Hello! My name is Ashley and my latest obsession is all things roses.
Throughout the summer I have been collecting a ton of rose-scented bath and body products, many of which are from Lush!
(Does this photo not resemble Dr. Eggman from Sonic? No? Okay...)
Rose Jam is my absolute favourite scent from Lush. It is actually so popular that it's currently available as a shower gel, but for the holiday season only. I'll be buying the shower gel in bulk loads when it's finally available in stores but for those who are impatient you can find it on the Lush website! And anyone who knows of and loves Rose Jam as much as I do probably already has Ro's Argan as well. The two are a match made in heaven; sweet, rosy, and soooo luxurious. But for an epic(!!!) rosy pink bubble bath, I like to add Turkish Delight into the mix. I take the rose obsession to a whole other level, I know.
My very latest rose-related pretty is the newly acquired Dipytque Eau Rose:
I went to Portland in July with a few blogger gal pals and with the intention of picking up Jo Malone Red Roses. Long story short, I came back empty handed because I couldn't choose between Red Roses or Eau Rose! Then I was struck with a big case of regret and non-buyer's remorse (it's a thing, even if I made it up!). However, as luck would have it, my best friend ended up going to Portland a few weeks later and helped me pick up my almost missed pretty! I'm glad that I chose Eau Rose in the end because Red Roses tends to turn rancid on me after only two hours of wear. Dipytque, on the other hand, does not. It doesn't last long (4 hours, maybe 5), but I appreciate the sweetness of Eau Rose and the fact that it isn't a straight up replication of a rose.
Last but not least, honorable mention goes to L'Oreal Colour Caresse Shine Stain in Rose On and On.
This lip gloss/stain hybrid doesn't smell like roses, but it did inspire the blog title so it deserves a shout out for that not to mention it is a very pretty lip stain! I want more now that I think about it... Anyway! I know it's been quite some time since the last post and I realize how rusty I am at the whole blogging thing but here's to trying it again!
[Products in this post were purchased by me and all opinions expressed are my own.]
Happy 2013 everyone! (ノ ゜∀゜)ノ*`☆*
Okay, okay I know I'm majorly late on the New Year celebrations but whatever. Better late than never, right? We're far into January now but I seriously wanted to blog at least once this month. Don't worry, this won't be a recap of 2012 but more a long the lines of a haul with quicky reviews. Most of the products were purchased near the end of December and a few during this month but all of which were tested recently.
Kate Somerville EradiKate Acne Treatment
Only starting to test this out but so far? LOVE. The first time I used it, it shrunk a HUGE pimple overnight. I am not exaggerating when I say "huge". The pimple literally looked like a third nipple growing on my face (－‸ლ)
Andalou Naturals Moisture Rich Shampoo (Argan & Sweet Orange)
Shampoo isn't something I splurge on but that isn't to say I'll settle for any cheap drugstore shampoo. Aside from a low price I also need my shampoo to be sulfate-free and smell phenomenal. Andalou's Argan & Sweet Orange scented shampoo smells like orange creamsicles! The scent is very light and doesn't linger which saddens me but it is still the second best sulfate-free shampoo I've tried so far (Alba Botanica's Colorific Plumeria is #1!). It foams up easily but doesn't leave the scalp feeling dry and scaly. It also leaves my hair soft and I frequently skip conditioner when using this shampoo.
Lush Let the Good Times Roll
Lush did it right with this cleanser-exfoliator hybrid. Let the Good Times Roll is perfectly grainy and leaves the skin feeling soft and new. I can't even begin to describe how delicious it smells either. It's like caramel popcorn but so much better. I've seriously contemplated eating the stuff...
Klorane Mango Oil Spray
When I first read about this hair oil on Jessica's blog Getting Cheeky I knew I had to try it. Unfortunately for me, this is the one Klorane product not available in Canadian stores. Months later I enlisted the help of Mr. Waffle (my wonderful SO and mule) and purchased a bottle through Drugstore.com. I tried it a few times but so far I only like the smell of the oil.
Hurraw! Root Beer Lip Balm
Someone on Soompi posted a picture of Hurraw! lip balm and my lip balm addict self had to try one out too. My good friend E helped buy this for me at UBC's book store but we've since found out American Apparel carries a decent selection of the brand's flavors. The scents are very accurate to the flavors but the balm itself isn't the balm-b (get it, bomb? balm-b? LOL). It's a thin balm that doesn't last for more than 2 hours but when you're hankering for a yummy smelling lip balm, Hurraw! will have you covered.
That's about it for this post but I hope you liked it! I certainly enjoyed trying out different brands and discovering new favourites. It felt like I was swimming in the same pool of brands and featuring the same products over and over again last year but now it's time for change! Who's with me?!
