February Empties | #23

February wasn't a very exciting month of using things up, and because it was a shorter month, I feel like I don't have much now but I have a WHOLE bunch of stuff that's nearly empty. March will probably be jam packed with goodies. Here's what I used up in February and my two cents on each product. 

• Suave Visible Glow Self-Tanning Body Lotion (would repurchase) - This stuff reeks like tanning lotion, but it gives a really nice color and it builds fast. It's also ridiculously cheap. I didn't quite finish this bottle, it expired before self-tanning season, but I'll definitely get some more for summer.

• glonaturals essentials SPF 30 sunscreen (would repurchase) - This is a Vitacost house brand (Vitacost.com is the best website ever with all sorts of healthy and natural products at a better price than in-store). I like this lotion because it isn't super sticky and it kept me from burning.

• Honest Company SPF 30 Sunscreen (would not repurchase) - This stuff is mega greasy. You will look oiled from head to toe. It's fine for a beach day, but it's not something you want to be covered in if you're just headed out to a ball game or something.

• Davines LOVE Conditioner (would repurchase) - This smelled nice and made my hair feel soft. I do know it's kind of a pricey product, but if I saw it for a good price, I'd snatch it up in a full size.

• Equate Latex-Free Applicator Wedges (would repurchase) - Wedges are still my go-to way to put on foundation. I think they help keep acne at bay because they're one time use only. I'll always have a bag of these in my stash.

• Ken Paves Volumizing Shampoo & Conditioner (would repurchase) - These smelled really good, kind of herbal and reminiscent of certain Aveda products. They made my hair so soft and shiny. I'd definitely pick up a full size of these. 

• Clear Eyes Maximum Redness Relief eye drops (would repurchase) - This spilled all over the bottom of my purse, sadly, but they were good while they lasted. I'm prone to red eyes, so I always keep a bottle of these on hand. 

• Milani Brow Shaping Gel (would repurchase) - This is probably one of my top 3 favorite brow gels. I get it on Amazon for under $10 and it lasts me a solid few months and keeps my eyebrows from being wonky. 

• Dr. Brandt Pores No More pore refiner (would not repurchase) - I've been trying to make my way through the tons of mini primer samples I have, and I started with this one. It does a good job of making your skin look flawless, but I just don't *need* to have it on hand so I wouldn't buy it if I saw it.

• Sensodyne Extra Whitening Toothpaste (would repurchase) - I've got a million of these little travel sizes. I like this toothpaste, and I'd purchase it in a full size.

• Up & Up Eye Makeup Remover (would repurchase) - This stuff works awesome to get tricky waterproof eye makeup off easily. It's cheaper than name brands but works exactly the same. 

• Weleda Oat Replenishing Treatment (would repurchase) - This smelled amazing, very herbal and sort of Aveda-like. It's super thick, like spreading lotion in to your hair, but it leaves hair soft and conditioned. A nice option for a more natural deep conditioner.

• Kiss My Face Triple Action Toothpaste (would not repurchase) - I wasn't a big fan of this toothpaste. It didn't foam up well and it never left my mouth feeling particularly clean. 

• Bella Organics Iced Lemonade deodorant creme (would repurchase) - I did a review on Bella Organics deodorants back in the day, and I ended up buying a 3 pack of the full sizes when they were on Zulily this past summer. I like these natural deodorants a lot. Read the full review for more info. 

• Sephora Organic Cotton facial pads (would not repurchase) - These are overpriced and are far too flimsy. I didn't enjoy using these up and I won't buy them again. 

• Q-Tips Precision Tips (would repurchase) - I loooove these Q-tips. The ends are finer so you can easily remove any messed up eyeliner (what I use them for) or  nail polish. They work great.

• Skinfix Ultra Rich Body Butter (would not repurchase) - I used this on my hands at night before bed. I had realllly dry hands through much of this winter and even this stuff couldn't really save them. It would work if you need medium-intense hydration, but it won't give you mega hydration. 

