It’s April! I’m so excited for spring, even though it doesn’t feel like it at all. It snowed day. It’s not fun to wake up after a nice sunny weekend to see snow everywhere. The good news is that most of it is gone so we can go on and forget about the weather’s silly episode.
It was finals in March so I sort of snapped and stress-bought stuff. I ended up ordering a couple of lipsticks and a concealer from Sephora. Beauty Brands was having an AMAZING sale so I ordered a couple OPI nail polishes and some hairspray (I said my goal for 2018 was to take better care of my hair and nails). I also ordered Paula’s Choice BHA Liquid. This was a boring purchase but it’s something that I use daily. It was on sale and I’m almost out of my current bottle.
When I was in Charleston, I hit up one of those Estee Lauder outlet stores and racked up. I spent $50 and ended up with 2 MAC lipsticks, 2 Smashbox Cover Shot eyeshadow palettes, a MAC powder and tons of other stuff (like Estee Lauder deluxe samples). Was it stuff I needed? Not really, but geez, what a deal on stuff that I wanted!
I didn’t stick to my Low-Buy, but I sort of have a “rule” that when a term ends or I’m traveling, I can break my Low-Buy. Both happened in March, so I wasn’t that good but I’m very happy with everything that I bought.
I didn’t empty that many full-size items. I attribute this to traveling and also my resolution to use more samples/travel sizes.
Here’s what emptied in March 2018:
SKINCARE
For the first time ever, this is mainly samples! I barely emptied any full-sizes.
The Ordinary Vitamin C Suspension 23% + HA Spheres 2% – I have a complicated relationship with it. I hate it but it works. It takes time to learn to use it. I mix in CosRx Advanced Snail Mucin Power Essence and love it like that. Otherwise, it’s annoying.
- Repurchase? I don’t know. Like I said, it’s complicated.
Sun Bum SPF 30 Lip Balm in Banana – I love the gross flavor of this and it doesn’t irritate my lips (so many SPFs do). However, it only lasts about 15 seconds on my lips.
- Purchase? I don’t know.
Travel size/deluxe samples:
Prevage Anti-Aging Moisture Lotion with SPF 30 – If I had a bigger skincare budget, I would have incorporated a lot more Prevage into it. Overall, I like the line for its texture and how the products all play nicely with each other. It’s a great line for city-dwellers.
- Purchase? No. But, I really like it. I can find a daytime SPF lotion for much cheaper and invest in anti-oxidant serums instead.
Skin & Co. Truffle Therapy Toner – I love the body products in this line for their fragrance. Sadly, the skincare smells exactly the same and is just as strong. This toner has too much fragrance and dried the heck out of my skin.
- Purchase? No.
The Organic Pharmacy Honey & Jasmine Mask – OMG, you guys, the aroma of this mask is so the most intoxicating, heavenly fragrance ever. Saying that, skincare shouldn’t be about fragrance. But, it’s like a mask is for pampering and this smells like LUXURY. I recommend it to anyone that can handle essential oils and coconut oil or beeswax on their face.
- Purchase? Sadly, no. I’m fairly certain my face hates coconut oil (breakouts). BUT, I’m tempted to buy this to use as a hand cream. If you look at the ingredients, this could easily be a thick cream (for face or body). I want it as a hand cream.
L’Occitane Immortelle Eau Essentielle – Smells great (like hay) but that’s about it.
- Repurchase? No.
Valmont Prime Renewing Pack – One of my favorite wash-off masks.
- Purchase? Yes, even though it’s too $$$.
Samples:
Koh Gen Do Cleansing Spa Water – This seems really overpriced for what it is.
- Purchase? No.
Philosophy Ultimate Miracle Worker Cream SPF 30 – It was an OK day cream but why is the full-size in a jar?
- Purchase? No.
Clarins Multi-Active Day Cream SPF 20 – Perfectly fine day cream with a faint floral fragrance. Once again, why is the full-size in a jar?
- Purchase? No.
Sisley Paris Eye & Lip Contour Cream – I try to like Sisley but I’ve yet to be wow’d. This is very basic and I notice no pros/cons from it.
- Purchase? No.
Erno Laszlo Phormula 3-9 Repair Serum – Aesthetically pleasing serum with gold shimmer. Felt good.
- Purchase? No. It’s too expensive.
SMD Cosmetics Saromaei Snail Serum * (not pictured) – This has a thick feel for a serum but then I realized it’s a cream…or something.
- Purchase? No.
Sheet Masks (I was more into wash-off masks in March):
My Beauty Diary Black Pearl Mask – It’s OK.
- Repurchase? No.
Nature Republic Apple Mango Mask – Another OK one. Smells like mangoes.
- Repurchase? No. But, I have so many left since I bought a pack of them.
FRAGRANCE
It was a month of emptying samples. From these, it looks like I was in a moss-y mood!
MIKMOI Ao * (sample) – Well, I guess I finally need to buy this. Review.
