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Welcome back to my traditional End of year Beauty Empties post where I show you everything I finished over the course of the year while moaning about what a bad idea it was to collect all my trash for such a long period of time.

 

 

Seeing that I have been doing that since 2021 I don’t think I will change the concept anytime soon, despite my complaining, so grab yourself something to drink and maybe a sweet treat – this is going to be a long one.

 

 

 

Cleansers I finished in 2024

I am always surprised how few cleansers I actually manage to finish throughout the year, given that I cleanse my face at least once a day. But then again I tend to have multiples open at the same time, so for those four I managed to finish there are at least four more that are more than halfway gone and will probably show up in next years video.

The first one is the Versed Day Dissolve Cleansing Balm (67 g for 15,99 €, full review here) which is a nice cleansing balm, but one that both blurs my vision a little and doesn’t rinse completely clean, meaning you will need a second cleanse to go with it. Oh, and it smells strongly like eucalyptus, which always reminded my of the cough remedy of my youth. I liked it, but have others I love. Another one to remove your make with is the Florasis Hydra-Soothe Cleansing Oil (210 ml for 44,95 €, full review here), which smells divine, is beautifully packaged and rinses clean. I liked it a lot, but have others that are just as good and less expensive.

As morning or second cleanse I finished the Balea Beauty Expert Peeling Cleanser (125 ml for 3,95 €, full review here) which is despite the name not really a peeling cleanser. It has 0,8% AHA and then 3% PHA and left my skin feeling hydrated and calm. While it is really nice, it doesn’t really spark joy, and the same goes for the second gel cleanser, Geek and Gorgeous Jelly Joker in a travel size (150 ml for 9,50 € for the full size, full review here). I have finished several tubes of this one over the last years as it gets the job done perfectly fine, but somehow I can’t seem to fall in love with it.

 

 

Toners I finished in 2024

The toners I have finished can be divided into two categories: Hydrating or exfoliating, and that basically sums up what I want my toners to do.

The Real Barrier Extreme Essence Toner (200 ml for 22,95 €, full review here) is a great one for winter as it combines hydration with a soothing effect due to the added Panthenol and Ceramides while the Balea Beauty Expert Hydration Toner (100 ml for 3,95 €, full review here) contains Panthenol as well, but is much more lightweight and great for summer. I can see myself repurchasing either of them, even though Real Barrier isn’t exactly easy to get here.

For exfoliation we have the Balea Beauty Expert Liquid Peeling Toner with 2% BHA (125 ml for 6,45 €, full review here) and and old favorite, the Paula’s Choice 2% BHA Liquid Exfoliant (118 ml for 39 €, full review here). Balea is pretty similar to the one from Paula’s Choice, but leaver more of a residue on my face which I, despite it being 4 times as expensive, will stick to Paula’s Choice. If you are someone that needs to combat breakouts on the body though, Balea is a solid option.

 

 

Serums I finished in 2024

Serums are always the category where I have the most empties to show you, and this year is no different. I adore the serum step in my routine, it is where I put the products I expect the most results from, and I use at least one in the mornings and one at night, more often actually two each morning and each night. And that paired with the fact that they contain way less product than a toner leads t quite a bit of stuff to show here.

Some of them are repetitive though: I finished 5 bottles of Geek and Gorgeous C-Glow Serum (30 ml for 12,50 €, full review here) – no surprise as it is my favorite Vitamin C and a staple in my routine year round. Staying with the actives category and the brand I also have Geek and Gorgeous A-Game 10 (30 ml for 18.85 €, full review here) which, complete transparency here, wasn’t used up by me but by my husband. I use prescription Tretinoin for my adult acne, so in order to be able to give you real reviews of all the over the counter products out there he agreed to be my guinea pig. He is also the one that used The Ordinary Retinal 0,2% Emulsion (15 ml for 17,99 €, full review here) and the innbeauty Project Retinol Remix (30 ml for 48 $, full review here). Out of the three he preferred the one from innbeauty in terms of texture over the others, but overall I’d say that the other two are better suited for those that look for a retinoid specifically as innbeauty is more of an all rounder product that also features peptides and Tranexamic Acid and puts less emphasis on the retinoid.