• Lush Let the Good Times Roll cleanser (would repurchase) - This cleanser for face or body, I used it for face, smells like a cookie and has nice natural grit to exfoliate the skin. My husband wasn't a fan, but I definitely am. 

• Flowerbomb perfume (would repurchase) - I have a full size of this but I used this little mini up. This is the perfume I wore on my wedding day, so it has all sorts of good nostalgia tied to it. 

• Marchesa Parfum Dextase (would not repurchase) - This was wayyyy to much for me. It's strong on the hydrangea/floral notes and just isn't my style.

• Thierry Mugler Alien Perfume (would repurchase) - I love this scent so much. It's warm and inviting and really good for the colder months. I got a rollerball size for Christmas so I don't have to keep hoarding these mini samples anymore. 

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

May Empties (#14)

Another month, another batch of empties. It feels like each month my bag fills up quicker and my sense of accomplishment knows no bounds. Here's what I finished over the last month....

• Tresemme Platinum Strength Shampoo & Conditioner (would repurchase)  - These massive bottles took me ages to go through. They smelled nice and made my hair soft, but I got quite sick of them towards the end. I didn't notice my hair seeming any stronger, but I liked these nonetheless. In the future, I'd buy smaller bottles. 

• eva nyc Freshen Up Dry Shampoo (would not repurchase) - This smelled really great, but it didn't do the best job of keeping me oil free or giving me a boost of volume. I will continue to stick to my tried and true, Batiste. 

• NIP + FAB Yoga Blend Body Wash (would repurchase) - This smelled really good, but I think it's sort of an acquired scent. This bottle took ages to use up, so again, I got a bit sick of it at the end (I like change!) but it was nice and made my skin fresh and clean. 

• Boots Cocoa Butter Body Wash (would repurchase) - This is my last little bottle of Boots body wash, which you've seen sprinkled in many of my empties posts. I love these body washes, they smell amazing and don't dry my skin out. And I'm sure you can imagine just how amazing the cocoa butter scent smells!

• Korres Body Butter in Jasmine (would not repurchase) - The Korres body butters are quite hydrating and nice to use, but I have yet to find a scent I truly adore. Jasmine wasn't for me, but it wasn't bad. It smelled fresh and floral and it kept my skin hydrated.

• Dickinson's Pore Perfecting Toner (would repurchase) - This is a really nice, gentle toner. Witch Hazel has many beneficial properties for the skin, plus it's all natural. I am sure this toner will make a reappearance in my skincare lineup again in the future.

• Michael Todd Charcoal Detox Cleanser (would repurchase) - I did a full review of this product here.

• Hydraluron (would repurchase) - This is a well loved, and mega-hyped skincare product that has a high dosage of hyaluronic acid to plump the skin. I thought this was a nice lightweight serum to use both day and night. See more of my thoughts on this here.

• Liz Earle Cleanse & Polish Hot Cloth Cleanser (would not repurchase) - I know people go apeshit over this cleanser, but I can't say I loved it. It was fine... it removed my makeup and didn't leave any nasty film behind, but I could only massage it so far in to my skin before it sort of stuck and I didn't like that. I just didn't think it was as amazing as I was led to believe it is. 

• Essence All About Matt Powder (would repurchase) - This was a nice translucent powder that performed really well for the cost! This is like $3 at Ulta and it lasted me a long time and did a good job of keeping oil at bay.

• Dolce & Gabana Desire Perfume (would not purchase) - A nice scent, but nothing I absolutely need in my collection.

• Burt's Bees Lip Treatment with Kokum Butter (would not repurchase) - This was the worst lip balm I've tried in a long time. It just sits on the lips and doesn't moisturize at all.

• L'Oreal Voluminous Original Mascara (would repurchase) - I love this mascara. It's a tried and true, buy it again and again mascara. It gives great volume and length and this won't be my last tube. 

