November & December 2017 Empties

I'm a little late with is post (life happened), but it's time to share all of the used up products I have from the last two months of the year, and go over the total products for the entire year.

I'll start off with skincare. I tried a deluxe size of the Dr. Brandt Microdermabrasion Body Exfoliating Cream, and was not very impressed. It didn't really do much for me and I don't think it's worth the money. 

The Boscia Detoxifying Black Cleanser was amazing! I think I already have a full size in my stash but I'm trying to focus on my foil and deluxe samples this year before I bust into my full size stash.

I have a whole box full of the Dickinson's Oil Controlling Towelettes, but am using them sparingly for now. My skin is less oily in the colder months so I need more hydration. I really like these towelettes though, and they do seem to keep my oils under control.

I'm not usually a fan of Lancome skincare due to all the fragrance in them, but the Bienfait Multi-Vital High Potency Daily Moisturizing Cream was pretty awesome! It felt nice on my skin, didn't make it feel overly oily, and I appreciated the SPF of 30 it has. 

I've had this deluxe sample of the REN Active 7 Radiant Eye Maintenance Gel for a while, and I surprisingly really enjoyed using it, despite having a drier under eye during Winter. I feel like this gave me a nice amount of hydration, and would definitely be perfect for Summer time use as well. 

Now we have a couple body and lip products. You all know I love the Philosophy shower gels, and the Candy Cane scent is no exception. I still have quite a few in my stash, but they are pretty expensive. I will probably use up the ones I have left and start using less expensive products. 

I've always loved Aveeno products, but haven't used any in a while. I had a nice sample of their regular Daily Moisturizing Lotion, and remembered how much I used to adore this stuff. It's light, yet moisturizing, and is fragrance free.

Finally I have some lip balms used up! I don't like the Chapstick brand much, but I had gotten this in a gift bag from when my daughter was in the NICU, so I didn't want it to go to waste. The Korres lip butters are a product I'm not sure about. People rave about these, and some days I loved it, but others I felt like I needed more hydration. I have one or two more to use up, but I won't repurchase any. 

For some hair care minis, I have the Herbal Essences Hello Hydration shampoo and conditioner that I had gotten when my daughter was in the hospital getting surgery, and I finally got them used up in December. They were alright, nothing too special, but the scent was really nice.

My daughter has a couple empties as well, the Little Remedies Saline Spray, and the Johnson's Baby Lotion. The saline spray is something I use quite often as she gets congested a lot and I'm constantly using the Nose Frieda on her. I'm not the biggest fan of the Johnson's brand, but we have so much that was given to us, so I'm using up what we have before I buy something else for her. 

A few random things I used up are the Crest Pro-Health mouthwash, the Bath & Body Works hand soap in Sparkling Pink Champagne and candle in Salted Caramel, and the Starlooks eyeliner was completely dried out and unusable. I love the Crest mouthwash because it is alcohol free and doesn't burn my mouth, and the candle smelled AMAZING! I never got the use the eyeliner, and I'm using up all the B&BW handsoaps I have but will repurchase less expensive hand soaps.

These products are declutters. I was not a fan of the Sun Si'belle Tinted Sunscreen or the Oz Naturals Age Defying Solar Shield. The tinted sunscreen is too dark and the Oz Naturals was too greasy. I've also had them for a while, so the SPF is probably expired by now anyway. 

If there was ever a shampoo and conditioner I hated, it's the Organix Ever Straight Brazilian Keratin Therapy shampoo and conditioner. These were just awful! The shampoo never made my hair feel clean, and the conditioner made my hair more tangled. I used this duo maybe 3 different times and couldn't make it work. Just stay away from this stuff!

Number of products used up: 22
Total used up for the year: 92

For all of 2017, I used up a total of 92 products. Last year was a rough one with my daughter being born 10 weeks early in October 2016, then going through open heart surgery in March 2017. Not an excuse of course, but I just did not care about taking care of myself, and wanted to focus on getting and keeping her healthy and safe. I want 2018 to be different, and I really want to make more of an effort in using up what I have, especially makeup. I'm in the process of reorganizing my entire beauty stash (which can take a while with an almost 15 month old), so I hope I can get a better idea of just how much product I have. This year, I do want to focus a lot more on using up all the deluxe and foil packet samples I have. My goal for this year is to use up 150 products. 

Did you keep track of how many products you used up in 2017?

May, June & July 2017 Empties

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I fell incredibly behind on updating you all on the products I've used up. Being a mom has, of course, taken precedence in my life, and my daughter has had a ton of appointments. She's also been wanting more attention, so I try to get things done during naps, but she doesn't seem to like sleeping either. Anyway, I have three months worth of empty products to share with you, and I'm quite proud of what I have!

I'll start with skincare, since that's what I have the most of. I used a When Glamour Base sheet mask, which I was a fan of! I feel like it did brighten up my skin and helped it feel more hydrated. 

The Caudalie Vinoperfect Day Perfecting Cream took me a while to use, considering it's a deluxe sample size. It has SPF in it, so I would only use it on days where I would leave the house. It seemed like it was fine, but nothing special. 

The Body Shop Tea Tree Toner used to be one of my favorite toners to use, until I discovered it has a high concentration of alcohol in it. This was my last bottle, thank goodness, so I won't repurchase again. 

I LOVED the Dermalogica Skin Hydrating Booster! I would put just a couple drops into my morning moisturizer, which really seemed to help with some dehydration I was having. I doubt I'd repurchase, since Dermalogica is quite an expensive brand. 

