Empties: May 2013

Almost into the 2nd half of the year, and so far I've been living off previous purchases and gifts but I might need to get some shampoo next month. I am currently using a Joico set that I received for my birthday (and before that I was using another L'Oreal set gifted for my birthday as well).

A few of the products emptied this month are staples in my current routine, I am quite happy with my skin at the moment. It's not at its best yet, but it is getting there.

Face care

1. CLARINS Gentle Peeling Smooth Away Cream [sample] I didn't like this very much but forced my way through a few tubes, it's supposed to be good for sensitive skin but I much prefer the other exfoliator from this brand.

2. CLARINS Gentle Foaming Cleanser with Tamarind [sample] Reviewed here previously. Would consider getting this as my 2nd cleanser to use after makeup remover at night.

3. CLARINS Lotus Face Treatment Oil BEST FACE OIL FOR SENSITIVE, CONGESTED, OILY, PRONE TO BREAKOUTS AND RED SKIN! This is my Must-Have product of all time!! Am on my 4th bottle, and based on previous empties, one bottle lasts me 2 months. I use 10 drops at night mixed with the Iris Toner (from CLARINS as well) and lightly press it into my skin. Under normal conditions you are supposed to only use 3-4 drops and it absorbs well without residue but my skin loves it so I'm okay with 10 plus I don't use a night cream after so the extra oil is okay for me. LOVE!

4. CLARINS Pore Minimizing Serum Another much loved product, as displayed here. Keeps my skin purified and I don't even need touch ups anymore during office hours. I use this as my first serum then followed by the 2nd below.

5. CLARINS Multi-Active Skin Renewal Serum I'm still on the fence with this serum, I do notice my skin being smoother and not as dull as from 3 months back but somehow I expected more? It doesn't break me out at all (yay!) so I am keeping it in my regime for now, plus I still have another bottle gifted by my mother.

6. Aesop. Control A treatment for acne-prone skin, I use this on blemishes which are forming and no, it doesn't make them disappear or shrink them- instead it brings the gunk to the surface and pops it quicker. I've mentioned before that I much prefer toxins out than in so shrinking the blemish is a no-go in my books. The only downside is sometimes I get unexpected bumps when applied on a seemingly tiny spot. I still have one more tube in my stash.

7. 8. & 9. L'OCCITANE Verbena Body Lotion [Trials] I received a bunch of these and FINALLY! they are all used up. I don't love the scent plus I did not find it very moisturizing, it did absorb very quickly though.

10. CLARINS Eau Dynamisante Shower Gel I like the scent, am considering getting the fragrance when I finish up more perfumes.

11. Escada Rockin' Rio 100ml EDT I used to love Escada scents when I was in college, sweet and fruity, but now they don't appeal to me anymore. Its still smells nice, just not on me so I was using this as a bathroom spray.

12. L'OCCITANE Green Tea Scented Candle I really like this candle, but it doesn't burn very well. The scent is refreshing and crisp, but too bad the sides just didnt melt despite me trimming the wick and shaving the wax down.

Total January - May: 117

Previous Empties:
January
February
March
April

Shoes Out (Part I)

Earlier this year, I pledged to only purchase ONE pair of shoes if I manage to throw out/donate at least 3.

It's the end of May now..

12 pairs! 

I think I did well, some I wore to death- those that still had life left in them were donated. The oldest pair were the sparkly ballerinas in the 2nd frame. They are NINE years old.

Then again, those white steel heeled pumps in the last frame were bought in a vintage shop in Melbourne and could possibly be even older than that.

Out of the dozen, I'd probably miss having 3) Turquoise bow heels from Alex Alex, 7) Cork peep-toe heels from Portmans and 8) Disney comic strip sneakers.

I've only bought 2 pairs of shoes to date and one of them are sports shoes.

Old picture from 2008, Melbourne

All mine; 50 pairs on display, easily another 30 in their boxes.

I really should reassess my whole shoe situation soon. Hopefully the numbers are decreasing.. I really don't need that many pairs.

Slowly but surely, I will declutter my life and let go of all things unnecessary!

Consistency

I rarely share my private thoughts here but sometimes even after talking about it to the relevant party, it doesn't change or clear up the situation.

If anything, it makes it even more complicated as the person brings in even more issues which were never part of the topic discussed.

So I am taking a step back to see what I could have said to trigger a chain of hurtful words being thrown my way; which includes- "I always let it slide", "why must you force me", "this is not the first time you've misunderstood me", and "you always think you're right" among other things.

Honesty to me is being able to speak and act sincerely and truthfully, despite what others may think. Of course, I am not referring to malicious words and things which you say without thinking. Everyone has an opinion, some, stronger than others.

More often than not, the truth hurts. The thing with me is, I can be passionately optimistic about something if I want to. Keyword: IF. Once I get tired of the same situation playing over and over again, rational and logical Xen comes out to play. This is the character that quite a few people can't handle. Once I start, the things I say will definitely hit some nerves because most of the time, they are the things which linger at the back of their minds, or so logical that it could be true but people do not want to hear. I refuse to sugar-coat, I refuse to empathize because I've had enough of it.

I would never say anything to hurt someone intentionally, so using the same logic, it must mean that the person who said those words to me above must have meant it to a certain degree. To the person, it looks as if I am completely narcissistic, self-absorbed, and close-minded. Traits which I would not like to be associated with.

Telling me I possess these traits is not as hurtful as finding out you actually had these thoughts about me.

I have re-read our conversation a few times, and each time I see the same thing- you lashing out at me, defending yourself and your actions, turning the topic unto me instead, and lastly saying you wanted peace all along. Perhaps I am so upset that I failed to see where the kind, peaceful talk was. For that, I will apologize for not seeing your true intention.

