First Impression: Broadway ImPress Press on Manicure #56897

As I mentioned in my Influenster Holiday Vox Box post, I've never used press-on nails before. I've been blessed with pretty decent nails. They aren't perfect, mind you - but I can grow them to a nice length and really have never had the need for press-on nails. Given that I have no expectations or preconceived notions about press-on nails, I thought I would share my first impression of putting these on. The ImPress nails promise a fast and easy application. I believe most press-on nails utilize a glue that needs to be brushed on, while these are basically a slightly thick sticker for your nail.

The individual nails come in a little nail polish shaped "bottle" complete with a cap which is pretty adorable.

I was able to find sizes that fit my nail beds but some are a tiny bit larger or a tiny bit smaller than I would have liked. Nonetheless, there were definitely enough choices for my nails.

Application was fairly easy. My only complaint was as more of the nails went on, the harder it was to pull the little tab so the adhesive was visible and could stick. It's a lot harder to grasp things with these nails, even if they are fairly thin and more pliable than I would imagine some press-on nails to be.

When all was said and done, I managed to get these on. Admittedly, it feels a little weird having these on my natural nails but I'll see how they wear and if I would consider wearing press-on nails in the future.


Disclosure: These were sent for review in my Holiday Influenster Vox Box.

Review: Pond's Wet Cleansing Towelettes Evening Soothe

The Pond's Evening Soothe Cleansing Towelettes came in the target beauty bag from a few months ago. I was in the middle of working through a package of the Salma Hayek Nuance Detoxifying and Toning Wipes which I started liking more than my review would lead you to believe as every time the Salma Hayek line goes on sale, I have been picking up a pack or two of them (very mini review - the packaging keeps the wipes moist all the way to the last one which makes the price a little easier to handle - with the sales they've been comparable to the other wipes I mentioned in the original review and they remove makeup and eye makeup well and they don't irritate my eyes/skin and if I don't cleanse afterwards due to laziness they do not break me out). Anyway, I did finish the Salma Hayek ones and I'm supposed to be reviewing the Pond's so let's get to it!

The Pond's generally retail for around $6 but can often be gotten on sale or in multi-packs which brings the price down significantly. The wipes are quite saturated with product but are a little soapy. The smell isn't my favorite as it's the chamomile and white tea mixed with soap. I don't mind soapy smells especially in cleansing products, but I hate when they add other scents to try to cover them up. The wipes removed makeup well but really burned my eyes. Even though I use my old standby, Makeup Forever Sens-eyes, I still like to quickly run the wipe of the moment over the eye area to catch anything the Q-tips didn't pick up. I wouldn't be able to do that with this makeup wipe and for that reason I would not repurchase. I'm sure those with less sensitive eyes would be fine but for me it's a no-go.

Review: Physician's Formula Healthy Wear Healthy Wear™ SPF 50 Powder Foundation

Nouveau Cheap has been professing her love for this powder and has bought quite a few of these during the CVS semi-annual beauty sale. For $3.99 a pop, why not? She has light-medium toned skin and it's very oily. I, on the other hand, have very fair dry skin so I thought I'd share my thoughts on it while you may still be able to get your hands on it.

Translucent Light is a very good match for my skin (~NW10 or thereabouts). It does a good job of covering redness and evens out my skin tone. It's not amazing at acne/breakout coverage and can tend to collect on dry patches. That being said, I've found this manages to stay less flaky and dry and patchy throughout the day then other powder foundations that I've used (it beats MAC Studio Fix Powder and Bare Escentuals Regular by far). It definitely looks the most natural and I tend to get "your skin looks great" with this rather than "oh you're wearing makeup". It's easy to reapply and blends out well. I've found the little sponge included is actually very nice at applying the product though obviously you can only use it so much before it has to be tossed or carefully cleansed.

Basically, I want to let everyone know that's been curious that this is not just for those with oily skin. It works very well on my dry skin and lasts during the day with minimal flaky or patchiness. It's definitely worth picking up with the discount and let's just say I'm slowly collecting enough to rival Ms. G's little backup collection. For under $4 with the 75% off sale, it simply can't be beat.

