april & may empties.

Hello! Sorry I have been MIA on the blog this last couple of weeks – May has been super busy for me! This past Friday (the 17th) I turned 30 and my wonderful fiancé, friends, and family threw me an amazing surprise party. I was treated with so many special things all day and night and felt so spoiled and loved, it was the best!! Does any body else feel like as soon as the weather gets nicer you seem to be way busier?! That’s how I’ve felt all month.

Anyway, I’m back with a blog post all about my recent empties that I’ve used up and you know the drill, I’ll let ya know what I liked, didn’t like, and if I would repurchase. I always love seeing what everyone else has used up so hopefully you guys enjoy this post! Let’s dive in…

Cocokind Organic Rosewater Facial Toner – Our must-have, single ingredient, organic rosewater toner helps clean, soothe, and hydrate your skin. suitable for use along every step of your skincare routine, our toner also helps ph balance skin and prep it for the moisturizing step. you can use as much as you like – and even throughout the day for a refresh! I have talked about this toner a few times in different posts and my thoughts are simply that I love it. It’s refreshing, hydrating, and has a few different uses (I used it to tone, to refresh, and to set makeup) and does exactly what it claims to do. I will definitely repurchase this toner but in the meantime I have picked up Cocokind’s other toner, the Raspberry Vinegar Facial Toner – I’ll keep you posted if I like it as much as the Rosewater Toner! ($22.99 at Shoppers Drug Mart – often on sale for less!!)

Kevin Murphy Young.Hands Anti-Aging Hand Creme – Regain youthful hands with this weightless and fast absorbing, anti-ageing hand creme. Infused with Immortelle, natures own powerful and eternal anti-ageing Essential Oil. I have no idea if this product is even still available as I’ve had it for about 3 years now, but I have been dreading the day that I finally used up the last of it because let me tell you, it’s wonderful. I don’t know how but Kevin Murphy seems to create the most magical products and this one is no exception. It’s super moisturizing without being heavy or greasy (my biggest pet peeve about any lotion) and smells – you guessed it – amazing. If you ever happen to come across this hand cream I definitely recommend picking it up and also maybe let me know where you found it?! (Unsure of price as it was kindly gifted to me by a friend)

Kevin Murphy Un.Tangled Leave-In Conditioner Detangler – No need to tearfully tear those tangles away – allow UN.TANGLED to do all the hard work for you. Our leave-in conditioner is formulated with a complex blend of nourishing Australian Fruit Extracts that help detangle, strengthen and restore hair to sleek perfection. Added heat protection also helps guard against styling damage. This is one of two Kevin Murphy products I seriously cannot live without (the other is the Young.Again treatment oil) and together they brought my hair back to life after years of heat and chemical damage/breakage. For YEARS my hair would not get any longer because it just constantly broke off; enter this leave-in & the oil and they completely revitalized my hair and gave it the strength it needed to grow longer and become so much healthier. I have repurchased both products about 3 times now over a 5 year period, they last forever! (I believe it’s around $40 and is exclusively sold in KM Salons, you can grab it locally at Urban Roots)

Clairol Shimmer Lights Shampoo – Bring out the shimmering highlights in your hair with Clairol Shimmer Lights Original Conditioning Shampoo. This shampoo is a protein-enriched color enhancing shampoo that tones down brassiness on blonde / gray hair while shampooing away yellow. Refreshes faded highlighted hair. This stuff is the real deal – if you love being ashy/cool toned you need this in your life. I HATE the smell (it smells like grandma florals to me) and it can be drying on the hair, but I have never come across any other product that tones my blonde hair as well as this shampoo (and trust me I’ve tried SO many). There is also a conditioner you can get and together they are a brass-busting dream team. I realize it’s probably filled with all kinds of terrible ingredients…but it does such a good job toning that I hesitantly have to turn a blind eye. It’s also one of the cheaper options out there for purple shampoo so you really can’t beat it. (This is around $20 depending where you purchase it; locally you can grab it from Ember’s Hair Salon)

Bath & Body Works Candle in the Scent Comfort (Vanilla + Patchouli) – Made with Vanilla Absolute and Patchouli Essential Oils. I have to be very careful with Bath & Body works scents as so many of them seem to have this weird undertone that gives me crazy headaches but for whatever reason this scent didn’t have that undertone. I loved the smell of this candle in the store and actually bought numerous other products in the same scent – it was a bit of an overkill situation. I wouldn’t repurchase this specific scent but do still wander into the store to check out their other candles from time to time. (Regular price is around $25 but I believe I got it on sale for around $13)

