Fall 2019 Beauty Empties | See 25+ Products Finished! December 26, 2019
As a beauty blogger and lover, I’m constantly trying out new cosmetics, skincare and hair care products. However, over the past 2-3 years, I’ve been attempting to reign in my shopping and work through the beauty products that I own through a comprehensive inventory system, periodic No-Buys, and yearlong Project Pans. Keep reading for my Fall 2019 Beauty Empties with a ton of rapid-fire beauty reviews.

Cosmetics Empties
Makeup Empties
Benefit Precisely, My Brow (4) | $24.00
Many younger consumers or people new to makeup credit Anastasia Beverly Hills for making brows a “thing” for makeup wearers. However, Benefit actually held that crown for many years. In fact, Benefit was the brand that convinced me to sculpt my brows.
Precisely, My Brow* is a micro-fine brow pencil akin to Anastasia Beverly Hills’ beloved Brow Wiz. I would consider repurchasing the Precisely, My Brow in the future. However, I will not repurchase until I finish what I currently own. Check out my brow collection.
Note: it took me nearly seven months of almost daily wear to use up this brow pencil. Therefore, this brow pencil is well worth the money.
Benefit…They’re Real Mascara Mini | $12.00, CF
At one point, Benefit’s…They’re Real Mascara was my holy grail mascara. Its ability to lift and lengthen the lashes looked so effortlessly natural-looking. As a result, this is a perfect mascara for “no makeup” makeup days. However, I own WAY too many mascaras to justify purchasing a new one of these at this time.
Bite Beauty Agave Lip Treatment + Agave Lip Treatment Sample | $10.00, CF (now discontinued)
The Bite Beauty Agave Lip Treatment is an ultra-hydrating nighttime balm meant to lock in moisture that leaves the lips feeling supple. So far, this is the only lip treatment that compares to my Fresh Lip Therapy Treatment. In fact, this tiny tube lasted me 9 months!!
ColourPop All Star Setting Spray | $10.00, CF
I received the ColourPop All Star Setting Spray free with a ColourPop purchase earlier in the year. This setting spray lives up to the claim to keep my foundation locked into place but the spray itself doesn’t feel as nice as some of my other setting sprays. Nor do I think it blurs perfections like it claims.
ColourPop BFF Mascara – Black on Black | $8.00, CF
I tried the ColourPop BFF Mascara after watching KathleenLights’ try on video where she demonstrated each colorful mascara in the line. However, I’ve been on a rollercoaster with this mascara.
At first, the formula felt too wet. Also, it was seriously painful to get in the eyes. However, after a month or so the mascara dries a little so the formula performs better. Nevertheless, I would not go out of my way to repurchase this mascara again unless I wanted to grab a fun color that I could not find elsewhere.
Laura Mercier – Caviar Volume Panoramic Mascara Mini | $12.00
The Laura Mercier Caviar Volume Panoramic Mascara Mini made my lashes look ultra black and voluminous. I received this deluxe sample as a free Sephora Perk. I would consider giving this another try!
Milk Makeup KUSH Lash Primer | $24.00, CF
I WANTED so badly to love the Milk Makeup KUSH Lash Primer.* In fact, I was stoked to try this product because the KUSH Mascara* is my favorite mascara. Sadly, I needed to push myself to use this product.
Milk Makeup KUSH High Volume Mascara in Blackest Black | $20.00, CF
The Milk Makeup KUSH High Volume Mascara is one of my all-time favorite mascaras. I already have a mini of this in a kit that I purchased earlier this year.
Smashbox Photo Finish Oil & Shine Control Primer | $39.00, CF
The Smashbox Photo Finish Oil & Shine Control Primer may be the surprise hit of the year for me. Overall, I love the soft matte finish this primer gives the skin and how it prolongs the life of my makeup. Read my full thoughts in my Smashbox Photo Finish Oily & Shine Control Primer review.
Tarte Sex Kitten Liquid Liner | $20.00, CF
Packaging aside, I hate the Tarte Sex Kitten Liner.* Overall, the formula is difficult to apply on the lids. Swatched on the hand, this liner looks like a pigmented, deep black shade with glitter particles. However, this liner skips over eyeshadow on my eyelids and applies very runny. As a result, the application is uneven. Countless looks were ruined using this liner.
Although my goal was to completely finish this liner until no product came out, I couldn’t torture myself any more. However, given how much of the product I used, I felt it was fair to include this as a finished product. All in all, I am glad that I never paid for this liner (and only received it as a gift in a subscription box).
