Empties #2

During the last year, my routine and the products I used changed drastically. This was partly because I was spending time at my boyfriend’s place a lot and I had different products in both places.

After we moved together I was faced with a ton of cosmetic stuff, gathered from both places, meaning I had a least two choices for the same type of product. That was the time when I decided to use up what I had and to minimize the quantity of stuff I had to a minimum. It was also the moment when I came up with this project for the nail polishes.

With reference to this project, I decided to throw away the Sephora Nail Polish in the shade Green Generation, which I used for a NOTW. After wearing it for about three days, it began to crack and could be easily scratched off the nails. I had it for a few years and the formula was not good anymore.

One of my favorites, the Benefit They’re Real Mascara & Push-up Liner in the mini version, were used up to the very bottom. I love the mascara, it’s very black, separates very well the lashes, it’s easy to apply and lasts all day long. The liner is also amazing for it’s deep black color, creamy consistency and the staying power. I find it a little harder to apply sometimes, because it can get a little crumbly. One disadvantage for me is that they come off harder than other products. I also had the full size for both of them before and I would buy them again and again.

The Make Up For Ever Ink Liner Matte Liquid Eyeliner is an amazing product. It’s so easy to apply, the brush is very precise, the consistency of the product creates a very dark, straight line with minimal effort. Best for cat eyes and you can use it to draw a fine line or a ticker one, depending on the preferences and the occasion. I also love that it’s matte and lasts all day. It is also very easy to remove.

Another product I’ve used, or, to be fair, tried to use, was La Roche Posay Toleraine Ultra-Workable Fluid Corrective Foundation in Shade 11, which didn’t work for me. I would consider it appropriate for oily skin. It was drying my skin a little and the coverage is medium to high, which is more than I need and like to use. It was pretty easy to blend, but the shade was also a little too dark for my skin tone. The only real disappointment was that during the day it dried my skin and the drier areas on my face were flaky and very visible. I will give it to my friend, Mada, to try it out.

I almost used up two face creams, Gerovital Plant Anti Imperfections Care Cream and Avene Hydrance Optimale Riche Rich Hydrating Cream. Both of them are very good for the colder seasons, when my skin tends to be drier. The first one is great for blemishes, scars, spots and pimples, at the same time being very hydrating and a great makeup base. The second one is a very good moisturizer and also a great makeup base. I had just a little product left at the beginning of summer and I since I don’t use them when it’s warm outside I decided to throw them away. I will definitely buy them again when the colder days come.

For body I used the Yves Rocher Organic Raspberry Silky Lotion. This one smells sooo goood! It is a very nice product to use during the summer, when you don’t need a very heavy moisturizer. I find it to be less hydrating than others though. The texture is creamy/jelly and is very quickly absorbed into the skin.

For hair I used up a shampoo, Vichy Dercos Anti-Dandruff Advanced Action Shampoo for Normal to Oily Hair and a conditioner, Garnier Ultra Doux Avocado Oil and Shea Butter Conditioner for Very Dry/Damaged Hair. The shampoo had great results at first, I had no more dandruff and no itchy scalp. After a few months I started to feel my hair a little dull, drier and heavier. I felt like the shampoo was not cleaning it enough. I don’t know if I would repurchase it another time. On the other hand, this conditioner is my absolute favorite among the drug store ones. It’s extremely cheap (about 7-8 lei) and it detangles the hair so well and nourishes it. I always buy this. I use one every two months and it’s the fifth year of using it, so you do the math :)) I wash my hair twice or three times a week and, at least one time a week, I use a very good hair mask (I’m currently using Kerastase Nutritive Oleo-Curl Intense), but the other times I will use the conditioner and I’m good to go. It leaves my hair very nourished but it does not weight the hair down in any way. Love it!!!

My one and only makeup remover is another empty product. Bioderma Sensibio H2O Micelle Solution for Sensitive Skin is the only thing I use every morning and night to remove my makeup. At night, I use one or two normal size cotton pads or a big size one to remove all my makeup and I wash my face afterwards with water. I use a few times a week a cream cleanser afterwards, but I don’t feel the need for using one daily. In the morning I just dab a little on a normal size cotton pad to clean the face before applying a cream and makeup. It does it’s job wonderfully and it is very good for sensitive skin or eye area. It’s fragrance-free, alcohol-free, paraben-free and hypoallergenic. I had problems with other similar products, but this one is amazing.

Farmec Eye Contour Cream is not a finished product, but I wanted to include it since the cap which lets the cream out broke and all the cream started leaking everywhere, so I had to throw it away. It was an okay product, but besides hydration, I did nothing more than a regular hydrating face cream. Probably won’t buy it again.

I also went through numerous bottles of this two Dove Beauty Cream Wash and Dove Deeply Nourishing Nourishing Shower Gel with Nutrium Moisture. I am in love with this products, their power to hydrate the skin and their smell. Since I have a dry skin and wash my hands a million times a day, this hand wash is one of the few I can use, especially during the winter, without having my hands all dry and sore. The body wash is also very hydrating and keeps my body skin in a good condition. Although I’m daily applying a body moisturizer, I could use only this shower gel and my skin would still be soft and hydrated afterwards. I will continue to buy them again and again and again.

I have a few other products that are almost empty, so I am sure Empty #3 post will soon follow.