Empties – July 2016

Empties 19 Comments

Hi there! Since it’s the 1st of August, it’s time for my monthly empties post. I’ve emptied quite a lot this month (of course I’m proud of myself), so let’s take a look at my garbage. 😀

1 (no photo) – I’ve used a few different face masks (Boots, Superdrug and Montagne Jeunesse). As always, I didn’t keep the sachets.

2 (no photo – sorry) Yves Rocher Apple Star Anise Refreshing Shower Gel – a really nice shower gel. Unfortunately I can’t repurchase it because it was a limited edition.
Empties 072016 1
3 Herbal Essences Silk N’ Shine Conditioner – my favourite conditioner. I’ve said it before and I say it again: THIS is the best conditioner I’ve ever used. Even if it were my mission in life to think up the perfect conditioner, I couldn’t even imagine anything that could be better. I’ve got quite an impressive stash of Herbal Essences Classics products (don’t ask…) but I’ll keep on buying more just in case Herbal Essences discontinues these beauties again.

4 Rightguard Shower + Lotion with Pomegranate – this is a lovely shower cream and I’d recommend it to everyone with dry skin. Repurchase? Yes.

5 Superdrug Kids Softmint Mouthwash – I haven’t used kids’ mouthwash since I was a kid – but a few weeks ago I picked up this cute mouthwash. It tastes absolutely yummy! 🙂 I’ve also been to different stores and noticed that the Sainsbury’s own-brand kids mouthwash is identical to Superdrug’s. And then I went to Home Bargains to find Wisdom kids’ mouthwash – which is the exact same thing. So now I know that Wisdom makes Superdrug’s and Sains’ own-brand dental care products!

In case you’re wondering, Superdrug’s mouthwash is £1.49, Sains’ mouthwash is 99p, and Wisdom’s mouthwash at Home Bargains is 89p. I’ll continue to buy the cheapest product 😉 and I’ve already stocked up. I know I won’t be going back to mouthwash for adults.
Empties 072016 2
6 Rimmel Wear Max Nail Polish 421 Clearly Clear – one of my favourite clear polishes (thank you, Rimmel). I’ve got several back-up bottles and I’ll continue to purchase this clear polish.

7 NYC In A Minute Quick Dry Nail Polish 264 Lincoln Square Lavender – a very nice polish! Applies like a charm, dries quickly, looks good. I already have a back-up bottle. 🙂

8 Essence The Gel Nail Polish 33 Wild White Days – I think this is the best white polish under £2 – unfortunately this doesn’t mean a lot. This polish isn’t really great. It’s too thick, it goes on streaky (it might be different if you have short and small nails and if you can paint your entire nail with a single brush stroke), and it takes a long time to dry. But I’ve repurchased a bottle already because of all the cheap white polishes, this is the only one that comes close to being opaque in one coat.
Empties 072016 3
9 Pantene Pro-V Colour Protect & Smooth Conditioner – a decent conditioner. Nothing special. I might buy it again, but I don’t really feel an urge to have it in my stash.

10 Vaseline Intensive Care Cocoa Radiant Non-Greasy Lotion – one of my favourite body lotions. I’ve already repuchased it.

11 Superdrug Soothing Aloe Vera Body Lotion – this is a reasonable body lotion. It’s not the richest lotion but it’s OK for ‘maintenance’. I like the fragrance a lot and I might repurchase it.
Empties 072016 4
12 Olay 2 In 1 Hydration + SPF 15 Lightweight Lotion – a wonderful day moisturiser! At the moment I’ve got quite an impressive number of face creams and lotions in my stash so I’m trying not to stock up. But I’ll definitely buy this one again in the future.

13 Miss Sporty Dr Balm Gossip Kiss SOS – a decent lip balm. I got this lip balm (yes, unused) from a friend, but I bought a few more a couple of weeks later when Poundland sold packs of three Miss Sporty items for £1. I’m working on finishing another Miss Sporty lip balm – I hope it’ll be in next month’s empties. 🙂

14 I Love… Cherry Almond Sparkle Nourishing Body Butter – at first I really liked this body butter but the christmassey fragrance started to annoy me big time halfway through the tub. Since I’m trying my best not to be wasteful, I’ve used this body butter as a foot butter (with great results)!

