“Start where you are. Use what you have. Do what you can!”
Happy Friday friends!
Okay, I may be a little late with my February empties post…but better late than never right?!
I have to say, I’ve never been SO motivated by a blog “series” as I am with these empties ones! And let me tell you, my bank account, she certainly isn’t complaining! As I mentioned in my January empties, my eagerness to start these posts definitely stemmed from my ever growing makeup collection. Everywhere you turn there are serums and creams, lip glosses & eye shadow palettes! I’m seriously drowning in all things beauty. And while that’s not the worst thing to be surrounded by, it’s actually such a waste of money just to have them sit there & not be used. While my online shopping is a bit out of control at the moment (thanks COVID-19), prior to being house bound I found I was much more mindful of where my money was going + I wasn’t impulsively handing over my debit card at the Sephora check out counter every time I walked past the store…just because.
Annnnyways, let’s jump straight into my February empties!
1) Bobbi Brown Extra Lip Tint in the shade “Bare Punch” ($45 CAD)
Okay, first on the list of February empties is the Bobbi Brown Extra Lip Tint in the shade “Bare Punch”. Sephora.ca describes these balms as a lightweight, sheer, and ultra-moisturizing formula with all the benefits of a balm, plus a colour-enhancing tint that brings out the best in lips. It’s nourishing blend of olive, avocado, and jojoba oils smooths + softens the lips, reducing the look of fine lines while delivering a healthier, fuller look. Wear alone for a sheer wash of colour or layer it with your favourite lip colour for a glowing, cushioned finish.
To say it was not love at first swipe with this VERY expensive lip balm would be an understatement my friends. This balm was immediately sent to the pile of misfit lip products, never to be seen or heard from again. Fast forward MANY months later + this freshly plumped pout needed some extra hydration. With filler, I take extra special care of my lips and will NEVER go to bed without lathering them with a balm. (P.S. if you want extra juicy looking lips when you wake up, always wear a balm to bed). Anyways, I wanted a change from my usual Laneige lip sleeping mask and for whatever reason, reached for this Extra Lip Tint. MY OH MY, was I ever hooked! This Bobbi Brown balm instantly became my go to bed time balm. Here’s the kicker. Once I started using it, it took about a month to finish. Now, as the self proclaimed lip product expert that I am, something seemed pretty off about this. In my roughly 26 years of wearing balms, never have I ever gone through a lip product that quickly. While I didn’t expect this little guy to last forever, for $45, I did expect to have more than 30 days with it.
Now that it’s gone, I kind of miss it. That being said will I repurchase this $45 (+ tax) luxury lip balm? Heck NO! Yes it was lovely but there are so many other amazing balms that cost a fraction of that!
2) Neutrogena Fragrance-Free All-in-One Makeup Removing Cleansing Wipes Singles ($12.99 CAD for a pack of 20 wipes)
Did you know that upwards of 20 million single-use makeup wipes are tossed in the trash every day (click here to learn more)! That’s insane right?! I know I said in my last monthly empties post that I was trying to steer clear of the single use makeup remover wipes in order to reduce my environmental impact. Well, shortly after making that proclamation, these Neutrogena All-in-One Makeup Removing Wipes landed in my lap, so I had to try them out. These face and makeup removing wipes are soft, pre-moistened + infused with a mild cleansing lotion and claim to be so effective that they’ll easily remove 99 percent of your most stubborn makeup (including waterproof mascara, eyeliner, eye shadow, lipstick and foundation).
Sounds pretty great right?! Well, I can’t say that I had the same magical experience that Neutrogena claimed I would have. I don’t wear a lot of makeup, so I was slightly annoyed that it took 2 makeup wipes to remove the tinted moisturizer, eye shadow, eyeliner, mascara and lipstick that I wear! So, will I repurchase these wipes again? That would be a no from me. Save your pennies and opt for the next February empty instead!
