Kill It!

So, like Project 10 Pan, I'm trying to use up products in order to justify buying new things. While here I am going to list 10 items that are on the Hit List to be Killed, this project extends much further and only represent the beginning of this question. As I finish each product I'll update this blog and write a review of each item. If I finish any other items then these items I'll include those in a later Product Purge Post along with this items. So, without further ado, here are the items on my Hit List:

1. Spring Valley Hair, Skin & Nails Dietary Supplement.

Why: I bought these when I had a big issue with splitting, breaking, chipping nails caused by using a super cheap nail polish without a base coat. However, I have not noticed any kind of difference while using these supplements. My nails are better now but not because of this supplement but because of recognizing what cause the problem, avoiding it, and allowing my nails to grow out health again.

9/3/2011 Ok, I will admit that I cheated a little with this product and didn't take the last 30 or so and instead threw them away. BUT! I had a bad omen so I thought it was a sign to just throw it away. I was only taking these just to finish them and when I took one today I totally had a super un-cute moment and like gagged/choked on it. I am fine, but it wasn't one of my cuter moments. Haha. Afterward I took it as a sign that I should just be done with them so the remaining pills went in the trash haha. Anyone else ever have a product that does something bad/creepy that the product just has to go no matter how must is left or how much it cost?

2. Herbal Essences Tousle Me Softly Hairspray

Why: While I like this hairspray quite a bit, especially because it is non aerosol (can we say travel-sized-sprayer ability!), I want it out of my life due to the fact that I have a long line of hair products waiting to get used up.

10/10/11 I really like this hairspray! Because it is so light it is easy to brush out after my work day and still have cute hair. I also like that it is not aerosol, yay for the environment, plus yay for better control over the product. One my mission to use up this hairspray I discovered that I have become a little obsessed now with sleek clean looking hair and can't stand un-hairsprayed whispys haha. I would love to buy this hairspray again, but I have a big can of "Big Sexy Hairspray" to use up, and may want to try another brand's version of a light hairspray before returning back to this one.

3. Garnier Fructis Sleek & Shine Weightless Anti-Frizz Serum

Why: This has been in my hair product collection for like literally at least 6 years and I'm only half done. I want it out of my life because I only kind of like it and I'm ready to move on to other hair serums. Managed to finish 1/4th of it this spring when I was on a mission to kill it then but got distracted by other products to finish that mission. While resume the mission when I finish item 4 listed below.

12/31/11 Me and this product have gone through a lot together and I can't believe it is finally empty! I had times when I loved this product, even while trying to get through it (which made it easier to finish because I WANTED to use the product) but I also had times when I felt that it was easy to use too much product and my hair would look a touch greasy. I love the smell. I think this would be a green rated product if I felt it get good results when I air dried my hair, not just when I blow dry it. It could also be a better at de-frizzing. I may repurchase this in the very distant future because I wanna try more hair products out, especially some hair oils, but I wouldn't say I would never repurchase it. I do love that the new (which probably only seems new to me haha) container for this product is much nicer because it isn't an awkward globe anymore and I feel like that makes it look more manageable finishing-wise, haha. We shall see if we are reunited sometime. It's been real!

4. Nexxus ProMend Split End Binding Targeted Leave-In Treatment

Why: While I loved this product for a while, it needs to go because I realised what I really loved was the Conditioner friend of this product, not this leave-in treatment. I'd rather spend the money on the conditioner not this. Luckily after using this product all summer I only have a little bit left. Will probably be the first item to go.

9/1/11 Now that I have finished this product, I am quite sure about what I said before. I do like it, but I think the treatment alone doesn't add much to my hair's health. It certainly doesn't do anything negative. I do love the packaging. While it makes it seem you aren't getting that much product, you in fact are. I think this whole container lasted me like 4 or 5 months with daily use! And, for lazy people like me, since the bottle is so slender, when you hit the bottom you won't be wasting much product if you get ride of it once it stops dispensing. While there is some product you could attempt to scrape out, I am lazy and wasn't that smitten.

5. Bare Minerals  Warmth.
Why: I got this over a year and a half ago and I'm still only about half way through and this is the small size! I want it out of my life because I hate that its a loose powder and not pressed. While I am not wild and crazy about bronzer, I can't justify buying any other bronzer until this one is dead. Gonna be a while though. I'm just happy it isn't a full sized product!

