Jan & Feb Empties and Discards

The first 2 months of the new year just flew by which means it's time for an empties post. Let's look at all the stuff I've managed to finish

KPN Neelibhringadi Coconut Oil

INR 85 for 100 ml

This is my second bottle which should tell you how much I love this stuff! I am not repurchasing immediately because I've bought the fabled Catharidine hair oil as well as a ton of others to try.

Garnier Fructis Oil- in -Cream

INR 35 for 50 gm

I'm so glad to see this gone. Didn't like it one bit.

Garnier Fructis Oil-in -Cream sachets X 4

Free Sample of 7.5 gm

Why oh why do we only get free samples of products we don't like? Managed to finish 4 sachets & finally get rid of this.

Head & Shoulders Conditioner

INR 4 for 7.5 ml

One more free sample. Decent conditione, might repurchase.

Parachute sachets X 2

INR 1 for 2.3 ml

I got this as part of free toiletries at a hotel in Kerala. Believe you me, the Keralites take their hair oil seriously. Been ages since I've used Parachute hair oil. I've moved on to newer loves.

Lotus Herbals 3 in 1 Matte Look Daily Sunblock

INR 345 for 100 gm

My HG sunscreen since forever. My skin looks almost poreless when I apply this. However, of late this one simply doesn't cut it anymore for me during the winter. Blame my drying skin - where is all the oil going?! For summer though it doesn't get any more perfect than this.

Clean & Clear Oil free Moisturizer

INR 50 for 50 ml

I've used umpteen tubes of this all through school & college. Bought this simply so i would qualify for free shipping. Because God Forbid if I've to pay shipping for anything! As stellar as ever.

Astaberry Fruit Face Wash

INR 55 for 60 ml

Got this free with Astaberry facial kit. Decent face wash but I simply didn't take a shine to the smell. No repurchase.

Hyalugel

INR 250 for 30 gm

One word. Awesome. Will be buying for all eternity.

St D'vence Moisturizer

INR 55 for 50 ml

Got this free with something. Decent moisturizer for summer

Sure Dry Shield Anti -Perspirant

INR 85 for 40 ml

Buying this since ages & looks like I will continue. The Cinthol Deostick that I bought to replace this was such a huge disappointment. Running back to this one.

Cotaryl

INR 72.50 for 50 gm

My HG hand cream. I've super dry hands & need a urea based moisturizer. I like everything about it except the smell.

Parachute Body Lotion

INR 5 for 18 ml

Chotu bottle- will last for 2 days. Perfect for small breaks /holidays.

KLF Cocosoft handmade coconut soap

INR 45 for 75 gm

Love this one to bits. Still have one more of this.

Nature's Essence Orange Scrub Soap

INR 30 for 75 gm

Fantastic soap. Smells zesty & the scrub particles help in getting rid of tan faster. Use a light hand- the scrub particles are quite abrasive.

2 Body Lotions from the hotel stash

Wonder if I will ever finish this mountain of mini products! Anyhow, even small steps count.

HealthVit Biotin 5000 mcg

INR 420 for 60 capsules

Not really a beauty product. But I've seen marked difference in my hair fall after using this. Have bought one more bottle of this.

P.S : Do NOT pop pills without consulting your doctor.

Discards

Silk n Shine Hair Potion

INR 135 for 100 ml

This one's ancient. I loved this product when it was first launched but later, I felt like it was contributing to my hair fall issues. Wonder why I kept it for so many years

Lakme Lip Love

Don't remember the price

This is also pretty old. I didn't use it for the longest time because it was so pretty. When I finally did use it, I felt it was not moisturizing enough. Discarding now after an eternity.

V color Nail Polish Remover Pad

INR 45 for 40 wipes

These are an absolute waste. They dry up so quickly. I could use the other 2 (had bought 3 together) partially but this one's dead.

What have you finished up?

Review of Hyalugel by Ethicare Remedies

Hi girls,  I've been meaning to review this product since a long time. The reason it was difficult to put words to my thoughts was because this gel has a split personality disorder. It behaves completely differently in summer & winter.

Early last year I decided to be more serious about anti- aging & start using acids. I zeroed in on Hyaluronic acid to begin with. While a lot of fancy ingredients come & go, I was truly impressed by the properties of Hyaluronic acid. 1teeny tiny gram of Hyaluronic acid can hold upto 6 litres of water! How awesome is that! I didn't want to buy any regular drugstore product with a token amount of the acid (generally less than 2%) and since I trust pharmaceutical products more, I bought Hyalugel by Ethicare Remedies.

