Empty Product Reviews

I was asked to do a blog on products that I use up, so I collected my "empties" for 3 months so you can see what I use the most of. You will see a lot of sample sizes, I am trying to use up samples this year.
January Empties

January I went through a lot of deluxe sample size products. I'll start at the top and work my way down. 

1. Smashbox Mascara- did not like this, it irritated my contacts so I just didn't use it enough and it dried out 

2. Nars Lip pencil- I really liked this pencil and the color but it was so soft I couldn't even sharpen it without it making a mess

3. Secret Deodorant- I used it up but its not my favorite

4. Jergens Wet Skin- I LOVE this product. As you can see I used up a little bottle as well as a full-size and already have more in the shower

5. Olay Body Wash- I used it up, it was ok, probably won't buy again. 

6. Nivea Shower Lotion- I used it up, I like the Jergens better but they work really nicely together if you really want moisturized skin

7. Bath and Body Works Body Wash- This was the scent endless summer, I tend to just end up using it as a bubble bath. 

February Empties:

I will start on the left and work around in a circle. 

1. Tarte Clean Slate Flawless 12 hour brightening primer- It was ok. Nothing too special. 

2. Sephora Outrageous Curl Mascara- I Loved this mascara, I did every pinterest hack I could find to get every last drop out. 

3. Matrix Biolage Color Care Shine Shake- This is my most favorite hair product. I went to 5 stores just to find one to replace it.

4. Herbal Essence Naked Dry Shampoo- It was ok, not my favorite but I didn't hate it. 

5. Aveeno Skin Relief Body Wash- the scent is amazing but I was not a big fan of the formula.

6. Nourish Organic Argan Face Serum- I used it up because I hate throwing perfectly good products away but it in no way compared to my normal serum that I use. 

7. Simple Micellar Make Up Remover Wipes- I really liked these. I got them in a target beauty box and I will be buying these again when I run out of the many packs I have of other wipes at the house.

These are my March empties. I did pretty good this month with using up sample size products so that makes me happy. 

1. Dove Deep Moisture Nourishing Bosy Wash- if I have a coupon there is always a possibility I will purchase again. 

2. Nivea In-Shower Body Lotion- I used the very dry skin with almond oil. I love the scent and I will purchase again. 

3. Skintimate Shave Gel- I normally just purchase what's on sale or what I have a coupon for. I did like this though. 

4. Klorane Eye Patches- very moisturizing. I would repurchase. 

5. Nars Audacious Mascara- it was a nice mascara but made my eyes itch. I don't think I will repurchase. 

6. Tarte Poreless Primer- I love Tarte primer! Once I use up all I have there is a good chance I will repurchase. 

7. Peter Thomas Roth Cucumber Gel Mask- smells amazing and felt very refreshing. I doubt I will be repurchase because I didn't feel it did anything for my skin. 

8. Hourglass Veil Primer- I really liked this primer. I'm not sure I'll purchase. It just seems to expensive for me. 

9. Nip+Fab Glycolic Fix- I love these pads. They smell great and make my skin look and feel amazing. I already purchased a full size. 

So, leave me a comment and let me know if you want more posts like these. 

Disclaimer* this's post is not sponsored. All opinions are my own. 

BioRepublic Cucumber Breeze Mask Review

I am seriously obsessed with sheet masks right now. I just can't get enough of them! You can buy this particular one on BioRepublic for $4.99. This one has Vitamin E and is god for all skin types. It is designed to tighten pores, and reduce the appearance of fine lines. 

It has a very fresh scent and is very soothing and refreshing. 

I found that made my skin extremely soft but I did not notice a difference with pores or fine lines. 

Would I purchase? Yes, I liked this mask and think it's a good value for the money!

Disclaimer* I received this in a beauty subscription, all opinions are my own. 

John Frieda Frizz Ease Hairspray Review

I'm always excited to have a new hairspray to give a try. I've always liked John Frieda products so this really appealed to me. You can purchase the full size at Target for $3.99. It claims to be soft to the touch, unbeatable hold and defy frizz. I found it had a great flexible hold just like the packaging claimed. It had a really fine mist that did not leave clumps of products anywhere. It has a typical chemical hairspray scent. Overall, I really liked this hairspray. It worked really good for my fine hair. 