I had the Michael Todd Pumpkin Nutrient-Rich Facial Mask in my stash for quite a while, so I'm glad I was able to use it up. It was very tingly on my skin, and left it a bit red once I rinsed it off. It did, however, make my skin feel super soft. 

The Boscia Luminizing Black Mask is a love/hate for me. I love how incredibly soft it makes my skin feel, and it grabs any little baby hairs that are annoying. I hate how hard it is to remove. Seriously, if you get this anywhere near eyebrows or hairline, oh man does it hurt! I think I may have one more of these deluxe samples, but I wouldn't buy a full size. 

Origins is one of my favorite skincare brands, so it was no surprise I enjoyed the Make A Difference Plus Rejuvinating Treatment. I used it mainly as a serum before moisturizer, but it could be used by itself for very oily skin. I would consider buying this once my stash runs low. 

I used the Clinique Spot Healing Gel on any blemishes I may have gotten. Most times I only had to use this once, and the next day my skin was clear. I'm not too fussy when it comes to spot treatments, I just can't use benzoyl peroxide. 

I'm completely horrible with using body scrubs, but I adored the Tree Hut Shea Sugar Body Scrub in the Coconut Lime scent. I have so many scrubs to use, but I will likely buy this brand again when I use up what I have first. 

I go through lip balms like crazy normally, but I only have 1 I used up. I love the Badger brand, and their Lime Rocket scent of their Cocoa Butter Lip Balm is fabulous! Very moisturizing and kept my lips soft throughout the day. I have many different scents in my lip balm stash and don't think I'll run out anytime soon!

There's a sad story to the OXG Anti-Breakage Keratin Oil, since I didn't get to use it. I was cleaning up around the house and found the bottle laying on the floor, empty. I have no idea what happened to it, because my carpet is fine. I really wanted to use this too! My hair breaks easily, so I thought this would be great to use. Maybe one day I will purchase one for myself. 

I don't wear my contacts often, so it took a while to use up the Opti-Free Pure Moist contact solution. I surprisingly liked this, since most solutions burn my eyes, but this didn't. 

With how often I wash my hands, you would think I'd have more than one hand soap. Lemon Meringue Cheer from Bath & Body Works smelled amazing! Plus, I love these soaps with the scrubbing bits, although I think they end up drying out my hands more. 

Only one hand cream as well, also from Bath & Body Works. I absolutely adored this Island White Pineapple scent and would consider buying again. This is a great Summertime hand cream as it's not too heavy or greasy. 

We must've loved brushing our teeth the past few months! There's the Colgate Cavity Protection, Tom's of Maine Rapid Relief Sensitive, and a mini Crest that I had from when Olivia was in the hospital. The Colgate one my husband mostly used, and I always need a sensitive toothpaste. I was not a fan of this particular Tom's toothpaste, though. It made my teeth feel clean, but the taste wasn't very good, and I felt like I had bad breath really fast. 

I gotta include the baby products! So my daughter has fairly sensitive and dry skin. Because of that, her doctor recommended baths no more than twice a week, so we only used up two mini sizes of the Johnson's Head-to-Toe Wash, as well as a mini Johnson's Baby Lotion. I gotta admit, I'm not the biggest fan of Johnson's, but we have a ton of products we were given, plus I was able to take home what was used in the hospital, so we're likely set with body washes and lotions for the next year. 

The Hydraguard Phytoplex Silicone Cream is what was used on Olivia's diaper rash while she was recovering in the hospital from open heart surgery. Guys, THIS STUFF IS AMAZING! I kid you not, this cleared up her diaper rash so fast, and made her butt so soft! I went on a hunt for this because I had never heard of it, and I found it on Amazon. When I run out of other diaper rash creams, this is what I will be buying. It's a miracle! Plus it smells like cake batter. 

Number of products used up: 21
Total used up for the year: 43

I probably mention this in nearly every empties post, but my goal for the year was to use up 150 products. That includes full size, deluxe samples, foil packet samples, and now Olivia's products. Considering we have about 4 and a half months left to the year, I'm not quite sure I can make that goal. I'm doing well so far in August, and have a bunch of stuff nearly finished. I also want to start doing my makeup again, and I know I need to clear out some old stuff that hasn't been used since before Olivia was born! So maybe I will make my goal, who knows? 

What are some things you've used up recently?

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?

Sephora HAUL!

Hi guys! I'm not sure if I mentioned in a previous post, but a couple weeks ago, before my last day of work, my husband took me out shopping. He said I should treat myself a little before I left work since I most likely won't be buying anything for a while (it's not like I really need anything, but ya know, I'm hopelessly addicted). I went to a few different stores that day, but did some damage in Sephora, as usual, and of course I have to show you what I got! I also may have made an online order as well...

Alright, this is the stuff I bought in-store. Yeah, it's alot, but it's all products I've wanted to try for a while! The first product is the Peter Thomas Roth Irish Moor Mud Purifying Black Mask. I've already tried this, and I definitely plan on reviewing it, because it's simply amazing! Expensive, but totally worth it. This mask is supposedly purifying, refining, decongesting and hydrating, so it's great for a bunch of skin types. Keep your eyes peeled in the coming weeks for a review. 

Next up is the Bobbi Brown Corrector in the shade Porcelain Bisque. I've never tried anything from Bobbi Brown, but have been dying to try something of hers for years. As you may have heard me talk about before, I have really bad dark circles under my eyes thanks to genetics. Of course not being able to sleep well most of the time doesn't help either, so I always need help in covering them up. I'm so excited to be able to finally try this out!

