August 2018 Empties

Hey guys, long time no see! Life has been busy the last couple months, and blogging hasn't been a main priority. I'm sorry for that, and hope to pick back up! I haven't shared my empty products lately, so today I will share what I used from from August. September and October empties will be posted separate. I'm going to start making these posts a little shorter, and basically say whether or not I liked it, and if I'd repurchase.

I'll start off with some skincare I finished. I really enjoyed the Belif Bergamot Herbal Extract Toner. It helped my oily skin feel less oily, and I felt my skin was prepped well before serums. Would repurchase.

I finished up two deluxe sizes of the Bliss Daily Moisturizer with SPF 15. This moisturizer is alright, just a basic everyday moisturizer. There was nothing special to it, but it didn't make me feel greasy, which was nice. Would not repurchase.

I had a small sample from a brand called ASAP and it was their Gentle Cleansing Gel. I actually really liked this! I felt it cleansed my skin nicely and didn't leave it feeling tight or dry. Would repurchase. The Lancer The Method: Cleanse cleanser on the other hand left my skin feeling so dry, I had to use so much more moisturizer. It cleans well, but definitely isn't something I would buy myself. Would not repurchase.

Last up is some body and hair care. I had gotten the Softsoap Eternal Bloom body wash as a PR sample a while ago. I like the smell of these soaps, but I feel like they dry out my skin a little too much, and I end up using more moisturizer than I want to. Would not repurchase. 

Bath & Body Works hand soaps are nearly gone in my stash, and I used up the Cozy Vanilla Cream scent. Liked the scent, but will not repurchase. 

I used up two products from Perlier, the Shea Butter Ultra Rich Moisturizing Shower Cream and the Honey Nurturing Body Balm. Both felt nice on my skin, but I would not repurchase. 

The Simply Clean Berry Whip Shower Sugar Scrub was a gift a couple years ago. I didn't like this. It smelled fake and had very few scrubbing bits. Would not repurchase. 

Lastly is the derma E Scalp Relief Conditioner. I loved how this made my scalp feel, but it didn't do much for my hair. Would not repurchase. 

Products used up: 11
Total for the year: 113

I feel like I'm doing well! I honestly haven't worn much makeup so I don't for-see using any up by the end of the year, unless something is old and I throw it away. I definitely think I'll be hitting my goal of 150 products used up by the end if December!

What have you used up recently?

August & September 2017 Empties

It's been quiet again here on the blog. I'm still trying to get into a groove with being a mom and a blogger, so I'm sorry if all goes quiet every so often. I have some empties from August and September to share, and I'm quite impressed with my progress! I was going to wait until the end of October, but this month has been pretty awesome with using up products, so stay tuned for that post! 

Most of this post will be skincare, and these are some smaller products and samples. I used up two foil packet samples, one being the Jurlique Skin Balancing Face Oil and the other being a Diskinson's Oil Controlling Towelette. I liked the face oil as a final step to my skincare routine at night. It kept my skin feeling hydrated, and I woke up with baby soft skin. The towelette I used in the morning as a toner before serum and moisturizer. I have tons of these honestly, and I liked it a lot. 

The Azure Naturals Ultimate Vitamin C Serum was alright. I had it in my stash for a while, and got bored of it fast. I typically like Vitamin C serums, but I didn't like this one in the end. 

I decluttered the Jersey Shore Sun Sans Tan sunscreen after trying to use it once. It had separated horribly and the smell was off, so in the trash it goes. 

I really enjoyed the Bliss Best of Skintentions moisturizer. I like the scent and how it sinks into my skin without making it feel greasy. I have a few of these samples in my stash still, so I hope to use them up before the end of the year. 

We all know I love Derma e products, and I had done a review of their Firming DMAE Eye Lift a while ago. This product took forever to use up, and I loved it til the last drop! I would absolutely buy this when I use up the eye creams I have already. 

My love for sheet masks is still strong, but masking in general has been hard with a baby and life. I managed to use the Tony Moly I'm Real Moisturizing Aloe Mask, and the Sephora brand Pearl Mask meant for perfecting and brightening. I enjoyed both, but prefer the Tony Moly mask. Even though I have oily skin, I've been dealing with dry patches and flakes. Now with the weather changing, it'll just get worse, so hydration is key for me. 

