January 2018 Empties

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?

April 2017 Empties

*Post contains affiliate links*

I'm finally able to share the products I used up every month now! April wasn't the best for using stuff up, but I currently have a few products on their last legs. 

Starting off with a little bit of skincare, the first product I used up was the REN Mayblossom And Blue Cypress Balancing Facial Cleansing Gel. Phew, that's a long name! I did like this cleanser, but I could only get 2 uses out of it, so it's hard to say if I'd repurchase, if it's still available. It seems like it's nice for oily skin. 

I have been working on the InstaNatural Youth Express Eye Serum for ages! I have a review here and now that it's completely used up, my final thoughts are it's a nice product, but I don't think I'd purchase myself. If you don't have any eye issues except for a tiny bit of dryness, you'll like this. If you have lines, wrinkles, dryness, and every other issue with the skin around your eyes, this isn't for you. 

Last skincare product is from Borghese and it's their Intensifying Moisturizer. I used this as a serum underneath my regular moisturizer, and I really liked the extra hydration this gave. Even though I have oily skin, I've been battling dry, flaky skin in certain areas, and this helped immensely. 

For bath and shower products, I only used up two. My husband helped with the Garnier Fructis Sleek & Shine Shampoo, and we both liked it. It cleaned well, but I felt like it made my hair greasy faster. 

I don't think The Body Shop still carries this line of shower gels, but the Shower Gels For Earth Lovers in Cucumber & Mint was so refreshing, and my skin LOVED it! It lathered up nicely and left my skin feeling so soft and hydrated, I barely needed moisturizer after. 

The last sort of random product is the Wegmans brand One Daily Women's multi vitamin. What I liked about these is that they contain Folate and not Folic Acid. My body can't break down Folic Acid, which is the synthetic form of Folate, and it's surprisingly hard to find inexpensive multi's with Folate. Definite repurchase!

Number of products used up: 6
Total used up for the year: 22

AS I said above, I didn't do so hot last month. I'm hoping this month will be better so I can make my goal of using up 150 products!

What have you used up recently?

September 2016 Empties

Hey everyone! I know I normally do my monthly favorites before my empties, but honestly, I don't really have any favorites to share! I was lazy again and didn't wear makeup at all. I have been better with my skin, though I haven't been using many new products, and it was a pretty crazy month overall. So, I'm instead just continuing with my empty products!

Starting off with the few skincare products, I used up two different sheet masks. The first one is from When, and it's their The Last Choice mask. I've gotten a little more into sheet masks lately now that I know how to use them better, and the When brand is pretty great. I also used up a Pur~Lisse Blue Lotus + White Tea mask. I had gotten two or three in a previous Ipsy bag, and this was my last one. I really liked this one too, but I don't think I'd go out and purchase myself. 

I used up a deluxe sample of the Shiseido Ibuki Gentle Cleanser as well, and this cleanser is freaking amazing! It gives me that squeaky clean feeling, which I know not many people like, but in the Summer when my skin is super oily, this comes in handy. This tiny tube lasted ages too because you only need the tiniest amount to get the job done. 

I have a few bath and shower products as well. My husband and I both used the St. Ives Rich & Creamy Vanilla Body Wash, and we both enjoyed it! It lathers up really well, smells amazing, and is pretty inexpensive.

I've been working through my Bath & Body Works handsoaps, and this Sugared Vanilla Wish scent is to die for! I wish I had 50 backups of this stuff honestly, but B&BW handsoaps are too expensive in my book, even during a sale, so once I use up what I have, I'll be moving on. 

The Garnier Olia After Color Conditioner came in a boxed hair color from ages ago, and I just never used it up until last month. I love Garnier hair products but I don't care much with coloring my hair anymore. The Olia line of haircolor is fantastic, though!

Lastly is a few random products. I had gotten the Secret Clinical Strength as a sample, and I really do like this. It dries down and doesn't leave a white residue on your clothing, and it smells nice too!

I pretty much exclusively used the Bausch+Lomb Renu Fresh Contact Solution, as it's the only kind that doesn't make my eyes burn. It's rare I wear my contacts anymore, unless I'm going out. I tend to stick with my glasses. 

Technically I didn't use up the two vitamins pictured, but I had to get rid of them. They both contain Folic Acid, and I found out I can't take folic acid, I need folate. Folic acid is the synthetic version of folate, and my body can't break it down like others can, and being pregnant, I need the folate to help keep my baby healthy. The Super B-Complex is by Nature Made, and the Prenatal Vitamin is by The Wellbeing Centre. 

Number of products used up: 10
Total for the year: 113

What have you used up recently?

