[Mini reviews] Six months of finished products! July to December 2022

What is this post?

This post is going to be a simple one where I review all of the products I've finished from July to December 2022. I'll link to each product or brand if I can, but please note that these reviews are not going to cover shopping experience or other in-depth points.

My hope is that by doing short-form reviews every so often, I can more easily cover the wide variety of products I try without waiting until I can dedicate a full brand review to each (not to mention that some things do not deserve a full analysis. I only have so much time!). That said, please check out my other posts to find the things I have reviewed in more detail.

I have only included small businesses in the photo collage, but this post covers both indie and mainstream empties across bath, body, home, and more. Lastly, these empty products each began in various phases of use and were simply finished within the given month. Don't think I used an entire eye cream or whatever else in only 30 days. Now, onward!

 

Products

 

July 2022

🖤 Blueland - foaming hand soap tablet in Perrine Lemon: I don't usually include home empties like this, but I saw a few other people do hand soap and thought I would, too. I like Blueland a lot! These are really affordable and compact, and I am always here for low-waste options. They are not as moisturizing as Bath and Body Works but are still nice and definitely not drying. I like them a lot and will repurchase. The lemon scent is nice and inoffensive. Link here. 🖤 Honey Soda Co - wax melt sample in Binge Watch: Ughhhhhh, I am sorry to the person who sent this to me. I hated it. I am picky about butter scents and picky about chocolate, so the two together was sickly to me. Notes are chocolate cake and popcorn. Brand link here. 🖤 Luna Wax - wax melts in Easter Island: Love Luna Wax! This smelled absolutely heavenly in the bag, but I do wish it had thrown more when melting. I heard a thing once about wax curing, so maybe I should have left them for longer first? No clue. This was a limited scent, so I couldn't get them again anyway. The brand tends to work well for me, and I will keep it on my radar for similar scents! Notes are pineapple, vanilla, papayas, mangoes, and tangerines. Brand link here. 🖤 Sixteen92 - Aura & Linen Mist in Peppermint Stick: Mediocre at best. Even if I could buy S92 again, this linen spray was weak to start and didn't linger at all. Here is a link to some info about the brand.

 

🖤 Willow Waxcraft - wax melt in Victorian Smoking Room: If there is one fan of this scent, it is me. If there are no fans, I am dead. WOW WOW WOW, I have found my signature home scent. Gonna buy a bunch of it and revel in the sweet, woody, resinous, cozy vibes. Notes are Black pepper, patchouli, vetiver, sweet tobacco and pipe smoke with hints of cherry and vanilla, rich bourbon, and deep brown sugar. Link here. 🖤 CoxRX - BHA Power Liquid: I liked this! It kept my skin looking nice. It has a nice, watery texture that dries quickly and doesn't interact poorly with sunscreen or other products I apply in the morning. As always, I am going to try finding a cruelty-free product first but would repurchase it. Link here. 🖤 EmpireSquid - Favorite Things light moisturizing oil: This brand is great if you want a very simple, gentle routine. I wanted more in my moisturizer besides hydration, so I ended up finishing this as a body oil. It does leave the skin feeling lovely, but that's about it! Big fan of the branding and no-plastic packaging, though. Link here. 🖤 Essence - Lash Princess False Lash Effect mascara: I love a thick, spidery lash, and this does the trick! It is affordable and has never irritated my eyes. Will repurchase forever. Link here. 🖤 Robert Oster - ink sample in Sublime: This color was beautiful and looks true to the vial. I'm still deciding whether I liked the color enough to purchase another, so I will not repurchase now, though I did enjoy it. Link here.

  🖤 Maybelline - Color Tattoo Metal in Inked in Pink: This is O L D. It has dried out to the point where I cannot revive it, and that's fine. It's been... seven years? The color is exactly what it looks like, and it is pretty but not something I wear enough anymore. While a lot is left, I got a good amount of value from it. Brand link here. 🖤 Megababe - Squeaky Clean antibacterial wipes: These are great! On workout days or low-mental-health times, it is so nice to freshen up with wipes, and these are both non-irritating to me AND are biodegradable. Bonus is that they smell like citrus. I will repurchase if they ever return! Brand link here.

