I don’t know why, but it seems like I run out of everything at the same time. December saw a lot of products finally being used up (and, therefore, I could discover some new ones, but more on that later), so I have a load of things to show you all.
What’s great about hoarding empty bottles for these types of posts is that we all get to see all of the products we’ve used up over time. I feel like I’ve seen so many hauls, yet a lot of those products go unreviewed unless a person raves about them. I love empties, because you get to see the final opinion someone has of a certain product (I have definitely raved about something, but the time I’ve finished the whole product, I hate it), and you get to see the products that people don't normally show in videos.
Anyways, I have a lot for you this month, so I should probably start the actual post.
- I can’t say I was sad to see this go. I’m the kind of person that gets annoyed when something lasts me too long (I’ve had this since the 9th grade... Oops. I just like to try new things. Anyway, this lip balm was nice. It gave a subtle gloss on the lips and kept them feeling hydrated over the summer. However, my issue with it is that it didn’t last long on the lips. I was constantly reapplying. It also felt more like a barrier lip balm, meaning it didn’t actually put anything into your lips, but it kept the moisture that was already there from leaving. That can be great for the summer, however, during the colder winter months, I like all the hydration I can get. What also peeved me about this is the packaging. It’s gorgeous, I know, but I don’t think it’s healthy to be sticking your finger in a pot of lip balm and putting it on your lips every five seconds during flu season. If this were in a tube, I’d consider repurchasing, but for now, I don’t think I’ll ever repurchase. If you were interested in just a lip balm for the nightstand though, this could be a good option.
- I love mens products. Cologne, body wash, deodorant, skincare, you name it. I was fortunate enough to get a free set of Jack Black products a while ago at my work (I work as a sales skin consultant and makeup artist at a local luxury beauty store) and this little guy was in the set (along with my favorite SPF moisturizer). I’m pretty particular about cleansers. I think a good cleanser leaves behind no residue on the skin while still leaving it not stripped. I also like a cleanser that lathers up well with my Clarisonic (no bubbles up the nose though, please!) and smells good. It definitely has to smell good. This cleanser was just okay. I didn’t love it or hate it. It smelled okay, kind of herbal-y, and you can definitely smell eucalyptus. However I do think it left kind of a residue on my skin, and due to persistent use of this over my break (it was the only cleanser I took with me), I think it could have been responsible for some small breakouts. If you don’t have acne prone skin though (in fact if you have dry skin), you might enjoy this, as it didn’t strip the skin at all. In the end, this wasn’t right for me, and I won’t be repurchasing.
- This mascara is definitely one of my favorites. It smudges and flakes minimally, and it gives me natural yet enhanced looking lashes. I’ve repurchased this a few times, and definitely will again at some point. However, there are some other mascaras I’ve been dying to try, so this isn’t at the top of my list right now. If you need a good, cheap mascara though, I highly recommend this.
- My mom started using the St. Ives moisturizer way back, and it didn’t suit her anti-aging needs, so she gave it to me. I enjoyed this moisturizer, however, I didn’t use it on my face. I used this as a neck and décolleté cream at night. I do have to say it made some of the lines on my neck fade, and it was very moisturizing, smooth, and just sunk into the skin. It kind of smells like pumpkin, too. While I’m not going to rush out to repurchase this, it could very well be an option in the future when I’m tight on money (this stuff is dang cheap for the VERY long time it lasts).
- I finished two fragrances this month, which is always exciting for me. The Bodycology Gardenia Body Spray smells amazing. It’s a light, white floral that doesn’t get sickly sweet, and it’s very simple and classic. This is actually a great alternative for one of my favorite perfumes, Tocca Florence (without that same depth, however). It’s a pretty moisturizing spray as well, and I do like having something I can just spray all over when I’m feeling less than fresh. I will repurchase this eventually, however, I want to work on finishing the other perfumes in my “collection.”
- I’m very sad to see this toner go. It definitely lasted me a long time (I got it almost a year ago), and I feel like it helped maintain the clarity of my skin, due to lovely acne fighting ingredients such as tea tree and juniper berry. The only thing I got a bit annoyed with was the packaging. The spray would often get stuck, and I would have to pull the spray part up in order to spray it again. I eventually just started to unscrew the top and put some on a cotton pad to wipe down my face (before I would do three sprays on a cotton pad). Needless to say the product started going away much faster after that. Another downside to this is the price and the availability. I have no car in order to get to Lush, and there’s no way I’m paying for online shipping. I probably will repurchase this at some point when the time is right, but for now I’ll make my own toner (mixing witch hazel, tea tree oil, and lavender oil).
- I was SO glad to finish this product and it’s safe to say I will not repurchase it. It’s not that it was bad or anything. It was actually pretty good (cleansing, lathering, not too drying). However, while I loved the scent initially, I got sick of it very quickly. I found myself just trying to use more and more product just to get rid of it. It also has a very runny consistency, which I don’t like. This isn’t a bad product by any means, but I just didn’t enjoy using it. It didn’t feel very luxurious. Sadly, I have another bottle of the same shower gel (different scent) to get through, and I’m sure I won’t be sad about seeing that go either.
