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? 

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?

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. 

Review: Green Goo Foaming Hand Soap, Healing Bar & Castile Soap

 *Products sent for review purposes*

Natural products are not typically something I use on a regular basis, so when I got the chance to try out a few items from Green Goo, I was intrigued. I got to try a Foaming Hand Soap, Healing Bar and Castile Soap. 

The hand soap is said to "envelope your hands in a cloud of rich nourishing foam that enchants your senses while washing away bacteria and dirt, restoring your hands to feeling luxuriously clean." The healing bar "ensures a creamy, extra gentle, and long lasting bar that is guaranteed to brighten your spirits." Most of their soaps are also gluten free, with the exception of some that include oats and bran. Their castile soap "can be used as dish soap, laundry detergent, stain remover, all-purpose cleaner, shower soap, bubble bath, and even pet shampoo." You can find their products on their website here. 

Out of the three products I tried, I love their hand soap the most. I received the Lemongrass Zinger scent, and love it for use in the kitchen. It's very invigorating and I get compliments from visitors when they use it. It cleans my hands and also rinses off well. The scent hangs around a little, but it's not overpowering. I'm not the biggest fan of bar soaps, but I like using the Lavender & Comfrey soap at night when I'm super tired and really need to get some good sleep. Lavender always helps me relax when I need it. I'm always amazed at how castile soap has so many uses, and I like using the lavender scent I received as a makeup brush cleaner. It gets my brushes squeaky clean, and leaves a nice calming scent, but doesn't irritate my skin when the brushes are used. 

Their prices are a little high, but typical for natural products. The hand soaps are around $9, bar soaps are around $8, and castile soaps start around $5 and go up depending on the size you get. 

Have you tried anything from Green Goo before?

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!

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?

October 2017 Empties

I know I recently posted my empties for August and September, and I was thinking of waiting another month, but October was a great month with using up products! I don't think I've used up this many products in one month for quite a while. Since I have a good amount of products to share, I'll be combining November and December empties, even if it's a long post. So, without further ado, let's see what I used up!

Starting off with some skincare, I used up the AzureNaturals Ultimate Vitamin C Toner. I had a few skincare products sent to me from this brand, and they're not awful, but they're not great either. I wouldn't go out of my way to purchase anything myself. 

I've been working my way through the InstaNatural Youth Express Vitamin C Moisturizer for so long, I was getting so tired of using it! It's a decent moisturizer, but after using it all up, I feel like it just sits on my skin and doesn't sink in. 

I tend to shy away from Lancome skincare, mainly because it's so expensive, but their products are typically heavily fragranced. However, the Genifique Youth Activating Concentrate was lovely! There was little scent to it, and it really made my skin feel so soft and look brighter. Would I buy a full size? Eh, I don't know. I feel like there are better serums at a lower price, but this one is very nice regardless. 

Ole Henriksen makes some AMAZING skincare! I had a deluxe sample of their Sheer Transformation moisturizer, and I fell in love after the first application. I seriously think this may be in my top favorite moisturizers, that's now much I love it! I'm pretty certain I have a full size in my skincare stash, but I want to use a few more deluxe samples first before I open it. 

For haircare, I used up the Tresemme Platinum Strength Shampoo. The conditioner was in my previous empties, as my husband had used it a few times. I typically go through shampoos faster than conditioners, but I'm happy to have both used up now. They've been in my shower for way too long. There was nothing too special about this shampoo. It got the job done and is pretty inexpensive as well. 

I had purchased the Infusium 23 Color Defender Conditioner years ago after coloring my hair and wanting something different. I no longer color my hair, but wanted to still use this up. It made my hair super soft, but has a heavy fragrance. I got it from Big Lots for just a few dollars, so I have no clue if they even make this product anymore.  

Two body products I used up were The Body Shop Almond Shower Gel and the Philosophy Pomegranate Bubbly Exfoliating Shower Gel. You all know I'm obsessed with anything from The Body Shop, and the Almond Shower Gel was no exception. I also love Philosophy shower products, but this scrub was weird. The granules were too harsh and I wasn't a fan of the smell. 

