Friday, April 24, 2015

EMPTIES! #6 | April 2015


When you finish products at the rate of speed I do, it's SO much simpler to do empties posts monthly instead of quarterly.  No longer will you have to slog through a head-spinning 47 mini reviews every four months!  Plus, in the spirit of keeping things tidy, it makes me happy to recycle my empties bag contents at the end of each month.  Here's what I finished in April!

This is one of the best conditioning options on the market, period.  Not "best drugstore" option; best overall -- and it costs less than $5 bucks!  It can be used as a daily conditioner and a mask.  I love to apply it to dry hair, wrap my head in plastic wrap and pop a towel warmed by the dryer on my head.  It seals the hydration in like a deep conditioning treatment at the salon.  After 20-30 minutes, I rinse it out and shampoo as normal.  My hair feels like it has a new lease on life!  I also use this as my daily conditioner.  It's weightlessly hydrating enough that it makes combing through my snarled, tangled wet hair a breeze.

This deodorant was The One that made transitioning from anti-perspirant to deodorant possible for me.  I don't smell any vanilla; just an intoxicating blend of freshness that screams "I just stepped out of the shower and my armpits smell incredible!"  It does an amazing job of keeping my underarms feeling dry (which shocks me because it's not an AP) and it keeps me smelling clean and fresh.  I picked up the full size during the Sephora VIB sale.

This is one of my favorite foundations of life!  I've seen it described as light to medium coverage, but I find it's a solid medium that can easily be built up to full.  I have some sunspots and acne scarring on my cheeks and it covers them beautifully.  I had a 6 zit brass band performance happening on my chin when I did the before and after pictures for my review, and you can't even see them after 1 layer of foundation was applied.  It's so weightless, it feels like nothing on the skin, and it gives a gorgeous natural finish.  This outperformed Giorgio Armani Lasting Silk Foundation for me, which I found chalky and unnatural-looking on the skin.  If you want to try a serum foundation but don't want to drop a ton of kwan, try Fluid-Touch.  PS: I found it for sale at All Cosmetics Wholesale: two for $9.99 USD! 

There's nothing I don't love about this concealer!  It doesn't crease under my eyes, it covers blemishes like a champ, and I love the doe foot applicator.  I used Vanilla primarily for under my eyes, and I still have a tube of Custard going strong that I use to cover redness and acne.  These concealers last me FOREVER.  Vanilla lasted just over two years, and I used it almost every day! 

After successfully transitioning from anti-perspirant to deodorant, I decided to try this organic option.  Sadly, it wasn't a love.  The texture is abrasive to the point of being unpleasant to apply and there is hardly any scent.  By the end of the day, I didn't smell fresh.

This thick, waterless balm is packed with vitamins, active antioxidants, pomegranate, eyebright, ginsing, fennel, and shea butter.  It's the richest, most hydrating eye treatment I've ever used, and it reduces morning puffiness like a champ.  This 0.5 oz jar has lasted me TWO YEARS!  That's how little of the product you need to get the job done. 

What did you finish in April?

21 comments :

  1. Sounds like I need to check out that Maybelline foundation and NARS concealer.I forgot to pack concealer when I left for Belgium and now ofcourse I'm covered in acne...>:-(

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  2. I thought I read an empties post here not long ago. You really go through your stuff very quickly!! And you actually used up a foundation. I need to do that. It'll be an accomplishment to be proud of :-)

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  3. My friend likes natural deodorants so she prefers the la vanille ones too. id worry about getting too damp but i'm glad that's not an issue.

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  4. Ha ha! I thought the same thing after I posted this - last one was April 5th! I guess I'm a heavy user, lol!!! :0 But 3 of these items took me longer than 2 years to finish so these were slowbies. Finishing foundation does seriously feel so good! I've finished a few in recent years and it's like TA DAAAAAAA!!!!! *does the roger rabbit with empty bottle in hand*

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  5. Hey lady! I do still get slightly humid in the pit zone from time to time, but it's not bad. I never thought I could get used to deodorant when I first started dabbling and would switch back and forth between AP and deo. I started hating the feeling of not being able to get the AP completely washed away from my underarms in the shower (that squeaky, non-water soluble feeling) more than the slightly humid feel on occasion during the day. Also, I have a travel size doe at work in case I ever need to reapply. So far, I've only needed it once and that was due to the A/C not working in the building, lol!

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  6. Melissa, that Maybelline Fluid-Touch is AMAZING. It is SO worth a shot, I promise! If they conducted a blind test, people would assume it was a luxury foundation. I am so sorry about forgetting your concealer and breaking out! NOOOO! :P

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  7. I love the NARS concealers on my face, but under my eyes it's too dry which makes me sad. Maybe I just need to amp up my eye cream hahaha!

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  8. I picked up that Garnier conditioner after hearing a lot of raves and find it's okay. Well, on the good side of okay but not life-changing for me, lol. I think my hair is of the type that's not easily impressed by deep conditioners. And holy crap, has it been two years since the release of those NARS concealers already?? Sending these empties to the bin is almost like sending kids off to daycare.