I also purchased the Boscia Charcoal Pore-Minimizing Hydrogel Mask, which I already reviewed here. I bought this because I read about them online and thought they looked interesting, so I had to try it out that night. To shorten up the review, I just wasn't a fan, but I did like that a sheet type mask finally fit my face right! 

I also decided to pick up the much talked about Laura Mercier Translucent Loose Setting Powder. I hear about this so much on YouTube and wanted to know what the fuss is about. I have yet to try it, and I will do a review on it if you would like one!

The last two products I picked up in store are from Make Up For Ever. The first one is the Step 1 Skin Equalizer Smoothing Primer, which I have heard pretty good things about. The second one is the Mat Velvet+ Matifying Foundation in the shade 15. I was so torn on shades 15 and 20 and I wished there was something in between. I ended up going with the lightest shade which I can probably darken a bit with setting powder or mix it with something else. 

This is the online order! I actually did 3 separate orders because there were some really good coupon codes for deluxe sized samples, and you can only do 1 code per order. Not to rant, but being a VIB Rouge, I wish they let us do more than one code because obviously we spend enough money, but doing separate orders is kinda annoying. Anyways, the products I purchased are the Tarte Limited Edition Amazonian Clay Eyeshadow Palette V1, the Urban Decay Afterglow Blush in the shade Quickie and the Caudalie Instant Detox Mask. I wanted the Tarte palette because there were a ton of Tarte items on the sale page and this was only $26. The Urban Decay blush just seemed like such an interesting color, but I have yet to try it. The Caudalie Mask has gotten a ton of awesome reviews, and I always love a good mask. 

Now for the samples, I got the Belif The True Cream - Aqua Bomb, a Make up For Ever Artist Plexi-Gloss in the shade 202 (a 100 point perk), a L'Occitane Divine Youth Oil, an Origins Clear Improvement Charcoal Mask (one of my all-time favs!), an Origins Original Skin Renewal Serum with Willowherb and a Fresh Sugar Lip Polish.

Well that was a good haul if you ask me! It's pretty obvious now that I don't need anything else beauty wise, so until I find myself another job, the hauls are going to be at a minimum (if there are any at all!). If there is anything specific here you want to see a full review on, please let me know!

Is there anything recently you picked up?

May 2015 Empties

Hey everyone! May was an awesome month with using up products. I think this was the most products I've ever used up in a whole month, which makes me pretty darn excited. Anyways, get a snack or a drink since this may be a long post. 

I tried putting the products together in categories, so first up is the skincare. I used up the Adeline Anti-Aging Moisturizer. I did a full review of this here, and since using it up completely, I'm a bit indifferent on it. I liked it, but wasn't wowed by it. It smelled really nice, kinda like peppermint, and it just seemed like a regular moisturizer.

Next up is the Boscia Charcoal Pore-Minimizing Hydrogel Mask. I also did a review of this here, and it just didn't work for me. I hear so many good reviews of these masks, So I'm not sure what the deal is. The only thing I liked is that it actually fit my face well, otherwise it's just a meh product.

I always say this, but it's never an empties post for me if I don't have The Body Shop Aloe Calming Toner in it. Absolutely love this stuff and it will probably always be my favorite toner of all time. 

I had used the bareMinerals bareVitamins Skin Rev-er Upper a long time ago as a treatment under moisturizer. When I found it in my stash, it wasn't as good as I remembered it being. It used to make my skin feel and look nice, but this bottle didn't really do much for me. I'm honestly not sure if this product is still around, but I highly doubt I'd buy it again if it was available. 

I was a pretty big fan of the Origins A Perfect World Antioxidant Cleanser with White Tea. It lasted me quite a while too because you need the tiniest bit to get a good foam. This cleanses well, but the only gripe I had is it burned like Hell around my eyes. 

I've loved the Clinique Moisture Surge for years, and this one is their Extended Thirst Relief version. I only used this at night and it made my skin feel amazingly soft and hydrated. This product in its full size is pretty expensive, but I may consider buying it once I use up what I have in my stash.

I didn't actually get to use the Philosophy Hope in a Jar Moisturizer because when I open it, it smelled awful and was yellow. Just nasty, so in the trash it goes!

I'm also throwing out the Valentia Organic Rosehip Oil. I did a full review of this, and I'm not a fan. I did like how it made my skin look and feel, but I can't get past the smell of it. I'm not sure if I got a bad batch, but it smelled rotten to me. 

Now for some health/body products. I have finally used up the Perlier Limone Italian Sorbet Body Water. I had done a review of this ages ago here and found it so interesting. It's not necessarily a moisturizer, it's like a gel that crackles on your skin and it's so refreshing to use after a really hot day and a nice shower. I'm not sure if I would buy it for myself, but it's such an interesting product that I might consider it. 

Another Perlier product I used up is the Volcanic Stones Thermal Scrub. I reviewed this here, and at the time, I did like it. Now that it's used up, I love how this smells, it's like a spa, but the scrubbing particles kinda hurt my skin. 

I finished up a Natrol Biotin 10,000 mcg tablet bottle. I take one of these every morning to help with my hair, skin and nails. My nails are always nice, but I don't think this works for my hair. I keep using it in hopes it will eventually. 

I used up the Wegmans Topcare brand of Sensitive Toothpaste. I liked this alot and it only costs about $3. Much better price than other sensitive toothpastes around. 

Now for a few random makeup type products. I'm actually sad to have used up the Skindinavia Bridal Makeup Finish Spray. I bought this for my wedding back in September 2013. I loved it back then and I loved it til I used it all up. I'm not very picky with setting sprays and can kinda use whatever and be happy, but there are sentimental reasons to this one!

