Beautiful Curls Curl Reviving Tonic
I've gone through four or five bottles of this spray over the last couple years. It's fantastic on second day hair and really does revive and refresh curls, just as the name says. Unfortunately the ingredients/formula changed a few months ago and it now includes phenoxyethanol, an ingredient I prefer not to use.
Repurchase? No. I have one more bottle of the old formula, but after that I won't be buying any more.
Intelligent Nutrients Harmonic Shampoo [Review]
I included this shampoo in my Top 15 Products of 2015, which pretty much says it all! It's a great shampoo that gets the scalp very clean without making hair dry or brittle. I still have 1/2 or 1/3 of a bottle of the matching conditioner, but I'll finish that off with other shampoos.
Repurchase? Yes, but not immediately.
Scentuals Bodycare Moisturizing Grapefruit Body Wash* [Review]
This was a nice body wash. I liked the grapefruit scent and it was actually quite moisturizing. The texture is interesting too - kind of a creamy midway point between a typical body wash and aloe vera gel. I used a good portion of the bottle to wash my makeup brushes and it worked really well for that purpose as well.
Repurchase? Probably not. I liked it, but there are other body washes I like more.
Nourish Organic Coconut & Argan Body Wash
Nourish's Body Wash is another product that made it onto my Top 15 of 2015 and is something I've gone through numerous bottles of. Funny story about this one: I'm a big fan of the Coconut & Argan scent and had tucked this bottle away for most of the year after finding out it had been discontinued. So, imagine my surprise to finally open it and discover the contents were actually the Almond Vanilla Body Wash! Not a bad scent by any means, just pretty funny under the circumstances.
Repurchase? Yes! Obviously not in this scent, but I'll definitely be buying others.
Young Living Grapefruit Lip Balm
I like the Young Living lip balms, but the grapefruit one isn't my favorite. It smells lovely, but I don't find it as hydrating as the Lavender, which is my favorite.
Repurchase? Yes, but probably not this scent.
Balanced Guru Calming Masque [Review]
Yet another Top 15 of 2015 product! I've gone through a few of these small jars now and it's still one of my all-time favorite masks.
Repurchase? Yes! I already have.
Sibu Beauty Sea Buckthorn Purifying Mask
I'm not as crazy obsessed with this mask as with the Balanced Guru, but I do like it. It's pretty gentle and the fact that it's pre-mixed in a tube makes it super quick and easy - perfect for in the shower or other instances when I was short on time.
Repurchase? Maybe.
Weleda Pomegranate Firming Serum + Day Cream (samples)
I like a lot of Weleda products, but the serums just don't work for my skin. They're glycerin-based and my face tends to break out from a lot of glycerin. Since I didn't want the samples to go to waste, I used them on my chest and they worked nicely there. The serum is hydrating but ultra-lightweight. It sinks in almost instantly, leaving skin basically dry to the touch. The Firming Day Cream was nice enough too, but after only one packet, it didn't make a huge impression.
Repurchase? No.
Sibu Beauty Sea Buckthorn Hydrating Serum
Another glycerin-based serum that I didn't have very high expectations for, but I ended up really liking it. I also used it on my chest rather than my face, and it seemed to make the skin in that area look smoother and more even, even just in the five or six days the sample packet lasted.
Repurchase? Possibly.
Darling Girl Cosmetics Dr. Pepper Cake Eye Shadow (sample)
Darling Girl makes some of my favorite shadows, both in color and formula. Dr. Pepper Cake - now discontinued - was a beautiful complex neutral: a shimmery mid-toned brown with some pink/mauve reflects.
Repurchase? Not possible.
Odacité Intensive Hand & Heel Therapy* (sample) [Review]
I loved this cream and used it very sparingly to make the sample last. It's a rich cream, but absorbs quickly to deeply nourish hands, feet, and other dry areas. The ingredients are also wonderful.
Repurchase? Maybe.
Total Products Used Up in December
Skincare: 3 (Lip Balms: 1)
Bodycare: 2
Haircare: 2
Makeup: 0
Skin/Body/Hair Samples: 7
Makeup Samples: 1
Total Products Used Up in 2015
Skincare: 40 (Lip Balms: 11)
Bodycare: 40
Haircare: 12
Makeup: 15
Skin/Body/Hair Samples: 75
Makeup Samples: 33
Total Full Size Products: 107 (!!!!)
Total Samples: 108
And that's a wrap! I had fun tracking numbers this year and it really is interesting to see the rate at which you go through different kinds of products. Having a better idea of how long things actually last has also made me more conscious when making purchases the last several months.
What surprised me the most?
i) That I go through about a lip balm a month
ii) How few hair products I actually use. Definitely something to keep in mind before stockpiling shampoos!
Thanks for sticking with me through this series! I'm thinking of changing up how I do empties for 2016 - either by not doing them every single month, or maybe just showing noteworthy products, since some things seem repetitive after a certain point. Let me know if you like these posts as they are, or if you have any ideas for mixing it up!
*Press sample
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Hey Caitie, a few months ago I commented that I, too, noticed an unfortunate change in the Acure body lotion formula. I've been on the hunt for a replacement and wanted to pass along the good news that I think I've found one.
ReplyDeleteNot sure if you've reviewed them on the blog ever, the Andalou Body Butters?? I got the Kukui Cocoa scent and LOVE it! Rich and moisturizing, but absorbs quickly and isn't greasy.
Try it if you haven't already!!! Their normal lotions seem to get good reviews too, so that is next on my list to try...
Hi Lorie,
ReplyDeleteThanks so much for the suggestion! I'm glad to hear you found a replacement - I'll have to check it out :) My only thing is that I really like an unscented lotion for everyday and I don't think Andalou makes one unfortunately. I did pick up a few new ones try though and am slowly working my through + hoping for a new favorite. The only one I've gotten to so far is the new Acure Baby Lotion - actually considerably richer than the regular one, so you might want to check it out (though the unscented smells terrible, so I wouldn't recommend that specific one!)
Awesome! I have seen it in stores but hadn't really thought to try it on myself.
ReplyDeleteAs for the Andalou, the Kukui cocoa is not a super strong scent. I typically go for mild vanilla-type scents that aren't overpowering, and this one fit the bill.
Look forward to heating if you've found a good replacement!
Oh great, will definitely give it a sniff next time I can! And, I'll be sure to keep you posted if I find a fantastic replacement :)
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