Monthly Empties

Monthly Empties: April 2025

Used up:

  1. Batiste - Original Dry Shampoo (deluxe sample): this isn't my favorite brand but I can work with it. It's pretty reliable, although I don't think it "disappears" as well as other brands so it makes my hair feel a bit dusty. I will buy it in a pinch since I can get it at a grocery store, but wouldn't buy it to use regularly.
  2. Drybar - Detox Gentle Sensitive Scalp Dry Shampoo (deluxe sample): the perfume on this is obnoxious but it works pretty well. Wouldn't purchase for the fragrance alone ("noir scent," apparently).
  3. Sexy Hair - Big Dry Shampoo (deluxe sample): I was actually surprised by how well this worked. The consistency and smell made me assume at first that it would basically be one of those light hairsprays masquerading as dry shampoo and just make my hair feel gross and sticky and not refreshed, but this was pretty good! When I went to get more info on it, I discovered that the formula has been changed, and I think this was an old version, so I won't keep it mind for the future but did enjoy using it this past month.
  4. Clinique - Clinique Smart Clinical Multi-Dimensional Age Transformer (15ml): whew, what a name. This had a very thick paste consistency that I wasn't super fond of, but it worked fine. I'm not sure this small sample would give me a good idea of any "transforming" properties but my skin didn't hate it.
  5. Clinique - All About Eyes (5ml): it was fine. Didn't bother my eyes. I prefer using eye cream at night so I don't like using things with caffeine in it and this fit what I needed. I have a few more samples and will use them up without complaint.
  6. Ulta - Ultra Slim Brow Pencil in Dark Brown (full size): too dark for my natural eyebrows but I made it work. It's the last dark brown one I have so I'm ready to move onto a better shade match!
  7. Shiseido - Facial Cotton (165 count): thanks to tracking this on the empties, I am estimating I go through one every two months, depending on how much makeup remover or serums I use at any one time. I shall continue to count these as empties until I'm confident about my use rate.
  8. Perfume samples: Mugler - Alien (prefer Goddess and flankers); Mugler - Alien Goddess (this is just a nice everyday perfume for me and matches some of my B&BW sprays); Maison Margiela - Replica Sailing Day (was surprised by how much I enjoyed the freshness of this – I seem to like MM scents in general); Versace - Dylan Turquoise Pour Femme (smells like clean laundry); Armani - Si Fiori (after using very fresh scents this felt way too heavy for Spring, but it only had a couple sprays left and I wanted to use it up)

Mini Mascara Madness:

  1. Benefit - They're Real! Magnet: length isn't my issue and this mascara felt like it didn't do anything for me.
  2. Cover Girl - Lash Blast Volume: it was fine. Barely noticeable. Didn't irritate my eyes but didn't seem worth buying.

Decluttered:

  1. 35+ hair products
  2. Juvia's Place - The Nubian Eyeliner in Cocoa (full size): this was fine, although the brown was lighter and warmer than I prefer. I think it mildly irritated my eyes but when last half of the product fell out of the tube and into the sink, it was time to say "bye." I won't miss it. Pretty sure it was a GWP anyway.
  3. Bath & Body Works - Ultimate Hydration Body Cream in Midnight Amber Glow (8 oz): I remember getting this free as part of a promo code in 2022 and was surprised by how much I enjoy it, since the scent profile isn't something I would normally choose. I used about 4/5 of the tube and then forgot about it until picking it up again this month, only to discover that it had definitely expired. I know the body cream goes pretty quick, especially if it has a vanilla scent, so I try to use it up, but I'm not sad that I managed to use up quite a bit of it before having to toss it out.