Empties! (Traveler edition!)

Hi All!
    Hope that this summer break is treating you well! I am really excited to bring you guys another batch of empties (no I did not pack empties from my home to take with me for this post) This is strictly a post of what I have finished on this trip so that I don't have to carry back to the USA a large bag full of empty plastic containers (I think TSA would find that kinda crazy too!)

So what have I finished?

Yes to Cucumbers Soothing Facial Towels:
These were okay towelettes, I bought the sample pack before my trip yet I
found that I didn't use them as much.  These just didn't feel like they actually
got all my makeup off.  Plus these stung my eyes. 

Make-up Remover Facial Wipes:

These I got from the Dollar Store, and didn't really like these for my face. They were small, and not very saturated.
I actually used these to spot treat my makeup brushes.

 Neutrogena Oil- Free Acne Wash:

This was another product I picked up in a previous haul
just so that I could try out some other facial products.  This was a pretty good face wash I might go back and purchase it in the future.

L'Occitane Shower Gel Mini (x3):
I had a whole bunch of mini L'Occitane products from my hotel and I really
like the way this smelled.  It had Rosemary and Mint and just felt so
refreshing! Would I purchase this on it's own...probably not because it is pretty pricy. 

Asira Body Wash:

This was from a hotel I stayed in YEARS ago (yep I hoarded mini bath products)
Anyways, I found that this wash dried my skin out, and anyways I can't purchase this any
place....so I'm just glad I have less crap hanging around my room.

L'Occitane Shampoo (x3):
Yep, I told ya I had a bunch of these minis! The shampoo was pretty good,
but it doesn't work better than drugstore shampoos like Garnier or Herbal Essences. 

L'Oreal EverSleek Reparative Smoothing Conditioner:
So this conditioner worked pretty well for my hair.  I think I actually like the conditioner
more than I like the shampoo (the shampoo always left my hair feeling greasy).
Would I repurchase it? I don't think so, because I like so many other conditioners. 

L'Occitane Conditioner:

ANOTHER conditioner (do we see a theme here?) Anyways this was also nice stuff
but I just can't justify purchasing the full bottle at that price when so many
other conditioners work just as well for much cheaper.  I think I'll
just enjoy it in the hotel sample bottle form.

Jade Hand & Body Lotion (x2)

FINALLY! This is like the last of many minis I had in my dresser drawer (but let's
not talk about the big vase full of minis that my mother has that I need to start working through). I
liked the scent of this lotion though, it had a light and fresh rose fragrance.  Yet, it was
also a hotel sample so I have no idea where to buy it.

Dove gofresh Cool Mini Deodorant:

This was a life saver while I was here in Poland the first few days.  I was still running around
trying to get all my little items and kept forgetting to grab deodorant (oye!)
I liked this for the few days that I used it, but I had the full size in the past
and got really sick of the scent after a while.  So I might repurchase a mini to keep on hand, but not the full size.

ELF Exact Lash Mascara in Black:

So after the big hoopla about lower lash tiny brush mascaras, I went out and bought
this thinking "AWESOME! It's cheap and I can really use it." First off, I don't usually wear
mascara on my bottom lashes, and Second...this sucked.  The brush handle was too short so that caused a mess, the formula was barely there, and at times it looks like it was dried out because no color would come off.  This was just a waste and I'm glad I used what I could (which was not much anyways). NOT repurchasing.

NYC Lipstick in 319 Violet Shine:
This is a beautiful lipstick color that has some shimmer in it.  This is very much a "my lips but
better" color, it's not very purply as the name suggests, it's more of a pinky with hint of purple.
I wore this a lot this year so it was going to finish out sooner or later.
I would purchase it again, but I have a lot of similar colors to this.
PS I was NOT going to dig out the color from the tube...not worth all the extra fuss. 

Julep Nail Color in Grace:
This is a perfect "clean nail" polish.  When I wore this it just left my hands looking so fresh.
It did take about 4 coats to make it opaque (but it was still not fully opaque), and this polish
went very quickly because of that.  I don't know if I'm going to purchase this again
because of the price of the polish (14 bucks).  I have many similar colors
so I think I'll work on finishing out those colors.

NYC Loose Finishing Powder in Natural Veil:
Well, I can already say that I'm shocked that I finished this product out so fast.
I'm not a fan of loose finishing powders, and this one did not help keep my face shine free as long as I would have liked neither did it help my makeup from breaking down as quickly,
but hey it was a product I really wanted gone and done!

There was a sifter, but I popped it out and lost it. Oops

LaSource Relaxing Body Lotion from Crabtree & Evelyn:
I love Crabtree & Evelyn products but I just could not get behind this scent.  It was a spa scent but it
was also sickly sweet on me.  It's just not a fragrance I would have chosen
for myself.  I'd rather look towards the thick lavender or rose creme.

