Showing posts with label taramar. Show all posts
Showing posts with label taramar. Show all posts

Tuesday, December 31, 2024

Empties 2024

So how did I do in 2024 on using up stuff? Let's take a look..

Skincare, cleansers, spf and facial sprays

Skin care, concealer, gloss and more

Items used up on holiday

Facial soap, powder and lip balm

Sheet masks and skincare samples


Items I used up:

Kiehl's - Creamy eye treatment with avocado (14 ml): I did like this eye cream, the only annoying thing about it, is the fact that the formula always separates from time to time, oil away from cream, so you have to shake it back together. 
Lancome - Hydra zen anti-stress moisturising cream (30 ml): This facial cream is super light, and worked well over the summer. It was not moisturizing enough for me in the winter. 
Clinique - Take the day off cleansing balm (125 ml): This was a part of my project pan for 2024 and I do really like it, even though I promised myself not to repurchase I already fell to temptation at TJ Maxx. 
Lumene - Pure arctic miracle micellar cleansing water (500 ml): This item I purchased years ago whilst in Finland visiting a friend, it had started to get a bit yellow in the bottle, and I could see like floating oil on top of the liquid inside the bottle, so it was about time for it to be used up. 
The body shop - Aloe calming toner (250 ml): This toner has remained my tried and true toner for a few years. 
Nivea - Care & orange shower cream (250 ml): This I purchased while on holiday in Greece years ago. It was an average shower cream.
Supergoop - Zinc screen 100% mineral lotion SPF 40 (50 ml): This bottle is labelled at the bottom to expire in April 2021 - finally it is finished. I now already have two sunscreens going. 
Evian - Brumisateur facial spray, moisturizes, refreshes, tones (50 ml): This was gifted to me from one of my airlines passenger, and as it comes in a small bottle, I kind of swapped the toner I intended to pan in 2024 out for this one, and moved it into my work purse and aimed to spray it once per flight. There is a tiny bit left in the bottle, but I can not spray it out. So it is pretty much done, seriously doubt I would buy it though. 
Rudolph care - Acai facial mist toner (30 ml): If I remember correctly I purchased this one in the duty free at CPH airport a while back. I ended up putting it in my travel bag, and that way it was used up quickly and I am sure I will use the bottle for something else in the near future. 
Dr. Organic - Organic snail gel (50 ml):
Biossance - Squalane + omega repair cream (15 ml):
Five vits - Daily shampoo (40 ml): This and the conditioner is in one of our hotels we stay at in the US for work. It is the perfect size for travel and was used up either on a trip or when I go to the gym. It is a decent shampoo.
Five vits - Daily conditioner (40 ml): Decent conditioner, I have dark colored hair, and am not in particular fuzzy about shampoos or conditioners. And usually find them to be of an ok quality, the same goes for this one - the scent I love in particular, it does not smell like any conditioner I have smelled before.
Vichy - Aqualia thermal rehydrating cream light (50 ml): This I purchased in Canada summer of 2019 - so it was way past it expiration date (8/21). And the fact that the serum remains in my stash seriously has made me rethink about buying so many items that they keep on expiring in my closets before I get around to using them.
Abercrombie & Fitch - First instinct eau de parfum (2 ml): I really like the scent of this perfume. I do not smell after I apply it, so I guess it suits me well. I might even consider purchasing it as I seem to have developed a sensitivity to fragrances in the last few years, and many of the scents I try spraying on in store, and wear throughout the day tend to give me a headache or I can smell them through the remainder of the day (and I mean not in a good way).
Clarins - Mascara supra volume in 01 intense black (3.5 ml): I really loved this mascara, and that even for a natural bristle brush wand (I used to love plastic wands). This I believe came in a gift set I purchased for myself. Would consider repurchasing if I did not have a backup stash of 4 or 5 mascaras or more. 
Rimmel - Wonder'full brow 24hr waterproof brow mascara with fibres (4.5 ml): This I won in some online game, and got it for free. It is actually amazing! I am not sure what the color is, I assume it is 002 and I love it in my brows! Will repurchase for sure when I get through the clear gels in my stash. 
Crabtree & Evelyn - Pear and pink magnolia hand therapy (25 ml): A nice hand cream, not amazing though. 
Drunk Elephant - Beste no. 9 jelly cleanser (30 ml): This I got as a part of a Sephora birthday gift a few years back. Since it has lived in my gym bag, and now just got finished.
Ecooking - Night cream (50 ml): I loved this night cream, and as a matter of a fact, I think it is the first night cream I ever purchased or tried. It smells a bit herbal, but I believe it is a clean brand and has good ingredients. 
Bio effect - EGF day serum (2 x 5 ml): I have no recollection on where I got these from, gift with purchase or what, but they were nice, but happy I got to use up a few samples/testers this year.
The body shop - Aloe soothing toner (250 ml): Another empties of my favorite toner, it has since last empties bottle been reformulated and now is in a different packaging. Thank god the formula has not changed too much and is gentle enough on my sensitive skin. 
