A birthday treat contemplation

My birthday month has arrived and I will for sure go and collect my birthday gift from Sephora for the year, also I am contemplating what and if I should purchase some cosmetics for myself for my birthday. 

So what am I thinking if I should purchase? Well I have a few items I have been contemplating. First of all I am very curious about the Rhode pocket blushes, in particular shades Sleepy girl or Toasted teddy - but then again I already have 11 cream, liquid or stick blushes in my collection, and all of them I have accumulated since or after 2020 - so the question remains do I really need to add one more? Yes some of the ones I own are not full size but still they will take a long time to finish, and over half of them are in a very similar shade, which I think is similar to the blush from Rhode in the color "tan lines" so that shade in particular would be ridiculous for me to purchase. 

Or do I rather want to wait for the Rhode bronzers that Hailey Bieber has been teasing online?

On the bronzer note, should I get the RMS ReDimension hydra bronzer, perhaps in the color beachwalk betty?

Or the Jones Road bronzer in the color Dusty rose? Or the cult classic Mac Give me sun?

Or should I consider purchasing is a Nilens Jord Cheeks & lips - which I would consider to be a blush stick. It is highly unlikely though I would purchase this one though as I would like to swatch them in person, and they are not sold in Icleand or USA. But the next time I am in Copenhagen this purchase might happen. The colors I think I would lean towards are: berry and chestnut - and some say guava looks nice.

Another possible blush stick I have heard raved about online for the longest time is the Jane Iredale glow time blush stick in the color balmy.

Or Merit beauty flush balm which is kind of a blush stick? Some time back I was thinking about getting the color "Stockholm" now I am leaning towards are: Aprés, Archival, Bespoke or Postmodern. 

I also found the Saie Super suede baked powder blush in the shade Ciao to be an intriguing color or should I look towards Hourglass ambient lighting blush in the shade mood exposure.

Another route to go would be getting a bigger eyeshadow palette: Makeup by Mario master mattes - the neutrals eyeshadow palette, which I have had my eye on since it launched.

Another eyeshadow palette I have also considered in the past are Idun minerals mineral eyeshadow palette in the shade lavendel, but they seem to have discontinued that color and launched four new shades.

Yet another eyeshadow palettes I have considered purchasing recently are the Jane Iredale pure pressed eyeshadow palette either in naturally matte or pure basics, also I have contemplated the Hung Vanngo color story eyeshadow palette in new neutral. Or even the Sensai eye color palette, which is a quad, which has three very nice colors; shiny foliage, night sparkle and petal dance. Another eyeshadow brand I have coveted is Viseart Paris, but they regularly launch new color nuances, but I think I would rather lean towards a cool palette with that brand vs. the cult favorite neutral mattes palette. I have also thought about the Mac palettes in the line Connect in color, but the big one is quite warm, and the smaller ones which have six shades - there are always a few colors in each one I would not use.

Should I do a big splurge and buy the Tom Ford eye color quad in Nude dip, or Prada dimensions holo nude eyeshadow palette in 07 peony? At 95 and 85 USD a pop is a bit expensive though.

Another item I have contemplated to purchase for some time now is another shade in the Merit Solo shadows, a cream shadow in the shade "studio" which is more pinky toned (or cool mauve) compared to the color I have "vachetta" (warm beige). 

Or should I get another Makeup by Mario master mattes long wear cream eyeshadow in mauve, a color I should perhaps have gotten instead of the color I got in this formula - but the downside is that this is a very quick drying formula. The color of this eyeshadow I think though might be similar to the Merit sudio.

Another eyeshadow I have contemplated and thought about purchasing is Just a sec eyeshadow from Jones Road Beauty - a beautiful potted creamy shimmery eyeshadow  - I swatched it once in store and omg it is gorgeous!! I am not sure what color I would choose though, maybe golden peach, bronze, topaz or cool taupe - I would just aim to choose in store in New York.

Or should I get a matte shade in the Armani eye tint long-lasting liquid eyeshadow?

Yet another item I have also had my eye on is Violette Fr Bisou balm, possibly in the shades Betise, Bonbon Coquelicot, Guimauve or Amour Fou. This is a formula I am very curious about - but then I have more than enough lip products, so I need another lip stick like I need a hole in the head.

Do you have a suggestion on what of these I should choose?

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 2024

I just finished giving you an update on my project pan for 2023, now it's onwards and upwards to choose the items I plan to focus on for 2024!! Usually I pick 10 products, but this year, I chose 16 items in total. So why 16 you might ask? Well four items are sample size, and some of the products I do not plan to finish per se, but more get some use out of, so I decided to add a few more items onto the project this year.

A few of the products I plan to focus on in 2024

The blusher, bronzers, concealers and eyeshadow for 2024

Lipstick, cream eyeshadow and cream blusher for 2024

So here come the products I chose for 2024:

Clinique - Take the day off cleansing balm (125 ml):

Weight at the start of 2024: 140 g

Goal: Finish it 

Why: About 1/4th of the product remains, and as I bought it in 2018, and the fact it takes up a lot of space in my small bathroom cabinet it is time to push to finish it. I would purchase again though, but I just have too many makeup removers at the moment, and need to finish a few of them before purchasing any more

The body shop - Cool cucumber softening body butter (200 ml): 

Weight at the start of 2024: 207 g

Goal: Finish it

Why: It is one of the oldest body creams in my arsenal, and it has started to separate, the cream from the oils. So it's now or never, and I hope to finish it early on in the year.

