February Empties!

Another great month of empties! I'm on a roll!

L to R: Dr. Scholl's Odour Destroyers All Day Deodorant Spray Powder, Secret Clinical Strength Clear Gel with Olay Beauty Anti-perspirant, GlamGlow ThirstyMud Hydrating Treatment

Dr. Scholl's Odour Destroyers All Day Deodorant Spray Powder: See review here. Have already repurchased!

Secret Clinical Strength Clear Gel with Olay Beauty Anti-perspirant: This is probably my favourite scent and formula from Secret! It just works! And this "Olay Beauty" scent is the most to my liking. Clean without powder!

GlamGlow ThirstyMud Hydrating Treatment: From this haul. I've been reading rave reviews about GlamGlow for a while now, and with my skin so parched I pulled this out and gave it a go! I got 2 uses out of this packet. This is not a typical mask and shouldn't be treated as such. This is more of a leave on treatment and is probably best to do before bed. I loved the scent of the mask, luxurious and delicious (seriously I considered eating it!), it smells of honey with sweet coffee and something else I can't quite put my finger on. Anyways, after using this treatment my dehydrated skin was soft and rehydrated for 2-3 days afterwards. I also liked how easy this was to use, put it on clean skin and just leave it on. Easy peasy! I will consider buying this once I'm through my mask / treatment hoard.

L to R: Clean & Clear Advantage Blackhead Eraser Scrub, Selection Organic Makeup Remover Pads, Bath & Body Works Peach Bellini Gentle Foaming Hand Soap

Clean & Clear Advantage Blackhead Eraser Scrub: There was nothing special about this facial scrub, it didn't "erase" my blackheads, and I didn't love the cream texture with the exfoliating beads. I prefer Neutrogena Acne Wash Pink Grapefruit. I will not repurchase.

Selection Organic Makeup Remover Pads: Standard no-name brand cotton pads. These are thinner than some, but still do a good job at toning and nail polish removal. Truth be told these are tied for third place cotton pads for me: first is an as yet reviewed Costco brand that will likely be in my March empties post, second is Quo, and tied for third with Selection is Compliments. They do the job and are cheap! Will repurchase if the first and second choices aren't available!

Bath & Body Works Peach Bellini Gentle Foaming Hand Soap: Love the subtle and lingering scent of this BBW soap! It's like fancier peaches! Also who doesn't love a peach bellini - they're pretty much the only decent item at Milestones! Well I like this formula, foaming hand soap doesn't do me any favours during the dry winter months, every time I wash my hands with these I feel the moisture sapped right out of them. I will repurchase, but only during Spring and Summer!

L to R: Buxom Lash Mascara, Orly Top2Bottom, nails inc. Stratford

Buxom Lash Mascara: Same as previous review here. This is from this haul, and I believe I now have no backups of this mascara. I will not repurchase and I will not use my Sephora Lashstash coupon to get the full-size.

Orly Top2Bottom: From this haul. This lasted me a looonnnggg time. And it's the teensiest cutest bottle. I used this primarily as a top coat. But it did a good job of drying quickly, not bubbling, and adding shine! If I didn't have 5 or 6 other bottles of top coat, I would repurchase. I need to use up at least 4 of those bottles before contemplating buying a top coat, so we'll see how this stacks up then!

nails inc. Stratford: From this haul. Sadly this is dried to the bone with no hope of salvaging (plus with 200+ nail polish, this one just isn't special enough to make a trip to a beauty supply outlet to buy nail polish thinner. Harsh but true). This looks more interesting in the bottle than on the nail. As you can see from the NOTD below, it's just a plain old gold on the nail:



Life is too short to keep dried out nail polish, so Stratford is getting the boot!

L to R: Secret Scent Expressions Antiperspirant Va-Va Vanilla, Smashbox Jet Set Waterproof Eye Liner in Vamp, Calvin Klein One

Secret Scent Expressions Antiperspirant Va-Va Vanilla: See review here. Probably won't repurchase.