Taramar - Night treatment (10 ml): Me and my crew were gifted this from one of our passengers who worked for the brand and was going abroad for a meeting. It has a BBF date: June 2022 - so glad I got to use it up, even a bit after it's BBF date. 
Lily Lolo - BB cream in light (40 ml): This is a nice and clean formula, and did not irritate my skin at all. It also is a light weight formula, which is perfect to apply with my fingers, and blends out nice - which I usually prefer vs. a fussy formula. 
Bio effect - EGF body serum (7 ml): I have a full size of this product, it is really nice. But a tester of 7 ml - I can not remember how much skin that covers...
Dior - Diorshow Maximizer 3D triple action lash primer-serum (10 ml): This I stopped using after I got an eye infection, but omg it's AMAZING - I love it. Have already repurchased an updated new formula.
Guinot - Nouvelle Vie cream first signs of aging (15 ml): Another Guinot item from the Guinot calendar I got for Christmas 2022 - I ended up putting it in my work bag for when I stay in the US or Canada for work - perfect size for travel.  
Yves Saint Laurent - Gloss volupte probably in shade 30 (6 ml?): This gloss I have had for years, and as you probably can see on the picture, it is completely empty, removed stopper and all! The sticker underneath it has lost all it's writing, so I am guessing it is the shade 30.
Collection - Lasting perfection concealer in Fair 1 (4 ml?): Almost all the writing on the packaging has rubbed off, so I am not sure how much product was in this concealer, but the packaging sold now from the brand contains 4 ml, so I am guessing it is the same amount. This has lived in the last years in my travel makeup bag I used for work abroad. I did remove the stopper and used it up - or at least to the point I am not getting any usable product on the wand. 
The body shop - Cool cucumber softening body butter (200 ml): This was a part of my project pan 2024, and was used up whilst on holiday in Greece, where I made it my mission to finish a few items up to be able to keep my checked in luggage under 14 kg on my flight leg from Rhodes to Athens. This body butter I had not used a lot before starting my project pan, and to my surprise it was in fact cooling, and gave a cool sensation after using it - which made it perfect for holiday in Greece. As I did not prefer to use it just before bed at home in Iceland. 
Five vits - Body lotion (40 ml): This had lived in my travel cosmetics bag for work, and ended up with me on holiday to Greece, where it was used up. 
Peter Thomas Roth - Mega rich body wash (27 ml): This I got in a hotel years back, and took with me on holiday to Greece. And used it up
Proganix - Cherry blossom + (Vitamin B5) Anti-fade weightless argan oil + uv protection (100 ml): This I am sure I bought about 9 or 10 years ago whilst on holiday in the US. A hair sunscreen, I only tend to use this on holiday, so of course it was thrown into my suitcase for a holiday in Greece, where it was finished. Ideal to use for a day at the beach or for sight-seeing. 
Hawaiian Tropic - Sunscreen lotion sheer touch spf 30 (236 ml): This is an excellent sunscreen, this I bought in the US and I am sure it differs a bit from the Hawaiian tropic sunscreen they sell in Europe in regards to ingredients. I tend to use zink based sunscreens for my face, and chemical sunscreens for my body - and this one did not irritate my skin. 
Shea Moisture - African black soap with shea butter (99 g): This still remains my go to facial cleanser or facial soap. I discovered it a few years back as it was recommended for perioral dermatitis. It does not aggravate my skin, does not strip it too much. As it is a piece of soap bar it is difficult to keep track of when I finish it, plus I keep one bar at home and one in my travel bag. But I know for a fact that I did finish the bar I had in my travel kit for work. So I am sure this is under-represented in the last few years empties.  
Milani - Prep + set + glow illuminating transparent powder in shade 02 (8.5 g): This item was a part of my project pan 2022, I did not finish it that year, and ended up using it at the end of 2024. I used it as a setting powder and it worked very well as such, did not dry my skin out, and not too glowing. 
Villimey - Varagaldur (15 ml): This remains my favorite lip balm, and will be repurchased for sure some time in the future. 
The Face shop - Real nature Olive face mask with olive extract (20 g): This I purchased in Toronto a few years back, in my stash it as a matter of fact expired in 2021 - I still decided to use it, once as a sheet mask, and then a lot remained in the packaging and I was able to slather it all over my face probably three times after I used the sheet mask. It is a nice face mask, but I did not notice any miracles. but sure it boosted moisture in the skin. 
Nature republic - Real nature mask sheet olive (23 ml): This is the same face mask as the previous one, just in a new and seemingly rebranded packaging. This my friend gifted it to me who went to Korea. And happy to report that this one had not expired yet. 
Caudalie - Vinoperfect radiance serum complexion correcting (10 ml): This bottle I did use up on my project pan 2024 - but it is missing in the photos, as I seem to have misplaced the bottle. I really loved this serum and would consider repurchasing. 
Caudalie - Vinoperfect radiance serum complexion correcting (3 x 1.5 ml): These are small samples I got at Sephora, of the same product as mentioned above.  
Tatcha - The indigo cleansing balm (1.5 ml): Another sample I got from Sephora. It was nice, would I consider buying it after trying it in a single use packaging? In one word; no.


