{Old} Empties: The Finale

We're here! We've finally reached the end of this series! This post features one of my favorite type of beauty products...fragrances!

Now, I know people are quick to quip how choosing a fragrance is such a *personal* decision...and I agree. Nonetheless, I hope my take on these fragrances proves useful to someone in some way.

Armani Mania, Calvin Klein Euphoria, Versace Bright Crystal, The Body Shop Love Etc.

Armani Mania - "A fresh burst of Moroccan laurel, green tangerine and pink peppercorns mingle with feminine florals and sensual cedar, sandalwood, amber and musk for a modern fragrance that is both sensual and sophisticated. Mood: Woody, floral and sophisticated." (from the Giorgio Armani Beauty website)

I loved this perfume during the time I wore it. I typically reserved for night time wear, whether it was a date or a girls' night out. It is a sultry woody, oriental. 

Calvin Klein Euphoria - "Notes: Pomegranate, Persimmon, Green Notes, Black Orchid, Lotus Blossom, Champaca Flower, Liquid Amber, Mahogany Wood, Black Violet, Cream Accord. Style: Confident. Sexy. Chic." (from Sephora.com)

I loved this scent soooo much. Althought it was captivating and a little on the heavy side, I often wore it day and night. I actually went through two bottles of this. That is rare for me when it comes to fragrances...my nose usually gets tired of one scent after a while. It happened towards the end of this second bottle.

Versace Bright Crystal - "Notes: Iced Accord, Yuzu, Pomegranate, Peony, Magnolia, Lotus Flower, Acajou, Vegetal Amber, Musk. Style: Sheer. Sensual. Luminous." (from Sephora.com)

I thoroughly enjoyed this fragrance. It was a sophisticated floral, not the sweet, playful variety some women associate with young girls. I found this to be most suitable for day wear.

The Body Shop Love Etc... - "...a heart-stopping fusion of jasmine, vanilla and sandalwood notes." (from The Body Shop website)

This is a light, flirty scent most suitable for day wear and warmer months. I enjoyed this quite a bit and got compliments when I wore it.

Marc Jacobs Honey, CK Downtown; Jo Malone: Blackberry & Bay, Nectarine Blossom & Honey, Wood Sage & Sea Salt

Marc Jacobs Honey - "Notes: Pear, Juicy Mandarin, Orange Blossom, Peach Nectar, Apricot, Honeysuckle, Honey, Golden Vanilla, Smooth Woods. Style: Sweet. Sassy. Energized." (from Sephora.com)

I adore this fruity floral. It has sparked my love for all of Marc Jacobs' fragrances. Perfect for office wear and best during spring/summer months!

CK Downtown - "urban. original. real. a modern floral woody fragrance for her that balances feminine sophistication and an unexpected edge. the brightness of tunisian neroli blends with soft gardenia petals and an unmistakable signature of texan cedarwood." (from calvinklein.com)

I got this sample as part of a Sephora order and thoroughly enjoyed it! The woody notes are very similar to what I loved about CK Euphoria, but it's lighter and more versatile to wear anytime.

Jo Malone Blackberry & Bay - "Childhood memories of blackberry picking...A burst of deep, tart blackberry juice, blending with the freshness of just-gathered bay and brambly woods. Vibrant and verdant." (from jomalone.com)

I cannot express well enough how much I love the Jo Malone fragrance house! I am just glad I tried a scent from her line after hearing one of my favorite vloggers rave about some of her fragrances. I have been hooked ever since! No matter what other scents I try, I always come back to Jo Malone. Blackberry & Bay is one of my favorites. This light, juicy fruity fragrance is perfect for a warm spring day.

Jo Malone Nectarine Blossom & Honey - "Succulent nectarine, peach and cassis and delicate spring flowers melt into the note of acacia honey. Sweet and delightfully playful." (from jomalone.com) 

This another of my Jo Malone favorites. I wore it every day last spring when I ordered a full-sized bottle! It is considered a fruity fragrance, but I believe it's a perfect balance between that and light floral.

Jo Malone Wood Sage & Sea Salt - "Escape the everyday along the windswept shore. Waves breaking white, the air fresh with sea salt and spray. Alive with the mineral scent of the rugged cliffs. Mingling with the woody earthiness of sage. Lively, spirited and totally joyful." (from jomalone.com)

I enjoyed the sample of this fragrance, and plan to purchase a full-sized bottle for this summer. I consider this to be unisex, because it strikes a nice balance between light and woody notes and doesn't smell masculine when I wear it. Definitely reminds me of a day frolicking on the beach.

Let me hear from you! Have you worn any of these fragrances? If so, what are your thoughts on them? What other fragrance houses and/or scent do you recommend? I love exploring new fragrances

{Old} Empties, part IV: face products

Happy Humpday! Today's post in this series focuses on a group of face products: primers, foundations/BB creams and concealers.

