Review: L’Occitane 5 Essential Oils Repairing Shampoo and Conditioner

REPURCHASE? Yes, but I am in no rush. Refilled this soooo many times and having these bottles in my bathroom shelf everyday for the past 4 years have gotten me quite bored with them. It consistently gave me beautiful hair, however, I need a break from it. Anyhow, will keep the empty bottles in storage first and give myself time to miss it before topping them up.

L’Occitane 5 Essential Oils Repairing Shampoo and Conditioner was a set that I always ignored inside the L’Occitane shop--- I was going through my Verbena phase then. However, when my husband brought home a couple of small bottles from a hotel stay, I wasted no moment trying them out and wow! Was I immediately chastised for snubbing them! Somehow, by some sort of miracle, this L’Occitane 5 Essential Oils Repairing Shampoo and Conditioner duo revealed beautiful hair! The scent got me hooked some more because it never failed to bring fond memories of childhood. It smells similarly to Johnson & Johnson’s baby shampoo, aka, the “scent of my childhood”. That same week, I made a trip to the L’Occitane shop for the sole purpose of getting the full sized set 

I often used the shampoo on its own, foregoing the conditioner. This was no hardship because the shampoo took care of my hair so well. Hair was bouncy. Every single strand had flounce to it. It was light. It was shiny. Have to say, too, that it was easy to brush--- wet or dry. Skipped conditioner half the time because good-hair-days lasted longer this way. My hair didn’t get oily too fast and I found that using the conditioner forced me to shampoo my hair more frequently than I liked. For 5 years now, I have religiously followed this rule: shampoo hair at the very most, every two days. I strive for 3. Ever since I started this habit (helped by dry shampoo and the fact that I’ve stopped going to the gym) my hair has become thicker and healthier.

There were times when I’d slather on the conditioner, though, and that was when my hair was particularly dry because of the weather or because of heat styling. However, I found myself reaching for the conditioner when I craved for the scent. I noticed that the fragrance stayed on my hair so much longer as opposed to just shampoo where the scent dissipated as my hair dried.

As I finish writing this blogpost, I’m beginning to wonder how long before I miss this. Bet it would be soon. Gosh, there must be something wrong with me!

Japan Beauty Haul!

I knew I was going to be given a haul of some sort because I had asked for it. My sister Gibb went to Japan and I told her to surprise me with makeup/beauty goodies from the local drugstore/highstreet. Annotated my wish with, “get me something that puzzles you!” Before handing me the bag of goodies, she said she did not know there were so many kinds of eyeliners and she repeatedly cautioned me that she was clueless and confused when she picked out stuff in the store. I believed her. She is one that can NOT be engaged in makeup or product talk over 5 minutes, so she doesn’t know much beyond the basic fare. Hahahaha! Anyhow, this is what she brought home! Not quite an odd bunch (far from it) but looking at the loot still gets me giddy and excited to play with them all!!! Thanks, Gibb!

The K-Palette product that I have not seen ever is the “Real Lasting Tears Tank.” Why the name?  I have no idea what this is going to do. Don’t want to Google anything because I want to be surprised. I have it in color, “Elegance Beige.” My guess, getting clues from the picture and ofcourse its name, is that it’s for highlighting the corners of the eyes. Hahahaha! I do not know how near or far off I am from the mark.

Kate. This is one brand that I see in all the Sasa branches in Macau or Hongkong. I also see this in a couple of beauty stores in Singapore. I don’t know why I haven’t bothered picking up a single product to try. None drew my curiosity. Now that I have four to try out, who knows? There might be one that’ll get me waxing poetic and get Gibb’s eyes to roll!?

Point Makeup Remover –I do not know the brand. The only English that is seen on its packaging is just that. It helps that the picture on the packaging is of an eyelid and that its formulation looks like Lancome’s Bifacil, otherwise, I would most probably have used this oil all over my face. Hey, might do just that, too. Like I said, it reminds me a lot of  Bifacil—where the separated oils have to be shaken before use. I wonder which one performs better. Contest!

Visee Shadow and Liquid Liner. I have not heard of this brand. I’d just like to know how this will perform; if it is easy to use; if it dries up too fast (which is my usual complaint about anything with similar packaging.)

