My 2021 stash decrease project – Final update

Happy New Year everybody! I wish you all the best, lots of health and happiness! I wish you only good skin and good hair days every single day:)

Here I am again after a long hiatus I took from my blog. This is definitely not how I had imagined my stash decrease blogs would look like in 2021. But then again, it never turns out as we planned, right? So without further ado, here are my empties collected since end of July when I posted my last update. As you see, the pile is huge and that’s why this post will not be like the updates with reviews I usually publish. It would probably turn into the novel like Joyce’s Ulysses or Tolstoy’s War and Peace if I wrote about each and every product I emptied during past months.

Since this post is not like the others, I will also start differently than I use to do. It means that I will begin with the purchases I made during last months.

As you might have expected and suspected, I bought myself few things. Since I’m writing this post in January, this pile contains inevitably some Black Friday hauls and I splurged a lot this year (despite of my no-buy). I must admit, I feel very silly each time I mention no-buy or low-buy when my shopping habits demonstrate the opposite.

This is what I bought:

  • Cleansers – Then I met you Living cleansing balm, Glow Recipe Papaya Sorbet Enzyme cleansing balm and the newest Youth To The People Superberry dream cleansing balm, Farmacy Green clean cleansing balm, Vanicream Gentle cleanser for sensitive skin, Summer Fridays Super amino cleanser from SF kit, The Ordinary squalane cleanser 50ml,
  • MisshaTime Revolution Artemisia Treatment essence mist,
  • Eye creams: Shiseido Benefiance Anti-wrinkle smoothing eye cream, ROC Retinol correxion line smoothing eye cream 15ml , The Ordinary Caffeine solution 5% + EGCG
  • Acid and active treatments: The Inkey List Succinic acid blemish treatment, Geek & Gorgeous C Glow and B-Bomb serums, The Ordinary Azelaic acid 10% suspension, Summer Fridays CC me vitamin C serum 15ml, Paula’s Choice Perfecting 2% BHA Liquid exfoliation 118ml
  • Moisturizers and sunscreens: ELTA MD UV daily broad spectrum spf40 facial sunscreen, Youth to the People Adaptogen Deep moisture cream in travel size, SVR Cicavit+ Creme spf50+ Soin apaisant reparateur, Ultra Violette mini set that contains Supreme Screen Hydrating Facial Skinscreen SPF 50+ (15ml) and Queen Screen Lightweight Skinscreen SPF50+ (10ml), Summer Fridays Cloud Dew Oil-free gel cream 15ml, and last but not least, one Croatian product, Skintegra Cica-Cera.

And now, here are my empties starting with cleansers:

Since I do the double cleansing every single day and I wash my face in morning with the gel cleanser, I tend to empty lots of cleansers. So, since the end of July, I emptied: Make P:rem Low-irritant and mild acid foam 20ml which I honestly didn’t like a lot since it burned my eyes terribly on the first use, Indie Lee Brightening cleanser 20ml which I liked and would purchase a full size definitely, 2 jars of Farmacy Green clean cleansing balm (100 ml and 50ml) which is not here in my empties for the first time, Tosowoong Enzyme powder which lasted for years and is now discontinued, Fresh Soy face cleanser, The Vegan Glow Mild foam cleanser that I got in Iherb discovery kit and which didn’t leave an impression on me, The Body Shop Camomille Sumptuous cleansing butter which checks all the boxes when it comes to an excellent cleansing balm, but unfortunately is no longer available at local TBS, Physician’s Formula The Perfect matcha 3 in 1 Melting cleansing balm which was fine.

Cleansers – 9 empties

When it comes to toners, I have radically decreased the use of those, so since August I have only emptied 2 toners and both in travel or luxury sample size bottles: Rovectin Skin Essentials Activating Treatment lotion which was part of my 3-months empties post and is very hydrating, makes my skin fuller and plumper and can stand by my favourite hyaluronic lotion, Hada Labo and Laneige Cream skin refiner 30ml which is great hybrid of toner/moisturizer, rich and nourishing and can replace a moisturizer for some skin types.

Toners and mists – 2 empties

Although I do have a lot of products in this category, with consistent use, I get to empty quite few of them, especially niacinamide serums and vitamin C serums. So I emptied: Melano CC serum which I use every now and then since the beginning of my Kbeauty skincare journey, Tiam Vita B3 source which was one of my favourite niacinamide serums, but for some reason, I didn’t enjoy this bottle as usual, as it turned to be somewhat sticky and greasy which wasn’t the case with previous bottles, Trilogy Vitamin C booster treatment 5ml which I used during a week away from home and it lasted exactly a week, Tiam My signature red serum with which I had an accident while opening it, it foamed out of bottle like it passed through quick fermentation so I lost a half of bottle, it stung my skin from time to time, but had an amazing brightening effect, Good Molecules niacinamide serum which one of my new favourite niacinamide serums and I’m currently using the 2nd bottle, Summer Fridays CC me vitamin C serum 15ml which I quite liked and would like to buy a full size, Paula’s Choice Skin Perfecting 2% BHA liquid exfoliant 30ml which does great job in clearing complexion and removing blackheads and which I have already purchased in full size, The Inkey List Bakuchiol which is a repeater in my empties and which I use as a serum/moisturizer in my morning routine under sunscreen, Dr Dennis Gross Alpha Beta peel Extra strength 5pcs pack which are awesome peeling pads and contrary to the their scary extra strength part in the name are mild, but yet extremely effective and will definitely be part of my routine again, Sweet Chef Kale + Vitamin B serum mini size which has terrible packaging a.k.a dropper that cannot pick up the product at all since it is thick serum.

Acids and active treatments – 10 empties

Together with active and acid treatments, the category of essences is the category where I do not do much of significant change in stash quantity. Since last update I emptied: Benton Snail Bee high content essence 15ml which is decent snail essence, but still not excellent enough to replace my favourite snail essence (Cosrx 92 snail essence), Huxley Secrets of Sahara Essence: Grab water 5ml, part of Huxley kit that contains 4 essences, Missha Time Revolution The first treatment essence RX 30ml which I quite like and which is perfect beginning of every routine, Claires Guerisson 9 complex essence 65ml which is one of my favourite essences for winter time and Primera Miracle seed essence 30ml which I love for its deep moisturising effect and would repurchase any time if I wasn’t working on stash decrease. I gifted Celimax Real sedum essence to my sister.

