December 2014 Empties

Hello everyone! This is my last empties post from 2014! I used up a good amount of products in December, so lets see what I have!

The first product that was used up is the Silkience 2-in-1 Shampoo & Conditioner. I bought this at Big Lots for I think around $3 when my husband ran out of his shampoo. I didn't want to spend too much money, so he said to get whatever, he's not picky. After he used it a few times, he said he hated it, so I decided to try it out myself. It really is not a good shampoo. It didn't clean well, and didn't feel good rinsing out of my hair either. It felt like I still had product in my hair after using it. My husband has lots of curly, thick hair so for him it was really bad. We used it up though since we don't like wasting, but we will never repurchase!

It wouldn't be an empties post if I didn't have a can of Batiste dry shampoo! This is the Sassy & Daring Wild version, and I think this is my new favorite scent. I typically love the Tropical scent, but I can never find it in stores, and the last time I tried ordering it online from Drugstore.com, my package was lost in the mail, so I had to call and get my money back. So I'm either going to start buying it in-store at Ulta, or on the Ulta website. 

I used up the Nature Made Multi For Her vitamins and this brand of vitamins is definitely my favorite. They're always on sale somewhere, and they're a good price to begin with. Will always repurchase this. 

This perfume is so old! It's from the Victoria's Secret Pink line, and this was called Wish Pink. I remember first seeing these in store and thinking how cute the packaging was. This particular one smelled the least offensive to me, it's sweet with just a hint of floral. I honestly rarely used this as actual perfume. I used it mainly as an air freshener! If I felt like maybe the trash was starting to smell funky, or I just wanted the air to smell nice, I'd do a few spritzes of this, and everything smelled good again. They discontinued this line so long ago, I don't even remember when. 

I was glad to finish up the Bath & Body Works shower gel in the Vanilla Tini scent. I'm pretty sure I've said before that these shower gels aren't my favorite. The scents are nice, but I don't feel like they clean very well, and they make my skin feel drier than the Sahara. I have a few more of these to use up, but I'll never repurchase any. 

This Clarins Hand and Nail Treatment Cream sat in my stash for ages! Once the weather got really cold, I decided to finally use it up. I now know why it sat for so long. The scent is overbearing and it actually made my hands burn and feel more dry. I'm so glad this is finally used up.

I also used up the two lip balms I was rotating through. The first one is the Badger lip balm in the scent Vanilla Madagascar. I love Badger lip balms and typically buy a few when I see them. I have such a large stash of lip balms though so I don't need to repurchase any for a long time. I used this one mainly during the day as it was easy to just take off the lid and swipe it onto my lips. The second one I used up, I used at night and it's the Rosebud Strawberry lip balm. Oh my heavens, does this smell amazing! I love how this applies to the lips, and it gives a nice sheen where it makes your lips look so full and healthy. I usually loaded up on this stuff because my lips dry out alot overnight, but this helps a ton with that. 

I have finally used up the Biore Deep Cleansing Pore Strips that I've had since before my husband and I met. I always heard these were so bad for your skin, but they really cleaned out the pores on my nose and made them look so small. I typically used one after I washed my face, then I would use a deep cleansing mask afterwards, and it was a match made in heaven. I probably won't go out and repurchase right away (spending ban time!), but eventually I will. 

I used up the little jar of the Ole Henriksen Walnut Complexion Scrub. I was using this for ages because you only need the tiniest amount to get the job done. I could've sworn I had a review of this, but I actually don't. I do have the larger size jar to use up as well, so I may review it sometime soon! I really am a fan of this scrub. It makes my skin feel so soft and smooth, and the grains are the perfect size and not too irritating. 

I had a little sample size tube of the Sephora Instant Moisturizer hiding in my closet and decided to use it up. I have mixed feelings about this. I love how it spreads evenly on the skin and it makes it feel really soft at first. As the day goes on however, my skin turns into a big greaseball. The scent is also a little overwhelming, it's very floral-y. I probably will not repurchase. 

I also used up the Valentia Even Glow Serum, which I reviewed here. This serum is amazing! It felt so lovely on my skin, it sinks right in, it smells like oranges, and it helped brighten up my complexion when it was looking really dull and tired. I'm tempted to buy this, but with the massive amount of skincare I have in my stash, and it being $35, I'm going to pass on it for now. 

I've been trying to use up alot of the samples I have, and I wanted to try the Lancome Visionnaire Advanced Skin Corrector. This product is no joke guys! I know the bottle is really tiny, but I noticed a difference in my skin the next morning after using this. This is supposed to help with wrinkles, pores and evenness, and I swear to you, my pores were almost invisible when I used this. I do have another one of these little bottles to use, but I won't buy the the full size. A 1 ounce bottle costs $79, and the 1.7 ounce costs a whopping $115!

The last product I have used up is the Korres Wild Rose moisturizer. I didn't like this really. It felt heavy on my skin, even with it being so cold out, and the rose scent was too strong for my liking. I do think I have another one of these small tubes to use up, so I'll probably use it up soon before it starts to get warm, otherwise I'll be an oily mess after using it. 

Well that's everything I used up in December! I have to say, I was curious to see how many products I had used up this past year, so I went through all my empties posts and counted the products. From January through December, I have used up 181 products! I can't believe that! I was in shock when I saw that. But hey, that just leaves room to buy more products to try and use up, after my spending ban of course! ;)

What did you use up in December? Did you count how many products you went through?

