A few weeks ago we did a major clean out of my parent's basement and it inspired me to finally use up the ends of a ton products that have been on the edge of empty for a while now. There are some of my favourite products in here so let's get started!

It's A 10 Miracle Leave In | It's probably taken me at least years to go through this bottle because I hated it at first, but once I started using it more over the past year it became my hero hair product for conditioning, detangling and helping combat frizz. Even if you have fine hair like me, I highly recommend checking it out. Just remember, a little goes a long way! I have already repurchased and use every time I shower.

Anastasia Clear Brow Gel | This was another product I did a complete 180 on. When I first got it I hated how stiff and crunchy it made my brows feel. Once I got a handle on using just a small amount or product, I was in love! It really is like superglue for your brows - they will stay in place all day long. I picked up a drugstore clear gel to see if it could be duped, but after I use that up I'll likely be repurchasing this. I'm hoping I can find it again in the mini size because it lasted me forever and was great for travel!

Jordana Best Lash Extreme & IT Cosmetics Tightline Mascara | I've talked about these both plenty of times, and will have a post up in the next few weeks about my favourite lash looks so I'll keep it short: I love both these and have already repurchased!

Stila Stay All Day Liquid Liner | I've talked about this stuff enough that I'm sure you know this is my favourite black liquid liner on the market. Expensive, yes, but it lasts me for nearly a year before drying up so it's worth the investment to me!

Skindinavia Makeup Setting Spray | I bought a double pack of the regular setting spray and the oil control version and finished up both recently. I loved using the regular in place of powder when my skin is super dry, and the oil control on top of powder on humid summer days. They're running a 24 hour sale right now that will get you 2 free travel sizes and free shipping (plus use FREE15 for 15% off!) so you bet I'll be placing an order ASAP!

Palladio Eyeshadow Primer | This is a drugstore priced eyeshadow primer that I found to work just as well as the UD Primer Potion. It reminds me a bit of the NARS primer, although it is slightly thicker in texture. I'm picked up the Milani one to test that out, but I would consider purchasing this again in the future. 

Josie Maran Argan Oil | The dropper of this got really gross and sticky near the end so I'm not a fan of the packaging, but the oil itself was very nice. I find a facial oil essential before attempting to cover up acne, but I'm probably going to try another type of oil to see if this is really worth the relatively high price tag. What's your favourite facial oil?

Simple Soothing Eye Balm | I really liked the squeeze tube packaging of this, and the product did exactly as promised. I used it as a night eye cream to hydrate and did like the light texture, but I won't be repurchasing this time around because I'd like to try out something different. Any suggestions?

What has hit your beauty trash recently? Was it worth a repurchase?

The empty products are starting to pile up again, so I thought it was about time to do some Trash Talk and decide whether these products were worth the repurchase.

A couple of staples I've gone through: another can of Batiste, and my second bottle of the Marcelle Micellar water. Both are holy grail products I've talked a ton about so you if you haven't already heard me rave about them you can read up on them here and here!

Maybelline Instant Age Rewind Brightener | I am head over heels in love with this stuff and I've been trying to use up every last drop before I have a chance to go out an repurchase. This has become a staple in my daily routine, and if I forget to use it I can instantly tell the difference in the finished look.

Recommendation? If you deal with any sort of blue undereye circles you should definitely give it a go!

Origins GinZing Eye Cream | I loved this when I first got it because it was brightening and absorbed quickly into the skin, but after a while the formula seemed to really thicken up and started looking a bit strange under the eyes. From now on I think I'll be sticking to eye creams in tubes because I'm pretty sure the air exposure is what altered the product.  

Recommendation? If you're looking for something to help counteract dark circles or brighten up the eyes, I've been using the F.A.B Triple Remedy (which comes in a tube) and it's been working amazingly well.

What products have you finished up lately? Were they grails or fails?

It's been a few months since my last empties post so I thought it was about time we go through my beauty trash and see what's worth purchasing again. This time it just so happened that every since one of the products I've used up were moisturizers of some variety - can you tell it's summer?

Macadamia Deep Repair Masque | This is probably my HG hair product. I talked about it at length in my Blonde/Damaged Hair Care post, and the love affair is still going strong. It looks like they've repackaged this product, but I hope it is the same formula inside!

 

Recommendation? It's a tad expensive, but worth every single penny for how amazing it makes my hair look & feel. I've already repurchased!

