Empties ~ November 2020

There wasn’t any specific agenda that I was trying to follow in order to clean out some products, I just randomly ended up using more than normal and now my empties bin is beyond the point of overflowing. There are a few “declutter” products that were old and needed to be thrown away, but everything else is a true empty. There are also some serious favorites that have been repurchased multiple times, whereas a few others were much less impressive.

The Cetaphil Daily Facial Cleanser will always be a favorite of mine. I switched to it a few years ago after clearing my acne and it’s been wonderful. It’s very gentle, yet super effective in cleaning the skin and I can’t ever be without it. I accidentally bought their Gentle Skin Cleanser one time and it is not the same at all. It has to be this one!

Pixi’s Glow Tonic is probably their most popular product. I do really like it, but I don’t know that it’s my absolute favorite toner ever for my specific skin concerns. I have gotten PR packages from them in the past, which is why I’ve gone through three bottles of it. But I still think the Nip+Fab Glycolic Fix Daily Cleansing Pads are best for my skin right now.

These next two moisturizers are very similar, yet also very different. They both claim to hydrate the skin using Hyaluronic Acid. However, their price points and consistencies are as opposite as it gets. The Peter Thomas Roth Water Drench Hyaluronic Cloud Cream Hydrating Moisturizer is a very high end product, retailing for $52. It has a gel-like consistency that is slightly cooling and glides so smoothly over the skin.

The CeraVe Daily Moisturizing Lotion is on the other end of the spectrum with a very affordable price point of less than $5 for this travel size ($12 for full size). It’s more of a standard lotion with a slightly thicker consistency, though it still feels lightweight and breathable on the skin. I did really enjoy both of them, but the CeraVe is the one I’m most likely to repurchase.

I’m in the process of switching to all sulfate free hair products and two that I’ve already used up are the Derma E Thickening Shampoo and the As I Am Coconut Cowash. I’m loving this cowash right now and have already repurchased another tub of it. It makes my hair feel amazing and I love that it’s like a 2-in-1 product because that means less time, less effort, and less products!

I already have pretty thick hair, so I don’t think this Derma E shampoo is the one for me. However, I was extremely impressed with its formula. It created an amazing lather, which is rare in sulfate free products and it left my hair feeling very clean. It was a little difficult to comb through afterwards, though, so a detangler or leave-in conditioner is a must with this one.

The St. Ives body lotions have quickly become my favorite over the past six months or so. They’re very affordable and easy to find, they smell delicious, and they absorb quickly without leaving any thick residue on the skin. My two favorite scents are the Softening Coconut & Orchid and the Renewing Collagen & Elastin. There is no scent description for the Renewing lotion, but I think it’s very refreshing and clean smelling like a spa!

Two other lotions that I used up are the Gold Bond Healing Hand Cream and the AmLactin Daily Moisturizing Body Lotion. I did like the hand cream, but I didn’t repurchase it right away. It smelled very refreshing and I do think it kept my hands nicely moisturized, it just took a while to absorb into the skin.

I often get red bumps on my thighs and I’m not exactly sure what it is. I’ve looked up many common skin conditions, but haven’t been able to figure it out. For a while I thought it was keratosis pilaris, which is why I tried using the Amlactin lotion. It’s supposed to have lactic acid in it that will break down the extra keratin on the skin. It kinda worked at first, but then it did nothing. So I’m back at square one and probably won’t repurchase it again.

I spent a lot of time in the sun this Summer and every time I was done being outside for the day, I made sure to apply an after sun lotion in order to not look dry and leathery. I used up an entire bottle of the Banana Boat Moisturizing After Sun Lotion and finished up what I had left of the Hawaiian Tropic Silk Hydration After Sun Lotion. They both did a great job, but the Hawaiian Tropic is the one I ended up repurchasing because I love its Coconut Papaya scent, it’s much easier to rub into the skin, and it absorbs more quickly than the Banana Boat lotion.

