My Skincare “Empties” from the Last 3 Months: What I’d Repurchase in a Heartbeat
The Final Verdict from My Recycling Bin
I just cleared out my “empties” bag for the quarter and it’s a moment of truth. In it was a $15 bottle of Krave Beauty cleanser (repurchase forever), a La Roche-Posay sunscreen (already bought a backup), and a Naturium moisturizer that my skin drank up. But there was also a trendy, expensive serum that I won’t repurchase; it was nice, but not $80 nice. Seeing what I actually use to the last drop, versus what just sits on my shelf, is the most honest review. It tells me exactly where my money is well spent.
I Used Up a $200 Serum. Was It Worth the Money?
An Investigation into a Very Expensive Little Bottle
I got a bottle of the legendary SkinCeuticals C E Ferulic serum as a gift. For six months, I used two or three precious drops of this $200 liquid gold every morning. Did my skin look brighter and more even? Yes, it absolutely did. It’s a fantastic product. The real question: was it worth the astronomical price? For me, the answer is no. I’ve found a $25 Vitamin C serum that gives me about 80% of the results for about 10% of the cost. The luxury was lovely, but my wallet votes for the dupe.
The “Product Graveyard”: Skincare I Couldn’t Finish and Why
Where Good Intentions and Hyped-Up Products Go to Die
Under my sink lives a “product graveyard”—a basket of skincare I couldn’t bring myself to finish. There’s a super-oily cleansing balm that left a film on my eyes, a “gentle” exfoliant that made my face red and angry, and a moisturizer with a scent so strong it gave me a headache. Each bottle represents a lesson learned: don’t believe every single rave review, patch-test new actives, and if a product irritates your skin or senses, it’s okay to let it go. Forcing it is just punishing your face.
My “Holy Grail” Empties: The 5 Products I’ve Repurchased More Than 5 Times
The Ride-or-Dies I Can’t Live Without
An “empty” is a good review, but a repeat repurchase is a declaration of love. I have five products that are my non-negotiable holy grails. The Laneige Lip Sleeping Mask (I’ve finished four pots), the COSRX Snail Mucin Essence (at least six bottles), and the EltaMD UV Clear Sunscreen (I’ve lost count). These aren’t the trendiest products, but they are reliable workhorses that my skin loves. When you find something that truly works, the desire to experiment with new things fades. These products are my skincare security blanket.
A Year in Empties: The Total Financial Cost of My Skincare Habit
I Tallied Up My Recycling, and the Number Was Shocking
I decided to track every single skincare product I finished for a full year, noting the price of each. It was a sobering experiment. Between my daily sunscreen, my twice-a-year retinol purchase, various serums, and moisturizers, the grand total came to just over $850. Seeing that number in black and white was a wake-up call. It made me more mindful about my purchases, focusing on multi-tasking products and affordable staples rather than impulse-buying every new trendy serum that pops up on my feed.
I Compared a Full-Size Product to its “Mini” Version. Did I Use It All?
The “Minis” Aisle is My New Best Friend
I was tempted by a viral, expensive moisturizer, but my past purchasing mistakes made me hesitant. Instead of buying the full $68 jar, I bought the $22 “mini” version first. It was the best decision I could have made. I used the entire mini pot over three weeks and realized that while it was nice, it wasn’t life-changing. I didn’t feel the need to buy the full size. The mini let me satisfy my curiosity and truly test the product without the commitment or guilt of a full-size jar potentially going to waste.
The Most Disappointing Products I Finished This Year
I Used Them to the Last Drop, But I Won’t Be Back for More
Some products aren’t bad enough to toss but aren’t good enough to love. This year, I finished two of them. One was a super-hyped “glass skin” serum that honestly did nothing more than a basic hydrating toner. The other was a cult-favorite eye cream that felt nice but made zero difference to my dark circles after four months of dedicated use. Finishing them felt like a relief, not a loss. It’s disappointing when a product doesn’t live up to the hype, but it’s a good reminder that marketing isn’t reality.
My “Drugstore Empties”: The Best Affordable Products I Used to the Last Drop
Proof That You Don’t Need to Spend a Fortune for Great Skin
My empties basket is always full of drugstore gems that cost less than $20. This month I finished a bottle of CeraVe Hydrating Cleanser, a tube of The Inkey List’s retinol, and my holy grail La Roche-Posay cicaplast balm. These products have simple, effective, science-backed formulas without the fancy packaging or fragrances. They prove that you don’t need to splurge to get fantastic results. My skin is happier and my bank account is fuller thanks to these affordable heroes I consistently repurchase.