I've used up more Bath & Body Works products! The Warm Vanilla Sugar Deep Cleansing Hand Soap, Vermont Sugar Maple Foaming Hand Soap, and the Vanilla Buttercream Hand Cream were all great! I love sweet scented hand products, and even my husband enjoyed the Vermont Maple Sugar soap. I've just realized how expensive all B&BW products are, even with a sale, so I'm slowly going through all products I have of theirs, and will likely not be buying anything else. 

 Lastly, I have a couple random products, and one of Olivia's. I don't understand why it takes me so long to go through mouthwash, but the Listerine Total Care Zero took me insanely long to go through. Possibly a year or more! Even though this has no alcohol in it, I still feel like it burned my mouth, but maybe I'm just sensitive. 

Call me gross, but I don't wear deodorant everyday. I'm home with my daughter, so I only ever wear it if we go out for errands, or have her physical/occupational therapists and family over. I really enjoyed the Dove Dry Spray Antiperspirant. It smells really nice, and the spray nozzle is pretty great as well. I think I got this in a previous Influenster box, but I may purchase myself in the future. 

The last product that was used up was the Johnson's Baby Head-to-Toe Wash. This was of course what I used for Olivia during baths, and it's just ok. We got so many different products for her and still have tons to use up still before we need to buy anything ourselves. I will likely switch to something else once we run out of everything else we have

Number of products used up: 14
Total used up for the year: 70

I'm honestly so proud of myself right now! I've been struggling using up products ever since my daughter was born, but I finally feel like I'm making progress. I had made a new goal of using up 75 products total for the year, and I can't believe I'm 5 away! I won't make a new goal now, as there is only 2 more months of the year, but I hope to make some good progress. I hope to use up a lot more or deluxe samples I have, as well as foil packet samples. I also need to really make an effort with using up makeup, since I have way too much for any normal person to go through! 

What are some products you've used up recently? 

August & September 2017 Empties

It's been quiet again here on the blog. I'm still trying to get into a groove with being a mom and a blogger, so I'm sorry if all goes quiet every so often. I have some empties from August and September to share, and I'm quite impressed with my progress! I was going to wait until the end of October, but this month has been pretty awesome with using up products, so stay tuned for that post! 

Most of this post will be skincare, and these are some smaller products and samples. I used up two foil packet samples, one being the Jurlique Skin Balancing Face Oil and the other being a Diskinson's Oil Controlling Towelette. I liked the face oil as a final step to my skincare routine at night. It kept my skin feeling hydrated, and I woke up with baby soft skin. The towelette I used in the morning as a toner before serum and moisturizer. I have tons of these honestly, and I liked it a lot. 

The Azure Naturals Ultimate Vitamin C Serum was alright. I had it in my stash for a while, and got bored of it fast. I typically like Vitamin C serums, but I didn't like this one in the end. 

I decluttered the Jersey Shore Sun Sans Tan sunscreen after trying to use it once. It had separated horribly and the smell was off, so in the trash it goes. 

I really enjoyed the Bliss Best of Skintentions moisturizer. I like the scent and how it sinks into my skin without making it feel greasy. I have a few of these samples in my stash still, so I hope to use them up before the end of the year. 

We all know I love Derma e products, and I had done a review of their Firming DMAE Eye Lift a while ago. This product took forever to use up, and I loved it til the last drop! I would absolutely buy this when I use up the eye creams I have already. 

My love for sheet masks is still strong, but masking in general has been hard with a baby and life. I managed to use the Tony Moly I'm Real Moisturizing Aloe Mask, and the Sephora brand Pearl Mask meant for perfecting and brightening. I enjoyed both, but prefer the Tony Moly mask. Even though I have oily skin, I've been dealing with dry patches and flakes. Now with the weather changing, it'll just get worse, so hydration is key for me. 

