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.

[heartsmyface]

@flamingolegs  really what happens is I’ll save them for a couple days planning on taking photos and the room cleaners will come ‘clean them up’ for me.  I can’t say much cause what sane person protests someone taking out the trash?  😅. 

[ShortErica]

How’s the biore sunscreen @heartsmyface? I opted for the Nivea sunprotect pa+++ because I’ll do one less plus for much cheaper. Curious about any other daily sunscreens you’ve found to be good under makeup or bare faced. Thanks!

[heartsmyface]

@ShortErica  The biore is excellent under makeup.  I also am quite fond of hello mommy.  They’re both invisible on once they dry down.  

[ShortErica]

Thanks @heartsmyface. it seems the asian sunscreens with octinoxate, univul t 150 and univul a plus are the most cosmetically pleasing. Which of the two do you think leaves less shine? I'm hoping to find some mineral only options as well but the nivea seems to be my go to daily sunscreen because it gets pretty invisible minus a little shine. I appreciate your suggestions!

[michelleshops]

Next time bring an empty suitcase just for empties @heartsmyface We need to see your trash!

[OoohLaLaAndrea]

Awesome thread, been saving these for awhile! Feel free to jump to certain products if you're not interested in the whole list, afterall I have alot to say! Starting top left and going in a clockwise like circle: Zest fruit boost bodywash- I got this at a Kroger in a pop up cardboard display case and I loved it but I went back for a repurchase and it was gone! No display, not on the regular shelves, not at Walmart, & an employee told me to try online 😕 I love it enough that I might but I wish it wasn't such a hassle. I loved this because I have sensitive skin AND I'm allergic to fragrance so I have to be careful about my beauty, skincare, haircare, lotion, soaps, detergents, deodorant, candles, odor eliminaters, house cleaning products, etc, etc. So when I find something like this that smells good (with my allergy most perfumes tend to smell similar and give me a headache, hives and blotchiness when applied, and sends me into coughing fits and stirs my asthma when sprayed- usually flower based as opposed to food based scents), is sensitive skin friendly, actually mixes well with the scent from my shampoo & conditioner (I hate when they don't, again this affects my condition), & most importantly WORKS well!- I'm obsessed! Just wish it was easier to find 😕 Herbal Essences shampoo (idk what happened to the conditioner lol)- again this scent was amazing to me and worked perfectly with the Zest body wash, however I do not have curly hair & can't speak to the performance of that aspect, but the star of the show here is the amount of time that you can go in between washings and have beautiful shiny, clean looking hair! I hate washing my hair daily and tend to put it up when showering on non hair wash days and with this shampoo and conditioner, this was super easy & effective as opposed to all others I've ever used, when I take hot showers on the in between days, the humidity causes my hair to look more oily and definitely needing that wash the next day! The friend that turned me on to these has way longer and way thicker hair and because of that she goes many more days not washing her hair than I do, and she said her hair looks nice up to 8 DAYS using this! 8 DAYS!! I'm using the other duo on my list further down currently, but I'll be repurchasing both the shampoo & conditioner as I have many many times. Younique Illuminate facial cleanser for oily skin- I used to be a presenter and I mostly just got the discount as opposed to selling it. I have since realized there's better performing makeup for way less and tried to use up my skincare to get rid of it. This was creamy and did the job without stripping oils making my skin feel soft and not tight afterwards but I just didn't see anything special worth mentioning. 😕 Sensitive skin friendly but I'm not oily so idk how great it is for that, like i said i just didn't want to waste it. Anyway I will NOT be repurchasing this, (not sure if it's even still available) or maybe anything from Younique again, they're products have gone downhill as they've gained popularity (a matter of getting cheaper, easier & faster to produce) yet they stay expensive and there's just better stuff for less like I said. MOVING ON... Hey Honey Good Morning Honey Silk Facial Serum- if you look you can see both the trial and the full size because I got a trial and loved it so much I went with a purchase and this is an empty and I'm on my 2nd possibly will repurchase but I need to reconfigure my whole skincare routine. It leaves my skin so silky feeling and just really boosted my skin softening when my moisturizer didn't cut it. Only downfall is the high price I'm not too thrilled with but you definitely get what you pay for! I'm going to Plump all 3 trial Tarte skincare items as I recieved them together- this is the Drink of H2O Hydrating Boost (not much opinion, it's ok I guess, not repurchasing), the Rainforest of the Sea Deep Dive cleansing gel (really enjoyed this and when I don't need an exfoliating cleanser this is great and I could definitely see myself repurchasing but as of now I have plenty of face washes to use up- currently using the Soap and Glory foaming pump face wash and it's great in a different way- I feel more of a deep clean vs the Deep Dive making me feel more soft and hydrated after) & lastly the reason for the purchase, the Frixxxtion Stick exfoliating cleanser- absolutely loved this and repurchased many sets like this before I coughed up the cash for a full size one because it was recommended by Laura Lee when I was 1st getting into skincare and it was too pricey (I thought, now I realize in comparison to other skincare it's actually affordable) but after continuing to purchase the trials I realized that I haven't found a better exfoliating cleanser and although like most my skincare, I have tons to get through before I make any more purchases, I'll definitely be buying this again! Eco-beauty Good Night night cream skin lotion trial- I got this from an Ipsy which was amazing as a beginner but I couldn't keep adding samples and trials and just stuff to my massive collection so I no longer recieve Ipsy. I used up the lotion though not wanting to be wasteful (like the Younique) and I didn't care for it. I didn't hate it either but it wasn't very impressive, the scent was that of a popsicle stick sans the sugar- like a tounge depresser or a band aid and although I appreciate the size of the sample, I had to make myself finish it and I most certainly won't repurchase it. I appreciate what they're mission is and may look into future products, possibly. Lastly Nexxus Keraphix damage healing shampoo & conditioner- These deluxe samples are from Sephora and I was in love with how my hair felt after using these. It's hard to explain and although they're pricey, especially compared to a set from the drugstore, my hair feels so much different than any drugstore shampoo and/or conditioner has EVER left my hair! My hair felt so silky smooth and soft and looked healthier (although I have no clue if it actually healed any damage). My hair is so fine and thin and can't hold a curl but somehow with this set it felt soft and an airy weightlessness while somehow at the same time feeling thicker and heavier than it every had!!! Don't get me wrong, it didn't grow any extra hair but it's as if it coated each strand increasing its size!? Anyways, I purchased 2 of each of the bigger bottles (during a BOGO 1/2 off sale- Sephora runs that sale on this particular brand alot so it's worth checking out! ) and as in love with the luxurious hair this gives me as I am, I do miss the days of my Herbal Essence giving me plenty of oil free time in between washings and I'm currently at a crossroads trying to decide which is more valuable to me at the moment while I'm big into working out! Thank you for your time, I know it was lengthy but I hope you found it helpful and I enjoyed FINALLY getting to write about these and toss em! Cool thread and I look forward to posting everytime I get a new empty so it won't be soooo long lol! XOXO 💖🤘 -OoohLaLaAndrea

