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

[Samtian]

@lmaster Amazing work!

[lmaster]

Thank you sweets! @Samtian 

[itsfi]

October 2025 Empties

Month-to-Date: 49 (includes foils)

Year-to-Date:  261

😘  ONE/SIZE by Patrick Starrr On 'Til Dawn Mattifying Waterproof Setting Spray is great for my lower T-zone year-round & all over in the peak of summer.

🐐 The INKEY List Hydrocolloid Invisible Patches 22 patches / pack is my go-to for sucking the gunk out of those pesky pimples that pop up periodically on my chin. 

❤️  Vegamour GRO Scalp Detox Clarifying Treatment for Dry, Flaky, Oily Scalp 3 fl oz/60 ml was part of my Pan It! - 2025 Challenge & is a love. 

😘 I use the SEPHORA COLLECTION Daily Mineral Sunscreen Cream SPF 30 1.7 oz / 50 mL as a body sunscreen; it's really an underrated product.

👍  Kulfi Mehndi Moment Long-Lasting Radiant Cream Blush - See Foil Challenge. 

👍  Living Proof Perfect hair Day (PhD) High-Shine Gloss Hair Treatment (SEPHORiA ATL) is nice enough but I prefer the Kerastase gloss shine treatment (gratis).

😐  Biossance Squalane + Hyaluronic Toning Mist 2.53 oz / 75 mL is fine but I have other similar mists that I like more.

👍  OLEHENRIKSEN Banana Bright+ Vitamin CC Eye Sticks for Dark Circles Apricot - love the stick component & consistency. Shade is good for summertime.

😘  Hello Sunday The One For Your Lips SPF 50 Hydrating Lip Balm with Hyaluronic Acid & Squalane 0.5 fl oz / 15 ml - love that it's hydrating, contains SPF & has a slight strawberry scent.

😐  amika Perk Up Plus Extended Clean Dry Shampoo (old formulation) is alright; it may just be me, but I feel like the regular perk up performs better than this plus version.

👍  tarte maracuja juicy lip plumping oil with hyaluronic acid cinnamon was one of the lippies in the Sephora Favorites lip kit that I didn't expect to like the shade as much as I do. 

😘  Hero. Mighty Patch Invisible+ (promo) reminds me a lot of TIL patches but a teensy bit thicker & with a different formulation.

❤️  DedCool 01 "Taunt" Eau de Parfum Travel Spray 0.5 oz / 15 ml eau de parfum spray is probably my favorite Dedcool scent. 

👍  MERIT The Minimalist Perfecting Complexion Foundation and Concealer Stick is a good 2-in-1 product, but not my favorite stick foundation. 

😐  Good Molecules Squalane Oil performed very well in the beginning but after awhile, it felt like it was sitting atop my skin. 

👍  #Ellis Brooklyn VANILLA SIN Hair and Fragrance Body Mist 3.4 oz / 100 ml spray is a nice slightly gourmandy vanilla scent for layering. 

😘  Eminence Organic Skin Care Vanilla Latte Tinted Moisturizer (discontinued) blends out easily and very well. 

❤️  I received this niches & nooks Dry Your Nooks Sweat Absorbing Chafing Barrier Spray Airy Vanilla (promo)  during an in-store promotion Target was having when it debuted its new beauty department layout. It's one of the best vanilla scented body products I've tried. 

😘  Paula's Choice Skin Perfecting 2% BHA Exfoliating Toner for Clear Skin is a go-to spot treatment rather than an all overexfoliant for me. 

❤️  PHLUR Soft Spot Eau De Parfum Travel Spray 0.32 oz / 9.5 mL eau de parfum spray is probably one of my favorites from the brand. The jasmine in this is gentle & delicate; it has a lovely quality to it, blending beautifully with the creaminess of the vanilla and the soft sweetness of the amber. I would consider picking up a full size.

😘  PHLUR Rose Whip Eau de Parfum with Musk Travel Spray 0.32 oz / 9.5 ml eau de parfum spray - the fruity floral opening settles into a soft, warm, spicy dry down with the faintest tinge of smoked leather, adding a bit of sultriness to the scent.

😘  PHLUR Father Figure Eau de Parfum Travel Spray 0.32 oz / 9.5 mL - Green but not grassy with a warm, woody dry down. One of the few (or maybe only) fig scents I enjoy. A surprise hit for me.

👍  AESTURA ATOBARRIER365 Lightweight Face Lotion Moisturizer with Ceramides & Niacinamide for Skin Moisture Barrier Repair 5.07 oz / 150 mL - a nice moisturizer but not best suited for my skin type. The other two moisturizers in the line are a better fit for me.

😘  Sephora Collection Argan Shower Oil (discontinued) - I really enjoyed these shower gels. 

😘  Yves Saint Laurent Touche Eclat Concealer No. 2 is an OG good for inner corner of eyes, around nose & mouth.

