October’s trash stash features an exciting bunch of makeup products – woohoo! Every month I put my empties in a Sephora tote and this month, it was overflowing:
But I did manage to get a group shot:
Last month I seemed to have finished all my face skincare, but this month I seemed to have finished all my base makeup!
Skincare, body and hair items first:
MAC Cleanse Off Oil – $37 for 150ml (MAC stores, The Bay and online)
This is an olive oil based cleansing oil, rather than a mineral oil base – so it would suitable for those who can’t tolerate mineral oil. It is quite expensive, but I love how effective it is. It’s my top 3 cleansing oils. I do like trying different cleansing oils but I will always return to this one. The bottle is going into my pile of Back 2 MAC empties!
Stash worthiness: 9/10 Repurchase: Yes
Sukin Hydrating mist Toner – $9 for 125ml (Rexall and health food stores)
I’ve pointed out this multiple times and I will continue to get this considering that it’s perfection in a bottle. It’s hydrating without being too heavy, and the spray pump delivers such a fine mist – like a fairy sprinkling moisture droplets on my face!
Stash worthiness: 10/10 Repurchase: Yes
Michael Todd Intensive organic cream Eye treatment – $48 USD for 15ml (online)
I got this from Groupon along with the gimmicky Eye-O-Sonic device for ~$30. The eye treatment is a really watery milky serum that doesn’t absorb into the skin very well. The dispensing mechanism is really pointless – I don’t use the nozzle to apply to my eyes. The product is not very hydrating and I didn’t notice any difference to my eye area. I reserved this for summer time usage when I checked it and observed how lightweight it was.
Stash worthiness: 4/10 Repurchase: No
Bobbi brown Hydrating Eye cream – $56 for 15ml (The Bay, Murale, Sephora)
I redeemed optimum points for this, but unfortunately, I picked up the wrong item. I had really wanted the extra Eye repair Cream, but the jars look so similar! The Hydrating Eye cream ended up being too lightweight for my under eye area – my skin soaked up this product nearly immediately, leaving the area looking dry. I actually ended up using this as my day moisturizer to finish it up. I would recommend this product for those who do not need much moisture on their under eye area – it’s a great fragrance-free product.
Stash worthiness: 7/10 Repurchase: No
Sana Hiaruronsan moisture Gel – $18 for 25g
This consists of hyaluronic acid and has a powdery matte finish once dried, making it a base for the the summer. It has a bit of a baby powder scent but isn’t overwhelming. The little matryoshka doll container is too cute to throw away – I’m trying to figure out what to make with it.
Stash worthiness: 7/10 Repurchase: No (discontinued)
TheFaceShop konjac sponge – $4 each (TheFaceShop and online)
I use a konjac sponge every morning to wash my face in the shower. It’s just become a routine now. It helps to lather up my face wash and supplies gentle exfoliation. TheFaceShop one is my much-loved of all the ones I’ve tried so far – and it seems like the store has a constant supply of now after they were out of stock for months.
Stash worthiness: 9/10 Repurchase: Yes
Clarins Pure & Radiant Mask – $31 for 50ml (department stores & online)
I love this pink clay based mask! When I was younger, I used the stinky cult much-loved Queen Helene Mint Julep Masque – but now I would never apply something so strong to my sensitive skin. The Clarins one is so gentle yet effective – whenever my skin acts up, I apply this and it calms it down without over-stripping the skin. It’s a bit pricey for a mask but this tube did last me at least 6 months.
Stash worthiness: 9/10 Repurchase: Yes
Avon Anew scientific Micro-Exfoliant (I think it was around $30 for the 75ml tube, regrettably this is discontinued)
This is a very fine grain scrub that’s not too abrasive for my skin – it uses aluminum powder as its exfoliant. Once upon a time I was really into microdermabrasion type of products – lots of them felt like I was rubbing shards of glass onto my skin, but this Avon one fit the bill. My skin felt smooth and soft after using this, but didn’t turn incredibly red / splotchy from the abrasion.
