Many April Beauty Empties
Well, I’ve done a pretty good job of using up beauty products during this COVID-19 lockdown. I had quite a few empties last month, and I’m also including some products that weren’t empty but needed to go…and I’ll explain why. Quick note about the photos in this post: I had to take them on a rainy day, so the lighting isn’t as good as I would have liked.
I did a fair amount of sheet masking in April, and I also used a couple Tatcha sample packets:
Would I Repurchase?
- Whole Foods 365 Fragrance Free Shower Gel: I repurchased this many times. They’ve reformulated and I started using it but don’t like it as much as the old formula. Womp-womp.
- Primera Alpine Berry Water Cream: love! I bought another jar with my Sephora Rouge discount.
- Dr. Bronner’s Unscented Organic Shaving Soap: this isn’t technically an empty; I squeeze this stuff into a soap pump that lives in the shower, because the formula is too runny for a tube format. So I still have some in the pump, but this tube is empty. I’ll repurchase again.
- Trilogy Ultra Hydrating Face Cream Mini: this came in last year’s Whole Foods beauty bag. I mostly used it while traveling, but decided to finish it up at home last month. I loved the rose scent, but wasn’t super into the cream itself. It’s very thick and somehow leaves my face feeling a little damp-sticky. Kind of odd.
- Garnier All-in-1 Micellar Cleansing Water: I’ve repurchased this many times. I’m going to try the Bioderma version next, but if I don’t like it I’ll go back to the Garnier.
- Thayer’s Unscented Facial Toner: I’ve already opened my next bottle.
- Dove 0% Aluminum Coconut & Pink Jasmine Deodorant: loved the smell, but it left my pits feeling sticky in warm weather. Eh, I’d skip this one.
- Supergoop! Invincible Setting Powder SPF 45: this stuff was ok. I liked the cucumber scent, but I wouldn’t use this as an everyday SPF. However, it’s good for a quick touchup or to keep in your bag for sun protection needs. I’m hanging onto this in case I decide to order a powder refill.
Masks and Friends
- Acure Radically Rejuvenating Under Eye Hydrogels: I’ve used these before and I like them. I’d buy again.
- Primera Lotus Seed Hydrating & Soothing Sheet Mask (gifted): I did buy one of these on my own and liked it, but this mask came in a prize pack that Primera sent me when they gifted some Instagrammers for posting about their products. I love this mask, and would repurchase!
- SkinPlanet Selection Prestige Gold Lifting Mask: this was the last FaceTory mask in my stash. My face got slightly itchy after using it, so I wouldn’t buy it.
- Karuna Hydrating+ Face Mask: I received this mask in my Winter FabFitFun box and liked it. I’d purchase this one.
- Tatcha Luminous Dewy Sheet Mask: LOVE. I just bought a 4-pack with my Sephora Rouge discount.
- FaceTory Be Bright Be You Brightening Gold Foil Mask: I did like this one and would buy it.
- Trader Joe’s Pumpkin Spice Biocellulose Face Mask: I hope these come back in the fall…if they do, I’ll buy a few.
- Wander Beauty Rose Gold Baggage Claim Eye Masks: love these! This was my last one and I forgot to order more with my Rouge Discount. Whoopsie! I’ll buy more eventually.
- Skyn Iceland Hydro Cool Firming Eye Gels (gifted): these are great! I would totally buy them in the future.
- Tatcha The Essence: I finally tried this sample. It’s hard to judge a product from one use, but I did like it and would consider buying the product someday.
- Tatcha The Rice Polish Deep: I used this in the shower and felt like my skin looked so clean and luminous afterward. I’d love to buy it.
These are the products I’m tossing, for various reasons:
Why Am I Tossing?
- Dermelect Cosmeceuticals Self Esteem Beauty Sleep Serum: I received this in my Fall FabFitFun box and made the mistake of opening and trying it once before I was really ready to start using it (I’m also using Farmacy Honeymoon Glow, a similar product). Recently I opened this bottle and found that the product color had changed and it smelled sweet, like maple syrup. So, unfortunately, I had to toss this one. I’m bummed.
- Cosmedix Pure C Vitamin C Mixing Crystals: another Fall FFF product. I was mixing this in with moisturizer but didn’t see any results. After being open for just two or three months it became really hard to shake the powder out of the container, so I stopped using it. Love the concept but definitely wouldn’t buy.
- Harper + Ari Exfoliating Sugar Cubes: yet another Fall FFF item. In hindsight, my Fall box was probably my least favorite. I’ve never really loved using these cubes, even after cutting them in half because a whole cube was way too much for my body. I don’t have the patience for these…they take forever to melt down and are actually rough on the skin. Another cool concept that just didn’t work out for me.
- thisworks Deep Sleep Pillow Spray: I received this in my Spring FFF box last year. I actually did like this spray but I didn’t use it up quickly enough and it started to smell off. So in the trash it goes.
- Farmacy Bright On Vitamin C Mask: I really liked this mask but again, didn’t use it up quickly enough. I tried to use it a couple weeks ago but the color had changed, so I decided it was time to go. The mask is supposed to come out of the tube purple and turns green as you massage it in. This time it was a grayish green right out of the tube. There wasn’t much left, so I don’t feel too bad about throwing it out.
- Boscia Luminizing Black Mask: another mask that I didn’t use quickly enough. I tried to use it last week but the product had separated and started coming out sort of a clear-ish gray. There wasn’t much left of this mask, either. I do have an unopened backup of the pink version of this mask, so hopefully that one’s okay to use!
So I guess I’ve learned some things here: don’t open products before you’re *really* ready to start using them. And once you do open them, use them up before they turn! I have so many masks in my stash, I need to make more of a dent before I can buy any more.
I hope you’re doing okay in lockdown. Stay safe, everyone!!