PS The bronzer I originally posted about here is also very nice and the Light one is the perfect all over bronzing color for us pale ladies.

In other news, sorry for the lack of pictures. I am having technical (ie computer) difficulties and one day sometime in the near future (hopefully), a new machine will be on its way to me!

Julep Maven American Girl Intro Box (December)

Julep recently had a pretty amazing promotion and finally convinced me to try the program. Usually, each box is $19.99 however for a certain number of sign ups, you could get the first box for 1 cent (the code is SHAREON but I'm not sure if it's still working or not). I couldn't pass the deal and signed up.

In the first box I received the following:
* Julep Nail Vernis Demi (red)
* Julep Nail Vernis Leighton (silver)
* Julep Glycolic Hand Scrub
* red flaky glitter sample
* age defying hand brightener sample
* spf 30 hand cream sample

While I can appreciate the aesthetic appeal of the shape of the polish bottles, the tall and skinny shape requires care as they are very easy to knock over. I managed to keep that from happening but I had a few near misses. The brush is very nice and I managed to get a nice opaque finish in one coat. I did two out of habit and also to attempt to get out the brush strokes from Leighton (though it was unsuccessful).

Bathroom "A" lighting

Demi is a burgundy that borders on raspberry and looks different in various lighting. To me, it has a bit of a jelly finish but has full coverage.

Leighton is a metallic silver and has awful brush strokes. I'm not a fan of this and would only use it for layering purposes.

Both covered in under 2 coats and they dried fairly quickly (even without a topcoat). I haven't truly worn them to determine wear, so your mileage may vary.

Natural light, in the shade.

 Natural light.

 Natural light.

Bathroom "B" lighting 

Demi is definitely a bit of a chameleon. The box also game with the flaky red glitter sample which looks cool but I doubt I'll ever use.

I haven't tried the hand scrub yet but I've heard good things about it. Also, I've decided to stay subscribed for at least the January box. They sent out an e-mail message saying current subscribers could upgrade and get another polish for that box so I've decided to pay the $19.99 for at least one more month. As with Birchbox, I like the idea of getting a few items a month to play with and $20 is less than I would spend if I were to order from a place like transdesign when I get the polish urge, though in reality, I doubt this will curb my polish binges especially when OPI, Essie or China Glaze come out with new collections.

Disclosure: I've included my referral link but you do not have to click it if you're interested in trying Julep.

The normal website is simply http://www.julep.com.

Review: blinc Eyeliner in Black

The blinc Eyeliner in Black came in the December Birchbox and I gave it the ultimate test today. Since we're Jewish and don't celebrate Christmas, we have a long-standing tradition of going to the movies and this year we saw War Horse. Even though it's set during a world war, there is an emotional undertone and I bawled for the last 20 minutes or so (I went through 3 tissues). After the movie, on the ride over to my parent's house, I asked my husband how my makeup looked, "surprisingly good" he said. It is now 10 hours past application, and similarly to the blinc mascara which I didn't care for, this has the tendency of flaking a bit and there's some black specks underneath my eye (though I'd say this held up pretty well considering all of the crying) This picture was taken about 15 minutes ago.

This is a very black eyeliner. It's fairly opaque though because the brush is very long and the sample tube allows more product on the brush than you actually need (or want) application is a bit tricky. I had to take off the excess on the side of the tube which then gets on the wand of the brush and can spot your lids if you're not careful. The brush is very thin and allows you to make a nice wing.

At $24, it's quite pricey. I'm not the biggest liquid liner fan. I prefer pencils and gels. This is a pretty decent one, although I hope the stopper on the full size works better than on the sample. It does last a long time and is certainly watery-eyes (or tears) proof!

Some swatches. The farthest to the left was when the brush was fairly (if not overly) saturated with liner and the farther over you go, the less product is on the brush. It is easier to control the liner the less product is on it, so opacity may be an issue in that case. For me, I'd rather go over the line once or twice rather than risk a big blob of liner on my lid!

In closing, I'll continue to use this until it's finished but I'm not sure I'd repurchase.


