January 2016 – The Hustlin’ Homemaker

EMPTIES (Products I’ve Used Up)

It’s been a minute since I’ve done an empties post. My box was overflowing with products I have used up in the last 6 months or so, so I thought it would be a good time for a post. I don’t know about you guys, but I really like seeing products people have used up and their thoughts on them! It’s kind of like mini-reviews, and I’m just nosy. 🙂

Let’s start with HAIRCARE.

Suave Moroccan Infusion Shine Shampoo and Conditioner – this duo smells AMAZING and left my hair feeling so clean and soft. This is some awesome drugstore haircare right here. I would definitely repurchase this.

Garnier Fructis Full & Plush Conditioner – this was ehh. I got it for the pretty pink bottle, but didn’t seem to condition my hair all that well. It did smell good, though. I probably wouldn’t repurchase this.

Garnier Pure Clean Shampoo – I love this clarifying shampoo for taking all of the buildup out of my hair. It really makes my hair squeaky clean and smells like green apples. I would repurchase.

LUSH Big Sea Salt Shampoo – love this stuff. This is a clarifying shampoo with sea salt that really deep cleans hair. It doesn’t dry out my hair, and it smells like the beach. Definite repurchase.

Batiste Dry Shampoo Cherry – love Batiste dry shampoos, this scent is really nice. This shampoo absorbs oil and doesn’t leave residue. I would repurchase.

Klorane Dry Shampoo – I also really like this dry shampoo, it smells good and it really makes my hair feel clean without a white cast or buildup. It also adds a lot of volume. I would repurchase.

Loreal Blow Dry Quick Dry Primer Spray – this is an alternative to the Kenra blow dry spray that I love. It even smells like the Kenra product. It really does shorten drying time. I would repurchase.

Organix Cherry Blossom Ginseng Shine Finish Spray – I used this up just because I didn’t want to waste it. It smelled good, but didn’t do much for shine at all. I really haven’t liked anything I have tried from this brand. I wouldn’t repurchase.

Big Sexy Hair Blow Dry Volumizing Gel – this product is added into damp hair at the roots and adds tons of volume. This actually also comes in a mousse, and I like that more. I feel like the gel weighs the hair down a bit while the mousse feels lighter. I wouldn’t repurchase this gel.

BODY + FACE

Caress Daily Silk Body Wash – I’m not too particular when it comes to body wash, as long as it has a pump and makes me feel clean, I’m in. This particular one is very moisturizing and lathers up really well. I would repurchase.

Simple Cleansing Micellar Water – I love Micellar water cleansers and this one does a great job of removing makeup and not breaking me out. I would repurchase.

Lancôme Creme Radiance Cream to Foam Cleanser – I did not like this at all. This cleanser really dried out my skin. It left a really tight feeling that didn’t go away. I wouldn’t repurchase.

Lancôme Genifique Youth Activating Concentrate Serum – Aghhh, why did I have to run out of this? It is so pricey, but so good. It really moisturized and plumped up my skin. I do notice a difference in my skin when I’m not using this. I would repurchase.

Dr. Brandt Poredermabrasion Exfoliator – this was way too harsh on my skin, it almost hurt to use this. I wouldn’t repurchase.

Fresh Black Tea Perfecting Mask – I don’t really feel like this did anything to my skin, and I did not like the scent at all. I felt like after using this I had an oily residue on my skin. I wouldn’t repurchase.

Dr. Dennis Gross Alpha Beta Peel – again, another product that I felt like didn’t do anything. Yes, my pores were tightened and my face felt really clean, but my face wash does the same thing. I wouldn’t repurchase.

LUSH Bubblegum Lip Scrub – I really like LUSH lip scrubs, and I did like this, but I prefer the Mint Julips one. The scent and taste of this one was just too candy sweet. I wouldn’t repurchase.

MAKEUP

Make Up For Ever Step 1 Hydrating Primer – I love this. As someone with dry skin, this really helps hydrate and prep skin for foundation. I can almost skip moisturizer if I just apply this. I would repurchase.

Smashbox Primer Water – this is really nice. I am not sure that it helps my makeup to last longer, but it does hydrate my skin and help my makeup go on smoothly. I would repurchase.

Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stain in Cherish – I love those balm stains. This shade is a nice pink and it feels moisturizing on the lips. I would repurchase.

Fresh Sugar Lip Treatment in Rose – this is a tinted balm that I used almost everyday. It smells like lemony cake and really helps with dry chapped lips. I would repurchase.

Benefit Roller Lash – this is my favorite high-end mascara. It lengthens, volumizes and keeps my lashes curled all day. I will repurchase this.

NARS Audacious Mascara – this was a fail for me. This brush is weird, the formula is really wet and just clumps. I would not repurchase.

Make Up For Ever Smoky Extravagant Mascara – I didn’t like this mascara because of the brush and also it felt like it took forever to get a thick coat on my lashes. I wouldn’t repurchase.

Maybelline The Rocket Volum Express Mascara – this is my favorite drugstore mascara. It really adds volume to my lashes and separates them really nicely. I would repurchase.

Whew! That was quite a lot! I feel so accomplished. 🙂

Thanks for reading!

MLBB Lipsticks

In a world of lip paints, liquid lipsticks, lip glosses, and lip crayons, I’m still a lipstick girl and always will be. There’s something about a nice tube of lipstick that just makes me feel good! I always have several MLBB (my lips but better) lipsticks in my purse. These are my go-to faves and they never fail to look good and go with anything.

All of these lipsticks are very close to my natural lip color, and all of them give a shiny finish (except one) and are fairly sheer. I like my lipsticks to be moisturizing and feel good on the lips, and all of these fit the bill.

They’re all so different!

Lipstick Queen Jean Queen – the creator of Lipstick Queen designed this shade to be the perfect color to pair with jeans. This color offsets the blue and brightens up the whole face. This lipstick is very moisturizing and soft.

Maybelline Colorsensational The Mattes in Touch of Spice – this color is the one matte that I have here, but I love the formula of these matte lipsticks. They aren’t drying on my lips, and they come in such pretty colors. This color leans a bit brown, but it is still very neutral.

Bare Minerals Marvelous Moxie in Get Ready – this shade is a creamy cool rosy pink that is pigmented and soft. It is very similar to Jean Queen.
NARS Dolce Vita – this color matches my lips EXACTLY. I love this shade. This color is a dusty rose pink, and is very sheer. It is so moisturizing, and feels like a lip balm.

Maybelline Color Whisper in Made It Mauve – this is a mauve pink gel lipstick that is so lightweight and sheer on the lips, almost like a tinted balm.

Essence Beauty Lipstick in Natural Beauty – this berry pink is very smooth and soft. I love this very inexpensive brand for this line of lipsticks. They are really nice and moisturizing.

MAC Syrup – this lipstick has a bit of purple to it, and has a lustre finish. I have repurchased this lipstick many times, and it is a staple in my bag.

Rimmel Airy Fairy – this shade is the lightest nude pink of the bunch, but is still really natural.

What is your favorite MLBB shade?

Play! By Sephora | January 2016

I’m telling you, this box keeps getting better and better! I’m so excited to share what’s inside the Play! By Sephora January box.

In case you don’t know, this box is $10 a month, and they will send you 6 deluxe size samples from prestige brands. You don’t take a quiz or anything, and you can’t select what products to receive. There is currently a wait list for this box, so sign up here to get on the list ASAP!

You’ll get the same lipstick printed box each time, and inside is a neat little book that tells you all about the products. It also gives tips and tricks for using each thing, which I love!

Sephora Collection Eye Mask in Rose – this is a moisturizing sheet mask that you place underneath your eyes. These masks are hydrating and help to brighten up the area. I’ve tried a couple of these, but not the rose one, so I am excited to try this! I love these little masks.

Dr. Dennis Gross Alpha Beta Peel Original Formula – this is a daily two step facial peel that is supposed to be good for brightening up the skin and preventing the signs of aging. I haven’t tried these, but I have heard that you can see a noticeable difference after just one use. This set contains 3 treatments. Can’t wait to try these out!

Dr. Brandt Skincare Needles No More – this is a wrinkle relaxing cream and helps to blur expression lines. I do have a couple of fine lines around my eyes, so I’m going to see what it does to them.