Essences – 6 empties

I know I have a big stash of moisturizers and sunscreens, but I use both on a daily basis few times a day, so I go quite fast through my stash. Here are the moisturizers and sunscreens I emptied since end of July: The Ordinary Natural Moisturizing Factors + HA which is ok, but it does not provide enough care for my 40-something year old skin, Eyenlip Hyaluronic Acid water drop which is perfect light moisturizer for summer which turns into water when in contact with the skin and whose name suits it perfectly since it is really a huge hydration drop to the skin (the only bad thing is terrible, lingering scent it has), Sunday Riley Ice Cream 5ml which I got in an Asos box, it is a thick nourishing moisturizer perfect for winter and for drier skins, Biossance Squalane + Omega repair cream 15ml which is just perfect for my skin providing enough moisture and nourishment, leaving the skin soft and smooth and happy, First Aid Beauty Ultra Repair Cream 28ml which has a perfect whipped cream texture, but still nourishes nicely the skin. I used up lots of sunscreens: Garnier Ambre Solaire Anti-dark spots & anti-pollution super UV spf50+ which I really liked in general and would repurchase again, Ultra Violette Supreme screen hydrating facial skinscreen spf50 which is one of the best performing sunscreens I have ever tried (with the nice texture, absorption, finish and feeling on the skin, the way it performs under the make up, protection); I have bought a mini set which contains it, but will definitely repurchase full size, Elta MD UV Daily broad spectrum spf40 facial sunscreen which is 2nd best I tried this year, but being only sold in USA it is very difficult for me to get my hands on it, SVR Blur sun secure spf50 which I didn’t like and which was too mattifying and not enough moisturizing for my skin,

Moisturizers and sunscreens – 9 empties

During last months, I have been masking rarely (except wearing the face masks that became our routine), so I only emptied Make P:rem Wonderful me in-shower face pack which I actually decluttered due to the fact that I kept it for far too long in my shower.

Wash-off masks – 1 empty

Since I use regularly an eye-cream, both in morning and night routine, I ended up emptying Bobbi Brown Extra Repair eye cream which is one of my all-time favourite eye creams and Berrisom The prestige Balancing eye serum which I was using in my morning routine and which was great for plumping, depuffing and smoothing my eye area while working great under make up.

Eye creams and eye masks – 2 empties

And here is a recap of my empties since my last blog: 9 cleansers / 2 toners / 10 acid and active treatments / 6 essences / 1 serum / 9 moisturizers and sunscreens / 1 wash-off mask / 2 eye-creams /

Empties (August – December 2021): 40 empties + 2 sheets masks

YTD Total: 70 empties + 9 sheets masks

So, at the end of December 2021, here is the summary of my cosmetic stash:

  • 15 cleansers (7 in, 9 out)
  • 11 toners and mists (1 in, 2 out)
  • 26 acid & active treatments (6 in, 10 out)
  • 13 essences (6 out)
  • 5 serums / ampoules (1 out)
  • 2 emulsions
  • 26 moisturizers and sunscreens (7 in, 9 out)
  • 4 sleeping packs
  • 10 facial oils
  • 19 wash-off masks (1 out)
  • 4 eye creams and eye masks (3 in, 2 out)
  • 72 sheet masks (2 out)

So, in the period from August till December 2021, I used up skincare products in value of 470,99 USD or 427,03 EUR

YTD total: 1.040,77 USD or 936,32 EUR

Till next time, stay healthy and beautiful!

Skincare stash decrease project – 3 months of empties

Hello everybody!

Once again I have made another long hiatus from my blog and didn’t post anything for quite a while. This is mostly because of my job which is going back to normal that we knew of before the pandemics. I have been busy, but I have also been diligent when it comes to emptying skincare, so here are my May, June and July empties. And for those who do not know how it looked like at the beginning of 2021 skincare stash decrease project, here is the link and here is my last April update.

Deviant Cleansing Concentrate – This is hands down the best cleansing balm I have ever tried. And trust me, I have tried a bunch: kbeauty, western, cheap, expensive, name it, I have probably tried it. If I knew I would be able to afford buying this cleanser for the rest of my life, I would immediately take a life-time subscription to it. That is how I love it! Not only I could nominate it for this month’s favourite, actually this cleanser could be my every day, every month and every year favourite. With the texture that is out of this world, the specific scent, the ultimate softness it gives to the skin, it is the best balm cleanser I have ever tried. When I think of it, I do not honestly know how to describe the texture since it is so soft, velvety, melting like the finest butter you have ever come across. And it does flawlessly what it is supposed to do and that’s cleansing your face, removing all the dirt, makeup, spf, off. I have used it as a first cleanser of course, but every time I had few minutes for myself, I left this beauty on my face for 10-15 minutes as a mask and I enjoyed every second of it. I do not have to say I will definitely repurchase it.

First Aid Beauty Pure Skin Face cleanser – If I remember well, I got this 30ml cleanser in one of Advent calendars. I was using it in as a second cleanser in my night-time routine and as my morning cleanser. It is very nice cream cleanser that doesn’t foam too much, it is not aggressive or drying, the skin doesn’t feel stripped or tight. It is washed off easily, however it does burn a bit if it comes in contact with the eyes. It is a decent cleanser, but I was using it at the same time as my beloved Allies of Skin Silk amino cleanser, so this FAB cleanser wasn’t so exciting as the other one which was a real treat. I do not think I will repurchase this.

Klavuu Pure pearlsation revitalazing cleansing foam – This cleansing foam is creamy and thick when squeezed out of the tube, but it transforms easily into nice, soft foam. This small tube lasted for quite a while since you need only a small amount. It is easily spread, it is effective. Although its ph is leaning towards higher values according to the other reviews, I didn’t experience any tightening or drying effect. I liked it, but I didn’t love it, so I will not repurchase.

Cleansers – 3 empties

Rovectin Skin essentials activating treatment lotion 15ml – At first, I wasn’t so satisfied with this lotion, since I had a feeling that it did almost nothing to my skin, but with each use, I kind of grew into it. It is really viscous, sometimes it can feel a bit tacky on the skin, but the level of moisture it provides to skin is really nice. It is packed with different humectants and moisturizing factors like sodium hyaluronate, glycerin, pantenol, but also with some other good ingredients like niacinamide, allantoin, etc. The skin feels and looks fuller, plumper, healthier. I dare to say it can easily stand by my favorite hyaluronic acid toner, Hada Labo. I currently use my second 15ml bottle, but I will definitely buy a full size bottle.

Earth Recipe Energy boosting toner – If you liked Whamisa Deep rich toner, you will definitely like this one or you will even like it better than Whamisa. It is thick toner, it really has a lot of viscosity to it. Sometimes I felt like I was dealing with a serum instead of toner. Even with the thick consistency, it is still easy to apply and quickly absorbed. The skin is replenished, nourished. It has a herbal, almost medicinal scent, but it is not overwhelming and it disappears within few minutes. So, the scent is there, but not it is not perfumed and I guess this scent comes from all the herbal extracts with which this toner is packed. A little goes a long way and it took me more than a year to empty it. It should be emptied within 12 months after opening, but I didn’t notice anything wrong with it even after 15 months. I will come back eventually to this toner after I decrease my stash.

Primera Water organience 15ml – I opened this 15ml bottle long time ago so I must admit I didn’t use this toner consistently. It is not completely watery, it has a bit body to it. It has a nice herbal scent. Its inci list contains some ingredients like houttuynia cordata, artemisia which have calming effect on the skin and soothe the irritations and redness. And that’s how this toner really is: calming and soothing. I can say that I liked it, but honestly do not know if I will revisit it.

Josh Rosebrook Hydrating accelerator – I enjoyed in every single drop of this wonderful hydrating mist. It is absolutely beautiful and smells heavenly with its herbal, floral scent. It provides excellent shot of hydration, refreshes the skin perfectly, but also has the soothing, calming effect on the skin. The spray / nozzle is great, it makes a perfect mist. It is expensive, but for me it was worth every single penny I paid. I was using it in both of my routines under serums and moisturizers as I felt it improved absorption, but also I was using it during the day for hydration boost and refreshment. I would like to repurchase it, but for some reason Cultbeauty is no longer shipping it to my country.

