Tag Archives: empties

Aug3

July 2025 Finishes

Posted on August 3, 2025 by lifewithlilred

Howdy everyone and welcome to a brand new month here on lifewithlilred! We can’t let the beginning of August pass us by without going back in time to July to discuss all things beauty finishes. This past month provided beaucoup empties and while some were great, others missed the mark completely and I was SO happy to be done with them! Let’s take a look at some of the must have highlights as well as the ones that you can thank me later for skipping on:

Would I Use Again?

Bath & Body Works Twisted Peppermint Lotion: YES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Precision Beauty Brightening Serum: NO

Bath & Body Works Gingham All-American Body Cream: YES

Bath & Body Works Always & Forever Body Cream: HARD NO

Bath & Body Works Sweet Pea Shower Gel: YES

Azure Collagen & Hyaluronic Acid Moisturizer: NO

Why/Why Not?

B&BW Twisted Peppermint Lotion: Do you enjoy the scent of Thin Mint cookies? If so, you are going to freaking LOVE Twisted Peppermint. This is easily one of my favorite scents from the holiday collection and I was so sad when I used up this lotion after three or so weeks of daily use. It served all of the Christmas in July vibes and I can’t wait to get a re-up on my Twisted Peppermint fix as soon as the holiday season hits!

Precision Beauty Serum: This brightening serum by Precision Beauty was a major disappointment for me. First and foremost, I didn’t notice any differences in my skin’s radiance. Equally as important, this serum was not a great value either. I needed several pumps of the serum to achieve full coverage on my face and neck. It took me a little less than three weeks of twice daily use to finish the bottle. In stark contrast, the serum I have been using since I finished this serum in mid July is not even halfway done yet. This is definitely a product you can bypass.

B&BW Gingham All-American Body Cream: Do you enjoy the scent of Rocket Pops? Or perhaps a juicy bowl of red berries? Then you are going to freaking LOVE Gingham All-American! I am a HUGE fan of all things Gingham from B&BW and their newest addition is pure summer fun. Sweet strawberries and tart raspberries do all of the talking and All-American is high up on my list of favorite Gingham expansions. Don’t get me wrong, nothing will ever beat the OG but All-American is a fabulous all around effort.

B&BW Always & Forever Body Cream: Sometimes when I have a freebie coupon for B&BW, I go fully random. I’ll grab the first travel size item I see, check out, and see what happens later lol. Honestly, I should have given Always & Forever a sniff test because I never would have gotten it! If you are a fan of smelling like an old lady, then go for it obvi. However, if you don’t want to smell like a lace doily, stay clear of Always & Forever for always and forever!

Azure Moisturizer: There were a lot of things that I liked about this moisturizer. The texture was nice and light, which is perfect for summer. It absorbed quickly and sat well under makeup. This moisturizer was also very long lasting and took me over a month of twice daily use to complete the jar. These are all important to me but unfortunately mean nothing because this moisturizer was not it. It made literally no difference to my skin’s appearance after extended use and didn’t provide the tightening sensation that I love in a collagen based product. In theory, this was a good moisturizer. In practice, not so much.

I finished up lots of goodies in July and for the most part, it was a pretty damn successful month on the empties front. I can’t wait to break out new skin care and smell goods all August long! 😀

What products did you finish up this month? What are your thoughts on any of the above products if you have used them before? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Jun30

June 2025 Finishes

Posted on June 30, 2025 by lifewithlilred

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Hello everyone! June is drawing to a close which means bye bye birthaversary month and hello to more summer fun in July! It also means that it’s about that time to discuss my beauty empties. This month, I finished up two long term products. Normally, I am excited about that because I always look forward to trying more new to me bath and body and skin care. This time around, however, I am royally bummed out because these products were easily two of the best that I have used in recent memory. Take a look and let’s discuss:

Would I Use Again?

Evoluderm Micellar Water: YES

Provence Beauty Hyaluronic Acid + Retinol Eye Cream: YES!!

AllAboutSkin Hyaluronic Acid Night Cream: YES!!

Why/Why Not?

