September 2018 Empties

Hey guys! Catching up on my empties posts, so here is everything I used up in September. 

Bonapiel Beauty & Youth Serum - It smelled a bit too strong for my liking, but made my skin feel nice.Would not repurchase.

The Body Shop Aloe Calming Toner - You all know my love for this toner, and I only have a couple left. I will not be repurchasing, unfortunately. This is just too plain considering the price. 

2 Cane + Austin Miracle Pad - This was super intense, but it was effective in making my skin soft and glowy. Maybe would repurchase. 

Aveeno Daily Moisturizing Lotion - This was very light, yet really hydrating. I tend to like Aveeno products, but likely won't repurchase. 

Bath & Body Works Black Cherry Merlot Hand Soap - Love this scent, but you all know I'm using up my stash and moving along to something a bit better quality. Will not repurchase. 

Maple Holistics Tea Tree Shampoo - I surprisingly liked this! It made my scalp feel nice, but I did need extra conditioner as it dried my hair out a bit. Will not repurchase. 

Dove Men Clean Comfort Antiperspirant - I actually used this since my husband didn't like spray deodorants. It smelled a bit overpowering but did its job. Will not repurchase. 

Young Living Super B - I LOVE this b complex vitamin! I've actually used up more than this but forget to save the bottles. I'm slowly moving towards using all Young Living products in general, and have switched over all supplements completely. Will definitely repurchase!

Triple Paste - For my daughter's tushy. This was great stuff. It's got no scent, and takes away rashes quickly. I've found a Young Living product I like better, so I will not repurchase this. 

Crest Pro Health Advanced toothpaste - I did not like this at all. The scrubbing bits in it didn't help my teeth feel cleaner and the taste didn't last either. Will not repurchase. 

Products used up: 11

Total for the year: 124 

Next post will be October's empties, and I'm so, so close to hitting my goal! I'm tempted to up my goal a bit to 165 products used, but if I don't hit that goal, it's not a huge deal. It feels good regardless getting rid of all these products and making room for better quality products :)

August 2018 Empties

Hey guys, long time no see! Life has been busy the last couple months, and blogging hasn't been a main priority. I'm sorry for that, and hope to pick back up! I haven't shared my empty products lately, so today I will share what I used from from August. September and October empties will be posted separate. I'm going to start making these posts a little shorter, and basically say whether or not I liked it, and if I'd repurchase.

I'll start off with some skincare I finished. I really enjoyed the Belif Bergamot Herbal Extract Toner. It helped my oily skin feel less oily, and I felt my skin was prepped well before serums. Would repurchase.

I finished up two deluxe sizes of the Bliss Daily Moisturizer with SPF 15. This moisturizer is alright, just a basic everyday moisturizer. There was nothing special to it, but it didn't make me feel greasy, which was nice. Would not repurchase.

I had a small sample from a brand called ASAP and it was their Gentle Cleansing Gel. I actually really liked this! I felt it cleansed my skin nicely and didn't leave it feeling tight or dry. Would repurchase. The Lancer The Method: Cleanse cleanser on the other hand left my skin feeling so dry, I had to use so much more moisturizer. It cleans well, but definitely isn't something I would buy myself. Would not repurchase.

Last up is some body and hair care. I had gotten the Softsoap Eternal Bloom body wash as a PR sample a while ago. I like the smell of these soaps, but I feel like they dry out my skin a little too much, and I end up using more moisturizer than I want to. Would not repurchase. 

Bath & Body Works hand soaps are nearly gone in my stash, and I used up the Cozy Vanilla Cream scent. Liked the scent, but will not repurchase. 

I used up two products from Perlier, the Shea Butter Ultra Rich Moisturizing Shower Cream and the Honey Nurturing Body Balm. Both felt nice on my skin, but I would not repurchase. 

The Simply Clean Berry Whip Shower Sugar Scrub was a gift a couple years ago. I didn't like this. It smelled fake and had very few scrubbing bits. Would not repurchase. 

Lastly is the derma E Scalp Relief Conditioner. I loved how this made my scalp feel, but it didn't do much for my hair. Would not repurchase. 

Products used up: 11
Total for the year: 113

I feel like I'm doing well! I honestly haven't worn much makeup so I don't for-see using any up by the end of the year, unless something is old and I throw it away. I definitely think I'll be hitting my goal of 150 products used up by the end if December!

What have you used up recently?

July 2018 Empties

I know I'm super behind on the blog, and I realized I forgot to share the products I used up in July. Oops! There aren't many, so this will be a quick post. August so far is going so much better with using stuff up, and I'll try to get that post up asap. 

This is sort of a mish-mash of products. I finally used up another can of Batiste Dry Shampoo in the Sassy & Daring Wild scent. I didn't mind this scent too much, but it was slightly overpowering. I honestly don't use as much dry shampoo as I used to because I don't leave the house much, so I don't mind if my hair's a bit dirty. 

I used to love the Bath & Body Works hand soaps, but now I just want them all gone! I did enjoy the Boardwalk Vanilla Cone scent, and I have only 3 unopened bottles left to use, then I'll be making my own hand soap with my Young Living essential oils. 

