Empties January - December 2020

So this year has really been the year of  testers, as the majority of the products I used up this year are as a matter of a fact testers. 

Empties of 2020

More empties

Empty testers

More empty testers

Gosh - Boombastic macara volume XXL (13 ml): This mascara I got for free, for returning in a used mascara which happened to be an expired Gosh mascara. I love this one, it has a plastic brush and the formula is totally perfect. When I manage to finish the mascara backups I have I would repurchase.

Origins - Drink up 10 minute mask to quench skin's thirst (100 ml): This was a part of my beauty goals for 2019 and 2020. Finally finished.

Bourjois Paris - Happy light luminous serum primer (15 ml): this was also a part of my beauty goals for 2020. A nice primer indeed, but I always struggle to remember to use a primer so not sure I would repurchase.

L'occtane en provence - Overnight reset oil-in-serum (5 ml): This I got as free promotion from L'occitane. The texture was nice, but with only 5 ml, it is hard to say what benefits it has. But it does smell amazing.

Kneipp - Almond face cream (50 ml): I loved this face cream which I bought in a wholesale discount sale. I then saw this brand on the pharmacy shelves in Amsterdam. So I scouted the different pharmacies in town, without success, and after I looked the brand up online, it turned out they now only carry body products. So no wonder why I could not find this face cream.

Harklinikken - Daily conditioner (10 ml): This tester I got as a gift from the company, and did I like the conditioner enough to buy it in full size. 

Bio effect - EGF serum (2 x 3ml): I had accumulated a few of these EGF serums, but as I have a few different serums stashed away, I never manage to stick to one brand. But these I do really like, I just do not like the price point. 

Origins - Ginzing ultra-hydrating energy-boosting cream (5 ml): This is one of the things I got for my birthday. Loved this cream, light and moisturizing. 

Clinique - Blush in fig (1,8 g): This particular blush was a part of my beauty goals for 2018. I depotted it from a small pan which contained both this blush and eyeshadows. And considering the fact it is only 1,8 grams it took me forever to finish it. 

GlamGlow -Bubblesheet oxygenating deep cleanse mask (1 mask): I am not sure my sensitive skin can handle a mask like this one, my skin came out intact but it did indeed irritate my lips, and the edge of my top lip was boarderline swollen after using it. 

Super Goop - CC screen 100% mineral CC cream spf 50 (tester): I originally got this tester in a different bottle, but as that bottle cracked, I dumped it into a Sephora tester jar. Loved this product.

Lancome - Fix it forget it, makeup setting mist (1,5 ml): this I managed to use up the few times I went to work. Good or bad? With 1,5 ml I have no idea. 

Skyn Iceland - Oxygen infusion night cream with glacial flower extract (1,7 g): average cream, nothing miracle, but didn't annoy my skin either.

Skyn Iceland - The antidode cooling day lotion with Icelandic kelp and white willow bark (1,7 g): this was surprisingly cooling. I am not sure I would like to have a whole bottle of this though. 

Belief - The true cream aqua bomb, light gel cream for the face (3 ml): This I received as a gift with purchase at some Sephora visit in 2019. Liked the product, still I prefer cream over gel.

Belief - The true cream moisturizing bomb, rich cream for the face (3 ml): This I did indeed love, and if I would have easy access to the brand I would purchase a full size.

Bio select Dictamelia - 24 hour cream anti aging/moisturizing (2 ml): This I got as a gift with purchase in Greece. The scent was very organic and herbal. I loved the texture, and how it felt on my skin, would love to purchase. 

Sóley - Birta lift and glow, anti aging moisture with Icelandic herbs (5 ml): Really did like this cream on my skin, but not sure I would purchase an anti aging cream, as it might be to strong for my skin. 

Dr. Hauschka - Regenerating body cream (5 ml): I find it a bit funny to get such a small of a tester of a body product. It probably was enough to put on one leg, or two at the most. Not a memorable product. 

Rimmel London - Fresher skin, breathable natural finish foundation - 100 ivory (1,5 ml): I really did like this foundation, and I do believe I have another tester sachet somewhere in my stash. 

Sóley - Eygló, pure organic moisture with evening primerose and wild Icelandic herbs (5 ml): Loved this product, and my skin did really get along with it. 

L'oreal Professional - Force vector, glycocell, reinforcing anti-breakage shampoo for fragile, brittle hair (10 ml): This tester was indeed a big one, and did last for two or three hairwashes. I find shampoo in general to be all the same. Unless they do a terrible  job of cleaning my hair. This shampoo was good, it did the job.

Mythos - Shampoo olive extract + sandalwood (2x 7 ml): This was an average shampoo, did the job. 