15 Olay Anti-Wrinkle Sensitive Skin Day Lotion – a nice fragrance-free moisturiser. I did enjoy using this product but I prefer scented products (the scent of a product is actually quite important to me), so I think I won’t buy this one again.
Empties 072016 5
16 Original Source Cherry & Nettle Shower Gel – a really nice, refreshing shower gel. I’ve already repurchased it.

17 I Love… Tangerine Dream Shower Gel – a wonderful shower gel that made my skin feel refreshed and clean even on the hottest days this July. I’d like to repurchase it, but unfortunately it has been discontinued. 😦

18 Original Source Raspberry And Cocoa Shower Gel – not a favourite. It sounded promising, but it smelled weird. I wouldn’t repurchase it.

So this is what I’ve used up in July. I’m glad I finished (!) a few skin care products and nail polishes. In case you’re wondering, I won’t include mouthwash in future posts (unless I discover something new and better) – I just wanted to let you know that I’ve switched to kids’ mouthwash. 🙂

Have you tried any of these products? Feel free to let me know in the comments. And thanks for reading! I hope you have a great week.

Mrs Strawberry Blonde

19 thoughts on “Empties – July 2016”

  6. What makes the Herban Essences conditioner so amazing? I’m not fussed with my conditioners but I like ones that do not weigh down my hair.
    Rightguard is another brand that is completely another product here – they only do deodorants for MEN here in North America! 😛
    YOU FINISHED A WHOLE BOTTLE OF NAIL POLISH?! Are you sure you didn’t just spill it? 😮
    And wait, how do you finish TWO hair conditioners in a month? And FOUR shower gels? And 3 body lotions?! Are you a serial opener of new items and then leave them half used? 😉

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

    • Ooooh, you have many questions!

      Stashy, try the original Herbal Essences products – both the shampoo and the conditioner. Ignore the ‘newer’ Herbal Essences hair stuff in the curved bottles. It has to be the old-fashioned stuff. The shampoo is insanely effective at cleansing my scalp – the shampoo is also my husband’s favourite after the gym. But at the same time the shampoo is really gentle! The conditioner is abolutely unique. You’ll see it when it comes out of the bottle – and you’ll feel it once you work it into your hair. And you’ll see it’s super easy to detangle your hair right before you rinse it. Plus: The fragrance is to die for, and your hair will feel amazing! Please try the original Herbal Essences products (pink or yellow – doesn’t matter) – the shampoo is the ultimate deep clean shampoo, and the conditioner provides tons of moisture (but no grease!) without weighing your hair down.

      I just checked Herbal Essences Canada’s web site, and I found the two conditioners:
      http://www.herbalessences.ca/en-ca/shop-products/browse-by-collections/smooth-and-shine/shine-collection-conditioner
      And here’s the other one:
      http://www.herbalessences.ca/en-ca/shop-products/browse-by-collections/smooth-and-shine/smooth-collection-conditioner
      If the formula is the same as ours ( I think it is), the conditioner will smell very strong from the bottle – but it’ll be 100% heavenly as soon as it hits your hair. 🙂

      Rightguard is a toiletries brand over here. Yes, they do deodorants too – but they also do fabulous shower products – lots of ‘shower and oils’ or ‘shower and cream’ products. I think you once told me that Palmolive is a dish soap brand in North America – whilst over here it’s more of a toiletries brand. I’ve checked the Canadian superstore web site and I’m pretty sure that ‘your’ Softsoap is ‘our’ Palmolive. 🙂

      I’m really proud for finishing up some nail polish. They all had just a few tiny drops left – which I couldn’t reach with the brush, so I poured the last bits into other bottles (not randomly – like I said I have back-ups of everything).
      I’m using several clear polishes and base coats at the moment, but I’m making an effort to empty them – one at a time. I might be able to finish another clear polish this month!