The next two are both “declutter” types of products. They both have gotten old and haven’t been used in a while, so it’s time to throw them away. It’s not very often that I wear fake eyelashes, but when I do my favorite glue to use is the Kiss Strip Lash Adhesive. I like the clear glue because it doesn’t show mistakes, and I make sure to always get the one that’s Formaldehyde and Latex Free. It’s still more uncomfortable than wearing mascara, but it’s not as irritating as other glues.

The Ulta Brow Tint in Medium seems like a great idea, but it’s actually not very good at all. It has a small wand applicator that’s somewhat helpful, it’s just too wet of a formula. It’s pretty difficult to work with and get a precise application, especially for someone like me who doesn’t have very thick brows to begin with. A pencil is much easier and provides a more natural appearance!

As much as I use and love mascara, I actually don’t run through it very quickly. The L’oreal Lash Paradise mascara is one of my favorites, but this particular tube had to be decluttered because it’s a waterproof version that I got for an event and rarely used afterwards. Waterproof mascara is great for holding a curl, I just don’t like to use it very often because the removal process can be damaging to the lashes. I’d definitely repurchase the non-waterproof version, though!

The NYX Worth the Hype mascara was very nice and I did enjoy using it while I had it, but it wouldn’t be my first choice to repurchase. It wasn’t the most thickening or lengthening formula, which made it almost unnoticeable when paired with darker eyeshadows on the lids. I really only reached for this whenever I wasn’t wearing eyeshadow.

The Ofra Liquid Lipsticks were never my favorite because they were one of the more uncomfortable formulas that I had tried. They always felt very tacky on the lips and left them incredibly dry. This Pasadena shade was pretty, but now I’m having to throw it away because the tube has completely dried up!

Dry lips are something I never really dealt with until last year. I tried all different kinds of lip balms and the only one that made a difference was the Eos Pure & Free stick balm. It really absorbed into the lips and kept them hydrated rather than creating a protective layer on top of the skin like most other lip balms. I’ve already repurchased it in the Strawberry Sorbet scent and that one smells delicious!

The stick balms are great for daytime wear because they’re so lightweight, but I like to apply something a little thicker at night. One of the best that I’ve found for that purpose is the Neutrogena Hydro Boost Hydrating Lip Treatment. It’s thick enough to last throughout the night, yet still feels lightweight and comfortable. I’ve gone through three of them, so they’re clearly very loved!

Two other miscellaneous beauty products that I used up are the Tiki Mango Mai Tai body spray from Bath & Body Works and the Cutex Strength-Shield nail polish remover. I loved that body spray and held onto it for as long as I could, but I finally ran out. I think it might’ve been a limited edition scent, so I’m currently looking for a replacement. So far, no luck.

The Cutex nail polish remover has appeared in a few blog posts recently and before I even finished this bottle, I had another one ready as a backup. This is the first time (that I can remember) using the actual Cutex brand rather than a store brand nail polish remover and I can’t believe the difference! With this, I barely have to try at all to remove my polish. It works like magic!

When I realized we were getting closer to the Fall season, I made sure to use up all of my Summer scented candles. I usually like getting candles from stores like TJ Maxx or Marshalls, although I do like the soy ones from Target also. The Elderberry & Incense was good at first, but then it got a little too heavy for me. The Pineapple & Bamboo Leaf scent from the same brand (Opalhouse) at Target is my favorite!

The Juicy Red Mango and Tangerine Guava candles were both from Marshalls. They smelled delicious, but I don’t know that I’d purchase them again. The mango candle wasn’t soy and definitely burned through much faster than the others. The tangerine guava had a similar burn as the Elderberry & Incense. The more it burned, the heavier it got. I like a more light and airy scent in the house, so next time I would choose something else.

It really is beyond me how I used up all of these products in a three month period, but it feels good to finally throw them all out and make room for new things. Products like the Cetaphil face wash and the Cutex nail polish remover will always be repurchased. But on the other hand, I’m glad I know which candles and lotions aren’t my favorite.

I hope you found this post helpful! If you have any questions, please feel free to leave them for me in the comments section. Have you tried any of these products before? What are some of your recent empties?

XO ♥ Christina ♥

 

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