“Hate-Panning”: The Products I Forced Myself to Finish
A Tale of Gritted Teeth and a Very Average Moisturizer
I bought a $50 moisturizer on a whim, and I hated it. It was too thick, sat on my skin like a mask, and had a weird smell. But I couldn’t bear the thought of wasting that much money. So, I began the grim task of “hate-panning”—forcing myself to use it up. I started using it on my neck, my chest, my hands, anywhere but my face. It took months, but I finally finished it. The feeling was pure relief. My lesson was learned: my peace of mind is worth more than stubbornly finishing a bad product.
My “Luxury Empties”: Which High-End Products Justified a Repurchase
The Splurges That Were Actually Worth the Money
It’s easy to finish a $15 moisturizer, but using every last drop of an $85 serum is a true testament to its quality. This year, I finished two luxury products that I believe are worth the splurge. The first was the Sunday Riley Good Genes lactic acid treatment; the instant glow it gives is unmatched. The second was the Tatcha Dewy Skin Cream, which my dry winter skin adores. While most of my routine is affordable, I save room in my budget for these two effective splurges that deliver incredible, consistent results.
The Surprising Product I Used Up the Fastest
The Unsung Hero of My Skincare Routine
Looking at my empties, I was shocked to see I’d gone through three bottles of my COSRX Snail Mucin Essence in the same time it took me to finish one moisturizer. I hadn’t realized how much of it I was using. It’s not a flashy “active” ingredient, but I subconsciously reach for it morning and night because of how plump and hydrated it makes my skin feel. It’s the quiet, foundational workhorse of my routine. Its quick depletion was a clear sign of just how essential it had become.
My “Body Care Empties”: The Lotions and Scrubs I Loved
The Products That Made Me Care About the Skin Below My Neck
I used to neglect my body care, but this year I made it a priority. My empties pile shows the results. I finished a tub of Necessaire’s The Body Lotion, which felt luxurious and hydrating without being sticky. I also used up an entire bottle of a glycolic acid body wash that helped with the little bumps on my arms. Seeing these empty containers proves that I stuck with the routine, and my softer, smoother skin is the ultimate reward. It’s a reminder that self-care is a full-body experience.
I Finally Finished That Jar I’ve Had for 3 Years. Here’s My Final Verdict.
An Archeological Dig into the Back of My Cabinet
In the back of my cabinet sat a fancy-looking face mask I got as a gift three years ago. It was partially used and totally forgotten. As part of a decluttering challenge, I decided to finally finish it. It smelled a little different, and the texture was thicker than I remembered. It didn’t do anything magical for my skin, good or bad. Finishing it felt like closing a long-overdue chapter. The final verdict? If you haven’t reached for a product in over a year, it’s not a hidden gem. It’s just clutter.
The Best and Worst Subscription Box Products I’ve Used Up
A Treasure Trove of Hits and Misses
I had a beauty subscription box for a year, and my empties pile tells the story. The best product I finished was a travel-sized Sunday Riley CEO Glow oil, which I loved so much I bought the full size. It was a fantastic discovery. The worst was a gritty, terrible-smelling coffee scrub that I ended up using as a foot scrub just to get rid of it. The subscription was a fun way to try new things, but my empties prove that for every one amazing discovery, there are three or four duds.
My “Sunscreen Empties”: A Review of Every SPF I Finished This Summer
My Quest for a Sunscreen That Doesn’t Suck
This summer, I was on a mission to find my perfect daily sunscreen. My empties tell the tale of my journey. I finished a bottle from Supergoop (loved it, but pricey), one from a Korean brand called Beauty of Joseon (amazing, no white cast), and a mineral stick from Neutrogena for reapplication. They were all good, but seeing the empty bottle of the Beauty of Joseon sunscreen, which I reached for most consistently, declared it the winner. It proves that the best sunscreen is the one you’ll actually wear every single day.
The One “Empty” That My Partner Stole and Finished Before Me
The Unintentional Sign of a Truly Great Product
I bought a bottle of the Kiehl’s Ultra Facial Cream and left it on our shared bathroom counter. I noticed it was going down faster than usual. It turned out my partner, who usually just uses bar soap on his face, had been secretly using it. He loved that it was moisturizing but not greasy or scented. He finished the jar before I could. An empty is a good review, but when your skincare-averse partner steals and finishes your product, you know you’ve found a universal crowd-pleaser.
