Empties #7: Products I've Used Up + Mini Review

More empties! I am doing really well with using up products, especially some that I know are going to expire or that I don't really care for. By the time I end up posting this, I will already have a few more empties to go into the next post! I may be able to do one of these a month at this rate.

Then I accidentally overwrote the bottom part of the post and I don't feel like doing it again because no one is going to read it anyway.

Bath & Body Works Candles in Honolulu Sun, Hawaiian Hibiscus, and Georgia Peach: I loved all of these scents, but I have to admit that I'm really sick of Honolulu Sun. I had the soap and hand sanitizer in addition to the candle, so I was happy to see this one go. I have a ton of candle backups, so there are more to be burned other than these ones. Would I repurchase? Right now, I'm done with all these scents. I wasn't a huge fan of the Hawaiian Hibiscus because I thought it would be the same as the hand sanitizer that I liked. 

Missha Creamy Latte Chocolate Cleansing Foam: I've talked about this cleanser before and my love for it. It just smells so good. I don't think you need an expensive cleanser because most of them clean the same, but it is nice to have a cleanser that you like to use. I still have a strawberry one that I haven't opened, but I will be using that soon! Would I repurchase? Probably during a sale where I can buy a few things, but I have plenty of cleansers that I'm rotating through right now. 

Anosa Tea Tree Herbal Toner: Before I rediscovered Benton and found Paula's Choice, I was a huge fan of Anosa toners. This is one of the two toners that I had and this was my favorite because I was big into tea tree products. Would I repurchase? Not anytime soon because I prefer Paula's Choice skincare, which is easier to find in the states.

Mizon Snail Repair Eye Cream: I had this eye cream forever. It's a huge jar for something that is just an eye cream. I have some face creams that are in jars of similar size. This was honestly nothing special to me, but I did like it at first. Would I repurchase? No. I have plenty of other eye creams that I would rather use.

Clinique Turnaround Overnight Radiance Moisturizer: I really liked this for a thicker nighttime moisturizer. I do like Clinique as a brand, but I find them more on the pricey side. I kept using this to use it up because it was almost gone, but I definitely prefer this in the winter when my skin is drier. Would I repurchase? Probably when it gets cooler out again but I would more than likely try to get it on sale.

It's Skin Power 10 CO Effector: This Korean brand makes one of the favorite serums. I really like these for the day because they aren't too heavy. I started with the VC Effector and decided to try a couple others. This one was heavily scented for some reason, so I didn't care for this one as much. Would I repurchase? I definitely prefer the VC Effector to this one and I wouldn't buy this one again.

Sulwhasoo Concentrated Ginseng Renewing Eye Cream: I wanted to try this because I really loved the Concentrated Ginseng Renewing cream for the face. I like that the eye cream came in a tube because eye cream in pots are usually terrible to use because it gets difficult to apply. The full

Skin79 Super Plus BB Cream: I think this is the saddest empty. Because of the packaging, I didn't even realize I was running out until the last pump. I really like the whole line of Skin79's BB Creams, but this one might be my favorite because it's so low maintenance. Would I repurchase? I definitely will be buying another, but I have so many BB Creams that I want to use up one or two before I indulgence in this.

MAC Skin Base Visage: I'm really surprised that this primer lasted as long as it did. It is also housed in similar packaging as the Skin79 BB Cream, so I never knew how much was left. I had a love/hate relationship with this primer, but it was ultimately just okay and I did think it was overpriced. Would I repurchase? No. I'm over this primer and on to other ones. I have a couple different ones on my list to get.

Maybelline The Falsies Volume Express Mascara: This mascara is probably one of my favorites from the drugstore, but this one had just been hanging around in my makeup bag begging to be thrown away. I really like the spoon brush on this mascara. Would I repurchase? Probably at some point.

Inglot Matte Gel Eyeliner in #85: I really loved this gel eyeliner, but I found that it got old and dried up. I can't tell you how many years I've been holding on to this sucker. Probably at least four. I felt that it was time to get rid of it. Would I repurchase? Probably not. I like the black one, but I don't use the colors too often.

