Empties #2

I didn't think I'd be doing another one of these posts so soon, but my box was getting pretty full! Let's jump right in; there are some products I'm super excited to talk about!

• Vaseline Deep Conditioning Cocoa Butter: First of all, this bottle is HUGE and lasted me ages, which is a huge benefit! I love getting a lot of product for my money. This lotion was really great. It had a thinner consistency so it spread really easily and it absorbed quickly without feeling sticky or heavy. It also made my skin look really radiant. This is definitely a great, inexpensive cocoa butter lotion. I do think they've changed the packaging since I bought this, but look for it the next time you need a body moisturizer! I would definitely pick this up again!
• Philosophy Italian Cherry Cream Soda Shower Gel: I've already raved about this many times here, but let me do it again! I loved this shower gel! It smells absolutely divine! It honestly smells like a cherry cream soda, with the cherries, vanilla ice cream, and even the carbonation (I still can't figure out how they did that!). This shower gel is fresh, sweet, and effervescent making it the perfect pick-me-up in the mornings. It also never left my skin feeling dried out. I will say that the scent won't hang around too long once you hop out of the shower, but if you want it to, they make a matching lotion. All around amazing product!
• Clean & Clear Morning Burst Fruit Infusions Moisturizing Cleanser: This is sort of an "eh" product for me. It didn't leave my face feeling tight or dried out, but it also didn't really do much for me. I didn't notice any changes in my skin, and it honestly didn't even feel as though it was doing much in the way of cleansing. It smells great and is nice to use in the mornings, but if you're looking for a deep clean, look elsewhere. I won't be repurchasing.
• Thayer's Rose Petal Witch Hazel Toner: Another great product! This is an alcohol-free toner, so it won't dry out your skin. I noticed it made my skin feel softer and just look healthier. The scent is lovely and they do make other scents like cucumber or lavender. The only downside about this product in my opinion is that it can be a bit hard to find. I purchase it from drugstore.com and I've heard that you can find it at natural food markets like Whole Foods. I do really like this toner, but I really want to give Lush's toners a try. If those don't work out, then I'll definitely pick this up again!

• Revlon Grow Luscious Mascara: This was great for about a month, and then it was less great. Overall, I really enjoyed this mascara, but it dried out so quickly! I loved the way this volumized and lengthened my lashes, stayed on all day, and was easy to remove. Honestly my only complaint is that after about a month the tube dried out. It is less expensive than a lot of the other mascaras I've tried, though, so it's not a huge disappointment. I loved this, and even if it means shelling out $5 a month to replace my dried out tubes, I will repurchase this!
• Benefit Stay Don't Stray Primer: This was a pretty nice primer! For everyday use, it worked well. I did find that when I wore it to work on particularly hot days, my lids got oily and my shadows shifted around. But those extreme conditions notwithstanding, this was a nice primer! I think there are primers that are equally good for less though, so I don't anticipate picking up the full-size any time soon.
• Befine Lip Serum: I got this from Birchbox ages ago! This is supposed to be kind of a step up from lip balm. Personally, I thought it was okay. It's thin in consistency and lives up to the serum name, but I honestly didn't like the texture that much on my lips. I really hate lip gloss, and that's what this felt like on my lips. Just kind of slipper and weird. It moisturized well, but I can live without it.
• Bare Minerals Flawless Definition Volumizing Mascara: Holy cow! This mascara is great! I'm not one to pay a lot for mascara, but I would definitely be willing to make an exception on this! It really reminds me of Clinique's High Impact Mascara in that it makes my lashes look like they're naturally long, thick, and beautiful. This is definitely not for those seeking drama, but for girls who want to look naturally glamorous, this is a must!
• Taylor Swift Wonderstruck: I have about a million perfume samples (thanks Birchbox!) so using one up is a bit of an accomplishment for me. I really liked this scent! It's sweet, fruity, and a little warm. It doesn't have the best staying power, and I don't think I would pick up the full-size for myself, but I would definitely pick it up as a gift for a teen and honestly wouldn't be opposed to receiving it as a gift for myself!
• Smashbox Photo Finish Eye Primer: I hated this. It was thick, hard to blend over the lid without feeling like I was dragging my eyelid around, and didn't do a whole lot to keep my eyeshadows in place. I wouldn't buy this.
• Maybelline Great Lash Clear Mascara: This technically isn't empty, but I can no longer get the product out and it's about 8 months old, so I thought it was time to get rid of it even though I loved it! This was brilliant at keeping my brows in place all day long without ever flaking or making it obvious that I was wearing a brow gel. I know there are a lot of high-end brow gels out there, but this is a great drugstore option (as is the ELF clear mascara that I'm currently using!)
• Clinique Chubby Stick in Mega Melon: This was a GWP that I received a few months ago, and I loved it! The color was really natural looking, it moisturized my lips, and I never had to worry about it feathering or settling into any lines on my lips. It also felt like a light balm, which I really love! I these tinted balms are all the rage now, and I've heard the Revlon Balm Stains are really similar. I really want to try them out to see if it's true since they're about half the price of the Clinique balms! Either way, I would buy this product, or one similar to it, in the future!

Overall, I was really happy with most of these products and I'm equally happy to have finished them up to make room for new discoveries!