October 2015 Empties

Hi everyone! October wasn't too great with using up products due to me being in the hospital and now trying to feel better again. I did manage to use up a fair amount, so it's time to share it with you!

I'll start off with a few body products and a lone toothpaste. I'm in love with the Tom's Sensitive toothpaste! It makes my teeth feel really clean, my breath feels fresh, and I don't get any irritation on my teeth or gums when using this. It can be a little on the expensive side, but occasionally my grocery store has a sale for $1 off and there are coupons once in a while as well. 

The Olay Sensitive Body Wash is something my husband mostly used, but I used it sometimes. I heard about this from Jen, From Head to Toe on YouTube, and honestly, this body wash is really, really, really amazing! It's unscented, but it's got a bit of a light, fresh scent still. My husband and I both have pretty sensitive skin on our bodies, so I'm really thinking of completely switching to this once we use up our hoard of body washes. It's really that good!

I finally used up the Bath & Body Works Jingle Bellini Body Lotion, and I really am not a fan of their body products to be honest. Their body washes and lotions make my skin itchy and irritated and I typically have to mix the lotion with another one to get decent hydration. I know I have a few body washes left to use up, but I'm not sure if I have any lotions left. 

I used up a little sample of the Origins Ginger Souffle Whipped Body Cream, and I unfortunately didn't like this either. Anywhere I put this, I would get clogged hair follicles that became really inflamed and painful, almost like cystic acne. It wasn't fun, and I will never in a million years buy this full sized. I love Origins products too, so it's a shame this didn't work for me. 

Now for some hand products! I had received the Softsoap Pampered Hands Foaming Hand Soap in the scent Coconut Lime in an old Influenster box and just left it sitting around in my stash. I figured I'd give it a go, and I was pretty impressed! The scent is amazing (although my husband hated it), and it did clean my hands nicely. 

Next up is a Bath & Body Works Deep Cleansing Hand Soap in the scent Eucalyptus Mint. This was the soap I had in my kitchen and I feel it's the perfect kitchen scent. It smelled medicinal, which I'm a fan of, and I really enjoy their soaps with the exfoliating beads. my husband loves them too since he works in the medical field and always needs to keep his hands scrubbed clean. 

I normally am a huge fan of the L'Occitane hand creams but this one is called an Ice Hand Cream Gel, and it had a very lemon-y, almost chemically scent. I didn't like that, and it also did absolutely nothing for my dry hands. If anything, it made them worse and I'd have to find something more hydrating. I much prefer L'Occitane's normal hand creams with the high concentrations of shea butter. 

Lastly, I have just a few skincare products. You all know my love for The Body Shop, and their Tea Tree Skin Clearing Facial Wash is one of my go-to cleansers in the warmer months. It helps to keep my skin less oily and feeling clean, and I really do notice fewer breakouts using this as well. 

Using their Tea Tree Skin Clearing Lotion in conjunction with the cleanser can be sometimes a bit much, but I had really clear skin while using both together. While I do really like this gel-based moisturizer, I think my skin has different needs now that I'm a bit older (not that I'm old, but I'm pushing 30!). 

I can't say enough horrible things about the little sample of Josie Maran 100% Pure Argan Oil. I don't know if it's just my skin, but the two uses I got from this sample packet made me breakout SO bad! It wasn't like cystic acne, but I had so many little red dots all over my face, and alot of them turned into whiteheads. We all know how attractive those are (not!). Even my husband made a comment about my skin! Lesson learned from this. I can't use it as regular skincare, but I can add a drop mixed in with my foundation and be fine.

Those are the few products I managed to use up. I currently have quite a few that are about to run out, and I'm trying to use up as much as I can before the new year!

What are some products you used up?

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August 2015 Favorites

Hi everyone! I say this pretty much every month, but the year is just flying by. The past couple months have been not so great personally, but they're going by fast, which I'm happy about. It's September now, which means I get to celebrate my 2 year wedding anniversary soon, and there are only 3 more months until my birthday! I didn't wear too much makeup in August, but I do have a few favorites to share with you all.

My first favorite is the Olay Sensitive Body Wash. This stuff is fantastic! Even though the bottle says it's unscented, it still has a very light, clean scent. It's lovely and makes my skin feel soft and clean. I originally bought this for my husband, but I've stolen it from him (not really though, I'm not that mean). 

Next up is the Zamian Super Gold Cacao Pack or mask here in the states. I had gotten this in a Memebox, and only used it a small handful of times in the past. I pulled this out again, and instantly fell in love. First off, it smells like hot chocolate with maybe some rum mixed in. It's delicious smelling, but it makes my skin glow and feel like a baby's bum. Apparently, it's got gold powders in it as well, which makes it seem pretty fancy. 

The Body Shop Sweet Lemon Lip Butter is a product I started using literally a week before the end of August, so I might be cheating. I've talked about these lip butters before and it's no surprise I like them. This particular one is so incredibly hydrating, and it smells like lemon meringue pie! This is also one of the rare lip butters that don't leave a white cast on my lips, so that's a big plus. 

