It seems like I go through phases of not emptying anything and just letting it all accumulate up, followed by periods where the empties back seems to explode seemingly overnight. So before I even think about writing about anything else, I want this overflowing bag out of my life. Now, let’s get onto the good stuff:

An aside: How on earth have I used up to many skincare products??? I must have had a bunch of near empties…

Banila Co Clean It Zero Purifying Cleansing Balm ($32.64 CDN | 100 mL)

I really enjoyed using this cleansing balm and it lasted a while. It had a subtle spa scent that came from synthetic fragrance, which means it did not irritate my skin or sting my eyes — some of us have a tumultuous relationship with essential oils — and did a great job of melting down makeup and then emulsifying to a milk. It sometimes left a film in my eyes but these cleansers all tend to but it didn’t sting and worked on more tenacious makeup. In terms of extra ingredients, it contains antioxidant-rich plant oils and soothing extracts including centella, which made my skin always feel a bit calmer after. I’d purchase again and I have given it as a gift to several people.

Cerave Hydrating Cleanser ($21.99 CDN | 355 mL)

I can say with full confidence that I have never paid full price for this cleanser, and likely wouldn’t, as it’s always on sale somewhere; the issues occur in terms of it actually being in stock, as its gotten popular. I have enjoyed using this non-foaming lightweight lotion cleanser for years, although I will say it can sting if I’ve overdone it on the acids/active ingredients and it is not a intensive makeup remover. It’s a gentle staple for me that I often keep in the shower as a second nighttime cleanse, and it’s great for not drying your skin out while cleansing. I will say when I repurchase, it’ll either be on sale or be one of the house brand varieties chains are coming out with. It contains ceramides, barrier-reinforcing ingredients and hyaluronic acid, along with gentle cleansing agents.

Kate Somerville Goat Milk Moisturizing Cleanser ($60 CDN | 120 mL)

Despite lasting me up to or around six months, I seem to have accumulated two empties of this cream cleanser. It’s my favourite but it’s expensive so I try to stock up when I see it on sale. It’s a great treatment cleanser for dry sensitive skin, never burns and has lots of great quality plant oils to soothe and moisturize, lactic acid, honey and hydrating goat’s milk. It removes makeup well while being super gentle and has a rich cream texture that leaves my skin soothed and generally happy afterwards. It would take something spectacular or just generally more affordable to knock this out of its place. It does not leave my skin dry or tight after use, even with nothing applied after.

Fenty Skin Fat Water Hydrating Milky Toner Essence ($46 CDN | 150 mL)

This milky essence-come-toner is seriously moisturizing, soothing and loaded with beneficial ingredients including squalane, niacinamide, apple fruit extract, hyaluronic acid, natural moisturizing factors and plant oils. There’s something in it that can sometimes be slightly sensitizing but nothing major — it’s probably the amount of fragrance it contains and one of the plant extracts — but I still adore it; the other thing to note would be that it needs to be applied on pretty wet skin or it can start to pill products applied afterwards. I loved it in the drier cooler weather and I love it now, seeing as I repurchased it.

Dr Ceuracle Vegan Kombucha Tea Essence ($51.27 CDN | 150 mL)

I finished this essence/milky-toner hybrid late in spring and I missed it tremendously, but I did wait for myself to finish the other milky toners I was working on before repurchasing. It has a cool consistency that kind of emulsifies when shaken into something super creamy. It’s great for replenishing the skin barrier and adding hydration, moisture and replenishment after cleansing, especially on my dry sensitive skin that is eczema-prone. It contains multiple probiotic ingredients (kombucha and saccharomyces) that are both soothing and function as antioxidants, along with plant oils, sodium hyaluronate, xcentella and a replenishing ceramide. It’s fragrance free and super calming.

