Favorites of 2012

Last year, I started my blog with three posts on my favorite products of 2011. I'm having a much harder time coming up with my favorites for this year for a couple of reasons. The first reason is that a lot of my favorites are still the same. The second reason is that I tried out so many new products this year that I don't feel like I've used many products very consistently.

To see my favorites for 2011: Best of Face, Best of Cheeks and Lips, and Best of Eyes.

Hair

I didn't even think to include hair last year. I'm not a huge hair person. I don't experiment with my hair very much, but I do have some standout products that are such staples that I'm not even going to include them in my finished product posts anymore.

Nature's Gate Tea Tree Shampoo, Pomegranate Sunflower Conditioner, and Biotin Conditioner (not pictured) - These are my staple haircare items (I didn't like the Henna one all that much, but I pulled an old picture). The Tea Tree Shampoo keeps my scalp from flaking, and the conditioners do a great job of helping detangling my hair. I buy them and finish them consistently. Oddly enough, I am listening to a YouTube video by NYCGeorgette, and she said she hated the Pomegranate Sunflower conditioner and said it made her hair really greasy. Maybe my hair is just really dry...*shrugs*

SalonGrafix Conditioning Cleanser - This is another product that I recently saw a terrible review on while watching YouTube. Jen from the channel From Head to Toe hated it. She said it wasn't anything like the Wen Cleansing Conditioner. I've never tried Wen, so I can't compare the two. I will say that I tried using this once when I had product in my hair (currently a rare occurrence), and it didn't work very well. However, for lazy days when I just don't want to have to mess with a separate shampoo and conditioner, this works great. I plan on keeping a bottle of this in my stash at all times.

Skincare

 Silk Naturals Kiss Cleanser - This has been my regular face wash for several years now, and I love it. It removes all but the most stubborn eyeliner (and possibly waterproof mascara - I haven't had a waterproof mascara in a while). It's a really basic cleanser. I had no qualms about having my 7-year-old niece us it over Christmas when we were playing with her makeup that she got as a Christmas present. I recently resolved to stop testing other cleansers because I always go back to this one. I don't need to search for anything else.

Essential Oils - I started adding essential oils into my skincare routine around November-ish after Christine from the PinksoFoxy YouTube channel and her Beauty Travel Channel blog did a couple videos and blog posts about them. I use a mixture of tea tree oil, lavender oil, sweet orange oil, and rosehip oil. For carrier oils, I have just been using Tarte's Maracuja Oil, Josie Maran's Argan Oil, and grapeseed oil that I purchased at WalMart. The place that I have noticed the biggest change is actually on my legs. I get ingrown hairs on my legs all the time, and I have a lot of scars. I feel like both have been reduced after starting to use these oils.  

Warning!!!! If you want to experiment with essential oils, please check out Christine's information and do some research. Essential oils should be used sparingly (I only have a few drops of each in the two dropper bottles in the picture). The underside of my arms broke out in bumps this week, and I think it was because I used a body scrub with essential oils and then used my regular oil mix after my shower, so I ended up using too much overall. Please be careful!

Makeup

Nars Sheer Matte in Siberia -  This is probably the best match I have ever found for my skintone. It hasn't quite reached Holy Grail status yet, but it is a really nice foundation. Sadly, I wasn't able to wear it for several months because I got too much of a tan over the summer (which is why there isn't a lot gone from the bottle).

Physicians Formula Healthy Wear SPF 50 Powder Foundation in Translucent Light - This was my go-to foundation for the summer months (it's too dark for me during the winter). It was quick and easy, and it gave me just enough coverage. I actually went through two of these during the course of the summer and fall. My main compliant is that I couldn't wear it on days when I knew I would be sweating a lot because it started to feel really gritty and gross on my face. It was fabulous though for days when I was just making a quick run to the store or something like that.

Tarte Amazonian Clay Shimmering Powders in Rose and Champagne - When I grabbed for a cheek highlighter this year, it was likely one of these two. They are both subtly beautiful. I even used Champagne a lot as an inner corner highlight for my eyes and on the browbone.

