May 2014 Empties!

Oh boy have I finished up a good chunk of my stash this month. I apologize now for a couple of the dark pictures, I took them late at night in order to be able to toss this stuff out for garbage day. Anyway, let's get to it!

Alaffia Neem & Shea Butter Scalp Recovery Shampoo - This shampoo worked brilliantly in the colder months. I tend to have seborrheic dermatitis on my scalp, all year round, with dandruff on top of that in the winter. This helped clear up my scalp immediately and then stopped working. Will give it another go next winter.

Shoosha Baby Calm Baby Massage Oil - review here - This was a fantastic cleansing oil (for face) and moisturizing body oil, however, I hated that the bottle cap always leaked. Definitely not travel friendly and just plain annoying. Still, it was lovely and I would repurchase.

Andalou Naturals Apricot Probiotic Cleansing Milk - review here - Ignore the fact that the picture shows that this bottle is not completely empty, it is now. Loved and still love this cleanser so much. The scent was beautiful, it made my skin so soft and helped calm any redness that I had going on on my face. My only issue is that the pump stopped working (again!) at about the point displayed in the picture. Will 100% repurchase this cleanser, once I use up some of the others that I have in rotation.

Andalou Naturals Lavender Shea Hand Cream - I purchased this when the contact dermatitis on my hands, now confirmed ezcema, cleared up with hopes that it would keep my hands clear. Sadly, it irritated my eczema and so I ended up using it as a body lotion. It smells beautifully of lavender and moisturizes well but, I will likely not repurchase.

Aubrey Men's Stock Pine Deodorant - review here - Despite the spray apparatus constantly not functioning properly and the bottle randomly leaking, this worked great for me in the stink department. It is strongly fragranced and contains alcohol, however, it also contains calming ingredients like calendula and arnica. Would definitely repurchase.

Living Libations Neem Enamelizer Toothpaste - review here - Holy moly batman, this toothpaste made my teeth glow. Who knew teeth could glow? I guess anyone who's been using this toothpaste. The flavour isn't my favourite, neem *gags*, but it worked incredible well and I noticed a positive change in my teeth. I've picked up a different toothpaste in their range and see myself repurchasing this one again.

Living Libations Sea Buckthorn Shampoo - review here - Sea Buckthorn is one of my favourite oils, so naturally I had high hopes for this shampoo. It left my hair feeling oily and my scalp itchy. The scent was delicious and I enjoyed using it as a body wash though. Will not repurchase.

SBT Seabuckthorn Fruit Oil - review here - Speaking of sea buckthorn oil....This staining and oompa loompa orange oil was used diluted with other facial oils and in smoothies. As a supplement, it was great. As a skin care oil, it was also great but I much prefer the seed oil. Will not repurchase.

Osmia Spot Treatment - This worked as amazingly well as everyone said it would. I loved how little the bottle was, perfect for tossing in my bag, and smelled really nice. Will likely repurchase.

The Body Deli Blueberry Resurfacing Cleanser - review here - Ahh, this cleanser was a lovely weekly treatment for my face. It smelled incredible and worked well to chemically exfoliate my skin. The tiny bottle lasted me about 5 months, money well spent. Haven't decided whether I will repurchase or go for the scrub in the same family.

Tamanu Oil - review here - Love, love, love. Won't rave about it or say too much besides the fact that I will be repurchasing.

Batty's Bath Skin Support Serum - I didn't do a full review of this brand because I didn't find that it actually did anything for my skin. Couldn't think of what to say besides, "it didn't work". Recently, the owner told me that it takes several months for this serum to work because it treats internally instead of externally. Either way, I had hoped to see some sort of positive change. Won't be repurchasing.

*Blissoma Clay Renewal Treatment - review here - Oh sad, sad day. I heard my heart break when I finally scooped up the last bit of this amazing product. What can I say? It worked so well at fighting blackheads, acne, scars, and just keeping my skin suppppper soft. Shipping to Canada is a little high, so hopefully I can pick up another jar during a sale.

Batch Naturals Multipurpose Cream - review here - This cream was well loved by my elbows, knees, and especially feet. Towards the end it did start smelling weird, so I had to toss it. May repurchase once I use up all the other balms and creams that I have.

