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?

June 2016 Empties

*Post contains affiliate links*

Hey guys! I usually start off the month with my favorite products of the month prior, but in all honesty, I did absolutely nothing with makeup and hardly took care of my skin. If you've already read this post, then you know that pregnancy has been taking a toll on me. I've been exhausted and sick all the time, and just couldn't be bothered with anything beauty related. As of today, I'm just over 15 weeks along and feel (almost) like a new person! I'm still tired, but I don't feel like I could sleep all day anymore. I somehow did manage to use up a few products, so I wanted to share them with you!

I'll start off with the skincare and one lone makeup product. The When Snow Magic sheet mask was surprisingly pretty good! You all know I don't really care for sheet masks much, but this one surprised me. I actually noticed results right after, and when I woke up in the morning, my skin was so much brighter and softer. 

The Christie Brinkley Close Up Instant Wrinkle Reducer and Treatment was shit. Sorry for the language, but this was such an awful product, I have no idea why it was even made. I used it in the past as a smoother for the fine lines around my eyes and also around my smile lines. I followed directions to a T and I always ended up with flaky, white stuff on my skin. Forget putting makeup on top of this too, it makes you look like your skin is falling off. This was kindly sent to me for review, but it's time to throw it away because I will never use it. 

Next up is the DDF Amplifying Elixir. I used this as a serum underneath my moisturizer in the daytime, and I adored how soft this made my skin feel. It's incredibly liquid-y so a few times, I did squeeze out too much. This deluxe sample lasted me quite a while too. I'm not sure if I would repurchase, but it was nice while it lasted. 

The one time in June I wore makeup, I tried out the Tarte Lights, Camera, Lashes mascara. It was quite dried up, so in the garbage it goes. 

Lastly for skincare, I used up two sample packets of the Josie Maran 100% Pure Argan Oil. Now I can't use this directly on my skin, otherwise I breakout in tiny red bumps. What I did with these was put them into a clay mask that had dried up a bit to give it some more life, and it worked like a charm! I'm not sure what it is with this particular argan oil that I have such a strange reaction if put directly onto my skin, but mixed into a mask or a drop in my foundation is fine. 

Next up is some random body and hair products. I love Bath & Body Works handsoaps, but they're so darn expensive, even with a sale. Pumpkin Cupcake lived in my bathroom, and the Fresh Lavender stayed on my kitchen sink. Both were lovely and if I can find cheaper handsoaps in yummy scents elsewhere, then I'm abandoning B&BW unfortunately. 

I had gotten a nice PR package from Derma E and it included a deluxe size of their Scalp Relief Conditioner. This was nice, it felt cooling in my hair, but didn't do an amazing job at conditioning. I usually had to use extra leave-in conditioner after using this. 

I also have a deluxe size of the Softsoap Juicy Pomegranate & Mango Infusions Moisturizing Body Wash. The scent of this was pure heaven, and I was so sad when I was finished using it. There is a tiny bit left, but I couldn't get that out no matter how hard I tried. I may have to look for this brand next time I need body wash. 

Last up is some boring stuff, vitamins. Once I found out I was pregnant, I definitely tried my hardest to be good about taking my vitamins. Most times they made me sick, but I still tried my best! I managed to use up the Nature Made Fish Oil as well the Prenatal Multi. I would most definitely repurchase the Fish Oil, but not the Prenatal. I have a condition that I found out about and can't take vitamins containing Folic Acid. I need Folate, the real stuff. Folic Acid is synthetic, and with my condition, my body doesn't process Folic Acid like other people can. Ideally what I need to take is Methylfolate, but it's so hard finding an inexpensive vitamin that contains it. I'm still on the hunt!

Number of products used up: 12
Total for the year: 87

I didn't do too good last month. I mentioned before that my goal was to use up 250 products, and now that it's half way through the year, I don't think I see myself hitting that goal. Unless I use up a bunch of samples and deluxe sized products, it's gonna be tough. I'm still trying my best of course, and I'm making it my mission in July to start taking better care of my skin and wearing makeup more often. 

What did you use up last month?

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?

July 2015 Empties

Hey guys! I'm fairly unhappy with the amount of products I used up (or didn't use up really), but if you read my favorites post where I posted my life update, I didn't really care to do much makeup/skincare wise. I managed to use up a few things, so lets see what I have!

