September haul from France

As I chose to go to the French riviera for summer holidays this year, of course I visited a few stores on the trip. I visited a fragrance manufacturer in the town of Grasse in the south of France; Fragonard, there we got a guided tour in English about the production that takes place in the factory, short introduction about the origin of plants used in the fragrance industry, the noses who "design" the scents and the difference between eau de toilette and parfums. There were all kinds of interesting things the guide went over on the tour, for example if you spray a parfum on your wrist you are not supposed to rub your wrists together, only tap, other vise you ruin the molecules in the parfum! The tour then of course ended in the store, and omg I have seldom seen as many people in a buying frenzy!! People were buying A LOT. Everyone came out of the store with their husbands carrying big bags loaded with soaps, perfumes, and home fragrances. I got a bit inspired, and did buy a few things. But I am sure my body chemistry is different in the south of France in 28 degrees Celsius vs. Iceland 8 degrees! I just hope the fragrances I did buy end up working for me as I have become quite sensitive to scents and some tend to give me a headache in the last few years.  

Perfumes, eye cream, face cream and a deodorant

French pharmacy haul

Fragonard - Fleur de citronnier eau de toilette (50 ml): This scent reminds me a lot of Dolce & Gabbana light blue - it is the year edition from Fragonard, and this year they went with the citrus flower. I had been smelling the Light blue from D&G but this one actually smells nicer so I decided to grab a bottle after spraying it on me, and it being very light, fresh and airy. It is a bit of a summer scent though, so I will proably save it for next summer. Now I just regret of not have taken 2 bottles as this is a limited edition and I will probably never get my hands on another bottle! 

Embryolisse - Radiant eye express cooling and refreshing eye care stick (4.5 g): I came across this by total accident in one of the pharmacies I visited on my holiday. It costed less than 20 Euro so I just decided to grab it. Later I found out it costs about two times as much in Iceland!! It is very cooling, and a genius product as a matter of a fact.

Olivéa - Deodorant pierre d'alun (60 g): This I just randomly saw in the supermarket, I already have a crystal deodorant, but for one reason or another I thought it would be a genius idea to buy one in France.

Fragonard - Face cream - Royal jelly skin care (50 ml): My mom loves royal jelly, and as this was available for purchase at the perfume factory I decided to grab one for me and one for my mom.

Fragonard - Juste un baiser parfum (15 ml): Originally I spayed this perfume on me in the store, I also tried the eau de toilette. And walking around Grasse one hour later I could hardly smell it on myself anymore, which is always a good sign in regards to fragrances, so I decided to go back and buy the smallest version which is this 15 ml. Right away in the evening I regretted not to have purchased a bigger bottle, as the scent just kept on getting better as the day passed. 

Fragonard - Juste un baiser eau de toilette (100 ml): So full of buyers remorse of not having gotten a bigger bottle of the parfum in Grass, I grabbed this one in a store in Cannes. And can you imagine that this 100 ml eau de toilette costs the same as the 15 ml parfum? I feel there is a small difference between the parfum and the eau de toilette - maybe the alcohol in the eau de toilette is making that version a little bit stingy and the parfum version to be a little bit more grounded and earthy. I just hope these scents will work for me as well as they did in 28 degrees in France, in Iceland in winter - but this is definitely more of a all year round scent vs. the Fleur de citronnier, the Juste un baiser might be more of a winter one. 

Bioderma - Créaline H2O L'eau micellaire originale (2 x 500 ml): I do recommend that you visit a few pharmacies to do a small price comparison on the things that you are considering to buy. For example this duo was 8 Euros more expensive in another pharmacy compared to the pharmacy I bought this in. Did I need two 500 ml micellar water bottles, definitely not, but they will for sure be used up in the end.

Klorane - Anti-hair loss strenghtening & stimulating shampoo (400 ml): I have been struggling with a lot of hair loss for the last 12 months or so, so I did not need a push when I saw this on the shelf, and I am willing to try anything 

A Derma - Exomega control emolient shower oil anti-scratching (500 ml): I bought small bottle of this a few years ago. And it is amazing, I had actually seen this refill on a discount in a pharmacy in Oslo, there the discount was only for members of the "club" so I did not buy it there - then when I saw this on an offer for just over 10 Euro in France, I jumped on it. No membership needed! I love France!

Marvis - Whitening mint fuoride toothpaste (85 ml): Then this has become a classic purchase for a lot of people traveling to France or Italy - I just finished a small tube of this type so I just grabbed a big one this time. 

What did you buy on holiday this year?

