Empties May 2012

I've started making an effort to use up more of my sample size products, so I've emptied more than ever this month!



Biore Deep Clean Facial Wipes - Quite nice product, smelled good, worked well and generous sheet size. Would get again.
Burt's Bees Beeswax & Banana Hand Creme (mini size, from the hands & feet kit) - Set off my eczema badly, so I ended up using it on my feet. It made them really soft, and I loved the smell, so I might get it again for pedi use!
Thalgo Soft Hydrating Emulsion (from March I Love This Box; sample size) - had an amazing oceany smell, but for the expensive price, the moisturising properties were only average.
The Body Shop Chocomania Soap (part of birthday gift from Husband (not pictured)) - smelled wonderful, like chocolate and nuts, and had pretty good lasting power, but the exfoliating bits in it (I think they were poppy seeds?) were too scratchy on my skin. Replaced with Burt's Bees body bar.
Japanese Aloe Vera Hand Cream (from Daiso) - this is one of the few hand creams that doesn't set off my eczema! Plus it's not too greasy and sinks in quick. For this reason I use it at work. Replaced with Planet Earth Lime Blossom & Coconut hand cream.
Bloom Thirst Quencher Vitamin E Body Cream (sample sachet) - Vague citrusy smell, which I found fairly pleasant. I'd probably consider buying the full-size product, depending on the price.
Schwarzkopf Brilliance Permanent Colour in Smouldering Red - this is my go-to hair dye, though I'm thinking of going more reddish-brown, rather than brownish-red next time. ☺
OPI Expert Touch Nail Lacquer Remover (from Adore Beauty) - worked fast and had a nice citrus scent, but unfortunately too expensive for me to justify. Replaced with Priceline brand remover.
Jurlique Jasmine Body Lotion (sample sachet) - was only enough for one application. Smelled divine, was light and non-greasy. Would think of purchasing if it wasn't so expensive.
Imperial Leather Foamburst Gel in Passionflower & Jojoba (from Coles) - Starts out as a gel, but puffs up into a foam on contact with air. Seemed to be exactly the same formula as my shaving cream, and came in the same type of can - very strange. But smelled lovely and was a fun product. Was expensive, but would get again for a treat.
Kerastase Nectar Thermique Leave-In Conditioner (sample sachet, received in my December Lust Have It box) - this is the 3rd out of 5 sachets that I received.
Estee Lauder Advanced Night Repair Synchronised Recovery Complex (January GlossyBox) - This smelled lovely, slightly citrusy, and had a fresh gel texture. I loved it the way it felt on my skin, but I probably would need to use it for longer to see any real benifits. Unfortunately it's way too expensive to get again.
Pantene Anti-Dandruff Shampoo - this didn't help my dandruff at all, in fact I think it made the problem worse. Replaced with Head & Shoulders Dry Skin formula Shampoo.

Last Month's Beauty Boxes: Looking Back on March 2012

Hi all! This is a new feature where I look back on my beauty boxes for the previous month and see whether I really did use the products in them. Previously I would edit my old posts and make notes on what I thought of the products, but I became dissatisfied with this way of doing it. I mean, aside from the blogger who wrote them, who goes back and reads old blog posts anyway? シ

So here we go with the March 2012 boxes (click on headings to see original reviews):

Lust Have It
Davroe Moisture Senses Argan Oil - haven't opened this yet, but very much looking forward to using it once I've finished my Garnier Smooth n Shine Serum (I'm phasing out Garner products due to their animal testing status).
Karpati DITO nail lacquer in Midnight Romance - used this on my toenails. Normally polish on my toenails lasts a couple of weeks, but this started to chip after only a few days. Unfortunately seems to be quite bad quality.
1Skin Solutions Lip Balm in Vanilla - in my lipbalm stash and next in the queue!
Kosmea Replenishing Moisture Cream - haven't opened this yet, but I just adored the exfoliant so very much looking forward to using it once my Jurlique Night Cream is finished. P.S. I was excited to see Kosmea products at Priceline and Chemist Warehouse recently!
Mirenesse Pearl Crush Creaseless Eyeshadow in Tahitian Pearls - love, love, love this! I use it all the time. The shadow is extremely pigmented and stays on all day.


Mirenesse Pearl Crush Creaseless Eyeshadow.
(Mine was a different colourway to this.)
From Pinterest.