April 2016 Favorites

*Post contains affiliate links*

Hey guys! I know, it's been a while since I made a real post on here. I honestly haven't been feeling very good lately and have also been feeling a bit uninspired with writing. I love this little space of mine and want to try and put in more effort, just being sick and all has really put a damper in things, so I truly apologize for my absence! I have just a few favorites to share with you from the past month, as I haven't even really been wearing much makeup lately. 

The first product that I've been loving is the Suave Creamy Cocoa Butter & Shea Moisturizing Body Wash. My husband is helping me use this, and I have to say, this is probably one of the best body washes I've ever used! First off, it's only about $2 or $3 with a good sale and coupon, and it's so moisturizing on the skin. It smells incredible and works just as well as any expensive body wash I've tried. Once I use up all the body washes I have, including samples, I'm going to continue buying just the less expensive body washes.  

Next up is a product I'm sure I've mentioned on the blog before, and it's the Garnier Fructis Sleek & Shine Intensely Smooth Leave-In Conditioning Cream. This stuff is freaking fantastic for my fine, but dry hair. I don't wash my hair everyday, and it tends to get dried out at the ends. When I use this after my shower, my hair is so silky soft, that I can never stop touching it. It makes my split ends look less noticeable and the overall look of my hair is better. You only need the tiniest bit to get the job done though, so this bottle lasts a very long time, and it's under $10. 

I was never the biggest fan of lipsticks. I had gotten two NARS lip pencils as a birthday gift from Sephora, and I completely fell in love with the Velvet Matte Lip Pencil in the shade Cruella. This is the perfect red for me! It's cool toned and has a soft, matte feel on the lips. It's not uncomfortable at all, it wears well, and I'm very tempted to buy the full size of this when I run out of this sample size!

My last favorite product of April is a lip balm. I had received the Olive Natural Beauty Moisturizing Lip Balm in the scent Refreshing Rosemary in a previous Ipsy bag, and finally pulled it out last month. I have such a hoard of lip balms to go through, it's quite sad. This little tube is quite small though, so I see myself using it up fairly quickly. I just absolutely love the way this smells, and it makes my lips feel so incredibly soft.

What are some products you've been loving?

February 2016 Empties

Hey guys! So I finally decided to start up my YouTube channel again, and I filmed my empties for February. If you're interested in checking out the video, hopefully you can click on the video above, but if not, click here! Also, while you're there, remember to give the video a thumbs up and subscribe!

Products mentioned in the video:

- Bath & Body Works 3-wick Candles in Strawberry Rhubarb Marmalade and Mahogany Teakwood. Loved the Strawberry Rhubarb Marmalade, but not a fan of the Mahogany Teakwood. My husband loves it though, so we usually pick one up for him

- Bath & Body Works Coconut Body Lotion: I don't like B&BW body products so I'm glad this is gone. 

- Bath & Body Works Anti-bacterial Gentle Foaming Hand Soap in Spice Kissed Pumpkin: I'm finally realizing how expensive these hand soaps are even when they're on sale. I'm trying to use up my stash of the ones I have, and then I'm finding something cheaper.

- Masque-Ology Pore Minimizing Sheet Mask: I don't know why I keep trying sheet masks. I'm always disappointed in them because they never work for me. This was in my box of samples to use, and you all know I hate wasting product. 

- Philosophy Purity Made Simple Cleanser: I love this cleanser so much more now that I'm older, but when I was a teenager I hated it! This is a great cleanser that I can use to remove every bit of makeup, even from my eyes. 

- Freeman Facial Clay Mask Mint & Lemon: I love how these masks are so inexpensive, yet effective. They last forever too, so you get your money's worth!

- Epielle Deep Cleansing Nose Strips: These work just the same as the Biore ones, so for $2 for this box, I'll keep repurchasing this brand instead. 

- Divas Never Age Hyaluronic Acid Serum: I reviewed this here, and while it did hydrate my skin, the smell of it is very overwhelming. I still used it up because like I said, I hate wasting product. 

- Amara Organics Hyaluronic Acid Serum: I reviewed this here almost a year ago, and finally used it up. This is so much better scent-wise than the Divas Never Age serum. My skin loves hyaluronic acid, so this serum is one I would consider purchasing again. 

- Bliss Naked Body Butter: This was a birthday gift from Sephora ages ago. I like this alot because it was super hydrating, but has zero scent so it doesn't interfere with perfumes or other body products. 

- Regenepure Hair & Scalp Treatment: I initially liked this at first, but now that the bottle is gone, I don't care for it. It did help with dandruff and feels cooling when using, but it doesn't help with hair loss or anything. I reviewed this back in August 2015 here.  