June - August Haul 2025

 So how is my "no buy for 2025" going? Well it is going like this....

Brow glue, haircare, sunscreen, bronzer, nail polish etc.

Up close of the Camilla Phil all-over bronzing balm

Schwarzkopf & Henkel - Got 2be - 2 in 1 gel for brows and edges (16 ml): This I came across in a Normal store in Oslo and at first I was adamant NOT to purchase, but on my second visit to a Normal store in the city I could not resist the temptation as this has become super popular on social media.

Dr. Greve - Intimvask sensitiv med traenebær og aloe vera (200 ml): I saw a few of these personal soaps on the shelves in one of the supermarkets in Oslo and thought it might be a good idea to buy a smaller bottle than the one I have at home for travel. In retrospect I could have skipped this purchase as 200 ml is a bit much to take on holiday or travelling for work. So a small bottle in a Muji could have done the trick, and I have not ruled out to buy a small empty bottle next time I come across a Muji store.

Hawaiian Tropic - Sunscreen lotion sheer touch 30 (236 ml): While in Target, I thought it might be a good idea to buy this one again, as I have an open Spf 30 that would not last for a summer holiday - which I plan on taking later this summer. So this was quickly added to cart.

Aussie - 3 minute miracle moisture deep treatment (225 ml): This is another item I ran into in at a Normal store. I really do love the Normal stores I have gone into in Copenhagen, Paris and now Oslo. My dad used to LOVE this brand, and in particular the 3 minute miracle, so I decided to grab a bottle for old times sake. 

Herbal Essence - Rose hip shampoo (100 ml): I had just finished this shampoo I had from last year, and needed another for holiday so I picked this one up in Target.

OPI - Nail lacquer - Cajun Shrimp (15 ml): My favorite OPI polish; My chihuahua bites! is super thick and to the point I can not use it. And unfortunately that color it is not available in Iceland, but I knew the color Cajun Shrimp is pretty close, just a tad bit more red while "My chihuahua bites!" is tad more pink/coral. I had thought to purchase nail polish thinner (which I have not 100% ruled out). But as I ran into Cajun shrimp in Normal in Oslo for 50% of the price of a new OPI bottle in Iceland, I decided to grab the Cajun color. 

Camilla Phil Cosmetics - All-over bronzing balm in Universal glow (6,5 g): We came across a few Norwegian beauty brands while on holiday in Oslo, so there were a few brands we had never seen before, I would say though that the Danish brands are more tempting than the Norwegian brands (at least the in store options). But I did find this cream bronzer tempting enough for me to purchase it at the airport. It only comes in one color though, and even though I am quite fair I think it is more of a winter color for me. 

La Roche-Posay - Toleriane double repair face moisturizer (40 ml): This I came across in Target and I just could not resist the temptation, as I do love this brand and it was at a decent price point. 

So as you can read above, my no buy has not been going very well. But I am still getting less and less tempted by cosmetics in general that are sold in Sephora.. that is perhaps a good development as I do come across that store very frequently at work. 

January - May haul 2025

So much for sticking to my no buy 2025 - where I gave myself the exception to purchase two items until Black Friday sales in 2025! I caved in three times, as I purchased three items, and that in effect when only just over three months have passed of the year! 

The first purchase was made on my birthday whilst on a work-trip abroad. In came the "birthday" blues - so a trip to Target was just the medicine where I ended up buying myself a elf blush. The other purchases were two different lip balms - one from Refy and the other from Violette Fr. Then some other stuff came into my possession in the form of gifts and purchases, mainly hair-products, a category which I have so far not been wild about. 

Hair towel, mini Guinot products and a hair serum

Sephora gift, samples, and a gifted facemask

Kerastase conditioner and shampoo

Cosrx - The 6 peptide skin booster (30 ml): This was the Utla birthday gift in 2025 - and I was fortunate enough to be close to a Ulta store in my birthday month to pick one up.

Aquis flip - hair drying tool - wove with copper sure: This hair towel I ran into at a Marshalls store in Baltimore. This one is woven with copper which is supposed to be good for the hair. It was on a really nice discount, well turns out the elastic was not very well sown into the base. So I had to sow it up again. But as I have been dealing with hair-loss it is worth giving a go.

Elf - Camo liquid blush - Peach perfect (4 ml): This I got tempted to buy on my birthday in February, wandering around the isles in Target being hit with a wave of the birthday blues. Since I have perhaps used it two or three times, it is a very soft color.

