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!

I’ve just counted up and I’ve used up 84 products since I joined you all at the start of the year 🎉

Some of these have been samples and many were already opened & part used so rate of empties will drop but that’s amazing. I also take better care of my skin both because I’m using skincare products regularly and I’m learning from you all.

Julys round up of empties. 21 products used, est value £179.

Perfume samples. Dior Gris Dior, i enjoyed this.
PDM La Rosé delina. I love the whole range, this is what would make me buy the Harrods FAC. But i already have 3 bottles of Delinas in stash🙈 I will probably buy one on Vinted instead🫣

146. Oskia Nutri Bronze serum sample. I love this, i much prefer it over the By Terry CC Serum. I either mixed in with other products, or used alone. Blends nicely, and gives me abit of colour in my face on no makeup days.

147. Sungboon editor green tomato bluring SPF sample. I liked this.

148. Laneige Bouncy & Firm serum. I don't think it's worth the cost; I'm finding that with a few Laneige products I've tried. It's pretty average.

149. Alpha H Cleansing balm. I liked a mini i had so bought a big tub. I got sick of the scent pretty quickly. Nice enough, but wont RP again

150. Byoma Mucin Glow Serum. I love the Cosrx Snail Mucin, and I understand it's a very marmite product. So I didn't have high hopes for this. But I do like it. It's hydrating, works nicely under makeup, and overall my skin looks fresh. However, I don't think I'll swap it for Cosrx. But it's a great alternative for others who feel grossed out by the Snail Mucin.

151. Ouai St Barts body scrub. Anything in this scent is wonderful. Lovely scrub.

152. SNK Carribbean shores lotion. Absorbed quickly, smelt like summer and left my skin nice and soft. Would consider buying the handwash in this scent.

153. Sisley black rose concentrate 2ml. Teeny tiny, but lovely serum from what i used in the short time😂 Lovely, but well out of my price range, so thats ruled out a purchase.

154. Boots sheet mask. Cheap and cheerful. Will RP.

21 empties just in July @Caggie09 😳 you over achiever 😂

Im moving onto alot of full sized stuff now so wont be that much next month😂

@Francestein I finally got round to trying the Elizavecca Protein Treatment today. I really like it so far, more than K18.

I didn't quite use it properly due to leaving my glasses downstairs then realising I couldn't read the instructions. So I just put it on like a conditioning mask in the shower and washed out after 5- 10 mins. It seems you're supposed to towel dry, leave for about 20 mins, then wash out. Regardless it still made my hair really soft.

@OvaHere I have never left it on for 20mins. I do the same thing in the shower that you did. I’m so pleased you like it. Just remember it’s not a “bonding” treatment if your hair is bleached or dyed, but it is protein and ceramides are supposed to help carry it into the hair.

Thanks. I'll carry on using that way then as tbh I can't be bothered with getting in and out of the shower and waiting around. I don't have dyed hair so maybe it's only something I only need to use periodically as I think too much protein can cause issues.

Closing out July with 12 items at the cost of £281.33. So far for the year, 92 products at the cost of £1,680.80.

I’ve got a family gathering today, so I’m going to put some stuff together and distribute.

