Weekly Cleaning Schedule

Back when I worked full-time out of the house, I had a friend clean our house bi-weekly.  It was GLORIOUS, but now that I am home more and not bringing in as much income, I decided to start cleaning myself.  My problem is that I always get so overwhelmed, so I keep putting it off until it absolutely needs to be done!  I had seen different cleaning schedules on Pinterest, but none fit my needs perfectly, so I decided to make my own.  I love the idea of splitting up the work so I don't have to spend an entire day cleaning!

My version is below.  Let me know if you would like me to email you the Word file so you can change it to fit your needs and print it out!  I printed mine out on 8.5 x 11 photo paper and got it laminated so I can use a dry-erase marker to cross off things as they get done.  Enjoy!

May Empties!

I have to say, I went through some stuff in May!!  41 products total!  And here are my thoughts....

Items I will miss the most:

• Tarte Brazilliance Maracuja Self Tanning Face Towelettes - I held off on trying these for a while because I was nervous.  I had never used a tanning towelette before.  I got this in a Sephora 500 point perk with some other Tarte products.  I have one more in my stash and I really want to buy these!  They aren't orange or streaky at all!  And when I used it, I felt like I needed less makeup.  :)
• Aquareveal Satin Bright Soft Water Face Peel - got this sample in a Birchbox and I looooooved it!  I got quite a few uses out of it because a little goes a long way.  It was so cool and gratifying feeling my dead skin cells ball up.  My face felt amazing after using this.

Items I can't live without and already repurchased (or already had a backup):

• Ole Henriksen Truth Serum - I cashed in a Sephora gift card on the full size after using two smaller bottles that were part of a set.  I love this stuff and it is one of the only things I can tell a difference when I DON'T use it.
• Kenra Volume 25 Hairspray - This is my go-to hairspray.  I am on my last bottle and hopefully that lasts me through the end of my no-buy (July 21)!
• Clear Care Solution - You all know how much I'm obsessed with this stuff.
• Garnier Cleansing Oil - Still have one more in my stash!  Love this stuff!
• Beauty Blender - I got a set of 2 and the cleanser with a Sephora gift card I got for Christmas.  I dug out the newer one a few weeks ago and noticed how smoother the texture was!  So I figured it was time for the first one to go.  I had been using it since December.

Items I will eventually repurchase:

• L'Oreal Magic Lumi Highlighter/Concealer - Loved this so much, maybe even more than my Nars Creamy Concealer....it was the perfect shade and consistency for under my eyes.
• Aussie 3 Minute Miracle - So cheap, and so good!  Once I run out of hair mask and deep conditioner samples, I'm getting this again!

Samples that made me want the full size:

• Benefit Rollerlash - so good!  I cashed in some Birchbox points on the full size after getting a sample at Sephora.  Although, I think I liked the sample better....I dunno....hate when that happens!
• Estee Lauder Advanced Night Repair Serum - I tried a foil packet of this and fell in love.  Then I remembered I had one of those little GWP bottles somewhere.  Thankfully I found it, because I ALMOST broke my no-buy for this stuff!  I don't know what is in it, but it is magical!
• Aquareveal Satin Bright Soft Water Face Peel - see previous comments about this.  I wannnnttt.
• Tarte Brazilliance Maracuja Self Tanning Face Towelettes - see previous comments.

Disappointing Products: 

• Studio 35 Cotton Squares - this is a Walgreens brand and I didn't like them.  They fell apart and left little bits of cotton on my face.  No thanks...
• Tarte Lights Camera Lashes Mascara - Don't see what all the fuss is about with this.  It flaked on me and didn't really do much for my lashes unless I piled it on, but that just made it flake more.
• Makeup Forever Aqua Eyes Liner - I got this in the Matte Brown.  It faded on me, even with primer.  One would think that since it was $19, it wouldn't look patchy and faded at the end of the day!

Products you couldn't pay me to repurchase:

• Dove Revive Body Wash - Not because this was terrible, but for some odd reason I thought it was a good idea to buy this in a 3 pack at Sams Club!  So needless to say, two years later, I am beyond sick of this scent!!!!

Totals:

• Samples - 16          $ 61.47 
• Full Size - 25         $249.42
• TOTAL VALUE:     $310.89

BBBC Review - "Where'd You Go Bernadette" by Maria Semple

This is my first month as a member of the Beauty Blogger Book Club. We read "Where'd You Go Bernadette" by Maria Semple, chosen by Ashley of If You Give A Girl A Ring. 

