April, May and June 2026 Empties

I've been meaning to get this post up for ages and now I have 3 months worth of empties! Lots of Charlotte Tilbury this month and my usual mini reviews, so let's get to it.  

Charlotte Tilbury Collagen Lip Bath in Refresh Rose - This was a travel sized tube I got as a gift with purchase from Charlotte Tilbury. Within a day of using it, the gold foil packaging started to chip off and as you can see from the picture, the tube is a mess. The tube stayed in a small makeup bag in my purse while I was using it so it didn't move around much. I have noticed that a lot of Charlotte Tilbury packaging seems to be falling apart and is very cheaply made these days. This product and shade is essentially a clear gloss. A very nice gloss, but clear. For the Canadian price tag of $50 for a full sized tube and $24.50 for the travel size, it frankly wouldn't be my money. I enjoyed it as a freebie. You can get a similar product that has the same effect for a much smaller price tag. 

Charlotte Tilbury Magic Cream- This is my ride or die as you all know. I've spoken about this until I am blue in the face. Already repurchased. 

Charlotte Tilbury Exagger-Eyes Volume Mascara - I bought a travel sized version of this mascara to try it out. It did work well but I am not sure it cracks my Top 5 favourite mascaras. Top 10 probably. First, the packaging. The tube resided on my vanity table and was not moved around to other places, yet the tube chipped like mad. At Charlotte's price point, this really should not be acceptable. The mascara gave length and volume and did not smudge on me when I wore it with contacts. May consider repurcashing but won't be soon as I have other mascaras to work on in my stash. 

Caudalie Premier Cru (The Rich Cream) – I really enjoy this as a night cream and it seems to do more than other night creams I have used. My skin looks and feels glowy, plumped and healthy each morning after use.  A little goes a long way and a jar lasts me a long time. This was my second jar and I have already repurchased a third which is in use. I usually wait for the semi-annual Sephora sale to stock up. 

it Cosmetics Confidence in an Eye Cream - This was ok. It moisturized, but wasn't anywhere close to as good as other products. Did nothing for my dark circles. It was a travel sized jar that I got for free when I made another it Cosmetics purchase awhile back. Wouldn't purchase. 

Elemis Peptide 4 Eye Recovery Cream - This was the first Elemis product that I had ever tried. For years I have heard how good their products were so I was shocked when I tried this. I really didn't care for this eye cream and I am actually surprised this is on the market. The packaging was not great and the twist off cap was broken soon after started using it in that it wouldn't twist back on properly and kept spinning around. The cream itself was clumpy and did not apply smoothly. It barely moisturized my eye area and sometimes I had to question if I had even applied it. It did nothing to help the look of my eye area. I got this in a subscription box I used to have so I didn't purchase it on it's own. Looks like it sells for about $64 Canadian. Wow, that is wild for what it is.  You can do better at the drug store. Please pass on this. 

Ren Clean Skincare Global Protection Day Cream - Looks like Ren Clean Skincare has gone out of business. As such, I have decided to use up what have in my stash as the company is no more and I can no longer get their products. You will see in my next empties post that I have more empties coming soon. The Global Protection Day Cream is one of my Top 2 products of theirs. For me, it calms down my skin when it is red and irritated and serves as a decent base for foundation application. This was a travel sized tube I had kicking around and I finished it in no time as there wasn't much left when I picked it up. Can't repurchase, but would. I have more of this cream in my stash so you haven't seen the last of it. 

L'Occitane Verveine Cooling Hand Cream Gel - This was a purse sized tube and I happily used it up. Can't say the scent was memorable or that I loved it, but any L'Occitane hand cream is alright in my book. 

Charlotte Tilbury Magic Lip Oil -  I love me some Charlotte Tilbury, but this was her worst product I have ever tried. It was like a cheap, drug store lip gloss. Very watery, no staying power and smelt like a strange vasoline. I hated the roller ball applicator too. I got this in a mystery box or in a set of her products ages ago so I didn't buy it as a stand alone product. Did it moisturize my lips? I guess so but so do hundreds of other less expensive lip products. This product is $54 Canadian. Insane. Would never purchase. 

Laneige Lip Sleeping Mask in Caramel Apple - I have gone through countless numbers of these lip masks and I really like them as they are great lip moisturizers. I enjoyed this scent very much but it did leave an unpleasant looking colour around my lips due to the baby puke colour of the product so I only wore it around the house. Have repurchased several other scents but would repurchase Caramel Apple again. 

Beautyblender Blendercleanser Solid Lavender - They have changed the formula for this and I am not mad about it. More on that later. I have used up countless numbers of these and they are my favourite product for cleaning my brushes. Already repurchased the new version. 

Beautyblender Liquid Blendercleanser - I have had this for so long that the last little bit went hard. It was a travel sized bottle and I mostly used it when I went on vacation. I seemed to need to use a lot when I used this, especially on beautyblenders so I don't think it was the best value for money. Looks like it has been reformulated so I may give this product another shot. 

Pureology Hydrate Shampoo - This was a travel sized bottle and what they charge for it is outrageous ($18 Canadian) but I didn't want to invest in a larger bottle until I was sure I liked it. I do like it, but not sure I love it. I don't feel it cleans super well and it does not do enough for frizz control. I may repurchase but I have a couple other shampoos I want to try first. 

