Mini reviews of empties

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As usual, my empties post is several months behind. These are the things I finished before I left California at the beginning of September. I always like writing up my empties as a way to post short reviews of products I've tested thoroughly, or as a way to amend previous reviews. As usual, if I've written about something here before, I'll just link you to the previous post to avoid repetition, unless I've changed my mind in the meantime.

First, the most exciting category: makeup! Exciting because I rarely finish makeup. Less exciting than the photo seems, because a few of these weren't empty--they're just discards for one reason or another. It's not cheating! Actually, I'd only categorize three of the products in the photo as actually empty. It's still not cheating!

Beginning at the top left:

Lancôme Hypnose Drama mascara (mini): I actually remember very little about this mascara, so it must have been ok but nothing special. As with most mascaras from the L'Oréal family, it flaked more than I would like. I've had many mini Lancôme mascaras over the years and never felt the urge to actually buy a full-sized tube. I used this until it dried up.

Stila Stay All Day Liquid Liner: Reviewed here. Not a big fan of this one, because the tip gets floppy and frays long before it ever dries up. I used it to label swatches on my arm for the last year, and it finally started to actually dry. This is a real empty!

No7 Loose Powder: Reviewed here. Another true empty! I can't decide if I want to replace this or get another jar of the Laura Mercier powder. They are very similar, but the LM powder is slightly warmer/yellower and suits my complexion better. I could get 15% off when Sephora's Beauty Insider sale comes around on the 16th, but that's not exactly a big incentive. I wonder if Nordstrom will have a competing deal.

ULTA Maximum Lashes mascara: I got this as a GWP, and put it in my work bag for emergencies, because I didn't want to risk using its terrifying wand on a daily basis. Look at this thing! It's a menace. Not empty, but I wasn't going to bother taking it with me when I moved.

Kat Von D Liquid Lipstick in Lovesick and Tarte Liquid Lipstick in Birthday Suit (minis): Swatched here. The former came in a Sephora Play! bag, and the latter was part of last year's Sephora birthday gift. They both looked awful on me and were too old to bother giving away to someone else.

Be A Bombshell blush is Sweet Cheeks: Swatched here. I got this in an Ipsy bag a million years ago, and actually liked the bright, pigmented pink quite a lot. Unfortunately it shattered when I moved from Texas to California last winter (surprisingly the only thing to break!), and when I tried to repress it, it turned into a powdery mess. It would have just fallen apart during the subsequent move, so I let it go.

Essence Stay With Me gloss in Choose Me!: Reviewed here. Long discontinued. You can tell how old that shit was by the review date. I did still like it, but it started to smell funky, so time to toss. I can never finish glosses! In fact, I really shouldn't buy them, because I don't wear them nearly enough, but I always get sucked into picking up just one more. Just one more.

Revlon Balm Stain in Smitten: Reviewed here. Again, the review reveals how ancient this lipstick was, and how little I pay attention to makeup expiration guidelines. In fact, there was nothing wrong with this lipstick, except that every time I put it on, I thought, "blech!" Just not my color. So why did I hold on to it for so many years!? Anyway, it's gone now. Look at me, letting go.

Next up, skincare:

Beginning at the top left:

Dr. Jart Cicapair Tiger Grass Cream (sample generously provided by Mimi from Makeup Withdrawal): This moisturizer was effective and really soothing. I thoroughly enjoyed it, and I've been comtemplating buying a tube ever since last spring. It's so expensive, though! I don't know. I might try the much more affordable La Roche Posay Cicaplast Baume instead. Has anyone tried them both to compare?

Aquaphor Advanced Therapy Ointment (mini): This stuff was/is a lifesaver for irritated skin. If you follow me on Instagram, you know I complained from spring until early fall that my eyelids were itchy and scaly. I still haven't figured out what caused it (despite declaring prematurely multiple times that I had identified the culprit), but a combination of hydrocortisone cream (used sparingly) and Aquaphor seem to have wiped it out. Or it's a coincidence. Still, if I feel a twinge of unpleasantness around my eyes these days, I revert to using just Aquaphor in that area, and they seem to be fine. I'm using a regular-size tube now, which should last me about the next seven years.

e.l.f. Hydrating Water Essence: Reviewed here. I still love it, and I missed it in my routine after I ran out. I'm now on my second bottle.

bü SPF 30 and SPF 50 sunscreen sprays: These are nearly the same as the Kinesys sunscreens (reviewed here) that I love (and made by some of the people who previously ran Kinesys, I believe), but they may be easier to find in Canada. I got these bottles at London Drugs last year.

Paula's Choice Makeup Remover: I actually rarely use makeup remover. I don't like to use oily products near my eyes, and I find that my eye makeup comes off well enough with regular cleansing. I mainly used this up cleaning swatches off of my arms. I think it might be discontinued now.

Stratia Liquid Gold (sample generously provided by Mimi from Makeup Withdrawal): Ok, so I wasn't as blown away by this stuff as I'd expected. It was a decent, if slightly greasy, moisturizer, and it did make my face a little orange, even if I only used a small amount. Maybe it's better for dry skin? Or you ned to use it long term to fall in love with it? Help me out, here. And to be perfectly honest, I know that people love Stratia, but I am as cautious about them as about any other indie beauty line, especially after the recent incident with the moldy cleansers.

Boscia Charcoal Pore Pudding (mini): I used this as the clay mask step in Fifty Snails' pore shrinking mask routine, which I try to do every weekend. It worked very well for that purpose, but it has an unpleasantly intense floral fragrance, and it's very expensive, so I'm happy to go back to my Freeman Avocado and Oatmeal mask (reviewed here) for the future. This small jar was enough for probably a dozen masks, though.

Manyo Factory Ultra Moist Rebirth Ampole (foil, also from Mimi): It's a hydrating essence, and it hydrated, though it's hard to really judge products from such a small sample.

Cerave Healing Ointment (mini): An excellent alternative to Aquaphor, with slightly different ingredients, but a similar function. I found this on the lip balm rack in CVS, and naturally assumed it was lip balm, but it does not work well on my lips. It was very nice around my irritated eyes, however. Aquaphor is cheaper, though.

Paula's Choice Resist Brightening Essence" As I've said before, and should know well by now, my skin doesn't seem to need "brightening." I don't know why I bought this! It didn't seem to do much, and wasn't hydrating enough to serve as a moisturizing essence like the e.l.f. stuff. I used it up my mixing a few drops into raw honey for a mask. It thinned the honey a bit and made it easier to spread, and it's not like the extra ingredients do any harm.