I hadn't used this Bare Escentuals Rare Minerals Skin revival Night Treatment since I was probably a teenager. I remember using it and thinking it never really did anything. It was a powder that you put all over your skin at night and it was supposed to help with skin turnover and large pores. Since it is so old, I don't want to chance it so it's getting thrown away.

I reviewed these Dermalogica Precleanse wipes here and I didn't really care for them. At first I wasn't using them correctly, and found out that I had to wet these after an initial use to remove the rest of my makeup. I'm not a fan of these and mainly used them for rubbing off swatches. 

Last few products! I used up the Suave Keratin Infusion Color Care Shampoo and Conditioner, but not at the same time. I always use up shampoo first for some reason, and a couple weeks later, I used up this conditioner. I'm a big fan of suave hair products because they make my hair feel so soft and healthy. 

The last product is the Bath & Body Works Anti-Bacterial foaming hand soap in the scent Creamy Pumpkin. I love their hand soaps so much and always stock up during a sale. This scent was really nice, kinda like pumpkin pie but without the cinnamon. 

Well, that's everything I used up! Not too shabby if you ask me, and if you made it til the end, you're awesome and I love you :)

How many/what products did you use up in May?

Review: Boscia Charcoal Pore-Minimizing Hydrogel Mask

Hey guys! Today I have a review of one of Boscia's new peel-off gel sheet masks, the Charcoal Pore-Minimizing Mask. I was out shopping with my husband and naturally we took a trip to Sephora and he let me treat myself (again) before I leave my job on May 30th. So stayed tuned for yet another haul post coming very soon! Anyways, lets see if I liked this mask!

Here is a bit of info taken from the Sephora site:

What it is:
A pore-minimizing hydrogel mask blended with bamboo charcoal, a natural element with deep-cleansing properties.

What it is formulated to do:
This hydrogel mask cleanses the skin—reducing the appearance of pores as it removes blackheads and whiteheads—giving the complexion a renewed look. Enriched with bamboo charcoal to help draw out blackheads, it expels toxins and minimizes the appearance of pores to leave the skin soft, refined, and revived.  

What else you need to know:
This product is pH-balanced, naturally-deep cleaning, and contains 100 percent vegetable fiber. It is free of preservatives, artificial fragrance, color, ethanol alcohol, and gluten. It is dermatologist tested and vegan-friendly.

Sorry for scaring ya'll with my face!

I was so intrigued with these masks when I first saw them. I was never one for those sheet masks that you peel off your face after you use them, but this one is in gel form, which makes it a bit easier to use. It also comes in two separate pieces, one for your forehead and nose area, and the other is for the bottom half of your face. I definitely liked that concept because I always have issues with sheet masks not fitting properly and I end up having to take it off and do it over. I opened the package and it was really goopy with product so I figured it would actually do something. It was really easy to apply onto the skin, thanks to it being in those two pieces. It also fit my face pretty well, which never really happens. After it's applied, you leave it on for 15-20 minutes. In those minutes I had it on, it was sliding all over the damn place, especially the bottom half. The part between my nose and upper lip kept falling onto my lips and I'd have to constantly move it back into place. I was even laying down on the couch to try and make it stay, but that didn't work for some reason. The one plus side is that it feels really nice on your skin. It's cooling and a bit tingly, but not irritating. After you take it off, you're supposed to rub whatever serum is on your face into your skin completely. I did follow up with another serum and moisturizer, and was happy to have it off my face. I didn't really notice any results from this mask, even when I woke up in the morning after using this. For $8 per mask, I do find that to be quite pricey. I say save your money on this and spend a bit more on the Origins Clear Improvement mask, which does have charcoal in it. 

Have you tried this particular mask, or other masks like it?

February 2015 Empties

Hi guys! Today I'm going to be showing you all what I used up in February. I know I keep beating a dead horse, but with being so sick last month, I'm really surprised with all the products I have. Some of it is just really old stuff that had to go, but that still counts!

Starting off with vitamins/supplements, I first used up the Life & Food Garcinia Cambogia Supreme supplement, which I did a review on here. This was supposed to be a dietary supplement for weight loss and improving your mood. It didn't help at all with weight, but that was expected, and I did notice a bit of improvement with my mood. I also had a bit more energy but nothing to write home about. I wouldn't buy this for myself.

Next up we have the Nature Made Vitamin D3. I take these supplements because I'm a vampire and hate the sun (not really, but you get the point), and I always hear the sun is a great source of Vitamin D. Since I am super pale and burn very easily, I do try to avoid being outside when it's sunny as much as possible, so that's why I take these vitamins. I currently have a huge bottle of these right now that I probably won't go through for a while. 

Then we have the InstaNatural Phytoceramides Youthful Skin Formula, which I also have a review on here. In all honesty, I did notice a difference in my skin while taking these. It felt softer and more youthful. Even though I'm only 26, I did notice a big difference. This Winter has been horrible to my skin, so I've been doing all I can to it to keep it soft, hydrated and flake free. These really were pretty awesome. Would I buy myself though? Not sure really. The skincare routine I have right now has been working pretty well for me lately. 

The TopCare Gentle Dandruff Shampoo is the Wegmans brand version of Head & Shoulders. It's exactly the same thing! Seriously, it looks the same, smells the same, and feels the same. Plus, it's way cheaper. This bottle is only about $3 but they often have sales and coupons, so I got this bottle for I believe under $1. I only used this occasionally when I had an itchy scalp, and this will be what I purchase for the rest of my life for dandruff. 

