May Empties

I feel really good about the amount of products that I was able to push out this month. It even out the amount of products that I have brought in. I really have been concentrating on using up samples, deluxe sizes, and almost empty products this month. I am sure there will be just as many empties in June as well from my May efforts. I don’t want to have a crazy backstock of items. I don’t want to have to keep 3 bins in my closet to hold all of my items (hair, body, skin care). I want to hold everything in just one backup storage bin. If by the end of the year I can have two bins, I will be a very happy girl. I think this is more realistic at this point in time. I keep my makeup totally separate, but I would like to have one empty drawer out of my jewelry case for my everyday jewelry to be accessible. I have larger makeup items on top where jewelry is stored, so I’d like to have an empty drawer for that purpose. If I use up enough makeup, I can make this happen. Fingers crossed!

1.DKNY Be Delicious Fresh Blossom

I used up this perfume in my project pan. It was the first item in the project that I was able to use up. I enjoyed this Spring scent, but I am more interested in buying a different Be Delicious perfume than repurchasing this one. I would not repurchase this one, because the scent wasn’t apple-y enough for me and too floral. Glad to have a perfume out of my collection. That is the second perfume used up this year, so I am a happy girl right now. Hopefully, I’ll be able to move out two more by the end of the year and keep up the pace.

2. Smashbox Primerizer Sample

I have no opinion on this product. It was a nice primer to use up, but I notice nothing from foil packets. I’m not interested in trying this primer, though.

3. Sumita Jaipur Gold Contrast Eye Pencil

This came in a subscription box, but has since dried out. It looks great on the back of my hand, but I cannot press it hard enough into my eye lid for the same pigmentation. I am not going to kill my eyeballs for the sake of using up an eye liner that I didn’t even buy myself, so I am happily decluttering this one.

4. Marc Jacobs Velvet Noir Major Volume Mascara

Chunky and clumpy lashes. I just hate that type of look on me. I have naturally long dark eye lashes, so I am just looking for darkening and volume. It was too clumpy to salvage it. I even tried using my lash brush to brush out some of the clumps and I had mascara bits all over my face from brushing out the clumps. I’m glad to be decluttering, because I don’t enjoy using it. The short stubby bristles on the wand are not great for lengthening and gives really chunky lashes.

5 – 7. Moda Oval Makeup Brushes

I hate these with a passion. I don’t like them. I prefer traditional brushes. The only one that was good is the biggest one, but with a flimsy wand, I quickly grew tired of it. Now, I have the ELF blending brush and couldn’t be happier with it.

8. Benefit High Beam Cream Highlighter

I scraped out every last bit that I could. I even cut the tube in half. I enjoyed this by adding it into my moisturizer for a healthy glow. It was perfect for that. I am enjoying using up my cream highlighters in this way. I would rather use a glowy primer when I am done with my cream highlighters though. I still keep a pink cream highlighter in my collection though in case I use a pore filling primer. It would be good to use on no makeup days for a glowy look. Yeah, I think I’ll always have a pink cream highlighter on hand, but that is all the cream highlighter that I need. I will not repurchase this. It was too frosty for what I want to use it for and it is not cruelty free.

9. HIGH Expectation Cannabis Facial Oil Sample

This sample lasted me a week of nightly use leaving me very pleasantly surprised. It sinks in faster than other oils and smells like fruity pebbles. I like other oils that sink in faster and do more for my skin than just hydrate AKA the Sunday Riley UFO oil. I still did enjoy this sample, but I mostly buy main stream brands and I’ve never heard of this one before. Oh and the fact that its cannabis doesn’t bother me in the slightest. LOL.

 

 

10. MAC PREP + PRIME FIX + MINI in Lavender

I don’t see these as a necessary step in my routine if I am already using primer. I feel like I need a pore filling primer or a mattifying one that does something for my skin rather than this one that just adds moisture. This might be nice for dry skin, but I don’t see the point for my skin. I will gladly use my minis up and buy this on sale again, because it is very refreshing and nice. I wouldn’t buy it full price. I’d rather spend money on a setting spray that will lock my makeup in place. I really enjoy the experience of using this though. I can see drier skin types loving this spray.

11. Johnson’s Bedtime Baby Moisture Wash

I bought this for $1 or $1.50 when a Walmart I lived near was clearancing this line out to redo their baby section. I used this as a nighttime bubble bath for Dean. I got a ton of use out of it and it did have a very soothing scent. I would not purchase this full price, but I would buy it on sale again. I usually buy Dr. Teals or the Walmart brand bubble bath. I am not gonna lie, I used this a few times as well. It made quite a few baths and lots of bubbles. Even though technically its not a bubble bath, we used it as such and it performed great.

12. Drunk Elephant Lala Retro Whipped Cream Sample

This was enough for 2 uses on the face. It was nice enough, but I really have no opinion of it. I would need a deluxe size to really comment on it.

