Finished Products Pt 2

Hi All!

It’s time for another products that I have finished post! I feel like I am on a roll, but the be realistic this is probably the final batch of products that I had a little left and am now really working on full products (phew!) I’ve been pretty good with not spending money, last that I calculated I am at (roughly) 40 dollars spent. 

L-R: Softsoap Spa Radiant Body Wash, B&BW White Tea and Ginger Body Wash, Aveeno Lotion, B&BW White Citrus Lotion. TOP ROW: Calgon Tahitian Orchid, No Brand Foot Scrub, Avon Naturals Vanilla Lotion, B&BW Moonlight Path Body Butter

 1. SoftSoap Spa Radiant Body Wash: It says that it had some pearls in it, but the formula was so watered down that I had to use a lot to get a lather and the "pearls" were so few that I didn't bother to count it as "exfoliating". Not a huge fan of the scent either. Not repurchasing. 

2. B&BW White Tea & Ginger Body Wash: Talk about concentrated and getting your moneys worth. This lasted me 3 months! But I loved the scent and just a tiny bit lathered up so much and left my skin feeling clean. I already have bout 9 backups of this (B&BW sale...no shame!) The scent is fresh, and even my boyfriend purchased one because he loved it so much.

3. Aveeno Lotion: My sister used to have REALLY dry skin and hated many formulas, this was one that she didn't really like. I personally loved it, and will probably repurchase once I finish all these other lotions I have laying around the house (dear God, why did I buy so much!?!)

4. B&BW White Citrus Lotion: I've said it before, after using a lot of lotion products, I find that B&BW lotions just aren't moisturizing enough for my liking. Yes the scent lingers for a little while but when my elbows and knees need some TLC...it don't work too great.  I liked the scent though, found it rather refreshing and not sweet. I might repurchase, but it's not a MUST have for me. 

5. Calgon Tahitian Orchid: *siiigh* ok, I can say this product took me a while to finish, but just the scent doesn't seem right. FIrst off...doesn't smell like a real Tahitian Orchid, and second...it just didn't work right on me. I ended up using it as a room spray and even then...it just didn't seem to fit (really weird and wonky I know...but ever have just those products where you can't put your finger on it but it just seems wrong?)

6. No Brand Foot Scrub: Let's be real...this was rubbish as a foot scrub, but worked great as a body scrub. Yes it was minty but I liked it to wake me up on tough mornings. It wasn't greasy, or oily, just a great shower jelly with scrubbies in it. I liked it so much that i obviously cut into it. If I knew the brand or where I got it...I would probably repurchase. 

7. Avon Naturals in Vanilla: This just smelled like fake vanilla bean to me. I didn't love it, and it was just not memorable...or anything to write home about. Will I repurchase? probably not. 

8. B&BW Moonlight Path Body Butter: Ok, while the B&BW lotions aren't amazing...the body butters are pretty damn good! My legs still felt moisturized the next morning (after my nighttime application) and the scent was good. I might not try to use this particular scent though. (granted I have roughly 4 other body butters to get through...)

L-R: Color Workshop Eyeliner in Black, Burt's Bees Lip Shimmer in Rhubarb, Carmex Tub

9. Color Workshop Eyeliner in Black: This was a sample sized black eyeliner that came in a palette I purchased, and I was actually really surprised how smooth, dark and creamy this liner was! If they sold these separately I would probably repurchase, but I have only seen them in palettes (and these are dirt cheap too!)

10. Burt's Bees Lip Shimmer in Rhubarb: I love this thing! It has the mintiness of the regular Burt's Bees but a really nice tint to the lips.  This color does not have a frost or shimmer and feels really nice on the lips. Once I get through a few more glosses or chapsticks I will be buying this again.

11.  Carmex Tub: My holy grail lip treatment. My lips had never felt as nice as with this product. It was just medicated enough to protect my lips. Will be a repurchase as soon as I can because I almost always have one on hand.

B&BW Wallflower in Cranberry Bellini, Rembrandt Mouth rinse, Nail Polish Dryer

12. B&BW Wallflower in Cranberry Bellini: I was introduced to this scent by a friend and it just smells so yummy. It has a light and crispness to it that allows it to still be fruity but not fruit-punchy. I will probably repurchase once I finish out my other 4 wallflowers and if they go on sale again at B&BW.

13. Rembrandt Mouth Rinse: Meh, it was a good mouthwash, but nothing to really write home about.  I didn't notice my teeth getting any whiter. Frankly, if I had to pick between this or a large bottle of my usual mouthwash, I'd probably pick the cheaper version. Not going to be a repurchase simply because it just doesn't seem to be anything amazing.

14.  Nail Polish Dryer: This product was pretty cool, it dried my nails a bit and left a nice sheen on my nails.  I would probably buy this product again once I get through my Avon nail polish dryer.