😘  PHLUR Vanilla Skin Eau de Parfum Travel Spray 0.32 oz / 9.5 ml eau de parfum spray - Creamy vanilla, neither sickly sweet nor gourmand. There's a floral woodiness to it that I've not smelled before; it lends a coziness to the scent. A smidge of pepper & something woodsy sneaks in during the dry down to add a little more complexity to the perfume

😘  Ellis Brooklyn APPLE LOVE Eau de Parfum Travel Spray 0.34 oz / 10 mL Eau de Parfum is a creamy, slightly sweet floral with a subtle warmth and crispness from a dusting of cinnamon and apples. I was a bit nervous it would be fruity floral for me but that's not the case; it's more floral and less gourmand, layers well with other scents.

😘  LIGHTSAVER Tinted - Activated Mineral Face Sunscreen Broad Spectrum - SPF 33 1.69 oz / 50 ml has a soft, whipped consistency that applies smoothly across the skin. 

😘  Trader Joe's Mango Tangerine Candle is fruity and refreshing; another win for Trader Joe's.

😘   Voluspa Foraged Wildberries Candle gives off a sweet, fruit berry-esque scent without being too sugary sweet. I like it

👍  Charlotte Tilbury Super Nudes Lip Cheat Contour Duo Lip Liner Medium - the shades on their own are alright, they both can veer a little grunge or too muted for my liking on their own but together & with a little gloss on top, it gives off a lustrous, plush & plumpy pinky-nude-leaning pout that doesn't wash me out. 

More detailed thoughts on these travel foils on the Foil Challenge 

These empties snuck in the last few days of October.

😘  Rhode Glazing Mist is a lovely, hydrating mist, with a great set of skincare ingredients my skin loves (amino acids, beta glucan, ceramides, ectoin, etc.) and works beautifully to hydrate skin, help makeup apply more smoothly across the skin, and to refresh  throughout the day. I just wish there was more product in the bottle. 

👍  Rebels Refinery Skull Lip Balm (Black) - Vanilla is fine. I will say that it lasts a long time without going bad. I'm embarrassed to say that I've had this in my stash for maybe 4+ years. Eeek! 

🐐  Touchland Power Mist Hydrating Hand Sanitizer is a GOAT. This is one of the limited edition holiday scents, spiced pumpkin tini. The scent is alright, not necessarily my favorite among the holiday scents but it ranks higher than some of the scents in the permanent collection. 

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]

[Samtian]

@itsfi 😲 dang

[itsfi]

lol @Samtian, Ima gonna take that to be a good 'dang' 😂🤣😂 Half of these empties came about because I was traveling and actually took foils and products that were already open and in use with me instead of starting new things <<pats self on back 😆>>. I don't foresee another high count like this for the rest of the year; well, but I have been going through pimple patches like they're going out of style 😩 so there'll be a lot of those boxes to look forward to in the coming months. 🙄🤣

[lmaster]

You did a phenomenal job! @itsfi 

[itsfi]

Thank you @lmaster; slightly embarrassed that a handful of these empties had been milling around my stash partially used before finally being finished this year, but happy to see them used up!

[Mellmars1185]

@itsfi Great empties for the month of October! I am inpressed at how much of the Olehenriksen CC stick and Charlotte Tilbury liner you used up! No wasting at all! I have not heard of the scent Soft Spot from Phlur. I have enjoyed all of the scents I have tried so far. I am curious about this one now. I agree with you on the scent of Touchland Pumpkintini.

[itsfi]

@Mellmars1185, thank you. I've had the OH stick for 2-1/2+ years and early on I used up a lot of it because I had a bit of a catastrophe with a lash serum (caused by user error) where it darkened my under eye area quite a bit 😣 and the stick was what helped neutralize it best. There's not that much product for each shade to begin with in the CT liner and I found that it actually goes pretty fast when it's the primary, or some weeks, only lip liner I use and I've been doing that a few weeks for the Capsule Makeup Collection Challenge 2025. I was determined to use up the entire thing, ha!

If you pick up Phlur Soft Spot or end of testing it, I'd be interested to know what you think. I read somewhere that it layers well with Missing Person. I'm one of the few folks who could never pick up a scent from MP. I still have a trial size sample of it from the discovery set so I may try layering these two to see if that changes SS and/or MP for me. 

[missjeanie]

@itsfi I got scared when I saw the Rhode mist in your list in case it got a not so favorable review.  I purchased last night.  I also agree with you on amika Perk Up Plus Extended Clean Dry Shampoo .  The OG is just better. 

