Sunday 11 March 2012

Operation Use It Up

I mean to write this post earlier but got sidetracked into reading the Hunger Games trilogy last weekend. After plowing through all three books in three days, the tale has been haunting me. The writing is not the most masterful but nevertheless, it's a thrilling page-turner that gets very grim in parts. So much death, loss and broken spirits. Now I can't wait to see the movie which will be released in less than two weeks.

Anyway, here are the products that I finished up this past month. I've been focusing on using up all these small sample bottles as I'm getting tired of them taking up space in my cabinets and carting them around with me each time I move house.

Lush Retread (£9.50) is described as a "deluxe, specially enhanced triple strength conditioner" made with conditioning olive, jojoba and avocado oils, soya milk, melon juice and yoghurt in a seaweed and lanolin base. The consistency is like liquid yogurt, more watery than the usual conditioners so I usually have to use a generous palmful of it on my hair. It is not as richly hydrating as say, Tsubaki, but it leaves my hair tangle-free and feeling clean without the the heavy silicone-y feel of richer conditioners. It is relatively expensive though and lasted only about three weeks with daily usage. Lush has a recycling programme in the UK whereby if you bring back 5 clean black pots, you can get a Fresh Face Mask free.

When I breathed in the invigorating mandarin and mint scent of Rituals Fujiyama Shower Foam (£6.50, 200ml), I knew instantly that this would become one of my favourite shower products of all time. The rich foam lather feels luxurious on the skin and rinses off without drying out the skin. The delicious scent is perfect for chasing away the trials and tribulations of the day.


H2O+ Exfoliating Marine Body Butter contains skin-smoothing multi-hydroxy acids plus hydrating marine algae, seagrass and cucumber extract. The scent is light and clean. The 15ml tube was barely enough for one application, certainly not enough to notice any exfoliating effect. It hydrates nicely enough without feeling greasy.

I also used up a few deluxe samples of Kenzoki moisturisers: Nightwatcher, Melts On Contact Face Gel and Face Phenomenon. These have the usual calming scents typical of Kenzoki and absorb very nicely into the skin, helping to stave away flakiness. Of these, I liked Nightwatcher the best. Each 5ml tube usually lasts about 5 days with twice daily use. My skin gets oily after some time, but using a moisturiser is vital to stave off the eczema that I experienced briefly during the winter. The Fondant Rice Lotion is a milky lotion that preps the skin nicely in the mornings for foundation.

Next up are lotions and toners: Kanebo Blanchir Superior White Deep Clear Conditioner II, RMK Skintuner Smoother, Impress Lotion II, Chanel Hydramax+ Active Nanolotion and La Mer The Tonic. These were all quite average, and simply made the skin feel more refreshed without any tightness.

L'Oreal Elseve Liss-Intense Serum Anti-frizz does a great job of keeping my dehydrated locks manageable and frizz-free so I've already re-purchased this.

L'Occitane Verbena Shower Gel is another citrus-scented favourite. I would indulge in this more often except that my current stash of shower gels will last me well into 2013 and possibly beyond!

Kenzoki Clearwater Gel is a nicely refreshing lotion to perk up the skin. When it's very hot, I often just use this and skip moisturiser.

Crabree & Evelyn Iris Body Cream moisturises well but takes a bit of time and effort to absorb into the skin.

Saforelle Soothing Cream was recommended by my doctor for use on my shins which saw a bad case of folliculitis during the winter. It did help to calm the skin down over time.

Like most Japanese foaming cleansers, Kanebo Impress Creamy Soap leaves the skin feeling squeaky clean and so it may be too drying for some people.

3 comments:

Sharlynn said...

That's a lot of product! Thanks for the feedback on the l'oreal defrizz product! I need something for my dry ends! Keep up these posts I really enjoy these and have started my own on things I've finished! :)

BV said...

I like the sound of the Rituals shower wash - that will be something I keep my eyes out for. I did not want to be sucked in by the Hunger Games fever but I read all the books and can't wait for the movie! What do you think of the casting though - I mean, the leading chick and Lenny "are you goin my way" Kravitz..??? Colour me confused... hehehehe I love the feeling of using things up though.. you've gone through quite a bit - pat yourself on the back!!
cheers
BV

Haru said...

hi BV,
I was surprised by the choice of Lenny Kravitz. The actors chosen for Peeta and Rue are so not what I imagined in my head when I read the books. Nevertheless, I still can't wait to see the movie and see the story brought to life :-) Especially now that Harry Potter has ended, it's nice to have a film series to look forward to for the next couple of years.