Finished It!!! Volume 11

Disclaimer: Most of the products mentioned in this post were purchased by me. A couple were giveaway prizes or were given to me by a friend. All opinions are my own. 

My shoebox of empties was overflowing, so it is time to do another empties post. I need to work on a post of products I'm trying to finish up, but I'm having some trouble deciding how I want to do it. I started making  a list of products, and it was starting to feel too long. Then as I was doing my makeup, I saw more things that I'm working on finishing that weren't on my list. After that, I got to thinking that I should pull out the items that I own from brands that aren't cruelty-free and work on those.

Equate and Simple Facial Cleansing Wipes - I didn't love either of these. I used them to remove swatches from my arms and hands. Neither one of these brands is cruelty-free, but even if they were, I wouldn't be repurchasing them. 

Bath and Body Works Creamy Pumpkin Anti-bacterial Hand Soap - I got this as part of the fall bonus bag. I liked the scent of this more than I expected. I don't usually purchase hand soap from Bath & Body Works, but I would happily use any that come in value sets or bonus bags.

Bath and Body Works Fresh Sparkling Snow Foaming Hand Soap - I got this soap in the Black Friday bag. The scent was nice. It was crisp and fresh smelling. Like the other soap, I wouldn't rush out to repurchase this but would be happy to use it again.

Dr. Bronner's Pure-Castile Soap in Citrus Orange - I really love the Dr. Bronner's soap in the almond scent, so I thought I would try this one. The citrus orange scent wasn't my favorite. It smelled more like the orange peel than the actual orange. Because of the scent, I don't think I'll repurchase this one.

The Honest Company Shampoo + Body Wash in Sweet Orange Vanilla - I liked this body wash, but I didn't love it. It lathered well, and the scent was okay. It's a great option if you are really concerned about the ingredients in your beauty products. I might eventually throw another one of these into my Honest Company bundle, but I'm not rushing out to repurchase it. 

Jason Dandruff Relief Treatment Shampoo - I bought this shampoo because it has sulfur in it, which is what was in the Neutrogena T-Gel shampoo that I used for years to control my flaky scalp. I alternated this with my Nature's Gate Tea Tree Shampoo. It did a good job. I've already repurchased this and will probably continue to repurchase it in the future.

Bath and Body Works Sweet Cinnamon Pumpkin Body Wash - This was another item from the fall bonus bag. Even though I'm not a huge pumpkin fan, I really liked this scent too. I would definitely consider picking it up again when I've worked through my body wash stash.

Studio 35 Pure Honey Body Wash - I picked up a set at Walgreens over the summer that had this, a bubble bath, and a body lotion. I had a small milk & honey-scented body lotion a long time ago that I've been hoping to duplicate ever since. This scent didn't do it either.  I don't know if Studio 35 is cruelty-free. I would guess they aren't. I don't plan on repurchasing.

Spectrum Organic Coconut Oil - I jumped on the coconut oil bandwagon. I've used it for an eye cream, a body moisturizer, a face moisturizer, and a hair masque. I bought this particular brand because it was the one available locally. I've already purchased another jar, and I have a jar from another brand on the way in a Vitacost order. I plan on keeping coconut oil on hand for the foreseeable future.

Acne.org Benzyl Peroxide Acne Treatment - As you can probably see, this bottle was huge. When I purchased it, I also purchased a mini bottle that I refilled with this large one. It has 2.5% benzyl peroxide, which from what I've read, is the best strength to use (higher strengths are too harsh). I've still got most of my mini bottle left. I'm thinking about trying Paula Choice's acne line next, but I would have no problems repurchasing this product in the future.

The Body Shop Nutriganics Smoothing Day Cream - This was in last year's bonus bag during The Body Shop's Cyber Monday sale, so I didn't pick it out myself. Day creams that don't have sunscreen in them drive me crazy. I rarely use a daytime moisturizer with less than SPF 30, so I used this at night. It was okay, but it wasn't good enough for me to consider repurchasing it.

Neutrogena Oil-Free Acne Stress Control 3-in-1 Hydrating Acne Treatment - I'm almost done with my back-stock of this product. After I finished this one, I started on my last tube. I'll be happy to finish that one and start using a brand that is cruelty-free.

Tata Harper Reparative Moisturizer and Hydrating Floral Essence - I won a set of mini Tata Harper products on Facebook a while ago. It sounds like a really great company. Although I didn't see it mentioned, I would be shocked if they weren't cruelty-free. I don't think the samples that I had were enough for me to decide if I loved these products. They are really expensive, so I couldn't afford to repurchase any of them if I wanted to.

The Body Shop Coconut Shower Cream Mini - I got this mini bottle as a bonus item in an Ulta order. I have the jumbo size in my body wash stash too. I like the scent and the amount of lather it gives. I might repurchase it eventually.

The Honest Company Healing Balm Mini - I think the primary purpose for this product is supposed to be as a diaper cream. It reminds me of Neosporin, and I have used it as a Neosporin substitute. I have also used it on my cuticles and on my heels, which are always really dry. If it isn't used quickly enough, it starts to separate and get really runny, which is a major downside for me. I have a full size tube already, and it is going to take me a long time to finish it up. I won't be getting another one any time soon.

Philosophy Creme Brulee Body Souffle - I loved both the smell and texture of this, but this particular formula is discontinued, and Philosophy isn't cruelty-free, so I can't repurchase, and I won't be trying other lotions from this brand.

Simply Me Lavender Body Lotion - A friend gave this to me because she either didn't like it or just didn't use it. I liked that it had alpha hydroxy acid in it, and I didn't mind the lavender scent. As a lotion it wasn't bad, but it wasn't amazing. I don't know about Simply Me's cruelty-free status, and I didn't like this enough to hunt down that information.