The first used up product is the St. Ives Oatmeal & Shea Butter Body Wash. I originally bought this for my husband when he was having itchy skin issues, but decided I wanted to try it out for myself because it smelled so good. This stuff is amazing! It feels incredibly hydrating for being such a foamy body wash and it was super inexpensive too. We will definitely be buying this again once the stash is used up. 

Next up is one of the Foaming Hand Soaps from Bath & Body Works in the scent Berry Sangria. This scent is heavenly, but my husband and I both prefer to use the soaps with the scrubby bits in them. I'm slowly trying to use up all the foamy ones I have, but if this scent is still available in the scrubby one, I will buy it again. 

I like taking the Nature Made Fish Oil softgels because my husband isn't a fan of seafood and doesn't really like the smell of it either, so I don't cook it much. To still get the health benefits, I take a fish oil supplement, and this one has DHA in it which is said to help with heart health. I have another bottle of this, but I bought a different brand that I'm currently using. 

These are the last few bits! I used up the three mascaras I had been rotating. Too Face Better Than Sex, Lancome Grandiose, and Urban Decay Supercurl. I loved all these for different reasons. Too Faced is amazing overall, it lengthens and volumizes my lashes like no other mascara has and it's probably my favorite out of these three. Lancome for me is more lengthening than volumizing overall. Urban decay is the one I used if I got some clumps in my lashes because it's incredibly separating. I did also post reviews of the Too Faced mascara here and the Lancome mascara here. Out of these three, I'd probably repurchase Too Faced Better Than Sex.

I finished up a little baby sample of the L'Occitane Shea Hand Cream. This stuff is amazingly hydrating on parched, dry hands. I've been having a dry spell with my hands lately and you only need a tiny bit of this to get the job done, so it lasted a good while. The full size of these hand creams are pretty expensive though, so I probably wouldn't repurchase unless it's in a gift set or something.

The final product I used up is the e.l.f Therapeutic Conditioning Balm in the scent Orange Creme. I featured this in last month's favorites here and I completely fell in love, especially with the scent. The only gripe I had with this is it didn't take long for me to use up. Honestly, I probably used this up in about 3 or so weeks. I do love me some lip balm but I only really used this at night before bed. I think this is only $1 so it's no big deal, but I'd rather use something that will last me a little while. 

What did you use up in July?

June 2015 Empties

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

My Tips On Getting the Ultimate Summer Glow!

Hey everyone! with Summer coming up pretty fast, you want your skin to be in the best shape possible. You'll want to wear more dresses and shorts, and probably less makeup as well. Today I wanted to share some of my tips for gorgeous, glowing Summer skin!

You're probably thinking it's odd that I'm showing a bottle of lemon juice, but lemon is great for your skin! You can make you're own face scrub by using a bit of lemon juice with baking soda, or bits of salt as a body scrub. My favorite way of using lemon juice is by adding it to my water. I always buy cases of bottled water at the grocery store, but usually don't drink alot because of the bland taste. Lemons are said to be high in Vitamin C, B-complex Vitamins, Calcium, Iron, Magnesium, Potassium, and Fiber. You probably get better effects when you buy lemons and squeeze them yourself, but who has the time for that? Lemon has so many different benefits such as aiding in digestion, boosting your immune system, helping fight viral infections, and it helps keep your skin blemish free! Everyone wants blemish free skin, right?

My next tip is taking a fish oil supplement, or eating salmon. My husband is not a fan of salmon (or fish in general), but once in a while I'll get some for myself. Salmon, especially wild caught instead of farm-raised, is a miracle for your skin and general health because of the Omega-3 fatty acids it contains. It helps maintain brain health, can protect skin from sunburn, helps reduce depression, and protects your body against Free Radicals. Since I don't usually have salmon in my fridge, I turn to these Nature Made Fish Oil capsules which have 360 mg of Omega-3's. If I had it my way, I'd be eating salmon about 3-4 times a week, but it can be expensive. For healthy recipes, you can check out Aloha, which can help you make good-for-you, but yummy meals!

My last tip is adding skincare products with Vitamin C into your routine. My favorite way to get vitamin C in is through serums. My two favorites have been the Radha Beauty Vitamin C Serum, and the Amara Organics Vitamin C Serum. Vitamin C is an antioxidant that slows the rate of free radical damage. Free radicals are molecules that damage collagen and cause dryness, fine lines and wrinkles. I know no body wants that! Because Vitamin C helps boost collagen in your skin over time, it will help to plump up your skin making it look more even, hydrated, and less wrinkled. If you're acne prone like myself, when you add Vitamin C to your skincare, you may break out a bit at first. Stick with it though, it goes away!

