(Epic) Summer Empties!

Hi, everyone! So, I haven't written an Empties post in ages- I would miss the end-of-month deadline and think "I'll do one next month". This went on for a while until my empties bag was completely bursting! Before things got out of hand further, I knew I finally had to bite the bullet. So here they are- my Summer Empties from July, August, and September!

I have a ton of products to go through, so I'll try to keep things as brief and to the point as possible! 

Makeup

Revlon ColourStay Whipped Creme Makeup in Buff

My all-time favourite foundation! Amazing coverage, but doesn't look flat or dry. Truly lasts all day!

Repurchase? Of course!

Soap & Glory One Heck of a Blot Super Translucent Mattifying Powder

Did a great job at keeping oil at bay without feeling heavy or chalky. It's good stuff!

Repurchase? It it were available in Canada, yes!

Clinique Perfectly Real Makeup in #1 Ivory

Medium coverage with a natural finish. Lasted pretty well on my oily skin!

Repurchase? Maybe.

Tart emphasEYES Clay Liner in Brown

For months, this was my favourite brown liner. So creamy and pigmented, easy to smudge, yet wears true all day. Just dried out a bit before I could finish it.

Repurchase? Yes!

Chanel Rouge Coco Shine in Aventure

I actually finished a lipstick! Whoop whoop! I was able to do it because it was a go-to in my office desk during internship last year. A perfect professional, but perky shade!

Repurchase? Yes!

Annabelle Stay Sharp Self Sharpening Waterproof Kohl Liner in Go Black

Super pigmented, very long-wearing, with minimal smudging. Plus the self-sharpening mechanism is so handy!

Repurchase? Likely!

Skin Care

Nuxe Reve de Miel Lip Moisturizing Stick

Unlike its famed version in the pot, this tube version was underwhelming. Felt quite waxy.

Repurchase? No.

Odacite Gentle Rejuvenating Cleanser

Milky and super gentle, yet not at all heavy. Leaves my skin feeling super clean without any stripping or irritation. Love this stuff! 

Repurchase? Already have!

Ren ClearCalm3 Clarifying Clay Cleanser

I've used and liked this stuff before- creamy, gentle, yet quite effective. But I find that my skin tends to like it less as the bottle progresses. Good for sensitive acne-prone skin, but not the best I've tried.

Repurchase? Probably not.

The Body Shop Camomile Sumptuous Cleansing Butter x2

My new all-time favourite makeup remover. Feels rich and luxurious on the skin, yet emulsifies fully and rinses totally clean. Has never broken me out or irritated me. It's awesome!

Repurchase? Of course! 

Spectro Fragrance-Free Blemish Prone Skin Cleanser

This stuff totally saved my skin when it had an allergic reaction. It's so, so gentle, yet kept my skin clear and clean. The natural smell of the product is not so pleasant, but I can look past it cus it's so effective!

Repurchase? Next time my skin has a freak-out, yes!

Bioderma Sensibio H2O Micelle Solution

Unfortunately, I just did not like this cult product. I feel my skin always broke out after using it, even though it's designed to be ultra gentle. I finished it off by cleaning multiple lipstick swatches off my arms :)

Repurchase? No.

Spectro Acne Care Wash

This benzoyl peroxide cleanser helped to clear my skin earlier in the summer without too much stripping or irritation, but still harsher than I'd like from a cleanser.

Repurchase? No.

Odacite Baobab Sarsaparilla Serum Concentrate

Who knew sarsaparilla smelled so good?! One drop was more than enough to use for both eyes, so started using it as a neck moisturizer as well. Pleasant to use, but no visible effects.

Repurchase? No.

Odacite Jojoba Lavender Serum Concentrate

This has become one of my standout products of the year. Helps to keep my skin clear, calm, and even. Sometimes products with the simplest ingredients are the best!

Repurchase? Already have!

Odacite Wild Carrot Serum Concentrate

Totally beautiful, luxurious serum. Gave my skin a beautiful glow and left it wonderfully hydrated, while still being light enough to wear under makeup. Plus, it did not break me out one bit!

