January 2013 Empties

A new year, a new year of empties! I really am going to try to stick with my plan to not buy new things until I need a new thing in that category approach, and I want to knock off my Project Ten Pan. What better way to kick off this year with a bunch of good empties AND an item in my Project Ten Pan, wheee!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1. Bath and Body Works Cashmere Glow Body Lotion

I got this for free I think, with a coupon one time. I didn’t think I was going to like the scent but I figured, why argue with free right? Lotion is lotion right? Wrong! Turns out, I love the scent, and the consistency of this lotion is actually really nice and thick! I don’t know if it is this particular scent that has such a good lotion formula or what because I haven’t had BBW lotions in a while, but I REALLY like this lotion. I think the next time I am hankering for and need body products I am going to get some more stuff in this scent!

2. Bath and Body Works Fresh Market Apple Anti-Bacterial Moisturizing Hand Soap

I love love love fresh apple scents all year round (and my boyfriend would like to say that he loves this one too!), and I find that the moisturizing formula of the BBW hand soaps are quite nice to keep your hands from getting as dry as they would with regular soaps. Granted, they will still get dry even with this moisturizing version, but it does help it from being as bad. I will definitely get this again the next time BBW has it, or a similar scent (am pretty sure its a seasonal one and that it isn’t available now).

3. Soap & Glory Clean on Me Creamy Moisture Shower Gel Mini

Soap & Glory I love thee! This shower gel smells amaaazing, just like Miss Dior perfume! I am in love with this shower gel and was so sad when I used the end of it. I am totally buying the full size after I get through the shower gels that I currently have. I am so jealous of the Brits for having more Soap & Glory products than we do here in the US! I want the hand sanitizer!!

4. Target Clinic Hand Sanitizer

Nothing special about this hand sanitizer other than that it was free at the Target Clinic and a decent size, which I just thought was plain cool! You should check your local Target to see if they have a Clinic there, and if they have free hand sanitizer too!

5. & 6. Tresemme Split Remedy Shampoo & Conditioner

I was in love with this at first (more so the shampoo than the conditioner) but I found that my love was not sustained through the use of the whole bottle, so it must have been a honeymoon new product phase or something because I have not particularly missed this since it has left my life. If I were to ever repurchase it I think I would buy the shampoo again because I think its a nice cleanse without being stripping, but the conditioner was nothing special at all. At least I got a fabulous deal on it! I am still working through the leave-in product and that remains a good product still but I am just getting bored with it I think and want to dry something fancy!

7. Living Proof Prime Style Extender Hair Primer Sample

I got this for free in a Sephora store one time I think (or maybe it was at the Fashion’s Night Out Event at my mall? Not really sure) and thought it was a weird concept… hair primer? Really? But I am hooked. I think it really does help keep your hair cleaner and your follicles locked into your styling of choice. I have really been missing it since I used it and am contemplating buying the full size at Sephora as soon as I can justify it!

8. Sephora Snag-Free Hair Elastics in Clear

A tried and true favorite. I love these because they offer a nice snug fit and for the most part don’t leave your hair in a dent (but can if your hair is wet, etc). Will totally be buying these again because I already have bought a replacement package!

9. Biore Combination Skin Balancing Cleanser

I only bought this because I got it for free with a coupon and didn’t think I would actually like it. Surprisingly I really did love it. It was a nice simple daily cleanser for my morning rituals and I never had any problems with it. Wasn’t too drying, didn’t leave any weird residues, and always go the job done. I am back to using my beloved L’Occitane Brightening Foam cleanser since I bought the eco value sized refill back a while back, and will see how I feel about both in terms of what to buy next when I get through with that.

10. & 11. Kerastase Nectar Thermique Nourishing Care with Heat-Styling Protective Agent Leave In

I got these samples in a recent Birchbox and was excited to try it out because I had never used Kereastase before and had always heard great things about the brand. And luckily, this product lived up to the standards that I expected. It made my hair feel smooth and soft whenever I used it wet, or blow dried, and I found it was one of those products that you could accidentally use too much and it wouldn’t be super tragic. Will I buy the full size though? I am not sure because it costs $42 which seems outrageous to me! Maybe if I can actually keep my hair care products under control…

12. Bath and Body Works Sweet Pea Bubble Bath

A classic BBW scent that I usually avoided because I found it clique, but I decided to try it to see what the fuss is all about. It was nice, but not earth shattering. I can see why so many people like it because it is a very likable and accessible scent that almost everyone would like. The bubble bath formula itself is just like all the other BBW bubble baths, never disappoints but nothing earth shattering either. Buy again? Probably if I buy BBW bubble bath again, though I am interested it trying new brands in that department (hello Soap & Glory bubble bath!) so we shall see what happens.