- Ecru Acacia Protein BB Cream: This is a BB cream for your hair, and I freaking loved this! It made my hair soft and manageable, and was just amazing. I'm tempted to buy a full size, but have a hoard of hair products to use up. 

- Garnier Fructis Fortifying Deep Conditioner: Loved this stuff so much and I'm sad it's gone. I don't think they make this product anymore either. 

- Garnier Olia Brilliant Color in 4.0 Dark Brown: Love Garnier hair color, and the Olia line is fantastic. I received this from Crowdtap and love the color they sent me. 

- Colgate Cavity Protection Toothpaste: Just a regular toothpaste that my husband and I used up. I used this at night because I have a different toothpaste I use during the day for my sensitive teeth and gums. 

- The Body Shop Black Velvet Apricot Frosted Shimmer Lotion: I had gotten this back when I worked at The Body Shop many years ago. I don't care much for shimmery lotions, and I'm sure this has gone bad by now. 

- Sephora Daily Makeup Brush Cleaner: My favorite brush cleaner to use when I spot clean my eye brushes. It's a bit expensive, but I love it. 

Number of products used up: 18 
Total for the year: 29

What were some products you used up last month? I'd love to know! 

September 2015 Empties

Hey guys! This is my first real post in a while. I didn't get a chance to show you all the products I used up last month, so without further ado, here they are!

The first product I used up was a joint effort between myself and my husband. We both really enjoyed the Garnier Fructis Sleek & Shine Shampoo. It cleans my hair well and actually does make it shiny. Does it work for my husband's curly afro? Not at all with making it shiny, but he says it gets the job done. 

Next up is a Tom's Whole Care Toothpaste in the Spearmint flavor. I didn't care much for this honestly. I'm in love with their Sensitive toothpaste and it's always sold out when I need another one. I would only repurchase the Sensitive version.

Using up body scrubs can take a while for me. I honestly wasn't much of a fan of The Body Shop Coconut Body Scrub. I adore the scent, but it doesn't have enough scrubby action to it to make that much of a difference.

I used up a ton of skincare, which I'm really happy about! Of course it wouldn't be an empties without The Body Shop Aloe Calming Toner. I always go on and on about how much I love this stuff. Best toner of life. 

Next up we have the Purederm Choco Cacao Collagen Mask. This came in a Memebox ages ago, and I finally got around to using it. The only good thing about this is that it smells like chocolate. Otherwise, it did nothing for my skin. I just don't really like sheet masks, and I don't know why I keep trying to.

I had the Juice Beauty Green Apple SPF 15 Moisturizer sitting in my collection for ages. I did a sniff test (it smelled fine) and saw that there was no weird separation, so I used it up. I actually really liked this! It smells nice and blends in the skin nicely too without feeling greasy or leaving a white cast. 

I also used up a deluxe sample of the Dermalogica Oil Control Lotion. I had an oily skin kit from the brand in my stash and decided to finally try and use up the products. I used to be obsessed with this moisturizer about 7 or 8 years ago, but now it just doesn't work for my skin. It dried it out pretty bad. My skin must be alot less oily than when I was younger, which is nice!

Another Dermalogica product that came in the kit was the Dermal Clay Cleanser. Again, I used to love this cleanser as it also acted as a quick 3 minute mask to help soak up oils and get rid of blackheads. I also feel that this is just too much for my skin now. The only nice thing I liked about it, is that it feels so refreshing and cooling on a hot Summer day. 

I finally used up the InstaNatural Youth Express Eye Gel. I had done a review on this over a year ago here when I was sent the product to try. I really ended up liking this because it made my eye area feel tighter and brighter. I am glad that I was able to use this up, it sure took a while!

The Dermalogica Daily Microfoliant also came in the oily skin kit I mentioned above. This stuff is freakin' fantastic! Seriously, if I could afford the full size, I'd buy in bulk. This product is basically a powder exfoliant that you add water to, creating a paste. You gently rub it into your skin and when you rinse it off, prepare to feel the softest, smoothest skin you've ever felt. Seriously. This is most definitely gentle enough for daily use, even on my sensitive skin. I adore this product!

The last skincare product I was able to use up is the Radha Beauty Vitamin C Serum. I really enjoyed using this when I felt like my skin needed a glow booster. even though I have oily skin in the Summer, I am prone to some dry patches and dullness. This really helped to smooth out my skin and make it look pretty again.

Finally, we have a few makeup products! I used up my beloved Maybelline Instant Age Rewind Dark Circle Eraser Concealer in the Brightener shade. This is my all time favorite concealer for my under eyes, and also wherever I feel like I need some brightening. I do have a backup of this, but I don't want to crack it open just yet as I have quite a few concealers to go through first. 

