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!

Holiday 2015 Beauty Gift Guide

*Disclosure* I received some of the products mentioned for consideration. This post is NOT sponsored. Some links below are affiliate links

Hello everyone! Today I'm bringing you my holiday gift guide for 2015. All of these are still in stock online (minus one, but that will be mentioned!), and if you order soon, they'll arrive before Christmas!

The first product I have to share is the e.l.f. Lip Kiss Set. This set includes a Lip Defining Brush, a Lip Balm Tint in Grapefruit, and a Super Glossy Lip Shine in Pink Kiss. The brush isn't actually pointed like it's represented in the picture, but it's good for applying the lip balm tint if you don't feel like sticking your fingers in the pot. I expected the lip balm tint to smell like grapefruit, but it smells like vanilla, which I actually prefer. The lip shine smells incredible! It's very fruity, and while I do love the color, it's a bit light for my fair complexion. Otherwise, this is a great, inexpensive gift that you can purchase on the e.l.f. site here for just $5. You also only have two more days to place your order for it to arrive in time for Christmas!

My next gift suggestion is a skincare kit that's good for most skin types. This is actually a kit from First Aid Beauty that I had purchased last year, but there is a very similar one here, on the Sephora site, that's not as expensive as this, but it doesn't include as much. Either way, First Aid Beauty is one of those brands that is good for so many skin types. Even though I typically have oily skin, all of the products I've tried that have to do with hydration, my skin has loved immensely! It always feels softer, more hydrated, and less sensitive after I use their products. To make sure your order arrives before Christmas, you have until the 20th for standard shipping, and today if you're purchasing fragrance or other restricted items. 

The next products I have to share are from a brand called Vapour Organic Beauty. I had never heard of this brand before, but was definitely intrigued to learn more. The top set shown is called the Kiss Duo, and includes the Siren Lipstick in the shade Plush and the Elixir Plumping Lip Gloss in the shade Mystery. Both shades are gorgeous, and the lip gloss isn't sticky at all! The lip gloss smells slightly fruity and the lipstick is unscented. This set retails for $40, online only at Target.

The second set is called the Party Girl, which includes an Aura Multi-Use in the shade Instinct and a Mesmerize Eye Color in the shade Chill. The Aura Multi-Use can be used on your lips or cheeks and the Eye Color is just a cream shadow that can be easily blended out as a base or used on its own. This set retails for $50, and it's again only available online at Target. You have until the 21st to order online for Christmas arrival!

Next up is the Algenist Kiss and Wink Collection. Algenist is one of those brands that is so expensive, but everything I've tried personally has been amazing. I've only tried samples, but hey, they're pretty awesome samples! This set includes a 0.23 ounce Lip Renewal Balm with SPF 15 and a 0.23 ounce Complete Eye Renewal Balm, for just $25. You can find this product at Sephora, Ulta, Sephora inside JC Penney and online at Sephora. 

My last holiday recommendation is Body Butters from The Body Shop. I express my love for these body butters so much, and it's well deserved! These are so hydrating, smell amazing, and one container lasts me ages. The scents shown are Vanilla from last year, and Honeymania. I also am a huge fan of the Shea, Coconut, and Satsuma scents. These are normally $21 each, but online they have a sale for 50% off, and you have to order by the 21st to receive your order by Christmas.

What are you hoping to receive for Christmas?

November 2015 Empties

Hi everyone! It's time, once again, to share with you all of the products I used up in November. I'm so happy with everything I was able to use up, and I'm even more happy that there are a whopping 25 products! That's got to be the most I've ever gone through in a month. This might be a long one, so grab a snack and a drink and lets see the products!

Starting with a few miscellaneous products, my husband and I both used the Head & Shoulders Total Care Shampoo. Even though this says it's for men on the bottle, I used it anyway because I do occasionally get dandruff, and this brand is really good with helping it go away. 

Next up is the Hershey's Honey Body Butter. I ended up just dumping out the product in the container because it had separated and smelled a bit funky. 

I adore the L'Occitane Hand Cream, and the one in this particular tube is my favorite. This is a smaller size that came in a kit a while ago, but this hand cream makes my hands feel so soft, and it smells very nice too, sort of like a light baby powder scent. 

You all know how much I love the Philosophy Shower Gels, but the Gingerbread Girl one I didn't care for. It smelled fine, but there are shimmer particles in this that was kind of odd to me, and it didn't necessarily clean very well either. I never thought I'd see the day where I didn't like one of these shower gels!

I take a Biotin supplement daily, and the one from Natrol is pretty good. It's the maximum strength version with 10,000 mcg, which can upset alot of people's stomach, but I was fine taking this as long as I ate breakfast first. I'm starting to notice alot more that my hair is growing faster, it looks healthier, and I had family comment that it looks thicker as well, but I don't notice that honestly. 

Now for some makeup, which is a rare occurrence in an empties post! I decided to just get rid of the e.l.f. Everyday Eye Palette because most of the shadows have broken and I don't really like them, along with the BH Cosmetics California Collection trios. I got both from Ipsy, but really wasn't happy with them. The Lancome Colour Focus Palette most likely came in a gift with purchase, but I don't like these colors and I've had it for many years, so in the trash it goes. 

