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?

October, November & December 2016 Empties

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With my daughter being born early, I had no time to write up empties posts every month, let alone any posts really. I did still keep all the products I used up, and I'll have another empties post for the first 3 months of this year so far coming in the next couple weeks. 

I'll start off with some bath and hair products. The Pantene Volume Shampoo is one that both my husband and I used. I'm a big fan of Pantene shampoos and conditioners, and this one was no exception. I was sent the Derma E Scalp Relief Shampoo a while ago, and I did really enjoy it. It had a tingly effect on my scalp and made any dandruff I had go away. 

Two deluxe sized body washes I finished up were the Bath & Body Works Aromatherapy Stress Relief, and the other was the Dove Deep Moisture. I LOVED the scent of the B&BW body wash and am considering buying a full size once I use up my stash. The Dove I didn't care for. It really wasn't moisturizing to me and left my skin feeling rough. 

We used up two toothpastes the last 3 months of the year. A Colgate Total Whitening, and a Colgate Enamel Health. The Enamel Health was mine and I really liked how it made my teeth feel. I would occasionally use the Total Whitening, but it made my teeth too sensitive. 

While I was pregnant, I took the Thorne Basic Prenatal vitamin. I liked these because they contain Folate, not Folic Acid. Folic Acid is the synthetic form of Folate, and I have a disorder where my body cannot process the synthetic version. These are more expensive than other vitamins, but they were worth it to me. 

Lastly for health products, is a mini Degree deodorant. Since I was in and out of the hospital for the better part of 5 months with my daughter, I would take travel sizes since they were easier to manage. I liked this enough, but probably wouldn't buy again. 

For anyone that doesn't know, NICU's are very warm and very dry. My lips, hands and whole body took a beating, and I went through all these lip balms the last three months of 2016. I love The Body Shop lip butters, and this one was the honeymania scent. Families who have had babies in the NICU tend to give gifts here and there throughout the year,and in a gift bag I had gotten, there was the Blistex Fruit Smoothies lip balm in the Berry Explosion scent. I kid you not when I say I went through this tube in just two weeks! Last lip balm is the Serious balm in the Snickerdoodle scent. I love these balms and was sent a few, I wanna say last Spring. I still have the other two to use up and I'm sure I will get to them soon. 

Last up is some skincare! I'm fairly certain I used the BioRepublic Green Tea Detox sheet mask just before having Olivia, because I had zero time or energy to do any kind of face mask after she was born. I finally used up the First Aid Beauty Daily Face Cream that I had been working on for probably a year. I love this face cream because it's fragrance free and simple to use. The White Tea Facial Cleanser from Korres was nice, but slightly drying. I liked the scent, but this is better for me to use in the warmer months. 

I've used up more hand creams since, but the one I had finished up before the end of the year was the Neutrogena Norwegian Formula hand cream in the fragrance free version. I adore this hand cream as it's nice and thick, but is gel-like and sinks right in. I washed my hands probably 20 times a day, at least, while tending to my daughter, and needed something that would help heal the dryness and cracked skin I had. 

Total number of products used up: 15
Total for the year: 128

128 products used up in 2016 is not too bad! Considering having my daughter early, I'm pretty proud I did as well as I did. My lofty goal was to use up 250 products, and I initially wanted that to be my goal for this year as well, but I decided to be nice to myself and lower it to 150. Olivia has only been home for 2 weeks now, and we're still figuring out a good routine, so it may take a bit to get into a groove of using products efficiently. My husband and I would also like to move, maybe in the Summer, and I'd like to use up as much as I can before that. Anyway, like I said above, I will have an empties post for the first 3 months of this year up very soon, and will go back to monthly empties after that. 

Did you keep track of how many products you used up last year? 

March 2016 Empties

Hey guys! March was pretty insane with using up products, and I'm so proud of myself! I know that probably is odd, but using up what I have makes me feel good, as well as getting rid of products that don't work well. So grab a snack or something, because this might get long, but I'll try to not ramble on as much! 

I'll start off with a few makeup products. The Korres Mattifying Primer was really an odd consistency, and I don't find it kept my skin more matte than normal. 

The L'Oreal Magic BB Cream in Fair is just god awful! It starts out white, then is said to adjust to the shade name. I'm not sure how the shade is fair, but I looked like an Oompa Loompa, not even joking. Even mixing it with a lighter foundation or The Body Shop Lightening Drops didn't work. In the trash these go!