INR 250 for 30 gm

Ingredients-  Aqua, Glycerin,  Hyaluronic Acid, Carbomer, Preservatives

Hyalugel comes in a regular tube packaging with an outer cardboard box. All the details regarding it are printed on both the tube & box. The tube has a hologram sticker to prevent tampering. It's a clear odourless, colourless gel which gets absorbed pretty fast.

First off, my skin background. I have oily facial skin which is getting drier since I hit 30. I started using this in summer as a night cream & within a week it had plumped up the 11 shaped frown lines on my forehead. I was ecstatic with the result & continued using everyday. My pores remained the same size though. I didn't notice anything extraordinary during the rest of the time.

Come winter, I continued using this as before. Except when I woke up my skin looked absolutely parched. I didn't know what had gone wrong. I started reading more about this stuff. Turns out, the product plumps up your skin by drawing moisture from the atmosphere. But in drier climates, where there is not much moisture in the atmosphere, it still tries to draw moisture from the very depths of your skin. Not a good thing. It's easy to remedy by layering on an emmolient cream on top. I've always scoffed at people using a separate neck cream, decolletage cream etc but that is exactly what I've had to do while using this product. Though my face has oily skin, my body has dry skin & that is why I had to layer on 2 different products- one for my face & one for my neck. (I knew laughing at the zillion step Korean skincare regime would come & bite me back in the ass!)

Overall, I'm pretty pleased with this gel. It plumps up your skin noticeably & doesn't cost a zillion bucks.

Yays

Utterly light weight, literally sinks into the skin

Plumps up your skin in a matter of days

Hydrating without being greasy

Absolutely no smell which is a boon if you have to layer multiple products (don't want to smell like a bouquet)

Does not break you out

Cost effective

Nays

Absolute pain to use in winters or for people with dry skin.

I think the positives far outweigh the negatives. If you are looking for a stellar anti- aging product, go for it blindly. It does work wonders.

Oriflame Haul

So I hauled again & here I am to share the details of the loot

Oriflame Pure Skin Clarifying Scrub / Purifying Mask

INR 109 for 6ml + 6 ml (Sale Price INR 85)

I think this would be perfect for summer. Can't wait to try.

Oriflame Nature Coconut Oil

INR 189 for 100 ml

Just bought on a whim

Oriflame Pure Color Pressed Powder in Light Medium

INR 349 for 20 gm (BOGO Offer)

I simply can't resist BOGO deals. I initially thought this was overpriced but it's WAY bigger than a regular compact- almost 3 times the size.

Oriflame Nature Secrets Anti- Perspirant Deodorant

INR 199 for 50 ml

Another whimsical purchase.

Oriflame Royal Velvet Set

I've been lemming after this for a while & decided to indulge finally. My agent gave me a generous 10 % discount on the whole set & I was jumping with joy ...until I chanced upon Amazon selling the same thing for 3500! That's 2 grand lesser. Sob, sob.

INR 5495 for

Creamy Cleansing Milk 200 ml
Soothing Toner 200 ml
Firming Day Cream 50 gm
Firming Eye Contour Cream 15 gm
Ultra Firming Capsules (28 capsules)
Repairing Night Cream 50 gm

I couldn't resist the decadent smell & tried the day cream. It's too rich for my oily- normal skin. Guess I'll have to wait for winter to start using this.

Have you hauled recently? Such a mood lifter.

November & December Empties

Hello all & a very happy new year. I'm so excited about my empties this time as I have managed to finish a lot of products this past month. And it even includes makeup. How proud am I! Let's begin.

Patanjali Coconut Hair Wash

INR 95 for 150 ml

Easily my most favorite product from Patanjali. It's an absolute God sent for people with frizzy, dry hair. I love how it soothes my scalp. Will be buying this for all eternity.

KLF Nirmal Virgin Coconut Oil

INR 320 for 500 ml

Not too impressed with this one. The consistency is pretty thin & it disconcertingly never solidified too much- even in the dead of winter. Finished using it by doing oil pulling. Not repurchasing ever again.

Ayur Herbal Body Care Lotion in Cocoa Butter

INR 200 for 1000 ml

I've used up so many bottles of this back in college. Totally value for money. I might buy a different variant next time.

Patanjali Kesh Kanti Natural Hair Cleanser

INR 75 for 200 ml

I love this shampoo & have been using it from several years. Eyeing the aloe vera shampoo next.