The Marbella Permanent Eyeliner Pen was fantastic while it lasted. It's very black, goes on nicely, and lasts all day long. The only downside is that it literally is almost permanent. I always had such a horrible time trying to remove it all from my lashline at night and could never get it off fully, which I didn't like at all. It finally dried out on me, so it's time to officially say goodbye. 

I also used up the Mirabella Perfecting Loose Powder. I got this in an Ipsy bag so long ago, and just now used it up. I loved this powder to set my under-eye concealer. It helped it last longer, but didn't look cakey or make me look like an old lady. 

Time for a whole lotta skincare! I finally used up the Simple Refreshing Facial Wash Gel. This was my nighttime cleanser, and I loved this so much! It's so gentle, has no scent, and takes off every last bit of makeup (minus the eyeliner mentioned above. That stuff doesn't go away!). It's amazing when used in conjunction with my Clarisonic, and once I use up my hoard of cleansers, I'll most likely purchase this again. 

I still have some deluxe sizes of Dermalogica products left, but I managed to use up the Multi-Active Toner and the Skin Prep Scrub. The toner is alright, but nothing to write home about. The scrub on the other hand, holy moly is this intense! The scrubbing grains are made of corn meal, which isn't harsh for me, but it sure does get off any bit of dry skin you may have. 

I had to throw away the Super Hand & Cuticle Cream because I'm pretty sure mold was growing inside the bottle. The product had changed from a white color to yellow and it smelled nasty, so it's going nowhere near my skin.

I really enjoyed using the Oz Naturals Hyaluronic Acid Serum. Even though I have pretty oily skin for most of the year, it can get very dehydrated, so serums with hyaluronic acid in them work miracles for my skin without making it more oily. 

I had used up some Ipsy points to get the Tarte Amazonian Clay Double Detox Facial Mask, and I don't know how I feel about this honestly. It had enough product inside for just one use, which was a complete waste of points used, and I didn't expect it to have grainy bits in it. It tingled quite a bit on my skin, but once I worked the mask into my skin when I rinsed it off, my skin was very smooth. I don't think they make this product anymore though, but I could be wrong. 

I also have both of the RevivSerum TelomErase Serums used up. I reviewed these here, and I honestly think that this is such a pricey product for what it is. The samples I got were so small, but if I had gotten a full size to try out more, my opinion could be different. 

I used the bareMinerals Purely Nourishing Moisturizer at night, and I absolutely loved it! It made my skin feel soft and hydrated, but it wasn't greasy at all. I had a hard time finding these products for a little bit, but it looks like Sephora does still carry some products!

If you have a sensitive nose to scented products like I do, stay away from the Shiseido Urban Environment UV Protection Cream SPF 40. This smelled so strongly of perfume, I almost threw it out after using it for the first time. It also made my skin look very, very white, if that was even possible, and if I didn't blot off the excess with a shine sheet, I'd get asked if I was feeling alright. 

I finally used up the Amara Organics Total Repair Eye Gel. This took forever to go through because I've been testing out a bunch of new eye gels/creams lately, but I did like this. It's a bit too light for the colder months coming up, but it's awesome for Summertime use. 

Finally, we have some samples I was able to use up. The BioRepublic Cucumber Breeze Soothing Fiber Mask wasn't too bad honestly! I'm normally not a huge fan of sheet masks, but this one did make my skin feel soothed after using a detoxifying mask that made my skin red and irritated. 

I love Fresh products, but not the price of them, so any samples I can snag, I'm always happy. The Black Tea Firming Overnight Mask was heaven sent when I went through a dry spell with my skin. Having really cold weather one day, then unseasonably warm weather the next makes my skin freak out, and this helped to really make it feel nice and supple. I was able to get a good three uses out of the little packet. 

I'm not a huge fan of the Grace line of products from Philosophy, but the Pure Grace Foaming Bath and Shower Cream really surprised me. It really just smells clean, that's the best way I can describe it. If I didn't have a massive amount of shower gels/creams to go through, I'd buy a full size of this in a heartbeat.

If you made it here to the end, you're awesome! I know that was alot to go over, but I feel so proud of myself for using all this up. 

What did you use up recently?

*Post contains affiliate links*

Drugstore Beauty HAUL! Walmart & Dollar Tree

Hey everyone! A few weeks ago after a doctor appointment, I was feeling a little blah, so my husband decided to take me out for lunch before we went about our errands for the day. We stopped at Walmart for some necessities, and the Dollar Tree was a few stores down from where we had lunch. Naturally, I looked at the beauty section in both places and came out with some goodies to share with you guys!

Starting off with Walmart, I decided to pick up the Rimmel Lasting Finish Foundation in the shade 091 Light Ivory. I hear so many people talking about this and how awesome it is for a drugstore foundation. I haven't worn makeup like I normally do lately, so I have yet to try it, but I have a feeling I'll like it. It was so inexpensive too, only about $5 or $6. 

I've been wanting to try the Maybelline Master Conceal Camoflaging Concealer since it came out. I bought mine in the shade 10 Fair, and I think it was the only one that hadn't been tampered with. I don't know what it is about Walmart, but their beauty section always looks a hot mess and tons of products have been broken into. Anyways, sorry for the little rant there. I've heard mixed thoughts on this concealer, and it wasn't too pricey, so I figured I'd give it a try. 

I had also been wanting to try the Maybelline Lash Sensational Mascara in the color Blackest Black. The other reviews I've heard have been mostly positive, and Maybelline mascaras are probably my favorite in the drugstore. 

