Empties #5 | Products I've Used Up + Mini Review

I really felt like I used up a bunch of products in a short amount of time, but my last empties post was almost two months ago. I'm actively trying to get rid of a bunch of things because I recently hauled a ton of stuff from Bath & Body Works and Sephora and Nordstrom during sales. When I get around to it, I'm sure I'll post a haul.

Haus of Gloi Pumpkin Butter in Ghost Puffs: I've had this little jar hanging around for two years and it was time to finish it up and get rid of it. I love the scent, but I'm trying to downsize and I wasn't even using it. I haven't ordered from Haus of Gloi in over a year because of the increasing difficulty of ordering. Would I repurchase? I would possibly consider it, but I have a couple Cocoa Pink scents that rival this one and I prefer the feel of those lotions.

Cocoa Pink Voluptuous Body Butter in Blood Orange Cotton Candy and Bing Cherry Coconut Frosting: I know I've mentioned that Cocoa Pink makes some of my favorite body butters. I've been trying to get through a few scents only because I have so many and I know some of them are starting to get old. These both moved with me and are in the older style packaging. I like both of the scents and I think they're permanent. Would I repurchase? I constantly repurchase Cocoa Pink body butters. I do prefer the Coco Mango formula, so I have more of those. I want to try other scents, so I probably won't get these again.

The Saem Snail Trio #1 Cherry Blossom: This is a hand cream from a Korean brand that I ordered from KoreaDepart with a few things over a year ago. I really liked this hand cream while it was around and the packaging is super cute, of course. Would I repurchase? Probably not, but I would definitely consider using the snail for a different lotion because it is adorable.

Paintbox Soapworks Sorbetto in Little Paper Umbrellas: I feel like it took such a long to work through this scrub. I think I was using something else in the shower until I realized that this scrub has a recommended shelf life of three months once opened and I'd been using it off and on since August. I really love Paintbox Soapworks scrubs, but they're a little on the pricey side to ship. Would I repurchase? Currently, no, but only because I just purchased two pots of scrub from Cocoa Pink and seven scrubs from Bath and Body Works. I think I have enough scrub!

Cocoa Pink Shine Sweetie Conditioner in Black Cherry Upside Down Cake: I needed to use this up because there was only a couple squirts remaining in the bottle. I prefer to use my Junkett Creme Conditioner, also from Cocoa Pink, but I didn't want to waste this conditioner. Would I repurchase? No. I like Junkett better and I'm really sick of this scent.

Benton Aloe BHA Skin Toner: This is by far my favorite toner that I've found. I think this is my third or fourth bottle of this stuff. I'm definitely going to continue purchasing this, but I know I need to use up the multiple toners I tried to replace this with. Would I repurchase? 100x yes. I still have another bottle that I'm working through, but I'm currently trying to get through a few others so I'm not moving with several extra bottles of toner that are half empty.

Missha Super Aqua Pore Correcting Toner: I was really hopeful that I would love this toner, but it was just okay. I was glad that I got it on sale, but I ended up using it to wipe down my skin after using a facial cleansing oil. Would I repurchase? On sale, probably. Otherwise, I have other toners that I like better.

Mizon All In One Snail Repair Cream: I've had this tub of cream for such a long time. There are quite a few things that I remember buying while I was in my old apartment, and this was one of them. I did really like this cream. I think it is one of my favorite products from Mizon. Would I repurchase? This is definitely something that I would like to buy again. I'm waiting until I move to place an order from Korea because I've missed the cut off date. I don't want to miss a package by chancing an order that may not arrive before we leave.

It's Skin VC Effector: This has appeared in my empties and favorites posts quite a bit. I think this is my third go around with this ampoule and I know I've talked it to death. Would I repurchase? I already have another ready to go, but I also decided to try two different varieties from the same line. I've been using those instead and I like them so far.

Hera Age Away Intensive Eye Cream: This was part of a sample box that I was trying to get through. I think I may have posted a moisturizer from the same set a few empties back. I'm trying to downsize some things before we move and I have far too many eye creams, so I started with the smallest ones. Would I repurchase? It took too long to use this up, so probably not. I have enough skincare now and I know what works for me. Hera is also a bit out of my price range.

Clinique Repairwear Laser Focus Eye Cream: I think this was a sample or a gift with purchase from Nordstrom. This is just another eye cream that I was trying to get through because it's been sitting in my cabinet for a few months. I didn't really care for this one as it tends to get this weird clumpy texture under my eyes. Would I repurchase? Nope. Not my favorite eye cream and definitely not something I love from Clinique.

Tarte Lights, Camera, Lashes! Mascara: This was a sample that I received from Sephora when I made an order around my birthday in September. I finally got around to using it a couple months ago and I hated it, so I tossed it in an old makeup bag and it dried out. I think I hated it less the more it dried up, but it still isn't a mascara I would ever buy. I have another sample from Ipsy and I'm considering just tossing it or giving away because I'm sure that one sucks too. Would I repurchase? Hell no. This is an expensive mascara and probably the worst I've ever used.

