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.

[dejena]

Nice set of empties! Out of curiousity, there are three bottles in the first image, located in the upper right, that are clear with green labels. What are those? At first glance, they look like alterna haircare products from teh bamboo line, but after a second hard look, I'm not sure.

[notcreative]

Those bottles are a lotion, shampoo, and conditioner by Bath & Body Works rain kissed leaves courtesy of Legoland Hotel. The smell is wonderful, not overpowering like most B & BW scents. Thankfully, it smelled nothing like rain kissed leaves either, which does not make me think of a pleasant smell. It was light, but clean smelling. The lotion is a little thin, but it does moisturize. I love it but would not use it in the winter. The shampoo and conditioner were okay. They did not smell as good as the lotion (the same but a little more muted). My frizzy hair needs a stronger formula, so I would use them again. No way I would purchase them though.

[dejena]

Wow, hotels have been stepping up their game! 😮

[notcreative]

Certain hotels are still in the dark ages, but some have nice amenities. 

[kelloua]

Clearly I travel at the same hotels because I never see anything interesting or different in terms of toiletries selections.  I swear though I've never gone to a hotel where the cream was potent enough for my dry skin.  I always have to bring my own.  Thank god for foils in those instances.

[notcreative]

Depends on the hotel. The Rituals lotion from the Radisson (top left) was thin (like all hotel lotions). It did moisturize decently well though. 

We almost always revert to staying at the Hilton or the Sheraton, but I am over Shine and PTR (they small manly) lotions at those hotels. The Shine shampoo and conditioners are terrible, too. My husband stayed at Fontainebleau Miami recently. They had Molton Brown (top middle) products. They're not an outsourced watered down hotel version either. He was impressed that they had the real deal.

I always pack body lotions when I travel, too. Even when they are moisturizing enough, they're never big enough (except the Cosomopolitan). They used to give huge lotions, but I have not stayed there in a few years. I heard they switched from C.O. Bigelow to something else.

[kelloua]

I don't know that I've ever had a shampoo or conditioner at a hotel I loved though I do remember back in the day being really excited when I discovered Bliss via staying at the W.

[notcreative]

Yes, I've used Bliss products from the W, but I am not sure if they're full strength Bliss or the standard watered down version most retailers sell hotel chains. 

[kelloua]

Impressive!  You always make it through so much each month.  What are the little containers with blue tape (I think) on top?

[notcreative]

I use a lot of samples, which are small. It looks deceivingly like I am using more than I really am. Each mini shampoo or conditioner gives me 2-3 washes. The L'Oreal one was a little bigger, so I got 4-5 on that. I use lotion every day on my body and many, many times a day on my hands. That is the one product I use a lot of each month. 

The containers are a Raspberry cream and a Lavender Balm I sampled for Megan at Essentielle Beauty. I did not like the scent of the Raspberry cream, but it was not a deal breaker. It was very moisturizing on my dry skin, which I always appreciate. The balm did not smell like lavender at all. It smelled like Christmas! I loved it. While it is not as thick as my beloved Egyptian Magic, it did a similar job. I used it on dry patches that were not bad enough to require Egyptian Magic. It takes about 30 minutes to work into the skin, but it does moisturize wonderfully once it works in.

[heartsmyface]

I like that about sample sizes.  ouhhh, you stayed at a Sheraton!  I actually don't like those little shampoos.  I've used them to clean stained clothing before but I find them drying. 

[notcreative]

I hate every Shine product I've ever tried. My husband loves the Sheraton, so we still stay there often. I try to book different hotels when I can. That came from a Universal Hollywood trip though. The only hotels worth staying at nearby at the Hilton or the Sheraton. The Hilton was sold out unfortunately. Their super thin manly smelling PTR lotion is not much better than the Shine junk, but the shampoo and conditioner are a lot better.

[kelloua]

Fair enough, though I still think making it through samples is impressive.  🙂

[JazaChai]

WOW was this a month for empties... I finished ALL the things!

