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.

[katkapivarci]

@2manyperfumes This line really scares me because of that giant EGG written on the bottle. I imagine that it smells like omelet and has raw-egg consistency which I know it’s absolutely ridiculous but it’s stuck in my mind and therefore I don’t think I ever be brave enough to try this product😂🤦🏼‍♀️

[RGbrown]

I've tasked myself with using up some packets, so while it's only been two weeks since my last post, I've got a pretty sizable stash of trash this time around. Notes in the spoilers!

True Love

Spoiler

Biobelle Beauty Scoop sheet mask: still my favorite sheet mask brand; the fit, the fabric, the moisture, the lack of scent...all top notch.

Freeman Moisturizing Hydrogel Mask: I like most gel masks, and this was no exception. Fresh coconut sent, 2 piece construction with great fit, and it stayed in place. Excellent moisture. Ulta doesn't carry this particular mask, but if I ever see them out and about again (I found this at Rite Aid while all of my stores were closing) I won't hesitate to grab more.

Wella FusionPlex Intense Repair Mask: I have fallen head over heels for the entire FusionPlex line, and once I finish off some more hair stuff in my stash, I'm 99.9% certain that this will be the shampoo/conditioner/mask in my shower. I have some more minis to tide me over until then.

Omorovicza Ultramoor Mud Mask: magic in a jar. This clay mask does a great job soaking up excess oil, but somehow also manages to fill and plump fine lines and make my skin look firmer, smoother, and younger. Will continue buying for eternity, even though I can't afford to use it as often as I'd like lol.
 
Tula Purifying Face Cleanser: I was 100% sure I would hate this once I popped the seal and smelled it, but it turns out this may very well be my all time favorite face wash. It's a thick gel that foams up a bit, but the foam almost turns creamy...it's hard to explain, but it's definitely different from most foaming cleansers. The scent is a bit woody, a bit fruity, a bit herbal...it took a little getting used to, but now I adore it. It cleanses really well without stripping or drying out my skin. I came thiiiiiis close to buying a full size recently, but I have too many cleansers samples to work through first, so this will have to sit on my faves list for a while longer.

I really really like you; let's do this again sometime

Spoiler

These are all excellent for me; I would most likely buy with the right deal, or perhaps go out of my way to get a gwp if one or more of them were in it.

Leaders 7 Wonders Caribbean Coconut Calming Mask: light fresh scent (perhaps a bit coconutty, or is that just the power of suggestion? lol). Good fit. The material is a bit slippery and getting it on can be tricky, but once in place, it adheres well. Nice moisture. If you accidentally let it dry out completely, it's prone to tear into a couple or three pieces as you take it off, but it's still easy to remove.

Ulta SPF30 Lip Balm (Pomegranate): this may displace Burt's Bees as my staple/everyday balm. It's slightly thicker in texture, so it hangs around on my lips longer, but it doesn't feel waxy or overly heavy...it's just a nice balm. It's also a tad cheaper. It's not the absolute best balm on the market for super dry lips or anything like that, but it's a good cheap option for folks like me that have a bit of an addiction to the balm application process. And the SPF is a bonus. I still have several BB left to finish off, but I could see myself getting more of these in the future (plus I also have the watermelon and coconut flavors in the wings to try soon 🙂 )

Biossance Squalane + Peptide Eye Gel: Really nice and lightweight with good moisture. 

Kiehl's Creamy Eye Treatment: also really nice. Heavier than the Biossance, but still not too heavy for my oily skin.

FAB Ultra Repair Barriair Cream: I finished off a full size jar via gratis, and liked it fine, but after using a couple of other moisturizers and coming back to this packet, it's moving up the faves list. Rich but light, fragrance free, mixes well with my oil, and just does an all around good job. Hate the jar, but would love mini tubes.

FAB Ultra Repair Hydrating Serum: a nice extra layer of hydration. I have a few more samples, more FAB and some assorted brands, but I could see myself buying this in the future.

FAB Coconut Water Cream: a nice lightweight moisturizer option. Great for daytime use on my oily skin.

Not awe-inspiring, but passable

Spoiler

These are all "would use again if I got it in a gwp, but won't buy"

Sephora Almond Foot Mask: this is a nice product, and it does a good job of moisturizing my feet, but I don't find it any better than the Cala foot masks ($5 for 3 at TJM). Miiight pick up one or two here and there if I need a filler for a good promo, but it's not something I'll go out of my way for without that incentive.

Exuviance Super Retinol Concentrate: it's so hard to get a feel for a retinol with a tiny sample since results can take time. I've used several different retinols over the years now, and this seemed fine...it didn't irritate me, and my skin didn't seem to backslide significantly while using it. 

