Empties #12

While I haven't been so great about not buying things (I really need to put myself on a a strict "no buy") I HAVE been excellent about finishing what I have. Let's dig in...

• Essie Smoothies hand & body lotion in Pomegranate & Mango (would repurchase) - This was a nice light lotion that I used as a hand lotion. It didn't leave my hands feeling greasy, but it also wasn't mega-hydrating. This is definitely a good choice for the warmer months when my skin doesn't tend to be so dry.

• C.O. Bigelow Lotio Mentholus (would repurchase) - I loved this hand lotion. It's also very light, and has a soft menthol scent. I love the bottle, too!

• Suave Smoothing lotion with cocoa butter & shea (would repurchase) - Another great lotion option! It is lightly scented so it won't interfere with any perfume you're wearing. It moisturizes without being greasy. I was surprised by how much I enjoyed this.

• Alba Botanical Hawaiian Sunscreen in revitalizing green tea (would repurchase) - This sunscreen is very thick and greasy. It's a bit tough to smooth around on the skin. I wouldn't use this as a daily SPF, but it's good if your plan is to bum around on the beach all day. Plus, it's free of nasty chemicals.

• Soap & Glory Hand Food in Fruitigo (would repurchase) - I loooooved this hand lotion! The scent is addicting but not overwhelming. It moisturizes my hands so well. I could easily abandon all other lotions and use this every day from here on out!

• Lush Snow Fairy shower gel (would not repurchase) - I think I'm one of the only people who does not enjoy the cult Snow Fairy scent. It's not the kind of sweet that I enjoy, it a sickening smell. I bought it online without ever smelling it, and I won't be doing that again!

• The Body Shop Almond body butter (would repurchase) - Holy cow, I used a lot of lotion these last couple months. Anyway, I love love loved this body butter. It smells sweet and hydrates intensely. It reminded me of my beloved Creme Anglaise (right next to it), and I'll definitely buy this again.

• Lush Creme Anglaise hand and body lotion (would repurchase) - This is hands down my favorite lotion of all time. And unfortunately, Lush discontinued this last year. It is a tragedy. I hope it makes a comeback for a limited release, because I will stock up even though this costs an arm and a leg.

• Aveeno Positively Radiant Skin Brightening Daily Scrub (would repurchase) - This was a very gentle exfoliator, not harsh at all. If you have sensitive skin, this would be a good option for you. Jake also enjoyed using this. It is fragranced, but not overly so. 
• amie Morning Clear Purifying Facial Wash (would not repurchase) - This was an odd face wash. It felt more like I was slathering lotion all over my face than soap. It just didn't do anything for me. 

• Maybelline Clean Express Makeup Remover (would repurchase) - This gets my eye makeup off well. There's not much more to say about it. 

• L'Oreal Voluminous Extra-Volume Collagen waterproof mascara (would not repurchase) - I took a chance on this, and I didn't like it at all. It was clumpy and gritty and was hard to work with. 

• Aquafina Hydrating Lip Oil (would repurchase) - Full review here. 

• fresh Soy Face Cleanser (would repurchase) - I really enjoyed using this face cleanser, and this deluxe sample lasted me ages. I loved how gentle this was. It never broke me out and did a great job of cleansing my skin. 

• Calvin Klein Ck One Color Mascara (Would repurchase) - This was last year's birthday gift from Ulta, and it was awesome. It didn't make my lashes clumpy, but it provided volume and length. If it wasn't a bit spendy, I'd totally buy it again. 

• Rimmel Stay Matte Foundation (would not repurchase) - Full review here. 

• Andalou Naturals 1000 Roses Absolute Serum (would repurchase) - This serum was heavenly! It smelled softly of roses which is already a huge win in my book. It's meant to soothe and nourish sensitive skin, and I did find it calming.

• B&BW Antibac in Apple Wreath (would repurchase) - I use these before applying my makeup so I don't spread germs on my skin. I like the B&BW ones because they have so many different scents.

• Benefit Total Moisture Facial Cream (would not repurchase) - This moisturizer felt like it just sat on top of my skin. It didn't do a good job of hydrating dry patches. It's a pricey moisturizer and it's definitely not worth it to me.

• DrJ Organics Pure Organic Eye-Lifting Creme (would repurchase) - Full review here.

• Indie Lee Brightening Cleanser (would not repurchase) - I didn't care for the scent of this cleanser and I don't feel like it did much for me. 

• Herbal Essences Body Wash in Body Burst (would repurchase) - This smelled really good, just like all Herbal Essences products do. I liked it!

• Leanni Eco 3-in-1 Revolution Light (would repurchase) - I really liked this toner, moisturizer and serum in one! It hydrated and balanced my skin. Once I work my way through my other moisturizers I have in stock, I'd definitely buy this. 

• Coach Poppy Perfume (would not repurchase) - This smelled nice, but it's nothing unique. I don't need it in my stash.

• Sally Hansen Insta-Dri Top Coat (would repurchase) - I have used this top coat for ages. It dries fast and will leave your nails shiny, but it has a tendency to bubble and it chips quickly. I've gone back to using Seche Vite for now.

