April '26 Empties
Another month, another round up of products I’ve managed to use up. April’s empties were an interesting mix of skincare, hair care, and body care products. As always, this post includes a giveaway. I truly appreciate every visit, comment, and kind message to my blog, and this is one small way I can show my gratitude. Let’s get into everything I emptied in April and whether I’d repurchase it.
SKINCARE EMPTIES
Farmacy Beauty Green Clean Cleansing Balm
Scent: Warm Vanilla Chai
Price: $24 for 1.7oz
The Farmacy cleansing balms are some of my favorites in terms of first step cleansers. I really like the texture of the balms and how quickly they transform into an oil. The Warm Vanilla Chai appears to be a limited-edition scent and was perfect for winter months. The scent is faint, but still there. I can’t recommend this cleansing balm enough.
Previously Reviewed: January ’24 Empties
Caudalie Vincoclean Makeup Removing Cleansing Oil
Price: $30 for 5oz
The Caudalie Cleansing Oil is a first step cleanser that aims to melt away makeup, sunscreen, etc. all whilst hydrating the skin in the process. It’s formulated with a blend of different oils such as Sweet Almond Oil, Grape Seed Oil, Sunflower, and Castor oil. This combination helps to moisturize and soothe the skin while its helping to breakdown makeup. The package is in a plastic bottle with a pump applicator, which I liked since I kept it in my shower. The cleansing oil has somewhat of a middle ground of consistency. It doesn’t feel super light, but at the same time it doesn’t feel very heavy. The oil has a nice rich texture and felt really nice when rubbing it into my skin. I think it performed well to breakdown makeup. I sometimes used the cleansing oil as a morning cleanser and even when using it this way and without a second cleanser, I felt that it washed away without leaving a residue. For what it is, I would say that it worked well.
Provence Clearly Pink Daily Clarifying Cleanser
Price: $19.99 for 5.5oz
The Clearly Pink, which now goes by the name of Pink Gelee, is gentle daily cleanser that offers light exfoliation. It’s formulated with willow bark BHA, which is natural source of salicylic acid, making it a great gentle ingredient. The gel cleanser has a nice level of later and does a great job at cleansing. There’s something about the scent of the cleanser that I really enjoyed. It’s almost like prickly pear or a spicy margarita, but either way I really liked it. Performance wise, I really enjoyed the cleanser. I do think I would prefer it for the summer months vs the winter months as my skin gets really oily during the summer months.
First Aid Beauty Hydrating Toner with Squalane + Oats
Price: $24 for 6oz
It’s been a while since I’ve used the FAB toner, but after all these years my thoughts of it remain the same. The toner has a lightweight milky consistency. It quickly absorbs into the skin without leaving the skin looking or feeling oily but hydrates the skin well.
It’s indicated that the toner is aimed for dry, normal, and combination skin types and I completely understand this. Most milky toners are usually very hydrating and moisturizing. I feel like the FAB toner is a nice middle ground. It’s not too heavy on the skin, which makes it perfect for those like me who has a skin type that leans more on the oilier side. In the years since I initially tried this toner, I’ve tried a few other milky toners, and I feel like this FAB would likely work better with more skin types.
Being that I had this toner opened for a while, I decided to finish it up by using it on my body. I transferred the last bits of it into a spray bottle and applied it directly to my skin focusing on areas like my neck, chest, arms, and legs. The toner added an extra level of hydration, but I feel like it almost worked as a barrier support product. I do use actives on my body, so I really enjoyed finishing up the toner this way.
Previously Reviewed: Top 10 Products of 2021
Price: $30 for 2.7oz
The Rhode Glazing Mist is a superfine hydrating face mist. The mist is formulated with skin nourishing ingredients like ectoin, Ceramides, and Magnolia Extract. The combination helps to moisturize, hydrate, and aids in barrier protection. From my understanding the Glazing Mist is lighter version of the Rhode Glazing Milk.
I really enjoyed the Glazing Mist. I liked how well the applicator sprayed/dispensed the product. I typically used the face mist as a toner and sometimes at the end of my skincare routine to help lock in extra moisture. As someone with combination skin that is very much on the oilier side, I’m always a bit weary if a product may be too heavy on my skin. I ‘m happy to say the Glazing Mist gave my skin a nice boost of hydration and really helped to prep my skin for the remainder of my skincare routine. I used the Glazing Mist pretty liberally, and even with this type of usage the mist lasted me several months. I can definitely see myself repurchasing in the future and at the same time I can see myself purchasing a mini of the glazing milk to give it a try.