Toners and mists – 4 empties

Pixi Glow tonic – Since I read so many raving reviews about this acid toner, I simply had to buy it. However, it didn’t live up to my expectations. I cannot remember for how long this bottle was dragging around my bathroom, but it was there for around 2 years. I managed to empty half of the bottle and than I noticed some tiny bits of something that looked like threads, so I threw the rest into the toilet. This toner contains 5% of glycolic acid, it is mild acid toner which is suppose to remove impurities, cleanse the pores, but also is suppose to hydrate and soothe the skin due to the aloe in it. It didn’t cause any bad reaction to my skin like redness, sensitized skin, but on the other hand, to be honest, I didn’t see too much results of it. My skin wasn’t so smooth, soft, shiny like it usually is after the use of some other acids like Alpha-H Liquid gold (which does have higher concentration of AHA than Pixi Glow tonic and thus is much more potent). I probably expected too much from this toner or maybe expected something it is not supposed to do due to the low concentration of AHA, but still I’m not happy with it. I satisfied my curiosity, but will not repurchase it again.

Paula’s Choice 10% azelaic acid booster – To tell you the truth, for the most part of my experience with this tube, I struggled to find a good spot for it in my routine, actually to find a good purpose in general. Although I’m in my 40’s, I do not have many issues with my skin like redness, acne, spots. It was only by the bottom of this tube that I realized how amazing this product was. It was during my PMS that I got a volcano on my cheek, it had a size of bigger middle European country. This happens to me once in maybe 7-8 months. This booster almost destroyed this volcano in 2 days. It calmed down the redness and made the acne almost invisible (at trust me, it was pretty prominent). I was speechless!! Now I’m thinking of buying the travel size of this booster to have it always handy, although that’s not economically smart investment.

Oskia Super C-Smart Nutrient capsules – This is the last oil-based vitamin C serum that I used. Before finishing Oskia, I emptied Garden of Wisdom and Medik8. This serum is really an excellent one, works great in brightening the complexion, but also nourishes the skin at same time being oil-based serum. Although it is oily, it is absorbed nicely. The packaging itself is pretty interesting: the serum is packed in the heart-shaped capsules containing the quantity that is sufficient for one application. Before I bought this serum, I read tones of reviews and some people were complaining about the capsule that contained too much of product, which is honestly a mystery to me, since I find that these capsule contain just enough serum for one application. From time to time, I even felt like it wasn’t enough for one use for whole face. The serum is nicely absorbed, leaves the skin so smooth and velvety and not oily. The price tag is high, but a part of it is probably due to this packaging. Although I didn’t plan to repurchase it immediately, I got it in SpaceNK vitamin C box I couldn’t resist to (see below).

Klairs Midnight blue activating drop – This was the first peptide serum I have ever tried and I have already written about it in my empties when I started my blog. This is one of my favourite peptide serums. The serum itself is very thin, watery and runny and it is very difficult to handle if you apply it directly from the dropper (which I do not do anymore). When applied, it is almost immediately completely absorbed. My face feels and looks firmer and brighter. It evens the skin and makes it supple. Although it is serum, it should be used as a first step of the routine, so the peptides act directly on the cleansed skin. It has a blue hue which comes not from some colorant, but from guaiazulene (derived from chamomile) which has calming effect on the skin. Although with its 20ml only, it is on a pricey side, I will repurchase it for sure, since I really like this serum.

Acids & active treatments – 4 empties

I’m from Mugwort essence – This is my favourite mugwort essence, together with Hanyul artemisia essence. It is thick and viscous, but not tacky. It provides an instant relief to the skin while moisturizing it deeply. It is soothing, calming, has a distinctive herbal scent that acts therapeutically on me, it really has a calming effect on me. I would repurchase this immediately if it wasn’t for my essences stash which is pretty big.

Essences – 1 empty

Bring Green Artemisia calming ampoule – I finished this serum in a blink of an eye. I recently opened it and it was love at first touch and application. Just like other products that contain mugwort / artemisia, this serum has that distinctive herbal scent and as such, it has a therapeutical impact on me. The serum itself is rather thick and it is a tad difficult to get it out of pipette, but on the other hand, it has really nice slip and glides easily on the skin. It provides immediate relief and deep moisture. I was so heavily handed with this serum and it didn’t last a long time, but I enjoyed in every single drop / use of it.

Neogen Serum in oil drop White truffle – Although this is 50ml serum, I went through the bottle rather quickly since I was using it both in the morning and in the evening, using around 2 pumps for one application. If you read carefully these short reviews of my empties, you might have noticed that I used frequently the same products in the morning and in the evening which is something I didn’t often do before. I think it has something to do with the season as I tend to simplify my routines during summer. Going back to this nice serum, I quite liked it. Contrary to its name, it is not oily at all. I would rather say that it is lightweight watery serum, perfect for summer. The serum has nice slip to it, it is spread easily and absorbed nicely leaving the skin glowing. The skin is moisturized, but also nourished, probably due to the truffle oil which is nourishing ingredient. This is probably first skincare product I tried that contained truffle oil which is more frequently mentioned in recipes than in the products’ ingredient lists. Although truffles do have a distinctive scent which is not everybody’s preference, this serum doesn’t smell of anything (or at least I didn’t notice it). I liked the serum and I might go back repurchasing it in the future.

Serums & ampoules – 2 empties

Cerave Moisturizing lotion for dry to very dry skin – I bought this moisturizer after testing a smaller quantity that was sent to me by my friend. In the beginning, it wasn’t quite clear for me how this kind of light texture can be appropriate / enough for the skin type this product is intended to. This lotion is really light, not greasy or heavy, it is massaged easily into the skin and absorbed nicely and quickly and it nourishes well the skin. It contains 3 types of ceramides that are excellent for protection of skin barrier. I used in the morning and in the evening, under the makeup, under my sunscreens, before retinoids, combined with some facial oils which turned out to be an excellent combo. In the winter, I used it as a last step of night routine and I mixed it with The Ordinary’s squalane. I had a 237ml bottle which lasted for very long time, it is inexpensive, efficient; for me this is an excellent product and I will definitely repurchase it.

Missha Time Revolution Night repair Probio ampoule cream 7ml – I wasn’t using this cream long enough to be able to assess its effect when it comes to anti-aging, wrinkle reducing, skin elasticity improvement what the description of this cream claims. It is very thick cream, I dare to say it is balmy, but not heavy in any way. It is very moisturizing and nourishing and leaves nice dewy finish to the skin. Being thick and balmy, it feels like it forms a protective layer to the skin, so I honestly think I would not be able to use this during summer, since it is a thad too rich for me and my skin. However, I think I could really enjoy using this moisturizer in the winter and in full size to be able to test other claims.

Anessa Perfect UV sunscreen spf50 PA++++ 60ML – I have already mentioned this sunscreen in my 2020 skincare overview, as something that marked my past year when it comes to skincare. I still love it. I will just repeat what I have already said. Texture, absorption, the way it feels on the skin and works under the makeup, protection, everything about this sunscreen is just perfect. It has beautiful texture, glides nicely on the skin, it is not drying or greasy, it is just perfect! The skin is velvety once it is absorbed. It has a minimal cast which disappears pretty quickly. I have also tested it on the beach and it provides sufficient protection. I have already bought a back up bottle and I will keep on buying this perfect sunscreen. 

