Nine Months of Empties

Here is a list of the empties I've collected since February. I'm slightly proud of what I've been able to go through, but also still surprised how long it takes to finish any full-size product.

It's not an exhaustive list because there are some random travel-sized items that I used and tossed along the way without noting what they were. But now I can finally clear out that collection of empty eyebrow pencils that have been taking up space on the corner of my counter.

  1. Face wash (IDK what brand, past me didn't anticipate this long break between updates)
  2. Moisturizer (IDK what brand)
  3. Bath and Body Works – Shower Gel in Frosted Coconut Snowball
  4. Belief - Aqua Bomb Moisturizer - deluxe sample, 50ml
  5. Avene - Tolerance Gentle Cleanser - travel size, 100ml
  6. Heimish - All Clean Balm - full size, 12oml
  7. Hempz - Shower Gel in Sweet Pineapple & Honey Melon, full size, 8.5fl oz
  8. Klorane - Dry Shampoo with Nettle for Dark Hair, full size
  9. IDK - Good Behavior 4-in-1 Prep Spray, full size, 7oz
  10. Fresh - Sugar Hydrating Lip Balm in Coconut, full size
  11. Pureology - Refresh and Go Dry Shampoo, deluxe sample, 1.2oz
  12. Clairins - Hydrating Toning Lotion, full size, 300ml
  13. NYX - Micro Brow Pencil in Brunette (x2), full size
  14. ABH - Brow Definer Pencil in Soft Brown (x1), Medium Brown (x2), and Dark Brown (x1), deluxe sample
  15. ABH - Brow Whiz Pencil in Dark Brown, deluxe sample
  16. Benefit - Precisely My Brow Pencil in 3 (x1) and 4 (x1), deluxe sample
  17. Ulta - Ultra Slim Brow Pencil in Medium Brown, full size
  18. Winky Lux - Universal Brow Precision Pencil, deluxe sample
  19. Clinique - Quick Liner for eyes Intense in Intense Chocolate, full size
  20. Laura Mercier - Caviar Stick Eye Color in Rosegold, deluxe sample
  21. Tarte - Maneater Mascara, full size
  22. Pur - 4-in-1 Cloud Cream, deluxe sample, 0.5oz
  23. Philosophy - Shampoo, Shower Gel, and Bubble Bath in Hula Girl, full size, 480ml
  24. Neutrogena - Makeup Remover Wipes, pack of 25
  25. Perfume samples: DKNY, Be Delicious; Juicy Couture, Viva La Juicy; Mugler, Alien Goddess

So that's a total of 28 items, 31 if we count the perfume samples. And again, I know I used up at least three dry shampoo samples, a couple sets of sample shampoo/conditioner, probably at least another body wash, and likely a couple more deluxe sample brow pencils (omg so many ABH samples!).

I think I've finally used up all my sample size brow pencils and am working through the "weird stock" of colors that were gifts with purchase or I was buying blind due to a sale. Despite my quick rate of going through the pencils, I easily have enough to last me through the year before I even touch my back stock of pencils that I actually prefer (and enough of those to last me through next year! They were just easy items to throw into the cart to reach minimum limits and I could excuse it because I know it's the item I use up the most).

So this isn't everything. Still, it's kind of a lot. But it's also barely enough to put a dent in my stock of items. I'm not in the mood to calculate how much it is but it's definitely less than the cost of reaching the highest tier at the Orange Store.

What I am learning though is how long it takes me to use up items. Yes, I can fly through brow pencils since they are the one thing I regularly use, no matter what mood I'm in. But eyeliner, mascara, stick eyeshadow (things I also generally use regularly, although I will skip if not in the mood) are much slower. (And we won't even talk about blush/bronzer/eyeshadow pallets – the powder products that will take me years, if not forever, at my snail's pace of usage.)

I want to get back into the habit of tracking monthly. Partially so I can keep in mind my rate of usage, and also so I don't hold onto trash for months and months!