June 2015 Empties / Products I've Used Up

I feel like I just posted my May empties, but it's that time again!  This month I finished up a good mix of skincare and body care, as well as a couple hair and makeup items.  



Andalou Naturals Apricot Probiotic Cleansing Milk
I've tried a number of Andalou Naturals products over the last few months and the Apricot Cleansing Milk is one of my favorite discoveries from the brand.  With a rich cream consistency, it feels very gentle and hydrating and glides over the skin effortlessly.  It's not the best for removing makeup, but I like it a lot as a morning cleanse or following another makeup remover.  
Repurchase? I haven't so far, but I can certainly see myself coming back to this cleanser in the future.

Holiskin Citrus Passion Body Oil*   [Review]
A great body oil that absorbs quickly and leaves skin feeling super silky and soft.  Very moisturizing, but still lightweight - enough so that I even used it on dry skin some of the time.  The Citrus Passion scent mostly smelled like lime to me and I loved it for the spring/summertime.  
Repurchase? I'm seriously considering it.

Green Beaver Frosty Mint Extra Gentle Castile Sunflower Soap
I've gone through a number of these bars and I like them.  The blend of coconut, sunflower, and castor seed oils is non-drying and makes a great creamy lather.  This particular bar did suffer from a mild case of Dreaded Orange Spots, which while usually just an aesthetic problem, is something I'm not sure how I feel about in a commercial soap.  
Repurchase? I don't know.

Carina Daily Moisturizing Shampoo
Not my favorite shampoo, although it did smell great.  I used maybe a third of the bottle on my hair and delegated the rest to makeup brush washing duty.  It did well in that capacity, but with palm oil as the second ingredient - after water - it isn't something I'd buy again.
Repurchase? No.

Balanced Guru Tone It Deeply, Smoothly and Lightly   [Review]
I'm really happy I tried these trial size toners from Balanced Guru.  My favorite of the three was Tone It Lightly, a purifying toner that did a fantastic job refreshing the skin and keeping pores clean.  I also enjoyed using Tone It Smoothly, mainly in combination with different face masks.  Tone It Deeply was less of a hit for me, but still an okay product.  
Repurchase? Possibly.  I've especially missed using Tone It Lightly since finishing these.



Black Rose Minerals Zealous Eye Shadow (sample)   [Review]
Black Rose Minerals eye shadows are great quality: smooth, pigmented, and easy to blend.  Zealous was a pearly cream/pale gold color that made an excellent inner corner highlight. 
Repurchase? Maybe.  I wouldn't place an order just for this color, but if I was ordering already...

Silk Naturals Cucumber Peptide Eye Cream (sample)
I've never really ventured into Silk Naturals skincare, but I was curious about this eye cream for the peptides, which usually only appear in much more costly lines.  The sample lasted about a week and a half with twice daily use and I didn't notice much difference during that time.  Perhaps using it for longer would yield better results, but I wasn't impressed enough to buy more right away.
Repurchase? Probably not.  

Weleda Citrus Deodorant   [Review]
I like the Weleda deodorants, particularly for combining with other deodorants that might need a little extra boost.  They're a little expensive for what they are - water, alcohol and essential oils - but they work well and a bottle lasts ages, so I do think they're worth the price.  
Repurchase? I haven't so far, but I'm sure I will at some point.  

Karooch Hazelnut Oil
Hazelnut oil is one of my skin's favorite oils.  It's an ingredient in a number of my favorite face oil blends and I loved using the single oil as well.   I used it on its own and also enjoyed mixing a few drops into different oils and creams.  
Repurchase? Definitely will buy again, although Karooch doesn't seem to sell it anymore.

Earthpaste Wintergreen Toothpaste   [Review]
This was probably my tenth tube of Earthpaste.   Obviously I like it, but I wish there were more flavors as I'm getting a little tired of the current options.  Nonetheless, I'll continue to buy it until I find another affordable glycerin-free toothpaste that I like just as much.
Repurchase? Yes, I already have.

Rocky Mountain Soap Vanilla Candy Cane Lip Butter   [Review]
This lip butter came as part of a limited edition holiday set and I really enjoyed it.  I liked it in the winter, but I've enjoyed it even more since the weather has warmed up.  With warmer temperatures, the texture became just a bit softer and butterier which resulted in a slightly thicker application onto the lips that I preferred.  
Repurchase? Yes!  I'd buy this again come winter, or maybe sooner in a different scent.

One Love Organics Vitamin E Eye Balm and Morning Glory Serum (samples)
There's been a lot of blogger love for the Vitamin E Eye Balm, but it didn't do it for me.  It's a pretty solid balm that needs to be softened between your fingers before applying onto the face.  Not a dealbreaker in and of itself, but I didn't notice any great results, so it doesn't seem worth the extra effort.  I did enjoy Morning Glory, though it's been significantly reformulated since this sample.  I haven't tried the current version to compare.
Repurchase? No.  

Dr. Alkaitis Eye Creme (sample)
With great reviews and wonderful ingredients, I really wanted to like this eye cream, but it stung the heck out of my eyes!  I ended up using most of the sample on my body.
Repurchase? No.



Total Products Used Up in June
Skincare:  3 (Lip Balms: 1 )
Bodycare: 4

Haircare:  1
Makeup: 0
Skin/Body/Hair Samples: 7
Makeup Samples: 1

Total Products Used Up in 2015
Skincare: 21 (Lip Balms: 7)
Bodycare: 24

Haircare:  6
Makeup: 9
Skin/Body/Hair Samples: 49 

Makeup Samples: 12


*Press sample
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4 comments

  1. I just came across a recipe for homemade earthpaste that looks really easy, and more importantly CHEAP!! The blog was dontwastethecrumbs.com . I feel the same way that the flavors get kinda repetitive, especially considering how fast my husband and I go through a tube, so I'm looking forward to trying out some of my own EO combinations. Anyway, just wanted to pass the link along in case you would want to try out the DIY, too!

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    1. I've looked at recipes before, but somehow - no matter how easy they seem - it always seems like too much work to start. Thanks for the reminder! I think I've got most of the ingredients already, so I'll definitely check it out :)

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  2. Hi Caitie,
    I just read this article.
    Glad that you love the body oil and used it up. :)

    I read that you love Earthpaste Wintergreen Toothpaste. I suggest that you don't repurchase the Wintergreen toothpaste. Wintergreen essential oil contains Methyl Salicylate that can be toxic, should not be used on mucous membrane. You could read more about the safety here: https://www.aromatics.com/products/essential-oils/wintergreen

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    Replies
    1. Thanks Joshua! I've read a lot of different, conflicting things on wintergreen essential oil, but I appreciate the feedback! I'll definitely check out that link + do a little more research :)

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