Wet n Wild Eyeshadow Trio in Walking on Eggshells - This was my go-to trio for when I didn't know what I wanted to use. It has become an cult classic for a lot of people because it is such a basic, easy palette.

Lorac Pro Palette - This is a relatively new purchase for me. I bought it in December. I'm going to repeat what a lot of other people say about it. I love the versatility and the mix of shimmers and mattes.

Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-On Eye Pencils - I'm showing the Ocho Loco set here, but I'm talking about the liners in general. I bought the Naked set of mini pencils last holiday season, and I enjoy them all. It took me a while to get used to how soft and creamy they are, but now I'm comfortable using them and grab for them most days.

Prestige Waterproof Eyeliner in Suede - This liner is on-par with the Urban Decay ones. I particularly love this color because it is a great soft brown for my pale skin. It works really well with Walking on Eggshells for a subtle look. I will eventually pick up more colors in this line.

Urban Decay Pocket Rocket Lip Glosses - I'm really sad that these have been discontinued! I love them. I love the creme brulee scent and the non-sticky formula. This is the gloss that I reach for the most. The one thing I would change is having the guys on the top. It is a cute, novelty thing, but I don't like having them there when I'm subbing at a school. Having a lip gloss with a guy in his underwear on the top isn't exactly school appropriate.

Real Techniques brushes are the first, third, fifth, and seventh brushes from the left.

Real Techniques Brushes - I have bought quite a few of these over the past year. The brand has a good variety of brushes. I use the Expert Face Brush, Stippling Brush, and Deluxe Crease Brush every day. I use the other brushes that I have consistently.

I'm sure I've forgotten some things from my list, and I'm going to kick myself the week after this gets posted when I grab for something that I love. *shrugs* That's how these sorts of things go I guess. I also want to mention again that nearly all of my favorites from last year are still favorites and/or Holy Grail items for me.

What were your favorites from 2012? Is there something I HAVE to try this year?

Finished It!!! Volume 6

It's that time again. I want to throw a bunch of stuff out, so I have to blog about it first. Hooray for getting rid of things!

Nature's Gate Tea Tree Shampoo and Henna and Pomegranate Sunflower Conditioners - The Tea Tree Shampoo and Pomegranate Sunflower Conditioner are staples for me. I have bought multiple bottles of each and will continue to do so. The Henna Conditioner wasn't bad, but it didn't work as well as the Pomegranate Sunflower one, so I don't plan on repurchasing it.

Philosophy Vanilla Birthday Cake Body Wash - This was my Sephora birthday gift from 2011, and I finally got around to using it. I like the Philosophy body washes, but they are, in my opinion, over-priced for what they are. I might buy more at some point if there is a really good deal, but it's not going to become a staple product for me.

John Frieda Precision Foam Colour Conditioner - This is the conditioner that comes with the John Frieda hair dye, and they always stick around forever because I forget to use them. I liked the hair dye and just bought another box yesterday because it's that time again. I'm trying a new color this time, which makes me nervous. I'm going a bit darker because my town doesn't carry the color that I used before, and I want to try a darker shade for the winter.

Skindinavia 10 Years Younger Makeup Finish Spray - I do believe that this spray helped my makeup stay on longer. Another benefit was helping get rid of the powdery look after I've finished my makeup. I bought the XL bottle of Urban Decay's All-Nighter Spray when this one started running low since Skindinavia makes that as well. I will continue to purchase whichever brand has a better deal at the time I need to purchase more finishing spray.

Benefit The POREfessional Deluxe Sample - I think I got this in a set from last Christmas. I liked it. It did seem to help hide my large pores. I've got several other primers to get through before I buy any more, and I don't think I loved this enough to repurchase it when I do need more primer.

EOS Travel Lotion in Cucumber - Another lotion bites the dust. Yes! I sound like a broken record when I finish lotions, but I'm going to say it again. I have a ton of lotions to use up before I buy any more.

CeraVe Moisturizing Cream - The was a decent, no-frills moisturizer. It didn't have SPF, so I used it at night. I might actually pick this up again after I go through my current moisturizer since I'm using a retinol cream at night, so I don't need a nighttime moisturizer with a lot of frills.

