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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5 Out: July

I wasn’t sure how to name these review posts. I knew that I want to title them 5 Out, but I didn’t know beyond that. I think that I will just name them with whatever month that we are currently in. Even though, these are items that I finished in May. It takes me awhile before I get around to blogging about them, but I am going to be better about it for sure. I have 5 more items waiting to be written about and I will do that right after this post. You might see two if these posts in July then, but they will be named the same.

Not Your Mother’s Clean Freak Refreshing Dry Shampoo

I liked this dry shampoo, but I would not repurchase it. I don’t think it absorbed enough oil in my hair. It still was a bit oily. If I sprayed a ton, it did leave a bit of a white cast, but you couldn’t really tell with my grey hair. It does not leave your hair feeling gritty and it does provide some volume. I think there are other dry shampoos that do a better job on oil hair. I have oily roots and this did a 50% job on day 2/3 hair. I need to find something affordable to work on my hair. The only dry shampoo I have found that works is Amika Perk Up. That stuff is amazing!

Victoria Secret’s PINK Coconut Mango 2-in-1 Wash & Scrub

The scent on this is to die for, but I will not be repurchasing. Somewhere along the way, VS has become non-cruelty free. I will continue to buy bras and such from them on sale, but no more beauty products. This was a great scrub, perfect for summer. It was very gritty like sand on the beach. It was like a beach in a bottle. I really enjoyed this scrub, but it is not as good as Tree Hut scrubs. Hopefully, I can get my hands on them at Marshall’s soon. You can always get VS on promotion, so never buy them full price like B&BW. It is not worth it.

Alba Botanica Acnedote Deep clean Astringent

Alcohol is the second ingredient, so I will not be repurchasing for that reason. It stung my skin if I used it after a drying mask. It was effective against acne, but there are less harsh things that work just as well. If this brand makes an alcohol free toner, I would buy it. I like to use a toner that also doubles as a morning cleanser or micellar water. It also had a strong smell that irritated my eyes and made them sensitive. I like that the ingredients are 100% vegetarian and that it contains no “bad” ingredients, except for the alcohol.

Dr. Brandt BB Cream Self-Adjusting Flawless Coverage SPF 30

I am decluttering this BB cream. It is not self-adjusting. It comes out super orange and muddy. I cannot wear this at all. I don’t know why I have this around still and it for sure went bad. It was a good idea if you have a medium skin tone or are tan. I will not purchase from Dr. Brandt, since he is not CF. I have never found a BB cream that matches my skin tone. When I think I am medium, I’m light. When I think I’m light, I’m fair. It is just a bit of a guessing game with most brands.

ELF Tone Correcting Powder in Cool

I am super sad that they discontinued the warm powder. I loved this powder. The only drawback is that the cool makes me overly pale and ghostly. I have warm yellow undertones, so it doesn’t really suit my skin tone. The only other negative is that the powder kept on getting hard pan on the blue and yellow side until I repressed it. The powder is finely milled and kept my skin oil free all day. I didn’t notice any benefit from the color correction, but I have yellow undertones. So, a purple color would have suited me better for a brightening effect. Overall, a great powder for 3 dollars.

Do you like this new review style? I think it works for my blog and makes my review posts more interesting. It does take awhile for me to write these posts, because I have to take the time to review each item. I hand write all of my reviews first before they appear on my blog. I like to get my feelings out on paper first before typing them up and adding a few bits and pieces that I forgot to mention. Even though I do online college, I still take notes in my notebooks. There is just something about putting ink to page that speaks to me and helps me remember. But maybe that is just the writer that is talking in me.

With Love,

May Empties

I may be late sharing my empties, but I never knew how much I had to share in a month until I cut down my schedule to about 15 posts a month. I’ve been having to switch around the format of my posts and so this one is coming up later in the month than what I like. I basically sit down two Sundays a month now and write posts. I now have two Sundays a month free for classes. I only work on my blog for about 4 hours a month. That only includes writing the posts, not taking the pictures and coming up with the ideas. I am happy with this new pace of my blog. It makes it so I can be a well-rounded person and have time for everything that I want to have time for. It is nice to know that when life gets hectic, I generally have a week or two already planned out on my blog.

You hear about these every month, so I am cutting out the drinks that I purchase without fail every month. You know that I love them or else I wouldn’t have featured them for over a year here on my blog.

1 Not Your Mother’s Clean Freak Refreshing Dry Shampoo

2 Hair Teasing Brush

1. MJCARE Sea Weed Sheet Mask

2. Alba Botanical Acne Dote Deep Clean Astringent

3. Borghese Clay Cleanser

4. GlamGlow Super Clean Cleanser

5. Philosophy Purity Face Mask

6. Clinique Pep Start Eye Cream

7. Derma E Hydrating Day Creme

1. VS Coconut Mango 2-in-1 Wash & Scrub

2. Soap & Glory The Righteous Butter

3. Equate Pain Relieving Cream

1. Dr. Brandt BB Cream

2. ELF Color Correcting Powder

3. Buxom Plumping Lip Gloss

4. YSL Black Opium Perfume

5. 1. Perfume Sample Cards

19. Physician’s Formula Cushion BB Cream

1. 719 Walnut Avenue Honeysuckle Jasmine Hand Soap

2. Fresh Breath Brushing Gel

3. Equate Cotton Rounds 100 ct

4. 1. PaperMate Ink Joy Blue
5. 1. 1. B&BW Mini Candles

6. Avon Mini Emery Board

Well, I had a lot more empties than I had originally thought. I cannot wait to do my progress update on my 200 pan goal. I have been working on my pictures and I hope you can tell a difference. I think it looks more professional and I have added a bit of brightness to the pictures themselves by staging some lightening. Since I have a bit more time, I thought that I would put more effort into the picture taking themselves. I have a feeling that my empties will be slowing down, because I am running out of mini things. I still have a whole bunch of samples that I need to get through though. I hope you enjoyed looking through my trash today. Reviews are to come. 🙂

