January - March Haul 2026

So even though I am on a serious cut back regarding beauty purchases for 2026 I still have managed to accumulate, both purchases and gifts for the first three months of the year 2026

Creams, hair oil from Japan and birthday perks

Birthday gifts, gua sha, brush cleanser and a gloss

Gold bond - Healing hand cream aloe (85 g): I came across this in Walmart in Baltimore, and as my hand get super dry at work, this was an easy temptation.

Gold bond - Age renew neck and chest firming cream (56 g): I have for a long time contemplated to purchase a neck and chest cream, and as this was a few bottles away from the hand cream it came along to the register.

& Honey - Deep moist hair oil step 3.0 (100 ml): This my sister gave me for my birthday, along with a few other items to be mentioned. She went to Japan last year, so I assume this was purchased on that trip. All the instructions are in Japanese though, but google search gives the result that this is for the scalp and entire hair, so somewhat of a hair mask? I am dealing with a dry scalp at the moment so this will come to good use soon. 

Rhode - Barrier butter - Intensive moisture balm (40 ml): A friend of mine gave this cream her highest recommendation, she also works as cabin crew on the dry air in the cabin, and she said this was an amazing moisturizer that endures the dry air on board so I decided to buy the small tube to give it a try.

Milk - Lip + Cheek cream blush - Werk (3 g): I chose this item from the selection I had from Ulta for my birthday. I was in Raleigh at the time, for work for two nights and there was an Ulta close by, so I jumped in store to take a look at the options I had, and there were a few let me tell you. I had checked online and saw that this blush was amongst the thing offered, and as I am sure the old full size Werk color I have from Milk is expired (which was the smaller size at the time, and I had gotten as a part of a birthday gift from Sephora a few years ago). Have I since bitten the bullet and thrown the old one away (which I suspect to be expired as it smells waxy - in one word: no.

Benamor - Virum verbena - Extraordinary hand cream (75 ml): This was one of the very few purchases I made in Lisbon - this I came across at the airport so decided to pull the trigger and buy yet another hand cream.

Tower 28 - Shine on lip jelly - Pistachio (1.36 ml): This and the following Tower 28 SOS spray I chose as my birthday gift from Sephora. There were a few to choose from, and I ended up going with this one as these items I would be able to finish up fairly easily. 

Tower 28 - SOS daily rescue facial spray (60 ml): This bottle is even bigger than the tiny one I purchased a few months back. I have yet not tried it though. But it does come highly recommended. 

Guinot - Depil logic serum - anti-hair regrowth serum for face and body (2 x 8 ml): I went for a wax in a spa and the beauty esthetician managed to sell me this serum, which I am fairly sure has a very limited results. So either I will have to commit to a wax to use this up, or use it on my legs when I get the annual below the knee wax before my summer holiday. 

Real Techniques - Expert face brush 200: Another item my sister gifted to me for my birthday. I do believe I have this brush already in a different version. 

Luminance Milano - Under eye brightener - Pink peach (5 g): Yet another birthday gift from my sister. This my friend had seen on social media (same with my sister) they were somehow really excited about this product. I imagine it to be quite similar to my Becca under eye corrector. So I am not sure if I will keep it or gift it to a friend.

Neutral - Bar soap (2 x 100 g): I purchased two of these in a two pack, as a friend of mine had highly recommended this to clean makeup brushes. I have already started to use the other bar, and I can confirm it works like a charm.

Mario Badescu Skin care - Stainless steel Gua sha: I came across this item in a TJ Maxx in the states, and for 10 usd it was an instant purchase. I already have a rose quartz one, but I am very aware it can break if I drop it on the floor, so I purchased a stainless steel one. Do I use either one on a regular base? No. 

Kiko Milano - 3D Hydra lipgloss in shade 35 (6.5 ml): I got a Barcelona afternoon stop this January, I had not intended to purchase anything, but when I saw you could get it engraved, so I decided to get it engraved with my crew letters (hence the engraving is blurred). 

Walgreens - Smoothing shea butter lip mask - Moisturizes and softens lips (1 mask): A passenger gifted this to the crew on one of our flights this year. Very sweet gesture. 

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. 

´

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".

