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?

January, February & March 2017 Empties

As promised, I'm showing you all the products I've used up so far since the beginning of the year. It's not alot since I wasn't really taking care of myself because of being with my daughter in the hospital. Now that she's home, it'll be much easier using up products and caring about my health and happiness again. 

Starting off with skincare, I have finally used up the Clean & Clear Morning Burst Shine Control Facial Scrub. I used to like this, but over time I ended up actually hating it. The scent is overpowering and the scrubbing bits can be kinda harsh. 

The Fresh Soy Face Cleanser is something I'd buy over and over again if it wasn't so expensive! I LOVE this cleanser so much. It makes my skin feel clean, without stripping it dry. 

Jack Black lip balms are incredible. I had been trying to use up the Natural Mint scent since before Olivia was born. Granted, I lost it a couple times, but always ended up finding it. I have a few more of these in different scents to use up and would consider repurchasing once I go through my stash. 

Philosophy skincare is hit or miss for me, but the Renewed Hope in a Jar is a hit! I'm not a fan of the cult classic original moisturizer that everyone raves about, but this one is nice. I'd consider purchasing once I use up what I have. 

I got a sample of the Exuviance OptiLight Essential 6 Serum with a product I was sent to try ages ago. I got quite a few uses out of this, but I didn't find it to be anything special. Exuviance is a pretty expensive brand, and I'm sure if I had a bigger size, I would've seen a difference in my skin. 

I tend to get a few samples of the DDF Ultra-Lite Oil-Free Moisturizing Dew, and I think I may have another to use up. This is a pretty decent moisturizer that has a gel consistency, so it's great for Summertime use when my skin is more oily. 

You all know my love for Valentia and their skincare. I did a review of their Royal Rose Hydrating Serum, and completely love it. The rose scent isn't too strong, and it helps to hydrate my skin well. If I didn't have a million serums to use up first, I'd buy this again in a heartbeat. 

I didn't care for the Murad Oil Control Mattifier SPF 15. It smelled weird and made my skin look super pale. 

Philosophy body products are my jam, and the Gingerbread Girl body lotion is no exception. It's not the most hydrating moisturizer in the world, but it does the job well enough and smells like baked goods, which is a plus in my book!

The next four products I used up were hand creams. I went through so many handcreams while my daughter was in the NICU from all the hand washing. The Gold Bond Ultimate Healing Cream with Aloe is probably meant to be a body moisturizer, but it felt so nice and luxurious on my hands, and made them feel like soft baby skin. The Mitchell and Peach Luxury Hand Cream is far from luxury to be honest. It smells like nothing and didn't hydrate my skin at all. I think it made the dryness worse. Everyone talks about the Soap & Glory Hand Food and for good reason! The scent can be a little strong, but the hydration it gives is amazing. Out of all of these hand creams, the L'Occitane Shea Butter Hand Cream is my favorite. It smells like baby powder and hydrates like no other. It's expensive as hell, but worth it and I will probably repurchase when I use up my stash. 

Lastly, we have some random products. Bath & Body Works hand soaps are amazing, but expensive, even when there is a sale. Crisp Morning Air smelled nice and fresh, but I like sweet smelling hand soaps more. 

The Colgate Cavity Protection Toothpaste is something both my husband and I used. He used it more than I did since I prefer toothpastes with sensitivity protection. 

Since having Olivia, I have been shedding like a German Shepard. It's so bad, but I know it's postpartum hormones that are causing it. I like the Natrol Biotin 10,000mcg because I feel like it really helps in normal, everyday life, and works great at making my nails super strong as well. 

Number of products used up: 16
Total used up for the year: 16

I'll be going back to monthly empties now that things are starting to settle down. Hopefully I can make my goal of using up 150 products, and that does include foil packets as well. I'm so bad at using my foil packet samples and need to make it a point to use some up this year. 

What are some products you've used up recently?   

January 2016 Empties

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Hi guys! So we're already one month into the new year, and I made it my mission this year to use up as many products as I can to make a dent in my stash. January wasn't that great in using up much honestly, but I did manage to use up a few things!

I used up a good bit of skincare last month, and of course it wouldn't be an empties if I didn't have The Body Shop Aloe Calming Toner. You all know my obsession with this toner, so I won't ramble. It's just awesome. 

I have finally used up the Paula's Choice Skin Perfecting 2% BHA Gel. I only used this at night, and it took me an incredibly long time to use up, since you only need one pump for your entire face and neck. I loved this product to help keep my pores clear. Salicylic Acid works wonders on my skin, and I'm pretty sure I have a backup of this. I have other products I want to use up first though before I open a new one. 