Smashbox Photo Finish Primer: I finally finished the last of this primer and I managed to also lose the cap. I used to use this all the time back when it was the only other primer I owned. I have a few others that I've been reaching for, but I do really like this one. Would I repurchase? Not any time soon, but only because I have a backup full size and a trial size that I got in an Ipsy bag. I think I'm all set for now!

Alpha Hydrox AHA Souffle: I feel like it's been a bit since this has appeared in my empties. I've moved on to Paula's Choice for my acids, but I do want to work through my back ups of this. I did like it when I used it, but I prefer the Paula's Choice line. Would I repurchase? Not anymore.

Bath & Body Works Beautiful Day Fragrance Mist: This was a nice scent, but I got sick of it pretty quickly. I don't think it's something that I would buy again and I'm glad I didn't get this scent in any other forms. Would I repurchase? Nope.

Empties #6 | Products I've Used Up + Mini Review

Lots of big empties! I know I have three hand sanitizers that I used up recently, but I think they got lost in my move. I did pack up these empty things so I could take pictures and then throw everything away. I am on a mission to use up a bunch of products, so I'm sure I'll start doing a project pan style clean out.

I also feel like I'm sick of talking about empties so I'm going to attempt to make this short and sweet.

Bath & Body Works Sweet Magnolia & Clementine Shea & Fruit Body Scrub: I tend to use scrubs in the shower more often than soap or regular body wash. As I showed in my haul, I bought a ton of scrubs. I really like spring and summer scents, so I tend to hoard those so I can use them in the winter. I think I prefer the crushed coconut body scrubs that I'm using right now, but this was nice. I'm not sure if the beads are the kind that never break down though. Would I repurchase? I wish they made a candle in this scent. I'm thinking of getting this scent in the lotion during the next sale though.

Bath & Body Works Forever Sunshine Triple Moisture Body Lotion: I used this up pretty quickly because I try to use lotion when I get out of the shower. I liked the scent and I like how quickly Bath & Body Works lotions absorb because then I don't feel wet or sticky after putting on lotion. Would I repurchase? Not in this scent. There's a few different ones I want to buy instead.

Skinfood Milk Shake Point Eye Makeup Remover: When I stopped using the Missha cleansing oil that took off all my makeup, I needed to use a separate remover. I really like this one. It didn't sting my eyes and got everything off. Would I repurchase? Not anytime soon. I really like this, but it's something I generally have to order from Korea and I'm using a Missha cleansing water that does remove my mascara.

Secret Key Snail+EGF Repairing Toner: I don't think I've ever talked about this toner before because there was never a lot left in this bottle. This is one of my favorite Korean toners and I was sad that it was almost gone, so I never used it again. I was on a mission to finish up some products and this only had a few more uses in it, so I sadly killed it. Would I repurchase? Someday. I still want to use up a bunch of things and I have to order this from Korea.

Neutrogena Oil Free Moisture with SPF 35: I used this every day for almost a year. I'm surprised this moisturizer lasted so long. It's nothing special, just a moisturizer with SPF. I liked it, but I'm not sure I would want to go through another one. Would I repurchase? I get bored using the same things all the time, which is why I have a million things. I have a Paula's Choice SPF moisturizer that I'm currently using and I don't think I need another.

Etude House AC Clinic Daily Acne Foam Cleanser: This was one of my favorite cleansers that I kept with only a handful of uses in the bottle. This only took about a week or so to finish up. I really liked using this again. Would I repurchase? Definitely! But after I use up some other cleansers. I think I have ten or so to finish.

Philosophy Purity: I hated this. I know this cleanser gets rave reviews online, but it isn't pure and it smells. I'm so glad I didn't purchase the large size of this cleanser when I bought the baby bottle on sale. I ended up using the rest of it to wash my brushes and it didn't even work that well for that. Would I repurchase? Absolutely never.

Missha Time Revolution Night Repair Science Activator Ampoule: This lasted a crazy long time. I bought this in November during one of the Black Friday sales. I didn't think my other ones lasted quite as long, but I won't complain. This isn't exactly a cheap item. Thankfully I had a backup that I finally cracked into or I would need to reorder. Would I repurchase? Definitely, but I'll wait until the next 30% or 40% off sale.