Would I repurchase? Yes I absolutely will be purchasing a full size bottle.

disclaimer* I received this sample in a beauty box. All opinions are my own. 

J.Cat Liptitude Lip Stain Review

I love lip products, especially stains. I hate having to reapply lip products everytime I eat or drink anything. You can find these lip stains at Ulta for $5.99. I couldn't find the color of mine on the bottle so I am not sure what color it is. It a beautiful mauve nude color that is perfect for every day wear. It has a mint scent and a doe foot applicator. It was a bit tingly when applied but it doesn't hurt or anything, in fact it gave me a little bit plumper lips. The formula is very think, and a little bit covered both lips. It dried to a satin finish and lasted all day long. 

For me, this lip stain is a win!

Would I repurchase? Yes, I am waiting for the new spring colors to come out in Ulta so I can pick some up!

disclaimer* I received this in my monthly beauty bag, all opinions are my own

Figs and Rouge Avancé Flawless Effects Skincare Review

I have to admit I have no idea where I got this sample from, but where ever I did, I am sure glad! I really have enjoyed this primer. It followed through with all its claims. It was mattifying, it minimized my pores, it evened out my skin tone. Plus it had a great scent. It was a little bit watery compared to other primers I have used but it is well worth it. The only place I can find that sells it, is its own website, it sells for $34.80 so it is a little pricey. This is the link to the website if you would like to check it out. Figs & Rouge

Would I purchase this? I am not sure. I really love it but I would like it to be more easily accessible to purchase. 

disclaimer* I received this in a beauty subscription bag, all opinions are my own

Clear Scalp & Hair Therapy Review

I'll say it again, I do not like drug store hair products. However, this one pleasantly surprised me. You can purchase this line of products at Target for $4.99 each. I use this shampoo as a clarifying shampoo because it works so great to get product buildup out of my hair. It is very nourishing with a fresh scent. It left my hair soft and shiny. 

Would I purchase this again? I'm not sure, I think the sample will last me awhile since I only use it occasionally for product build up. 

disclaimer* I received this sample in a beauty box all opinions are my own

Klorane Eye Patch Review

I have never really been a big fan of eye patches. I feel like they always dry out my skin or just irritate my skin. These Klorane ones were a pleasant surprise. 

You can purchase these at Sephora, they come 7 sets to a pack for $24. They claim to be smoothing and relaxing with soothing cornflower and to be hypoallergenic. They also did not have a scent. 

I left mine on for 20 min and they were so refreshing. They were very cooling and they really depuffed my undereyes. I honestly really enjoyed using these. 

Would I purchase them? I really don't know. The price it ok but to me it would be a splurge to purchase these. I liked them just not enough to spend $24 regularly for them. 

disclaimer* I received these in a beauty subscription, all opinions are my own

Nivea In-Shower Body Lotion Review

I received this in a beauty box. I was pretty excited since I had just run out of the dry skin version. This is so convenient to use. You can buy the full size at Target for $5.69. There are 3 different types of this lotion, normal- dry, dry, and very dry skin. This sample was the very dry skin with Almond Oil, it had a very fresh scent. It smelled really good! I like to put this on at the end of my shower and let it soak in just a bit than you just rinse it off and go on with your daily routine. I find it makes my skin very soft but it does make the tub a little slippery. It does not leave your skin greasy or sticky either which is really nice. 

Would I purchase a full size? Yes I will. By the time you read this I probably already would have!

disclaimer* I received this sample in a beauty box, all opinions are my own

The Balm Mr. Write (Now) Eyeliner Review

I think I received this eyeliner in an Ipsy bag. I normally don't wear much eyeliner but really liked this color so I gave it a try. You can buy this for $17 at Nordstrom. I tried the color Scott, it is a very dark purple but very pretty. It is retractable and went on very smooth. My only complaint is that it did not last long. By mid-afternoon it was smeared all under my eye for that wonderful raccoon look. 