6. Cover Girl TruBlend Micro Minerals Finishing Veil
Why: While I got this super on sale at my grocery store because they are discontinuing the line AND I had a coupon, I wish I hadn't bought it. Weird smell, not very effective, hate the packaging. Can't wait to have this out of my life!
6/1/2012 FINALLY! While I hated the product, and the packaging for making me look powdering and just being annoying, I can't argue that this purchase wasn't a good deal! For a loose powder this felt like it last me for way longer than I anticipated, over a year with heavy use! Definitely moving on from this product, and wouldn't repurchase again even if it wasn't discontinued, but it has given me a new lease on drug store loose powders. Have a pressed powder to use up next, we'll see if I want to move back to loose powders again after that one.

7. Kat Von D True Romance Eyeshadow Palette in Beethoven
Why: While I looove love loooove this palette, I wanna hit pan on at least one more shadow or use up entire shadow some day in order to justify buying another palette some day in the future. While my Inglot Palette will appease my want to buy the "Saint" version of this palette, I am likely going to want to buy more shadows some day and if I can hit pan or use up more of these shadows I can feel justified in the sacrilegious action of depoting this palette into my Z Palette one day and having a different palette for travel!

8. Sephora Brand Lip Gloss in Bronzed Beauty
Why: I have been on a mission to kill this lip gloss this summer and am getting quite close. Started full, and only have maybe 1/4th left. Got this as a birthday gift at Sephora at the beginning of my make-up love. Want it dead because I have a bunch of other lip glosses I have randomly acquired somehow (because I never seek them out, don't really love them) and want to kill those too.
10/25/2011 Finished a lip product that isn't a chap-stick! Woo hoo! I really enjoyed this color actually as far as lip glosses go. I probably won't re-buy it only because I never buy lip glosses, they just seem to come to me, or are just included in a gift or set where I like everything else in it and there happens to be a lip gloss. Or it was was free as in the case with this one (Sephora Birthday gift in 2009 I think, old, I know, but no smell or consistency issues)

9. Degree Nature Effects Honeysuckle + Tea Tree Oil Body Mist
Why: One day in spring I was really jonesing for a perfume that was honeysuckle scented and then I stumbled upon this in Walmart. It was ment to be. I loved it. But its been a few months and my craving has subsided. Luckily this wasn't that big and seemed to last for the perfect amount of time. Still have a little left and shouldn't have to suffer too long. Still love the product but just over my Honeysuckle phase. If I ever have another phase I know where to go.
9/4/2011 Finally finished it! Still love it, even if the scent is kinda sheer and doesn't necessarily last all day. Truly quenches my honeysuckle fix so if I have another phase with that scent I'll know where to turn :)

10. Victoria's Secrety Sheer Fragrance Mist in At First Sight
Why: Bought this because I liked the scent in a moisturizer so when I had a coupon that allowed me to get this practically free I bought it. However I don't really like the scent in the mist form, was much better in the moisturizer. So, trying to use it up to justify other perfume purchases. But, from this experience I learned that I get over perfumes after awhile so won't be buying big body sprays any more. Glad I learned something, not happy I still have more than half of this bottle to suffer through
11/3/2011 DONE! Still have the same opinion about the scent. Wouldn't repurchase the scent but would perhaps the actual product (luckily I still have 1.25 bottles in Girl's Night left so no shopping for me!).

KILL COUNT: 8/10

Final Remarks:

Product Purge Quest

So, I'm on a quest to use up products in order to justify buying new ones. Here are some products that I've managed to use up recently and what I thought of them:

1. Clinique Even Better Skin Tone Correcting Moisturizer
      I like this moisturizer. Have gone through a full size (this is a sample/gift with purchase size) as well as two of these smaller sizes. Have one more small size left. Payed for full size once, but I don't think I'd do it again. Too expensive for something that doesn't fully deliver on the skin tone correcting aspect. Though I do think it may have helped my dark sports fade a little bit.


2. Bare Escentuals Mineral Veil
      I like this finishing powder. Its so light and smooth, and feels so good when you put it on. I got this in my BE starter kit thing so its little. However, this was the first thing I ran out of and I ran out of it sooo much faster than anything else. Would repurchase but the price of it compared to how fast I go through it isn't worth it. I'll stick to my ELF Tone Correction Powder.


