Let’s talk trash! I’ve been saving my empties since June (oops), and there are quite a few this time (to put it lightly). I divided it into sections, so I hope that helps. Buckle up, grab a drink and stay a while!
Haircare:
Living Proof Perfect Hair Day Shampoo and Conditioner
This shampoo and conditioner made my hair feel really soft and look clean longer than other shampoos and conditioners I’ve used. I love how Living Proof products smell, and these were obviously no exception. These were nice, but they’re really spendy, so I probably wouldn’t splurge on the full sizes.
Biolage Ultra HydraSource Conditioning Balm
This made my hair so soft and smooth! I love it. I used this whenever I use my scalp shampoo, and I just love it. I used it more often in the winter time, and I feel like it conditioned my hair really well without weighing it down at all.
Living Proof Restore Mask Treatment
Again, Living Proof products obviously smell amazing. This also made my hair crazy soft, and it made my hair feel just so strong and healthy. Since it was a little travel size, it didn’t last me very long, but I liked it while it lasted.
Macadamia Deep Repair Masque
I think this is one of my favorite hair masks of all time. It smells really good, it makes my hair feel so soft and it also helps manage frizz really well. It especially helped my hair in winter, but I’ve used it in the summer months and it still didn’t weigh my hair down. Since I like this so much, I don’t use it very often, maybe about once a month or so. If you want an awesome hair mask, definitely give this a try. I got this at TJ Maxx on sale, so check there!
Batiste Dry Shampoo: Wild Sassy & Daring
One of the first things I learned working at Ulta was that people are OBSESSED with Batiste dry shampoo. Seriously. This stuff always flies off the shelves regardless of it’s on sale or not. Around the holidays, Ulta had a little trio set so I bought it to see what all the hype was about. I love this scent! I don’t use dry shampoo that often, but I really liked this. It absorbed the oil well, the scent wasn’t overwhelming and it was easy to work into my hair without leaving sticky residue.
Living Proof Style Lab Instant Texture Mist
I loved this also! I almost always shower at night and let it air dry because I have a lot of coarse hair. This added nice texture and volume to my hair without being sticky or anything. I like to scrunch my hair, and I thought this worked really well for that. I feel like I have other products I also like better that are a little cheaper, but this sample size was really nice.
Skincare:
Glamglow Youth Cleanse Daily Exfoliating Cleanser
I can’t remember where I got this little sample size, but I really liked it! My face felt really smooth afterwards, and I didn’t feel like it overexfoliated my skin at all. It has a lot of small little beads in it, and those helped exfoliate my face while also cleansing at the same time. If Glamglow wasn’t so darn expensive, I’d definitely buy this, but not right now.
Simple Cleansing Micellar Water
I thought I liked this a lot until I got the Garnier micellar water, which I discuss below. This worked well for my face but not my eyes. Overall, I thought this was just okay. It removed some of my face makeup, but not all of it, unless I used multiple cotton rounds. My face did feel soft afterwards, but I feel like this didn’t work well enough for me to buy it again.
Bath & Body Works Cucumber Melon Shower Gel
I bought this on the Bath & Body Works’ website sometime last year when they brought back some retired fragrances. Omg I should’ve bought like six of these. Cucumber melon used to be one of my favorite scents when I was younger, and I was psyched to be able to buy this again. I love B&BW shower gels, and this was obviously no exception. It smelled great, and it made my skin feel clean and smooth.
Acure Unscented Argan Oil Cleansing Towelettes
I did not like these. I think I only used two or three before I gave up. I got this at TJ Maxx I believe, so it was under $5. I’ve tried other things from Acure before and really liked them, but this was a fail for me. The towelettes had a heavier scent than I’m used to with other cleansing wipes, and I feel like they barely removed any of my face makeup.
Olay Fresh Effects S’Wipe Out Refreshing Makeup Removal Cloths
These had a slight scent to them, but it wasn’t overwhelming at all. I didn’t use these on my eyes, but they worked well for removing makeup on the rest of my face. I’d probably buy these again sometime in the future, especially if they were on sale.
Aveeno Positively Radiant Makeup Removing Wipes
I really liked these as well! I also only used these on my face, and they did remove my makeup pretty well. I don’t think they really made a big difference in making my face look any brighter or more radiant, but they did make my skin feel soft.
Aveeno Ultra-Calming Makeup Removing Wipes
I also really liked these! They worked well on my whole face, as well as my eyes. They had a light scent, and I was surprised at how much makeup they removed, to be honest. These were drier than other wipes I’ve used in the past, but they worked just as well if not better. I’d probably buy these again sometime in the future.
