April 2018 Boxycharm

I received my first ever Boxycharm last month, and I just got April's box in the mail yesterday. Here's all the exciting products I got this month!

This month's theme is called Eye Candy. There are different variations to the boxes, and I'm happy to report I got everything I wanted! 

They were giving everyone a Colourpop eye shadow palette, and I received the Element of Surprise. This is the main one I had my eye on, and was hopeful I'd get it. I cannot wait to play with this baby. I've only tried Colourpop's Super Shock shadows, but not their pressed formula, and I've heard mostly good things. This palette retails for $16. 

When I saw a sneak peek of this month's box, an either/or product was a MAC Liptensity Lipstick or a Tarte liquid highlighter. I don't care for highlighters in general, so I was incredibly happy to see the MAC lipstick. I received the shade Burnt Violet, which is very pretty, but looks a bit dark for my liking. I definitely am going to try this out, but it may be one I only use in the Fall/Winter. This lipstick retails for $21.

I received brushes last month, and got some more this month. I received the SL Miss Glam Eyeshadow Brush and Eye Beauty Blender brush. I'm not sure if I'll like the eyeshadow brush, but the blending brush feels so soft and seems like it will blend shadows nicely. This duo retails for $38.50. 

You all know my love for face masks, and we all got the Dr. Brandt Pores No More Vacuum Cleaner Pore Purifying Mask. I absolutely adore Dr. Brandt skincare, but it is pretty expensive. I'm not sure if the tube I got is a full size product (it comes with 1 ounce), but the card says it retails for $47, yet Sephora says $42. 

The last product I got was the The Browgal Instatint Tinted Brow Gel in the shade Light Hair 03, which is the perfect shade for me. I don't know much about this brand, and I usually don't do much with my brows, but I'm curious about this product so I'll give it a try. This retails for $22. 

Total retail of the box is $139.50, which is incredible to me. I don't know how Boxycharm does it, but I'm more than impressed and already can't wait for May's box!

If you're subscribed to Boxycharm already, what did you receive this month? If you're interested in signing up, I'd love it if you used my referral code here!

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?

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?

Best Mask Ever? Dr. Brandt Oxygen Facial Flash Recovery Mask

*Disclosure* Product mentioned was sent for consideration. All opinions are 100% honest and my own, like always. Post contains affiliate links.

Hi everyone! I was given the chance to try out the Dr. Brandt Oxygen Facial Flash Recovery Mask a little while ago, and I finally have given it a good run. I'm sure you can guess already by the title, but I've been pretty impressed. 

Here is some info on the mask from Sephora: 

What it is:
An in-home, oxygenating and recovery mask designed to boost luminosity and reinvigorate skin in just three minutes.

What it is formulated to do:
This luminizing mask helps lessen the look of fatigued skin. It works to provide tired, dull, lackluster skin with a revitalized, illuminated, and re-energized appearance. It also helps smooth the signs of fine lines. The potent formula was inspired by the most popular facial in Dr. Brandt’s practice and takes just three minutes for full effect.

What it is formulated WITHOUT:
- Parabens
- Sulfates
- Phthalates

Research results:
In a clinical test conducted on 25 volunteers over 2 weeks:
Instant results after the first application:
- 96% reported that skin looks rested and fresh
- 92% reported that skin looks more radiant and luminous

Results after using twice daily for 2 weeks:
- 100% reported that product purifies asphyxiated and fatigued skin
- 100% reported that skin feels supple and smooth
- 96% reported that skin feels more hydrated and clarified

Now, I'm not sure about you, but with a price tag of $70, I wouldn't be using this twice a day. Twice a week, maybe. Now that I've used this quite a few times, I can honestly say that this is probably the best mask I've ever tried! 

Directions say to apply a thin layer to clean skin, leave on 3 to 5 minutes, then rinse thoroughly. It says for best results, use 2-3 times per week.  

The mask starts out as a thin white cream texture, then once applied to the face, it immediately starts foaming up. Usually, masks like this are kinda gimmicky, but this one is truly amazing. After 3-5 minutes of the mask doing its magic, I remove most of the mask with a damp, warm washcloth, then rinse the rest off my face. 

