Empties

[wendyomgwar]

I love seeing other peoples empties! So I decided to make a board where people could post pictures of their empties, or just tell us about them! I'd also be interested in knowing whether you're repurchasing anything or not.

[guzelkiz]

Get the Neutrogena wipes from Costco.  They are the best deal!  

[darkiceis]

Those Neutrogena wipes are the best.  The Shiseido cotton; I honestly didn't like those much. My toner would go right through and I don't even use much and the cotton separates.  Now that I using some cotton rounds I think I now prefer the Shiseido cotton.

[guzelkiz]

I love the Neutrogena ones.  Been using them for years.  Really?  I've never had toner do that with the Shiseido cotton.  I use the pink Lancome toner (always forget the name) but it is thicker than all the other toners I've tried.  I used to use whatever cotton rounds were cheapest, usually the Up and Up ones from Target, and I used to make fun of people for spending almost $10 on a pack of the Shiseido cotton.  Then I added it to an order just to act as padding so that what I ordered wouldn't get broken during shipping.  Since then I don't even want to pick up the leftover cotton rounds I still have.

[darkiceis]

I use the Caudalie moisturizing toner.  I'm currently using the up and up target cotton rounds oh goodness, probably the worst I've ever tried. The Sephora cotton rounds are way better than the Target ones. I would prefer to find another cotton round that is better otherwise i'll have to go back to the Shisedo ones.

[guzelkiz]

Oh ok.  I am not familiar with that toner.  I hope you find the right cotton.  I agree that the Up and Up ones suck.

[JazaChai]

July Empties! Some of these are older samples that I rediscovered and only got a bit of use out of before they dried up, hence all the mascaras (no, I did not use up an entire handful of deluxe mascara tubes in one month, lol).

Loves:

Spoiler

Umbra Sheer Physical Defense sunscreen - loved the texture, might be too white for someone with darker skin
Algenist C+ serum - last of the promo foils, already bought full size
LP prime style extender - HG, have full size already
SK-II essential power essence - I've found Clinique's Even Better Essence Lotion for dry skin to be almost a dupe, so I wouldn't spend the $$$ on this, but it is very good.
Murad Protecting Day Cream - always like the texture of Murad lotions
Murad Renewing Eye Cream - ditto
REN Glycol Lactic Radiance Renewal Mask - really smooths out my skin, without irritation
Hourglass Veil Mineral Primer - old travel size I finally remembered to use up - I have the full size too and love it
Butter London P.D. Quick topcoat - HG, and it's so big it's actually a decent value
fresh Advanced Therapy lib balm - love this stuff, but I go through it too fast to spend the $$ on lip balm
ABH Brow Wiz - loved it but went through it too fast. Trying other brow pencils before I go back to this.
MUFE translucent setting powder - liked this, may get full size when I use up the ones I have
Algenist eye renewal balm - love the texture
Guerlain Maxi Lash - Holy Volume, Batman!
the fresh Black-Tea Eye Concentrate is actually what I was using to hold the last of my Ole Henrikson Vitamin C eye serum, after the tube it came it broke at the tip. Pretty good at the dark circles and anti-milia, would probably repurchase except it's discontinued now 😞

OK/Meh:

Spoiler

LP no frizz conditioner - didn't work well enough to justify the cost over drugstore
Hask Argan oil shampoo and conditioner - didn't notice much difference from what I already use
Glamglow Supercleanse - too harsh to be a regular cleanser for me
Algenist firming and lifting eye gel - not a big fan of gel moisturizers/eye creams
Jack Black double-duty face moisturizer - not hydrating enough for my dry skin
L'Occitane Essence Perfector serum - nice texture, but it didn't play well with other products layering with it.
Givenchy mascara - formula was nice, but not a fan of the applicator.
philosophy Release Me eye makeup remover - it's an eye makeup remover. Gentle, effective, nothing special.
Benefit's They're Real! mascara - I used to love this, but I've since found others that I like a lot better. This one doesn't give me as much volume as others.
bare minerals original foundation - nice coverage and application, but too radiant for my taste
Lavanila body butter - nice scent, but a bit heavy, and the texture was too thick
bumble & bumble thickening shampoo - it really did add volume, but not enough to justify the $$ for full size.
Ole Henrikson Sheer Transformation - too sheer for me, but it worked ok over a face oil.
Sephora eyelid primer - decent, Too Faced and UD are both better.
Stila liquid liner - like KVD's formula better, it's smoother and goes on more opaque. Replaced this with the new brown KVD now that's come out.
Dior mascara base - worked as advertised, but left my lashes very stiff.

