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Empties

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.

Re: Empties

hehehehhe im just a mascara junkie! i can't help myself. 

Re: Empties

November/December Empties (minus vacation items)

 

Empties November December 2014.jpg

 

 

Spoiler

Loved

Soft Soap Coconut and Warm Ginger soap- I love everything about it, but my favorite thing is it does not make a huge mess when my kids drip it all over the sink.  The smell is subtle, too.

Julep Nail Masks- These really soften my cuticles.  It is too bad the effects do not last long, but I love them for the temporary effect.

Lush Bath Sample- I have no idea what it was, because it did not have a product card, but I loved it enough to want to start an exploration on the brand.

Julep Foot Mask- Like the hand masks, I love the way these work.  The effects are temporary but great while they last.

YSL Touche Eclat Foundation- I have loved every foundation I've tried lately, so I would be happy with any of them.

Lancome BiFacial- I love the way it feels and it removes everything nicely.

Lancome Bienfait UV 50- My favorite facial sunblock ever.  It applies thin and matte.  My skin never burns when I am wearing this.  It expired before I could use it all, but I will repurchase as soon as I use all of the facial samples I've accumulated.  (I hate when samples keep me from buying my HG items)!

Pacifica Tuscan Blood Orange Hand Cream- Feels and smells great.  LOVE!

H2o+ Hand Cream- Feels great and I like the smell.  (Have so many of these on hand at all times).

Glamglow Bright Eyes- This makes my eyes look so bright.  I love this stuff and my normal skincare routine is having me use this less and less.  I will keep repurchasing this though for when I need it.

Tarte Blush Dollface- I love the Tarte clay blushes and this color is very pretty.  Will purchase the full size at some point.

CoverFX Concealer- The color is slightly off, but this is a fantastic concealer.  It was my first experience with the brand.

Liked

Generic sponge (unknown brand)- Bought for my husband when he refused to let me buy him a replacement body brush for my Clarisonic.  He said he would rather use a loofa.  When I bought it, he told me his expression was hypothetical.  I used it on days I did not use my Clarisonic.  It worked fine.

Bath and Body Works Cucumber Melon Body Cream- I like everything about it but the scent.  I would be open to using other scents, but I hope people stop buying me this one.

Up and Up Nail Polish Remover- Nothing special or horrible.  It removes the polish and is a great price.

Sephora Rose Sheet Mask- I liked it.  I did not put anything on after it and my face, which is usually dry felt decent until the next wash.  I did not really notice any other effects though, so I am not in a hurry to rush out and buy more.

H2o+ Shampoo- Smells nice and lathers well, but it does not do a whole lot for my frizzy, stringy hair.

H2o+ Conditioner- Smells nice and conditions decently well, but it does not do a whole lot for my hair.

Tresemme Shampoo- Cleans nicely but nothing overly special.

H2o+ Collagen Shampoo- I like this slightly better than the other one, but it is still not my favorite.

CO Bigelow Peppermint and Lavender Conditioner- It is not thick enough for me and does nothing special for my hair.  I love the smell though, so I tolerate it just for that.

Urban Decay Primer Potion- While I would never buy the full size (I prefer NARS), I find this works all right when used with quality shadows and given a lot of time to set before applying shadow.  Otherwise, it creases every time.

Tom Ford Velvet Orchid- I like the scent.

Charlotte Tilbury Kissing Jane- The formula feels nice, but I do not really like the color.  There was not enough lipstick in the sample for one full application though.

Benefit Fake Up- The formula is all right.  The color was too dark for me to keep using the sample though.

Dr Haushcka face cleanser- This stuff smells terrible (fades quickly though).  It does not lather super well, but it leaves my skin so soft with its very subtle exfoliant.  

Clinique Powder Redness Correcting- My skin did look slightly less red when I used it.  I am not in the market for a new powder at the moment.

YSL Touche Eclat Illuminizer- This is growing on me.  The first time I sampled it, I used shade one.  It was not a right fit for my skin tone, so I did not like the way it looked.  Someone convinced me to try it again with shade 2, which is perfect with my skin tone.  The only thing that keeps me from loving it is it does not pair well with all of my foundations.  I love it with YSL foundations, so I may purchase this down the road.

H2o+ lotion- A little thin, but it does the job all right.

Eucerin calming lotion- Much thinner than the Eucerin I am used to, which explains why this stuff was so cheap.

Sephora Cotton Rounds- These do not fall apart as badly as the cheap ones, but they still fall apart slightly.  I want something a little nicer when I purchase again.