Pacifica Island Vanilla Body Butter - I LOVE this scent! I have a rollerball perfume in this scent too. The body butter was nice. I would probably buy it again if there was a good sale on it or it came in a good kit.

Olay Bikini Moisturizing Lotion - This came in a set with a razor and a bikini trimming blade that I bought years ago. It really annoyed me when I read in the small print on that back, "Also sold as Olay Advanced Healing Body Lotion." I thought it was a lotion made specifically for the bikini area, and it was just their regular lotion in different packaging. At this point it really doesn't matter. Olay isn't cruelty-free, so I'm not longer buying their products.

Bath and Body Works Midnight Pomegranate Body Butter - I like that this scent is a darker - for lack of a better word - fruit scent. What I mean by that is that it doesn't smell like summer to me. This is a great scent to use during the winter months. It is no longer part of Bath and Body Works's regular line though, and I don't know if it is one that still reappears during their semi-annual sale. The body butter is nice and heavy. I think I mostly used this on my feet before putting on fluffy socks in the evening. I would repurchase it in the future.

Bath and Body Works Black Raspberry Vanilla Body Lotion Mini - I think this is one of my favorite Bath and Body Works scents, and it isn't in the regular line anymore either, which makes me sad. It is a great scent to wear year-round. If I ran across this during a semi-annual sale, I would probably pick some up.

Bath and Body Works Fiji Passionfruit Body Lotion Mini - This scent was nice and summery. Like the other ones, it isn't available anymore. I don't think I would repurchase it if I did happen to come across it.

Luxury Lane Soap Nourishing Body Lotion in Blackberry Tea - I really like the formula of this lotion. I probably would have ordered more when I placed an order with Luxury Lane Soap in December, but I have too much lotion to work through first (I'll be tacking on a picture of my stash at the end of this post). The Blackberry Tea scent is one that I really liked, but my fiance said it smelled like soap. The scent was also really strong, which made me feel self-conscious using it in public. I would repurchase both the formula and the scent.

Mario Badescu Papaya Body Lotion - This was one of my free samples in an order I placed right before it came out that Mario Badescu sells in China. I won't be buying from Mario Badescu again.

Bath and Body Works Stress Relief Body Lotion in Eucalyptus Spearmint - This isn't a scent I would normally buy for myself, but it was part of a gift. I liked it, but I didn't like it enough to repurchase it.

Tarte Clean Slate Poreless 12-Hour Perfecting Primer - This was a decent enough primer. I've  had issues with primers in general lately, so I'm not really loving any of them. I don't plan on repurchasing this one.

Kiss My Face Lip Balm SPF 15 in Strawberry - In my hunt to get lip balms with SPF over the summer, I ended up ordering somewhere around six of these. I like the formula a lot. It lasts a while on my lips but doesn't feel overly waxy. I wish the SPF was higher, and it does get softer as I get to the bottom of the tube, but it is one of the best SPF balms I've found. I will probably repurchase when I run out.

Lip Smackers Lip Balm in Jelly Donut - This was part of a Disney lip balm set that I got on clearance at WalMart last year after Christmas. I hadn't used a Lip Smackers balm in years. Sometimes it felt really waxy and sometimes it felt okay on my lips. I don't know if Lip Smackers is cruelty-free. I want to say that they are, but I don't plan on buying more after I finish the ones that I have.

Simply Lip Balm in Pomegranate - In my last post with finished products, I said I had used the last Simply Lip Balm in my stash. Then I found two more hiding in the couch. I really do like this balms. I pulled up their website to remind myself which flavor this particular balm was, and I also visited their Facebook page, and I discovered that they are only being sold on Amazon. One listing that I saw had 20 for $14, which is a fantastic deal. I think they might just find their way into my next Amazon order.
 

Shea Moisture Organic African Black Soap with Shea Butter - I got this in a set a long time ago. I never even used it on my face. I just used it on my body. It had some natural scrubbing particles in it. I've accepted the fact that I just don't really like bar soaps. I won't repurchase. 

Lots of samples - Most of these aren't cruelty-free. I love Kate Sommerville's ExfoliKate, but I don't know about that company's cruelty-free status. Urban Decay Primer Potion is my favorite eye primer; the sample pod was the new anti-aging version, which seemed to work just as well as the original. Really, I'm just happy to have all of these little packets out of my life.

Taylor Swift Wonderstruck Scented Body Lotion - I mentioned in my Josie Maran Coconut Water Cheek Gelee review that I had a nasty rash break out on my arms and legs from a lotion. This is the offending lotion. I didn't finish it, but it is definitely going away.

And now for the promised picture of my lotion stash:

This is the majority of the lotions that I own. There's still a few more that are scattered around the house that I didn't bother to collect. As you can maybe tell in this post, I'm making some headway. I'm making a point to apply lotion to my arms and legs every morning and night. Last night I went through and pulled out all of the ones that aren't cruelty-free or have a questionable status, and I'm going to work on those first.

Note to self: Don't wait so long between empties posts.

What have you finished up recently?

Disclaimer: Most of the products mentioned in this post were purchased by me. A couple were giveaway prizes or were given to me by a friend. All opinions are my own. 

Finished It!!! Volume 10

Disclaimer: Most of the products in this post were purchased by me. A few were giveaway prizes, were given to me by a friend, or were promotional freebies. All opinions are my own. I have included my referral link for The Honest Company. 

I'm working on editing pictures from my big holiday set hauls. Sadly, there seem to be some that I need to retake because they are blurry. I hate when that happens. I wish I had been able to get more of them up during Sephora's VIB sale, but that's life. 