13. Sun Bum Chapstick

A tried and true favorite of mine from the brand Sun Bum that I am obsessed with. I have used this before and my review, that can be found here, remains true.

14. Laura Mercier Flawless Skin Face Polish

I never thought to try a Laura Mercier skin product but was delighted when I got this sample in a Sephora promo because it seemed like it would be nice, and it was! It is a nice creamy scrub that has really small scrubby particles so it leaves you feeling clean but moisturized. It really was a nice experience. It is a bit expensive, but after all my experiences with other scrubs and drying cleansers, it might be worth it. I dunno though… still pondering that purchase. Guess we’ll have to wait and see.

15. L’Occitane Ultra Rich Lip Balm

You might remember when I hauled this not too long ago, and purchased it on a whim. I am glad I did because I think I would have always been tempted by the possibility of this product had I night finally just tried it. Turns out it is nothing special and I don’t even really like it. I feel like it can go on thick and sometimes weirdly chunky, plus the tube didn’t last me that long. Not cost effective at all! Not sad to see it go, but glad I got to have the experience with the least buyer’s remorse possible since I got it on sale.

16. L’Occitane Cleansing and Soothing Amande Shower Oil

I was beyond excited when I realized I could get this sample in a Sephora promo because I have been drying to try it out after hearing about it on Youtube. And I am not disappointing! It really is a moisturizing shower oil, and it actually does lather despite the counter intuitive nature of it, haha. I also love the almost playdoh-y almond smell. I am totally buying the full size of this when I can, though I might be about to justify it until next winter.

17. Sephora Sample of Tarte Amazonian Clay Exposed Blush

I always hear about how great this blush is and when I realized I could get a sample of it at Sephora I decided to try it despite my not being a huge blush person. Let me tell you, this blush is AWESOME and it makes me want to be a blush person. I actually am missing having this sample and actually have a blush on my Sephora wishlist. Crazy, I know! If I hadn’t bought that but Sephora set of blushes and bronzers I would be running out to get this. Alas, my love and I will have to wait to be reunited once I work through that set!

18. Origins Mega-Bright Skin Tone Correcting Serum

I have used a sample of this before and liked the consistency, and I still do. It’s hard to tell if it really helps brightening since you really need long term use to really see that result. I may eventually buy the full size but the $55 price tag still bugs me out. Maybe this summer?

19. Thymes Body Lotion in Naia

I got this in a recent Birchbox and didn’t think much of it until I finally used it. Oh my gosh the smell is amazing and my boyfriend loved it! The formula is a traditional thin and fast absorbing one so nothing noteworthy there to report, but the price tag might almost be worth it for that scent… still on the fence!

20. Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer Potion Sample

An oldie but a goodie. This was the first primer I ever tried back when I first got into makeup so it was fun to try it again now that I have used other brands. I have to say, it is better than I remembered, even in the goofy old packaging. I’m not running to buy it yet though because I feel like even though other brands might be the slightest notch not as good, those brands can offer other things that Urban Decay doesn’t, like more eco conscious ingredient choices, etc. But once I used up the Tarte primer I have now… perhaps I’ll consider this again. Also, woo hoo, one Project Ten Pan item down! *Dances*

21. CoverGirl Lash Blast Length in Black Brown

I bought this when I had a coupon and needed a new mascara and didn’t have any backups or samples (for once!). People alwaus talk about the Lash Blast mascaras and because I love those short bristled rubber brushes I felt this would be a good fit, and I was right! I love this mascara, and had it not dried out and gotten flaky I would have kept using it! For the first time I used a “Black Brown” color and I liked the subtle difference it made. I always felt it was silly for women to wear mascara that doesn’t match their hair color because I like makeup that tries to look natural and black mascara never had that “no no, my lashes are REALLY this amazing all by them selves” believably factor. With Black Brown it was a closer color match to my hair color and really softened my over all look. Buy again? I expect so. I have some sample mascaras now to use up, and I want to try that Grow Luscious mascara keep talking about, first though.

22. Macadamia Healing Oil Spray

People never shut up about Macadamia products on Youtube so when I had a bunch of CVS cash last year I bought this to try out the brand. Long story short: I am not impressed. I don’t really like the smell, the effect was nothing spectacular, and I felt it was easy to accidentally over use and be left with greasy gross hair. Not cute. Won’t be buying the full size or other products from the brand.