Sephora

scott1201 · ‎11-28-2018

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:

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

Samtian · ‎10-01-2025

@ather Thank you! It helped a little, but to be fair my feet had done their own weird peeling thing a week or so before. So that might have contributed to it not doing a strong job. I'll retest it sometime.

itsfi · ‎09-29-2025

August 2025 Empties

Month-To-Date = 21 (includes foil samples)

Year-To-Date = 197

👍 The repackaging for Essie On A Roll Apricot Cuticle Oil (Ulta Beauty World (UBW)) has its share of hits and misses. While the plastic tube component makes it more user friendly than the original nail polish glass bottle packaging, it can get messy and is prone to leaking the closer you get to finishing the product. I like this cuticle oil in general but have my fair share of cuticle oils on deck that I won't be needing to pick up another one anytime soon.

👍 CosRX Advanced Snail Mucin Gel Cleanser is alright. It’s more dense than many of my other gel cleansers & takes a smidge more work to emulsify. Not bad and if I had another in my stash, I would happily use but it’s not one I’d necessarily run out to buy, especially as I have a few other gel cleansers to use up first.

❤️ Rabanne Fame Eau de Parfum with Fruity Bergamot & Mango has a subtle, creamy, fruity floral scent. I like that the tropical mango notes are not too sweet. I received a full size as a generous gift from a friend so I won’t need to pick up one myself but it is repurchase-worthy.

👍 HomeWorx by Slatkin + Co. Limoncello Cupcake & Toasted Coconut Scented Candle (UBW) is my favorite of the 3 limoncello cupcake candles. The toasted coconut adds a nuttiness that nicely balances the zesty zingy-ness of the lemon. At the Ulta event, we were able to pick a full size of one of the limoncello cupcake candles; I chose the full size of this variation.

❤️ Diptqyue La Drouguerie Candle (mini) was part of last year's advent calendar and one of my favorite pieces. It smells beautifully fresh and clean, not in a laundry line sort of way, but in an herbaceous and minty way with a hint of sweetness to it. A full size is on my list; probably the next time I find myself near the Diptyque boutique.

✖️ Yves Saint Laurent Libre Flowers & Flames Eau de Parfum Florale Travel Spray with Coco- Palm Tree Fl... sounds, on paper, like it would be something I would like, but when it hits my skin, something about it and my body chemistry doesn't play so well together. I'm able to make it work if I layer it with other fragrances in my collection but this sample vial will be it for me as far as this one goes.

👍 The Ordinary 100% Organic Cold-Pressed Rose Hip Seed Oil for Skin Elascicity 1 oz/ 30 mL has been in my skincare collection for 8+ years. It's a staple and I never imagined not having it in my stash. I've noticed, this and last year, however, that my skin is not absorbing it as quickly as it used to; possibly due to my skin leaning more normal-to-dry nowadays (as opposed to dry-to-very-dry). I still use it in my routine but it more often gets mixed into a moisturizer in the thick of winter than applied after or on its own. I'll use up the bottle(s) I already have, on face or body, and make a decision whether to repurchase or go with something else at a later date.

👍 Homework by Slatkin + Co. Limoncello Cupcake & Black Currant Scented Candle (UBW) has a tartness about it that keeps it from being too sugary sweet. The strength of this one isn't consistent, waning in and out, with the cold throw often projecting better than when lit.

❤️ Bioderma Sensibio H2O Micellar Water is still the best in my mind. I try others that come onto the market but always return to this one.

👍 54 Thrones AFRICAN Beauty Butter- Intensive Dry Skin Treatment Kenyan Hibiscus and Moroccan Rose (gratis) is a gloriously rich, thick balm. This new formulation is smoother and more malleable, allowing it to melt easily with the warmth from my hand. The scent is on the strong side and will be too strong for many. It lingers and remains on skin and clothes long after it has been applied. One of the best uses for this, I've found, is actually as an overnight foot mask - this + a pair of socks = buttery soft, smooth soles & feet the next morning.

