July Empties

 

Today we are talking about July empties! Sorry for the lack of posts lately- it's been crazy around here. We are in week 36 of pregnancy and I am still working full time (currently in person) so I have been using my limited time to get ready for Ellie's arrival. Rory also got spayed last Thursday so we currently have a cone-head wandering around our house that we need to keep an eye on constantly. Basically life has been crazy as we look forward to our little girls arrival. I'm guessing things will be slow here on the blog for a bit but I am working on putting together posts about preparing for baby so hopefully those will be sprinkled over the next couple of months for you guys!

Anyways, let's get into the empties!

Downy Unstoppables Fresh Scent- This isn't the first time I've shared these with you guys. They make your laundry smell amazing! I want to try out some of the other scents offered but these are so good I just keep on repurchasing them. 

Lysol Wipes- A staple in our house. I mostly use these in the bathroom because I prefer to make sure everything is super sanitized. Ibotta has had some amazing deals on these lately so I keep stocking up every time I go to the store.

Tide Pods- This huge container of Tide Pods was picked up on a BJs trip and while I don't like purchasing detergent at such a high price point I really loved how big the container was and how long it took me to get through the whole thing. I will be stocking up with couponing deals going forward though because these are just too pricey for me!

Bath and Body Works Malibu Heat Shower Gel- I really liked this shower gel and would definitely repurchase it in the future. I love these mini shower gels because I get to try different scents and don't get stuck using one scent for too long. It helps me not get bored! I would get this again and would even purchase it in a larger size.

Bath and Body Works Watermelon Lemonade Candle- This candle smells so good! I love the watermelon lemonade scent, it's so sweet and this candle had great throw. I would definitely repurchase.

Sensodyne Gum Repair Toothpaste- My gums have been a mess during this pregnancy and this toothpaste really did seem to help. I can only use sensodyne toothpastes since I get bad canker sores with other brands and was so glad to see they had this gum repair version. I will definitely repurchase this in the future to strengthen my gums back after pregnancy.

Dreft Laundry Detergent Sample- So you would think I used this sample on baby clothes...but no. I used this on a load that smelt like dog poop, after we had an issue where Rory got sick and pooped all over her dog bed. After washing the dog bed, everything smelled fine...until I put the next load in and everything came out smelling like dog poop. After using vinegar, deep cleaning the washer and the dryer and using draft detergent, we finally have everything back to normal! 

Bath and Body Works Cactus Blossom Hand Soap- I really liked this hand soap. I've mentioned before that I'm a big fan of the BBW foaming hand soaps and I picked up quite a few summer scents this year. I've been working my way through them pretty quickly and this is definitely one I would repurchase in the future. 

Bounce Dryer Sheets-  These are definitely my dryer sheet of choice and I repurchase them quite often. I like the scent of them and they work great!

Philosophy Snow Angel Scrub- I've had this body scrub for a few years and finally finished it. I did like it, but I don't know that I would repurchase it in the future. I have been trying out a bunch of different scrubs and this one wasn't as abrasive as some of the others.

2 Cake Batter Chapsticks- I still have a huge stock of these and am obsessed with them. Always a repurchase for me!

What products have you used up lately? I feel like I didn't have a ton of empties this month but I always want to share what I've finished so you guys can hear my thoughts on everything. I also think it's a good view of what free samples I have bean able to snag and what products are available through couponing. I hope you enjoy empties posts as much as I like writing them!

Have a great day everyone!

May Empties and Declutter

It's Monday again....how is that a possibility?! I also can't believe we are already in June- it's finally warm here in Rhode Island and I am in my element. This is why we suffer through all those unbearable cold months! 

Today I'm going to share my empties from the month of May and also a couple of items I am decluttering. Here's an overview of everything:

Let's start with the two items I'm decluttering.

Lately my skin has been a huge issue and both of these face lotions just made it worse. I have super dry and sensitive skin and both of these made my skin super red. I just don't have time for products that make my skin worse so both of these are getting decluttered. I just placed a Sephora order for a product that I'm hoping will solve my skin problems...fingers crossed. I'm calling the Neutrogena and Aveeno products duds- see ya never.