Provence Beauty Eye Cream: I began using this eye cream in April and after almost three months of use, I am so sad to see it go. Usually, I don’t find myself getting attached to products but this one was so good that it was hard not to! This eye cream was a fantastic water gel texture. It was cooling, incredibly light, and I could feel optimum nourishment with the tiniest dab. While using this eye cream, my under eye designer bags decreased significantly and I definitely noticed fine lines getting tighter too. It is an excellent year round product but would be especially nice during the summer because it is so lightweight. I cannot recommend it enough and am keeping my fingers crossed to find another jar or ten at TJMaxx!

AllAboutSkin Moisturizer: Despite the AllAboutSkin Hyaluronic Acid moisturizer being technically a “night cream”, I considered it my all day moisturizer and applied it morning and night. I started using this jar in mid April and literally just finished it. I have never had a moisturizer last me that long before which was, in itself, very impressive for the value of my money alone. Like the eye cream, a super small amount of this moisturizer went a very long way – I used a nickel sized dollop with every use. This was just the right amount because this moisturizer is a bit heavier in texture. Regardless of that, it absorbed really quickly and achieved maximum hydration. My skin felt and looked soft and smooth and transformed into the prettiest peaches and cream complexion. This is the moisturizer to have and I highly recommend it!

Parting was such sweet sorrow with my two new favorite products and I will be keeping my eyes peeled high and low to find them again. How do you say goodbye to the best?!

Which products did you use up this month? What are your thoughts on any of the above products if you have used them before? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Jun2

May 2025 Finishes

Posted on June 2, 2025 by lifewithlilred

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Hello everyone! Holy moly! We’re in June already and haven’t discussed my beauty finishes for May so let’s get right on that today. The entirety of May was dreary and cold but the products that I used up were red hot and highly successful. I loved using several new to me goodies and cannot wait to visit TJMaxx soon for a skin and bath and body care restock. I don’t want to speak too soon, but I have a feeling I will be getting beaucoup gift cards for my upcoming thirty-first (Ahhh!) birthday! Rather than ruminate on another year older, let’s talk products instead:

Would I Use Again?

Evoluderm Micellar Water: YES

Bath & Body Works Gingham Fragrance Spray: YES

ValJean Labs Hyaluronic Acid + Micellar Water Foaming Cleanser: YES!!!!

Bath & Body Works Pretty As A Peach Lotion: YES

Precision Beauty Glow Up Vitamin C Serum: YES!

Why/Why Not?

B&BW Fragrance Spray: Gingham is one of my all time favorite scents by Bath & Body Works. It is crisp, clean, and just smells fresh. It’s the perfect mixture of fruity and floral and I have used my body spray religiously until the last drop. I couldn’t even tell you how long it took me to finish this bottle because I feel like I have been using it for forever lol. While I am sad to be done with it, I am excited to try a new scent considering it has probably been close to a year of going Gingham! Is the scent from B&BW fragrance sprays long lasting? Hard no. Will I continue to use them? Absolutely.

ValJean Labs Cleanser: This Hyaluronic Acid + Micellar Water Foaming Cleanser by ValJean Labs is, easily, one of the best ones I have used in recent memory. It took well over three months to finish the bottle and I am hoping to find more at TJMaxx because I will be buying the lot. This cleanser is so delightfully reminiscent of the Aloe Foaming Cleanser by The Body Shop and a little of it went such a long way. With every use, my skin felt so clean, soft, and refreshed. It is a phenomenal any time cleanser and I think it would be so great during the hot summer months. If you have a normal or sensitive skin type, I cannot recommend this cleanser enough!!

B&BW Lotion: When it comes to fruity scents, I am ALL about apple and peach. Apple will always reign supreme but peach is a close second and I just love my Pretty As A Peach from B&BW. This scent is just pure, peachy goodness with no bells and whistles. If you, too, are a fan – then go for this fragrance because you will be just as obsessed as I am! It took me one month of daily use to finish the bottle.

