July 2015 Empties

EMPTIES #1 | JULY 2015

 

 

Every month, I round up my empties so I can share reviews and evaluate how much of my stash is being used.  This month, I'll be posting my reviews on the blog instead of my Instagram page- they get pretty lengthy and it's hard to read on IG's graphic interface.

 

 

  

First up: candles!  Far left and top are Goodwill candle purchases ($3 each), and they were between 17 and 20 ounces apiece. 

 

 

 

 

I wasn't able to find out anything about the Apple Cobbler candle far left, not even the brand name.  I can tell you, though, that the burn time was great and the throw was fine.  Nothing stellar, but you did get a bit of throw in a medium-sized room.

The candle at the top, however, gave off no scent whatsoever.  It's Ashland brand, which I found was made for sale in Michael's craft stores.  Coincidentally, these are currently at rock-bottom clearance prices, if you want to take a gamble.

Extreme clearance on Ashland candles at Michael's stores.

Lastly, we went through four Mainstays candles.  Mainstays is a brand found at Walmart.  Candles are usually priced at about 50 cents an ounce (so, ~$6 per 11.5 ounce candle), but these were marked down to $1.50, so we purchased several.

Reseller (inflated) pricing on Amazon.com

We burned two scents: Fall Fruit Cornucopia and Lemon Basil.  The scent throw on these was great!  We also didn't have any issues with the wax tunneling or flooding the wick, and the price was definitely great.  However, they burn SO fast!  I haven't been able to find any reviews of the 11.5 ounze jars online, and I was hoping to confirm that other people were feeling this way, too.  So, my uncorroborated experience is that these have relatively short burn time for the size.  However, given the scent and ease of burn, they were still worth the price.

 

Next up: bath, body, and beauty! 

 

I tend to go through a lot of hair stuff in a month (specifically, conditioner), so no surprise that I went through yet another Salon Care gallon-size jug of Honey Almond conditioner.

 

 

 

I hauled about two dozen gallons of these Salon Care conditioners earlier this year when they were being sold for $4 apiece.  I did get different scents, simply to see how they compared to each other.  However, I made the mistake of trying the Honey and Almond version first, and I accidentally developed very strong feelings for it.  So, I've been using this exclusively every month.

 

It smells great (to me) - the scent definitely is reminiscent of almond, and lingers on your hair for some time after rinsing.   I use this is a co-wash, a conditioner that is used in place of shampoo to cleanse hair without stripping moisture.  This really helps with detangling during the cleansing process, as well.  

 

 

INGREDIENTS:  Water , cetyl alcohol, stearalkonium chloride, propylene glycol, dicetyldimonium chloride, fragrance, polymethoxy bicyclic oxazolidine, citric acid, blue 1, red 4, yellow 5, red 33, prunus amygdalus dulcis (sweet almond), hydrolyzed keratin, pectin, honey. 

 

The ingredients are pretty solid, so consider using this as a base for other hair treatments, like deep conditioners (add shea butter and yogurt powder), glosses (add henna powder and allow dye to release 6 hours or overnight), and leave-ins (add aloe juice and grapeseed oil). 

 

REVIEWS: The reviews on Sally Beauty are a bit mixed, which may come down to the hair type of the reviewer.  Naturally curlies seem to be big fans, which explains why I'm also on the bandwagon.  :)

 

BOTTOM LINE: Two thumbs up for this one!

 

 

 

About a year ago, I found Clairol hair products at Big Lots for $1.50 each.  I didn't purchase anything except the leave-in conditioner, but I purchased a LOT of it.

 

 

 

INGREDIENTS: Water, Polyquaternium 37, Propylene Glycol Dicaprylate, Behentrimonium Chloride, Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride, Fragrance, Phenoxyethanol, Cetearyl Alcohol, Panthenol, Methylparaben, Ppg-1, Trideceth-6, Peg-20, Stearate, Certyl Alcohol, Disodium Edta, Sorbitan Oleate, Hydrolyzed Silk, Sweet Almond Oil.

*Please be aware that this product is not paraben-free. 