Disclosure: Birchbox referral link used.

Missha Deal

Missha is offering a pretty nifty Christmas deal. Pick the M Perfect Cover BB Cream (all shades!), the Misa Cho Bo Yang BB Cream (both shades) or the M Signature Real Complete BB Cream (all shades!) for $9.99. There is a limit of 1 per order until stock lasts. The M Signature Real Complete BB Cream and the Misa Cho Bo Yang BB Cream are usually $45.99 so this is a great deal! If that weren't enough, Missha is having a 40% off sale storewide and as always, free shipping over $40.

Sephora 20% Off Sale Code Live

After Christmas is definitely a time to get bargains. As with prior years, Sephora puts the offerings on their sale page with an additional discount of 20% off. This year's code is EXTRA. Now would be a prime time to get some of the holiday gift sets if you have some spending money after tomorrow morning.

Don't forget Ebates which is currently at 8% cash back!

Disclosure: Ebates link is a referral link.

PSA DO NOT BUY THESE (Review CVS Nail Polish Remover Pads Regular)

 

It's seldom that I'll hate something so much, I'll feel the need to tell everyone about my disdain for a particular product. This is mostly because I know that even if I think something is horrible, there are plenty of people who probably love the product (ie. most color cosmetics, hair items, body moisturizers, etc). With this, really don't even bother trying it, especially if you're fair.

Let me explain.

I completely forgot to remove the very chipped fingernail polish that I was wearing before my meeting today. I'm taking on a new role at work and wanted to err on the side of caution. I figured I'd stop at CVS in the morning as I tend to do, purchase some nail polish remover and quickly take it off before getting into the office. These little pads looked perfect. There are 10 in the pack and one pad promises to be moist enough to do all 20 nails (tips and toes). The price wasn't amazing but at $4.49 it wasn't ridiculous. The convenience of the wipes plus little need for clean up made them ideal.

So I bought the pads, finished my drive to work, parked and got to it. I started removing the polish and the little red felt wipe was doing a great job until I realized something. It was turning my hands red. I couldn't very well stop at this point though. I had to finish the job.

I'm pretty sure I cursed. Just my luck that the pads dye your hands red!!!

So I got into work and shared my story with my coworkers. One of the male ones asked to see the pads and put it on top of a piece of paper. Yes, instant staining. How did the CVS quality control not catch this?!

In closing, don't buy these. Unless you want one of your worst enemies to be dyed pink while traveling.

Sorry for the iPhone pictures. It was the nearest photo taking device after my fingertips got dyed red!

For your information, my cuticles are still pink but most of the red got worn away after multiple hand washings. Still, the "For natural nails. Great for travel. Portable, quick & easy" claims are just kind of laughable at this point.

Influenster Holiday Vox Box

My Influenster Holiday Vox Box recently arrived in the mail and here are the contents. As I've previously mentioned, Influenster is a website community and the more "influence" or reach you have, the more likely you are to receive these boxes. The idea is to try out the contents and spread the word regarding the products. When I opened the box I had mixed feelings. Don't get me wrong, I am absolutely honored to receive these products for review; however, I already have the majority of these items in my house at this very moment (for example, I now have 10 bars of Softsoap Coconut Scrub soap - thanks Influenster? - it is good soap sothereyougo).

The contents spread out a bit. Included was:
* Larabar in Apple Pie (I have eaten my fair share of the peanut butter of these!)
* Montagne Jennesse Fruit Smoothie Mask
* Softsoap Coconut Scrub bar soap
* ImPress Press On Manicure
* New York Color (NYC) Liquid Lipshine in Nude York City
& Mentos Chewing Gum (my husband stole this when I got the package and it is now empty - he said it was very good!)

I've honestly never used press-on nails before but at least these came in an attractive, not over the top design.

The New York Color lip gloss is quite nice. It look as though they recently changed the packaging of these. The new long flexible want kind of reminds me of the Revlon Colorburst line. The color Nude York City is a sheer peachy nude with subtle shimmer.