Eyemania Mineral/Fiber Long & Volume 300% Mascara. What timing! I imposed a mascara ban (one of my new year’s resolutions---others are meaningful ones, I swear) because I have 7 opened ones*** and several more which I have to go through. But, man! I really want to try this out already! This claims to increase the length and volume of lashes by 300%. Reminds me of Younique Mascara that is making the rounds on Facebook and on YouTube. I’ve never tried Younique nor do I have any burning desire to. Based on what I’ve seen online, (YouTuber Shaaanxo devotes a first impression video on this https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2snmxFAovmw) it seems very time consuming and tedious, requiring multiple coats of product from two different tubes. But this! This looks promising! 300% just by using a single tube. Will see how long I can hold out!

Anyway, I plan to update this page as soon as I try any of the products out. Looking forward!

***

The mascaras I’m currently using are: Majolica Majorca’s Lash Gorgeous Wing New, K-Palette 1Day Lash Perm, NYX Doll Eye, Fairy Drops, Lancome’s Virtuose and YSL’s Volume Effet Faux Cils Shocking, Urban Decay’s Perversion. Will write about these soon!

First Impressions: Bio Beaute by NUXE Vitamin-Rich Detox Mask (with Orange Water)

 

YES! YES!

I used a sample sachet of this two nights ago and ever since then, I have been thinking of (obsessing more like it) how I can get a full sized product of this one in the most cost-efficient way. It isn’t available here in Philippines and I don’t want to spend on customs duties (which sometimes get ridiculously exorbitant!). Anyway, will work this out.***

ENJOYABLE TO USE

This mask comes in a form of orange gel.  I didn’t get the feeling of gel though because when spread over the face, it really felt more like thick honey (the thickness you get when honey has been placed in the fridge).  Although it was thick and a bit sticky, it was easy to evenly cover my face with it. The scent of oranges and citrus made it so energizing, refreshing and awakening. It was comfortable to wear—both the texture and the scent. You can carry a conversation with anyone—as opposed to masks that force you to communicate through tight lips or through holes. You can wear your eyeglasses with it.  At least, I did.

The product instructs you to have it on for 5 minutes after which you are to massage it in and rinse off. I wore mine for 30 minutes because after looking at the clock to check the initial time, I actually forgot to check back in. It was that comfortable!  The massaging phase needed a bit of elbow grease, though, because it got stickier at this point. I liked how it rinses off milky white. The gel turns to “milk” when it gets in contact with water so it’s easy to know when you’ve thoroughly washed it off.

EXCEEDED EXPECTATIONS

When I dried off, I saw the most amazing results ever! I didn’t even know that I could be so bold as to describe my skin as beautiful, smooth and soft when, less than an hour ago, it was a mess! (Had three big hormonal zits, countless blocked pores on my nose; roughness and more pores.) Also, I now know what it means to have radiant skin. I have always ignored the term “radiant skin,” chalking it under empty, meaningless, marketing speak. But man oh man! My skin was unbelievably radiant! Alive and healthy! I could not stop caressing it. I let my husband touch my face. Let my kids see it. Yes, the zits and some pores were still visible. But. But! I don’t know how it managed to do this but my skin looked dewy (but it was dry to the touch), almost all pores smoothened out, my fine lines blurred. I remember getting my hand held mirror just to take a closer look and yes, I had seen right the first time. This is such a miracle worker!

Like I mentioned, my skin wasn’t at its best before use. So I wasn’t expecting anything really, at least nothing over and beyond what I normally would have for a face mask. I mean, I have tried all sorts of masks: clay, cloth, mud, overnight gel masks, egg, tomato, placenta, snail…name the formulation, chances are, yup, I’ve done it.  Am I glad I was curious enough to check out this orange goop!

NOTE TO SELF:

I will try samples ASAP! I will use them before leaving the city I am visiting so the option to purchase is still available! I was given this sachet, together with all the other free samples, when I shopped at a Parapharmacie in Paris 2 years ago. It wasn’t until a couple of days ago that I got around to trying it. 

***

Can’t wait for my sister’s trip to Paris!!! I’m hoping by the end of March, I shall have had a tub of this orange goodness! After all, I still need to see how consistent the results are and how my skin will take to it in the long run.