January - May haul 2025

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

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

Hair towel, mini Guinot products and a hair serum

Sephora gift, samples, and a gifted facemask

Kerastase conditioner and shampoo

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Project pan 2025

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

10 of the 14 products in my project pan 2025

Lipstick, color corrector and testers

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

Weight at the start of 2025: 20 g

Goal: Finish it

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

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

Weight at the start of 2025: 224 g

Goal: Finish it

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

Bioeffect - EGF body serum (120 ml):

Weight at the start of 2025: 159 g

Goal: Finish it

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

Bioeffect - Osa water mist (60 ml):

Weight at the start of 2025: 83 g

Goal: Finish it 

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

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

Weight at the start of 2025: 229 g

Goal: Use it up

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

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

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

Goal: Use it up.

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

Ecooking - Primer (30 ml):

Remaining amount at the start of 2025: Half.

Goal: Use it up.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Goal: Finish it.

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

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

Length of pencil at start of 2025: 11.5 cm

Goal: Use 0.5 cm of it

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

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

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

Goal: Use 0.5 cm of it

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

Becca - Under eye brightening corrector (2.3 g):

Weight at the start of 2025: 22 g

Goal: Use it up

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

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

Goal: Use it up

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

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

Goal: Use it up

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

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

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

X-mas haul 2022

I received three gifts this year that can be considered beauty related..

Guinot Advent calendar

Gifts from my nephews

Guinot Advent Calendar: My sister gifted me my Christmas gift from her in advance on December 1st. It contained 24 little bags, each containing a deluxe sample size of different Guinot products. Contents of the Advent calendar: Sculpt expert cream - sculpt and firm cream body (30 ml), Longue vie corps body cream - firming youth cream body (30 ml), Hydra fraicheur milk - cleansing milk face (30 ml), Hydrazone corps lotion - gentle moisturizing lotion body (30 ml), Gommage facile easy scrub - gentle exfoliating gel body (30 ml), Nouvelle vie cream - first signs of ageing cream face (15 ml), Biologic exfoliating gel - gentle exfoliating gel face (15 ml), Dynamisant anti-fatigue mask - instant refreshing mask face (15 ml), Night logic cream - anti-fatigue radiance night cream face (15 ml), Anti-wrinkle mask - instant revitalising anti-wrinkle mask face dull skin (15 ml), Pur confort cream - soothing protective cream spf15 face sensitive skin (15 ml), Longue vie mains hand cream - youth cream anti-dark spots hands (15 ml), Eclat parfait scrub - exfoliating cream with double microbeads face (15 ml), Mirific anti-age oil - anti aging oil body (15 ml), Hydra fraicheur toning lotion - toning lotion face (30 ml), Micellaire cleansing water - cleansing water face and eyes all skin types (30 ml), Longue vie pids foot cream - regenerating youth cream feet (15 ml), Express yeux eye make-up remover - cleansing lotion non-oily eyes (30 ml), Hydra summum serum - perfect moisturising serum face (5 ml), Hydra finish cream - moisturising complexion-enhancing cream spf  face (10 ml), Masters colors Paris - lip definer lip pencil - color 01 (0,28 g), Masters colors Paris - lipstick color 02 (4 g), Masters colors Paris - nail color - color 30 (5 ml) and a Guinot facial brush. 

Shiseido - Colorgel lip balm: - 108 Lotus (2g): one of my nephew and his bf, gifted me 2 Clarins lip balms, one in 02 and the other in 04 - so I swapped the 02 and paid a little difference to change it to this Shiseido lip balm. The formula is a dream, rich color and super soft on one's lips!

The body shop - Aloe calming toner (250ml): I had requested this toner for x-mas when my younger nephew asked me what I wanted for x-mas. I am about half way through my other one I have. And this is something I purchase repeatedly it was ideal to get it for x-mas.

Clarins - Lip comfort oil - 04 Pitaya (7 ml): This was another item I had requested for x-mas, as I had been super curious about this oil from Clarins. This color is apparently PH-responsive, but the 02 color is not. Both of them are pink, but I assume my lips turn more pink with 04 - 02 applies more clear - but according to swatches online 02 is also a super cute color. Maybe I will get that one when I finish 04. 

That sums up my beauty x-mas gifts, did you get any?