October Empties!!!

Once again, another month flies by!  2 more months until the end of the year.  It's just incredible.

Again, not in any particular order.  Let's get started!

1.   John Frieda Root Awakening Shampoo:  I've been through several of these this year and the last couple of years really.  Lovely scent, cleans nicely, not overly drying but with all shampoos, my hair does better if I have a couple in rotation at time.

2.   Dead Sea Collection Cranberry Dead Sea Salt Scrub:  This is the second one that I have purchased from Big Lots for $4.  Quite the deal.  It's a great scrub, leaves a nice moisturizing layer of oil where you use it.  I really like that in a scrub.  It's a nice time saving step in the morning.  Btw, they are not tested on animals.  Yay!

3.   Dead Sea Collection Lavender Dead Sea Salt Scrub:  I bought this with the 2nd cranberry one and I like it, but not as much as the cranberry, but I will still repurchase.  Driving to Big Lots is a special trip, not that it is far away, it's just in a part of town I never drive.

4.   Aussie 3 minute miracle:  I have re-purchased this countless times.  I have a back up in the shower right now.  I'm actually on a conditioner overload right now.  Not sure how it happened but I have a lot to use up!

5.   Twilight Woods Shea Enriched Shower Gel:  This is a Beauty Army sample.  Nice scent.  It reminds me of a sweeter Cashmere Mist or Sensual Amber.  That woodsy, musky scent.  Love it.  I'm sure I will take advantage of the Buy 3, Get 3 to start off the new year!

6.  TRESemme Fresh Start Dry Shampoo:  This seemed to last a really long time.  I have an oily scalp so I need to wash my hair every day.  However, I usually wash my hair every other day but my second day hair can get gross.  Dry shampoo or even baby powder helps a lot.  I like the convenience of a dry shampoo but it tends to build up quickly in my hair.  Baby powder isn't as effective but it feels nicer in my hair.  I've already picked up another bottle of dry shampoo in a different brand.

7.   TRESemme Split Remedy Shampoo and Conditioner:  I believe that these were from a Target Sample Bag.  Did you get the latest and greatest and reportedly the very last Target Sample bag?   It didn't have the volume as the previous.  I was thinking that they would go out with a bang.  lol  But of course, I appreciate the opportunity to try new things.  :)  But back to the shampoo and conditioner:  LOVE!  This is a great shampoo.  I've always heard that TRESemme is great. I know I have tried the brand in the past but I don't remember being blown away.  I will definitely grab these in a full size the next time I need shampoo.

8.   Palmer's Coconut Oil Deep Conditioning Protein Pack:  I grabbed this at Target when I dyed my hair dark.  I split it up into 2 applications.  I love the smell of coconut.  I wish the smell lasted in my dry hair though.  It doesn't have the slick silicone feel but it works well for that initial conditioning after dying your hair.

9.   L'OREAL EverCreme Sulfate Free Intense Nourishing Conditioner:  I have been purchasing and repurchasing the cleansing conditioner in the line for a year or so now and I really like it.  I decided to try just the conditioner and I love it just as much.  I will be repurchasing both of them.

10.  John Frieda Precision Foam Color 4BG Dark Chocolate Brown:  If you have been reading my monthly empties, you have definitely read my reviews on this hair dye.  It's fantastic.  Why I stray every once in a while is beyond me.  When I decided to dye my hair dark, I actually grabbed 2 of these.  I ended up putting them back.  I then grabbed 2 of the Garnier Dark Iced Mahogany.  I put those back.  lol  I'm glad that I used the L'OREAL professional from Sally's to do the initial coloring and though it was way too dark, it did the job flawlessly.  But 4BG Dark Chocolate Brown will be the only dye that touches my hair until another drastic change!  And now with my layers, all I need it one box!  :)

11.   Pledge Multi Surface Cleaner Lavender Fresh:  Not sure how this ended up in my empties box but I will review it anyway.  I love the scent of this.  I use it for the entire master bedroom once a week.  Furniture, dresser mirror, wardrobe mirror and the master bath mirror and after I scrub down the sinks and facet, I go over them with this.  I'm still out at the moment and need to repurchase but it is such a time saver to use just one product on everything.  Switching cleaners, switching rags...  It just gets time consuming on a very time consuming process.  I have 3 kids and would much rather hang out with them then clean all day!

12.  Pedix Heel Rescue Balm:  I feel like I keep finding more of these!  lol  I don't suffer from cracked heels or anything but I this does make my feet feel soft and moisturized.  I tend to need more lotion on my feet in the summer because of the all the beach, flip flop and sandal wearing.  But I still need a good moisturizer for my feet in the colder months.  I don't think this is something I will purchase, but I did like the sample!

13.  John Freida Full Repair Root Lift Foam:  This is actually quite full but I just don't like the way it feels in my hair.  I've been back and forth about it for a while now and just need to toss it.  It's quite sticky.  More sticky and more watery than a mousse.  It just doesn't work with my long hair and now that it has these horrible layers in it, this product leaves my hair sticky and it's hard to blow out my hair.  However, if you have the patience to blow out your hair completely dry, this might work for you.  I have had some fantastic hair days with it, it just takes patience and you need to completely dry your hair.  Which is never the case with me.  I never have a spare hour.  lol  Now I am almost convincing myself to keep it and try using it again.  We'll see.  Waste not, want not!

