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.

[kelloua]

Because I posted September’s empties late, a few of the products I finished in early October ended up in last month’s lot so I have fewer empties than usual to share.

Next month’s may be even smaller as I’m also likely going to need to scale back how many new things I try next month.  To make a long story short, I came down with a really bad case of hives on Friday which the doctor thinks is likely linked to trying a new beauty product.  Unfortunately there were 5 new things I tried the day before so it’s hard to know for certain what’s to blame.  I’ve always had sensitive skin and have been prone to flushing and itching but this was the first time I’ve ever had a reaction this severe.  It was pretty miserable so I probably need to be more vigilant in the future about what I try.  Thankfully while the hives were pretty widespread, they never made it to my face.

Loves

Spoiler

Secret Anti-Perspirant x3 – Secret remains a favorite brand for me.  I don’t generally go through this much deodorant, but I’m notoriously bad about misplacing my deodorant and buying another one so I as you can see I happened to do that a couple of times and ended up using them all in the same month.

Davines Love Shampoo – I really enjoy everything about this shampoo and thankfully, I still have a few more samples of Love from Birchbox and swaps, as well as a FS shampoo and conditioner I got as a gift from my stylist.  I’m not sure if I’ll repurchase once they are all gone, however, because I love the Oi line from Davines more since

Ole Henriksen Truth Serum  (Deluxe sample plus one foil)– I finished up another sample size last month.  I’m still surprised at how much I liked this because the first time I tried it I swear it didn’t do much for my skin and felt sticky.  However it seems to perform better now that I also have a facial oil in my routine.  I have quite a few serum samples I want to use up first before buying a new FS serum, but this is definitely a contender.

Fresh Lotus Youth Preserve Eye Cream – I REALLY liked this.  It’s very rich and hydrating and has a nice mild smell.  I like that it makes the skin around my eyes feel very hydrated, seems to lessen fine lines slightly and is a great canvas for concealer or eye makeup.  I really want to make it through all of my eye cream samples before I buy something new, otherwise I would definitely repurchase this.  I was also impressed that even though I used it very regularly twice a day I got 8 months of use out of it.

Ole Henriksen Power Peel – I LOVE these.  The 3 step process feels like a mini spa treatment at home and it leaves my skin feeling soft and smooth and without irritation.  I still have another foil sample as well as small jars of the Lemon Strip Facial peel to make it through.  Then I’m thinking about purchasing more.  The only thing I don’t like is that if you want to purchase the whole 3 step system your options are to purchase foils (and I have a hard time justifying paying for foils) or you can get a set of three separate containers, but it’s more expensive per ounce than the foils.

Dr. Dennis Growth Alpha Beta Peel Extra Strength Formula – I picked this up from a recent TSB.  Given how sensitive my skin is I was pleasantly surprised with how well my skin tolerated this and the results.  It definitely left my skin feeling smooth and exfoliated.

Urban Decay Original Eye Shadow Primer – I really enjoy this.  It does a great job keeping my eye makeup in place all day long and a tube lasts an extra long time.  Already have a couple backups of this to move onto next since I forget just how long a single tube lasts.

Ban Total Refresh Cooling Body Cloths – These are great for when I need to freshen up after bar class but don’t have time for a shower.  The only thing I don’t like is the scent.  It smells too much like deodorant when I’d prefer something more neutral.

Aquafresh Extreme Clean – This is my go to toothpaste.  I love the taste and results.

Cortizone 10 Crème with Aloe – This was a lifesaver with my bout with hives, though I should have gotten a bigger tube because I polished this off in 2 days.  I also like that it doesn’t sting like some of the sprays for itchy skin.

Ole Henriksen Sheer Transformation – This is one of my go to’s when I want a light cream.  It’s not hydrating enough for the winter, but I enjoy it in the summer and early fall.  I’m definitely an on again off again user since it never seems special so I get bored and want to try something else, yet every time I come back I remember how much I love it.

 Like

Spoiler

Eucerin Diabetics Dry Skin Relief Body Crème – I don’t have diabetes but I do have dry skin and was curious how this crème would be different than other Eucerin creams.  Honestly, I can’t tell the difference but it is still very hydrating.  I’m always torn on what to rate Eucerin because it works really well for me but it never seems particularly special or different

Nude Serum – This was fine.  I didn’t notice anything special but I’m also not sure the sample was generous enough to start to see results.  Did like that it absorbed quickly.

Origins High-Potency Night-A-Mins – This was good but nothing special.