If you click the picture to make it bigger, you can see that I have a pan of Makeup Geek Starry Eyed Eyeshadow. This is one of the foiled shadows, and boy is this beautiful! It's so shiny and pigmented and makes for a great lid color, and if you have fair skin like I do, you can maybe get away with using this as a cheek highlight, but very lightly of course. 

The last product is the Kat Von D Everlasting Face Shaper Blush in the shade Bellisima. This is a pretty pink-y coral shade that has a tiny bit of a sheen and looks so pretty on my fair skin. This little sample size was most likely a point perk from Sephora, but now it makes me want to get more of these blushes. 

What were some of your favorites in August?

HAUL! The Body Shop, Ulta, Wegmans, Sephora

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

What have you hauled lately?

May 2013 Favorites!

It's time for another favorites post, and I really can't believe how fast the year is going by! I know everyone says that but seriously, we're already almost half way through the year! Plus, there's only four more months until I'm married. Eeekk! Anyways, enough of my ramblings, and onto my favorites!

My first favorite this past month has been the Clean & Clear Morning Burst Shine Control Facial Cleanser. I've been using this in the morning, obviously, and I like how it actually seems to be controlling the oiliness I get throughout my day. It's not a miracle cleanser by any means, but it makes my skin feel clean and shine free, but not dried out.

My next favorite has been my Sigma P88 Precision Flat Angled Brush. I feel like I've raved about this too much already and I did a full review here if you wanted to read it. Since I already did a review on it, I won't go into much detail here as it may take up this whole post!

Next up is the Aussie Split-End Protector. I've been using this as a leave-in conditioner just on the last 4 to 5 inches of my hair. I did recently get a haircut and I colored it myself, so I'm trying to take care of it the best I can. I hate split ends and as my hair gets longer, it always gets worse whether I get a haircut or not. I've only been using this for about two weeks now and so far it's been awesome! I love how it smells and it makes my hair alot easier to comb and brush through.

Inked in Pink (top) Seashore Frosts (bottom)

My next two favorites have been Maybelline Color Tattoos in the colors Inked in Pink and the coveted Seashore Frosts. I love Inked in Pink when I don't want to put alot of fuss into my look, but still want a nice wash of color on my lids. This color is great underneath a shimmery, champagne colored shadow as well. 

Seashore Frosts. Oh boy have I heard some amazing things about this Color Tattoo! When I read a bunch of rave reviews on this, I knew I had to have it. I went to three different stores looking for it and finally found the last two of this color at Rite Aid mixed in with the regular line. This color for some reason wasn't in the limited edition display. When I saw two of these bad boys hiding, I grabbed them so quick and squealed a little, that's how excited I was. My fiance looked at me like I was nuts, and I probably am! Like I said, I bought the last two they had and I'm not sure what I'll do with the unopened one I have yet.

This next favorite I'm a little happy/sad about. I'm happy I found the Covergirl & Olay Simply Ageless Eye Concealer because it's truly an amazing concealer for the dark circles I have under my eyes. I'm sad because I've heard too many times that this is getting discontinued. I should've known when I saw that this was discounted at 50% off at Walgreen's. I heard alot of amazing things about this concealer through Youtube and figured I'd give it a try. I found the last one of the lightest shade and it's perfect for me.

Color Whisper (left) Lip Butter (right)

My last two favorites are lip products. The first one is the Maybelline Color Whisper in the color Cherry on Top, and the second is a Revlon Lip Butter in the color Sorbet. I love pink lip products whether they be glosses or balms. I'm not the biggest fan of lipsticks, which is why I love these. Both are very moisturizing and have a balmy texture to them. The colors look very similar but Sorbet is a bit deeper. I also love how you can wear these sheer or layer them on your lips to make the color pop more.

December 2012 Empties!

Okay, so I think I went through a ton of stuff this past month. It seemed like I went through everything within like a week and a half after the month started and at the end of the month, like maybe two or three things. Oh well, there's more room for other things! ;)

I finally went through The Body Shop Banana Conditioner. I swear, I go through so much shampoo but it takes forever to use up conditioner. I don't think I use a ton of shampoo at one time, but I might try and see how much I actually use. Anyways, I did a full review of the shampoo and conditioner here. I liked the conditioner alot and the smell actually stayed in my hair, but it's not obnoxious. 

I also used up one of my beloved The Body Shop Aloe Protective Serums. I love this stuff so much and I had a request to review the products from the aloe line that I've tried, so a review will definitely be coming up in the next couple weeks! 

The packaging of the E.L.F. Tone Correcting Concealer sucks so bad. The actual product sucks too but I couldn't get anymore product out of this tube no matter how hard I tried. I had another one of these in an empties post and this was my last one. This stuff only costs $1, but it really does not do a good job at all of concealing anything. There are so many amazing E.L.F. products that I love, this was just a total bust for me and I will never repurchase this. Ever!

