January Favorites

'Favorites' posts/videos discuss the products (and other misc things) you loved for that month. The products can either be purchased that month or (old) 'rediscovered' items. Favorites are published at the end of the current month or at the beginning of the following month. 

beauty favorites

BECCA Powder Highlighter in Opal
This highlight powder has been on my wishlist for a few months. Brad got it for me for Christmas and I haven't stopped using it since. It gives the most perfect sheen and isn't chalky at all.

FAGE Total 0% Raspberry Greek Yogurt
In general, I'm not a huge fan of yogurt but I know it has a lot of benefits. Most regular yogurt always contains too much sugar for my liking. I like plain greek yogurt with toppings (granola, fruit, etc.) but I can never eat a full container of yogurt before it goes bad. These single cups always on sale for $1.00 at Kroger. I decided to give them a try. I tried about five flavors and raspberry has been my favorite so far. I like how it's the perfect amount and the bendable cup is genius. I've been eating this and Sunchips for lunch most of the month.

KOR Aura Water Bottle
This was in the Birchbox 'Sweat the Small Stuff' gift set that I gave Brad for Christmas. This water bottle has been on my wishlist for over a year. So of course, I wanted it for myself. The design is so sleek. The mouth opening is a perfect fit and makes it easy to take big gulps without spilling water all over the place. The carry lid is an awesome touch too. I'm considering buying a second one and donating all of my other water bottles.

OPI My Paprika is Hotter Than Yours
This is a perfect orange-red shade. I think it would look great on all skin tones. I wore it most of the month.

Oribe Dry Texturizing Spray
I am so obsessed with this stuff. It's part dry shampoo, part texturizing spray, and has the best smell. I'm definitely buying a full size when this runs out. I'm looking forward to trying more Oribe products, too!

highlighters & water bottles,
-Kaitlyn


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Empties #7

New Years Resolution/#100daysofempties
I'm the opposite of a hoarder when it comes to everything except for beauty products. I'm constantly selling or donating things - especially clothes. But when it comes to makeup, I never want to part with it and that means never using it in its entirety. This is probably for many reasons, but three come to mind: (1) Makeup never holds its value unless it's a rare or limited edition item - so it has no resale value. (2) High-end cosmetics are expensive. (For example, when I'm at the end of my $90 perfume, I should want to use it up. But I want to 'save' it for a special occasion. So I don't have to repurchase it.) (3) I hoard samples for when I 'travel' - I travel maybe 10 days of the year so you can see the dilemma. I'm sure there are other factors, but this three are the main things.

Needless to say, I'm drowning in cosmetics. I shouldn't have to buy mascara or shampoo for a year. A few months ago, I discovered @beautyempties on Instagram, the founder of #100daysofempties. Through her Instagram page and other users joining along, I really felt inspired to participate.

I decided my main New Years Resolutions would be to destash/quit hoarding beauty products and reduce the amount of money I spend on cosmetics. The goal of #100daysofempties is to finish 100 products in 100 days. Basically, one product a day for 100 days. To go along with that, @beautyempties also introduced a no-buy challenge: #oneemptyonedollar. For every empty you complete, no matter the cost of that empty, adds $1 to your beauty budget.

Every week or two, I will be sharing the products I used up on Instagram with a mini review. At the end of the month, I will post my normal Empties post here with all products I finished that month and a more in-depth review.

My ultimate goal is to finish 100 products by April 11th and spend no more than $100 on beauty products. I'm not a big fan of single-use foil packets, so reaching this date may be a bigger challenge for me. Even I don't reach the date, I plan to still complete 100 products on my own timeline.

Spending exclusions: I am not counting 'necessary' staples - like skincare items, hygiene items, etc in my beauty budget. I am not counting Birchbox or Walmart Beauty Box in my beauty budget, as I purchased these subscriptions last year. I am not counting candles in my beauty budget or 100 products since I categorize these as a 'home' expense, but I will still list them in my empties posts, since I've mentioned them in the past. Gift cards and Birchbox points do not count in my beauty budget.

beauty empties


Empties:
Anastasia Brow Wiz in Caramel
This is a holy grail product for me; I won't continue to rave. The fine tip makes filling in your brows so easy. On the downside,.003 oz for $21 is ridiculous; I'm hoping to find an alternative.

Blistex Medicated Lip Balm
This was my holy grail lip balm, but the dermatologist said stay away because it does more harm than good. I haven't noticed my lips getting any better or worse since I've stopped using it.

Caudalie Vinosource Sorbet
(sample) I think I got this in a Caudalie sample set. I really liked this at night time.  I'm contemplating buying the full size.

Clinique Take the Day off makeup remover
This is a holy grail product for me; I won't continue to rave.