How I Get Every Last Drop Out of a Product (Skincare Spatulas and Tube Squeezers)
My Frugal Tools for Honoring My Investment
When I’m nearing the end of a pricey serum or a thick moisturizer in a tube, I refuse to give up on the product stuck inside. I’m not leaving that money on the table! I have two secret weapons. For jars and bottles, I use a tiny silicone “skincare spatula” that costs about $5 to scrape down the sides. For tubes, I use a simple “tube squeezer” key that wrings out every last bit. These little tools easily rescue at least another week’s worth of product.
My “Cleanser Empties”: A Battle of the Balms, Gels, and Creams
And the Winner for My Combination Skin Is…
This season, I consciously rotated through three different types of cleansers to see what my skin liked best. My empties tell the final story. I finished a cleansing balm (great for makeup removal, but a bit messy), a gel cleanser (good for summer, a little stripping now), and a cream cleanser. The empty bottle of the CeraVe Hydrating Cream-to-Foam Cleanser is the clear winner. It removed everything without leaving my skin feeling tight. It’s the perfect balance for my combo skin, and the empty bottle proves it’s the one I reached for most.
The Most Overhyped Product I Finished and Will Never Buy Again
The Emperor Wears No Clothes, and This Serum Has No Effect
I fell for the hype. Everyone on TikTok was raving about a certain viral “glow” serum. The packaging was beautiful, and the videos were convincing. I bought it, used it diligently every day, and finished the entire bottle. My final verdict? It was a perfectly fine, slightly sticky, hydrating serum, but it was not the miracle-working, life-changing elixir the internet promised. I got the same effect from a much cheaper hyaluronic acid serum. It taught me to be skeptical of viral hype and to trust my own results.
My “Travel-Size Empties”: What I Used Up on My Last Trip
The Tiny Heroes of My Toiletry Bag
I just got back from a ten-day trip and my toiletry bag is full of tiny empties. I finished a mini tube of my favorite moisturizer, a deluxe sample of a cleanser, and a travel-sized dry shampoo. Using up these minis on a trip is so satisfying. It means I packed correctly, and I don’t have to bring half-used tiny bottles home. It’s also the ultimate test of a product’s worthiness—if I trust it enough to rely on it while I’m away from my full arsenal, it’s a true staple.
The Products I “Declutter” Before They’re Empty
Sometimes, It’s Just Not a Match
An empty bottle is the ultimate positive review. But what about the opposite? My “declutter” pile consists of products that are still half-full. These are the products that, after weeks of trying, I have to admit are not right for me. Maybe the fragrance is too strong, or it pills under my makeup, or it just doesn’t deliver on its promises. I used to feel guilty about not finishing them, but now I see it as a smart decision. I’d rather pass it on to a friend than force myself to use something I don’t love.
My “Project Pan” Challenge: Can I Finish 10 Products in 3 Months?
A Gamified Approach to Using What I Have
My skincare collection was getting out of control, so I started a “Project Pan” challenge for myself. I chose ten products that were partially used and made it my mission to finish them in three months. It gamified my routine and forced me to be consistent instead of always reaching for something new. I rediscovered some old favorites and finally used up some “meh” products on my body. At the end, seeing those ten empty containers was incredibly satisfying and curbed my desire to constantly shop.
The Most Satisfying “Empty” Feeling
The Little “Thwump” of a Finished Pump Bottle
There are few small satisfactions in life quite like the feeling of finishing a skincare product. It’s the final, sad scrape of a spatula in a moisturizer jar. It’s the moment a pump bottle sputters and then gives one last, definitive “thwump.” It’s the satisfying feeling of squeezing a tube completely flat. Each empty represents a commitment fulfilled, a product used and enjoyed to its full potential. It’s a tangible symbol of consistency and a guilt-free permission slip to try something new (or repurchase a favorite).
My “Serum Empties”: A Deep Dive into Vitamin C, Retinol, and Niacinamide
My Hard-Working Actives, Drained to the Last Drop
Serums are the workhorses of my routine, and my empties prove which ones are putting in the hours. This year, I finished a bottle of Maelove’s Vitamin C serum, which kept my skin bright. I used up a tube of The Ordinary’s Granactive Retinoid, my gentle introduction to the world of retinoids. And I went through two bottles of Glossier’s Niacinamide serum, which has been a game-changer for my pores and oil control. Seeing these empty bottles confirms that these are the active ingredients my skin truly responds to.