I really liked the DDF Ultra-Lite Oil-Free Moisturizing Dew. It felt awesome on my skin and left it feeling soft and smooth. I probably won't repurchase as I'm making the slow switch to Young Living skincare products. 

I've always hated EOS lip balms, and still do, ha! This one was alright, but I don't remember the scent. I know it had coconut mik in it, so maybe it was a strawberry coconut. Either way, I'll never buy EOS lip balms ever again. 

My last of the Philosophy hand creams are finished! I LOVE the Fresh Cream scent, and am tempted to buy more, but likely won't. 

Lastly, is my daughter Olivia's products. As I've been learning more about body products, especially for babies, I'm just wanting to get rid of everything I have for her. I did use up the Head-to-Toe Wash, but am throwing out about half a bottle full of the Baby Lotion. I also used up a sample size of the Dr. Smith's Diaper Rash Ointment. I don't think it did much honestly, and have found a much better and safer option through Young Living for her. 

Products used up: 8
Total for the year: 102

I'm finally over the 100 mark! I have a feeling I may actually be able to surpass my goal of using up 150 products, and that makes me feel so amazing! I've been on this journey of decluttering and switching over to a more healthy wellness lifestyle, hence all the mentions of Young Living. Let me know if you would like to learn more about Young Living! You can email me at skinstuffbykaty@yahoo.com

What products have you used up recently? 

July Young Living Essential Rewards

I've had my ER (Essential Rewards) order now for almost a week, and am so excited to share with you all what I got this month!

I'm so excited for this month because I finally was able to purchase the Ningxia Red ER kit. It comes with 4 bottles of Ningxia Red, plus a box of 30, 2 ounce packs for $187. It's by far the most cost efficient way to buy Ningxia Red. If you don't know what Ningxia Red is, it's basically Young Living's anti-oxidant drink. All you need to drink is 2-4 ounces daily (I drink just 2 ounces, and my daughter drinks 1 ounce) to get your daily dose of amazing health benefits. I also got the Super B supplement to help me with my energy levels, because I so need it with my almost 2 year old daughter. 

The essential oils I got were Rosemary, Elemi, Kidscents SleepyIze, and Valerian. Both the SleepyIze and Valerian are going to be used to hopefully help with sleeping better. I got Rosemary because I wanted to make this hair spray for my daughter called Mermaid Spray, to help her hair grow in faster and thicker. I've heard that Elemi is very similar to Frankincense, and I'm almost out of Frank because I use it so much. It's just so expensive, and Elemi costs much less, so I figured I'd give it a try!

Everything else pictured was FREE! Seriously, because I made a 300pv (basically $300) purchase, I got 4 oils and a spray all for free. LavaDerm is a great spray for if you get a little too crispy being out in the sun, or just need to cool down. The 4 oils are Lavender Vitality, Valor, Geranium, and Aroma Life. Lavender Vitality I hear is amazing mixed into lemonade. I cannot live without Valor! It's the oil that helps give me courage and feel more positive, so I'm glad it was a freebie this month. Geranium is good for the skin, and Aroma Life has a few different uses. It's said to be good for circulation, muscle tension, and skin and hair support. 

The other oil pictured in front of the little blue bag is called Loyalty. Now this is an oil you're not supposed to receive until you've been on ER for 12 consecutive months. I've only been on for 3 months. I did contact customer service and to make a long story short, I get to keep it since it was their mistake!

That is everything I got this month! Guys, I cannot explain to you how much Young Living has changed our lives. These oils help us sleep, calm me down, and keep me sane (well, as sane as I can be taking care of a special needs child!). And oils are just the tip of the iceberg! They have SO many wellness products, and we have slowly been changing over to all things Young Living. If you have any questions for me at all about these or other products Young Living has, feel free to email me at skinstuffbykaty@yahoo.com. If you've been wanting to sign up with YL and would like to make the jump in getting your Premium Starter Kit, you can sign up here! Shoot me an email after so I can add you to our education groups on Facebook, if you have FB, and send you a little welcome package. I cannot wait to have you start your oily journey :)

My $5 Ulta haul

A couple months ago, I placed an order with Ulta during a sale. I also had enough points saved up to cash in for $125 worth of product. I was so excited I had these points to use, hence the reason for an only $5 haul. Even though I've had these products in my collection for a little while now, I still wanted to share with everyone what I bought!

I pretty much loathe cleaning my makeup brushes, and I had been wanting one of those silicone mats to hopefully help speed up the brush cleaning process. I picked up the J.Cat Beauty Silicone Makeup Brush Cleaner with high hopes. I also picked up the Japonesque Makeup Brush Cleanser, which is something I use for spot cleaning in between deep cleans. 

The Ulta Beauty line of products were on sale, and I wanted to try out some of their Juice Infused Lip Oils. I got the scents Sweet Rose, Coconut, and Cranberry + Pomegranate. They smell so amazing, but definitely have an icky taste. 

Next up is some skincare. You all know that I've fallen in love with sheet masks, and I saw the Biobelle Botanic Fiber Sheet Mask Diary for a really good price. It comes with a set of 6 different face masks that look so cute! I haven't tried any out yet, but I'm pretty excited for them. 

