This is what four months of accumulating used-up beauty products looks like (not including bar soap, sheet masks and random packet samples). Two months ago I didn't have a lot of empties to share so I thought I'd lump them together with July and August. In the last couple of weeks I've had to fight the temptation to just chuck all this garbage in the recycling bin. I'm going to do a quick overview on some of the standout products that I used up so I can finally get this junk out the door!
It's no surprise skincare and bodycare make up the bulk of my empties. Honestly I tend to forget to include haircare empties in the mix but I should probably get better about that.... Going in no particular order:
I was really pleasantly surprised by the Garnier Micellar Cleansing Water. I don't think I'll need to buy Bioderma ever again because the Garnier version is so much easier to get my mitts on. The First Aid Beauty Facial Cleanser is a great one for sensitive skin and, of course, their Ultra Repair Cream is a repeat purchase for me. I also really enjoyed the Neal's Yard Bee Lovely Body Lotion but their products aren't really accessible in the U.S (I purchased mine from a eco/natural products tradeshow).
A majority of my skincare is often comprised of Asian brands. The Laneige Firming Sleeping Mask* was a real nice treat for my skin once or twice a week. I liked that the scent wasn't too strong like many other Laneige skincare products. The Benton Snail Bee High Content Essence was an excellent summer skincare product because it absorbed super quickly. When I first got the Tatcha Polished Gentle Rice Enzyme Powder I really enjoyed it but the jar's opening would frequently get jammed due to the humidity in my shower - I prefer the Amore Pacific Enzyme Peel to this.
I also finished a lot of skincare minis these last few months. Some of these I brought with me on trips and sleepovers and others I just used in conjunction with my usual routine. I love the Shiseido Full Lash and Brow Serum* which seriously lasts forever. It makes a noticeable difference to my lashes and I've already repurchased a full size. I had a super tiny vial of the Peter Thomas Roth Oiless Oil 100% Purified Squalane and I was really impressed by how well it hydrated. If you can't get behind facial oils, I'd recommend this instead. I've used another sample of the SKII Facial Treatment Essence and I still couldn't see any results which was disappointing although not very surprising. If you're looking for skin-brightening and smoothing results, try the Juice Beauty Green Apple Peel for Sensitive Skin. I get several uses just from the sample jars and every time I use this, my skin feels so much better.
I have a couple of makeup empties but most of these are things I'm destashing because they've been in my collection for too long. Can you tell I have a favorite mascara? I love the L'Oreal Voluminous Million Lashes Waterproof Mascara although it does dry out a little faster than I'd like. I tried to take a break from it and opened a new tube of Maybelline's The Falsies Waterproof Mascara but I think I got a dud with no stopped - there was so much gooped up mascara every time I used this. I don't have the time to carefully wipe down the wand before every use so in the garbage this goes. The Clean & Clear Oil Blotting Sheets and Softlips are things I go through regularly since they're staples in my makeup bag.
I rarely reach for face products in stick form so unfortunately the W3ll People Narcissist Foundation didn't get much love and it smells a little odd now. For a time I did really like the Collection Lasting Perfection Concealer but it's gone a bit thick now. I never really reached for theSaem's Cover Perfection Tip Concealer because the color was too light for me. The formula was thin yet high coverage but had a tendency to look dry on my skin as well. The Marcelle Golden Glow BB Cream was a favorite a few summers ago but it seems to have oxidized in the sample tube because it's really dark now. Conversely, the Dr. Jart+ Dis-A-Pore BB Cream is too light and simply past expiration at this point. It does a fantastic job at filing in pores but the shade selection is not ideal. I love the Becca Beach Tint in Fig but I only really use it in the winter and this sample has separated to the point of no return. Lastly, I did finish the Urban Decay All Nighter Makeup Setting Spray and do think it's good - but the DeSlick version lasts longer on my skin. I'm currently using the L'oreal one and thinking about which setting spray should be my next purchase.
There's usually a satisfying feeling when I round up my beauty empties because it's a testament to me actually using up the things I've spent my money on. But lately I've been thinking it's so crazy how I have so much garbage. Do you have more or fewer empties than I do? I'm curious to see how much you guys go through in a similar amount of time.