Decluttered items of 2024


Decluttered items:

Sunday Riley - A+ high dose retinoid serum, 6.5% retinoid blend, CoQ10 + honey (5 ml): I have had this sample since 2019 and was about to give this a whirl early this year, but when the product came out, it was all separated and runny - so down the drain it went. Not sure my skin would tolerate a high dose retinoid anyway. 
Maybelline - Color Tattoo 24 hr gel cream eyeshaddow in 35 On and on bronze (3.9 gr): This I have owned for years, and it was a part of my project pan for 2019. I have made some small progress on this since 2019, but it is very thick, stiff and difficult to use. As I have plenty of newer creamy eyeshadows in my stash, it makes more sense to use them rather than this one. 
W7 - Brow grip (13.5 gr): My friend was decluttering a few items from her stash, and gifted this to me, it turned out to work out the same for me as for my friend - it leaving whitish clumps in my eyebrows so it was only used about 2 times, and now ends where it belongs in the trash. 
Unknown brand - Double liner (? gr): My mom gave this to me a few years back, it was a gift with some magazine she bought. Light champagne pink on one side and vine red on the other. I have perhaps used it 4 times, and now it needs to move out. 

So this in all amounts to the fact I used up 25 full items, 11 small sized items and 8 samples (44 in total). Compared to last year I used up 49 items in total, but fewer fuller items and more samples. So for sure using more samples, takes a toll of your full sized items. Of the decluttered items in 2024 I decluttered 3 full size products and one sample. Compared to 2023 I decluttered 3 full size items and no samples.

