Empties: Starting Fresh for a New Year

2015! I'm not always this invigorated by the prospect of a new year, but this one has got me rearing and ready to go. There is so much I want to accomplish, both on the blog and off, and I can't wait to get started. One of the things I'm hoping to do in the coming months is to make a huge dent in my beauty stash by using up half finished and neglected products, while writing up reviews and tutorials about them along the way. Some time last year I realized that I've never written an empties post (despite the fact that I love reading and watching that kind of stuff from other bloggers) and decided it was about time that I start hoarding away my unused products. In the spirit of the new year (and also hoping to make this a more regular thing) I'm emptying out the bag and starting fresh for 2015! So join me as I say adieu to the products of 2014 with a few final thoughts on my end of the year empties.

Lemon Love

Confession time.

I have a slight addiction to all things lemon.

From pastries to perfumes to cleaning products, there's something about that bright, citrusy goodness that I just can't get enough of. Just a brief waft of the smell is like instant happiness. As you would expect, a quick look through my beauty stash would definitely show signs of my lemon love affair. And as the weather continues to dip below freezing (despite today being the first day of spring), a little bit of that cheer-inducing yellow fruit is the perfect pick-me-up.

Sample Subscriptions and My Birchbox for June 2013

In my recent exploration of the beauty world, I've finally be clued in on the concept of the sample subscription box. It seems that the craze has touched just about all areas of commercial goods, but somehow I managed to stay in the dark about beauty specific ones. For those of you who aren't familiar with the concept, companies are cropping up all over the web that allow you to purchase subscriptions where you are mailed a selection of deluxe samples of different beauty and lifestyle products. Subscribers are usually offered some kind of discount or reward to put toward buying full sized versions of the items they receive. Every company has it own unique range of offerings, and a price point to match. It's a really fun way to try out new types of products or learn about different or up and coming brands. After doing a little research I decided to sign up for two popular sites on the lower end of the price range: Birchbox and Ipsy.

So far I've received two Birchboxes and my first Ipsy Glambag is on its way. My May Birchbox has well gone to use, but since I just got my June Birchbox a few days ago I thought I'd share my goodies (and my first impressions on them) with you!