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.

[RGbrown]

Time to clean out the trash bag and get ready for a brand new year! 🎉

Yearly total 551

Notes in the spoilers

Loves

Spoiler

Ulta Aromatherapy Shower Tablets (Lavender + Berries): Love the burst of scent in the shower. Sadly discontinued so I can't restock, but I have a few more in my stash.

Zoya Remove+: Simply fantastic. I never thought I'd ever go for something more expensive than plain old acetone, but once I tried it, I was hooked. It doesn't dry out my cuticles or surrounding skin, and does a fantastic job of removing everything. True love, for life.

Pacifica Berry Happy Cleansing Wipes: I don't use wipes all that often, but keep some on hand for the occasional super lazy night, or removing swatches. These smell great, made my face feel clean, and are alcohol-free. I dunno if Pacifica makes them anymore though (Ulta stopped carrying this one), so sadly I won't restock.

Ulta Brightening Vitamin C Body Scrub: Despite my moratorium on buying more scrubs, I'd buy more of these, if Ulta ever restocked them. Smells great, nicely scrubby without being too harsh, and doesn't make my shower slick. All around fantastic.

System Professional Hydrate Shampoo: My hair was clean and bouncy without being weighed down or overly stripped. The line is ridiculously expensive, but it looks like Ulta is maybe clearing it out, so I may grab a full size if the right deal comes around.

Ulta SPF30 Lip Balm (pomegranate): excellent daily balm for those with a balm habit. Wears off fairly quickly, but I haven't found anything at this price point that doesn't, and the consistency is a good happy medium for me, not too thin, but not thick and waxy. The scent is lovely, and SPF is a great thing. It's not gritty or chalky like many SPF balms I've tried either.

Omorovicza Ultramoor Mud Mask: My all-time favorite clay mask. A splurge for sure, but it's magic.

Clinique TTDO Liquid: Staple eye makeup remover for me. Takes everything off easily and quickly.

Varying degrees of like to just fine

Spoiler

H2O+ Softening Mint Foot Rub: oopsie, this should have been in the loves pic! I love a good peppermint foot cream, and this is one. It seemed a little thin at first, but it was surprisingly rich, and did great job of keeping my feet soft. 

TIGI Bed Head Rockaholic Dry Shampoo: I tried this as one of my very first dry shampoos years ago, and didn't really know what I was looking for, and don't remember liking it much. After having been through dozens now, it was nice to revisit it though, and it definitely falls into the like category for me. The scent is citrusy, and it does a good job of clearing up excess oil without leaving much of a mess, and without making my hair feel like straw. I have loves above this one, but would use it again without reserve.

FAB Ultra Repair Cream (Pink Grapefruit): This line is way to heavy for my oily face, but I like using the cream as a hand and body product. I've got an elbow that cracks in the dead of winter, and this is the only thing I've found that soothes and helps it heal quicker. Minis are prevalent in gwps, so I've got more on hand, and would even buy a small tube if I needed to. 

FAB Ultra Repair Hydrating Serum: lovely product for an extra layer of moisture.

Tatcha The Deep Cleanse: Love the cleanser itself, but I dislike the scrubby stuff...they're little bits of fibrous stuff that just get caught in my hairline and are a pain to remove. And my wallet breathed a sigh of relief 😛

Amika Velveteen Dream Smoothing Conditioner: would love to try again...it's got potential to be good for my oily but fine hair. Can't really tell enough off one packet though, and I have other loves in this category, so I'm not itching to buy it.

Botanics All bright Sheet Mask: I think this is the first mask I've tried that had ear loops (from the chin and the cheeks), and it was kinda nice to know it wasn't going to slide around. The scent was light, the serum was thin, but not drippy, and I was content with the moisture. It was a bit narrow for my face though...had to stretch it a bit to get the cheek ear loops to fit.

The Body Shop Coconut Body Butter: perfectly fine, I liked the product itself, but I dislike tubs for lotion. Getting it under my nails is just gross. 

Tarte Ready Set Radiant Skin Mist: mostly used for wetting my eyeshadow brushes, though I did play a bit with it on my face a couple of days where I felt I went overboard with setting powder and looked a little dry. Perfectly fine for both tasks, though I'm not a makeup-mist guru, so I don't have much frame of reference in the category.

