Empties #8

So many empties this month! Check out my mini-reviews on each product below.

• Neutrogena Oil-Free Cleansing Wipes (would repurchase) - These are nice makeup removers, especially for those who are prone to acne. I think they do a good job of removing all of my makeup. I'd buy these again, but Jake hates the smell of them so it probably won't be anytime soon.

• Klorane Soothing Eye Makeup Remover (would repurchase) - I loved this eye makeup remover. It was super gentle and didn't leave any residue behind. I absolutely want to get this again as it's one of the best I've ever tried.

• Lush Prince Shaving Cream (would not repurchase) - This is marketed towards men for facial shaving, but I picked it up on a whim when Lush was out of Turkish Delight. To be honest, I didn't care for this. It had a nice, earthy scent but my legs itched so bad after I finished shaving because this wasn't hydrating enough for me.

• Organix Cherry Blossom Ginseng Shampoo (would not repurchase) - I didn't particularly care for the scent of this, mostly because it smells like a deodorant I've used. I felt like I had to use a lot in order to get a decent lather going, so I don't think I'll get this again.

• Nexxus Dualist Conditioner (would repurchase) - I got this for a complete steal when it was on clearance, and that's the only reason I bought it. This is marketed towards those with colored hair, which I don't have, but it worked just fine for my normal hair. It was moisturizing, and the dual-sided packaging is kind of fun.

• VO5 Daily Leave-In Conditioner (would not repurchase) - This did next to nothing for me. It wasn't great at detangling and I didn't notice any extra conditioning in my hair.

• HerStyler Nourishing & Moisturizing Shampoo (would repurchase) - I did a full write-up on this product here, so I'll spare you the details. 

• Organix Hydrating Moroccan Argan Oil Creamy oil Body Lotion (would repurchase) - I LOVED this stuff. It had a very faint shimmer to it (so faint it took me half way through the bottle to notice it), has a nice scent and is moisturizing. 

• love&toast Honey Nectar Body Lotion (would not repurchase) - I used this as a hand lotion, but I didn't find it moisturizing enough nor did I like the smell. Happy to be done with it. 

• Organic Surge Tropical Bergamot Shower Gel (would not repurchase) - While I enjoyed the body wash, I didn't love the scent as much as I thought I did when I purchased it. I would definitely get another shower gel from this brand, but definitely in another scent. This was fine for summer time, but it would not be moisturizing enough for me to use in the colder months. 

• Skintimate Raspberry Rain Shaving Gel (would repurchase) - Nothing fancy, just a shaving cream. It did the job.

• Aquafresh Fresh Impact Toothpaste (would not repurchase) - The toothpaste itself? Fine. The packaging? Horrible. If I hadn't cleaned it up before throwing it in my empties bin, this toothpaste can would have been CAKED with toothpaste. Just disgusting.

• Suave Moroccan Infusion Shampoo (would repurchase) - I don't love the smell, but this is a nice shampoo that makes my hair feel nice. 

• Covergirl Outlast Stay Fabulous 3-in1 Foundation (would repurchase) - Blah blah blah... you've heard me talk about this a million times. LOVE it. Full review here.

• Eyeko Black Magic Mascara (would repurchase) - I got this in a Birchbox a while back, and immediately thought the packaging was so cute! The mascara itself was okay, it didn't do anything magical for me, but if I saw it for a good price, I'd probably buy it again.

• Covergirl eyeliner (would not repurchase) - I don't even know the full name of this... it's not on the tube anywhere! This was a REALLY liquid-y eyeliner pen. It was really difficult to build up a solid line as the formula stayed wet so long. This was a big miss for me.

• NYC Smooth Skin Pressed Face Powder in Transluscent (would repurchase) - This was a surprising favorite of mine. I had this sitting in the back of my drawer and finally brought it out to use up. They have all new packaging on this powder now, so yeah... time to use it up. It's really finely milled and looks so natural on the skin - never cakey. Loved this.

• B&BW P.S. I Love You Shower Gel (would repurchase) - This is an old scent that B&BW doesn't carry anymore so I was sad to see this go. It has a nice floral rose scent and is one of the best scents I think they've ever made. This shower gel is by no means hydrating so don't purchase it if you need extra nourishment for your skin.

• Benefit It's Potent Eye Cream (would repurchase) - This is just a little sample, but I got many uses out of it. I used this as my night time eye cream, but think if I were to purchase it again, I'd use it in the morning instead. It's really moisturizing without being greasy or heavy.

• StriVectin Instant Moisture Repair (would not repurchase) - It could be coincidence, but I think this broke me out a little bit. It was the only thing I switched in my skincare routine, and boom - new zits. No thank you!

