it does conceal better than some and is buildable. However, the pump dispenser on the full-size is irritating because it gives too much product (you only need a small dot), so that’s a turn off. I wouldn’t buy the full-size, which retails for $21CAD.
So there’s the rundown of what I’ve used up in the past while, up to January 20th. Moving forward, anything that I finish now counts toward a new purchase – remember, its one for one in skincare, and two for one in makeup. Sometimes this seems like no biggie, other times, I find myself just about to pull the trigger on a new product…..only to be reminded that I gotta use ‘em to buy ‘em! Rats.
Wishing everyone a great weekend!!! If you get out shopping, make sure you let me live vicariously through you OK???
A Proud Moment: Downsizing at it’s Best
Posted by Latoya in Alterna, Anti-Aging, Aveda, Aveeno, Base Coats, Benefit, Body Care, Cleanser, Clinique, Cover Girl, Dior, Eucerin, Eye Liner, Eyeshadow, Giorgio Armani, Hair, Hand Care, Joico, Lancome, Lips, Make-up, Mascara, Moisturizers, Neutrogena, Paul Mitchell, Phyto, Revlon, Seche Vite, Serums, Shampoo, Skincare, SPF, Styling Products, Top Coats on December 17, 2011
This post has been a long time coming, as I’ve got quite a few empties to show you that have been piling up over the past weeks. I kept putting it off as I had a handful of makeup items that were nearing completion and I wanted them to be included. Even still, I have about three more that are thisclose to being finished, but I couldn’t wait any longer. This is gonna be a doozy, so let’s get right to it. Note: In an effort to keep my inherent wordiness down, I won’t be giving my usual lengthy descriptions of each – otherwise you’ll be here till Christmas But, if you do want further details on any product mentioned, don’t hesitate to ask!
First up, we have the hair products. From left to right: Joico Moisture Recovery Treatment Balm, Phyto Phytolactum+ Intelligent Shampoo, Paul Mitchell Smoothing Super Skinny Relaxing Balm (sample), Alterna Bamboo Kendi Oil Dry Oil Mist (sample), and Aveda Smooth Infusion Style-Prep Smoother (sample).
Joico Moisture Recovery: I bought this at Chatters for something like $17CAD. It has good reviews on MUA and I wanted something to hydrate my parched hair. I don’t heat style for the most part, or do any coloring or other treatments to my hair, so it’s pretty healthy but bone-dry. I don’t like Joico much but this worked fairly well – though I wouldn’t repurchase.
Phyto Phytolactum+ Intelligent Shampoo: I picked this up from Sephora last March (see how often I shampoo?) and had high hopes it would sooth my dry scalp and not strip my hair. Mistakenly I thought this wouldn’t contain sulfates (it does) – though it was pretty gentle nonetheless. But it did nothing for my dry scalp, so I wouldn’t repurchase.
Paul Mitchell Super Skinny Relaxing Balm: I was in a buying mood when I picked up this travel size sample at Chatters – I don’t know why I get these ‘smoothing’ products because it’s really meant for people who blow out their hair, which isn’t me. I know you’d like that smoothing might be helpful to tame my curly hair, but I really find it doesn’t do much of anything. This product smelled lovely but that made me nervous (due to my eczema) so I was glad when it was finished.
Alterna Bamboo Kendi Oil: I had just read a couple good reviews on this and then they offer this as a 100-point perk at Sephora so I got it to try out. Again, pointless product for my hair type. Also contained fragrance so I was happy to finish it and be done with it. Can’t comment on it’s effectiveness, unfortunately!
Aveda Smooth Infusion Style-Prep: ANOTHER smoother. I know. Anyway, this actually ended up being quite a gem – if I used this after I applied my usual styling creme, it really kept my hair soft and frizz-free. I’m not a huge fan of the herbal Aveda scent, but it’s also not a deterrent either. I probably wouldn’t buy the full size though; I find Aveda products so expensive!