I finally used up the Origins Well Off eye makeup remover and I liked this alot. It didn't leave any oily residue and took off my eye makeup really well. It also didn't sting my eyes like other eye makeup removers do. I put this in my September favorites here if you wanted to see what else I loved that month.

Next I used up a hand cream that I had been using for a long time and it finally ran out and it's the Olay Quench Therapy Hand Cream. I really, really liked this. I love the body cream they have in the Quench line as well. This hand cream did an amazing job at moisturizing and this might sound weird, but my hands looked "pretty" after I put it on. It was just an amazing product. I don't think they have this product anymore because I can't even find it on the Olay site. Bummer :(

It seems like I used up a bunch of skincare too. I finally used up the Aveeno Ultra-Calming Foaming Cleanser. I've talked about this before and it's just a very nice cleanser that doesn't irritate my skin at all .

I also used up the rest of The Body Shop Vitamin C Eye Reviver. I'm so sad this is empty because this was the best eye cream ever and I can't find if I have a backup of it. The Body Shop stopped carrying this and has something different now, which I'm sure I've mentioned before. There have been some things that I didn't care when it got discontinued but this makes me really, really sad. 

I used up another product from The Body Shop and it's the Tea Tree Skin Clearing Lotion. I have so many backups of this because this has been a go-to moisturizer for in the morning for ages now. I don't even know how many different tubes I've gone through. It's good at leaving skin matte and the tea tree helps prevent and clear up breakouts.

Then I used up the Paula's Choice Skin Balancing Carbon Mask, which I did a review on here and it's on the list of my favorite face masks here. I love this mask alot! It really helped to smooth out my skin and really clear out my pores. I have insanely large pores (gross, I know) and this mask was pretty much the only thing that helped them look smaller. I'll repurchase when I use up my other masks.

These are the last few things I used up! The big bottle of Alba Botanica Very Emollient Body Lotion took me well over a year to go through, but I didn't use it every single day though. I'm glad I can use up some of my body butters now that it's super cold out and my skin's really dry. I liked this lotion alot, but it definitely is thick. I always think lotions are thinner and meant more for Spring and Summer use. This stuff was really good though. It's gentle and doesn't have any smell so it didn't irritate anything.

I wasn't sure if you guys wanted to see what kind of eye drops I use, but I used up my Similasan eye drops for allergy relief. These are the only eye drops I use because everything else I've tried has felt like I was pouring acid onto my eyeballs. Not a good feeling.

I also used up the Berkley & Jensen Hair, Skin & Nails supplement. I'm trying to be better at taking vitamins and I want to keep mainly my hair and skin looking nice. 

The final thing I used up is The Body Shop Lip Butter in the scent Guarana. I've talked about this before and it's your basic lip butter that moisturizes your lips very well. The only thing is it leaves a white cast if you use too much or don't massage it on your lips enough.

That's everything I used up! I'm pretty happy with all those products but I don't know how much I'll go through when January is over so we'll see!

What did you guys use up in December?

November 2012 Empties!

Happy December everyone! This past month I really feel like I went through alot of products! It really is such a good feeling to be able to use something up, but then of course you have to buy more. So here is everything I used up!

So starting off with hair and body care, the first thing I went through is the Oscar Blandi Volumizing Dry Shampoo Spray. I honestly hated this stuff. It didn't do anything to get rid of greasiness if I didn't wash my hair the night before and it just made it feel dirtier. It took me a really long time to use up because I typically wash my hair everyday. I had this for probably over a year or so. 

Then I used up The body Shop Banana Shampoo. I still have some of the conditioner left to use so that'll end up in my December Empties. I absolutely love this shampoo! It smells amazing and made my hair really soft. I actually have a couple more bottles of this and the conditioner left in my closet so I won't need to repurchase for a while. I also did a full review of this here if you want to check it out.  

Next I used up another The body Shop product and it was the Milk & Honey Body Lotion. I really like this lotion more for use in the Summer because it's very lightweight and now with it being more cold outside, it doesn't work as well. I just wanted to use this up because I didn't want it sitting in my closet til Spring/Summer. It's a bummer The Body Shop doesn't carry this anymore because it really is nice and smells amazing.

Onto skincare! I usually use up a bunch of skincare in a month and the first thing I went through is my beloved The Body Shop Aloe Calming Toner. I really can't say enough good things about this toner. I know I've mentioned it before in posts, but this stuff is really awesome! It only has like six ingredients so there's not much that can cause irritation. I have so many backups of this so I know I definitely don't need to repurchase for a long while. 

Next I used up the Juice Beauty Blemish Clearing Cleanser. I'm so glad this is gone now! I wasn't a fan of this and it didn't do anything remarkable for my skin so I won't repurchase. I do like other Juice Beauty products, just not this. I did do a full review of it here.  

Then I used up this Olay Regenerist product called Thermal Skin Polisher. This stuff was interesting. When you wet your face, put some in your hands and starting massaging this on your face, it warms up, alot. Sometimes to the point of almost burning. It said on the package you could use it daily, but my skin is way too sensitive to be able to use this everyday. I doubt I'll be repurchasing this in the future.