[RGbrown]

The latest batch; notes in spoilers 😊

Love

Spoiler

BBW Golden Pineapple Luau: smells like heaven! While I adore summery scents that are coconut based as well, it's a bit overdone, so it's nice to find a fab tropical olfactory treat that's a bit different. I so wish I had a dozen more bottles, but alas, it was my only one.

Soap & Glory Speed Plump Miracle Moisture Mask: 2pc hydrogel that fits well, sticks well, and does an amazing job of adding moisture. Light scent, perhaps a bit floral+citrus, but not so floral that it bothers me, and it dissipates pretty quickly. Have more, and will rebuy.

Freeman Psssst! Deep Clean Dry Shampoo: I'd never tried the brand before, and this was a surprise hit for me. Light minty scent, low on the white stuff scale, and did a good job of making my hair look clean with no stiff/sticky product feel. Once I finish off my five hundred and forty seven other dry shampoos, I could see this being a go-to for me.

Tinkle eyebrow razor: basic staple, and after trying a horrible brand that did nothing good for me, I appreciate these even more. Excellent for dermaplaning.

CoTz Face Natural-Tinted SPF40: a staple for me on makeup days; the tint is pretty sheer, just enough to even things out a bit without leaving a white cast or being too dark...it's pretty natural for me, and would probably work for most everyone except maybe the very lightest (and maybe very darkest) of tones. It never pills or causes any issues, and makes a great base if you like silicone-based primers (in fact, they just changed their packaging, and renamed this to something like "Prime & Protect").

Really really like and /or warrants further testing

Spoiler

Mario Badescu Herbal Hydrating Serum: a really nice (and economical) non-HA based serum. I've got some other hydration products from other brands to finish off, but this might be a future purchase once I need to buy something.

TonyMoly Pureness 100 Red Ginseng Mask Sheet: a nice "daily driver"...decent fit, good moisture, low scent. Have a few more to use up, and will be happy to do so. Would rebuy if I find a great deal again.

ELF Hydrating Water Essence: reeeeally nice, especially for $10. It's a little thicker than many I've tried, but it still soaks in well. While I don't mind the lightly-fruity scent, I think they could have left it out, but all in all, I really liked this. I like to throw a cheap essence into my mix of nicer ones...it helps stretch my supply lol, and I could see myself picking this up again next time I need something low cost.