Wooooah! Is it really the end of 2012? Time flies by faster and faster each year. It feels like it was just yesterday I was writing my first empties post of the year. Alas, here we are reading about the last empties post of 2012!
Starting off hair schtuff:
Kiehl's Olive Fruit Oil Nourishing Shampoo* smells lovely - light, sort of creamy - but that's all that I love about this shampoo. It makes my hair decently soft and tangle free but my scalp a dry, flaky mess.
I still love The Body Shop's Rainforest Moisture Hair Butter and I have another backup of it in my drawers. But, I think I'll try Essential's Ultra Honey Hair Mask at the start of 2013, just cause y'know?
The Alba Botanica Natural Hawaiian Shampoo in Colourific Plumeria is my favourite shampoo ever. Everyone has a signature scent and then there are the few that have a signature hair scent. I used to be very wishy-washy about my hair and used what ever smelled decent but now I strictly use this. The SLS-free shampoo foams up like regular shampoos but leaves my hair even softer and scalp not as dry nor itchy. It's THE shampoo for me!
The TRESemmé Thermal Creations Heat Tamer Spray has been sitting on my bathroom counter for years. There's actually two of them but one is missing, obviously. I hardly use this when curling or flat ironing my hair but when I do I don't find this makes a difference. Hair serums/oils do a better job of protecting, providing shine, and taming frizz.
Lots of cleansers:
My first forray into the cleansing oil was with the shu uemura Cleansing Beauty Oil Premium A/O Advanced Formula. It took me two full years to finish and it wouldn't have taken so long if I didn't hate it so much. It smells awful and doesn't rinse off completely. The Kose Softymo Deep Cleansing Oil is much more satisfying, that is all.
NIP + FAB Clean Fix Wipes are surprisingly good! It doesn't remove waterproof mascara but regular eyeshadow is fine. Though I must say it has stung my eyes on a few occasions but lucky not my face.
Marcelle Hydra-C Facial Exfoliating Gel is the first Marcelle product I have come to dislike. It's not a bad exfoliator but it's just too gentle for my liking. There's much more gel than exfoliating beads but this makes it great for everyday use if you have normal skin.
L'Oreal Youth Code Foaming Gel Cleanser, Clearasil Rapid Action Face Wash, Caudalíe Instant Foaming Cleanser, and Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cleanser - these cleansers are "meh". I mainly used the L'Oreal and Clearasil cleansers to wash face clothes and makeup brushes. The Kiehl's cleanser is gentle and non-drying which is great but the Caudalíe foaming cleanser is the exact opposite.
Onto the body:
This can of h2o+ Oasis Mist is fairly old. It served its purpose well and a repurchase is likely in the future. The mist is much finer than the Avène Thermal Spring Water or Evian facial spray. Also, the h20 didn't die out 3/4s into the can like the Avène spray did. Though, the packaging has changed so maybe I won't like it the second time around.
Yes, that is TWO Cake Milk Made Velveteen Hand Cremes that you're seeing. It's tricky to finish hand cream quickly because I rotate four tubes at a time. I keep one at my desk, one at my bedside table, one in my car, and another in the washroom. Milk Made sinks in quickly without that icky, greasy look and feel in the winter. However, it's a bit heavy for the summer. I still highly recommend it and I've gifted it to many friends over the years!
Lush's The Jilted Elf Shower Jelly didn't make a return this year for Lush's holiday collection but this tub is from 2011. The scent is very warm and spicy, not something I go for normally, but it's perfect for the holiday season. If Lush had made it into a shower gel instead of a jelly, I would have finished it sooner. The Jell-O like soap is too flimsy in the shower and even when frozen it won't be solid like a bar of soap. Miranda on the other hand is perfect and a permanent product. The soap doubles up as an exfoliator and smells fruity but not too sweet.
eos Smooth Sphere Lip Balm has been talked about enough and Kiehl's Creme de Corps as well. There's too much hype surrounding both items. The lip balm is too light and doesn't hydrate the lips for very long and the body lotion is too heavy. It certainly moisturizes the skin but at the cost of greasy feeling skin.
Samples & Sheet Masks:
My Beauty Diary Sheet Masks (count: 4) and samples packets (count: 11).
And now it is time for the BIG round up combining all the empties counts throughout this year:
Jumbo = 3 (1 jumbo = 2 full size) = 6
Full size = 38
Deluxe Samples/Travel Sizes = 31 (5 deluxe samples = 1 full size) = 6.2
Samples = 44 (10 samples = 1 full size) = 4.4
Masks = 20 (10 = 1 full size) = 2
Tossed = 9
Total? A million! Okay, maybe not a million but 56.6 isn't as impressive... I've changed how I calculate deluxe samples and sample packets so my total is less than last year's but whatever. The important thing is that I've emptied a lot and I will continue to do so in 2013!