3) Neutrogena Daily Foaming Facial Cleanser ($9.97 CAD)
When it comes to skincare, I’m not picky. That being said, I can’t imagine washing my face with anything other than the Neutrogena Ultra Gentle Daily Cleanser. Need more convincing?! Here’s why it’s the best:
• Made soap-free, dye free and non-comedogenic, so it won’t clog pores or cause acne
• This cleanser doesn’t disrupt the skin’s natural moisturize balance and won’t over-dry skin
• Developed by dermatologists for sensitive skin and is hypoallergenic
Will I repurchase this face cleanser? HECK YA! It works so well with my skin type, removes the days makeup with only a small amount of product, and I think it’s super affordable. The only thing I need to be careful of is not picking up the creamy version of this cleanser. Once I finished this bottle, I quickly ran out to Shoppers to repurchase and accidentally picked up the creamy version…which does NOT work as well.
4) Bath and Body Works 3-wick Candle in “Marshmallow Fireside” ($24.50 CAD)
If you read my “Top 10 Bath & Body Works Candles To Get You Excited for Fall” post (click here if you missed it), then it’ll come as no surprise that I’m completely obsessed with their Marshmallow Fireside candle. As I mentioned in that post, I very rarely light my candles. I find that they give off just as much of a lovely scent unlit…and obviously last longer. That being said, I threw all caution to the wind when I needed to make my desk at work a little more “home-y” and opted to not only bring in this little guy, but to light it. The number of compliments that little candle got from both men and women clearly meant that everyone enjoyed it. Anyways, after about a month of lighting Marshmallow Fireside, sadly, this candle is done. I’ve since repotted a little plant in the old candle jar so talk about being resourceful!
NOW, when it comes to repurchasing my all time favourite candle for the millionth time…I sadly have decided…to not. I recently read an article (click here if you want to read it) about how toxic these Bath & Body Candles are…which has pretty much left me “shook” (that’s what the kids are saying now right?!) In the hopes of moving to a more clean makeup + beauty collection, I don’t see why that shouldn’t also include all of the #selfcare goodies I like to have on hand. So instead of my having my beloved Fireside Marshmallow candle (R.I.P) I’m going to search for a cleaner alternative…perhaps a yummy smelling soy candle. I know diffusing essential oils would also be a cleaner option, but it’s just not the same. Anyways, if you have any clean candle recommendations, help a sister out and let me know!
5) The Body Shop Hand Cream in “Vanilla Pumpkin” $6.50 CAD
I am blowing through moisturizers like never before with the freezing temperatures we’ve experienced here in the last few months. That being said, I’m not upset about it when I use this Body Shop hand cream in “Vanilla Pumpkin”. It’s everything I love about Fall in one pretty little (limited edition) tube and it has definitely become a Fall time staple (along with the PSL, dark, vampy lip and plaid scarf). It’s 100% vegetarian, light, non-greasy, and is enriched with Community Trade shea butter from Ghana. The packaging is very similar to the Bath & Body Works hand creams but after reading a little more about the Body Shops product, I’m more inclined to purchase their product over any others. I think I mentioned in a previous post that I was gifted the Body Shop advent calendar last year and it was AMAZING! Along with several bath bombs, body washes and soaps, there were a couple of these hand creams (in coconut, mango and I wanna say green pear). Once I’ve worked my way through those, I will absolutely repurchase and will make sure I’ve got one in my purse at all times!
6) Jym Pre-Workout Black Cherry ($59.99 CAD for about 20 servings)
Yes I have a caffeine addiction and YES I sometimes use this pre-workout as an afternoon pick me up. And by sometimes, I mean pretty much every day…and by pretty much everyday, I mean EVERY SINGLE DAY! UGH your girls tired like… ALL.THE.TIME! I’ve totally justified reaching for this in place of my go to Sugar Free Redbull + I think it’s probably a teeny tiny bit better for me. Anyways that’s enough about me haha. I’ve been taking pre-workouts for the last 10’ish years. You name it, I’ve tried it. I think I’ve used so many of them that I no longer get the jittery feeling, and only sometimes will get a little burst of energy.