John Frieda - Frizz Ease, hair serum, original formula (3,5 ml): Love this product, it does wonders when I put it through my hair, gives a much smoother result. Maybe I should use the spray bottle I have somewhere with this more. The application of a gel through the hair is though still somehow more satisfactory. 

What did you finish this year, any testers?

Empties May - December 2019

So there has been some time since I did an empties tally..

Empties May - December

 More empties

Sóley - Græðir hand cream (50 ml): An excellent moisturizing hand cream, rich enough to make your hands feel soft, but not so thick and rich your hands feel greasy.

Garnier - Micellar cleansing water (125 ml): One of my absolute favorite micellar water in a perfect travel size.

Sephora - Triple action cleansing water face & eyes (400 ml): An average cleansing water, still I prefer the Garnier one, but I love the packaging on this one.

La Roche-Posay - Anthelios lotion SPF 30 (250 ml): I picked this one up in Greece 2017, and managed to finish it this summer on the sundeck at my Boston hotel.

L'occitane - Verveine - cooling hand cream (30 ml): A super light hand cream, not very moisturizing at all.

Bio Effect - EGF serum (5 ml): A small sample size I was gifted. Not my favorite, as it is super sticky after you apply it to your face, but will still use up samples I am given.

Bio Effect - Micellar cleansing water (30 ml): A perfect size to take travelling, a good micellar water, not sure it is worth the regular price tag, which does not apply to me as this was gifted to me.

Avon - Moroccan argan oil (30 ml): An excellent hair oil I used in the ends of my hair, which was a part of my "beauty goals for 2019".

Dr. Hauschka - Facial toner (10 ml): This tester has totally changed my ideas about toners, it is amazing to have it in a sprey bottle, so you can forget messing around with cotton pads. You simply sprey it on and you are done. Good on the environment as well.

Lumene - Arctic spring water enriched - facial mist (100 ml): The product itself is amazing, but I do not like the mister on the bottle, as it spreys such a super fine mist, it kind of sits on top of your peach fuzz above your skin. I just put it in another sprey bottle and it worked perfectly.

Vichy - Aqualia thermal serum (30 ml): LOVE this serum, perfect for sensitive skin. The only grievance is the fact the pump straw, does not reach to the bottom of the bottle. So you have to tip the bottle over to get all the product out.

Lumene - Bright now vitamin C eye cream (15 ml): The time stamp on this product states it is good for 12 months after opening. But how on earth can anyone finish a 15 ml bottle of eye cream in one year? Certainly not me! This I have had for two or three years. Finally I manage to finish it, the only thing though is the fact the eye cream I am using now is 30 ml. Please cosmetics companies can you just make eye creams that come in 10 ml bottles?

Supergoop - Daily correct CC cream - Broad spectrum sunscreen SPF 35 (tester): I got a tester of this product, as it is a 100% mineral sunscreen. And I do in deed love it. It is a bit stiff, as mineral sunscreens tend to be, but perfect under makeup!

Sensai - Concealer brush type - SPF 15 - CB02 Medium (2,6 ml): This concealer lasted for ages, even though it only contains 2,6 ml of product, same again is supposed to be used 12 months after opening. I am pretty sure I had it for two years though. It now has been discontinued, and now comes in a different packaging, with different shade names.

Weleda - Everon lip balm (4,8 g): I completely used this lip balm up to the bone, as I scraped all of the product out from the base. An excellent lip product.

Yves Saint Laurent - Mascara volume Babydoll (2 ml): I have had a tester of this mascara before, and omg even in the tester form it is AMAZING.

Drunk Elephant - Umbra Tinte - Physical daily defense broad spectrum sunscreen SPF 30 (tester): This I also decided to try as it is a purely mineral sunscreen. I prefer this type over the one from Supergoop. Still the one from Supergoop is better if you want to use it without makeup as it is more sheer in color.

Dr. Hauschka - Rose daycream (1,5 ml): A super thick moisturizer, so thick you start to pull and tug on your skin. The cream felt good once on, but too much of a hassle to spread out.

Nature Republic - Real nature hydrogel mask - Aloe vera (22 g): This sheetmask came with whopping 22 g of product. I used the sheetmask itself, once, and poured the rest of the liquid that was remaining in the packaging into a little jar, and was able to use the remains of the product several times, just spreading it out on my skin as a liquid mask and leaving it on for a few minutes.

Skyn Iceland - Hydro cool firming face gels for smile lines (3,1 g): When I was going through my stash of testers in the afternoon on new years eve, I came across this product. And as it felt really hard in the packaging, I decided to open it up, to see if it had dried out. Not at all, what I felt was the plastic tray the mask-pads come in. So there was nothing else to do than to put the mask on for the 10 minutes before doing my makeup for new years eve dinner at my sisters house.