I used up another of my beloved Aloe Calming Toners from The Body Shop. I've loved and used this toner for years, and only have 2 or 3 as backups. It's gotten too pricey for what it is, in my opinion, so I'll be looking for a replacement at a lower cost. 

The last few products are miscellaneous. I've had the Tresemme Platinum Strength shampoo and conditioner in my shower for way too long, and surprisingly I used up the conditioner first. I love this brand and would buy it again. It's inexpensive and gets the job done, plus makes my hair feel like a million bucks. 

There are two less Bath & Body Works products in my stash, and I used up the Pumpkin Coconut candle, which smells heavenly, and the Spring Time & Clementines deep cleansing hand soap. I cannot wait to use up all these hand soaps, and move on to others that are less expensive. 

I had purchased the Dermasil Dry Skin Treatment moisturizer at the dollar store of all places, and it worked better than some of my expensive moisturizers. I don't think I'd purchase again, only because I have so many body creams and lotions to use up. 

Number of products used up: 13
Total used up for the year: 56

Definitely not where I want to be with the products used up, but I'm very happy with my progress. I think my original goal was to use up 150 products, but with really only 2 months of the year left, that won't happen. If I can get to 75, I can start fresh in January and really work towards my goal of using up products and decluttering my life. 

What are some products you used up recently?

August 2016 Empties

*Post contains affiliate links*

Hey guys! It's time to share another month's empty products, and August wasn't that good. The past few months haven't really been that good with finishing up products, but I managed to use up a few things this time!

I had gotten the Dove Deep Moisture Nourishing Body Wash in an old Walmart box. I always have liked Dove deodorant, but wasn't a huge fan of their body washes. This one was no exception, sadly. I did like how thick and creamy it was, but it made my skin feel more dry. 

The Curel Itch Defense, on the other hand, was great! I had gotten this in an Influenster voxbox, and I really liked how soft this made my skin feel. I have been having much itchier skin lately, and this worked like a charm. 

I've always been a fan of anything Aveeno, so their Daily Moisturizing Lotion Sheer Hydration was nothing super new to me. I've been trying to go through a bunch of deluxe samples lately, so it feels good to have these three finished!

I finally finished up the last of the Citron Cedarwood candle from Bath & Body Works. My husband was a fan of this scent, but it was a bit much for me. I did like using it when I was cleaning to help make our house smell fresher. 

This little baby size of the Tarte Smooth Operator Finishing Powder took me forever to go through! I used this to set my face and for baking underneath my eyes, and it just seemed like the never ending powder. If I purchased this in the full size, it would probably take me years and years of daily use to go through. I highly recommend this though! It makes my skin look and feel so soft and smooth. 

The MyChelle Love Your Lips lip balm in the scent Black Currant Pomegranate is another product that took ages to use up. It's just such a massive tube, so I started using it on my cuticles and rough spots I had just to use it up faster! It was nice though, especially under very drying lip products. 

The very last product used up is the Colgate Sparkling White Toothpaste. I used this at night, but my husband was the one using it the most. I thought this toothpaste was kinda weird. It was more of a gel formula, and it foamed up a ton so it made my mouth feel super dry. My husband likes the Colgate brand, so we bought a different kind of toothpaste for him. 

Number of products used up: 7
Total for the year: 103

I finally used up 100 products! I'm a bit disappointed in myself honestly. I've mentioned before that my goal was to use up 250 products this year, but I don't see myself doing that unless I go ham with how much I use of everything, and that's just a waste to me. I definitely see September being better, as I already have 3 products used up and it's only the 5th! This pregnancy has seriously made me feel so exhausted all the time, even though I'm almost to the third trimester, so I've been slacking on doing my makeup and taking care of my skin most days. I need to get my butt into gear before baby Olivia makes her grand entrance, because I know I'll be slacking again once she's here!

What are some products you used up in August?

August 2016 Favorites

*Post contains affiliate links*

Hi guys! August was much better on the favorites front, as the last few months have been kinda blah due to pregnancy and life, and not caring much about makeup, skincare, or anything beauty related. I have a few favorites to share with you today, so lets get to it!

