December 2013 Empties!

Hey everyone! Today I'm going to show you everything I used up in December. Now if you remember my empties post for November, I said I wanted to use up a total of 20 products in those two months. Well, in November I used up 13 products, which wasn't too shabby. But in December I used up 14 products! I'm so excited that I made and exceeded my goal! 27 products in two months combined is pretty freakin' awesome for me, so lets see what I used up last month!

My husband was the main one using this Rusk Sensories Brilliance Grapefruit & Honey Color Protect Shampoo, but I helped use it too! He doesn't have color treated hair, but my mom had given us a bunch of these shampoos to use, and he's not picky so he took it. I do have color treated hair, but I don't care much for this. I feel like I have to use a ton for it to lather nicely but it does smell really, really good!

I finally used up the Suave Keratin Infusion Smoothing Conditioner that I was using since probably last Summer. For some reason it takes me forever to go through conditioners, but this one in particular took so long! I'm not sure what it is, but you don't need much of this to make your hair feel soft and healthy. I loved this stuff and will probably repurchase once I use up everything else I have, and don't come across something I like better!

I used up the Philosophy Shower Gel in the scent Sugar Plum Frost. This is one scent by Philosophy that I kinda didn't like, which is a shocker. I'm obsessed with these shower gels/shampoos/bubble bath combos. I don't ever use them as shampoo or bubble bath, but they're the best shower gels ever! I just didn't care for this scent but it did the job cleaning my skin!

I finished up (mostly) a Philosophy Body Lotion in the scent Cinnamon Buns. Now I say mostly because the packaging sucks at being able to get every drop out to use. I had to take the pump out inside and smack it on my hands to get anything out at the end and eventually I just gave up. I do however love, love, love how this smells! It really does smell like fresh made cinnamon buns and I loved using this after my shower. 

I then used up a tiny little body butter by the brand On10 in the Sweet Chocolate scent. I honestly can't remember when I got this, but I think my mom got it for me for Christmas a few years ago. I know that seems like a long time, but I made sure to do a sniff test and look at it and it wasn't separated at all, so it was fine! I probably got about 10 to 12 uses out of this even though it seems like a small pot. I didn't need to use alot of this to get the hydration I needed. 

I also used up a Natural Factors Vitamin D3 softgel. I take extra D3 because I hate the sun and feel like a vampire, plus I tend to deal with some depression. I keep reading that you get D3 from the sun and it can help with depression, but I honestly don't know if it's true or not. I still take it for the supposed health benefits anyways!

Man do I go through these Aloe Calming Toners from The Body Shop! I've mentioned these about a million and one times, so I won't ramble on about how awesome this toner is. Seriously, try it out! 

I used up a moisturizer that I was using in the morning from Clean Scene called Begging for Balance. This moisturizer was alright but I won't go out of my way to find it and buy it again. It did its job at moisturizing my skin and keeping it a little less shiny than normal, but it didn't do any kind of miracle for my skin.

I also used up my Neutrogena Clear Face Break-Out Free Liquid-Lotion Sunscreen SPF 55. Phew, that's a long name! I actually liked this stuff! I kept hearing so many people saying they hated it and it broke them out. Not for me! I think this actually helped my skin and kept it matte for a pretty long time. I don't know if this beats out my favorite sunscreen, the Neutrogena Dry Touch Sunblock, but this comes very close! Depending on pricing, I'll buy this again!

I finally used up the lip balm I was using for daytime use, and it was the On10 Lip Balm in the scent Lemon Lime. I like these lip balms because they have sunscreen in them and they smell really good! I still have so many lip balms from this brand to use up, so I don't need to purchase any for a long while!

I used up quite a few mascaras. If you remember me mentioning about the stye I had, I got a bit paranoid and got rid of the mascaras I had used during the couple days prior to my eye getting bad. The Maybelline Illegal Length Mascara is fantastic! This gives my favorite mascara, the bareMinerals Flawless Definition, a run for its money! I constantly got compliments when I wore this mascara and was even asked a few times what falsies I was wearing. *Confession* I've never worn falsies in my life!

I was also using the Sephora Lash Plumper Mascara and to me, it was actually pretty good. Once my stye came out in full force, I got rid of this and found another one in my stash, but the wand was so smushed and clumped, so I had to toss it as well :(

The Too Faced LashGasm Mascara is a surprise to me with how much I liked it! It gave me natural looking lashes that had good length and surprising volume. I like how I was able to get to all my baby lashes in the corners and overall, this was just a good mascara that I was sad to toss because of my eye. I may actually purchase the full size once I run out of mascaras! 

That's everything! Sorry this is a long post, but I was so excited to finish up all this stuff! I'm hoping this month is good with empties too. I'm doing a spending ban currently, but I do have some birthday/Christmas money to use up still so that doesn't count! I do have a little bit of a haul using some of that money coming up so stay tuned! Also, I got my hands on the much talked about Naked3 Palette the day it came out, so a review should be coming up very soon on it!

What did you use up in December? Are you doing a spending ban as part of new years resolutions?

2013 Beauty Favorites!

Hi everyone! Instead of doing a monthly favorites for December, I'm doing my favorites for the whole last year. Now, there's no real rhyme or reason behind my favorites. I just picked what products I used the most throughout the year. There's a bit of skincare, makeup and tools!

  Starting off with skincare, if you read my blog on a regular basis, you know how obsessed I am with The Body Shop Aloe Calming Toner. This is one product that is always in my skincare routine no matter what. I go through it faster in the Winter time because I use it morning and night, but in the Summer I only use it at night. This is a Holy Grail product, and anything I try that's similar doesn't compare.

I've been loving the Paula's Choice Skin Perfecting 2% BHA Gel for a long time. I started out using the lotion version of this, but I felt it was getting a bit heavy for my skin so I switched to this gel version. My skin loves this! I only use this at night after toning, and when I wake up in the morning, my skin looks and feels so soft. It keeps my pores looking cleaner and overall, this is just such a great product if you have oily, blemish prone skin with stubborn blackheads.