Smashbox Jet Set Waterproof Eye Liner in Vamp: I bought this for $10 on sale at Sephora a few years ago. Sadly it's dried up and unusable now. It was a unique purpley brown with shimmer in it. It wasn't the creamy gel eye liner I've tried, but it was the most unique colour! I've come to the realization that I just don't reach for gel eye liners as often as my pencil eye liners, so I likely won't repurchase. If you are a gel eye liner aficionado I highly recommend this shade! Perfect for those with brown, green, or hazel eyes!

Calvin Klein One: I received this deluxe size fragrance for Christmas MANY years ago. It took probably more than 5 years to use up. This is why I like fragrance sets better than full-size bottles, fragrance lasts forever! Sephora lists the notes as bergamot, cardamom, fresh pineapple, papaya, jasmine, violet, rose, nutmeg, and musk. I interpret it as more of a citrus-y fresh fragrance. Really reminds me of Dolce & Gabbana Light Blue. I liked this well enough (even though it wasn't my typical sweet and fruity fragrance), but I have too many perfumes on the go to contemplate buying anything!

L to R: Stila Stay All Day 10-in-1 HD Illuminating Beauty Balm, Balea Defrizzing Hair Mask Mandarin & Grapefruit

Stila Stay All Day 10-in-1 HD Illuminating Beauty Balm: From this haul. First up, this is the only shade offered by Stila, and it isn't a one-size fits all situation. It worked nicely for me, and I liked the light coverage it provided, but those with medium or dark complexions would be out of luck. As I mentioned in January, my hoarding situation is out of control, so I will revisit whether or not to repurchase once I've used up 5 face products.

Balea Defrizzing Hair Mask Mandarin & Grapefruit: I bought this on a whim at a Shoppers trip a while back, and finally put it to use! I found this easier to use than I expected (although it's hard to rip open while you're soaking wet in the shower!). I didn't notice an immediate change in my hair - I'd say it's still as frizzy as normal. It smelled divine while I massaged it in - very citrusy and fragrant. The smell did stay while my hair dried naturally, however after blowdrying the scent was gone. Maybe I will venture out and try more hair masks after this one! Will not repurchase, but it's opened my mind to more hair care choices!

That makes the total count 7 full-size products, 5 deluxe-size products, and 2 foil packets! Another great month! Hopefully I can keep this up in March!

What products did you use up in March?

Thanks for reading!

January Empties!

Prepare yourself! I did quite well in January!

L to R: Ducray Elution Shampoo, Crest Complete Whitening + Scope Dual Blast Toothpaste

Ducray Elution Shampoo: Same as original review here. Will continue to purchase!

Crest Complete Whitening + Scope Dual Blast Toothpaste: This was much foamier than the non Dual Blast version, but it kept breath fresh so I can't complain! I'm not tied down to any one toothpaste, still searching for the best!

L to R: Clean & Clear Splash Wildberry & Guava Morning Burst Body Wash, Clean & Clear Makeup Dissolving Facial Cleansing Wipes Oil-Free

Clean & Clear Splash Wildberry & Guava Morning Burst Body Wash: See review here. Still like the scent a lot, but don't love the formula as much as Dove's.

Clean & Clear Makeup Dissolving Facial Cleansing Wipes Oil-Free: See my updated review here. Will repurchase as necessary (still prefer Neutrogena though)

L to R: Bath & Body Works Anti-Bacterial Hand Gel in Vanilla Bean Noel, Tarte Clean Slate 360 Creaseless 12-hr Smoothing Eye Primer, Swisspers Make-Offs Cotton Squares

Bath & Body Works Anti-Bacterial Hand Gel in Vanilla Bean Noel: Still my favourite formula of anti-bacterial hand gel! This is a basic sweet vanilla scent! Really enjoyed! Will continue to repurchase in various scents!