Crest 3D White Luxe Glamorous White Toothpaste in Vibrant Mint
This is a holy grail product for me; I won't continue to rave. It doesn't tremendously help with whitening, but I really like the flavor.

Dial Crystal Breeze Antiperspirant & Deodorant
I used this until my UK Nivea deodorant arrived; I got tired of the scent halfway through. It worked pretty good; the scent just clashed with other products.

Dr. Jart + Pore Minimalist Black Charcoal Sheet Mask
I received this in my Birchbox. I'm a big fan of sheet masks. But I didn't really notice a difference after using this one. My face felt kind of sticky (you're not supposed to wash it off) after removing it.

Gillette Venus & Olay Razor Cartridge (2)
This is a holy grail product for me; I won't continue to rave.

Laura Geller GlamLASH Dramatic Volumizing Mascara
(sample) I really liked this, especially at the end when it thickened up a bit. I might purchase the full size.

Lierac Demaquillant Douceur 
(sample) This is cleansing water, similar to Bioderma. I used this as an eye makeup remover, it was effective and didn't cause any irritation but I just prefer other removers.

Maybelline Dream Wonder Powder 
(sample) I received this sample in my Walmart Beauty Box. I heard good things about this powder and was looking forward to trying it out. The color was too dark for me and I didn't really care for the consistency.

Neutrogena Makeup Remover Cleansing Towelettes (2)
(25 ct) This is a holy grail product for me; I won't continue to rave.

Nexxus Color Assure Conditioner
This was the only conditioner my roommate ever used. I found a $7 off coupon in a magazine and decided to give this a try. This smelled nice and was pretty moisturizing but it made no major difference in my hair. I probably won't repurchase it.

Pantene Aqua Light Clean Rinse Shampoo
I'm so happy to see this finally go. I purchased it on a whim because it was on clearance. I felt like it dried my hair out super bad. I will not be repurchasing.

Soap & Glory Hand Food
(travel size) This was the perfect purse size. This worked good and smelled great. I will probably repurchase in the future.

Seche Vite Dry Fast Top Coat
This is a holy grail product for me; I won't continue to rave.

Shu Umera Cleansing Oil Shampoo 
(sample) This smelled nice but it made my hair feel kind of dried out.

Swisspers Cotton Rounds
(100 ct) Cotton rounds are a necessary staple for me. This brand is high-quality compared to others; I feel like I use less of these than generic ones because they don't rip.

Vasanti BrightenUp! Enzymatic Face Rejuvenator 
(sample) I really liked this exfoliant: I'm considering buying the full size with my Birchbox points!

candles

Candles:
Bath & Body Works Cardamom & Suede 
(3-wick) I really liked this scent, I didn't realize it was a winter scent until it was too late... I should've stocked up! I hope it comes back around next year.

Bath & Body Works Cranberry Pear Bellini
(3-wick) This is my favorite Winter scent. I purchase one or two every year.

Bath & Body Works Merry Mistle Toe 
(mini) I got this as a freebie a few years ago and kept forgetting to use it at Christmas. This is a good holiday scent. Mini candles are perfect for small bathrooms.

Ikea Tindra 
(single wick) This was one of Brad's candles. I didn't really care for the scent. The candle burned unevenly, too. I wasn't impressed with my first Ikea candle.

Trapp White Fir 
(single wick) Brad's mom gave us this for Christmas. I burned it immediately. This candle made the whole house smell awesome. It's a good holiday scent. I'm looking forward to trying more Trap candles.

Totals:
#100daysofempties totals: I've completed 21 products in 33 days.
#oneemptyonedollar totals: $5.04 remains in my beauty budget.

resolutions & empties,
-Kaitlyn

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2014 Beauty Favorites

Happy 2015! I'm excited to bring you my annual favorites for a FIFTH year! It was neat to look back on my favorites from 2010, 2011, 2012, & 2013, then compare them with the products I've used (or continued using) this year.

(The products marked with - means it is a type of product that I do not use, or I just didn't find a miracle product for the year.)

These are all products I have used continuously throughout the year.  I have repurchased most of these or I will in the future.  I have recommended them to friends and family, and I recommend them to you.

beauty favorites

Makeup
Blush: Tarte Amazonian Clay 12-Hour Blush in Tipsy
Bronzer: Benefit Cosmetics Hoola
Brush: Sigma F35 Tapered Highlighter
Concealer: Maybelline Instant Age Rewind Eraser Dark Circles Concealer Treatment
Eyebrows: Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Wiz in Caramel
Eyelash Curler: -
Eyeliner: Kat Von D Tattoo Liner
Eyeshadow: Urban Decay Naked 2 Palette
Eyeshadow Primer/Base: NARS Smudge Proof Eyeshadow Base
Foundation: -
Highlight: Urban Decay Naked 2 Palette - shade: Bootycall
Lipgloss: -
Lipstick: Revlon Lip Butter in Pink Truffle
Mascara: Maybelline The Rocket Volum' Express
Powder: -
Tool: Beautyblender