[itsfi]

I was initially skeptical about the Rhode mist @missjeanie; I know, I know, I love mists and I do have a fair share of favorite products among the Rhode collection. But, I also have thoughts on products in their line that could be improved. The mist is not one of them in terms of its performance. I found it surprisingly very good for helping certain makeup products glide more smoothly across my skin (and yes, I discovered I have more products than I realized that dry down far more quickly than I'm prepared for 🤣). I have a backup that I'm holding off on opening, but only because I want to use up other mists - I've narrowed down (in my head) the core mists I want to have in my collection and the Rhode is one of them. For the record, the Gucci mist is still my all time favorite mist but it serves different purposes in my routine because she's spendy 💸

Okay, it's not just me who feels that way about the amika plus extended, and you and I have different hair too - you with the long, thick healthy kind; me of the thinning, healthyish-one-day-hot-mess-another kind. Their oil control version isn't bad but for me, K18 Biomimetic Hairscience AirWash™ Dry Shampoo 4 oz/118 mL is my fave, followed by the original amika Perk Up Talc-Free Dry Shampoo. 

[missjeanie]

@itsfi I remember trying out the K18 dry shampoo at Sephoria ATL and I did think it did a good job.  My hair easily gets greasy at the roots and can use a pick me up after work if I'm headed out.  I may be ready to pick one up this sale or next for an extended trial run. 

[itsfi]

@missjeanie. there's a mini version of the dry shampoo - K18 Biomimetic Hairscience Mini AirWash™ Dry Shampoo 1.6 oz / 47 mL - great size for testing.

Just note, it does spray white stuff that shows up on shower glass doors, grey towels sometimes - easily swipes off, but do not be alarmed if you notice that on surfaces near the places you spritz the dry shampoo. I've never seen any white flakes on my hair (and I and others would definitely notice on my dark hair). And a reminder that it goes on wet and it dries as you massage it into and zhuzh up your hair. 

[curlychiquita]

Wow, you had an amazing month, @itsfi! I’m going to need to try the Vegamour GRO Scalp Detox Clarifying Treatment for Dry, Flaky, Oily Scalp 3 fl oz/60 ml . I always have problems with an area of my scalp and I’ve been using The Ordinary Multi-Peptide Serum for Hair Density for Thicker, Fuller Looking Hair 2 oz/ 60 mL on it religiously, and it soothes it some, but I should try the Vegamour, too.

[itsfi]

@curlychiquita, thank you. The Vegamour has been a surprise hit - it was recommended to me as an alternative to pre-wash hair oils. The oils that I had used previously were just too heavy for my hair type and took multiple washes to rinse out completely. The Vegamour is light and the nozzle tip makes it easy to dispense onto the scalp. I've used it with and without a scalp massage tool in the shower. Either way, my scalp feels cleansed and clean after and my hair soft, smooth (no frizz) but not flat or lifeless.

[ather]

Omg 😳 @itsfi  you are doing amazing!!!!! Look at all those amazing products!! I don’t know where to start!!!

I will add the Vegamour to my loves and try when my current one is gone!! Did this take a long time to get through? 

That TJ mango tangerine candle smells so good! It’s no surprise you loved it! 😊 I’ll have to see if the Voluspa candle is still around it sounds amazing!

I love that you liked all the Phlur scents are a hit for you!!!

[itsfi]

Thanks @ather; this month surprised me. I figured I might have more empties because it was a travel month but this surpassed my best guess for a number count, lol. It took me an half hour to put up my post because I exceeded the character limit 😬 with my notes/thoughts on the items so it took multiple attempts to get it under the acceptable mark, which is hilarious because when I first wrote it out I thought it was me being deep but brief about each item. 🤣

The Vegamour serum took me 18+ months to use at a rate of once a week every other week. I rotate it with whatever detox shampoo I'm currently using. So week 1 is the Vegaour serum, week 2 detox shampoo, week 3 Vegamour serum, etc. A little goes a long way especially when I apply and massage it along my scalp before I jump in the shower. I use more product on weeks where I stretch out my hair washing to just washing it once per week - I typicaly wash my hair 2-3 times per week.

lol, these particular Phlur scent worked for me. There are several that do not agree with my skin, ha! Those I have been layering with other fragrances or repurposing them as room sprays. 😆

[ather]

@itsfi  Oh my!!! I didn’t realize there would be a max character count on here! How funny your deep but short version was too long!!! You did a beautiful job writing everything out and describing everything! I love how detailed your posts are. I need to take some lessons from you!! 

[itsfi]

Yeah, I have exceeded it more than a few times @ather. It's a generous character limit to so I need to rein it in at times and that counter is my check on that. Hahaha! I've been better the last couple of years and this year especially, but then last month's empties post happened ... 🤣  Thank you for your kind words; appreciate them. I get that my style and I won't be everyone's cup of tea even if it's the same thing said by another. To each their own. Sometimes detail is good, sometimes not. Working on honing being detailed and being deep and brief. It's all a work in progress. 😉 In any event, it gave me an opportunity to work on editing the post.

[CookieGirl1]

October went well...

[Samtian]

@CookieGirl1 I'll say it did! Fantastic!