Would I repurchase? I doubt it, I have other eyeliners that I like that are not quiet as expensive.

disclaimer* I received this in a beauty subscription bag, all opinions are my own

Living Proof Dry Shampoo Review

I am obsessed with Dry Shampoo and was really excited to try this one in this months Ipsy Bag. 

You can purchase a full size of this at Ulta for $22. Its a bit pricier than what I normally pay but I was really excited about trying it none the less. 

This is what it says about this product on Ultas website:

Benefits:

• Cleans beyond an ordinary dry shampoo making it the next best thing to washing your hair.
• Absorbs and removes not only oil, but also sweat and odor so hair looks, feels and smells clean - no matter your hair color.
• Contains time-release fragrance delivers a light, clean scent throughout the day.

I fell in love with this dry shampoo. It kept my hair super soft and shiny and got rid of all traces of oil for the whole day. 

Would I purchase a full size bottle? Maybe, I really like how it works but I do not like the price. 

disclaimer* I received this in my ipsy bag all opinions are my own

Hada Labo Facial Mask Review

I have been really into sheet face masks recently. So when I received this to try I was pretty excited. I found a 4 pack of these masks at Ulta for $14.99. 

A little bit about this mask is that it is Anti- aging (who doesn't love that), it also has Deep Hydration with Super Hyaluronic Acid, Collage, Soy Peptides, Vitamin E and Fragrance Free. 

Skin hydration increases 2.5 times in 10 min and it claims to have a bottle of serum in the mask. 

I found that it did not have any scent which was nice. It felt really slimy to put on with the serum that was in it, I was worried my skin would be super greasy. When I first took it off my skin was really sticky, so much so that my boyfriend even noticed. After about 20 min though, it made my skin very soft and moisturized. 

Would I purchase in the future? Hard to say I like trying a variety of masks. 

disclaimer* I received this product in a beauty box, all opinions are my own

Nip + Fab Skin Exfoliating Facial Pads Review

I was very excited to try these out. I love face products that are on "cloths" that I can just throw away instead of a container I stick my fingers in and then spread germs. 

The full size of these pads cost $12.99 at Target. These retexture and resurface skin to reveal brighter and smoother skin. 

The scent was ok but had a sunscreen type of smell. I didn't mind it to much though. These made my skin feel amazing! It was so much softer after using these. 

Would I purchase the full size? Yes, absolutely! I really like these a lot!

disclaimer* I received this sample in a beauty box all opinions are my own

Hair Care Routine

I get asked a lot what my hair care routine is. To start with I have long blonde hair that is very fine. I do get highlights just to keep it the shade of blonde I like. As I get older it gets to be a darker blonde. I am not a huge fan of drugstore shampoos as I don't feel they work that great on my hair. Now that's not to say I don't use drugstore shampoo because I do like one particular shampoo that you will see later in this post. Please remember what works for me, may not work for you. I'm not a beautician, this is just what I have found that works best for me. 

This is the shampoo and conditioner I use regularly when I wash my hair and the conditioner I use when my hair is feeling a bit dry in the summertime. I usually wash my hair every other day. I don't use the deep conditioner every time I shampoo because it is quiet heavy on my hair but it does work well. 

This is the one drugstore shampoo and conditioner I do like. I use this primarily to get chlorine out of my hair or if I have a lot of product build up. 

If I am having a day where hair spray is necessary these are the two I will use. The Marc Anthony Argan Oil Hairspray is my absolute favorite for when I have my hair up or when it's got a lot of static. The Paul Mitchell Hot Of The Press is what I use when I straighten my hair with a flat iron. 

These are the products I use on a regular basis. I do not use them all together it just depends on what I am doing with my hair that day. The texture spray is my favorite it gives great lift to my hair. The blow out spray works great when I'm just drying my hair. The leave in conditioner is great. It doesn't weigh my hair down and gives it that extra boost of conditioner if I need it. The color shake is my absolute favorite hair care product. I can't find it many places anymore. It leaves my hair super shiny without it being greasy. It also protects my color when I'm outside a lot. The last product is my speed it up blow dry spray. This cuts drying time so it's much faster to dry my hair. 