Part 4: Makeup (The Year End Purge)

POWDERS

Dermacol Wet & Dry Powder Foundation, Shiseido Pressed Medicated Baby Powder, Naturactor Summer Cake Foundation

 

I would’ve loved Dermacol Wet & Dry Powder Foundation if I had just chosen the right color for me. It was silky when used dry and creamy when wet. Swatched a few shades on the back of my hand when I should’ve really tried it on my face. Also, I now know that if a powder can be used wet, I should swatch it wet as well. The color changed a lot when I used it wet; the undertone turned reddish. It may have oxidized on me.  Tried repurposing it as blush but there was too much brown to it as well. Gave it away.

Shiseido Pressed Medicated Baby Powder. I don’t know why I got this in the first place. It’s white. I may have just been intrigued by the medicated aspect of it. Happy to say though that my kids use this as body powder and they love it. Since it is pressed, it makes it very convenient to use when we’re on the go.

Naturactor Summer Cake Foundation. As the name suggests, it is perfect for warmer weather. Likewise, one can deduce that this is meant for oily skin. I have oily skin and I live in a tropical country. So easily, this could have been an HG product for me but I found myself reaching for this a few times only. The reason is it’s so hard to apply--wet OR dry. Tried different sponges with not difference. Had to scrape the surface with a metal spatula just to get the sponge (wet or dry) to pick product up. The color and coverage were spot on but this sopped up too much of my oil that it got my face taut and dry at the end of the hour. Used Mac Fix Plus just to get it looking less powdery without remarkable results. I guess my skin just didn’t take to it.

PALETTES

Mei’s Eyeshadow and Blush Palettes, Elf Bronze and Blush Duo, Elf Concealer Palette, Legally Vain Concealer Palette

I got two Mei’s palettes from the grocery. They were cheap. PhP69(roughly USD1.5). The color pay-off was good, the blendability great and the tones perfect for my warm skin. The drawback? It made my eyes itch! The blush gave me zits!!!! Trashed this one.

I have read rave reviews on the Elf Bronze and Blush Duo and also read that it is a knock-off for the Nars Laguna and Orgasm Duo and so I was curious. I do not like it. I think this is a bad knock off. The texture is chalky; there is little color pay-off and it does not last long.

 

I strongly dislike the Elf Concealer Palette. There was just soooo much white in all the colors that it drew more attention to whatever I wanted to conceal. I didn’t like using it as a highlighter as well because it gave my skin a sickly greyish cast. Worse, when used under the eye, it settled on my fine lines, exaggerating them. A fail.

This Concealer Palette was very inexpensive for the host of colors it gives you and for the amount of product you get  [PhP 700 (USD 16)]. I was just testing this out because this was an unnamed brand, which I had purchased from a train case supplier, Legally Vain. I was pleasantly surprised that it was very creamy making full coverage application so easy. Setting it with powder did not make it look cakey at all. I used this as foundation at times and this did not break me out. I loved this one. It made playing with colors so much fun! However, I will not include this in my professional kit for the simple reason that it has no brand. Ended up purging this because this has been with me for a little over 3 years and although there was no funky smell when I had disposed of it, I did not want to be tempted to use it.

LIP COLOR

Graftobian Spice, Stila Longwear Lip Color Crème in Adorable

I threw this Graftobian Spice Lipstick because it was rancid already. Hahaha. I didn’t use this much and in fact I don’t know why I let it stay in my lipstick drawer for so long. This was ho-hum in all aspects-- color, texture and longevity. Don't be fooled by the picture. It looks well-loved in the picture because half of the product I transferred to my lip palette for my professional kit. Brand new lipsticks are always halved immediately—to my lipstick palette and the other half on the tube for my personal use. This way, I do not have to buy duplicates and I get to bring a multitude of lipstick colors on the job without the bulk.

Stila Longwear Lip Color Crème in Adorable was a horrible product. It was with great satisfaction when I threw it away! Application was soooo patchy even if my lips were plump, hydrated and smooth. I would continually try this out every time my lips were in the best condition to see if it would perform any better. Year in, year out, I would obsessively go back to this to check if there was something wrong with the formulation, with my lips or my usage. I mean painting lips isn’t rocket science but I just wanted to be sure. Now I am. This is one product that should be discontinued!