Mario Badescu - Facial spray with aloe, herbs and rosewater (236 ml):

Amount remaining at the start of 2024: The remaining product in the bottle reaches just above the upper part of the label. Even though I had decanted some of this product into another bottle I take to work, so in reality I have more product remaining of this facial spray than this bottle by itself suggests. 

Goal: Use 1/3 of this bottle by the end of 2024

Why: This is the "oldest" facial spray in my stash so it makes sense to hone in on it as my main facial spray for 2024

Smashbox - Photo finish foundation primer (7.1 ml): 

At the start of 2024: Unused

Goal: Finish it

Why: I have too many samples laying around and it would be perfect to finish some of them in 2024

Caudalie - Vinoperfect radiance serum complexion correcting (10 ml):

Goal: Finish it

Why: I had intended to take this to work with me, but as the product leaked during one of my flights, I decided it would be better off staying at home to be used up in 2024.

Ecooking - Primer (30 ml):

Remaining amount at the start of 2024: Almost full, the product just does not "touch" the top of the bottle.

Goal: Use about half of the bottle.

Why: This is not my oldest primer in my stash, but as it is an organic primer, I assume it will not have as long of a shelf life as the other ones I have - so I thought it would be a good idea to get some use out of it before it goes off. 

Sensai - Total lip gloss (4.5 ml):

Weight at the start of 2024: 26 grams

Goal: Use it up

Why: It is getting up there in age and as it is a clear gloss it is perfect for everyday use.

Charlotte Tilbury - Lip cheat re-shape and re-size lip liner in pillow talk (1.2 g):

Length at the start of 2024: 11.7 cm

Goal: Use 1 cm of it

Why: I did not focus on a lip liner last year and I think it would pair perfectly with the clear lip gloss.

Benefit - Hervana blush (8 g):

Weight at the start of 2024 (without the included brush): 41 g 

Goal: The goal with this item is not so much to use it up, but more focus on it and get some use out of it.

Why: At the moment these light pink blushes are very trendy, so it is a perfect time to incorporate this blush into my project pan 2024

The body shop - Bronzing powder shade 03 medium matte (11 g): 

Weight at the start of 2024: 48 g

Goal: Use it up

Why: It is my only bronzer that has any pan at the moment, and is a perfect shade to focus on over the winter. I will miss it from my collection though (as it is a discontinued product). It never looks muddy on the face and compliments my skin tone very well. 

Miild - Natural mineral concealer duo in 01 light ample (2.4 g):

Weight at the start of 2024: 46 g

Goal: Form dents into the two pans - and use it on the day to day on a no makeup-makeup days, when I keep my makeup to a bare minimum with mascara and concealer. 

Why: Again I focus on this product as it is a more organic/clean product and I assume it has a shorter lifespan than the average non-clean product. 

Bourjois - Smokey eyes 09 vert de gris eyeshadow trio (4.5 g):

Weight at the start of 2024: 22 g

Goal: Finish it

Why: Because I would love to finish a smaller eyeshadow palette in my collection and get a feeling that I am gaining some process on my collection, and this trio already has two pans in it. On the plus side cool shades seem to be in fashion for 2024 so even better to be focusing on this in particular.

Clinique - True bronze pressed powder bronzer in Sunblushed (1.3 g):

Weight at the start of 2024: 13 g

Goal: Use it up

Why: It is amongst the oldest products in my collection, as I do not even remember how I got it in the first place. It must have been some kind of a gift with purchase years ago. And it would make the perfect summer bronzer with a tad bit shimmer. Plus it would be great to be able to use two bronzers up in 2024 and make room for new bronzers in my collection.

Nars - Audacious lipstick in Anna (4.2 g):

Length at the start of 2024: 2.2 cm from the plastic base

Goal: Use 1 cm of it

Why: I tend to focus on one lipstick for the year. As I tend to wear one at work, and this is a perfect color that works for most of the year! I have tried to finish a few lipsticks in the last few years, but I never seem to manage to completely finish one up, so I decided to put a moderate 1 cm goal for the year 2024.

Clinique - Chubby stick shadow tint for eyes 04 ample amber (3 g): 

Length at the start of 2024: 2.5 cm fully screwed up

Goal: Use 0.5 cm of product

Why: I tend to focus on one cream eyeshadow for each year, and now this one is getting older in my collection and has gone unused in my collection so it was ideal to get some use out of it.

NudeStix - Nudies all over face dewy color in Bohemian rose (1.8 g): 

Length at the start of 2024: 1.6 cm

Goal: Use it up

Why: It is a mini, and has gone unused until the end of 2023, when I gave it a try to see if it would be possible to use in my project pan for 2024. And OMG this product is SO pigmented, so pigmented in fact it is borderline difficult to work with. Perhaps it is because it is getting older and dried out, but omg how can people then use the full size of similar products from this brand?