December 2014 Favorites

Hi everyone, and Happy 2015! I honestly have no idea where this last year went. Time seriously went by so fast. I know everyone says that, but I think because I'm now 26 and I've been married a little over a year, it seems like life is just flying by me! This is my first post of the new year, and it's my December favorites. I'm on the fence about doing a yearly favorites, only because I don't feel organized enough to put one together. I know, I should probably start making lists and writing things down more, so that may be a resolution this year! Anyway, lets get into my favorites from December!

My first favorite is the Too Faced Better Than Sex Mascara. I had been using the Lancome Grandiose mascara, which I did a review on here, but I wanted to open up another one to try. I should've tried this sooner! I absolutely love the volume this gives my lashes. Doesn't do much for length, but holy cow the volume! The only downside is if I don't set my under eye concealer well enough, this does smudge on me.

My next favorite is the Jack Black Intense Therapy Lip Balm in the scent Black Tea & Blackberry. This lip balm is amazing! I got it in a kit a while ago, maybe last Christmas, but hadn't tried any of them til now. I love how hydrated this makes my lips feel, and it's not shiny at all, so it makes a good base for lipsticks and other lip products. 

Next up we have a Philosophy Hand Cream in the Spiced Gingerbread Cookie scent. First of all, I could eat this stuff, it smells that good! Second, it's actually alot more hydrating than I thought it would be. I got this in a set I think last year as well, and just now started using it. I mainly use it during the day because I have something thicker to use at night before bed. My hands stay hydrated with this, even after some hand washings and I get a whiff of the scent throughout the day, and I just love that. 

I've also been loving the Laura Mercier Secret Brightening Powder. This stuff is no joke for me. If I got no sleep the night before, I just use a bit of this under my eyes after concealer, and it looks like I got a ton of sleep. I find that incredible! I think this is pretty pricey, but you don't need alot at all, so it's going to last me quite a while. I also have been using this a little bit for highlighting my face in places and it doesn't look fake or cakey. 

My last favorite is the Tarte Smooth Operator Amazonian Clay Finishing Powder. This is a sample size that came in a kit. If I used a BB cream or tinted moisturizer, I usually set it with this powder. This makes my pores look nearly invisible and makes my skin feel so darn soft! I also use this if I only want to wear mascara, but no concealer at all. I dust it over my eye area, put mascara on, and I actually look put together. This past month has been harsh with work and I barely wore makeup, so using things that were quick but made me look less like a zombie were key for me.

That's everything! I know it probably is a bit of a sad favorites, but like I said above, I cherished my sleep because of work and wanted to do minimal effort in terms of makeup. 

What were some of your favorites?

November 2014 Empties

Hey guys! November was a decent month with the products I was able to use up. I really enjoy the feeling I get when I use something up as it makes room for more products! ;) Anyways, lets see what I used up last month.

I'll start with the more random products. I used up the Bath & Body Works Citrus Garland Anti-Bacterial Deep Cleansing Hand Soap. This was in my kitchen and took forever to go through. I usually wash my hands in the bathroom and just use a soap til it's all used up. I really love how this smelled. It smelled just like limes and was so fresh. I love these hand soaps, especially the deep cleansing ones because they seem to wash my hands better. They're even husband approved!

The next product is the Colgate Maximum Strength Sensitive toothpaste. I feel like I went through this toothpaste so fast, but I guess that's because it's such a small tube. It only had 4 ounces of product and I think I'm used to larger tubes. I usually just buy what's on sale and if I have a coupon or not. I didn't really like this though. It burned my mouth and didn't taste very good. The one I'm currently using is really nice, but I doubt I'll use that up any time soon. 

Then I used up the InstaNatural Phytoceramides. I did a review on this here, and I honestly think it helped me. I noticed my skin was feeling less dry and more glowy. Now that I used it up, my skin is back to feeling more dry. I do have another bottle of this, but I wanted to not start taking it to see if my skin would go back to how it was before, and it did. I'm going to start the other bottle soon.

Now for some skincare! I finally was able to use up the Aveeno Ultra-Calming Foaming Cleanser. I swear, this stuff takes months and months to use up. I did only use it in the morning and it only takes 2-3 pumps of product to be effective at cleansing the skin. I've used this before and I do like it, but only in warmer months. Once it got cold, this dried out my skin so bad so I had to compensate by using a hydrating toner and moisturizer.

Next up is the Fresh Soy Face Cream. At first I didn't care for this, especially because of how it smelled. It's very floral smelling, and that can turn me off at times. It was very hydrating though and I only used it at night for that reason. I would wake up with pretty skin that felt nice and plump. 

I used up another one of my favorite sunscreens, the Neutrogena Ultra Sheer Dry-Touch Sunblock with SPF 55. I've raved about this in the past so I won't go on and on about it. This is definitely my favorite sunscreen of all time, but I am willing to try new things. Usually I end up going back to this product, though!

Then we have a hand cream from L'Occitane and it was lavender scented. I had this little tube for ages and finally used it up. I only used it at night because it smelled so soothing and calming, so it helped me to fall asleep a little better. It's not the most hydrating hand cream like their original one is, but I just loved the lavender scent.

The Dylan's Candy Bar Candy Lip Saver in the Chocolate Cupcake scent was interesting. I absolutely loved how this smelled, but after using it up, I didn't miss it. It didn't feel very hydrating and I found myself having to constantly reapply it. That's no good in my book.

I was going through my sample tubes I had and decided to start using the Coola Mineral Suncreen with SPF 20. I appreciate that this stuff is unscented, but boy did I look like a ghost with it on! It was so white on my skin and I couldn't seem to rub it in enough to make it less noticeable. I only got about a weeks worth of use, but I was glad to get rid of it.