MASCARA

Maybelline Hypercurl Volume Express Waterproof in Brown and in Black

I love the formulation of Maybelline Mascaras. I have not come across one that I disliked. Got both Maybelline Hypercurl Volume Express Waterproof in Brown and in Black. As always, I loved the formulation--lengthening, volumizing and keeping the curl were top-notch! They were both easy to remove with eye makeup remover. This year though, I found out that the wand plays an equally important role as the formulation itself. My magical discovery of the obvious! I loved the wand of the brown (see picture). It was perfect for lash application, separation and lengthening. No frills, no-nonsense. My favorite wand.  On the other side of the spectrum, I disliked the comb applicator of the black. The product would just settle in between the teeth and scraping the excess product off on its side just got more product stuck in between the teeth. This in turn made application clumpy. Since I liked the formulation, I would use a disposable spooly. As regards the brown, since the color didn’t do much for my lashes, repurposed it to color and thicken my brows using a smaller and sleeker spooly.

BROW and EYE LINERS

  

Professional Makeup Eyeliner Eyebrow in Gold, Milani Liquid Eye in Brown and Black, MUA Eyebrow and Highlighter, Ben Nye Eyeliner Pencil in Espresso, Palgantong Designing Eye Pencil, Starlet Kajal Dry Eye Liner, Maybelline Eyebrow Gel

 

Professional Makeup Eyeliner Eyebrow in Gold. I’ve had this for 2 years and yet I’ve only sharpened this thrice. This was a really useless pencil. It would tug at your eyelids. The color was not gold but a dull muddy yellow. This would smear on your lids, too. Useless.

Milani Liquid Eye in Brown and Black. I have all colors of Milani Liquid Eye and I love them all. The Brown and Black I need to replenish every year because they dry up faster than the other colors (probably because they’re the ones I use most often and is exposed to the air more?).  At each end of the year, there is always too much product left to throw out (see picture). It is supposed to keep for 24 months but somehow, I can’t make it seem to last that long. The core shrivels up and even draws away from the wood. It dries up so fast. But I love it too much not to put up with it.  This lines so easily and creamily. It's a dream to line your eyes with!  This blends easily but once it sets, that is IT! This will not budge! No need to set with powder. You just need to work quickly with it, though, because in less than a minute, it sets. I do need two passes of eye makeup remover to take it off completely but it is so much worth the trouble.

MUA Eyebrow and Highlighter. Will not repurchase this. Since this isn’t readily available in Manila, I had to pay more than what is usual. I wouldn’t have minded the added cost if only both products worked well. The retractable eyebrow pencil was fine. You know, the usual eyebrow color that needs to be set with gel. It gets erased after a few hours and I find myself having to reapply it. But that’s fine. It was the highlighter that I found useless. It wasn’t pigmented enough so I had to put a lot of layers, ending up in patchy work. Also, it does not set on its own, requiring setting with eyeshadow. Added steps are such a turn-off when, nowadays, it’s all about convenience and quick application.

Ben Nye Eyeliner Pencil in Espresso. This eyeliner smudges soooo much that I have shamefully cussed at it several times. This happens even when set with eyeshadow. I think, with the progress of science and technology in the field of beauty science, it is unforgivable to have eyeliners that smudge! Arrgh! Used this for awhile as eyebrow pencil but why use it for that when there are so much better eyebrow products to use. Decided to give this to a friend of mine who is so much more patient than I.

Palgantong Designing Eye Pencil.  I had to give this away because I made the wrong color choice—don’t know what I was thinking when I chose light brown! I loved the angular pencil though and there was much staying power of this one. The spooly on the other end of the retractable brow pencil makes it so convenient to use for home and travel. Will purchase the right color next time. I liked this one.

Starlet Kajal Dry Eye Liner.  I thought with authentic Kajal (as opposed to those that we get from international brands), I would be spared from itching. I itched. I always itch with Kajal! AND it stung a bit when I tight-lined. I do not know what Kajal has, that makes it the case. But I so loooved the way it looked. It was the blackest black I had ever rimmed my eyes with and yet it did not look harsh. It automatically (so it seemed to me) looked smoked out without my actually smudging or blending it. If only…Tsk. Tsk. Oh well.

Maybelline Brow Gel.  Liked the color and liked the formulation but check out the size and shape of the wand! What were they thinking?! Who has brows that wide that requires the size. And I don’t see the purpose of the ball shape. Why do they have to reinvent something that already works. The wand was such a b*tch to use. There was no way I could use it quickly and with much precision. This wand really offended me.

