Mid Month Empties - Novemeber

1. & 2. Herbal Essences None of Your Frizziness Shampoo & Conditioner
I really liked this! I bought this when I was out of my last shampoo and couldn't find the "Honey I'm Strong" line at my local CVS. I was plesently surprised and I think I like this shampoo better than the honey one (see my review of that line HERE)! It is like all the good aspects of the honey shampoo & conditioner, without that slippery texture. Also, I think I prefer the smell of this one better. I think it helped to fight frizz, but sometimes its hard to really tell with any shampoo & conditioner whether that really works. I do know it didn't make my hair more frizzy! Buy again? Totally!

3. Unknown Dome Brush
I have had this brush for a few years now and it served its purpose. I found it on the ground near my apartment one time, and thus have NO idea what brand it is because the handle doesn't indicate anything. I have decided that it is time to retire this brush because it is a little pokey/scratchy when trying to darken up the outer v, and I found a nice replacement brush on sale at Sephora!

4. CVS Brand Eye Makeup Remover Oil-Free
I really liked this, though I think the Simple Makeup Remover I used previously works slightly better on mascara. However, I will probably by buying this again I'm sure because this is way cheaper than the Simple brand, and sometimes CVS gives you coupons for $ off CVS brand stuff, making it an even better buy! 

5. Sensodyne ProNamel Toothpaste
I've reviewed this three times already (HERE, HERE, and HERE), and my opinion is still the same.

6. Aveeno Active Naturals Ultra-Calming Makeup Removing Wipes
I got these for free through Klout.com and was excited to try them out since they are a pretty new product (Thanks Klout!). I found that they work fine, but I think the texture of the towelettes aren't the softest, and sometimes they left me wanting them to be wetter. I've tried other brands (Like Simple, and Garnier) and I feel that the Aveeno ones just didn't measure up. Buy my own? Probably not.

7. L'Occitane Dry Skin Hand Cream
Another free hand cream, this time through a Facebook coupon. My opinion about the previous tube remains true for this one. Buy full size? Contemplating!

8. L'Occitane Pivoine Flora Shower Gel
I got this in the perfume gift set I bought this summer, and have loved every single use of this! I love the scent as a perfume, and in the shower gel form! I just made me feel so feminine and girly. But will I buy it again separately? At $20 it's not likely, but I would love to have it via a set of some kind again!

9. Blinc Mascara
Previously reviewed a sample size HERE. I loved it so much then that back in January/February-ish I bought the full size with my Birchbox points! This tube of mascara lasted FOREVER, about 8-9 months! O.O That is insane! And I loved every use. I loved that I didn't have to worry about raccoon eyes, and that the effect always pleased me. However, now that I have used another mascara I'm not sure I would buy this again because I want to try other styles of mascara and I think I like mascaras that are a little more defining and separating that this one.

10. Towson Town Center Unscented Hand Sanitizer
I got this for free at an event at my local mall last year. Not much to report about it since it is just a plain hand sanitizer. It did it's job, it was free, the colored beads were fun to look at, but nothing else to report. Not re-buy-able unless Towson Town Center gives them out again this year at another event!

11. Baltimore City Health Department Clean Hands Save Lives Aloe Hand Sanitizer
I don't know why this was called "aloe" hand sanitizer because there is no aloe in it... just fragrance that smells like aloe. Even the ingredients give it away! Otherwise, it was a nice hand sanitizer, but not any different than a non "aloe" one. I got this for free at the Baltimore Book Festival, and it came with a carabiner hook on the top, which I am keeping, so that was cool. Like the Towson one this is not re-buy-able, but I would welcome more free hand sanitizer since I use it like a fiend at work!

12. La Fresh Original Formula Makeup Remover Wipe
I got this single wipe for free at a hotel that I said at this summer. I don't even remember how I felt about using it recently, so obviously it is not a memorable product. I remember that it was moister than the Aveeno ones mentioned above, so that was good, but otherwise it was just a average plain-jane makeup wipe. Buy full size? Probably not.

13. Garnier Fructis Style Sleek & Shine Anti-Humidity Styling Cream
Thank God this is out of my life! I hated this product. It was so easy to use too much product and end up with gross greasy hair. Occasionally the results were OK if used quite sparingly, but never was is amazing, or even good. I think I bought this originally because I liked the Anti-Humidity Styling Milk that I had bought before, but the cream formula is so much inferior to the milk version. I'll never buy this again, and wouldn't even want it for free!