Next – Hand and body creams. Left to right: Aveeno Eczema Care Cream, Neutrogena Norwegian Formula Hand Cream (frag. free), Eucerin Aquaphor. I’ve discussed all these in length here and here respectively. I’m using a different body lotion right now and I can’t wait till it’s done, it doesn’t measure up to Aveeno’s cream at all. Sometimes you should just stick with what works. I have a new tube of the Norwegian Formula at work – I really like this a lot – but I don’t think I’ll buy the Aquaphor again, it was a bit too thick and contained …. so I’d just rather not.
Facial products. Left to right: Clinique Repairwear Laser Focus (sample), Neutrogena Healthy Skin Anti-Wrinkle Cream SPF15, Clinique Liquid Facial Soap Mild (sample).
Clinique Repairwear Laser Focus: I extolled the virtues of this product here, and I still stand by my view – it was a great serum that make my skin feel uber soft and look radiant. However, now I’m onto Ole’s Truth Serum (though it’s almost finished, waaaah!) and I think I’d opt for that over this just because 1) I LOVE the scent of the Truth Serum, 2) Ole’s is slightly cheaper (by about $3CAD), and 3) I think Ole’s serum is more targeted for my age, whereas I was really using Clinique’s serum prematurely. I still think it’s great though!
Neutrogena Healthy Skin Anti-Wrinkle: I’ve used this a few times in the past, and while I really like it – it leaves the skin really smooth – I think my sensitized skin can’t handle the retinol any more, which is pretty bad considering this is a very low dosage. But, for some one with hardier skin who’s looking for a great, cost-effective (it’s around $24CAD) moisturizer with SPF and anti-aging benefits, I highly recommend this.
Clinique Liquid Facial Soap Mild: I got this in a GWP or something I’m sure, and hung on to it because it’s great for travel. But then I realized I had all these samples and they were starting to annoy me so I began the ‘war on samples’ to mega-reduce my stash. This isn’t really the best formula for my skin, as I’m more oily, but it does the trick for an AM wash, especially in the cooler months. It contains emollients so that it doesn’t leave the skin feeling dry, so that’s a nice perk.
Now, get excited…here comes the makeup portion!!!!
Mascaras etc. Top to bottom: Benefit They’re Real!, Clinique High Impact, Giorgio Armani Eyes to Kill, Diorshow Maximizer Base (sample), and Clinique Bottom Lash.
Benefit They’re Real!: See my initial review here. I really enjoyed this mascara and may even repurchase in the future. It was easy to use and gave me nice looking lashes. ‘Nuff said.
Clinique High Impact: Still one of my favorite mascaras – lots of volume and some length, and makes my lashes stand out. Also very easy to use. I wouldn’t recommend to those who want a really natural look however, as I’ve heard complaints of it getting clumpy (though personally I’ve never experienced this). And the $18CAD price point is much more reasonable than any other department store brand!
Giorgio Armani Eyes to Kill: I have been waiting to re-review this, as I have some sad news – this is the root cause of all my eye sensitivities and irritation! I’m makes me slightly disappointed (since it was great….but tres expensive, hence why I’m only slightly disappointed), but mostly really pissed off, because my eyes have been a trial ever since I used this. I blamed it on the cat (as I’m allergic), and while I am still very careful of Vegas (the cat – yeah baby!), this mascara is the real reason my eyes aren’t like they used to be. I had stopped using it in August because I fell in love with Benefit’s They’re Real, and my eyes improved – then I realized that it was going to dry up and be wasted, so I started using it again, only to find my eyes get totally itchy and messed up! I stopped using it immediately, and while my eyes aren’t as bad, they still get irritated pretty easily ever since. SO not cool. I couldn’t find the ingredients online anywhere so I don’t know the offending irritant, unfortunately. In any case, all I’m saying is that I recommend trying this out somehow first before fully committing!!
Diorshow Maximizer Base: I got this via a coupon code at Sephora.com. Meh. It made my mascara harder to apply and I didn’t see any maximizing whatsoever. I wouldn’t waste the $$.
Clinique Bottom Lash: Awesome. Seemed like the most gimmicky thing in the world, but ended up being really great. For $12CAD, you get this mascara with a mini brush that makes it ridiculously easy to apply mascara to your bottom lashes. It only removes with warm water, so you can cry your heart out with it on (or swim, or sweat) and it won’t budge. It lasted for AGES too (I know you’re not supposed to use mascara for longer than 3-4 months, but this seemed like an exception ).