Urban Decay Naked Skin Weightless Ultra Definition Liquid Foundation (1.5 Fair Bisque) | $40.00, CF (discontinued)
Urban Decay’s Naked Skin Weightless Ultra Definition Liquid Foundation has been my favorite foundation for the last two years. It is long-lasting, lightweight, and looks like my skin but better. Also, the soft matte finish looks skin-like. Moreover, the formula plays well with most primers and cheek products. See where this falls in my foundation ranking for oily skin.
Urban Decay Travel Size Perversion Mascara | $12.00, CF
Oddly, I never tried the Perversion Mascara* before receiving this free sample from Urban Decay. Previously, I always gave the freebies I received to friends or family. That being said, this mascara is very reminiscent of the Benefit They’re Real Mascara. It does a great job at adding length, separation, and color to the lashes. My lashes looked naturally beautiful with this mascara, so I would consider repurchasing.

Skincare Empties
Skincare Empties
Fresh – Soy Face Cleanser Mini (X2) | $10.14
At this point, I’ve lost count of how many Fresh Soy Face Cleansers* I’ve gone through. In my humble opinion, I’ve never tried a cleanser that is as good as this one from Fresh. First, it is super gentle on the skin. Second, despite being gentle, it still does a wonderful job at removing oil, grime, and makeup.** I may try cleansers from other brands every now and again, but I always go back to this one.
**Note: I remove my makeup with a balm or oily-based makeup before washing my face.
It Cosmetics – Bye Bye Under Eye Eye Cream | $48.00, CF
The Bye Bye Under Eye Eye Cream* is magic for dark circles under the eye. There is a noticeable difference in my under eyes when I use this cream. My eye area immediately looks lifted and bright. I am currently testing out a new eye cream, but I will certainly purchase this in the future.
Korres – Pomegranate Balancing Cream-Gel Moisturiser | $34.00, CF (discontinued)
Y’all… I honestly and truly do not understand why Korres is not more hyped. I’ve loved all the skincare that I’ve tried from this brand and the clean ingredients that the brand uses. Fans of Fresh are likely to enjoy this cream. I wanted to repurchase the Pomegranate Balancing Cream-Gel Moisturizer; however, it has sadly been discontinued.
Palmers Cocoa Butter – Daily Skin Therapy Solid Jar Mini | $1.17
Like so many of the products I’ve finished throughout the rest of 2019, the Palmers Cocoa Butter Daily Skin Therapy Solid was a free product I received at Beautycon. Fans of cocoa scents will love this. However, I struggled with this product because I felt like it didn’t sink into my skin.
Ponds Cold Cream Cucumber Cleanser & Makeup Remover | $4.99
I am so satisfied with the Ponds Cold Cream Cucumber Cleanser. This cleanser is super gentle, yet so effective at removing makeup.Unlike some makeup removers that strip the skin, this cold cream actually leaves the skin feeling nourished and supple.
Also, there is an incredible amount of product that you receive – especially at the price point. In fact, this jar lasted me longer than a year. If I wasn’t using this cleanser to remove arm swatches, this likely would have lasted me even longer!
Buyer beware: if you have oily skin like I do, you NEED to double cleanse. Your skin will feel greasy and your pores will get clogged if you fail to wash your face afterward.
Ren Glycolic Radiance Renewal Mask | $16.80, CF
I received Ren’s Glycolic Radiance Renewal Mask* as a free Sephora Insider perk earlier this year. This mask definitely lives up to its claims to leave the skin looking brighter and fresher; however, I am not planning to repurchase this mask at this time given that I own two full size brightening masks from other brands.
Sol de Janeiro – Coco Cabana Deluxe Mini | $6.67, CF
If you’ve been keeping up with this series, then you already know that I do enjoy the Coco Cabana Cream from Sol de Janeiro*… despite the tingling sensation that occurs when it is first applied. I will consider repurchasing the newly reformulated version of this cream. However, I will not repurchase at this time since I have two other body butter pots to work through.
St. Ives – Travel Size Invigorating Apricot Scrub Facial Cleanser | $1.49
I purchased a travel size version of the St. Ives Apricot Scrub over the summer after realizing I forgot to pack face wash for a weekend away. The St. Ives Scrub was the only option I could find at the grocery store so I picked this up. I was impressed by how well this scrub exfoliated my face and used this up fairly quickly this fall when my skin needed some extra love and attention.

Haircare Empties
Haircare Empties
Briogeo Scalp Revival Charcoal + Tea Tree Scalp Treatment | $32.00, CF
10/10 recommend the Briogeo Scalp Revival Charcoal + Tea Tree Scalp Treatment to anyone with scalp issues. As someone with an itchy scalp that is prone to build up and hair fallout, this treatment has been a wondrous find. It calms my scalp on second-day hair days and calms my irritated scalp. Plus, this bottle lasted me an entire year. I have already repurchased a back another one of these treatments.