After just one use, I noticed how much softer and brighter my skin was. The mask has kind of a cooling effect to the skin, which for me has been wonderful. We've had insanely hot weather here in Eastern Pennsylvania, so it's been refreshing and relaxing using this after a long day. 

Would I purchase the Oxygen Facial myself in the future? Even though the price is slightly cringe-worthy, I can fully say, yes, I would 100% purchase this myself. I do have a pretty big stock of face masks in my collection, so I'm going to savor every moment I have with this and use it sparingly. Once I use up what I have, I'll be purchasing this again, even though my wallet will hate me. 

Have you used this mask before? What do you think of it?

June 2015 Empties

Hi everyone! It's been a while again, I know. I'm still not feeling too well and I'm just exhausted, so bear with me for a bit! Today I'm sharing with you all the products I used up last month. Looking at the bag of stuff I had saved, it turned out I used up alot more than I thought, which I'm very happy with!

Starting off with some skincare, I used up The Body Shop Tea Tree Skin Clearing Toner. I love this toner in the Summertime as it really helps to lessen the amount of oil my skin produces. I always have backups of these, but right now I'm using something different that I've really been enjoying. 

I used up the Philosophy Never Let Them See You Shine Cleanser. I can't remember if I talked about this cleanser here on the blog or Instagram, but I ended up not really being a fan of this. It does really eliminate any shine and oil you may have, but it was fairly drying to me. I don't think they even make this anymore, because when I purchased it, it was on major clearance. 

I also finished up the Origins A Perfect World Moisturizer SPF 25. I really, really liked this! I'm pretty sure I mentioned it in a favorites before, but this was just a great moisturizer. It felt nice and hydrating on my skin, but not greasy, and I loved that it had SPF in it, so I didn't have to worry about putting extra on. Not sure if I would repurchase though. I have so many moisturizers in my stash. 

Next up is the Dr. Brandt Microdermabrasion. I thought this was really nice. The scrubbing beads were very fine, but they made my skin super soft and feeling nice. I think this is an expensive product so I probably won't buy the full size. 

I got the Eclos Plant Stem Cells Regenerative Cream in a previous Ipsy bag. I honestly don't even know which one, it's been that long. I thought maybe this was bad, but it smelled fine and wasn't separated, so I used it up. I used it only at night and got about a week's worth of use from it. I liked it, it made my skin feel soft and hydrated, but it's nothing special, if you ask me.

Now for a few makeup-type products. I finally used up the Soap & Glory A Great Kisser lip balm, and boy am I glad to be rid of this! At first I liked it. It smells nice, gives a nice glossy sheen to the lips, and it actually tastes good too. That's where it ends really. I didn't find this to be hydrating, it just sat on my lips without sinking in, and I just got tired of it real quick. I stuck it out and used it up because I hate being wasteful. 

I have finally used up The Body Shop Tea Tree Oil Facial Blotting Tissues. I had this one package for years, honest. Even though I have really oily skin, I could never really be bothered with blotting off extra oil during the day. I made an effort more and am really happy I used this up. 

Now I didn't fully use up the Too Faced Mood Swing lip gloss from the Smurfette Collection. Don't even ask me how old this is, because I have no darn clue! I went to use it, and it was all separated and it smelled funky so in the trash it went. I did like this gloss though as it gave me the prettiest shade of pink to my lips. 

Now for some health-type products! I used up this ginormous bottle of the Crest Pro-Health mouthwash. I was a fan of this, but my husband was saying someone told him this will stain your teeth blue with constant use. I'm not sure if that's true or not, but I had opened another one of these big bottles, so once I use that up, I may switch to something else. The reason I like this is because it's got no alcohol in it, so it doesn't burn my mouth! Mouthwashes like that are hard to find. 

I used up a Bath & Body Works antibacterial hand soap in the scent Berry Sangria, and I loved every second of using this. I had kept this in the kitchen, and it just smells wonderful, like you're sipping on a fruity cocktail, sitting on the beach. I am currently using the foam version of this in my bathroom, and that will probably be in this month's empties. 

I used up a Nature Made Super B-Complex. I had always read that B vitamins are good for boosting energy, but I never noticed anything. I'm starting to really streamline what vitamins I take now, so if I do repurchase this, it won't be for a while. 