Davines Melu Anti-Breakage Conditioner for Long Hair - This was a mini size of this product and I quite like it. It was my second mini container of it. It takes awhile to use up so I haven't bought the full sized version as yet. Plus, it is currently sold out at Sephora. It made my hair very soft and manageable. Hopefully, it strengthened it too. I recently finished the shampoo as well (see below). A lot of people say this smells like laundry detergent and I would say no, it smells like fabric softener. Haha. I don't mind the smell though. Will likely repurchase. 

Davines Melu Anti-Breakage Shampoo - This was also a mini size. It was ok but really didn't wow me and I wasn't sure how well it was cleansing my hair. It felt like a lighter version of the conditioner and it too smells like fabric softener. I am actually using another Davines shampoo that seems much better and Davines has recommended it be paired with the Melu conditioner so that is interesting. Don't think I would repurchase. 

Shiseido Facial Cotton - How many of these I have gone through, not sure. Nothing compares. Already repurchased. 

Redken One United All-In-One Multi-Benefit Treatment - I can't take the credit for finishing this bottle as my hair stylist gave it to me when it was nearing the end. She had been using this on my hair for ages and my hair seems to really like it. It makes my hair more manageable, shiny, detangles etc. It has 25 benefits. I will be purchasing a new one soon. I have another similar product I like which I will be discussing in an empties post shortly. Both are slightly different, but both I like so not sure which one will come out on top. 

July empties post coming soon! Too may empties to wait another month :) 

January, February and March 2026 Empties

I can't believe it is already May! Yikes! I guess we better get into the empties I had from the first part of the year and my mini reviews of them. 

Bondiboost Thickening Therapy Spray - I bought this on a total whim last year when Sephora had it on sale. I wanted to try the brand and sadly, I must say, I was not impressed at all with this product at least. First of all, the spray nozzle is awful, it comes out in clumps. Impossible to get an even application. This works better in wet hair than dry but it says you can use it on both. The product makes my hair sticky and nasty after use. You can forget about combing your hair after it sets. I have used thickening sprays that work better than this and I have also tried some that are even worse. So it will thicken your hair but the result is not extreme and you can't do much of anything once you have applied it. Even blow drying becomes difficult after it is in your wet hair. So stiff, sticky and gross! I had to use small amounts to use up the bottle and even doing that, the product was still not nice feeling in my hair. Will not be repurchasing. 

Charlotte Tilbury Magic Eye Rescue - This was a full sized glass jar and it took me eternity to finish and I was not mad about that. It felt nice on the eyes and was a good foundation under makeup. I can't say that it did anything for my undereye circles though. However, what does? I am trying to use 4 or 5 other eye creams that I have hanging around to get rid of them and all of them are inferuior overall as an eye cream to this. I would conisder repurchasing this, but I won't for quite awhile. My search for a great eye cream continues. 

Klorane Floral Water Make-Up Remover - Love this. There is no substitute. Will always buy this until it is no longer available. Have purchased countless bottles of this. 

Cake Beauty "It's a Slice" Supreme Body Mousse - It took me 10,000 years to finish this monster sized bottle of body cream (1 litre!). I cannot even begin to tell you how delighted I am to have accomplished this. I have another similar bottle in another scent that I am working on as well. I think I paid around $12.99 for this in Winners which was a steal and a half. While not even close to my favourite body cream, it works well enough and at the price I paid, it was worth it. The scent is that of an orange creamsicle and it's quite nice. I believe this scent may now be discontinued. 

OGX Beauty Nourishing + Coconut Oil Weightless Hydrating Oil Mist - I bought this ages ago and it was way too heavy of an oil for my hair. I also wasn't keen on the scent - too coconut for me. So I had it sitting in my bathroom gathering dust until recently when I started using it as a pre-shampoo oil treatment. Seemed to work ok, but I have a better oil for that. Anyway, I used it up finally. Won't be repurchasung because of the smell and also that there are better products for my purposes out there. 

Fresh Tea Elixir Skin Resilience Activating Serum – I'm so sad. They discontinued this serum! They have a new one that I have to try. In the meantime, I bought another brand that I hoped would be a cheaper substitute and it was not at all. This made my skin look glowy, feel bouncy, minimized fine lines and softened. 

Skinfix Barrier + Triple Lipid + Collagen + Niacinamide Activating Serum - Another refill done! I may repurchase but I won't right away as I have so many products I need to use up and I am on a mission. I primarily use this when my skin is acting up and needs calming. This is great for keeping my face hydrated and reducing redness.

Caliray Come Hell or High Water Mascara - I am not sure how many of these I have gone through but I love this mascara. Already repurchased. I love the fact that this doesn’t budge or smudge so it is great when I am wearing my glasses. It gives good length, volume and curl too. Not my favourite mascara, but definitely in the top 5 and it serves a specific purpose for me. I buy the travel sized one as it lasts me 3 months plus and it's great to throw into my purse. The regular sized one would be a waste of money for me as it would go bad before I finish it. 