I've been making it a point to use a hair mask or deep conditioner about every other hair washing. I'm way overdue for a haircut, so I'm trying to keep it looking as soft and manageable as possible until I can get it cut. I've been really into the Aussie 3 Minute Miracle Deeeeep Conditioner. Why are there so many E's in deep? I have no idea, but this stuff makes my hair feel fantastic! It works by just squeezing the tube and product comes right out. No need to take caps off or have the bottle fall onto the floor (that happens quite a bit now, and having a pregnant belly in my way makes it difficult to pick things up). It smells nice too, and is fairly inexpensive. 

Next up is a travel size of the Tree Hut Shea Sugar Body Scrub in the Coconut Lime scent. Taking care of the skin on my body has become more important as well due to my growing belly, and just having drier skin in general. I already have old stretch marks from weight gain and loss over the years, but I have no new ones (yet), and I attribute that to using this scrub and moisturizing regularly now. I absolutely love how this smells, and I pretend I'm on the beach with a pina colada in my hand every time I use this, even though I'd need a virgin one instead!

The Dr. Brandt Oxygen Facial Flash Recovery Mask has got to be my new favorite mask. I did a full review on it here, and have just been amazed with how awesome my skin looks after using this. It's ridiculously expensive, but when I have the money to splurge, I'm so buying this again. I love how it foams up on the skin, and it gives me such an amazing glow that pregnancy hasn't necessarily given me. 

I did a post back in February on three Serious Lip Balms. Since I'm a lip balm hoarder and only use pretty much one at a time, These kinda fell to the wayside. I pulled out the Snickerdoodle scent after using up a balm that I had been trying to use up for many months, and remembered how much I love these! They're so hydrating, they have amazing scents but no taste, and the women behind the brand are incredible people. Definitely be sure to check out my review of these balms!

I know I've mentioned the Sephora Ultra Shine Lip Gloss in the shade Pin Up Pink before in a favorites, but I can't get enough of this gloss! I'm finally about half way through this deluxe sized tube and will be sad when it's gone. I just love how soft and not sticky these feel on the lips, and they make my lips look so full and luscious. If I didn't have a million different lip glosses to use up, I'd go out and buy this in a heartbeat.  

What were some of your favorites in August?

August Goals

Hey guys! I think I'm going to start August off differently than I usually do. Normally, I would start off with sharing my monthly beauty favorites, but this month, I'd like to share some of my goals that I have. I'm a big fan of the blogger Neely, over at It starts With Coffee, and at the beginning of every month, she states the goals she wants to accomplish, as well as going over the previous month's goals and if she made them. I think that's such a great thing to do, and it'll at least keep me accountable when I share if I made mine or not. So here is what I want to do this month and why:

- Straighten up the bedroom. My husband and I live in a one bedroom condo, and I'm nearly 20 weeks pregnant. We can't afford to move just yet, so we need to make room for baby things and of course the baby has to sleep somewhere. The bedroom needs a good straightening up, so if I can make progress this month, but not finish completely, I'll be proud of myself. 

- Read 1 book. Yes, just one. I used to LOVE reading! It's all I wanted to do as a kid, but as I got older, I stopped. I miss it and there are some good books lately I want to read, but with blogging, YouTube and pregnancy taking over my life, I'll start with 1 and see what happens. 

- Show my husband I appreciate him more. I'm lucky enough to be able to stay home while he goes to work, but it isn't always easy. While I consider blogging my job, it doesn't bring in a whole lot of income (yet). I make enough to maybe pay my cell phone one month, while other months I make nothing at all. Sometimes I get frustrated with life and can take it out on my husband, who works so hard to provide for us. Seriously, the man works 50+ hours in the medical field every week, and it can take a toll on him. I need to take a step back at times and just appreciate all he does for me and our growing family. I love him to death and truly don't know what my life would be like without him. 

- Pick out a baby name. I know this might be a weird goal to have, but this coming Thursday, August 4th is our anatomy scan, and we still don't know if we're having a boy or girl. Once we find out, I would like to crack down and pick a name. It might change, who knows? I know my name was going to be Jessica, and it was switched to Katy right after I came into the world. I'm just a planner and would like to have a name picked out for now. 

- Use up at least 10 beauty products. I had to include something beauty related, since that's mostly what my blog is about! I've been slacking with wearing makeup, and even taking care of my skin. Even though I'm just over 19 weeks pregnant, I'm seriously so exhausted still and occasionally deal with nausea. I was hoping to feel like an Energizer Bunny, but I'm more like a sloth at the moment. Regardless, I want to start feeling pretty again, despite feeling like a fat, bloated whale, so I want to make it a point to do my makeup more and take better care of my skin. 

