Used Up Beauty Products / Empties #1

Aside from haul videos, my favourite videos from beauty youtubers are their "empties" ones.  Beauty youtubers seem to own everything within the beauty industry, so one can become confused as to which products are worth purchasing.  Empties videos showcase products that are fully used up or are so unbearable that they have to be tossed out before being finished.  In my opinion, these videos tend to be most truthful of the integrity of a product.

Behold, my first empties post...

Philosophy purity made simple (an old review here)
I've been using this for a few years now, and it's been great as an in-shower makeup remover and face cleanser.  It's good value -- It took me a little over a year to finish this 24oz bottle and it was $40ish US.
I'm aware that its ingredients aren't quite true to its name, so I'm in the market for a new face cleanser... once I finish my 14.5oz bottle in backup.  The nasty ingredients are unfortunate because I love the creamy texture and it doesn't leave my skin tight or stripped

Clinique dramatically different moisturizing gel (an old review here)
I've been using this moisturizer for at least ten years -- undoubtedly, a HG.  In the beginning, I was using the lotion but switched over to the gel as soon as they released it.  The lotion is recommended for dry to normal skin, and the gel is recommended for combination to oily skin (I have normal skin in the Winter and combination skin in the Summer).  The gel is very watery and I love applying it to my face.  It's a perfect everyday moisturizer that stays well underneath makeup.  This is my Autumn/Winter face moisturizer.
Alike everything else under the Clinique brand, this moisturizer is fragrance-free and hypo-allergenic.  Even though both the lotion and gel version of this moisturizer doesn't contain any masking fragrances, its natural scent is pretty much scent-free... which unfortunately, cannot be said about Clinique's moisture surge moisturizer (it smells so nasty!)
Added bonus:  It's only $25 US for a 4.2 oz!

Tresemmé colour protection shampoo
I needed a cheap shampoo early last year, so I picked this 900mL one up at $3.99 CAD.  I don't have colour-treated hair but wanted a gentle shampoo, so I chose the colour protection one.  I like it quite a lot, but still prefer the Dove daily moisture shampoo.

Sensodyne extra whitening tooth paste
I have sensitive teeth.  This works great.

Lush love lettuce (review here)
All time favourite fresh face mask.  It's exactly what my face needs.
It's a little luxury at $6.95 CAD for something that expires within three to four weeks.  I'm able to get four masks out of it, so about once a week.
I guess the pricetag is ok, since there aren't any icky shit in it and it would cost me more to make my own... I'm just bitter because it was $5.95 CAD a year ago.
What's good is you can redeem five empty black containers for a free fresh face mask.

Bath and Body Works hand sanitizers in cotton & nectarine mint
I love these pocket sized anti-bacterial hand sanitizers.  They're 5 for $5 US.  The cotton one smells like fresh laundry and the nectarine mint one smells like peaches.  My favourite scent is island margarita.

La Roche Posay effaclar a.i. (review here)
My HG acne product.  If you like the effaclar duo, this one will blow your mind.  It's basically the crazy ass, beefed-up version of effaclar duo.  It's a spot treatment that works great on both visible spots and spots in the making.  If I feel like a spot is coming, I will generously apply some to the area and it will be gone in the morning.  Likewise, if I have an active volcanic spot, I will generously apply some to it and the area around it, and it will be gone (or significantly reduced) in the morning.  It dries quickly and matte.
It's a tiny 15mL tube, but it lasts for ages.

Josie Maran travel size argan oil (review here)
A HG product.  I love it for the ends of my hair, my cuticles, elbows, and knees.  This travel size took me a year to finish up.  When I was in Portland in December 2012, I picked up the full size bottle.  I've depotted some from the full size bottle to this travel size bottle because it takes up less space on my counter and the travel size dropper is better.

Dove go fresh shampoo in cucumber melon
Hated it.  Too clarifying for me -- dries out my hair.  I prefer the Dove daily moisture line.
I'm super happy that I finally finished this shampoo, because it's been sitting in my shower for almost a year.  Yea, I hated it that much.

L'Occitane après-shampooing conditioner
A sample pack that came in the mail.  It's meh.  Nothing that isn't comparable to a typical drugstore conditioner.

L'Occitane verbena sorbet shower gel
Super drying.

Equate feminine wipes (review here)
Equate is Walmart's home brand.  I love these wipes as an all-purpose wet napkin.  It's great for freshening up, removing makeup, and down there.  They're super huge sheets that are super wet.


Phew!  That was a lot of stuff.
Please note that I didn't finish all of these within a month...

It's so satisfying to finish products, and it's a great way for me to consciously evaluate the worth of products.

- M