My first empties post!!

It's here..it's finally here.  My very first empties post, so very excited.  I feel like it's been a chore trying to get this to this post, but now that it's here I've discovered the thrill of finishing something & I'm hooked!

My girl Gaby does a monthly empties post *show off*,  that I love so I will be stealing borrowing her format here.

Product: Bath & Body Works Shower Gel in Peach Citrus

Re-purchase:  No, not a scent that I miss that much & it really didn't linger long on my skin

What I'm using to replace it:  Let's be real, I don't just have one shower gel on the go at a time but currently in my shower is St. Ives Energizing Citrus body wash & Ulta's Beauty Smoothie go-go guava (which I also gave to one of the niece's who loves it!)

Product: Paula's Choice Skin Balancing cleanser

Re-purchase:  Yes

What I'm using to replace it:  I'm on my second container of this, very gentle cleanser, my face reacts well to it & does the job well.  I just wish it wasn't only available online, so I'm continuing to test others that are more readily available, that I will use in addition to this.

Product: Avon Beyond Color lip conditioner 

Re-purchase:  Yes

What I'm using to replace it: I've bought 2 more of these when they were recently on sale.  They have a bit of a nude colour payoff and have SPF in them.  I like to use these as a base for other lip products.  

Product: Reversa Anti-wrinkle fluid with glycolic acid

Re-purchase:  Plan to, yes.

What I'm using to replace it:  I have a love/hate with this lotion.  There are times when I think it does nothing for my skin & then others when I miss it.  Right now, I don't have it and I miss it.  If you don't like that stinging sensation that you often get with glycolic acid products, you won't like this.  

Product: EOS shave cream in Island Blue

Re-purchase:  No, this was a pain to use.  It often clogged up the razor & doesn't foam up so it can be hard to see where you've already shaved.  I do love the smell of this though!

What I'm using to replace it:  Schick Intuition Naturals, it's fragrance free, hypo-allergenic and contains Aloe & Vitamin E.  I love that it's an all in one kind of product, no fuss/muss with shave creams.  I only wish it had a bit of a longer life, I have to keep track of how many uses I get from one re-fill sometime.  

Product: Lancome High Resolution Refill-3X skin cream

Re-purchase:  If only

What I'm using to replace it:  This was a slippery slope getting this mini size in a gift with purchase, because it's expensive and I didn't want to love it.  Turns out I love it.  I don't care that it's expensive, I don't care the Paula Begoun doesn't approve, my skin & I adore this.  I don't exactly love the packaging because I know the product breaks down when it's in a jar.  But this moisturizer and my face love each other, there is no denying it.   Mr. J bought this for me as one of my gifts for Christmas this year.  I hate that I love it so, but I do.

Product:  Bronzer - Hoola by Benefit

Re-purchase:  Yes

What I'm using to replace it:  Let's just take a moment to celebrate this accomplishment shall we?  This is a huge box of product really & I finished it!!  After trying a few others, while also using this, I learned that this is truly my go to bronzer.  I love it so & I am already working on a new one.  

So there you have it, my first ever empties post and I was most surprised at how many products I'd re-purchase.  I was also surprised at how fun it is to do these posts.  I'm already busy squirrelling away things for my next one & am addicted to finishing things now.  

How about you?  What have you finished lately?  Have you tried any of these products?

Best of 2010 - Bronzers

Ahhh bronzers, how I heart you.  You have been a part of my make-up routine for years.  I wear bronzer year round, although I use less in the in the winter when I wouldn't have a tanned look to my skin.  And because I don't tan, I love bronzer even more to get that 'I just got out of the sun' look, but without the sun damage.  So here are my bronzed favourites.  

What I used this year

Hard Candy in Tiki, NYC in Sunny, Hoola by Benefit, ELF in Golden Bronzer, ELF blush/bronzer duo, Too Faced Chocolate Soleil, Rimmel Blush in 'bronze', ELF $1 line bronzer, Rimmel in Sunlight

Favourite bronzer 2010

N.Y.C. in Sunny

I am happy to report that this is usually sold for less than $5 and available at drugstores, where ever N.Y.C. products are sold.   I bought this at the suggestion of emilynoel83 (on youtube) and didn't really think to expect much; I was happily wrong.  This is a very good shade of bronzer that won't leave you looking orange.  It is extremely buildable, meaning you can wear a little or a lot.  Best of all it's basically matte without any glitter, so you won't be getting more than you wanted in a bronzer.  I use this pretty much every day and LOVE it.  For the money, you really can't go wrong in trying it!  One of my best budget finds for 2010.  

Honorable Mention

Hoola by Benefit

This was one of the first bronzers I ever bought and I continue to re-purchase it.  As you can seen from this picture, this is a well used bronzer.  Hoola is expensive when compared to N.Y.C. in Sunny, retailing for approximately $36CAD at Sephora or Shoppers Beauty boutique stores.  However this bronzer lasts you a long time and is honestly one of the best for anyone's skin color.  It is matte, has no glitter and I think it's more of a true chocolate color than Sunny.  The only downside of this bronzer is truly the price..otherwise it's winner!  If you got a Sephora gift card for Christmas & don't know what to spend it on, this would be a good one.  

Least favourite bronzer 2010

Rimmel Natural Bronzer in Sunlight

Okay quite honestly I feel bad even listing a least favourite because this is not a bad bronzer.  However, in the spirit of my 'best of' lists I felt I had to choose the one I liked the least.  I had heard that N.Y.C. in Sunny was being discontinued & that this was the next best thing to it, for a drugstore brand.  It turns out that N.Y.C. in Sunny is NOT being discontinued & it's a good thing because this just isn't the same for me.  I do think that part of the reason I don't like this is because of the packaging.  N.Y.C. comes in a flip top compact style container, where this one has a screw top that is quite loose & flimsy.  I also find that the Rimmel product is a bit more 'orange' than other bronzers I've used, at least for me.  Having said all that, a lot of people really like this drugstore bronzer but I'm just not one of them.  I do however like the Rimmel blush in 'bronze', which I use as a light bronzer on those days when I'm feeling a little more pale.  

I could go on & on about bronzers but I'll keep it to this list.  If you have a bronzer you have loved, that you don't see in my stash..PLEASE share!