Bobbi Brown Correctioner in Porcelain Bisque - I'm still on the hunt for a Holy Grail corrector for under my eyes. This one wasn't it. Having a different shade might have helped (I purchased blind off Sephora.com because I don't have access to a Bobbi Brown anywhere nearby), but I didn't like the formula enough to repurchase it in another color.


Chloe Perfume Sample - This is a nice floral scent. I'm not big on floral scents, but I like this one. I have a mini bottle that I got in a Sephora value set and a rollerball of this from the Superstars Beauty Essentials set that I picked up. I will continue to use and enjoy those.

Napoleon Perdis Mesmer-Eyes Mascara - I got this over the summer in a Meg's Makeup package, and I really enjoyed using it. I loved the comb wand, and the formula didn't make my lashes feel stiff or flake on me. The only reason this is going away is because I used it for three months, and I'm trying to be good about switching my mascaras in that amount of time. I'm normally hesitant about purchasing high-end mascaras, but I've had so much bad luck with drugstore mascaras that I've purchased to try that I might break down when I'm through my current stash and buy a high end one that I know I like.

Physicians Formula Healthy Wear Powder Foundation in Translucent Light - I had one of these in my last post of finished products. I think I went through this one much quicker than my last one because I wasn't wearing makeup as often over the summer. I have one more of these left, but I won't be opening it up just yet because I'm now officially too pale for it. The last remnants of this one got mixed in with my regular super pale powder to use it up.

Philosophy Full of Promise Samples - These samples were so small that I used both of them for one application. I've been tempted to purchase high end skincare, but I haven't actually done it yet. Philosophy is at the top of my  list to try if I do go the high end route.

Simple Hydrating Light Moisturizer Sample - This came with a $2 coupon off a Simple moisturizer, which I ended up using on their Vital Vitamin Night Cream. It's a nice basic moisturizer, which is what I was looking for since I'm using a homemade serum and a retinal cream; I don't need bells and whistles in my moisturizer too.

Urban Decay Primer Potion - I think this has officially become my favorite primer. I've tried a few other primers recently that other people say work just like UDPP or Too Faced Shadow Insurance, and they crease on me. I like TFSI, but I get annoyed with the fact that it separates.

Urban Decay Complexion Primer Potion Samples - These are okay. I didn't notice anything special about them. I have a bunch of other primers right now.

Urban Decay Naked Skin Foundation in 3.5 and 2.0 - I am loving this foundation. I'm now too pale for both of these shades. I picked up a sample of 0.5 yesterday at Sephora. I'm dying to get a full size of it, but I want to try out this shade first, and I need to work through at least one of the foundations I currently have before I buy another one.

Ojon Damage Reverse Instant Restorative Hair Serum - This was okay. It wasn't a big enough sample to notice the effect of this over time. I'm sure a full size is much more than I'm currently willing to pay on hair care.

Pond's Original All Day Clean Towelettes and Simple Cleansing Facial Wipes - I've mentioned before that I primarily use these when I'm swatching products or occasionally when I want to remove my makeup before doing a face mask, so I'm not overly particular about them. Both of these worked well enough for my purposes. I tend to buy whatever I can get for a good price.

That's it for finished products for now. I'm pleased with what I've been able to finish off even though it always feels like I'm fighting a losing battle. I need to start working my way through mineral eye shadow and blush samples because I have a million of them, and they barely get touched. That however, it a project for another day and another post.

Have you made any progress finishing up items recently?

Finished it!!! Volume 5

I was hoping to get a couple more review posts up before posting another post about finished products, but I have a lot of stuff compiled, and I'd like to throw it all away. Here's what I've gone through (in no particular order):

Garnier Fructis Color Shield Shampoo and Conditioner samples - I got these as part of a Target Beauty Bag. I can't stray from my Nature's Gate Tea Tree Shampoo for long or else my scalp starts flaking, so I would never have considered buying the shampoo in full size. The conditioner did a nice job detangling my hair, which is the primary thing I have to look for in a conditioner, but I have other conditioners that I like better, so I will not be purchasing a full size of this either.

