Another month has gone by, and I’ve done pretty well using up full size beauty products. In fact, I have a few more that are just about empty that I’m saving for June’s empties. Yay! In the meantime, let’s see what’s going into recycling tomorrow.
Skincare
IT Cosmetics Confidence In An Eye Cream Anti-aging Peptide Cream: This is at least the third jar of IT AA Peptide Eye Cream that I’ve used up in the past half year. I still love it. It’s creamy for my dry eyelids, it helps soften my crow’s feet, and it works to firm my skin above the crease. I usually can get it on sale somewhere. Recommendation? Yes, perfect for those with dry skin. I just bought another jar.
Coola Mineral Classic Face Organic Sunscreen SPF 30 Cucumber: I have a number of “most used” facial sunscreens, and Coola brand is one of them. It’s one of the somewhat rare mineral sunscreens that’s not too thick. I might have a bit of a white cast that goes away in seconds as I rub it in. I’ve used it with the delightful light cucumber scent and I think they may have or had an unscented version as well. Recommendation? Yes, consider it for your face, if you prefer mineral sunscreen. I’ve used up several tubes of this one over the years. Right now, I have a Coola SPF 50 that I’m using as well as the liquid Coola serum that can be applied on its own or mixed with moisturizer.
SkinInc Pure Revival Peel: This is the second bottle of SkinInc Pure Revival Peel that I’ve used up. It’s one of those gels that goes on clear, and after a few seconds, it balls up removing dead skin cells. Before my surgery, I used either SkinInc or Theraderm peels at least once a week. My left jaw is still too sore for me to use a peel regularly, but hopefully I’ll be back to it soon. I love the feeling after using a peel. Recommendation? I don’t have an absolute favorite peel, though SkinInc and Theraderm are my two faves.
Mudmasky Aftermask Vitamin Serum: Another Ipsy discovery. You apply Mudmasky Aftermask Vitamin Serum after a mask (duh), and it soothes the skin. Recommendation? Yes. I liked it so much that I’ve already bought a second tube.
City Lips Clear: Yes, I’ve used up another tube of my favorite lip balm and plumper, City Lips Clear. Recommendation? Yes, I love this balm that I buy during their frequent sales. It stays on, softens my dry lips and has made them plumper over the years of regular use.
Bath & Body
Bath & Body
Nature Island Botanicals Caribbean Escape Coconut Body Butter: I just used up about my thousandth tub of organic and natural NIB Caribbean Escape Body Butter. I’ve been using this yummy-licious smelling body lotion for almost 20 years. Although my skin has gotten drier with age over the 20 years, I still enjoy using it. Unfortunately, Daphne who makes the product by hand has stopped coming to the annual Waterfront Festival in Gloucester because she found that other festivals were more profitable for her. Boo! I used to stock up on all my potions from Daphne once a year. Recommendation? Yes, it’s heaven. I have to give her a call and place an order soon.
Pre de Provence Rose Heart-Shaped Bar Soap: About a month ago, I wrote about the lovely rose-scented heart-shaped bar soap that Jeff gave me on the last night of Hanukkah. It took a few months, but I just used it up. It retained its delightful rose fragrance till the very end. It also lathered well and left skin feeling soft without being stripped. Recommendation? Yes, if you like French-milled lightly scented bar soap. If I didn’t have so many bars of soap waiting in the wings, I would buy another.
Makeup
Stellar Limitless Foundation, shade S02: Oh, I can’t believe I have finally used up a bottle of liquid foundation. I received two bottles of Stellar Limitless Foundation in different shades, and I gave the slightly darker and more yellow leaning shade to Audrey, my cousin’s partner. Shade S02, fair/light with pink undertones, was the perfect color match for me. In addition, it was a creamy, buildable, medium coverage formula with a satin finish. It was easy to apply with a brush, and it was long lasting. I am so sad that the brand went out of business. There are a few bottles of different shades for sale on Mercari and Poshmark. I did find an unopened new bottle in S02 on eBay. I couldn’t resist. It’s my favorite liquid foundation.
