December Empties & Mini Reviews

Another month, another set of empties! I hope you all are enjoying this addition to Nailed, because I'm having a lot of fun keeping track of my empties. I started blogging about them in an attempt to motivate me to finish more of the products in my ridiculously huge stash and I feel like it's really working. I've already surprised myself with how much I've been able to get through! Here's what I finished up this past month!

Philosophy Purity Made Simple Cleanser: This is desert island, HG, must-have... Whatever you want to call it, I just NEED this fantastic makeup remover in my life no matter what! You can read my full review HERE for more details on Purity's awesomeness.

Too Faced Better Than Sex Mascara: I've really come around on this. At first I thought it was kinda clumpy but I got the hang of it after a while and quickly became obsessed with the volume this mascara gives! I feel like the formula performs better after it dries up a teensy bit in the tube. It's a little too "wet" before that and would gum up my lashes. This mini came with my Stardust Palette and I found it completely dried out waaaayyy quicker than my full-sized tube did. I would definitely re-purchase a full-sized one again.

Benefit Roller Lash Mascara: Delivers everything it promises: length, lift and definition--even with my straight, stubby lashes. It is strictly a lengthening mascara though, so you'll need to layer a more volumizing mascara over top if you want more dramatic lashes. Makes a fantastic partner for Better Than Sex.

Clinique Repairwear Laser Focus: It's hard to draw too many conclusions from a sample size, but overall I enjoyed my trial run with this serum. It's got a nice, smooth texture that makes my skin feel soft and supple, plus I love that it can be used for both face and eyes.

Algenist Firming and Lifting Cream: This moisturizer is rich without feeling greasy or heavy. Lack of volume isn't really a concern of mine (I have a super round face) so I can't comment on it it really lifted or plumped my skin, but I did enjoy the feel of it. A good choice for the winter months. I've used several other Algenist products (I got this one as a gift with purchase) and have liked them quite a bit, especially the Complete Eye Renewal Balm.

Kat Von D Lock-It Tattoo Foundation in Light 44: This stuff will cover anything! I've repurchased it several times because I love the full, flawless coverage it gives and how long it wears. I had a little trouble with the texture when I first used it, because it is quite thick and it dries fast, but applying with a Beauty Blender made a huge difference and helped me fall completely in love with this foundation. I don't recommend it for dry skin, as it's extremely matte, but if you have oily skin and want/need serious coverage, give this a try! I always get a lot of compliments on my skin when I wear it, which makes this acne-prone girl feel good!

MAC Pro Longwear Foundation in NW15: Another favorite foundation. I wish it had slightly more coverage (just my preference), but I adore the longevity and smooth finish of the formula. I'd describe it as a medium-buildable foundation, so you can layer it to full coverage if desired. 

IT Cosmetics Brow Power: I used this pencil exclusively until I discovered the magic of Anastasia Brow Wiz. It's still a fantastic product, but I've come to prefer the skinny tip and more precise application of Brow Wiz to the wider, oval-shaped stick of Brow Power. This is a great pencil for filling brows--it'll even fill in and stick to areas where you have hair--but the wider tip makes it a little trickier to shape your brows. I'm a big fan of the IT line in general and find most of their products to be excellent quality and this one is no exception; I just found something I like better for me.

Jack Black Lip Balm in Natural Mint: No, this line has no relation to the actor. They do make a fantastic lip balm though! This is one of the very few I've tried where I feel like my lips are being nourished and hydrated, not just covered in gel that will leave my lips feeling parched again in a few hours. The mint gives it a very cooling, soothing feel on the lips too.

Redken All Soft Heavy Cream: A great conditioning treatment for dry, brittle hair. I like to do a mask of this and Redken Extreme mixed together to help keep my hair healthy after bleaching it.