Khadi Herbal Bath Salt in Nag Champa

INR 300 for 200 gm

This smells divine! I don't know if it does anything much but it's absolutely relaxing to use + the bathroom smells great for the entire day. I even took this with me while on a holiday just to use in the bathtub. Ah bliss! Might buy again.

Nature's Essence Magic Perfect Papaya Face Wash

INR 60 for 65 ml

I got this as a free gift with a facial kit. Although it doesn't lather as well as I want it to it cleans like a boss. I have even used it to wash my face when I was using light makeup & it's removed every speck of it. Also it smells awesome. Definite repurchase.

Cetaphil Moisturizing Lotion

INR 260 for 100 ml

Bought this a while back after the relentless "Cetaphil Jai Jai" of most bloggers. Everyone seems to love this except me. It's super thick which rules it out as a facial moisturizer for me. And when I tried using it as a body moisturizer it was sticky & uncomfortable as hell. Glad to see it gone. Never again.

Aloe Veda Wild Jasmine Luxury Shower Gel

INR 180 for 300 ml

Quite like these shower gels especially since I stocked up on them at INR 120 each. Love the subtle smell & the non-drying nature. What I don't like is the label which gets all wonky & wrinkled within a couple of uses. I mean you are calling yourself "luxury", at the very least look the part. Still have 1 more of this.

Nature's Essence Magic Lemon Hand & Foot Cleanser

INR 100 for 125 ml

This was part of a Manicure kit which I got as gift with purchase somewhere. It smells like every other lemon dishwash liquid. Hated it. Used up by cleaning tiles etc. Never again.

Patanjali Mogra Body Cleanser

INR 25 for 75 gm

Can you tell I'm in a jasminy frame of mind? This is my favorite soap from Patanjali & have repurchased it many times. Love!

Nivea Nourishing Body Milk

INR 99 for 75 ml

Just regular stuff. Nothing to write home about.

Dove Intense Repair Conditioner

INR 40 for 40 ml

Got this as part of "Fun Friday Gift" while shopping on Nykaa. Exactly what is fun about a conditioner I'll never know. Anyhow, decent conditioner. Love the smell. Might repurchase.

Garnier BB Cream

INR 99 for 18 gm

Good God! This was bad for me. It gives a very shiny look which even a compact can't take care of for more than a couple of hours. Plus it gives zero coverage. Also it doesn't photograph well. What is the deal with this thing? Glad it's gone.

Lakme Perfect Radiance Intense Whitening Compact in Golden Medium

INR 150 for 8 gm

Took forever to finish this. I didn't like it one bit.

Tips & Toes Top Coat

INR 99 for 9 ml

Decent top coat at decent price. Nothing spectacular though.

Head & Shoulders Conditioner x 3

INR 4 for 7.5 ml

Another free gift. I somehow got on to the conditioner bandwagon pretty late but I'm making up for lost time. Good enough conditioner.

Chik Hairfall Prevent Shampoo x 2

INR 1 for 6 ml

Not great. Will not be repurchasing again.

Garnier Fructis Oil- in- Cream x 2

Free Sample of 7.5 gm

Does not work like oil, does not work well as leave in conditioner & does not work well as conditioner as well. What's with the OTT smell?

One Single Lone bottle of hotel shampoo

I can't seem to stop picking up these things. Might as well use them.

Discarding these things this month

Oriflame Dual Skin Corrector in Medium

INR for 1.6 gm

Too chalky for me & gets patchy when applied.

Coloressence Lipstick in Hot Look

Coloressence Lipstick in Magenta Janta

Coloressence Lipstick in Brick Red

INR 199 each

Got all 3 as part of their bridal kit along with kajal. The kajal is awesome, the lipstick not so much. Does not fade away evenly & gets patchy. Also all the bullets are shaky.

Nivea Fruity Shine Lip Balm

INR for 4.8 gm

Pet peeve- glitter in lip products. I mean what!

Revlon Lipliner Pencil in Burgundy

INR for 1.15 gm

Yet another gift with purchase. Don't like the colour too much.

That's the end of my rather long list of empties. Do you like decluttering often?