Next up we have some palettes. The Lorac Pro Palette is one palette that I constantly reach for. When I'm not sure what to do with my eye makeup, I pull this out and come up with something. With the range of matte and shimmer shadows you have, there are numerous looks you can create. I used this palette on my wedding day and had some amazing compliments because of it. I will never regret buying this!

The Urban Decay Naked Basics palette is a palette that I wasn't sure of at first. I kept reading different reviews on it, and at first I wasn't going to get it. I saw it in store and fell in love! I can't say how many times I've used eyeshadows, then pulled this out to add a highlight or a crease color because I didn't like anything else. I use this palette almost everyday with my eye looks. 

Time for some face products! I'm typically not a foundation girl. I'll pretty much just use some concealer under my eyes, powder up, then go. I like no fuss or anything. When I do feel like wearing a bit more makeup, I go for the Covergirl Outlast Stay Fabulous 3 in 1 Foundation in the color 805 Ivory. This foundation is incredible! If you have oily or dry skin, you can use this. I always set with powder because I'm super oily, but if you're dry, you can put this on and go. It gives good coverage and keeps my skin looking flawless for quite a while.

My favorite concealer of all time is the Maybelline Instant Age Rewind Eraser for Dark Circles Treatment Concealer in the color Fair. This concealer is a Godsend for my horrible dark circles. I don't sleep well, plus it's hereditary so I have constant dark circles. This stuff covers them up well, and if I set with powder, I'm good for the day.

When I set any foundation, concealer, etc. I like using a setting spray and my favorite one has been the Skindinavia Bridal Makeup Finish Setting Spray. Ever since I bought this for my wedding day, I was hooked. It made my makeup last for hours and even at the end of the day, my makeup still looked nice. I'll probably repurchase this once I run out of the other setting sprays I have. Love, love, love this stuff!

*Honorable mention* I really just forgot to picture this, but the Rimmel Stay Matte Powder in the Transparent color is also something I use pretty religiously. I love how it makes my skin stay more matte than normal and it never looks cakey on. I love using it to set my under eye concealer most. 

The Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer Potion really needs no explanation as to why it's a favorite of the year. I used this every single time I used eyeshadow in 2013. I do have other eyeshadow primers to use, so this tube will be put aside for a while. Until I find something better, this will continue to be my Holy Grail eyeshadow primer!

Maybelline's The Rocket Volum' Express Mascara in the Blackest Black color is fantastic! You've all heard me rave about the bareMinerals Flawless Definition Mascara, but this comes so close to being better. I have another of the bareMinerals mascara, so I'm curious to use it again and see what I think about that versus this one!

A new edition to my beauty arsenal is the Beauty Blender! I got the black one because it came in a double pack that was a better deal than buying just one. I never knew foundation could look so amazing before using this! Using this along with that Covergirl foundation is near perfection. I love how you can cover larger areas of that face with the sides of this, then get into the corners of the eyes or nose with the tip. This little miracle sponge is so worth the splurge in my opinion.

Next up in the tool department is the Real Techniques Deluxe Crease Brush. This. Brush. Is. Amazeballs! Seriously, I love this brush for applying and blending out concealer under the eyes, or when I put on cream eyeshadows to blend out the harsh lines. I'm usually messy with cream shadows, so I need something to help blend everything out. This brush is also one of the softest brushes I own, so that's a big plus!

My last favorite for the year is the Sigma E35 Tapered Blending Brush. I use this brush pretty much everyday when putting eyeshadow in my crease. It's the perfect size and applies just enough color. It's also another really soft brush so it's nice to work with.

Those are my favorites for the last year! What were some of your favorites?

Sephora 2013 VIB Sale Haul!

Hi everyone! I'm finally getting around to showing you all what I had purchased during the Sephora VIB 20% off sale they had this past November, and then in December when they sent out the $20 off of $50 reward card! I think I made out pretty well and I'm happy with all of my purchases, so here's what I purchased!

These are the products I bought during the 20% off sale. The tote bag we got is just stinkin' adorable! It's a good size too if I have to run and pick up a few groceries or something. Onto the products! I did an online order and also went to the Sephora inside JC Penny. 

Online, I picked up the Fresh Fresh Essentials kit that comes with the Soy Face Cleanser and a Sugar Advanced Therapy lip Balm. I have yet to try the cleanser and I'm already in love with their lip balms, and at only $19.50 minus the 20% I thought it was a good deal for what I got.

I also purchased the Soap & Glory Sugar Crush Moisture Extreme Body Buttercream. Dear lord, this stuff smells heavenly! The fresh lime scent smells so invigorating and lovely, I can't wait to try it out! 

I also picked up the Glamglow Youthmud Tinglexfoliate Treatment that everyone and their dog talks about. Before I got my order in the mail, I did pick up the second one in the store thinking I'll love it, and with 20% off, it was a good deal. I already have used it and yes, I do love it! I'm thinking I can maybe get 4 or 5 uses out of the little jar, so it's worth it in my opinion.

I was browsing around in the store and came across the Philosophy Jelly Candy Kisses holiday set. It comes with two of their awesome lip glosses and two lip scrubs. I've been obsessed with their lip glosses for years now, but I haven't seen or heard of lip scrubs by Philosophy, so I'm pretty excited to try them out! With the cold weather we've been having, my lips need all the help they can get.

