Empties - V2

[scott1201]

Seeing product empties is so satisfying 🙂

Post your weekly, monthly, quarterly, whenever-ly empties and let us know how you felt about them!

Previous Empties thread:

Spoiler

https://community.sephora.com/t5/Insiders/Empties/m-p/589003

[SpaceLlama]

Love Amika's hair masks too, @Shosh85 🙂

[Shosh85]

@SpaceLlama  Yup! They're my favorite – especially when I can find them at TJ Maxx! 👍😉

[quspork]

Empties from the past couple of months on a 0-5 scale:

5s (love these, always repurchase, usually have a backup on hand)

4s (I like these a lot and will happily use again, there are just others in each category that I prefer)

3s (Meh. These are ok. I'd use them again as free samples, but wouldn't pay money for them)

2s (These are all things I did finish, but were total let downs.)

1s (These were terrible performers for me. There was just something off or something I didn't like about each item.)

0s (These two broke me out so absolute no-gos)

[ather]

@quspork  Awesome using everything up!

[itsfi]

So satisfying to see those liners down to a little nub @quspork! Impressive! Love that Wander mascara - so good! 💖

[quspork]

Hahaha, just getting my money's worth out of those UD liners, @itsfi 😂

[itsfi]

Nothing wrong with getting your money's worth! Well done @quspork; well done!!! 😁

[lmaster]

Not a fan of the tatcha cleanser either @quspork 

[quspork]

For me, it was "ok" but to justify its price I would need way more than just ok, ya know? @lmaster Plus that darn bottle was solid as a rock which made it hard to squeeze out the last couple of uses. 

[lnum]

@quspork Nice empties! I’ve been thinking of trying the Verb ghost oil and got a sample recently. I love the Laneige lip masking. Sorry the water sleeping mask didn’t workout for you, I liked the Lavender water sleeping mask quite a bit. I had the same reaction to Herbivore Lapis Oil, don’t know why it causes some of us to break out because I’ve had good luck with some of their other products (the Bakuchiol is my favorite!). 

[quspork]

I still need to try the Bakuchiol, @lnum so many people have said good things about it! Is the new version working out well for you then?

I do have the Laneige sleeping mask in lavender too and much prefer that one (which smells so lovely right before bed) and the original one. This cica one was just too heavy for my skin. 

[lnum]

@quspork So far so good with the new Bakuchiol formula. I use it about every other night, alternating with a Vitamin C serum and sometimes Hyaluronic Acid serum. 

Ah I see! I ultimately ended up going back to my belif aqua bomb, I love it more than all the other night creams I have tried. 

[haleyvvvv]

Nice empties, @quspork!! Too bad about the Lapis oil!! What was up with the Lancer polish that made it bad?

[quspork]

@haleyvvvv I found the granules in the Lancer to be too harsh for my skin and difficult to rinse off cleanly. Others who like a "harsher" physical scrub might like this one better, but I really prefer a gentler scrub. 

[greeneyedgirl107]

@quspork What didn't you like about the Wella hair oil? I have a couple samples of it, and was thinking of trying it.

[quspork]

@greeneyedgirl107 I wasn't a fan of the scent and overall the performance just wasn't there for me. I've had better luck with Bumble and Bumble Hairdresser's Oil and Healthy Sexy Hair Love Oil. The Wella has good reviews on Ulta though, so maybe you'll like it more! 

[greeneyedgirl107]

@quspork Thanks for the info - it was helpful!  I recently bought a Rubbermade organizer for all my boxes and boxes of samples, so I'm hoping to go through them all and start using them.  I thought the Wella would be at the top of my list since I recall getting two samples, but from your input it sounds like a no-go as I've been sensitive to smells recently.  

[quspork]

I hear you on the overloads of samples, @greeneyedgirl107! I went through and organized mine at the end of last year in an effort to try and use them up before they all go bad. Hopefully we can both make a dent in them this year! 

[greeneyedgirl107]

@quspork I think part of the problem I have is that most of the samples I wind up getting aren't ones I'm particularly interested in.  I usually give them to my sister, and when she goes through them she's like a kid in a candy store.  Of course, I've never heard her actually say she used any!

[itsfi]

Late posting - empties from the first half of February (and some from January that were missed)

Makeup + Hair + Tools

Spoiler

Makeup + Hair + Tools (Loves marked with *)
The Creme Shop Clear The Way Cleansing Towelettes (Collagen) 

*Beautyblender Nude - this is my favorite of the beautyblender sponges; well, for now, at least. I haven't tried the BioPure Sustainable Green one yet.

