How can it be that May is here already? 2016 is zipping by much too fast. But I’m glad that spring is on the way, and I say “on the way” because it’s still cold here and there are no real leaves on the trees yet. In fact, I’m afraid we’re going to bypass the trees that flower and go straight to leaves which makes me very sad. No blossoms on my weeping cherry tree, and my Bradford pear blossoms and forsythia just don’t want to open. Hopefully they will soon.
In spite of being away on vacation last month, I managed to finish up several products most of which are full size.
I’m usually always happy to get to recycle the empty bottles but I’m particularly sad to finish up the Bellatorra Cellular Renewal Serum, a fabulous but very expensive serum that I can’t afford to replace. Oh well, I was lucky to get to try it. Let’s take a look at my empties. I’ll start with skincare.
- Bellatorra Cellular Renewal Serum: I reviewed this a couple of months ago here, so please read the full review. I loved this lightweight but very hydrating serum. It worked so well that you only “need” to use it every two days because it keeps on working for 48 hours. That’s why the bottle lasted me so long. It also comes in a beautiful triangular shaped glass bottle with an airless pump. Definitely consider this serum if you can. It would be great to buy during the semi-annual Barney’s beauty bag event! Repurchase? Wish I could! $295
- Simple Micellar Water: I gave this affordable micellar water a bad rap when I reviewed it months ago because at the time it irritated my eyes very badly. Nevertheless, I continued to use it and use it up, but I mostly avoided using it on or near my eyes. Or I kept my eyes tightly shut when I used it. I tried it again to remove my eye makeup recently, and though I did keep my eyes closed, I didn’t have any trouble using it to take off my eye makeup. Sorry, Simple MW, I didn’t mean it!! Repurchase? I would, but I already bought a bottle of Garnier MW. $5.99
- Skinceuticals Floretin CF Gel Antoxidant Serum-in-a-Gel (vitamin C serum): Someone gave me this serum, and now I know why. It smells absolutely awful (I believe it’s the ferulic acid). Over time, the gel turned color becoming a deep orange color that stayed on my skin. I looked like John Boehner. But everyone raved about Skinceuticals so I struggled through and finished the bottle. Repurchase? Not on your life. $163
- The Organic Pharmacy Enzyme Peel Mask: I received this deluxe sample in one of my Barney’s beauty bags. I used it last night. It’s a milky gel cream with a very sweet scent that smells like the cleaning products used in a hotel ladies room. I like scents but I wasn’t a real fan of this scent. Nevertheless, the scent did disappear when it the mask was on my face. I applied the entire tube to my face and neck, left it on for 10 minutes and removed it with warm water and a face cloth. It didn’t tingle, it was great on my semi-sensitive skin. It left my skin feeling very smooth and hydrated. Repurchase? Probably not. I wasn’t a fan of the scent and to me, that’s part of the mask experience. $74 full size
- Kiehl’s Super Multi-Corrective Eye-Opening Serum: A very thin, runny white lotion. I found it to be so runny it was difficult to use without making a mess. And it wasn’t hydrating enough on its own so I had to use an eye cream on top of it. I usually like Kiehl’s products but not this one. Repurchase? No.
- Marula Beauty Oil, Pure Marula Facial Oil by John Paul Selects: I received this little glass tube of marula oil in my Barney’s bag too, and I used it several times recently and it was lightweight, had a lovely scent, and left my skin feeling very soft. Marula Oil is relatively new on the scene. It’s harvested from the kernels of the marula tree in South Africa. It’s loaded with antioxidants, vitamin C, vitamin E, polyphenols and lots of other ingredients that are great for skin, particularly for aging skin. It helps skin repair itself and it gives some sun protection. Repurchase? I don’t know if I’ll purchase this one from Barney’s but I definitely will get me some more marula oil.
Body Products
- Nature Island Botanicals Gourmet Caribbean Coconut Lotion: I absolutely adore this body lotion that’s more like a body butter in a pump bottle. I’ve talked about it a few times (including here). The scent is beyond heavenly. This was probably my fourth bottle of this fabulously hydrating, great smelling, handmade lotion. Repurchase? Yes, when Daphne comes to the Waterfront Craft Festival in July but in the meantime, I am going to try her orange-scented body lotion for the first time. Psyched!
