February Empties & Disappointing Products

There is something so satisfying about using up an entire product. It actually feels like a bit of an accomplishment, which I realize is a little strange. Here is my collection of the past month’s empties, with accompanying mini-reviews for your enjoyment!

First up is a new hair treatment from Lush called Tangled. The product comes on the end of a stick that you use to mix it into a mug of hot water before applying to hair. I’m all about using oils in my hair as a pre-wash treatment, so I thought this would be fun to try out. It was fun to mix up, but that’s where the enjoyment ended – the treatment had the consistency of Elmer’s glue and was impossible to wash out. After three shampoos, I was still picking little gelatinous bits out of my hair. This product also contains SLS, which seems totally unnecessary for a hair treatment that isn’t supposed to foam. I would definitely not recommend this.

I also used up my Juice Beauty Soothing Serum, which I have discussed in My AM Skincare Routine post. I liked this but won’t repurchase it simply because I want to try out other serums.

The third item is a sample size of the Blissoma Intense Hydration Tonique that I received in a recent Petit Vour box. This was a nice toner – it smelled pleasantly herbal and felt refreshing on the face, although I didn’t experience any noticeable hydrating effects. According to the Petit Vour website, this mist can also be used as a makeup setting spray, but I didn’t try that. Overall, I enjoyed using it but I’m not in a hurry to order another.

Next, I finished off a jar of Schmidt’s Deodorant cream in the Bergamot + Lime scent. This is by far the best natural deodorant that I’ve tried since making the switch from antiperspirant in 2016. The key difference is that deodorant doesn’t stop you from sweating like an antiperspirant – it simply keeps you from smelling. Schmidt’s contains baking soda, which I find does help a little with keeping wetness at bay. The jar lasted quite a while, as you only need to use a small dab for each armpit. I’ve since moved on to the Schmidt’s Deodorant stick in Lavender + Sage.

I also polished off a sample size of Province Apothecary’s new Radiant Body Oil. It’s very luxurious, like all of PA’s products, and it smells amazing. I liked to use this after an evening shower so that it has time to work its magic overnight. It’s a little thick so I wouldn’t recommend trying to get dressed and go immediately after applying. I will repurchase this.

Next is a sample size of Briogeo’s Rosarco Reparative Leave-In Conditioning Spray that came in a kit from Sephora. I was keen to try out the brand’s offerings since it’s a green haircare line that’s recently become widely available at the places I usually shop. I enjoyed this leave-in spray – it didn’t leave my hair feeling too greasy or heavy. The Rosarco line is so named because it contains rosehip, argan, and coconut oils.

The last two products in this lineup are the disappointing ones: the We Love Eyes Tea Tree Eyelid & Eyelash Makeup Remover Oil from a Petit Vour box and Lush Grease Lightening. The eye makeup remover was average in terms of performance – it worked as well as any other oil-based cleanser. The thing that kept me from finishing it, however, was that it left a cloudy residue on my eyes. I gave it a few more tries using different techniques (using less, removing with a washcloth) but unfortunately I couldn’t get it to work for me. I could only use the Lush spot treatment at night, because the first time I used it I noticed that it dried down to a very noticeable, crusty looking film on the skin. Not flattering. Other than that, I simply didn’t use the product up before it expired.

Lately, I’ve been finding that Lush products are more often misses than hits for me, and sometimes they contain ingredients that I try to avoid. Maybe it’s time to give up the little black pots and brightly coloured bath bombs?