I used up another of my beloved Aloe Calming Toners from The Body Shop. I've loved and used this toner for years, and only have 2 or 3 as backups. It's gotten too pricey for what it is, in my opinion, so I'll be looking for a replacement at a lower cost. 

The last few products are miscellaneous. I've had the Tresemme Platinum Strength shampoo and conditioner in my shower for way too long, and surprisingly I used up the conditioner first. I love this brand and would buy it again. It's inexpensive and gets the job done, plus makes my hair feel like a million bucks. 

There are two less Bath & Body Works products in my stash, and I used up the Pumpkin Coconut candle, which smells heavenly, and the Spring Time & Clementines deep cleansing hand soap. I cannot wait to use up all these hand soaps, and move on to others that are less expensive. 

I had purchased the Dermasil Dry Skin Treatment moisturizer at the dollar store of all places, and it worked better than some of my expensive moisturizers. I don't think I'd purchase again, only because I have so many body creams and lotions to use up. 

Number of products used up: 13
Total used up for the year: 56

Definitely not where I want to be with the products used up, but I'm very happy with my progress. I think my original goal was to use up 150 products, but with really only 2 months of the year left, that won't happen. If I can get to 75, I can start fresh in January and really work towards my goal of using up products and decluttering my life. 

What are some products you used up recently?

April 2017 Empties

*Post contains affiliate links*

I'm finally able to share the products I used up every month now! April wasn't the best for using stuff up, but I currently have a few products on their last legs. 

Starting off with a little bit of skincare, the first product I used up was the REN Mayblossom And Blue Cypress Balancing Facial Cleansing Gel. Phew, that's a long name! I did like this cleanser, but I could only get 2 uses out of it, so it's hard to say if I'd repurchase, if it's still available. It seems like it's nice for oily skin. 

I have been working on the InstaNatural Youth Express Eye Serum for ages! I have a review here and now that it's completely used up, my final thoughts are it's a nice product, but I don't think I'd purchase myself. If you don't have any eye issues except for a tiny bit of dryness, you'll like this. If you have lines, wrinkles, dryness, and every other issue with the skin around your eyes, this isn't for you. 

Last skincare product is from Borghese and it's their Intensifying Moisturizer. I used this as a serum underneath my regular moisturizer, and I really liked the extra hydration this gave. Even though I have oily skin, I've been battling dry, flaky skin in certain areas, and this helped immensely. 

For bath and shower products, I only used up two. My husband helped with the Garnier Fructis Sleek & Shine Shampoo, and we both liked it. It cleaned well, but I felt like it made my hair greasy faster. 

I don't think The Body Shop still carries this line of shower gels, but the Shower Gels For Earth Lovers in Cucumber & Mint was so refreshing, and my skin LOVED it! It lathered up nicely and left my skin feeling so soft and hydrated, I barely needed moisturizer after. 

The last sort of random product is the Wegmans brand One Daily Women's multi vitamin. What I liked about these is that they contain Folate and not Folic Acid. My body can't break down Folic Acid, which is the synthetic form of Folate, and it's surprisingly hard to find inexpensive multi's with Folate. Definite repurchase!

Number of products used up: 6
Total used up for the year: 22

AS I said above, I didn't do so hot last month. I'm hoping this month will be better so I can make my goal of using up 150 products!

What have you used up recently?

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?

August 2016 Empties

*Post contains affiliate links*

Hey guys! It's time to share another month's empty products, and August wasn't that good. The past few months haven't really been that good with finishing up products, but I managed to use up a few things this time!

I had gotten the Dove Deep Moisture Nourishing Body Wash in an old Walmart box. I always have liked Dove deodorant, but wasn't a huge fan of their body washes. This one was no exception, sadly. I did like how thick and creamy it was, but it made my skin feel more dry. 

The Curel Itch Defense, on the other hand, was great! I had gotten this in an Influenster voxbox, and I really liked how soft this made my skin feel. I have been having much itchier skin lately, and this worked like a charm. 