I initially liked the Covergirl Plumpify Mascara, which I reviewed here. Over time, I realized just how ridiculously large the brush is, and I would constantly stab myself in the eye no matter how careful I was. The consistency also started to change a bit, so I'm just throwing it out at this point. 

I'm also throwing out The Body Shop Nature's Minerals Foundation in the shade 01. I've had this container since I worked at The Body Shop, which was almost 7 years ago by now. It's old, I don't like the shade for my fair skin, and it doesn't blend well. 

It's also time to say goodbye to the Real Techniques Miracle Complexion Sponge. I'm going to be honest here, and I may get some flack for it, but I freaking hated this sponge with a passion! It is so not like a Beauty Blender no matter how much people try to say otherwise. It breaks apart easily and makes foundation and concealer look awful on my skin. Bye Felicia! 

Now for a few random empties. I used up my last big bottle of the Crest Pro-Health Mouthwash. I really liked this as it didn't burn my mouth, but I'm over it now. I'm on the hunt for a nice mouthwash that is alcohol free, so if you know of a good one, please let me know!

There's not much to say about Batiste Dry Shampoo, except I love it and would marry it if I could. This is the best dry shampoo I've ever used and have backups of backups in my stash. 

The Korres Yoghurt After-Sun Cooling Gel is said to be used after being in the sun too long and having some irritation. Since I'm a cave-dweller, I used this as a hand cream instead, and was happy with the results I got. 

You all know my love for The Body Shop Lip Butters, as well as their Body Butters. I used up the Sweet Lemon Lip Butter finally, and a mini size of the Cocoa Butter Body Butter. Their lip butters are fantastic to use before bed, and I think everyone loves their body butters. 

Now for some candles! I decided to start including these in my empties posts/videos, and last month I used up three. The first one is by a brand called Aroma-MIX and it's in the scent Holiday Cookies. This candle was a gift from an old co-worker, so I'm not sure where you can get them. I will definitely be keeping the container though, as I like to use them for makeup brush storage. 

Then I have two from Bath & Body Works. The first one is Peach Cilantro Twist, which smelled like a fancy drink, and the second one is Cinnamon Caramel Swirl, which made me want to bake and eat lots of junk food. Both are lovely, but B&BW candles are just so darn expensive, so once I use up my stash, I won't continue buying them, unless there's an awesome sale going. 

Now for some skincare! I was obsessed with Paula's Choice products many years ago before the line blew up and they started sponsoring bloggers and YouTubers. Their Hydralight Healthy Skin Refreshing Toner for normal, oily and combination skin is just incredible. All of the products I've tried from her line never disappoint and there are products for every type of skin. 

I received the Nourish Organic Moisturizing Cream Face Cleanser in a previous Ipsy bag, and it was a very generous deluxe sample. I got about 2-3 weeks of nightly use from this, and I ended up really liking it. Even though it was moisturizing, I felt like it cleansed my skin nicely, and it worked well with my Clarisonic. 

I used the Dermalogica Skin Hydrating Masque after using deep cleaning masks, and it was just alright. It's a gel consistency that sinks into the skin pretty fast, and you can use it as an overnight mask. It didn't wow me, and since Dermalogica products are so expensive, I will never buy the full size. 

I finally finished up the Amara Organics Retinol Serum, which I did a review on here. Now that it's used up, I feel it's just a meh product, and nothing you should rush out and buy. There are more effective retinol products on the market for around the same price.  

I completely adored the Origins GinZing Energy Boosting Moisturizer. I also reviewed this here, and I think this is one of the best moisturizers I've ever used. It's a gel/cream formula, but it was hydrating enough for when it was freeing cold outside. I was thinking I would need to switch to something heavier eventually, but this was fantastic. It smells like an orange field too, so it was great for in the morning. 

Lastly, I have some baby and foil packet samples. The Sephora Instant Moisturizer isn't that great honestly, and there was only enough in here for two mornings of use. 

I was so pleasantly surprised by the Phyto-C Velvet Gel. I've had this in my stash for ages, and I don't even know where I got it from. It just made my skin feel so soft and plump, and I got over a weeks worth of use from using it morning and night, underneath moisturizer. 

