Beauty Trash: End of the Year Empties

In the last 6 weeks of 2020, I did my best to empty as many products as possible, and I think I did an alright job! One of my goals for 2021 is to empty more products and buy less because I am becoming a real hoarder. My boyfriend now gets less than 25% of the top of our dresser because the other 75% is covered in my skincare products. And don’t even ask about our bathroom storage situation. Anyway, most of the products I emptied at the end of the year were skincare (no surprise there), but there might be a haircare product or two in the mix. Below, I will be giving short reviews of each of the products I emptied, and I will be sharing whether or not I would repurchase each of them.

For your reference, here are some abbreviations I use:

RP: Repurchase (meaning I have already repurchased this)

WRP: Would repurchase

WNRP: Would not repurchase

MRP: Might repurchase

Now, let’s get to the trash!

Trilogy Rosehip Oil Antioxidant+

Review: This is an oil blend that contains rosehip, tomato, cranberry, and acai oils. It is a relatively lightweight oil, though it’s still heavier than squalane (my favorite lightweight oil). I do find that this can feel a bit greasy, especially if I apply to much. Thus, I think that approximately 3 drops of this oil is plenty. This product claims in improve skin brightness, deliver antioxidants, and reduce signs of aging. Personally, I don’t think I saw much difference to my skin while using this, but I was using it more for the antioxidants and long term benefits. It’s often said that rosehip oil can help with acne as well as fading hyperpigmentation, but I haven’t really found that to be the case for me. Rather, I found this to be a good moisturizing oil, that helps protect my skin barrier and potentially can deliver preventative anti-aging benefits. But actually, one of my favorite things about this oil is the shelf life! I read on Lab Muffin’s blog that most rosehip oils only have a shelf life of 3-6 months, which is too short for me because I tend to go through facial oils quite slowly. But this particular one has a shelf life of 3 years (!!) because of the extra antioxidants in it. I would recommend this for all skin types, especially dry, mature skin, but I think oily acne-prone skin could benefit from this too.

Rating: 4.5/5, WRP

Where to Buy: Trilogy ($44), iHerb ($37)

Purito Green Level Safe Sun Unscented SPF 50+ PA++++

Review: A lot has changed since I first reviewed this sunscreen in early 2020… In late 2020, it was revealed that sunscreen is not actually SPF 50 as advertised. Subsequent independent tests have shown this sunscreen to be approximately SPF 28, although we are still waiting for the results of the tests that Purito is conducting. Although SPF 28 is not too bad, and is probably plenty for daily indoor use, I can no longer recommend this sunscreen. If you already own it, I wouldn’t throw it away (but get a refund if you can!), although I would start looking for alternatives especially for outdoor use.

Rating: WNRP due to SPF rating

Where to Buy: Don’t buy it

Yon Ka Hydra N1 Serum*

Review: This is a pretty heavy serum, that almost feels more like an emulsion or a lightweight moisturizer. It is highly moisturizing as well as hydrating, and thus I find that this can replace multiple steps in my routine if I want it to. This contains some great ingredients including vitamins E, C, and A, but it is still very gentle. And it comes in a pump bottle which makes it really easy an hygienic to use. One thing to note is this product contains a pretty heavy fragrance. Yon Ka is all about essential oils and aroma therapy benefits, and although I don’t mind it that much, the scent isn’t what I would normally go for and it’s a bit too strong for me. My boyfriend thinks this smells like Fruity Pebbles but I really don’t understand why… it’s a floral and herbal scent from the jasmine, rose, and chamomile essential oils.

Rating: 4/5 but WNRP due to price

Where to Buy: Yon Ka ($86)

Yon Ka Hydra N1 Cream*

Review: This is a really rich and luxurious cream. It’s meant to work well in conjunction with the Hydra N1 Serum. I really enjoyed this cream because it is super moisturizing and really great for dry skin. It contains pretty similar ingredients to the Hydra N1 Serum, and also contains Vitamins A, C, and E as well as some soothing ingredients. I also really like that this comes in a tube instead of a tub; I just prefer tubes because they’re more hygienic and I’m less likely to get cat hair in them (gross). But like the Hydra N1 Serum, this also contains a pretty strong fragrance. It’s just not really my cup of tea, and it does linger for quite a while, though I imagine some people would enjoy it.