MAC Sheer Select Pressed Powder in NC5: I feel like I hit pan on this ages ago. I moved with this powder last year and we've been through a lot. After I had a bit of pan showing, I dropped it outside and the whole powder loosened around the edges. It took a couple more months of use for the entire powder to break apart. After that, I just tossed the crumbly mess and saved the compact so I can Back To MAC for a lipstick. Would I repurchase? I probably will. I had purchased a different MAC powder to replace this one back in September, but it isn't the same type of powder.

My Beauty Diary Pearl Powder Sheet Mask: This is one of those weird looking sheet masks that I use when my face needs a little extra moisture. I feel like I always forget to save the packaging for these, but I use them often enough. Would I repurchase? I went nuts and bought a ton of boxes of ten with SaSa had a huge sale last year. I don't actually need to buy any more of these.

Korres Quercetin & Oak Anti-ageing Anti-wrinkle Eye Cream: I bought this as a small add on when I made an order through All Cosmetics Wholesale at the end of the summer. It was okay. Just another eye cream that I needed to use up. I do like the tube packaging that it comes in. Would I repurchase? This was a cheap eye cream, but I feel like there are others that I like better that I would rather spend a few more dollars on instead.

Garnier Nutrisse Nourishing Color Creme in Pomegranate and Hot Tamale: This is another thing that I always throw away. I usually use Garnier when I dye my hair and these are from the last two times that I dyed my hair. I was cleaning my bathroom and these two boxes were kicking around. Would I repurchase? I used to use Hot Tamale a long time ago and Pomegranate is a color that I usually use. This time around, I'm planning on using something different. I will eventually go back to my Garnier colors though.

March Monthly Favorites

I know. I know. I haven't posted in forever. But that's okay. This is the monthly favorites post and one of the only posts a month to even matter. I think I may need to post some recent buys and I will have an empties post coming up soon.

Benton Aloe BHA Skin Toner: Oldie but a goodie. This is my favorite toner and I'm already halfway through this bottle. I think because I've been using only this toner that I might start using some others that are almost gone so that I can get rid of some things before we move.

Mario Badescu Facial Spray with Aloe, Herbs, and Rosewater: I've had this kicking around for a few months and I've used it off and on. I had been using Fix+, but I like this to take away the powdery look on my face and it's much less expensive than the MAC one. The only thing I don't care for is the strong smell, but it does go away.

Clinique Acne Solutions All-Over Clearing Treatment: I've been mixing this with my Benton Snail Bee Steam Cream that should have probably been in this post, but was forgotten. I think the benzoyl peroxide in this helps keep my skin clearer than salicylic acid.

Skinfood Milk Shake Point Makeup Remover: This is a dual phase makeup remover that I end up using daily. When I ran out of my Missha cleansing oil, I opened a new one that doesn't take off my mascara and also burns my eyes. What I've ended up doing is not even using the cleansing oil and I've just been using one cotton pad of this to take off all my makeup. I'm sadly almost out of this and may have to just try another different cleansing oil. 

Missha Super Aqua Fresh Cleansing Milk: This is not the cleansing oil I was just talking about, but it's the same thing. It doesn't take off my eye makeup at night, but it's a great waterless cleanser for the morning. I used this when my skin was really dry and I didn't want to strip it with soap. I also use this as a hand cleanser when my hands are dry since it is like a lotion.

Mario Badescu Glycolic Foaming Cleanser: I've been using this cleanser off and on since I bought it in the summer, but I really liked it this month. I felt like I had been wearing more makeup and this cleanser really deep cleans and chemically exfoliates. I try not to use it more than 2 or 3 times a week because I don't want my skin to get irritated.

Skin79 Super Plus BB Creams in Green and VIP Gold: I should have included my beautyblender again this month, but I took pictures quickly and forgot. I just want to reiterate that I'm super surprised that these are still around. I honestly don't know what I'm going to do when these both run out, so I'm not complaining. I feel like nothing else blends like these BB Creams, but I know I'm going to fall back on my Face & Body foundation in a month or so. I've also been loving the green one under my eyes because it's a lot lighter and blends really nicely under my eyes.

MAC Skin Base Visage: I keep thinking this is also going to run out. I'm waiting for my skin to be ready for a silicon based primer and have been using this for a couple months now. I really like it, so I'm not complaining. I've been putting this on immediately after my moisturizer and then waiting for everything to dry down a bit and I've been pleased with those results. 

L'Oreal Voluminous Butterfly Mascara: This mascara has been so good to me that I haven't even touched the YSL mascara I received from Influenster. I love the brush and the mascara keeps a curl without being crunchy and isn't too difficult to remove at the end of the night. I know I need to move on once I run out, but I'll definitely repurchase this at some point and see if it contends with the MUFE mascara I also loved.

theBalm Mary Lou-Manizer: I wanted to branch out on highlighters this month because I had only been using this one and the Bobbi Brown for as long as I can remember, but this sits in the front of my organizer. I really like this highlighter for when I'm feeling a strong golden look. I even wish it was a little less pigmented sometimes.

