Trash Stash: September 2015

~ stashy

This month I seem to have finished up the core components of my face skincare products all at the same time – so odd how that happens.
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The sense of accomplishment in finishing up products never gets old!

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The Body Shop Vitamin E Moisture Serum – $23 for 30ml (Body Shop in store & online)
This lightweight serum contains glycerin, honey, and rice bran oil. I found it a bit watery and didn’t provide a lasting hydration – my face felt less plump compared to other serums I’ve used. I reserved this for summer months during the day time due to this reason – this might be a good serum for oilier skin types. I do like that this package is in a vacuum pump but it’s visible through the bottle so you can see how much product is left.
Stash worthiness: 6/10     Repurchase: No

Physician’s Formula Anti Aging Laser Resurfacing Serum with 2.4 AHA – $21.95 for 30ml (drugstores & online)
This is a gentle chemical exfoliant that uses lactic acid, and can be used nightly under night cream.  I apply this lightweight gel lotion to cleansed face underneath my regular nighttime moisturizer – it makes my skin soft and glowy.  There’s also vitamin C and peptides in the concoction – it has quite a distinct fragrance but it isn’t offensive (I can’t place the smell but my first thought was Play-Doh).  I bought this on clearance at 50% off – I don’t think this product is being discontinued but I think my local Rexall was just making space for other products.  So I grabbed 2.  I started this bottle in February and used it about 3 times a week.
Stash worthiness: 9/10     Repurchase: Yes
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Shiseido Ibuki Refining Moisturizer – $52 for 75ml (department stores & online)
I mentioned this item in my Shiseido skincare post and out of Love / Like / Loath categories, it was listed in “Like” – this is a great lightweight daytime moisturizer that I especially like for the summer months. The main issue I take with this is the fragrance – Shiseido really needs to dial that down on most of their products.  I noted on the bottle that I cracked this open in April so it lasted me a solid 6 months, not bad really when I calculate out a per month cost of $8.67. I spend more on food on a daily basis!
Stash worthiness: 8/10     Repurchase: Yes

Lise Watier HydraSmart Gel-Crème Hydration 3D – $18 for 30ml (Shoppers Drug Mart & online)
Another tube bites the dust! I like this pill-y gel cream less and less as I struggled to use this 2nd tube up… but guess what? I discovered another unopened tube in my stash!  I swear someone is playing a cruel joke on me.
Stash worthiness: 6/10     Repurchase: No
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Reversa Cleansing Micellar Solution – $23 for 300ml (drugstores & online)
I picked this up purely out of curiosity – it was on sale and a Canadian brand – and was so impressed with it! It’s bumped Bioderma off the 3rd spot for my favourite micellar waters (#1 Yves Rocher, #2 Claudalie, #3 Reversa). I use this after oil cleansing to remove all traces of makeup (especially from the neck and hairline area that might be more difficult to rinse off), and it is effective yet gentle. It also leaves my skin SO soft. It contains lotus root water which is supposed to be soothing.  I’ll be reusing this pump bottle for my other micellar waters.
Stash worthiness: 9/10     Repurchase: Yes

Yves Rocher Second Skin Effect Foundation in Beige 200 – $25 for 30ml
This is an effortless lightweight foundation that blends seamlessly onto my skin using just fingers. I LOVE this foundation. And you know what that means, right? Yup, they discontinue it. Ugh. Last year I stocked up on a few backup bottles from the clearance table but only managed to snag one bottle in my correct shade – I got a couple in the next shade up for mixing. YR does have a new lightweight foundation to replace this – I have yet to try it (I received a sample) but the packaging is much bulkier (I love how compact and portable this bottle is!)… and I’m not so sure about that “luminous” business.
Stash worthiness: 10/10     Repurchase: No (discontinued)
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Neutrogena Ultra Sheer Dry Touch sunscreen SPF 110 – $16 for 88ml (drugstores & online)
This is a fantastic body sunscreen – I didn’t even know that they’re allowed to claim SPF that high! It applies nicely – not too greasy or too much of a white cast. This is strictly for body usage though, it’s much too heavy for the face. We took this on holiday with us (hence the battered looking bottle) and it worked amazingly during our hikes – no burns at all.
Stash worthiness: 9/10     Repurchase: Yes