Maybelline Fit Me! Concealer in 20 Sand - There was a time when this was probably the best concealer you could buy at the drug store. Times have changed and now this one seems drier compared to modern concealers and the shade range is not great. Coverage is also medium at best. I bought two of these ages ago and use them when I am in a pinch or running to the store quick etc. They were never good enough really for going out all day or going somewhere special. The shade 15 Light is more rosey, cooler toned than the 20 Sand. Finished 15 Light as noted in my last Empties entry and now 20 Sand is done. So glad to be done with both of these. Will not be repurchasing.  

Estee Lauder Little Black Primer - This was a travel sized tube. I should have thrown it out ages ago. I recently opened it and it was off so out it goes. This is a good product and I would consider purchasing it but I try to stick to mascaras that don't need a primer.

Origins Eye Doctor - Yep, I went back to this and again, as soon as I put it on, my eyes sighed with happiness. It's a great eye moisturizer, but my dark circles are bad and I don't feel this does enough for that issue. I will likely repurchase, but I have some other eye creams I want to use up and/or explore first. 

Charlotte Tilbury Magic Vanish in Medium -  This was the second one I purchased and it works well but I wish it worked a bit better. I am currently trying two other colour corrector products to see if I prefer them to this but I have a funny feeling I will be repurchasing this again. 

Sephora Collection Instant Moisturizer - I believe this specific product has been discontinued. This was a small sample I used up and it was actually pretty good. I was sad when I finished it. Too bad for Sephora, they should consider bringing it back. 

Aveda Invati Advanced Thickening Conditioner - I found what was left of this sample in my stash and decided to use it up. When I have used this product in the past, it did seem to thicken my hair but as soon as I stopped using it, the effect was gone. I would consider repurcashing this regardless. 

Fenty Beauty by Rihanna Soft-Lit Naturally Luminous Hydrating Longwear Foundation in 185 - This is one of the best foundations to come on the market in the last couple of years. It works well with my dry, sometimes combo skin. Coverage is full and gives you a nice glow. The colour I have is perfect for me. Already repurchased.

December 2025 Empties and Trash

December was a heavy empties month for me for some strange reason so without further ado, let's jump into it. 

fresh Rose Deep Hydration Face Cream - This may not be my favourite day or night cream, but I do quite like it and it's in my Top 5 for sure. This was a sample sized jar that I have taken on vacation and ended up finishing at home. The product is very moisturizing and makes my skin feel really nice. Works well on no make-up days and also under make-up. When a regular sized jar of this went on sale for 50% off recently at Sephora, I pounced. So already repurchased. 

Charlotte Tilbury Magic Cream- This is my ride or die. I've spoken about this at length so will spare you all. Already repurchased. 

Aveda Invati Advanced Scalp Revitalizer - I got this as a sample awhile back and recently decided to use it. Sadly, it didn't last long so I don't know if it would be very beneficial to me or not. It made my scalp tingle in a good way and I like that it dried fast and gave some root lifting action so you could use this between washes without ruining your hair. I would consider purchasing this, but I see a lot of online reviews saying they have changed the formula and it is not the same. Plus, it is expensive so the jury is out on this one. 

Davines Melu Anti-Breakage Conditioner for Long Hair - This was a mini size of this product and I quite like it. It took a long time to use up surprisingly. It made my hair very soft and manageable. Hopefully, it strengthened it too. I am currently using the shampoo as well. A lot of people say this smells like laundry detergent and I would say no, it smells like fabric softener. Haha. I don't mind the smell though. Already repurchased another mini. 

Tatcha The Rice Wash Soft Cream Cleanser - Love this cleanser. I wish I could use it more often, but my skin has to be in good shape and not having a sensitive skin day in order to use it. I kept it for use in the shower so that is why my tube is so beaten up. This was a smaller sized tube and I have other samples which I will be using up before I repurchase. One of my Top 5 cleansers for sure. 

Caudalie Vinotherapist Hand & Nail Repairing Cream - I bought of set of 3 of these for Holiday 2024 and I bought another set this past Holiday 2025. Love these for my purse. This was the last of my 2024 batch. What I really like about it is that is works on both skin and nails. Especially in winter, this is a must have for me in my purse. 

tarte Maracuja Juicy Lip Hydrating Balm Gloss in Rose - There are so many of these tarte lip products that look similar it isn't funny. I am not touching the plumping one. I really liked this product in the Raspberry colour but I was not a keen on this Rose one as it was practically clear. It's nice and glossy, looks plump and very moisturizing but I am not paying the cost of this for clear gloss. I got this one in a set with a lip liner and I quite like the matching lip liner as it has some colour but I think it leans orange on me which I am not crazy about. Would repurchase the Raspberry again, not the Rose. Would maybe repurchase the lip liner but in another colour. 

Beautyblender - I keep trying other sponges to save a buck but the original Beautyblender is still the best. Not repurchased yet but will do so soon. In the meantime, I have other knock off ones I can use. 

Shiseido Facial Cotton - How many of these I have gone through, not sure. Nothing compares. Already repurchased. 

Maybelline Fit Me! Concealer in 15 Light - There was a time when this was probably the best concealer you could buy at the drug store. Times have changed and now this one seems drier and the shade range was meh compared to it's new counterparts. Coverage was also medium at best. I bought two of these ages ago and use them when I am in a pinch or running to the store quick etc. They were never good enough really for going out all day or going somewhere special. The shade 15 Light is more rosey, cooler toned than the 20 Sand I am still trying to use up. I am delighted to have finally finished this. Will not be repurchasing as I have many, far better concealers in my collection. 

