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Haute Beauty Guide

Beauty

January Empties

February 4, 2021
January Empties by popular Monterey beauty blog, Haute Beauty Guide: collage image of various empty beauty products.

January empties look a bit different this month. I normally do them quarterly but the bin was so full I decided to just do this month. Not sure I’ll keep it monthly. My goal for 2020 was to use up all of my sample size items and for 2021 it is all about using up sheet masks. Both contribute a tone to landfills so I want to use them up and eliminate purchasing/collecting them.

January Empties

January Empties by popular Monterey beauty blog, Haute Beauty Guide: image of Ren clean skincare clean jelly, Ren clean skincare clarifying clay cleanser, and Jouvance cleansing gel nettoyant.

Cleansers

First up cleansers. This REN Clean Skincare Jelly Oil Cleanser is my new OBSESSION! It is so good. The texture is thick but really melts into the skin absorbing makeup, SPF, dirt, oil, dead skin–everything! For cold, dry winter months this is the best thing out there. Another I like was this REN Clarifying Clay Cleanser c/o. If you have dry skin but suffer from breakouts this is for you. The texture is thick and nourishing but really purges the skin. I don’t use it much since my breakouts aren’t active. A random find and love is this cleansing gel from Jouvance c/o. For a morning or second cleanse the Jouvance cleansing gel is perfect. Gentle, nonfoaming, and nondrying.

WonderGloss Blossom Balm c/o loved this one. The scent is a light rose, the texture is greasy wonderfulness that really melts everything off the skin leaving behind fresh, soft, clean skin. This came to me in a press pack but I loved it so much I bought another.

January Empties by popular Monterey beauty blog, Haute Beauty Guide: image of la prairie skin caviar, Abeille Royale serum, Clarins Paris bi serum, Marcelle Hydra-C+, and Amore Pacific.

Serums

I ended up liking all of these!

  • PCA Rejuvenating Serum – I always forget how much I like this one until I open a new one up. The fresh scent, the quick-absorbing texture, and instant plumping results are a win for me.
  • Guerlain Abeille Royale Double Renew+Repair Serum – see more on why I like this so much here.
  • Amore Pacific Time Response Age-Defying Serum – I saw a huge difference with this serum on my neck. It was visibly plumper and less crepe like.
  • Marcelle Hydra C – My least favorite of the bunch. It worked well on my neck and chest.
  • La Prairie Absolute Filler – this is actually a moisturizer but I used it as a serum and loved it!
  • Clarins Hydra-Essentiel Bi-Phase Serum Great for dehydrated skin. This layers well with my makeup and moisturizers.

January Empties by popular Monterey beauty blog, Haute Beauty Guide: image of Emma Hardie Plump and Glow hydrating facial mist, PCA skin hydrating toner, and Sekkisei lotion.

Mists, Toners, Essences

  • Emma Hardie Plump & Glow Hydrating Facial Mist AMAZING!!! I bought three more of these. That is how great they are. Perfect for morning hydration, on the go, or middle of the night. I like how together this kept my skin during an intense tretinoin acclimation and after hours of wearing a mask, this is the best skin refresher.
  • PCA Nutrient Toner Always a favorite. This is a great morning or evening cleanse no matter what you plan to follow it with. Leaves my skin soft, plump, and super hydrated.
  • Sekkisei Lotion – I swear by this lotion to help keep my dark spots or post-breakout inflammation spots away. Use code

January Empties by popular Monterey beauty blog, Haute Beauty Guide: image of Neova smart skincare, Supergoop! zinc screen, and caffeine eye cream.

SPFs & Eye Creams

  • Supergoop Zinc Screen – Not for my skin but if you have oily or combo and sensitive skin this is for you!! So good.
  • Neova Silc Sheer 2.0 – This was a winner for me. It gave just enough tint to really cover and 40 SPF!
  • Inky List Caffeine Eye Cream – The depuffing magic cream!!

January Empties by popular Monterey beauty blog, Haute Beauty Guide: image of Dior Prestige le sucre de gommage and Dr. Barbara Sturm facial scrub.

Scrubs

  • Dior Le Sucre De Gommage – Hated this. Ended up throwing it away. The scent just made me gag.
  • Dr Barbara Sturm Facial Scrub – Okay, it was super gentle so ok for multi times a week. Just wasn’t worth the price for me.
January Empties by popular Monterey beauty blog, Haute Beauty Guide: image of Sekkisei herbal gel, Bliss rose gold rescue, Watermelon Glow, Dr. Barbara Strum face cream, Elemis hydra-boost.

