May '14 empties

I believe that I'm now in my "nesting" mode. Or I'm just product demon. How else am I to explain my insane mowing through of products?

rinRen Konatsu & Camellia Treatment

Talked about the shampoo here and the Yuzu & Ginger treatment here.

Repurchase: No

Hada Labo Gokujyun Light Lotion

Took me a really long time to finish this one up. Like, more than a year, with on and off use. Seems like a pretty standard sized bottle for toners (lotion in Japan), but at 170ml and 7 drops per use once a day, this really went a long way. I found it particularly useful on warm days when I'm too lazy to moisturize or when moisturizer makes my makeup melt faster/face oilier. 7 drops of this, some BB cream and I'm good to go. It's not particularly hydrating but it gives my skin a little something to cushion the BB cream as the ones I use are not particularly good in providing moisture. It's also nicer to be able to pat on product in the morning instead of soaking up a cotton pad and swiping as I sometimes find that it's a little too harsh especially when I have really irritable skin. With no fragrance and color, I'd say this is a good budget buy for people with sensitive skin. At my age, I need something that will improve the appearance as well as maintain moisture so I'm gonna move on and experiment more.

Repurchase: No

The Body Shop Olive Shower Gel

For men, apparently. Since Mister Homebody and I share shower gels, I try not to get anything that's too girly. Love, love this. Probably second in line after their Satsuma Shower Gel which we used one giant bottle of here. Not your typical refreshing, fruity scent from The Body Shop and I'd say this is good regardless of season. I always step out of the shower feeling relaxed after my shower.

Repurchase: Yes

Kose Softymo Speedy Cleansing Oil (travel size)

I've used up a bottle here. Still have a few bottles in my stash (yes, I'm a crazy hoarder, I know).

Repurchase: Have backups

NOV UV Shield EX SPF 50+ PA+++

Comes in a squeezy tube with a needle point sized nozzle. Perfect for not having too-big globs when you don't need them. Recommended by my dermatologist when I was going for some skin peels and treatment last year (not much improvement, long story) and always left the clinic with hypersensitive and red skin. I get reactions from most chemical sunscreens and have therefor stayed away from using sunscreen ever. Imagine the amount of damage I've suffered through the years :( This is a purely physical sunscreen without UV ray absorbing agents that can be used on both the face and body although I used it only on my face due to the 30ml size and price point. Loved it in the beginning as it didn't contribute to the oiliness in my face and seems to spread easy enough. I used it on days when I have to spend a lot of time outdoors (walking to school, taking pictures on a sunny day etc.). At a glance, I have zero white cast, but after putting powder or foundation on, everything goes horribly wrong. Instead of a smooth base, I'm uber cakey especially around my nose and mouth. I credited it to my lack of moisturizing at first, but even after moisturizing and smoothing this on, I still get cake-faced. Whichever way I tried it, I always ended up with a mask-like face. Slightly darker foundation, moisturizing foundation, BB cream, powder foundation, nothing worked. I loved that my skin had no reaction to it and I never get a burn or even feel remotely sore when I used it, but I don't think I can make it work with other products.

Repurchase: No

Claudia Jansen & Co nose strip

Used here. Does what it's supposed to, that's all.

Repurchase: Have a few more strips to go

Esprique Precious Powder Foundation SPF22 PA++(sample)

Not entirely sure which one this is as Esprique has a few powder pacts in their line, but I love it! Got the sample along with the makeup bases that I used up here and it lasted me a good couple of uses. The salesperson must be psychic and know that I'm always wearing mismatched bases because this is the perfect match for my skin (OC-410 for my own future reference). Either that, or I'm just lousy and still have much to learn. It works beautifully with their makeup bases and it's so natural that I'm almost able to fool myself into thinking I'm not wearing any makeup! No dryness or oiliness detected, just smooth beautiful skin. I used my Sephora mineral powder brush with it and was rewarded with the most beautiful finish I've ever seen on myself! Win!

Repurchase: Yes

ELAN Cleansing Cloth

A sample thrown in during a purchase I made from a Korean skincare store some time ago. Rub the cloth on wet hands to foam it up and then massage onto face. Acts as an exfoliant as well as a cleanser. No scent that I remember of, but I'm not entirely sure what the ingredients are since it's all in Hangul. I liked it, but feel it's a little wasteful to discard one cloth with each use.

Repurchase: No

Muji Cotton Puff

A staple which I've talked about here.

Repurchase: Yes

Dermal Grape Collagen Essence Face Mask

Another freebie from a Korean purchase. For relaxed, clear and moisturized skin. As mentioned before, I don't use sheet masks often enough to be able to see the results. At most, I pop them on after my night time shower and go to sleep after I've removed them. I know most people massage the essence in, moisturize and call it a day. I can't stand the stickiness, really, so I moisten a cotton pad with toner and wipe the essence off before rounding up my night routine. My skin did feel a little plumper and smoother immediately after use (as with any other mask I use) and it felt like I had a bunch of grapes on my face, haha. 

