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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

@Samtian 

It's pretty nice! Not too spicy, just a nice mix of earthy and tangy 💚

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@RGbrown  Thanks for your review.  I have wondered about some products you mentioned.  The Skyn Icelandic lotion, Redken dry shampoo and Hempz lotion.  Gives me ideas of new products to try!

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@Cissy63 

Oh yay, happy to help! If you try any of them, I hope they work for you! 

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Small batch today 🗑

 

YTD 82

 

 

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Spoiler
Aldi candles (Tropical Escape and Winter Fireside): Tropical Escape was excellent, fantastic throw as with most every Aldi candle I've tried. Winter Fireside, this is my second one of this scent, and I think the throw was a bit better than my last one, but overall, it's not Aldi's best candle for strength. I don't know if it's just this particular scent, or if it has anything to do with the entire woodwick line, as it's the only woodwick I've tried from them. Would be willing to try another scent or two in this style for more testing, but I've only seen them at the holidays, so it may be a while.

Zoya cotton balls: I got these in a gwp or gift or something, and I'm glad I didn't buy them, as they are *tiny*. I mean, they're cotton, they work for my polish removal purposes, but I go through them soooooo quickly. One, maybe two fingers per niblet, and if I unroll them, I miiiiight get three (I can generally get 6-8 out of the Ulta cotton balls, as a comparison). I have another smaller bag I'm using up, and would use more if they showed up at my door, but I'd never intentionally buy them.

Zoya Remove+: long time favorite as a commercially ready remover. I've started making my own with acetone and glycerin because it's sooooo much cheaper, but with the right sale, I'd absolutely stock up on this again. In the mean time, I have a little left on hand that I use from time to time.

Lip Smackers balm (Skittles - Mango Tangelo): great flavor, and a decent enough daily balm.

Tatcha The Kissu Lip Mask (gratis): I used this once a day, right before bed as my overnight lip stuff. It's got a clingy jelly texture that sticks to my lips all night long, which is good. The scent is light, not overpowering, another plus, and I'd wake up with soft lips that weren't dry or otherwise uncomfy. These are all good things! But...it still runs a distant second to Sara Happ Dream Slip for me, for a few reasons. First, when I'm using SH regularly, I have to scrub my lips once, maybe twice a month, but with Tatcha, I was having to scrub at least weekly, if not twice a week...while my lips were soft and seemingly well moisturized, they stayed fairly flaky on a consistent basis. SH also lasted me waaayyy longer...I got over two years out of one tub of SH, whereas Tatcha gave me about 6.5 months; I found myself using way more Tatcha each night due to the thinner consistency, whereas SH is this thick, dense-but-spreadable texture that only needs the tiniest bit. I didn't dislike Tatcha enough to toss it early, and I did finish the entire jar, but it's not going on my rebuy list. Overall, I am thrilled that I got to try it as it's something I definitely never would have bought for myself (thank you Sephora!), but it didn't knock SH out of my HG spot.   

Bumble and bumble Pret-a-Powder loose dry shampoo: I try and alternate loose dry shampoo with aerosol because aerosols are expensive and I go through them quickly. The drawback is that powders can be messy, and there's no "perfect" applicator. I decant it into an old Alterna "pump" bottle, which is the least frustrating package I've found for me, and it works relatively well. So far, this is my fave loose powder...it does a good job at zapping my oil without being too terribly bad with scalp buildup. It's not gritty, it shakes out easily, and the scent is light. I have a full size bottle on hand, though I have a sample or two of others to try as well

Matrix Biolage Hydrasource shampoo: eh, falls into "I don't love it, but I don't mind using it up". It's not nearly as hydrating as my true love Wella Fusionplex, but I've also used much much worse over the years. My hair needs a little extra conditioner after using this, but it doesn't feel completely like straw. Lathers well, cleans well, just not quite as hydrating as the name implies. Wella hasn't done a ton of sales lately, so I'm mostly just using this up to stretch my supply of my favorite, making sure I don't run out before there's a decent chance to stock up on it again 😛 

