December 2014 Empties + Would I Repurchase?

First of all, sorry for the lack of posting, again! I got busy with the holidays, came down sick twice to where I needed a steroid injection and antibiotic (still recovering from being sick twice), and working so much at work that I was barely getting good amounts of sleep. Hopefully, I'll be uploading videos again very soon and I'll be back on track!

I know I'm pretty late on the empties for the month of December, along with my favorites for that month and best of 2014 post, which is coming soon! I decided to blog about it anyway!

Skincare, Bodycare, Hygiene, Etc.

Dove Unscented Sensitive Skin Body Wash:

I absolutely love the body washes from Bath & Body Works, but for some reason, I'm either not allergic to their ingredients, fragrance, or my skin is so sensitive that scented bath products are no longer an option. When my skin has an issue, I go back to this body wash to help soothe my skin. Works like a charm! Repurchase!

Giovanni Sensitive Skin Cream Shave (Fragrance Free):

BEST. SHAVING CREAM. EVER. No really... I think I have found it. It works wonders for my skin. Doesn't irritate it, doesn't dry it out, the shave is ridiculously awesome afterwards, and my legs are happy! It's free of a lot of junk ingredients most shaving creams have so ditching those have made a lot of difference for my skin lately. Repurchase!

Bath & Body Works Body Lotion (Vanilla Bean Noel):

Probably one of my most favorite scents from Bath & Body Works, especially in their lotions. It smells like "deliciousness in a bottle". Their lotions are very moisturizing, absorbs quickly, and keeps the dry skin on my legs hydrated all day! Repurchase!

Secret Clinical Strength Deodorant:

Maybe it's just me... I can't use the regular deodorants. They just don't work for me. Either they leave horrible stains or don't control underarm wetness well. I sweat a lot, so this clinical strength deodorant is awesome for me, lasts all day, doesn't irritate my skin, and comes in very nice scents! Repurchase!

Victoria's Secret Body Mist (Amber Romance):

Of all the body mists that I go through, this has got to be my favorite, especially for late summer and early fall. It smells like vanilla and caramel to me! Repurchase!

Haircare

Mineral Fusion Volumizing Shampoo & Conditioner:

I believe these have been in a previous favorite blog/video and I definitely think they will be again in the future! I have tried sooo many shampoos and conditioners which claim to "volumize" hair and work for a week on my hair. When I got my hair done early November, I made a promise I would start using shampoos and conditioners which didn't have harsh ingredients (parabens, salt, etc). Since using this system, my hair is seriously volumized! Repurchase!

Dove Dry Shampoo:

One of my top favorite dry shampoos out there. Along with my oily skin and semi oily hands (ugh), I somewhat have an oily scalp, and it's worse if I don't wash it after not washing it for one day (I can go every other day without washing my hair and it'll be fine, anymore and it starts to get greasy). This helps to absorb the oil, freshens my hair for the day, and adds a good amount of volume. Repurchase!

AG Hair Cosmetics Sterling Silver Toning Shampoo:

My hair is naturally blonde and can get brassy at times on it's own, so I use this extremely purple colored shampoo to tone my hair and take out any brassy shades out. It also helps to brighten the blonde in my hair. Love this product! Repurchase!

Sexy Hair Soy Renewal Argan Oil:

I normally take my showers at night and let my hair air dry. But, whenever I take a shower in the morning, I've been using up this sample size of this stuff before I blowdry my hair. It really makes my hair soft, shiny, and protects it very well against my flat irons. I'd say better than any of my Tresemme heat protectant sprays. I'm thinking of buying the full size bottle!

Makeup

ELF HD Undereye Setting Powder:

I've gone through a few containers of this stuff and it's truely the best under setting powder so far that I've used. It sets any concealer under my eyes and it doesn't budge, move, or crease at all! Repurchase!

BECCA Ever Matte Poreless Primer Perfector:

Dealing with oily skin basically my entire life has been an issue with breakouts, shine, greasy hands if I touch my face, and makeup breaking apart. Not anymore! My foundations no longer fall apart, crease, melt, or show shine. This bad guy is a miracle worker for my oily skin. It not only controls my oil, but it holds my foundation in place all day, mattifies my skin, and doesn't break me out! This is my second bottle. Repurchase!