Lastly, the makeup. I was doing my makeup for a Thanksgiving/house warming party my husband and I were going to and I wanted to do some winged eyeliner. I decided to use a gel because I felt like I could control it more. Well both of these MicaBeauty black eyeliners were dried up so bad, that I had to go over everything I did with liquid. I got these in Ipsy bags, but only used them a small handful of times. Maybe the lids weren't on tight enough, but I was upset with how dry they were. 

Once again, we have a ton of dried up mascaras. I think I'm gonna ban myself from buying any mascaras for a long time, because it's just a waste of money not being able to get any use out of what I have. Anyways, the dried up ones were the Cargo TexasLash Mascara. I wanted to use this so bad, but not a single speck of mascara would go onto my lashes. The Blinc Stop Painting Your Lashes...Tube Them! Mascara I think had zero product in the tube to begin with. Josie Maran Instant Natural Volume Argan Mascara was clump city the second I tried applying it. Dior Diorshow Extase was all dried up. Both bareMinerals Flawless Definition Volumizing Mascaras had no product on the wands at all. The only mascara I was able to get use out of was the Stila Forever Your Curl Curl Mascara. I used this 3 times when I decided it sucked. By the end of the day I ended up looking like a panda everytime I used this. 

Well that's everything I used up! what products did you use up recently?

November 2014 Favorites

Happy December! I know everyone and their dog says this, but this year has totally flown by! I mean honestly, where does time go? It's the 1st of December, which means there is only one more week until my birthday, and one month til 2015! Craziness. Anyways, this month was up and down with products. I've been working my booty off, which means I spent alot of my free time sleeping and not doing my makeup before work, but I do have a few products to share with you that stood out for me!

First up, we have a body butter from The Body Shop and it's in the Shea scent. I'm pretty sure I've mentioned this on my blog and had it featured in a favorites before. Since it's been unusually cold lately, my skin is freaking out. It's so dry and flaky, so I started using this stuff again and it definitely helps my itchy, dry Winter skin.

The next product is one that I hauled here, and it's the Bite Beauty Best Bite Remix. As of writing this post, the Sephora site says it's permanently out of stock, which sucks, because this set is amazing! I seriously love every color, there isn't one that I'm even iffy about. They feel nice on the lips, go on smoothly, and last a while as well. Definitely one of my favorite purchases lately!

Next up we have the InstaNatural Age-Defying Skin Clearing Serum. I did a review of this here, and honestly, I think this is one of the best treatment serums I've ever tried. When I use this, I feel like my skin gets more and more clear and looks really healthy. It dries down really quick, but I do add a moisturizer on top. 

Then we have the Be A Bombshell Eye Base in the color Submissive. I did a review here, and I really am enjoying this eye base. I do love my color tattoos from Maybelline, but I've been reaching for this more when I don't want to fuss with my makeup but still want to look like a normal person. It gives a nice wash of color to the lids, but I do notice it does crease a bit when I don't use a primer underneath. 

My last favorite is the Maybelline Matte Lipsticks, and the two colors I have are Lust For Blush and Ravishing Rose. If you were to tell me a year or so ago that I'll be loving lipstick in the future, I'd probably look at you like an alien. I've always loved gloss, but I could not get into lipstick, especially matte ones. These are phenomenal lipsticks! I'm amazed at how they feel on my lips, even though I do use balm underneath. I love the colors I have, I love how they apply, I love everything about them. I'd get more colors, but these were the only two that stood out to me right away. I think I want to review these in a future post, so stay tuned for that!

November was definitely the month for lippies! What were some of your favorites last month?

November 2014 Ipsy Bag

Hey everyone! I received my Ipsy bag sometime last week, but only got around to posting about it til today. Work has been kicking my booty and I'll admit, I'm just tired. Anyways, this month's Ipsy bag is called Girl Meets Glitter, and so far, I'm not as impressed as I was last month.

I'm not sure how I really feel about the look of the bag. It's glittery out the wazoo, but I'm just happy it's got a smooth texture to it instead of being rough. I don't really see myself carrying this around with me.

I'm split on the products too. Half of them I like, the other half I can do without. That being said, the first product is the Temptu S/B Highlighter in the color Pink Pearl. I'm not a highlighter girl. I have oily skin most months out of the year so I have that glow already. Plus I don't own the Temptu airbrush system, so this is definitely useless to me. I'm hoping I can find some way to use it though. 

Next up is the Nicole by OPI Nail Polish in the color Guys & Galaxies. I'm sure I've already said multiple times, but I'm just not into nail polish. Give me skincare and makeup, but all the nail polish I get in these bags goes to waste. I have to really be in the mood to do my nails and I have tons of nail polish that are just sitting around. 

Next we have the Marc Anthony Oil of Morocco Argan Oil Volume Shine Hairspray. Again, another useless product for me. I've never used hairspray in my life so unless I give this away to someone, this product will sit in my collection gathering dust. 

Then we have the Be A Bombshell Eye Base in the shade Submissive. I'm happy with this. I love eye bases and this one is a pretty taupe-y bronze-y gold color that will probably get good use. Finally something I can use in this bag!

The last product is another good one for me. It's the ClariSEA Sea Salt Solutions Instant Glow Powder Exfoliant. Yes, yes and yes! I love a good exfoliant, especially this time of year when my skin gets drier. I can't wait to put this to use, but I have read comments that it's a bit rough, so we shall see. 

Well, that's my bag. I do wish I had some better products in here, but you can't always have an amazing bag. I have reviewed these products so hopefully they take into consideration that I don't really care for hairspray and nail polish!

If you want to sign up for Ipsy, use my referral link here! It's only $10 a month, plus shipping for some and you get some good products! (Most of the time, at least) 

If you're already subscribed, what did you get in your bag?