Paula’s Choice Resist Advanced Replenishing Toner ($26 US | 118 mL)

This is another favourite milky toner of mine, but with more hydrating and barrier-reinforcing ingredients and less plant oils. I’ve repurchased it many times over the years and it’s a good one, but it’s easy to go through quickly. It contains glycerin, fatty acids, sodium hyaluronate, numerous antioxidants and skin soothers. I’m sure I will pick it up the next time I make a Paulas Choice order. It’s great on sensitive or compromised skin as its fragrance and fairly irritant free. It’s very plumping and is a god-send for binding moisture to the skin.

Tarte Knockout Tingle Treatment Toner ($53 CDN | 150 mL)

This is not an acid toner for the faint of heart but I enjoyed it as a seasoned acid exfoliant user, even if I couldn’t tolerate using it as often as I could with gentler exfoliants. Its an approximately ten percent complex of lactic acid, citric acid, gluconolactone, malic acid, phytic acid and salicylic acid, formulated at what likely is a quite low pH (thanks to the vinegar and other ingredients) so it’s a bit zingy, but it gives good results, especially with the niacinamide so high in the ingredient list. I’m inclined to say that one of the plant extracts I find kind of irritating when used too often but otherwise it really helps with congestion and skin texture and leaves my skin bright and glowy.

Missha Time Revolution Night Repair Ampoule ($56.99 CDN | 50 mL)

I think this was my second empty bottle of this serum and I repurchased when it was on sale for a great price and I think I’d buy again. It’s a great non-active-lead serum that contains niacinamide to strengthen the skin barrier and not much else in that kind of concentration. It contains numerous fermented probiotic ingredients that tend to act as humectants but also help with the skin barrier, which is always a focus for me and my dry sensitive skin. It contains some antioxidant ingredients as well but the highlights are really the niacinamide and the probiotics. It contains some essential oil derived fragrance but it doesn’t seem to be an issue in terms of skin sensitivity for me and actually seems to make my skin feel stronger and generally happier.

Beekman 1802 Milk Drops Ceramide Serum ($45 US | 0.95 ounce)

I really enjoyed using this ceramide-infused and barrier-restoring humectant serum, but it’s kind of a pain to get ahold of regularly so I don’t think I’d make the effort to repurchase. I was lucky enough to find it at a discount from a FabFitFun sale and the ingredients intrigued me enough to try it. The goat milk derived ingredients are interesting and soothing/hydrating, the ceramide is promising, and I quite enjoyed the rest of the formula as well, made up of probiotic bifida ferment lysate, sodium hyaluronate, squalane and honey. It was a humectant serum that did more that I really enjoyed using, especially when my skin was visibly stressed and I had visibly overdone things.

Kate Somerville Squalane+Hyaluronic Hydrate + Plump Serum ($98 US | 30 mL)

This is a really sophisticated and well-formulated hyaluronic acid based humectant serum but it’s very expensive for something I tent to go through quick; it’s one of those skincare things I enjoy but only purchase on a good sale. It’s a super juicy hydrating serum in a milky vehicle, with squalane, glycerin, panthenol, adenosine and multiple forms of sodium hyaluronate. It’s a super gentle, non-stingy and non irritating formula and tends to give me hydrated plumped, juicy looking skin.

Drunk Elephant Protini Resurfacing Serum ($111 CDN | 30 mL)

This serum is expensive but might just be worth the money for me because of the results it gives me and the good six months (or more), it lasts with typical use. It’s 10% lactic acid that does double duty as a chemical exfoliant and a nice humectant serum. It features squalane, some lovely plant oils, numerous peptides and skin-identical ingredients to fortify the skin barrier. I love how it contains nothing irritating and easily fits into my routine a few times a week. It’s pricey but I’ll repurchase after I’m done playing with the current exfoliants I have on the go because I do miss it. It really helps with texture and keeps my skin looking generally plump and bright.

Cosrx Advanced Snail 96 Mucin Power Essence ($33.70 CDN | 100 mL)

This “essence” is my favourite humectant serum — honestly don’t know what makes it an essence compared to a serum but I won’t complain as you get a lot of product for your money –, mainly consisting of barrier-repairing and healing snail secretion filtrate, but has sodium hyaluronate and allantoin thrown in there too. It’s great for plumping up the skin and holding onto moisture and minimizing irritation and dryness. I even repurchased multiples last time I ordered this. It’s my go-to.