Lips and cheeks! Left to right: Clinique Superbalm in Currant, Lancome Juicy Tube in Simmer (sample), Cover Girl Wetslicks in Guava Splash, Clinique Blushwear Cream Stick in Rosy.
Clinique Superbalm in Currant: I love these balms! They’re a bit thick and very glossy, and wear pretty well while keeping my lips mega-hydrated. I’ve had this for like, 4 years now so while I’m a little sad to see it go (the shade is neutral and goes with everything!), I’m mostly glad it’s finally done! Having anything for more than like, two years just seems like too much to me!
Lancome Juicy Tube in Simmer: I read once that Denise Richards liked this lip gloss in this shade…she commented that it ‘looks good on everyone.’ While that may be true, I didn’t particularly like this shade for some reason. I used to love Juicy Tubes but thankfully grew out of that stage – it seems like one of those things to buy when you’re just getting into high end makeup so I guess the memory of being a newbie turns me off a bit lol. Nonetheless, these are nice glosses that wear well, but for me their time has come and gone. And this one in particular has had it’s time – I’m sure I’ve had this for well over 7 years! Yikes!
Cover Girl Wetslicks in Guava Splash: I bought this after seeing a makeup shot in Allure in which they suggested this gloss to re-create the look. It was pretty close, so good call by them – but I really didn’t like the formula of this at all. It was soo thin and slippery, I had to reapply it constantly! Blah. I’ve only had this gloss a year so the fact that it’s already gone is a testament to how quickly it wears off. Good riddance to bad rubbish!
Clinique Blushwear Cream Stick in Rosy: I got this as a gift from Clinique a couple years ago, and wasn’t enamoured with it as it seemed too light for my skin. However, I reintroduced it in my rotation this Fall and realized I was missing out! It gave me cheeks the best natural flush ever. I am partial to cream formulas because I like the way they leave the skin glowing, and this one was nice because it wasn’t greasy at all. It had OK wear time – nothing terrible but not spectacular either – so I wouldn’t repurchase, but I sure did enjoy it while it lasted. It went with every makeup look I’d try – can’t beat that!
Unfinished but still must go. Clockwise from left: Revlon Streetwear Double-Ended Liner (discontinued), Revlon Luxurious Color Eyeliner in Blackened Sapphire, Lancome Color Focus Eye Shadow Quad (sample), Rimmel Metallic Eye Gloss in Equinox (discontinued).
Revlon Streewear Double-Ended Liner: I brought this product up in my eyeliner post, and committed to tossing it, so here goes! I’ve definitely had this for over 10 years, I don’t know what I was waiting for!
Revlon Luxurious Color Eyeliner: Also discussed this in the eyeliner post. My mother has this too, and when she wears it (usually on her bottom lash line), it looks awesome – but since I’m too ~fragile~ to wear liners on my bottom lashes now, I just don’t get a good effect from this liner. On my top lashes its just kinda blah. So, time to go!
Lancome Color Focus Eyeshadow Quad: The shades are Daylight (the pale cream), Contrast (deep purple), Blink (khaki shimmer), and Peep (pale pink). I’ve also had this for way longer than I want to admit, and I never use it, so it’s really gotta go. I’m not really a fan of sample eyeshadow palettes anyway, they annoy me – when I get them from Clinique I always give them away. I want the real thing, darn it!
Rimmel Metallic Eye Gloss: Do you remember when eye gloss was a ‘big thing’ back in the day – around 8-10 years ago? Yeah, this was bought then. Oops! I couldn’t get it to work without creasing like crazy so I may have only tried it a handful of times. Fun idea, but just not easy to translate into real life. Toss!
Honorable Mention. Seche Vite’s Dry Fast Top Coat. This bottle isn’t finished, though you can’t really tell from the photo. There’s about 40% left, but you KNOW how goopy and impossible it gets around that time!!! I kept it in my drawer, hoping for a miracle, but it’s time has come. Begone, you most-awesome-of-top-coats-until-that-time-when-you-become-absolutely-NOT-awesome-and-in-fact-a-total-nightmare top coat!!
