Empties: January 2013

It's a month into the new year already! How quick does time pass by these days?! 1 down, 11 more months to go!

I am really looking forward to further downsizing my stash this year and purchasing less too of course.

Here's what was emptied in January:

1. CLARINS Gentle Foaming Cleanser with Cottonseed [Trial]
2. CLARINS Cleansing Milk with Gentian (Combination skin)
I really like this, would most definitely repurchase. I used this as a makeup remover following the instructions enclosed in the packaging.
3. CLARINS Gentle Exfoliating Refiner [Trial]
4. CLARINS Multi-Active Eye Revive [Sample]
5. CLARINS Lotus Face Treatment Oil 
LOVE! This product saved my congested skin, it is my second bottle and I will continue to repurchase. Full review to follow soon!
6. CHANEL Ultra Correction Line Repair Anti-Wrinkle Eye Cream [Sample]
7. CHANEL White Essentiel Whitening Emulsion SPF10 [Sample]
8. DARPHIN Intral Soothing Cream

9. Aromatic Body Lotion
10. CLARINS Bust Beauty Firming Lotion
11. CLARINS Bust Beauty Extra-Lift Gel
12. CLARINS Total Body Lift
This is a really old formula which I had lying around but never got round to finish, the brand has since updated the formula 2-3 times. It does help with toning my legs and the newer formula does perform better, I just need to apply it religiously!
13. CLARINS High Definition Body Lift [Trial] (latest formula)
14. Rose Oil Bath Gel
Purchased in Taiwan about 2 years ago, I was quite reluctant to finish this up as it quite good for my skin. It's the perfect rose scent for me- not sickly sweet, but a more natural rose and it left my skin smooth and soft.
15. CHANEL Hydrating Lip Treatment SPF15
One of the few lip balms I've come across which has SPF, not excellent but I repurchased because of the UV protection and the luxe packaging.
16. Viktor & Rolf Flowerbomb Shower Gel [Sample]
LOVE! This is one of my favourite scents to wear, I've gone through a 100ml bottle (no small feat for me) and it's probably the only perfume which I have 2 bottles of back up!
17. Kerastase Luminous Softening Shampoo

18. Etude House Mini Anti-germ Hand lotion
19. NIVEA Extra Whitening Cell Repair & Protect Body Cream
20. L'OREAL Perfect Clean Soothing Foaming Cream Wash
This came with a scrublet- while I liked the novelty of it, I had to use this face wash as a body wash as it wasn't helping out my congested skin. It would be good for those with sensitive skin-types as it did not agitate my face at all.

Thrown out:

21. Beauty Talk OxyMask
22. MAYBELLINE Clear Smooth BB Cream
23. Holika Holika Aqua Petit Jelly
Pretty to look at and it does deliver a nice tint but I absolutely will not keep a non-hydrating lip product in my stash. This product actually makes my lips dry and rough if I wear it for more than an hour and mine arent even dry to begin with.
24. Estee Lauder More than Mascara
25. Etude House Miss Tangerine Sweet Shower Lips
Coral lips and I just don't go. Never again!
26. OLE HENRIKSEN Ultimate Lift-eye gel
27. Sebastian crude-clay for hair (wayyy past expiration date)

Total empties for January: 27

A pretty good start for the year!

P/s: I also just had a birthday, guess how old I turned?

Gifts & Empties: December 2012

My last Empties post for 2012! 

Before I get there, here's what I received in December 2012...

That's a crazy amount of products, all of which were gifted! The majority came from a Christmas gift packed by Claire. I also ended up with a few new beauty products which are not pictured.

And I wonder how I end up with way more than I need. Thank you, generous friends!

Face products

On to what I emptied in December:

1. Hello Kitty x Rosette Cleansing Paste (am keeping the cute case to use as storage)
2. CLARINS Gentle Exfoliating Refiner [Trial size]
3. CLARINS Pore Minimizing Serum [Trial size]
4. OLE HENRIKSEN African Red Tea Foaming Cleanser [Trial size]
5. OLE HENRIKSEN Truth Serum Collagen Booster [Trial size]
6. OLE HENRIKSEN Truth Revealed Super Creme with SPF 15 [Trial size]
7. shu uemura Cleansing Oil 150ml
8. Lavender Water Mist

Body products

 9. CLARINS High Definition Body Lift [Sample]
10. Etude House Missing U Harp Seal Hand Cream
11. Himalaya Herbals Cream & Honey Soap- I found this soap to be moisturizing and an added plus was how it scented my bathroom with the lovely scent. Well worth the price!
12. Sexy Girl Hair Essence
13. batiste Dry Shampoo XXL volume
14. NIVEA Night Whitening Body Milk

Thrown out!

15. ettusais Medicated UV [Trial size]

16. OLE HENRIKSEN Invigorating Night Gel [Trial size]- I only used this twice, and I only have two words: IT BURNS!!!!

17. MAYBELLINE Clear Smooth BB Stick

18. L'OCCITANE Ultra-Matte Face Fluid [Sample]

19. CHANEL Vitalumiere Compact- Nothing wrong with the product, I just got sick of using the last bits (it kept crumbling on my dresser everytime I used it with a brush). Decided to chuck it out instead.

Not pictured:

20. Etude House Petit Bijou Soft Body Wash

21. KAO Essentiel Hair Mask

Total products emptied: 16
Total thrown out: 5
Total: 21
Total Feb - December: 154!!!

I think I did good in 2012, am aiming to clear out my stash even more in 2013!

Nails: CHANEL Morning Rose #557

My nails today, CHANEL Morning Rose- a soft rose pink with micro-glitter.

Its been on since Saturday night; Etude House base, 2 coats of polish and no top coat.

I will attempt to polish my nails more often this year!

Dior Cherie Bow Spring 2013 Makeup Palette #002 Rose Perle

Beautiful packaging from Christian Dior's latest Spring makeup collection. 3 eye shadows, 1 eyeliner and a lip gloss.

Palettes rarely feature an eyeliner, which is a plus in my books. The metal flap covering the gloss is also ingenious! No chance for loose bits of eyeshadow to settle on.

Limited edition, priced at MYR230.

While I love the packaging, I actually passed on this. Perhaps if it was CHANEL I might have taken the plunge. Product on loan from my sister.

More information/pictures of this collection can be found here.

Kitchen: Roast lamb & Potatoes

Made roast for the family last Sunday...

Polished clean in under 30 minutes.

So satisfying! Juicy and flavourful too. I managed to pick up some New Zealand lamb shoulder at ISETAN's FoodMarket for a good price. Approximately MYR 58 for 1.3kg of meat which serves 4-5 people. Score!

One more chunk of meat sitting in the freezer, which means one more round of roast coming up!