When I made the online order, it was when they had the Urban Decay 500 point perk that came with the newer B6 Vitamin-Infused Complexion Prep Spray, All Nighter Makeup Setting Spray, Eyeshadow Primer Potion Anti-Aging, and a little Mushroom eyeshadow. I was so excited I got my hands on this when I did! Sorry I forgot to picture it :/

These are the products I purchased when they sent out that $20 reward. I was originally going to go to a mall where there is an actual Sephora store for my birthday, but my husband was having car troubles, so I had to use it online. I first picked up my birthday gift that comes with Benefit's They're Real! Mascara and Watt's Up! Highlighter. My mom actually gave me her birthday gift since her birthday is in February and I have to wait til December. I'll admit, I have yet to try the mascara, but the highlighter isn't too bad. I don't care much for cream products, so I can only use this in the Winter, but it's a nice product.

I purchased a NARS Nail Polish in the color Disco Inferno, and I honestly only got it so I could get up to the $50. I actually love how this polish looks in person. It's like a duo-chrome blue, with hints of green and purple to it. I'm kinda looking forward to trying this out on my nails. I haven't been using nail polish much lately, but this color has sparked my interest in it again.

I then picked up the Philosophy The Holiday Handbook Handcream set. It comes with the scents Homemade Honey Buns, Spiced Gingerbread Cookie, and Cranberry Medley. My hands have been so darn dry lately as well, so I'm sure these will be put to good use soon. 

I just had to purchase a backup of the Sephora Daily Makeup Brush Cleaner. I use this after I use any makeup brushes to get off any makeup residue and to kill germs. After I had the stye incident, I'm much more cautious of cleaning my brushes more and washing my face thoroughly at night. 

My last purchase is the Stila Artful Eye Collector's Edition Vol. III. The colors are Light Apricot, Umber, Aquamarine, Soft Violet and Ocean. This little guy was only $10, and it's a beautiful palette! I've used this once so far, and the pigmentation is incredible. You barely have to tap your brush to pick up alot of color. It's just amazing and would make a cute stocking stuffer!

That's everything I purchased during the VIB sale! If you purchased something during the sale, what did you get? I'd love to know! :)

December 2013 Ipsy Bag

Hey guys! I know I said in my last post that this post was going to be a haul, but I just received my Ipsy bag in the mail, and I was really looking forward to what I got! So, lets see what's in this month's bag!

Now, I gotta admit, this month I don't like the actual bag everything came in. I do like the color black, but I just don't like the texture of it, or the look. I do like most of the products though!

The first product I received is a NYX Extra Creamy Round Lipstick in the color Ceto. I know I've mentioned before that I'm not much of a lipstick person and that I prefer gloss more, but I think I'm gonna start delving into the world of lipsticks. I do like the pinky nude color I received, so I'm much more comfortable with trying it out!

The next product in my bag was a Mirabella Eye Blender Brush. I'm obsessed with any kind of makeup brushes, so I was extremely happy to have received this! I especially love blending brushes, and the quality of this seems really nice. The handle is good and sturdy and the bristles of the brush are incredibly soft. I'm excited to use this!

I then received a Be a Bombshell The One Stick in the color Flustered. Apparently you can use this on your eyelids, cheeks and lips, which to me seems pretty neat. This product seems like that Nars Multiple Stick, which I don't own but hear alot about. I'd probably only use this as a lip stain or possibly a cheek color in the Winter. My skin is far too oily for cream cheek products any other time of year. 

Next, I received the POP Beauty Bright Up Your Life Eyeshadow Trio in the shade Naturally Bare. I'm a neutral eyeshadow girl most of the time, so I'm very happy I got this one instead of the Smokin Hot trio. The colors in this look nice, but I haven't swatched it yet. I may actually wear this to work later today! 

The last product in my bag is a Nicka K New York Nail Color in the shade Classic Taupe. First off, the bottle is so pretty and classy looking, and the color isn't too bad either. I have to say though, I am a little over getting nail polish in these bags. I have so many nail polishes and rarely paint my nails these days. 

That's everything in my bag this month! Overall, I'm very impressed because the last few bags were just meh in my opinion. For only $10 a month, plus shipping for some, you really get an amazing deal with all the awesome products you can receive. Click here to sign up if you haven't already!

If you are subscribed, what did you receive in your bag this month?

November 2013 Empties!

November was a great month with empties! I haven't been buying as much as I have in the past, but I'm on a serious mission to use up as many products as I can. I gave myself a goal to use up at least 20 products between November and December, and in November I used up 13 products! I haven't used up much so far this month, but I may be pretty surprised by the end of December. Anyways, lets see what I used up in November!

First I'll start off with shower and bathroom products. I used up the last of The Body Shop Banana Shampoo and Conditioner I had left. I did a review on both of these last year here, and while I like these products, I got so tired of them and just wanted to use them up. I have so much shampoo and conditioner to use up, and these are pricey, so I probably won't repurchase. 

I used up a Philosophy Shower Gel called Celebrate Love, and the scent is a blackberry musk smell. I love these shower gels so much and really only buy the larger sized bottles when they have a sale, since they're normally priced around $16 each. I have a bunch of the smaller bottles that I bought from kits. I'm usually not one for musky scents, but this one was light enough for me so I ended up liking it!

I finally used up The Body Shop Satsuma Body Butter that I had been using since the Summer. I love these body butters, and this Satsuma scent smells so yummy, like just peeled clementines. So delicious!

I used up a Creamy Pumpkin Antibacterial Deep Cleansing Hand Soap from Bath & Body Works. I like getting the deep cleansing ones, especially for my husband because he works in construction, so he gets dirty quicker. I personally like the foaming ones a bit more, but these are still nice. Plus this creamy pumpkin scent is amazing!

I finally used up the Garnier Nutritioniste Daily Exfoliating Gel Cleanser. I didn't particularly like this stuff as it smelled overwhelmingly of perfume and mint. It's also pretty harsh to me, so I don't know why this was called a daily exfoliating cleanser. I'm never repurchasing this. 

I used up another one of my beloved Aloe Calming Toners from The Body Shop. I've talked about this a million times, and I'm already almost finished another one. This toner is just fabulous. 

