Empties for January 2017



Well the end of the month has come again and this month I did SO much better with my empties than I did last month. In fairness, I'm now in the second trimester of my pregnancy and I'm feeling slightly more human again so it's a lot easier to use products! Above you can see all the stuff I emptied out this month. So how was it? Well...let's see...

E.L.F Face powder: I did not replace this but only because when I went to Target to get it they were out of my color. Thumbs down. I got a new CoverGirl one instead. I'm not super picky about my loose powder but I did like that this one had no color so it was great as a setting powder.

Dr. Brandt Pores No More Pore Refining Primer: I did replace this one with a full sized one. Directly after which I received like eight hundred more primer samples. That's life, huh? Anyway I like how silky this makes my skin look and feel. It's got some color to it so it's not really obvious and doesn't wash me out. It works a lot like Benefit Porefessional BUT I find Benefits doesn't work well under makeup and this one does.

Lycopene Crema Rinnovante: Major thumbs down on this one. I had high hopes because it's pricey but it was super thick, had a weird smell and caked up on my face like suncream. The little red jar is cute and will probably get some use as a container for packet samples but the actual cream gets two thumbs down from me.

Egg Mellow Cream All-In-One Collagen Infused Firming Moisturizer: I haven't replaced this one because I have too many other moisturizers at the moment to justify it but it's definitely a winner in my book. It smells crazy amazing, feels like silk on my skin and definitely made a difference in the way it looked and the way my makeup stayed on. This one is a major win.

Loreal Revitalift Volume Filler Eye Cream: Thumbs down on this whole line. I got it for free to try from Influenster and besides being super perfumey it made zero difference in my skin even after six weeks.

Keihls Orange Flower and Lychee Body Cleanser: Meh. This one smelled nice but otherwise was just like any other body wash I've used. Not worth the price tag in my book.

Keihls Ultra Facial Oil-Free Cleanser: If you like cream cleansers this one might be for you. It smells fresh but not overpowering and it cleans without leaving skin dry or tight.  I don't particularly like cream cleansers though. It felt a little thick to me.

Sunday Riley Good Genes All in one Lactic Acid Treatment: So this one says you can use it daily as a serum OR as a once in awhile peel/mask.  I tried it as a serum and whoa! It burns like a mother. I did it as a treatment after that but it still just burned and made my face red. No changes at all in texture, appearance or anything else. Won't be replacing this one.

The Body Shop Drops of Youth: another serum. I liked the way this one felt and it didn't break me out but I didn't see any miraculous changes in my skin either. It's meh.

Ole Henricksen Invigorating Night Treatment: Can't ever say enough about how much I LOVE these Ole Henricksen products and how amazing they make my skin look. Instantly replaced.

Murad Invisiblur Perfecting Sheild: This one is a primer and it works really well. It's a clear gel and it instantly mattes and blues pores. I also loved that it had SPF30. 

Borghese Surperiore Mascara: I don't know if I got a bad batch of this one or if it just sucks. It barely made my lashes black. I didnt' actually finish this but it's useless so it's getting trashed

Buxom Lash: This used to be my favorite mascara. I still love it but I think I have a new love! So no replacing this time.

Smashbox Photo Finish Pore Minimizing Primer: I didn't hate this and it does cover pores but it also got weird and cakey on my face. It also tended to ball up when I put my foundation on.

Bamboo BoHo Waves Texture Mist: smells good and holds hair but wasn't any good on frizz so it's not getting replaced.

Replica Beach Walk perfume: I actually did buy a roller of this. It smells really fresh and earthy but still feminine.

Caudalie Resveratrol Eye Lifting Balm:  I used this one for most of this month. I did feel my eyes looked a little more awake but otherwise no real amazing changes.

Clinique Pep Start Eye Cream: this one I had used most of in December and only finished it off this past month. I liked the way it smelled and felt but didn't see any major results.

Benefit It's Potent! Eye Cream: Finished off what little was left of this one at the end of the month. I used to use it all the time but I found one I liked better. Does help a little with bags and fatigue but does little for wrinkles or fine lines.