❤️ Both the blume SuperBelly Hydration Powder Acai Pomegranate and blume SuperBelly Hydration Powder Strawberry Hibiscus are good for hydration and gut health on the go, especially when away from home. I like that they're not as sweet as other similar products on the market. Of the two, the acai pomegranate is the one I prefer as it's the less sweet of the two but you can't go wrong with either. A very kind friend sent a pack of each of these (and another flavor) my way so I won't have to buy any for some time.

🐐 I had forgotten how soothing and uplifting the scent is on the Rare Beauty by Selena Gomez Find Comfort Stop & Soothe Aromatherapy Pen 0.16 oz / 5 mL. I don’t reach for it as often as before (that’s a good thing) but when I do, it does evoke feelings of “aaaaahhhh” and that is not a bad thing.

❤️ Sol de Janeiro Cheirosa 68 Beija Flor Hair & Body Perfume Mist 3.04 oz / 90 mL is a floral burst that’s bright and sweet for the warmer months on its own and that'll layer well with a vanilla scent in the cooler seasons. I’ll use up what other products I have from the line (and that's actually quite a bit), but won’t repurchase after that. Not because the scent is bad but I’ve just become more interested in other fragrances from my perfume collection.

🐐 The INKEY List Hydrocolloid Invisible Patches 22 patches / pack are the thinnest I’ve tried and my current favorite pimple patch. A GOAT 🐐all the way for me as far as pimple patches containing salicylic acid are concerned.

👍 Beekman 1802 Milk Shake Body Mist - Honey & Orange Blossom (UBW) is a pretty scent for the warmer seasons but I won't repurchase as there are similar scents in my collection that I'd like to use up first.

👍 OSEA Anti-Aging Body Balm (gifted) has a great medium-thick consistency that glides very smoothly onto skin. It moisturizes well on its own or in conjunction with the body oil from the brand. Of the two, I prefer the oil but would happily use the balm if I had it.

🐐 Gucci Brume de Beauté Beauty Mist 2.7 oz / 80 mL is a well loved and oft repurchased product. GOAT all the way. I tend to use it more to melt my makeup together and refresh throughout the day. It gives my skin a beautifully blurred but still natural look. And it smells lovely.

🐐 Rhode Peptide Lip Treatment - Salted Caramel (original formulation) - this is one of the classic untinted lip treatments from the brand and one of my favorite scents though it can get a little heavy for my liking when it’s extra warm out. I have repurchased this several times including in the new formulation.

Foil empties - details posted to Foil Challenge thread

EMOJI KEY
🐐= product is a GOAT (Greatest Of All Time) in its category [I have a personal requirement that before a product receive this designation, I have to have finished a minimum of two of the product (with at least one being a full size).]

❤️= Love

😘= Like and would repurchase
👍= Like but would not repurchase (at least not immediately), usually because I like another similar product more or because I have other similar products to work through before making a purchase
😐= Lackluster = it's okay / meh, includes products that are fine enough but are not suitable for my particular skin / hair type or concerns
✖️= No [This is usually given to a product that irritates my skin]

Mellmars1185 · ‎10-07-2025

@itsfi Excellent empties! I am impressed that you were able to use up the YSL perfume sample that was not your favourite. That is a great idea to layer it to try and make it work. I am trying to reach for my perfume samples more recently.

lmaster · ‎10-07-2025

I'm seeing plenty of goats here 😉 @itsfi great job

missjeanie · ‎10-02-2025

@itsfi Um.... you've gone through so many of your UBW items.... That I have not even started to use! I need to step up! First up I think those yummy candles!

itsfi · ‎10-02-2025

The candles are a good way to start @missjeanie; go pull 'em out and light 'em! I lit one after getting back from UBW but then it started getting warm here so we hit "pause" on burning candles and then back at it again for a few stretches in July and August. Yeah, I'm been making an effort to be more consistent with using what I pick up when I pick up stuff, if I can. I'm good about swatching and labeling swatches, etc., but then sometimes product just sits in its little place in my stash. 😲 It's a bit of a work in progress to find a good flow. Low / no buy stretches usually give me time to play with things and gives me a chance to come up with some rotation for them, even if it's just on the weekends.

missjeanie · ‎10-03-2025

@itsfi I've also been paused on candles... But I feel like new home and fall weather will also put me more into the mood. Mmmmmm I loved the entire line they were showcasing at UBW... they all smelled so yummy!