Precision Beauty Serum: I had been striking out with serums recently and this Vitamin C gem by Precision Beauty was a game changer. I needed a serum win and this one delivered in a big way! While it was a tad thicker in consistency than what I prefer, it made a big difference in the radiance and glow department. My skin looked so bright, refreshed, and alert even though I am always half asleep lol. Because this serum was fairly thick, half of the dropper was all I needed for full coverage and it took me one month of twice daily use to complete it. I would definitely buy it again!

This month introduced me to two new favorite products and no duds. You can’t beat that!! Stay tuned for more product reviews so we can decide what’s a hit and miss together!

Apr30

April 2025 Finishes

Posted on April 30, 2025 by lifewithlilred

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Howdy!! Just like that, April is drawing to a close and it went by in the blink of an eye. Honestly, I’m sad to see it go because April was a pretty good month for me. In its entirety, I got to bask in the glow of being, blessedly, way less busy and enjoying all of the fun that comes with it. It has been a gift to make plans, keep them, and genuinely look forward to what’s next. Speaking of looking forward to what’s next, I can’t wait to test out lots more skin and bath and body care goodies. This past month was nothing exciting in that regard which typically means that May will be the month to finish long term products and try something new. Take a look at these empties and let’s discuss:

Would I Use Again?

Bath & Body Works Costa Rica Pink Pineapple Sunrise: YES!!!!

Bath & Body Works Vanilla Bean Noel Lotion: Yes

Pearlessence Argan + Vitamin E Facial Oil: No

Why/Why Not?

B&BW Shower Gel: Johnny is a huge fan of tropical scents. Me? Not so much. However, I absolutely love the scent of pineapple and the Costa Rica Pink Pineapple Sunrise from B&BW was the bomb.com! This fragrance was incredibly straight forward and if you love the smell of fresh pineapple too, then this scent is for you. This shower gel gave me a heaping dose of sunshine even on the greyest April days and I enjoyed using it daily for the whole month.

Pearlessence Facial Oil: I decided to experiment with facial oils this winter and the lesson I learned is that I don’t like it at all lol. The initial test product by CleanBeauty was an instant no from me but I still had the Argan + Vitamin E oil by Pearlessence and wanted to just get it over with. I will say that this was a fair bit lighter as far as facial oils go and while I appreciated that, it was still much too heavy for my liking. If you have very dry skin, the Pearlessence oil could be a good option for you. If not, this is a product you can definitely skip on. It took me about five weeks of twice daily use to finish the bottle and I was so happy to be done with it!

Like I said, this wasn’t a very exciting product roundup so let’s wrap it up and I will see all of you darlings in May! ❤

Mar31

March 2025 Finishes

Posted on March 31, 2025 by lifewithlilred

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Oh hey! It’s the last day of March and, I’ve got to say, it has been a pretty good month for your favorite lil blogger. And the fact that spring is… springing makes everything that much better! Before we dive head first into April showers to bring May flowers, it’s time to discuss my beauty finishes for the month. I’ve also got to say, they were pretty good too! Check it out:

Would I Use Again?

Evoluderm Vitamin C Micellar Water: NO

Envy Hyaluronic Acid & Ceramides Cleanser: NO

Bath & Body Works Winter Candy Apple Lotion: YES

Vital Beauty Cooling Eye Gel: YES

Clinical Works Hyaluronic Acid Face Cream: YES!!

Why/Why Not?

Evoluderm Micellar Water: During a TJMaxx skin care haul, I purchased a full bottle and travel size pack of the Evoluderm Vitamin C micellar water. I used up the travel size one last month, didn’t care for it, and completing the full size bottle solidified my “whomp whomp” sentiments. I noticed no positive changes in my skin with the different formula and makeup removal was more difficult. I have tried countless variations of traditional micellar water and always find myself wanting to return to my old standby. I am glad I can get back to the classic Evoluderm micellar water now that this dud is done!

Envy Cleanser: I have been using the Hyaluronic Acid & Ceramides cleanser by Envy every day for the past three months and change. I am SO happy to be done with it because I was less than impressed. Despite the fact that is lathered well and there was a lot of bang for the buck since a little went a long way, the results just weren’t there. It also had more of a cream texture which, in my opinion, is far less refreshing than my go to foaming cleansers. This is definitely a product that can be skipped on.