Korean skincare is something I need to check out more, so I picked up the Goodal Phytowash Yerba Mate Cleansing Foam. This seems like it will be very nice for my awkward skin I've had lately. 

The last two products are palettes. I'm a huge fan of NARS blushes, and when I saw the Wanted I Cheek Palette, I knew I had to have it. They have a Wanted II palette, but those colors seemed way too dark for my fair skin. 

You all know my obession for eyeshadow palettes runs strong, and I had been lusting after the BH Cosmetics Zodiac Palette since it came out. With the discount and my points, this baby was practically free!

That's everything I purchased! I was so excited to finally have enough points to make this entire order cost practically nothing. Ulta's rewards system is incredible and totally worth it if you like to shop for beauty products. 

Have you had any impressive shopping trips lately?

My Top 5 Masks for Oily & Blackhead Prone Skin

If you're a regular reader of the blog, you know I typically have very oily skin that is prone to blackheads. My skin changes a bit when cooler weather comes along to a little more dry, yet the blackheads are there no matter what. I have a few of my favorite masks to share with you that help to keep oil and blackheads under control, and I hope they can help you as well!

I'm not putting these in any order, because I love them all equally, but if you want some serious oil and blackhead control, the Aztec Secret Indian Healing Clay is seriously amazing! It's just this powder that you can add either water or apple cider vinegar to, and make a mask out of it. I tend to use apple cider vinegar, and it does leave my skin a bit red for a while, so if you have sensitive skin, use water instead. I get this from Amazon, and it's super inexpensive, and will last ages.

Another favorite, though expensive, is the Glamglow Supermud Clearing Treatment. I much prefer this mask to their Youthmud mask, since it makes my skin feel so incredibly soft and look nearly poreless. This is a deluxe sample, but the 1.7 ounce is $59. They now have a 3.5 ounce for $79 as well. 

A mask that I've loved for years is the Origins Clear Improvement Active Charcoal Mask. Charcoal is amazing at clearing out pores, and feels less harsh to me than other ingredients used to fight acne and oil. 

Paula's Choice is a brand I absolutely adored way before it became popular. Their Skin Balancing Oil Absorbing Mask is incredible at making my skin feel super clean, pores are minimized, and it doesn't irritate my skin like other purifying masks can. 

The last mask that is great for my skin is the Caudalie Instant Detox Mask. I don't know what it is about this mask, but my skin just loves it. It's got Lactic Acid, which was great when I was pregnant, and it cleared up my skin and made it really soft. It does leave some redness, but it goes away after about an hour. 

Do you have any favorite masks?

May 2018 Empties

May was kind of a rough month in using up products, but I still have a few to share with you all! 

I really only used up some skincare and body care in May. I used up The Body Shop Body Butter Duo in Vanilla, and I thought it was pretty nice! One side was thicker for extra dry skin, and the other side was for basic hydration. I have another one or two as backups. 

I ended up decluttering the O'Keefe's Working Hands because it's all dried out and unusable. I liked it when I was able to use it, but it did leave a bit of a film on my hands that kinda bothered me. 

I have one sheet mask from BioRepublic in Aloe Rescue. This felt nice and cooling on my skin when I was dealing with some dryness and irritation. I'm a big fan of sheet masks recently, but need to find more time to use them more consistently. 

The second to last of my Philosophy hand cream tubes has been used up. The Homemade Honey Buns scent was to die for, and I wish I had another one. My last tube should be used up by the end of June, so you should see that in June's empties post!

The Azure Naturals Ultimate Vitamin C Moisturizer was just alright. I liked it at first, but towards the end I realized it just wasn't for my skin. It didn't sink in very well and just sat on top, making my face feel more greasy. 

The last product I used up is an EOS lip balm in the Strawberry scent. These take forever for me to use up, and in all honesty, I don't really like them all that much. They're not the most hydrating and I'm just glad it's gone. 

Products used up: 6
Total for the year: 74

I definitely didn't use up as much as I wanted to, but I'm glad I used up at least a few products. So far, June is going much better and I'm more motivated in using up everything I have. 

What have you used up recently?

May 2018 Boxycharm

I know this post is super late, but I wanted to share what I received in May's Boxycharm. I'm sad to say this is my last box with Boxycharm. I think they're an incredible value for only $21 a month, and you receive some amazing products, but I have such a large collection already so I realized I truly did not need a subscription service anymore. 

The theme for May was Boxy Bash. The first product I received was the Pur Sculptor Highlight & Contour palette. I'm not usually one to highlight and contour, plus the contour shades are far too dark for my fair complexion. I'd probably use this palette as eyeshadow instead. One cool thing is this palette smells like chocolate. This palette retails for $30.

I got four brushes from the brand Aesthetica. A 3 Piece Eye trio and a P12 Face Brush. I don't care for the eye brushes aside from the spoolie. I use those quite frequently. The P12 brush seems nice for blush or bronzer. The trio retails for $45 and the face brush retails for $27.

I also received a Beauty Creations Liquid Lip Gloss in the shade Kiss Me. It's a really pretty rosy, red color that will likely be nice for Fall weather. This retails for $10.

I'm not a big fan of gel eyeliners, or eyeliner in general, but the Pretty Vulgar The Ink Gel Eyeliner in 01 Black List seems nice. I'll give it a try, but I'm not sure if it will stay in my collection. This liner retails for $24.

