BODY
Acure Fragrance Free Ultra-Hydrating Body Lotion
I've gone through many tubes of this lotion in the last few years, raved about it multiple times on the blog, and even got my sister hooked on it, but I'm pretty sure the formula changed along with the packaging. I mentioned it in my most recent iHerb haul and a few people have agreed with me since. The ingredients are only slightly different, but it feels like a completely different product - not nearly as hydrating and with a very watery feel as you rub it in.
Repurchase? I've got one more tube to use and then I doubt it, unless Acure goes back to the previous formula.
Andalou Naturals Shea Butter + Sea Buckthorn Hand Cream
I like this hand cream, but I don't love it. The clementine scent is nice and it's a good one for your desk, in that it sinks in quickly and doesn't leave you with greasy hands, but I feel like there are better products out there in terms of long term moisturization.
Repurchase? I'm not sure. I still have a tube of Andalou's Shea Butter + Coconut Water Hand Cream to use before I decide.
Mamma Oceania Skin Nourishing Soap* [Review]
Mamma Oceania soaps are beautiful hefty bars of soap, handmade here in Toronto. The soaps are free of palm and canola oils, have no added scent ingredients, lather up nicely, and each bar lasts a good long while. The Skin Nourishing bar is made with rosehip, banana, and kelp and - as is common to all the soaps in the line - feels lovely and gentle on the skin.
Repurchase? Yes, once I've used up some other soaps.
Rocky Mountain Soap Co. Juicy Orange Facial Bar
Rocky Mountain also makes soaps without palm oil, though theirs do contain canola and cottonseed oils, which I don't love. That said, they're another Canadian company, their scents are nice without being overpowering, and the soaps feel good on the skin. I can't speak to how the Juicy Orange works as a facial bar as I used it strictly on my hands and body, but I did enjoy it.
Repurchase? Maybe.
Ellovi Mint Chocolate Butter (sample)
I have mixed feelings about this product. I loved how it smelled and am tempted to buy the larger size for that reason alone, but in terms of its performance as a body butter, it had a very similar feel to moisturizing with straight coconut oil, which I don't find heavy or hydrating enough to use on a consistent basis.
Repurchase? I'm not sure.
SKINCARE
Ursa Major Fantastic Face Wash* [Review]
I remember liking this when I first reviewed it, but when I started using it again in October, I really started to love it. Now, I'd go so far as to say that it's one of my favorite cleansers. It's a traditional foaming gel wash but not stripping or drying, and it also offers gentle exfoliation from sugar cane and fruit extracts. It smells gorgeous too - a mix of woodsy trees and spearmint.
Repurchase? Yes! I just ordered a larger bottle in the Black Friday sales.
Shea Terra Argan & Green Coffee Around Eye Serum* [Review]
This is a great serum in terms of hydration, but it didn't do a lot for my dark circles. I ended up using probably 1/2 to 2/3 of the bottle as a makeup remover/oil cleanser and hair oil. It worked great for both, but I wouldn't buy it specifically for those purposes.
Repurchase? No.
La Mav Anti Dark-Circle and Ultra-Firm Eye Gel* [Review]
This eye gel has quite an impressive ingredients list, but unfortunately it didn't live up to its name for me. If your under eyes are less problematic than mine - aka minimal darkness and puffiness - I do think it's a nice product and the gel consistency is mind-bogglingly good. It feels incredibly light going on and sits super well under makeup, but it actually leaves my under eyes feeling more plump and hydrated than many richer, heavier creams and oils.
Repurchase? Not right away.
Dr. Alkaitis Organic Soothing Gel (sample)
I find the Soothing Gel a bit too drying to use all over my face, but I like it as a spot treatment for any breakouts or blemishes. Now that I've been using it for several months, I feel like it's become less effective in that regard, so I may take a break from using it for a bit.
Repurchase? Not right away. I've still got a couple more samples.
Kaia Naturals Pure Moringa Oil
This small vial of Kaia's moringa oil comes with their Bamboo Tapioca Beads. The oil didn't make a huge impression, so it isn't something I'd go out of my way to get more of - and I don't think Kaia sells the oil by itself anyways - but I do really like the actual Bamboo Tapioca Beads.
Repurchase? The Bamboo Tapioca Beads, yes.
Bare English & Co. Sweet Peppermint Lip Balm
Another local Toronto product! I like the Bare English lip balms a lot, but this scent was just so-so for me. It had a prominent coconut oil smell alongside the mint, and I didn't love the combination of the two.
Repurchase? Probably not this particular flavour, but the Bare English lip balms, yes.
Shiro Cosmetics Longcat Intertube
Shiro stopped making the Intertubes a while ago, which is a shame because they were a great formula! Longcat was a clear balm with white/silvery sparkles and it made a fantastic rich lip treatment.
Repurchase? Not possible.
