Empties & Mini Reviews - Too Faced, NYX, Elf, Bare Minerals, Jack Black

I was inspired to share some empties today after doing an end of summer collection purge. All of the empty products below are *actually* makeup & beauty products. Anyone else get angry about body scrub and candle empties? Let's check out what I used up recently:

• NYX Butter Gloss in Creme Brulee (BLG 05)
• e.l.f. Essential Wet Gloss Lash & Brow Clear mascara
• Jack Black Intense Therapy Lip Balm in Grapefruit & Ginger and Lemon & Chamomile
• Too Faced Shadow Insurance
• Bare Minerals Lash Domination mascara (black)

 Let's get into the mini reviews:

NYX Butter Gloss
Creme Brulee is one of my favorite all time gloss shades - it is a beautiful natural pink. I can apply this without a mirror and it sits on the lips in a really pretty way. This lipgloss lives in my desk at work for after lunch touch ups because it goes with everything. The texture is nice and light and lightly smells of vanilla. In case you were wondering, this does not make hair stick to your lips on a windy day.
Verdict: already replaced it, madly in love

Elf Clear Brow Gel
My favorite thing about the elf brow gel is the price - $1. It is my favorite one at the drugstore and outperforms Milani, Ulta, & Essence in lasting power. I'm not very loyal to this, but it does keep my brows in place and is cheap. I wasn't sure what to pick when it ran out, so I bought it again. Next time I will probably shop around and try something else.
Verdict: adequate, and repurchased it

Jack Black Lip Balm
Don't be scared that this is a men's beauty brand - these balms rock. I have gone through these so so so frequently in the last year. The texture is similar to Aquaphor - it is a clear balm that is perfect for smearing on your lips overnight. I also love these balms for prepping lips for a matte lipstick. Jack Black lip balms are super hydrating and perfect for perpetually dry, chapped, and peeling lips.
Verdict: A+++, I buy backups for my backups

Too Faced Shadow Insurance
When my tube was fresh, it was the best eyeshadow primer I had ever used. I love that it is lightly tinted and comes in a nice squeeze tube. (Sidebar, why do people keep packaging eye primers in tubes with doe foot applicators???) I loved this for a little while, until one day my tube separated about a month in. Even though I tried to massage the tube to re-blend it before using it, I was not successful. I got very runny primer applications for a while, and then very thick primer applications, neither of which worked well. If you have watched EmilyNoel83's Emily Awards videos, she has experienced the same thing.
Verdict: I won't buy this again, switched to NARS Smudgeproof Pro Prime

Bare Minerals Lash Domination
I got this mascara in the Bare Minerals Multi Tasking Stars kit (I reviewed it here), and feel very meh about it. It does volumize and stay on all day, but it doesn't define well. Right out of the box, it was a little wet for my taste, but was much better about a month in. If you take the time to wipe off the excess, it does define the lashes better. The helix shaped rubber bristle wand is interesting, but I don't love the shape.
Verdict: I like it, but there are much cheaper mascaras that I like more

Wand photos: L to R - Bare Minerals Lash Domination mascara, NYX Butter Gloss, Elf clear brow mascara

Hope these mini reviews were helpful!