Pre-Vacation Empties

Well I'm off for vacation for 3 weeks, so I thought I would do an empties post before I left!

1. L'Occitane Brightening Instant Exfoliator
I quite liked this sample scrub! It has a nice smaller granual scrub feeling to it, which is how I prefer my scrubs, rather than big chunky scrubbers, and I liked the flowery smell too. The L'Occitane Brightening line really has me intrigued, as I would love to lighten a patch of acne scars on my left cheek! I wonder if this scrub, with long term use would make a difference... but at $36, I'm gonna have to wait til after I get a job!

2. Yes to Tomatos Clear Skin Daily Balancing Moisturizer
1. I love the smell, it's like cinnamon/snickerdoodle cookies. 2. I love the packaging, it's an airless pump. 3. I like the results, it's just what you need from a no super frills moisturizer, while still keeping acne prone skin in mind! And at $15, I definitely see myself buying this again!

3. Mario Badescu Collagen Moisturizer
This moisturizer was nice. I liked that it had SPF, and I liked how it absorbed into the skin. It felt like a good all around light moisturizer because it never felt heavy, but I always felt hydrated enough. Would I buy it full size though? I'm not sure. It starts at $22 and I'm not sure I love it enough to spend that much on a general all around moisturizer. Maybe if it was targeted at correcting something? Or if I found it to be amazing during the winter? I'd love to sample this again in the winter.

4. Mario Badescu Drying Cream
I actually didn't use all of this up, it dried out because the lid cracked when I closed it too hard/too much (something that had a tenancy of happening with all my Mario Badescu samples). It smelled strongly of sulfer, and I wasn't thrilled with the results. I felt like it over dried. It did have one perk of concealing blemishes quite a bit because it was so opaque and thick. Buy full size? Nope, too expensive for something I don't really need.

5. Chanel Vitalumiere Aqua Ultra-Light Skin Perfecting Makeup
Check out my post entirely dedicated to this makeup: here!

6. Essie Disappearing Trick
This is a cuticle remover gel that I would use prior to pushing up my cuticles. I first heard about it on the Youtube, and was intrigued because I always would just push my cuticles up dry - no lotion, nothing. I liked the results, but I feel like it might be a little unnecessary if I have hand creams that might make a good substitute. I haven't done a manicure without this product yet, so maybe my opinion will change and I will realize how much I loved it after I don't have it anymore, but currently I am not running out the door to re-buy it. I am interested in trying out other cuticle creams, etc.

7. Boscia White Mask Sample
I love Sephora samples. This sample was filled to the brim which let me have enough to cover my entire face! Score! Additionally, I found that I loved this mask! It is a peel off mask and unlike the drug store peel off mask I have, this one peels of cleanly, and the small pieces that don't aren't a pain to remove like the drug store one is! Buy full size? I am really tempted to! I am going to get a sample of the black mask and see how I feel about the two. Though, given Boscia's prices, I might not be able to justify the price until after I use up the face masks I currently have, even if they are drug store, and even if the Bosica ones are better for brightening, etc.

8. L'Occitane Hibiscus Flower Ultra Rich Body Cream Sample
Can I just say, that I learned I like the scent of Hibiscus flowers because of this sample? Divine! Combined with the shea butter/ play doh smell that is L'Occitane's Ultra Rich Body Cream scent, the results are heavenly. Like the regular Ultra Rich, this one moisturizes quite nicely and doesn't leave you greasy, or wanting more. Will I buy the full size? Maybe when I have a job and can justify an expensive moisturizer, but until then I can pine, and hope it shows up as a gift this winter!

9. Softsoap Coconut & Warm Ginger Hand Soap
If I recall correctly, I wanna say I got a fabulous deal on this, like BOGO free at CVS fabulous, but I'm not 100% certain. Either way, this is a nice hand soap! I like that the ginger wasn't dominant or overpowering; the scent was more like a coconut soap with the edge cut off by the slight ginger hints. The one thing it doesn't have going for it is moisturization, but it also doesn't claim to do so. I find that I need moisturizing soaps, and this soap proved to be no exception. I enjoyed it while I had it, but won't die if I never buy it again. Would definitely consider buying again if I had a need to a non-moisturizing soap because the scent is quite nice!

10. L'Occitane Ultra Rich Cream
This stuff is beautiful. It smells nice and relaxing, and the moisturization is amazing. I would buy it in a heart beat if it weren't so freakin' expensive! Until I can justify an extravagant lifestyle, I will just have to mope and hope!

11. Yes to Blueberries Age Refresh Brightening Facial Towelettes
I got the travel size of this product in my April birchbox and reviewed it then. I still love the smell, and it's still true that you need to store them upside down. However, unless you actually use them everyday, even storing upside down will not keep them moist when you use them less than a few times a week. When I first bought these, I used them consistently, then I great bored, or my skin became a little sensitive, or something, because I stopped using this pack. Then, when I moved home after law school I decided I needed to use them up because I accrued a bunch of various Klout Perk face wipes that needed to be used, and these Yes to Blueberries wipes were hogging the sink space. When I started up using these again consistently, I found the towelettes to be dry and unfulfilling. Will I buy these again? I am not sure. I think I might not be a wipe person, despite my continued attempts to like them. They weren't terrible, so I wouldn't be against buying a travel size again if I needed them for travel, because the scent is so nice an refreshing. But I don't "need" them, and I didn't notice anything amazingly brightening about them.