Dove Intense Repair Conditioner | $4.99, CF
To be honest, I completely forgot that I owned this Dove Intense Repair Conditioner. Rather than tossing this conditioner out, I decided to use it up.
Maui Moisture Curl Quench + Coconut Oil Shampoo & Conditioner | $9.99 each, CF
Maui Moisture is a new brand that I tried in 2019. The Curl Quench Shampoo & Conditioner added definition to my curls without weighing them down or making my hair feel greasy. The Curl Quench line is advertised as being made for thick, curly hair, but it worked well on my thin, wavy hair.
Verb Ghost Shampoo & Conditioner | $16.00 each, CF
As someone with a sensitive scalp, I am always cautious about the hair products I use to cleanse my scalp. The Ghost Shampoo* & Conditioner* cleanse and hydrate my hair without stripping it or weighing it down. Best of all, this line doesn’t irritate my scalp.
Fall 2019 Beauty Empties Total
Products Used Up: 29
Product Value: $456.23
Final thoughts on my Fall 2019 Beauty Empties
Weirdly enough, I finished more makeup items than skincare items by the time I wrote up my Fall 2019 beauty empties roundup! However, the bulk of my makeup empties were base and mascara products. Other forms of makeup are much harder to work through due to the sheer volume of product you receive compared to what you use.
In complete honesty, my low number of skincare empties disappointed me. Normally, skincare comprises the bulk of my empties roundups. However, this past season I finished far fewer products than I anticipated. That being said, I have quite a few items that I know I’ll finish early on in 2020.
Although seeing a huge empties roundup is weirdly satisfying, I never want to become one of the Project Panners that I see digging into product and wasting it.
Disclaimer: not all Project Panners dig into their products, but sadly I still see a lot of this behavior going on in the community.
Let’s connect on social media: Instagram | Twitter | Pinterest | Bloglovin’ | Influenster
Did you enjoy my Fall 2019 Beauty empties? Check out my previous Summer and Spring Empties posts.
Have you tried any of the products featured in my Fall 2019 Beauty Empties before? What products did you use up this Fall? Please let me know in the comments below.
beauty cosmetics empties haircare makeup products I've used up project pan project pan 2019 review skincare
Oooh! I love it when people finish their products. They make the most out of it and it really shows when the products does well (or at least you’re not contributing to waste). Oh man, I still need to finish my mascara!! You can never go wrong with high quality foundation. Oooh! Love your skincare picks too. It is great that the beauty empties were worthwhile~ Happy new year!
Nancy โฅ exquisitely.me
When I throw things out I feel like I’m throwing away money, too! So I’m trying to be better about using up what I can.
I think this whole “empties” idea is very cool. I’m guilty of buying products and not finishing them. I def want to do this more in 2020. Btw, from all the mascaras you used, which one is your favorite? I really want to try out a new mascara and I haven’t tried out any of these yet.
Much love always,
GABBY | http://www.gabbyabigaill.com
I’m 100% guilty of not finishing products, but I do try to use up as much as I can. My fave mascara is def the Milk Makeup Kush Mascara (if you have a free Sephora Beauty Insider membership you can get this as your bday gift this year!!).
I love reading ’empties’ posts! I’ve been struggling soooooo much with the Tarte Sex Kitten Liquid Eyeliner. I purchased it because I loved the packaging and liked Tarte’s Maneater Liquid Eyeliner, but the Sex Kitten one has been so difficult to apply. I do love Urban Decay’s Perversion Mascara though; I’ll probably repurchase it once I run out!
I’m glad that I’m not the only one that struggled with the Sex Kitten Mascara. I’ve never tried the UD Perversion Mascara, but have always wanted to!! I just started using the Fenty Beauty Fly Liner and I’m loving it!!
Wow! You did an amazing job with your Empties, once again! The first 3 in your skincare category sound so good, I’d love to try them all & that Pond’s cream seems to be super popular, too. My scalp is sensitive & prone to buildups, too. I hate it. Right now I’m using the Caviar shampoo & it’s working well but when I run out, I’m gonna have to try out that Briogeo Scalp Revival!
I still can’t believe some bloggers dig at their makeup for Project Pans. Doesn’t that delete the purpose? & how can you tell when they are doing this?
It completely negates the purpose of trying to use up products. Personally, if someone tells me or shows that they โhit panโ in an eyeshadow after 4 uses or less that is a red flag. If someone finishes a bottle of perfume in a month that is a red flag. I once saw a YouTuber claim to finish 9 UD Primer Potions in a year…. like those are notorious for lasting a year or more even amongst those of us that do elaborate looks every day. ๐๐๐
That’s crazy!! 9 full-sized UD primer potions in one year?! No waaaaay. How can they even think they’re fooling people? Lol.