I think I expected to use up more than 7 items in July, but it was still a decent month. I have a number of products that will be empties for August so I that’ll be good.
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Here are my empties:
- Olaplex No. 4 Bonding Maintenance Shampoo: This amazing bonding shampoo truly rescued my fried hair. Even though my hair has recovered, I still love using it. A little goes a very long way. It creates the best lather of any shampoo I have ever used! And it has a nice light scent. Recommend/repurchase? Yes, I strongly recommend it, and yes, I already did buy more.
- Qtica Sugar Scrub, Lemon Dream: I was given this body scrub by a wonderful blogger. So generous of her, and such a wonderful gift! This is by far the best body scrub I have ever used. First, I love that it comes in a tube rather than a tub. It is soooooo much easier to squeeze some out rather than to have to open a tub and scoop out the scrub. And most importantly, it doesn’t leave a greasy and dangerous slippery film on the shower floor! So I don’t have to clean the tub after every time I use the scrub. Plus, it’s gentle but gets the job done. The Lemon Dream scent was fabulous, but since they have about a million scents, I may try another scent next time. Recommend/repurchase? Yes, I strongly recommend this scrub, and after I finish up at least one of my other tub scrubs, I will buy more Qtica. I truly hate the tub scrubs but I can’t make myself throw them away.
- Swisspers Premium Cotton Rounds: Although I switched to the fabulous Koh Gen Doh cotton rectangles to remove my makeup, I still use Swisspers cotton rounds to apply toner and to remove my nail polish. I think Swisspers is great because it doesn’t pill. I buy them 8 packages at a time from Costco. Recommend/repurchase? Yes, I recommend them, and I will buy more but I think I have one package left.
- Natural sea sponge: I don’t know the “brand” of this natural sea sponge. I love sea sponges for my face, though I feel guilty because they are not cruelty-free. This one lasted me a long time, but now it feels a little scratchy on my skin. Recommend/repurchase? I’ve been using natural sea sponges on my face since I was in college, and it’s hard to change my ways. But this is your decision. I am currently using a smaller silk sponge that some people use to apply foundation because it is even softer. I believe that the silk sponge is still a sea sponge.
- Drunk Elephant Lippe Balm: I actually finished this lip balm up a few months ago, but it takes up such little room in my recycling bag that I didn’t see it. To be honest, I didn’t love this lip balm. I didn’t get the wide tube: to me, it was harder to use than a regular size tube. I wasn’t going to use lip balm on other parts of my body and then use it on my lips, so it seemed like a stupid design. Recommend/repurchase? No, I don’t recommend it. I think there are better lip balms that are more affordable, easier to use, and that are shaped better for use on the lips.
- Coola Sun Silk Drops 70%+ Organic SPF 30: This is the second or third bottle of Coola Sun Silk Drops that I have used up, so I must really like it. What I like the best is that it is a liquid, and it is quite lightweight. I also like that I can use it with my moisturizer of choice. But it isn’t perfect. What I don’t like is that it still leaves my skin with a shiny look after I apply it. Also, this bottle, I had to shake to mix it every time I used it. My previous bottle didn’t require that. Recommend/repurchase? I do recommend it because it is so lightweight and gives you flexibility. I will repurchase it probably next summer when I will be looking for a lightweight sunscreen. Right now, I have so many moisturizers with sunscreen that I would like to use them up.
- City Beauty City Lips: You already know I love this stuff. I go through a tube every couple of months. It does a fantastic job keeping my naturally dry lips healthy and smooth. Plus it stays on overnight so I know it’s on the job. Recommend/repurchase? Yes, definitely and I have another tube waiting in the wings.
So that’s it. My 7 beauty empties for July. I started the month with 61 empties, and with 7 more, I’m at 68 empties so far in 2021. Five more months to use up 39 more. I’m still optimistic!
Tosses:
- IT Superhero Mascara, travel size (2 tubes): When this mascara first launched, I thought I liked it because it is a good mascara. But after a while, I decided that there were other mascaras that I liked more for my lashes. So I never used these up. They have been sitting around for a couple of years. Gotta go.
- ColourPop Jelly Shadow: I bought this jelly eye shadow from ColourPop about a year ago when they had a sale. I was really curious about the jelly form. I wanted to find out if I would like it as much as cream shadows or as much as the bouncy regular shadows from CP. The jelly was essentially clear with chunky glitter in it. I didn’t wear it very often because the glitter strayed, and I also felt that it was a little juvenile. I am tossing it because it dried out. Ugh. I won’t buy this again.
- Jesse’s Girl Liquid Matte Lipstick: I am so sad that Jesse’s Girl makeup went out of business. I thought their makeup was excellent quality for an affordable price. I am tossing this liquid matte lipstick because the vampy dark burgundy doesn’t really suit me. Sad.
I am glad to be recycling or throwing out 10 products this month. While it’s a drop in the bucket, at least it’s something!
What did you finish up or purge this month? Anything you plan to repurchase?
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I liked this post. So, you didn like the Lippe Balm? I actually really love the oversized shape. I tend to get a stress-induced irritation around my lips and that shape balm covers just outside the edges of my lips so it helps! But to each their own. 🙂 Also, I looked at the silk sponge bag. Ive never used a sea sponge. Do they last as long as synthetic or less? You toss them about the same time we toss makeup sponges?
Thanks, Claudia. I can see why you’d like the Lippe Balm shape if you have irritation around your lips. For me, the wide shape was overkill. The silk sea sponges are smaller than the one I am tossing after at least 6 months. The silk ones can get worn out after a while, but they too last for months. Probably you should use whatever rule of thumb you go by for tossing a makeup sponge or facial sponge. I love the silk sponges because they are so soft.
Nice job, Allison! I still really want to try a sunscreen from Coola. I had absolutely no idea that Jesse’s Girl went out of business! What a shame!
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I keep meaning to buy Coola but never remember. I need to try it the next time I’m in the market for sunscreen. I do have a mini that I should finish up first though. I like the price of Swisspers so I buy them at Costco too but they aren’t my first choice.
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I think Swisspers is fine for toner and removing nail polish. Have you tried the Koh Gen Doh cotton pads for makeup removal? I just love those
Allison, I too, am bummed about Jesse’s Girl. I really liked the product line. I am going to purchase the small silk sea sponges. By the way I have been reading your blog but just not commenting lately.
So happy to hear from you, Sandy, though you are not obligated to comment! I was wondering if you were visiting your family this summer? Hope all is well with you and yours. <3
I think the silk sea sponges are wonderful, so soft on my skin. I wonder what the story was behind the scenes about Jesse's Girl. Someday, I will sleuth around the internet and see what I can find.
Good morning Alison! Haha, you said Olaplex!!!
Are you an Olaplex fan, Mary?
Love seeing Olaplex in your empties pile! Their haircare saved my processed hair as well!
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I didn’t know Koh Gen Do made cotton rectangles. I adore their setting powder. It’s my splurge.