Other goals for 2024:

1. No face mist purchase in 2024

2. No mascara purchase in 2024

3. No primer purchase in 2024

4. No cream or serum purchase in 2024 (unless I am out of that particular type of product)

5. Maximum purchase one makeup brush in 2024

6. Maximum purchase of two colored lip products in 2024

7. Use a face mask once a week

8. Use a face mist at work

June - July haul 2022

Well as I have started to fly again, with stops in the US and Canada on a monthly basis, I have had some opportunity to shop a bit, as well as I have picked up a few items in Iceland ofc.

Soap, sunscreen, deodorant and facial cream

Body cream, hair mask and Tangle Teezer

Makeup, facial spf and cream tester

 

Shea Moisture - African black soap (227 g): This has been a tried and true product for me, as facial soap for my skin issues - I was not in a dire need of a refill, but as I spotted it in Target I grabbed it. 

Eau Thermale Avéne - Mineral lotion spf  (100 ml): This I bought in Canada, as I was planning to travel abroad in July, only with hand luggage, and in need of some sunscreen that I could take on carry on (which has a max of 100 ml bottles). 

Hawaiian Tropic - Silk hydration protective sun lotion (180 ml): This I picked up in the supermarket in Iceland, I had not bought an Hawaiian Tropic in years - as I theoretically had enough spf bottles. But it came in very handy, as I squirted some of this bottle into a small travel bottle to bring with me to Croatia. The other spf bottles I have, come in foam and spray form - and would not be rebottled so easily!

Native Deodorant - Aloe and Green tea, sensitive (75 g): I have been very curious about aluminum free deodorant, and as I am finally seeing to an end of one of my 3 previous bottles, it was time to pick this one up.

La Roche-Posay - Kerium DS creme (39 g): I had picked up a tube of this for my nephew a few years back, as he was struggling with flakey eyebrows. And recently I had started to get flakey spots between my eyebrows and eyelids, I went on a mission to find a tube for me to use. And I really think it works!! 

Sol de Janeiro - Brazilian bum bum cream (75 ml): I smelled this exact product a few years back, and did absolutely not understand the hype around this scent as I really did not like it at first sniff. But now - omg I loved it!! Given the fact I have more than enough of body lotions, I just grabbed the small jar of it. But I might actually be tempted to buy other types, or even the scent spray.

Macadamia oil extract - Hair mask (250 ml): My hair after about 5 days of sun and sea in Croatia went totally haywire, and I managed to find this in one of the little shops on the island I was staying - and it managed to turn my haywire hair around after one treatment. But you do need to be consistent with it. 

Tangle Teezer hairbrush: My friend was so kind to grab this for me while she was on a holiday in UK. This has since moved into my gym bag - so I will never forget to take a hairbrush with me to the gym again

Kosas - Revealer concealer in 01N (6 ml): Did I need a concealer? 100% not, I already have about 4 concealers in different formats. Two in liquid format as a matter of a fact. Have I started to use it yet? No not yet... 

Kosas - Revealer skin improving foundation in Very cool light 120 (30 ml): Who am I? Purchasing two foundations in the same year? And I already have several in my stash (again in a few formats; liquid, mineral powder and pressed powder). I guess I just have to put real effort to in 2022 to doll myself up on an everyday basis.

Urban Decay - All nighter long lasting makeup setting spray (30 ml): This was purchased with the intent to take it with me to Croatia for the wedding to double insure the makeup. Then in the end there was no space in my hand luggage for more liquids. I just got one sprits from my friend who managed to take some with her to the wedding. 

It Cosmetics - Your skin but better CC+ color correcting full coverage cream spf 50 in fair (32 ml): I had gotten one or two testers of this particular product in Sephora a while back. And given my previous experience, this product performed exceptionally well, with good staying power, without creasing or looking cakey. And given the fact I was going to a wedding in Croatia, where the temperature would be around 35 degrees Celsius, I would need something long lasting. So I grabbed this during some online discount in Hagkaup Iceland

Revlon - Colorstay brow fiber filler in 303 medium brown (6.8 ml): I am about to run our of my Rimmel colored eyebrow gel, and on a recommendation from Lisa J on Youtube. 

La Roche-Posay - Anthelios mineral fluid 50 spf (50 ml): I got sucked in in a Canadian drugstore to pick this up (even though I have a bottle of Supergoop zink screen). Now I just have to be more active in using these facial sunscreens.

Laura Mercier - Translucent loose setting powder (5 g): This was a part of my Sephora birthday gift for 2022. And boy am I excited to give this a whirl, as this is a product that has been hyped up for years.

Laura Mercier - Caviar stick eye color in strapless (1 g): The other part of the Sephora birthday gift I selected for 2022. Another product from LM that I have heard about for years but never tried. 

Tower 28 - Beach please cheek and lip color in Magic hour (4.5 g): I had been curious about this product and this brand since 2019 or 2020. So I could not resist when I spotted it in Sephora.

It Cosmetics - Confidence in a cream, tester (? g): This came as a bonus with the It Cosmetics CC+ cream. Another leaflet for me to use up for sure... I might even have to go on a "tester use up" mission.

So will I perhaps calm down in my purchases in the months to come? Well I have two orders being shipped as we speak... and several items on my "research list" 

May - December Haul 2021

For the second half of the year 2021 Covid-19 continued to rise and fall, in regards to makeup purchased I made a small order from Colourpop and later in the year I managed to go on a weekend trip to Copenhagen, and as my sister went to Florida for a week, I made a small order on Sephora and used up some points I had with them. 

