March 2026 Empties

All my monthly trash on display for you to see. :P

1. equate Tahitian Vanilla Shea Sugar Scrub:  I love how gritty this scrub is. It has a yummy, vanilla cookie scent combined with the kind of yeasty scent that freshly baked bread has. This leaves my skin feeling very soft and smooth, and is great for shave prep. 

2. Organic Kitchen Reboot Revitalizing Face Mask: This mask left my skin feeling soft and hydrated after using it. This is a fantastic mask for those days when the winter weather left my skin feeling a bit dry, raw, and needing an extra boost of moisture. 

3. IVON Cuticle Trimmer: I feel like these do a good job of removing excess dead tissue along the sides of my nails and around the cuticle area. That said, they can be sharp so it's important to be gentle and careful with them not to take off too much skin. 

4. Shiseido Prepare Dermaplaning Razor: I like to use these once weekly to really get any strays on my face due to my PCOS.  It's about time to replace this razor, as it's getting a bit dull. 

5. LUSH Rose Jam Body Spray: I have to say that, unfortunately, this is one of those scents that the longer I had it, the more I grew sick of it. While generally, it does have a yummy sweet rose scent to it, it also has a very powdery note that seemed to get more intense the longer I had the perfume and I didn't really enjoy that aspect of it. I'm glad to have finished it up. 

6. Organic Kitchen Silent Hour Revitalizing Face Mask: I really enjoyed the berry yogurt scent of this mask and how soft and smooth it made my skin feel after using it.

7. CALA 3D Faux Mink 35151 Multi-Dimensional Lashes x2: These are a pretty fluffy-looking lash that I feel help to open up my eyes and make them look larger. That said, I find that they have the tendency to want to pop up at the inner and outer corners.  

8.  Kose softymo Deep Cleansing Oil: While I'm sad to have run out of this as it's my favorite makeup removing oil, I do have to say I appreciate that a bottle of this lasts me nearly an entire year. It does a fantastic job of removing the majority of my facial makeup and I use it with my Makeup Eraser or similar cloths and remove the rest. 

9. Suave Skin Solutions Nourishing Lotion in Cocoa Shea: This lotion has a really nice cocoa butter scent to it, it helps hydrate the legs after shaving, absorbs quickly, and is lightweight. However, other than my legs, the soles of my feet need hydration as well and this just isn't as hydrating on the soles as I wish it were. I feel like they just suck up all that moisture quickly and become dry again. 

10.  The following eyeshadows all developed an off scent so I am discarding them:

Colourpop Super Shock Shadow in Nillionaire

Colourpop Super Shock Shadow in IRL

Colourpop Super Shock Shadow in Banana Daiquiri

11. Arencia Cloud Body & Scalp Scrub in Black Tea & Yuzu: I purchased this scrub specifically for use on my scalp and it worked fairly nicely for what it was. It has a very luxurious scent to it which smells expensive. I just wish that it was a bit more abrasive. I feel like the scrub particles would dissolve quickly and it would lather up a lot which was nice in the sense that it doubled as a shampoo. I will say that it kept my dandruff and scalp flakiness away so it did do the job. 

12. Green Pharmacy Mask in Pomegranate and Argan Oil for Dry, Damaged Hair: I find that this mask was hydrating but it's also very lightweight. I would say that if someone is looking for hair that feels silky and hydrated that this works alright, but doesn't provide the kind of nourishment I'm after in a mask. 

13. berkley jensen Scented baby wipes in Green Tea & Cucumber x2: As I always say, I love these wipes because you get a lot in the package, they smell nice, and they work great for wiping down surfaces, cleaning my makeup, as well as cleaning makeup or skincare swatches off my hands or arms. They're quite versatile to have on hand. 

14. equate Almond & Shea Shea Sugar Scrub:  I love how gritty this scrub is. It has a yummy, sweet kind of almost almond cookie scent to it, it's not cloyingly sweet though. This leaves my skin feeling very soft and smooth, and is great for shave prep. 

