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.

[Buootiful]

Ha!🤣🤣🤣 @itsfi 

[itsfi]

@RGbrown, much of the 600 empties is due to going through foils and DS in the earlier part of the year. With work travel (or any travel, really) on hold for me, I decided to work through as much of my foils and DS as I could and not adding samples to my orders unless it was something I really wanted to try or I really liked already. So less intake and more output helped a lot. Last year, I went through 1000+ empties; I'm hoping to have less than that this year with turning my attention more to full size products. 🤞

Ellis Brooklyn Bee has a warm, sweet-but-not-too-sweet honey and light, creamy vanilla scent, with just a bit of something that leans on the smoky side. For some reason, the first spritz of this is always a bit sharp for my taste, but it fades away fairly quickly. I feel like Bee is one of her stronger scents (my favorite from her brand is Myth - there are some bolder notes in that one but to me, the fragrance as a whole comes across more understated). It took me a while to come around to Bee. I found that Bee smells best when I'm not wearing anything scented so as to compete with the notes in this one, so fragrance free shower gel, lotion, and the like. 

[RGbrown]

@itsfi @

Thanks for the info on Bee...I really do need to check it out one day!

[itsfi]

@RGbrown, at some point, I think she’ll have a sample vial of them, maybe? as a gwp?? I often wish more fragrance houses would have those more readily available and accessible. Even for purchase. It makes it so much easier to know whether a scent will work for you. 

[RGbrown]

@itsfi 

I'm halfway looking at a set at Ulta that's got 5 x 5mL rollerballs, one of which is Bee. It's pretty low on my list though, so it may not make the cut if I do a points haul, but even so, I figure I'll wind up with a sample eventually 😋 I love getting fragrance samples! I know some folks hate seeing them as gwps and such, but that's always something I go for (unless it's the same old same old ones that I have in spades). 

[RGbrown]

YTD 293

Notes below!

Spoiler

BBW Flannel candle: love

Ulta Sparkling Clementine candle: also love, though I don't think this year's version was as strong as last year's. Still a great scent with good throw though.

Ulta cotton balls: basic staple

Kenra Platinum Luxe One Leave-In: I don't understand creams in a spray bottle at all...I had to just squirt it into my hand to avoid globs in my hair, though once I got it about half empty, I started adding water so I could spray it directly. I dunno that I have much of an opinion...it didn't weigh my hair down or make it greasy, so that's good, but I just cut all my hair off a few months ago, so it's main purpose for my routine (as a detangler) was kinda pointless, and this might be a step I can skip altogether now, though I keep doing it out of habit lol. Light scent, kinda fresh/spa like? Not sure how to describe it, but it was soft and innoffensive. Would use again, though I have no need to buy.

Ulta Berry Tart Body Sorbet: I *adore* Ulta's sorbets, and the scent on this one was just fabulous, a juicy berry scent, bright and sweet, but not cloying. I wish they'd make this a regular scent in the full size tub, as I'd definitely buy more if I could get it more often...normally they put out a 3pk of holiday scents that tends to have one or two I dislike, and it makes it hard to justify buying the whole set. 

Rituals Happy Buddha Body Cream: I adore this scent, and I am gutted that Ulta stopped carrying it 😞 Nice cream, fantastic orange and cedar scent.

BBW Lemon Vanilla Shower Gel: love

The Oozoo Fresh Capsule: I decided to try this one without the capsule to see if I disliked it any less. It was still milky, and still slimy, but the capsule seems to be the source of the cleaning product scent, so at least it didn't stink nearly as badly this time. I've got three more I'll slog through, but this is definitely not my favorite mask.

Oh K! Acai Berry mask: the material on this is fairly thick and stiff, and the fit wasn't that great, but the scent was nice (sort of a dry fruity scent, not too sweet, not too strong) and it had nice moisture, so it wasn't all bad.

Skyn Iceland eye patches: just working through the stash, they're fine. 

[itsfi]

Nice work @RGbrown! BBW Flannel is such a comfy, feel good scent! 💕 I somehow missed that BBW had a lemon vanilla scent - it sounds like a nice pairing - would you say it leans more lemon or vanilla? Or, is the scent pretty balanced?

[RGbrown]

@itsfi 

Flannel is such a great scent, so warm and cozy!