Caudalie Crème solaire spf50 25ml – I got this sunscreen in Asos beauty box. It is on a thicker size, but it is spread easily and elegantly. It leaves a white cast for 1-2 minutes, but then it is nicely absorbed into the skin leaving the skin dewy which I personally like. Although it looks heavy and greasy, it went well along with my makeup and didn’t interfere with it. However, this would definitely work better for drier skin type. Since this was a 25ml tube, I emptied it quickly and didn’t manage to test it on the beach since I emptied it some time in May. It did not disappoint me, but then again it didn’t either wow me, so I do not think I would repurchase.

Klairs Soft airy UV essence – I had one tube of this notorious sunscreen whose spf became a subject of lots of skincare discussions few months ago. I was quite disappointed when it turned out that its spf is around 19 instead of 50 declared. This reveal resulted in refunds for all clients who purchased this sunscreen (at least I got refund for tubes I purchased on Ebay). Still I didn’t want to throw it away and I kept it my stash thinking I would use it for my hands. However, I was contacted by a girl who doesn’t mind the fact the spf is not 50 and so I gave it to her.

Moisturizers and sunscreens – 5 empties

23years old Aquabab modelling mask – This packaging contained the raw material for 4 uses / masks + 4 spatulas for mixing and applying. The ball that you mix your mask in is actually bottom part of the packaging. One of the mask components is jelly-like and the other one is powdery (white powder). When you mix them, the beads change the color and turn darker, so the mask gets light, pale green kiwi hue. You get the substantial quantity of the mask, I would say it could even suffice for 2 applications, but then again there is a question of how to keep it fresh till the next use, so I slapped on all the quantity each time. Its application is somewhat tricky and challenging since I really struggled to apply it. I tried some other modelling masks (like Dr Jart’s) and those were much easier to handle. Since it wasn’t easy to spread the mask on the skin, I didn’t succeed to apply it evenly. Compared to Dr Jart’s, this mask is much more dripping of the skin and it looks pretty slimy. It is recommended to keep it on around 20 min, but I usually kept it for more, around 30 min, since it was still wet after that time. I didn’t manage not even once to remove this mask in one piece. Nevertheless, the effect on my skin was pretty amazing: the skin was hydrated, so soft and smooth to touch and it looked like I applied some makeup, it was so even and brightened. I was definitely wowed with it. And I must admit it was always fun playing with it. To demonstrate it, this is how I looked like while I had the mask on 🙂

Algenist Alive prebiotic balancing mask 10ml – I got this mini 10ml mask in last year’s SpaceNK birthday gift, I opened it and forgot about it. This mask is good, it is kind of fun to see how it changes color and turns from baby blue to light pink when you massage it on your skin. It is easy to apply and I put both thinner and thicker layers. It is a bit challenging to wash it off, but I solved this issue by using my cleansing clothes for removal. It clears the skin, especially the T-zone, as well as blackheads on and around the nose. I didn’t notice any spectacular effect on my skin, or anything special that some less expensive clay mask wouldn’t do either.

Wash-off masks – 2 empties

Versed The Fix emergency eye mask – I was using this eye mask as my morning eye-cream. It is lightweight gel that is easily spread. The instructions say that you can wipe it off after some time, but I always kept it till complete absorption. It soothes, brightens, depuffs my eye area, while working well under my makeup. I already have a back up tube, but I’m using now another eye serum.

1 eye-cream

During last 3 months, I used up: 3 cleansers / 4 toners & mists / 4 acid & active treatments / 1 essence / 2 serums & ampoules / 5 moisturisers and sunscreens / 2 wash-off masks / 1 eye-cream or eye-mask/ 5 sheet masks.

Total empties (May/June/July) – 22 empties + 5 sheets masks

YTD Total: 30 empties + 7 sheets masks

However, I wasn’t disciplined at all when it comes to buying habits during last 3 months, so I splurged again on skincare. To my defence, the SpaceNK box was really a bargain (not in a sense that it is cheap, but in a sense that those 6 products cost “only” 95 GBP). The saving was huge. I also bought quite a lot of sunscreens, but I do use them a lot. So, this is resume of what I bought: 3 cleansers / 5 acid or active treatments / 10 moisturizers and sunscreens / 1 facial oil

Unfortunately as you can see, all this splurging on skincare cancelled all the efforts I put into decreasing my stash. Even worse, some of products categories grew in quantity.

So, at the end of July 2021, here is the summary of my cosmetic stash:

  • 17 cleansers (3 in, 3 out)
  • 12 toners and mists (4 out)
  • 30 acid & active treatments (5 in, 4 out)
  • 19 essences (1 out)
  • 6 serums / ampoules (2 out)
  • 2 emulsions
  • 27 moisturizers and sunscreens (10 in, 5 out) – this was total flop!!
  • 4 sleeping packs
  • 10 facial oils (1 in)
  • 20 wash-off masks (2 out)
  • 3 eye creams and eye masks (1 out)
  • 74 sheet masks (5 out)

During last 3 months, I used up skincare products in value of 389,04 USD or 352,73 EUR

YTD total: 569,78 USD or 509,29 EUR

So till next time, stay healthy and beautiful as you are!

Skincare stash decrease project 2021 – April update

Here is the first update of my 2021 skincare stash decrease project. This is just the continuation of my 2020 skincare stash decrease project, since I wasn’t so happy with the status of my stash one year after starting this project. I explain in my post about November and December beauty hauls where it went wrong and if you see those hauls, you can understand why I continue with a nobuy.

So, here are my empties for April 2021.

Allies of Skin Silk molecular amino cleanser – I will dearly miss this cleanser in my routine. It was one of my biggest 2020 skincare discoveries. It is lush, luxurious, has gorgeous texture. It is effective, mild, doesn’t foam and still performs flawlessly leaving the skin soft and clean. I really enjoyed in cleansing lately, especially since I introduced Deviant skincare Cleansing concentrate in my routine. Those two are cleansing match made in heaven ❤. Both are on pricier side, but worth every single penny. I would definitely repurchase.

Mamonde Petal spa oil to foam Rose – I’m so happy this oil finally vanished from my stash! I honestly do not know why I had high expectations from this oil cleanser, but I did. At first, I liked it, but then as I was using it more often, I started to be more and more unsatisfied with each use. This cleanser can replace both cleansers in your routine as its name says: oil to foam. And it really transforms easily from oil phase to an emulsion by adding the water. However, when you apply it to the dry face, it feels like it has no slip at all, just a grip, which is really weird for an oil. It doesn’t go smoothly on the face, I always had a feeling it stucked. The moment I added a water, felt always like a moment of salvation. I cannot deny its efficacity when it comes to removing dirt, spf, makeup, but I couldn’t go nowhere near my eyes with it, since it stung like hell (pardon my French). I cannot remember of any cleanser that burnt my eyes so badly. Even when rinsing it off, I had to be very careful that it doesn’t go to my eyes. Another reproach is that it is really heavily scented, you can smell roses from miles. The scent itself is not unpleasant, it is simply way over-perfumed. I struggled with it for 1/3 of bottle and then I found a new purpose for remaining 2/3 of bottle: I was cleaning my makeup brushes with it. Can you guess if I will repurchase it or not?