Pixi + Hello Kitty Anywhere Eye Patches
Price: $24 for 90 patches
The Pixi eye patches have been some of my favorite drug store option over the years. The Anywhere Patches are formulated with ceramides and camellia flower to help soothe and moisturize the under eyes. What makes these eye patches different compared to others that I have tried are the different sizes of the patches. The eye patches that were smaller in size, I was able to use in more specific areas of my face like my forehead and smile lines. For the most part I used the eye patches under my eyes primarily. I found that they stayed in place very well, they helped with depuffing and always left my under eyes feeling hydrated. I would definitely give these a try again!
Tower 28 SOS Intensive Redness Relief Serum with Hypochlorous Acid
Price: $34 for 2oz
The SOS Redness Relief is a hypochlorous acid serum that aims to treat redness and sensitive skin. Since dealing with Perioral Dermatitis, I’ve been on the hunt for products to help aid with this condition. I’ve been using the Tower 28 Beauty SOS Spray, and I felt like this would be a good addition to my routine and I was correct. It has a pump applicator, which helps to control how much product is being dispensed. I think the serum did a great job at adding another layer of hypochlorous to my routine and it also helped to relieve some of the redness I was experiencing. Over time I did notice the formula turned into somewhat of gel consistency. I feel like the serum worked decently well, but I would likely not seek out to repurchase based on how the product consistency changed over time.
Price: $69 for 2.1oz
The Tatcha Rice Polish is a gentle, textured rice polish, that is water activated that quickly transforms to a creamy foam when activated by water. This was a product I used every once in a while when I needed a little some extra. I’ve cut back with my exfoliating and was also looking for something that is more on the gentle side and this one was perfect. The rice polish did a great job to give my skin a deeper cleanse all whilst keeping my skin feeling hydrated and calm.
In the past I’ve tried other versions of the rice polish, and I prefer the deep version of the rice polish. I find the deep version to still gentle enough to use on more frequent basis. Price wise, I think $70 is a lot to ask for this product. I can say this 2-ounce size lasts a decent amount of time. I used the mini size in the past and I felt that it lasted pretty long too, I would likely repurchase it in the mini size as it retails for $22.
Cerave Ultra-Light Moisturizing Lotion Spf 30
Price: $19.99 for 1.7oz
Previously Reviewed: March ’23 Empties
The Cerave moisturizer sunscreen is still one of my favorites! And one of the reasons why this isn’t the first tube I’ve finished. The texture is light weight, but still very moisturizing. I had used it on no makeup days and regular makeup days and I appreciate that it left my skin with a nice base to then apply makeup on top of it. I especially love that I didn’t have pilling issues while using it. The only possibly con I can think of is it only has a SPF 30. For the most part I aim to use sunscreens with a higher spf. I do wish that Cerave could keep this same formula but make the SPF higher to at least a 40.
Youth to the People Youthscreen Daily Hydration SPF 60
Price: $30 for 1.3oz
It was about time that YTTP came out with a sunscreen and I guess you can say it was worth the wait. The sunscreen has a very fluid milky like texture. Youthscreen is formulated with Kale and Green Tea Extracts, Dandelion Root, and Vitamin E to help nourish the skin as it helps to protect against uv rays. As someone who has normal to oily skin, I try my best to avoid heavy sunscreens and I’m happy to say this one felt really light on the skin. I think the sunscreen did a great at moisturizing my skin as well, so I didn’t have to use a separate moisturizer when using this one. I also really like that Youthscreen has a higher spf protection and it makes me a feel a little more confident - especially when using it days when the uv index is on the higher side. I feel like this would be great for all skin types, but if you’re skin is really oily, you may find the glowy finish of this one to be a bit too much.
MAKEUP EMPTIES
Makeup up Mario Bronzer SoftSculpt Transforming Skin Enhancer
Price: $34
It really says a lot for me to finish a makeup product and at the same time I think they can take a long time to finish. But I knew that wasn’t going to be the case when I had swatched the product in store. The SoftSculpt is a 3-in-1 cream bronzer that helps to warm, shape, and even out the skin with a light to medium level of coverage that’s buildable. I also purchased the matching Mario F4 brush. I used shade Dark Deep, which is recommended for deeper complexions. The Dark Deep shade is also the deepest shade in the collection, and I do think this product could and should add additional deeper shades to their lineup. The SoftSculpt applied to the skin beautifully. I found the creamy formula easy to blend out and very buildable. With many cream formulas I feel like they tend to disappear on my skin very quickly, but I found this one to be really long lasting. I really like that the bronzer had a glowy finish that worked well with both other cream products and powder formulas. While using the bronzer, I never really felt the need to set it with a powder. I would 1000% recommend this one!!
