Can’t stop buying & hoarding beauty treats? You’re in good company here!

[Experiment627]

Welcome to our little corner of beauty bliss! If you can’t resist trying the latest beauty launches or your shelves are bursting with favourites, you’ve found your tribe. This is the place to chat, share reviews, swap tips, and celebrate all things beauty — from budget gems to luxury treats.
This thread has been around for ages, and many of us have even tamed our beauty-buying habits thanks to the wisdom and support shared here. We post our empties and chucks, helping each other make smarter, more satisfying choices next time we shop.
All beauty product addicts welcome!

Im using a mini of the ab eye cream that a friend kindly gifted me to try before I open the ne om liberty. I fo think im using too much as im getting the odd lump the morning after using it.
That's hat happens when you have way to much stuff and overuse. 🤣
I want things to be used up quickly. 🤣

Some empties:

Anua 100+ PDRN hyaluronic serum - 30ml. From the Boots skincare advent. Nice hydrating serum but nothing special.

Some By Mi Air Fit sunscreen - 50ml. Liked this. Made my skin feel lovely and didn’t sting my eyes or pill. Did take quite a long time to fully absorb though.

Ole Henriksen Pout Preserve Peptide lip balm - 12ml. Stayed on the lips a long time but also very gloopy and sticky. I much prefer the Laneige glowy lip balm.

Perfume minis/samples - Laboratory Perfumes Amber and Sana Jardin Vanilla Nomad. Didn’t like either of these much on their own, but they layered well with the Phlur Vanilla Skin body mist which I’m also trying to use up at the moment.

Shay & Blue Tallulah’s Camellia body butter - 200ml. Didn’t like the lotion formula but it did a good job of extending longevity of the matching perfume.

Future Primitive Dark Carnival and There’s a Storm Coming body cream - 50g each. I find the formula of these a bit heavy as a body lotion but they make a good winter hand cream. Future Primitive do really good scents if you like strongly scented body care.

Forgot the Lush Super Milk shower gel. It was one of the nicest I’ve tried from them, really creamy and moisturising. Same lemon cake scent as the Super Milk hair primer.

It was from the subscription box but I think they randomly bring it out at other times so will stock up if I ever see it again.

I took my empties to SpaceNK and walked out without spending any money!

SO proud of myself!

HOW 😧

I am so impressed.

@Ilikeyoursleeves I loved those Murad eye masks! I used them in the bath one evening and really thought they made my eye bags tighten up. Interesting how different things work for different people.

I was feeling tight and wanted a bargain! And couldn’t see enough of one to make me weaken!!

I always forget this thread exists! The last time I posted I was hoarding lipsticks, I've switched allegiance to nail polishes now. 😅 Recently got a very nice haul from the Orly international website. 😁

I guess this counts as an empty 😒
Laneige water sleeping mask - toddler was found with this smeared all over their face and the floor and my bed. Somehow managed to get into my gym bag. I really rate though this. Very light and hydrating. It’s a mini. Not sure why toddler couldn’t have got into one of the other full size products I’m struggling to use up :)

@paristotokyo that's one way to reduce the stash. 😂

I remember eldest DS getting into a full tub of Sudocrem once. It was everywhere including all over him. That stuff is a nightmare to wash out of hair.

Oh no @paristotokyo toddler must have good taste!!

Oh shoot, I put it on the wrong thread earlier! Finished one of my tiny perfumes - Molton Brown Heavenly Gingerlily. Nice enough but not a RP.

@LondonToSurrey2024 I was scrolling back trying to find a reference and read your post about your little fairy. I am sorry but was away when you posted about your baby girl, so I missed it. I’m so sorry you’re both going through this. It’s very stressful and nothing makes you feel more helpless. I imagine that advice will probably have changed, but when my (now 19 y/o) was having surgeries as a baby, we were advised to only use water wipes on her. They also use them on elderly patients with very thin skin in hospitals. I’m sure you can probably buy them from the chemist.

@Francesteinawww thank you for replying 😊 I mainly stuck to using water wipes as we use them anyway. I did manage to wash her hair whilst laying down with a towel under her but the dry shampoo in the powder puff form really worked well as it isn't like an aerosol spray and a little makes a big difference. I may just leave it and work out what to do when the next operation happens in the Summer. She is healing well and now on to the next hurdle of scar massage 🙄

My self care time is beauty though and have managed to get through some empties that I'll post tomorrow 🙂

@LondonToSurrey2024 Poor little rabbit. I’m so pleased she’s doing well, but can’t imagine how much she dislikes the massage. Assume you are all over silicone scar tape?

