September Empties

Woooot, a whole box of empties!

It's almost that I compensated for the fewer empties the months before: not so true. I had plenty that was almost empty, and I checked out the makeup drawesr for some possible expired products.

It's a lot so I'll keep it short still talk too much because I love explaining stuff

Makeup:

•  the Illamasqua lipquad is more than 5 years old (original haul here). The formula was already on the dryer side but now it gotten desert-like. 
• the Kiehl lipgloss in Golden Berry is from the same period. It still smells good and the formula has not gotten weird but I'm not taking my chances. I really like this one, colour & formula.
• The Scott Barnes pan is a concealer: also not empty but also older and a formula that gotten dryer. The original is quite good and has a high coverage. 
• another concealer from Senna cosmetics -> actually quite stellar, especially undereye. I think they change the packaging (here) but it's really one I'd repurchase
• I bought NARS Larger Than Life Lip Gloss Paris Follies in Sevilla. It had fun souvenir value and the inoffensive peachy hue makes it easy for every look. I used it up after a year which is unique knowing I have tons of lipglosses.
• These 3 lipsticks are from Silknaturals. They are bargain and sometimes dupe the popular colours in natural/veganfriendly formulas. However, I had them for ages so its time to let go of them.
• Rimmel London has this lovely & light eyebrow colour in Hazel. It changed texture and is probably expired.
• Rouge Bunny Rouge Nocturnal Ink eyeliner is a blogger's favourite. I like it but it's not the best ever. Also, it dried out after 7 months: my Kanebo Kate from 3 years old is still quite fresh so I think it due to RBR formula.
• Another eyeliner, Hourglass Script. Also dried out after a year. I haven't used it that much during that time.
• I've featured Diorshow Lash Maximizer (lash primer) over here and I bin it because it doesn't perform. Contrary to this, I adore Kanebo Kate Lash Base old formula but I have to bin it for hygienic reasons.
• Also recently featured is Illamasqua Disobey shader (here). It's been one of my 1st real shader-colours.
• Lunasol Water Cream Foundation in OC2 has been my favourite winterfoundation in 2010 & somewhat in 2011. I prefer newer formulas these days as it can show of slightly glittery on photographs.
  

  Body:

• It's not my 1st time exploring on Llerac anti-cellulite lotion (see here) but this Ultra Body Lift 10 has a PIIIINK gel. I wanted to try it for the higher dose of caffeine: 10%. It feels fresh and smells slightly fruitier than the average cellulite lotion. Effective? My rear feels tighter but I'm never really sure.

• Weleda Birch Oil is another anti-cellulite treatment based on natural (essential) oils. I used it with proper massage techniques but I didn't feel it worked for me. Also, the bottle was empty within 2 weeks which makes it €€ considering it costs me about €18. 
• Boswelia supplements are supposed to work anti-inflammatory (see here). I tried it because I am eczema-prone -> inflamed condition -> so it works on different levels. I think it did diminish some dimples...see above about being 'not sure'.
• Kris d'Amour Soothing Body Butter has such a wonderful natural scent with a hint of lavendel. The butter texture is amazing on lizard-prone legs, which makes them soft and 'eligible' (blame this word on too many George Clooney wedding propaganda)
• Fushi Really Good Sportoil has been a GWP. I really like this British healthcare brand and this oil has a good dose of arnica to soothe those sport-strained muscles.

Hair, shower & Perfume

• Alterna Caviar RepairX Fill & Fix Treatment needs a review on its own! It's terribly expensive for a hairmask though slightly more affordable here. I like it when my hair needs a good treatment
• Yummy, Bond no.9 Little Italy has been my fave orangy perfume for more than 5 years. Now I officially spritzed the last bit out. The bottle is worthy keeping.
• Swell is a newer line in organic haircare that focuses on volume. I don't think the Advanced Formula Shampoo really gives me volume but it's not making it puffy either. Just nice.
• I've been praising the L'Oreal Professional line frequently on this blog. The Lisse Ultime Mask is totally effective on wavy hair: I've used in on extensions and it smoothes the heck out of them...
• Cottage Showergel in Caramel is a souvenir from a Paris Supermarket. Yum, it's totally caramelly without the irritating chemicals. Nice, but difficult to repurchase when not in France.

Face:

• Erica Orangeblossom water is an amazing budgetfind for people liking the effects of Orange Blossom but don't wanna spend €36 on synergetically complicated blends. It smells amazing: claims to protect dry & sensitive skin.
• this Yves Rocher Pur Bleuet eyemakeup-remover has been a gwp with a Spanish Magazine. I've already repurchased it: it removes the most stubborn mascara in just a moment.
• the Caudalie Polyphenol c15 also need a full review: it's my 2nd bottle and I love it's firming properties.

• Tammy Fender Cleansing Milk with Lavendel is probably the closest to smelling a real lavendel field in France. Truly a soft milk for removing light makeup. Expensive though.  
• Living Nature the firming Flax serum smells delightfully neutral with just a hint of earthiness. I cannot tell anything about it being efficient on longterm base but it hydrates and tightens a bit without irritating.

• This Eyeliner from Makeupstudio is basically #craptastic. The good thing is that a brush in included on top but the formula is too dry and flakes within no time.
• Nuxe Reve de Miel Lipbalm is probably one of the most mentioned lipbalms in magazines. I really like the natural feel & tiny buttery lumps in it. But do I think it's the best? I like other lipbalms too for different reasons.
• This Marie Veronique Organics Sunscreen sample is a darker colour than the large bottle I have. I liked it first, but it's not completely perfect.
• Holland recently sells Algenist Skincare; this sample is their nightcream. It reminds me of Clinique only more exclusive and balmy.

