April + May Empties // Products I've Used Up

My empties bag filled up SUPER quickly this time, not because I finished a ton more products than usual, but because most of what I did finish are larger items.  Generally my empties include a lot of smaller, sample size products, so it's pretty satisfying to see so many full sizes here!



Andalou Naturals Argan & Sweet Orange Shampoo + Conditioner   [Review]
I was a little mixed on these -- especially the conditioner -- when I first reviewed them, but by the end of the bottles, I was sold on both.  The conditioner didn't last as long as other brands, but once I got used to using more product, it was a great fit for my hair.  Repurchase? Yes! I ordered replacements earlier this week.

Alaffia Everyday Shea Vanilla Mint Body Wash
The Alaffia body washes are both massive and very inexpensive, making them a great bang for your buck.  This bottle lasted me a full six months or more and it worked great.  Easy to lather, gentle on the skin, and smelled nice too -- though it had much more of a minty-herbal scent than vanilla mint.  Repurchase? Yes.

Deep Steep Tangerine Melon Body Wash
I like Deep Steep's Tangerine Melon scent in other products, but I didn't love it so much as a body wash.  Plus, the wash itself had a strange, jelly-like texture.  I'm wondering if something was off with this particular bottle, as I've never seen anyone else mention this consistency.  It did make a TON of bubbles though.  Repurchase? Probably not.



Niora Naturals Silk Basic Emollient Makeup Remover*   [Review]
I tried out the entire acne range from Niora Naturals this past winter, and this makeup remover was my very favorite product from the line.  As the name suggests, it has an emollient, lotiony texture, but melts away makeup just as effectively as an oil.  And, the emulsified consistency means that it rinses away much cleaner and easier, giving you the best of both worlds. Repurchase? Definitely!

Devita Fragrance Free Shea Butter Brulée   [Review]
I liked this lotion, but I wish it offered a little more intense hydration.  For a product described as "ultra rich" and "saturated with 100% shea butter," it was surprisingly light.  On the plus side, it's enriched with peptides and vitamin K, which you don't often see in body products, and does make skin look lovely and slightly perfected or airbrushed.  For that reason, I liked using it on my legs when they were going to be exposed, but it didn't keep my skin feeling moisturized for very long.  Repurchase? Probably not.

Acure Organics Tropical Citrus Argan Oil Castile Soap
I hate that I keep coming down on Acure products lately, but the castile soap was another disappointment for me.  The Tropical Citrus smelled great at first, but the scent completely disappeared within a month or two of being open.  The consistency was also very watery -- a lot thinner than other castile soaps -- so while it was cheaper than something like Dr. Bronner's, it seemed less concentrated.  Repurchase? Doubtful.  I can't find it online anymore to link even, so it looks like it may have been discontinued.

Deep Steep Peppermint Vanilla Argan Oil Foaming Hand Wash
Deep Steep's Foaming Hand Washes are awesome.  They're gentle and non-stripping, smell great, and the bottles last a surprisingly long time too.  Peppermint Vanilla was a seasonal scent and not as vanilla-y as I would have liked, but overall, it was a great soap.  Repurchase? Yes!



Suntegrity 5 in 1 Face Sunscreen in Fair + Light (samples)
I've been really into BB/CC creams and tinted moisturizers the last couple months and Suntegrity is one of the best.  Well worth the hype in my opinion.  My only problem with it is that it contains dimethicone, something I usually avoid.  Funny story, but before trying these samples, it had been so long since I'd used anything with silicones, that I'd forgotten just how good they are at smoothing out any texture issues and was blown away with how flawless my skin looked wearing just the Suntegrity and a light dusting of powder.  The 5 in 1 doesn't offer a ton of coverage, but, in addition to fixing texture issues, it also does a good job evening out skin tone and covering minor imperfections and blemishes.  It's also quite moisturizing, and leaves skin looking luminous and dewy.   In terms of colors, Light was too dark for me -- and definitely a little on the orange side -- but Fair was a great match.  Repurchase? Not sure.

Boo Bamboo Bamboo Makeup Remover Wipes   [Review]
I've talked about these before and they're still my favorite makeup wipes.  Gentle and effective, and they don't irritate my skin.  Repurchase? Yes.

Baby Spa Ultra-Soft Baby Wipes
I used these as a face wipe too and they were okay.  The actual fabric of the wipe felt a little rough.  This smaller 10-pack would be great for travel, but beyond that, I don't see myself buying them again.  Repurchase? Probably not.

Young Living Eucalyptus Radiata Essential Oil
I don't see eucalyptus in a lot of skincare, but my face really likes it.  I use it all the time in DIY toners and masks, and also as a spot treatment on blemishes.  Eucalyptus is, of course, great for any respiratory issues too.  Repurchase? Yes, I already have.



Femme Fatale Cosmetics Heroic Eye Shadow (sample)
I'm still (slowly) chugging away at shrinking my loose eye shadow stash and this sample was the latest to bite the dust.  Heroic, now discontinued, was a pretty gold, though nothing super unique or mind blowing.  Femme Fatale shadows always have great color payoff though and are, as a whole, a formula I'd recommend.  Repurchase? No.  

Rocky Mountain Soap Lemon Lime Lip Butter
I love Rocky Mountain Soap and the lip butters are one of my favorite lip balms.  Lemon Lime was a great fresh and zesty citrus scent, just what the name would suggest.  Repurchase? Yes.

Lily Lolo Black Mascara   [Review]
I love how this mascara performs, but it's a little frustrating how quickly it dries up.  I'm good about tossing my mascaras around the 3 or 4 month mark, but Lily Lolo's always dries up on me long before then -- usually after about 2 or 2 1/2 months.  I've also had good luck with other mascaras recently, so I'm not feeling especially loyal to any one brand just now.  Repurchase? Maybe.

See anything familiar?  What products have you used up recently?

*Press sample
Contains affiliate links

4 comments

  1. Hello caitie,
    I mus adit that I ve never tested the products even if I ve heard about the brands.
    Thank you for the presentation;
    Wish you a wonderful weekend!
    http://helenamybeauty.over-blog.com/2016/05/bien-s-hydrater-en-ete-stay-hydrated-in-the-summer.html

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  2. I am such a suntegrity 5-in-1 devotee. My opinion on the silicones is that I LOVE how it evens out some acne scarring on my cheeks, and it doesn't seem to have any negative impact on my skin health, so I'm totally fine with it. My current understanding is that using a product like this doesn't cause much environmental risk, so as long as I'm washing my face well (and not using a bunch of other silicone-containing products) it is fine. Plus, I just haven't found a similar spf/tinted moisturizer product that is as good!

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    Replies
    1. That makes sense! I cut out all silicones when I first went completely natural, so it feels weird to go back, but these days I'm not as convinced that small amounts are the worse thing ever, either for us or the environment. I've been using a mini of the Juice Beauty CC Cream more recently, which I also like, so I'm holding off any decisions until that runs out too :)

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