How about you? Were you an emptying machine this year? Have any plans to be one in 2013?
Lush is the store you either run away from or into, nose first. Admittedly, it took quite a few visits for me to open up to the brand. In fact, it was only last year that I discovered my love for their bath bombs and soaps. In the short time that I have gotten to know the brand, I have also enabled some people into some golden purchases. One of my favourite Lush products to date is the Lush Lemony Flutter; "a lemony, buttery cuticle cream".
Truth be told, my nails and cuticles weren't a top priority until they met Lemony Flutter. I would use a cuticle oil occasionally but none of them really helped. Lemony Flutter helps, a lot. The thick, buttery cuticle cream melts into the skin and softens cuticles like no other. Also, the cuticle cream smells so delightful - it has a zesty kick to it but also has a soft fluttery side, almost like lemon cake batter but less buttery.
Pricing ($14.95 CAD) may seem a bit high for a cuticle butter but it can be used for multiple purposes such as healing dry, cracked heels or elbows. A little black tub lasts quite a long time too. I expect a person would only need two tubs to last a year if they used it as excessively as I do. Unfortunately, the ingredients won't suit everyone. The cuticle cream contains parabens and a few different oils (lavender, lemon, castor, avocado, just to name a few).
Bonus Tip:
Use Lemony Flutter as a de-stainer! One time I stained my nails with a red polish (didn't use a protective base coat, tsk tsk!) but after applying the cuticle cream three nights in a row, my nails became surprisingly less stained and much whiter than before.
Bottom Line:
I highly recommend Lush Lemony Flutter. The buttery, lemony cuticle cream will turn dry cuticles into soft, happy cuticles with a with a bonus de-staining effect.
Ingredients
Do you know what time it is? It's empties time, fool! And this time there's a truck load of tossed items too. Despite finishing a bunch of the "good stuff", all of the "bad stuff" has resisted emptying. Thus, I was forced to toss a pile of crap in Round 5.
Emptied
Tossed
Tally
Full Size: 9
Deluxe/Travel Size: 8
Samples: 15
Sheet Masks: 10
Tossed: 7
Products I Hate(d) Emptying but Will Repurchase:
Kate Somerville ExfoliKate (reviewed here), Jack Black Intense Therapy Lip Balm in Lemon (reviewed here), Bison Wakilala Bright Up! Essence (reviewed here), Lush Angel's Delight soap, Lush Lemony Flutter (review to come), Lush Fresh Face Mask in Cupcake, Caudalíe Premieres Vendanges Moisturizing Cream (definitely purchasing the full size!).
Everything else? Nothing worth mentioning or re-mentioning, especially the items being tossed. Tossed items are either a) old or b) old and crappy. The Mentholatum Acnes Tinted UV Milk was actually quite nice but I turned too dark for it after I tanned last year. Since then, the UV Milk hasn't seen any love and the product turned sour to punish me.
Honestly, this round of empties felt quite blah. It brings me no joy to empty truly amazing products and tossing things I spent hard earned cash on. I also feel like my emptying mojo is depleting again... Help! Tell me what you've emptied recently!
Ever since 2012 started, emptying has been a quick process. There was one week where I managed to empty four full sized body products at the same time. This could possibly be my best record so far. And now that it's a quarter way into the new year, it's time for another epic empties post!
Skincare
My Beauty Diary Sheet Masks - My new rule is that every 10 sheet masks will count as one full size product. The count today? 10.
Hada Labo SHA Facial Wash - I still really, really love this cleanser and I am sad to see it go. However, the AHA + BHA cleanser is much more effective so I'll be repurchasing that one more over this one.
Marcelle Hydra-C 24H Energizing Hydrating Gel - If you haven't read my review on this fantastic gel moisturizer yet, do it now. It will be the perfect moisturizer during the Spring and Summer. It's refreshing, lightweight and cheaper than my old HG - Clinique Moisture Surge Extended Thirst Relief!
Lip Care
100% Natural Lip Roll-On Coconut* - This isn't actually emptied but I'm tossing it on account of it is a strange lip oil?? I feel nostalgic each time I use the roll on but the actual oil inside isn't moisturizing and rather greasy.
Sweet Leaf Bath Co. Pomegranate Lip Balm* - Also unfinished but I'm tossing it out. My lips used to love beeswax-based lip balms but not so much anymore.
Nivea Milk & Honey Lip Balm - The only lip balm that is actually emptied! I quite like this lip balm and when I thought I had lost it, I bought another tube of it. Soon after, I found the first tube under my car seat. It's cheap and it works, what else can I say?