Tarte Clean Slate 360 Creaseless 12-hr Smoothing Eye Primer: I bought this in a tarte set of primers from Sephora a while back. I don't wear eye shadow everyday, and I don't wear primer under all eye shadow. So this took me a while to finish up. Also I was surprised at how a little went a long way here! It goes on white and leaves a slight white cast to your eyes. I don't know about the 12-hr wear time, but it did an acceptable job of helping my eye shadow last! I'm not sure I'll repurchase because I'm perfectly happy with elf's $1 eye primer. But this was nice!

Swisspers Make-Offs Cotton Squares: These are similar to these, but a larger square shaped cotton pad. Still generic, but did a better job at polish removal with less fluff. Still not my favourite, but they did the job!

L to R: Dove Go Fresh Restore Body Wash Blue Fig & Orange Blossom, Secret Clinical Strength Clear Gel Sport Fresh Antiperspirant, RoC Enydrial Repairing Lip Care

Dove Go Fresh Restore Body Wash Blue Fig & Orange Blossom: I really enjoyed this one! Not only does it add moisture into my skin in the shower, but I was surprised to find myself drawn to a floral scent! I really liked this scent, made me look forward to showering! Will consider repurchasing after I use up 4 more body washes (I have quite the hoard...)

Secret Clinical Strength Clear Gel Sport Fresh Antiperspirant: As you know, I really like the Secret Clinical Strength clear gel formula, this scent isn't my favourite, but I feel fresh on most days with this!

RoC Enydrial Repairing Lip Care: I really liked this lip balm, it did a reasonable job of moisturizing dry, chapped lips. I do prefer scented or flavoured lip balms, and this is a boring unscented, clear lip balm. However this would be ideal for sensitive users. Will consider repurchase after I use up 2 more lip balms.

L to R: elf Tinted Moisturizer SPF 20 in Porcelain, REN Glycol Lactic Radiance Renewal Mask, Covergirl Lashblast Fusion Mascara in Very Black

elf Tinted Moisturizer SPF 20 in Porcelain: I bought this for $3 on a Walmart trip a few summers back. The colour was wayyy too yellow for me, but I didn't mind the light coverage and the benefit of SPF 20 was nice too. If I didn't have 7 other face products on the go (with other multiples sitting in the cupboard waiting for their turn), I would probably buy another shade of this. As my hoarding situation is out of control, I will consider repurchasing after I finish up 5 skin products.

REN Glycol Lactic Radiance Renewal Mask: From this haul. I got 2 uses out of this mask sample. The first use I thought it was quite good, my face looked fresh the next day. The 2nd time I used it, I was slightly repulsed by the orange-ish booger quality it looked like I smeared all over my face. And, it irritated my skin that time as well (and I followed the directions and only kept it on for 15 minutes). This might be partially my fault as obviously I received this sample in 2013... Anyways I will not purchase the fullsize.

Covergirl Lashblast Fusion Mascara in Very Black: See full review here. Probably my favourite drugstore mascara! Will consider repurchasing when my mascara hoard is down to only 3 (who knows how long that'll take...)

Whew! I had a productive month! 11 full-size products and 2 deluxe-size products finished up!

Big pat on the back for me!

Did you finish up any products?

Thanks for reading!

September Empties!

I'm proud of myself this month! A solid month of empties!

L to R: Quo Brush Cleanser, ROC Double Action Eye Make-up Remover

Quo Brush Cleanser: My review of this product has changed since last time (see previous review here). I have since tried another brand of brush cleanser as well as regular old baby shampoo, and this no longer stacks up! While this is perfectly acceptable at cleaning brushes used with powder products, I don't feel it is that effective at cleaning my foundation brush. Will not repurchase as I'd like my cleanser to be effective at all types of cleaning.

ROC Double Action Eye Make-up Remover: Despite my previous review (see here), I did repurchase. It still does the job, but is greasier than I'd like and not as amazing as Lancome Bi-Facil.

L to R: Secret Scent Expressions Antiperspirant in Ooh La-la Lavender, Clinique High Impact Mascara

Secret Scent Expressions Antiperspirant in Ooh La-la Lavender: See original review here. No change to the review, like that it's clear, don't like that it doesn't keep my sweat and odour free!