Since I started using these tips myself, I have noticed a big improvement in my skin. I can especially tell the difference with the lemon water because it's helping to get nasty stuff out of my system (aka, going to the bathroom alot) and my skin looks healthier and just feels better overall.

What are some of your tips for healthy, glowing skin? I would love to know!

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?

June 2014 Empties

Hey guys! It's time for one of my favorite posts, empties! I love reading these and watching YouTube videos of products that have been used up. I may be weird, but it's incredibly satisfying using up products. I didn't use up quite as much as I have in the past few months, but here is what I did use up!

 Starting with haircare, the first product I used up is the Organix Nourishing Coconut Milk Shampoo. I always go through shampoo way faster than conditioner, so that's still in my shower! I absolutely loved this shampoo! I featured this and the conditioner back in a favorites post here and basically I just think this is amazing. It made my hair feel soft and fluffy, and took ages to go through since the bottle is so huge.

Next up we have the Rusk Sensories Full Green Tea and Alfalfa Shampoo. My husband was the main person using this, but I used it every once in a while. It was nice, smelled good too, but wasn't amazing. It's one of those shampoos that doesn't lather much, so I felt like I had to use more to make my hair feel clean. 

Last product for hair is the best dry shampoo to ever exist, Batiste Dry Shampoo in the Tropical scent. I've had these in multiple empties posts and my original review of it is here. The post is over a year old, but I still get views on it! 

Now for some healthcare stuff! I used up a Crest Complete Toothpaste in the Wintergreen flavor. Honestly, I didn't care for this much. It did its job, but I have really sensitive teeth so I have to use a sensitive toothpaste, which this one is not. I think I only bought it because it was inexpensive and I wanted to try something different.

Then we have some vitamins from Nature Made. Nature Made vitamins are my favorite brand for some reason. Their prices are reasonable, and drugstores usually have deals for buy 1, get 1 free and they also have multiple coupons available. I recently stocked up at Walgreens and paid just under $20 for 4 bottles of vitamins. They'll last me a while too. Anyways, I used up a Super B-Complex which is supposed to help with energy and D3 which is good for people who don't get much sun (I'm practically a vampire). 

 Lastly is skincare. I used up the L'Occitane Moisturizing Lip Balm. This has to be one of the best lip balms ever! I looked it up on Sephora recently and at first I couldn't find it, but it looks like they changed the packaging to a squeeze tube. Anyways, this stuff is really hydrating and it doesn't leave a slick look to the lips, it's mainly matte, which makes for a great base under lipsticks and pigmented glosses.

Next up we have the Murad Soothing Gel Cleanser. Honestly, I wasn't much of a fan of this. It cleaned alright but I just didn't like it. Won't be repurchasing!

The Body Shop's Tea Tree Skin Clearing Toner is a Godsend for my super oily skin in the Summer! This is a bottle I had leftover from the end of last Summer or beginning of Fall. It's way too harsh in the colder months, but I absolutely love using this in the morning to get rid of any excess oils from the night before. 

Next is another Murad product and it's the Essential-C Eye Cream with SPF 15. This stuff was great! It's just a tiny sample size I had but it lasted me a good 3 weeks or so. The full size of this costs a whopping $69 but I feel it may be worth it. It left my eye area feeling hydrated but not oily, and I suffer from greasy eyelids too! Murad, why you be so expensive?! 

Last product I used up is the infamous Glamglow Youthmud Tinglexfoliate Treatment. I have a review of this here and basically I think it's not worth the hype. Some people love it, and that's all fine and dandy, but I won't waste my money on this again. I'll use up the other small jar and little sample tube I have though, but I won't repurchase!

That's everything I used up! Hopefully next month we have some makeup since it's been a while! What did you use up last month?

February 2014 Empties!

Hello everyone! I know it's over half way through March and I have yet to post the products I used up in February. So sorry it took incredibly long! Life's been getting in the way again and I'm trying to figure a good balance between that and blogging. Anyways, February was a good month for empties, and I went through alot of stuff and got rid of really old products as well. 

The first product I used up is my Renu contact solution. This is the only contact solution I can use because everything else I have used has made my contacts feel like I'm sticking acid on my eyeballs! I don't know what it is, but I must be super sensitive to contact solution. This stuff isn't cheap, so I try to buy the double pack at Walmart when I have a coupon for it. 