October 2014 Empties

Hey everyone! I used up so many products in October, especially skincare, so I'm just gonna get right into it.

The first product I used up is the Colgate Optic White mouthwash. I thank everything that is holy this is used up. I hated this so much, it burned and didn't make my breath feel fresh at all. Hated this stuff!

The next product is a good one, and it's The Body Shop Satsuma Shower Gel. This product smells like heaven. I swear everytime I use this in the shower, it makes my whole house smell like oranges. I'm a huge fan of The Body Shop's shower gels and will always have one or two backups in my closet. 

Next up is a Hair, Skin & Nails supplement by Spring Valley. I like taking these supplements to help take care of my hair, but I notice a huge difference in the health of my nails the most. 

Then I have a small tube of L'Occitane Hand Cream. This hand cream contains 20% shea butter so it's ultra hydrating. I liked using this before bed so it could sink into my skin. My hands are really starting to dry out now, so I can already tell I'll be going through hand cream like crazy. 

I definitely used up quite a bit of skincare and the first product is the Hydroxatone AM/PM Anti-Wrinkle Complex moisturizer. This took me ages to use up because I used it at night and I did alternate between different moisturizers. This stuff is pretty heavy, but I didn't break out from it, which was nice. I did a review of it here and it was sent to me from iFabbo.

The next product I used up is the Boots Expert Sensitive Gentle Refreshing Toner. I think I may have put this in a monthly favorites, but don't quote me. I did like this toner alot. It was very inexpensive and did feel good on my skin. I don't know if I'll repurchase only because I'm so attached to the Aloe Toner from The Body Shop. 

Next I used up the Garnier Moisture Rescue Refreshing Gel-Cream Moisturizer. I don't like this stuff at all. It doesn't do anything for my skin and the scent is too overpowering for me. 

I've decided to throw away the Proactiv Mild Exfoliating Peel. I was going through my closet and saw this in there. I was actually going to use it then saw when it expired. In the trash it goes!

The last skincare product is the Own Firming Silk Concentrate. I did a review on this here, and now that it's all used up, I can say that I would not repurchase it. It was nice while it lasted. I mixed it into my night time moisturizer for extra hydration, but it did feel a little oily on my skin. 

I loved the Smashbox Full Exposure Mascara. It lasted for close to a month and made my lashes look nice. All other mascaras pictured were drier than the Sahara so in the trash they go. The mascaras are Pop Beauty Smoky Lash Kapow!!! (yes, it really has 3 exclamation points at the end of the name), theBalm What's Your Type? "The Body Builder", Make Up For Ever Smoky Lash, Korres Provitamin B5 & Rice Bran, and two of the Tarte Lights, Camera, Lashes. All of those were just so dry and un-useable.

Now finally some makeup products! The first product is the Pixi Flawless & Poreless Primer. I didn't find this particularly amazing. I think it did help foundation/concealer go on a bit nicer, but it didn't really do much for my pores or oily skin. I do have another one of these to use up though.

I finally used up my Maybelline Age Rewind Dark Circle Treatment Concealer in the color Fair. I love this stuff so much and will always repurchase once I use up some other concealers. I think this is one of the best concealers for my dark circles. 

I also finally used up my Rimmel Stay Matte Pressed Powder in the Translucent shade. This took me so long to use up since I don't use alot and mostly used it under my eyes. I love how fine this powder is and how it keeps my skin looking nice and shine free for a while.

I'm sad to say it's time to get rid of the Real Techniques Miracle Complexion Sponge I've been using. It had started to get tears in it and little bits were coming off when I was using it. Even though this is way less expensive than the Beauty Blender, it doesn't hold up as well as the Beauty Blender. I've been using my Beauty Blender longer than I was using this Miracle Complexion Sponge and it's holding up so much better. 

I used up this tiny sample of the Chella Eyebrow Defining Gel that I received in an Ipsy bag. I actually did really like this. I don't do much with my eyebrows, so some gel to tame them a little is fine with me. 

The last product is the La Fresh Travel Lite Makeup Remover Wipes. This little package came in either an Ipsy bag or an old Birchbox. I used these because I couldn't find a large package of wipes and they kinda sucked to be honest. They didn't remove makeup well, so I mainly used them to clean up swatches. Even then they didn't clean well. 

What did you use up in October?

October 2014 Favorites!

Hello everyone! October is officially over, which means it's time to talk about the products I was loving last month. I have to say, I'm very happy with the products I've been trying out lately, so lets get into it!

Now I know mouthwash may seem like an odd favorite to some, but this stuff is seriously amazing! The Crest Pro-Health Multi-Protection mouthwash is great. It's alcohol free which for me is the best because other mouthwashes burn the heck outta my mouth. This makes my mouth feel so clean and fresh after I use it and I probably won't go to anything else. This is by far the best mouthwash I've ever used. Hubby likes it too :)

Next up is the Suave Keratin Infusion Color Care Shampoo and Conditioner. Since coloring my hair a burgundy/auburn color, I really wanted to make sure I'm taking care of it properly and not having the color fade like crazy. I have had some fading in my hair, but it's not bad to where it looks horribly faded, it's more of a natural looking fade, if that makes sense. Anyway, I love how this combo makes my hair feel and look. Plus, it smells amazing and it's super inexpensive at Walmart.

Now for some skincare. I've had this Aztec Secret Indian Healing Clay for quite a while now and have only used it a small handful of times. When I tell you this stuff is intense, I mean it! You take equal parts clay and add either water or apple cider vinegar, mix it up and apply to the skin. You can use it on your face or body, which is pretty neat! I've been loving this for my face because it really helps with breakouts and large pores, and it just smooths everything out wonderfully. I follow this mask up with the GlamGlow Hydrating mask and it's a match made in mask heaven. My skin looks gorgeous after them!