Province Apothecary Detoxifying + Clarifying Clay Mask (sample) - PA is a very lush Canadian brand with a beautiful collection of products, this mask being one. Aside from the smell of the Canadian Algae, which I couldn't stand, it worked really well at pulling impurities to the surface allowing me to extract them better. Yes, I squeeze my own face sometimes. Won't be purchasing the full size. 100% Pure Burdock & Neem Healthy Scalp Shampoo (sample) - While I'm not looking to stray from my beloved OM shampoo, I need a weekly clarifying treatment that doesn't involve me having to make it. Since it is a small sample, I haven't fully formed an opinion on it. I have a couple more to use, perhaps next empties I'll have more to say about it. Kjaer Weis Cream Blush in Lovely (sample) - This shade is very similar to my well loved W3ll People Universalist #7 Creamy Peony, however, the texture is much smoother and leaves a gorgeous sheen on the skin. Now that I know that I love the formula, I may need to pick up Blossoming...or...all of them? W3ll People Universalist #1 Creamy Pink (sample) - This is a total dupe for Nars Orgasm, without the chunky glitter fall out, and is stunning! Not sure I love it enough to pick up the full size but I enjoyed using this sample up. The All Natural Face Diva Stix in Milk - Tossing this out because I never use it.  Phew, done. That's what I've used up this month. Let me know below what you've gone through in May.

#NoBuyJanuary + Top 10 Wish List for 2014

Well hello there #NoBuyJanuary! You seemed like a good idea at first, but now I'm even more tempted to buy stuff. I have problems don't I? Don't answer that. In case you haven't heard about #NoBuyJanuary, it's basically a spending ban where you shop your stash and use up things you have. Obviously if you run out of an essential, which I doubt most bloggers will, you can go ahead and replace it. You can read more about the details and see which bloggers are participating by going over to Naturally Paula, the mastermind (or one of, can't remember exactly) who came up with the idea. Anyone is welcome to join in!
I'm honestly not much of a hoarder (no really!) and my beauty cabinet is a little sad and sparse in comparison to most beauty bloggers, from pictures that I've seen. Of course I have a few more products than I actually need, but if you've seen any of my empties then you know I'm good at using things up. I like to use up products before buying or opening others, unless you're a toner. There's no such thing as too much toner in my world.
In honor of #NoBuyJanuary, it makes the most sense to kick it off with a wish list..right? Right. In no particular order, I wish for....

**S.W. Basics Toner - I've loved every one of their products that I have tried and think it's time to take this relationship to the next level by adding this toner to my routine! $26 CAN.

**La Bella Figura Modern Radiance Concentrate - It's no secret, La Bella Figura is a very luxurious brand with a price tag to match. My biggest fear with high end brands is that the product won't work for me. Sure I can pass it to my mom or a friend, but when I drop that kinda money on a product I'd like to be the one to enjoy it. Know what I mean? I was fortunate enough to meet Victoria not too long ago, who's beautiful and sweet, and she had recommended the Organic Barbary Fig Seed Oil or Daily Elements Defense Face oil for my skin. This serum just sounds so good though, I can already see my acne scars disappearing just by reading the description. $163 CAN.

Me & The Girls Moon Beauty Serum - I love facial oils. I love tamanu oil. I love facial oils that contain tamanu oil and not a drop of argan oil. Basically, this was made for me. $38 USD

CV Skinlabs Calming Moisture - After seeing this post by the beautiful Britanie, I knew I needed to get my hands on this moisturizer. I have sensitive skin with dry patches on my cheeks, nose and forehead, totally opposite from my oily teenage years. Must have been the abuse I put my skin through by using stripping products. Live and learn people. $49 USD.

Aurelia Miracle Cleanser - Can't go wrong with a beautifully rich, probiotic cleanser! I'd love to compare it to the Andalou Probiotic Cleanser. £34.

Osmia Active Gel Toner - Calendula? Aloe? Hyaluronic Acid? Sign me up! $58 USD.

**Marie Veronique Organics Everyday Coverage - I got a sample of this baby from Fresh Faced and ended up really enjoying it! On lazy days I'd mix the medium shade with some moisturizer, add a little powder, and go on my merry way. It's so easy to wear and has SPF 30. $42 CAN.
**Kjaer Weis Cream Blush in Lovely - I just want to sing, "Isn't she looveelllyyy, isn't she beauuuttiful" when I see the shade name. Anyone? Anyone? No. Okay. This brand has been raved about non-stop, I feel I should give in to the peer pressure and just try it already. $56 CAN or $30 CAN for the refill.
**W3LL People Universalist Multi-Use Color Stick in #7 Creamy Peony - I love cool toned pinks and I cannot lie. I have a sample of this that I'm still using up and I just love it so much. Once I use up a couple of blushes, this one will be mine! $34 CAN.
**Ilia Lipstick in Femme Fatale - It's about time this grown woman introduces a real red lip to her life, am I right ladies? This is a beautiful cool toned red, that's not quite as dark as swatched above. $24 CAN.
That's it ladies and gents, that's my wish list for 2014 and that's me narrowing it down to just 10 items. What are you lusting over this year?
**These items can be found online at Clementine Fields, Fresh Faced and/or Eco Diva. I'm sure there are other Canadian e/retailers, however, I'm too lazy to search for them all.