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. 

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

January - May haul 2022 + Birthday gifts

So it's way due for an updated haul for the fist part of the year + what I got gifted for my birthday in February

The items I have collected so far in 2022

Testers of body butters and a sheet mask

The body shop - Aloe calming toner (250 ml): I love this product, and this is probably my third or fourth repurchase. So when the body shop was having some discount I grabbed a refill.

The body shop - Hemp hard working hand protector (10 ml): This is absolutely the best hand cream I have EVER tried, my mom used to own this stuff. And now it is really needed as my hands are super dry.

Maybelline - Lifter gloss in 003 Moon (5.4 ml): This gloss got so much hype online so I really got tempted to buy it for myself for my birthday, and it really is amazing! To me it is like a better version of Fenty Beauty gloss bomb. The Maybelline has really similar colors, chunky packaging and you do not feel any grit on your lips from the Maybelline one, whereas from the one color I own from Fenty, I feel some grit from the glitter on my lips (but I have sensitive skin so I might feel something that the average person does not sense).

The body shop - Almond nail and cuticle manicure oil (1.8 ml): My friend gifted me this one along with the face mask. It will come in super handy as I have started to fly again, and with the constant hand washing, hand sanitizing and the dry air on the airplanes my hands tend to feel super dehydrated.

The body shop - Body butter Avocado (8 ml): This I got gifted on a bachelorette party we hosted for one of my friends, and all of the girls who attended got a small gift bag containing several body shop testers.

The body shop -  Aloe Calm sheet mask (18 ml): This item my friend also gifted me for my birthday! Sounds intriguing. Will have to resume the Mask Monday ritual again this summer to use some of the masks I have stashed away.

The body shop - Body butter Almond milk (8 ml): This I was also gifted on the bachelorette party

The body shop - Body butter Shea (8 ml): I also got this one in the goodie bag at the bachelorette party. This especially will come in super handy, as my skin is starting to get really dry.

What have you bought so far into the year?

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!!

Current wishlist - makeup contemplations - January 2021

 I last made a wishlist in March 2020, before the true Covid-19 strike, and the entire list consisted of only eyeshadow palettes. Of that list, there are two items from that list still on my wishlist: Charlotte Tilbury - eyes to mezmerize - Oyster pearl (previously called Marie Antonette) and the Tom Ford quad in nude dip. Then there are also a few other items that have trickled onto my wishlist.

Westman Atelier - Vital skin foundation stick - 68 USD @WestmanAtelier

Photo credit: www.cultbeauty.com

I have really wanted to try this foundation for some time, as this is a clean brand, and in theory would not irritate my skin. But with the fact I do not see a possibility to travel abroad in the near future, I highly doubt I will be able to get this in the near future. Plus I have quite the accumulation of face products that need to be finished before purchasing more. 

Jo Malone - Wood sage and sea salt cologne - 142 USD @Sephora

Photo credit: www.jomalone.com

This perfume has been on my wishlist for years, but as I have a backload of fragrances in my stash, it really does not make sense for me to buy any more until I at least finish a bottle or two of the seven perfumes, of various siszes from 15 ml to 100 ml.

Nars Cosmetics - Lip gloss - Turkish delight - 24 USD @Sephora 

Photo credit: www.narscosmetics.com 

This gloss which was made famous by Kim Kardashian, I am super curious to try out at one point. Still I have way too much lip products, and this color might be too light for me to pull of with my dark hair.

Natasha Denona - Mini retro palette - 25 USD @Sephora

Photo credit: www.beautylish.com

The Charlotte Tilbury, pillow talk quad used to be on my wishlist last year, but now I am not so sure any more. With all my palettes, and the price of the Charlotte Tilbury one, and considering how many seem to love the Natasha Denona formula, I am a bit curious about the brand. And of the smaller palettes she has the mini retro appeals the most to me. 