• Wet n Wild Color Icon Brow Pencil in Taupe (would repurchase) - This brow pencil is a perfect color match for me. It's just creamy enough and it's super cheap. I've already got a backup of this but I'll buy it again for sure.

• Tarte Maracuja Creasless Concealer (would not repurchase) - I used to love this concealer when I had bad acne because it covers anything. But now that my acne has cleared, this is way too thick for under my eyes (it definitely creases) and I don't need it for spots anymore. I do have one more tube of it, but it'll be a long time before you see that guy in my empties. 

• Molton Brown Pink Peppered Body Wash (would repurchase) - This smells really peppery and nice. I brought this on a couple vacations with me so I have great memories tied to this scent - I'll want it again for sure!

• eos Lip Balm in Honeysuckle Honeydew (would not repurchase) - I feel SO accomplished for using this up. I think the eos lip balms are entirely overrated and not very hydrating so I won't be buying this again. 

• Soap & Glory Sugar Crush Body Buttercream (would repurchase) - This smells SO amazing, like a key lime pie, and it's really moisturizing. This is a favorite of mine. 

• Benefit Stay Flawless 15-hour Primer (would not repurchase) - This was just a sample, but I got many uses out of it. I didn't notice this doing a whole lot to keep my makeup in tact. It was OK, but not worth the price. 

• LOVE Shampoo by Davines (would not repurchase) - I took this shampoo traveling and got many uses out of this sample size. It smelled nice, but wasn't anything special. It's expensive and I wouldn't shell the cash out for it.

• Up & Up Cosmetic Wedges (would repurchase) - My tried and true favorite way to apply my makeup is a simple latex-free cosmetic wedge. The original beauty blender!

• Karuna Hydrating Treatment Mask (would not repurchase) - Karuna masks are pricey, and this wasn't worth the money. It had a backing to it so the sheet mask stayed in form until I applied it to my face, which I appreciated, but this mask left my face sticky and I think it broke me out a bit, too.

• Swisspers Cotton Rounds (would repurchase) - Still working my way through this massive box of cotton rounds from Costco. It's super economical to buy them from Costco, and these are quite good, so I'll buy these again when I finally run out!

• Yves Rocher Micellar Cleansing Water (would repurchase) - This was my first foray in to the micellar cleansing water world. This worked really well to remove all of my makeup, plus it was affordable, and it didn't break me out. 

• Colgate Optic White Platinum (would repurchase) - It's just toothpaste.... I didn't notice my teeth were any whiter, but they felt clean so I'd buy it again. 

• Suave Moroccan Infusion Body Lotion (would repurchase) - I used this as a hand lotion and it made my hands soft without being greasy. It smelled nice, too. 

• Beauty Secrets Non-Acetone Nail Polish Remover (would not repurchase) - This is the Sally beauty brand of nail polish remover. Despite it being way worse for your nails, I much prefer acetone remover and I'll only purchase that from now on.

• Zarbees Naturals Elderberry Gummies (would repurchase) - I like these and I honestly think they keep a cold at bay when I feel one coming on. 

• Chesapeake Bay Candle in Hinoki Bonsai (would not repurchase) - I got this ages ago on sale on Kohl's for next to nothing. It smelled OK but it didn't have great scent throw. 

• Better Homes & Gardens Wax Cubes in French Lilac Flowers (would repurchase) - These smelled just like fresh lilacs and made my home smell great. I love wax cubes and these were really nice.

• B&BW candle in Sparkling Limeade (would repurchase) - How cute is the mini mason jar? This smelled good, but not really like limeade. I don't know what it does smell like, but it's not quite limeade to me.

And that's it! Have you tried any of these products? Let me know!

June Birchbox - Wanderlust

It's here, it's here! My June Birchbox is here, and it comes with an updated logo and branding. This month's box is all about wanderlust, or traveling - it includes samples to serve one well on any summer adventure. Let's dive in...