Tokyomilk Dark lip balm in Absinthe: These balms are my favorite for bedtime. I used to get chapped lips all the time, but if I apply this before bed, I almost never do anymore. My favorite scent so far has been La Vie En Rose. I didn't love Absinthe (almost smelled like fake apple to me), and I'm not loving the Cherry Bourbon I'm using now, either. But the scents are innocuous enough that I don't mind, since the balm itself works so well for me. The biggest complaint people seem to have about these is how hard the tins are to open. The trick is to twist the lid off rather than trying to lift it or pry it. Sometimes it takes a while to loosen up, so for a couple of weeks you might have to stick a nail in the crack to pop it up a little, and then twist. It's not ideal, but I've had no real trouble with them once I figured that out.

The Ordinary Azelaic Acid: Reviewed here. It works great for my skin, and I have bought multiple additional tubes by now. See review for details.

Jack Black Lip Balm in Mango and Mandarin: My favorite daytime lip balm! After I cut open the tube, there were at least two weeks worth of balm still inside.

Oh my god, there's still more.

Paula's Choice 2% BHA Gel: For whatever reason, this didn't work nearly as well for my skin as the 2% BHA liquid. I used it mixed with lotion as an aftershave on my legs, and it did help prevent irritation and ingrown hairs that way.

Acure Brightening Facial Scrub: A fairly rough sugar scrub with an odd, herbal smell. Use gently.

The Ordinary Vit C Suspension: Reviewed here. I didn't finish this, because I didn't need it.

Freeman masks: Reviewed here, here, and here. The only one I would repurchase is the Charcoal & Black Sugar, but even it I didn't finish. It was just very old, and I didn't want to pack it and take it with me. Freeman masks are very economical--cheap for an enormous amount of product. Recommended if you like getting your money's worth, but if you are fixated on emptying things, they might frustrate you.

Last, and least, hair shit.

The Dry Bar Prep Rally (mini) made my hair soft and shiny, but it's overpriced. I've gone through many cans of Batiste dry shampoo now (reviewed here), and this isn't my last. The SexyHair Spray & Play hairspray did the thing it's supposed to do (but I rarely use hairspray, so I'm not much of a connoisseur).

That's my garbage for this installment! I already have another collection started, of course. Any favorites here? Are you making a special effort to finish products lately?

Why am I looking at garbage? (Or: Empties)

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I think empties posts are a little divisive (boring or voyeuristically fascinating?), but I like that they provide mini reviews for products that someone has tested really thoroughly. Plus, for selfish reasons, I like to keep my own record of what I've used in case I want to try/avoid those things in the future.

Makeup empties (photo above) are the rarest of empties, so I don't usually have this many in a single batch. Then again, it's not like I finished a blush or a lipstick or an eyeshadow palette. Mascaras and concealers are much more frequently used up and tossed out.

Left to right above:

L'Oréal Lineur Intense Felt Tip in Earthen Rock Brown: Reviewed briefly here. This was my favorite liquid eyeliner for years and years until it was unfortunately discontinued. I love a brown liquid liner for a more subtle everyday look than black. Right now I'm using Lancôme Artliner in Brown, which is very similar, but much more expensive, of course. I also have the brown version of the Physician's Formula liquid liner (reviewed here in black) waiting in the wings.

YSL Touche Éclat in 2 Luminous Ivory: I got this in a marked-down, now sold-out, Sephora Favorites kit, and I wouldn't have bought it on its own. It makes a decent sheer/casual under-eye concealer and non-shimmery highlight. I just think you can get similar products for a lower price, like Maybelline's. Also, it has a faint lavender scent that might not appeal to everyone.

Sephora Bright Future Gel Serum Concealer in Fondant: Reviewed here. This is the third tube of Gel Serum Concealer I've finished. I used a Swoon wand to scrape out what the doe foot couldn't reach (even after removing the stopper), which gave me at least another good month of use. I recently (stupidly) decided I'd try something new and bought a tube of the IT Cosmetics Bye Bye Undereye concealer. Big mistake. Huge. It must only work for very dry skinned people, because it disappeared from my face in a couple of hours. I've already ordered a new tube of Gel Serum from Sephora. Why mess with perfection?

Wet N Wild Lash Primer: Reviewed here. Not an actual empty, but it had started to smell funky, so I tossed it. Lash primer just doesn't do much for me, so I didn't get through it.

Essence Eyebrow Designer Pencil in Soft Blonde (above): This isn't a true taupe (nor does it claim to be) but it's cooler/taupier than most affordable eyebrow pencils that are actually called "taupe." It's a good texture (i.e. hardness) and color for my brows at the moment, and for $2 I'd forgive a lot (though luckily I don't have to). I'm on my second pencil now. I have a bunch of brow products to review--I should get on that.

Tarte Tarteist Lash Paint mascara (mini): This was a perfectly serviceable mascara. Provided volume and length. Didn't wow me so much that I'd buy it, but it was just fine.

Black Radiance Eyeshadow Primer: Reviewed here. This is a great primer. I didn't completely finish it, but I find that most primers last me so long that they get to the point where they don't perform quite as well as they once did before I finish them. I'm talking well over a year, though, so I'm cool with it.

Look at all this skin care! Let me direct you to previous reviews and be as brief as possible to save all of our sanity.

Starting at the top left:

Palmer's Cocoa Butter Swivel Stick: Reviewed here. I don't even know how many tubes of this I've used up so far! I have another one going now.

CosRx Acne Pimple Master Patches: Reviewed here. I've gone through many of these too.

The Ordinary Azelaic Acid: Reviewed here. A new staple. I'm on my second tube.

Simple Micellar Water: Not the best I've ever used, but usually the cheapest, so I'm using my second bottle of it now.

Drunk Elephant B-Hydra Gel (packet): A decent light moisturizer.

The Ordinary Matrixyl 1-% + HA: I will review this soon, but there's not much more to say than that it was a good hydrating serum. Nothing mind-blowing.

Paula's Choice Calm Redness Relief Serum: Another good hydrating serum, but it didn't help my redness a whole lot. I won't buy it again.

Acure Organics Rosehip Oil: This is kind of cheating, because it was getting old so I dumped it into a bottle of body oil. I've finally come to terms with the fact that even though rosehip oil is nice, it always causes milia around my eyes, so I need to let it go.

Paula's Choice Ultra Light Super Antioxidant Serum: Reviewed here. The tube is full size--I cut it in half to get the last drops out. This hydrating serum is my favorite, but I'm looking at alternatives, because it's too expensive. The e.l.f. essence I reviewed here is serving as a workable replacement at the moment, despite the fact that it's not actually a serum.