Bare Minerals - Gen Nude eyeshadow palette - Neutral / Rose - 29 USD @Sephora

Photo credit: www.bareminerals.com

These palettes have been hyped so much for quality on Youtube, by several of content creators I follow. The colors that appeal the most to me are neutral and rose. The funny thing is though, when I swatched this palette in store, the neutral one looks more pink than the rose one, but then again the rose one is a tad cooler than the neutral one. The neutral palette resembles the Charlotte Tilbury pillowtalk quad more, but the rose one reminds me more of the Natasha Denona mini retro palette. What these palettes lack though is a beautiful high shine topper kind of shadow, like both the Charlotte Tilbury and Natasha Denona palettes have.

Nars Cosmetics - Voyageur eyeshadow palette - Suede - 29 GBP @LookFantastic

Photo credit: www.lookfantastic.com

This palette and the brand Nazar has also been on my radar for some time. But this now has been discontinued, and is not available on the company's website. And even though I love the color story, after a palette becomes discontinued, it somehow becomes less relevant, and not as appealing. But I am still curious about eyehsadows and other products from Nars. 

Anything on your list?

Beauty goals for 2021

 As per usual, I have chosen ten items to focus on in the year of 2021.

My 10 chosen items for 2021

Lumene - Instant glow beauty serum (30 ml): 

Current weight (with packaging - as for all of the products): 78 g. 

Goal: finish up. 

Why: this is one of my oldest complexion products

Kiko - Stick eyeshadow - 05 (1,64 g): 

Current weight: 11 g

Goal: use 0,6 g of it (about a third of the entire eyeshadow)

Why: For the last 2 years I have focused on one cream eyeshadow each year, and I have hardly used this one at all, so I would like to give it some love before it dries out.

Garnier - 5 sec perfect blur, soothing perfecting primer (30 ml): 

Current weight: 34 g

Goal: use 10 g

Why: this is my oldest primer and I want to start to wear primers more.

Jergens BB Body perfecting skin cream -all medium to deep skin tones (221 ml): 

Current weight: 95 g. 

Goal: to finish up. 

Why: roll over from Beauty goals of 2020.

One direction - Our moment eau de parfum (100 ml): 

Current weight: 324 g

Goal: finish up

Why: roll over from Beauty goals of 2020.

Lumene - Vitamin C+ anti-puffiness roll-on eye serum (10 ml): 

Current weight: 10 g

Goal: finish it.

Why: this is getting older and is almost finished.

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

Current weight: 27 g

Goal: to use half of the remaining product, or to get the product line down to the area where "radiance-plus" is written on the packaging.

Why: I never remember to use tanning product like this one, and it is getting older and would like to use more of it.

Essence - Stay all day concealer - 10 natural beige (7 ml): 

Current weight: 9 g

Goal: to use up

Why: I bought this product in Crete in 2016. So it is amongst my oldest concealers and needs to go.

Victoria's Secret - lip gloss (13 g): 

Current weight: 11 g. 

Goal: to finish up. 

Why: roll over from Beauty goals of 2020

Gina Tricot Beauty - eyeshadow - 42 caramel (1,8 g): 

Current weight: 13 g

Goal: to hit pan

Why: this is a repressed shadow, and the texture was amazing before I repressed it, now it is not so amazing, so I want to hit pan again. 

Other goals:

1. No impulse buys just because there is a discount
2. Only one eye-palette purchase in 2021
3. No body lotion purchase in 2021
4. No bronzer purchase in 2021
5. Keep an ongoing wish-list
6. Use nail-polish at least once a month

Beauty goals for 2020 - final results

 So how did my beauty goals for 2020 go?

12 month update

One direction - Our moment eau de parfum (100 ml): This product I swapped out for another parfum in the course of 2020 - as I did not like how yellow the parfum was turning. When I started using it, it was almost full, and have I managed to use a little bit more from the 9 month update, but am not quite half way through the bottle.

Jergens BB Body perfecting skin cream - all medium to deep skin tones (221 ml): As I swapped out this body cream for another, I did not weigh this product until the 9 month update, when I measured it then it weighed 146 g - and I put myself the goal at the end of the year to get the product down to 90 g. I did not reach that goal in three months, but I did get it down to 95 g, which means I managed to use 56 g of this body cream in three months.