- Donate clothing/household items to Purple Heart. My family has always donated things to Purple Heart, and once I moved into my own place with my husband, I've continued doing that at least twice a year. I go through clothes that I no longer like or don't fit anymore, get rid of movies, kitchenware, blankets, you name it, and give it to a good cause. I do have some clothing that I can potentially sell, so going through my closet and bins of clothing is a big priority this month. 

I think that's everything I want to try and accomplish in August! For me, I need to do baby steps and take it a little at a time. I don't have the patience, nor the energy to do a full blown cleaning in this house at the moment. Plus, I want to be as stress-free as possible. 

Do you have any goals you want to accomplish?

August 2015 Empties

Hey guys! Once again, it's time to show you my trash. I didn't finish using a crazy amount of products, but I'm happy with what I did use up. 

The first product I used up is the Herbal Essences Color Me Happy Dry Shampoo. Technically, I didn't use this completely up, because after about 3 uses, the nozzle completely broke on me and sprays out like a stream of water. Also, this stuff is just awful, so part of me is happy it broke. Everytime I used this, it would just make my hair feel sticky and grosser than it was before I used it. Don't buy it, ever. I've finally decided to never again stray from my beloved Batiste.

Next up are some Multi For Her Vitamins from Nature Made. Nothing fancy, just an everyday vitamin that's got the essential vitamins I need on a daily basis. I like the Nature Made brand and they're always on sale at Walgreen's for typically buy 1, get 1 free. 

Part of me wishes I would've saved The Body Shop Brazil Nut Shower Cream for Winter. It's incredibly hydrating and made my skin feel super soft. These shower creams are awesome too, and perfect for Winter when my skin gets drier than the Sahara desert. 

I used up probably my all-time favorite toothpaste from Tom's, their maximum strength Sensitive toothpaste. This stuff is amazing! I'm sure I've mentioned in previous posts that my teeth and gums are extremely sensitive, and most times I HAVE to use a sensitive toothpaste, otherwise it's hard to even drink cold water. I adore this toothpaste, as weird as it sounds. It just makes my mouth feel good, and the soothing mint flavor is nice.

The Dior Addict It-Lash Mascara was so dried up I could only partially get one eye done and had to switch to a different mascara. I wish this wasn't so dried out because I love the plastic bristles on the wand. Spiky bristles like that give insane definition to my lashes, which I'm a huge fan of. 

I used up the Aquafina Flavor Splash lip balm very early on in August. I liked this balm, but it sucks how quickly I went through it. Honestly, I probably used it up in maybe 3 weeks. I do like how hydrated this made my lips feel and I used it every night before bed. 

I used up the Amara Organics Vitamin C Serum, which I wrote a full review on here. I really did enjoy this serum alot. I used it in the morning under my moisturizer, and I felt that it brightened up my skin making it look alot less dull. 

I loved how the Ole Henriksen Grease Relief Face Tonic made my skin less oily. I didn't love how this stuff smelled though. It's very strongly scented of Robitussin. You know, the cough medicine. It's so bizarre, and because of that, I highly doubt I'd buy it again. 

The Korres Pomegranate Cream-Gel was just alright. It didn't make my skin feel oily nor did it cause any breakouts. It was just a meh product in my opinion. 

I used up the Boscia Luminizing Black Mask in one use, and it's an interesting one. It's one of those masks that dries and you peel it off your face. I liked it because it pulled out some of my baby hairs that I have all over and it also seemed to brighten up my skin. However, this hurts like a mofo when removing, and you have to use alot of it to get the thick, opaque layer that's needed to get results. 

The L'Occitane Hand Cream in the regular shea scent is phenomenal! I know I've talked about this before so I won't ramble on, but it's hydrating, smells fresh and clean, and doesn't leave my hands feeling greasy after I apply it.

What did you use up last month?

August 2015 Favorites

Hi everyone! I say this pretty much every month, but the year is just flying by. The past couple months have been not so great personally, but they're going by fast, which I'm happy about. It's September now, which means I get to celebrate my 2 year wedding anniversary soon, and there are only 3 more months until my birthday! I didn't wear too much makeup in August, but I do have a few favorites to share with you all.