Next up is the Bath & Body Works Signature Vanilla Shower Gel in the Coconut Vanilla scent. I purchased two of these when they were having a sale, and while I did like the scent, it didn't clean very well. I've been noticing that with a few of the B&BW shower gels I used before. I'll use up the shower gels I have, but I most likely won't repurchase. 

Another B&BW product I used up is the Vanilla Berry Sorbet Anti-Bacterial Deep Cleansing Hand Soap. This stuff smells amazeballs! My husband and I had a friend stay with us for a weekend, and even he said how awesome this stuff smelled. I really love these handsoaps that have the little scrubby particles in them. I feel like they clean better, and with my husband working in construction, these are great for him too! Definitely a repurchase many times over.

I also used up an E.L.F. Therapeutic Conditioning Balm in the scent Vanilla Cream. This stuff sucked! It left a major white cast on my lips so I only used it before bed. It also only lasted maybe three weeks, and it wasn't at all moisturizing. I think this was only a buck, but don't waste your money. I think I have two more of these to use up, but I will never repurchase!

My next empty is one of the best mascaras I've tried, and it's Maybelline's The Rocket Volum' Express in the Blackest Black shade. Love love love this mascara! The only thing is I feel like it dried up way too fast. While I think mascaras tend to get better as they dry out, this one just seems to get too dry too fast and it ended up getting all clumpy on my lashes, so I decided to toss it. I'll most likely repurchase once I go through the tons of mascaras I have to use up!

I also used up these Make-up Remover Facial Wipes that I got from the Dollar Tree. I got what I paid for, which was a horrible wipe that barely removed any makeup. These were so hard to use up so I mainly used them to remove product swatches, which also did a horrendous job! I'll never get these again, even though they were only $1.

I finally used up the Own Lifting Eye Cream, which I did a review on here. iFabbo sent this to me, but it was a pretty decent eye cream. I used it only at night because it was a tad bit heavy for me for daytime use. Now, I'm only 25 years old and I've been using eye creams since I was a teenager (thanks mom!) so I think I have semi-decent undereyes. I do have dark circles (thanks dad!) so I'm trying to find a product that helps mainly with that. I did like this eye cream though because it kept my undereyes hydrated and didn't irritate at all. Not sure if I'll repurchase since I am on a hunt for a good eye cream for dark circles. I'll keep looking!

I decided to throw away the Rimmel Moisture Renew lip gloss in the shade Pink Remedy. This was gifted to me I don't know how long ago and it started to smell funky, so in the trash it goes! 

I'm also throwing out a mini Anastasia Hydrafull Gloss in the color Sugar Pink because it burned the crap outta my lips! I got this in either one of those Sephora holiday lip kits or a monthly subscription box. Not sure how else to describe the burning, but it just felt like I was putting something really hot on my lips. I had to take it off right away, it was that bad.

I'm saving this container just in case I want to put something else in it, but the First Aid Beauty Dual Repair Face Cream got all goopy and smelled really weird, so I dumped it out and cleaned the container. Not sure what I'll use this for yet, but it may come in handy eventually!

I decided to go through my brushes one day and came across these Kat Von D brushes that I had gotten in a kit years and years ago. I don't know what happened to these brushes, but some of the bristles look like they were cut off or chewed up. I honestly don't know what it is, but I never used these, and they look all deformed so it's time to say goodbye. 

Last two products! I used up a Nature Made Multi for Her vitamin bottle. I know this probably isn't an exciting empty, but it can be tough for me to get through taking vitamins. I still don't know if they actually do anything, but I guess deep in my brain, it thinks they do something because I keep buying multis when I run out.

Now I actually didn't use up this whole bottle of Sephora 3 in 1 Perfecting Base Coat, it actually fell over when I didn't realize, and most of it leaked out onto my coffee table. I was kinda pissed because I did like this product and now I don't have another base coat as a backup, but I've decided just to use a top coat as a base coat for now until I decide to buy another one.

Well that's everything I used up/ threw away for being too old! Hopefully you all can forgive me for getting this up super late. I did get my Ipsy bag in the mail a couple days ago, so expect that post soon!

Also, don't forget I have a blog sale going! Take a look because there are alot of nice products!

September 2013 Empties!

Hey everyone! I went through a ton of products this past month so I'm not going to ramble and get into what I've used up! There's a decent mix of products, so I'm really happy to have used up so much.

