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.

[RGbrown]

I struggle with finding my balance between "waste not, want not" and "not gonna use it if I don't love it", but early Jan saw me tossing quite a few things I'm just plain old tired of hate-panning. If it doesn't work, I've got no room for it, and there's no sense in saving my true loves for some future date that never seems to arrive. I spent a good bit of 2020 figuring out what works for me and what doesn't, so I'm looking forward to a bit of stability in my routines going forward. I'll try a few things here and there, but barring any drastic changes in my skin or hair, this is going to be the year of sticking mostly to my staples 💕

YTD 30

Notes in the spoilers!

LOVES

Spoiler

Exuviance Vitamin C Serum Capsules: a really nice formulation of 20% LAA in individual capsules, helping to keep them more stable for longer. I do have one other vitamin C I'm going to try at some point this year (Good Molecules powder), but unless that just blows me out of the water, this is my HG.

CeraVe PM Facial Moisturizing Lotion: a basic, budget friendly moisturizer with a nice formulation. It doesn't break me out or clog my pores, and I don't feel the need to be spendy on this category. Have more samples, and would buy whenever I run out.

Lip Smackers Dr Pepper lip balm: just plain old fun in a tube. It's not mindblowingly good, but it's not a bad balm, and I adore both the flavor and the price point. It's a cheap daily driver for a balm addict like me lol. Have more and anticipate buying again as well.

Peach & Lily Glass Skin Serum: my skin loves niacinamide, and I'm really liking all the samples of this that I have. I'm not in any need to buy anytime soon as I have several more samples of both this and the Awake brand niacinamide serum, but I'd consider purchasing with the right deal when I need more.

Sheet masks...all fine. Just using up my stash, but this isn't a category I'll spend much on in the future.

NOPE

Spoiler

Homeworx Mandarin Pink Grapefruit candle: not citrusy at all, but instead a very perfumey rosy floral. 

Alterna Caviar Replenishing Moisture Priming Leave In Conditioner: a painfully sharp citrus scent to my nose, and I couldn't tell that it did anything at all. Plus, it sprays out in a stream instead of a mist. Declutter.

Cela Essential Balm Miracle Multi-Use Oil: I used this up as a foot cream, and it wasn't bad for that, but it's definitely oily, as implied by the name, which makes it only good for when you're putting on socks. I'd use more samples, but this isn't something I'm looking to replace.

Phyto Phytophanere supplements: I've been using these for a year or more now, admittedly not always good at remembering them everyday, but I think I'm pretty good with remembering them most of the time. All in all, I've noticed no difference in either my hair or nails, so I won't be rebuying these once I finish off my last bottle.

CND Ridge FX Nail Surface Enhancer: I've never seen a texture for a base coat like this before; it makes me wonder if this bottle is super old or otherwise off, or if it's supposed to be like this. It's almost like pudding? Chunky, streaky, and just plain weird. I tried adding some thinner, but that didn't help. I've got other ridge fillers I know I like, so I'm not going to try and "make it work", I've got no patience for that. It was a $2 cart filler anyways, so I'm not out much. Declutter.

PUR 4-in-1 Cloud Cream Gel to Water Hydrating Essence Moisturizer: never felt like it soaked in, and it was incredibly slick feeling. Left my hands so slippery that I'd have to wash them before I could even put my skincare away or move any further in my routine. The scent is light, but it's powdery-slash-perfumey, which doesn't agree with me either. Declutter.

Algenist Splash Absolute Hydration Replenishing Sleeping Pack: a lightweight gel with a nice texture that I liked, but the perfume scent was just too much. Declutter.

Chapstick Total Hydration (Fresh Citrus): a fairly thin balm that didn't last all that long, but for my daytime balm habit, it was fine. However, I've decided long caps aren't really my jam, so this won't be a repurchase.

The One by Frederic Fekkai The Universal One shampoo + conditioner: the shampoo takes some work to spread, and the conditioner is nowhere near enough for my dry ends; I wind up a frizzy mess. Declutter.

Briogeo Be Gentle Be Kind Banana conditioner (gratis): another conditioner that just isn't enough for me, and I've reached my limit with frizz when I know I have products that work better for me. Declutter.

Tonymoly Changing U Peppermint Foot Cream: this was ok, but not rich enough for my taste. The peppermint scent is there, but it leans a bit metallic. I have one more I'll use up, but I'm not looking to rebuy.

Klorane Nourishing Conditioner with Mango Butter: I like the shampoo from this line, but the conditioner isn't enough. Declutter.

Commodity Vetiver: I must be nose-blind to this; I really can't smell much of anything.

MyClarins Recharge Relaxing Sleep Mask: smells like baby powder (yuck!), so this was an instant declutter.

Follain Moisturizer Replenish + Protect: fairly thin texture, but felt perhaps a bit too heavy for me. Rosy scent that I could do without as well. Declutter.

Pacifica Pineapple Splash lip balm: nothing special, but not terrible, this is another long-cap balm that I won't rebuy.  