Yves Saint Laurent - Volupté tint in oil - No. 4 (6 ml): In the beginning of the year the bottle weighted 25 g - now at the end of the year, with the product not finished and no way of seeing how much is left the bottle weighs 22 g. Which means I used 3 g of the product over the year

Bourjois Paris - Happy light luminous serum primer (15 ml): At the beginning of 2020 the remaining product + packaging weighed 56 g - now after scraping all of the product I can out of the bottle, it weighs 52 g - so I managed to finish this product and the 4 remaining grams that was extractable from the bottle. 

Origins - Drink up 10 minute mask to quench skin's thirst (100 ml): When I weighted this bottle in the beginning of the year it weighed 44 g, now with the bottle cut in half and empty it weighs 16 g - which means I managed to finish the remaining 28 g of product. This was a roll-over product from 2019 - and now finally finished.

Maybelline - Color Sensational lipstick - 235 Warm me up (4,2 g): My original goal for this product was to use it up in 2020, but with covid-19, air-travel dropping down, witch meant I hardly went to work until my contract ran out in September, and with mask life, there was very rare opportunities to wear a lipstick. At the beginning of the year it measured 2,3 cm - now 12 months later; 2 cm. So I managed to finish a meager 0,3 cm of it.

Victoria's Secret - Lip gloss (13 g): In January this gloss weighted 15 g, at the 9 month update it weighted 12 g, and now in December 11 g. Total gloss used this year: 4 g.

Youngblood - Mineral rice setting powder - Medium (10 g): At the beginning of the year it weighed 36 g, at the 9 month update 32 g. And as I have not used it since the 9 month update it still weighs 32 g. But I decided to use some pressed powders instead of this one, as I love it so much, and wanted to make some use of the many pressed powders I do have. 

Alix Avien - Pearly eyeshadow - Bronze: The goal was to use up 2 cm of this pencil, at the 9 month mark I had used up 0,5 cm of it, and now in December I have used up 0,7 cm. 

Clarins - Lipliner pencil - 02 nude beige (1,2 g): My original goal for 2020 was to use half of this pencil that measured 12,5 cm at the beginning of the year. Result: I managed to use up 0,2 cm. I blame Covid-19 and mask life. 

My final results have never been as bad before, as I only hit two of my goals for this year. I have always had 10 products in my goals for each year, last year (2019) I hit 4 goals out of 10. In 2018 I hit 6 goals out of 10, and in 2017 I hit 3 goals out of 10.

Other goals for the year were: 

1. No nail polish purchases - successful
2. No purchases just because there is a discount - I did buy two items in 2020, just because there was a discount: a body butter from The Body Shop, and a sunscreen from Biotherm
3. Maximum one cream eyeshadow purchase for the year 2020 - successful, as I did not buy even one cream eyehsadow in 2020.
4. Keep an ongoing wishlist - this I did stick to, and even published one on this blog.
5. Only one lipstick purchase - successful, as I did not even buy one lip product this year.

But then again 2020 was not quite the average year, with wearing a mask when out and about, resulted in me not even wearing any makeup to speak of. Then also definetly no reason to wear lipsticks as all they would do would be smudging into a face mask. So for sure there was no reason to buy one.

Did you have a goal to finish anything up this year?

Beauty goals for 2020 - 9 month update

It seems a bit weird to be doing an update on my beauty goals for 2020 - one due to Covid 19 and the fact I did swap two of the products out for another two comparable products very early in the year, that is in February or March.

The two products I removed were the following:

Swapped out products

Jucy Couture - Viva La Jucy eau de parfum spray (50 ml): this I swapped out for One direction - Our moment eau de parfum (100 ml). I swapped the two as I believe the parfum from One direction to be closer to expiring than the Jucy Couture parfum. As can be seen in the next picture, the color of the One direction parfum is a slightly amber yellow. Given the fact the color used to be light pink, I would estimate that this bottle is on it's last leg, so I decided to prioritize using One direction over Jucy Couture.