In the meantime, I've been trying to clean my office (again). One of the things that I need to do is get rid of the pile of empties that have accumulated. 

The Body Shop Strawberry Shower Gel - I bought this during The Body Shop's Cyber Monday sale last year. The smell was okay. I wasn't in love with how well the lather lasted. I don't plan on repurchasing.

Dr. Bronner's 3-in-1 Hemp Almond Pure-Castile Soap - I use this for hand soap. I put it in a foaming bottle with about 1/2 to 2/3 of the bottle being water, which means this huge bottle lasted a long time. I recently started using Dr. Bronner's soap as a face wash too. I'll get back to you on how that works for me.

Macadamia Rejuvenating Shampoo - Over the summer Target had Macadamia sets that were essentially by-one-get-one free. Otherwise, I wouldn't have bought the shampoo because I need shampoo that combats a flaky scalp, but I came up with the solution of adding tea tree oil directly into the shampoo in order to use it. Since this shampoo is quite expensive (retail is $21 for this size bottle) and it doesn't meet my hair needs, I won't be repurchasing it. 

Alba Botanica Very Emollient Cream Shave in Mango Vanilla - I stopped using a special shaving product several years ago; I just use my shower gel to shave. I'd heard good things about this cream shave on YouTube, so I figured I would give it a try. While I an understand why people like it, it wasn't for me. It was really thick, so it accumulated on my razor. Using a separate product to shave with also added a step to my shower routine. I won't be repurchasing.

Luxury Lane Soap Triple Care Hemp Wash in Vanilla Oak - This was a really nice body wash made by an indie company. I reviewed it here. I really liked it. The product is currently being reformulated, and I do plan on trying the new formulation when it becomes available. I also want to point out that Luxury Lane Soap is offering free shipping from now until they close for the holidays, so it is a great time to give their items a try.

Silk Naturals Kiss Cleanser - This has been my regular face wash for several years now. I love how gentle it is. It does a decent job removing the majority of my makeup (stubborn mascara and eye liner tends to stick around). I already had a back-up bottle ready to go when this one was finished. 

Mario Badescu Acne Facial Cleanser - For a few months, I used this with my Clarisonic Mia after I did an initial wash of my face with Silk Naturals Kiss Cleanser. I got lazy though and haven't done that in a while. I did have a back-up bottle ready to go though when this one was finished. Sadly, I heard recently that Mario Badescu products are being sold in China, which means that I no longer consider the brand cruelty-free and will not purchase from them any more.

Neutrogena Rapid Clear Foaming Scrub - This was in a bag of products a friend gave me that she didn't like. I used it on my body instead of my face to use it up because I didn't want to be wasteful. Neutrogena is not a cruelty-free brand, so even if I did like this product, I wouldn't purchase it again.

CeraVe Facial Moisturizing Lotion AM and PM - I picked these up because CeraVe is one of the few cruelty-free skincare brands that I have easy access to and because the day lotion had an SPF of 30, which is a requirement of mine. I liked both of them. The only thing I didn't like is the packaging. I dislike products like this with pumps because it makes is really hard to impossible to get the last of the product out. Because of that, I didn't repurchase them, but I might in the future. 

Maybelline Expert Eyes Moisturizing Eye Makeup Remover - I bought this a long time ago, mostly because of the bottle. I hate the eye makeup remover bottles with the caps that have the cardboard at the top because half the time the cardboard disintegrates before the product is gone and the bottle starts to leak. I didn't particularly care for the product itself (and rarely use an actual eye makeup remover anyway), and Maybelline isn't cruelty-free, so I won't be buying this again. I might keep the bottle around though because I think it could be handy.

 

The Honest Company Shampoo & Body Wash - This was part of the free trial set I got from The Honest Company (referral link) over the summer. The scent is Sweet Orange Vanilla, which was okay but not my favorite. I did buy a full size in one of my bundles I have received since my trial kit. I may or may not repurchase this in the future. It is a good body wash, but I like others more.

The Honest Company Face & Body Lotion - This either came in a box I got from Totalbeauty.com or from the free trial set I got from The Honest Company. It was okay as a body lotion. I didn't try it on my face. I didn't notice anything special enough to repurchase it. 

Mario Badescu AHA Botanical Body Soap and Citrus Body Cleanser - I got a $10 gift certificate from Mario Badescu for my birthday back in September (they do this for everyone registered on their site), which I used to pick up one of their toners, and these were two of the samples I got with my order. Again, I no longer consider Mario Badescu to be cruelty-free, so I won't be buying a full size of either of these. 

Tata Harper Rebuilding Moisturizer - I attended some sort of Facebook "party" where Tata Harper Deluxe Beauty Sets were being given away as prizes. This was a nice enough moisturizer, but I don't think it was special enough to justify the $100 price tag for a full size. 

John Frieda Conditioner (from a hair dye kit) - I have been using John Frieda hair dye for a while because I thought it was cruelty-free (but now I'm not so sure). I have a couple more boxes left in my stash. I think my goal is to get myself through the summer and then try a henna hair dye. If you've got any suggestions for cruelty-free hair dye options, please let me know. 

Kiss My Face Peaches & Creme Moisturizer - I have dealt with lots of bumps on my legs for years, and now I'm getting them on my arms. I have self-diagnosed myself with keratosis pilaris. I've tried multiple ways of exfoliating to get rid of the bumps, including this lotion with AHA. I liked the scent, but it didn't solve the problem. I think I have another one of these tubes that I need to use up. I probably won't repurchase it. 

EVOLVh Shampoo and Conditioner - These came in a box I got from Totalbeauty.com. The brand is expensive, so I wouldn't consider repurchasing. I don't know their cruelty-free status. 