Now we have a new toner I've been trying out and it's the Peter Thomas Roth Aloe Tonic Mist. You all know how much I love The Body Shop's Aloe Calming Toner, but I had this in my stash and wanted to use it first before I bust open one of those. I have to say, I'm impressed with this! I actually spray a bunch onto a cotton pad and apply it that way. I notice if it gets near my eyes, they tend to sting a little for some reason, so applying it with the cotton pad gives me more control. Otherwise, this toner feels great on the skin and preps it well for serums and moisturizers. 

This wouldn't be a favorites if I didn't include something from The Body Shop! Their Aloe Protective Serum is amazeballs! I'm pretty sure I've included this in a favorites post before, but I love mixing some of this into my morning moisturizer for extra hydration. My skin can tell that it's getting cooler, therefore it's starting to dry out. This gives me the extra hydration I need without feeling too heavy or too light. I have so many backups of this, so I'm stocked for a while.

Lastly, we have makeup! First up is the much talked about Lorac Mega Pro Palette. I did haul it here, and a Fall look here featuring this palette. I think this is so beautiful and has so many amazing colors. I wasn't going to get this at first, but I got sucked in and had to have it. I'm so glad I bought it because I know I'll get so much use out of it! My one and only gripe is that it's fallout central and kicks up alot of powder as you dip your brush in.

Lastly, we have two of the Too Faced Melted lipsticks that came in the Melted Kisses set from the Sephora Friends & family haul I did here. I remember saying in that post that I wanted to try some of these but didn't want to spend the money on a full sized one. I saw the set online and figured it would be a great way to try 4 different colors. I have not tried the other two yet, but the ones pictured above, Melted Nude and Melted Peony are fantastic! The color payoff is great and they last a long time on the lips for me. I am tempted to buy some full sized ones, but I doubt I will because there is enough product in these for me to like them and not get tired of them. 

What were you loving in October?

October 2014 Ipsy Bag

Hey everyone! My Ipsy bag came a little late this month, this past Friday actually. I was just busy all weekend and I can now get to showing you all what I got! I have to say, I'm impressed this month!

For the actual bag the products come in, I love the color! Teals are beautiful. I'm just not a fan of the pattern. I don't really see myself using this bag for anything honestly. The products are what's important!

The first product I received is the Ecru New York Acacia Protein BB Cream Beauty Balm for Hair. I've never heard of this brand before but I had heard of bb creams for hair. I'm definitely looking forward to trying this since I colored my hair a burgundy/auburn color and I want to maintain the health of my hair. 

Next up is Epice International Purifying Exfoliant. I can always use a good exfoliant and with the colder weather coming up, this will come in handy. 

Then I got a Starlooks Lip Gloss in the color Gulity Pleasure. I think the color is great for Fall and compliments my fair skin nicely. When I swatched it however, it did feel a bit sticky. I haven't tried it on my lips yet, but I hope the stickiness isn't too bad once applied. 

I also got a Jessie's Girl Mineralized Baked Shadow Powder in the color Plum Frost. When I swatched this, I was surprised at how pigmented this shadow was. I know this brand is sold in the drugstore, but I was pretty impressed. It's definitely a beautiful color that I can see myself using.

Next up we have a Figs & Rouge Hand Cream in the scent Rose Berry. I have heard of this brand before and it comes out of the UK, which is pretty neat. I'm glad I got a little hand cream because I can take it to work with me and have it not take up too much space in my work bag. It does smell very nice too but I have yet to test it out on my hands. 

Now this sixth product is one that I had used my points for and it's the Eyetini Eye Cordial Cream Shadow Tint & Base. I wasn't too happy that I didn't have many choices when picking out what I wanted, but I had some points expire and I didn't want to lose any more. Believe it or not, I actually really like this product! I used it as a base under eyeshadow and it looked pretty, had good pigmentation, and also made my look last all day! 

Swatches of lip gloss, eyeshadow & eye base

Overall, I'm highly impressed this month! The last couple months were a little meh, and I did consider cancelling my subscription. This bag has totally redeemed itself for me as it has a nice mix of skincare and makeup. 

If you want your own Ipsy bag, use my referral link here! It's only $10 a month, plus shipping for some, and you get a good range of products sent to you every month!

September 2014 Empties

Hi guys! It's time for some empties and this will probably be a long one because I used up a decent amount of products. Here we go!

First up is a can of Batiste Dry Shampoo, and this is the one with a hint of color for light and blonde hair. I didn't mind the color of this, which was a light yellow. It rubbed into my hair fine and left no strange color. I love my Batiste and will always repurchase, but probably not this one.

The next product I used up is the Garnier Fructis Hydra Recharge Fortifying Shampoo. I didn't use up this whole bottle myself, I had the help of my husband. He's not picky with shampoo, but I did like this. It definitely made my hair feel really clean and it smelled really nice too. I always like shampoos and conditioners from this brand so I'll always repurchase at some time or other.

Next up is a conditioner I've been tying to finish for probably a year or so, and it's the Pantene Sheer Volume Complete Therapy Conditioner. I don't know why this took so long to finish, but I didn't need alot at all to make my hair feel hydrated. This definitely made my hair feel so nice and less tangled. Worth it for how long it lasted, but I was so over it when it was gone!

I also used up the Organix Nourishing Coconut Milk Conditioner that also took me ages to use up. This conditioner is really good stuff. It's very thin and liquid-y though so at first I thought it wasn't going to work well. Boy was I wrong! This left my hair feeling so soft and made it smell so darn good! I would repurchase once I use up my stash. 

