Skincare empties #9 feat. Tatcha, Sekkisei, and La Roche Posay
Written By Jenny Wu on
Thank you all for the kind and supportive comments in my last post. Cooper has been doing a little better each day, so I figured it’s time to get back into blogging, starting with a cleanup of my empties bin. It’s has been piling up so you know what that means – a review of the good, bad, and uglies I’ve used up since my last empties post 3 months ago. Alright let’s get started!
The good and worth repurchasing
While I won’t immediately repurchase everything in this category, these are products I would whole heartedly recommend and would consider repurchasing in the future.
- Curology (Azelaic Acid 4% + Tretinoin 0.05% + Niacinamide 4%) – Always repurchase, no questions asked. You can read my full reviews here and here to see why this is a must-have in my routine.
- SK-II Facial Treatment Essence – I first tried this 2 years ago and didn’t care for it, but this time around I definitely noticed a difference. My pores were smaller and my skin felt more refined. I’ve already purchased a full-sized product and will use that once I finish my Naruko Miracle Renewal Essence.
- Kate Somerville EradiKate Acne Treatment – Smells like Shelly’s butt but works extremely well, and doesn’t dry out your skin. Just dab on angry pimples the night before and it’ll be flat the next morning. If you typical salicylic acid or benzoyl peroxide products don’t work for you this one is worth a try.
- Tatcha Luminous Dewy Skin Mist – Still my favorite mist that I’ve used by far. The mist itself is very fine and contains oils lock the hydration in your skin. Plus the bottle is just gorgeous.
- CeraVe Hydrating Cleanser – If you can get over the boring packaging, this is actually a fantastic + affordable cleanser for dry skin. I will probably buy this again in the winter. Full review here.
- Odacite Camelina + Chamomile Serum – This remains my favorite Odacite serum I’ve tried to date, and I’ll probably buy this again when the weather gets cooler and my skin gets drier + more sensitive. Full review here.
- Kose Sekkisei Lotion – This is one of the few brightening products that gives me long-term results, and it’s water-like texture is perfect for my combo skin. The best way to use this is via a lotion mask, though alcohol is the second ingredient so keep that in mind if you’re sensitive to the ingredient. I’m already on my second bottle of this.
- La Roche-Posay Thermal Spring Water – Paying for a bottle of water for my skin seems silly, but I love using this to add hydration between each layer of my skincare routine. This being just thermal spring water (which is full of priobiotics and minerals) means that there are no risks of ingredient or texture conflicts.
- Meishoku Del Clear Bright & Peel Fruits Peeling Jelly – Smells absolutely yummy, works well, and is more affordable than the Cure Natural Aqua Gel. This lifts my mood every time I use it.
The not-so-bad but not that great either
These products are definitely not horrible by any means, and some of them I enjoyed using, but for one reason or another I would not repurchase them myself. I’ve listed them below in order of how much I liked them:
- Dr. Brandt Microdermabrasion Skin Exfoliant – I actually really like the fine exfoliant texture and think this is a great physical scrub, but goodness the price. You can definitely find comparable products at a much lower cost, hence why I will not purchase a full-sized product.
- NYX Doll Eye Mascara (Volume) – This was my second tube, and I find it works best for my lashes after I’ve waited for the mascara to dry out a bit otherwise I get those nasty spider-leg clumps. However once dried it makes my lashes fuller while still looking natural. I still prefer the Maybelline Full & Soft over this though.
- Hylamide SubQ Anti-Age – You can read the full review here, and it’s a shame that this provided no significant results in the long run as the texture is truly lovely. If you can get this during CVS’ 30% off sale it still might be worth a try, especially if you have oily skin.
- Naruko Rose & Botanic HA Aqua Cubic Jelly Lotion Ex – This is a nice hydrating toner with a jelly like texture, though don’t expect it to blow your mind in any way. The rose fragrance is lovely though! Full review here.
- Dear By Emprani Tone Up Booskin – I love the pink color, the bottle and the texture, but I really didn’t notice any effects other than the standard hydration that 99% of toners offer. Given the difficulty of sourcing this I just don’t think it’s worth it.
- Skinvill Hot Cleansing Gel – I actually enjoyed using this, though I’d like it more if it actually warmed up. Unfortunately this product isn’t readily available outside of Japan, hence it’s in this category. Full review here.