Origins Incredible Spreadable Smoothing Salt Body Scrub – I got this to see if it might compete with my HG scrub of Lush Ocean Salt.  It was just fine.  I like the scent and feel of Ocean Salt better and this also left a strong tingling sensation behind that I didn’t care for.  I’ll probably go back to purchasing Ocean Salt though I’m also tempted by the Fresh chocolate scrub.  Yum!

Caudalie Vinoperfect – This is a nice lightweight cream.  It always throws me that it comes out of the tube looking pink, but it blends in perfectly with my complexion.

Fresh Soy Face Cleanser – It’s fine.  It’s nice and gentle but never stands out to me as special enough for me to want to purchase a full size.

Dislike

Spoiler

Dr. Jart Dermaclear – I think this type of product is just not for me.  I’ve tried a couple of brands of micelular water now and I just don’t think it has a meaningful place in my routine.  I could see if I was wiping it on my skin for a more gentle clean in the morning but I find my skin is often best with no cleaning at all in the AM.

Ole Henriksen Eye Gel – I wanted to like this because I’ve gotten quite a few in GWP’s, but it just doesn’t work for me.  I need something much more hydrating and I don’t generally enjoy the feeling of gel creams.

Didn’t Finish:

Spoiler

Benefit They’re Real – I hate this mascara.  I’ve tried it a few times and it just never performs well on my eyelashes.  And of course, then I get another in my mystery sample pack from Birchbox.  ::GRUMBLE::

Clinique Lip Gloss – This has been hanging around my drawers for way too long.  I’m not sure why because it’s got to be at least 10 years old and I haven’t used it in years.  It was time to toss.  Finding it was like a trip back in time because I used to LOVE pink glosses.  Pretty sure every lip product I had back then was pink, pink, pink!

Fekkai Briliant Glossing Styling Crème – This is fine, but Davines products just seem to perform better with my hair.

Juice Beauty SPF 30 Sport Sunscreen – I hated this so much I couldn’t bring myself to finish it.  It’s impossible to rub in and the scent is very overpoweringly herbal.

Undecided:

These are all the possible culprits for my hives so while I liked a couple of the products I’m too scared to try them again.

Spoiler

Davines Minu Shampoo, Conditioner, and Hair Serum – I’m least inclined to believe one of these is the culprit since I’ve tried SO many products from the Davines line without issue.  Though I know it’s possible there is an active ingredient in here that isn’t in their Oi, Love or Momo lines.  Before the hives, I really enjoyed how these made my hair feel.

No 4 Prep and Protect – The results with this are fine but I prefer my usual Davines styling products better.  And given the hives it doesn’t seem worth risking trying it again.  It’s only been used once but am likely passing it off to my sister who’s had no adverse reactions with the product. 

Dermadoctor KP Duty – If I hadn’t gotten hives I would have likely tried this again as I did enjoy the feel and scent in the shower.  I’m inclined to believe this is the culprit because I broke out everywhere you’d use a body wash, but obviously I can’t 100% confirm it.

[SheWhoSkis]

On the OH Power Peels, I noticed QVC had an OH three step facial system with the same components, but it came in jars instead of fouls. Here's the interesting part:  calculating the cost per ounce or application, Sephora's OH Power Peel product was substantially more cost effective (less expensive) than the comparable OH product in jars availability at QVC. I was floored. 

[kelloua]

I'm late in responding but I remember doing the same thing!

[notcreative]

Sorry about your hives. I get allergic reactions from so many things that I usually only try one new product at a time. Almost without fail, I get a rash or hives when I try two new products at once making it hard to determine which is the culprit. 

[kelloua]

I'm so sorry to hear that!  I couldn't imagine getting reactions like this more often.  I used to be better at trying one new thing at a time like you suggest but then in the quest to use up samples I went a little crazy.  Definitely sticking to more known and simple products for awhile.

[notcreative]

Very rarely is my reaction extreme. It is mostly a small rash or just turning really red. I got serious hives that made my entire face swell up and lasted three days when I used the Cover FX BB cream. I used it with another new item, so I decided to separate them and try both again one at a time. Sadly, I started with the Cover FX. It was the culprit. But, reactions that bad are rare.

[kelloua]

Glad to hear it's rare for you to have that extreme a reaction.  I will admit the whole thing sent me down a rabbit hole of googling and WebMD'ing which left me worried I'd be stuck with it forever.  Thankfully after 3 days of the steroid I **think** it's gone.  Having your face swell up sounds awful though.  While I didn't appreciate having nearly my entire body covered with hives at least it was somewhat easy to cover up with clothing.

[coffeenow]

That's still an impressive collection of empties!  I only have, like, 3 things, so I may just wait until next month.  