 

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Biobelle and Leaders are good, low scent, nice moisture, decent fit. The Soap & Glory mask would be nicer if it weren't so strongly fragranced, but is otherwise fine with ok fit and good moisture. The Ulta mask is from one of their cutesy holiday sets a few years ago, and it was pretty terrible. The serum is fine, but the material is thick and a bit scratchy, and on top of that, the cute little reindeer face was painted on with something akin to acrylic paint...it was stiff and refused to lay down. And while there's no mention of child-sized anywhere on the mask (or on the outer carton that I can recall), it was *tiny*. Skip these sets unless you're buying for the young'uns in your life! 

Re: Empties

This is a great "small batch" of empties @RGbrown! Ahhh, sheet masks from the original line - wish the brand hadn't changed its material!! 😍

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@itsfi 

I've got something like three of the old biobelles left, and then they are all gone 😢

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@RGbrown Nice empties!

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Thank you @Mellmars1185❣️

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I went through a lot of mini  / DS / travel friendly sized products in February.

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♥️Love

️ Like (and would repurchase)

🙌 Like (and maybe repurchase)
🤷🏻‍♀️ Limbo (as in "I'm in limbo" about these items; undecided)
😐 Lackluster
☹️ Loathe
 
Spoiler
😐 There’s not anything negative that I would call out from the Living Proof Perfect Hair Day Shampoo and Living Proof Perfect Hair Day Conditioner - the products do what they are intended to do, but they're just not ones that I feel would be my first (or second, or third or ...) items to reach for when washing my hair. I found them to be "meh" compared to other shampoos and conditioners out there.
 
🙌 On the other hand, I really liked the results I got from the Moroccanoil Extra Volume Shampoo and Moroccanoil Extra Volume Conditioner. I wanted to try these items after I heard the good things @lnum had to say about them. The only reason these fall in the maybe repurchase side of my likes is the scent - there are some days that I love the scent but others when it's too much for my nose. 
 
🙌 Farmstay Real Mango Essence Mask leaves my skin hydrated and could work for all skin types, including those with oily or sensitive dskin, as an everyday mask. The price isn't bad either - they're usually available as part of a variety pack which is nice for trying out product for I've seen them sold individually for as little as $0.60 per sheet mask.
 
 I've been a fan of the Cocofloss floss for years now. While this strawberry flavor is just okay in my mind, the floss itself does a good job of getting in and cleaning away the stuff between my teeth. 
 
 Tatcha The Rice Wash Soft Cream Cleanser leans on the thicker side and requires water to make it more easily spreadable, but is a nice second cleanser for dry, sensitive skin. The fresh, light, slightly citrus-y scent gives off both a relaxing and energizing scent. 
 
🤷🏻‍♀️ I'm undecided on the Nacific Real Floral Toner Rose. It feels and smells nice, absorbs easily and has some good skincare ingredients in it as well, but I'm not sure it is a standout compared to the toners I typically reach for.
 
☹️ I'm probably being pretty harsh on this one. It does pain me to not love this Sanctuary Spa Nourishing Rose Petal Hydrogel Mask as it has a lot going for it - the rose petals infused in the 2-piece hydrogel adds a lovely touch as does the smell of fresh roses. But as far as performance goes, it didn't really do anything for my skin, and for a mask that costs more than $10, it really needs to do something for my skin. 
 
🙌 Who doesn’t love hand sanitizer these days? This Bath and Body Works Anti-Bacterial Hand Gel The Perfect Autumn one smells lovely - like fall. These come in handy for keeping in my handbag, in the car, etc. 
 
♥️The mango scent is my favorite of the Sephora Collection bath and body products - it's fresh, fruity and refreshing. I plan to pick up another one of these Sephora Collection Hand Wash Mango along with a few other of the mango-scented products in the lineup.
 

