You know I’m all about my empties. I am always so happy to use stuff up and make room for the new things. I am trying to get better at tossing/recycling old makeup and skincare that I know I am not going to ever finish. I have a hard time tossing unfinished things, but I am improving.
Here’s what I finished up in December.
Makeup
- Koh Gen Do Cleansing SPA Water: Not sure where this should be classified in the Makeup or the Skincare category, but since I use it to remove my makeup, I’ll go with that. Anyway, I received this almost 13 fl. oz. container during the summer or late spring, I think, and I have used it up. I absolutely loved it! I am not sure if it is better than my other and more affordable fave, Bioderma Hydrabio, but I really love it and it’s pop down dispenser. Purchase? Yes, I did. In fact, I bought an even bigger bottle.
- Milani Eyeshadow Primer: I like this eyeshadow primer. It is tinted beige, provides some color coverage for my red eyelids, and it works well to hydrate my dry lids and lock down color. I also like that it comes in a tube without an applicator. Repurchase? I will if I can find it on a Milani display in a store. I hate to pay shipping for an inexpensive eye primer if I can help it, but I haven’t seen it on the Milani display lately. Also, Milani is getting harder to find in stores near me, boo CVS. I’ve gotta see if my Ulta carries it.
- YSL Liquid Colour Balm, sample: This is probably cheating since I think I mentioned this lovely, hydrating lip balm/gloss last month (the red one). This one was orange. I love the formula that reminds me of Laneige Lip Mask. And the color payoff/pigmentation is incredible! Purchase? Probably not since I assume it’s very expensive.
Skincare
- belif Moisturizing Eye Bomb: Yes, this is one of my favorites for 2018. I love this gel-cream formula, and it is more affordable than my other eye gel or gel-cream faves from PCA Skin and Shiseido. Repurchase? Yes, I just opened the new one.
- Robin McGraw Revelation Live Life Lifted Firming Neck & Decollete Cream: I liked the lighter weight formula of this neck and décolletage cream especially for the warmer months compared to my usual thick StriVectin TL Advanced Neck Cream. But I am not a fan of McGraw’s stock bottle packaging. Somehow the cream leaked out a bit from the spout and the blue paint color inside the cap came off and got all over the white spout. Not so good. Also, I managed to use up the 1 oz. product in short order. Although the product is priced somewhere in the $20-30 range, it didn’t last as long as my usual. Purchase? No.
- Exuviance Targeted Wrinkle Repair: This wrinkle repair does work for me if I use it on a regular basis. Because I have so darn many skincare products that I’m always testing, I haven’t been using it on the regular. My bad. This bottle lasted me two years, I think. Repurchase? Yes, I already did, and I will try to use it more often.
- Feel Renewed Pumpkin Walnut Facial Cleanser, travel size: I got this travel size cleanser from Ipsy about a year ago. The pumpkin scent is divine, and the ground walnut makes an excellent exfoliator. The cleanser has a lovely whipped and hydrating feel, though I can’t use it too often because of the ground walnut. I have truly enjoyed this product. Purchase? I definitely intend to. I think a tube costs around $12. I should have bought it during the holiday sales, but I will at some point. This is a deep cleansing find.
- StriVectin S.T.A.R. Light Retinol Night Oil, sample packet: I got this little sample along with my Ulta haul. I managed to make it last for about 3 uses, and although I still love the Derma E oil I’ve been using lately, the multitasking combo of oil with retinol already in it has won my heart. Being able to skip a second product seems so wonderful. Also, this really is lightweight oil that sinks right in. Great stuff! Purchase? Yes. StriVectin had 30% off post-Christmas so I couldn’t resist even though this is a pricey product. Full review coming soon.
- The Body Shop Drops of Youth Creme Jeunesse, sample packet: I think this little sample also came from Ulta. I am a huge fan of The Body Shop Drops of Youth Liquid Peel, so I was eager to try this moisturizer. Honestly, I don’t remember much about it. It was probably fine but not memorable like the mask. Purchase? No.
- BrzlnSkin Bratoxin Natural Smoothing Serum, sample packet: BrzlnSkin sent along this sample with another of their products for me to try. For me, this product is the winner! I pretty much begged them to send me a bottle for testing. And in fact, they ended up sending me two. Although I am tempted to keep both for myself, I will do a giveaway with the second bottle when I get my review up in a couple of weeks. This stuff is fabulous. I’ll save the details on the product for my post.