Guinot - Micellaire cleansing water (30 ml): My sister had already gifted me a x-mas calendar containing these Guinot products. But my mom was also gifted this calendar, and she figured she would not use any of them, so she ended up giving me a few of them. 

Kerastase Genesis - Fortifying serum (90 ml): I have been dealing with considerable hair-loss in the last six months or so, and after seeing this being recommended all over social media I decided to grab a bottle during the Sephora sale. It turned out to be hard to find it in store, as I had to visit three different stores in Washington DC to find it in stock. You are supposed to use it every day, in combo with the shampoo and conditioner from the same line. I have not used it like that, but when it is getting closer to a hair-wash day, I put it in the day in before a wash. The smell of this product is nice, but it tends to linger for at least 24 hours. I have also started taking hair-vitamin on a regular basis, and hope I will able to turn this hair-loss around. 

Guinot - Express eye makeup remover (30 ml): This was also re-homed to me from my mom. 

Guinot - Hydra toning lotion (30 ml): The last item I got from my mom. I better start using some of these items, as I have duplicates by now. But they are the perfect size to take to work or on holiday. 

L'occitane - Hand cream - dry skin (30 ml): One of my co-worker who was flying with us on standby, gifted all of the crew small hand-creams. A perfect size for the handbag.

Refy - Tinted lip gloss - Taupe (13 ml): This was a 100% weakness purchase. I had seen this color featured on some social media. And during a layover in Washington I forgot my lip-balm at my hotel room, and instead of me going back to fetch it - I popped into the next Sephora store and bought this one. The color is super soft though - and does hardly show up on my lips at all, I might as well have purchased the clear gloss. But then my lips are quite rosy pigmented. 

Summer Fridays - Lip butter balm - Pink sugar (7 g): This was a part of the Sephora birthday gift for 2025 - so of course I decided to grab the free gift this year.

Summer Fridays - Jet lag mask (15 g): Also a part of the Sephora birthday gift, and have I heard nice things about this mask.

Violette Fr - Bisou Jelly - Bonbon Caramel (2.5 g): This is a brand I have had my eye on for some time, and now it just launched in Sephora. So I got tempted to buy one item in New York. Not sure the color suits me very well, it is described as a warm caramel color, maybe I will just put it aside for a few months as it might be more suitable in the autumn. 

Summer Fridays - Rich cushion cream ultra plumping moisturizer (2 ml): The third and last item in the Sephora birthday gift.

Elemis - Pro-collagen marine cream (2 x 2 ml): This most likely came into my possession at Sephora, as some free samples they give you with purchase. 

Sephora - Green tea eyes mask (6 g): A friend gifted this to me for my birthday.

PS - Two blender sponges: I came across these at the register at Primark, and I decided to give them a try.

Kerastase Genesis - Fortifying anti hair-fall conditioner (200 ml): After I bought the hair serum from the same line, I saw a summer giftbox on a 20% discount in one of the hair salons of Reykjavik, so I decided to splurge and buy the shampoo and conditioner.

Kerastase Genesis - Anti hair-fall fortifying shampoo (200 ml): This was a part of previously mentioned gift set. I have only used it once, so it's too soon to say if it works. I am also taking hair vitamins on the regular, so any improvement will probably be two sided.  

So all in all - quite the fail from a no-buy until Black Friday 2025. I did give myself the exception to purchase two items until that time, well in the period of January - May I have indeed purchased three items, two of them being a lip product. The third; a liquid blush. Ironically when this spring powder blushes are making a serious comeback. And what on earth do I have to do with more lip glosses when I had 14 lip-glosses before and 7 lip balms? Totaling now in 15 lip glosses and 8 lip balms! It usually takes me years to finish one lip-balm or gloss.... 

Something really needs to change! And the only person who has the power to do it, well it's me!

Project pan 2025

For the year 2025 I will be focusing on a few items, both makeup and skincare for the year to come, as I usually do. Along this project pan I will be doing a makeup + skincare no buy for 2025! My ultimate goal will be to get better results on reached goals for 2025 vs. to my project pan 2024, which reached 37.5 % success rate. So my goal for 2025 will be to reach my goal on over 37.5% of the items in the project pan 2025.

10 of the 14 products in my project pan 2025

Lipstick, color corrector and testers

Guinot - Lounge vie mains hand cream (15 ml):

Weight at the start of 2025: 20 g

Goal: Finish it

Why: I got this amongst many other items from Guinot in a Christmas calendar in 2022 - I have not used so many items from this calendar so it makes sense to use some of the items, including this hand cream.