- Naruko 60 Actives Bright Perfecting Enhancer – This is a thicker first essence (think Hada Labo Gokujyun texture) that contains their proprietary blend of 60 different plant extracts and lots of brightening + hydrating ingredients. Sounds great on paper, but unfortunately I didn’t notice any brightening effects. Still a nice hydrating toner/first essence, but I think there are better options out there.
- Hylamide Low-Molecular HA – Contains multiple forms of hyaluronic acid and has a pleasant non-sticky texture. Can’t say it did much for my skin though, and it’s expensive considering the size. IMO the Klairs Supple Preparation Toner does a much better job of hydrating my skin than this.
- Esthe Dew Moist Up Lotion – As a facial toner this one borders between the bad and ugly line because it’s just so blah. I ended up using this on my body and eh, it’s not so bad then but still. At least it wasn’t expensive.
The so-ugly-I-just-want-to-punt-them products
I don’t enjoy using these one bit, but it’s kind of fun to write about how awful they are :P
- Hannes Dottir Seamasque – This was so painful to use I couldn’t even finish it. What in the world does this contain, razor blade shrapnels? And it’s $95!! Seriously, this might be one of the most infuriating products I’ve tried to date, thank goodness this was only a sample.
- Etude House Nymph Aura Volumer #3 – As someone with combo skin, all this did was make my face look oily. Maybe I would’ve liked this if I had super dry skin, but otherwise no. Just no.
- It’s Skin Collagen Nutrition Mist – This is the opposite of the Tatcha mist in every way – doesn’t hydrate, boring bottle, and feels like a bird just shat on my face. They shouldn’t even allow this to be called a mist, that’s deceptive marketing.
And now I can finally throw all these empty bottles away, woohoo! Have you tried any of these products before? Let me know in the comments below!
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
Cat L.
SO glad you hear Cooper is doing well and so happy to see a new post from you!
Wow, a lot of beautiful empties! I always feel such a sense of satisfaction and accomplishment when I manage to finish products. I really want to try the Tatcha spray (haven't tried it yet since I read it has alcohol and I've been trying to sort of stay away from products containing alcohol when possible), everyone seems to rave about it. I also really want to try the thermal water from LRP. They are one of my favorite brands. And I have yet to get on the Odacite bandwagon, but they are high on my wishlist. Thank you for sharing this post Jenny!
~ Cat L.
www.CatsDailyLiving.com
Jenny Wu
Aww, thank you Cat! The Tatcha mist is definitely one of the most luxurious mists I've tried, though I didn't know it had alcohol until you mentioned it! A double check on the INCI confirms it, though they are listed at the end so I feel a little better. Luckily oils in this mist makes it feel really nice and hydrating on the skin, not drying at all :) The LRP thermal mist is not as luxurious, but it's much more affordable and great for sensitive skin!
Deasy Bergstrom
I really want to try the SKII Facial Treatment Essence and the Kate Somerville treatment, bit am so surprised over the CeraVe rating. I tried it and I didn't quite like it, and I kind of blamed it on the boring package, lol. But perhaps I need to give it a second chance :B
http://www.ticketforadventure.com
Jenny Wu
For the SKII Facial Treatment Essence I'd definitely try getting a sample first, as the first time I used this it did absolutely nothing for me. Sorry to hear that you didn't like the CeraVe, the bland packaging definitely takes a lot away from the experience, so I actually bought these pretty gold bottles from eBay to decant the products :P
Laura
I'm relieved to hear Cooper is doing a little better! I'm also very happy to see a post from you; your empties are always beautifully photographed, clear and easy-to-read. I purchased a sample size of the Sekkisei lotion but I'm not liking it as much.. it feels good on the skin, but I can't get over the heavy perfume-y smell. I'd love to try Curology, too bad it's not available in here!
xx Laura / Laurantaina Beauty Blog
Jenny Wu
Thank you so much Laura! I try to keep my bottles as clean as possible since I know I'll need to photograph them later :P You're right, the Sekkisei lotion is pretty heavily fragranced, though I guess I've been using mine for so long I don't even notice it anymore. Hopefully they'll reformulate in the future to decrease or even remove the fragrance.
Sofia
I love the La Roche spray! So good!!
xx Sofia | SOFIAADOT
Jenny Wu
I agree, it's so refreshing on the skin!
Amy Evans
So glad Cooper is doing well! I really want to try the Tatcha mist.