L’Oreal Revitalift Filler [+Hyaluronic Acid] Eye Cream for Face ($25.99 CDN | 30 mL)

I’m kind of shocked that I haven’t really seen any coverage on this value-sized eye cream, considering how delightful it is. It’s great for a sensitive eye area, as it’s fragrance-free and doesn’t really contain common irritants. The pump packaging is super efficient and lets you easily get all of the product out without compromising the stability with any of the antioxidants or other ingredients, and it lasted me ages. The fourth ingredient is a fermented extract, known for functioning as an antioxidant and skin-soother (fermented black tea and saccharomyces ferment), and it’s followed by shea butter, pro-xylane, a cell-communicating ingredient, caffeine, another notable cell-communicating ingredient, sodium hyaluronate and ascorbyl glucoside. My experience in using this eye cream were plump, bright and non-irritated under-eyes. I primarily used as an eye cream and I will repurchase after I finish what’s in my stash.

Cosrx Advanced Snail Peptide Eye Cream ($37.28 CDN | 25 mL)

I finished my second bottle of this snail secretion filtrate based eye cream and happily snagged another when I saw it on sale. Again, it’s a really well formulated eye cream, formulated without fragrance or any sketchy extracts. It contains the super repairing snail, along with brightening niacinamide, arganine, sodium hyaluronate and peptides that function at the very minimum as humectants. It never burns or stings and makeup wears nicely on top of it.

Anessa Perfect UV Sunscreen Mild Milk SPF 50+ ($40.47 CDN | 60 mL)

This is a great sunscreen in terms of both UVA/UVB protection, sweat/humidity resistance and is both easy to tolerate and cosmetically elegant. It’s both drying alcohol and fragrance free, while still being super lightweight and dries to this soft-focus velvety finish on its own. The matte finish isn’t my favourite on myself because it tends to cling to dry patches and just leaves me feeling more dry and heavy than I’d like — but I’m someone who prefers dewy formulations with drier skin to begin with as a preference. It’s a combination sunscreen with some of these newer generation potent filters that are available in Asia and it has a minor and manageable white cast. It never runs into the eyes or stings during workouts or heavy sweating, I will say. I finished it, using it for sweaty yoga practices on my chest neck and shoulders but i also enjoyed it for the occasions when I was sweating heavily and needed serious sun protection. I would be curious to try a different formulation from the brand.

Laneige Water Bank Blue Hyaluronic Cream Moisturizer ($30 CDN | 20 mL)

Looking at the ingredient list for this moisturizer, I was pretty meh, as it includes squalane super high on the ingredient list but not much else of note, other than hyaluronic acid, allantoin, beta glucan, a ceramide and lactobacillus ferment lysate, all at the bottom of the ingredient list. However, once I tried it, I couldn’t stop using it. It has a subtle spa scent that does not come from essential oils — so it agrees with my skin — and it has a really nice cushioning cream texture that soaks into the skin and leaves it hydrated and plump. I’ve already repurchased.

Summer Fridays Cloud Dew Gel Cream Moisturizer ($61 CDN | 50 mL)

This is a great water-cream moisturizer that I’ve heard fantastic things about and wasn’t too expensive, but it’s just not rich enough for my dry skin. I actually used it up on my chest and neck and loved it that way but won’t be repurchasing. It contains multiple forms of hyaluronic acid, glutamic acid, numerous amino acids, ascorbic acid and a ceramide but does not have that cushioning-feel and emollients/occlusives my eczema-prone skin craves. I will note that it’s fragrance-free and non irritating.

Kate Somerville DeliKate Recovery Cream ($103 CDN | 50 mL)

This moisturizer is as expensive as I am comfortable spending — and I always shop around and try to stock up when its on sale — but it’s been my go-to since early quarantine era. It has a great whipped balm texture that feels lightweight while adding comfort to dry tight skin and is fragrance free and is formulated without those plant extracts that can sometimes be an issue for me. It has shea butter, ceramides, peptides, honey, a few cell-communicating ingredients and some soothing plant extracts. It is concentrated enough that it lasts forever, is great under makeup and is great for healing a damaged skin barrier without any risk of stinging.