Next up, two laundry products. I like these smaller containers since I'm hauling all our laundry to the coin operated machine in the basement. I regularly purchase Purex since that's what I grew up using and I do really like it. I would definitely repurchase this in the future. Xtra is something I use when I get it for free- it's just okay not something I would want to spend money on.

I love my cleaning products! I finished up this Pledge floor care cleaner which I would repurchase but I'm planning on buying something different this time. The Method Antibac toilet cleaner is nice and I would repurchase it again. The Mrs Meyers multi-surface spray in Mint is amazing and smells incredible. I have been loving Mrs Meyers scents and have been attempting to try out as many as possible so you will be seeing lots of different ones pop up in my empties!

I finished up one candle this month from Bath and Body Works in the scent vanilla. I picked this up while at HomeGoods since we completely ran out of candles! I know, I know I stockpile like crazy but I actually went through my entire stash. I will be hitting up the Bath and Body Works semi-annual sale this week to stock up on candles and a few other items. Anyways, this candle was nice but I always find that Yankee Candles don't have as much of a scent throw as other candles do. They tend to smell really good inside the container but once you light them it's hard to smell them throughout your space- such a bummer.  I wouldn't repurchase this one again because the size was just ridiculously tall and I wasn't getting much scent out of it at all.

I finished two hair products this month. The first is the Macadamia Nourishing Leave In Cream which I have been working on forever! I put this in my hair when it's wet after my shower and it keeps it moisturized while it dries. I love the smell of these products. The second product is Garnier Fructis Flat Iron Perfection which I did really like. I bought it on a recommendation and thought it did a great job of protecting my hair while I straightened it. I would repurchase since it's a nice cheap option for a protecting spray.

I should also mention I finished up samples of shampoo and conditioner while away for a weekend and lost the packets that I was going to bring home to share with you. I guess those were the best things to lose out of everything I brought with me but I was still bummed I couldn't share them with you guys!

I love Lavanilla's Healthy Deodorants. This one is in coconut vanilla and I really liked it! I did try out a new deodorant though and I like it just as much as these so I'm not sure which one I am going to stick with...I love that there are finally healthy deodorants that work great and are all natural!

I finished four chapsticks this month. Three were sugar cookie and one was cake batter. Cake batter is still my ultimate favorite and I'm getting awful close to the end of my stash. It might be just about time to replenish!

Lastly, I finished my floss that I keep in my purse. Kind of a lame empty but I thought it was worth mentioning. This is the Glide floss and I like keeping a container in my bag just in case!

What products did you finish up in May?

December Empties

I can't believe another year has passed and we are getting ready to start the new year! Today I'm here to share my empties from December- these are the last empties of the year! Next year I will be doing things a little bit differently with empties. I will be keeping track as I finish up items on my Instagram @balancingonmytoes and will be keeping track of how many products I finish up for beauty and household throughout the course of the year. My collection has truly gotten out of control and I would like to see the number of products I have reduced quite a bit. I would ultimately like to fit all my beauty products into my Alex 9 drawer unit but we shall see!

I will be on a no buy starting January 1st and I don't plan on making any purchases unless I completely run out of an item. I will continue couponing for household items since I am not worried about stockpiling laundry detergent since I know I will use it with plenty of time but I am not buying beauty products unless I run out!

So here's my last empties post of 2017:

A good amount of products for one month! Here's the breakdown of categories:

I finished three candles in December. Two were BBW Leaves candles and one was BBW Vanilla Bean Noel. All three were amazing and I would definitely repurchase them in the future. I love Bath and Body Works candles and think they have great scents and a great throw as well. I still have a small collection of candles to get through but will definitely head back to BBW to pick up more when I run out!

I finished two hand soaps. The first is Honey Almond from Good Housekeeping which I absolutely hated. Tim hated it as well and it seemed to take forever but we did it! We liked BBW Sweet Cinnamon Pumpkin but it definitely wasn't our favorite scent. I have a lot of other scents I would repurchase before this one.

