Cleared out another batch of product empties in February and March. We are moving again at the end of this year so I'm trying my darnedest to stick to a no-buy where skincare and bodycare are concerned and really whittle my stash down to a reasonable size.
1. Avene Cleansing Water: I use this non-rinse cleanser on my baby, mainly for cleansing his bottom. Love how gentle and effective it is.
2. REN Clearcalm 3 Clarifying Clay Cleanser: This cleanses very gently and never leaves my skin feeling stripped or dry. However, I did not notice any significant effect on preventing clogged pores.
3. Biore Hydra-Clear Makeup Remover: This removes foundation effectively and thoroughly but it stings my eyes.
4. Lancome Bi-Facil: This removes eye makeup in a jiffy although it does struggle sometimes against waterproof Japanese mascaras. It's way too expensive to purchase regularly, so I usually buy L'Oreal's bi-phase Gentle Eye Makeup Remover instead.
5. Pixi Glow Tonic: This was my second bottle of four that I hauled in London last year before giving birth. I use it once daily at night to help keep my skin blemish-free. It doesn't sting or leave my skin sticky for ages like Paula's Choice CLEAR Extra Strength Anti-Redness Exfoliating Solution does.
6. Suqqu HA White Mask: I didn't see much improvement in my skin to justify this mask's ridiculously expensive price tag. Suqqu had to recall three of their whitening products but this mask wasn't one of them. For Suqqu, I would just stick to the makeup line.
7. By Terry Creme de Rose Nutri-Lift Comfort Cream: This hydrated my skin nicely without any greasy feeling. Like most of By Terry's products, it bears a rose scent but I don't mind it.
8. DHC Deep Cleansing Oil: This emulsifies and rinses off easily, removing all base makeup in a jiffy. However, I still prefer the lighter texture of Shu Uemura's Fresh cleansing oil (pink).
9. L'Oreal Play Ball Beach Fizz: This was a freebie with a magazine purchase at Kinokuniya Singapore a long time ago. It helps give a bit of structure and volume but wasn't really that special to warrant a re-purchase.
10. Percy & Reed Finishing Polish: This is my second tube and I already have a back-up ready. It tames flyaways and frizz without making my hair stiff or crunchy.
11. Lush Tea Tree Water: This is supposed to help detoxify oily, blemish-prone skin but I didn't notice any significant improvement in my skin. I'll stick with Pixi Glow Tonic instead although that is harder to get hold of.
12. Ma Cherie Moisture Conditioner: Love the sweet floral scent and feminine packaging but I think Tsubaki conditioner (which is also made by Shiseido) boasts more hydrating power than this.
13. Laline Mickey & Minnie Shower Gel: A gift from a friend, this had a nice scent and lathered up well but not particularly memorable enough to re-purchase.
14. Lush The Jilted Elf shower jelly: This lathers up nicely with a bath lily. A pot usually provides me with around 10 uses. I took so long to get around to using this that I think the scent had gone off a little.
15. A Scent by Issey Miyake Body Lotion: I liked the clean scent and light, non-greasy texture.
16. Life NK Jump Start Body Lotion: This was included in a Glossybox (UK) which I used to subscribe to when my husband was based in London. Love the fresh uplifting scent of grapefruit, spearmint and peppermint.
17. Bliss Lemon+Sage Body Butter: Intensely hydrating, this takes some kneading to get it to absorb fully. It came in handy in the winter months when my legs get really dry.
18. K-Palette Lasting 2Way Eyebrow 02: A daily staple, I've used up too many of these to count.
19. Too Faced Shadow Insurance: Another daily staple, I prefer this to Urban Decay Primer Potion. It really helps to make my eyeshadows last all day with minimal creasing. A tube lasts close to a year even with daily usage. I already have a back-up tube somewhere.
With winter now upon us, I've been slathering on all manner of moisturisers to stave off the dry flakies, which explains the preponderance of moisturisers in this batch of product empties for October and November.
1. Korres Basil Lemon Body Milk: This has a lovely citrusy scent that is refreshing without being too generic. The body milk is light with a runny texture well-suited for the summer months when skin needs less hydration.
2. Lovely by Sarah Jessica Parker Soft Body Lotion: Lovely was one of my favourite scents a few years ago and a distinctively unique creation amidst the flood of cynically sweet floral fruity celebrity juices. It's a pity that SJP has stopped releasing fragrances as she had an interesting range. (Chandler Burr wrote a great book "The Perfect Scent: A Year Inside the Perfume Industry" detailing the creation of Lovely and a Hermes fragrance, which is a must-read for anyone interested in fragrances.) I liked this body lotion for the dreamy scent. It moisturised my skin without leaving any greasy feeling.
