Empties of 2013

I'm currently hanging out on holidays at the beach and I'll have little to no Internet access so I'll have lots of scheduled posts coming up. I hope you are all having a lovely Christmas break!

So I'm not an empties kind of person. I really hate hitting pan on a product and do everything in my power to save a product if I think it is coming to the end of its life. Where other bloggers have multiple products they feature in a monthly empties post, it really takes me a whole year to achieve a similar result. Nevertheless, here are my empties for the year!

Lush Bubblegum Lip Scrub
I love Lush products, and this lip scrub is no different. It is ridiculously sugary and overpowering but it suits me just fine. It's effective for removing flaky skin on dry lips and I already have a back up!

Nivea Lip Balm Strawberry
I'm not really sure how I managed to use this up because I don't actually love the colour all that much. I find that it is a little fake and childish looking at times, but it doesn't really matter because I used it up and have many much nice alternative red shades as back ups.

Essence Clear Lash and Brow Gel
I've actually gone through about three of these but I didn't save the packaging. I love this brow gel, it is so cheap, works like a charm and is such a no fuss kind of product. I use this everyday and I won't be changing any time soon.

Simple Kind to skin hydrating moisturiser
I find it really hard to stick with one moisturiser because I always have so many options to choose from. I managed to use all of this Simple moisturiser up, so that must mean it was pretty good!

Garnier BB cream
I went through two of these Garnier BB creams before I'd ever tried the oily skin version. I thought they were good at the time, but now I use the oily skin version and I think it is so much better. I wouldn't buy these original ones again, but I use the oily one every day.

Dove Original Deodorant & Dove Pure Deodorant
I've used up more than two deodorants however they are multiple of the same ones, so I only included the two versions. I can't really tell the difference between one deodorant and another. As long as I'm not super sweaty and stinky, I don't really care what deodorant I'm using!

Garnier Skin Naturals Pure Shine control moisturiser
I wasn't a fan of this moisturiser because it smelled strange, was blue in shade and much too think for my liking. I definitely wouldn't buy this again because there are just so many amazing options out there these days.

Maybelline Dream Matte Powder
This is seriously the first real makeup product I've ever hit pan on so that is a little bit strange! I really love this powder and found it to be remarkably effective for keeping my face oil free during the day. I just wish it was a little cheaper.

I'm quite pleased with my empties efforts. Of course I went through countless shampoo and conditioners but they're boring to include! Maybe next year I'll have even more empties to include!

Empties of 2012

For those of you who have been reading my blog for a while now, you would know how much I hate finishing up a product. My feelings in regards to this are summed up in this post here, but basically I can't think of anything worse than hitting pan on a favourite shadow or bidding farewell to a much-loved foundation.

Despite all this, I did actually manage to finish products this year (an absolute miracle) and whilst this is heartbreakingly sad, I think it's probably a good thing.

Here are my empties for 2012!

First up are my Clean and Clear Cleanser and Moisturiser which are actually my second lot after repurchasing it when I ran out the first time. It is hardly surprising that I finished these up considering I use these twice a day. I really like how this works for my skin (and the price) but I think now that my skin is a little less oily, the cleanser is a bit too harsh so I'll be switching to another brand. I'm not sure which one it will be yet, I've still got some researching to do! (When I took the photos I hadn't yet finished my Cleanser but I have now!)

I also used up my Essence eyebrow gel. This is another product that I used every single day without fail. I love that it keeps my eyebrows in place but doesn't make them look to rigid and fake, and doesn't leave any strange residues. It feels fine and looks fine, and for the four or so dollars that I paid for it I am one happy girl! I'll definitely be repurchasing this.

The Evoke body spray in Electrified was one that I chucked in my bag, especially when going to the gym, and I was not stingy in terms of application. It seemed to last a remarkably long time considering how carefree I was, spraying it in great amounts, but it has (sadly) come to the end of its life.

I have been using this Hamilton Everyday Face light moisturising cream for a very, very long time now. I did go off it a bit during winter but with the start of Spring I picked it up again and found myself using it all up. I don't think I will purchase this again because even though I think it is a great product, I just have so many other products that can do the job.

