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,

Advertisement

October Empties

Another month, another empties post. I went through surprising a lot this month. I wasn’t expecting to use up so much, but it seems like a lot of my products are on their last legs. I expect November and December to be heavy months as well. I am grateful that I never lost power in the storm that terrorized New England this week and I pray for the lives lost in the terrorist attack in New York City. That city has gone through way too much. My car was damaged in the storm, but at least, no one got hurt. I hope everyone is having a nice weekend. I’ll be outside playing with my son today.

1. Soo AE Nature Vitamin Collagen Essence Mask

2. EOS Shave Cream Pomegranate Raspberry

3. International Delight Coffee Creamer

4. Nickelodeon Paw Patrol Bubble Bath Raspberry Rescue

5. Garnier Micellar Cleansing Water

6. Zesty Paws Omega Bites

7. Dr. Fresh Kids’ Toothbrushes

8. Yankee Candle Tropical Island Breeze Candle

9. Glade Cozy Autumn Cuddle Candle

10. Mr Bubbles Magic Bath Crackles

11. Gerber Lil’ Beanies

12. Dial Winter Frost Hand Soap

13. Equate Beauty Cotton Rounds

14. Lush Rose Jam Shower Gel

15. WEN Sweet Almond Mint Texture Balm

16. WEN Cucumber Almond Texture Balm

17. Precious Perfume

18. Cover FX Custom Infusion Drops Radiance

19. Nicole by OPI Roughles

20. Lush Penguin Bubble Bar

21. Avon Advance Techniques Anti-Dandruff Treatment

22. Equate Medicine

23. Sephora Bright Set Loose Finishing Banana Powder

24. Goody Hair Tie

25. Briogeo Rosarco Milk Leave- In Conditioning Spray

26. Olehenriksen Pure Truth Youth Activating Oil

27. It Cosmetics CC Sample

 

I am super impressed with what I was able to move out this month. I’m running low on product reviews, so I might disappear during the week with no new posts once in a while. On those weeks, I will be writing product reviews for my blog. I like to hand write them first before typing them up on my blog. Next week will probably be an empty week. I’m going to try to write as many reviews as I can. Maybe I can empty out my review basket. I’m hoping to write ten reviews, because lets face it, there are like 50 products in my review basket right now. lol. If I do 5 reviews a day this weekend, I’ll be happy.

With Love,

Skin Active

For Garnier SkinActive Micellar Cleansing Water

I really love this stuff. I finally found a makeup remover that works without being oily and it is something I can use in the morning to “wash” my skin. I don’t like to use another stripping cleanser in the morning to prevent oil buildup and I usually heavily cleanse my skin at night. I have repurchased this multiple times, but I will have to look for an alternative. I have gone cruelty free and unfortunately, Garnier tests on animals. I highly recommend this product if animal testing doesn’t bother you. It is gentle yet effective. It is a win-win combination. I’m usually satisfied by Garnier products, but this has become a Holy Grail for me. Now, I need to find another HG micellar water.

With Love,

❤ Selena Hannah ❤

July Haul

I have collected some things here and other things there. I have a whole bunch of stuff that I haven’t shared on my blog yet. I have some things that I picked up in July to show you. I’m going to try to be more consistent with sharing the little bits and stuff that I’ve been buying every month. I still have some clothes that I bought back in May that I haven’t shown yet. I’ll probably sprinkle them in throughout these posts. I was supposed to do a life update post today, but I have a really bad migraine and this is all that I have the energy for.

I picked up these Jelly Pong natural white lace flats from Payless for $20. I really love these flats. They have memory foam soles and fit my feet perfectly. They do not scrap up the back of my heels once I broke them in. They are looking a little dirty right now, but I honestly didn’t expect them to hold up the way they have. A little spot cleaning and I think they will come back to life. They are currently covered in beach sand and looking a bit yellow from it. I would pick up another pair in the black. I just really wanted a pair of white shoes this summer, since I bought really light blue pants. Speaking of which…

I bought these light colored jeggings from Kohl’s for $18 dollars. They are nice and stretching, but they are already a bit big on me. I am still carrying some baby weight, so I bought a pair of Junior’s size 17 pants (14 in woman’s). I feel like I could be wearing a size 15 (woman’s 12) now. I have to wear these with a belt. I want to go back to Kohl’s when they have the cash when you spend $50 again. So, I can get a couple pairs of pants that fit and maybe a bottle of perfume. I love these pants, but I’m ready to consign them now. The crouch area looks really weird now that they are way too big.

