I took another break from the blog due to family things and lots of doctor appointments for my daughter, but I'm back! I can't say how many times I'll be posting this month, but I realized I didn't get to share my used up products from April, and May's empties will be up in a couple-ish weeks.
I'll start off with some skincare products. I finally finished off the last 3 packets of the Dickinson's Oil Controlling Towelettes, and I'm glad to be moving onto something different.
I have one sheet mask from a brand called Dermal called Bird's Nest. I got a huge lot of these off of Amazon for a really good price, due to a lot of awesome reviews I saw from a group on Facebook. I really enjoyed this and have to start taking better care of my skin again, because I'm majorly slacking.
I used up a deluxe sample of the Origins GinZing Refreshing Face Mask. It's just a clear, gel type mask that dried down on the skin, and left it a bit more hydrated. It's nothing special honestly, but it felt good on the skin.
I had been working on the NeoStrata Foaming Glycolic Wash for a really long time and I'm happy now that it's used up. It made my skin feel soft, but it dried it out during the colder months. I should've saved it for Summer, but wanted it done.
This is the last of the products. I used up 2 Bath & Body Works products: a Spiced Apple Toddy candle and a Coconut Lime Verbena Deep Cleansing hand soap. Absolutely loved the candle, as well as the hand soap, but I'm slowly using up and not repurchasing anything from B&BW. I feel like their stuff is really expensive, and I'm working towards using better household products.
I've been trying to use up the Arvazallia Color Care shampoo for a really long time as well. I don't wash my hair often, maybe twice a week or so. Now that this is used up, I don't really care for it. My hair didn't really feel clean, but it felt softer. I just used up the conditioner a couple days ago, so that will be in June empties.
I used up a Little Remedies Saline Spray that was my daughter's. I use these sprays to help clean out her nose when she gets stuffed up. I like this but found a less expensive option on Amazon.
I used up another Philosophy hand cream in the Raspberries and Cream scent. These hand creams are nice, but they don't do much when my hands are super dry from constant hand washing.
Products used up: 11
Total for the year: 68
I didn't do too bad. I was hoping to use up closer to 80 products at this point, but as long as I can really start taking care of my skin and trying to do my makeup more, I should have better success. I know my goal was to use up 150 products this year, and I'm still hopeful I can hit that goal.
April is here, which means it's time to share all the products I used up in March. I've been doing really well so far this year, and I'm really excited to share my progress with you all!
For skincare, I used up a Bliss Fabulous Foaming Face Wash. I used to really like this stuff, but I realized it doesn't do anything for my skin.
The Algenist Overnight Restorative Cream was really freaking amazing, and I want the full size at some point. This made my skin look and feel so nice!
I wasn't able to use up the Neocorium Derma Carrier and EGF & Stem Cell Concentrate before it expired. It's a shame because this duo was pretty nice, and it's super expensive.
I really wasn't a fan of the Derma-Nu Blueberry Cranberry Oxygen Facial Scrub. It smelled nice, but felt way too harsh on my skin.
Montagne Jeunesse is a brand I'm unsure of, but I did like their Creamy Coconut Hydrating single use mask. It made my skin feel really soft and supple. Four more packets of the Dickinson's Oil Controlling Towelettes done, and just a few more to go.
I usually don't wear perfumes or body sprays, so this Victoria's Secret Pure Seduction Body Splash took years to get through. I have different scents hanging around, so I'll try to use them more.
I have another Philosophy Cranberry Medley hand cream used up, which I do like. I think I mentioned before, but this doesn't work very well if my hands are extra dry and cracked, but for a little moisture, it works just fine.
I really enjoy Serious lip balms, and I used up a Peppermint one. I loved this so much. It makes my lips feel soft, and the peppermint scent is really nice.
I have little samples of the Exuviance Evening Restorative Complex and the Caudalie Eye and Lip Cream. The Exuviance was nice, but felt maybe too hydrating at times, and I really enjoyed the Caudalie eye cream as well. It felt like a balm, but wasn't too heavy so I used it during the day.
