Empties: September 2012

I know it seems like I've emptied a lot of product this past month, but I was sidetracked by my August empties and ended up putting up the post in the middle of September instead of at the beginning. So, just to be clear, this post is contains only product that I have emptied in September alone. (On that note, is it seriously October? I swear, September flew by faster than most other months, like it almost didn't exist...) This post is, of course, dedicated to the original Beauty Reductionista, Liz. Without further ado, here is my empties tally, collected from September 1 to September 30:

• MOR Hand Cream — Basil & Grape (80 ml)
• Origins A Perfect World Highly Hydrating Body Lotion with White Tea (200 ml)
• Philosophy Shampoo, Shower Gel & Bubble Bath — Senorita Margarita (480 ml)
• Bumble and Bumble Bb. Quenching Conditioner (1 L)
• Philosophy Purity Made Simple Foaming 3-in-1 Cleansing Gel for Face and Eyes (30 ml)
• MAC Cremewash (100 ml)
• MAC Lightful Marine-Bright Formula Cleanser (100 ml)
• MAC Lightful Marine-Bright Formula Softening Lotion (150 ml)
• MAC Studio Fix Powder+ Foundation — NC40 (15 g)
• MAC Prep + Prime Face Protect SPF 50 (30 ml)
• MAC Haute & Naughty Too Black Lash Mascara (9 g)
• MAC Liquid Eye Liner — Boot Black (2.5 ml)
• Fresh Sugar Lychee Eau de Parfum (100 ml)
• Fresh Sugar Lychee Eau de Parfum (30 ml)
• Method Now in Season Naturally Derived Foaming Hand Soap — Coconut Grove (300 ml)
• Bath & Body Works Anti-Bacterial Foaming Hand Soap — Eucalyptus Mint (259 ml)

Total: 16 products (14 full size, 1 jumbo size, 1 travel size)

Bodycare/Haircare:

MOR Hand Cream — Basil & Grape (80 ml) — I bought this originally for the scent, which is absolutely divine; like sweet, fresh grapes. I would actually buy this again for the scent alone, but turns out, it's an excellent hand cream, too. It's a bit on the thicker side so it doesn't absorb right away, but it does a fantastic job of hydrating. Not as repairing as L'Occitane en Provence's hand cream, but a great option for dry hands, especially if you like the scent. I've smelled their other scents, and this one is by far the best, to my taste.

Re-purchase? Yes.

Origins A Perfect World Highly Hydrating Body Lotion with White Tea (200 ml) — I got this in New York, which was about a month ago, and I've already used this whole tube up. It is strangely addictive to use. Besides the fantastic scent, which is reminiscent of mangosteen fruit (or peach gummy candy), it is a thinner consistency so it absorbs really fast and doesn't feel sticky, but leaves skin feeling perfectly hydrated. It is very pricey, however, considering how much is in each tube (and how fast I use it up!). Luckily, I picked up another tube for nearly half-price at the Estée Lauder warehouse sale.

Re-purchase? Yes, at a discounted price. Otherwise, no, too expensive.

Philosophy Shampoo, Shower Gel & Bubble Bath — Senorita Margarita (480 ml) — I've been using Philosophy's shower gels on and off again for years (since Sephora arrived in Canada, actually). I don't use it as a shampoo because I find other shampoos to be more effective, and I don't use it as a bubble bath because I prefer bath bombs (and let's face it, I take about two baths a year), so it's main purpose for me is a shower gel. It foams up nicely and feels nice on skin, but the sole reason anyone gets a Philosophy shower gel is for the scent. This is probably my favourite one of their entire range, and a friend got it for me as a Secret Santa gift last year (yes, nearly a year ago). I started using this in the Spring and finally finished it, about six months later. So while these are expensive up-front at $21 a pop, they have quite a low cost per use.

Re-purchase? Yes, though maybe in a different scent for fall/winter.

Bumble and Bumble Bb. Quenching Conditioner (1 L) — I picked this up at the the Estée Lauder warehouse sale this past Spring, and finally managed to finish it after five months. Considering that it costs $80 at retail price and I got it for $35, I think it's quite a steal. The product itself is really nice, and leaves my hair smooth, hydrated, and detangled. Plus, it smells good.
Re-purchase? Yes, at a discounted price. Otherwise, no, too expensive.

Skincare:

Philosophy Purity Made Simple Foaming 3-in-1 Cleansing Gel for Face and Eyes (30 ml) — I got this from redeeming my Sephora VIB points (I actually redeemed enough for five tubes). I didn't really like this at first and then it grew on me, and now I love it. I hate the original version of this cleanser purely because of the consistency, but when I heard they made a foaming gel version, I was excited to try it. It still doesn't foam up as much as I want it to, but it takes off make-up like nobody's business (including all of my mascara!). I do like a second cleanser to deep cleanse afterwards, but this may be my new holy grail make-up remover.