I used up a one time use sample of the Bliss Triple Oxygen Instant Energizing Eye Mask, and it didn't really impress me. I'm not sure how well eye masks in general work, but the only thing this did for my under-eyes is keep them hydrated. They didn't look energized or brightened in any way, so I doubt I'd buy these. 

I got a deluxe sized sample of the Purlisse Pur Delicate Gentle Soy Milk Cleanser in a previous Ipsy bag. To me, this is just a basic creamy cleanser that did remove makeup fairly well, but it seemed to dry out my skin a little bit, even though the packaging says this is non-drying. My skin has been very finicky so far this Winter, and it doesn't know whether it wants to be dry, oily, or combination. Finding products that help balance it out has been a bit difficult lately. 

I've heard many people say they love the DHC Deep Cleansing Oil, and as I was cleaning out my sample box, I came across some samples of this cleansing oil. I gave it a go one night on a full face of makeup, and at first I wasn't sure it was doing anything. Once I started rinsing it off, every bit of makeup was completely gone. I had three coats of mascara and a good layer of foundation on that this completely took care of. It's amazing, and I'll be sad once all the samples are gone. I may purchase a full size in the future, but I'm on a strict no-buy at the moment and I have tons of cleansing oils in my stash to use up. 

I had a little baby sample of the Dermalogica Total Eye Care with SPF 15 hiding in my stash that was mostly used up, so I finished it off last month. I forgot how much I loved this. It has a bit of a tint to it that actually seemed to help my dark circles, and it's pretty hydrating without being greasy. Dermalogica is a pretty expensive brand, so I'm not sure if I'll repurchase, but once I go through my stash of eye creams, I'd consider it. 

These are the last of the products I used up, and it's a mix of hair care, body care and lip care. I'm one of those people who love Pantene shampoos and conditioners, and this Sheer Volume conditioner was pretty amazing. I'm not sure if it actually made my hair more volumized, but it made it so incredibly soft. This is just a small bottle I had in my stash, and the cap broke off when I dropped it one time, so I made a point to use it up quick. 

I know I've mentioned before that I'm not the biggest fan of the Bath & Body Works Shower Gels. This is in the Coconut and Vanilla scent that I had purchased one year during a semi-annual sale. Believe it or not, I didn't actually mind this one. Most of their body washes dry my skin out and make it itch like crazy, but this seemed a little more hydrating than the others I've tried and it didn't make me itch. I seem to have a black hole in my closet where all my body washes are, and B&BW shower gels seem to keep popping up. I'm making it a point to use those up before I go on to something else. 

I'm also making it my mission to use up as many foil packet samples as I can, so I decided to try out the DERMAdoctor KP Duty AHA Moisturizing Therapy for dry skin. This little packet was surprisingly enough for both of my arms, and I gotta say, after just the one use, I was in love. It smoothed out the backs of my arms, and pretty much got rid of those nasty chicken skin bumps that many people have. I'm tempted to break my no-buy for this, but since I'm trying to be good, I won't torture myself. 

Lastly, we have some lip products! I've been trying to use up the Laura Geller Lip Strip scrub for well over a year. The tiniest bit goes a very long way, and I used this stuff pretty regularly about once or twice a week, but mainly in the colder months. This is very minty, and if you accidentally get some in your mouth, it's ok because it tastes like toothpaste, which I don't mind. This did help with dry skin on my lips, and left a bit of a moisturizing film that was pretty hydrating. 

These On10 Lip Balms take so long to go through, and I used up the cider scent around the middle of January. I only really used this lip balm if I was going outside or running errands because it has an SPF of 15. If I'm staying inside the house all day, it doesn't matter what balm I use. I like these On10 lip balms though and this came in a set that my mom had gotten me for Christmas from Sephora quite a while ago. 

Well, I used up 11 products. Not too shabby, but it's not great either. I'm hoping February is better! 

Number of products used up: 11

What did you use up last month?

January 2016 Favorites

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Hi everyone! It's February now, and to be honest, I hope this month just flies by. Anyway, I have a few favorite products to share with you that have stood out to me whenever I use them. 

The first product I have to talk about is the Valentia Ultra Plumping Hydration Mask. I've done a full review of this here, but I just have to say how amazing this mask is! After I use a detoxifying mask, I use a hydrating one, and this was my go-to. It looks like I'm spreading banana on my face, but it leaves my skin feeling incredibly soft, plump and moisturized. There is a bit of a tingle that goes away after a few minutes, but it's not bothersome. If I'm being honest, I think this mask gives the Glamglow hydrating mask a run for its money. It does virtually the same thing, is a heck of alot cheaper, but the scents are different, which I feel the Glamglow wins on that. This one smells kinda strange, whereas the Glamglow smells like coconuts and the beach. 

