Product empties #4 feat. Klairs and Clinique
Written By Jenny Wu on
There’s something really satisfying about rounding up a bunch of empty containers, because for one it means my ridiculous spending on beauty products is somewhat justified, and two, it means I can clear that shet out of my bathroom to make room for new empty shet. YAY.
- Kiehl’s Clearly Corrective Dark Spot Solution
Ugh I was so glad to be done with this. It had a nice texture, but did nothing for my dark spots, as noted in my in-depth review. Will not repurchase. - Klairs Rich Moist Soothing Cream
This was part of the Klairs Wish Box from Wishtrend, and it’s a solid moisturizer. It’s nothing exciting though, and I much more prefer the texture and results of the fancier Klairs Midnight Blue Calming Cream. - Clinique Take the Day Off Cleansing Balm
This did a great job of removing my makeup without stripping my skin dry or clogging it up. It’s also unscented, which is actually a negative for me (I like nice smelling things!), but is great for sensitive skin folks. Overall a really great first cleanser, and I would consider repurchasing this. - DHC Deep Cleansing Oil
Ahh yes, the famous best selling oil cleanser, and what got me into oil cleansing. To not risk sounding like a broken record, you can read my full review here. - Pixi Glow Tonic
I like this as a pH adjuster for days I apply my actives or as a cleansing toner. Even though it does contain glycolic acid, it’s very gentle on the skin. It does its job well and is reasonably priced, so this will likely remain a skincare staple until I find something better. - Skinmiso Pore Corset Serum
Another product I reviewed previously. Probably will not repurchase just because I have more critical skin issues (dehydration + sun damage) that I need to deal with before I deal with my stupid pores. - Lancôme Bi-Facil Double-action Eye Makeup Remover
I really liked this makeup remover. Removed my eyeliner, mascara, eyeshadow in a few swipes and didn’t irritate the eye area at all. Bonus points for the pretty Lancôme packaging too! - Kanebo Allie Extra UV Protector Perfect Alpha SPF50+ PA++++
This is your typical milky sunscreen and its texture reminded me of my old HG the Shiseido Anessa. When applying the correct amount, it makes my face ridiculously oily, yet it doesn’t feel heavy or sticky. I think I may like this more if I had drier skin, but for now I will not repurchase this. - Odylique Gental Herb Shampoo
I love Odylique’s use of simple and organic ingredients, and this shampoo is no different. While it doesn’t exactly smell nice, it does a great job of cleaning my hair without drying out my scalp. Will purchase full-size product in the future. - Burt’s Bees Milk and Honey Body Lotion
I’m obsessed with all things honey, so of course I bought this when I saw it. It’s incredibly hydrating and nourishing, even in the winter time, yet it’s not sticky at all and absorbs instantly. Sadly it smells like milk gone bad, so I’m not sure if I’ll be repurchasing this.
Let’s Chat!
Have you tried any of these products before? If so, what were your thoughts on them? If you have any questions or would like more details on any of the products, let me know!
Happy Friday and have a great weekend! ????
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 ✨
Comments & Questions
Annie
FYI, I've heard that Walmart now has an exact dupe of the Clinique Cleansing Balm as part of their Equate skincare line! Their Equate line has lots of Clinique dupes. I recently picked up Farmacy's Clear Bloom oil-based makeup-removing cleanser from Sephora to try out. I love the idea of balm/oil-based makeup removers since I have dry skin, but my skin is also acne-prone so I'm super picky about ingredients. I have yet to try the Clear Bloom one but it has pretty good reviews and the ingredients seemed safe for acne-prone skin! Fingers crossed that I like it. I've thought of trying a cleansing balm just for eye makeup removal as well since I'm starting to favor long-wearing gel liner (hate when my eyeliner flakes/smudges/racoons around my eyes!) PS: I think you would like the Hylamide skincare line which is now available at CVS! They have some great serums and a great hyaluronic acid booster. It's from the Deciem brand, you may have heard of their photography fluid foundation, really cool company with lots of different skincare product lines for different concerns!
Jenny Wu
Wow Annie, thank you so much for the product recommendations! I'll definitely check out the Equate Cleansing Balm to see how it compares to Clinique's. As a matter of fact, I may have to go through the entire Equate line to see what other CLinique dupes they offer, the price is so much cheaper in comparison!