Re-purchase? Yes.

MAC Cremewash (100 ml) — MAC's skincare is so underrated, but many of their products are surprisingly worth trying. This has quickly become one of my favourite cleansers. It seriously takes off all my make-up (you're not meant to be using this in the eye area, but I do and it takes off everything, even stubborn mascara!), and leaves my skin feeling so soft and so smooth and so clean. It foams up beautifully and has such a rich, dense lather. And it smells really clean with a hint of sweetness, kind of like apples and flowers.

Re-purchase? Yes.

MAC Lightful Marine-Bright Formula Cleanser (100 ml) — I think I've gone through three tubes of Lightful Cleanser 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.

Re-purchase? Yes.

MAC Lightful Marine-Bright Formula Softening Lotion (150 ml) — This is MAC's latest Lightful toner (they re-formulate the line every three years). The purpose of the Lightful line is to brighten the skin and help fade pigmentation. This toner is meant to "condition the skin for a smoother, more radiant look and feel." I'm not sure if my face has gotten smoother or more radiant because of this toner, but it feels great on the skin — it makes it feel softer and more hydrated without leaving a film. And it smells good.
Re-purchase? Yes, at a discounted price. Otherwise, no, too expensive. 

Make-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-to-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. 

Re-purchase? Yes, I always have a back-up.

MAC Prep + Prime Face Protect SPF 50 (30 ml) — My go-to face primer. Aside from helping the wear-time of my foundation, it keeps my face looking completely smooth throughout the entire day and also helps to control oil so I only blot once a day. Plus, it doesn't leave a film on my face, and it has SPF 50!

Re-purchase? Yes, I always have a back-up.

MAC Haute & Naughty Too Black Lash Mascara (9 g) — This is the carbon black version of 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 plum-lidded brush to separate and feather out my lashes, and then the sparkly 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? Yes, I always have two back-ups.

MAC Liquid Eye Liner — Boot Black (2.5 ml) — I do classic, winged out eyeliner everyday; I used to use Lancôme Artliner Precision Point Eyeliner to draw out the line first, and then top it off with Boot Black to make it matte and more intense black. However, the Lancôme one has become way too expensive for me to justify, and this one works just as well — I just prefer the softer felt tip of Lancôme's.
Re-purchase? Yes, I always have two back-ups.

Fragrance:

Fresh Sugar Lychee Eau de Parfum (100 ml) — This is my all-time favourite perfume. I've been using this since it was launched in 2007. I go through at least four full-sized bottles a year since then. It's a really clean, fresh citrus perfume (grapefruit, lemon, lime blossom) with a fruity sweetness (lychee, mango flower) that isn't cloying at all and a floral note (freesia) that adds more depth and doesn't give me headaches. There is a soft warmth (tonka bean, amber, sandalwood) underlying the citrusy sweetness that gives it a more complex base and lingers beautifully on skin. I also keep a 30ml bottle in my purse.

Re-purchase? Yes.

Fresh Sugar Lychee Eau de Parfum (30 ml) — Read above. I somehow finished my purse bottle and my full-size bottle at the same time.

Re-purchase? Yes.

Miscellaneous:

Method Now in Season Naturally Derived Foaming Hand Soap — Coconut Grove (300 ml) — I love Method's hand soaps, but because they don't say anti-bacterial, I always think they don't clean germs as well as other brands. (I am a neurotic germaphobe, okay?) I'll still buy Method's hand soaps now and again, like when I'm in the States and I can get them for much cheaper. I picked up this scent last time I went to Buffalo because it was new and limited edition. It really does smell like coconuts, which I liked at first, but I quickly became sick of it.

Re-purchase? No, and it's not available anymore, anyway.

Bath & Body Works Anti-Bacterial Foaming Hand Soap — Eucalyptus Mint (259 ml) — I go through Bath & Body Works hand soaps like they're going out of style. I wash my hands like crazy because, as mentioned, I am a germaphobe. I buy these when they're on sale, so they're usually $3 a bottle. Eucalyptus Mint blends eucalyptus, spearmint, and citrus. This will always remain one of my favourite scents that Bath & Body Works ever created. It's fresh, super-clean, and unisex. I get this scent in the anti-bacterial hand gel and candle, as well. 

Re-purchase? Yes, I usually buy three at a time, sometimes more.

Still going strong, apparently! Maybe I will hit a slow down period this month?