Monthly Empties: December 2023

As someone who has a weakness for seeing what other people have actually used (because that's when you get the real reviews) and as someone who wants to know how much she actually uses in order to temper her purchasing patterns, I'm listing my monthly empties. This does mean there will PRODUCT TALK in case anyone is bothered by that. So, fair warning.

1. Clinique - Quickliner For Eyes Intense in Aubergine: It was old, purchased in 2019, I think. To be fair, it spent most of its time in my travel bag before migrating in the last month to my daily makeup kit (mostly because I realized I'm barely traveling any more I needed to use it up). I like the Aubergine shade, and tbh I think I have another one because sometime in the last year there was sale on these eyeliners and I "stocked up." Sigh. I like them for travel, though, because they are twist-up with the auto sharpener and the other end has a smudging tip so I don't have to pack another brush. Would buy it again, if I didn't have a zillion other eyeliners to use up next. So, maybe next decade, ha.
2. Urban Decay - 24/7 Glide-On Waterproof Eyeliner in Whiskey: This is a classic go-to eyeliner for me. It is also old. I think I also got it 2019, maybe even 2018? It has taken this long because I've used it alongside many other eyeliners in the past few years, plus I go through the pencils that require manually sharpening slower than I do the twist-up kind. I no longer can sharpen it properly so it is finally dead, a little blunt nubbin. I would repurchase because it's a nice basic matte dark brown great for office-appropriate daily wear, but again, I've "stocked up" on eyeliners (double sigh) and have no need to realistically purchase anything for quite some time.
3. NYX - Micro Pencil in Ash Brown: One of my go-to brow pencils. I have a bunch because I would throw one in the cart if I needed to make a shipping minimum. Would definitely buy more but I have a stockpile of random brow pencils to go through before I'm allowed to buy more. (Are we noting a theme here?)
4. Christophe Robin - Cleansing Purifying Scrub with Sea Salt (travel size): This is maybe the third one I've used up. There was an amazing sale in 2020 and I "stocked up" (the dreaded phrase!) and I think I have one more. I use it maybe once a month depending on how my hair and scalp are feeling. I love it and would repurchase, but I have at least one more of the CR plus some other random samples of hair scrubs from other brands that I should try out before I allow myself to splurge again.
5. Klorane - Dry Shampoo with Nettle for Dark Hair: My favorite dry shampoo. I've easily gone through over a dozen over the years. I have two cans left because I... sigh... "stocked up" last year during a sale. To no one's surprise, I also have a random collection of other dry shampoo cans (deluxe samples and full size) that I need to use up or at least try out before I allow myself to purchase a new can.
6. Bath and Body Works - Shower Gel in Honolulu Sun: I got this during SAS last year, which is when I generally purchase shower gel because I'm less picky about body wash scent than I am with lotions. It washes off, y'know? I opened it a couple months ago during the summer, but because I usually have a few body washes going at the same time, it's taken me this long to go through. I do have a small stash of body wash, but of all the "stocking up" I've done, I think body wash is the one thing I may actually need to purchase during the NBY. We'll see, though. I'd buy this again if I saw it cheap during SAS because I didn't mind the scent, but I'm not seeking it out.
7. Perfume samples in Givenchy - Irresistible and Alien - Goddess. They were fine. I didn't hate them. But I have a ton of perfume samples to still use up, not to mention deluxe samples and full size bottles, so unless a sample truly captivates me, I'm trying not to get attached.

MSRP total for December 2023: $107.95

For fun, I'm adding up the MSRP for each item (not counting perfume samples). This is not what I actually paid for each item because I always buy on sale or with a coupon or with points, but I want to get an idea of what I theoretically could spend a year if I purchased only what I used up.

I don't anticipate each month to have quite so many things (or even much of anything at all), especially since two items were ones I've had literally for years, so it will be shocking if I use up another eyeliner in the meantime. But it will also be nice to visualize how much product I actually get through in a year, and that the "stockpile" (dun, dun, DUN) will last me forever so I don't need to add anything to it for quite some time. At least a year. Probably longer.