Empties | #5

Wowza, I just did one of these posts a month ago but my bag of empties filled up quite quickly in that time so here we are again! Are you ready for this? Here we go...

• Macadamia Natural Oil Deep Repair Mask - I love this stuff. Seriously, holy grail status. It's an expensive little mask, retailing for $30, but it's worth every penny. I'll definitely buy it again. 

• Aveda Invati Shampoo & Conditioner - I bought this stuff because I had been on some medication which totally dried my hair out, and made it feel thin and disgusting. My hair wasn't actually thinning, but I wanted to bulk it up and add some life to it. I didn't really notice any difference, and while this smelled really nice, I wouldn't buy it again.

• John Frieda Luxurious Volume Volume Refresher (dry shampoo) - This made my February favorites because it rocks. If it wasn't discontinued, I'd totally repurchase it again. See my review here. 

• Garnier Ultra-Lift Anti-Wrinkle Firming Moisturizer - I bought this on a whim quite a while ago and finally used it up. This had a very strong smell that didn't linger on the skin, but certainly is enough that it may turn some off. I didn't notice any major wrinkle reducing properties, but it did a decent job moisturizing. I dont' think I'd buy this again, however.

• Simple Soothing Facial Toner - This was really nice. It never made my face sting or burn, but it removed any excess makeup that lingered on my face post-cleaning. I'd buy this again.

• Neutrogena Ultra Gentle Daily Cleanser - I got this in last summer's Allure Beauty Box. It's been marketed as a better alternative to Cetaphil, which I've also used before, and I have to say I did like this better. It didn't break me out and did a good job of washing my makeup off. I'd repurchase this.

• Boots Botanics Soothing Eye Makeup Remover - This wasn't anything special, but it did remove my eye makeup easily and efficiently. It was fairly cheap, too. I would buy this again.

• OPI Avojuice in Jasmine - Avojuice's are one of my favorite lotions, and I especially love the jasmine scented version.This lotion was really hydrating, but it never left my skin feeling greasy. I've got plenty of other lotions to use first, but I'd repurchase this in the future.

• Bath & Body Works Triple Moisture Body Cream in P.S. I Love You - This isn't completely gone, but it just doesn't smell the same anymore... a tell-tale sign that a product is expired. This was one of my favorite B&BW scents, but sadly it's discontinued. These triple body moisture creams are awesome and really hydrating. If it ever gets brought back, I'd buy this again.

• Lush Snow Fairy Shower Gel - You may recall seeing this in my recent Lush haul. This is a cult favorite body wash that comes out at Christmas, and this was my first time trying it. To be quite honest, I didn't like the scent much at all. It's super sickly sweet and just not my taste. I have one more bottle of it (I got sent another because this bottle leaked during shipping) which I'll use, but I wouldn't buy it again.

• Hello Anticavity Toothpaste in Supermint - This is a fairly new brand as far as I know, and I picked this up just out of curiosity. I do like natural toothpastes quite a bit, and this was really nice. My only complaint was the packaging made it quite difficult to get anything out once it started to run out. Because of the packaging, I wouldn't buy it again.

• Juice Beauty Oil-Free Moisturizer - I got this in a past Birchbox, and this deluxe sample size lasted me over a month! I really liked this, but the full-size is a bit spendy and I've got comparable drugstore alternatives I'd use instead of spending the money. If I did find it for a good deal, I would buy it.

• Wet n Wild Mega Liner in Black - Ya'll know I love this. I've bought it time and time again, and will continue to. 

• Benefit They're Real Mascara - I got this little sample in my Sephora birthday pack from last year. I know everyone raves about this mascara, but I really didn't enjoy using this sample. The brush was sharp and it tended to clump on me. I've heard that these little samples aren't the best way to judge this mascara, but I can't say I'd buy the full size any time soon.

• ChapStick Overnight Lip Treatment - This was nice. I used it every night before bed, and it left my lips feeling really soft and hydrated. I'd buy this again.

• Bath & Body Works PocketBac in Wildberry Freesia - You already know, I use these every time before I do my makeup. I liked it, this was a nice scent, but I'd probably try a new scent before buying this one again.