Indie Lee CoQ-10 Toner: a very nice non-acid toner. I have a couple of 1oz bottles for more testing as well, so I can get an even better feel for it. I do miss acid toners though, but perhaps I could have an acid at night and this in the morning. It's a bit more than I want to spend on a toner as well, so I'm still on the fence as to whether or not it'll be a "love enough to purchase" item, but I do like the product so far.

StriVectin S.T.A.R.light Retinol Night Oil: I am really intrigued by this, and want as many samples as I can get my hands on for further testing since one packet isn't enough to see any actual results (and at $99, I'm uber-hesitant to buy a bottle outright). It has 2 types of retinol plus bakuchiol, as well as vitamins C and E, and squalane. And the scent is simply fantastic...I can't quite place it, but I love it.

Fine and dandy

Spoiler

Fine & Dandy, AKA "would use again, but won't buy"

Sephora Coconut Water Cleansing Wipes: I don't use wipes on my face, but used these for cleaning up swatches...they were perfectly fine for that.

Alterna Caviar Anti-Aging Replenishing Moisture Shampoo + Conditioner: I used one set to see if I even liked these first, and I really did. I had a bunch more samples that I had been collecting and hoarding for like two years; after using the one set, I dumped the rest into travel bottles so I didn't have to deal with packets in the shower anymore. Now that I've used more, I find this decent, but I'm not blown away; I think I could use a bit more moisture. 

Exuviance Super Retinol Concentrate: I feel like now that I've finished off 2 (or 3?) of these minis now, my skin is perhaps going a little backwards texture-wise. I wish more manufacturers would advertise their % of retinol so folks don't have to spend so much time seeing if a particular product has enough for their skin type/tolerance level. I may wind up going back to the PTR 1.5% just because I know what's in it.

Kora Organics Noni Radiant Eye Oil: I started this back in the winter, and it was a little more suited to me then, but once the weather warmed up and humidity rose, this became a bit of overkill for me. My eyes aren't particularly dry to begin with, but with the rollerball collecting goop every use, I didn't want to leave it half-used until November, so I went ahead and finished it off. The rollerball itself was very temperamental; most of the time it didn't work, and I had to rub it quite hard on my finger to get any out. I don't mind rollerballs for perfume (alcohol kills everything, y'all), but I'm much less enthusiastic about them for skincare. The oil is fine; wouldn't mind using again (even if I don't really need it lol), but I'm not a fan of the package. 

OFRA Vitamin C Cream: I think this is the first OFRA skincare I haven't disliked right off the bat. This was fine...a little thick, but not so heavy that I felt smothered or greasy. Fresh citrus scent.

My Clarins Re-Boost Refreshing Hydrating Cream: not bad; it seemed more like a gel-cream than a straight up cream, and the texture was quite nice. It's a bit perfumey, but the scent is at least light.

Ole Henriksen Truth Serum: this is on lots of folks' loves lists, and I find it to be just fine, but there are other vitamin C's that I prefer more. 

Not for me

Spoiler

OGX Argan Oil of Morocco Dry Shampoo: Fairly high on the white stuff scale, and left my hair looking only slightly less oily, so I wound up using way more than normal just to try and look a little fresher. The scent is fine...it reminds of a lighter version of Drybar's original scent, which I don't mind most of the time. I like the OGX green one (mint, I think?), but this was a nope.

AG Hair Re:Coil Curl Activator: just didn't impress me; it's a bit crunchy no matter how little I use, and I just didn't see much of a difference with it. Very low scent, which is good, but overall, I got bored way too quickly and it's just not for me.

OFRA Peptide Brightening Mask: clay based mask. It dries fairly softly, and is easy to remove, but the scent, dear sweet baby geezus, the scent...floral baby powder. It made me want to gag with every use. Nope.

L'Oreal Sublime Bronze Tinted Self-Tanning Lotion: It was nice that this has a hint of color so I could see where I was putting it, but I'm not sure it helped me much lol. This is my first year trying self tanner, and while I'm not that great at it yet, this one seemed to come out a bit streakier than the others I've tried so far. There's shimmer in it though, which is a plus in my mind, but not quite enough to bring this back from nope territory 😛

Goodal Orchid Lifting Sheet Mask: milky serum is a con to me, as is a heavy floral/perfume scent...this mask has both. 

Alba Un-Petroleum Vanilla SPF18 Lip Balm: possibly the stiffest lip balm I've ever had...it was more like rubbing my lips with a smooth rock. Not sure how I managed to finish it off since it never seemed like I got any on my lips. I didn't notice any vanilla scent or flavor, but I also never tasted sunscreen, so it wasn't all bad, but I prefer something that feels a little more balmy once applied.