Haul from USA and Denmark

Haul from Denmark and an order from Colourpop

Becca, Bio Effect and Meraki products

Rare Beauty - Selena's faves 4 pice mini set: Dewy liquid blush - Joy (3,2 ml), Liquid luminizer - Mesmerize (2,5 ml), Matte lip cream - Inspire (3 ml) and Universal volumizing mascara - Black (8 ml). I had this sent to my sister's hotel in Florida, as this was a brand that was not sold in Sephora stores in Denmark. But this was a brand I had been super curious about since it launched. The blush is super pigmented, you only need one dot on each cheek and then blend it out, the same for the hightligter. And the matt lip cream has a very unique formula, it feels somewhat plushy and super comfortable on the lips!! The mascara will have to go in my backup drawer as I am working on finishing older mascaras from my collection. But a small size containing a whopping 8 ml (that is the same amount as a full size Lancome Idole).

Ecooking - Primer (30 ml): I was very curious about this brand, which is a clean Danish brand. I had had by eye on a few different products from them. The poweder-foundations colors were weird in some way, so I did choose to pick up this primer, as it swatched amazing. I just have to up my primer game in 2021.

Nudestix - All over face dewy color - Bohemian Rose (1,8 g): As I was ordering from Sephora and had outstanding points, and this item was available for 100 points I decided to grab it, as the point perks in store are rarely this good.

Kiehl's - Creamy eye treatment with Avocado (14 ml): As my eye-cream is about to be finished I thought it would be a great idea to grab this in Magasin in Copenhagen, as this was a brand that was not sold in Iceland (it launched about one week after I came home from Copenhagen). But Magasin was having some good discounts on Black Friday weekend.

Pure & Care - Konjac sponge: Since I saw this in store in Denmark 2016, I have been curious about this kind of a product, so when I was browsing in Normal in Copenhagen, I grabbed one and I am super curious to try it! 

Colourpop - Cosmic charge (2,1 g): When I saw Amanda Z on Youtube recommend this shadow I just knew I had to get it. And I jumped on board when Colourpop was offering some discounts on their website I decided to grab it.

Colourpop - Ritz (2,1 g): as I was already putting in a Colourpop order, I decided to grab Ritz also, which has been compared to Urban Decay space cowboy single shadow, which of course is not sold in Iceland. Ritz is in a way a kind of a shimmer topper, the shade is fairly sheer, but has nice shimmer in the formula. Something I might have to slab on my eyes over new years! 

Miild - Skin and lip care (15 ml): This was the other Danish brand I was interested in, and they are also a clean brand like Ecooking. Very Danish!! This product I thought was genius, as it is a lip balm, and you can also use it anywhere on your skin, perfect if you have a dry patch on your face, so this is perfect to have on the go if you tend to get dry patches that irritate you during the day.

Miild - Natural Mineral Concealer duo - 01 Light Ample (2,4 g): And as this product swatched so well, and would be perfect for every day, when you are not in the mood to put on a full face. Plus it was on an amazing offer in Magasin. 

Clarins - Beauty must have -01 instant light natural lip perfector (12 ml), hand and nail treatment cream (30 ml), instant eye makeup remover (50 ml) and supra volume mascara (3,5 ml). As I saw this set in Matas, on a 25% discount, making the set cheaper than just the lip gloss in Iceland, and the color of the gloss in the set was a color I had have my eye on already I decided to snatch it up.

Becca - Under eye brightening corrector - Ligt to medium (4,5 g): This I grabbed last minute at the end of summer or September, as Becca closed, and as I recently started to love the little jar I have of this item, so I decided to grab one as a backup before I would not be able to get them. Little did I now that Smashbox picked up a few of Becca's favorite items under Smashbox x Becca - this product being one of them.

Bio Effect - Volcanic exfoliator (280 ml): This I got as a gift with purchase when I bought the Bio Effect EGF eye serum. And omg what a gift with purchase - I just need to start using it!!

Bio Effect - EGF eye serum (6 ml): I was looking for a super light eye cream that I could put onto my skin just above the crease of my eyes - as I felt recently my skin is not looking it's best there, I guess my age is catching up with my, in combination with puffy eyes due to allergies and it needs some tlc.

Meraki [lime] lip balm (4.8 g): My friend gifted me this for Christmas, and what a perfect timing, as I was about to buy a lip balm to put in my handbag.

Well with all these purchases over the year 2021 I will have my work cut out for me in my beauty goals for 2022. But a good development is for sure that there was no eye shadow purchase in the entire year of 2021!!

Empties January - December 2020

So this year has really been the year of  testers, as the majority of the products I used up this year are as a matter of a fact testers. 

Empties of 2020

More empties

Empty testers

More empty testers

Gosh - Boombastic macara volume XXL (13 ml): This mascara I got for free, for returning in a used mascara which happened to be an expired Gosh mascara. I love this one, it has a plastic brush and the formula is totally perfect. When I manage to finish the mascara backups I have I would repurchase.

Origins - Drink up 10 minute mask to quench skin's thirst (100 ml): This was a part of my beauty goals for 2019 and 2020. Finally finished.

Bourjois Paris - Happy light luminous serum primer (15 ml): this was also a part of my beauty goals for 2020. A nice primer indeed, but I always struggle to remember to use a primer so not sure I would repurchase.