Farmacy Honey Savior Salve (packet): If you're into that #sluglife, where you coat your face with a heavy occlusive layer at night to lock in the moisture, this is an excellent option--except that it's very expensive, so you could just get some Vaseline or Aquaphor or CeraVe ointment to serve the same purpose. I like the packets for traveling, though.

Korres Golden Krocus Elixir (mini): An ok hydrating serum, though it has strong fragrance and shimmer in it. I'm way more excited about having a tiny dropper bottle to use for travel than I was about the actual product, to be honest.

Clinique Dramatically Different Moisturizing Gel (mini): Looking for a more affordable replacement for my old favorite Paula's Choice Moisture Gel, but this wasn't quite it, although it did what it said it would do.

Avène Eau Thermal spray (mini): I feel a bit ridiculous for liking this. It's water in a can. Sorry, mineral water in a can. It is awfully refreshing on a hot and sweaty day, though. But like, you could just buy some mineral water and put it in your own spray bottle.

Paula's Choice Skin Recovery Hydrating Treatment Mask: Reviewed here. A great product that I did not finish, because it's huge, and I only needed to use it once every week or two. It was getting old, even for my extremely lax standards, so I decided to let it go. I don't know if I would buy it again, though the price isn't bad compared to other Paula's products.

Peter Thomas Roth Water Drench Cloud Cream: A very nice, light, moisturizing gel that would be a great replacement for Paula's Choice Moisture Gel, except that the full size comes in a jar and is even more expensive than Paula's.

Glamglow Glowstarter: Shimmery pink lotion that smells extremely strongly of creamsicle. I used it on my legs.

Origins Gin-Zing Gel Moisturizer: Got this one for free from Influenster. Again, it's fine, except for the jar and the very strong GoJo industrial orange soap smell. And the price.

Paula's Choice Moisture Boost Cleanser: I really like this cleanser for being effective but not drying, but there are equally good cleansers out there for less money.

Paula's Choice 2% BHA Liquid: I've been using this for over a decade now! My skin is always clearer and happier when I use it. But I recently decided to try the CosRx BHA Liquid instead, because Paula's Choice prices are rising faster than inflation.

That's really the theme here: finishing up the Paula's Choice products that I've relied on for years and trying to find more affordable replacements. When I first started using Paula's Choice, the prices weren't bad at all, even though I had to pay in Canadian dollars. Then I posted my referral link on this blog a few years ago, which tons of people used, so I had enough credits to continue using the brand even while prices crept up. I tried to point out in reviews whether I thought I would still buy something even without a credit. After their referral program ended and prices continued to climb, I'm now at the stage where it's just not feasible for me to buy multiple $30-50 basics each year when there are cheaper options out there. The one thing I haven't yet found a good replacement for, as you can see from the above, is the Moisture Gel. I'm currently using Marcelle's Lumipower moisturizer, which is a gel in a pump, but it's only worth it because I got it in a value set. At full price, it's about the same as Paula's.

Just a few staple hair and body products to finish off the list, and I can conveniently link to this post for reviews of all of them but the perfume! I've used multiple bottles/cans/tubes/jars of each of these. The Chloe and Replica Beach Walk fragrance samples weren't favorites, so I used them as room/closet sprays.

Let me know if you have questions about any of these things! It's always gratifying for me to use things up instead of just hoarding them. But I probably shouldn't pat myself on the back too much until the day you see an empty lipstick in one of these posts.

Texas Empties

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I've probably mentioned this a bunch of times already, so forgive me for repeating myself. In September, I moved from the midwest to Texas for a new job. Then at the beginning of September, I moved from Texas to L.A. (for the same job). My husband and I drove across country, and since it's only a year-long gig, we just took with us what we could fit in our car. I ended up finishing a lot of products while I was in Texas, which was great, because every little square inch of space counted on the next leg of our move. You know how things never seem to take up the same amount of space when you pack them a second time?

So here's an empties post, without the most inspiring photography, I'm afraid. But there are thematic stars for Texas! At first I divided my garbage into makeup, skincare, and haircare, but then I finished more shit in the last couple of days before the move, so that organization didn't hold up. I didn't save foils, bath/body products, or shampoos and conditioners, though I actually used up a number of those as well.

Starting with the photo above, beginning from the top left:

Laura Mercier Translucent Loose Setting Powder: Reviewed here. I do like this powder a lot, but it's quite expensive, so I'm not sure I'd buy it again. This mini jar was actually a gift. I think it lasted the better part of a year.

Urban Decay Optical Illusion Primer (deluxe sample): I like this primer quite a bit--enough to crack it open and scrape out the inside. It does blur and reflect light and all that. The texture is a bit heavy and slick feeling, though. I have another sample I'm working on, and then I might buy a tube. (I've mentioned before that this has been the weird year of Urban Decay for me, and this is another of their products that I got into.) Interestingly enough, the mini size is actually a better value!

Maybelline The Colossal Cat Eyes Mascara: I bought a handful of Maybelline mascaras last year, because Amazon had them for less than $3 a piece. Maybelline mascaras always flake on me. This was no exception. Otherwise it was a decent mascara, but the flaking drove me crazy, and I tossed it before it was even close to finished.

Buxom Lash Mascara (mini): This mascara came from one of those Sephora Favorites sets. It was great, except it has one of those fucking enormous brushes that it seems like every new mascara has, and I have small eyes, so I have a hard time getting at the small lashes in the corners. I also tend to stab myself with big mascara brushes. Don't forget about us beady-eyed folks, makeup gods!

IT Cosmetics Superhero Mascara (mini): From the same Sephora kit. I don't have any particular memories of this mascara, which I will interpret to mean it was unremarkable and not that I am losing my mind.

Shiseido eyebrow pencil sample: I don't remember the shade name, but I got the sample from Choix before they imploded. It was fine, but the plastic thing on the end prevented further sharpening, even though there was SO MUCH LEFT. (Yes, I tried to pry it off. Of course I did!)

Again, from the top left corner above (i.e. a shitload of Paula's Choice):

Paula's Choice 2% BHA: Briefly reviewed here. Maybe I should write a dedicated post about this stuff some day, since I've been using it for over a decade. Or have you heard all you care to about it? I immediately opened another bottle, and I have another backup waiting.