Stash worthiness: 8/10 Repurchase: No (discontinued)
Sisley Eau Efficace gentle makeup remover for eyes and lips (deluxe sample) – USD $125 for 300ml
I am shocked at how dreadful this is at removing eye makeup considering how outrageously expensive this line is. It smears the makeup around rather than removing it – it can’t even manage non-waterproof mascara. I ended up using this up as a second step cleanser for my face after I oil cleansed. The only good thing about this is that it didn’t irritate my skin. I have another deluxe sample of this in stash – I am tempted to just throw it away! You know what’s an exceptional gentle eye makeup remover? Rimmel. That stuff is remarkable and it’s only $9.
Stash worthiness: 2/10 Repurchase: No!
The face shop THE therapy essential formula emulsion – $40 for 130ml (The face shop stores and online)
I received this as part of a kit that I purchased – unfortunately, this product ended up breaking me out. I broke the cardinal rule of not using a whole bunch of new skincare products all at once – so when my skin began to flare up I had to do some deductive sleuthing to figure out which one was the cause. I finally narrowed it down to this product over Thanksgiving weekend because it was the only cream I brought along, and my face erupted in little bumps all over my forehead and cheeks! even the SO asked me wtf happened to my face? It’s too bad because I do like this emulsion as it is lightweight yet very hydrating. I’m trying to figure out which ingredient might be the culprit – I’m thinking it might be the palm or canola oil? My skin typically hates “natural” type oils.
Stash worthiness: 6/10 Repurchase: No
Shiseido Instant Eye and Lip makeup remover (gwp size) – $30 for 125ml (department stores and online)
I’ve received and gone through many bottles of this. It’s effective to remove stubborn waterproof eye makeup, and gentle to the eye area. I just don’t think it’s worth the high price tag, and I do find that it clouds my vision and leaves a greasy film on my skin. I wouldn’t purchase the full size.
Stash worthiness: 7/10 Repurchase: No
Poshé topcoat – $11 for 14ml (Sally appeal Supply)
I didn’t take a picture of it but I discarded out the rest of my pink tinted Poshé so I could start fresh. I decanted from my big bottle back into the empty small bottle. Check out my review of this topcoat here.
Stash worthiness: 10/10 Repurchase: Yes
Beauty secrets Nourishing Acetone nail polish remover – $9 for $946ml (Sally appeal Supply)
This has been my go-to nail polish remover ever considering that Walmart stopped carrying my old favourite, the ONYX Moisturizing nail polish Remover. I go through this ~1L bottle about once every 8 months. This is a Sally appeal exclusive and they sell it in various sizes, including a jug that’s 4 times this size. I decant this into a Zoya remove pump bottle that I’ve probably been reusing for the past 6 years (Zoya remove is awesome, but too expensive for what it is). This remover gets the job done – I even removed UV gel polish using this.
Stash worthiness: 9/10 Repurchase: Yes
Neutrogena T/Gel® Therapeutic Shampoo – $10 for 130ml (drugstores)
This smells like the best blend of tar and moth balls. It boasts that it consists of 0.5% real coal tar! I relied on this for itchy flaky scalp last wintertime and just manage to finish it. It works well (nice lather, cleans hair but doesn’t strip it) but I’ve found other products work well too (Head & Shoulders) and doesn’t leave my hair stinking like tar + moth balls all day.
Stash worthiness: 7/10 Repurchase: No
Ion curl options styling Creme – $8 for 177ml (Sally appeal Supply)
I’ve used this before and I really like it. And considering that my beloved Biotera curl Creme has been confirmed as officially discontinued, this Ion one will likely become my next staple. I need remember to only use a small amount of this or else my hair gets crunchy.
Stash worthiness: 9/10 Repurchase: Yes
Curl Keeper – $17 for 250ml (salons / online)
I’ve been going through this stuff like water! I love it and will continue using this as long as they make it (or if I find something better / cheaper).
Stash worthiness: 10/10 Repurchase: Yes
Fat Hair 0 Calories root Lifter Spray – $12 (drugstores)
I got this in the clearance section so I paid half the regular price. It’s just ok – some days I can’t tell the difference between using this spay and not. I still like the now discontinued John Frieda root Awakening spray. I haven’t found a comparable replacement – yet!
Stash worthiness: 6/10 Repurchase: No
Delon+ premium Cotton Rounds– approx $1.60 for 100 count (available at Costco and Amazon.com)
I used these up every few months but I keep forgetting to keep the bag for trash stash posts. I use this nightly for my toner – it has a mesh exfoliating layer, is lint-free, and doesn’t fall apart. It’s very inexpensive and something that I always keep on hand.
