Trash Stash: March 2016

~ stashy

No makeup items this month, just lots of skincare, body and hair care again!
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You guys must think I eat / drink my beauty products… I swear I don’t! 😛 Maybe I just slather the stuff on?

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L’Oreal Nature’s Therapy Scalp Relief Leave-In Treatment – $11.19 for 118ml (Sally Beauty Supply)
I apply this around my hairline after I’ve towel dried my hair and it helps with the tightness and itchiness in the dead of winter. It doesn’t leave a residue and absorbs in quickly. I also love the scent – fresh green apples. The only place I’ve ever seen this is at Sally Beauty Supply and I don’t see this listed on their site now so I’m worried they’re not carrying it anymore! So typical. I’ll have to go to the store to check.
Stash worthiness: 9/10     Repurchase: Yes

Arrojo Curl Definer – $22 for 150ml (salons & salon supplies)
I got a few tubes of this on clearance for $4.99 and this is my final tube. It’s very similar to Curl Keeper which is my staple, but the Arrojo provides less hold and frizz control.  So long, Arrojo.
Stash worthiness: 8/10     Repurchase: Yes (if I can find it on discount!)
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L’Oreal Studio Line Silk & Gloss Curling Spritz – $3 for 200ml (Dollarama)
This was in my Feb 2015 Trash Stash and just over a year later, I’ve used up another bottle. I’ve still got another 3 bottles in my stash.  Same comments apply as before – it provides great wave definition and doesn’t make my hair too crunchy.  I suspect this is now truly discontinued since it’s no longer listed on the L’Oreal site.
Stash worthiness: 8/10     Repurchase: No (discontinued)
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Kiehls Amino Acid Shampoo – $27 for 250ml (Kiehl’s stores and online)
I’ve mentioned this before but I LOVE the smell of this shampoo. It smells like a mixture of coconut and baby powder.  I’m still on a quest to find a perfume that smells like this! I bought a 1 litre pump bottle for 20% off and have been working at finishing it – I pour into this bottle since it’s easier to use. There’s probably about 250ml left. It’s expensive but I would repurchase.
Stash worthiness: 9/10     Repurchase: Yes
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The Body Shop Banana Conditioner – $10 for 250ml (The Body Shop stores and online)
I bought this purely due to the nostalgia factor. I used to love this scent… but I guess my sense of smell matured because I don’t much care for it now. The banana smell is a little sickly sweet. And I didn’t find the conditioner to do much at all. At least it didn’t weigh down my hair but it was a useless step.  I found this bottle shoved in the back of my cupboard and attempted to use it again but wasn’t feeling it – this bottle has to be at least 2 years old, just look at how ratty the label is! The packaging is now different.
Stash worthiness: 4/10     Repurchase: No
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Mandom Barrier Repair Concentrate Serum – $16 for 60g (Sasa.com)
I opened this up around the same time as the L’Occitane toner so I guess it makes sense it’s finished now too. I also did a review of this and I absolutely loved this serum. Unfortunately, it has been discontinued!  I’ve reverted back to my previous HG – and still readily available – serum, by NeoStrata.
Stash worthiness: 9/10     Repurchase: Nope, can’t (story of my life!)