• Nivea Lip Butter in Vanilla & Macadamia Kiss (would repurchase) - This smelled heavenly. I smeared this on my lips at night before bed, and it did a pretty good job of hydrating. It doesn't penetrate very deeply, but it's not bad for a cheap lip butter. 

• Wet n Wild Mega Eyes Cream Eyeliner (would repurchase) - I really liked this product, and it made my top 14 of 2014, but it dried up on me. I will get it again because it's so cheap and it's mega-black. 

• Clear Clinic Laboratories Vanished Clear Spot Treatment (would repurchase) - I liked this little sample for zapping spots. It was a good morning treatment for use underneath makeup. It wasn't a miracle product, but I do think it helped speed the healing process along. 

• C.O. Bigelow Mentha Lip Shine in Ultra (would repurchase) - I absolutely love this lip product. It's tingly and cooling on the lips and I can feel it moisturizing and healing when I use it. It has a minty smell and it supposed to help freshen breath, too. I'll definitely get this again. 

• B&BW Wallflowers in Winter (would not repurchase) - As much as I hate using these because they're chock full of bad chemicals, I always seem to have one going in my house because they smell so dang good. Winter isn't my favorite scent and it's not very strong, it's kind of a fruity winter scent, so I won't buy it again. 

• Jason Powersmile toothpaste in Vanilla Peppermint (would repurchase) - I love Jason toothpastes because they're more natural and SLS and flouride-free. I really loved the vanilla peppermint flavor.

• Aveeno Nourish & Strengthen Shampoo & Conditioner (would repurchase) - I got one use out of these. It was nice, nothing overly special, but I'd try out the full size in the future. 

• Liquid Volumizing Shampoo & Conditioner (would repurchase) - I liked these more than I expected to. My hair felt so soft and silky after using these. I have no clue where to purchase them, but if I saw them around, I'd pick them up.

• Elite Therapeutics Elite Shampoo & Conditioner (would repurchase) - Another good shampoo & conditioner. My hair felt soft and conditioned after using these. I wouldn't go out of my way to find them, but if they're reasonably priced, I'd buy them.

• Yves Rocher Quelques Notes d'Amour perfume (would repurchase) - This little sample smelled SO good. This is the one and only Yves Rocher perfume I've tried, and if they're all this good, I need to smell more! This is musky and slightly rosy - the best of both worlds!

• Lush Honey I Washed the Kids Soap (would repurchase) - I really enjoyed this soap. It has a soft honey scent and is moisturizing. I love that it had a honeycomb imprint on it. I'd definitely buy this again. 

• Lush Butterball Bath Bomb (would repurchase) - The Butterball bath bomb is one of my favorites from lush. It smells like vanilla and makes the bath extra moisturizing. I have another of these in my closet, but it won't be my last. I'll always repurchase this. 

• Yankee Candle Winterland candle (would repurchase) - Aside from the fact this candle burned like crap (see all those ridges?!), it smelled nice like sweet peppermint and I enjoyed it.

• Target Toasted Almond soy candle (would repurchase) - This smelled really good, just like you'd imagine toasted almonds to smell. I loved the chic maroon glass packaging. All around good candle.

• B&BW Cranberry Pear Bellini candle (would not repurchase) - I don't really care for this scent. It's not bad, but just not anything I need.

• Old Factory Candle in Roasted Chestnut (would repurchase) - I loved the smell of this. A full review can be found here. 

Have you tried any of these products? Let me know!

Mega Haul!

It's been QUITE some time since I've allowed myself to splurge on some beauty goodies. Lately I've been focusing on using what I have instead of buying anything more. BUT, I did need some face cleanser, and I saw an excellent deal on some Korres goodies (a brand I've never tried but have been wanting to experiment with) and well... one trip to TJ Maxx later and we've got ourselves a haul....

Back in June, Korres was featured on Hautelook and I could not resist (despite putting myself on a no-buy that I'd been strictly adhering to since May!). I've long wanted to try the lip butters, and I have to say I am not disappointed in the least - they're creamy and hydrating and feel really nice on the lips. I have yet to try the body butters, but I have a feeling I won't be disappointed.

I was super excited to see Organic Surge Pure & Clean face wash at  TJ Maxx. I've tried a couple of Organic Surge products and thoroughly enjoyed them, but never have I used anything from their skincare line. I also decided to pick up the Amie Morning Clear Purifying Facial Wash. I picked this up entirely on a whim; I know nothing about it, so I admit I bought it purely on the cute packaging (I'm such a victim of great packaging). The Rusk Being Gutsy hair thickener I bought for no real reason - it looks cool and I can always use some extra volume.

Yay - two more Organic Surge products! I don't have much selection of facial moisturizers, and these come in really nice, sturdy glass pots (again, a victim of great packaging). My skin has been loving all natural products and I haven't been using an all natural moisturizer lately (at least in the morning), so I'm looking forward to trying these. 

Of all the items I've recently purchased, these are the two I'm most excited about. I've heard so much about Paula's Choice, and I've recently started looking more at Paula's website. If you haven't checked it out, and you care about the ingredients in your beauty products, you need to give it a look. Paula's Choice had their face wash on sale over the 4th of July so I picked a couple up and got an awesome deal. So maybe I'm a bit of a skincare junkie?....

Let me know if you've tried any of these products out!! What have you hauled lately?