13. Josie Maran Whipped Argan Oil Body Butter Unscented

I only used up one of the samples. I’ve had it before. I wouldn’t purchase it. It takes a long time to sink into the skin, so it’s kinda a hassle to use. It was enough for almost 2 full body uses.

14. Magic Bath Crackles

This was enough for 2 baths. Dean ignored it for the most part. It was worth a shot.

15. Crayola Color Bath Dropz

These continue to be a repurchase for us. Dean loves different colors in his bath water. It makes bath time a fun experience for him. They just change the color of the bath water, so there isn’t much to review about it. It doesn’t stain the tub or his skin, so its a winner in my book.

16. Not Your Mother’s Way To Grow Long & Strong Shampoo

I really enjoyed this shampoo. I liked the fragrance and it lathered nicely. I don’t know if it did anything to make my hair grow longer, but I would buy another shampoo from this brand again. It is a great cruelty free drugstore option. I wasn’t blown away by this shampoo, but it is a solid shampoo with good ingredients. I’m not too fussy when it comes to shampoo, but I do like them to clean my hair. I always shampooed my hair twice with this as I felt that once wasn’t enough to strip out all the oil in my hair. I wouldn’t mind repurchasing this again, but I’d rather try another shampoo by the brand.

17. ROLOXIN LIFT INSTANT SKIN SMOOTHING MASK

I am decluttering this to my mom.

18. Mr. Bubble Bubble Bath

My mom put this is Dean’s easter basket and we used it up once our bath was fixed. In a few baths, we finished this bad boy off and I ordered some bubble bath at Walmart. Dean loves bubbles in his tub and I do like it as well when I indulge in a bath.

I am very proud of how much stuff I was able to use up on my birthday month! I am happy that I used up 18 products this month with 8 being full sized, 4 deluxe, and 6 samples. I don’t expect much coming into my collection in June besides maybe another VS bra or something since I do have another $10 gift card. Nothing beauty wise though, so these numbers have put me in a good spot to cut down on my collection while adding to it. I am very happy and proud of what I have been able to accomplish this month. Hopefully, June is just as good of a month. I can see quite a few products hanging by a hair in my collection, so I’m going to take that as a good sign.

With Love,

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Birthday Hauling: Sephora

I did a little Sephora haul for my birthday and I spent $57 USD and some change. I was very frugal as I usually spend $100 at Sephora alone for my birthday. I organized everything by samples, free gift with purchase, birthday gift, and purchases from low to high. I am brimming with excitement over everything that I have picked up. I have swatched everything out and it is so beautiful. Everything is exactly how I thought it would be. I read so many reviews and do a lot of research before I pick anything up at Sephora. It is an expensive place to shop and I want to end up with something that I will more than likely love instead of return.

High Expectations Cannabis Facial Oil

This is wierd, but I am just going to put it in my bathroom with my skincare to use up the sample this month.

Drunk Elephant Lala Retro Whipped Cream

I am excited to have another sample of Drunk Elephant and I will put this in with my skin care to use up this month. I don’t want these samples building up again.

Josie Maran Whipped Argan Oil Body Butter in Unscented and Honeysuckle Vanilla

These are always nice to try and I already know that I love this sample. I am putting it in my bathroom to use up immediately.

Glow Recipe Watermelon Glow Sleeping Mask

I am happy to have snagged a baby size of this to try as it is on my Sephora Love’s List to buy (and the Avocado one). I am putting this baby size in my bathroom immediately as well, because I have been dying to try it. I do have another sleeping mask open, but this is more of a gel and does something different than my other one. It smells like a watermelon jolly rancher, but also a bit fresh in the after note. I am sure that I will be out of this baby soon enough. It is a third of an ounce, so enough to make a decision if I want to purchase a full size or not.

 

Drunk Elephant Beste No. 9 Jelly Cleanser & Protini Polypeptide Cream Duo

This was the birthday gift that I picked this year, because I do not support Kat Von D. I still would have picked this up though, because I have been dying to try Drunk Elephant products. I even added a kit to my Love’s List since my declutter post. I am putting the cream immediately into my bathroom as I need a gentle night time cream for after treatments and harsh masks. The cleanser will be put away as I am using something else at the moment as my night time cleanser. I only use a cleansing wipe or water in the morning after a thorough night routine.

 

 

 

Too Faced Bronzed Peach Melting Powder Bronzer in Toasted Peach

I paid $10 for 12.5 grams of bronzer, which I feel is a steal. I only paid a third of the original price making this essentially drug store. The packaging is super adorable and it smells lightly of peach. I don’t find the scent too strong and I really like it. It contains a nice mirror and the bronzer isn’t shimmery. It is glowy, but I don’t feel like it is too much. Even though I have oily skin, I have been into glowy skin and makeup looks lately rather than my matte go to. The bronzer isn’t too brown or orange on me and blends out to be very light. I can be light handed and also build this bronzer up. It is the perfect color for my light skin and it will still match me in the summer since I can build up the color. The cream to powder formula is really nice as well. I like to dab with my fingers and buff out with a buffing brush. It’s perfect.