Loves (have or would repurchase):

Spoiler

UD Naked Skin in 2.0
Estee Lauder Take It Away make-up remover lotion
Nailtiques non-acetone polish remover
fresh soy cleanser
FAB cleanser
Murad Hydrating toner spray
Lancome Bi-facial eye make-up remover
ren calming day cream
D&G mascara
Smashbox full exposure mascara
Bumble & Bumble Full Potential shampoo/conditioner - OMG. This is 2 promos worth of foils, which was 10 hair washes or about a month's worth. IT WORKS. ...shame about the smell 😞
Rosebud salve
Too Faced shadow insurance
Caudalie Le Cru eye cream
l'Occitane Shea Hand Cream
Ole Henriksen Truth Serum
Blow Pro dry shampoo - NEW HG. >>> Oscar Blandi, Pret-a-powder, and every spray I've ever tried.
fresh Black Tea eye concentrate
Deborah Lippmann Cuticle Eraser
Living Proof primer style extender
Nude Genius Treatment Milk
Algenist C+ Genius serum
Algenist C+ Genius eye cream

Ok/Meh:

Spoiler

Ulta cotton rounds
Aveeno body wash
Dr. Jart Waterfuse BB Cream - I like the Premium better
Origins Nite-a-mins night cream
Sunday Riley Luna Oil - maybe I just didn't have enough time to see results, but I didn't notice it doing anything much
bliss foot patrol, eucalytus/aloe - the smell was not great, really medicinal
Buxom lip gloss in something unmemorable, the label fell off
Josie Maran Black Oil mascara
MUFE HD Powder - not a huge fan of HD powders anymore, and I'd buy a cheaper dupe if I were
Algenist Sublime Defense Anti-Aging Moisturizer SPF 30 
Laura Mercier Smooth Finish Flawless Fluide in Vanille
Marc Jacobs Highliner Brown(out) - this was good while it lasted, but then it dried up suddenly and fell out of the tube to who knows where... demoted from Love to Meh for this reason.
Sephora eye makeup remover
Clinique acne treatment
Bumble & bumble Thickening shampoo & conditioner
Chanel lifting eye cream
Gardener's Hand Healer hand cream

Nope:

Spoiler

Marc Jacobs lip gloss, old formula - too sheer, and the tube was too small to be workable
philosophy back to nurture cream - it worked ok, but it pilled up with everything

[notcreative]

I will be trying that Bliss Foot cream soon. Any specific details on why it was meh? I am so tired of foot creams that do not moisturize. They're for feet, which have really thick skin. If they're not thick, they will not even crack the surface.

[JazaChai]

Mostly the smell. It absorbed really well (almost too well?). I am confident that if used regularly it would moisturize well, but it didn't seem to do much on one application. And the smell made me not want to apply it very often.

[dejena]

Wow, that's a nice load of empties!!

How did you like Estee Lauder's Take it Away make-up remover lotion? I never knew they made one, and now i'm intrigued!

[JazaChai]

It's great! Sephora sold it for awhile, but not anymore. It's water-based, and you can tell; it's not really "lotiony" in the greasy or creamy sense. Gets all kinds of makeup off very easily. It works best if you wipe off with a tissue and then cleanse with something else. I would use it to take off my makeup when I got home from work, and then wash my face for real closer to bed time. It worked really well for that because it didn't leave my face either sticky or dry.

I'm trying out some micellar water removers now, but I may end up going back to this.

[dejena]

Good to know! Next time I'm at the department store, I'll check out the texture, but I think you've enabled me on this one 🙂 I'm usually a fan of a double cleanse, so this would totally work out well!

[kelloua]

These are great empties.  I'm impressed you have so many items that (at least for me) are hard to use up like lip glosses and eye primer.  How was the Murad hydrating toner spray?  I like having a move hydrating one to spritz on during the day when I feel my skin getting dry.  Previously used Fresh's rose one and now using Jurilique's Rose one.

[JazaChai]

I love it, I have the full size. It is a bit heavy on the glycerin, so if that would bother you then maybe not. I have their Vitamin C toner also, and it's almost as hydrating. Love both of them.