Clinique High Impact Mascara: from this haul. I actually really really enjoyed this mascara! It was non-clumpy and added volume and length to my lashes! It also managed to last well without smudging throughout the day! I will try to pick up another one of these once my mascara stash diminishes a bit!

L to R: Ole Henriksen Nurture Me Cleansing Cloths Makeup Removing Moringa and Borage Seed Oils, Prada Candy, Ducray Squanorm

Ole Henriksen Nurture Me Cleansing Cloths Makeup Removing Moringa and Borage Seed Oils: from this haul.  These cloths have a gorgeous and refreshing citrusy scent to them! They are passable at removing eye makeup as well. However at $10 for 10 cloths, I'd rather stick to my Neutrogena favourites. These were fun to try out, and maybe I'll pick up when I need some pampering.

Prada Candy: from this haul. See review here. I still love this fragrance, and will keep my eyes open to purchase it on sale!

Ducray Squanorm: Still using and loving! See review here.

Not bad! 4 full-size, 2 deluxe, and 1 sample products down!

What products did you use up in September?

Thanks for reading!

July Empties!

This month I had a good number of full-size items I finished up!

L to R: Degree Clinical Protection Stress Control Anti-perspirant, Neutrogena All-in-One Makeup Removing Cleansing Wipes

Degree Clinical Protection Stress Control Anti-perspirant: I still like Secret Clinical strength better, but I keep branching out and trying new deodorants! Will not repurchase

Neutrogena All-in-One Makeup Removing Cleansing Wipes: See review here. Still love and will continue to repurchase!

Cetaphil Oily Skin Cleanser: See review here. Still love! I will repurchase eventually but I have a big backlog of cleansers to get through first!

L to R: ROC Soft Smoothing Scrub, Aveeno Revitalize Shampoo

ROC Soft Smoothing Scrub: From this haul. I found this scrub to be more creamy than I expected, and less effective at scrubbing. I personally prefer Neutrogena Oil-Free Acne Wash as my facial scrub of choice. Great in the winter when I felt my dry skin needed some additional moisture. Will not repurchase.

Aveeno Revitalize Shampoo: See review here. Still enjoy, but not my favourite by any means.

L to R: Secret Clinical Smooth Solid Anti-perspirant Light and Fresh, Laura Mercier Face Polish

Secret Clinical Smooth Solid Anti-perspirant Light and Fresh: Pretty much the same as the Waterproof review.

Laura Mercier Face Polish: From this haul. This foil packet got me 3 uses of the face polish. I actually really liked how luxurious it felt. Luckily I have another foil packet and a deluxe size sample to test out before determining if I'll buy.

What did you use up in July? Any new favs?

May Empties!

A bit delayed but here it is nonetheless!

L to R: Secret Scent Expressions Antiperspirant Va-Va Vanilla, Sensodyne Whitening Toothpaste, Secret Clinical Strength Waterproof Antiperspirant

Secret Scent Expressions Antiperspirant Va-Va Vanilla: I attempted to veer away from my usual, however this wasn't as effective as the clinical strength deodorant. Loved the scent though! Like vanilla cupcakes freshly baked! Will not repurchase again.

Sensodyne Whitening Toothpaste: See review here. Don't like the texture of this formulation of Sensodyne.

Secret Clinical Strength Waterproof Antiperspirant: Same as last time! Still the best I've found (see review here)

L to R; Sensodyne Ultra Fresh Toothpaste, Dial Antioxidant Body Wash Cranberry and Antioxidant Pearls

Sensodyne Ultra Fresh Toothpaste: This is better than the whitening variety shown above, however not my favourite toothpaste, or even the best from Sensodyne (I much prefer Pro-namel). Will not repurchase.

Dial Antioxidant Body Wash Cranberry and Antioxidant Pearls: This was a freebie handed out during a shopping trip. I like the scent of cranberries (perfect in the fall). However I much prefer philosophy or Dove brand formulas. Will not repurchase.

What's your favourite toothpaste?

Thanks for reading!