Shea Moissture - African black soap (230 g): This soap has totally saved my perioral dermatitis. I bought it on a recommendation from a perioral dermatitis group on Facebook. Have repurchased already. 

Did you finish anything up recently?

Beauty goals for 2019 - Results

My beauty goals for 2019 went so so, so to say!

I managed to finish four of the ten products I set out to finish in 2019, so a success of 40%. Which is a bit of a less progress from 2018 and 2017. But progress is progress, and now I have managed to use a few products up and thus declutter my collection of a few items.

The empties  of my Beauty goals for 2019

Managed to finish one item from this picture

What I managed to finish up:

Lumene - Bright now vitamin C eye cream (15 ml): Finally I managed to finish this eye cream, sadly the new eye-cream I have contains a whopping 30 ml of product. But compared to how many years it took me to finish 15 ml, I would prefer eye-creams to come in 10 ml bottles.

L'Occitane en provence - Verveine body lotion (250 ml): So glad I managed to finish one of my body lotions, many to go

Avon - Moroccan argan oil (30 ml): This is the second bottle of this hair oil I manage to finish up, and it works wonders for the ends of my hair, to say the least. I was so afraid I would miss this product so much I decided to grab the Ordinary, 100% marula oil for my hair.

Inglot - Bright amber - solid perfume (2,3 g): This was one of the first products I managed to finish up. Did I like the scent; yes, the solid perfume application; no.

The remaining products from 2019 - which I did not hit my goal on

Left outstanding, unfinished products, or the products I did not manage to finish are the following:

Bourjois Paris - Happy light luminous serum primer (15 ml): I can not believe I did not manage to finish this primer, as I have used it religiously for the last five months of the year, given the fact that I do not use makeup everyday. I would guess though it would only take me about five uses to finish it up.

Cover Girl - Ready set gorgeous - 115 (30 ml): After owning this product for years, believing the bottle was of a non see-through type, it turned out to be see-through! And now I can see there is just a tiny little bit remaining of the product. Starting the year at 2/3 remaining of the product, I am super glad it is as good as finished!.

Cover Girl - Ready set gorgeous foundation - December 2019

Origins - Drink up 10 minute mask to quench skin's thirst (100 ml): I am starting to think in this empties, the rule of five that remains, as I can guess that about five uses are remaining. Maybe ten.. but maybe I should really implement a Mask Monday this year, and really get this product done for good.

Express - Love Express eau de parfum (10 ml): I have never taken such a long time to finish this small amount of a perfum. At the beginning of the year 2019, I had a little bit less than a full bottle left, and I think I can estimate that I have finish about half of the perfum up, of what remained in the beginning of the year.

Maybelline - Color tattoo 24hr - gel cream eyeshadow - 35 on and on bronze: This is the second time this product is featured in one of my "Beauty goals" projects, as it was a part of my "Beauty goals for 2017" - that year my goal was to hit pan. Then this year, 2019, the goal was to hit side pan, which had to be modified as when I started to use the product, it was too stiff, so it had to be stirred up, which totally revived the product. But from the 4 month update, some visual progress can be seen. But if I can say that I reached my original goal to hit side-pan, I am not sure of.

Maybelline - Color tattoo 24hr - December 2019

Bourjois Paris - Somekey eyes trio - 09 Lady vert de gris (4,5 g): My original goal for this product was to hit pan on the only eyeshadow that was in this small palette without a pan. I seem to have made some progress though from the four month update on the shadow from April untill now. 

Bourjois Paris - 09 Lady vert de gris - December 2019

Other goals of 2019 were the following:

1. Not to buy any colored nail-polishes (nail strengheners and top coats not included in the definition of "colored nail-polish"). = I bought one nail topcoat from Essie (with a colored nail polish in a duo pack) = Small fail
2. No impulse buys, or buys just because there is a sale or discount = I did buy a Clarins eyeshadow brush on 40% discount (but I had been thinking of buying a brush like that before). Also I bought Inglot duraline, and a pink Inglot eyeshadow, as the store was closing in Iceland. Plus the fact I did buy a totally unnecessary lipstick and concealer on Christmas eve = Big fail
3. Max 1 perfume purchase = Did not purchase one perfum the entire year of 2019 = Success
4. No buy January and No buy March - maybe other months to be scheduled later on = Kept a No buy January and a No buy March - did not schedule other no buy months though! = Success
5. Max 2 eye-shadow palette purchases = Bought one eyeshadow palette, and was gifted one = Success
6. Max 2 brush purchases = Bought three = Small fail

Did you do a project pan - or set any goals for 2019 - how did you do?

