Empties #41

četrtek, december 09, 2021


One of my favourite cleansing oils. It emulsifies well, doesn't leave a film on the skin, doesn't irritate my eyes or make my vision foggy and it's not scented. It cleans well, but I need to do a double oil cleansing for removing eye makeup to get some more long lasting mascaras off (both waterproof formulas and some regular ones). It removes SPF well in the first go. I have to order this one from Japan and now with the new customs charges, it just became more expensive (not much, but still. Just dealing with that is annoying). This is available also in refills. Now I found Nuxe which is more effective when it comes to mascara removal (also waterproof) and it's sold here for a similar price.
Repurchase: Maybe, I still have a backup refill. Nuxe is easier to get.

My skin loves propolis and this is so far the only propolis serum that I know of is sold in local drugstores. It keeps my skin in check and makes it look more healthy-glowy. I once had a mini break from it and very quickly my skin didn't feel quite as nice. It's not a miraculous product, but I like to use it and I went to buy a new bottle immediately when the old unexpectedly ran out (it's hard to see how much is really in there). It's a serum that is light and absorbs fast, so I use it after liquid toners/essences and before lotions like A-Game.
Repurchase: Done.


An oil I've been using in my face skin care routine for close to a decade. I used the original, but made the switch to Florale after it came out simply because after so many years of the original I didn't even smell it anymore since I was so used to it. Formulas are the same. It just works well with my skin and I consider it one of my standard basic products, so when something breaks me out, this is a part of my "normalizing routine". I always buy the 100 ml ones because of the spray packaging. Florale has a fresh floral scent, Nuxe says it smells like magnolia, white musk, grapefruit, lemon, bergamot and orange flower.
Repurchase: Done


I like Afrodita's lavender scent they have in their 250 ml shower gel and this one is very similar, though the formula is thinner, which is irrelevant to me. It's a 1000 ml so it was a good deal and it lasted a long time, even though due to the wide opening I used up a lot at once.
Repurchase: Yes.

DOVE Deeply Nourishing Shower Gel
Still one of the best shower gels. I enjoy its thick formula that is nice for dry skin and the classic creamy-clean Dove scent. I got a new one last week and the scent is different? I don't know if I'm just imagining it or it's true. I also got the pink Glow one, which I might like most now.
Repurchase: Done.


SUBRINA Shower Gel
Cherry Blossom, Flower Nectar, Fresh Elder, Mango Heaven, Perfume Drops, Pina Colada, Rainbow Splash Rose Garden, Strawberry Sorbet
Subrina changed the packaging, so I used up my (work) stash of old ones, but I've been buying these for years because they're just nice, cheap shower gels with great scents that tend to linger on the skin. In particular Cherry Blossom (powdery floral) is very popular among people I know, men included. Subrina discontinued Pina Colada (one of the best coconut-pineapple scents. It will be missed), Rainbow Splash (basic fruity vanilla), Flower Nectar (the only Subrina scent I can't stand. Sharp floral) and Mango Heaven (an excellent combination of cream & mango. Similar to Escada Taj Sunset) from the lot above, but most scents returned in a new packaging. Fresh Elder is one of my favourites, an uplifting lime, elder & mint scent. Perfume Drop is a great perfume-y scent, Rose Garden a rose scent that is not that granny rose and Strawberry Sorbet is what the name says (also similar to Haribo sweeties).
Repurchase: Yes.


I don't know if these are still in stock, but I've seen some products with this scent still in DM. It was a disappointment. There's nothing summery in this one, it's not the salty sea breeze scent as described, but a boring floral (not tiare flower) that I couldn't associate with any season.
Repurchase: No

BALEA Cremeduche
White Gloss
These are likely already completely gone. It was one of the best Balea scents, a powdery white chocolate. I used up several bottles.
Repurchase: It was LE

YUMMY Rhubarb & Orange Shower Gel
Also already discontinued, but I have a spare and am on a search for a similar scent. It has this uplifting sweet citrus fragrance, like a bottle of a fizzy tropical drink, maybe similar to grapefruit scents. This whole brand is gone.
Repurchase: Discontinued


BALEA Rasiergel
Iced Berries
My standard shaving gel formula, one I've been using for years. This one had a nice berry scent.
Repurchase: Done.

DOVE Anti-perspirant Nourishing Secrets Restoring Ritual
My trusted deodorant that I've been using a few years (since Rexona stopped working on me). I made a switch to Nivea Magnesium one, which worked surprisingly well for an aluminium free formula, until it started to fail me terribly, so it now sits in the box of shame. I went back to Dove. This version smells like coconut, but I can't smell it anymore, since I've been using it for so long.
Repurchase: Done, but in a classic Dove scent because that's all the supermarket had.


This is now in a new packaging, I've been using my old stash. It's my favourite super cheap shampoo and the all-in-one (hair+face+body) product. As a shampoo it's good for my very dry hair, similar to L'Oreal Extraordinary despite being silicone and oil free. I use it for the first wash, as it's kind of my shampoo for my scalp, though it hasn't helped with my dandruff or removed flakes. 
Repurchase: Done

My old favourite that I've used up many bottles of. But this latest one or even the one before that (because I always have a spare) didn't feel like the formula I know. It says "new" on the packaging, so maybe they changed something, but it didn't feel as much like shampoo +conditioner in one. I still like it, but for my current hair condition I've started using other stuff more often. 
Repurchase: Yes, but I'm currently more into the more expensive Olaplex and Joico Age Defy


One of my favourite hair treatments that I've been using for years. It's hydrating enough for my hair and leaves it in better condition, but it truly shines in combination with the Reconstructor. 
  Repurchase: Done. It's now in a different packaging


I'm not a big fan of this on its own because the results are pretty bland on my hair, but in combination with other products it's great, especially the n.0 makes a big difference and I now never use n.3 on its own. Since I'm bleaching my hair, this is a must in my stash and I've bought several bottles so far. I always have one full one in my backups, so I'm never without it. 
Repurchase: Done. 

