Skincare Backstock Collection 2019

I am doing an updated skincare backstock update for 2019. This is all skincare not currently in rotation. I do have a bunch of skin care out, don’t you worry. This bin contains face masks that have been in and out of rotation, but masks tend to last longer. They are in backstock until I get some older ones used up first and then, I’ll add these ones back in. Back stock is anything that is not currently in my skincare rotation. I need to keep myself accountable with what I have and use that up before deciding to buy new skincare. There are only a couple of categories that I have only one item in use of. I am allowing myself to purchase anything that doesn’t have a replacement in backstock. I have three backstock bins that I am hoping to consolidate into two by the end of the year. Without further ado, these are all of the products waiting to be cycled into rotation.

CLINIQUE Pep-Start Daily UV Protector

This will be added shortly to my summer project pan, because it needs to be used up this year. I don’t like this sunscreen as it makes my oily skin oiler. It has some sort of emollient in it that leaves a greasy residue that never absorbs all the way into my skin. It might be made for drier skin types. It is slightly tinted. I am confident that I will be able to use this up during the summer as long as I wear it everyday.

ELF Daily Hydration Moisturizer

I plan on pulling this one in when I am done with my mattifying moisturizer, which I feel doesn’t do much. I bought two moisturizers when I previously did an ELF haul. I feel good having a backup for a daily moisturizer. I haven’t found my holy grail yet. I think I will try PIXI or a brand from Sephora unless this one blows me away.

Beauty 360 Brightening Radiance Facial Mask

I haven’t even opened this one yet, so it will remain unopened for the rest of this year more than likely. I have other masks opened in backstock and I will go through those before this one. I am excited to try this one. If it is a sleeping mask, it might get opened this year. This is the only sleeping mask that I have in backstock at the moment. I don’t need to buy masks for a looooong time. I am well stocked with every kind.

SOO AE Donkey Milk Sleeping Mask

So, this is just a sachet packet. I will probably use it up this year, when I want to take a break from sheet masks and do something a little different. Right now, I have two sleeping masks open though. This won’t be utilized for a while. I am looking forward to trying it out though. I love what masks do for my skin. I have oily skin, but if I keep it hydrated, it tends to be more combination. Also, as I am getting closer to my 28th year, my face seems to be getting drier. I am taking that as a good sign. I would love to be combo instead of an oil slick in my t-zone.

Too Cool For School Egg Mousse Soap Facial Cleanser

I started using this, but then decided to work on my deluxe size cleansers. They were piling up! I am down to my last two deluxe sized cleansers, so I will be picking this back up again sometime this year. After, I want to move on to cleansing balms, because I love the moisture that it gives my skin after getting all the makeup and junk off. I used to be a fun of foaming cleansers, but I find them really drying nowadays.

VS Let’s Glow Sheet Mask

I have one last sheet mask from VS. It’s a brightening mask, which I usually use in the morning, so I am waiting for the right time to use this one. I enjoy sheet masks a ton. I usually do one every Saturday night, but sometimes, I’m just way too tired to mask. I try to at least do one every month for a tiny bit of me time.

Drunk Elephant Beste No 9 Jelly Cleanser

I was told that this smells like cantaloupe. I haven’t opened it yet, so I have no clue. lol. I plan on using this next after I use up my current cleanser, which isn’t too far away. I really do not need a backstock of any product. I would much rather order a new one when I’m almost done with my current one. I am working towards the goal of having 1 backstock bin for when I do order and add on items to meet the minimum free shipping. This was part of my free birthday gift, so I feel good about having it in backstock. IT’s everything that I deliberately bought that I feel bad about.

The Ordinary Alpha Lipoic Acid 5%

I totally forgot that I had this serum in my collection. I don’t feel like I need a serum until I’m 30 and it’ll be an anti-aging one. I am using up all in my collection and not repurchasing until then. I no longer support the brand and just want to use what I have up at this point. This isn’t a serum that you can use everyday either. You can only use it a few times a week, so it will take forever for me to use up.