Last but not least is perhaps my most surprising empty - the Garnier BB cream. My initial reaction to this was not a positive one, as reflected in my  review of the product. I found this to be an unbelievably greasy product and it just felt awful on my face. This hasn't changed, but I found that this combined with my Face of Australia concealer, Maybelline Dream Lumi touch concealer and Maybelline Dream Matte pressed powder was a winning combination. I won't purchase this one again, but I will try out the Garnier BB cream for oily/combination skin because I have heard such positive reviews!

So there you have it, I'm still in shock that I actually have empties for the year. It will be sad to see these go, but I guess it has to happen at some point!

Facing your fears - A Project Pan

I don't know why and I cannot explain it but I have always had this unreasonable dislike towards finishing things. I hate endings (as you can read about it a detailed post here should you require any further explanation) which I feel as though I clearly outlined with the a line from my I hate endings post: "I cannot believe the amount of people that are participating in the project ten pan as finishing ten things would be so utterly distressing." Dramatic? Not at all! (Now that I look back on that post, I've realised it illustrated my unnatural fear pretty damn well. A good post if I say so myself.)

So without further ado, I present to you my own personal challenge...

Project one pan. *Cue crazy screaming and hyperventilation.*

I have (somehow) talked myself into the idea that finishing up some beauty products would be a good idea. Where did I get that idea from? I do not know.

For those of you who are normal and do not mind finishing products (dare I even say like finishing products?!) you probably think a project one pan is a joke. I am here to tell you that it really isn't.

Would you like to know the lucky product selected to be used up? Drum roll please...

My BYS blush in pretty in pink. I chose this because a. it's pretty and should get used more often, b. it isn't giant and I should, in theory, be able to get through it...right? and c. it's cheap to replace and isn't discontinued therefore finishing it shouldn't be too distressing (in theory).

Right, so now I have told you about this I suppose I am kind of locked in - like a contract but worse because 100 odd people know about it. Oh dear.

If you are like me (or even if you aren't and can't get enough of finishing products) feel free to let me know in the comments and maybe we can finish some products together! Yay!

Hopefully within a couple of month, or maybe even sooner, you will be seeing proud pictures of a BYS blush with the pan showing through. Fingers crossed!

I hate endings

I wrote this post in early December and figured I had better post it relatively soon otherwise I would have to wait another year!

I hate endings. Even happy endings. Yep, you heard me, I even hate happy endings. I can't stand finishing a movie, nor can I stand finishing a book. And finishing a beauty product? Well we may as well organise a beauty product funeral. I just get so attached to the beauty product, it's beyond ridiculous.

So it saddens me deeply to inform you of these beauty products that I finished last year year. It's a miracle I did finish them to be honest, because I am someone who if they notice their lipstick is starting to run out, they will stop using it. Yes, I will stop using it completely because I don't want it to run out. I'm not just talking about those products that have been discontinued, the ones that you will never be able to replace. Even the most common items (I'm talking the PawPaw creams and Nivea Lipbalms) that can be replaced with two dollars and a short walk to the chemist I can't bear to replace.

I cannot believe the amount of people that are participating in the project ten pan (or something like that) as finishing ten things would just be so utterly distressing. Ahhh, I think I need help.

Last year I tried to get over this insanely unreasonable, ridiculous fear (Is it a fear? Kind of!) and I tried to use some products up. Not only did I do this to get over my silly fears, but my beauty loot was getting a little out of hand. I needed to clear some junk out.

So, with great misery I present to you my empty products for this year. I think i might cry!!! (Just kidding!) There really aren't that many things because, well, it's so scary, but here's what I do have.

Okay, okay, maybe I didn't finish anything other than shampoo, soap and toothpaste. I know, it's terrible but I just can't help it. Actually no, there was one product that I did finish and that was because I had help from my friends. That was, drum roll please....

My impulse body spray in Summer Splash. That is the only product I finished.

How about you? Are you like me and hate finishing stuff, or are you one of those people who love the feeling of hitting pan?!