August Empties

☑ L'Oréal Sublime Mousse Conditioner

I absolutely HATED this mousse hair dye. The conditioner was OK, but I will not repurchase the hair dye. See my review to understand why.

Repurchase: no

What I'm currently using to replace it: L'Oréal Féria Shimmering Boost Hydrating Conditioner

☑ John Frieda Brilliant Brunette Liquid Shine Illuminating Shampoo & Conditioner (sample)

Free samples are always nice, but I'm still not convinced by these shampoos and conditioners specifically desgined for brunettes. They didn't prevent my hair color from fading and they sure didn't illumniate it.

Repurchase: no

What I'm currently using to replace it: Herbal Essences Body Envy Volumizing Shampoo & Conditioner

☑ Udderly Smooth Udder Cream Body Cream (sample) review

This must be one of the best body cream for my dry and eczema-prone skin. It is non greasy and it's absorbed very, very quickly into the skin, leaving it imediately smoothed and moisturized. I was actually quite surprised at how fast it soothed my dry and irritated skin and eased the itching due to eczema. This cream is also soooooo inexpensive ($2.75 for 4 oz. tube), I will be sure to repurchase it!

Repurchase: yes!!!

What I'm currently using to replace it: Jergens Naturals Aloe Soothing Body Moisturizer with Cucumber

☑ Fruits & Passion Orange Cantaloup Foaming Bath Cream

This is total crap! Despite its steep price ($23.00 for 250 ml), what you get is far from the "thick, creamy, fragrant foam", as claimed. The foam disappears after 10 minutes and even if the product smells great in the bottle, I can barely smell something once poured in the bath. It did leave my skin softer, but not enough to skip moisturizer.

Repurchase: no

What I'm currently using to replace it: random bath treats

☑ Fruits & Passion Blackberry Musk Foaming Bath

Again, very average foam that last about 10 minutes. Disappointing for the price.

Repurchase: no

What I'm currently using to replace it: random bath treats

☑ Biotherm Aquasource 24h Deep Hydration Replenishing Gel (sample)

This sample was very small so I'm not too sure what to say about it, except that gel moisturizers are never a great match for my dry skin, as most are not moisturizing enough.

Repurchase: no

What I'm currently using to replace it: Marcelle Hydra-C 24H Moisturizing Gel Cream for dry skin

☑ Skin MD Natural Shielding Lotion (sample) review

This lotion is eco friendly, cruelty free and vegan and it can be used all over your body. Despites its formula being a little too light and watery for my liking, it works well but boy is it pricey ($25 for 4 oz)! For now, I'm currently testing a new face cream so I'm using the full-size version of this lotion on my hands to see if it will help with my eczema.

Repurchase: no

What I'm currently using to replace it: Skin MD Natural Shielding Lotion

☑ NeoStrata Sunsation Insta-Tan For Face Deep Dark

I've had this for so long but I've never really been into self-tanners until recently, and I'm not sure if it's because it's too old or just because it's total crap, but I don't get a tan at all when I use this product. I have also tried it on my body but no, nothing. And it's supposed to be deep dark...

Repurchase: no

What I'm currently using to replace it: Clarins Intense Bronze Self Tanning Tint For Face and Decolleté

☑ Jergens Naturals Aloe Soothing Body Moisturizer with Cucumber review

Despite its light texture, this product is very moisturizing and I do think it has slightly helped with my eczema. I'm absolutely in love with the clean and fresh scent - perfect for summer!

Repurchase: yes

What I'm currently using to replace it: Thursday Plantation Tea Tree Hand & Body Lotion

☑ Hana Shine Shield Thermal Protectant (2 oz) review

This product is a thermal serum that can be used as a leave-in conditioner, which I did and I feel it did a pretty great job. When I first used this product, I didn't feel it did something for my hair, but I changed my mind after a couple of days of using it. My hair were definitely softer, shinier and more manageable. I woould not repurchase because I think $29.99 for a 2oz bottle is definitely expensive!

Repurchase: no

What I'm currently using to replace it: Garnier Fructis Leave-In Conditioning Cream Sleek & Shine

May Empties

☑ Avon Solutions Plus+ Maximum Moisture Hydrating Booster

This is actually the first serum I have used, and I must say, it got me hooked! I always thought serums were for older ladies, but I decided to give this one a try as it was on sale for around $3, and I'm glad I did! I can totally see a difference in my skin condition when I use a serum.

Repurchase: yes

What I'm currently using to replace it: Biotherm White D-Tox Translu-Cell Intense Brightening Serum

☑ Mario Badescu Skin Care Enzyme Cleansing Gel (sample size)

There's nothing special to say about this cleanser, but I'm glad it didn't dry out my skin.

Repurchase: no

What I'm currently using to replace it: Marcelle Hydra-C ComplexE Gentle Self-Foaming Cleanser

☑ Jergens Natural Glow Face Daily Moisturizer SPF 20

I have this since such a loooong time, and I never properly used it because a) it's not moisturizing AT ALL for my super dry skin, and b) it doesn't give me a "glow" AT ALL. Totally disappointing. Anyway, I figured out I would use it up now that's it's the summer and the weather is less harsh on my skin. The only thing I liked about this moisturizer was the scent - it smells like caramel!

Repurchase: no

What I'm currently using to replace it: Marcelle Hydra-C 24H Moisturizing Gel Cream for dry skin

Review: Jergens Replenishing Vitamin E Gentle Exfoliating Moisturizer

Price: around 8$ for 200 ml / 6.7 FL. OZ.

The claims:

Ingredients:

Pros:

• quickly absorbed in the skin
• imediately leaves skin feeling soft and smooth  
• not greasy
• convenient pump bottle
• you get a good quantity of product for a nice price

Cons:

• this product is claimed to be rich, but it's really light
• did not get rid of all my dry patches
• smells strange
• I haven't noticed any exfoliation
  

What I think:

I've never heard of exfoliating moisturizers before, so I was excited to give this product a try. Though it's a great product, I was disappointed to not see any exfoliation effects after using it. There's no exfoliating beads or anything in the lotion, so I didn't really know what to expect. I have noticed my skin to be soft and smooth after using the lotion, but I would have hoped to see more obvious results.

Overall, this is a great lotion, even if I'm more of a a body butter girl. I find this lotion to be quite light and watery, but I guess that's why it is so quickly absorbed into the skin.

Recommend? yes

Rating: ★★★★★

Disclaimer: This product was sent to me for review purposes, and the fact that it was free absolutely does not influence my opinion.

Mail of the week (August 30 - September 3)

Not much in the mail this week, but keep reading for freebies!

Free sample of Purex 3-in-1 Laundry Sheets + $2.00 off coupon: Get yours here.

Free sample of GoodNites Boys Underwear for nightime: This is for the little Samuel, when he will be older, of course =P Get your sample here.

 Jergens Replenishing Vitamin E Gentle Exfoliating Moisturizer from Glow Magazine: I have recently become a reviewer for the Glow Magazine Testing Panel, and this is the first product I received. I have never heard of an exfoliating moisturizer before, so I can't wait to try it out!