The Ordinary AHA 30% + BHA 2% Peeling Solution 10-Minute Exfoliating Facial

This is an exfoliating peel face mask, which is unique in my collection. I am not a fan of physical exfoliation on the skin, but I love chemical exfoliates which are gentler on the skin. I am currently using a peeling gel in the shower, so I would not add this in until I use that one up. This is only meant to be on the skin for 10 minutes at the most, so it is great to apply in the shower once I have conditioner in my hair. I can apply this “mask”, clean my body, and then rinse. I would use this 2 to 3x a week at most, because my skin is on the oilier side, I feel like it can benefit from more frequent sloughing of dead skin cells. If your skin is normal or combo, I would suggest 1 to 2x a week. This is unopened and will stay in backstock until I finish my current peeling gel.

The Ordinary Retinol 1%

I totally forgot that I had this. I am actually taking this out of backstock and putting it in my current skincare collection in the bathroom. I put this away during the winter, because it was too drying on my skin. Now, it is getting warmer and summer out. I am pulling it back out to use at night and I am going to try to use it all up this summer. I use this at night. I usually alternate between using a sleeping mask and an oil. Now, I will alternate with this as well at night. Even in the summer, I cannot use this daily and I can only use it 3x a week at most. It has 2/3rds to 1/2 left, so I think I might be able to do it.

Roloxin Lift Instant Skin Smoothing Masque

I am decluttering this to my mom to use, because I do not have wrinkles that need filling.

MJCARE Sheet Masks Variety

I have 8 more of these sheet masks left that I want to use up. I enjoy wearing sheet masks and I try to do them once every week or so. It’s hard sometimes to try to find the time to mask. I have been reserving them for Saturday nights after a clay mask while doing my homework that is due on Sundays. Sheet masks aren’t a necessary in my skincare routine, but I do enjoy using them. They are very indulgent, but I usually snag them when they are on sale for a dollar or two.

ELF Makeup Remover Cleansing Cloths

I have three packets in storage and one currently in use. These were $5 for a 2 pack with a total of 40 wipes, which I thought were a good idea. They are moist and effective at taking off makeup and cleaning your face at the end of the night. I sometimes use this in the morning instead of my micellar water. I like to have these one hand for lazy nights when I am too tired to wash my face and do the whole big routine. I won’t need more for quite some time.

The Sharing Co Sheet Masks

Again, I have more sheet masks. I love sheet masks though. Seeing all of these is making me kick myself in the butt that I need to mask more often or at least commit to once a week. I cannot wait to use these up and enjoy them.

Valentia Skin Detoxifying Clay Mask

I received this in PR and have used about half of the jar. I put it away for now to work on my oldest clay mask first. This is a good mask, but it is very messy. This is one that I reserve for when I know that I’ll be taking a shower to rinse it off. I have a few other clay masks that I need to use up before this one. It gives great results, but it is just a really messy removal process that is a pain in the butt. I am good with masks for a while though. I am glad to have so many to choose from, but my back stock is excessive.

L’Oreal Pure-Clay Mask

Again, another clay mask. This one only has a few uses left in it, so I will probably use this one up next after I use up the one that I am currently using. I really like this mask and find that it reduces oil production for a few days. It is not cruelty free though, so I will not be repurchasing this. My best friend bought me this for my birthday and I really appreciate it. I love this mask and I would accept it again as a gift anytime. I am sure that this will be featured in an empties post somewhere in the near future.

Valentia Ultra Plumping Hydration Mask

Another half way used up face mask. This one is a hydration mask that I am received in PR. This is very similar to a sheet mask as its made to hydrate and plump the face. I really enjoy this mask, but it requires rinsing. I would much rather use a sheet mask or a sleeping mask than get another one of these hydration rinse off masks. I will use it up, but I would not purchase a product like this.

