The lowdown on my latest empties

I’ve been stockpiling this batch for a few months now, and here’s why I used these products until the very last drop.

Is it just me, or is this photo blurry? These days it’s hard to tell, especially if I’m not wearing my reading glasses. On the bright side, I’ve included professional pictures of each product below—along with why they lived their best lives in my skincare/makeup rotation before they were exhausted.

La Roche-Posay Anthelios Tinted Mineral SPF 50
I always have a sheer sunscreen for days when I actually wear makeup, and a tinted sunscreen for days that I don’t. This isn’t my first bottle of La Roche-Posay and it won’t be my last—simply because it offers great sun protection and helps even out my skin tone when I’m walking with a friend or running errands. (Note: All of La Roche-Posay’s sunscreens and other products have always met my expectations—and they have that amazing French-pharmacy feel.)

Epionce Renewal Lite Facial Lotion
I use a lightweight moisturizer during the day and a richer cream at night—and I loved having this lotion in my rotation because it packs a powerful anti-aging punch with botanically-based (read: non-irritating) ingredients. If you’re not familiar with Epionce, I wholeheartedly recommend this line if you’re looking for clean, medical-grade offerings that effectively address the most common skin woes.

Biologique Recherche P50 1970
I can confidently say that using this toner once a day has made a huge difference in my skin. Yes, it smells like vinegar-ass, so that’s why I generally use it after my mid-day post-workout shower (as opposed to before getting into bed). I’m officially on my third bottle, and I have no regrets despite the fact that this is the most expensive product in my skincare arsenal.

Alaffia Everyday Shea Shaving Cream
I’ve been buying this at Whole Foods forever, but it seems to be on its way out because it seems to have all but vanished from the internet (high-quality photos included). But with that said, it’s been a great “clean” leg-shaving option, and although I had one final tube for replenishment purposes, I have Dr. Bronner’s Lavender Organic Shaving Soap waiting in the wings.

Maelys B-Flex Lift & Firm Arm Cream
Yes, I fell prey to a targeted treatment to help tone my upper arms, and I do believe it works. So much so that I’ve added this extra step to my post-shower body regimen (although they recommend twice-daily use), started using it on my tummy and swiftly ordered another when I was running low.

Deciem Retin-Oil Pro-Repair Body Oil
I seem to be on a discontinued roll, but fortunately I bought three of these when I initially ordered (and I’m starting to think I might be a super-organized hoarder). I love a body oil so one with retinol to help improve skin texture is a winner in my book—and in this case the price was right. I recently bought the Maelys B-Glossy in hopes of boosting skin firmness on my arms and legs, so stay tuned.

Danucera D22 Tonic
Beauty insiders are calling this the “clean” version of the aforementioned P50, so I figured it was worth trying a travel-sized bottle. But at $88 for 100ml of this and $126 for more than double the amount of P50 (I know, it’s still really expensive), I’ll stick with the “dirty” version that makes a difference I can see and feel in my skin.

Nutrafol Hair Serum
OK, there’s a little drama with this one. When I first bought this serum, the name was Growth Activator (which is why my empty bottle looks different than the photo above)—but it’s now called Hair Serum (possibly because of a little class-action lawsuit against Nutrafol that has to do with making drug-like claims for an over-the-counter product). Regardless, this shit works. I can barely go beyond 6 weeks between color appointments, and both my stylist and colorist have commented on how thick the base of my hair is. So of course I ordered it again, but now it’s in a white bottle.

Beauty Pie Wrap Star Tubing Mascara
If you are going to buy one mascara this summer, this is it. The tubing formula means no smudging or flaking (no matter how hot or humid it gets), and easy removal with just a little water. This is my everyday go-to, and after buying my first I promptly ordered two more when it was back in stock. (Hoarder alert.) Run, don’t walk on this one.

AcneFree Adapalene
I’ve been using this over-the-counter, formerly prescription-based retinoid for years, and it definitely did my skin justice. (I also started sharing it with my son when his hormones kicked in.) I totally recommend it simply because of the easy drugstore access (and real results), but I recently got my hands on tretinoin 0.1% via Nurx so I’m moving up and on. (And dealing with to-be-expected peeling—more to come.)

Glossier Coconut Balm Dot Com
After almost 10 years, this is still my favorite lip balm ever. I bought five the last time I ordered, so I haven’t had a chance to try the new-and-improved vegan formula that now comes in a tube with an applicator tip. (Yup, I’m definitely a hoarder.)