I used up a ton of beauty products in January! Recently I’ve been trying to use up products that are nearing the end of their runs so that I can move on to the next one without having a bunch of half-full items.

January’s empties include a variety of skincare, body, haircare, and makeup products:

First up is the L’Oreal EverPure Moisture Conditioner which I used up faster than its shampoo counterpart. I was pretty pleased with this line. The products seemed to work well at cleaning and moisturizing my hair and maintaining its colour, but I didn’t notice any real difference between them and other shampoos. This conditioner does, however, have an amazing scent – the rosemary mint scent reminds me of Aveda’s Rosemary Mint shampoo which I love. Once I finish the shampoo, I’ll probably use up other shampoos I have kicking around but will likely try a new line afterwards. Maybe something from a natural brand!

L’Oreal EverPure Moisture Conditioner

I used up my second can of the Batiste Dry Shampoo XXL Volume which I adore. Check out my full review for more information, but the short story is that this is a fantastic dry shampoo for zapping oil and adding volume to your roots. When I bought this last bottle I also purchased a back-up (since it’s not so easy to find yet), but I would definitely consider repurchasing when I finish that one too.

Batiste Dry Shampoo XXL Volume

I’ve had the next product for ages but went through phases of using it and then switching out to other powders. The Laura Mercier Loose Setting Powder in Translucent is one of my favourite powders of all time. It’s soft, blends into the skin beautifully, and its translucent shade works with all skin tones. I used this by picking up product on a velour puff (also from Laura Mercier) and pressing and rolling it onto the skin to eliminate the appearance of pores and set my makeup. I’ve since switched to pressed powder since it’s quicker to apply on a day-to-day basis (and I have a ton of them in my collection!), but would consider repurchasing this when I run out of the others.

Laura Mercier Loose Setting Powder in Translucent

I attended an Arbonne party a while ago and won this product as a prize. The Arbonne Aromassentials Awaken Sea Salt Scrub really impressed me. Its gritty texture allowed it to quickly and easily buff off dead skin and left my legs silky smooth. The plastic scoop that came with it made it easy to apply, especially in the shower. Given this retails at $35 CAD, I would probably look at cheaper alternatives for myself, but if you’re up for splurging on body products, I’d definitely recommend checking this out. I’ve been using The Body Shop’s Spiced Vanilla Body Scrub recently and it does not measure up to the Arbonne one.

Arbonne Aromassentials Awaken Sea Salt Scrub

I wish I knew what to say about this product, but I really couldn’t tell whether or not it worked for me. The Derma E Hyaluronic Hydrating Cleanser appeared to do a good job cleansing my skin, but during the time I used the Derma E products, my skin was still dehydrated and itchy and I experienced some breakouts. It’s been much better since switching to a line of CeraVe products, but I can’t point to which specific Derma E product(s) weren’t effective. It’s also possible that a makeup product was causing the itchiness. All that being said, I will not repurchase this for the short term given I seem to have found a better solution.

Derma E Hyaluronic Hydrating Cleanser

My all-time favourite mascara! After using this product for months (as you can see from the label wearing off!), I decided to retire it. If you’re looking for full, black lashes and like dryer formulations, give L’Oreal Voluminous Carbon Black Mascara a try. I have a ton of other mascaras in my collection to try, but I would definitely repurchase this one (as soon as I can justify it!)

L’Oreal Voluminous Carbon Black Mascara

Another macara favourite! For no-fuss natural everyday lashes, I like the Maybelline Full ‘N Soft Mascara. It’s easy to work with and does not leave lashes hard or brittle. I believe this has since been discontinued, which is a shame!

Maybelline Full ‘N Soft Mascara

If you’ve read any of my past empties posts, you probably would have seen this item! The e.l.f. Wet Gloss Lash & Brow Mascara is my go-to brow gel and retails for only $1. Read my full post on this product for more information.

e.l.f. Wet Gloss Lash & Brow Mascara

Apologies for the mangled container – this tube went through a lot! The old version of the Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer Potion is tough to get the last bits product out of, so I microwaved the tube and then shook out the contents into a small cosmetic jar. Overall, I’ve been pleased wit this product which provides a nice base for eyeshadows and prevents creasing. I also find it to be less drying than their Eden shade.

Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer Potion

Last but not least is this little stub which used to be the Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-On Eye Pencil in Demolition, a dark brown shade. These liners glide on beautifully and stay pretty well throughout the day, especially on the upper lash line. I have been wearing liquid liners on my top lash line recently with a MAC kohl pencil on my lower lash line, so I will probably use up existing products of my own before repurchasing something like this. If you’re looking for a cheaper-priced alternative, check out my blog post on an $8 dupe for this product.

Urban Decay 24/7 Glide On Eye Pencil in Demolition

That concludes this month’s empties! What products did you use up in January?

Kate