Empties ~ July 2019
One thing I’ve been working on getting better at is using products because I love them and not just because I have them. I’m not afraid to make returns if something doesn’t work, but there have been times where I’ve settled and continued using products that were just subpar. Sticking to my favorites has left me so much happier because I get excited everytime I use whatever it is. And when I run out, I can repurchase and put my money into products I truly believe in.
I’ve been on the hunt for a good bubble bath for what seems like forever. The only ones that have ever really lived up to my standards are the Lush Bubble Bars. Unfortunately, I don’t have a Lush store near me so I rarely ever get them. However, I used my bubble bath hack with this Neutrogena Rainbath Shower and Bath Gel and it worked pretty well. I don’t know that I’d repurchase it right away, but it is a good option.
St. Moriz Fast Self Tanning Mousse is definitely my favorite self tanner ever. It’s super affordable, it gives a beautiful color, and it only has to stay on for 3 hours! This bottle was a little bit old and I couldn’t wait to repurchase another. I’m probably on my fourth bottle of this and although I still try other self tanning products, I always go back to this one. You can read my full review of this product with photos of its results here.
I’ve had this Chuda Healing Hydrating Cream for the longest time. I really only used it under my eyes before bed and sometimes on my cuticles, so it lasted forever. It was nice and moisturizing, but I don’t think it’s absolutely necessary to have, especially when considering the price! I think any other kind of hydrating balm type of product could do the same thing.
I did a full review of the Callyssee brand after testing a bunch of their products. Unfortunately, I didn’t like the majority of it and this Doppio Firming Eye Serum was one of them. The full size of this retails for $44. That doesn’t seem too bad when comparing it to prices of other eye serums, except for the fact that this was basically coconut oil. They don’t list the ingredients on their website, but that’s exactly what this felt like. I didn’t notice any difference after using it and I definitely wouldn’t recommend it.
I can’t even begin to tell you the wonders that retinol has done for my skin. I used to have a ton of texture on my cheeks and after introducing retinol into my routine, my skin is 90% smoother. The last time my skin was this smooth was before my preteen years, seriously. I’ve tried a few different products, but this Neutrogena Rapid Wrinkle Repair Night Moisturizer has been a consistent favorite. It’s a little pricey considering Neutrogena is a drugstore brand, so keep that in mind. However, nothing is more important than skincare so it’s absolutely worth it.
I also used up a few body lotions. I’ve been using AmLactin Daily lotion for awhile now and have really noticed a difference in my skin. I only use it on my thighs where I have what I believe to be keratosis pilaris. Whether that’s what I’m actually dealing with or not, this lotion works to keep my skin clear!
Somehow, someway, I always have one or two of these travel size lotions from Bath & Body Works in my closet. I put it on my hands before I go to bed, so the small sizes actually end up lasting me quite a long time. I try to use them up one by one and this one called Hello Beautiful might be my new favorite. It’s very fresh and I looked forward to smelling it every night.
The c.Booth 4-in-1 body lotions are my favorite body lotions, but this Coconut Fig scent literally made me sick. For the first week or two, I’d get nauseous every time I applied this after the shower until I eventually got used to the scent. I still don’t like it at all and couldn’t wait to repurchase my favorite Vanilla Butter scent!
A few makeup products I’ve used up are my Maybelline Fit Me concealer, which I repurchased immediately in the shade Sand, and my DIY eyelash serum. Normally I’d make another tube of lash serum, but I’m currently testing out a different serum and needed to give that my full attention.
The Pür Cosmetics Get A Grip eyeshadow primer isn’t actually an empty in the sense that I used it up completely. It’s more of an empty in the sense that it dried up in this foil package within a week and I couldn’t use it anymore. I was only able to use it once and even though I need a sticky primer for my oily eyes, this was a little too sticky. Even after allowing it plenty of time to dry, I still had trouble blending eyeshadow over top of it. I’d much prefer my favorite Milani eyeshadow primer instead.
My last empty product that I have to share is this Gem extra virgin olive oil. I’ve been repurchasing this for years because it’s the cheapest olive oil I can find and I really only use it to clean my makeup brushes. This is also what I’ll reach for if I don’t have any cuticle oil. It absorbs quickly and does a great job at moisturizing the cuticles and nail beds. Highly recommend!
I think I did a good job this time at not letting my empties bin overflow too much before sharing all of these products. I have also been doing a little bit of decluttering of old/disappointing skin, hair, and nail products. I’m definitely planning on doing a post about those, so stay tuned for that!
I hope you enjoyed this post! If you have any questions about any of the products I mentioned, please feel free to leave them for me in the comments section. Have you used any of these products? What are some of your recent empties?
XO ♥ Christina ♥
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