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Tag Archives: empties

Empties 2016.2 | Video

06 Sunday Mar 2016

Posted by MonicawithRA in makeup, Reviews

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beauty, empties, Video

Some links may be affiliate ones.

 

I had a ton of empties at the end of February so I decided to film a quick video about the products! I hope you enjoy it!

I linked to the products below.

 

Interested in making an online purchase? Don’t forget to sign up with Ebates and receive some cash back!

Products Mentioned:

Nivea – Smooth Sensation Body Lotion for Dry Skin

Vaseline – Intensive Care Spray Moisturizer

Laura Mercier – ‘Ambre Vanille’ Body Scrub

Pond’s – Evening Soothe Wet Cleansing Towelettes

CVS Brand – Triple Size Cotton Balls

Estee Lauder – Advanced Night Repair Serum

Aveeno – Positively Radiant Daily Moisturizer w/ SPF 15

Seche Vite – Dry Fast Top Coat

SpaRitual – ‘Howl’ Nail Polish

Urban Outfitters – ‘Mystic’ Nail Polish

Bath & Body Works – Pumpkin Pie Medium Candle

Olay – Regenerist Advanced Anti Aging Micro-Sculpting Moisturizer

Oribe – Supershine Moisturizing Cream

The Body Shop – Vanilla Brûlée Body Polish

Centrum – One A Day Women’s Formula MultiVitamin

Co Q 10 100mg

Fish Oil 1000mg

Biotin

Tea Tree Oil

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2014 Empties – #2 (Beauty/Skincare)

13 Sunday Jul 2014

Posted by MonicawithRA in Reviews

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Aveeno, Bath & Body Works, empties, Neutrogena, Olay, review

This post sat in my drafts box for three weeks! I thought I posted it so imagine my surprise when I saw it. I do not have any photos because I already “emptied” my empties box!

This is the skincare/beauty part of this second post for 2014. I used a lot of these products regularly but there were a couple of “duds”. I hope you find my reviews helpful/interesting!

 

Olay Regenerist Advanced Anti-Aging “Micro-Exfoliating Wet Cleansing Cloths”

(USD ~$8.99 for 30 cloths) –> found at drugstores

I bought these cleansing cloths on a whim when I ran out of the Pond’s towelettes. Tati from YouTube’s GlamLifeGuru raves about them. I almost always like the products she recommends and agree with her more negative reviews. I still love my Pond’s towelettes but now they are my nail art clean-up wipes.

The Olay micro cloths are soft and smooth. They are not wet but when in contact with the skin they leave behind a slippery, slimy residue. Off-putting, for sure, but once it dries there is no leftover film.

I did not think the smooth texture would be effective at removing makeup but it was more so than Pond’s! It took a few swipes to remove waterproof eye makeup but it still grabbed at it like a Swiffer Sweeper!

The packaging said the cloths “micro-exfoliated” but they are so smooth there cannot be any exfoliating, however “micro” it was. That’s okay, though, it was not reason I bought the wipes.

I used these as a break from my full skincare routine, wiped my arms and legs after a climbing workout and removed sunscreen.

Will I re-purchase? Already have!

 

Olay Regenerist’s “Micro-Sculpting Cream” Moisturizer (Fragrance-Free)

(USD ~$30.99 for 1.7oz) –> found at drugstores

When I ran out of my face cream I could not decide between the ones on my “to try list”. I remember using this moisturizer before and loving it! I see why it is a drugstore cult product. The cream was thick and spread easily over the skin. I did not need a lot of product to cover my face and neck so I felt like I got my money’s worth. When I went to CVS to purchase the cream they were sold out of the original so I substituted with the fragrance-free version.

The consistency of this cream was the same as the original except it was very greasy! I woke up as an oil slick every morning. I finished the tub because I did not break out but I did not get the same moisturizing benefits I got from the original. The cream sat on top of my skin and did not absorb in.

The two months it took me to finish this product were a chore. It was an uncomfortable product because of the grease and I am pretty sure most of the product ended up on my pillowcase! Gross!

Will I re-purchase? I may re-purchase the original version.

Does anyone know if the two moisturizers are the same now? (It has been nearly a year since I last used Olay Regenerist creams). 

 

Bath & Body Works’ Triple Moisture Body Cream in Japanese Cherry Blossom

(USD $12.50 for 8oz.) –> http://www.bathandbodyworks.com

I refused to purchase this product full price because of the so-so reviews. BB&W had their massive annual sale so I purchased two Triple Moisture Body Creams for $3 each! For $3 I could care less about hydration! Alright, so that is not necessarily true!