 

REVIEWS: The reviews on SleekHair.com (where this will cost you $12!) are wholly positive, 5-star raves.  On Amazon.com (where you can get 3 for $16), it's got a 4.8/5 rating (the result of one 1-star review thrown in with 16 5-star reviews) and is universally praised.  So, I guess I have nothing more to add!  :) 

 

I mix this in with coconut water and grapeseed oil to make a leave-in spray, and I also use it as-is on damp hair to provide slip for combing and to moisturize before sealing with a heavy oil or butter.  My Munchkinface has been swimming just about daily recently, and I've been using this on her hair daily to keep it shiny and healthy.  It's truly EXCELLENT stuff.  I recommend checking your Big Lots before I buy it all!

 

BOTTOM LINE: Two thumbs up!

 

 

 

 

This was found at Dollar Tree sometime during last summer, and I purchased two or three.  I don't use 'cones because they tend to dry out my hair, but they don't have a negative effect on my daughter, so this is part of her little hair care stash. :)

 

 

INGREDIENTS: AQUA / WATER, GLYCERIN, PROPYLENE GLYCOL, OLETH-20, VP/VACOPOLYMER, PEG-40 HYDROGENATED CASTOR OIL, PEG-12 DIMETHICONE, PARFUM /FRAGRANCE, PHENOXYETHANOL, POLYQUATERNIUM-4, CETRIMONIUM CHLORIDE, HEXYLCINNAMAL, PEG-70 MANGO GLYCERIDES, POLYQUATERNIUM-11, GERANIOL, LIMONENE,THEOBROMA GRANDIFLORUM / THEOBROMA GRANDIFLORUM SEED BUTTER?,METHYLISOTHIAZOLINONE, LINALOOL, BENZYL ALCOHOL, 2-OLEAMIDO-1,3-OCTADECANEDIOL.F.I.L. D41339/1 U.S. PATENT: 5,618,523; 5,679,357; 5,700,456 - ?CUPUACU BUTTER

 

 

REVIEWS: The reviews on Walmart.com are positive, the only persistent con being that this product is no longer available on the ground.  The reviewers of Naturally Curly were generally nonplussed, feeling that this product isn't effective for its intended purpose. I don't share their feeling, however.  I find that anything wet will activate a curl, so I'm not sure why this didn't work for them.  I've been encouraging Munchkinface to start learning to care for her hair (she's nine), and this has been one of her go-to products to help with manageability.  She sections her hair in fourths, spritzes this generously on each section, and combs through each section from root to tip.  Once she's done with one section, she moves to the next.  This is truly one of the best sprays we've found for that purpose.   

 

 

BOTTOM LINE: We would repurchase if found again for $1.  Otherwise, there are a few other good detanglers in our stockpile that can take its place. 

 

 

Once upon a time, I made my own oil mixes.  We had dozens of different oils in our house and would combine them for use as a scalp oil, makeup remover, face wash, hair sealant, bath oil, skin treatment, whatever.  Then, I found this baby at Dollar Tree.

 

 

There are tons of oils, extracts, and botanicals in this mix, including carrot oil, which is SUPER pricey.  The olive and safflower oils deliver ceramides to your hair and skin, which will keep your hair shiny and your skin supple.

 

INGREDIENTS: Soybean (Glycine Soja) Oil , Walnut (Juglans Regia) Seed Oil , Kiwi Fruit Extract , Olive Fruit Oil , Castor (Ricinus Communis) Seed Oil , Sesamum Indicum (Sesame) Oil , Jojoba Seed Oil , Carrot (Daucus Carota) Oil , Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis (Sweet Almond) Oil , Tocopheryl Acetate (Vitamin E) , Safflower (Carthamus Tinctorius) Oil , Calendula (Calendula Officinalis) Flower Extract , Yarrow (Achillea Millefolium) Extract , Cucumber (Cucumis Sativus) Extract , Carrageenan (Red Seaweed) Extract , Ginseng (Panax Ginseng) Extract , Sage (Salvia Officinalis) Extract , Comfrey (Symphytum Officinale) Leaf Extract , Aloe Vera (Aloe Barbadensis) Extract , Fragrance

 

 

REVIEWS: The Walgreens reviews are overwhelmingly positive (4.7/5), and I recommend (if you're interested in this product) reading through to see how different people use it.  One reviewer uses this as an ingredient in her handmade soaps! 