Not for Me

Malin and Goetz body b-6 lotion- Not thick enough for me, and I hate the smell.  I was only able to use this once. My husband gave it to me after someone gave it to him (two years later).  It was too old for me to give to someone else, so I tossed it full!

Swisspers Cotton Rounds- These are junk and fall apart easily.  Sadly, I purchased a 6 pack before ever trying them, so I have 5 more to go.

Shine Shampoo- It does not lather well, the smell is not great and it does not make my hair look special.  I stay at Sheraton often, which is why I have so many of these.  I am forcing myself to use them, because my husband wants me to use all of my shampoo up before I repurchase more of my beloved Wen (hopefully during Chic week).

Korres Quercetin and Oak Anti-Ageing Primer- Felt slightly moisturizing.  I do not think this worked any better than when I forgot to use anything though.

 

 

 

Re: Empties

So that's the magic trick with Urban Decay's Primer Potion! I never realized it needed to set before whacking on eyeshadow.

Re: Empties

It took me a while to figure that out.  After having it crease 90% of the time when I applied the shadows within two minutes of application, I now have about a 90% success rate of no creasing if I wait over five minutes from applying it and waiting for shadows.  The amount makes a difference, too.  Applying too little obviously does not work well but surprisingly, you can also apply too much.  Whenever I apply a lot (which I have the tendency to do with everything), I get creasing as well.  The trick is to do one tiny squirt (that is enough) and wait five or more minutes after application to start shadows.  

 

That is why I will never buy it though.  My NARS rarely creases no matter how I apply it.  If you have samples though, this technique is a good way to put them to use.

Re: Empties

Urban Decay, you are so high maintenance 🙂

 

I've moved over to my sample of NARS, and I'm still having the creasing issue, so I think I'll take this technique and try it out. Thanks for the tips!

Re: Empties

I just saw your message above.  Once you've tried the technique for a while, please let me know how it goes.  Good luck.

Anonymous Insider

Re: Empties

Cotton buds that fall apart too easily annoy me intensely! Can definitely empathize!

Re: Empties

As soon as I am done with my stockpile, I am trying Sheseido.  The problem is my stockpile will probably last me through 2015.  I like to buy things in bulk.

Re: Empties

The Shiseido ones are amazing, and a pack lasts quite a long time compared to the cotton rounds!

Re: Empties

There wasn't much sample usage during December for me but here they are. 

 

Already did/Will Buy:

Huggies Sensitive & Soothing (Cucumber & Green Tea) Wipes - I love these. They smell great and they're so durable for wiping things down and taking off lipstick when I'm trying new things out. Already bought a 3 pack. 

Beauty Blender Solid Cleanser - Gets my brushes good and clean. Will repurchase as soon as I use up my sephora brand one. 

 

Might repurchase:

Neutrogena shine control powder. I liked it but I have other powders to use up first. 

It's So Big Mascara. Again, I liked it but I have a ton other mascaras to use up. 

Secret Clinical Strength Deodorant - trying others before repurchasing. 

 

Will not repurchase:

Elf exfoliating makeup wipes - have been forcing myself to use up all of these I bought. Hate them. Only 2 more packs to go. 

Olay oil minimizing toner - Ughh. Straight up alcohol. Left my skin dry and tight. BURNED. 

 

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Re: Empties

These three photo's are from the November through now. A lot of things were in flux from moving my home and the holiday season, but they're finally here! For the life of me, I can't figure out how to do the spoiler tags...

 

November Empties:

image_2.jpeg

 

Spoiler

Fresh Hesperides Shower Gel: fantastic summertime grapefruit shower gel! Didn't dry out my skin, but might be too harsh for the winter. Possible repurchase

Pureology Hydrate conditioner: it works great on my parched hair, but the acne on my back was far too much. I gave up on it about halfway through and gave it to a girlfriend. No repurchase

Kate Somerville Quench: I used this in place of a hydrating toner. While it worked as that purpose, it never really did the magical things that it did for other people. Especially at the price they are charging for it. No repurchase

Boscia Makeup Breakup Cleansing oil: Still my number one favorite cleansing oil for the first cleanse in the evening. Smells fantastic, especially when I put a hot compress on my face with it on. Already repurchased.

Ole Henriksen African Red Tea Foaming Cleanser: This was my face wash in the shower, and while I normally won't touch anything foaming, I really did enjoy this quite a bit. And it lasts for ages! Sadly, it's a bit to drying for my dry winter skin. Perhaps I'll toss my backup bottle into my boyfriend's shower? Repurchased.

