May '25 Empties
May was a month full of testing, trying, and ultimately finishing some fantastic beauty products. As always, I’m excited to share my honest take on each item—whether it’s a holy grail worth repurchasing or something I won’t be reaching for again. As always, I love to give back those that support my content, so I’ve included a giveaway in this post :)
Skincare Empties
Cleansers,Toners, Mists
Farmacy Green Clean Gentle Creamy Cleanser
Price: $32 for 5oz
The Farmacy gentle cleanser is a gentle, creamy, and hydrating cleanser. It’s formulated with Morgina, upcycled apple and oats, and Vitamin F. This combination helps to gently cleanse the skin, lock in moisture, and support the barrier of the skin. This was one of my favorite cleansers to use during my evening skincare routines. The creamy consistency felt really good and almost therapeutic. I found that this 5oz size lasted me a very long time. If you’re interested in seeing a try-on, check out my previous Instagram post HERE :)
Farmacy Beauty Green Clean Cleansing Balm
Price: $18 for 1oz
At this point I’ve gone through several jars of the Farmacy makeup cleansing balm. It’s one of the best cleansing balms that I’ve used, and I love that it washes away without leaving a film left behind. I’ve tried both this version along with the fragrance-free version and I love them both equally.
Try on Video of the Green Clean Cleansing Balm Previous Review
Full Review: Previously Reviewed - January ‘24 Empties
La Roche Posay Thermal Spring Water
Price: $13.99 for 5.2oz
Described as intensely soothing face mist that gently refreshes and tones the skin. The thermal spring water is formulated without fragrance, oils, parabens, and additives. It really is just water. I kept my thermal mist stored in my bathroom and I often reached for it directly after washing my face to help combat moisture lost since I have dehydrated skin.
I really liked how refreshing the mist felt on the skin, but I wouldn’t say this was the most hydrating mist that I’ve tried. The mister has a fine, but at the same time it sprayed out a lot at time. When I sprayed it, it was inevitable that it would get a good amount of hair and neck wet in the process. Overall, I would rank it as moderate in terms of hydration. I think it would be nice to keep a bottle in the fridge to spray on my skin first thing in the morning.
Esfolio Hydrogel Collagen Hydrating Eye Patches
Price: $15 for 30 pairs
I tried several of the Esfolio eye patches and I equally enjoy them all! The collagen eye patches. The collagen eye masks are formulated with hyaluronic acid, hydrolyzed collagen, and panthenol to help with wrinkles/firming of the skin. I found the formula to be moisturizing and provide a great level of hydration. As someone who is avid eye patch user, 3-4x times a week, I’m pleased to say that these adhered to the under eyes well. Being that I really enjoyed using these patches, I would definitely repurchase them in the future.
Serums
InnisFree Green Tea Enzyme Vitamin C Brightening Serum
Price: $32 for 1oz
I’ve tried various forms of vitamin c serums over the years, and this may be one of my favorites that I’ve tried in a long time. I know that pure vitamin c, known as L-ascorbic acid, is known to be the standard, but I’ve really been enjoying serums that are formulated with vitamin c derivatives like this InnisFree formula.
Previously Reviewed: Vitamin C Guide: Every Vitamin C Serum That I've Tried
Glow Recipe Pomegranate Peptide Firming Serum
Price: $45 for 1oz
The Glow Recipe Pomegranate Serum is formulated with polypeptides and of course pomegranate to help smooth, hydrate, and firm the skin. Polypeptides are linear chain of many amino acids that are joined together by peptide bonds, which helps to boost collagen production, elasticity, and strengthening of the barrier of the skin. The serum also includes hyaluronic acid.
I really enjoyed using this serum during my evening routines – like 3x a week. I can’t say I noticed a noticeable difference in my skin in terms of firming, but I think it did a great job in terms of hydrating my skin and possibly helping to keep the barrier of my skin doing well. With that being said, I feel like the price point of $45 to be on the steep side for this product.
Body Care Empties
Rare Beauty Find Comfort Gentle Exfoliating Konjac Jelly Body Wash
Price: $24 for 8.45oz
The Rare Beauty Find Comfort Exfoliating Body wash is formulated with Konjac Jelly, peach flower extract, and avocado oil. The combination helps to gently exfoliate the skin all whilst moisturizing the skin. The scent notes of lemon zest, violet, and vetiver. The scent combination is a warm soothing scent that feels like a gentle embrace. The body wash a jelly like consistency and when emulsified with water it transforms into a lovely lather. I typically used the body wash during my night showers because I found the scent to be so relaxing. Although, it’s labeled as an exfoliating body wash, I do think that it could be used daily as the formula is very gentle on the skin. Being that I love the scent and the way the body wash lathered, I would definitely consider repurchasing it in the future.