My first favorite is the Olay Sensitive Body Wash. This stuff is fantastic! Even though the bottle says it's unscented, it still has a very light, clean scent. It's lovely and makes my skin feel soft and clean. I originally bought this for my husband, but I've stolen it from him (not really though, I'm not that mean). 

Next up is the Zamian Super Gold Cacao Pack or mask here in the states. I had gotten this in a Memebox, and only used it a small handful of times in the past. I pulled this out again, and instantly fell in love. First off, it smells like hot chocolate with maybe some rum mixed in. It's delicious smelling, but it makes my skin glow and feel like a baby's bum. Apparently, it's got gold powders in it as well, which makes it seem pretty fancy. 

The Body Shop Sweet Lemon Lip Butter is a product I started using literally a week before the end of August, so I might be cheating. I've talked about these lip butters before and it's no surprise I like them. This particular one is so incredibly hydrating, and it smells like lemon meringue pie! This is also one of the rare lip butters that don't leave a white cast on my lips, so that's a big plus. 

If you click the picture to make it bigger, you can see that I have a pan of Makeup Geek Starry Eyed Eyeshadow. This is one of the foiled shadows, and boy is this beautiful! It's so shiny and pigmented and makes for a great lid color, and if you have fair skin like I do, you can maybe get away with using this as a cheek highlight, but very lightly of course. 

The last product is the Kat Von D Everlasting Face Shaper Blush in the shade Bellisima. This is a pretty pink-y coral shade that has a tiny bit of a sheen and looks so pretty on my fair skin. This little sample size was most likely a point perk from Sephora, but now it makes me want to get more of these blushes. 

What were some of your favorites in August?

August 2015 Ipsy Bag

Hi everyone! I received my Ipsy bag yesterday, and I'm happy for once that it's a bit earlier than previous times. The theme this month is Prep School, since school is starting again soon for alot of people. 

The actual bag is alright. It's got a hounds-tooth pattern, which I'm not a huge fan of. It also feels like it's made of plastic and it has some texture to it as well. 

The first product I received is the Swissco soft Touch Slant Tweezers. Out of all the products they sent out, I got flipping tweezers! The last time I got a Swissco product in an Ipsy bag was December of 2014 and it was an eyelash curler. Didn't need that either. 

The next product is the Starlooks Luxe Longwear Eyeliner Pen. I very rarely wear eyeliner, and if I do, it's usually the Kat Von D Tattoo Liner in Trooper. This eyeliner seems smudgy when I apply it on my hand and rub it after it dries, so I don't have the highest hopes for this. I'll still try it just to see how it works.

Next up we have the Beauty Without Cruelty Leave-in Conditioner. This will definitely be put to use as I haven't done a whole lot with my hair recently, and I can tell it's suffering. I think it smells wonderful too, very herbal scented. I'm a fan of scents like that though, but I can see it being too much for some people. 

Next is the Hikari Lip Gloss in the shade Salsa, which is a classic red. I was hoping I would get the intense red mauve shade called Merlot. I always feel like I can't pull off the classic bright red shades as I need something more cool based for my skintone. I'll give it a go and see if I end up liking it. The only thing that's really turning me off is the scent of this. Right when I take the wand out, the smell of chemicals wafts into my nostrils, and it's not pleasant. 

The last product is the City Color HD Powder. I already have so many powders in my stash, but I'm curious to try this as it promises a matte finish and preventing shine. An oily girl like myself might appreciate something like this, as long as it works!

That's everything I received this month! Overall, I just feel a bit meh about it. I'm not overly excited about anything really, but am curious to try the powder and leave-in conditioner. 

If you want to sign up for Ipsy, you can do so here via my referral link! It only costs $10 a month, plus shipping for some, and you typically get 5 deluxe sized products to try. Occasionally, there will be a full size product too! 

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

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?

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?

August 2013 Favorites!

Hi everyone! It's the end of another month, which means it's favorites time! It also means that I'll be getting married in three weeks. Three weeks?! Where did that time go?! It's seriously going by fast, but anyways, lets get on to what I've been loving this past month. It's not a whole bunch since I haven't experimented too much lately, but these products are really great!

