May 2015 Empties!

Hi, everyone! May has been a seriously good month for me. In case you've missed my raving (gloating? celebrating?), this month has seen the completion of my PhD degree, my birthday, and some serious planning for an upcoming trip to NYC. I have felt incredibly lucky! 

It seems that in the process, I have not been too busy to also finish up a boatload of products. My empties bag was literally bulging! Here are the items I polished off this month:

Make Up For Ever Powder Blush #74

I bought this little blush about 10 years ago when I was working in the beauty department of Sears (yes, our Sears in Windsor sold MUFE. It was glorious). This was a beautiful matte coral that I used quite a bit over the years and it always made me look fresh and summery!

Repurchase? No, but only because I have so many coral blushes!

Laura Mercier Eye Colour in Sandstone

I got this in a makeup swap a few years ago and it was such a pleasant surprise. It was a beautiful mix of ivory, pink, and beige that made for such a perfect highlight shade. I obviously got a lot of use out of it!

Repurchase? No, but only because it has since been discontinued!

NARS All Day Luminous Weightless Foundation in Deauville (sample)

I got a sample of this at The Bay a couple months ago due to all of the hype. The promises were promising (redundant?), but unfortunately, I was disappointed. This did not feel light on my skin at all; in fact, it was rather heavy and, as the day went on, greasy as well. Can't win em all!

Repurchase? No.

Bumble and Bumble Brilliantine

I'm pretty sure this is my favourite styling creme of all time. It can be used as a leave-in treatment on wet hair or smoothed over dry locks for texture and definition. It leaves my hair looking styled with very minimal effort and never feels greasy or heavy. The perfect lazy gal's product!

Repurchase? Already have!

Desert Essence Coconut Conditioner

Mirroring my previous review, this might be my favourite conditioner ever! It has a heavenly vanilla coconut scent, is rich and moisturizing without weighing hair down, is affordable, and also cruelty- and paraben-free. There is nothing not to love about it!

Repurchase? Yes!

Burt's Bees Cranberry and Pomegranate Sugar Scrub

I got this as a birthday present from my boyfriend last year (thoughtful guy) and I was impressed! This had a rich berry jam scent and both exfoliated and hydrated nicely. No need for body lotion afterwards. It did tend to lean on the greasy side, though, so I had to be extra careful about a slippery shower!

Repurchase? Maybe.

Dr. Pepper Lipsmackers

This is probably the 10th tube of this I've finished. I've raved about it here several times because it's the ultimate lip balm: hydrating, non-sticky, and affordable. It also adds the most lovely pinky red tint to the lips and smells amazing!

Repurchase? Always!

My Beauty Diary Broccoli Mask

This was my final mask of a 10-pack, which I also shared with my friends and boyfriend (fun times!). It hydrated wonderfully without feeling greasy and was extremely refreshing. No incredible results, but a pleasure to use.

Repurchase? Probably not, but am curious to try other masks from the band!

Annabelle Stay Sharp Waterproof Kohl Eyeliner in Cappuccino**

When I finish off an eyeliner, it's a tell-tale sign that it's pretty fantastic! This was a flattering deep brown that defined my eyes nicely and wore well all day long with *very* minimal smudging. The self-sharpening mechanism was incredibly handy and always made for a sharp, crisp line!

Repurchase? Yes!

Batiste Dry Shampoo Original

I have finished a few bottles of this by now and can confidently say it's my favourite dry shampoo. It smells fresh, makes my roots look clean and plump, and is super affordable. It can leave a bit of white residue, but this subsides easily with a bit of brushing. It's seriously good stuff!

Repurchase? Yes!

Coola Cucumber Matte Finish Mineral Sunscreen SPF 30

I bought this at Jacob and Sebastian a couple summers ago and was sad to see it had expired when I reached for it earlier this month. Luckily, the tube was nearly empty anyways! This really is the best facial sunscreen I've tried- it's light, is mattifying, yet hydrating, and is filled with lovely skin-friendly ingredients.

Repurchase? Definitely!

Marc Anthony Macadamia Oil Shampoo

This was a nice, nearly-natural shampoo with a pleasant scent. Cleaned well without stripping and lathered nicely- there just wasn't anything special about it that would have me coming back!

Repurchase? No.

Anastasia Brow Powder Duo in Taupe

What else can I say about this? It's been my go-to brow product for about 8 years. Always creates natural-looking brows that wear true all day long and is a perfect colour match for me. I dabble in other brow products from time to time, but will never be without this!

Repurchase? Duh! Already have.

Montagne Jeunesse Deep Cleansing Clean-Up Mud Mask**

I have used this mask a couple times in the past, so was thrilled when FarleyCo. sent me one in a thoughtful care package. This seriously deep cleans my skin without stripping or irritating it. It has lovely skin-nurturing ingredients like aloe and is only $2 for a few uses' worth of product.

Repurchase? Definitely!

Inglot HD Illuminizing Pressed Powder #402

This is one of the best setting powders I've tried! I bought it thinking it was a highlighter (thanks to the intense lighting in the store), but it's actually a soft-focused face powder with a subtle glow. I would apply this all over my face, over top of strategically-placed mattifying powder, and it would always make me look even and luminous. During the Summertime, I use Hourglass Dim Light for this purpose, but during the colder months, this is perfect!

Repurchase? Next Fall, yes!

NARS Powder Blush in Deep Throat

I got this blush from a friend about 10 years ago when there were only a few blushes in my stash. I instantly fell smitten and it has since held its own as my all-time favourite cheek colour. It's a gorgeous, versatile, universal shimmery pinky peach that I'll never, ever stop reaching for.

Repurchase? Already have!

That was crazy long, so I'll sign out now!

What did you finish up during May? Did I tempt you with anything here?

**These items were provided to me as PR samples for review. All thoughts and opinions are authentic and 100% my own!