Aveda Invati shampoo: This has salicylic acid in it, and was a nice alternative to my medicated dandruff shampoo. But I'm experimenting with other ways of dealing with my dandruff. Not repurchasing.

Matrix Radiant Boost: This is an exfoliating toner, which I was determined to use up. I much prefer the Radiance pads from FAB! Not repurchasing.

Coastal Scents Revealed Palette 1 and 2: These are sample eyeshadow quads, and while they blended out nicely, they aren't my colors. They've been sanitized and given away. Not repurchasing.

Hanae Mori Perfume: Much too sweet for me, so I gave it away. Not repurchasing

Peter Thomas Roth Laser-Free Eye Serum: This is a deluxe sized sample thankfully. Gel formulations never mixed well with my skin, and I've always prefered a creamier eye cream. Didn't finish it and gave it to a friend. Not Repurchasing

Too Faced Better Than Sex full size mascara: This is still my holy grail of mascara's. But I've got well over a dozen deluxe sized mascara's to get through. Will repurchase at some point.

Living Proof Primer: This worked really well on my long hair, but my hair needs quite a bit of it. Like a quarter sized amount! But alas, I did repurchase 🙂

Urban Decay Primer Potion in Eden: Another sample, only used it twice, and gave up from the really obvious creasing. Same issue I've had with all UD eye primers! Not purchasing.

Deva One Condition: Good conditioner, if you can get past the smell of… thyme? Not buying.

Caudalie Premier Cru The Cream: I had two foils of this, and enjoyed it immensely. Will be repurchasing when I run out of my current one!

Fresh Rose Eye Gel: Nice soothing eye gel, but not hydrating enough. Not repurchasing.

Origins Gin-Zing cream: This would be nice for normal skin, but it wasn't enough for mine. My skin still felt tight and uncomfortable afterwards.

Benefit Push-up Liner: I'm regretting not listening to you BT ladies, and purchasing this on a whim. I played with it about a dozen of times, and never could get it to play nice with me. Not Repurchasing.

 

 

 

December Empties:

image_1.jpeg

 

Spoiler

Aveeno Calming Body Wash: Nice lavender scent, not to stripping. Not repurchasing because I love trying out new body washes.

Ole Henriksen Truth Serum: My skin loves this serum, and it's been repurchased!

AG Control Shampoo: My HG anti-dandruff shampoo no longer works, but I did polish off my one liter bottle! I used this primary on my scalp, and didn't sud up my hair with it. Also required a very hydrating conditioner. Not repurchasing, sadly.

Jurlique Radiance Serum: Nice serum, still undecided. Got about 3 uses out of the foil.

Nude Cleansing Oil: This cleansing oil didn't really impress me much. It seemed like I needed quite a bit more of this to get my makeup off than my preferred Boscia oil. Not repurchasing.

Diorshow Iconic Overcurl mascara: Deluxe sample size. Love this, and will repurchase!

Algenist Complete Eye Renewal Balm: Deluxe sample size. This lasted quite a few weeks for me. While I loved it, I've moved on to their genius version. Not repurchasing.

FAB radiance pads: Adore these! HG pads for sensitive dry skin! Already repurchased.

Pevonia R32: Deluxe sample. These cream is meant for people with rosacea or sensitive skin. Didn't do anything for my redness, and was not hydrating enough for my skin. The bottle is a 5ml, and it only lasted two uses on my skin. Thankfully I got this sample from my esthetician. Not repurchasing.

 

 

 

image.jpeg

 

Spoiler

Kate Somerville Goat Milk: Full size. While it was nice, and suited my summer skin, I think next time I'll try the Nourish moisturizer. Not repurchasing.

FAB radiance pads: Always a fave 🙂

Ole Henriksen Pure Truth Melting Cleanser: This is my favorite second cleanse at night. Doesn't leave a film, and my face doesn't feel tight or uncomfortable. I've already repurchased, and I'm adoring my second container.

Lancôme Advanced Genifique Youth Activating Concentrate: It was nice. It didn't wow me, and it didn't do anything different. Used it for a week straight. Granted, these type of changes will take a month to show, minimum. But I really prefer my current one. Not repurchasing.

Philosophy No Reason to Hide: Deluxe sample. The pump can't pump any product out, so I'm tossing it. 😞

Hourglass Illusion Hyaluronic Skin Tint: I've been looking for a more comforting foundation, and I think I have found it! It's a thick fluffy cream, but I find it I use a foundation brush, and the product on the back of my hand, I can control how heavy it goes on. Makes my face look so luminous and dewy! Must buy!

