Saturday, May 25, 2013

April 2013 Empties

I had focused on using up samples during the month of April! 


Empties: April 2013


Bath: 
Empties: bath products

Burst Organic Beauty Bar love bubbles body wash in kiwi & strawberry, travel size
I received this body wash as an 'extra' in a sample swap. This body wash had a fresh fruity scent that did not linger after it was rinsed off. It was a moisturizing gel-like body wash. Customers can actually customize the scents, moisturizers and antioxidants in their products when ordering from the Burst Organic siteI appreciate that this body wash was 100% natural and that it did not contain SLSs. However, because of the lack of SLSs, it did not lather up nicely and I had to use significantly more than my other body washes to get the same results. Unfortunately, I would not re-purchase this body wash as it did not perform as well as my other body washes.

Ginseng extracts bath gel, travel size
This bath gel was a toiletry from a hotel in Spain. It had a warm, spicy scent and lathered nicely. It did not leave a residue and the scent did not linger after it was rinsed off. Although it performed well, I would not purchase this bath gel because I tend to prefer scents that are in the citrus or food categories.


Body:
Empties: body lotions

Bath & Body Works grin & bare it skin-quenching body lotion, travel size
This lotion was a toiletry from the Wyndham hotel. It had a strong orange peel scent that I thought was more masculine than unisex. The consistency of this lotion was light-to-mediumThis body lotion was easy-to-spread, quickly absorbed, and non-greasy. My skin felt soft and smooth after using this body lotion. Although it performed well, I would not purchase this body lotion due to its' overwhelming, semi-masculine scent.

Bliss lemon & sage body butter, travel size
This body butter was a toiletry from the W hotel. This body butter had a rich, creamy texture that made it easy to spread. It was moisturizing and nicely scented. I've mentioned previously that I like the fresh citrus scent of the products in the Bliss lemon & sage line. Would consider purchasing.


Hair:
Empties: hair products


Pantene Pro-V moisture renewal conditioner, full size
I have very long, thin, fine hair that gets tangled easily. This conditioner moisturizes, detangles and leaves my hair soft and shiny. After using this conditioner, I actually received several compliments on how shiny my hair was. I also liked the floral scent of this conditioner. I appreciate that this conditioner is free of dyes and parabens. Would re-purchase.

Desert Bambu lemongrass citrus shampoo and conditioner, travel size
These were toiletries from the Wynn Resorts. I liked the citrus scent of this line. The shampoo cleaned my hair well. The conditioner moisturized and helped to detangle my long, thin, fine hair. Would consider purchasing both of these items.

Gilchrist & Soames conditioning shampoo, travel size
This bottle was a hotel toiletry. This empty bottle was re-used to transport Pantene Pro-V conditioner on a recent short-trip, so the review is the same as for the Pantene conditioner above. 




Oral health:
Empties: oral health

Rembrandt intense stain toothpaste in mint, full size
I drink several cups of tea throughout the day and to prevent tea-stained teeth, I regularly use whitening toothpastes. This Rembrandt toothpaste was a great toothpaste - it cleaned and whitened teeth, prevented cavities and plaque, and contained fluoride. This toothpaste was not abrasive, so it did not irritate my gums. I also liked that this toothpaste did not foam excessively and did not have a gritty texture. The mint flavor was pleasant, not overwhelming and did not 'burn' my mouth. Would re-purchase.



Skincare:
Empties: skincare products

SK-II facial cottons, travel size
Compared to Shiseido facial cottons, these were slightly less soft and smaller in size. I thought that this smaller size was perfect because I think that I 'waste' more product with the slightly larger Shiseido facial cottons. Both the SK-II and Shiseido facial cottons feel smooth and do not leave any residual cotton on my face. However, these are not available in the US, so I can not re-purchase.

