Skincare Trash: What I Will Repurchase and What I Won’t

Rating my Recent Skincare Empties

I don’t know about you, but I’m a bit of a hoarder. I have a really hard time emptying out products because I tend to save them when I start to get close to using them up, especially if I really like them. This is something I’m working on. Since I have too many products, I really need to start using them up. While this may seem like a good amount of empties, it actually took me months to accumulate this many. My resolution for the next few months is definitely going to be to empty more products. Anyway, without further ado, let’s take a look at my skincare trash!

Laneige Lip Sleeping Mask

Review: Read my previous review here. This is an amazing product, especially considering how long it lasted me — almost 2.5 years!! Thus, it is definitely worth the price in my opinion. It works really well to keep my lips moisturized overnight. I have already repurchased this in a different flavor (Apple Lime).

Rating: 5/5

Where to Buy: Jolse (~$16), Sephora ($22)

Purito Fermented Complex 94 Boosting Essence

Review: I can’t believe I haven’t reviewed this product on here yet! This is one of my favorite essences, especially for the price. This is a fermented essence, containing 94% fermented ingredients. I love fermented essences (usually called First Treatment Essences) for brightening, smoothing, and softening my skin. They can often be rather expensive, but this one only costs about $18! Not to mention, this essence is thicker and more hydrating than many First Treatment Essences, so it can take over the toner step in my routine as well. Overall, this is an awesome, effective, and affordable product. I will repurchase this once I use up some other toners/essences I have.

Rating: 5/5

Where to Buy: YesStyle (~$19), Jolse (~$18)

Dr. Jart+ Ceramidin Cream

Review: Read my previous review here. This is a thick ceramide cream that’s highly moisturizing without making me shiny or greasy. This has been my go-to for winter time or whenever my skin is especially dry or irritated. I really love this cream, however I will not be repurchasing since Dr. Jart+ is an Estee Lauder brand. I am currently avoiding Estee Lauder brands, because of Ronald Lauder’s significant contributions to the Trump campaign. I have repurchased a supposed dupe for this, the Holika Holika Good Cera Cream.

Rating: 4.5/5

Where to Buy: YesStyle, (~$29) Jolse, (~$32) Sephora ($48)

The Moisturizers Co. Everyday Serum

Review: This is a really nice hydrating serum with some added anti-aging benefits. It contains Hyaluronic Acid, Swiss Apple Stem Cell Extract, Centella Asiatica, Green Tea Extract, as well as a small amount of Vitamin C. I love these ingredients and the thick, hydrating texture. The main drawback of this product is that it comes in a pretty small bottle for the price, so I’m not sure if I will repurchase.

Rating: 4/5

Where to Buy: Skintelligence.guru ($30)

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

Review: Read my previous review here. I am a huge fan of this sunscreen. It is so moisturizing, has no white cast, doesn’t pill, and has a natural slightly dewy finish. I have already repurchased two new ones in the unscented version!

Rating: 5/5

Where to Buy: YesStyle (~$13), Jolse (~$16)

Klairs Soft Airy UV Essence SPF 50+ PA++++

Review: Read my previous review here. This is another incredible sunscreen. I actually might like this one slightly more than the Purito, at least for warmer weather. It is slightly more lightweight, and “airy” as the name suggests. I highly recommend this and will repurchase.

Rating: 5/5

Where to Buy: Wishtrend ($23), YesStyle (~$23)

Paula’s Choice 10% Niacinamide Booster

Review: This is a very lightweight watery serum/booster that can easily be added to any skincare routine. Niacinamide is a great ingredient for skin brightening, and it can also have anti-aging and anti-acne effects. I had previously used The Ordinary’s Niacinamide + Zinc, which works, but has a rather unpleasant texture that almost always causes pilling. In my opinion, the Paula’s Choice Niacinamide is definitely superior. I would use it before my serum or I would add a couple of drops to my serum. Either way works. The main drawback of this is the high price. I am also not supporting Paula’s Choice at the moment due to some allegations of racism in the workplace. And even if I was supporting them, I would still be looking for a more affordable dupe before repurchasing.

