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.

[sonnydee]

thanks @ShortErica I was doing really good the beginning of the year but these last 3 months.....ughhhh! need to step it up

[ShortErica]

I know the feeling @sonnydee. Good luck this month!

[flamingolegs]

I'm glad I'm not the only one.  My hair is typically silky and I can use almost anything on it for a day or two, but not that!  It's like straw after just one wash!

[sonnydee]

yesssss @flamingolegs so disappointing! Texas tea was my go too😢

[flamingolegs]

A HUGE month in my quest to purge 75% of the stash that I had before the end of the year!

These are things I loved and will buy (or have already bought) again!

These are things I liked, and might buy again, but often there is another product I like just a bit better.  (Drunk Elephant over Sunday Riley for example)

These things were OK, probably won't buy them again.  There's something in the BB Cream that was causing terribly hay fever symptoms.  It's the only thing I didn't completely use up.



These are the no's.  Most of these I really disliked, often due to the scent.

[RebeccaBT]

@flamingolegs Always love reading your thoughts on products! Thanks for sharing!

Best,

Rebecca

[CookieGirl1]

Thassa LOT of empties, @flamingolegs.

[ShortErica]

75 percent is a lot @flamingolegs. How many products will that be? Great progress!

[flamingolegs]

I have no idea!  I just know the volume.  I'm down by about 40%.  I could have filled four FFF boxes at the beginning of the year, now I'd need two.  By the end of the year my goal is to be able to fit it all into one.

[ShortErica]

Nice job scaling down @flamingolegs. Good luck the rest of the year.

[karap03]

June Empties! successful month of body care products and skincare. not a ton of makeup (i know i will have several empties of makeup next month though!) second picture are things i will definitely repurchase

[heartsmyface]

This is just the products I went through at home this month.  I wasn’t bringing empties home with me in my luggage:). 

These are just decluttered.

[flamingolegs]

I just take a snap of the travel empties and pitch them, then post it as a mid-month extra.  🙂

[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!

[Anonymous]

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!