Mojo Magique * (sample) – Review. I have a roll-on now.
Samples I wouldn’t purchase:
EnVoyage Captured in Amber * – Review
Aftelier Bergamoss EDP * – Review
Shay & Blue Framboise Noire – Review. Love this but don’t need it. Still on the fence about buying it or not.
Fendi Fan di Fendi EDT – Review This oddly has grown on me.
DSH Perfumes Rubis Rose * – Review. Such a great mossy rose.
La Prairie Life Threads Platinum – This is a surprisingly amazing oakmoss/chypre.
Sospiro by Xerjoff Duetto * – Review. I noticed the moss much more in this now.
Huitieme Art Ambre Céruléen – Review
BATH/BODY
It was the month for me to run out of moisturizers and shower gels. Yay! I was starting to grow tired of this. I’m too non-committal with bath/body products and bore easily. The theme was rose, honey and natural-ish.
LUSH Rose Jam Shower Gel – This is one of my favorite shower gels. Full review.
- Repurchase? Yes.
Thesis Multi-Tasking Antioxidant Oil in Rose * – This is my favorite rose product from this line. Full review.
- Purchase? Yes.
Kneipp Glückliche Auszeit Bubble Bath – My favorite from Kneipp. It’s a powdery rose thing that reminds me of Malle Lipstick Rose that turns the bath a red shade with bubbles.
- Repurchase? Yes!
Rossmann Isana Meleko Honey Shower Gel – This is one of those soapy smelling honey soaps. I like that sort of thing.
- Repurchase? No. Sadly, we don’t have a Rossmann in the states!
Le Petit Marseillais Nourishing Body Butter – The bummer is that the argan and sweet almond oils are the last ingredients. Smells OK, sweet and honeyed.
- Repurchase? No.
Bloomsbury Sq Double Dip Balm in Lemon Vanilla – A multifunctional natural “whipped” sort of balm that smells like a lemon custard.
- Repurchase? Yes. I want to try different scents though.
Zum Bar in Patchouli (not pictured) – An old favorite.
- Repurchase? Yes.
L’Occitane Shea Butter Ultra Rich Shower Cream (travel size) – I love the powdery, soft fragrance of this line. The formula is great too.
- Repurchase? Yes. I’d like a full-size.
Kneipp Bath Oil in Enjoy Life/May Chang & Lemon (travel size) – Bright yellow bath oil that smells like a lemon on steroids (i.e. litsea cubeba).
- Repurchase? Yes. This is one of the scents that I like. I could live without the yellow though.
Kneipp Bath Oil in Relaxing Lavender (travel size) – One of the classics from the line. Turns the water a fun blue shade. Smells strongly of a medicinal lavender.
- Repurchase? Yes.
HAIR
Nothing too exciting, just the basics.
John Frieda Frizz Ease Extra Strength Serum – It’s all ‘cones but my hair loves this stuff. It makes it shiny and manageable.
- Repurchase? Yes. I prefer Extra Strength over the Original.
Klorane Mango Butter Conditioner * (travel size) – My hair likes this stuff. Review here.
- Purchase? Yes.
MAKEUP
It was a lot of eye products for me.
Tonymoly Long Kinny Gel Pen Liner – My HG liquid liner.
- Repurchase? Yes.
Grande Lash Boosting Mascara – This is the random crap that comes in an ipsy bag. It’s an OK mascara. I’ve had drugstore do just as good for me.
- Repurchase? Nope.
It Cosmetics Bye Bye Under Eye Full Coverage Concealer in Medium (travel size) – I really like this concealer because it has a dewy finish.
- Purchase? Yes, I bought the full-size which should last FOREVER.
THROWOUTS:
Club Clio Gelpresso Waterproof Pastel Upper Liner in No.2 – I’m mad. I love this matte pink-coral shade. It wears forever. BUT, it dried out before its expiration date.
Total: 40. 14 full-size. 10 travel/deluxe samples. 16 samples.
Throwouts: 1
This sounds like a lot but this was mostly samples. I actually emptied less-than-average when it comes to full-size products.
What about you? Which products did you empty in March? Did you buy anything new?
Disclaimer – If there is a /*/ next to an item, it was provided by PR/the brand. All other items were purchased by me or are samples/gifts with purchase/subscription box products.
*Nordstrom, Sephora, Elizabeth Arden, FragranceX.com, Beautyhabit and Amazon are affiliate links. Thanks!
There were parts of March that felt long but otherwise it flew by. I did a bunch of swap through NST, so I got rid of a lot of perfumes I’m not wearing. But this also means I have so much more new stuff to wear. I made some purchases too. I might have said this another time here, but I met up with a couple other Seattle perfume lovers at Essenza and bought a bottle of Miller et Bertaux Green, Green, etc. I had been planning that purchase for a while so didn’t feel bad. I bought a mini of Marni EDP from eBay. I also bought two cheap linden perfumes, the Provence Sante one and the Library of Flowers one. I also bought a variety pack of Leaders sheet masks. AND skincare from Sephora…Belief travel set and First Aid Beauty travel set. Plus the Kneipp minis I mentioned last month. Also, jeans and shoes…what was wrong with me?!
