Project pan 2026

Happy new year - welcome 2026. As in the few last years, I have a few items I would like to move out of my collection in 2026, or get some use out of. I have plans to finish several of the products, and then get a partial use, or make a dent into others.

Full sizes and a few deluxe sizes in my project pan 2026

Testers and deluxe samples in my project pan 2026

This year I have a mix of full size products, deluxe samples, and small samples in my project pan. Ten full size products, where I plan to use up nine of them, and use about half of one of them. A few deluxe samples that will be quick and easy to use in the course of a few months and give me a boost into the year.  

Neutrogena - Rapid wrinkle repair regenerating cream (48 g):

Weight at the start of 2026: 185 grams

Goal: Finish it

Why: I should only use this once or two times per week (and layered with another moisturizer), it has already expired, so I want to get some use out of it

Macadamia - Oil extract hair mask (250 ml):

Weight at the start of 2026: 130 grams

Goal: Finish it

Why: I bought it a few years ago now, my hair is quite dry at the ends, so this is the perfect time to use it up

Clarins - Radiance-plus golden glow booster (15 ml):

Remaining amount at the start of 2026: Maybe 1/3 of the product remains - as it sits on the upper part of the text; "Radiance-plus"

Goal: Finish it

Why: This has been in my project pan before - and I want to move it out of my stash this time

Dove - Summer glow nourishing lotion with subtle gradual self-tanner (250 ml):

Weight at the start of 2026: 233 grams

Goal: Finish it

Why: It is getting older in my stash

Kiko Milano - Intensive hand cream (60 ml):

Weight at the start of 2026: 55 grams

Goal: Finish it

Why: It is getting older in my stash, and time to use it up

BioEffect - Egf body serum (120 ml):

Weight at the start of 2026: 143 grams

Goal: Finish it

Why: It is a roll over product from my project pan 2025

Lancome - L'absolu lacquer in 323 shine manifesto (3 ml):

Remaining amount at the start of 2026: About half

Goal: Finish it

Why: It is small and should be easy to use up and I like the color. I also tend to switch my lip products during the season, and this being a small one, there is a higher chance for me to be able to finish a small one over the course of the year.

Mac - Strobe cream in Pinklite (50 ml):

Remaining amount at the start of 2026: The product sits perhaps 4 millimeters below the Mac logo on the packaging

Goal: Use up about half of the remaining primer - so the product will reach (when standing upright) just below the pink label on the front of the packaging. 

Why: I have a few primers waiting on the sideline, yet to be opened and I really do not want them to go bad (as I think happened to one primer in 2025). And also I really like this primer so I want to get some use out of it. From the results of my project pans in 2024 and 2025, I seem to be able to use up about half of a 30 ml primer, or about 15 ml in a year. This one has 50 ml of product, but I already have used a bit of it, as well as I finished the primer for my project pan in 2025 a few months before the end of 2025 - and then I started on this one. 

HarKlinikken - Balancing shampoo cleansing & neutralizing (250 ml):

Remaining amount at the start of 2026: The shampoo sits just below the text shampoo. 

Goal: Finish it

Why: It is getting older in my stash and would be nice to just get rid of some items from my bathroom cabinet. I already have a backup, and I don't even like it in perticular.

Clarins - Lip comfort oil in 04 pitaya (7 ml): 

Remaining amount at the start of 2026: About 60% of the product remains.

Goal: Finish it

Why: I was gifted this for Crristmas in 2022, so for an oil product, this is getting up there in age. I want to get my use out of it, and it will (at least for this season live in my work handbag).  

Spectro Sensitive skin care - Cleanser blemish-prone skin (200 ml):

Remaining amount at the start of 2026: 216 grams

Goal: Use it up

Why: My nephew bought it in the states for me years ago, and I have only used it a handful of times. It is supposed to be good for perioral dermatitis, and not irritate the skin. I still prefer my African black soap from Shea moisture, but it is about time for me to use this up. The sad part is I do not in particular like it, it does not foam and almost feels like cleaning your face with nothing. So realistically I would only use this for my morning routine, not not after makeup as I feel it would not clean any residue of makeup off.