Yes to Grapefruit Brightening Facial Wipes
These were interesting. Since the packaging said these help exfoliate, I didn’t use them on my eye area. They had a nice, light grapefruit scent, and these were much wetter than the other wipes in this post. I didn’t feel like they were too exfoliating, and even though they were pretty saturated, I felt like they didn’t remove my makeup as well as other wipes I’ve used recently. I probably wouldn’t buy these again.
Pacifica Essential Makeup Removing Wipes
I’ve tried a ton of things from Pacifica and loved them, but I wasn’t a big fan of this. I used these on both my face and my eyes, and it did remove my face makeup well. I don’t wear waterproof eye makeup, but these didn’t really remove any of my eyeliner or mascara, so I probably wouldn’t buy them again.
Sephora Waterproof Eye Makeup Remover
Ugh this is my favorite eye makeup remover ever. It gets rid of my eye makeup so easily, and I will definitely buy this again sometime in the future. Like I said, I don’t wear waterproof eye makeup, but some of my makeup is stubborn. This removed everything so quickly without leaving any oily residue.
Garnier SkinActive Micellar Cleansing Water
I’ve already repurchased this, so that should tell you how much I love this. This works WAY better than the Simple micellar water, and you get more for less money. It even works well on my eyes, even though it’s not a waterproof formula. This didn’t make my face as soft as the Simple one, but it removed more makeup.
Mario Badescu Cucumber Cleansing Lotion
I love Mario Badescu skincare products. This sample size is one of my favorite toners because it has a light scent and it doesn’t leave my face feeling tight or stretched like other toners. Nothing else needs to be said!
Sunday Riley Tidal Brightening Enzyme Water Cream
I can’t remember if this was a rewards perk or free sample from Sephora, but either way I love this. It made my face feel super hydrated, and it didn’t have much of a scent to it at all. I especially liked using this at night so my face felt really moisturized in the morning. I’ve heard this brand is really spendy, so I probably won’t buy this in the near future, but it did work really well!
belief The True Cream Aqua Bomb
This was a rewards perk from Sephora as well, and it was seriously so good. I used this both morning and night, and my face felt so soft and moisturized. This sample size lasted me longer than I thought it would because a little bit goes a long way.
Whish Body Wash: Coconut
This was so nice! It cleansed and moisturized my skin well without making it feel tight like other cleansers (see below). It had a light coconut scent, but it didn’t linger and it wasn’t too overpowering. I got this mini in a little trio set from Ulta a month or so ago when it was on clearance. I like other body washes more, so I probably wouldn’t buy this again, but I did like it.
Mario Badescu A.H.A. Botanical Body Soap
As you can tell, I didn’t use all of this up. I used it a few times, and it made my skin feel tight like I was using a bar of soap or something. I usually love Mario Badescu products, but this one was a dud for me.
Makeup:
Smashbox Photo Finish Foundation Pore Minimizing Primer
I really liked this little sample! It has a tint to it, like Benefit’s Porefessional primer, but I felt like this worked better for my skin. It minimized my pores really well and created a smooth canvas for applying foundation and the rest of my makeup.
Lorac POREfaction Mattifying Face Primer
I LOVED this little sample size. I feel like this is one of the best mattifying primers I’ve ever used. It had a silicon-type consistency, and it was clear, so it blended into my skin nicely. This also minimized my pores really well. If this ever goes on sale at Ulta, or whenever I redeem my points, I definitely want to pick up the full size.
MAC Prep + Prime Base
I also liked this little sample size product. It made my face feel really soft and smooth, but it didn’t control my oil as well throughout the day as other primers I’ve tried.
Maybelline Dream Wonder Powder: Porcelain Ivory
As you can tell, I didn’t use this fully up either. I thought this was a good color match for me, and the powder was nice and soft. But the powder broke really easily. I kept this in my purse, and even if the cover was closed, I noticed more and more of the powder broke up. Whenever I opened the compact, powder would spill out, so I just gave up.
Rimmel Stay Matte Long Lasting Pressed Powder: Transparent
I love this powder so much. It mattifies my face really well, no matter what foundation I use. I do have to blot around lunch time, but that’s typical for me. I think even though this shade is called transparent, it still added some nice coverage to my face. #palegirl
Lancome Teint Idole Ultra Makeup: 210 Buff N
I picked this up around the holidays when we got our extra discount at Ulta. This has great coverage, and it lasts really well throughout the day. It does oxidize a bit darker during the day, but this seems to be a really good color match for me. If it wasn’t so expensive, I’d probably buy it again.
Kat Von D Tattoo Liner: Trooper
This is a really great liquid eyeliner. This little sample size lasted me quite a while, and the tip didn’t fray like other felt tip liners I’ve used in the past. It’s super black, and it lasted really well without fading throughout the day.