Paula's Choice Omega+ Complex: I loved this. It calmed the redness in my skin like nothing else and functioned as a light moisturizer in the Texas humidity. Now that I'm not riding the Paula's Choice referral credits gravy train anymore, though, I'm balking at the price. Maybe I'll replace it once I've finished every other hydrating serum I have.

Paula's Choice Calm Redness Relief Serum: It's ok. It's hydrating and kind of soothing. It doesn't work for me the way the Omega+ serum did. I'm actually working on a second bottle of it right now, though, because I panicked when my Paula's Choice credits were about to expire and ordered another one.

Paula's Choice Super Antioxidant Concentrate Serum: I almost finished this tube, but not quite, and decided to just chuck it before the move. I didn't notice any results from it, and it had that thick, greasy silicone texture (not the matte, powdery silicone texture) that I don't like. Maybe the antioxidants prevented bad things from happening to my face that would have happened otherwise. Who knows.

L'Oréal Revitalift Triple Power Moisturizer: I got this stuff for free from Influenster (who haven't sent me anything since last July--I wonder if it's because I didn't positively review the last few thigns they sent?). I didn't like it at all. It was too heavy for my skin and very obnoxiously fragranced. I ended up using it up as a hand cream.

Paula's Choice 10% Niacinamide Booster: Mentioned here. It's great, and I'm using another bottle now, but I might get my niacinamide from a less expensive source when I finish that one.

The Ordinary Buffet: I still plan to review this, even though I finished it a while ago. I should get on that. I'll just say that it was good, but I wouldn't buy it again. I've used moisturizing serums that I liked better, and it didn't get along with my silicone-based sunscreen.

Paula's Choice Moisture Gel: Reviewed briefly here. This is another product that has been one of my favorites for at least a decade, but now (say it with me) is too much for my budget, so I haven't replaced it.

I'm not really a hair person, so I'll do something different here (and let me know if you have any questions).

LOVED: Batiste dry shampoos (reviewed here).

LIKED A LOT: L'Oréal Extraordinary Oil Serum (reviewed here).

LIKED A BIT: Klorane dry shampoo and No. 4 detangling spray.

HATED: OUAI dry shampoo foam.

And here are the miscellaneous other things I finished after taking the photos above, but before actually moving.

The John Frieda Frizz Ease serum is a bit of a cheat, because I mixed the little bit I had left with another hair serum. The Expert Finish formula was too heavy for me--better suited to thicker hair, I think.

The Paula's Choice Resist Clear Skin Hydrator was a barely moisturizing moisturizer for people who barely need moisturizing, I guess.

The Origins GinZing scrub was another freebie from Influenster, and it was ok. My husband actually used most of it, because he likes a scrub more than I do, but I'm still taking credit for it here, apparently.

Oh look, I did include a body product in here! That's because I had this Suave lotion for at least a couple of years, so it was a real triumph to finally finish it. One of the reasons it took so long to get through is that I'd made it into a sort of moisturizing swamp water. Any time I had a sample or small container of a moisturizer or serum, etc., that I didn't like to use on my face, I emptied it into this bottle. The fragrance of the Suave lotion overpowered everything else, and I got some use out of crap I didn't want that way. Anyone else do something like that?

The Paula's Choice eye cream seemed pointless to me, so I used that little sample as a hand cream.

I got this Lancôme Creme Douceur cleanser as compensation for doing a consumer study. It was a little drying, so I didn't use it more than once a week. It lasted forever.

On to California! Palm tree emoji!

More empties

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It seems like I just wrote an empties post, but I took the rather uninspiring photo above back at the end of August. So it's time to write about this garbage (literal garbage, I mean--some of the products are great) before I forget all about everything. The main function of these posts for me is to keep a record of things I've tried, so that I can remember what I should and shouldn't buy again. I have a terrible memory! I hope they're at least somewhat useful and/or interesting to you too.

(I'll move from left to right in the photo, top row and then bottom row.)

Note: I used referral credits to buy the Paula's Choice products listed here, in case you're wondering how I could so cavalierly dispose of some of this expensive shit.

Living Proof Perfect Hair Day In Shower Styler (mini): I got this as part of a Sephora Favorites kit and ended up loving it. I've already got a full size. If you have little-to-no wave in your hair like me, you can get little-to-some wave with very minimal effort using this stuff. You just apply it to your wet hair and barely rinse it in the shower, and then air dry (while occasionally scrunching, if you remember). Simple! (I think it enhances curl and wave in other hair types too, but I can't speak from experience.)

Sephora Gel Serum Concealer in Buttercream: Swatched here. This is my favorite concealer formula, and this shade is a good match, but I replaced it with Fondant (reviewed here), because for whatever reason the coverage and application seems better in that shade. Oh, and if you tried this stuff a year or two ago and hated the applicator, they've changed it.

John Frieda 7-Day Volume: Reviewed here. I'm on my third or fourth bottle. Good stuff! (It's much, much cheaper on Amazon than anywhere else I've seen it, for some reason, so I always get it there.)

Paula's Choice 8% AHA Gel: A lot of people love this product, but I've found that glycolic acid just doesn't seem to have any effect on my skin. Lactic acid (like the mask reviewed here) works much better for me. So I used probably a quarter of the bottle on my face, then started mixing it with body lotion for my legs, etc., for a while, and then finally when I moved, I tossed the rest, because I didn't want to pack it.

Paula's Choice Hydralight Lotion: Reviewed here. This moisturizer was a favorite of a lot of people, myself included, and so Paula's Choice got a lot of flack for discontinuing it this year. Thankfully they listened to feedback and brought it back!

Paula's Choice Resist Oil Booster: It's a decent, light skin oil, I guess, but it's nothing special for the price. I ended up using it mostly on my cuticles and as the last step in this excellent masking routine.

Paula's Choice Moisture Boost Cleanser: I have said many times that you can get cleansers that are just as good as those from Paula's Choice for a much lower price, but of theirs this is probably my favorite. I don't even have dry skin, but it's still effective, gentle, and non-drying.

Caudalie Beauty Elixir: So this is pretty much just scented alcohol and water with a bit of glycerin in it. A lot of people love it, but I don't know what they experience when they use it, because it did nothing for me. I ended up using it as a (very pricey) body spray--fortunately it was in a Sephora Favorites kit, too, and the kit was marked way down, so I didn't actually spend much to try it.

Wet N Wild Mattifying Powder: This is a decent powder. It has a fine texture and it does mattify. But I have never emptied a powder so quickly in my life! I think I finished the whole thing between about April and August, and that wasn't using it every day. My brush picked up a lot, and the pan is barely more than a millimeter deep, despite the unnecessarily large packaging. It's fairly cheap, but you can definitely find an equally affordable and effective powder out there that will last you five times as long. I wouldn't buy it again, needless to say.