MAC Lightscapade: This is an all time favorite highlighter of mine. I had been using a lot of pink blushes, as you'll see in the next images, and this gives a beautiful pink iridescent glow. I have talked about this before, but I love it. This is the original release of Lightscapade, which gives more of a pink iridescence than the newer releases that come off more beige.

Darac Beauty Sifted Blur Complexion Perfector: I hadn't used this in a couple months and then I used it with my beautyblender to set my under eye concealer. In just a couple weeks, I hit that pan in the middle and now I'm considering purchasing a backup because the brand doesn't exist anymore. I've been setting my entire face with this powder and a damp beauty blender and it is perfection. 

MAC Golden Bronzer: I've been using Golden instead of Aphrodite's Shell because I wanted to branch out a bit and this has more apparent shimmer. You can kind of tell from the pan that the rings are starting to show, so I may end up hitting the pan on this bronzer soon. I've only ever done that with face powder and this is in limited edition packaging, so I don't know how I feel about it.

Vincent Longo La Riviera Sun Face and Body Bronzer in Beauty Sin: I was really enjoying this bronzer this month because I was trying to use other products. I don't know if this is going to be my summer color because of how light it is, but I do like how it blends and I already have a dip in the pan.

Tarte Amazonian Clay Blush in Achiote: I really love the color of this blush. It's really effortless and just a dab is all you need. The color blends really nicely into bronzer. I love all of my Tarte blushes, but I actually think this one is my favorite.

Estée Lauder Peach Nuance: I love this blush more and more whenever I use it. I feel like I would use it more if I had just ponied up the extra cash to buy this in a compact and not just a loose pan. I never regret wearing this color and the gradient makes it easier to blend. 

NARS Albatross: I hadn't touched this highlight in so long that I almost forgot what it looked like! I was really digging the yellowish sheen it gave me and it was a nice change from pink or gold.

NARS Hungry Heart: This was another highlight I reached for all month that I didn't use for a bit. I was really into glitter for part of the month and this is a really glittery highlighter. I ended up pairing it with glittery blushes because why not be overkill?

NARS Angelika: This is one of the glittery blushes I wore this month and I've talked about this color before. The color itself is really flattering and the glitter doesn't come off really strong, which is why I like pairing it with a glittery highlighter to amp it up.

NARS Super Orgasm: I haven't talked about this blush before because I've barely touched it. For some reason, I didn't think I would like it because of the chunky glitter. The glitter doesn't translate on the skin as much as it looks like it would and the color is a nice peachy pink. I really loved this blush this month, but I think I'm taking a break from the glitter bomb cheeks.

Prada Candy L'eau: I was skeptical about getting Prada Candy, but I really love the L'eau version, which is the EDT. I wore this scent a ton this month and I only ordered it in the beginning of the month. I'm surprised by how much is gone and this is only a 2.7oz bottle. I may need to cool it on this scent and use others. I've been trying to wear them all evenly, but who am I kidding?

Burberry Brit Sheer: Burberry Brit was another scent I saw everyone raving about, but I didn't care for the notes. The Sheer version, however, was another thing. I really love this scent. It's crisp, clean, and fruity without being overkill on the sweet or smelling like laundry. This was another scent I wore a ton this month.

Marc Jacobs Lola: I'm still on the fence, but I might like Lola more than Oh, Lola! and that's saying something. I originally bought Oh, Lola! in the 3.2oz because I thought I would love it. I do like the scent, but I bought Lola in the smaller 1.7oz bottle because I didn't think I would like her as much if at all. I read reviews saying that if you liked Lola, you wouldn't like Oh, Lola!, so that worried me. I ended up buying this smaller bottle used on eBay, like with Oh, Lola! However, I ended up loving Lola and wore it a ton this month.

DKNY Be Delicious Fresh Blossom: I think I may have mentioned it somewhere, but I actually prefer Fresh Blossom to the Red Delicious that I bought a couple months back. I wore this at the end of February and through March. I really like that it has the perfect balance between being sweet and floral and this actually happens to be one of the scents I get complimented on the most at work.

February Monthly Favorites

I wasn't prepared to do this post, obviously. I threw away one of my favorite products because it was empty and completely forgot to include one of the blushes I wore all month. Oh well. It's not super important. The world won't end because I don't want to take more pictures of my things. Besides, I feel like most of these things are repeats anyway. 

Missha Pomegranate Fermented Cleansing Foam: I bought this during the Missha Thanksgiving sale, but I tried to use up the chocolate cleansing foam first. I went back and forth with those these month and I really liked this cleanser.

Benton Aloe BHA Skin Toner: This is my holy grail toner. My only problem is that sometimes it is difficult to get at a good price on eBay and the shipping takes a few weeks. I usually have to order something else with this in order to get a good deal, which is what I ended up doing this time around. This toner has been absent from my skincare because I've been trying out other ones, but I always go back to this one.