Maybelline had my heart this day, and I picked up one of their newer matte lipstick shades in the color Blushing Pout. This is such a pretty nude-y rose color that I think will look really nice with my fair skin and a simple eye look. I LOVE Maybelline's matte lipstick formula as it's not too drying like other ones can be. 

Now for the Dollar Tree! I love that store so freaking much, it's stupid. Anything I think I need, I immediately go there and see if I can find it. Most times, I can, and I feel so proud to have only spent $1. I picked up one of the English Lavender soaps from Yardley. I honestly don't know how much these are normally, but I don't think they're that expensive. I bought this mainly to clean my makeup brushes with, and I can't wait because this soap smells incredible. 

I never really get excited about L.A. Colors, but I saw a bunch of their Color Balms, and I picked the shade Boom, which looks like a bright red in the tube. I don't expect full-on color from this since it is a balm, but I think it might give a light wash and a bit of hydration. 

I got really excited seeing Jelly Belly lip balms, and picked up the scent Bubblegum. The packaging says this is flavored, and I have yet to try this, but I can't wait to test that claim. No, I'm not going to eat this, but when you're wearing a balm or gloss and accidentally get some in your mouth, it's not very pleasant. I feel like a little kid with this balm.  

Lastly, I purchased two brushes. one is the Wet n' Wild Eyeshadow Brush and the other is an ELF Smudge Brush. I haven't used either of these yet, but the ELF brush is already shedding on me, and I have yet to wash it. ELF brushes aren't usually my favorite, but for $1, I don't care too much. The Wet n' Wild brush feels really nice and there is no shedding yet. I'm hoping to like both once they're washed and used a few times. 

Is there anything you've hauled at the drugstore lately?

July 2015 Empties

Hey guys! I'm fairly unhappy with the amount of products I used up (or didn't use up really), but if you read my favorites post where I posted my life update, I didn't really care to do much makeup/skincare wise. I managed to use up a few things, so lets see what I have!

The first used up product is the St. Ives Oatmeal & Shea Butter Body Wash. I originally bought this for my husband when he was having itchy skin issues, but decided I wanted to try it out for myself because it smelled so good. This stuff is amazing! It feels incredibly hydrating for being such a foamy body wash and it was super inexpensive too. We will definitely be buying this again once the stash is used up. 

Next up is one of the Foaming Hand Soaps from Bath & Body Works in the scent Berry Sangria. This scent is heavenly, but my husband and I both prefer to use the soaps with the scrubby bits in them. I'm slowly trying to use up all the foamy ones I have, but if this scent is still available in the scrubby one, I will buy it again. 

I like taking the Nature Made Fish Oil softgels because my husband isn't a fan of seafood and doesn't really like the smell of it either, so I don't cook it much. To still get the health benefits, I take a fish oil supplement, and this one has DHA in it which is said to help with heart health. I have another bottle of this, but I bought a different brand that I'm currently using. 

These are the last few bits! I used up the three mascaras I had been rotating. Too Face Better Than Sex, Lancome Grandiose, and Urban Decay Supercurl. I loved all these for different reasons. Too Faced is amazing overall, it lengthens and volumizes my lashes like no other mascara has and it's probably my favorite out of these three. Lancome for me is more lengthening than volumizing overall. Urban decay is the one I used if I got some clumps in my lashes because it's incredibly separating. I did also post reviews of the Too Faced mascara here and the Lancome mascara here. Out of these three, I'd probably repurchase Too Faced Better Than Sex.

I finished up a little baby sample of the L'Occitane Shea Hand Cream. This stuff is amazingly hydrating on parched, dry hands. I've been having a dry spell with my hands lately and you only need a tiny bit of this to get the job done, so it lasted a good while. The full size of these hand creams are pretty expensive though, so I probably wouldn't repurchase unless it's in a gift set or something.

The final product I used up is the e.l.f Therapeutic Conditioning Balm in the scent Orange Creme. I featured this in last month's favorites here and I completely fell in love, especially with the scent. The only gripe I had with this is it didn't take long for me to use up. Honestly, I probably used this up in about 3 or so weeks. I do love me some lip balm but I only really used this at night before bed. I think this is only $1 so it's no big deal, but I'd rather use something that will last me a little while. 

What did you use up in July?

June 2015 Favorites

Hello everyone! June was a long month for me, but July definitely seemed to creep up at the same time. Weird, I know. I wasn't in the mood to wear a ton of makeup last month, but I do have some favorites to share with you!

My first favorite is the L'Oreal La Palette Nude 2. I've done a full review of this here, and since using it more, I really love this palette alot! I find it to be a great drugstore palette, and while it's a little on the high-end retailing for $19.99, you can find sales quite frequently, and also Walmart sells it for about $16. I just think this palette is really nice quality and I love these cooler, purple shades.

My next favorite is the Simple Refreshing Facial Wash Gel. I had ran out of my nighttime cleanser and was looking through my stash for something that was gentle, yet helped to get rid of any makeup residue left behind from a makeup wipe/cleansing oil. This cleanser is most definitely my answer to that! It's so incredibly gentle that I can use it on my eyes to help remove mascara, and it doesn't burn one bit. I love how this gel turns into a slightly foamy/milky consistency and it does get rid of every last trace of makeup, dirt and grease. Absolutely love this stuff!

