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?

July 2016 Empties

Hey everyone! It's time for yet another empties post, where I share with you all the products I used up the month before. July wasn't so great with using up products, but at least I finished up some things. 

I used up a few different skincare products, and the first one is the Ole Henriksen Balancing Cucumber Face Mist. I used this by spraying some onto a cotton pad and applying it to my face that way. If I sprayed it directly onto my skin, it burned my eyes pretty bad. Despite that, I felt this was a decent toner. It got the job done but it was pretty fragrant. I doubt I'd repurchase. 

I finally managed to use up the StriVectin Repair & Protect Moisturizer. I had done a full review on this here, and I much preferred this in the colder months versus the warmer months. I just had a little left, and even though it made me pretty greasy, I didn't want to wait until Winter again to finish it. This is an ok moisturizer. I found it made my skin a bit itchy though, so I won't purchase myself. 

Next up is the DDF Ultra Lite Oil-Free Moisturizing Dew. I freaking LOVED this stuff! It was a hybrid gel-cream formula that made my skin so silky soft, and it was great on days when I didn't go outside but wanted to hydrate my skin. I may repurchase this once I use up the moisturizers in my stash. 

Last for skincare is the Pur~Lisse Blue Lotus + Seaweed Treatment Sheet Mask. I was honestly pretty impressed with this mask! I've always said in the past that I wasn't a fan of sheet masks, but I think I'm starting to change my tune. I've realized that I need to tone my skin before I apply one and they work so much better. I definitely want to try more sheet masks but ones that are more affordable. 

 I feel like my husband and I go through the Sound Body Dandruff Shampoo fairly quickly. I don't use this often, but my husband washes his hair alot and mainly uses this stuff. Since it's been on the blog often, I won't go into this much, but we both like it and it's pretty much just like Head & Shoulders, just much cheaper at Big Lots. 

I did a review here on this Keranique Scalp Stimulating Shampoo and Volumizing Keratin Conditioner duo back in December. For lack of better words, I absolutely loathed these products so much! They did nothing to help my hair and actually made it feel like straw. Even though I was sent these to try, I hate wasting product, so I used these up but hated every second of it. Stay away from these!

Lastly, we have some bodycare. My husband and I both used up the Suave Creamy Cocoa Butter & Shea Body Wash, and I LOVED how this smelled! I just love shea butter in general, but this was amazing, and super inexpensive. I usually buy these at my local Wegmans when they're on sale and if I have a coupon, so I end up only paying about $2 for it. We will repurchase when we use up our massive stash. 

I used up a deluxe sized sample of the Perlier Honey Shower Cream. I have so many deluxe samples of many different products, and I want to get through them. I really enjoyed using this! It smelled a little more flowery than sweet, but it was still nice. I had a whole set of Perlier things sent to me a while ago and still need to use the rest of them up. I don't think I'll repurchase this though. 

Number of products used up: 9
Total for the year: 96

I was so hoping to break 100 products by now! I definitely think my goal of using up 250 products for the year is further out of reach, so now I'm going to aim for 150. I need to make it a priority to do my makeup more and treat my skin better, which will hep me clear out my massive collection. Being pregnant hasn't made it easy, but I'm almost half way through, so I need to get my booty into gear!

What did you use up recently?

April 2016 Ipsy Bag: The Dreamers

Hi everyone! I received my Ipsy bag a little early this month, yesterday actually, so that was a pleasant surprise! The theme this time is called The Dreamers. 

Now if you know me, you know how much I love my tie-dye! I'm a hippy at heart. I love the style of the bag, but I do wish it was maybe a different color scheme. 

The first products I received are two sheet masks from Purlisse. One is a Blue Lotus + White Tea, and the other is Blue Lotus + Seaweed. I was never really the biggest fan of sheet masks, but Purlisse is a brand I really do like, so I'm definitely going to use these and see how I get on with them. 

Next up is the Crown Brush C427 Duo Fiber Blush Brush. Now I'm not usually into Crown Brush for some reason, but this brush is incredibly soft, and I love how there are little dips in the handles for your fingers. It's so cool, and you can also use this for foundation or highlighter as well. I got a brush similar to this last month too, so I'm pretty overloaded in the brush department.

I hardly ever use eyeliner, so the Starlooks Luxe Longwear Eye Pencil in Jet probably won't be used much. I'll give it a go and see if it's nice for tightlining or something. 

I love Tarte Lip products, so I was pleased to see a mini LipSurgence Lip Creme in Wonder in my bag! It's a cute little sample and the color is very pretty, so that will definitely get use.

The last product I received is by Trust Fund Beauty, and it's their That Glo Tho Face Highlighter. Honestly, I'll probably never use this because it's a champagne-y gold color, it's a cream, and I just am not a fan of highlighters in general. 