Dior Lipglow: my everyday lip product. Boyfriend likes it because he doesn't end up wearing any lipstick, and I like it because it still gives me a bit of color. Perfectly natural and beautiful. Already repurchased!

Guerlain Maxi Lash: Deluxe size. I had some pretty severe issues with this. The "supple waxes" and "oils" in this was too much, and melted on me throughout the one day I wore it. Smudged pretty badly underneath my eyes, and got into my eyes, making my vision blurry. But oils never get absorbed into my skin, so that could be the issue. Not repurchasing.

Blinc Mascara: deluxe size. On the other hand of the spectrum, I tried this tubing mascara. It works, doesn't smudge, but it doesn't give me that volume and oomph that I adore from other mascara's. Also, since it tubes, it's a pain to remove with my eye cream remover. Not repurchasing.

Shiseido Facial Cottons: There's no way I'm ever returning back to normal face cottons. These are my holy grail, and a package of these last me forever! Well worth the purchase.

Glamglow Supermud: This works fantastically well on my pores. A lot of masks have a tough time with my small pore openings, despite my pores being big inside due to poor skincare in my youth. I will be buying this!

Lush Santa Lip Scrub: I repurchase this every December, and love it! Already bought.

L'Oreal Youthcode: Really good primer, but it started separating after a year. Time to try out other primers! Not repurchasing.

 

 

 

... WHEW! 😛

Re: Empties

I love that Aveeno body wash! I use it almost every time I shower (when I'm not trying to match my body wash to my lotion, ha!) =0)

Re: Empties

It is a yummy body wash! I love the pomegranate one too, but this winter my skin only wants the skin relief formula. On the bright side, it doesn't compete with any fragrance 😉

Re: Empties

 Lots of great items.  I still need to take my November and December pictures.  Will get on that today.

 

Spoiler

I type first. Then, I add the spoilers (to keep it clean). When people do spoilers first, there are a lot of awkward spoilers (alerting me to who adds them before typing). After typing everything you want in one spoiler, highlight the section and hit the 5th icon from the left at the top of the text box. It looks like a sun with a cloud in its face. 

 

Screen Shot 2015-01-05 at 1.23.10 PM.png

 

Screen Shot 2015-01-05 at 1.23.21 PM.png

 

 

Re: Empties

Hahaha, "it looks like a sun with a cloud in its face." Made me laugh out loud. I think it looks like a yellow smiley with a white-gloved hand over its eyes, but I totally see the sun/cloud thing now.

Re: Empties

Oh my goodness.  I just enlarged my screen.  It does kind of look like a hand giving the writer The Finger.  I am going back to the innocent days when I thought it was a cloud covering the sun.  The sun being the info (the light or enlightenment) and the cloud covering it (hiding it in the spoiler).

Re: Empties

XD You are too funny. It does look like The Finger. Here I am being innocent as well thinking its a thumb, but it's totally saying "Eff you, I'm making you click this extra button to get to this content."

Re: Empties

You are my newest bestest favoritest BT'est friend! 🙂

Re: Empties

Always nice to meet a new friend.  Heart

Re: Empties

I seem to have been near empty of a lot of stuff last month!  

 

Items to repurchase: 

neostrata exfoliating crystals and activator set

neostata smoothing cream - Neostrata is the skincare brand I trust the most to give me results.  I'll rarely sway from this brand cause it works and why mess with what works? 

living proof shampoo and conditioner - I have maybe one use left of the shampoo. I always use more conditioner than shampoo.  I love how this shampoo makes my hair.  It almost feels thicker- like there's a layer of something on the shaft, but it never feels heavy or weighed down.  My hair is definitely better after using this.

Dr Brandt pores no more  this stuff is better than benefit porefessional.  I bought the full size! 

tarte maracuja c+brightener. I loved the creamy consistency of this and it kept my eyes moisturized all night.  I have tons of eye samples right now as well as a full sized shiseido eye cream so it will be a while before I need to repurchase.  

Not so fond of/ dislike

 

well, I will never buy tanning lotions again.  I am just using up residual lotions from my stupidity days as nighttime lotions.  

I hated the Supergoop!  I couldn't even force myself to use it.  It felt like plastic on my skin.  Shudder! 

I can't say I liked the Lancôme deoderant either.  Too chalky.  

 

Everything else I'm indifferent to. 

 

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Re: Empties

Lancome has a deodorant?  I had no clue.  

 

I've been meaning to try my Living Proof stuff, but it will have to wait until I've used up more of my open stuff.

 

I am so impressed with all of your empty perfume vials.  I have never emptied a single perfume (not even those simple mini vial samples), so I am going to make it a point to do that soon.  

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