June 2018 Empties

June was an amazing month with using up products! I feel so proud of myself, and I'm excited to share what I was able to use up last month.

 I'll start off with the few skincare samples I used up. I have 3 packet samples: the Derma E Vitamin C Brightening Clay Mask, The Body Shop Drops of Youth Concentrate, and a Cane + Austin Miracle Pad +. I actually loved all three of these samples! Derma E makes great skincare, you all know I love The Body Shop products, and Cane + Austin is a new to me brand. 

I have 2 deluxes samples of moisturizer/sunscreen. The Peter Thomas Roth Max Sheer All Day Defense Lotion was a bit thick, but it sunk into my skin fine. The Shiseido Ultimate Sun Protection Lotion was not good. I used it 3 times and had to get rid of the rest. It smelled very strongly of perfume and made my skin look ghostly white. 

Next up is some hair and body care. I ended up getting rid of the Rusk Sensories Brilliance Color Protector. I just knew I wasn't going to use it and it's been in my closet for years. 

I finally used up the Arvazallia Restorative Conditioner. I thought this was okay. I used up the shampoo a couple months ago, and wasn't a fan of the duo. It made my hair feel nice for maybe a day, then it was greasy after that. 

I know a lot of people don't care for Pantene products, but I loved the Anti-Breakage Shampoo! It made my hair feel so soft and clean, and I might end up repurchasing at some point. 

I used up a shower cream and body cream duo from Perlier in the White Almond scent. I adore the scent, and of the two, the shower cream was my favorite. 

Next up is some random stuff. I had one wipe left of the Epielle Green Tea Cleansing tissues, but it was all dried up and not usable. 

I wasn't a fan of the L.A. Colors lip balm in the shade Boom. The tint was too much, so I just used it right before bed. 

I decluttered the Sonia Kashuk Radiant Tinted Moisturizer. It's very old and it was time to get rid of it. 

I also ended up getting rid of the Skin Food Cacao Hand Balm. I did not like how this just sat on my skin and didn't really provide much hydration. 

I'm on a quest to use up or get rid of all my candles. Now that I diffuse Young Living essential oils, I find myself not liking candles anymore.

I used up the two hand soaps I had in the kitchen and bathroom: Bath & Body Works Tuscan Vineyard, and Green Goo Lemongrass Zinger. Loved both scents, but once I use up all the handsoaps I have, I'll be making my own. 

Lastly is my daughter's empties! Mountain Falls is Amazon's brand, and their Baby Night-time Bath soap is awesome. It's not very expensive and smells like lavender. The mini Johnson's baby shampoo is what I use to clean my makeup brushes, or clean out my daughter's Nose Frida. The Boudreaux's Butt Paste was alright, but I discovered Young Living's diaper cream, and it's fantastic!

Products used up: 20
Total for the year: 94

Like I had said above, I'm so incredibly happy to have used up this many products. My goal for the year was to use up 150 products, and I just might exceed that! I'm really excited to see how the rest of the year pans out.

October, November & December 2016 Empties

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

January 2016 Empties

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Number of products used up: 11

What did you use up last month?

April 2015 Empties!

Hello everyone! It's time to look through my trash and see what products I was able to use up in April. I think I used up a fair amount of products, and it's such a rewarding feeling seeing it all. 

The first product I used up is the Philosophy Purity Made Simple Facial Cleansing Gel & Eye Makeup Remover. This took forever for me to go through since you only need a tiny bit to get the job done. It was an amazing cleanser for taking off makeup and overall cleansing. I probably would repurchase, but I have so many cleansers to go through right now. 

Next up is the Mario Badescu Special Mask for Oily Skin. Unfortunately, when I went to use this, it was all dried up so I had to dump it out. I'm saving the little pot though as I'm sure I'll find a use for it eventually. The Aloe Moisturizer was alright. It felt nice going on the skin, but it never really sunk in and made me feel greasy after a while. The drying cream was also a dried up mess and unusable. 