Also, my coworker gave me some Clinique deluxe samples and travel sizes that she didn’t want, mostly things from the Moisture Surge line. I told her how I loved one in particular, the concentrate. Next thing I know she brings me a full size of a gel that she ordered by accident, Moisture Surge Extended Thirst Relief. I really love it!
I also booked a trip to San Diego for the end of April because my SO and I haven’t taken a vacation in way too long. Did you have fun in Charleston?
My March empties:
The Saem Natural Honey Sheet Mask
The Saem Natural Cucumber Sheet Mask
Lancôme Renergie French Lift Night Duo Retightening Night Cream sample
Andalou 1000 Roses Eye Revive Contour Gel
La Roche-Posay Toleraine Purifying Foaming Cleanser
Tatcha The Deep Cleanse sample
Spiced Maple Lip Balm (no brand listed)
Baccarat Les Larmes Sacrees de Thebes Parfum sample
Guerlain Rose Barbare decant
The Sum The Red sample
Vintage Guerlain Shalimar Cologne decant
Apoteker Tepe Anabasis decant
Serge Lutens Bois et Musc sample
DW Home Jasmine Iris candle
Voluspa French Bourbon Vanille candle
Annick Goutal Encens Flamboyante Shower Gel travel size
Phyto Phytojoba Intense Hydration Brilliance Shampoo travel size
I enjoyed the two masks I’ve used so far from The Saem. They really smelled like honey and cucumber. I LOVED the Lancome night cream. It smelled and felt expensive because hey, it is expensive!
I did like what the Phyto shampoo did to my hair, but I didn’t love the runny texture. Was it funny when you used it or was something off in mine?
Oh, fun! I love meet-ups.
Yeah, it was a blur for me. It was finals and then I went out of town and then I started my last term. It was all great but geez, a lot happened. I love Charleston/Lowcountry area. It was a nice break and I really didn’t do much, but I’m fine with that.
Speaking of that Clinique, at that store I bought a couple since it was like $1 to buy the travel sizes that come in GWPs. It is sooooo good! What a pleasant surprise! Also got a travel size of that Lancome cream too from a friend.
My Phyto was runny but oddly, I noticed it was runnier when it was colder (the exact opposite of what I expected). My bathroom is like a wine cellar (no heat). All my bath/body/hair stuff responds oddly to those cold temps 🙁
I totally forgot that I bought some clothes. I ended up getting a pair of Mother jeans that I love so much I want to throw all my other jeans out and an Equipment shirt in a peach shade (sick of my all-black life). Did I need those things? No. But, I wanted them. I do need a bag though…seriously!
Love reading these! 🙂
Thank you for reading!
My empties:
A package of Shiseido facial cotton, super spoiled to the texture of this and will never be able to use regular cheap cotton rounds again.
Bottle of Shea Moisture Jamaican Black Castor Oil Moisture Retention body wash. Would repurchase but the have so many other scents to try.
MopTop gentle shampoo. Liked the smell of this when I first bought it but upon using realized that it smells like a commercial cleaner that I’ve smelled before in public restrooms. Used most of the bottle as a body wash and for shaving just to get rid of it.
Rollerball of Nirvana Bourbon. Would like a full size bottle but again, so many other things to try.
Throw outs:
A bottle of Jergens wet skin moisturizer after it gave me a rash.
A travel size bottle of Pureology Clean Volume shampoo because it smells like chemicals/bug spray that I also couldn’t tell how it smelled until I used it. Kinda upset about this one because this is the shampoo that replaced their now discontinued pink volume shampoo that I loved the smell of. I wondered why I kept seeing bottles of it at Marshalls and TJ Maxx…
THIS IS MY PROBLEM. I can’t use the cheap ones anymore. I’m all about Shiseido and when I’m roughing it, I use Muji. I feel like I waste less product with these…plus the feel!
I think that’s one of the SheaMoisture body products that I haven’t tried yet.
I need to get better about throwing stuff out instead of forcing myself to use it. Obviously, I’m not using things that cause discomfort. But, I need to stop trying to make shampoos that make my hair feel like straw work (repurpose as brush cleanser or shower gel). Life is too short for products I don’t love!
I bought the La Prairie fragrance based off this post (and Fragrantica reviews) and I love it. Thanks for the recommendation. It IS an amazing chypre but I can’t get over how much it smells like Mitsouko. That is not a complaint.
Mitsouko is one of those that I personally love but I have to wait until my S.O. is out of town to wear because he hates it. It’s a polarizing thing.
I was surprised by the La Prairie because it smells so “French” and not like something “modern”. I had no idea what that sample was going to smell like when I sprayed it and boy, it was a surprise.