Elizabeth Arden - Green tea honey drops body cream (500 ml): this I swapped out for Jergens BB Body perfecting skin cream - all medium to deep skin tones (221 ml). This I decided to take into the mission for the year, as it is a tad older than the cream from Elizabeth Arden.

There is no point in putting in pictures of the new products from the start, as I did not take any. 

9 month update

One direction - Our moment eau de parfum (100 ml): When I started using this parfum early this year, it was almost full, and the liquid inside reached higher than the "Our moment" text on the glass bottle. Goal: use as much as I can.

Jergens BB Body perfecting skin cream - all medium to deep skin tones (221 ml): I did not measure this product when I started using it this year, but now it weighs 146 g. Goal for the remaining 3 months of the year. Get it down to 90 g. But this product I can only use on my legs, as I did get red on the inside of my elbows after applying this on my arms just before going to bed. The dedication to use stuff up, seriously, why do I not just throw this out?

Yves Saint Laurent - Volupté tint in oil - No. 4 (6 ml): At the start of the year the bottle weighed 25 g, now the wight fluctuates between 24 and 25 g, on a standard baking scale (hint hint not super accurate). That said this is one of the few lip products I still remain to use this year, as it is oil based, and hence nourishing for the lips in some sense. But with Covid 19 travel restrictions, the workload for cabin crew has been minimal since mid March. And the occasion to wear colored lip products are few and far between.

Bourjois Paris - Happy light luminous serum primer (15 ml): When I started the "project" in January the remaining product with packaging weight in at 56 g - now it weighs 54 g - which means I have used 2 grams. And only a few applications of primer remain (but I hardly ever use primer on all of my face. And having to wear makeup way less for work, it is very slow going.

Origins - Drink up 10 minute mask to quench skin's thirst (100 ml): At the beginning of the year the bottle weighted 44 g, now, empty it weights meager 18 g. Meaning I have managed to use 26 g of facial mask this year. This was a roll-over product from 2019, and way over due to get finished up. And I already have another Origins mask going.

Maybelline - Color Sensational lipstick - 235 Warm me up (4,2 g): At the start of the year the lipstick measured at 2,3 cm, and I swear it still measures 2,3 cm, even though I am certain I did use it to go to work tor the half a normal month I had of work (sin mask) in March.

Victoria's Secret - Lip gloss (13 g): Remaining product with packaging was 15 g, now it is 12 g and visible progress can be seen on the tube. But in deed it is really my favorite lip gloss, even though it is probably full of mineral oil, but it keeps my lips moisturized better than my Hurraw lip balm.

Youngblood - Mineral rice setting powder - Medium (10 g): Weighed 36 g at the beginning of the year, now it weighs 32 g, and not a lot remains. I love this powder, and when I have made some dent in my compact powders I will 100% repurchase.

Alix Avien - Pearly eyeshadow - Bronze: My goal for 2020 was to use 2 cm of this eyeshadow pencil, which at the beginning of the year measured 7 cm, so far I have only used 0,5 cm of it. That even when this has been my go to eyeshadow!

Clarins - Lipliner pencil - 02 nude beige (1,2 g): In January it measured from end to tip 12,5 cm, and with the Covid 19 situation, and how rare I use lipsticks, it has not been touched more than three times all year, and at most have used up 0,2 cm.

Beauty goals for 2020

Since the year 2017 I have chosen 10 beauty products each year to focus on for the year, this year being no different.

The products for my beauty goals for 2020

So here come the ten products I decided to focus on for the year 2020, and the reasons why I chose them:

Yves Saint Laurent - Volupté tint in oil - No. 4 (6 ml): Remaining product with packaging 25 g: As this is a lip oil I purchased a few years back, so it is about time for me to use it up, before the oil in the product goes off and becomes unusable. As well as this seems to be a discontinued product from YSL.