Summer Fridays Lip Butter Balm in Vanilla - This was a mini from a set I bought for Holiday 2024 and it was the last one of them I used up. I think I have bought about 7 or 8 scents/colours now and I have to say that Vanilla is my favourite. I previously used up a full sized tube. Sad to see this go. I have 4 full sized tubes of other scents at the moment and I will be using at least 1 or 2 of those up before I restock on the Vanilla. Trying to be good and use up what I have. Needless to say, definitely will be a repurchase. 

Origins Modern Friction - I was never crazy about this product, but it did seem to get the job done if I needed exfoliation. It was very thick and I didn't care for the smell. It could be more harsh than I liked at times. I don't believe I ever bought one of these as a stand alone product. I usually received them as part of a set of Origins products or sample sizes. This particular tube I have had for a long time and it has gone off. The colour and smell has changed so it is trash. I didn't get to use up even a third of this but that is ok as it is a bit harsh for me to use on my sensitive skin these days. Won't be repurchasing as there are similar products I prefer. 

The Inkey List Supersolutions 10% Azelaic Acid Serum - This product has been just what I needed for my rosacea. I have already repurchased. Can't live without it now. This is a must have for anyone with rosacea and the beauty is you can layer it with other serums. I highly recommend using it twice a day for full effectiveness. I am not sure how many of these I have gone through now but I will be buying it likely forever. 

Burt's Bees Sweet Mandarin Moisturizing Lip Balm - These are good to have lying around the house but I do prefer my Laneige or Summer Fridays lip products. They are very inexpensive so worth buying for sure. I got a set from the hubby as a stocking stuffer in the past so I have a few of these to use up. This is the second one I have finished in recent months. 

Rare Beauty Eye Primer - One of my favourite YouTubers loves this product and I bought it on her recommendation. Sadly, I hate it. It doesn't stop my eyeshadow from creasing and it blends out to be pretty sheer so it doesn't cover any veins or unevenness on my eyelids. It's basically a bust unless you have dry eyelids that look fantastic with or without eye makeup. Some people do, but I am not one of them. I am not sure how I managed to use this up but I only used it when I needed my eye makeup to look passable for an hour, two max. The tip of the wand broke off as the final insult when I was nearing the end of the product so I used a thin Q-tip to scrape out the rest. I believe Sephora may have stopped selling this product even though they carry most of the Rare Beauty line still. Wonder why? Will not be repurchasing. 

Estee Lauder Double Wear Light Stay-in-Place Makeup in 2.0 - This was my ride or die foundation for years! They discontinued it a few years ago and I was crushed. This was my favourite shade. I kept this tube unopened when I found out it was discontinued and recently decided enough was enough so I used it up. So bittersweet. I have to say though that this foundation is no longer working for me as well as it used to. I had oily/combination skin my whole life until a few years ago and then it changed to dry and sensitive. This foundation was the best when my skin was oily/combo. Now it's ok but too drying for me really. Also, foundation has become a lot more innovative and hydrating since this product was discontinued. Won't and can't repurchase. 

L'Occitane en Provence Nail & Cuticle Nourishing Oil - I own 3 of these because this product is so good. Expensive, but good. Perfect for the purse. If your cuticles look ratty, apply this and you are set for the rest of the day once it sinks in. I kept misplacing one of these and then would reach for another one and then would find the one I misplaced so I have all 3 in use. Finally, I finished one. Already repurchased. 

Charlotte Tilbury Hyaluronic Happikiss Lipstick Balm in Pillowtalk - Love, love, love this product. I believe this was the third one that I finished and I have another one waiting for me to use. Paired with Charlotte Tilbury's Pillowtalk Medium Lip Liner, this is a combo that cannot be beat. It goes with every makeup look and outfit pretty much. It feels great on the lips. This product is both something and nothing at the same time as it is very unassuming at first glance. If you wear it alone or with another lip liner than the one I recommend, it's not as great but still good. Already repurchased. 

Stay warm everyone! It's freezing where I am! 

October/November 2025 Empties

 I hope everyone is having a good start to their holiday season! I already have some empties piling up for December so it's time to get rid of these Autumn ones and do some mini reviews. 

Living proof Perfect Hair Day 5-in-1 Styling Treatment – This was a travel sized tube that was nearly finished from my last trip so I decided I may as well finish it. I have no idea at this point how many containers of this product I have gone through. It's one of my favourite hair products. I really love all of the volume, thickness and manageability that this product gives me. Already repurchased. 

Caliray Come Hell or High Water Mascara  I love the fact that this mascara doesn’t budge or smudge so it is great when I am wearing my glasses. It gives good length, volume and curl too. Not my favourite mascara, but definitely in the top 5 and it serves a specific purpose for me.This was my fifth and I have already repurchased another. I buy the travel sized one as it lasts me 3 months plus and it's great to throw into my purse. The regular sized one would be a waste of money for me as it would go bad before I finish it. 

Ilia Limitless Lash Lengthening Clean Mascara - I have to say this product was not good. I've found way better mascaras at the drug store. It gave me no volume, pretty much no length and applying it was a general waste of time. I only used it a few times, mostly to see if it improved once it got some air in it, and it completely dried out so fast. $40 Canadian is outrageous for this product. Will never repurchase. 