Lancome - Rose sugar scrub gentle exfoliating scrub (15 ml): 

Weight at the start of 2026: 22 grams

Goal: Finish it

Why: It is small and should be easy to use up

Vieve - Super skin nova (1 ml):

Why use this tester: I have a tendency not to use testers, I just got this one, and I have this primer in a small size (12 ml) and I have not opened it yet - but still curious how it feels and if it is nice, so now I get a chance to use this new sample and test my new primer (still without opening the bigger one).  

Laura Mercier - Caviar stick eye color in Strapless (1 g): 

Remaining amount at the start of 2026: 1.7 cm of product when it is fully screwed up 

Goal: Use 0.5 cm of the product

Why: This was a part of the Sephora birthday gift from 2022, I have not used it often, and when I was about to use it the other day I felt the stick had become loose from the base, so I took the product in stuck it back into the base. This surely means the product has started to dry, and would be nice to get some use out of it. The color is described by Laura Mercier as a soft nude shimmer - I would also say it has a pink hue to it, so it should be an easy color to use throughout the year

Nature Republic - Snail solution emulsion brightening and wrinkle improvement:

Remaining amount at the start of 2025: About half 

Why use it up: It is small and maybe quick to use up 

BioSelect - Cretan remedy dictamelia ointment (1 ml) : 

Why use this sample: I got this in Greece on holiday a few years ago, and I could for sure use this on the scar I have on my knee or on my super dry hands. 

Erborian - BB Creme au gingseng (1.5 ml):

Why use this sample: I have two sachets of this product, it has been very popular, or viral even, so it would be ideal to use.  

Summer Fridays - Rich cushion cream ultra plumping moisturizer (2 ml): 

Why use this sample : This also is a relatively new sample, as I got it with my Sephora birthday gift in 2025 and would be nice to use some of these samples while they are still new and "fresh" 

So all in all, I have plans to use up nine full size items, use 50% of the remaining amount of one full size primer, finish two deluxe size samples, make a dent into one deluxe size eye color, and finish four samples.

Other goals for 2026: After failing in a major way for all my other goals in my project pan 2025, I think I will not make some grand no-buy goals for 2026 - I know I have too much makeup and beauty products in general. But perhaps it would not be a bad idea to buy fewer color products in 2026 vs 2025 - which would mean fewer than 11 - so on average it means I can buy less color cosmetics than one a month. We will see what 2026 will bring. 

Empties 2025

So what items did I use up during the year of 2025? Here comes the breakdown as well as the items I decluttered over the course of the year.

The big empties of 2025

Mostly skincare empties of 2025

Finished makeup items of 2025

Finished samples and a hand cream in 2025

Empties:

Lumene - Nordic bloom anti-wrinkle & firm v-shape serum (30 ml): I really do not remember how this performed, it had been in my stash for some time, so it was time for it to get used up.

Kérastase Paris - K genesis anti hair-fall fortifying shampoo (250 ml): This was a very nice shampoo, if it is worth the price tag, well that is another story, but when I bought it I was dealing with severe hair loss, so this shampoo, the Kérastase treatment and vitamins seems to have done the trick.

BioEffect - Osa water mist (60 ml): this is an amazing rehydrating mist, I usually used over makeup, sadly BioEffect is not carrying it anymore in it's lineup, something to do with the packaging I heard. The last remaining product turned out to be difficult to use, so I ended up cutting the corner off and putting the remaining product into a Muji spray bottle I purchased in in New York specially for that purpose. 

One Direction - Our moment eau de parfum (100 ml): This bottle was in my beauty goals for 2020 and my project pan 2023. Obviously I did not use it up in either of those missions, but none the less it has remained as my main fragrance since then, and I did finally manage to use it up. And finally I made room for a new fragrance purchase in the year 2025, after being on a fragrance no buy for years. 

Matas Natur - 2 in 1 rensemælk e-vitamin & aloe vera (200 ml): This cleansing milk was quite nice, but I still prefer micellar water for cleansing, but it was nice to switch it up. And I do believe I have a cleansing milk in my stash waiting to be used. 

