October Empties Part Three

Part these of October Empties

147. Fekkai Advanced Brilliant Glossing Olive Oil Conditioner 2 FL oz 

I absolutely love this conditioner. I have used several sample sizes of different products from this brand. This is one of my favorite products from this brand. The smell is amazing. It makes my hair super soft and very shiny and doesn't leave it way down. However this company is owned by Procter and Gamble and is therefore not cruelty free. It is also ridiculously expensive and doesn't last very long on my long hair. I will not be repurchasing.

148. CH Facial Soap (sample size)

I got this facial soap from a hotel (I think in Chicago) several years ago. The soap how Has a citrus scent and cleansed my face and hands very well. I'm not sure the brand or the ingredients but I do not believe it is cruelty free.

149. Elf Shine Eraser Oil Blotting Sheets (50 count)*v

this is one of my favorite products from ELF. I believe I have bought about ten of these so far. I keep one in my purse, one in my car, one by my bed, and a couple in my bathroom. I use these mostly in the summer when it is very hot and I tend to get oily. It takes one or two sheets to do my whole face, but it really does get rid of the oil that breaks down my facial makeup. This extends my makeup from 2 o'clock in the afternoon until about eight at night. I will keep buying these as they are the cheapest and best working well blotting sheets I have been able to find. I also love the elf website because most of their products are vegan (except for their $1 makeup brushes) almost all their tools are vegan. Also, these cost $1. Nothing beats that!

150. Harajuku Lovers Lil' Angel Eau de Toilette  (coty inc) 10 ml (.3 fl oz )

Lil' Angel reminds me of coconut and fruit. It's a very summery perfume and very girly and fun. It also has a little bit of a hard edge to it, but nothing that is musky. its still a bright and light sent. I absolutely adore the Harajuku Lovers line because they look like little dolls. Each outfit is different and each little girl is different. I only own one other, G, but I will not be repurchasing any others. Coty inc. is the company that produces these perfumes. Because of their products being sold in China, they must have their products tested on animals. Therefore even though they wish to be a cruelty free company, they are selling their products in China where their products have to be tested on animals and are no longer cruelty free. Until they refused to sell in China I will not be purchasing this product again. If that doesn't bother you however, this is a wonderful perfume and a highly recommended on scent alone.

151. Clinique Moisture Surge Intense Skin Fortifying Hydrator. 5 oz

I have used this product before. While it hydrates quite well, the smell is offensive on my face. I don't like the way it makes my face feel when I first put it on. After it is soaked into my skin and makes my skin feel wonderful though. Clinique is not a cruelty free company and I will not be purchasing this product.

152. Desert Essence Organics Red Raspberry Conditioner 8 fl oz  (237 ml) * v

This is one of those products that I really loved when I first started using it. It made my hair smell really great and conditioned my hair quite well. After I had been using it for several weeks I noticed that my hair began to get tangled more and was becoming weighed down. This conditioner makes my hair knot horribly and look dirty. When I bought it they were buy one get one half off so I bought two. I won't use the second one until I run out of all of my good conditioners. The good thing about this product is that it is cruelty free and vegan. And I can find you at my local grocery store. I will not be repurchasing this product.

153. Fekkai Advanced Brilliant Glossing Olive Oil Shampoo 59 ml (2 FL oz)

Like the conditioner at the top of this post, this shampoo is amazing. It makes my hair smell wonderful and it makes it shiny and brilliant. However it is not cruelty free and I will not be repurchasing it.

October Empties Part Two

This is a continuation of my October Empties

The next six products are all cleansing cosmetics. The soaps are all from hotels.

141. Jāsön Color Protect Henna Pure Natural Conditioner 16 oz (454 grams) * v
This is one of those products I really wanted to like, but ended up absolutely hating. When I first put Henna in my hair in January, the color faded completely within a few weeks. In October, I re-henna-ed my hair and it has lasted much longer, partly because of this conditioner. I think this product was key in Keeping my henna from fading , However, the smell of this product is One of the most disgusting smells I've ever had in my hair. I have really long hair, so I use a LOT of Conditioner. I've used the Jāsön brand in the past and always found the scents of their products to be overwhelming , yet pleasurable. this one was overwhelming and made me want to gag. So, even though this is a natural and Cruelty free product, I will not be repurchasing this because it smelled terrible.