For other household products I finished a small Dawn Escapes New Zealand Springs dish soap which is one of my favorites and I certainly will repurchase. I also finished two bags of Tide Pods which I really like for laundry but I'm not too picky about which bag I pick up- they are all great! Lastly in this category is Mrs. Meyer's Multi-surface cleaner in honeysuckle which is AMAZING. I absolutely love the scent of this cleaner and it works great on all surfaces and leaves a light amazing scent behind as I clean. I have already repurchased this.

I used up quite a few hair products this month. The Loreal Shampoo and Conditioner are great! I have already repurchased these while couponing and I will definitely continue to use them because they work great for my hair. The Disney conditioner is just okay, certainly nothing special but everyone loves a freebie! The Verb shampoo and conditioner samples were pretty bad I felt they made my hair super tangly. The Nexus hairspray is one of my favorites since it keeps my hair soft but in place. The Mineral Mud Mask made my hair smell great but I definitely don't like it as much as my Macadamia Mask.

I finished up three Chapsticks- I am still loving Cake Batter but I've also been enjoying Candy Cane. I can do without the other summer flavored ones. My Loreal Infallible eyeliner worked great until half of it broke apart. The last bit of it was useless and I don't know that I will repurchase it anytime soon since I have quite a few eyeliners to go through. The Kate Somerville scrub was just okay- nothing I am going to purchase in the future.

For body care I used up a BBW Amber Blush Golden Sugar Scrub which smelled incredible and I loved the scrub itself. I would definitely repurchase. The BBW Sweet Cinnamon Pumpkin shower gel was okay- I got pretty sick of the scent after awhile and was glad to finish it. I attempted to finish the Quality Inn Lotion but it was gritty and I couldn't bring myself to finish it so it will be tossed.

That's what I finished up this month, what did you use?

Rosehip Oil

No matter how many beauty products I have I'm always reading articles about what some of my favorite celebrities use. Last week I was obsessing about the Duchess of Cambridge (aka Princess Kate) and read about all the products she uses to keep her skin gorgeous. 

Rosehip Oil is a product I kept reading about in every article I found. It seems like it's a natural product that many women use in place of serum using their beauty routines. When I was in CVS last week I saw this and knew I had to pick it up and give it a try.

I love that Rosehip Oil is an organic and natural way to take care of my skin. It boasts that it will make skin healthier while reducing blemishes and redness. I can't say too much about it yet since I've only been using it for a week but so far I am really enjoying it. I use it morning and night after washing and toning my skin. I apply two or three pumps into my hand and then coat my face. My skin has been less dry since starting this regimen.

I will keep you updated on how I'm liking this oil and I look forward to trying additional oils since now I know they don't break my skin out like I thought they would!

October Empties

Another month has ended and that means I have a new empties post for you! I really didn't think I had too much to share this month and was pleasantly surprised when I empties out my bin and saw I had quite a few items inside.

I have been working really hard at getting through my beauty collection and am trying to stick with one item until I finish it up instead of jumping from product to product like I used to.

I absolutely could not get this picture rotated and I have no idea why! I used up three Yankee Candle Amber Sunset tealights which disappeared quickly but smelt great. I don't think I would repurchase them in the future though. I used up my favorite Bath and Body Works Candle in Leaves which was amazing (per usual). The last candle I used up was Yankee Candle's Harvest and this one was just okay. I received this as a gift but I don't think I would purchase it in the future because it wasn't something I absolutely loved.

I finished up one face product this month, Neutrogena Hydro Boost hydrating serum. The packaging on this product is absolutely gorgeous. I did really like it but I don't know that I would purchase it again in the future since I am still on the search for a line of face products that work great for me.

Four hair products were finished up in October. The Head and Shoulders shampoo and conditioner was great and my hair and scalp always felt super nourished after using them. The Pantene shampoo and conditioner samples I used mostly on my Disney trip but I finished them up in October and thought that they were great. I tend to love Pantene because they do a great job making their products super moisturizing. I would definitely purchase all these hair products in the future.