Juice Beauty nutrient moisturizer, deluxe sample
This facial moisturizer had a thick texture that made it difficult to spread evenly onto my face. Also, it did not absorb quickly and it left my skin feeling tacky. I only used this moisturizer at night because it took a while to absorb into my skin and it did not contain SPF. After a couple applications, I realized that it wasn't performing effectively as a moisturizer, and I started to layer it over my Jurlique skin balancing face oil. Eventually, I gave up on applying this moisturizer to my face and instead, applied this onto my neck and upper chest. I liked that it did not break me out, had a mild scent, was non-greasy, and was made with organic ingredients. However, due to the poor performance of this product as a moisturizer, I would not re-purchase.

Cetaphil gentle skin cleanser, travel size
This facial cleanser was gentle, non-irritating, non-drying and did not break me out. The cleanser texture was gel-like and the cleanser did not foam much. Would consider re-purchasing. My hesitation about re-purchasing this cleanser is because parabens are listed in the ingredients list. I'm happy that I've made some progress with my facial cleanser stash.

SK-II facial treatment clear lotion, travel size

This product was mentioned in my March empties post. This alcohol-free toner has made a significant improvement in my skin. My skin is more radiant, more smooth and has less break-outs. Also, it did not irritate or dry my skin. Would re-purchase even though it contains parabens.

Delizioso mangosteen & acai super anti-aging facial cream spf 15, deluxe sample: This product was featured in my Winter Skincare Essentials and Beauty Favorites post. I loved this rich facial cream and would absolutely re-purchase. I have one more container of this cream and it only has a few more applications remaining - this is perfect timing because I will be switching to lighter moisturizers during the summer.


Honey Girl Organics super skin food, deluxe sample
I used this rich cream over the past 2 weeks because I had a cold and as a result of frequently blowing my nose, the skin around my nose felt raw. This cream had a thick, butter-like texture, which was perfect for the sensitive, irritated skin around my nose. My skin actually felt nourished after I applied this cream. The only complaint I have about this product is the scent from the essential oils (it reminded me of Tiger Balm). I appreciate that this product is cruelty-free and that over 75% of the ingredients are organic. Although it performed well, I would hesitate about re-purchasing this cream due to its' strong scent.

SK-II skin signature cream, deluxe sample
This facial moisturizer had a thin, creamy consistency that made it easy-to-spread evenly onto my face. It absorbed quickly and did not leave my skin feeling tacky. I liked that it did not break me out, it was unscented and non-greasy. It moisturized my skin well and felt luxurious. I don't think that this would be moisturizing enough for my drier skin during the winter, but it was perfect for my normal-combination skin during the springI only used this moisturizer at night because it did not contain SPF. Considering that this sample was only 0.08 fl oz., it lasted a surprisingly long time (about 10 days). In general, it takes at least 28 days to see any significant difference in skin, so I can't comment on its' anti-aging claims. The full size product comes with a spatula, which I appreciate with any 'pot' packaged products. I would consider re-purchasing. My hesitations about re-purchasing this moisturizer are due to parabens that are listed in the ingredients list and also due to the price ($250 for 1.8 oz).

Yu-Be moisturizing skin cream, deluxe sample
In addition to the Honey Girl Organics cream mentioned above, I also used this rich cream over the past 2 weeks because of my cold. This Yu-Be cream also reminded me of Tiger Balm, but the camphor scent only lasted a few minutes compared to the lingering scent of the Honey Girl Organics cream. This cream had a thick texture that felt very soothing on my sensitive, dry skin. It absorbed quickly, did not leave a residue and did not leave my skin feeling tacky. I appreciate that it does not contain petroleum and phthalates. I only used this cream on my face, so I can't comment on its' effect on other locations such as cuticles, lips and elbows. Although it performed well, I would hesitate about re-purchasing this cream due to a paraben that is listed in the ingredients list and also due to its' strong scent.


Foil packets: 
I am going to reserve judgement on foil samples, unless it is a true standout!


Empties: foil samples

La prairie skin caviar luxe body cream
Yves Rocher Elixir 7.9
Eucerin professional repair extremely dry skin lotion
Red flower plum blossom silk cream
Jergens ultra healing lotion


If you like empties posts, check out my March and February empties!

What did you use up in April?  


Disclaimer: These products were purchased by me or were gifts with purchase, hotel toiletries or items received in a product swap. No referral links.

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