Next up we have the Caudalie Instant Detox Mask, which I reviewed here. In my review I raved about how this has changed my skin, and I still mean that. When I don't use this for a while, my skin starts feeling more rough and textured. This mask totally cleans out my pores, evens out my skin, and gives me such a nice glow. It is a bit pricey, but it's worth every penny!

My last favorite is the e.l.f Therapeutic Conditioning Balm in the scent Orange Cream. I just checked their website, and they do still carry this lip balm but it's under a different name, and it looks like they no longer have this scent. That's such a shame because I've been obsessed with slathering this stuff all over my lips at night before bed. I do find this to be hydrating, but it doesn't last very long on my lips. I also tend to go through this pretty quick as there isn't a whole lot in the tube. I just started using it about a week and a half ago, and I already see myself using it up in the next couple weeks, if that. It's only $1, so it's not that big of a deal. 

That's everything! Might not be too exciting, but like I said, I haven't been in the mood to wear much makeup, plus I haven't been feeling well. Hopefully July is better! 

*Remember I still have my Summer Blog Sale going on!*

What were some products you were loving in June?

*Product links are affiliate links*

Spring Drugstore Makeup HAUL!

Hello everyone! I went to Walmart earlier today and decided I wanted to treat myself to some new makeup for Spring. Today is the first nice day we've had in a while. Last Thursday we had a nasty snowstorm that gave us close to 10 inches of snow, and today it's just over 50 degrees, the sun is shining, and Rita's Water Ice was open (yes, I did get some!). My husband is also off work so we got to spend some quality time together. Anyways, enough of the rambling. Lets see what I picked up!

I'll try to go in order as much as possible, so the first product that's pictured on the top left is the Hard Candy Glow All The Way Ombre Baked Blush in the color Punch. It's a beautiful pink shade that I thought would look better with my fair skin. They had another one that was a bit more peach toned, but my husband said they looked exactly the same. They did look similar, but this one was definitely more pink. It only cost me $7

Next up we have the NYC Smooth Skin BB Creme in the Instant Matte version in the color 01 Light. They had only one other color in a medium shade, so I do hope this goes well with my skintone. I heard about this from a review on YouTube and it was only $3.57 so even if I don't like it much, it's not a huge loss. 

I also decided to try out the L'Oreal Infallible Pro-Matte Foundation in the shade 101 Classic Ivory. I have heard rave reviews since this came out and I really want to get into foundations more. I have really oily skin when it gets to be Spring and Summer, so I do have high hopes for this. At my Walmart, this costs $11.88, which is pricey, but alot less expensive than drugstores. 

My Walmart finally has a good selection of E.L.F. cosmetics, so I picked up two of their Smudge Pots. I got the shades Cruisin' Chic (left) and Ain't That Sweet (right). Cruisin' Chic is a light bronze shade and Ain't That Sweet is a pink-y champagne color. I've heard good things about these products and they were only $3 each. 

I saw the brand LAB2 at a different Walmart a while ago, but didn't pick anything up. I saw the line at my Walmart and decided to try their Blending Brush. This is supposed to have some technology that provides superior pigment pick-up and release, and gives professional results. This brush was only $6, so we will see about those claims.

I've been a little bored with the powders I normally use, so I decided to try out the Maybelline Fit Me Matte+Poreless Powder in the shade 100 Translucent. The lightest colored shade seemed a bit too dark, so I normally have to buy the translucent versions. Since warmer weather is upon us, I figured I would put this to the test and see if it works for my skin. It cost me $5.94

I've heard everyone talk about the Coty Airspun Loose Face Powder, and I picked mine up in the shade Translucent. They only had one other shade available, but it looked way too dark. I've never tried this product before, so I'm excited to see what the hype is about. This is only $5.97, which is an insane deal for the amount you get. 

There was a huge display of the new Maybelline Color Sensational Rebel Blooms lipsticks, and I picked up the color 715 Hibiscus Pop. Alot of the shades seemed like they wouldn't go well with my skintone, and this was the most neutral pink shade. alot of them seemed too orange or red based which makes me looks dead. I'm excited to get into lipsticks some more, and I love anything Maybelline. This was only $5.50

The last two lip products are from NYC. The first product on the left is the Expert Last Lip Lacquer in the shade 201 Lincoln Square Love Affair. It's a beautiful creamy pink shade that will look really pretty for Spring. The second product is the Big Bold Plumping Lip Gloss in the shade 479 Voluminous Pink. It's a similar shade to the first one, but it has a bit more of a mauve tone. Both of these lip products cost $3.57 each. 

I have yet to swatch or try anything here, but if you want reviews of something, definitely let me know! Is there anything you've purchased recently to get ready for Spring?

May 2014 Empties!

Hey everyone! I know you all probably thought I died or something, and I felt like I did at one point, but I'm still here! I was actually just really, really sick. I probably had bronchitis or an upper respiratory infection. I've also had some other health issues going on and to make a long story short, I'm doing physical therapy three times a week right now for my back because of a herniated disk and pinched nerves. Needless to say, I've been in alot of pain lately so the blog took a backseat so I can focus on feeling better. Anyways, enough of me rambling, here are the products I had used up in May!

The first product I used up is the Sephora brand Daily Makeup Brush Cleaner. I love using this after every makeup application because I do have oily and acne-prone skin, plus my eyes are sensitive so cleaning all the brushes I use after every use is essential for me. I deep clean about once a month because I do spot clean with this daily.