PHEW!!!!! OMG I’m so sorry to submit all of you to that uber-lengthy post, but it had to be done. 25 items (though 8 were samples, to clarify)! Are you proud of me or what?! I have been chomping at the bit to get this out so you can all revel in my awesome downsizing abilities. What’s that you say? I have in fact replaced many of these products with new ones?! Oh, well, forget that part then, will you? The whole purpose to reduce is to buy more, is it not?? No? Huh. Well, I will keep trying, in any case. Looking at this post alleviates some of my guilt at least. ‘Till next time!! 
Sneak Peek: This Month’s Beauty Hauls
Posted by Latoya in a-england, Aveda, Body Care, Boscia, Cleanser, Drugstore Finds, Hand Care, Jack Black, Joe Fresh, Lip Care, MAC, Nail Polish, Nicole by OPI, Ole Henriksen, OPI, Quo by Orly, Sephora, Shampoo on November 20, 2011
Despite my great efforts to cull my stash to a more streamlined collection, I have still picked up a few beauty items over the past few weeks – some necessary, some not. For the most part, I’ve been fairly restrained, and only my polish collection has grown bigger (which is inevitable, c’mon!) – I’m still whittling down my skincare, getting rid of samples and almost finished products, and only splashed out on one item (which I’m totally stoked about). I thought I’d give you a sneak peek into what you can look forward to reading about over the next little while:
Friday night, after going out for an awesome dinner at the Keg for our one-year anniversary, my bf and I came home and promptly fell into a food/wine coma. I really wanted to wash my face, but OH! the bathroom sink was too far away and required too much energy. As I struggled against sleep, I lamented how I wished I’d had some face wipes by the bed for just these sorts of occasions. The very next day, I picked up Ole Henriksen’s Truth to Go Wipes ($7.50CDN) to save me from this fate yet again. I also picked up another Jack Black lip balm ($8.40CDN), as my last one seems to have gone missing.
On this same excursion to Sephora, my goal was to pick up some Christmas gifts, and perhaps a little something fun (not wipes or lip balm) for myself while I was at it (natch!). Around and around and around I paced the aisles, trying to find something that would be a treat while avoiding repetition in my stash. Alas, it was impossible – as much as I wanted to, I couldn’t bring myself to buy anything that I didn’t truly *need* and so I left, (relatively) empty-handed. However, right across from Sephora lies another temptation – MAC. And it was then that I had an inspiration – it was finally time to lay down the big bucks and buy the #138 Tapered Face Brush I’ve been lemming for months. Ringing in at $62.50CDN, this is a serious purchase, the kind I don’t make too often, but after getting home and feeling the ultra-soft bristles across my face, I knew it was going to be well worth the splurge. Oh yea, baby!
My polish purchasing has slowed down considerably since Fall began – I had already picked up all the new shades I’d wanted – and the holiday collections out are leaving my mostly wanting: I’m not into OPI’s Muppets collex at all, nor Orly or Deb Lippmann, and only want a shade or two each from Zoya, Color Club, and the two collections China Glaze has put out this season. I’m hoping to buy them all online all at once from NailPolishCanada.com, but am waiting on Zoya (as usual) to be up for sale. In the interim, I’ve picked up the following (from above, left to right): Quo by Orly Cuti-Prep (their version of Orly’s Cutique I think), a-England King Arthur (metallic gunmetal), OPI DS Temptation (gorgeous purple-blue glitter), Joe Fresh Twilight (a sheer black jelly with…multicolored flakies!), and Nicole by OPI Khloe Had a Little Lam Lam (deep teal creme). I’ve worn Temptation once but with how fast glitters chip it was a short spell. The other’s I’ve swatched a bit but no full manis – keep your eyes peeled!!
Lastly, I had to buy some necessities this month: Aveda Scalp Benefits shampoo (I used up my bottle of Phyto’s Phytolactum + Intelligent Shampoo and needed something to address my majorly seasonal-dry scalp), Boscia Clear Complexion Cleanser (as my bottle of Philosophy Purity is near finished, and I wanted to try something new), Complex 15 Body Lotion (I have the face lotion, and these are just great basic, no-frills moisturizers to have on hand – and the bottle is bigger than my fave Aveeno Eczema Care cream so hopefully it’ll last longer!), and Vaseline Intensive Therapy Soothing Hand Lotion (my Eucerin has run out and I needed a replacement).
