Hello Internet!

The time has come!! My 2015 empties round up on the last day of the year! This has been a great year for empties for me. I really learned a lot about what I like, what I don't like, and discovered earlier this year that I no longer enjoy having a large collection of makeup, skincare, and the like. I was inspired by minimalism, decluttering, and tiny house living (which is so cool by the way). I read "The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up" by Marie Kondo and it has definitely changed the way I viewed my possessions. I got rid of a lot of clothes and purses this year that did not reflect the style I wanted for myself and am still working on building my my perfect wardrobe. I wouldn't say I'm a minimalist yet but my progress has been nothing but positive this year.

The empties in this post include makeup, hair, skin, perfume, nails, and even some stationary (weird, I know) that I finished this year. I also decided to add up the dollar value of each used product to give myself an idea of how much I really used (wait till you see the number *faints*). At the end of the post I'll attempt a "deep" self-reflection of my progress towards minimalism, what I would have done differently in 2015, and discuss my goals for the future. 

First things first, the empties. I'm like a proud momma on Toddlers in Tiaras. The satisfaction from finishing a product that you spent money on and to be able to say, yes, I used it to its full potential. The joy we get is unparalleled for any beauty "collector" ;). 

**Disclaimer: The products below were not necessarily started in 2015.

Body Care

Body Wash: 10

Bar Soap: 11

Deodorant: 1

Foot care: 1

Hand Cream: 2

Body Lotion/Creams: 6

Body Scrub: 1

Shave: 1

Total Value of Body Care Products: $211

Skin Care

Face Cleanser: 9

Sheet Masks: 8

Face Moisturizer: 4

Nose Strips: 3

Toner: 1

Treatments/Serums: 6

Total Value of Skin Care Products: $229

Hair Care

Shampoo: 2

Conditioner: 2

Hair Mask: 2

Dry Shampoo:2

Total Value of Hair Care Products: $75

Makeup

Concealer: 2

Foundation: 1

Lip Balm: 3

Oil Absorbing Sheets: 1

Powder: 3

Primer: 1

Makeup Samples: 9

Total Value of Makeup Products: $112.5

Fragrance

Full size: 1 (1.7 oz)

Roller/mini: 1

Samples: 1

Total Value of Fragrances: $86

Nail/Nail Care

Nail Polish: 1

Nail Dryer: 1

Total Value of Nail Products: $6

Miscellaneous

Hand Sanitizers: 2 (minis)

Travel sized shampoo/body wash: 4

Pens (Stationary): 6

Total Value of Miscellaneous Products: $5

Grand Total of Empties: $725

By the way, I keep an inventory of all of my empties on an excel spreadsheet and update it monthly. Its the easiest way for me to keep track of every product and be able to sort them categorically (it's the engineer in me). I also have inventoried my makeup in the same way and will make an inventory post in the near future. 

So, how did I do?

I can't believe I went through an entire year without buying any new makeup or skincare or hair care products (snaps for Jenny!!). By not buying any new products, it allowed me to whittle down my vast hoard (I won't even glamorize it with the word collection) over the past year. I still have a little ways to go, but I hope I can get through the rest of my skincare, hair care, and body care by the end of 2016. My ultimate goal is to only have 1 of each and buy a replacement once I've used it up. No more collecting. 

I had quite a large skincare pile, from face washes to treatments, a lot of which were from beauty box subscriptions or Sephora Favorites kits. I am proud to say I actually ran out of face wash until my boyfriend gifted me a new face wash for Christmas. I also succeeded in using up a lot of little sample serums and oils that were collecting dust and taking up precious space. I really enjoy skincare and will probably continue to purchase skincare in the future, but I am excited to try more natural or off brand skincare products in the coming year.

I've barely made a dent in my perfume collection. I wear perfume daily but perhaps I need to focus on specific perfumes to use in 2016. I used to be a "signature scent" type of gal (hello Burberry Original), but then I moved to a city with TJ Maxx and bam. I now own 20 little bottles of expensive scented water. We need to get that sorted next year. I want to get back to owning a maximum of 3 (2 if I can!) perfumes at any given time.