Drunk Elephant Sili Body Lotion - I bought this awhile ago at Sephora, but I see they no longer carry it there but they do on their own website. This was a solid body lotion in terms of effectiveness. My skin felt very good after applying this and the moisture did last a decent amount of time. It is a watery formula so depending on your needs, it may not be what you are looking for. All of this being said, for $34 Canadian, I am not sure it is worth repurchasing. Especially, since I would need to pay $10 to have it shipped to me directly from the brand. If you can get this on sale and don't have to pay for shipping, I would consider repurchasing. My final thought on this is that the packaging is very lightweight and narrow so it falls over very easily if it's on a table. I found that super annoying. 

Cetaphil Daily Advance Ultra Hydrating Lotion for Dry, Sensitive Skin - This was a good, thick body cream and it worked well. I would totally repurchase it. Since it is drugstore, the price is reasonable. Regardless, I have 2 complaints. I don't like the smell. To me, it smells like mothballs. However, I find a lot of lotions smell that way, so it may be some ingredient I don't jive with so please take my opinion with a grain of salt. Second complaint is that the product is so thick that it is hard to sometimes get it out of the plump and getting those last bits of product out is extremely difficult unless you cut it open. I would suggest buying the tub instead of the pump for this reason. 

Oribe Run-Through Detangling Primer - I bought this ages ago from Amazon used it a couple of times, wasn't impressed and put it away. I busted it out again over the summer and decided to use it up as I was nearly out of my detangler. It was ok, but personally I prefer the Bumble and bumble detangling primer. The Oribe works best as a hydrator, not so much a detangler. This product offers heat protection as well. Aside from the fact that I consider this product mid, the nozzle gets clogged constantly which drives me mad. The cost is $49 Canadian currently, which for what it is, is steep. Will not repurchase. 

Tarte Lip Gloss - I got a set of these a few years ago, and I only open one at a time. This was a great blueish pinky purple that was subtle and pretty and I miss it already. Tarte doesn't appear to have a similar product in their product line-up any longer and it's a shame as it is one of the best products they have ever made. They smell good, feel super comfortable and were long lasting. The colours were phenomenal. I believe I have one left and I will be using it shortly. Would repurchase if I could. 

Burt's Bees Wild Cherry Moisturizing Lip Balm - These are good to have lying around the house but I do prefer my Laneige or Summer Fridays lip products. They are very inexpensive so worth buying for sure. I got a set from the hubby as a stocking stuffer in the past so I have a few of these to use up.  

Rimmel Exaggerate Full Colour Lip Liner in 018 Addicton and 063 East End Snob - These lip liners were great in terms of the price, colour selection and quality. They appear to be discontinued for the most part, only a couple of shades are left on Rimmel's website. I am glad I bought these but they made me realize I am not crazy about mechanical lip liners. There is a lot product still left inside, but you can't access it at a certain point. I checked online and it appears many people have had the same complaint. I recently decided to use up one of these when the other one reached the "end" and it didn't take long for the same thing to happen. To be fair, I used these quite a bit before they would no longer turn up. It still bothers me though as I hate to see wasted product. 

Redken Frizz Dismiss Sulfate-Free Shampoo - This bottle was travel-sized. I think this packaging has been discontinued. I bought this at a L'Oreal Wareouse sale some time ago. I am not sure if the product was old, but it did not lather whatsoever. If someone has any experience with this product, please let me know.  I found myself using a lot of it, since it didn't lather so I maybe got 3 uses out of this small bottle. I guess it was ok, but I wasn't impressed overall with it. 

Dr. Hauschka Translucent Make-up 01 - I brought this a very long time ago, and at the time, 01 was their lightest shade. Dr. Hauschka doesn't appear to make this exact product any longer which is for the best, as it wasn't very good. I decided recently to use it up and wore it when I was popping out to run a quick errand, not when I was going anywhere special. It hadn't gone bad but I think it was starting to think about it. The colour, 01, was very dark, leaning more medium to tan. The formula was watery and sheered out luckily but was still much too dark for me. It had a strong smell, which I liked, but it may be too much for some people. Coverage was light to medium at best. Would not repurchase it, even if I could. Hopefully, their newer base products are better. They appear to have a better shade range now. 

Estee Lauder Micro Essence - I bought this ages ago at the extreme urging of an Estee Lauder rep as she told me it was their best seller and it would change my life. I don't remember what I paid for it at the time, but it was very expensive for what it is, and I foolishly didn't ask how much before she rang it up. If I was to guess I'd say I paid about $70 at the time. The bottle I have is 75ml and is in glass which I am appreciative of. The smallest size I see online is 100ml for $102 Canadian. Ouch. I had this for a long time before I finally opened it and started using it. It does work in the sense that it adds a fair amount of moisture and comfort to the skin and it is softening. If I got it at a discounted price or in a set, I would gladly use this again. At this price point though, I won't be repurchasing as it was not life changing nor worth the price tag in my opinion. You can get other products for a fraction of the price that work in a similar fashion. 