I also finally used up The Body Shop Black Velvet Apricot Lip Balm. I had this for years and I thought it was just okay. It moisturized my lips for a while but once I got to the bottom of the jar, there were so many shimmery sparkles and it actually started drying my lips out more. This was part of a holiday scent so I doubt they'll bring this back. If they do, I know I won't repurchase. 

The last thing I used up is The Body Shop Aloe Soothing Day Cream. This stuff is really nice. I actually used this at night when my skin started feeling drier than normal and it helped to bring moisture back to my skin without getting super oily. This particular jar I'd had since last year from not finishing it up, but it was still good to use since there was no product separating or funky smells going on. I have another backup of this once my current nighttime moisturizer runs out. 

Well that's everything! I really think this is a good amount I went through. Still no empty makeup, but I'm almost done a face primer, so that may make it to my December empties!

October 2012 Empties!

Hey everyone! This past month I actually think I went through a decent amount of stuff. Makeup is always hard for me to go through because I don't wear it everyday but I managed to use up one makeup product. So here is all the stuff I was able to go through in October!

So the first product I used up is something that isn't even made anymore and it's the Philosophy It's All In Your Head Extra Gentle Daily Shampoo. It sucks that this isn't made anymore because I actually liked this. I'm not picky with hair stuff so I'm always trying new things but this made my hair really soft and cleaned it very well. It also had a nice light, fresh scent to it. 

The next product I used up is the Olay Body Wash plus Creme Ribbons. I'm not gonna add a link to this because I didn't like this stuff at all. The smell of it was too overwhelming. It smelled too much like perfume and it actually irritated my skin and dried it out more. It's just a crap product to me.

Next, I used up the Gillette Satin Care Shave Gel for sensitive skin. This product was okay. It didn't really do much for my skin and I didn't notice it make my skin softer or prevent ingrown hairs and all that. I have a backup of this to use up now but I don't think I'll be repurchasing this again.

The next product I used up is another one that's not available anymore (sorry guys!). It's the Dylan's Candy Bar Ice Cream Sugar Scrub in Coconut Bon Bon. I got this and some other things from this brand at Sephora a really long time ago, it's probably been a few years. Anyways, I really loved this scrub. The scrubby granules weren't big so they didn't irritate my skin but left me with really soft baby skin. The smell of this was just amazing too! A little of this went a long way too, so it took me a long while to go through this. 

The next product is The Body Shop Tea Tree Oil Blemish Fade Night Lotion. I know I've mentioned this in posts before and I like this stuff. Because of the tea tree oil, it does have a pretty strong scent but it doesn't linger and the lotion sinks right into your skin. It sometimes irritated my skin a little bit, but I usually mixed this with the aloe serum from The Body Shop to help with that. 

The next product I used up (thank god!) is the E.L.F. Tone Correcting Concealer in the color ivory. This stuff sucks to be honest. I'm so glad this is gone but unfortunately I do have another one to use up. I don't know what it is about this product. I just did not like it. It smells like an orange creamsicle which is nice, but it gives absolutely no coverage whatsoever and it doesn't blend very well either. I should just throw out the other one I have but I hate wasting product like that. Plus, I'm pretty sure this was only $1 so it's not a big burn in my pocket, but it still sucks!

The last product I used up is The Body Shop Seaweed Pore-Cleansing Facial Exfoliator. I really, really like this stuff. The scrubby particles in it are a good size so they don't irritate my skin but it still gets the job done. I'm always left with super soft skin afterwards. The base of this scrub also gets very foamy so it can also act as a cleanser. A word of caution if you try this: be very careful not to get it in your eyes! Trust me, my hand slipped one time and I got some of the soap, not the scrubby particles, in my eyes and it burned like hell. I had to keep flushing my eye with water and it was fine but man that wasn't fun!

That's everything! I hope in November I can go through more makeup products but I'm happy with what I used up this month.

What did everyone else use up in October?

How To Take Care of and Treat: Mature & Aging Skin

I know you're all probably wondering, "Katy, you're 23! What could you possibly know about mature skin?!" Well, I don't know everything about mature skin, but I do know a few things. I have a mother after all! (Love you momma!) Anyways, here are a few tips and tricks to try if you or someone you know is older and has drier skin.

Okay, so when looking for a cleanser for mature skin, look for something really creamy that doesn't foam. I've seemed to notice that not many older women have oily skin, so stay away from anything foamy because it'll dry out your skin even more. You definitely don't need anything fancy in a cleanser because all you're doing is massaging it on your face for a minute then rinsing it down the drain. I never understand why people want fancy, expensive cleansers when all the beneficial ingredients don't stay in contact with your skin, but I digress. A really good cleanser to try is the Korres Milk Proteins 3 in 1 Cleansing, Toning and Eye Makeup Removing Emulsion. The milk proteins in this cleanser helps with hydrating and moisturizing the skin. You get 6.7 ounces for only $21, which is actually not too bad in my opinion. But if you really just want to stick with drugstore cleansers, I find that either Olay or Neutrogena have the best cleansers. Olay has the Total Effects Nourishing Cream Cleanser that also helps fight the 7 signs of aging, which according to the website are fine lines and wrinkles, rough texture, uneven skin tone, dullness, prominent pores, age spots and dryness. (everyone wants to fight all that stuff!). Neutrogena has the Ageless Essentials Continuous Hydration Cream Cleanser. For some reason I cant find it in a location near me, but it's on their website and you can also find it on Amazon. 

