Here I am starting 2021 with a new Project Pan Challenge.
I Bought This, PR Samples, Affiliate Links
I achieved last year’s goal of 130 beauty empties by the skin of my teeth. I just looked back at my December 2020 post, and I must have been on drugs because I kept my 2021 goal at 130. What was I thinking? Because I am still seldom wearing makeup, I am revising my goal for 2021 to be more realistic and achievable. I am scaling back to 120 beauty empties.
So, let’s see how I did in January.
Bath & Body
Bath & Body was the winning category for me in January by a long shot.
- Jason Smoothing Coconut Hand & Body Lotion: Although this is a nice, affordable, organic lotion that’s relatively easy to find in stores, it was too lightweight for my skin that’s dry year round. Also, the coconut is a natural coconut scent so it was a little disappointing to a fan of the strong, pina colada-ish Caribbean coconut fragrance like me. Repurchase? No.
- RITUALS The Ritual of Karma Foaming Shower Gel: I love RITUALS’s Foaming Shower Gels. The Karma scent reminded me a lot of the discontinued Dao scent that was soft and rather indescribable, but very nice. Repurchase? I am using Ritual of Sakura Foaming Shower Gel right now and I have another scent waiting in the wings. I will definitely buy more Foaming Shower Gel when I finish up my stash.
- RITUALS The Ritual of Sakura Flowering Hand Balm Rice Milk and Cherry Blossom: I think this is the third pump bottle of the Ritual of Sakura “Kitchen” Hand Balm that I have used up. It is very hydrating, non-greasy, and it smells divine – like spring in a bottle! Repurchase? I know I will in the future, but I just opened a bottle of the fabulous Precious Amber Hand Balm.
- Ida Citrus Body Wash: I discovered the Ida Dry Brush Collection this past fall, and I am in love with their dry brush. I also love the citrus-scented, rich Body Lotion. The Body Wash is creamy with the same lovely and light citrus scent. It is made with a number of natural plant oils, and it is very hydrating. My only issue with it is that it doesn’t lather, and I miss lots of lather in the shower. Repurchase? Probably not.
- Derma MD Soy Moisturizer Intense Healing Creme: This is the second jar of Derma MD Soy Moisturizer that I have used up. It was a pretty pale green gel-cream that I was never sure if it was a face cream or a body cream. I used it as a body cream, and I loved it: rich, fast absorbing, hydrating, and non-greasy. Repurchase? Although the Derma MD brand still exists, they have revamped their entire product line and packaging, but the Soy Moisturizer no longer exists. Boo.
- Secret Outlast Invisible Solid Anti-perspirant: I use Crystal Mineral Natural Deodorants most of the time, but I like to have an antiperspirant in my cabinet just in case I need a tried and true AP. Secret Outlast is a good one. Repurchase? I did.
Skincare
Skincare is usually either my biggest or second biggest empties category, but not this month. I only have one empty!
- City Beauty Eye Revive Firming Serum: I reviewed new City Beauty Eye Revive Firming Serum in January, and I gave it a good review. Someone asked me if it could be used as a stand alone eye product rather than as a serum under an eye cream, and I said no. Well, I was wrong. I have been using it as a firming product on my skin under my brow/above the crease, and it works perfectly. I used belif eye bomb, however, on my super dry eyelids. City Beauty Eye Revive is a fabulous firming product. It has a ceramic or plastic applicator that I love for smoothing my skin, though I squeeze the tube onto my finger to tap it on because a little too much comes out if I just squeeze it onto the applicator. I think the hole could be a tad narrower so that the serum lasts longer. Repurchase? Yes, the next time City Beauty has it on sale. I love it!
Makeup
Makeup is usually my skimpiest category for empties, but this month makeup and makeup related products are in second place. Score!
- Bioderma Hydrabio Micellar Water: I used up a large size bottle of Bioderma Hydrabio, yay! Bioderma and Koh Gen Do micellar waters are my two favorite makeup removing micellar waters, but Bioderma is much more affordable. Plus now you can buy it at CVS which is where I bought this bottle a year ago as part of a very affordable two-pack. Repurchase? I am now using the second bottle from the two-pack, but when I run out, I definitely will. I have gone through many a bottle of Bioderma MW, and Hydrabio is my favorite of their three versions for my mature, dry skin.
- Hourglass Mechanical Eye Pencil, shade Meteorite: I had high hopes for Hourglass’s eye pencil in the charcoal gray shade, Meteorite. Frankly, I was looking for a slightly more medium gray shade, whereas Meteorite was kind of a light black. It was a good eye pencil: it was an easy to use twist up (that you can’t sharpen to a point), it was easy to apply with no tugging. But I didn’t use it very often, and when I went to use it recently, I was very surprised to discover that it was used up. Repurchase? No. I will stick to Urban Decay. Just wish UD had a medium gray shade.