I had a deluxe sample of the Tom's of Maine Rapid Relief Sensitive toothpaste, so I used this up quickly. I didn't care for it much as it didn't help the sensitivity I have.
I finally have some makeup! The Miss Mona Lisa Eyebrow Pencil was all dried out, and it fell out of the packaging, so I had to throw it away. I've been a fan of The Body Shop's Lightening Touch pen in shade 01 for ages now. I honestly am not sure if they still make this, but I may have a backup to use. I LOVE the Rimmel Match Perfection concealer in shade Fair. It's such a nice color for my under eyes, and blends in like a dream.
Products used up: 19
total for the year: 57
I truly am so proud of myself right now! I never thought I could use up this many products so early into the year. I'm not sure how April will go, but I may focus a bit more on using up deluxe and foil packet samples. I have a ton of those to go through and really need to start using them up.
What have you used up recently?
February wasn't as good of a month as January was in regards to used up products, but I still have a few to share with you today. Like I said in my January empties, I've been hoarding all this stuff, and now I have the time to share and finally get rid of everything.
Starting off with the few skincare products, I used up two masks. One Tony Moly I'm Real Rice sheet mask for clear skin, and a Montagne Jeunesse Mint Choc Chip one time use mask. I've been really getting more into sheet masks lately, but need to take the time and use them more often. The sheet masks from Tony Moly are quite nice, and not so expensive when purchased on sale at Ulta. I'm not sure how I feel about the Mint Choc Chip mask. It definitely looks like mint chocolate chip on your skin, but the peppermint in it was quite overwhelming and made my eyes water a bit. I purchased a few different masks from this brand and haven't been too overwhelmed by the other one I tried either.
I used up three more of the Dickinson's Oil Controlling Towelettes, and have just a few more to use up. I'm fairly certain I've mentioned already, but I do like these. I just think they're better, for me, in the warmer months when my skin is much more oily.
I love Fresh products, but they're ridiculously expensive. Which is why I'm sad to report that I LOVE the Lotus Eye Gel! It's hydrating although it's a gel, feels amazing going on, and is perfect for daytime use. I do have quite a few eye creams in my stash to use up, but I'm incredibly tempted to buy a full size of this at some point.
I just have two body care products, and they're both body washes. One is the St. Ives Rich & Creamy Vanilla Body Wash, and the other is the Derma e Psorzema Body Wash. My husband and I both used the St Ives wash, and I adored it. It made my skin feel very soft, and this bottle is very inexpensive when I can get it on sale at our grocery store. I did like the Derma e as well. It really did help with dry, itchy skin. The only downside I noticed was that I would get some body odor, so this doesn't help in that area.
Lastly, I have a few random products. I used up another Bath & Body Works 3-wick candle in the Pumpkin Cupcake scent, which I adore! This was my last one, and I kinda want it to be Fall again so I can get another. I also used up one of their Deep Cleansing Hand Soaps as well in the Peach Bellini scent. Loved this scent, but I know I've mentioned that I feel they're so expensive, even when on sale. I'm slowly phasing them out of my stash and will look for something that costs less.
I used up an Aquafresh Sensitive toothpaste, which is nice. I can only use sensitive toothpastes because my teeth freak out with anything, especially cold things. Sensitive toothpaste helps for the most part, and I haven't noticed one that's better than another.
Products used up: 11
Total for the year: 38
I don't know about anyone else, but I feel like I'm on a roll already! 38 products in just two months is amazing for me, and makes me feel like I can really hit my goal of 150 used up products for the whole year. I kinda hope I can use up way more than that, but I don't want to shoot myself in the foot and end up not hitting my goal. March's empties should be coming up in the next week or so, and I'm happy to report (sneak peek here) that I have a few makeup products! Even though I'm primarily home with my daughter, I started doing my makeup again at least a few times a week, and hope to use up a few things this year. I'm so excited!
Hey guys! I know, it's been ages. I know, I say that every time I haven't posted in a while. Life is absolutely crazy lately and there are times where I just need to focus on my family and not worry about blogging. I really miss blogging so much though, and want to start again, so bear with me as I figure out a new schedule. I realized I've been hanging on to all the products I've used up since the beginning of the year, so today I'll be sharing what I used up in January, which was a great month!