Everything has its cause and effect, choice and consequence.

This may very well be the consequence of a choice made to be too honest with my feelings.

xx 

Thoughts on heated discussions:
Put across your thought constructively. Establish what made you upset and how it could have been avoided.

Take what is being said as constructive criticism. The only reason someone is telling you what they feel about you is because 1) they feel they are close enough to do so 2) they trust you to fix the situation together. 

When attempting to explain a situation, refrain from insulting or questioning others when you do so. No one is on trial here, if you don't feel like talking just say so and tell them you will get back to them.

Walking away is a big no-no. It shows disrespect and how cowardly you are. (Unless you are the violent kind then yes please walk away before you hurt someone or yourself).

If one has decided to let it go and not to talk about it then, don't bring it up and talk about it now. (especially not in the middle of another discussion).

Do not claim to treat everyone the same when it is obviously not the same. Also, don't get offended when people point it out. Take it as a reminder to get your shit together and give people the same respect.

No one likes a finger-pointer. Own up to your mistakes and the part you played in the situation which unraveled. Don't try to make excuses and cover things up. In other words: suck it up, and apologize (sincerely).

If no one wants to own up, then you are definitely better off without each other.

xx

We already live in a crazy world, we don't need more madness around.

CLARINS Pore Minimizing Serum

This made its way into my Must-Have list.

I apply it every morning, after toner and under my 2nd serum.

Gone through 2 bottles and I love it. Purifies the pores, and smoothens uneven skin.

Please do not discontinue this!!!

Comments from a 11-year old

During the weekends, my cousin brother's son would usually drop by to play with our dog and he is usually quite entertaining with the things he says.

He is an incredibly bright child who can carry conversations with adults and whose general knowledge is quite vast. As with most kids his age these days, he is completely addicted to 9gag and YouTube.

So anyway, one of the weekends he came over and both my sister and I were in the midst of spring cleaning. He comes in, plops on my bed and after surveying the room he gets up and says:

Him: Where do you get the money to buy so many things? *earnestly*
Me: What? (totally taken aback)
Him: Yeah, you have so many things, you must have a lot of money! *admires things on display*
Me: ... (speechless)
Him: How much money do you earn?
Me: ... (still in disbelief)
Him: You must earn a lot to buy so many things.
Me: HAAHAHAHHA

And then he walks into my sister's room and plops down, playing with the dog. I follow him into the room a while later:

Me: Why didn't you tell her (my sister) that she has many things too?
Him: (looks around) No, not a lot here.
Sister: HAHAHHAA
Me: You little liar! What did she bribe you with!!
Him: No, nothing... *small smiles*

He comes into my room again later:
Him: You really have a lot of things...
Me: What? More than your mother? (note: his mother is a shopaholic)
Him: Yeah! More than her!
Me: My room is just messy!  Can't you tell I'm spring cleaning? I don't talk to little liars! Get out! (he knows im kidding)
Him: *laughs*

I am half in disbelief and half in a laughing fit that a child is innocently telling me I have too many things.

WELL, I AM WORKING ON IT!!!

Empties: April 2013

Empties! I feel a sense of achievement every time I finish up a product. It might not hold true for everyone but to a reformed hoarder, I am one small step closer to letting go of my many attachments. And also attaining more drawer space.

I dug out all the half-used travel sized shampoos I had in possession. Never again will I buy those, it is actually more convenient and economical to re-use a tiny bottle and fill it up with whatever shampoo I am using at the moment.

1. Dove Intense Repair Shampoo
2. WELLA Repair Hair Cream
3. batiste Dry Shampoo
4. L'OCCITANE Verbena Shampoo
5. L'OCCITANE Verbena Conditioner
6. L'OCCITANE Verbena Body Lotion
7. & 8. L/OREAL Color-Vive Protecting Shampoo Part of a 3-pc set I received for my birthday early this year, thank you Claire!
9. WELLA Color Saver Shampoo
10. & 11. ASIENCE Shampoo & Conditioner This used to be my HG shampoo, but after a few years my hair started to get weighed down and became flat. I've now switched to more natural shampoos.

12. VIKTOR & ROLF Flowerbomb Body Cream It is no secret I LOVE this scent, it is the only perfume which I actually finished a 100ml of and I didn't even use it as a room spray (which is mostly the fate of my other perfumes)! The body cream is lovely and moisturizing, and the scent is the same as the perfume.

13. I love.. raspberry & blackberry Body Butter One tub really does last me a month, with nightly use and slathering it on. I liked the scent, delicious, just as the Strawberry one.

14. CLARINS High Definition Body Lift LOVE. Review here.
15. CLARINS Body Shaping Cream

16. Seche Vite Dry Fast Top Coat It dries well, gives a high gloss BUT it also does cause a bit of nail shrinkage. I had to throw this out as it was very thick and clumpy, not too bad as I've had it for more than a year.

17. Etude House Nail base Jagi informed me that it has been discontinued, and replaced by another product. This too has been open for more than a year and has turned gloopy. Other than that, excellent for its price.

18. Etude Hello Kitty Mini Hand Lotion
19. di paloma White Grape hand & body lotion I like the scent and have tried a few variants from this brand.
20. Cath Kidston Wild Rose hand cream

Minimal face care emptied last month as I am mostly on full sizes now, so a bottle should last me about 2-3 months.
21. Etude House skin malgeum
22. DARPHIN Azahar Cleansing Micellar Water
23. CLARINS Instant Smooth Line Concentrate
24. CLARINS Blemish Control
25. & 26. Dior DIORSKIN Nude Foundation Samples
27. CLARINS Gentle Renewing Brightening Peel

On a side note: I haven't bought any skincare/bodycare for at least 6 months!!!!!

Total January - April: 105

Previous Empties:
January
February
March