Beauty Empties: What Would I Repurchase?

It’s been a loooong time since I did a good skin care and beauty empties post. I’ve been amassing quite a few empties, so much so that the cupboard I kept them in had things falling out of it every time I opened the door.

Here’s a quick rundown of what I thought of each product and which ones I would repurchase.

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The Body Shop British Rose Petal Soft Gel Toner

The British Rose gel toner from The Body Shop is hit and miss for me among my skin care empties. I love the gel texture and the hydration it provides, but I hate the strong floral scent and bits of rose petals suspended in the gel (although it does take a pretty picture).

Would I repurchase? No

 

The Body Shop Vitamin E Aqua Boost Sorbet

This lightweight gel moisturizer is great for warm weather and leaves a soft, matte finish behind. While I enjoyed using it, I have other gels that I prefer more.

This one contains menthol, which gives the skin a cooling sensation, but can also cause redness (although it didn’t give me any issues). 

My skin has become a bit drier over time, so this gel was great in the warmer months on its own, or paired with some facial drops in drier weather. I also appreciate that it didn’t have any fragrance.

Would I repurchase? No.

 

Paula’s Choice 10% Niacinamide Booster

This 10% niacinamide serum is a clear, fragrance-free liquid that I used daily, adding two drops of it into my morning essence. Despite its daily use, it lasted me forever!

I love niacinamide as a skin care ingredient, since it does everything from reduce fine lines to tighten pores. While I enjoyed this serum and found it worked well on my pores, I’m currently loving The Ordinary’s Niacinamide + Zinc serum, which is much cheaper.

Would I repurchase? Because I have a cheaper option, no.

 

e.l.f. Water Droplet Balm

This was a really cool moisturizer, reviewed in full here. It’s solid in the tub, but turns into a liquid when warmed in your hands.

The balm has a very light scent and is great for adding lightweight hydration to the skin.

While I enjoyed using it, it’s difficult to scoop out of the jar since it melts on contact and I wish e.l.f. had added a spoon to help scoop it out.

I liked this moisturizer, but again, have others that I enjoy more.

Would I repurchase? No.

 

Aveeno Positively Radiant Toner

I love this Aveeno hydrating toner and just finished up my second (or third?) bottle of the stuff. Love tapping this into my skin after cleansing and exfoliating.

It’s alcohol free and great for keeping my skin soft and hydrated, especially during the winter.

It’s soy complex also claims to reduce dark spots (which I don’t have, so I can’t attest to whether it works for this issue or not).

Only wish the fragrance was a bit lighter, but this is a minor complaint for me.

Would I repurchase? Yes.

Kalleis Oxi Serum

Kalleis Oxi Serum is a luxury Italian serum that was amazing at keeping my skin hydrated and plump. I also noticed that my pores got smaller and my redness reduced quite a bit when using Oxi Serum.

It has a thin consistency with a cinnamon-like fragrance and absorbs into skin within seconds. Oxi Serum has a pipette to dispense the product and lasted me quite a while before I finally got to the last drop.

It is a pricier serum though, which is really my only complaint, but being made in Italy doesn’t come cheap.

Would I repurchase? On sale, yes.

Buy It: Cosmo Chic Boutique

 

Context Vitamin C All Day Eye Cream

Context is a lightweight gel/cream hybrid that feels great on the eyes.

Loved how it hydrated my eye area, although I’m not sure how much vitamin C was in this, since it was listed at the bottom of the ingredients list. Got this tube in a previous Ipsy bag and while I enjoyed it, I’m not a fan of the high price tag ($35USD).

Would I repurchase? No.

 

Neostrata Acne Clarifying Solution

I enjoyed this exfoliating toner at first, but later found others that were more effective at smoothing my skin and reducing my pore size without the high alcohol content (e.g. The Ordinary’s Glycolic Toner and Vichy’s Idealia Night Peeling Toner). I ended up using this Neostrata toner on my upper arms to help exfoliate my keratosis pilaris instead.

Would I repurchase? No.

 

TonyMoly Tomatox Magic Massage Mask

I got a sample of this mask in my Geek n’ Pretty Box and really hated it (the mask, not the box). It has a thick, white consistency similar to a sunscreen and didn’t do anything for my skin.

Would I repurchase? No.

 

Ogx Coconut Water Shampoo

Sneaking this one into my skin care empties – Ogx Coconut Water Shampoo smells amazing. It does contain sulfates, but not sodium laureth sulfate (which can cause dryness of the scalp and hair).

This shampoo doesn’t provide as much foam as regular shampoos, so you need to really ensure your hair is totally wet before applying.

I found I used more shampoo as a result of having less foaming action, so I finished the shampoo before finishing the conditioner. W

hile I enjoyed the scent of this shampoo, I’m liking the formula of the Kukui Shampoo from Ogx better at the moment.

Would I repurchase? No.

 

Degree Clinical Deodorant

I always grab the “clinical” version of deodorants, since they’re a bit stronger than the usual powder roll-on variety.

Degree Clinical is a cream deodorant that does a good job of taming my sweaty under arms.

It also doesn’t leave a yellow stain behind on my lighter shirts. To ensure it absorbs well and doesn’t get onto my clothes, I keep it in my bedside table, since I like to apply my deodorant at night.

Would I repurchase? Yes.

What skin care empties are are in your bin this month?

Related reading:

Nip+Fab Glycolic Cleansing Fix and Overnight Purifying Gel

7 Products In My Skin Care Rotation