BzzAgent Secret Outlast Clear Gel

Please note I received this product for free to try from BzzAgent. My opinion below is my own besides receiving this product for free, I was not compensated for my opinion.

Contents of my BzzKit

As readers of my blog, you've probably picked up how much I love Secret Clinical Strength antiperspirant, so I was interested to see if the regular stuff worked on me.

Let's start with my first thoughts, packaging is super cute and I'm happy to get the Ooh-La-La Lavender Scent (although I'd prefer Vanilla or fruity scents in the future!).

The gel goes on clear and stays clear, keeping my clothes free of those nasty white stains other deodorants give me - definitely a plus.

I like the scent, it's strong but not to overwhelming that it mixes with my perfumes.

But the downside is that I've noticed sweat and a bit of odour throughout the day, which is just not acceptable to me. I wear antiperspirant so that I won't sweat or smell, and this product didn't do that.
I'll use this up on days where I'm not moving around too much or with other people, but I will not go out and buy this for myself.

What deodorant or antiperspirant do you rely on to keep yourself sweat and odour free?

Thanks for reading!

December Empties!

Another month, more products used up!

L to R: Lancome Bi-Facil Double-Action Eye Makeup Remover, Maybelline Dream Fresh 8-in-1 Beauty Balm in Light/Medium, Secret Clinical Strength Waterproof Anti-Perspirant

Lancome Bi-Facil Double-Action Eye Makeup Remover: Still the best makeup remover I've used, this deluxe size was picked up in this haul.

Maybelline Dream Fresh 8-in-1 Beauty Balm in Light/Medium: This BB cream has lasted me years (don't worry, expiry date is in 2015 and as a squeeze bottle I didn't have to worry about the cream being contaminated (like dip jars, gross)), I really enjoyed using this BB cream as I found it had enough coverage for my "good skin days", it did blur my pores, and it was non-drying on my skin! I typically reach for this in the summer as it also has SPF 30, but wanted to finish this up before the expiry date! Definitely one of my favourite BB creams I've tried and one of my favourite skin products! I haven't repurchased since I have a backlog of foundations, etc to use up, but I will definitely pick this up again when I've gotten through my hoard!

Secret Clinical Strength Waterproof Anti-Perspirant: same as last time (see review here). Have already repurchased!

L to R: Ducray Squanorm Shampoo, Calvin Klein Down Town

Ducray Squanorm Shampoo: still a constant favourite! See original review here.

Calvin Klein Down Town: Sample received in this haul. This fragrance is described as "modern floral woody", while this description is not appealing to my own nose, I actually liked this fragrance. Yes it was a bit more floral than I typically like but it also had a freshness to it.

Happy New Year!

Which products did you use up in 2014 / December?

Thanks for reading!

November Empties!

Nothing too exciting in this month's empties, but at least I freed up some space for all the orders I've placed! Black Friday was tempting for me, and I'll be sharing what I bought when they arrive!

But for now here are my empties!

L to R: Neutrogena All-in-One Make-up Removing Cleansing Wipes, Secret Clinical Invisible Solid Anti-perspirant in Completely Clean, Compliments Premiere Quality Cotton Pads

Neutrogena All-in-One Make-up Removing Cleansing Wipes: Yup, I'm still using these Neutrogena wipes! Review is same as April Empties.

Secret Clinical Invisible Solid Anti-Perspirant in Completely Clean: Review is same as September Empties.

Compliments Premiere Quality Cotton Pads: Review is same as May Empties.

KIT Strengthening Nail Polish Remover: This is quite possibly the worst nail polish remover I've EVER tried. Yes. Ever! For average creme finish nail polish I would have to use up about 6 or 7 soaked cotton pads in order to remove the polish. I don't have time for that. I won't even tell you how long this product took to remove glitter and foil polish! NEVER AGAIN!