Clinical Works Moisturizer: Now, this Hyaluronic Acid moisturizer by Clinical Works was a winner and I so wish I had more! It took me five weeks of twice daily use to finish the big jar and I could absolutely see a difference in my skin. It looked bright, dewy, and was simply glowing. My skin felt soft and smooth and it looked it, too. This pleasing somewhere in between a gel and cream texture would be perfect for late spring and summer use and I am keeping my fingers, toes, and eyes crossed that I can find more at TJMaxx. Highly recommend!

Even though there were a few losers in the mix, this batch of empties was a GREAT SUCCESS because I truly couldn’t wait to be done with some of these long term products. I hope I have better luck with their replacements!

Which products did you finish up this month? What are your thoughts on any of the above products if you have used them before? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Feb28

February 2025 Finishes

Posted on February 28, 2025 by lifewithlilred

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Hello everyone and welcome to my February Finishes! Spring will be here before we know it and I am SO ready for it! Sunshine and warmer days means that my seasonal depression can kick rocks and reveal itself as plain old depression and, honestly, I’ll take it lolol. In fact, we had our first few forty degree and sunny days this past week and it has been glorious. So, without further adieu, let’s wrap this month up and kiss February goodbye:

Would I Use Again?

Hope Soap Honey & Almond Body Cream: YES!!

Evoluderm Micellar Water: YES

Evoluderm Vitamin C Micellar Water: NO

CleanBeauty Barrier Support Facial Oil: NO

Why/Why Not?

Hope Soap Body Cream: I genuinely forgot that I had a Honey & Almond Body Cream from a local business called Hope Soap until I reorganized my beauty stockpile. I have been using it every night for the past month and I’m actually happy that I didn’t know I had it because it’s so perfect for wintertime use. First of all, this cream smells AMAZING. I wouldn’t say it’s a true honey/almond scent because to me and Johnny, it smelled exactly like chocolate covered cherries and we were not complaining! Most importantly, this body cream is so nourishing for dry winter skin. I love its lightness and how quickly it absorbed and my skin felt fully hydrated with each use. My hands tend to get very red during the winter and it was so nice to wake up every morning seeing my normal skin tone!

Evoluderm Vitamin C Micellar Water: I had no idea that my go to brand of micellar water, Evoluderm, had a Vitamin C line so I was excited to try it out. I am a huge fan of any kind of Vitamin C skin care and assumed the best for this product. Unfortunately, the Vitamin C Micellar Water was a big miss for me. My skin always feels amazing after using my standard Hydrating version and that sensation just wasn’t there. Not only that, but the Vitamin C micellar water was not the best at makeup removal. I really had to scrub to get my makeup off and even after that, remnants of my MOTD was still there. Once again, that was never the case with my old standby so I will be sticking with it from now on.

CleanBeauty Facial Oil: This facial oil was actually a mistake purchase because the similar packaging made me think that it was a serum by CleanBeauty that I loved. It wasn’t a big deal and I liked the idea of using a facial oil during the winter. This one, however, was just too much. No matter how little of the oil I applied, it still felt suffocating on my skin. This product was thick, literally never absorbed, and was a nightmare to put makeup over. It took me over a month of twice daily use to complete the bottle and I was ecstatic when I was done. Unless you have SUPER dry skin, this is a product that can definitely be skipped on.

Smell ya later, February! Here’s to ALL of the springtime fun here on lifewithlilred! ❤

Jan30

January 2025 Finishes

Posted on January 30, 2025 by lifewithlilred

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Howdy!! January felt like the longest year ever, didn’t it? I, for one, am so happy that this month is drawing to a close because it is one step closer to spring! Honestly, the winter in Ohio wasn’t too bad. Then, it got really bad out of nowhere and it sucked eggs. After moderate weather, it felt cruel and unusual to face zero degree days, white out level drives, and biting gusts of wind! So, smell ya later, January. But, before it’s official, let’s discuss my beauty finishes to wrap this month up in a bow:

Would I Use Again?

Bath & Body Works Poppy & Calypso Clementine Body Cream: YES

Clinical Works Vitamin C Cleanser: YES!!!