Cocoa Pink Junkett Creme Conditioner in Caramel Popcorn Balls: This took forever to finish, which isn't a bad thing. The conditioner I'm currently using will probably take less time because my hair is longer now. I was using this conditioner when my hair was a lot shorter. Would I repurchase? I'm beyond sick of this scent now, which is great because I have a lotion in this scent. I also recently purchased two more of the Junkett in different scents, so I won't need to buy any in a long time.

Mizon Returning Starfish Cream: I loved this cream. It was my holy grail moisturizer this winter because my skin was so dry. I loved being able to slather this all over my face before going to bed. I used to apply a sleeping pack, which is a Korean style night moisturizer, but I didn't need to use any this winter. Would I repurchase? Definitely, but not until the cold weather because I don't need that much moisture now that it is so hot out.

I'm going to be super brief with my sample packets except for a few. 

Holika Holika Pig Nose Clear Black Head Strips: It's a blackhead strip. You wet it, it dries, it rips crap out of your nose. Great. Would I repurchase? Nope. I have plenty of these and others.

Holika Holika Aqua Fantasy Cream: I really love this, but the full jar is pricey, so I bought like 25 samples. I was using this on a daily basis and then we moved. I had more than three packets, but I don't know where those went. Would I repurchase? Nah. I have other things I use, and the jar is expensive. I don't want a ton of samples hanging around anymore.

Sephora Age Defy Under Eye Cream: This was nice. Then I forgot the packet was open and it completely dried out. Would I repurchase? If it were on sale and I was looking for an eye cream, maybe.

Laura Geller Spackle Bronze Tinted Primer: I didn't really care for this. It was okay. Would I repurchase? I would probably never buy a full size of this and I have plenty of other primers.

Nesura Deep Pore Charcoal Nose Strip: I actually liked this one. The only downside is that the strip is black and sometimes leaves black gunk around my nose after I peel it off. Would I repurchase? I have plenty of nose strips. 

Bobbi Brown Extra Repair Moisture Cream: This was really thick and nice, but it had a weird added fragrance smell. I don't think this is something I would want on my face all the time. Would I repurchase? Nope, but I'd use another sample.

Innisfree Apple Juicy Liquid Foaming Cleanser: I have a ton of cleanser samples, but I never use them because I have so many full size cleansers to work through. I had to stay overnight at Shaun's sister's apartment with him and didn't want to drag a full bottle with me, so this was good for two face washes. I like the smell of the Apple Juicy line, since I have a cleansing cream as well, so this was really nice. Would I repurchase? This is one that I would consider after I use up a bunch of other cleansers. 

L'Oreal Voluminous Butterfly Mascara: I talked about this in a recent favorites post. I really liked this mascara, mainly for the brush. It's possible that this is my favorite drugstore mascara. Would I repurchase? I have a lot of samples left to use up, but I will definitely be buying another one of these. There's also another version I might want to try too.

Shiseido Facial Cotton: I love these. I didn't think it was possible to love cotton squares, but these are fantastic. The ones I used to buy from the drugstore would pill up and leave cotton particles all over my face while toning or using something like a liquid exfoliater These cotton squares are perfect and end up costing less than the drugstore ones. I think there's 165 in a package for $10 and I usually buy a 30 or 60 pack of drugstore ones for $3 or so. Would I repurchase? Ha. That's a trick question. I'm currently into a new bag of cotton and then have another backup. I can get these at Sephora or online at Nordstrom where they're on sale from time to time.

Bath & Body Works Candles in Oceanside, Mango Dragon Fruit, Caribbean Escape, Love and Sunshine, Watermelon Lemonade, and Cherry Blossom Sangria: Bath & Body Works are the only candles I burn because they smell so good. The trick is to buy them when they're 2 for $24 or 50% off. I would never buy one of these candles for $23 a piece. That's too expensive. I tend to rotate them so that they all burn up at the same time. Would I repurchase? I currently have 8 candles that I'm working through right now, but it's time for the Semi-Annual sale where most of them are between $11 and $12 each, so I'll definitely be a buying a few more before the sale ends.

Empties #4 | Products I've Used Up + Mini Review!