142. Holiday Collection Moisturizing Facial Soap (Jergens Mild) sample size
this is one of those products that I got from hotel when I was staying there several years ago. I'm not sure which hotel it was from and I'm not sure exactly what was in it but it cleaned well. Jergens is Not a cruelty free company, so I will not be purchasing from them in the future.

143. purity Basics French Milled facial Soap sample size

This was another Hotel soap. I do not believe that is cruelty free. It cleaned well but was very small so it only lasted 3 or 4 washes. Will not purchase In the future.

144. Bausch & Lomb Bio True Multi-Purpose Solution 10 Fl oz (296 ml)

another contact solution bottle. I will not be repurchasing this in the future as I have found a vegan replacement for my contact solution.

145. Tom's of Maine simply while fluoride Toothpaste in Clean Mint , 9 oz (25g) **v

So this is one of those products that's kind of conflicting. Tom's of Maine is a cruelty free brand and this toothpaste is vegan. But, they were bought out by Colgate-Palmolive a couple of years ago. I don't feel completely right buying from a company that's money is going directly to one of the largest companies in the world that tests on animals. However, this was a free sample of toothpaste my mom  got with a magazine. My mom didn't want it so she gave it to me. I took it with me a few times on trips because it was a sample size. I loved this toothpaste. The whitening effect was subtle but bright, and the taste was wonderful. It wasn't an overpowering mint taste but it was still clean feeling afterwards. I will not be repurchasing this product because it is not ethical in my opinion of what is actually cruelty free.

146, Proterra Marine refreshing bath and body bar

this is one of those products that I've never been able to find the information for. This whole line of bath products is made specifically for hotels and bed and breakfasts and cruise lines. All I know is that I cannot find the information for ingredients. I do not believe this is cruelty free.

* denotes cruelty free 

** denotes cruelty free with a non cruelty free parent company 

v denotes vegan product

BOLD denotes a product i would repurchase. 

My October Empties. See the previous post for the first six and the next post for the last seven. 

October Empties 2014 Part One

Wow. this is super late. Be ready for a whole bunch of Empties posts coming your way!

It seems like October just came and went. I used a bunch more products this month than I thought I would. I have split the post into 3 parts so they aren't ridiculously long and take forever to load.

My October Empties! I used 19 products this month!

135. Paul Mitchell Original Awapuhi Shampoo .7 fl oz
(see # 128in September post)

136. Facial Bar in Citrus Sage by Marietta Corp. 19 grams / .67 oz
This is such a wonderful smelling soap. I picked it up at a hotel on one of my trips to Birmingham for a family wedding. It doesn't smell like citrus or sage that much. It just smells clean. I used this in the shower as a facial and body bar. I know next to nothing about the Marietta corporation, but they are not cruelty free.

137. Estée Lauder Sumptuous Extreme Lash Multiplying Volume Mascara 01 Extreme Black (1oz)  

My grandmother gave me this sample mascara a while ago and I just got around to using it. The good things first: It was very black. A lot of times black mascaras tend to look grey on my lashes because they are light colored on the tips. I did not find that to be the case with this product. I loved the Volumizing effect this had on my lashes. It made them look full and thick without making clumps or creating spider leg lashes. The cons: It is not cruelty free and I did not like the smell. I will not repurchase.

The first six products are all sample or travel size.

138. Bodycology Enchanted Forest Fragrance Mist 2 FL oz
I picked this perfume up while in college. It was one of those fragrances that smells fantastic in the store, but smells horrible once you have been wearing it for an hour or two. I ended up combining the scent with rose water body creme and it toned it down to the point where I began so like the scent. I did some research about the company that owns Bodycology, Advanced Beauty Systems Inc, and could not find an animal testing statement anywhere. The phrase "This finished product is not tested on animals " is placed on the packaging of this product. This tends to imply that the individual products are tested on animals  (which is usually the case when this sentence is used). I will not repurchase from this company.