Batiste Tropical Dry Shampoo (mini): Smells like piña colada, works just as well as all the other Batiste dry shampoos.

Freeman Avocado & Oatmeal Clay Mask: Reviewed here. This is my favorite mask ever. It works so well, it's cheap, and the tube contains a TON. I didn't actually finish it, because of that whole containing a ton thing, but it was getting very old and I had certainly got my money's worth. I'll definitely buy another tube once I finish the new clay mask I'm trying now.

Dr. Brant Pores No More Vacuum Cleaner: This is a thin mask that works pretty well, but it's much more expensive and less effective than the Freeman mask above, so I'd recommend that instead.

Christophe Robin Cleansing Purifying Scrub with Sea Salt (mini): I got this in a Sephora Play! box. I liked it--it did make my roots/scalp feel cleaner. It definitely needs to be followed up with conditioner if you don't want super crunchy hair. I figured I could DIY it by mixing a bunch of epsom salts (I had some Aloe & Rosemary salts from CVS that had a very similar scent to this) with shampoo, but the salt turned the shampoo really watery and it wasn't the same at all. I still don't think I would spent the million dollars they want from me to put some salt on my head, though.

Cetaphil Moisturizing Cream (travel size): You can buy this cheaper in giant tubs, but I mainly only use it as a heavy eye cream or on whatever part of my face needs some extra moisture, so the tiny jar lasts me about a year. I got mine at Bed, Bath & Beyond, but I can't find this little jar online anywhere for you. And now I'm reminded that I have a new replacement jar at home that I haven't opened yet, and I should dig that out. It's great if you want something thick but simple to layer over other products.

So that's it for this round! Have you finished up anything exciting (or terrible) lately?

Midsummer Empties

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Nope, it's not midsummer anymore, but that's when I took these photos, so that shows you how far behind I am on posting things. Everything's in flux--I moved from my previous apartment to a 6-week sublet, and I'll be moving from here to Texas in a week and a half with only as much stuff as I can fit in our car. And on top of our car in one of these strap-on bags. Deciding what to take and what to store for the next year has made me more brutal than I might otherwise be when it comes to culling my hoard, so I've split my empties here into three categories: full-size empties, mini-empties, and shit that wasn't empty but I threw it away anyway.

As always, I'll give you a few words about whether or not I liked the product and/or link you to previous reviews.

Full-Size:

(Starting the the top left:)

O'Keeffe's Healthy Feet Foot Cream: Love it! Reviewed here. I've got the version in the squeeze tube now.

Batiste Dry Shampoos in Bare and Neon Lights: Batiste is my favorite dry shampoo (reviewed here), and I liked these scents, though not as much as the cherry fragrance.

Bioderma Sensibio Micellar Water: I ended up liking this quite a lot, even though I never got around to reviewing it. I used it as a second cleanse when double cleansing. I'm now trying the Simple micellar water, which works ok, but I find it to be a bit more drying. I haven't decided if I should buy another bottle of Bioderma when I finish that one, or if I should try the Garnier stuff that people say is the same. Suggestions?

Tree Hut Shea Moisturizing Body Wash in Almond and Honey: Another favorite. Reviewed here. Maybe I should try one of the other scents next time?

e.l.f. Daily Brush Cleaner: This took me years to finish. It's basically just alcohol in a spray bottle, so I'd recommend using that instead.

e.l.f. Blotting Papers: These also took many years to finish, mostly because I kept misplacing them. They work.

A'Pieu NanCo Tea Tree Spot Patches: I'm not sure these actually did anything for me, even though tea tree oil is usually a good spot acne treatment for my skin. (Emi from Project Swatch gave these to me to try out--thanks!)

CosRx Acne Pimple Master Patches: Reviewed here. I like these things a lot. My skin was pretty shitty last month, and so I went through three packets of these in quick succession. I still have a couple left, and I'm thankfully using those up more slowly.

Paula's Choice Skin Balancing Invisible Finish Moisture Gel: Briefly reviewed here. I've been using this moisturizer for about a decade now, and I still love it. I'm sad that it's become so expensive, and that the closest cheap alternative I'd found seems to have been discontinued. I've moved on to a new tube of this stuff now, but when it runs out, I'll have to think carefully about whether or not it fits into my budget anymore. (By the way, cutting the tube open to get a few more uses out of it doesn't work very well, because it will dry out over night.)

Minis:

Smashbox foundation and concealer sampler card: I tried the lightest shade of each of these, and neither of them really impressed me. Mind you, it's pretty hard to tell much about a foundation from a sample that size.

Nars Audacious Lipstick in Audrey: This was a sample from the now-defunct So Choix. It was a nice lipstick, but not so amazing that I plan to buy it.

Paula's Choice BHA 9: I didn't notice any real results from using this as a spot treatment, even though it tends to be well reviewed.

Origins Modern Friction Scrub: I don't know. It was fine. Chunky. Nothing special.

Fragrance samples: Juliette Has a Gun Lady Vengeance, Mad Madame, and Miss Charming. Also Atelier Cologne Rose Anonyme. All poorly reviewed here. I bought a full(ish) size bottle of Lady Vengeance.

Urban Decay Naked Skin Color Corrector sampler card: I bought the yellow corrector after trying one of these samples (reviewed here). I like the pink too, but the others don't do much for me.

Shiseido White Lucent Anti-Dark Circle Eye Cream: I can't say I noticed any lightening of my very dark circles while I used this sample, even though it seemed to last forever. It didn't give me any milia, though, which more than I can say for most eye creams.

Yu-Be Moisturizing Skin Cream: This stuff has an extremely strong eucalyptus/menthol fragrance and corresponding tingle. I used it on some dry spots on my knees. It worked fine.

Non-Empties:

Paula's Choice Resist Weekly Resurfacing 4% BHA: I really didn't notice any better results using this weekly than just using the 2% BHA liquid daily, so in over a year, I never managed to finish it.

e.l.f. Makeup Lock & Seal: I have no idea how many years I've had this, but I discovered it forgotten in a drawer, and since I apparently hadn't missed it, I reasoned that I didn't need to keep it.

pür Minerals 4-in-1 Pressed Powder: I finished a whole full-size compact of this stuff before buying this mini. Unfortunately, they reformulated it, and while the new version is easy to apply, it wears terribly on my combination skin. I got tired of being horrified when I looked in the mirror at the end of the day. Bye.