 

 

Urban Decay Naked Skin Highlighting Fluid in Skywalk

I paid $14 which is half priced for this beautiful light blue highlighter. I have heard good things about it being used as an under eye corrector for dark circles that brightens up the area and makes them disappear. This is for sure opaque and a lovely highlighter. You can have it look straight up purple/blue on the skin or blend it in for a diffused lit from within look. It is very thin and lightweight. I can see why it was made in the Naked line. Right now, I just got an under eye corrector in a FITFABFUN box, so I will wait on using this as an under eye corrector. I will be using it as a pretty highlight though. I have been dying to get one in this shade. Blue/purple highlights look really nice on my skin tone and really brighten up my face. Put on my cupid’s bow, it makes me teeth look whiter as well. Overall, I am really happy with this already and I’m sad that it’s being discontinued. I love this cream highlighter and I don’t usually like creams/liquids. It really has to be something special for me to not put it in a project pan.

 

 

Ciate London Glitter Storm Palette

I paid $30 and saved $10 off the original price of the palette. I wasn’t going to get a palette originally, but those glitters?!!!! They stole my heart and swatched out, they still look lovely. These are one finger swipe swatched btw. I wanted to see how opaque they were. I like to build up my eye shadow. These have amazing pigmentation. The glitters have a nice eye shadow base to them and I love them all. My favorite glitter would have to be Firestorm, which is the red/pink one. None of the colors are too dark for my hooded eyes. The packaging of the palette is pretty to look at and very weighted. It feels expensive like a $30 palette. The only color I don’t get in this palette if Whirlwind which is the matte peachy shade. It’s a sore thumb. They could have done a soft rose or a cream and it would have looked a lot better. Still using every shade though. I am so excited! This palette is very me, which is why I bought it. This palette will motivate me to use up my project pan items, so I can bring this out and play with it.

I am so happy with my Sephora purchase! Not one product disappointed me right out of the gate that I purchased. I am looking forward to playing around with all of my new makeup. Hopefully, I move out some project pan items in order to do so. Keep my motivation up. I tend to lose motivation around products. I might switch it up and do a monthly makeup rotation instead……let’s see how I do with the first project.

With Love,

September Project 200 Pan

It is the end of October, so you know that I am finally getting around to telling you what I used up last September. If you have read my 15 to Jess post, then you know that I am up to 115 out of 200 items. I only have 75 more things to use up by the end of the year. Now, I know that this is very much of a stretch. I would have to use up (not including September) 25 items in October, November, and December. I really do not use up that many items in a month. I thought that I could do it, because in the beginning, I had so many minis. As the year went on, items started to decrease in numbers and I am very happy to have gotten rid of a bulk of the clutter. I am happy with my current number 115, but I want to still push for that 200. I’m not going to use things for the sake of an empty though. I am using my items and enjoying most of them.

MAKEUP:

116/200 I painted my toe nails this bright red orange from Julep in the shade Gloria from the Bombshell collection. I will be keeping this for the toes. It is more red than I like for my fingers. Painting my nails is a miracle which is why I’m counting it as an empty to motivate myself to paint my nails more. Next year, I am actually having 2 nail polishes in my finish 19 in 2019. This shade will not make it in there though since I can only use it on my toes. It is a pretty color though.

BODY CARE:

120/200 I am not counting Dean’s Shampoo/Body Wash as he goes through them pretty regularly. I finished off two of my dad’s body scrubs. He leaves a lot in there, because he doesn’t want to work hard to get the last bits out. I get roughly two weeks of body scrub out of each bottle that he wants to throw out. I count them, because I am not using my own body wash most of the month. My dad never liked this lotion. I finally finished this huge bottle. I used it at night after a bath/shower, because it is unscented. I like to use scented body lotion during the day. I FINALLY used up my Bio-oil from my pregnancy days. This did nothing for my current stretch marks, but it did help against stretch marks during pregnancy. I didn’t get any stretch marks until I started to loose the baby weight. That is how I got my original stretch marks from my teen days. Any time I lose a lot of weight fast, I get stretch marks. I really want to try a stretch mark cream and a cellulite one, because I have both thanks to Dean. 🙂

HAIR CARE:

124/200 Hair care was where it was at this month. I redid my grey hair, although it is looking more brown toned than the icy grey that I was getting before. This is the last time that I am doing grey, because I think I will need to lighten my hair again. I’m going to do a smoky blue and maybe a purple. Since I have this darker ash vibe, I still want to play with color and maybe I can be a bit more vibrant but dark at the same time. I finished a one time use foil packet of a hair mask and it was okay. I used up this scalp scrub that I did not understand and all it did was dry up my hair. The Infusium 23 I received from Influenster for review purposes and I really didn’t care for it. I am sad that my Aussie conditioner is done. It is my favorite conditioner, but they are not CF. No repurchases in this category for me.