Empties January - April 2019

So here is a small summary of the items I have used up in the first four months of the year + one declutter.

Empties + declutter Jan-April 2019

The body shop - Aloe calming toner (250 ml): an amazing toner, that did not irritate my skin, or my perioral dermatitis in the slightest. Love love love.

Pantene Pro-V - Radiant color shine shampoo (375 ml): an average shampoo, at a good price for the size of the bottle, have nothing to complain about it. But I am no shampoo snob, so I have no idea what is a good or a bad shampoo.

Jean Paul Gaultier - Scandal eau de parfum (tester): A nice sample of the Scandal perfume, not in love enough though to purchase. To strong for every day use in my opinion, plus I have too many perfumes

Herbal essences - Hydralicious reconditioning conditioner for dry/damaged hair (300 ml): my favorite conditioner, makes my hair so soft and nice, too bad it has been discontinued, but I do hope I find another shampoo and conditioner in their range I will love as much as this one.

The body shop - Vitamin E overnight serum-in-oil (28 ml): Another love from The body shop, really love this serum-in-oil, as it seems to calm my perioral dermatitis, will 100% buy again.

L'Occitane en provence - Verveine body lotion (250 ml): A light average body lotion, that was a part of my beauty goals for 2019. I will not go out of my way to repurchase.

Rimmel - Scandaleyes waterproof kohl kajal in 005 nude (1,2 g): This item is the one I decided to declutter from my collection as it basically fell apart on me, as the kohl itself fell out of the pencil, and as it was very dried out and loose in the pencil, I decided to declutter it. In theory I would like to get a nude eye-pencil, but I tend not to use one on a daily basis, plus I have found out that the pencils that come in a wood pencil, tend to last longer, over the ones that are packed in plastic. Or they tend to keep their moisture for a longer time.

Inglot - Bright amber - solid perfume (2,3 g): Another item I used up that was a part of  my beauty goals for this year. I did like the smell, but am not so into solid perfumes.

Dr. Hauschka - regenerating day cream - sample (1,5 ml): A tester I got of this very nice day cream, a light and easily absorbed texture. And would I in deed consider buying it in full size, well when I have made some dent in my stash of day-creams.

Have you finished anything up recently?

Beauty goals for 2019 - Four month update

So how are my beauty goals for 2019 going, four months in?

A mark from start until now can be seen on some of the products

Solid perfume and eyeshadow update

The Bourjois shadow profile

So four months in and I have finished two of the ten products I set my goal to finish in 2019:

L'Occitane en provence - Verveine body lotion (250 ml): This product was my "give me product" of this project, as there were only about 60 ml left in the tube, and did I manage to finish this body lotion. It's texture was light and easily absorbed into my skin. But not sure I would repurchase.

Inglot - Bright amber - solid perfume (2,3 g): So glad this item is finished, I loved the scent, but not the "soldid" part, if it would come in a liquid form, I would consider repurchasing.

Measurable progress can be seen on another five products:

Lumene - Bright now vitamin C eye cream (15 ml): At the start of this project I estimated I had 4 ml left of this eye cream, and as I seem to have finished half of the remaining product, I guess I have about 2 ml left and should be able to finish that up in another four months.

Bourjois Paris - Happy light luminous serum primer (15 ml): I am about half way through this product, even thought I have perhaps only used 1,5 ml since I started this project. leaving me about 7,5 ml for the rest of the year. 

Origins - Drink up 10 minute mask to quench skin's thirst (100 ml): I have tried to implement mask Monday to use this product up, with not so much success, but still a bit of progress. 

Avon - Moroccan argan oil (30 ml): I have managed to use a bit of this hair oil, and will continue to use it.

Express - Love Express eau de parfum (10 ml): This item I did not mark, but if I compare it to the previous picture I have made small progress on it.

Non visable progress:

Cover Girl - Ready set gorgeous in the color 115 (30 ml): as this is a non see-through bottle, I have no idea how I am doing on this product, but at the start I had about 2/3 left, or about 20 ml.

Maybelline - Color tattoo 24hr - gel cream eyeshadow - 35 on and on bronze: The original mission of this product was to hit side-pan, but when I started to use the eyeshadow it was a bit dried out, so I needed to stir it all up into one spot. New goal? use it two times a month from now on? The only progress so far has been using up the stir-marks in the empty spaces.

Bourjois Paris - Smokey eyes trio - 09 Lady vert de gris (4,5 g): My goal for 2019 was to hit pan on the eyeshadow without pan in this trio. And I do believe I have made some progress on it, and is probably the most used eyeshadow in my entire collection in the time that has passed this year. 