Mellmars1185 · ‎10-07-2025

@missjeanie Congratulations on the new home!

missjeanie · ‎10-08-2025

@Mellmars1185 Thanks! Organizing all the beauty products has been fun!

Mellmars1185 · ‎10-13-2025

@missjeanie Oh I can imagine! What is your setup like?

missjeanie · ‎10-14-2025

@Mellmars1185 So far it's two Ikea Kalax bookshelves, so 16 'squares' that I've divided into categories. Each square has a bin in it to hold the various unopened products. Open items that I'm currently using are all in a dresser in my guest room. It's still a work in progress.... I feel like I need to do some editing and maybe reimagine my categories a bit now that I'm seeing how full some bins are compared to others. Once I'm all arranged properly I'll add it to an organization thread for sure!

itsfi · ‎10-03-2025

New home and fall weather make the perfect backdrop for candles @missjeanie! I like this set of candles - the collab was a good one. Every time I walked back into the room where the candle was burning, I'd smell the yummy scent again. So good.

ather · ‎10-01-2025

@itsfi Wow!!!! You have really gotten through lots!! It must be candle season!!! I love that you have so many favs in this post! I haven’t tried the Inkey patches but when I run out I will definitely try it!! The super belly is so good! The Pomegranate açai are my fav too!!

itsfi · ‎10-02-2025

@ather, I like how thinness of The Inkey List patches; makes them more invisible than the Peace Out dots which are also very good.

We may have some potentially warmer weather next week and if that looks to be the case, I'm going to use the super belly to make popsicles over the weekend in preparation for the heat.

ather · ‎10-06-2025

@itsfi That is so good to know. I can’t remember the last time I had to use a pimple patch but they sound great to have on hand.

Ooooo why did I not think of that! Popsicles sound amazing!!!! Great idea!

Samtian · ‎10-01-2025

@itsfi Amazing work. Bummer about the YSL. I can see how it sounds amazing and would turn out not.

itsfi · ‎10-02-2025

Yeah, it was not good @Samtian. 🤣 Just not meant to be. Good thing I learned that with a sample as opposed to a full size!

Samtian · ‎10-06-2025

@itsfi Of definitely!

caitbird · ‎09-30-2025

@itsfi great empties! It seems like there were a fair number of winners for you in this batch - always a good thing, no? Sorry the YSL perfume was a miss, though. It's always too bad when a scent sounds like something you'd like, but ends up being a letdown.

I probably say this every time, but I always enjoy your little emoji key, it's fun and a good way to see at a glance what you thought of each product.

itsfi · ‎09-30-2025

Yes, yes @caitbird! Always a good thing when there's more hits than misses. Well, except that it means more potential items to repurchase, which isn't always a good thing. 💸💸😂 There were more newer-to-me products in this batch so it was nice to see that there were a good number of winners in the mix.

It was a bummer, that YSL fragrance. I don't need another perfume so it's fine that it didn't work out, that's how I console myself - and looking at my bin of perfume discovery sets waiting be tested. ha! It was also a good reminder in more ways than one that just because something sounds like it would be a good fit doesn't always mean it will be. It was definitely one of those things that went from an "Ohhhh!" to an "Oh, noooo!" 🤣

Ahhhh, thank you, thank you! 🤗 That's always nice to hear; appreciate that a lot. I used to save up all my empties and lay them out by the category but it got too onerous for me to do the write ups all at once (and prioritizing sleep has been a big one when it comes to self-care for me) so doing it weekly-ish 😉 usually around the day I put things out for recyling works better and it's easier to remember what I thought about the products. It's also as you said a quick and fun way to see if something is generally a yay or nay.