First up, we have the limited edition Wet N' Wild Color Icon Eyeshadow Collection in Going in the Wild. Now I only used this one time, and I used the purples on the left hand side, but boy oh boy, are they beautiful! I followed the look exactly how the colors are to be used and it looked so nice, I even got some compliments when I went to work. Great little palette if you can get your hands on it!

My next favorite is the Too Faced Chocolate Soleil Matte Bronzing Powder. This is a mini size I bought that also came with a little brush for $15. The brush that came with it is alright, but I use a Real Techniques Contour Brush with this. I'm surprised with how much I like this! I wanted to just get the small size because this is my very first use of a bronzer ever, so I wasn't sure if I'd like it. I've been using this just to contour my cheekbones with, and it's surprisingly easy to work with and blends well. It also helps that it smells like cocoa! I'll probably buy a full size of this when I run out of this little one.

Then we have the Kat Von D Lock-It Tattoo Foundation in the color Light 42. I wanted to try this for potentially wearing it for my wedding. I bought the lightest shade online figuring it would be fine since I'm usually paler than whatever the lightest shade is in any brand. Imagine my surprise when I used this and it's actually lighter than my skin! Miracle of miracles, I'm not as pale as I thought! Anyways, I used it by itself at first and it matches my neck as long I blend well. Next time I tried this I mixed it with a different foundation that matches my skin alright but is a bit dark by itself. It was perfect. I think this is a great foundation. It lasts for a very long time on my oily skin, but I do notice it gets a bit spotty by the end of my work day. I'm used to that though. This covers imperfections very well also. If you want to try this, I recommend testing it in store. I blindly bought it online without testing it first but I'm okay with it honestly. I can wear it by itself, but it looks better when I mix it with a darker foundation or if I use the Too Faced bronzer above.

This last product is my star favorite of the month. This is that little beauty sponge that every beauty blogger/vlogger and their mother and dog talk about, and that is the Beauty Blender. Sorry this is so dirty, but it's been very loved, plus that Kat Von D foundation stains like a mother. Anyways, I always heard great reviews of it but I didn't want to give into the hype. Since I'm using my wedding as an excuse to buy new things, I gave in to see what it was all about. I kid you not, the first time I used this, it was love. The heavens opened up and angels were singing. I finally believe the hype and can confirm that this is truly amazing! This little baby makes my foundation look completely flawless and it covers up imperfections beautifully. The pointed tip makes it easy to get into the corners of the eyes and around the nose. Before I use this, I wet it first and squeeze it out in a towel and let it dry for about 15 minutes. I should also mention, I bought the double pack of these because it was a better deal. I'm glad I did because I will keep buying these for probably the rest of my life. 

That's everything! I know I didn't have many products this month, but these are all very loved products and I couldn't be happier. I think I may be done buying makeup for quite a while. I've purchased alot lately and I think I can make a decision on what to wear for my wedding!

Remember I still have my giveaway going if you haven't checked it out! There is still one more week left to enter, so good luck if you do enter or if you already have :)

What were some of your favorites this past month?

August 2013 Ipsy Bag

Hey guys! I was so happy when I went to my parent's house yesterday and saw my Ipsy bag there! I hadn't even gotten a tracking code or anything until today and I saw that it was actually delivered on the 10th! I don't think I've ever gotten an Ipsy bag so early in the month before. Anyways, this month's theme is Glamour Academy. I'm guessing they named it that because it's almost back to school time. I'm incredibly happy with this month's bag, so lets see what I got!

The bag everything came in is cute, but I'm not the biggest fan of the crest. I love the purple with gold together though. It's a decent size too for traveling purposes.

Now for the actual products! When I found out we were getting a Michael Todd product, I was over the moon! I've been wanting to try Michael Todd products for a while now, and I received the Pumpkin Nutrient-Rich Facial Mask. We could've also received the Jojoba Charcoal Gentle Exfoliating Facial Scrub. I would've been happy with either one, but I love masks a little more personally. 

The next product I received is a Noya Lip Balm in a Cherry flavor. The other product I could've received is an Urban Decay Lipstick. Honestly, I much prefer lip balms over lipsticks anyway, so I'm very happy.

The next product is the Pixi Beauty Lash Booster Mascara in Blackest Black. I'm a bit tired of mascara samples now, but I'm still going to try this and see how I like it.