The last product is from Cover FX, and it's their Blurring Primer. I tend to like primers like this because of my large pores. Cover FX is a good brand too, so I look forward to trying this at some point. It retails for $38.

The total value of this box is $174. That's not bad at all, though I feel the brushes are far too expensive for the quality. Like I said above, this will be my last box for the foreseeable future. I enjoyed the box the few months I was subscribed, and may go back to it in the future. 

If you're subscribed to Boxycharm, what did you get in your box?

April 2018 Empties

I took another break from the blog due to family things and lots of doctor appointments for my daughter, but I'm back! I can't say how many times I'll be posting this month, but I realized I didn't get to share my used up products from April, and May's empties will be up in a couple-ish weeks. 

I'll start off with some skincare products. I finally finished off the last 3 packets of the Dickinson's Oil Controlling Towelettes, and I'm glad to be moving onto something different.

I have one sheet mask from a brand called Dermal called Bird's Nest. I got a huge lot of these off of Amazon for a really good price, due to a lot of awesome reviews I saw from a group on Facebook. I really enjoyed this and have to start taking better care of my skin again, because I'm majorly slacking. 

I used up a deluxe sample of the Origins GinZing Refreshing Face Mask. It's just a clear, gel type mask that dried down on the skin, and left it a bit more hydrated. It's nothing special honestly, but it felt good on the skin. 

I had been working on the NeoStrata Foaming Glycolic Wash for a really long time and I'm happy now that it's used up. It made my skin feel soft, but it dried it out during the colder months. I should've saved it for Summer, but wanted it done. 

This is the last of the products. I used up 2 Bath & Body Works products: a Spiced Apple Toddy candle and a Coconut Lime Verbena Deep Cleansing hand soap. Absolutely loved the candle, as well as the hand soap, but I'm slowly using up and not repurchasing anything from B&BW. I feel like their stuff is really expensive, and I'm working towards using better household products. 

I've been trying to use up the Arvazallia Color Care shampoo for a really long time as well. I don't wash my hair often, maybe twice a week or so. Now that this is used up, I don't really care for it. My hair didn't really feel clean, but it felt softer. I just used up the conditioner a couple days ago, so that will be in June empties. 

I used up a Little Remedies Saline Spray that was my daughter's. I use these sprays to help clean out her nose when she gets stuffed up. I like this but found a less expensive option on Amazon. 

I used up another Philosophy hand cream in the Raspberries and Cream scent. These hand creams are nice, but they don't do much when my hands are super dry from constant hand washing. 

Products used up: 11
Total for the year: 68 

I didn't do too bad. I was hoping to use up closer to 80 products at this point, but as long as I can really start taking care of my skin and trying to do my makeup more, I should have better success. I know my goal was to use up 150 products this year, and I'm still hopeful I can hit that goal. 

April 2018 Boxycharm

I received my first ever Boxycharm last month, and I just got April's box in the mail yesterday. Here's all the exciting products I got this month!

This month's theme is called Eye Candy. There are different variations to the boxes, and I'm happy to report I got everything I wanted! 

They were giving everyone a Colourpop eye shadow palette, and I received the Element of Surprise. This is the main one I had my eye on, and was hopeful I'd get it. I cannot wait to play with this baby. I've only tried Colourpop's Super Shock shadows, but not their pressed formula, and I've heard mostly good things. This palette retails for $16. 

When I saw a sneak peek of this month's box, an either/or product was a MAC Liptensity Lipstick or a Tarte liquid highlighter. I don't care for highlighters in general, so I was incredibly happy to see the MAC lipstick. I received the shade Burnt Violet, which is very pretty, but looks a bit dark for my liking. I definitely am going to try this out, but it may be one I only use in the Fall/Winter. This lipstick retails for $21.

I received brushes last month, and got some more this month. I received the SL Miss Glam Eyeshadow Brush and Eye Beauty Blender brush. I'm not sure if I'll like the eyeshadow brush, but the blending brush feels so soft and seems like it will blend shadows nicely. This duo retails for $38.50. 

You all know my love for face masks, and we all got the Dr. Brandt Pores No More Vacuum Cleaner Pore Purifying Mask. I absolutely adore Dr. Brandt skincare, but it is pretty expensive. I'm not sure if the tube I got is a full size product (it comes with 1 ounce), but the card says it retails for $47, yet Sephora says $42. 

The last product I got was the The Browgal Instatint Tinted Brow Gel in the shade Light Hair 03, which is the perfect shade for me. I don't know much about this brand, and I usually don't do much with my brows, but I'm curious about this product so I'll give it a try. This retails for $22. 

Total retail of the box is $139.50, which is incredible to me. I don't know how Boxycharm does it, but I'm more than impressed and already can't wait for May's box!

If you're subscribed to Boxycharm already, what did you receive this month? If you're interested in signing up, I'd love it if you used my referral code here!

Ulta's 21 Days of Beauty Sale Haul

Ulta recently had their Spring 21 Days of Beauty sale, and I set myself a budget since I knew I wanted to pick up a few things I've had my eye on. 

