MASSIVE EMPTIES | #39

Nothing like missing a month of empties to make you feel really accomplished about everything you've used up. If you're looking for some quick reviews on a whole smorgasbord of products, you're in for a treat. Let's get to it...

• Antipodes Chia & Kiwi Seed Superfood Serum (would repurchase) - This was more like a facial oil than a serum. I used it in the morning, and after applying I sealed it in with another moisturizer. I think this would be really great in the colder months, but it was a bit much for summertime. I'd like to try more from this brand in the future. 

• L'Occitane Essential Water Toner (would not repurchase) - This toner was super duper scented, and not in a good way. It felt more like I was smearing perfumed water over my face, rather than a beneficial toner. I wouldn't get this in the future because it has too much fragrance and artificial ingredients in it. 

• ROC Deep Wrinkle Night Cream (would not repurchase) - This came in an old Target Beauty Box and I kept putting off using it. It has that typical smelly ROC smell - if you've used any of their products, you know what I mean. I don't like that scent, and I don't think this really did anything for me, so I wouldn't buy this again.

• Reviva Labs Eye Gelee Concentrate (would repurchase) - This gel is like an essence for your eye cream. Apply it before your eye cream to assist with puffing and hydrating the undereyes. I've found it keeps me from looking crepe-y and dry. 

• Hey Honey Open Your eyes Eye Contour Lifting Fluid (would not repurchase) - This came in an Ipsy bag, and I can't say I was much of a fan. I prefer thicker, more hydrating eye balms than this. This was like a thin, watery lotion that didn't do anything for my undereyes. 

• Bite Beauty Agave Lip Mask (would purchase) - This little sample pack had all three versions of the lip mask and I loved all of them! I definitely want to get the non-tinted version for use at bed time. This stuff is thick and coats your lips while hydrating. You'll wake up in the morning with it still on. Goooood stuff and smells yummy too. 

• Benefit Ka Brow (would purchase) - This was my first experience with an eyebrow cream-gel color and I actually really liked it. The blond color was a good shade match, but I had to be light handed so my brows didn't look too bold and caked on. This claims to be waterproof, but I found it easy to smudge off. Despite that, I may pick this up at the next VIB sale. 

• Covergirl Intensify Me eyeliner (would repurchase) - This is a good, cheap drugstore eyeliner. Once you get over the learning curve of the flat felt-tip, it's easy to use. The color is a perfect matte black, and it doesn't easily smudge on my oily eyelids.

• Revlon Colorstay Eyeliner (would not repurchase) - On the flip side, this eyeliner pen sucked. It was very light, so I had to go over it again and again in order to build up a bold enough line. The felt tip wasn't very long so it just felt weird to apply. I don't like this and would never buy this again.

• Prada Candy perfume (would purchase) - If I saw this perfume for cheap, I'd get it because the scent is nice, but it's so popular and not the most unique. It's very sweet and also a bit musky. It borders that line of childishly sweet. Not essential to have in my collection, but I enjoyed using this sample up. 

• Replica Beach Walk perfume (would not purchase) - This was not my cup of tea. It's very coconut heavy, with a hint of salt water and sunscreen. The smell really does make you think of a beach. It also has some floral notes like ylang-ylang, which is a scent I'm not big on. If you like Bobbi Brown Beach, I think you'll also like this perfume. 

• Tree hut Shea Moisturizing Body Lotion (would repurchase) - I liked this lotion. It had a very subtle scent and was hydrating without being greasy. I want to say I purchased this at Walmart, and it was dirt cheap.

• St. Tropez Gradual Tan (would repurchase) - Before I bucked up and got over my fear of tanning mousses, I liked using lotions. This was one of the best I tried. It gave a nice warm color, didn't streak, and the smell wasn't too bad. I'd consider getting this in the future, but I much prefer the color payoff of the St. Tropez mousse instead.  

• Jason Dandruff Relief Shampoo (would not repurchase) - I'm inclined to getting dry scalp, which I chalk up to dry shampoo wreaking a little havoc on my scalp. I thought I'd try something more natural, but this was not the answer. It has a nasty old lady smell and really did nothing for me.

• TonyMoly Makgeolli Mask Sheet (would repurchase) - I like the TonyMoly sheet masks. I think they feel nice and they don't break me out. Did this purify my face? Hard to say. But it was nice nonetheless. 