SKIN CARE:

126/200 I got the little deluxe sized sample of bronzing face lotion from Danielle and I really liked it. It gave a natural tan look to my face and never looked orange or fake. I didn’t care for the Kiehl’s face gel. It wasn’t moisturizing enough and I don’t think it did anything for my acne. It also pilled up ANYTHING applied underneath it. I ended up using this on my legs and it helped with razor bumps. There are cheaper things you can purchase for that though than this moisturizer. I really want to try their midnight recovery oil/serum thing. I’m not turned off by the brand. I just don’t like this product.

MISCELLANEOUS:

I finished up two pens. Both my favorite: PaperMate Ink Joy pens, but the orange is the gel pen. I am IN LOVE with the gel pens. I will repurchase another pack once I’m down to my last few ones. They have lasted two semesters so far with only one causality out of 10 pens. We finished up a mini toothpaste from the dentist and a pack of 100 cotton rounds. I am currently working on a huge bag of cotton balls. We don’t use them and they just sit. Honestly, I don’t see much of a difference between the two. I might switch to cotton balls, since it is more cost effective.

126/200 That is not bad for the end of September and nine months into my year long pan project. October isn’t looking too promising, so I think ideally, I would want to hit at least 150 to 175. 200 is looking farther and farther away. I’ll be relooking through my collection. I think there is one more color corrector that I need to declutter, but I pretty much did most of my decluttering already of items that I am not a fan of. I might be resubbing to Sephora PLAY in 2020 if my 2019 project pan goes well. That was my favorite sub box and I have been keeping an eye out in case I wanted to buy any months after the fact.

With Love,

February Empties

I have another month of empties to share with all of you. I used up a lot of items this month and I am hoping to finish up even more in March. My skincare cabinet has a bit of room to it now. My first thought was to bring in more items from my back stock, but I have refrained from doing that so far. I wanted to bring in another face mask, but I already have 5 open. lol. I love skin care products, but I am trying to convince myself that a little bit of room is good to be able to comfortably reach everything without knocking bottles over.

Food:

1.2. 3. 4. Gerber Lil’ Beanies

5. River Queen Honey Roasted Peanuts

Drink:

6. 7. International Delight Coffee Creamer

8. New England Coffee Donut Shop Blend

9. Equate Pediatric Electrolyte Oral Solution

Toys:

10. Soft Baby Mirror Toy

Makeup:

11. Mary-Kate and Ashley Tropical Burst Vanilla Sugar Body Mist

12. Elizabeth Mott Liquid Eyeliner in Glitterati

13. Caitlin Lip Gloss in Love Spell

14. Sephora Lipstick in Red

15. Grande Lips Lip Gloss

16. Marc Jacobs Daisy Perfume

17. JCat Beauty Lip Pain in Love

18. Becca First Light Primer

Body Lotion:

19. 20. Equate Moisture Car Cocoa Divine Body Lotion

21. Body Co Sweat Pea Moisturizing Body and Hand Lotion

22. Gold Bond Ultimate Healing Lotion

Skincare:

23. Neutrogena Clear Pore Oil-Eliminating Astringent

24. Simple Exfoliating Facial Wipes

25. The Ordinary Hylauronic Acid + B5

26. Milk Cooling Stick

27. Farmacy Honey Drop Lightweight Moisturizer

28. Origins A Perfect World Eye Cream

Hair Care:

29. Alterna Caviar Miracle Multiplying Volume Mist

30. Gliss Ultra Moisture Conditioner

Random Bathroom Supplies:

31. Dial Hand Soap Miracle Oil

32. Arm and Hmmer Essential Fresh Deodorant

33. Plackers Micro Mint Dental Flossers

34. Crayola Color Bath Dropz

35. Band-Aid

Household Items:

36. Zesty Paws Mobility Bites

37. Halls Breezers

38. B&BW Naughty Candle

39. 40. 41. Paper Mate and Random Pens

Gosh, 41 items in the month of February is a lot of items to get through in a very short month. I am very excited to see what March brings. So far, my basket is empty, but that was how Feb started and I ended up with 41 empties. I love getting rid of so much stuff and not wasting it either. I am excited to see how many of these items count towards my Project 200 pan. I feel like at this rate, 200 might be a real achievable goal for me. If I reach it too soon, then I will up my goal depending upon how many months are left in the year.