Part 3: Skincare (The Year End Purge)

SKINCARE: Seacret Cucumber and Melon Body Lotion, Queen Helene Mint Julep Masque, Caudalie Divine Legs, Victoria Secret Angel Dream Shower Gel, Concha Nacar 3, Lip Pout by Skin Station, Mario Badescu Buffering Lotion, Derma-E Evenly Radiant Dark Circle Eye Cream.

Seacret Cucumber and Melon Body Lotion. This came in a big box manicure & pedicure set—complete with cuticle oil, the buffing cubes, etc. This claims to have Dead Sea minerals combined with natural ingredients. However, I knew something was off when I used it. When I spread it, it makes my skin feel extra EXTRA smooth that it felt unreal and unnatural. When I scanned the ingredients, I was appalled when I spotted Dimethicone as one of its ingredients. This is not natural at all. Very sneaky and misleading of Seacret. Again, I am okay with silicone on my face primers because my pores call for it but the need isn’t there for the rest of my body. And besides, I did not appreciate the use of the word “natural” in any part of the packaging when it clearly had some man-made ingredient added to it! Hmph!

I love Queen Helene Mint Julep Masque. Do not get me wrong. In fact, I have repurchased a brand new tube (now has a new look--same tube, different design). There was just so much product that I wasn’t able to keep up with it—dried in the tube as it was around 6 months way past the expiration date. I think if used exclusively, the amount would’ve been perfect for 2 years. I was trying out other masks in between. Anyhow, this was my go-to mask. I would even spot treat my zits and sleep with it overnight knowing that by the morning, there’d be a noticeable result! I love this stuff. It’s minty. It’s refreshing. Easy to apply evenly (unlike other masks out there! Case in point: Lush’s Magnaminty). Quick to dry. Easy to wash off. Reasonably priced. Cheap even, if you were compare it to others. And of course, most importantly, my skin loved it. I know. Why use other masks then, right? I easily get bored, that’s why. But, inspite of all the new masks I have lined up for 2015, my fresh tube of this will be taking front row and center!

Caudalie Divine Legs. Won’t repurchase this. I even gave this bottle away. (Took pictures of it though for future reference).  Got this at a Parapharmacie branch in Paris. It was a bit expensive but I was willing to buy it because I just wanted to have a pair of divine lergs. Who wouldn’t?! Loved the color—it gave me a coppery bronzy tone to my legs. I am naturally tanned (I have the quintessential Filipino skin). However, I just wanted to be bronzed up and glowing and I thought this was the key. And I was right with the color and the sheen it gave me BUT man! Does this transfer to my clothes. Really badly. I was tired of centering my clothing choices around this flaw. And since I used this for my shoulders and arms as well, I felt that it restricted me too much. Had to be aware of where I sat down or leaned on! This was just too much trouble. The same goes for the Nars Body Glow (in terms of the color transfer), but at least with Nars, I was able to repurpose the product for my hair and plus, it smells divine. Caudalie’s Divine Legs, on other hand, had an ungodly smell to it. It was too strong, overpowering, cloying and sometimes downright revolting (especially during summertime). But you know what, I think I could’ve lived with the smell if only it did not stain everything in its wake.

Victoria Secret Dream Angel Shower Gel.  Just like its Lotion and Perfume, I could not stand the scent. As described further above, it had a lingering scent which registered to me as pee. Urine. Enough said.

Concha Nacar de Perlop Natural Bleach Cream 3.  I like to look bronzed. Yes. But there are other parts of my body that I wish were… er…a bit fairer than it actually is. I knew most of the reviews were how well it worked for the face but I bought this purely for those other parts. I didn’t finish this product. It was too tiresome and time consuming to use. You had to let it stay for at least 30 minutes. And since I was putting it in parts that were not for public display, I was essentially stuck in my bathroom for the whole duration. In the month that I had been religiously using it (used it twice a week), I saw no change even after I had put it over an hour at times. At the end of the month, I just could NOT be bothered with it anymore.