I hate saying this, but I thoroughly enjoyed the Kate Somerville ExfoliKate Intensive Exoliating Treatment. It made my skin look and feel brand new after only the one use, and it's tempting me to buy the full size, which is an ungodly price. The only thing I didn't like was the smell. It smells like grass and looks like it too. 

I've already used up a packet of the DHC Deep Cleansing Oil and loved it. This stuff removes every last trace of makeup on your face and rinses off incredibly well. 

Number of products used up: 23
Total for the year: 52

I'm already doing great this year with empties! Like I've said before, 2016 is the year of using up and decluttering for me, and not just for my beauty collection. I'm wanting to declutter everything in my house and just get rid of the stuff my husband and I no longer use or need. Using up 52 beauty products in just 3 months really puts things into perspective with how much stuff I actually own. What are some products you've used up recently?

August 2015 Empties

Hey guys! Once again, it's time to show you my trash. I didn't finish using a crazy amount of products, but I'm happy with what I did use up. 

The first product I used up is the Herbal Essences Color Me Happy Dry Shampoo. Technically, I didn't use this completely up, because after about 3 uses, the nozzle completely broke on me and sprays out like a stream of water. Also, this stuff is just awful, so part of me is happy it broke. Everytime I used this, it would just make my hair feel sticky and grosser than it was before I used it. Don't buy it, ever. I've finally decided to never again stray from my beloved Batiste.

Next up are some Multi For Her Vitamins from Nature Made. Nothing fancy, just an everyday vitamin that's got the essential vitamins I need on a daily basis. I like the Nature Made brand and they're always on sale at Walgreen's for typically buy 1, get 1 free. 

Part of me wishes I would've saved The Body Shop Brazil Nut Shower Cream for Winter. It's incredibly hydrating and made my skin feel super soft. These shower creams are awesome too, and perfect for Winter when my skin gets drier than the Sahara desert. 

I used up probably my all-time favorite toothpaste from Tom's, their maximum strength Sensitive toothpaste. This stuff is amazing! I'm sure I've mentioned in previous posts that my teeth and gums are extremely sensitive, and most times I HAVE to use a sensitive toothpaste, otherwise it's hard to even drink cold water. I adore this toothpaste, as weird as it sounds. It just makes my mouth feel good, and the soothing mint flavor is nice.

The Dior Addict It-Lash Mascara was so dried up I could only partially get one eye done and had to switch to a different mascara. I wish this wasn't so dried out because I love the plastic bristles on the wand. Spiky bristles like that give insane definition to my lashes, which I'm a huge fan of. 

I used up the Aquafina Flavor Splash lip balm very early on in August. I liked this balm, but it sucks how quickly I went through it. Honestly, I probably used it up in maybe 3 weeks. I do like how hydrated this made my lips feel and I used it every night before bed. 

I used up the Amara Organics Vitamin C Serum, which I wrote a full review on here. I really did enjoy this serum alot. I used it in the morning under my moisturizer, and I felt that it brightened up my skin making it look alot less dull. 

I loved how the Ole Henriksen Grease Relief Face Tonic made my skin less oily. I didn't love how this stuff smelled though. It's very strongly scented of Robitussin. You know, the cough medicine. It's so bizarre, and because of that, I highly doubt I'd buy it again. 

The Korres Pomegranate Cream-Gel was just alright. It didn't make my skin feel oily nor did it cause any breakouts. It was just a meh product in my opinion. 

I used up the Boscia Luminizing Black Mask in one use, and it's an interesting one. It's one of those masks that dries and you peel it off your face. I liked it because it pulled out some of my baby hairs that I have all over and it also seemed to brighten up my skin. However, this hurts like a mofo when removing, and you have to use alot of it to get the thick, opaque layer that's needed to get results. 

The L'Occitane Hand Cream in the regular shea scent is phenomenal! I know I've talked about this before so I won't ramble on, but it's hydrating, smells fresh and clean, and doesn't leave my hands feeling greasy after I apply it.

What did you use up last month?

March 2015 Empties!

Hi everyone! Today I'm showing you my trash. I used up a pretty decent amount of products in March, so grab a snack or a drink, because this may be a long one!

I'll start with skincare since that's what I have the most of. The first product is the Korres White Tea Fluid Gel Cleanser. I used this in the mornings, and I really did like it. It cleaned my skin well and got rid of any oil I may have had from the night before. 