Speaking of Tranexamic Acid, I also finished the face theory Exaglow Serum (30 ml for 32 €, full review here) that has since been rebranded and is called Glow-C Tranexamic Acid Serum. I liked it and finished it over fall, when my hyperpigmentation is strongest, but can’t say it was better than other Tranexamic Acid Serums I have tried in the past.

One that I really enjoyed and am debating to purchase again is the Skintegra Lunar Serum Concentrate (15 ml for 17 €, full review here) which is a hydrating serum with peptides, fermented ingredients and Cica and falls into the same category as the Estée Lauder Advanced Night Repair (30 ml for 95 €, full review here) that is arguably a lot more expensive, but has been a favorite of mine for making my skin feel amazing for more than ten years.

Then I finished two serums that claim barrier support as their main feature, which always comes in handy in winter, the Vegreen Skin Barrier Reishi Serum (50 ml for 24,95 €, full review here) with fermented ingredients and collagen from mushrooms for hydration and The Ordinary Soothing and Barrier Support Serum (30 ml for 17,99 €, full review here) which I prefer out of the two. My barrier only needs a little support in the cold though, I don’t really struggle, so I am not that picky here.

Two more: One is a hydrating and antioxidant serum that I liked to take with me when I was traveling and left my Vitamin C at home, the innisfree Intensive Hydration Serum with Green Tea Seed (80 ml for 25,99 €, full review here). I like it a lot, but will again whichever hydrating serum I have at hand and probably not go out of my way to repurchase. The last one is one that I have repurchased numerous times, the NIOD Copper Amino Isolate Serum 3 (30 ml for 87 €, full review here). Yes, it is very expensive, but I want copper peptides in my routine and the texture in this one is the most beautiful I have found, which is why I keep reaching for it.

 

 

Eye Creams I finished in 2024

The eye cream category surprised me a little, I could have sworn I finished more, but that is what I found in my bad of trash: The pixi DetoxifEYE Serum (25 ml for 26,95 €, full review here) that I used as a lightweight layer in the mornings and the NIOD Fractionated Eye Contour Concentrate (15 ml for 65 €, full review here) that was more of a night time product due to its slightly oilier texture. Both were nice, but nothing I would repurchase.

 

 

Moisturizers I finished in 2024

I don’t use many moisturizers, usually only a lightweight one at night in the summer and a richer one at night during winter, and I did finish one of each last year. As a more lightweight option the Geek and Gorgeous Happier Barrier (50 ml for 10,80 €, full review here) that I really enjoyed and might eventually pick up again, and for the cold the 107 Everyday Plump Hydra Cream (50 ml for 40 €, full review here). It is one that manages to be nourishing without feeling suffocating. I am not easily excited by a moisturizer though, so I will probably just use whatever is left in my stash and fits the same criteria.

 

 

Sunscreens I finished in 2024

One of the reasons why I don’t use a moisturizer in the mornings is that my sunscreen doubles up as moisturizer during the day, something that works amazing for those of us with normal to oily skin.

During the summer heat I like very lightweight textures that are easy to reapply like the Biore UV Watery Essence SPF 50+ (50 g for 15,99 €, full review here) of which I finished two last summer or I reach for a sweat resistant formula when I know I will be outdoors a lot, like the La Roche Posay Anthelios UVMune 400 SPF 50+ (50 ml for 14,99 €, full review here) that I also finished two of. Both have been repurchased several times already.

Two other ones that I have already repurchased and that I use more during milder weather or in winter are the Beauty of Joseon Relief Sun: Rice + Probiotics SPF 50+ (50 ml for 14,95 €, full review here) and the SKIN1004 Hyalu-Cica Water-Fit Sun-Serum SPF 50 + (50 ml for 14,99 €, full review here).

