My Sephora Shopping List

Tarte Makeup Primer Set / Hourglass Visionaire Eyeshadow in Exhibition / Shiseido Pureness Oil-Control Blotting Paper / Benefit "Hello Flawless!" Oxygen WOW Foundation / Boscia Bright White Mask / Soap & Glory Girligo Body Moisturizing Mist / Sephora Collection Creamy Body Wash Caps / Benefit Dr. Feel Good Mini / Urban Decay Build Your Own Palette / Stila & CC Skye Fashion's Night Out Set

Ever wonder what other people have saved to their Sephora Shopping Lists? Well here is what is currently saved to mine. What is in yours? Comment below and let me know! :)

Vacation Empties! (13 Things!)

So like a good Blogger I managed to have some empties while on vacation! Check em out!

1. Hawaiian Tropic Silk Hydration SPF 12

See my previous posts here, and here where I discuss this product.

2. Soap & Glory The Righteous Butter Body Butter Mini

I got this at Sephora when I had some store credit because everyone on Youtube that I watch from England loves Soap & Glory and raves on and one about the scent. I decided to give this a go since it is only like $5 and a girl always needs body butter. I concur that the smell is AMAZING! And this body butter is the right amount of rich moisturization! Would I buy the full size though? Not sure, because it is so expensive, but I am definitely interested in trying out other Soap & Glory products and am not below putting the full size body butter on my Christmas list, haha.

3. Juicy Couture Viva La Juicy La Fleur Sample

I got this sample in my August Birchbox and I loooove it! I have sampled the classic Viva La Juicy before in my January Birchbox. I am vaguely contemplating buying the full sized bottle of the La Fleur through Birchbox when I have enough rewards points for it. It is like the regular Viva La Juicy but with more floral notes, while also retaining the classic Viva La Juicy scent! Perfection! <3

4. Boscia Black Mask Sample

I liked this mask, and found it to be quite similar to the White Mask which I had used before vacation and LOVED. I liked this Black one and the application and process is the same as the white one, but when I peeled it off it didn't feel as refreshing or brightening as the White one. It is possible that this feeling is all in my head and that the Black & White masks really are the same, just different colors, but I know I would buy the White one before the Black one.

5. Caudalie Beauty Elixer

I previously reviewed this product in a post dedicated all to itself!

6. CVS Brand Broad Spectrum Sunscreen SPF 50

This sunblock was ok. I loved that I got it for free through a CVS coupon, and that it was SPF 50, but otherwise, there is nothing amazing about this sunblock. The smell is a little off, kinda like old bananas (ewwy!). However, the staying power was really nice, and if I remember correctly, the price point is pretty fabulous. If I was on a tight budget or got tired of frou frou sunscreens, this one is just fine. Buy full sized? Maybe after I've tried all the Branded kinds.

7. Hawaiian Tropic Sensitive Stick Sunscreen SPF 50

I bought this back in December when I made my first extended stay in FL after an incident where I managed to sunburn my eyes due to all my other sunscreens making my eyes burn upon application and causing me to never apply enough around my eyes. Not a cute look I must say, so out of desperation I bought this face stick sunscreen so my face would stop stinging from other blocks, and so I would stop burning. I also figured that extra SPF on my face would be good to prevent acne scars from getting darker. This product was a win win in both categories! It never stung my face, and it never let me down. The only off thing is, because I apply this product thickly, when I am at the beach sand tends to get stuck in the sunblock and then kinda just stay there all day, even when my face is dry. So, maybe not the best choice for a date, but given that I was always at the beach by myself, I didn't mind, haha. Re-buy? Definitely will be next summer! (Or this winter if I end up in Florida again and need face block sooner).

8. Hawaiian Tropic Silk Hydration SPF 30 

I have previously discussed this product in a post dedicated entirely to it! Check it out: here.

***Please note that I got this product for free through Influenster, but was not obligated to write a review***

9. Sally Hansen Nails & Cuticles Hand Cream

Let me preface by saying that I have always been marginally interested in trying this product because I kepy seeing coupons for it on Coupons.com, but just never got around to trying it, so was thrilled when I finally got the chance too! I also loved the timing of it, because I had used the Caudalie Vinotherapie Hand and Nail Cream a few months ago. I found the Sally Hansen to be kinda like the cooler younger sister of the Caudalie cream. It has a very similar smell, but to me the Sally Hansen is better and smells more fruity rather than Pez-y. I also loved the resulted. It wasn't that heavy, but I always felt moisturized afterwards. I found myself looking forward to using this product nightly because I loved the smell and the feeling of it! I don't know if it had any kind of long term preventative effect because I wash my hands so often, but I know it always helped when my hands were dry! Will I buy the full size? I think I definitely will after I use up the 3 or so hand cream samples I have managed to get for free recently (2 L'Occitane ones even! Woo hoo coupons! ).

