Final Farewells: My Fall 2016 Empties

Friends, it's time yet again to go through my beauty trash. I love filming empties videos, but I also totally can see how strange the whole concept probably is to someone who isn't as immersed in the beauty world as my crazy self. Because really, who else hoards expired makeup and empty bottles?

In all seriousness, the reason I think empties posts are so awesome is that when you've used a product to the very last drop, you really know how you feel about it. It's like a relationship. In the beginning its all excitement and newness, and you're probably willing to overlook the little flaws and annoyances. But time goes on, and when the honeymoon phase is over you've either found yourself a beautiful partnership, or end up realizing that that product...er...person...isn't as awesome as you originally thought.

It's been a couple of months since my last empties round up, so I've got A TON of products to share with you guys. Did I find true love? Or was I already checked out of our relationship? If you want to know, grab yourself a snack, cozy up, and get ready for some real talk (beauty style).

Sephora Gift Sets Under $50

Hello friends! Today I thought it'd be fun to do a little bit of online window shopping with you all. Sephora has launched a TON of new favorites kits, which inspired me to peruse all of their available value sets and come up with a list of 10 badass options all under $50. As a beauty blogger the hours I spend browsing through Sephora's website could easily be considered justifiable research. But in reality I'd probably waste just as much time looking at pretty bottles and compacts even if I didn't have an audience to share my musings with (#iamaddictedtobeautyproducts).

ANYWAY...these little sampler sets are by far one of my favorite ways to shop beauty. Much akin to my fondness for tapas, I'd rather have a little bit of a lot of different things than one big dish...err bottle...tube?...you get the picture. I love variety and the surprises that come with it. Sometimes you fall in love with a product you would have otherwise never thought to try. Other times a product that seemed amazing turns out to kind of suck, leaving you totally relieved that you didn't buy the full size.

Sampler sets are also a great way to stave off beauty boredom. We've all been there. You've been using the same shampoo for the last 6 months, and while it started off amazing, you've gotten to that point where washing your hair is like listening to a ridiculously overplayed song on the radio. You feel too guilty to abandon a half used bottle of perfectly good product, but you're just so over it that the entire process makes you rage. How is there still so much left? Will it ever end? YOU JUST DON'T UNDERSTAND. On the flip side, opting for a mini size gives you a much greater likelihood of actually using the entire thing up before it hits My Heart Will Go On status.

So whether you're looking for travel-sized versions of products you love, or are feeling a bit adventurous and just looking to experiment, these value sets will likely be money well spent. They're also adorable. Just sayin'.

March 2016 Empties

Holy empties Batman! I don't think I realized I had accumulated so much beauty trash until I did a thorough clean out of my room today and added a few more things to the bin. Needless to say, it became very apparent that today's video was going to be an empties one. Speaking of which, I think I'm going to try and get into a regular routine of filming and uploading a video every Sunday. I'd love to make it more frequent, but I think that'll be an ambitious enough goal for right now. If you've got any specific requests for videos you'd like to see, definitely post a comment or tweet me and let me know what they are!

But anyway, let's not get derailed here people. We've got a lot of beauty products to chat about!

December 2015 Empties

Hello there everyone and happy Monday! It's time yet again to rummage through my beauty trash before it leaves my hands forever. I haven't filmed one of these videos in a few months so there was A LOT to talk about. There's some good stuff in here though (and a few duds you want to avoid), so grab yourself a cup of tea or hot cocoa, get comfy, and be prepared to here all the deets!

Skincare Week: Masks & Peels for All Your Skin Concerns

Let's be real. Most of our lives are crazy busy. Whether you've got midterms to study for, kids running around, a 10 hour shift to work, or a social calendar with very little wiggle room, a lot of us understand the struggle to find a little me-time. And while the idea of heading off to the spa for a weekly facial might sound glorious, most of us don't have the time or money to indulge in that kind of fantasy. That being said, if you can find 10 minutes in your week to incorporate a face mask or peel into your bedtime skincare routine, both your brain and your body will seriously reap the benefits. Even with an awesome regime of cleansing and moisturizing, sometimes our skin needs a little extra boost of exfoliation, hydration, or nourishment to look and feel its best.

These face masks and peels are some of my personal favorites, and address a number of skin concerns, from dryness to dullness to congestion or hyperpigmentation. Most of them take less than 10 minutes to use and are surprisingly easy to make time for. As a quick aside, some of these masks and peels contain absolutely zero physical exfoliants, while others of them do. If you're currently suffering from active acne, I'd recommend steering clear of any kind of skincare product with physical exfoliants, as they can irritate blemishes and unintentionally spread bacteria, worsening the problem. A mask with a chemical exfoliant (AHAs, glycolic acid, fruit enzymes, etc.) on the other hand, breaks down and removes dead skin and debris in a more gentle way. Just remember that prescription acne treatments can sensitize your skin, and if you're under the care of a dermatologist, you may want to check with them before adding any kind of product like this to your skincare routine!

Limited Edition Everyday Glamour Birchbox Review

As the weather is getting colder and the nights are getting longer, its the perfect time of year for a little beauty pick-me-up. Fortunately Birchbox is one step ahead of the game and has curated another amazing Limited Edition box full of glamorous goodies to restore and pamper you on any day of the week. From a hydrating serum, to a luxurious body oil, to a perfect fall mani polish, to a restorative sheet mask there's loads of amazing products packed inside each box. Naturally, I couldn't resist cashing in my Birchbox points to treat myself to this awesome collection, and am finally here to give you guys an in-depth look at each of the products. So let's take the lid off the Limited Edition Everyday Glamour Birchbox and see exactly what's inside!