♥️I purchased the JVN sample kit and enjoyed all the products included in it, some more than others. This JVN Nurture Hydrating Conditioner is my favorite from the set - there's something about it that gives my hair body and movement, which is a huge plus for a gal with stick straight hair.

 
 Next to lip balms / lipsticks and hand sanitizer, hand creams make up the bulk of things that end up at the bottom of my handbag. The Body Shop Almond Milk & Honey Hand Cream feels soothing on my dry and sensitive skin, especially in the winter months and this scent is my favorite of TBS' offerings.

I really liked the feel of the material in this
no:hj Aqua Soothing Mask Pack - Honey - the sheet is made of traditional Korean paper handmade from the inner bark of the paper mulberry tree - it's soft, thin-ish and has certain elastic and dense components to it that make for an interest fit and feel. On top of that, it leaves my skin hydrated and moisturized.
 
☹️ I don't know if I just got around to this item well past its prime or what, but the Rituals Zensation Foaming Shower Gel Sensation did not live up to its name at all - there was zero foaming (I'm not even sure it worked itself up into even a lather), hard to call it a gel as it was pretty runny, and I wouldn't use the word "zen" to describe the scent (too perfume-y and strong) or the formula. It did do what it was supposed to do - clean, but that was about it. I have this feeling that this product may be one of the oldest in my stash and probably past its expiry date.

I was surprised by how much I enjoyed The Creme Shop Rose Gold Special Edition Fusion Sheet Mask - it smelled like real rose petals and left my skin feeling soft, smooth and nicely moisturized, with a little bit of a bounce to it as well. 
 
🙌 The texture on the  Innisfree Perfect UV Protection Skin (Dry Skin) is very nice - it's lightweight but still moisturizing. There's a slight sunscreen smell - it's very faint, thankfully. It feels cooling on my skin and has a slight white cast on me initially (my complexion is on the light side) that fades away. Sinks in pretty well and leaves a bit of a dewy sheen that works well as a primer but may not be something those with oilier skin will like.   
 
🤷🏻‍♀️ Up&Up Gel Nail Polish Remover Foils - I don't have gel nails but find these pads to work well for removing glitter nail polish. This is my favorite brand of nail polish remover pads but it works. 
 
♥️Few products receive HG (holy grail) status from me, let alone a skincare item, mainly because a product really has to perform exceptionally well and be something I've used or repurchased for a long period of time. Bioderma Sensibio H2O Micellar Water Makeup Remover, however, most definitely deserves its HG status. It's been my "go-to" pre-cleanser-slash-makeup-and-SPF-remover for ... oh gosh, maybe 8 years now!! Every so often, I will try other micellar waters that hit the market, but always have this one on hand and come back to it time and time again.
 
🙌 I have not tried all of the body washes from this line, but so far, the Method Body Wash Pure Peace is my favorite and the only one of the bunch that I've repurchased. It has a nice floral scent and leaves my skin feeling soft, smooth and moisturized. I didn't find it to be too overpowering but if you are sensitive to scents and particularly floral scents, it's one you might want to avoid. 
 
♥️Over the years, I've acquired a love for oil in serum sheet masks, especially in the cooler seasons when my skin is dry and sensitive. The Illiyoon Oil Smoothing Mask is a new favorite - the sheet is incredibly thin (0.2mm) and lightweight, adheres beautifully to my skin and wears incredibly well. My skin just slurps up the oil serum and feels soft, smooth and moisturized after using it. 
MTD: 22 (of which 5 were sheet masks)
YTD: 62 (20 sheet masks)

 

Re: Empties

@itsfi Glad the Moroccanoil products worked for you. 100% agree the scent can be strong and it lasts. It’s one of the few strongly scented products I can still tolerate because I’ve gotten used to the smell overtime. I also hated the Living Proof line, it did nothing for my hair and left it so dry. 