Starting off with skincare, I finally used up a Paula's Choice 2% Beta Hydroxy Acid Lotion. This bottle lasted me well over a year, for sure. My husband and I got our own place back in July of 2012 and I was already about halfway through the bottle. I used this at night after I toned my face and I just love how this helps my skin. I have incredibly large pores that get clogged easily, and this stuff works miracles in helping them stay clear. I'm currently using the gel version of this and like it a bit better for my oily skin.

The next product I used up is the Philosophy Hope in a Jar Oil-Free Moisturizer for normal to oily skin. I liked this, but didn't love it. To me, it's a basic moisturizer that felt hydrating on the skin, but didn't make me feel like a greaseball. I didn't notice it doing anything special for my skin, but it didn't have any negative effects either. I probably won't repurchase this in the future.

My last skincare product I used up is the Freeman Facial Brightening Paper Mask in Rose. I used this the Friday before my wedding, and I have to say, this is the most awkward mask I have ever tried! Since it's a sheet mask, you take it out and place it on your face, but there are holes for your eyes and nose. The eye holes were way too small and not placed far enough apart and it burns like a mother if you get the liquid too close to your eyeballs. I didn't even notice any brightening in my skin. This was in the September Ipsy bag, and while it's awesome we got these face masks, they're so not worth it in my opinion.

I used up a Suave Keratin Infusion Smoothing Shampoo. I really liked this shampoo. It smells amazing and makes my hair feel so soft and clean. It's really inexpensive if you buy it at Walmart. I probably paid only $3 or $4 for this bottle. I'm currently trying to finish up the conditioner that goes with this. I always go through shampoos way before conditioner. I probably will repurchase this sometime in the future.

Next up is the Dove Refresh+Care Invigorating Dry Shampoo. This dry shampoo is complete crap! Seriously, this did absolutely nothing for my hair. It just made it feel greasier and dirtier and I just hated it. The smell is atrocious as well. Like an old lady's perfume. Nasty, don't waste your money! I only used this up because I hate to waste product. It was painful having to use this and I'm glad it's gone.

Next up we have some vitamins. I used up a Nature Made Multi Complete. I honestly don't know how effective taking vitamins is, but I didn't notice a difference in anything when taking these. I still take them pretty much everyday because I'm used to it.

I also used up a Natural Factors B12 chewable vitamin. My mom actually got these for me to help with energy. I honestly didn't notice any difference in my energy levels at all. I'm not sure if you have to take these every single day to be effective, but I only took one when I really felt tired and needed more energy. 

Well I finally used up a Dove Ultimate Go Fresh Deodorant in Cucumber & Green Tea scent. I say finally because it seems like it takes forever for me to use up a deodorant. I promise, I use it everyday! To me, deodorant is nothing special and I just buy what's on sale. I do like how this smells though, so that was a plus.

I used up a Neutrogena New Hands Restorative Hand Treatment. I didn't like this stuff at all. It doesn't feel moisturizing and it burns really bad whenever I put it on. Even though this stuff lasts forever, I won't repurchase.

I used up a Colgate Total Pro-Shield Plus Sensitivity Toothpaste. I'm not too picky with toothpaste, but I do usually have to buy the kind for sensitive teeth because it feels better to me. 

I'm obsessed with the Bath & Body Works hand sanitizers and the one I used up is in the scent Snow Frosted Apple. This one smells so amazing and whenever I had a co-worker use it, they loved it too. I think this is a Christmas scent, so I hope they bring it back this year.

The next product is a Soho Beauty Sponge. I'm throwing this away because it's terrible and now that I have the Beauty Blender, nothing can compare to it. This one is such bad quality, it falls apart when you wet it. Good riddance to this!

I used up a little sample of the Lancome Cils Booster XL Super Enhancing Mascara Base. I really liked this stuff a long time ago because it made my lashes look alot longer. Now, I don't really care for mascara primers but I do have another one of these to use up plus an E.L.F. one, so once those are used up, I probably won't repurchase any.

The final product here is the bareMinerals Lash Domination Volumizing Mascara. I absolutely hated this, so technically this isn't an empty because I'm throwing it away. I only used it about 4 times and it clumped on my lashes every single time really bad and it's a super wet formula. I don't know why this is getting such rave reviews honestly. 

If you made it to the end, then you're awesome! I know this is a long post, but I told you guys I went through a ton of stuff! Hope you guys don't mind :)

What did you use up in September?