This wouldn't be an empties without an Aloe Calming Toner from The Body Shop. I've talked about this a ton before, so I won't beat a dead horse. This is my favorite toner ever, and I use it primarily at night, unless it's Winter, then I use it morning and night. 

I used up a sample of the Pangea Organics Facial Scrub, and I didn't really care for it. The scrubbing bits in it were a bit rough, and it didn't smell too pleasant. 

I used up another sample of the bareMinerals Purifying Facial Cleanser, and I really, really like this! I used it in the morning and got a good weeks worth of use out of it. It cleans really well, but doesn't strip the skin. This is a great everyday, basic cleanser.

I used up a sample of the Philosophy Miracle Worker Miraculous Anti-Aging Moisturizer. This moisturizer is so interesting to me. It feels thick when I rub it between my hands, but once I apply it to my face, it spreads out evenly and feels incredibly silky. It's extremely hydrating, so I only used it at night, but I always woke up with really pretty skin.

I finally finished up 2 InstaNatural products, the first one being the Hyaluronic Acid Serum and the second one is the Age-Defying Skin Clearing Serum, which I reviewed here along with another product. The hyaluronic serum was amazing mixed into my morning moisturizer when I needed extra hydration and the skin clearing serum is probably one of the best serums for oily, acne prone skin I've ever tried. It seriously was amazing stuff, and I probably will repurchase when I use up other skin treatments. 

Now for makeup. I'm throwing away the Coastal Scents mini eyeshadow quads that I received in previous Ipsy bags. I was going through my makeup, saw these, and just decided to get rid of them. I've never used them and a couple shadows broke, so I have no use just hanging onto them. 

I'm also throwing away the Be a Bombshell Liquid Eyeliner in the shade Onyx. This also came in a previous Ipsy bag. I found this hard to use because the felt tip of this is so chunky and large, which made it hard getting a thin line. The color is so black though, which makes it tough to throw away. Oh well, like I said above, there is no use hanging onto this if I have no use for it!

The Freeman Purifying Paper Mask was not good. I'm not a fan of sheet masks, and this one was no exception. It didn't sit right on my face, so I kept getting it in my eyes and up my nose. I'll stick with my normal masks, thank you!

I absolutely loved the Korres Guava Body Butter! It smelled amazing and really hydrated my skin. I'm trying to get my skin in good shape after it being so dry in the Winter, so I need anything that's going to put moisture back into my skin. This did it, and I'm a little sad it's gone. 

I didn't care much for the Bliss High Intensity Hand Cream. First off, it's not that intense. It didn't really help my hands in any way. Second, I went through it pretty fast because of that. I felt like I kept having to reapply to get it to do anything. At least it's not sitting around anymore waiting to be used up!

If I'm not mistaken, this Simply Be Well Lotion came from the hotel my husband and I stayed at during our honeymoon. I'm weird and always take those little sample toiletries with me. This was alright. It's a very lightweight lotion and I only used it on my arms. This would've done nothing for my poor, dry legs.

Last few things! I am so happy to finally be finished a Johnson's Baby Shampoo. I use this stuff to clean my brushes, and let me tell you, I had this bottle when my husband and I first moved in together in the Summer of 2012. I got a hug double pack of these before we moved, and I'm just starting to use the second one. Crazy how long this big bottle lasts!

I'm sure I've mentioned before, but I'm not the biggest fan of Bath & Body Works body products. Candles and handsoap, I love, but body products, not so much. I had this Country Chic scented shower gel for a while. I'm going to start using up all their body care stuff I have because I don't want to be wasteful. 

The very last product is the Bath & Body Works Gentle Foaming Hand Soap in the Pumpkin Caramel Latte scent. Holy crap, does this stuff smell like heaven! I love anything that smells like pumpkin, but this smells like dessert and I wish I had a backup. There is always next Fall! Hopefully they bring it back.

Phew! If you lasted til now, thank you and I love you! I'm so happy to be using up so many products. I seem to be on a mission lately to de-clutter my life and I have so many beauty products to go through, so when I use something up, it feels like weight lifted off my shoulders. Such an awesome feeling!

What did you use up lately?

February 2015 Empties

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

What did you use up in February?

December 2014 Empties

Hello everyone! This is my last empties post from 2014! I used up a good amount of products in December, so lets see what I have!