Milani Brow Shaping Clear Gel:

I love this stuff! It holds my brows in place all day after I've filled and sculpted them! Repurchase!

ELF Makeup Mist & Set:

Besides loving my Urban Decay All Nighter Spray, I like to use this spray for days I don't need the extra hold. This really helps with the cakey look with powders (sometimes it happens with pressed powder) and holds my makeup really well for the day. Repurchase!

Rimmel Stay Matte Pressed Powder:

Another product I absolutely love! It's always my go to pressed powder. It controls the shine and oil from my oily shine, keeps me matte throughout the day, barely needs touchups, and doesn't break me out! Repurchase!

❤

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Trash Talk: Empties! + Mini Reviews! (October 2014)

Hello beautifuls! It's that time again! Time to pull out my bag of empty products, share a mini review on them and then recycle/throw out the containers!

Skin:

Neutrogena Makeup Remover Cleansing Towelettes:

These are by far my favorite go-to makeup removing wipes to removed my face makeup and leftover mascara that my eye makeup remover didn't get. They leave no residue on my face, they take everything off, they have pretty much no smell, they don't break me out and best of all; they're inexpensive!

Tree Hut Shea Sugar Scrub (Pomegrante Acai):

I believe this was in my last empties post, haha. I just love this product. I could rave all day about this stuff. They come in an assortment of different scents, they leave my skin smooth for days, prepare my skin for a close shave, help with dry skin and they leave no residue on the shower floor!

Satin Care with a touch of Olay Shaving Cream:

I have really been loving this stuff for shaving! I used to use the skintimate brand and I switched this brand and I can't recall why now. This is barely scented which is a plus for me since my skin is very sensitive to scented soaps and gives my legs great moisture!

LUSH Dark Angels (Sample)

I don't know how I feel about this stuff right now... I only used the sample a few times before it ran out so, I didn't get a full run to try it out and see how I liked it. I do notice my oil isn't as oily right now since using the small bit of sample (that also could also be from the weather changing). I did like the feeling of it; felt and smelled very earthy and natural!

Clinique Claryifying Lotion (#3):

I can not. I repeat can not live without this in my life. My skin can not live without it. I can change my moisturizer and face wash up all I want but this toner is the key ingredient in my skincare routine. It balances the pH level in my skin, keeps my acne and break outs in check and prepares my skin for the night and day! I've been using it since late teenage years, nothing will ever replace it.

Dove Sensitive Skin Body Wash (Unscented)

This body wash is great. I always end up returning to it, no matter what. I loooove body washes from Victoria's Secret and Bath & Body Works but, they irritate my skin so much if I use them for too long of a time. I can use them for awhile and then my skin just gets irritated from them (they get dried, cracked and red) so I stuck to using this body wash. Amazing!

Hair

L'Oreal Advanced Haircare Volume Filler Thickening Conditioner:

I always run out of conditioner before shampoo. Does anyone else have that issue? I really love this shampoo and conditioner set but, it's not worth the hype. I have long hair and it has it's day when it wants to be thick and when it wants to be thin. Not much I can say about this other than ... it makes my hair feel thick but not drastically thick.

Tresemme Mega Firm Control Hairspray:

This is like cement for your hair! I use this mainly for the "poof" on my head (yes, that snooky kinda think I get asked all the time about, haha) and it holds it in place all day! 

Makeup:

L'Oreal Voluminous Miss Manga Mascara:

I really loved this mascara when it came out. I really did, until the smell got to me. It has a chemically smell to it and it dried out very fast on me. It did give my lashes length and a little volume but that is about it. I probably won't be purchasing this again because the smell bothered my eyes. Good mascara though, horrible scent!

Dior Diorshow Mascara:

NO, NEVER AGAIN! Not only is this over priced for a mascara, but the wand is huge (and it's not that huge for a sample size mascara) and you can't use it properly. It did absolutely nothing to my lashes and made my eyes burn. It has a fragrant smell to it, like someone sprayed it with a perfume. That's a complete no. 