A few more empties, nearly at 100 - I did buy a few bits this month too though, but I did also resist a Liberty Scent edit and a couple of GWPs.
Another 111 skin Rose Gold Face Mask - the last one didn't feel like there was much serum on it so I decided to use them up in case they were drying out.
Skinceuticals P-Tiox serum - this is the first peptide serum I ever used and it's lasted forever - I really like this but I got bored because it lasted so long and was looking forward to trying another one. Be careful what you wish for, I'm now using the Emma Lewisham one (Vitale Elixir) and don't like it particularly, feels a bit drying. Once I've tried the Medik8 advanced one as well I'll assess and potentially rebuy although it's very expensive.
Sisley Velvet sleeping Mask - The Black rose mask works better for me. Nice smell and consistency but it's not as hydrating.
Q&A Oat Milk Cream Cleanser - I very rarely throw things away until I've squeezed every last drop out, but this is going in the bin with about 1/3rd left. It's too thick but somehow not as moisturising as a cream cleanser should be, unscented and there's nothing appealing about using it. I bought the Caudalie Almond Milk Cleanser and that sealed this one's bin-fate, as it's a great product and I actually enjoy using it.
Rodial Bee Venom mask - my face was dry and needed love after a couple of nights out and poor sleep, and this did undo some of the damage by fixing the dehydration.
Grown Alchemist Resurfacing body wash - didn't like this, mainly because it's not a gorgeous smell. Yet to find a GA product I really like.
Aesop Geranium Leaf Body Cleanser - this just highlighted the failures of the GA wash, it smells divine and as a 500ml really has lasted ages. The clean aromatherapy smell was lovely in summer when feeling fresh is everything.
Le Labo Tonka - Another masculine leaning scent, although the dry down has some sweetness to it. Really enjoyed this, it was part of a Liberty BAC about 4 years ago and I've been refusing to finish it for ages as I was reluctant to let go. Still not sure it'd be a repurchase for me though, I'm on the hunt for new scents at the moment.
I got my totals wrong in previous post, it should have been 88 so this brings me to 96. Also thought I took a picture of the other bits before I chucked them downstairs in my studio for recycling but apparently not, so here's just the few bits still upstairs.

@LightandBreezy I really want to try P-Tiox but I've never jumped due to the price. Maybe I'll finally try and get one on a Black Friday deal this year.

@OvaHere that's exactly how I got it, I think it was Black Friday '24 when you got a free 15ml CE Ferulic and a couple of other samples. It was a high spend though, ( £175+?) I think I also bought a full size CE Ferulic to qualify. I did really rate it though, there's something about their formulas that really agrees with my skin in a way nothing else seems to. They do also last longer as a few drops suffice, where I find myself slathering on the gel-cream serums more. I'm thinking that moving forward once I've used up current peptide and vit c serums I'd like to go back to these, although it's a bit frustrating as they never seem to do any major deals or turn up in any kits yet all the alternatives I try end up feeling like a long-term false economy.

@LightandBreezy I remember there being some okay deals last year. I think 20-30% off or with freebies is about as good as it will get. I'm sure FTF maybe had 25% off last year.

As you know I'm not someone opposed to spenny skincare in principle it's just when you get into that price range I struggle to justify it when there's products like Medik8 advanced peptides I also rate at a much lower price point (I know those are still expensive too but not as much).

I definitely use the gel serums more liberally too. I think P-Tiox is an itch I'll have to scratch at some point.

Some empties:

Lancome Comforting Toner - 50ml. A thick texture for a toner but didn’t actually leave my skin feeling that hydrated after it had sunk in. Now back to using the Haruharu Wonder black rice toner and that’s so much better.

Beauty of Joseon Relief Sun Aqua SPF - 50ml. I slightly prefer the original version, but this one is still very good and probably better for summer.

Beauty Bay High-Key mascara. Quite full on so I had to be a bit careful when applying. Worked well in terms of not flaking or smudging though.

Shay & Blue Tallulah’s Camellia EDP - 100ml. I have so many perfumes now that it’s been a very long time since I finished a big bottle. Helped here by the fact that the longevity is pretty crap so needed reapplying. Pretty scent but wouldn’t RP, have plenty of similar things.

Lush Passion shower gel - 290g. Got a bit sick of the scent of this by the end. Very full on and fruity.

Tree Hut Aurora Nights body scrub - 510g. Smelled just like the Kayali Yum Pistachio perfume. I normally love Tree Hut scrubs but the scrubby bits in this were coarser than usual and it hurt a bit to use. Hope it was just a dud one (it was from TK Maxx) and they haven’t reformulated.

Organic Shop Coconut body lotion - 250ml. Preferred the formula of this to their lotions in the pots.

Byoma Hydrating body lotion - 100ml. Can’t get excited about an unscented body lotion, but the formula of this was actually very good.

