Hey guys! I am back with a status change – I am now a mom! Our little Nora was born 2 weeks ago and we’ve enjoyed being at home and getting used to the life with a newborn. Sleep is a thing of the past but I can’t complain too much – it’s more sleep than I expected I would be getting! I mean, the fact that I’m sitting here right now and writing this while she sleeps tells you that I at least have enough to remain functional and to get additional stuff done.

I did an empties post a few months back where I talked about hair products and was going to do the beauty items separately but pregnancy got in the way and I ended up not posting that one. So today, I decided I’m going to take those items plus the ones I’ve accumulated since and write about my empties “winners” aka items that were great that I would re-purchase again. I will also be doing a post with the “losers” and tell you about items that didn’t work out for me but that’s for another time.

I have a lot of stuff to talk about so let’s jump right in.

Make Up

Thrive Causemetics “Liquid Lash Extensions” ($24) – I am usually not a big tubing mascara fan (and if you’re not familiar, tubing mascara comes off literally in little “tubes” when you rub your eyes with some water, no make up remover required) because I feel like they either end up ripping out my eyelashes or just not working very well. This is the exception to the rule because this mascara makes your lashes look awesome and super long and it actually washes off super easily and doesn’t rip out my lashes. I have already re-purchased.

Ilia “Limitless” Mascara ($28) – I was a little skeptical about this one at first because every clean beauty mascara I’ve ever tried wasn’t very good but this one was great. It separates your lashes with one side of the wand and lengthens with  the other. It also didn’t dry out for a while which is always a plus. They recently re-did the packaging which threw me off for a second so the one I have and the Sephora website’s picture will look different but it’s the same item and same formula.

Hourglass Caution Mascara($29) – I heard a lot of great things about this mascara which convinced me to pick it up (I’m usually not a fan of spending almost thirty bucks on one tube of mascara) but I got the mini version which lasted me a while still and was definitely worth the money. This is a great mascara for separation and volume. If your biggest no no with mascara is clumping, you would like this one because it didn’t clump on me at all.

It Cosmetics x Dry Bar “Lash Blowout” Mascara ($25) – This one was a major winner for me. It’s arguably one of my favorite mascaras I’ve tried recently. This made my lashes look super long, didn’t clump and added lots of volume. The only thing I will say is that it dried out and lost its “potency” fairly quickly compared to other mascaras and considering the high price tag, that part sucks but the results were so awesome that I can overlook that aspect.

Touch In Sol “No Poreblem” Primer ($18) – I am usually not into pore filling primers but this one is an exception. This smooths out your complexion and makes foundation go on so seamlessly – it just creates a really smooth canvas for make up application. I’ve already re-purchased and would say this is my most used foundation primer in my routine.

Tarte Sea Water Foundation ($39) – I got this as an itty bitty travel size/sample size from Sephora and used it to the very last drop. This is great for those with dry skin that are looking to make their skin look more radiant and glowy. I love this for summer as it’s pretty light coverage with a really nice finish. You could see some of my freckles through this which his how I prefer my foundation coverage. It’s also a thin consistency so you can tell just based on that that it’s a lighter coverage and doesn’t feel as heavy on the skin.

First Aid Beauty Hello FAB Bendy Avocado Concealer ($22) – This is one of my favorite concealers ever. It’s super dewy, offers light feeling coverage but actually enough to cover dark circles and whatever else you need concealed and comes with a great applicator. I will definitely be repurchasing.

NYX Epic Ink Liner ($9) – My favorite liquid liner of all time. Nothing will replace this for me. It has the same applicator as the KVD Tattoo Liner but lasts way longer and is just as black and just as matte. It’s also half the price so it literally just doesn’t get any better than this.

Iconic London Sculpt and Boost Eyebrow Cushion ($40) – I really don’t want to repurchase this because of the price but this product is so awesome that I think I’m going to have to suck it up and just do it. This is essentially the same thing as a cushion foundation but for your eyebrows. You take an angled brush that comes in the compact, dip it into the side of the cushion that is more matched with your eyebrow color (or mix the two like I did) and fill in your brows. The result is super natural looking filled in brows that will stay in place and look great all day.

Skincare

Bioderma Micellar Water ($15) – This one will be in my empties forever and ever and will always be in the “winners” category because this is part of my daily night time skincare routine. I always use this to take off my eye make up and the only thing that changes is where I buy it from (I’m always looking for the best deal on this because so many different retailers now carry it). This is gentle yet takes off even waterproof make up and this 500ml bottle will last you at least 2 months even if you use it daily.

The Ordinary Ascorbyl Glucoside Solution 12% ($13) – I did a lot of research before buying this product because in case you’re not familiar with The Ordinary products, their names don’t give much away about what they do (unless maybe you’re a skincare ingredient expert). This was the serum that I decided would work best for my skin and my decision was the correct one. This is ultra hydrating, very light weight and carries all the benefits of a vitamin C serum without smelling like one 😊 (I hate the smell of almost all vitamin C serums, it’s so strong). You can’t beat this price tag for great skincare so if you have dry skin and are looking for a vitamin C serum dupe, get this one.

Youth to the People Superberry Hydrate and Glow Dream Mask ($48) – This is arguably my best skincare discovery of 2020. This sleeping mask is amazing and will transform dull, dry skin overnight. I was really battling with awfully dry skin this winter due to well, it being winter and pregnancy hormones and this saved my skin. It’s very nourishing, very hydrating and smells great. I’m starting to fall more and more in love with this brand with each product that I try.

Tatcha The Water Cream ($68) – I’m usually not huge on hydrogel-esque moisturizers but this one did such a good job (and was pregnancy safe when I was looking for pregnancy safe products) that I was able to overlook my usual dislike of that formula. I will say, I don’t think this is quite worth its full price but if you can get it on sale or come across a good deal, I would say go for it.

Glow Recipe Pineapple C Brightening Serum ($49) – Speaking of bad smelling Vitamin C serums, here’s a great one for the benefits but man, does this prove what I’m talking about with the smell. This serum will give you visible results in just a few uses and this brand overall has yet to disappoint for me. I will say the packaging is not ideal and at the end it’s almost impossible to get the product out which is wasteful and annoying but that’s my only complaint.

Miscellaneous

EcoTools Make Up Brush Shampoo ($8) – This one is also a frequent favorite on my empties. This is hands down the best make up brush shampoo I’ve ever tried and is the easiest to use. I have a silicone brush cleaning mat that I pour this onto and then swish my brush around and all the make up comes right off of it. You can also use this for your make up sponges. This stuff is great.

There you have it guys! As I’m currently on maternity leave, I will hopefully have more time to blog (some of you who have had newborns are probably laughing at me and this statement) so looking forward to writing my next post! Let me know if you have any questions on any of these products and leave me comments down below! As always, thanks for reading!

Instagram | Facebook |Pinterest