L’Occitane Shea Butter Gentle Toner – $25 for 200ml (L’Occitane stores and online, select Shoppers Drug Mart Beauty Boutique location)
I did a review of this when I first started using this back in October last year. So that means this bottle lasted me nearly 6 months! 😮  I attribute that to the spray nozzle – I always spray 5 to 6 spritzes into the cotton pad which controls how much product I use. I should pour all of my toners into a spray bottle.  As a toner, this was just fine – it’s alcohol-free but other than that, it’s unremarkable and pricey for what it is.
Stash worthiness: 7/10     Repurchase: No
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Saje Jasmine Exotic Mist – $12.95 for 100ml (Saje stores and online)
I just finished this right on March 31st! This is a decent facial mist – I like it mainly for the scent.  There’s absolutely nothing special about this mist, it contains water and jasmine essential oil, and that’s it.  But I’ll likely repurchase this in the future. I’ve got quite a few facial mists in the hopper.
Stash worthiness: 7/10     Repurchase: Maybe
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Lifecella Essence Sheet Mask Hyaluronic Acid – $14 for 5 masks (Sasa.com)
I’ve not included any sheet masks in my empties before because I normally throw away the packaging right away but since this box housed 5 individually wrapped masks, I can show the outer box (From now on, I’ll try to note down sheet masks I use each month and mention them in my empties). These were good for the price. The cotton used in these masks are quite thick so they felt substantial. There was a sufficient amount of serum in the package but not in excess. The face shape was just ever so slightly too short on my face but the eye / nose / mouth cut-out placements were spot-on and I liked that there were eye flaps. The masks were just folded into the pouches without any plastic separating sheets. They were hydrating without feeling slimy. I didn’t detect any strong scent in these masks. I’m fickle when it comes to sheet masks, so I might repurchase these in the future, but I’m not running out to replace them right away. I just noticed this box has an expiry date of April 2016 – I used these up just in time!
Stash worthiness: 8/10     Repurchase: Maybe
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Clean & Clear invisible blemish treatment – $10 for 22ml (drugstores)
I didn’t completely finish this up but it’s a really old tube (at least 3 years old) and I’ve found another treatment that I prefer, which contains benzoyl peroxide (will be shown in next month’s post). This was decent while I was using it – it leaves a slightly sticky film on the skin but mostly invisible. I’m not entirely sure if it was effective against blemishes though.
Stash worthiness: 5/10     Repurchase: No

Vichy Normaderm HyaluSpot – $21 for 15ml (drugstores)
Another blemish product. This one I liked a bit better but it still wasn’t noticeably effective. I did like that it was a hydrating formula so it didn’t dry out the skin around my blemishes. It also didn’t leave any sticky film or residue on the skin. This one I did finish – not sure if I would repurchase. I may try out the BHA stuff from NeoStrata next.
Stash worthiness: 6/10     Repurchase: Maybe
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Now for a bunch of empty tubs.
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Koya Butter Up! Body Cream – I think this cost me $7 for 2oz
I purchased this from RINSE when I went for my manicure prize. This smells like a tropical dream (cocoa, shea, mango). The pot is tiny so I wouldn’t imagine it would last very long for the body – I only used it for my hands as a nighttime treatment. It does leave the skin quite greasy and takes a while to soak in, but once it’s absorbed, my skin feels so soft.
Stash worthiness: 7/10     Repurchase: Maybe
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LUSH Lemony Flutter Cuticle Butter – $17.95 for 45g (LUSH stores and online)
I honestly don’t remember buying this! I was clearing out the little basket I have on my nightstand and found this buried at the bottom.
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The expiry of this was Dec 10, 2013 and I’ve had this since at least 2012. 😮 I recall this smelling amazing (it has since turned – smells like sour wax now) and it being quite greasy so I relegated it to nighttime use only. Obviously I forgot about it. I’ll be saving this tub toward a free mask though!
Stash worthiness: 6/10     Repurchase: Maybe
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The Body Shop White Musk Libertine Body Butter – $21 for 200ml (The Body Shop stores and online)
I got this in 2014 I think… it was during a clearance sale and I paid less than half price for this. I love this scent – it prompted me to order the perfume and corresponding body mist recently!  As a body butter, this is good but not the most moisturizing one I’ve used – the scent does linger on the body which I like.  It is a limited edition scent but if they re-release this scent, I’ll repurchase.
Stash worthiness: 8/10     Repurchase: Yes
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Visine Multi-Symptom Eye Drops – $10 for 15ml (drugstores)
I know this is an odd thing to include in a beauty empties but at this time of the year, eye drops is absolutely essential for me! Allergies cause my eyes to be itchy, dry, red, stinging and generally irritated. If I don’t use eye drops, I can’t even apply my eye makeup in the mornings. This particular bottle has expired so I’ve bought a new bottle. Also, you can use eye drops instead of water to mix with pigment or powder eye shadows to foil them. Since most eye drops contain glycerin, they help eye shadows to adhere onto the lids. 😉
Stash worthiness: 10/10     Repurchase: Yes

