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*PR Samples
**Repurchase/ Bought after trying a press sample
***Travel Size/ Mini
****Gift/ Gift with purchase
This is my fourth and final empties post of 2023. You can read the others here. If this happens to be the first one of these posts that you are reading I'll begin with an explanation as to why I started compiling these blog posts last year. I wanted to keep track of the products I was using as well as my spending habits and the products that I have been sent by brands to review. It's a way for me to be completely transparent about my consumption of beauty products while providing more thorough reviews than I can on my other social media platforms. I find it satisfying to see how many products I have fully used up and how much I spent versus how much I buy myself. I write a short review once I've completely finished the products letting you know whether I think it's worth the money. Whether I would buy it again or spend my own money on it if it was sent as a press sample. I also mention the amount of product, the shelf life, where it was made as well as the price. At the end, I have the totals of everything, how much I spent versus the cost of everything that was a PR sample. I hope it's helpful or interesting to have everything laid out this way. It's definitely been an eye-opener for me and it's made me think about what I spend, and where I can save. There are only 24 products to get through this time, so let's get started.
*Urban Decay Perversion Waterproof Mascara 10.2ml, 6m, Made in USA €28
I have used the regular Perversion mascara in the past and I loved it. I received a press drop with this waterproof one and kept it until the Summer as I usually suffer from hayfever and watering eyes. This is a great waterproof mascara. Like most waterproof formulas it's more on the dry side which makes it better at holding a curl. You can see me wearing it here. I like to curl my eyelashes first using the Surratt Relevée Eyelash Curler and then apply two coats of this mascara and it made my lashes look amazing. The only downside I find to waterproof mascaras is that they can feel like they are dried out faster than regular formulas because they are drier to begin with and I find once they've been open for a month or so they can be more difficult to build up because of the formula. If you have straight lashes there is nothing like a waterproof mascara to help your lashes stay looking curled. Another downside is the removal but if you don't mind that, the effect you can get from a waterproof formula is unrivaled. I would definitely buy this again.
*Lancôme Lash Idôle Mascara 8ml, 6m, Made in France €30
I've had this mascara a few times now, I bought it myself and I've received it in press drops a couple of times since then. Every time I use it I love it more. It has a curved, slightly tapered wand that lifts your lashes and fans them out coating the inner and outer lashes easily. It has one of those formulas that can be built up but doesn't become clumpy. It gives you the mascara holy trinity of length, definition and volume while behaving like a waterproof mascara without needing an oil-based cleanser for removal. It's one of my favourite mascaras of all time and I will definitely be buying it again. You can see me applying it here.
****Maybelline The Colossal Go Extreme Mascara 9.5ml, 6m, Made in Italy €11.99
I liked this mascara but I didn't love it. It gives your lashes great volume but it doesn't get quite clumpy when you build it up which inevitably leads to it flaking off. One of the things I don't like about this is the packaging, I find the wand difficult to hold, the brush is quite big and I find the shape doesn't work as well on my eyelashes as other mascaras. I am a big fan of Maybelline mascaras but I prefer Lash Sensational, Sky High and The Falsies. You can see me applying it here.
**Glossier Boy Brow 3.12g, 6m, Made in USA €22
I think my love affair with Boy Brow has come to an end. While I do still like it and I haven't exactly found a replacement tinted brow gel, I just don't think I need it. It's expensive for what it is and I find it dries out faster than it should. I rarely make Glossier orders anymore and it wouldn't be worth it to place an order just for this product. I use my Soap Brows Extra Strong Hold most days and at the moment I have a Maybelline Tattoo Brow 36hr Brow Gel which does the job. I can't see myself repurchasing this any time soon.
*Lancôme Absolue Nurturing Brightening Oil in Cleanser 125ml, 6m, Made in France €90
This is another product I've used a few times now and mentioned in previous empties posts. This is the most expensive cleanser I've ever used. It's often on offer for around €72 but that's still incredibly expensive for a cleanser. It's a lovely cleanser and it works well but I could never justify that price. I'd much rather buy the Lisa Eldridge one (reviewed here) as it's also a treatment. The cleanser below is 5 times less expensive and does the same thing, I don't think anyone needs to spend €90 on a cleanser. This one is often included in Lancôme gifts with purchase so if you want to try it, that's a good way to do it without spending a small fortune. It does have quite a strong scent which I don't mind but it's something to keep in mind.