I also bought this long tunic top at Kohl’s to go along with the pants (I bought the shoes to match this outfit). It looks so cute all together! This top is from the brand Speechless, which is a Kohl’s brand, I think? I always get compliments on this top. It is too short to wear comfortably as a dress for me, since the underneath lining is like a nightgown slip cover. I love the see-through lace on top. Also, this hides my tummy and makes me look slimmer than I am. I need to stay away from salt to keep that bloat down, until my friend from work, Anita, can get her treadmill to me.

This is the last time that I will be buying the Garnier Micellar Water in any of the different kinds. I am done with participating in animal testing and I don’t want to be a part of it in the beauty industry anymore. I will try the Simple or the Yes To cleansing water next. I will try all the cruelty free ones, until I find the one that I like best. Something has to compare to this one without the unnecessary animal testing. It’s not like we are trying to find the cure for cancer. It’s more like trying to find the best formulation of purple. Use people for makeup.

I bought this candle at Marshall’s for cheap. I love buying candles from them. This is a candy banana scent, but it does not burn evenly. It is a vegan candle with safe wicks, so that is a plus. I would not repurchase, because of the very uneven burn. It is a good light scent though. It is so light that you almost cannot smell it. Also, another reason why I would not buy this particular candle again. I would try a different scent from this brand though. It could be that this scent smells and burns this way.

Well, that is it for my haul today. I hope you all enjoyed it. Did you pick up anything recently? I’d love to hear about it. Feel free to link your blog below in the comments section. I love discovering new blogs to follow.

With Love,

Mini Walmart Haul *Day 10*

Yes, that’s a Kmart bag, but you get the picture. I got a bag of stuff from Walmart that I want to share with all of you. I picked up these things while picking up stuff for the animals and a few food items for the week. I bought a couple of beauty items and something for Dean. I haven’t done any big shopping lately. Next weekend, I’ll be hitting the clearance rack at Macy’s and Marshall’s for clothes for Dean mainly.

Veet Gel Cream Hair Remover

This is a product that I will always go back to. It really does work and doesn’t make my legs sensitive afterwards. I don’t use the plastic scraper that it comes with. I have a detachable shower head with a handle to it. So, I take it down and spray my legs with water to rinse the stuff off and them just lightly rub my legs to remove the dead hair. I leave this stuff on for 8 minutes. Any less, and my ankle hairs will not come off. Its a really great product and I stand by it, unless the formula changes. My legs are allergic to Nair, which I feel is harsher on the skin.

Garnier SkinActive Micellar Cleansing Water

I said that I would try another drugstore cleansing water and this is it. I bought the pink one, because the blue/green one is for waterproof makeup and it looked oily. There was a layer on top of the water. I just use this to refresh my face in the morning. I don’t want oil on my face. I’m excited to give it a try after I’m done with a deluxe sample that I’m using. Has anyone else tried this? Did you like it? Simple Cleansing Water was just eh, to me. I wasn’t impressed by it. I’m hoping that this one will be better. I like other skincare products from Garnier, so I have high hopes.

Pampers Splashers Disposable Swim Pants

Danielle’s mother gave me a $2 USD coupon off of this product and I just had to buy a pack to try them out. I will be taking Dean to the ocean and to lakes, so I need a diaper that can get wet. These should last the whole summer since it goes up until 34 pounds and he’s almost 17. They are Sesame St themed, which is cute. There are 24 of them, so that should last a few times of going to the beach, where I would use a combo of regular diapers and these ones. The package states that they have tear away sides, double leg cuffs, and there will be no diaper swelling. They have the iconic Pampers diaper smell, which smells like baby powder. They smell like this since Pamper pretreats their diapers with a powder that prevents diaper rash. They look cute, but are also very useful. They ended up being $8 USD with the coupon, that’s 2.75 for 8 of them. Thanks!

Well, that is my mini Walmart haul. When I tryout the pants, I will give a review on them and there will be more baby /child posts to come. I’m coming up with more baby related ideas like a monthly Dean update. It’s going to be lots of fun!

With Love ❤

Eye Of The Tiger

For Garnier Nutritionste Skin Renew Anti-Puff Eye Roller

What It Is: A rollerball that depuffs and moisturizes the under eye area.