Farmacy Honey Halo Ultra-Hydrating Ceramide Moisturizer - This was a good moisturizer that I used at night sometimes. When I woke up, my skin would look bright and clear. It did moisturize decently, but I have creams that work better for that. I got this in a subscription box that I used to have. I would consider repurchasing, but it is not my favourite night cream so I will not be rushing to do so. That being said, this is easily in my top 5 facial creams so it is a solid purchase. I think this would have been a great cream for me when I was younger and didn't need as much moisture. 

Biossance Squalane + Copper Pepptide Rapid Plumping Serum - The first couple of times I used this I couldn't believe my eyes as it plumped my skin like crazy and practically erased my laugh lines. I was ready to go to Sephora and buy the largest bottle they have of it. However, after the first couple of uses, the dramatic change diminished and it was not the same again. I am not sure what happened, or how this is possible, but the effect was significantly gone. I do find that in general Biossance products don't do much for me but they must work for other people. This was a travel sized bottle that I received for free from Sephora. 

That's all for now! 

August/September 2025 Empties

Hello! Back with another empties post. Not a whole lot this time around. I am trying to pan and empty several things at the moment so the next few months should be more interesting. Let's get into it.  

The Inkey List Supersolutions 10% Azelaic Acid Serum - This product has been just what I needed for my rosacea. I have already repurchased. Can't live without it now. This is a must have for anyone with rosacea and the beauty is you can layer it with other serums. I highly recommend using it twice a day for full effectiveness. I am not sure how many of these I have gone through now but I will be buying it likely forever. 

Living proof Perfect Hair Day 5-in-1 Styling Treatment – I have gone through countless bottles of this product and I already have repurchased another. I really love all of the volume, thickness and manageability that this product gives me. My only complaint is that it makes my hair a bit stiff. I have started using other Living proof products and I have found some good ones which I should have an empties post soon. I wasn't the biggest fan of their shampoo and conditioner when I tried it in the past but I would be willing to try it again to see if my thoughts have changed. 

Caliray Come Hell or High Water Mascara  I love the fact that this mascara doesn’t budge or smudge so it is great when I am wearing my glasses. It gives good length, volume and curl too. Not my favourite mascara, but definitely in the top 5 and it serves a specific purpose for me.This was my fourth I have already repurchased my fifth. I buy the travel sized one as it lasts me 3 months plus and it's great to throw into my purse. The regular sized one would be a waste of money for me as it would go bad before I finish it. 

Biossance Squalane + Phyto-Retinol Serum - I think this must be my last travel sized version of this product. At least, I hope so. Maybe it is me, but Biossance products don't seem to do much for me. This serum I don't think did much at all. I believe this product has a tiny amount of retinol, so little as I have read, that it would have no effect on skin. Not sure if that is true, but that is what I have seen online from beauty insiders. I think this product has been discontinued too. Would not repurchase. 

Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer Potion Original - I have lost count how many of these I have used up over the years. Already repurchased. It's the best one I can find on the market. Everyone needs this. 

tarte Maracuja Juicy Lip Hydrating Balm Gloss in Raspberry - There are so many of these tarte lip products that look similar it isn't funny. I am not touching the plumping one. I really liked this product in the Raspberry colour. It's nice and glossy, looks plump and very moisturizing. I have since bought another colour and I am not enthused about it at all. I'm using it to add hydration on top of dry lipsticks to use it up. 

Youth to the People Polypeptide-21 Future Cream - This was a little travel sized sample and I quite liked it. It's not better than Charlotte Tilbury's Magic Cream nor the Caudalie Premier Cru cream, but I would consider buying this one possibly in the future. It was one of the best face creams I have used in a long time. 

Klorane Floral Water Make-Up Remover - Love this. There is no substitute. Will always buy this until it is no longer available. 

Aveeno Skin Relief Moisturizing Lotion (Shea Butter) - This is a great lotion. Especially the Cooling Menthol version which this one wasn't but it's still good. Already repurchased. 

Peach & Lily Power Calm Hydrating Gel Cleanser - I thought this was the best cleanser when I first tried this and I do still really like it, but I have have a couple others that I prefer. I would consider repurchasing this, but I won't be rushing to as I have lots of other ones I am currently using. This cleanser makes your skin feel really clean while not stripping it of moisture and protecting the skin barrier. 

SkinFix Barrier+ Triple Lipid-Peptide Cream - I really liked this product when it first came out. I credit it with helping me get my rosacea under control. I don't find it to be very moisturizing but it does seem to help a lot with my skin barrier. I have repurchased the regular, full sized jar a few times but it seems to not be as effective as it was. I have seen some online chatter about SkinFix changing the formula and I believe it. This is likely the last one and I don't plan to repurchase unless my skin goes completely crazy and needs skin barrier help and other things stop working. 

May, June and July 2025 Empties and Trash

Hello! I have been sitting on these empties for awhile so let's get to these mini reviews! 

Earth's Nectar Nourish Conditioning Detangler - I bought this from Sephora when they carried this brand, which they no longer do. I didn't really like this product. I bought it for it's detangling claim and I didn't find it detangled very well at all. I then tried to use it as a hair refresher and it didn't do that very well either. The nozzle sprays a lot out at once and with three sprays, your hair is soaking wet. My hair did not feel hydrated after using it, and in fact, sometimes it felt like soft straw after it dried down. For some reason, I was hell bent on using it up and I finally did. I mostly used it when I was having such a bad hair day anything would have helped just to tame down my hair. Would not repurchase. 