Smashbox Primer Water: see Tarte Ready Set Radiant above lol

Nest Coconut Mist & Ocean Water Body Lotion: smells so good in the bottle, but every now and again, Ocean Mist would turn a bit closer to Sun Baked Seaweed on my skin. Like the product, might even use again if I were to get more, but not a scent I'm looking to buy.

Mario Badescu Vitamin C Serum: Oily, but soaks in quickly and never messed with anything else I put on top of it, either skincare or makeup. I have an HG vitamin C, but I'd use this again.

Tarte Deep Dive Cleansing Gel: Perhaps a touch more drying than I need, even with oily skin, but I keep finding more and more minis and packets lol. I use it as my second cleanse on makeup removal nights, and it's great for that...I just make sure to follow up with plenty of hydration afterwards.

Butter London Glitter Scrubbers: nice, but not quite as nice as I had hoped. The wipes have scratchy bits mixed in with the fibers, which might have helped scrub at least a little glitter off, but I'm not sure these were much better than just my Zoya remover, and they still left loose glitter all over my fingers. I've got a few more that I'll use up, but I won't lament them when I run out.

Sunday Riley CEO Moisturizer: a little thicker/richer than what I normally go for, and I wound up cutting out my facial oil while I was using it. It's a nice moisturizer, but not something I'd buy.

Philosophy Ultimate Miracle Worker Fix Eye Cream: there's no ultimate fix going on, but it was a lovely eye cream that soaked in well and wasn't too heavy. Would use again.

Lanolips 101 Ointment (Coconutter): I'm pretty sure this is my first experience with lanolin, and this was a really nice balm. Thick and rich and clingy, and I'm interested in exploring further. But the coconut flavor was a bit weird...so strong, it was almost nauseating (and my sis said the same thing to me). I've got the strawberry to try next, but am a little hesitant for now; will pull it out at some point.

Tula Hydrating Day & Night Cream: Lovely moisturizer, great day lotion for my oily skin, but the Tula scent is an acquired taste. It's kinda fruity, kinda herbal, kinda woody, but weirdly so, and takes a bit to get used to. I've grown to tolerate it in the cleanser (maybe even like it) because the cleanser is fantastic, but it was a bit more off-putting in the moisturizer because it hangs around longer. I got through the whole tube just fine, and might use it again, but it's not high on the priority list.

Declutters

Spoiler

Benefit Precisely My Brow (3.5 neutral medium brown): way too dark and way too warm for me. I like the product itself fine, but this shade is way off.

Stila Shimmer & Glow/Glitter & Glow: It's time for me to acknowledge that I never use these. One hasn't even been opened but is drying out from sitting for 2 years now. Sigh. Lovely products that I just don't reach for.

PTR FirmX Peeling Gel: another lovely item that just doesn't excite me. It's the best peeling gel I've ever tried...but it just doesn't fit my style/routine, and I keep passing it over for exfoliators that I like better.

Grace Cole Boutique Body Lotion: just sits on my skin, takes forever to rub in

Andalou Naturals Pumpkin Honey Glycolic Mask: I am sooo sad about tossing this, but it has gone rancid (I think...I've never used the product before so I don't have a point of comparison, but it smells pretty much like rotten pumpkin. Surely a fresh one doesn't smell like that...)

[RGbrown]

Another batch o' trash!

YTD 510

Notes in the spoiler!

Spoiler

Origins Ginger Hand Lotion: I adore the Origins Ginger scent, and this was great as a body lotion. Plenty of moisture without leaving me greasy, and I didn't get have to touch up dry spots later like I sometimes do in the winter. Can't justify buying right now, but would absolutely get it again once my lotion stash has been depleted to a more normal size.

Skinfood Freshmade Lemon Mask: A lightweight gel mask that smells sooooo good...but did nothing for me. There was a time when I masked daily, and I'd use this as a "filler" mask on the nights where I didn't need a drying clay or some sort of acid/exfoliating mask. That habit has fallen off to the wayside, and my use of this mask has stopped along with it. It's around 75% gone, but it hasn't been touched in months and it's time to declutter it.

PTR Pumpkin Enzyme Mask: Has a permanent spot in my masking lineup. It smells divine and always makes my skin soft and smooth. 