My favorite scent from Bath and Body Works is Japanese Cherry Blossom. It is light, not overly floral and reminds me of spring.

The cream was thick and greasy but did not hydrate well. It did not apply evenly or absorb quickly. The cream rubbed off on my clothes long before it sank into my skin. I only used it when I needed a spirit lift. It was useless as a moisturizer. Okay, that was a little harsh. It probably would have been alright in the Spring/Summer.

If you have a favorite fragrance from B&BW, I recommend the Shea and Vitamin E Body Lotion instead. It is very hydrating and absorbs quickly. I would use it at the vet clinic if it were not for the heavy fragrance!

I wait for the “1 free travel-size hand lotion” coupon so I never pay for it!

Will I re-purchase? No.

 

Quick Review on products I continuously use —>

 

Aveeno Positively Radiant Daily Moisturizer SPF 15

I used the same daily moisturizer for almost two years. I initially began using this moisturizer to help with my hyper pigmentation. I did not expect miracles but I saw a difference. For immediate results the illuminators masked imperfections when light hit them. The soy and sunscreen worked together to gently even skin tone. The product felt greasier during the summer and I got shinier more quickly. Thankfully, I did not break out but I did sweat off the moisturizer so I added mineral sunscreen and face powder.

 

Neutrogena Acne Stress Control Power-Gel Cleanser

This was another go-to product for nearly two years. My super-oily skin tolerated this twice daily without irritation or flaking, problems I experienced with other Neutrogena and Clean & Clear products. This cleanser was powerful but surprisingly mild. Strangely enough, the Acne-Stress Control product range was marketed as more powerful than others in the Neutrogena line but feel more gentle on the skin. I broke out less frequently and when I did the acne was smaller and healed faster. The scent was refreshing and not medicinal, a welcome change from other salicylic acid products. The gel lathered nicely and did not slip, slide or run down my face.

 

Hi, my name is Monica and I have RA.

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2014 Empties – #2 (Miscellaneous)

31 Saturday May 2014

Posted by MonicawithRA in Reviews

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Arm & Hammer, Bausch + Lomb, drugstore, empties, Jo Malone, Nordstroms, review

I do not plan on Empties posts every month but this past month left me with a TON! I decided to do a post because my darling Affie is getting into my “empties box” and having fun with her new toys.

I hope you find these posts interesting! One person’s trash is another person’s treasure; sometimes! I hope my reviews help you with products you’re on the fence about or you, just like me, find Empties posts fascinating!

 

Jo Malone London’s “Dark Amber & Ginger Lily” Intense Scented Candle

(USD $75.00 for 7oz) –> found at select Nordstroms, http://www.nordstroms.com, http://www.jomalone.com

DSCF8548_fotor

There is so much hype around this brand that I generally steer clear. It helps there are no Jo Malone counters anywhere near me. As you all know, I am super sensitive to scent and I am VERY picky about the candles I burn. However, in March, I grew tired of my winter-themed Yankee Candle candles so I went on the hunt for a new one. One day, I was in the Nordstrom beauty section and nestled in the back was a new counter dedicated to Tom Ford and Jo Malone. I rushed over and started opening every single candle. I wanted something new, something interesting, something I had never smelled before. The Dark Amber & Ginger Lily was just that.

The scent is intoxicating. It is spicy and intriguing. Interestingly, the amber mentioned in the name is not the main scent. I looked at the description listed on the website to pick apart the other smells and I never thought the included scents would work well together. Cardamom, black orchid and ginger are competing scents on their own but the amber grounds and unifies them.

This candle is not for the faint of heart. It is strong and bold.

Now on to the product itself! Descriptions boast 45 hours of burn time. This is not true. I got no more than 30 hours, if that. I maybe got six uses out of the candle and I general burn it for 2-5 hours. I am hugely disappointed because for an expensive, revered brand I expect accurate descriptions and more use.

The candles in the black jars are marketed as “intense” and cost $10 extra. I thought this meant the fragrance was strong, both unlit and burning, because of the more concentrated essential oils in the wax. Unlit the smell is very strong. This is not the case while the candle burns. The fragrance only fills my room if I keep my door closed and it does not waft very far. (For comparison, when I burn my Yankee Candle candles, I smell the fragrance throughout the basement and even at the top of the stairs). Upon further speculation, maybe the “intense” applies to the boldness of the scent? It is strong, woodsy, spicy and is more pronounced than any of the other scents. Whatever the case, the company should make it more clear.