- A Girl’s Gotta Spa Energizing Citrus Body Wash: I reviewed the lovely A Girl’s Gotta Spa body wash several months ago here. After using the entire bottle, I liked it with a couple of nits. I’m a lather lover and this body wash doesn’t create a lot of suds. It’s extremely gentle on skin so if you have sensitive skin, don’t hesitate to buy this body wash. Also, I would like a stronger scent – this citrus scent is on the mild side. Lastly, I wish I could read the print on the bottle more easily. It could be my aging eyes, but the yellowish and pale orange print doesn’t show up very well on the bottle and I like to read bottles! Repurchase? I enjoyed it enough to buy it again, but I have other body washes and shower gels waiting in the wings.
- Assured Moisturizing Shave Cream for Women: I’m almost embarrassed to write about this one. I searched in my linen closet for the Skintimate Shower Gel that I was sure was there. I thought I bought a multipack at Costco, but I must have been wrong. When I went to Costco, they didn’t have any shaving gel. So I stopped into Dollar General and I bought Assured Moisturizing Shave Cream for Women for $1. Ever heard of that brand? Yeah, neither had I and for a reason. This shave cream reminds me of the shave cream in the 1970s – all foam that disappears on your skin and offers no protection whatsoever. But I used up anyway. Repurchase? Never again.
So these were my empties. Have you tried any of ’em? What did you use up this past month?
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Initially I was thinking, hmm…how expensive can a bottle of serum be, surely it can’t be that bad. Well, now I know, now I realllyyyy know. What?! $295 for a bottle? I’ll stick to my Vichy I guess. Haha!
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Can you believe it? Very pricey but very good. I have their moisturizers and those are at least as much if not more and I use them very sparingly because they’re so wonderful. But yes, it’s good to have an affordable alternative!!
$295? Dang! I can understand why you wouldn’t repurchase!
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Wish I could, though!
Congrats on all the empties! I really need to try that Simple cleansing water.
It’s a good one. I’m going to try Garnier next and I’ll do a comparison.
Well done on using up so much, especially all the full-sized bottles and the serums! I thought Vintner’s Daughter and Zelens were expensive but this one takes the cake lol.
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LOL. Too bad because I love the Bellatorra Serum and I love their moisturizers even more – they’re heaven but not everyone can get into heaven, I guess.
I gotta hand it to you girl, finishing all these and on vacay? Go girl!
I try hard 😉
My Girls Gotta Spa body wash ran out this month too. I love the citrus smell to it, so I plan to get more.
It is a very nice scent.
So many empties, congrats! I’ve been so slow to finish much lately, but I’m trying 😀
I’m a fanatic about empties. A sickness really
I can’t wait to read about your Garnier Micellar Water experience. I haven’t tried any others aside from Bioderma. I love a good bodywash so I’d definitely check out the AGGS bodywash
I still haven’t opened the Garnier MW yet. I’m eager to see how it is with my sensitive eyes. The AGGS body wash is a nice one, very gentle. My fave still is Moulton Brown.
I love how many empties you had. I don’t work hard enough to finish things because there’s always something else to try. I did a big toss of old BB creams, sunscreen and hair products this week and thought of you. They weren’t empties though.
I’d say that was very impressive, Marcia! I’m trying to get better at tossing my old makeup/skincare. I’ve gotta get serious about it before I need a bigger house!
I can’t blame you for not repurchasing at $295 — ouch! I’m always impressed that you’re so good at using up skincare. I’m still trying to get better with that one.