*Smells Like Lemon Cleansing Towelette

amika Flash Instant Shine Mask

Sol de Janeiro Brazilian Joia Conditioner

Sol de Janeiro Brazilian Joia Shampoo - for some reason, this makes my hair very stringy and feeling more dry

Ouai Leave-In Conditioner

Smashbox Photo Finish Foundation Primer

 Blending together Bobbi Brown Long Wear Weightless Foundation in Porcelain, Sand and Warm Beige might net me my best foundation match yet. 

Ilia Super Serum Skin Tint ST4 Formosa is probably a good match in the peak of winter.

*Too Faced Hangover Replenishing Face Primer has been my go-to primer for spring, summer and fall pre-covid; just finishing up a partially used DS I kept in my travel bag. 

I love the burgundy-wine-aubergine color of the Clinique Chubby Lash Mascara Bodacious Black Honey, but I'm not a fan of the wand so I used a wand from another mascara that I saved after tossing the mascara. The formula is more lengthening than volumizing.

This was my first time trying RMS Beauty "Un" Cover-UP and I really like the lightweight feel and natural finish it provides. Adding it to my list.

Skincare (part 1)

Spoiler

Skincare
First half of February was good for skincare empties. Nothing in this batch was a 'no' but there were a couple that just didn't work for me the way I had hoped, like the Dr. Hauschka Rose Day Cream (which I repurposed as a hand cream) and The Face Shop Rice Water Bright Foaming Cleanser (repurposed as a shower cream and shaving cream), as well as others that were fine enough but that I had other similar products I preferred (e.g., Peach Slices Snail Rescue, Heimish Refresh Water, Glossier Pure Bounce serum, First Aid Beauty Ultra Repair Lip Therapy,  Bite Beauty Whipped Cherry Lip Scrub (now discontinued), and Look At Me Panda Hydrogel Eye Patch (Snail)).

With the exception of the following standouts, which have been or will be repurchased at some point, all other products were good and ones I'd happily use again. Now for the loves of this bunch: 
*Tatcha Violet-C Brightening Serum - kicking myself for not having given this a try when it first launched. Imagine how much better my skin would be... lesson learned.

*Dr. Ceuracle BioBalance Cleansing Oil was one I didn't expect to like so much. I've been a fan of the brand ever since it was known as Leegeeham. My skin seems to be more dehydrated-combo year round now, with the degree of dryness and oiliness for any one part of my face depending on the season or weather and this has been a nice and reliable go-to that cleanses and balances my skin. 

*L'Occitane Immortelle Reset Overnight Reset Oil-In-Serum has been kind to my combination skin, giving the different areas and textures of my face what it needs without aggravating any particular skin condition.

*Bioderma Atobalm Ultra-Moisturizing Lip Balm is one worth keeping in the lip balm library, especially nice in the cooler months. Thank you @missjeanie for introducing me to this balm!

Skincare (part 2) - mask edition

Spoiler

Skincare - Masks (loves marked with *)
It's been a good month so far for masks of all types, but there were standouts - good and bad ones. The lingering and overwhelming fragrance on the Dermal sheet masks (salmon and garlic) were too much for me, though the potent perfumed floral scent is probably a better option than the mask smelling like their respective star ingredient. 

On the flip side, the following masks are all worthy of repurchase, with a couple being absolute loves:

Milcera Facemask - peachy scent from the moisturizing peach ceramides, together with the lactic acid from the milk proteins make this a nice all around mask that can be used daily.

Goodal Mugwort Infused Water Mild Sheet Mask is another within this line that is just goodness in a sheet mask. As claimed, this one is soothing to the skin with its mugwort extract and calming to the senses with its light herbal scent.

*Vitamasques Vegan Collagen Lychee is a find I cannot get enough of. From the scent to the thin material to the plumping and moisturizing results, this has a reserved place in my sheet mask library. Sephora Collection Lychee Face Mask makes for a nice substitute if the Vitamasques is a challenge to find. 

If there was a petition to bring back the discontinued *Ole Henriksen Power Bright 3-Step Peel, I'd sign it and I'd make the rounds on BIC to get others to sign as well.

Clogged pores along my jawline and breakouts lying just under the skin's surface are no match for the *Peach & Lily Super Reboot Resurfacing Mask.

*Klavuu Personal Care Aurora Pearl Eye Mask is nearly perfectly tailored to my face shape and features and brightens up my eye area beautifully. It also doesn't hurt that it looks like a very pretty superhero eye mask. 