Next up is an old favorite, Covergirl 3-in-1 Foundation in the shade 805 Ivory. I know I put this in my November favorites, but guys, this foundation is truly amazing. I have yet to come across a drugstore foundation that is just as good as this one. The only downside at the moment is that this is the lightest shade available, and I'm so pale right now that it's just a hair too dark, but I make it work. This foundation just blends so nicely, provides a solid medium coverage, and lasts on my typically oily skin. 

Another Covergirl product that has my attention is their Plumpify Mascara. I have a review of this here, and I feel that it makes my lashes look pretty darn good after just one coat. Once I start doing two coats is where I get a bit of clumping, but it's nothing a spoolie can't take care of. The brush is pretty massive, so it took a bit getting used to applying it, but once I got the hang of it, I feel like my lashes look longer and it keeps a curl all day. 

Something that I've been meaning to put in my favorites for the last few months, but keep forgetting, is the Real Techniques Pointed Foundation Brush. I don't think you can buy this separately, only in a set, but it's incredible! Now, I don't actually use this for applying foundation. Believe it or not, I hate using brushes for foundation. I use this brush to apply my face masks. Seriously, this is life changing for me! I think I saw someone on YouTube use a smaller foundation brush to apply a mask, and then it popped in my head that I had this brush that I never used before. So I used it, and found it applies the perfect amount to my skin without me using my fingers and wasting a whole bunch of product. I'm sure there are other brushes out there similar to this one, but I highly recommend buying the set this is in if you're curious about using it to apply face masks. 

My last favorite is the Derma E Firming DMAE Eye Lift. I have a review here, and I've been loving what this does for the skin around my eyes. The longer I use this, the more I notice that my eyes just feel better. It's helped so much with the tiny dehydration lines I've been getting, my eyes look brighter and the skin feels alot softer. I don't have wrinkles around my eyes, but I honestly think this eye cream may help with them with continued use. If I can see results after using this, then I think you may too!

Those are my favorites for January! What products were you enjoying last month?

January 2016 Ipsy Bag: All Eyes On You

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Hi guys! Today I'm going to be sharing with you all what I got in this month's Ipsy bag. It came just a couple days ago, which is early for me honestly. This month was a good one, and the theme is All Eyes On You. 

I think the bag everything came in is so cute! It's got a vinyl feel to it, and the back of it is a pretty blue color. The zipper is at the top of the bag, which I definitely appreciate. 

The first product I received is a travel size of the Skyn Iceland Glacial Cleansing Cloths. I love the Skyn Iceland brand and am currently using a cleanser of theirs that is pretty darn good. I can always use wipes like these. 

Next up is a City Color Eyeshadow Trio in Falling Leaves. It comes with a matte burnt orange, metallic bronze and a champagne highlight color that look pretty nice, but I have yet to swatch them and see how good they are. City color isn't really a brand I've dipped my toes into. 

Next is a Lasting Smiles Lip balm in the scent Peppermint Creme. I love lip balms and have a stash of them that will probably last me for the rest of my life. The cool thing about this brand is that for every one of these lip balms sold, it helps to fund cleft surgeries for children. Every 1,000 sold helps out one child. 

Then we have a Tre'StiQue Mini Matte Lip Crayon in the shade Florence Fig. This is a beautiful color and I'm pretty sure I've gotten one of their lip crayons in a previous bag before. This brand makes some nice products though, so I don't mind having another one!

The last product I received is theBalm Mr. Write(Now) Eyeliner in the shade Jack B. Bronze. I've tried a few theBalm products and haven't been too impressed honestly. The eyeliner I got is broken and fell out when I first opened it, but it's still usable, so I won't bother contacting Ipsy Care about it.

That's everything I got! Not too bad for just $10 a month, if you ask me. If you want your own Ipsy bag, I'd love it if you used my affiliate code here. Like I said, it's just $10 a month, plus shipping for some, and you get typically 5 deluxe beauty products to try. Occasionally you'll get a full size product, which is pretty nice!

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

January 2015 Empties

Hi everyone! It's time for me to share what I used up in the first month of the year. I have to say, I'm pretty impressed with everything I used up, and I'm going to be trying really hard to make a dent in my beauty collection for 2015. Lets see what I've used up!

The first product I used up is the Bath & Body Works Moisturizing Hand Soap in the Fresh Picked Strawberries scent. I'm more of a fan of their hand soaps with the little scrubby bits in them and this one didn't have those. I didn't really care for this hand soap because it smelled a bit perfume-y to me and my husband didn't really like it either. Glad to see it gone!