Voluspa Goji Toracco Orange Candle – Note of Goji Berry, Ripe Mango, and Tarocco Orange. I got this candle with a Sephora order around Christmas time and pretty much used it up within a month or so (which is super fast for me). It was just a mini one but the scent was soooo good that I just wanted to burn it 24/7. Voluspa candles are a little on the pricey end so I’m not sure if I will be purchasing another one any time soon but I do think they would make a great gift! (Range from around $13-$40 & can be purchased from Sephora)

Kevin Murphy Plumping.Rinse – Treat fine, thin or ageing hair to a lavish level of conditioning goodness with PLUMPING.RINSE. Our luxurious RINSE delivers essential nourishment to help restore thickness, and boost volume, while imparting sublime shine and silky-soft texture. Does anyone else seem to run out of conditioner WAY quicker than shampoo?? I always do. I have raved about this line a few times now and will continue to do so. It honest-to-god does plump your hair and makes it seem like your hair is way thicker than it is – without drying it out or leaving it feeling corse like some other volumizing products. I haven’t repurchased this yet but I 100% know that I will be in the future. (Around $40 and it sold exclusively in KM Salons, grab it locally at Urban Roots)

Beautycounter Countermatch Adaptive Moisture Lotion – This lightweight lotion helps skin adapt to the ever-changing aggressors of modern life. Not only does it provide up to 24-hours of hydration — it actually adjusts hydration levels throughout the day for a smooth look and feel and radiant glow. I received this little sample size awhile ago and stuck it in a drawer and kind of forgot about it (whoops) and then about a month or so ago I discovered it again and thought I should give it a try. It is honestly a really great moisturizer; it has a light scent and does a great job at moisturizing without feeling too heavy. I really liked it and could see myself purchasing the full size at some point in the future. ($60 and can be purchased from the Beautycounter website directly or through a consultant – if you are local I recommend Justine Taylor!😊)

Beautycounter Countermatch Recovery Sleeping Cream – This advanced blend of hyaluronic acid, plum oil, and tara gum creates a protective layer to help replenish hydration and revitalize skin while you sleep—so skin looks youthfully smoother, softer, and more radiant in the morning. Again, I received this sample-size and stuck it in a drawer and forgot about it. Once I pulled it back out and started using it I really did enjoy the product as a whole. It felt very moisturizing on the skin and really helped heal some of the dry flaky skin I had going on in the center of my face. I haven’t purchased the full size at this point but would likely do so in the future! (Runs for $69 and can be purchased from the Beautycounter website directly or through a consultant – if you are local I recommend Justine Taylor!😊)

Eminence Organics Mangosteen Resurfacing Concentrate – Gently resurface and refine pores to refresh the skin’s natural appearance. The mangosteen in this leave-on concentrate promotes radiance while the Lactic Acid Complex removes and prevents buildup. You guys know that I have raved about this product more than a few times already because it’s just that good. I have already repurchased another one and am now using it underneath the Bamboo Firming Fluid which together acts as a natural retinol alternative. This product smells so good and fresh and even better it feels amazingly silky and smooth on the skin. In my opinion it is is must-have in your skincare routine! ($64 and can be purchased locally at Fusion Shop + Salon; if you aren’t local you can google to see where to purchase nearest to you)

Ren Clearcalm 3 Replenishing Gel Cream – A soothing gel-cream formulated to leave blemish and breakout-prone skin comfortable and calm while helping to combat the appearance of blemishes. I bought this moisturizer in a set along with the Clay Cleanser and while I did not love the cleanser I really did enjoy the moisturizer. It has a light almost essential oil-like scent and really did a great job of hydrating my skin without clogging my pores or causing breakouts. I used this mainly in the morning as it’s a little bit light to be a night-time moisturizer. All-in-all I really liked this and think that it is a great clean option for blemish prone skin. ($43 from Sephora)

Tiber River Cinnamon Clove Essential Oil – Spicy and sweet and warm, and aroma that we love coming home to! I’ve shared before that I love using and diffusing essential oils and cinnamon is one of my favourites! I actually love to mix this with peppermint in my diffuser – it smells fresh and delicious at the same time, trust me it’s a great combo! I haven’t yet repurchased this oil but will be doing so soon! ($22 and you can purchase directly from the Tiber River website or through a consultant – if you are local I recommend my bestie Anna Hadden😁)