I've always been a fan of anything Aveeno, so their Daily Moisturizing Lotion Sheer Hydration was nothing super new to me. I've been trying to go through a bunch of deluxe samples lately, so it feels good to have these three finished!

I finally finished up the last of the Citron Cedarwood candle from Bath & Body Works. My husband was a fan of this scent, but it was a bit much for me. I did like using it when I was cleaning to help make our house smell fresher. 

This little baby size of the Tarte Smooth Operator Finishing Powder took me forever to go through! I used this to set my face and for baking underneath my eyes, and it just seemed like the never ending powder. If I purchased this in the full size, it would probably take me years and years of daily use to go through. I highly recommend this though! It makes my skin look and feel so soft and smooth. 

The MyChelle Love Your Lips lip balm in the scent Black Currant Pomegranate is another product that took ages to use up. It's just such a massive tube, so I started using it on my cuticles and rough spots I had just to use it up faster! It was nice though, especially under very drying lip products. 

The very last product used up is the Colgate Sparkling White Toothpaste. I used this at night, but my husband was the one using it the most. I thought this toothpaste was kinda weird. It was more of a gel formula, and it foamed up a ton so it made my mouth feel super dry. My husband likes the Colgate brand, so we bought a different kind of toothpaste for him. 

Number of products used up: 7
Total for the year: 103

I finally used up 100 products! I'm a bit disappointed in myself honestly. I've mentioned before that my goal was to use up 250 products this year, but I don't see myself doing that unless I go ham with how much I use of everything, and that's just a waste to me. I definitely see September being better, as I already have 3 products used up and it's only the 5th! This pregnancy has seriously made me feel so exhausted all the time, even though I'm almost to the third trimester, so I've been slacking on doing my makeup and taking care of my skin most days. I need to get my butt into gear before baby Olivia makes her grand entrance, because I know I'll be slacking again once she's here!

What are some products you used up in August?

August 2016 Favorites

*Post contains affiliate links*

Hi guys! August was much better on the favorites front, as the last few months have been kinda blah due to pregnancy and life, and not caring much about makeup, skincare, or anything beauty related. I have a few favorites to share with you today, so lets get to it!

I've been making it a point to use a hair mask or deep conditioner about every other hair washing. I'm way overdue for a haircut, so I'm trying to keep it looking as soft and manageable as possible until I can get it cut. I've been really into the Aussie 3 Minute Miracle Deeeeep Conditioner. Why are there so many E's in deep? I have no idea, but this stuff makes my hair feel fantastic! It works by just squeezing the tube and product comes right out. No need to take caps off or have the bottle fall onto the floor (that happens quite a bit now, and having a pregnant belly in my way makes it difficult to pick things up). It smells nice too, and is fairly inexpensive. 

Next up is a travel size of the Tree Hut Shea Sugar Body Scrub in the Coconut Lime scent. Taking care of the skin on my body has become more important as well due to my growing belly, and just having drier skin in general. I already have old stretch marks from weight gain and loss over the years, but I have no new ones (yet), and I attribute that to using this scrub and moisturizing regularly now. I absolutely love how this smells, and I pretend I'm on the beach with a pina colada in my hand every time I use this, even though I'd need a virgin one instead!

The Dr. Brandt Oxygen Facial Flash Recovery Mask has got to be my new favorite mask. I did a full review on it here, and have just been amazed with how awesome my skin looks after using this. It's ridiculously expensive, but when I have the money to splurge, I'm so buying this again. I love how it foams up on the skin, and it gives me such an amazing glow that pregnancy hasn't necessarily given me. 

I did a post back in February on three Serious Lip Balms. Since I'm a lip balm hoarder and only use pretty much one at a time, These kinda fell to the wayside. I pulled out the Snickerdoodle scent after using up a balm that I had been trying to use up for many months, and remembered how much I love these! They're so hydrating, they have amazing scents but no taste, and the women behind the brand are incredible people. Definitely be sure to check out my review of these balms!