• ChapStick in Strawberry - Everyone knows these are just fine. I kept it in my desk at work and it did the trick of moisturizing my lips when I needed it. I've got plenty more of these, so I won't need to repurchase this any time soon. 

• Givenchy Very Irresistable Perfume sample - This smelled nice, but I don't think I like it enough to get a full-size. I'm not the greatest at describing scents, but it was floral and fresh. Not bad, but just not anything I absolutely need.

• The Country Corn Crib Soy Candle in Pomegranate Spice - These candles are made in Minnesota, and can often be found at craft shows in this area. This scent smelled SO good and had really great scent-throw. You can find them online here. 

• Soy Candle in Exotic Woods - You can read more about this candle in my February Favorites. I really liked it, and would purchase it again if it gets re-released. 

• Bath & Body Works Candle in Black Pepper Bergamot - I really love this scent, but these little candles are just silly. They don't burn very long, and don't put off much scent at all. I'd buy this in a bigger size, but not in this teeny tiny version again.

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

My Skincare Routine

I'm a bit of a skincare fanatic. I love to try new things and switch up my routine with the seasons. With the brutal cold winter, I've been doing what I can to keep my skin nourished, hydrated and healthy and I've been pretty successful with my current routine. Here's what I've been using recently.

In the morning, my routine is pretty simple. My goal is to clean off any grime my face has expelled while sleeping and start with a fresh canvas for the day. 

I start with the Lush Buche De Noel facial cleanser, which you might remember from my recent Lush Haul. This cleanser is the consistency of cookie dough, so what you do is break off a chunk and go to town rubbing it all over your face. This smells heavenly, sort of like an almond cookie. There are actual cranberries and chopped almonds to exfoliate skin. I'm loving this face wash at the moment.  

To make sure any remaining grime is taken care of, I use the Simple Soothing Facial Toner. I put a bit of this on a cotton pad and swipe all over my face and neck. This is a really pleasant toner that doesn't make your skin feel uncomfortably tight but does the job to clean the skin.

The last step in prepping my face for the day is to moisturize. I've been using the Juicy Beauty Oil-Free Moisturizer. This is a deluxe sample size, but I've been using this for the last few weeks so I've really been able to get a feel for this moisturizer. It's very lightweight but is deeply hydrating. The added bonus is it's formulated with a blend of organic ingredients - woo! I love a good natural product.

My evening skincare is a bit more involved than what I do in the morning. I begin by removing my makeup with a cleansing wipe (not pictured) to get rid of my makeup, followed by eye makeup remover applied with a cotton pad. 

Once I've removed my makeup, I go in with my the Neutrogena Ultra Gentle Daily Cleanser, one of my absolute favorites. Every other day I use this cleanser with my Clarisonic Mia 2 for a deep clean. On days that I don't use my Clarisonic, I simply use my hands to massage the cleanser in to my skin. 

After my skin is thoroughly cleansed, I treat myself to a face mask. I do this once or twice a week. I've got a few different ones that I rotate between, but one of my favorites is the Michael Todd Pumpkin Nutrient-Rich Facial Mask. This smells just like pumpkin pie, and has a spicy tingle on the skin thanks to the pumpkin enzyme and glycolic acid getting rid of dead skin and clogged pores. Loooove this stuff.

To cap off my evening skincare, I like to use a heavy moisturizer. Lately, I've been loving the Josie Maran Argan Oil. I take a few drops of the oil and rub it all over my face. I know it sounds scary to rub oil all over your face, but even if your skin is oil-prone, this oil is light enough to use. It soaks in to the skin and doesn't leave the skin feeling greasy. It makes my skin super soft and doesn't break me out.


What products make up your daily skincare routine? I'd love to know!

Battle of the Subscriptions Boxes II: Birchbox vs. Ipsy

It's August, and a (fairly) new month means a new Battle of the Subscription boxes featuring Birchbox and Ipsy. There may not be too many more of these, as it's becoming abundantly clear to me which subscription service I'd like to stick with and which one I'm ready to dump. Let's dive right in...