The Body Shop's Vitamin C Skin Boost
Honestly, when I saw this in The Body Shop, I was willing to try it because I loved the light, fragrant orange scent and the (not too) silky texture of the product. This product claims to create a radiant complexion from dull skin. After using the entire 1 ounce container over a period of time, I did not see real evidence of this claim; however, it was a nice, light product to apply after a moisturizer, whether wearing makeup or not. I probably would not purchase again, especially at its full retail price.

Smashbox Photo Finish Foundation Primer
I decided to try this product after hearing an acquaintance rave about products from this line. I used at least two full-sized containers of this primer, and a few sample sizes. I really enjoyed it in the beginning, as I felt it helped minimize the shine I typically experience in my oily T-zone. Then, I switched to the hydrating version one winter, as my face sometimes gets dry in areas during that season. I liked that formula quite a bit, as it felt more like a moisturizer than a silky primer. When the weather warmed up and I switched back to the regular version, it didn't seem to serve my skin's needs anymore. I also became annoyed by the texture created by the silicone in this product's ingredients (much silkier than the aforementioned product; almost slimy). I have since moved on to other primers and would not likely revisit this one.

Dr. Brandt Pores No More Refiner Primer
I received this sample in an Ipsy bag or a box from Beauty Box 5. This was a decent product, given the amount I had to sample, and it did its job; however, it did not excite me enough to want to try a full-sized version.

Becca Ever-Matte Poreless Priming Perfector
I got this as a 100-point reward from Sephora. I was excited to try it, as one of my favorite beauty vloggers has raved about this product. Unfortunately, I was not impressed. I had to use it sparingly, as it would leave a white cast on my face and I noticed pilling when I would rub it in. I'll save my money.

Lashem Picture Perfect Instant Wrinkle Reducer
I got this in an Ipsy bag. Pilling-galore. I would never buy this.

Maybelline Dream Fresh BB Cream
I picked this up in the shade Medium/Deep during a random trip to CVS. I really enjoyed it! It is lightweight and provides just enough coverage for a typical day at work or out and about. After using one tube, however, I had to come to terms with the fact that this shade isn't quite the right match for me, and I fear the deepest shade would be too dark.

Maybelline Fit Me
I picked this up in the shade Cafe from CVS, Walgreens or Ulta. I love this primer! It is a great shade match for me and it gets the job done. I use it to cover up a few spots on my face, and recently have also been using it to help shape my brows. I am on my second tube and would repurchase as long as Maybelline doesn't discontinue it!

Covergirl Clean Whipped Creme Foundation
I picked this up in the shade Tawny during one of CVS's clearance events. I LOVED this foundation: the lightweight, mousse-like consistency, the shade match, the coverage...I was so disappointed when I discovered this was discontinued. If it weren't for that, I would have repurchased, because I used this entire container!

Thanks for reading...this series is nearly done!

{Old} Empties, part III: bath & body

Hello! I hope everyone had a good weekend! Mine went by pretty quickly because I was busy on Saturday. When are legislators going to create a law mandating each week includes a three-day weekend? Studies have proven we need that much time just to feel rested...probably a huge reason why so many people struggle on Mondays! Anyway...

The next part of my {old} empties round up features a handful of skin care products:

The Body Shop's Mango Body Sorbet
I mentioned in a previous post that I am a fan of The Body Shop's body butters. When these body sorbets hit the stores a couple of years ago, I thought they would be a lightweight alternative for the warmer months. While the mango scent was pleasant, I wasn't too pleased with the performance of this product. It iwa nowhere near as moisturizing as the body butters. It also had a strange consistency...it feels kind of gritty when rubbing it into the skin. I would not re-purchase.

Burt's Bees Coconut Foot Creme
I use Burt's Bees cuticle creme on a nightly basis, so I figured this would be a good product for those nights my feet need a little extra TLC. Burt's Bees did not let me down! Not only did it have an appealing peppermint/coconut scent, the creme sank into my skin, leaving my feet (or other areas) feeling supple and moisturized. Use this after a DIY pedi using an Amope, and you're good to go! I only use this on an as-needed basis, so one tube lasts quite a while (I'd say at least a couple of seasons). 

Palmer's Swivel Stick Cocoa Butter 
Occasionally I use cocoa butter to help eliminate dark spots from scars (mainly from my dog's sharp claws) or blemishes. I thought I would try this as opposed to the typical container you dip your fingers in. In addition, this has the purest content of cocoa butter in its ingredients when compared to other products. It had the natural scent of cocoa butter (not artificial or manufactured) and it did its job. The swivel stick made it easy to apply when spot treatments were needed. I would repurchase...if I could find it again! I think I got this from Dollar General a couple of years ago, but haven't seen it there or in drugstores since.

