EMPTIES | February 2017

 So I don't remember which month I finished all the products but I'm going to go in order to keep a semblance of order. I'm slowly working through all the photos I have so bear with me as I catch up. Besides that little hiccup, let's get into the products I'd repurchase and which ones I'd pass.

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EMPTIES | December 2016 & January 2017

I've been holding onto my empties for over a year now so to justify my hoarding, I've decided to write about them. As I write this, it's Valentine's Day and what better way to end the night with some blogging about what I loved and what I didn't? 

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EMPTIES | September 2016

September has gone by so quickly that I feel like I have whip lash. I've been focusing on using up my stash instead of buying things so I feel quite proud of the empty products I've amassed. As I continue to clean up my collection, I'm throwing out things that have gone off or just don't make me feel happy, because what is makeup for if not to make me feel good about myself? Anyhoo, let's get into the details!

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EMPTIES | June 2016

 Hello everyone! Long time no blog...and it's getting repetitive. The long and short of it is that I am going through some tough family issues that pretty much suck all the happiness out of my life. I'm not a crier but I've broken down twice this week. Instead of moping around and feeling sorry for myself, I decided to return to the things I love, mainly blogging and makeup. So, I'm starting my return with a June empties post, even though it's the middle of July, haha. I'm not the most consistent when it comes to blogging these days but bonus points for being unconventional? 

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EMPTIES | December 2014 & January 2015 ♡

I know we are in the middle of February already but I just wanted to post this before February's empties comes around. Since I was on break, I didn't use my makeup or anything, really, so this empties will be a bit smaller. Nevertheless, let's jump right in!

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EMPTIES | June 2014: Part 1 (Haircare, Bodycare, and Makeup) ♥

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FAVORITES | April 2014 ❤

This month's Favorites doesn't have too many products but there are many rediscoveries that I made from my collection. Let's jump right in!

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FAVORITES | Year in Beauty: 2013 Edition ♡

Hey everyone! I'm a little late on this but I decided to share my favorite products of 2013 with y'all. I've tried so many products in 2013 so it was very hard to narrow it down to just 3 per category (makeup, skincare, and miscellaneous) but here they are! I didn't include any limited edition or discontinued products here because I think it's unfair to readers who want to try it out for themselves (and that helps me narrow down products some more--tee hee). I'll also include 3 products that didn't work live up to the hype to wrap up the first annual MWAH's Most-Loved Products of the Year ♡ !

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EMPTIES | December 2013: Part 2 (Makeup, Skincare, Bodycare and Haircare)

I'm back for another round of Empties! So these have been sitting here for a while now so I decided to get a move on and write about them already!

First up, I used up two packs of makeup wipes. I've been trying to stay away from using them often because they aren't good for the skin. They upset the balance of the skin' pH and do not clean up every last bit of makeup as well as a cleanser or cleansing oil does, luring users into a false sense of cleanliness. However, there are those days where I want nothing more than to sink into bed as soon as possible.

I have the elf Makeup Remover Cleansing Cloths. They come in a pack of 20 pre-moistened cloths, which is nice. I found that they weren't as wet as other that I have tried and didn't remove my waterproof mascara completely. I had to rub my eyes area multiple times to get some of it off. Frustrated, I would reach for my Neutrogena Eye Makeup Remover, which I'll get to in a bit. I always wear waterproof mascara on days that I do wear makeup so my makeup remover has to be able to remove that along with the rest of my makeup. The Cleansing Cloths did not dry out my skin or leave it tight feeling but my face did feel slightly sticky afterwards but it wasn't uncomfortable. It's a similar feeling to glycerin on the face. The scent reminds me of the towelettes the waiters would give you to clean up your fingers after you had some crab or lobster at the restaurant. It was only $3 so I didn't regret it too much,
Bottom Line: I will not be repurchasing.

I also used up a travel sized Pond's Luminous Clean Wet Cleansing Towelettes. It came free with the full-sized pack I bought a while ago. I had been saving this for whenever I traveled somewhere and didn't wan to carry a bulky pack but I was in a bind when I ran out of my usual face makeup remover. Again, this did not remove my waterproof mascara at all and I had to really rub my eye to remove the waterproof eyeliner. It is textured which is great for getting light makeup off. I also used the unused areas to spot clean my eye makeup brushes and it did remove the shadows and gel liner. I don't recommend it to those who oppose fragrance being in their products as these do have quite a strong scent.
Bottom Line: I will not be repurchasing.