Vitamin C Tablets on Left, On Right LaSource

Vitalsss Plus Witamina C Tablets:
So these are just effervescent Vitamin C tablets that I took while my stay at the dormitory.
We have had 3 rounds of heavy sicknesses in our dorm and I took these as preventive measures.
Boy was I happy to have done that because I didn't even cough during my stay here!
Anytime I travel I always take a pack of these because it helps my immune system
battle and airplane bugs and transition to the climate colds.

Carea Cotton Rounds:
These are just generic cotton rounds that worked really well for taking off makeup.  There are 120
rounds and they cost less than a buck, so it's a win win situation for me.

TREsemme Freshstart Dry Shampoo:
So the first few times I used it, it was ok.  Then the second half of the bottle felt like I was spraying
liquid onto my scalp.  I've heard from quite a few people that they
also have this problem the with this particular dry shampoo.  I have to say, I'm not on the whole
dry shampoo band wagon though, I still feel gross when my hair isn't washed.
I might give this another go another day, but for now...eh.

NIVEA Stress Protect Anti-Perspirant:
So I have to say, I was a little skeptical when I first bought this antiperspirant, because it is
milky and not a heavy duty men's product.  But even on the 100 plus
degree days, this worked really well.  I wish the US carried this product (or
at least it was more readily available).

Timotei With Jericho Rose 2 in 1 Shampoo & Conditioner
I really liked this shampoo, I found that it kept my hair feeling REALLY soft despite the hard water here in Poland. I still did follow up with conditioner, but this lathered well and smelled really nice.  Sadly this is a product I've only seen here in Poland, so I probably won't see it in the US.  Oh well.

L'Occitane Body Lotion
This was another one of my tons of minis I had with me.  But this was probably my most disappointing products form L'Occitane that I've used.  The lotion was very thin and watery and did not soak into the skin.  The scent was ok, it strong resembles goat milk products, which I personally do not mind.

L'Occitane Conditioner (x2)
 Yep, I know...didn't I already post earlier about finishing one of these...well I finished two more and the way I've been writing about these products is as I go through them.  So you, my readers, will have to deal with a double on the list. I liked the conditioner...but still feel there are much more and better products for much lower prices.

St. Ives Apricot Scrub (Fresh Skin)
Um... someone care to remind me why I stopped using this product? (Erm...guilty I had too many face washes and couldn't justify going out and buying so much more until I finished a few...oops) I found that the scrub was nice and gritty and very useful for opening up the skin for another cleanser so that it could get in real deep.  When I get back home, I'll be purchasing a large bottle of this!

Clean & Clear Deep Action Cream Cleanser
This stuff makes my face tingle! But in a really refreshing and clean way.  Did it perform miracles when it came to my breakouts? Not really, and this surprised me.  I have a few other products that work a lot better and faster.  


Needless to say...it's been a busy summer of empties!
What have you finished?

Finished Products Pt 3

**warning super long post...I will try to keep it short and sweet though!**

Wow, half the year gone and I'm still chugging pretty strong through this project.  I've been finishing up quite a few products and see that a lot of stuff is finishing out (mainly because right about now is when my of my full sized products are running out!) More and more stuff is being added in and I still have half the year to get through, so perhaps by the end of 2012 I will actually finish out a nice chunk of makeup :D (squeals of delight!) Needless to say, this project has already shown me a lot on what types of skincare and body care products I prefer (scent-wise, texture and actual use-wise) so my future product purchases will have that in mind.

Breathing Space Calming Lavender: LOVE. Lasted me a month and was so luxurious feeling.  I'm a stickler for lavender scents and if it does not smell right, I'll refuse to use it, but this product smell just right.  Best part was that this was from my local Dollar Tree so it was only a buck. Will be repurchasing.

Crabtree & Evelyn La Source Body Lotion: This was one of those samples/ travel sizes you get at hotels. It was a good product but I am not a fan of the scent. I love all the other scents from their lines but something about this is slightly off...like a sickly sweet spa. ick. Not purchasing.

Jade Hand and Body Lotion: Another hotel sample I got (I am sooo one of those people who kidnap those lil things) but this one was probably my favorite scent. It was clean yet a hint of floral. It wasn't the BEST moisturizer, but worked in the pinch.


SHINE by bliss Mandarin & Mint: ummm no hint of mandarin and none of mint. This had a weird fruity scent and I was just happy to finally say good-bye to this last lil hotel travel size I had.  It felt greasy and right after I applied it...I still felt really dry.


Aveeno Daily Moisturizing Lotion: HOLY GRAIL right here. If I didn't have almost 5 half or 1/4th done bottles around the house  thanks to my siblings I would repurchase this in an instant. This had such a homey oat-y scent without being off-putting. It left my elbows and knees so soft and well moisturized. Perfect soaking in time too.

L'Occitane Hydration Creme: First off- I hate sachets. There is either too little product or too much and no matter what there is no way to really save to use later. This product had too much in the sample sachet and was so greasy on my skin. Plus it had a cucumber/aloe scent which is something I just dislike. I love L'Occitane but this was a miss on my list.