@OvaHere I'm definitely waiting till I try the Medik8 advanced peptides before I recommit to the P-tiox, alas due to my glut of serums despite buying one in last year's BF event I haven't got round to it yet. Just got 4/5ths of the Emma Lewisham to get through! Will be applying that with an even heavier hand than usual then... I did wonder if Skinceuticals put some magic ingredient in all their serums as they both give my skin an immediate bouncy glow, and just did some digging and they both have glycerin and glycols and AI gave me an interesting answer over all. I also want to try the IS clinical Pro Heal serum at some point as I read it was a good alternative to CE Ferulic and it looks like this also has glycerin and glycols in the formula. I do sometimes use neat glycerin and it's definitely not just that sadly as that's super cheap.

@LightandBreezy that's interesting about glycerin. I favour using a glycerin based cleanser on a morning because I always feel like it gives me a more 'awake' fresh look than the heavier cleansers I use in the evening. I recently bought the Prequel one from SNK but haven't opened it yet.

If I can be good and not buy many advents I might go for it during BF.

I fell off the thread for a few weeks, finally catching up.

Congrats on the move @Francestein - so glad that it’s all gone smoothly for you and absolutely blown away by your views and wildlife!!

June & July empties in one pic, throw aways in the other.

Empties:

• Elemis eye cream (#3 of 5)
• Medik8 crystal retinal 6 (#3 of 5, both from my JL sale crackers)
• L'occitane Verbena shower gel 200 : bit expensive, but have been buying on and off for years, will RP at some point
• Rituals Karma body lotion refill 250ml : this was the 3rd tub I’ve worked through. Would def RP this fragrance.
• Clarins Instant Eye Makeup Remover: the absolute GOAT
• Fig1 retinol. I think from CB Xmas edit last year? Pointless.
• KS Goat Milk cleaner - bit meh, would not RP
• Dove Gradual Tan body lotion - not bad. Would rp
• sheet face mask - did nothing
• M. margiela Summer edt sample - nice but didn’t last

Throw out:

• Rituals Foaming shower gel. Weird: massive volume of almost shaving foam like stuff that melts into nothingness the moment it touches wet skin. So you can’t work up a lather or really use it at all.
• cK1 and RL Polo Woman: both purchased in 1999/2000
• Sunflowers body lotions from GWPs also dating back to the turn of the century. Unsurprisingly they do not smell good.

@Tarragon123 Very few things in the world cuter than quockas. Rottnest Island is an amazing place. I haven’t been for years, but I remember sitting down on a bench and being swarmed. Adorable! Pademelons are a bit more aloof, and slightly bigger (and more muscly) than a quokka.
I finished a couple of travel-sized items this week. A mini Banila Co Cleansing Balm (50ml & 25ml.) Both the green, tea tree variety I mentioned last time. Fortunately doesn’t smell like tea tree or I would hate it. Also done is my favourite TirTir Milky Toner (full-fat variety) 20ml bottle. All of these were freebies with full-sized items. I have cleaned & dried the tubs and the bottle to keep for further travel, but not RPing for now as I have other stuff to get through. I also finished a teeeeeeeny tiny (5ml) tub of the Laneige Lip Sleeping Mask in Watermelon. Not my favorite flavour but cute tub that has been cleaned and re-filled (with an Egg Nog one from two Christmases ago - I think my fave so far, tbh. - obviously need to use this guy up.) I keep the mini in my car.

A few more empties. I'm doing quite well at the moment. Apologies for shit photo.

Oribe Gold Lust shampoo - I love this range and will RP at some point. I finished the conditioner and mask a while ago but the shampoo went on for ages. You only need a small amount and it lathers incredibly well. I used the last bit yesterday with the Elizavecca treatment and the combo was really good. Obviously the downside of this range is that it's pricey.

SKII Essence - Another pricey thing I adore. I've got one more bottle to use up but I've left it for now and am trying Mixsoon Bifida Ferment as a cheaper alt product. I've previously tried the Estee Lauder Micro Essence but didn't love that. So far I have to say Mixsoon feels like a really good dupe but whether long term it's as good I don't know.

Kiko Eye/Lip Make Up remover - this was fine, I don't like it as much as Lancome so probably won't go out of my way to RP this one.

