Dear readers, meet Tina, the paradoxical creature that's been watching "decluttering" and "minimalism" themed videos on You Tube, whilst still hoarding a bag of empties since... July (oh hai!). I have no excuse for this, and if my empties bin wasn't already filled with another batch (that would be Vol. 2), I would probably still be keeping this hoard as a permanent feature of my desk decor (hmm, come to think of it, maybe a plant would be nice, but I digress).
Wanna know what I'll be throwing out once this post goes live? Let's have a closer look!
Skincare
Peter Thomas Roth Cucumber De-Tox Foaming Cleanser. I always opt for gentle cleansers for my predominantly dry skin, and this definitely delivered. If you're familiar with The Body Shop Tea Tree Foaming Cleanser (a favorite of mine), you'll find the two pretty comparable, though I could do without the bitter taste of this when it accidentally entered my mouth during cleansing.
Origins Plantscription Anti-Aging Cleanser. Thankfully, it was only a sample. I didn't enjoy this one at all, it felt too stripping for my skin. Next!
Aesop Parsley Seed Anti-Oxidant Facial Toner. Formulated with aloe vera, parsley seed, lavender stem and blue chamomile, it not only toned, but also soothed my skin, as well as my... soul, thanks to its super relaxing herbal scent! A great product that I highly recommend, and that I can definitely see myself repurchasing in the future.
Caudalie Grape Water. A pretty basic refreshing water spray. At least, I didn't hate it like the Beauty Elixir (reviewed here).
Korres Wild Rose Peeling Mask. Although this contains 10% AHA's, it leaves the skin extremely plump, nourished and refreshed! If you're looking for subtle exfoliation, as well as hydration, then definitely try this one out!
Urban Veda Reviving Exfoliating Facial Polish. Despite having converted to chemical exfoliation over the past couple of years, I still keep a traditional face scrub in my cabinet in case I feel some build up on my skin that I need to quickly get rid of, and this does the job as gently as one would hope for.
REN Wake Wonderful Night-Time Facial. Another AHA face mask, a touch more drastic than the Korres one, though keep in mind, this is supposed to be an overnight product. REN didn't exaggerate about this, you truly wake up with wonderful skin, and if the price point was lower I'd be restocking like crazy.
Caudalie Polyphenol C15 Anti Wrinkle Defense Serum. Vitamin C serums are among the hardest products to review in my opinion, since you don't see immediate results. I thoroughly enjoyed this product, but moved on to the VineActiv range, as I felt it had a more carefully curated formulation.
Jurlique Calendula Redness Rescue Soothing Moisturising Cream. Great product, but for the colder months, even for those with drier skin. Very rich high-end formula, in the same category as those super nourishing face creams by Pai and Clarins, to give you a rough idea.
Bodycare
Sephora Monoi Exfoliating Gum Wash. Loved it for the scent (my favorite for the summertime), but it didn't do much as a body scrub. A pity, really.
Olivia Coconut - Cream Body Butter. A magazine freebie with one of the thickest textures I've encountered - and I say that in the best possible way, since you didn't need a lot of product to get yourself slathered.
The Body Shop Almond Milk & Honey Gently Exfoliating Cream Scrub. Another supremely scented, yet ineffective exfoliator. I know, the "gently" should have tipped me off, but I still don't regret the purchase, for it introduced me to that heavenly scent! Next time, I'll head straight for the shower cream!
Haus Of Gloi Snow Wolf Pumpkin Butter. 💖 A.k.a. pine/fir tree forest goodness in a jar! I might attempt a Haus of Gloi haul again at some point, but overseas shipping can get pretty hefty, and that's excluding possible customs charges for a decent sized order.
Fresh Line Poseidon Body Splash. A unisex perfume in the fresh/aquatic category, great for summer.
Fresh Line Hephaestus After Sun Moisturizing & Calming Body Milk. Chock full of herbal extracts and vitamins, it's guaranteed to nourish your skin after a day out in the sun. Probably the best after sun lotion I've tried.
Korres Mint Tea and Santorini Vine Showergels. They get you clean, duh. I prefer shower creams to shower gels myself, so I don't have that much to say.
