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.

[sephoraaddict918]

Nice empties @RGbrown!! Le sigh, I have to pour one out for the homie and my personal fave Clarisonic Radiance Brush Head. Not only was I sad they discontinued the brush, I was devastated when the entire brand went up in smoke! All the brush heads sold out before I could buy any, so now I have to somehow make 2 brush heads last until my Mia goes kaput. 

Praise be the new Sephora Charcoal Wipes no longer rip off a layer of skin! I'm no longer a big wipes user either, so I wouldn't pick them up anyway, but it's nice to know they're no longer a danger to society. I'm currently using the Briogeo Banana + Coconut Conditioner, and that is very watery too. I use it as a pre-poo so it doesn't bother me too much for that purpose. 

[RGbrown]

@sephoraaddict918 

Check out Michael Todd Beauty; they've come out with two different replacement brushes for Clarisonic devices! I'm honestly not sure if one of them is a Radiance dupe, but it might be worth investigating!

I've got the Briogeo Banana conditioner still in my shower. It's not quite rich enough for me either, but it's ok every now and again. Debating if I should finish it up or just go ahead and give it up.

[sephoraaddict918]

Oooh ... Thanks for the info @RGbrown!!! I will definitely check out MIchael Todd Beauty.  

[sonnydee]

October 

Top:😍, 2nd :😁like enough to use again. 3rd:🤔 maybe? If I got gwp bottom: no. Christopher st & cond for scent alone. CT was disappointing, has a white cast that i really had to work to rub in. I prefer the original. 43 month. 320 ytd.

  

[missjeanie]

Well fellow BIC enthusiasts.... October was a slow month on empties. I went hard on samples in September and then moved to full sized products for October. I had 17 empties this month, giving me a total of 475 for the year to date. My goal was 730 and to buy less than I use. While I don’t know how many items I’ve brought in (I totally stopped counting) I know thanks to a closed border and covid Im waaaaay under my usual purchases. These numbers leave me with 255 empties to go in 2 months... ummmmm dassss a lot. Like 4.25 empties a day. While I don’t see this being super achievable unless I uncover a mass amount of samples.... I’m gonna give it a go. Good thing I go through more skincare in the winter. Any that I’m not in love with will be used on my body and I’m gonna have to rock out a couple three-a-day masking sessions lol! 

 

Spoiler

loves
- volition peel pads. I had a few minor blackheads around my chin and this took care of them easily. Super soft skin too. I’m great full thrse were on sale when I got them.. I can see them being used often so they’ll be a sale purchase. I’d like to give them a good go and how they do but I’m just starting tretinoin and my skin can’t take both at the same time. I’m not counting these in my total until I’m done the box.
- amika velveteen dream shampoo and conditioner. These were recommended by @mrsmouse and I’m a fan. Soft, easy to work with hair. This is a brand that just seems to work for my hair and how I like to do it.
- caviar rapid repair spray. I got this after getting a primer spray from Teambic that I found a little lacking. Someone on the TJMaxx thread recommended this and I love it. Great scent, great on my dry damaged ends, made brushing easier. If I saw it again, I wouldn’t hesitate to buy more. 

likes
- quo lashes. I honestly wear lashes three or four times a year. I really should do them more often as I love the look. I used the second pair here on Halloween and loved em. I have several more pairs of cheaper lashes that I’ll use til Im out. I’d buy these again, but honestly I don’t use them enough to have solid faves. 
- philosophy body wash. This was a nice scent. I buy these washes cause I like to have scent variety in the shower to use something that matches my mood. I rarely repeat scents, just picking out whatever sounds good at the time. It cleans my body. Nothing miraculous but I enjoy the variety. 
- dr. Jart cicapair cream. Same consistency as the yellow tube who’s name I’ll remember as soon as I hit send. I do prefer the yellow tube formula but I’m not mad at this one. I think I have one more of these older tubes and I’m happy to use it. 
- urban Decay ‘nude for me’ eyeliner, no idea the actual shade name. This was good. No complaints. I use it in my bottom waterline to make my eyes a bit brighter. I’m not really particular about what one I use here so I may repurchase when I’m done with my current. Or I may grab something New. This is more of a ‘utilitarian’ type product for me. 
- whitening strips. I can’t tell if my teeth are whiter, but my dentist says these work as well as anything else. I have a new box. They’re good for my sensitive teeth so there’s that. 
- the cream shop hello Kitty apple blossom serum. Lovely light apple scent on this. Lightly hydrating. Was good for summer hydration needs. It had little beats that burst when you rub it in. I’ll probably try something new in lieu of a repurchase, but it was still nice. 