Holika Holika Essential Petit BB Cream - I liked this BB cream. I bought it because Phyrra reviewed it. Our skin tone is essentially the same, so when she reviewed this and said that it matched her, I figured I would give it a try. I've got too many foundations to work my way through before I might consider repurchasing. I'm also not positive on Holika Holika's cruelty-free status since it is an Asian brand (Phyrra reviewed it a long time ago before she went cruelty-free). 

Silk Naturals Sleep in a Jar Light Peach - This is a staple product for me. I use it daily under my eyes. I do find it a bit drying sometimes, but I keep using it to hide my dark circles. 

Silk Naturals Maybe Baby Blush Sample - This is a clone for MAC's Blushbaby, which is a nude toned blush with a hint of pink. It was an okay color, but it wasn't anything special enough for me to repurchase it. 

Paula's Choice Barely There Sheer Matte Tint SPF 30 in Level 1 Fair/Light Sample - This was a nice tinted moisturizer. The color match was good for me, and I liked that it had SPF 30. I might buy a full size at some point, but I won't be purchasing it right now. 

Make Up For Ever HD Powder - This came in a value set I purchased from Sephora last year. It was okay, but it is expensive for what it is (100% pure silica). I can buy the same thing from TKB Trading for a lot cheaper. Make Up For Ever is not cruelty-free.

Meow Uncharted Eye Shadow Sample - This is a sample from Meow's Caribbean Escape collection that is only available during the summer. Meow describes it as a neutral beige taupe with gold shimmer. I already have a full size of this shade in my collection.

Silk Naturals Bone Eye Shadow (the empty pan) - This was a matte highlight shade. I had pressed it, which is why it is an empty pan. I think I added too much binder to it when I pressed it because it was a bit too hard. I also prefer Wet n Wild's Brulee for my matte highlight, so I don't plan on repurchasing. 

Alima Pure Foundation Sample in Neutral 1 - I had this for a long time. It was a little too dark for me, so I mixed it with the MUFE HD powder to use them both up. I won't be buying a full size.

bareMinerals Original Mineral Veil SPF 15 - This was in another Sephora set I bought a long time ago. I wouldn't go out and buy a full size, but I would use it again if it came in another set.

Tarte Gifted Amazonian Clay Smart Mascara - I've had major issues with mascaras. They seem to want to flake on me, and at the end of the summer, mascaras were smudging onto my browbone all the time. I liked this one when I was using it. It didn't flake or smudge. I wasn't using it in extreme heat though, so I don't know how well it would have held up then. I've got another one of these in my stash (I got them in Tarte QVC sets) that I'll pull out eventually, but I've got a couple of mascaras that I'm already using at the moment.

Silk Naturals White Chocolate Macadamia Lip Balm - I enjoy Silk Naturals lip balms. I really like the texture. I don't always keep them on hand, but when there is a flavor that catches my interest, I make sure and pick it up. 

A Bunch of Random Samples - I've been trying to work my way through a backlog of skincare samples lately. None of these really stood out to me since there's really not enough of any of them to decide of I liked them. I will say that I didn't care for the La Fresh wipes. Several of these are from brands that aren't cruelty-free. 

theBalm TimeBalm Juniper Oil-Free Face Moisturizer - This was okay. It should have been in the other picture, but I missed putting it there. 

Neutrogena Make-Up Remover Cleansing Towels - I primarily using these types of wipes to remove swatches. These did the job okay, and they were free in a sample box from Walgreens. Neutrogena is not cruelty-free, so I wouldn't repurchase them. I'd love to know of some good, inexpensive, cruelty-free wipes if you have any suggestions. 

Another load of empties gone! I'm happy to see so many products leaving my stash, especially all of the ones that aren't cruelty-free that won't be coming back into my stash. 

Do you have any suggestions for cruelty-free hair dye or makeup remover wipes? 

Disclaimer: Most of the products in this post were purchased by me. A few were giveaway prizes, were given to me by a friend, or were promotional freebies. All opinions are my own. I have included my referral link for The Honest Company. 

Finished It!!! Volume 7

It's that time again. I get to throw away the stash of empties that have piled up.

Bath & Body Works Night-Blooming Jasmine Shower Gel - This is a scent that I fell in love with during college, and I still really enjoy it. It isn't part of the permanent line anymore, but it is usually available during the semi-annual sale.

Gud Vanilla Flame Body Wash - The bottle says this scent is a combination of vanilla and rice milk. This is a really good scent for people who don't like their scents to be too sweet. This was a decent body wash, but it was a bit expensive (I think I paid close to $7 for it).

Salon Grafix Conditioning Cleanser - I am declaring this product to be such a staple that I won't be including it in my posts of finished products anymore, just like I'll no longer be including my regular shampoo and conditioner). I love this for those lazy nights when I don't want to mess with two products. I recently saw a person on YouTube say that this product is awful compared to Wen, which I've never tried, so your results may vary.

Giovanni D:tox Purifying Facial Scrub - I've had this for too long. I like it when I first got it, but then I just stopped using it. It's not overly scrubby, so I was able to use it every day when I was using it. One pet peeve of mine though is the packaging. I hate when bottles like this have their labels painted on in such a way that they start flaking off.

Philosophy Amazing Grace Shower Gel - This was a freebie that I got in an Ulta order. I'm not a big fan of the Philosophy perfume scents. For me, Philosophy shower gels are over-priced for what they are, and I'd probably never purchase them unless there was a good sale or value set, and I would stick with their sweet, foody scents.

John Frieda Precision Foam Color Conditioner - I'm going to stop throwing these in too. I like the John Frieda hair color enough that I'm going to stick with it for the time being. The conditioner that comes with it is okay.