With Love,

 

January Empties

Remember when I said that I would be doing a new format for my empty series? Well, here it is, the moment you all have been waiting for. I decided to show my empties in group photos and flat lays to be able to store more pictures of my products rather than have everything in a single photo. It makes more sens to me this way, since I am a reviewing channel and have been deleting a ton of photos to make room for more photos. I hope you all like this new format. Give me a like if you do!

Drinks:

1. International Delight Coffee Creamer

2. Boston’s Best Jamacian Me Crazy

3. Swiss Miss Milk Chocolate Hot Chocolate

4. Nestle Mini Marshmallows Hot Chocolate

Food:

5. Act II

6. 7. 8. Gerber Lil’ Beanies

Body Care:

9. Nivea Shower Sample

10. Aveeno Daily Nourishment Body Lotion

11. Equate Moisture Care Cocoa Divine Body Lotion

12. 13. Softsoap Body Scrub Coconut Butter

14. Nickelodeon 3 in 1

Skin Care:

15. Garnier SkinActive Micellar Cleansing Water

16. Clarisonic Mia

17. Makeup Forever HD Serum

18. Drunk Elephant Serum Sample

19. Olay Face Cream Sample

Hair Care:

20. Wen Sweet Almond Mint Volumizing Treatment Spray

21. Rusk Texture Dry Finish Spray

22. Wen Sweet Almond Mint Defining Paste

Makeup:

23. OPI Nicole Selena Gomez Mi Fantisma Nail Polish

24. B&BW Strawberry Lip Gloss

25. Vincent Longo Eye Shadow Trio

26. Mica Loose Eye Shadow

27. Dangerous Cologne

28. Laneige Cushion Foundation Sample

Toiletry Items:

29. Tom’s Simply White Toothpaste

30. Hello Toothpaste

31. Power Stick Deodorant

32. Eco Tools Mask Remover Sponges

33. Lofa

34. Equate Kids Toothbrushes

35. Equate Ultra Thin Pads

36. Hair Comb

37. Dial Hand Soap in Raspberry Limeaide

38. Equate Cotton Rounds

Household Items:

39. Zesty Paws Probiotic Bites

40. B&BW Balsam Candle

41. Little Remedies Honey Cough Syrup

42. Sharpie Highlighter

43. 44. 45. Papermate Ink Joy Pens

WOW! That was a ton of stuff that I used up in January. I don’t think I have ever used that much up before. I will be posting my update post on my Project 200 Pan soon after this one, which will show you how many out of this 45 I will be counting towards my 2018 challenge. I might be adjusting the challenge and make it harder. I guess, it all depends upon how much of this stuff I am using up.

With Love,

December Empties

Instead of saying another month gone, I’ll say another year gone this time around. I believe the older you are, the faster time seems to go by. Time never went by this fast when I was in high school. It only ever went fast when I was actually enjoying my life. Now, days that drag and days that fly, all seem to go at the same pace. Sounds cliche and maybe it is but it is also the truth. I would never go back in time. I want to always be moving forward, never going back. For the new year empties, I am going to be trying a new style of empty posts. Stay tuned until Feb to see the new empties.

1. & 2. International Delight Coffee Creamer

3. & 4. Gerber Graduates Lil’ Beanies

5. New England Coffee Colombian Supremo

6. Dunkin’ Donuts Caramel Coffee Cake

7. Gerber Puffs in Sweet Potato

8. Dr Fresh Kids’ Toothbrushes

9. – 12. Two Sharpie Highlighters & Two InkJoy pens

13. Zesty Paws Turmeric Curcumin Bites

14. ProActiv Refining Mask

15. Belif The True Cream Moisturizing Balm

16. Coty Vampire Perfume

17. Laura Mercier Translucent Loose Setting Powder

18. Velvet Purple Scrunchy

19. The Ordinary Niacinamide 10% and Zinc 1%

20. Biore Baking Soda Cleanser

21. Gliss Ultra Moisture Shampoo

22. Equate Motrin

23. Soap & Glory Clean On Me Shower Gel

December was a light month for me and January is already looking better. I have been decluttering some makeup products here and there that are just not good anymore. As I go throughout the year, I plan on decluttering anything that I don’t like that I know are recent products to friends and anything else can and will be thrown away. It’s time for a new me that doesn’t keep products around just to have them.

With Love,

 

September Empties

I have not counted my empties beforehand so it will be a complete surprise to see how many products I have used up this month. I am happy to have finish at least one full sized item this month that I can remember and I am really proud of myself. It was a big 2 oz night time face cream that I didn’t particularly enjoy. So, even if I only finished up like 20 things, I feel like I have accomplished so much more. Let’s get into seeing what I used up this month instead of continuing this long intro.