 

 

BOTTOM LINE: This oil blend is a holy grail for me.  I wish it didn't include soy and fragrance, but those are truly my only complaints.  Many of these mixes include silicone derivatives to enhance the silky feeling, but this one is 'cone free.  I'm so glad to have found this.  I'm down to my last few bottles, so I'll need to find a deal on these quickly. 

 

 

 

 

I was gifted this jar of Nothing But Cleansing Conditioner from a fellow curly-head.

 

 

INGREDIENTS: Water (Aqua), Glycerin, Cyclopentasiloxane, Dimethiconol, Glycine Soja (Soybean) Oil, Polyacrylamide, C13-14 Isoparaffin, Laureth-7, Fragrance (Parfum), Acetamide MEA, Hydrolyzed Keratin, Panthenol, Propylene Glycol, Sorbitol, Sodium Cocoyl Collagen Amino Acid, Cocoyl Sarcosine, Wheat Germ Acid, Triticum Vulgare (Wheat) Germ Oil, Linolenic Acid, Linoleic Acid, Sulfur, Polysorbate 80, Oleth-10, Simmondsia Chinensis, (Jojoba) Seed Oil, Tocopheryl Acetate (Vitamin E), Hydrolyzed Glycosaminoglycansance, Diazolidinyl Urea, Iodopropynyl Butylcarbamate, Hexyl Cinnamic Aldehyde, Citronellol, Hydroxycitronellal, d-Limonene, Linalool

 

I used this on my daughter's hair, and it was fine.  It has some good ingredients, but it wasn't anything life-changing for us.  We do just as well with the cheapies, like VO5 and the SalonCare conditioner reviewed above.

 

REVIEWS: The reviews on Amazon are all over the place.  It's too watery, it's too greasy, it's the best thing for co-washing, it's a crappy cleanser.  I'd have a hard time deciding whether or not to purchase this product based on those reviews - which kind of says it all.  It's not a budget product (it retails for about $10 per 16 ounce container), so I don't feel it's worth going out on a limb. 

 

BOTTOM LINE: I won't be repurchasing this.

 

 

Photo courtesy of drugs.com

 

 

I purchased this product after having especially bad headaches for about a week.  Typically, I just power through, but they were actually keeping me up at nights, so I decided to give these a try.

 

INGREDIENTS: Active Ingredients: Acetaminophen 500 mg, Diphenhydramine citrate 38 mg Inactive ingredients: corn starch, croscarmellose sodium, crospovidone, FD&C blue #1 aluminum lake, FD&C blue #2 aluminum lake, hypromellose, magnesium stearate, microcrystalline cellulose, polyethylene glycol, polysorbate 80, povidone, shellac, silica gel, stearic acid, titanium dioxide

 

REVIEWS: I wasn't able to find any reviews online, so I'll just share my experience.  These worked quickly and continued to work throughout the night, enabling me to sleep through severe headaches.  I was incredibly pleased with this purchase and will continue to stock this in my medicine cabinet.

 

BOTTOM LINE: Two thumbs up!

 

 

 

 

 

I found a twin pack of travel-size Secret Clinical Strength deodorant at Big Lots, and decided to give it a try.  I currently use Dial 24-hour protection ($1 at Dollar Tree), but have heard great things about Secret's extra-strength product.

 

INGREDIENTS: Active Ingredient: Aluminum Zirconium Trichlorohydrex GLY (20%) (Anhydrous). Inactive Ingredients: Cyclopentasiloxane, Dimethicone, Tribehenin, Petrolatum, Cyclodextrin, C18-36 Acid Triglyceride, Fragrance, PPG-14 Butyl Ether.

 

REVIEWS: Reviews on CVS.com are overwhelmingly positive, with one reviewer stating that it "lasts for days".  Not sure that was the intention of this product, but good to know nonetheless.  On Makeup Alley, however, there were a lot of references to allergic reactions and rashes, potentially caused by the scenting agent.  I did enjoy the fragrance, and I didn't have any negative effects.  It was also nice to use a solid antiperspirant (my HG product is a gel), and I didn't end up with white stuff all over my clothes. 

 

For me, this product- at $7 to $10 per 1.6 ounce tube- is too pricey.  The trial sizes were so small they don't even roll up, so you've basically got a couple of weeks, maximum, before they've kicked it.  It's the only negative, but it's major, y'all.  I'm cheap!