The Garnier Fructis Volume Extend Instant Bodifier Dry Shampoo was interesting. It smells amazing, like all Garnier hair products, and when you spray it in your hair and rub it in, there's no white cast. For me, it didn't do any kind of volumizing and it didn't make my hair feel clean like Batiste does. I swear, Batiste is truly my Holy Grail hair product. I've tried numerous dry shampoos, and I do have another one to try other than Batiste, but they never ever compare. I will not repurchase this product!

I used up a hand cream from The Body Shop, and it's the Absinthe Purifying Hand Cream. This hand cream is terrible! Seriously, never buy this stuff! All it did was make my hands even drier and it made them crack on the knuckles. The smell of this also smells like aftershave that old men use. Nasty stuff man. The best hand cream they have is the Hemp Hand Cream. That's one amazing product, but this one is the biggest dud I've ever tried!

I used up Natrol Biotin 10,000 mcg. I took these to help with my hair, skin and nails. I don't notice much difference with my hair, my nails have always been pretty good and my skin has it's ups and downs. I still take biotin pretty much everyday hoping it'll make mostly my hair better. I've been struggling to have good hair for years, but it never grows past a certain length and I get split ends like crazy. 

I used up another one of my Similasan Allergy Eye Relief Eye Drops. These are the only eye drops I can use. Other brands burn and sting like crazy, but this brand is amazing! I do have very sensitive eyes and horrible allergies that always affect them, so this is perfect for me. I use these twice a day, morning and night.

Last two products! I finished up the Luster Now! Instant Whitening Toothpaste, and to be truly honest, this didn't whiten my teeth at all. I got this product in an Influenster box, and I'm happy I got to try it, but it did absolutely nothing. It didn't even make my teeth feel clean. I definitely won't go out and buy this!

I have a makeup product! This is a blush from The Body Shop and it doesn't have a color name, just the number 04 on the back. Now I bought this when I got a job at The Body Shop, get ready for this, 4 years ago! I had used this almost daily, and it still took me 4 years to go through. I know there's still some product in there, but I couldn't wiggle my brush enough in it to get any product on the brush. This was actually a nice blush. It was a peachy pink color with shimmer in it and it was nicely pigmented without being overly pigmented, if that makes sense. I have to say, I'm incredibly happy with myself that I was able to use up a blush. I never thought I could!

That's everything I used! I'm pretty happy with the amount of products I have here. I definitely feel a sense of accomplishment when I use up something, especially makeup!

What did you use up in November?

November 2013 Favorites!

Hey guys! I know, I know, I was away for a long while again. I'm not getting into it why I was gone, but I will admit I have a few personal family issues and it's been getting to me and making me upset and not wanting to do anything. I've missed writing normally on this little blog of mine and really want to get back into it, so I'm trying to get into a groove again. Today's post will be my favorites from November. I didn't have a good month makeup-wise, mostly because I got a stye on my eye and couldn't wear makeup for almost a week, and partially because of my horrendous work schedule. I've been wanting to get some extra shut-eye instead of waking up earlier to do my makeup. Anyways, enough rambling. Here are some products I was really into last month!

When I wear makeup, even if it's just a mattifying powder, I tend to use makeup setting spray, since my skin is so darn oily. The oiliness has calmed down a little since it's colder, but it's still there. This Skindinavia Bridal Makeup Finish Setting Spray has done a good job at making my makeup last throughout the day, and keeping me matte a little longer than usual. 

Since I ran out of my beloved Lancome eye makeup remover, I had this Maybelline Clean Express! Makeup Remover in my closet. I have to admit, this stuff is pretty darn awesome and it's under $5 at my Walmart. This is the version for waterproof eye makeup, so you shake it up to mix it all together then put it on a cotton round or ball and swipe away all your makeup. I don't wear waterproof eye makeup, but I like these kinds of removers better.

A co-worker of mine gave me this C.O. Bigelow No. 140 Chapped Hands Cleanser "Soap Free" after I told her about my horrendously dry hands. I always know Winter is coming when my hands get drier than the Sahara Desert and start cracking. This product has been a little miracle to my poor hands! I still do slather on the handcream since I'm OCD like that, but they don't burn, there are no cracks and overall my hands just feel better. I had to look this product up online because I had never heard of it, and it looks like it's sold at Bath & Body Works. I may have to go there and pick myself up the larger jar of this. 

My last favorite is the L'Oreal Eye Defense Eye Cream. When I ran out of my Philosophy eye gel that I raved about, I didn't know what to use next, even though I have tons of eye creams to go through! I decided on this, and I'm so in love. It hydrates my eyes enough with the cold weather we have, but doesn't make them feel overly oily either, and I do have oily eyelids. The texture is like a gel-cream so I think that's why I like it so much. 

Well those are my favorites! It sucked that I didn't have alot of time for makeup, and then I got that nasty stye. Oh well, it's a new month (and my birthday is in 2 days!), and I plan on actually using makeup more often as long as my schedule for work allows it. Seriously, retail hours are a pain in the a**. I actually can't wait for the holiday's to be over! Anyways, I'll talk to everyone in my next post, which will be empties! I used up alot of stuff, so stay tuned!

What were some of your favorites last month?

November 2013 Ipsy Bag

*Blows dust off blog, coughs a little*

Hey everyone! Remember me?! I sure hope so, because I missed everyone! It's been almost 2 weeks since I've last posted and I'm so sorry! I don't even really know what to say anymore for my being absent. I will say that I've had a few personal issues going on in life and I've been stressed to the max from it, but that's all I'll say. Also, I have this horrible stye on my eyelid (if you don't know what that it, just Google it, it's not fun to talk about) and I haven't been able to wear any makeup for the past few days because of it. I'm hoping in another couple days it all clears up!

Anyways, sorry for that long intro, but today's post is going to be what I received in my Ipsy bag this month! The theme for this month was Glam It Up, and I was very excited to see what products were going to be in this bag.