L to R: Dermadoctor KP Duty Dermatologist Body Scrub, Bath & Body Works Anti-Bacterial Moisturizing Hand Lotion in White Citrus

Dermadoctor KP Duty Dermatologist Body Scrub: I received this foil from a Sephora purchase. This exfoliating scrub is best applied to dry skin and is supposed to treat red bumps. I used this packet on the top quarter of my arms where I suffer from red bumps as well as all over my legs which are dry due to the winter conditions and I'm prone to ingrown hairs. No immediate improvement upon this one usage, but I could feel the beads working and don't think this is the worst exfoliant I've ever used.

Bath & Body Works Anti-Bacterial Moisturizing Hand Lotion in White Citrus: Unfortunately BBW no longer makes this moisturizing anti-bacterial, because these are life savers in the winter! During the winter months I'll use this as a substitute for my usual BBW anti-bacterial gel. The scent isn't my favourite, a bit too floral for my nose, but if BBW brought these back I would definitely purchase more!

What products did you use up in November?

October Empties!

Another month, more empties!

 

 

Bath & Body Works PocketBac Antibacterial Hand Gel in Harvest Apple: I love BBW's antibacterial gels! They come in such fun flavours and I always have one in my purse. This was a perfect fall scent, with crisp apples! I don't believe this scent is available anymore, but I will definitely pick up more BBW antibacterial hand gels!

 

Aveeno Positively Nourishing Revitalize Shampoo: I was happy to try this out having really enjoyed the Moisturize formula. I found this quite similar to the Moisturize formula in terms of scent and the overall appearance and feel of my hair afterwards.

 

 

Chap Ice Kiwi Lime Lip Balm: I received this in a goody bag when I had my wisdom teeth out. I wouldn't have picked the scent myself, but I actually really liked it! This was the perfect size to pop in my purse and pull out to discretely moisturize. Unfortunately, I've never seen this brand at any drugstores, so I can't purchase this in a full size or I would!

 

Korres Pomegranate Deep Cleansing Scrub: I received this full-size product for free from a family member who works at Johnson & Johnson. J&J have divested themselves of the Korres brand, and were emptying out their stockpile of products. I happily took this having heard great things about the brand, and always on the lookout for a great exfoliating face wash. This was an effective scrub, but the scent was off-putting to me. It's described as pomegranate, however it was more of an olive scent to me - not exactly a typical face wash scent. While this was effective, I do still prefer the Neutrogena Oil-Free Acne Wash Pink Grapefruit Foaming Scrub.

 

 

Secret Clinical Strength Invisible Solid Antiperspirant in Completely Clean: Same as review here.

 

Aveda Tourmaline Charged Exfoliating Cleanser: This was a hand me down from my mom who found the formula too creamy for her. I didn't find this particularly effective on my face - again not enough exfoliating beads, but did like it on my legs. As with most Aveda products, this has an herbal scent to it which is not unpleasant. However, I like my Neutrogena Oil-Free Acne Wash Pink Grapefruit Foaming Scrub much better!

 

Bath & Body Works Paris Amour Shower Gel: I love this scent from BBW! It's both sweet and floral, and I've picked up the antibacterial hand gel in the same scent! I really liked this shower gel formula, however BBW has since reformulated to include shea butter, which I avoid due to allergies. I don't believe any of the shower gels don't include shea butter anymore and as such I am unable to repurchase.

 

What products did you use up this month?

 

Thanks for reading!

 

 

September Empties

Another month, more empties! I think I did quite well for September!

 

 

Neutrogena All-in-One Make-Up Removing Cleansing Wipes: Same review as April Empties. Can't get much easier than these!

 

 

L to R: Live Clean Argan Oil Restorative Conditioner, Korres Volcanic Minerals Volumizing Mascara

 

Live Clean Argan Oil Restorative Conditioner: I picked this up on sale at Shoppers due to the brand's promise of environmental friendliness and the promise of argan oil. I loved the French vanilla scent this had (reminds me of the old St. Ives French Vanilla Conditioner I used to love, that I can't seem to find anywhere now). This made my hair feel soft and somewhat managed my frizz. I generally flit from conditioner to conditioner, but I like this enough to consider repurchasing.