Bioderma - Sensibio H2O micellar water makeup remover (250 ml): This apparently is the Rolls Royce when it comes to micellar waters. Yes it is really nice, and good for sensitive skin, significantly better than other micellar waters? I am not entirely sure, but I still like it.

Herbal Essences - Rose hips Shampoo (100 ml): This is an amazing shampoo and comes in the perfect travel size. Would 100% repurchase 

Guinot - Hydra fraicheur toning lotion (30 ml): This I was gifted with the Guinot advent calendar in 2022 - so it is about time I finish it. I liked it and did use it up.

Manufactura - Dead sea soft day face cream (50 ml): This cream I purchased in Prague a few years ago, and I did just manage to finish it as it was labelled to expire during the summer of 2025 - it was not the best cream for my perioral dermatitis, but ok to use a few times a month and I did manage to finish it exactly in that way, to take it with me on work trip overseas.

Vichy - Aqua thermal serum (30 ml): This was probably purchased in 2019 in Toronto, and in fact expired in 2020 - it did not have the same texture as the previous bottle I had of this, probably due to the fact it was expired. Further emphasizing the fact I really need to stop hoarding skincare products - and use the stuff I already have. 

The body shop - Aloe soothing toner (250 ml): Forever my favorite toner for sensitive skin. I rarely stray from this one, unless it is a sample or a gift. 

Ecooking - Primer (30 ml): This is a fantastic primer, and I will for sure repurchase, when I have used some of my backups up. 

Dr. Organic - Bioactive skincare - Organic Manuka honey skin lotion (200 ml): I have a good feeling about this brand, being clean and containing nice ingredients and it feels nice on the skin. Now it is onward to finish other lotions in my stash. 

La Roche-Posay - Kerium DS creme (40 ml): I did purchase this a few years ago, when I had peeling skin. I have not dealt with that for quite some time, still I decided to use this creme up as it has lived in my bathroom cabinet for some time.  

Beauty blender - Blender cleanser (90 ml): I got this a few years ago, and it is an amazing cleanser, quite liquidly and is excellent to clean sponges and brushes. 

Neutrogena - Norvegian formula hand cream fragrance free (50 ml): This is a great hand cream, thick and feels a bit like Vaseline, and keeps the moisture in your hands. 

Biossance - Squalane + omega repair cream (15 ml): A deluxe sample that definitely originates from Sephora. It is nice, not sure I would buy full size though. 

Zenology - Vitalising conditioner - sycamore fig (30 ml): This for sure comes from one of the hotels I visit every month, nothing to write home about, interesting spa like scent though. 

Clarins - Joli rouge satin lipstick in 711 papaya (3.5 g): It felt amazing to finish this one (although there remains a little bit of it left, as I mixed the remaining product that was below the plastic base at the bottom of the tube with my Sensai total lip gloss). But this bullet is completely finished. I do love the color, and have had several people complementing me on the fact it is a nice color that suits me well. I would consider repurchasing it later when I have fewer lipsticks in my stash, but it is really a nice summer color. But glad to have it done, as it is shamefully old.

Ilia - Limitless lash mascara - midnight (3 g): I love using these small mascaras, as if I get an eye infection (which has happened a few times in these last few years) as then I do not have to throw out a new full size one. The wand on this one is plastic, and has a comb on one side and bristles on the other. It was quite nice. 

Saie - Mascara 101 - black/noir (5 g): The wand on this one was plastic also, but quite short - and I prefered the Ilia wand over this one. 

Rare beuty - Mascara - black (8 ml): I tend to prefer plastic wands over bristly hairy wands. But this one was amazing for a bristly hairy wand. Plus the mascara itself was also very nice. 

Essence - All about matt fixing compact powder (8 g): I purchased this years ago on the recommendation from Miss budget beauty. Prior to using this powder I did use a loose one, and I do not really need a super mattifying setting powder, but it was nice to use it in a light way to set my foundation, and glad I was able to use it up. 

Diorshow - Maximizer 3D - triple action lash primer serum volume, curl & definition (10 ml): This mascara primer I do really like, I would have continued to use this tube, if I had not developed an eye infection - hence I did quit using this tube. 