Dose of Colors is a brand highly hyped up, and their Marvelous Mauves eye shadow palette has stood out to me for a while. At 50% off, it was a total steal and had to be mine. I've also had my eye on the Lorac Pro Palette 3 since it came out, but didn't really want to spend $42 on it. This was also 50% off, so I finally pulled the trigger and bought it. 

I feel like everyone and their mom talks about MAC Fix+, so when I saw this was going to be only $13, I figured I'd try it out for myself to see what all the fuss is about. Same thing with the Smashbox Primer Water. Everyone says great things, but I'm not totally sure if it's something I'll like. It was inexpensive enough, so if I end up not liking it, I'm not out too much money. 

That is all I bought, and I'm really proud of myself. I've made an effort to stay on a budget this year, and this sale only cost me $67 before tax. That's less than half of my budget I set for myself of $150. 

Did you pick something up during the 21 Days of Beauty sale?

February 2018 Empties

February wasn't as good of a month as January was in regards to used up products, but I still have a few to share with you today. Like I said in my January empties, I've been hoarding all this stuff, and now I have the time to share and finally get rid of everything. 

Starting off with the few skincare products, I used up two masks. One Tony Moly I'm Real Rice sheet mask for clear skin, and a Montagne Jeunesse Mint Choc Chip one time use mask. I've been really getting more into sheet masks lately, but need to take the time and use them more often. The sheet masks from Tony Moly are quite nice, and not so expensive when purchased on sale at Ulta. I'm not sure how I feel about the Mint Choc Chip mask. It definitely looks like mint chocolate chip on your skin, but the peppermint in it was quite overwhelming and made my eyes water a bit. I purchased a few different masks from this brand and haven't been too overwhelmed by the other one I tried either. 

I used up three more of the Dickinson's Oil Controlling Towelettes, and have just a few more to use up. I'm fairly certain I've mentioned already, but I do like these. I just think they're better, for me, in the warmer months when my skin is much more oily. 

I love Fresh products, but they're ridiculously expensive. Which is why I'm sad to report that I LOVE the Lotus Eye Gel! It's hydrating although it's a gel, feels amazing going on, and is perfect for daytime use. I do have quite a few eye creams in my stash to use up, but I'm incredibly tempted to buy a full size of this at some point. 

I just have two body care products, and they're both body washes. One is the St. Ives Rich & Creamy Vanilla Body Wash, and the other is the Derma e Psorzema Body Wash. My husband and I both used the St Ives wash, and I adored it. It made my skin feel very soft, and this bottle is very inexpensive when I can get it on sale at our grocery store. I did like the Derma e as well. It really did help with dry, itchy skin. The only downside I noticed was that I would get some body odor, so this doesn't help in that area.

Lastly, I have a few random products. I used up another Bath & Body Works 3-wick candle in the Pumpkin Cupcake scent, which I adore! This was my last one, and I kinda want it to be Fall again so I can get another. I also used up one of their Deep Cleansing Hand Soaps as well in the Peach Bellini scent. Loved this scent, but I know I've mentioned that I feel they're so expensive, even when on sale. I'm slowly phasing them out of my stash and will look for something that costs less. 

I used up an Aquafresh Sensitive toothpaste, which is nice. I can only use sensitive toothpastes because my teeth freak out with anything, especially cold things. Sensitive toothpaste helps for the most part, and I haven't noticed one that's better than another. 

Products used up: 11
Total for the year: 38

I don't know about anyone else, but I feel like I'm on a roll already! 38 products in just two months is amazing for me, and makes me feel like I can really hit my goal of 150 used up products for the whole year. I kinda hope I can use up way more than that, but I don't want to shoot myself in the foot and end up not hitting my goal. March's empties should be coming up in the next week or so, and I'm happy to report (sneak peek here) that I have a few makeup products! Even though I'm primarily home with my daughter, I started doing my makeup again at least a few times a week, and hope to use up a few things this year. I'm so excited!

Boxycharm: March 2018 - My First Box!

I unsubscribed from Ipsy quite a while ago, and was getting the itch to try a different beauty subscription service. I've seen videos on Boxycharm, and am always impressed with the products everyone receives. Boxycharm is only $21 a month, and you receive 4-5 full size products, which makes the cost of the box very worthwhile. I subscribed around the middle of March when there was no waitlist, and received my box just a couple days ago. 

So it looks like the theme this month is called "Baecation" which is a little weird. I can't stand the word bae at all honestly, and wish it would go away. Anyway, there are different variations of the box, but everyone received the Boxycharm & PUR eyeshadow palette, which has some gorgeous colors for Spring and Summer! I cannot wait to start playing around with it, even though I've been reading some mixed reviews. The palette is worth $36, which more than pays for the box.

I'm always looking for new brushes, so I was happy to receive The Vintage Cosmetic Company Smokey Eye Brush Set. It comes with shadow, angled, and smudger brushes and the set is worth about $23. 