The Lemon Vanilla is likely "vintage", so I doubt they have it anymore...I don't think I've bought a BBW body wash in 5+ years, yet I have dozens I'm still working through. It's like my sheet mask stash, only way worse, and way slower to finish off 🤣 In any case, it was definitely more lemon, but the vanilla softened it up and gave it a creamy undertone, keeping it from being harsh or sour. It was truly lovely ❤️

[RGbrown]

YTD 282

Notes in the spoilers!

Spoiler

BBW Black Cherry Merlot candle: love

Burt's Bees Lemon Butter Cuticle Cream: I don't think I bought either of these intentionally, but I used to buy BB gift sets pretty frequently and wound up with a few floating around, even though I never really used it. I finally started trying to be more diligent about using them up, and the larger one is roughly 80% gone, but both of these have turned (ugh, they stink!)...not surprising since they are likely 10+ years old though. I found one more in my drawer, and I am working on it now, but this isn't something I'll buy in the future. I find it a little too thick/oily feeling for my taste, and prefer just a jojoba-based cuticle oil.

L'Oreal Pure-Clay Cleanser: really lovely. Thick clay-like consistency that lightly lathers up, and cleans well without stripping my skin. Would absolutely use more samples, though it does have added fragrance, which makes me less likely to actually buy.

Lip Smacker Skittles lip Balm (Strawberry): nice basic balm, fun scent.

Biolage Hydrasource Pack Deep Treatment: did nothing for my hair, just left me frizzy and poofy.

Briogeo Don't Despair, Repair Deep Conditioning Mask: meanwhile, this was really nice, and really helped tame frizz on the days I used my clarifying shampoo. It wasn't quite "run out and buy it now" worthy, but I'll absolutely be on the lookout for more samples, and maybe even make a purchase with a good deal. 

Ulta Exfoliating Body Scrub: perfectly fine. The grit is a tad finer than I would like, but I use it with an exfoliating glove anyways, so that's not a huge concern for me. Lovely scent, and it didn't make my shower slick.

18.21 Man Made Shampoo/Conditioner/Body Wash (Spiced Vanilla): this smells divine, a warm and spicy vanilla, the type of scent I love year 'round. Lather was meh though, and sometimes I'd have to add more to my poofy thing halfway through my shower.  

CeraVe Foaming Facial Cleanser: my sis and I both use this (she gets the big bottle in her shower, and I refill my travel bottle from it as needed), but I wound up with the empty bottle this time, so I'm counting it 😛 Basic staple that I've bought numerous times, will buy again, and always keep in rotation.

Batiste Dry Shampoo (Original): I loved the travel can I had of this, but the full size has left me with some mixed feelings. It's super white, but that all shakes out easily and seems to disappear, so it's not a huge concern to me in the end. But after 2-3 days, this leaves terrible buildup on my scalp, and I wind up with little white flakes/bits throughout my roots that I get super self-conscious about. In an attempt to mitigate this, I started turning my head upside down and really working it through with my fingers, shaking it out of my hair (borderline violently lol) before doing my final brush through, and that helped a good bit. But then, about halfway through the can, it was as if all the powder was gone. Shaking the can well before each use is an ingrained habit for me now, so I'm not sure that was my fault. I have more of these to use up (there was a sale, and I thought I loved it lol), so maybe I'll have better luck with the rest. It does do a good job of making my hair look clean again, even if it takes some extra effort, so it's not all bad.

Spoiler

Pacifica Purify Facial Wipes: the coconut scent is a little over the top for me, but they cleanse well. I have one more pack that I'll use up, but based on the scent, these wouldn't be a rebuy for me even if they weren't discontinued. Would try other Pacifica wipes though. 

DrPacker Vita Lightening Cocktail mask: light scent, decent fit, good moisture.

bioBelle Unicornglow Mask: I was thrilled when I realized that about half of my 2021 mask stash is made up of the old bioBelle masks, as they are still way above and beyond everything else I've ever tried. Super thin fabric, low or no scent, good fit, great moisture.

Soap & Glory Pore Refining Mask: strong eucalyptus scent I could do without, but overall, not a bad mask. Have a couple more that I will use up without complaint, though I likely wouldn't buy again.