High-End Brand: Urban Decay
Drugstore Brand: Maybelline

Body
Bath Product: LUSH Sex Bomb Bath Bomb
Body Exfoliator: LUSH Ocean Salt Facial & Body Scrub
Body Lotion: Coconut Oil
Cuticle Cream: Dr. Lipp Original Nipple Balm for Lips
Nail polish: German-i-cure by OPI
Top Coat Polish: Seche Vite Dry Fast Top CoatNail Tool: Glass Nail Files
Nail Polish Remover: Zoya Remove Plus
Fake Tanner: -
Foot Cream: Coconut Oil
Hand Cream: Soap & Glory Hand Food
Perfume: Stella by Stella McCartney
Shower Gel: -
Soap: Dove Sensitive Skin
Teeth Whitening: Plus White 5 Minute Maximum Whitening Speed Gel

Haircare
Conditioner: Joico K-Pak
Electrical: Clairol Hot Rollers
Hair Dye: -
Hairspray: -
Dry Shampoo: Oribe Dry Texturizing Spray
Mask: Macadamia Deep Repair Masque
Miracle Product: It's a 10 Miracle Leave-In Spray
Shampoo: -
Tool: The Wet Brush

Skincare
Exfoliator: Dr. Brandt Microdermabrasion Exfoliating Cream
Eye Product: -
Cleanser/Makeup Remover: Clinique Take the Day Off & Neutrogena Make-up Remover Cleansing Towelettes
Facial Mask: -
Lip Treatment: NUXE Rêve de Miel
Moisturizer: Origins Vitazing
Toner: Clinique Clarifying Lotion

here's to the best,
-Kaitlyn

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Holiday Haul / Gift Ideas

Christmas tree with wrapped presents

I thought about posting this before Christmas, but I didn't want to give any spoilers for gifts of loved ones. I hope these gift ideas are helpful throughout the year or for next Christmas!

I can not rave enough about Amazon wishlist; they even have a toolbar button so you can add anything to your wishlist, not just Amazon items. I use this all year long and it's great for others to know exactly what you want for any occasion.


Holiday Haul

christmas gifts - makeup, Friends boxed set, kitten

A kitten was all I was really expecting but Brad gifted so much more! Brad gave me many things from my wishlist but a lot of thoughtful surprises, too:

(non-wishlist:)
Friends Completed Boxed Series  - I kept saying I wanted to watch Friends from beginning to end. I feel like there's always so many Friends references that I never understand. I figured I would just stream it, but now I have physical DVDs and no excuses.
Kitten - I have wanted a kitten for the longest time. We finally found a perfect match from New Beginnings Animal Rescue.
Waiter's Wine Opener - I've always found these intimidating at restaurants or parties. Now I have one to learn! 
Wine Rack - I kept mentioning I wanted to build or buy a wine rack. I'm excited to finally have a home for bottles of wine.

new makeup

(pictured: wishlist beauty items, Winter Walmart Beauty Box, & December Pinchme Box)

(wishlist:)  
BCBG Landon Floral Pants  
• Beautyblender blendercleanser solid
• Becca Shimmering Skin Perfector Pressed in Moonstone
• Hourglass Ambient Lighting Palette 
• Sephora Favorites: Superstars 
Urban Decay Naked On the Run Palette 

sephora favorites


Sephora Favorites: Superstars had the highest priority on my wishlist. This is the ultimate gift for beauty lovers. This would be a great gift for someone transitioning from drugstore to high-end makeup, too. A few of these products I've already tried but the majority are new-to-me and I cannot wait to try. The Superstars gift set retailed at $75 and it included $225 worth of product - totally worth it! The products included are:

- Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Wiz in Dark Brown (full size)
- Benefit Cosmetics POREfessional (1/3 size)
- Benefit Cosmetics They're Real Mascara In Jet Black (deluxe sample)
- Bumble And Bumble Surf Spray (half size)
- Chloè by Chloè Rollerball
- Formula X Nail Color in Ignite (full size)
- Fresh Sugar Rosè Tinted Lip Treatment (deluxe sample)
- Josie Maran 100% Pure Argan Oil (deluxe sample)
- NARS Cosmetics Blush in Orgasm (full size)
- Smashbox Cosmetics Smashbox Camera Ready BB Cream Broad Spectrum SPF 35 in Light (full size)
- Stila Cosmetics Stay All Day® Waterproof Liquid Eye Liner In Intense Black (full size)
- Urban Decay Eye Shadow in Sin (full size)

unwrapped Christmas presents

My parents got me:
• Candy 
• Gift Cards
• Hue Boot Socks in Oxblood
• Lisa Frank Pen
Minnetonka Gray Three Layer Boots - (wishlist item) I bought the Minnetonka black ankle boots years ago and have worn them so much. These have been on my wishlist for the longest time. I'm so happy to have a pair of shoes that aren't black.
• Old Navy Fleece Pajamas
Purex Mini Casserole Dishes - (wishlist item) I love casseroles but they always produce so much food for just two people. I wanted these to cook half the casserole immediately and then freeze the half for dinner in a week or two.