I then used up the ZenWise Labs Hair Growth Vitamins. I was sent his product from BrandBacker to try and I did a review of it here. I'm still sticking to my original thoughts on this, and that is it did help with growing my hair, but not with the thickness or new growth. My roots are showing like crazy now, so if you just want your hair to grow out faster, this product will help with that, but it won't help with making it thicker. 

I used up a Degree Expert Protection Deodorant in the scent Linen Dry. I got this at Big Lots and it was pretty cheap, probably around $1 or $2. I liked how it smelled and this is supposed to release scent when it detects motion, and I did notice as I moved around I could smell it, which didn't bother me at all. 

I used up quite a bit of skincare, so woohoo on that! The first product is the Peter Thomas Roth Aloe Tonic Mist. This toner is alcohol free and fragrance free, so it reminded me of my beloved Aloe Calming Toner from The Body Shop.This stuff is alot more expensive, but it worked the same at TBS toner, so I'll keep repurchasing that one for quite a while. 

I used up a little baby container of the Josie Maran Argan Oil. I used this over moisturizer if I needed extra hydration and I also started using one drop in my foundation/bb cream. I got that idea from Wayne Goss on YouTube and that changed my life honestly. I don't think I'll do that trick in the Summer, but in the Winter it's great. It helps my foundation go on better and it makes my skin look flawless. 

I also used up another baby container of the Juice Beauty Oil-Free Moisturizer. I remember I took this little tube with me on my honeymoon over a year ago and just wanted to finish it up since it still had about 4 days of use left. It smelled and looked fine though, so no worries about that!

I finally ran out of the little tube of the GlamGlow Thirstymud Hydrating Treatment mask. I did a review on this here, and I have to say, this is a Holy Grail product for me now! I can't not use it after I use a clay mask that's drying. I have a full size of this and will continue to repurchase despite it being so darn expensive. It makes my skin feel just amazingly soft and supple. 

I used up The Body Shop Aloe Protective Serum, and I mixed this into moisturizer in the morning to add some extra hydration to my skin. I still love this product as it calms my skin but gives me the little boost I need this Winter. 

I was happy to finally finish up the Philosophy Help Me Retinol Night Treatment. I will say, I think it did help my skin a little bit, but this stuff smells so strange! It's not like it was too old to use strange, but it just wasn't my cup of tea. It was a bit drying too so I had to follow up with an extra hydrating moisturizer. 

I used up my morning time moisturizer from The Body Shop, the Tea Tree Sin Clearing Lotion. I absolutely love this stuff for my oily, acne-prone skin, but in the Winter it's really drying, so I used the Aloe Serum above mixed in and that helped out alot. This gel type moisturizer is definitely a Summer time moisturizer.

Now for a bit of randomness. I was so excited to finally use up the Massive tub of The Body Shop Shea Body Butter. I had been using this since last Winter and probably around the second week of January it was gone. I don't really use body butters in the Summer as I'm not as dry. Once in a while I will, but I usually stick to light lotions then. These body butters are no joke though, they hydrate your skin like crazy and this one smells so clean and fresh. 

The Almay Oil-Free Eye Makeup Remover Pads were pretty awesome. I used one for each eye at night when I removed my eye makeup and I had no problems taking off mascara or dark eyeshadows. Occasionally these did sting my eyes a little bit, but it wasn't terrible and I always washed my face thoroughly after removing makeup. 

I got the Figs & Rouge Hand Cream in the scent Rose Berry in an Ipsy bag, and I loved how this stuff smelled. It had way more berry than rose which I'm fine with, but I have to be honest, this isn't hydrating at all for me. I think it actually made my hands drier. I still used this when I was at work just so I had something, but most days when I got home, I had to put on a thicker hand cream to help my hands feel better. 

The Urban Decay B6 Vitamin-Infused Complexion Prep Spray came in a 500 point perk from Sephora. I think this is the most gimmicky product. It doesn't do anything special for my skin and acts no different than other makeup sprays. I will never buy a full size of this.

I have two mascaras here, the Pop Beauty Smoky Lash Kapow!!!, and the Bobbi Brown Everything mascara. The Pop one was just dried out so I couldn't use it, but the Bobbi Brown one was fantastic! It made my lashes look amazing, but the only downside is it smudged on me. If it didn't smudge, it would be perfect in every way. 

The final product I used up is the Tarte Clean Slate Creaseless Eye Primer. This is a white liquid-y primer that was just okay for me. It didn't really make my shadows last any longer and I still got creasing by the end of the day. There is still nothing that compares to the original UD Primer Potion for me.

What did you use up in January?

Remember I have my Borghese giveaway going on until the beginning of March, so there's plenty of time to enter! Also, I have my blog sale as well :)