15. bodycology strawberry cheesecake body cream:  My wifey got me this for Christmas and it smells very sweet in almost a buttercream with a hint of berry type of scent. If 'm 100% honest it's a little TOO sweet for me. But, that said, I did like how hydrating this was on both my legs and feet. It has a nice texture, so I'd be curious to try out other scents from this line. 

16. The Ordinary 100% Plant-Derived Squalane: As you might know, this has been something of a holy grail product for me so I'm always sad when I run out. This oil reduces redness in my skin, it makes my skin soft and smooth, and it also gives me a nice glow. I absolutely adore it.

17. Paula's Choice SPF 50 5% Vitamin C Sheer Moisturizer: I was so looking forward to trying this moisturizer because I haven't had anything from Paula's Choice before and wanted to try it out. However, I am sad to report that I am woefully disappointed with this. I was hoping that because it has Vitamin C, that it would smell a bit citrusy but it is entirely unscented, which isn't necessarily a bad thing. However, it's also very runny and liquidy, which I find makes a big mess. It also has that kind of tacky tell-tale sunscreen feeling despite being thin and I don't like that about it.

18. Kerastase Decalcifying system, reparative shampoo: As you can imagine, I cannot comment on if this decalcified my hair. I'm unsure if we have hard water here - my hair generally feels ok, so perhaps not. That said, I found this shampoo to be deeply cleansing yet simultaneously deeply nourishing. It's a combination of things I highly appreciate. My hair is very soft, shiny, and easy to manage. That said, as the line is very pricey, I likely won't be going out to purchase this shampoo without some sort of magical windfall coming my way. 

19. Trader Joe's Oatmeal & Honey Soap Pure Vegetable Soap: I love these soaps because they cleanse well without triggering my eczema. They leave my skin feeling soft and smooth. I find that this soap also helps my skin recover when I'm going through an eczema flare up. 

20. equate Coconut Hibiscus Shea Sugar Scrub:  I love how gritty this scrub is. It has a yummy, sweet tart scent to it, it's not obviously coconutty but does have a slight hint of hibiscus.  I really like the way it smells! This leaves my skin feeling very soft and smooth, and is great for shave prep. 

Disclaimer: I purchased all of the products mentioned above with the exception of the bodycology body cream which was a Christmas gift and the Paula's Choice and Kerastase items which came as samples with purchase.

February 2026 Empties

All my monthly trash on display for you to see. :P

1. berkley jensen Scented baby wipes Green Tea & Cucumber: I use these wipes mostly to wipe down surfaces and to clean up any makeup messes or makeup items in my collection. They have a nice, fresh scent to them. 

2. Miscellaneous Angled Brush: This brush doesn't seem to have a label on it so I'm unsure where it's from, but given that it's broken I will be parting ways with it.

3. inm Out the Door Topcoat for Nails: I like this top coat because it dries quickly and also helps smooth any minor imperfections on the nail surface so that my nail polish looks smooth and pretty.

4. Sally Hansen color therapy Strengthening Base Coat: This was a nice base that helped hydrate my nails. That said, I feel like due to damage from gel polish, my nails needed a little more TLC than this was able to provide. It did not stop my nails from peeling for the most part, but it did help smooth their surface.

5. Cococare 100% Natural Peppermint Oil: This is a nice smelling peppermint oil that works great both in my fragrance diffuser and for sprinkling around my room as a deterrent to creepy crawlies. 

6. one+other Pro-Strength Nail Polish Remover Dip: I feel like this nail polish remover makes quick work out of taking my nail polish off because it is 100% acetone. But that said, I found that this particular jar, the inside bristles that take the polish off all came loose and so I ended up having to soak the polish off my nails and that really dried them out. I've decided to take a break from pure acetone for the time being in hopes that my nails can recover from dryness and damage.

7. Secret pH Balanced Powder Fresh 24 Hr Invisible Solid Antiperspirant/Deodorant: This is a great basic deodorant. It leaves me feeling and smelling fresh while keeping me dry. 

