Hello lovelies! Today I’m going to be doing my very first empties post, and it’s going to be about all the skincare items I’ve used up!

I’ve literally been saving up products for this empties series for years (yes gross, I know), and I don’t know why it took me so long to get around to doing this. But either way, we’re going to be focusing on all the skincare products I’ve finished and didn’t dump just yet.

GARNIER FRUCTIS MICELLAR WATER

First up, we have the Garnier Fructis Micellar Cleansing Water. This was the first makeup remover I tried after moving on from makeup wipes and I was quite obsessed with this for a while. I loved how it took off all my makeup and left my skin feeling clean. However, I would never rely solely on a makeup remover to clean my skin, so I always double cleanse, no matter what.

I really like this micellar water and I have repurchased it. However, instead of using it on my face, I mainly use it as an eye makeup remover to take off any remaining eyelash glue and mascara. It doesn’t sting my eyes and removes everything super well. If you’re looking for a micellar water and don’t want to break the bank, I would highly recommend this one.

NATURE REPUBLIC ALOE VERA GEL

I can’t even tell you how many tubs of this I’ve used so far, but this seems to be the only one I saved. This was one of the first Korean products I tried to moisturize my skin and I initially loved it. It made my skin glow in the morning and it’s very lightweight. However, over time, I think my skin got used to it and began craving something more hydrating (note: I have oily skin but all skin types need hydration!).

Now, I don’t use it very often, but when I want to go the extra mile in my skincare routine, I like to reach for this. It also makes for a great lightweight body moisturizer, which is perfect for the summer when you want something that absorbs quickly without any residue. This is a super popular product for a reason! If you want to try it out, you can just buy one and it’ll last for several months. But if you end up loving it, Nature Republic usually has deals where you can buy 3 and get 1 free.

BURT’S BEES FACE WASH

I finished this face wash a long time ago, but I remember this lasted me for quite a long time. I used to be a big fan of Burt’s Bees products because their soap bark and chamomile face deep cleansing cream was the first product that gave me clear skin (temporarily) for the first time in years. I also love how they use natural ingredients.

I used this cleanser in the mornings since my skin tolerates just about any face wash in the AM. I was hoping to see the brightening effect that it claimed to have, but I didn’t see a difference in my skin. Because of this, I wouldn’t repurchase even though I like how it’s a natural product and didn’t break me out. There’s just a lot of other face washes I’d rather try out!

PONDS COLD CLEANSING CREAM

When I made the transition from micellar water to cleansing balms/creams, I wanted to get a fuss-free and inexpensive makeup remover. After reading reviews on this product, I thought it would a great choice since it was affordable and removed makeup well. But sadly, I didn’t have a good experience with this cleansing cream.

I tried several times to remove my eye makeup with this, but it always stung my eyes. It also was hard to wash off. The best way to take off the cleansing cream was with a washcloth, but I didn’t want to have a set of face towels just to take off my makeup. I also didn’t feel like my skin was clean until after my second cleanse. Lastly, it had such a strong fragrance. Typically, fragrances can cause acne or other reactions, so I wasn’t a fan of that.

Overall, it didn’t break me out and it’s inexpensive, but I didn’t like that I would need a separate eye makeup remover and a washcloth to take off my makeup. The fragrance was also a deal-breaker for me. Sadly, I would not recommend this makeup remover; I think it’s worth it to invest in higher-quality cleansing balms instead.

NEUTROGENA CLEAR PORE CLEANSER AND MASK

Although I’m still upset that Neutrogena discontinued their Nourishing Eyeliner, this has been my ride-or-die face wash since high school. This is one of the very few benzoyl peroxide cleansers that I’ve seen at the drugstore, so I’ve always repurchased without fail. Back then, salicylic acid didn’t work on my skin and that’s usually the main acne-fighting ingredient in most cleansers. This helped keep my acne under control for several years, although I still get hormonal breakouts.

I usually use this face wash at night after I remove my makeup; you can also conveniently use this as a mask for an extra deep clean. But these days, I’ve been trying out foaming cleansers and I recently discovered a cleanser from Innisfree that has salicyclic acid and bija seed oil (see it in my haul here!). So far, I feel like it’s been clearing up my hormonal acne, which could potentially mean that my skin has changed and likes salicyclic acid now.

I think I’ll finish up this face wash since I do have a couple more that I stocked up on, but I’m starting to lean more towards the Innisfree face wash so my 7-year relationship with this cleanser might be slowly coming to an end. 🙁

PIXI GLOW TONIC

Look at all those Pixi Glow Tonics! I’ve been using Pixi Glow Tonic for a couple years now, and it wasn’t until recently that I noticed how much of a difference it made in my skin.

After using a couple bottles, I switched over to the Retinol Tonic (see my review on it here!). After trying that out, I went back to the Pixi Glow Tonic and noticed my skin looked different. I’m not sure if it’s solely because of this toner or a combination of my current skincare products, but my skin seems to be doing really well at the moment.