Pacifica Crystal Power Hydro Mist: I had a momentary brain lapse and forgot to check ingredients before buying this; it has witch hazel in it, which I normally avoid. I used it up as an essence, and all in all it was ok for that, but it's not the most hydrating essence out there. 

Sunday Riley Tidal Brightening Enzyme Water Cream: This was my first time trying Tidal, and the scent was enough to put me off pretty strongly. I'd try it again as a mini (can't tell much from a packet anyways), but it's definitely not a product I'd go out of my way to find.

Amorepacific Vintage Single Extract Essence: very nice, but it wasn't really enough to see if there are any longer-term results that would justify the price. 

Seche Vite Dry Fast Top Coat: the product itself probably should have been in the "really really like" picture, but the micro bottle is so obnoxious that it got downgraded lol. As a top coat, it's pretty dang wonderful...dries super-fast, and has nice shine. The tiny bottle with its tiny brush was a headache though. After about three uses, the polish is too low to get much on the brush, and it presents all sorts of challenges trying to use it. I was only able to finish this one off completely because I have two of them, and used this one to refill the other one. My second bottle will now sit for a while, and if I ever buy a full size, I can dump it into that one. 

Tula Dual-Phase Skin Reviving Treatment Pad: this was kinda neat. It's a two-sided pad...one is fluffy white material, which starts breaking down as you rub it on your face, leaving white fibers behind. The second side is a thin layer of slightly textured plasticky stuff, which you then use to lightly scrub. The scrubbing action is extremely gentle...the fibers are soft, and the pad itself isn't scratchy or gritty at all. I have tons of exfoliants as it is, and I actually like a stiffer scrub, but this was a nice change of pace for me. Sharp citrus scent (which I liked). 

Skyn Iceland Pure Cloud Cream: I finished off a mini of this not too long ago, and while I really liked the mini, I found this packet to be a completely different texture. Weird. This was more creamy, as opposed to the moussey texture of the tube. I wonder if the packet packaging kinda squished all the air out of the product? Or maybe my tube was the oddball, not sure. 

Patchology Illuminating Eye Gels: I just use eye gels for the sake of using them up. My under eyes aren't particularly dry or in need of much special attention IMHO, but these are fun. They cling well and have a light fresh/citrus scent that I find pleasing.

Ouidad Advanced Climate Control Featherlight Styling Cream: the closest thing I've ever found to Bumble's Don't Blow It (which is my HG, all-time favorite hair product). Overall it was really nice, but the two drawbacks to me are the floral scent (it dissipates relatively quickly) and if I accidentally use too much (a little goes a long way for me), it does get a little crunchy. 

Nah

Spoiler

BlowPro dry shampoo: fairly high on the white stuff scale, and I don't like the heavily perfumed floral scent. It works well, and doesn't leave a lot of texture, but the cons outweigh the pros for me.

Tarte Lights, Camera, Lashes mascara: didn't really get to try it...it's an ancient sample that had dried out too much to use. Would be willing to try again, but I have so many samples to get through, and mascaras that I know I love, to worry about getting back around to it any time soon.

Ofra Vitamin C Serum 25%: slightly thinner than honey, but every bit as sticky. I thinned it down with a Vitamin E Ferulic Acid serum and that helped, but there are plenty of vitamin C serums that I like better.

Freeman Feeling Beautiful Brightening Seaweed + Pearl sheet mask: I've adored the other 2 Freemen sheet masks I've tried, so this was a disappointment to me. I sadly don't recall how it fit anymore, but the scent was my turn-off...it's a very strong rose scent, which was most definitely not what I was expecting. If you like floral scents, this would be fine for you.

[2manyperfumes]

A lot of great empties @RGbrown 👍 I see a few things that I love too.  Love the Hello Fab products 

[RGbrown]

@2manyperfumes 

FAB makes some really nice stuff; I think I've liked most everything I've tried from them (minus the cleanser...it just didn't cleanse my oily skin well at all) ❣️

[karap03]

MAY EMPTIES! dove is a favorite but not this particular one. wella shampoo is my favorite for shampoo and conditioner ever 💕. i liked the YSL mon paris but might not repurchase. i enjoyed the marc jacobs brow pencil. the rest were so-so.

[Shelbstirr]

Finally posting so I can throw these out! Let me know if you have any questions about specific products. Items I have repurchased and am still using are Good Genes, Tom Ford Black Orchid, Milk Kush Mascara, Gimme Brow, Urban Decay Setting Spray, and IGK Charcoal Dry Shampoo. There is nothing here I disliked! Although I did feel the Tarte Shape Tape Matte foundation was starting to look dry on me.