Just No:

Spoiler

Bobbi Brown face cream - too silicone for me
dr brandt Do Not Age pearl serum - felt weird going on, and flaked off when I put moisturizer over it.
Clinique turnaround day moisturizer in Golden Glow - Ugh. Odd texture, both too light and too greasy, and also GLITTER in a face lotion?? It was like something I would have bought from Claire's 15 years ago.
KVD mascara - the applicator, dear god. It didn't apply well, and kept poking me in the eyes. I didn't actually finish this one because I hated using it so much.

[heartsmyface]

Mini mascara breeds at my house!   I wouldn't have asked any questions about them.  I will open one to try and if it's not amazing it may go straight into the empties pile.  

I find theg last longer if you tape them or put them all together in a little bag.  I don't know if they actually do, but it makes me feel better that I am at least trying to preserve them.    

I am am in love with the Algerian vitamin c cream!   

[notcreative]

Good job on everything. What did you write on the Ren sample? I cannot read it.

[JazaChai]

Haha it says "use 1st." I had like 3 of these at one point, because they were in the free samples section, so I wanted to make sure I didn't open a new one before I used one up.

[kelloua]

I need to get better about going through my old mascara samples.  Not a fan of they're real either.  Threw out a barely used tube because I disliked it so much.

[Anonymous]

Loves

Missha Essence

Maxi Lash

Living Proof styling treatment

Nars tinted moisturizer

pocketderm 

I wouldn't re purchase anything else...

[notcreative]

Is that the thick Eucerin? What did you not like about it?

[kelloua]

That's an epic empties stash!

[gogreyhound]

HI all! I have been a lurker to this thread for a while--I can't post pics on my app for some reason, and I am pretty OCD about tossing or recycling. Anyhoo, I just realized that you all post minii-reviews, I love that!! I will have eto visit more often. I enjoy seeing what people use up and why and if it was a good or bad thing!

One question--what do you do with things that you just don't like?  I have trouble throwing perfectly good things away, but then they sit there and make me feel guilty--like I have to force myself to use them.  Examples--a Full size Cargo lippie from birchbox or somewhere, it is like a super pale shade that makes my lips disappear if I use it. I have a Lancome palette that I spent 50 dollars on (my first and last one!) it is so full of GLITTER and fallout, it is unbearable.  I realy want to just toss and not hoard. Enable me, please, to get RID of stuff!

🙂

[kelloua]

For things like palettes, if they are barely used some people sanitize and swap them with other people or include in one of the TSB's.  For things like lip glosses that you can't exactly sanitize I usually try mixing with other colors I own to see I like it better or pass it off to my mom or sister.  Typically I have been bad about throwing things away too but as my collection has grown I've realized it doesn't make sense to waste precious space on products I am realistically never going to use.

[notcreative]

Unless I despise something, I tend to finish it as well. I usually give away duplicates though, because I do not want to open something I hated the first time. What Lancome palette do you hate? Most Lancome palettes have a lot of shimmer (something I like), but I cannot think of any full of glitter (other than micro glitter which does not bother me) or fallout. I am finally starting to appreciate mattes a little more, but my heart still lies with shimmer.

[knuevekm]

I usually give the items that are perfectly good, but I just don't like to a friend or family member. 

[TKLJ]

Whoops, I forgot to post my empties for the past few months. Here they are.

MAY

BEST: Sephora Green Tea mask

WORST: Stila Stay All Day liquid lipstick in Beso. I've come to realize that I just hate liquid lipsticks, so it was time to toss it.

JUNE

BEST: L'oreal Miss Manga mascara

WORST: Nothing! June was an excellent month for using up favorites and staples, and I'll repurchase everything here.

JULY

BEST: Boscia Detoxifying Black Cleanser. It took forever, but I finally used it up. I love how it warms when it comes into contact with water.

WORST: Sephora Super Nourishing Lip Balm. This one's a "worst" because there was a package defect, and the balm keeps falling out of the tube. Otherwise, I love this lip balm.

[notcreative]

That green tea mask has been the only item in my loves list for a while. I want to use the other ones I bought before I purchase more, but I am glad to see it is worth the wait.

[TKLJ]

I think the green tea and honey masks are the best, and the ginseng is the worst.

[kelloua]

Great reviews.  I have a sample of that cleanser so now I'm curious to try it.