EMPTIES: September 2016

by - October 03, 2016


I keep a box next to my vanity where I just toss things when I'm done with them, so at the end of the month it's always a bit of a surprise what I've managed to go through. In the case of this month, I've some things that took me absolutely forever to get through, a few solid all-time favorites, and absolutely no makeup products. Admittedly, I feel like I've failed somehow when I don't get through any makeup products in a month. That being said, I'm going to be doing some more decluttering in February and there's a few products that I'm determined to work through, so look for more exciting empties next month!

If you want to check out what I used up in September, keep reading!


Live Clean Exotic Nectar Argan Oil Liquid Hand Soap - Always.
It's absolutely no surprise to anyone that reads this blog with any kind of frequency that I went through yet another bottle of the Live Clean Hand Soap, this time in the Argan Oil variety, because this is a staple in my bathroom and pretty much the only hand soap I want to use anymore. Period.

COLAB Sheer Invisible Dry Shampoo LONDON - Always.
Though there is one dry shampoo that I prefer to the COLAB, it's one that I can't easily find locally, and the COLAB Sheer Invisible is so good that I don't bother ordering the other one online. I go through these pretty consistently as well, though I do also share with my boyfriend and he loves it too. For me, this is a very close second to the EVA NYC one that is my holy grail and it gets my recommendation.

c.Booth Honey Almond Nourishing Bath & Body Wash - No.
This has been in my shower for a very, very long time. Probably too long. While I love the scent of it, I just found myself reaching for other body washes so I actually ended up using this up as a bubble bath. It gives pretty good bubbles and fills the tub with a really soft, lovely scent. Still, I won't repurchase this because it's just not my favorite.


VICHY Pureté Thermale Waterproof Eye Makeup Remover - Likely.
I really love this makeup remover and I've actually got another bottle in my beauty closet for when I get through some other ones that I'm trying to use up. I think this does a really good job of getting all traces of eye makeup off without any irritation or need to pull or rub at the skin. There's not much more you can say about a makeup remover, is there?

Super Facialist by Una Brennan Vitamin C Skin Refreshing Cleansing Oil - Likely.
Because I was trying out a lot of things from PR, this ended up in the closet for a long time until I found myself without a cleansing oil and went back to it... And man do I love it. I love the scent more than words can say, I love the soft, gentle feel on the skin, and the way it leaves my skin feeling when I'm done. I'm going to keep an eye out for another bottle of this at Winners, and if I see it I'll definitely pick it up.

L'Oreal REVITALIFT Bright Reveal Brightening Peel Pads - Likely.
I really, really enjoyed these. Like, a lot. I think they're a great addition at the drugstore, since the options for acid toner pads has been pretty slim up until now, and I think they're a fantastic way for people to move into using an acid in their routine since these are gentle but effective. I'm actually using a different acid at the moment, so I'm not going to repurchase these right away, but I will likely pick them up again in the future.

Garnier SKINACTIVE Micellar Water - Likely.
When it comes to value for your dollar with micellar water, this product is one of the best. While, for me, it doesn't quite live up to my Bioderma, I think this is a great product and a lot more affordable than the Bioderma, so it kind of all balances out. For me, this is probably the best affordable micellar water that I've tried and I would recommend it.

Dr. Jart+ Dermaclear Micro Water - No.
I think I got this teeny tiny sample in a Birchbox back when that was a thing in Canada and it kind of got shoved somewhere that I wasn't using it, so I decided I wanted to use it up. It was fine, honestly, but it didn't particularly impress me and I'd rather spend the money on Bioderma than this.


NIVEA Facial Cleansing Wipes - No.
These were fine, but I don't think I'll repurchase them because there are wipes that I just like better. I think these would be good wipes to throw in your gym back, because I prefer them for freshening up rather than removing makeup.

The Body Shop Himalayan Charcoal Purifying Clay Mask Sample - Maybe.
I love a clay mask, I really do, and I quite enjoyed this one. It had a cool feeling on the skin and my skin felt really clean but not dry when I rinsed it off. I would definitely consider picking this up when I don't have quite so many masks on hand.

The Body Shop Ethiopian Honey Deep Nourishing Mask - Absolutely Not.
Okay so.... There is nothing technically wrong with this mask, but I hated it. It has the texture of liquid honey, so it's thick and goopy and slimy and it smells really sweet. I definitely feel like it was doing something for my skin, but I had to wash it off after like 5 minutes because I hated how it felt. This is all personal preference... but no. Just no.

Global Beauty Control Retinol Makeup Cleansing Wipes - Maybe.
I picked these up at the dollar store because I was out and I actually really like the Global Beauty Control Retinol Sheet Masks. These were fine, but I actually ended up using them more for removing swatches than actually taking my makeup off my face. That said, they did do a decent job of taking my makeup off, and I'll still probably purchase them again just for swatches because I like cheap wipes for swatches.

The Body Shop Drops Of Youth Youth Cream - Unlikely.
I literally don't remember feeling anything about this product, which is actually how I usually feel when it comes to samples of moisturizer. I think I definitely need to use a moisturizer consistently for a couple of weeks at least to have a feeling about it. So... Yeah, I was neither impressed nor disappointed in this product.

VICHY LIFTACTIV SERUM 10 EYES & LASHES - Maybe.
This is another product that I think a sample doesn't do justice to. Because I've actually heard really amazing things about how this helps to give full, long lashes, I would really like to try it in a full size, but the number of uses I got out of a foil packet made no difference so I can hardly give an opinion. That said, I do want to give this product a real shot.

L'Occitane Almond Milk Concentrate - Always.
I AM OBSESSED WITH EVERYTHING ALMOND FROM L'OCCITANE. Seriously. If I had to choose one body lotion to use for the rest of my life, it would be this one. Not only does it smell absolutely incredible, but it actually really nourishes my skin and makes it feel super soft and hydrated. This is just an absolutely gorgeous lotion and I want ALL of it. Know what I mean?

LIFE brand Pore Cleansing Facial Sheet Mask - Always.
This is probably my most purchased and most used sheet mask because it's 1) Easy to get my hands on, 2) Affordable, and 3) Really, really works. My thing with sheet masks is pretty simple. I want them to feel good and soothing while I'm wearing them and give my a good skin day when I wake up the next morning. They don't all do that, but this one absolutely does. I like to use this when I'm having hormonal breakouts or congestion, because this really does help to just clean everything out. Love. Always, always repurchase.


This was a pretty mixed bag this month, as far as things that I liked and things that I didn't. Generally, I lean more towards repurchasing the things that I manage to get through - if only because I have so many options in my collection that I could be reaching for - but I'm trying to actually finish as much as I can, even if I don't love the products.

Anyway, I promise more makeup next month!

Thanks for reading!

You May Also Like

0 comments