I finished up a full size lotion and a mini lotion. The full size is Bath and Body Works Sweet Cinnamon Pumpkin. I wasn't a huge fan of this scent and I'm glad that I was able to use it up in the fall. I won't be repurchasing this again in the future. The mini lotion I finished is Amber Romance by Victoria's Secret which I also won't purchase in the future. It was an okay scent but definitely not my favorite.

Two cleaning products this month; Lysol Disinfecting Wipes which I will keep repurchasing and Method Ocean Waves Multi-purpose spray which I loved and will also definitely purchase in the future.

I finished up three Chapstick Cake Batters which I definitely will repurchase since I use them millions of times a day. The Almay mascara was pretty good and I would consider repurchasing it again in the future. The Clarins face cream was good but certainly not the best I've tried and I don't think I will be purchasing a full size in the future. I used up two packs of makeup wipes. The first was Pacifica which I liked the scent of and worked great at taking off my makeup. The Burts Bees wipes were nice too but I preferred the Pacifica.

The last two products I used were a Bath and Body Works hand soap in Sweet Cinnamon Pumpkin which wasn't my favorite scent and I'm glad to see go and Skintimate Raspberry Rain Shave Gel which was nice and I will repurchase in the future.

That's another 22 items that I was able to use up and get rid of! I can't wait to see what my total was for 2017 and I'm already looking forward to see how many items I'll be able to get through/declutter next year!

2017 Beauty Product Collections: Eyeshadows

Today we're talking eyeshadows! I am obsessed with eyeshadow but do not go through it as fast as I should because I have so much of it. I use my palettes quite often and have made dents in several shadows but have yet to hit pan in any of them.

For eyeshadow palettes I have Urban Decay Naked Basics, Naked 1, Naked 2, Too Faced Semi Sweet Chocolate, and Coastal Scents Revealed. I'm particularly loving my newest palette which is the chocolate bar palette. I have been using that one quite a bit lately.

Here's what they look like closed:

So pretty :)

I also have several singles, duos and trios that I keep in my collection.

Pop Beauty Trio

Cargo duo

Coastal Scents Style Eyes Duo

Urbal Decay Sin

Coastal Scents Revealed Sampler

Revlon Candy

Revlon Lime

Revlon Blush

Revlon Oyster

Revlon Blush

Revelon Peacock

Revelon Plum

Loc Impress Me Shadow Stick

Loc Rock Steady Shadow Stick

Almay Sea Foam

Almay Midnight Sky

Almay Sea Foam

Almay Petal

Almay Petal

Almay Smoke

Almay Cashmere

Almay Cashmere

I know, that's an awful lot! I really do love eyeshadow and have made it my mission to wear it as many days I can. Do you love eyeshadow? How many are in your collection?

2017 Beauty Collections: Mini Body Lotions

I tend to end up with a ton of mini products since I love applying for free samples, taking free lotions from hotels and using my Bath and Body Works free product coupons for mini lotions. This post doesn't include the one mini lotion currently in my purse or the three I currently have in my desk drawer at work but includes every mini lotion I have as back up right now...and believe me there are plenty! 

So let's jump in and I'll share what I have in this part of my collection.

Curel Hydratherapy
Taylor by Taylor Swift
Wonderstruck by Taylor Swift
Delectable Coconut and Cream
Bath and Body Works Beautiful Day
Bath and Body Works Oahu Coconut Sunset
Bath and Body Works Sea Island Cotton
Bath and Body Works Honolulu Sun
Gold Bond Healing
Coconut Oil Formula
Gilchrist and Soames
Scentsations Vanilla Berry
Nivea Skin Firming Hydration
Quality Inn
Omni Hotel Ginseng lotion
Aveeno Daily Moisturizing
Jergens BB Body
Jergens BB Body
Thank Aromatic Wood
Bath and Body Works Tranquil Mint Stress Relief
Aveeno Skin Relief
Bath and Body Works Energizing
Bath and Body Works Energizing

I go through these a little faster then full size lotions so I plan on finishing up quite a few of them by the end of the year. I am definitely going to try to use up the oldest ones first- some of these have been hanging around for quite some time!

How many mini lotions do you have in your collection currently?

2017 Beauty Product Collections: Shower Gels and Scrubs Full Size and Minis

It takes me so long to get through shower gel so maybe that's how I ended up with so many or maybe I just have a shopping problem! 