8.  Misc concealer brush: While this brush had a great fluffy shape where it dispersed and blended concealer beautifully, unfortunately, the brush has become severely disformed and has come loose from the ferule. It is time for me to say goodbye. 

9. Green Pharmacy Cactus Squalane Ultra Moisturizing Eye Cream: I feel like the serum from this line spoiled me into thinking it was going to be very hydrating. Unfortunately, this eye cream feels quite basic and is probably good for someone getting their first eye cream who needs perhaps a tiny boost of hydration around the eye area. For me, however, it wasn't hydrating, brightening, or depuffing which are the three things I need most. I will not be getting it again. 

10.  Dove deep moisture all day lotion-soft skin: As I always say, I like to use these body washes to shave with because they give my razors a smooth glide and leave my skin feeling soft and silky. This particular body wash is very hydrating and has a light, clean, slightly powdery scent to it.

11. Dr Teal's Shea Sugar Scrub in Prebiotic Lemon Balm: I love how gritty this scrub is. This has a very refreshing, intense lemony scent to it. I personally LOVE it, I feel like it wakes me up, but I can see how it can feel intense to some people.  This leaves my skin feeling very soft, smooth, and is great for shave prep. 

12. CALA 3D Faux Mink 35151 Multi-Dimensional Lashes x2: These are a pretty fluffy-looking lash that I feel help to open up my eyes and make them look larger. That said, I find that they have the tendency to want to pop up at the inner and outer corners.  

13.  deal worthy Fresh Scent Body Lotion: This is a nice, inexpensive body lotion. It does a good job of being hydrating in a basic way. As in, it keeps my legs soft post-shave but I do feel like I'd prefer something a bit richer for the soles of my feet. 

14. equate Tropical Mango Shea Sugar Scrub:  I love how gritty this scrub is. It has a yummy, sweet mango scent to it. This leaves my skin feeling very soft and smooth, and is great for shave prep. 

15. White Barn Sunshine & Lemons Pocketbac anti-bacterial hand gel:  I like how these hand sanitizers don't dry my skin out. This particular one has a bright, intense sweet lemon scent to it. 

16. KimChi_Chic Beauty Powder Puff: I am actually so sad that it is time to replace this puff because it's so cuddly and soft on the face. I will say that since I use puffs mostly for placing powder on targeted areas like under my eyes or around my nose that it was kind of big and cumbersome to use due to its size. But that said, its texture is so nice that I was willing to overlook its size.

Disclaimer: I purchased all of the products mentioned above with the exception of the sheet masks and under eye patches which were a Christmas gift.

January 2026 Arrivals

Ok folksickles! I'm back to replenishing on things that I'm running out of and buying mostly just necessities.

1. esfolio Hyaluronic Acid with Peach Cleansing Foam: I feel like I'm starting to run low on my current cleanser so just in case I decided to pick this up while I was at Marshall's given that it was at a good price point.

2. CALA 3D Faux Mink Lashes in Noir 35151 x4: These are a pretty fluffy, sort of spiky lash that I think generally works well for my eye shape so I decided I'd give them a try.

3. Duo Brush On Striplash Adhesive: My lash glue was getting all crusty so it was time to replace it.

4. Maybelline Tattoo Studio Ink Pen in 880 Jet Black: It was time to replace my eyeliner as well and since this was the only pen style liner available at the store, I decided to give it a try. 

5. L'Oreal Voluminous Original Mascara in Deep Violet: There was another plum colored mascara I meant to purchase instead of this one but since they were out of stock and I was kind of craving a tinted mascara that was plum-colored I decided to pick up this one. 

6. Green Pharmacy Damask Rose Ceramides Revitalization Eye Cream: I'm running low on my current eye cream and I feel like it isn't as hydrating as I wish it would be so I decided to pick this one up to try it out. 