Triumph & Disaster Gameface Moisturizer (samples)
This was an okay moisturizer. I started out using the samples on my face, but I ended up finishing them up as a body cream.
Repurchase? No.
Suki Eye Life Renewal Cream - Day (sample)
I actually threw out most of this sample. All the reviews and photos I've seen show this eye cream as a pale yellow color, while my sample came out of the packet an orangey-brown. I figured it was very likely the vitamin C having oxidized, so I didn't want to use it.
Repurchase? No.
MAKEUP
Silk Naturals Brightening Concealer #2 (sample)
I really like this concealer, which is supposed to be a dupe for Anastasia's Banana Powder. It's a yellow powder that does a good job brightening up under the eyes and has a bit more coverage than Silk Naturals' Sleep in a Jar, which I've used and loved for years.
Repurchase? Yes, I plan to buy both this and the lighter, #1 shade in the future
Benecos Brown Kajal Liner
Benecos' liners are so frustrating! They're inexpensive and I love the creamy formula, but the colors are never what I want them to be. This one was a very warm-toned, almost orangey brown and I just didn't love it.
Repurchase? No.
Pollen Cosmetics Saddle Up Eye Shadow (sample)
Pollen Cosmetics isn't around anymore, unfortunately, but Saddle Up was a great matte mid-toned brown, perfect for the crease.
Repurchase? Not possible.
Brija Cosmetics Perk Blush (sample)
Perk is a subtle pink blush with some shimmer. It's pretty, but I often felt like I had to pack on a lot of product to get the color I wanted, making it a little too sparkly for me. Other days I loved it and felt like it was perfect as is, so I'm a little conflicted.
Repurchase? I don't think so.
Bare Minerals Universal Light Frame & Define Brow Styler
I love this pencil for my brows, mainly because Universal Light is a perfect color match for me. The twist up style is also convenient (no sharpening!), but I'd strongly advise against screwing the pencil up all the way to check how much product is left, as, in doing so, I somehow managed to break the mechanism in mine, wasting probably 1/3 of the product.
Repurchase? Yes, I already have.
Physician's Formula Organic Wear CC Curl + Care Mascara
Physician's Formula mascaras are very hit or miss for me and I didn't like this one at all! It wasn't very noticeable on the lashes, plus it smeared and actually seemed to crumble off in chunks by the end of the night. My lashes have a natural curl also, so I'm not sure how it does in that regard.
Repurchase? There are other Organic Wear mascaras I'd buy again, but the CC one, definitely not!
Jane Iredale Black Ice Longest Lash Mascara
This mascara, on the other hand, I really liked. It's a fiber mascara, which is something I haven't seen anywhere else in the green beauty world, and it does a fantastic job adding volume as well as length. I also didn't have any issues with smudging or flaking. I don't love how pricey it is ($33 USD/$42 CAD), but it's a great mascara.
Repurchase? Maybe.
Total Products Used Up in October + November
Skincare: 5 (Lip Balms: 2 )
Bodycare: 4
Haircare: 0
Makeup: 4
Skin/Body/Hair Samples: 6
Makeup Samples: 3
Total Products Used Up in 2015
Skincare: 37 (Lip Balms: 10)
Bodycare: 38
Haircare: 10
Makeup: 15
Skin/Body/Hair Samples: 68
Makeup Samples: 32
*Press sample
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Never try Benecos eyeliner but i think this color on me will be perfect :) You make me laugh because you finish you liner like me, a little little piece left :) La Mav eye gel was on my list, thanks i read your post before :) <3 Julie Happy Holiday Caitie! xo
ReplyDeleteIt always try to use pencils down as far as I can...and then I feel so accomplished, haha :) The Eye Gel really is a nice product - I think you'd enjoy it :) Happy Holidays to you too Julie!
DeleteYou are the queen of empties! Super helpful post. I have the Benecos eyeliner in brown, but I have brown eyes so I use it instead of a black eyeliner for a daytime look. Thank you for the introduction to Silk Naturals Brightening concealer, I like the sound of it. xx
ReplyDeleteI try :P I actually go for brown liner more than black as well, but after this one, I guess I'm just fussy about the shade of brown!! I'm using the Lily Lolo one now and I like it much better :)
DeleteOoh I didn't know Silk Naturals did that brightening concealer, I will check that out next time I order from them :-)
ReplyDeleteRach xx
I think it's a fairly new product! Really great though - similar to Sleep in a Jar (which I'm pretty sure you've used?) but with amped up coverage :)
DeleteI've been hearing complaints about the change in Acure Organics' body lotion formula. :( The lavender one is my favorite. I've also been using it for the past year. I was planning on repurchasing it but now I'm not so sure. :/
ReplyDeleteUgh, why do companies have to change these things?! I've never actually used the lavender, so I don't know if the formula change applies to that one also. Let me know how it goes if you do end up rebuying it! :)
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