Now for toners, I actually recommend NOT using one, only because there's a chance they'll just dry out your skin even more. If you absolutely can't live without a toner, look for one that's very hydrating and is alcohol free. Preferably, look for something geared more towards sensitive, dry skin, just stay away from the alcohol!

Onto Moisturizers. This should be fairly easy because obviously you want to look for something super hydrating that helps to diminish the look of wrinkles and helps prevent future wrinkles. A moisturizer I absolutely love and can totally vouch for is the Clinque Moisture Surge Intense for Very Dry to Dry Combination Skin. Now I don't use this particular one because this moisturizer is made for different skin types, but it will totally leave your skin feeling super hydrated and feeling good. Even though it doesn't have too many fancy schmancy ingredients in it, as long as your skin's moisture barrier is hydrated, the happier your skin will be regardless. For drugstore moisturizers, again Olay and Neutrogena provide the best options. The Olay Regenerist Micro-Sculpting Cream Fragrance Free is a wonderful option. Apparently this is America's #1 selling anti-aging moisturizer and this fragrance free version is newer. I definitely recommend using the fragrance free version to prevent any kind of sensitivity or reactions to the skin. The Neutrogena Naturals Multi-Vitamin Nourishing Moisturizer is another good option. It's got a ton of vitamins and antioxidants to help prevent dullness and roughness so skin stays looking younger and fresher.

Time for sunblock! Don't start thinking that because you're older and have drier, more mature skin you don't need sunblock. YES YOU DO! I don't care how old you are, you always need to wear sunblock no matter what, and as long as you have it next to your other skincare regimen, you won't forget to use it. Now I recommend using a sunblock that's not particularly fancy with ingredients and that's also good for sensitive skin. Look for maybe some vitamins and antioxidants, but you don't need a super expensive sunblock to get the job done. Neutrogena's Healthy Defense Daily Moisturizer SPF 30 is a great option. You can maybe even use this moisturizer in the morning and another moisturizer I recommended at night. Although, if you do want extra hydration, it's perfectly fine to layer them. Just don't goop it on your face, then it can get greasy.

Well that's it folks! There are so many products to choose from for drier, more mature, aging skin. There are even products if you still suffer from acne that can be added to your routine that's actually made for mature skin, so definitely look around and try a bunch to see what helps your skin the most!

Talk to everyone later! :)

How to Treat Your Body Skin: Body Lotions and Creams

Hey Everyone! Today I'm going to be talking about different body lotions and creams. I'm such a sucker for all kinds of different lotions. Anything that smells really good and keeps my skin moisturized is a keeper in my book. 

Now when you think about your body skin compared to your facial skin, they can be vastly different. Like with me, my facial skin is typically super oily and my body skin is usually pretty dry. It really depends on the season. Right now my body skin is getting a little bit drier than it was during the summer because the weather is finally changing some. I'm still using the moisturizers I was using in the summer because I want to use them up before switching to something richer. I'm not particularly fond of one lotion I'm using at the moment, only because it doesn't do much for my skin, it just smells really good and that's the Body Shop Milk & Honey Body Lotion. As far as I know, they don't even make this anymore but there are a ton of other body lotions they have that are amazing. I use the Milk & Honey lotion on my legs as they're not the driest part of my body at the moment, and it's an okay moisturizer, but like I said, not amazing.

The second lotion I'm using at the moment is Alba Botanica Very Emollient Body Lotion. I use this on my arms because they're always super dry, and this stuff works wonders. I have those nasty red bumps on my upper arms and this helps smooth them out and doesn't irritate my skin at all. I have about a third of the bottle left and I'll be kinda sad when this runs out because I really like it. I have to use up everything else I have though before I can buy another one of these babies!

Now for drugstore body lotions and creams, there are a ton that I like. I use a ton of creams and especially body butters in the winter because my skin can't get any drier. I mostly use the body butters from The Body Shop, but those aren't drugstore so I won't talk about them much (although the shea butter, coconut and cocoa butter ones are my favorites! :)). Okay, so one of my favorite body lotions is Olay Quench Daily Lotion. Omg, this stuff is freakin' fantastic! Every time I put it on after my shower, I practically drown myself with this stuff, it's that amazing. I shower at night, so when I wake up in the morning, my skin is so soft and hydrated, and it stays hydrated all day. I also love Aveeno body lotions and my favorite one is the Daily Moisturizing Lotion. A very simple, but very effective product. The skin on my body is rarely sensitive, but sometimes in the dead of winter, it can be and this lotion is amazing at hydrating and calming my skin. 