 

BOTTOM LINE:  I'm sticking with my Dial, which is inexpensive and always in stock.

 

My holy grail destinkifier in gender-neutral Crystal Breeze.
$1 at Dollar Tree - check out its Amazon reviews

 

 

If you follow me on Instagram, you already know how much I LOVE my smell-goods (as my hubbinz calls them).  This month, we went through two Bath & Body Works products and some Dollar Tree bath and body items.

 

Bath & Body Works holiday shimmer mists

 

First, I worked my way through another Jingle Bellini by using a bit every night after my bedtime shower.  I absolutely love the scent, but the glitter is a huge annoyance, so I'm actually glad to see it go.

NOTES: Peach champagne, apricot nectar, and powdered sugar.

REVIEWS: The Makeup Alley reviews are all very positive, as are the Bath & Body Works reviews. Only a handful of negatives about the glitter, which- for me- is the major con.

BOTTOM LINE: NO MORE SHIMMER MISTS!  Next time, I'll just get a lotion.

Bath and Body Works foaming hand soap in Winter Cranberry

 

NOTES: red apple, black currant and sparkling cranberry

 

REVIEWS: The lone Makeup Alley review is favorable, but mentions that these are pretty pricey at full price (it's true - only shop B&BW during their epic sales!).  The reviews on the Bath & Body Works site are also positive, and focus more on the scent, which is strong and lovely.

 

BOTTOM LINE:  Highly fragranced, and the bottle lasts a long time.  I will repurchase this scent!

 

 

 

NOTES: berry, vanilla, sugar

 

REVIEWS: I wasn't able to find any reviews of this product online, so I'll just share my thoughts.  I purchased this at Dollar Tree because I figured Munchkinface would love it and be a little better about washing her hands.  While it did work well that way, it was NOT a good hand soap.  It didn't lather much, and didn't have any scent at all (at least, not detectable by a human nose).  I often do the sniff-test to make sure hands are washed, and the test was always inconclusive with this one!  It also has a very odd, kind of gelatinous texture.  Not a problem of itself, it does tend to make the product slip right out of your hands and directly down the drain.

 

BOTTOM LINE: Will not repurchase.

 

 

 

 

 

NOTES: candied cherry

 

REVIEWS:  Once again, there weren't any easily-found reviews of this product online so I'll share my secondhand feedback.  Munchkinface loved using this because it was scented, branded up the wazoo, and- the only practical thing I can say- was shaped perfectly for a hand to grip.  It did actually smell like candied cherry, but the scent didn't really linger on the skin much.  It was a good purchase for $1, but I will probably stick with my favorite of these licensed  Dollar Tree body washes - MINIONS! 

 

BOTTOM LINE: Would not repurchase.

I have been purchasing Dollar Tree fragrances for myself for years, and have been generally impressed with the eau de toilettes made by European American Design and Jordache/Jean Philippe.  But it wasn't until the last two or so years that I started picking these up for my husband.  We did a round of sniffing and landed on Thierry Mugler's Angel, and we rode that scent hard for about two years.  Recently, I spotted an impression of Nautica for men, and I knew it was coming home with us.

NOTES: Top notes are aldehydes, lime, coriander, cypress, cinnamon, tarragon, clary sage, neroli, bergamot and lemon; middle notes are cyclamen, jasmine, caraway, rose and geranium; base notes are sandalwood, amber, patchouli, musk, oakmoss and cedar.

REVIEWS:  I didn't find any reviews of this product online, so I'll share my opinion.  This is GREAT!  :)  I haven't sniffed the original in well over a decade, but this scent immediately recalled it to my memory.  It's a very strong fragrance, though it admittedly doesn't last quite as long as its pricier inspiration.  Still, you won't find a better deal than 2.5 ounces of eau de toilette for $1.  This is probably my favorite of the men's collection.  Truly an AWESOME find.

BOTTOM LINE:  Will repurchase in bulk.  I love this scent!

 

 

WHEW.  We're finally done!  If you read it all the way through, you get a gold star!  Thanks so much for reading - I'll be back with more empties next month.  :)

 

 

Disclaimer:  Many of these products contain ingredients that are hotly disputed.  I do some research of my own, but I also encourage you to do the same.  Head on over to your favorite website (like CosDNA, Cosmetics Info, or EWG) and give yourself a scare.  :)