I was so sad to use up this sample size Anastasia Beverly Hills Clear Brow Gel. I honestly don't do much to my brows, usually just some gel does it for me, and this stuff is magic. It literally is like hairspray for your brows. It keeps them in place all day and it doesn't flake or wear off. It's amazing. 

I technically didn't use up the bareMinerals Round the Clock Waterproof Eyeliner in the shade Midnight. I had gone to use it one day, and while I was sharpening it, the whole eyeliner color just fell right out onto the floor and shattered! I guess it had dried up too much. That's a shame too because I have Urban Decay 24/7 liners that I've had for YEARS, and they're still good and still perform amazing. Oh well, I don't go through liners often, so it's not a huge deal.

I'm so sorry it's taken so long to get this post up. If you read my last post, you know I had a bit of a health setback, and I'm trying to get posts done when I have the energy. Today is a good day so far, so I'm going to try and get a few posts pre-written so I can schedule them for you guys!

What products did you use up last month?

*Post contains affiliate links*

Review: Garnier Clean+ Blackhead Eliminating Scrub

*Disclosure* This product was sent for review purposes thanks to Allure. All opinions are 100% honest and my own, like always!

Hello everyone! A while back, I was sent this Blackhead Eliminating Scrub from Garnier to test out for 1 week and give feedback on it. I already sent in the feedback, but I wanted to do a review on this as well after I used it some more. I also have some before and after photos of my skin, so beware. It's not too pretty!

So what makes this product different? Here is some info from the Garnier website:

Customized Cleansing + Skin Type Specific Care

Customized Cleansing: Gel exfoliator with micro beads deeply cleanses, tightens pores and smoothes skin.

Skin Type Specific Care: Formula infused with Charcoal and Salicylic Acid draws out blackhead causing dirt, oil and impurities, like a magnet. 

Alright, now it's time for pictures where my blackheads are the worst, my nose and sides of my nose, under my eyes:

These pictures were taken on Day 1, in the morning, before I used the scrub at night. I had to use this once a day for a full 7 days. As you can see, I have very large pores. I've had them since I was a teenager and always noticed them. People at school would even point them out and ask why my nose looked so dirty. As I got older, I would use products to try and help combat them. While those kinds of products do help me, they don't fully clear out my pores and make them look smaller. I was excited to try this scrub out and see if it made a difference. 

These pictures were taken in the morning, after using this product everyday for 7 days. I do notice my pores seem smaller and a bit more refined, but of course they're not completely gone. I'll never expect anything to make them fully go away. All I can do is maintain the health of my skin as best I can. 

I love how soft and smooth this made my skin feel. After the first use, I noticed a difference. I have pretty sensitive skin and noticed some irritation starting to crop up after day 4 of use. I had to start using products to calm that down so it didn't freak out on me. 

Overall, I would recommend this scrub, but not for everyday use if you have sensitivity like I do. At most I can use this twice a week for extra exfoliation, without it irritating my skin. You can find this anywhere Garnier skincare is sold and it retails for $7.99.

Have you tried out this scrub before?

October 2014 Empties

Hey everyone! I used up so many products in October, especially skincare, so I'm just gonna get right into it.

The first product I used up is the Colgate Optic White mouthwash. I thank everything that is holy this is used up. I hated this so much, it burned and didn't make my breath feel fresh at all. Hated this stuff!

The next product is a good one, and it's The Body Shop Satsuma Shower Gel. This product smells like heaven. I swear everytime I use this in the shower, it makes my whole house smell like oranges. I'm a huge fan of The Body Shop's shower gels and will always have one or two backups in my closet. 

Next up is a Hair, Skin & Nails supplement by Spring Valley. I like taking these supplements to help take care of my hair, but I notice a huge difference in the health of my nails the most. 

Then I have a small tube of L'Occitane Hand Cream. This hand cream contains 20% shea butter so it's ultra hydrating. I liked using this before bed so it could sink into my skin. My hands are really starting to dry out now, so I can already tell I'll be going through hand cream like crazy. 

I definitely used up quite a bit of skincare and the first product is the Hydroxatone AM/PM Anti-Wrinkle Complex moisturizer. This took me ages to use up because I used it at night and I did alternate between different moisturizers. This stuff is pretty heavy, but I didn't break out from it, which was nice. I did a review of it here and it was sent to me from iFabbo.

The next product I used up is the Boots Expert Sensitive Gentle Refreshing Toner. I think I may have put this in a monthly favorites, but don't quote me. I did like this toner alot. It was very inexpensive and did feel good on my skin. I don't know if I'll repurchase only because I'm so attached to the Aloe Toner from The Body Shop. 