139. Harvey Prince Ageless Body Creme 15 ml (cruelty free and vegan! )
I got this sample in one of my birchboxes (maybe September?) This is hands down my favorite bodes creme I have ever tried. I don't use lotion or creme much now that I'm back in Louisiana where it is humid year-round. I do use it occasionally though: after I shave my legs or exfoliate. The scent is "pink grapefruit and Vanilla" , but to me it mostly smells of a general sweet fruitiness. It isn't your typical citrus scent. this is more fun and bouncy than lemon or orange would be. the Shea butter in the formula makes my skin soak up moisture, but doesn't leave a greasy residue. I absolutely love the smell of this product and I would highly recommend it to anyone who loves light fruity Scents. I won't be repurchasing this as a lotion, but I did buy the companion perfume: AGELESS.

140. Clinique Dramatically Different Moisturizing Lotion + 1 fl oz
I've used many of the lotions and gels in the Clinique Skincare line, but this is a reformulated version for very dry skin. I don't like the reformulation at all. the smell is more chemical and the lotion leaves a residue on the skin. I used this as a deep conditioner at night only. I Know my mom has also used this new reformer lotion and not liked it as well. I do not recommend this product. Clinique is not a cruelty free company.

Stay tuned for Part 2, Coming soon!

September Empties 2014

Back again with Empties!

September 2014 Empties!

This past month was another where I used up lots of samples and soap! I must have really liked being clean this month.

* denotes cruelty free
** denotes cruelty free with parent company that tests on animals
V denotes vegan product
BOLD denotes a product I will repurchase

117. ProTerra Marine Sea Kelp Shampoo (marriettasorp.com)
I got this shampoo at a hotel several years ago. It is probably one of the best shampoos I've ever gotten at a hotel. The kelp in the shampoo makes my hair feel super smooth, light, and clean. The scent is slightly perfume-y, but not in a bad way. It is reminiscent of the sea shore and salt water, but with a hint of something else in it I can't place. It is almost impossible to find information about this brand, the ingredients in the products, or anything else about them. This is the most comprehensive information I could find on them. As you can see, not very helpful. I will not be purchasing this in the future despite the way it made my hair feel.

118. L'Occitane Verbena Shampoo 1 Fl oz (30 ml)
Verbena is one of those scents that I have recently discovered that I really love. I have had this little shampoo sample for a while (a hotel sample), and I recently decided to use it. Wow! It worked really well. And it made my hair smell great. The reason I'm not going to buy this? It's not cruelty free. Simple as that.

119. Clinique Moisture Surge Extended Thirst Relief .5 oz (15 ml)
This was a sample my mom had given me. I decided to use this one because I only needed to apply it once a day and it kept me from having dry skin or irritated skin all day. The only problem I had with this was that I didn't really like the smell. It wasn't a bad smell, but it was definitely a chemical one. It is a clear gel moisturizer and definitely moisturizes. Clinique (a subsidiary of Estee Lauder) tests on animals. I will not be repurchasing this.

120. Dove Invisible Solid Antiperspirant and Deodorant Powder Scent .5 oz (14 grams)
There are several reasons why this is probably one of the worst deodorants I've ever bought. First, this is one of those little tiny ones you can buy at the store to take with you on trips. I bought this ages ago when I was trying out different brands of deodorant to see if they worked on me or not. It somehow migrated to my ballet bag and never left. There was very little product in the container and wasn't really worth the waste of all the plastic packaging it came in. Second, it smells really bad. Powder scent it not my favorite scent in the first place, so I should have known I wouldn't like this. But this smells like old grandmas at the nursing home instead of regular powder scented deodorant. Third, it contains aluminum as an anti-perspirant, which has been linked to breast cancer. Fourth, Dove is owned by Unilever, one of the largest animal testing companies on the market. Fifth, this deodorant doesn't really work for me. It would work for maybe four or five hours before I started to smell. Not good for someone who lives in a place where you sweat nine months out of the year. I will never buy this product again.