Makeup Brush Care:

Baby Shampoo:

Happy to say, I'm finally retiring baby shampoo from my makeup brush cleaning routine! I found an alternative, a better alternative! This is a cheap method of cleaning makeup brushes but if you have long wearing foundations or concealers or high pigmented eyeshadows and you have stains left from them, this will not get them out fully. It cleans the brush but never gets the stains on completely.

Candles: 

Bath & Body Works Candle (Mahogany Teakwood):

This was also in my last empties post! I always, always, ALWAYS repurchase this candle everytime I go to Bath & Body Works during their 2 for $22 deal on their 3-wick candles. It's my absolute favorite candle, it smells amazing, long burning time and over all great quality candle!

719 Walnet Avenue Candle (Mcintosh Apples):

This candle is from walmart. I found it awhile ago and purchased it for my parents for my kitchen downstairs. Even they said it smelled great and like apples. Sadly, it doesn't have a long burning time to it and once you get down to the wick area, it gives a bad burning smell. This candle was pretty inexpensive (I wanna say $10?) so it's not bad for the price. Good quality candle!

❤

What were your empties for the month of October?

❤

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Friday Hits & Misses!

Happy Friday everyone! Hope your Friday is going awesome! Today, I'd like to share my Friday hits and misses; products I loved and dreaded through this week.

Hits!

Dr. Bronner's Magic Soaps (Peppermint):

I recently picked this up at Target hearing great reviews about it from various blogs and watching videos as another method of washing makeup brushes. I love this stuff! I was using Baby Shampoo for the longest time to wash out my makeup brushes, and it just wasn't getting the job done. I would have stains left over from foundation, eyeshadows and other powder products that would not come out. This stuff is truely magical, it cleans my brushes, gets every amount of color out of the bristles and, leaves them feeling soft and smelling good!

BeautyCleanser (Solid):

For the longest time, I was washing my beauty sponges with baby shampoo and I could never get the concealer and foundation stains out of the sponge, never! So, I picked this bad boy up at Sephora and gave it a try and I was surprised that it actually worked! It got all the stains out of the sponge (new and old) and made my sponge look brand new again.

Urban Decay Primer Potion (Original):

I started using this primer late September going into October and have loved using it so far. It holds my eyeshadows on all day, prevents creasing, and it works great on my eyelids, which can get oily sometimes. It does unfortunately make my eyes watery if I apply it my lower lash line area so that part is a miss for me, but other than that, it's a great primer!

Maybelline ColorSensational Creamy Matte Lipstick (Daringly Nude):

I finally broke down last night and bought a few of these new Maybelline lipsticks that were released a little while ago. I have fallen in love with them. They are a perfect matte look on my lips, doesn't dry them out, they smell delicious, pretty packaging, and the color payoff is nice. Definitely going to buy more shade colors!

Misses!

BH Cosmetics Contour & Blush 6 Color Palette:

I absolutely looove the blushes in this palette. They are highly pigmented, long lasting, beautiful shades but, the contour shade.... broke! I found it at Urban Outfitters for around $12 so I guess it's not that bad that it broke since I paid so little for the palette. I bought a second palette of this (exact same palette) for my makeup kit I use on my friends and potential clients and now I'm worried this too will happen!

As you can see above, the contour shade broke on it's own...

Too Faced Better Than Sex Mascara:

No, never again! I like that it gives my lashes length and little bit of volume I can't get over the scent of it! It smells too chemically for my preference and the moment I applied this for the first time, it burned my eyes and made them watery all day.

Urban Decay Nail Polish (Zodiac):

I was really excited to find Urban Decay nail polishes at Nordstrom Pack for around $5, I litterly jumped up with excitement but, even with a top and base coat, this polish chips horribly within a day. I thought these nail polishes would be high quality... guess not!

ELF Eyelid Primer (Pearl):

I love the original sheer eyelid primer from ELF, so I decided to give this formula a try. It makes my eyes all glittery! I thought it would give a pearl look to my eyelids, thus making the eyeshadows appear with more of a pearl look to me. I can't get over all the glitter... and it was falling all over my face! Eek!

I'd like to hear from you! What are your Friday hits and misses?

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