Rose Inc. Lip Sculpt Amplifying Lip Color, shade Quartz: I decided I wanted to try new-ish Rose Inc. from the UK over the past few months, and I bought two lipsticks and two cream blushes. I liked them. When I saw a Rose Inc. Lip Crayon for sale as an Ipsy Add-On, I decided to buy it. The shade is Quartz, Rosie Huntington-Whately’s (the MUA founder) rose-colored shade, and it was very pretty. (There are 3 more shades.) Although it has a plumping, matte finish, it was made with hydrating ingredients and it wasn’t overly drying on my dry lips. In fact, I used it a lot. Unfortunately, before I completely used it up, the bullet that you screw up to use broke off. Since I used so much of it, I can’t get it to come up at all. Time to toss it. Recommendation? No. In spite of liking the shade and the wear, I can’t recommend a lip crayon that breaks off.
Beauty Tools
Koh Gen Do Pure Organic Cotton Pads: It was so generous of Marcia to send me my favorite Koh Gen Do Pure Cotton. I love the lack of chemicals used in manufacturing, the softness, the large rectangular size of the pads that requires just one to remove all of my makeup. I’ve used lots of boxes (60 count) and now plastic bags (80 count) full of these pads. Recommendation? Though KGD Cotton Pads are a little pricey compared to generic cotton rounds or even DHC Cotton Pads, I think they’re worth it. When I see them on sale, I’ll stock up again.
Ulta Brush Cleansing Solid Soap: I switched to Ulta’s less expensive solid brush cleanser (that’s on sale at Ulta online only right now for $6) from beautyblender BlenderCleanser ($20) years ago. For me Ulta works just as well for half the price (now less than half the price). Recommendation? Yes, Ulta’s Solid Cleanser is great.
Fragrance
TOCCA Kauai Diffuser: Last year in the run up to Mother’s Day, I received a bottle of luxury fragrance TOCCA Kauai Diffuser. Not surprisingly, the scent of Kauai was tropical. It was accurately described as a combination of “lush hibiscus flowers blended with the tropical freshness of coconut leaves”. The wonderful, beachy fragrance was strong, even in my relatively large bedroom. I loved it! It’s also alcohol-free, though I can’t say that it mattered to me. Importantly, it lasted a little more than one year for me! (I was surprised that an online description said it lasts 60 days. No way, the amount of liquid is a lot. After 60 days, it was just getting started!) If Kauai isn’t your cup of tea, the diffuser also comes in a few other scents. Recommendation? Yes, if you like room long-lasting room fragrance, this is the one. Although the diffuser has gone from $35 a year ago to $40 now, it’s well worth it IMHO. Now, Rakuten is giving 10% cash back at Nordstrom where they’re also giving a $40 bonus note if you purchase with a new Nordstrom credit card.
Project Pan Update
I ended April with 42 empties. Gee, I thought at 12 empties in May that I was doing well, lol, but in April I finished up 18. Oh well, I’ll keep at it.
My total empties for 2023 through the end of May is 54.
Tosses
I also tossed two old mascaras. One is Benefit Roller Lash Mascara in Brown, a nice mascara, but I don’t wear brown mascara often enough. I was no surprise to learn that the brown mascara was discontinued. The other is from Charlotte Tilbury, Pillowtalk Push Up Lashes, with a huge wand that was too big for me. I love Charlotte Tilbury Cream Eyeshadows, but I’m not enamored with the rest of her line.
This is a great amount of things to finish. I’d count those mascaras in your finish items.
Oh, that’s great, Marcia, maybe I should count the mascaras. I definitely used them both for a while, but technically, I didn’t finish them completely.
My favorite post of the month! I think I may try the room fragrance, I could use some Hawaii in my life right now.
Oh, thank you, thank you, Denise xoxo I always hope that it’s an interesting one for you. I am hoping for a sale, though the 10% cashback on Rakuten at Nordstrom makes it almost the same price as it was a year ago. It is very tropical with coconut and hibiscus leaves. I love it, but it would be nice if you could check out the scent first. I just came from Sephora this afternoon, and they carry TOCCA, but I don’t think they have the diffusers.
I want that Tocca fragrance soooooooooooooooooo much!!!!
It was so long-lasting for me! I loved the tropical scent 🙂