[suzyo]

March/April empties 

Most of these are repeats for me. I’m done using the Purity Made Simple after about a decade of using it. It was reformulated in the fall so instead of trying the new one I just switched to the Kate Somerville Goat Milk, which I don’t regret. It’s so soothing for dry itchy skin in the morning. The Differin was new to me, but I started using prescription Tretinoin so I won’t repurchase. FYI, Differin is the exact same thing as Proactive Adapalene Gel, ingredient for ingredient. The Lush American Cream shower gel was a bit drying, and I wasn’t into the scent (too masculine). The Estée Lauder ampules were terrible. The oil just didn’t absorb, and I swear it left my skin drier because of it. Josie Maran will always be my favorite. I have/would repurchase everything else.

[PrettyPaint]

Great job @suzyo . And you have so many of my favorites in this pile. 

[katkapivarci]

I’m always so behind with posting my empties.  Last time I posted was around March I believe (with pictures taken in middle of February). This time I took the pictures in middle of April. So pretty much these are my empties for 2 months. 

In 2 months I used up:

21 foil samples

43 deluxe samples

11 Full Size products

12  masks, eye patches 

Total of 87 products!! I’m kinda proud of myself😊

Absolutely in love with:

Lavanilla deodorant - I’m buying them from TJMaxx for around $8

Rituals Shower Foam - the most luxurious feeling shower product I have ever tried.

FRESH vitamin Nectar Vitamin C powder - I got this as a gratis last year from BIC team and from then I already bought one myself - this makes my face bright, fresh looking and even. I love using this in the morning. I use it once a week but would definitely use it more often if it wasn’t as expensive.

Tatcha Dewy Cream - I’m on the fence with this, I have a deluxe sample of it now so I decide after trying it if it’s a like/love/nope. 

Most of the “like” products are fine and I would used them again if I got a sample or if it was in subscription box but I wouldn’t repurchase them personally.

It’s official I hate face oils. I thought this one from La Prairie will change my mind but NOPE. (Only one exception so far is DE Marula Oil)

Becca and Cover FX foundation sample card are too small to cover entire face that’s what I don’t like about them. Can’t say if I like/dislike the actual product.

Can’t stand the consistency of the Smashbox primer.

Flower Beauty powder is too dark for me.

Hair products and self tanner are too old.

The blue thing is natural deodorant from my home country that my friend recommended. I really like the smell and consistency but unfortunately it irritated my skin.  

Stila was half empty and dried out.

Wooow this was long. Thanks for reading😊

[2manyperfumes]

Wow that is impressive @katkapivarci I wouldn’t be able to keep track of all that ❤️

[katkapivarci]

@2manyperfumes It’s not even two months since I took these pictures and my empties bag is full again!! I took pictures today and post again soon but I’m kind of shocked by the speed I’m using up products. 

[PrettyPaint]

I’m so impressed! @katkapivarci 

[katkapivarci]

@PrettyPaint thank you so much. I’m really trying to shop my stash and use up my samples. It’s very satisfying to see it all together. 

[l8totheparty]

That's an amazing amount of products used! @katkapivarci 

[katkapivarci]

@l8totheparty Thank you. It’s so satisfying to see how many products I used. It makes me less guilty when I buy something 🤦🏼‍♀️🤷🏼‍♀️

[ShortErica]

I admire all of your cut containers! You've made so much progress @katkapivarci. Other than Lavanilla, have you tried other natural deodorants and how would you compare them?

[katkapivarci]

O@ShortErica I tried Schmidt’s which I hated because of the texture. I’m not sure if all of them are like the one I used (don’t remember which scent was it) but it was crumbly.

Another ones I tried I bought in my home country Slovakia - Ponio(the blue one from my declutters) and Yves Rocher - both irritated my skin.

I think I tried more but these are the ones I remember. 

Lavanilla is my favorite but not enough to pay full price for it. That’s why I always try to stock up on it when I find it in TJMaxx. 

[ShortErica]

Thanks @katkapivarci. I think Lavanilla is likely the next one I will try. I'll be on the lookout at Marshall's/TJMaxx.

[m3rc3d3s]

Wow! What an awesome empties collection! I always forget to keep and end up tossing ! I will recommend testing out the tatcha dewy cream for a bit longer if you can grab a few more samples before making the big purchase...I have been using for almost two weeks and my skin is so much plumper and firmer! Thanks for sharing ❤️

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[katkapivarci]

@m3rc3d3s I’m definitely planning to try it more. I have a deluxe sample so that could last me at least a week to properly test it. I actually love Tatcha Water Cream. It’s interesting because it’s targeted for more oily skin and I’m more on a drier side but still I looooove that cream. 

[Weetart]

Two days of empties. Plucking through the sample drawer quite a few where already particularly used. And I’m not sure why I used that Love Green Mask, I already knew I didn’t like the overwhelming lavender scent. And I have two more, better put them in the give away pile. Besides that, everything is something I’d use again.