• Botanic Farm Sea Mustard Mask (would not repurchase) - It's not that anything is overtly bad with this mask, but I just can't for the life of me remember anything about it. If it didn't stand out, it's probably not worth buying again.

• Vanedo Beauty Friends Gold Mask (would repurchase) - This was also just OK. It has lots of serum on it, enough that you could save it and keep using it after you're done with the mask. It didn't break me out. It was just refreshing and hydrating.

• Boscia Tsubaki Oil-Infused Exfoliating Powder (would not repurchase) - This really wasn't exfoliating in the least. It was just a powder that functioned as a cleanser once you added some water in. I didn't notice this doing anything for my skin, and it didn't really make my skin feel clean, so I wouldn't get it again.

• Andalou Naturals 1000 Roses Floral Toner (would repurchase) - This was a nice toner. It had a light rose fragrance, and it was gentle on my skin.

• Neutrogena Extra Gentle Eye Makeup Remover pads (would not repurchase) - This is an awful eyemakeup remover. The pads aren't saturated enough so I had to add extra remover to them to even get my mascara off. I'd rather have the bottle of Neutrogena eye makeup remover than these.

• Swisspers Cotton Rounds (would repurchase) - What's an empties post without a pack of these? I use them for toner and eye makeup remover and they work like a charm. 

• Aveeno Positively Radiant Makeup Removing Wipes (would not repurchase) - The scent of these makeup wipes is way too overpowering for me. It's a really artificial scent that is just, no... just no. 

• Babyganics Face, Hand & Baby Wipes (would repurchase) - I don't actually use these wipes on my son, but I use them to wipe down my makeup area and any makeup on my hands. They work great and don't have bad ingredients. 

• Audrey and Lewis South Pacific Shower Gel (would repurchase) - This body wash has a nice, subtle scent of vanilla and citrus. It sudsed up well and made me feel clean. 

• Dr. Bronner's Hemp Rose Castile Soap (would not repurchase) - I love Dr. Bronner's but I do not love the hemp rose scent. It started off ok, but became sickening to me pretty quickly. I use this to clean my brushes and beauty blender and it works nicely for that, but I'm glad I used this bottle up. 

• LaVanila Deodorant in Vanilla Coconut and Vanilla Lavender (would repurchase) - LaVanila is my favorite natural deodorant brand. Deodorants, especially natural ones, seem to work different for everyone so while this might not be your perfect option, it works well for me. 

• Batiste Tropical Dry Shampoo (would repurchase) - Batiste is a stellar dry shampoo brand. It does a great job of soaking up oil in my hair and refreshing it, and it's affordable, too! I find it to be cheapest at TJ Maxx, but you can also find it at the drugstore for a couple bucks more.

• NelsonJ Argan Oil7 Non-Foaming Shampoo (would not repurchase) - I didn't like that this shampoo didn't foam. It was so hard to tell when I'd scrubbed my hair enough or if I'd gotten it all out. It also has little beads in it that would get stuck on my scalp. I really wanted to like this, but it just wasn't my cup of tea.

• Rimmel Stay Matte powder (would repurchase) - This is an oldie but goodie in my makeup drawer. I've repurchased it time and time again. It works well to set my foundation without being cakey. I don't experiment much with powders so I just keep picking this up and it doesn't disappoint.

• Beautyblender (would repurchase) - The beautyblender has become my go-to makeup application tool. It makes my skin look flawless, doesn't leave streaks, and makes application quick and easy. I think the beautyblender trumps all other cheaper knock-off brands. I've tried many and nothing compares. Worth every penny to pay for the actual BeautyBlender.

• Tarte Maracuja Creaseless Concealer (would not repurchase) - I used to love this for spot concealing, but have found things I like better now. This is a very thick and oily concealer, and while it says it's creaseless, there is literally no way I'd put this on my undereye area. It's way too thick for that and it would either make my eyes look crepe-y or it would majorly crease.

• Spry Healing Blend Mouth Wash (would repurchase) - What sold me on this mouthwash was both the good ingredients in it and the marketing around it having healing properties for canker sores or sensitive gums. I did have a canker sore while using this and I can't say it really healed it any quicker or helped it feel better. Despite that, I still liked this overall. 

• Kiss My Face Triple Action Toothpaste (would not repurchase) - I didn't realize until I got a canker sore that this toothpaste has SLS in it. I thought it was free of that ingredient but my body let me know differently. For that reason, I wouldn't buy this again, despite it being a decent toothpaste.

