October Empties

I’ve been trying out some different hair and skincare stuff lately, but I made it through a little bit of makeup too.

1. L’Oreal EverSleek Shampoo & Conditioner ($5.99 each) – I had been doing the Curly Girl method for about six months, but conditioner-washing was kind of a pain, especially when my hair was longer. The EverSleek products are silicone-free as well as sulfate-free, so I decided to give them a try. The shampoo is definitely quicker and easier than co-washing, and it doesn’t leave my hair feeling squeaky and straw-like the way some shampoos do. I don’t think the conditioner is quite moisturizing enough though – my hair is definitely a little less shiny and a little more frizzy than it was. I’ve repurchased the shampoo, but I’m going to play around with other silicone-free conditioners and leave-in treatments. It took about 2 months to go through these, using the shampoo every other day and the conditioner daily.

2. First Aid Beauty Facial Cleanser ($20 for 5oz) – A while back I got a 1oz sample of this in a Sephora VIB sample bag. It’s creamy, lathers well, doesn’t dry my skin and leaves my face feeling clean. Overall, I’m very happy with it. The thing is, my CeraVe Foaming Cleanser does all the same things, but it’s around $12 for a 12oz bottle. I probably won’t purchase the First Aid Beauty Cleanser, but if it came in a set with their Ultra Repair Cream I’d definitely use it. The 1oz sample lasted about a month with daily use.

3. Tarte Maracuja Oil ($46 for 1.7oz) – This is another thing that I got as a sample with a Sephora purchase. The oil absorbs quickly, doesn’t feel greasy after it soaks in and makes a difference in how soft/moisturized my skin feels (versus nights that I don’t use it). I don’t like the top of the Tarte bottles because they’re smooth – if I have any moisturizer left on my hands, I can’t get a grip to open it. I do like that it comes with a dropper so it’s easy to control how much I’m using – you only need 3-4 drops. This is another case where I most likely won’t purchase it though. I’ve used Garden of Wisdom’s passionfruit seed oil, and it’s almost identical – it has a slightly stronger scent and doesn’t come with a dropper, which is less convenient. It’s around $17 for a 4oz bottle though, so I’m willing to overlook packaging flaws in favor of the price difference.

4. YSL Faux Cils Babydoll Mascara ($30) – Normally I don’t buy mascara because it’s so easy to get free mini sizes. I really wanted to try this one though, and I caved in and purchased it about two weeks before Sephora started having it as a 100 point perk (it figures, right?). I’m a big fan because it does pretty much everything I want a daily mascara to do – separates, adds volume and darkens my lashes. It’s also not a super-wet formula, so I don’t smear it all over my eyes by accident. My tube lasted almost exactly four months with regular use (at least 4 days a week), though it got a little dry toward the end. I’m planning to repurchase when Nordstrom does their Mascara Madness event.

What products did you empty out this month? Share them in the comments!