Next I used up the Garnier Moisture Rescue Refreshing Gel-Cream Moisturizer. I don't like this stuff at all. It doesn't do anything for my skin and the scent is too overpowering for me. 

I've decided to throw away the Proactiv Mild Exfoliating Peel. I was going through my closet and saw this in there. I was actually going to use it then saw when it expired. In the trash it goes!

The last skincare product is the Own Firming Silk Concentrate. I did a review on this here, and now that it's all used up, I can say that I would not repurchase it. It was nice while it lasted. I mixed it into my night time moisturizer for extra hydration, but it did feel a little oily on my skin. 

I loved the Smashbox Full Exposure Mascara. It lasted for close to a month and made my lashes look nice. All other mascaras pictured were drier than the Sahara so in the trash they go. The mascaras are Pop Beauty Smoky Lash Kapow!!! (yes, it really has 3 exclamation points at the end of the name), theBalm What's Your Type? "The Body Builder", Make Up For Ever Smoky Lash, Korres Provitamin B5 & Rice Bran, and two of the Tarte Lights, Camera, Lashes. All of those were just so dry and un-useable.

Now finally some makeup products! The first product is the Pixi Flawless & Poreless Primer. I didn't find this particularly amazing. I think it did help foundation/concealer go on a bit nicer, but it didn't really do much for my pores or oily skin. I do have another one of these to use up though.

I finally used up my Maybelline Age Rewind Dark Circle Treatment Concealer in the color Fair. I love this stuff so much and will always repurchase once I use up some other concealers. I think this is one of the best concealers for my dark circles. 

I also finally used up my Rimmel Stay Matte Pressed Powder in the Translucent shade. This took me so long to use up since I don't use alot and mostly used it under my eyes. I love how fine this powder is and how it keeps my skin looking nice and shine free for a while.

I'm sad to say it's time to get rid of the Real Techniques Miracle Complexion Sponge I've been using. It had started to get tears in it and little bits were coming off when I was using it. Even though this is way less expensive than the Beauty Blender, it doesn't hold up as well as the Beauty Blender. I've been using my Beauty Blender longer than I was using this Miracle Complexion Sponge and it's holding up so much better. 

I used up this tiny sample of the Chella Eyebrow Defining Gel that I received in an Ipsy bag. I actually did really like this. I don't do much with my eyebrows, so some gel to tame them a little is fine with me. 

The last product is the La Fresh Travel Lite Makeup Remover Wipes. This little package came in either an Ipsy bag or an old Birchbox. I used these because I couldn't find a large package of wipes and they kinda sucked to be honest. They didn't remove makeup well, so I mainly used them to clean up swatches. Even then they didn't clean well. 

What did you use up in October?

September 2014 Empties

Hi guys! It's time for some empties and this will probably be a long one because I used up a decent amount of products. Here we go!

First up is a can of Batiste Dry Shampoo, and this is the one with a hint of color for light and blonde hair. I didn't mind the color of this, which was a light yellow. It rubbed into my hair fine and left no strange color. I love my Batiste and will always repurchase, but probably not this one.

The next product I used up is the Garnier Fructis Hydra Recharge Fortifying Shampoo. I didn't use up this whole bottle myself, I had the help of my husband. He's not picky with shampoo, but I did like this. It definitely made my hair feel really clean and it smelled really nice too. I always like shampoos and conditioners from this brand so I'll always repurchase at some time or other.

Next up is a conditioner I've been tying to finish for probably a year or so, and it's the Pantene Sheer Volume Complete Therapy Conditioner. I don't know why this took so long to finish, but I didn't need alot at all to make my hair feel hydrated. This definitely made my hair feel so nice and less tangled. Worth it for how long it lasted, but I was so over it when it was gone!

I also used up the Organix Nourishing Coconut Milk Conditioner that also took me ages to use up. This conditioner is really good stuff. It's very thin and liquid-y though so at first I thought it wasn't going to work well. Boy was I wrong! This left my hair feeling so soft and made it smell so darn good! I would repurchase once I use up my stash. 

Oh look, mascaras! I gotta admit, alot of these were just dried up and I couldn't use them. The two Buxom Lash mascaras I've had for I don't even now how long, so they gotta go. The Benefit Badgal Lash I used once, but it seemed off to me. I used it before and liked it, but this tube just wasn't the same. Funny story about the Fresh Supernova mascara. The first time I went to use it, I got one eye done and loved how it turned out. Then the wand proceeded to fly out of my hand onto the carpet. Needless to say, it had hair and dust all over it so I had to toss it and find something else to use. I absolutely hated theBalm's What's Your Type? mascara in "The Body Builder". It did nothing for me at all. I was so in love with the Sephora Atomic Volume mascara and I got a good 3 weeks of use out of it before it started to dry out and not work as well. 

