September Sayonara Products

As I say goodbye to September, I also bid 10 emptied products farewell! And *drum roll please* three of them are makeup items! Here is what I finished up this month:

Yes to Tomatoes Volumizing Shampoo

Read the full review here. This is the best natural shampoo I have found yet, but I apparently didn't love it enough to repurchase because I am still on the hunt for my HG hair care products.

Neutrogena Naturals Purifying Facial Cleanser

I was excited that a mainstream brand like Neutrogena was releasing more natural products, but this was really just ho-hum for me. It got my skin clean, but it didn't offer a lot in the way of oil and acne fighting. Also, it had an odd medicinal, herbal smell that I wasn't too fond of.

Yes to Cucumbers Calming Facial Mask

This is the second tub of this I have used up, and I actually quite like it. The jars are a bit small and a bit expensive, but it is a natural product and smells just like cucumbers. Read my full review here.

Batiste Dry Shampoo

As a busy graduate student, sometime showering just doesn't take priority over finishing my bajillion pages of reading. On those days, a blast of Batiste keeps me looking fresh. I cant be without this stuff.

Mario Badescu Glycolic Foaming Cleanser

This cleanser contains glycolic acid, which is supposed to exfoliate the skin and breaks up gunk in your pores, and is only meant to be used twice a week. Though I did find that my skin was a bit smoother and brighter after using this, I didn't see much improvement with my blackheads. Not bad, but not worth the price tag either.

ELF HD Powder

This was my HG setting powder over the summer, and made it on to many of my favorites lists. The finely milled, silky white powder controlled oil like no other on my skin and delivered an airbrush finish. I will certainly repurchase this.

Yes to Carrots Eye Contour Cream

Just your run of the mill eye cream here. I wasn't impressed with it, so I ended up using it was an eye makeup remover just to finish up the tub.

Too Faced Glamour Gloss in Pillow Talk

Pillow talk is a natural looking gloss with very subtle mauve undertones, and the formula is slightly plumping. I did find it a bit thick and sticky though. I enjoyed it while this deluxe sample lasted, but not enough to invest in a full sized tube.

Estee Lauder Double Wear Foundation (deluxe sample)

Read my full review here. To use this up, I mixed with with tinted moisturizer to create a more natural finish foundation. The combo offered the coverage, staying power, and oil control I needed without looking like I was wearing a mask. However, I am looking for a foundation that can deliver all of those benifits without me having to make a cosmetic cocktail every time I do my makeup.

TRESemme Non-Aerosol Hair Spray

After I finished up a big can of hairspray, this little travel bottle was all I had around so I just used it up. It did its job, but I don't have anything to rave about. 

What did you finish up in September?

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Posted in Batiste , E.L.F. , Estee Lauder , Mario Badescu , Neutrogena , Sayonara Products , Too Faced , TRESemme , Yes to Carrots , Yes to Cucumbers , Yes to Tomatoes

July Sayonara Products!

Can you believe it is the last day of July? Where is our summer going? As we say goodbye to this month, I am also saying goodbye to a handful of products. Once again, for some empties it is good riddance and for others it is a regretful goodbye (until I repurchase, that is!). Here are the products that I finished up this past month.

Too Faced Lash Injection

I bought this mini from Sephora just to try it out, and I am glad I never invested in a full-sized tube. For me, this mascara was nothing special. The bristle brush is big, fat, and dense, which I like, but it took too much work and too many coats to achieve the length and volume I seek. On top of that, it left my lashes stiff and had an unpleasant flowery scent. Goodbye!

Burt's Bees Beeswax Lip Balm

Burt's Bees is notorious for making great lip balm. I love that this is all natural and that it leaves my lips tingling a bit. The only thing I wasn't fond of was the tin packaging- next time I will opt for a stick instead for easier, more sanitary application.

fresh Cannabis Santal

As I have mentioned before, I really dislike traditionally feminine and flowery fragrances for myself. Instead, I opt for more earthy and spicy scents, and Cannabis Santal is right up my alley. No, it doesn't smell like what you are thinking of, naughty girls! Cannabis Santal smells like incense but isn't over powering. 

Yes to Carrots Gentle Exfoliating Facial Cleanser 

For intensive exfoliation this is too gentle for me. It is better as a daily cleanser, but as it is cream based it is not best suited for my oily prone skin. I love the natural Yes to brand, and I think this is a good product for someone with very sensitive, or normal to dry skin. For myself, however, I'll pass. See my full review here.

Batiste Original Dry Shampoo

This is the first dry shampoo I have ever tried, and I don't know how I lived without it! This summer essential has been great for sprucing up oily roots and adding volume.

EOS Shave Cream in Vanilla Bliss

Another product I am sad to see go. This shave cream is incredibly moisturizing and smells divine. Plus, EOS is a natural brand! Read my full review here. 

Suave Max Hold Hairspray

This can lasted me more than a year because I don't use much product on my hair. Nothing special, but this hairspray got the job done and was really cheap.

Yes to Tomatoes Facial Hydrating Lotion

Panic struck my heart when I pumped out the last of this lotion! I reviewed it here, but in short, this is the first lotion that I feel was formulated with my skin type and needs in mind. It sinks in quickly, hydrates and balances well, and doesn't leave a greasy residue. Oily prone divas rejoice!

Yes to Blueberries Intensive Repair Serum

This product is part of Yes to's anti-aging line, so this was a preventative product for me. Although I don't yet have wrinkles to tackle, nightly use of this product really improved the condition of my skin. It was more radiant and smooth, and I could tell that it was helping to repair damaged tissue and increasing surface skin cell turn-over.

philosophy purity made simple one-step facial cleanser

I thought I would hate this cleanser, but it wasn't half bad. My skin needs a product that is better at oil control, but I can say that this made my skin baby smooth. Read more on it here. 

Maybelline Define-a-Brow Pencil

At first I was really disappointed in this product; so much so, in fact, that it made it into my May Flunkies list. Although the shade is a great match for my brow color, the pencil crumbles easily and is difficult to keep sharply pointed. Over time, I learned to work with enough to use it up, but I won't be repurchasing.

What did you use up this month?

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Posted in Batiste , Burt's Bees , EOS , fresh , Maybelline , philosophy , Sayonara Products , Suave , Too Faced , Yes to Blueberries , Yes to Carrots , Yes to Tomatoes