Skyn Iceland Eye Gels: fine

Philosophy Purity Made Simple Cleanser (10 packets): basic staple for me. Falls into the "I'm not sure I'd buy it, but I'll happily use up whatever samples I get" category for me. I always reach for the mini bottles first, but recently discovered I've let over 50 packets build up, so now's the time to finish those off lol. 

Hempz Citrine Crystal & Quartz Lotion: I really liked the scent of this one, a sweet (but not too sweet), juicy citrus, tangerine maybe?, with perhaps a touch of a dry/woody undertone to ground it. Fabulous summery scent.

Peach & Lily Glass Skin Serum: I believe this is the last of my samples, finally. I like it fine, but have plenty of other niacinamide samples I like too, so it's not a rebuy at the moment.

Yuni Shower Sheet: I like the product fine, it does its job well, I'm just not keen on the scent, it can go a smidge sour on my skin. I have a few more I'll use up eventually, but won't be buying any.

[Samtian]

@RGbrown Haha I'm working on a Skittles chapstick right now! Great work!

[RGbrown]

@Samtian 

Skittles is such a great theme for a lip balm 🌈

[RGbrown]

YTD 253

Notes in the spoiler!

Spoiler

BBW Peach Bellini candle: classic scent from BBW that burns well and smells fantastic

FAB Face Moisturizer: basic staple that gives me the moisture I need without being too heavy. I have a couple more in use now, and would absolutely use it again in the future, maybe even buy with a good deal.

IGK Direct Flight Dry Shampoo: I hate their other dry shampoo, the charcoal one that so many seem to love...it dries my roots out instantly, making my hair feel like straw, so I wasn't all that curious about this one until I saw it in Boxy Popup one month for $6; for that, I was more than willing to give it a shot, and now I'm sad I did. 🤣 This is surprisingly fantastic! I hate product feel, and this does have some, but it's not stiff or gritty at all, it just gave my hair a little extra texture and volume that most dry shampoos I've tried can't quite match. It sprays out with little to no white stuff at all, and left zero residue on my scalp (with many dry shampoos, after 2-3 days, I start getting little white bits/flakes forming, but not with this one). The drawback is that it didn't always last all day against my powerfully oily hair and skin, so I might have to touch up later in the day (but frankly, nothing does lately). But overall? Definitely on my "actively watching for deals" list!

PTR Cucumber Gel Mask: declutter. Forgot I even had it, found it while moving some stuff around. I've never found this does much for me, and I'm fairly certain this tub was probably 3/4 full before it mostly dried out to this current barely a thin layer in the bottom of the jar that I'm tossing.

Sara Happ The Dream Slip: if y'all take nothing else from my mini reviews here, please please please give this stuff a shot if you are struggling with dry lips. My lips are dry, and I have a ridiculous lip balm habit during the day to combat it, but I struggled for years to find anything that I liked for night use. Everything I've ever tried left me waking up to dry, parched lips, forcing me to reach for balm before I even got up to go to the bathroom (including Laneige, Skyn Arctic Berry Lip, Neosporin Lip Therapy, and several more I've forgotten by now, along with multiple layering combos). But no more! This stuff sticks around on my lips all night, and they are soft every morning. I can even forget about my lip balm habit for up to an hour or so after I get up. It's thick, kind of a creamy balm, and doesn't take much per use; with once daily use (and the occasional second use during the day if my lips are particularly irritated for some reason), this has lasted me since early June 2019...that's 2 years and 3 months. While I hate the $34 price tag, it has been well worth every single penny, and I have a backup ready to go! I've also got the Tatcha Kissu Lip Mask lined up from gratis to try, so we'll see how they compare. 

Sky Organics Tahitian Vanilla lip balm: perfectly lovely clear balm. Nothing special but nothing terrible either. Would use again, or even buy if I came across another deal (I think this was a random Amazon cheapie at some point in the past).

FAB Ultra Repair Cream Candy Cane: I love a good minty foot cream; this isn't quite as thick as I like for that purpose, but the fantastic peppermint scent of this one makes it worth using every now and again anyways.

Tinkle razor: basic dermaplaning staple; these are easy to use and I like the low price point. I have more, and will buy again.