IGK Thirsty Girl Coconut Milk Conditioner: I really liked this in conjunction with the matching shampoo (but I felt like I had to use a ton of the shampoo to get clean, which made it a nope for me), but this didn't work nearly as well with other shampoos in my stash and left me frizzy.

[SAlyFitz]

I typed up a whole bunch of info about what I repurchased loved and like but there was an error and it vanished before I could copy it... sooo * means I loved it which quite a few of my loves I’ve repurchased into my stash✔️ Ask anything in particular and I’ll help as long as I remember lol I do need to give myself props for hitting my 600 product goal for the year - I didn’t hit the more out than in goal but I’m challenging myself to that again this year with increased seriousness! I’m going to also hope to have more used monetarily than I’m spending too! Happy 2021 and onto another month of emptying products!

 

 

 

 

 

[missjeanie]

And December 2020

My December totals, 16 loves, 24 likes, 19 meh and 17 nopes, for a total of 76.  My year long total was 635, I fell 95 short of my goal, but looking back I had a few months with less than 20 empties which is super low for me.  Covid and working from home are my excuses. I did however achieve the second part of my goal, to have more going out than coming in. I'm going to set the same goal as last year 730 empties and more empties going out than new coming in.  

Loves

Spoiler

The box is the Erno Laszlo combo pack of a cleansing oil and a cleansing bar.  I actually really enjoyed this.  The oil was the best cleansing oil I’ve tried thus far and I like the idea of the bar… I’m just not used to it.  The bar here lasted a long time as well.  This was the sensitive version and I’m already using a large full size of the cleansing oil.  I’ll use the bars again as I find that depending where I am the bars are better for me. 

The Pixi milky mist might have been my first mist, I’ve bought this before and I enjoy it.  Good price, good (not the best) mister, but overall a lovely product that I’ll buy again, though I use misters more in the warmer months. 

The Sunscreen is great for me, I like the higher SPF, though it does leave a white cast for a few minutes and I could see that as a deterrent for those of darker skin tone.  

Bars Pro Prime.  This was a mini that I’d refilled from a full size to keep my travel make up bag smaller.  Twas time to ditch it.  I have one full size on the go and two more backups.  This stuff is the best for more oily lid types. 

Sun Bum hair mask.  Smells. Divine. I use hair masks a few times a week and will buy more. 

 

Likes

Spoiler

The creepy baby mask is an odd one, but I like it.  So bulky though.

BBW body lotion wasn’t quite as heavy as I’d like, but dang she smelled ah-mazing.

Ok But First Coffee sheet mask.  Wish I could figure out who makes these, alas, I’m not looking again. Lol

The Ulta pen shaped spray hand sanitizer was an old one I used up.  I enjoyed the delivery method.

Charlotte Tilbury Powder.  This was so nice, I think I may still prefer the MUFE pressed powder but this compact… is perfect.  This is the most elegant compact, and I’d buy this again just for the compact.  I think they have them refillable now?  I felt bad tossing this, it’s that pretty. 

 

Meh

Spoiler

These dang look at me eye patches.  I’ve discovered that most eye patches like this just aren’t for me.  They’re too slippy. 

The Creme Shop cleansing balm wasn’t for me either.  I think I prefer a liquid oil.  This also left my face feeling oily, didn’t wash off at all on its own. 

The Lipstick queen cream blush was a green in the pan and a nice pink on the cheek.  This was nice, but not as nice as others I’ve tried.  

 

Nope

Spoiler

This dang egg!!  It somehow hid a gallon of peeling gel inside!  This, while cute, took up too much space on my shelf and had so much product inside that I grew tired of it.  The product inside also isn’t as good as the other peeling gels I’ve got on hand. 

The Masqueology eye patches did nothing for me, though in the past they’ve actually stung my dry skin.  The two blank silver patches held cucumber eye patches that were made of a regular sheet mask material in circles.  I get that you’re meant to put them over your eyes like cucumbers but I need to be able to move around and see.  I just like stickers better.

Kokostar eye patches.  Did nothing. 

Stilla CC Stick. This sat on top of my skin just never looked right. I finished it but certainly didn’t dig in to get the last of the product. 

Quo colour correct palette.  Felt greasy or waxy on my skin and didn’t blend in. Declutter

Living Proof styling products.  Left my hair feeling heavy with product and looking grimy. Declutter.

Fresh and Josie Maran Oils.  I generally only use oils in the winter and when I opened these up they smelled off.  Declutter. 

Benefit Pot Shadow.  Lovely taupe colour but it’s totally dried out.  I’d used about half of it as a one and done shadow look and I’d use it 

 

. 

[missjeanie]

Figured I should write up my November empties as I was reminding myself to go through my December ones lol

I had a few beauty goals this year of using up more than I brought in and I did accomplish this (I can't get into the US to see a TJMaxx and haven't been out shopping, no online version of Winners here).  I also wanted to use up 730 items, or two a day.  I have to say there were some days where I didn't even wash my face.  I know, I know... that's bad, but it's my covid reality.  I have gotten better the last few months and have gotten back to using up more again. My 84 for November brought me up to 559 for the year. 