3. Bare Escentuals Clear Radiance
     I hated this product and used this up for the sake of using it up. It came in my BE starter kit so luckily it wasn't full sized. A series of changing containers and using it randomly as a kind of blush and a few times as an eye shadow allowed me to use up this product. Still not sure what its for, though it is a nice super subtle cheek color, but it doesn't last.


4. Bare Minerals Foundation in Fairly Light
     I had a super big powder foundation phase (kind of transitioning into a cream phase now) and the BE starter kit this came in spurred my make-up obsession. I ran out of this after much effort (still had another one left in light) because I like the Matte version of the foundation better (sampled the matte kind in the little bitty $20 starter kit I tried before the big starter kit this came in). Have subsequently repurchased the full sized matte foundation. Not sure yet if I'll repurchase again after that one runs out because I am going to try the Laura Geller Balance and Brighten foundation first when I use up my full sized Matte.


5. Josie Maran Get One Give One Instant Volume Argan Mascara
      I loved this mascara til the very end (even suffered through some clumps and flakes when it was drying out!). I would repurchase this. Had a good balance between definition and volume. But, after finishing this I received the Blinc mascara in my Birchbox and its definitely giving this Josie Maran mascara a run for its money. Not sure which I would repurchase when given the choice. However, that  buying time is far out because I have like 4 mascaras to use up and a few I wanna try before coming back to the question of which to buy.


6. YuBe Lip Therapy
      Love love love this chapstick! Including the funky camphor smell! I would definitely repurchase this! After I go through the 4 chapsticks I am trying to use up before purchasing more I definitely see YuBe as my choice when I am "allowed" to buy more chapstick! (Related: I love the lotion too! Going to buy some of that when (if ever) I run out of the giant Vaseline lotion I have right now)


7. Victoria's Secret Smoothing Body Scrub in Girls' Night
      The Girls' Night scent from Vicky's is one of my favorite scents EVER! Bummed I ran out of the scrub, because I can't repurchase it due to discontinuation of the line. However, I'd rather get my Girls' Night fix from the body wash or body spray because I hate this contain. It really cramps the hand to try and get some scrub out when you near the end.


8. Philosophy Begin Again (Tangerine) High Foaming, Shower and Bath Gelee
      This was my first Philosophy product and I had a lot of fun with it. It got me through some hard times. But I'm not sure if I would repurchase unless I stumbled upon in in TJMAXX again. Just too expensive for a normal seeming bubble bath. The scent was divine though!


9. Benefit Some Kind of Gorgeous Foundation Faker in Medium
      This foundation started my new love of cream foundation. I loved that Benefit sold this mini size because it was a perfect way to try the foundation! I applied it with a round foundation brush and buffed it in. Loved the simple coverage and the texture. Really considering buying the full size when I'm in the market to return to former foundation loves (still have some foundations to finish and try before coming back to old ones). The only thing that stopped me from buying it immediately this summer was the fact that the product to price ratio isn't spectacular due to how fast one goes through cream foundations. Hense, wanna try some drug store cream/mousse foundations first to see if there is a cheaper alternative to Some Kind of Gorgeous. Also! I tried this foundation because Sarah Hawkinson talked about it being one of her favorite foundations once. 


10. Rosebud Strawberry Lip Balm
      I loved this lip balm, but I don't know if I'd repurchase it if only because the container lasts soooo long! I literally took me seven years to finish this because I always forgot I had it and I never made progress in finishing it until I made it my mission. Lovely scent, lovely moisturization though! Would definitely not reject it as a gift or something though. Just wanna try lots of things and having something last so long impeds that! haha

INGLOT!

