June 2018 Empties

June was an amazing month with using up products! I feel so proud of myself, and I'm excited to share what I was able to use up last month.

 I'll start off with the few skincare samples I used up. I have 3 packet samples: the Derma E Vitamin C Brightening Clay Mask, The Body Shop Drops of Youth Concentrate, and a Cane + Austin Miracle Pad +. I actually loved all three of these samples! Derma E makes great skincare, you all know I love The Body Shop products, and Cane + Austin is a new to me brand. 

I have 2 deluxes samples of moisturizer/sunscreen. The Peter Thomas Roth Max Sheer All Day Defense Lotion was a bit thick, but it sunk into my skin fine. The Shiseido Ultimate Sun Protection Lotion was not good. I used it 3 times and had to get rid of the rest. It smelled very strongly of perfume and made my skin look ghostly white. 

Next up is some hair and body care. I ended up getting rid of the Rusk Sensories Brilliance Color Protector. I just knew I wasn't going to use it and it's been in my closet for years. 

I finally used up the Arvazallia Restorative Conditioner. I thought this was okay. I used up the shampoo a couple months ago, and wasn't a fan of the duo. It made my hair feel nice for maybe a day, then it was greasy after that. 

I know a lot of people don't care for Pantene products, but I loved the Anti-Breakage Shampoo! It made my hair feel so soft and clean, and I might end up repurchasing at some point. 

I used up a shower cream and body cream duo from Perlier in the White Almond scent. I adore the scent, and of the two, the shower cream was my favorite. 

Next up is some random stuff. I had one wipe left of the Epielle Green Tea Cleansing tissues, but it was all dried up and not usable. 

I wasn't a fan of the L.A. Colors lip balm in the shade Boom. The tint was too much, so I just used it right before bed. 

I decluttered the Sonia Kashuk Radiant Tinted Moisturizer. It's very old and it was time to get rid of it. 

I also ended up getting rid of the Skin Food Cacao Hand Balm. I did not like how this just sat on my skin and didn't really provide much hydration. 

I'm on a quest to use up or get rid of all my candles. Now that I diffuse Young Living essential oils, I find myself not liking candles anymore.

I used up the two hand soaps I had in the kitchen and bathroom: Bath & Body Works Tuscan Vineyard, and Green Goo Lemongrass Zinger. Loved both scents, but once I use up all the handsoaps I have, I'll be making my own. 

Lastly is my daughter's empties! Mountain Falls is Amazon's brand, and their Baby Night-time Bath soap is awesome. It's not very expensive and smells like lavender. The mini Johnson's baby shampoo is what I use to clean my makeup brushes, or clean out my daughter's Nose Frida. The Boudreaux's Butt Paste was alright, but I discovered Young Living's diaper cream, and it's fantastic!

Products used up: 20
Total for the year: 94

Like I had said above, I'm so incredibly happy to have used up this many products. My goal for the year was to use up 150 products, and I just might exceed that! I'm really excited to see how the rest of the year pans out.

April 2018 Empties

I took another break from the blog due to family things and lots of doctor appointments for my daughter, but I'm back! I can't say how many times I'll be posting this month, but I realized I didn't get to share my used up products from April, and May's empties will be up in a couple-ish weeks. 

I'll start off with some skincare products. I finally finished off the last 3 packets of the Dickinson's Oil Controlling Towelettes, and I'm glad to be moving onto something different.

I have one sheet mask from a brand called Dermal called Bird's Nest. I got a huge lot of these off of Amazon for a really good price, due to a lot of awesome reviews I saw from a group on Facebook. I really enjoyed this and have to start taking better care of my skin again, because I'm majorly slacking. 

I used up a deluxe sample of the Origins GinZing Refreshing Face Mask. It's just a clear, gel type mask that dried down on the skin, and left it a bit more hydrated. It's nothing special honestly, but it felt good on the skin. 

I had been working on the NeoStrata Foaming Glycolic Wash for a really long time and I'm happy now that it's used up. It made my skin feel soft, but it dried it out during the colder months. I should've saved it for Summer, but wanted it done. 

This is the last of the products. I used up 2 Bath & Body Works products: a Spiced Apple Toddy candle and a Coconut Lime Verbena Deep Cleansing hand soap. Absolutely loved the candle, as well as the hand soap, but I'm slowly using up and not repurchasing anything from B&BW. I feel like their stuff is really expensive, and I'm working towards using better household products. 

I've been trying to use up the Arvazallia Color Care shampoo for a really long time as well. I don't wash my hair often, maybe twice a week or so. Now that this is used up, I don't really care for it. My hair didn't really feel clean, but it felt softer. I just used up the conditioner a couple days ago, so that will be in June empties. 

I used up a Little Remedies Saline Spray that was my daughter's. I use these sprays to help clean out her nose when she gets stuffed up. I like this but found a less expensive option on Amazon. 

I used up another Philosophy hand cream in the Raspberries and Cream scent. These hand creams are nice, but they don't do much when my hands are super dry from constant hand washing. 

Products used up: 11
Total for the year: 68 

I didn't do too bad. I was hoping to use up closer to 80 products at this point, but as long as I can really start taking care of my skin and trying to do my makeup more, I should have better success. I know my goal was to use up 150 products this year, and I'm still hopeful I can hit that goal. 

December 2015 Favorites

 *Some links below are affiliate links*

Hi everyone, and happy 2016! I'm pretty excited that 2015 is over and done with, and I can't wait to get this new year started. Today I'm going to be sharing with you some products that stood out to me in December. I am planning on doing a yearly favorites that should be up sometime next week, so stay tuned for that, but for now, here are a few products I loved last month!