121. Bath and Body Works Signature Collection Rainkissed Leaves Volumizing Shampoo 1 Fl oz (29 ml)**
 In my April Empties I talked about the accompanying conditioner to this shampoo. This product smells like the conditioner: fresh cut grass, summer rain, and green leaves that have just begun to grow in early spring. It made me feel like I had stepped into an alternate reality where grass grew indoors and everything was bright, fresh, and new. I love crisp, fresh scents like this and would love to smell this scent all the time. I'm not sure this is available as a shampoo anymore (or maybe it is only available at hotels, like this sample size?) as I couldn't find it on the website, so I obviously won't repurchase this product.

122. Secret Natural Mineral Invisible Solid Eucalyptus Blossom Antiperspirant and Deodorant 2.6 oz (73 grams)
I feel like I've used up so many of these Secret deodorants over the past nine months. This one happens to be Eucalyptus Blossom scented. I liked the scent a lot more than I thought I would. It's almost a fruity floral that isn't too prominent throughout the day, but still smells great twelve hours after you have first put it on. It even stood up to ballet class sweat. However, Secret is owned by Proctor and Gamble and is therefore not cruelty free. I will not repurchase it.

123. Snowbird Bar Soap
I used another of these soaps. You can see what I said about it last month here. But know that I love this stuff!

124. Kiss My Face Natural Active Life Aluminum Free Deodorant Lavender 2.48 oz (70 grams)* (v?)
This is one of those products that I really wanted to work. I tried it for a while, stopped using it because I didn't like it, tried it again, and now I'm throwing it away. I hated the way this made me smell. It wasn't like the deodorant wasn't working, because it wasn't body odor smell. I think the lavender oil or whatever was in this reacted badly to my skin. It made me smell horrible! I had to wash with three or four different soaps before I would get the smell off my body. This did not work for me at all. I usually use stick deodorants when I go to ballet class and a salt crystal deodorant for all the other times. This was not the deodorant for me. Kiss My Face is a really fantastic brand that has many natural and cruelty free products. Their website was down when I tried to access it recently, so I can't find out if their glycerin is vegan or not, but I believe that it is. I will never ever repurchase this.

125. Psst! Instant Dry Shampoo (Freeman) 1.76 oz (50 grams)*
I don't usually use dry shampoo, but I have used this brand before and I like this brand more than some others. It doesn't have an overpowering scent and isn't noticeable in my hair after brushing it out a little. If I planned to use dry shampoo more, I would buy this over any of the other brands I have tried. However, I don't like using aerosol sprays. They contain butane. Who wants to keep butane in your bathroom? Not me. Aerosol sprays are also really bad for the environment, so I try to stay away from them for that reason. Therefor, I will not be repurchasing this.

126. elf  shine eraser oil blotting sheets (50 count)*v
I've used several of these lovely little oil blotting sheet packets in the past few years. It was one of the first products I bought from www.eyeslipsface.com, and one that I have repurchased many times. I have about four packs of these floating around in my room, purse, dance bag, and bathroom. They are little pieces of paper that absorb facial oil so it won't totally break down all of your makeup. I find that these work just as well and even better than some higher end blotting sheets I have tried (shishedo and clean & clear are the brands that come to mind) and they only cost $1 for a pack of 50. If you used two of these a day for a year, you would spend about the same amount you would pay for one pack of high end blotting sheets. I will definitely be repurchasing this in the future.

127. Clinique Moisture Surge Extended Thirst Relief  .5 oz (15 ml)
See 119 above

128. Paul Mitchell Awapuhi Shampoo .7 fl oz (20.7 ml)*v
This shampoo smells life fruity heaven. It is almost reminds me of L'Oreal Kids fruity scent (I happen to like that sort of watermelon-y scent, but many people aren't) so I really loved it. It made my hair so soft and so shiny and cleaned exceptionally well. The best thing about this product? It is cruelty free and vegan. I will be repurchasing this in the future, once I use up the many bottles of shampoo I have already.