Freeman Avocado & Oatmeal Clay Mask

This mask is almost used up as well. I use this 5 minute mask in the shower. Once I use up all my “shower” face products, I would get another Freeman’s 5 minute face masks to keep in my shower to deep clean my face. With the steam and warm water, they penetrate deep, work fast, and I see results. I thoroughly recommend these masks. Ideally, I still want a “shower” mask, a regular clay mask, sleeping mask, and sheet masks in my collection. I currently have too many. I probably have enough to last to the end of this year.

It is surprising to me that I have 21 face masks including sheet and jar masks. This post does not include the two masks that I just got from my best friend for my birthday, but they will be included in my inventory counts spreadsheet. I need to start masking more than once a week. This is the inspiration that I need to enjoy what I have instead of trying to hoard them. I don’t need to. I have a life where I can buy whatever I want within reason. If I use up all my masks, I can buy new ones. I could even buy a $30 one. I’m not gonna restrict myself, but I want to use up what I have. Otherwise, it’s wasteful. I’m not going to go out and buy a nail polish when I have over 40 at home.

With Love,

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Birthday Hauling: ELF

Last but certainly not least is my ELF haul. There would have been a LUSH haul as well, but my tub isn’t getting fixed until June. It would be a moot point to buy anything now and I doubt that I’ll want to take many baths during the summer. So, a Fall Lush haul is most likely in my future which is fine with me. I’ll make sure to stock up on my favorite Halloween and Christmas staples. For my ELF haul, I basically stocked up on makeup wipes and makeup brushes that were desperately needed in my collection. I ended up with 2 freebies as well, so I am happy about that. My whole haul was $27 USD and change. I need the $25 to get free shipping.

ELF Makeup Remover Cleansing Cloths

Each 2 pack was $5, so I spent $10 on makeup wipes for an 80 ct. I think this is a fantastic deal if they work well. I am halfway through my morning cleansing water, which I bought these as replacements for. I am also sometimes really lazy at 11 oclock at night and I thought that these would be really convenient to not sleep in my makeup. I want to keep my skin as clear as possible, especially since I struggle with acne prone skin. Nowadays, its mostly texture acne that I deal with, but still, gotta keep this face clean.

ELF Lip Exfoliator in Mint Maniac

I bought this for $3 to replace my Lush potted lip scrub which is almost used up as a backup since I won’t be doing my Lush order for a few months. By then, the Coco-Cola one should be back in season. The cherry cola is my favorite lip scrub that Lush makes, so I will be a happy girl when I can have it in my life again. Using a lip scrub has become a daily part of my night routine before I wash my face. My lips have never been in better condition. No flakes, plumb, and liquid lippies look fantastic and are easy to apply (as long as the formula is good).

ELF Lash & Brow Wand

I bought this for $1. It is totally worth $1. I use this to comb my brows into place and through my lashes to get rid of any clumps. It won’t work if the mascara is reallllly clumpy, but for minor clumps, it works like a charm. I think I need a lash comb to salvage clumpy mascara, but at that point, I think I’d rather just chuck the mascara. This was much needed in my brush collection though as I had none.

ELF Pointed Powder Brush

This is so incredibly soft! I paid $6 for this brush, mainly for baking/putting powder under my eyes and setting concealer. I can see using this to set my whole face though if I used foundation. I have a big fluffy powder brush, but it is more geared towards the body with how big it is. This is a better size for the face with more control. I can go back to using the other powder brush to apply my Lush powdered dry shampoo. I am so happy to have new brushes in my collection to help my powders perform better. I bet I will see a big difference. I actually like the ELF brushes better than Real Techniques.

ELF Angled Blush Brush

I actually got this $4 makeup brush for free for my birthday. This will be great for blending out blush and contouring the face. I might reserve this for contouring and use a different brush for blush. The angle is perfect for getting under those cheekbones. I have a kabuki brush that I usually use for blush from ECO TOOLS. It is a nice freebie. It isn’t as soft as the other brushes that I bought, but it is still soft and not scratchy.