With Love,

Bought Recently

I wanted to show you what I have picked up lately. It is not real exciting stuff, but just stuff that I needed to restock on. I promise that I don’t usually buy a ton of stuff. It just seems that way from all of the posts that I have been putting off making of stuff that I have purchased months ago. Like still in their boxes stuff that I haven’t touched, because I am all like I am going to haul that stuff. I don’t feel like I should touch it to remind myself to write the post. LOL. Also, usually it takes me months to put together a post like this, because I don’t buy for myself very often. I just don’t have the money to.

Crest 3D White LUXE Diamond Strong Toothpaste

I needed a new toothpaste and this one is a well known brightener and strengthen the enamel on your teeth. I do notice that my teeth are whiter, but I would need the whitening strips to get a really white smile. I might get the smallest white strips kit, because I just want to boost my smile. This toothpaste is great though and I really enjoy it. I would not actively repurchase this. I only bought it, because Tom’s was out of stock. Crest is not bunny approved, which is why I only bought it when my other option was out of stock. Hopefully, they are in stock next time I need toothpaste.

L’Oreal Colorista in Pink

This is a semi permanent hair color that washes out within a dozen shampoos. I used it on my brassy blonde ends and it looked more burnt red than pink. When I get bored of my grey, I will use it on my non-brassy white blonde hair to give it a proper review.

Alba Botanica Acne Dote Toner

I really enjoy this toner and it is cruelty free. I am going to see what else my Marshall has today on my day off. I am also stopping at Sephora for my birthday gift. I would rebuy this toner for the $5 that I spent on it. I need to see if they have anything with less alcohol in it though. I don’t find this too drying on my oil skin but my skin has been less oily more combination lately.

Thermos Thermocafe

I needed a good thermos for bringing my coffee to work or the shakes that I make at home. It is also great for holding smoothies as well. I just needed something for when I want to do the extra effort.

Not Your Mother’s Blonde Moment Treatment Shampoo

So, I already shared with you that I accidentally got the conditioner instead of the shampoo. Now, I finally have the shampoo and I do like it. I use it every time I wash my hair which is once to twice a week. I do my Shimmer Lights treatment once a week where I leave it on for 30 minutes to maintain my non brassy hair. I do like this cruelty free brand and will repurchase this set in the future. I also want to get the leave in spray in this line once I run out of some leave in conditioner that I am already using.

That is it for this little recap haul. As you can see, most of these things I can write little review on them, I have had them for so long. I am using Dean’s nap to my advantage by writing on my blog. I don’t like to take time away from him when he is awake. One of the many reasons why I am so happy he naps in his own bed now and not with me. I love it when he takes a nap with me when I have a migraine. Nothing like a little warm body next to you to make you feel better.

With Love,

For the Sake of Hauling

I told you that there would be many hauls. After losing power for an hour this morning, because something at National Grid overheated in my town, I am ready to write up this blog post and then tackle paying my bills. Probably a lie. Probably going to work on a few blog posts before I do that. I hate watching all of my money disappear. lol. I have a few Dean hauls in the works to write and it is almost April. I am so behind in my mind on the blog posts that I want to write. I am going back to college (online) in the Fall, so my blog will get behind then too. At least, I’ll have a good reason then. Still plan on posting twice a week though during that time. I don’t want to become irrelevant.

I bought a Welso Manual Treadmill to get my exercise on. I have only used it once so far but it is very nice. It is quiet and on an incline. The incline makes for short 15 minute sessions in the beginning, but I haven’t exercised in a long time. Having a baby can do that to you. This manual treadmill doesn’t contain magnets, so it isn’t going to break on you. I also bought a warranty on mine in case it does break. Love the compact size and the price point: only $100. Seriously. Will never go electric again. I feel the workout more with the manual than I ever did with the electric.

These were only $5 at Walmart and I just needed some basic ear pieces. Not much more to say about it. I’ve been loving the color blush pink lately.

I did it again! I meant to buy purple shampoo and I bought conditioner instead. When I go back tomorrow, I will grab the matching shampoo as well. I am going blonde, so I need a good purple shampoo when I do. Not Your Mother’s is cruelty free and I have tried a couple of things from them before. Hopefully, it work to keep my blonde from getting brassy.

I love this all natural deodorant. It really works and I love the scent. I want to purchase it in the rose and vanilla scent after this one. This one smells like a Margarita and I love it. You have to warm it up a bit in your arm pit first, but really worth it. It does last the 24 hrs that most deodorants claim too but don’t actually last that long. I’ve never felt more confident than wearing this deodorant.

I am totally OBSESSED with Pioneer Woman EVERYTHING. I bought these cute doves for my shakers and I couldn’t be happier with them. I want to get EVERYTHING from this brand to build my dream kitchen. For most thing, I will wait until I buy my own house, but if I need things here and there, I will buy what I need from this brand. So far, I just have these and the can opener in that nice blue that the box is except brighter. It is really high quality and I highly recommend. I bough the shakers for $5, because Walmart marked them down. I always check this aisle now for marked down items in case I need something. I saw plates and cups marked down. I could use a few big dinner plates, but no such luck yet.

With Love,