Hair Care
Suave Professionals Dry Shampoo Spray - This is my second can of Suave's dry shampoo and while I don't use it often, it seems to run out very quickly. It's cheap, it works, I like the scent but it is not available in Canada as far as I can tell. I bought four back ups the last time I crossed the border.
Korres Hair & Scalp Scrub - Discontinued but I'm not mad or sad about it. This stuff sucked big time.
Dove Intensive Repair Conditioner - Average conditioner, not much to say about it. It weighs down my hair if I use it too often and it doesn't fight the frizz too well.
The Body Shop Rainforest Moisture Hair Butter - I love this stuff to death! It's the best deep conditioner/hair treatment I have used to date. It's lighter than most conditioners but I still get that deep hydration my hair craves. It fights the frizz, the scent isn't too salon-ish.
Body Care
The Body Shop Earth Lovers Apricot & Basil Shower Gel - I thought I liked the smell of Apricot & Basil until half way through the first bottle, I realized I don't. And by first bottle, I mean that it's the first of three to go.
Lush Honey I Washed the Kids - "Mmmmm" is all I can ever say when I smell Honey I Washed the Kids. The scent doesn't last long but it's enough to make me want to eat my own arm off.
Soap & Glory Scrub 'Em and Leave 'Em - UGH. Have I mentioned how mad I am that Soap & Glory prices were raised? I have? Well I'm still pissed. For $20+, I say pass on this body exfoliator. It melts quicker than I can spread the stuff over my body. Between Scrub 'Em and Leave 'Em and Scrub, Actually, the latter is much more worthwhile. It works and the squeeze tube packaging is easier to handle in the shower.
eos Refresh Hand & Body Lotion - I will forever hate the smell of this lotion but forever love the formula. If you've ever tried the hand lotion, they're exactly the same. As I hand lotion, I own and use better but as a body lotion, it's great for the warmer seasons. The lotion delivers the perfect amount of hydration without any residue. It spreads easily and it's also fast-absorbing. Though, the SO whom has acute dermatitis can't use this lotion. Each time he's used it, he break out in itchy hives.
Deluxe Samples
Elizabeth Grant Biocollasis Complex Gentle Cleanser - When Luxe Box was still called Loose Button, I jumped on the subscription band wagon. In my box was this cleanser. The cleanser has a thin, fluid consistency similar to the Korres White Tea fluid cleanser. However, this cleanser turns into a foamy, drying mess. Although the cleanser is touted to re-balance the skin's natural pH, it does the opposite for me. Do not recommend.
Avène - No idea what this stuff is called but it's one of Avène's makeup removing lotions but with a gel texture. I hate it.
Sonia Kashuk Eye Makeup Remover - Love, love, love! To be fair, I will officially review this eye makeup remover when Canada opens its first Target.
Korres Vitamin E Face Primer - No matter what moisturizer I used underneath, this primer would always pill. Instead of a smooth canvas, I ended up with little bits on my face and my foundation would look uneven and streaky.
One 'n Only Argan Oil - My hair dresser gave this oil treatment way back when my hair was damaged to no end. Of course, I forgot to use it until now and even with my healthier hair, I find this argan oil to be "meh". Dimethicone is the very first or second ingredient listed in the back while "argan oil" is further down. This probably explains the "meh" response my hair had.
Pond's Evening Sooth Wet Cleansing Towelettes - Surprisingly good but I won't be repurchasing. Pond's still tests on animals *sadface*
Murad Time Release Acne Cleanser - No good. NO GOOD!
Nexcare Acne Dressing - I am waiting for the perfect angry pimple to review the Nexcare Acne Dressing, I swear. These little sticker things are magnificent and everyone and anyone needs an emergency pack on hand!
Samples
Lastly, the samples I managed to plow through (not many) since January. I mainly focused on hair shampoo & conditioner packets and now it's time to go through some tinted moisturizers and foundation samples. I have many skincare samples to go through too but I'm happy with my regimen at the moment. Time to tally!
Full size: 10
Deluxe/Travel size: 8
Samples: 14
Tossed: 2
I will admit that there are moments where I want to simply throw out a product but when I can help it, I do my best and persevere and that is what makes emptying such a rewarding experience for me. But that's just me.
What about you? What do you like about emptying and how well have you been doing with your emptying challenge?
* Items marked with an asterisk were a part of a giveaway prize.
Disclosure
Make-Up Kismet is a personal blog written and edited by myself. This blog was created to share my experiences with whom ever reads it.
All reviews posted are written by me and are my honest opinions. All products reviewed are purchased by me for personal and/or review purposes unless stated otherwise. Each person is different, as are our experiences. With that said, I cannot be held responsible for any unsatisfying reaction to a product I review or recommend.
Photos on this blog are either from Google, other Bloggers or, my own. I try to depict all products as accurately as possible. I may edit photos for this purpose.
