Spring cleaning is in full swing around these parts! And it just so happens to be Earth Month. Do you get as excited about throwing things out as I do? I get this irrational delight out of it. I can't even turn off my computer without emptying the trash can.

While I'm not the biggest makeup and beauty product junkie, I have collected quite a collection over the years. When I arrived home from Taiwan, I knew that the products had been sitting untouched for close to a year, and I knew I wanted to finish them. It was a particularly good time to be finishing up products rather than buying new ones since I had just traveled to Australia and New Zealand and my bank account was looking a little sorry.

Little did I know there's an actual name (or names) for these kinds of "projects"! It's good to know I'm not all that out there with my desire to throw everything out.

I spent half a day making lists of all of the products I've collected over the years ... and when I say years, I do mean years. Until 2011, I'd had the same two concealers since I was about 14 years old. My pressed powder is still the very first pressed powder I've ever bought, for my semi-formal when I was a junior in high school.

Well, I'm not looking to finish up my makeup products, as I see no point in getting rid of things I bought knowing I would use only a handful of times a year. I'm embarking on a challenge to finish up all of my remaining paraben and petroleum-leaden lotions, and the body washes, shampoos, conditioners, leave-in treatments and lip balms I've used halfway over the years, only to move onto the shinier new thing.

Some of these things are seriously, seriously old and you're probably going to feel compelled to tell me to just throw them out, but I've been using them without any incident (knock on wood). If I do feel that something has gone bad, I will definitely throw it out.

So here's my list I'm working on through the end of 2013:

LIP BALMS, ETC.
I used to have a serious lip balm problem in high school and college. That's my explanation :)

Body Shop Born Lippy balm

+ The Body Shop Born Lippy in Unbridled Passionberry
I bought this in Massachusetts in early April 2003 ... officially TEN YEARS AGO.
+ Philosophy Kiss Me lip balm
I also bought this in Massachusetts, in late December 2003. I still have more than half the product in the jar, which has melted (probably several times over) and re-formed. This product has been discontinued for some while already.
+ Nivea Milk and Honey lip balm
I bought this in 2010 or 2011.

Philosophy Kiss Me balm

+ Crazy Rumors lip balm in Raspberry Sherbet (review here)
I bought this after I returned from Taiwan in late 2012, when I was seeking a replacement for my beloved natural Green by Nature lip balms. This one's alright, not exceptional.
+ C.O. Bigelow Cinnamint Mentha lip shine (x2)
I can't remember when I bought this ... it was probably 2009 or 2010. I used this line of lip glosses almost exclusively for a while, since they were both tingly and glossy.


LOTIONS
I have far more than just this, but I know I can't manage to finish it all within 9 months.


+ Bath and Body Works Cotton Blossom lotion (review here)
I ordered this from Bath and Body Works while I was abroad and didn't begin using it until September of 2012 or so. I'd heard so much hype about this scent that I finally decided to try it for myself. It's pretty potent, the scent. Anyway, the scent is being discontinued this year, I think.
+ Bath and Body Works Twisted Peppermint lotion
I bought this during one of Bath and Body Works' semi-annual sales in either late 2007, 2008 or 2009. I really enjoy this scent, but it doesn't really work on any part of the body but the feet, in my opinion. Who really wants to smell like a candy cane?
+ Bath and Body Works Iced Tea Twist lotion
Bought this along with the Twisted Peppermint lotion, I think. I tested this one the other day and it seemed much runnier than the other Bath and Body Works lotions, so I might have to chuck it. I love, love, love this scent but again, it smells like real iced tea and I'm not so keen on walking around smelling like that.
+ Bath and Body Works White Citrus lotion
Bought this in 2009. Love this scent and have nothing bad to say about it, other than the fact that the BBW lotions have parabens in them. I'm nearly done with this bottle as it stands.
+ Lush Fair Trade Foot Lotion (review here)
I bought this in Taipei, and yes, I lugged it back home with me. Lush is not cheap, especially not in Taiwan! This foot lotion isn't heavy duty or anything special unless you wrap your feet up in plastic bags after you apply it, which isn't something I have the chance to do every day. Another problem: it stains things, which means I can't apply it just before bed or if I'm wearing light-colored socks. Definitely won't be repurchasing.
+ Neutrogena Norwegian Hand Cream (review here)
I bought this in my early days in Taipei, around December 2011. I'm also nearly done with this but have been neglecting it because of the petroleum in it.

I stuck the Nivea lip balm in as a point of comparison.

SHAMPOOS

+ Aussie Sun-Touched Shine shampoo (review here)
I bought this off a clearance rack at Target in ... probably 2010. I love this shampoo because it actually does what it claims to do, it's cheap, and it seems to moisturize my hair. However, I don't use it too often because my hair doesn't feel as clean afterwards as it does when I wash with some of my other shampoos. I'm nearly done with this one -- give it another month or two.
+ Nexxus Therappe shampoo
Oy. I bought this so long ago, maybe 2009. I also bought the giant bottle (33.8 ounces) after trying a tester and loving what it did for my dry hair. Little did I know that it would make my scalp feel oily! I WILL finish this this year.
+ Garnier Fructis Triple Nutrition Creme shampoo
This shampoo does NOTHING for me and kind of dries my hair out, and silly me, I bought the 25.4 oz family-size bottle in 2011. Totally regret the purchase and I want this gone! I've used quite a bit since returning home, but I still have about half left and I have a feeling it's going to ring in 2014 with me.