L’Occitane Foot Cream (x2 travel and full size) – Simply the best. Have been using this for 10 years and I love it. Already repurchased. Highly recommend.

Huda Beauty #Fauxfilter Luminous Matte Liquid Concealer - It's not often that I finish a concealer but this one I did. While I am still looking for my holy grail concealer, this one is pretty good. Mine is in the shade Coconut Flakes 2.7N. While I do rotate in other concealers to my routine, I used this one an awful lot and it took me 3 years to finish! It isn't too creasy and it's thick in a good way but spreads out nicely. It says it lasts 14 hrs and I would say that is a reasonable claim. I think I have gotten longer wear of it than that! It's "full coverage", or is as full as I can find on the market. This and the Natasha Denona concealer are my current favourites, although I do plan on trying out a couple other ones I have my eye on. Already repurchased. 

Bumble and Bumble Hairdresser's Invisible Oil Mask - This was a mini of sorts that I got in a travel set. I must have got about 8-10 uses out if it. It was pretty good but to be honest, it worked the same as the regular conditioner in the Hairdresser's Oil line. For that reason, I would not repurchase this as it's $65 Canadian for a full sized tube and the regular conditioner is $51 for the same size.   

Olehenriksen Pout Preserve Peptide Lip Treatment - I may get some flack for this but I hated this product. I know some people love it, but not me. I am convinced that different people have different needs and react to products differently. This lip treatment constantly slid off my lips. If I was lucky, I would have it on for 5 minutes and it would disappear. I would have to reapply and I don't have time for that every 5 minutes. Summer Fridays and Laneige last a heck of a lot longer on my lips so for me there is no contest. I have had bad luck with all Olehenriksen products I have ever tried so maybe they are not meant for me. Definitely would not repurchase. 

Caudalie Vinoperfect Radiance Serum Complexion Correcting - I love a lot of Caudalie products, but this one didn't seem to make a difference to my skin at all. If I used another serum, from another brand, it worked the same or better. Even paired with the Cauldalie Premier Cru, it was the same effect with and without the serum. This was a sample size. Would not repurchase. 

Biossance Squalane + Phyto-Retinol Serum - Maybe it is me, but Biossance products don't seem to do much for me. This serum I don't think did much at all. It was a travel size and I have another one too that I am trying to use up. I believe this product has a tiny amount of retinol, so little as I have read, that it would have no effect on skin. Not sure if that is true, but that is what I have seen online from beauty insiders. I think this product has been discontinued too. Would not repurchase. 

MAC All That Glitters Eyeshadow - Not sure if this was the second or first one I have finished. This is a great shade and I have already repurchased it. It's a light gold that goes with a lot of looks. It's a great one and done eyeshadow. Can't recommend it enough. 

Native Deordorant in Vanilla & Chai - This is not an empty, it is trash. I thought I had thrown all of these Native deodorants out, but I found this one still lying around. I had a bad reaction to this deordorant. My friend loves this deordorant, and she bought me a set of some small limited edition scents of which this was one of them. I believe it is the baking soda in this that I cannot handle. Will not repurchase obviously.  

Biossance Squalane + Omega Repair Cream - This was sample and it was ok but really did nothing special for me. I have far better moisturizers in my collection. Will not repurchase. 

Summer Fridays Lip Butter Balm in Brown Sugar - The smell of this is intoxicating. This was part of a holiday set of minis last year from the brand, and let me tell you, if they offer another holiday set of these this year, I will be all over it. Have repurchased 2 other full sized tubes in different scents. 

L'Occitane en Provence Dry Skin Hand Cream - Used this in my purse, it was fantastic as all L'Occitane hand cream is. Will repurchase, but trying to get through some other travel-sized hand creams first. 

Gxve Can't Stop Staring Mascara in Black - This was one of my favourite mascaras ever and I am soooo sad that Sephora doesn't seem to be carrying it any longer. In fact, it looks like the brand may be done as you can't buy from their website either. Would repurchase if I could. This mascara gives great length, volume and doesn't smudge. 

Shiseido Facial Cotton - Another one done! Already repurchased. I really try to load up on these during the Sephora semi-annual sales as they have gotten quite expensive but there are no other suitable substitutes in my opinion. Quick tip, if you are in Canada, Shoppers Drug Mart tends to sell this for $4-$5 dollars less than Sephora.

Dr. Dennis Gross Alpha Beta Extra Strength Daily Peel - This is a holy grail product for a lot of people and I have to say, I do notice a difference with the texture of my skin when I use them. I have gone through many one and done samples of this, but this time I had a box finished of 3 treatments so I thought it was high time I shared my thoughts on them. Even though I have sensitive skin, I can tolerate the extra strength version. I cut mine in half to stretch the product out as they are pricey and put the other half of the sheets in a ziploc bag and try to use the saved pieces within a few days after. They make my skin brighter and smoother. I really need to use these more often. A fantastic product. Will repurchase, but I have a number of freebies of this product to use up first.

That's all for today, will be back soon with an August/September empties post as my empties are piling up already!

 

March/April 2025 Empties

Welcome to another empties post with mini reiews! I didn't have a ton of empties in March so I lumped them together with April's. Let's dive in! 