129. The Body Shop Aloe Gentle Shower Cream 8.4 fl oz (250 ml)**
Shower gel is one of those products that I use for a few months, then I won't touch for half a year. Because of this I have a half dozen half-used bottles hanging out in my bathroom. This was one of those bottles I have had for a while now. It was gifted to me by a friend who was moving back to Ireland and was getting rid of the things she didn't have room for in her suitcase. I liked the way this shower cream made my skin feel: smooth, soft, and healthy. I wasn't a big fan of the scent as it was a little too botanical/medicinal. This is no longer available on their website.

130. Colgate Optic White Anti-Cavity Fluoride Toothpaste Sparkling Mint 4 oz (113 g)
I didn't actually finish this product, but I'm throwing it out because it has turned completely solid and expired at the beginning of 2013. I have a half dozen opened toothpastes in my bathroom and I decided to purge the ones that had expired and/or turned to a solid dried up mass like this one. I did not particularly like this toothpaste when I was using it because the whitening agents in it caused me to feel like my teeth were heating up as a result of either friction or a chemical process every time I used it. It did make my teeth look very white, but I wasn't willing to put up with the discomfort of the product to get that result, since teeth whitening is not something I really care about. Colgate-Palmolive tests on animals. I will not repurchase.

131. Colgate Sparkling White Mint Zing Fluoride Toothpaste 6.4 oz (181 g)
This is another toothpaste that had expired (this time in 2009... no wonder it turned into a rock!). This one, unlike the Optic White, was one of my favorite toothpastes. It made my teeth feel super clean and sparkly, as well as had an amazing mint flavor. Sadly, it is made by a company that relies on animal testing for their products, so I will not be repurchasing this product in the future (if it is even still available).

132. Dr. Bronner's Magic Soaps All-One Hemp Almond Pure Castile Soap Bar 5 oz (140 g)*v
This is the best bar soap I've ever bought at a store. It reminds me of almond cookies and makes my skin feel very clean and soft. I could just stand in the shower for days smelling and using this soap. It is 100% vegan and made with fair trade ingredients. The paper wrapper is recycled (yay for recycling!) so I don't feel bad about throwing it away (we don't have recycling in my neighborhood). I have already repurchased this and will continue to repurchase this bar soap in the future!

133. Bath and Body Works Peach Nectar Moisturizing Cleansing Bar 1.5 oz (42 g) **
I have had this little soap hanging out in my soap box for quite a while (I literally have a box full of bar soap I keep under the sink. It is one of the things I collect, so I needed storage. At one point it was a shoe box, but it is now a clear plastic box with a clasp lid we used to use for food storage). This little soap was one I picked up in a hotel and is no longer available in retail stores. You can find them on EBay for a ridiculously high price, though if you really want them. I liked the scent. It was light and summery with a hint of fruity peachy goodness. It cleaned well without leaving an oily residue. I obviously won't be repurchasing this because it is unavailable.

134. Moisturizing Citrus Aloe Facial Soap
This is one of those products that I literally know nothing about. I got it at a hotel ages ago, and I don't know who makes it. It cleaned well, and it had a pleasant scent (if a bit faded from age) that made it a good facial soap.

I hope you have enjoyed this post. If you have used any of these products and have opinions on them, I would love to hear about it in the comments below! See you in a few weeks with October Empties!

August Empties 2014

Welcome back to my empties posts! I hope you have been enjoying these as much as I am. I have been learning more and more about the cosmetic industry as I do more research, and I find that other people's reviews and thoughts are helpful when looking at products before I purchase them.