When a friend asked if I wanted to try the new pre-workout she bought, obviously I had to! It was Strawberry Kiwi flavoured, and it was delicious! Later that day I just happened to find myself passing a Healthy Planet and decided to go in to see if they had any in stock. That day they only had Black Cherry and Orange Mango and even though those two flavours don’t do too much for me, I went with Black Cherry. As a new member of Orange Theory, I needed a pre-workout that was going to give me ALL of the energy since I was going to 5:30am workout classes (and I don’t know about you but I don’t exactly jump out of bed at 4:20am). Unlike a lot of other pre-workouts, preparing this one is serious business. They suggest that you mix 1 scoop of this in 16-24 oz of water + drink it 30-45 minutes before working out. It’s taken quite a bit of trial + error as my heart rate would spike as I was en route to Orange Theory or sometimes while I was sitting in the lobby waiting for class to start.
While a container of this pre-workout costs $59.99 CAD, it’s definitely not the most expensive one I’ve seen and I definitely believe you will get more than 20 servings out of it. Oh, and they have SO many incredible flavours to choose from. Some pre-workouts aren’t great tasting or a lot of the ones that are, contain SO much sugar you might as well just have a juice. The JYM pre-workouts contain only 1 g of sugar per scoop, which I think is reasonable. Besides the tasty flavours I’ve already mentioned, they have Cherry Limeade, Pineapple Strawberry, Raspberry Lemonade, Rainbow Sherbet and Tangerine. Since finishing Black Cherry, I’ve picked up Rainbow Sherbet (it TOTALLY tastes like actual Rainbow Sherbet) and Orange Mango. If you take a pre-workout, definitely take a look at these ones, they’re amazing!
7) LANEIGE Lip Sleeping Mask in “Original” ($26 CAD)
Finishing one of the LANEIGE lip sleeping masks might actually be my biggest accomplishment to date. But seriously, how many of you have finished one of these? I bought my first lip sleeping mask mid 2019 and never thought I’d ever see the bottom of this little tub! These are advertised as a leave-on lip mask that soothes + moisturizes for smoother, more supple lips overnight. I gotta tell ya, I’m wearing this from the moment I wake up, to when I get out of the shower + am doing my makeup, and until I go to sleep. Enriched with vitamin C + antioxidants, it’s exclusive Moisture Wrap™ technology boasts hyaluronic acid and minerals to form a protective film over the lips to lock in moisture and active ingredients. They’re formulated without parabens or phthalates which is always a bonus! More importantly, LANGEIGE does not test on animals, yippee!
Oh and did I mention, they smell incredible! Besides Original (which has almost a candied berry scent), they have Vanilla, Apple Lime, Grapefruit, Choco Mint and oh my gosh…Sweet Candy! I’m drooling just thinking about that last one! With Original officially empty, I’ve moved onto Apple Lime and also picked up minis of Choco Mint and Sweet Candy! These lip sleeping masks are my all time favourite lip balms and I hope to always have one in my collection at all times!
8) Marc Anthony Refreshing Coconut Clear Dry Shampoo ($12 CAD)
And for my final February empty, is a product that I know most of you gals have been searching for their entire lives…the perfect dry shampoo! But seriously why is it so hard to find a good one?! I love the price point of the Batiste products, but they leave a white residue…everywhere. Or then you get the Living Proof ones that cost over $20. Thank goodness I came across this Marc Anthony Clear Dry Shampoo while strolling down the hair aisle of Shoppers Drug Mart, because this is a total game changer. It’s only $12, has a fresh (and super subtle) coconut scent, it’s CLEAR, adds tons of volume and is free from Sulfates, SLS, Parabens + Phthalates! Seriously, apply this to day 2 hair and it’ll almost instantly be transformed into looking like it was just washed and styled. I can’t say enough great things about this dry shampoo! If you’re looking for one that’s going to work, absolutely try this!
Will I repur….YES!!!!!! haha Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes I will repurchase this!
And there you have it friends, those are the products that I used up in the month of February!
Thanks so much for stopping by & until next time!
Stay safe,
xo