Rare Beauty Find Comfort Hydrating Body Lotion
Price: $28 for 8.45oz
The Rare Beauty Find Comfort Hydrating Body Lotion is described as non-greasy lotion that hydrates up to 24 hours with key ingredients such as Niacinamide, Ashwagandha Extract, and Sodium Hyaluronate. It has the same key notes that were previously mentioned above in the body wash. The body lotion has a medium density of consistency. I do think it lives up to the claims of not being greasy and being moisturizing on the skin to a certain degree. I just didn’t find the moisturizing factor to be anything super noticeable. It hydrated my skin, but I wouldn’t say for 24 hours – especially during the winter months when my skin is super dry. This part confused me as I found the moisturizer to be of a heavier consistency, so I thought it would be super moisturizing.
When the lotion was initially introduced it had a squeeze top applicator, but in the months following a pump applicator could be purchased separately. I initially like the idea of the pump as I found it easier to dispense the product at first, but once it neared to the end it was difficult to dispense with the pump. Overall, I liked it, but I wouldn’t go out of my way to repurchase. If I had to decide between the body wash or the body lotion, I would pick the body wash.
Price: $38 for 7.61oz
If you’ve been here for a while, then you would know that the First Aid Beauty KP Scrub is one of my absolute favorites for tackling keratosis pilaris. But this Beia scrub is also very high in my rankings now!
It’s recommended for the body scrub to be used 2-3 times a week on damp skin. The scrub has an almost whipped like consistency that feels gritty on the skin. In terms of ingredients, the scrub is formulated with rice pumice, glycolic acid, aloe vera, and green tea. The formulation helps to exfoliate the skin with physical exfoliator, chemical exfoliation along with ingredients to soothe the skin.
The Beia bikini and body scrub is gentle enough to use in intimate areas, but also potent enough to help scrub away dead skin, dry skin, and areas of KP. I was able to use it several times a week without my skin feeling irritated. After each use my skin also felt super soft and smooth. Being that I really enjoyed the scrub, I would consider repurchasing it in the future.
(received in my Fab Fit Fun Box spring box – if you’re interested in signing up, you can use my code BEAUTYETCGIFT for the Annual Subscription & receive a gift w/ purchase 𝘖𝘙 code BEAUTYETC to save 20% on a seasonal subscription)
Hair Care Empties
Gummy Professional Ultra Hold Hair Styling Wax
Price: $10.00 for 5oz
Previously Reviewed: January ’24 Empties
At this point, the Gummy styling wax has been a staple in my routine for the past few years. It’s one of the only styling products that truly holds my down my flyways and slicks down my edges. I can’t recommend this hair wax enough!
Curls Blueberry Bliss Curl Control Paste
Price: $8.69 for 4oz
Previously reviewed: March & April ’24 Empties
Another holy grail product in my haircare routine is the Curls Blueberry Bliss Control Paste. I’ve been using the control paste for as long as I can remember. I typically used this for soft hold styles.
Price: $18.99 for 12oz
The Honey Miracle Mask has a sulfate-free formula that that contains raw honey, jojoba oil, and olive oil. The consistency is super thick and truly feels like a hair mask. With the thicker consistency, it provides a great level of slip to detangle your hair. This is a mask that I would use about 2x a month when my hair was in need of some extra TLC. I typically would apply it in the shower, do some finger detangling, and then slap on a shower cap for extra heat to help the mask penetrate better. The mask always left my hair feeling super soft and hydrated even with these short masking sessions. I could only imagine how my hair would feel if applied heat and left in for an hour. Being that I really enjoyed the mask, I’m sure I’ll repurchase it again. The TGIN products are typically on sale in Ulta and CVS and are pretty affordable.
Mizani Wonder Crown Clarifying Scalp Treatment Travel Size
Price: $26 for 6.8 | Travel Size Value: $13
I purchased a travel size kit from Mizani a while back and it was the perfect opportunity for me to try out other products from the brand, like this Wonder Crown. The Wonder Crown is a scalp foaming pre-cleanser. The bottle has a nozzle applicator, which made it very easy to apply directly to the scalp. Being that I like to shampoo my hair at least 2x on wash day, this was one that I particularly loved to use for my first cleanse. I really loved the foamy feeling, and I think it did a great job as a clarifying cleanser. Being that I enjoyed the cleanser so much, I’ve purchased the full size. The mini lasted for a decent amount of time, so I’m sure the full size will hold me over for many months!