Stash worthiness: 9/10 Repurchase: Yes
Nivea anxiety secure stick – $6 for 43g (drugstores)
This is my much-loved antiperspirant but I’m going to try to give antiperspirants a rest. This wintertime I’m going to test out natural deodorant options that don’t consist of aluminum. I’m just not sure to make of the information out there.
Stash worthiness: 10/10 Repurchase: Maybe
Time & again Shea Butter in gentle Rain
I received this as gift and it’s pretty good. I use it as a hand / foot cream at bed time. I like the formula – it’s thick but not greasy. regrettably I don’t love the scent. I’m not even sure where to get this brand – it says Ganz on the back so I’m assuming at gifty / card stores.
Stash worthiness: 6/10 Repurchase: No
TonyMoly Peach Anti-Aging Hand Cream – $7 for 30g
I received this as a present as well. I did not have high hopes for this hand cream – but it is a fantastic hand cream with a soft natural peach scent. It’s not greasy and absorbs swiftly and feels hydrating on my hands. It did get quite thick and dried out toward the end so I couldn’t even scoop out the last bits, I guess it dried out due to the jar packaging.
Stash worthiness: 8/10 Repurchase: Yes
Sephora Blotting Papers in natural Lavender – $10 for 100 sheets (Sephora)
These are actually quite good and reminded me of the Shiseido ones that I like a lot. Sephora doesn’t sell this particular kind but they offer a Herbal rose version now. The sheets are larger than the average blotting sheet so only 1 sheet is needed per blot instead of the normal 2 (big moon face problems) – great value.
Stash worthiness: 9/10 Repurchase: Yes
Prestige Primed & ready Eye primer – $15 for 15ml (London drugs and online)
This is one of my much-loved drugstore eyelid primers. It works perfectly to stop my eye shadows from creasing and it doesn’t dry out my eyelids. I purchased this on a whim when Rexall was clearing out the whole Prestige line when they replaced it with NYX, so I got it for 50% off. This particular tube lasted me ~18 months with daily use – it was absolutely worth it. I would consider repurchasing this if I come across the brand again. I’ve got another unopened tube of this, plus a couple of other primers to use up first.
Stash worthiness: 10/10 Repurchase: Yes
Makeup
Charmzone Natural Skinade BB cream – $45 for 50ml (Amazon & online)
A much-loved of mine. I did a review on this as one of my earliest articles so the pictures aren’t the greatest, but my review of it still stands – it’s an remarkable BB cream that I will repurchase as long as I can find it! I have an unopened tube of this gotten late last year.
Stash worthiness: 10/10 Repurchase: Yes
MAC Mineralize Skinfish natural in medium – $37 for 10g (MAC stores & online)
One of my much-loved powders. It supplies a satin finish that is very natural looking with some coverage (Charmzone BB cream + MSFN is my go to base combo). A compact lasts me around 4 months with daily usage. This is also going into my Back 2 MAC empties pile!
Stash worthiness: 10/10 Repurchase: Yes
Maybelline Instant Age Rewind double face Perfector in Light medium 720
The end of an era. This was my HG under eye concealer which got discontinued it in 2011 (I did a Maybelline concealer introduction here where I go over this product in a lot more detail). I gotten a few back-ups – there are still some of these floating around up for sale online, but even unopened, the stock is getting old now. My only problem about this concealer was the tiny amount (2.7ml) of product in the tube.
Stash worthiness: 9/10 Repurchase: No (discontinued)
Make Up For ever Aqua Eyes liner in 24L Taupe Brown – $15 for 1.2g (Sephora)
Look at the little nub of a pencil! I couldn’t even hold it to sharpen it anymore. I was so delighted to discover this a few years ago. I suffer from a debilitating deficiency in which I only have 3 viable eyelashes on my lower lash line. I look like an alien if I don’t wear just a hint of colour to create the illusion of lashes / depth on my lower lash line. but it was near impossible to find a light shade that looked inconspicuous. MUFE in 24L was the answer to my prayers! I’ve used up a couple of these liners before and already have a backup that I gotten last year. The only downside to this pencil is that it’s not 100% budge-proof, I do have to set it with a bit of powder eye shadow (I like MAC Wedge for that