Lancome Grandiose Mascara
I got this from Sephora last fall I think, and it was well past time to get rid of it. I loved it at first. It has such a unique brush, and I thought it did a great job of separating my lashes and giving great lift. Once the formula started to dry out more, I found it was harder to get the same results, so I probably wouldn’t buy this again.
CoverGirl Clump Crusher Mascara
This is one of my all time favorite mascaras. It’s the only one that works well on my lower lash line without smudging, even though it’s not waterproof. I also love this because it works so well both on its own or layered over another mascara that clumps up. It defines my lashes really well, it’s super black, and it lasts well throughout the day. I’ve already repurchased this, and I’m sure I’ll continue to do so.
Smashbox X-Rated Mascara
This sample was another mascara I loved at first. It gave my lashes great volume, length and definition. It has a wetter formula, which I usually don’t like because my lashes can clump up after a while. And that’s exactly what happened with this one. As the formula dried out, my lashes became spider city. No thank you!
Maybelline Lash Sensational Mascara
This is another one of my all time favorite mascaras. The brush curves a bit more than the Cover Girl one, but I really love them both. This gives my lashes great separation, definition, length and volume. One coat is all you need, and I’ve already repurchased this as well.
NYX Control Freak Eyebrow Gel
I really liked this! I use powder on my eyebrows, and this clear gel helps the powder last longer since I have oily skin. I feel like you get a lot of product for a low price, so I’ll probably buy this again in the future.
Too Faced La Creme Lipstick: Bumbleberry
As you can tell, this is also not used up all the way. This was my favorite holy grail lipstick until it fell on the ground, got covered in dog hair and was dented. It’s a soft, very moisturizing formula, so it dented really easily when it fell. I was so sad about this loss. I got this for $8 as a beauty steal at Ulta last year, so if this is part of the beauty steals again sometime in the future, I’ll definitely try it again.
Acure Dark Chocolate + Mint Argan Oil Lip Balm
I’ve loved this chapstick for a really long time. They changed their packaging a few months ago, and I stock piled both with the old packaging (on the right) and the new packaging. This makes my lips feel really soft and moisturized, and it preps my lips well for liners and lipsticks. This has definitely become holy grail status for me.
Other:
Boscia Pink Peppermint Blotting Linens
I love these. They were on sale for $6 on the Sephora website, so I bought a bunch of them. $6 for 100 blotting tissues isn’t bad at all! They have a very light scent, but it doesn’t linger on your skin. These are bigger than other brands’ blotting tissues, and I loved that. I’d definitely recommend these if you’re looking for some blotting tissues!
Boscia Black Charcoal Blotting Linens
I tried these on a whim from Sephora, and I really liked them. They didn’t have an overwhelming scent to them, and I felt like they worked well. The peppermint ones felt more refreshing, but they probably removed the same amount of oil without removing my makeup.
NYX Green Tea Blotting Paper
I liked these but didn’t love them. They are smaller than the Boscia ones, but they did a nice job of removing my makeup. I had to use more of them at a time since they’re smaller, and I feel like these didn’t do as good a job as other blotting tissues I’ve used. I also didn’t like the packaging because they didn’t pop up. I probably wouldn’t buy these again, but if your skin is more combo than straight oily, these may work better for you.
247 Oil Control Blotting Tissues: Tea Tree
I used these up, but I wasn’t the biggest fan. These were even smaller, but I liked how these popped up in the packaging. They removed some of my oil, but they didn’t work as well as I would have liked.
Tokidoki Cartina Blotting Papers
I got these from a beauty blogger, and I loved these! The packaging was great, and they worked so well. I’m not sure where to find these, but if I can find them, I’d definitely want to buy them for myself.
Clean & Clear Oil Absorbing Sheets
Again, here’s another product I never actually finished. I didn’t like how these felt. They almost felt rubbery, and they didn’t seem to absorb much of my oil at all. They worked in a pinch, but I wouldn’t buy these again.
Cutex Advanced Revival Nail Polish Remover
I got this for free from an Influenster box, and it’s amazing! I got a box of five wipes, I believe, and I can’t recommend this highly enough. One wipe removes nail polish from all ten fingers so easily, and they don’t have a strong scent like typical nail polish removers. I will definitely buy these sometime in the future!
Sephora Daily Makeup Brush Cleaner
I’ve talked about this before, and it’s still my favorite. It does a great job of cleaning my brushes between deep cleanings. It doesn’t leave a scent on your brushes, and I just love it.
Whew, it feels good to finally get rid of all of these! I don’t know why I waited so long between empties posts, but dang.
What products have you used up lately, and what did you think of them?