Sigma - Sigmagic brushampoo - 100% natural liquid brush cleanser (7.5 ml): This product is much thicker than the Beauty blender cleanser. I did manage to get a few uses out of this, which came in handy after I finished the Beauty blender cleanser. 

Skinfix - Triple lipid-peptide cream (2 ml): I am very curious about this brand, so I was very happy to get it in Sephora, and I am likely to buy something from this brand in the future. 

Dr. Hauschka - Regenerating eye cream (1.5 ml): This eye cream is very consistent with the Dr. Hauschka brand - white and smells like all other items I have tried from the brand.

Abercrombie & Fitch - Authentic woman Eau de parfum (2 ml): I tend to travel with these mini fragrances for work, I just put on one spray and I am good for the flight back home to Iceland. And these small bottles last surprisingly long, until I finish one, and put another small sample into my travel makeup bag. I really like the smell of this one, and might purchase in the future. 

Biotherm - Aqua pure super concentrate (1 ml): I just used this for the sake of using it and get rid of it. The product itself, after testing 1 ml there is not a lot to say. 

Nature Republic - Avocado hand cream (30 ml): I do love the hand balms from this brand, and as can be seen on the picture, I cut it open to get to every drop. 

Milk Makeup - Hydro grip primer: This tester lasted perhaps for two applications, or three, I was not sold on it, but then again, I like more creamy primers vs. gel types like this one. 

Decluttered items and samples in 2025

Declutters:

Inglot - Beautifier tinted cream in shade 102 (1.5 ml): This was in my project pan 2025 - the color was way too dark and I ended up throwing it away. 

Inglot - YSM cream foundation in shade 45 (1.5 ml): This was also in my project pan 2025, also too dark, I mixed it in with another foundation a few times, but ended up not reaching for it, and in the end threw it away. 

Sunday Riley - Good genes lactic acid treatment (5 ml): Since I got this I used it perhaps two times, and as I have sensitive skin I am a bit hesitant to use acids, so this I am decluttering. 

Lancome - Galatée confort - Cleansing milk (50 ml): This I had in all honesty forgotten I owned and came across in my bathroom cabinet, it had turned from white color, to a yellowish brown and smelled strongly, so now this is being decluttered. 

The body shop - Brow and lash gel (10ml): This was in my project pan 2025, but I had to stop using it, as it left white colored clumps in my eyebrows when I used it. 

Becca - Backlight priming filter (15 ml): I think I have perhaps used half of this tube. I was planning to use it in my project pan for 2026 after I finished my Ecooking one, but after giving it a few goes, I am sure it breaks me out, as after each time of using it my skin gets red and bumpy so it is time to declutter it. 

Becca - Under eye brightening corrector (2.3 g): I had a full size backup of this one, which I decided to open, and it turns out that jar is much creamier compared to this one. So this one either had a different formula to the full size one or it has dried severely out since I purchased it. Also it had started to develop quite the waxy smell, almost like a box of Crayola wax colors, and I could not smell the same scent on the new one, so it was due for a declutter.

Maybelline - Eye studio gel eyeliner in brown (3 g): This I probably purchased in Florida in 2015 and I have not used it for years so it was about time to let go of it. It was surprisingly soft though when depotting it to recycle the glass. 

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In the year 2025 I did manage to finish seven color cosmetics, and I have at least managed to finish color cosmetics for the amount of 16.200 ISK, or about 130 USD. And that is only the amounts for the items I have information about and then I do not have the price of any of the skincare. That would be an interesting thought though - how much do the cosmetics + skincare cost we use throughout the year?

Project pan 2025 - final results

How did my project pan for 2025 go? Here are the results - which I have to admit might be an all time low results since I started doing somewhat of a project pan in 2016.

I managed to hit my goal on three products

Of these items I hit my goal on no item

Guinot - Lounge vie mains (15 ml):

Weight at the start of 2025: 20 g

Goal: Finish it

Weight at the end of 2025: 12 g - so I used about 8 grams of product, and the lotion is not finished

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

Weight at the start of 2025: 224 g

Goal: Finish it

Weight at the end of 2025: 22 g (empty packaging)

Bioeffect - EGF Body serum (120 ml):

Weight at the start of 2025: 159 g

Goal: Finish it

Weight at the end of 2025: 143 g - so I only used about 16 grams of this product.

