June Empties 2014

Welcome to my June Empties!

June is always a fun month because it is the ending of spring, the beginning of summer, the month of my birthday, and we usually go on vacation. I started off this June trying to sort through my makeup collection to get rid of products that had gone bad and to make it easier to see which products are cruelty free and which ones are not. It took me a while, but I got them mostly sorted. There are so many conflicting bits of information online, one must use caution when believing animal testing statements. There are so many that are worded to say: "We don't like animal testing!" That doesn't mean that they don't test. That just means that they don't like it.

That being said, all of these posts I post are just my opinion and what I've been able to find out at the time that I post it. If Estee Lauder decides tomorrow to never test their products on animals, then the information here will no longer be true. This is just what I am using in my own life. Use your own discretion in buying products.

A little refresher: I'm trying to use up my products that are tested on animals and are not vegan. I don't waste things, so I'm not just going to dump them in the trash. While I'm trying to use up these non- cruelty free and non-vegan products, I'm trying to not buy any makeup or beauty products unless I completely run out of something essential (like deodorant, conditioner, contact solution). Because this is an ongoing project, the numbering is a continuation of last month's products.

* denotes cruelty free
** cruelty free but parent company is not
v vegan product
Bold denotes product I will repurchase

62. Hot Topic Blue Glitter Eyeliner
This glitter eyeliner was an impulse buy at Hot Topic my freshman year in college. It was on sale and it never worked well as an eyeliner, so I usually used it when I was doing makeup for Halloween costumes or stage productions. The problem with this eyeliner was that you had to build up 3 to 5 layers of product to make it into a visible line. The applicator was wonderfully thin and easy to use, but the product itself left much to be desired. I'm throwing it away because it is completely dried up. When I bought this, I couldn't find any information about Hot Topic cosmetics and their animal testing policy. Their brand is currently cruelty free, but I don't think this specific product is (it is very old).


63. Gilcrist and Soames London Body Lotion 1.5 Fl oz (45 ml) *
This was a sample in my March or April Birchbox. I absolutely adored the smell of this lotion, but it was too thin for my taste. It didn't absorb into the skin very fast, so I didn't like applying it on anywhere except my legs. It has a wonderful fresh, clean linen smell that pairs nicely with either citrus, powder, or watery fragrances and perfumes. If it had been more creamy and less watery, I would contemplate repurchasing it.


64. Mainstays Odor-Neutralizing Room Spray Sweet Pea 8 Fl oz (236 ml)
Not exactly a beauty product, but an interesting product none the less, this room spray kept my room smelling nice when all I could smell were paint fumes. When our house was being painted, the windows and doors had to be open so the paint would dry correctly. Of course, our house started to smell musty and like wet paint, so I used this product much more often than I would in the past. I bought this about two or three years ago when I was in college and I shopped at Walmart all the time. I am not a huge fan of walmart, but it was the only place in Spartanburg that was always open. I'm not sure if this is still available in the same format or scent, as I can only find aerosol cans online.

65. Paul Mitchell Tea Tree Lemon Sage Energizing Body Lotion .7 fl oz (20.7 ml)*
I'm not sure where I got this. It was either a sample box or a hotel. I love the smell of this body lotion. The lemon gives the lotion a kick of excitement that wouldn't have been there had it been only sage. Even though Paul Mitchell products are cruelty free, I will not be repurchasing this lotion because I don't use lotion that much. I only really use it when I travel to dry places, or in the winter, or when I get sunburned.

66. Ziana and Atralin acne medication samples (3 each: 2g)
I threw these out when I was going through my collection and saw that they were two years expired. I tried these several years ago when I was trying to get rid of my acne (it is an ongoing battle). I have really sensitive skin and these burned my face as soon as I put them on. The first made my face hurt and turn bright red for about three days. The second made it turn red after three days of use. Atralin also contains fish proteins, so it is nowhere near a vegan product. I shoved them in a drawer and never tried them again. These are only available by prescription or from a medical professional.

67. Swish Alcohol Free Mouthwash- zen 24/7 16 fl oz (473 ml)
I will admit that I bought this because it was pink. It was a marketing gimmick and it got me. I bought this as an impulse buy at Walmart when I was there with my friend. I needed mouthwash and this was there and a cool color and I bought it. It tasted terrible. It was sort of perfume-y and didn't leave a nice taste in my mouth. The whole point of a mouthwash is to kill germs and make your mouth taste better. This made it taste worse. That is the reason it took me so long to use this stuff. It just tasted awful. I will never, ever buy this again. I can find not information about it online, but I don't believe it is cruelty free.

68. Kenet MD Cleansing Bar 1 oz
This was the hand soap we used in the hotel in San Francisco. I really liked the smell of the soap, but it was used up really quickly, as in it only lasted a few days. I am a soap hoarder. I have a box of soap under my sink that I have been adding to for years. I love collective soap and making soap. If this product were available for purchase, I would buy it. There is nothing, however on their website about their animal testing policy. There is a link for questions or concerns, but I can't buy this product, so I'm not going to bother asking about them.

69. (Malin + Goetz) vitamin e face moisturizer .04 fl oz*
I got this sample in either a birchbox or a Beauty Army box several years ago. I decided to use it on my trip to San Fran to save space in my bag and I really liked this moisturizer. These were single use sample packets, so I could only use them once, but I really like the scent and the way it felt on my skin. This product does contain animal products, including milk (which explains why my face broke out while I was in San Francisco even though I was taking my acne medication. I really need to start looking at the ingredients before I put them on my face... but I am learning slowly). So while I really liked the smoothing effect of this product, having my face break out all the time because of it sounds like a bad deal. It is cruelty free, however, and you can read bout their animal testing policy and eco-conscious packaging here. I will not be purchasing it in the future.

