Empties: July 2012

Does anyone else feel like July went by faster than any other month? July was ridiculously hectic for me so maybe that's why if feels virtually non-existent, but seriously, there's only one month of summer left. No complaints here, though — I'm ready for autumn! Anyway, the end of the month means it's Empties Time! This post is, of course, dedicated to the original Beauty Reductionista, Liz. Without further ado, here is my empties tally, collected from July 1 to July 31:

• L'Occitane en Provence Shea Butter Hand Cream (10 ml)
• Bath & Body Works Body Lotion — Pearberry (236 ml)
• Fresh Sugar Lemon Body Lotion (300 ml)
• Lush I Love Juicy Shampoo (250 ml)
• Boscia Purifying Cleansing Gel (150 ml)
• MAC Mineralize Charged Water Cleanser (100 ml)
• Estée Lauder Perfectly Clean Fresh Balancing Lotion (400 ml)
• MAC Haute & Naughty Lash Mascara — Black (9 g)
• MAC Studio Fix Powder+ Foundation — NC40 (15 g)
• Boscia Blotting Linens — Green Tea (100 sheets)
• Slatkin & Co. 3-Wick Candle — Oceanside (411 g)
• Slatkin & Co. 3-Wick Candle — Seashore (411 g)

Total: 12 products (10 full size, 1 jumbo size, 1 travel size)

Bodycare/Haircare:

L'Occitane en Provence Shea Butter Hand Cream (10 ml) — When I was in New York in April, there was literally a parade of L'Occitane employees handing out these travel size tubes of their Shea Butter Hand Cream to everyone on the street. When I realized they were handing out my favourite hand cream for free, I was like, "Must stock up!" So I think I ended up with eight tubes of these. It's very rich and kind of greasy, so I only use it at home and before bed, but it really helps repair super-dry, chapped, on-the-brink-of-bleeding hands. I am indifferent to the scent, which is a clean, baby powder fragrance.

Re-purchase? Yes, when I'm done all these little tubes.

Bath & Body Works Body Lotion — Pearberry (236 ml) — I got this during the Semi-Annual Sale for $3. It was a classic Bath & Body Works scent that was discontinued and now makes a re-appearance once or twice a year, but it's still one of my favourites. As the name implies, Pearberry blends the scents of "juicy pears" and "ripe forest berries." It's definitely on the sweet side but it somehow remains fresh and non-cloying (to me, anyway). The scent is quite strong, however, and will linger on the skin. I don't think this particular formula is better than many of the other body lotions out there, but it's lightweight and non-greasy and good for warmer months when your skin needs hydration but not repairing.

Re-purchase? When it becomes available again, yes.

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.

Re-purchase? Yes, probably when I go to the States.

Lush I Love Juicy Shampoo (250 ml) — Okay, I admit to buying this more so on a whim than on actually needing it. It is recommended for oily hair, so I only used it when I used hair styling products. It blends mango, pineapple, kiwi, and papaya, and the scent of the shampoo reflects that but it also has a sort of minty scent to it as well. I liked the scent, but didn't love it. It made my hair feel clean but not any better than many other shampoos out there. It is a good product if you're looking for a natural or vegan shampoo option, but otherwise, I'd look somewhere else.

Re-purchase? No.

Skincare:

Boscia Purifying Cleansing Gel (150 ml) — First of all, this is supposed to remove make-up, but I found that I needed to go in a second time and then use a secondary cleanser to take off all my make-up. Secondly, it made my skin feel dry and tight after using it. And thirdly, it does not foam up well. It's okay as a morning cleanser when I'm just taking off the night's residual oil and whatnot, but that's all I would ever use it for. And at $31 a pop, it's just not worth it. So, no, not a fan of this at all.

Re-purchase? No.

MAC Mineralize Charged Water Cleanser (100 ml) — Okay, it has to be said that I use cleansing waters as toners. This product on its own doesn't take off heavy duty make-up, so it's more ideal for taking off products like tinted moisturizer or BB cream. This is a product that is better off being used as a skin refresher, like maybe after a workout at the gym or a game of tennis or something. As I said, I was using this as a toner, to get rid of any residue that my cleanser left or any leftover make-up that my cleanser didn't manage to get off.

Re-purchase? Not at full price, no.

Estée Lauder Perfectly Clean Fresh Balancing Lotion (400 ml) — I've been using this on and off for years. I actually really like this toner, and it always becomes my back-up when I'm trying other toners. It leaves my skin feeling fresh and clean, but comfortable and smooth, and it smells really nice.

Re-purchase? Yep, I always get the double-sized bottle.

Make-up:

MAC Haute & Naughty Lash Mascara — Black (9 g) — This is 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. I use the pink-lidded brush to separate and feather out my lashes, and then the purple-lidded brush for intense volume. 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. I seriously go through one tube every month.

Re-purchase? Yep, I always have two back-ups.

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 am firmly in the "love it" camp. 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 skin types, though, because it will emphasize dryness and is prone to caking on dry skin. (I emptied one last month as well because when one hits pan, I use it with a smaller brush as my "concealer," so I always have two compacts in use at any given time.)

Re-purchase? Yep, I always have two back-ups.

Miscellaneous:

Boscia Blotting Linens — Green Tea (100 sheets) — Best blotting sheets, ever. It removes oil and sweat without disturbing make-up. I know most brands say this about their blotting sheets, but this actually holds true for Boscia's version. Plus, at $12 for 100 sheets, it's even cheaper than Clean & Clear (which are horrendous and completely strips off your make-up along with the oil). It's the most effective, and it's the best bang for your buck.

Re-purchase? Yep, I always have two back-up packs.

Slatkin & Co. 3-Wick Candle — Oceanside (411 g) — Slatkin & Co. makes the candles at Bath & Body Works, and Oceanside is a scent that came out for Summer. It includes notes of watery greens, cucumber, juicy melon, and peony petals. It's a fresh, clean scent that's nice for summer, though it's a bit cloying after a while.

Re-purchase? Maybe, if it was on sale. But this will be discontinued after summer.

Slatkin & Co. 3-Wick Candle — Seashore (411 g) — Slatkin & Co. makes the candles at Bath & Body Works, and Seashore is a scent that came out for Summer. It includes notes of crisp water lotus, bright citrus, and salt water. This reminded me more of the ocean than Oceanside, ironically. It's not as sweet or floral as Oceanside, so I did like this one a bit more. Again, it's a fresh, clean scent, but non-cloying.

Re-purchase? Yes, but this will be discontinued after summer.

I think this is my worst month in terms of empties. I think I may be entering a slow-down phase...