Garnier Body Soothing 7-Day Refreshing Gel Cream | When I first got this body lotion, I absolutely loved it. I'm a big fan of gel creams because of how quickly they absorb into the skin. This does absorb fairly quickly, and left my skin very soft in the morning, but it leaves a kind of film on the surface of the skin (maybe that has to do with the 7 day claim) that stopped me from reaching for it all the time.

 

Recommendation? I have other moisturizers I like better so I wouldn't repurchase. It looks like they've stopped selling this in North America anyway!

St. Ives Skin Renewing Body Lotion | I think I've gone through two full sized bottles and one travel size of this moisturizer, which is a pretty big deal. I love this both as a body lotion and hand cream because it absorbs so quickly into the skin and doesn't leave it feeling sticky or greasy. Tyler is not a fan of the smell but I absolutely love it!

 

Recommendation? I highly recommend trying this out! I have way to many lotions in my stash, but once I've gone through a couple more I will definitely repurchase.

Body Shop Satsuma Puree Body Lotion | This lotion is a great texture that is lightly moisturizing and quick to apply for everyday. The satsuma scent is nice, but is a bit overpowering and I've found myself getting really sick of it after using this regularly for months. I have another bottle that I keep at work and I always get compliments on the scent, but it's a bit much for me now.

Recommendation? I would consider repurchasing another scent of this lotion because of the performance, but I would not recommend this for anyone that is sensitive to strong fragrance.

Peter Thomas Roth Cucumber Mask | I got this in a kit for Christmas and absolutely loved it for the winter when my skin was super dry (review here). I could apply it before bed and really let it do it's thing overnight to help my skin feel comfortable and soft by morning. The full size tub is expensive, but considering how much product you get I think it's actually pretty reasonably priced!

Recommendation? I would definitely purchase the full size of this product, but I might try out one of PTR's other masks first since I've heard great reviews on them all! Have you tried any of the others?

Have you be lathering on the lotion like I have recently? What's been in your beauty trash?

Happy Friday friends! I've had a pretty crazy week. I've been offered a promotion at work that involves moving to a new team and I'm both really excited a little nervous about taking this next step. It'll be a big change but I'm looking forward to the challenge! That being said, I'll be trying my very best to keep on a regular posting schedule, but at the moment I'm going to be essentially doing two jobs on top of my volunteering so bear with me for the next few weeks as I get myself situated and figure out how to balance everything. Prayers and good vibes always appreciated!

Now that that's out of the way, lets get on to the rest of this post - what ended up in the bin this month, and what I really think about it!

Joico Daily Care Balancing Conditioner | I received a set of the Daily Care shampoo & conditioner for Christmas one year, and when I first tried them out wasn't all that excited by them. However, like the shampoo (which I finished ages ago) the conditioner eventually found its place in my routine. It's a very simple, super light conditioner which I didn't love for my ends, but actually used for my roots if I found my hair was feeling particularly dry. I would use just a little bit and massage into the top section of my hair and it instantly would feel much more soft and manageable

Recommendation? I don't think this is a must have, but I might purchase it again if I find my hair feels like it needs a little TLC.

Dove Pure Care Dry Oil Conditioner | I bought this after hearing heaps of great reviews, and really liked it when I first started using it. It was very moisturizing and really helped tame frizz when I wore my hair in it's natural state. However, the smell is very strong and I pretty soon got tired of it, and for some reason it seemed to stop working in my hair like it did when I first bought it. I ended up using it mostly as a shaving cream for my legs so I could get through the bottle.

Recommendation? The scent was just too strong for me, so I would not repurchase. I'm in the market for a new moisturizing drugstore conditioner, so if you have any recommendations I'd love to know!

Soap & Glory Sugar Crush Body Scrub | The sugar crush scent is one of my all time favourite fragrances, so I loved using this scrub. It didn't leave any sort of film behind which I liked, and it was just abrasive enough to get the job done, so it was it was my favourite to use in my pre-tan routine. At $20 however, it's pretty pricey for a scrub and I'm not sure there was anything else very unique about it besides the scent.

Recommendation? I would definitely repurchase this scrub if I could find it on sale, but I'm thinking I might just stick with the body butter and get my $5 scrub favourite another purchase next.

Make Up For Ever HD Foundation Shades 117 & 125 | I loved this foundation a few years ago, hence why I bought it in both my winter and summer colours. I mostly saved it for nights out or special occasions because it was both expensive and didn't contain any SPF so it looked fabulous in pictures. It didn't have the best staying power, but for the purpose I was using it for it worked for me perfectly. I have a tiny bit left of both colours, but they ended up being pushed to the side for my other inexpensive foundations I used day to day and unfortunately not getting used.