August Birchbox

The Goods

Whish Hair Inhibiting Deodorant Swipes | Full-size: $16

Whish Exfoliating Body Wash | Full-size: $22

This is a brand I've received before in my Birchbox (I believe it was a shaving cream I received previously). To me, this packaging makes the product look cheap. However, I'm intrigued by the deodorant swipe, which claims to tackle odor and slow hair growth, but I don't think it's something that would replace my standard stick deodorant. The body wash smells coconut-y and is filled with sugar cane and bamboo powder to exfoliate the skin. 

(MALIN+GOETZ) gentle neroli shampoo | Full-size: $20

The only good thing about this sample is that it's from a brand I've been wanting to try. Everything else about this sample SUCKS, and really makes me consider if Birchbox has lost their vision and respect for their customers. Another tear-off sample? How can I truly get a feel for how I like a product when I barely get one single use out of it? This is a complete waste of my money; I could get these free in the mail. Not happy.

Juice Beauty Oil-Free Moisturizer | Full-size $28

I just recently heard of this brand somewhere in the depths of the internet, so I'm looking forward to giving this moisturizer a go. This moisturizer hydrates with natural antioxidants and hyaluronic acid, which is cool because hyaluronic acid is naturally occurring in the body, not some weird chemical. This is a good sized sample, too - 0.5 oz!

Stila Stay All Day Liquid Lipstick in 01 Beso | Full-size: $22

This is easily the best product in my Birchbox, and I am pumped about it. This is one serious red, gals. It looks like blood. If you want bold, bright red lips, look no further. Luckily this sample was included, because it's really the only redeeming quality this Birchbox has.

August Ipsy Glam Bag

The Goods

Pixi Lash Booster Mascara | Full-size: $18

This is one tiny mascara sample. Like... teeny tiny. I think this will serve me well for a few applications and then it will be time to throw it out. I love Pixi, so I'm happy to try it out, but I think the sample could have been a bit more generously sized. Oh well!

Lime Crime Nail Polish in Crema De Limon 

Lime Crime is a brand I love but have never tried anything from - I just love their whole look and personality. Crema De Limon is a bright creamy pastel yellow nail polish that came in the most adorable packaging. This will be an awesome end of summer polish. Please note, I did receive this product as a bonus for referring friends to Ipsy.

Michael Todd Jojoba Charcoal Face Scrub | Full-size: $18

I have been seeing everyone on the internet talking about Michael Todd lately and I'm super excited to have a chance to try it out for myself! This is a big sample, too - 1 oz! Don't be alarmed, but this scrub is black! But it has a pleasant lemon scent. I can't wait to use this!

Pacifica Alight Multi-Mineral BB Cream | Full-size: $16

This is a gorgeous BB cream, filled with very fine gold shimmer. I don't think I'll use this all over my face, but it would be a great highlight. It would also work well to mix in with foundation for a dewy glow. 

NYX Powder Blush in 03 Angel 

JACKPOT! A full-size NYX blush?!! I could hardly contain my excitement when I opened my Ipsy Glam Bag and saw this gem! NYX makes some of my favorite blushes, and I don't have Angel yet which is a gorgeous nude bronzey peach with a hint of shimmer. These retail for $5 - half the value of your Glam Bag!

Urban Decay Revolution Lipstick in Anarchy | Full-size: $22

Ohhhhhhh yeah! A good sized sample of the new Urban Decay lipsticks showed up in my Glam Bag this month! I nearly jumped for joy! This stunning hot pink called Anarchy is creamy and highly pigmented and I plan to use this down to the last bit. 

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It's no secret who won this month's battle. The clear winner is Ipsy, whomping Birchbox with full-size products, and relevant samples of new items. Ipsy has me super excited to see what's in my glam bag each month, and hey - you get a cute little makeup bag to use each month, too. If you haven't signed up yet, it's just $10 a month. Click here to get started!

If you like the Birchbox samples better, click here to start your subscription for just $10 a month.

Who do you think won?