The first product I was loving was the Arvazallia Rejuvenating Hair Mask. I had reviewed the entire 3-step range here, and completely fell in love with the line. The mask in particular has been so amazing for my hair lately. I honestly don't wash my hair too often, about every 2 or 3 days, but alot of times, my hair is just so dry! I don't use this mask every time I wash my hair, but about every 3rd washing I will. This mask just makes my hair feel so soft, silky and manageable. 

Next up is a toothbrush. You probably are thinking I'm a total weirdo (I am, actually), but hear me out! I'm sure I've mentioned here before that my teeth and gums are super sensitive. I can only really use a sensitive toothpaste, but I also can only use extra soft toothbrushes. I can never find extra soft toothbrushes in-store anywhere, so I end up buying them online. I found a package of 8 toothbrushes by a brand called Cand, for just $13.99. They're apparently a Chinese brand and these toothbrushes have black bamboo charcoal bristles (again, totally weird). I was reading up on these before purchasing, and they're said to help get rid of toxins in your mouth and to help with tooth whitening. I haven't used mine long enough to notice any whitening, but this is hands down the best toothbrush I've ever tried! My teeth and gums feel so clean, it doesn't irritate at all, and my teeth feel clean for alot longer than when I used a different toothbrush. I kept telling my husband how impressed I was that even he started using one, and he loves it too. This has changed my life honestly.

The next product is by a brand called Ecru, and it's their Acacia Protein BB Cream for Hair. I had received this in a previous Ipsy bag, and was kinda intrigued at the thought of a bb cream that you use on your hair. To me, this is basically just a lightweight leave-in conditioner, but it makes my hair feel so incredibly soft, and when I use it after the Arvazallia hair mask, my hair feels just incredible. I feel like this has helped my hair to feel cleaner longer as well. 

My next favorite has been a Philosophy Lip Shine in the scent Red Velvet Cake. Now, I love these lip shines mainly because of all the different scents. They don't particularly leave color on the lips, but if you apply these over a matte lipstick, they make your lips look and feel big and juicy, which I really enjoy. I have so many of these and I just love them.

My last favorite has been the Valentia True Glow Eye Cream, which I did review on here. I'm in love with the Valentia brand and have gotten so lucky to be able to try a bunch of their products. This eye cream makes the skin around my eyes feel so soft and hydrated, but I never get an oily film, which can happen if I use an eye cream that's too rich. I feel like this helps with dehydration lines and slowly helps with dark circles as well.

What have you been loving lately?

Review: Arvazallia Advanced Color Care System

*Disclosure* I received this set complimentary from Tomoson for review. All opinions are 100% honest and my own, like always

Hey everyone! I had seen a couple reviews of the Arvazallia Rejuvenating Hair Mask, and when I was given the chance to try it along with the accompanying shampoo and conditioner, I was so excited! 

Here is some info on these products from Amazon:

Arvazallia Advanced Color Care System with Argan Oil and Macadamia oil is a premium hair care system designed for the unique hair care needs of color treated hair. The advanced proprietary formulas in each product is designed to protect and extend the life of hair coloring treatments while also preventing and repairing damage, dryness, and other issues associated with the application of hair color treatments. This 3-part system is made up of a specially formulated sulfate-free shampoo, conditioner, and deep conditioning hair mask that when used in combination will help you maintain vibrant long lasting color and will also instantly improve your hair's texture and manageability. Our exclusive MRV3 Complex formulation locks in moisture, repairs and prevents damage, and gives your hair added body and volume. Infused with Wheat Protein, Aloe Vera, Argan Oil, and Macadamia oil it also repairs, strengthens, and nourishes your hair with essential nutrients while also promoting natural hair growth. This system will Protect, Rejuvenate, and Beautify your hair. 

I had colored my hair the day before I received these products in the mail, so that was some perfect timing. I waited a few days before washing my hair, and when I did, some of the color did come out, but not as much as I normally notice. The Moisturizing Shampoo smells just incredible, and I'm assuming it's the mixture of Argan and Macadamia oils I'm smelling. For a shampoo that claims to be sulfate-free, this foams up alot more than I thought it would, which I'm actually happy about. This shampoo rinses out nicely and makes my hair feel really clean. The Restorative Conditioner is amazing as well and smells exactly like the shampoo. It's thick, but not so thick that it makes my hair feel greasy, and it also rinses out very well, but makes my hair feel very smooth. 

The Rejuvenating Hair Mask is the star of this set, in my opinion. It's very thick to me, which I tend to be a bit wary about because I have fine hair that gets greasy at the scalp with thick conditioners/masks. However, this makes my hair feel absolutely incredible! When I wash my hair with the Moisturizing Shampoo, I alternate between using the Restorative Conditioner and the Rejuvenating Hair Mask, which they recommend doing. I feel like this system is actually allowing me to go an extra day or 2 longer without having to wash my hair. Typically I wash my hair every other day, but I'm noticing I can go 3 to even 4 days without washing, and I could never do that before. I'm also very happy to say that the color in my hair is lasting very well and I am noticing a good amount of hair growth already. 

Overall, this whole Arvazallia Color Care System is outstanding. You can find it here on Amazon for just $39.99! That price is amazing for all you get here, and it will last you a very long time, especially the hair mask. My hair has never been softer and this manageable, probably ever. I always had such a hard time dealing with an oily scalp, but very dry ends, especially when I colored my hair, but this set has transformed it. I'm so tempted to buy this whole set again even though I have a ton of shampoo and conditioner to go through.

Does this shampoo/conditioner/hair mask set seem like something you would like?