Empties vol. 46
It’s the end of November which means I have a fresh group of empties to share with you, guys! Being wasteful always makes me feel a little guilty as a beauty blogger, so I treat every finished product as a big achievement. Over the last few months, I’ve been working hard to finish those half-empty bottles and jars that started accumulating on the shelves, and I think I finally made some progress. This year I had a significant mind shift toward more sustainable blogging and decided to only accept promotional products that are genuinely exciting to me – no more accepting everything and maybe giving it a try someday. In 2020, I’ve donated more unopened skincare and makeup products than I did in 2018 and 2019 combined – hundreds of items that were sent to me in PR and never got used/featured. Moving forward to 2021, the plan is to be even more selective and donate a portion of my sponsored income to various organizations instead of just products collecting dust on the shelves. But I digress…
Here’s what I managed to finish this month!
SKINCARE:
1 // Alpha Skin Care Enhanced Facial Moisturizer SPF 15* ($16.99) – Because of the low protection, this is not really a sunscreen but a moisturizer with SPF. I really liked this one because I could easily wear it indoors and have a little bit of broad-spectrum UV protection. Just a reminder: for anti-aging, you must use sunscreen daily regardless if it’s sunny or not because UVA rays penetrate even through thick clouds and glass. UVA exposure is the main cause of skin aging.
Repurchase? No. It was nice but I think I’d go with something with a little more SPF.
2 // Amorepacific Time Response Skin Reserve Serum* ($280) – This tiny sample lasted way longer than I thought it would because the serum is emollient and highly concentrated. It’s definitely too rich for my skin though, so I’m glad I got to try the mini version first. I think it would work best for people with normal to dry skin types.
Repurchase? No.
3 // Perricone MD Essential Fx Acyl-Glutathione Smoothing & Brightening Under-Eye Cream* ($122) – Quite a mouthful isn’t it? I really like this eye cream and I’m a little sad that the jar is now empty. It feels like silk on the skin and wears well under makeup. According to the company, this eye cream was formulated to address “dark circles, deep wrinkles, and sagging”, and it definitely helped with the last two. As for dark circles, mine are hereditary and can’t be fixed with skincare.
Repurchase? Maybe? I like it a lot but I’ll have to think about it because it’s a pretty pricey product.
4 // Elemis Biotec Skin Energizing Cleanser* ($63.50) – It took me a while to go through this cleanser because I used it only on days when I wanted a more thorough grime/sunscreen removal. The formula is very gentle despite having a higher pH than I’d normally use and it’s not nearly as drying as I thought it would be. The packaging is beautiful and the fragrance is very relaxing.
Repurchase? No, mainly because I don’t think a $63 cleanser is a necessity in my life right now.
BATH & BODY:
5 // Ritual of Jing & Ritual of Tsuru Foaming Shower Gels* ($9.50) – Rituals makes some of my favorite foaming body washes! They come in an array of relaxing fragrances and leave the skin soft and delicately scented. I think I discovered this brand through Glossybox or Birchbox a long time ago and have been an avid fan since.
Repurchase? Yes. I occasionally buy these when they are on sale.
6 // R+Co Television Perfect Hair Conditioner ($32) – I don’t know if you remember, but I kinda hated the shampoo from this line. The conditioner however is a whole different story. It’s lightweight and milky but smooths and conditions the hair like a rich mask without leaving goop everywhere. It’s a beautifully formulated product that’s worth a splurge.
Repurchase? I might! I really liked it, which is surprising considering how much I hated the matching shampoo, lol!
7 // LAVANILA The Healthy Deodorant Vanilla Winter ($14) – I think I got this last year? I’ve been using this deodorant on and off for the whole year and now it’s finally empty. LAVANILA deodorants are among my favorite aluminum-free choices because they have soothing formulas that care for the skin plus the fragrances are amazing!
Repurchase? I will but in a different scent.
NAILS:
8 // OPI Infinite Shine Gloss Top Coat ($13) – This top coat is bomb! It makes my nails look shiny like vinyl and helps protect the nail polish from chipping prematurely.
Repurchase? Yes! I’ve repurchased it a bunch of times already and this won’t be my last bottle.
9 // Essie Gel Couture Top Coat ($11.50) – This is another top coat that I like, and it also works with a wide range of non-essie polishes. It takes a little longer to dry than the OPI, but the wait is worth it.
Repurchase? Yes, but it would be my 2nd choice after OPI.
I’m proud to say that next month the pile will be more impressive because I’m scraping the bottom on quite a few bottles!
What products did you finish recently? Any favorites or duds?
*indicates PR samples