 

Korres Volcanic Minerals Volumizing Mascara: from this haul. This mascara works really well for me! Not only does it add a lot of volume (without clumps!) it also lengthens and adds the perfect hint of a curl for my lashes! I loved this sooo much I snatched up the full-size version at Sephora that was on sale for $12! This could be my HG mascara!

 

 

L to R: KIT Quilted Square Cosmetic Pads, Dr.'s REMEDY Non-Acetone Enriched Nail Polish Remover

 

KIT Quilted Square Cosmetic Pads: Average, run-of-the-mill cotton pads, however I found these snagged on everything and left behind wisps of cotton. Will not repurchase.

 

Dr.'s REMEDY Non-Acetone Enriched Nail Polish Remover: from this haul. This nail polish remover has a garlicky scent (think garlic-based alcohol) but does the job. Maybe not the fastest to use, but gets even the toughest glitters off eventually. I like that my nails seemed stronger after using this remover, and if the bottle weren't so small I'd consider repurchasing.

 

 

L to R: Secret Clinical Strength Invisible Solid Anti-Perspirant in Completely Clean, Ducray Squanorm Shampoo, Benefit BADgal Lash Mascara

 

Secret Clinical Strength Invisible Solid: I found this anti-perspirant as effective as the gel formula, but it didn't stain my t-shirts! That's always a plus, this is less of a mess to apply as well and I have already purchased a replacement!

 

Ducray Squanorm Shampoo: see review here. Repurchased and will continue to repurchase.

 

Benefit BADgal Lash Mascara: from this haul. This is the middle of the road of the 3 mascaras I finished up in September. This gives the volume and slight hint of curl similar to Korres, but unfortunately by the end of most days, I do have a bit of smudging under my eyes that I don't get with other mascaras. If only Benefit fixed this issue, this could be HG mascara contender! I still have another sample of this mascara, but at this point I will not be repurchasing.

 

 

 

L to R: Yves St. Laurent Glossy Stain in No. 9 Rouge Laque, Tarte Clean Slate Flawless 12-hr Brightening Primer, Buxom Lash Mascara

 

Yves St. Laurent Glossy Stain in No. 9 Rouge Laque: from this haul. This is a bright, orangey-toned red. Similar to No 7 Corail Aquatique (reviewed last month) this is pretty long lasting and lacks the stickiness that most people hate about glosses. I used up the applicator brush last month so used my lip brush to apply it, I definitely found this method much more difficult than the spongey applicator and got some clumping / unevenness. I also hated this colour on me, it was too orangey and bright and I felt a bit clownish wearing this out in public (especially since I couldn't get it as even as I'd have liked). I couldn't even use up all of this sample, and will definitely not purchase in this colour.

 

Tarte Clean Slate Flawless 12-hr Brightening Primer: I got this deluxe size in a kit of minis sold at Sephora two Christmases ago. I find this primer okay, but not the best (I like Too Faced's version much better as it blurs imperfections more). It has a light citrusy scent to it which is pleasant, and feels moisturizing on the skin.

 

Buxom Lash Mascara: from this haul. Of the 3 mascaras I used up this month this was my least favourite. But was by no means a bad mascara. No clumping or raccoon eyes, and definitely elongated my lashes. However, I prefer mascaras that both volumize and lengthen my lashes. I still have another sample of this to get through, but I don't think I'll be buying this again.

 

All in all a pretty successful month of empties for me! 6 full-size items, 4 deluxe-size items, and one sample!

 

What products did you use up in September?

June Empties

Living Proof No Frizz Nourishing Styling Cream: I got this sample from this haul. This sample was generously sized I got at least 5 or 6 uses out of this on my medium coarse hair. I found this made my hair feel softer but not necessarily less frizzy. I think I still have another sample of this so more time to decide if I like this enough to purchase.

Quo Luxury Cotton Pads: These are super soft and really good quality cotton pads, one side is ridged and the other isn't, making it good both for applying toner (with the exfoliating ridged side) and for nail polish removal (with the unridged side). I do really really like these, but think they're a bit pricey at around $7 a package. I will repurchase, but also really like the Our Compliments ones as well!