I'm not the biggest fan of the actual bag the products came in to be honest. I don't really like the print and I have to be in the mood to like the color gold, if that makes sense. Also, I'm not entirely happy with the products either :(

The first product I received is the Nailtini Straight Up Color Nail Lacquer in the color Caviar Cocktail. I have to admit, I'm a little bored with getting nail polish in these bags. It's not a bad color at all, but I'm definitely bored with this!

We also got a chance to try out Michelle Phan's new line of makeup called Em Cosmetics and I got the Pillow Plush Cushiony Lip Balm in the color Bubblegum, which is a pretty bubblegum pink color. I have tried this and I like how it feels on the lips and it also leaves a sheer wash of color, which I do like.

I then received the Pixi Beauty Bronzer in the color Subtly Suntouched. I'm not a bronzer person at all! I have a mini version of Too Faced Chocolate Soleil bronzer, and while I like it, I've only used it maybe 5 times, if that. I feel like I'm just too pale for bronzer.

I received another lip product by Be a Bombshell, and it's a Lip Crayon in the color Shameless. To me it looks like a mauve-y berry color. It's actually a very pretty color and I'll probably use it, but it's annoying getting two lip products in one bag. 

I don't really care for the Cailyn Built-In Sponge Tip Mineral Eyeshadow in the color Champagne. I have a ton of other eyeshadows like this color, so this doesn't really excite me. I haven't used it yet, but the application of it does intrigue me a little bit.

The last product I received is the Starlooks Gem Eye Pencil in the color Topaz, which is this pretty shimmery silver color. I honestly don't know how I'm gonna use this pencil since I hardly ever wear eyeliner and I'm not too creative with it either. I may try to use this as a base or something and see what I can work with. 

Well that's everything I got! While I'm not totally happy with the products I received, the value of the bag is incredible! For only $10 a month, plus shipping for some, it's really not a bad deal at all. Sign up here if you're interested!

If you're already signed up, what did you receive this month?

October 2013 Empties!

Hey guys! So today's post is going to be the products I've used up this past month. I have to say, I'm very happy with what I did use up and I'm pretty sure November will be a good month as well! Lets see what my empties are!

The first product I used up is the Clean & Clear Morning Burst Shine Control Facial Cleanser. I liked using this in the morning because I actually think it helped wake me up a bit. The scent of it was sometimes a bit too fragrant, but that's okay. I don't know if I'll repurchase. I have about a million cleansers to use up.

Next, I finished up the Korres Pomegranate Toner. I loved this for my oily skin. It was great to use in the Summer when I was a greasy mess. It smelled amazing too! I love pomegranate, so I'd probably repurchase this in the future.

I finished up the wonderful Philosophy Eyes Wide Open Instant Refreshing and Depuffing Eye Gel. I know I've talked about this product a few times, and I just love it. It makes my eyes look more awake and took away any puffiness I may have had. It's a wonderful eye gel!

I then finished up a Shea Lip Butter from The Body Shop. I love these lip butters but only use them at night because they leave a white cast on my lips. Obviously, since I only used this at night, I didn't care at all. This particular one was fairly hydrating, but I feel like I need more hydration since it's getting alot colder now.

Sadly, I used up a Lancome Bi-Facil Double Action Eye Makeup Remover. This is definitely my all-time favorite eye makeup remover! It's pretty expensive, but I work in a place where I can buy this, so when I can get an extra discount, I tend to buy one or two. I do have a backup of this, plus a smaller travel-sized one, but I'm putting myself on a spending ban soon, and I'm afraid I might run out :(

I'm just throwing away the Maybelline Instant Age Rewind Eraser for Dark Circles Treatment Concealer in the color Fair. I'm not sure what happened, but I think the twister thing broke and no product will come out anymore. This is my favorite concealer, and luckily my mom gave me one because she got the wrong shade, so I have another one to use! 

I also used up another concealer-type product and it's The Body Shop Lightening Touch in the shade 01. I like this for when I feel like my dark circles are extra dark. Adding a bit of this on top of the Maybelline concealer works really well with extra coverage, plus it helps to brighten a bit. 

As you can tell, my Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer Potion has died! Not really though, I had to have my husband cut it in half for me so I could de-pot it. I couldn't believe how much product was still in there! Seriously, a while ago, I took out the clear, plastic stopper from the top and that helped alot. When I felt like I was running out of product, I just thought there was more in there. I'm a weakling so I asked my husband if he could cut it in half for me. Of course he looked at me like I had ten heads, but obliged like a good boy. Once he got it cut open, even he was shocked at how much was stuck to the sides where the wand couldn't reach normally. I had a little sample sized pot to put the rest of the product in and I probably have enough to last me through the end of the year. 

The Crest Pro-Health Complete mouthwash took me forever to go through. I had this bottle since before my husband and I got our own place in July of 2012. Granted, I didn't use it every single day morning and night, but I used it pretty frequently. I like this stuff though. It didn't burn my mouth like alot of mouthwashes do and it tasted good too.

I used up Natural Factors Hi Potency B Complex vitamins. I think my mom got these for me to help with energy, but honestly, I never notice a difference. I'm not even sure why I continue taking vitamins when I don't notice any changes, but I'm used to my routine in the morning, so I stick with it.

The last two products I got from the hotel my husband and I stayed at during our honeymoon. They're Simply Be Well Ginseng and Wild Mint Shampoo and Conditioner. I didn't use them all up in September, but of course I brought them home and used them up this past month. They're nothing special honestly. Typical hotel toiletries that came in handy when I forgot my other shampoo and conditioner. 

That's everything I used up! Like I said above, I'm very happy to have used these all up, especially the mouthwash! That bottle is massive, so it's good to clear out some space in my closet!

What did you use up in October?

October 2013 Favorites!