Shiseido Sun Protection Eye Cream SPF 32 – $38 for 15ml (department stores & online)
I finally used up this tube – toward the end I cheated a little and applied this not only as an eye cream but all over my face. The 2nd tube shown isn’t empty but is being tossed away because it has expired since Oct 2014 so I don’t want to risk it. This is a good, non-greasy eye cream that contains SPF in the form of zinc oxide (9.3%) and octinoxate (4.9%). It’s firstly difficult to find eye cream with SPF at all, and even more difficult to find one with mineral sunscreen (although it’s not a pure mineral as octinoxate is a chemical sunscreen). This one layered well under makeup but I’m undecided if I will repurchase this since I think I can just use my normal mineral face sunscreen under my eye area going forward.
Stash worthiness: 8/10     Repurchase: Maybe
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CoverGirl LashBlast Volume – $10 (drugstores)
Not much to say about my HG mascara. I consider it HG worthy when people compliment me on what I perceive to be one of my weakest features! It’s volumizing, lengthening, doesn’t flake, doesn’t smudge, easy to apply and to remove, but water resistant. Just magical!
Stash worthiness: 10/10     Repurchase: Yes

Lise Watier Mascara Wow – $24 (Shoppers Drug Mart & online)
I received this full size mascara as a gwp so I’m not so bummed that it didn’t work out for me. It applies beautifully but man, it is SO smudgy! I even put a mascara top coat on it and it somehow manages to break through that and cause me raccoon eyes. Also, the wand is SO bendy, similar to that L’Oreal Miss Manga mascara – too floppy to apply onto the lashes with making a mess on my lids.
Stash worthiness: 5/10     Repurchase: No
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Bath & Body Works Waikiki Beach Coconut Shower Gel – $12.50 for 295ml
Bought this during the $3 for $15 sale. I don’t normally buy shower gels from BBW but I couldn’t resist my favourite scent of the summer! When I use this in conjunction with the aloe gel lotion, then then layer on the body mist, the smell lasts so long – I love it!
Stash worthiness: 9/10     Repurchase: No (discontinued – I have one more in my stash)

Yves Rocher Tradition de Hammam Oriental Soap with Argan and Olive Oil (not shown since it’s all used up!) – $17 for a 5.3 oz. / 150 g bar (Yves Rocher online & online)
I did a review of this. While this was a great moisturizing soap, it had some negatives: the size of the bar was mammoth – it was really difficult to hold in my hands to lather up (I can’t tell you how many times I dropped this in the shower!) Also, the brown dye they put into this soap was so unnecessary – it left brown coloured soap scum on my shower curtain liner and shower tiles (I’m bumping my rating down from my original review for this reason). I’m also disappointed that the scent wasn’t the same as the corresponding shower oil, which was the main reason why I bought this to begin with.  This bar did last me a long time though – so good value for money.
Stash worthiness: 7/10     Repurchase: No

Samples:
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Lise Watier Intense Moisture Ultra Firming Day Care – $65 for 50ml (Shoppers Drug Mart & online) – I didn’t find this to provide “intense moisture”, just average. I actually used this as a daytime eye cream while on vacation.

Clarins Multi-Active Night Youth Recovery Cream – $62 for 50ml (department stores & online) – I’ve been curious about this cream for ages and it was such a let-down! It’s a run of the mill face cream with an old lady scent – I’d never pay full price for this.  Glad I got to try a sample first!

Shiseido Benefiance WrinkleResist24 Balancing Softener Enriched – $55 for 150ml (department stores & online) – this is the fanciest toner I’ve ever used. And this gwp is in a legit glass bottle! I wouldn’t ever purchase the full size of this – overpriced and too fragranced.

And of course, this month I purged a whole bunch of my makeup!  Here’s a bonus photo that my friend took of the makeup re-homing event:
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There was wine and sushi, and a boyfriend in awe of how much makeup was present (not my boyfriend, he knows all too well). 😉

How was September for you in terms of using up items?