Beauty of Joseon Radiance Cleansing Balm 100m, 24m, Made in Korea €17.22
I bought this on a whim when I was placing an order with Stylevana earlier in the year. I knew I'd need another cleanser and I was buying the Beauty of Joseon sunscreen so I decided to try this too as it was reduced to around €13. I didn't realise until afterward that it's apparently a viral product on Tik Tok (whatever that means). I was so impressed by this cleanser, it contains rice and grain complex extracts which have amino acids and minerals to help moisturise the skin. It doesn't have much of a scent which I know will suit a lot of people. It removes makeup well and leaves your skin feeling soft and hydrated. It also has a thin compartment on top which has a little spatula so that you can scoop out the balm hygienically. I will definitely repurchase this in the future. Stylevana has recently given me a discount code which is SHOPGREEN and gives you 10% off your entire order or 15% off orders over €48 including products already reduced. It does take a few weeks for your order to arrive but as long as you don't mind you can get some really great products at great prices.
**Garnier Express 2-in-1 Eye Make-Up Remover 125ml, 6m, Made in Poland €4.99
I've mentioned this product in multiple empties posts as it's something I repurchase again and again. I stock up on these when Boots has them on offer for a third off and I use them if I'm wearing waterproof eye makeup as it removes it so easily. I'll continue to buy this as it's such a good price and I go through them quite quickly.
*Lancôme Rose Sugar Scrub 100ml, 18m, Made in France €39
I received this as a gift with purchase press drop and I had never used it before. I tend to stick to chemical exfoliants like AHAs and PHAs and I rarely use a physical exfoliant anymore. It contains sugar grains, acacia honey and rose water to gently buff away dead skin cells. As you can probably guess it has a rose scent which I like but I know that it might not be for everyone. It also has a slightly warming feel on the skin. I enjoyed using this much more than I thought I would. I think most millennials have been scarred by a certain well-known apricot face scrub and haven't touched physical exfoliants since. Skincare formulas have come a long way since the 90s and considering the price of this product I would expect it to work. I know it's probably an unpopular opinion in the beauty industry but I actually quite like a physical exfoliant. There's something about it that makes you feel more clean and smooth. This formula is comfortable and gentle and doesn't leave your skin feeling stripped. I don't think I'd trade in my AHAs yet but if you're a fan of a face scrub, I think you'll find it hard to beat this one.
*Lancôme Bi-Facil Non-Oily Instant Cleanser Sensitive Eyes 125ml, 6m, Made in France €32
This is yet another product that I have reviewed before in previous empties posts. I'll keep it short as I don't want to repeat myself too much. I loved using this product and it worked so well at easily removing any waterproof eye makeup. However, I think it's too expensive for a product that I got through so quickly. As I mentioned above, the Garnier one is only €4.99 for the same amount of product and there's not a world of difference in the performance. I can get 6 of the Garner one for the price of this one and if it's on offer I can get even more so to me it's a no-brainer.
Naturium Phyto-Glow Lip Balm (Clear) 10ml, Made in USA €13.80
I wanted to try Naturium for a while after seeing many of the Content Creators I follow saying positive things about their products. Space NK started stocking the brand earlier this year and I decided to buy the lip balm when it was finally back in stock. The price point of Naturium products is quite affordable so it seemed like a safe bet. It's great to see a brand at this price point that also gets great reviews from people in the industry and consumers alike. I mentioned the Summer Fridays Lip Butter in my last empties post and I started using this lip balm when I was finished that one. It's just under half the price of the Summer Fridays one (although 5ml less) and while I prefer the texture of the Lip Butter as it's thinner but still feels nourishing, I think the Phyto-Glow is an excellent lip balm. It comes in 5 shades on Space NK and the Naturium website has another 4 shades which they released quite recently. The formula contains shea butter, squalane and cupuaçu butter and a natural vanilla scent which I love. As I mentioned it's a thicker formula and I found I had to really squeeze the tube to get some product out so that's just something to note if you have any dexterity issues. I recently bought two of the Rhode Peptide Lip Treatments and both have a grainy consistency when cold. If I keep them in my pocket they warm up and the graininess melts to a smooth consistency but I was disappointed that the formula wasn't what it should be considering the price and the fact that I'm sure Hailey Bieber has the resources to hire someone to make sure the formulas are perfect. I will continue to use the ones I have but I wouldn't repurchase them, I'd opt for the Naturium or Summer Fridays lip balms instead.