meh/okay
- caviar repair elixir. I have long hair already that hits my waist so I don’t think a sample is gonna do much. It didn’t do anything bad though. I think I gave another sample that I’ll use just to use. 
- pistachio body cream from Ipsy. Smelled really nice. I had enough to do my whole body once. No complaints. No wow. 
- reversal resurfacing 10% glycolic. I didn’t see anything from this sample but again, how often does a sample wow with suddenly making my 40 year old skin look like I’m 26? I have two more samples I’ll likely use on my décollage , I mean why not? 
- Laura Mercier primer. Im not a big primer gal. Noticed no difference between using this and not. 
- inky list caffein eye serum. I don’t have puffy eyes at all, but I do have crazy dark circles. Frankly the only thing that’s ever helped was under eye filler. I’ll stick with a hydrating eye cream (I like the new Sephora one) and keeping up some filler. 

nope 
- origins clear improvements. I saw zero improvement with this. I ended up using it on my chest... cause why not. This was a pan it item for me, so I’m glad to have one more of my panning challenge items gone. 

de-stash
i pulled these out of a bag to use with my purple eye look on Halloween. Both were dried out. The Mac is now in my back to mac bag and honestly I’m not mad about not having these. I rarely do liquid liner lately and I’m not really a glitter gal, save a holiday. 

[Anonymous]

@missjeanie 

I really like those Volition peel pads too!

[missjeanie]

I grabbed them on a whim @Anonymous  but what a great find! 

[eshoe]

Having issues posting my masks for the month, sorry to double post.

 

[Anonymous]

@eshoe You tried a lot of sheet masks I have my eye on!  I'm mostly getting mine at the masksheets site and glowie co.  Any other recs?  Is anyone doing a sub box they like?

[eshoe]

@Anonymous I subbed to Facetory for a couple of years, and still buy masks from them regularly. Masksheets is great! For variety, it’s probably my favorite. I need to check out glowie co., I’ve never heard of them. I used to frequent TJ Maxx, where I could find 5-10 packs of great masks that were new to me to try. Since March I’ve ordered more from Amazon, and so far have had no issues. The Kocostar Waffle Masks are soooo good, I found those on Amazon after @sonnydee bought them there as well.

The scents are so yummy and the material is very unique👍🏼

[Anonymous]

@eshoe glowie co has a good selection of taiwanese masks.  I got a sample set and like everything so far.  The have good curation and I never feel overwhelmed there.  Ok, great, Facetory was on my list!  And thanks for the waffle mask rec.  I LOVE masks that have cute graphics and colors to represent the flavors (like the popsicle ones in your empties photo and the apieu milk carton masks).  

'

Have a great weekend!

[eshoe]

The A’Pieu Popsicle ones are fantastic @Anonymous. Scented just like you would hope, fruity-which always makes for a fun mask-and the fit is generally a plus. The pineapple, melon and watermelon are delightful 🥰 I was gifted my first and have since purchased more.

Thank you, have a wonderful weekend, too!

[eshoe]

October Empties

oops forgot to add this one!

Spoiler

FS

Dr. Teal’s Ultra Moisturizing Foaming Bath Avocado Oil - love and I bought two backups, currently on the second one. A nice change from bath bombs!

Dr. Teal’s Cannibus Sativa Hemp Seed Oil - pleasant enough, didn’t notice anything different from the plain scent (which is much less/oz) so I will stick to that for the most part.

Burt’s Bees Cleansing Oil - my favorite cleansing oil, I usually have a backup but have found the Glow Recipe Papaya Cleansing Balm to be an excellent stand-in for both oil/second cleanser.

Origins Drink Up Apricot Mask - LOVE and hope to repurchase at some point in the future. Excellent sensory experience!

SkinInc. Daily Dose Serum Cocktail - a nondescript serum that worked seamlessly with every revolving skincare product in my routine. No scent, pretty, and quick-absorption.

Vapour Organics Lip Gloss - Much too light and slippery, but a very pretty shade. 

Bite Beauty Agave Lip Mask - Original (clear) - wow I cannot believe I finally finished this! Now on to the Laneige. It would be a challenge to pick a favorite between the two. I thankfully stocked up on the old formula masks and have an almost full Champagne and unopened, refrigerated Smashed. Love this one!

Kora Organics Citrus Mist - It’s been a tough year to fall in love with skin care products; I went to repurchase this and it’s been discontinued. Not a fan of the rose scent, but if the brand comes out with a similar mist, I hope to buy it. A very, very fine mist, just like Glow Recipe’s Watermelon mist.

Nuria Defend Triple Action Eye Cream - a lovely consistency, thick enough to feel nourishing, with a fairly quick absorbing formula. Would repurchase.

Burt’s Bee’s Lip Crayon in Sedona Sands - broken record on this one. Love it and it’s discontinued so I am using up my stock. After I run out, I may just become an all lip gloss aficionado.

Farmacy Lip Bloom - Honey Ginger - consistency is similar to petroleum jelly. I finished this as a foot balm, the Strawberry Basil was much better.