@Francesteinyes she isn't really a fan of the scar massage, so I'm gradually trying to do it for longer each day. I've looked into the scar tape but haven't got any yet although probably will do at some point soon. The scars are between her fingers where they were separated so quite hard to get to!

Sorry for derailing everyone, and here are my first empties.......

• SDJ Shower cream-gel - smells nice but I'd equally enjoy a cheap nice smelling shower gel
• Immunocologie Hyaluronic Serum - nice texture, left my skin a bit tacky but I was fine with that and sat well under everything I add on top
• Lacura Caviar day cream - first time using anything from Aldi and it was a good easy moisturiser that worked well under makeup, not sure i'd use it in the summer though, as I'd probably want something lighter.
• Lancome Renergie - lovely texture and felt moisturising, I mainly used it at night
• Colorwow Money Mask - I think it did make my hair smoother but you really do have to use a generous amount, (I have fine, curly hair)
• Commodity Milk Expressive - I've gotten into fragrance over the last year and really enjoyed this.
• Augustinus bader eye patches - I don't have too many wrinkles around my eyes (I'm 38 and inherited good skin from my mum) but these filled in a lot of them and I'd definitely recommend!

😊

@LondonToSurrey2024 You can buy silicon gel, but if my memory serves me, little ones have their paws in their mouths constantly. Probably not ideal. I trust your doctor has advised something like Vaseline to use and TRY to keep on the scars. Kids are wriggly little critters and it’s impossible to keep them from sticking their fingies in crazy things.

Forgive me ladies for I have sinned 😂. I bought my niece some lovely toiletries and made a hamper for her last Christmas and she asked for some shower whip i hadnt honestly heard of it anyway j bought her some and was intrigued so recently tried one myself and my skin felt lovely and moisturised so im afraid since then I have fallen down that rabbit hole and am forever on vinted searching for fragrances and formulas in said shower whips to try

Some of my stash. There’s also makeup and a whole drawer of scent.

I’ve nearly finished an Augustinus Bader retinol serum mini and have just used up a sachet of Round Lab soybean Nourishing Cream. The sachet did 3 applications which I thought was good value for a freebie!

Super well arranged @TragicMuse

Perfume samples: Rabanne Million Gold. I'm sure I've had a full-size at some point! Replica Never Ending Summer. I'm sure I have Jo Loves in my stash that smells similar.

1. PDM Valaya exclusif 5ml. I like this scent, but nothing beats Delina in my opinion.

10. Holidermie Radiance mask. I must have had this kicking around for a good few years. Didn't see a noticeable difference, but my skin felt nice and soft.

11. Lush Oaty Creamy Dreamy body wash sample. I got this when I went to top up on my beloved Dream Cream. Like the Dream Cream, very soothing and calming for my odd patches of eczema. I love the scent too; I find it very comforting. I have a 10% off voucher, so I think I'll buy a full tub!

12. Simple rich moisture sheet mask. Not drenched in serum. Would RP.

13. Patchology Eye Want Cake patches. I got another box as a gift, so I'll get through them at some point too. Suckered in by cute packaging. I enjoyed using them; they don't slide down your face. No idea why they need to smell like vanilla, though.

14. L'Occitane shower oil. First Advent empty from 2025. I wanted to like it so much, but the scent wasn't what I expected. It put me off using it. I think I prefer Nuxe shower oil over this.

15. Institut Esthederm Advanced Serum. Only a small amount, but I enjoyed it. I haven't used it long enough to notice a huge difference. It's quite pricey, so I don't think I'd repurchase.

Two more empties:

1. Mario Badescu Facial Spray with Aloe, Chamomile & Lavender 118ml.

I really liked this and have replaced it with the rosewater one, which I think I might like even more.

2. Wild Source Cleansing Melt 20ml.

I liked this too but found I needed to use a lot to fully get my make-up off. There are balms I like just as much, or more, that are much better value for money so I won't be rebuying this.

Another empty: Versed Day Maker Microcrystal Exfoliator. I really like this, I got two in Boots £10 Tuesday a while ago, but unfortunately they don’t sell Versed in the UK anymore!

I get to shop the stash and choose a new serum tonight. What fun!

Now. Do I try to knock out all the minis first? Or save them for when I travel? Eg, I’m away for the weekend at the end of the month, I’ll need a mini for that. Or a small decant.

Decisions, decisions!

I finished off that balm recently and felt the same.