*Lancôme Rénergie Yeux Lifting Filler Eye Cream 5ml, 6m, Made in France €21
I love the Rénergie Serum so I was hoping the eye cream would be just as good. It can be difficult to assess a product just using a sample size but I think I got a good feel for this eye cream and I thought it did what it claimed it would. It contains hyaluronic acid and peptides and it's supposed to lift and tighten your eye area with regular use. I know that it was reformulated recently so I'm not sure which formula I was using but I liked how my eye area looked and felt and how makeup applied over it. It's €63 for the full size which is 15mls so it's not in my budget but I do think it's a lovely product.
*Lancôme Génefique Yeux Light-Pearl Eye & Lash Concentrate 5ml, 6m, Made in France €18
I have wanted to try this product for a while now and I was delighted to receive this mini size in a press drop. The full size is 20ml and €72 so the 5ml size was a good sample that allowed me to get to grips with the product. I loved everything about this, the cool metal applicator, the texture and what it did for my eye area. It contains pre and pro-biotic extracts, caffeine and arginine among other beneficial ingredients. The applicator is ideal for anyone who wakes up with puffy eyes as it cools and soothes the skin. It also contains mica so it will give the under eyes that illuminated look. I'd absolutely love to buy the full size but it is quite expensive so I'll have to stick to my L'Oréal Paris Revitalift Filler Eye Serum for now.
**The Ordinary AHA 30% + BHA 2% Peeling Solution Exfoliating Facial 30ml, 12m €10.20
I've had a few bottles of this mask over the years and I probably will buy it again. It comes with a lot of caveats as it has quite a high concentration of acids. You're not recommended to use it unless you are an experienced user of chemical exfoliants and they don't recommend it if you have sensitive, peeling or compromised skin. It's also advised to only leave it on for ten minutes maximum and to use high sun protection afterward. I would also suggest doing a patch test beforehand just to be on the safe side. I've never had any issues using this product. It can sting the skin slightly but I don't find it uncomfortable at all. I definitely notice the difference after using it but I wouldn't use it too often. I know there's been some controversy around this product but I think once you follow the recommendations and instructions it should be ok. I would always proceed with caution with any product like this but it works well for me and I would buy it again.
*bareMinerals Ageless Phyto-AHA Radiance Facial 50ml, 12m, Made in USA €53
This mask contains a plant-based alternative to AHAs so it's supposed to be more gentle on the skin. It has quite a strong, almost fruity scent which I didn't mind, and a light, gel texture. I didn't notice a huge difference after using this mask, as I mentioned above perhaps it's just not strong enough for my exfoliating needs but I couldn't justify spending €53 on something unless it completely wowed me. I'd rather spend that on the bareMinerals Skinlongevity Long Life Herb Serum which is one of my favourite skincare products. This wasn't for me but if you have sensitive skin it could be a good exfoliating mask to try.
Glow Recipe Watermelon Glow PHA + BHA Pore-Tight Toner 150ml, 8m, Made in Korea €35.70
This is long expired and I didn't finish the whole bottle. It has a watery toner texture and it has that synthetic watermelon scent which I quite liked. I'll be honest, I kept forgetting I had this because I didn't find it did anything noticeable to my skin. I'm not sure whether the exfoliants weren't strong enough or it just didn't suit my skin needs but I didn't see a difference and therefore I wouldn't repurchase it. I prefer the REN Daily AHA Tonic for my gentle chemical exfoliant needs.