Benton Snail Bee High Content Essence: Another one of my favorite Benton products. Benton makes really nice skincare with great active ingredients that usually aren't found in American products. I use this after my daytime ampoule for a little added moisture. I really like this in the summer because it's nice and lightweight.

Missha Time Revolution Night Repair Science Activator Ampoule: I feel like this has been a staple in my favorites posts. This is my holy grail ampoule and night treatment and I will always repurchase and currently have a backup ready to go just in case I run out.

It's Skin Power 10 VC Effector: I love this stuff, but I feel like every time I post about it that my bottle is almost empty. I've gone through almost two of them and I just ordered another and two different varieties from the same line. My bottles don't last as long as the Missha Time Revolution and sometimes I don't even use this every day.

Mizon Returning Starfish Cream: This is a new item that I haven't posted about before. I bought this to replace my Tony Moly cream that I had been raving about. This cream is nice and thick, but feels like a gel when you rub it in. I really like the texture and my skin hasn't been flaky since I started using this on a nightly basis. 

Skin79 Super Plus BB Creams in Green and VIP Gold: I've been using these two BB Creams again all month. I'm actually starting to get worried that I'm going to run out soon. I hate that you can't tell how much is left, but compared to another one from this brand that I don't use as often, they're starting to feel lighter. I might start mixing these with something else.

MAC Skin Base Visage: I've really been enjoying this lately, but I think there's another primer that I want to start using instead. I just dug through some makeup that I forgot existed, so I might try to rotate some things. I noticed that this makes my foundation or BB cream pill up a bit if I don't let my moisturizer set under the primer or even let the primer set. It does work pretty well though, and I think it's almost gone.

Maybelline Instant Age Rewind Dark Circle Eraser: I've been going back and forth with this concealer, but it's my favorite. I haven't included this in a favorites post for a couple months because I've been trying new things, but I keep going back to this because it blends perfectly.

Skinfood Salmon Dark Circle Concealer: This is one of the other concealers I've been going back and forth over. It really depends on how long it takes to do my makeup. If I have time to really let my moisturizer set in and then apply primer and foundation and then let that dry down, then I'll use this. I actually prefer the coverage and color of this concealer to the Maybelline, but that one is lower maintenance and it blends better. This is just so creamy that sometimes and blends away my foundation and I'm left with a ring of blotchy concealer around my eye area and it looks bad. 

beautyblender Sponge: I've been loving my beauty blenders even more now that I've been setting my makeup with them. I've always dipped the point into powder and set my under eye area, but lately I've been dabbing my entire face with a beauty blender covered in powder. I found that sometimes I didn't hit all the areas I needed to set with a brush and that my foundation would do this weird peeling thing if I half assed it with my setting powder.

For these, I'll be going clockwise starting at 12 o'clock and ending in the center.

theBalm Mary Lou-Manizer: I can't stop with the golden highlights. I feel like I'm really going to be using this one and the Bobbi Brown one all summer too. Sometimes this can be a little heavy if I use the wrong brush, but this highlighter looks so good with a light hand.

Bobbi Brown Shimmer Brick in Copper Diamond: I've been using this nonstop since I purchased this around the holidays. I'm so glad I love this as much as I do because it was definitely a pretty penny. I love this highlighter so much and I really hope that Bobbi Brown releases other nice ones so I can add another one to my lineup.

MAC Adored Mineralize Skinfinish: When I wasn't feeling a golden highlight, I would spring for this powder. This skinfinish gives a opalescent pink glow and I really liked using it in conjunction with Pink Sprinkles, which is the pink MAC blush included in this picture.

MAC Extra Dimension Bronzer in Aphrodite's Shell: I think I've used this pretty much consistently since purchasing it almost a year ago. I really like this color for a pale girl bronzer, although I do tend to use a darker color in the summer. I think I'll be using this for a couple more months and transition into a darker bronzer color.

MAC Pink Sprinkles: Originally, I bought the other Simpsons blush color because I liked the packaging, but I did want this one too. I'm glad I got both blushes because the other one will be a nice color in the summer, but this one is nice year round. I'm really finding that I love the blushes I've purchased and I enjoy rotating them every month.

Estée Lauder Nude Nuance: I didn't use this blush after slipping it into a palette because I broke it when I was taking it out of the plastic clam shell packaging. I was so pissed that I just really never used it. Well, I love blush. It's definitely the shade that I've been loving, like the NARS blush below that I've been using. 

NARS Luster: I've really been loving this blush from the Joie De Vivre palette. This shade is one of those that looks like nothing in the pan but really transforms on your cheeks. I was going to reach for Angelika, which is one of my favorites and right next to this one, but I reconsidered. Then I found that I wanted to use this blush instead of trying something new.

Versace Bright Crystal Absolu: This has been my favorite perfume since I purchased this bottle. I feel like I've already put a little dent in the bottle, so I may try to use different scents during the next month. I've accumulated so many because I have a problem, so that won't be difficult. I'm going to try to use my other fragrances because I don't want to run out of this one! 