Bourjois Paris - Happy light luminous serum primer (15 ml): Remaining product with packaging 56 g: This is the first of two roll over products from 2019. There is just a tiny little bit left, but a small amount goes a long way, and in all honesty I really need a one give me product or two.

Jucy Couture - Viva La Jucy eau de parfum spray (50 ml): Remaining product with packaging 291 g: As this is one of my older perfumes, it is about time for me to use it up before it goes bad. I love the smell far to much to let it go to waste, plus the fact that the color of the perfume seems to have darkened a little bit, which could be an indicator that the scent is about to turn off.

Elizabeth Arden - Green tea honey drops body cream (500 ml): Remaining product with packaging 427 g: So many of my friends have recommended this body cream, so I bought it at the CPH airport a few years back, and have barely used it. As it is an expensive product, and contains mineral oil (which I try not to buy these days), it is due time for it to get used up!

Origins - Drink up 10 minute mask to quench skin's thirst (100 ml): Remaining product with packaging 44 g:This is a roll-over product from 2019. No matter how much effort I put into finishing this product last year I just was not able to finish it. So now in 2020 I really have to grab the bull by the horns and put mask Mondays firmly into place and knock this product out.

Maybelline - Color Sensational lipstick - 235 Warm me up (4,2 g): Remaining product from base of lipstick 2,3 cm: This is one of the older lipstick I own, and seems not to agree with my perioral dermatitis, but I do love the color and want to use it up. I mainly use it for work, and I do not go in every day, so my skin seems to tolerate it in moderate dosages. When it is done, I am for sure going to get a Mac lipstick that is super similar in Modesty - sometime in the future - right after the project? Hopefully not, as I have a lot of lip products to burn through.

Victoria's Secret - Lip gloss (13 g): Remaining product with packaging 15 g: One of the oldest lip glosses I own, and way due to get used up.

Youngblood - Mineral rice setting powder - Medium (10 g): Remaining product with packaging 36 g: Actually this is my only loose powder, but I have several setting powders that I have not broken into yet, in any real way. So I want to knock this one out, to have one less setting powder in my stash.

Alix Avien - Pearly eyeshadow - Bronze: Remaining product from end to tip 7 cm: I thought it could be an excellent idea to focus on one cream eyeshadow product each year. To make sure I am getting some use out of them before they dry out on me, as well as to defer me from buying a whole lot of them, just for them to sit in my collection and go bad. And as I used this in December 2019 I could feel it was not as creamy as when I purchased it, and it is the second oldest cream eyeshadow I have in my collection (after Maybelline color tattoo, which was in my "Beauty goals for 2019"), it was a no brainer to put it in this project. My goal? To use 2 cm of it this year.

Clarins - Lipliner pencil - 02 nude beige (1,2 g): Remaining product from end to tip 12,5 cm: I rarely use lip pencils at all, so as I have five of them in my stash, it was a perfect idea to put one of the older one into this project, as a reminder, both to use lip liners, and to defer me from buying any more of them. My goal is to use half of it up.

Other goals for 2020:

1. No nail polish purchases
2. No purchases just because there is a discount
3. Maximum one cream eyeshadow purchase for the year 2020
4. Maximum two eyeshadow palette purchases in 2020
5. Keep an ongoing wishlist
6. Only one lipstick purchase

Do you have plans to empty something in the coming year?

Empties February - April 2018

So here are the empties for the monts of February, March and April. Also there is included a one declutter.

Shampoo, body cream and face creams

Mascara, concealer and lip products

So for the three months from February and until the end of April I have finished up seven products, and decluttered one.