The first product that was used up is the Silkience 2-in-1 Shampoo & Conditioner. I bought this at Big Lots for I think around $3 when my husband ran out of his shampoo. I didn't want to spend too much money, so he said to get whatever, he's not picky. After he used it a few times, he said he hated it, so I decided to try it out myself. It really is not a good shampoo. It didn't clean well, and didn't feel good rinsing out of my hair either. It felt like I still had product in my hair after using it. My husband has lots of curly, thick hair so for him it was really bad. We used it up though since we don't like wasting, but we will never repurchase!

It wouldn't be an empties post if I didn't have a can of Batiste dry shampoo! This is the Sassy & Daring Wild version, and I think this is my new favorite scent. I typically love the Tropical scent, but I can never find it in stores, and the last time I tried ordering it online from Drugstore.com, my package was lost in the mail, so I had to call and get my money back. So I'm either going to start buying it in-store at Ulta, or on the Ulta website. 

I used up the Nature Made Multi For Her vitamins and this brand of vitamins is definitely my favorite. They're always on sale somewhere, and they're a good price to begin with. Will always repurchase this. 

This perfume is so old! It's from the Victoria's Secret Pink line, and this was called Wish Pink. I remember first seeing these in store and thinking how cute the packaging was. This particular one smelled the least offensive to me, it's sweet with just a hint of floral. I honestly rarely used this as actual perfume. I used it mainly as an air freshener! If I felt like maybe the trash was starting to smell funky, or I just wanted the air to smell nice, I'd do a few spritzes of this, and everything smelled good again. They discontinued this line so long ago, I don't even remember when. 

I was glad to finish up the Bath & Body Works shower gel in the Vanilla Tini scent. I'm pretty sure I've said before that these shower gels aren't my favorite. The scents are nice, but I don't feel like they clean very well, and they make my skin feel drier than the Sahara. I have a few more of these to use up, but I'll never repurchase any. 

This Clarins Hand and Nail Treatment Cream sat in my stash for ages! Once the weather got really cold, I decided to finally use it up. I now know why it sat for so long. The scent is overbearing and it actually made my hands burn and feel more dry. I'm so glad this is finally used up.

I also used up the two lip balms I was rotating through. The first one is the Badger lip balm in the scent Vanilla Madagascar. I love Badger lip balms and typically buy a few when I see them. I have such a large stash of lip balms though so I don't need to repurchase any for a long time. I used this one mainly during the day as it was easy to just take off the lid and swipe it onto my lips. The second one I used up, I used at night and it's the Rosebud Strawberry lip balm. Oh my heavens, does this smell amazing! I love how this applies to the lips, and it gives a nice sheen where it makes your lips look so full and healthy. I usually loaded up on this stuff because my lips dry out alot overnight, but this helps a ton with that. 

I have finally used up the Biore Deep Cleansing Pore Strips that I've had since before my husband and I met. I always heard these were so bad for your skin, but they really cleaned out the pores on my nose and made them look so small. I typically used one after I washed my face, then I would use a deep cleansing mask afterwards, and it was a match made in heaven. I probably won't go out and repurchase right away (spending ban time!), but eventually I will. 

I used up the little jar of the Ole Henriksen Walnut Complexion Scrub. I was using this for ages because you only need the tiniest amount to get the job done. I could've sworn I had a review of this, but I actually don't. I do have the larger size jar to use up as well, so I may review it sometime soon! I really am a fan of this scrub. It makes my skin feel so soft and smooth, and the grains are the perfect size and not too irritating. 

I had a little sample size tube of the Sephora Instant Moisturizer hiding in my closet and decided to use it up. I have mixed feelings about this. I love how it spreads evenly on the skin and it makes it feel really soft at first. As the day goes on however, my skin turns into a big greaseball. The scent is also a little overwhelming, it's very floral-y. I probably will not repurchase. 

I also used up the Valentia Even Glow Serum, which I reviewed here. This serum is amazing! It felt so lovely on my skin, it sinks right in, it smells like oranges, and it helped brighten up my complexion when it was looking really dull and tired. I'm tempted to buy this, but with the massive amount of skincare I have in my stash, and it being $35, I'm going to pass on it for now. 

