Cetaphil Therapeutic Hand Cream with Shea Butter ($7 for 3oz)
Wow, clearly I use up hand cream slowly because the packaging for this product has long since changed. Either way, I love this hand cream. I use it at night before I go to bed, and when I wake up my hands still feel nice and soft. I'll admit, it's a little greasy and tacky before it sinks into your skin, but that doesn't bother me. If it does, I would recommend picking up another hand cream, or just doing what I do and using it before bed (since you won't notice it when you're sleeping!). I think this is a great, affordable hand cream, though I can't guarantee they didn't change the formula when they changed the packaging (how old is this!?). You can find it at drugstores near you.
Also, pro-tip: when you think you've run out of cream (or whatever product that comes in a tube), be sure to cut open the top! I had almost two weeks of extra usage from all of the hand cream I couldn't squeeze out of the tube. I took this picture beforehand, but I cut off the top using a dull pair of scissors (you don't want to ruin your nice, sharp ones) and I could see so much extra cream stuck to the sides and bottom of the tube! People, you could be throwing away weeks' worth of product!
Lancome Genefique Eye Youth Activating Concentrate ($60 for .5oz)
You guys wouldn't judge me if I just started crying, right? Just kidding! But in all seriousness, I really enjoyed using this eye cream. This was a deluxe sample size worth about $30 given to me by a friend who worked in a department store. I just can't see spending $60 for an eye cream at my age, since I don't have wrinkles or serious skin concerns that this eye cream could solve. I applied this nightly before bed and I did see a difference in my dark circles (hereditary) and puffiness (from lack of sleep). Also, with the invention of products such as the Michael Todd Eye-O-Sonic (not an affiliate link) and other similar products that supposedly help the under-eye area absorb the cream better, I have to wonder if my expensive eye cream is even being absorbed. Without a vibrating, pulsating under-eye contraption, is it even worth it? I have no idea, but I've heard it makes a difference. Have any of you ever tried or heard about these kind of Clarisonics-for-your-eyes? I'm really curious. They're kind of pricey, though. Anyway, anyone have any suggestions for a good eye cream that isn't expensive and from the department store? Though I really did enjoy using this and found that it made my under-eye area feel really nice and moisturized, it's a little out of my budget right now. I think I'll try out some other ones first before I shell out the big bucks for this one, especially since it's really not in my budget right now (unless I want to live off of ramen and PB&J for the next two months). If it's in your price range, you can find it at Sephora or a department store near you.
Aveeno Positively Radiant Tinted Moisturizer SPF 30 in Fair to Light ($17 for 2.5 fl oz)
This one's on me, since I let it expire. This has actually been expired for quite a while, and it just got to the point where I decided that I didn't want to risk putting something potentially harmful on my face, so I just had to toss it. I liked it, since the coverage was sheer so it didn't just feel like I had a face caked up with makeup. The coverage was even sheerer since I mixed it with my regular daily moisturizer, since I found that this didn't moisturize my dry skin the way it needs to be. I wouldn't buy this again, just because I have to "water it down" with my moisturizer but if you don't have dry skin or need a lot of coverage, I would check this out. I feel like Aveeno is definitely one of the more overpriced brands in the drugstore. I've been pushing towards the direction of BB creams lately (Western, but I'm looking to try Asian ones), so I'll leave this aside for now. But if you're interested, you can find it in drugstores and Ulta.
Yes to Tomatoes Facial Wipes ($6 for 25 wipes)
I really liked these wipes, maybe even better than the Yes to Cucumbers wipes. They didn't dry out and I think the salicylic acid helped to clear up some of my acne. They had a mild scent, but it was nothing that bothered me. If you're sensitive to scents, this might bother you, though I didn't find that the scent lingered on my face long after wiping my face. However, what I don't like about face wipes as a whole is that I burn through them so quickly! At one a day, these were gone in less than a month, and that's just an expense I don't like to have. I've moved on to using a toner and some cotton pads, but I really did enjoy these. I found them refreshing and cleansing, and maybe I'll repurchase them sometime in the future. You can find them at drugstores and Ulta.I've also been looking to try the Yes To Blueberries wipes. Anyone have any experience with them?
Clarisonic Sensitive Brush Head ($25)
I've used up my first brush head for my Clarisonic Mia 2! The manual says to replace them every three months, but I got a little lazy and just replaced mine now. But can you blame me, at that price? Geez, that's where they get you--not with the price of the brush, but with each brush head you'll be buying. Anyway, they say to prevent bacteria build-up, it should replaced four times throughout the year (thus every three months). I kept mine on a little longer (well, from Christmas until now) and I didn't experience an increase in more acne, so I think it's okay to be pretty lenient with brush replacements. I wouldn't wait too long, but think of it as a replacement tooth brush head: when it starts to look a little wonky and worn, it's probably time to replace it. My bristles were a little stained from makeup and they were a little bent out of place due to frequent use. It was definitely time to replace the brush. However, what really made me decide to replace my brush was that I found $12 replacement brush heads on Amazon. My new one just came in the mail (the green acne cleansing one) and it works perfectly. I'm really happy I didn't pay double the price on Clarisonic's website! Check out the Amazon listings: they also have two-packs for $20! That's STILL under the price of one! And if you have Amazon Prime or Amazon Student, like me, you get free two-day shipping! Can life get better? I submit that it cannot!
Well, that's all for this month. I told you the list was short! I'm on a quest to use up some products before allowing myself to buy anything new (we'll see how long that lasts) so next month's post might be long!
What products have you used up this month?