I used up the Colgate Sensitive toothpaste, and to me, this was good but it wasn't anything special. It didn't do anything great, but my teeth didn't feel sensitive while using this, so it did its job. I'm currently using a store brand sensitive toothpaste that I think is pretty darn good, and it's cheaper too!

I finally used up the Bausch & Lomb Advanced Eye Relief. I had been using this for ages, but it was great stuff and was super inexpensive too. I have gone back to my trusty Similasan eye drops which are more expensive, but they're just my favorite and it's hard to stray away from them. 

I used up quite a bit of skincare stuff and I used up the Philosophy Spiced Gingerbread Cookie hand cream. Holy crap does this smell just amazing! It literally is a spiced gingerbread cookie in a tube and it was surprisingly really nice. It was hydrating and kept my hands feeling good even after washing them a few times. The scent also lingered, which to me was a big plus. This came in a holiday kit Christmas 2013 I think.

I used up the InstaNatural Moroccan Rose Water, which I did a review of here, along with their Skin Clearing Serum. I'm still using the serum and that's about half way gone. This rose water was amazing. I put some on a cotton pad mixed with my Aloe toner from The Body Shop and it just made my skin feel extra hydrated. I'm kinda sad this is gone, but I may repurchase once I go through my stash a little. 

I used up the Boscia Pore Purifying Black Strip, which is just a strip you put on a wet nose, wait for it to dry, and gently take it off. I have to say, I find these more satisfying to take off than the Biore pore strips I always used. Since this is a dark strip, you can see all the gunk better, and boy was there alot of nastiness that came out of my pores. I loved it, but these are expensive. This particular one came in a 500 point perk from Sephora with a bunch of Boscia products. 

I got a sample of the GlamGlow Supermud Clearing Treatment in a skincare sampler pack, and I truly didn't find this to be as amazing as everyone says. I didn't like the Youthmud mask they have either, and this one is a bit better, but it's not life changing. The hydrating mask they have is phenomenal and I will always repurchase that. I don't know why people love this particular one so much. 

I also used up the Korres Wild Rose Moisturizer. I used up another baby sample I had and didn't like it. I still don't like it, but used it up because I hate wasting product unless I have a bad reaction. This just wasn't my cup of tea. It doesn't really sink into the skin well, and the rose scent is a bit overpowering. 

Finishing up a makeup product is really hard, but I'm pleased to be able to get rid of a few things! I first used up the Korres Vitamin E Face Primer. I loved this because it felt more like a moisturizer than a silicone based primer, which I desperately needed. I feel like it did make concealer/foundation go on better, but it didn't really do much for longevity. 

I had to throw out the Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer Potion in the Eden version. I'm not sure where this sample came from, probably with a palette, but this stuff is just not good at all! I was shocked because I love the original Primer Potion, but this made my shadows crease within just a few hours. I even tried to keep using it by setting it with powder, using the tiniest amount possible and everything I could think of. Nothing worked, and my shadows still creased. After about 10 uses, I decided I had to just get rid of it. 

I also had to get rid of the Covergirl & Olay Simply Ageless Eye Concealer. This was discontinued, but I loved how it had an eye cream type product mixed into the concealer shade. When I first used it, it was great. As time went on, it wasn't applying evenly and it would eventually make my under eyes look dry and cake-y. I hadn't even made a good dent in this, but it has to go.

I'm also so sad to be getting rid of the Urban Decay Sustainable Shadow Box Palette. I had mentioned in a post over a year ago that I think this was my first ever Urban Decay palette, so there is a bit of nostalgia associated with this. I used it a ton back in the day, but the screw on the side broke off on the bottom, so the lid comes off, and the palette itself has been unglued so it's just falling apart. Part of me wants to keep it for the nostalgia reason, but the logical part of my brain says throw it away. I haven't even used it in I don't know how long. If you could let me know in the comments what you think I should do with this, please do as I really am on the fence with throwing it out :/

Now I bought this Profusion Sultry & Neutrals palette over 2 years ago and only used it maybe twice. I was going through my palettes, pulled this one out, swatched it and was immediately horrified at how bad the quality is. Seriously, this stuff is not pigmented at all! It was only $5, which is a great price, but with Wet n' Wild being around the same price but better quality, it's just sad. In the trash it goes! I wouldn't even give this to a friend it's so bad.

What did you use up in February?

Sephora & Ulta Haul!

Hey guys! So in January I put myself on a little spending ban, but it was mainly just a cut back on the spending really. I didn't buy nearly as much as I normally would in a month, which I'm very happy with. I did end up buying a little something from Sephora and Ulta last month and I wanted to show you my little haul!

Around the first or second week of January, Sephora had double points on skincare purchases. Originally I had way more items in my shopping cart, but I behaved and only purchased the Bliss Fabulous Makeup Melt Gel-to-Oil Cleanser. This was a brand spanking new product when I bought it, so I took a chance with it. I then saw Marlena, aka MakeupGeek, on YouTube rave about this in I think her Hot New Products video for January. I still have yet to try this as I haven't really worn alot of makeup lately, but I can't wait to put it to the test. 

I had so many points saved up, and when I saw the Boscia Black Magic kit as a 500 point perk, I snagged it up right away. I have tried some Boscia products in the past, but never tried any of their "black" products. I've already tried the Luminizing Black Mask in this kit, and holy crap is that stuff amazing! It's one of those peel-off masks, which I normally don't care for, but this stuff is incredible! I couldn't believe all the dead skin and nastiness that was on the mask after I peeled it off. I'm tempted to try out some of their other peel-off masks now. 