The Best Indie Brand Products I’ve Ever Finished
Small Brands, Big Results
It’s always a joy to finish a product from a smaller, independent brand. This year, I used every last drop of the Stratia Liquid Gold moisturizer. It’s a cult-favorite online for a reason—it saved my skin barrier last winter. I also finished a bottle of a cleansing oil from a small K-beauty brand that I found online. Finding an empty from an indie brand feels like a special victory. It’s proof that you don’t need a massive marketing budget to create a product that people will love and use consistently.
How My “Empties” Reflect My Changing Skin Needs
A Visual Timeline of My Skin’s Journey
Looking at my empties from two years ago versus today is like looking at a timeline of my skin. My old empties bag was full of harsh acne cleansers and oil-control products. My current bin is filled with gentle hydrating cleansers, a retinol serum, and rich moisturizers. The products I use to the last drop are a direct reflection of my skin’s evolution from oily and acne-prone to more balanced and focused on healthy aging. My recycling bin tells a more accurate story of my skin than any single photo could.
My “Moisturizer Empties”: Which Creams My Dry Skin Drank Up
My Skin’s Thirst, Quenched
My skin gets incredibly dry in the winter, and my moisturizer empties are a testament to its thirst. I went through an entire tub of the Kiehl’s Ultra Facial Cream in just under three months. My skin just drank it up. I also finished a tube of the La Roche-Posay Cicaplast Baume B5, which I used as an overnight mask on particularly dry nights. An empty moisturizer jar is the most honest feedback from your skin. It’s a clear signal that the formula was hydrating and comforting enough to be used consistently.
The Products I Immediately Repurchased Before They Ran Out
The True Definition of a “Can’t Live Without” Product
There’s a special category of products that I don’t even let become true “empties.” These are the staples so essential to my routine that the thought of being without them for even a day causes a small panic. My sunscreen, my gentle cleanser, and my tretinoin prescription fall into this category. The moment I see the bottle is about two-thirds empty, I’m already online ordering a backup. This proactive repurchase is the highest honor a product can receive in my skincare collection.
A “No-Nonsense” Review of a Product After Using It for 4 Months Straight
Beyond the First Impressions
I just finished a bottle of a popular niacinamide serum that I used every single morning for four months. My final, no-nonsense review: it works, but it’s not a miracle. In the first month, I didn’t see much change. But by month three, I noticed my skin was less oily, and my pores looked slightly less prominent. It’s a solid, reliable product for texture and oil control, but it requires patience. The “empty” proves I gave it a fair shot, and the slow, subtle results were worth the consistency.
My “Lip Balm Empties”: The Quest for the Perfect Pout
I Am a Serial Lip Balm Finisher
I am constantly applying lip balm, so my empties pile is littered with them. I’ve finished countless tubes of Burt’s Bees, a few pots of the classic Vaseline rosy lips, and two full-sized Laneige Lip Sleeping Masks. Each empty tells a story. The Burt’s Bees is my go-to for my purse. The Vaseline is for a sheer tint. The Laneige is my heavy-duty overnight hero. The sheer volume of my lip balm empties proves my dedication to avoiding chapped lips at all costs.
The Most Beautiful Packaging I Was Sad to Throw Away
My Heart Said “Keep,” But My Clutter-Free Brain Said “Recycle”
I finally finished a bottle of a Herbivore face oil. The product itself was lovely, but the real star was the packaging. It came in a beautiful, minimalist glass bottle with a simple white dropper. It looked like a piece of art on my bathroom counter. As I rinsed out the empty bottle to put it in the recycling, I felt a genuine pang of sadness. The packaging was so aesthetically pleasing that throwing it away felt wrong. It’s a testament to the power of great design.
My “Hair and Scalp Care Empties”
From a Healthy Scalp to Happy Ends
This quarter’s empties included a few hair and scalp heroes. I finished a bottle of Olaplex No. 3, which is the only thing that makes my color-treated hair feel soft and strong. I also used up a scalp scrub with tea tree oil that helped with my product build-up and dry scalp this winter. And finally, an empty can of my favorite Living Proof dry shampoo, a constant repurchase. Seeing these empties reminds me that a good hair day often starts with a healthy, well-cared-for scalp.
The One Viral TikTok Product I Actually Finished and Loved
The Algorithm Was Right About This One
I’m usually skeptical of viral TikTok products, but my feed was flooded with videos of the COSRX Snail Mucin Essence. The texture looked weird, but people swore by it. I caved and bought a bottle. And I just finished it. The algorithm was right. It’s not a dramatic, instant-results product, but it adds a layer of deep, non-greasy hydration that has made my skin so much plumper and healthier. The empty bottle is my proof that sometimes, the hype is real. I’ve already repurchased it.