I know I've mentioned the Sephora Ultra Shine Lip Gloss in the shade Pin Up Pink before in a favorites, but I can't get enough of this gloss! I'm finally about half way through this deluxe sized tube and will be sad when it's gone. I just love how soft and not sticky these feel on the lips, and they make my lips look so full and luscious. If I didn't have a million different lip glosses to use up, I'd go out and buy this in a heartbeat.  

What were some of your favorites in August?

Review: Aquation All Day Moisture Care

*Disclosure* Products were provided for review thanks to BrandBacker. All opinions are 100% honest and my own, like always. 

Hey guys! I had the chance to try out a new line of skincare by the brand Aquation. They were very kind and sent three different products to try: the Gentle Moisturizing Cleanser, Daily Moisturizing Lotion, and Moisturizing Cream. 

Here is some info of the line:

There are endless elements that affect your skin daily – not all of them in your control. There is a solution. Skincare that protects, restores and fortifies, with moisture you can feel. Clinically proven results you can see. Moisture balance technology you can count on. The perfect Aquation for hydrated + healthy skin.

Powered by Hydro Balance™ our advanced dual phase technology delivers hydration and creates an invisible barrier to help prevent moisture loss while encapsulated actives penetrate deeply for long-lasting hydration. 100% of women in clinical trials saw more hydrated skin, even up to 24 hours. 93% experienced instant hydration. 93% found non-irritating.

Aquation is sold exclusively at Walmart.

The cleanser is my favorite product out of the three I got to try. Here are the product details:

Gently cleanse away dirt, oil and makeup while infusing moisture—revealing fresh, soft skin. Our formula won’t over dry or strip your skin and is enriched with ceramides and hyaluronic acid to help maintain the skin barrier.  For use on face and body.

This cleanser is fragrance free, non-comedogenic and sells for $8.96.

You only need the tiniest amount of product to cleanse your skin, seriously. A full pump is way too much, so half a pump is all you need. I like using this at night as it really helps to remove makeup well and clean at the same time. After cleansing, my skin feel so hydrated and fresh and I wake up with it feeling super soft. I think this is going to be my go-to drugstore cleanser from now on. 

Here are the product details for the Moisturizing Lotion:

Experience ultimate moisture with Aquation Daily Moisturizing Lotion powered by Hydro Balance. The advanced dual phase formula enhanced with ceramides and hyaluronic acid delivers instant hydration and creates an invisible barrier to stop moisture loss while encapsulated actives penetrate deeply for 24 hours of hydration. The result is noticeably softer, beautifully balanced healthy skin.

This lotion is fragrance free, it instantly hydrates and again sells for $8.96.

I really enjoy this lotion as well. It's a bit too heavy for daytime use right now, but at night it's great! I think this would be an awesome lotion for your body as well if you're not super dry, but still need some kind of moisture. 

Here are product details about the Moisturizing Cream:

Experience ultimate moisture with Aquation Moisturizing Cream powered by Hydro Balance. The advanced dual phase formula enhanced with ceramides and hyaluronic acid delivers instant hydration and creates an invisible barrier to stop moisture loss while encapsulated actives penetrate deeply for 24 hours of hydration. The result is noticeably softer, beautifully balanced healthy skin. (It's the same description as the lotion, which is odd to me)

This cream soothes itch and irritation, softens rough skin and costs $8.96

This cream is super think and hydrating, and it definitely too heavy for me to use on my face. Maybe in the Winter it will be better, but for now, I use this just on my legs as it helps to get rid of the itchy skin I've been having lately. 

Overall, these three products from Aquation are pretty great! They're an incredibly affordable price, don't irritate my skin at all, and can be used on the face or body. Multi-use products are an amazing thing now, especially since I have a baby on the way and I'm trying to simplify my routine. 

You can find more information on this line on their website here. 

Does this sound like a line you would be interested in?

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?