I wasn't much of a fan of the Sephora Supreme Cleansing Foam. It smelled really strongly of flowers and didn't clean the best either. I'm glad it was a sample size that I got through quickly.

The Pangea Organics Facial Cleanser was alright. It was super liquid-y but it did clean my skin nicely. I can't remember where I even got this little sample, but it lasted me quite a while.

Both my husband and I used the Pantene Sheer Volume Shampoo. He's not picky and neither am I really. This was good. It cleaned my hair nicely and left it soft and fluffy. 

I used up sample packets of the John Frieda Luxurious Volume shampoo and conditioner while staying at my Mother-in-law's house during Easter. I really liked this alot. The duo made my hair feel so soft and it looked amazing once it was all dry. I'd consider buying full sized bottles once I use up what I have.

I have to throw out the Radha Beauty Argan Oil. It smelled funky when I received it for review, and it smells even worse now. I don't know what is wrong with it, but I have to toss it. I feel bad though because I only used it a few times and I did like what it did for my skin and also my hair when I used a tiny bit. 

The Philosophy Peppermint Hot Cocoa shower gel smelled so amazing and made my whole house smell good after I took a shower. You all know my love for Philosophy shower gels, so I won't ramble on about how amazingly awesome they are. 

I finally was able to use up the Juice Beauty Hydrating Mist. I hated using it by directly spraying it on my skin as it burned my eyes like hell, even though they were closed. It was much better just spraying some on a cotton pad and swiping it on my skin. It didn't do much for me though. I still am obsessed with The Body Shop's Aloe Calming Toner and nothing really comes close to it. 

Last few products! I absolutely loved the bareMinerals Firming Eye Treatment. It made my eye area feel so soft and hydrated, but it wasn't heavy at all. I only used it at night and when I woke up in the morning, the skin around my eyes felt really nice. 

The product next to it is the Jack Black Intense Therapy Lip Balm Balm in the Black Tea & Blackberry scent. It got lots of love from me as it usually was the one I brought with me to work. I loved this stuff. It made my lips feel nice and hydrated and it's a great base for drying lipsticks. 

The last product is the Urban Decay Complexion Primer Potion. This stuff was like magic for my pores! Seriously, it covered them up so I could put on foundation or concealer and not have to worry about my pores looking like massive craters. I would most definitely buy the full size once I use up other primers. 

What did you use up last month?

September 2014 Empties

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Honeymoon Haul! Cosmetic Company Outlet, Kmart, Walmart, Walgreens

Hey guys! Today I'm going to be sharing with you what I purchased while away on our honeymoon! There were outlets about 15 miles away from the hotel we were staying at, and of course I had to take advantage of that. Also, anywhere I go, I have to find a Walmart or some kind of drugstore. I know, I'm weird. Anyways, let me show you what I got!

So when I was looking up what stores were on the outlets, I saw there was a Cosmetic Company Outlet, so I had to go in there. I was never in a store like that before but have heard of them, so I was definitely curious to see what they had. I went in and I told the lady working there that I had never been in a store like this before. She was very nice and basically said that the brands they have are sold at 20% to 50% less than the original price. They had a decent amount of brands sold there. MAC, Elizabeth Arden, Smashbox, Origins, Bobbi Brown and Bumble & Bumble are just some of the brands they carried. I looked around for a bit and ended up with two MAC products.

The first MAC item I picked up is a Powder Blush in the color Peony Petal. Now before I bought these items, I should mention that I only own two other MAC items, so I know pretty much nothing about the brand. I did have to do some research on the items I purchased and from what I've looked up, this blush is from the Tres Cheek Collection from Spring 2012. I'm assuming that means this was limited edition, unless they re-promote the color somewhere down the road. Anyways, I love this color so much! It's like a baby pink, but just a hint darker. The picture above makes it look a bit darker than it is. When this was out, it cost $20. I paid $14.75 before tax. I don't think that was too bad of a deal. 