Disclaimer: I purchased all the items listed above myself with the exception of the samples and Christmas gifts I've been given. All opinions are my own. 

February 2025 Empties

All my monthly trash on display for you to see. :P

The following two moisturizers have separated entirely and have a weird texture now that I don't feel comfortable using:

1. Chamos Acaci Pomegranate Anti-Wrinkle Cream: 

2. Sephora Collection Instant Moisturizer: 

3. Laura Mercier Devotion Velour Lovers Lip Color: Unfortunately, this lipstick has developed an off scent so I've decided to discard it. I used up most of it anyway so it's not that big a loss.

4. Dove deep moisture body wash: I feel like this body wash is perfect for shaving especially for this time of year. It doesn't have any kind of fancy scent to it. But as its name implies, is deeply hydrating, which leaves my skin feeling soft and smooth.

5. CVS Health Intense Dry Skin Therapy Deep Repair Lotion: I would say that the title of this product can be misleading in the sense of, if you have an area where the skin is thin but very dry, it will hydrate and exfoliate that area and leave it feeling soft and smooth. However, if you have dry, cracked soles and you're looking for something to revive your feet - this isn't the product. Let me explain - I mostly use body lotions on my legs post-shaving and on the bottom of my feet twice daily because my feet tend to dry out - they rarely crack, but they can peel occasionally. For my legs, this worked perfectly, it leaves them silky smooth; but for my feet - while it did slow the growth of calluses and kept my foot skin soft overall - I found that my skin absorbed it rather quickly and then felt like it wanted more hydration or something thicker. 

6. Dr Teal's Lavender Shea Sugar Scrub: This is very strongly scented of lavender which, I'm not mad at, but it can feel intense at times. It being a sugar scrub, it's very abrasive which I prefer because its abrasion feels invigorating.

7. berkley jensen Green Tea & Cucumber baby wipes: I like to use these wipes to wipe down surfaces, especially when I'm cleaning my makeup collection. I also like them for removing swatches from when I take blog photos. These smell really nice and refreshing, I also like adding a bit of alcohol to them to make them antibacterial. 

8. CALA Eye Adore Lashes in Wispy: These lashes are pretty and have a "natural" look wherein they give the eye oomph without being too dramatic or over-the-top. That said, they take quite a few wears to mold to the eye and have the tendency to want to pop off which can make them a pain to work with.

9. Dr Teal's Pink Himalayan Salt Scrub in Glow & Radiance: Honestly, I wasn't expecting to like this scrub because many salt scrubs irritate my skin, due to them being salt based, and then shaving after using them is an unpleasant experience. Hence you'll see me using sugar scrubs instead. But that said, this left my skin feeling silky smooth, wasn't irritating at all, and smells delicious! It has a very yummy tart-sweet citrus scent. 

10. ORLY Bonder Rubberized Basecoat: While I find this to be a reliable, basic base coat, I don't particularly find that it helps my nail polish to stick on. As in, this doesn't prevent chipping and doesn't really do much for nail health either. Because my nails have the tendency to peel, I have found more nourishing base coats keep my nail polish on longer because it sticks better onto healthy nails. 

11. Isehan Kiss Me Sunkiller Perfect Water Essence Alcohol Free SPF 50+ PA++++: This is a decent sunscreen that left my skin feeling moisturized without the need for additional moisturizer underneath. However, in comparison to my beloved Biore UV Aqua Rich Water Essence SPF 50+ PA++++, this has a heavier texture that I don't like as much.

12. TRESemme Ultra Fine Hairspray: This bottle is so gigantic that I was shocked when I ran out merely because it lasts for something close to a year - and that's using it on my head daily and also using it as an anti-static spray for some of my clothes. I love that this has a touchable hold and that it doesn't leave my hair feeling sticky or crunchy. 

13. Ivon Cuticle Pusher: I purchased a three pack of these because my cuticles were starting to look raggedy and these do a really nice job of getting rid of the dead skin but I feel like they're not as invasive as literal cuticle nippers and are easier to use.