 Mary Kay Satin Hands Vanilla Sugar Hand Cream - I got this free through a drawing a long time ago. I enjoyed the scent, but the hand cream itself wasn't anything special. I don't plan on repurchasing.

Palmer's Cocoa Butter Formula with Vitamin E - Another product that I've had around for way too long. I finished it up by using it on my feet and cuticles, but of which are super dry this time of year. I currently have a stick version that I'm using on my cuticles. I don't plan on repurchasing the tub for the time being.

Neutrogena Visibly Even Daily Moisturizer SPF 30 - This was a decent face moisturizer and met my requirement of having an SPF of at least 30. I don't think it helped my skin tone at all though. I'm currently testing out the CeraVe daily moisturizer, so I'm not repurchasing this one.

The Body Shop Peppermint Smoothing Pumice Foot Scrub - The Body Shop had an AMAZING Cyber Monday sale, and I couldn't resist. This little sample was part of a goodie bag that was $30 with any $30 order. It only lasted me about 3-4 uses. It felt nice, but it didn't have a lot of scrub to it, and my feet have pretty hefty calluses, so this didn't really do anything for them. I won't be purchasing a full size.

Sally Hansen Cuticle Oil with Vitamin E - Honestly, I'm guessing on the name of this. I've had this for way too long, so the name has worn off the bottle, and I'm too lazy to check. This was too oily for me, and yes, I do realize that it was an oil. It didn't absorb very quickly, and I've decided that I generally enjoy cuticle creams.

Tarte Pure Maracuja Oil and Josie Maran Argan Oil - I started experimenting with essential oils in my skincare routine a couple of months ago. Since essential oils need a carrier oil, I figured I might as well use the ones already in my stash. I'm really liking the essential oils, but I didn't notice anything special about using these particular oils as the carrier oils. Once my stash runs out (I have a 1 oz bottle of the argan oil and 2 full-sizes of the maracuja oil to work through), I'll be looking for a cheaper alternative.

This is my attempt at clearing out all of my little sample packets. I have a ways to go, but it's definitely a start!

Strivectin-SD Intensive Concentrate for Stretch Marks & Wrinkles - Not nearly enough of a sample to tell if it is effective.

DDF Erase Eye Gel - I felt like this eye gel was masking the problem more than it was attempting to fix the problem. It has dimethicone and mica in it, so it feels like a primer and has a slightly shimmery, yellow tint to it. I wasn't a fan.

Josie Maran Argan Oil Hair Serum - This felt nice and didn't leave my hair feeling greasy.

Philosophy Purity Made Simple - I had been wanting to try this because so many people love it, so I was excited to finally have a sample to try. I think it was causing my skin to break out. I'm not positive on that, but it did push me over the edge to commit to my current face washes and stop trying out new ones. I'm happy with what I have (Silk Naturals Kiss Cleanser and Mario Badescu's Acne Facial Cleanser). It works, so I'm not going to mess with it anymore.

DHC Deep Cleansing Oil - This didn't do a very good job of removing my eye makeup, which surprised me.

Silk Naturals Cucumber & Rhassoul Clay Mask - This came as an extra in a Mystery Adventure Club package a long time ago (MAC was a program where you got a package with all of the gift with purchase shades for that given month along with some sort of fun extra). Silk Naturals masks come in powder form, and you mix in the liquid, typically water. I was feeling adventurous, and I used witch hazel with this. I liked it, but it has never been released for sale, so I couldn't get it. I also have several other face masks to use up.

Jergens Daily Moisture Dry Skin Moisturizer - It's a lotion. It felt okay. I have a ton of lotion in my stash.

Asian Cream Cleanser - I have no idea what the brand is. This was part of my Secret Santa package. It burned my eyes a bit.

Hanfang Anti-oxidizing Mask - This was a sheet mask, and I couldn't deal with leaving the sheet on my face. The eye holes weren't quite large enough, and it would have driven me nuts. Instead, I just got as much of the liquid on my face as I could (which was actually quite a bit) and used it that way. I don't think I will be picking up more sheet masks.

I took these shampoo and conditioner packets with me while traveling over the holidays. None of them were anything special.

Kiss My Face Vanilla Honey SPF 15 Lip Balm - I think this is the last Kiss My Face balm in my stash. I like them. This felt kind of goopy by the end, and I've had it so long, I don't remember if it always felt that way. It wasn't totally off-putting though. I just dabbed it onto my lips instead of swiping it on. I might eventually buy more of these.

C.O. Bigelow Lemon & Black Cherry Lip Balm - I bought this back when they were on clearance at Bath & Body Works. It wasn't until after I bought it that I realized it contains shea butter, which causes my lips to crack. I used it some on my lips, but not much. Instead, I used it on my cuticles to get rid of it.

Badger Pink Grapefruit Lip Balm - I like the Badger lip balms. I just wish they had an SPF.

Buxom Lipstick in Amsterdam - I got this in the Sephora Give Me Some Lip set from a couple of years ago. The color was a bit too brown for my taste. I'm also not a big fan of lipstick. I won't be purchasing any of these.

Boyfriend Perfume Sample - I like this perfume, and almost more importantly, my fiance likes it. I might eventually buy this perfume, probably in roller ball form.

Subversive Apothecary Serum - This was a freebie sample that I got a long time ago. This is supposed to be an amazing anti-aging serum, and a full size of the serum is really expensive. I've been using essential oils (with a carrier oil, obviously), and I just decided to pour this into the mix to get rid of the sample vial.