My “Empties” Bin Tour and Honest-to-God Reviews
Welcome to My Bin of Truth
If you want to know what I really think of a product, don’t look at my perfectly arranged shelf; look in my empties bin. In here, you’ll find the truth. You’ll see the third bottle of my favorite affordable serum, proving its value. You’ll see a fancy cleansing balm used to the last scrape, confirming it was worth the splurge. You’ll also see a half-finished eye cream I’m about to toss because it did absolutely nothing. My empties bin is my most honest content, a physical record of what works and what doesn’t.
How Tracking My Empties Helped Me Understand My Spending Habits
A Financial Audit via My Recycling Bin
For one year, I kept all my skincare empties in a box and tallied the cost. It was a financial audit of my beauty habits. I realized I was spending a surprising amount on trendy, mid-range serums that I didn’t always love. Conversely, my most reliable products—cleanser, sunscreen, moisturizer—were all affordable drugstore finds. This simple act of tracking made me shift my spending. I now invest more in targeted treatments that I know work and save on the basics.
The Best “Bang for Your Buck” Products I’ve Used Up
High Performance, Low Price Tag
My favorite kind of “empty” is one that performed like a luxury product but cost me less than $20. This month, I have two stellar examples. The first is The Ordinary’s Hyaluronic Acid serum, which costs about $8 and hydrates my skin just as well as its high-end counterparts. The second is the e.l.f. Holy Hydration! Face Cream, a $13 moisturizer that feels rich and nourishing. Finishing these products feels like a smart victory. They deliver amazing results and leave my wallet happy, making them an automatic repurchase.
The Products I “Pan” Every Single Year Without Fail
The Annual Mainstays of My Routine
There are certain products that are such staples in my routine, I can guarantee you’ll find them in my empties pile every single year. My EltaMD sunscreen is one—I probably go through two or three bottles a year. A tube of Aquaphor is another; it’s my go-to for lips, dry patches, and healing skin. These aren’t exciting or trendy products. They are the foundational, reliable pillars of my skincare routine that I will repurchase year after year without a second thought.
My “Eye Cream Empties”: Did Any of Them Actually Work?
The Quest for a Cream That Erases My Tiredness
I am on a perpetual quest for an eye cream that actually works on my genetic dark circles. My empties tell a story of hope and mediocrity. I finished a tube with Vitamin C, which maybe brightened things a tiny bit. I finished one with caffeine, which helped with puffiness in the morning but had no long-term effect. The truth is, after finishing three different eye creams this year, I’ve concluded that nothing in a jar will “cure” my dark circles. A good concealer is still my best bet.
The Best Way to Recycle or Repurpose Your Empty Containers
Giving My Empties a Second Life
Tossing a beautiful empty glass jar in the bin feels so wasteful. I’ve started finding ways to recycle and repurpose my empties. For simple plastic tubes, I make sure they are clean and check my local recycling guidelines. For the pretty glass jars, I give them a second life. A small moisturizer pot is perfect for holding earrings when I travel. A larger jar can become a home for cotton swabs or a tiny succulent. It makes the end of a product feel less like waste and more like a new beginning.
The Products I Share with My Partner That We Both Finish
Our Shared Shelf Superstars
There are a few products on our bathroom shelf that are a free-for-all. These are the unisex, unfragranced, effective products that both my partner and I love. We go through bottles of CeraVe cleanser at an alarming rate. The jumbo-sized tube of La Roche-Posay body lotion is another shared favorite. When an empty appears that we both contributed to, it’s a sign of a truly universal, well-formulated product that can please even a skincare minimalist and a skincare enthusiast alike.
My “Face Mist Empties”: Which Ones Were More Than Just Fancy Water
A Deep Dive into My Hydrosol Habit
I love a good face mist, but I’m also skeptical of them. My empties help me separate the effective from the superfluous. I finished a can of Avene thermal water, which was incredibly soothing when my skin was irritated. I also finished a bottle of a Caudalie mist that felt like a luxurious treat but probably didn’t do much. The Avene can, which I used up for its tangible calming benefits, will be repurchased. The fancy one will not. The empty proves which one was a tool versus a toy.