      About the other stuff I’ve used up: A big 400ml bottle of conditioner lasts me between 10 days (Garnier vanilla – it was so bad I had to double-condition, sometimes I had to triple-condition) and four weeks max (Herbal Essences originals). I used most of the HE conditioner in June, it just happened to be empty in early July. I emptied the Pantene conditioner around the 20th, and since then I’ve been using another conditioner (HE). I wash my hair every day. And don’t forget that I’ve got long, thick and curly hair – so I need more conditioner than someone who has thin, straight or short hair. In regards to the shower gels, I usually have five or six in a rota. Sometimes I don’t finish any shower gel in weeks, but then I might finish three in one week. I also shower twice a day – sometimes three times when it’s really hot. Here in the UK most trains and office buildings aren’t equipped with an air con system – and it’s not unusual to have sweat dripping from your chin when you’re (standing) on an underground train in rush-hour traffic… And I doubt there’s a single Londoner who hasn’t seen someone else faint on the train.

      About the skin care stuff – I think I’ve been using the cocoa lotion on and off for three months, I opened the body butter around Christmas, and I’ve used the aloe lotion since November. At the moment I’m using a body lotion which I opened around October… About the two Olay moisturisers – I opened the pink one in April, and the green one is from November last year, I think. And guess what, I’m still using two different serums and three different face moisturisers. But I’m working on not opening dozens of tubs and bottles – baby steps! 😉

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

      • This must be the longest response to a comment that I’ve ever seen! 😛
        Thank you for all the information AND the Canadian links to the Herbal Essences. I’ll be on the lookout for it now! The shampoo sounds exactly like the kind I prefer – clarifying at the roots!
        Ahhh ok Softsoap = Palmolive! That makes sense. But we do also have Palmolive as a brand here – they only sell dish detergent though. 😛
        I’ve only ever finished one nail polish and that was a full size Essie Mademoiselle. I use to wear that a lot and it’s quite sheer so required 3 coats. But I’m in awe that you can finish 3 bottles!
        WHAT! A 400ml of conditioner lasts you less than a month? I’ve been working at a bottle for the last 3 months LOL.
        Oh yes, I’ve heard of the nightmares of the Tube without A/C. We have that to a lesser degree, probably about 30% of our subway trains have no A/C. Ick.
        I’ve been more disciplined in opening skincare one at a time nowadays. It’s a challenge sometimes but it’s good for my low-buy. Thanks for the detailed response! Sorry I asked so many Qs. 😛

        Liked by 1 person

      • No worries about the many questions. 🙂 I love to chat with you.

        A conditioner lasts you how long? Three months? How often do you wash your hair? Do you always use conditioner when you wash your hair? And how long is your hair? You have straight hair, right?

        I’ve got dozens (probably more than a hundred) nail polishes which are near empty – I just need to make an effort to actually use them. And I’m doing that now! I’ve also gone through all the clear polishes (base and top coats included) and I’ll be using the partially used ones now. It’s awesome to see that the amount of polish left in the bottles is decreasing. Ha! Only a beauty hoarder is happy about emptying a product. 😀

        Oh, while were at it. I’ve looked through my perfume (and body mist) stash and I was shocked to see how many bottles with less than (approx) 10ml of perfume I’ve got. I’m making an effort to empty those bottles too. There’s so little left in some bottles that I’m thinking I’d probably get less than 10 sprays out of them… those perfumes are easy targets now. 😀

        Liked by 1 person

      • I wash my hair nearly daily – I’ve been trying to skip Sundays and just use dry shampoo. I only put conditioner on the ends of my hair where I need it. And only maybe twice a week. I do not have tangly hair – in fact, it’s very slippery and ahem, I do not actually comb my hair on a regular basis! It never knots up! My hair is wavy and about shoulder blade length. 😛
        Yes, I get giddy when I see things getting used up – well, except for discontinued stuff that I love, then it’s a sad sad day. I suppose I can expect a bunch of fragrance empties coming up, and I won’t be asking you how you managed to finish up 5 bottles of perfume all in one month! 😉

        Liked by 1 person

      • Ah, I see! Stashy, I never brush or comb my hair. I stopped brushing when I was about 15. It’s the best thing I ever did for my hair. Since my hair is curly, I detangle it with conditioner and with my fingers (the ultimate four finger comb!) in the shower – I use conditioner all over my hair – otherwise my hair would be a knotty mess. A nest. Birds might try to land on it…

        Yeah, it’s sad when products get discontinued. I remember the special bond you’ve shared with your L’Oréal mascara. I too miss a few products that I can never buy again…

        Liked by 1 person

Leave a comment

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.