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 feel your pain @MsMarch I’m on holiday and wishing I’d brought some of the time consuming masks as I have time. And my small pot of night cream has a curved base so has less in it than I’d thought

That sounds like a great idea @DidILeaveTheGasOn, I've got a ton of eye masks to get through too. I definitely need to make some space before the onslaught of BAC season.

Joining this thread as I really need to keep an eye on what I'm using. Im better at opening things than I am at finishing them 🙈

Up for a masks ‘n’ minis November!

Shall we have a separate thread or include it in this one? I don’t mind. I was motivated this afternoon to use a MZ skin eye mask and then a Roundlab face mask after, as prep for getting ready for dinner out. The MZ skin eye masks are nuts, my other half thought I was going for an Egyptian outfit theme 😂

Me to @DidILeaveTheGasOn …lots of small bottles and many of the same thing! Would love to reduce to clear space and earn Boots points - to buy more edits and skincare!

Definitely up for a minis and mask month 🥰

So... the trauma continues. The ones i left behind - including the travel.sized mini farmacy green clean which is my GOAT cleanser.... are 100% MIA. They are NOT in my house that anyone can see. They are NOT with me.

I suspect when I get home I will find them somewhere wierd but so far, its like they have just disappeared completely.

I’d prefer to include in this one, keep the using stuff up in one place

I would also prefer this.

That sounds good to me!

I never ever thought I would ask this, but now I have moved to a much drier environment (and have aged exponentially since the last time I lived in a dry place), I think I need to buy myself some sheet masks or toner pads. Would be grateful for advice here. Luckily in the last couple of months, a lot of our supermarkets and chain stores have started selling KBeauty products. Obviously cheaper online but the price difference isn’t too bad to deter me in a pinch. I am going to order some hair products in the next week or so as I need some treatment masks. I will throw in some toner pads or some sheet masks as well.

Can you use niacinamide or are you sensitive to it?

@SheilaFentiman I’ve never had any problems with it - except for the Ordinary one with Zinc. Way too drying. I use tretinoin and Azelaic acid so it’s pretty robust.

I quite like these:

www.boots.com/biodance-vita-niacinamide-gel-toner-pads-60s-10372108?srsltid=AU7gw4VpNevRshsv3SfREFd2roMaZEcleQWloTbx2I-0EjfyccUEwhfc

I put three on my face at once (forehead and cheeks) then move them around after 10 mins to cover different bits of skin. Less “enclosing” than a sheet mask.

Perhaps I've used the wrong toners but I've yet to find any type of toner/toner pad that helps me feel less dry. For me, it's all about layering - I think it's about putting product on top of skin that's already slightly "damp" from the product before?

And I do love a moisterising mask. (Just realised - another thing that's in my MIA toiletry bag. Sigh).

Hylaronic acid as base. Clarins Double Serum really helps. Heavy duty moisteriser, ideally with peptides etc. I often use Bobbi Brown Vitamin enriched face mask after, and immediately prior to make up too....

I had an interesting discussion when having a facial whilst on holiday. Her theory was we shouldn’t wash in the morning with any products just water as it’s too drying and we are removing all the protection our skin has built up over night. I’m not sure if this was because it’s a much drier climate than the U.K. I’m far too chicken to try this but I have changed and now only single wash in the morning with a cream cleanser and hydrating toner. Might be worth a go.

edited to add my absolute favourite hydrating toner is fresh rose hydrating toner. It has annoying rose petals in it but it’s worth it as my skin just feels comforted after using it.

I only use light gel type cleansers on a morning for this reason. I save the heavy duty stuff for evenings.

I use light cleansers in the morning too. Love the BOJ green plum and the Round Lab birch juice one I’ve just started using is lovely too.

I do feel like my skin needs some kind of cleanser in the morning, but maybe that’s because I usually put an overnight mask on in the evening so it feels like that needs washing off.

I have very large pores so feel like I need to clean more often but she was adamant that if I try reducing my morning cleansing then I won’t get that 11am oily feeling. I will see how reducing my cleansing goes over the next few weeks but it’s interesting @OvaHere and @CorneliaStreet you've been doing this already so maybe she is on to something.

I have only started using cleanser in morning in the last few years- as I got older, and used more product at night, plus the joy of peri night sweats.... before that, water only. Ever.

And yes to lught morning cleansers. Amd also why my night cleansers were milk based for years now balms. Anything else and I am a mummy

When I had my rosacea laser treatment I was told the same thing re morning cleansers.

I would be up for masks and minis month @DidILeaveTheGasOn . Does it have to be sheet masks or any, as I have a no7 face mask that I have been trying to use up for quite some time.

My hair care empties are going to be practically non existent for the near future as I've had to strip back my hair care routine due to an inflamed scalp and a lot of hair loss. I'm not sure if this was caused by my shampoo/hair serum, according to google it could have been caused by the vitamins I was taking or if I have an underlying health issue. I got my bloods taken last week so just have to wait on the results. Atm I'm only using Aveeno skin relief shampoo and a lotion prescribed by my doctor. Unfortunately the shampoo doesn't make my hair feel very clean.

Thanks for all the tips folks. I don’t tend to wash in the morning. I spritz with a mist and go straight in with skincare. I have just added the COSRX Super Hyaluronic Essence which is more like a serum and used it for the first time today. It helped today I think I will buy a more watery one next time. I will investigate the Biodance pads. Thank you so much @SheilaFentiman. I think I would find that less claustrophobic than a whole sheet mask. @CorneliaStreet The BOJ cleanser is my favourite summer one. (Their Ginseng toner and Oil Cleanser are fab too.)

@Minnie123456 yes any type of mask.

I’m sorry to hear about the hair loss, I hope they get it sorted.