Escada Moon Sparkle: I've also been loving this scent. It's so nice and fruity, but it doesn't last as long as I'd like. I feel like I've also made a dent in this one, too, so I might try to avoid wearing this one too and save it for summer.

Vera Wang Princess: I'm actually shocked how much I've used of this perfume already. I didn't realize that I wore it nonstop this month after finally getting my bottle. I can't believe it took me so long to finally purchase a full size bottle and I also keep a small atomizer of purple liquid to touch up. I love this so much, but I don't think of it as a summery scent, so I don't think I'll wear it once it starts warming up. We'll see! Maybe I won't avoid this perfume and see what happens, considering I've already worn it once in March already!

Empties #4 | Products I've Used Up + Mini Review!

I didn't want to hoard my trash for as long as I did last time. It's easier to do empties posts if there aren't quite as many things to talk about. 

Mizon Snail Repair Intensive Ampoule: I used to use this as my day ampoule, just like the other Mizon one that I featured in my last empties post. I prefer the snail one to the collagen one, but I will probably continue to purchase the It's Skin one because I like that one the best. Would I repurchase? No, not right now. Maybe at some point.

Tony Moly Intense Care Snail Cream: I talked about this in a couple past favorites posts. I'm glad that I finally used it up because it was getting old. There's also a companion eye cream that came in the set that I should also think about using up. This was a really thick and moisturizing cream that really saved my dry and flaky skin this winter. Would I repurchase? As much as I loved it, I don't think so. There's other creams that I've purchased that I like just as much.

Missha Flower Bouquet Skin Fresh Cleansing Oil in Cherry Blossom: I loved this from the second that I bought it. I got this during the Missha Thanksgiving sale, so it definitely lasted a pretty long time. I haven't decided which new cleansing oil to try next, but Missha can do no wrong when it comes to cleansers. Would I repurchase? Definitely. I want to use up other ones before I do, though. Probably next big sale Missha has.

Benton Snail Bee High Content Essense: This is my second or third empty bottle of this product. Benton produces some really nice skincare products that aren't too expensive that have great ingredients in them. This is probably one of my favorites. I use this in the day and night after my ampoule. Would I repurchase? I already have a new one going, but I'll definitely get another when that one starts getting low because I have to order internationally.

It's Skin Power 10 VC Effector: I wish I could find a larger size bottle of this ampoule. I don't think this lasts as long as my Missha one, which is 50mL compared to 30mL. I probably should have considered buying two of them. This is the best ampoule that I've found for daytime that has gotten me over Missha discontinuing the one from their Near Skin line. Would I repurchase? Already have another one. I'm thinking of trying out a different one than the VC, but also ordering one of those as well and keeping stocked on ampoules.

ElishaCoy Vita Capsule Cleanser: This used to be my favorite cleanser when I first started using Korean products. I would go through spurts where I would use it a ton and then stop because I didn't want to use it up. Well, that's dumb. I knew that I would need to finish it at some point, so I did. I still really like this cleanser, but there are others that I also like. Would I repurchase? Maybe at some point, but I have so many cleansers that I need to use up first.

Holika Holika Pig Nose Clear Black Head Strip: Nothing special here. This is just a pore strip for your nose that is supposed to pull out blackheads. I've had a box of these lying around for a while, so I figured I should maybe use one. Would I repurchase? Probably not. I have a ton of nose strips because I bought this box of ten and a box from another brand.

Alpha Hydrox Retinol ResQ: I was confused as to how I was out of this already because there was another tube in my last empties, but that's because I went from doing one empties post in November to the next in January! I use this nightly, so I think that's why I managed to polish off two tubes. Would I repurchase? I actually bought a Neutrogena retinol instead this time just so my skin would get too used to this one. I haven't used the Neutrogena for long enough to decide if I like it better.

beautyblender sponge: Look at this thing. It's gross. Obviously I didn't wash it because I was just going to throw it away after cutting it in half to make sure it didn't have any mold in the center. I saw someone talking about how since these sponges harbor bacteria and stay damp that they can mold. I was curious. I've had this sponge since I think September or October, so I figured it was time to let go. Not too far into using this sponge, it tore near the bottom. That was me squeezing foundation out of it and being too rough with my nails. Lesson learned. I love beautyblenders. I don't apply my makeup with anything else. Would I repurchase? I did buy a two pack, so I have another that I'm currently using and I ended up buying a second two pack during a beauty.com sale so I plenty of beautyblenders.

Bath & Body Works candles in Twisted Peppermint, Frosted Cranberry, Winter Candy Apple, and Fresh Sparkling Snow: I really like Bath & Body Works candles. It really annoys me that you can never 100% burn the candle because the wick only lasts so long. Fresh Sparkling Snow was my favorite scent and it had the best throw. I really wish they made other products in this scent, but they don't. I thought they would because Twisted Peppermint has a bunch of lotions and body care things. Would I repurchase? I just bought a bunch of summer candles, so yes. If these scents are available next year, I'll definitely get Fresh Sparkling Snow and possible Twisted Peppermint.