I used up: Mirabella Prime for Face & Eyes (love; more lightweight than most silicone primers). E.l.f. Mist & Set (always repurchase). A deluxe sample of Klorane Eye Make-Up Remover Lotion with Soothing Cornflower (burned my eyes; won’t buy). A deluxe sample of Urban Decay Subversion mascara primer (would buy). Physician’s Formula Sexy Booster Cat Eye Mascara (would buy again). A .5 oz jar of Olay Regenerist Micro-Sculpting Cream (pretty good, but I like Eslor better). A deluxe sample of Josie Maran Pure Argan Milk Serum (OK on the face, but great for my undereyes. It’s kind of spendy, so I don’t know if I’d buy it.) A Pur-lisse Blue Lotus + White Tea sheet mask (love!). L’oreal Lash Boosting Serum (Great stuff; have already repurchased.) A deluxe sample of Olay Moisturizing Vitamin Complex (Just OK; won’t buy).
Good work, Rachel! Thanks for the warning about the Klorane Eye Makeup Remover. I might have tried that one because I always thought of Klorane shampoo as so gentle. I have those sensitive eyes too. I haven’t had good luck with mascara primers so I wish a sample of the UD Subversion mascara primer would come my way. Gotta check my stash and see if I have the Pur-lisse Blue Lotus & White Tea mask since I have a number of their skincare products and a ton of masks floating around. What does the L’Oreal Lash Boosting Serum do – encourage lash growth or is it a lash primer too? (fixed your typo – sorry my comment has no edit function for commenters)
I ended up using the Klorane on my face instead of my eyes. It worked great for that. lol The L’oreal Lash Serum conditions lashes and helps them grow, but does not contain any prescription products, just oils and that kind of stuff. (So now worries about side effects such as the iris changing color.) When my allergies are bad, I rubmy left eye too much . I had really ruined my lashes. I used the serum to grow them back to full length. I started seeing results within a week.
I did the same thing with Simple MW and avoided my eyes, and then after a couple of months, it stopped bothering my eyes. Weird. It must have been me! Regarding Lash Serum, see my post tomorrow 😉
You emptied a lot of products! And wow, $295? Sometimes I finish a fancy product too and wish I could repurchase, but alas 🙁
Yes, alas! I liked the serum a lot, but I adore Bellatorra’s moisturizers even more so I only use them “on special occasions” because I think those go for $350!
That serum sounds fantastic. Alas… Mama is poor. lol I love the Garnier micellar water. Best six bucks I ever spent, for sure! 😀
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Oh good to hear! I think the Garnier MW was more than that at Ulta but then I did have a coupon. Yes, the serum was wonderful but out of my price range. I love their moisturizers even more (priced around $350, I think) so now I only use them for “special occasions”, lol. Glad I got to try ’em. Now I know how the other half live 😉
You used up quite a lot, great job!
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Thanks, Kath! gotta make room for more
I always get mixed emotions when I finish my products because like you said- some of them are just so expensive to replace. I’ve been wanting to try that Bellatorra serum since you reviewed it but I’m so swamped with skin care right now.
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Same here, the ones I like I want to keep around. I really slowed down on using the Bellatorra moisturizers because they are wonderful but even more expensive than the serum. The ones I think are meh, I want to use up fast but I have to talk myself into using them. A dilemma
You did an excellent job finishing things up in April, Allison! I am not surprised that you loved the Bellatorra Serum so much. The Skinceuticals serum sounded like a total miss. Weird/bad smells on the face is a guaranteed deal-breaker for me too!
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Thanks, Helen! Have you tried the Bellatorra moisturizers yet? I think they’re heavenly!
The Simple Micellar water is AMAZING!
I’m hoping that the Garnier MW that I just bought will be at least as good!
I go through that Micellar Water SO FAST! Love it!
easy to do!
i loved the simple micellar water… i just finished my bioderma so i thought i’d try the garnier one and that one stings my eyes!! once i finish garnier i think i’m just gonna bite the bullet and get another bioderma… so far that’s my #1 fave.
That is so interesting, Amara. When I first tried the Simple MW, my eyes were stinging when I used it. So I stopped using it in or near my eyes. Then a couple of months ago, I tried it again to remove eye makeup and my eyes were fine. I just started using the Garnier MW and my eyes are fine. I’m beginning to think that it was my eyes that can sometimes tolerate one or more of the ingredients and sometimes they can’t. Bioderma is just so expensive, it’s not really an option for me, but if it works for you and you can swing it, by all means go for it!