Secret Key Aloe soothing toner – This is wonderful hydrating toner. Actually I thought it was pretty watery until I opened my current toner (Klairs Daily hydrating water) and than I realized it wasn’t so runny and it has some body to it. It isn’t sticky at all as some products that contain aloe, no matter of consistency, tend to be. It is absorbed nicely and quickly and gives such a nice hydration boost to the skin. Sometimes I used this toner three times a day (morning, evening and with my Nuface). I really enjoyed in this toner and will definitely repurchase.

Secret Key milk brightening– Unlike with its green brother, I didn’t get along so well with this blue one. When I first started to use this toner, I had really nice results in skin softening so, I got a bit over-excited and tried to apply few layers, something like 7-skins and it didn’t go so well since it badly irritated my skin. The ingredient which probably irritated my skin is the milk protein which is an exfoliant. After this unpleasant experience, I ditched this toner in a corner of my room (it sound so poetic) and didn’t use it at all for quite a while. When I reintroduced it back to my routine, I was applying it all over my body (hands, arms, feet, legs) just to finish it. Although it is a decent toner, I didn’t let myself be thrilled again so easily. I will not repurchase.

Thank You Farmer True water deep serum – This is very light serum, but at the same time extremely hydrating and moisturizing. It has a gel consistency, it is easily spread and nicely absorbed and despite the texture, it provides rich moisture to the skin. I used it both in my morning and evening routines. When I was using it in my morning routine, sometimes I skipped the moisturizer and went straight to sunscreen and I never felt like I was missing something in the sens of moisture or that my skin was feeling tight due to the lack of moisturizer under it. It is really nice serum and I will definitely repurchase it.

Drunk Elephant Polypeptide cream 15ml – I got this mini size as gift with purchase at Sephora, although I would probably buy it myself anyway, since I like to have peptides in my routine. The moisturizer has a nice texture which is on richer side, but not heavy or greasy in any way. It is easily spread and sinks nicely in the skin. I used it in my night routine as a last step and in the morning, my skin felt smooth, soft, but also replenished and nourished. Since this was 15ml moisturizer, I emptied it rather quickly, so I cannot write about long-term effects on firmness or fine lines. However, I would definitely purchase this in full size.

Supergoop Unseen sunscreen spf30 – I have already had this mini tube in my empties. I got it in Cultbeauty discovery box. This sunscreen is a light, yellow gel that is invisible on the skin, sinks in nicely, is absorbed completely and leaves no greasy or sticky residue what so ever, being oil-free. It leaves a silky, silicon-like finish, but not in the way that it would feel like mask on your face. It feels so comfortable on the skin. I must say that it performs flawlessly as a makeup base, I dare to say it performs much better than some actual primers I have tried. It doesn’t pill under the makeup, the skin stays hydrated throughout the day. Overall, this is an excellent sunscreen whose only minus is that is on a pricey side, since this small tube costs around 15 GBP which is rather expensive for 15ml tube. Nevertheless, I would still repurchase it.

I’m from Mugwort mask – Among 3 I’m from masks I have tried so far, this mugwort mask is definitely my favourite. It is spread easily, has a pleasant herbal scent that has calming and relaxing effect. The mask itself is cooling, smoothing, calming. I played with this mask applying it in thiner and thicker layers, and, unlike with I’m from honey mask, I didn’t have any issues with removing it. Ginseng mask is waiting for me to open it, but I will for sure repurchase this one.

April total: 8 empties + 2 sheet masks

In April, I used up: 2 cleansers / 2 toners / 1 serum / 2 moisturisers and sunscreens / 1 wash-off mask / 2 sheet masks

Since my birthday is in April, I got some presents that increased a bit stash. I got Asos March beauty box which contained some pretty interesting items like Elemis Pro-collagen cleanser, Caudalie spf50 and Sunday Riley’s Ice cream. I also got SVR Sun secure blur spf50.

So, at the end of April 2021, here is the summary of my cosmetic stash:

  • 17 cleansers
  • 16 toners and mists
  • 29 acid & active treatments
  • 20 essences
  • 8 serums / ampoules
  • 2 emulsions
  • 22 moisturizers and sunscreens
  • 4 sleeping packs
  • 9 facial oils
  • 22 wash-off masks
  • 4 eye creams and eye masks
  • 79 sheet mask

I decided that I will also write down the value of the emptied products. I did my homework, went through the loads and loads of my orders and wrote down the value of almost all items in use and in my stash, so I can record the value of emptied products (I will save for myself the value of my stash).

So, in April, I used up skincare products in value of 180,74 USD or 156,56 EUR.

Till next time, stay healthy and beautiful!

IMPORTANT: Dear, Klairs is refunding the clients

Hello everybody!

If you, just like me, loved Klairs Soft airy uv essence spf50 and were very disappointed when it turned out its declared spf was not even close to the real one, this information might be interesting for you.

Klairs published the results of their testing and it seems that Soft airy essence had the spf between 12 and 15!! Unbelievable, right?? The testing results for their 2 other products were also published (Mid Day blue UV shield and Illuminating Supple blemish cream). As a result of this terrible results, Klairs decided to refund everybody who purchased their spf products through their authorized distributors.

Here is the link where you can ask for refund depending where you purchased your sunscreen. Last year, I bought 2 tubes through their authorised Ebay seller kr.cfactory and I have just filled the forms.

Official Refund Policies – Dear, Klairs (klairscosmetics.com)

I must say I’m nicely surprised and that is how everybody should treat their clients.

Now, let’s wait and see what happens next (waiting for the summer or in my case, waiting for the refund 🙂 ).

UPDATE May 17th 2021: This morning I got a refund for all 3 Klairs sunscreens I bought. Well done, Klairs!

My blogging anniversary

This is going to be a short one! Yesterday my blog turned 3 and on Saturday I turned 45 🙂 So it seems that 3 years ago I made a gift to myself by creating my own blog. Unlike a lot of you, I do not have huge number of followers and honestly to this date, I still found pretty amazing and humbling that someone is even willing to read what I write!! I really like to thank to every single one of you who dedicates the time to my writings. Thank you all from the bottom of my heart!

Till next time, stay healthy and beautiful!

My 2021 skincare stash decrease project

I started my 2020 skincare stash decrease project in February last year. At that time, it was really a must, since my skincare stash was growing bigger and bigger and it was making me kind of nervous (by the way, it still does). If you read my blog, you might have followed my progress throughout past year. At the very beginning I had more success, but then as the year was passing, I started to have minor relapses and a major one by the end of year. This major one was the result or, more precisely, the consequence of Black Friday and Christmas’ shopping sprees (and above all, consequence of my weak character when it comes to skincare). If I take a look at the product categories I divided my stash into, I managed to decrease some of them a lot, but then again, there are some categories like essences or acids/treatments where I almost didn’t move for an inch. What is worse, I even managed to increase the quantity of both (shame on me). However, in my defence, I can say that I noticed few mistakes made during last inventory, so it is not that bad as it may seem.

So, without further ado, this is my current skincare stash (with a photo of last year’s stash for comparison).

CLEANSERS

This is how it looked like last year.

And this is how it looks now.

