April 2016 Empties: Hits & Misses

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Back in January when I did an "empties" post (which my very first "empties' post EVER), some of you said you'd like to see me do this on a regular basis. Well it may not be every month, but I'm trying! In April, I actually finished quite a few products. So here's a quick run-down, including my thoughts and whether or not I'll repurchase any of these items.

Bath & Body Works Amber Blush Shower Gel ($12.50, 10 oz.) - B&BW discontinued this scent, which is crazy since I know it was a favorite of many (probably part of their marketing strategy so that there's a crazy rush for it when they bring it back for the Semi-Annual Sale, but I digress). I love this scent and I'll definitely repurchase; you can still find it on Amazon and eBay very easily if you don't want to wait for the SAS in June.

Briogeo Rosarco Milk Leave-In Conditioning Spray ($20, 5 oz.) - this was on my Holiday 2015 wishlist after reading the glowing reviews at Sephora (you can see them for yourself by clicking the link in the title). So I finally caved after the holidays and purchased it for myself because I'm always on the lookout for a fabulous leave-in for my long, fine, wavy, and prone-to-frizz hair. I'm sad to report that this didn't live up to the hype for me. It actually did nothing for my hair, aside from making it feel a touch softer. I will not repurchase.

First Aid Beauty Ultra Repair Hydrating Serum (free deluxe sample from Sephora) - I've read quite a few glowing reviews about this serum, so when Sephora had it as a freebie a few months ago, I jumped on it. While it is lightweight and it absorbs very quickly with no sticky residue (which my oily skin very much appreciates), I didn't feel like it delivered any real hydration to my skin, which was what I was looking for in the winter months. I know that with serums you need to use them for a while before you may see some long-term effects, so I won't rule out a purchase in the future, but it's not something that I'm clamoring to buy.

Deborah Lippmann Steppin' Out Nourishing Foot Cream ($32, 5.2 oz.) - I believe that this product has been discontinued since it's no longer on the Deborah Lippmann website, nor is it available at Nordstrom (it was at one point), although the link in the title will take you to HSN where it is still in stock as of the time of this post. I first purchased this way back when Beauty Brands was having a crazy 75% off sale on Deborah Lippmann, which I think was like two or three years ago (I'd have to check my blog archives to be sure, but I think that's right). Anyway, I freaking fell in LOVE with it and, such is the curse when buying high-end products on clearance, I HAD to purchase more when I ran out and I was willing to pay full-price for it (which is ridiculous because I would normally never pay $32 for a foot cream). But let me tell you--this stuff smells like peppermint buttercream, and it works so wonderfully to hydrate my sad, sad, dry feet. Not only does it instantly hydrate, but it continues to work its magic for days after application. I would repurchase but the full retail price is too much for me (I already feel guilty for purchasing it ONCE at full-price), plus since I think it's going away, I would rather focus my energy on the foot creams I love that are still in stock (and much more affordable).

Old Spice Fresher Collection Invisible Solid Antiperspirant in Timber ($3.99, 2.6 oz.) - I've said it here many times, but I LOVE Old Spice fragrances and even though they're geared toward men, I use and love many of them. Timber is my new favorite, since it's so fresh and clean, with a lovely mint note. I will most certainly repurchase.

Physicians Formula Super CC+ Cream SPF 30 in Light ($12.99; 1.2 oz.) - I've repurchased this 3x at this point and I will certainly do it again. I LOVE this stuff because it provides great coverage, it contains SPF 30, and it plays very nicely with my oily skin. Plus, it goes on so smoothly, I don't need to fuss with a brush or Beautyblender for application--my fingers work beautifully. It's the best "I'm in a hurry and need something on my face STAT before I walk out this door" product I own. If you want more info, check out my original review of this CC cream HERE.

NYX Micro Brow Pencil in Taupe ($9.99; 0.003 oz.) - you may recall that this brow pencil was in my January empties post. Well in February, I decided to buy it again. And as I said in January, I really do enjoy this pencil, but it's not perfect for me. I know a lot of people swear that this is a perfect dupe for Anastasia Brow Whiz (same exact size, both are made in Korea, etc.) but I feel like I'm in the minority here when I say that I don't feel like this is really a dupe. The ABH pencil performs better for me, and it never gets cakey. I've noticed that, depending on which moisturizer I'm wearing, the NYX can apply sort of weirdly and it can drag and look a little cakey in my brows, even when I'm using quick, short strokes. I do like the color (Taupe is a nice match for me because it's not too warm; I prefer cooler tones in my brows) but I don't like the color as much as my holy grail Maybelline Define-A-Brow in Dark Blonde. I do love that the NYX lasts me a very long time though. I tend to blow through my Maybelline pencil in about a month, but the NYX lasted me two months, even with continued use. I also love that this pencil lasts all day on my oily skin. Will I repurchase (again)? Yes, but only when there's a good NYX sale going on.

Maybelline Lash Sensational Washable Mascara in Blackest Black ($8.99, 0.32 oz.) - one of my top five mascaras of all time is the original Maybelline Colossal Volum' Express in the yellow tube. So when so many of you were raving about Lash Sensational a while back, I had to see what all the fuss was about. Once again, I know I'm in the minority here, but this one didn't "wow" me. Now let me state, in case you're new to my blog, that my lashes are short, straight, thin, and sparse. So I absolutely need a volumizing formula, and I actually look for a bit of "clumpage" to my mascaras because otherwise, you cannot see my lashes at all. So I TOTALLY get the love for this mascara because it doesn't clump, and I can see that if you already had some length to your lashes, and if your lashes were not thin to begin with, how this could be holy grail status. It enhances the lashes without clumping or making them look over the top. But what others may find "over the top" is not at all "over the top" for my puny little lashes. I will not repurchase.

I hope you enjoyed this "empties" post, and if you'd like to see me continue doing this in the future, please comment below. Also, if you own any of these products, I would LOVE to hear how they're working for YOU!

The products featured in this post were purchased with personal funds. For more information, click here.