Novembers Empties 84 all together

Loves 11

Extra likes 13

Fine 33

Meh 18

Nope 9

All together

 

All the masks

 

Loves

Spoiler

Amika Hair Mask is my go to.  I still have one yet to crack into and I’m a-ok whit that.  The amount of product is crazy and I use this 2-3 times a week in place of conditioner.

TCFS Egg Mask- Something about the texture of this is amazing.  It forms to my face so well, and I could easily use these constantly. 

Neogen Milk Cream mask- Another one with great silky texture that gives such nice hydration on my dry skin.

The Hello Bello and Look at me eye patches are great since they’re my prefered sticker style and leave a nice boost to my dry underlies.

Steam eye masks…. I need these in my life, I just need to remember to use them more often.  They feel so nice to fall asleep with, the heat and bit of pressure on my eyeballs helps melt away stress.

Dr. Jart Ceramidin.  I will own this again after getting through some other products.  This stuff is so easy to use, and such a great moisture boost. 

 

Extra Likes

Spoiler

Couple of great masks here.  And two bath bombs.  I feel like I enjoy 90% of bath bombs that I use, I just need to carve out time to use them more.  I do like for my tub to turn a colour and give a fragrance, part of the experience for me.  The tranquility swish bomb had no colour but had such a lovely floral scent and I’m not normally a floral gal. 

The fragrance was a mini of MM Coffee Break which I’ve bought in travel and full size.  

The native deodorant has been a win for me.  I have a few more from an order and will order again. 

 

Fine

Spoiler

These are all products that I’m happy with, though I wouldn’t likely seek out, if I had more I’ll gladly use.  The skin food cleanser was a good one and I enjoyed the little bit of scrubby that was in there so that I felt like I was still able to scrub without being too too harsh.  The Dr. Jart sleep mask was just meh.  Likely meant for someone with a more oily skin type. The dryer dry shampoo was okay, but the scent wasn’t my favourite and I did need to work a bit to ensure no white residue. 

 

Meh

Spoiler

I’m deciding that I’m not a fan of powder foundation, these samples included, even if they were a better colour match, I’m just too dry the last few years. The Masks were all ones that either didn’t fit well/didn’t stay on my face.  The pineapple slices smell lovely but I’d rather just use an actual mask as opposed to these little pieces.  These will be used on nieces going forward for fun not skincare.   The wipes were actually ones that my mom had purchased…. She’s been gone for 3 years now… so they old, that could be why I didn’t care for them, but they were mostly used to remove swatches or to take off kids face paint.  They did fine, but for how often I use wipes, I have lots that work better. The Biore strips…. Were weird, you put the strip on then instead of pulling it off you scrub it off with water and it dissolves.  Well there’s zero satisfaction in seeing the bits pulled out this way! Lol also not as effective. 

 

Nope

Spoiler

These masks didn’t stay on my face and had done nothing more than if I’d put a tissue on my face for 5 minutes.  Hard Pass.  The LP style extender just made my hair greasy looking or like it had a bunch of product in it.  I tried to use them just to use them… ended up in the trash.  The Alterna Caviar repair scalp elixir smells like star anise so that’s a strike already for me, and trying to massage it into my scalp was an exercise I wasn’t interested in after about 30 seconds of smelling this stuff. The deodorant did nothing for me.  Didn’t even smell nice right after I put it on. 

 

.

[eshoe]

December Empties:

Spoiler

FS

Bioderma - my favorite unscented cream. Very rich, and blends well with oils for extra-dry skin. I have a few backups left, after which I will restock. Everyone in the family loves this one!

Glossier Boy Brow - I purchased a backup just before running out. Love the compact brush and handle, which make it easy to use. 

Pixi Milky Tonic - Love this gentle toner. Similar to the Laneige Cream Toner, which is also good for dry winter skin.

Pacifica Crystal Lava Bubbling Charcoal Mask - @lmaster introduced me to this, it’s such a fun mask with a slight watermelon scent. I bought two, so glad I did.

Bloomeffects Dutch Dirt - I really, really wanted to love this. I was soooooo excited to try it. It had the strongest scent of rubbing alcohol, I could not use it on my face and repurposed it as a body scrub. My daughter said it had a coffee scent, which I could just barely detect. The exfoliating granules were a bit harsh as well. Maybe I received a bad tube, but I am not going to spend the money again to find out. 

Japonesque Solid Brush Cleaner Goat Milk - This is a decent soap bar, a little richer than the Beauty Blender one. Did not repurchase, but would.

Origins Gin-Zing Eye Cream - this used to be my go-to as it adds an appreciated brightening for the undereye. This is a declutter because I am pretty certain it is expired.

DS

Philip Kingsley One More Day - this is a dry shampoo, which I don’t normally use. Seemed to create a bit of white powder on my hair, which is not a good look 😄 Nice scent, though!

B&BW Vanilla Butter Cream hand lotion - oh my goodness this has the most delicious cupcake scent! @Shosh85 was kind enough to send this my way and I loved every bit of it:)

Shani Darden Cleansing Serum - this was fine? Gentle, clear and not much of a scent make it a great candidate for someone seeking a different type of cleanser without the fuss.