The next product Is actually one I'm throwing away because the color is hideous and it's the Elizabeth Arden Ceramide Ultra Lipstick in the color Brick. It's a horrible brick red color that makes me look so sick. This came in a gift with purchase so I'm not worried about throwing it out.

Then we have a Jouer lip gloss and the color is called Birchbox Pink. This obviously came in a Birchbox, but I haven't been subscribed to them in about 2 years, plus this smelled funny, so out it goes!

The bareMinerals Prime Time Eyelid Primer was pretty nice, but my shadows creased on me most days I used it. It wasn't terrible, but enough to be annoying. I did finish all of this and got a little over a month's worth of use out of this little sample. 

I'm just throwing away the J.Cat Beauty Sparkling Cream Palette. This glittery creamy mess is just not good and no one should ever use it. 

Onto some random bits. First up is a foaming hand soap from Bath & Body Works in the scent Coconut Cove. I absolutely loved this scent, obviously because it's coconut. I have about 20 different scents of these soaps because I always stock up during sales. 

Next up is my favorite contact solution, Renu Fresh. I know I've said before, but this is the only brand that doesn't burn my eyes when I put my contacts in, so I can't really buy anything else. This stuff isn't cheap either, so I'm learning to wear my glasses more just to conserve a bit.

I was sad using up this Crest Sensi-Relief Toothpaste, because it was so good! This has to be one of the best toothpastes that have helped my sensitive teeth and gums. This isn't cheap either and I did buy it at Walmart when I had a $1 off coupon to use. Normally I think it's a little over $4, which to me is high. I always feel like I shouldn't pay that much for something like toothpaste. I will repurchase eventually if I don't find something better, or cheaper.

I used up the Body Shop's Tea Tree Skin Clearing Toner, which I've been a fan of for years. I love this stuff in the Summer especially, because it's awesome for oily skin. It keeps my skin clear and fresh and I feel it helps with my breakouts. 

I used up my first EOS lip balm and I think the scent is either strawberry or raspberry. It never says on the packaging what scent it is, so I really am guessing. In my truly honest opinion, I think this stuff sucks. I didn't find it moisturizing at all. If anything my lips were drier making me use it constantly. I do have a few more of these lip balms in my stash, but I don't know if I want to just throw them out or not. 

Next up is another product from The Body Shop, the Elderflower Unperfumed Eye Gel. I loved this so much in the Summer because it felt so cooling and nice on hot days. It really has no scent either which for me is nice since I tend to have sensitive eyes. 

I was really sad when I used up this little sample of the Jouer Lip Enhancer Conditioning Lip Treatment. I think I got this in a Birchbox as well, but this seemed good to use. I absolutely loved what this did to my lips. It made them plump and feel so hydrated and lovely. I'm tempted to buy a full size of this honestly but I have plenty of lip balms/treatments to use up first.

The last product I used up is the Almay Oil-Free Makeup Remover Towelettes. I'm on the fence with these. I liked them but I didn't love them. They did seem to remove my makeup well, but they left a bit of a film on my skin and stung my eyes occasionally, which was odd. 

Phew! That was a doozy! If you made it til the end, tell me what you all used up last month! :)

HAUL! The Body Shop, Ulta, Wegmans, Sephora

Hey guys! Unfortunately for my wallet, I went on yet another beauty shopping spree. I tell ya, I can't resist a good sale and coupons! I went to The Body Shop, Ulta, Sephora and oddly enough, my local grocery store, Wegmans. Lets see what I got!

I'll start off with The Body Shop. They were having an awesome buy 3, get 3 free deal so obviously I couldn't pass that up. Once I got what I wanted, I was told I had my $15 gift to use if I wanted, so I said heck yeah! The girl there also said that anything else I got would be buy 1, get 1 free since I had already done the original deal. I made out like a bandit to say the least and with tax only spent a little over $50. 

Anyways, first we have two mini body butters. The one on the top is the Shea scent and the bottom is Cocoa Butter. If you know me or have read my blog for a while, you know how much I love their body butters. I don't use them much in the Summer since my skin isn't as dry, but the mini versions were just too cute to pass up. 

Next up we have one of my most beloved products ever, and that's the Hemp Hand Protector. Aside from the packaging being annoying, the actual product inside is amazing! I personally love the smell of this, but alot of people find it too strong. I love this hand cream in the Winter when my hands get so dry, they crack and really hurt. This hand cream pretty much solves that problem overnight. Love this stuff!

I decided to stock up on another beloved product, the Aloe Calming Toner. Y'all know I've talked about this a million times and it's in almost every empties post I write up. Holy Grail toner and I'll always buy this stuff in bulk.