2. International Delight Coffee Creamer

4. Gerber Lil’ Beanies

5. Swiss Miss Hot Milk Chocolate

6. Hawaiian Tropic Broad Spectrum SPF 30

7. LW Home Banana Smoothie Candle

8. Biore Charcoal Nose Strip

9. Derma E Hydrating Night Cream

10. Hang Ten Dark Tanning Oil SPF 08

10. Softsoap Body Scrub Coconut Butter

11. 3 in 1 Body Wash, Shampoo & Conditioner Strawberry & Banana

12. Medicell Labs Advanced Moisture Eye Mask Duo

14. MJCARE Snail Face Mask

15. B&BW Hello Sugar! Shimmer Body Lotion

16. Eau Thermale Avene Theramal Spring Water

17. Makeup Forever Loose Face Powder

18. Jergens Natural Glow Wet Skin Moisturizer

19. OUAI Rose Hair & Body Oil

20. Crayola Bathtub Fingerpaint Soap in Robin’s Egg Blue

21. Temptu Pink Pearl Highlighter

22. Marc Jabos Daisy Perfume Sample

23. Hair Tie

24. SkinMedica Total Defense + Repair Sunscreen

24 products empty isn’t a bad number to end the month with. I already have four or five empties in my basket right now and I’m sure I’ll have more soon. It seems like some things are running out all at once, but I have backups. I’m hoping that October brings a solid 20 product month as well. I’m usually very happy with using up 20 products a month. I know that may seem like a lot to other people, but I have a ton of deluxe and sample sizes that need to be used up. I’m forever adding to the collection with my Sephora and Walmart beauty boxes. I’m getting there though. I don’t have quite as big of a stash as I used to.

With Love,

Sephora Play! September

I am not going to lie. I was a bit disappointed with what I got in this Sephora Play. Nothing really wowed me. I did get some exciting brands, but not the items that I would have wanted from that brand. I will still use everything that I got, but I hope next month will bring an exciting product or two. The theme was Fall Into Beauty and I have to say, I really love the bag this month and I’ll be using it for my monthly beauty bag for this upcoming month at least.

The red polka dots on the Play! Card are very reminiscent of Minnie Mouse for me. How can you not love that bright silky hot pink bag though? It’s an ultra girly color with such a cute saying on the front.

My free perfume sample had two perfumes from Clean in it. I wish I could have gotten a foil sample instead, which Sephora will now be doing in addition to the perfume sample. You will either get perfume or a foil packet. I am personally all for the foil packet. I have too much perfume to begin with without having all these samples around.

Stila Stay All Day Waterproof Liquid Eye Liner in Intense Black 0.25 ml for $11

This is half of the full size making this a generous sample and I am excited to try this out. Everyone loves this eyeliner. I just wish I could have gotten a full color instead of black. I have too many blacks and I tend to use colored ones more often than black. I don’t even use eye liners that often either. I have a different liquid black eyeliner that I should use up first, but I look forward to the day that I can try this one out. I can practice my cat eye or just line my waterline. It will be used eventually.

DevaCurl Melt Into Moisture Matcha Butter Conditioning Mask 1.5 fl oz for $6.75

I will have to wait until I use up my Lush hair masks, but this one does sound promising. My hair has been getting curlier since I’ve stopped coloring it a year ago. Gosh, I cannot believe that it’s been a year and 4 months since I bleached my hair. Now, it is a brassy mess and blonde is too much upkeep for me right now. I intend on chopping off most of the blonde. Once I’m all my natural hair color, I will see what I want to do with it. I’m thinking temporary washout color for when I need a boost. I’ll probably will get to trying this out next year. I think I still have like 6 uses out of each Lush hair mask that I have remaining that will go bad if I don’t use them. I use them GENEROUSLY and they still lasted like two years.

Belif The True Cream Moisturizing Bomb 10 ml for $7.60

I was so excited about this until I looked at the back and saw just how little product would be in there. I still want to try this out immediately. My skin has been flaking like crazy these past few days, because I left a face mask with sulfur on for too long and it dried out my skin bad. It could have been from my retinal moisturizer, but I only used that twice every other night and I didn’t show any signs of sensitivity. I’ll be only using that mask on my nose for now or use it for only 10 minutes on the T-zone. I’m hoping this moisturizes my flaky skin and that it stops peeling soon.

Benefit Gimme Brow #3 1 g for $8

This is a third of the full size, so between this one and the other one I have, I have a full size gimme brow. I don’t really do my eye brows, but I have been because I have it. I don’t need to buy a brow product. I have naturally thick brows. I need to get them reshaped, but otherwise than that, they are in really good shape. I will use this up after I finish my opened tube. I don’t care for this product, because I really don’t need it. Only waxing will shape my brows. I have too much eye brow rather than too little.