Skin Stations’ Dermax Pink and Pout Lip Plumper. Skin Station is an affordable beauty place here in Manila where I have my underarm diode, facials, bleaches and all sorts of beauty regimen done. I use some of their products regularly (underarm night and day creams, argan oil, deodorant, etc) and have repurchased the same again and again because they work. This product was a first let-down-product of theirs (hopefully the last). This was supposed to have hydrated my lips and in the process lighten it/ turn it pink and plumper. It did nothing. To be fair, aside from the plumping action and the hydrating effect, the product itself doesn’t make any other claim. Was just sales-talked into getting this. But then again, I had relied on the word of their beautician when I got the other products.  My complaints. This did not hydrate—how can it when it was so thick and waxy that it just sat on top of my lips?! This did not plump, did not turn my lips pink, let alone lighten anything. Worse, the product packaging had so much going for it, it was rendered useless. In theory, the pump on one end was supposed to dispense a certain amount of product, forcing it out into a small hole at the tip of this flexible latex applicator. This would’ve worked if the product was liquidy enough but like I said, it was clumpy wax (reminds me so much of chapstick that has been smashed). So, on day one of usage, I had to help coax out the product by squeezing and pulling the latex tip. Graphic image that came to me: I was milking some teat. Sorry, but it came. Yes, it did. So, to the trash bin this went!

Mario Badescu Buffering Lotion. I had a sinking feeling this was not going to work but I was hopeful and gave it a chance. After a year of questionable results, I decided to give this to my sister, whose zits might still be responsive to the lotion. I was using Mario Badescu’s Drying Lotion for a very long time and it worked wonders. This drying lotion was a holy grail product for me then. I used up 3 bottles but on the fourth it just stopped being effective. Overnight. I continued using it after that but it seemed as if my pimples had developed immunity so I gave it to my sister. It worked for her presumably because it was still new to her system. Back to the Buffering lotion. I decided to “confuse” my pimples by using a different product but it didn’t work. I do not know why. Aside from the zinc oxide, both have different ingredients and I assume different formulations. I thought it could take on my zits. No such luck.

Derma-E Evenly Radiant Dark Circle Eye Cream. Ho hum. It didn’t break me out. It didn’t give me eye bags (Nuxe Eye Cream with Hyaluronic Acid plumped up my under eye circles! Not good). Derma-E moisturized my under eye are to some extent but it did not hydrate it beyond the surface (for supreme hydration I use Steam Cream or Lancome’s Genifique Yeux). The product was a bit thick so it didn’t sink in. The ultimate reason why I’m giving this away: it did not do anything to my dark circles! Nothing! NOTHING! And I tell you, I used this religiously night and day for 2 months. Loved the packaging though. Squeezing out product instead of dipping your fingers in a tub makes it so much more hygienic. But packaging becomes irrelevant if the product itself does not deliver.

Part 2 Hair Care (The Year End Purge)

HAIR CARE:  Camille Albane Blowdry Smoothing Fluid, Pantene Style Pro-V  Classic Unforgettable Hairspray, Suave Professionals Waterless Foam Shampoo, Delon Coconut Oil, Delon Argan Oil, Kerastase Noctogenist Serum Nuit, Jungle Solid Conditioner by Lush

The scent of Camille Albane Blowdry Smoothing Fluid bothered me. There was this lingering fish sauce kind of smell and the strong sweet scent they used could not cover it up. I got past it sometimes—I had to because I did not want to dub this purchase a fail! I also did a survey at home and I was the only one that found it stinky, hence, my persistence in using it. The thick liquid product didn’t bother me as much when I used it to blowdry. I trusted that it protected my hair from the heat, but it weighed it down a bit—this was not an issue as my hair is still thick anyway. However, I completely stopped using this when I noticed that the product would congeal into a black strip on the sides of the hot iron plates of my straightener. Cleaning the plates in between straightening just wasn’t worth the trouble. Yes, it is called a blowdry smoothing fluid BUT the packaging itself claims it can be used with a hot iron. And yes, I tried using less. Still the same problem.

Pantene Style Pro-V Classic Unforgettable Hairspray weighed hair down like no other. You tease, you spray and then you watch your hard-earned teased hair slowly fall flat. That was how heavy the product was! It got my hair oily, too. How odd for a hairspray. Furthermore, my hair was crunchy to the touch. Also, I had to clean the spray cap often because it easily clogged itself. Waste of time! And may I add that it claims the following: “maximum hold control” and “style freeze for extra-ordinary staying power.” Big HA!