I can fully relate on the deodorant.  I always lose mine too.  I probably have about five containers of deodorant going at any one time.

[kelloua]

Thanks!  I've definitely been making it a priority which I think helps and I'm enjoying having a less cluttered beauty area since my bins are not full of a bunch of 1/2 used products.

[Anonymous]

My empties for October. This is my first time posting. I have a really hard time with throwing things away immediately, so this was a challenge. 

Things I have repurchased or will repurchase: Hair Food, Rose eye mask, MAC Pro Longwear concealer, Too Faced BTW foundation, and Biore nose strips. Everything else was just okay. 🙂

[njattana]

Are those UD blush cards? Did you not like them?

[Anonymous]

Yes, there are. I liked them but not enough to purchase. 🙂

[sister13]

I used to hate using things up, like I would use something for a little bit, then move to something else and never finish anything.  But, this thread has been a good motivator for me - now I'm super excited when I finish something.  My skin has actually done a lot better while sticking to a consistent skin regimen, and I've made fewer impulsive skincare purchases, so it's a win win win!

[TKLJ]

I agree, this thread is good in making me use stuff I already own instead of running off and buying new things I don't need.

[JenniferOhJenny]

Me, too! I also like it because it's full of mini reviews for products. I like seeing what works/doesn't work for people.

[notcreative]

Spoiler

Love

SoftSoap Kitchen Fresh Hands-

Aveeno Baby Daily Moisture Lotion-

Lush Sexy Peel-

h2o+ Targeted Care Hand Wash-

DERMAdoctor KP duty-

Le Couvent Des Minimes Gardener's Hand Healer-

Marula Omega Rich Pure Marula Cleansing Lotion-

Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Powder-

Carol's Daughter Monoi Repairing Sulfate Free Shampoo- 

Pacifica Coconut Crushed Pearl Bronzing Body Butter-

Davines Anti-Aging Hand Cream-

Marc Jacobs Decadence- 

Phillips Sonicare Toothbrush Head-

Gilchrist and Soames Bee Kind Body Lotion-

h2o+ Targeted Care Hand and Nail Cream-

Gold Bond Ultimate Healing Aloe-

Curel Rough Skin Rescue-

CeraVe Moisturizing Cream-

Rituals Organic White Lotus & Yi Yi Ren Body Lotion-

Willing to Try Again

Wen Six Thirteen- 

Bliss multi-'face'-eted all-in-one anti-aging clay mask-

First Aid Beauty Ultra Repair Cream-

h2o+ grapefruit bergamot body lotion-

Asprey Body Lotion-

Sephora Ginseng Mask-

Julep Don't Leave Your Brows at Home-

Skyn Iceland Hydro Cool Firming Eye Gels-

Crabtree & Evelyn Citron Body Lotion-

Peter Thomas Roth Mega-Rich Conditioner-

Marcelle BB Cream Golden Glow-

drybar Bay Breeze-

dr Brandt BB Matte-

Harvey Prince hello body cream-

h2o+ Aqualibrium Sea Mineral Mud Mask-

Josie Maran BearNaked Nail Wipes-

Essential Elements Wake up Rosemary-

Benefit Roller Lash Mascara-

Not For Me

Julep One Step-Polish Remover Pad-

h2o+ Natural Sea Sponge-

L'Occitane Shea Butter Foot Cream-

Shine Body Lotion-

[sister13]

I like your designations/category names, I'll have to remember those! I have a huge tub of the kp duty almost finished, it's a nice body exfoliator.

[notcreative]

The KP I used is the cream, but I'd love to try the exfoliator at some point.

[sister13]

I don't think I knew there was a lotion! The body scrub has chemical and physical properties.  It stings a little if you have any cuts (i.e. cat scratches) but makes skin soft. I've had to go on a body scrub no buy because I have so many of those too.   

[notcreative]

The lotion does not sting, but I did not have any cuts so who knows. I have a lot of body scrubs, too, so I passed on my beloved Bliss kit that went on sale last month.

[Seymore3]

Loved- Peter Thomas Roth pumpkin mask mini,Neostrata skin resurfacing duo,glamglow bright mud,too faced shadow insurance,Sephora lingzhi sleeping mask .

Liked- Shiseido eye mask,neostrata anti aging serum fruit and peptide stem cells,boscia tsubaki sleeping mask
Just ok-wouldn't get again--tarte lights camera lashes,Vichy pure thermal cleanser(I think this is discontinued anyway or at least the packaging has changed) ,clinique moisture surge,Vichy liftactiv  serum 10,glamgow youth cleanse, fresh sugar lip serum.