Living Proof Prime Style Extender Spray – you spray this into your hair when it is wet, and it acts like a primer for your hairstyle. I actually have this product in full size, and I love it! It keeps my style looking great and my hair hardly even requires dry shampoo the next day!

Clinique Chubby Stick Sculpting Highlight in Hefty Highlight – this is another item that I already own in full-size and love! This is a cream highlighting stick that you can use on eyes or cheeks. I love this so much, it is the perfect champagne gold color.

Tocca Beauty Isabel Perfume – I’ve never smelled this perfume before, but I’ve seen the different scents. This scent is very floral and girly, but also sophisticated with notes of rose, bergamot and orange.

Once again, I am very happy with this box. There were a couple of items that I already own, and that’s ok, I’ll just pass them along or keep them as backups. I noticed with this box that I am using everything I receive each month, and that’s what I was wanting. I think this box is a great value for the money, the eye mask and the peels alone are already over $10.

Did you like this month’s box?

Past boxes:

December 2015

November 2015

Thanks for reading!

xx, Amy

MAC Ruby Woo Lipstick + Dupe

Today we are going matte, and we are going red. Bright red, but not scary clown red. Basically, the perfect red to brighten up any look.

MAC Ruby Woo is iconic. Dubbed “the best selling lipstick” a couple of years ago, this shade is very popular, and for good reason!

Ruby Woo is a cool, blue toned matte lipstick. Retro matte, to be exact, so to me, it gives an “old Hollywood glam” type of look. Since it is a blue toned color, it won’t make your teeth look yellow, and it is said to be able to work on any skintone. This color is just like MAC’s Russian Red, except in a matte finish.

This color is also very popular with celebrities. Dita Von Teese, Taylor Swift, Scarlett Johannsen, and Rihanna are all said to wear this shade. Rihanna even released her own RiRi Woo a couple of years ago with MAC.

Since this is a matte lipstick, it can be drying on the lips, so I suggest applying a nice balm underneath. The staying power of this lipstick is AMAZING though. It stays true to color even after eating or drinking, and doesn’t wear off patchy.

While trying to locate a dupe for this $17 lipstick, I came across my well-loved Wet N Wild Megalast Lipstick in Stoplight Red.

This color is almost exactly like Ruby Woo, except it has a more satin finish. They look very similar on the lips, and Wet N Wild lipsticks range from $1-3 depending on what drugstore you go to. These lipsticks are really nice quality for the price, and have tons of shades to choose from.

Ruby Woo, Stoplight Red
Do you like this shade?

xx, amy

The Nude Gray Nail

There really aren’t many colors that I won’t try out on my nails. I love to express myself with different colors and finishes of nail polish. One color in particular that I have been loving lately is gray! Gray is one of my favorite colors to wear in clothing, so I just love it for my nails too. Gray is a neutral, so it will go with anything, and I think it looks classy and chic. Here are some of my favorite grays. From left to right: Planet Rock, Merino Cool, WetSuit, Steady As She Rose, Chinchilly

Deborah Lippmann’s Planet Rock is a creamy taupe gray with just a hint of purple to it. This color is very similar to the ever popular, Essie Merino Cool. Merino Cool has a bit more brown to it, but both shades are really nice and thick, go opaque in two coats, and look so nice on the nails.

I also love blue toned gray, like Wet Suit from Sally Hansen. This color is a dusty deep gray creme with a hint of blue to it. This color is gorgeous on the nails and I get so many compliments when I wear it. The formula of Sally Hansen nail polishes are always really good and very opaque.

Next, I have a lighter, more purple gray color, OPI Steady As She Rose. This color is very unique. I own a lot of lavender colors, but this one is a very gray lavender. It is so pretty and looks delicate. This is a color I would wear any season, with any outfit, for any occasion. It is a true nude and is one of my favorites.

Another one of my all-time favorites is Essie Chinchilly. This color is like Merino Cool, except a few shades lighter. This is a true soft slate gray. I don’t see any purple or blue to this color, I just see gray. I love this color and I’m wearing it right now 🙂