What are some things I could have done without?

In 2015 I subscribed to a couple beauty boxes such as Ipsy and Glossybox so a few of my empties came from those services. While the surprise boxes are quite fun, there were hit and miss products and I'm not convinced it's a great value. But I may try it once more in the future.

Notice I only finished shampoo, conditioner, and dry shampoo as part of my hair empties. I still have tons of hair products from when I thought I would do more with my hair (texturizing sprays, shine sprays, smoothers, volume boosters) but truth be told, all I do is wash and condition. Definitely don't need to be buying hair serums and heat protectors when I hardly ever use hair tools. I'm also considering getting rid of my hair tools (blow dryer and flat iron) in 2016 but I'm having trouble letting go for some reason. 

I virtually spent $211 alone on body lotions and body washes! Not that I don't enjoy them and I can't afford them, but it's really not a necessity for me so I'd rather spend my money on something else and switch to cheaper alternatives. I want to explore multitasking products such as oils that I can use for a multitude of things, and simplify my bathroom routine.  

Reflecting on the fact that I used over 700$ worth of beauty products in 1 year. 

I am very happy that I went through $700 worth of beauty products, but I'm also ashamed of the fact that I spent that and more on these types of things. I could have bought a designer wallet by now! I could drastically cut down that expense in 2016 by using body oils instead of body lotions and bar soap instead of body wash and the most obvious; not buying things I don't need!

The crying shame is that I only used 10 makeup products out of my whole collection and makeup is my largest problem!! I have over 400 makeup items alone (yes I counted them) and I really need to do better next year. I have set a goal for myself to use 60 makeup products, which I will be writing about in a future post (ambitious, I know, but if I don't kick my butt in gear, I won't be able to buy new makeup until I'm 40). 

What are my goals for next year?

This is something I will also elaborate on in a future post, but ideally my plan is to continue my makeup no buy for 2016 and only replace items once I have gone through that product type in my hoard. This will prevent me from stock piling. I also want to explore multitasking products for hair/skin/body to simplify my routine.

I will always love makeup and skincare and trying out new things, but what I don't love is the burden of having so much at one time. I want to live a clutter free life while still enjoying my hobbies. Minimalism is not about living without, but living with just the things you love. And that is so hot right now.

- Jenny

Today's empties post is a little over due. I promised myself I would only keep empties for 30 days and then let them go as last time I held onto them for almost 9 months. I feel shame. In my defense, I was trying to keep a whole year's worth of empties in an attempt to get a visual understand of how much I go through in a year. But then I had to move, and moving bags of empties across town and up 3 flights of stairs to my new apartment...I'm not about that life. I have limits. 

However, I then started to find myself collecting empties again in my new apartment. So I decided today was going to be the day. A glorious new day in which I will cease hoarding empty packaging because frankly, I don't have the physical nor the mental space to hang on to these things. I'm trying to be a minimalist here! It doesn't help me if I'm trying to declutter and then just keep the exact stuff I was trying to get rid of. What is my life. 

I have noticed that if I write down my "goals" for empties in my bullet journal, i.e. the products I want finished by the end of the month, I am very likely to achieve those goals, though they have to be realistic goals (writing down a full bottle of shampoo isn't going to make that shampoo go away by the 30th, but a small tube of face cream will). By keeping these products in the front of my mind and in my planner, I am more likely to be diligent in using them. Case in point, October was a great month for empties and I kept adding product goals throughout the month and finishing them. In November I didn't use my journal very much, so didn't make a list of empty goals...and not very much was accomplished. Just a thought for those of you trying to get through your pile of junk. A snapshot of December's empties goals are below:

So far this year I have not repurchased any skincare, beauty, body or hair item except for mascara. I can see progress in my bathroom cabinet, where all the skincare and body care items are, but I really haven't made much of a dent in my makeup collection. I'm going through foundation and powders slowly, but have yet to go through any other products. I may need to do a no buy for 2016 as well, sigh. Is there an end in sight?

First off, while we are on the topic of makeup:

Mistine Compact powder - I repressed it but its crumbling and not really worth the mess it's making everytime I use it. It was nothing special, will probably not buy it again.