Pond's Original and Evening Soothe Wet Cleansing Towelettes - I've mentioned before that I primarily use makeup wipes for removing swatches from my hands and removing makeup before using a face mask. I only use it as my sole means of washing my face once in a blue moon when I am completely and utterly exhausted. Therefore, I'm not overly particular about these. These did well at the jobs I use them for, but I already have other wipes to use up, so I won't be repurchasing in the near future.

Bodycology Brown Sugar Vanilla Body Mist - Body sprays always sound like a good idea, but I don't use them as much as I should. I've had this one for way too long. I finished it up by using several spritzes before bed each night. I won't be repurchasing.

Burt's Bees Beeswax Lip Balm - It has been so long since I used this balm on my lips, I honestly don't remember if I liked the texture or not. I think I did. The problem was, I swear I found an eyelash that wasn't mine stuck inside the balm. Ewww! After that, I stuck to using this on my cuticles to use it up. I have a bunch of other lip balms to use before I purchase any more.

Simply Lip Balms in Vanilla Mint and Pomegranate - I found these balms at Walgreens over the summer for around $1 each. I bought a few, tried one out for the day, and bought a bunch more the next day. I love that they have SPF 15. They have a smooth texture and don't feel heavy on the lips. My only real complaint is that they melt easier than any other lip balm I've owned. I had one in my pocket a few weeks ago on a warm (but not hot) day, and I had to move it to my purse because it got too soft to use. I don't have easy access to purchase these, but I would probably repurchase more if I happen to see them.

Bath & Body Works Country Chic Supercharged Body Scrub and Cream Body Wash - Both of these were a Christmas gift. I like the scent, and I started to like it more as I continued to use these, but it isn't my favorite. I liked the body scrub because it's a sugar scrub in a body wash base, so it wasn't an extra step. I was even able to use it to shave. The creamy body wash gave a nice lather, so I liked it too. Since I am finally getting close to the end of my stash of body washes and soaps, I may stock up at the January B&BW semiannual sale. I would buy both products again (in a different scent) if they had a good sale on them.

Giovanni Exfoliating Body Bar in Cool Mint Lemonade - I got this in a Meg's Makeup package over a year ago. The mint part of the scent was really subtle. I probably wouldn't have identified that there was mint in it if it wasn't written on the box. The overall scent also wasn't very strong. According to the box, crushed mint leaves and purified salt granules are what make this an exfoliating bar, but this doesn't provide a very strong exfoliation. Overall, this was a decent bar soap, but it wasn't anything special. I prefer body washes anyway, so I don't plan to purchase any more.

Physicians Formula Healthy Wear SPF 50 Powder Foundation in Translucent Light - I picked up three of these when they were 75% off at CVS. It is too dark for my winter complexion, but it became my go-to summer foundation. It gave enough coverage without feeling heavy, and it was quick to apply. I was a little dismayed to notice that if I was outside in the heat and sweating for an extended period of time, my face started to feel gritty. Not pleasant. It's also unfortunate that this product is no longer being sold in stores; it can only be purchased online. I still have two more, and I haven't decided if I like it enough to order more when I run out, which won't be until sometime next summer.

Maybelline Dream Lumi Touch Concealer in Radiant - This is a sheer to medium coverage concealer that I've already reviewed here. I liked this, but it wasn't a Holy Grail find for me, so I'm going to keep looking for something better.

Meow Sleek Siamese Concealer sample - If you aren't familiar with Meow cosmetics, their shades are classified by a breed (undertone) and an adjective (depth). Sleek is the second lightest shade. I typically wear Inquisitive, the lightest shade. This originally came in a sample baggie, and I decanted it into a jar. This works okay for me during the winter months, and it worked really well for me this summer. I really like this mineral concealer in general, and I already have a full size of my regular shade. I might need to repurchase samples of this shade next summer because my regular shade becomes too light. I would only get samples though because the samples alone last a really long time.

Silk Naturals Chocolate Cream Cuticle Balm - This cuticle balm had cocoa butter in it, which gave it a light chocolatey scent, which I loved. The texture in the pan went off slightly not long after I got it. The ingredients separated slightly, so it had more solid beads of product in a more oily, but still solid, base. It didn't affect the performance of the product though. It took a little bit of time for the product to soak into my cuticles, so I preferred using this while watching TV in the evening. It is currently not being sold on Silk Naturals website, so I don't have the option to repurchase.