Tarte Gifted Mascara - I've mentioned on here several times that I'm not a fan of Tarte's Lights, Cameras, Lashes mascara. It flakes on me. I didn't have high hopes for this one either, but I got it with a QVC kit, so I figured I would give it a try. I really liked it. It worked much better than the LCL mascara. I used it for 3 months, so it's time for this one to go away.

Tarte Smooth Operator Finishing Powder - This is such a fine powder that a cloud of dust kicked up every single time I used it. It didn't help that the sifter came off and dumped all of it into my swirling bowl. I ended up mixing in my Meow mineral foundation hoping to minimize the dust cloud. It didn't help much. I'll be getting a full size in a QVC kit in February, and I may try it again to see if I can get it to work. At this point, I wouldn't be purchasing more of this if it wasn't part of a kit.

Tarte Clean Slate Primer - I don't know if you can see, but there is a lot of product still left in this tube. This is the old packaging, and I have not verified if the current Clean Slate Primer is the exact same formula or not. Either way, this packaging was horrible. It made it really hard to get product out, and I've just given up. I know I could cut the tube open, but I don't really like that idea. I read a blog post (I think) a long time ago where a woman explained that she doesn't cut open her Urban Decay Primer Potion tubes (obviously the old style packaging of that) because tiny fragments of the plastic would end up in the product. I'd rather not be rubbing jagged plastic fragments all over my face.

Silk Naturals Sleep in a Jar Light Peach - I think this is the third time this product has shown up in a finished products post. I use it every day. I love it. It's HG for me. Enough said.

That's it for now. I'm really happy with the fact that I was able to use up a bunch of samples and things that I've had for way too long. Hooray for reducing beauty product clutter!

Finished It!!! Volume 3

Wow...it's been a long time since I posted one of these...March 11 to be exact, so I've had quite a few products built up.

Here's what I've finished up over the last couple of months:

Nature's Gate Tea Tree Calming Shampoo - This is a staple product for me. My scalp gets flakes if I don't use the right shampoo. I used Neutrogena's T-Gel shampoo for years before finding this one. The bad thing is that I can no longer get it locally. Thankfully, drugstore.com sells it and has free shipping with any $25 order.

Nature's Gate Pomegranate Sunflower Conditioner - Obviously, with two bottles, this is another staple. This formula is specifically for color-treated hair. I picked up some new formulas to test out when I recently restocked on conditioner. I'm currently trying a jojoba oil formula.

Salon Grafix Cleansing Conditioner Citrus Creme - I picked this up on a whim. I've never tried any cleansing conditioners before this. I think the first time I tried it, I used it as a leave-in conditioner because the bottle says it can be used that way. I didn't like it. My hair looked okay, but the feel of my hair wasn't nice. As an actual cleansing conditioner, I really liked it though. I used it on those nights when I was feeling lazy and didn't want to deal with using two products. I would put it on my hair as soon as I got in the shower, let it sit while I did everything else, and then I rinsed it out. My hair was easy to comb through after my shower, which is my top criteria for a conditioner. I might repurchase this, but right now, I'm focusing on using what I have.

Silk Naturals Making Waves Curling Gel - This was the original gumball of this product (SN gumball products are trial ones sold at a reduced price before mass release). I bought it when my hair was quite short, so I wasn't able to use it, and then I forgot about it. This didn't seem to do anything special for my hair, which has a natural wave to it that only really shows itself when I wet it and scrunch it. I don't plan on getting this again because regular products from the drugstore work better.

Pantene Color Preserve Shine Conditioner - This came in the spring Target Beauty Bag. This actually worked really well. Most drugstore conditioners don't detangle my hair well enough, particularly at the crown, but this did a nice job. I'm well stocked on conditioner right now, but in a pinch, I would feel comfortable grabbing this one.

Tone Alpha-Hydroxy Fruit Acids Body Wash - I bought this specifically because of the AHA in it. I constantly get ingrown hairs on my legs. It isn't pretty and gets really frustrating. I was hoping this would help. It didn't make a major difference, but I liked the citrus scent. I might pick this up again at some point, but I'm not running out to grab more right now.

Bath & Body Works Berry Vanilla Body Wash - I stocked up on this scent when it was on clearance. I love practically everything vanilla, so I stocked up on the Signature Vanillas line when it was on clearance. I still have several bottles if this and other vanilla scents to get through.

Philosophy Creme Brulee Body Wash - I got this in a set with a lip gloss and a lotion. I love the scent. However, Philosophy is so pricey that their body washes will never be regular purchases for me.

Silk Naturals Kiss Cleanser - I love this stuff. I've gone through several bottles. It is just a really basic cleanser that does a decent job of removing makeup. I use the foamer bottle that SN sells for it, so this size of bottle lasts a really long time. I've already repurchased another bottle of this.

Silk Naturals BHA Toner - This is my second bottle of this. I bought the first one to use as part of my skincare routine. I kept forgetting about it though. After I finally finished it off, I vowed not to buy it again. Then I bought another bottle to use on ingrown hairs. After using most of it, it collected dust again. I finally pulled it out enough to use it up. I don't plan on repurchasing it again.

Neutrogena Rapid Wrinkle Repair Moisturizer Night - I haven't noticed a huge difference in my skin from using this, but I have repurchased this already. It is a decent moisturizer, and I like that it has retinol in it. I have read that retinonl is good for acne, and I know it is a good age-fighting ingredient, and I need both.

Sibu Sea Buckthorn Eye Cream - This was an okay eye cream, but I didn't love it. I purchased the Neutrogena Rapid Wrinkle Repair eye cream to replace it.

Philosophy Purity Made Simple Cleansing Oil - Part of my issue with this was the packaging. This was a really thin cleansing oil, and it was in a bottle with a twist off cap. It made it really hard to control how much product came out. It's been a while since I've used it, but I think I prefer Silk Naturals Apricot Cleansing Oil better.