So that's what I use regularly. If you have any questions about products just let me know in the comments!

Disclaimer* all products were purchased with my own money. All opinions are my own. 

Laneige BB Cushion Review

I have received this sample multiple times in beauty boxes so I decided to give it a chance. I was curious if I would like the cushion type foundation.  You can buy the full size of this product for $34 at Target, so it is a little pricy. 

I really liked the sponge that came with it. I did try this out using the sponge that came as well. I tried the shade light. It has SPF 50+ with 5 in 1 cushion technology that brightens, protects, cools and hydrates. It also prevents shine and perfects long lasting color. 

I found the scent to be really nice, I thought it was going to be to strong but once I put it on my face you couldn't smell it anymore. It had really great coverage it just was way to dark for my skin tone. 

Would I purchase a full size? I doubt it. Not only do they not have the color for me I would rather not spend that much money on foundation. Maybe if I found it on a good sale with a coupon I would buy it, but I would rather get my favorite foundation from Sephora for that amount of money. 

disclaimer* I received this in a beauty box, all opinions are my own

Products I Regret Purchasing

I get asked a lot if I ever have products I just wish I had not spent money on. My answer is rarely. I have so many right now from the dollar store haul I did awhile back. When I went to the dollar store I bought pretty much everything that was there and you can go back to March to read the reviews on the products. I did have a few other items to put in this post that I will leave a short review on in this post.

First off I will list the dollar store products I really regret purchasing. 

1. Loreal Hip Lip Gloss

2. LA Colors Liquid Makeup

3. Elf HD Blush

4. Maybelline Color Tattoo Pigment

5. LA Colors Liquid Eyeliner

6. Wet n Wild Mega Plump Mascara

7. Wet n Wild Intuitive Blen

8. Sassy + Chic BB Cream

The following are just items I picked up here and there since Jan that I just don't care for. 

1. Revlon Ultimate All In One Mascara- I do not like the wand. It is really small with very tiny bristles.

2. City Color Tinted Brow Gel- I like the formula, it is just the wrong color for me.

3. Maybelline The Falsies Push Up Drama- I just don't like the formula and I don't think it really does anything for my lashes.

4. Rimmel Show Off Lip Velvet in 307 Meteoric Matte- I do not like how think this formula is, it does not feel nice on my lips. It also has a strong pain scent.

5. Maybelline Master Smokey in Scorching Brown- The liner is to think to do anything with. 

6. City Color Sunlight Trio Collection 2- I didn't like how dusty these are and the colors just did not work with my skin tone. 

disclaimer* I purchased these with my own money, all opinions are my own. 

Dollar Store Lip Product Review

This is the final blog in the Dollar Store series. I posted everything I got back on Feb 17th. There are also two blog post previous to this one of the other items I got in the Dollar Store Haul. This blog is about the 3 lip products I purchased. All of these were purchased for $1 each at the Dollar Tree. I will start with the top of the picture and work my way down. 

1. Elf Lip Balm Tint

I got the color Grapefruit. It says it gives a flush of color for a natural look and that it is infused with coconut, grape, shea butter and rice wax to condition lips. I really like this product. I found it gave just the right amount of color for a really natural flush of color. It lasted for about 4 hours with eating and drinking before I had to reapply. 

2. L'Oreal Hip Color Presso

I got the color 380 Fashionista. It claims a high intensity pigment. I found this really messy. the colors squeeze out their own separate sides. I found it hard to get an even amount of both without it making a mess. It was a very light color that did not last at all 

3. LA Colors Lip Color

I picked up the color Coral Sheen. It claims long lasting color and moisturizes with Vitamin E and Aloe Vera.  It was very silky and glided on very smoothly. It was a great long lasting coral color that is going to be great for spring and summer. 

If you would like to know any more about any of these products please let me know. Did you like the haul with the mini reviews? Would you like to see more of them? Let me know!

disclaimer* I purchased these with my own money, all opinions are my own 

Target Beauty Box Unboxing

This box is titled Vacay Vibes. It came out on Leap Day. 

