Five Products I've Emptied

It's time for another empties post! For a while it felt like I wasn't finishing anything. Now I'm finishing everything at once! Not good for my wallet, but definitely good for my soul.

1. Simple Moisturizer

I wasn't blown away by this moisturizer, but I did like it. I realized after a while that it made my skin really greasy in the morning, and it was a little thicker than I would've liked, but overall not a bad product. I won't repurchase it, but only because it's just not for me.

2. Softsoap Limited Edition Summer Scent in Maui Coconut Splash

I've loved this the entire time I've been using it. And while I'm ready for a more fall scent, I can't help but be a little sad that this is gone. It's really moisturizing and smells great. I love Softsoap, and this was no exception.


3. Michael Todd Jojoba Charcoal Scrub

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This little sample from my September Ipsy didn't last long, but man did I love it. The fact that it was black (I know - it's charcoal) was a little off-putting, but it made my skin so soft. I definitely will consider repurchasing in the future, but right now I need my skincare to have a little more acne fighting properties, so this one might go on the back burner. 

4. Korres Pomegranate Mattifying Treatment

This may very well be my holy grail primer, and I'm devastated that it's gone. It lasted me almost a year before it finally ran out. I love how light this stuff is but how well it mattifies. I love the light, pomegranate scent. I love the packaging. The only thing I don't love is the price. That's the one downside. And unfortunately, right now, ain't nobody got dimes for that. So I'll have to do without. Stay tuned, though, I've been using a new primer, and I'm really liking it!

5. Victoria Secret Pink! Fresh & Clean Body Mist

I finished my second travel sized bottle of this, and I'm on to my full size! I love this scent. It's a little muskier, a little less feminine than most, but that's what I like about it. I'm not a flowery girl, and this is perfect for me. I might try to expand my scent horizons once I finish my giant bottle, but that won't happen for a while!

What products have you guys used up lately? Anything you're absolutely repurchasing? Anything you're absolutely not?

September Favorites

It's favorites time again! Let's look at everything I've been loving this month!

1. Michael Todd Jojoba Scrub

I got this in my Ipsy this month, and I absolutely loved it. It wasn't too abrasive, but I felt like it got my skin really clean and left it feeling really smooth. The sample size lasted me for a good time, too. And it's not even that expensive. I may have looked into purchasing a full size if not for the next product..

2. St. Ives Blemish Control Apricot Scrub

I've only had this product since Wednesday, but in those four washes, my skin has improved dramatically. I've been dealing with a lot of stress and negativity this month (more on that in my next personal update) and my skin has been showing it. I bought the Loreal Anti Breakout Go 360 Clean, but it didn't seem to have a huge effect. Then I saw Ingrid talk about this product on Youtube, and I am so glad I picked it up. My face is finally calming down, and it's definitely due to this product.

3. Elf Jumbo Eyeshadow Stick in French Lace

I added this into my recent Elf purchase to use as an eyeshadow base, and I'm so glad I did! It's making me fall in love with my eyeshadows all over again. Some of them just perform so much better over a base! This pencil does has shimmer, which I wish it didn't, but most of the eyeshadow I use on a regular basis does too, so it's not a huge deal. I'm going to try and seek out the new Color Tattoo in Nude Pink to see how that performs, but for $2, this one definitely ain't bad!

4. Lorac Mint Palette

Using the Elf stick has really made me love my Lorac Mint Palette this month. Before, the eyeshadows didn't seem that pigmented, but the base really makes them stand out. And, because the palette has a blush, I've been reaching for it most often this month. I usually go for the bottom left pink on my eyelid, the matte light brown in the top for my crease, the shimmery dark brown on the bottom in my outer corner, and the cream as a highlight. It's a great natural look. I haven't been brave enough to try the mint or the dark purple yet.

6. Space Heater

Yes, I'm giving my space heater a shout out. I don't know where I'd be without it. It may be dinky, but it's kept me from freezing at night, and for this Florida girl, that is something to be grateful for.