Dove Whole Body Deo Cream: NO

Dirty Works Miracle Cream: MAYBE

Why/Why Not?

Clinical Works Cleanser: I have been using this Vitamin C Cleanser by Clinical Works for what feels like an eternity. In all actuality, it was more like five months but you get the point. Normally, I am very excited to try out a new product after using up a long term one. In this case, I am so sad! I absolutely LOVED this cleanser. With a nickle sized dollop during each morning shower, I felt pleased with the results every time I looked in the mirror. My skin looked brighter and more radiant and was smooth as can be. This cleanser was incredibly light and would be great to use during any time of the year. I am keeping my fingers crossed that I will see it again at TJMaxx because my showers don’t feel the same without it lol. Highly recommend!

Dove Deo Cream: I received the Dove Coconut & Vanilla Deo Cream from Target as a freebie and it took me a month of daily use to complete the travel size bottle. This is not the first deo cream I used and my sentiments from this review remain. I love the bang for the buck with deo cream because you only need a tiny amount for full coverage. The sensation of this product was a turn off for me, though, because it was so much heavier than my normal roll on. If you need protection on areas other than armpits, this would be an amazing product and I would recommend it. It just doesn’t suit my preferences.

Dirty Works Moisturizer: I have always been curious about the Dirty Works brand and was eager to try out their Miracle Cream. It took me a month of twice daily use to finish the jar and it was pretty good, but not the best. I think I put this brand on a pedestal because I have wanted to try it so anything less than amazing didn’t satisfy me. That’s not to say that it wasn’t a nice moisturizer, but there wasn’t anything that stood out to me enough to warrant buying it again. If I saw it on clearance or as a last resort, I would go for it. I don’t plan on seeking it out, though!

That is all for my January 2025 Finishes! Here’s to another year of keeping you all in the know on what products to score and skip on!

Dec28

December 2024 Finishes

Posted on December 28, 2024 by lifewithlilred

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Howdy and holy WOW!! I am here today to discuss the last batch of Beauty Finishes for 2024. It seems hard to believe but I know it to be fact every time I look at the calendar in a state of shock lol. I used up a few new to me products and some old favorites this past month and, as you can imagine, I am SO excited to do my annual post-holiday skin care restock with my TJMaxx gift cards from Christmas. So out with the old in this post and in with the new! Let’s get to it:

Would I Use Again?

Evoluderm Micellar Water: YES

Bath & Body Works Vanilla Bean Noel Lotion: YES

Vital Beauty Cooling Eye Gel: YES

SheaMoisture Deo Cream: NO

Purifect CEO Of H20 Serum: YES

Why/Why Not?

Vital Beauty Eye Gel: The Cooling Eye Gel by Vital Beauty is one of my go to products. It is one of those things that check all of my boxes when it comes to skin care – longevity and effectiveness. It took me two and a half months of twice daily use to finish the jar and I always notice a nice difference in my skin when using this product. My designer bags significantly reduce in color and puffiness for the wide awake look on a permanently sleepy girl!

SheaMoisture Deo Cream: I got the whole body deo cream by SheaMoisture as a freebie from Target. For my personal preference, I would not use this product again and was eager to go back to my tried and true Ban deodorant. That’s not to say that I don’t see the good in it, though, and I think it would be great for those who need full body coverage. I was very surprised that this travel size bottle took me over a month of once daily use to finish it so you will be getting a bang for your buck.

Purifect Serum: I really, REALLY liked the CEO Of H20 serum by Purifect and its namesake delivered. With every use, my skin felt so hydrated and soft and looked radiant. You can read my full review in the link above, but my one qualm with the serum was that I did use it up quickly. By three weeks of twice daily use, I had to hit up my stockpile for a new serum. I would definitely still use it again, though, and now I know to buy a few extra if I see it again at TJMaxx!

And, with that, the 2024 Finishes are complete and ended on a strong note. Now, get me to TJMaxx to go skin care crazy ASAP!

