Beauty addicts thread: share empties, chucks and mindful buying tips

[Experiment627]

Welcome back (or welcome in!) to our little corner of beauty bliss, where shelves are full, wish lists are longer than ever, and there’s always something new to try.
This thread has been around for ages (since at least 2015), 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!

Beautiful view @Francestein enjoy the more favourable climate.

50/100

Elnett - staple hairspray, this massive one was only 50p more than the more convenient travel size so I had to have huge one and swear every time I had to pack it.

This Works - body lotion - deep sleep: gorgeously product, easily absorbed and smells beautiful.

Liberty Adelphi Sun - one of my preferred on the Liberty scents

Sarah Chapman SPF - effective, not claggy, smells of dill pickles… it’s expose need to find and alternative

Sisley leave in conditioner- great product

@Doglover73 Couldnt agree more. Vinegar goes on chips or in salad dressing. Not on your face.

I have binned three products for being open too long - a perricone MD solid foundation (which was nearly at pan but was too light for me and gathered fluff in the compact), a pixi rose glow face mask tub (nice but open ages and I have others) and a blue/grey/beige eyeshadow palette I picked up in France whose lid had come off.

Still loving the Saltair smell - I put it on after my morning shower and I can still smell it 10 hours later :-)

Sold. I’m waiting for some good samples to be available at SNK and I will order it to give it a try. I really like the deodorant too as it’s the only one that works in this heat.

@Doglover73 – give it a go! I just splash a little on my face, rather than applying with a pad. It does have a vinegary smell, but it isn’t harsh or stingy at all.

@Beautyfox 20% off at SNK today (not sure how long the discount will persist)

Thanks I’ve just ordered a body oil to try. I was quite tempted by the shimmering one too but I was restrained.

Some more empties. Trying not to let them build up to an insane amount this time.

Victoria Beckham/Augustinus Bader Moisturiser - I liked this a lot, it's taken me a while to finish as it's more like a primer so I used it mostly under make up rather than everyday use. It's been discontinued for quite a long time, I picked it up in Home Bargains for about £15 ages ago.

La Prairie foam cleanser - everyone seems to dislike this except me! Think I have a full size and one more travel size to use up.

Shiseido Softening Treatment - last few bits I have from the 2024 advent. It's fine but I preferred the Eudermine essence from my last empties. I couldn't tell you how they are different in purpose though.

Vinter's Daughter Active Renewal Cleanser - I got this in the January Beautylish mystery box. I really love it as a morning cleanser. You can buy it in a couple of places here now but it's around £100 and always excluded from any discounts. I would RP but don't know if I will. There are other cleansers I really like that are chaeaper.

Rituals Sakura Deodorant - This is probably my third-ish purchase of this. I really like it. I've accumulated quite a few stick deodorants I need to focus on using up before I buy any others.

Body Shop Pumpkin Spice Hand Cream - Decent hand cream and a nice scent if a bit artificial and sweet. I've moved on to the Lbty Maze hand cream from a recent beauty kit which I really love.

MZ Skin eye patches - along with the AB ones I really like these but like most other people just collect them from edits and gwps. I would RP if I could bring myself to pay the rrp.

Lacura Rose Cleansing Balm - clearly meant to be an Elemis dupe and tbh a pretty good one. It was a bit softer in the tub than Elemis is but otherwise very similar and did a decent job. No idea if Aldi are still selling them as it seems hit and miss as to whether you can get any of their dupes more than one time. If I saw it again I would RP.

Dior Capture Serum sachet - Seemed fine but the amount in the sachet barely was enough for one use.

Nuxe Nuxuriance Ultra Global Night Cream sachet - Hated this. It felt really greasy then pilled badly and sloughed off all night. Have a 2nd sachet of it which I'm going to bin.

@OvaHere i think Aldi recently had a stock-up of lacura, not sure if they have the rose balm but think they have the regular balm

I think I might have one of the regular ones in a box somewhere. I'm sure I bought both at the time.