So I've used everything before (aside from the press-on nails and the gum, can't chew, I have TMJ) and what I haven't (ie. gum) my husband has gleefully stole from my grasp (the tube in the above picture is empty). I'm now going to go eat that Larabar... mmm.

Disclosure: I received these items from Influenster however I've bought them as well (aside from gum, nails) so I like them. I am also very tired as work has been crazy and I doubt some of the sentences in this post make any sense.

Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-On Shadow Pencil Stash Deal!

I don't know if this is only a regional thing or if the Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-On Shadow Pencil Stash is marked down at all ULTA stores, but I wanted to pop on here to say that at my particular store, this pencil set was marked down to $23.80 (it was not actually marked but was this price when the girl at the register was ringing me up). I was going to buy it anyway cause $34 is a pretty good price plus ULTA recently sent out a 20% coupon on practically the whole store and this set was currently giving back 3x the rewards points and I had another coupon giving me 3x the reward points on my whole purchase. Whew! Anyway, basically, I got this set for $19.04 plus tax and got a boatload of rewards points and a free mini Delinquent pencil GWP.

The set contains:
5 x 0.088 oz travel size 24/7 Glide-On Shadow Pencil in:
- Delinquent (dark purple with bright purple sparkle)
- Rehab (taupe)
- Juju (frosted taupe)
- Sin (champagne)
- Clash (bright turquoise with silver sparkle)

The full size pencils are .1oz and retail for $20 so the set is a great value. I've been wanting one of these since I swatched them in ULTA when they first came out and this set contains some great neutral tones and a couple more "out there" shades.

I hope you can find this on sale at your ULTA too!

NOTD: Revlon Glitz & Glam #530

Revlon Glitz & Glam came out in the same Spice it Up collection as Mistletoe. Glitz & Glam is a pink jelly base jam packed with tons of pink and silver glitter. This is definitely a two coat glitter. It goes on a little patchy at first, but by the second coat you're good to go. I am finding the glitter version of the Top Speed line easier to work with than the creams. And a plus, these do not need a top coat so it's a much faster process than other manicures. As with most chunkier glitters, the nails are not smooth but it doesn't bother me. If it bothers you can just put on some Seche Vite!

Another reason why I selected this color is starting tomorrow, Revlon polish is on sale for $4.99 plus $3 in Extrabucks back at CVS - limit 6! Combine that with some of the Top Speed coupons floating around and you can get a few bottles of this for only 99 cents a piece! Bargain.

Julep Maven for .01!

I've been seeing videos for the Julep Maven program and I've been tempted. Similar to Birchbox, Julep Maven centers around nail polish and other nail care items. When someone on YouTube posted about this deal, I couldn't resist. She indicated that it was good for the first 1,000 orders and I'm not sure if it's still working but I thought I'd post about it nonetheless. It's only good for first time Julep Maven members. The code is SHAREON and you can get the first month for 1 cent, it's $19.99 a month after that. I figured, what the hey? If I dislike it, I can always cancel after receiving the first month.


Disclosure: It's a referral link but you don't have to use it, just go to julep.com and sign up and use the code.

Review: Haus of Gloi Plotter's Breakfast Bubbling Scrub

I treated myself to a small Haus of Gloi Soft Bubbling Scrub haul last week. I have missed this scrub! It's the perfect consistency and since it's "bubbling" it washes away and doesn't leave any sort of residue. The one I used first was the Plotter's Breakfast scent, described by Haus of Gloi as "Oatey porridge, stove smoke, kindling wood, a hint of gunpowder and pinch of sweet pipe tobacco" this definitely made my think of another version of Snow Wolf - a favorite of mine.

To me this smells exactly like a fireplace. If Haus of Gloi ever got into home fragrances, this would be the ideal scent for candles during the winter season, especially for those of us that don't have fireplaces. It misses the wearable vanilla and cedar notes of Snow Wolf so I wouldn't actually want to wear this as a fragrance which makes me happy I didn't buy the body butters or perfume oils with this scent. Only a tiny bit of smokiness stays around after using it, but it's very faint. I really like this and would repurchase but not consider wearing it for any lingering fragrance purposes.