Maybelline The Falsies Mascara: This mascara looked pretty--until it flaked all over the place, starting in the first hour of wear. I know that flaking and smearing are related to individual body chemistry, so you may not have the same problem. Usually I use even mediocre mascaras until they dry up, but I didn't make myself suffer through this.

Too Faced Lip Insurance Lip Primer: This stuff works great (reviewed here), and it lasted forever. I didn't manage to finish it all before it started to get a little funky. I've bought a new tube since.

e.l.f. Shimmering Facial Whip in Lilac Petal: Reviewed here. There was nothing wrong with this stuff when it was new, but I've been trying to finish a Benefit High Beam for about a century, and so I haven't touched it. It didn't need to come with me.

So Choix samples of Smashbox matte liquid lipstick and Lancome Juicy Shaker: Just didn't like them enough to keep them around.

theBalm Time Balm Concealer: Reviewed here. Very, very old.

LA Girl Pro Conceal HD Concealer: Reviewed here. It wasn't the worst, but the issues with separating that I mentioned in my review got much worse over time. The last time I opened it and tried to squeeze some out, a geyser of clear liquid shot into the air. Fuck that.

L'Oreal Telescopic Mascara: Reviewed here. Again, an ok mascara, but I stabbed myself in the eye with the tiny bristles three times in a row and threw it out in a fit of anger. Life's too short, etc.

So that's all my July garbage, and I'll toss a bunch of other shit before I leave the state next month! In the meantime, I actually have a review of something shiny lined up, so here's to trying to get that written up in a reasonable amount of time.

Tell me about products you got fed up with and threw away before they were finished!

Empties and discards

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I'm not sure what I want to review next, so how about a good, old fashioned empties post. Everyone likes to look at photos of trash, right?

Since I'm going to be making a cross-country move in a few months, I've been gradually weeding out my excess stuff (not limited to, but including, beauty products). As a result I've divided this post into two parts: actual empties and things that aren't finished but that I'm throwing out anyway. I also filled two boxes with products that are still good and will be passed on to someone else, but since they aren't garbage, they aren't in this garbage post.

I haven't been keeping bath and body products or foil packets, so the photo above doesn't include absolutely everything I've used up since my last empties post, but hey, close enough. I'll start at the top left of the photo above and go through these things row by row as briefly as possible, linking to previous reviews when they're available to avoid repetition.

CeraVe Therapeutic Hand Cream: Mini- review here. I wouldn't buy this again, though if you like their other lotions, you might like this.

CosRx Acne Pimple Master Patches: Reviewed here. I love these, and I have 3.5 more packets to go through before I'll need to buy replacements.

Paula's Choice Resist Barrier Repair Moisturizer: This moisturizer is light but effective, and I enjoyed using it during the winter. I'm not sure it's special enough to be worth the high price, though.

Beauty Blender Cleanser (sample): As I said here, this is just castile soap, which you can get much cheaper elsewhere.

Moroccan Oil (sample): My sister gave me this little bottle when I lamented my hair's dry frizziness this past winter. It worked well enough, though it didn't help me get a comb through my wet hair. Plus I realized that it was a different product causing the problems, rather than a lack of product (see discards discussion below for more on this).

Korres Bergamot Pear Hand Cream: It smelled neither like bergamot nor pear (more like a generic floral-apple scent) and wasn't particularly effective when my hands were really dry during the winter. I wouldn't buy it again.

Bioré Aqua Rich Watery Gel Sunscreen: Reviewed here. It's good stuff, and I would consider buying it again, though I don't love all the fragrance and alcohol. Still, I've been thinking about trying the Watery Essence version.

Paula's Choice Skin Firming Line Minimizer: This stuff took me forever to finish, and I never noticed any improvements to my skin. Plus the packaging is ridiculous.

Paula's Choice Resist Ultra-Light Super Antioxidant Concentrate Serum: Reviewed here. I absolutely love this serum during the winter, but during the humid summer months the humectant properties are too much for my oily-combination skin. I'm glad I finished it by spring, and I'm sure I'll buy another one the next time I face a long, cold, dry winter.

Paula's Choice 2% BHA Liquid (travel size): Reviewed here. This exfoliant is a staple in my skincare routine all year 'round. I use it most mornings. When I stray from it, I notice my pores reverting to their natural clogged state and my skin getting duller fairly quickly. I'm on a regular sized bottle now. (Remember when a bottle of this stuff cost about $20? Sigh.)

Wet N Wild Fergie Take On The Day Eyeshadow Primer: Reviewed here, and now sadly discontinued. No, the new Wet N Wild primer is not identical. I'm using my Black Radiance eyeshadow primer now.

Lancôme Cils Booster XL Mascara Primer (sample): Reviewed here. Wouldn't buy it.

Hourglass Ambient Lighting Powder in Dim Light (sample): Of the ALPs I tried from So Choix, I liked Dim Light and Luminous Light best. I've read some reviews of Dim Light that say it's too dark for certain people's complexions, but I didn't notice any color at all showing up on my pale skin. Maybe it's different for people with different undertones than mine, or maybe my sample was made up from a particularly light part of the powder.

Ojon Rare Blend Hair Oil (sample): Not especially memorable. Make sure you shake it, because it has three layers, and the top one is all heavy oil. Trust me, it doesn't look pretty in your hair on its own.

Beauty Blender: I cut it in half to see what was inside! I like the Beauty Blender, but I'm using a cheaper alternative now.

Avon lipstick: The label is long gone. This was a sheer, iridescent red lipstick, and it was one of the oldest makeup products I had. It was finished years ago, and I think I kept it around because I wanted to find something similar, but I'm not really attached to it anymore.

Paula's Choice Endless Lash Mascara: This mascara isn't great, but I ran out of mascara, and I had a credit, so mediocre free mascara seemed better than good cheap mascara at the time. I definitely don't recommend paying the excessively high price they charge for this stuff. In general, Paula's Choice makeup is blah.

Epionce Lyctic Tx (sample): This is basically a BHA serum. It smells like lavender and wasn't nearly as effective as the Paula's Choice BHA liquid. I certainly wouldn't spend $54 for this stuff.

Urban Decay Perversion Mascara (sample): Sort of reviewed here. I've finally used up my last Perversion sample! Though these things seem to self-replicate almost as endlessly as Smashbox primer samples, so I'm sure another one will pop up before long.