Oh look, mascaras! I gotta admit, alot of these were just dried up and I couldn't use them. The two Buxom Lash mascaras I've had for I don't even now how long, so they gotta go. The Benefit Badgal Lash I used once, but it seemed off to me. I used it before and liked it, but this tube just wasn't the same. Funny story about the Fresh Supernova mascara. The first time I went to use it, I got one eye done and loved how it turned out. Then the wand proceeded to fly out of my hand onto the carpet. Needless to say, it had hair and dust all over it so I had to toss it and find something else to use. I absolutely hated theBalm's What's Your Type? mascara in "The Body Builder". It did nothing for me at all. I was so in love with the Sephora Atomic Volume mascara and I got a good 3 weeks of use out of it before it started to dry out and not work as well. 

The next product Is actually one I'm throwing away because the color is hideous and it's the Elizabeth Arden Ceramide Ultra Lipstick in the color Brick. It's a horrible brick red color that makes me look so sick. This came in a gift with purchase so I'm not worried about throwing it out.

Then we have a Jouer lip gloss and the color is called Birchbox Pink. This obviously came in a Birchbox, but I haven't been subscribed to them in about 2 years, plus this smelled funny, so out it goes!

The bareMinerals Prime Time Eyelid Primer was pretty nice, but my shadows creased on me most days I used it. It wasn't terrible, but enough to be annoying. I did finish all of this and got a little over a month's worth of use out of this little sample. 

I'm just throwing away the J.Cat Beauty Sparkling Cream Palette. This glittery creamy mess is just not good and no one should ever use it. 

Onto some random bits. First up is a foaming hand soap from Bath & Body Works in the scent Coconut Cove. I absolutely loved this scent, obviously because it's coconut. I have about 20 different scents of these soaps because I always stock up during sales. 

Next up is my favorite contact solution, Renu Fresh. I know I've said before, but this is the only brand that doesn't burn my eyes when I put my contacts in, so I can't really buy anything else. This stuff isn't cheap either, so I'm learning to wear my glasses more just to conserve a bit.

I was sad using up this Crest Sensi-Relief Toothpaste, because it was so good! This has to be one of the best toothpastes that have helped my sensitive teeth and gums. This isn't cheap either and I did buy it at Walmart when I had a $1 off coupon to use. Normally I think it's a little over $4, which to me is high. I always feel like I shouldn't pay that much for something like toothpaste. I will repurchase eventually if I don't find something better, or cheaper.

I used up the Body Shop's Tea Tree Skin Clearing Toner, which I've been a fan of for years. I love this stuff in the Summer especially, because it's awesome for oily skin. It keeps my skin clear and fresh and I feel it helps with my breakouts. 

I used up my first EOS lip balm and I think the scent is either strawberry or raspberry. It never says on the packaging what scent it is, so I really am guessing. In my truly honest opinion, I think this stuff sucks. I didn't find it moisturizing at all. If anything my lips were drier making me use it constantly. I do have a few more of these lip balms in my stash, but I don't know if I want to just throw them out or not. 

Next up is another product from The Body Shop, the Elderflower Unperfumed Eye Gel. I loved this so much in the Summer because it felt so cooling and nice on hot days. It really has no scent either which for me is nice since I tend to have sensitive eyes. 

I was really sad when I used up this little sample of the Jouer Lip Enhancer Conditioning Lip Treatment. I think I got this in a Birchbox as well, but this seemed good to use. I absolutely loved what this did to my lips. It made them plump and feel so hydrated and lovely. I'm tempted to buy a full size of this honestly but I have plenty of lip balms/treatments to use up first.

The last product I used up is the Almay Oil-Free Makeup Remover Towelettes. I'm on the fence with these. I liked them but I didn't love them. They did seem to remove my makeup well, but they left a bit of a film on my skin and stung my eyes occasionally, which was odd. 

Phew! That was a doozy! If you made it til the end, tell me what you all used up last month! :)

September 2014 Favorites

Hello everyone! It's the end of yet another month which means it's favorites time! Let's see what I was loving in September.

 

The first product I've been loving is the Apothecary Extracts 100% Pure Australian Tea Tree Oil. I wrote up a review if this here, and basically it's amazing! I mentioned in that post that I was using in mixed in my shampoo, and I'm convinced that it's helping with dandruff and itchiness. I also have been using it mixed in the baby shampoo I use to wash my makeup brushes for some extra disinfection.

My next favorite is the Urban Decay Vice 3 Palette. I did a first look type of post here on this, though I will end up fully reviewing this palette in the coming weeks. I love this palette so much. There are a good mix of neutrals and bright colors, and there are also an impressive amount of matte shades. Overall, I'm very impressed. Definitely stay tuned for my review!

Next up is another Urban Decay product and it's their Naked 2 Basics Palette. Check out my full review of this here, but in a nutshell, I love it! I've been more into matte shadows lately and I think this palette is great of you want neutral shades that are more cool than the first, but not so cool to where only a few people can use it. These shades blend like a dream and I have gotten good use out of it. 

Now we have the Smashbox Full Exposure Mascara in the color Jet Black. I think this may have come in a kit of some kind but I honestly can't remember. I was looking for a mascara to use because I had used up the other one I was using but came across ones that were so dried out, they weren't usable. Once I decided on this one and used it, I was pretty impressed with how nice my lashes look. They give decent length and volume, but don't look spidery or clumpy. 

