i gotta pocket gotta pocketful of empties

Let us take stock of the products I’ve used up since January.

Happy May bank holiday weekend! I swear yesterday it was Christmas. I know it’s so boring to remark on the passage of time, but really, what the fuck. How is it possible that I have accumulated so many empty products when I wrote my last empties post only a few weeks ago? Right? Ugh. I’m going to stop being so dull and get into it.

Ouai Thick Hair Shampoo and Conditioner

I don’t usually review shampoos because I find it really hard to say for certain that something works or not, but since this is a buzzy celeb-adjacent brand (Ouai is owned by Kardashian hairstylist Jen Atkin) I feel compelled to comment on it. Obviously, I was drawn in by the fact that these products are designed for thick hair – mine is thick and abundant, which sounds good and is for the most part, but things can get unmanageable fairly quickly. I got them during a Space NK sale, but ordinarily they’d be €30 each, which is more than I’d usually spend on shampoo and conditioner.

This set claims to detangle, fight frizz, and moisturise, and I found all this to be true. The scent is also undeniably gorgeous and the bottles look chic in the shower (lol). But it didn’t completely transform my hair, which I think is what would be the requirement for me to start buying it regularly at full price. I don’t know, guys. I’m just not sure any shampoo can completely transform my hair. I guess not giving me dandruff (cough, Kristen Ess) is the best I can ask for. Much like mascara and brow products, I am a cheap shampoo girl at heart.

CeraVe Hydrating Cream-to-Foam Cleanser

This has been mentioned in previous empties posts so, TLDR: It’s a good cleanser. I like it. I would probably buy it again but I rarely commit to a cleanser. (The Naturium “cleansing gelee” I’m currently using is maybe an exception to this rule. I will discuss that in more detail at a later date.) 

Dr G Green Deep Pore Clear Foam

I bought this in Seoul with not a clue of what’s in it, what it could do, or if it was in any way suitable for my skin type. I entered into a sort of trance in the Olive Young store and this is what happened. Luckily, it was actually a winner. Foaming cleansers are often accused of being stripping, but this was so creamy and dare I say hydrating? I could feel little beads in it, which I now have learned are “wheat sprout capsules” that burst to help to clear sebum from pores. I’m not sure how deep a regular face wash can go, but it cleansed my skin without drying the hell out of it, so I’ll take that.

Beauty of Joseon Relief Sun Rice + Probiotics SPF 50

You all were right! This is a really great, very moisturising SPF. It’s easy to rub in, leaves a beautiful dewy finish, and works well under makeup – everything I could want from an SPF. I’m never 100% sure about buying K-beauty products from Amazon (I’ve seen too much discussion of fakes) so I recently reordered it from YesStyle, which is a more trustworthy source of Asian beauty products. I wish it came in a bigger tube. The 50ml of product is gone in what seems like an instant.

Isntree Hyaluronic Acid Watery Sun Gel SPF 50

I’ve seen skincare guru Charlotte Palermino (whomst I absolutely should have put on this list but forgot, sorry Charlotte! You don’t know who I am but sorry!!!) mentioning this Korean SPF on numerous occasions, so I had to give it a try. It isn’t as creamy and moisturising as the Beauty of Joseon one, but that’s not a bad thing – I think I’ll prefer it in summer when my skin is less dry. Like the BoJ one, I flew through it, which is unfortunately a consequence of applying enough sunscreen (two finger lengths is the general recommendation). I also repurchased this one in my YesStyle order, so I expect to be fully stocked with SPF until at least September. As I was waiting for that to arrive, I got the new Garnier one to fill the gap, and it just highlights how much more sophisticated Asian sunscreens are – while it isn’t the worst, it’s harder to apply, less moisturising, and packed with unnecessary fragrance. I have truly been spoiled.

Byoma Moisturising Gel-Cream

Byoma is one of a selection of brands that have been the subject of a moral panic around preteen girls and skincare. I don’t have a horse in this race (I don’t think they need active ingredients, but let them moisturise themselves?), but I have seen more than a few mothers by the Byoma stand in Boots, listening as their 12-year-old daughters explain why it is absolutely essential for them to have a brightly-packaged facial spritz. I don’t think I understood anything about skincare except Johnson’s Baby Lotion and makeup wipes until I was like, 16, so… godspeed to you all.

All that being said, this is a nice, basic moisturiser in the vein of The Inkey List Omega Water Cream. I’d use it again, and I’d like to try more from this brand, but this product didn’t have any standout qualities. One thing I dislike about the packaging, as cute as it is, is that you can’t see what’s left. I don’t like being surprised at running out. Give me time to prepare!

The Ordinary Soothing & Barrier Support Serum

Ah yes, the bright pink serum you’ve probably seen all over TikTok. I actually still don’t know why it’s pink. I’ve looked at the ingredients list – which is full of soothing/hydrating ingredients like centella, ceramides, and niacinamide – and I can’t locate the pinkening thing. (Editing Valerie did the research she probably should have done in the first place and discovered it’s down to the Vitamin B12 they use in it.) Anyway, this was fine – I didn’t love it, probably wouldn’t repurchase it, but it was decently hydrating.

