December 2013 Empties

I struggled with doing empties posts.  I get satisfaction from throwing empty products away, and saving up a bunch of garbage kind of annoys me.  But I have a strange fascination with reading empties posts, and I think it’s a great way to give a quick review.  After you’ve used up a product, you should have a good idea how it works for you.   So I decided to suck it up and start saving my empties.  I’m actually surprised at how many products I used up this month, which is great since one of my goals for 2014 is to make a huge dent in my product collection.

Bosica Luminizing Black Mask (Sephora, $34)  It took me quite a while to use this mask up.  At first, I really liked it.  It’s a peel off mask, and once it dries, it’s basically a giant full face pore strip.  It is effective, but painful.  While it does a decent job clearing out your pores, it does an even better job pulling out your tiny face hairs.  I have since discovered the power of activated charcoal, and find it to be much more effective and much less painful.  I doubt I’ll repurchase.

Yes To Carrots Daily Cream Cleanser (Target, $7.99)  I really liked this cleanser.  There is no noticeable scent, and it does a great job cleansing.  I kept this one in the shower to use in the mornings with my Clarisonic.  It is creamy, lathers nicely, and washes off easily.  I will definitely repurchase this one.

Puur Body Lip Balm in Pumpkin Pie (PuurBody, $3.50)  This isn’t actually an empty, but it has turned.  I’ve had this for about a year, and just recently noticed the smell and taste had changed.  The lip balm is decently moisturizing, and smells great, but I wasn’t too fond of the taste.  It’s worth checking out, but I probably won’t repurchase.

Alterna Caviar Anti-Aging Moisture Shampoo & Conditioner (Sephora, $54)  I got this during Sephora’s Black Friday sale, as a set with the CC cream from the same line.  I love this shampoo and conditioner!  The bottles were enough for about 6 uses.  After the first wash my hair was noticeably softer and shinier.  In the short time that I used the shampoo and conditioner, my hair looks so much better.  The smell wasn’t too great, pretty earthy, but not overwhelming.  However, for as much as I love this duo, there is no way I would ever pay $54 for an 8 ounce bottle of shampoo and conditioner.  I will repurchase as soon as I’m rich.

Ojon Restorative Hair Treatment (Sephora, $19.50)  I LOVE this stuff!  In the jar, it has the consistency of a lip balm, but in your hands, it melts down to an oil that you work through your hair.   The directions say to leave it in for 20 minutes, but I always leave it in for a few hours.  It rinses out easily in one shampoo, and leaves hair super soft and shiny.  It also does a great job of reducing frizz, and the effects last for a few days.  I have already repurchased.

Caudalie Hand and Nail Cream (Sephora, $15)  This was a really nice hand cream.  It is very moisturizing without being greasy, and has a light grapefruity scent.  I would definitely repurchase.

Nivea Renewal Hand Cream (Drugstores, $5-6?) This has been in the bottom of my purse forever, but it’s not really great for on the go moisture.  The lotion is nice and has a nice calming scent, but it leaves hands super greasy.  I am so glad to have this out of my purse and finally be done with it.  I doubt I’ll repurchase.

Zoya Remove+ (Zoya, $4.60-$25)  I reviewed this along with the Zoya Color Lock System here, and I still maintain this is the best nail polish remover ever.  I have used this before, and still have another small bottle left, I am going to try making my own, but would definitely repurchase.

Josie Maran Bare Naked Nail Wipes (Sephora, $9)  Another one that’s not actually an empty, but I am tossing them.  I got these along with the Whipped Argan Oil Hand Cream during Sephora’s Black Friday Sale, and bought 2 sets cause I knew I would love the hand cream, though I was interested in trying the nail wipes as well.  And I absolutely hate them.  They are supposed to remove polish while keeping nails and cuticles moisturized.  They do remove polish, and they certainly deliver on the moisture front.  The oil doesn’t feel nice on skin, and so much of it is left behind, I felt the need to wash it off right away instead of letting it soak in, completely defeating the purpose of these.  Plus, $9 for 20 wipes is super expensive, and as someone who changes her polish almost daily, completely impractical.  I gave my second set to my sister to try out, and she hated them as well.

Zoya Payton + Color Lock System Review

So I had high expectations for Zoya’s Color Lock System.  I’ve read some great reviews, and I am always looking for something that will make my nail polish last longer.  For my review, I planned on taking pictures every day to show the wear, and imagined that I would be tortured with having to wear the same polish for a week or longer.  But that fear didn’t last long, as my manicure with color lock started chipping just as quickly as any other.

First, swatches of Zoya Payton.  This one is from their winter collection, and it is beautiful.  Zoya describes it as cranberry, but it’s more of a purple, with holographic glitter.  The formula was great and I’m showing 2 coats with Zoya Color Lock.

Now, for the Color Lock System.  The first aspect is Remove+, Zoya’s nail polish remover.  I have used this before, and it really is a great remover.  It melts the polish right off with minimal effort, and is moisturizing unlike pure acetone.  It is a bit pricey, otherwise I would use it exclusively.  There are several recipes around the internet to make your own Remove+, and as soon as I stop being too lazy to go out and find glycerin, I will be making my own.

The next step is Zoya Anchor, a base coat.  There is nothing remarkable about Anchor, it’s a base coat and does it’s job as such.  Armor is the top coat, and is meant to be used with fast dry drops.  I have never tried quick dry drops before, always opting for quick dry top coats instead.  As a top coat, Armor isn’t bad.  It is shiny, and with the aide of quick dry drops, it dries pretty quickly.  However, it doesn’t dry as quick or solid as other top coats I’ve tried, and I have managed to smudge every single manicure I’ve done with Zoya Color Lock.  As for the quick dry drops themselves…hate ’em.  Not only is it an extra step, but I find them very messy.  One drop on each nail results in my cuticle area and fingertips being covered in the drops, and I can’t wash them off since my polish is still drying.

Overall, I would skip Zoya Color Lock.  Remove+ is awesome, and Anchor is a decent base coat, but the system as a whole did not deliver on it’s promise of longer lasting manicures.  Their nail polish, however, is fantastic, and after my Black Friday haul, you can expect to see a ton of Zoya swatches coming up!

You can find Zoya here.  Have any of you had experience with Color Lock?