3. Rituals Mei Dao Rich Moisturising Body Cream in Organic White Lotus and Yi Yi Ren: Rituals offers several beautifully scented bodycare lines and this is one of my favourites. It's a calming, comfortable scent. The cream offers good hydration without the greasy after-feel of Body Shop's Body Butter.
4. Kenzoki Energisant Stimulating Body Moisturiser: This was the most pricey body moisturiser that I ever purchased but it was well worth it with a cooling texture that hydrates without feeling greasy or heavy. The scent is also wonderfully relaxing. I liked using this in the summer.
5. Philosophy Summer Grace Perfumed Body Emulsion: This worked nicely enough on my skin and had a pleasant scent although it was much less memorable than the Lovely, Mei Dao and Kenzoki moisturisers.
6. The Body Shop Candied Ginger Body Butter: A past holiday release, I liked the ginger scent but this never fully absorbed into my skin and I could feel the oiliness when my skin brushed against the furniture.
7. Shiseido Tsubaki Massage Spa Mask: This was pretty mediocre in terms of conditioning my hair. The Tsubaki conditioners in red or white are much more effective.
8. L'Oreal Elseve Relaxing Mask: This helped to detangle and soften my hair but it was otherwise rather average, so I would not re-purchase.
9. Suqqu Refining Foam: This was included in Suqqu's holiday coffrets for both 2013 and 2012. It lathers up easily and cleanses my skin thoroughly but like many Japanese foaming cleansers, it does tend to leave the skin feeling dry so following up with a good hydrating lotion or moisturiser is a must. Not quite worth the £33 price tag as there are much more affordable cleansers that are more gentle on the skin.
10. H2O+ Marine Cleansing Gel: This has a clear wobbly jelly-like texture that feels refreshing on the skin. It cleanses well without leaving the skin feeling stripped.
11. Ren Micro Polish Cleanser: This contains small scrub particles and glycolic acid for double exfoliating action. This is gentle enough to use 2-3 times a week and it never irritates my skin. Used in combination with Pixi Glow Tonic, this has helped to keep my skin clear.
12. Astalift Jelly Aquarysta: This red jelly moisturiser works well for my skin without making it more oily than normal. My skin also feels more supple when I use this.
13. Elisha Coy Herb Clay Pore Refining Mask: This left my skin feeling softer and smoother. It felt like a nice weekly detoxing treat for the skin and does not dry it out excessively even if left on for more than 20 minutes.
14. Lancome DreamTone 1: Just released a few months ago, this supposedly helps to even out skintone. The 5ml sample lasted around two weeks with daily usage. It absorbs nicely without making my skin greasy but I didn't notice any significant lightening effect on the dark pigmentation spots on my cheeks, although two weeks is probably too short a testing time to make a definitive assessment.
15. Philosophy Clear Days Ahead Overnight Repair Salicylic Acid Acne Treatment Pads: My skin stayed generally clear and free of major eruptions while I was using this. The pads also stayed nicely soaked up until the very last one, unlike some other brands which dry out in the pot.
16. Lancome BiFacil: This works well for removing eye makeup including waterproof mascara without irritating the eyes. It's too pricey for me to purchase it as L'Oreal makes a cheaper alternative, but I often get BiFacil as a gift with purchase or included as part of a set.
17. Jill Stuart Shower Gel: This was part of a summer travel bodycare set. The scent is a tad artificially sweet, typical of Jill Stuart and probably too cloying for some people.
18. Lush It's Raining Men: This has the same sweet honey scent of Lush's bestselling Honey I Washed the Kids soap, so I did not hesitate to purchase it. It cleanses thoroughly without drying the skin. I would re-purchase it except that I still have far too many shower gels to use up.
19. The Body Shop Sweet Lemon Shower Gel: This was pleasant enough but not that special that I would re-purchase it.
Another month has passed by, which means another clutch of product empties on their way out of here.
1. Ettusais Foamy Rich Mousse: True to its name, this produces a firm foam that does not dissipate quickly. It is supposed to be a 5-in-1 product that removes makeup, acts as a cleanser, foam massage, foam pack and moisturises the skin. This can lasted four months with once daily usage in the mornings. It rinses off cleanly but can leave the skin feeling a tad dry. You need less than a ping-pong ball size for each use. Ettusais has just released an extra large version with 25% more product for the same price (S$35/1365yen). I would repurchase this except it is not available here.
2. Za Total Hydration Fresh Foamy Cleanser: This is a typical white foaming cleanser with some small blue particles mixed in. I usually use this after using a cleansing oil or micellar water to remove my makeup, just to make sure my skin is thoroughly cleansed. It does leave the skin feeling stripped, so I would not repurchase this.
3. Ren Rose Centifolia Cleansing Gel: This watery clear gel cleanser is extremely gentle on the skin, perfect for use in the mornings when you only need a light cleanse. The rose scent is also subtle enough not to be irritating. This would work well for all skintypes. Ren has just revamped and expanded its Rosa Centifolia range, to include a cleansing balm, foaming cleanser, cleansing water and makeup remover. Check it out here.