Yuni Shower Sheet: a very lovely product. They are large sheets, smell great, and do a good job of freshening me up. Not looking to buy, but would absolutely use again.

Daylogic Hydrate Facial Sheet Mask: Rite Aid's house brand, and if we still had RA here, I wouldn't hesitate to buy more. It's a great source of moisture at a fairly basic price. The fit is pretty decent (though I found the eye holes a bit small). No added fragrance either, but it does have a slight alcohol-y type scent at first (there's no alcohol in the ingredients though)...that scent dissipates quickly, thankfully. Medium thickness, and the serum isn't drippy. Didin't leave me sticky or tacky either...I was able to skip moisturizer completely after using this.

Hum Hair Sweet Hair Supplements: they taste great. Can't tell results from 3 days worth, of course, but I might be willing to give them a shot at some point in the future. For now, I'm working through some Phyto instead.

StriVectin s.t.a.r.light Retinol Night Oil: I am cheap, and don't think I could ever bring myself to spend $99 on this, but it just feels so dang f.a.n.c.y. It smells great, it soaks in beautifully, and doesn't mess with anything else that goes on top of it...no pilling etc. It's got retinol, HPR, and bakuchiol, so it's a bit of a powerhouse as well. Definitely on my wish list for the future, but I have a ton of other retinols to get through for now.  

Yes To Grapefruit Vitamin C Glow Boosting Sheet Mask: perfectly fine. The overall fit is a bit big and baggy, but not bad. It's smells good (grapefruit) and gives me decent moisture. Wouldn't seek more out for purchase, but would use again.

[2manyperfumes]

Wow so many interesting items.  How did you keep track of it all @RGbrown ❤️.  Love the pumpkin enzyme mask.  It’s my favourite and I have the peel too.  I don’t use it often either.  Body scrubs I go through and keep forgetting to keep track of them.  I forget to keep track of things.  Honestly some items last me half a year.  

[RGbrown]

@2manyperfumes 

I have gotten pretty good about tossing all of my empties in a bag I keep on the back of my bathroom door. That way they're all together for the family photo when I remember to make a post 😋

[2manyperfumes]

Good idea @RGbrown ❤️ I’m going to try that 👍

[CC3616]

500+ nice work @RGbrown!

[RGbrown]

Thank you @CC3616! ❤️

[CookieGirl1]

510 is impressive, @RGbrown!

[RGbrown]

@CookieGirl1 

Thanks! It helps that a massive part of my stash is samples/minis, so I just keep plodding through them as best I can 😅

[PenelopeBT]

Great empties! I love the Hum Gummies. They have a nice, sweet berry flavor and I feel they make my hair look healthier. I'm interested in their glow gummies too, which is why I've recently picked up the HUM NUTRITION - Slay Belle - Vegan Gummy Set for Stronger Hair and Glowing Skin. It's on sale, too. <333

[karap03]

here’s my October and November Empties! no major fails. the standouts are: wella fusionplex shampoo and conditioner, dr teals epsom salt (matcha scent was ok but i love the brand), origins ginzing moisturizer with sheer tint release (perfect for no makeup days), donna karan cashmere deodorant, laura mercier loose powder, glamglow supermud, benefit precisely my brow in shade 3, kay von d liquid liner in trooper, hourglass caution extreme mascara, crest 3D white strips one glamorous white

[PenelopeBT]

The Hourglass Caution Mascara is definitely one of my favorite mascaras and an underrated one. I love how long wearing it is and it doesn't smear or smudge on my eyes, either. <333

[ShortErica]

@karap03 which is your favorite Dr. Teal's? Also it is so weird seeing Donna Karan deodorant. I associate the brand with dresses. Nice empties!