Next up we have the Bath & Body Works Mango Paradise foaming handsoap. I'm obsessed wit the B&BW hand soaps and I typically only buy them when there's a good sale. I have so many backups of other scents so I'm set for a while. 

Then we have The Body Shop's Cocoa Butter Creamy Body Wash. While I loved the smell of this, I didn't really feel like it cleaned very but it did make my skin feel super soft after using it. I have so many different body washes and shower gels in my closet that I probably don't need to buy any for over a year. I'm thinking once I use up everything, I may go drugstore because it's cheaper and I feel like my skin is extra sensitive to scented products lately. 

The Body Shop's Coconut Body Scrub is one of the most heavenly scented products I own. Its not the most effective scrub ever but I'm just obsessed with coconut. This is in the old packaging before they changed it and I bought it for I think $5. I'm pretty sure I have another one of these but I might not repurchase since I like my body scrubs to have more grit to them. 

I did a review here on this Yes To Tomatoes Daily Pore Scrub, and I still don't like it. I used it up because I hate being wasteful, but I didn't like this. It left a weird film on my face and it was too harsh on my skin. I have no idea why anyone would want to use this daily because of that. I will never in a million years repurchase this.

I absolutely loved the bareMinerals Renew & Hydrate Eye Cream. I also did a review of this product here. This eye cream was so hydrating and felt amazing around my eyes. I'll have to repurchase this once I use up my other eye creams.

Another amazing eye cream I used up is the Origins GinZing Refreshing Eye Cream. I used this in the morning because it has a tint to it to help with dark circles. I noticed a little bit of a difference with my dark circles, but not enough to completely wow me. I mostly loved this because of how good it felt and that it wasn't heavy feeling at all, but still moisturized well.

An odd mix of products here, but I'm throwing away the Soap & Glory Sexy Mother Pucker lip gloss in the color Candy Gloss. I went to use it one day and it burned like acid on my lips. Had to take it off right away because it hurt so bad! I understand plumping glosses have that tingly effect, but I never remember this burning so bad. I admit, I've had it for quite a while, so it probably just went bad. 

I'm also throwing away 2 of the E.L.F. Eyelid Primers because they just suck. I started using one after I used up the rest of my Urban Decay Primer Potion (which is my favorite) and this one does not compare at all. My shadow lasted only about 2 hours before it started creasing and by the end of most days, I barely had any eyeshadow left on my lids. It was crazy so I dug through all my primers and found only one extra one, so they're both going in the trash!

I also used up the Wet N' Wild Megalength Waterproof Mascara. I didn't like this at all when I first started using it, but it grew on me after a while and I liked the effect it had on my lashes. They looked natural but this did give them some decent length. At the end of it's life, it started making my lashes look a tad bit clumpy and it didn't deposit enough color on them either, so it was time to say goodbye. 

I used up a packet of the Barefoot Spa Professional Exfoliating Polish because I did a review of it here. I got two of these packets in an Ipsy bag and I wasn't a fan of this really. The scrubbing particles were so tiny it felt like nothing on my skin. Afterwards, my skin felt softer for some reason but I have no idea why. I'll use up the other packet but I probably won't purchase this myself.

I'm also throwing away this little palette from The Body Shop. It's just called the 01 Eye & Cheek Palette and I purchased this when I started working at The Body Shop about 5 years ago. I had to buy some of their makeup to use when I was working there and at the time, this was great. I used it basically everyday when I was there. I took it out of my stash to use one day last month, and I'm not sure why, but the pigmentation was awful and it blended horribly on my eyes. I never remember that happening back then, but hey, this little guy is almost 5 years old! I'm gonna keep the sentimental side out of this and just throw it away. It was good to me while I needed it.

These E.L.F. brushes have to be thrown out! They're so old and rough and basically not useable anymore. The top one is the Bronzing Brush and the bottom one is the Total Face Brush. I think these came in a kit or something with some face products, but they're so old that I honestly have no idea when I got them. If I can remember, my mom actually got them for me when I was a teenager. Yeah, time to go! I have so many brushes that these won't be missed. 

Well, if you made it to the end, you're awesome! I know this was a super long post, but I sure did go through alot of products! I feel like I'm making a good dent in my beauty stash which makes me really happy! What did you use up in May?

February 2014 Empties!

Hello everyone! I know it's over half way through March and I have yet to post the products I used up in February. So sorry it took incredibly long! Life's been getting in the way again and I'm trying to figure a good balance between that and blogging. Anyways, February was a good month for empties, and I went through alot of stuff and got rid of really old products as well. 

The first product I used up is my Renu contact solution. This is the only contact solution I can use because everything else I have used has made my contacts feel like I'm sticking acid on my eyeballs! I don't know what it is, but I must be super sensitive to contact solution. This stuff isn't cheap, so I try to buy the double pack at Walmart when I have a coupon for it. 

Next up is the Bath & Body Works Signature Vanilla Shower Gel in the Coconut Vanilla scent. I purchased two of these when they were having a sale, and while I did like the scent, it didn't clean very well. I've been noticing that with a few of the B&BW shower gels I used before. I'll use up the shower gels I have, but I most likely won't repurchase. 

