End of Year Beauty Empties – Must Try OR Bye Bye!

It’s a fresh NEW year! Things have been a little quiet around here, but my 2018 goal is to post more regularly. To kick start my 7th year of blogging, I’ll be chatting about my beauty empties from 2017. There’s a ton to go through, so let’s get to it!

PRESS SAMPLE PURCHASED BY ME

Some of these products are new to me, while others are first time favs. Despite the amount of items shown, there were only two fails in this pile. So, I’ll get those out of the way first.

// TATCHA LUMINOUS DEWY SKIN MIST (.04 oz – $20)

I really wanted to like this, as it’s often raved about all over YT (and it’s known to be a fav of Kim K), but it didn’t wow me. I’m a huge fan of the Pixi skin mists, they are half the price, and their sprayers deliver an ultra fine mist. This one was hard to use, it sprayed out uneven, and took about 10 pumps to saturate my face. As a result, I went through this little bottle in about 10 days, for $20! No thanks, Tatcha.

// TATCHA PURE ONE STEP CAMELLIA CLEANSING OIL MINI (0.8 oz – $15)

I’m super picky when it comes to cleansing oils, and this one (while nice) fell flat. The packaging is luxurious, but the formula didn’t thoroughly remove my makeup. Even after double cleansing, I still had foundation residue come off with Bioderma. The oil itself was nice, and it has a great spa scent, but I need something that actually works.

// TARTE CLEAN QUEEN VEGAN DEODORANT ($14)

I discovered this aluminum free deodorant this past summer, and fell in love! It has a light scent, and gentle formula that never causes underarm irritation. It won’t completely prevent you from sweating, but with re-application on a hot day, the stink stays away. When it’s the frozen tundra out (ehem, like now), I stay dry and fresh all day without issue. I went through about 4 of these last year, and just bought my first of this year. I love it!

// ORIGINS CHECKS & BALANCES FROTHY FACE WASH (5 oz –  $23)

This is a long time skin care favorite. It’s creamy, gentle, and foams up so well you’ll only need a teeny tiny drop of product. It never strips my dry skin, and it helps keep my face clear of breakouts.

// DRUNK ELEPHANT VIRIGN MARULA LUXURY FACIAL OIL (SAMPLE SIZE)

Oh..emm…geeee…I have met my skincare soulmate! I have super sensitive dry skin, and struggle to find oils that hydrate without causing breakouts. This baby is the best of both worlds, but sadly it’s SO expensive. I have repurchased the mini size at $40, but I wish it was more affordable (especially since my husband uses it too).

// JOSIE MARAN 100% PURE ARGAN OIL LIGHT (0.5 oz – $16)

In an attempt to find a cheaper alternative to Drunk Elephant, I stumbled across the Josie Maran oil. This baby is beloved by many, but until now I had never tried it. The regular formula has some claims of causing blemishes, so I went with the Light, and loved it! It’s just as hydrating and soothing as DE, but half the price. I’ll for sure repurchase again and again!

// EVE LOM CLEANSER (3.3 oz – $80)

Another super pricey product that I can’t get enough of. This cleansing balm applies easily, washes away nicely, and effectively removes even stubborn waterproof makeup. It has that classic herbal spa scent, and even comes with a muslin cloth (though I prefer to just use warm water). I’m currently testing some cheaper alternatives, but one day I will go back to this!

//KP DUTY BODY SCRUB (KIT SIZE)

When it comes to my skin, I’ve got a lot going on. From rosacea on my face, to eczema on my hands, and keratosis pilaris on my arms. I’m a hot mess express, and this baby is perfect for combating dry, flaky, rough KP skin. I use it on my legs before shaving, and on the backs of my arms to get rid of pesky bumps. The full size comes in a jar, which I hate, so I often get this tube size in a Sephora duo (that also comes with the KP Duty lotion).

// KISS MY FACE 4-IN-1 MOISTURE SHAVE ($)

I’ve been using this for years! It’s great for sensitive skin, and features a beautiful pomegranate scent. Sadly, my local grocer doesn’t carry the full size (with a pump), so I’ve switched to the fragrance free formula. But, I highly recommend this line for anyone with dry skin!

// ORIGINS EYE DOCTOR MOISTURIZER FOR EYES ( 0.5 oz – $39)

Another long time fav, and one that I’ve mentioned here so many times. This gentle eye cream provides long lasting hydration, but still manages to feel lightweight. It doesn’t creep into eyes, and never causes stinging or burning. I’ve got a fresh new jar on my vanity, so expect to see this in many future favorites as well.

// BELIEF THE TRUE CREAM MOISTURIZING BALM ($3.38 oz – $68)

This is a new discovery this year, but I’m already on my second jar. It’s pricey (as most skincare is), but the results are worth it. It has a unique gel/cream texture, which is surprisingly really moisturizing, without feeling greasy. A little goes a long way, so one jar should last quite a while. It also mixes beautifully with the facial oils I mentioned above.

// HUMAN + KIND BODY SOUFFLE (6.76 oz – $10)

ULTA recently reduced the price of this fabulous body cream to just ten bucks! I went through more than 5 of these last year, it’s that good! The texture is lightweight, but super effective at soothing dry skin. It features a light cucumber scent, and it works well all year – even during the cold dry months!

// DERMALOGICA PRE-CLEANSE OIL (5.1 oz – $42)

I received this in PR, and to my surprise I really liked it. The formula is thin, so you’ll need a lot, but it removed most my makeup pretty well. I still needed to double cleanse, and remove waterproof mascara with Bioderma, but overall it was nice.

// SHORTLIST SERUM (1 oz – $34)

If you read my Shortlist series last summer, then you know I adored this line. The serum is lightweight, but delivered really nice hydration without any sticky residue. My posts were in partnership with the brand, but don’t let that deter you, these babies really DO work! You can see my results in my three part series, starting here.

// SHORTLIST CREAM (1.7 oz – $34)

Along with the serum, I also used every last drop of the Shortlist cream. This anti-aging formula contains retinol, though it never caused any irritation. In fact, with continued use, my red patches were nearly gone. Since I test so much skin care, I haven’t yet repurchased this, but I would definitely get this and the serum again!

// DERMALOGICA SPECIAL CLEANSING GEL (MINI)

I love this! I have a full size in my shower, a travel size near my sink, and a few others stashed in my office. The gel like texture lathers really easily, and washes away without stripping. It’s seriously so good!

// TARTE TARTEGUARD VEGAN SUNSCREEN SPF 30 (0.4  oz – $12)

Another new to me product in 2017, was the Tarteguard vegan sunscreen. If you’re looking for a light, great smelling, easy to apply SPF, you need to try this! It wears beautifully on its own, or under makeup, and never feels greasy or heavy. It’s also a physical sunscreen, so you don’t have to worry about all those nasty chemicals in most other SPFs.

Pat yourself on the back if you made it through this lengthy post! 😉 As a skincare and beauty junkie hoarder, it’s always exciting to finish a product. So many of these became instant favorites, and have already been repurchased (some more than once!). Here’s to discovering even more favs in the new year!

SHOP MY EMPTIES!

Have you finished any beauty products lately? I’d love to know what they were!

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