Also, when you spent $25 there was a coupon code to get a skincare sampler bag that contains 12 different samples from brands like Fresh, Bliss, Glamglow, Origins, Philosophy and more. I kinda have an obsession with samples, so I'm pretty excited to dig into these. There is a sample of the Glamglow Supermud Mask, which I can't wait to try. Reading about it reminds me of the Origins Charcoal Mask that I love so dearly, so I definitely want to see if this compares to that.

Now for the little bit I got from Ulta. They sent out 20% coupons that were good on everything except for just a few items, but I was happy that the coupon worked on most of the high-end products. I've been really wanting to get my hands on the Tarte Tartelette Amazonian Clay Matte Palette since it came out. I didn't really need another palette, so I waited and waited, and once I got that 20% off coupon in the mail, I figured it was time to treat myself. This is at Sephora as well, but I wanted to use the coupon I had while it was good! I haven't tried it yet, but the colors are gorgeous and I keep reading good reviews on it. I do want to review it myself once I try it out a few times.

I also decided to try out the EOS lip balm in the Coconut Milk scent. I honestly don't really like the regular EOS lip balms all that much, but Emily Noel on YouTube really likes this particular one, so I figured I'd give it a try. I also got an EOS hand cream for my mother-in-law because she was with me and said she needed one for her purse. I think she got the Cucumber scent, but I don't know what her opinion of it is yet. 

That's everything I got! I'm definitely trying to make an effort in not spending as much money in a month that I normally do on beauty products, and so far I'm doing good! I still have a Sephora giftcard that my husband got me for Christmas though...

Is there anything you've bought recently that you're enjoying?

Also, remember my Borghese giveaway and my blog sale! I just updated it with new products :)

Cyber Monday/Birthday Haul!

Hey everyone! I finally got all my orders in that I had placed during Cyber Monday, and I also did some birthday shopping on Tuesday. My actual birthday was Monday the 8th, but my husband and I were both off Tuesday, so he took me to the Willow Grove Mall where there is a Cheesecake Factory for lunch. Of course I had to take a trip to the Sephora there. I do have a little rant though, so bare with me! I have to say, while lunch was amazing, shopping wasn't all the fun. The employees at Sephora were so damn rude and unhelpful and I felt pretty uncomfortable. Also, I went to Victoria's Secret to use up the secret rewards card I had and I don't know what was going on, but they only had one person ringing while probably close to ten people working on the selling floor. Now I'm no expert, but I do work retail. When you have a long ass line of people waiting to be rung up and only one person ringing, don't you think someone would come help the poor girl get through the line?! Honestly, it was unbelievable and I feel for the girl doing it by herself! It's not always easy! Anyways, thanks for reading my rant and here is everything I got! It's a long one, so get cozy.

I really wanted to place an order on Milani's website because they were having a 50% off sale on everything. I've been dying to try some of the Bella Eyes Gel Powder Eyeshadow, so I bought 8. The colors I got are Bella Cappuccino, Bella Taupe, Bella Ivory, Bella Bronze, Bella Champagne, Bella Caffe, Bella Purple and Bella Chiffon. If you want reviews of these, let me know! I didn't do swatches for this post since it's a long one. 

To get free shipping you have to spend $25, so I decided to try out their Eyeshadow Primer. I think EmilyNoel on YouTube likes this stuff, and I always trust her opinion. I also wanted to try out their Baked Blush in the shade Delizioso Pink. Shades like this always looks nice on my fair skin, and their blushes are great to begin with. 

Bath & Body Works had decent sales going, but I primarily only wanted to get the handsoap my mother-in-law loves, which is the Cucumber Melon, and you can't get it in-store anymore but I did find them online. They're not pictured because I already have them put away to give to her for Christmas. Their 3-wick candles were also on sale, so I picked up 4. 
-Apple Spiced Toddy, which pretty much smells like Leaves
-Stress Relief, which is eucalyptus mint
-Homemade Cookies
-Cinnamon Caramel Swirl, probably my favorite of the bunch

I didn't really think Ulta's online deals were that special, but they were having free shipping with only a $25 purchase. I decided to buy the Real Techniques Nic's Picks 2014 Brush set. This set comes with a Duo-Fiber Face Brush, Cheek Brush, Angled Shadow Brush, Base Shadow Brush and an Eyeliner Brush. I'm already a huge fan of Real Techniques, so I'm sure I'll love this set. 

Lorac had a little eyeshadow palette for only $15 and it's their Champagne Dreams Palette. The colors look beautiful in the palette, but I have yet to try it. 

I placed a rather large BH Cosmetics order, but two items aren't shown because they're gifts for a friend. Of course I have to treat myself as well, so I picked up the 10 piece Sculpt and Blend Brush Set. To me, these look like Sigma brushes, and I honestly like BH brushes, so I'm curious to see if these are nice or not. 

Me being the palette freak, I bought two. The Dark Rose Eyeshadow, Blush & Liquid Eyeliner Palette was only $10, so I figured I'd give it a try. I also picked up the Wild Child Baked Eyeshadow Palette. I love baked eyeshadows, so I'm gonna guess these are pretty good. It only cost $7.50 so if I don't like it, it's not a big deal. 

The last product from BH is their Studio Pro Matte Finish Pressed Powder and I got shade 205, which for me is the perfect color. I'm excited to try this as I only paid $4.50 for it!