Recommendation? I would repurchase this foundation again as I loved the coverage and finish, but not until I make my way through a few more of the other foundations I have in my collection.

Do you have any relatively inexpensive conditioner recommendations for me? What products have you used up recently?

Happy Friday! Today it's time once again to take a little look into my beauty trash and get the low-down on the products I'm actually finishing/tossing. Spoiler alert: this may read more like a favourites post because these are some of my holy grail products right here!

Covergirl Stay Flawless 3-in-1 Foundation | It's no secret that I absolutely LOVE this stuff. It's mattifying, medium-high coverage without feeling heavy, and it lasts all day long. I was literally scraping the bottle to get every last bit of product out, and was mixing with my moisturizer to create lighter, fresher coverage for weekend days.

Recommendation?  During the winter I did find it emphasized any dry patches I had so I wouldn't recommended it to anyone with dry skin, but normal-oily skins will love this stuff. Definite repurchase!

Coastal Scents Camo Quad | This has been my favourite concealer for covering up blemishes since university, but I'd had this particular one for waaay too long so it was time to toss. It's a drier creamy texture that gives great coverage, but blends like a dream and sets so it stays in place. I use Medium and love having all the colours to mix so I could use it no matter how tan I got. The white is great for highlighting the eyes!

Recommendation? I think this is a way under-hyped product. It's inexpensive (especially when you get it during a 50% off sale), multipurpose and really just great quality!

Marcelle Cleansing Water | I discovered this in the fall and did a full review comparing it to the super-popular Bioderma. I've been using it ever since! I've given bottles to my Mum and my Grandma, and even keep one in my gym bag. It's since been repackaged as their Micellar water, which comes in a different bottle, and I've even bought one of those just so I can refill the conveient packaging.

Recommendation? If you can find it, try it! I don't think you'll be disappointed. The only downside - as far as I know it's only available in store in Canada. It is available for US ordering online though!

Jordana Best Lash Extreme Mascara | Sadly, I finished up my last back-up of my HG mascara. This stuff gives me everything I'm looking for in a mascara - volume, darkness & a little length. I've realized recently what sets this one apart for me is not just the formula but the brush. It's a dense bristle brush, but unlike most similar mascara brushes, this one is smaller so it avoids the whole mascara-on-your-eyelid fiasco that comes with having smaller eyes.

Recommendation? This stuff is so cheap it's worth a try even if you're on the fence. Unfortunately it's not available in Canada, but on my next trip to the US you know I'll be stocking up!

I also finished up yet another bottle of the Garnier Gel-Cream for combo-oily skin, but I've talked about that enough that you can just go read my thoughts here if you're new!

Does anyone else find you tend to use up all your favourite stuff at once? What have you finished up recently?

It still amazes me that I seem to be using up enough products every month to warrant a full empties post, but by focusing on actually finishing products over the past year I've rediscovered some great gems in my collection and found a some new favourite products! This month had a pretty good mix of both, so let's just get into it.

Miracle 10 Light Serum | I am so sad to see this go! Miracle10 gifted it to me in December, and I loved it so much that I was scraping the last little bit out with a q-tip. If you've seen how many gel moisturizers I have laying around you'd know that says a lot. The only problem: Tyler really dislikes the scent. I wish they could make an unscented version because it's the only thing stopping me from repurchasing in a second!

Recommendation? If you're in the market for a great moisturizer that gives great hydration without getting greasy, do yourself a favour and test this out!

Neutrogena Anti-Residue Shampoo | I've had this shampoo for what seems like years, but I finally made my way through the entire Costco-sized bottle. For a lover of dry shampoo like myself using a clarifying shampoo every now and again is essential for getting rid of excess product build up and the like. This one is great at getting a super squeaky clean, but I'm thinking of trying out the DIY baking soda method before I repurchase.

Recommendation? I loved it and would definitely recommend it for occasional use - one bottle will last you forever so it's a great value!

Garnier Normal/Combo Gel-Cream | If you've been around these parts for any length of time you probably already know that I love this stuff. It's a staple in my skin care routine, but since we've had such a brutally cold winter I've needed a little extra in the moisture department. 

Recommendation? Come spring this will be back in the rotation - but if you have super oily skin this a solid drugstore option for a light moisturizer.