ELF Ultimate Blending Brush

I bought this brush for $6 and again, the ones with the white tips are super duper soft. I have that dupe Artist foundation brush, but I hate it. I want to be able to chuck it and a few other brushes, but I needed to buy replacements for them first. I wanted a really good blending brush to buff foundation into the skin. I am so happy to have a few brush “empties” for May. I cannot wait to actually use this brush. I have a particular foundation stick from Hourglass that I want to try with this. I have tons of foundation samples that need to be used up before I purchase one from Sephora. I only buy high end base products, so that it doesn’t clog my skin and is healthier for my acne and texture prone skin. Ingredients really do matter and Sephora has a better selection of cruelty free brands. I would try a foundation or cc serum from ELF though, because I haven’t had a problem with their products breaking me out.

 

ELF Need IT Nude Eyeshadow Palette

I also got this $10 eye shadow for free. I am actually happy to have this in my collection. It has good buildable pigmentation, which is what I look for in an eyeshadow palette. I don’t like anything too pigmented unless its a lid shade like the Stila Glitter and Glows. It is soft, but I have felt softer and it has a tendency of being chalky with the matte shades. My Ciate palette is higher quality and doesn’t do that. It is really good for a $10 10 pan palette. That is $1 an eye shadow. The metallics are beautiful and by far my favorite from this palette. I do like the matte rose as well though, even though it didn’t show up great in my photos. The three browns on the end are virtually the same swatched out. The one in the middle has gold flecks in it. They aren’t too dark though, so they will be usable on my hooded eyes for darkening the outer v. This is a great palette for nudes when using other eye shadow products that I have to build a complete look. I’m sure I will have a few pans showing this year.

With Love,

August Empties

My bag is overflowing from all of the empties I have in there. I am hoping that there is at least twenty products in there. I was really dedicated last month in using up products that just had a little bit left in them. I still have a few almost empty products that I’m sure will be empties in September. I’m so happy for myself! I cannot wait to see how many products I actually used up. I will be coming back Sunday and Monday with new posts, since it is a long weekend! This might be a long one!

1. Lansinoh Nursing Pads, 60 count = 30 day supply

2. Lansinoh Breastmilk Storage Bags, 50 ct

3. Pantene Pro V Deep Cleanse Purifying Shampoo

4. Swisspers 100% Cotton Rounds

5. Nature Valley Crunchy Granola Bars in Pecan Crunch

6. Krispy Kreme Doughnuts Smooth Light Roast Coffee

7. Degree Men Motionsense Dry Spray Extreme 48H Antiperspirant

8. Rite Aid Feminine Care Cleansing Cloths

9. Dunkin’ Dark Coffee

10. Aveeno Nourish + Condition Leave-In Treatment

11. Groovi Beauty Pink Champagne Bubble Bath

12. Tarte Tarte Guard SPF 30

13. Kalos Triple Threat Detox Masque

L to R: LA Girl Flare in NL33 Neon Yellow, Avon in N910 Sweet Mint, Sephora in 83 Jungle Playground, H&M in Mad Mint, Julep in Amy, Color Club in 984 Wild Cactus