Glossier Rich Moisturizing Primer - I have @SportyGirly125 to thank for introducing me to this. I had tried the Priming Moisturizer and ended up decluttering it, but this I loved so much I bought the FS. Thanks, SportyGirly125!

Innisfree Green Tea Capsule Recipe Pack - this caused redness and irritated skin for days after one use. 

Mahalo Hawaiian Hydration Advanced Cellular Repair Concentrate - a very fancy compound that works to increase absorption of serums, oils, and moisturizers. It is strongly scented with aromatic jasmine and sandalwood, and does feel like a treat to use. Although enjoyable, I don’t feel it made much of a difference in how well my other skincare worked.

Sulwhasoo First Activating Serum - pleasant enough to use, no bad reactions. This is the second DS I’ve tried of this and for the money, can’t say I would repurchase as there are plenty of less expensive options.

Dr. Dennis Gross Stress Rescue Super Serum - this was great to have on hand post reaction to the innisfree. The thick, milky-white serum was truly soothing and calmed my angry red cheeks.

Freeman Melting Sugar Matcha Ice Cream Pore Cleaning wash-off mask - a pretty mask, very thick in consistency and easy to wash-off. 

Foils

Viva La Juicy Le Bubbly -  not for me, a little too much on the sweet side.

Anti-Frizz Sheets - Wish I had tried this sooner, it was like running my hair through the flat iron without the hassle. Might pick up more of these after my no buy.

YSL Touch Eclat High Cover - the little brush that comes with this is adorable. I don’t normally use concealer, so instead tried this as foundation. The color was off, but it seemed to wear well throughout the day. Seems more medium coverage than I expected from the name.

Fresh Vitamin C Glow Powder - the scent on this is so delicious, reminds me of clementines. It always leaves my skin feeling extra-smooth, too!

Ouai Thick Hair Shampoo and Conditioner - I didn’t expect much as my hair is on the thinner side, but I was curious about the scent. Wasn’t a major hit, though their scrub and Melrose Place scent are loves of mine!

Glossier Body Hero Shower Gel - Oh, I fell in love and immediately ordered a bottle. The scent reminds me exactly of orange flower water. It has neroli as well, but I am embarrassed to say I am unfamiliar with the exact single note of it. The shower gel is fairly thin, and almost like an oil.

Givenchy Prisme Libre - well, this was a fun little sample! I had never used this product and have always been curious about it. It was a little mesmerizing blending the powders together, they seemed to turn white. This left my face a slightly ashy, so the shade wasn’t for me but I enjoyed trying it. 

Year Totals

YTD
Sheet Masks	368
FS	133
DS	150
Foils	124
Total	775

[lmaster]

Wow!! This is impressive 🙌 I hope you try the other pacifica bubble mask, it's actually my favorite of the two @eshoe 

[eshoe]

I do plan on it, @lmaster - once my six months are up😉 Thanks so much for the recommendation!

[tinobiscuits]

@eshoe I may have to pick up the Dr Gross serum.  The usual things that calm my skin aren't working this year.  Happy New Year!

[eshoe]

@tinobiscuits I have alternated between the Dr. Dennis Gross Skincare Stress Rescue Super Serum with Niacinamide, Consonant Hydrextreme and Soroci Calming Essence when my skin gets upset. The DDG is the thickest and visibly soothing:)

[RGbrown]

I might finish off a lip balm or two in the next couple of days, but I don't think I'm really close on anything else, so I'm gonna go ahead and call this my year end trash pile 🗑️

Total for the year: 370

Notes in the spoiler!

Spoiler

Tree Hut Lemon Blueberry Tart Scrub: I love Tree Hut scrubs, and the scent on this one was divine. I normally avoid "baked goods" scents because they tend to be too sweet, but this wasn't overly sugary. A nice tart lemon, with a touch of sweetness from blueberries and crust. It actually smells a lot like my lemon squares, and now I need to go buy some lemons so I can make a pan, nom nom.

Cela Creme de la Creme: lovely scent; grown-up creamsicles is how I saw it referred to in a couple of reviews, and that's pretty spot on, a dreamy orange-vanilla. This soaks in well and isn't greasy at all, but felt a little light to me for what I'd consider a "cream", and it didn't last as long as I'd like. Nice, but not worth the $30-something price tag.

Ulta Watermelon Makeup Remover Wipes: lovely watermelon scent, cleansed my face well on in a hurry days. I got these in a gwp and I don't think they offer the watermelon variety for sale, but if I needed wipes (I don't lol), I'd strongly consider picking these up if they were available.

Klairs Supple Preparation Toner: destash. lovely non-acid toner, thicker texture, but too heavily scented for my taste. I used roughly half the bottle, but am currently in a "not gonna use it if I don't love it" stage that's helping me clear a few things out of the cabinet 😛 

Pureology Refresh & Go Dry Shampoo: destash. I tried a mini and liked it enough to buy this on sale, but I'm disappointed with it now. The buildup was pretty atrocious; by day three, my hair looked flaky/gritty.