Dr. Organic - Organic manuka honey skin lotion (200 ml):

Weight at the start of 2025: 224 g

Goal: Finish it

Why: This was gifted to me in 2019 and thus one of the oldest body lotions I have so it makes sense to use it up and move it out of my stash, and work on other things.

Bioeffect - EGF body serum (120 ml):

Weight at the start of 2025: 159 g

Goal: Finish it

Why: It has already expired with a label marked June 2023 - so it is past it's due date and it would be good to finish it.

Bioeffect - Osa water mist (60 ml):

Weight at the start of 2025: 83 g

Goal: Finish it 

Why: I bought it in 2021, and it has a best before date 05/2025 so this is the year to finish it. 

The body shop - Himalayan charcoal purifying glow mask (75 ml):

Weight at the start of 2025: 229 g

Goal: Use it up

Why: It is getting old, and I have not much use for it anymore - as my skin tends to be more dry than oily- but it might be nice to use once a month or so.

Fenty Beauty - Gloss bomb in Fenty glow (9 ml):

Remaining amount at the start of 2025: 2/3 of the gloss remains in the tube, product sits at T in Fenty.

Goal: Use it up.

Why: It is far from being my favorite gloss, but it might pair nicely with the Charlotte lipstick for work.

Ecooking - Primer (30 ml):

Remaining amount at the start of 2025: Half.

Goal: Use it up.

Why: I did manage to use half of the primer in 2024, and it is a cleaner product, and I do really like the formula, I decided to continue working on this primer vs. the 3 or 4 others I have in my stash. Plus the packaging gets super messy. So it is ideal to use it up and in 2026 I could move onto a different primer. I still like this one that much I could well consider to buy it again in a few years.  

The Ordinary - 100% Cold-pressed virgin marula oil (30 ml):

Amount remaining in bottle at the start of 2025: The oil sits just above the sticker on to glass.

Goal: Finish it, by using it in my hair and mix in with my moisturizers.

Why: Oils tend to go bad, and I have had this in my stash for quite some time. I originally bought it to use it in at the ends of my hair, but I found it a bit of a too dry texture compared to the hair oils I had used in the past. So it would be ideal to get some use out of it, before it goes off. 

The body shop - Brow and lash gel, clear (10 ml):

Amount remaining at the start of 2025: The gel sits in the tube between the O and D in Body on the side of the product.

Why: This is guaranteed the oldest item in my stash.

Gosh - Kohl eyeliner in 005 nude (1.1 g):

Length of pencil at start of 2025: 11.5 cm

Goal: Use 0.5 cm of it

Why: To get some use out of it before it dries out. 

Charlotte Tilbury - Nude matte lipstick in Very Victoria (3.5 g):

Length at the start of 2025: 2.5 cm from plastic base

Goal: Use 0.5 cm of it

Why: I have focused on a few lipsticks in the years past, so now it was time for this one. It is a nice color of pinky brown, just a tad more brown than my lips, so it wears off nicely. 

Becca - Under eye brightening corrector (2.3 g):

Weight at the start of 2025: 22 g

Goal: Use it up

Why: It was a part of my project pan 2023, and I did not finish it then, so it is time to use it up. Plus I have a full size backup I would love to move onto. 

Inglot - YSM cream foundation in shade 45 (1.5 ml):

Goal: Use it up

Why: It is old in my stash of testers, and it would be good to get some use out of a few of them. I have no idea how the shade is, so it might end up just ending in the trash, as 45 sounds like a medium shade. And I have fair skin. 

Inglot - Beautifier tinted cream in shade 102 (1.5 ml):

Goal: Use it up

Why: Same applies to this one as to the previous tester - get some use out of my tester stash, so it is ideal to add two samples, or "give me" products that I should be able to use up with ease and boost the amount of items I will be able to use up, and increase my usage percentage.

Other goals for 2025 include a makeup and skincare no buy until black Friday 2025 - as I started my no buy around that time in 2024. So instead of shopping in 2025 I intend to enjoy the items I have in my stash and play with the items I already have, instead of buying more. Other goals for 2025 include using a face mask once a week and a hair mask two times a month.

Will I allow myself some exception from the rule? Yes, for the months January - November 2025 I will make an exception from the no buy makeup and skincare rule in two cases, where I can buy two products in kind of emergencies if you will. What the emergencies might be, I am not sure - but will give an exception for the no buy rule for two products during this period. Also I will be able to get the Sephora and Ulta birthday gifts in February, and those birthday gifts do not count as the two products I will be able to buy in case of "emergencies".