Rating: 4/5 but WNRP due to price

Where to Buy: Yon Ka ($76)

Glossier Milky Jelly Cleanser*

Review: I’ve talked about this cleanser many times before and my thoughts on the product itself haven’t changed. Read my original review here. However, my thoughts on Glossier have changed. Last summer, a group of Glossier employees started an Instagram account @outtathegloss and has spoken up about mistreatment and racial bias that has been happening at Glossier. Unfortunately, Glossier hasn’t made a public response to these allegations and they have completely ignored the demands of the group of employees. Personally, I’ve found this to be really disappointing and will not be purchasing anything from Glossier for the time being.

Rating: WNRP due to issues at Glossier

Where to Buy: Don’t buy it

I’m From Mugwort Mask

Review: I purchased this mask as part of a set of Wishtrend products. I don’t know if I would have purchased this mask individually, but I did enjoy using it. It has a really unique texture: it’s kind of gel-like but it contains lots of little plant bits in it. For the most part, I really liked the way this mask felt on the skin. It is soothing and cooling and feels really great especially in the summer. I don’t think this did much to reduce redness in my skin, but it still felt really nice. However, one thing I didn’t really like all the little plant bits in it. They are slightly abrasive and I sometimes had a hard time washing them all off. Overall, I enjoyed this mask, but I’m not sure if I would want to repurchase it.

Rating: 3.5/5 and MRP

Where to Buy: Wishtrend ($35), YesStyle ($30)

Laneige Cream Skin Refiner Mist

Review: Read my previous review of this product here! I have since repurchased this (again) in the non-mist version because it is slightly cheaper. However, I think I still prefer the mist for the convenience.

Rating: 5/5 and RP

Where to Buy: Jolse ($20), Style Korean ($19)

Belif Aqua Bomb Hydrating Cleanser*

Review: One of my favorite things about this cleanser is the scent. It has that beautiful citrus-y scent that most Belif products have, and I am a big fan of it. This is a gel cleanser that foams up slightly. I wouldn’t say that it’s actually hydrating, but I don’t find it to be stripping or drying. It rinses off clean and leaves the skin feeling really fresh. I really enjoyed using this cleanser, but I still prefer non-foaming cleansers that are actually hydrating because I find them to work better for my dry skin. Still, I think this is a really nice cleanser (a bit pricey though) and I think it could work really well for oily/combination skin types.

Rating: 4/5 and MRP

Where to Buy: Sephora ($28), Ulta ($28), Belif ($28)

Petitfee Black Pearl & Gold Hydrogel Eye Patches

Review: I have gone through two tubs of these eye patches now. No, I don’t think they’re the best eye patches in the world. They’re actually pretty average, although I do really like that they don’t slide around my face like some eye patches do. But the main reason I’ve repurchased these is that the price point is just so hard to beat. To me, eye patches are just a temporary quick fix. I like to use them when my eyes are puffy, maybe because I didn’t get a lot of sleep. They feel nice and soothing on the under eyes, and I do think that they make a difference when my eyes are puffy and extra tired looking. That being said, they don’t erase my find lines or remove my genetic dark circles. They don’t provide long-term results either. When it comes to eye patches (and all skincare products, really), I think realistic expectations is key. So as long as you don’t expect too much of these, I highly recommend them for the price.

Rating: 4/5 and RP

Where to Buy: YesStyle ($12), Style Korean ($15), Jolse ($10)

Acaderma Equilibria Toner*

Review: I really loved this toner and originally wanted to give it more than 4/5. It’s a lightweight toner that’s just a little more viscous than water. Yet, it’s extremely hydrating and just has a really nice slip to it. It contains prebiotics to stimulate the good bacteria present in your skin, as well as hyaluronic acid and MSM. I like to layer this on a few times to really hydrate my skin. Because it’s so light but also layers well, I think that this product could work well for all skin types. However, there is one major drawback to this product and that is the PAO (period after opening). The PAO of this product is only 3 months! That is really short compared to most other products and it actually presents a big problem for me. I really struggled to use this product up within the PAO — I think it actually took me 4 months. I didn’t notice any changes to the product so I continued using it after 3 moths, but it definitely wasn’t an ideal situation. Thus, I would only recommend this toner if you know that you can use it up quickly enough.

Rating: 4/5 and MRP

Where to Buy: Acaderma ($30)

Sulwhasoo Overnight Revitalizing Mask

Review: I only had a travel-size of this mask, but I still found that it lasted me a surprisingly long time! This is a sleeping mask that is meant to be applied as the last step of your evening skincare routine to lock in moisture. This product has a thick creamy texture and a pretty strong ginseng scent. At first, I didn’t like the scent, but it has grown on me a little. When I first started used this mask, I was actually a little bit disappointed in it. I didn’t wake up with the super radiant skin that I was expecting from all the glowing reviews that I read. However, over time, I noticed that my skin was less dry and more glowy in the morning when I woke up after applying this mask the previous night. This does work very well to lock in moisture overnight and it does feel and smell quite luxurious. It doesn’t give the dramatic results that I was initially expecting, but honestly, products very rarely do. Once I got past that, I ended up really liking this product and I might like to repurchase the full size someday even though it’s a little pricey.