There are so many options for body creams and lotions. Seriously, go into a Walmart or Target or any drugstore and look at the different options. It can be pretty overwhelming, especially being a product junkie like I am! But hey, I love all my lotions and potions and makeup, and wouldn't trade it at all :)

Take care everyone!

How to Treat Your Body Skin: Body Washes

The skin on your body is typically very different from your facial skin. It's not as thin, most times it's drier, and you need different products to help take care of the rest of your body. There are many types of body washes to choose from. There are super creamy ones if you have really dry skin, shower gels if you don't have really dry skin, and then there's the old bar soap (which I think is so bad for your skin, but my fiance loves it). 

I love the super creamy body washes in the Fall, Winter, and very beginning of Spring as my skin gets pretty dry at that time. Now I haven't really found any higher end body washes that I like so I stick to my drugstore brands. I am totally obsessed with Olay Ultra Moisture Body Wash. OMG, this stuff seriously means business when it comes to dry skin. It also has a light, clean scent that's not overpowering. That's especially good if you have a sensitivity to fragrances. I use this body wash with a washcloth and lightly scrub it over my skin for some light exfoliation. When I get out of the shower my skin is so soft and smooth and this is the only body wash that helps with those nasty red bumps on the back of my arms. Another nice one is Olay Body Wash plus Creme Ribbons. This one basically has a ribbon of lotion in it that makes your skin soft and it says it visibly improves your skin in 5 days.

Now with shower gels, I prefer higher end ones that aren't super expensive, but they're definitely not as inexpensive as drugstore brands. As with any person who loves the Philosophy brand, I am completely in love with their shower gels. When you put them on a washcloth, they lather up nicely, and they smell sooooooo good! Man, every time I've smelled a certain scent, it smells exactly like the name says. They are also a shampoo and bubble bath as well, which is pretty cool. some of my favorite scents are Cinnamon Buns, Coconut Frosting, Mimosa, and Senorita Margarita. They also have their seasonal scents that come out during Halloween and Christmas and other holidays and such. I love all the scents I've tried though. To me, Philosophy can't go wrong with their shower gels. Other shower gels I love are from The Body Shop. Their Satsuma Shower Gel is amazing. It smells just like a freshly peeled orange and all their gels are soap free and lather up so nicely. Other good scents are their Sweet Lemon and the Earth Lovers Cucumber & Mint shower gels. They also have body creams, which don't foam up a lot but they're very moisturizing and amazing as well, especially the Coconut and Shea shower creams. The coconut smells too flipping amazing.

Okay, so like I said in the beginning, I can't stand bar soaps. Every single one I've tried has dried out my skin terribly and I just don't like them. My fiance, however, is a big fan of them and pretty much refuses to use body wash, unless he ran out of bar soap and it's the absolute last thing he can use. He loves the Dove Unscented bar soap for Sensitive Skin. I'll admit, this makes his skin pretty darn soft, and the bugger never uses body lotion or cream and stays soft no matter what (lucky duck!). Also, since it's unscented, it doesn't have a harsh fragrance to it if you have a sensitivity to smells. I sometimes do, but only if a body wash or shower gel has such a fragrant smell to where it makes my nose itch, then I sneeze a lot. I know to stay away from any kind of product like that because it never does me any good, especially if I'm sneezing like a maniac.

Alright, I know there are so many different kinds of body washes and shower gels out there and honestly, try a lot if you can to see what you'll like most. Try a bunch of different scents too and see if they irritate you or if they smell amazing enough to make you re-buy it. I'll admit this, my closet outside the bathroom is stuffed with shower products from my body washes and shower gels, to all my scrubs and lotions. I probably won't have to buy anything for a year, that's how much I have. But hey, I'm a beauty junkie so I probably will anyways ;)

How To Take Care of and Treat: Normal Skin

People who have normal skin are so lucky, for real. You don't really have that much oil and there isn't much dryness either. You have a good balance of both. You also don't get blemishes very often either (Double lucky!). This will be easy to inform you on how to take care of your normal skin.

First for a cleanser, you can really look for anything. Try a creamier one and a gel or foamy one and see which agrees more with your skin. A cleanser that's like the holy grail of cleansers is Philosophy Purity Made Simple. This cleanser is supposedly good for all skin types, but I remember trying it a long time ago and it didn't do anything for my super oily skin. This is good for normal to combination skin. This stuff is also very gentle on the eyes so it's perfect for getting off eye makeup at night. If you use the Clarisonic in conjunction with this cleanser, you have probably the best skin cleaning system around. I won't even recommend a drugstore cleanser because with Purity, it comes in a ton of sizes starting at 3 ounces for $10 at Sephora, to 32 ounces for $49.50 (this size will last you a very, very long time too). If you just want to try drugstore cleansers, look for something from Olay or Neutrogena. Those brands are the brands I trust the most when it comes to good skincare.

