July 2013 Empties

Oh boy, has it been a busy summer! Weddings, work and planning my own wedding! Empties seems to have fallen by the wayside even though I still have my box of empties glaring at me every day as if to remind me of how behind I am!

1. Essie - Naturally Clean Nail Polish Remover (470mL)

Listed as a favourite last year, but after using Zoya 3 in 1, I don’t see myself repurchasing this. Zoya didn’t spread the rest of the polish all over my skin like this remover did. One thing I really did like about this nail polish remover was the scent. It didn’t smell toxic, but then again, it’s probably just a lavender fragrance covering up the toxic stuff!

2. Onyx Professional 100% Pure Acetone (473mL)

It’s pure acetone. It works wonderfully for glitter removal and for cleaning up around the cuticle line. I buy it because it’s the only brand locally available and it’s $3.99 per bottle which I can definitely handle! It lasts awhile so I will definitely keep buying!

3. L’Oreal GO 360 Clean Deep Cream Cleanser (178mL)

I have had this bottle since…2009…when it was new to the shelves. I’ve never been a stickler for expiration dates when it comes to beauty products nor do I care for the lectures about when things should be thrown out. This cleanser smelled and felt exactly the same as when I first got it and still did a great job cleansing my skin right up until the bitter end. I love the little scrubbie and how minty, fresh my skin felt after use.

4. The Body Shop Satsuma Shimmer Lotion (250mL)

I picked this up in the summer of 2009 thinking that I would use it exclusively in the summer, but my pet peeve with this shimmer lotion is that the shimmer gets on your clothes…the smell was great, but the shimmer on my clothes not so much. I will stick to the non-shimmer version of this thank you very much.

5. Bee’s Knees Bodyworks Grapefruit Lime Soda Smoothie Scrub (255g)

I did a review of this and loved it! This was a wonderful soap and scrub and I will gladly buy more!

6. L’Occitane Verbena Sorbet Body Ice Gel (75mL)

Smelled wonderful, but because it was a gel it didn’t really moisturize that well and worst of all it left my skin sticky…I received this in a gift with purchase and I will not be purchasing in the full size.

7. Clarins Multi-Active Serum (30mL)

Love this stuff, this is my second tube of it and even though it’s pricey at $65, I love the consistency. It’s not sticky and is more like a very light cream.

8. Elizabeth Arden Visible Difference Gentle Hydrating Cream (15mL)

Smelled pleasant, very hydrating, but very thick. I needed a good 30 minutes for this moisturizer to absorb into my skin. I don’t like having to wait around so I’ll have to say no to purchasing the full size of this.

9. Clarins Multi-Active Day Cream (50mL)

This is my second or third jar of this moisturizer and it won’t be my last! This is very hydrating, quick absorbing and smells nice to boot!

10. Fortune Cookie Soap “I Scream, You Scream” Sugar Scrub (30mL)

This smelled so yummy!! Just like chocolate and vanilla ice cream! It was a nice gritty body scrub so you really felt like your skin was getting a good exfoliation!

11.Fortune Cookie Soap “It’s Five O’Clock Somewhere” Whipped Cream (30mL)

This is a very thick moisturizer so I used it on my driest parts like my elbows, knees and heels. Eventually I got tired of the scent and I have other moisturizers that are just as hydrating so I will pass on getting the full size of this.

12. Lancome Genefique Youth Activating Concentrate (8mL)

This was my first time trying this and it was okay…I don’t think it’s worth the price tag though. I feel like I have so many products that work similarly for less so as glad as I am to have been able to try this, I will pass on the full size.

13. Benefit Cosmetics Stay Don’t Stray (2.5mL) 

This little sample lasted MONTHS for me, but I found it so WET. I much prefer a drier primer formula like Urban Decay’s Primer Potion or ELF’s Mineral Eye Shadow Primer.

14. BeFine Single Serve Night Cream (10mL)

This was a more watery moisturizer, but it did hydrate my dry skin right up until morning. This isn’t the best moisturizer I have tried, but it wasn’t awful either.

15. Montagne Jeunesse Iced Crystal Exfoliating and Cleansing Facial (15g)

This was a very refreshing mask and smelled like spearmint! It has dead sea salt crystals in it as well so when this mask is removed your skin really feels brand new!

16. Simple Hydrating Light Moisturizer (3mL)

This moisturizer was hydrating enough, but not amazing enough to make me run out an buy a full size.

17. Boscia Oil-Free Nightly Hydration (2.5mL)

I must need oil in my moisturizer because this absorbed VERY quickly into my skin and left it tight and still in need of moisture so I will have to pass on this.

18. H2O Aqua Firm Eye Lift Concentrate (4mL)

This had a pearl-like shimmer to it and was hydrating. I didn’t care too much for the shimmer so this is just a maybe for me.

19. The Body Shop Absinthe Purifying Hand Cream (30mL)

I love how refreshing this smells and is the perfect hand cream if you work by the computer because it is quick to absorb and doesn’t leave a greasy residue on your hands and keyboard!

20. Kate Sommerville Intensive Exfoliating Treatment (2mL)

I didn’t enjoy this at all…I found it chunky, but then again I’ve had this sample for about 3 years so who knows what may have happened?

21. Skintimate Cream Shave

I loved this shave cream at first because of how creamy and hydrating it was, but eventually I got sick of the sweet, floral scent. I might purchase the full size if there is a different scent.

22. Olay 2 in 1 Facial Cloth

I didn’t feel like my face was clean after using this…it still felt oily.

23. Fortune Cookie Soap “Don’t Be Jelly” Soap (30mL)

SO GOOD! This is a jelly soap that smells like margaritas! I could not get enough of this!

24. John Frieda Touchably Full Shampoo (8.3mL)

Surprisingly nice, but I found the scent a little strong…like Pantene strong. It did make my hair very soft right after despite the small sample size so maybe if this is on sale I’ll get over the scent and purchase the full size.

25. John Frieda Touchably Full Conditioner (8.3mL)

Same as above.