I don't know how many bottles I've used over the years but I have another Neutrogena Oil-Free Eye Makeup Remover. I keep going back to this after I've tried others because it does the job well with minimal rubbing. I just soak a cotton round in it and gently press it to my eye for 30 seconds, rubbing very slightly to loosen the mascara. When I remove the cotton pad, mostly everything is gone and I touch up with a cotton swab to remove the leftover mascara and eyeliner. I love how it comes in the big 5.5 oz size (152 mL) now. Unfortunately, the cap came off of a 2oz travel-sized bottle I was using the time I flew home and it leaked all over my clothes. I was pretty sure I had closed it very tightly because I always check the caps of all my products so the airline must've forgotten to replace it when they opened it up to check what was inside. So technically, I didn't use up the entire thing but it is now all used up!
Bottom Line: I will be repurchasing after I finish the one by L'Oreal.

I used up another pack of cotton rounds by Studio 35, the generic brand sold by Walgreens. The come in a pack of 80 and are textured. I'm not really sure what else I can say other than that I use them for applying my toner, removing my eye makeup and my nail polish. I got it in a three pack so I have one other pack waiting. I have already opened up the second pack and am down to about half >.<
Bottom Line: I will be repurchasing it!

I had the Maybelline Instant Age Rewind Concealer in shade Medium for quite a while. It was the first eye concealer I had ever tried and it made such a difference in my under eye circles, brightening my entire face. I stopped using it for a while for some odd reason. Recently, I picked it up again and found that it didn't dispense product anymore. You can read more of my struggle here. Needless to say, I fell back in love with it and now it's gone. (╥﹏╥)
Bottom Line: I will definitely be repurchasing it! ♡

Next up, I have the Maybelline Dream Lumi Touch Highlighting Concealer in Beige. After the success I had with the Maybelline Rewind Concealer, I was very excited to try this out. However, this concealer has such a strong pink undertone that when I applied it underneath my eyes, it made my eyes look swollen and weird. I tried using it to cover my blemishes and that looked a little bit better, but you could still tell that it didn't match my skin tone. I dislike the brush tip applicator so I dispensed it into a plastic container. I don't know what to do with the rest of it so it's kind of just sitting there. So this isn't technically an empty but yeah...
Bottom Line: I will not be repurchasing it.

Since we're on the topic of eyes, I'm going to jump right into the elf Essentials Eyelid Primer in Sheer. This was the first eyelid primer I had ever tried and thought it was a miracle! It made my eyeshadow look vibrant and prolonged the lasting power of my eye makeup. However, I was not entirely satisfied with it. I have very oily eyelids and have a hard time with my eye makeup staying put. By the end of the day, I would have mascara smudges on my lower lash line and eyeshadow creasing and other makeup woes. I have tried many other eye primers by this stage and love those a lot more! If you don't have oily eyelids like I do, this is a great cheaper alternative to those by Too Faced or Urban Decay.
Bottom Line: I will not be repurchasing it.

I have yet another mascara for y'all. This is the one makeup product that I consistently run out of very quickly. I do use one at a time so that also explains why it goes out so quickly. I have nothing but good things to say about the Covergirl Clump Crusher Water-Resistant Mascara. It does smudge very slightly underneath my eyes at the end of the day but it's nothing compared to others that I've tried. This is one of my holy grail mascaras and I have a full review of it here on my blog!
Bottom Line: I have already repurchased it and will continue to purchase until they discontinue!

This is another holy grail product of mine. The Palladio Rice Paper Oil-Absorbing Sheets in Translucent and Warm Beige are amazing! They absorb all of my oil with just one sheet and leave my face a natural matte finish for at least two hours without any other kind of oil control product. I love them for no makeup days because I don't have to carry around a brush and powder to control my oil anymore! They are bigger than those I've used from other brands ye packaged in a nice, small container. Sometimes, they tear if you pull too roughly or two sheets come out instead of one, but even these little snafus wouldn't stop me from loving them! The outer packaging is also pretty cute and I always get questions when I pull these out of my bag. I think I prefer the Warm Beige sheets over the Translucent because I find that it does better at leaving my face matte but the Translucent doesn't make my face look orange. It isn't that noticeable but when I stand under harsh lighting, my face becomes a different color and that doesn't happen with the Translucent shade. These come in a variety of three shades: Translucent, Natural, and Beige. If you want to find out more, I have a full review of these Rice Papers on my blog here. You can find it on the Palladio site for $4, Sally Beauty for $2.99 or at Ulta for $3.99.
Bottom Line: I have repurchased in Translucent and will continue to do so! I might try out Natural next since Warm Beige made my face look darker than my neck.

