We love all the blog posts and videos on beauty products other people have used up, also called “empties”.  It’s a testament to what they think of the product – whether they are willing to use it up puts them in a better position to review the effectiveness of it.  Here are products that our co-founder Judy has used up in the past couple of months and her thoughts on them.

The Good:

Kate Somerville Purify Exfoliating Cleanser – My favorite face wash of all time (reviewed here).  Highly recommend this to anyone looking for a clarifying facial wash.

tarte emphasEYES aqua gel eyeliner in dark brown – LOVE this gel eyeliner (reviewed briefly here).  It has a cooling effect and goes on incredibly smoothly.  Set with an eyeshadow, it will last all day.  Definitely will repurchase this.

Yes to Cucumbers Facial Towelettes – I’m on my 4th pack of these – so refreshing and easy to use.  It’s not very effective at removing waterproof eye makeup, but it’s very cooling to use and just feels like a rejuvenating experience at the end of the day.  Favorite face wipes and will continue to repurchase.

Desert Essence Coconut Shampoo – A really good sulfate-free, paraben-free shampoo with a lovely coconut scent.  It’s too heavy for my fine, oily hair, but for those with thicker, dryer hair types, it will be amazing.  I got mine at Whole Foods.

tarte Amazonian Clay tinted moisturizer in shade agent 14 – I LOVE this tinted moisturizer (reviewed briefly here).  I would definitely repurchase this once I’m done with the two other tinted moisturizers I have.

The “Bad”:

Shiseido Multi-Defense UV Protector SPF 50 PA+++ – An impulse purchase duty-free in the Taipei airport.  Works well under makeup.  Very silicone-y feeling, heavily fragranced. If that’s your thing, then you might like it.  Because I’m trying to use more natural products, I don’t recommend this.

Kiehl’s Ultimate Strength Hand Salve – This is a GREAT hand moisturizer (this was my 4th or 5th tube) – it’s not greasy and it is extremely effective at moisturizing.  It also smells faintly of peppermint, which is nice.  However, it has parabens, and for that I won’t be repurchasing.

La Roche-Posay Effaclar K – I really liked this as an effective daily acne preventative (reviewed briefly here).  I’m not sure I would repurchase, because I am trying to look for more natural alternatives (currently using Boscia Willow Bark Breakout Treatment – current opinion is “meh”).

The Pricey:

Fresh Sugar Lip Treatment SPF 15 – This was part of the Sephora birthday gift this year, so it was a smaller deluxe sample size.  I’ve purchased the full-size before in various shades (Rose and Honey), and I like it.  It’s definitely a pricey lip balm at $20+.  I wouldn’t recommend it unless you find it in your budget.

Natura Bisse NB Ceutical Tolerance Booster – This was a deluxe sample size from BeautyBar.com, and I LOVED IT.  It was the perfect lightweight serum, and it seemed to provide a glow.  No irritation whatsoever, mild scent.  Spending $225 on the full-size is a bit egregious for a startup budget, but if it’s within your price range, then I HIGHLY recommend it.

Any questions about these products or stories about your empties? Shoot us a comment!