November 2016 Beauty Empties

November was another good month for empties! I just love when I can recycle full-size empties. Let’s see what I used up.

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Skincare

Always the most empties, I finished up a number of full size skincare products.

• Bioderma Sensibio: This is my second bottle of Bioderma Micellar Water, but the first bottle of Sensibio. Sensibio was fine for my skin during the summer (or for anyone with normal to combination skin), but I think the more hydrating version Hydrabio is better for my dry skin during the cold weather. They both do a great job removing makeup. Repurchase? I repurchased Hydrabio, and I just bought some more on Beautylish during the Cyber Week sale. $16.90

• PCA Skin Ideal Complex Revitalizing Eye Gel: I love this eye gel. It does such a good job making the loose skin above my crease look tauter. But it’s so expensive! I only buy it when Dermstore has a sale. But I am seeking more affordable alternatives. Repurchase? Yes, I did. reg. price $84

• Nourish Organic Moisturizing Face Cleanser: I liked the deluxe sample of Nourish Organic Face Cleanser. It was creamy and gentle as well as natural and affordable. Repurchase? I have so many cleansers, so not right now. But I did like it. full size $8.19

• Nudu Konjac Sponge: This was my first konjac sponge. It’s got a weird jelly-ish consistency inside and a somewhat stiff fibrous network outside, but it does a good job cleaning and exfoliating my skin. It’s quite gentle. I used this of about 6 weeks, and it definitely helped clean my skin. As you can see, the white has become “foundation color” because it did a good job removing the foundation that micellar water, my first step, left behind. Repurchase? Nudu sent me a second one. Yay and thank you, Nudu!

• Crest Sensi Repair Toothpaste: I thought I’d try Crest toothpaste for sensitive teeth that is said to repair tooth enamel erosion instead of the Sensodyne I usually buy. It was a good alternative. Repurchase? I bought Sensodyne again, though Crest was fine. $4.79

• Swisspers Cotton Rounds: I finished up my last pack of Swisspers Cotton Rounds that I use as makeup removers and to apply my toner. I love them. They don’t pill or fall apart. I bought an 8 sleeve box of rounds at Costco – 900 rounds total, and this sleeve was the last one. Repurchase? Yes, on my list for next Costco trip. about $2 per sleeve, about $9 for Costco box of 8

Fragrance

• Musc Ravageur by Frederic Malle: Although I have been branching out and switching up the scents I’ve been wearing, Musc Ravageur remains my favorite. Repurchase? Yes, I did during the Barney’s Fall Beauty Bag event.

• Maison Margiela Replica By The Fireplace: I got this sample in my Sephora Play bag in November, and I was happy that it was a scent I could actually wear. It was warm, woody and actually smelled like a fireplace but in a good way. Here’s how Sephora described it on their website: “warm fragrance blends notes of smoky woods and grilled chestnuts. The frosted top note contrasts with the warmer heart for a soft, enveloping, and addictive experience. The scent subtly evolves on the skin to offer winter’s hot and cold contrast; outside it is snowing on a frosty, shivery landscape, but inside the flames of a comforting fire crackle with glowing warmth.” The notes are: Pink Pepper, Orange Flower Petals, Clove Oil, Chestnut Accord, Gaïac Wood Oil, Cade Oil, Vanilla Accord, Peru Balsam, Cashmeran. Purchase? No. I liked it a lot, but I recently purchased both Musc Ravageur and Hermes L’Ambre Des Merveilles so I can’t add a new $125 scent to my stash right now.

BodyCare

• Nature Island Botanicals Caribbean Escape Coconut Body Butter: I adore this whipped light as a feather but still very hydrating handmade body butter. I have written about this gorgeous body butter that’s much consistency than say, The Body Shop Body Butter. The scent is summer in a jar. My friend Daphne Frampton of NIB makes this fabulous body confection by hand along with probably 30 other products including a million varieties of beautiful, fragrant soaps and a full line of facial skincare. Repurchase? I have another jar waiting in the wings, I think, as well as a bottle of the citrus scented body lotion that is actually a heavier consistency than the body butter. Perhaps topsy-turvy but I love them both.

• The Body Shop Japanese Cherry Blossom Body Butter: I bought this limited edition body butter to go with Rituals Sakura Foaming Shower Gel and Sakura Water Mist Fragrance Spray. Unfortunately, the scent wasn’t quite right and it wasn’t cherry blossom enough for me. The consistency is TBS’ heavy, hydrating body butter that definitely lasts for a full 24 hours. Repurchase? No, I don’t think this scent is available now and the scent was disappointing to me. I have a huge tub of the TBS Wild Argan Oil Body Butter, and I just bought a regular size tub of the TBS Vitamin E Body Butter than I had hoped was unscented. Unfortunately the Vit E has a strange, chemically scent so I think I will bring it to the TBS store at the mall and exchange it for a different scent. I was looking for unscented to wear along with Hermes L’Ambre Des Merveilles to help it last longer.

Makeup

• Urban Decay Perversion Mascara, travel size: I typically like mascaras with a small wand with short plastic teeth for my weird lashes, but somehow I fell in love with Urban Decay Perversion Mascara. It has a bigger wand with bristles, but I really like the formula and I find I can make the wand work for me. This stuff gives me a lot of volume as well as length. It’s one of my favorites now. Repurchase? Yes, I bought a full size! $22

• IT Cosmetics Your Skin But Better CC+ Cream, Fair: I finished up my tube of Fair that I went back to after my bit of a tan from the summer faded. I had been using Light during the summer. This is one of my go-to foundations for everyday. So easy to use. Repurchase? Yes, already did. $38

• Urban Decay Anti-aging Eye Primer: I’ve been using UD AA Eye Primer for years. I liked the formula and the eye to use squeeze tube. Repurchase? Yes, I did, but I discovered that they changed my favorite eye primer to a new UD AA Eye Primer, and now I don’t love it so much. They added an unnecessary applicator IMHO, and they lightened the formula in both shade and consistency. I am very disappointed. I wish I had the receipt (I bought it months ago, and had this waiting in the wings.) because I’d return it in a flash. Sorry UD, you lost me on this one. $24

• Butter London Bloody Brilliant Lip Crayon in Teddy Boy: I have a bunch of these so comfortable to wear lip crayon that each have their own built-in sharpener. The shades are all great, but Teddy Boy is perfect for everyday. It’s a medium pink/mauve MLBB shade. Repurchase? I bought one several months ago when BL had a 30% off sale.

Today's Author

Allison Cohen

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