Empties from #GreenSurvivor Challenge

I’ve been meaning to do a post with a recap of all my empties from #GreenSurvivor challenge that was spearheaded by Tammy.  The challenge was to come up with 10 empties (Makeup – 2, Skincare – 3, Body Care – 5) before Feb 19th, 2015, and no new beauty purchases until then! I was really worried about the makeup category since those items take forever, and I wear very minimal makeup on a daily basis. BUT I managed to surprise myself by finishing up all by end of January.

Short Description and Review of each empty item as follows (Pics were posted on Instagram with the hashtag #GreenSurvivor if you’re curious). On a side note, I am still trying to figure out if I should regularly review my empties on this blog or just on my Instagram feed (especially those that are sample sized or ho-hum-not-very-interesting products). All my empties so far can be found on my Instagram feed with the hashtag #ruhiempties. Do you like to see empties posts? Please let me know in the comments 😉

MyChelle Dermaceuticals Perfect C Serum ($46.99 for 0.5 oz) – I got a full size of this in a Goodebox, and really enjoyed the light, gel like consistency of the product. This serum has 17% Vitamin C (L-Ascorbic Acid) to help brighten your skin tone, and fade any dark spots. This serum is quite expensive for 0.5 oz, but nothing compared to an overhyped product I’d tested in the past. The bottle lasted me about 2 months, with twice daily application. I saw some brightening, and can imagine with continued use, this might produce great results.

Tarte Amazonian Clay Smart Mascara ($20 for 0.24 oz)- This is a great mascara for daily usage. It provides decent volume and lengthening effects. I don’t like to use lash curlers since they make your lashes weak, and in fact, I am a very infrequent mascara user, because I hate losing eye lashes during the cleansing process. I will probably not repurchase since Tarte is not 100% natural and I have way too many mascaras to still use up (both clean and dirty…). I’m currently testing Kjaer Weis mascara and quite liking it.

Nature’s Gate Tea Tree Conditioner ($10.99 for 32 oz on Amazon)- I was so happy to see the back of this gigantic conditioner bottle, not because I don’t like it, but because I ran out of the shampoo a long time ago, and got sick of using the same conditioner for more than a year! (And of course, when I have Rahua and Yarok in my shower, all other hair products get pushed to the back burner). I use very little per application, and conditioners usually last me a long time, since I wash my hair only 2-3X per week. This was a decent conditioner – The tea tree is supposed to help with the oily scalp and dandruff issues. If you’re looking for a budget option, definitely take a look at this conditioner.

Kiss My Face Olive Oil Bar Soap ($2.99 for 4 oz) – That tiny chunk of green in the blue soap dish is the final remnant of this bar soap. Originally, the bar was HUGE and lasted me for the longest time imaginable! It’s a little hard texture wise, and that helps with the longevity. Nothing annoys me more than spending a huge chunk on an extremely soft bar of soap that disappears within a week or two. Abundance of olive oil is supposed to be very moisturizing, but in my case, I didn’t notice any extra moisturizing properties – granted, my skin is extremely dry though. My husband seems to have done just fine with it.

Burt’s Bees Soothingly Sensitive Aloe & Buttermilk Body Lotion ($8 for 6 oz) – This is the older, bigger sized version that used to be manufactured before Burt’s Bees got bought out by Clorox. Since the buy out, the formula has changed, and I no longer buy Burt’s Bees, because I don’t support the parent company. When the older version was still in circulation, I managed to hoard the last bits from Overstock, and I refused to use them for the longest time, because I love the body lotion so much. I just have one more of this Body Lotion left (#crie). I simply love the light and thin consistency – It’s very easily absorbed and leaves my dry skin sufficiently moisturized during the summers. I went through this bottle quite quickly because I had to apply more due to the dry winters. Although I use a body oil on my damp skin right after a shower, I still need to follow up with a body lotion daily because my skin has always been super dry. This body lotion is perfect for summers when you don’t want to use something too oily or heavy.

Yuli Skincare Halcyon Cleanser ($52 for 3.3 oz) – As you can imagine, I was quite sad to run out of this cleanser in the middle of the challenge. It’s a very light, high performing, gel like cleanser that you could ever lay your hands on. It’s not even like a gel, and in fact, the texture is very watery. Even then, the cleanser works fabulously well in getting the dirt and grime off your face. Note – I have never tested this with makeup on; it has always been my second cleanse during PM and the only cleanser during AM. Read my detailed review on it if you’re interested in knowing more about my experience.

Yarok Feed Your Youth Hair and Scalp Serum ($28 for 1 oz) – This is a power packed oil based hair and scalp serum, with rich ingredients such as, Avocado Oil, and Yarrow. In addition, it also has Ylang Ylang, Orange Blossom and Citrus Oils, that are known to be stimulating for hair follicles. I like to apply hair oil once a week (usually during weekends), as an overnight treatment. As a kid, my mom would apply oil to my hair several times a week…sadly, those days are long gone! This oil did a good job of moisturizing my hair and scalp, and after the shampoo, my hair felt voluminous and soft. However, I don’t think we really need to spend so much on hair oil. Thankfully, I got mine for free after using up my Spirit Beauty Lounge points. I can’t bring myself to spend so much on hair oil, when it’s quite easy to quickly whip one up using the various oils I already have in stock. The results that I got from this oil were the same as what I get from my DIY version. Currently, I’m using the Fig + Yarrow Hair Tonic, since I managed to grab one at their recent 40% promotion – It’s unavailable right now since F + Y is redoing their product portfolio, but even at full price, it’s a great deal, since it has so many more ingredients compared to Yarok’s. Also great because it has Rosemary and Burdock (AMAZING for hair regrowth and strengthening).

Kahina Giving Beauty Toning Mist ($46 for 50 ml) – I have gone through two bottles of this facial mist and enjoyed it while it lasted, but will probably not be repurchasing. It’s quite pricey for the quantity, and didn’t provide any extraordinary results. I’ve written an in depth review on it, if you’re interested in knowing more.

Valentina’s Home Brewed Natural Body Mist in Sweet Dreams ($8.99 for 4 oz) – I am so pleased to have recently discovered this brand! I found their body care products while shopping at Marshalls. The products are 100% natural, and very reasonably priced, considering the high quality of ingredients. And can I just say, the essential oil blends are truly out of the world? Although this body mist is to lull you into sweet dreams, I found the Jasmine, Sandalwood and Vanilla blend to be so relaxing that I would spray it on every morning before heading off to work. The Glycerin base is quite moisturizing, and I can use every help I can get to keep my body skin well hydrated during these terrible winter months. The bottle lasted me about 2 months with regular use. I also have some of their perfume oils that I’m currently using.

Josie Maran Magic Marker Lip and Cheek Stain ($19 for 0.09 oz) – I got this in a beauty swap a long time ago. The felt tip portion had almost dried off, and I couldn’t get much use out of it. I used the other end of the magic marker that has the lip and cheek balm. This was a very ho-hum product. Although it did impart a very pretty pinkish red stain to my lips, it was best used on top of another lip balm, since it wasn’t moisturizing enough on its own, and I ended up re-applying it very frequently. I didn’t try it as a cheek stain since I’m always too nervous to experiment with blushes/cheek stains in general, due to my fear of breaking out. It seems like the product has been phased out – Josie Maran seems to be selling it at a discounted price in only one shade. I wouldn’t purchase this on my own.

So, that’s it! 10 products done! I do have some more empties that I’ve managed to collect over the past month and will do a separate post on it (either here or on Instagram).