***Please note that I got this product for free through Influenster, but was not obligated to write a review***

10. Aveeno Continuous Protection Sunblock Lotion SPF 55

I really liked the sunblock. I turned to its aid when a SPF 15 was just not cutting it for me after long days at the beach and I was getting burned. I had this in my stash after a super coupon-a-palooza in late june/early july (think CVS Aveeno Coupon, Manufacturer Coupon, CVS coupon for $ off a certain $ amount purchase, and maybe even the product also being on sale, it was a magnificent moment in couponing history) and never was super excited about it because I though: "SPF 55? How can I get a tan with that?" And let me tell you, being preventative about sun burn obsessively and slowly tanning over an entire morning & afternoon, is way better than say a limiting hour of tanning with SPF 15. More beach time! And I think, more product use allowing moisturization! I won't lie, this sunblock was thick, and didn't have any special smell or anything, but it worked, it was reliable, it didn't sting, and it wasn't greasy! Would I buy again? I'm not super motivated enough to buy it full price, but if I stumble upon an amazing deal like I did with this tube, I think I will. The only thing holding me back is the price given the 4 oz size, because it only lasted me a full days of use (Though please note that I am a known product over user, and the day before I used this product I got a sunburn so was even more obsessive about application and so may have been even more of a product over user, so maybe it would last you longer?).

11. Sun Sum SPF 15 Continuous Spray Sunscreen
I have used up a bottle of this before and reviewed it here. I still love it, and I actually got this bottle for free from the Sun Bum guys when I visited their office down in Cocoa Beach! I mentioned on facebook that I was excited to buy Sun Bum sunblock while down for vacation and then messaged me saying I should drop by their office, and while I was there they gave me free swag! I wasn't even expecting anything! Thanks Dustin & Dustin! Sun Bum forever! Do you Trust The Bum(Tm)? Cuz I sure do!
***I got this product for free from the company, but only because the guys there are super cool. Absolutely no obligations what so ever to talk about the product because they don't even know I have a blog!***

12. Proxi Skincare Body Wash in Cucumber & Green Tea
Can I just say, I love the weird smell of this product? Because I do. I love it. It reminds me of freshly cleaned pool locker rooms. It must be the fresh smell of the hydrogen peroxide that the brand is based around, along with the cucumber and green tea (though the tea smell is super faint). Whatever it is, I love the vaguely clorine-y smell! It makes me think clean, and the product delivers a fabulous and foamy clean! Would I buy this? Yes I definitely will! I have some coupons for the product, so now I just need to hunt them down in Baltimore! (Sold in certain grocery stores, just not ones I normally shop at so haven't actually seen it for sale with my own eyes, but I know it is actually sold in certain stores).
***I got this product for free through Klout, but had no obligation to do a review***

13. Alba Botanica Natural Very Emollient Foam Shave in Sea Mist
I bought this semi on a whim when I was doing a secret shopping job at a natural food store. I didn't really need any groceries so I decided to get some natural beauty products, and one of the ones that called to me was this foam shave. I love that it is a non-aerosol shaving foam!!! I also love the mist because it is kind of masculine so it leans unisex! Normally I like a fun smelling shaving cream, but for some reason I really grew to love this scent! I also loved the application. Something about the non-aerosol made it easier to get the right thickness of product on my legs, etc. When ever I use gel creams I always feel like I have WAY too much product during my shave and that I'm not getting as close of a shave as a result. With this Alba foam shave I never had that problem. It has enough of a foam to do it's job without getting in its own way. It also found that this product was non-drying and kind of moisturizing, which is always nice with shaving products. Will I buy it again? Yes, and yes! There is another scent of this product that I saw when I bought this one, so I would love to try that next, the next time I come across this product (everyone needs an excuse to go to Whole Foods right?) . I would also love to try other non-aerosol shaving creams & foams, but so far this is the only one I know about.

So what do you think? Have you guys tried any of these products and had similar or completely different experiences? Wanna know more about a product and think I should do a post devoted entirely to it? Comments, concerns, questions? Comment below and let me know!

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.

The Great Product Massacre!

Talk about spring cleaning right!? I am so proud of myself! :) (Plus I am excited to be allowed to buy some new things, yippie!)