I didn't want to hoard my trash for as long as I did last time. It's easier to do empties posts if there aren't quite as many things to talk about. 

Mizon Snail Repair Intensive Ampoule: I used to use this as my day ampoule, just like the other Mizon one that I featured in my last empties post. I prefer the snail one to the collagen one, but I will probably continue to purchase the It's Skin one because I like that one the best. Would I repurchase? No, not right now. Maybe at some point.

Tony Moly Intense Care Snail Cream: I talked about this in a couple past favorites posts. I'm glad that I finally used it up because it was getting old. There's also a companion eye cream that came in the set that I should also think about using up. This was a really thick and moisturizing cream that really saved my dry and flaky skin this winter. Would I repurchase? As much as I loved it, I don't think so. There's other creams that I've purchased that I like just as much.

Missha Flower Bouquet Skin Fresh Cleansing Oil in Cherry Blossom: I loved this from the second that I bought it. I got this during the Missha Thanksgiving sale, so it definitely lasted a pretty long time. I haven't decided which new cleansing oil to try next, but Missha can do no wrong when it comes to cleansers. Would I repurchase? Definitely. I want to use up other ones before I do, though. Probably next big sale Missha has.

Benton Snail Bee High Content Essense: This is my second or third empty bottle of this product. Benton produces some really nice skincare products that aren't too expensive that have great ingredients in them. This is probably one of my favorites. I use this in the day and night after my ampoule. Would I repurchase? I already have a new one going, but I'll definitely get another when that one starts getting low because I have to order internationally.

It's Skin Power 10 VC Effector: I wish I could find a larger size bottle of this ampoule. I don't think this lasts as long as my Missha one, which is 50mL compared to 30mL. I probably should have considered buying two of them. This is the best ampoule that I've found for daytime that has gotten me over Missha discontinuing the one from their Near Skin line. Would I repurchase? Already have another one. I'm thinking of trying out a different one than the VC, but also ordering one of those as well and keeping stocked on ampoules.

ElishaCoy Vita Capsule Cleanser: This used to be my favorite cleanser when I first started using Korean products. I would go through spurts where I would use it a ton and then stop because I didn't want to use it up. Well, that's dumb. I knew that I would need to finish it at some point, so I did. I still really like this cleanser, but there are others that I also like. Would I repurchase? Maybe at some point, but I have so many cleansers that I need to use up first.

Holika Holika Pig Nose Clear Black Head Strip: Nothing special here. This is just a pore strip for your nose that is supposed to pull out blackheads. I've had a box of these lying around for a while, so I figured I should maybe use one. Would I repurchase? Probably not. I have a ton of nose strips because I bought this box of ten and a box from another brand.

Alpha Hydrox Retinol ResQ: I was confused as to how I was out of this already because there was another tube in my last empties, but that's because I went from doing one empties post in November to the next in January! I use this nightly, so I think that's why I managed to polish off two tubes. Would I repurchase? I actually bought a Neutrogena retinol instead this time just so my skin would get too used to this one. I haven't used the Neutrogena for long enough to decide if I like it better.

beautyblender sponge: Look at this thing. It's gross. Obviously I didn't wash it because I was just going to throw it away after cutting it in half to make sure it didn't have any mold in the center. I saw someone talking about how since these sponges harbor bacteria and stay damp that they can mold. I was curious. I've had this sponge since I think September or October, so I figured it was time to let go. Not too far into using this sponge, it tore near the bottom. That was me squeezing foundation out of it and being too rough with my nails. Lesson learned. I love beautyblenders. I don't apply my makeup with anything else. Would I repurchase? I did buy a two pack, so I have another that I'm currently using and I ended up buying a second two pack during a beauty.com sale so I plenty of beautyblenders.

Bath & Body Works candles in Twisted Peppermint, Frosted Cranberry, Winter Candy Apple, and Fresh Sparkling Snow: I really like Bath & Body Works candles. It really annoys me that you can never 100% burn the candle because the wick only lasts so long. Fresh Sparkling Snow was my favorite scent and it had the best throw. I really wish they made other products in this scent, but they don't. I thought they would because Twisted Peppermint has a bunch of lotions and body care things. Would I repurchase? I just bought a bunch of summer candles, so yes. If these scents are available next year, I'll definitely get Fresh Sparkling Snow and possible Twisted Peppermint.