Paula’s Choice Omega+ Complex Moisturizer ($37 US | 50 mL)

This moisturizer has a texture that is similar to the Kate Somerville, which may explain why I love the two so much, but is even more whipped and cloud-like in airless pump packaging. It’s also about half the price. It too is fragrance free and formulated without anything that I’ve ever experienced irritation with and does not sting. It’s loaded with omega-rich plant oils, fatty acids, ceramides, squalane and a bunch of barrier-repairing ingredients. I never know when the product is empty until it is, which is my only complaint and I always repurchase when I place an order.

Ilia Super Serum Skin Tint SPF 40 in Tuluum ($65 CDN | 30 mL)

It’s so rare that I finish a foundation-class kind of product but I’ve been reaching for this sheer-to-light coverage tinted sunscreen for the last year or two as my go-to. It applies pretty well over dry patches, has a dewy finish, always makes me look a bit better and is sheer enough that I’m actually using enough to get sunscreen coverage. It’s fragrance and alcohol free and has shea butter, niacinamide, squalane and sodium hyaluronate for skin benefits. I’ve repurchased already, as it suits my everyday base needs, and it has such an impressive colour selection for a sheerer product.

L’Oreal Bambi Oversized Eye Volumizing Mascara in Intense Black ($15.99 CDN)

I typically love L’Oreal mascaras but this spin-off of the original Bambi mascara was not a favourite. As someone with sensitive eyes, looking volume, separation and a little bit of drama, this brush was a little too spiky and I didn’t enjoy the comb-like brush. The formula seemed quite wet and didn’t do anything special after it dried out any. I also have never used a lash curler so I obviously do not need to be chasing a lifting mascara. It did offer good length, definition and separation. I didn’t find it that volumizing, either.

L’Oreal Voluminous Lash Paradise Mascara in Mystic Black ($13.46 CDN)

This is the drugstore mascara that I measure all other drugstore (and non-drugstore) mascaras against. It’s a fairly dry formula — but even so, I prefer it once it starts to dry out — and the packaging tends to be a mess, smeared with old dried mascara but it gives great volume, some length and curl too with minimal product. It does not irritate my eyes or feel heavy on my lashes and gives some drama and the large natural bristle brush is great. It gives some volume, is conditioning and adds some drama that is definitely buildable. The only downside is it can be kind of difficult to remove, despite not being waterproof. I have used many tubes of this and given many tubes to friends as gifts.

L’Oreal Bambi Eye Mascara in Extra Noir ($15.99 CDN)

This is another drugstore mascara that I’ve repurchased and I really enjoy using. Like the others, it does not irritate my sensitive eyes and actually does feel pretty conditioning and lightweight. It’s a happy medium between a dry and wet formula, has a plastic brush that does not have that stabbing-your-eyeballs feel. It has a football-shaped brush with short bristles that really does give like a thickening wide-eyed effect while adding some length. It does not clump easily and is a great everyday mascara that removes easily and even works when I’m dealing with seasonal allergies. It’s buildable too but I don’t find it to be the most drama-inducing mascara in the world.

L’Oreal Brow Stylist Micro Ink Pen in Dark Brunette ($13.28 CDN)

Another thing L’Oreal does super well is brow products, as they come in great typically-ashy shades and have sophisticated formulas while remaining fairly inexpensive. I really have come to love using their brow pens as an everyday brow staple. They pull super natural and read as actual hairs for the most part and work to fill-in more sparse areas of the brows for a more uniform look, which suits my needs well as someone with a lot of brow hairs but definite sparse areas. They wouldn’t work as well for someone looking for a full-on defined brow or someone looking to dramatically alter their brow shape. I quite liked the darker shade for the outer half of my brows but I think I prefer the light brown shade overall, which is what I’ve repurchased.

What have you finished lately?