CoverGirl Lash Blast mascara (Very Black) - This is probably "The One" for me, and I bought a replacement for it yesterday. 

Kat Von D Lockit Tattoo Foundation - I had the shade 54 medium. It was slightly too dark for me but I made it work. Great coverage, blends really well with beauty blender but a little cakey with a brush. This stuff was bomb, I'd get it again for sure. But not anytime soon though...I'm looking at you, foundations left in my collection....I'm looking at you.

Chapstick Lip Balm in Cake Batter - picked this up last Christmas, its nice :) I love Chapstick.

Revlon Base and Top Coat - meh...this is my second one and I decided I'm going to try something else. It worked alright as a base coat but does not dry quickly enough for a top coat. 

Next up, skincare:

SkinEffects by Dr Jeffry Dover 2 step 8% Glycolic Acid pads - I think it helped brighten my skin and fade acne scars...but I can't be sure. I'd be interested in other glycolic acid products in the future.

Borghese Fango body polish sample - I got this in a subscription box, it's got a good grit, I used it for my feet. Actually belongs in the body section of the empties but I'm not redoing the photo. Smelled weird. Would not buy. 

Fresh Soy Face Cleanser - This was not memorable and although I didn't have any problem with it, I won't be buying it again. 

DDF Amplifying Elixir - This one also came in a sample box. It made my skin feel very soft, I used it twice a day before moisturizer and really liked it. Not sure if it really did anything else for my skin though. Would not buy.

Jurlique Herbal Recovery Advanced Serum - same deal as the DDF, it felt nice but I'm not sure what all it did. Would not buy but am very interested in trying Jurlique products in the future.

SkinInc Brightening Serum - Not sure if it brightened. Would not buy this specific product but may consider buying SkinInc serums in the future. 

Mario Badescu Enzyme Cleansing Gel - not a fan of the smell or the texture. Did not see any positive effects after use. Would not buy.

Oxy Spot Treatment - has 10% Benzoyl Peroxide which is my acne ingredient of choice. It was good, but I prefer Clean and Clear's Persagel 10. Would not buy again. 

GlamGlow Youth Mud - I prefer the SuperMud treatment (in the white tub). This didn't really do much for me, I would not buy this one. 

Benefit It's Potent Eye Cream samples - figured I try to get these knocked out. I really don't see any effect on my undereyes unfortunately, so will not buy this product.

Hair:

Batiste Dry Shampoo - I love this stuff, but not the Tropical scent. Will buy again in a different scent. I'm trying to use up a bottle of baby powder as dry shampoo before I buy any more. 

KMS Hair Play - WTF was this? It was terrible. It took half a can to get my hair to look somewhat decent and had a very strong scent. Will not buy this EVER.

Last up, Body:

The Body Shop Honeymania Shower Gel - I really love these shower gels, scent was great. Will repurchase this in any scent (especially mango and strawberry).

Victoria's Secret Moonlight Dream - Praise Jesus this is the last one. I bought seven of these in one go and have been working at them for almost 2 years. I don't like the foam they produce, they are not moisturizing, and I didn't like many of the scents I picked out. Will not be buying these ever again and I am so glad I'm done with that part of my life. 

Dry Idea Advanced Dry Antiperspirant/Deodorant - yep...it does the job. Not much else to say. Somehow I've accumulated 4 deoderants so I won't be buying any for a while.

The Body Shop Peppermint Cooling Foot Spray - Let me preface by saying I love the Body Shop. I would rather shop there than at Bath and Body Works as I feel the Body Shop products are higher quality. But this is $16 mouthwash in a spray bottle. I appreciate the concept, my feet were tingled, but no. Just no. 

Revive Detoxifying Foot Pads - I must say, I got sucked into buying these in TJMaxx in that checkout line of doom. I knew they wouldn't work but I was compelled to buy the pretty pink packet. They are "toxin absorbing" sticky pads that you wear on the bottom of your feet while you sleep and in the morning you take them off and they get all dark with "toxins". They smelled nasty and smeared on my sheets. Bruh. Naw.

Onward to minimalism!