Suave Professionals Waterless Foam Shampoo. This irritated me the most! I find the scent sickeningly sweet. This does not deliver on any of its promises (and it claims to revive hair as well as Bumble and Bumble)! Removes oil my a$$! This, in no way refreshes my hair in between washes. It adds oil to my hair. It makes it greasy. I don’t know if it works better on curly hair. The packaging states that it works well on “dry and curly hair.” It’s not clear whether it was meant to be for curly hair only. Anyhow, I have given this to a friend with naturally curly hair and we shall find out soon enough. I hope it works on her. It gets me sad every time a product goes to waste : (.

Delon Coconut Oil and Argan Oil.  These came as a freebie when you purchase the Shampoo and Hair Conditioner it came with. Both have sooo much silicone in its formulation that I felt my hair choked on it every time. I’m fine with silicone on my face primers but somehow my hair does not take it well. It claims to be treatment for split ends but it added trouble to my already tired hair. It gives shine, yeah. But when shampooed off, I saw the damage these "oils" did to my hair- becomes more frizzy and the tips scragglier than ever. These I threw. I didn’t even give them away. The shampoo and conditioner were okay though—not bad, not good. Those, I finished up.

Kerastase Noctogenist Serum Nuit. Although this performed so much better than the Delon products I just spoke of above, I used this sparingly because it had silicone in it. Sure, I would wake up to beautiful smooth and scented hair but again, my hair looked worse after shampooing it off.  Poor hair. Will not repurchase this.

Jungle Solid Conditioner by Lush.  I liked the idea of the solid hair conditioner (and of solid shampoo, too!) so I purchased this. The smell was a non-issue until I used it on my hair. Didn’t like it but it wasn’t revolting enough to have stopped me from using it several tries. I had usage problems with it. It was hard to spread evenly through my hair strands. It was one that you couldn’t melt in your palms so the solid bar had to be rubbed directly on your hair/head. Worse, it did not do good. It coated my hair as if I had used body lotion (I once made this mistake!). I rinsed it properly. Yes, I did. But still, it matted my hair and made it looked clumpy.  Not the best look.

The Year-End Purge: Part 1 Perfumes

With these gone, I now have more shelf space. Yey!

To usher in the New Year (and for good Feng Shui) I always do a thorough spring-cleaning of every nook and cranny of my home.  To be honest, it is something I really look forward to. Guess one can say, Spring comes during Winter in my home. (Corny! Forgive Me. In Manila, there are 2 seasons : Wet and Dry) I usually take on a No Mercy kind of attitude. For example: Clothes. If I don’t want to bump into an ex while wearing it, I give it away.   Accessories. If it has remained untouched for a year, I give it away. Medicine. Anything expired or even close to expiration, I throw (Duh!). Clumped spices go to the trash bin. Etcetera. Etcetera. AND oh yeah. The topic of this post, beauty products that I did not get to finish (a few of which I will repurchase) and those that I wouldn’t bother using up. Will discuss the reasons briefly as I plan to write a more in depth review down the line.

PERFUMES: Elizabeth Arden’s Green Tea Lotus and Red Door, J’adore Dior and Victoria Secret Angel Dream. These were all given as gifts.

I have different reasons for giving them away. Let’s start with Victoria Secret Angel Dream. This was part of a box set (perfume, lotion and shower gel) my husband got for me in one of his trips in 2014. He got it because he knew I loooove anything angel. The box was so sparkly and so pretty that I thought I was certainly going to love it. I remember trying the lotion for the first time and I got gutted when my nose found the scent, er…revolting. The scent that lingered…man did it smell like pee! I don’t know how my brain is wired but it tells me that the underlying scent of this Angel Dream smells like urine. Crossed my fingers hoping that the shower gel and the perfume would not be a failure as well. No such luck. I valiantly used it several times but after the third attempt got me gagging, I put it at the back end of the shelf. Out of sight, out of mind. It was a waste that could not be helped. Oh well.

I used to like Elizabeth Arden’s Red Door during its heyday.  I was a young student then and wearing it made me feel older and sophisticated. Now that I am a lot older, I do not need any reminding of my age and somehow I find the scent dated. The scent just doesn’t do anything to my psyche anymore, so I ditched it. The same goes for J’adore Dior.

Lotus, by Elizabeth Arden, I find to be ho-hum. I still enjoy the smell of the plain old Green Tea scent of theirs. When they added the lotus facet to the green tea, it dulled the refreshing scent of the original.