Laura Mercier Velour Lovers Lip Colour in Happy 0.09 oz for $21

This is almost a full size and totally worth the $10 price tag for the box. I was scared at first that it was going to be super pigmented, but it is very buildable. You can do a sheer wash of color or full on glam demonstrated by my swatches. It is such a pretty color and I will be pulling it out for the holidays. I might even wear it at work since it’s such a friendly formula. It has a semi matte look and feels comfortable on the lips. I always put a balm underneath my lip sticks, so it may not be as comfortable if you don’t prep with a balm before hand. I love the subtle metallic finish. It is more of a shimmery effect than a metallic one. I find metallic colors to be unflattering for the most part.

The value of my September box is $54.35!! I think this is one of the highest valued boxes, but I feel meh about it. I would give this box 2 stars. I’m really only excited for the lip stick, but I gave another star for the value of this box. Sephora Play is a worthwhile subscription to me. I get beauty treats every month for $10 and build up my makeup collection for cheap. If I had a daughter, I would get this for her. It’s great for beginners or for the beauty adventurer that loves to try out everything without breaking the bank.

With Love,

The Ordinary Haul

Here is my The Ordinary haul, finally! One of my serums did leak a little during shipment, because the cap wasn’t put on tight enough. It was loose when I opened that box; however, such little product leaked that I don’t think it’s a big deal. I planned on using this in the morning when my current serum is done and that serum has only a few uses left. I got 8 different products and will be buying more of the line when I can justify it. I want to try everything to see what works for my skin and build up my own affordable skin care regimen.

My box was packaged beautifully and simply. I love the little touches and the pamphlets on how to use the products are really helpful. I kinda know how I want to use my products and in what order, so I’ll start with products that I would use in the morning.

The Ordinary Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5 Serum

This is the one that leaked a little. It is a hydrating serum and is supposed to plump up the skin. It is perfect for applying in the morning, when my skin needs some extra moisture before I add on a ton of mattifying products to keep it matte. I’m already using a hyaluronic morning serum, so it’s nice to find one that is very affordable. The one I have I got free from BrandBacker for reviewing purposes and it is $40 an ounce. This is an ounce and I only paid $6.80.

The Ordinary Caffeine Solution 5% + EGCG Eye Serum

I have a problem with dark circles and this eye serum is supposed to correct that. I like to use an eye gel in the morning and a cream at night for more moisture. I’m hoping that I will see a difference in my dark circles and this bottle will last me at least 6 months with just using it once a day on my eyes. I might use it at night before my eye cream as well. I’ll have to see how it performs with my current eye cream.

The Ordinary Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1% Serum

I’ve been hearing amazing things about this on the internet. I would use this at night as my serum before putting on moisturizer. I’m not going to open this up for a while, because I still have a bottle of Paula’s Choice that I need to use up first. I think it is kinda similar to this product and I don’t want too many of the same thing open at the same time. Masks are one thing, but serums are another. I don’t feel like the Paula’s Choice is really doing anything for my skin. Hopefully, I notice something when I start using this one. If I get a bad breakout, I might crack this one out anyway.

The Ordinary Retinol 1% Face Cream

I won’t be cracking out this face cream until I have finished two jars that are already open. I heard that this stuff is really strong, too. It’s going to sit in my back stock for a bit. I know for my skin that retinol works great on keeping skin clear from breakouts, so if this agrees with my skin, I think I’ll be buying it and using it as my nightly moisturizer. I might alternate it with a facial oil at night. I do love a good oil.

The Ordinary Latic Acid 5% + HA 2% Serum

This is a nightly serum that is supposed to clear uneven skin tone, texture, and fine lines. This can be used in junction with another serum. I might use it with the other HA 2% that I bought, so that it dilutes the lactic acid if it bothers my skin. I’ve used glycolic acid before, so I don’t think I’ll be sensitive to it. I plan on using a bit on the top of my arms as well, since I get little bumps on them.

The Ordinary 100% Organic Cold-Pressed Moroccan Argan Oil

I bought this oil for my face to use when I run out of the Sunday Riley oil. In combination with the other treatments that I bought, I believe that I can mimic the effects of the Sunday Riley UFO oil for about the quarter of the price. Once I use up the oil that I bought for my hair, I would use this on my hair as well. This oil is probably better quality anyway and the other oil isn’t 100%. This has no other ingredient but oil. No water in sight. I am getting the purest oil at low price.

The Ordinary Alpha Lipoic Acid 5% Serum

This is a twice to three times a week treatment serum for lackluster skin and signs of aging. I sort of bought this for my dad to try out, but my skin can get dull looking. This would be a great twice weekly serum to apply to combat dull looking skin. My pores get so blocked up that I think my skin looks dull because of it. My dad is always game for something that will help out his skin, so I’m sure he’ll try it with me. Nothing wrong with a little anti-aging in your mid-twenties.

The Ordinary AHA 30% + BHA 2% Peeling Solution Mask

This is a ten minute acne fighting mask that can be used once a week. I need to use up a few of my clay masks first before I crack this beauty open. I can excited to try a red mask. Masks like this are so easy to use and only take up ten minutes of your day. I wonder if it will make my face look red? That could be cool.