I'll start off with all the skincare I used up. I have 3 of the Ole Henriksen Ultimate Lift Eye Gels that I'm decluttering from my skincare stash. I had used one of them once and absolutely hated how it felt on my skin, so I'm just getting rid of them.
I loved the Caolion Hot & Cool Pore Pack Duo! It's this 2 step process that is said to help get rid of blackheads, and it's just awesome. I purchased mine a while ago from Sephora, but I don't think they carry it anymore.
I had a deluxe sample of the Lancer Eye Contour Lifting Cream that I got from Influenster. I liked it, but it was nothing remarkable. Lancer products are so expensive, I don't think I could ever purchase anything myself. I also used up The Method: Nourish moisturizer and did like that but again, wouldn't purchase myself.
Valentia is a brand I've liked for a long time, and I finally used up their Clear Lift Revitalizing Serum. I'm not as big of a fan of this product as I am with their other products, but this was still nice. I used it at night and woke up with nice, soft skin.
Glamglow products are hit or miss for me, and their Youthmud Treatment is definitely not something I care for. Luckily, this deluxe sample was only a one-time use.
I'm decluttering the BareMinerals Eye Rev-er Upper. It just got old and smelled funky, so in the garbage it goes.
Kate Somerville products are ridiculously expensive, so when I get samples, I'm happy. I really did enjoy the SPF 55 Serum Sunscreen. It was nice for my oily skin, but I don't think they even make this product anymore. Thank goodness too, otherwise I'd be tempted to buy it.
It took me ages to use up the Garnier Blackhead Eliminating Scrub. I liked it at first, but realize it's too harsh for my skin.
I love vitamin C serums, and the Kleem Organics Professional Age-Defying Vitamin C Serum was really nice. It smelled good, and made my skin look much brighter.
Now for some body/haircare. I got the Softsoap Coconut Scrub in an old Influenster box and it took me far too long to use it up. I like the scent, but it wasn't an effective scrub.
I also got the Curel Itch Defense Moisturizing Spray from an Influenster box, and I did enjoy this. It helped my dry skin feel soft and less itchy than usual, and I like the idea of a spray moisturizer.
I'm decluttering the Monat Rejuveniqe oil. I keep hearing different things about this brand and I don't feel comfortable putting this in my hair or on my skin anymore, so it has to go.
This isn't too fascinating, but I managed to use up a sample of the Degree Dry Protection deodorant. In all honesty, I don't wear deodorant much since I stay home with my daughter and don't leave the house much, so I don't go through it as much as I used to.
Two hand creams I managed to use up are the Vaseline Healthy Hand & Nail lotion and the Philosophy Cranberry Medley hand cream. I ended up not liking the Vaseline one because it burned my hands, but I do like the Philosophy. It smells nice and is hydrating, but when my hands are really dry and cracked, it doesn't do much and I need something heavier to get the job done.
I used up a Desitin diaper rash cream on my daughter, in case anyone wants to know what she went through. I'm not the biggest fan of Desitin products and like other creams better, but this was fine and helped when she was a bit rash-y.
I've been trying to use up the Absolute You're the Balm Green Apple lip balm for so long, and it's finally done. I really, really liked this balm a lot. I used it primarily at night and always woke up with hydrated and plump lips.
Lastly, we have some foil packet type products. I used up 5 of the Dickinson's Oil Controlling Towelettes, which I do like, but they can be drying. The Blue Agave Hydrating Paper Mask by Freeman was nice, but it's not my favorite. I've really been enjoying using sheet masks after a clarifying mask, and it makes my skin feel so incredibly soft, and I wake up looking so nice. I've been wanting to try products from Andalou Naturals, and I had a sample of the Probiotic + C Renewal Cream. I LOVED this so much! I think it would be better for me in the warmer months, but it made my skin feel so soft otherwise.
