August '25 Empties
August has come and gone, bringing with it a fresh batch of beauty empties that I’m genuinely excited to share with you! From essential skincare staples to everyday makeup must-haves, here’s a closer look at what made the cut this month and why they stood out.
One of the standout products for me from August has to be the Design Essentials Almond & Avocado Daily Curl Revitalizer! Since finishing this bottle I’ve already purchased 2 more! And as always, I’ve included a little surprise at the end of this post as a way to say thank you for the support ❤️
Face Care Empties
Elemis Pro-Cleansing Balm – Black Cherry
Price: $72 for 3.5oz
Previously reviewed: April ’25 Empties
The Elemis cleansing balms are some of my favorites. They feel luxe on the skin, remove makeup very easily, and leave my skin feeling nourished. I’ve tried several versions and scents of the cleansing balms, and the Black Cherry scent is easily one of my favorites. The Black Cherry scent also incorporates almond and vanilla. It’s more on the barely there side in terms of scent intensity. If scents are not for you, Elemis also makes the cleansing balm in a fragrance-free formula, Pro Collagen Naked Cleansing Balm.
The Face Shop Rice Water Bright – Light Cleansing Oil
Price: $14.99 for 2oz
I tend to go back and forth between Cleansing Oils and Balms, but I always like to keep a cleansing oil in my shower. I’ve tried many cleansing oils over the years, and the Face Shop’s Rice Cleansing oil has the lightest consistency that I ever used. The oil combination formulation of rice water, rice bran oil, and jojoba oil helps to nourish the skin whilst removing SPF, oil, and makeup. The cleansing oil did a great job to quickly and efficiently cleanse my skin. It also worked well to remove stubborn eye makeup! I really appreciate the pump applicator, and the pink packaging adds a cute element.
Price: $21 for 1.7oz
I’ve always known the Jet Lag mask to be moisturizing, so I was eager to try out the Jet Lag mist. I initially picked it up because I thought it would be great to travel with since its 1.7oz. size. The Jet Lag mist is described as a dose of dewy hydration, and it really lives up to the claim. The formulation incorporates glycerin, skin soothing, and skin barrier support ingredients. I found the mister to be really fine and to spray product evenly. Once applied to my skin it immediately feels hydrated and refreshed. I used this more as a toner (directly after washing my face) and sometimes as in between step in my skincare routine. I know many mists are used interchangeably in the skincare and makeup world, but this a mist I strictly preferred to use during my skincare routine. Overall, I think the Jet Lag Mask did a great job with hydrating and I would definitely repurchase in the future!
Charlotte Tilbury Mini Airbrush Flawless Hydrating & Waterproof Setting Spray
Price: $23 for 1.5oz
I still think this is one of the best setting sprays that I’ve tried! I have combo skin that is normal – oily and I love that this mist sets my makeup but doesn’t look or feel matte. I spray a decent amount of setting spray at a time, and the mini size tends to last me for several months. The only thing that I don’t like is that cost has been steadily increasing over the years! I tend to get the minis in 2 pack sale that is often released during the holiday season.
Previously Reviewed: May’24 Empties
Peter Thomas Roth Water Drench Hyaluronic Cloud Mask Hydrating Gel
Price: $55 for 5oz
The entire Water Drench line from Peter Thomas Roth is my favorite from the brand. The Water Drench Mask has a thick jelly like consistency and is formulated with 20% Hyaluronic Acid, Vitamin E, aloe, and caffeine. I love that the mask has a cooling feeling to it when applied to the face and once removed my face always felt smoother and hydrated. Being that this is a hydrating mask, I was able to use it several times a week. I did like the mask, but not at $55 price point. I would consider purchasing it in the future if it was discounted or on sale.
Caudalie Vinosun High Protection Cream SPF50
Price: $38.64
I’m a long time lover of Caudalie, so when I came across a few of their sunscreens while being in Europe, I knew I had to pick some up. The VinoSun High Protection cream is formulated with Vitamin E and shea butter extract. The texture/consistency is a bit thicker than I’m used to, but nonetheless, the formula absorbs into the skin beautifully without leaving behind a white cast. I’m also happy to say that I didn’t experience any pilling even when I wore makeup over it.
The sunscreen is advertised as un ultra lightweight moisturizer, but I beg to differ. I feel like the consistency was more on the heavier side and I wore the sunscreen without using a separate moisturizer. Being that I found the sunscreen to have a heavier consistency, I opted to finish it up on my neck, chest, and arms during the summer months. I really enjoyed using it this way. If I’m back in Europe anytime soon, maybe I would try out the light-weight fluid cream formula.