In addition to that I did test a few new options including the dermaCO C-Cinamide Radiance Sunscreen Aqua Gel SPF 50 (full review here) that a friend from India gave me – you can’t really get it here. It was nice, but a little too rich for my face, so I ended up using it on my neck and decollete. Another one I tried was the Alpha-H Dawn to Dusk SPF 50+ Serum (50 ml for 49,95 €, full review here) which is lovely, but pricey and in my opinion not packaged ideally – you need several pipettes of it to get enough protection and I just found that cumbersome. And lastly the Garnier Vitamin C Daily UV Invisible SPF 50+ (40 ml for 12,95 €, full review here) which is really nice and a great option you can pick up at your local drugstore without having to order online.

 

 

Treatments I finished in 2024

A few random things here that didn’t fit any other category: I finished several lip balms. From the Emile Cordon Classic Lip Balms the flavors Rose Petal and Lisa (12 g for 57 $, full review here) and in addition to that the La Neige Lip Sleeping Mask EX in the flavor Grapefruit (8g for 22,95 €, full review here). All of them were very nice, but also quite expensive, so I will not repurchase. I also finished one tube of Currentbody Radiofrequency Gel (100 ml for 35 €) that I use with my radio frequency device and prefer over other branded options I have tried in the past.

 

Hair Products I finished in 2024

Hair Products I finished in 2024

Moving away from the face and to the hair products I finished: One large pot of Olaplex No 3 Hair Perfector (250 ml for 36 €, full review here). 2024 was the year were I finally found a good rhythm of when to apply this prewash hair mask and I am pretty happy with the results, so I repurchased already. The Olaplex No4 P Blonde Enhancing Toning Shampoo (250 ml for 29,95 €, full review here) on the other hand didn’t convince me. It is nice, but I found it quite harsh on my hair and not better than whatever drugstore version I had.

Another shampoo I liked, but didn’t love was the L’Oréal Elseve Nutri-Gloss Shine Shampoo (350 ml for 2 €). It makes my hair shiny without weighing it down, but the scent isn’t really my favorite. Then one bottle of Batiste Dry Shampoo in Care + Protect and one in Cherry (200 ml for 3,95 €), both of which were nice, but I prefer the original and have repurchased that one, and lastly hair oils.

Two bottles of Garnier Hair Oil (150 ml for 5,99 €) – they are different types, but work the same on my hair, so I keep repurchasing whichever I spot the day I need to stock up on. And one bottle of Olaplex No 7 Bonding Oil (30 ml for 29,95 €, full review here). Why two different types? I use Olaplex after washing and before I heat style and the cheaper ones from Garnier each time before I brush my hair to reduce friction.

 

 

Makeup I finished in 2024

And now makeup, featuring more concealers than anything else, which tells you everything about my sleep schedule you need to know. First the NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer in Light (6 ml for 23,99 €, full review here) that I adore, but replaced with the much more affordable drugstore version from Maybelline and then the Laura Mercier Secret Concealer for under eye in 1.5 (2.2 g for 31 €) that I used for spot concealing as well as under the eyes. I liked that one a lot too, but haven’t replaced it yet, probably because I don’t have the patience to do much spot concealing anyway.

For foundation I have the L’Oréal True Match Nude Plumping Tinted Serum in Very Light (30 ml for 12,95 €, full review here) which is my go to for every day and has already been repurchased.

For eye makeup there are two Catrice High Performance 24h Brush Liner in Black (3 ml for 3,25 €) because I still wear black liner every day and two L’Oréal Air Volume Mega Mascara in Black (9 ml for 11,95 €). I have experimented with other mascaras over the year, but that one still remains my favorite and will be repurchased. Then I have one Sephora Shape and Set Clear Brow Gel (7 ml for 12,99 €) which was okay, but not strong enough to keep my brow hair in place more than three hours, and two nail things from essie: The essie Gel Couture Top Coat (13,5 ml for 11,95 €, full review here) that I already repurchased and then the essie nail polish in Bubbles Only (13,5 ml for 11,95 €, full review here) which isn’t completely empty, but dried out and is one of my favorite shades to wear, so I got a fresh one.

 

And… we are done! If you managed to stick around until the end, thank you so much! I will see you again in 2025.

 

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