Empties #3 | Products I've Used Up + Mini Review

Wow! It's been forever since I've done an empties post. I think I may even have a couple more things that I missed, but I can't find them. I know I have a few more things on the way out, so maybe I'll motivate myself to do another empties post sooner next time.

Mizon Collagen 100 Ampoule: After Missha discontinued the ampoule that I used during the day, I turned to Mizon for this one. I definitely don't like it as much as the Missha one, but this was okay. It's a little thin and can be high maintenance if I don't let my toner dry down a bit. Would I repurchase? No. I've tried another Mizon ampoule and that one was better, but I've found my new Holy Grail daily ampoule so I won't be buying any other Mizon ones.

Secret Key Multi Cell Night Repair Ampoule: This was the ampoule I decided to try for nighttime when I was running low on my Missha one. I do really like this as a cheaper alternative, but as long as I have the Missha one, I won't be reaching for this one. It's a good thing I used it up or the bottle would just be sitting there. Would I repurchase? Sure I would. But not until I can't get Missha Time Revolution on sale or at all.

Missha Time Revolution Night Repair Science Activator Ampoule: This is an actual Holy Grail product of mine. I'm on my third bottle and I have a fourth ready to go when that's gone. I use this every night and I'm so glad I bought two during the last sale. Would I repurchase? I feel like this is a no brainer. Of course. I'll be so sad if this is ever discontinued.

PDC Naturina Aloe Essence Toner: I was in the market to try out some new toners, so I ordered a bunch a few months back from SaSa. I did end up using this mainly to take off my cleansing oils in the end because this was nothing special. It was cheap, so there's that. Would I repurchase? I might. This was pretty cheap when I bought it, so it was a good toner to just use with cleansing oils to take off my makeup. It is currently not for sale on SaSa right now, though.

Nature Republic Soothing & Moisture Aloe Vera 90% Toner: I did really like this toner. I go through a lot of toner because I use it a few times a day. This one was cheap on SaSa and I like Nature Republic as a brand. Would I repurchase? Maybe. I still have a ton of toners to use up right now.

Hera Age Away Intensive Cream: This cream is from a set of sample size products from Hera that I ordered on eBay. I liked this cream for nighttime, but it's definitely not something worth the price point. ($103 from KoreaDepart) Would I repurchase? Hera isn't my favorite luxury Korean brand and this cream definitely isn't worth that much money to me. I probably wouldn't even buy a small size again on eBay.

Etude House Collagen Moistfull Firming Eye Cream: This is the eye cream version of the cream from my last empties post. This was a nice cream, but I feel like I have better eye creams with more benefits. Would I repurchase? No. I have eye creams that I like more than this one.

Alpha Hydrox Retinol ResQ: This is just my nightly retinol treatment. Nothing fancy to see here. I do like this, but I feel like other retinols that I've used almost sting my skin so I feel like they work better. Would I repurchase? I'm almost out of another tube, which I think is my third or fourth from this brand. I may switch back to Roc, Neutrogena, or StriVection, but I haven't decided yet.

Skinfood Peach Sake Silky Finish Powder: I feel like I've been using this powder forever and I thought I would never run out. The container is large for a loose powder, especially when you compare it to the Innisfree one that is next to it. I really liked this for all over my face, especially under my eyes. This just made my face feel so smooth and nice. Would I repurchase? I probably will at some point, but I've been really loving my Innisfree powder right now and I don't need both.

Paintbox Soapworks Avast! Sorbetto: I feel like this sucker lasted for a long time, but I did lose it after vacation. This is my favorite scent from Paintbox Soapworks, so I'm always bummed that it is only available in the summer. I love the Sorbetto scrubs. They're the best. Would I repurchase? Yes. I'll always repurchase this scent and I'll definitely keep buying the scrubs.

Cocoa Pink Coco Mango Body Butter in Hearts on Fire Gelato: This was the first body butter from Cocoa Pink that I ever used. My first purchase totally won me over this company, which is why I own so many body butters. This is just one of the best smelling lotions I've ever used. It's a hazelnut gelato scent that has a touch of espresso in it. Would I repurchase? This is one of those things where I want to say yes, but I do have so many body butters that I need to use up more of them before I repurchase certain scents. I wouldn't be opposed to buying a conditioner in this particular scent though.

Cocoa Pink Argan Therapy Creme in Black Cherry Upside Down Cake: I never remember if I like the Argan Therapy Creme or Shine Sweetie better. Both conditioners are pretty nice. This scent was sampled to me in a past order and I liked it so much that I ordered conditioner and shampoo in the same scent. Would I repurchase? I grew tired of the scent, so no on that. I also decided that I like the Junkett Creme Conditioner better, so also no.

Innisfree No-Sebum Mineral Powder: This is my favorite translucent setting powder at the moment. I'd really have to think about whether I like it better than my Skinfood one, but they both do the job. This powder is finely milled and has a really scent to it. Would I repurchase? Yes. I'm already on a new jar.