Fragrance + Candles + Bath & Body

Spoiler

Fragrance + Candles + Bath & Body (loves marked with *)
I love the fresh lemon in the Atelier Cologne Love Osmanthus, but would have preferred if the osmanthus were more pronounced. I also wish the scent in general lasted longer. 

YSL Black Opium Eau de Parfum, with its coffee and vanilla notes is one of those scents that I have a feeling will eventually make its way into my curated fragrance library. I want to work through some of my full size fragrances so I'm holding off on picking up any more scents for the time being.  

I discovered *Ellis Brooklyn Myth while on vacation a couple of years ago. Spritzed it on my wrists in store (back when that was okay) one day and went back the next morning to pick up a rollerball. This scent has . 

The blend of white florals and the almondy scent from the tonka bean in *Carolina Herrera Good Girl Eau de Parfum make it one of my favorite fragrances.  

Candles have been a source of self care during the shelter-in-place. I have at least one in every room of the house so that I can light one if I find myself in any one room for a lengthy period of time. 

Sad to see the Pier One Rose Bubbly go, but I've had it for a while and it was time. I could still pick up the notes of the rose but the throw was understandably  less pronounced due to age.

The cinnamon and vanilla scents in Bath & Body Works Cinnamon Spiced Vanilla make the house smell amazingly warm and cozy in the cooler seasons.

I don't believe I've met a Voluspa candle that I didn't like. These particular votives were part of this year's 12-candle advent calendar, a great way to try different scents for new and old Voluspa admirers alike. All the candles from that advent calendar have fallen into either a "like it" or "love it" camp. No duds in the bunch. The standouts to me of these particular Voluspa candles are *Yashioka Gardenia, with its balanced pairing of the white florals and spicy clove, and *Goji Tarocco Orange with its bright burst of citrus and fruity notes - this one really but a smile on my face whenever I caught a whiff of the scent.

Baltic Amber makes for an unique warm and cozy scent; I'd be interested in trying it again, when I don't have so many other warm and cozy scents in rotation, so I can get a better sense (lol) of how it stands on its own. Panjore Lychee and Japanese Plum Blossom are both very pretty scents that I think I would really enjoy in the warmer months. Santal Vanille and French Cade Lavender suffer from there being so many other candles in similar scent categories to these that kept them from being standouts to me. 

The flowers that make up Capri Blue Aloha Orchid candle makes me think of strolling through a floral garden in Hawaii. Not a bad memory at all. Thank you @lmaster for this beauty. 

*Ellis Brooklyn Marvelous Massage & Body Oil is just that - marvelous! I picked up a roller ball size last month after the first use from this foil. Something about it really helps soothe the aches and pain in my neck and shoulders.

The packaging for the deliciously strawberries and cream scented Zoella Soap Pop Fragranced Soap on a Stick is super cute and would make a great gift (thank you @Tamara76!).  

I've had lotions and hand creams in varying degrees of use lying around my house, in various pockets of my handbags, several drawers on my desks at work and at home, and in the car for way too long. Last fall, I gathered all the jars/bottles/tubes that were open, and set about the task of finishing 'em up. With these all used up, I'm about one-third of the way through all the partially used lot. 

The sweet fruity floral scent of *Bath & Body Works Winter Candy Apple Body Lotion is a favorite, but there's really no need to repurchase this anytime soon as I still have the body butter and hand sanitizer versions to go through. 

Avon Ginger Bread & Cappuccino takes the prize for the longest time spent on my shelf. It's taken me maybe two years to finish it. Scent is nice; it just kept getting lost in the shuffle.

First Aid Beauty Ultra Repair Cream Gilded Pear was okay; I might have liked it better had the pear scent been more pronounced. 

*TonyMoly Natural Green Hand Cream Avocado smells very lightly of avocado and shea butter. It absorbs really well and without leaving any greasy residue. I'd consider picking up another one of these, as well as checking out others in the line, after I get through my other hand creams. 

*Hey Honey Hands On Honey & Propolis Hand Cream feels soothing and moisturizing and is a good choice for combatting dry and cracked hands. The beauty of this cream is in its ingredients and functionality; there's not really a scent to this, which actually makes it more suitable to everyone.

I would never have thought to combine pear and peony but the good folks at Alo did with the *Alo Fruits  Passion Hand Cream Pear Peony and a big thank you to them for the pairing and to @l8totheparty for gifting this one to me! 

The scent from *Sol de Janeiro Brazilian - 4- Play Moisturizing Shower Cream-Gel is amazing. Good thing I have a couple of full sizes waiting to be opened!

[Tamara76]

So glad you enjoyed the Zoella soap!  I am intrigued by the salmon and garlic sheet masks - interesting!  @itsfi