Beauty Empties: Which Products Do You Actually Finish and Then Buy Again?

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Ladies, what beauty products do you use so often that you get “empties,” where you actually get to the bottom of the lipstick or jar, and what do you buy again and again?

I tend to rotate among so many different products that I almost never get to the bottom of anything, let alone say “I definitely need THAT again, right this instant.”

Still, even I have my regular items that I buy again and again, so I thought I'd round up my beauty empties. Hopefully everyone will share their own lists!

Update: There were so many great comments from readers on things they loved (that were new to me) we decided to put them into the post also, both for ease of browsing as well as easy linking when there's a big sale afoot or you're trying to make the most of a Triple Points day… :)

I also did a few reviews of things I'd bought after reading readers' recommendations, including Sunday Riley Good Genes, The Ordinary's caffeine solution, and more…

Beauty Products I've Bought Again and Again

Skincare Products I've Bought Again and Again

2024 Update: Here's my latest skincare routine! I do my BHA first, then Vitamin C, then peptide spray, then this snail essence, then my moisturizer, then sunscreen. (I save my prescription trentinoin for before bed.)

• Bioelements' Sleepwear face cream (I wrote about it here.): [Amazon]
• Bioelements' Really Rich Moisture:  [Amazon]
• Neutrogena Cream Eye Makeup Remover: [Amazon] [Ulta] (discontinued, here's my new favorite)
• Caudalíe Lip Conditioner (I wrote about it here.): [Sephora] [Amazon] [Nordstrom]
• Sunday Riley Good Genes (about to buy my 3rd! — here's my review) [Nordstrom]
• Drunk Elephant Baby Facial (about to buy my 3rd! — here's my review) [Sephora]
• Sunscreen – Missha Sun Milk (here's my review): [Amazon] (I and the readers used to love Biore Watery Essence but I think they updated the formula in the past few years and not for the best — readers, what are your thoughts? Update: here's my latest favorite sunscreen)
• Neosporin Lip Health Overnight Renewal Therapy (I wrote about it here and here.): [Amazon]
• Prescription retinoid (I wrote about my skincare routine here.)
• Vitamin C serum — I've had multiple empties of Mad Hippie but now I'm using Obaji's 10% Vitamin C. [Amazon]
• Curél Daily Healing Original Lotion for general hands/legs/elbows/ anywhere else that needs moisture [Amazon]
• Honorable Mentions
  • When I was younger and had oilier skin, I loved Queen Helene's Mint Julep Mask. [Amazon]
  • We've bought numerous cartons of CeraVe lotion for my kids' sensitive skin: CeraVe Moisturizing Cream Daily Face and Body Moisturizer for Dry Skin. [Amazon] [Ulta]
  • Just bought this for my mother and she was raving about it so I might try it for myself: Hard as Hoof Nail Strengthening Creme [Amazon]

Hair Products I've Bought Again and Again

Psst: As of 2024, these are some of Kat's favorite hair products (she largely follows curly hair routines)… but she loves this $30 brush/blowdryer!

(I'm probably somewhere between 2C/3A wavy/curly right now, but I'm more interested in avoiding sulfates because of the keratin treatments I've started getting.)

• 2021 update: Alterna Caviar Anti-Aging [Sephora] (here's my review)
• Giovanni Deep Moisture Shampoo & Conditioner: [Amazon]
• Not Your Mother's Beach Babe Coconut Conditioner: [Amazon] [Ulta]
• Palmer's Olive Oil Formula W/Vitamin E Condition Replenish: [Amazon]