Color Club Nail Polish in Mod in Manhattan | Full-size: $8

This color is part of an exclusive collection created by Birchbox and Color Club called the Wanderlust Collection which was inspired by four of Birchbox's favorite cities. Mod in Manhattan is a milky off-white that appears to have the slightest tint of pink in it. I have to say I'm not the least bit excited about this color. I don't like my nails being all white - to me that looks like pure white-out, and is a bit sophomoric.  I like Color Club polishes a lot, but I'm not sure I'll be wearing this any time soon.

--What I love: The brand - Color Club polishes are a favorite of mine. 

--What I can live without: The color!

Davines Love Smoothing Shampoo | Full-size: $24

My first thought upon seeing this sample was how pleased I was by the size. I mean, when you get shampoo or conditioner samples in the little rip off packages, there's never enough product to truly tell how well you like it. But THIS is a good size! This shampoo has a really fresh natural scent that I love. This product claims to soften and nourish hair, especially dry and frizzy hair. I will definitely take this little sample with me while traveling, but I can guarantee you I wouldn't spend $24 on a full size bottle of this - outrageous. 

--What I love: The branding. I'm in love with this packaging - simple and modern.

--What I can live without: The price of a full-size bottle. 

Oscar de la Renta Perfume in Something Blue | Full-size: $85-115

Marked by a blend of mandarin and linden blossoms, Something Blue by Oscar de la Renta has summer scent written all over it! It seems most of the beauty world hates getting perfume samples, but I'm part of the minority that loves getting them! Unfortunately, this scent reminds me of a perfume from the Gap that I had in middle school. Considering I'm in my mid-20s, I'd like to think my scents have matured a bit since then.  

--What I love: Nothing, really. Boo.

--What I can live without: The aggravating sample packaging - I prefer spray samples, but this is the pop off top container. I can live without the scent, too. 

suki Exfoliate Foaming Cleanser | Full-size: $32.95

This product from suki is a two-in-one cleanser and exfoliater that lathers and smells like lemons. I like the scent a lot and I'm betting I can get a couple uses out of this sample - awesome! This is a brand I've never heard of before, but I'm looking forward to trying it out. 

--What I love: The scent and the two-in-one awesomeness.

--What I can live without: The price of the full-sized item - crazy talk. 

Davines Love Smoothing Conditioner | Full-size: $27.50

Another product from Davines, but am I missing something? Why in the world did I get a massive shampoo sample but my conditioner sample surely won't be enough to cover even a fourth of my hair?!?! This is one of my biggest pet peeves regarding samples - this little bit of conditioner will never give me an impression of your product, so why would I waste my time? Not sure I'll even bother trying this one out. If it were as big as the shampoo sample, it would be perfect.

What I love: I like that I got both the shampoo and conditioner to try out.

What I can live without: The sample size and packaging - total fail.

Davines Oi/Oil Absolute Beautifying Potion | Full-size: $40

Yet another Davines product - and this one I'm really looking forward to trying. This oil claims to instantly tame frizz and strengthen hair over time. I'm prone to frizzy hair, so I will certainly get some use out of this. Considering how little oil you need to use in one application, I should get a good amount of use from this sample. 

--What I love: I love hair oils, hoping to love this once I try it, too.

--What I can live without: The packaging. A tube would have been much more convenient for multiple uses.

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Overall, I expected more from this Birchbox. After the announcement of their rebranding, which came about a week or two before I received this box, I expected they'd kick off their first newly branded box with some stellar products. The variety of brands and the tiny product samples were disappointing, and I'm not so sure it was worth my $10. 

On another related note, I signed up for Ipsy - a subscription service similar to Birchbox, but it appears you get much more value from the $10 a month price point. I'll get my first "glam bag" (as they call it) in July, and I can't wait to share it with you. A battle of the subscription services will have to happen... stay tuned...

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