Honestly, I’ll probably stick with this toner from now on since I have sensitive skin and I don’t like to experiment too much with skincare. With 5% glycolic acid, I like how it’s a chemical exfoliant and it doesn’t break me out. There’s a reason why this is a cult favorite! I would recommend this to anyone who wants a gentle toner and is looking for a chemical exfoliant to lighten hyperpigmentation. Keep in mind though, hyperpigmentation doesn’t disappear overnight; it takes time and a lot of patience for them to fade completely!

AVEENO MOISTURIZER WITH SPF 15

This is yet another long-time favorite that may be on its way out soon. 🙁 Again, this is a product that I’ve used since high school and it’s never failed me. As a moisturizer and sunscreen in one, this multi-tasking product was perfect for my busy school routine years ago. But as I’ve gotten older, I’ve been wanting to take sun protection more seriously to protect my skin and fade hyperpigmentation, so I’ve been using a sunscreen I got from Innisfree with SPF 50+ (I reviewed it in my March product review here!).

I still use this on days when I’m staying indoors or need to quickly to run errands since it has SPF 15, but after I finish it, I’m going to look for other facial sunscreen brands that have higher SPF protection. If anyone has any recommendations, let me know!

SEPHORA COLLECTION MUD MASK

I’ll be honest, I didn’t get a chance to finish this because it dried up, but the few times I used it, I did like it! This is apparently a dupe for Glam Glow masks and there’s no way I’d ever pay that much for a mask (lol), so I was excited to try this out instead. This has a very bitter, earthy scent, but after a while I got used to it.

As for how effective it was, I can’t be too sure since I didn’t use it consistently enough. Whenever I washed it off, my skin felt cleaner and brighter, which means it hopefully pulled out all the dirt in my skin. I’ve personally never met a face mask I didn’t like, so I would recommend this one if you’re looking for an effective mud mask; just be wary of the earthy scent!

CLINIQUE TAKE THE DAY OFF CLEANSING BALM

I recently reviewed this cleansing balm in my March Monthly Product Review and it’s basically been my go-to makeup remover for the last year or so. I finally gave in and tried this after having no luck with the Ponds Cleansing Cream and seeing all the rave reviews. And I see why it’s so popular!

It uses vegan ingredients, has no fragrance, and rinses off well. A small amount goes a long way, and it it melts into an oil once you massage it into your skin. It removes my face and eye makeup, and it doesn’t irritate my eyes. I can’t say enough good things about this product, and I think I’m on my fourth tub now!

INNISFREE GREEN TEA SERUM AND CLAY MASK SAMPLES

I got these samples in an Innisfree order and I finished them a while ago. This Innisfree green tea serum sample is the reason why I’ve become a loyal fan of it; I love how hydrating it is and how glowy it leaves my skin. As someone with oily skin, just one pump is enough for my whole face and a full-sized bottle lasts me about 6 months.

As for the mask, I used it a couple times before it dried up, but I’ve also gotten a mini version in a different order so I’m trying it out again. After trying it a few more times, I can say I like this face mask as well and I’ve noticed less blackheads on my nose these days!

Overall, I love Innisfree samples because they give you an ample amount so you can actually see if you like the product or not. For example, the green tea sample lasted me 2 weeks and I ended up purchasing the full-size product because of it.

COSRX PIMPLE PATCHES

These pimple patches are quite popular in the Korean skincare community, and it’s easy to see why. They’re clear, so you can discreetly use them during the daytime in public. They come in 3 sizes for different-sized blemishes, and they somehow suck out all the gunk from your pimples, which is gross but satisfying to see when you pull off the patch.

I would only recommend using this on open blemishes, which are spots that you may have accidentally picked at or popped; these are more likely to heal quicker when you use the patch. I do pop my blemishes, but I always make sure to wash my face afterwards and take care of them with spot treatments. The great thing about these pimple patches is that they’re like band-aids for popped spots and keep you from touching your pimples.

Overall, I love these pimple patches and would recommend them to anyone who needs a good spot treatment. You can use this on regular pimples as well, but I just find you get better results from using them on open blemishes.

FIRST AID BEAUTY FACE WASH

Like I said earlier, my skin isn’t too fussy with morning cleansers. I can almost always try out new cleansers in the morning as long as they’re gentle and rinse away any dirt and oil that may have built up overnight.

I’ve been purchasing the smaller size cleansers just to try them out and see if I like it, and I do! I like how this is gentle on my skin and doesn’t break me out. It also lathers up really well and you only need a little bit of product to wash your face.

After finishing these two mini cleansers, I purchased the full size and it’s lasted months since I started using it so I think it’s well worth the money!

And that wraps up my first empties post! I hope this was helpful; I’d love to know what some of your favorite products are in the comments! Thanks so much for reading and I’ll see you lovelies soon!