DS

Kiehl’s Calendula Deep Cleansing Foaming Face Wash - Though a little drying for my skin, I think those with oily/acne-prone skin might love this gentle, clear cleansing gel. Thank you @lmaster for sending it my way!

Virtue Restorative Hair Mask - Currently on a hair mask kick and found this to be rather ‘meh’ for my rather dry hair. The scent seems to be the same across the board for the brand’s products, reminds me of beauty sunscreen.

REN Flash Rinse 1-Minute Facial - reminded me of the OH Power Bright Facial minus two steps. I think it’s an excellent option for someone who travels to get in some Vitamin C (which I have found very helpful for my skin). Personally, I will stick to the powder form that I mix with exfoliating or rice powder, as it leaves my skin physically smoothed as well as brightened.

Mac Prep+Prime Original - I’ve been using this for a few years now, and am down to my last mini. I think I am going to go without it for awhile to see if I notice any difference. I love how it feels, like a security blanket for makeup application, but…I really wonder if it is doing anything at all?

FAB Liquid Mineral Sunscreen - this is a declutter from the Sephora Favorites Sun Safety Kit. Way too heavy for my skin, my face just looked oily wearing it.

Glow Recipe Plum Plump Serum - another lovely serum, scentless and colorless, and packed full of all different kinds of HA. It had more slip than Peach & Lily’s Glass Skin, and is one I would happily use again. 

Farmacy Honey Savior - Handy little salve for cracked and very, very dry skin. Light honey scent, defiantly oily and requires a significant time allowance for absorption. Never woke up to dry skin after using this!

Ole Henriksen Glow Cycle Retin-ALT Serum - a deliciously light citrus scented hue reminiscent of Tatcha’s Violet-C mask. The violet color was obvious on my skin but did not interfere with makeup application. It was pleasant to use, and of the bakuchiol products I’ve tried pre-Herbivore’s reformulation, one of the more enjoyable to use.

Jo Malone Wood Sage & Sea Salt - this was my Sephora B-Day gift and I was thrilled to find the Holiday set with the FS. My BFF from elementary school sent me a Sephora GC, and I was happy to buy the set to replenish it. It is special to me for those reasons 🙂

Trader Joe’s Rose Oil - from last year’s advent calendar. This is a gentle and softly rose-scented oil. For the price, it’s a great deal and if I used facial oils more frequently, this would be one to buy.

Volition Prismatic Luminizing Shield - a huge thank you to @faeriegirl for sending this my way, it completely changed how I view sunscreen! An absolute love, it truly gives a soft, luminous glow (similar to how Hourglass products do) and never, EVER interfered with makeup application. Love and a repurchase 🙂

Moroccan Oil The Treatment - A favorite for the warm, spicy scent. Every time I can pick up a DS, I do 🙂

Bare Minerals Skinlongevity Vital Power Serum - pleasant to use, but not one I would buy in a FS. 

Foils

The Beekman wash surprised me, might buy a FS when I need to restock cleanser. A very thick, milky glass-like cleanser. The Mad Hippie Vitamin A Serum was my first sampling of the brand and I loved it. Texture is unique as was scent. Have added it to my need-to-buy list:)

YTD
Sheet Masks	313
FS	119
DS	127
Foils	108
Total	667

[lmaster]

@eshoe outstanding empties!!

[Anonymous]

@eshoe Which Vitamin C powder do you use?  I got a Neogen sample, but I haven't used it yet.  

[eshoe]

@Anonymous I use both the Neogen and The Ordinary 100% L-Ascorbic Acid Powder. I’ve been using them interchangeably for about a year now and notice no difference between the two. 

I've mixed them with serums, essences, moisturizer and exfoliating powders (like Tatcha The Rice Polish Foaming Enzyme Powder ) and find the later to be the best fit for my skin.

[Anonymous]

@eshoe Right on!  Thanks for your helpful replies.  💜

[eshoe]

Happy to help @Anonymous ☺️

[sonnydee]

September, actually pretty impressive noting that I was under the weather for most of the month. 

Missing :

Homeworx pumpkin candle😍

tatcha water cream foil😍

tresemme big bottle of shampoo & cond. 😁

Better not younger sh& cond foils😁

Top row😍loves. I would purchase or already have.

Middle😁like. Enough to use again or buy.

Bottom😌like but not enough to buy/replace a product i already use. Clinique moisturizer may have broke me out. But it was ok but not something that would make the cut to be in my line up currently. 34 month. 277 ytd.

 

[CookieGirl1]

Sorry that you weren't feeling so great this month, @sonnydee! By the way, how did you feel about the homeworx pumpkin candle?

[sonnydee]

Love them. I wasn't home to get the exact name but this is it @CookieGirl1 

 The candle holder, I clean out & repurpose. It's a pretty, solid piece of glass. I used vanilla spun sugar or something like that & already bought it a 2nd time. But I'm a huge gourmand lover