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

[itsfi]

@ather, I'm going to try to hold off on picking up any more foil samples until I get through the ones I currently have - it's amazing how many foils can accumulate or how many I can find as I'm going through boxes. 🤣 

lol, yeah, nail polish remover. So often, I just need 'em to do what they say they'll do. My favorites are from Zoya and the Cutex individually wrapped ones. I tend to pick up other nail polish removers somewhat randomly - usually I'm headed out the door to work and realize I have polish that needs to be removed on one hand or on a few fingernails because I was swatching and forgot to take them off the night before. That means a pit stop at a Safeway or CVS on my way into the oftice and at that point, I just have to go with what they have. 😅 I'm starting to keep one or two of the individually wrapped remover pads in my purse and in my desk drawer at work. I just have to remember that I have them and to use them (and swap them out occasionally) so they don't dry up. I can totally see that happening (drying out) when I finally do reach for them. Hahaha!

[Samtian]

@itsfi Great job!!! I'm planning a spa night with the caffeine mask tonight lol.

[itsfi]

Yaaaay to spa night @Samtian! You deserve some R&R.

[Samtian]

@itsfi Thank you!

[Mellmars1185]

@itsfi Amazing progress! It looks like the foils came in handy for NYC! I need to try out the SEPHORA COLLECTION Clean Eye Mask Caffeine . They sound like they are very good.

[itsfi]

@Mellmars1185, I'm still working on finding what works best for me for products when traveling - go with deluxe sizes, foils or decant my full sizes in travel packaging. A work in progress, for sure. It usually ends up a combination of all, but a mix of products. I did mostly deluxe samples / travel sizes a few months ago; this trip there were quite a few foils. What do you typically do when you travel for work?

[Mellmars1185]

@itsfi I can totally relate. During the trip to NYC, I did a combination of both as well. I found the deluxe sample of Youth To The People Superfood Gentle Antioxidant Refillable Cleanser and it was perfect. I just needed the one for the entire trip. I brought some foils for serums and ended up tossing them there. I forgot to count those. 

When I travel I usually take foils because I will only go somewhere for a night or two. I do plan on doing some more travel next year and I am thinking it will be a mix of deluxe and foils. I think travelling is a great way to make use of the smaller products because it takes up less room in my luggage. 

[caitbird]

@itsfi  wow, awesome empties, great job! And you are so organized at keeping track of them all, it's really inspiring to me to try to do the same!

[itsfi]

Thank you @caitbird! Keeping organized with my tracking has been helpful for me to know where or which categories I need to be better mindful of purchases or samples. To me, it's all about finding a system that works for you. Right now, that's full, deluxe, foils and sheet masks and then a breakdown of the beauty categories things fall into. This has worked for me for the last couple of years, but I may tweak it just a smidge for 2024, depending on what I'm interested in tracking, or what mood I'm in. I'm interested in what you decide to track. 

[caitbird]

@itsfi  it's interesting to hear how you work out your system! I'll have to brainstorm a bit to figure out what might work for me (and I foresee a lot of tweaking in the process as well). But I love making lists and organizing things (though you wouldn't know it from the state of my bedroom currently 😅) so it should be fun!

[itsfi]

@caitbird, the tweaking is all part of the process. Here are some ways that I've organized my empties and my tracking - 

Current System: 

• Collect empties in Ziploc bags - quart size for foils, gallon size for sheet masks, another gallon size for everything else. I place the Ziplocs in a shopping bag that usually lives (somewhat discreetly) either under the bathroom sick or a corner of my bedroom. 
• Take a photo of the empties on a weekly basis, usually the day or night before the trash gets collected. Anything that can be recycled is and everything else goes in the trash bin.
• Depending on what I have going on, I might start tallying my empties. If work is busy or life is otherwise full, that happens another day. I only post MTD (month-to-date) and YTD (year-to-date) numbers on a monthly basis. The breakdown of the number of empties by category happens on a quarterly basis now. I used to include that monthly. 
• Write a general overview of most of the empties, with more focused/detailed mini reviews of certain products

Past Systems:

• Sort / collect empties in Ziploc bags, shopping bags or bins by loves, likes, meh or no. At one point, my categories were also "Loves", "Likes" "Lackluster" and "Loathe" or the same but breaking out the "Likes" into "Likes and repurchase worthy" and "Likes but will not repurchase". 

• Sort / collect empties in Ziploc or shopping bags by product size, and they all went into a bin or a larger shopping bag

• Sort / collect empties in Ziploc or shopping bags by beauty category and they all went into a bin or a larger shopping bag - this approach did not last very long - some months with sheet masks included in the skincare category, other months with sheet masks as their own separate category, depending on how often I would reach for a sheet mask

• Post MTD / YTD, along with a breakdown of categories every month

• Write a mini review of each product - I'd love to still do this, but time just gets away from me most days

[caitbird]

@itsfi  wow, thanks for the detailed background! I really do need to come up with a better system for storing and keeping track of my empties. You've definitely inspired me here! 💜

[itsfi]

Glad to hear it’s helpful. So much will depend on what you want to track and your preference for storage and space. It’ll be fun to go on this journey with you as you find what works best for you, @caitbird. And to see the products you work through. Posting on the boards is great for support, and yes, learning about products. 🤣 

[CynthieLu]

Beautifully photographed and organized as always! @itsfi 

I would repurchase JVN Mini Complete Blowout Styling Milk too 😉 that stuff is goooood!

[itsfi]

@CynthieLu, I'm debating whether to pick up the full size or the mini ... or both. 😂

[CynthieLu]

Decisions decisions. (😉 One for home and for travel ?) 💕 @itsfi 

[itsfi]

That was exactly what I was thinking @CynthieLu! And now that you’ve said it, it’s not just me rationalizing why getting both is a good idea. 😆 Thank you! You should treat yourself to something for this! 😉 

[CynthieLu]

Lol! Oooh you don't have to worry @itsfi I jumped on a pretty special palette that was released yesterday and it was a splurge let me tell you girl!  I've definitely been treated 😉🩷

[itsfi]

I’m getting all my releases jumbled but was it the Charlotte Tilbury The Beautyverse Palette - Xmas 2023? Wait, if you don’t want to say no worries. I shall keep my eyes peeled on the hauls thread. 🛍️ Speaking of which, another thread or two (September and this month) I need to catch up on. 😆 The enabling encouragement continues … 

[lmaster]

Fabulous job 🙌 @itsfi 

[itsfi]

Thank you @lmaster. It ebbs and flows with empties, as you know! This was a good month number-wise, but less loves than I have been having; though there were less tried-and-true items too, so there's that.