I've been trying to use up alot of the samples I have, and I wanted to try the Lancome Visionnaire Advanced Skin Corrector. This product is no joke guys! I know the bottle is really tiny, but I noticed a difference in my skin the next morning after using this. This is supposed to help with wrinkles, pores and evenness, and I swear to you, my pores were almost invisible when I used this. I do have another one of these little bottles to use, but I won't buy the the full size. A 1 ounce bottle costs $79, and the 1.7 ounce costs a whopping $115!

The last product I have used up is the Korres Wild Rose moisturizer. I didn't like this really. It felt heavy on my skin, even with it being so cold out, and the rose scent was too strong for my liking. I do think I have another one of these small tubes to use up, so I'll probably use it up soon before it starts to get warm, otherwise I'll be an oily mess after using it. 

Well that's everything I used up in December! I have to say, I was curious to see how many products I had used up this past year, so I went through all my empties posts and counted the products. From January through December, I have used up 181 products! I can't believe that! I was in shock when I saw that. But hey, that just leaves room to buy more products to try and use up, after my spending ban of course! ;)

What did you use up in December? Did you count how many products you went through?

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?

October 2013 Empties!

Hey guys! So today's post is going to be the products I've used up this past month. I have to say, I'm very happy with what I did use up and I'm pretty sure November will be a good month as well! Lets see what my empties are!

The first product I used up is the Clean & Clear Morning Burst Shine Control Facial Cleanser. I liked using this in the morning because I actually think it helped wake me up a bit. The scent of it was sometimes a bit too fragrant, but that's okay. I don't know if I'll repurchase. I have about a million cleansers to use up.

Next, I finished up the Korres Pomegranate Toner. I loved this for my oily skin. It was great to use in the Summer when I was a greasy mess. It smelled amazing too! I love pomegranate, so I'd probably repurchase this in the future.

I finished up the wonderful Philosophy Eyes Wide Open Instant Refreshing and Depuffing Eye Gel. I know I've talked about this product a few times, and I just love it. It makes my eyes look more awake and took away any puffiness I may have had. It's a wonderful eye gel!

I then finished up a Shea Lip Butter from The Body Shop. I love these lip butters but only use them at night because they leave a white cast on my lips. Obviously, since I only used this at night, I didn't care at all. This particular one was fairly hydrating, but I feel like I need more hydration since it's getting alot colder now.

Sadly, I used up a Lancome Bi-Facil Double Action Eye Makeup Remover. This is definitely my all-time favorite eye makeup remover! It's pretty expensive, but I work in a place where I can buy this, so when I can get an extra discount, I tend to buy one or two. I do have a backup of this, plus a smaller travel-sized one, but I'm putting myself on a spending ban soon, and I'm afraid I might run out :(

I'm just throwing away the Maybelline Instant Age Rewind Eraser for Dark Circles Treatment Concealer in the color Fair. I'm not sure what happened, but I think the twister thing broke and no product will come out anymore. This is my favorite concealer, and luckily my mom gave me one because she got the wrong shade, so I have another one to use! 

I also used up another concealer-type product and it's The Body Shop Lightening Touch in the shade 01. I like this for when I feel like my dark circles are extra dark. Adding a bit of this on top of the Maybelline concealer works really well with extra coverage, plus it helps to brighten a bit. 

As you can tell, my Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer Potion has died! Not really though, I had to have my husband cut it in half for me so I could de-pot it. I couldn't believe how much product was still in there! Seriously, a while ago, I took out the clear, plastic stopper from the top and that helped alot. When I felt like I was running out of product, I just thought there was more in there. I'm a weakling so I asked my husband if he could cut it in half for me. Of course he looked at me like I had ten heads, but obliged like a good boy. Once he got it cut open, even he was shocked at how much was stuck to the sides where the wand couldn't reach normally. I had a little sample sized pot to put the rest of the product in and I probably have enough to last me through the end of the year. 

The Crest Pro-Health Complete mouthwash took me forever to go through. I had this bottle since before my husband and I got our own place in July of 2012. Granted, I didn't use it every single day morning and night, but I used it pretty frequently. I like this stuff though. It didn't burn my mouth like alot of mouthwashes do and it tasted good too.

I used up Natural Factors Hi Potency B Complex vitamins. I think my mom got these for me to help with energy, but honestly, I never notice a difference. I'm not even sure why I continue taking vitamins when I don't notice any changes, but I'm used to my routine in the morning, so I stick with it.