I decided to group full size and mini shower gels and scrubs together into one post since I didn't feel it was too overwhelming but I do have quite a few products. In a perfect world I would always match my shower gels and lotions together but it doesn't always happen that way around here.

In full size here's what I have for Bath and Body Works:
Cozy Sunday Morning
Tiki Mango Mai Tai
Wild Madagascar Vanilla
Fresh Sparkling Snow
Guava Pineapple Splash
Sweet Cinnamon Pumpkin
Forever Beach Days
Moon Light Path
Vanilla Bean Noel
Amber Blush
Sweet Cinnamon Pumpkin
Tiki Mango Mai Tai
Amber BlushGolden Sugar Scrub
Paris Amour

For Other Brands I have:
Herbal Essence Totally Twisted
Soft Soap Coconut Scrub
Soft Soap Coconut Scrub
Soft Soap Sea Kissed
Soft Soap Coconut Island Quench
Victoria's Secret Pure Seduction
Secret of the Islands Scrub (unpictured is a second one currently in my shower- it was too gross!)
Philosophy Snow Angel
Philosophy Snow Angel scrub

I have used up the majority of my mini shower gels because they are so easy to use up and make me feel accomplished but here's what I have left...

For Bath and Body Works:
Pretty As A Peach
Tahiti Island Dream
Endless Weekend
Pink Cashmere
Mailbu Heat

I also have:
Olay Moisture Outlast
Origins Ginger Burst
Taylor by Taylor Swift

I have enough shower gel and scrubs to last me for quite some time so there's no need to purchase more anytime soon! What are your favorite shower gels or scrubs?

2017 Beauty Product Collections: Full Size Body Lotions

I am so ashamed you guys. My beauty product collection is out of control, I really need to go on a no buy and stick with it.

I've already shared my perfumes and body sprays and today I'm going to be showing my full size body lotions. This is not just to show you what I have in my collection but is also to hold me accountable so I can see exactly what I have and what I don't need. This way next time I walk past Bath and Body Works I can do so knowing I have plenty of choices at home. 

While I was pulling all my products out I decided to list them in Evernote and keep track of my collections that way. I can keep track of exactly how many full size lotions I have (27) and that helps prevent me from buying more! (I hope...)

So here's what I have for full size lotions...

For Bath and Body Works I currently have the following lotions:
Sweet Cinnamon Pumpkin
Vanilla Bean Noel
Vanilla Bean Noel
Fresh Sparkling Snow
Moon Light Path
Pink Chiffon
Waikiki Beach Coconut
Guava Pineapple Splash
Amber Blush
Vanilla Bean Noel
Paris Amour
Peach Bellini
Aruba Coconut

For Victoria's Secret I have:
Pure Seduction
Pure Seduction
Hydrating Body Lotion

Other Miscellaneous Lotions I have:
Snow Angel by Philosophy
Ocean by Mangiacotti
Basin Pink Sugar
Nivea
Mrs. Meyers Lavender
Hawaiian Tropic After Sun
Cetaphil
Heavenly Goddess Sweet Tart
Morton Epsom Salt
Eucerin
Eucerin

I'm currently using Sweet Cinnamon Pumpkin which is currently living in my bedroom and Aruba Coconut is currently living in the living room. I generally keep two lotions out at a time and usually don't change them until they are used up.

Now my plan is to go on a no buy through the end of the year once I get back from Disney World. I know there is a Basin in Disney World and know I won't be able to resist buying a few items! I plan on not buying any products from September 21st through the end of the year. This way I can focus on buying Christmas presents and not spending money. I will however be getting my birthday present from Sephora!

Hopefully this plan will limit some of the items I may have otherwise brought in :)

Well that's all for today, stay tuned for more collection posts coming up!

Mini Sephora Haul

Last Friday a new Sephora opened up not too far from me so I decided to stop by and check it out! I really went to see if I could get a bag full of free samples but unfortunately they were all out by the time I got there. I had a couple of things I knew I wanted to buy so I picked those up as well as a 100 point perk and thought I would share with you guys!