And here are the things that I threw out without finishing:

Vidal Sassoon Spray Heat Protect & Shine: I think I got this from Influenster a couple of years ago. I started to blow my hair a bit more often this winter, and I remembered I had this stuff, so I thought I might as well try to protect my hair from heat damage. I can always use some more shine, too. It wasn't until after months of using this spray, as my hair was getting drier and rougher, that I bothered to look at the ingredients and saw that it's mostly alcohol. No wonder! READ THE INGREDIENTS, FOLKS!

MUA Dusk Til Dawn Palette: Reviewed here. I depotted the shades that were most interesting and the rest can go. (There is a pan of some red lipstick sample I got from So Choix stuck in there too, but I forget what it was. Something I didn't like!)

Revlon Colorstay Moisture Stain in Cannes Crush: Reviewed here. I was never a big fan of the color or the formula, and now it's old and I used it only a few times.

Revlon Lip Butters in Candy Apple and Lollipop: Reviewed here. Lollipop was one of the first bright pink lipsticks I ever had, but I soon moved on to other things. These two had started to smell a little off, so it was time to say goodbye. And these two mark the last of the too many lip butters I once hoarded.

e.l.f. Essential Lipsticks in Posh and Voodoo: Reviewed here. These were good lipsticks when I didn't like lipstick, but now I like lipstick and I'm not so into these lipsticks anymore. (lipstick lipstick lipstick.) Plus, again, very old.

Life's Entropy Lip Theory in Recursion (sample): Reviewed here. It's paraben free, so it got funky faster than your average lip product.

Life's Entropy Yellow Foundation Mixer (sample): Reviewed here. See above.

Cynthia Rowley something-or-other lip sample from Birchbox: Old. Funky.

TheBalm Stainiac: I actually love this lip stain, and it still seemed fine, but . . . though I'm not a stickler for use-by dates on makeup, this was so ancient that I was getting weirded out. I certainly got my money's worth, though, because I used it ONE MILLION times. I'll probably replace it once I use up a few other lip products.

NYX Concealer in Green: Sort of reviewed here. Old. Don't like.

Garnier Ultra-Lift Miracle Eye Cream: First of all, it's a gel, not a cream. Second of all, it has a lot of alcohol in it, which I could maybe forgive if it were beneficial in some other way, but it wasn't. I used it for about a month and then tossed it. Eye "creams" are mostly bullshit, anyway, right? (Though I admit I've been intrigued by The Ordinary caffeine serum, because I've read reviews that say it actually improves dark circles.)

Lancôme Juicy Shaker and YSL Tint-in-Oil: Samples from So Choix. Meh.

That's it! If I've learned anything from this batch of discards, I supposed it's always to read the ingredients (which I should have known already), and not to collect all the colors of a lip product just because you like one of them, which is pretty much what happened with the Revlon Lip Butters and e.l.f. lipsticks. I have no doubt I will continue to repeat those mistakes in the future. Stay tuned!

I'm curious: do you try to finish up a product even if you don't like it, or are you fine with just throwing it away if it's too old or too shitty to give to someone else?

Mid-Winter Empties

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I finished off a lot of things in January, it seems! Some of these are from early February too and, as usual, there are a few products that didn't get used up but needed to be discarded for one reason or another. I actually think I used more samples in foil packets than I have here, but that I threw some of them away instead of hoarding all my garbage like a weirdo. Oops. I'll give you a quick review of what's in the photo and direct you to more information when possible. As always, let me know if you want more information about anything.

Starting from the top left corner and moving left to right in rows (roughly):

e.l.f. Eyebrow Kit in Light (reviewed here): I've had this kit for at least 8 years. Yikes. There was still a lot of product left, but the wax had finally started to smell a little off. It might have been my imagination, actually, but I decided it was time to let it go anyway. I'm not sure if I'll buy another one. It's really great for the price, and if I don't find anything to replace my discontinued Avon eyebrow pencil, I might just fall back on this stuff again.

Simple Facial Cleansing Wipes (reviewed here): My favorite wipes. I haven't replaced them, because I am now using Bioderma micellar water with my DIY cotton pads instead (I've been using those same ones for almost 3 years now, and they are still in great condition), since that creates less waste. I might buy some more of the wipes one day if I am going to travel.

Paula's Choice Resist Ultra Light Antioxidant Serum (reviewed here): This stuff is a winter skincare staple for me, so I'm on to a new tube now.

Hourglass Immaculate Foundation in Porcelain (sample packet): I really hated this. It was heavy and dry-looking and didn't last.

Life's Entropy Lip Theory in Recursion (sample, reviewed here): Paraben-free makeup gets funky sooner than stuff with good preservatives in it. I should probably find my sample of Apoptosis and chuck it too.

Omorovicza Queen of Hungary Mist (mini sample vial): It felt quite nice when spritzed on my face after moisturizing and had a mild, pleasant, floral scent. But I sure as hell am not going to be buying any $90 glycerin water.

So Choix sample pans of Hourglass Ambient Lighting Powder in Mood Light and Diffused Light (briefly/sort of reviewed here and here)

L'Oreal Lineur Intense Felt-tip Liquid Liner in Earthen Rock Brown (reviewed here): Sadly discontinued. I have a replacement, but when that runs out, I will probably try the Physician's Formula brown liquid liner, rather than buying another old one of these on Amazon. (BTW I got the Physician's Formula liner in black, and it's just as good as you all told me it would be. Review coming soon!)

Paula's Choice 2% BHA Liquid (reviewed here): This is a skincare staple for me all year round. When I finished this bottle, I experimented with their 2% BHA Gel instead, because I thought it might be more convenient, since I wouldn't have to use a cotton pad. It wasn't nearly as effective for me, unfortunately, so I am back to the liquid. I'm using the gel mixed with lotion as an aftershave on my legs, since it helps to reduce irritation and prevent ingrown hairs.

Sephora Instant Moisture+ Cream (sample packet): This moisturizer works well enough, but it has a very strong, generic floral fragrance, so I wouldn't recommend it. Nothing special.

Simple Protecting Light Moisturizer SPF 15 (reviewed here): Yet another staple for me. I've used up a lot of those lately! Since I go through a bottle of this about every six months, I actually signed up for the Amazon Subscribe & Save thingy to save some pennies on it. Amazon seems to be the cheapest place to get it, anyway.

Cetaphil Moisturizing Lotion (reviewed here): I actually use this as a makeup remover or as the first step in double cleansing. I haven't replaced it, because I'm trying to use up some other products first.

