Relationship
Image Source: Getty/Tanja Ivanova
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When relationships end, more often than not, you spend a lot of time thinking about the partner you’re no longer with. You might reminisce about the good memories, the first time you met, or even all the hot sex you used to have (especially if you’re no longer having it). My most recent relationship (which lasted a whopping eight years) ended late last year, and while I did spend a lot of time thinking about my ex in the beginning, I’ve had one thing on my mind for the last few months: all the things I left behind.
I don’t mean metaphorically, like “my heart” or “my ability to love.” I mean, like, literally, all the sh*t I was too busy crying to notice I left in an unused drawer or in a shoe box underneath the bed. I moved out fairly quickly — over a period of a day and a half — and it wasn’t until weeks later that I began realizing how many things I forgot to take with me. There were clothes, of course — expensive pairs of shoes and vintage Levi’s denim jeans I knew could never be replaced. And there were keepsakes: a few pieces of jewelry and a photo of my mom and me that I had framed. But if I’m being honest, the most heartbreaking items I left behind were the beauty products.
I have a weakness for anything beauty-related (hence the job). Beauty tools, makeup, skin-care products, hair products — I love it all. Each time I’ve remembered something else I left behind, I’ve gotten a sinking feeling in my gut. (And if I’m being real, the severity of that sinking feeling has usually been in direct proportion to the cost of the product.) Over the last few weeks, I’ve been thinking nonstop about what I’ve left behind, and I even made a list of the most devastating items.
At this point, am I more emotional about the products I left behind than the actual relationship ending? Maybe. But that just goes to show you that some beauty products are worth your undying devotion.
So, without further adieu, these are the beauty products I left at my ex’s house that I can’t stop thinking about.
Relationship
Beauty Products Left Behind: The Cream of My Dreams
La Mer The Moisturizing Soft Cream ($200)
If you’re serious about beauty, you’ve probably heard of La Mer. Kim Kardashian herself waxes poetic about the brand, and all of their products are luxurious AF. Their Moisturizing Soft Cream is the cream of the crop (and it should be for the price). Whenever I’ve used it, it’s helped with redness and dryness, and I swear it makes my lines and wrinkles seem less noticeable. It’s basically a miracle cream.
However, this is a product so wildly pricey that I could only bear to use it for the most extravagant of occasions. How I managed to leave an entire unopened jar of it sitting in my ex-boyfriend’s closet is absolutely beyond me. Sometimes, when my skin is extra dry and little pieces are flaking off of my nose, I like to think about how much better things would be for me if I had just managed to grab my last jar of it before walking out the door.
La Mer The Moisturizing Soft Cream
Relationship
Beauty Products Left Behind: A Wrinkle Warrior
Dr. Dennis Gross DRx SpectraLite FaceWare Pro ($455)
Do you know that saying, “Crying, screaming, and throwing up”? I’m pretty sure that was invented after someone left their LED face mask behind at an ex’s house. Of course, it stings that I left behind such an expensive beauty tool, but what hurts even more is that this product actually works. I’ve tried a few LED face masks, and this one knocks it out of the park.
It’s actually FDA-approved, which means you can trust that its claims are true, and it’s easy AF to use. It conforms to the face better than any other LED face mask I’ve tested in the past, and it’s comfortable to wear no matter what position you’re sitting (or lying) in. It has three different modes: red, for collagen production, blue, which targets acne, and red and blue, which helps with collagen production and acne, as well as reduces wrinkles and fades discoloration. I used to use it at night, before bed, because the red light also had a nice calming effect. Now at night, I just sit up in bed staring at my phone, swiping through Hinge and wondering if my wrinkles are getting worse by the minute.
Dr. Dennis Gross DRx SpectraLite FaceWare Pro
Relationship
Beauty Products Left Behind: A Candle Unlike Any Other
Byredo Bibliothèque Candle ($94)
For Christmas one year, my ex got me a Byredo Bibliothèque candle. I have a tattoo of the chemical compounds that make the “book smell,” and he thought the candle would be a cute gift. Spoiler alert: it was, and it also made me cry when I received it. I loved the scent so much that I actually purchased the perfume, which I still wear quite often. I had been waiting until a special occasion to burn the candle, and that occasion never came — and then I moved out.
I left the candle behind, thinking that it would bring up too many painful memories to ever burn, but the fact is, the only painful thing is the idea that someone else is inhaling the sweet, sweet scent of my Byredo candle while I’m inhaling the slightly musty scent of my older one-bedroom apartment. At times, when I light much less expensive candles while I’m sitting alone and eating Chinese food out of the carton in my living room, I think about my Bibliothèque candle — and how much I wish I’d thrown it into a box before leaving.
Relationship
Beauty Products Left Behind: The Secret to Soft Lips
Biologique Recherche Lift Kiss ($145 for a pack of 5)
Have you ever had a tiny paper cut that hurt so badly you couldn’t stop thinking about it? When I think about the fact that I left a pack of the Biologique Recherche Lift Kiss lip masks at my ex’s, it feels like my body is covered in thousands of tiny paper cuts. If you think I’m being dramatic, I can guarantee you haven’t tried them, because they’re worth shedding tears over. These masks are one of my favorite products, maybe ever.
My lips are naturally on the bigger side, and for all their greatness, they have a few problems. They get chapped easily, and if I find myself in the sun without a hat on for more than five minutes, they will absolutely get sunburned. The sunburn usually leaves my lips with weird discoloration that takes weeks to dissipate. The only thing I’ve found that truly helps speed up the process is these lip masks. Made with hyaluronic acid and a biocellulose medium, they moisturize the lips and also give a plumping effect. These were my go-to masks before special events. They aren’t cheap, they’re kind of difficult to purchase in the first place, and the idea that my ex may have thrown them away (FML) gives me full-body chills whenever I think about it. (So I try really hard not to.)
Relationship
Beauty Products Left Behind: My Hair’s Hero
Dyson Corrale Straightener ($499)
If you’ve ever left your flat iron behind at a friend’s house, a hotel, or on an airplane, you probably know how this one feels. I tried out the Dyson Corrale for the first time last year, and it’s safe to say I fell in love immediately. It has flexing plates that are specifically shaped to fit around your hair so you can style with less heat, which in turn means less damage. Plus, I never had to sacrifice volume when I used it.
It would straighten my hair without leaving it flat, especially at the roots. Not to mention, the entire thing works on a battery, so I didn’t find myself chained to the bathroom plug whenever I did my hair — I could sit in bed and straighten it if I really felt like it. Needless to say, I haven’t flat-ironed my hair since my move-out day last year, and when I wake up with air-dried hair that could use a good straightening, all I can think about is my lonesome Corrale, probably collecting dust in the bathroom drawer where I left it.