I haven't used these next products in a while, but I've always loved their Aloe Protective Serum. This is great as a moisturizer for me in the Summer, or in the Winter I like to mix it in with a moisturizer for extra hydration. I couldn't remember if I had any at home, so I picked up two bottles. Of course when I got home, I did notice I have some backups. Oops!

Then we have the Aloe Eye Defense. I love this eye cream so much, mainly because it's incredibly gentle, yet it's still hydrating enough to make the skin around my eyes look and feel good. I also noticed I had a backup of this too. I need to start looking through my stash before I buy things!

Lastly for The Body Shop, we have two of their lip butters. I purchased the Shea scent and Coconut scent. I love these lip butters alot because they're incredibly hydrating and creamy, but they leave a white cast on my lips, so I only use them at night before bed, or throughout the day if I'm not going anywhere. 

Next up is Ulta! I was really wanting to go to Ulta because I had a 20% off coupon to use on anything, but the kicker was that coupon also worked on high end brands! Granted, it only took off 10% but hey, I wasn't complaining! I also had some points to use so I made out well here.

The first product I got is the Real Techniques Powder Brush. I love these brushes so much and while there wasn't a sale on them, I figured with the 20% coming off of this product, it wasn't a bad deal. I have yet to try this, but I'm sure I'll love it because I haven't been disappointed in any of their brushes I've tried.

Next up is the it Cosmetics Bye Bye Pores Poreless Finish Micro Powder. I have never tried anything from it Cosmetics before and this stood out to me as a great finishing powder. I have really oily skin with pores galore, so I have high hopes for this.

The it Cosmetics Naturally Pretty Vol. 1 Matte Eyeshadow Palette is the original reason I wanted to go to Ulta in the first place. I'd seen review after review of this and everyone loved it. Even though I have both Lorac Pro palettes that have a good amount of matte shades in them, I wanted an all matte palette that had more than 5 or 6 colors in it. I plan on doing a review of this eventually but I have to say, the colors are stunning!

When I was checking out, the girl at the counter gave me this It's a 10 Miracle Leave-in Product as a free sample. I was so happy I practically yelled thank you at her! I've never tried this before but I've always heard good things about it. Can't wait to try it now!

Next is Wegmans. I'm not sure how many stores there are in the country but I have a feeling it's more of an upper eastern store. I'm in Pennsylvania, but I know there are stores in New York and they're constantly growing. A new store opened up next to the mall I work in, so it's incredibly convenient for me if I have to stop for groceries after work. 

Anyways, I usually check out what cosmetics/skincare/beauty stuff they have and I've been wanting to try the Garnier Clean Shine Control Cleansing Gel. This is a charcoal cleanser, and I really love charcoal on my skin. It really cleans it well and lessens the look of my pores. This stuff smells nice to me as well so I'm excited to try it!

Now we have the L'Oreal Youth Code Texture Perfector Serum. I have no idea if this is getting discontinued or my store is just not going to carry this anymore, but it was on clearance for only about $5. I'm pretty sure I heard about this product on YouTube and was curious about it, so when I saw this on clearance I kinda freaked. If I end up liking this and find out it's getting discontinued, I'll cry.

Lastly is another clearance item, and it's the Olay Fresh Effects Everything Off! Makeup Removal Cloths. I kid you not, these were only like $3 for this entire pack of 25. I also don't know if this is getting discontinued, or if it's getting repackaged, but I figured for $3 it wasn't too bad to try them out. 

Lastly, we have Sephora. Now these products are from two separate purchases. One was online and the other was from Sephora inside JC Penny. These purchases also renewed my VIB status through 2015, so expect another haul soonishly!

First up is the First Aid Beauty Facial Radiance Overnight Mask. I heard about this from YouTube and thought it seemed like an interesting product. You can use this on clean skin or after moisturizer, but you leave it on overnight and wash it off in the morning. It's supposed to brighten and nourish your skin, so I'm definitely curious to see what it does for me.

Next up is something I had been eyeing for a long time and it's the Urban Decay Naked Flushed Palette in Native. When the original one came out, I had wanted that but thought the bronzer was too dark. When they came out with different shades and I saw this, I had to try it. I purchased mine online, but when I was looking at it in store, the blush had barely any pigment to it! I'm thinking it's from all the lights because mine is way more pigmented and beautiful. I'll tell ya, it's the perfect pink shade and the bronzer doesn't look too dark or orange. I'm flipping excited that I have this now!