Elizabeth and Janes Nirvana Black Dry Shampoo: I knew I'd love the scent of this, because Nirvana Black is one of my very favorite perfumes, but I didn't expect it to be such an amazing dry shampoo too! Really de-gunks and de-greases. Why don't more fragrance brands make dry shampoos? It's a pretty clever idea. The scent is a woodsy mix of sandalwood and vanilla--very sensual yet cozy too. 

Bath & Body Works PocketBac in Heirloom Pear: I always have one of these clipped on my purse. This one smells like pears... Yep. That's pretty much it.

So there you have it: December is in the books! I'm off to a pretty slow start with January empties so far, so I don't think I'll finish quite as many products as I did this past month.

What was your favorite product you recently finished? I'm always looking for new recommendations, so feel free to let me know in the comments section! :)

November Empties & Mini-Reviews

Lush Herbalism Cleanser: Lots of Lush empties for me this month! This is my HG cleanser and I've gone through many containers of it by now. I did a full write-up on it HERE.

Bed Head Rockaholic Dirty Secret Dry Shampoo: This is one of the best dry shampoos I've tried--shame it's so pricey. It does an excellent job of de-gunking your hair and adds great volume too. I go through dry shampoo super fast, so I stock up on this when it's on sale.

Lush Charity Pot Hand and Body Lotion: A nice rich (but not too greasy) body lotion. I bought this on a whim, because I liked that 100% of the selling price goes to various charities supported by Lush, and wound up really enjoying it. I used it for quite a while and then suddenly my boyfriend decided he hated the smell. It just smells like cocoa butter to me, so I told him he'd have to live with it. :p

Lush D'Fluff Strawberry Shaving Soap: This is a creamy soap that creates a light, conditioning lather for shaving. I will definitely purchase another pot of this! A little goes a long way, but without gumming up your razor. Plus it has a delicious strawberry scent!

Lush Yummy Mummy Body Conditioner: The concept of limited edition skincare is always a frustrating one for me. I don't mind it as much with color products, because it takes me forever to use up a lipstick or eyeshadow. I get that Lush has to make room for new goodies each season, but it sucks when you fall in love with a skincare product that's no longer available! Lush's body conditioners are like an in-shower body lotion. You leave them on for a minute or two, then rinse and enjoy your ultra soft skin! This one has organic cocoa butter and almond oil, making it super rich and creamy. The scent is divine! It smells like strawberries and honey to me. I absolutely adored this product and I hope Lush brings it back next spring!

Nivea In-Shower Body Lotion for Dry Skin: I was using this a ton until I fell head over heels for Yummy Mummy, then finished it off after Yummy Mummy was done. It's formulated with shea butter and that's the only real scent it has to it. It's not as rich or as fragrant as Yummy Mummy, but I still enjoyed it and will likely re-purchase.

Mally Volumizing Mascara: I have a tendency to hang on to mascaras way too long and I finally had to force myself to chuck this one, because it was getting super dry and past its prime. This is easily the blackest mascara I've ever used. I love how thick and dark it makes my lashes. I suggest layering this over a lengthening mascara if you have short, stubby lashes like me, because it really gives more thickness than length.

Clinique Turnaround Concentrate Extra Radiance Renewer: I've tried quite a few brightening serums and this is one of the best! I've always felt I have a naturally dull complexion and after a couple weeks of using this, I noticed my skin seemed more vibrant and glowing. Clinique recommends wearing their serums over a moisturizer and while that's the opposite of everything I've been taught, I followed the directions and it definitely worked! I'll have to get another bottle of this!

Mario Badescu  Facial Spray With Aloe, Herbs and Rosewater: I can't live without a good facial mist, especially in the wintertime! I'm a big fan of the Mario Badescu line in general. They make wonderful products and I love the philosophy behind the line where they don't spend money on advertising and excess packaging, so they can provide high-quality ingredients at a budget-friendly price point. Almost all of their skincare products are less than $30! I was turned on to this spray by a co-worker who swore by it as a setting spray and it works great as a post-skincare mist too! It feels very soothing and refreshing on the skin.