December Birchbox

My Birchbox arrived in the mail a couple days ago and here was my loot! For all those wondering, when I've received my second Test Tube I'm going to do a comparison between the two. At this point, I don't feel any great need to subscribe to another monthly subscription service but I may change my mind - it does seem to keep me from hauling a bit as I know I can expect at least one package in the mail a month!

My only real complaint with Birchbox right now is they seem to recycle brands a lot, as in, this is my second Blinc product, my second Jour product and perhaps my 3rd Harvey Prince perfume tiny little sample which I would honestly wouldn't miss if they stopped including. I'm thrilled this month they have gone heavy on the makeup and light on the skincare.

Included this month:
* Benefit The Porefessional sample .25oz (full size .75|$29)
* Harvey Prince Ageless spray sample vial (full size 50ml, 100ml|$55, $98)
* Blinc Eyeliner .02oz (full size .21oz|$24)
* Jouer Moisturizing Lip Gloss in Birchbox Pink .06floz (full size .21oz|$20)
* Show Stoppers Double Stick Tape 2 strips (full size 24 strips|$9.99)
* Recharge EBoost 1 packet (full size 20 packets|$28)

Also included was a coupon code for the Birchbox store for $20 off a $75 purchase or more. Since I've accumulated $30 worth of Birchbox points, I'm tempted! Birchbox is also donating 100% of the profits from full-size sales to Baby Buggy, a non-profit that supplies needy families in the US with essential goods with a guaranteed donation of $25,000.

What did you get in your Birchbox this month? I think everyone received the Jouer lipgloss, it's a Birchbox exclusive!

Disclosure: Birchbox now has a referral code and it's been used in this post.

Review: Klorane Soothing Eye Makeup Remover with Cornflower Water

A sample of the Klorane Soothing Eye Makeup Remover With Cornflower Water came in my November Birchbox. As I already have a Holy Grail (HG) makeup remover (the Makeup Forever Sens'eyes) I felt no great pull to try this one. But curiosity got the best of me and I'm also trying to weed through the sample sizes currently littering my bathroom counter. The Klorane Soothing Eye Makeup Remover comes in a 3.4oz bottle and retails for $9 - which is fairly reasonable all things considered as it's not a drugstore brand. The problem is it doesn't work. Sure it removes eyeshadow but most regular cleansers do, even ones that don't specify they are for makeup removal.

I took a cotton square, doused it with a generous portion of the remover and set it on my eye and patted. The first time I used it I maybe did that for 10-15 seconds and swiped it away and hardly any of my waterproof mascara came off. So I tried it again and left it on for a full minute. Same thing. Some of it came off but the Qtip that followed with a smidge of the MUFE got it off in a few seconds. Even though the price is very reasonable, I would not repurchase and I wouldn't recommend if you use any waterproof products.

Beauty Bloggers Auction Ends Today!

To any readers that were planning to or have already bid on some items from the Beautybloggers.org Auction, do remember that it ends today at 5pm CST.

As a reminder, winning bidders will "purchase" their items directly through the Doctors Without Borders secure giving site.

MAC Jazzed is currently at a very reasonable $45. Go go go!

Happy bidding!

Bloom Haul & Why I Love It!

I've been waiting on one last remaining item to post about my Black Friday Bloom.com haul when they were offering 40% Bloom Bucks back on most purchases. I spent a little over $100 so I was eligible to receive the maximum amount of Bloom Bonus items and I received just over $40 to spend on a future order. The Bloom Bonus is great and something I haven't seen anywhere else. Sephora has something similar with the 100 and 500 point perks but I truly think the Bloom version is superior. You'll see why in a minute.

Depending on how much money you spend, you have the option of selecting free samples with your purchase. There are 3 different levels,  Silver, Gold and Platinum. If you buy under $50 worth, you get the typical 3 trial-size (standard Sephora-like) samples. If you spend $50 to $100 you get the 3 trial size and 2 mid size (ie. deluxe) samples and if you spend over $100 you receive 3 trial size, 4 mid-size and 1 full size product!