I don't always wear my contacts, but when I do, I use Renu Fresh multi-purpose solution to clean them, and soak them overnight. This is the only contact solution that doesn't feel like I stick acid in my eyes when I put my contacts in. I will always and forever repurchase this brand as long as I'm wearing contacts. 

Last few random products! I'm so glad I'm finished the Not Your Mother's Clean Freak Refreshing Dry Shampoo. This did absolutely nothing for my greasy roots, if anything it made it worse. I was close to chucking this multiple times, but like I've said, I hate wasting product. 

I also used up The Body Shop Spa Wisdom Africa Ximenia & Marula Oil Shower Cream. This stuff was amazing! It smelled really nice and clean, and it did its job nicely. I had purchased this ages ago when it was on clearance, and I wish they would bring this back, it was that lovely!

My last used up product is the Udderly Smooth Udder Cream. Now I'm not sure how readily available this product is, but I would purchase these creams out in a little shop in Amish country (aka Lancaster, Pennsylvania). I have also seen them in some Walgreen's near me. I used to be obsessed with this stuff because it was incredible for dry, cracked hands. You could use this anywhere really, but this particular bottle didn't do much for me. I have had it for a while, so maybe it just thinned out over time, but this was my jam years ago!

Phew, that's everything! It's such a great feeling being able to use up all this stuff and get rid of clutter. How much did you use up last month?

Little Sephora Haul

Hey guys! I have a tiny little Sephora haul to share with you today. I love Sephora but I've been really good in not spending a ton of money there lately. I heard somewhere, can't remember where, that in April there is going to be a VIB event, but I could be wrong. If there is, I'm definitely going to be buying some things I've had my eye on. Lets see what I got this time!

Ok, so I'm going to start with the samples. I don't normally show the samples I get but when I placed my order, they were giving out 5 samples instead of the usual 3. I ended up getting the Make Up For Ever Step 1 Skin Equalizers. It came with 4 different primers, a mattifying primer, smoothing primer, hydrating primer, and a redness correcting primer. I can't wait to try these out. I also got the Dr. Dennis Gross Alpha Beta Peel, which I'm kinda nervous to try because it's an extra strength formula. I have sensitive skin, so we will see what happens. I got the Dr. Brandt Pores No More Pore Refiner Primer. I have so many samples of these, but honestly have yet to try them! I've heard amazing things about the Tarte Maracuja Oil, and I may have another sample of this hiding somewhere, but I'm not sure. I've been really into oils lately, so I'm excited to try this. The last sample is the Becca Shimmering Skin Perfector in the famous color Opal. I'm not normally a highlighter kinda girl, but I was curious and got lucky getting this sample. 

Onto what I bought! I picked up the Anastasia Beverly Hills Clear Brow Gel. I have a tiny sample of this that I think I got in an old Birchbox, and I just love it. I panicked the other day because I thought I lost it, which is what prompted this purchase. I searched and searched, and I found it hiding in a shopping bag. This brow gel is like hairspray for your brows. It is $22, which is insane for a brow gel, but I don't do anything else to my brows. I just like to keep them in place with gel, and so far, this one is a major winner in my book. 

I picked up one of the TokyoMilk Dark Femme Fatale Lip Elixirs in the scent Cherry Bourbon, which has a mixed scent of Cherry Brandy, Whiskey, Aged Wood and Clove. It smells AMAZING!! It's very adult smelling, if that makes sense. Definitely not your bubblegum, citrus, or typical sweet scent of other lip balms. I have a couple other of these lip balms in different scents, but I haven't tried them yet. I need to get a move on that!

The last product is a sample of the Make Up For Ever Rouge Artist Natural Lipstick in the shade N45, which is a beautiful red. This was offered from a code if you spent $25. It's an adorable size and the color is nice too, but I haven't swatched it or anything yet. I've never really delved into the Make Up For Ever line, so I'm hoping I like this.

That's my little haul! Let me know if you'd like a review of anything, and if there is anything you picked up recently! :)

March 2015 Ipsy Bag

Hello everyone! I got home late last night from work and my wonderful husband had my Ipsy bag package waiting for me on my side of the sofa (he's adorable like that). I did open the bag, but it was late, and I was pooped, so I didn't get a good look at the products until this morning. 