14. Softsoap Milk Protein & Honey Moisturizing Hand Soap
I could have sworn that I used this soap before but I can't find the empties post with it in it, so maybe I am mistaken? Either way, it feels like the hybrid between The Up & Up Milk & Honey Soap and the Softsoap Shea Butter soap. Could still make your hands dry after using it, but more moisturizing than a non-moisturizer soap. The scent was nice and it had the interesting slick honey texture. Buy again? Probably if I saw it on sale but I am not obsessed or desperate about it needing to be in my life. It could disappear and I wouldn't be that upset. 

15. CVS Brand Premium Cotton Rounds
Cotton rounds are cotton rounds and I used these previously and my review there is the same now.

16. Hawaiian Tropic Lip Balm SPF 45+ in Vanilla Mint
I bought this spontaneously when I was on vacation in Florida in August. I needed a new high SPF lip balm because the one I had been using was one of those balm that made your lips white and I didn't think that was cute for surfing! haha. This did its job SPF-wise but the taste was gross because it was like you could taste the chemical sunscreen in it, and not the vanilla or mint. Bleck! It was decently moisturizing, but I won't miss the gross taste! Will stick to Sun Bum lipbalm instead!

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Product Hit Parade

Whew! I managed go through a slew of products all at the same time! Check this puppy OUT! Time to try/buy new shampoo, conditioner, hair mask, and moisturizer, yay! :)

1. Organix Hydrating Macadamia Oil Intensive Moisture Mask
Got it on sale, and I am glad I did because the only thing I liked about this was the scent, which was like fresh sugar cane :). Was hoping it would be super hydrating like the Macadamia Nut Oil stuff that people are raving about these days. Obviously this is a drug store product for a reason and is just trying to live off of the hype of the higher end product without delivering the same results. It didn't make my hair drier or anything, but I didn't think it did much more then a regular conditioner so the 5 minute wait just seemed pointless after a while.


2. Garnier Fructis Pure Clean Fortifying Shampoo
Honestly, I picked this up out of desperation for a cheap shampoo from a brand I can trust and wasn't in the mood at the time to buy a Herbal Essences one for whatever reason. I am so glad I picked this up because I realized that I love it! The smell is fabulous, like sour apples with a hint of the classic Garnier smell. Perfect for me! I love that it is 94% biodegradable (my little green heart sings), and I kinda think it has the style of a clarifying shampoo without being too harsh for every day, even with lather rinse and repeat like I do! Have a TIGI shampoo up next for use, but after I use that I will definitely consider this shampoo again, and definitely will be a go to when I am penny pinching!


3. Suave Almond + Shea Butter Conditioner
I bought this after I heard a Youtube Guru say it was actually just as good as the Aveda products the Suave bottle claims this is as good as. I loved the smell, I loved the consistency: thick without being too thick and heavy afterwards, and I loved the results! Bonus? The price is amazing for such a fantastic product! Suave, I apologize for always underestimating you because of your price points! Definitely will be buying this again after trying out some new conditioners on the market. :)


4. Simple Cleansing Facial Wipes
These were fine. I did like that the actual wipes felt softer than other brands I have used, and this product did its job. But it didn't really speak to me, and face wipes are kind of an extraneous/artificial step for me because my cleanser has always been able to clean off my make up and still clean my face all in one go. I will admit that I bought this mini pack because when I discovered that the UK Simple line came to the US I went a little crazy and bought many things (these wipes, the exfoliating wipes, the light moisturizer, AND the eye cream... oops O:) ). I liked the mini 7 wipe option (comes in a, like 25 wipe container too, don't worry), so it was a fun guilt free way to try it out. If I used face wipes more I might have a stronger opinion either way, but because I don't and have recently been using them just to use up the ones I have, it just stands as meh/fine in my eyes.


5. Garnier The Refreshing Remover Cleansing Towelettes
Like with the Simple wipes, I used these just to use them because I have had them in my cabinet for some time (had a phase for a hot second in the summer where I liked face wipes, before I got more skin care obsessed and started on retinol). These wipes didn't feel as soft as the Simple ones, so when I feel inspired to buy wipes again, I will probably choose the Simple over these, but since Garnier has been around for a long time, I won't totally discount this product to a red rating because if in need and Simple isn't around or I change my mind about Simple wipes after I use their exfoliating wipes, Garnier will always be there for me with the classic Garnier smell that I just LOVE (still waiting for Garnier to discover that they should make a fragrance spray of this smell :) ).