• Smile Brilliant Teeth Whitening Gel (would repurchase) - This was my final vial of the Smile Brilliant whitening gel, and I really like this stuff. It makes a noticeable difference in the brightness of my teeth. This set was sent to me for review, but I did just purchase more vials of whitener once I finished this. See full review here.

• Ralph Lauren Hot Perfume (would repurchase) - I love this perfume. It has so much good nostalgia tied to it. But I've had this in my collection for longer than I'd like to admit so I made a conscious effort to use this up. The main notes are vanilla, fig, spice and amber. It's tough to explain, but it's something unique that I'd certainly buy again. If you like scents such as Vera Wang Princess, Viva La Juicy and Hillary Duff With Love, chances are you'll like this one.

• Aura Cacia Lavender Baby Shampoo (would repurchase) - This was a gift from one of my baby showers, and I enjoyed using it on my son. The ingredients are pure and didn't irritate my son's skin. It smells just like fresh lavender, but the scent doesn't linger long.

• Mrs. Meyers Watermelon Foaming Hand Soap (would repurchase) - This was a really fun scent of hand soap. It smells like watermelon candy, and the scent stuck around for a bit. I really liked this and would definitely get it again. The Mrs. Meyer's brand is one of my favorites for household items.

• Signature Soy Pinky Peony Candle (would repurchase) - This was a candle from Target that was a nice one to burn during the spring months. Smelled just like a peony, and like that it was soy so it burned cleaner. It's a goal of mine to switch over to just soy candles once my backstock of others is gone.

• ScentSationals Herb Garden Wax Cubes (would repurchase) - This mix of herb-scented wax melts smelled fresh and clean. A great option for making the house smell nice in summer.

And that's it!! Have you tried any of these things? What interesting things did you use up this month? Let me know!

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! 

Out with the old, in with the new! | Empties #4

Since my last empties post in December, I've been using things up like mad and I can't stand to see this bag of trash in my room for a second longer! If you're unfamiliar with "empties" posts, I show you what I've used up and give a brief review on each product. By the time I've used something up entirely, I've got a pretty good idea of what I like and don't like and I know if I'd repurchase it. Plus, these are some of my favorite posts from others to read so I enjoy writing them just as much! Let's dive in....

• epielle Green Tea Cleansing Tissues (repurchased) - I get these at Big Lots, primarily for spot cleaning brushes and wiping swatches off my arms/hands. They do a good job. I've already repurchased another version of the epielle tissues.

• Pond's Evening Soothe Wet Cleansing Towelettes (would repurchase) - These are in my top 3 favorites for cleansing cloths, and you probably recognize these from past empties posts. These cloths are quilted, smell amazing and do a great job scrubbing my makeup off.

• Alba Botanica Hawaiian 3-in-1 Clean Towelettes (would not repurchase) - This was the first time I've ever tried anything from Alba Botanica, and sadly these wipes just didn't do it for me. They weren't wet enough for my taste and I just didn't feel like they got rid of all my makeup well enough. 

• Oscar Blandi Daily Leave-In Detangler (would not repurchase) - I feel like it took me forever to get through this bottle. I wasn't a big fan. It smelled faintly of pickle juice, and was just okay at getting tangles out of my tangle-prone hair. 

• Batiste Dry Shampoo in Floral & Flirty Blush (would repurchase) - I really like Batiste dry shampoos. I come back to them again and again because there always seems to be a new scent I haven't tried. This had an okay floral scent and did the job of soaking up excess oil in my hair.

• Herbal Essences Hello Hydration Moisturizing   Conditioner (would repurchase) - This was nice. It wasn't anything special, and it definitely isn't my favorite out of the Herbal Essences line, but it was good. 

• Clear Damage & Color Repair Nourishing Shampoo (would repurchase) - Holy cow, this took me FOREVER to get through (as shampoos always do). This had a creamy consistency which I liked and foamed up really well. I have lots of other shampoos to go through first, but I would repurchase it in the future.

• Essence I Heart Extreme Crazy Volume Mascara (would repurchase) - I loved this stuff! It gave me awesome length and tons of volume without being clumpy. It's also mega cheap, which you can't beat! I did experience some flaking during the day, but minimal enough that it didn't bug me. I can't wait to get more of this stuff!

• Covergirl Clump Crusher by Lashblast Mascara (would repurchase) - Another mascara I totally loved. It made my Best of Beauty for 2013, so you know it's good stuff! Lengthening, volumizing and never clumpy, this is where it's at for drugstore mascara.