Vegamour Gro Hair Serum for Thinning Hair
Price: $64 for 1oz
Previously Reviewed: March & April ’24 Empties
I believe this may be the last bottle of Vegamour that was in my stash. My review remains the same as my previous one. I really don’t think the serum has done much for me. I also think the price point is really high for a product that I didn’t see noticeable results with.
Etc. Empties
Price: $39 for 1.7oz
Scent Notes: top note is Olibanum; middle notes are Guaiac Wood and Cedar; base note is Musk.
A woody spicy scent that is based on the Le Labo scent, which is a limited-edition scent that is super pricey. I love guaiac wood and it’s one of the woody notes that I really enjoy. I’m not the biggest fan of “dupe” scents, but I couldn’t see myself paying upwards of $400 for a 1.7oz scent that I wasn’t able to test out, so I decided to give the Dossier version a try. I also looked at the scent notes break down for both the Le Labo and Dossier version and they both seem to be very simple. Based on the smell comparison of the two, I would say the Dossier version was excellent dupe. I feel like the fragrance lasted very long on my skin and the scent was almost identical to the Le Labo version that I smelled in store. I think Dossier may have discontinued this scent, so I’ll be on the search to find an affordable dupe.
Tower 28 Make Waves Lengthening + Volumizing Mascara
Price: $20
Shade: Jet (black)
The Tower 28 Mascara has a curved applicator with plastic bristles. I love mascaras that have these comb-like designs as they work well for curly lashes like mine. I find that these type of applicators help to comb and separate the lashes all whilst applying product. The formula is said to be great for those that have sensitive eyes. I really loved the formula of this mascara as it did a great job to help lengthen and add volume to my lashes. Even with multiple coats, I didn’t have any issues with clumping or smudging. I’ve tried both the black and brown shades and I love them both!
L’Occitane Citron Luminciana Hand Cream
Price: $13 for 1oz
I received this hand cream along with other products from this citrus line. L’Occitane is known for their body care products – especially their creams for very good reasons! The Citron Luminciana scent is a lovely blend of lemon and almond. The cream worked well to keep my hands moisturized without making them feel oily. This mini hand cream was the perfect size to fit in all my bags – even the tiniest ones! I’m not sure if this scent is still available or if it was only a limited edition, but L’Occitane has so many beautiful scents.
Candles
Rare Beauty Find Comfort Candle
Price: $35 for 10.5oz
The Rare Beauty Find Comfort Candle is formulated with scent notes of lemon zest, jasmine, and cashmere wood. I tried to hold off on burning the candle because I didn’t want it to finish! This was the candle I would often light when I wanted my home to have a cozy feel and scent. The scent throw of the candle was decent and the scent lingered very well. As for burning, the candle burned well without any issues or extra being left behind in the vessel. Now that I’m looking up the candle to possibly repurchase, I’m not able to find it. Hopefully Rare Beauty with add it back to the site, but until now the Find Awaken candle is now on the site.
Top Notes: Lemon zest, peach nectar, sparkling lemon, orange flower, rhubarb, pomelo, black pepper, and possibly rhubarb.
Mid Notes: Blue cyclamen, jasmine, apricot blossom, lavender, violet, black tea extract.
Base Notes: White sandalwood, skin musk, crisp amber, vetiver, tonka beans, and cashmere wood.
Target Almond Croissant Candle
Price: $10 for 15.oz
Previously Reviewed: Nov & Dec ‘24 Empties
Bath and Body Works Candle Macaron Cloud
Price: $26.95
Scent Notes: Macaron Delight, Parisian Spun Sugar, Pink Berries
The candles from Bath and Body Works are known for their intensity and I really liked the Macaron Cloud scent was a nice sweet mellow scent. This was a candle I was able to burn without the scent being overwhelming. Even with burning the scent daily and for long periods at a time, I found the scent to linger very nice.
Empties Total Value: $517.62
BLOG GIVEAWAY
Giveaway Prize:
Merci Handy Facial Cleansing Wash
Laneige Bouncy & Firm Sleeping Mask
Ole Henriksen Dark Spot Toner
Fenty Skin Hydra Vizor Invisible Face Moisturizer SPF 30
Fenty Skin Watch Ya Tone 5% Niacinamide Dark Spot Serum with Vitamin C
Tower 28 Beauty in shade Iced XOXO
HOW TO ENTER:
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Rules:
The Giveaway is open from now until Wednesday 6/25/2025
The Giveaway is open to residents of the US
The winner will be announced via my IG stories
The Giveaway is not affiliated with Instagram or any of the brands featured…