* denotes cruelty free
** denotes a cruelty free company owned by a non-cruelty free company
V denotes vegan product and/or brand
Bold denotes product I will be repurchasing or have repurchased already

103. Snowbird Mountain Lodge Soap Sample
I don't usually put bar soap on this list because I usually make my own. But, I do love trying out new soaps, especially when I am at hotels. This is one of the most amazing soaps I've ever used. It smells great, it cleans great, it makes me smile, and it lasts a while. I'm not sure what this is made out of but it smells very herbal and fresh. I love it and I will buy more of these if I can find out if they are vegan or not. They had these for sale in the gift store at the hotel and I should have checked them out while I was there.

104. Diamond Wipes Gentle Cleansing Makeup Remover Wipes with Vitamin E
I wasn't too big a fan of these wipes, although they did their job. I felt like the formula was drying on my face and that I needed to apply lots of moisturizer after using these. They had that greasy formula that leaves a residue on the skin, so I had to wash my face more after using them than I would have had to if I hadn't used them. These were also complimentary bath items at the Snowbird Mountain Lodge, so I tried them. I can't find anywhere on their website that they are cruelty free, but they are big into sustainability and saving the rainforests. I won't be purchasing these.

105. CeraVe AM Facial Moisturizing Lotion SPF 30 5 grams*
A sample I received from the dermatologist several years ago that I finally finished. I didn't like this one as much as the PM formula, mostly because the SPF caused my face to become oily throughout the day and it made my makeup melt off. I won't be purchasing this in the future.

106. Diamond Wipes Gentle Cleansing Makeup Remover Wipes with Vitamin E
See number 104 above

107. Catharine Malandrino Eau de Parfum
A Birchbox sample I received in June. This is a gorgeous powdery scent that I wore when I would go out to dinner or to the opera this summer. I loved the elegance of this parfum and the richness it had on my skin. It's a citrus scent that combines orange, jasmine, and gardenia, with a hint of musk. My one problem with this perfume? It doesn't last more than two or three hours. For that reason, I don't think it is worth the price tag (1.7 oz is $80).

108. Ardell Fashion Lashes 105 Black*
These have been my go-to performance lashes for years. I have used them in ballet recitals, operas, plays, singing recitals, and Halloween costumes. I love how thick they make my lashes look and how natural. I have used these kind of eyelashes more than once, but I normally don't wear them for more than a few performances before they get all mangled from putting them on and taking them off for days. They work best with DUO lash adhesive (another brand owned by Ardell International) and stay on for a long time. I have a small stash of these in my performance train case. Ardell is a cruelty free company!

109. DDF (Doctor's Dermatologic Formula) Ultra-Lite Oil Free Moisturizing Dew 1 Fl oz
A Birchbox sample from March or May, this moisturizer was incredibly nice. I loved the way it made my face feel. I loved the pump that gave the perfect amount of product for one use. I loved it. It is not vegan because it includes beeswax in the formula and it is owned by Proctor and Gamble (one of the largest companies that tests on animals), so I will not be purchasing this in the future.

110. Secret Scent Expressions Ooh-La-La Lavender Clear Gel Deodorant 2.7 oz
See May Empties Post Number 50

111. Clinique Dramatically Different Moisturizing Gel 4.2 oz (125 ml)
This is one of those products that I have used for years. I started using Clinique when I was in middle school and started getting acne. I went from having clear skin to looking like a pizza face overnight. I started using their three step cleansing program and used it on and off for years. The Gel is the moisturizing step for people with oily or combination oily skin. I always used this in the summer and loved how it kept my skin moisturized, but clean feeling, instead of oily gross. I have probably used over 20 full sized containers of this in the past. It has a very clean scent and sinks into the skin quickly. I will not be purchasing this in the future because Clinique is not a cruelty free company.

112. Burt's Bees Hand Salve .3 oz**
I've had this little mini hand salve tin for years... My mom used to send birthday presents to everyone in my cabin when I would have my birthday at camp, so she would send little gifts with the burt's bees minis and fun games we could play at camp. I don't actually use this on my hands. I use this on my feet. I have very dry feet and I use this product when I have exfoliated them and I'm about to go to bed. I literally take a blob of this, warm it up in my hands, and rub it all over my feet. I then stick my feet in a pair of socks and go to sleep. In the morning, the salve has soaked into my skin and my feet feel much more smooth and moisturized. I have several more mini and full sizes of this product, but I will not be buying this in the future because it is not vegan.

