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The Most Empties (+ Some Declutters)
Happy July! As my Pilates instructor pointed out in class this morning, 2024 is now officially halfway over. Wild!
We returned yesterday from a whirlwind of a long weekend, so I’m slightly late putting my June empties post together. Last Thursday morning I took Amtrak to NYC for a dinner that night, then on Friday we flew to Austin for my niece’s sweet 16 party on Saturday. Then we flew out of Austin early on Sunday. Our Friday flight out of JFK was delayed EIGHT hours (how fun), so we unfortunately didn’t get as much much time to spend with my family as we had anticipated. At least we made it to celebrate my niece!
I emptied SO many products in June—full sized, minis, and some sheet masks. I had some declutters as well.
Would I Repurchase?
- Paula’s Choice Resist Youth-Extending Daily Hydrating Fluid SPF 50 [affiliate link]: I love this sunscreen, and the brand in fact recently sent me another tube in a summer SPF gift set. So I already have a backup!
- Naturium Cleansing Gelée 3% [affiliate link]: free gift with purchase when I bought a couple items from the brand’s website. I used this as an AM facial cleanser in the shower, and it was really nice; I enjoyed the slippery texture. Would purchase.
- Embryolisse Lait-Crème Concentré [affiliate link]: from my France skin care haul. I’ve used this cream before and would buy it again. SO lovely, with a great, light floral scent.
- Glow Recipe Papaya Sorbet Enzyme Cleansing Balm [affiliate link]: not my first jar and won’t be my last. I’ve already cracked open my backup jar.
- Trader Joe’s Body Butter Lavender Santal: loved this scent from a holiday body butter trio. I liked putting it on my arms before bed for a little nighttime aromatherapy. Would buy full sized if they came out with it.
- Saint-Gervais Mont Blanc Anti-Dryness Shower Gel: I’m sad because this was the last of the three bottles that I bought while in France. I guess I’ll just have to go back.
- Kitsch Shave Butter Bar [affiliate link]: I’ve been getting some laser hair removal so I haven’t needed to shave as often, but this is good when I do need to break the razor out. Would buy again.
- Maelove Stargaze Enhanced Retinol [gifted; affiliate link]: this retinol was gentle (0.25% encapsulated retinol), but I don’t know if I noticed any difference in my skin. For that reason, I don’t think I’d purchase. The brand also gifted me their retinal and I’m looking forward to trying that.
- Cocokind Ceramide Barrier Serum [gifted; affiliate link]: a really nice, soothing serum. They’ve gifted me a few more bottles which I will happily use up.
- Patchology Lip Service [gifted; affiliate link]: a little sticky for my taste and I didn’t notice any plumping effect. But I did like the minty scent, and I liked it enough to use up.
- Pure Altitude Fleurs de Givre Mask: a lovely, soothing mask from Megève. I’m bummed that it’s empty.
Sheet Masks
I only used two sheet masks and one foot mask last month:
- Dr. Jart+ Dermask Water Jet Vital Hydra Solution x 2 [affiliate link]: I always enjoy these masks and will likely buy more.
- Patchology Best Foot Forward [gifted; affiliate link]: not a foot peel, but a hydrating foot mask. I used it prior to this past weekend of events because I knew I’d be wearing sandals. It felt moisturizing, but a foot cream would have the same effect with less waste.
Minis and Declutters
Between our Tulum vacation at the beginning of June and the whirlwind weekend trip, I emptied a bunch of minis. I also needed to declutter some products that were either past their prime or just not working for me.
- Trader Joe’s Daily Facial Sunscreen SPF 40: love it and I appreciated having this mini for travel. John likes this as his daily SPF so we will continue to buy it.
- Sulwhasoo Gentle Cleansing Foam [affiliate link]: a good cleanser with a pleasant herbal scent. Would consider buying full sized.
- Glow Recipe Watermelon Glow PHA + BHA Pore-Tight Toner [affiliate link]: I liked having this on my travels. I’d consider buying full sized.
- Lume Whole Body Deodorant, Clean Tangerine [affiliate link]: I am REALLY impressed with how well this prevents pit stink. For some reason, my pits got very smelly after my first couple laser hair removal treatments, and this deodorant totally got rid of the smell. I have some other deodorant to use up, but I will absolutely buy this full sized, in a different scent. I think I’ll try the cream version, because when this mini got down to the bottom, the top broke off.
- Tatcha The Silk Serum [affiliate link]: free gift with purchase from Tatcha.com. The bottle wasn’t large enough to use for more than a week or two, so I didn’t really notice much of a benefit. But I always love the scent of Tatcha products and have generally liked most of them.
- Trader Joe’s Cake Batter Body Butter: the scent was a little sweet for my taste, but I do love how moisturizing their body butters are.
- Amore Pacific Treatment Enzyme Peeling Masque: this single-use mini was unopened in my travel toiletry bag forever. I finally used it while in Mexico to help wash the sunscreen off my face. I don’t like the scent of this brand’s products, so I wouldn’t buy it.
- Kosas Air Brow Tinted Clean Volumizing Eyebrow Gel in Dark Brown [affiliate link]: a declutter. I love their brow gels and had used up quite a bit of this one, but it was starting to dry out and smelled a little off. I’ve moved on to a fresh tube of the clear version that I’ve had sitting in my vanity for awhile.
- The Inkey List Tripeptide Plumping Lip Balm, all four shades [gifted; affiliate link]: declutter. I take no pleasure in trashing products that brands have gifted me, but I also want to be honest. These “viral” (tiktok, I’m sure) lip balms do not work for me at all. I actually can’t stand the feel of them on my lips. The formula is not one bit hydrating for me. Unfortunately, they’re going in the garbage.
- Bare Minerals Complexion Rescue Tinted Hydrating Gel Cream SPF 30, shade Birch 1.5 [affiliate link]: another declutter. I love this product; it serves as my “foundation” when I do a full face of makeup because I prefer light coverage. This tube has been open for too long, because when I used it this past weekend, it smelled a little off. So it’s going in the trash. I will definitely buy another, though.
Did you make it through all of that? I don’t think I’ve ever had so many empties before!! Thanks for hanging in there to the end. Happy Fourth of July week…enjoy your celebrations and stay safe!