Nov30

November 2024 Finishes

Posted on November 30, 2024 by lifewithlilred

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Hello everyone!!! November is wrapping up and, goodness me, did it go by quick!! Another month is officially in the books, which means that it’s time to discuss my beauty finishes. Were there many? Not really. Are they worth blogging about? Absolutely! There has been a game changer to one of my least favorite Bath & Body Works products and I am SO there for it!! Take a look and let’s get to it:

Would I Use Again?

Evoluderm Micellar Water: YES

Bath & Body Works Poppy Body Cream: YES

Provence Beauty Hyaluronic Acid Serum: NO

Bath & Body Works Hand Creams: YES!

Why/Why Not?

Provence Beauty Serum: The Hyaluronic Acid Serum by Provence Beauty was nothing to write home about. In fact, I like it even less now after falling in love with another hyaluronic acid serum (Which you read about in yesterday’s post). After twice daily use of the Provence Beauty serum for a month any improvements were unnoticeable. This is in stark comparison to the results I saw in one use of the CEO Of H20 serum! The Provence Beauty one is definitely a product you can skip on.

B&BW Hand Cream: I often get coupons for a free hand cream from Bath & Body Works and, although they aren’t my favorite, free is free! I wouldn’t say the hand creams by B&BW are bad, but they’re just not as good as the traditional lotion or body cream. However, after using my most recent freebies of Platinum and Vanilla Romance, I feel much differently. B&BW must have changed the formula because the hand cream was WAY better than it was before. It was rich, creamy, thicker in texture and my hands/upper body were smooth as silk after each use. I finished both tubes within a week and even if they don’t last very long, I will be happy when I get another freebie coupon in the mail. This was a stellar improvement and they would make great stocking stuffers!

Was this the best month for Beauty Empties? Nope! But Bath & Body Works made my freebie treats even better and that is a GREAT SUCCESS!

Oct27

October 2024 Finishes

Posted on October 27, 2024 by lifewithlilred

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Howdy!! Just like that, October is about to draw to a close and that means it’s time to discuss my beauty finishes for the month. This is going to be a short and sweet post as there really isn’t too much to chat about. I used up several long term products last month and am still working away at their replacements. I did, however, try one new thing that I fell in love with so take a look and let’s get to it:

Would I Use Again?

Bath & Body Works Calypso Clementine Body Cream: YES

Provence Beauty Collagen + Retinol Serum: NO

Jergens Ultra Healing Lotion: YES

Bath & Body Works Lavender & Iris Body Butter: YES!!!

Why/Why Not?

B&BW Body Cream: You already know the Calypso Clementine from Bath & Body Works is a forever use again product. Anyone who is a fan of citrus scents like me will love it! It took me two and a half weeks of once daily use to finish the bottle.

Provence Beauty Serum: It took me one month of twice daily use to finish the Collagen + Retinol serum by Provence Beauty and it was just okay for me. I have used several serums by Provence Beauty and they tend to be hit or miss so this wasn’t too much of a shock. I didn’t notice any difference to my skin one way or the other and will be skipping on it if I ever see it again at TJMaxx.

Jergens Lotion: A really cool thing about one of the Targets in my area is that there is always a basket of free travel size products at customer service. My mom snagged the Jergens lotion for me during her last visit and I was delighted because you can’t go wrong with that brand! My skin was smooth and hydrated as can be with each use and I can’t get enough of the rich, creamy scent.

B&BW Body Butter: While I enjoy lotions and creams, body butter always reigns supreme. The body butter from The Body Shop was my favorite thing to treat myself with and, unfortunately, their products are no longer available in the US. I never bothered with another brand of body butter but decided to try B&BW’s during their Semi-Annual Sale. I’m so glad I did because the Calm Haven Lavender & Iris was divine.

Normally, I am not a lavender girl whatsoever but this body butter really didn’t smell like traditional lavender. The scent was soft, light, and soothing rather than overpowering. The texture of the product was whipped, applied easily, absorbed quickly, and I woke up to puppy fur soft skin every morning. It took me two and a half weeks of once daily use to finish the jar and I would happily use it again!

Even though there wasn’t too much to my October Finishes, my skin was ultra soft from the products that I did use up and that is a huge win during cold weather. I’ll take it!

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