Helloo, and welcome to my monthly Empties post where I talk about the skincare products I’ve emptied that month.
I hope you enjoyed the (late) February Empties post!1
Here are March’s empties; do read, like and comment/DM your thoughts :)
Also, as always, suggestions are welcome.
Now, on to March!
Skin Context: I have dry and dehydrated skin which is something I discovered recently. I thought I just had reaaaally dry skin... but apparently not *shrugs*. Dehydrated it is!
So what does that mean? It means my skin is dry but dehydrated - parched, with a lot of texture (minuscule bumps that make it drier and rougher). So this month’s empties were also interesting because I used them when I thought my skin was dry (some of them!) but also after my oh-no-it’s-dehydrated discovery haha.
Also, I don’t mind fragranced products!
Texture:
It’s a nice creamy consistency and is highly moisturising.
Fragrance:
I want to say it was herby but I do not remember :(
Usage Timeline:
6 months. It lasted for a surprisingly long time for how small the product looks.
How did it do?:
I liked it a lot! It was a light cream consistency (IIRC) but was quite nourishing for me. I started using it at night and it made my skin soft and well-moisturised. I also used it in the daytime sometimes (thank you, dehydration) and it was actually good for the morning too!
Overall, I liked it a lot; it was a really good night cream that delivered what a night cream should. So a good basic night cream.
Would I repurchase?:
Probably not. It is quite expensive and the right time to buy it would be during their 40/50% off sales. I’d rather find a cream that is accessible for me more often.
What did I replace this with?:
The World Of Cerene’s Hydrating Cloud Cream 50g!
It was (is?) a fairly new brand and the product page seemed interesting. So I got 2 tubes for ₹649 on a B1G1 offer.
Texture:
This serum is water-based and has a viscous consistency. It was white in colour for me but I think the current serum is yellow.
Fragrance:
It smells a little bit like lactic acid/curd adjacent to me.
Usage Timeline:
I used it for 9 months. I know. I understand :P
How did it do?:
This was my first-ever retinol serum! I know retinol serums take a while to show ‘results’ so I honestly did not know what to expect at the end of an empty bottle.
But, this serum did seem to be doing some work on the face! For starters, it did dry out my skin and palms for a while. I did some extra layering to combat this (typically it is recommended to follow the sandwich method while using retinol - toners/serums/cream + retinol + moisturiser). I layered a few toners and serums, followed it up with retinol and finished it off with my moisturiser and facial oil.
Wrt purging, I purged for a very short period of time (a few weeks - I don’t even remember the exact count, it was that short). I think this is because I am already used to exfoliants.
I even spot-treated some acne bumps with this serum, and it reduced my bump overnight!
Overall, a good beginner-friendly retinol serum, in my opinion. Please do keep in mind though, I don’t know enough about retinol serums/creams to pass that off as a fact. It is just my opinion based on my personal experience.
Would I repurchase?:
No! I started reading stories of batch inconsistencies, and formulation changes of the serum, online. So I decided to try some other brand.
What did I replace this with?:
Be Minimalist’s 0.3% Retinol Serum.
It retails for ₹599. I got it on Kindlife for much cheaper. I used my kinders (their loyalty points) and an influencer code and got 3 products (this serum + 2 Chemist at Play products for ₹568 together).
Texture:
It is a runny body wash that lathers decently. Not fully foaming, but mild lather-foam.
Fragrance:
It smells like citrus with a little bit of the seaweed scent. A very sea-like, citrusy scent. I liked the smell!
Usage Timeline:
Roughly a month. Peek emoji. I KNOW, it’s 400ml and I finished it in about a month. I swear I didn’t drink it.
How did it do?:
It did quite well for a body wash. This was my first product from this brand so I had no expectations. I think I ended up taking too much because of how runny the wash is.
There was no soapy feel post-bath. Actually… I could feel a miiiild soapy film on the body but nothing that was annoying.
Would I repurchase?:
Probably not. I don’t like this enough to want to repurchase it.
What did I replace this with?:
Chemist at Play Daily Exfoliation Body Wash. Got it on a great deal on Kindlife (along with the Minimalist Retinol above).
Not a direct replacement but this is the body wash I purchased after the Faith in Nature one.
Texture:
It’s a solid soap; it didn’t slip out of my hand easily. The lather is also quite creamy. I really enjoyed using the soap (I never thought I’d be typing such words online but here we are!).
Fragrance:
I LOVE this fragrance. It’s citrusy and smells so pleasant (to me). I haven’t had a mimosa nor do I know what one smells like, but after using this soap I don’t think I’d mind trying it.
It also smells like what a posh (star or not) hotel lobby would smell like, I feel - a mild citrus smell from the flower arrangements and bowls of fruit in the lobby, perhaps?
Usage Timeline:
15 days.
How did it do?:
I LOVE IT! I love the smell, I love the soap (wouldn’t mind if it was bigger honestly), and I love the lather and the clean feel post-bath.
Would I repurchase?:
YES!
What did I replace this with?:
I bought 2 soaps - this and the lemon one - so I have that to use after Trippin’ Mimosas!
And so, March comes to an end.
Among the 4 empties above, please try the Plum soaps. It’s easily accessible (is available in Health & Glow), and is a risk-free product everyone will find useful! I’m curious to see your thoughts on it.
Thank you for reading, and feel free to drop a comment! Tell me what you think, would you like me to include anything more, have you tried anything from above? I would literally love to know. Yes. Literally.
Will I ever stop apologising for publishing late? Probably not.
really enjoyed this! also, i totally get enjoying soaps (it feels like such a luxury for some reason, the ones with heady fragrances!). how would you rate Be Minimalist's retinol serum?