Sunday, December 25, 2022

November - December Haul 2022

It's time for the last haul of the year - I will really have to put more effort into scaling back my purchases next year - as I have backups upon backups of skin creams, serums, mascaras etc. in my stash. Anyway here comes the haul for the last two months of the year.

Serum, color makeup, testers and a makeup brush

Eyeshadow palette, hair products and eye serum

Five Caudalie testers (one missing in pic)


Milk Makeup - Pore eclipse mattifying primer (4 ml): This item came in a pack from Sephora; Sephora favorites sparkly clean set. 
Taramar - Night treatment (10 ml): We were gifted this item at work, as we met one of the Taramar representative on his way to launch the brand in Dubai!! Super cool, I have been on their email list for over a year, but still had not tried anything out yet - now I have the perfect opportunity to test this brand out and he also gave us a few other samples: Day treatment, Purifying treatment and The serum.
Biossance - Squalane + omega repair cream (15 ml): This came in the Sephora favorites set, and is perfect for work to take abroad or to put into my gym-bag :)
JVN - Complete conditioning mist (60 ml): I was super curious about this hair leave in treatment, but given my laziness to use hair products, I decided to go for the smaller size
Caudalie - Vinoperfect - radiance serum complexion correction (10 ml): this serum came with the Sephora favorites set, and is perfect for the work or gym bag! 
Saie - Mascara 101, black (5 g): Perhaps the only thing I do not need is a mascara, given the fact that I have at least 3 backups, but I think all of the un-opened ones are some version of a sample size.
Ilia beauty - Balmy gloss, only you (4.3 ml): I have been super curious about this brand, as it is apparently a clean one, and this as many products in this haul came in the Sephora favorites set. 
Rose Inc - Lip and cheek color, Heliotrope (4.5 g): This also came with the Sephora favorites set, and with the lip gloss from Ilia, were the two products I was most curious about. And after swatching the blush in store - I just had to buy this set. 
Hourglass - Vanish seamless concealer brush: A lot of my purchases these days are due to recommendations, usually someone from Youtube, this being no exception, this time it was Maree, who recommended this brush, but it was exactly what the dr. ordered as I had been having some issues blending my concealer under my eyes of late. And it works perfectly!
Jason Wu - Flora 9 - 01 Matte Agave (5.85 g): I had planned to purchase a different palette in Ulta on a black Friday offer in store, but when I swatched "Too faced Born this way the natural nudes" I found some of the shimmer colors to be too chunky for my taste, and just picked one up for my friend. So when I found myself in Ulta one hour later, feeling sad I did not fall in love with the Too faced palette, I decided to buy this on a whim and as a somewhat of a compensation for not buying the other one. It performs over average for a drugstore matt colors, and has a selection of matte colors perfect in the crease. 
Big Sexy Hair - Volumizing conditioner (1000 ml): This I picked up in Ulta during black Friday week - as it was on generous discount, and I was running out of conditioner and needed to pick one up.
Mac - Fix+ stay over alcohol free long-lasting setting spay (30 ml): I have for a long time wanted to try the MacFix+ and when I knew they had this one, an alcohol free version it sounded perfect. So I decided to buy this one in it's smaller version as well. 
Perricone MD - Essential Fx Acyl-Glutathione Eylid lift serum (15 ml): This I got tempted to buy after seeing it featured in a video from Tiffany D on Youtube. And as it came highly recommended by her, and I am starting to feel my age is catching up with my hooded eyelids I decided to grab it as it was on a 40% discount on the Perricone webpage.. but it was still expensive, even with the discount.
Eva Nyc - Mane magic 10 in 1 primer (160 ml): Yet another recommendation from Youtube, this time it was Jessica Braun, and with my hair being unusually long these days, the ends are super dry and brittle, so this is amazing to spray into my hair before I brush it through - and it does indeed prevent further hair breakage. 
Caudalie - Vinoperfect - radiance serum complexion correction (5 x 1.5 ml): I got these testers with my purchase of the sparkly clean set at Sephora - perfect for travel! 

That sums up the makeup, skincare and body care purchases for 2022.