The beginning of a new month means it's empties time. I didn't finish up too many products in September (and sadly, only one sample), but I did gather a handful of things that are headed for the trash unfinished.
Emptied products:
Acure - Moroccan Argan Oil + Argan Stem Cell Conditioner: I've been using this conditioner for a long time and have spoken about it a couple of times before. I don't really have anything more to add, so suffice it to say that I love this stuff.
Verdict: I have back-ups ready and waiting.
Zion Health - ClayBrite Extra Natural Toothpaste: This toothpaste looks similar to Earthpaste, another clay-based toothpaste that I've returned to many times, but the experience is pretty different. ClayBrite feels more like a conventional toothpaste: it's fairly thick and it foams quite a bit. This is due to the inclusion of ingredients similar to (or the same as) those used in conventional toothpastes, namely surfactants and sorbitol, the latter of which is the first listed ingredient. ClayBrite also contains glycerin as the second ingredient. I probably should have done my reading up before buying the product, but I did it after, and now I'm not sure I'm entirely comfortable with the ingredients list on this product.
Verdict: It's not the cheapest and potentially (?) not the safest of toothpastes, so I don't plan on repurchasing.
Nourish Organic - Fresh & Dry Deodorant in Lavender Mint: I just spoke about this product in my "what's on my dresser" post, which you can read here. I loved the smell and found it quite effective against odor, but the product was quite gritty and not that easy or comfortable to apply.
Verdict: The texture is a deal breaker for me, plus it isn't vegan.
Elegant Minerals - Natural SPF-15 Mineral Blush in Orchid (sample): This is, simply put, a very nice blush. The color, a pale pink (you can get an idea of the color from the residue on the jar lid, below), is very natural looking on light skin and the color lasts on my face all day.
Verdict: I have similar products in my collection right now, but would consider buying the full size in the future.
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| Top: Vapour Organic Beauty - Star highlighter, Elegant Minerals - Orchid blush Middle: Terra Firma Cosmetics - Bloom lip stain Bottom: The All Natural Face - Purple Passion, bareMinerals - Passion Fruit, Honeybee Gardens - San Francisco & Karma |
Garbage:
I did a little fall cleaning and found some items that are ready to be put out of their misery (stinky rubbery lipstick, I'm looking at you). I'm not saying these are bad products; they're just too old.
Michael Todd True Organics - Intensive Organic Cream Eye Treatment: This is another product I talked about in my last post. I'm pretty sure I'm getting towards the end of the tube anyway, but it's started coming out quite separated and has a slight smell that doesn't please me. I have no issue with puffiness (in fact, I'm a bit sunken under the eyes), and the lines I have around my eyes aren't due to age, so I can't comment on the puffiness-relieving or anti-aging properties of the eye cream. What I can say is that it wasn't able to lighten my dark circles, but there are many positive review on the product's webpage.
Verdict: Not right for me.
Vapour Organic Beauty - Trick Stick Highlighter in Star (sample): This has gotten a bit of a rancid oil smell. It's a bit harder to blend than other Vapour products, maybe because it's so sparkly. I prefer more of an pearlescent highlight rather than glittery and frosty, so it's not something I reached for that often.
Verdict: It's not quite my style, but could be easily duped for less money. Also, not vegan.
Terra Firma Cosmetics - Longevity Lip Stain in Bloom: I've had this bright, springtime-y coral lip stain for far too long. I only wore it a few times since I don't find lip stains very comfortable. As I recall, the staying power wasn't mind-blowing in any way.
Verdict: Not a huge fan of lip stains, plus these contain carmine, so I'll take a pass.
The All Natural Face - Vegan Lipstick in Purple Passion: This blackened true purple is definitely not very wearable (the lip swatch on TANF's website actually makes it look more subtle than it is). Nevertheless, I was fond of this guy, but when a lipstick starts smelling, it's time to go. TANF lipsticks need to be built up, but they give a great punch of color when they are. They last an average length of time.
Verdict: I doubt I'll repurchase this color, as it's a bit outside of my comfort zone; however, I would buy other TANF lipsticks.
bareMinerals 100% Natural Lipcolor in Passion Fruit (product discontinued): As I mentioned recently, bareMinerals seems to be shifting away from the natural minerals side of things and towards the more commercial. They discontinued their 100% Natural Lipcolor, a non-vegan but very nice lipstick line, in favor of their Marvelous Moxie line, whose ingredient list reads rather differently. Passion Fruit is a bright, fun magenta. It took on a weird rubbery texture, which is somewhat visible in the photo.
Verdict: Irrelevant now that the product is no longer available, but I have quite a few other bareMinerals lipsticks in my collection.
Honeybee Gardens - Truly Natural Lipsticks in Karma & San Francisco: Honeybee Gardens' lipsticks are neither the best nor the worst. They're a bit more prone to breaking than others, but their pigmentation is decent. Karma (discontinued, but looks similar to Innuendo) is a true nude, basically a light flesh tone with an extra little helping of peach. San Francisco is a warm rosey purple with a frost.
Verdict: They're not vegan, and besides that, there are other lipsticks I greatly prefer, even though the price of these is right.