Products used up: 27
Total for the year: 27
I already feel so proud of myself! I had lofty goals last year, and only finished up 92 products. I said in my previous empties post that I want to use up 150 products this year, and I feel like I could make that goal possible! I'm also making more of an effort in doing my makeup as well, so I'll likely have some of those products to share at some point. I'm determined to make 2018 better in all aspects, not just with beauty and blogging. Thank you to those who have stuck around with me. I know I've been really slacking with my blog, but I really do want to make an effort and post more often.
What are some products you've used up recently?
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?
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?
I was so excited when I found out I was going to be receiving another voxbox from Influenster! I had previously received the Holiday Voxbox which I liked, but this one is amazing! If you haven't heard of Influenster, basically it's a site that you can only join if you're invited by someone who's already a member or you can request an invite. You then do surveys and quizzes which can make you eligible to receive these voxboxes. I have some invites left if you're interested in trying the site out! Now let's see what I got in this box!
Sorry the picture isn't the best. I had taken it right before I went to bed so I wouldn't forget! Anyways, The first thing I got in the box is the Vaseline Spray & Go Moisturizer Total Moisture. Phew, that's a mouthful! On the card that came in the box it says that this "is a continuous spray lotion that moisturizes and absorbs in seconds, and leaves skin feeling instantly soft- not sticky or greasy." I'm pretty excited to try this out! I could always use a good lotion and I've never tried a spray version before, so we'll see how this works! This retails for $7.99 for a 6.5 ounce can.
The next thing I received is NECTRESSE, which is a 100% natural sweetener. The card says " NECTRESSE sweetener tastes like sugar but has zero calories per serving! 100% natural, NECTRESSE is made primarily from monk fruit combined with other natural sweeteners." I have to admit, I'm a little wary to try this. I'm a typical sugar girl. I've never been one to use artificial sweeteners, so I may have to do a little research before I use this. This retails for $6.99 for a 5.9 ounce container, or $3.99 for a box of 40 packets.
Next, I received Dickinson's Original Witch Hazel Oil Controlling Towelettes. I'm super excited to try these out! I'll probably try these when taking off my makeup at night. The card says "The soothing blend of Witch Hazel and aloe on these facial wipes rejuvenates your skin by gently lifting dirt, oil and impurities from your pores while nourishing even the most sensitive skin. The result is a clean, refreshed and blemish-free complexion even when you're out and about." Seriously, I'm really excited for these! My skin's been going nuts with the weather change so I can't wait to see what these do for my skin. I also got some coupons for Dickinson's products. These retail for $5.99 for a 20-count box.
I then received the Colgate Optic White Regimen, which came with toothpaste, mouthwash, and a toothbrush. The card says " Your Voxbox contains not one, but THREE Colgate Optic White products in a new high impact formula. Use Optic White toothpaste, toothbrush, and mouthwash together for whiter teeth in five days (vs. brushing with an ordinary toothpaste alone). I'm also very excited to try this! The mouthwash and toothpaste look awesome, but the toothbrush I'm a little nervous to use. It's good that it's a soft toothbrush, but I have such sensitive teeth that I need super soft bristles, plus I have a prescription toothpaste that I use at night for sensitivity. I may give it a try, but if it's too harsh on my teeth, I'm giving it to my fiance. The toothpaste retails for $2.99 for a 4 ounce tube, the mouthwash retails for $2.99 for an 8 ounce bottle, and the toothbrush retails for $2.99 per brush.
The last thing I received in my voxbox is the belVita Breakfast Biscuits in the flavor Cinnamon Brown Sugar. The card says "belVita Breakfast Biscuits are made with delicious ingredients and carefully baked to release steady energy that lasts all morning. They are a good source of fiber and B-vitamins, contain no high fructose corn syrup, have 18-20 grams of whole grain per 50 gram serving and taste great- perfect for on-the-go!" I can't wait to try these either! these should be good when I'm in a rush to get somewhere or if I just want something quick without having to cook myself breakfast. These retail for $3.69 for a box of 5 packets of 4 biscuits.
*DISCLAIMER: I received these products complimentary from Influenster for testing purposes! Any reviews I do are always 100% honest and my own!