1. Curel Daily Moisture Original Lotion for Dry Skin
I originally bought this specifically for my trip to Florida this past winter so I could moisturize after tanning but also not have to bring a huge bottle of lotion with me on my trip. I really liked it as a moisturizer. The smell left something to be desired, but in some respects I liked that the smell was kinda eh because it didn't last very long so it didn't ever compete with my perfume or anything. Will I buy it again? Quite possibly I will for another trip or something. Until then I am going to try out some more brands (Nivea lotion maybe?)


2. Revlon Calcium Gel Nail Hardener
This baby lasted me forEVER! I am pretty sure that I have had it since the summer of 2010, maybe before then? It was a decent base coat, and I think it might have helped my nails to harden. At the very least it served the job as a base coat to protect my sensitive nails from my colored polish because colored polish tends to dry out and cause my nails to separate (not cute I know! But whatcha gonna do eh?). I may buy it again some day, but I am going to try out another brand next just for the fun of it (maybe an Essie one? Or that Sally Hansen one people like?)


3. Kate Spade Twirl Body Cream
This came with my beloved perfume. I liked it as a lotion ok, but I would say that it does smell a little different than the perfume itself. I did like the different smell but the lotion was kinda eh when it came to moisturizing. I am pretty sure I would never buy this on its own because I reckon that it is probably way to pricey to justify the purchase when I already have the perfume, but if I got is as a gift, I would definitely use it and enjoy it.


4. Sephora Sample: Too Faced Shadow Insurance Lemon Drop Color Correcting Eye Shadow Primer
I loved the idea of this because I have red vein-y eyes, but the color just didn't work for my skin tone I don't think. Just way too yellow that it would look funny and kinda like white cast-ed on my brow bone. Also, and maybe this had to do with the age of the product the sample was taken from, this was a lot thicker than the regular Too Faced Shadow Insurance that I have and love. I am pretty sure that I wouldn't ever buy this, but I do like the concept so would consider buying a different brand/version of a color correcting eye primer.


5. Neutrogena Oil-Free Eye Makeup Remover
It may be oil free technically but whatever the top layer of this biphase product is does leave a residue like a oil based product would. It was fine for removing makeup, but the residue issue coupled with it also making my eyes sting plus the fact that I don't really ever need eye makeup remover except on the rare occasion in the year where I wear eyeliner... this all just points to it being a purchase I don't need to make, and won't be something I need to replace any time soon. I am currently using some make up wipes that I am enjoying using whenever I feel the need to remove my makeup before cleansing (which is rare for me). The thing did last me forever though, years and years, because I never needed to use it much haha.


6. Maybelline Wet Shine Lipstick in Crystal Clear
Talk about a blast from the past, this was my first lipstick product (though it applies like a gloss) outside of makeup for theater performances for school. I remember the day my mom brought this home and told me she thought I might find it fun to use as a kind of first step into makeup. Thanks mommy! :) I am pretty sure this product doesn't exist anymore (but there are similar products out there, just check for the clear gloss edition of your favorite lipstick line, a lot of drug store lines have it I think), but even if it did I don't think I would buy it. It wasn't a hardship to use up because it went fast and I just treated it like a lip balm. I am stoked to finish another lip product! Woo hoo go me! I did like the finish it gave though because if you built it up a little it had this nice shimmery sheen on top of the glossiness. I wouldn't buy it again but I would totally buy it as a first makeup product when I have kids :)


7. Wet n Wild Single Eyeshadow in Brulee
Check it out, I used up an eyeshadow! Granted, I did cheat a little because it smashed when I was traveling recently which I didn't realize until I opened it, this causing a hilarious incident of it flying everywhere and into the wet hotel sink, causing most of the crumbs to not be reclaimable. But, I think it is ok because before this incident I would say that I had used up like 75% of the product legitimately and would have actually finished it up. I loved using this as a brow bone highlight because I like matte highlights over shimmery. Will I buy it again? Definitely, especially since it is only $2. Will I run out to buy it? Not yet because I wanna use up more shadows and I like the encouragement of getting one out of my collection even if I might buy it again in a few years. Next I am going to try to make a dent in a shimmery highlight I have but never use. Perhaps I can learn to like it, or at least find a way to make it work for me.


8. PYT Argan Oil Oil Treatment
This was one of those samples that a dude in the mall at a hair straightener cart shoved in my hands and I didn't really want it. I wasn't even going to keep it, but I figured, why not try it. It's one time use, and if it sucks I'll just make sure its a time when I can re-shower to get it out if I have to. The smell was kinda nice, but I didn't notice anything miraculous after use. I have used other oils before and liked the results way more. I am also kinda glad that I didn't like it because I wouldn't want to have to deal with buying it cuz I would have to deal with mall cart business approaches, and me being susceptible to sales associate's pitches if I like the underlying product, I probably would have bought some other things I didn't need. I think just pure argan oil works way better than this which has other stuff in it to.


