And here is the pile. Decent enough for a single month. I was pretty satisfied.
Hair items:
Nois Shield Leave In Conditioner
Price: $12.99
Opinion: I got this from a higher end beauty subscription box (Glossybox or Boxy Charm) and I loved it. I am not usually one to go for hair stuff, but I could air dry my hair perfectly with this. Air drying is my jam since I wear a hairnet for my main job and rarely style my hair anyway.
Repurchase?: Already did, but I don't think I got such a good price on it.
Marc Anthony Argan Oil of Morocco 3 Day Smooth Perfect Blow Dry Smoothing Cream
Price: $8.99 for a full size
Opinion: I left this in the bathroom where I blow dry my hair when I need to for my second job. It got the job done.
Repurchase?: I have tons of other similar samples to use up. I blow dry my hair about 2-3 times a month, so it's going to take me a while.
Aloxxi Dry Shampoo
Price: $9.00
Opinion: I like this because it worked well with my dark hair. Most dry shampoos leave whit streaks. That being said, dry shampoo is a product that just in general does not work for me. I have to wash my nasty oily hair every single day. Spraying it with dry shampoo just pisses it off. I only use this situations where I need a little damage control, like midday sweat around my hairline in the summer.
Repurchase?: No, it's just not a product that works for me and I have a few mini bottles to get through.
Skincare type stuff:
Price: $48.00 (!!!)
Opinion: I really like this lotion. It was not oily at all and absorbed nicely into my skin.
Purchase?: I got this in Glossybox and I had no idea it costs so much. It was a nice sized tube and lasted a while, but sadly it is out of my price range.
Price: $25.00 for a full size
Opinion: This product made me mad. It was basically pure brown sugar and oil. When I used it on my lips, it tasted delicious (like cookie dough), but was waaaaay too oily. I banished it to the showed to take care of the rough patches on my knees, but it soon failed there too. After all of the very runny oily component oozed out, I was stuck with a rock hard lump of sugar that was going nowhere.
Purchase?: Heck no. This needs to be packaged in a tub or something besides a foil tube.
Makeup Wipes from TJ Maxx
I have nothing special to say here besides these worked and I used up the entire pack. When I run out of makeup wipes, I always run to TJ Maxx for more. They are cheap and plentiful. I try to go with something containing tea tree oil, coconut water, or dead sea minerals.
Price: $64.00 for 1.7 oz
Opinion: I like this. I have like all Bliss products I have tried. This smelled nice and my skin drank it right up.
Purchase?: Not at this price, sadly.
$15.00 at Target
Opinion: I like this enough to have paid full price for it with my own cash monies more than once. It seems I am always in need of toner.
Repurchase?: I am sure I will eventually, but I have decided to try other toners for the moment. I just got The Body Shop tea tree toner and I am totally in love. I also want to try to Mario Badescu one soon.
Makeup-y items:
Pogo Lip Balm
Price: $3.49 at Ulta
Opinion: I got like four of these in an Organic Authority box. Get ready to see more empties because I have been tearing through them lately. They go on smoothly and I like that they are shaped so weird because it makes them easier to grab in my purse.
Repurchase?: Probably not. I always seem to have more than enough lip balms in my stash.
NYX Simple Vamp Lip Cream in Covet
Price: $6.49 at Ulta
Opinion: I loved this lip crayon. The color was stellar! I think my husband liked it even more than me. Sadly, it broke enough for me to toss it. I have a had a few similar issues with NYX products lately and it is seriously bumming me out.
Repurchase?: I am am pretty hesitant here. Most likely not, but I will be looking for a dupe for this shade. It was such a perfect metallic burgundy! Action shot:
Figs & Rouge Avance+ Mattifying Emulsion
Price: $30?
Opinion Okay, I cannot figure out how exactly to buy a full sized one of these. And I say "one of these" because I was really unsure of how to use this product. When I applied it to my face alone, it flaked up on me like crazy. The mattifying effect was quite nice, so I ended up mixing it in with my foundation primer and that seemed to work very well.
Purchase?: I don't think so.
NYX Matte Finish Setting Spray
Price: $7.99 at Ulta or Target
Opinion: I use the bajeezus out of this product. One time it was listed as out of stock on Ulta's website, so I freaked out and bought two at Target, Target doesn't always have it in store either. I will buy this forever and ever until I can't.
Repurchase?: Already did. Several times.
Dior Hypnotic Poison
Price?: Varies by size, but it's a lot
Opinion: I have always loved this perfume, but never ponied up for a purchase. Then one day I was discussing perfumes with a crazy lady at my last job, and she said she had a bottle of this and that it would smell better on me than her because I have dark hair. Whatever, I was up for a free bottle of this goodness! Somehow she lost the cap, but that didn't matter to me. I rationed this and indulged in every last drop.
Purchase?: If I got a good deal on it. I am pretty buried in perfume samples and minis at the moment.
NARS Velvet Matte Lip Pencil in Cruella
Price: $27.00 for a full size
Opinion: This was one of my Sephora birthday gifts when I first signed up as a Beauty Insider. I loved the color and application. Sadly, I recently confirmed that it does, in fact, give me a rash. Not cute.
Purchase?: Nope. The other color it came with doesn't seem to bother my lips as much, but I don't think I would take the chance of spending my money on a full sized lip product that could potentially give me a rash.
That wraps up December. Hopefully I can get January's posted soon.