*IT Cosmetics Hello Results Wrinkle-Reducing Daily Retinol Serum-in-Cream 50ml, 12m, Made in USA €69
I was excited to try this product because it's a hybrid retinol serum and hydrating cream. IT Cosmetics are known for their products being developed for people with rosacea and so this is a retinol product that is aimed at people who have more reactive skin. It contains a blend of free and encapsulated retinol along with niacinamide to help with dark spots, vitamin B5 to help support the skin barrier and vitamin E to soothe and calm the skin. It has a nice scent and a lightweight texture. They suggest using a moisturiser on top if you need more hydration. I also like the packaging as it is one of those pump containers that you press down and the exact amount it dispensed which is always handy. I would say this is an ideal starter retinol and perhaps that's why I didn't notice much of a difference when I used this product. I enjoyed using it and I didn't react to it as it's quite a hydrating, gentle formula. I prefer the retinol product I'm using at the moment and this is quite expensive so I wouldn't buy it again. It's not a bad product I just think it wasn't right for my skin needs. It comes in a 15ml size which would let you try it out before buying the full size.
*Clarins Hydra-Essentiel Night Care 50ml, 18m, Made in France €47
This is a beautiful night cream. It has a rich, comforting texture and it contains ingredients to hydrate and plump the skin. I found it an ideal moisturiser to lock in my night serum and my skin always felt and looked hydrated in the morning. It has a light, fresh scent which I love too. It lasted for a long time and I think it's quite a good price point all things considered. I'd definitely consider buying this myself as I found it such a lovely product to use and I liked the results.
*Garnier Ambre Solaire Anti-Dark Spots & Anti-Pollution Super UV 50+ 40ml, 12m, Made in Germany €18
I was excited to try this as I've been looking for more affordable sunscreens that wear well under makeup. This is a really great option if you're looking for something lightweight that won't interfere with any makeup you apply over it. The only thing that I found slightly unpleasant was how it feels to apply, I've never come across this before but it feels almost rough on my skin when I apply it but once it's blended in it feels perfectly fine. I'm not sure why but it's the only negative thing I can say about it and even at that it's not something that lasts so it's not a big deal. I still prefer my Beauty of Joseon sunscreen as it's less expensive, there is more in the tube and I prefer the texture but this one is definitely worth trying especially if you're looking for a more affordable sunscreen that's easy to find in most pharmacies.
Briogeo Scalp Revival Charcoal + Coconut Micro-Exfoliating Shampoo 59ml, 18m, Made in USA €19.99
I bought one of the special haircare sets that Cult Beauty was selling for Black Friday and it included this shampoo which I've used before and loved. This was a travel size so I only got a few uses from it. If you like to thoroughly cleanse and exfoliate your scalp this is a great product as you don't have to use it too often. It's probably better suited to people with a lot of product buildup or particularly oily hair. It has dissolving exfoliating particles in it and a minty/coconut scent. I prefer to use the JVN Hair Pre-Wash Scalp Oil or the Act + Acre Cold Processed Scalp Detox as my hair is more on the dry side and I find a pre-wash oil works better for my hair.
*The Body Shop Intense Moisture Mask Jamaican Black Castor Oil 240ml, 12m, Made in Poland €19
I was sent this range of products earlier in the year and I've slowly been working my way through them. I absolutely adore the scent of the products in this range, one of the best hair product scents I've ever used. I used this as a conditioner after shampoo as I ran out of conditioner and thought I might as well just use this since I don't wash my hair that often. It worked really well at leaving my hair looking and feeling hydrated and feeling soft and smooth. I have really enjoyed the products I've used from this collection so far and I would purchase them myself as I find they work and they last a long time.
****Aveda Cherry Almond Softening Shampoo 250ml, 24m, Made in USA €21
I love this shampoo mostly for its exquisite scent. I have used many Aveda products over the years and I always really like them. My sister gave me this bottle because it didn't agree with her hair but I loved it. I don't know if I'd repurchase it as I'm trying to spend less money on shampoo and conditioner but I do think it's a great product and it smells incredible.