- Colorescience Tint du Soleil Whipped Foundation SPF 30, sample packet: Another Ulta sample or was it Sephora? Anyway, I was intrigued by this tinted foundation sunscreen since I am a fan of Colorescience. Sadly, the color was too yellow and too dark for my skin. I couldn’t tell which shade I got. It comes in Light, Medium and Deep. Purchase? No.
- Rodin Luxury Face Oil, Jasmine & Neroli, glass tube sample: I wrote about the Lavender Rodin Face Oil sample last month that I didn’t like, and sadly, I dislike the Jasmine & Neroli just as much. Although the oil itself has a nice lightweight consistency, I absolute detest the scents. Purchase? Absolutely not, though it may just be me. Lola’s Secret Beauty Blog who is a true face oil expert loves Rodin Luxury Face Oil.
Hair
- JOICO K-PAK Color Therapy Luster Lock Treatment, 4.7 oz.: You must know by now that this is my favorite conditioning treatment. In fact, I pretty much use it as my conditioner every time I wash my hair. Repurchase? Yes, I did. I bought an even bigger tube during the Ulta sale and they threw in a travel size. Nice.
Fragrance
- Sylvaine Delacourte Paris, Lilylang, sample spray from Musk Discovery Set: I loved this light fragrance that I have a hard time describing. I think it is a great daytime scent, perfect year round. Purchase? Yes, I did. I bought Lilylang and my other favorite from the Musk Set, Florentine, a powdery light scent. Right now, none of my perfumes are lasting on my skin including my Frederic Malle Musc Ravageur that is one of the biggest perfumes ever. I am not sure what to do. Any ideas? I have tried applying over body lotion and it doesn’t help.
Beauty Tools
- Natural sea sponge: Sea sponges vary from sponge to sponge in terms of their softness. Unfortunately, this one was scratchy and never really softened up. I used it anyway, and it did soften a little bit and then it started falling apart. Repurchase? Yes, I bought two little makeup size sea sponges and I hope they’ll be softer.
Unfinished Products I’m Tossing
- Tarte Butter Lipstick, Pink Peony: I fell in love with the pretty cardboard flowered tube for this lipstick when it first came out a few years ago. I thought that Butter Lipstick would be hydrating for my dry lips, but there’s some ingredient in the formula (probably peppermint though I don’t smell it) that dries out and irritates my lips. I’ve hardly used it, and I won’t. So I am tossing it. I should have returned it after I bought it. Sad.
- Olay Regenerist Luminous Dark Circle Correcting Hydraswirl Eye Gel-Cream: I got this in a Target Beauty Box, I think, a couple of years ago. I loved the swirls. I used up about half of the bottle, and it was a decent eye cream but nothing special. When I discovered others I liked more, I abandoned this and it needs to go.
- Fresh Eye Shadow, shade Torrente: I bought this powder eyeshadow probably at least 10 years ago at the Fresh boutique on Newbury Street in Boston. I loved the silver metal pan as well as the matte grey shadow with a bit of gold sheen. It is a unique shade. I am tossing it just because it’s so old, though it doesn’t seem to have gone “off”. Hmmm, maybe I should hold onto it, lol.
- Jesse’s Girl Tangerine Flavor Lip Balm: This balm that I received a while back for review came out around the time of the Maybelline Baby Lips craze. This one, although a stick balm, feels a bit too slippery/almost watery on my lips. It has a big of a shine. The tangerine flavor is quite strong. Somehow I think this balm is more for tweens than for me. I have other stick lip balms (especially the Farmhouse Fresh Lip Balms) that I like more.
- Tarte Maneater Mascara, full size: I got this full size tube of Taste Maneater Mascara in my first Ipsy Glam Bag Plus, and I was excited to try it. Sadly, the formula was dry and clumpy. Not sure if I just got a bad tube? I got a travel size tube recently from somewhere and I must try it and see if it’s the formula that I don’t like or that this was just a bad tube. I’ll let you know. Also every time I look at the tube, I think it says “Man Hater” 😉
- IT Cosmetics Super Hero Mascara, full size: I bought too many of the IT Cosmetics Super Hero mascaras and then I got a few of the travel size free in subscription boxes. I have too many. Although I liked this formula, the tube is way beyond 3 months and the formula has become clumpy. I am tossing it as I should have months ago.