Revolution Skincare Multi Peptide Serum: another declutter. I really don't remember how old this is, but I tried to simplify my routine at one point and set this off to the side because my BHA already has peptides in it. It's got no scent, and I don't recall having any issues with piling or any other application troubles...it's just a victim of downsizing.

Peach & Lily Glass Skin Serum: my skin likes niacinamide, and I like freebies; would absolutely use again.

Lancome L'Absolu Lacquer: declutter, not because I don't like it (the Lacquers are one of my all time favorite formulas), but because I discovered it has dried out, turning into a thick goopy mess. No worries, I of course have the full size already 😋

The 2020 sticky note indicates I *finally* finished off my 2020 sheet masks. Yay! Ulta Yuzu and S&G are both ones I've used several times and liked. Julep was new to me, and the essence and mask were nice; the included sleeping mask was a bit heavy for me, but someone with drier skin would probably find it quite nice. I'd actually consider repurchasing this one with a good deal even if I'd skip or repurpose step 3; the mask material was super thin, lightweight and fit me well, and I don't recall a scent at all.

While I have been paying attention to my sheet masks lately, I keep forgetting to keep up with my eye gels (whoops); these Skyn ones don't have exp dates printed on them, but some of mine are quite old and I have collected dozens, so I'm going to try to start using them up too! In any case, I can't really tell that they do much other than feel cooling for a bit; while these fall into the "never purchase" category for me, I don't dislike them either and will use them up.

My first 2021 mask was The Oozoo Cocoon Silk Fresh Capsule Mask, and I didn't like it much at all 😐 The serum is milky (which always freaks me out for some reason), and borderline slimy. The sheet itself was tiny. And the scent was reminiscent of lavender + cleaning products, not in a good way. Sadly, I have more of these, and once again, I am reminded of a lesson I forget from time to time...don't buy a bunch of something unless you've tested it before, no matter how good the deal is (I think these were $1.xx)...

[itsfi]

@RGbrown, a belated congratulations for working through your 2020 sheet masks! 🎉 That is such a feat! Good for you! 👊

[RGbrown]

@itsfi 

Thanks so much! It's so nice to finally be caught up...now to stay on top of the rest! ⏳

[itsfi]

@RGbrown, once I got to my 2021 sheet mask purchases, it took me a while to get used to the idea that I didn't have to first organize my sheet masks by expiration date. I still find myself doing that out of habit; and then also doing a double take when it has a 2023 or 2024 expiration date. Here's to staying on top of them!

[RGbrown]

YTD 235

Notes in the spoiler!

Spoiler

Homeworx Bahama Breeze candle: decent throw on this one (I've found they can be hit or miss), but I still feel like their candles burn way too quickly for how expensive they are. At least they burn evenly, and leave next to nothing when done.

Ulta Papaya Blossom candle: excellent throw, good burn time. I'm not overly fond of this particular scent, and I think Ulta could do a better job describing their fragrances online, but overall, I think Ulta candles are a pretty decent buy with a good sale.

Tula Purifying Cleanser: I've talked about this one before so I'll keep it short, but this is one of my absolute favorite cleansers. Deep clean without stripping my skin or leaving me feeling tight and dry. Have many more samples, and would buy with a good sale.

Jack Black Nighttime Bak-Up Retinol Alternative: I didn't realize this had fragrance in it before I opened it; while it's a lovely, masculine-leaning, woody type scent, I try and avoid frag in my facial skincare, so I used it up on my chest. It was perfectly fine for a moisturizer, perhaps a touch slick/siliconey feeling for my taste, but soaked in well. This isn't a large enough sample to see if it had any sort of long-term results, of course, but I'd use more if I ever got any.

Donna Karan Cashmere Mist deo: I'm normally a basic Secret Outlast gal, but I got this in a gwp and LOVE it. The scent is simply fantastic, warm and comforting, and it works really well to boot. I can never bring myself to spend $29 on a deo, but I've got one more mini I'm hoarding for a bit, and would be thrilled to get more in another gwp.

Omorovicza Ultramoor Mud Mask: another item I've talked about recently, so I'll just say: pure magic, true love.

Hempz foot cream: whoops, this was actually in one of my last batches, and just before I threw it out, I realized I could probably squeeze one more use out of it...so I did, then threw it right back in my empties bag instead of tossing the tube lol.