54 thoughts on “Trash Stash: September 2015”

    1. Yes, I definitely swatch up my skincare according to the season. We have a wide range of temperature here and it really affects my skin – I’m starting to incorporate more hydrating and protective products in preparation for winter here!

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  2. YAS girl!
    Oh goodness- you said sushi and that is all I’m craving right now 😦
    I’ve been going back and forth about the Covergirl mascara. I think I have to get it now! I didn’t know it was your HG!

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    1. I have a Paula’s Choice Retinol Serum and it recently started to irritate my skin so much! I’m just trying to finish it up by using it on the back of my hands (because who doesn’t want to be a hand model?!) – did you have any sensitivity to it? Did you do a review of the Oz Naturals one? I keep seeing this Oz Naturals brand mentioned online – was yours a free product too?

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      1. I didn’t have a problem with the resist serum, but the clinical strength one nearly burnt my face off!
        I did review the Oz Naturals one – but I actually purchased mine! I’m about to review their hyaluronic acid serum since I’m nearly 3/4 through the bottle (also a purchase).

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  6. I was taking down notes stashy! Awww! If only they weren’t that pricey considering the dollar exchange, it’ll be a lot higher. But anyways, I also emptied a tube of Neutrogena sunblock. 🙂
    And I love that CG wand!

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    1. Aw which items were you interested in? Our dollar is really weak right now (11 yr low) so it’s very expensive for us to shop online from the US especially. I really hope the dollar will improve once my no-buy is over! 😉

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      1. Shiseido and the Physicians Formula. But if it’s based on the period that it’ll last you, all worth it. I just really need to save up for this because this types doesn’t go on sale here. 😦

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  8. Wow! that’s a lot of products you’ve been through this month. I’m still in the process of trying to finish up my facial cleansers 2-3 tubes at the same time 😦 hehehe! I got a sample of the Lise Watier too and it’s just “meh” in my opinion.

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    1. Glad to know I’m not the only one who found the Lise Watier “meh”. I really like some of her products and of course I want to support a Canadian brand! You may find it faster to focus on using up ONE product at a time lol. 😉

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  9. I seriously wish I lived closer so I could be there when you purge all that makeup, I’m super jealous. 😛 I’m impressed at how much you use up and include in your posts, I feel like I never actually get through enough to make a monthly empties post! xx

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  10. So many products! !!😍I need to step up my game in terms of skincare products lol! At the moment the only item I have finished is my NYX brow pencil the one that is a dupe for the ABH Brow wiz. Ugh I was doing my brows yesterday and boom:( one brow done one to go and mid brow it finished!!!😣😣😣 this never fails to happen lol

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      1. Thing is I always sense it !! I feel like ugh it’s gonna run out & it happens within a few days or so lol. I usually draw and fill them in with powder so what I did is just filled it with powder and shaped it with concealer lol. One brow was on fleek the other was like sleeping or something 😂😅luckily I wasn’t going anywhere important lol. I immediately went to target and purchased a brow pencil !!

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  11. I just stumbled upon your blog today and I am so inspired! This post has definitely encouraged me to keep using the products I already have rather than going out and buying new things. I have an urge to find “the next best thing”, but I also have so many products in my stash that need to be used up before it goes bad. Thank you for this post!

    Amy | http://amypham.m

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    1. Thanks so much for your comment! 🙂
      Like you, I was constantly on the hunt for the next best thing and that’s how I’ve accumulated SO much stuff. Skincare is especially bad – it’s a bit tragic if products go bad before I get around to using them up! Good luck to you!

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  12. Wow…great job at really sticking to your essentials. I might try the physician’s formula serum. Does it help hydrate the skin on top of your nightly moisturizer?

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  13. Love the last picture!!! Sushi. Yes!!! Vitamin e isn’t a big deal which is good to know. I was looking at that line when they first came out. Reversa — I wonder if it’s in the US bc I never heard of it before. I’m open to trying all micellar waters!
    Shiseido spf for eyes is something I looked up but realized I don’t really need esp if I could put reg SPF under there! Great trash stash!

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