Makeup Haul

I've never really done a haul post before mainly because I've been trying to finish the shit I already have. But its been close to 2 years since I bought any new makeup & frankly, the stuff's been calling out to me. The only difference is in the way I shop- I've reasoned & researched before every single purchase, whittling away at my wishlist until it was just what I needed. Also I've stopped being such a brand snob- no point spending big bucks if the quality is same & you are anyway going to junk it in 2 years with 3/4th of the product unused. Sigh! Girl problems

Castillo Eyeliner in Black, Grey, Taupe, Teal, Golden, Chocolate Brown

INR 325 for 3 gm each

I've never heard of this brand before but it had glowing reviews + it claims to be made in Germany. All the eyeliners I've used before which were manufactured in Germany have been stellar. Also, I simply couldn't pass up an opportunity to have so many colours. The eyeliners are well pigmented, smooth & an absolute breeze to apply. They last for 6+ hours after which there is a bit of fading but it does not migrate anywhere else. While I love all the other colours, the grey and taupe ones make me look ill. Nevertheless, good purchase.

Coloressence Intense Long Wear Liquid Lip Colour in Rose Petal

INR 350 for 8 ml

After watching the swatch video on YouTube countless times, I zeroed in on Antique Ruby & Rose Petal. Somehow, at the last minute I felt Rose Petal would be more wearable & ended up buying it. And thank heavens for that- the lip colour is super vivid & does not budge. At all. It is a wee bit drying on my lips but nothing horrendous. It dries to a matte finish & I'm madly in love with this colour.

Arezia Matte Me Lipstick in Skin Kiss

INR 250 for 6 ml

Unless you've been living under a rock, you know that matte lips have been in for a while. I initially wanted to buy the Chambor one but the price tag put me off. Am glad I bought this - it's the perfect nude shade for me. It is drying like all other matte lip products. Nothing unmanageable though.

Me Now Kajal in Black, Emerald Green, Brown, Sky Blue, Sapphire Blue, Caterpillar Green

INR 300 for 4.2 gm each

Another unheard of brand though there are a fair bit of reviews on YouTube. Simply love these kajals. They stay put for about 4+ hours after which they fade a bit but there is hardly any smudging. The sapphire blue is my favorite of the lot.

Maybelline White Superfresh Compact in Coral

INR 150 for 8 gm

I'm not running out of compacts anytime soon but I couldn't resist it at just 100 bucks. Not used yet & will not be opening this until my existing compacts finish.

Elle 18 Glow Compact in Marble

INR 150 for 8 gm

Another 100 INR purchase. Like I said before, I like a good bargain.

I also bought 6 ADS lipsticks (there are no half measures with me) but seem to have misplaced them somewhere. Will post them separately. Have you bought anything lately?

Project Pan

I've always liked the idea of starting a Project Pan. The deal is to finish products that I've hit pan on & thus finish more stuff. While it sounded good on paper, I was super apprehensive to actually start it. What if, like always I wouldn't manage to finish anything?

Nevertheless, I really want to finish using my makeup. After I gathered all my half empty products, I realized they all belonged to the same family- base makeup. Let's not get totally crazy & try to finish lipstick. That'll take an eternity.

Lakme Perfect Radiance Intense Whitening Compact in Golden Medium 3

INR 200 for 8 gm

I've hit pan on this in December 2015 but it's showing no signs of dying. How much stuff is in this thing! 8gm doesn't sound like a lot but it's taking freaking forever to finish. One of the reasons I took such a long time to hit pan was because I absolutely hated the finish of this product. Halfway through, I realized the problem was the applicator- what a terrible puff! I've since switched to a brush & am galloping away towards the finish line. Hope to include this in the next empties post.

Streetwear Color Rich Perfection Compact in Neutral

INR 275 for 7 gm

I love everything about this compact - the colour matches to a T, the puff is decent & the packaging is cute. I hit pan about a month back. I keep this in my bag & use only for touch-ups or when I'm travelling. Gonna take significantly longer to finish this.

Garnier BB Cream

INR 99 for 18 gm

I don't really like this too much which is why it's taking so long to finish. It gives a dewy finish to my face which I have to set with powder. Too many steps for something that gives little to no coverage. It fares better in the colder months though. Hoping to finish it this winter.

L'oreal Base Magique Transforming Smoothing Primer

INR 995 for 15 ml

The first & only primer I've ever used. It smoothes skin & makes my makeup last much longer. I've almost hit bottom-I can see the base but not quite.

Maybelline Dream Liquid Mousse in Pure Beige Medium 2

INR 650 for 30 ml

I LOVE this stuff. The colour matches to a T & photographs well. I've finished about half of this & I thought it would be a great idea to buy a backup. So now, I have one & half bottles of this foundation. Chipping away steadily- let's see how long it takes.