14. Ardell Professional Active Lash in Speedy: I really like how soft and natural these lashes look, they add a little length and volume without being over the top. That said, similar to many other pairs I have issues with, they really like popping off at the inner corner and it's a bit of a fight to get them to stick on there.

15. Unnamed Powder Puff: I'm unsure where this powder puff came from but all I have to say is that its overall quality was just not good. It ripped early on in use and the internal foam came out wherein I had to discard it. 

Disclaimer: I purchased all of the products mentioned above with the exception of the Sephora Collection item which I received for testing.  All opinions are my own.

January 2025 Arrivals

Ok folksickles! I'm back to replenishing on things that I'm running out of and buying mostly just necessities.

1. one+other Pro-Strength nail Polish Remover Dip: My current dip is getting super gross, isn't working too well, and is falling apart inside (meaning the plastic) so I went ahead and got a new one.

2. Duo Quick-Set Striplash Adhesive: My lash glue is getting all thick and goopy so it's time to replace it.

3.  CALA Eye Adore Lashes in Wispy: I ran out of lashes as well so I decided to pick these up. 

4. Physicians Formula Eye Booster Waterproof Ultra-Fine Liquid Eyeliner: We all know this eyeliner is my holy grail and because the one I'm currently using is drying up, I have purchased a replenishment.

5. Compliment Lychee and Peach Clay Face Mask: I'm running low on the masks I'm currently using and since I like the lavender and blueberry variant of these masks I decided to try this out.

6. Compliment Banana and Guava Clay Face Mask: I purchased this for the same reasons I purchased the mask in the lines above. 

7. Isehan KISSME Heroine Make Long UP Mascara Super WP #01 in Black: I saw something online wherein the person using this mascara said it was great at holding a curl, was separating/defining, lengthening, and gives volume so I decided to give it a try.  

8. e.l.f. Shadow Lock Eyelid Primer in Sheer: I was running out of my primer and since Alexandra Anele said she really liked this one, and it was on sale at CVS anyway, I decided to just go ahead and give it a try.

9. SENKA Perfect Whip Beauty Foam x2: I wasn't exactly running low on my cleanser but since SENKA Perfect Whip Collagen in Perfect Face Cleansing Foam is one of my absolute favorite cleansers of all time, I decided to pick these up since they were on sale. There's only one in the photograph because I forgot to photograph them both, but I bought two since it was 2 for $12. 

10. COSRX Advanced Snail Peptide Eye Cream: I was running low on my current eye cream and since I love the COSRX Snail 96 Mucin Power Essence so much and found that my current eye cream wasn't as hydrating as I'd have wanted it to be, I picked this up and am loving it so far. 

Please let me know if you have any comments or questions.

Disclaimer: I purchased everything listed above. 

November 2023 Empties

All my monthly trash on display for you to see. :P

1. UNICAT Loose Setting & Matte Finish Mineral Powder: If I'm being honest I purchased this powder because the packaging is just absolutely adorable. That said, it's a bit too matte for my liking - it didn't emphasize texture or anything like that but it gave me a finish that was more matte that I would have liked. I think this would work nicely for someone with somewhat oilier skin than me.

 

2. Disney Jasmine Storylook Palette golden sands bronzer: I have to admit that I am shocked that I used up an entire bronzer but here we are. This gave my skin a nice bronzy glow without being too intense or over the top.

3. CALA SPOOKY LASHES in Electra x2: These lashes are beautiful - I personally really love the wispy yet spiky effect that they have. That being said, I find that they like to pop off at the inner and outer corners of the eyes so they're a bit fiddly to apply.

4. Clinique Moisture Surge 72 Hour Auto-Replenishing Hydrator: I really liked how hydrating yet lightweight this moisturizer is. It really makes my skin feel plump and juicy. 

5. lune + aster Yes We Can Lip Balm: I am so sad that this balm has now come to an end because I loved it so much. This gave my lips a nice bit of moisture while also having a very soft, rosy color to it that I think worked well with nearly any eye look I did. 