I'm loaded with unopened mascaras in my makeup stash and will probably never have to buy any again, but I'm excited to try out the Bellapierre Cosmetics Volumizing Mascara at some point. Volume is typically what I go for in mascara, so I hope this is a good one. This mascara is worth $20

Believe it or not, but I have never tried any eye masks, so when I saw a 3 pack of the South Mane Beauty Eye Gels, I was curious. It says these are good for puffiness, dark circles, and is moisturizing. These are all things I need, especially with a toddler. These eye gels are worth $10

The last product is something I'm really excited for, and it's the Pretty Vulgar Make Them Blush in the shade Prim Vixen, which is a bright, matte pink shade. Perfect for Spring and Summer, but it's a blush I may need to use a topper with, as I'm not really used to matte blushes. This blush is worth $26

Needless to say, I'm SO happy I pulled the trigger and decided to subscribe to Boxycharm. The whole box was worth $115! I mean, you can't really get better than that for only $21. I will be continuing my subscription to Boxycharm until I start getting bored, which hopefully isn't for a while. If you would like to check out Boxycharm yourself, you can do so via my referral link here.

If you're already subscribed to Boxycharm, what did you receive in your box?

Collective Ulta & Sephora Beauty Insider Haul

I've purchased some beauty bits since the Summertime, and wanted to share with you all what I picked up! I've been on a kick lately with self-care in taking better care of my skin and occasionally doing my makeup more. I'm so excited I got to treat myself and can't wait to give everything a try!

I'll start off with the most exciting purchases, eyes shadow palettes! You all know eye shadow palettes are my favorite, and I ended up picking up 3 during different sales where I received 20% off my purchase, and that included prestige brands. I don't really watch Jaclyn Hill much on YouTube anymore, but her eye shadow palette that she put out with Morphe looked absolutely beautiful. Now with Morphe being sold at Ulta, I'm more inclined to try their products. 

I don't have very many MAC products in my collection, but the Cool Neutral eye shadow palette really tripped my trigger. I LOVE cool toned shadows, and I feel like every palette out there is warm toned, so this is a welcome palette to my collection. 

Anastasia Beverly Hills makes some amazing products (the clear brow gel is fantastic!), and I typically love their palettes. With the whole Subculture debacle, I was wary of buying any more from them. However, the Prism palette is just so stunning, and limited edition, so I knew I had to have it before it went away for good. I have yet to try it on my eyes, but I'm excited to, even though reviews I've seen are mixed. 

Skincare is always my weakness, and I haven't used Dermalogica products in ages. Their Active Moist moisturizer was a favorite of mine years ago when I was in cosmetology school. I figured I'd give it a try again to see if I still like it. 

Face masks are my favorite skincare product to use, and I had never heard of the brand Skin & Lab before. They have a few different kinds of masks, but I chose their Glacial Clay Facial Mask, which is said to be a purifying cooling & pore refining treatment with Canadian colloidal & Avena satiba oatmeal. This mask seems to be right up my alley!

I'm in need of replacing my beloved The Body Shop Aloe Calming Toner since it's so pricey now, and with the 20% off coupon, I decided to give the Mario Badescu Keratoplast Cleansing Lotion a try. It seems like a simple toner and only has a few ingredients, so I'm hopeful this is a good one.

'Tis the season for dry hands and lips. I tend to go through hand creams and lip balms like they're going out of style once the weather cools down, so I decided to get the Delectable Dream Cream Ultra Nourishing Hand Cream set, and the Skinfix Lip Fix set. I went through so many lip balms and hand creams when my daughter was in the NICU, and I still seem to go through alot, so I can never have enough!

These Hempz products were a gift with purchase for spending a certain amount, and I had never tried any of these products, so I figured I'd give them a go. It came with the Triple Moisture Shampoo and Conditioner, Hand Sanitizer, Body Cream and Lip Balm.

I wasn't planning on purchasing anything from the recent Rouge/VIB/Beauty Insider sale Sephora recently had, but this was the first year Beauty Insiders received a discount. I'm no longer Rouge, and much prefer Ulta's reward system, but the Kat Von D Saint & Sinner eye shadow palette for Holiday 2017 stood out to me. I missed out on last year's palette, Metal Matte, and I kick myself for not getting it still, so I knew I had to get Saint & Sinner. 

I also cashed in 100 points since I rarely buy from Sephora, so I got the Farmacy Honey Potion Hydration Mask. This is a brand I've been dying to try, and my skin needs some extra hydration lately. 

Is there anything you've purchased lately from recent sales?

Review: Jan Marini Clean Zyme Face Cleanser & Skin Zyme Face Mask

*Product provided for review via BrandBacker*

Jan Marini is a brand I had heard good things about, but never got the chance to try, until now! I was able to try out the Clean Zyme Face Cleanser and the Skin Zyme Face Mask. You all know my love for anything skincare related, so I was super excited to try a new-to-me brand!

Here is some info on the brand itself:

Jan Marini Skin Research is one of the most respected brands in professional skin care. JMSR has formed associations with some of the world's leading physicians and research scientists to develop cutting edge solutions to today's most common skin concerns. JMSR has introduced a host of technological firsts, has been awarded numerous patents and has published multiple independent peer-reviewed studies on it's products.  