My sisters got me:
• A kitchen towel: "Cat hair - both a condiment and a fashion accessory."  
•  C.O. Bieglow Lemon Lip Balm - (wishlist item)


For the Man

When I asked Brad want he wanted, he told me 'screwdrivers and socks'. Brad uses Amazon wishlist, too - but he doesn't update it too often. Brad has been talking about an iPad forever but didn't really 'want' one...

Birchbox Man, iPad mini

I gave Brad an iPad mini. (There were plenty of deals Black Friday!) He hasn't put it down since.

I also gave Brad the 'Sweat the Small stuff' gift set from Bircbhox. Luckily, there were socks in here. (haha.) I've been wanting the KOR water bottle since last year. (Yes, I stole it back from him right after Christmas.) All the other stuff in the gift set is super nice, too! The gift set retailed at $54 and has $110 worth of products! The gift set included:

-Bálla for Men Body Spray
-Baxter of California Deodorant
-Bombas Ankle Socks
-Bombas Calf Socks
-KOR Aura Water Bottle
-Quirky Wrapster
-Under Armour Trance Sackpack

tools

My parents got Brad a complete screwdriver set and a carwash set (not pictured.)


The Gift Card Debate

gift cards

Personally, I love gift cards - they're essentially cash to use at your favorite store. However, I know some people think they're impersonal or lazy.

Tips: If you don't know where the recipient shops, go with a gas card or a gift card to your local grocery store. Add a personal item to go with the gift card - like a DIY project, your favorite candle, or your favorite food.

Christmas gift basket

Brad's mom gave us gift cards in a super cute basket filled with food, a candle, kitchen items, and personal ornaments. We can't wait to use the gift cards but trying out so many new foods and items has been so neat, too!


Gift Ideas:  

For the Beauty Experienced: I got my mom and Brad's mom a beautyblender. The beautyblender has so many good reviews of people stating the way it changed their makeup routine. I figured both of our moms have been using regular makeup sponges for years - why not give them a new tool?

For the Beauty Lover: Sephora Gift Sets (mentioned above)

For the Man: Sweat the Small Stuff Gift Set (mentioned above)

makeup for beginners or a teenager

For the Preteen or Friend: a makeup kit. My youngest sister has started to get into makeup. (She even knows how to apply it - she watches as many YouTube tutorials as me.) I made her a "makeup starter kit." This would be a great idea for a friend too - give them some of your current favorite products or stuff they occasionally 'borrow' from you!


For the Teenager: techie gifts or eyeshadow palettes. I gave my younger sister an iPad cover. She really liked mine, so I got her a similar one. I also gave her the Coastal Scents Revealed palette. She wears very minimal makeup. With so many saying this is a dupe for Urban Decay's Naked palettes (my favorites), I figured it would be a great way to introduce her to more eyeshadow and create multiple looks.

For the Wino: waiter's wine opener / wine rack / wine saver  (mentioned above)

presents & ideas,
-Kaitlyn

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December Favorites

'Favorites' posts/videos discuss the products (and other misc things) you loved for that month. The products can either be purchased that month or (old) 'rediscovered' items. Favorites are published at the end of the current month or at the beginning of the following month. 

beauty favorites & Bear Naked Granola

Surprisingly, I didn't purchase any new beauty products this month. I received a TON of makeup around Christmas, but it doesn't feel right calling them monthly favorites when I only used them for a week.

Bear Naked Maple-icious Pecan Granola
I purchased this on a whim and it has become my new favorite. I'm already on my second bag within less than a month. I've been eating it with yogurt and fruit for lunch, with oatmeal for breakfast, and I'm looking into making my own granola bars with it.

Kat Von D Tattoo Liner 
(sample) This has been in the bottom of my makeup drawer for forever; I'm not very good with liquid eyeliner but this makes application super easy.

Jordana Best Lash Extreme Volumizing Mascara
Nouveau Cheap raved about this mascara a few times. I decided to try it out for under $3.00. I'm impressed. It gives big, volumized lashes and doesn't flake too bad. (Although avoid wearing when baking - I felt my lashes melting getting something out of the oven...)

Laura Geller GlamLASH Mascara
I picked this when I built my own Birchbox in SoHo. This mascara has gotten a lot better with age. The formula has thickened up and makes my lashes look more volumized. I really like the wand, too.

granola & big lashes,
-Kaitlyn
 


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