Travel / sample sizes

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Consonant Natural Foaming Face Wash
This wasn’t a free gwp but a travel size I purchased for $12 to try out. Unfortunately I wasn’t a fan of this – unlike traditional foaming face washes, this doesn’t lather up on the face, rather it dispenses as foam out of the pump. It then feels like I’m applying latte foam to my face where it becomes a liquidy slime. It does clean well, I suppose, but I didn’t like the scent (tea tree?) or the overall experience. Would not buy the full size.
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Consonant DHE Mask
I did receive this free as a sample and I really like it! It’s a heavy duty thick clay-based mask that really helps to calm the skin – it was helpful when my face erupted from IPL. This little pot lasted me for 4 uses – I’ll be buying the full size of this.

Clarins Extra-Firming Tightening Lift Botanical Serum
I love this stuff! I’m probably not the target market for this serum but it does make my skin feel tight and smooth. At $84 for 30ml, I will not be purchasing the full size.

Have you tried any of these items? How did you do with finishing up stuff this month?

Interesting observation this week, people really seem to like my post on the MAC Masterclass Oval 6 brush. For the first time in ages, a post surpassed my Transition Eye Shadows post:
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Also, I’m dealing with Carpal Tunnel Syndrome on my left hand / wrist (although I’m right handed for writing, I use my left hand for the mouse and other tasks like knitting). It started a couple of weeks ago when my thumb, index and middle fingers started throbbing and then they turned numb. My thumb started swelling a bit and my forearm is really sore. I’ve now switched to using the mouse on my right hand instead, which feels super weird and I think my productivity has diminished slightly. My left hand getting better but not back to normal. Have any of you ever experienced Carpal Tunnel Syndrome and what have you done to improve  / prevent it?

51 thoughts on “Trash Stash: March 2016”

    1. Oh Sally Beauty isn’t easy to get to in Toronto – they’re kind of out of the downtown centre. The one I go to is located at St Claire and Keele which is a bit of a trek. What specifically are you looking for from there? I highly recommend checking this place out if you’re looking for professional haircare / polishes at discount prices:
      Toronto Barber & Beauty Supply

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  3. So many used up products, I love it! As for the carpal tunnel syndrome, I have not experienced it but a few friends of mine have. Try resting your wrist as much as possible and ice it a few times a day as well. I remembered them wearing a wrist brace at times too.
    I hope it starts to get better for you soon!

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  4. I’ve never heard of the eye drop trick…I can’t wait to try that!! I love how this post is laid out and your worthiness is the best!!
    My husband has severe carpal tunnel in both hands and it’s beyond surgical repair. You really should look into what level of severity it is and what Your options are. Wear a wrist splint….it really works. I know how bad it sucks and I hope you feel better.

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    1. I used to only use eye drops to wet shadows but then I bought those liquid transformers especially meant for foiling eye shadows, and you know what? They don’t perform any better than eye drops! 😛
      Hmm I’m now more seriously considering a wrist brace. I balked at the prices but hey, if I can spend $50 for an eye shadow palette, I can spend some money for this! 😉 For some reason last night a couple of my fingers started to throb quite badly on my left hand, was really painful. I’ve been laying off my left hand entirely today. :/ This isn’t the first time I’ve had repetitive strain type of issues – my right wrist had ganglion cyst that has once been operated on, and then another grew in another spot. I haven’t opted opted to operate on it at this point, but ugh, it’s annoying that I’m prone to these things.

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    1. Kiehls hair care is what got me interested in the brand. I really like some of their styling products too – pricey but a nice treat once in a while.
      I guess part of the reason why I’m able to finish so many items now is that I’m not buying a whole bunch of new stuff so I’m just using up what I have. That’s my theory, anyway!