Here is info on the products:

Clean Zyme cleanser and Skin Zyme mask are supplemental home care exfoliation products that have the ability to remove dead skin cells without harming sensitive or irritated tissues. Use anytime for an immediate polished look! Intended to be used as a pair. Both products are also great when used as part of a comprehensive skin care regimen. Proteolytic enzymes gently resurface to reveal healthy, smooth and polished skin

Instructions for using Clean Zyme: 

Clean Zyme should be applied in place of regular cleanser and left on 1 to 2 minutes. Remove with a clean, wet and rung out washcloth using lukewarm water. Blot dry. 

Instructions for Skin Zyme: 

Apply Skin Zyme in a thin, even layer over entire face (and neck, if desired) and allow to remain for up to 20 minutes. To Remove Skin Zyme, apply a small amount of Clean Zyme to face and massage very gently to achieve emulsification. Remove with a washcloth and splash face 10 to 15 times with lukewarm water. Blot dry and follow with usual Skin Care Management products and/or moisturizer. 

These products were very interesting for me. I'm mainly used to cleansers that foam or at least have a nice lather to them. Clean Zyme is basically just a gel that you rub onto your skin that has no lather whatsoever. However, it is very effective in cleaning my skin and makes it feel soft and supple. 

Skin Zyme is a creamy mask that doesn't dry down and feels very nice on my skin. I typically prefer clarifying masks that draw out impurities, so this was a different, but welcome, change to my regular masks. Using a drop of the cleanser to remove the mask is quite different for me as well, but makes removing the mask easier than what I'm used to. The mask is a beige-y green color that sort of reminds me of avocado.

Both products have a light, refreshing scent that isn't overbearing, and both products haven't irritated my skin. I definitely feel like my skin was softer, and more plump after using this duo. 

The Clean Zyme and Skin Zyme duo runs $90 on the Jan Marini website.

Does this duo seem like something you'd be interested in?

Fall Lip Product Haul

*Post contains affiliate links*

Hey guys! I know posting has been very sporadic, and I'm really trying to figure out a blogging schedule that fits around my daughter's routines. It's been kinda tough lately figuring things out with her, and this blog has been neglected. Please bear with me as I figure things out! Anyway, I decided to do a little lip product shopping when Ulta was having an extra points deal, as well as a 20% off coupon. I'm all about Fall and love everything about it! The colors, smells, foods, cooler weather, it all puts me in a good mood. 

As you can see, I got quite a few lippies to play with! Maybelline was buy one, get one 50% off, so I picked up the matte shade called Toasted Truffle, and a Color Sensational lipcolor in Deepest Cherry. I've been wanting to experiment with nude shades and see what works with my fair skin, and of course I needed something dark for Fall. 

Revlon was also buy one, get one 50% off so I chose Mauvy Night and Certainly Red. I love mauve shades so much, and I love trying different shades of red. Certainly Red may not be cool toned enough for me, but I have yet to try it out. 

I don't own very many MAC products, and most people say a lot of good things about their lipsticks. I got Party Line and Creme in Your Coffee, both of which are cremesheens. Both shades are gorgeous, and I cannot wait to rock these in Fall and Winter!

The e.l.f. Matte Lip Colors have intrigued me since they came out. They're so inexpensive, and I have heard pretty good things about them. I picked the shades Praline and Wine, which I hear great things about. I definitely look forward to trying these out finally!

I love me some lip products, and would love to know if there is anything you've picked up recently that I need to try!

Review: HASK Monoi Coconut Dry Shampoo

 *Product sent for review thanks to BrandBacker*

As a mom to an almost 11 month old, dry shampoo is pretty prevalent in my life. Showers sometimes need to be skipped, but I still want my hair to look somewhat decent and not oily. I was given the chance to try out the HASK Coconut Dry Shampoo, and I've been pretty impressed with it!

Here is some info on the HASK Coconut Dry Shampoo:

Infused with a tropical coconut scent
Long-lasting Oil Absorption
Removing excess oil is now easier than lather, rinse and repeat. Skip a wash or extend the life of your style with this lightweight, coconut infused formula that will leave your second day hair even fresher than the first. Ultra-fine rice starch acts quickly to soak up oil, sweat and odor leaving hair bouncy, vibrant and clean. The tropical escape your hair has been waiting for!

You can find HASK dry shampoos at Ulta Beauty for $7.99 each. 

You all know I love anything that smells like coconut, and this particular dry shampoo smells incredible! It also makes my hair feel nice and fresh, even if I skipped a couple days of washing. It doesn't leave white streaks in my hair and makes it feel less fine as well. The can it comes in is huge and will likely last me a long while, which will be great for me in the Winter while I'm missing the warm weather of Summer. 

I feel like this is a great dry shampoo, the price is right, and definitely something I would consider purchasing myself!

What dry shampoo do you like to use?

Review: Number 4 High Performance Hair Care Sugar Texturizing Spray

*Product sent for review. All opinions are my own, as always*

Salt sprays for your hair are all the rage, but a sugar spray? I had honestly never heard of them before, until I was given the chance to try the Sugar Texturizing Spray from the brand Number 4. 

Here is some info on the product from their website:  

Sugar Texturizing Spray denounces salt while heralding sugar in a declaration of sweet love for hair texture that is perfectly undone. Transform limp, lackluster strands into loose, touchably soft, “beach inspired” waves with a nourishing blend of sugar and flexible styling aids. Sugar Texturizing Spray aids in style defense against humidity to help build a long-lasting relationship with texture that’s more than just a summer fling. 