Jergens' BB Body Perfecting Skin Cream
This is a sample-sized product. I believe I got it via Target's samples page. Of course the concept is similar to that of a BB face cream; it is a 5-in-1 moisturizer that hydrates, illuminates, evens, firms and corrects. I received the shade designed for lighter skin tones, so I used it in inconspicuous places because it wasn't quite a match for my skin. I got enough uses out of the sample to determine that I liked the product, but not enough to determine if it would actually meet or surpass its claims. I would consider repurchasing, but it seems a bit gimmicky to me, so it is not a necessity.

Lavanila - The Healthy Deodorant
I decided to try this product after having concerns with using clinical strength deodorant containing aluminum and reading/hearing reviews about this deodorant on various blogs and YouTube channels. I like the variety of scents and the option to buy the .9 oz travel size or the larger 1.7-2.0 tubes. Skeptical that an all-natural, aluminum-free deodorant would work for me, I have used this for quite some time now. Overall, I enjoy the product. Under NORMAL circumstances, it gets the job done. However, it does not always hold up well for me during heat waves or when I experience stress sweat. Remember, this is not an antiperspirant, so it only helps prevent the smell, not the feeling of sweat. I will likely continue to using it, but I have resorted to having an antiperspirant for back up in extreme cases.

Cheers to a pleasant, productive week!

{Old} Empties, part I: cleansers and removers

Happy Humpday! Hope your week is going well!

Some time ago, I began saving various beauty products I had used up with the intentions of sharing them in various empties posts I would compose on the blog I never created...until now!

I have lumped those products into categories so I could share a bit of my thoughts on them before recycling the packaging.

This edition of {old} empties features facial cleansers and eye makeup removers:

From left to right: The Body Shop Camomile Sumptuous Cleansing Butter, Michael Todd Jojoba Charcoal Facial Scrub, Olay Foaming Face Wash, Rimmel London Gentle Eye Makeup Remover, Wet n Wild Eye Makeup Remover

The Body Shop Camomile Sumptuous Cleansing Butter
I have been a huge fan of The Body Shop for quite some time. I originally began shopping there for the body butters, but slowly began trying its other products. In the midst of the cleansing butter and micellar water trend, I decided to give this product a try after reading a review about it on Nouveau Cheap. I thoroughly enjoyed the product, as a little went a long way and it left my face feeling soft and clean...no icky residue and no dryness. I noticed, however, that I couldn't use it to remove eye makeup without getting oily residue in my eyes! I am a part-time contact lens wearer, so that was a big no-no for me. It seems that none of the cleansing oils are good for eye makeup removal, though, so I would likely buy this product again.

Michael Todd Jojoba Charcoal Facial Scrub
I received a trial size tube of this scrub while I was subscribed to Ipsy. I have never been big on facial scrubs or masks, but when I tried this product, I fell in love! This stuff truly pampers my skin while working to exfoliate and cleanse it. My face feels so soft and plump after using it. I have since bought a full-sized version of this product and use it about once a week as an extra cleansing/pampering step. 

Olay Foaming Face Wash
I guess one could say I grew up with Olay, as my mom and grandmom swear by its products. I usually pick this up from Dollar General, but have also found it at Target and CVS. Aside from the reasonable price, it has a pleasant scent and does exactly what its name suggests. It's gentle and doesn't dry my face out. Though the sensitive variety is pictured here, I have used the other one for combination/oily skin and experienced the same results. This is my go-to (i.e., holy grail) facial cleanser.

Rimmel London Gentle Eye Makeup Remover
When I first started using eye makeup remover, I eventually noticed that certain brands would publicize a product as "oil free," yet, if one were to tilt the bottle left and right, she would easily see oil separating from the liquid! What is that about? As I mentioned earlier, I wear contact lenses, so that type of "oil free" eye makeup remover is a no-go for me...and I have actually had an experience where I had to buy an eye wash to get some junk like that out of my eyes! I was so excited to come across this product from Rimmel, because it is truly oil free. It is also gentle--in contrast to the next product I will discuss--yet it gets the job done. I have even used it in a pinch to remove staining left behind from lipstick! This is another holy grail for me; I hope Rimmel never gets rid of it!

Wet n Wild Eye Makeup Remover
This product is an example of "you get what you pay for." It is cheap, but it is not good. Yes, it is oil free, but notice the label does not include the description "gentle." This stuff smells and feels like alcohol. I am surprised I used the entire bottle because I distinctly remember the burning being a huge turn off. Even at $.99, I would never buy this again!

Stay tuned for part II of my {old} empties...coming soon!