Rhode Peptide Glazing Fluid

I did a more thorough review of this here, but to be brief: I liked it! It was a nice serum. I don’t think it’s more or less “glazing” than any other skincare product. I said I would consider repurchasing it in my initial review, but I’ve changed my mind. There are plenty of similar serums (including the one below) that are cheaper and more easily available. Another packaging quibble: Once the product gets to a certain level, the pump doesn’t work, and you have to insert your finger and scrabble around like a little rat to get at the rest of the serum. And there was loads left, so it just doesn’t seem like the greatest design.

Note: I checked and the price has gone up by €4 since I bought it, making it now closer to €40 for a basic enough serum. Very cheeky, Hailey. 

Aveeno Calm+Restore Triple Oat Serum

LOL at me having not one but THREE “barrier repair” serums in this post, can you tell it was winter/I have been putting my skin through it? I think this was my favourite of the three. I was prescribed azelaic acid for my acne (again, more detail on that soon) and this felt like a nice, soothing treat to apply after. My skin can be a little sensitive, so anything designed to calm is very welcome. I would repurchase this, and am also interested in trying some other stuff from this range – maybe the cleanser? It’s all so affordable, too! Why not, like.

Image Skincare Iluma Intense Brightening Serum

Not a barrier repair serum but a Vitamin C! I used this one from Image a few years back, and decided to try it again when I was casting about for an antioxidant serum. I’ve never really landed on one I want to repurchase over and over – Skinceuticals and Pestle & Mortar are great but pricey, and I can’t seem to land on a more budget-friendly one I really enjoy. 

This is obviously not in the budget category, but I got a discount on the South William Street Clinic online shop, so I went for it. I can’t attest to it being “intensely brightening” (I don’t really know what that would look like and maybe I don’t want to know), but it is a lovely serum that offers a little glow on application. It’s got a sweet, distinctive fragrance, which won’t be for everyone, but I actually like it and feel it adds to the experience, in a way? Not an immediate repurchase, though I’ll keep an eye out for any #dealz.

Laneige Cream Skin Cerapeptide Toner and Moisturiser

This isn’t technically an empty, as I will soon explain… but I feel qualified to review it as such, all the same. I got this product in the Laneige store in Seoul – much like the Dr G cleanser, I went into a fugue state and came out with this, knowing very little about its intended purpose. In my defence, the name at the time was “Cream Skin Cerapeptide Refiner.” The new title is much clearer, and bang on the money – the product is watery like a toner, yet almost as hydrating as a moisturiser. I say “almost” because for me, a regular moisturiser is still a must. But it’s got peptides, ceramides, glycerin, squalane, hyaluronic acid… basically all the big names in hydration.

I was a bit lost on how to introduce it into my routine, until I decided to decant it into a spray bottle. Easier and faster than patting it in with my paws! Valerie, you are a genius. It’s been wonderful over the winter months as an extra layer before my serums and moisturisers, or applied straight out of the shower to stop me turning into a husk. Would absolutely repurchase.

Soap and Glory Hand Food

I am always surprised by the fact that my hands get really dry in winter. Every year. You’d think I would prepare. I liberated this half-used Soap and Glory hand cream from the back of the press only when I started to look like I had scales. It did the job and I like the sherbet-y scent, but I think I needed something a little more heavy-duty. I replaced it with the Palmer’s Cocoa Butter hand cream, which I find to be much more cocooning.

NYX Lift & Snatch Brow Tint Pen in Espresso

Bollocks to you Sabrina Carpenter because every time I read the name of the product I’m like, “Das dat me espressoooo.” Anyway. This was a great brow pen at first. It has a really precise brush tip, a good amount of pigment, and actually made hair-like strokes instead of just smudging all over the place. Unfortunately, the brush tip began to leak after a while – the same thing happened with my Vieve liquid liner, so it might just be a feature of certain brush-tip liner pens. I bought it in a lighter shade (ash brown) which is a) a little too light for me since my brow hairs are literally black, and b) starting to get leaky too, so I might have to seek a different brow pen option. Recommendations are appreciated.

NYX Micro Brow Pencil in Ash Brown

Why is the NYX brow pen in ash brown too light, but the pencil in the same shade is perfect? It’s a mystery. This was the original Anastasia Brow Wiz dupe all those years ago, and it’s still an excellent, affordable product. I don’t really want to spend any more than €15 on a brow pencil, and I will not as long as this exists. I need to get my hands on another one – I’m currently using my Anastasia Dip Brow to tide me over, but that’s not exactly a breezy, five-minute-face product, is it. The line between “realistic eyebrows” and “Groucho Marx” is all too easy to cross. So I’ll be back for you, Micro Brow.

L’Oreal Lash Paradise Waterproof

Please take my word for it: This mascara is waterproof. Not a smudge, not a smear, even when I seriously put it through the wringer. I also find it holds a curl really well, and somehow makes lashes look both fluttery and voluminous (you generally have to opt for one or the other). I’ve already repurchased it. 

Thanks for reading Vanity Project, and for the kind messages after my last post. Every day I’m learning something new about living with grief. I’ve built myself a little comfort zone within my regular routine and venturing outside of that can be a struggle. But doing my makeup and skincare always made me happy, and that’s still true, so I’m delighted to be back. Thank you again <3