Crest Whitestrips: I use a strip every couple of weeks or so, or 2-3 in a week if I feel I need a stronger boost. They do a nice job of cancelling out my soda habit.

CeraVe Foaming Facial Cleanser and Moisturizing Lotion: cheap and effective! Love them both, have more, and will continue to use. If I ever finish my stash of samples and have to actually put out money on something, these will likely be what I buy.

Commodity Gold: light and warm. I'm trying to do better about using some of my perfume samples but rarely remember to actually wear perfume, so my alternate use has been pillow mists recently. This was fantastic for that.

Ulta Cotton Balls: basic staple

Masks were all fine

[itsfi]

Empties from the first part of the month, with some stragglers from last few months I found when I was clearing out boxes.

Loves (New)

Spoiler

The milky-creamy essence in this Vitabrid Dual mask Age-Defying Firming is just heavenly for this time of the year.

Farm Skin Superfood for Skin Aqua Shield Biocellulose Mask (Blackberry) is a good one to use after a peel.

Acwell UV Cut SPF 50+PA++++ Natural Sun Cushion - SPF cushions are great for reapplying sunblock throughout the day. This Acwell one is extra large which makes it reapplication easy and quick. This one also imparts a wonderful cooling effect as you pat on the SPF. This will be a repurchase, though more likely in the warmer months.

I was hoping not to like the Sulwhasoo Time Treasure Invigorating Cream. So much for that. Love. 

A'Pieu Cicative Sheet Mask is thin sheet mask coated in a light, slightly viscous milky-water essence that leaves my dehydrated-dry skin feeling hydrated and moisturized; a definite repurchase.

Hello Ganic One A Day Water Mask Hydrating is another good one for dehydrated-dry skin types; the eucalyptus mask wears comfortably and leaves skin feeling hydrated.

The strong medicinal scent of the Sunday Riley U.F.O. Ultra-Clarifying Acne Treatment Face Oil isn't my favorite, but I love that the oil helps with my texture issues along my jawline and purifies without drying out my skin.

Paula's Choice Defense Antioxidant Pore Purifier is great for my T-zone, year round but especially during the warmer months.

Sephora Collection #LipStories Balm (Date Prep) - I love this tinted balm. It makes getting ready on rushed mornings (or any mornings, really) easy peasy. Another one is en route. 

Soo'AE Skin Recovery Bio-cellulose Mask is the thinnest bio-cellulose mask I've ever used.

Despite my skepticism, TonyMoly Intense Care Syn-Ake Hydro-gel Mask ​​left my undereye area feel firmer after a single use. Mind blown! 

 Loves (oldies but goodies)

Spoiler

Whole Foods Cotton Cupra Mask Soothing Avocado

SNP Jade Soothing Ampoule Mask

Smell Like a Lemon Cleansing Wipe (x4)

Whamisa Organic Flowers Damask Rose Petal Mist is refreshingly hydrating. I love that this is water free, having a base of aloe leaf extract. Has a fermented floral scent that I find wonderful but it might not be everyone's cup of tea.

Dr. Jart+ Water Replenishment Cotton Sheet Mask

Ellis Brooklyn Myth Eau de Parfum - I discovered this scent while on vacation in Hawaii (seems so long ago; well, then again, it was - lol!) At some point, I will pick up the full size. 

Not even sure how long I've had theBalm Plump Your Pucker Tinted Gloss Cherry My Cola; the tube seemed never ending. 

Peace Out Acne Healing Dots (x2) - these are staples in my skincare collection. I reserve these for overnight use on the large buggers. Depending on the pimple, this helps to degunk and flatten the blemish in as fast as a night to a few nights. These come in handy when I'm caught in a vicious cycle of dealing with periodic breakouts and maskne breakouts.

Papa Recipe Bombee Fruitables Orange Squeeze Energy Mask 

Likes

Spoiler

Missha Cream Soak Mask (Nourishing) ​
Mustus Daily Harvest Squeeze clean Up Mask Pack (Soft / Balancing)
KNC Beauty Big Chill Aloe + Gotu Kola Super Soothing Bio-Cellulose Face Mask
Farm Skin Superfood Salad for Skin Facial Sheet Mask Refreshing (Broccoli)
Farm Skin Superfood Salad for Skin Facial Sheet Mask Brightening (Beet)
I Dew Care Olive 'Bout You Nourishing Olive Mask
amika Reset Clarifying Gel Shampoo
The Face Shop Smoothing Face Mask (BHA)
Missy Kay Avocado Face Mask
Missha Pure Source Cell Sheet Mask - Pearl
Look At Me Best Friend Snail + Green Tea Face Mask
Farm Skin Superfood for Skin Mix It! Clay Mask (Coconut) (Moisturizing + Firming)
Venofye Royal Honey Sheet Mask Infused with Sweet Almond Oil
Mamonde Petal Spa Oil to Foam Cleanser (Rose)
Charlotte Tilbury Matte Revolution Luminous Modern Matte Lipstick - Bond Girl
Charlotte Tilbury Matte Revolution Luminous Modern Matte Lipstick - Pillow Talk
Trader Joe's Scented Candle (Gingerbread)
Trader Joe's Scented Candle (Vanilla Pumpkin)
Voluspa Candle Tahitian Coconut Vanilla
Bvlgari Rose Goldea Blossom Delight Eau de Parfum
Peach & Lily Glass Skin Refining Serum The Face Shop Bio-Cell Moisturizing Face Mask (Hyaluronic Acid)
The Face Shop Brightening Face Mask (Pearl)