Cerave Hydrating Cream-to-Foam Cleanser (Removes Makeup) - This was by far one of my best finds back in 2023. The fact that it is easy to get (any drug store) and is reasonably priced is fantastic. This cleanser is very hydrating, gentle, does not play with my skin barrier and removes my makeup including eye makeup! Makes my skin so clean! I tend to use this only at night but I think you could use it in the morning too if you want. Already repurchased. This is easily in my Top 5 cleansers. 

Summer Fridays Lip Butter Balm in Vanilla Beige and Iced Coffee - I got a mini set of 4 of these last Fall during the Sephora sale. I bought them as I wanted to try a variety of scents and colours. The Iced Coffee one grew on me quickly and I would repurchase that scent no problem. The Vanilla Beige was ok. I really like Summer Fridays lip butter balms and although I wished they lasted longer on the lips, I think they are one of the best lip balms you can get on the market. I have already repurchased a regular sized tube in Birthday Cake and will be reviewing that one for you shortly. 

The Inkey List Supersolutions 10% Azelaic Acid Serum - This product has been a lifesaver for my rosacea. I have already repurchased. Can't live without it now. This is a must have for anyone with rosacea and the beauty is you can layer it with other serums. I highly recommend using it twice a day for full effectiveness. I am not sure how many of these I have gone through now but I will be buying it likely forever. 

Sol de Janeiro Rio Deo Refill in Brazilian Jasmine & Pink Dragonfruit - I quite like this deodorant and have gone through a few of these already. I am starting to get confused with all of the scents. I think I like the original one the best. The refills never seem to sit right in the containers and the temporary lids are awful. All that being said, I do like this product and have repurchased. I would'nt say it is workout appropriate, you would need something stronger but it's great for day to day.

AOA Studio Super Soft PawPaw Wonder Blender - I don't care what anyone says, these sponges are far inferior to the Beautyblender. I don't find these to be as porous as the Beautyblender and therefore product tends to sit on top of the sponge and slide around more. You don't get as good of a blend. Also, I find these dry weird and can get moldy after a bit which I never had happen with the Beautyblender. Since I bought a bag of 6 I will use them up but then it's back to spending good money on Beautyblenders again and I am ok with that. 

Laneige Lip Sleeping Mask in Berry - I really enjoy a lot of these Laneige Lip Sleeping Masks and I have to say that the Berry scent is by far the best scent from their regular line. In general, I tend to prefer some of their limited edition scents. Already repurchased in a few other scents. 

Skin MD Natural Shielding Lotion - I bought this a long time ago online from the U.S. At the time, I couldn't find it here in Canada. I was starting to get some dry patches on my hands in winter and this was recommended by a beauty influencer that I follow. It did seem to work well and I think I had two bottles of them and this was the second one. First one is long finished. I hadn't used it in awhile. I noticed it was nearly empty so I decided recently to use it up. If this was readily available, I might repurchase, but I don't think it is. I also think other creams have come onto the market in recent years that are better so I would likely buy those first. 

Aveeno Restorative Skin Therapy Repairing Cream – This was one of the best Aveeno lotions that I have tried and let me tell you, they are not all created equal. I really liked this cream and I will likely repurchase.

Caudalie Hand & Nail Repairing Cream in The des Vignes (The Vines?) – I got a set of 3 of these in a Holiday Set a year and a half ago. I have used up 2 of them so far and am on my 3^rd and final one. I really liked this hand cream and I will be repurchasing once I have used up the last one I have. It’s great to throw into your purse and I do find that it moisturizes both my nails and my hands well. 

Estee Lauder Advanced Night Repair Eye Concentrate Matrix - First thing I have to mention is that the wand inside broke off very quickly and I had to use a Q-tip to get the product out. That was disappointing. This s a sample size though so the packaging was not going to be stellar. I think the product was nice enough. It was soothing on the eyes and I think I may have looked a bit more refreshed when I woke up after wearing it overnight. I didn't really notice it doing anything for my dark circles in general though. It is an expensive product so not sure I will purchase it in the future, but I won't rule it out. 

Makeup by Mario Moistureglow Plumping Lip Serum in Rosewood Glow - I got this as a Sephora birthday gift along with a lip liner from the same brand. I liked the colour, but I think it is more of a autumn shade so I wouldn't rush to wear it in spring or summer. Even though this is a minty plumping product and not terribly tingly, I really detest plumpers and as a general rule, will not buy them. I don't need them and I don't care for the sensation. It was a decent product, but since it is a plumper, I will not buy it. The packing was awful and the inner tube would not retract if you turned it up too high. Since this was sample, I don't know if the regular sized tube would be the same. 

Biossance Squalane + Marine Algae Eye Cream x2 - I thought I only had 1 of these sample jars, but somehow I had two and was using them simultaneously. Part of my confusion was that I have the same sized jar by the same company with face cream in it. Anyway, I managed to finish both of the eye creams recently. I didn't find it was any better than any of the other eye creams I have used and it did didley squat for my dark circles. Some days, I even found it burned a little so I had to be careful to not place it too high up under my eye. Would not repurchase, but I love the glass jar and will be reusing it for travel with another product in it. 

Charlotte Tilbury Magic Cream- This is my ride or die. I've spoken about this at length so will spare you all. Already repurchased. 

I already have my May empties piling up so should be back soon with more mini reviews.