Maybelline Define-A-Brow in Dark Blonde | I rediscovered this in my collection a few months back and fell in love. It's a great colour, not too harsh for my blonde hair, and the formula is just waxy enough to stick around for the whole day. The comb on the other end is pretty much useless, but the product itself is great.

Recommendation? I went to repurchase and was so sad I couldn't find it in any of my local drug stores! Regardless, if you're into a more natural looking brow and are able to find one around you - snatch it up.

How appropriate is it that everything I finished up in February was coming up roses! Did you finish up anything life-changing this month?

Happy Halloween pretties! Are you all ready for your Halloween festivities? I know I'm not, but that's never stopped me before. Stay tuned to Twitter for some sneak peeks as I put together my costume for this year!  The month of October has come and gone, and if you have been here a while you know what that means: may these products Rest In Peace. A little Halloween humour for you there - don't judge.

First up we have the Queen Helene Mint Julep Masque. This is a well loved favourite in blogland, and while I do really like the product I wish we were able to find it in the squeeze tube version in Canada. This tub came with an incredible amount of product which lasted me for ages, but having to scoop it out made it a very messy process. All in all I'm a fan, but now I'm on the lookout for my next favourite - any suggestions?

Recommendation? If you can find it in a tube, it's a steal for the price! In a tub, I would not repurchase.

I waited so long to give into the hype around the Macadamia Deep Repair Masque, but now I wish I hadn't! I have had comments from multiple hairdressers since I started using this that my hair is in so much better shape than they expect from a bottle blonde. Because this has protein, and let's be real it's expensive, I try not to use it more than twice per week. This tub was $40 but it lasted me at least six months, maybe more.

Recommendation? If you have dry, damaged or colour treated hair I highly recommend testing it out, just try not to cringe when you hand over your credit card.

My beloved Purity cleanser from Philosophy finally bit the bullet, and if you consider I got this for Christmas last year I think that's a pretty good product life! I've been testing out something else, but I really don't think anything will stand up to Purity just because it does it all. It can remove makeup, though I always do that sparately first so I don't waste product, and cleanses the skin throughly without leaving it dry and tight. 

Recommendation? It is expensive, but worth it! I will definitely be restocking during the Sephora VIB sale!

This Lancome Cleansing Water was actually originally my Mum's, but in a pinch I borrowed it and finished it off. It did the job at removing makeup, but it was definitely not in my top picks of cleansing water's I've tried. It left a sort of sticky feeling on the skin that needed to be rinsed off before continuing with my routine. I have recently found a new cleansing water that is a fraction of the price of both this and Bioderma and works like a charm, so stay tuned!

Recommendation? Not worth it in my opinion! I will be purchasing a second of my new favourite to replace this in my Mum's routine.

And finally, would a Trash Talk post be complete without some sort of dry shampoo product? When I was in Orlando, I picked up the Suave Dry Shampoo after reading how much Karly loved it. I really do like this, but I still think that Batiste is my holy grail. The smell of this is very citrusy, so if you are using in a small room beware! This was a good lower price option dry shampoo, but not my absolute favourite.

Recommendation? I may repurchase again someday, but as it's not available in Canada (that I know of) I'll be sticking with my Batiste for the time being.

That's all folks! If you're looking for Halloween-themed reads, you can always check out my DIY costme from last year or my Halloween's through the ages posts from when I started this little blog last year!

So tell me: what ghostly products have hit your trash recently? And also, are you dressing up for Halloween?

I got down to the very end of my beloved The Keys candle from Bath and Body Works this month. It smells beachy and wonderful and was a staple during the end of the super harsh winter to keep me in the spring mindset. I bought a backup of this that is waiting in the wings in case it got taken off the shelf, but it is still available as part of the destination themed candles at B&BW.

The John Frieda Go Blonder range was something I originally bought when I was at uni, and was a little more budget strapped when it came to getting my hair done. In the process of clearing out all of my excess hair products I used up the Go Blonder Lightening Shampoo, and honestly I'm not sure if I used it frequently enough to see a difference. Either that - or it really doesn't do much. Either way I wouldn't repurchase.

That's all folks! Have you tried any of these products and had a different experience than mine?

P.S. Home girl could use some advice on how to make the Blogger scheduling function work -  why is it that my posts never seem to get out of the draft folder when I set the publish date/time? If you're a blogger, help would be appreciated!

You guys, it's finally May - hallelujah! You may or may not have deduced from my posts over the winter, but the weather has a very definitive effect on my mood. May is really when things are starting to look up, so bring it on. The start of a new month also means a new pile of trash has accumulated- shall we?  