In use :

Allies of Skin Molecular silk amino hydrating cleanser,  Cosrx Low ph centella cleansing powder, Deviant skincare Cleansing Concentrate, Klavuu Pure Pearlsation Revitalizing Facial cleansing foam, Mamonde Petal spa oil to foam cleanser, Tonymoly No-wash Cleansing water (100ml), Tosowoong enzyme powder

Unopened:

Farmacy Green clean cleansing balm, Fresh Soy cleanser, First Aid Beauty Pure Skin Face cleanser, Indie Lee brightening cleanser (30ml), Make P:rem Low-irritant and mild acid foam (20ml), Niod Sanskrit Saponins, Olival Professional Mikroeksfolijant, Saturday Skin Rub-a-Dub peeling gel, The Vegan Glow Mild foam cleanser, Wishfull Yo-glow enzyme scrub

Total: 17 cleansers 

In 2020, I started with 21 cleanser.

TONERS AND MISTS

This is how it looked like last year.

This is how it looks now.

In use:

Earth’s Recipe Energy boosting, Laneige Cream Skin Refiner (30ml), Primera Organience water (15ml), Rovectin Skin Essentials Activating treatment lotion 15ml, Secret Key aloe, Secret Key Milk brightening

Unopened:

Hada Labo Gokujyun Premium lotion – NEW, Haruharu Wonder Black rice hyaluronic toner mini, Indie Lee CoQ10 (30 ml), Josh Rosebrook Hydrating Accelerator, Klairs Daily skin hydrating water 500ml, Laneige cream skin refiner 30ml, Neogen Probiotics youth repair mist, NIOD Superoxide Dismutase Saccharide Mist, Round Lab 1025 Dokdo, Rovectin Skin Essentials Activating Treatment Lotion 15ml, Sukoyaka Suhada Urea moisturizing lotion

Total: 17 toners and mists 

In 2020, I started with 22 toners and mists.

ACIDS/ACTIVES (except hyaluronic acid)

This is how it looked like last year.

This is how it looks now.

In use:

A313 Vitamine A pommade, Alpha-H liquid gold, Bioderma Matricium, Dr Dennis Gross Alpha Beta Extra strength daily peel (5-pcs packaging), Klairs Midnight blue activating drop, Oskia Super C-Smart Nutrient capsules, Paula’s Choice 10% Azelaic acid booster, Pixi Glow tonic, Sweet Chef Kale + Vitamin B serum, The Inkey List Vitamin C, The Ordinary EUK134, Zelens Power A oil

Unopened:

Derma-E Firming DMAE serum Alpha lipoic acid and C-ester, Good Molecules Discoloration serum, Good Molecules niacinamide serum x2, Good Molecules Niacinamide toner, Indeed Labs Bakuchiol reface pads, Medi-Peel Bor-tox, Missha Time Revolution Night Repair Probio ampoule (10ml), Mizon AHA/BHA toner, NIOD C.A.I.S., Retincare, Summer Fridays Soft reset AHA exfoliating solution, Sweet Chef Vitamin A shot, The Inkey List Bakuchiol, The Inkey List Q10, The Ordinary Copper+peptide, Tiam Vita B3 source

Total: 29 acids/ actives 

I started 2020 with 20 acids/actives.

ESSENCES

This is how it looked like last year.

This is how it looks now.

In use:

Hanskin Real Complexion Hyaluron skin essence, I’m From Mugwort Essence

Unopened:

Benton Snail Bee High Content essence (15ml), Caudalie Vinoperfect Essence concentree eclat, Celimax The Real Sedum Aqua boosting essence, Cosrx Snail 96 mucin essence, Cosrx Snail radiance dual essence, Dr Jart Vital hydra solution essence 50ml, Guerisson Claires 9 complex essence 65ml, Huxley Secrets of Sahara Oil Essence, Huxley Set of 4 mini essences, Neogen Real Ferment micro essence (2 bottles), Neogen Real Ferment micro essence mini, Missha Time Revolution The first treatment essence RX 30ml, Primera Essence Miracle seed, Tonymoly Prestige jeju snail essence

Total: 20 essences

I started 2020 with 14 essences.

SERUMS/AMPOULES

This is how it looked like last year.

This is how it looks now.

In use:

Clinique Moisture surge hydrating supercharged concentrate, Thank you Farmer True Water Deep serum

Unopened:

Blithe Tundra chaga mini (30ml), Bring Green Artemisia Calming Intensive serum, Hylamide SubQ serum, Neogen Serum in oil drop White truffle, It’s Skin Power 10 formula LI effector, The Inkey List Hyaluronic acid, Tosowoong Propolis sparkle ampoule

Total: 9 serums / ampoules

I started 2020 with 18 serums / ampoules.

EMULSIONS

This is how it looked like last year.

This is how it looks like now.

Unopened:

Primera Organience emulsion, Missha Time Revolution The first treatment serum emulsion

Total 2 emulsions

I started 2020 with 4 emulsions.

MOISTURIZERS AND SUNSCREENS

This is how it looked like last year.

This is how it looks now.

In use:

Anessa Perfect UV sunscreen spf50 PA++++ 60ml, Cerave Moisturizing lotion (for dry to very dry skin), Drunk Elephant Protini Polypeptide cream 15ml, La Roche Posay Cicaplast Baume B5, Supergoop Unseen sunscreen

Unopened:

Anessa Perfect UV sunscreen spf50 PA++++ 60ml, Atopalm MLE cream (8ml), Banila Co Miss Flower & Mr Honey cream 7ml (2 pcs), By Wishtrend Acid-Duo Hibiscus 63 cream, Caudalie Vinoperfect creme eclat anti-taches 15ml, Dr Jart Cicapair Derma green solution cream (5 ml), Eyenlip Hyaluronic acid water drop, Eyenlip Salmon oil nutrition cream 15ml, First Aid Beauty Ultra Repair Cream (28g), Glow Recipe Banana souffle moisture cream, Illiyoon ato ceramide concentrate cream, Klairs Soft Airy UV Essence, Missha Time Revolution Night Repair Probio Ampoule cream 7ml, The Ordinary Natural Moisturizing Factors + HA, Sweet Chef Superfoods Vitamins moisture boost (10ml)

Total 21 moisturizers and sunscreens 

I started 2020 with 26 moisturizers and sunscreens.

SLEEPING PACKS

This is how it looked like last year.

This is how it looks now.

In use:

Some By Me Yuja Niacin brightening sleeping mask

Unopened:

Isntree Clear skin PHA sleeping mask (25ml), Isntree Hyaluronic acid water sleeping mask (25ml), Naruko Taiwan Magnolia Brightening and Firming night jelly

Total 4 sleeping packs 

I started 2020 with 9 sleeping packs.

FACIAL OILS

This is how it looked like last year.

This is how it looks now.

In use:

The Ordinary 100% plant derived squalane

Unopened:

Farsali Rose gold elixir, Indie Lee squalane, Herbivore Emerald, Herbivore Lapis (2x), Herbivore Phoenix, Herbivore Prism, The Ordinary 100% Marula cold-pressed virgin oil

Total: 9 facial oils

I started 2020 with 11 facials oils.

WASH- OFF MASKS

This is how it looked like last year.

This is how it looks now.