I finally finished my Cetaphil Oil Control Moisturizer. It has a great SPF 30, is lightweight, and formulated for acne-prone skin. I noticed that it didn't cause any blemishes while I was using it but it certainly didn't improve my skin condition. I love how it's in a pump bottle because it is easy to dispense product and keep it sanitary. It also lasted a long time--about a year for me with daily use. This moisturizer contains 4 oz (118 mL). It got hard to pump out the product when I got to the last inch so I poured out as much as I could into small plastic container and used it up that way. I couldn't get all of it out and I couldn't cut the bottle open because the plastic is so durable and strong (which is good for traveling!) so I still have a very tiny bit left. When I turned the bottle upside down to let gravity do its work, it moved the product to the bottom (which is the top) but when I unscrewed the top, it all poured out like a waterfall so I don't recommend doing that. The formula is on the watery side which makes it easy to spread evenly across the face and neck. I like how it has the expiration date printed on the bottle so it makes it easier for me to keep track of it. My only problems with this product is that it made my face even oilier after application. It didn't do anything for oil control on my face. It also had a really weird scent that disappeared after a while (or maybe I got used to it). If you buy it, know that it might not control your oil very well but in terms of SPF, it's phenomenal for a drugstore brand! I do have a product smackdown on it here on the blog if you wanted to know more!
Bottom Line: I will not be repurchasing it.

I have loved St. Ives since high school and was so excited when I found the St Ives Oatmeal & Shea Butter Moisturizing Body Wash. I love the scent as it is warm and inviting. It isn't moisturizing (but I haven't encountered a body wash that was O_O) but it didn't dry out my skin like the Bath &Body Works shower gels do. It doesn't contain parabens or phthalates but does contain sodium laureth sulfate and fragrance, which are irritants. If you want to know more, here's a website that'll hopefully answer your questions. I'm still on the lookout for body washes without SLS or SLES so if you know of any, let me know!
Bottom Line: I will not be repurchasing.

I think this is the second Batiste Dry Shampoo in Original that I've run out of and I'm also out of the Blush scent (not depicted). I love this dry shampoo! This is the third brand I've tried after using SexyHair and Tres Semme, which didn't give me the effect I desired. This gives me the look of naturally clean hair that I can still run my fingers thorough. It doesn't over dry my hair and gives it slight volume. There's no white cast and it absorbs oil very quickly. I think this will be the only brand I will ever use! The only con is that the scents are not my favorites. I could tolerate the Original scent--I got used to it over time and it sorta smells like lemon sherbert. It isn't too strong of a scent. The Blush scent is pretty bad, reminiscent of this carpet cleaner my mom used to use at home. To be more accurate, it smells like a heavy rose, old lady perfume, which isn't what I want my hair to be smelling like. It's also a very strong scent so I don't like it at all. I am almost out of it, thank goodness. You can buy it here!
Bottom Line: While I love the formula, I'm not particularly fond of the scents. I have repurchased the Original but I am kind of sick of the scent. The Blush is definitely a no-repurchase. I have Paisley and Cherry on its way. I am interested in trying the Refresh and Wild scent if I don't like Paisley or Cherry.

Lastly, I used up a travel size Head & Shoulders Shampoo in Classic Clean. I've been using Head & Shoulders shampoo for three+ years now. It didn't do much in terms of controlling my dandruff but it did leave my hair very clean. I think it dries out my hair too much, making it tangled, frizzy, and static-y. I am reusing the bottle for my bigger sized shampoo. Decanting it into the smaller bottle makes it easier to carry into the shower. I have a family size one in Eucalyptus but once I finish that, I think I'll look for a better option for my hair.
Bottom Line: I will not be repurchasing.

And that's a wrap, folks! I hope y'all enjoyed this post. I hope it helps y'all decide whether or not you need these products or not. Talk to you soon in my next post!
(っ◔◡◔)っ ♥

XOXO,

MWAH ♡

MWAH Musings♥

• I've been doing my Christmas shopping for the past two days--I still need gifts for three more people >.<
• My friends and I are doing White Elephant and I'm really excited for it!
• I have two final papers due (technically 3) and I haven't even started on them yet!

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Disclosure Statement: All products mentioned were purchased with my own money. I am not sponsored by any of the companies mentioned above and was not compensated for this post. All opinions are my own. Links are not affiliate links and are provided for the readers' convenience. Products marked with an asterisk (*) were either given to me as a sample or gift with purchase or given to me by my friends and family.

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EMPTIES| August 2013: Part 3 (Miscellaneous)

This is Day 7 of Makeup with a Heart ♡! Sorry but I added products at the last minute, causing it to double in length ಥ_ಥ! So here is part 3 of the haul (the last part I promise!) ≧ω≦

From Left to Right: Batiste Dry Shampoo in Original, Sally Hansen Double Duty Strengthening Base and Top Coat, Eclos Anti-Aging Instant Radiance Facial Scrub*, Eclos Anti-Aging Facial Cleanser Skin Prep*, and Studio 35 Beauty Cotton Rounds

I've also decided to post on Mondays and Fridays, so check back this Monday for another post!

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