If you've read my post all about my lip balm obsession, you would have already seen this balm's counterpart featured there. I really do love the Fresh Sugar Lip Balm - nice smell/taste, good texture, real moisture - but $22 for lip balm? I don't know if I'll be able to stomach forking out the cash to pay for a full size.

Recommendation: If you've got money burning a hole in your pocket then I say go for it.

I have been trying out so many different dry shampoos recently, but I always have at least one bottle stocked away of Batiste. The Wild scent takes a little bit of getting used to, but I actually grew to love and and have just bought two more bottles. Sorry I'm not sorry.

Recommendation: If you're not opposed to more purfume-y, scents definitely give this one a try. It's still the same tried and true Batiste product I know and love.

I still have mixed feelings about Bioderma. It seems awfully expensive for a simple makeup remover. It's not great at removing longer wearing eye makeup, but I do really like it for the face. It's light and non-greasy feeling I'm thinking of trying out the L'Oreal version, but for now my makeup wipes seem to be getting done everything I need. 

Recommendation: Definitely worth trying it out, but don't expect life changing things from this product - it is just makeup remover after all.

The Maybelline Age Rewind Concealer is really a great product, good coverage for days when my Garnier Rollerball just isn't cutting it. But, has anyone else's packaging made it impossible to get all the product out? That just irks me. Reusing the sponge top for months also seemed a tad bit sketchy to me so I just pulled it off and applied the product with my fingers.
Recommendation: I'll be repurchasing with the hopes I just got a dud. If you have problems with your dark circles I would definitely suggest you give it a trial run!

Finally, my dearly beloved St. Ives Skin Renewing Body Lotion has bitten the dust - and that's a real accomplishment for someone who usually hates moisturizing anything but my face. It speaks volumes about the product that I've only had it for a few months and already blew through the whole bottle. I also use it for hand lotion because it moisturizes without leaving me feeling like I can't touch anything for 10 minutes.
Recommendation: If you are a fellow hater of sticky, never absorbing lotions I highly suggest you pick this one up.

Phew - well I'm glad I'm actually getting through products and not completely wasting my money, Anyone else with me?

Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser. I've had the Oily/Combo skin version of this cleanser in my skin routine for years, and somewhere along the way I picked up the plain old original formula to give it a whirl. Well, it was a big fail for my face. It didn't feel like it was really getting my skin clean, in fact it actually felt like it was leaving a gross film behind. But, it was a big honking bottle and I wanted to find some sort of use for it, so I've been using it up as a shaving lotion. Even for that it wasn't anything to write home about.
Recommendation? It probably depends on your skin type but I will definitely not be repurchasing again. 

Joico Daily Care Balancing Shampoo. I got this shampoo in a set with the matching conditioner for Christmas one year, and at first thought I really didn't care for it. Let me tell you, if I'm using up a shampoo before a conditioner that says a lot about it. It definitely grew on me and was a great, simple shampoo that wasn't too moisturizing and wasn't too stripping (aka 'volumizing'). It just left my hair really clean and smelled great.
Recommendation? I would give this a try if you're looking for a new shampoo without any bells or whistles.

Clairsonic Sensitive Brush Head. Okay so maybe this is not "empty" but it is on it's way to the trash. I probably kept this for a little longer than I should have, but it's finally looking pretty ragged and was ready to be retired. I got a few of the "deep pore cleansing" replacement heads for Christmas and honestly can't really tell the difference.
Recommendation? If you have a Clairsonic I feel like this one is always a safe choice for your money.

Tree Hut Brazilian Nut Scrub. The smell of this scrub is so completely divine I can't get over it. To me it smells like butterscotch ripple ice cream. Yes, that specific and that good. It also happens to do a great job at exfoliating AND is under $6 if I remember correctly. Win-win-win all day. Unfortunately I don't think I can get this in Canada, but the next time I head to the US you bet I'm coming back with a stash.
Recommendation? Just go now, you won't regret it. Even if butterscotch ripple smell isn't your cup of tea, they have a few others to choose from - including coconut lime my favourite combination of life.

Garnier Moisture Rescue Gel Cream. I won't bore you talking about this again since I've already mentioned it in several posts, but I go through this stuff like nobodies business. If you have normal to oily skin go get you some. Seriously.

It's incredible how much doing these posts have encouraged me to really use up what I already have. All on my journey from product hordem. Do you feel this accomplished when you use up products?
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