• Yankee Candle Beach Vacation Candle (would repurchase) - This had a lovely scent, truly reminding me of sitting beachside somewhere. It smelled faintly of sunscreen and ocean air and had excellent scent throw. Full review here. 

• B&BW Snap Peas Candle (would not repurchase) - I have a full review of this here. I liked the smell, but it just wasn't strong enough for me. 

• B&BW Root Beer Candle (would repurchase) - This is an old B&BW candle that isn't available anymore. It smells JUST like a root beer float and gives off crazy scent throw... my husband actually had to blow it out because it was too strong a couple times! (I loved it, though!)

• Better Homes & Gardens Line-Dried Linen wax tarts (would repurchase) - This gave off the most wonderful laundry scent in my home. It smelled fresh and clean without being overwhelming the way some laundry scents can definitely be. 

• Gold Canyon Ten wax (would repurchase) - My mom bought a bunch of these little wax tubs that you scoop out and put in your wax burners. Ten smells like a high-end perfume and I absolutely loved it. 

• B&BW Lemon Mint Leaf candle (would repurchase) - I have a full review of this here. This was a nice fresh scent, still available at B&BW (with different packaging).

Phew... that was quite the empties post! Have you tried any of these products? Let me know!

June Favorites

There have been some products that stuck out to me this month, and I just had to share with you! Here are my monthly favorites for June!

• Argania Spinosa Organic Argan Oil Special Treatment Masque - Oh my word - dare I say I love this as much, maybe even MORE than my beloved Macadamia Mask?! It's true - I do! I believe this is a British product, but I picked it up at TJ Maxx solely based on how delicious it smells. It is, hands down, the best smelling hair masque I have ever used. Not only that, but it makes my hair so soft and manageable and I actually feel like it repairs my hair every time I use it. I hope I can find this again when I run out!

• Covergirl Outlast Stay Fabulous 3-in-1 Foundation - I've rambled on and on about this foundation (see full review here) but it really is a favorite this month. I've hardly strayed from this every time I wear foundation, as this is the only one I have on hand that actually stays put in the heat. My face is also a bit more oily in the summer, but this foundation holds strong through it all. Love love love.

• St. Tropez Gradual Tan Everday Body Moisturizer - This is a rather spendy self tanner, but it is worth every penny. I have had people ask me if I got a spray tan (a compliment in my world, as I obviously am never asked if I've been laying out. Holla @ my pale girls!) when I've been using this stuff. It gives a really nice, natural glow, and it actually smells nice when you apply it. (But of course, in a few hours' time you do smell a hint of self-tanner - blegh).

• Tarte Lights Camera Lashes Mascara - I had my doubts about this mascara.... the first time I used it I think I had a crusty, old bottle. I decided I needed to try again, and boy am I glad I did! This is an all-around great mascara - it volumizes, lengthens, and it doesn't make your lashes a clumpy mess. I've been using this all month long.

• Klorane Soothing Eye Makeup Remover - I purchased this gem with the last of my remaining Birchbox points (remember?) on a complete whim, and it turns out I absolutely love this stuff. It's so gentle on my eyes and it has a nice clean scent. I hope I can find another place to repurchase this, because I can see myself buying it again and again. 

What products did you love this month? Let me know in the comments! 

Bye Bye Birchbox Haul

If you follow me on instagram, you know I recently unsubscribed from Birchbox. I subscribed for over 2 years, but felt that it just wasn't worth even $10 a month anymore, especially with services like Ipsy that provide excellent value each and every month for the same price. I had accumulated $50 worth of Birchbox points, and figured before I canceled, I ought to cash those out! Here's what I used my points for.

• Shea Terra Organics Body Creme in Bourbon Vanilla ($16) - I took a chance on this body creme. I'd never heard anything about it before, but all the scents sounded amazing (Bananas & Baobabs, White Chocolate, Gingered Pumpkin, etc) so I took a leap of faith and picked the bourbon vanilla scent. It doesn't go on super smooth, but I kind of wonder if it froze when it was delivered. Aside from that, it smells amazing and I love it! 

• Nuxe Reve de Miel Ultra-Nourishing Lip Balm ($19) - Beauty bloggers galore love to rave about this lip balm. It's thick, citrusy and mega-hydrating. I haven't really given this much of a go, but I'm going to put this in to my night-time lip therapy rotation soon.

• Klorane Soothing Eye Makeup Remover ($9) - Much like the body creme, I had never heard a peep about this eye makeup remover so I took a chance. I haven't tried it, but stay tuned for my review once I do.

• Jack Black Intense Therapy Lip Balm in Shea Butter & Vitamin E ($7.50) - This lip balm won Temptalia's 2014 Reader's Choice awards, so I knew it had to be good.... and it totally is. 

Overall, I'm really happy with what I got with my Birchbox points! Have you tried any of these products? Let me know!