Hey everyone! So this past month hasn't been too interesting favorites-wise but I do have a few products to share with you guys. 

First up is the awesome Urban Decay Vice 2 Palette. I swear, this is probably the best eyeshadow palette ever for Fall. You have some amazing jewel toned colors, and you also have your neutrals. I won't go on too much about this because I did a full review with swatches and a look here if you want to check it out!

My go-to eye look when I was feeling lazy or in a rush was first using the Sephora Outrageous Prisma Chrome Eyeshadow in the color Outrageous Metallic beige all over my lids, and then taking Naked 2 from the Urban Decay Naked Basics Palette through my crease. Naked 2 is the perfect crease color for me because it gives the right amount of definition to my eyes without looking like I have too much makeup on. I'm also obsessed with those Chrome eyeshadows! I sometimes can still find them on the Sephora site and there are a few left in my Sephora in JC Penny. They're on clearance for $6 so if you see them, snag them up! They're awesome!

I've been loving the cleanser I've been using every morning and that's the Soap & Glory Face Soap and Clarity 3-in-1 Daily-Detox Vitamin C Facial Wash. Phew that's a long name! Anyways, I love how this cleanser makes my skin feel. There are little beads in it that help to smooth out any bumps or rough spots and it takes away any dirt and grease build-up from the night before. 

My last favorite is the Maybelline Color Whisper in the Color Berry Ready. I've been loving this color for Fall. I usually don't go along with trends during seasons, and dark lips tend to look funny on me because I'm so pale. This color is perfect for me though. I can wear it a bit bold like in the swatch above, or I just usually take my finger and dab it on my lips for a sheer wash of color.

Those are my favorites! I'm hoping November brings some different favorites, but with my insane holiday retail schedule I'm honestly not sure what's gonna happen!

What were some of your favorites from October?

October 2013 Ipsy Bag

Hey everyone! Sorry my Ipsy bag post is going up a bit later than normal. I received my Ipsy bag in the mail this past Friday and was away for the weekend so I didn't bring anything with me to be able to blog! Better late than never, right? Anyways, lets see what I got this month!

The theme for this month is called The Art of Beauty. I love the look of this bag! It's so cute with the all white and red lettering. This quote is pretty nice as well. Onto the products!

I'll admit, I'm not terribly impressed with the products I received this month. First, I received the La Fresh Eco-Beauty Oil-Free Face Cleanser Wipes. I've gotten wipes from this brand before in a past Ipsy bag but I haven't used them honestly. They're just sitting in my shoebox that I keep all my samples in. I will use them and the ones I just got eventually, but just when all my other face wipes run out.

I then received the Nourish Organic Deeply Nourishing Coconut & Argan Body Lotion. I've never heard of this brand before but I do love coconut smells so this seems promising.

I could do without this Big Sexy Hair Blow Dry Gel. Fun fact about me, I never blow dry my hair. Hell, I don't even own a blow dryer! Seriously, I shower at night and just let my hair air dry and in the morning, I just throw it up in a ponytail. Although, I did just buy a curling wand, so that hairstyle may change. Anyways, I have zero use for this product :/

Next, I received a Zoya Nail Polish in the color Giovanna. I do like Zoya nail polishes, but I have to admit, I'm a little tired of getting nail polishes in these bags! Don't get me wrong, I like nail polish, but I'm not one of those girls who constantly changes up their nail color. I'm lucky if I paint my nails once a month. I feel like all the nail polish I have is just sitting here in my room getting hardly any love. I'll use this, I'm just not sure when.

The last product I received is the Buxom Full-On Lip Polish in the color Dolly. Another meh product honestly. I have a ton of these Buxom glosses and I don't really feel like looking through all my lip products right now, but I'm about 95% sure I already own this color. 

Now I'm not complaining by any means, but when I look at the other products I could've received this month, I would've loved to have gotten either one of the two Ole Henriksen products, the Coastal Scents Shadow Brush, the H2O Plus Hydrating Treatment or the Wet N' Wild Eyeshadow Palette. 

I love Ipsy, and usually I love the products I receive but like I said, I'm not overly excited with the products this time around. I'm still staying subscribed because I know when I haven't really liked a bag, they usually redeem themselves later on! If you want to subscribe to Ipsy, you can right here! For only $10 a month, it really is a sweet deal! Even though I don't like every single product this month, the $10 spent is really worth it :)

If you're already subscribed to Ipsy, what did you receive this month?

September 2013 Empties!

Hey everyone! I went through a ton of products this past month so I'm not going to ramble and get into what I've used up! There's a decent mix of products, so I'm really happy to have used up so much.

Starting off with skincare, I finally used up a Paula's Choice 2% Beta Hydroxy Acid Lotion. This bottle lasted me well over a year, for sure. My husband and I got our own place back in July of 2012 and I was already about halfway through the bottle. I used this at night after I toned my face and I just love how this helps my skin. I have incredibly large pores that get clogged easily, and this stuff works miracles in helping them stay clear. I'm currently using the gel version of this and like it a bit better for my oily skin.

The next product I used up is the Philosophy Hope in a Jar Oil-Free Moisturizer for normal to oily skin. I liked this, but didn't love it. To me, it's a basic moisturizer that felt hydrating on the skin, but didn't make me feel like a greaseball. I didn't notice it doing anything special for my skin, but it didn't have any negative effects either. I probably won't repurchase this in the future.

My last skincare product I used up is the Freeman Facial Brightening Paper Mask in Rose. I used this the Friday before my wedding, and I have to say, this is the most awkward mask I have ever tried! Since it's a sheet mask, you take it out and place it on your face, but there are holes for your eyes and nose. The eye holes were way too small and not placed far enough apart and it burns like a mother if you get the liquid too close to your eyeballs. I didn't even notice any brightening in my skin. This was in the September Ipsy bag, and while it's awesome we got these face masks, they're so not worth it in my opinion.