Zoya Get Even Ridge-Filling Base Coat: It's like trying to polish my nails with milk...I'm not sure how anything this thin is supposed to fill ridges.

Black Dahlia Lacquer No More Ridges Base Coat: much better than the Zoya texture-wise, and did a decent job with all of my ridges minus the one giant speedbump growing down one nail, but somewhere around 3-4-5 days, my entire manicure would start peeling off in sheets...always at the most inopportune times, when I needed to be somewhere and be presentable, but didn't have time to redo my nails. Sigh.  

[lustylips]

@RGbrown thank you so much for the review! I saw a pack of (I think 6) at TJ maxx and I contemplated purchasing them but I decided against it. Next time I will! I have really sensitive skin and I have found really great results using k beauty products. I love how they incorporate sheet masks regularly into the routine. My skin has been so much happier!

[lustylips]

Oozoo mask!!! How did you like it?! I have been tempted to purchase a few times but have always been distracted by other products.

[ShortErica]

@lustylips I’ll add my 2 cents since I just tried all three. The favorite on the masking thread seems to be aurora but my order was 1) black space, 2) aurora and 3) water bang. I wouldn’t pay full price but if I saw a pack at TJ Maxx or Marshall’s for $1-2 a mask, I’d give it a go. They had a pretty good fit on my face with a little smooshing around the mask. What sheet masks do you tend to like?

[RGbrown]

@lustylips 

Aaaargh, I realized I forgot that one after I was done, and tried to edit my post to add it in, but using the enter key to add more lines deleted all of my bold text, so I got annoyed and walked away. I meant to go back and try again, but have been a little preoccupied with some IRL stuff...I'm glad you asked so I can review it now!

Overall it wasn't bad, but I think I'm leaning towards the "mix it in the pouch" 2pc serum to be gimmicky. The mask itself is folded up in a plastic cover inside the pouch, so I'm not sure that any amount of kneading on the packet once you've added the extra serum really does much mixing to whatever is already on the mask, if that makes sense. I also found the little pouch to be incredibly difficult to squeeze into the main part of the packet; anyone with decreased hand strength, arthritis, etc is going to have trouble with it. 

The fit was fine, and the scent was fine, and the results were fine...I just don't find it to be worthy of a repurchase for me personally...I can do just as well (or better) for less money IMHO! 

[itsfi]

Great empties @RGbrown! I’ll have to look into that Soap & Glory mask; it sounds great. 😃 The B&BW pineapple 🍍  luau scent sounds amazing - fab summer scent! 

[RGbrown]

@itsfi 

That S&G really surprised me the first time I used it; it's not a brand I usually give much thought to, but I think there was a nice freebie with a small S&G purchase, so I wound up with one or two of these. I have since repurchased a couple of times (and as someone who doesn't like many sheet masks, it was a bit of a shock to find one I'd happily buy over and over). I'm nowhere near your masking-maven level of experience, so I don't have nearly as many in my history to compare it to, but I definitely find this one worthy of keeping on hand!

[itsfi]

This is good to know @RGbrown! Thank you!! ❤️ As far as I'm concerned, if a mask is repurchased, it's a good mask. That you don't use sheet masks often and you've picked this one up more than once says a lot about the mask too. I'll look for it the next time I'm in Ulta. Like you, I don't immediately think sheet mask when I think of Soap & Glory, but there's been a few brands that have surprised me in that regard. Okay, adding to the list! 🙂

[nuinui933]

Spring empties - I've restocked both CosRx items. The botanic farm cleansing balm was nice; thinking about whether to buy another one or try something else.

[MoniDJ]

@nuinui933 I love that Botanic Farm cleansing balm.

[nuinui933]

@MoniDJ - it's one of my favorite balms. I just saw that Kohl's has it on sale right now for 50% off (was $30, now $15) so I couldn't help but stock up. 

[IndyQT317]

Spring Empties, but only focusing on loves that I have/would repurchase and masks.

[nuinui933]

@IndyQT317 - All your sheet masks look so good, so does the boscia cleansers.

[RGbrown]

The latest batch; notes in the spoiler 😊

Spoiler

LOVES
Skyn Iceland Berry Lip Fix with Wintered Red Algae: I've noticed a few folks calling this a nope because it can be gritty, but I think maybe application technique can play a role. I squeeze a bit onto my finger and really rub it in...I think the heat/friction melts it really well, and my lips just soak it up. It became my favorite night balm, sealed in with a coat of lip oil. My lips stayed the softest they ever have through winter (though still not perfect, so I'm always on the hunt for better. In the mean time, I have more of this and will happily use every last one).