Jergens Natural Glow Face Daily Moisturizer in Medium: Yes this is for face but it would break me out SO horribly and did not moisturize that I gave up on it. Until I mixed it with my Aveeno Lotion and got a great product. I would not recommend this product though for people with sensitive skin because the fake tanner is irritating.

AcneFree Green Tea Oil Absorbing Moisturizer: I love this product.  This is a great lightweight product but still does the job and keeps the skin nice and clear.  I was so sad to see it go that I actually cut it open to get every last bit. I think my Clean & Clear has some competition.

John Frieda Go Blonder Lightening Shampoo: This product works, I got some really natural lightening which was great for me because it was not like BAM blonde or like with Sun-In all one color.  I like it, but probably wouldn't purchase unless on sale because you don't get a huge amount of product but also I don't really know the long term effects on my hair with this shampoo. The baby version was nice and retails for 1.49 at CVS.

B&BW Coconut Lime Verbena Volumizing Shampoo: I don't think B&BW makes the shampoo of this for retail but I *again* got this from a hotel. I LOVED the scent so much I went out and got the body butter. The shampoo isn't a great product though, my hair got REALLY matted together and just didn't leave any volume.

Carmex Moisture Plus in Peach: First off, this color was NOT peach at all...it was a rosy/ coral pink. But it was so nice on the lips. It still had a slight medicated scent but no where near the typical carmex scent. Will repurchase if I can find it again.

ELF Studio Minty Lip Gloss in New York City: Such a nice gloss! It has a ruby tint with a nice minty feeling. While it looks like I still have some product left, I took the stopper our and the brush does not reach the bottom. I tried the boiling water trick, but it did nothing because there is just so much extra plastic. I have other glosses similar in color so while I won't rush out to get it, I might purchase on a whim one day.

Benefit Stick Foundation in Spin the Bottle: I have sentimental value to this because it was a part of my first actual makeup kit that I got from my mom.  I loved this product dearly, but it is very full coverage.  I don't even know if they still make it!

NYC Lengthening Mascara in Jet Black: This is that rare product that I have repurchased. I like this product because it is a classic spoolie brush and had a very natural look.  I would get some volume and length and it was a drier formula *which is my favorite*

Slatkin & Co Wallflower in Twisted Peppermint: My favorite scent out of the entire B&BW collection.  I have a love hate relationship with this though.  I refuse to pay regular price so I'll only restock on it during the Semi-Annual Sales. It is so fresh and crisp with just a hint of sweet.

Absolute! Green Tea Facial Tissues: This was actually my first facial cleansing wipe and it really just re-iterated that I am not a cleansing towelette girl. I need to go in with my facial cleanser because my skin does break out so easily. I just don't see the attachment to them.

Aveeno Skin Relief Body Wash: Really nice product. I love immolating it and doubling it as a shave gel (it's suggested on the bottle). It just makes it a 2 in 1 product for me. Once I do get through all my body gels, this will become a staple.

Montagne Jenesse Pore Cleansing Facial Masque: This was another sachet product that I got roughly 2.5 uses out of. It really just reminds me of the masques my mom would give me as a youngster and doing slumber parties. Those masques did nothing for us but made us feel more grown up. I still have 2 left to get through (weep)

Fa Gelee Royal Almond Blossom: I used this on my face and body (hence the reason why it is in this section) and I love it. This is a brand marketed to central Europe (aka Germany, Poland etc) In the states it is rather expensive, but since I travel to Europe so often (for both research, studies and family) I will be able to pick this up for MUCH cheaper.

Noxema Clean Moisture Deep Cleansing Creme: Most people have a love it or hate it relationship with this product. I for one, love it. I use it as a deep cleanser and leave it on for 15-30 minutes or as a spot treatment on pimples/ whiteheads. By the next day my problem areas are gone! I have a whole other tub which will get more love, once I get through all my other products.

Clean & Clear Blackhead Clearing Scrub: This poor product has just been through the ringer *haha* It is a salicylic acne treatment which seems to work best on my skin type.  I really do like this and I think my typical St. Ives will have some competition.

Burt's Bees Orange Essence Facial Cleanser: I was SO disappointed by this product. I loved the scrub but the cleanser left a waxy film on my face. It was also a mental screw because for me...I want to feel foaming and cleansing of my skin...and if it doesn't do that...I don't feel like my face got clean. This was sadly the case with this product.

Opti-Free Replenish Contact Solution: Just a basic solution but since I have been really focused on being safe with my eyes, I had been changing solution each night.

Bio-True Contact Solution: Got a tester of this from my eye doctor.  It's a bit more expensive because it's supposed to be closer to the biological tears, but I really didn't notice anything special.

New Totals!:
Lotions/ Fragrence/ Hair: 10 + 9=19
Makeup:4 + 6= 10
Candles/ Scents: 1 + 6 = 6
Cleansers/ Body Washes: 7 + 11= 18
Randoms: 2 + 2= 4
Grand Total: 57!!