For the last several months I have been saving the products I used up so I could share them on here as a sort of mini-review extravaganza!
1. Simple Cleansing Facial Wipes
You can probably guess that I'm a fan of these {see four empty packages above}. They are only $4.00 from Walmart, they don't make my skin feel dry, and they don't have a strong fragrance. I haven't strayed from these makeup remover wipes since I first started using them and have no desire of trying any other kind.
2. YesToCucumbers Daily Calming Moisturizer
3. Neutrogena Acne Stress Control Triple-Action Toner
I had repurchased this moisturizer several times. It didn't leave my skin feeling greasy. It had a nice smell. It didn't break me out. The only thing I didn't like about it and what made me stop buying it was the $15.00 price tag. If it didn't cost so much I would still be using it today.
I had also purchased this toner more than once but am not using it anymore. I switched to a more gentle Mario Badescu toner because this Neutrogena toner was too harsh and was drying out my skin without healing the breakouts. This toner was okay for usage once or twice a week but more than that and it dries out my skin.
4. Studio35 Eye Makeup Remover (generic brand from Walgreens)
5. Equate Eye Makeup Remover (generic brand from Walmart)
I absolutely love the studio35 eye makeup remover and have used it since high school. I loved it so much because it took off all of my eye makeup quickly and without irritating my eyes or leaving any residue behind. However, I recently started using my first waterproof mascara and had to stop using the studio35 remover because no matter how long I left the cotton pad on my lashes it would not take off the mascara. Once a week or so I still wear a regular mascara and then I get to use my studio35 makeup remover {and totally love it}. So if you don't wear waterproof mascara then I recommend this remover but if you do then I would steer clear.
Because of the aforementioned waterproof mascara I started using this Equate eye makeup remover and I hate it. Absolutely hate it. But it is a necessary evil because I need to wear waterproof mascara to keep it from flaking and smudging all over my face. If you can avoid this stuff then do because most nights it irritates my eyes and leaves behind a horrible oily residue. The only redeeming quality is that after much soaking of the lashes and gentle scrubbing it will take off the waterproof mascara.
6. Dove gofresh anti-perspirant deodorant in Cucumber Green Tea
7. Aveeno Clear Complexion Cream Cleanser
8. Proactive Refining Mask
I have used this deodorant in this scent for a long time and even when I switch to a different kind I tend to always go back to this one. I really love the smell and does a decent job at keeping my armpits from sweating. Otherwise, nothing else really stands out. I don't agree with its claim that it last 48 hours. I mean come on... two days? Pssh.
I first decided to try this facial cleanser because it is a cream and I was looking for something that wouldn't dry out my skin while still treating my acne. I won't be re-purchasing this face wash because although it didn't dry out my skin it didn't treat the acne either. The exfoliating beads didn't do much for actual exfoliation. Even when I switched to a different daily cleanser I still kept this in the shower and it was good for removing my face makeup. So if you're not concerned with treating breakouts then this makes a nice gentle cream cleanser.
This Proactive mask was a free sample but had enough product to last me several uses. It is meant to be used on damp skin so I would put it on in the shower and by the time I got out my skin felt so soft. It never left me with that tight/dry feeling which is common after a mask. I don't know how much a full size costs but if it was reasonable I would definitely get another bottle!
9. Head and Shoulders Itchy Scalp Care
10. Herbal Essences Color Me Happy Conditioner
I have an oily scalp that is also prone to itchiness and dandruff. I use this shampoo to help combat that unfortunate combination. I find it does treat my hair woes and I have repurchased this several times and plan to continue using it.
This conditioner was nothing special. The smell was nice. My hair felt fine but there wasn't anything noteworthy about it. I'm not against using this product in the future but I'd rather find something that I love.
11. Nair Face Wax Strips
I did a post on these about a year ago and I am still repurchasing and using these today. I wax my own eyebrows and also occasionally use them to wax my upper lip. They are affordable, quick, and mess free. If you're interested in some facial hair removal then I recommend trying these strips.
12. Colgate Optic White toothpaste
My husband and I love this toothpaste. Our teeth feel very clean after using and we like the taste and whitening effects.
13. Nailtiques Non-Acetone nail polish remover
14.Garnier Nutriste Skin Renew Anti-puff eye roller
I ordered this nail polish remover online. It took off everything but glitter polish. I bought it because it was acetone free. I am currently using up a bottle of pure acetone and can't wait to be able to order this kind again. The only downside was that it costs $6.00 a bottle which seems like a lot for nail polish remover. I justified the purchase because of how hard it is to find a good non-acetone remover from the drugstore.
This roller ball was a big fat fail on my part. I bought this a few years ago when the product first came out. I thought it was for treating under-eye circles. I was wrong. It is for puffy eyes. I don't have puffy eyes. I used it up to use it up and saw no results, for obvious reasons.
15. Covergirl Lashblast Volume
16. Maybelline The Falsies Volume Express (one in black drama the other in water resistant)
Covergirl Lashblast Volume is my favorite mascara. I am currently using this same kind but in the waterproof formula. Normally I don't like the plastic bristle wands but I find this one makes my lashes look thicker and helps keep them curled and voluminous.