I was looking at the sale section online because, you know, I like a good deal. I came across this Sephora PRO Cream Shadow #28 brush for only $20. I haven't been using my cream shadows because I don't really like getting my fingers dirty, plus it gets under my nails and makes a mess. I saw this and thought maybe it would work for me. I have tried this and am happy to report that I love it! It picks up just enough product and blends it on my lids perfectly. I will start using more of my cream shadows now that I have this. 

Well, I caved and bought the Bite Beauty Agave Lip Mask. This is an expensive little bugger but it's gotten a ton of hype. I do tend to have super dry lips, so this could be worth the hefty price tag if it helps me. 

When I was looking at all the Bite Beauty products in store, I was surprised to see the Deconstructed Rose Lip Gloss Library as I think it's limited edition. I had heard FleurdeForce talk about this and she loved every single color. My store only had one left in stock, so after I had a little fun with the testers, I decided to buy it even though it was close to $50. The glosses aren't a huge size, but I feel it gives me a good enough amount of product to decide whether or not I like them. Bite Beauty in general gets good reviews, so I do have pretty high hopes for these.

The very last product we have is the Ole Henriksen 3 Little Wonders Professional Strength AM/PM regimen. This was online and was given out for free with a certain code. Even though they're sample foil packets, there are 7 days worth but if you're anything like me, I'll try to make it last longer. Ole Henriksen products are kinda expensive, so I'm definitely gonna try and get good use out of them.

That's everything! Sorry the post is so darn long, but I did get alot of stuff! Like I said above, Those Sephora purchases extended my VIB status and I got a 10% off coupon to use, so expect another haul soon! ;)

What have you hauled lately?

April 2014 Favorites!

Hey everyone! I know my favorites post is going up a bit late and I apologize for that! I've been pretty busy with work and I typically have alot to do on my days off, so blogging kinda fell off the priority list. This month should be better though, so lets get into what I was loving last month!

Starting off with hair, I've been loving my Garnier Fructis Sleek & Shine Intensely Smooth Leave-In Conditioning Cream. After I finished up the crappy Aussie product I was using, I saw this hiding in my cabinet and snatched it right out to use. I did a post here quite a while ago, and I still love it. This makes my hair less tangled and it feels so smooth and soft. I recently told you guys that I chopped off four inches of my hair, so I'm trying to be really good to my hair so it grows out happy and not sad and dry. 

Since I did chop off my hair, I've been wearing it down once in a while, and I typically straighten it when I do wear it down. The Garnier Fructis Sleek & Shine Flat Iron Protector is fricken awesome! I can tell that it's really protecting my hair from the heat of my flat iron and it keeps my hair straight too! When I straighten my hair, it can sometimes start to get wavy throughout the day, but I swear this stuff helps with that amazingly well. I probably only straightened my hair twice last month, but I still wanted to mention that this product is an amazing heat protector. Plus, it's very inexpensive when you purchase it from Walmart.

Onto the one body product I loved! The Body Shop's Cocoa Butter Creamy Body Wash is fantastic! I've had pretty dry skin lately and this stuff helps my skin feel really soft and hydrated. I also love that this doesn't get super foamy, but it's a nice creamy lather that gets the job done. I will say though, I don't smell much cocoa butter in it. Honestly, I smell shea butter more, but that's ok for me, since shea butter smells really fresh and clean. 

Whenever I wore a full face of makeup, I loved using the Almay Oil-Free Makeup Remover Towelettes. I think these makeup remover wipes are probably the best I've ever tried! They're 100% fragrance free, so they're great for my sensitive skin, and they remove makeup like a gem, probably because they're so moist (hate that word, but you get what I'm saying!). I do still use a separate remover for my eyes, then use this wipe on my face. These wipes don't burn or sting either. Definitely gonna have to buy again once I use up everything else I have.

I've been so obsessed with the Maybelline The Elixer lip glosses, and the color I've been loving is called Rose Redefined. This is such a perfect dusty rose-y pink shade, and it's just amazing. I'll probably end up doing a review on these glosses because I have a few others that I love too!

Last favorite is the Stila Artful Eye Collector's Edition Vol. 3. Now I purchased this on Sephora when it was on clearance, so I highly doubt it's still available. I just have to share this because.........

LOOK HOW BEAUTIFULLY PIGMENTED THESE ARE! Gosh, I've been so in love with this little palette and I wish I could find more! I love using the lightest shade, called Light Apricot, all over the lid and any of the other colors on the outer half of my lid. I use a different shade in another palette for my crease that's matte. I wish the second picture of swatches really showed how beautiful these colors are in person. Nifty little palette right here!

That is everything I've been loving! What were some of your favorites from April?

Also, I hope you guys like the new layout of the blog! I keep playing around with it, but I like how it looks now. I may keep tweaking things so I hope you don't mind! :)