[JessLess]

I’ve been keeping track of my empties all year and I’m finally getting close to 150 gone 🎉 I know that’s not an impressive number, but to be fair, I wasn’t actively trying to do a Project Pan (it was more of an afterthought). To celebrate my slow progress, I figured I would post my most recent empty: a deluxe sample of Drybar’s Hot Toddy Heat & UV Protectant! It surprisingly lasted me longer than I thought, I think I got maybe 5 uses out of it? Not bad for a deluxe sample! I actually really loved the results of this product. In fact, when I finished my blowout, I was floored! My hair was so smooth and healthy-looking, but not flat or greasy at all! Normally cream products don’t do well with my thin flat hair, so this was a pleasant surprise,... And the damage protection is definitely needed! I will definitely consider buying this, but I have so many other samples to work my way through first, so this may turn into a reward when I hit a certain number next year! 😉

[RGbrown]

Doing a little post-holiday clean out now that it's quiet around here. I hope everyone had a lovely Thanksgiving! 🦃

YTD 494

Notes in the spoiler!

Spoiler

Moon Clean Slide Flossers: I don't normally show my oral care stuff, but since these came from Ulta, I figured I'd post some thoughts. They are perfectly fine, and if you prefer the sleek black packaging, they look better hanging around on your counter than basic drugstore flossers. My teeth are tight, but these never shredded or stretched or frayed. My only design quibble is the pointy AF exposed pick...after the first couple of times of reaching in the bag blindly only to poke yourself sharply under a nail with one, you learn quickly to be more careful. And while the bag itself is really thick, sturdy plastic on the front and back, there's a gusset on the bottom made out of the thinnest cellophane I've ever seen. It couldn't hold up to the pointy picks, and after only a couple of weeks, I had to tape the bottom back up because it had torn. I'd buy these again in a pinch, but am just as happy with Plackers (and their picks don't poke me 😛 )

Ulta Aromatherapy Shower Tablets (Eucalyptus + Sage): this particular scent is ok at best. I love the lemongrass ones and will continue to buy them as long as I can, but I can barely detect these in my shower at all.

Biobelle Beauty Scoop: still my favorite sheet mask brand (not that I'm all that adventurous in trying new ones, nor do I use them often, but I never get bored with the OG Biobelle lineup). Low scent, good moisture, good fit, and the thinnest fabric I've ever run across. Love!

Paula's Choice Resist Daily Pore-Refining Treatment 2% BHA: I use BHA daily, and this is my preferred variety. I love that this formula has peptides added, and it doesn't feel oily like her original. The packets were simply small cart fillers to meet a gwp minimum, but I have multiple bottles on hand now, and will continue to use this for eternity (or at least the foreseeable future lol).

Primera Alpine Berry Water Cream: A bit thicker than I expected for a water cream, but it mixed with my nightly oil well, and didn't cause any breakouts or other issues. The scent wasn't terrible, but not quite my cup of tea...kind of a powdery, sweet, floral? It dissipated fairly quickly though, so it wasn't too bad. Would use again perhaps, but not really on my radar.

Psssst! Volume Dry Shampoo: I expected this to be a declutter when I pulled it out of the cabinet; I don't like product feel, which most "volume" dry shampoos leave behind to varying degrees. Surprisingly, it didn't leave much of anything behind. Sadly, it didn't do a whole lot in the way of making my hair look better either. I love the brand's oily version, but this one is a pass for me.

Ulta Pedi-Pebble: the one in the package is a stand-in for the one I just finished (sea salt variety); I didn't think to save the wrapper for it when I opened it. I have to say I was very pleasantly surprised with this. I started with zero expectations; I only bought it because I needed a cart-filler and the price was right lol. Living in sandals for several months of the year makes my feet pretty gross, and normally I do 2 foot peels a year, one at the beginning of spring, and then one later in the summer. I opened my pedi pebble (not sure exactly when, late April, early May maybe?), used it roughly 2x per week, and never found that I needed a second peel. It did a great job at maintaining the results from my first one well enough that a second one just seemed unnecessary. I mean, I'm sure I'd get something off with a second peel, but I'm not sure it'd be worth wasting one (especially now that sandal season is over). I obviously have more, and may move this up into staple territory...it's cheaper than many foot peels and gives me some nice results!

Jane Iredale Lip Drink Lip Balm (shade Tease, purple): I was surprised at how terrible this is. The reviews are generally good, but I found it gritty, which is a huge no for me. I tried to get through it, and put it in my house-jacket pocket for those times when I wasn't near one of my other bazillion balms in the house, but it dried my lips out as well. The purple is a lovely deep purple, but so sheer that I looked like I had asphyxia lips. The only good thing is the scent...it's a childhood throwback to the giant chewy sweetarts, the purple one, no less. Sadly, scent isn't enough to save this from decluttering. 