How is your project going?

Beauty goals for 2019 / Project pan 2019

So as it is the last day of 2019 it's about time to mark out my beauty goals for 2019, or project pan if you like.

So as in previous years I have selected ten items from my beauty stash, a combo of makeup, body and hair care. Some are far along, others not so much. 

So let's see what I will be dealing with in the year of 2019...

First seven products

Last three products

Lumene - Bright now vitamin C eye cream (15 ml): This item has been in use for such a long time, I think it's about time to use it up, and a rough estimate I guess I have about 4 ml left. As well I have another eye cream waiting to get used, it's an ideal goal to finish this one up.

Cover Girl - Ready set gorgeous in the color 115 (30 ml): This item is my oldest cream foundation, and truth be told probably over it's shelf life, but as long as it does not smell weird or have a weird texture I will continue to use it. The remaining product is though hard to estimate as the packaging isn't see-through, but when I squeeze all air out I would estimate I have 2/3 left of the foundation, or about 20 ml.

Origins - Drink up 10 minute mask to quench skin's thirst (100 ml): This item has been in my collection for longer than I care to remember. And do I estimate I have a whopping 35 ml left of it. And to finish it, I aim to implement mask Monday's so I will remember to use it every week. 

L'Occitane en provence - Verveine body lotion (250 ml): Each project is in a need of one give me product, a product that you are bound to finish up quickly and will pepp you for the year to come. I guess there are about 60 ml left of this body lotion, and will be ideal to finish, as I actually have body lotions that are "older" in my collection than this one, so as soon as this one is finished, I will start on one of those older ones.

Avon - Maroccan argan oil (30 ml): As I focused on two hair products last year, I thought I could at least finish one in 2019. I have about 10 ml left of this product, and as my ends are starting to get a bit dry (actually needing of a haircut) this is ideal to use up in the coming year.

Bourjois Paris - Happy light luminous serum primer (15 ml): This is a roll over product from my beauty goals from 2018. It has a little bit more left than half, so I would guess there are about 9 ml left of the serum primer. And as last year was such a fail to reach my goal to finish it, it will continue to be in my beauty goals for 2019.

Express - Love Express eau de parfum (10 ml): As this is my oldest roller ball, and I have two unopened ones, and I LOVE this scent, I would hate for it to go off before I get a chance to use it up. 

Bourjois Paris - Smokey eyes trio - 09 Lady vert de gris (4,5 g): There is only one color in this trio that I have not hit pan on, so my goal for this year is to hit pan on the shimmery metallic color.

Maybelline - color tattoo 24hr - gel cream eyeshadow - 35 on and on bronze: As this has started to dry out my goal with this product is to hit side pan.

Inglot - Bright amber - solid perfume (2,3 g): My first and only solid perfume I have ever owned, it is in deed an interesting concept, but still prefer a liquid one, as the scent spreads more easily, and compared to this particular solid perfume, the liquid ones last longer. 

Other "rules" for my beauty goals 2019 are the following:

1. Not to buy any colored nail-polishes (nail strengtheners and top coats not included in the definition of "colored nail-polish").
2. No impulse buys, or buys just because there is a sale or discount
3. Max 1 perfume purchase
4. No buy January and No buy March - maybe other months to be scheduled later on
5. Max 2 eye-shadow palette purchases
6. Max 2 brush purchases

Do you have any goals for 2019?

Sample summary

So as I have accumulated a few samples through the last few months, I decided to post a short sample summary.

Brush soap and facial cream

Serums

Sigma - Sigmagic - Liquid brush clenser (7,5 ml): I got this sample as a bonus with my Sigma brushes. Hope it is as good as my beauty blender liquid soap, which I use currently to wash my brushes.

Tatcha - The water cream (1 ml): A very light moisturizer, I got a 2 and a half use out of this sample. Did I like it? Yes, love it? Maybe not - maybe too small of a tester to get one hooked on it.

L'occitane - Imortelle reset, overnight reset oil in serum (5 ml): This I got as a gift in store, it was a part of a promotional campaign, where you would get this sample, and it would reset your skin in 7 days. I have not tested it yet, as it would be a perfect serum to take with me on a short holiday.

Kiehl's - Midnight recovery concentrate (4 ml): This I got with one of my Sephora orders, as a 100 point perk. And as this is a product I have heard a lot about, I was very curious to try it. That being said, I have not tried it yet, probably the same reason why I have not tried the L'occitane serum, it is small and convenient for travel. 

What about you, have you gotten any interesting testers recently? 

Or are you  reluctant to use these mini-sizes for travel, like me?