My last favorite of the month is the Tarte Clean Slate 12 hr Smoothing Primer. I've been trying to use up some of my eye primers because 1. I have a ton and 2. I don't wanna use up all of the Urban Decay Primer Potions I have. That stuff is my ultimate favorite so I'm saving it! This little tube came in a gift set of different Tarte primers and to be honest, I actually really like this! It feels so different though, like lotion. I wasn't sure I'd like it because of the thin texture, but this stuff really makes my shadows last longer. Not UDPP long, but longer than if I didn't use primer at all. 

That's everything! What have you been loving lately?

August 2014 Empties!

Hi everyone! August was great in the using up products department, so this may be a longer than usual post. Lets check out what I used up.

 I'll start with the more random products first. I used up a Bath & Body Works handsoap in the scent Candy Cane Bliss. I absolutely love this stuff man! I kinda have a thing for peppermint and this smells like a straight up candy cane. Love it and will repurchase if it comes out again this year!

I also used up a Lady Speed Stick deodorant in the scent Shower Fresh. I liked the scent of this and I feel like it did the job well. I bought this I think for only $1 but I honestly don't remember where.

I used up one of my favorite toothpastes, the Crest Sensi-Relief. I'm sure I've mentioned in the past, but I have super sensitive teeth and gums so I'm always on the hunt for a toothpaste that's good with sensitivity but also affordable. I think this tube retails for around $4 or so, but I wait til I can find a coupon to use. Definitely will repurchase.

 A couple more random products, I used up the Philosophy Happy Birthday, Beautiful! shower gel. Loved this since it did smell just like a vanilla birthday cake. I featured this in my July favorites and I'm really hoping they have a scent like this that's permanent because I'd stock up on this stuff!

Now this may be a strange product, but it's the Udderly Smooth Udder Cream. I used to use this alot when I was younger as a hand cream because it's got a good consistency that melts right into the skin but it's incredibly hydrating. I found this bottle and I think I have another one hiding in my stash, but it rekindled my love again. When I was at Walgreen's the other day, I actually saw a two pack of these things! I could only get them in Amish Country at a local store and would stock up when my mom and I would go. If you live in Pennsylvania, Amish country is in the middle-ish of the state, so like Lancaster/Harrisburg/Hershey area. It would take about 2 hours to get there but it was worth it.

Now for lots of skincare! The first product I finished up is the Clarisonic Gentle Hydro Cleanser. I featured this in my June favorites, and now that I've completely used it up, I wish I would've saved this for the winter time. It's a thicker cream cleanser that doesn't foam up at all, which makes for a good makeup remover. However, I did notice that as the Summer went on, it started feeling a bit heavy on my oily skin. I only used it at night and it is wonderful when used with the Clarisonic, but I feel like I would've gotten better use out of it when it's really cold outside. Oh well, live and learn! Would I repurchase? Maybe, I have so many other cleansers to use up before I think of repurchasing anything.

This bottle of Neutrogena Oil-Free Moisture for combination skin lasted me ages! And by ages, I was using this when my husband and I were dating and I would stay over at his house. we've been together a little over 4 years now and married almost 1 if that says anything. I'd only use this at night but once in a rare while, mostly in winter, I'd use it during the day if my skin felt dry. This is a great basic moisturizer and lasts forever, so you definitely get your money's worth!

I used up a Clarisonic brush head in the deep pore version. Clarsonic recommends you change out the brush heads every 3 months, but I assume that means with daily use. I use my Clarisonic at most three times a week, so I stretch that out a little. After every use I always wash it well, so I feel I can get away with changing them out less often. I like this brush head surprisingly. It's not harsh on my skin which is great and I do feel like my skin is alot cleaner when I use my Clarisonic. I have so many backups of brush heads, it's pretty nuts.

Next we have the Philosophy Take a Deep Breath Oil-Free Energizing Oxygen Gel Cream Moisturizer. I'm pretty sure this is one of my favorite moisturizers I've ever tried! Honestly, it's got the best texture for oily skin, doesn't feel heavy, and it still feels hydrating. If I didn't have a million moisturizers to go through, I'd go out and buy multiples of this stuff, that's how good it is. I don't think I have a full size jar of this, but this sample size lasted quite a while, about a good 3 weeks I'd say. 

I used up the Clinique Spot Healing Gel pretty quickly. I must've had alot of breakouts or something, but this tube did not last long at all. I think it helped heal any blemishes I had, but the spot treatment I'm currently using blows this out of the water. 

I actually never got to use the Skin Iceland Icelandic Relief Eye Cream. When I ran out of a different eye cream, I went to use this and it was just a ball of goo and wasn't useable at all. I cleaned out the jar and I'll probably reuse it for something else.

Last skincare product is the Lancome High Resolution Eye Refill-3X. This is a sample size that came in a gift with purchase set. I didn't really care for it much, it kinda burned a little and didn't feel very hydrating. I looked it up online and the full size jar of this costs a whopping $64! I couldn't justify buying an eye cream that expensive, but hey, someone else may love this.

Now for the makeup! Basically it's all mascara and one eyeshadow primer. The first mascara I used up is the Covergirl Natureluxe Mousse Mascara. I talked about this in my May favorites and I pretty much loved this stuff. It made my lashes look so nice and I'm really sad it's discontinued.

The next mascara I used up is the Clinique High Impact Mascara. I really liked this too! It gave me decent length but was great in the volume department. I might repurchase this after I use up my mascara hoard.

Next up is the Lancome Hypnose Doll Lashes mascara. I thought this was alright. It clumped up a bit which I had to go back with a lash comb to remove but it gave me some nice length. I'm pretty sure I already have a full size of this to use up, which I'm kinda upset about since I didn't like it. I may just use it in conjunction with a different mascara.

Now I tried to use the Duwop Lash Venom, but when I opened it, the brush was flattened to the wand! I tried my hardest to make it useable but I figured it was just too dried up to use. It's a shame because I was really looking forward to trying this out.