This very unique story is told through a multitude of faxes, email messages, and other documents. Bernadette is an ex-star architect with extreme anxiety issues and is married to a Microsoft-guru, Elgin. They have a 15 year old daughter Bee, who wants to take a trip to Antarctica (of all places). The trip was a promised reward for an aced report card. Bee and Bernadette have a very close relationship, more like best friends than mother/daughter. So when Bernadette disappears without a trace days before they're about to leave for their trip, Bee is devastated and is determined to find her mom! 

I will be honest, I struggled to get through this. I did listen to it instead of reading it, so in all fairness, it could've been the narrator's voice that didn't draw me in. The narrator has a huge impact on my opinion of a book, as trivial as it sounds. Most of the book was from Bee's point of view, so the narrator tried to portray a 15 year old girl, yet it came off whiny and annoying. I had a hard time connecting and relating to the characters too. It was almost a little too "quirky" of a story for me. There were some funny parts though. I will say once Bernadette went missing, I really wanted to know what happened to her for the sake of Bee.  It did all come together in the end, but it just took a long time to get there.  In hindsight, the story format may have made mores sense to me in print rather than audio.  

Go check out what the other BBBC Members thought about the book:
Michelyn: Brains, Beauty & Basketball
Ashley: If You Give A Girl A Ring
Heather: Love To Be Busy
Lisa: Uncommon Wife Life

We also have a new member this month! I'm so excited Stephanie from The Wonky Brow has joined us and will be starting with June's book!

For the month of June, Heather from Love to Be Busy chose The Year We Left Home by Jean Thompson.  I've never read anything by this author, so I am excited to dive into something totally new!

What books are on your to-read list this summer?  

May Boxycharm Review!

This is my 3rd month being a Boxycharm subscriber and I'm still very happy with it!  Let's go over what I thought:

• ModelCo Bronze Shimmer ($24 value) - I prefer matte bronzers...always have, always will.  I will probably try this on my decollete or pass it along to someone else.  I haven't decided yet, but I will give it a fair shot.  It is a nice bronze tone though; not too muddy or orange.
• The Lip Bar Lipstick in Purple Rain ($20 value) - I'll be honest, when I opened this, I thought there was no way in hell I would use this.  I posted my concerns on IG and my dear friend Danielle from Everyday Beauty showed me some different ways to layer it with more neutral lipsticks/glosses.  I think I can make it work, but I still haven't decided if I will pass it along or hang onto it.  Their packaging is so pretty and sexy....other cosmetic companies need to take note!  Oh and after researching the company, it turns out they were on Shark Tank!  Fun fact.  :)
• Bodyography Essential Brow Trio ($19 value) - I love brow products, and I adore brow powders, so I was super excited to get this!  The quality of the packaging is impressive and I really like the powders.  I will say I get a better result with my Anastasia brush, but we'll talk about the Bodyography brow brush in a minute.  :)  The powders are extremely blendable and set nicely with a brow gel.  I am impressed and will look into more products from this brand. 
• Bodyography Brow Brush ($19 value) - I was hoping for a little more from this brush.  The bristles were slightly too soft and flimsy for me.  I prefer the stiffness of my Anastasia #7 brow brush.  But the spoolie is nice on the end!  
• Lauren B Beauty Nail Polish in Sunset Blvd ($18 value) - What a great nail polish!  The color is perfection and it dries fast and is pretty chip resistant.  The opacity is great with 2 coats, which is a requirement to me.  I will definitely be checking out more shades from this brand.  

Total retail value: $100 and the subscription is only $21/month!  

While I wasn't completely in love with everything I got, Boxycharm still is an amazing value!  

Sign up for Boxycharm here!

May Birchbox Review!

First of all, can we just talk about how beautiful the box design is this month?  They've really stepped up their game with their box designs!  This month was another great Birchbox month for me.  Here are my thoughts:

• Harvey Prince Yogini (full size 50ml $55 / sample value $1.62)  - I wasn't expecting to like this after reading reviews on it when I found out I was getting it.  I was pleasantly surprised.  The description says "top notes of purifying sandalwood, refreshing grapefruit, and sensual Egyptian myrrh.  Subtle cues of golden amber, incense, and star jasmine."  I am not a person that gravitates towards incense or myrrh (because I think HIPPY) , but this was actually nice!  I could definitely smell the grapefruit, which is a favorite scent of mine.  I don't know that I'll purchase it, but I will use up the sample.  
• Smashbox Cosmetics Photo Finish Primer Water (FS 3.9 oz $32 / SV $1.31) - This is another item I was unsure about before trying it.  The traditional Smashbox primers haven't agreed with my skin in the past, but this one is so different (in a good way).  It feels so nice when you spray it on and I feel like my makeup lasts much longer!  I've been using this under MAC Mineralized Skin Finish Natural powder and it works wonderfully.  I've read some reviews and some say they use this as a setting spray too (which I will be trying tomorrow)!  I will definitely be putting this on my wish list!  
• Marcelle Hydra-C 24H Energizing Hydrating Gel (FS 1.7 oz $24 / SV $3.38) - I LOVE this!  It is perfect for a daytime moisturizer in the summer.  It has a gel-like consistency and it feels amazing when you put it on, and absorbs pretty quickly.  I am adding it to my Birchbox favorites for sure!  Also, the price is very good, compared to other moisturizers in my stash!
• Macadamia Professional Nourishing Moisture Oil Treatment (FS 4.2 oz $40 / SV $9.52)  - This was my sample choice for May.  I love hair oils, especially the one by Beauty Protector.  Let's be honest, I chose this sample because the sample bottle they showed in the Sample Choice video looked HUGE, so I figured it was a no-brainer!  I love this brand's spray on oil, and this one is similar, but a little more intense.  It smells AMAZINGGGG just like everything else in their line.  I'm glad I picked this!  I work a dime size amount through my damp hair and wrap it up in a towel for about 20-30 mins and it really works great!  
• Coastal Scents Revealed 3 Sample Quad (FS 19.95 / SV $1.60) - I received the Desert Bloom Sampler Quad.  The colors are pretty bold, but the quality is good.  I own the Revealed 1 and the Revealed 2 palette.  I must've missed when they released the 3 because at first I thought this was a sampler from the 2 palette!  I do like these colors, but I have way too many eyeshadow palettes to justify buying this one.  I do love the size of these sample quads though.  They really give you a lot!

The total value of the box is $17.43, which isn't the highest value I've received, but I will use everything in here, so that is a plus!

Click here to sign up for Birchbox!

Right now, if you enter promo code TATIOFFER, you can get your first box for $1!!!

#JustOne Tag!

My dear friend Stephanie from The Wonky Brow Blog tagged me to do this.  If I could only pick just one product from each category, which would it be?  A couple of these were really tough to choose!  Here we go:

Just One....

1. Lipstick:  NYX Extra Creamy Round Lipstick in Ceto.  This was the first NYX lipstick I tried and it came in one of my first Ipsy bags.  The color is so nice and natural, but also has a nice sheen to it that looks more put together than a balm or a gloss.  
2. Lipgloss:  Cover Girl Colorlicious Lip Gloss in Juicy Fruit.  The formula of these glosses is so nice.  Not too sticky but not too thin.  This particular color is so versatile.  You can use it over any lipstick or on its own.  
3. Blush:  Bobbi Brown Blush in Apricot.  I saw this on Essiebutton's YouTube channel and knew I had to have it.  It is the perfect pink and is super pigmented.  It looks great when I am tan and when I am pale and the staying power is awesome!  
4. Eyeshadow Single:  ELF Pressed Mineral Eyeshadow in What's Your Name I don't even know how I acquired this little gem, but I just recently pulled it out because I had forgotten all about it.  It's a purple/taupe that is amazing.  I found it on Amazon, but it's not on ELF's website anymore!  It does not crease and stays put.  I love pairing it with my Maybelline Color Tattoo in Barley Branded for super easy daytime eye!
5. Eyeshadow Palette:  Urban Decay Naked2 Basics.  This was a hard choice, but I chose it because I use every shade in this palette.  Yes it looks boring, but it really is a nice shade range and the quality is excellent!  I can even use the darkest shade as a liner and the lightest shade is my favorite under brow highlight shade.  
6. Mascara:  Benefit Rollerlash.  Without a doubt.  I got a sample of this from Sephora and fell in love immediately.  The first few times I used it, I still used my lash curler.  One day I was running late and decided to skip the curler and guess what?  I haven't used a lash curler in 2 months!  It doesn't flake or smudge and the curl lasts all day.  Plus I get volume and length!  I will definitely repurchase (until I get bored and someone comes out with something new and revolutionary)!  PS - try They're Real over this....ah-mazing!
7. Foundation:  Cover Girl Ready Set Gorgeous This is my go-to lately.  I've tried a few others in my stash and always come back to this.  It looks great all day, but doesn't look cakey or over-done.  I think I need a darker color soon because I've been self-tanning.  The best way to apply it is with a Beauty Blender.  It reminds me of Estee Lauder Double Wear Light!
8. Facial Cleanser:  Garnier Clean + Nourishing Cleansing Oil.  I've tried a ton of cleansing oils, but this one is my favorite.  It smells the best and it cleans the best.  I love how it makes my skin feel after using it too.  I am on my third bottle of this and have one more in my stash!  Note:  I do have to use a separate eye makeup remover, but this does a good job of removing what that misses!
9. Powder/Bronzer:  Benefit Hoola is my favorite bronzer, by far!  It is the perfect shade - not too muddy and not too orange.  It blends wonderfully since it is very finely milled.  I wish the packaging was a little more compact though.  My favorite powder is Rimmel Stay Matte Pressed Powder.  It really does help keep me matte throughout the day without looking like I'm wearing powder.  I wish my Maybelline Dream Matte Powder hadn't been discontinued, but this is a good dupe!
10. Nail Polish:  Cover Girl Outlast Stay Brilliant Nail Polish in My Papaya.  This shade is so perfect.  It is a really bright coral with a hint of orange.  I love it in the summer, but also in the winter when I need a pick-me-up.  The formula of these polishes is amazing.  Every one I've tried has been great!  They stay on and don't chip until maybe the 4th or 5th day!