 

 

August 2022

 

🖤 Pampers - Sensitive Baby Wipes: Good for freshening up after a workout! Do what they need to and didn't dry out despite the lackluster packaging. Moving to biodegradable wipes but would repurchase in a pinch. Link here. 🖤 Timeless Skin Care - Dark Circle Eye Cream: Really nice! This lasted a long time and felt good. Best review will come later after I see how much I miss it. I would prefer less packaging but might repurchase. Link here. 🖤 Julep - Ta Da! Quick Dry Drops: Smelled like lavender + citrus and did help my nails dry faster. Majorly discontinued but will use this product type again. 🖤 CocoaPink - Voluptuous Body Butter in The Un-Red: Thank you to a friend for this sample! It was luxurious and smelled so good. I would easily put this in a typical rotation. Scent notes are This blend would make any vampire or other undead creature stalk your bathroom. Buckets of bloody orange juice, sweet vanilla, bourbon vanilla, sandalwoods and ambers. Hide this one well or you will find it missing by morning. Link here. 🖤 J.R. Watkins - Aloe & Green Tea Hand & Body Lotion: Fine sample but the WORST packaging. I had to remove the lid with pliers. Smelled pretty nice & fresh. Link here. 🖤 MoonaLisa - Spread the Love Massage Bar in Chocolate Espresso Torte: Another friend gift; thank you! This took some work to spread but had great lasting power (scent and hydration). I like the thickness of it and enjoy the minimal packaging. Would repurchase. Brand link here. 🖤 Luna Wax - wax melts in Dalgona Candy Game: Loved these! Very nice, sweet scent that made my home feel warm. LE but one of my favorite brands. Notes are maple frosted cookies. Brand link here. 🖤 The Soapy Chef - Wax Melts in Blueberry Pie: Could not smell these at all. I have other items from the same batch that I enjoy; I just don't think TSC excels in fruits. Link here. 🖤 The Soapy Chef - Scoopable Wax in Friends, Waffles, & Work: My first PPU purchase from back in the day! This had a warm gourmand feel that did remind me of syrup. The scoopable texture was a smidge stickier than I prefer but not bad. Again, I love TSC's gourmands. Brand link here.

 

🖤 Willow Waxcraft - wax melt in Note to Self: Vaguely autumnal and not as strong as I'd like. No real feelings, so I wouldn't repurchase this when there are other scents I love. Notes are A cozy writer’s nook: black tea, paper and pencils tucked in the drawer of an oakwood desk, ambered maple sugar, a hint of hearth smoke, golden apple, and the contemplative rustling of autumn leaves outside. Brand link here.
 

🖤 Penny's Wax Melts - wax melt in Jelly Beans: Pretty nice! It had a sweet cherry flavor that did remind me of candy but with a bit of depth. I enjoyed it. Thank you to a friend for gifting this and the next one to me! Notes are The big, bold signature of sweet wild cherry blended with spiced fruit to capture the sensory delight of jelly beans. Strawberry and peach balance with cinnamon and spice, to create a yummy accent for the cherry tones. Sugared vanilla surrounds the treat with sweetness.Link here.
 

🖤 Penny's Wax Melts - wax melt in Cherry Shortcake: This was so sticky! It was fainter than I would like but did smell nice and almost fizzy. It's no longer available, but it was another fun scent. Brand link here.
 

🖤 Blueland - Foaming Hand Soap in Peppermint: As a peppermint hoe, I love this. I also think it has the best formula of their hand soaps - very plush and soft, akin to BBW. My SO did not like this but might feel more open to it when the weather is cold?? I'd repurchase. Brand link here.
 

🖤 Ceela Naturals - Remove eye makeup remover: I have used up many and reviewed this before, and I still like it. Now that I'm tracking, I do think it runs out a bit faster than I enjoy... Would repurchase but only if I have other things I need from them already. Link here.

 

🖤 Ulta - Juice Infused Lip Oil in Cranberry + Pomegranate: So excited to have a makeup empty this month! This product is so nice. It gives a plump, glassy look to the lips with a touch of stickiness (which I like). Definitely pomegranate scented but no flavor, and it is quite hydrating (so much so that I used it as lip balm in the last few weeks of the tube). Only gripe is that the plastic split in the top bit, so I am holding it together. Might repurchase once I have an actual need again one day. Link here.
 

🖤 Black Baccara - Strawberry Moon Magickal Oil: Last but not least for the month, I finished a scent! I reviewed this here awhile ago and still do think it's nice. It is fresh and juicy strawberry but only lasts about 30 minutes, which made it an ideal bedtime scent. The particulate made it kinda trickly at times but not impossible. I enjoyed using up all 15 mL (what you see left is glitter & crystals). Will not repurchase but did give me new ideas for sleep scents. Brand link here.