Key Ingredients: Was probably on the box, but I probably threw it out.

How It Feels/Smells/Looks: This product is unscented, which is great for the under eye area, since it tends to be sensitive to everything that go nears there. The metal ball is instantly cooling on the skin and the formula seems moisturizing enough for day use since it is a gel. It is not the most moisturizing though, not by a long shot.

Why I Like It: I enjoy using this, because my eyes tend to be puffy first thing in the morning from sleep. This is relaxing and I see instant results. This is a type of product that I would repurchase, but I want to try a more moisturizing formula. I will probably buy the one from Soap & Glory. I am a bit gun shy at the price of 25 USD. That is a lot to spend, but the Garnier did last me a year. It is something that I would consider, but I’m not going to run out to replace it. I looked in at the drug store and I couldn’t find this one. They had other for 9 to 18 USD, which is crazy for the drug store. I wonder if they still sell this one.

With Love,

June Favorites

Heya Aspiring Gurus!

Another month has came and went. Sorry about being so late on my June favorites, but I have been really busy with work and haven’t had much time to type up my favorites post. I have some time now though, so I thought that I would get it started even if it doesn’t get uploaded until later tonight. I hope everyone is having a great Fourth of July Weekend, whether you are going away or staying home. If you are like me, your only day off is Sunday, so you better enjoy it! Lol. It is the fifth day of #Julamorous! I liked fewer things this month, but still a lot of things. I have a lot of things, so really that is to be expected. So without further ado, I am going to just jump into it.

BODY FAVS:

 

DKNY Be Delicious Fresh Blossom Body Lotion

I have been loving this as a nice neck/decolletage lotion to go with my matching fragrance. This was a nice light liquidy lotion for hot and humid June. I like that the lotion wasn’t heavy and it soaked right into my skin. I love the nice light, floral scent. It really helped my perfume last longer and it delivered a more layered scent. I am definitely a convert of buying my fragerances with the matching lotions. I just think that the scent pay off is so much better when paired together. I also think that if you used any lotion, it would do the same thing. Of course, a different lotion wouldn’t have the same scent, so it would be slightly different. I think that I used up a third of the tube this month.

Dove Advanced Care Sensitive 48h Antiperspirant Deodorant

I have been really loving this deodorant since I bought it at the end of May. Since I have been using it, it has made my armpits softer and less irritated during/after shaving. It is like not sensitive at all anymore. Plus, I do not nick myself anymore, which helps a lot. This glides on nice and smooth and it doesn’t have much of a scent. I personally layer my deodorant, because I really sweat at the slightest temperature fluctuation. This is a great base application. I would try other types in this line. I think the next one that I would try would be the skin lightening one, because the skin under my armpits are looking a little…tan. I really like this deodorant, though and I have never really had a solid favorite before.

Secret Re-Fresh Brazil Rainforest Mist Body Spray

This is a light deodorant spray that I have been loving over my Dove deodorant for the fresh scent alone. I think it does a better job at covering up odor and just making me feel fresher when it has been yucky out, aka sweltering. It does not smell like a rain forest unfortunately, but it does smell like the great outdoors. There are a few other scents, which I would be willing to try. This has been a lot better than using perfumed body spray, because they do not have that slight deodorant quality. I think that regular body spray just doesn’t cut it, when compared to something that powders down to have that odor soaking technology. For the summertime, it was really worth the investment, plus I had a coupon.

BATH FAV:

Lush The Comforter Solid Bubble Bar

This delivers the best bubbles ever!!! It turned my water the prettiest color of pale, petal pink. It was pure perfection. The bubbles were frothy and lavish. They lasted until I had to get out of the tub and I was sad to see the bubbles and pink water drain away. I was in there for an hour though, so it really had to go. I only used an eighth of the bar. So this will give you a good eight baths. I’m going to use less next time, because I hate wasting bubbles. 😦 The scent was amazing, like I was bathing in cotton candy and yummy black currant. This is a total princess product and I will be repurchasing this. I will be taking pics the next time that I use this, because I want to share the beauty.