DHC Deep Cleansing Oil (sample packet): Well, this stuff seems to live up to its reputation. It was effective and not drying when used alone or as a first step in double cleansing. There was enough in this tiny packet for at least 5 uses, so I think a bottle would last a really long time. I don't even mind the light fragrance, which smells like rosemary. I actually wondering if it's worth buying a bottle right now, since DHC has it on sale on their website for $22. Plus you get a free eyeliner with the cleansing oil. They also have free shipping on $35 until Feb. 28 with code MARSAVE35, but I don't know what else I would get--and I'm supposed to be on a No Buy! I won't. I won't.

e.l.f. Mineral Eyeshadow Primer (reviewed here): This was old and crappy but not actually empty.

Sally Hansen Insta-dri Topcoat: I think this is the best quick-dry topcoat for the price, about $5. I don't know how people do their nails without quick-dry topcoat. At all.

Hourglass Illusion Hyaluronic Skin Tint in Shell (sample packet): This was the wrong shade for me, but from the name of this product, wouldn't you expect a tinted moisturizer? Because it was medium-full coverage and not moisturizing at all. I really have never been impressed by an Hourglass foundation.

Bare Minerals Mineral Veil (mini): This mattifying/finishing powder is decent, but it's not the finest texture. I liked it best applied with a damp sponge (a little more detail here).

TokyoMilk Dark Lip Balm in La Vie En Rose: I really liked this balm. Now I'm using the Absinthe scent, which I'm not a fan of--smells like fake apple. But it works well enough.

Mica Beauty . . . some potted lipstick that I got from Ipsy way back when. It was a pretty color, but an impossible formula to actually wear. Definitely not empty, but it just needed to go away.

Epionce Intense Defense Serum: I got a bunch of samples from this brand a while back. Probably got half a dozen uses out of this sample, but I certainly wouldn't pay $136 for a bottle of serum that smelled this awful unless it performed some kind of instant magic. (It didn't.)

Diorshow Mascara (mini): Ugh. I mentioned this on Instagram, but the brush was waaaaaaay too big for my eyes, and I really can't stand scented mascaras (WHY DO THEY EXIST?), so I only used this for about a week, even though I could have probably got quite a bit more out of it.

Urban Decay eyeshadow card samples whose names I did not write down

Hang Ten SPF 50 Sunscreen (mini): It was a fairly typical chemical sunscreen. Maybe a little less greasy than some other SPF 50s.

Paula's Choice Redness Relief Treatment: This stuff has unfortunately been discontinued, because it makes a great soothing aftershave. I think I had this bottle 3-4 years and didn't even get through half. That's much longer than recommended, but since I only used it on my legs, I wasn't overly picky. I decided to let it go when I started using the BHA gel (mentioned above) for the same purpose.

Did you manage to get through all of that? Anyone else been finishing things up like crazy lately? It's very satisfying.

End of the Year Empties

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I just wrote an empties post last month, but I finished a bunch more products since then. Here they are with mini reviews as needed. Most of these things are empty, but some I just wasn't using, and they were old, so I'm getting rid of them. It can't hurt to leave as much of 2016 behind as possible!

Starting at the top left, one row at a time:

Paula's Choice Moisture Boost Cream: This is a heavy moisturizer that I ended up using mainly as a hand cream, because it wasn't anything remarkable on my face. It wasn't a great hand cream, either, and obviously too expensive to buy for that purpose. I wouldn't get this again.

Urban Decay Perversion Mascara (travel size): Reviewed here. This travel size tube lasted over about 4 months, which is pretty good for $10. I'm not sure what the advantage of buying the full size would be!

Paula's Choice Hyaluronic Acid Booster: I like hyaluronic acid, but this particular product is just ok. One of the annoying things is that it really shouldn't be packaged in a dropper bottle. I think it's done that way to make it fit in with their other "boosters," but it's too thick. A squeeze tube or pump would be more suitable. (By the way, Lab Muffin has a great new post about how hyaluronic acid works.)

Nars Light Reflecting Pressed Setting Powder: Mentioned here and here. On the one hand, this does a really good job of reflecting light, just as it claims to, which made my skin look great in photos. On the other hand, it doesn't really do much in person, only in photos. And on some other hand, it's expensive, but on yet another hand, I used it at least 50% of the time that I wore makeup, and it lasted me nearly three years.

I'm getting rid of the Rimmel Stay Glossy gloss and the Milani Power Lip (reviewed here), because I don't use them and they're too old to give away.

Jack Black Lip Balm in Original Natural Mint (mini): These balms work really well for me, and I like that they contain sunscreen (SPF 25) without tasting bitter. I don't really like mint balms, but I bought this 4-pack and used the two mint ones as stocking stuffers. The others I kept for myself.

Paula's Choice C15 Booster (mini): I've said that this stuff doesn't do anything for my skin, but I ended up with another mini bottle, so I used it. It didn't do anything.

Paula's Choice 1% Retinol: Reviewed here. I settled on using this about once a week, and my skin is much better when I use it, so I'm on my second bottle now. This first one lasted over a year.

REN GlycoLactic Radiance Renewal Mask (mini): I love how soft and smooth this makes my skin feel. AHA products with just glycolic acid never really have any effect on my skin, but it likes lactic acid apparently. I think I will eventually buy the full size. It's usually $55 (yikes), but only about $30 on Amazon.

Pixi Brightening Primer: Swatched here. This stuff is old and also completely invisible, so I don't know why I held on to it for so long. Bye bye.

Kinesys SPF 30 Sunscreen: Reviewed here. I really like this for my face. I haven't decided if I will buy it again after I finish my current Biore sunscreen, but I'm leaning toward it.

And here is my last empty, which I forgot to include in the photo above:

Sephora Bright Future Gel Serum Concealer in Fondant: Reviewed here. This tube lasted me almost exactly a year of nearly daily use. Now I'm using the same concealer in Buttercream (swatched here). It's not the fullest coverage ever, but that's fine with me, because it doesn't crease as badly as most other concealers, and it lasts all day without fading. Those things are more important to me.

I used the Swoon wand in the photo to get the dregs out of the tube after the concealer wand wouldn't pick up any more. It's a stick with a pointy silicone tip, which is designed for lip gloss. I got at least a dozen extra uses out of the concealer, which is pretty great. I got this gadget as part of some beauty variety bag, but it's normally $12. It could be worth it if you use a lot of fairly expensive products in tubes. I guess some other kind of stick could work, like a bamboo skewer? But you wouldn't get splinters from this Swoon thing, at least!

That's it! Out with the old! Are you saying goodbye to anything in time for the new year?