This is what was included:

1. A $3 coupon like always

2. Hair Food Moisture Shampoo and Conditioner- maybe this will be a drug store shampoo and conditioner I actually like?

3. Not Your Mothers Texturizing Sea Salt Spray- I have another texture spray by this brand so I am excited to try it

4. Sinful Colors Professional Nail Polish- I really like this nail polish. I got the color Lie-Lac.

5. Lineige Water Sleeping Mask- be on the look out for an upcoming blog on this product

6. Banana Boat Sun Comfort SPF 30 Lotion

7. Nugg Deep Hydration Facial Mask Treatment- Can't wait to try this. 

8. You Are Amazing Juicy Grapefruit Body Lotion- Smells really good

9. Caress Adore Forever Body Wash

Is there anything you would like to know more about? Let me know in the comments!

disclaimer* I paid for shipping, all opinions are my own

Dollar Store Eye Product Reviews

This is the second blog in my Dollar Store Haul reviews. I posted the haul on Feb 17, so go check it out to see if you are interested in anything else from that haul. Be on the look out for one more Dollar Store review blog coming up. 

These are the eye products I picked up on my little haul. I will start left to right on the top picture. 

1. Wet n Wild Mega Plump Mascara

I picked this up for $3.60 at Dollar General. I got it in the color Very Black. It claims 3x the volume and waterproof. I found it to be a very dry formula and didn't really care for it. I put on about 4 layers and it just gave me a really natural look. It didn't give me any added volume or length and it was not very waterproof. 

2. Milani Glitter Eye Pencil

I got this for a $1 at the Dollar Tree. I got the color 03 Purple Quartz. It is a retractable eyeliner that glides on very smooth. It is a great purple color with just the right amount of glitter. I wore it all day with my contacts with no problems. 

3. LA Colors Liquid Eyeliner

This was $1 at the Dollar Tree. I got the color Brown. Im not a huge fan of liquid eyeliner to begin with and this one did not change my opinion. It has an ultra fine tip but the brush was very long. It made applying very difficult for me. I didn't see much color pay off either. 

4. Wet n Wild Color Icon Eyeshadow

I got this for $1 at the Dollar Tree. I love a good blending color for my eyeshadow and this did not disappoint. I picked up the color Créme Brûlée and it is a really nice color for blending. It is a great formula, very smooth. 

5. Maybelline Color Tattoo Pure Pigments

I was very excited for finding this for $1 at the Dollar Tree. I love the Maybelline Color Tattoo line but I had not had the opportunity to try the pigments yet. I picked up the color 60 Buff & Tuff. I have to admit I did not care for this to much at all. I like the regular cream color tattoos better. This one just did not show up on my skin, it was just so light. It is a pretty color though.

6. Elf Smudge Pot

This is featured in the second picture. I picked this up for $1 at the Dollar Tree. I got the color Pearls of Wisdom. It is enriched with vitamin E. It is a beautiful base color. It glides on and stays put. I found this very comparable to mac paint pots. Love this!

Let me know in the comments if you would like to know anything else about any of these products. 

disclaimer* I paid for these products on my own, opinions are my own

L'Oreal Total Repair 5 Review

I don't remember where I got this sample from but I did have a request to review this. It is the L'Oreal Total Repair 5 Shampoo, Conditioner and Balm. Now anyone that knows me well will agree that it is a never ending search for me to find a drugstore brand shampoo and conditioner that works in my hair so of course I was willing to give this a shot as well. 

You can purchase the shampoo and conditioner for $7.98 each at Target and the balm is $5.99 at Target. 

The Total Repair Shampoo and Conditioner claim it repairs 5 signs of damage 1. rebuild fibers 2. strengthen 3. vitality 4. silkiness 5. shine

The Balm is a rinse out reconstructing balm that claims to repair one year of damage in one use. 

They all smelled really nice and the conditioner made my hair really silky, however I did not like how weighted down and heavy it made my hair. 

Someday I will find a drugstore brand that works for me. Until then I will stay with my salon products.

Would I purchase a full size? No I would not. This might be better for someone with thicker hair.

Disclaimer* I received this sample for free, opinions are my own