Burt's Bees Fabulously Fresh Peppermint & Rosemary Body Wash: I forgot how much I love this stuff. If you like minty minty mint stuff, you'd love this. Cooling and tingly, excellent mint scent, great lather. Sadly, it appears it has been discontinued, but I have one more bottle I will treasure.

Ulta Fall Leaves lotion: love the scent, sort of a spiced plum fragrance, warm and cozy but not overly sweet. I didn't like the formula much though, it's very lightweight with a slippery feel that didn't feel very moisturizing or last very long...I had to re-up several spots later in the day whenever I used this. But...Ulta has changed their lotion formula this year, and it looks like it might be a little richer/thicker, so I'll happily give their new stuff a try at some point.

Wella Nutricurls Micellar Shampoo & Detangling Conditioner: Wella has become a bit of a sleeper hit to me...I'd never even heard of the brand 3-4 years ago, but after trying their FusionPlex line and absolutely loving it, I decided to give this a shot as well, and you know what? I love it too, perhaps even a smidge more. My hair is clean, but not overly stripped, and so incredibly soft and bouncy and shiny with practically zero frizz, even if I follow up with zero styling products after a shower. Simply amazing stuff! I've got full sizes (liters, no less) of FusionPlex that I'm working through now, but NutriCurls will likely be my next purchase once those are done.

Lip Smacker Watermelon balm: perfectly lovely basic balm, fun watermelon scent. A touch soft, this one liked to break off tiny little pieces from the sides, leaving me with extra bits on my lips that I'd have to wipe off (or rub in), but all in all, I'm not mad at it, and while I think this was my only tube of this particular flavor, I tend to keep several tubes of Lip Smackers on hand because they're decent balms with a great price. 

Urban Skin Rx Retinol Rapid Repair & Dark Spot Treatment: Decently formulated retinol at a decent price. I stocked up on some clearance sets from Target after Xmas, but even the everyday price of $24.99/1oz from Ulta isn't terrible. I've been through two full sizes and at least a couple of these minis now, and I like it enough to keep using it. The consistency and scent remind me of Paula's Choice 1% retinol, and while it's not a complete dupe, of course, for less than half the price, I'm happy with the results.

La Roche-Posay Toleriane Purifying Foaming Cleanser: I think this is the first LRP product I've ever tried? I have to say, I really liked this cleanser; I found it strikingly similar to the CeraVe Foaming Cleanser (which I also adore) in terms of consistency and results...it cleans my oily skin well without stripping it dry. I've got a bazillion other cleanser samples to get through, but this is one I'd consider purchasing with the right deal, if I ever needed to buy something. 

Hempz Star Jasmine & Vanilla lotion: while it's not a perfect dupe, this smells an awful lot like the old Jasmine & Vanilla from BBW's Aromatherapy line, which I adored at one point, and consider to be one of my all time favorite scents. Love the scent, love the lotion, and have another mini or two and even a full size from a recent sale.

Sheets masks + misc, all good!

[itsfi]

Good to know about the LRP cleanser @RGbrown. I’m set with cleansers for this season when my skin is oilier than usual but I’ll check out the LRP one another time - cleansing without stripping the skin dry is an excellent result! 😃

[RGbrown]

YTD 213

Notes in the spoilers!

Spoiler

Tree Hut Peppermint Frost Scrub: I love the Tree Hut scrubs. Plenty of grit, and they don't leave my shower floor slippery. I could have used a touch more mint in the scent of this one so I won't repurchase it in particular, but I have more scrubs from the brand and always look forward to them!

Matrix High Amplify Dry Shampoo: I avoided this one for the longest time because the name made it sound like it would have some sort of texture or hairspray element to it (I generally dislike product feel in dry shampoos immensely), but no, it's just a very lightweight dry shampoo that didn't leave my hair stiff or tacky in any way. Low white stuff coming out of the can, and shakes out easily. It wasn't the best I've tried, but lately, very little tackles my oily bangs well, so while I don't discount it completely, it's not something I'll be buying. Would try again though, especially once the humidity dies down.

Valjean Labs Niacinamide + Zinc: for $6ish at TJM, it's hard to beat to value of this. My skin loves niacinamide, and while I'll try most any sample that heads my way, I'll happily pick up more of this if/when I need to actually buy something.