Bioeffect - Osa water mist (60 ml):

Weight at the start of 2025: 83 g

Goal: Finish it

Weight at the end of 2025: 26 g (empty packaging) 

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

Weight at the start of 2025: 229 g

Goal: Finish it

Weight at the end of 2025: 223 g - I was nowhere near to finish this one, but I did have to add some water into it, as it had dried out quite a bit. My skin has changed quite a bit in 2025 from 2024 and has become more oily - so I might add this into my 2026 project pan.

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

Remaining product at the start of 2025: 2/3 of the gloss remained in the tube, and standing upright the gloss reached the T in Fenty

Goal: Use it up

Remaining product at the end of 2025: 1/2 of the gloss remains in the tube, and standing upright the gloss sits between Y and B

Ecooking - primer (30 ml):

Remaining product at the start of 2025: Half

Goal: Use it up

Remaining product at the end of 2025: None, it is finished.

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

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

Goal: Finish it

Amount remaining in the bottle at the end of 2025: The oil sits just below the sticker on the glass. 

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

Amount remaining at the start of 2025: When standing upright the gel sat in the tube between the O and D in BODY 

Goal: Finish it

Amount remaining at the end of 2025: The gel sits between the H and E in THE - and I did stop using it over the course of the year, as it left clear flakes in my eyebrows and did not leave a desirable look. Now after being stored with the empties for 2025 and declutters, which is what will happen to this product now; it will be decluttered as the product has gone bad and is separating.  

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

Length of pencil at the start of 2025: 11.5 cm

Goal: Use 0.5 cm of it

Length of pencil at the end of 2025: 11.5 cm

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

Length at the end of 2025: 2.1 - so I did almost reach my goal and did manage to use 0.4 cm of it

Becca - Under eye brightening corrector (2.3 g):

Weight at the start of 2025: 22 g

Goal: Use it up

Weight at the end of 2025: Without the cap 19 g

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

Goal: Use it up

Results: The color was way to dark and I ended up throwing it away.

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

Goal: Use it up

Results: I ended up depotting this into a small cream bottle, and used it a few times to mix in with my foundation as it also was a tad too dark to use on it's own. 

So all in all, I just reached my goals on three of my items I had plans to use up, or use a specific amount of. As for my other goals, to be on a makeup and skincare no buy until Black Friday 2025 (with a few exemptions), use a face mask once a week and a hair mask two times per month. Truth be told, I did not stick with any of them. 

It is a similar results as in my 2023 project pan - where I also managed to only finish three items. This will help me focus for 2026 - and boil things a bit down for the upcoming year. To only have about ten items in my goals, and select them more carefully so I will be able to get better results for the year to come. 

For other goals I set myself for 2025: 

A no-buy until Black Friday in makeup and skincare for 2025: Well I failed that 100% 

Use a face mask once a week: Failed

Use a hair mask two times a month: Failed

Exemptions from the rules in the case of an emergency and products that do not count: I could buy two products in case of an emergency, as a matter of fact I did not have any emergency, and the birthday gifts from Sephora and Ulta would not count. So with that taken into account I did buy myself 11 color cosmetics (plus I got one more as a gift from Sephora) and bought whopping 13 items that could be considered as "skincare".

October - December Haul 2025

 So how is my low buy for 2025 going, well it is going this well:

Setting spray, toner, creams and more

Bleaching cream, balm and African black soap

Samples, cream eyeshadow, lip gloss and lip liners

Tower 28 - Daily rescue facial spray (30 ml): I had bought this facial spray for one of my friends, who absolutely loved it, and during the Sephora sale, I grabbed me the smallest bottle of it. 

The body shop - Aloe soothing toner (250 ml): A constant repurchase for me, a mild and soothing toner that does not agitate perioral dermatitis for me. 

Boots - Ingredients - Deep moisture spray (150 ml): When I was on holiday in Scotland, Edinburgh to be precise, I went to Boots of course, one of my favorite stores in the UK. And I had a few recommendations from Andrew Donaldson-Wheatcroft on Instagram, this was amongst them and in a category I do not have "too many" backups of already, so I could justify the purchase. 