• L'Oreal Shocking Extensions Waterproof Telescopic Mascara (would not repurchase) - While I normally love the Telescopic line, I didn't like this waterproof version. It didn't apply as smoothly as the normal formula, unfortunately. I'd stick to the normal formula in the future.

• Tarte Lights, Camera, Lashes! Mascara (repurchased) - I think the tube I got was dried out because this was not usable. I know people rave about this mascara, and I can't believe the formula I got is the same one others rave about. I tried to use it a couple times, but I couldn't stand it. I got a couple more of these for Christmas so I'll be keen to find out if the formula is different. 

• Olay Anti-Wrinkle Nutrients Night Renewal Cream (would repurchase) - This night cream was nice. It hydrated my skin and smelled pleasant. I have another night cream I'm using now, but I would probably give this a shot again in the future.

• Covergirl Outlast Stay Fabulous 3-in-1 Foundation (repurchased) - I won't even go on about this. You know I love it. For an in-depth review, click here. 

• Aquaphor Healing Ointment (would repurchase) - I used this for dry skin patches and lip balm and I love it. Nothing heals dry skin and chapped lips like Aquaphor. I've got a big tub of this to get through yet, but I will definitely repurchase in the future.

• Kiss My Face Ultra Moisturizer (would repurchase) - I used this lotion for my hands as it was too thick for use on my face, but it was nice. It has no fragrance so I never had to worry about it competing with my perfume. Nice and simple, I liked it.

• Grand Central Beauty S.M.A.R.T. Skin Perfecting Polisher (would not repurchase) - I got this little sample in a past Birchbox. I didn't notice this doing anything for my skin at all. I can't say I enjoyed using it.

• Bath & Body Works Anti-Bacterial Hand Gel in Peach Poppy (would repurchase) - There's always one of these in my empties! Peach Poppy smelled really nice, and the packaging is super cute. I liked this a lot!

• Aveeno Daily Moisturizing Lotion (would not repurchase) - I kept this little guy in my purse for use on the go. I didn't think it was anything special and I just wanted to get through it.

• Boots Brazil Nut Body Wash (would repurchase) - This smelled AMAZING. I don't like to eat brazil nuts, but I sure loved using this scent of body wash! I've got more body wash to use for now, but this will be making a comeback in my stash at some point.

• The Body Shop Cocoa Butter Creamy Body Wash (would not repurchase) - I thought this was going to smell much better than it actually did. I don't know if it was just old (purchased it from TJ Maxx) or if that's actually how The Body Shop's Cocoa Butter line smells, but I wasn't a fan.

• Bath & Body Works Festive Vanilla Fig Body Lotion (would repurchase) - I didn't use this up entirely, but it's been in my stash for far too long and needs to be thrown out. It smelled really nice and hydrated well.

• Sally Hansen Insta-Dri Top Coat (repurchased) - This is my holy grail top coat. I've gone through a few of these, and I'm already working my way through another. It leaves your nails shiny and dries super fast. A+!

• Chapstick in Green Apple (would repurchase) - I got sent a bunch of these quite a ways back, and I have to say I like it! It smells just like you'd imagine it would and does a good job of hydrating my lips. I've still got a couple more of these left to use up.

• Weleda Pampering Body Lotion in Wild Rose (would not repurchase) - I got this sample in a past Birchbox (grrr tear-open samples!) and remembered to use this the other day. I didn't really like this smell, and I typically like rose scents. This just didn't do it for me.

• fresh Lotus Youth Preserve Face Cream (would repurchase) - I don't even remember where I got this, but I really liked it. The smell wasn't my favorite, but it moisturized well.

• Studio Beauty Calming Mask & Detoxifying Mask (would repurchase) - These little face mask packets are from Walgreens' own beauty line. I liked the Detoxifying Mask more than the Calming Mask, although my husband said it smelled like asian beetles. They were cheap and fun to try, and I got 2-3 uses from each packet.

• Bath & Body Works Candle in Merry Cookie (would repurchase) - This smelled SO good, super sweet like a sugar cookie! I loved the adorable packaging this came in, too.

• Holiday Time Candle in Winter (would not repurchase) - This candle is from Walmart and is part of their "Holiday Time" Christmas collection. The scent throw on this was weak and it burned rather quickly. I wasn't really expecting much from this, and should have listened to my gut that it wasn't worth picking up.

What did you get through this month?