Farmacy is one of the brands on my to-try list (which is getting ridiculously long now), and that cleanser sounds really nice! I'm a big fan of balm/oil cleansers for removing makeup, as I find they do a much better job than wipes and micellar water. Before I started double cleansing, I would actually use a cleansing balm just for my stubborn eye makeup!
I've been seeing a lot of Hylamide products on Instagram, but I had no idea they were in CVS! Well, there goes another brand in my ever-growing list! I took a look at their website and I'm quite intrigued by their various serums - especially the anti-aging one. Have you tried any of their products before?
Annie
Yes I've tried their Anti Aging serum and Hyaluronic booster - they were buy 1 get 1 50% off at cvs! The HA serum is just what I was looking for! I used Paulas Choice HA serum before but it was expensive considering how quickly it would run out. The Hylamide serums are very thin so a bottle lasts a really long my time! They have 5 different types of hyaluronic acid! I mix the booster with a gel based hydrating serum under my moisturizer. Really helps with hydration. I haven't been using them long enough to notice anti aging benefits but I'm excited to see results since the ingredients are so great. I also just ordered their WhiteRX serum and HA blur from their website :) Also the NIOD (also a deciem brand) lip concentrate is really intense! I haven't used it consistently enough but it makes your lips really get warm, red, and plump when you apply it without the typical irritant ingredients! I also really like the photography foundation for evening out imperfections before makeup or on its own. Also got their hand chemistry anti aging cream for only $2 after coupons at cvs! Be sure to join the cvs beauty club so you get $5 each time you spend $50 and other coupons. Sometimes they have 20-30% off beauty/skin on cvs.com too :)
Jenny Wu
Whaaa! That's a great deal! Darn it I no longer live near a CVS, but I'm gonna try to find the one closest to me so I can do some browsing there, haha. I'll need to rejoin the CVS Beauty Club as well, since I'm pretty sure I lost my old CVS card. Oops.
I like that you said the Hylamide serums are very thin, because my skin is now entering summer mode where my t-zone can't stand anything to thick or heavy. Thanks again for all the lovely recommendations! <3
Alice B
ah, the joy of seeing empty bottles. skincare stuff always see the end a lot faster than makeup :)) i know none of my makeup has ever seen the end.
I've always wanted to try kiehl's but they're quite expensive here, the same with clinique. have you ever tried kiehl's creamy eye treatment with avocado? i'm actually interested in that but i don't think it works for puffiness or dark circles, only moisturize the under eye ...which sucks.
Believe it or not, there is no DHC store in here! ugh, sucks. the only cleansing oil i have ever tried is from shu uemura but that's hella expensive so i always use micellar water now to remove my makeup (or a cleansing milk from h20+ if i'm not too lazy)
I've never tried clinique cleansing balm... i don't know, i guess i prefer the feeling of using water-based products to remove makeup rather than something...creamy. but clinique's lip treatment really saves my dry,chapped lips so i can see that they are actually good with skincare stuff. speaking of clinique, i'm curious about their chubby stick eyeshadow :)) they look cute.
ughhh yes, someone who is addicted to honey products as well!!! i love smelling honey scented stuff. i'm addicted to honey body wash, lotion and butter. sometimes it makes me wanna eat them LOL am currently addicted to the body shop's honeymania range ;)
i'm just curious, do you use skincare products with hyaluronic acid? i've been liking products with them in it, like the hadalabo lotion...it does make my skin feels supple and bouncy haha
Jenny Wu
Haha, same with my makeup, probably because I don't use them twice a day, everyday :P
The Kiehl's eye treatment has been on my wishlist for a while, but I can't seem to finish an eye cream for my life, so it may be a while before I get to it. If you want something for puffiness, look for caffeine in the ingredients. Dark circles are tricky because it could be caused by a variety of things, but you may have better luck with a brightening eye cream. The Kiehl's one is more for moisturizing and preventing fine lines I think.
I don't think we have a DHC store here, but their stuff should be available online, no? A lot of people rave about the Kose Softymo Oil Cleanser and how it's very similar to the DHC one, and it's cheaper too! The creamy/oily textures take a while to get used to, but I always feel like they do a better job of cleaning than micellar water :P
I think all my products contain Hyaluronic acid, haha. I do like it, but I also find that products that feature Hyaluronic acid also tend to be made for dryer skin types, which can sometimes feel heavy on my skin. I've tried the Hadalabo lotion eons ago, can't remember what it felt like, so maybe I need to try it again :D