Jenny Wu
Thank you Amy! The Tatcha mist is fabulous, especially if you don't think regular mists are hydrating enough!
Naya
I love how you split all of these empties into fun categories, so helpful! Hope Cooper is feeling better xx
Naya // www.partyparrotblog.com
Jenny Wu
Thank you so much Naya! I figured breaking the long list up into categories would make everything easier to read :)
Shireen L. Platt
Yes to Cooper feeling much better! And wow, what a mega list of empties, Jenny, well done! I have been finishing more and more products too, trying to get rid as much as possible for the upcoming move. I am not doing an empties post though, last thing I need is to start a series that I will never get a round to.
I have been wondering about that NYX Doll Eyes mascara, never read any reviews on it before. Does it hold the curl?
Jenny Wu
Thank you so much Shireen! For me empties post are for when I don't have any topics in mind, but honestly you always have such great posts so I doubt that'll be an issue for you :P The NYX Doll Eyes mascara holds the curls about as well as any other drugstore mascara I've tried, so eh, average at best? It does a bit better when it's drier...when it's freshly opened it's too wet and heavy for my lashes D:
LindaLibraLoca
Oh no, I have a sample of the Seamasque and I really did look forward to trying it. Now I am kind of hesitant...
Linda, Libra, Loca: Beauty, Baby and Backpacking
Jenny Wu
Did you get it in the Cult Beauty beauty bag too? Maybe try a dab on the back of your hand first, hopefully you'll have a better experience than I did...maybe I got a dud D:
Denise
Awwww so glad to hear Cooper is doing a bit better! Love that you're back! I read through every single one of these descriptions! I think I definitely need to try that eradikate acne treatment! I get some from time to time and would love you find something that works! Also, the name is too brilliant!
Denise | Fashion Love Letters
Jenny Wu
Thank you so much Denise! I definitely got sucked in by the Eradikate's clever name, but it really does work well. Just try to hold your breath when you apply it, the smell is pretty potent!
Katherine
Yay, happy Cooper is doing better :) I hear a lot about SK-II products in the blogging and YouTube community, but I have yet to try their products! It sounds like it works great.
http://www.myclusterofthoughts.com/
Jenny Wu
Thank you so much Katherine! After using SK-II twice 2 years apart, I've found that it eithers works great for your skin or it does nothing, so definitely try to get a sample or buy a smaller size first to see how your skin reacts to it. I regret buying a full-sized bottle my first time around D:
Cat
Some Korean bloggers have been talking about the wrong and right way of using hylauronic acid. Some say to be careful as you could actually be pulling the moisture out of you skin. Do you know if this is true?
Jenny Wu
Hi Cat, hyaluronic acid is a humectant which means it draws moisture from the environment to help hydrate your skin. However, there is the concern that if you live in an extremely dry climate, the hyaluronic acid will draw moisture from your skin instead, making it dryer (source). Since we know how hyaluronic acid works, my approach with using anything featuring this ingredient is to layer lots of moisture on top of the product (ie. using a mist or patting my skin with a toner) and then locking that moisture in with a moisturizer. This gives the hyaluronic acid moisture to hold on to, plus it seals it to prevent the moisture from evaporating.
Also, per Dr. Leslie Baumann's article, sodium hyaluronate, the most common form of hyaluronic acid used in skincare products, has greater chemical stability than hyaluronic acid and won't pull moisture from the skin. I think as long as you make sure to seal in any moisture you add to your skin with a moisturizer you'll be ok :)
Emily
So many products! And so many that I love. Tatcha Mist is my all time favourite mist too! It leaves the skin looking so amazing. I also love the SK-II essence. I noticed such a difference in my skin with using it. Empties posts are the best!
www.thinkingofmakeup.com
Jenny Wu
Thank you so much for reading Emily! I really need to restock on the Tatcha mist for the winter!
Stephanie | thefantasia.com
Jenny - I don't know how you manage to make empties (AKA trash!) look so pretty on your blog photos. It's almost illegal LOL! How come there's no leakages / spills and general ugliness that accompanies empties - teach me your ways oh wise one! Thank you for the mini review/feedback on each product - I am amping up my skincare routine and have been shopping for new products to try out!