Lakme Perfecting Liquid Foundation

INR 125 for 27 ml

The colour is a tad too pale for my skin & way too yellow. I use this only when I'm practicing looks. About halfway through this.

Maybelline Dream Lumi Touch Concealer in Honey Miel

INR 600 for 1.5 ml

I hopped onto the concealer bandwagon really late but I'm blown away by what a difference it makes. I absolutely love it & I'm about halfway through this one as well.

No Name Concealer Palette

I bought this off ebay for just 4 $. There are a wide variety of colours along with 3 corrector shades. The texture is buttery smooth & blends well. I don't know how long it will take to finish this- too much product. I've not really hit pan on this but it's been a while since I bought it & I just want to use it.

Have any of you tried doing a Project Pan? Did it help? Comment below.

September & October Empties

Hello all, Sorry for disappearing yet again. Last time I did a combined empties post for 2 months due to time constraints. Turns out I want to continue doing just that. For starters, there are more number of empties generated. Plus it feels good to see so many finished products together. I get a psychological high from that. Honestly, I was getting a serious complex seeing other bloggers' empties. How in hell do they finish so many products? Anyhow, this whole empties post once in 2 months is going to be the new normal. Let's start

KPN Neelibhringadi Coconut Oil

INR 85 for 100 ml

I need to use coconut oil for my super dry hair or else I develop dandruff quite easily. I was on the lookout for a coconut based hair oil that contained Bhringaraj. I've used the Baidyanath Bhringaraj Hair Oil earlier with stellar results except for 1 tiny problem. It has a castor oil base which does nothing for my dandruff prone scalp. This one ticks all the boxes. While I'm not able to discern anything noticeable as far as my hair health is concerned, it has taken care of my dandruff like a boss. Have already repurchased another bottle.

Chik Hairfall Prevent Shampoo Sachets x 3

INR 1 for 6 ml

Just bought a few sachets to try out this shampoo. I'm trying to use more products from Indian companies & hence this experiment. Good enough but not great. Might not repurchase.

Sunsilk Jasmine Black Shampoo Sachet

INR 1 for 5.5 ml

My HG shampoo. Still have a few more sachets. I prefer buying many sachets instead of a giant bottle. Its easier to chip away at & comes in handy while travelling.

Clean & Clear Pimple Clearing Face Wash

INR 55 for 40 ml

Leaves my skin feeling overdry & tight though it does seem to help with pimples. No repurchase.

Vaadi Herbals Mint Lip Balm

INR 25 for 6gm

I'm so glad I bought this. Its become my new HG lip balm. It moisturises well & smells amazing. Infact, I seem to reach for my lip balm less often while using this- one of the reasons it took forever to finish. Also it doesn't leave an oily film in your drink when you sip something- another of my pet peeves. All in all, superstar. I have 2 more variants of the same.

Streax Perfumed Body Mist in Refreshing Lily Vanilla

INR 120 for 100 ml

Decent body mist but definitely something you can give a miss if you are a regular perfume user like me. Will be repurposing this spray bottle to store my toner. I had bought a set of 3 -1 more to go.

Lacto Calamine Lotion

INR 160 for 120 ml

My lifeline. I don't even know how I will function without this. Will repurchase forever.

Astaberry Wine Facial Kit

INR 200

My new favorite facial kit. I like the fact that all tubes except for the cleanser finished at the same time. Will be buying the bigger size next time.

Nature's Essence Diamond Face Cleanser Oxygel

40 gm (Full set costs INR 700)

Part of the facial kit. After the face pack, this is the second product to finish from the set. Decent enough but no repurchase. I'm bored of the scent.

VOV Perfume Polish Cleanser

100 ml (Don't remember the price)

Love this. It can handle the most vivid colours & even glitter with consummate ease. Have bought a different variant.

Discarding a few products this month

Colorbar Velvet Matte Lipstick in All Fired Up

Colorbar Velvet Matte Lipstick in Addictive Magenta

Colorbar Velvet Matte Lipstick in Brick- o- la

Love all of these colours but they have gotten really hard over time, almost like crayons. It's difficult to apply smoothly even after applying lip balm. Does anyone know how to make them soft again? I really love the colours & the staying power and definitely don't want to throw them away. If wishes were horses eh?

V color Nail Polish Remover Pads

INR 45 for 40 wipes

These are terrible. More than half the wipes dried up completely & became useless. Still have one more of this.

So that's that. How many products have you finished lately?