Empties: June 2020

I meant to post this empties round-up in May, but, well, life happened. In total, there are 26+ products from a mix of Korean, natural, drugstore, luxury and French beauty brands. As you can imagine, most of them are skin and body care, including plenty of moisturizers, sheet masks and hand lotion. Ready?

MIFA Natural Body Wash ($35, previously featured here, PR sample)

Quick notes: I enjoyed this body wash while it lasted. Good to the last drop.

Would I repurchase? Maybe. Lately though, I've been favouring bar soaps (which MIFA also makes) because they're more eco-friently.

Scentuals Orange Geranium Exfoliating Handmade Soap ($5.50, PR sample)

Quick notes: Really enjoyed the light orange geranium scent and millennial pink hue. The lather cleansed well without stripping skin and rinsed away cleanly. The exfoliating granules are large and sparse, so this isn't as scrubby a soap bar as you'd think.

Would I repurchase? Yes.

Mistral Soap Hand Cream in Cranberry and Vanilla (purchased by me)

Quick notes: Nice scents. Thick and rich. A little went a long way.

Would I repurchase? Yes.

Lavanila Vanilla Grapefruit Deodorant ($14, previously featured here, purchased by me)

Quick notes: I was impressed with this formula's lasting power (24 hours!) compared to other natural deodorants.

Would I repurchase? Yes.

Santa Maria Novella Hand Cream (purchased by me)

Quick notes: Santa Maria Novella hand cream remains one of my all-time favourites for its lemon scent, rich texture, and quietly luxurious packaging. I bought my first tube in Rome 3 years ago; this one was from last year's trip to LA.

Would I repurchase? Yes.

TONYMOLY I'm Pomegranate Mask Sheet (purchased by me)

Quick notes: Fruity scent, thick sheet, not a lot of essence.

Would I repurchase? No.

The Face Shop Real Nature Aloe Sheet Mask ($3.50, gift from coworker)

Quick notes: Light, refreshing, moisturizing, affordable.

Would I repurchase? Yes.

Innisfree My Real Squeeze Rice Mask ($2.50, gift from coworker)

Quick notes: Creamy essence, good for winter or dry air conditions.

Would I repurchase? Yes.

TONYMOLY Master Lab Intensive Brightening Vitamin-C Sheet Mask ($4, purchased by me)

Quick notes: Citrusy scent, thin, fit poorly around mouth.

Would I repurchase? No.

The Face Shop Real Nature Rice Sheet Mask ($3.50, gift from coworker)

Quick notes: Although I usually hate the stickiness of sheet mask essence, I left the essence of this mask on instead of wiping it off immediately. It brightened my skin after one use.

Would I repurchase? Yes.

Mamonde Brightening Flower Essence Mask ($3, purchased by me)

Quick notes: Niacinimide and magnolia were high up on the ingredients list, which was a good sign. The mask was a thick sheet and fit poorly on my face (the edges didn't reach all the way). Watery essence.

Would I repurchase? No.

Not Your Mother's Naturals Activated Bamboo Charcoal & Purple Moonstone Hair Mask ($2.99, purchased by me)

Quick notes: This is the companion mask to the hair scrub I reviewed here. Like the scrub, hero ingredients include activated bamboo charcoal and purple moonstone. It's designed to nourish and moisturize hair without weighing strands down. Good, but not good enough to make me pledge my undying loyalty.

Would I repurchase? No.

Rocky Mountain Soap Company Peppermint Lip Butter ($5.95, PR sample)

Quick notes: A tingly whoosh of peppermint with every swipe on the lips!

Would I repurchase? Yes.

Dermalogica Antioxidant Hydramist (Available at Varnish, PR sample)

Quick notes: This ultrafine mist is supposed to deliver hydration, antioxidants and firming benefits with every spritz. It smelled and felt nice, but I didn't think it performed over and beyond other face mists I've tried.

Would I repurchase? Probably not.

Caudalie VineActiv Energizing and Smoothing Eye Cream ($47, purchased by me)

Quick notes: I bought this while in Paris last year. This eye cream has a nice light texture that absorbs quickly, and the formula lives up to its energizing and smoothing claims. It doesn't sting or trigger puffiness or sensitivity. Out of Caudalie's eye creams, this one is relatively inexpensive.

Would I repurchase? Yes.

Caudalie VineActiv Glow Activating Anti Wrinkle Serum ($62 for the full size, purchased by me)

Quick notes: A lightweight, quick-absorbing, day-or-night antioxidant serum. Its texture complemented the VineActiv eye cream and moisturizer well.

Would I repurchase? Yes.

Caudalie Vinoperfect Radiance Moisturizer SPF20 (purchased by me)

Quick notes: I bought this SPF moisturizer while in Paris. At the time, it seemed like a convenient and versatile addition to my barre bag for after-class grooming. In reality though, this moisturizer was insufficient for my dry skin and the formula would pill if I applied more. Hard pass.

Would I repurchase? No.

Caudalie VineActiv 3-in-1 Moisturizer ($53, purchased by me)

Quick notes: The scent and texture complement the rest of the VineActiv line well. I liked how lightweight this was, but it still moisturized effectively and was great under sunscreen.

Would I repurchase? Yes.

Ulta Ultra Slim Brow Pencil ($10, previously featured here, purchased by me)

Quick notes: Super affordable compared to the Dior brow pencil I used to use, and it gets the job done. New forever fave.

Would I repurchase? Already did!

Bioderma Sebium H2O Micellar Wipes (PR sample)

Quick notes: Appealing fresh scent. Cleansed effectively without stinging skin or eyes. Biodegradable.

Would I repurchase? Yes.

Uriage Eau Thermale ($21 for the full size at London Drugs, PR sample)

Quick notes: Refreshing thermal spring water spray suited for sensitive skin. Compared to my usual stand-by Avene though, it didn't seem noticeably better.

Would I repurchase? No.

Biore Baking Soda Micellar Cleansing Water (previously featured here, PR sample)

Quick notes: I think this product has been retooled since its initial launch and now contains blue agave? I've been using up my PR samples so they don't go to waste, but this is not my first choice micellar water.

Would I repurchase? No.

Pixi DetoxifEYE Depuffing Eye Patches ($24, previously featured here, purchased by me)

Quick notes: Still a forever fave.

Would I repurchase? Already have!

Dermalogica Rapid Reveal Peel ($12 per tube or $116 for the kit at Varnish, previously featured here, PR sample)

Quick notes: Love. Each tube has enough product for 2-3 uses.

Would I repurchase? Yes.

Dermalogica Ultracalming Cleanser ($55, available at Varnish, PR sample)

Quick notes: Good gentle cleanser option, but expensive and not noticeably better than other, more affordable cleansers I've tried.

Would I repurchase? No.

Avene Eau Thermale Thermal Spring Water ($16.25 at London Drugs, previously featured here, PR sample)

Quick notes: Forever fave.

Would I repurchase? Yes.