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.

[starletta8]

OK, some of the highlights:

• The Nordstrom bag is full of sample packets- a few inches deep
• 27 body wash/bath products of 4oz or more, 5 samples/travel size (however, I've been making an effort here)
• 20oz of nail polish remover (and I've almost kicked 8oz bottle #3)
• 1 bottle of brush cleaner
• 10 packets of makeup removing wipes
• 7 sleeves of exfoliating cotton rounds (more to come soon)
• 2 packages of Shiseido facial cotton (and #3 soon to be finished)
• 1 bottle of top coat (2 more pending), 1 bottle of base coat (another pending)
• 1 full-sized primer (that took forever)
• 1 tube of self-tanner
• 1 tube of lotion
• 3 bottles of perfume
• 1 eye cream (#2 is literally on its last legs)
• 3 foundations
• 4 pressed powder (multiple were on their last legs for awhile)
• 14 lip balms, 1 lip gloss, 1 lip primer
• 4 full-sized concealers
• 2 eyeliners
• pile of mascara- probably 50% of that is stuff that simply got too old.

[crayzeeRN]

That's awesome starletta!! Can't wait to see it at the end of the year!

[wendyomgwar]

I seriously need to start holding empties, even if just for a month and then tossing them out! I really feel great using the products and then seeing a couple stacked up! 

[crayzeeRN]

@wendyomgwar- it is CRAZY satisfying to see that I can fill up a shoebox worth of empty products every month! It also makes me feel slightly better about my buying habits... hah.

[wendyomgwar]

I think I just tend to jump from product to product and never use anything up and then they expire :< so doing these empties post helps me make sure that I definitely do use up stuff!

[crayzeeRN]

It's ok I think we're all guilty of that 😉

[poshified]

Holy smokes! Empties galore -- keep it up, gal! 🙂

[Anonymous]

This amazes me. Great post!

[starletta8]

Thanks, I'm learning a lot already (ie, just suck it up and buy the 32oz bottle of Zoya remover, you'll use it in a year), and I've already cut back on the number of bath products, believe it or not. I had to move all of that to my home. Ugh.

[Anonymous]

I am in a weird transition phase moving in 2 weeks to a new apartment where I'm staying for 4.5 months before moving in with my boyfriend, so I'm trying really hard to use up what I have and not buy new things that will just get carted place to place... This motivates me! My big goal: I must get rid of all the shampoo and conditioners and body wash and exfoliants and so on I have used half of over all the years and then just invest in the good stuff 🙂

[Anonymous]

@starletta8,

That is very impressive 🙂  You're definitely keeping in line with your goal.

I however would freak out with that much trash in the house. I totally understand what you're attempting to do but I'd never be able to join in. I don't think I'd be able to sleep. (I have serious OCD issues). Just imagining those ripped open foil sample packets is disturbing.

[starletta8]

LOL, that's why it lives neatly stacked in a shopping bag- which has a spot in the organized closet.

I don't plan on doing this in 2014, but I really wanted to get my hands around what I can use, and what I throw away (ahem mascara).

[Anonymous]

Great point with the mascara. I have many formulas that I really like and I used to always have several tubes open at once. Then I realized how foolish that was since it's an absolute safety must to ditch them by the 3 month point.

I feel the same way about wand style lip glosses too. I once had at least 20 shades of NARS going at once but it just seems nasty to keep them too long and none ever got used even half way.

Lots of things are fun to collect but mascara and lipgloss (anything where you re-dip the applicator) just NO.

[Anonymous]

Wow, I'm so interested to see the end of the year post! 😄 I hope I can keep all my empties for this month, I'm curious to see!

[starletta8]

I have a number of products that I'm babying to last until the 12th (ie my eye cream- I've been only using it at night and the Origins cream during the day), and I can see glass on my night cream. I also refilled some bottles, etc.

[Anonymous]

@wendyomgwar--

Great idea for a board. Sadly you won't see much of me here. I rarely finish anything besides toothpaste and eyedrops 😞

I do pass a lot of things on though. I seem to have plenty of friends and family who don't mind acquiring semi-used products. I actually keep a supply of small colored gift bags for packing guests up when they leave. OMG- I just realized how weird that is. People come over for dinner and leave with used swag instead of leftovers.

[wendyomgwar]

That's totally not weird! So many of my friends got into makeup just by going through some of my things that I didn't want any more or rarely ever used! 

[Missie772]

I do the same thing as well!!! I call it my Sephora Grab Bag. I put some foil packets, perfume samples, and deluxe samples that I have multiple of, or ones that I will not use in a medium size Sephora bag as a grab bag for friends and family. Every time I have a girlfriend over, she gets to reach into that bag and grab as many samples as she wants.

I have another bag full of gently used items that I pass on as well. My family members and a few close friends don't mind products that I swatched or used a couple times and don't want it anymore or don't like. My littlest sister doesn't even buy makeup. She always waits to go through my Grab Bag and the bag of used makeup to get her fix.

Totally not weird, I do the same thing. And people LOVE it!

[starletta8]

I should haul out my "first seven months of 2013" empties for one massive shot. I've filled a large Container Store shopping bag (the large paper ones- the mega-sized ones- for those that are familiar).

For the 3 people who haven't heard my story, I'm not a hoarder. This was a new years' resolution to track just how much product I use in a year so that I'm mostly buying what I need and can realistically use, not just everything that I want.  Yes, I'm Rouge. But I do use a lot of product, and had to switch to cream shadows after a lifetime of powder this year. I have a spot in a walk-in closet (I'm lucky enough to have 3 in my condo) for a shopping bag or two of empty containers.

[arielaaaaaaaa]

Well i'm so excited that i have Empties! I was looking through my bathroom and was able to come across these!!! 

After taking the picture i remembered i used up my ExfoliKate a few weeks ago!

-Korres Shower Gel in Guava

-Soap and Glory 3-1 Face Wash

-Ole Henrikson Walnut Scrub

-Tarte Maracuja Oil

-Sephora Creamy Body Wash Cap in Green Tea

-Ole Henrikson Truth Serum

-Murad Exfoliating Acne Treatment

-Kate SomerVille ExfoliKate

-Biolage Condition Balm

[wendyomgwar]

Gel douche hehehehe I know it means shower in french i will still laugh though! I'm gonna have a deluxe sample of the same thing empty by the end of the month! COMMITMENT!