Previous Reviewed: Top 10 Products of 2025
Kosas Air Brow Tinted Clean Volumizing Eyebrow Gel
Price: $26
I typically use brow pencil in my routine and skip the brow gel, but I wanted to try the Kosas brow gel to see if it could replace my need for a brow pencil. As someone with sparse brows, a brow pencil is a must in my routine as I feel it’s the best color payoff and I can determine how defined or light I may want my brows to appear. The Air Brow comes in a variety of shades along with a clear shade. I used the Dark Brown shade, and I thought it applied well to my brows, but it gave a very light color payoff and didn’t fill in my sparse areas as much as I would like. I primarily used the brow gel for quick errands or when I wanted something quick before a workout class. I do appreciate that the formula dries pretty quickly and I had no issues of the product flaking. For the effect that I’m looking for, I would still need to use a brow pencil along with this brow gel. Overall, I think the price point seems to be high based on the size of the product and the results I was getting. So no, I would likely not repurchase unless it was deeply discounted. However, I am curious about the Kosas Brow Pop Dual-Action and would like to eventually give this one a try.
Price: $4.99
Literally one of my ride or die products. I’ve using this primer for several years. I still think this is one of the best formulas that I’ve tried, and it also gives me the best results. With that being said, this is a product that I will continue to purchase. Since finishing this tube, I’ve already repurchased 2 more!
Previous Review: Top 10 Products of 2021
hAIR CARE eMPTIES
Price: $11.99 for 8oz
I believe I came across this Curl Refresher while strolling the aisles of Marshall’s. The fact that it was selling at a discounted price prompted me to make the purchase. I do use curl refresher sprays when I wear my hair curly, so that’s what sparked my interest to purchase. The TGIN Curl Refresher spray is formulated with rose and coconut oil to help hydrate, refresh, and smooth curls. I think this refresher spray does a pretty good job at hydrating the hair and adding in extra moisture when needed. Compared to other refresher sprays that I’ve tried, I would say this is more of a middle ground. It’s not the most hydrating I’ve tried, but at the same time it’s still better than many of brands that I’ve tried. I’m not sure if I would repurchase this, only because I reach for the curl refresher spray from Design Essentials more. If you have looser curls or hair that is not super dry, you would likely enjoy this one from TGIN.
Kinky-Curly Knot Today Natural Leave-In Detangler
Price: $16.99 for 8oz
The Knot Today Leave-in Detangler is a product that’s been in my haircare routine for such a long time. It’s a must have product for me as it works well to help with moisturizing my hair along with detangling it. The Knot Today detangler really helps to smooth my hair and I haven’t tried anything else that remotely compares to this formula. If you have any type of curls that are on the tighter side, I will highly recommend giving knot today a try!
Previously Reviewed: Ride or Die: Hair Care Favorites
Design Essentials Almond & Avocado Edge Tamer
Price: $12.99 - $18.99
I feel like I’ve tried so many edge control gels over the years, but I have to say this one has to be my favorites – even over the gummy hair wax. This edge control wasn’t on my radar and was recommended to by a worker at a beauty supply store. I have to tell you; he was spot on with recommending this product to me. This edge control has a really thick texture that easily spreads throughout the hair. There’s several factors about this edge control that has won my heart like the fact that it has a great level of shine and no issues with flaking. It would take me using a lot of product for multiple days in a row before I notice a build up of product. One of the most important factors is the hold level and this one has one the best holds without making my hair feel stiff and hard. This jar lasted me 9 months! Since finishing this jar, I’ve already repurchased another jar and plan to only repurchase this one moving forward.
Price: $14.99 for 7oz
Previously Reviewed: February ’23 Empties
At this point, the Doux mousse Def Foam has been a constant in my routine for the past few years. My feelings for it remains the same. I think it works well to style my curls in different ways. I mostly use this foam when wet styling my curls for “Wash and Go” styles. On occasion I use the foam on blow dried straight hair to provide a light level of hold for twisted and braided styles. Compared to other foams that I’ve tried in the past, I really like that this one feels lighter, it’s not sticky, and I don’t have any issues with it flaking.
K18 Peptide Prep Clarifying Detox Shampoo
Price: $14 value for 1.8 oz
The Clarifying Shampoo helps to remove product buildup and is formulated with activated charcoal and salicylic acid. I’ve tried several clarifying shampoos over the years and as much as they say they don’t strip your hair, they kind of have to in order to really work. With this K18 shampoo I found that it did a great job to really cleanse my hair and scalp without making my hair feel really dry. This mini size was part of a Sephora birthday gift to its members, and I think this was a perfect size to get a real feel for the product.
According to the directions, it’s recommended to use once a week. As someone with dry curly-coily hair, I think this level of frequency would be too much for my hair. I found using this once every two weeks was the perfect balance for me. When I wear my hair curly, I add in gel and mousse to my hair and the Clarifying Shampoo worked well to remove the product buildup without making my hair feel dry or tangled. I plan on repurchasing in the future after I’m able to clear more of product stash.
Gisou Honey Infused Leave-In Conditioner
Price: $34 for 5.1oz
The Honey Infused Leave-in Conditioner is a lightweight conditioner that’s formulated with honey and Argan oil to aid with detangling and moisturizing the hair. One thing I can say is that scent is very heavily scented with honey, but it didn’t bother me too much.