The second MAC product I picked up is an Extra Dimension Eye Shadow in the color Warm Thunder. From what I looked up about this, it comes from the In Extra Dimension Collection, also from Spring 2012. Again, I'm assuming this was limited edition and it cost $20. I paid $17.50 for it. Still a bit high compared to the original price, but I'm not complaining too much. This color was described on the Temptalia website as a dirty silver grey. I agree with that, but my eyes also see some blue in it. It's very faint, and could just be my eyes, but I definitely see blue. I think it's really cool that you can find products like this at these cosmetic stores. It may be from an old collection, but for someone who knows nothing about this brand, It's pretty darn awesome!

We then went to Kmart on a different day, just kind of looking around really. I haven't been in a Kmart since I was little, so I was definitely curious to see what it's like now. I knew they had a cosmetics section, so of course I made a beeline there. I saw the Wet N' Wild area and was stoked to find the single Eyeshadows they have! My Walgreen's doesn't carry them, and the Rite-Aid near me only has like 5 colors. This Kmart had, I think, all of the colors, which if I remember correctly was around 15. I've been looking for these two shades because Emily from Beauty Broadcast raves about them, especially the color Nutty. I got Brulee as well because they were actually having a buy 1, get one 50% off sale, so that brought one of the shades down to just $1. Total steal! If you have a Kmart near you, I highly recommend you check it out for makeup.

I kinda went a little shampoo/conditioner crazy at Walmart. The reason why is when I got my hair done for my wedding, the girl said I had really fine, dry and damaged hair. I agree with her honestly, but I had gotten a haircut just a few days prior, so it does feel way better than before. Anyways, she was giving me all these tips and tricks to try (which I already do, but listened to her anyway) so I figured I'd get different shampoo and conditioner. I picked up the Tresemme Platinum Strength Strengthening Shampoo and Conditioner. The bottle says it repairs up to 2 years of damage, so we'll see what happens. Both of these bottles cost $4.48 each.

I also picked up a Pantene Anti-Breakage Shampoo. A co-worker of mine loves this shampoo so I figured I'd give it a try eventually. This bottle was only $3.78. Once I got home and checked my closet with all my hair and body products, I realized I have enough shampoo and conditioner to last me for probably over a year. It may be a while before I start using any of these as I want to use up the products I've had longer. 

I went to Walgreen's last and felt the need to pick up some nail polish for Fall. These Sinful Colors Shine Nail Polish with Gel Tech were on sale 2 for $4, or they're originally $2.99 each. The burgundy color is called Mirror Mirror and looks alot lighter in the picture than in person. The second color pictured is called Shine Divine and is a really pretty dark teal color. This also looks alot lighter in the picture than in person. According to the Sinful Colors website, the Gel Tech technology formula provides opulent, rich color and a brilliant shine finish and they also say it's 5 times more glossy than a patent leather shoe. I was going to paint my nails with something else soon, but may try one of these instead. 

I had a $2.50 off coupon for a Revlon Lip Butter, so I picked up the color Candy Apple. I only have two other lip butters, and I definitely think they're nice, so I'm slowly building up my collection. 

When I was wandering around Walgreen's, something told me to go over to the clearance section and dig around in the bins. I'm so glad I did because I ended up finding some L'Oreal Infallible Eyeshadows in the colors Strawberry Blonde, With A Twist, and Dive Right In. I've been hearing Sam Schuerman on Youtube talk about Strawberry Blonde in quite a few of her videos. I know for sure that color is limited edition, so I'm also assuming the other two colors I picked up are limited edition as well. These were marked down to $4.99 each from originally $8.49. 

Well that's my haul! If you're tired of hearing about my wedding my now, promise this is the end of all the wedding themed posts. I may bring it up occasionally, but hey, who wouldn't when they just got married?! Anyways, I hope you liked what I got, so let me know in the comments if you did!