70. Kenet MD Conditioner 1 oz
This is the Conditioner that we used at the hotel in San Fran. I had to use a whole one of these to cover my hair. It wasn't particularly moisturizing, but it was serviceable. This product is available for purchase online in the above link. I will not be purchasing this product.

71. (malin + Goetz) vitamin e face moisturizer .04 fl oz*
See post number 69

72. Kenet MD Massage Bar 1 oz
This was the bath soap provided at the hotel in San Fran. I really liked this massage bar. It made me feel really clean and relaxed in the shower after a long day wandering around in the sun. It worked well to get the sunscreen off my body and it smelled really great. I really love soap, but it is not available to the public and only available in Hyatt hotels.

73. Kenet MD Shampoo 1 oz
This was an ok shampoo. The smell was good. It cleaned my hair well. There was nothing really special about this product though. I felt like it left my hair looking dull and a little straw-like, but that could have been the water at the hotel and not the shampoo. I will not be purchasing this product in the future.

74. Kenet MD Conditioner 1 oz
See post number 70

75. Burt's Bees Milk and Honey Body Lotion 1 fl oz (29.5 ml)**
This lotion really smells like milk and honey. If you don't like those smells, and really strongly, don't buy this product. I have had this little travel size lotion for a few years and I finally finished it on our trip to San Francisco. I don't usually use lotion because I live in such a humid climate most of the year, but when I was in California, my skin got dry and sunburnt, so I used this a lot. Left a bit of a residue, but nothing too bad. Apparently the formulation has changed (see the link above) because the ingredients have changed and several reviewers talk about a different texture than the one I used. I won't buy this again because it is not vegan (it contains milk and honey). Burt's Bees is a cruelty free company, but its parent company does test on animals.

76. Alba Botanica Good and Healthy Moisturizing Conditioner for Normal to Dry Hair 10 oz * v
I loved how this conditioner made my hair look, but I didn't like the smell. This product is apparently so new that it is not yet on the website (some of the good and healthy collection were put up since the last time I looked, but not the hair products). 100 % vegetarian ingredients is written right on the label, but it is not a vegan brand because they use beeswax. (See their cruelty policy here) This product, however, IS vegan. I may or may not repurchase this conditioner because of the smell.

77. Ulta Instant Nourish Facial Moisturizer Protect Skincare .5 Fl oz (15 ml)
This moisturizer worked really well. I used this while I was in San Francisco when I ran out of my other moisturizers. Ulta's animal testing policy is a little hard to understand. They have no posted policy about their brand online, but some of their products, including this one, are marked on the package with "animal testing free". There are conflicting posts online of people who claim to have contacted the company. Because of this, I am wary of purchasing this brand's products. I will do more research about it in the future.

78. Chella Anti-fatigue Eye Mask Kit: Eye Mask and Activator (no crème)
I got this several years ago in either a birchbox or a Beauty Army box. I decided I needed a little pampering on my birthday, so I used it. I'm not sure if it make me look less tired or reduced my under eye circles, but it made me feel refreshed after I took them off. It does contain collagen as the first ingredient and other derivatives of animal fats, so it is not vegan. Nowhere on the website can I find information about the company's animal testing policy. I will not be purchasing this product in the future because it isn't cruelty free or vegan, I don't think it did what it was supposed to do, and it is incredibly overpriced.

79. Benefit So Hooked on Carmella eau de toilette .05 fl oz (1.5 ml)
I have had this perfume sample for a very long time. I got it in one of my very first birchboxes and I decided to finally use it up. I loved the scent, which is strange because I usually don't like vanilla scents and this is very heavy on the vanilla. This is a very strong scent that is perfect for nights out. Benefit is a company that test on animals "when required by law" which means that they sell their products in China, where animal testing is required.  I get really frustrated at companies that say they are dedicated to eradicating animal testing throughout the world, yet still continue to test on animals in order to make more money. It frustrates and angers me. You can check out their animal testing policy here. I will not be purchasing this product in the future because it is not cruelty free.

80. CeraVe Facial Moisturizing Lotion- PM sample 5 grams*
I got this sample from my dermatologist a few years ago and decided to take it with me to North Carolina because it was small and would fit well in my bag. This facial moisturizing lotion soaks well into the skin, but I do not like the scent very much. It works well enough, but I don't like it enough to purchase it in the future. 

81. Dr. Hauschka Lemon Lemongrass Vitalizing Body Wash .34 fl oz (10 ml)* V
Made by Wala. This product came in my June birchbox. This smelled sooooooo good. I love both lemon and lemon grass and this super rich and creamy shower crème was wonderful to wash with. I love how smooth it made my skin. It was small, so I could only use it twice, and the metal tube packaging was a little difficult to use in the shower, but it was totally worth it! I will definitely think about purchasing this in the future because it is a cruelty free company and a vegan product.


82. Secret Invisible Solid Fresh Effects Freshwater Orchid Antiperspirant / Deodorant 2.6 oz
I grabbed a whole bunch of almost empty deodorants when I was leaving for North Carolina and this was the one I ended up using first. I love this scent, but I'm not sure if they make it anymore. I've had this deodorant for a long time because I like to stick a deodorant in my ballet bag, my gym, my shower, my bathroom, and my car so I will always have one when I forget to put it on. I will not repurchase because it is not cruelty free.

That is it for my June Empties! Stay tuned for my July Empties post to see more products I have used up.