Maybe's

Spoiler

Regen+ Cos 2-Step Synergy Effect Mask (Brightening)
Spongelle Triple Butter Body Wash Infused Buffer (French Rose Sorbet)
Glossier Cloud Paint Seamless Cheek Color (Puff)
Glossier Cloud Paint Seamless Cheek Color (Storm)
Eminence Organic Skin Care Pumpkin Latte Hydration Masque
Mitomos Sincere Grace Tofu Essence Mask
The Face Shop The Solution Soothing Face Mask (Madecassoside)
The Face Shop The Solution Wrinkle Care Face Mask (Peptides)
The Face Shop The Solution Pore Care Face Mask (Tannins)
Charlotte Tilbury K.I.S.S.I.N.G Lipstick - B*tch Perfect
Charlotte Tilbury K.I.S.S.I.N.G Lipstick - Penelope Pink
Charlotte Tilbury Matte Revolution Luminous Modern Matte Lipstick - Walk of Shame
amika Reset Cooling Gel Conditioner

Meh's (on the left) and NO's (on the right)

Spoiler

MEH
Up & Up Basic Cotton Rounds
The Creme Shop Vitamin C Infused Face Mask
Too Cool For School Pumpkin Sleeping Mask
Charlotte Tilbury Matte Revolution Luminous Modern Matte Lipstick - Red Carpet Red
Charlotte Tilbury K.I.S.S.I.N.G Lipstick - Stoned Rose

NO
Miniso Cotton Pad Charcoal Cleansing - Shiseido Cotton Rounds these are not. They're not even the Target brand cotton rounds. I ended up soaking them in whatever hydrating essence I was working through and placing them over my cheeks like a spot treatment mask, while I had a clay mask of some sort on my T-zone.

Kiehl's Avocado Nourishing Hydration Mask was a 'no' for me. It helped the texture, consistency, adherence and wear if I mixed it with a tacky hyaluronic acid serum like the one from The Ordinary, but this will not be a repurchase.

Sara Happ Sweet Clay Lip Mask was also a no and a big one at that for me. I know there are folks who really like this lip mask, but I didn't see any results, which is a bummer because there are a lot of products I love from the brand. This just wasn't one of them.

Charlotte Tilbury K.I.S.S.I.N.G Lipstick - Kim K.W. is not well suited for me. We'll just leave it at that.

DE-STASH
I rarely destash lip balms but the Ulta Beauty Lip Balm - Winter Vanilla had to go. It was too much work to get any out of the tin and when I did, it didn't moisturize my lips like I had hoped. Sigh. It had a nice scent to it though.

MTD: 70 / YTD: 983

[jen81]

 

Spoiler

Loves 

likes 

Spoiler

 Soy face mask is nice but just basic. Will use samples up but probably not purchase. Same with the other products 

okay

 

 

[sonnydee]

November

Missing :

Tree but blueberry lemon body scrub full size😍 great cheap scrub &  it lasts forever! 

Ole henriksen sheer trans moist. Foil😒

Blackhead removal kit from Wish 😒

Top😍,all in my regular routine

😊 like may or may not buy fs. Ouai will not be a repurchase. It was not worth the price & don't care for the smell

😒 meh.....dont understand the hype. O & m did smell good 

😡 I DID finish this as a feet scrub in the shower. Even at that it was not effective & smelled liked wax. 

 All the candles were good. 2nd time purchase for the vanilla sugar. Missing 1 from October homeworx donut cider 

 

 Top😍 green tea was discontinued unfortunately

Middle😁 like, would use again

Bottom😳 both had ok resukts but trolls had a horrible fit & g9 didnt smell that great 

33 month. 353 ytd

[RGbrown]

🗑️

YTD 355

Notes in the spoiler!

Spoiler

Nexxus Humectress Conditioner: My drugstore HG for many years, though it has been reformulated since I last bought it, and I can't speak to the new formula. As my hair gets a bit curlier, it gets a bit drier, so this isn't quite rich enough for me anymore, but I have more in the shower and will continue to finish off my stash. Won't be looking to rebuy though.

Redken Deep Clean Dry Shampoo: love this stuff. Works well, smells great, not stiff or sticky or gritty, shakes out easily. Top of the rebuy list if I ever somehow manage to run out of dry shampoo samples lol.

The One by Frederic Fekkai The One To Believe In Leave In Conditioner: eh, can't tell that it does much. Not too heavy for my fine hair, but no real results either.

Ulta Shower Tablets (Lavender + Berries): true love; sadly discontinued now, but I have more!

