Beauty empties #12 feat. Naruko, Glossier, and Sulwahsoo

But on the bright side, at least I finally get to throw out all these bottles and offer my unsolicited opinions on them!

Products I absolutely loved

• Klairs Supple Preparation Toner (full review here) – Are you tired of hearing me rave about this yet? No? Good because I love this toner so much. I know some people are sensitive to the essential oils in this, and the awesome news is that Klairs will be releasing a fragrance-free version of this gem, which I can’t wait to get my hands on!
• Klairs Midnight Blue Youth Activating Drops* (full review here) – I really love how easy it is to layer this in my skincare routine, because it feels just like water. Plus I do think this has helped my skin become healthier over time, and I’d rather not risk not having this in my routine. I’m on my second bottle now!
• Naruko Supreme Rejuvenating Elixir Oil* (full review here) – I loved this when I used it, and I think I may love it even more now that it’s gone. As much as I love some of my other oils, nothing gives me mochi skin like this one. Will repurchase as soon as I kill off one of my current oils!
• Activist Skincare Precious Oils Serum* (full review here) – Another oil I miss now that I’ve finished it. It’s got such a great blend of anti-aging, antioxidant, and soothing ingredients in addition to the nourishing oils, and none of the oils I’m currently using just quite compare in terms of results. I have a second bottle ready to go!
• Instytutum Eye Cream (full review here) – My second jar. This baby is incredible at combating fine lines, and I like how it’s not overly heavy or oily. It the perfect anti-aging eye cream for my late 20’s/early 30’s dry eye area. However, I’m shocked by how fast I go through the jar!
• Curology (full review here) – At this point I don’t even see the point of mentioning my prescription tretinoin in my empties, as it’s clearly a staple in my routine. This was the 0.035% tretinoin prescription and I still found it too harsh, so I’m downgraded to a 0.017% formula which works much better for my skin.
• Sachajuan Hair Repair – This was one of my 2017 hair care favorite, and while I hate the bottle, I loved how silky smooth this made my locks. Friggin magical I tell you. Definitely repurchasing once I finish my current hair mask.

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Products I enjoyed but…

• Glossier Milky Jelly Cleanser – I really liked this initially, but the excitement wore off as quickly as it came, and towards the end I was very blah about it. Plus the pump stopped working at the end and I had to pour the remaining product out. Fail. Honestly it’s a good all-around cleanser, but eh, it’s not anything amazing.
• Sulwhasoo First Care Activating Serum EX –  So many people raved about how this supposedly balances the skin and helps with subsequent product absorption, but honestly I didn’t notice much of a difference. I do love the texture and scent though, it’s definitely hit the mark in application experience. I may give this another try in the future.
• CircCell Dramatic Lightening Potion* –  The name is on point – it’s got one heck of a dramatic brightening effect and an equally dramatic price! The bottle lasted a while though, so at least the value is somewhat justified. But still, that price though ????
• Klairs Freshly Juiced Vitamin E Mask* (full review here) – Another product that I really loved initially, but its brightening effects plateaued 2/3 way through the jar and the initial fascination with the jelly texture turned into mild annoyance because it’s difficult to break up the product to apply evenly on the skin. I still think for the value it’s a great product, but it just wasn’t as fabulous towards the end.
• Nivea Whitening Lotion – I mentioned this in my body care roundup, and while I really like that it has brightening properties, I don’t think it actually does much for my skin. I feel like I only keep using it because literally it’s the only brightening body product I know of that’s dirt cheap in Taiwan.
• Activist Skincare Botanical Cleansing Oil* – This actually contains a great blend of beneficial oils, has a nice slip, and emulsifies nicely, but I’m not a fan of the scent. It has this herbal floral scent that I can see some people enjoying, but I prefer sweeter and lighter notes.

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Decent products, but sorry nope

I actually didn’t have anything I hated in this empties stash, which is a shame because y’all know how much I enjoy roasting bad products. Anyways these products aren’t terrible by any means, they’re just not something I’d ever consider repurchasing due to personal preferences.

• Darphin Intral Redness Relief Soothing Serum* (full review here) – Objectively I think this is a lovely serum and a great option for those with sensitive skin + deep pockets. Since I’ve already addressed my skin sensitivities by cutting down on exfoliation, my skin type has normalized and I no longer need these types of products.
• Trilogy Very Gentle Restoring Oil* – A nice blend of apricot + sweet almond + maqui berry + sea buckthorn oil for sensitive skin. With the million of facial oil options out there, I think there are better blends, even for sensitive skin.
• Bioderma Hydrabio Serum Moisturizing Concentrate* – This was a very underwhelming serum for me. It has a gel texture that gives the skin a nice slip when applied, but I’m personally not a fan of silicone based products that forms a film on the skin, especially in a serum.
• Instytutum Flawless Anti-aging Complex* – While this supplement seemed to give me more energy, it didn’t do much at all for my skin in the long run. There are plenty of better and more affordable supplements out there, so this gets a big no from me.

Have you tried any of these products before? If so, what were your experiences with them? Hope everyone has a fantastic rest of the week!

Jenny Wu

Passionate about science-based skincare. Tested hundreds if not thousands of products since my 20's. Working regularly with brands like iHerb, Ulta, CurrentBody, and MedStar Health to share my knowledge and experience in all things beauty. Learn more.

Skin profile: 35+, dry/combination, focused on well-aging, hydration, and a healthy glow ✨