So…I think I have done reasonably well keeping the frivolous purchases to a minimum and not significantly adding to my cosmetics inventory – what do you think? I’ll be doing another empties post in the next few weeks and I think you’ll be sufficiently impressed to let me off the hook In the meantime, I’ll be reporting back on the products above and hoping they were worth the purchase!
Downsizing, Take Two
Posted by Latoya in Aveda, Aveeno, Body Care, Clinique, Drugstore Finds, Eczema, Exfoliants, Foot Care, Hair, Lavanilla, Moisturizers, Murad, Skincare on November 2, 2011
Slowly but surely, I’m whittling my stash down to just the essentials, and I plan on keeping it that way once I get there. I still have a few products that are ‘duplicates’ so to speak – more than one night treatment, multiple eye creams…its a process, to be sure, but I’m making headway! Unfortunately, my progress is mostly limited to skincare products; I’ve hardly used up any makeup items since I’ve been working hard at paring things down. I’ve pulled a few products that are nearing completion, and I plan on dedicating myself to finishing them before Christmas. Fingers crossed!
In the meantime, let’s see what I’ve managed to accomplish since my last post:
10 full sizes plus 5 sample size products. Not too shabby, methinks! I’m going to count the Aveeno body lotions as one product though, because I go through it so quickly and its going to be a regular purchase so it’s never going to truly be ‘used up.’ I apologize in advance for all the cut-up tubes, just trying to get the last drop outta each product
To read my review on this body cream, check out my first downsizing post here.
I first wrote about this body wash here. I have to modify my review, as I found that it wasn’t as irritating as I thought it was previously. I think it may have been another product that I used that caused the issue – I didn’t find a problem with it moving forward. As well, while I still don’t love the smell, it grew on me over time. However, I don’t think I’d go for the Lavanilla body wash again, whatever the scent – I feel that I could find something more suitable for my skin that I loved more. Philosophy body washes are some of my favorites – they’re not natural but they sure smell delish, and they don’t seem to bother my skin, somehow.
I bought this bottle of Lubriderm Moisturizer with SPF 15 lotion two Summers ago, and wore it as my daily body lotion in the warmer months as I walk to work. It did the trick, and didn’t irritate my skin, and absorbed well, but I didn’t finish the bottle and it’s now since expired, so time to go! 
Clinique Sparkle Skin Body Exfoliating Cream. Awesome, awesome, awesome. This sloughs off any rough skin I have gently and effectively, which is a feat because either an effective scrub is too harsh for my skin, or the scrub barely does anything but doesn’t irritate. The jar is a little unwieldy in the shower, but usually a product in a tube isn’t as ‘scrubby.’ The only thing I dislike about this scrub is the mint scent and tingle – I know a lot of people love that in a body scrub, I guess to wake them up, but it’s never been my thing. Gimme a foodie-smelling type body product any day! 
My mother gave me Avon’s Restorative Milky Foot Soak at Christmastime, and it was quite nice. It foamed up well and my feet felt good after soaking in it. However, it was nothing special – a plain body wash with a shake of Epsom salts would have had a similar effect, I think. I wouldn’t buy it for myself, but it was a nice treat, nonetheless.
I picked up Garnier’s Moisture Rescue SPF15 Lotion back last Winter, after reading a review of the Gel-Cream version on my good friend Liz’s blog. As far as moisturizing properties go, it did the trick, but I never felt like the SPF was the *right* kind and probably didn’t protect my skin as much as I’d like. I was also turned off by the smell – which was nice, but I always fear scent in any skin products because of my eczema, and so every time I used it I worried. It didn’t seem to cause a huge problem, but then again, since I’ve finished it, my skin has been exceptionally good, so…coincidence? I’m not sure, but I won’t be picking it up again. For those without sensitivities, it’s a viable option, but I think you could find something else just as effective with a more stable sunscreen.