June 2015 Birchbox

It's Birchbox time yet again! I have to say, it always bums me out a little bit that I tend to receive my boxes towards the middle of the month, because I hate to be rushed in trying everything, but I also like to actually get my reviews out before the end of the month. What a conundrum, I know. Still, I suppose good things are worth waiting for, as was this month's box. Shall we take a peek inside?

Limited Edition Lovely Day Birchbox

Mother's Day is right around the corner, and Birchbox has released another amazing Limited Edition collection that would make a perfect gift for a hardworking mom in your life (or even a special treat for yourself). The Lovely Day Birchbox has a lovely assortment of pampering goodies guaranteed to make even the most stressful of days feel a little brighter. Let me show you a closer look!

March 2015 Empties

I don't know what it is about looking at other people's trash, but empties videos and posts are some of my absolute favorites in the blogging world. I find it incredibly interesting to see what products people are loving enough to use to the very last drop and hear their sort of final thoughts. I'd never been very good at hoarding my own empties, but since the beginning of the year I've been determined to make some headway through my stash and document my progress along the way. It's been a few months since my last post, and with a lot of mostly empty products in use, I thought it'd be a good time to clear out the bag and start fresh.

You may notice the significant lack of makeup in the picture above. I don't know about you, but I find it incredibly difficult to actually finish most makeup products before they go bad. I recently did a small purge of my eyeliners and cream shadows which I unfortunately didn't photograph. However, I do have a few mascaras that are starting to turn funky that will probably appear in my next empties post along with hopefully some more makeup goodies.

Anyway, let's say a final farewell to some of the stuff I've been using lately!

February 2015 Favorites

Welcome to my GIANT February Favorites post! I'm kind of cheating by including things that I've been loving since the beginning of the year and haven't gotten around to gushing about yet. From haircare must-haves, to gorgeous new makeup launches, to delicious tea, I've come across some amazing products in the past month (...months...whatever) that I can't wait to tell you about!

Makeup Remover 101: Find Your Perfect Formula

Whether you're the kind of gal that sports a smokey-eye on the regular, or a makeup minimalist, one thing remains the same for all of us. We all should be going to bed with a fresh, clean face. When it comes to bidding your lipstick and eyeliner adieu at the end of the day, there are quite a few options on the market for getting the job done. However, not all makeup removers are created equal, and some will inevitably be doomed to failure if used in the wrong situation. Need help figuring out what kind of formula belongs in your cabinet? Check out these four makeup removers and when I like to use them!

February 2015 Birchbox

While everyone is gallivanting around in a romantic mood this month (guilty #sorrynotsorry), Birchbox is taking a step back and reminding us to send some love and appreciation to our friends. And let's be serious, you know they totally deserve it. They've stayed on the phone with you while you've cried about some guy who's the worst (even if they tried to warn you a month ago), passed no judgment when you binged on wine and cupcakes on a Thursday night, been your "emergency" to get out of an awful date, and is totally letting it slide that you still haven't returned that dress you borrowed two years ago. Our friends are our safety nets, our partners in crime, our supporters, motivators, and much needed reality-checkers. Personally I often think to myself that I couldn't ask for better friends in my life, and all of you out there who are reading should know how much I love you <3

When it comes to my friends in the beauty world, I've also got all the love for Birchbox, which is made no less by this month's box.

Bed Time Bliss: My Winter 2015 Night Time Skincare Routine

Winter evenings render me basically useless, especially in comparison to evenings at any other time of the year. By the time I get home from work it's dark, it's cold, and I usually only have enough energy left for couch related activities. Then again, there's something to be said for the quiet coziness of a winter night. I make a lot more time for restfulness and pampering and general me-time. Whether it be snuggling up on the couch with the boyfriend for a West Wing marathon, drinking a cup of tea while I peruse my favorite blogs, or escaping into the pages of a good book while I soak away in the tub, I'm always able to find some way to enjoy staying cooped up indoors.

One of the things I also make a little more time for in the winter is my bedtime skincare routine. The cold, dry air wreaks havoc on my face, so I like to prep it as best I can for sleepy time restoration. It also is pretty darn relaxing to take 20 minutes at the end of the day to cover your face in lovely smelling lotions and potions. In honor of my favorite bedtime ritual, here's a closer look at all of the products I've been loving lately for my night time skincare.

Caudalie - A First Look and Review

After over a year of beauty blogging, I've come to realize that there is just SO MUCH out there to try. And of course you want to get your hands on all of it, but money and time tend to be pretty heavy limiting factors. Caudalie is one of those brands that I've known about for ages, but has always been a little too far out of my price range for me to splurge on. As with other prestige brands, I always keep an eye out for sales, coupons, and other deals so that I can maybe snag a luxe product on my drugstore budget. And sure enough, my patience and persistence paid off. I was able to snag this set of three full-sized Caudalie products at a crazy discount during Sephora's End of Summer Sale. I was excited, to say the very least. Sadly, it looks like that set was on sale because they were discontinuing it, so it's no longer available for purchase. However, each of these products is still available individually as part of their regular skincare lineup.

Regardless, I can finally say that I've been able to experience Caudalie skincare. What did I think about this long raved about beauty brand? Were any of these products amazing enough to re-purchase? Here's  an in-depth look at my first impression.