Murad Essential-C Day Moisturizer SPF 30 - This came in the sunscreen set that Sephora had out last summer. I didn't particularly care for this moisturizer. My skin got oily a lot earlier in the day than it does with other moisturizers. I used this on days when I was just running quick errands.

Ginvera Green Tea Aqua Whitening Cream - I got this as part of a blog contest prize. I suspected, but never quite determined for sure, that this broke me out slightly. Because of that, I would only use it for a day or two at a time. While I like the idea of something helping to even out my skintone, I won't be looking to purchase a full size of this.

Burt's Bees Baby Bee Buttermilk Lotion - This was yet another Burt's Bees product that I got in a clearance value set. The texture was off, and it separated slightly. I had to shake it before using it. I don't feel the need to pick this up again (even if it is a newer tube).

Dermasel Spa Totes Meer Maske Feuchtigkeit - I believe I got this in a swap. As you can see, the packaging isn't in English. I think this was a moisturizing mask, but I'm not really sure. I wouldn't even know where to purchase this if I did want to replace it, but that isn't an issue.

Philosophy Microdelivery Peel - This was part of a 500-point perk from Sephora. It reminded me a lot of the Olay microdermabrasion set (do they still make that?). I liked it, but I think I like ExfoliKate more, and I can't see buying both.

Pur-lisse SPF 30 Moisturizer
Murad Essential-C Eye Cream
Super Bright Eyed Eye Cream 
Juice Beauty Stem Cellular Repair Moisturizer

Nothing stood out about any of these samples. I won't be purchasing full sizes.

Yes, I truly am a lip balm addict. In my defense, a couple of these were mostly used up a long time ago, and I just got around to finishing them.

New York & Company Honeysuckle Vanilla lip balm - This had an SPF of 15, which I liked. It had a waxy texture. I don't think they are sold anymore.

Badger Balm - Vanilla Madagascar lip balm - I like the Badger Balm lip balms. I wish they had SPF in them. It is possible I will purchase more in the future.

Kiss My Face Strawberry lip balm - I got this on clearance at WalMart a while ago. Sometimes I like it, and sometimes I don't. This has a really soft texture. I have to dab it onto my lips instead of swiping it. I don't know if I will purchase this lip balm again.

Silk Naturals Tahitian Vanilla lip balm - This was the original gumball version of their newer lip balms. They don't make this formula anymore.

Darling Girl Buttercream Cupcake lip balm - I love the formula of this lip balm. It is really smooth and feels like it melts onto my lips. The scent/flavor was really nice too. The only downsides are that it doesn't seem to last very long on my lips, so I am constantly reapplying, and it doesn't have an SPF. I'll still be repurchasing Darling Girl lip balms to use when I'm not going to be outside a lot.

Silk Naturals Malibu Miss Bronzer (sample) - I finished this a while ago, but I remember it being slightly too orange for my liking.

Silk Naturals Sleep in a Jar Light Peach - I love this product. I went ahead and ordered two jars of it because I seemed to go through this one really quickly. I use it every day under my eyes after I have finished the rest of my eye makeup.

Silk Naturals Caliber Eye Shadow - This is a dupe for Urban Decay's Half Baked eye shadow. I now have two full-sizes of Half-Baked, so I don't feel the need to purchase a full size of this. It is a really pretty color though.

Lovely Android Foundation in Very Fair (sample) - Lovely Android was an online mineral makeup company that didn't last very long. I've had this sitting around for quite a while. I finally threw it into a loose powder mix that I have just to get rid of it.

Urban Decay Primer Potion - This is a staple. After testing out a couple of eye shadow primers that creased on me, I have a much greater respect for good old UDPP (and Too Faced Shadow Insurance). Thankfully, I have full sizes of each just waiting to be opened (and a mini tube of UDPP). I won't need to purchase eye shadow primer any time soon.

Urban Decay Complexion Primer Potions - I didn't particularly care for these. I like my other primers better. I was glad that I got to test out a sample because at one time I really wanted a full size of the pore perfecting variety. Now I can save myself some cash.

DKNY Be Delicious Perfume - It's there hiding on top of the sample cards. I really like this perfume. I've been tempted to get a larger size before, but I've never actually caved and gotten one. I still have a couple of sample vials waiting in the wings though.

Whew!!! This ended up being a good mix of staple products that I have and will repurchase and products that I didn't particularly care for. Hopefully it won't be so long before my next Finished It! post.

What have you finished up lately? Have you been finishing up staples or things that you just want to get rid of?

Finished Products!!!

I initially planned on waiting until the end February to do this post when I started collecting finished products around the middle of January. Well...The empty stuff has piled up to a point that it is irritating me, so I'm going to go ahead and do this early. In the future, I'll probably continue to post when the empties start piling up instead of posting on a regular schedule.

Here's a shot of everything in a basket:

Breakdown of the items that I've finished:

Burt's Bees Radiance Exfoliating Body Bar - I'm pretty sure I got this as part of a value kit of minis that was on clearance a while back. It lathered nicely, and I like how my skin felt after my shower. Since I tend to prefer body washes, I don't think I will be repurchasing this item.

Olay Ultra Moisture Body Wash with Shea Butter - I got this in a clearance value set from Wal-Mart after Christmas (can you tell I'm big on sale items?). This was a decent body wash, but it didn't really feel any more moisturizing than others that I have, and there wasn't much scent to it. Since would prefer something with more scent, I don't plan on repurchasing.