7. Nyx Slide on Liner in Brown Perfection

After trying this this month, I'm kind of mad at myself for waiting so long. I love this eyeliner. It's creamy, it's thin and easy to control, and it lasts! It's on par with my Tarte ones that I have loved forever, but SO much cheaper. I'm definitely picking up a plethora of other colors when I next end up at Ulta.

So that's everything! I have some very exciting new things coming in the mail, so be sure to stay tuned for some new make up goodies!

June-August Ipsy Bag Reviews

Since I haven't really reviewed anything I've received in my ipsy bags, I'm gonna catch up with all of that here and then post reviews each month for that bag. Note: This is not everything I've received from my ipsy bags, just the things I've tried. I usually note if I'm trying to or have swapped things away.


Pop Beauty Crayon in Rose Romance

I love lip crayons, so I was totally excited about this product. I wanted the coral version, but the Rose Romance looked like it would be a great nude color. It was not. It made me look dead. I was disappointed, but I figured, "Hey, it's just not right for my skin tone." So then I tried it on Beth, Beka, and Amadi. In reality, it's just an awful color for ANY skin tone. 

BH Cosmetics Sample

I heard this sample get a lot of flack for a multitude of reasons. Personally, though they weren't though most pigmented in the whole world, on top of a primer, I thought these shadows performed just fine. And while they're from three different BH palettes, I used all three together, and they worked great for me. 

Benetint

I'd heard so many great things about this product that I was really disappointed by how it performed. I wanted to use it as a lip tint (cheek tints and I don't get along well) but it barely made any different in my lip color. It's a nice idea, but in practice it just didn't work for me.

Michael Todd Jojoba Charcoal Scrub

My first product to rave about! I love this stuff. It was a little disconcerting to have it be black (I know, I know, it's a charcoal scrub. What was I expecting? I don't know, but not that!) but I love how gentle it is and how soft my skin feels afterwards. I definitely have to look into getting a full size once I run out. It's not that expensive either!

Noya Lip Balm in Vanilla

I really liked this lip balm. It's smooth, very hydrating, and it smells good but not overwhelmingly like vanilla. For me, the only downfall was it builds up pretty quickly, so for someone who likes to frequently apply lip products, it got thick quicker than I would've liked.

Pixi Lash Booster

My biggest issue with this mascara for me was smudging. My lashes are pretty long, so I have issues with that anyway, but I didn't even have time to get a second coat before there was mascara places. Also, the brush was a little too packed with bristles for me. Maybe I'm weird, but I felt like it didn't facilitate coating my lashes well.

Pacifica BB Cream

I actually ended up swapping this away, but not before I tried it once. It wasn't bad in texture or color, but it gave me no coverage at all. I understand it's a BB cream and not a foundation, but I don't understand the point of using a product like this if it literally doesn't even even out your skin tone.

August 2013 Ipsy Bag

You may have noticed that my ipsy bag is pretty late this month. You would be right.

See, what had happened was...

Basically, my bag got all the way to the Monmouth post office and then was sent back. Why you ask? Why indeed..

ipsy has been having a hell of a time since I joined, but especially this month. This is my first hiccup and thankfully it turned out okay for me, but a lot of girls are having the worst time.

I emailed ipsy care once I realized my bag wasn't coming, and they said they'd send me a replacement bag. I was lucky enough for all but one of the products I was supposed to be getting to still get to me. I didn't receive the August bag (they ran out, apparently) so I got the July bag again.

So here's what I received:

Michael Todd Jojoba Charcoal Scrub

Pixi Beauty Lash Booster Mascara

Noya Lip Balm in Vanilla

Pacifica Multi Mineral BB Cream

Nyx Blush in Copper

I was supposed to receive the Nailtini in Mai Tai, but I guess they've run out of it. No worries, though, my trusty ipsy swap group on Facebook has me covered!

I'm realizing that many times I post about what I got and never review it. To remedy this, I'm going to start posting small reviews of ipsy products I've tried (since I do swap some of them away) every month.

Do you get ipsy? Are you loving your bag this month? Did you have any shipping problems?