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Final Empties of 2021!
Happy Almost 2022! 2021 has been another shitshow of a year due to the pandemic, though there have been some brighter spots and moments of hope (hooray for vaccines and boosters!!). On that note, PLEASE get vaccinated or boosted if you haven’t already. DC is currently in its most widespread COVID-19 outbreak yet due to the new, incredibly contagious omicron variant. Though the outbreak is blasting its way through the city, vaccines and boosters fortunately seem to protect most folks from more severe cases. Thank you for coming to my very unoriginal TED Talk.
Moving on…let’s take a look at the bulk of my beauty empties from December 2021. I had quite a few!
Would I Repurchase?
- Olaplex No. 4 Bond Maintenance Shampoo and No. 5 Bond Maintenance Conditioner [affiliate links]: I’ve heard people talk about this brand as if it’s the holy grail of hair care. I first tried a set of minis and liked it enough to buy these full sized. And frankly, after emptying both the shampoo and conditioner, I can’t say I’m dying to repurchase. My hair is thinner than ever, though that’s probably not a direct result of these products. Maybe once I start getting regular haircuts and get my hair to a better place I can try this shampoo and conditioner again, but I’m pretty lukewarm on them right now.
- Caudalie Beauty Elixir [affiliate link]: this facial mist isn’t cheap, but it feels so soothing and luxe. I’ll buy it again.
- Beekman 1802 Milk Mud Warming Clay Mask [affiliate link]: I requested this as a birthday gift from my mom this past summer. I liked its glowy results, but I didn’t love that it contains “shimmering earth minerals,” which are supposed to “leave skin with a soft-focus finish and add a touch of sparkle.” I’ve found a few flecks of glitter (not shimmer) on my face after rinsing this mask off. I feel pretty confident in saying I don’t think glitter has a skin care benefit, and I don’t particularly care for it as an ingredient. As far as being warming, this mask only felt mildly warm while rinsing it off. I don’t think I’d purchase this, unless they remove the sparkles.
- Paula’s Choice Advanced Replenishing Toner [affiliate link]: PC has sent me products in the past, but I bought this toner in an anniversary sale set. The toner is pretty good, but at $24, it’s more than double the price of Thayer’s, which is usually $10-11. And I wouldn’t say it’s twice as good as Thayer’s. So I’ll probably return to my unscented Thayer’s.
- Elta MD UV Clear Broad-Spectrum SPF 46 [affiliate link]: love. I’ve gone through several bottles and have already opened another.
- Nécessaire The Body Wash in Bergamot [gifted; affiliate link]: I was pleasantly surprised to find that this scented body wash didn’t irritate my skin. My body skin is very sensitive so I’m careful about using fragranced products on it. I’ll continue to stick with the fragrance-free version of their wash, but I did enjoy this gender neutral scent.
- Wardensville Garden Market Lip Balm: I bought a couple of these during one of our West Virginia pandemic getaways. It’s a minty lip balm with a pretty good hydrating formula. I’d buy it again if I ever visit the place in the future.
- Youth to the People Superberry Hydrate + Glow Dream Mask mini [affiliate link]: loved it! It smells like Smarties and feels so hydrating. I think my skin looks glowier in the morning after using it overnight. I’d totally buy this full sized. YTTP has sent me products, but I purchased this one on my own.
The Masks
I did a few eye masks, a foot mask, and one face sheet mask in December:
- Glamglow Eyeboost Reviving Eye Mask: these are fun and make me feel like a superhero! Would buy again, though I don’t think they’re available anymore.
- Boscia Fruit Acid Smoothing Foot Peel [affiliate link]: I’ve used this before and the results just aren’t as dramatic as other foot peels. Not sure if I’d repurchase it.
- May Coop Raw Sheet: these are nice and hydrating. I would repurchase.
- Wander Beauty Baggage Claim Rose Gold Eye Masks [affiliate link]: love! Keep ’em coming. 🙂
Declutters
It was time to declutter some makeup that was past its prime:
- ColourPop Super Shock Shadows in Bouncy, Partridge, Mooning, and Falling Up: Bouncy and Mooning are a couple of my faves and I’d totally repurchase if they’re still available. I wasn’t as into the other shades, but overall the Super Shock formula is SO FUN.
- ColourPop Jelly Much Shadow in Disney Villains Perfectly Wretched: this is the only shade I’ve tried in this formula and I didn’t love it. But the main reason I didn’t love this one is because it was too damn glittery for my taste (there’s that glitter issue again!).
- Rare Beauty Perfect Strokes Matte Liquid Eyeliner [affiliate link]: I liked this liner; the brush tip is fine and easy to use. It has good staying power and I would buy it again.
- Jason Wu Brow Mascara in Deep: the shade wasn’t quite right for me, but aside from that I found the brush to be very messy. So, I wouldn’t repurchase.
- Covergirl Professional Natural Lash: a good, basic clear mascara with a curved wand; I used this to keep my brows in place. It’s a basic drugstore option without any bells and whistles (i.e., brow lamination or brow growth, etc).
That’s a wrap on 2021! If you’re celebrating New Year’s Eve, please stay safe and follow the precautions recommended by the CDC such as masking (experts now recommend N95, KN95, or double masking using a cloth mask over surgical mask), and testing if you’re going to be gathering with others outside your household.
See ya in 2022!