Went to NYC this week for 2 days and went to INGLOT! YAAAAAYYY!!!
After wandering around Chelsea Market and then realizing Inglot was on a different floor and you had to use a specific elevator to get there, I finally got to Inglot and had a good ole time. The set up was slightly weird since I'm used to a more consumer like setting. It felt more like a salon or something and that make up artists are really the only ones who go there, but whatever. I asked for assistance once I knew what I wanted, they retrieved my items, and I was on my way. Here is what I got (two shots or same palette to try and show color better):

In order the colors are: Matte 390, Pearl 402, and Pearl 422


Much better than buying a palette with only a few colors I love, eh? :P 

August 2011 Birchbox

Got my first Birchbox today! YAY!
Don't know what Birchbox is? Or wanna join? Click Here

Here is what I got (will be updated later with reviews once I have used each product enough to review):

1. Befine Night Cream 0.5 fl.oz
        I've heard good things about Befine products from Youtube and Blogs, so I'm excited to try this
Update: I love the way this smells! Kind of bakery-esque. Nice smooth texture, not too heavy. But not sure I would buy it if only I don't see this making any kind of significant difference in my skin and is therefore rather expensive for something that is just fine (but does smell delightful!) WOULD PURCHASE ON SALE


2. Befine Exfoliating Cleanser Single Serve
        Kinda bummed that this is only single serve size because one of my favorite Beauty Gurus on Youtube loves Befine cleaners, but its a rather big single serve size so I think I'll at least get a good idea of the product when I try it
Update: HATE THIS CLEANSER! Was way to gritty and rough for my taste. And I absolutely appauled the smell! Gross. Nothing good about this cleanser. May be pretty good at sloughing but was so turned off by the smell that I didn't take the time to fully wash my face and just washed it off after a few scrubs and switched to my regular face wash. WON'T PURCHASE


3. Blinc Mascara
         This is the kind that makes those little tubes! I'm so excited to try this!
Update: I love this mascara. Idk if this is emphasized by the fact that the last mascara was kinda flaky but the formula for blinc is so nice and liquid-y that it NEVER has clumped so far. I don't like a lot of volume, just definition and a little length so this mascara was perfect for me. MAY PURCHASE AFTER USING UP ALL MY OTHER MASCARAS


4. Kate Spade New York Twirl Perfume Sample
        Always have wanted to try this one out! So far I like it... may have sprayed some on my wrist the first second I got :)
Update: I really like the smell of this! And it does kinda make me wanna Twirl and have Breakfast at Tiffany's like Ms. Golightly. But, I think its a dupe-able smell. MAY PURCHASE ROLL ON OR IF FOUND AT TJ MAXX/PURFUMANIA/DISCOUNTED, ALSO WOULD LOVE A CHEAP DUPE


5. Liftlab Lift & Fix(TM) High Potency Solution
        Don't really need anti-aging serums, but apparently its made out of a protein from Acrtic fish, so that's pretty cool! Definitely will try it out and use it up since it's not gigundo
Update: I loved the consistency of this, not sticky at ALL! Which was a super plus because other serums that I've tried were rather sticky. This serums texture though was kinda liquid-y, which can be awkward at first to apply in your hand, but on your face it feels amazing. However, I'm not really sure what this is supposed to do and haven't noticed anything different about my skin from using it. Maybe it needs more time than what the sample can provide to show me, but at this point its too expensive for something that I only love the texture about.


6. Twistband (TM) Hair Tie
        Looks kinda like the Sephora Brand ones I noticed online the other day. So pretty pumped to get one and not have to buy the Sephora ones! I have it in my hair right now, so far I like it. Only thing I wish was different was that it wasn't like tied and knotted together. Would probably love it even more if it was just a continuous loop, not a strip of flat elastic tied together
Update: I think I love this hairband. Most hair bands give me a headache after a while, and this one can still do that if I am in a headache prone mood already, but the headaches with this hairband is significantly less awful that they are with other hairbands. I love how comfy it is on the wrist. The only thing I don't like about it is the fact that it is a strip tied together. Would LOVE it if it didn't have the knot because I don't like the look of the knot in my hair and obsessively try to keep the knot on the bottom of my ponytail, haha. WILL PURCHASE A SET WHEN I HAVE ENOUGH BIRCHBOX POINTS

What did other people get?

Next Up

Here is a list of some products I'm interested in trying next when I use up my current products in the appropriate categories:

Powder Foundation: Laura Geller Balance and Brighten
Liquid Foundation: Dream Matte Mousse
Eye shadow: Urban Decay, Bare Minerals Pressed Shadow
Face: Bosica T-Zone Treatment
Mascara: Natureluxe Mascara, One by One