Nip+Fab - Tummy fix (100 ml): this gel cream is an anti cellulite cream, which I used on my thighs by a recomendation by an icelandic beauty guru, I never used it consistently enough though to see any difference, but glad it is finished. Will not repurchase.
Maria Nila - Pure volume shampoo (350 ml):  a sulphate and paraben free shampoo from the super popular Swedish brand Maria Nila, It was good, but maybe not as good as the hype about it suggest, and the price tag? Super expensive in Iceland.
The Body Shop - Vitamin C skin boost (30 ml): a kind of a serum cream, which had a bit of a slippy feeling - for sure not a favorite.
Lumene - Lahde (spring water) Intense hydration 24h moisturizer (50 ml): my absolutely favorite moisturizer - already have a backup, but I also want to try the Lumene vitamin c cream.
Lumene - Blueberry wild volume mascara (7 ml): this used to be my absolutely favorite mascara, that was before they changed the wand on it -
Nip+Fab - Eye fix (2 ml): this is the item I decluttered, and oh my gosh, it was never good. It is a super pinky concealer for under eyes, but when I pulled it out of my stash it had separated, and the forumula was all lumpy, so to the bin it goes.
Dior - Dior addict gloss in 643 Diablotine (6,5 ml): a warm coral shimmery gloss, which was bought years ago. Really liked the dior formula, would like to buy this formula again in a different tone, when I have managed to finish some of my glosses and lipsticks I already own.
Labello - olive and lemon lip balm (4,8 g/5,5 ml): a great lip balm that does not aggravate my perioral dermatitis rash to burst out.

What have you used up lately?

Empties January - October 2017

This year I have been a bit out of the blog scene as I have been busy writing my master thesis, but now when that has been handed in, defended and I have formally graduated there is about time to get back to blogging. And it's about time for me to do an empties, and this time, a whopping empties from January to the end of October 2017.

Empties Jan-Oct

Empties Jan-Oct

So I have accumulated quite an amount of products I have finished up this year.

Favourite sun - After sun aloe vera gel: I bought this in Turkey a few years back, and these type of product; Aloe vera gels I use in particular when I go abroad. And is a complete must for me to have on a beach holiday as it can really help when you get sunburned, or if the skin is red after a day in the sun. This brand was quite the average Aloe vera gel, neither better or worse than any other.

Pantene Pro-V - Repair & Protect, miracle protecting conditioner: when I go to the States, I tend to stock up on shampoo and conditioners, as they are so much cheaper in America compared to Iceland. And this was no exception, and would I say that this is an average Pantene Pro-V contitioner.

Garnier - Micellar cleansing water: my absolute favorite micellar water brand. It get's rid of all eye-makeup without any rubbing or scrubbing. Have tried a few other brands, but Garnier remains my favorite of all time.

Lumene - Radiant touch refreshing toner for normal/combination skin: I loved this toner, it left my skin clean and clear. Would buy again, if I would not have a thing for trying new toners on a regular basis.

John Frieda - Brilliant Brunette multi-tone revealing daily moisture shampoo for natural or highlighted brunettes: this is one of the shampoo's I bought in the States as well. I generally like the John Frieda shampoo and conditioners and love the smell of them. In the States I tend to buy them, but I think they are a bit over priced in Iceland for what they are.

Kiss my face - Natural Active Life deodorant, fragrance free: a few years ago after seeing a documentary about aluminum in deodorants I took on an extensive research about aluminum free deodorants and watch video after video on Youtube about them. And did I end up ordering this brand through Amazon. As a matter of a fact I love it, it has no scent, which sometimes I miss a little bit. But it does not irritate my skin (which some more "organic" deodorants do). But I love that it is a stick, which is my preferred type of deodorant, I hate the sprays and the wet roller-ball feels too cold and wet in the morning.

Burt's Bees - Tinted lip balm, honeysuckle: loved this lip balm, and even scraped the product out of the container, so I was able to use every single bit of it up.

Biotherm Eau Soleil, fragrance tester: I love this scent, and would 100% buy if I did not own way to many fragrances at the moment. But will for sure keep this in mind when my "stock" goes down.

Hollister - SoCal, fragrance: one of my favorite fragrances, but unfortunately it has been discontinued. But very happy I was able to use it up before it went bad, plus it was a part of my "beauty goals for 2017" to use up.

Forever - Aloe Jojoba shampoo: a small tester I got when I was buying a aloe vera juice from Forever. This packet though was way to small for me to have some opinion about it.

