Empties #1

Hi everyone! I know, I know, I'm not even going to go into it. Let's just say sometimes life gets in the way. 

I was toying with the idea of doing monthly empties, but I honestly don't use enough products to have a very interesting post, so you can expect to see these posts regularly, just not monthly. Deal? Deal!

Let's start with the skincare items I've finished recently.

• La Roche Posay Physiological Micellar Solution: This is the second micellar solution I've tried, and I have to say, I love them! I've also used the one from Vichy and I've been impressed with both. I do hope to try the famed Bioderma version soon! Basically, this is a really gentle makeup remover that can also be used to cleanse the skin. This particular micellar solution is targeted for sensitive skin (as are most of the micellar solutions I've seen) and it's very gentle while being really effective. 

• Philsophy Purity Made Simple: I loved this cleanser, especially when used in conjunction with my Clarisonic Mia, but a review of the ingredients label has kind of turned me off. I've been really interested in trying more natural skin care and eliminating some of those harsh chemicals from my routine, so I'm not sure that I'll be repurchasing this any time soon. It's a great cleanser, and I did enjoy using it, but I just want to find something with more naturally derived ingredients right now.
• Garnier Skin Renew Clinical Dark Spot Corrector: I bought this back in April because I had developed some acne scars on my chin. I'm very prone to hyperpigmentation and a pretty nasty breakout left me covered in dark spots. I wasn't too sure about this product, but I have to say I was really impressed! The reviews were mixed; this seemed to work brilliantly for some people and others noticed no difference. I definitely saw my dark spots clear up after about 2 months of use and my skin was noticeably more even and healthy-looking (it's hard to describe, but hopefully you know what I mean!). This also provides some moisture as well, so normal to oily skin types can probably get away with wearing this as their moisturizer. Everyone who uses this does need to use SPF on a daily basis though, as this will make your skin more susceptible to sun damage! I really enjoyed this and would buy it in a heartbeat if I develop more dark spots!

And now on to the two hair products I finished:

• TRESemmé Heat Tamer Spray: This is just about everyone's favorite heat protectant, and I am no exception. I think I've used half a dozen bottles of this and I will absolutely be buying more. I would say that I probably heat styled my hair for about a year before even realizing that heat protectant was a thing, let alone a thing I should be using. Since I started using it, I've noticed that my hair doesn't seem to develop split ends as quickly, which is awesome. I've also noticed that with this particular spray, my hair tends to resist the urge to puff up into a frizz ball when I blow-dry, which makes this my favorite. The smell is also a reason to love this product!
• Macadamia Healing Oil Treatment: Oh my gosh. I love this stuff. Firstly, I must say that I'm impressed with how long this little bottle lasted. 1 fl. oz. lasted me about 4 months! Secondly, I can't say enough about how great this makes my hair look! It reduces frizz, smooths split ends, gives great shine, and makes your hair smell amazing (which has nothing to do with how your hair looks, but still). It's a little pricy, around $15 if I remember correctly, but as I said, it lasts a surprisingly long time and worked really well for me. I do want to try Moroccan Oil as some point, but I could definitely see myself repurchasing this.

Onto a few body care bits:

• Aveeno Daily Moisturizing Lotion (trial size): I'll be frank, I did not care for this lotion. It didn't moisturize my skin well; I found that I had to keep reapplying it. It had a bit of a funny smell, even for an unscented lotion. It felt a bit greasy on the skin and didn't spread as well as many other lotions I've tried. This just wasn't for me, and I won't be repurchasing it.
• Caudalie Hand Cream: I received this in a Birchbox not too long ago (June I think?) and I loved it! This hand cream smells great, like sweet oranges, isn't greasy at all, absorbs quickly, and left my hands feeling soft and smooth. The only thing that this fell short on for me was moisturizing my hands when they got really dry. I work with a lot of chemicals and often wear rubber gloves at work, which leave my hands so dry they feel as if they're cracking. I've also developed skin so dry on the backs of my hands that they broke out into a rash. This is definitely not heavy-duty enough for that, but for regular daily use, this is an awesome hand cream! I probably wouldn't purchase this for myself (it runs about $19 for the full size) but I would definitely pick this up as a gift for someone else!

And finally, some makeup!

• Maybelline Falsies Volum' Express Black Drama Mascara: This is great! I'm a huge fan of the whole Volum' Express line, and this didn't disappoint. It's pretty much the same as the regular Falsies, but it's a very intense black color that adds extra drama to your look. This gives great length and volume without clumping, and definitely provides that near-false lash effect. I rarely repurchase mascaras immediately (as in, I never buy the same mascara twice in a row) because there is always something new to try, but I will definitely pick this one up again in the future.
• Jouer Lip Gloss in Birchbox Pink: Another BB product! This was a fantastic gloss, which means a lot coming from someone who pretty much despises lip gloss! The formula isn't sticky and wears for about 3 hours, which is pretty great for a gloss, but the selling point for this one is the color! It looks like a crazy hot pink in the tube, but it's actually a really flattering pink for any skin tone. On me, it definitely brightens up my face without being super in-your-face. I'm not sure that I would repurchase this because I have so many lippies that need to be used up, but I highly recommend it to anyone looking for a fun pink that is super flattering!
• YBF Brow Pencil in Universal Taupe: This was a life-changing product for me. Seriously. Before receiving this from Birchbox, I never filled in my brows. I just never thought I needed to. And now I can't believe how wrong I was. It makes such a huge difference! This particular pencil is great because it's universal; depending on your hair color, you adjust the amount of pressure you use while applying this and you get your perfect shade! It's foolproof. This product has made doing my brows everyday an absolute must. I have found, however, that I prefer using powder over pencil (my current fave: MAC's Brun eyeshadow!), so I don't plan on purchasing this again any time soon, but I did really love it and highly recommend it!

Whew! That's it! Those are the products I've used up recently. What have you been reaching for and using up lately?