Kevin If you’re new around here, I’ve mentioned before that I’ve embarked on my own version of Project Pan, which started out in the makeup crowd as a goal to use up what they had and hit that silver thing at the bottom. Eventually others started doing their own versions with the goal to use up what they had, and it inspired me to start up my own version roughly two years ago.
Without further ado, here’s the latest installment of my empties project. It’s long overdue, but here goes, starting in no particular order.
Burt’s Bees Almond and Milk Hand Cream: This is one of the things I unearthed while we were packing for the move, and I realized it had been in that same drawer since before the last move. It had been living here for way too long, and it was time to use it up. I used it on both my hands and my feet after the move, since they were a total wreck. It’s still available, unlike the Beeswax and Banana scent I loved back in college. Anyways, a little pro tip: if you’ve got open sores or blisters on your feet, do NOT use it there. Seriously, you’ll regret it, big time.
Avon Cuticle Cream in a rose scent: I’d gotten this several years ago, and misplaced it. I’d been looking for it off and on, until I found it under my bed before the move. The rose scent had turned a bit off, if that makes any sense, but still usable. It wasn’t much of anything special, and it’s discontinued anyway.
Herbal Essences Rose Hips conditioner: Picked this up on sale at Wally World, and it smelled the same as I remembered it when I tried it back in middle school. May or may not rebuy at a later point in time.
Herbal Essences Argan Oil shampoo and conditioner: The shampoo is sulfate-free, which I was stoked to see on the back. Usually when I see a shampoo and conditioner, the shampoo has sulfates, which totally messes with hair that has any type of texture to it, 9 times out of 10. I liked the smell of these, and how these worked with my hair. Will rebuy at a later point in time for sure.
Herbal Essences Sea Kelp, Beach Plastic Bottle: Loved the scent of the conditioner, but I’m bummed that the matching shampoo had sulfates. Otherwise, I’d be rebuying this for sure.
Skintimate Shave Gel in Coconut Delight: I’ve rebought this twice, and I love it to bits. While it says it’s a coconut scent, I notice that while it’s there, it doesn’t last forever, and it isn’t super strong. The scent itself really says ‘summer,’ and since I’m still in summer mode, all the better, eh? Since a family member of mine hates coconut to no end, I don’t have to save it for when I’m at the gym (before the pandemic, obviously), or elsewhere in order to use it.
Jergens Body Butter in Rose: I was pretty hesitant at first, since I despise the original stuff for numerous reasons. Anyway, I had an Ibotta deal for it a few months back, so I went over to the Walgreens in my neighborhood to check it out. I sniffed it, and ended up with some on my hand. I rubbed it in, and instantly fell in love with it. I picked it up in my haul that day, and I’ve re-bought it whenever the rebate returned to my gallery. I’ll be re-buying as long as they make it.
Jason deodorant in lavender: I had this knocking around in my stash for way too long after I got it in an Ibotta deal, and found it in the move. I finally used it up, and while the product itself was great, I’m not a fan of lavender.
Smartly hand soap in Smells Like the Ocean: For less than a buck, you can find this at Target. I saw it one day a few years back, and I’ve loved it ever since. This is probably the 10th time I’ve rebought the hand soap. BTW, I wish the ocean-scented lotion didn’t have propylene glycol in it, and I wish there were dishwasher stuff available in it. That would be so cool.
Method hand soap in Sea Minerals: I remember picking up a bottle of this back when I worked at a grocery store in college, and this stuff had just come out. I only got it once, on account of the cost, but I liked it well enough that I wished I could afford to rebuy it. I did, years later, as you see in the pic. There were four bottles of it in the clearance bin at the store for like a buck 50 each, and those little bad boys were comin’ home with me. I had a separate bag for them that needed to be washed anyway, and I kept ’em away from everything else on the way home. The other bottles I got of this looked equally janky like in the photo, so I picked up a reusable pump to decant it in. The ocean scent really went with the coastal theme in our bathroom, which I loved. I’ll definitely rebuy this later on at some point.
JR Watkins hand soap in Green Tea and Aloe: This is what’s currently in the reusable pump in the bathroom since we used up the last of the Method Sea Minerals last week, and I love the green, fresh scent of it. It isn’t specifically ocean or coastal themed, but the scent still works with the theme I’ve got going on in our bathroom. I had an Ibotta deal for it, so I’ve got another bottle of it ready to roll for the pump under the bathroom sink.
Sun Bum Shampoo: This has lived in my summer gym bag for quite awhile, so it’s only been used during the summer months on trips to the water park, pool, and the fair. It’s also a coconut scent, so I saved it for use outside the house. That said, I liked it well enough I may rebuy another bottle to keep in my summer gym bag for next year.
Coco Shea body oil: Another summer gym bag staple, and also coconut scented, I used this stuff as an in-shower moisturizer after swimming. Now long-discontinued, the decision to re-buy’s already been made for me, more or less.
Coppertone Water Babies sunscreen, spray version: I had a coupon and picked some up at Wally World, and lemme tell ya, Water Babies has this floral scent I can’t describe, but the second I sniffed it, it was a stroll down memory lane. I swore by this stuff as a kid, and to me, the smell of it just says “90s summer.” I tan through it like crazy, though. SPF 50 my butt, lol. Anyways, I’ve got a bottle of the regular version in my summer gym bag.
Over to you, readers. Have you tried any of these products? Were they a hit or a miss for you? Are you doing an empties project? Drop your results and your faves like they’re hot below, and let’s talk.
If you missed the last installments, you’re in luck: 1, 2, 3.