I Love This Box
Essie Nail Polish 'Carry On' Autumn Collection in Lady Like - have only used this once, soon after I got it, but I adore it and will definitely use again. It was very long-wearing.
Maybelline New York XXL Pro Curl Mascara - have not opened yet, but will use when my current Maybelline mascara goes manky.
Sunsilk Co-Creations Frizz & Weather Defence, Weather Protection & Shine Serum - haven't opened yet. I've received a lot of hair products lately, so I'm not sure when I'll get around to it.
Thalgo Soft Hydrating Emulsion - I've been using this regularly. I like the sea salt smell and it makes my skin soft.
Glitter Puff Wand - not a product that you use, really. It's currently decorating my makeup station.


Thalgo range.

GlossyBox
Proactiv Cleansing Body Bar - Husband and I both used this bar, but after only a few days, we threw it away because it was giving us pimples and his back became very oily.
Eau Thermale Avene Thermal Spring Water - put this aside, may or may not use it. I do use a facial spritzer at work, but it has calming essential oils in it. This has nothing. Hm.
Nougat London Tuberose & Jasmine Nurturing Hand Cream - currently using. However, it sets off my eczema. (I'm bad like that: I'd rather use something up than throw it away, even if it's bad for my eczema.)
KMS California Free Shape Hot Flex Spray - currently using. I occasionally need to straighten my fringe, so I use it then.
Dr. Hauschka Cleansing Cream - currently using. Love the smell (very similar to Jurlique's exfoliating cream, actually) and makes my skin smooth. Not sure if it truly cleanses well, though.

Beauty Box Review: I Love This Box March 2012

I got to the post office with 5 minutes to spare this afternoon, and happily picked up my 'I Love This Box' beauty box for March. It was packed in lovely lavender tissue paper...



... and it contained:

Essie Nail Polish 'Carry On' Autumn Collection in Lady Like, 5ml sample
I've been wanting to try Essie for a while, and this nude colour is perfect! After getting blacks and bright reds in previous boxes, it's nice to get a colour I can wear to work and on days when I want something more toned-down.
Conscience time: Essie was founded by an individual, but is now part of L'Oreal, which test on animals.

Maybelline New York XXL Pro Curl Mascara, full size.
Maybelline isn't a luxury brand, but they're always coming up with interesting mascara concepts. Supposedly this mascara will curl and lengthen your lashes in a two-step process. Lash-wise, I could use all the help I can get! So I'm interested to see what this stuff does. I already have a few mascaras but, as the card included in the box reminded me, they don't last that long, so perhaps I should chuck one of my old ones.
Conscience time: Maybelline is owned by L'Oreal. Its animal testing status is unknown.

Sunsilk Co-Creations Frizz & Weather Defence, Weather Protection & Shine Serum, 40ml full-size
There was a Sunsilk product in last month's I Love This Box as well, and I noted the possibility that it was tested on animals back then. ILTB have paid attention to my beauty profile and sent me the frizz serum rather than the straight hair mist which is the alternative product on the card, so they get a tick there! The blue goo in a futuristic vial, surrounded by packaging which makes it look twice as large as it really is, strikes me as rather surreal. But hey, if it works, I won't mind!
Conscience time: Sunsilk is owned by Unilever, an Anglo-Dutch company. Some of their products are tested on animals.

Thalgo Soft Hydrating Emulsion, 30ml sample size
Ah, now Thalgo is a brand I couldn't afford to buy normally, a luxury brand. Thalgo uses marine algae and other sea-based substances in their products, and this certainly smells nice and ocean-y. I've already tested it out on the back of my hand and it's not greasy at all. I already have a veritable ocean of body moisturisers, but this one will rise to the top.
Conscience time: Thalgo is a French company. It is not tested on animals.

Glitter Puff Wand
What an odd item to find in my box! The puff is full of glitter; tap it on your skin to make it shimmer. It seems like filler to me but, you know what, I like it! I have a secret unhealthy obsession with Fairy Kei at the moment (probably a rebellion against my corporate work dress code), and this item reflects the aesthetic perfectly.
Conscience time: There is no brand name listed, so I have no idea.

Summary: This month's box had a good mix of skin, hair, nails, makeup and just plain fluff! Two of the products were full-sized (including the glitter puff, that makes 3), which is quite impressive. It didn't quite sweep me away with raptures like the Lust Have It box did, but it came close - the Essie nail polish and Thalgo product were big wins. The box value is middling, but certainly not the worst I've received. Overall, I'm happy.

Total Value: $54.84.* Cost of Box: $14.95. Benefit: $39.89
Rating: 7/10
* There seems to be a typo on the cost of the Glitter Puff, but I'm going to assume it's supposed to be $12.50.