Dr. Organic - Organic Manuka Honey cream - rescue: I bought this cream on a whim when I was in Copenhagen last autumn, after my perioral dermatitis flared up. It was a good facial cream, but not sure it worked any miracles, and not sure if I would repurchase.

Lumene Cloudberry length serum mascara: a plastic wand mascara, which I usually prefer over the natural bristle wand. But this is a very casual mascara for me, not a lot of umpf, but good to wear day to day, and did not irritate my eyes.

The body shop - grape fruit body butter: a very nice body butter from the body shop, a smaller jar which was perfect to take with me to Greece. I might actually buy this scent again as it not overly sweet.

Burt's Bees - lip gloss in Autumn Haze: this is an average lip gloss, a bit on the sticky side. But 100% natural, and that is a rare find. This item was a part of my "beauty goals for 2017" to use up, which I did, as I removed the stopper and used the product as much up as humanly possible without cutting/slicing the tube in half.

Beauty goals for 2017

Ok straight into next project 10 use it up (or project pan)

These are the ten products that need to be used up in my collection as of late

First six products

The last four products

Lumene body magic - hydra luminous body lotion (200 ml): goal is to finish this up - as a matter of fact there are only a few uses left I guess... but this is one of my oldest products I own, so it needs to be used up.
Victoria's Secret - Beauty rush - Candy baby - body double mist (250 ml): goal use it completely up - have a few newer body sprays that I need to start using.
The body shop - Vitamin E face mist (100 ml): maybe 1/6 left of this facial mist, body shop has recently changed the packaging and removed parabens from the formula - will for sure buy again.
Hollister - So Cal - perfume (75 ml): a discontinued fragrance by Hollister, love the scent, but is one of my older fragrances so I want to make a sure I use it up before it goes bad.
Maybelline - Instant age rewind eraser dark circles - light pale (6 ml): the goal is to use this up.
Burt's Bees - gloss - 203 Autumn haze (5 ml): I managed to use almost half of this in 2016 - so the goal for 2017 is to use the rest of it up.
Maybelline - colour tattoo 24hr - gel cream eyeshadow - 35 on and on bronze: this has started to dry up and I have not used it so mutch, so the goal for this product is to hit pan and get some use out of it before it goes bad.
Lancome le crayon kohl noir (0,7 g): this was a part of the beauty goals for 2016, and I estimate I used about 2 cm of the pencil, and given the fact it was my main eyeliner I used 90% of the time when I did my makeup. Remaining are 4,5 cm of the pencil.
Maybelline - depotted eyeshadow in a champagne shimmery colour: my mission is to hit pan on this shadow, but I mainly use it in my inner corner of my eye and under the brow as a highlight.
Bourjois Paris - Smokey eyes trio - 09 Lady vert de gris (4,5 g): the goal with this trio is to hit pan on the middle shade (the lighter brown grey colour). But this colour is the perfect crease colour, then I mix it with the darker brown and use in my eyebrows.

So that concludes the 

Beauty goals for 2016 - update 3 - final update

At the end of the year 2015 I put a goal to finish up 10 products, of those 10 products I managed to finish 8, see picture below;

Finished products 2016

So what is left is the eyeliner and the gloss (which I replaced with a Burt's Bees gloss)

The rest of the Lancome black Kohl eyeliner

 (the blush is a repressed Clinique blush not in the project)

The Burt's Bees gloss in Autumn Haze

The gloss is just millimeters from the set goal of using half of the gloss up, the eyeliner seems to be holding on for dear life, and could even take me another year to finish. Probably because it is fairly dry. But it is really the only eyeliner I have used for the entire year! And I have only used 1-2 cm of it as it seems. And I have a bunch of other liners waiting to be used. So I have learned it takes about a year to finish half a gloss. That should really hold me back in future purchases. But overall I am really glad that the products I used up are out of my collection, and have been saved from going bad.

So next is just to decide goals and products for next year, 2017!