PTR Pumpkin Enzyme Mask: my favorite scrub/exfoliant mask. I only use it every couple of weeks or so because I have lots of exfoliants to get through, but I always look forward to it and will never be without it.

Zoya Remove+: best nail polish remover on the market. I never thought a fancy one would make a difference, but it really does. I can do a true waterless manicure because it doesn't dry my hands out or leave a stinky residue, making me want to wash them and apply lotion after using it. 

Exuviance Soothing Toning Lotion: alcohol-free, and it has PHAs instead of AHAs (they are at least slightly gentler). This felt nice, did a good job of removing any residue that might have been left after cleansing, and was a gentle daily exfoliating toner. I could see myself buying it again in the future, but I have a few other toners to get through first.

FINE AND DANDY
Kiehl's Powerful Strength Line Reducing Concentrate: lovely product. Creamy texture, but with an almost matte finish, and it worked well under makeup. It didn't displace Exuviance's vitamin C as my favorite, but I would absolutely use it again.

Michael Todd Charcoal Detox Deep Pore Gel Cleanser: as I'm getting older, some of the "deep cleansers" are getting to be too drying for me, but this one was fine. Cleansed well without being overly drying; it reminded me a bit of the PTR black cleanser. My only minor quibble is this is too thin to be in a tube...if I didn't remember to lay it on its side for a few seconds before opening, it would just come pouring out lol

Viktor & Rolf Flowerbomb: I'm not a floral scent person AT ALL, but this one is ok every now and again. The sample leaked in transit and only had a couple of uses anyways 😛

Leaders Balancing Recovery Mask: I fear I'm mixing up two Leaders masks in my head, but I think this one was a bit too thick for me...it didn't want to lay flat and kept popping up in bubbles and wrinkles. But all in all, it was a passable mask, good moisture. Would use again.

Sebastian Dry Clean Only Dry Shampoo: I really like the scent on this one, it's more of a unisex scent, woody/herbal, as opposed to the floral or perfumey scents that many makers use. It's got a bit more texture than I like for something I would use on a daily basis, but I found that using this one one night, and then using my Bumble loose powder on subsequent nights was the way to go...a touch of volume without the stiff buildup that can accumulate after multiple uses. Not bad on the white stuff scale, and did a good job of removing oil. Would use again.

NAH
Earth Therapeutics Tea Tree Oil Foot Repair Balm: way thinner than I would have guessed for a "balm", and it wasn't all that moisturizing. I use foot lotion every night before bed, and want something fairly thick and rich, and this was not it. On the flip side, if you are using foot stuff right before slipping on some sandals, this would be right up your alley. It absorbed well and didn't leave any sort of residue. The tea tree oil makes the scent less than appealing for many (myself included).

ApotheCARE Essentials The Booster Shampoo: I gave up on volumizing hair stuff years and years ago after I realized that while it might make my hair fluffy for a while, all of a sudden one day I'd realize that my hair felt like straw. This did nothing to change my mind on that front...while it did good job of cleaning my hair, it was a bit drying. I followed up with various moisture conditioners, and the results were all in all just fine, but I didn't like feeling that I needed to neutralize the drying-ness of the shampoo.

Algenist Genius Sleeping Collagen: too thick for me. It didn't cause milia (thankfully), but it was a beast to mix with my oil and azelaic acid, and I just prefer a lighter texture in my moisturizer. 

Cannuka CBD Hydrating Lip Balm: I so wanted to love this, but it is waaaayyyy too soft for my taste. Think Fresh Sugar balms, possibly even softer. It soaked in ok, but disappeared from my lips way too quickly, and forget putting it in your pocket if you are out and about...it becomes a melty mess with just the slightest bit of warmth. 

R+Co Atlantis moisturizing shampoo & conditioner: The shampoo left my hair feeling dirty and gritty, and the conditioner weighed it down and made it look oily. Not a winning combo for me. 

[flamingolegs]

Another month with a lot of trash!

These are the NO's.  The Playa is really thick.  DryBar On the Rocks is drying.  Didn't like the smell of the hand cream, the Fresh face wash, or the Burt's Bees.  The mascara is Tarte, just didn't work for me.

These are all things that were OK or I liked, but there is something I prefer that does the same thing, or they just weren't a love.

These are all things I have or will buy again.  Many are items I've used for years.

And some makeup I finally am tossing, some is over 10 years old.  :eek:  Bad colors for me or too much shimmer for my more mature eyes.  And a tube of concealer that is totally the wrong color.