I hate to say this, but this might be my last Ipsy bag. I've been with Ipsy since pretty much the beginning, and there are only so many sample products I can use without getting totally bored. While I've loved Ipsy, I think it's just my time to say goodbye. I might give it just one more month, but if I do, then that one will definitely be my last one, for sure. While I'm still deciding what to do, here is my referral link to sign up for your own Ipsy bag. You get 5 deluxe size products, sometimes full size too, for just $10 a month, plus shipping for some. It is a great deal, and some months are better than others, but I love getting products I had never heard of, or learning about indie brands that aren't as mainstream.  

If you're already an Ipsy subscriber, what did you get in your bag?

January 2016 Empties

*Post contains affiliate links*

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?

March 2015 Ipsy Bag

Hello everyone! I got home late last night from work and my wonderful husband had my Ipsy bag package waiting for me on my side of the sofa (he's adorable like that). I did open the bag, but it was late, and I was pooped, so I didn't get a good look at the products until this morning. 

The theme this month is called Floral Fantasy, and I quite like the bag the products came in. it's very Spring-y and has a vinyl feel to it. 

The first product I received is the Boo-Boo Coverup Concealer in the medium shade. I'm all for trying out new concealers, but this shade is just too dark for me. I may be able to mix it with something else, but I don't really want to have to do that. I'll still give it a go sometime and see if I can make it work. 

The next product is the Dr. Brandt Pores No More Anti-Aging Mattifying Lotion. You all know I love my skincare and always want to try new things. I'm definitely excited to try this out closer to Summer, but as I'm writing this, I'm noticing the bottle I have barely has any product in it! I held it up to the window and it's not even half full, only about 1/3. The product is sealed so I can't blame that on leaking, but it's disappointing that I won't get as much use out of this like I was expecting. 

We have another skincare product from Pur-Lisse Beauty and it's the Pur-Delicate Gentle Soymilk Cleanser & Makeup Remover. I will definitely get use out of this, but only at night since my skin will start to get more oily as it warms up outside. This product is filled up all the way ;)

Next up is the NYX Butter Lipstick in the shade Hunk. I love NYX and I already have a couple of these butter lipsticks, but this is just so dark! It's not a very Spring-like color, but it also might not work for my skintone. We will see. I was hoping for the pink shade they were also sending out.

The last product I received is the Vintage by Jessica Liebeskind Illuminating Face Highlighter. I'm not the biggest face highlighter person (I glow enough usually), so I will probably just use this as an eyeshadow. It's a beautiful pink shade that I think will look nice. 

Overall, I'm happy this month! I wish the Dr. Brandt product was filled up but I can still use it. For just $10 a month, plus shipping for some, these bags are awesome. If you want to sign up, you can do so here with my referral link!

If you already get Ipsy bags, what did you receive this month?

July 2014 Ipsy Bag

Hey everyone! I got my Ipsy bag in the mail the other day, so it's time to share what I got! I was excited for this month when Ipsy posted sneak peeks on Facebook, but was slightly disappointed in the products I ended up receiving. This month's theme is called Sensationally Sunkissed so lets see what I got!

Now I love and hate the bag at the same time. I love it because it's a bright hot pink, my favorite color. I hate it because it's probably the cheapest feeling material I've ever felt in my life.  I mean seriously, the zipper is coming apart in one area and it feels so flimsy. Cute concept with the pink and scalloped edges, just cheap looking!

Onto the products! The first product I have here is the Purlisse Pur Protect Essential Daily Moisturizer with SPF 30. I can definitely appreciate a sun care product that provides a good SPF but this is for normal to dry skin so I most definitely can't use it, especially in Summer. I can maybe save it for the dead of Winter when my skin is drier, but I'm not sure if it will work for me.

Next up is the Models Own Nail Polish in the color Red Sea. Honestly, I'm pretty tired of receiving nail polishes in these bags. I haven't done my nails in ages and I don't really care for polishes that have chunks of sparkle or glitter. 

Then we have the Pixi Beauty Mini Tinted Brilliance Balm in the color Unique Pink. I haven't tried this yet, but it smells just like peppermint tea, and I find myself sniffing it for longer than I probably should. I'm weird, I know. I'm curious about the tinted aspect of this because it just seems like a clear balm, so we'll see if it works!

Now we have the bareMinerals 5-in-1 BB Advanced Performance Cream Eyeshadow Broad Spectrum SF 15 and I think I got the color Barely Nude. Oy vey that's a long name for a product! I have to say though that this is a really tiny sample. Reminds me of the free samples they give out when you order something online. I will try this because I'm curious to see how it performs and because I like the bareMinerals brand. 

The last product is the Clear Clinic Laboratories Vanished Clear Spot Treatment. I'm kinda terrified to use this because I took one whiff of this stuff and it smells like straight up alcohol! I know spot treatments are typically drying, but if something smells this strong of alcohol, I'm most likely not putting it anywhere near my face! I'm gonna have to research the ingredients in this more. 

Kind of a meh bag this month but Ipsy usually redeems itself if I don't like a bag. If you want an Ipsy bag yourself sign up here! It's only $10 a month, plus shipping for some, and you get 4 to 5 sample products in each bag!

If you're already subscribed to Ipsy, what did you receive in your bag?