Overall, it was not what I expected. That being said, I am glad I tried the candle and the scent. It was interesting and what I was looking for at the time. In my opinion, it is not worth the price for the strength of the fragrance or how long the product lasts.

 

Will I re-purchase? No.

 

Jo Malone London’s “English Pear & Freesia” Scented Candle

(USD $65.00 for 7oz) –> found at select Nordstroms, http://www.nordstroms.com, http://www.jomalone.com

DSCF8546_fotor

 I bought the “English Pear & Freesia” about a week after I purchased the first candle. I could not get this scent out of my head. It was sweet, floral and reminded me of Spring. Exactly how our garden smelled when I was young. At the time, when we were still in perpetual winter, I was craving it. The scent was not as strong as the Dark Amber & Ginger Lily but I prefer that with floral scents.

I ran into the same problems as the Dark Amber & Ginger Lily candle. I did not get anywhere near 45 hours of burn time. I do not know if this is false advertising or I am doing something differently but how can I lose almost 15 hours of burn time??

I know I bashed into the brand’s candles in the above review so I will talk about the good things here. The “English Pear & Freesia” scent wafts better and fills the hallway outside my bedroom.

These candles burn exceptionally well. Candles aerate and lose their potency the longer they are in sunlight and exposed to oxygen. I did not have this problem with the Jo Malone candles.

Don’t you hate it when candles burn straight down and the wax does not melt evenly? 

The wax remained solid and burned evenly to the edge of the jar. While I did not get a great amount of use out of the product at least I did not waste any of it!

I am torn on whether I will re-purchase this candle. I LOVE the scent. It screams “me”. I might buy it as a splurge-y present to myself because honestly, and I agree when other people say this, Jo Malone London has some very interesting, unique scents that you just get hooked on.

Re-purchase? Probably.

 

Yankee Candle’s “Balsam & Cedar” Large Jar Candle

($27.99 for 22oz.) –> found at http://www.yankeecandle.com

DSCF8558_fotor

DSCF8562_fotor

One of the other large candles I bought during Yankee Candle’s famous “Buy 2, Get 2 Free” sale last winter. I took a gamble on this one because I purchased online and had never smelled it in person. This was a huge gamble and I won! The description says the candle smells like  “fresh forest scent”. It is spot on. It reminds me of when we used to buy live trees (before the monsters!) from the Christmas tree yards. (Don’t make fun! I am a city girl, those tree yards were the closest I got to the real forest!) It smells EXACTLY like that.

Yankee Candle candles have a great burn time. They claim burn times of 110-150 hours. I do not know if this is true but the candle lasted me from November to April, if that is any indication. The scent lingers for at least a day after I burn the candle and wafts through the house.

As with the Christmas Wreath (review linked here), the candle aerated quickly towards the end and I lost the fragrance. This candle lasts a good long while before this happens so I am not too distraught. I think this just one of the trade-offs.

 

Will I re-purchase? Probably, but I will wait for the sale in the fall.

 

Quick review of things I use regularly —>

 

Bausch + Lomb’s Re-Nu Fresh Multi-Purpose Solution for contact lenses

This has been my go-to contact lens cleanser since I started wearing them. It is probably the most expensive of the contact solutions but it is by far the best. The solution stays fresh even when left in indirect sunlight. I use it twice daily to rinse my contacts and add new contact solution to the case. My contacts feel fresh for the entire two weeks, so much so if I do not mark down when I need to change them, I will continue way past expiration.

 

Arm & Hammer’s Complete Care Plus Whitening Baking Soda & Peroxide toothpaste

I drink coffee, iced black or green tea most of the day. Without this toothpaste my teeth would be a lot more yellow than they are. I have very strong teeth, only one cavity up to date, but they are very sensitive to whitening ingredients. I cannot use mouthwashes and Colgate, Crest brands make my teeth hurt! Arm & Hammer is gentle on my mouth. However, if you are looking for diehard whitening effects, this is not for you. It is a gentle, everyday stain remover that works to remove newer stains.

 

Well, that is it for my Miscellaneous empties for this month. I just realized, they are all candles and I am not to surprised! With four pets, I seem to burn (hah, see what I did there!) right through my candle stock!