Inkey List Hydrating Cream to Milk cleanser. Small size from TK maxx, this was fine, a bit dull, I prefer the Lumene cleansing milk or a balm

Tretinoin (retinoid). One skincare ingredient I wish I'd started using earlier in my 30's. Similar price as retinol (£18 ish) but requires a prescription. Twice as effective at improving fine lines and pigmentation, and wider anti-ageing use.

@Francestein what lovely photos! Lucky you!

I have an empty to report:

• Pureology Color Fanatic leave in conditioner: the first leave in I have used that has actually given good results. This really is the dogs bollackas - pricey but IMO worth it. That said I have discovered lots of other cheaper alternatives.

I have finished a hair oil. (By finished, I mean the bottle was slippery and I dropped what was left in the sink and it smashed. It was almost done though…) It was Lador hair oil in the scent La Pitta. Very nice. I would buy again, but I have one giant bottle of a different hair oil that I don’t love, and I am determined to finish. I use a drop at a time so will probably take 200 years. (And the bottle is plastic so I can’t smash it.)
I have finished another refill of the Tsubaki shampoo I have babbled on about forever. I have refilled the bottle but might switch over to the Treecell for a change. (I like them both equally, but the Treecell conditioner is a bit heavy to use every time and it doesn’t have the same lovely scent as the shampoo.)
I have thrown out some smashed blushes that didn’t travel well. Not devastated as they were ancient, but I only have one blush atm, and it’s beige.
A few borings - couple of body washes that were fine but uninteresting, body lotion that I didn’t love, hand cream that was um… fine. All generic drugstore ones.

I have too many mascaras open atm and need to work out what I am keeping. I don’t want festy mascara going anywhere near my eyes.

Wow, just caught up. Seriously impressive lists of empties here and @Francestein that is GORGEOUS.

I have no pictures because the cleaners keep throwing away my empties... will try to remember:

Trinny BFF SPF cream - annoyingly, I'm not sure what colour I had as I really liked this product and will RP. I'm not convinced it's brilliant as a skin perfecter, but it is a really lovely SPF, goes on easily and gives my face a lovely little glow and feels moisterised. Since it ran out, my skin has been feeling really dry and the Elf dupe just doesn't work the same.

Also Trinny BFF All day foundation in Rose. GOAT and I'll definitely be repurchasing. I need to go in person because buying two products, I think I can score some minis!

Faith in Nature body wash in Grapefruit and Orange - I wasn't using this up and I couldn't work out why as it's a RP from before when I loved it.... and then the heatwave kicked in. Turns out I love this.... in summer. Will RP.

Various Aussi hair products for me and DD. All fine. The 3 Minute Miracle stuff is pretty good for Dd's curly, super dry, medium thick but LOTS OF IT hair.

Redken Colour shampoo. Would RP but I didn't love it so I'm sort of hesitating until I figure it out as it's expensive. I would like to go back to my l'oreal one but am hesitant after a couple of bad experiences.

Cerave Smoothing cleanswer with salycilic acid - TERRIBLE for the face. But actually, I've found it really good for doing my chest and under breasts where I tend to get little ridges and bumps from surgery years ago and bra rubbing, and also on my legs and ankles before shaving or self tan. So might RP.

Cerave Foaming cleanser - this is 15 year old DS' face cleanser. Works well. We buy in bulk.

FINALLY used up my least favourite Clarins Cleanser - the gentle foaming one. But am actually missing it. I found it quite nice if I showered in the evening or whatever. So might actually RP!

Also finally used up the Origins Youthtopia Face cleansing balm. Someone on this thread said they were using the balms as a face wash and realised that's why they didn't like them (vs with a hot cloth to remove) and it made me think of this proudct. I won't RP personally, but it does work well in the shower as a face wash rather than a traditional balm, and gets a lot of make up off. With a pleasant scent. So if you want a balm for the shower, this is the one to go for.