6. Bath & Body Works Golden Sunflower Body Cream: This is a really nice, hydrating body cream that smells nice too. Unfortunately these have gotten too pricey for me to purchase without the semi-annual sale ,however, as I don't feel like they're worth $17/tube.

7. Soapology Dead Sea Salt Scrub in Rose: This scrub smells absolutely delicious and decadent, a truly wonderful floral experience. It's also really abrasive and scrubby just how I prefer my scrubs to be. That being said, I personally found that this is somewhat greasy and tends to leave a residue behind on everything it touches whether that's surfaces or skin which is then, in my experience, difficult to remove. Additionally, as someone who shaves, I prefer sugar scrubs mainly because when salt gets into wounds it stings in quite a prominent way and that's no fun.

8. Bath & Body Works Berry Waffle Cone Scented Candle: I'm so sad that this candle has come to and end because it smells delicious and cozy. I enjoyed burning it every night.

9. Virtue Full Conditioner: I'm genuinely sad to have used this up as the Virtue Full line is my favorite out of all the hair lines I've tried. This smells so good and leaves my hair very silky and shiny. 

10. wet n wild photofocus Eyeshadow Primer: Unfortunately, this primer dried up before I was able to use it up completely. Other than that though I think it's a fantastic primer - it helps my shadow go on smooth and wear without creasing for 8+ hours. 

11. Juvia's Place I Am Magic Concealer in J21: I absolutely love this concealer - it has good coverage, you get a lot of product so it lasts a long time, and has a glowy, skin-like finish. My only issue is that this shade is a bit too light for me as it's difficult to perfectly color match online.

12. Shop Miss A AOA Studio Dermaplaning Face Razor: I honestly realize that even though I use them for dermaplaning, I prefer using smaller brow razors because they give me better precision. This feels too large and sort of clunky. 

13. Laura Mercier Powder Puff: This is the mini size that came with the mini setting powder. I find that this works really nicely to powder my face but I've had this puff for a long time now and it's gotten quite stiff and not soft the way it once was so I believe it's time that we part ways.

Disclaimer: I purchased all of the above with the exception of the Disney, lune+aster, Soapology, and Clinique products which were gifts and/or provided for review. 

August 2023 Arrivals

Ok folksickles! Look at me for a change, pretty much only buying essentials.

1. Mini Lash Haul: So I've run out of the lashes I currently had and decided to go pick up some more. These are the ones I got:

Ardell Professional Studio Effects Wispies x4

Cala Spooky Lashes in Electra x3 - this also came with a full-size lash glue which is a plus

ProBeauty Essentials Belle of the Ball Glam Wispies Black x5

2. boscia Matcha Magic Super-Antioxidant Mask: I'm close to running out of one of my masks so, because I like matcha, I decided to give this mask a try.

3. Kose softymo Washing Foam Ceramide: If I'm honest I'm unsure why I keep purchasing these because I don't love them. I mean they do the job of cleansing and they're pretty decent but they're just not my favorite, Yet I keep purchasing different ones in hopes that maybe I'll find one I like. Alas, this is the last of the ones I'm willing to try so we'll see how it goes. 

4. Yesstyle Haul: I'm running low on most of these products/types of products so I've decided to replenish:

MIZON Multi Function Formula Snail Repair Eye Cream

MIZON Multi Function Formula Snail Repair Intensive BB Cream SPF 50+ PA+++

COSRX Snail 96 Mucin Power Essence

PURITO PLAINET SQUALANE OIL 100

VILLAGE 11 FACTORY Relax Day Foot Peeling Mask

UNICAT Loose Setting & Matte Finish Mineral Powder

MIZON Good Bye Blemish Nose Patch 

Please let me know if you have any comments or questions.

Disclaimer: I purchased everything listed above with the exception of the MIZON Nose Patch, which was a gift with purchase.