Empties: January 2012

Okay, so this is my first empties post — inspired, of course, by the original Beauty Reductionista herself, Liz. Everyone seems to be doing these posts now, but I buy so many cosmetics products and never actually see how many of them I finish, so I got curious. The empties in this post have been saved up from mid-December to the end of January (mostly because I decided to join in on the empties fun in December). So, here's the tally:

• Zoya 3-in-1 Formula Remove+ Nail Polish Remover (950 ml)
• Bliss Spa Lemon + Sage Body Butter Maximum Moisture Cream (414 ml)
• Shiseido Super Mild Hair Conditioner — Green Floral (600 ml)
• Lush Big Shampoo (325 g)
• Fresh Sugar Lemon Body Lotion (300 ml)
• Lancôme Crème Radiance Clarifying Cream-To-Foam Cleanser (125 ml)
• Shiseido Pureness Balancing Softener Alcohol-Free (150 ml)
• Lancôme Hydra Zen Neurocalm Extreme Soothing Moisturizing Cream-Gel (50 ml)
• MAC Lightful Foaming Creme Cleanser (100 ml)
• MAC Eyebrows — Lingering (0.09 g)
• MAC Haute & Naughty Lash Mascara — Black (9 g)
• MAC Prep + Prime Face Protect SPF 50 (30 ml)
• MAC Blot Powder Pressed — Medium Dark (12 g)
• MAC Studio Fix Powder+ Foundation — NC40 (15 g)

Yes, that's 14 full-sized (and in some cases, super-sized!) products completely finished!

Body Care/Haircare/Miscellaneous:

Zoya 3-in-1 Formula Remove+ Nail Polish Remover & Nail Prep (950 ml) — If a "holy grail" nail polish remover existed, this one would be it for me. So much so, that I actually finished the professional salon size bottle (to be fair, I do switch my nail polish shade every three to four days!). This bottle lasted me about six months, which I thought was pretty good. It removes all of my nail polish quickly and efficiently while being really gentle and completely non-drying, and is even effective in taking off glitter nail polish (not as fast as 100% acetone remover, but it's so ridiculously harsh that my nails will literally start peeling upon removal). It's phenomenal, especially if you like to change your polish often!

Repurchase? Yes, definitely yes.

Bliss Spa Lemon + Sage Body Butter Maximum Moisture Cream (414 ml) — I bought this super-sized version of Bliss Spa's famous body butter in one of their Back To School sets back in September. I started using this more often when the weather got colder and my skin got drier. I've been using this body butter on and off for years (when Bliss Spa's packaging was white and teal), and while I don't find it to be the most hydrating body cream on the market, it does a decent job in keeping the scalies away. I do find this to be on the heavier, greasier side (it is a body butter, after all, not a lotion), so it doesn't absorb quite as fast, so I would recommend this for drier skin (as opposed to normal/dry). Either way, it's the scent that really keeps me coming back to it. I don't smell the sage at all in this; it reminds me of lemon curd or lemon custard, which I just love. The only thing that makes me cringe is the price.

Repurchase? Yes, but only when it's on a promotional price.

Shiseido Super Mild Hair Conditioner — Green Floral (600 ml) — This is actually the second bottle of this conditioner I have bought, and I originally found this on a whim when I was grocery shopping at T&T Supermarket (a Chinese-Canadian grocery chain). In case you haven't seen it before, this is a part of Shiseido's "drugstore" line, which is big in Asia, but not so much in Canada. All the writing on it is in Japanese, so I can't really tell you what it's supposed to do or what it's supposed to smell like, but I love, love, love the scent of this. This conditioner comes in three fragrances, but I am partial to the green one, which is a light, fresh, clean floral scent. (The other two are almost too floral for my tastes.) I love that this conditioner isn't heavy, but leaves my hair feeling super soft and silky and completely detangled without leaving a residue. (For the record, I have non-dyed, long, medium-thick, coarse, dry hair.) Plus, it comes with a pump (which I personally like), and a 600 ml bottle is around $16 here (but it does go on sale for around $12, which is when I buy it).

Repurchase? Yep, I already did last week!

Lush Big Shampoo (325 g) — I originally bought this at the end of last summer, and it has lasted me this long! You can read my original review of it here. Honestly, there's really nothing I don't like about this shampoo. It leaves my hair feeling light and buoyant and really clean, while looking shinier and healthier. And it has a delightful beachy, citrusy smell! I use it every other day (I wash my hair everyday, which isn't recommended, but whatever) and it works wonders at deep cleansing the hair and scalp, which is especially important to me because I use hairsprays and Moroccan Oil, which leave a film on the hair. I've already converted three people to this shampoo.

Repurchase? Yep, I did last week!