Hair Care Empties
Design Essentials Almond & Avocado Daily Curl Revitalizer
Price: $13.99 for 8oz
I bought this curl revitalizer on a whim during a trip to Marshall’s and wow was I blown away! The curl revitalizer is a mist that can be used daily on the hair to help bring curls back to life by rehydrating the hair. I have naturally curly-coily hair that is coarse and dry. With wearing my hair curly I try to incorporate as much moisture into my hair as possible and this mist has worked wonders! I used this mostly in the mornings to refresh my hair. I would spray and then reshape whatever curls that are looking frizzy with my fingers. This is a product I would recommend to those that have curls similar to mine or if you have really dry hair. The revitalizer contains sweet almond, avocado, and jojoba oil, which I love, but could also weight down your hair/feel heavy if its not meant for your hair type.
Being that I loved this so much, I recently purchased 2 bottles, so now I have a good stock for a few months. I’m happy I gave this a try because it made me realize how much I like their almond & avocado line. I’ve also picked up almond & avocado edge tamer and it works so well!
Camille Rose Almond Jai Twisting Butter
Price: $17.49
I’ve reviewed this several times over the years and my thoughts of it remains the same. In fact, I think I may actually like it more now that I’ve been experimenting with paring it with other products. In the past I would use the twisting butter on stretched/blown hair to create a loose texture curl. But several months ago, I saw a suggestion of pairing this one with a gel from the wet line and wow! The twisting butter is super moisturizing and hydrates my hair, while the gel from wet line creates a long-lasting hold. This combination really helps my curls to last for at least 5 days and sometimes I can push it for a week. It’s always nice to find a new combination out of products you already own and love.
Previously Reviewed: Sept & Oct ‘24 Empties
Oyin handmade Shine & Seal Pomade – Sugar Berries
Price: $15.99 for 4oz
The Shine & Seal Pomade has been a holy grail product for me so many years now. My thoughts of it remains the same, I love it! I used the pomade as a moisturizer to my damp hair after washing it. Using it in this manner helps to lock in moisture for multiple days at time. I really appreciate that formula has remained the same over the years and I’m happy to support, a somewhat local black owned brand that I respect and love.
Previously Reviewed: Ride or Die: Hair Care Favorites
Price: $9.99 for 16oz
The brand As I Am has several different Hair Mists and each mist is formulated with a specific goal. The Rice Water formula is formulated to be moisturizing and strengthening to the hair with use of Rice Water. I specifically was interested in the Rice Water formula as rice water is know to function as protein, which then helps to strength the hair. The mist can be used after washing the hair and on dry hair.
I love having different hair mists for curly hair. I find that they can be a great way to get moisture into the hair without weighting it down. I think the mist did a great job to function as a lighter version of a protein treatment. I know that too much protein can be bad for the hair, which is why I used the mist on a more sparing basis. Based on the size and price, I think these are such a great deal.
Body Care & Fragrance Empties
Phlur Vanilla Skin Natural Deodorant
Price: $20 for 1.7oz
I’ve been wearing natural deodorants for the past 7 years, so I’m always on the lookout for new brands to try out. I was happy but also skeptical to see that Phlur offered natural deodorants. Their deodorant is formulated with Salicylic Acid (BHA), Arrowroot Powder and Zinc Ricinoleate, and Algae and Tamanu Oil. The combination aims to neutralize odor causing bacteria, absorb odors, and moisturize the skin in the process. I do think the deodorant lived up to its claims of not irritating my underarms. I found then vanilla scent to be really nice and not overly sweet. I would say the deodorant works, but the longevity is short lived. It’s a deodorant I reached for when I was going to bed, lounging around my house, or running short errands. This is not a deodorant that would be ideally for someone who sweats a lot or someone who feels that their sweat has a strong scent. I’m used to applying natural deodorants and them lasting for a minimum of 24 hours. So with that being said, I wouldn’t repurchase this one because I don’t like the fact that I had to apply it multiple times during the day for it to be effective.
Scent Notes: vanilla, sandalwood, pink pepper, and jasmine
Saltair Sunscreen Body Oil Broad Spectrum SPF 50
Price: $26 for 4.oz
Hands down one of my favorite body sunscreens that I’ve tried! The Saltair body oil sunscreen has a gel like consistency that is light fragranced (pink beach) and has a blend of oils and light shimmer. When looking at the packing you would assume that it would be super glittery, but I’m happy to say it was not! The oil consistency was not heavy and easily absorbed into the skin without making my skin feel greasy or sticky, which I appreciated as this was a really hot and humid summer. As for the shimmer, on me it looked more like a glow. I received several compliments when I wore it telling me my skin looked glowy and nice.