This is one of my favourite hair products. It can be used on damp and dry hair, which is the type of formulas I like most. In both cases it tames my hair and delivers some Olaplex goodness (bis-aminopropyl diglycol dimaleate) to restore my hair. Packaging is terrible though, this needs to be put in a tube. 
Repurchase: Done


An absolutely brilliant hair product. Best detangler, it nourishes and adds shine. 
Repurchase: I have backups

JOHN FRIEDA Frizz Ease Agent Secret Touch-Up Crème
This is beyond ancient, but I guess I tried it once, didn't like it and it suffered the fate of being forgotten (or possibly given away + being forgotten +given back). Since I've recently found JF Frizz Ease line is pretty good at doing what it claims - taming frizz, I tried this again, though I'm pretty sure it was kind of off (very liquid). It wasn't terrible at taming frizz and now I'm thinking of maybe getting one in the new packaging and give it a proper new try. 
Repurchase: I'm tempted to try it again


I'm not happy with this considering what it promises, but it did its job. This was supposed to be an very greyish blonde shade and I expected a lot more cool result than with L'Oreal 8.1 that I've been using regularly, however the result was the same. It wasn't the colour on the box, but a blonde with more natural undertone, which is fine, but if you bleach dark hair, warm tones appear fast when the colour is washing off, so I was hoping for a lot more cool tones that would delay that happening. Otherwise it's a typical L'Oreal Excellence formula, so great quality, except this one has a purple shampoo (light lavender, so weak) and a purple mask (the same strength as L'Oreal's purple mask that's in drugstores, so strong and great). I got a more similar result to the one of the box by using Moroccanoil Lilac mask. 
Repurchase: 8.1 and 8.11 are the same thing to me, so it doesn't matter which I take next time. Price is the same too.   


SUBRINA Colour Refresh Mask 
Diamond Blonde
One of the strongest neutralising product for warm tones on blonde hair I know, which means your need to be careful with this (mix it with a clear mask), but also one rare products that is capable of toning on very intense warm tones. I've used up several tubes of this, including coloured ones.
Repurchase: Done

This is blue instead of more common purple and it should neutralize orange tones. Except it doesn't. It toned my lightest hair, so those with yellow tones and quite well (a grey blonde), but gold and orange were still visible, so after using a whole tube of this, I'm just not impressed. The whole point why I got this was because it's meant for brunettes who bleach their hair & struggle with strong warm tones and I didn't get the results I wanted. This looks so intense blue on the hair, it's kind of scary to see it, but the recommended 10 minutes does nothing. It all just washes off like I used nothing and it doesn't even work on my lightest hair. I get an effect only after I leave it on for 20-25 minutes. In terms of how nice the formula is, it's a really good nourishing formula that was rich enough for my hair. For strong warm tones Moroccanoil Lilac mask is better.
Repurchase: No

I recently spoke about this and showed results. I got it so I'd have cool purple hair, but 30 ml was not enough, so I mixed it with a conditioner to get enough and it ended up a toning product for my hair. It was a nice discovery, since it's the best such product for level 8 blonde (light-medium) I've found. But if you want a very pigmented temporary colour, go for Subrina Colour Refresh in Violet. This washed off quickly from my roots, in two washes, but my lengths, which were lighter are still toned (after 3 washes). 
Repurchase: Yes 


MAKEUP BAG
I cleared up my old forgotten makeup bag. Most of the stuff has been discontinued, but the lip balms are still sold. Sun Dance SPF 50 was my favourite such product and I'm bummed I couldn't find a new one this year. I bought Lavozon instead, but it has that annoying taste, while this one was ok.
BURT'S BEES Lip Balm
So overhyped in my opinion. It's too hard and waxy, it just sat on my lips and didn't nourish, plus the scent is so bland. It deserved to die in my forgotten bag (I remember how much I wanted it after reading reviews and how disappointed I was when I tried it first). It's ok if the lips aren't as dry, so it's just a protection layer to prevent the moisture from escaping, but Palmer's and Bee Natural are so much better.
Repurchase: No


I didn't use this up, but I got back the empty. This one has niacinamide third on the list, a tiny bit of propolis and calcium. It's a very rich and thick cream, close to a balm. It's nice for very dry skin, the rest might find it heavy. 
Repurchase: It's not bad and if I needed something cheap I would, but I look for a bit more in a cream 

Another product I didn't use up myself. For me the strong rose fragrance was just too much. It's a thicker toner product or a very light serum that feels nicely hydrating. It has alcohol high on the list, which is not ideal, but the ingredients preceding it are rose water and glycerine, which might counteract the drying alcohol. Still I prefer products without it high on the list. 
Repurchase: No.


Again something I didn't use up myself, but I would if the shade fit me. They only have 4, all medium depth, so it's very limited. I have a full review about this, but it's a good medium coverage formula that doesn't look too ageing. 
Repurchase: No. 

This was discontinued, but it was a decent protein light serum for not a lot of money. 
Repurchase: I didn't see the replacement for it yet in our drugstores, but Balea has a spray that has proteins. I have enough stuff, but it's nice to know such a cheap product

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