Now with toners, I say normal skin doesn't particularly need one, but if you want to try something, a nice one is Origins A Perfect World Age-Defense Treatment Lotion with White Tea. I know it says lotion in the name, but it's really a toner. Sometimes normal skin can lean towards being a little dry occasionally, so this will help put a little moisture into your skin, while giving you some age fighting protection. Neutrogena makes a really good toner as well if you prefer drugstore toners.

A real insanely popular moisturizer that's great for normal skin is another Philosophy one. it's Hope in a Jar. This is another cult favorite that helps to hydrate and protect your skin. This is a moisturizer I actually really like. It is a bit heavy in the summer for my oily skin, but in winter it works pretty well. This moisturizer also comes in different sizes, and 0.5 ounce costs $15, which isn't terrible but for under an ounce it's a little high, but hey, it's a great moisturizer that isn't going anywhere in the near future. Now I love Neutrogena moisturizers (Neutrogena anything really) and a very good one is the Oil-Free Moisture SPF 35. Normal skin to me can get away with using a moisturizer with SPF and not have their skin freak out. Putting an extra layer of sunblock on top of a moisturizer can sometimes be too much.

Although, if you really want the extra layer of sunblock, again, the Neutrogena Dry Touch sunblock is the winner in my book. It won't make your skin greasy but it'll give it enough moisture in case you're a little more dry. 

Hopefully this has helped anyone who has normal skin. Like I said, you guys are lucky because you can really try anything you like without having your skin be too fussy. You just have to try some things and see which works the best for you so you can keep having that glowy, beautiful  skin :)

How To Take Care of and Treat: Dry skin

It can be tough having dry skin. It can get all flaky and feel tight and uncomfortable but following these tips and tricks will help keep it feeling more normal.

Now with finding a cleanser for dry skin, you want to look for a creamy or milky cleanser. Those cleansers are more moisturizing and hydrating than gel cleansers. If you use a gel cleanser, you're just going to dry out your skin even more. Sometimes a foam cleanser is okay, as long as it says it's hydrating and moisturizing. In the morning and evening, splash your face with lukewarm water. Don't use hot water since that will dry out your face. Take about a dime to nickel sized amount of cleanser massage it on your face for about a minute. If you tend to get flaky skin, get a washcloth and gently massage your face to remove the cleanser, rinse off the rest with lukewarm water and pat your face dry with a clean towel. A really good cleanser that can be found at Sephora is First Aid Beauty Face Cleanser. This cleanser starts out with a whipped consistency, but when water is added, it turns creamy. This is also a good cleanser if you have sensitive skin on top of the dryness. A good drugstore cleanser is CeraVe Hydrating Cleanser. This is a nice, simple cleanser if you don't want to break the bank on skincare.

A toner is optional with dry skin because most toners will dry it out more. If you absolutely need a toner, look for one with out denatured alcohol (alcohol denat. is usually the abbreviation on the ingredient list), as that is super drying, even for oily skin. A good toner to try is Murad Hydrating Toner. This does have witch hazel in it, which helps balance skin, but it also has chamomile and cucumber which helps to soften and soothe dryness. a nice drugstore toner is Simple Soothing Facial Toner. You can find this at Walmart and it's only around $7, so it's very affordable.

Onto moisturizers. When looking for a good moisturizer to treat dry skin, look for ingredients like glycerin and hyaluronic acid. These are water holding ingredients which will keep your skin hydrated and moisturized all day. Some people say go with an oil based moisturizer, but I only recommend that if you have super dry skin. Like so dry, it seems drier than the desert. A really good moisturizer that I hear very good reviews on is Clinique Moisture Surge Intense for Very Dry to Dry Combination skin. People I know have said this moisturizer has changed their skin from dry and flaky, to healthy, dewy and hydrated. A drugstore moisturizer I recommend is Olay Regenerist Micro-Sculpting Cream. This moisturizer has glycerin in it for hydrating skin and a bunch of vitamins and other good stuff to help with some anti-aging as well.

For sunscreen, people with dry skin have it easier in my opinion. Having super oily skin like I do and trying to find a good sunscreen that won't make me oily hasn't been very fun. (until I found my Neutrogena Dry Touch Sunblock! :)) A nice sunblock to try is L'Oreal Paris Sublime Sun Advanced Sunscreen for Face SPF 50+. This can also be found at Walmart and it's only about $8, depending on your location, for a little under 2 ounces.

It's not fun being super dry, nor is it fun being super oily, so I hope this has helped anyone who has dry skin. You can always play around to find things that work too. Always read ingredient labels and description labels to make sure what you're getting is for dry skin and not oily. Hey, you might even find out that products for dry skin may be too much for you, and you might have combination skin, which is luckily going to be my next post. :) 

Anyways, thank you everyone for taking the time to read! :)

How To Take Care of and Treat: Oily skin

Since my last post was about the different skin types, I figured I'll write about how to take care and treat your skin type. Today, I'm starting with oily skin because that's my skin type and it's the type I know most about. So, lets get into it! 