Moisturizers

  • Dr Barbara Sturm Face Cream for Women
  • Grown Alchemist Hydra-Repair Day Cream
  • Colleen Rothschild Sheer Renewal Cream
  • The Organic Pharmacy Double Rose Rejuvenating Cream
  • Elemis Hydra-Boost Day Cream
  • Glow Recipe Watermelon Glow
  • Sekkisei Herbal Gel
  • Bliss Gentle Moisture Cream for Sensitive Skin
  • OneKind Dream Cream
January Empties by popular Monterey beauty blog, Haute Beauty Guide: image of Dove dry spray, Colleen Rothschild creamy oil body wash Indie Lee body wash, Elemis fragrance body cream, and Ever Eden moisturizing baby face cream.

Body

  • Nash Jones Agave Wash Cloth – These are amazing. They really scrub everything off your body and are uber sustainable!
  • Jo Malone Vitamin E Body Treatment Scrub – Love the results but the texture and scent of this were off for me. I would still totally buy it again for the results! My skin was softer, plumper, and glowed!
  • Dove Dry Spray Deodorant – Always my favorite. Never leaves marks on my clothes.
  • Colleen Rothschild Creamy Oil Body Wash c/o – This was a new find and I am OBSESSED!! I used up the sample and bought 2 more! I like that it doesn’t dry my skin out. The scent is dreamy.
  • Indie Lee De-Stress Body Wash – My husband ended up stealing this for his shower. The scent is so gender neutral and really a great foamy texture.
  • Ever Eden brand Lifting and Firming Lotion – Nothing has helped my post-pregnancy belly skin like this cream!!!
  • Ever Eden Nourishing Baby Face Cream – Olivia has super sensitive skin and this works. It keeps her skin from drying out and cracking. The texture isn’t greasy so she doesn’t mess with it and the packaging makes it easy to use with a squirming baby. No more spills!
  • Elemis Frangipani Hand Cream – My go-to car hand cream. The scent is lovely.
  • Flamingo Wax Strips – My quarantine must-have. These strips are so easy to use and I found them to be less painful than most on the market.
  • Serge Normant Dream Big Instant Volume Spray
January Empties by popular Monterey beauty blog, Haute Beauty Guide: image of 111 Skin rose gold illuminating eye mask, Pucker Up! Lip Plumping Kit, and Skinesque brightening mask.

Sheet Masks

  • 111 Skin Rose Gold Illuminating Eye Mask
  • Karuna Hydrating Face Mask
  • Skinesque 3 step Brightening Kit
  • Masqueology Pucker Up Lip Kit
  • Robin McGraw Revelations Brightening & Spot Lightening Mask
  • 111 Skin Sub Zero Face Mask
  • Patchology Flashpatch Restoring Night Eye Gels
  • Dermea E Vitamin C Bright Eyes

What were some of your favorite January empties? Let me know in a comment below!

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Meet Doran

Hi, I am Doran! I write about skincare, mommy+me, and all things California. I live in Monterey with my husband, daughter, and pup. Follow along on Insta @doranpoma and shop my store at HauteBeautyGuidebyDoran.com

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About Me

I started Haute Beauty Guide in 2008 as a way to stay in touch with my skincare clients between appointments. At first, I only covered skincare but HBG grew with me as my life evolved— from traveling around the world, heading back to college after taking a long break, buying our first home, to getting my first gray hair! Monterey is my home and I take the lifestyle here to heart.

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@doranpoma
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I’ve fully fallen into the beauty of this novel. Spread over generations, the author weaves California history into the story beautifully. I love, love, love thinking about what Monterey/Salinas was like 100 or 200 years ago. If you want a story that sucks you in from the first page, hunt down this book, “In The Land Of Plenty” by  Mary Smathers. 
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The Moon Mask is gorgeous. A super hydrating mask full of Vitamin C and hyaluronic acid the shimmering mask leaves my skin soft, plump, hydrated and glowing! 

I like to prep my skin with the new scrub for better absorption. Finish up with the Great Barrier Reef cream for all night hydration. 

Available now @coola 

#coolapartner #coolaskincare #spadayathome
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Current favorites. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Mo Current favorites. 
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
Most days I just do primer, concealer, and a bit of highlight but lately, I've been going all out. 
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
@clarinsusa SOS Primer
@toofaced Born This Way Concealer
@ilmakiage foundation
@ctilburymakeup powder
@beccacosmetics highlighter
@givenchyofficial Lash Primer
@tooface Better Than Sex Mascara
@winky_lux Brow pencil
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⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
Pop over to stories to see how we use Littlespoon to boost Olivia's nutrition and Lovevery to boost her imagination. Plus a few discount codes.

LS-DORAN to save $20 off your first order of Littlespoons

#littlesoonpartner #presssample
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