I heard about the Stila Cyber Monday sale on a blog and thought I'd go over and take a look. Apparently the products on their sale page were between 50%-70% off, and I was shocked to see two palettes on there. The In the Garden and In the Light palettes were only $20 each. I also picked up their Brighten & Correct Concealer in the shade called Tone. I'm assuming these products are being discontinued  or already have been because I don't see them on the site anymore.

Last up is Sephora. These are a combination of Cyber Monday and birthday shopping and the first thing I truly wanted to get my hands on is the new Kat Von D palette called Innerstellar, and it's flipping gorgeous! I definitely want to do a review on this bad boy. I say that with everything and never do it, but this one deserves a review with how pretty it is.

Then we have the Sephora Collection 2-in-1 Eye Makeup Remover Gel. This was only $5 and I only got it to get up to $50 so I could use my $20 off a $50 purchase coupon. Hopefully it's alright. 

I picked up the Boscia Detoxifying Black Cleanser because it just seemed intriging. This is what I picked up in-store where I felt super uncomfortable. I would've shopped more, but I had to get out of there. I can safely say I'll be doing most of my shopping online from now on!

The Sephora Collection VIP Pass Eyeshadow Palette was just too adorable to pass up! It was only $10 and you get 8 neutral shadows that are perfect for travel or everyday use. 

A co-worker of mine raves about how much she loves the Eyeko Black Magic Mascara, but I saw a little duo set of it along with a tinted Brow Gel for only $15. I'm always on the hunt for a good mascara, so we shall see if it's as great as I'm told!

The birthday gift this year is from Makeup Forever that comes with a mascara, lipstick and eyeliner. I haven't even opened this yet, but honestly, I haven't tried much from Makeup Forever. Hopefully I like what's inside the box!

Lastly, I cashed in 500 points for the Clinique Eyes To Go set they have. It comes with a makeup remover which I already know I love, All About Eyes eye cream which I also already love, High Impact Mascara is also a love, Lash Building Primer that I have not tried yet and a Quickliner For Eyes Intense. I was excited for this because most items I know I already love, so it never hurts to have backups in mini form!

Phew! That's everything! I definitely did some damage this month and I also placed another order from The Body Shop a couple days ago that I'm waiting for as well, and also Ulta. I think my resolution is a no buy for a while!

Is there anything you've hauled recently?

Sephora VIB Renewal Haul!

Hi guys! So in my last haul post I mentioned that my Sephora order helped me renew my VIB status through 2015. When your status gets renewed, you typically get a 10% off code to use in-store or online. I somehow was able to do both so when my husband and I went out for his birthday dinner, we stopped into Sephora. Also, I found out when I was there that depending on what status you are, you got extra points! Being a VIB I got 3X points, so I was a very happy girl! A couple days later I made an online order and was still able to use the 10% off code, plus 3X the points! Most of what I bought I'd wanted to try for ages, and one item I got because it looked nice, so lets see what I got!

The first product I bought is the Tarte Amazonian Clay Full Coverage Airbrush Foundation in the color Fair Honey. Now I had heard about this because of EssieButton on YouTube. She raved about it in a review she did so ever since then I really wanted to try it. I'm usually a big fan of the powder/mineral foundations so I'm definitely excited to try this. The only thing I'm worried about is the color. I did get the lightest shade and I did test it out on my jawline in the store, but I'm hoping it's not going to be too yellow for me. The box says it's for fair skin with peach undertones. The next color up was definitely too yellow, but I'll give this a go and hopefully it works!

The next product is the one I thought looked nice and it's the Boscia Tsubaki Beauty Oil. I wanted to try out a beauty oil but with my oily skin I was always worried it would just make it more greasy. They had a whole display of different oils and what skin types they were good for. This Boscia one said it's good for oily skin, so I went with it. This was a pricey bugger at $46, but with the 10% off and the extra points, I thought I'd give it a try. 

The last product I bought in store is the Kat Von D Tattoo Liner in the color Trooper. I've heard pretty much everyone and their mother rave about this liquid liner, and while I still consider myself a newbie with liquid/gel liner, this looked easy enough to control and (hopefully) not mess up. I'm really excited to try this!

When I was checking out the girl showed me all the point perks available, and when she brought out this Hourglass set, I almost died. I've never tried anything from Hourglass before, even though I think I have some samples of their primer, but I'm getting the itch to try some. This was a whopping 500 points, but I got close to 300 points on this purchase alone, so it didn't really matter. This set comes with a foundation sample card, their Veil Mineral Primer, which is what I think I have samples of, a Film Noir Full Spectrum Mascara sample, a Femme Rouge Velvet Creme Lipstick in the color Grace, and their Opaque Rouge Liquid Lipstick in the color Icon. I'm really happy to get a chance to try out some of their products now that I have this little set!

Now we have my online order. When I bought the Tarte foundation above, I did see the Airbuki Bamboo Powder Foundation Brush in store as well, but I wasn't sure if I wanted it or not. I do have a kabuki brush that I bought from The Body Shop years ago that I love with powder foundations, and thought maybe it would be okay. I ended up purchasing this because compared to my kabuki brush, this one has such shorts bristles and they're so tightly packed, so I have a feeling it will be easier buffing the foundation into my skin. I definitely want to try this brush with my bareMinerals foundation as well and see how it works. 

After I used my points on the Hourglass set, I really got an even bigger itch to try out more products. I consider this my first "luxury" product, as weird as it sounds. I ended up with the Ambient Lighting Blush in the color Ethereal Glow, and my oh my, how I love this! I haven't swatched it or anything yet because I wanted it to look all nice for these pictures, but I'm dying to try it now. I'm super duper pale, even in the Summer, so I thought this color would be good for me. The one I got though seems to have alot more of the really light shade, so I definitely am curious to see how this looks on the cheeks. 