The theme this month is called Floral Fantasy, and I quite like the bag the products came in. it's very Spring-y and has a vinyl feel to it. 

The first product I received is the Boo-Boo Coverup Concealer in the medium shade. I'm all for trying out new concealers, but this shade is just too dark for me. I may be able to mix it with something else, but I don't really want to have to do that. I'll still give it a go sometime and see if I can make it work. 

The next product is the Dr. Brandt Pores No More Anti-Aging Mattifying Lotion. You all know I love my skincare and always want to try new things. I'm definitely excited to try this out closer to Summer, but as I'm writing this, I'm noticing the bottle I have barely has any product in it! I held it up to the window and it's not even half full, only about 1/3. The product is sealed so I can't blame that on leaking, but it's disappointing that I won't get as much use out of this like I was expecting. 

We have another skincare product from Pur-Lisse Beauty and it's the Pur-Delicate Gentle Soymilk Cleanser & Makeup Remover. I will definitely get use out of this, but only at night since my skin will start to get more oily as it warms up outside. This product is filled up all the way ;)

Next up is the NYX Butter Lipstick in the shade Hunk. I love NYX and I already have a couple of these butter lipsticks, but this is just so dark! It's not a very Spring-like color, but it also might not work for my skintone. We will see. I was hoping for the pink shade they were also sending out.

The last product I received is the Vintage by Jessica Liebeskind Illuminating Face Highlighter. I'm not the biggest face highlighter person (I glow enough usually), so I will probably just use this as an eyeshadow. It's a beautiful pink shade that I think will look nice. 

Overall, I'm happy this month! I wish the Dr. Brandt product was filled up but I can still use it. For just $10 a month, plus shipping for some, these bags are awesome. If you want to sign up, you can do so here with my referral link!

If you already get Ipsy bags, what did you receive this month?

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?

April 2014 Ipsy Bag

Hey guys! So I know I usually post my empties after my favorites, but I got my Ipsy bag in the mail yesterday and (spoiler alert) I'm not so happy with it. Lets get into it.

 The theme this month was called Beauty Rocks, which is up my alley since I'm a rocker girl and I love makeup. The bag is cute with a vinyl/nylon feel and a record print on the front. 

The first product I got is the Urban Decay 24/7 Velvet Glide-On Pencil in the color Black Velvet. You probably already know I'm a huge fan of Urban Decay products and their liner Perversion is my favorite black eyeliner ever. Black Velvet has that same texture, but Perversion is more pigmented to me, so I prefer that. Not complaining about this though, you can never have enough black eyeliner!

Next up we have the Demeter Jasmine Perfume Oil in a roll on form. I've said it before and I'll say it again, I hate perfume and I never wear it. This stuff smells too flowery and old lady like, so this is a big disappointment. 

Then we have the Cailyn Tinted Lip Balm in the shade Apple Pink. First off, it looks like there is hardly any product in the container. I remember I got one of their eyeliners in a previous Ipsy bag, and there was alot of product inside. I don't know what happened with this one. The color is pretty though, so I'll give it a try and see if I like it. 

The next product is the only one I'm half excited for and it's the Dr. Brandt Microdermabrasion. I'm a skincare junkie and hear a ton of good things about this brand. I believe I have some other samples from Dr. Brandt laying around that I should probably put to use. 

Lastly, we have the Elizabeth Mott Pop! Goes The Shadow in the color Champagne. I would've been excited for this since I've been wanting a nice champagne eyeshadow to use but...

 ...This happened! I couldn't believe it. In my whole time with Ipsy, I've gotten lucky with the fact that I've never had anything explode or break on me before. I immediately contacted Ipsy Care and let them know about it. I'm curious to see if I get a replacement of this or a different product. I may still try and see if I can make this work anyways. I just gotta be careful with how I store it. 

Overall, I'm a bit disappointed with this bag. They're usually pretty good and when I get a bag I don't really like, next month is typically better. I have good hopes for next month, otherwise I may consider cancelling :(

Sign up for Ipsy here to get your own bag in the mail!

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

Also, don't forget about my blog sale!