**Palmers Cocoa Butter Hand Cream 60g, 12m, Made in USA €2.99
For the price, this is a great hand cream but I've recently switched to the O'Keefe's Working Hands Overnight. I think it works better overall but I would still buy this again as it's a particularly useful size for keeping in my bag. I also love the cocoa butter scent.
*Clarins Hand & Nail Treatment Cream 50ml, 18m, Made in France €13
This is a product I have used on and off for almost 20 years. My mam would buy it and I'd use hers (probably without her knowing) and then I used to buy it myself almost every time I was in the airport. It's one of those products that when you don't have it you don't think you need it but when you start using it again you realise that it's unrivaled in its excellence and makes a genuine difference to your hands. I probably won't have this product all the time but I will most definitely buy it again and again in the future.
Ameliorate Smoothing Body Exfoliant 150ml, 12m, Made in UK €23.99
I bought this as part of a set that also included body wash and body lotion. It works differently to other body exfoliants as you apply it to dry skin and leave it on for a few minutes before rinsing it off. It contains biodegradable bamboo granules and AHAs so it's both a physical and chemical exfoliant. It also contains shea butter, cocoa butter and coconut oil so it moisturises your skin at the same time. I have a backup of this as I really enjoyed how it made my skin look and feel. I will probably keep the backup for the warmer months when I have more skin on show as it seems pointless using it now when I'm so covered up. If you have keratosis pilaris or dry skin I would rate the Ameliorate products to help smooth and hydrate your skin.
The totals are as follows:
13 PR Products: €477
9 Products bought by me €150.88
2 Travel/Sample Size
2 Part of a Set
5 Repurchases
2 Gifts or Gift With Purchase €32.99
The total is 24 products: €660.87
I finished these products over the almost three-month period since my last post in October. I've been using some of them for over a year. I used up almost half the amount of products compared to my post in October. As I always mention, the amount of money I spent on those 9 products is much lower as I rarely buy anything at full price. I probably didn't spend any more than €120 on the products I bought and I would imagine it was less as some products were part of sets (like the Ameliorate and Briogeo) and then discounted even further. If there's anything you'd like to see me try or anything you'd like swatches of, a Reel on or a blog post about, please do send me a DM on Instagram or leave a comment here.
I thought it would be interesting to add up some overall totals from the year. Altogether I used up 165 products in 12 months with a total value of €4444.87, 65 of those were PR products with a total value of €2392.73. I bought 89 products myself with a total value of €1886.70, 46 of those products were repurchases, 17 were travel or sample sizes and 11 were gifts or gifts with purchase. I used up 41 makeup products, 55 skincare products, 26 body products, 25 haircare products and 2 perfumes.
I started these empties posts last year but this is the first full year so it's been really interesting to add up the totals and see everything laid out clearly. This is also the first year I've been trying to keep a one in one out policy with my skincare products so that I can properly test them out and give a more thorough review. It has definitely helped me to gauge the efficacy of products more clearly. This has made me realise what I like, and what ingredients work well for my face, body and hair and therefore should help me to be a more thoughtful consumer. I love being a Content Creator but the amount of waste in the beauty industry does trouble me which is why these posts have been helpful for me. I plan on continuing this exercise next year because even though it's a lot of work to compile these posts, I have found it to be an enjoyable and invaluable part of my work as a Content Creator. I hope you have found some value in it too.
I tried to include links to products where they are the best price and in stock. You can also visit my ShopMy profile to see collections of all my favourite beauty products by category. If you've made it this far, I want to thank you for taking the time to read such a lengthy blog post and for all of your support this year. I love putting these posts together so the fact that other people might find them helpful makes it so worthwhile. If you enjoyed this blog post or found it helpful and you'd like to support what I do, you can Buy Me A Coffee which helps to fund my work as a Content Creator.
I'd love to know if you've tried any of these products and what you think, does your opinion differ from mine? Are any of them on your wishlist to try?
Emma x