SHOWER FAV:

Lush Sweetie Pie Shower Jelly

The scent matches The Comforter and it is such fun to use. I use my exfoliating gloves and rub this between my hands to get a bit of lather. This jelly will last a long time, using it this way. I want to try it chilled from the freezer as well. I don’t own a loofah, so I cannot try it that way. I do not think that this is a really foamy product. It is more of a creamy consistency, which is fine with me since it is more moisturizing that way. It is fun to play with it the shower and is really a novelty product that you have to try at least once. I’m not sure that I would buy this again, but it is worth buying just to play with it.

FRAGRANCE FAV:

DKNY Be Delicious Fresh Blossom Eau De Parfum Spray

This is the prettiest scent of perfume that I own. It is lightly fruity and very floral. I would call it a very girly perfume. I love that the perfume is pink and that it is in the shape of an apple, which is super cute! I have had this in my collection for almost a year, but I just really used it so much in June. I’m a finicky person and I like to change my perfume as often as my hairstyle. So, sticking with any perfume a month long is a major feat for me. I never get pulled in by cute packaging. I have to love the scent for the packaging to even gain any traction in my mind. The perfume is also very light and crisp with a hint of grapefruit.

SKINCARE FAV:

Lush Ocean Salt Face & Body Scrub

Let me start off my saying that I only use this on my face and not on my body. Using this product on my body would be very wasteful, because this does so much for the acne on my face and I just need a dab to get a good scrub. This is really perfect for oily, acne prone skin. It helps me to get over my breakouts faster and keeps my skin clearer for a longer period of time. If I skip this nightly treatment, my skin definitely suffers. I do not know how I ever got along without this product. It has been a miracle worker, since for some reason my skin has decided to breakout really bad for no reason recently. I will elaborate more in my upcoming skin care routines. I have decided to make my skincare routines a season series, where I update it every time we go into a new season. My skincare changes all of the time, so this should be interesting for you guys. The short of it is, I am in love with this face scrub and it has inspired me to give Lush another try with skincare products. (I wasn’t a big fan of the aqua marina expiration tag.)

MAKEUP FAV:

NYX Butter Gloss in Eclair (BLG02)

I have been wearing this nonstop, since I received this in my Ipsy bag in June. It is the perfect petal pink that is more preferable to me than a nude. I still like that it is a flush pink and glides on smoothly. It really does feel like butter on your lips…in a good way. It keeps my lips moisturized without all the stickiness. I wouldn’t be surprised if I ran out of it soon. This does not leave a stain, which is the only thing that would make this product even better in my opinion. I love how inexpensive this brand is and that I can actually go out and buy this gloss before I run out. I will be picking more of these up in August or September at my local Sephora.

MUSIC FAV:

On My Way by Lea Michelle

Dani has got me addicted to this song and now, I want to get her album. That is how much I love her now. I never used to like her on Glee, but this album has a totally different vibe that I am liking. So, thank you very much!

So, that is it for my favorites. What was yours?

With Love,

Selena Hannah

The Final Verdict: For Garnier Moisture Rescue

For Garnier Moisture Rescue Refreshing Gel-Cream For Normal/Combo Skin

What it is: A light hydrating gel that treats acne/oily faces without leaving a greasy film or leaving the face over moisturized.

Key Ingredients: This gel-cream is made with grape seed oil, but the rest of the ingredients list could irritate the face, if you are sensitive to alcohol, artificial coloring, and added fragrances. I, however, did not find this at all drying or irritating to my skin and it is very sensitive to unnatural ingredients.

How it feels/smells/looks: The gel is light and smooth with a refreshing fragrance reminiscent of summer days by the pool without that harsh chlorinated smell. The gel itself is tinged green and leaves the skin with a cooling sensation, which is perfect on those hot summer days.

Why I like it: This gel leaves my face hydrated without making it a greasy oil slick and the nice fragrance is just the icing on the cake. I did not notice any acne benefits when I use it, but I know that it does not make my acne worse. The cooling sensation is an added benefit. This is a summer holy grail staple for me, which I will be repurchasing in the next few weeks.

With Love,

Selena Hannah xoxoxo

The Retail Diaries: Day 14

Heya Aspiring Gurus!