Now, I'm going with personal experience here and let everyone know what I use and also recommend what I like, but I'll give some other options and recommendations as well. So, once you've decided your skin is oily, the first step is to find a good cleanser that's preferably gel-based or foaming (I love both honestly). I actually use two cleansers because I also have sensitive skin on top of the oiliness. One in the morning and the other at night. In the morning I use Aveeno Ultra-Calming Foaming Cleanser, one because it's gentle enough for my sensitivity, and two because it's foamy enough to clean my skin but not strip it and dry it out. This has been my regular morning cleanser for about a year or so now. At night, I recently started using Juice Beauty Blemish Clearing Cleanser. I use this to help keep my breakouts at bay and it also does a good job at taking off any makeup I wore that day (along with using my Clarisonic, but a review of that will be in another post! :)). Another good cleanser that is actually very popular is Cetaphil Daily Facial Cleanser for Normal to Oily Skin. Now, I haven't used this cleanser in years, and by years I mean since I was around 13, so that's a good 10 years but I remember it being kinda like a creamy gel consistency but not too creamy and it left my face feeling clean and soft. If drugstore brands aren't what you're after a good cleanser that can be found at Sephora is Boscia Purifying Cleansing Gel. I can't say enough about this cleanser! This is the cleanser I used as my last night cleanser and it is uh-may-zing! Pairing it with my Clarisonic made it a zillion times better. My skin was always soft, smooth and clear and took every little bit of makeup off my face. It's just a wonderful product.

This next part isn't an absolute must in your skincare routine, but I use it every single day, and that is a toner. Now, like I said, you don't have to use a toner but because my skin gets so greasy, especially now with how hot and humid it's been, I'm gonna talk a little about them. Again, I use two different toners for morning and night. In the morning I use The Body Shop Tea Tree Skin Clearing Toner. This stuff is fantastic. It mattifies my skin and makes it feel really soft. The toner I use at night is another The Body Shop toner. It's the Aloe Calming toner. Again, this stuff is amazing too. There are only six ingredients in it, so it's perfect for sensitive, fussy skin. It's also good for in the morning if you're feeling lazy, you can just splash your face with lukewarm water, dry, then swipe that toner all over. You can even put it in the refrigerator if you got sunburned or just want to cool off. Another good higher end toner is BLISS Daily Detoxifying Facial Toner. I'll be honest and say I haven't tried a drugstore toner but I hear there are good ones from Neutrogena and Olay.

Onto Moisturizers. A lot of people who have oily skin think they don't need a moisturizer, but we really do! We just need one that's not a heavy, thick cream. We need more gel or light lotion based moisturizers that help balance oil production. For in the morning, I just started using Garnier Nutritioniste Moisture Rescue Refreshing Gel-Cream. This is actually pretty nice, it keeps my skin moisturized and hydrated without making me oily. The only downside for me is that its smell is a tad too strong for my liking. I try to stay away from very fragrant products because of sensitivity, but some people may like it. (EDIT: another downside is the packaging. It's way too bulky and I've already dropped it twice.) At night, I combine a serum and lotion together. I use The Body Shop Aloe Protective Serum and The Body Shop Tea Tree Oil Blemish Fade Night Lotion. (Can you tell I like The Body Shop Now?) Anyways, I just squirt half a pump each into my hands, rub them together and onto my face. I will say though, it can make my skin a little greasier than I like, but it doesn't bother me too much since I'm using it before I go to sleep. When I wake up in the morning though, my skin looks and feels so soft and clear so the extra grease doesn't bother me. A good higher end moisturizer is Philosophy On a Clear Day Oil-Free Moisturizer. This is really nice and keeps your skin looking soft and matte. A nice drugstore one is Clean & Clear Oil-Free Dual Action Moisturizer. This is just a nice, simple everyday moisturizer for oily skin. 

Now I'm going to talk a little about sunscreen. Everyone knows about it, everyone knows they should use it, but not many people do, especially on a regular basis. This to me is probably the most important step in your routine. If you do nothing else but wash your face and put on sunscreen, I'd be a happy girl. Every morning I use Neutrogena Ultra Sheer Dry-Touch Sunblock SPF 55. I know, I know. The SPF is super high, but I'm paler than Casper the ghost so I need it, trust me. I say try and go for at least SPF 30 but if that's still high, 15 is as low as I'll suggest. This is probably the best sunblock I have ever used in my whole life. It does tend to make your skin look really white at first but if you blend it well, it goes away. But this stuff doesn't make my skin greasy, it doesn't clog my pores and it makes my skin feel softer. I use this every morning on my face, neck and chest area. I will put it on everywhere if I'm spending the day outside, though. I'm not even going to recommend another sunblock for oily skin because this truly is by far the best one I've used.

 If you're still reading at this point, you're awesome! I know this blog is very long but hey, I'm trying to give you all the best advice I can. I'm definitely gonna go into exfoliators, treatment masks and so on for different skin types, but those will be in separate posts after this little series. The next blog will be on how to take care of and treat dry skin. Anyways, thank you to everyone who takes time out of their day to check out my blog. Please leave any comments or questions and I'll respond as soon as I can.