Monthly Empties

Monthly Empties: May/June 2025

Used up:

  1. Avene - Hydrance Light (40 ml): I've used up samples of this before. I like it as a daily moisturizer since it's light and soaks in nicely before I put on makeup. Doesn't irritate. Should I ever get to the end of the billions of samples and need to purchase a daily moisturizer, I'd seriously consider this one.
  2. Kiehl's - Super Multi-Corrective Cream (7 ml): I've begun my journey to use up all my face cream samples! Most of them are small enough that they will last maybe a week or so, and I doubt I will get a good idea of what I like. It will probably be more of a journey of discovering what I hate. Anyway. This was fine. I'd use another sample.
  3. Lancome - Absolue Soft Cream (5 ml): the perfume in this is old lady flower atrocious but after using it a couple of days, I discovered I loved how my skin felt in the morning after using it. Could I turn into an old lady who buys skin care at a department store?
  4. IT Cosmetics - Confident in Your Beauty Sleep Skin Transforming Beauty Cream x2 (7 ml): I actually enjoyed using up the first container – there was a pleasant light lavender scent and the cream consistency wasn't too heavy or too light. But going through the second container, I discovered that my face felt weirdly oily hours after putting it on or when waking up in the morning. I didn't change anything else in my routine, and don't remember the first container making my skin feel oily, so not sure what's going on there. But I'm glad I had more than one sample to use for a few weeks so I could get a better feel.
  5. NYX - Micro Brow Pencil in Brunette (full size): my last one in the shade a little too dark for my eyebrows!!!! I have one more other GWP pencil to use up and then I can focus on the pencils I actually chose!!! WE ARE MOVING FORWARD, PEOPLE!!! THERE IS LIGHT AT THE END OF THE TUNNEL!!!!!!!!!
  6. Rituals - The Ritual of Ayurveda Foaming Shower Gel (50 ml): I took this deluxe sample to a house-sitting job just to use it up and it was fine. I was genuinely surprised how foamy it got and probably used too much at one time, but I'm just trying to get the weird random stuff out of my hoard.
  7. Bath and Body Works - Moisturizing Body Wash in Gingham (10 oz): I thought I liked the moisturizing body wash but it was such a hassle to get through this. I have two more that I'm focusing on this summer (in different scents) and then I'm never buying again, no matter how inexpensive it is during SAS.
  8. Monday - Smooth Shampoo and Conditioner set (deluxe samples): these was fine, I guess. My hair doesn't really need smoothing. I used it up just to use it while house-sitting since I didn't have plans to be anywhere and if my hair was weird and gross the only being that would care was an elderly chihuahua. At least it's no longer taking up space in my bathroom.
  9. Redken - Color Extend Shampoo (1 liter): this is the red bottle that is no longer made and my HEART IS BROKEN. I've used this shampoo for years. Yes, I've dabbled here and there, but this has been my tried and true, the shampoo (with matching conditioner) that always worked for my hair. No muss, no fuss – I didn't have to do anything fancy, just wash and go and it was great. I would repurchase during The Orange Store's liter sale and when I saw in January that it no longer existed I was DEVASTATED and am still going through withdrawals as I sadly try other shampoos to find my new Holy Grail. It's awful. I'm traumatized. I hate this journey for me. (And the pink sulfate-free version is not as good – some people's hair need sulfates!!!! Pout, pout, pout... cry, cry, cry... wail, wail, wail...)
  10. 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). Yes, this is a copy/paste from April, but my opinion still stands.
  11. Perfume samples: Mugler - Angel Nova (too sweet/berry for my general tastes, but I didn't hate it – used it mostly at night for bedtime).

Mini Mascara Madness:

  1. Too Faced - Better Than Sex: after the allergic reaction I took a break from using mascara except for job interviews, and I used this because I've used many samples before and they were fine and didn't irritate me, so I felt safe. It was fine. I'll never buy a full size but somehow I manage to have a ton of samples that I'll use up for at least a few times until it's too flaky.

Decluttered:

  1. Kenra - Volume Dry Shampoo (deluxe sample): I remember using a full size bottle GWP a few years ago but couldn't remember what I thought about it. Until I tried using this sample size and remembered how much I HATED it. It's a terrible consistency, more like light hairspray. Didn't do much for me so I've happily chucked it out, because except for a couple of other deluxe samples that have migrated and disappeared in my travel bags that will likely resurface in the future, I can now move on to my favorite dry shampoo that is reliable and makes my hair look amazing and my scalp not angry.
  2. About Face - Shadowstick in Miracle Mimosa (full size): I used perhaps half of this stick over the last year or more. It's a little more orange than I would prefer (thought it would be more peachy) but it was fine as an everyday shadow. I took a break from it to try some other shadow sticks that ultimately I decided I liked better, but still tried to cycle this in periodically to use it up. But then one day my eyelids were irritated after using this and while I don't know if it was the culprit, the irritation went away after I washed my face and eyes. So to be safe, I'm decluttering it.
  3. Mac - Macstack mascara (mini): I like this well enough but I was also wearing this the day my eyelids were irritated so to be safe I am tossing it. I have a couple of other minis of the same so we'll see if those are okay. If another one irritates me the same way, then I'm writing it off forever.
  4. Bits'n'bobs: as I've been restocking the everyday items and reorganizing spaces as room is freed up, I've been throwing out random things that are too old or that I finally admitted to myself that I would never use. I haven't been keeping track because it's just been one or two small items every couple of weeks, but just putting it here as a reminder that I'm still actively culling the herd.