I’m writing today’s post on time. Yay! I went to work at 11 am today and worked until 4 pm. I had some problems, because of those damn Republicans! No one with food stamp cards can use them. The whole system is down, until they are done with their temper tantrum over Obama’s heath care plans. I really think this whole political system is royally fucked and messed up to the extreme. Excuse my French. Food stamps and programs such as WICK should not be cut. These people and children cannot afford to feed themselves and have a home to live in. The government is crushing the average poor American and it is sickening. I felt so horrible turning these people away with no food. There should be some way to help these people. It’s just sad. I had a rude lady at work today, who was too impatient to wait for a price check then left when the manager was going to talk to her. Basically, she was lying about seeing a different price that didn’t exist. I went shopping after work. I bought my dad a pair of jeans for his birthday. They ended up being 10 something with my discount. I bought Maxwell House Dark Roast coffee, another package of Kleenex Hand Towels, and a Garnier eye roller. If you guys want, I can give a first impressions about the eye roller. I didn’t really buy enough for a decent haul, so I mentioned it here instead. I made my Lush wishlist todah, which I will be posting about tomorrow. So excited for unboxing!!! Until my next post!

With Love,

Hannahxoxoxo

Holy Grail Products

Heya Aspiring Gurus!

I want to share two products with you that I have found that are my holy grail products. I only have discovered two skin care products so far that are perfect for my face. I do not have any makeup products right now that I consider holy grail items, because really, I have never repurchased the same thing twice or totally felt like I couldn’t live without a makeup item before. This could very much change in the future, because I really want to branch out and try new things and get more into makeup than I have been at the moment. I know most people would think that I am crazy for not really being into skin care or makeup earlier in life, but I was far too busy with reading books to really care. Now, though, I am more interested into my appearance because of my boyfriend and going out on dates. I have to perfect my makeup techniques! LOL. I’m getting into applying to jobs, so I know that I need to look professional and makeup can help with that. I have a small amount of makeup at the moment and am slowly building up my collection. I do not plan on buying any new makeup until December. I definitely have enough of it right now to work with and practice. Plus, I want to save to get some Mac products and the Naked palette from Urban Decay. So, now that is out-of-the-way, I will start talking about these two incredible products that I will use forever, until they either stop working for me or the formula gets changed and it’s no longer effective.

Garnier Moisture Rescue Refreshing Gel-Cream
6.99 US DOLLARS
1.7 fl oz

I am not going to star this product, until I run out and do my review. You can basically tell that this will be 5 stars for me, since it works so well for me. This gel is perfect for oily skin and does not break me out It gives much-needed moisture without making me look or feel greasy throughout the day. I mean, I still get a bit oily during the day, but that is due to my skin and not the product. It really does feel refreshing on the skin and cooling. It has been very nice for summer. It absorbs in a few minutes with no residue. I feel like my skin really drinks this up, which has never happened to me before. I could go on and on about this product, but I won’t bore you with it. If you have oily skin and haven’t found a product you love, then I would give this a shot. For seven dollars, you really have nothing to lose. The scent is very pleasant and light. It is not unscented, because I can smell the grape seed oil and the aloe in this product that makes the product effective. It is not artificial smelling and the gel is a light green/blue coloring. It has a very spa-like feel to it. I love it and will never buy anything else for a daytime facial moisturizer.

100% Australian Tea Tree Oil
Around 8 US DOLLARS
2 fl oz

Again, I won’t star it, but you know it has to be 5 stars to be a holy grail product. For me, it doesn’t have to be a certain brand as long as it says that it is pure tea tree oil. I use this mainly to treat my acne by lightly soaking a cotton ball and patting it all over my face to treat it. I have been using tea tree oil off and on this year for my acne, but I have found it to be most effective if used daily. I use it in this way at night after I use a toner. I will be using this as a day time toner in a spray bottle once I run out of my current toner. There will be a DIY post, when I do that. For the past two days, I have been doing this every night and my skin is mostly clear. I still have some bumps left over from that moisturizer that was breaking me out. Tea Tree oil is going a long way in doing its job. It takes around 10 drops of tea tree oil on the cotton ball to do my face. I use a dropper bottle to apply my tea tree oil with it. I have not found it too harsh for my face. This is most likely due to the fact that I have oily skin and tea tree helps to minimize this. I have sensitive skin, but my face isn’t sensitive to pure tea tree oil. I love it and I cannot express that more. Also, making your own toner is less expensive than buying it, which is why I will be making my own.

Thanks for reading my post about my two holy grail products. Do you have any? Let me know in a comment below, so that I can check it out. Like always, feel free to request anything. Until, my next post!

With Love,

Hannahxoxoxo