Ten Products I Regret Buying

Everyone inevitably buys a few things they let sit around and collect dust. As someone who likes to try new products on a regular basis, I have plenty of things kicking around that I either regret purchasing or dutifully use and will definitely not repurchase.

These aren't in any particular order, so I'll try to follow the way they're arranged in the photo.

Kuan Yuan Lian Acne Deep Sodium Salicylic Milk - Okay, this isn't necessarily the worst thing I've ever bought, but it doesn't really work and the actual product is extremely watery. I've used more than half of this and I'm definitely not buying it again. I already have a fairly decent acne product line from Etude House that I prefer. 

MAC Prep+Prime Skin Base Visage - I've used this plenty, but I really don't think a lotion based primer with subtle glitter is worth $30 because...THIRTY DOLLARS. Why did I buy this again? I don't even know if I want to finish it off because I'm really loving my new Smashbox primer.

Holika Holika Wine Therapy Sleeping Pack in Red Wine - I originally thought the packaging for this was cute, because it's a wine barrel. There is another type of this sleeping pack made with white wine for acne prone skin, which I'm sure I would have liked better. I bid on both through eBay and ended up with this version. I'm not exaggerating when I say it's like smearing grape jelly on your face. Do not like. Will not finish. Won't even try the white wine one, which is lotion and not a gel.

Philosophy Purity Cleanser - I bought the very small bottle of this to try out when Nordstrom was having a site wide beauty sale. So many people talk about this cleanser so I thought I'd give it a shot. It's an all right cleanser. It gets the job done, but I wouldn't be interested in a larger size. The small 3oz was $10 before my discount and the next size up is 8oz at $23! I have more than enough cleansers to last past the new year so I don't need to buy this one again.  

Lioele Water Drop Sleeping Pack - This is one of those products that will probably get used but won't be repurchased. I'm not even kidding when I say it was one of my first Korean skincare products. It was great when I bought it and the water drop effect was really cool, but it isn't as moisturizing as my other night creams. I only use this when I'm staying somewhere overnight and don't want my face to be a greasy mess when I wake up. 

Inglot Lip Palette - Don't get me wrong, I love Inglot as a brand and I also really like the lipsticks I own from them, but I seriously never use the THREE lip palettes that I own. It has nothing to do with the colors or formula, I just prefer a lipSTICK to a lip palette. I don't like using a brush and touching up lips with an entire palette is just a pain. I'm actually sad about this one because I do like the colors I own and these were pretty spendy.

Milani Shadow Eyez Pencil in Champagne Toast - I hate this. I used it once and couldn't get even color on my lid. I figured this would be more travel friendly than a pot of cream eye shadow, but it didn't work for me. The color that did get on my lid never set and I had to take it off. I like other Milani products, but I won't be trying this in any other colors.

Sigma Eyeliner in Focus - I could not get this to show up on my eye no matter what. Maybe it's because it's a lighter shade, but it swatched great on my hand. It also dragged when I tried to apply it to my lower lash line and was gone almost immediately. I have another color in this formula and I don't hate it as much as this one.

MAC Beauty Powder in Shell Pearl - I have a decent amount of MAC products, so it seems appropriate to not like them all. There's a few I've sold and plan on selling, and this is the next one in the pile. It's just not my color and it's way too shimmery for my cheeks. 

But that's only NINE, you say?

Never fear, I also regret buying pretty much every lip product I own from Covergirl and Revlon. It's honestly not that I hate these, it's just that I never wear them. I guess I hate the Covergirl ones more because they've dried out a bit and now slide out of the twisty tubes, whereas the Revlon ones don't. I've never had good luck with Covergirl products in general so this doesn't surprise me. I also don't wear lip gloss anymore, so it seems silly to own so much of it. I think since I only wear lipstick when I'm working that I'll try wearing lip gloss when I'm not. I just hate trashing products that I've spent money on. 

That's it. I'm sure a favorite post at the end of the month with redeem some of these brands listed here.