These Are My 2024 Empties So Far—Here’s What It’s Like to Recycle Beauty Products

My recycling adventure took me to Nordtrom to dispose of my finished goodies, and I found the experience to be refreshingly simple. With Earth Day here, it felt great to know I was doing my part to ensure my empties are getting their best chance at getting repurposed for future use. And if you’re curious, ahead, a look at my 2024 empties so far.

La Roche-Posay Thermal Spring Water

La Roche-Posay’s Thermal Spring Water is a must in my travel beauty bag. Its uses are versatile, from a morning pick-me-up in place of AM cleansing to a midday refresh on a balmy day, and moisture surge ahead of makeup application. That said, I was sad to finish up my mini bottle last month and ran right to Amazon to stock up on this French pharmacy find.

Epi.logic Master Plan Collagen Renew Growth Factor Serum

Surprise surprise, I finished a bottle of Epi.logic’s Master Plan serum—a reparative serum I’ve began to swear by and wax on about on numerous occasions (see: here and here). I use it to the last drop because there’s nothing not to like about it. It boasts a hydrating, sticky (in a good way), serum texture that my skin quite loves. The featured hyaluronic acid, growth factors, bioferment, and adaptogens leave my skin feeling plumper, bouncier, and dewier than ever.

Caudalie Beauty Elixir

Another French face mist that I can’t live without, Caudalie’s Beauty Elixir is excellent at keeping skin fresh and glowing. There are a host of essential oils like peppermint, rosemary, and lemon balm, that make for it a sensorial experience from start to finish.

La Roche-Posay Lipikar Balm AP+ M

Since discovering this during my last trip to Paris, I keep a bottle of La Roche-Posay’s Lipikar Balm AP+M in my house at all times. This incredibly rich cream is packed with ceramides, shea butter, niacinamide, glycerin, and of course, the brand’s thermal spring water to treat really dry skin all day long. With rising temperatures on the horizon, I’d recommend reaching for this to relieve sunburnt, peeling, skin. Plus, it’s accepted by the National Eczema Association.

Carol’s Daughter Black Vanilla Moisture & Shine Leave-In Conditioner

While I had boho braids for the last two months, I sought out Carol’s Daughter leave-in conditioner practically each day. It’s liquid, spray formula applied with ease and helped detangle my mane with just a few spritzes. Featuring soy proteins, vitamin B5, sodium hyaluronate, glycerin, aloe, and a host of botanical extracts, my mane appeared shinier, softer, and moisturized after each use.

Augustinus Bader The Body Cleanser

I am a firm believer that body wash should not strip your skin of its natural oils while cleansing—which is perhaps why I’ve loved Augustinus Bader’s formula so much. With the acclaimed TFC8 complexion, ceramides, niacinamide, hydrolyzed rice protein, and botanical oils, this seeks to not only wash away impurities, but lock in moisture and improve skin’s texture and tone with consistent use.

Youth To The People Superberry Firm + Glow Dream Body Butter

I highlighted Youth To The People’s new body butter as one my my must-have products for spring in Vogue Club’s latest Beauty Haul; and since ’’ve just finished this tub, I surely need to stock up on another. Here, 3% niacinamide, superberry extracts, bisabolol, a hyaluronic acid, and shea butter (to name a few) are whipped into an emollient butter that alleviates dry, cracked skin upon application—revealing glowing, hydrated, non-greasy skin in the process.

Dr. Barbara Sturm Hyaluronic Serum

I’d go as far to say that Dr. Barbara Sturm’s hyaluronic acid is my favorite product from her lineup of luxury skincare salves. Its hydrating benefits arrive from three molecular weights on hyaluronic acid to ensure skin is treated deep into skin—down tot he collagen and elastin levels. This pairs well with other bits in my regimen, and feels rather soothing upon application.

Ourself Lip Conditioner

I’m absolutely one of those people who has a lip product in every bag, and until finishing this one—I had three samples of the Ourself Lip Conditioner in various bags, drawers, and pouches. Now available in three shades, I most enjoy the clear tint to be applied on its own or even atop a brown lip liner. It leaves my lips glossy, plump, and kissable certainly thanks to the included hyaluronic acid, vitamin E, and cupuaçu seed butter.

Phlur Améline Hand Cream

I am a hand cream fanatic, and I quite enjoyed getting through this tube by Phlur. Améline is the brand’s floral scent, boasting notes of bergamot, rose, and sandalwood, so this hand cream not only aptly moisturized mes mains, but left them smelling oh so good.