It's been a minute since I took pictures of my garbage for the blog, but the wait is OVER! I've actually made a pretty significant dent in my beauty and skincare collection over the last little while so there are a LOT more products than I expected, and there's more to come! Otherwise, I have some hits and misses and an update about my no-buy challenge. Let's get to it!
No Buy Challenge
I'm now in my tenth month of the no-buy challenge and I'm feeling really good. Good enough that I actually allowed myself to buy something that's been on my wishlist for three years and I don't feel guilty at all. For those just tuning in, this is more of a "low-buy" with intention to buy as little as possible, but for the last three months, I've barely spent my $25 monthly budget, so I made a small consession in October...
September - This month was absolutely easy, I spent $4.99 on my Life Brand Exfoliating Foot Mask for my review and that is completely it. September was such a breeze, I didn't even feel tempted once and it's starting to become second nature for me to breeze past beauty aisles and areas I used to waste time in, like it means nothing at all.
October - Because I've been so extremely good the last three months with my budget, I made a slight exception here. I spent just over $50 this month on an Urban Decay Electric Pressed Pigment Palette which I thought had been completely discontinued. Turns out the Urban Decay location at Square One Mississauga had a few left and ON SALE FOR $40. They also had a fair number of eyeliners half off and I bought a rusty red for my Halloween costume. And that's all she wrote! I'll probably do some swatches later, it's such a gorgeous palette!
Now, on to the empties! Lots of budget beauty this time around, so take a look.
Empties
Benefit Hello Flawless Oxygen Wow Foundation in Petal - I actually won this in a contest a few years ago and it's JUST a few shades deeper than my actual skintone. So what I used this for, for YEARS, was to deepen my lighter foundation throughout the year. I tend to get very pale come winter and increase a shade or two come summer, so this keeps my from having to buy a completely different makeup collection from winter to summer!
Dr. Logy Moisture Mask Sheet - I recently did a trade on Bunz for a pair of these Tony Moly face masks which I'd never actually seen before. The fit was great, not too snug, there was a lot of essence in the bag, but the problem is that the product didn't seem to absorb into my skin at all. It was very gooey and just sat on the surface of my skin, even twenty minutes after taking the mask off, I basically had to just wash my face again because it would NOT settle in. Skip this one.
Jergens BB Body Perfecting Skin Cream - I absolutely LOVE this moisturizer. It acts as a tone balancer for your skin, which is especially useful in the summer and early fall with various tan lines. I often have multiple tan lines on my legs, on my arms and on my upper neck, and this stuff helps soften those harsh lines, and also keeps your skin feel super supple and soft too! I've owned multiple bottles of this and will definitely have another one next summer.
Klorane Dry Shampoo- Now THIS is a dry shampoo I always forget about, but really enjoy. It has a fresh, almost adult scent, manages to keep my scalp happy while also extending my hair for one more day without a shower. I still think Batiste is my #1 dry shampoo love but I'd grab Klorane if it was handy too!
Life Brand Exfoliating Foot Mask - Recently I wrote a review of this foot mask, and how it compares to the Korean foot-mask favourite, Leaders Mediu Baby Soft Foot. Check it out!
Make Up For Ever Sens'eyes Waterproof Sensitive Eye Cleanser - When it comes to makeup removal, I'm much more likely to grab a micellar water than a traditional eye makeup remover because I like that micellar water doesn't leave a residue and is extremely gentle on the eyes. That said, I actually like this formula to leave on my vanity to use for touch-ups and wiping away fall-out when I'm applying my makeup. So, while I probably won't buy it again, it has its use!
Nude by Nature Perfecting Primer - Recently I received a deluxe sample of this new cruelty-free brand and I was blown away by how comfortable this primer was. I always need to use a primer as my pores are HUGE and I need smoothing, and this stuff felt like BLISS on my face. Makeup applied like a DREAM over it. When I finish my current primers I'm absolutely buying one of these again. They are currently exclusive to Shoppers Drug Mart in Canada but I recommend you check them out!
Philosophy Peppermint Stick Body Wash - This body wash has travelled with me through THREE MOVES. THREE. If this doesn't explain my obsession with body wash, nothing else will. I made it my mission this year to STOP buying body wash and go through what I have, and even still at this rate I literally have enough bottles to get me through to 2020. But this one? Still one of my favourite scents and suds. Would absolutely buy again. But...not now.
PSST Instant Dry Shampoo - When I visited New York earlier this year I forgot my dry shampoo and had to pop into a shop to buy a small travel sized one. I didn't think about it too much so I grabbed this one and honestly, it suuucks. It's one of those dry shampoos that leaves my hair almost as greasy and heavy as it was BEFORE the shampoo. I kept using it to finish it up on days when I put my hair in a bun, but BLECH, never buying again.
Tarte Ready Set Radiant Skin Mist - I was really excited to test this out when I got it in my Sephora Summer Favourites kit this year, but honestly it was a let-down. The sample I received didn't mist very well, the scent was cloying and sickly, and instead of settling nicely on my face, I sometimes would find the product drying in "drops" on my foundation. NO THANKS. Definitely not buying again.
Urban Decay All Nighter Makeup Setting Spray - I absolutely love this stuff! The bottle comes with a double topper so you can easily travel with it without leaking, it smells nice and settles nicely on the face. I've tried a few other setting sprays and this one is still one of my favourites. I don't always have the money to spend on it, so it's still a splurge, but it's a good one that keeps my makeup on my face!
Vichy Aqualia Thermal Serum - I already wrote a review of this serum on the blog a few months ago, but I liked it so much it took priority over my other serums and I can't believe it's already gone!
Tosses
Absolute New York Duo Stroke Eyeliner - A double-sided liquid eyeliner is, in theory, a great addition to any beauty lover's collection. You can get a thin tip, or a thicker tip with just a flip of the tube! One product for both! Unfortunately, it just needs to be on a better product. I felt like the quality of the liner just wasn't that great, it smudged easily and since my eyes often tear up, I need my liquid liner to be sturdier. I couldn't trust using this liner for a whole day out of the house.
Sally Hansen Cuticle Eraser and Balm - Now, I'm not sure if this product is just too old or if my taste in cuticle care has changed, but this is such a gummy texture for something I want to smooth over my fingers. I feel like it doesn't absorb and feels significantly tackier than other cuticle creams. I much prefer cuticle oils lately anyway.
And that's a wrap! When I put my pile together I couldn't believe how many products I went through in the last little while. I think I'm finally whittling down all the half finished bottles of this and that I've had lying around for ages, with more to come!