Stephanie | theFantasia.com
Jenny Wu
Thank you so much for your sweet comment Stephanie! It helps now that I keep my products outside my bathroom, which means accidents of dropping them in the sink or getting them wet, lol. Trust me, my shampoo and body washes are a different story, and sometimes they're so gross I just toss them out!
Esnath
Jenny you have done so well to finish all these products. I loved the so ugly just want to punt them products paragraph, it made me laugh.
Odacite I couldn't agree more they make the most hydrating boosting serums ever they are like magic.
Esnath @ prettypeachblossom.com
Jenny Wu
Thank you so much Esnath! It's always fun writing about products I hate because I have full creative freedom to write about how awful they were, haha. I want to try out more of Odacite's serums too, they're excellent!
Velvet Blush
Wow you got through so many empties! I love how you separated out the products by the categories too, and the individual reviews. I actually haven't tried any of these before, but I've heard great things about using an Essence in skincare, so the SK-11 option sounds like a really good buy, I have some noticeable pores around my nose :)
Velvet Blush
Jenny Wu
Essences are a great step in skincare, as they're usually quite light but still have great benefits for the skin. I adore the SK-II essence but since it's so expensive I always trying out a sample first or considering some of the less expensive but still well reviewed essences. I personally love the Naruko Renewal Miracle Essence and the Missha Time Revolution Essence is also one people rave about!
Tiffany Lea Zimmermann
so helpful! thank you for uploading!
love, tiff
https://zimmylifestyle.com
Jenny Wu
Thank you for reading!
Kris
I'm so glad Cooper's doing better! Loved the empties and the categories!
Have a lovely day!
Kris | https://dreamingofpink.wordpress.com
Jenny Wu
Thank you so much for reading Kris! Hope you have a great day too :)
Lavanya
Wow! That's a huge empties pile and there are so many products in there that I'm dying to try. Tatcha Dewy Mist is so hard to get hold of in the UK and that's been on my wishlist for ages.
Jenny Wu
So sorry to hear that, hopefully you'll get a chance to try the Tatcha Mist soon, it's fantastic! Thanks for reading Lavanya!
Bernadette
All these skincare products sound so lovely! I've been wanting to try tatcha skincare. I've heard really good things about them. x
www.themakeupaficionado.com
Jenny Wu
I want to try more of Tatcha's products too, especially that mask they just came out with! Thank you for reading Bernadette!
Batsheva
Ok-- so at this point, I have effectively switched to a 4 step facial process twice a day. (5 step if you count sunscreen during the day)-- makeup remover balm, facial cleanser, toner and moisturizer. However-- what is a mist??? Please enlighten me!
http://cynicalduchess.com
Jenny Wu
Sorry for the super delayed response! A mist is pretty much a toner in a spray can, so you can use it whenever you use the toner. Depending on the content of the mist, you can even spray it between each skincare step to add extra hydration, which is what I do with the LRP mist. Or you can just spray it on your face throughout the day when your skin is feeling dry, which is what I love the Tatcha mist for. Hope this helps!
Emily
I've actually never tried any of the 'ugly punt-able' products lol. Which makes me happy! Guess I'll continue to steer clear? I've tried a bunch of the others, and your descriptions/reviews are accurate. I've been trying to hold of on getting some pricey items I want. I've always wanted to try the SK-II essence. I've heard nothing but amazing things! It's just so dang pricey.
-Emily www.coatandcoffee.com
Jenny Wu
Haha, that's a good thing Emily! For the SK-II essence see if you can ask for a sample from Sephora before you commit to a full bottle, but if you love it, Costco sells the huge bottle for a great price!
Laura Alagöz
wow so many empties! You did a great job! I feel always really good after doing empties posts :)
Laura
Pink Frenzy
Jenny Wu
Thank you so much Laura, I feel the same way about clearing out my empties!
stylefrontier
such a nice and extensive list!
i would love to try tatcha!
xoxo
style frontier
Jenny Wu
The Tatcha mist is fantastic! Thank you for reading!
PetiteandPretty
I love reading empties! I actually got the SK-II and I LOVE it. it's soooo expensive though, not sure if I can keep spending $300 on a serum that lasts 3 months... but I agree, it's pretty worth it though.
www.petiteandpretty.com
Jenny Wu
Thanks so much for reading! Eeek, I know how you feel about the SK-II serum, they are super pricey! Costco does sell the huge bottle for $180, which is a great deal if you use it regularly!