I’m very happy with the variety of products that I received. Most of them are for nighttime use, because that is when I have time to pamper my skin. I will let you guys know what I think about these products after I have used them up. I doubt that all of these will work for my skin, but hopefully, I’ll have some repurchases when I make a new order from this company probably later this year.

With Love,

Sephora Birthday Haul

I indulged in a little Sephora birthday haul and The Ordinary Skincare. My skincare order hasn’t come in yet, but my Sephora white and black stripped box is here. I’d thought that I will share some Summer staples that I bought for my birthday and in preparation for summer. I’m so excited about these products, even though they can seem really basic. I am a skin care junkie, so most of the haul is skin care and freebies. It doesn’t take me that long to go through skin care items. I never need to really put them in a project pan, because I love taking care of my skin. Let’s get started on the haul!

3 Free Samples W/Every Order

Every online Sephora order gets three free samples. These are not the samples that I chose, but I am still excited about them. I have heard about these before and they aren’t makeup which makes me happy. Drunk Elephant is an expensive brand, so I’m glad to have a sample to try of one of their night serums that I am sure only has one use in it. Youtube is on fire about the Aqua bomb and I look forward to trying it out. I like wearing my hair natural, using no heat tools at all. I have no time! The Deva Curl is a brand that I’ve heard a ton about. Their products are meant to use on natural hair with no heat styling. I love products geared towards no heat styling and this is a generous size.

Clinique Pep-Start Daily UV Protector Broad Spectrum SPF 50

I paid $19.50 for 1 oz of sunscreen. Yes, it is expensive, but it will last me all summer. I like the yellow tint to blur out imperfections and IT DOESN’T SMELL LIKE SUNSCREEN. I love that it has no scent and I have yellow undertones so I don’t mind the tint. I cannot use drugstore sunscreen, because it breaks me out. Clinique is a brand that I like and all of their skincare has been agreeable to my skin. I thought that I would give them a chance and it really wasn’t that expensive compared to other brands. I need the protection especially in the Summer, if I really like it, I’ll keep buying it to use it in the Winter time, too.

Barre To Bar Supergoop! Beauty Set

I bought this little sunscreen set for $25 and it was worth every penny. I got the Lip & Cheek tint that I’m on the fence about. It might be a little too red for me. We will see…. I’m excited to try my first setting spray! I hope it works, because I can see myself repurchasing this over the Clinique. If I can just spray over my face and my makeup still looks nice, I would use this instead of a traditional SPF product. I can see it working well to use on Dean as well, for facial application. I wanted to try the serum as a different form off sunscreen with some added benefits. I don’t like traditional sunscreen on my face. I’m trying to find safe alternatives that aren’t too expensive. The BB cream is a good match for me right now and was just an added bonus to this little kit. I have two BB creams that are too dark to wear in public right now, so now I have on to wear out. I think I got my money’s worth with this kit. Hopefully, the products work enough for me to repurchase something. It has to be really good for me to repurchase.

Philosophy Purity Made Simple Facial Cleanser

I bought this as a back up cleanser for when my GlamGlow runs out, which I cannot tell when. You cannot see through the packaging. This is a cult favorite product that I wanted to try out and if I don’t like it, I can always use it to wash my brushes. I bought this for $7 for 3 ozs. It is a good size to try out and I am excited to do so. I don’t mind having a little back stock of skin care as long as it’s reasonable. Skincare is something that I naturally just go through, because I do many steps every night to deep clean my skin. I really enjoy doing it after a long day. It’s something I’m never really lazy with. I haven’t liked anything from Philosophy before and I think it’s a little overrated as a brand.

Free Deluxe Samples

Origins is a brand that I have tried once or twice, so when I saw that Sephora had this duo as a free deluxe sized sample, I ordered it. I ran out of my day eye cream, so I thought that it would be nice to try out. After I use up the eye cream, I plan on using the face cream as an eye cream as well. They both have a very light scent that I don’t mind. This will last me awhile using these items as eye creams.

Sephora Free Birthday Gift

I chose the free birthday set from Tarte, which includes an amazonian clay 12 hour blush in paaarty and a tarteist creamy matte lip paint in birthday suit. I have been wanting to try Tarte out forever, so I thought that this would be a nice way to try out the brand with a couple of their best selling items. These nude colors speak to me and I’m excited to wear them. I also think that these are really generous sizes for a free birthday gift. Sephora’s birthday gifts are just getting so much better!

That concludes my birthday haul from Sephora. I still have my birthday present from D to haul and my purchase from The Ordinary when it decides to come in. They are having such high demands right now that shipping and processing of the items are being delayed. I won’t be buying from Sephora again until possibly the November sale or maybe a small haul in October if I need a few things before then.

With Love ❤