Only 2057534 lip products to go. Yay.
Let's get to business.
Rinren Yuzu & Ginger Shampoo (Refill)
I like that this doesn't have all the stuff that I don't want in my skin/body care products. No parabens, no mineral oils, no silicones and no animal products. I've probably been using silicone products on my hair my entire life, although I can't be sure about the time when I was not part of the decision making process. The fragrance is light and quite refreshing and never, ever overpowering. Lathers up pretty well and when it rinses out, my hair doesn't feel all squeaky and tangly. But, with all the organic/natural/gentle products, I find that while they generally mean well, they don't give results that you could write home about. I like this shampoo, but I'm not wowed.
Repurchase: I would repurchase it simply for the fact that it's a silicone-free shampoo.
Bath & Body Works "I Love Cookie Dough" Pocketbac
The scent alone is enough for me to want to eat it! Love the size because it's small enough for my makeup bag and it doesn't weigh a ton (I carry my entire life around in my bag when I go to work). I don't find it drying for my hands even when I use it more than once a day, usually after my lessons when I've been using chalk (yes, unfortunately, Japan still uses chalkboards). Only one gripe here, Japanese people are so subtle with everything in their lives that every time I use it, I notice that the people around me will sniff the air in suspicion.
Repurchase: Not in this scent since there's so many to choose from!
The Body Shop "Cranberry Joy" Shower Gel
Hates it. I bought this on a whim when they were having a big 50% sale, or was it one of those BOGO deals? Really should've sniffed it first. Now, I've been using shower gels from The Body Shop for a good many years and it's safe to say that there aren't really any that I find unpleasant. But, well, this one is. The scent is too sickly, chemically sweet and it doesn't seem to lather as well as the others. I practically had to use up half the bottle when I run a bath. I usually like it when the scent of my shower gels linger on my skin after my showers, but with this one, I find that I try to rinse out every trace of it.
Repurchase: Definitely not.
Skittles "Blueberry" flavored Lip Gloss
Just one of my many kiddy indulgences. Yes, I'm 30 going on 8. Shame, shame. It smells and tastes like what a kid of 8 would like. Completely colorless and pretty shiny, I use this on occasions when I'm too lazy to dig around for a color that matches my mood.
Repurchase: I still another 3 or 4 of these in different in flavors!
Sally Girl bright pink nail polish (Mini)
One of the brightest nail polishes I own. It's practically neon and glow in the dark! Sad that the color is completely off in the picture. Formula is pretty crap, or it could really be just that it went all gloopy and thick. The brush is tiny and all I get is streaky nail polish which I usually end up topping off with a glittery or confetti coat to mask all the imperfections. Usually chips after 3 or so days (even on my toes) and the weirdest thing about it is that it kinda flakes off instead of the usual chipping that I'm used to. Love the color, though, but that may possible be its only merit here.
Repurchase: Whatever for?
Elf Studio Brush Shampoo
I've read enough good reviews about this cheap-but-so-effective brush shampoo that I bought it without thinking twice. Well, next time, I really should think at least twice before I buy anything. Because this brush shampoo really sucks. I don't care if it's cheap and that I shouldn't expect much from it. It sucks. I have to use a very generous amount for each face brush (500 yen coin-sized) and I have a really OCD rule of washing my brushes every week. Even with that much shampoo per brush, I have to shampoo each brush at least twice before the water rinses out sorta clear. And then there's the thing about the brush bristles still being stained. What is that about? I think I wash my brushes often enough for them not to accumulate too much gunk that it doesn't rinse out properly or it becomes permanently stained. Sad to say, I've used body shampoos that worked much better than this bottle of crap. Oh, and it contains parabens.
Repurchase: Never
So that concludes my May '13 empties. Have you used any of the above products and felt differently about them than I did? Tell me if you have!