My Beauty Diary Strawberry Yogurt Amino Acid Cleanser: This used to be my favorite cleanser and I would use it every morning. It smells so nice and I really liked that it has small exfoliating beads in it. The only downside is that it's in a tub and that it doesn't lather well with my Clarisonic. Would I repurchase: I want to say yes, but I don't think I'll end up buying this again. I have so many cleansers to use up and I've found others that I like better.

Alpha Hydrox AHA Souffle: I feel like I go through this product quite a bit. I know there was another tube in my last empties post. I had been using this chemical exfoliator twice a day, but my skin is a bit drier now that it's winter. I've been using it just at night right now. Would I repurchase? Absolutely. I'm actually trying to figure out which online retainer to order my next tube from.

Benton High Content Steam Cream: I love this cream so much. It makes me a little oily in the warmer weather, but it's perfect for winter. I used to pair it with all my other Benton products, but I've been out of a few of those for some time now. I'm just getting around to reordering all my favorites. Would I repurchase? There's already a tube of this on the way to me as I type this.

MAC Face and Body Foundation in N1: I think you already know that this foundation has been my favorites for months. This is also the first foundation that I've ever completely used up. Enough said. Would I repurchase? There's already another bottle in my makeup cabinet, but I won't be using it until my skin is less dry.

Make Up For Ever Smoky Extravagant Mascara: This was such a nice mascara. I was totally suckered in by the brush and I fell in love. I feel like this might be the best high end mascara that I've used so far. Would I repurchase? I know I said that I would never buy this, but a small tube is $12 and I think I can swing that. I do want to use up a few more mini mascaras first.

Versace Bright Crystal Absolu: I don't like getting perfume samples. I have a ton of them from online orders and I hardly ever smell them, never mind use them. Well, Shaun was going to buy me perfume for Christmas and I didn't have an accurate answer for him on what I might like, so I broke into my sample drawer. This was the only one that I liked and I used the hell out of it this past month. Would I repurchase? I went back and forth on that answer when I decided that I liked it. A full 3oz bottle is a whopping $110 on Sephora and department stores, but I did find a really good deal through Overstock.com. Spoiler alert. I bought it.

My Beauty Diary Sheet Masks in Strawberry Yogurt and Pearl Powder: I should use these masks more. My skin really needs the extra moisture in the winter and I love putting on sheet masks. It's like marinating your face in serum. Would I repurchase? I have a box each of these masks and a two more boxes of different ones. I won't need to buy more any time soon.

Tony Moly Egg Pore Nose Pack: I just really felt the need to use a pore strip at one point. I know there's a couple more empty packages somewhere, but I may have thrown those away. I got this one in one my eBay orders, but I have other brands that work just the same. Would I repurchase? Maybe. I have a billion different pore strips and don't need to buy any right now.

December Monthly Favorites

I feel like I didn't really have a lot of favorites this month. Part of that is because I didn't really pay attention to which blush colors I was using due to the fact that I was trying to rotate my NARS colors. I have a good idea of the colors I ended up reaching for even during rotation, but nothing truly stood out to me this month. Because of that, I just added a ton of cropped blush pictures from all the ones I loved this month.

Missha Flower Bouquet Skin Fresh Cleansing Oil in Cherry Blossom: This cleansing oil has seriously changed my life. I'm not even exaggerating a little bit. My makeup comes off so much faster with this than a makeup wipe or even makeup remover. This takes off everything. I just rub two to three pumps of oil all over my face and eyes and use a cotton round to take it off. The best part? My eyelashes. I seriously think this has made them a little longer and thicker because I have less issues with them now.

Missha Super Aqua Pore Correcting Toner and Super Aqua Hydrating Toner: I've used this interchangeably for most of the month. Generally I use the pore one at night and hydrating one in the morning. I like both of them. They're not my holy grail toner, which I will at some point repurchase when I use more toners up, but I do like them and my face feels clean and not stripped when I use them.

Missha Creamy Latte Chocolate Cleansing Foam: This is so good. So good. It smells great and my skin never feels tight after washing my face. I hope Missha isn't discontinuing this because it's no longer on the website. I think that could be because of the large and long sale they just had because many things aren't on the site right now.

Tony Moly Intense Care Snail Cream: I have a decent skin type. When the weather is normal, so is my skin. I don't feel like I'm oily or dry in any spots. Until December and winter roll around and all of a sudden it's like, fuck you! You're dry! Dry, dry, dry. Patches of dry skin. All the dry skin. Mostly around my mouth area and mostly a couple hours after I've applied makeup. The dryness is still happening, but this cream has definitely toned it down.

Cocoa Pink Junkett Cream Conditioner in Caramel Popcorn Balls: Holy crap this stuff is amazing. My shower smells great while I'm deep conditioning my hair, which is never a bad thing. I usually leave this on for at least 10-15 minutes while I shower and shave. Next time Cocoa Pink has a sale, I'm skipping the other conditioner I used to buy and just getting this. Way worth the money.