Finally, just used up another jar of my Neutrogena Super hydrating night gel. Will definitely RP as usual (but weirdly neither the Boots or Superdrug I went into today was selling any Neutrogena products... Amazon/Ocado it is! )

I am going to brag again… Honestly very excited to be here. I had a little visitor today. She has a littler visitor in her pocket, but was too busy to get a photo of that one. These little cuties are called Pademelons and they are about as big as a corgi.

She is seriously cute - I'd never heard of a Pademelon, so had to look it up!

Wow Frances!! She reminds me of the quokkas on Rottnest Island! (Folks, if you dont know what a quokka is, have a quick google.) Too cute! I lived on Rotto for 3 months in the early 90s. The quokkas would come to the back gate after dinner to get the scraps, like cucumber ends, outer leaves of lettuces, carrot peelings that sort of thing. Is your little friend like that?

I will be ordering once ive used more of my stash up. I love the Saltair body creams❤️

@MsMarch there’s a gift with purchase at Trinny at the moment. Might be of interest to you!

Definitely! Online as well? Well check it out!

Someone on this thread said they were using the balms as a face wash and realised that's why they didn't like them (vs with a hot cloth to remove)
that was me @MsMarch I’ve learnt quite a bit about toiletries on this thread 😂

And learnt about marsupials, I’d never heard of a pademelon before and they are so cute 🥰

Plus I have some more empties

• Burts bees lip balm, not in photo tiny amount left but I was away at the weekend dropped it and it rolled under the bed and I couldn’t reach it. I wouldn’t have used it again after dropping on hotel bed but I would have added to the empties in the pic. I liked this, when I’ve used up the lip salves in my stash I’ll probably RP
• Cuticura body powder, a staple, I’ve another nearly finished that was in my soap bag and another in the cupboard and will RP
• Ultrasun spf 50 face, really liked this, bought this in airport in Feb to make up a purchase to a discount level so hadn’t given it much thought but absorbs well, no scent does the job. Would RP
• La Roche Posay sample, I must be close to using all of these up, I like the cream but it doesn’t have spf so only used for night and I Iike a heavier night cream so won’t RP
• Nivea sun sensitive 30spf ok does the job might RP if just grabbing a sun cream off supermarket shelf but nothing special
• Mancave sensitive face wash this was DH, he’s realised he needs to use a gentle face wash or his face gets irritated. I have so many I’ve persuaded him to use mine next until we use them up

I took a couple of Philip Kingsley minis to a festival at the weekend, so they’re now done!

full list of recents:

111: Liberty Liquid Eye Patch. The lovely eye cream that never went into production. This has lasted me 7 months I think! So would have been excellent value!

112: Rejuran turnover ampoule. I got this in the StyleKorean pharmacy box. I really enjoyed this once I got the hang of the delivery method! It feels smooth and sinks in nicely. Would rp depending on price.

113: Philip Kingsley moisture balancing shampoo 20ml. Nice smell and left my hair feeling really soft and silky.

114: Philip Kingsley moisture balancing conditioner 20ml. I’m glad they have emptied at the same time! I find it irritating when one runs out before the other.

115: Dr Reju-All Advanced PDRN Rejuvenating mask. Pack of 4. Took to a festival and shared with friends. Reports were really good, especially with the extra little neck mask piece.

116: Liberty Zephirine - I gave one of my samples to a friend who loved it.

I am really enjoying this commitment to using up rather than just stockpiling, it’s making me think about my consumption and what I like Vs what I don’t.

@Francestein those views are amazing.

Few more empties to report
Sisley black rose skin infusion cream- was nice, nothing special, not a rp.
Batiste cherry dry shampoo- was ok,did the job.
No7 protect and perfect intense night cream- I like this, it's nice and soothing on my skin, will probably rp at some stage.
Simple cleansing wipes- this was a travel pack so there where only 7 or 8 wipes in the packet, might rp for travel.
Harry Potter bubble bath- this was Dd, that she didn't want anymore. I used it as a shower gel. Not a rp, plus I think I have 2 or 3 more to use.

47/100 near the 1/2 way mark, not sure if I will make it to 100 by the end of the year.