In use:

23years old Aqua bab modeling mask (4pcs set), Algenist Alive prebiotic balancing mask 10ml, A’pieu Good morning sorbet mask, Drunk Elephant F-balm Electrolyte Waterfacial, Filorga Meso-mask, I’m from Rice, I’m From Mugwort, Make P:rem Wonderful me in-shower face pack, Peter Thomas Roth Pumpkin Enzymatic 14ml, Starskin VIP 7-second luxury all-day mask, Versed Doctor’s visit instant resurfacing mask

Unopened:

Blithe Patting Splash mask Rejuvenating purple berry, I’m from Ginseng, I’m from Honey mini (30g), Isntree Real Mugwort clay mask (25ml), Isntree Real Rose calming mask (25ml), Isoi Intensive lifting mask pack, Mediheal Masking Layering Ampoule Exceltoning shot (set of 3), Peter Thomas Roth 24k gold mask 14ml, Peter Thomas Roth Irish Moor Mud purifying black mask 14ml, Skin Chemist Rose Illuminating glow peel off mask, Sukin Pink clay facial mask – Sensitive, SVR Hydracid C50 foam

Total 23 masks  

I started 2020 with 22 masks.

EYE CREAMS AND EYE MASKS

This is how it looked like last year.

This is how it looks now.

In use:

Berrisom The Prestige Balancing eye serum, Bobbi Brown Extra repair cream, Versed The Fix emergency eye mask

Unopened:

Versed The Fix emergency eye mask

Total 4 eye creams and eye masks 

I started 2020 with 6 eye creams and eye masks.

Here is the summary of my cosmetic stash:

  • 17 cleansers
  • 17 toners and mists
  • 29 acid & active treatments
  • 20 essences
  • 9 serums / ampoules
  • 2 emulsions
  • 21 moisturizers and sunscreens
  • 4 sleeping packs
  • 9 facial oils
  • 23 wash-off masks
  • 4 eye creams and eye masks
  • 81 sheet mask

And for the end, here is my small pile of products that I managed to empty between my 2 posts, the one about my winter empties and this one. Few of those were decluttered due to the fact that they were opened for far too long or the expiry date has passed. So sadly, I have first “victims” of my skincare hoarding. And I hate to throw away the products.

Morningstar Minerals Derma boost rejuvenating spray mist, Nacific Phyto Niacin whitening essence, Skin & Lab Barrierderm ampoule, Huxley Secrets of Sahara Anti-gravity cream (7ml), Good Molecules Instant cleansing balm (23ml), Goodal Waterest emulsion, Petitfee B-Glucan deep firming eye mask, Lively Super calming blue oil, Manyo Vitamin Tree brightening pack

I’ll be writing a bit about those in my next empties / skincare stash project update at the end of April.

Till next time, stay healthy and beautiful!

Skincare stash decrease project – winter update 9

While I’m preparing my 2021 inventory post for skincare stash decrease project, like the one I posted in February last year, I would like to share with you my winter empties.

If you follow my blog, you might have noticed that I didn’t write about emptied products since November 2020. So, this is my first seasonal empties overview (I did something similar for August and September).

This will be a long one, so I thank you in advance for your patience and attention. This is my winter full of empties 🙂

DHC Deep cleansing oil – Although this oil is thicker than the cleansing oils I normally use, I still like it. It glides nicely on the skin while breaking down efficiently the spf, makeup, dirt. It emulsifies nicely and rinses off completely without leaving a greasy residue. The only issue I have with this cleansing oil is the fact that it blurs my sight when used for removing the eye makeup. I still think this is great cleansing oil and I will probably repurchase it.

Pixi Double cleanse x Caroline Hirons – This is really quite an impressive cleanser. It is very practical since both components needed for double cleansing are in the same packaging, which makes it very travel-friendly (not that I travelled a lot lately LOL). The first cleansing phase is the balm which is excellent, melts perfectly on the skin, is extremely effective in removing makeup, dirt, spf and washes of easily and neatly without blurring the sight. The second phase of cleansing is the cream that has such a pleasant texture, doesn’t foam too much and feels nice on the skin. Once it is removed, the skin feels so soft and smooth. The only downside of this cleanser is the price / quantity ratio. Although it is travel friendly being in the same packaging, you get less product that you would normally get if you would buy the cleansers separately. And honestly it is not that affordable since it costs 24 GBP. I used this cleanser along with my other ones, otherwise I would have probably emptied this long time ago. I’m really glad I tried this, but I do not think I will repurchase.

Oskia Renaissance cleansing gel – I got this gel cleanser in one on my Advent calendars. It is nice cleansing gel that doesn’t foam too much or dry the skin and it is still effective as a second cleanser or as the morning cleanser. It has a nice, jelly texture that is a bit on thicker side. It spreads nicely, feels really pleasant on the skin. It has that distinctive Oskia scent to it (just like Oskia Renaissance mask). I like it this cleanser and I will probably repurchase it once my stash is decreased.

Drunk Elephant Beste No 9 jelly cleanser – Unlike Oskia’s cleanser, I wasn’t quite impressed with this cleanser (which goes for almost all Drunk Elephant products). Once this cleanser is washed off, my skin would feel really tight and it felt like it was drying me out, which does not happen to me too often. On the bright side, I only had a small tube and went through it rather quickly. I would not purchase a full size product.

Neogen Dermalogy Green Tea Real fresh cleansing stick – I finally emptied this cleansing stick which lasted for a really, but really long time. I didn’t use it every single day, since I like to switch between the cleansers and so to say stir my cleansing routine every now and then. This is a decent second cleanser that feels comfortable on the skin, it is not drying even if its ph-factor is rather high (if I remember well). It doesn’t foam to much, it is effective in removing the traces of first cleanser and everything else that might remain after the first cleansing step. It is very travel-friendly since there is no possibility of product leakage. I did experience slight eye burning, but not always. The thing that bothered me is actually its soapy smell that had a certain psychological effect on me in the sense that it made me think that it could dry my skin, although in reality it is not drying at all (I know, I’m a bit crazy). I used it as a second cleanser, but also as my morning cleanser if I exaggerated with my routine the previous night. All in all, this is a decent cleanser, but I don’t think I would repurchase.

Versed Just breathe clarifying serum – This niacianamide serum was the first Versed product I tried. It is watery and thus it has a perfect texture for my routines. I’m aware that I repeated this sentence for too many times, but I really appreciate the watery texture when speaking of niacinamide serums, since I use them as first step of my night routine. Actually it is so watery, you could think it is a toner. Besides the texture I really liked, I also like the serum itself since it is not sticky and it doesn’t have any side effects (redness, stinging). It is absorbed nicely and I could continue quickly with the rest of my routine. I have purchased now some Kbeauty serums, as well as niacinamide from Good Molecules, but I will definitely repurchase this one.

Medik8 C-tetra serum – This is an excellent vitamin C serum with texture I’m actually not used to have with this kind of serums. It has a wonderful texture of a dry oil which makes the skin velvety. It is absorbed rapidly. It is very comfortable to use and causes no reactions like redness, tightening feeling, stinging, and at the same time, it gives freshness, natural shine and brightens the skin. Since it is nicely absorbed, it works well with the rest of my routine. It is packed in a dark brown bottle which prevents the penetration of light and thus protects the product. I emptied this bottle within 3 months and it didn’t go bad, it kept the same texture, colour and the scent. I will definitely repurchase and I would like to try other Medik8 vitamin C serums.