Here's what I actually paid for. The Glo-Minerals set is a gift for a friend which includes a 8-pan eyeshadow palette, a blush duo, some brushes, a lipgloss and a little makeup bag which sells for $68. This was clearly the majority of my purchase. I also bought a backup of the Sircuit Skin Fixzit Blemish Drying Serum and the Exuviance Purifying Cleansing Gel which I have used before and is great for makeup removal. I'm over halfway done with the NYX All Purpose Makeup Remover Gel and I bought this bottle to replace it.

Now, what I got for free. The Bloom Bonus always comes in a cute yellow drawstring baggy. This time, not all of my freebies fit in the baggy though, I just hate when that happens! :-p

Since I spent over $100, I hit the platinum level Bloom Bonus. During checkout, I selected the following:
For my 5 trial sized:
Mor Sugar Rose Tiger Lily Hand Cream packet, Mor Basil & Grape Hand Cream packet, Mor Honey Nectar Hand Cream packet, Ole Henriksen Herbal Day Creme packet, Babor Pure Day Cream packet
For my 4 mid-sized:
Yes to Carrots Melon C Me Smile Lip Butter (this is full sized and retails for ~$3.69), Cargo lip gloss in Tokyo & Paris (each is .45 grams), Mor Soapette in Snow Gardenia (this is a retail size and sells for $9)
1 full size:
Ever since trying the Mor Belladonna Body Butter, I have been itching to try it in another scent but the price tag made me hesitant to pull the trigger. When this showed up as a freebie I was ecstatic. I'm referring to the Mor Emporium Body Butter in Blood Orange which seems to be more up my alley. It retails for $25.

Being able to pick out my freebies and potentially getting full sized items in an order (plus always getting at least 10% in Bloom Bucks back) has me ordering from Bloom more often than any other e-tailer. My only complaint is they don't stock as many brands as Sephora does. Maybe with time, they'll get even more brands on board.



Disclosure: This post includes my referral link. I receive Bloom Dollars to spend if you click through these links, join the site and make a purchase.

Boscia GWP & Update

Boscia is running a cool promotion during the holidays. Every few days, they are offering a "stocking stuffer" gift with purchase offer. This weekend's is especially good because it includes  generous "samples" of the Luminizing Black Mask, the Clarifying Detox Mask as well as a full size of the Intensifying Moisture Pack with a $35 or more purchase (the two "sample" masks are practically 1/2 a full size). And for a limited time, they are offering free Peppermint blotting sheets with every order ($10 value). The blotting linens are good stocking stuffers themselves and the mask set and the linens would (in my opinion) make a pretty fabulous gift! Free shipping + their usual 3 samples with every order too makes the deal even sweeter.

I hope everyone is having a fabulous weekend so far and I apologize for my sporadic posting. I am slowly getting over my case of walking pneumonia (so fun!) and also had some car troubles this week. I might have indulged a bit in the CVS beauty sale which if you haven't heard is currently going on now and Nouveau Cheap has an amazing master list of all the goodies you can get for a fraction of their normal retail price! There will be more posts in the near future.

Review: Yves Rocher Micellar Cleansing Water

I know Yves Rocher doesn't get a lot of buzz in the beauty blogging world, but so far, I've only experienced good things from the brand. First of all, the price point is very favorable and if the retail price seems a little high the website almost always has sales. For instance, the item I'm reviewing today, the Micellar Cleansing Water, retails for $15 - on par with the Vichy version I was using previously. But right now on the website, it's 45% off making it $8.25 and the site runs dollar off promotions and almost always has free shipping codes.

This Micellar Cleansing Water is very comparable to the Vichy Solution; however, the Vichy might be slightly more gentle. The Yves Rocher doesn't irritate my skin but it is scented. As I've mentioned, I don't use these Micellar Waters for makeup removal, instead I use them in the morning instead of washing my face or during the day when I'm home as a refresher.

I find this one does a good job of cleansing my skin in the morning and doesn't leave it irritated or tight. The bottle contains 6.7oz of product. My only complaint is I wish the hole to pour the product out was a little smaller. I'm always worried about pouring these type of products down my sink!