I reviewed Murad’s Oil Control Mattifier SPF15 previously, and I still maintain it’s effectiveness. It was quite successful at keeping my oiliness at bay while providing SPF protection, so in that respect it was ideal. However, I’ve been doing a lot of reading on eczema lately, and one thing they note is that products that are oil-absorbing are probably to be avoided. Again, since I finished using this product, my skin has improved quite a bit, so hard to say if it’s coincidence or not. I had two patches of irritated skin that just would NOT go away, and now they’re nearly a memory…just something to keep in mind!
On the right, is Clinique’s Dramatically Different Moisturizing Gel in a convenient 50mL size. I got this in one of my gratis’, as I like to have it on hand for quick and easy basic moisturization. It’s a very simple product, no bells and whistles at all, which is sometimes just what the doctor ordered. It’s designed for someone with oily skin – if you’re at all dry, it’s just not gonna do the trick as it’s very light. It contains silica to help control the oils in the skin – but it only does so minimally, so it’s not a treatment in any sense. Overall, a nice plain oil-free moisturizer, perfect for throwing in a travel bag!
Another product I noted before, and one that I’m still impressed by. I’ve used several bottles of this in the past, and I often go back to it after trying out other products because it has been the most effective to date. I finished this in early Summer, and haven’t yet replaced it, but as the weather starts to cool, I’m thinkin’ it’s time to pick up another!
Samples are some of the best/worst things ever. I find as a beauty-focused person, you tend to accumulate a LOT of these babies, and it take forever to use them all up!
Bioderma’s Sensibio H2O cleanser – I’ve tried the Sebium version, which is for oily skins, and while I found it made my skin feel great, it always feels weird to use a tissue-off cleanser; I never feel like it’s really cleaning my skin fully. This version is for normal to dry skin, and was also effective at cleansing my skin, very gently. I didn’t use it when I had a lot of makeup on, but when I was wearing just a touch, or in the morning before putting any makeup on, it made my skin feel soft and clean. I’d highly recommend either version if you’re a fan of this style of removal; for me, it’s just not my thing!
Aveda Foot Relief – this was a nice foot moisturizer with a bit of minty tingle to it, that was fairly effective at hydrating my feet, though it didn’t fully get rid of the rough patches on my heels. It’s pretty expensive – even this travel size was like, $12-14 – so I’m not sure I’d indulge in the full size as it wasn’t anything any more special than your basic drugstore brand.
Pantene Dry to Moisturized Conditioner – I have a bias against Pantene because I find they use a lot of ‘cones to make the hair feel good, and after discovering how high up on the ingredient list fragrance is, my opinion has worsened. I had used up this sample before I knew better, but I believe that using this in conjunction with another conditioner that had a lot of fragrance, were the culprits in how bad my skin was a couple months ago. Can’t recommend this at all.
B.Kamins Bio-Maple Vegetable Skin Cleanser – I was liking this quite a bit when I started using it; it doesn’t foam up but rather just emulsifies a bit, and felt so gentle on my skin that I considered buying it as my new facial cleanser. But I think it was a bit too gentle, as I broke out after using it for a week (which rarely happens), and so that idea has gone out the window. I was glad to have the sample to check it out, at least! And it did smell a touch like maple, which was nice
Van Cleef & Arpels Oriens fragrance – last December, I was trying to buy my aunt a fabulous fragrance she’d love for Christmas, and I had Holt Renfrew send me some samples from their fragrance department (actually, they offered, at no charge – so nice!!). However, my brainstorm was short-lived as it turns out, my aunt doesn’t wear fragrance anymore as she works at a hospital and can’t be bothered. So, I kept the samples for myself. This one in particular was quite pretty – notes of mandarin orange, black currant and raspberry; as well as jasmine, patchouli and praline. It smelled fresh with a hint of sweetness, but unfortunately didn’t linger on the skin very long.
Whoaaaa….that was a whole lotta chatter, eh? So sorry! Good thing these posts only come every so often I’m plugging away and feeling good about my progress. Now, wish me luck that my next post contains a bunch of makeup!!
Have you tried any of these products? Did you have any experiences that differed from my own? How do you feel about streamlining your routine – necessary or a non-issue?
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