Rating: 4/5 and MRP

Where to Buy: Sulwhasoo ($54)

Primera Miracle Seed Essence

Review: I only used a mini of this (it maybe gave me 10 uses), so I can’t speak much to the benefits of this. But I really enjoyed it for the short time that I had it! It’s quite hydrating for a first treatment essence and a little more viscous than usual too (they’re usually very watery). The full size of this is more expensive than I’d like it to be, but I would probably pick it up if it goes on sale.

Rating: No Rating Yet but MRP

Where to Buy: Primera ($58)

Fresh Rose Face Mask*

Review: This is a hydrating wash-off mask with a gel texture and a strong rose scent. It’s really a very pretty product since it has little bits of rose petals in it. I enjoyed using this mask; it’s hydrating and has a nice soothing feel. However, I just find this to be way too expensive for what it is. There are many nice hydrating masks out there at much more affordable prices that will give you the same results. I’ve even heard that this $18 rose mask from Isntree is a really close dupe for this Fresh mask. I haven’t tried it yet, but I hope to soon now that I have emptied this one from Fresh.

Rating: 3.5/5 and WNRP

Where to Buy: Sephora ($62)

Bliss Mighty Marshmallow Mask

Review: This mask has a really fun name and super cool texture, and that is why I bought it. The product itself has a light pink color and the texture is actually somewhat like a marshmallow. It feels slightly whipped, but not sticky. It’s fun to use, but unfortunately, I just didn’t really see any results at all from this mask. This mask claims to be brightening, but I just didn’t see it. It’s also not hydrating or soothing so I really just felt like this was doing nothing. Fortunately, I only purchased the travel-sized version and now I know not to get the full-size.

Rating: 2.5/5 and WNRP

Where to Buy: Bliss ($15), Target ($17), Ulta ($16)

Ryo Anti-Hair-loss Treatment

Review: This has to be one of my all-time favorite hair products. It’s just really unique and quite affordable too. I’ve never used anything else quite like this. Essentially, this is like a hair mask for your scalp. But you can also use it on your ends too. It makes my scalp feel slightly tingly when it’s on and it feels really cool and soothed when I wash it off. What’s so great about this mask is that I can use it on my scalp but it still washes off clean and doesn’t weigh down my thin hair. Yet, it still leaves both my scalp and my hair feeling moisturized. It also has a ginseng scent that I personally find to be really pleasant and calming, although it did take some time for me to get used to it initially. One thing to not is that I’m not really sure how much this helps with hair-loss because that’s not a major issue for me. Overall, I highly recommend this product if you’re looking for a product to soothe and moisturize a dry scalp. Honestly, even if you just use it on your ends and not your scalp, I think it’s still a really good hair mask.

Rating: 5/5 and WRP

Where to Buy: Amazon (2 for $18), Stylevana ($13)

Briogeo Don’t Despair Repair Shampoo

Review: I used up the travel sized version of this shampoo and I was actually really impressed! I always hear great things about the hair mask from this line but I never hear much about the shampoo. The hair mask is truly amazing, but it turns out that the shampoo is awesome too! It lathers up well and leaves my scalp feeling clean but not dry. My hair always looks fresh and has a decent amount of volume when I use this. The main drawback is that this is a bit expensive for a shampoo. However, I would still like to repurchase this when I use up my other shampoos, maybe even in the 34 oz value size to get the best bang for my buck. I reckon that might even be able to last me a whole year.

Rating: 4.5/5 and WRP

Where to Buy: Briogeo ($36), Sephora ($36), Ulta

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My Rating System:

5 – Holy Grail, I love this product and would repurchase it indefinitely

4 – Great product, I would repurchase it unless I find something better.

3 – Good product, I might consider repurchasing it, but probably not.

2 – Poor product, just didn’t work for me and I won’t repurchase.

1 – Awful product, you couldn’t pay me to put it on my face.

Disclaimer: This Site contains both non-affiliate and affiliate links, and I may receive an affiliate commission for any purchases made by you on the affiliate website using such links.  Some products marked by (*) were gifted to me for review purposes, but all thoughts are my own honest opinions. I am not an expert, these are just my personal experiences, and what works for me might not work for you.