Band-Aid Advanced Healing Blister Cushions: These Band-Aids are lifesavers! Totally save blistered feet! Highly recommend for those who suffer blisters on their feet and/or heels! When you take the Band-Aid off after a long day the blister is generally gone or needs one more day to heal! Will definitely repurchase!

Secret Clinical Sport Anti-Perspirant: Same formula as the Waterproof or Lavender scents, but this is more of a powder scent, which I don't love. I don't think this works any better than the other scents, so I tend to only repurchase when this one is on sale.

Andrea Eye Q's Eye Makeup Correctors Oil Free: I bought this from Winners (haul here). I didn't use these up quickly enough and they dried out with the last 10 or so in the container. I liked these particularly for cleaning my eyeliner sharpener after use or fixing an eyeliner mistake. These did feel greasy and I didn't like how quickly they dried up so I won't repurchase.

What products did you use up in June?

Thanks for reading!

April Empties!

April wasn't my best month for empties, but you'll be surprised by the theme I think!

L to R: Ducray Squanorm Shampoo, Secret Clinical Strength Anti-perspirant in Ooh-la-la Lavender

Ducray Squanorm Shampoo: same as the last time, see review here. Still a fav! Have already repurchased!

Secret Clinical Strength Anti-perspirant in Ooh-la-la Lavender: similar review to here, however I enjoy this scent more than the regular scent!

Neutrogena All-in-One Make-up Removing Cleansing Wipes: I love these wipes for those nights when I just want to get into bed as fast as possible! These are fast, effective, and gentle! These are my favourite make-up removing wipes, however they aren't quite as good as Lancôme Bi-Facil, which is my HG eye make-up remover. I also love the Nighttime version of these!

Dove Damage Therapy Shampoo in Nectarine and White Ginger: I love this scent! I also feel like this shampoo didn't completely strip my hair clean (in a good way, my hair was softer after using this shampoo than other shampoos). Although my hair isn't damaged, I really enjoyed this shampoo and will likely repurchase it in the future!

So there you have it, my 4 empties from April (at least they're all full-size)!

What products did you use up in April?

November Empties

This month was better for me for empties, and I have a feeling December will be even better!

L to R: Ducray Squanorm Shampoo, Secret Clinical Strength Waterproof Anti-Perspirant

Ducray Squanorm Shampoo: same as last time (see review here), still a fav! Have already repurchased!

Secret Clinical Stength Waterproof Anti-Perspirant: same as last time (see review here), still a fav! Have already repurchased!

Rexall 125 Quilted Round Cosmetic Pads: these are some of the worst cotton pads I've used in a while.  Really fluff, get caught everywhere, and aren't even strong enough to withstand removal of glitter nail polish.  Will not repurchase!

L to R: Neutrogena Oil-Free Acne Wash Pink Grapefruit Foaming Scrub, Chocolate Chip Cookie Bath & Shower Gel, Lancôme Hypnose Star Mascara in Black

Neutrogena Oil-Free Acne Wash Pink Grapefruit Foaming Scrub: This is my fav facial scrub I've tried, I love the citrus scent, and the price is very reasonable! I use this 3 to 4 times a week to slough off dead skin on my face, and I think it does a great job exfoliating! I still have a backup of this but will definitely repurchase again!

Chocolate Chip Cookie Bath & Shower Gel: this is a no-name brand shower gel that came in a set of 5 other fall-themed scents that I received as a gift.  There is a reason there's no name-brand here, this shower gel hardly lathers at all although the scent is dead-on. Even if I could repurchase I would not.

Lancôme Hypnose Star Mascara in Black: I received this deluxe sample of the mascara in my Sephora It Kit last December, this bottle lasted me a long time, definitely loaded with product! I do really like this mascara, but I'm not sure if I would spend > $25 on a mascara.  I have already accumulated 2 backups of the sample size, so I'm set for a while!

What products did you use up in November?

Thanks for reading!