L-R: Burt's Bees Citrus Scrub, Olay Gentle Cleanser and Scrub, St. Ives Apricot Mask

15. Burt's Bees Citrus Scrub: I enjoyed this sample and I found it rather surprising to have enjoyed it.  It took quite a while for me to really be willing to try because it had a different texture and color (deep brown). But the exfoliates were quite nice and varied in size. I'd probably repurchase if I see it, but it's not something I would go out of my way to get.

16. Olay Gentle Cleanser and Scrub: OYE, i was not a fan of this product. The only really good thing I could say was the pump on it which made it much easier to dispense.  The scrub was SO fine that it did not leave my skin feeling clean and the gentle cleanser was TOO gentle cleansing. It didn't lather up, and it was just an overall disappointment. NOT repurchasing.

17. St. Ives Apricot Mask: DISLIKED. After using the scrub I thought that it would be just as amazing, but I just did not like it. It wasn't great as a cleanser and the mask was ok...but got a lil funky towards the end there. For what I hoped it would be...it didn't deliver. Every brand has it's own flops and I think this is the flop of the St. Ives brand. 

So My Running Totals Are:
Lotions/ Fragrance/ Hair products: 9
Makeup: 6
Candles/ Scents: 5
Cleansers/ Body Washes: 11
Randoms: 2
Grand Total: 33

How are you all using up products?
xoxo,
Ema

Favorite Fall Nailpolishes

Hi all,

   Wow I feel like I'm on a roll with my posts! Or maybe that is just me procrastinating on my homework (guilty!), but either way I was thinking about what in my nail polish collection would count as on trend. Needless to say, I found a good amount of polishes since I harbor a deep DEEP love for rich jewel toned nail polishes. But I saw so many popular nail polish trend videos on youtube with brands like Essie and OPI. Don't get me wrong, I love OPI, but the cost makes me stop once in a while and attempt to find them on Ebay, Amazon, or my job where I can get a little discount on them. So I figured, let's see what I have that can still be on trend but on a cheaper, financially friendly budget. 

   So we have all heard how jewel-toned or as I prefer to say "rich and deep colors" are very popular. The first color family I love is my purples/ wine/ blues: (no particular order)

1. AVON nailwear pro: midnight plum ($5 normal price, but usually have 2 for 6.99)

    This is probably my go to color because it is so deep and rich. You can get away with one coat making the purple a bit lighter, but I am in love with 2 -3 coats to make it super rich and almost black. The downside to getting this polish is that I have to order online, which can make it a little more than what I truly want to spend. But a good investment overall. 

2. Sally Hansen Hard As Nails: Flirt or number 38 ($2.99 normally, usually can find it 2 for $4)

   This color is almost black looking in the bottle but on the nails it is a very, very dark version of a wine color and has time red/ gold reflects. It is probably something I would wear with a white or cream sweater at holiday parties to offset the lightness, and bring some color to my skin. 

3. New York Color in a New York Color Minute: Manhattan ($1.99)

  This color is like a slightly deeper wine color. It's not the black/dark of the last two colors, but still is very lovely on the nails. It does dry faster than many nail polishes, but not as quickly as it claims. Overall one of the better colors from the collection. 

4. Sally Hansen Hard as Nails: Plum Power ($2.99 or 2 for $4)

  By now you can probably tell that I love my plums, and my Sally Hansen polishes. This is a bright plum purple, that still stays in the relm of a darker version of the color. It has gold, silver, pink, and purple reflects in the polish, so it is just an overall fun color. More, as my mother would call it, a loud color. 

5. NYC Long-Wearing Nail Enamel : Skin Tight Denim Creme ($0.99)

  This is one of those more out there colors, but on short nails can be so much fun! It has light and dark blue reflects, so it goes with the metallic trend. 

6. OPI: Meet Me On the Star Ferry ($7.99-12.99)

  This is one of my few nail polishes from OPI, and I bought it because it is different than other colors I own. It has a lot of shimmer, with gold, pink, wine, and silver tones, but comes together in a light wine color. It is much prettier than I can explain, but another lovely shade. 

Phew! Now I have two red toned nail polishes that I adore, and can't wait to use up. 

1. AVON nailwear pro: Cherry Jubilee ($5 or 2 for $6.99)

   It is a true cherry red color after it has been in the syrup. It is bright, but not the scary bright bright reds we see a lot. It does not chip as easily as some of my other polishes do.

2. love & beauty: Magenta ($2.50)

  This is from the Forever 21 store, and my first polish from this brand. It is a lovely Broadway curtain red with red and gold shimmer. I went through a similar color within one season because I loved how it looked on my nails, I can only hope I love this one as much. The one downside of this polish is that it is very thin and runny, so it would take 2-4 coats instead of 1-2. 