I used up a Suave Keratin Infusion Smoothing Shampoo. I really liked this shampoo. It smells amazing and makes my hair feel so soft and clean. It's really inexpensive if you buy it at Walmart. I probably paid only $3 or $4 for this bottle. I'm currently trying to finish up the conditioner that goes with this. I always go through shampoos way before conditioner. I probably will repurchase this sometime in the future.

Next up is the Dove Refresh+Care Invigorating Dry Shampoo. This dry shampoo is complete crap! Seriously, this did absolutely nothing for my hair. It just made it feel greasier and dirtier and I just hated it. The smell is atrocious as well. Like an old lady's perfume. Nasty, don't waste your money! I only used this up because I hate to waste product. It was painful having to use this and I'm glad it's gone.

Next up we have some vitamins. I used up a Nature Made Multi Complete. I honestly don't know how effective taking vitamins is, but I didn't notice a difference in anything when taking these. I still take them pretty much everyday because I'm used to it.

I also used up a Natural Factors B12 chewable vitamin. My mom actually got these for me to help with energy. I honestly didn't notice any difference in my energy levels at all. I'm not sure if you have to take these every single day to be effective, but I only took one when I really felt tired and needed more energy. 

Well I finally used up a Dove Ultimate Go Fresh Deodorant in Cucumber & Green Tea scent. I say finally because it seems like it takes forever for me to use up a deodorant. I promise, I use it everyday! To me, deodorant is nothing special and I just buy what's on sale. I do like how this smells though, so that was a plus.

I used up a Neutrogena New Hands Restorative Hand Treatment. I didn't like this stuff at all. It doesn't feel moisturizing and it burns really bad whenever I put it on. Even though this stuff lasts forever, I won't repurchase.

I used up a Colgate Total Pro-Shield Plus Sensitivity Toothpaste. I'm not too picky with toothpaste, but I do usually have to buy the kind for sensitive teeth because it feels better to me. 

I'm obsessed with the Bath & Body Works hand sanitizers and the one I used up is in the scent Snow Frosted Apple. This one smells so amazing and whenever I had a co-worker use it, they loved it too. I think this is a Christmas scent, so I hope they bring it back this year.

The next product is a Soho Beauty Sponge. I'm throwing this away because it's terrible and now that I have the Beauty Blender, nothing can compare to it. This one is such bad quality, it falls apart when you wet it. Good riddance to this!

I used up a little sample of the Lancome Cils Booster XL Super Enhancing Mascara Base. I really liked this stuff a long time ago because it made my lashes look alot longer. Now, I don't really care for mascara primers but I do have another one of these to use up plus an E.L.F. one, so once those are used up, I probably won't repurchase any.

The final product here is the bareMinerals Lash Domination Volumizing Mascara. I absolutely hated this, so technically this isn't an empty because I'm throwing it away. I only used it about 4 times and it clumped on my lashes every single time really bad and it's a super wet formula. I don't know why this is getting such rave reviews honestly. 

If you made it to the end, then you're awesome! I know this is a long post, but I told you guys I went through a ton of stuff! Hope you guys don't mind :)

What did you use up in September?

September 2013 Favorites!

Hey everyone! It's the end of yet another month, which means it's favorites time! This month wasn't too exciting for me in the product department, so most of the products featured today are repeat favorites. Here goes!

Philosophy Purity Made Simple has been my nighttime cleanser for a little while now. I absolutely love using this with my Clarisonic as it makes my skin feel super clean, but not overly clean, if that makes sense. When I wear a full face of makeup, I always remove it first with a makeup remover wipe and this just takes off anything else the wipe may have left behind. I remember using this when I was a teenager because my mom used it, and I hated it. I love it now, probably because my skin is different than when I was a teenager.

My second favorite has been the Maybelline Instant Age Rewind Eraser for Dark Circles Treatment Concealer in the Brightener shade. I used this on my wedding day and loved how it made my under-eyes look so bright and awake. I definitely needed it then because I hadn't gotten good sleep the past few nights. I'll definitely repurchase this when I run out.

I've also been loving the Philosophy Eyes Wide Open Instant Refreshing and De-puffing Eye Gel. Again, this stuff has worked miracles with me not sleeping. It actually does take away any puffiness I have and makes my eyes look better. This is great in conjunction with the Maybelline Brightener. I had purchased this at Sephora ages ago, but I don't think they sell this by itself anymore, at least not on the Sephora website. I can only find it in a set, which is a bummer because I don't want the set, just this eye gel. 

The Lorac Pro Palette should come as no surprise for a favorite this month. I used this palette on my wedding day and I couldn't believe how many compliments I received. People were even asking me if I had my makeup done for the day (kinda cool!). I did it all myself and I made a post about the makeup I wore here if you wanted to check it out. I love this palette and totally fell in love with it again after my wedding. It's just so versatile with the matte and shimmer shades so you can create numerous looks with this. Definitely worth the money.

My last favorite is the Maybelline Illegal Length Mascara in Blackest Black. Again, I used this on my wedding day for my third coat of mascara. This is the stuff that ultimately gave me the look I wanted with my lashes. I feel this mascara actually rivals my beloved bareMinerals Flawless Definition Mascara. If you've read my blog for a while, you know how much I love that mascara, so for this one to rival it, that's pretty amazing!

Those are my favorites for September! I know I've mentioned a few of these products before, but just fell in love with them again after my wedding. It feels good to bring out products that I hadn't used in a while, then remember how much I really do love it :)

What were some of your favorites?

September 2013 Ipsy Bag

Hey guys! I finally got my Ipsy bag in the mail and wanted to post what was in my bag before I get married on Saturday. I can't believe it's only in 3 more days! It's incredible how fast time went by. I'm also thinking of putting together a post of what makeup I'm considering wearing for my big day, so let me know if you want me to write up that post! Anyways, let get into what I received this month!