Sugar Texturizing Spray achieves hair texture through simple sugar cane molecules and flexible styling aids producing a lattice of soft structure and haphazard patterns of loose, shiny waves. Flex net resins help keep glossy texture intact despite unfavorable conditions of heat and humidity, while anti-static properties provide extra nourishment.

Directions say to lightly spray on damp or dry hair and style as desired. Then you can air dry or blow dry with a diffuser. 

Now, like I said above, I had never heard of a sugar texturizing spray. Any salt sprays I would use ended up drying out my hair so bad, that I had to use a crazy amount of conditioner just to make my hair feel good again. Therefore, I would never use salt sprays, because I like soft hair that's manageable and easy to work with.  

I find the Sugar Texturizing Spray to be an absolutely fantastic alternative to salt sprays! It hasn't made my hair feel any different texture wise once I wash again, and it doesn't make my hair feel crunchy like other texturizing sprays can.

The one thing I'm not a huge fan of is the scent. It has notes of Tonka Beans, Patchouli, and Spanish Moss. If you're a fan of these fragrances, then this will likely be a texturizing spray you'll enjoy. I can be very sensitive to certain scents, and depending on how my allergies are on certain days, I have to skip this. Otherwise, I'm a fan!

You can find the Sugar Texturizing Spray on the Number 4 website, as well as a whole bunch of other products for hair and body. 

What do you think of a sugar texturizing spray versus a salt spray?

NEW! Macy's Beauty Box Overview

*Product provided for consideration. Post contains affiliate links*

I was so excited when this showed up on my doorstep, and I have to share it with you guys! Macy's now has their own beauty subscription box, and it seems like something worth checking out.

The Macy's Beauty Box costs $15 a month, you get 5 deluxe samples, plus one bonus product, a cute makeup bag, as well as a $5 gift card towards your next beauty purchase at Macy's, online or in-store!

Products in bag:

- Philosophy Purity Made Simple Facial Cleanser
- Benefit Gimme Brow
- Carolina Herrera Good Girl Eau De Parfum
- Tarte Maracuja Oil
- Smashbox Cover Shot: Golden Hour Eye Shadow Duo
- MAC False Lashes Extreme Black

I've been subscribed to a few different beauty boxes over the years, and this one seems like any other subscription service. I think the price is nice, although I know I won't use the perfume sample. Everything else is up my alley, especially the Purity Cleanser! Each months box is a surprise, and the deluxe samples are chosen by Macy's beauty experts.

If you want to learn more about the Macy's Beauty Box, click here.  

What do you think about the new Macy's Beauty Box?

July 2017 Goals

I completely fell off the face of the Earth in June and the firsts half of July, and I apologize for that! There are times where I feel like social media and blogging take over my life, and I obsess over making everything perfect. Also, with having a daughter who has special needs, I cannot have that in my life. Her well-being is the most important, and so is my mental health. I took a bit of a break to regroup and now I'm back! Since I didn't recap my goals from May, I'll go over those and then let you all know what I would like to accomplish in July. 

GOALS FROM MAY

- Reach 2,000 page views: That didn't happen, yet again. Since I took a decently long break, I wasn't promoting anything either on my social channels, so page views suffered greatly.  

- Have a family day: That sadly still has not happened! My husband works his butt off 50-60 hours a week, so when he has a day off and we have no appointments for Olivia, or any other plans, he just wants to stay home. We did end up going out for lunch one day in June to Olive Garden, and that was Olivia's first restaurant experience! She did well, and was talking up a storm (aka. screeching and giggling). She also enjoyed licking their breadsticks...

- Do a face mask once a week: Nope, didn't happen in May, but I have gotten better doing masks in June and July so far. I need to use up some of my stash before they go bad. 

- Organize Olivia's clothing: Yes and no. I had a good handle on it and it was all sorted out, then it got all disorganized again. I need to still put away all her 0-3 month clothes, and organize her 3-6 month clothes again, which is what she fits in currently (yes, she's still really small, but she was a preemie after all!).

GOALS FOR JULY

- Promote older blog posts on social media at least 3 times a week: Doing that usually helps drive more traffic to my blog, and gets more of my work out there. 

- Try to get more sleep: I know you're probably thinking, "you have a baby, sleep doesn't apply anymore." It actually does! Olivia sleeps decently well, only waking once occasionally. I don't feed her at night anymore, so she tends to just shuffle around and goes back to sleep on her own. However, since she wakes me up when she moves, I tend to stay awake for a while. I also have a bad habit of being on my phone for an hour or so when I get into bed, and that needs to stop. 

- Use up more beauty products: Ugh, I've been awful again with taking care of my skin and need to really get into a solid routine and use up products. I've been really slacking with using up products lately and have sad looking empties posts as a result. I'll be starting those again in August since I'll have a bunch of empty products to share!

- Write and post 6 blog posts: I'm not putting a weekly goal or anything since we're already about half way through the month already, but I would like to publish 6 posts during the rest of this month, and looking at my blogging schedule, I just may be able to do it!

That's it for July! I'm so sorry again for the absence. I'm sure all my fellow moms can relate to life getting tough and needing a break!