Fresh Sugar Lemon Body Lotion (300 ml) — This is my favourite body lotion of all time. (For the record, I have dry, eczema-prone skin.) It's light, fast-absorbing, and non-greasy, but it keeps my skin well-hydrated throughout the entire day, and it smells phenomenal. I'm not a huge fan of the perfume, which kind of reminds me of Lemon Pledge, but the lotion is just fantastic — a softer, non-overwhelming version of the scent. And most importantly, it doesn't irritate my skin at all. Pricey, yes, but worth it for me.

Repurchase? Yes, I bought two bottles last November when I was in Buffalo.

Skincare:

Lancôme Crème Radiance Clarifying Cream-To-Foam Cleanser (125 ml) — This is my "holy grail" cleanser. I've been using it since it came out a few years ago, and even after trying all sorts of different cleansers, this is the one I always go back to. It takes off all of my make-up (including eye make-up and mascara) and also cleans my skin effectively without leaving it feeling dry. It foams up, but it's also creamy, which I love in my cleansers (as opposed to gels or foams or milks). It is pricey, especially now that I don't get a discount, but it is worth the money for me.

Repurchase? Always.

Shiseido Pureness Balancing Softener Alcohol-Free (150 ml) — I have been using this toner on and off for years, and I always love it when I'm using it. It's simple and fuss-free, with a nice, clean scent, and most importantly, it's alcohol-free. I have combination/oily skin, and this is a non-drying toner that does what it's supposed to do (e.g. remove any cleanser residue, prep skin for serum/moisturizer) while leaving my skin feeling clean, refreshed, and balanced. And it comes in a handy pump dispenser!

Repurchase? Yep, I did today!

Lancôme Hydra Zen Neurocalm Extreme Soothing Moisturizing Cream-Gel (50 ml) — My go-to night moisturizer. It's oil-free, lightweight, and extremely hydrating. I don't use this in the day because I get too oily, but it really soothes my skin after a whole day of wearing full-face make-up and removing said make-up. I was originally using Lancôme's Aqua Fusion Cream-Gel, but it was discontinued a couple years ago, and this is what replaced it, so I switched over to this. And I ended up liking it better. It has a light floral scent, which I personally really like, but if you like your skincare to be fragrance-free, then this wouldn't be for you. But I always go back to this because I haven't yet found something I like better.

Repurchase? Yes, if I don't end up liking the current one I'm using (Boscia).

MAC Lightful Foaming Creme Cleanser (100 ml) — I think I went through two tubes of this in total. I used this as my morning cleanser (so not my make-up remover). I absolutely love the texture of this — creamy and super-foamy. It cleaned my face really well without leaving any residue, and was gentle and didn't strip my skin. I didn't really see any "brightening" properties, as MAC's Lightful line is meant to do, but then again, this is a cleanser and it doesn't stay on my face, so it's really unlikely to see a cleanser make any difference in skintone.

Repurchase? No, this has been discontinued. But I will try MAC's new Lightful formula when it is released at the end of February.

Make-up:

MAC Eyebrows — Lingering (0.09 g) — I have been using this eyebrow pencil for years. I love that it's self-sharpening and that it has the finest point I have ever seen on an eyebrow pencil. I have thin, patchy, asymmetrical eyebrows, and this really helps fill them and shape them with precision. And Lingering, a soft taupe brown, is the perfect shade for me.

Repurchase? Yep, I always have two back-ups.

MAC Haute & Naughty Lash Mascara — Black (9 g) — This is now my go-to mascara. I have really long, but really thin and straight lashes, and this amps up the volume like no other. And it doesn't smudge, even though it's not waterproof. The formula is really wet, though, so it can be prone to clumping and it can get a little messy around the tube opening... but the effect is totally worth it, 'cause I love huge, dramatic lashes.

Repurchase? Yep, I always have a back-up.

MAC Prep + Prime Face Protect SPF 50 (30 ml) — My go-to face primer. It keeps my face looking completely smooth and matte and perfect throughout the entire day. It doesn't leave a film on my face (e.g. Smashbox), and it has SPF 50!

Repurchase? Yes.

MAC Blot Powder Pressed — Medium Dark (12 g) — I've been using this for years. As mentioned, I have fairly oily skin. I use this to set my foundation, and as a result, I only blot my face once a day, as opposed to... six?

Repurchase? Yep, I always have a back-up.

MAC Studio Fix Powder+ Foundation — NC40 (15 g) — I've been using this for years. I've realized that I actually hate using liquid and cream make-up products on my face, and was looking for medium-full coverage in a matte finish, and this powder foundation was the answer. It's sort of a love-it-or-hate-it product, but I can't live without it now. It's completely easy and effortless to use, and I get smooth, nearly full coverage in about 30 seconds. It's more ideal for combination-to-oily skintypes, though, because it will emphasize dryness and is prone to caking on dry skin.

Repurchase? Yep, I always have a back-up.

Tallying empties is surprisingly satisfying. And it's made me realize: Holy crap, I use a lot of product. So, I'm kind of justified in buying tons of cosmetics, right? Right?