Random Samples:

•  Everybody's raving about YSL Fusion Foundation but I think it was like spraying perfume on my face: OTT fragance and a stingy feeling. I didn't think I looked like the glossier self I normally am with my fave foundations -> huge miss
• Hourglass Veil primer is nice but I'm not too fond of the slippery silicony feel. Guess I'm too spoiled with Rouge Bunny Rouge (here)
• Absolution is a newer natural brand. This  Soin Repulpant (plumping) mask felt like a creamy dream. After 10 minutes my skin did look more plum. I'd like to have more samples or a large size of this one.
• L'oreal Professional Absolute repair Cleansing Balm is a Cleansing conditioner with lactic acid.  I would consider more samples of these on holidays when you have to wash your hair oftenly.
• Shiseido Ibiku daycream is thin and smells light. It didn't irritate but I'm not sure if I need a full size.
• Frederic Malle is a niche perfumer who tried to embody the essence of designer Dries van Noten. I'm sure the team of designers agreed on the outcome, but I think the fragance smells too mature lady to me. I sort of miss the playful vibe that has been going on by Dries van Noten's recent designs:
• 

I mean, any 40+ wearing this is a funky chick at heart so she must smell a bit fresher than the sniff I gotten from the sample.

• Caudalie Polyphenol c spf 20 anti wrinkle daycream is nice but did not wow me.
• John Masters Bearberry skin balancing face serum is packed with some good ingredients. The problem with samples is that you cannot tell long term results, but I still like them to know if I agree with them 'at first sight'. I do with this one.

Crikey, what a list! If someone on the street would have to make a guess how many different products have used, they'd probably underestimate me...hahaha. Not sure if I'd top this list for the next month but I'll keep on empting and tossing away expired thingies :)

Juli's Used Ups

Let me start with a lippy I consequently used until I reached bottom (or tube): 

Really, this one is from MAC's 2008 collection (see Temptalia). I have a special storeage for MAC's LE's (some never used) in a dark, cool place and sometimes I revisit Zeeee Box-e and I find myself something useful or fun. Ofcourse, I'm aware of expiry dates so I use my sniffer, and some good ol' logic to see if it is still fresh. 

MAC slimshines are lovely & creamy moisturizing hints of colour for the lips. Funshine is a coraly pink that is lighter than my natural lip colour. I get a wonderful nod to lighter lips with colours like these.

The rest:

July has been somewhat unproductive, but I used up some things:

1. Fairy Drops Mascara  Platinum Mascara film type

Ok, not quite used up but logic and knowledge of mascaras told me it is time to let this one go. I know lots of women love Fairydrops but somehow most of their mascara do not really work for my type of lashes. They do not hold curl that stubbornly as the likes of Majolica Mallorca or Fasio and that is mostly what I need. It's still a good mascara, though, but only with a base.

2. Nude Nailpolish: Nails Inc Basil Street, Essie Barefoot & OPI Let Them Eat Rice Cake

With nailpolish the logic of throwing away is a lot easier, because they are often dried out or separated. I've also finished a bottle of Seche Vite Thinner which can bring some dying nailpolishes alive again. Then again, I have so many nailpolishes that I screen the ones that I really want to thin up again. Or, I need some space and will use some other nudes before possible repurchase.

3. Tatcha Restoring Eye cream (right corner- small sample)

Lovely, but also a bit too pasty/thick for summer time.

4.  Saniflore Aqua Magnifiqua toner (review here)

Absolutely delicious for congested [summer] skin. I can feel it doing something extra when my skin is congested, but without having that stripping feeling those generic anti-acne potions have. It smells so herbally fresh too: repurchase!

5. Rene Furtherer Naturalia Dry Shampoo

I gotten into this one thanks to MostlySunny's rave. AGREED!  It's so delightfully thin and mops up the right amount of grease. And, hardly no white residue! For the supermajority that doesn't have blonde roots it is so wonderful to have a spray that doesn't make you look like you have grey hairs. Even blondes will get a slightly greyish look with about most dry shampoos so I have no idea why companies don't make them better like this one.

6. Vichy Cellu-destock Serum Flash

6%! 

-> 

for the ones that read my neverending stories of battling the ghost of cellulite (albeit very alive) know that I have a serious Caffeine habit. This serum has 6% Caffeine in it. I liked it but it also felt like my 1st tube of Cellulite-busting potions from 1993: perhaps the scent or the texture. I didn't feel it was too effective but I've been slightly inconsequent with it. It's also quite expensive per ml so I think I'll try something else next time.

7. French Girl Organics Rose Noir Cleansing Oil

I featured this baby as a part of my Organic black bottle collection (here). It's a dense cleansing oil that does not foam: I always expect a foam as I'm used to Asian cleansing oils, but Organics seldom do. It cleanses up heavy duty makeup and/or sunscreen but I do need a sudsy cleanser afterwards for rinsing off the oily feeling. It smells lovely like a soft rose.

8. REN Radiance Perfection Serum

This serum is actually meant for younger skins in need of a radiance boost. However, I often serum up twice a day so I really liked this one in the morning: it has some antioxidants (eg: Bitter Orange, Lingonberry) that combat the oxidant effect of sunrays during the day.

That has been my round-up of July's Used Ups. It has been wonderful to take a step away from my normal lipstick routine by taking up a paler hue like MAC Funshine: it does take some more work with the rest of the face (more eyemakeup, etc).  For this month I'm thinking to step out of the box again with lipcolour: perhaps a good berry hue for Indian Summer? We'll see ; )