The last two products I got from the hotel my husband and I stayed at during our honeymoon. They're Simply Be Well Ginseng and Wild Mint Shampoo and Conditioner. I didn't use them all up in September, but of course I brought them home and used them up this past month. They're nothing special honestly. Typical hotel toiletries that came in handy when I forgot my other shampoo and conditioner. 

That's everything I used up! Like I said above, I'm very happy to have used these all up, especially the mouthwash! That bottle is massive, so it's good to clear out some space in my closet!

What did you use up in October?

July 2013 Empties!

Hey guys! I wanted to get my empties post up sooner, but I've been sick the past few days and haven't been motivated to do much of anything. I'm feeling better now and have the day off from work, so I figured I'd get it done today! I don't have many exciting things that I used up to be honest. Since I haven't been feeling well and with work getting in the way, I haven't been using many products, or even washing my face at night! (So bad, I know). Anyways, Lets see what I was able to use up in July.

The first product I used up is the Gillette Satin Care Sensitive Skin Shave Gel. Now honestly, I can't tell if this is truly empty because the bottle still feels like there's product in it, yet when I push the tab down, nothing comes out. Oh well though. I don't particularly like this stuff anyways. It was very inexpensive at Walmart, but I think I'll pay a little extra for something a bit better.

I'm very sad about using up my Batiste Dry Shampoo in the Tropical scent! I made a whole post on it here, as it was sent to me for review. It's just such an amazing dry shampoo and I'm still so happy and grateful I was able to try it out. It is quite pricey though, so I'm not rushing out to buy more, even though I really, really want to. I'm currently using a dry shampoo that I hate and can't wait to finish up, but I'm still on the quest for a good dry shampoo that I can get at the drugstore. If I can't find one I like, then I may bite the bullet and buy Batiste.

I was so excited to finally use up The Body Shop Coconut Body Scrub. This container is made from the old packaging, so I've had it for a while. It took me ages to use this up! Granted, I didn't use this often, only when I felt like I had dry skin to deal with. I'm obsessed with how this smells. It's like you're on the beach with a nice cold pina colada, soaking up the sun. It's lovely. It's also not the most abrasive scrub, which I think is nice for Summer. I like the more abrasive ones for Winter use, as I have much drier skin then. 

I used up another one of my beloved Aloe Protective Serums from The Body Shop. I go through these like crazy, but I love mixing this in with my morning moisturizer in Winter to help moisturize a bit better, so I'm trying to save what bottles I have left for then. I've talked about this numerous times, so I won't go on and on about it.

The next product I used up is the Korres Evening Primrose Eye Cream. I purchased this in a Korres skincare kit from Sephora, but I believe this isn't sold separately anymore, if it ever was. I kinda liked this, but not too much. I find it funny though that I had this in two favorites post a while ago, but here I am, hating on it now. Just shows you have to use things up completely to get a good view of it! This felt like it didn't hydrate very well and just sat on my skin. It also made my eyes burn a little bit at times. I'm pretty sure I have plenty of eye creams to use up that are better than this one.

I also used up another one of The Body Shop Coconut Lip Butter. I only use these lip butters at night now as they leave your lips looking white. I used to use it during the day as long as I put lip gloss on top, but I figured I'd use it only at night instead. This stuff is pretty hydrating and makes my lips feel nice and smooth. I have tons of these to use up in different scents, so I'm set for a while.

 I'm not sure if people care which contact solution I use, but I used up the Renu Fresh contact solution. This is the only stuff that doesn't burn my eyes like a mother, so I stick to this. I can usually find a coupon online and I always buy the double pack of these at Walmart since they're a bit cheaper there. 

Now this brush here technically isn't an "empty" per se, but it just sucks and I'm throwing it out. I had to use this one day because my other blush brushes were dirty, but no matter how much product I swirled on the brush, nothing would go on it! And any product that made it on the brush just looked blotchy on my face. This brush came in a kit from when I was in cosmetology school, so I can understand why the quality is so bad, but I still have brushes from that kit that actually work pretty well. I went to cosmetology school almost 7 years ago, so that's saying something. 

Well that's everything that I used up! I know it's nothing amazing, and I still have no makeup products used up, but maybe soon!

What did you use up in July?