- City Beauty City Lips: Yes, I have gone through another tube of my favorite lip plumper and lip balm, City Lips! Repurchase? I have a stash from buying it when it’s on sale, so I’m set for a while.
- City Beauty Beyond Mascara: Although I have several City Beauty products that are must-have staples in my makeup and skincare routine, sadly Beyond Mascara was ultimately not for me and my wonky eyelashes. Beyond Mascara is a volumizing mascara with a built-in conditioner to revitalize lashes, and it has a big, fluffy, bristled wand. Because of my eye’s downturned shape and the strange way that some of my lashes grow, this formula and wand did not work so well for me. It was too much for me (you know that I usually prefer lighter, lengthening formulas with wands with short plastic teeth). Repurchase? No.
Miscellaneous Empties
- VitEyes Blue Light Defender Gummies: I loved this dietary supplement with lutein, bilberry and zeaxanthin to protect against blue light from digital screens as well as from the sun. They taste absolutely delicious, and like with most supplements, I hoped they work. Repurchase? Yes.
- Fifth & Madison Joie de Noel candle: I bought this delightful holiday season candle a year ago at the big Holiday Craft Festival in SoWa, the artist district in Boston. Who knew that going out to dinner in the South End and to the Craft Festival in a big tent outdoors with two of my friends from the ‘hood would be one of the last fun social things I would do for more than a year? Fifth & Madison is or was a candle company owned by two young men who used to live in New York City. As a long time resident myself who used to stroll on Fifth Avenue and work on Madison Avenue, I couldn’t resist this delightfully scented cranberry, mandarin and clove candle. It was yummy! Repurchase? If there’s a Holiday Craft Festival that we can safely go to in December 2021 and if the guys from Fifth and Madison are there, I will certainly buy another candle or two from them.
I did quite well in using up health, beauty and lifestyle products in January. I have 13 empties that can mostly be recycled to make room for more, lol. With my revised goal of 120, I have only 107 more to go with 11 months in the year, so that’s about 10 empties per month. Still kind of a tall order, but I’ll try!
What did you use up this month? Anything that you plan to repurchase?
What’s your Reaction?
+1
+1
+1
+1
+1
+1
+1
I’ve been waiting to see what you finished up in January! Nice job, Allison! That City Beauty eye serum is incredible, and mine will be in an empties post before too long! I love it so much!
Lola Seicento recently posted…Kamedis Dermatology Calm Eczema Therapy Wash
I’m glad you agree on the City Beauty Eye Revive Serum. For me, it’s a keeper!
That a lofty goal since the pandemic has taken hold. I finish just about nothing! I did finish an eyebrow serum that was expensive and didn’t work for me (it was a set of two and for the amount I spent I felt I needed to use them both up, glad I’m done with them). I also had to toss a deodorant since I broke out in a rash from it. Tossed a mascara or two for age. At that rate it would take me 3 years to get to 120!! I want to try the City Beauty Eye Serum.
MarciaF recently posted…Elina Organics Sea Buckthorn Healing Lotion should be part of your life
Now you’ve got me curious about which eyebrow serum it is, Marcia! Sorry to hear about the deo, yikes. Yes, the City Beauty Eye Revive Serum really is terrific!!
I wonder how many I would have. I actually started an “empties” box sometime in 2020. Only I cant remember exactly when! LOL I should have written it down.
Start again for 2021!!
I love the Rituals Foaming Shower Gel! It makes my skin feel sooooo soft!
I am never without a can of RITUALS Foaming Shower Gel. Which scents do you prefer?
I’ve only tried the cherry one so far. I love it!
The cherry blossom/Sakura is still my favorite, but I also love Ayurveda that’s kind of spicy. Dao and Karma both smell similar to me, but other than “soft”, I can’t really describe the fragrance!
I shall have to try those other scents!
Some day! I stocked up during one of RITUALS’ sales on their website. They had such great deals, I bought 2 cans of foaming shower gel at $6 ea. and they threw in a 3rd one free. I bought two Kitchen Balm size hand lotions (Sakura and Precious Amber), both fantastic and on sale. And Sakura body butter, lovely to layer all the sakura scents
I always enjoy exploring your empties, Allison! You always have the most amazing products! Bioderma and Rituals are my faves 🙂
Thank you! Bioderma and RITUALS were both such great discoveries years ago, and I still love and use them often