I've heard amazing things about Living Proof Restore Perfecting Spray so I knew I wanted to pick this up. I am currently using a Tresemme heat protectant and I hate it so I can't wait to finish it up and try this!

I love Benefit's Roller Lash Mascara so I thought I would pick up another one while I was in there. This mascara is on the drier side which I love although it does dry out faster then other mascaras. I will take the drying up fast though if it works well while I have it.

Lastly, my 100 point perk is Smashbox Photo Finish primer which I decided to get since I don't have a ton of primer in my collection. I can't wait to see how this helps my foundation application :)

Have you picked up any products lately?

March Empties and Declutter

Happy Monday! I decided to do a monthly empties post instead of holding onto my beauty trash any longer. I also went though my makeup and was able to declutter quite a bit so my bin was looking pretty full!

I went though 26 beauty and home products this month! I feel like that is quite a bit for just one month so maybe I was just lucky and was at the tail end of a lot of products. 

The first category is hair products...

I only had a little bit left of my Head and Shoulders 2 in 1 so I just finished it up. I didn't use this super often because it was just okay. I didn't feel like my hair was getting super moisturized but I always feel like this is great for my dry scalp. The Macadamia Hair Mask is my all-time favorite hair product and is always in my empties posts. It makes my hair so soft no matter I do to it and I will continue purchasing this. The No4 Shampoo and Conditioner samples were just okay. I thought they smelt like they were meant for guys which I didn't love and wasn't super moisturizing or great. I'm glad this sample is gone!

I finished up one soap this month. Bath and Body Works Winter Candy Apple was great. The smell was awesome and I love Bath and Body Works soaps. I know it's no longer winter but I've been trying to finish up some of the Christmas soaps because I have so many soaps stockpiled right now.

For shower and bath products I have four empties to show you. The Body Shop scrub was decent. I liked the smell but didn't think the scrub was super great. This was something I picked up at Marshalls on a whim but I think I've satisfied my curiosity for The Body Shop scrubs with this product. I finished two Not Soap Radio shower gels; one in green and one in clear. I am officially all done with these mini samples! Lastly was a sample of bubble bath from Fortune Cookie Soap. I liked this but didn't love it. I am intrigued by other Fortune Cookie Soap products though!

I finished up two body lotions in March. The small hand lotion in Endless Weekend was awesome and I used it religiously at work. I love these small hand lotions for on the go or places like work where I don't want bulky packaging. I would repurchase this scent and the hand lotions in the future. Wild Madagascar Vanilla was also great but I don't think it will be one I repurchase in the future because there are scents that I like much better.

For personal care I used a Dove deodorant, Sensodyne toothpaste, and Origins Check and Balances Face Wash. The Dove deodorant is great and I would consider repurchasing although I am trying to stick with natural deodorants. I have already repurchased the toothpaste since Sensodyne is all I really use. The Origins face wash is something I was super intrigued in and I found that it worked really well. I don't know that I would purchase a full size of it because I am loving the product I am currently using but we shall see!

Two cleaning products and two dish soaps were finished up this month. The Method All Purpose Cleaner in Apple was amazing. I believe it was seasonal scent back in the fall but if I see it again this year I will definitely purchase it. I use Method All Purpose cleaner for everything from the kitchen counters to the bookshelves. It works well at dusting and cleaning and is natural which is a huge plus! I also finished up the Method Daily Shower Spray. I use this after I shower and spray it over all the walls and the shower curtain to keep things clean in between full shower scrubs. I have already repurchased it and will keep doing so! I used two dish soaps one by Dawn and one by Palmolive. I just use whatever I can get a deal on so I'm not too picky!

For makeup products I had a few empties as well. The Alba Botanica Makeup Wipes were great! This little pack was super cheap when I got it from Marshalls but I would definitely repurchase these again because they worked well and didn't hurt my skin or eyes. The Diorshow Mascara Primer is such an amazing product and I keep repurchasing it because it makes my lashes so long and full. I have yet to buy a new one but my next Sephora order will definitely include one. The Benefit Gimme Brow was just okay and seemed to be a little dark for my brows. I will not repurchase this in the future. I also used up four Cake Batter Chapsticks which you know I've already purchased more of!