113. Biotrue Contact Solution 10 Fl oz
Again... I used up one of these. I will not repurchase this if the solution I just ordered from the Vegan Store works with my eyes (I will talk about that when the package comes in the mail).

114. Aqua Fresh Extreme Clean Whitening Action Mint Blast Toothpaste .8 oz
I got this at the Hyatt in San Francisco. It was a rather thin paste, but very minty. I am not sure it made my teeth any whiter, but it did make them clean. This is not a cruelty free company, so I will not purchase this in the future.

115. Chapstick Flava- Craze Straberry Twist .15 oz
Who doesn't have Chapstick hanging around their makeup collection. I seem to have picked up tons of them somehow. This one dates back to the camp era (yup middle school) and expired in May of 2003... yeah... it was ready to die. Surprisingly, it never went bad or rancid or melted. From the time I started using it to the time it died a sad death in front of my vanity, this lip balm was like a strawberry candy on my lips. It was sweet and chapstick-y. I don't particularly like Chapstick. I didn't like the scent because it was too strong and too fake for my tastes. I will never buy this again. (They don't even make this flavor anymore). I am so glad I don't have to look at this thing ever again. It is not cruelty free.

116. VO5 Herbal Escapes Moisturizing Shampoo in Free Me Freesia 18 Fl oz
This was a disappointment that I knew was coming but it still shocked me. I like the smell of Freesia and I like shampoo, therefore I should like Freesia scented shampoo, right? Wrong! I hated the scent, I didn't like the way this shampoo made my hair feel. It made it dry and straw-like. It made my hair knot. It was just bad all over. I bought it for $1 at the Dollar Tree about three years ago, so I guess I got what I paid for. VO5 is made by Alberto-Culver, which is owned by Unilever and is not cruelty-free. I will not purchase this ever again even if it is the last shampoo on the planet.

So that is it for the month of August. I will not be re-purchasing any of the products I used this month because I either didn't like them, or they were not cruelty free and vegan.

July Empties 2014 Part Two

Part Two July Empties

Welcome to the second part of my empties for the month of July. I used a whole heck of a lot of products this month since I'm using mostly samples while I am on vacation. See Part One for the beginning of this post! Continuing where I left off...

93. Top Care Cotton Rounds 80 Counts
I have about five packs of cotton rounds, cotton balls, and cotton poofs that I use for taking off makeup and nail polish. This pack was the one that I grabbed when I was packing my travel bag to come to North Carolina. These aren't the best for removing nail polish because they tended to fall apart, but they worked fine for removing makeup. The TopCare brand, Topco, doesn't say anything about animal testing online, but most places that I have seen put them on the not-cruelty-free list. I will not buy from this brand in the future.

94. Borghese Curaforte Moisture Intensifier .25 Fl oz (7 ml)
I really loved this product. It is a serum you put on before your moisturizer that helps your moisturizer absorb into your skin. It works really well and I loved the way it made my skin feel when used with different moisturizers. However, it is very expensive at $67.50 and tested on animals. I was really pissed off when I read their animal testing policy. Here is a quote from their website:

"We are committed to providing our customers with premium prestige products and we find it our fundamental obligation to develop and offer products that take into account and safeguard the health and safety of our consumers. We express this value as a primary principle; as a responsible producer, we also express it as part of our acknowledged understanding of the law. We are governed by laws that have been established to protect the public and prevent injury. Customer safety is a driving concern as well as a compelling, essential obligation and in terms of establishing satisfactory product safety, we must show that our products do no harm and pose no risk. To accomplish this, products must be tested and their safety proven. We are equally committed to offering our products in a clearly conscientious manner. To that end, we do not conduct animal testing on our products, nor employ others to test on our behalf, except where required by local regulation."