Hempz Blueberry Lavender + Chamomile Lotion: I found this on my desk doing a smidge of straightening and can't imagine why I hadn't tossed it before (I got it in a gwp a year, maybe even two years ago?). While I have found a couple of instances of lavender-based scents that don't make me gag, this is definitely not one of them; adding blueberry and chamomile did not help this one single bit, IMHO. 

Philosophy Lemon Custard Hand Cream: love the scent and texture of this. It's not quite empty, but it was my "car lotion", and AL heat does a number on those pretty quickly, sadly.

Phyto Phytojoba Moisturizing Mask: did very little (errr, nothing) for my hair, and while my ends can be dry, I don't think they're that dry. Meh.

CeraVe Moisturizing Lotion: true love basic AF face lotion for my oily visage. Works great, and I have more to use up.

Omorovicza Ultramoor Mud Mask: true love but sadly not-so-cheap mask. Works wonders at pulling up goop from below, and I swear my face looks tighter and plumper for up to three days afterwards as well. I'll never pay full price, but will keep hoarding samples as I can!

Dermalogica Daily Microfoliant: I've become enchanted with powder cleansers lately, and I hoped to love this one, but I could do without the scrubby bits in it. As much as I love a good scrub, I'm very purposeful with them these days, rarely scrubbing my face more than a couple of times a month; using this felt like I needed to cut out my other scrubs, which was a bit of a bummer. I have another mini I might use up eventually, but this isn't something that I'll watch out for in the future. 

PTR Water Drench Hyaluronic Cloud Cream: as an oily gal, anything titled "cream" automatically scares me...I want lighter lotions or water-gel type stuff. This was nice though, lighter than I expected. I've got other cheaper loves that I'll continue to purchase, but I'd be more than willing to use up more samples of this if I come across any. 

Spoiler

The Biobelle and Ulta masks are both great, a true love and a strong like that I will miss dearly. Love the shower tablets as well.

Skyn Iceland Arctic Hydration Rubberizing Mask: I think this is my first ever rubber mask, and it was interesting. I'm assuming it's a similar method to others in the field: mix the powder and the gel, then apply and let dry. I was vaguely worried it might be somewhat similar to a "peel-off" (I haven't dermaplaned in a while), but thankfully it doesn't dry down tight enough to grab hairs or anything like that lol. I got most of it off in one piece, though a couple of thinner spots near the edges broke off and had to be pulled up separately. It left my face somewhere between tacky and oily though...being oily already, this is perhaps way too much for my skin, especially in humid summer weather. For drier types though, I bet this is fantastic, and would even work great as a primer step before makeup. I've got another...can't decide yet if I should try it again this winter, or just get rid of it, but I guess I've got some time to sleep on a decision 😛   

[itsfi]

Good to know about the Valjean Labs serum @RGbrown. It's been a while since I've been in TJ Maxx / Marshall's but I would often see a shelf full of serums from the brand; it always made me think of Jean Valjean from Les Mis and then I'd have songs from the musical playing in my head while in the store and afterwards. 😁 Not a bad thing but it's hard to get the songs out of my head once they start. lol. 

[RGbrown]

@itsfi 

I've been happy with the Valjean stuff I've tried, especially considering the bottles are nearly 2oz. I use their Vitamin E + Ferulic Acid for an extra boost with my vitamin C too. I'm happy this seems to be something TJM nearly always has in stock...sometimes it might take me a couple of trips to restock a specific item, but I always wind up finding it eventually (and hey, what's a trip to TJM without another nail polish I didn't need, so it's a win either way 🤣 )

I saw Les Mis once as a kid, but don't remember much of the music at all 😬 Perhaps that's a good thing? lol

[itsfi]

@RGbrown, that’s a good combo - vit E and ferulic with your vit C. Much more friendly on the wallet than Skinceuticals.

Hahaha! I saw Les Mis on a trip to NY so it stays in my memory. I love the music but I really don’t need to have it in my head for that long after a TJ Maxx Valjean Labs sighting. 😆 And more to the point, those around me tire of it quickly. Ha! Yes!! Every TJM I’ve been to in and outside of the state seems to always have an ample supply of that brand. Sometimes I wonder if it’s a TJM private label; there’s always so much of it!