Another B&BW product I used up is the Vanilla Berry Sorbet Anti-Bacterial Deep Cleansing Hand Soap. This stuff smells amazeballs! My husband and I had a friend stay with us for a weekend, and even he said how awesome this stuff smelled. I really love these handsoaps that have the little scrubby particles in them. I feel like they clean better, and with my husband working in construction, these are great for him too! Definitely a repurchase many times over.

I also used up an E.L.F. Therapeutic Conditioning Balm in the scent Vanilla Cream. This stuff sucked! It left a major white cast on my lips so I only used it before bed. It also only lasted maybe three weeks, and it wasn't at all moisturizing. I think this was only a buck, but don't waste your money. I think I have two more of these to use up, but I will never repurchase!

My next empty is one of the best mascaras I've tried, and it's Maybelline's The Rocket Volum' Express in the Blackest Black shade. Love love love this mascara! The only thing is I feel like it dried up way too fast. While I think mascaras tend to get better as they dry out, this one just seems to get too dry too fast and it ended up getting all clumpy on my lashes, so I decided to toss it. I'll most likely repurchase once I go through the tons of mascaras I have to use up!

I also used up these Make-up Remover Facial Wipes that I got from the Dollar Tree. I got what I paid for, which was a horrible wipe that barely removed any makeup. These were so hard to use up so I mainly used them to remove product swatches, which also did a horrendous job! I'll never get these again, even though they were only $1.

I finally used up the Own Lifting Eye Cream, which I did a review on here. iFabbo sent this to me, but it was a pretty decent eye cream. I used it only at night because it was a tad bit heavy for me for daytime use. Now, I'm only 25 years old and I've been using eye creams since I was a teenager (thanks mom!) so I think I have semi-decent undereyes. I do have dark circles (thanks dad!) so I'm trying to find a product that helps mainly with that. I did like this eye cream though because it kept my undereyes hydrated and didn't irritate at all. Not sure if I'll repurchase since I am on a hunt for a good eye cream for dark circles. I'll keep looking!

I decided to throw away the Rimmel Moisture Renew lip gloss in the shade Pink Remedy. This was gifted to me I don't know how long ago and it started to smell funky, so in the trash it goes! 

I'm also throwing out a mini Anastasia Hydrafull Gloss in the color Sugar Pink because it burned the crap outta my lips! I got this in either one of those Sephora holiday lip kits or a monthly subscription box. Not sure how else to describe the burning, but it just felt like I was putting something really hot on my lips. I had to take it off right away, it was that bad.

I'm saving this container just in case I want to put something else in it, but the First Aid Beauty Dual Repair Face Cream got all goopy and smelled really weird, so I dumped it out and cleaned the container. Not sure what I'll use this for yet, but it may come in handy eventually!

I decided to go through my brushes one day and came across these Kat Von D brushes that I had gotten in a kit years and years ago. I don't know what happened to these brushes, but some of the bristles look like they were cut off or chewed up. I honestly don't know what it is, but I never used these, and they look all deformed so it's time to say goodbye. 

Last two products! I used up a Nature Made Multi for Her vitamin bottle. I know this probably isn't an exciting empty, but it can be tough for me to get through taking vitamins. I still don't know if they actually do anything, but I guess deep in my brain, it thinks they do something because I keep buying multis when I run out.

Now I actually didn't use up this whole bottle of Sephora 3 in 1 Perfecting Base Coat, it actually fell over when I didn't realize, and most of it leaked out onto my coffee table. I was kinda pissed because I did like this product and now I don't have another base coat as a backup, but I've decided just to use a top coat as a base coat for now until I decide to buy another one.

Well that's everything I used up/ threw away for being too old! Hopefully you all can forgive me for getting this up super late. I did get my Ipsy bag in the mail a couple days ago, so expect that post soon!

Also, don't forget I have a blog sale going! Take a look because there are alot of nice products!

June 2013 Empties!

June was an awesome month in using up products! I'm really happy with what I used up and I finally feel like I'm making a dent in my stash. I also wanted to mention that I'm doing another spending ban as of July 1st. It's going to be another 3 month long ban, and I feel like I can do it, especially since I did so well on my last one. Anyways, let me show you what I used up!

I'm incredibly happy I was able to use up a bunch of skincare products! I used up The Body Shop Tea Tree Skin Clearing Toner. I know I've talked about this toner before, but it's amazing to use in the Summer because it really helps to control my oily skin. I used this in the morning after my cleanser.

I used up a toner that I used at night after cleansing, and it's the Clinique Mild Clarifying Lotion. I prefer this toner to one of the 3 step system toners because this one doesn't have alcohol in it. I used the Clinique 3 step skincare program before and the toner I got burned my face so bad because of the alcohol in it. This toner is very gentle and made my skin feel clean and soft.

I also used up another product from The Body Shop and it's the Tea Tree Skin Clearing Lotion. I used this in the morning and it helped my skin stay matte and soft, but didn't dry it out either.

I used up one of the Neutrogena Ultra Sheer Dry Touch Sunblocks with SPF 55. I won't ramble about this as I've mentioned it a ton but it's definitely my favorite sunblock of all time. 

The Body Shop has gotten a bunch of love from me this past month and I used up the Seaweed Ionic Clay Mask, finally. I did a full review of it here, and I'm not quite sure why, but it's the most viewed post I have on my blog. This isn't the best mask on the planet, so if you're interested in it, read my review of it. 