Sky Organics Lip Balm (Tangy Citrus): I got a 6pk of these off Amazon for next to nothing as a S&S filler a few months back. I'd never heard of the brand, didn't really need it, but the price was right, and it was my 5th item to get me a better discount on everything else, so I went for it. My intent was to split them up between my sisters for stocking stuffers, but I might rethink that (ok, no, I'll share the love with them, but I really like these!). It smelled great, and was a really nice daytime balm for me. Better moisture than Burt's Bees, and feels good. I still reapply all the time, but more out of habit than need...I think this lasted longer on my lips than BB does. I will definitely consider purchasing more of these when the rest of my balm stash dwindles.

Soap & Glory Bright + Beautiful Party Recovery Radiance Boosting Mask: I made mad notes on the back of this one: sharp citrus scent (while I personally don't liken it to a household cleaner scent, I could see where some would); decent fit; eye holes plenty big; not too wide or long but forehead was a smidge short (but many are for me...my forehead is quite large); mask holds lots of serum; not drippy; lots of serum left on face even after fabric started to dry out; not sticky, soaked in well. All in all, I liked this one fine, but the scent was a bit loud, and I prefer their moisture mask (can't recall the name off the top of my head right now though).

[RGbrown]

I'm currently twiddling my thumbs, waiting to see what the Ulta sale brings in a couple of hours, so I figured I may as well do something slightly productive and clean out the trash bag 😅

YTD 483!

ETA:

I am thoroughly annoyed with my internet at home; it has been coming and going all freaking day. Spent 30 minutes typing up my reviews at my desk, clicked submit, bam, dreaded "no connection" error. Thankfully I had copied my notes before submitting, but can't get them off my desktop without internet. Sooooo...I pasted them into a doc and took a picture. Here you go! 🤭😂

(Good grief, that's ugly. Sorry y'all 😥 Lemme know if you can't read something!)

[sonnydee]

looking forward to your notes on that splash mask @RGbrown, I got it in a gwp from Ulta & read the directions?😳 what?! very curious!😊

[RGbrown]

@sonnydee 

The splash mask is very much a love! I use it a little differently than the label though...I am way too lazy and adverse to making that much of a mess (and I feel like splashing myself over and over as directed would be a huge mess lol). I keep it in the shower, and pour a little in my hand, a few drops, whatever I can cup without losing it over the sides. I then use my other hand, and dip a couple of fingers in it, wipe that on one cheek, dip, wipe on the other cheek, dip, chin, dip, nose, then wipe what's left in my hand across my forehead and spread/rub it all around for 10 seconds or so. I let it sit for a few more seconds while I close the bottle, put it back up, then grab my face wash and spread it on my face over the splash mask and wash as normal. 

I think this is the third mini I've finished off now, and I can still tell a difference after using it every single time. There aren't many exfoliants out there that I feel that way about...maybe I just get bored with so many others, but I always enjoy this one and do feel like it helps! 

[gonerogue]

Latest batch of empties. It’s nice to see them accumulate all within the same week 🙂

Items: Boscia Konjac sponge (not pictured), Garnier Micellar water, Covergirl Full Lash Bloom mascara, BBW Endless Summer body wash, BBW Cucumber Melon lotion,

Benefit Cosmetics Precisely, My Brow Pencil Waterproof Eyebrow Definer Shade 3.5 Living Proof Style Lab Flex Hairspray 7.5 oz BAREMINERALS - BarePRO™ Performance Wear Liquid Foundation Broad Spectrum SPF 20 Urban Decay All Nighter Waterproof Makeup Setting Spray Standard Size - 4 oz/ 118 mL
Every single item was a repurchase with the exception of the micellar water which was a new one for me and I enjoyed very much. I see it as an easy way to remove makeup and it’s also very cost effective. 

[2manyperfumes]

Love the setting spray too @gonerogue ❤️.  Winter time I’ve used the dewy skin by Tatcha but it can be a bit too dewy lol. UD is my favourite.

[annypoo]

The urban decay spray in that exact bottle is my fav. For some reason I don’t like the smell of the newer repackaged one.