Bath & Body Works Triple Moisture Shower Cream in Midnight Pomegranate - Another sale item, I believe from B&BW's summer clearance sale. I liked this. I like the scent. The thing that I DIDN'T like was the packaging. As you can see from the picture above, the metallic paint on it started to flake off as I tried to get the last of the product out. Improved packaging and another good sale might induce me to buy more of these.

 Cosmedicine Healthy Cleanse Foaming Cleanser & Toner in One - Yet another clearance item. This one came from Walgreens back in September. This did a decent job of cleansing, but I don't think it did any better than my Silk Nautrals Kiss Foaming Cleanser, and I believe it is much more expensive at full price. I don't plan on repurchasing.

Silk Naturals Firming Moisturizer - A sweet woman on the Silk Naturals forum offered this up as a freebie to someone because it didn't work for her. I didn't notice any amazing results, and I'm liking the Neutrogena night moisturizer that I currently have with retinol in it, so I don't plan in purchasing this.

Burt's Bees Milk & Honey body lotion - This came from the same or a similar clearance value kit as the bar soap. I liked the smell, but the texture had gone off slightly. I had to shake it up before using it and once had to push clumps down from the neck of the bottle. I might repurchase in the future, but not before I make a major dent in my current stash of lotions.

Pink Bow Bath Boutique Silky Skin Souffle in Pink Sugared Buttercream Puff - I won this in a giveaway done by LipGlossFiend back in the fall. I don't remember if it still had a whipped texture when I got it, but by the time I got around to really using it, it was liquidy instead of whipped. I also, sadly, spilled most of this when I was trying to clean off the threads around the jar because the lid wasn't going on right.

Burt's Bees Almond Milk Beeswax Hand Creme - Another item from the clearance value kits. I think the texture on this had gone off slightly as well. It was better after I gave the jar a good stir with a toothpick. This was super thick, and if I used too much, it left my hands feeling tacky for way too long. I probably won't repurchase any time soon, but I might eventually try it again to see if a fresher jar works better.

Yes, I'm including these mini samples. These sorts of things clutter up my makeup area, so I still consider it a positive thing when I finally use them.

L'Oreal Magic Lumi Primer - I have oily skin, so I don't really need a luminizing primer. It felt nice though.

Silk Naturals Damsel sample - This was a pretty pink. I have too many lip products that I barely use though, so I don't plan on purchasing this one. It's better for me to work on the ones I have.

Holika Holika Peach Girl BB Cream - I got this sample when I ordered their Essential Petit BB Cream on Ebay. The color on this one wasn't bad. I don't know how this formula is different from the Essential one. It might be worth looking into though.

Infusium23 Moisture Replenisher - This was a sample that wasn't very effective because of the sample packaging. This was like water, so trying to put some on my hands and get it to my hair was challenging. I would assume a full size of this comes in a spray bottle. I don't really feel the need to look into it though.

Pore Clearing Fruit Smoothie mask - I got two uses out of this packet. It smelled good, and I liked how it felt on my skin. These sorts of packets are probably good options for me when I get caught up on my skincare stash because it takes me so long to get through a full size of a face mask product.

Korres Antiaging Primer - I had high hopes for this, but it broke me out. There's technically a little bit left in the sample pod (on the other side of the card), but I'm not putting it on my face again.

Essence of Beauty Buttercream Cupcake lip gloss - Okay...as you can see, the label is gone, so I'm guessing the on flavor a bit. It is some sort of cake scent. This was just a clear gloss that wasn't anything overly special.

Badger Balm Tangerine Breeze lip balm - This is a really nice balm. It would be even better if it had an SPF. I have a couple of other flavors of this in my stash that I will enjoy using, and I will likely purchase more of these in the future.

Kiss My Face Vanilla Honey lip balm - This balm has an SPF 15, which is great. This balm has a thicker consistency than others in my collection, which feels really good sometimes, and other times it feels goopy. I have a couple more of these in my stash (I am a lip balm addict). Especially because of the SPF, I can see myself replacing these when they are gone.

Avon Glazewear Shine lip gloss in Iced Pink - This was an easy-to-wear shade. I could apply it without a mirror. The gloss felt smooth and wasn't sticky. I would be interested in trying more of this formula in the future.

Tarte Park Avenue Princess Bronzer mini - I'm doing a minor cheat here. I actually have about 2-3 days left of this product, but I scraped what was left of it into a jar a few weeks ago. I use this every day I wear makeup, so it should be gone within the week, and I'd like to get rid of this container now instead of hanging on to it for my next post on finished products. This is a decent bronzer for lighter skin tones. I would prefer something matte, but the shimmer in this isn't overwhelmingly obvious. I have another mini of this that I'll probably use, but I don't plan on purchasing this myself (both of my minis came in value sets that I purchased).

I have never actually finished a mascara. However, these are ones that I'm tossing, so I figured I would include them in this post.

Tarte Lights, Cameras, Lashes mascara - I've mentioned on here more than once that I don't care for this mascara. This tube was my last shot at liking it. Sadly, I have multiple tubes of this in my stash because they keep coming in Tarte sets that I buy. If you like this mascara, keep an eye out for future giveaways here because you'll probably see those tubes there.

Flirt! Big Flirt Thickening mascara - This mascara was a little bit clumpy, but recently it has started to get worse. Since I have quite a few backup mascaras in my stash, I figured it was time for this one to go.

Wet & Wild Mega Protein mascara - This mascara has a really wet formula. I probably ended up with mascara on my browbone every time I applied it. I don't think it did much in terms of lengthening or volume, and I didn't use it enough to know if it would have helped my lashes grow.

Are you working on finishing up any products? If you do these sorts of posts, feel free to link to them in the comments. I love reading these types of posts because they motivate me to try and work through my stash.