If you've been curious about trying a few items from the Yves Rocher brand, I'd add this to your cart. 

Ingredients: Water, Butylene Glycol, Anthemis Nobilis Flower Water (Roman Chamomile), Mangiferin (Mangiferin, a natural polyphenol is known to exhibit anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and antiviral effects), Glycerin, PEG-40 Glyceryl Cocoate (emulsifier), Betaine (humectant), Sodium Coceth Sulfate (Cleansing Agent), Methlyparaben, Phenoxyethanol (preservative), Oleth-20 (Cleansing Agent), Allantoin (moisturer), Fragrance, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract (green tea extract), Tetrasodium Edta (preservative), Rose Canina Fruit Oil (Rose Hip Fruit Oil), Maltodextrin

Made in France

NOTD: Revlon Mistletoe #350

Even though I don't particularly like the Revlon Top Speed formula, I couldn't resist this new (limited edition?) shade that they just brought out.

It is stunning.

It looks pretty in the bottle, but it really shines on the nail.

The base color is blue (see it!?) and then it has very fine green and gold glitter in it.

A swatch on a piece of paper towel really makes the gorgeousness evident.

Definitely one of those glow from within polishes. Apologies for the cuticles and sloppy painting job. I'm impatient!

See the glow?

If you can still get your hands on it, I'd recommend it! I paid about $1.99 after sale and coupons. This is in the same display as the crazy neon purple colorburst lipgloss in the Revlon Spice It Up collection. A gorgeous subtle green for the holidays.

November Empties

Another month has flown by. Here are the items I finished in November.

H20 Sea Pure Creamy Facial Cleanser - This lasted forever. I received this for review in 2010 and though I would occasionally use other cleansers, I swear this bottle just kept on giving. Only a pea sized amount is needed for each cleanse. I enjoy it and would repurchase but I have quite a few other cleansers to get through in the meantime.
Bare Escentuals/Minerals RareMinerals Purely Nourishing Facial Moisturizer - I bought this when they were phasing out the original Rare Minerals Skincare and I believe it was on sale. It's an ok moisturizer. I'd consider trying the reformulated version but I'm not rushing out to buy it. I like that this packaging is very hygienic and it has a good quality pump. It looks like that new line has a similar version here. I wonder if it's basically the same but repackaged?
Vichy Cleansing Micellar Solution - This is my second empty bottle of this product and while I didn't find it great with makeup removal, I really like the ease of using it in the morning or throughout the day if I'm home as a refresher. I'm currently trialing another micellar water and I prefer this one by far (it's more gentle). I'll definitely repurchase.
Epielle Cucumber Cleansing Tissues - If you've been reading this blog for any length of time, you shouldn't be surprised to see a pack of these in my empties. I love these and at the affordable price tag, I can continue to buy them without any guilt.

La Rocca Champagne & Shimmer Acai Sugar Body Polish - I received this in my November Birchbox and if you remember the review, I was a little conflicted regarding the product. While it makes your skin soft, the texture turns me off a bit. I wouldn't repurchase.
The Body Shop Black Velvet Apricot Body Smoother - This is slightly more scrubby than the Cranberry version but it's not my favorite. I love the scent and wish The Body Shop brought this out this holiday season. I've made an effort to use up some of my shower gels as I prefer soaps in the shower. I treated myself to a little Haus of Gloi Soft Bubbling Scrub haul this morning as a treat.

Two hair oil samples. As I predicted with the Biolage bottle, I've been decanting my sample hair oils into the squeezey bottle (after cleansing it of course). This month I got through two hair oil samples. The one in the packet is .25oz which I hope no one actually uses in one sitting! The plastic one is the Redken All Soft Argan-6 Oil Treatment (.14oz) and the other is the Alterna Bamboo Kendi Oil Pure Treatment Oil. Both were quite nice, though I preferred the Redken. The Alterna one had a stronger scent.

That's all for November. Did you finish anything? Do you also do Empties posts? Definitely link below if you do!