The final product I used up from The Body Shop is the Tea Tree Oil Blemish Fade Night Lotion. Honestly, this is nothing special. It's a fairly basic moisture that definitely has that tea tree oil smell and I don't think it helps much with blemishes.

Now I'm not too sure if you guys care about replacement brush heads for the Clarisonic but I'm throwing out the Delicate Brush Head that I've been using for I don't know how long. I know you're supposed to replace them every 3 months if used daily, but there was a time when I didn't use my Clarisonic for like a month, so that's why I don't replace the heads that often. I use my Clarisonic only when I wear a full face of makeup during the day, which is rare. I'm currently using the Deep Pore Brush, but you might not see that in an empties post for a long while.

Now for makeup empties! I'm throwing out the container to the ELF Daily Brush Cleaner, but technically it's not used up. I actually had to pour this cleaner into the Sephora Daily Brush Cleaner because the nozzle on this just did not work. I can't remember if I mentioned that I used up the Sephora Cleaner or not, but I used that up and poured the ELF cleaner in that container. 

I finally used up the Neutrogena Oil-Free Eye Makeup Remover. This got my eye makeup off pretty well, but my all-time favorite is the Lancome Bi-Facil. It's so flipping expensive, which is why I purchased this. I was hoping it would be comparable to the Lancome, and it kinda was. It's the same concept where it's a dual-phase liquid that you have to shake the bottle before you use it. I just think the Lancome one is better.

I also used up the Urban Decay De-Slick Makeup Setting Spray. I think this is alright. I just have insanely oily skin and it's been tough finding products to keep my face looking matte. I have repurchased this though as a backup once my Kat Von D setting spray is gone.

This product isn't old, it's just terrible. It's the Maybelline The Falsies Flared Mascara. I can't even begin to say how much I hate this mascara. I tried using this for as long as I could, but it kept making my lashes clump together, I never got an even application, and it flaked like crazy on me. I'll never repurchase this atrocity! 

The final makeup product I used up is by a brand called Love & Beauty and it's a Minty Lip Gloss. Now I had to do some research on this because I actually got this from a co-worker, and it looks like it's a Forever21 brand. I don't own any makeup from Forever21 but I kinda liked this lip gloss. It tasted really good and it was a nice color. It also wasn't sticky at all which is pretty awesome.

Here's the final mish-mash of products I used up. I finished off the Herbal Essences Dangerously Straight Shampoo for my fiance There was maybe only a quarter of the bottle left and he didn't want to use it up so I used it up for him! I'm in love with how good Herbal Essences Shampoos and Conditioners smell, and I'll probably end up buying some after I use up more of my stash.

I used up the Bath & Body Works Pink Sugarplum Shower Gel. I love how this smells but I think I may be allergic to this. It kinda made my skin itchy and I couldn't wait to put on moisturizer once I got out of the shower to calm it down. I've used other BBW shower gels and haven't had that happen to me, so I'm not sure why I had a reaction to this.

I also used up another Bath & Body Works product and it's the Fresh Picked Tangerines Antibacterial Moisturizing Hand Soap. I loved this stuff but it took me ages to use up. I promise you guys, I wash my hands on a regular basis, but this stuff lasted forever. 

I used up the Colgate Optic White Toothpaste I received in an Influenster VoxBox. I like this toothpaste, but the mouthwash to this is terrible. I feel like I'm foaming at the mouth using it and it burns like hell. The toothpaste didn't do that, fortunately. I won't repurchase this though as there are way better toothpastes out there.

The final product I used up is the Similasan Allergy Eye Relief Eye Drops. I know I've talked about this before, but this is my favorite brand for eye drops and I'll never purchase another brand. 

That's everything I used up! Not to bad, huh?

What did you guys use up in June?

E.L.F. Haul!

Hey guys! When I made my ridiculously large hauls posts, I got a little excited and forgot to include what I purchased from E.L.F. cosmetics! It's not a whole lot and probably doesn't deserve its own post, but hey, I still wanna show you all what I got anyways.

I bet you can't tell that I love eyeshadows, right?! Ha, seriously though, it's an obsession. I'm so in love with eyeshadows and I feel like I have to have every single one ever made! Well, maybe not ever made, but I do love me some eyeshadow! Anyways, the first product I purchased is the 144 Piece Neutral Eyeshadow Palette. I saw this palette on sale on their website and was so flipping excited for it, and decided it was mine! There are so many different neutral colors to choose from, it's almost like this would be the only eyeshadow palette you'd ever need (emphasis on the almost!).

The next thing I picked up is another eyeshadow palette (shocker!) and it's the 48 Piece Eyeshadow Book- Day. Another neutral palette as well, but there are some lovely colors and this little guy is really nice for travel since it's alot smaller. I don't think anyone can pull off bringing the massive palette on a trip.

The next product I picked up is an Eye Crease Brush. I love how small this is compared to a regular fluffy crease brush. I have really hooded eyelids, and big crease brushes tend to be a bit big for my eyes, so this brush is perfect for placing color into my crease, then I'll use a fluffy brush to help with blending. I find that works so much better for me.

Then I purchased a trio set of their Hypershine Glosses, which I've fallen in love with! I've already used the lightest color called Cherry Fizz, and it's incredibly gorgeous and not sticky at all. I had never tried these before, so I was a little nervous they'd be sticky and goopy, but they feel wonderful on the lips.