The Best Products I Received as a Gift and Ended Up Repurchasing
From a Thoughtful Gift to a Holy Grail
The best kind of gift is one you end up loving so much you buy it for yourself. For my birthday last year, a friend gave me a bottle of the Youth to the People Superfood Cleanser. I might not have bought it for myself, but I fell in love with it. It cleansed thoroughly without stripping my skin. I used every last drop of that gifted bottle, and as soon as it was empty, I immediately repurchased it. It’s now a staple in my routine, a constant reminder of a thoughtful friend.
My “Seasonal Empties”: What My Skin Loved This Winter
My Winter Empties Pile is All About Hydration
My empties bin is a perfect reflection of the season. Looking at my winter empties, it’s a festival of hydration. There’s a tub of a thick ceramide cream, a bottle of hyaluronic acid serum, a tube of a heavy-duty hand cream, and a pot of a rich sleeping mask. These are the products my skin craved and consumed during the cold, dry months. Seeing them all together, used to the last drop, is a clear picture of my skin’s successful battle against winter dryness.
The Most “Instagrammable” Product I Finished. Was the Formula as Good as the ‘Gram?
I Bought It for the Shelfie, But Did I Love It for the Serum?
I bought a bottle of a Glow Recipe serum mostly because the pink, beautifully shaped glass bottle looked stunning on my vanity. It was pure #shelfie bait. I committed to using the whole thing to see if the inside was as good as the outside. The verdict? It was a perfectly pleasant, hydrating serum. It did give me a dewy finish. But was it life-changing? No. I’m glad I tried it, but the empty bottle confirms that I was paying more for the aesthetic than the efficacy.
My “Under $20” Empties That Perform Like Luxury
The Drugstore Heroes That Fight Above Their Weight Class
Nothing makes me happier than finishing a product that feels high-end but has a drugstore price tag. My recent under-$20 empties are all-stars. A bottle of Good Molecules Discoloration Correcting Serum, which at $12, helped fade my acne marks noticeably. A tube of Versed’s gentle retinol, which gave me results without irritation for only $22. These products prove that thoughtful formulation matters more than a brand name or a high price, and their empty containers are my proof.
The Products I Recommend to Friends and Family After Finishing Them Myself
The Ultimate Seal of Approval
I don’t recommend a product to my friends or family lightly. My personal seal of approval has one requirement: I must have finished the entire product myself. An empty bottle means I have used it consistently, through different moods and seasons, and can vouch for its performance over time, not just based on a first impression. When I press an empty bottle into my friend’s hand and say, “You have to try this,” it’s the most honest, time-tested recommendation I can give.
My Most “Regrettable” Purchase That I Still Forced Myself to Finish
The $60 Mistake I Couldn’t Bear to Waste
During a sale, I impulse-bought a $60 “plumping” serum from a fancy brand. I hated it. It was sticky, smelled weird, and did absolutely nothing for my skin. But the guilt of wasting that much money was overwhelming. I couldn’t throw it away. I demoted it to a neck and chest serum and grimly used it every night for months until it was finally, mercifully empty. The empty bottle isn’t a trophy; it’s a scar, a permanent reminder to never, ever impulse-buy expensive skincare again.
The “Empty” That Started My Love Affair with a Brand
The Gateway Product That Got Me Hooked
A few years ago, I finished my first bottle of the Fresh Soy Face Cleanser. It was the first “high-end” cleanser I’d ever bought, and I savored every drop. It was so gentle and effective that when it was empty, I not only repurchased it but also decided to try the brand’s moisturizer. Then their masks. That one empty cleanser was my gateway product. It built a sense of trust and started a long-term love affair with the brand, all because that first product was just that good.
The Ultimate “Would I Repurchase?” Gauntlet for All My Empties
The Final Judgment for Every Finished Product
For every empty bottle that enters my recycling bin, I have a simple but ruthless final judgment. I ask myself two questions. First, “Was I excited to use this every day?” If it felt like a chore, it’s a no. Second, and more importantly, “If I lost it today, would I go out and buy a new one tomorrow?” If the answer is a hesitant “maybe” or “I could find something else,” then it hasn’t earned a repurchase. Only a resounding “YES!” gets a product a permanent spot on my shelf.
What My Collection of “Empties” Says About Me
An Autobiography in Bottles and Jars
If you were to analyze my empties box, you could write a pretty accurate biography of me. You’d see I’m someone who values consistency, with multiple repeat purchases of the same sunscreen and cleanser. You’d see I’m practical and budget-conscious, with a healthy dose of drugstore finds. You’d also see my hopeful, curious side in the one-off empty of a trendy serum. My empties tell a story of my priorities, my habits, and my evolving relationship with my skin. They are the tangible artifacts of my self-care journey.