Repurchase: No

My monthly 10 done! So looking forward to thinning out all this stuff I hoarded and eventually just be able to stick to staples and products that actually work for me.

March '14 empties

March had been a crazy busy month for me. Between settling into a new place and trying to adjust my schedule now that we live slightly further from the train station, I was also wrapping up my first year of teaching in high school.

Our apartment was still filled with boxes (most of which I packed and labeled, but still manage to forget what's exactly inside) that I had to dig through almost everyday to get what I want. Not easy, I'll tell you, when the Little Tako seems to be getting heavier and more wriggly by the nano second.

This month saw some samples and a couple of products that I  had really enjoyed using.

Bifest bi-phase Eye Makeup Remover
Something that has already been featured in one of my previous empties posts and needs no introduction nor explanation.
Repurchase: Have another backup bottle somewhere in one of my many boxes...

E.L.F. Shimmer Gloss in Miami (discontinued)
Exactly the same as their (also discontinued) Minty version except this one smells and tastes a little fruity. Plastic-fruity, if I may add. Boring, work-safe, kept my lips moisturized for a couple of hours, nothing to write home about.
Repurchase: No (discontinued)

Clarins Multi-Active Night Youth Recovery Comfort Cream (sample)
Something that Mister Homebody had thoughtfully picked up for me seeing that I'd been having skin woes due to hormonal changes. This is the first cream in a long while that didn't make my face oily overnight. Instead, my face felt normal which is something I don't even remember feeling first thing in the morning. Smells relaxing and luxurious, too.
Repurchase: Bought the full-sized jar

Clarins Gentle Foaming Cleanser with Tamarind (sample)
Came together with the little baggie from Mister Homebody. Has little scrubby bits that I'm pretty sure are not synthetic because they feel like crushed nutshells on my face. Love the scent and the fact that it rinses away clean with no residue. I used this as my morning cleanser and it didn't leave my face tight even in the cold and dry weather.
Repurchase: Bought the full-sized tube

Maybelline Dream Fresh BB in Light/Light Medium
I'm not sure if this has been discontinued as I got it in a swap and it's not available in Japan. Never having been a fan of BB creams, I had actually really enjoyed using this as the cut up tube shows, till the very last bit. I loved the zero effort needed for the sheer and light coverage it gave me and wore it all summer through winter. Only difference was, I skipped the moisturizer in summer as I tend to get oily. A quick buff with a face brush followed by a light sweep of powder and I'm good for the day. I do get shiny through the day, of course, but that's by no fault of the product.
Repurchase: No (not available in Japan)

Clinique Fresh Bloom Allover Color in 01 Peony
Color is crazy pretty (for lack of more descriptive words) but it shattered and became so messy that I hardly bothered since I transferred it into a little jar. Soft and easy to blend but may be a little light on my skin tone.
Repurchase: No

Canmake Perfect Serum BB Cream Light in 02 Natural (sample)
Not sure if I used this wrongly but it looked really cakey and melted on the sides of my nose and below my lower lip. I did powder over it as I tend to do on long days but I just look cake-faced. It was also a shade darker so I'm glad it was just a sample. I might try out the lighter shade if I can get my hands on another sample, though.
Repurchase: Possibly in a lighter shade

Esprique Moist Makeup Base (sample)
Love. LOVE. I'm not one who bothers with primers and foundation bases but I wish this little foil packet had more than just one use because I'm so in love! It worked wonder for my winter skin and I saw zero dry patches, yet, no trace of shine. So easy to smooth and the SPF25 was a bonus for me as my skin is highly reactive to sunscreen ingredients.
Repurchase: Definitely (after I'm done with my current tube of sunscreen)

Esprique Flat Control Base UV (sample)
Another win for me. Should've discovered this sooner and I imagine that it would work very well for me in summer. No allergic reactions, too!
Repurchase: Yes

Clarins Multi-Active Day Early Wrinkle Correction Cream (sample)
Item #3 from Mister Homebody's baggie and you must be thinking, "Is it safe for pregnancy?" Answer is yes. Clarins has stated that their products are pregnancy safe, but of course, if you're feeling iffy then skip along. I liked this one, very much. Not heavy or oily for day use and perfect under makeup (although I'm still figuring how to layer on the pesky sunscreen and not be cake-faced). Smells beautiful, just like other Clarins products and seems to calm my skin more than my current moisturizer.
Repurchase: Bought the full-sized jar

All in all, it's probably the best empties month I've had so far with wonderful new discoveries as well as using up makeup products (they never seem to die, do they?)

What did you finish up in March?