Now the last two products I didn't pay for. How did that happen you ask? Beats me honestly! They were in my box when it arrived and it did confuse me a bit, because they weren't on the order sheet and I wasn't charged for them. I'm pretty sure I don't have any use for the liquid eyeliners, so I'm not entirely sure what I'll do with them. I may try the lipstick as it looks like a complimentary color to my skintone. 

That's my little haul for you guys! Do any of these products seem interesting to you?

March 2013 Empties!

Hi guys! I feel like I went through a ton of products this past March! I had to actually categorize the pictures I took so everything didn't look so jumbled. First I'll show my skincare empties, then haircare, and lastly a mish-mash of things!

The first skincare product I used up was the Clean Scene Craving for Clean Cleanser. I did a full review on this in the beginning of January, which you can read here if you like. Back then, I had been using it for maybe two or three weeks, so this bottle lasted me for about three and a half months, which isn't too bad. I was only using this at night, so that's probably why. I really liked this cleanser because it made my skin feel clean without feeling tight and dry afterwards.

Next, I used up another one of my amazing The Body Shop Aloe Calming Toner. I know I've talked about this a zillion times, so I won't go into just how amazing this stuff is. Pick up a bottle, I promise you'll like it!

Then I used up The Body Shop Aloe Protective Serum. I'm pretty sure I've talked about this in the past as well, but I mixed this in with my morning moisturizer to give my skin a bit of extra hydration. I'll probably always buy backups of this along with the Aloe Toner, unless something more awesome comes along. Those two products are pretty much Holy Grail products to me.

Lastly for skincare, I used up The Body Shop Tea Tree Skin Clearing Lotion. Pretty sure I've mentioned this before, but this is a great moisturizer that helps prevent breakouts. I mixed the Aloe Serum in with this because it is very drying in the Winter, but in the Summer, it's fine by itself. I know I always have a ton of Body Shop products and you're probably getting tired of seeing them, but I do have a ton of products to go through partly because I used to work there, so I'd always buy alot because of the discount, and I just love the products! I always stock up when there's a sale, so I do apologize if you're getting tired of hearing me talk about The Body Shop!

Next up is haircare! I have finally used up the Garnier Fructis Length & Strength Fortifying Conditioner. I can't even tell you how long I've had this, but it's definitely longer than when I moved out of my parents house, which was last July! I really loved this conditioner. It made my hair feel soft, and made it less tangle-y. I don't really think it helped with my hair being stronger as I let it grow out. I still have tons of split ends and my hair still breaks very easily. I'm not sure if it's genetics or what because I don't blow dry my hair at all and I very rarely use a flat iron on it. I might just need a good old fashioned haircut!

Next I used up The Body Shop Rainforest Moisture Shampoo and Conditioner for dry hair. These were honestly nothing special. The shampoo gave me bad dandruff and the conditioner is probably the least moisturizing conditioner I've ever tried. It did absolutely nothing for my hair whatsoever. Trying to get a comb through my hair after using this was terrible, it would always snag, and I'd have to use extra leave-in conditioner to help get the tangles out. Not fun.

Lastly I used up the Suave Professionals Dry Shampoo Spray. I did a full review here, so I won't go into great detail about it. This dry shampoo wasn't bad at all, but it wasn't amazing either. In my review I did say that it took away the oily look I had but didn't take away the oily feel, which is why I'm still looking for a dry shampoo that does both. Shortly after posting my review of this dry shampoo, I was contacted to try out another brand's dry shampoo, so I'm super excited to try it and do a review on it. Stay tuned for it! I'll probably post it in the next few weeks!

Finally the miscellaneous products. I used up The Body Shop Shea Shower Cream, and I can't say enough good things about this! It's so creamy and hydrating, but still foams up nicely when you use a loofah or washcloth. The smell is very nice and light as well, not overpowering at all. The Body Shop's Shower Creams are pretty pricey so in the future, this will be a splurge purchase for me!

Next I used up two hand creams. The first one is Aveeno Intense Relief Hand Cream. I had this in my purse for ages, and finally it's gone. This isn't so special in my opinion. It took away the dryness I had, but not for very long. The bottle even says it lasts through hand washings, but for me, it didn't at all. My skin was dry and flaky again afterwards. The second hand cream is a different story. It's The Body Shop Hemp Hand Protector. This is the small tube they have, there is a larger one. I honestly can't remember if I've ever talked about this before, but this is probably the most amazing hand cream I've ever tried! For some reason I don't even think I put this in a monthly favorites post. Shame on me, I'll have to do a review on this, because it truly is amazing. This lasts through hand washings, and it's amazing if you have to wash your hands alot at work. I have alot of hand creams for backups, so I won't repurchase for a while, but once my very last one is used up, this is what I'm repurchasing!

The last two things I used up are lip balms. The first one is Auquafina Flavor Splash lip balm in the raspberry flavor. This wasn't that great. It didn't moisturize my lips enough, and I went through this tube in like two weeks. The second lip balm is the e.l.f. Therapeutic Conditioning Balm in the strawberry creme scent. The product is definitely not as good as the name makes it out to be. It was like the Aquafina lip balm in my opinion. This smelled amazing though, and that's the only thing I really only liked about it.

So that's everything I used up! I really think I used up a ton of stuff and I'm sorry if this post was long! If you made it to the end, I love you :)

What all did you use up recently?