I think it did a pretty good job with moisturizing my hair and helping to detangle. I’m unsure if the product is still available, but it looks like Gisou may have made a replacement, Honey Milk Active Repair Leave In Conditioner Mist. I’m interested to see how this new version compares to the original formula.
Great Many Root Support Densifying Serum
Price: $48 for 3.4oz
This serum was given to me during my initial treatment with Great Many to aid my PRP scalp treatments. The serum aids to encourage hair density and growth, thus supporting scalp care. The formula is fragrance free, not greasy, and dries really quickly. I can’t say enough good things about this serum. I typically used the serum every couple of days and it really helped my scalp especially during the winter months when it felt really dry. Being that serum really helped to nourish my scalp, I think it did help with regrowing back areas of hair. I also really like that nozzle as it helps to really target key areas of the scalp without getting all over the hair.
bODYCARE + fRAGRANCE EMPTIES
Soft Services Buffing Bar Exfoliating Body Bar for KP and Ingrown Hair
Price: $30 for 2 pack
The Soft Services exfoliating bars are formulated with Magnesium Oxide, Glycerin, and Shea Butter to help moisturize the skin as it physically exfoliates it. If a product has made it to one of my Top Products of the Year post, that certainly says a lot as I take this list very seriously.
These buffing bars probably have one of the highest levels of exfoliation I’ve experienced and I love it. The two bars lasted me a little over a year with the using them 1-2x per week, making one of the best cost-effective options I’ve tried over the years. Since using the bars my skin appears to clearer, smoother, and I really did notice a decrease in the KP when I used the bars regularly. Since finishing these bars, I’ve already repurchased them. If you’re interested in trying them out, but would prefer a lighter level of exfoliation, maybe try out - Soft Services x Vacation Bars or the Affogato L’Orange Buffing Bars
Previously Reviewed: Top 10 Products of 2025
Price: $5 for 0.5oz
I’m not the biggest fan of the scents of the Lume deodorants, but I’ve been able to look past this since their deodorants work so well! At this point I’ve tried both their solid and cream formulas and they both work equally well. I found the soft powder scent to be one of their better scents, so I’ll likely continue purchasing this one! I really like the Lume mini deodorants come in such small convenient sizes and I love purchasing them for my travel bags.
Previous Review: Top 10 Beauty of 2023
Kiehl’s Original Musk Eau de Toilette Spray
Price: $50 for 1.7oz
This is easily the one fragrance that has been in my collection for the longest. Over the years I’ve gone through so many bottles. The scent blend of musk, rose, and ylang-ylang translates to warm a musky floral scent. I would consider this a skin scent, but the notes make it more prominent than other skin scents that I’ve tried. Although this is scent that I think is great to wear year-round, I often wore it during the fall and winter months. There’s something about the scent that I feel translates better on the skin during the winter months. Being that this is scent that I love, I already have a back up ready to open up. Moving forward I really want to the matching body lotion and musk oil.
Top Notes: Bergamot Nectar, Orange Blossom
Middle Notes: Rose, Lily, Ylang-Ylang, Neroli
Base Notes: Musk, Tonka Bean, White Patchouli
Price: 24 for 11.6oz
Amber is one of my favorite scents and I love wood wick candles, so I had a feeling that I was going to enjoy this one. The candle had a really nice throw when burning and I really liked hearing the crackling of the wood wick when burning. This was one of my go to candles when I wanted a warm, earthy scent for my home. I would most definitely repurchase it if I come across it again.
Notes of Amber, suede, leather, tonka bean, and mandarin.
APRIL EMPTIES VALUE: $622.93
BLOG GIVEAWAY
PRIZE INCLUDES THE FOLLOWING:
Rael Blemish Recovery Mask
Paula’s Choice 2% BHA Exfoliant
Goldfaden MD Sunscreen
Origins Youthtopia Moisturizer
Supergoop Superfood Skin Drip
Laneige Waterbank Eye Cream
Wander Beauty Eyeshadow Duo
3 Covergirl Yummy Blur Lip Products
Covergirl Lash Blast Mascara
Sonage Tinted Day Cream SPF 30
I’ll also be including other skincare + makeup products in the box!
HOW TO ENTER:
Subscribe to my Newsletter ( don’t forget to add in your Instagram name so I can contact you). If you’ve subscribed in the past, there’s no need to do this again.
Leave a Comment Under this post telling me about a product that you recently finished including your Instagram handle (so I can contact you if you win!)
Head Over to my Instagram and follow me @beautyetcblog | I usually pick winners from the group of folks who organically engage, so get involved to boost your chances.
Rules:
The Giveaway is open from now until Wednesday, 06/10/2026
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…