9. Tretinoin Cream
There should be a national dermatologist recognition day because ever since I went to one and asked for a product for my acne, this product has totally changed my skin! Granted, I still get pimples, mostly at a certain time of the month, but this has greatly reduced them, and made my skin softer. Thanks mom for making me ask about it, because it was actually really easy to get! All I said to the dermatologist was "my mom said that when she was young her dermatologist gave her some face cream that she said amazingly got rid of her acne... do you have anything like that?" and then he prescribed this baby right here. Obviously it hasn't cured me yet, but I think that is also because I think my mom had less acne as a kid that I do. I will definitely be buying ever tube under my prescription and use every last drop! Maybe if I am lucky, after the prescription expires and I use up all my tubes (I think I get 6 total, so 5 left now) I won't need a new prescription because I'll be mostly cured? *crosses fingers* :)


10. Sensodyne Pronamel Tootepaste - Travel Sized
My dentist gave me two little tubes of this when I complained that my teeth were a little sensitive after using a whitening toothpaste. I used this when I was between toothpastes recently, and I quite liked it. It kinda of foamed less and the mint was different in a good way. I also liked that it wasn't gritty at all, more just creamy. I thought I would hate that, but I actually quite like it. Would I buy the full size? Not quite sure yet, but I still have the second tube of this, so after that one I think I might know for sure if I wanna buy the full size. However, after I use up my current toothpaste I wanna try Theodent because it just looks and sounds awesome! Have any of you tried Theodent yet?


11. Target Brand Bamboo Lotus Fragranced Soy Candle
I loved the smell of this, so fresh but also flowery. I liked the way it burned, but I can't decide if it gave me slight headaches or not (sometimes candles do that to me). The price was good if I can recall ($5 maybe?) and when one thinks of how expensive candles can be (heres looking at you Bath and Body Works, and Yankee candle) which I usually find to be ridiculous for what candles are, I think this candle range is just my style (well other than the 2 voodoo candles that I got in New Orleans last year... :) )


12. L'Oreal Go 360 Clean Deep Facial Cleanser for Sensitive Skin
I will not deny that I loved this when I first got it. I thought it was almost god like compared the cleanser I had been using before, which I used to love, but as my skin has gotten dryer recently (probably from my retinol cream), that old standby love of  cleanser was just to harsh for me now. However, since first getting this and while working through it, I have been able to try a few other cream cleansers and I have found that I think I like those better because this one can still be a little drying since it does have sulfates in it. I do love the scrubby thing and will definitely keeping that! I don't think I would try out other cleansers in this line, if only because none of those are creamy and probably will be too sulfate-y for me, but I do like the line generally and would recommend it generally. Plus it did last me for a good long time despite some product lose due to the way the bottle is designed. I think it lasted me about 2.5 months?


13. Boscia Peppermint Blotting Linens
Check it out! I used up a makeup product! I thought this sucker would never end! 100 sheets amazingly last a really long time because I swear I have been using these almost everyday since sometime this summer and it took me months and months and months to get through these. I think they are awesome as a product, I love the peppermint smell, and how it is kinda refreshing on the skin. I never had anything to complain about when it came to its blotting power, it always did want I wanted it to do. I also think this is a great value of a product because I think I got this on sale for $5 instead of the usual $10, and even at $10 I think it is a good deal. Keep an eye out on sephora for a sale on these linens, because usually at least one version of them (but not always the peppermint ones necessarily) are usually on sale at the $5 price. Also, checking my purchase history on Sephora, these lasted me a really long time because I bought them in November of 2010! It wasn't until recently that I started using them everyday (mostly to inspire my using up of my make up products generally), so if you are a casual blotting paper user, then this is even more of a good deal! Especially when you consider that they are around the same price by sheet count (if not maybe cheaper?) than the Clean and Clear sheets that I have tried before but didn't like because they are so plastic-y rather than tissue-y like these are. Will I buy again? Definitely, just have to use up a pack of blotting sheets from a different brand first :)


14. Up & UP (Target) Brand Moisturizing Hand Soap in Milk and Honey
I love me some Target brand! However I didn't think this was very moisturizing. I did like the smell but I wasn't crazy about it, so only bought it for the moisturizing quality. Won't repurchase this exact soap, but I will try another from the Target brand, will just be sure that I buy my next one for the smell since I don't think I am going to find moisture in these soaps (if I want a moisturizing one I think I will turn to Bath and Body Works because I recall trying one of their moisturizing ones and not being disappointed, but I am on a budget this year, so will stick to cheaper ones until I can justify BBW prices for hand soap, haha).