Fresh Sugar Caramel Hydrating Lip Balm – A cushiony, caramel-flavored lip balm that delivers nonstop 24-hour moisture and a smooth natural shine. This was a deluxe sample from Sephora and I really enjoyed it! It smells so yummy and did a great job at hydrating my lips. I doubt I will be purchasing the full size of this as I have many more affordable lip balms that I enjoy just as much if not more though. ($18 from Sephora)

Milani Easybrow Automatic Pencil in the shade 03 Natural Taupe – For full and even brows, add the Easybrow Automatic Pencil to your beauty routine. The smooth-glide, water-resistant formula fills even the smallest gaps with natural-looking volume. A spoolie brush on the opposite end blends and grooms for professional results. Choose from two wearable shades or mix to find your perfect match. I grabbed this on a whim when I saw a new Milani section at my local Shoppers Drug Mart. Although I didn’t mind the product itself, the colour was not a great match for me as it is a little too warm-toned. It’s not the best brow pencil I’ve ever used but not the worst either…it was just kind of meh. I doubt I’ll be repurchasing this unless they happen to come out with a cooler-toned blonde option. ($5.99 at Shoppers Drug Mart)

NYX Cosmetics Precision Brow Pencil in the shade Blond (Ashy Blonde) – Let’s get those brows in formation! Totally slay the sculpted look with our all-new Precision Brow Pencil. Available in eight natural-looking shades, this dual-ended pencil has a flat tip for outlining your arches and filling them in with detailed, hair-like strokes. I am always on the hunt for the best brow products as it is one part of my makeup routine I don’t think I could do without (let’s not talk about the days before I discovered what filling in your eyebrows does for your face🙌🏻). Anyway, this one is another meh product for me. It does have great reviews but again I found that the colour match was off and I just wasn’t wowed by it. I can’t see myself picking this one up again any time soon! ($12 at Shoppers Drug Mart)

Essence Lash Brow Gel Mascara – Wave goodbye to unruly eyebrows! The lash & brow gel mascara cares not only for eyebrows but for eyelashes too and gives both the perfect finish and shape. I have repurchased this SO many times over the years and recommended it just as many times since I first discovered this brand. It does a great job at holding my brows in place and it’s beyond affordable – at $2.99 how can you say no?! Essence has so many great, affordable makeup products and it seems like they are always expanding which is great to see. I will definitely continue to repurchase this one! ($2.99 at Shoppers Drug Mart)

The Balm Cosmetics Take Home the Bronze Anti-Orange Bronzer –  Our collection of bronzers deserves a s-TAN-ding ovation! Sweep this bronzer across cheeks and forehead for a natural, sun-kissed look or add drama by using it as a contouring powder. Formulated to avoid orange undertones, however you brush on this bronzer, you’ll always be golden. I got this mini-size bronzer in an Ipsy Glam Bag and as I tend to do, I stuffed it away in a drawer and completely forgot about it. When I started making some clean swaps in my makeup routine I read about this bronzer and how it was a great cleaner option so I pulled it back out and started using it everyday. It was the perfect shade for my fair skin tone (it comes in 2 other shades) and definitely stood true to it’s claim of being “anti-orange”. I haven’t purchased the full size of this bronzer yet but I could see myself doing so at some point, I’d recommend it for sure! (Sephora Canada no longer carries The Balm but you can find it on The Balm website for $17.50)

Burt’s Bees 100% Natural Nourishing Mascara – Burt’s Bees 100% Natural Nourishing Mascara features a formula that lengthens and defines lashes. I was sent this mascara as part of an Influenster campaign and while I can’t say I gave it the greatest chance, I just could tell off the bat that it wasn’t for me. The brush was a bit too large and I found the formula a little too wet which caused it to clump on the brush and my lashes. There are many drugstore mascaras that I love and while I did appreciate the cleaner ingredients in this one I can’t say I’ll be purchasing it for myself. ($14.99 at Shoppers Drug Mart)

Each time I go to do an empties post it makes me realize how many products I actually use and use up over time and it seems a little bit crazy! These ones here were over about a two month period so I guess that’s not so bad. I hope you enjoyed this post, I’ll catch ya next time beauties!

Thanks for reading along,

Britt✨