Repurchase? It's pricey, so not right away- but in the future, definitely! 

Bath and Hair

Dove Refresh+Care Invigorating Dry Shampoo

This did a decent job at refreshing my roots with minimal powdery residue and a pleasant, clean scent. Problem was, the effect didn't last the entire day, so by mid-afternoon my locks would be looking pretty limp.

Repurchase? No.

Ogx Nourishing Coconut Milk Shampoo

I love the conditioner counterpart, but I found the shampoo a bit underwhelming. Smelled great, but the texture was just not appealing.

Repurchase? No.

Ogx Hydrate+Defrizz Kukui Oil Conditioner

Nothing wrong with this conditioner, but nothing outstanding either. A decent budget option.

Repurchase? No.

Live Clean Exotic Nectar Argan Oil Restorative Conditioner

Again, not terrible, but nothing about it that makes me want to come back for more.

Repurchase? No.

Anotomicals Cocoa Body Cleanser

I enjoyed the cheeky packaging and although the scent was quite artificial, it was still sweet and pleasant to use.

Repurchase? Probably not, but I did enjoy it! 

Samples and Minis

Muji Cut Cotton Large

Not a sample or a mini, but made a nice backdrop for them. I absolutely LOVED these. They were super sturdy and ultra soft. Like little luxurious face towels, but ultra affordable.

Repurchase? Yes!

Tata Harper Hydrating Floral Essence

This is a lovely facial mist with a soothing floral scent and luxurious feel. Didn't irritate my skin, but didn't do anything spectacular either. If I'm going to splurge on a toner, I much prefer the May Lindstrom Jasmine Garden.

Purchase? No.

Pai Geranium and Thistle Balancing Day Cream

This little tube reminded me that this is my all-time favourite day cream (I finished a full size earlier this year). It is nourishing, but has never broken me out or left me oily. And it's so gentle!

Repurchase? Yes!

Kiehl's Rare Earth Deep Pore Cleansing Masque

A very nice deep-cleansing mask that left my skin clean with minimal irritation. Really liked it, but I think more affordable options could do the same job.

Purchase? No.

Verso Day Cream

Was super curious about this brand, but was underwhelmed by this sample. Was heavier than face creams I normally use and it irritated my skin slightly.

Purchase? No.

Sunday Riley Bionic Anti-Aging Cream

Smelled like Fruit Loops, which I actually liked. The texture was lovely also, but after a few nights' use, I did not notice any visible results by morning time. For a pricey cream, I'd expect more!

Purchase? No.

Charlotte Tilbury Magic Cream

Left skin feeling wonderfully plumped and dewy, but is just not suitable for my oily skin type. Clogged my pores for sure.

Purchase? No.

Kiehl's Clearly Corrective White Deep Moisture Clarifying Cream

Some ingredients in this did not agree with my sensitive skin. Only used once and gave up on it.

Purchase? No.

Odacite Blueberry Jasmine Serum Concentrate

Beautiful scent and luxurious texture, but was too rich and heavy for my oily skin type.

Purchase? No.

Graydon Face Food Mist

A wonderful natural mist that really seemed to calm and lightly hydrate my skin. Nothing sexy about it, but it was effective!

Purchase? It's on my radar!

Montagne Jeunesse Chocolate Mask

It's always fun to smother a sweet, chocolate-like concoction on your face, but this really did nothing special for my skin.

Repurchase? No.

Charlotte Tilbury Goddess Mask

Quite a nice mask- leaves skin feeling deeply cleaned while still fresh and hydrated. A pleasure to use, but I don't think I could ever justify the $80 price tag.

Purchase? No.

The Body Shop Virgin Mojito Shower Gel

A perfect summery scent- very green, fresh, and uplifting. I enjoyed using it, but not the type of scent I'd usually reach for.

Purchase? No.

Phewf! That was ultra long, so I'll conclude by simply saying that I'm happy with everything I was able to finish this summer and I hope I tempted you with some of the standouts I found in the process!

Have a wonderful weekend! :)