- I have a few cleansers that I’m working through at the moment, and I finally finished up this one. This is my favorite cleanser from the drugstore, and it’s definitely in my top five cleansers. I was glad I finally decided to try Lumene products, because I think that for the money, they’re very effective. This cleanser definitely rivals my favorite cleansers from Darphin and Natura Bisse, cleansers that are four times its price. A little bit of this cleanser goes a long way, and has a nice, soft lather. It removed my makeup well, and just left my skin feeling soft and hydrated, yet clean. I felt like after I used it, my skin had a nice glow to it, and it smells absolutely AMAZING. Kind of fruity/citrusy. I will definitely repurchase this once I am finished with my other cleansers. This stuff is amazing for all skin types, and I would highly recommend it to anyone.
- I think this is the third bottle of Cetaphil Lotion I’ve used. I just buy it in bulk from Costco, so it’s good stuff for cheap. It has a nice consistency, very smooth, and it just sinks into the skin and really hydrates it. This stuff is a hand/body/face savior during the cold winter months, and I’ll probably be repurchasing it at some point. This lotion is very multipurpose, which is something I really like about it. You can use it on your hands and body of course, however, it’s an excellent nighttime moisturizer for the face, and if you’re feeling dry at any point, you can just dab it on throughout the day. You can also dump a bit on a cotton pad to remove your makeup or rub a pump onto dry skin and rinse it off like a milk cleanser. It doesn’t have any fun scent, which is kind of boring and probably why I won’t be rushing out to repurchase until I finish some other things I have and try new things, but that could be good if you don’t like the scent of your lotion clashing with your perfume. Overall, this is a great multipurpose product that I would recommend if you’re feeling dry and just want something effective.
- Another Lumene product was finished this month. I actually already have a second bottle of this that I’m working on now. If you need an effective, gentle eye makeup remover, this one is a great option. You shake it and apply with a cotton pad, and it just gets the job done. I don’t know if I’ll repurchase it for the third time after my second bottle runs out simply because I’m trying to introduce more multitasking products into my routine. I want to get a cleansing oil so that I can just take off my face and eye makeup in one go. I hear Lumene makes a pretty great one that I’ll probably be picking up soon...
- I don’t recommend makeup wipes to anyone, because I don’t think they’re good for the skin (drying but don’t cleanse enough), however, I liked to keep these (I can't find the link for these wipes, but they're the store brand of the Olay Daily Facials Wipes) on hand just for those really lazy days when it’s better than nothing, and I would use these all over the face to get the rest of my makeup off after I removed my eye makeup with the Lumene. This is my third pack of these, and when I do go for makeup wipes, they are always these ones. However, I think I won’t be repurchasing anytime soon, because as I said above, I want to go for a cleansing oil.
- I am so glad I finished this fragrance. I cannot tell you how sick of it I was. For some reason, the Marc Jacobs fragrances just really don’t mesh with me. I think they’re kind of sickly sweet; they get a bit heady, and this one had almost a sour smell to it. I received this and Daisy from my dad (he’d go through Duty Free on the way back from volunteer trips to Africa and always get me a fragrance), and I’m sad to say I didn’t get along with either of them. This one meshed better with me than Daisy, so I kept it, but I just gave Daisy away because it smelled gross on me (and way better on the girl I gave it to). So yeah, I’m just glad this is gone.
- The Revlon Photoready Concealer is my favorite that I’ve tried, and I already repurchased and cracked open a new one. It’s just a good full coverage concealer that matches me perfectly (I wear Light/Medium all year round). While it can dissolve on my oily t-zone throughout the day, I don’t find it gets too cakey, and it looks really natural. I just use this with some powder, and that’s my routine. It’s great to use with your fingers, as that really melts down the product into the skin. My only gripe with this is again, the packaging. I think this would be much better in a pot/pan. The stick got annoying for me, because to finish the whole thing, I would have to scoop the rest of the product out with my fingernail, warm it up on the back of my hand, and waste some product. That’s only an issue toward the end though, and you can probably just use a brush. I just like using my fingers. Anyway, I highly recommend this if you need a great, creamy, full coverage concealer.
- I’m sorry to end this post on a low note, but I hated this Neutrogena primer. I got it because one of my favorite gurus on youtube said it was really good, but I wish I just did more research before buying. This didn’t really work as a primer is supposed to work. I like a primer to smooth my skin (pores) and absorb oil throughout the day. This didn’t do that, even though that’s what it claimed to do. It had a really gritty consistency, kind of a white cast, and it didn’t absorb oil or keep my makeup on longer. It really just didn’t properly prep my skin for makeup, and I was very disappointed. Especially considering how expensive this was for a drugstore primer. It will last you a long time if you do buy it, which is good if you’ve tried this and know you like it, however, I couldn’t wait to be rid of it. I thoroughly hate this. It also has a scent (not a bad one, but a strong one) for those of you that are sensitive. Speaking of sensitive, if you have sensitive skin, don’t use this. I guarantee you it will be irritated due to texture and other harsh ingredients.
Sorry this was so long. I just had a lot of products to talk about this month. I hope this was helpful!
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