Bonus:  Any two items you couldn't live without:

1. The Beautyblender - I used to go back and forth with this.  I've tried dupes and even the synthetic brushes, but I always come back to this.  Seriously, if you haven't tried one, do yourself a favor and order it!
2. Clear Care Contact Solution - I just can't wear contacts without using this stuff.  I don't know how I lived without it!  It makes a huuuuuuge difference and I will never stop using it!  Finally my contacts don't dry out by 6 pm and I don't feel like I have stuff in my eyeballs!

I tag Danielle from Everyday Beauty and Dianna from Snacks on Rotation to do this tag!  And anyone else who wants to of course!

April Empties!

Okay so I'm so behind on this blog post!  But it took me a while to go back and figure out what I actually used in April.  Now I am making a running list, so May will be much easier!  Here is a summary of what I used up.  

*Disclaimer:  I borrowed this format from my girl Stephanie from The Wonky Brow Blog.  Hey girl, hey!*

Items I will miss the most:

• Nars Creamy Concealer - I really, really, really liked this!  The color was perfect, the formula was amazing, and the coverage was great!  Sadly, I have too many concealers to work through before I drop $29 on this bad boy again.
• Maybelline Dream Matte Powder - Yes, I will miss this item the most because it's been DISCONTINUED!  This was my go-to drugstore powder!  And I've heard the new formula isn't as good.  I haven't tried it yet though.

Items I can't live without and have already repurchased:

• Clear Care Contact Solution - I really wish I had discovered this years ago.  I have worn contacts since the 9th grade and have always used the multi-purpose solution.  I only discovered Clear Care last month, after Erica (@beautyempties on IG) posted her love for this.  It is amazing!!  Seriously, I will never go back to the old solution.  My contacts don't feel dry and I don't constantly feel like something is in my eye!
• Suave Visible Glow Lotion - I finished this and went out (before my no-buy began) and bought 2 more!  I really like this stuff and it's CHEAP!  Plus it doesn't have that bad self-tanner smell...at all!  I don't know how they manged to do that.
• Tree Hut Coconut Lime Scrub - I love this!  I especially love when hubby uses it on my back in the shower...although I do have to reciprocate, which is lame.  But this stuff smells amazing and really has helped with breakouts on my back!  I tried other scents from this line, but I love this one the most!
• Anastasia Clear Brow Gel - What had happened was....I got one of these in a set, and now I'm hooked and am a brow gel snob.  I've heard NYX and Elf brow gels are just as good, so maybe I'll try them next.  Technically I didn't repurchase this when I ran out because a mini size came in my April Birchbox.  But I still love this!

Samples that made me want the full-size:

• Nivea In-Shower Body Lotion - I've heard mixed reviews on this, but I tried a sample and immediately got the full size (before my no-buy!).  No, it is not as hydrating as regular lotion, but it's great to use in the shower and then apply normal lotion after you dry off!  And even if I'm too lazy to apply normal lotion, that is ok!  I will probably always have this in my shower.
• Fekkai Dry Shampoo - This is probably one of the top 3 dry shampoos I've used.  The smell is incredible and there is no white cast.  I haven't gotten the full size, but it is on my list!
• Dr Brandt Pores No More - Funny thing...the full size I purchased (with a Sephora gift card) has a slightly different consistency than the sample I had?  It still does the same thing, but it makes me wonder....

Disappointing Products:

• Dr Jart Dermaclear Micro Water - I didn't care for this.  It left a sticky feeling on my skin.  It didn't really remove all of my makeup, so I used it after removing makeup and I just couldn't deal with the feeling it left.  I use the Simple cleansing water and I love that!
• Too Faced Better Than Sex Mascara - Flake city!  No, just no!  I liked (read: not loved) the way it made my lashes look, but I hated the flakes!  And the wand was huge and awkward.

Products you couldn't pay me to repurchase:

• I didn't really purchase this because it was a sample, but the Hourglass Immaculate Foundation was a waste of my time.  The color was wrong, but even the coverage was non-existent!  

Full Size Products Used:  23

Samples used:  9