This was the sunscreen I wore daily during the summer, unless I was going to work out. Since I do like wearing shimmery products during the summer and sunscreen is a must, this was a great two in one product. I appreciate the fact the shimmer blended into to be more of a glow than actual glitter. This is definitely a product I would repurchase, and I highly recommend. Also, it comes in two scents, but the Pink Beach scent is one of my favorites from Saltair!
Pink Beach Scent Notes: Coconut, Almond Blossom, Vanilla
Price: $29 for 0.33oz [travel size]
Not a typical scent that I would reach for, but I found myself constantly reaching for it! I believe I received this travel size from one of my Ipsy Bags. Dulce is vanilla based fragrance that’s more on the sweeter side. I think the longevity and projection is pretty good. Overall, I would describe Dulce as a creamy vanilla scent that feels like a warm hug. I liked the fragrance, but not enough to buy a full size.
Top notes: vanilla bean and brown sugar
Middle notes: vanilla flower and dulce de leche
Base notes: sugar cane, amber, and tonka bean
Price: $25 for 10ml
I instantly fell for the M. Micallef Hypnotic Musk fragrance. It’s a fruity floral gourmand scent that is very much on the “feminine side”. I love how the fragrance opens up with a sweet notes blend of raspberry, iris, and bergamot. Hypnotic Musk was a fragrance that I really enjoyed for the spring and summer months. I think this mini size, offered from Scent’s Angel, was a perfect size for me. As much as I really enjoyed this fragrance, I don’t feel the need to get a full size. But I would possibly like to pick up another travel size bottle in the near future.
Top Notes: White Flowers, Rose
Heart Notes: Musk, Iris
Base Notes: Vanilla, Sandalwood, Amber
If you like lychee scents, be sure to check out my - Lychee Scent Combos to Try
Candle Empties
Bath and Body Works Off The Vine Candle
Price: $26.95 for 14.5oz
The Off the Vine Candle is a nice stubble take on a tomato scent. I know Heirloom tomatoes are popular during the end of the summer season as I believe this is when they’re known to be at their peak for freshness. I feel like the majority of the scents from Bath and Body Works tends to be on the sweeter side. But I really love and appreciate how this candle is more on the earthy side with a slight touch of sweetness. This was a candle that I enjoyed burning both during the days and nights. Being that the scent is more on the subtle side, it’s a perfect candle to burn during the day. The scent blend of the candle was perfect, and I do plan to repurchase if it becomes available next year.
Scent Notes: Heirloom Tomato, Garden Geranium, Mediterranean Moss.
Trader Joe’s Tomato Leaf Candle
Price: $3.99 for 5.3oz
I’ve tried a few Tomato scented candles and hands down this is one my favorites. I really like the earthy scent notes. It has scent notes of Bergamot, Rhubarb, and Geranium. Even with the candle being on the smaller side, the scent intensity is still so good. My only con is that I wish I would’ve stocked up on a few of the jars before the season ended. If you’re wondering how it compares to the Bath and Body Works Off the Vine, the TJ’s version has a stronger scent intensity. I would look at as the Bath and Body Work version for being a great daytime burn and the TJ’s version for being a more suited night time burn.
Trader Joe’s Salted Caramel + Pistachio Scented Candle
Price: $3.99 for 5.7oz
The TJ’s Salted Carmel Pistachio is still one of my faves for the Spring & Summer seasons. I find the scent to be sweet and lingers beautifully in the air without the scent being overpowering.
Previously Reviewed: June & July Empties 2023
August Empties Value = $417.02
Blog Post Giveaway
HOW TO ENTER:
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Included in the Giveaway:
Dr. B Lab Nourishing Face Oil
Maely’s Get Dreamy Overnight Toning Body Whip
The Inkey List Oat Cleansing Balm
Saturday Skin Pretty Pop Probiotic Power Whipped Cream
Dermalactives Purifying Day Cream
Origins Youthtopia Peptide Plumping Apple Cream
Paula’s Choice 2% BHA Liquid Exfoliant
Caudalie Vinosun Protect Daily Mineral Sunscreen
Rodial Vit C Papaya Enzyme Scrub
Rules:
The Giveaway is open from now until Friday 9/19/2025
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…