Lastly a product I forgot to include in my original picture. I have been using Tide Pods for all my laundry and find them so easy and convenient. I will keep repurchasing them and hopefully stockpiling them for super cheap when possible. 

I also mentioned that I had decluttered quite a few items this month.

I sorted through my makeup and I was super picky about what I kept. I know I still have way too much but here is what I'm getting rid of. The Maybelline Full Bloom Mascara was super wet and wasn't something I liked. The three Reese Witherspoon perfumes I've had for ten years and the scents were starting to change. I honestly have so much perfume that I could never finish all that I have so it was time to part with some. The Beauty Rush spray was something I've held onto for a long time which also is true for the Vanilla Berry and Tropical Spray from CVS. Thats six less sprays that I have in my collection. I am tossing three BB creams which are old and I never were able to really use. There are six eyeshadow palettes that I have used a little bit of but never was able to finish. There are also four lipsticks that I have never touched but I am finally saying goodbye to. That is twenty products that are out of my collection from my declutter!

So the final count for products gone in March is 46! 26 products emptied and 20 decluttered! I am proud of myself for getting this many items out of my collection and can't wait to see what I use up in April!

Three New Things From Target

During a recent trip to Target I wandered into the beauty aisles and found two items I really wanted to try! Then I picked up a slightly different version of something I already love to give it a try. (Plus it was on clearance, so who can say no to that?!)

When I saw the Pacifica Stellar Gaze Mascara I was immediately intrigued. I have been going through different mascaras recently and one I've been using that I thought was a tried and true favorite was absolutely horrible this go-around. I will tell you more about that during my next empties video but I thought I would try a mascara from Pacifica next since I've never used one from that brand. I've used it four or five times and so far so good!

I never even knew that Target sold bath bombs until I saw this Party Bomb by da bomb fizzers. These are made by two teenage girls which is really cool and I decided to bring it home to try out. I have yet to take a bath and use this bath bomb but I am super pumped to try it out.

Lastly, I am a huge fan of Cake Batter Chapstick but could not find it anywhere! I picked up this flavor variety pack that has a few different kinds inside. After leaving Target I ended up ordering a big container of Cake Batter on Amazon but these will work as backups for me.

What beauty items have you brought home recently?

**Affiliate links used**

4 Beauty Items I'm Testing Now

As you all know I am technically on a no-buy. I am trying to not buy new products this year until I use up some of what I already have. Technically all four items I purchased are things I don't have an overwhelming amount of. If I was purchasing lotions or shower gels I would tell you to come over and slap me...however I am buying a few things to test out that catch my eye.

I stopped in Marshall's last night and picked up a few things...

I have never been a huge dry shampoo girl but I actually have heard amazing things about Baptiste.  I picked out this tropical scent and I may be becoming a convert! I used it last night and again this morning just to try it out and love it so far. I love the prices at Marshall's- great for trying new things!

I love a good makeup wipe and I figured the Alba Botanica Hawaiian wipes would be great to try. There are also only 10 inside so if I don't care for them they will be used up quickly! I tried one last night before bed and really liked it! Also a small package for only $1.99? I love Marshalls!

The last item I picked up from Marshalls is this beauty blender. I believe the brand was Precision Beauty and so far it has been great for applying my BB cream in the morning! I am planning on purchasing a new foundation in the near future so I am looking forward to being able to apply it with an airbrush finish that this beauty blender will provide.

Last up is a Sephora splurge. I was in the mall and couldn't help myself when I made this purchase! (insert guilty face here) This is the Laura Mercier Secret Concealer in 0.5. I had planned on purchasing the Laura Mercier silk cream foundation when I walked in that day but I couldn't find a shade in my color. I think I will be Rose ivory (the lightest shade) but they didn't have it in stock. Instead since I was ready to make a purchase I decided to grab the secret concealer which I only use on my under-eye area.  So far it's awesome and seems like my perfect color! I can't wait to pick up the foundation and complete the look!

What products have you been trying out lately?