DKNY Be Delicious perfume sample - I love the tart apple scent of this perfume. I recently bought a double-ended roller ball with this perfume and Be Delicious Fresh Blossom at Ulta. I also have two sample sets of Be Delicious NYC, London, Paris, and Rio.

Tarte Maracuja C-Brighter Eye Treatment - This was a preview item sent in a QVC set of Tarte items. It was a nice eye cream, and I enjoyed using it. This product hasn't been released yet, but I have a feeling a full size is going to cost more than I'll be willing to spend on it.

Wet n Wild Brulee Eye Shadow - I would consider this my Holy Grail browbone shade. I love that it is matte. It does a wonderful job of evening out my browbone and blending out the edges of my crease color. I already have a new one of these waiting in the wings. I'm trying to use up two shadows that are very similar in shade to this one though before I open the new one.

Nature's Gate Conditioners in Jojoba and Biotin - I love Nature's Gate hair products. I've used the Pomegranate Sunflower conditioner for a long time now. The last time I stocked up, I purchased a few other kinds to try. I didn't love the jojoba conditioner. It didn't detangle my hair as well as the others, so I won't be repurchasing it. I LOVED the biotin version though. It felt tingly on the scalp, which was a bit strange at first, but once I got used to it, I liked it. I'm also wondering if this conditioner is part of the reason why my hair has gotten back a lot of natural volume that it had lost until recently. I ordered more conditioner yesterday from drugstore.com, and I threw in two bottles of this type along with a couple of other types that I like.

Salon Grafix Conditioning Cleanser in Citrus Creme - This is my second bottle of this product. I love it. I can't use it all the time because my scalp will start to flake, but it is great for those lazy nights when I don't want to deal with shampoo and conditioner. I just put this on at the beginning of my shower and rinse it off after I've finished everything else. I haven't repurchased it yet, but I will be in the near future.

Organix Moroccan Curling Perfection Defining Cream - This is a nice cream to add a little bit of definition to the natural curl/wave that I have in my hair. It doesn't make my hair stiff at all. I already have a new bottle.

TRESemme Split Remedy Shampoo - This was another sample from a Target Beauty Bag. I honestly didn't noticed if it helped hide split ends. As I mentioned with the Garnier shampoo, I'm sticking to my Nature's Gate Tea Tree shampoo.

Neutrogena Ageless Restoratives Anti-Oxidant Moisture Night - I uncovered this in my skincare drawer recently. I had completely forgotten that I had it. The tube was almost gone, so I pulled it back out to use it up. I didn't notice anything special about it. I have other things that I'm trying to use up and other products that I want to try. I don't plan on repurchasing.

Neutrogena Rapid Wrinkle Repair Moisturizer Night - I've used up two of these. I love the fact that this has retinol in it. As I just mentioned, I'm using up some other things in my stash, and I plan on testing out other products. I don't plan on repurchasing this for the time being.

Philosophy Hope in a Jar - I got this in a Sephora 500-point perk. I would prefer trying the oil-free version since I have oily skin. This worked okay, and it didn't break me out, but I didn't notice anything special enough to pay for a full size. If I got more of this in a skincare set or as a sample, I would use them though.

Garden of Wisdom Fruit Hydrating Mist in Peach - A makeup forum that I participate in had a traveling box of beauty products this summer. A group of generous ladies donated a bunch of products to get the box going, and it got passed from person to person. When you got the box, you got to choose was you wanted to remove from the box, and you had to replace those items with items comparable in price. This was one of the items that I took out. I used it as a face mist for after I applied my makeup in order to get rid of the powdery face look. It worked for that, but I'll stick with the rose water and setting spray that I have in the future.

That's it for now. I was really happy to finish up several makeup items lately. I was particularly happy to finish off the Physicians Formula powder foundation and the two concealer products. I have too many foundations, concealers, and powders in my collection, so it was nice to get rid of a couple of them.

Have you finished up anything recently?

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?