 

Hi, my name is Monica and I have RA.

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2014 Empties – #1 (Non-Beauty)

21 Monday Apr 2014

Posted by MonicawithRA in Reviews

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chocolate, empties, pen, review, yankee candle

Here are my non-beauty empties and are they random!

 

Yankee Candle’s Large Jar “WHITE CHRISTMAS” & “CHRISTMAS WREATH”

(retail: USD $27.99 for 22oz) –> found at Ulta, http://www.yankeecandle.com

These are my favorite scented candles! There is something very earthy about all their scents.

Yankee Candle claims the large candle burns up to “110-150 hours of fragrance” and while these candles are expensive I wait for the November/December “Buy 2, Get 2 Large Candles” promotion. 4 large candles last me an entire year and I burn them at least 4 or 5 hours every 1-2 days because of the furry monsters.

 

White Christmas

I purchased this specifically in December 2012. The descriptions says it smells like “quiet holiday beauty…blend of woodsy evergreens and cool, freshly fallen snow”. I burn this candle regularly during December, especially on snow days. It reminds me of the forest in the crisp morning when I step on fallen pine needles. This is my FAVORITE candle from Yankee Candle. I buy it every year and I already have a back-up.

They changed the picture on the White Christmas packaging a couple of years ago. I do not remember what it was before but I do remember liking it better. The photo of the church confuses me since it has nothing to do with the scent!

Image

Re-Purchase? Every year!

 

Christmas Wreath

I bought this in November 2013. It is not completely empty but it aerated to the point it no longer has fragrance. I used it a lot so I do not feel like it went to total waste. That being said, I should have had at least three more good uses out of it.

The description says “the fragrance [is] of freshly-cut boughs and branches of pine, balsam and hollyberry”. This candle smells exactly like pine trees. I love the scent. It reminds me of old Christmas memories.

DSCF7995_fotor

Re-purchase? Honestly? I am not sure yet. I ADORE this fragrance but it did aerate very quickly.

 

Trader Joe’s Milk Chocolate Truffle Bar

(USD $3.99? for 3.5oz) –> found at select Trader Joe’s

The chocolates at Trader Joe’s are SO amazing. They are beyond addictive. If you stay away from sweets do not buy this. You will buy it every time you are near a Trader Joe’s, even if you never planned to go in.

The chocolate is smooth and light. The truffle taste is prominent without changing the consistency. Has anyone else noticed that? Whenever there is added flavor the chocolate feels lighter and melts differently?

Re-purchase? Yes! I already have quite a few stock-piled just in case they stop selling it.

 

Britannia’s The Original Bourbon biscuits

(The ones I received were 26 rupees/pack or USD $0.43/pack)

I debated whether to add these or not but I figured my non-USA readers would be able to find them. These are some of the most popular cookies in India, so I assume they are more accessible in the UK. I have not found these cookies here in the US so my father sends them to me from India.

“Monica, you like those Bourbon cookies right?”

“Yeah!”

“You shouldn’t eat them, they have gluten.”

“Ok.”

…Then he sends me five packs.

It’s kind of embarrassing how much I love these. Within the first week, I went through 3 packs? Soo unhealthy, but I could not help it. I blame my snacking tendencies.

The cookie is crunchy and mildly chocolate-y. They are not super sweet, a tad salty even but the filling is smooth and really compliments the biscuits. Lovely!

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 Re-purchase? Yes!

 

 

Freud Museum London Psych Sofa Pen

(I don’t remember the price!!)

HAH. I found this at the bottom of my Empties bin. It’s empty so it counts!

I am a pen snob. I actually buy my own pens for work. And. I do not share. Weird, right? My dad is the same way. We love calligraphy pens and we love loose ink when possible.

This was a tourist purchase. When my friend and I went to London we visited the famous Freud museum. I bought a mug and this pen. It has clear fluid at the top and a little picture of Freud’s sofa that floats around. Surprisingly, I actually used pen very regularly and emptied it.

Even though the tip is thin, the ink flows nicely. I LOVE thin tipped pens but the ink will sometimes catch. It is very difficult to find these in the US so just like the Bourbon cookies, my dad sends me pens from India.

I will keep this pen but it obviously has more more function!

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Re-purchase? No.

 

That’s it for my non-beauty empties! I hope you found it interesting and gave you a little peak into my crazy mind!

 

Hi, my name is Monica and I have RA.

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