August '13 empties

Compared to say, 2 years ago, I'd say that my hoarding habits have been greatly toned down.

Yet, I feel pretty amazed at the end of each month that I go without buying, I still have a large stash of stuff that I can mow through.

No finished makeup products this month, but loads of full sized bath and body items on their way to the recycling bin!

Rinren Yuzu & Ginger Shampoo
I've talked about it here before. Frankly, I'm glad this one is done with because I was getting tired of how mild the scent is.
Repurchase: No

Shiseido Tsubaki Shining Conditioner
Wish I got this sooner because it made my hair a lot less tangly. Less tangles = less hair loss in the shower = very good. It has silicones, yes, but I'm quite ready to admit that those non-silicone shampoos and conditioners just don't work for me. If anything, my hair got drier, frizzed up and it takes forever to detangle in the shower, not to mention the hair loss. I'm not exactly blessed with thick hair and being able to save some from clogging up the shower drain everyday is a good thing. The scent is not overpowering and very feminine. For an inexpensive drug store conditioner that is easily available everywhere (even in convenience stores sometimes!), I'm pretty happy with the results.
Repurchase: Yes

Rinren Yuzu & Ginger Treatment
This is no treatment, by any means, as conditioner is often referred to as "treatment" here in Japan. I wanted to go down the no-silicone path and picked this in hopes that my life will be changed forever. And change it did. I noticed more hair in the shower drain after rinsing off and it did nothing to make my hair smoother. Nor did I have a healthier scalp. Nothing. At all. Glad this one is finished.
Repurchase: No

The Body Shop Cucumber & Mint Shower Gel
Yes, love x100000. Never thought that the cucumber-mint combo would work in the shower although it's a drink that I've had many times before. Paraben/soap/sulphate/colorant-free. So much win here! I wish this came in a larger size like those jumbo 500ml bottles that they occasionally have in store. This was a real breath of fresh air in the crazy summer heat and makes an awesome body wash for that end-of-the-humid-day grime and dust.
Repurchase: Yes

Feverlet Collagen Essence Mask
One out of the 120(?) sheet masks that I hauled from Incheon Airport last year. Yes, they're still around. This feels like it's better quality than the Etude House ones that did absolutely nothing for me. The cotton sheet is a little thinner than the Etude House masks that I used. They have a texture that seems to work quite well in holding the essence. Although less saturated than Etude House masks, I find that it has just the right amount and doesn't drip down my neck. I also find that I don't have that sticky residue after I take them off and I don't need to splash my face with water again before I apply toner (or lotion as the Japanese version is). Not sure if my face is any less wrinkled or more plumped up, really, since I've never had any life changing experience with any sheet mask except for SK-II. I usually pop sheet masks in the fridge for a few minutes while I go through my cleansing routine in summer because let's face it, who doesn't like that temporary relief when it's 40 degrees out there?
Repurchase: No

Claudia Jansen & Co nose strip
First mentioned here. I'm not sure if this is a charcoal strip but I love my nose strips black, nonetheless. Makes it so much more satisfying when I can see those little blackheads clearly. Nothing to shout about here, just your regular nose strip, if you're into that sort of thing. I did find it a little harder to peel compared to the Biore ones that I've used previously.
Repurchase: No. Happy to finish up the remaining strips and be done with them

Muji Nail Polish Remover
Only slightly more than 500 yen and I wish I'd discovered this sooner. Smells citrus-y with none of that eye-watering suffocating deathly fumes that comes with cheap polish remover. Does a really good job with removing nail color and doesn't leave my cuticles or nails dry and flaky like the really strong ones do. A little pricey for probably half the amount that I get from the 100 yen shop, but hey, it's worth not having my bin and entire apartment smell like we've been doused with alcohol.
Repurchase: Yes

Shiseido Sebum & Oil Blotting Paper
Dislike. I need at least 3 sheets in a single blotting session and even then my fingers feel oily after as if the sebum has soaked through the entire sheet. TMI? I still haven't found a Japanese blotting paper that actually works like the Johnson & Johnson ones. This feels no different than if I blotted my face with regular paper.
Repurchase: No

Sally Girl neon orange nail polish
One of those things that got thrown into a package when I bought some stuff off a blog sale. What a rip off since it was already gooey and I could use it only once after adding a few drops of solvent in it. The brush is really tiny and makes my shaky application look even worse than usual. I'd have love to wear this color when it was still usable as it was totally a summer color that doesn't look too out of place, neon and all.
Repurchase: No

iHerb.com nail file 
Think low quality sand paper stuck onto a foam board. It goes all floppy at the slightest pressure that I apply when filing my nails. Good for one use only. At least it was free gift, useless as it was.
Repurchase: No

Nail file from drug store in Malaysia
I've had it for so long that I can't even tell the brand anymore. It went with me from Malaysia to China and finally ended up here in Japan. I guess that says a lot for a nail file because it gave me countless uses over the years. I never torn a nail or had jagged tips that snagged on clothing from this one. It was pretty hard and didn't bend during use. I haven't found anything as good here yet, sadly.
Repurchase: No

So there, 10 is the magic number this month. I'm pretty good in using up stuff, regardless of whether they work or not. Don't you think?