Rating: 4/5

Where to Buy: Paula’s Choice ($44)

Inala Botanics Vitamin C Serum*

Review: While many serums contain Vitamin C in the form of L-Ascorbic Acid or a derivative, this serum uses Kakadu Plum, a natural form of Vitamin C. Thus, this serum is probably less potent than many other options, however it is more gentle and is still rich in antioxidants and hydrating ingredients. The packaging is also really nice, it is heavy and opaque to protect the integrity of the ingredients inside. Overall, I enjoyed this serum, however I didn’t notice any visible results from using it. And the price is too high for me, so I would not purchase this myself.

Rating: 3.5/5

Where to Buy: Inala Botanics ($58 USD or $79 AUD)

Purito Centella Green Level Buffet Serum

Review: Read my previous review here. This is another wonderfully effective and affordable product from Purito. This serum is very soothing due to the high Centella Asiatica (Cica) content. I reach for this when my skin is feeling irritated, hot, or dehydrated. It’s a medium thickness, very hydrating, and doesn’t pill. I will repurchase this again in the future.

Rating: 5/5

Where to Buy: YesStyle ($13), Jolse ($13)

Kose Softymo Deep Cleansing Oil

Review: Read my previous review here. This is a pretty basic cleansing oil, but it gets the job done and it’s very affordable. It’s not too fancy and definitely not exciting, but it works and I don’t really have any complaints about it. I might repurchase this at some point, but I would prefer to try out some other options first.

Rating: 4/5

Where to Buy: YesStyle ($13)

Secret Key Starting Treatment Essence Rose Edition

Review: Read my previous review here. Like the Purito 94 Boosting Essence, this is a fermented essence. However, this one is more like your typical First Treatment Essence — it’s very watery and not particularly hydrating. However, it still works to brighten and soften my skin due to the fermented ingredents and the Niacinamide in this one. This is a good Fermented Essence at a decent price, however I prefer the Purito Boosting Essence for the added hydration.

Rating: 4/5

Where to Buy: YesStyle ($20), Jolse ($29)

The Inkey List Alpha Arbutin

Review: The Inkey List is an affordable brand, similar to The Ordinary, but slightly pricier and with slightly more sophisticated formulations. Alpha Arbutin is supposed to help with skin brightening, and can be a gentler alternative to stronger actives such as hydroquinone or ascorbic acid. The Inkey List’s Alpha Arbutin comes out as a relatively thick serum, it is slightly tacky but also very hydrating. In terms of brightening, I didn’t see any noticeable results, but I also have never had much luck with Arbutin products. Personally, I won’t repurchase because I find that Vitamin C works better for me for brightening, however I would still recommend this to anyone who’s interested in trying Arbutin.

Rating: 3.5/5

Where to Buy: Sephora ($12)

The Ordinary Squalane Cleanser

Review: This is a really interesting product, and for a while I wasn’t sure how to use it. Even though this comes in a tube and looks a bit like a cream cleanser, you need to apply this to dry skin, like you would an oil cleanser. Then you add a bit of water to emulsify before washing it off completely. This is a pretty decent cleanser, and once I started using it correctly, I found that it works pretty well. Though I normally still need to follow up with a second cleanser. For me, the main issue I have with this is that it doesn’t spread very well, so I need to use a lot of product to cover my face. As a result, the cleanser didn’t last me very long. To me, the main appeal of the Ordinary is the budget-friendly prices. There are no other frills. But since this product doesn’t last long, it’s actually not that budget friendly at all. And otherwise, it’s only okay. So I will not be repurchasing.

Rating: 3/5

Where to Buy: Sephora ($8)

My Rating System:

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

4 – Great product, I will 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.