Peach & Lily Glass Skin Refining Serum: very nice niacinamide serum. I wouldn't pay full price, but I'll happily use up all the samples I get, and would even consider buying it on sale if my stash somehow shrinks.

OPI Nail Lacquer Thinner: basic staple with a simple formula that works for most every nail polish out there. Not the cheapest around, but with points, I'd just as soon grab it for free from Ulta than give cash to someone else.

The Body Shop Coconut Body Butter: love the formula, but detest the tub.

Amika Reset shampoo & conditioner (gratis): I hesitate to call this "clarifying". As with many non-SLS/SLES shampoos, I felt like I had to use more than normal to feel clean. The conditioner was fine, minty scent, but not quite enough moisture for my dry ends. 

Biossance Squalane + Peptide Eye Gel: very light, soaks in well, no issues with anything after it in my night routine. It doesn't seem to agree with me though, or maybe it simply isn't moisturizing enough? After about a week of using it, my eyelids and undereyes started to peel pretty significantly. There was no itching or burning or redness or swelling or tingling or *any* sort of other reaction, so I'm not really sure what happened, but I swapped it out for something thicker, and it cleared right up. As much as I should want to pinpoint the cause, I'm not terribly interested in using it again to see if this was a just a freak occurrence or something else. 

Handmade Soap Company Hand Wash (Lemongrass & Cedarwood): perfectly fine hand soap. Lemongrass skews towards a dirty scent on me though, and this was no exception. If you want a hand wash with a scent that really sticks around, you'd love this brand...I could smell it on my hands the next day, even after using multiple scented lotions and creams after washing my hands.

REN Ready Steady Glow Daily AHA Tonic: I remember when this first came out, and I wanted to try it soooo badly. Sephora had it as a GWP several times, and maybe in the Bazaar as well, but I always managed to miss it. I came *this close* to buying it without sampling first, and oh boy, I am glad I did not. While it's a perfectly fine AHA toner, the scent is atrocious to me. As someone who normally loves citrus, I was surprised to find out that this has a rotten undertone to it that I could not get past. I used it up on my neck and chest just to get it gone without wasting it, but even that took more fortitude than I wanted to muster some days, and I skipped it more often than not. I generally try and stick to fragrance-free options these days anyways, so even if I had liked the scent, this would still be a no for repurchase.

Bliss Body Butter (Lemon & Sage): quite thin for a body butter, in my opinion...I was expecting something closer to The Body Shop's stuff, but this is closer to a BBW plain old lotion. The scent was fine, but this wasn't the thick and rich powerhouse I had been hoping for.

AHAVA Deadsea Water Mineral Hand Cream (Sea-Kissed): also thinner than I expected. This was ok, but again, not special. Not greasy, but left my hands and feet feeling dry again fairly quickly.

IGK Thirsty Girl Coconut Milk Shampoo: I've lost patience for non-sulfate shampoos that are hard to spread and seem to take tons of product to clean my hair; I used this 50mL bottle up in just 3 washes. I actually really liked the results I got from this plus the matching conditioner, but I get similar results from Wella FusionPlex without having to use a ton of product each wash, making Wella way more cost effective.

Sheet masks: The Ulta mask is one I actually stocked up on a couple of years ago because I liked it so much, and I've still got a few more to go through. Both Leaders were likely random cart fillers at some point, and I'm not sure I've ever tried these particular ones before, but they were both fine as well. 

[CookieGirl1]

I haven't tried the amika Reset Cooling Gel Conditioner or the amika Reset Clarifying Gel Shampoo but I HAVE tried the amika Reset Exfoliating Jelly Scalp Scrub and sadly it totally didn't work for me.  It made my hair feel...sticky.  I like a couple of things from Amika after trying the scrub I really don't WANT to try the companions to it.

[jen81]

@CookieGirl1 I have the clarifying gel shampoo and I just think it’s ok, no Amika’s best products in my opinion. I like living proof detox shampoo much better!

[CookieGirl1]

@jen81 I actually have that one as well, lol.

[eshoe]

November Empties:

Spoiler

FS

A few Trader Joe’s loves, the Macaron Soap, Hair Mask and Rose Facial Toner. Their skin and body care products are generally a hit for me. I’ve only had one snag (their eye cream). My only minor annoyance is the facial mist spray nozzle emits quite a bit of product. Wish I could decant into a GR bottle.

CosRx Advanced Snail 96 - Wow this helps smooth my skin and plumps it up quite nicely. But the stringiness is sooooo gross! I had a backup which I am using because my skin really does love it, but I can’t lie when I say I kind of dread using it. I find the Benton Snail Bee High Content Essence works just as well, without the visible mucous element. 

I also finished a few Kora Organics products this months, none of which I would repurchase. The Body and Face Glow sticks are pleasantly scented, but way too greasy for me. They both worked lovely as nourishing foot balm. The moisturizer saw the same fate. 

nugg Skin Fizz 3-in-1 Cleanser, Exfoliator and Mask - mixing this with my Vita C powder is my go-to quick AM skin brightener. This ‘flavor,’ Kale and Lemongrass, has the most appalling scent. Unfortunately I purchase six of these online. So I just hold my breath while in use 😄

DS 

Benton Snail Bee High Content Essence - love, love, love this rich, thick essence. Will be an easy repurchase once I finish my backup  CosRx.