I hope this post helped with this one aspect of the trend, I don't wear greens or other colors simply because my mother is a nurse and always tells me that when I have green fingernails, I remind her of a dead body. Gruesome image, but just out respect to her, I oblige :) Let me know if you have any other colors that you would add to this list! I'll be writing another blog on the other trends coming in for nail polishes, but it just would have been too long all in one. 

xoxo,

Ema

May Most Used Products

Hello all! Well, it is the end of the month, and of course I have a decent bunch of products that I have been using. This month I have been working on shopping my stash and rediscovering certain products. I have so many makeup products that refuse to die out so it was a why not. I will also include the products I finished out this month, and if I plan on repurchasing them. 

1. Maybelline Falsies Volume Express in Very Black: I have just found this mascara to be awesome and makes my lashes so lush! I didn't have to wait for the formula to thicken either. It did take a few tries to get used to the brush, but this is a great product!


2. Benefit Lemon Aid: This product is of course going to be on my favorites list because I use it all the time and even have a back-up of it. It takes a long LONG time to use up, and it is basically an eye primer that has a yellow tint to it to remove any veins or discoloration in the lids. It does wonders for my eye lids and has never creased for me. While it is a little more expensive item, I got a hold of the product on ebay, brand new and in box for 6.99!


3. Wet N Wild Kohl Eye Pencil in Black: I am still working on this eye pencil, but I really only use it to line the lower waterline so that might explain it haha.  I find this product to be a great one, and really has lasted me months and I still have a good chunk of it left to get through. This is just the standard wood pencil product and a gem because it is so inexpensive.


4. Benefit Boxed Blush in Dandelion: Another product that does not want to die! This blush is very light pink with gold and pink reflects in it. This is my all the time and any time blush and I find I can wear this product day or night, winter and summer. During the summer I use it more as a highlight because it just is shimmery enough for it. It leaves a lovely and almost innocent hint of color on the cheeks. 

5. Clean and Clear Morning Burst Moisturizer: This is a product that I am not really loving, because this particular Morning Burst formula leaves me a little greasy/ shiny but I am really trying to finish this product out so I can go try something else.  It does moisturize the skin and really has no scent, but I am really ready to say good bye to it! 


6. Clean and Clear Deep Astringent for Sensitive Skin: This is such a great product. I use this every two to three days in a rotation and just find that it catches all the dirt from my face. I have been using this particular product for about 5 years and I really don't think I will stop using it. 


7. Harmon's Face Value Hydrating Toner: To be honest I bought this product because a close friend of mine kept going on and on about the need for a toner and how it's so amazing. So I went to my local discount beauty store and got this one. It's supposed to be a Harmon's dupe for a L'Oreal product. It works the same as my astringent and don't love the product. I don't think I'll be buying it again once I finish out the bottle, it takes up room on my counter!

8. Dove Clinical Protection Deodorant in Energize: I bought this deodorant on a whim and thought "hey it'll be summer, I'm starting at the gym and running outside and my car has no air conditioning so why not". I don't like it. First off, It's a cream texture (think gel deodorant) and while I really prefer the solids, I gave this a try. I feel like it just doesn't work for me and feel the need to keep using body sprays to feel comfortable. My solid and cheaper deodorants feel like they do a better job. Although I love the body spray version of this product, go figure!


9. Color Workshop Gold Eyeshadow: This is one of those very VERY old products that wore off the name. It was a product sold in CVS years ago and was one of those boxed sets. I typically thought that since they were so cheap that I would not like the payoff. Oh my goodness was I wrong. The golds and bronzes in those palettes are amazing and so soft! This month I wore a lot of the gold tones and just blended them out. Yep I am in summer mode already because the New York area has been seeing 80+ degrees for at least a week!

10. Sinful Colors Timbleberry Nail Polish: I have been painting my nails so many colors and just really haven't found my absolute favorite color, but I did wear this color two-three times this month and figured that maybe that meant it is my "favorite of the month". It's a red/ coral colored polish and is just fun. It's a nail polish that just makes me feel very happy and goes with a lot of my wardrobe. 


Now this month I finished out a few products too. These are the ones that I'm done with and if I will rebuy them: 


1. Avon Skin So Soft & Sensual Hand Cream: This was a great product and never left my hands feeling greasy. It has just a classic hand cream scent and soaked into my hands very quickly. While I loved it, I have so many hand creams to get through, I think I will pass on buying it again. 

2. L'essence de Provence linen water in Lavendar


3. InColor by Jordana Lip Shine Natural Glaze in Pink Grapefruit: A sheer gloss with a brush applicator, light grapefruit scent, and hint of color. It's not really an OH MY GOSH I NEED IT product. I used it, finished it, and will probably find another gloss to finish up. I have so many glosses that I think I will pass on buying it again. 


So lovelies, what products did you love this month? Which ones did you finish up? Any changes for your summer routine? Have a great day (or night!)


xoxo Ema