4. Malin + Goetz Grapefruit Face Cleanser: This is a clear gel cleanser that thoroughly cleanses my skin without leaving it feeling dry. It contains 0.5% grapefruit extract and amino-acid based cleansing agents which is supposed to help purify and hydrate without irritation. It is also supposed to help prevent blemishes but I did not find it to have much effect in that area.
5. Lush Cosmetic Warrior: This is supposed to be targeted at acne-prone skin but I did not find it to be that effective. It was also thick and hard to spread, unlike Ayesha, perhaps due to the egg content. Ingredient list below.
6. Lush Breath of Fresh Air: This lightweight toner helps refresh the skin but does not really hydrate or soften it despite containing aloe vera, so even in the hot summer months, it can leave my skin feeling in need of extra moisture. I would not repurchase it. Ingredient list below.
7. Origins Brighter By Nature: This contained cotton pads soaked with a fruit-acid based solution that is supposed to help brighten the skin tone. Sadly, the pads dried out before I had used even half of them, despite the fact that I kept the pot tightly shut. The few that I did use did not do much for my skin and felt a tad rough actually. Definitely will not repurchase this.
8. K-Palette Lasting 2Way Eyebrow: A daily staple which I just stocked up on again.
9. Paul & Joe Fragranced Body Cream: This light body cream was from a Christmas set a few years ago yet it has kept its scent surprisingly well without any visible change in the texture. I liked the scent and moisturising effect but it did leave a slightly oily residue on the skin.
10. H20+ Moisturizing Body Balm: This has a nice clean scent and lightweight texture that absorbs easily without making the skin feel greasy.
11. Steam Cream: As this is very emollient, I use it mainly on my legs which are prone to dryness instead of my face. It hydrates effectively, getting rid of dry patches but it can feel a tad greasy especially in the summer.
12. Philosophy Limoncello Italian Soda: I love Philosophy shower gels for their extensive variety of scents and that they do not dry out my skin. This had a light sweet fizzy scent that was a pleasure to use and it lathers up easily.
13. Korres Vanilla Cinnamon Showergel: Not a fan of this due to the heavy cinnamon note, which I do not like in fragrances. It does lather up easily and did not strip the skin. This was part of a set of three Korres showergels.
14. Peter Thomas Roth Mega-rich Body Wash: This gel cleanser contained microbeads that burst on contact with the skin. It had a lovely refreshing citrus scent but otherwise, it was pretty average overall so I would not re-purchase it.
15. Anna Sui Rose Hair Shampoo: I adore the rose scent but it does not linger strongly on my hair. This worked quite well with my dry hair, rinsing out cleanly without leaving it tangled but it's probably too pricey for me to use on a regular basis.
16. Fekkai Brilliant Glossing Conditioner: This helped to detangle my hair but there was no extra glossiness or brilliance.
17. Pantene Repair & Protect Shampoo: This was a freebie with a magazine. While this lathered up easily, it left my hair slightly tangled and in need of conditioner so I would not repurchase this.
18. Philip B. Lovin' Leave-in Conditioner: This helped to tame the frizz and make my hair more manageable. I usually apply it in the mornings to the ends of my hair and then follow up with a styling spray.
19. L'Oreal Studio Indestructible Gel Spray: This helped to control flyaways around my fringe and provided moderate hold without making my hair hard or sticky.
20. Muji Sweet Orange & Clove Essential Oil: I purchased this in London to use with the Muji Aroma Diffuser. I adore the uplifting scent which has just enough sweetness to soothe the senses. I would definitely repurchase this except I have several other Muji essential oils to use up first.
21. Clarins Body Treatment Oil: This is supposed to help firm and tone the skin. I liked the clean, green scent but found that the oil was surprisingly not hydrating enough for my skin which ended up flaking.
According to Fashionsnap, this year's Lush Christmas collection is inspired by three British cultural icons including David Bowie and artist/textile designer William Morris.
Set for release on 1 October in Japan, the collection includes a host of returning customer favourites (like Snow Fairy and Ponche shower gels, Snowcake and Angel's Delight soaps, Sandy Santa Sugar Scrub and Father Christmas Bath Bomb), and new products such as a super adorable Christmas Penguin bubble bar (modelled after the Fairy Penguin, which is the smallest species of penguin), Rudolph Fresh Face Mask, Star Light Star Bright bath melt, Santa's Lip Scrub, Santa's Lip Tint, Rose Jam shower gel, Snowman bath bomb and Shoot for the Stars bath bomb.
The most luxurious gift set is A Christmas Carol (19,200yen) filled with 20 products.
Dubai Beauty Pages and a couple of New Zealand-based blogs such as Bellyrubz Beauty and Gurlinterrupted have also previewed the collection.