L'occtane en provence - Overnight reset oil-in-serum (5 ml): This I got as free promotion from L'occitane. The texture was nice, but with only 5 ml, it is hard to say what benefits it has. But it does smell amazing.

Kneipp - Almond face cream (50 ml): I loved this face cream which I bought in a wholesale discount sale. I then saw this brand on the pharmacy shelves in Amsterdam. So I scouted the different pharmacies in town, without success, and after I looked the brand up online, it turned out they now only carry body products. So no wonder why I could not find this face cream.

Harklinikken - Daily conditioner (10 ml): This tester I got as a gift from the company, and did I like the conditioner enough to buy it in full size. 

Bio effect - EGF serum (2 x 3ml): I had accumulated a few of these EGF serums, but as I have a few different serums stashed away, I never manage to stick to one brand. But these I do really like, I just do not like the price point. 

Origins - Ginzing ultra-hydrating energy-boosting cream (5 ml): This is one of the things I got for my birthday. Loved this cream, light and moisturizing. 

Clinique - Blush in fig (1,8 g): This particular blush was a part of my beauty goals for 2018. I depotted it from a small pan which contained both this blush and eyeshadows. And considering the fact it is only 1,8 grams it took me forever to finish it. 

GlamGlow -Bubblesheet oxygenating deep cleanse mask (1 mask): I am not sure my sensitive skin can handle a mask like this one, my skin came out intact but it did indeed irritate my lips, and the edge of my top lip was boarderline swollen after using it. 

Super Goop - CC screen 100% mineral CC cream spf 50 (tester): I originally got this tester in a different bottle, but as that bottle cracked, I dumped it into a Sephora tester jar. Loved this product.

Lancome - Fix it forget it, makeup setting mist (1,5 ml): this I managed to use up the few times I went to work. Good or bad? With 1,5 ml I have no idea. 

Skyn Iceland - Oxygen infusion night cream with glacial flower extract (1,7 g): average cream, nothing miracle, but didn't annoy my skin either.

Skyn Iceland - The antidode cooling day lotion with Icelandic kelp and white willow bark (1,7 g): this was surprisingly cooling. I am not sure I would like to have a whole bottle of this though. 

Belief - The true cream aqua bomb, light gel cream for the face (3 ml): This I received as a gift with purchase at some Sephora visit in 2019. Liked the product, still I prefer cream over gel.

Belief - The true cream moisturizing bomb, rich cream for the face (3 ml): This I did indeed love, and if I would have easy access to the brand I would purchase a full size.

Bio select Dictamelia - 24 hour cream anti aging/moisturizing (2 ml): This I got as a gift with purchase in Greece. The scent was very organic and herbal. I loved the texture, and how it felt on my skin, would love to purchase. 

Sóley - Birta lift and glow, anti aging moisture with Icelandic herbs (5 ml): Really did like this cream on my skin, but not sure I would purchase an anti aging cream, as it might be to strong for my skin. 

Dr. Hauschka - Regenerating body cream (5 ml): I find it a bit funny to get such a small of a tester of a body product. It probably was enough to put on one leg, or two at the most. Not a memorable product. 

Rimmel London - Fresher skin, breathable natural finish foundation - 100 ivory (1,5 ml): I really did like this foundation, and I do believe I have another tester sachet somewhere in my stash. 

Sóley - Eygló, pure organic moisture with evening primerose and wild Icelandic herbs (5 ml): Loved this product, and my skin did really get along with it. 

L'oreal Professional - Force vector, glycocell, reinforcing anti-breakage shampoo for fragile, brittle hair (10 ml): This tester was indeed a big one, and did last for two or three hairwashes. I find shampoo in general to be all the same. Unless they do a terrible  job of cleaning my hair. This shampoo was good, it did the job.

Mythos - Shampoo olive extract + sandalwood (2x 7 ml): This was an average shampoo, did the job. 

John Frieda - Frizz Ease, hair serum, original formula (3,5 ml): Love this product, it does wonders when I put it through my hair, gives a much smoother result. Maybe I should use the spray bottle I have somewhere with this more. The application of a gel through the hair is though still somehow more satisfactory. 

What did you finish this year, any testers?

Birthday gifts

So this year I decided to be a little bit more timely in regards to sharing what I was gifted for my birthday (which was on the 11th of February). I will though not be showing all of my gifts, but only the beauty related ones, which were all gifted to me from a group of my girlfriends.

Bronzer, cream, brushes and a blush

Masks for hair, face and under-eyes

Nyx - California beamin' bronzer - CALIBB02 - The golden one (14 g): A gorgeous glowing bronzer with a golden hue, so the name "the golden one" is quite fitting.

Origins - Ginzing Ultra-hydrating energy-boosting cream (2 x 5 ml): Two super neat face cream testers, perfect for work.

Real techniques - Holiday 2019 - Luminous set (3 brushes + a brush bag): In this set there are three brushes; RT 307 shading brush, RT 402 setting brush and RT 221 complete coverage, as well as containing a small brush bag that these three brushes fit easily into. Love this set, already have the RT 402 in a different version, and love to get a second one, even better that it looks different, so I can use it for different products or colors than my original one.