 

 

 

September 2022

 

🖤 Zeep - wax melts in Blueberry Muffin: I searched a few different companies to find a melt in this scent, and this one is my favorite! I am leaning more toward other scents right now since I went through a big blueberry phase, but I would recommend and repurchase these. Brand link here.

🖤 Paintbox Soapworks - Sorbetto sugar scrub in Sweet Cheeks: I lament that this scent was discontinued. So bright and juicy with a touch of florals, plus it's in the fantastic PBSW formula... Will repurchase any time this returns. A favorite. Brand link here.

🖤 Mad City Soap - Shower Parfait in Fresh Marshmallow: Thank you to my 2021 gift exchange partner for this! It does smell and look like a marshmallow and made my skin soooo soft. I'd be interested to try other scents after hearing good reviews but would repurchase! Link here.

🖤 CocoaPink - linen spray in Voodoo Berry: I have reviewed this formula before; it continues to be amazing, definitely my fave room spray that I have used. This scent was juicy and fruity, as described, which was great. Probably a top three scent in my house. Notes are A berrylicious fruit juicy fragrance. Aside from the multitude of berries, it has notes of peach, cherries, orange, grape and more. Link here.

🖤 Fyrinnae - Powder Primer: I wax poetic about this every time and will do so forever. It's perfect. I will continue to beg the company for a larger size! Link here.

🖤 Epically Epic - Solid Lotion in Snowy Ice Cream: Oily, hydrating formula that feels like warming up a stick of butter. The scent and hydration linger until morning when I used it at bedtime. Love a more sustainable lotion and would repurchase! This scent is like Junior Mints to me. Link here.

🖤 Goulet Pens - Pen Flush sample: Did what it says! I used this when my fountain pen was clogged, and it worked quickly. I did have to use the whole sample in one go, though, so I disagree with the listing. Would repurchase some version of this product to have on hand. Link here.

🖤 Diamine ink cartridge in Midnight: Have finished before! Deep, wet navy; fine. Might purchase a bottle. Link here.

 

🖤 Becca Cosmetics - Shimmering Skin Perfector in Champagne Pop: This used to be my favorite highlighter, and I am still in awe of how shiny and beautiful it is! That said, the company is out of business, and the color is a little too deep/warm to use alone now that I wear sunscreen religiously. Selling my backup but enjoyed using this! Link here.

 

 

 

October 2022

 

🖤 Paintbox Soapworks - Luxury Glycerin Soap in Pick-a-Duck: (strawberry taffy, donuts, caramel corn, smoke) an excellent soap, as always! I didn't love this smell, though... It smelled like fruit but a little bit off. It was not very strong, though, so yay? Would not repurchase this one, but thank you to whomever in here sent me the sample! Brand link here.
 

🖤 Ceela Naturals - Remove eye makeup remover: Y'all know my thoughts on this. It is still very good but a bit expensive and a lot of packaging. Not planning to repurchase but not opposed. Link here.
 

🖤 Pholk - Honeysuckle Rose Hydrating Mist: If you like the sound of this, you'd probably like it! The scent is definitely more honeysuckle, though I don't like either that or rose and feel indifferent about it. The packaging is luxe, and it did hydrate my skin nicely. Lasted awhile, too, but I have one more spray to use before I choose my favorite! Link here.
 

🖤 Scentsationals - wax cubes in Cupcake: Okay, Walmart?? These are highly scented and perfectly accurate. So good! I found them ideal for mixing in with wax that wasn't hitting just right. Would probably repurchase if I saw them again! Brand link here.
 

🖤 Tonshi Mountain Studios - wax melts in Bomb Pop: (lime, blue raspberry, Jolly Rancher, black cherry bomb) Soooo juicy and incredible. They were pretty faint, though, so I wouldn't rush to buy from this maker again. Also, remind me not to order wax during the summer. It melted pretty badly. Brand link here.
 

🖤 Kyse - EdP in Delizia di Marshmallow: (marshmallow, vanilla, and sugar) This is the perfect powdery & sweet marshmallow scent, and it lasts so long. I can still smell it on my jacket after about a week. Kyse doesn't tend to work for me, so I am going to try other single-note marshmallows I have before repurchasing, but I would absolutely make an order just for this! Stellar. Link here.