Sephora Tinted Self-Tanning Body Mist. A staple of mine: it's affordable, readily available, and provides a natural looking, long lasting tan. The smell also is not offensive right from the get-go.
Elancyl Cellu Slim. I know better than to believe in anti-cellulite products: there's only a handful that actually work a tiny bit in my opinion, and this one, sadly, isn't one of them. At least, you get some results from the massaging action, and I guess, that still counts for something.
Haircare
Kerastase Aura Botanica Shampoo and Conditioner. By far the best range that Kerastase has to offer: silicone free, sulfate free and with the most luscious zesty scent ever found in haircare products, this shampoo and conditioner definitely helped my hair come back from a major hair dye debacle last summer.
Kiehl's Amino Acid Shampoo. For those of you that don't mind some sulfates in your shampoo and adore the scent of coconuts, meet your new holy grail!
Fresh Line Athena (Moisturizing & Detoxifying for Normal Hair) and Cleo (Mild & pH Balancing for Sensitive Scalp) Hair Washes. Although gentle enough for dyed hair and carefully formulated with a bunch of herbal extracts for each hair type and concern, these still contain sulfates in the form of SCS. They're relatively affordable, however, and I've found myself going back to them every so often. *For those in need of more info: Cleo smells like jasmine, whereas Athena has a more classic "green soap" scent to it.
FioreVita Hair Mask With Argan Oil. Get this straight: a cheap as chips hair mask (for my Greek readers: a Jumbo purchase) that doesn't list a silicone derivative in its top three ingredients (whaaat?)! Dimethicone is listed as the seventh ingredient in a formula that also contains shea butter and argan oil. Who knew!
Miss Sandy Oro Olea Hair Mask. Yet another no name magazine freebie, yet another coconut scented product (much to your surprise, I'm sure)! I liked this one, despite it not being silicone free, although the exfoliating-type beads in it left me perplexed: what.is.the.point? Seriously.
Kativa Brazilian Straightening Treatment. Avoid like the plague! One of the worst hair products I've ever tried: it coated my hair with a residue that felt dirty, even after many washes, and the yucky smell lingered. Plus, you know, BKT's are a health hazard, and what not.
Olaplex No. 3. This deserves a blog post on its own, so I won't say much at this point, other than it's the one product that's transformed my hair after a mere few uses.
L'Oreal Paris Elnett Satin Hairspray Extra Strength Extra Radiance for Coloured Hair. Holy grail status, people, you know it's your mother's favorite for a reason!
Phyto Phytokeratine Repairing Thermal Protectant Spray. In case you didn't know already, Phyto is one of the best brands when it comes to hair, and this protectant spray is as good as they come. *I liked this more than the pricier Phytokeratine Extreme Cream version.
Makeup
Essence Lash & Brow Gel Mascara. Just your basic eyebrow setting gel, nothing major. If any of you have a recommendation for a setting product that holds your eyebrow hairs in place, without making them crispy, please share it in the comment section.
Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer Potion. I love this, and have since moved on to the anti-aging version, because you know, I ain't getting any younger!
Maybelline Total Temptation Mascara. A nice mascara for everyday use if that's your style. If memory serves me correct, it dried up quickly.
L'Oreal Paris False Lash Superstar X-Fiber Mascara. I'm a little torn when it comes to this mascara: yes, it does give you va-va-voom lashes, but only if you have the time and patience to build the product properly using both wand ends (I don't). It also takes forever to remove. Still, better than Total Temptation and Paradise Extatic.
Jane Iredale Smooth Affair Facial Primer and Brightener. A truly lovely primer, feels lightweight when applying it and allows the foundation to go on smoothly. Sad I finished it, perhaps I need to save up for the full size.
L'Oreal Paris Nude Magique Cushion Dewy Glow Foundation. Despite being a light coverage foundation, I appreciated it for its SPF and for the fact that it doesn't look as though you're wearing foundation. That said, like all of those cushion foundations, it runs out ridiculously quickly.
*Lets a huge gasp of air out while counting the total number of empties!*
36 items! If you all managed to read this far down, you're a hero reader, and I love you for it!
Now, excuse me while I get ready to take out the trash!
Let me know if you've tried any of those products below! Until next time!
What's your opinion?
Thank you for stopping by!