Nyx - Sweet cheecks glow - creamy powder blush - SCCPBG12 - Day dream (5 g): A coral pink bush shade with subtle shimmer, super excited to try this one.

L'oréal Paris Elvital - Steam mask - for long damaged hair (20 ml): This will be perfect when my hair starts drying out and going on a tantrum!
Origins - Drink up intensive - overnight hydrating mask with avocado and gl. water (75 ml): A great replacement for my old Origins drink up 10 minute mask, that is a part of my beauty goals for 2020.

Garnier skinactive - moisture bomb eye tissue mask enhanced with orange juice and hyaluronic acid (6 g): This is supposed to give a skin cooling effect and visibly reduce eye bags and brighten the eye contours! Love me a good under-eye mask.

Garnier skinactive - Hyaluron shot fresh-mix tissue mask (33 g): Omg how interesting, on the packaging it actually states that this sheet mask contains the quantity of 1 bottle of serum for your skin!! That is an insane amount of serum for it to be a single use product! I might actually package this back together, put in the fridge and use again, the morning after I use it for the first time! If even all of the 33 g manage to soak into the sheet mask in the first place. 

Anything here on your wish-list?

July-September haul

It seems to have become a standard for me to do an update on my beauty product purchases in about every three months. This being no exception, so here come the items I have purchased abroad and domestically in the last three months:

Face powder, mist, blush. strobe cream, eyeshadow, gloss and a lip brush

Nail polish, cleanser and foot scrub

Boots No. 7 - Lift & luminate triple action translucent finishing powder - Light/Medium (10 g): After I saw Jessica Braun sing praises for this finishing powder, I just could not resist buying it in Target on one of my visits to that store. Did I need it? No. Do I need it in the next 4 months? Probably not...

Mac - Strobe cream - pinklight (50 ml): I had heard so many good things about this product, I was really curious to try. so far I really do like it, it gives the skin a subtle glow and also works good if I mix it with my foundation. But to my surprise I found out later that you can purchase a smaller version of this product. If I had known that I would for sure have bought the smaller, over the whopping 50 ml bottle.

Sephora Collection - Pro lip brush #85: This purchase was probably the most sensible one out of this haul, as it is perfect to use to finish up lipsticks that are almost done.

Caudalie - Beauty elixir (30 ml): I have been curious to try this facial mist, as many of the beauty bloggers rave about it. And as I managed to lower my "stock" of face mists, I thought it would be a perfect opportunity to grab this 30 ml one to try. 

L'oreal skin awakening blush - 01 peach addict (9 g): I am just a sukker for blushes and offers, even though I had decided that one of my beauty goals for 2019 would be not to make a purchase just because there is an offer. Failed once again.

Tromborg eyeshadow - Winter leaf (2,5 g): I really love the Tromborg eyeshadow I already owned, so I really wanted to add another one into my collection. And I picked a really basic usable color, brown, a bit on the darker side.

Clarins - Natural lip perfector - 06 (12 ml): This has long been a very popular gloss in Iceland, and I had never tried it so one day in the duty free I decided to give it a try.

Essie gel couture duo - Fairy tailor and top coat (13,5 ml): I previously had set the goal for myself in 2019 not to buy any colored nail polishes, but I had heard such good things about the top coat, and this duo was on a good deal, so I caved in and bought it.

Matas Natur - 2 in 1 Cleansing milk, e-vitamin and aloe (200 ml): When I was in Copenhagen this summer for one day, I went back to my old "stomping-grounds" in the Danish capital. Rented a bike and biked around all my favorite places, school and old neighbourhood, with a few stops in my favorite stores; Matas included. And they have really renovated the stores, and they look amazing! There I came across their Matas Natur line, which is formulated without all the bad ingredients you can find in cosmetics. And from that line this cleansing milk appealed the most to me - so it came home with me.

Footlogix - Exfoliating seaweed scrub (250 ml): Me and my mom went to a spa in Montréal this summer, and both of us really liked this product the beautician used on us. So we both ended up buying a bottle.

So 10 new items in the last three months? Seriously, as much as I have set myself a goal to finish in 2019? Now something really has to change!

April-June haul

A part of my beauty goals for 2019 was no-buy January and no-buy March, which was very successful. And in February I managed only to buy 3 items.

Well from there things have been quite down hill... and here comes my haul for April, May and June:

An accumulated haul - replacements, backups etc.

I purchased two palettes

Two brushes and Inglot duraline

Vichy - Aqualia thermal hydrating serum (30 ml): As I am over half way done with my previous botle, I decided to pick up a backup, as I have really fallen in love with this product. Even though I was planning to go "stock free", but I guess I have to accept the fact that is really not my style at all.

Vichy - Aqualia thermal rehydrating cream light (50 ml): As I am getting so well along with the serum from this range I decided to grab the moisturizing cream also to use in the nearest future.

The body shop - Aloe calming toner (250 ml): as the Lumene toner did not work for me I decided to buy something tried and true, that does not irritate my perioral dermatitis so I went with this toner from The body shop.

Cutex care - Non acetone nail polish remover with coconut oil (200 ml): After I started working as cabin crew, my nails have become very soft, and tend to peeling. I have tried a few types of nail-strengthening nail-polishes, nothing showing any remarkable results. So now I decided to try a non-acetone nail polish remover, and I bumped into this one in Canada with coconut oil, so I decided to give it a try.