What do you think of any of these products? Is there anything you've hauled recently that you're excited about?

How To Take Care of and Treat: Oily skin

Since my last post was about the different skin types, I figured I'll write about how to take care and treat your skin type. Today, I'm starting with oily skin because that's my skin type and it's the type I know most about. So, lets get into it! 

Now, I'm going with personal experience here and let everyone know what I use and also recommend what I like, but I'll give some other options and recommendations as well. So, once you've decided your skin is oily, the first step is to find a good cleanser that's preferably gel-based or foaming (I love both honestly). I actually use two cleansers because I also have sensitive skin on top of the oiliness. One in the morning and the other at night. In the morning I use Aveeno Ultra-Calming Foaming Cleanser, one because it's gentle enough for my sensitivity, and two because it's foamy enough to clean my skin but not strip it and dry it out. This has been my regular morning cleanser for about a year or so now. At night, I recently started using Juice Beauty Blemish Clearing Cleanser. I use this to help keep my breakouts at bay and it also does a good job at taking off any makeup I wore that day (along with using my Clarisonic, but a review of that will be in another post! :)). Another good cleanser that is actually very popular is Cetaphil Daily Facial Cleanser for Normal to Oily Skin. Now, I haven't used this cleanser in years, and by years I mean since I was around 13, so that's a good 10 years but I remember it being kinda like a creamy gel consistency but not too creamy and it left my face feeling clean and soft. If drugstore brands aren't what you're after a good cleanser that can be found at Sephora is Boscia Purifying Cleansing Gel. I can't say enough about this cleanser! This is the cleanser I used as my last night cleanser and it is uh-may-zing! Pairing it with my Clarisonic made it a zillion times better. My skin was always soft, smooth and clear and took every little bit of makeup off my face. It's just a wonderful product.

This next part isn't an absolute must in your skincare routine, but I use it every single day, and that is a toner. Now, like I said, you don't have to use a toner but because my skin gets so greasy, especially now with how hot and humid it's been, I'm gonna talk a little about them. Again, I use two different toners for morning and night. In the morning I use The Body Shop Tea Tree Skin Clearing Toner. This stuff is fantastic. It mattifies my skin and makes it feel really soft. The toner I use at night is another The Body Shop toner. It's the Aloe Calming toner. Again, this stuff is amazing too. There are only six ingredients in it, so it's perfect for sensitive, fussy skin. It's also good for in the morning if you're feeling lazy, you can just splash your face with lukewarm water, dry, then swipe that toner all over. You can even put it in the refrigerator if you got sunburned or just want to cool off. Another good higher end toner is BLISS Daily Detoxifying Facial Toner. I'll be honest and say I haven't tried a drugstore toner but I hear there are good ones from Neutrogena and Olay.

Onto Moisturizers. A lot of people who have oily skin think they don't need a moisturizer, but we really do! We just need one that's not a heavy, thick cream. We need more gel or light lotion based moisturizers that help balance oil production. For in the morning, I just started using Garnier Nutritioniste Moisture Rescue Refreshing Gel-Cream. This is actually pretty nice, it keeps my skin moisturized and hydrated without making me oily. The only downside for me is that its smell is a tad too strong for my liking. I try to stay away from very fragrant products because of sensitivity, but some people may like it. (EDIT: another downside is the packaging. It's way too bulky and I've already dropped it twice.) At night, I combine a serum and lotion together. I use The Body Shop Aloe Protective Serum and The Body Shop Tea Tree Oil Blemish Fade Night Lotion. (Can you tell I like The Body Shop Now?) Anyways, I just squirt half a pump each into my hands, rub them together and onto my face. I will say though, it can make my skin a little greasier than I like, but it doesn't bother me too much since I'm using it before I go to sleep. When I wake up in the morning though, my skin looks and feels so soft and clear so the extra grease doesn't bother me. A good higher end moisturizer is Philosophy On a Clear Day Oil-Free Moisturizer. This is really nice and keeps your skin looking soft and matte. A nice drugstore one is Clean & Clear Oil-Free Dual Action Moisturizer. This is just a nice, simple everyday moisturizer for oily skin. 

Now I'm going to talk a little about sunscreen. Everyone knows about it, everyone knows they should use it, but not many people do, especially on a regular basis. This to me is probably the most important step in your routine. If you do nothing else but wash your face and put on sunscreen, I'd be a happy girl. Every morning I use Neutrogena Ultra Sheer Dry-Touch Sunblock SPF 55. I know, I know. The SPF is super high, but I'm paler than Casper the ghost so I need it, trust me. I say try and go for at least SPF 30 but if that's still high, 15 is as low as I'll suggest. This is probably the best sunblock I have ever used in my whole life. It does tend to make your skin look really white at first but if you blend it well, it goes away. But this stuff doesn't make my skin greasy, it doesn't clog my pores and it makes my skin feel softer. I use this every morning on my face, neck and chest area. I will put it on everywhere if I'm spending the day outside, though. I'm not even going to recommend another sunblock for oily skin because this truly is by far the best one I've used.

 If you're still reading at this point, you're awesome! I know this blog is very long but hey, I'm trying to give you all the best advice I can. I'm definitely gonna go into exfoliators, treatment masks and so on for different skin types, but those will be in separate posts after this little series. The next blog will be on how to take care of and treat dry skin. Anyways, thank you to everyone who takes time out of their day to check out my blog. Please leave any comments or questions and I'll respond as soon as I can.