Byoma - Moiturizing rich cream (50 ml): My friend recommended this cream as her daughter had discovered the brand on TikTok - and during one of my work trips to the US 

Lancome - Eau Miceallaire confort (50 ml): When me and my mom went to a promo event in Smáralind shopping center a few years ago, we each got a gift bag full of Lancome products. This was one of the products in my moms bags which she has not used so she gifted this to me to use. I loved my bottle, so this will come in handy for work and travel. 

The Edinburgh natural skincare co. - The very, very best lip balm in the entire world! (15 ml): This I purchased in the Edinburgh christmas market. It felt great, but it has a very big name claim. 

Vieve - Super skin nova - Moisture rich primer (12 ml): I spent one last night in Scotland in Glasgow, and visited the Vieve store. For how long I had wanted to visit this store, I spent only about 15 minutes in store. Well I had spotted a few items from Vieve in H beauty or John Lewis in Edinburgh and swatched a few items there. Plus I really do not need any more eyeshadows, nor foundations, so I stayed clear of temptation.

Jolen - Creme bleach lightens dark hair mild formula (30ml + 7g): This I purchased as a pure backup as I have this item, but as I was in the UK I decided to grab another, as I have never come across a bleaching cream in Iceland, and as my facial hair is darkening a bit with changes in medication recently, I see this as something I will use on the regular in the coming future. 

Balmonds - Skin salvation (50 ml): This was another recommendation from Andrew, as this is supposed to be excellent for eczema skin. So that I also grabbed in Boots.

Shea moisture - African black soap - Calm & Clearing bar soap (227 g): My favorite facial soap that manages to keep by perioral dermatitis in check, without stripping my skin. 

The body shop - Plum shower gel (sample): This came as a gift with purchase when I bought the toner.

The body shop - Plum body yogurt (sample): This came also as a gift with purchase.

Wycon - Mono shot eyeshadow - 21 brick ( ): I had a work trip to Rome, Italy in November, where I had a free afternoon in the city. So I took a stroll to the Spanish steps and Fontana di Trevi - and strolled perhaps along two of the main shopping streets between those two places. There I came across a Wycon store, which I had never heard of before. They were having a some sort of a black Friday sale, so after swatching a few items in store, and contemplating what I could justify to buy - I opted for a single eyeshadow in a brown color with a warm red undertone.

Makeup by Mario - Master mattes long-wear cream eyeshadow - Sandstone (2 ml): These cream eyeshadows were so hyped online, and this brand in general. And as I do not own anything from this brand I decided to grab one of these cream eyeshadows during the Sephora sale, where I got a 10% discount. This one is very similar in tone to my skin color though, so it is more of a no makeup, makeup look. It dries down super fast, I am not sure I would want to pick another up in a darker color, as I am not sure I would be able to blend it well enough before it would dry down on me. 

Lancome - Fix it forget it - Makeup setting mist (1.5 ml): Another item from the Lancome gift bag from my mom. I can put this in my travel makeup bag and use it up in a matter of days. 

Vieve - Super skin nova - Moisture rich primer (1 ml sample): This came as a sample with my Vieve order I placed after my holiday in Scotland.

Vieve - Lip dew glossy lip oil - Socialite (6 ml): This I did purchase in the Glasgow store, initially I had thought to buy the color supermodel, but I did chicken out as it was quite brown. This is more beige, lighter brown, but I am still not quite sold if a brown lip color suits my rosy colored lips. 

Vieve - Modern lip definer - Velvet sands (1.2 g): This lip liner I grabbed in Glasgow - after I came home it was a bit warm though, and started to have second thoughts if I should have purchased a different color.

Vieve - Modern lip definer - Aphrodyte (1.2 g): After I came home from Glasgow, oh did I hit the Vieve website, used my points for the in store purchase towards more Vieve lip liners. The aphrodyte color is right up my ally, rosy brown. 

Vieve - Modern lip definer - Bark (1.2 g): This I also ordered online, a perfect shading color to go with either the velvet sands color or the aphrodyte. 

So that concludes my shopping for 2025. 

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!