Probioderm BOH Collagen Essence Sun Cream - I really like this. Maybe more than Skin1004 or BoJ. I bought a twin pack so have another to use. Feels lightweight and doesn't argue with other products.

MZ eye patches - Love these but as per my last post wouldn't buy them for the RRP. Always welcome in an edit.

Dr Dennis Gross Peel Pad sensitive - I like to use these every so often and have a box of the standard ones too. Not sure how effective the sensitive ones are compared to the orange version but I'll use the few I've got up.

A couple of things I'm throwing

Summer Fridays eye cream - this is a vit C type eye cream. I've used about 2 thirds but don't love it and it's been open a while as I keep abandoning it for others.

K18 Hair Oil - There's not much left in this but again it's one I keep abandoning because it's so meh and I hate the dropper. Decided to throw what's left.

53/100

Verden - Nocturne, loved this and a friend kindly gave me theirs too so I can replace immediately.

Liberty - Tana Meadow, one of my favourite Liberty scents, beautiful for summer.

Nuxe - body lotion, I could easily become a fan of Nuxe as this was gorgeous. I loved the light honey scent and it absorbed so quickly and easily leaving beautifully smooth skin. Tricky to get it all out of this hotel mini but I will do it.

Empties

1. Blossom & Bloom body lotion (from the Here Comes the Sun edit). Liked this a lot, would RP if on offer/in an edit
2. Pantene menopausal hair conditioner. Fine, not really any different to regular Pantene. Probably won’t RP

Few more empties to finish July
Simple cleansing wipes- this was another travel packet that I used up on holiday, not sure if I would rp as this time they stung my face abit, this could have been caused by being out in the sun.
Banana boat aloe vera gel- I always get this one when going on holiday. I always pop it in the fridge so it's nice and cool.
Beauty pro nourishing collagen sheet mask- this was nice gave my skin abit of a glow.

50/100- half way to target 🎉 no photo of the wipes or aloe vera as I didn't bring the empties home from holidays.

Although it’s less than a week since I last posted I’ve accumulated 5 more empties bringing my total for the year to 89.

• Dermavio Foot Peel, currently sitting with this on and know I won’t be RP even if it’s amazing as it’s too much of a faff. It’s sat in my cupboard for a couple of years and I put it back in the cupboard everytime I read the instructions, decided I had to either try it or throw it
• Aussie shampoo for curls, label has come off in the shower as I don’t use it every time this is a RP for when I want my hair to look particularly good
• Nivea Men sensitive face wash, another that had been hanging around almost used, I’ve lots of different face washes in the cupboard so persuaded DH that we just have one on the go in the shower and one one the sink that we both use
• Original instant eye hydration from a rocca box. I’d got two rocca boxes the same so just started next pot. Possible RP as nice and light to use and seems to work although I’ve realised I like a bit of variety in my creams as well
• Neals yard hand cream, this is being thrown away as it’s gone off, I hoarded it as too nice to use for everyday 🙄 not doing that anymore

Empties

1. Bluebell and Jasmine Hand Cream - although the brand is Kew Gardens, I don’t think I bought it there. Nice texture and smell, metal tube a bit annoying. Many handcreams in stash so unlikelY to RP
2. Elizabeth Arden Visible Difference moisturiser - this was nice, light, lasted well. It came in a two pack with a green hydra gel one so I’ll use that next. Unlikely to RP but was fine.

@SheilaFentiman The Bluebell & Jasmine hand cream sounds lovely. Funny that I am popping in to report an empty from the Botanical Gardens of Melbourne - Violet Leaves and Tuberose bath salts. (I bought them at TK Max). Utterly delicious which surprised me as I don’t generally like tuberose at all.
I have used up a (virtually) antique Aesop Resurrection hand cream. It was a gift from my kids. While I liked it, it wasn’t the one I loved which is a balm for the bod too, and has an entirely different texture. I will buy it myself when I run out of drugstore stuff. (The one I love is Rind Concentrate…Yum - Citrussy Heaven)

My eye cream was from Epidermal Research Centre and it contains marine collagen, the name is clearer on the next pot. Full price is £99 (eek). Starting the next pot I was reminded how nice it is to use.