Makeup I've Actually Used to the Bottom and Then Bought More

• Primers/foundational type products that you put on first:
  • MAC’s Prep + Prime (I wrote about it here.): [Amazon] [Nordstrom] [Ulta]
  • e.l.f. Lip Lock Pencil (I wrote about it here.): [Amazon]
  • Urban Decay Original Eyeshadow Primer Potion: [Sephora] [Amazon] [Nordstrom] [Ulta]
  • Bare Minerals Original Foundation SPF 15 (I barely use it but I believe I'm on my second container.): [Sephora] [Amazon [Ulta]
  • this is my latest favorite foundation
• Cheeks: NARS blush (in Orgasm) (I wrote about it here.): [Sephora] [Amazon] [Nordstrom] [Ulta]
• Eyes: L'Oreal Voluminous Original Mascara (I still buy it but I'm more likely to use other mascaras most days; haven't finished and rebought anything else though.): [Amazon] [Ulta]
• Lips: 
  • Clinique Chubby stick in Fuller Fig: [Sephora] [Amazon][Ulta]
  • Clinique's Black Honey (I wrote about it here in this massive crazy post on tinted lip balms.) [Sephora] [Amazon] [Nordstrom] [Ulta]
  • Honorable mention: I got to the bottom of my NARS Canaille (um, possibly 8 years after I bought it, yes) and was super excited to go buy a second tube and then realized — waah — it was a limited edition color. Grumble. (I know Wardrobe Oxygen sings the praises of Pigalle but I'm meh on the tube I bought on her recommendation.): [Sephora] [Amazon] [Ulta]
  • Honorable mention: When I was younger I bought MAC's Odyssey over and over and over again. A few months ago I wondered why the heck I stopped, so I bought it again. It's fine. I probably won't get to the bottom of it, but I can't quite put my finger on why I don't love it as much as I used to. [Nordstrom] [Amazon] [Ulta]

Those are mine — which are your beauty empties, readers?

As of 2024, my short makeup routine is pretty boring — curled eyelashes + concealer + blush (Nars Orgasm) + powder, with a different lipstick and eyeliner depending on my mood. If I'm feeling extra fancy I'll add mascara, highlighter, and/or do my brows with this cream and a brush similar to this one (here's my review). (I also add eye shadows in the “extra” days but it's a huge variety, maybe 25 or so different ones.)

Some favorite lipsticks include Clinique (Graped Up), NARS lipstick (Damage), Fenty (Goji Gang), NARS gloss (Orgasm, Fast Lane), and Clinique (Black Honey). I use this NYX lipliner (Natural) for almost all of them.

My favorite eyeliners as of 2024: Chanel (Espresso), Urban Decay (Sabbath, Smoke), and Clinique (Intense Chocolate & Plum). I also really like NYX and Sephora's eyeliners.

Office Makeup: Beauty Favorites from the Corporette Readers

Skincare Rec'd By Readers (see full comments below):

• Elta MD Sunscreen: [Amazon]
• Dr. Jart Cicapair Color Correcting Treatment: [Sephora] [Amazon]
• Origins GinZing Eye Cream: [Sephora] [Amazon] [Ulta]
• Paula's Choice 2% BHA Liquid: [Amazon]
• Queen Helene Mint Julep Mask: [Amazon]
• Simple Skin Facial Wipes: [Amazon] [Ulta]
• Sunday Riley Good Genes: [Sephora] [Nordstrom]

Makeup Rec'd By Readers (see full comments below):

• Benefit Boi-ing Industrial Strength Concealer: [Sephora] [Amazon] [Ulta]
• Bioderma Sensibo H20 Micellar Water: [Amazon]
• Burt's Bees Lip Balm: [Amazon] [Ulta]
• Clinique Quickliner: [Sephora] [Amazon] [Ulta]
• Covergirl Eyeliner Pencils: [Amazon] [Ulta]
• Covergirl LashBlast Volume Mascara: [Amazon] [Ulta]
• Dior Dior Addict Lip Glow: [Sephora] [Amazon] [Nordstrom]
• Dior Diorshow Mascara: [Sephora] [Amazon]
• Dr. Jart BB Cream: [Sephora] [Amazon]
• Fresh Sugar Lip Treatment: [Sephora] [Amazon] 
• Garnier Micellar Water: [Amazon] [Ulta]
• Glossier Boy Brow: [Amazon] 
• Laura Mercier Bronzer: [Sephora] [Amazon]
• Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturizer:  [Sephora] [Amazon]
• L'Oreal Voluminous Mascara: [Amazon] [Ulta]
• Maybelline Instant Age Rewind Eraser Concealer: [Amazon] [Ulta]
• Maybelline Instant Age Rewind Eraser Makeup: [Amazon] [Ulta]
• Rosebud Perfume Co. Smith's Rosebud Salve: [Sephora] [Amazon]
• Urban Decay Primer Potion: [Sephora] [Amazon] [Ulta]

Hair Products Rec'd By Readers (see full comments below):

• Redken Shampoo and Conditioners: [Amazon] [Ulta]

This post was originally written Oct. 2017, but updated in April 2021 to reopen comments.