I don't know what it is about looking at other people's trash, but empties videos and posts are some of my absolute favorites in the blogging world. I find it incredibly interesting to see what products people are loving enough to use to the very last drop and hear their sort of final thoughts. I'd never been very good at hoarding my own empties, but since the beginning of the year I've been determined to make some headway through my stash and document my progress along the way. It's been a few months since my last post, and with a lot of mostly empty products in use, I thought it'd be a good time to clear out the bag and start fresh.
You may notice the significant lack of makeup in the picture above. I don't know about you, but I find it incredibly difficult to actually finish most makeup products before they go bad. I recently did a small purge of my eyeliners and cream shadows which I unfortunately didn't photograph. However, I do have a few mascaras that are starting to turn funky that will probably appear in my next empties post along with hopefully some more makeup goodies.
Anyway, let's say a final farewell to some of the stuff I've been using lately!
Skincare. I don't know what it is about tiny skincare samples, but they somehow take me forever and a day to use up. Do I have a tiny face? Am I not applying enough? Either way I've finally laid to rest my tube of Embroylisse Lait-Créme Concentre. This is one of those moisturizers that's incredibly simple, therefore also incredibly genius. It's creamy, leaves skin feeling dewy without being overly greasy, and is a great, basic way to prep your face for makeup. You can also use it as a makeup remover at bedtime, which makes it a great multi-purpose product for traveling. I can totally see it's appeal to makeup artists, who encounter a whole range of skin complexions and problems. Having something so essential and versatile in your kit has got to come in handy. The $28 price tag seems hefty, but my tiny little tube did seem to last a long time, so I think it'd probably be worth the money.
Speaking of price tags, the one on the full sized version of Caudalie's Vinosource Moisturizing Sorbet makes me want to cry a little because I love it SO FRIGGIN MUCH. I blew through this tiny tube in a matter of days and I absolutely adored how it made my skin feel. I tend to be on the oilier side of combination, and this made my skin feel that perfect balance of smooth and hydrated while still being matte. It has an ever so slighty nutty scent to it (my brain tells me it reminds me of the seeds inside of pomegranates. Why? I don't know. I don't know if that even makes sense.) that is light and fresh and quite lovely. I have so many other moisturizers to use up that I really can't justify blowing $39 on the full sized tube yet, but it's definitely going on the wish list!
The last skincare item that I used up this month was a pack of Yes to Cucumbers Soothing Hypoallergenic Facial Towelettes. As far as facial wipes go, these are wonderful for refreshing the skin, and are incredibly gentle and non irritating. The cucumber scent is also perfect for making you feel calm and relaxed. That being said, I don't think they are the best for removing heavy duty makeup (nor should a facial wipe really be your only step for cleaning a full face of makeup anyway, but let's face it, laziness is a thing). If you needed a refresh after a workout or a day at the beach I think they would be perfect.
Hair. I've only made it through a couple of small hair samples in the past few months, mostly because I tend to rotate through things so often. For now it's time to say goodbye to the Dove Oxygen Moisture Shampoo and Conditioner. I was a little bit nervous about trying them out because I've generally avoided shampoos with sulfates, which I find tend to dry out my now super long hair. However, I did find that this particular shampoo wasn't overly harsh, especially when I only used it maybe once or twice a week (I typically wash everyday). The conditioner was also incredibly light, which is nice to keep hair from being weighed down, but also may not be quite intense enough if your hair is in need of some serious TLC. Essentially my verdict is that these were decent, but I wasn't enamored by them enough to want to buy the full sizes.
On the flip side, I would totally love to have a full sized bottle of the Not Your Mother's Way to Grow Leave-in Conditioner (although I'm going to hold off until I've used up some other similar products). This lightweight spray made combing out my damp hair a breeze without making it feel greasy or weighed down, and I do think it helped some with reducing breakage. It has a light almost fruity scent which smells good in your hair, and is totally affordable. I recently bought the shampoo and conditioner from this line and I can't wait to try them out! Honestly I've been really impressed with NYM in general, and I think they're one of the best drugstore haircare lines out there.
Bath and Body. As a lemon/citrus fanatic I am all about Harvey Prince's Hello Body Cream. It smells SO FRIGGIN GOOD I can't even. Or well maybe I can. Did. Hence the empty bottle. Hello is a bright and cheery fragrance with some creamy, musky undertones that add a little bit of depth and complexity. Like the bottle, the lotion is a deep yellow color, and has a nice medium consistency that locks in moisture without being too heavy or thick. I probably have more body lotion at home than I know what to do with, so I probably don't need to buy this any time soon. However, there is apparently a new shampoo and conditioner duo in this scent which may be calling my name.
On the flip side, I finally decided to throw in the towel with this tiny bottle of Strawberry Shower Gel from the Body Shop. It's been living in my travel cosmetics bag forever, and I was getting to the point where I was kind of sick of it and ready to move on to something else. These shower gels make a crazy lather and you don't need a ton of product to get your whole self squeaky clean, so it can take a long time (especially with infrequent use) to go through even a small bottle like this one. Strawberry is not my most favorite Body Shop scent, because to me it's a little artificial, but I would say that it's incredibly off putting. Long story short, it's body wash. It works well enough, but it's nothing incredible, and I'm ready to switch it up to something else.
On the bath end, I got a couple of good uses out of this tiny sample bottle of Mullein & Sparrow Pink Himalayan Bath Salts. These were so lovely (as they should be considering how crazy expensive they are) and made for a beautifully perfumey smelling bath. The full sized bottle is stunning, and would surely look gorgeous sitting on your bathroom counter, however its also incredibly splurgey, and I think I might have to wait a bit before I treat myself. Conversely, I could just find epsom salts for a fraction of the cost and put them in a pretty bottle. DIY project, anyone?
Last I've got a slightly less glamorous, but totally essential product - deodorant. I've been a Dove purist when it comes to my armpits for years now, and I really like all of the ones in the Go Fresh line. Spoiler alert, but since I've finished off this stick I've started on a new one from the Advanced Care line and I'm totally in love with it. Generally I just think that Dove makes deodorants that are skin friendly, in a range of really interesting and fresh scents.
Home, etc. I love burning candles. Between the glow and the scent they add just the right amount of ambiance and always seem to lift my mood. I'm a huge fan of the triple wick candles from Bath and Body Works, especially in their seasonal fragrances. This one is a little overdue, as Leaves is one of their fall fragrances, but as a testament to how long these candles burn I used this basically non-stop through the months of September through December and still hadn't finished it up. Recently I decided to try and burn it off and probably had it going for another good 6 or 7 hours before the wicks bit the bullet. I've already moved on to some more season appropriate scents, but as far as autumn goes, Leaves is a gorgeous fragrance with a perfect harmony berries, wood, and spice, so I highly recommend checking it out in the later half of the year!
And last, but certainly not least, I had to include a delicious tea that I recently finished up a bag of. Teavana's Marshmallow Macaron tea debued last spring, and is a wonderfully sweet caffeine free treat to have after dinner. It's got a fruity flavor with a sort of creamy finish and brews to a beautiful deep pink shade. Does it taste like a macaron? Not really. But it's got the same essence of a luxurious dessert that still makes me look forward to having a cup.
Have you finished up any products that you're loving lately? Or have you tried any of these products as well? Post a comment and let me know!
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