in my empties: ilia, hourglass, saie

08: the mascara that gave me raccoon eyes and the products i've been using for *years*

Instead of sharing empties to thousands of people on Instagram who may be tempted to purchase on a whim, I’ve moved my reviews here behind a paywall, reserved for those who really want to read my thoughts on them.

It seems like everyday, there are new beauty brands and skincare products cropping up and because of my work, I get gifted a lot of them, even when I politely decline to most inquiries. Some I like, most I don’t and it’s rare I like something enough to finish it entirely.

Below you’ll find recent empties on ILIA, Hourglass, Benefit, Saie, Revlon and Elemis. Remember, please only click on and purchase what you really think you need. If you already have a cleanser, don’t order another one. If your skin is just fine, don’t mix it up. And if you are tempted to buy any of the below, take a few days to think about it before adding to cart. Also keep in mind that these products are ones that may work well for me and my skin, but may not necessarily be the best for you! Always consult a dermatologist to best speak to your skin’s needs – I had avoided a derm for years and wish I had seen one sooner as I now finally know what’s going on with it.

And one more thing — only 8% of all plastic is recycled and plastic used in skincare and beauty is even more difficult to recycle, especially those small tubes, bottle pumps, and mascara wands. Instead of dropping empties in the blue bin at home, I keep a bag under my sink for empties until full and then drop them off at a nearby Nordstrom or Nordstrom Rack, as they recycle skincare and beauty packaging with TerraCycle.