I tried the falsies mascara because of all the hype it gets on YouTube. I won't be buying it anymore. It flaked every time I wore it. I would have flakes all over the under eye area and sometimes even in my eyes. I know some people love it but it just does not work for me.
17. Revlon Colorstay 24 Hrs foundation for Combination/Oily Skin
Yes, you guessed it, I love this foundation as well. I switched to this kind because my last foundation was a slipping, sliding, oily mess all over my face. I heard a lot about this on YouTube from others with oily skin so I decided to give it a shot. I apply it with a damp makeup sponge (like a knock off beauty blender) and have loved it from the first application. It applies smoothly to the skin and is very long lasting. One of the things that really sealed the deal is that it doesn't feel like I have makeup on. Previously, my face makeup always felt too heavy and cakey.
18. Sally Hansen Insta-Dri Anti-Chip Top Coat
I am currently using my third bottle of this top coat. I bought it while searching for a cheaper alternative to the cult favorite SecheVite top coat. I had tried one bottle of the SV top coat and while I found it to be the best top coat I've ever used it was way too expensive and the bottle dried out way before it was empty {curse you quick dry}. This SH top coat is a very close dupe in my opinion even down to the bottle drying up before it was empty {see second picture above}. Luckily this one is only half the cost of the SV so I'm only losing half as much money, right!?!? I think the bottle drying out and getting goopy is a necessary evil of a quick dry product. I can't really expect it to dry quickly on my nails but not when the lid is off. Anyways, it dries very fast, leaves a very shiny finish to my nails, and keeps me from smudging my nails when I'm too impatient to let them dry before using my hands.
19. Sally Hansen Hard as Nails base coat
20. NYC In a Minute Quick Dry nail polish in Radio City Rose
I have flimsy nails that are prone to flaking and breaking so I always use this base coat. I have used it several times and already repurchased a new bottle.
You probably don't believe me that the polish above is used up. However, as has been established earlier, quick dry nail polishes dries quickly, even in the bottle. I love this color and I've already repurchased a new one but this was too used up and goopy to be finished.
21. Nivea A Kiss of Milk and Honey lip balm
22. L'Oreal Colour Riche Balm in Rose Elixir
I honestly don't love the Nivea lip balms very much. They are okay if your lips aren't actually dry or chapped and you just want to add some shine but when I was looking for actual relief from or treatment of dry chapped lips this stuff did not deliver.
I really like this L'Oreal Balm but had the same problem as the one before. It is more of an "add shine" lip balm than an actual "treat your lip problems" kind of product. It added a nice sheer rose color to my lips and the product smelled pleasant. One thing that annoyed me was that it still had a lot of product left when I reached the point where it stopped twisting up any further so I had to use something to dig out the rest of the balm.
23. L'oreal Carbon Black Lineur Intense liquid eyeliner
24. Kat Von D Tattoo Liner
I love this L'Oreal liner. I find the felt tip pen very easy to use and don't find the product to smudge or transfer on my lid throughout the day. I have repurchased this several times.
This Kat Von D liner was amazing! I only had a sample size but I wish it didn't cost so much or I would buy a full size in a heartbeat. The color was such an opaque black and the formula was very long lasting. It is also a felt tip liner {which I find to be the easiest kind of liquid eye liner to apply}.
25. Smashbox Photo Finish Foundation Primer
26. The Porefessional PRO balm
These are both sample size foundation primers that I had purchased from Sephora in their Value Sets. I like those because they allow me to try many high-end products without the high price tag. I loved both of these primers. I think the Smashbox is the better of the two at keeping my foundation on longer. But both were excellent for minimizing the appearance of large pores and creating a smooth surface on the skin. The Benefit primer also smelled magnificent. But if I was able to buy one full size I would go with the Smashbox primer.
27. NYC Smooch Proof 16Hr Lip Stain in Champagne Pink
I really enjoy using lip stains. This gave a nice bright pink color. I didn't feel like it dried out my lips nor did it fade and leave a funny ring around the edge of my lips (like some stains). I believe it was almost $5.00 which seems like a bit much from NYC but if I felt like buying another stain from the drugstore I wouldn't be against trying another from this same line.
28. DKNY Women Perfume by Donna Karan
Now I realize finishing a little baby perfume sample is no great feat however, I fell so in love with this scent that if ever I could buy a high end perfume this would be it. It smells so fresh and I could smell it for hours after applying it. I'm just so obsessed. It is my dream perfume. If you're ever at a perfume counter I recommend giving it a little spritz!
Whew! *wipes sweat off brow*
We made it through my tote of empty bottles that I've had sitting around for months! I'm so happy to throw it all away. I love reading these posts and watching these videos on YouTube. It is a great way to get a real opinion on a product instead of sometimes first impression when they first buy a product. Plus it is a good motivation to make sure I'm not wasting products!
I hope you enjoyed reading this as much as I enjoyed writing it.
I am already starting to collect empty products in my brown bin again for the next time!
xoxo