6. Herbal Essences Hello Hydration Shampoo
I bought this for a trip and chose it because I always heard good things, and frankly, the other travel sized shampoos weren't speaking to me. I was surprised to realize that I LOVE the smell of this: Hawaiian Coconut and Orchid. LOVE it and it may inspire me to look into an Orchid scented perfume in the future. I am glad I tried the trial size because now I know I will buy the full sized with confidence (maybe as my next shampoo if something new doesn't say "Try me next!" at the store when I am in the market for a shampoo). The size isn't big enough for me to know if the shampoo is hydrating, but I know it isn't stripping, and felt more hydrating than the Garnier one I had been using previously. I now totally understand why Youtubers and Bloggers love this product!


7. Herbal Essences Hello Hydration Conditioner
Bought this for the same reasons as the shampoo. Loved the smell, but the results were kinda eh to me. I liked that it was a light conditioner, but that just wasn't what I was expecting with "Hello Hydration" in the name! I thought it would be thick, haha. I may buy it again in the future but I am not dying to try the full size like I am with the shampoo. I'd probably buy this if I were buying the shampoo and at the time other conditioners aren't really calling to me.


8. Origins Checks and Balances Frothy Face Wash
I received this in my birchbox, and at first I really loved it. But then after a while the smell annoyed me because it smells like Barbasol! Not something I wanna smell (strongly at that!) while washing my face thoroughly. I did really like the creaminess of it and that it didn't sting. The texture was different because it really does feel frothy, which sounds strange and you wouldn't think it would feel so different (and I didn't think so either before I tried it) but it does feel different and I love the idea of it. Have a bunch of other cleansers to use up next. Would I buy this full sized? Probably not, origins is just plain pricey and I think I would shell out my money for a different origins cleanser over this one (like maybe that charcoal one). I wouldn't mind getting it as a gift or as a sample again though. It was great for travel!


9. -No Brand- Towson Town Center Peppermint Chapstick
I got this for free in a good bag I was given at an event at my mall that I signed up for (anyone could go, you just had to hear about it from the mall's little guru blog thing. And, you know me, I love free things! Free goody bag? I'm there! Free event, and 2 free martinis too? Sold! haha). I loved this 3/4 of the way through. I grew to like the peppermint smell because I got it just before Christmas, so I was fitting and that's really the only time of year that I like peppermint. I learned I kinda loved the results of it because it is twisted with a white section and a red section, and it did leave a reddish tint on my lips that just made them look fab a lusious. The down side? By the end it was just mushy and melty for no reason and in all weather. It made it messy constantly and just downright annoyed me. I don't know where you can buy this because it is likely a propaganda company's product. I wouldn't mind getting this again via another propaganda situation, and I loved having Towson Town Center swag because that mall is like my home away from home haha. But because of the formula's meltiness, I won't be seeking it out or anything.


10. Olay Active Hydrating Cream Original
I think this is a good staple and stable product that will always be around. The results were good, I liked that it was kinda thick and moisturized my skin to my needs most of the time. I didn't really care for the smell, that classic Olay baby powder floral style smell, but it didn't bother me too much because it went away after it absorbed. Would I buy it again? Maybe, it will probably be a long time from now because I kinda have the urge to try all the different moisturizers on the market right now haha. I remember having a different one of this style of Olay moisturizers before, one that had SPF in it, and I do know that I like this one way more (I think that one was the one in the yellow container while this one is the pink one? But don't quote me on that, it's been a while).


11. Garnier Skin Renew Clinical Dark Spot Corrector
I will be doing a more indepth review of this in a future post, so keep an eye out for the review then!

12. Essence of Beauty Body and Hand Cream in Sunblossom
For those of you who don't know, this is the CVS brand line of BBW style products. I got this for free actually when they were doing a coupon thing online and I am so glad they did that! I learned that I ADORE this scent! The moisture level was great, thicker than a lotion but sunk in fast and didn't leave you wishing for more! I will be definitely buying more Sunblossom things (I already have a mini body mist that I got for only a few dollars! O:) ). I saw that they have a shower gel as well as just a bar of soap in the scent so one of those will likely be what I buy of this scent, if not maybe the big tube of the body cream. I can't recommend this scent enough if you like florals on the sunflower/honeysuckle side of the family. I think it will be a go to spring and summer scent for me. :)