The Seaweed Co Restoring Marine Serum: Smells yummy and fresh. Felt great on my skin too but this one broke me out at first. I have another sample so I'll check back in when I've used it four weeks!

Well that's the January breakdown! Have you used any of these items? Did you love them or hate them?

DIY lotion bars...

diy


Today I want to share with you some easy DIY lotion bars that are great for taking on the go and keeping hands, nails and cuticles soft and supple this winter.  I love these because I can customize them with whatever oils and additives I want to and since they're not liquid they travel super well and no worries about leaking! Plus they're all natural which means no gross chemicals on my hands. Super important for me right now especially since I'm pregnant! These are dead easy to make and just a little bit goes a LONG way.  So what do you need to make your own? Besides about thirty minutes of your time you'll need the following:

Equal amounts of a butter (I'm using Shea Butter in mine but you can use cocoa, mango or whatever you like), beeswax ( I prefer the pellets but again you can choose the bars or flakes if you like), and an oil of your choice (I LOVE using avocado oil for these but I chose olive this time).  If you like you can add scents or other fun additives. I chose to add some essential oils* and some coffee grounds and cinnamon to mine but that's totally optional.  You'll also need a double boiler OR a small pan and a GLASS measuring cup as well as some silicon molds.  You can pick up molds super cheap at IKEA or your local dollar store sometimes. I use silicon ice cube trays ;) 

From there it's super easy.   Measure out your ingredients. For this batch I used 1oz each beeswax pellets, shea butter, and olive oil.  Melt them in your double burner over a low heat OR you can put them in a glass measuring cup in a pot of water. Keep the heat low so that you don't overheat it or burn anything. Once it's all melted you can remove from the heat and add essential oils or fragrance.  Add your additional additives like cinnamon, dried flowers, coffee grounds, or whatever you like to the molds BEFORE you add the melted mix. Stir in the oils or fragrance, pour into molds and refrigerate for about an hour. Then pop them out and you're done! Easy peasy.  I store my extras in the fridge and pop one in my purse for on the go! Just be sure to pop it in a little metal container or wrap in plastic so it doesn't get all over your other items!

*When using essential oils PLEASE be mindful of the amount you use and the safety concerns that accompany each oil.  Lavender, Helichrysum, and Copaiba would be wonderful picks for nails. I used Coffee, Cocoa and Vanilla essential oils in mine and added 10 drops of each oil to the oil mix to keep the dilution safe for regular use. :)

Zoya Naturel (3) collection


Today I have a brand new collection from Zoya to show you!! This is the Naturel (3) collection. Like the previous Naturel collections it contains a series of neutral shades that, let's face it, look great on everyone! I'm a sucker for neutral shades anyway and I love that these have more pink tones but since there are a variety of shades it's super easy to find the one that will work best for you. Most of these I did two coats on but with the darkest two, Mary and Debbie, I found one coat was plenty for full coverage.  There are three lippies in the collection as well, Cameron, Paisley, and Maxwell. I've swatched these previously on my Instagram but I'll include some pics of them at the bottom for you! :)  On to the swatches!!



Tatum by Zoya can be best described as a medium light nude cream.

Cathy by Zoya can be best described as a light pinky nude cream.


Jill by Zoya can be best described as a lighter mauve cream nude. Jill was one of my favorites of the collection. She's just pink enough and just NOT pink enough to be the perfect shade.



Mary by Zoya can be best described as a medium raisin cream. I found Mary to be opaque in one coat but Zoya recommends two for full coverage. This one is really nice because it's dark and warm but not too purple.


Gina by Zoya can be best described as a medium brown neutral cream. I found Gina to be opaque in one coat but Zoya recommends two. She looked like a soft milk chocolate on my skin.


Debbie by Zoya can be best described as a plum brown cream. I found Debbie to also be opaque in one coat, but again Zoya recommends two for this entire collection. This one was another chocolatey one but she's also got some purple tones in there.

Here are some swatches of the new full line of lippies by Zoya including Cameron, Paisley and Maxwell:




What's your favorite from the Naturel (3) collection?



*These polishes were provided to me for my honest review. I have not been paid for my opinion.*








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