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  9. I can't believe that NARS concealer has been out for almost 2 years already, lol! I feel like just yesterday it was brand spanking new and had all the raves. I have Custard, but I think it's a touch too dark for me right now...I was thinking of picking up Vanilla (or one of the lighter shades), but do I really need TWO when I only use them to conceal redness? LOL. They're a bit too dry under my eyes.

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  10. I have the Nars concealer in Vanilla too and I have had it for probably close to 2 years as well, I am still trying to scrape out the last drops of it. I keep going back and forth on liking and loving it. But I think I will actually repurchase it.


    I hate Fructis haircare, bad experience from when I was younger and tried one of their shampoos and it made my hair super frizzy and rough. So since then I have stayed away from trying anything else from this brand. But you have me curious about that mask....My problem with hair masks though is that I don't have 20-30 minutes usually to sit around with it. Maybe I am just too impatient...

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  11. I think I might have to pick up that Maybelline foundation, sounds really good

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  12. I'm always down for an empties post!! I'm really interested in the LAVANILA healthy deo. I've heard some scary stories about the stuff they put into deodorant and although I'm not too cray on replacing it, I think it's nice I start researching and trying them out. I love that you use the hair mask even more like a salon "deep conditioning treatment"... THE BEST, it truly is a great product, I've been meaning to tell you how happy I am with it.. THANK YOU. The scent is also totally a bonus.


    I don't know how you have these magical emptying-powers... But it's the best for readers looking for new and exciting things to try. Glad to hear this is more of a monthly situation now!!! YAYYAY


    MUCH LOVE!!

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  13. Ok, I must know what your top picks are for hair conditioner since you always pan mine, lolol!!! Cracking up that your hair isn't easily impressed by deep conditioners! I will say that after months of using the Garnier, I went back to my former HG (for literally over 10 years) the Aussie 3 Minute Miracle and I didn't like it as much! :O LOL, it was like sending the kids off to daycare! I feel like me and that NARS concealer grew up together. One day we're roller skating together in the cup-de-sac and the next thing you know, it's off to the empties recycling bin. ;)

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  14. I think the only part of my face that qualifies as "normal" is the underage area. It's never too dry, it's too never oily, so I think I can kind of wear any concealer there and it works pretty well! I did love to mix the NARS with MAC Careblends Oil to thin it out and add a bit of moisture. It mixed really well together and I always loved the results!

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  15. Ha! Right?! It does feel like the NARS concealer hype craziness was maybe last year, not 2 years ago! I used to mix that concealer with a dab of MAC Careblends Oil or a bit of eye cream to thin it out and add some moisture and I loved the results. I totally agree though, having 2 concealers for redness coverage does seem kind of irritating, lol!

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  16. I would have no problem repurchasing the NARS concealer; it really worked great for me and was one of my favorites of all-time. UD had me curious this time though, so I opted to try one of their Naked concealers instead and I love it! It's thinner and less opaque in coverage than the NARS, and it never creases. I love them both! LOL - uh oh! Sorry you have a Fructis nightmare! I can relate to steering clear after a bad brand experience. I personally love the Garnier as my go to daily conditioner and don't use it as a mask more than once a month or so. It works just as well as a daily conditioner, and believe you me, sitting around for half an hour while a hair mask works is not something I could do more than once a month or so! :)

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  17. It's lovely, Gaelle! Definitely one of my favorites! Beautiful coverage and finish.

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  18. Switching from AP to deo is not the most fun thing on earth. I came close to giving in a few times, but now I've made the switch and I'm really glad I stuck with it. Not only am I free of aluminum, but my armpits feel SO much happier. I used to get that feeling in the shower where it was like the pores were sealed or something? Like no matter how much I scrubbed, that AP barrier would always remain? I don't know, you'll have to tell me if you know what I'm talking about, LOL! After about a week of deo, I used AP again on a day I knew was going to be very stressful and involve a lot of running around downtown Atlanta. That night in the shower, I just HATED that pore clog feeling in my underarms so much that I never used AP again! Another TOTAL PEACH PATTY OF LIFE is Arm & Hammer Essential Natural Deo. SO GOOD and such a bargarooni! http://www.drugstore.com/products/prod.asp?pid=511393&catid=183888&aid=338666&aparam=511393&kpid=511393&CAWELAID=120142990000021249&CAGPSPN=pla&kpid=511393 I'm so glad you love the Garnier Orange Pot o' Gold! Whenever I run out, I feel very downtrodden about the whole thing! I need to keep a back up stashed away!
    Ha ha! I am so glad you enjoy the empties posts so much! I basically love writing them so it makes me extra happy to hear that you enjoy reading them! Thank you, love bug! <3

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  19. Surely you deserve a reward for the prettiest empties post! Sadly, I've had to do the reverse and my next empties will be two months' worth and will be anything but pretty - well, it'll be pretty scary anyway! Looking at your list I'm wondering about whether LAVANILA will work for me - I do love the scent but I really need dryness protection too!

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  20. LOL, sorry - I'm just not a big fan of any deep conditioners. They just all feel like regular ones to me!

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  21. It's been years since I've even tried a regular conditioner; I just recall them not resulting in me getting a comb through my bird's nest post-shower. Today though, I decided to branch out and try a regular one to see if times have changed since 1999, LOL! ;)

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