TanOrganic - self tan oil (100 ml): I have not tried any self-tanners for the body before, but I had gotten a tester for this oil last year, and as a matter of a fact I did like it. So I decided to jump on the o so popular self-tan train, and give this a try. Have I used it so far? No not really.

Drunk Elephant - Protini polypeptide cream (15 ml): This I got as a part of the Sephora birthday gift for 2019. I have tried it a few times and it works great for sunburned, dry and flaky skin.

The body shop - Vitamin E overnight serum-in-oil (28 ml): As the Inika rosehip oil turned out to be quite irritating for skin, again I decided to purchase something tried and true, and was this serum in oil the one I chose. I had already finished up a bottle of this product with good results for my perioral dermatitis, so I went with that again. 

Nuxe - Honey lip balm (15 g): As I decluttered the Laneige overnight lip balm, I decided to go for something more organic and sensitive skin friendly, and as a friend of mine has raved about this product I decided to give it a try.

Drunk Elephant - Beste No. 9 jelly cleanser (30 ml): This I also got as a part of the Sephora birthday gift for 2019 and am I quite excited to give it a try.

Inglot - Eyeshadow in 164 (3,3 g): As Inglot in Iceland was closing and hosting a 40% discount on everything I decided to go on a lookout for a dupe for my favorite pink eyeshadow. My favorite is from Boots, this is not a 100% dupe, but comes quite close, the one from Boots is a bit brighter and was I choosing between color 164 and J301 the pink satin color from the JLo line. But that was a bit too peachy compared to the one from Boots. It didn't take me long after I got the color home, I got a big buyers remorse. In retrospect I fell into the pit of discount offers, which was one of my goals not to fall into. Well you live and you learn.

Clinique - Chubby stick, shadow tint for eyes in 04 ample amber (3 g): This shadow I had been eyeing for over a year, or ever since Meg says raved about it in her duty free haul. It is a beautiful golden/copper color, and can be sheered out to a beautiful sheen of a color. Still I am a bit overwhelmed of the cream eye shadow products I have in my collection, which now adds up to three pencils and two pots, one of which is a part of my beauty goals for 2019. 

Becca - Becca X Khloé Kardashian & Malika Haqq Bronze, blush and glow palette - Made with love by Khloé (12 g): It for sure was not a planned purchase to buy this Becca palette, but when I saw it was on a 40% discount in Sephore, I just could not resist, and even managed to tempt my friend into buying one. But hey when a Becca face palette with 4 shades retails for 26.40 USD it is just too good of a deal to pass up, especially when you do not own any Becca products. It contains a highlighter, two blushes and a bronzer and so far it performs beautifully, not too pigmented at all.

Tarte - Maneater eye shadow palette vol 2 (9 g): This had been on my wish list for a few months. But I had not tired any Tarte eyeshadows, or any Tarte product before I purchased this palette. But with the manageable size and everyday colors, it can be the perfect everyday palette. It has a faint sweet chocolate scent to it, and have I used this as my main eye shadow palette for the month of June. It might be a bit drying on my eyelids, as after a few day wear I started to get flaky skin in my crease, but I am now trying to use an eye shadow primer first and then the shadows, so I will see if that is not working better, than applying it straight to my eyelids. 

Zoeva - 100 Luxe face finish: I had heard so many good reviews about this brush online, and as it is a mix of natural and synthetic bristles I decided to buy it. As I tend to prefer natural bristle brushes for powder products. And I intend to use it for my hourglass powder trio.

Zoeva - 230 Luxe pencil (rose golden): I opted to grab this brush also, at the same time from Beauty Bay with the other Zoeva brush, as the 100 brush didn't fulfill the minimum for a free shipping, so I actually broke one of the rules for my Beauty goals for 2019 - which included only buying two brushes this year.

Inglot - Duraline (9 ml): This I also bought as Inglot is closing in Iceland, and had all of their products on 40% off, but I have heard so many good things about this product, as it can revive dried up liquid eyeliners and creams. So I snatched one up to have on hand.

So am I planning a no-buy month coming July? No but am for sure going to keep my purchases in check, maybe, max buy 1 item. Will keep you posted.

Beauty goals for 2018 - results

So as it has come to the end of the year, it is time for an update on my "Beauty goals for 2018" where I planned to finish ten selected items from my collection.

So out of the ten items I planned to finish or hit pan on, I was successful on seven of the items. 

Five products that I finished marked with X (original photo)

I did finish my Lancome kohl pencil

 

Two fails and reached my goal to hit pan on one (marked with /)

Did not finish this one but managed to use up about 1/3

So I reached my goals on seven of the ten items, and the items I reached my goals on were:

Dove - intense repair overnight cream (120 ml): used up 1/3 of the product that was left.

The body shop - Vitamin C skin boost (30 ml): estimated 6-10 ml used up.

Dove - Repair therapy, Color radiance hair mask (200 ml): used up the remaining 3-4 applications.

Wet and wild - nail polish in the color 442A (14 ml): when this got too thick and difficult to apply, I finally gave up on it, I had originally 4-6 ml left. And maybe I was able to use up about half of the remaining product.

