Saturday, September 1, 2012

Project Use It Up- Samples/Minis Edition

I've decided today to go through all of my samples/minis and organize them. After doing that I realized that I just have a ton of samples that I need to use it. My goal is to use up as many of these samples before the end of 2012. I wish update you at the end of the year with how I did. Of course the samples pile is always growing since I am always getting freebies with orders, at events, beauty boxes, etc. I will also be including products that I use up in my empties post each month. My makeup samples are not as bad as my skincare ones. Certain areas of skincare I could not have to buy anything new for a very long time, like moisturizer. So these are my samples that I'm trying to use up in 2012:

Makeup Minis/Samples
Makeup Minis/Samples




Most of my eye pencil minis came from an Urban Decay set that I purchased. I am having a really hard time using them up because I don't use black eyeliner much nor do I use colored eyeliner too much. Mostly everyday I wear brown and I've also started getting into gel.
Eye Pencils
Eye Pencils

Eye Pencil Swatches
Eye Pencil Swatches

I don't have a ton of lip product minis. I do have a ton of lip products in general though. I think I'll be able to go through some of these as they are very wearable neutral shades.
Lipgloss/Lipstick Minis
Lip Gloss/Lipstick

Swatches of lip products
Swatches of lip products

I have a lot of samples in this area since I went BB cream crazy at Sephora. I got samples of almost all of the BB creams. I also have a ton of primers. These will take quite a while to go through since you don't need a lot of these products.
Face Makeup
Face Makeup

I recently have become obsessed with mascara. I have a lot of full sized ones so I don't know if I will open these yet. I am going to try to use up this Anastacia clear brow gel and go back to my Maybelline. The gel liner is in black so I'll probably never use it up and the eyeshadow is not an everyday color so that could take a while.
Mascara, Eyeshadow, Gel Liner Minis
Mascara, Eyeshadow, Gel Liner Minis

These products are going to take a while to get threw. I threw one of the blushes in my makeup bag to take to work. I'm going to use Nars Laguna everyday now instead of my NYC Sunny Bronzer and then I'll use the Benefit highlighter in Watts Up. I have the full size of this so I'm not sure why I got the mini. I guess I just thought it was cute and good for the travel. The problem with all of these things is that I'm always saving them for travel and hardly ever travel so I might as well just use them up. The tarte blush in Dollface is great for everyday. I'm going to hit pan on it soon.
Blush, Bronzer, Highlighter Minis

I only have a few of these so I should be able to get through these and back to Bath & Body Works. I'm excited about the Kiehls one for fall. The Philosophy ones I don't love that much but they come in all of my New Beauty Test Tubes so I always have at least one.
Shower Gel Samples
Shower Gel Samples

I am pretty fussy typically with what shampoo/conditioner I use on my hair but I just can't let these go to waste and want to use them. This could take a while though. They have already been put in my shower.
Shampoo/Conditioner Samples
Shampoo/Conditioner Samples

I have a million hair oils that are going to take me forever to get through. I basically do not have to buy another hair oil for the rest of my life since they come in every beauty box.
Hair Serum Samples
Hair Serum/Cream Samples


I have already stuck the some of these in my shower and makeup bag for work. I'll go through some of these fast and then I can get back to my Bath & Body Works Fall stuff.
Body/Hand Cream Samples
Body/Hand Cream Samples


This is my all time favorite eye makeup remover. I'm excited to use these as they work so well.
Eye Makeup Remover Samples
Eye Makeup Remover Samples
This is an area that I will run out in probably a few weeks and will have to go back to my full size product. I'm excited to use these up though. I love the Ultra Facial Toner from Kiehls.
Toner Samples
Toner Samples
 I don't have a ton of face wash so this will go quickly. I'm really liking Clarins products so I'm excited about the Clarins foaming face wash.
Face Wash Samples
Face Wash Samples

I only have three mini masks. I like to do a mask 2-3 times a week. These should go pretty quickly. I just wish I didn't have so many clay masks as those are my least favorite since I don't have acne prone skin.
Face Mask Samples
Face Mask Samples


This is another area that will take a while. You only need the smallest amount of eye cream so even though these are small they could last a while. I'm excited to try the Ole Henricksen samples.
Eye Cream Samples
Eye Cream Samples

Scrubs take me longer to go through since I only use them a few days a week and only once a day. I really want to try out the exfolikate but currently I'm trying to use up my Laura Mercier one.
Srcub Samples
Scrub Samples

I don't have a ton of serum samples so these should be gone through pretty quickly. I'm excited to try out the cold plasma sample.
Serum Samples
Serum Samples

So this is the area that I am most concerned about. I have a zillion moisturizers for some reason. I guess it's a popular sample to give out. I use moisturizer everyday, morning and night. Hopefully I'll make a dent in these.
Moisturizer Samples
Moisturizer Samples

I love these little minis. I have the large one of the Sugar Rose so I want to use it up. The Advanced Therapy one I plan to use at night before I go to bed. These are very creamy so they go quick.
Fresh Sugar
Lipbalm Samples


I have cut down my perfume sample collection a lot. I'm trying not to buy and new full sized perfume bottles until I at least use these samples up. This could take a while though. Usually one little sample lasts 2-3 days. These could last me several months.
Perfume Samples
Perfume Samples

So that's it for my samples/minis. Do you think I can make a dent in this during the rest of the 2012? Does this look like a lot to you or not that much? I wonder if anyone has more than this? I'm excited about getting started on this. I'm sure you will see a ton of these in my empties. Happy Saturday everyone!

xx
Meredith 

12 comments:

  1. Wow good luck with that! There are loads there. X

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    1. I've been making some progress! Thanks for taking the time to comment.

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  2. Oh my gosh - good for you for keeping them! I literally avoid samples like the plague - because I never get around to using them. I actually just threw away an entire pile of them because I have a anti-hoarding moment and just went crazy. :) Good luck!

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    1. I love samples so much. I could never through them out. They can make me crazy though when I have too many, hence the use it up.

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  3. Thats a very impressive sample collection :) Good luck x

    http://xstylishbeautyx.blogspot.co.uk/

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    1. Thanks. I guess its kind of embarrassing but I get so many samples. I can't throw them away.

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  4. WOW that's an amazing collection of samples. Hope you find a HG as you are using them up.

    Follow back?
    notanobession.blogspot.com

    Thanks :)

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    1. I already found some stuff I really like. I'm loving Clarins right now. They are my favorite skincare brand recently.

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  5. Your sample stash looks just about like mine. I just recently started thinking the same as you.. I need to start going through them because I have so many. I just came up with an idea the other day... I have a small fancy bowl on my desk that I'm going to start putting samples in there for each week that I want to use it. All my other samples are in a Longaberger basket and my Sun Safety traincase. Your idea sounds good, think I'll try that too! Good luck :)

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    1. You should do it too. Let me know how it goes. I've gone through a few things already. It feels good to use it up.

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  6. Um, can I come shop your sample stash ;)

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    1. Ha ha, sure come on over! I am so selfish though I don't want to give them up. I'm always thinking I might find something amazing in one of these little samples.

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