I tried the Tatcha rice wash a few times as DS while I travel and really enjoyed it too. I love the original Tatcha scent a lot, from the indigo line, and this has that smell. I just couldn’t figure out where I would fit this cleanser in my routine without making it overly complicated! 

Re: Empties

So sorry for the late response @lnum! Ohhh, the Tatcha indigo line is a nice one. 😍 I hear ya. Since I've streamlined my skincare routine quite a bit, I tend to be a lot more picky about whether I even want to try to incorporate a new type of product into my routine. 

Re: Empties

@itsfi Great job on the empties!

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@Mellmars1185, thank you! It’s nice to be able to get through some products. 😊

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Whew, my Empties bin was getting full, lol.

 

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Spoiler
You know, I wasn't really fond of any of these (which is very sad since I love candles 😪).

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Spoiler
I was so excited to finally try the Tatcha Indigo Overnight Repair Serum in Cream Treatment 1.7 / 50 because I'd heard great things about it but honestly?  Underwhelmed.  Actually I was pretty underwhelmed but the rest of it, too.

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Spoiler
The micro dart patches were interesting; I didn't think that they did anything notable but they were fun to try!  I'd never tried the Charlotte Tilbury Lightweight Magic Cream Moisturizer 1.6 oz/ 50 mL and I understand why a lot of people like it so I was happy to have the sample and I'm going to hoard the other little samples that I have.  The Peter Thomas Roth Irish Moor Mud Purifying Black Mask 5 oz was a complete and utter fail (I HATED this!)  but the philosophy anti-wrinkle miracle worker primer+ line-correcting primer 0.9 oz/ 26 mL is a fav for me and I've already purchased a full size.

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Spoiler
I really like the Ahava Mineral Hand Cream more for the summertime, I think, because I actually use it more as a body cream than a hand cream.  The Garnier Glass Hair Water is pretty much the same thing as the L'Oreal 8 Second Miracle Water if you've tried that but the Garnier smells 10x better to me; it was fine but I don't know if I'd repurchase it or not.  Love my Olaplex No. 4 Bond Maintenance™ Shampoo 8.5 oz/ 250 mL and yes, I already have a backup.  The #KAYALI EDEN JUICY APPLE | 01 Travel Spray 0.33 oz/ 10 mL Eau de Parfum Spray was nice but if I put that next to the OG Bath & Body Works Country Apple body spray (a fraction of the cost) I don't think I'd notice a huge difference.  The Bath & Body Works foaming hand soap is one of my favorite scents (I'm already using another one like it in my bathroom), couldn't wait to finish the Chi Silk Infusion and start using my Verb Ghost Weightless Hair Oil 2 oz/ 60 mL in its place, and I like the SunBum spray for just a teeny blonde enhancement.

 

Re: Empties

@CookieGirl1 Wow! Look at all of those empties! A 'Treat Yo Self' soap! I need that! What does it smell like?

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@Mellmars1185 I literally bought six of those 😂.  Needless to say I love it; it smells like blueberry pie 🫐. 

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@CookieGirl1 Hmm that Happy Halloween one is trying to dig up memories. I feel like I was obsessed with that, is that a scent they do often? I seem to recall one oh a decade or so ago that I was crazy over. 

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@Samtian I don't know how long they've had Happy Halloween (probably forever, lol) but it has a nice berry scent.  I liked it 🙂

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@CookieGirl1, excellent work! I was bummed when I read there wasn’t a standout among the candles here. 😔 Not even the brownie or truffle candles??? Those sounded like they should have smelled yummy! 

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@itsfi I know, I was super-disappointed because I normally LOVE chocolate candles!  The Truffle started out great but about halfway through burning it the scent throw took a nosedive from about an 8 to a 5 and I normally don't have that happen with BBW candles.  The Brownie (oddly) didn't actually smell like chocolate; more like a vanilla cake.

Re: Empties

@CookieGirl1, how odd about the Brownie candle. I don’t mind a vanilla cake scent but I would never think that based on the name or the picture on the jar. 🤷🏻‍♀️ 

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