Beauty Products Emptied in September 2015

I am often asked how I manage to finish so many products. Answer: 1. All-over-body moisturising two times a day. That guarantees at least one jar of body butter and one jar of body lotion each month. 2. My hair is very long and I deep-condition it once a week, so that's a couple of hair care products there. 3. I try to use a face mask once a week, so that is four sheet masks OR 1-2 face mask tubes (depending on the size) a month. The rest of the products are sundries that vary each month. 4. I also have targets and rewards; e.g. I will treat myself to a lipstick if I use up two extra products this month (yes, I keep count).
It was not always like this. I was a Hoarder with a capital H. Until a couple of products separated. Had I used those up, I would at least have had the pleasure of using them. That was the start of my "use-up" mission.

Scroll down for the deets on the beauty products I used up in September 2015.

Body lotions

Thann Mediterranean Floral Body Milk
The black pump bottle you see on the right is a Thai brand named Thann. I was "saving" this amazing-smelling bottle for dark days but the fiddly thing fell from the top shelf and broke - note the hole at the bottom. I lost half the lotion and ended up transferring the rest to random containers and used the lot up within a week. Believe me, I was greasy. But there was no question of wasting whatever I managed to save. A real bummer, that.
Repurchase? I would love to, once I near the end of my body moisturiser stash.
Grace Cole Lavender and Camomile Body Cream
Cruelty- and paraben-free British drugstore brand Grace Cole makes my favourite body moisturisers EVER. This one is no exception. The fragrance is truly mild and you can hardly smell the lavender. It is absolutely hydrating and absorbed very quickly.
Repurchase? Forever!

Face masks

Memebox Meme Mask and Sally's Box Hydrogel Mask
Both were sheet masks; not much to write home about except that my face felt and looked fresh the following morning.
Repurchase? I am going through a variety of sheet masks, so will not repurchase something specific.
Alpha-H Liquid Fold Smoothing and Perfecting Mask
I love EVERYTHING about this ah-mazing face mask which came in the Bath & Unwind beauty box. Except for one thing - it contains formaldehyde. They have mentioned it on the label and warned those sensitive to stay away. I don't think I am sensitive; I got through this whole tube without problems. But. BUT. You hear a lot about formaldehyde. Right from school days, when you realise that the preserved animals in the lab (yep, I grew up in the 1990s, before slides substituted dissection) are kept in formaldehyde. Even polishes have gone formaldehyde free. I'm not risking it, thanks.
Repurchase? No, not with the formaldehyde.

Hair care

Christophe Robin Regenerating Mask
Best dang hair mask ever. Why have I never used prickly pear oil for the hair before? Brilliant stuff! I want everything prickly pear oil. Sadly, there was only enough for one use in the little pot. I got this in my May LookFantastic beauty box here. This is exactly why I love beauty boxes.
Repurchase? During the Holiday season, when LookFantastic will have awesome GWPs.
VO5 Hot Oil
This used to be a cult product when I was at Uni. I re-purchased a few boxes of this recently for nostalgia's sake and was delighted to find it was as good as ever. You hold the little tube under warm water for a minute so the oil heats up. Then you apply it to the scalp and hair, leave it on for just one minute and then wash it off. Because the oil is on my scalp for just the one minute, it does not give me a stiff neck, but provides deep conditioning and de-frizzing for my hair.
Repurchase? Will do from Boots Dubai once I run out.
Dr Scalp+
I expected this ointment to get rid of flaky skin on the scalp. After going through the whole tube - which came in a Memebox - I am reporting that it did nothing for the few flakes I had.
Repurchase? Nyet. Nein. Nope.
SD Hair Steam 7 Days Hair Pack
I fail to see why this is named 7 Days - there was enough for just one use. So what was it? A sheet mask for the hair. You roll your hair into a little pouch which contains the serum. I like the concept, though I have a feeling my hair needs far more hydration than this lightweight mask can provide.
Repurchase? I have a couple more of these left.
Burt's Bees Super Shiny Grapefruit and Sugar Beet Conditioner
An oldie but goodie. I love the smell of grapefruit and sugar beet, and this conditioner was lightweight enough for CO-washing. The trouble with CO-washing is that you need a LOT of product to provide the same feeling that a palmful of shampoo provides. Nevertheless, as Bridget Jones says, "Will persevere".
Repurchase? Think I have another bottle somewhere.

Hands and Feet

Freeman Bare Foot Healing Foot Cream
I liked the texture and the hydrating formula of this product BUT the fragrance was a nightmare. Not only did it keep me awake all night but I also suspect it was responsible for my first headache in years. Niggling headache that made me grumpy for days.
Repurchase? No. Lavender and mint, when strong, are a bad combo. I have just started on foot cream made at Basilica Sao Paolo.

Miscellaneous

Dr Dennis Gross Alpha Beta Peel Extra Strength Formula
This sachet was good for just the one use but I really like what I saw and get why this is such a cult favourite. I want to try some more. It dried out my acne very quickly.
Repurchase? Most probably.

Ole Henriksen Truth Serum Collagen Booster sachet
I liked this on the face and it did not break me out. There was enough for just one use. Problem is, with so many must-tries in skincare, you tend to overlook so many good brands and products.
Repurchase? Depends on whether LookFantastic has good Holiday offers.
Josie Maran Pure Argan Milk
This was a product I had been waiting to use. It broke me out on the chin BUT I quickly discontinued use on the face and used it on my neck. I swear I have smoother skin on the neck now.
Repurchase? Again, depends on offers.
Benefit The Porefessional Pro Balm
Isn't it great when you finish makeup and not just skincare? I have started on the Bourjois Flower Perfection Primer now that this is out of the way.
Repurchase? I have more of these tubes but will not buy until I am halfway through the last one.
Korres Milk Soap
A mini soap that smelt great and felt creamy on the skin. There wasn't much lather, though.
Repurchase? No, I went on a soap-buying binge in Italy and have lots to be used up.
I swear there was also a Verso Cleanser sachet that disappeared after the first photograph. It was a gentle, decent cleanser though it worked well only on makeup-free skin. It did not remove much makeup.

What are the challenges you face in using up beauty products? Do you save or toss your empties, or have goals about finishing products? Tell me in the Disqus comments widget further below.