14. L.A. Girl Flare in Neon Yellow

15. It’s A 10 Miracle Leave-In Product

16. Forever 21 Love & Beauty Cucumber Sheet Mask For Sensitive Skin

17. Philosophy Ultimate Miracle Worker Sample

18. Olay Fresh Effects Swirled Mattifier Sample

19. Olay Fresh Effects BB Cream in Light to Medium Sample

20. Olay Regenerist Luminous Moisturizer Sample

21. Chanel Le Lift Sample

22. Gevalia Kaffe French Roast Coffee

23. Revlon Nearly Naked Pressed Powder in 010 Fair

24. Valentia Royal Rose Hydrating Serum

25. Marcelle BB Cream in Golden Glow

26. Josie Maran Whipped Argan Oil Face Butter Sample

27. Malibu Ultra Body Lotion Sample

28. Hair Tie

29. Fresh Soy Face Cleanser

Wow! Almost 30 products that I have used up. This is so amazing! I cannot wait to see what I use up in September. I don’t have any empties so far, but I’m sure that I will start using things up left and right. I have nothing to repurchase yet. I haven’t used up the last of anything important in my skin care routine, plus I have plenty of back ups! I will be buying a few school/college supplies next week when I get my books for my class AIT 131 Essentials of Information Technology. I love shopping for college/class supplies. Maybe, I’ll get some supplies for my desk as well. Anyways, I’ll be hitting the dollar tree and Walmart for supplies next week I’m supposed to get my books on Thursday!

With Love ❤

April Empties

Not that many empties this month! I need May to be a better purging month. It is my birthday month, so maybe I’ll feel more motivated to use up everything. I need to just use up my things instead of being afraid to do so because then I won’t have it anymore. I can always buy another if I love it that much. I need to retrain my mind. Hopefully, I get better at using my products up…..Hopefully.

Two Non-Reusable Mechanical Pencils From Target

Maxwell House International Latte in Iced Hazelnut, 6 servings

Sugar Babies Caramel Hot Cocoa, 1 ct K-cup

Summer’s Eve Morning Paradise Cleansing Wash, 15 fl oz

Equate Beauty Refreshing Cleansing Towelettes, 40 ct

And those are my empties. I have already repurchased a new Summer’s Eve product and I will be picking up a pack of the cleansing wipes today when I go to Walmart. Link your own empties post for me to read! They are my favorite posts!

With Love <3

Empties: The January Edit

Heya Aspiring Gurus!

It is that time once again to go over all of the empties of this past month. I didn’t use up too many products at all this month. I have so much stuff that it is going to take a while to go through it all. I am pretty happy with the five things that I did manage to use up though. Any amount is a good amount to me and I have a few things that are almost out. So, I think that February is going to be a heavy empties up, just because I am nearing the end of about half a dozen things. It makes me feel good to get rid of a lot of clutter in my life and few things I actually do repurchase. It has to really impress me by the time the last drop is used up. Not many things really impress me that much to repurchase. And some things that do? Well, they no longer make or it is really hard to find. My favorites post will go up tomorrow, so look for it then. I am also uploading the impressions from the February Birchbox Man post later today as well. You can look for that at around 5 to 7 pm Eastern Time.

Avon Moisture Therapy Hand Cream, 1.5 fl oz.

Impressed? No, not really.

Just Because Daily Essentials Everyday Facial Wipes, 20 ct

Impressed? No, but they are decent for wiping off my base makeup before cleansing. It also helps that they are very cheap at 1 USD a packet.

Elizabeth Arden Visible Difference Optimizing Skin Serum, 0.07 fl oz

[sample foil packet. Not worth a picture really.]

Cannot Wait until Summer to wear this again!

Impressed? No, nothing special. It felt nice, but I am not really worried about wrinkles yet. Maybe when I’m 30.

Nickak Shimmer Eyeliner in Green, 0.1 oz

Impressed? NO!!!!! This physically HURT my eyelid every time I tried to apply it and the formula wasn’t worth saving. DO NOT RECOMMEND!

OleHenriksen The Clean Truth Brightening Cleansing Cloths, 10 ct

Impressed! Totally! I loved every single one! They are really expensive though at 18 USD for 40 cts. I would love this as a gift or if I wanted to treat myself and use some of my Birchbox points to make the price more reasonable [that’s IF they sell this product]. If I had a 10 USD Sephora gift card, I would pay the extra 8 bucks which is comparable with drugstore versions at 8 USD for around 30 cts.

That is all of my empties from this month and I was only impressed by one product. I would buy the dollars wipes again, just because they are a bargain. If my Kmart doesn’t have any of those in stock, I might get the ELF 3 USD ones instead. Well, that’s it for now!

With Love,