I'm loving this bag so much! I love the blue color and all the different prints on it. So beautiful!

The first product I received is a NYX Single Eyeshadow in the color Cryptonite. Now, I love NYX eyeshadows alot. They're very nice quality for the price. I have to be honest though and say I'm not the biggest fan of the color I received. It's like a greyish black color with shimmer in it. I'm more of a neutral girl, but this will probably be good for smokey looks.

Then I received the Elizabeth Mott It's So Big Volumizing Mascara. I'm not too happy with this honestly. I've read reviews on this and basically all of them are negative. I have tons of mascaras to go through before this though, so it may be a while until I get to try it out.

I then received the J.Cat Beauty Fantabulous Lipstick in the color Honeycrisp. I could have done without this product in my bag. I've never really been a lipstick girl, plus this color is pretty bad for my fair skin. It'll just make me look sick.

I also got the Starlooks Kohl Eye Pencil in the color Obsidian. Alot of people say you can never have enough black eyeliner, but if you're like me and hardly ever wear eyeliner, it's just gonna sit in your collection. I did swatch it and it felt nice, but if I do wear eyeliner pencil, I typically go for Urban Decay or the Rimmel Kohl pencil.

I'm most excited about these babies! When I saw on Ipsy's site that I was getting a Freeman mask, I honestly was only expecting one, not three. Buy hey, I ain't complaining! Anyways, these are the Freeman Beauty Facial Paper Masks. I got a hydrating mask with Blue Agave, a purifying mask with Star Fruit, and a brightening mask with Rose. I plan on using the brightening mask on Friday before my wedding! 

Swatch of eyeliner, lipstick and eyeshadow

That's everything I received! I'm not overly excited about this month's bag aside from the masks, but I will say that there are some decent products in here. If you want to subscribe to Ipsy, click here. It's only $10 a month, plus shipping in some areas, so you really can't go wrong. Most bags are usually at least worth double than the price paid!

If you subscribe to Ipsy, what did you get in your glam bag?

August 2013 Empties!

Be prepared guys, this past month I went through a ton of products! I honestly don't know how I did it but when I looked in my empties bag, it was practically full! Before I ramble on too much, lets see what I used up!

Starting off with hair care and body care, I used up the Garnier Fructis Sleek & Shine Shampoo. Now I won't take full credit for using all of this as my fiance was the main person to use it, I just helped him use it up since he started using something new! I probably finished off the last quarter of the bottle. This shampoo smells amazing, as does all Garnier shampoos and conditioners do, but it made my hair feel dry. I felt like I had to load up on the conditioner after using this stuff. I won't repurchase.

I used up another set of The Body Shop Banana Shampoo and Conditioner. I've talked about this numerous times and did a review post as well raving about them. I still like these, but I think I got bored of using them to be honest. They're still very nice, but I probably won't repurchase for a while, mostly because of the price. Luckily, these were the last bottles I had of these in my closet so I can move on to something else!

Now for body care, I used up the Neutrogena Body Clear Body Wash. I liked using this when I got breakouts on my back and chest (nasty, I know). I honestly don't know how well this works because body washes aren't on your skin long enough to have any effect so the ingredients go down the drain before they're given a chance to work. It also smells very chemically as well, which I'm not a big fan of. I probably won't repurchase this.

The last body product I used up is the Philosophy Pineapple Coconut Shower Gel. I've talked about these a ton as well, and everyone knows how much I love Philosophy shower gels. This stuff smelled amazing and made my skin feel soft and clean. I will always love these shower gels!

I used up a decent amount of skincare as well! The first product I used up is The Body Shop Seaweed Pore Perfector. I had this little bottle for ages and just always forgot to use it. I decided to finally use it up because it was just sitting in my bathroom. I don't really know how to describe this stuff. I guess it's basically a treatment gel to shrink your pores, but this did nothing to shrink mine. My pores are like craters anyways, so it's hard to find a product to help reduce them. I definitely will not repurchase this.

Next, I used up the Philosophy Purity Made Simple One-Step Facial Cleansing Cloths. I did a review on these as well so I won't go too much into detail about them. I generally did like these for removing my makeup, but the new packaging has 15 wipes less than the package I had so it's not that good of a deal anymore. Not going to repurchase because there are too many great drugstore options.

I also used up one of the wonderful The Body Shop Aloe Calming Toners. Again, I've talked about this product a bazillion times and still love it as much I have before. Will always repurchase!

Finally for skincare, I used up the Bliss No Zit Sherlock Purifying Cleanser & Toner. I used this cleanser at night and it was alright, but I felt like it burned my skin when I used it most times. I'm not sure why as I can't really tell from the ingredients what would irritate me. I know I won't repurchase this.

Now for a few miscellaneous products. I used up a Bath & Body Works Anti-Bacterial Foaming Hand Soap in the Black Cherry Merlot scent. This stuff smelled absolutely amazing! I actually enjoyed washing my hands with this stuff. I have tons of the B&BW handsoaps so I won't repurchase for a while.

Next I used up The Body Shop Skin Primer Matte It. I don't feel like this mattified my skin at all and it didn't help my makeup last either. I have difficulty finding a good face primer for my oily skin, so I'm still on the hunt!

The last product I used up is an On10 Lip Balm in a Cherry Chocolate scent. I'm not picky with lip balms and I did like this. It's got an SPF of 15 which is great for daytime use and it smelled awesome. I have so many lip balms as a backup so I don't need to repurchase any for a very long while!

Phew! If you made it til the end, you're so awesome! I'm incredibly happy I was able to use up this much. I even re-organized my closet with all my beauty stuff and was shocked to see some space! I have stuff in my bedroom though that will fill those spaces ;)

Remember my giveaway is still going for 5 more days! If you're in the US you can enter, so check it out if you haven't yet!

What did you use up in August?