Mentholatum Acnes Cleanser: This cleanser is from a SaSa order I placed maybe a month or two back. I really like this cleanser, although I started using it less when I got the Missha cleanser. I use this when I feel like I might need a little extra from my skincare and this don't smell like some cleansers can.

Missha Time Revolution Night Repair Science Activator Ampoule: This is my holy grail night serum, which I think I've mentioned before. This just works for me, I don't know how else to really explain. It's great. I'll continue to buy multiples when Missha has sales and I'll pretty much cry if they discontinue this.

It's Skin Power 10 VC Effector: I've been using this daily as my morning serum. It has vitamin C for brightening, which is definitely something I need in the winter. It also makes my skin feel moisturized without feeling sticky, which is also something I need in the winter. It doesn't hurt that this smells really nice and citrusy.

Benton Snail Bee High Content Steam Cream: This is definitely one of my yearly favorites and the wear and tear on the tub shows. Along with my Tony Moly cream, this is one of my most moisturising products. I'm almost out and I need another, but the packaging changed to a tube. I get that it's more hygienic, but I feel better knowing that I can scrape every last bit out of a tub and get my money's worth.

beautyblender Sponge: I feel like this isn't a surprise any more. I've replaced my Real Techniques sponge with the real deal and I'm not going back. I've been rotating these two blenders, even though I managed to tear the bottom of one of them. I still have another two pack from a sale, but I feel like these will probably last at least a couple more months. I've been using only a beauty blender to apply my foundation, concealer, and under eye powder.

Smashbox Photofinish Foundation Primer: I've really used only this primer since I bought it a few months back. Every so often, I'll use the drugstore equivalent one that I have but it just isn't the same. 

Make Up For Ever Smoky Extravagant Mascara: This isn't actually as expensive as I thought. I considered buying it when I last shopped Sephora online, but I have so many other mascara sample sizes that I need to get through first. The travel size is $12 and is more than half the size of the full one, so I'd consider it.

NYX Butter Lip Balm in Parfait: I got this in my Ipsy from December and I've used this since I got it. I don't really wear this out as a color, but more as just a balm. I like using this at night because it's thicker and more moisturizing. The color is nice, but I usually just wear lipstick if I'm going somewhere and this is too colored if I don't have makeup on.

Maybelline Instant Age Rewind Dark Circle Eraser: I think I may be out of things to say about this concealer. I almost want to switch this out, but I just love it so much.

MAC Face and Body Foundation in N1: This is the first foundation I've ever had to repurchase. That's saying a lot. Look. There's nothing left. I can't even believe it. Sadly, even though I just bought another bottle, I think I may need to shift this to the backburner because my skin is getting too dry to wear this.

theBalm Mary-Lou Manizer: I finally got this highlighter and it was one of the three I didn't put down this month. It's so pigmented that I actually needed to sheer it out a bit and apply with a nice fluffy brush. This golden color is what I've been loving lately.

Bobbi Brown Shimmer Brick in Copper Diamond: Another highlighter I've been using all month. I've been lusting after this forever and I finally bought it in early December. I'm beyond pleased with my first Shimmer Brick and I'm sure I'll end up getting another if the color looks right to me. This is even more pigmented than Mary-Lou, so I had to use a light hand with it.

Tarina Tarantino Neopolitan Lane Blush: I bought this a few months ago and loved it. Then I forgot about it until I used it one day and I kept using it this month. It's one of those colors that looks blah in the pan but really looks nice on your face.

MAC Extra Dimension Bronzer in Aphrodite's Shell: Yep. Back to this little babe. I can't help it. This is my perfect bronzer shade, especially when I don't have time to blend out NARS Laguna. I hope I never run out or that MAC releases this again.

NARS Laguna Bronzer: When I wasn't using Aphrodite's Shell, I was using this. I use Laguna when I want to contour or when I want a more bronzed look. This is my larger pan of Laguna from the Virtual Domination palette, but I also have two smaller pans in my Joie De Vivre and Guy Bourdin palettes.

Tarte Amazonian Clay Blush in Bashful: This Tarte blush got a lot of use this month because I really wanted to use my holiday palette. I didn't neglect the palette on purpose, but I did have a ton of NARS blushes to use last month.

Tarte Amazonian Clay Blush in Embraced: This is a little darker than I remembered it being, so this blush ended up being more high maintence. I really like the way it ends up looking, though, so I keep reaching for it.

NARS Gaiety/Mistinguette: Two different blushes in two different palettes, but they look the same. This is actually Mistinguette from Guy Bourdin, but I've been using Gaiety from the Joie De Vivre palette also and it looks the same.

NARS Angelika: This one again. I really like this blush more than I thought I would. I initially thought this was going to be my least favorite in the blush palettes because of the glitter, but it doesn't come off really strong on the cheeks. Perfect.

NARS Devotee: And the last highlighter I've been using all month. Love it. I brought the Guy Bourdin palette with me on vacation and I really only used this highlighter that week. I'm loving the NARS highlighters.