Pixi Skintreats Glow Mud Cleanser - very gentle cream cleanser. Earthy beige tint and subtle, pleasant ginseng scent. Would definitely repurchase!

Tatcha The Water Cream - I’ve tried this in the past, and it made a better impression on me this go round. Just the right texture, which is true to its name. 

Laneige Cream Skin Toner - this is just the right kind of daily toner for my normal/dry skin. If I didn’t have a few bottles of the Pixi Milky Toner, this would be a serious contender.

Amika Soulfood Nourishing Mask - This is fine, my hair just needs something even more deeply moisturizing than this (the Amika Seaberry is just right!).

Living Proof Intense Moisture Mask - not moisturizing enough.

TCFS All-in-One Egg Mellow Cream - didn’t care much for the baby powder-like scent, but the texture was beautiful and my skin really loved this! I would consider repurchasing this one.

Charlotte Tilbury Goddess Skin Clay Mask - loved the campfire scent in this clay mask, the gentle blush hue, and the fact that it didn’t dry so much that it hurt my skin. Pleasant enough.

Vichy Liftactiv Specialist Peptide-C Ampoules Anti-Age - would likely not use this type of product again. Having to break a glass vial to apply serum is a little too stress-inducing for me.

Too Faced Mascara - the wand was just too cumbersome, and made application a bit difficult for me. The product was decent, but not one I would repurchase. 

FAB Arnica Relief & Rescue Mask - soothing, didn’t notice much difference after using, but it’s always good to have a mask like this on hand that doesn’t do anything fancy, just soothes. 

PTR Cucumber Mask - this was from a gratis a couple of years ago. Love keeping it in my mini fridge for extra relaxation. May repurchase just to have a non-nonsense mask on hand (see above).

Dr. Jart+ Ever Sun Day Mineral Sunscreen - LOVE this. Looks white but that dissipates almost immediately. Pleasantly herbal/fruity scent that is only noticeable while applying. 10/10 would repurchase!

Jo Malone Nectarine Blossom & Honey - oooh what a pleasant & fancy candle. I have been saving points in the hopes there would be a few JM rewards this fall, but that didn’t happen. Maybe next year.

Biore Strip - a monthly staple. Just noticed a couple of months ago that it has parabens, however at the rate I use them, I am not too concerned.

Foils

Briogeo Don’t Despair, Repair! - Pretty sure I’ve finished a FS of this a couple of years ago, prior to tracking. It’s ok, I didn’t find too much of a difference with using it on a regular basis.

Taste Rainforest of the Sea Deep Sea Collagen Super Serum - this was quite enjoyable to use, though it felt more like a thin oil than a serum. In general, from lip gloss, to hair masks, to serum - for the most part, I prefer thick and goopy. I was surprised to like this so much, I would be interested in picking up a DS to give it a longer trial. 

La Prairie Skin Caviar Luxe Eye Cream - loved the consistency of this very rich, non-greasy eye cream. I wasn’t a fan of the heavily perfumed scent. I have a moisturizer sample I am looking forward to trying, to see if it has a similar scent. Many lines like this seem to infuse their skincare products with the same scent, and if you enjoy that scent, it’s a good thing.

Laura Mercier Caviar Stick Eye Cream - WOW what fabulous staying power! No primer needed. Another 10/10 would repurchase, Moonlight was just gorgeous, even my husband noticed and commented on my eyes.

Galenic Argane Emulsion Douceur Reparatrice - I expected this to be an oil, however it was a thin lotion that was also heavily perfumed. Fun to try something new, though!

She Uemura Ultime8 Sublime Beauty Oil in Lotion - as an extremely thin and runny oil, it was absolutely lovely. A light scent, not identifiable but just a treat to use. 

Evolve Bio-Retinol + C Booster - Wish I had a DS of this, I am all for bakuchiol and this very thin serum was another very pleasant one to use. I guess this was a month of surprises in that I found a few lighter skincare products that my skin <3’d!

YTD
Sheet Masks	342
FS	126
DS	142
Foils	116
Total	726

[missjeanie]

Great set of empties @eshoe !  I have the TJ's hair mask that I've been saving.  Odd I know... but I don't know when I'll get back there! lol Is it weird that I kinda get a kick outta the stringiness of the CosRx?  I got hooked on the LM Caviar sticks earlier this year, I'm hoping to get to a store that carries them sometime to pick up some more.  Hope you find some shades you love too!

[eshoe]

Ahhh don’t save it, @missjeanie! The TJ’s mask is good, maybe a cheaper version of the Amika:) I’m not surprised at all that you like that goopiness. It’s amusing, for sure. I meant to pick up a set of the LM sticks but held back because I already have more than I need and I just need to work with that. That’s my goal for the New Year! How about you?