14.  Vaseline Total Moisture Clean Feeling Lotion:  I really liked this lotion.  The scent is soft and pretty and it absorbs quickly and thoroughly.  Since I am a RN and work with patients, overly scented products are a no, no but I still need to put lotion on after a shower. I don't know why I picked this up other than seeing a coupon at the commissary and grabbing it after I liked the scent.  It's a no frills, reasonably priced lotion.  Vaseline has been putting out lotion for decades.  I remember growing up that this lotion was in the bathroom before my mom and sister's obsession with Curel started. lol  I was always a Jergen's fan but they don't make the lotion that I like anymore.  It was Ultra Healing with a reddish, pink label, not the cherry scent though.  I stopped buying it when I couldn't find it anymore.  Does anyone know what lotion I am talking about?  lol  I should look again.  :)  

15.  AVON uplifiting mascara:  I've had this for a while.  It doesn't keep my curl which is annoying and which is also annoying about 10 out of 10 mascaras that I use.  It doesn't flake but it does migrate under my eyes which happens 9 out of 10 mascaras that I use.  Urban Decay curling mascara, though it doesn't curl, is probably nearly perfect for me.  Which I need more of.  And the next one I'm about to talk about scores the highest.

16.  Clinique Lash Doubling Mascara:  This is the absolute perfect mascara for me and my needs.  I have longer, well maybe medium length but super straight eye lashes.  They need to be curled with a warm eye lash curler which I heat up with a hair dryer.  I've never tried a heated eyelash curler before as my method works perfectly fine and is effective.  For my lashes to keep their curl, I need a dryer formula in my mascara.  Clinique Lash Doubling Mascara, is a bit wet, well the sample was for the first few uses, I've never tried a full size, but when it dries slightly, it's perfect.  It doesn't smudge or budge, I don't have black eyes at the end of the day and it holds my curl.  I like the Urban Decay mascara just as much when it too dries out.  The first few applications are too wet for me.  I feel like I would repurchase the UD first as I am obsessed with the brand but if I find a good deal on the Clinique, I may grab that one.  I've been wanting to try that black honey lipstick.  Right now I am using up a Maybelline Falsies one, which is also nice.  It's over 3 months old and I know I need to toss it but it's still going strong.

17.  C.O. Bigelow Shampoo lavender peppermint formula:  This was in the first US Glossybox which I was so lucky to receive.  I probably won't purchase this, but if I do every see it, I might grab it.  As far as scent, it's perfect for me.  Mint is great for my system in the morning, it really wakes me up and lavender is my absolute favorite.  I could douse myself in lavender.  I love it that much!

18.    AVON Moisture Therapy Treatment:  I've been using this on my hands and feet and now I am out and my hands are so dry that they hurt.  They are not flaky or cracking or anything, just tight and dry.  I have several, dozens really of sample lotion packets.  I will go through those first of course.  But this is a good lotion.  I like to use it on my hands and feet.  It's a bit thick for my body.  However, if you have severely parched skin or eczema, it stings/burns.  I tried it on my daughter once.  Not good.

19.  Dove Soap Bars:  I don't typically keep the boxes but it seems my empties box has become the bathroom recycling bin this month so I thought I would mention these.  Dove soap is just one of those iconic products that I grew up using and still use it.  So I've probably used Dove soap for, let's just say 35 years now.  I have used other soaps (Yardley) but it's just one that I always go back to.  I can use it on my face and it actually cleanses and moisturizes quite well, it's non-irritating and really keeps my skin clear.  I do use other cleansers on my face because I like to switch things up and try new things, but I know Dove works very well and if something does break me out, I will always immediately go back to Dove Soap.  Always.

20.  True Blue Spa Paraffin Super Softening hand lotion:  This I believe is from Bath and Body Works which I picked up one month last year when B&BW was doing the month club where you would go into the store once a month and come out with a free bag of goodies.  This lotion is incredible.  I switched out a purse that I guess I haven't used in a very long time and re-discovered this.  I will definitely repurchase.  Wish they would do that monthly club again.  I would buy so much B&BW.  I was just in there this week to grab some candles which I'm becoming a huge fan of.  I also appreciate that their sales associates have really backed off.  I hated going in there and having to tell the same sales associate 5 times to basically leave me alone, that I didn't need any help.  lol  Well this was only the second time I've been in the store this year, same location, so maybe it's just this location.

So there you have it!  I love an even number empties month!

I already have a pile starting to collect for November.  Looks like it will be a big month for empties.  I'm also going to take this month to really go through some samples.  I am overloaded.  I'm not sure how it happened.  I feel like all of a sudden I was going through my stash and then Boom!  All my Sterlite drawers are overflowing.  It's madness.

So this month, I'm going to use up as much as I can.  Trying a couple samples a day.  I've already found a HG product which I cannot wait to purchase.  I'm holding off on all new purchases until after the New Year of course, which was the purpose of this challenge, my New Year's Resolution.  My bathroom cabinet is practically empty, save for some random hair products and shampoo.

But more on that in December!  You will just have to wait.  :)