 

 

 

November 2022

 

🖤 Luna Wax - wax melts in Princess is in Another Castle: (peach ring candy and Froot Loops) Another incredible smell from Luna Wax! The shapes were very cute, and the throw was great. 10/10 choice to have cereal as a home scent. Would repurchase if they came back or might find a similar one! Brand link here.
 

🖤 EmpireSquid - Ageless Moisturizing Serum: Like the other item I used up from them, I found this to be a little gentler than my skin needed. Very moisturizing and nice on the body, though, so I'd consider buying another for that purpose! Love the minimal and recyclable packaging. Link here.
 

🖤 Rogue Lacquer - Take It Off Soy Nail Polish Remover in Pop the Bubbly: (champagne with red currants and raspberries) I love this! It's a little slower of a process to remove polish, but it's so gentle that I don't mind. The bottle lasted a long time, even with some leaking in transit. Smells good, too! Have repurchased. Link here.
 

🖤 Beautometry - Cuticle Putty in Lemonade: I bought this because it promised to soak in really quickly, and it does! The smell was strong but not too lingering, and I loved that I could use my devices/etc. in under a minute without greasiness. I am excited to use up the others I have. Link here.
 

🖤 Clinique - Chubby Stick in Bountiful Beige: I got this as a gift and always giggle at the names. Love them. It was a nice champagne shimmer about two shades darker than my skin, and the application was very smooth and pretty without creasing. I "used this up" because the product all slid out onto the floor, otherwise I would have swatched it! I don't purchase from Clinique, since they are not cruelty-free, but this was a nice product. Link here.

 

 

 

December 2022
 

🖤 Zeep - Wax Scoop in Dutch Baby: (apple butter, caramel swirl, & vanilla bean) Form-wise, I will not be buying any more soft wax. It's nice that you can scoop it out whenever you want, but I prefer popping my wax in the freezer so it comes out in one piece. These are sticky and keep breaking my bamboo spoons. Scent-wise, it was nice! I love apples for my home, and the throw was nice but not super strong. Brand link here.
 

🖤 EmpireSquid - Blemish Free Moisturizing Serum: This is my last ES product, and I have the exact same thoughts as the other two. This did nothing for my face that I could tell, but I liked it as a rich body moisturizer in sustainable packaging. Would repurchase for that only. Brand link here.
 

🖤 Ceela Naturals - Clear Salve 2% Salicylic Acid: This is sticky and smells like melted balloons, but you know what? It works. I'm not slathering this on unless it's urgent, but it does work. Would repurchase and keep a little bit on hand. Link here.
 

🖤 Fyrinnae - Powder Primer: My one true love, as always. Keeps my skin smooth and blurred slightly so I don't wear foundation anymore. 100/10, and yes, that is possible. It's been a good five years together. Link here.
 

🖤 Restored Naturally - Heel Stick: I was skeptical, because feet can be very hard to get good moisturization, but honestly? This does work. Consistency is key, as with most things, but I was able to revive my skin from full lizard (not that there is anything wrong with lizards; I love them but simply am not one) to soft human after some negligence on my hydration routine. Will seek out a less-plastic option but am open to repurchasing. Link here.
 

🖤 Kosas - Chemistry AHA Deodorant: I fought with this for a long time, because it took ages to work consistently on me. Overall, though, it really did reduce and often prevent odor, even if it didn't hold up to stress sweating or anything like that. It's truly unscented, which I like, and I will repurchase when I finish other things. Lasted what, six months? Impressive. Link here.

 

Brief Reflections

Despite it taking way longer than I wanted to finish this post, I do really enjoy these! I'm proud to have moved through some big body and skincare items, and there is also the huge accomplishment of getting even one perfume loved enough to finish. I got through a handful of wax melts, too, which feels especially good seeing the mix of older and newer things in there. No more letting things languish and gather dust!

The only thing these posts don't cover is my decluttering; I've pared down my perfume and makeup collections significantly, which is why there are not many empties seen here. I've revisited or a lot of things once or twice, asked myself if I love them, then decided to pass them on. I'm definitely enjoying myself more now that I am buying considerably less. (My nail polish collection is a different story, though.) All in all, I feel pretty content and love seeing the constant flow of both in and out!

As always, I hope these are helpful and give you some inspiration with your own shopping choices 🖤

 

Number of items finished: 53; 37 indies and 16 mainstream (~70% indie)

Number of items repurchased/will repurchase:  28 (~53% success)