So that’s it for December. Glad to see all of these go! See anything among the empties that interests you?
What did you use up in December?
What’s your Reaction?
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Lots of great information here I need to check some of the products out. Do you date your products when you open them? Happy New Years
Happy New Year, Gloria! I hope it’s a good one. Now why didn’t I think of labeling my cosmetics with the date opened? I never thought of it, but it is a genius idea! Thank you 🙂
Get a Metallic Silver Sharpie
It shows up on everything I write on the bottom of products. Great on mascara on the side.
I will do it, Gloria! That is a terrific idea. Next month when I do empties, I will credit you with this great idea <3
Very impressive empties post, Allison! I love the KGD Spa Water and have a huge bottle. Than you for the shout-out about Rodin Oils, I am so sorry that you hated the scent. I don’t care for the lavender one, but love the Jasmine and Geranium versions. I am very curious about the StriVectin face oil!
I was sad that the Rodin scents don’t suit me, but maybe I should be happy because I can’t afford them anyway 😉 So far, the StriVectin STAR Light Retinol Oil is a winner for me!
You had an amazing month on empties, wow! You finished so much skincare. I’ll have to keep my eyes open for that Milani primer.
Thank you, Judy! I pretty sure I exceeded my goal of 100 empties in 2018. I need to find that Milani eye primer too!
very sad to hear about the colorscience sample being a dud. I’ve been gearing up to ask them if i can do a review of that product since I enjoy so many other products from them!
Claudia, I didn’t mean to give the impression that it was a “dud”. Sadly, the color was so far off for my skin tone and I didn’t realize that it comes in 3 shades – and I didn’t look to see which shade they sent me on the sample pack. It may have been Medium, so I will try to check out the Light next time I go to Sephora. I hope you do try it out!
Holy cow what a productive month for you! I feel like I never finish products.
Wow you finished a lot!! I have a tiny pile from December that I plan to feature soon, and it’s probably a 10th of what you emptied haha 🙂 Also I like the idea of featuring tosses along with empties. Sometimes products sit around unfinished for years and they just need to go.
I am committed to using up as much as I can, and now I am focussing on getting rid of expired cosmetics. I can’t stand the clutter anymore! I am also going to start dating products when I open them so I can keep track better.
I started a bag of empties and it’s so boring since I use up the same items over and over. I do have several mascaras in it so that might be sort of interesting. I’ve tossed some things and didn’t keep them around for a review.
A first post in a long time where I haven’t tried any of the products listed. I want to try some of those skin care items though!
Great job of using up products!
I don’t think I’ve tried any of the products you emptied this month! I had great plans to collect mine as I finished so much stuff with the move due to strategic planning, but it just got to be too close to moving and I wasn’t moving a box of empty containers! Ha!
The Milani Eyeshadow Primer is my jam, it’s amazing how it’s so effective yet so inexpensive. It truly rivals some of my high end primers
Oh my, you’ve used up a huge bunch of products! And, there’s so much makeup in here! I’m so excited to see how much you’ll use up in 2019!
Lip products are such a rare thing to finish! I actually finished my fave lipstick the other day and had to replaces because I love it so much!
I am amazed by how much you worked through!!! I’m lucky to have two or three items. Bravo!
I’m very determined to clean out my makeup this year. I was good about throwing out expired stuff and I did get rid of tons of eyeshadows that I never wore but there’s more to do! Love looking at empties posts!
So I have several of the Tarte Butter Lipsticks and I WANT to love them so bad, and sometimes I do. However, there are times when I don’t and it’s usually because it made my lips flake. I’ve always thought it was just me having a bad lip day or something but now that you say that you think it might be an ingredient in it that is drying out your lips it makes me want to loo more into that. This is why I love your blog!
For me, Cassie, peppermint is a no-no in lip products so I am wondering if there’s some peppermint in there.
I’m going to do the project pan, so I guess I’ll be keeping track of empties, which I’ve never done before. I sure hope I can remember.
If you post your empties every month, it’s easy to keep track of how many and what you used up. I keep my empties in an Ulta bag that I keep on the knob of my bathroom door, lol.