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    1. I’ll focus on resting it for now. I’ve had surgery for a ganglion cyst on my right hand before, which some speculate is also due to repetitive strain. I knit and work on the computer a lot so that’s likely the cause. Thanks so much!

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  7. The scent of the Koya body cream sounds amazing!
    I went into Saje for the first time this week just to browse, and I gravitated towards the Jasmine face mist! I knew you had a face mist from them, but couldn’t remember which one you had. The Jasmine one smells so good! On another note, I smelled the Liquid Sunshine oil and it’s wonderful.
    Yikes, I’m sorry to hear about getting Carpal Tunnel in your left hand! Don’t know how to alleviate it except to stop the activities that’s causing it, and like some of your other followers have said, using a wrist brace.

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    1. My SO even liked that Koya cream and he’s picky when it comes to scents (sadly he hates the one I’m currently using, the Kiehl’s Coriander hand cream, but I love it so too bad for him!)
      Oooh how did you like Saje? I was so overwhelmed in my first visit. I couldn’t navigate around the store but now I’m more familiar with their products. Did you buy anything?
      I’m going to get a wrist brace tomorrow from Shoppers – thanks! 🙂

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      1. I found my first visit at Saje to be overwhelming as well! I was just in there to browse, so I declined any assistance…I’m sure if someone had walked through the products with me, it would have been less overwhelming. I didn’t get anything, but maybe next time! There were a couple of items that caught my eye, and it smells good in there!
        Good luck, hope your left hand gets better! 😦

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    1. Rachael from helplesswhistdrying said she found it at her Body Shop, so maybe you will have luck? I was only able to find it online now. Thanks about the hand! We never think that something so “minor” could affect so much..

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  11. Lot of empties! I always forget to keep my empties and they just go straight to where it belongs.. I have few on my stash now but nothing compared to this.. Haha

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  13. where do you get curl keeper? Is this the only product you use daily or is there an entire routine? Your curls always look so natural & lovely and I’m looking to do the same come summertime (when hot tools just can’t combat my frizz!)

    CPT: At first, I also switched the mouse from the right to my left & then did away w/it altogether and just used the trackpad. There are ergonomic ‘mice’ but I’ve never gotten around to trying one personally. The best thing to do is to always check in with your wrists/forearms periodically to ensure undue tension isn’t building. It’s amazing how much builds up & you don’t even notice it!!?!

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    2. I get the Curl Keeper from various salons. I noticed that Trade Secrets is now carrying it – the prices are all the same from everywhere I’ve seen. Yes, it’s the only thing I put in my hair when I’m using it! Sometimes I will spritz some hairspray for more hold.
      Hmm I wonder if I could live with just using the trackpad… I will try it! Yes, you’re right, I do tense my arms and rest on my wrists / elbows really stiffly when I’m working on the comp.

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  14. oh & watch your angles while typing, etc… you want everything ‘loose’ & in line (no Trex arms at the keyboard). Use your upper arms to help boost your forearms/wrists to take the weight/pressure off of them.

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  15. o & i have a brace I can lend you to try out! I will drop it off when i find it so you can see whether it works for you. I bought it at a medical supply in Markham/Scarb for about $40? The best part is that it restricts you so it’s kinda like a constant reminder not to stress your wrist

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  19. Crazy amount of empties this month, well done! I think I have that same tube of Clean & Clear in my bathroom drawers 😀 Mine is also many eons old.

    I got CTS once at work (there were some very repetitive keystrokes I was hitting for a particular project) and needed to lay off the keyboarding for a week or two. It’s awful, hope you get better soon!

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    1. I was getting sick and tired of seeing that Clean & Clear tube in my bathroom cabinet so it was time to toss!
      I finally bought a wrist brace… I wore it yesterday and I’ve noticed an improvement. Thank you! It will take time to get back to normal.

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