Victoria's secret - Unwrap me, beauty rush, whipped cream and winter pear, body dial-a-shimmer lotion (200 ml): this item probably had about 100 ml left when I started the project. The pump on it broke early on, so I ended up depotting it and use it up from a different container.

Lancome le crayon kohl noir (0,7 g): it started the year 2018 as a 3,5 cm long pencil and was I able to use it until it became 2,5 cm long, at which point the kohl itself fell out of the pencil. And to use that 1 cm took me almost the entire year.

Maybelline - depotted eyeshadow in a champagne shimmery color: this item was a roll over product from 2017, and whas my goal to hit pan on the eyeshadow. Which I managed to do in early January. 

So the three remaining items I did not reach my goals on were:

Clinique - Blush in Fig (1,8 g): this is a depotted "gift with purchase" blush, and if I compare how the pan looked in the beginning of the year, I perhaps finished a little less than half of the blush I started the year with. OMG and this has been my primary blush of the year, and I probably finished less than 1 gram of it - BUT it is a very pigmented blush and I only need a tiny bit of it to give me a nice rouge on my cheeks. 

Estée Lauder - Double wear, stay in place powder makeup SPF 10 (16 g) - color 2N2 Fresco 01: I acknowledged the fact that it would be hard to use this foundation up in the year as the pan was and still is quite thick on the sides. And as can be seen this goal was far from reached. As a matter of a fact I kind of gave up in the middle of the year and abandoned this as my main foundation, and used Cover Girl - Ready set gorgeous, which I hauled in 2015. 

Bourjois Paris - Happy light luminous serum primer (15 ml): from the point I started the year until now, I have probably used up just over 1/3 of the product, so about 5-6 ml of product I have managed to use.

So all over I am pretty glad about my success, as there was more success than failure for sure. And super glad that I was finally able to use up the Lancome le crayon kohl noir, which I first put in a project pan for the year 2016 - so it "only" took three years to finish up. 

Did you do a project pan this year?

On a sample roll

I guess you could say I am on a sample roll at the moment, as I have been taking advantage of the fact that you can get a free sample of almost any item they offer at Sephora. Which is perfect for my sensitive skin which does not seem to tolerate any given product. So it is perfect to be able to test it before purchasing.

Sephora samples

 Samples and a blush

Beauty on the fly bag  - picture borrowed from Sephora.com

Sephora mask and Skyn Iceland eye mask

I would highly recommend to anyone to get a sample of the product you want to try out in Sephora, as one of these little pots lasts for several applications, so you can get a real feel for the product. And these were the three products I was keen to try:

It cosmetics - Your skin but better CC+ cream with SPF 50+ (fair);  This one at first try I really thought would not suit my perioral dermatitis-prone skin. As I got a few bums around my mouth after the fist application, but the trick with this one is to apply a thin layer. The first try I applied way to thick of a layer as I did't know the pigmentation would be so great. This I love to apply with a beauty blender, and it is quite likely that I would like to buy this in the future, as it has a high SPF factor, given that I probably do not apply it thickly enough to get the full effect of the 50+ SPF, but it might get to a 25 or 30 with how I apply the product. Full info here.

BareMinerals - Complexion rescue tinted moisturizer (opal); I used to LOVE the Garnier miracle cream, which was a light tinted face cream with SPF 20. I think that this might be something light and similar to that one, or I could use it as a base for other foundations which do not contain SPF. Full info here. 

Drunk Elephant - Umbra tinte physical daily defense broad spectrum sunscreen SPF 30; this I thought could be a perfect first step, including SPF, before applying a foundation which does not include an SPF, which I have in my arsenal. I also have a foundation which has only an SPF 15 so this could be the perfect base. Full info here. Have yet not tried it.

Benefit - Hervana blush (7 gr); I was missing a light pink blush in "my collection" and had really wanted to try one of the Benefit box powders, so I stumbled upon this particular blush in the Benefit store in Boston, where I had my brows done as well. I would have preferred to buy it in Sephora, and get points for my purchase, but as Sephora does not carry this color anymore, I opted to buy it in a Benefit store. And I love the color, a perfect everyday color, which is the type of a color I tend to get the most use out of. 

Madara - Anti polution CC cream SPF 15 (light beige and medium beige) (2 x 2ml); I can't even remember where I heard about this product for the first time. But I was lucky enough to grab a sample in a store in Reykjavik, and got both shades as me and the sales associate could not figure out which color would suit me better. But I figured that this might suit the same purpose as the Drunk Elephant umbra tinte spf sunscreen, to be used underneath a foundation which does not contain any spf. Full info here.

Sephora - Beauty on the fly bag; I grabbed this one in Sephora as I needed a small bag under my liquid products I keep in my cabin bag on the regular (a micellar water and toner). So I opted for this bag.

Sephora - Ultra moisturizing and brightening Rose face mask: I got this as a sample with my purchase when I got the Sephora Beauty on the fly bag. A pretty good deal here to get a mask worth 6 USD with a beauty bag for 4.95 USD. Full info here. 

Skyn Iceland - Hydro cool firming eye gels with hexapeptide technology (3,2 gr - one pair); One of my co-workers swears by this, so much he gave all of the members of our crew a pair of these. It is supposed to firm and de-puff in 10 minutes, and it is recommended to use this treatment once a week. Full info here. 

Have you tried out any of these?