CONDITIONERS
I JUST finished up a bottle of Yes! to Carrots conditioner I bought in 2009. It was fantastic and I highly recommend it ... I think it'd be good for any hair type, and it's natural. I might add another deep conditioner/treatment to this list later on, depending on how much I want to get rid of it.

+ Klorane Mango Butter conditioner (review here)
I bought this in Australia in June 2012 when I ran out of conditioner. Shampoos and conditioners are NOT cheap in Australia, even the drugstore brands, so I thought I might as well try a higher-end brand if I was going to be spending $10 on conditioner anyway. This one smells amazing, like you're cutting into a fresh mango, but it's really runny and doesn't actually moisturize my hair that much. It might work for someone with "normal" hair, though.
+ Dove Damage Therapy Revival Pomegranate conditioner
I bought this one in 2011 after I had great success with another Dove conditioner, and I loved the scent of this one. This one isn't moisturizing enough for my hair, but of course I bought the family-size 25.4 oz version. I'm very happy to say that I'm close to finishing this one up.

BODY WASHES

+ Bath and Body Works Hello Sugar! "Shower Sugar"
I bought this during a semi-annual sale at Bath and Body Works, sometime between 2006 and 2008. It's that old. It smells of lemon sugar, which is nice but gets tiresome when you've been using it for 5-7 years. I'm nearly done with this, though, and I have to say ... I'll probably miss it.
+ Bath and Body Works Spiced Apple Rapture body wash
This was one of those trial-sized ones. I got this in the fall of 2006 in Boston. I got sick of the scent and stopped using it, but I'm just going to suck it up and finish it once and for all. Even if it means smelling like autumn in May.


LEAVE-IN HAIR PRODUCTS ... oh, the motherlode

+ Herbal Essences Smoothing Creme x1.5
I was really into this product at one point in 2005 (when I bought these). I found that it was great for traveling, because it meant I didn't have to bring a separate conditioner or leave-in treatment -- I would run this through my hair with a brush after shampooing. As with all Herbal Essences products, this smells great, but it doesn't really do that much for my hair. I'm not 100% I'm gonna finish these up because I'm not sure they'll be good for my hair at this point, but I will try.
+ Fructis Sleek & Shine Anti-Humidity Smoothing Milk (review here)
I bought this in early 2010, I think. The reason I have so many leave-in treatments that I haven't finished using is because since I've discovered coconut oil, I really haven't needed too much extra conditioning post-shower. Plus, I prefer using natural ingredients. I will try to rid my cupboard of this. I think I still have a lot left.
+ Bumble and Bumble Grooming Creme
I got this for free in early 2008. I haven't tried any other Bumble and Bumble products, but if they all perform as well as this one, then I don't think I'm ever going to give Bumble and Bumble any of my money. This does nothing for me and is probably better suited for normal/fine hair. The scent is nice and fresh and unisex.
+ Aquair Deep Moist Hair Treatment Cream
I bought this in Taiwan in July or August of 2012. I was trying out a bunch of Asian hair products to see if they would do something miraculous my American products weren't doing. Some did, but this one didn't. It just weighed my hair down.

I had to pour the Dove body spray into a travel-sized bottle because the spray nozzle doesn't work.

BODY SPRAYS
... this used to be a problem area for me too, but I've reined myself in. I used to buy these more for sentimental reasons than anything, because a scent reminded me of a place or person. I have more than just the two below, but I'm not even going to attempt to finish them this year.

+ Bath and Body Works Mango Mandarin travel-sized body spray
I bought this in 2005 after I got a free Mango Mandarin lotion at my cousin's wedding in California, and the scent reminded me of my first time in Los Angeles.
+ Dove Go Fresh Energizing Grapefruit & Lemongrass body mist
I loved this scent in its conditioner, body wash and deodorant versions, but the spray actually smells kind of different. I ordered this while I was in Taiwan and began using it in fall of 2012, but I received it with the spray nozzle broken, which has been a deterrent in my using it!


FACE WASHES & SCRUBS

+ Neutrogena Oil-Free Grapefruit Cleanser (review here)
I bought it when the grapefruit scent was new in ... 2010? Vanessa Hudgens was the spokesperson for Neutrogena at the time, if that's any indication. I don't like the scent, but the product is great. I've since bought the chamomile-scented one (light green colored), which smells amazing, but isn't as good at zapping zits. I used the grapefruit one while I was in Taiwan and brought whatever was left back with me.
+ Wild Ferns Manuka Honey Exfoliating Facial Scrub
I bought this in New Zealand in June 2012. Nothing bad to say about it, and I'm almost through with it.
+ Kanebo Naive face wash
I think I bought this in 2010. My aunt gave me her tube of this product back when I was in high school, before I really started trying out different skin care lines, and I just really loved the scent (it kind of smells floral and perfumy). I decided to buy my own tube in 2010, but it's too drying for me now.


CANDLES

+ Bath and Body Works Slatkin & Co. Beach Cabana 3-wick candle (review here)
I bought this during the semi-annual sale in December 2012. Nothing bad to say about this candle, it's a nice, powdery fresh scent. I just want to finish it up.
+ Bath and Body Works Slatkin & Co. Autumn Day 3-wick candle
I bought this in January 2013 ... it smelled a lot nicer when I bought it, but it smells a little too cool and cologne-y when burning. Can't wait to burn this one through and get rid of it, although I might wait until September to start burning it again. It's definitely a fall scent.

Do you think I can do it? Now that I'm looking at this list, I'm not so sure! Anyone want to join in?

If you have any questions or comments about any of these products, shoot me a comment or Twitter message and I'll be more than happy to help (or discuss)!

+ Project Pan 2013 Update #1
+ Project Pan 2013 Update #2