Basically... they love animals, but not enough to not sell products in areas where animal testing is required by law, AKA China, because money is more important than animal cruelty. I will not be purchasing this, or any other Borghese product in the future.

95. Atelier Cologne Ambre Nue Cologne Absolue Sample
I will not be buying this cologne in the future because I didn't like the scent. It was way too heady for me to wear, which is strange, because I really like the individual scents in this cologne. The website says it smells like: "Top notes : green mandarin from Italy, bergamot from Calabria, tagetes from Egypt Heart notes : orchid nigritella rubra, cinnamon from Sri Lanka, benzoin from Thailand Base notes : cistus labdanum from Spain, amber, tonka bean from Brazil". I mostly smell the amber and orchid in this scent and it was overpowering on my skin. As I stated in my April post, I will not be purchasing from this brand because I cannot find anything about their animal testing policy and they are ridiculously expensive.

96. CeraVe PM Facial Moisturizing Lotion 5 grams*
I finished one of these little sample moisturizers last month. You can see what I say about it there: JUNE #80

97. Le Jasmin eau de toilette by Annick Goutal .06 Fl oz (1.75 ml)
I wasn't too big a fan of this perfume because I don't like the smell of jasmine. I don't like it in my food and I don't like it on my body. I either got this sample from a Birchbox or my friend Sara, I can't remember. I can't find any information about Annick Goutal's animal testing policy. I will not be purchasing this in the future.

98. Crest Glide Deep Clean Cool Mint Floss 4.4 yards (4 meters)
See Part One

99. Evologie Stay Clear Cleanser .7 Fl oz (22 ml)*
I received this cleanser in my June Birchbox. I liked that it was a gentle cleanser that still was able to help with my acne. I take an antibiotic for my acne, but I still have acne that pops up on my chin, chest, and back. I was sick a lot over the past two months, and that made my acne worse. This product really helped it from getting bad. They do not test on animals, according to their animal testing policy. However, there is honey extract in this product so it is not vegan. Because of this, I will not be purchasing this product in the future.

100. Marvis Toothpaste Aquatic Mint 1.3 oz (25 ml)*
When I was buying Christmas presents this year, I decided to get myself a little something: toothpaste! Marvis is my all time favorite toothpaste brand. You should check out this website just to see the amazingness of the work that went into making it since it is like watching an interactive movie. I have bought the Classic Mint flavor in the past and I wanted to try a new flavor so I went with Aquatic Mint (as well as a regular size Classic Mint and a travel size Whitening). This was refreshing and very nice to use when brushing my teeth and didn't leave any strange flavors in my mouth. This toothpaste is super thick and only needs a tiny bit to be very effective. I've been using this toothpaste nearly every day (I have about six open toothpastes that I rotate depending on the flavor I want, or whitening effect I need) since January, and I just finished it now. That should show you how little of this product goes a long, long way. This brand is cruelty free, but I am not sure if it is vegan or not. Some of the ingredients are possibly derived from animals including:  IMIDAZOLIDINYL UREA (FORMALDEHYDE RELEASER) and Glycerin. Because I can't find out if there ingredients are vegan or not, I'm not putting it down as vegan for this post. Until I find out more, I will not be buying more of this product.

101. Belli Acne Cleansing Facial Wash Complexion Protection Lactic Acid, Green Tea, Cucumber .17 Fl oz (5 ml)*
This is one of those samples that has been hanging out in my bathroom for years and I finally used it up. I didn't like it too much as I had to wash my face with it three times to feel like it got all the oils off before I could put moisturizer on my face before bed. This product line is geared toward pregnant women. As I am not pregnant, I don't really think it is geared to me. It is a cruelty free product, but not vegan. I will not be purchasing this item in the future.

102. KenetMD Cleansing Bar 1 oz (28 grams)
See post JUNE #68

That's it for the month of July! Join me in August to see what else I have been using up!

All my July 2014 Empties Products