I was using the Tarte Gifted Amazonian Clay Smart Mascara for almost a week when I noticed it wasn't really that great. It was giving me those little balls of mascara at the tips of my lashes and they were hard to get rid of. Unfortunately, in the trash it goes!

The one lone eye primer I have is the Tarte Lifted Natural Eye Primer. I used this for quite a while then it started to dry out on me and wasn't useable. It was alright while it lasted. It didn't really make my shadow last long, but it did make the colors pop. I'm pretty loyal to my Urban Decay Primer Potion but I do have a lot of primers to use up!

What have you used up lately?

August 2014 Favorites!

Hey everyone, and happy September! Honestly, this year is going by so darn fast! My wedding anniversary is this month and it seems like yesterday I was posting about it coming up. It's really amazing how time flies! Anyway, August was pretty good product wise for me. I have a decent amount of favorites to share with you all, so here we go!

The first product I've been loving is the Philosophy Purity Made Simple Facial Cleansing Gel & Eye Makeup Remover. This stuff is amazing! I really like the original cleanser that everyone and their mother talks about, but this stuff is the bomb for oily skin. It's basically a thick gel formula but it lathers up nicely so it feels like it's really cleaning your skin. It's also amazing when used with a Clarisonic. They sell this huge bottle at Sephora for only $21, which to me is amazing because you only need the tiniest bit. This will last a long while since I only use it at night!

Next up we have the Clean & Clear Advantage Acne Spot Treatment. I had ran out of the spot treatment I was using and thought I had samples of something else to use, but I really didn't. I couldn't wait so when I was grocery shopping I took a peek down the skincare aisle and saw this. It was on sale and I actually had a coupon so this was only a little under $5. I'm pleased to say that this stuff really does work! I use it in the morning and as the day goes on, I do notice that the breakouts I have aren't as red and puffy. This is definitely a keeper in my book!

Now I know the Lorac Pro 2 Palette was in my favorites for July, but it's just so amazing that I had to include it again for August. This palette is just so beautiful, it's quickly becoming one of my favorite palettes, ever. Go and buy it!

Then we have The Body Shop Satsuma Shower Gel. Now I'm pretty sure I've either talked about this or the body butter in the same scent before, but I'll say it again, this stuff smells amazing! when you're in the shower, it truly feels like you're in a field of oranges and the smell just fills the bathroom. I remember I had taken a shower one night and my husband came home from work, stopped dead in his tracks and asked what smelled so good. I hadn't cooked anything so I said it was probably my shower gel. He said it smelled like orange peels were strewn throughout the house and it was wonderful. He loves oranges so he was happy!

Next up is two lip glosses from the Bite Beauty Deconstructed Rose library I hauled a little while back from Sephora. I had originally gotten this because of FleurdeForce saying she loved it. The Sephora I went to only had one of these left, and it was a limited edition product so I don't think you can get it anymore. The two particular colors I have shown here are numbers five and six. Six is actually on the left and five is on the right. These glosses are a bit sticky but the color selection totally makes up for that!

My last favorite is a sample size of the Sephora Atomic Volume Maximum Volume Mascara. I'm pretty sure this came in a kit of some sort, but I'm really impressed with this little guy! It does give me more volume than I'm used to, which is nice, but it still looks natural on my lashes. I just looked on the website, and I don't know if they renamed this or discontinued it, but I can't find the exact mascara on there :(

What were you loving in August?

August 2014 Ipsy Bag

Hey guys! So I received my Ipsy bag on Friday but only got a chance today to write up what I got. When I was able to check my glam room and see what I would be getting, I was pretty excited! Once I actually got my bag in the mail, I was a little let down. The theme this month is called Beauty Schooled.

First off, I don't like the look of the bag. I don't like the color orange and when I got it, it was so smushed that I was afraid something may have broken inside. Onto the products.

 I first received the Dr. Brandt Pores No More Pore Refiner. I love receiving things that will help with my pores. Having oily, acne prone skin, products like this are amazing. I do have another sample of this but I have yet to try it. 

Next I received a Coastal Scents Forever Blush Sample Duo. I was first happy to see I would be getting this in my bag. Once I received it, I couldn't believe how small it was. I don't know how I'll be able to use this normally. I do have a comparison picture coming up shortly. 

Next up we have the Absolute Lip Balm in the Green Apple scent. A grape scent was also sent out and I probably would've preferred that, but this doesn't smell too offensive. I was never a fan of green apple stuff, even with candy. The color of it is pretty though so I'll give it a try. 

Then we have a Lord & Berry Silk Kajal Kohl Eye Pencil in a black color. Again, such a tiny sample that for me, it will be difficult to use. Reminds me of free samples they give you from Sephora when you place an order online. 

Lastly we have the Urban Decay Perversion Mascara. This is the only product I'm super excited to use. I love Urban Decay as a brand so getting to try their new mascara is nice.

Not sure if this is a good comparison picture, but I didn't really have anything else. I have been told by numerous people that I have really small hands. My wedding rings are a size 5 if that helps too, and they sometimes slide around. Granted, my husband's hands are huge compared to mine, but he's a big dude. I'm just amazed that these tiny ass samples were sent out. Like I said above, these remind me of the free samples they send out with online orders. Pretty disappointed. 

Overall, I am not too happy with Ipsy this month. Some months are so amazing and then we have months like this where they all seem like free samples that I paid $10 for. 

Anyway, I do like Ipsy but I'm hoping next month is way better than this. I've received some awesome bags in the past, so if you want to subscribe, sign up here!

If you're already signed up, what did you think of your bag?