Next up is the MicaBeauty Eyeshadow in Bronze. I think this is such a beautiful color and it's super pigmented. I can't wait to try this over the Maybelline Color Tattoo in Bad to the Bronze. I think that's gonna look gorgeous!

The last product I received is the Pacifica Alight Multi-Mineral BB Cream. I was excited about this until I read some reviews. I read that it was shimmery, looks orange and doesn't blend well. Now I'm on the fence about this product. I'm not sure if this product was an either/or product, but looking at what else I could've received, I wish I got the NYX blush instead. 

Overall, I'm very pleased with this bag. Ipsy continues to be my favorite subscription service (and only subscription service I get!) and I don't see myself cancelling anytime soon! If you would like to sign up for Ipsy, feel free to use my referral link here. I don't get paid through this link, just an extra product in next month's bag if I get two people to sign up! :)

Also, please check out my giveaway for my one year blogiversary! It's running for 23 more days, so there's plenty of time to enter! It is for US residents only, so I apologize to my readers overseas :(

August 2012 Favorites!

So I figured I'll do an August 2012 favorites blog since I don't have access to a video camera to post on YouTube (maybe in the future sometime). I absolutely love watching those videos and reading about who loves what. So lets get started.

The first favorite I have is a nail polish by Zoya called Lotus. This is a tiny bottle but that's because I recieved it in a Birchbox. I LOVE this color! Here's a description from the Zoya website describing the color (because I'm terrible at describing colors): "Zoya Nail Polish in Lotus is a very soft, dusty blue-toned amethyst purple with colorful shimmer that reflects pink, red and gold. A dreamy smoky shade for purple lovers that looks both soft and luminous." I pretty much agree with this description except for the dusty blue part. I just don't see it. It's such a beautiful purple color and the shimmery particles show up very nicely but it's not over the top. I used two coats of this and it turned out very opaque and lasted for quite a few days for me before it chipped.

My next favorite is the Maybelline Eye Studio Color Tattoo 24HR Cream Gel Shadow in Bad to the Bronze. Yes, I know I'm late with saying how wonderful this is, but I just recently purchased this within the last couple months and it really is incredible. I use this underneath my eye shadows especially when I'm using either of the Urban Decay Naked palettes. I have to use an eye shadow primer first as well because I have super oily eyelids and my eye shadow looks amazing all day. I can't wait to try out some of the new colors they have for Fall.

Next, I have a blush from The Body Shop and the back of the package just says 04 cheek colour, so it doesn't have a name, just a number. To me, this blush reminds me a bit of Nars' Orgasm, just a little bit lighter and with a tad bit more sparkle but again, not over the top. This was usually my go-to blush pretty much everyday in August, aside from a few days when I'd use the Nars or some other brand. I've also had this blush for almost 3 years and I still haven't hit pan on it. I know you're probably thinking eewww gross! But, it hasn't changed color, it doesn't smell funny, and plus, powder formulations of any makeup tend to last a while as long as it's stored properly.

My next favorite is a lip balm by a brand called on10. This container came in a package of I believe 9 lip balms and I got it from Sephora a couple years ago. The flavor I have pictured is lime and it has an SPF of 15 which is really good especially when you're going to be outside in the sun. I've been using this for I wanna say almost 2 months and it's almost empty. This lip balm is amazing too. It makes your lips so soft and moisturized, and it smells wonderful! I still have some flavors left as I'm a lip balm freak and have way more than necessary.

My final favorite is The Body Shop Tea Tree Skin Clearing Toner. I am totally obsessed with this stuff. The bottle pictured is still full because I just opened a new one last week sometime, but I've been using this toner all through Summer. I will have to put it away by the end of September because it really helps control oil production and keeps skin matte, which will actually be too drying for me once Fall rolls around. The only downside to this product is that the second ingredient is Alcohol Denat. which is basically plain alcohol and is very drying to the skin. I will say though, I haven't had any issues with this over-drying my skin or irritation so I do recommend it if you're super oily and have acne-prone skin like I do. Just remember to use a moisturizer after using this, or you probably will have super dry skin.

So that's everything for August! I'll definitely be doing a September favorites and I hope this gave you a good idea of a few things I like. Bye everyone! Thanks so much for checking out my blog!