Garden of Wisdom C Deep vitamin C serum – This is good serum containing vitamin C. Just like my previous serum mentioned above (Medik8 C-tetra), it is also an oil based serum, but this one from GoW takes quite a while to sink in the skin. Because of that, it wasn’t convenient for my morning skin routines when I was in a hurry. I had no reactions what so ever to it, no redness, no itching, no stinging, anything. Taking into account that it really took a while to absorb, it made me simplify my morning routine, so I ended up using only this serum and sunscreen and actually this wasn’t a bad combo at all. The skin looks fresh and brightened. Just like other GoW serums I tried (niacinamide one), it really has a lousy packaging which “spits” the content. The only good thing with this packaging is that it is almost opaque and thus prevents the sun / light to degrade the serum. I don’t think I will repurchase.

Hylamide SubQ Skin – This is great cocktail serum. I call it cocktail, because, besides copper peptides, it contains 5 sorts of hyaluronic acid and some other nice and beneficial ingredients. It is lightweight serum which is nicely absorbed and not sticky. I was using it in both of my routines, in the morning and in the evening. It smooths the skin, it plumps it, gives it a certain volume and makes it softer. I can highly recommend this serum to all of those who didn’t get along well with The Ordinary Buffet or Buffet with copper peptides, since the formulation of this serum is much more elegant and the feeling it provides is more comfortable from what you get from those 2 serums. Hylamide is definitely one step up from The Ordinary. I have already bought a backup bottle.

The Ordinary Hyaluronic acid + B5 – I introduced this HA serum in my routine at the same time I introduced Nuface mini device and I used it exclusively in that part of the routine. This serum is jelly like, I was applying it on the watery toners and on top of it, I was putting the combo of aloe gel (Holika Holika) and Nuface primer. When I emptied this bottle, I noticed that it was actually this serum that was causing the goopines and stickiness and it was not aloe gel or Nuface primer. Aside the stickiness, otherwise it is nice product containing hyaluronic acid to which my skin usually reacts nicely. The skin feels fuller, plumper and very hydrated. I think that I will not repurchase this hyaluronic acid serum because of the stickiness.

The Ordinary Pycnogenol 5% – This is the usual The Ordinary formulation that relies mostly on 1 skincare ingredient. This serum has a dark red color which is not the result of some artificial colorant since it comes from the ingredient itself. It does stain my skin a bit, but once it is absorbed this stain disappears. This product is oily, but it sinks in really fast. At the beginning, I was using it sporadically, but once I started to apply it often, I went through this 15ml bottle very fast although little goes a long way and it only takes 2-3 drops to treat whole face. Besides the fact this is an antioxidant, I was attracted to this product by the claims that it revives the vitamin C that oxidized. I cannot confirm or dispute this claim since I didn’t test it for those purposes. At the beginning, I was using it on the days when I was not applying my vitamin C serum, and then, towards the bottom of the bottle, I started to use simultaneously with it. Unlike other TO anti-oxidants (like EUK134), this one is really a “no-brainer” since it has no conflicts with other ingredients and it is really easy to incorporate it in the routine. Once absorbed, it really worked well under my bb cream or foundation. As far as the results go, I consider this more like an inner skin support rather than something that would demonstrate some results that can be noticed visually. I will now open EUK134, but I will definitely repurchase Pycnogenol.

Purito Centella Green level unscented spf50 – I think this is one of the most unpopular and most mentioned sunscreens during past months. I managed to empty this tube on the exact same day the drama about the results of its spf emerged. Although I liked to use this sunscreen during the winter since it is nicely absorbed and cosmetically really elegant, I will not repurchase it due to the fact that its spf might be 19 instead of 50 declared. I did not use it during the summer, but my sister had an issue with it while we were on the beach. Although she reapplied it often and in sufficient quantity, her forehead suffered a sun burn. I felt guilty since she had used my sunscreen. At the same time, I used Anessa’s milk with spf50 and I had no issues what so ever.

Klairs Soft Airy uv essence – Until the drama mentioned above, this Klairs spf was my favourite sunscreen. I like how it is absorbed and how it feels on the skin, I like the finish, the fact that it has no cast and leave no greasy residue. However, ever since I read that the same laboratory that formulated Purito, also created this sunscreen, I have lots of doubts and I’m constantly wondering if my skin is well protected, if I will get burned (although I didn’t experience any of these issues). I still have one tube in my stash, but I will leave it for next autumn/winter and will use other sunscreens like Anessa, Supergoop, etc.

Klavuu White pearlsation ideal backstage cream spf30 – This was a small tube with really long name and it looks like the most complicated product name I have ever come across. This is thick, tinted sunscreen. It has a pinkish hue to it and it looks more like the lightest Asian bb cream, than like a sunscreen. It is spread nicely, but it leaves a white cast that doesn’t disappear very quickly. It does have a tone-up effect that evens a skin, but also gives it a nice dewy look. It feels comfortable on the skin. However, because of the white cast, I didn’t like it at the beginning, but once I got used to this cast, I became fond of it and loved the polished and evened look that this pinkish cream left.

Easydew DW-EGF premium cream – Although this is a small 15ml tube, it lasted for quite a while, because I used it on and off. I wasn’t using it during summer since it is was a bit heavy for my taste although it is not as greasy as other moisturizers you could have in mind when speaking of heavy moisturizers. It has a thick texture, but still not too thick, it doesn’t feel moisturizing at all, so I suppose this is why I didn’t use it during the summer. It is nourishing and it sinks nicely in the skin. I was using it in my night routine and in the morning my skin felt really nourished, looked and felt elastic and it had a nice, healthy shine. As its name says, it contains EGF (Epidermal growth factor) which apparently has some benefits like reducing visible signs of aging, speeding up of healing processes in the skin, stimulating the cell turnover, etc. Since I used it on and off, I couldn’t confirm those claims and that’s why I would buy a bigger size and use it during the longer period to investigate some of those claims.

Haruharu Wonder honey green aqua – I’m so happy I finally got rid of this terrible moisturizer. It is one of the worst Kbeauty items I have tried so far and trust me, I have tried plenty. It is gel like moisturizer which sinks nicely into the skin. When I bought it, I thought this would probably be a perfect summer time moisturizer. It is not moisturizing enough, not even during the summer. When I used it as last step of my night skincare routine, I had to get up during the night to put an additional layer of something on it, since my skin felt terribly dry and tight. It is heavily scented and smells like whole bottle of citrusy oils was poured into the tube. Since I do not like to throw the skincare away, I used it as a hand cream, but it is not good enough even for the hands. I will definitely not buy it ever again.

Atrue Spring green tea watery calming cream – If only I had access to this moisturizer now, I would buy it immediately despite the big stash of moisturizers I currently have. This is a great moisturizer!! It sinks in nicely and fast and has lightweight texture. Despite this light and fluffy texture which provides such deep hydration, it is also so surprisingly nourishing. I was using it throughout the summer, but since in its case, a little really goes a longway, I elongated the use throughout autumn and winter and I found it equally good and effective as it was in the summer. The skin was plump, hydrated, replenished. I love it and I’m so sad that I cannot buy it for the moment.

The Inkey List Retinol eye cream – This eye cream was one of my big discoveries for 2020. And I forgot to include it in the post about my skincare in 2020. Although the packaging says that it targets the age 25+ (and I’ve obviously passed that number a long, long time ago), it still works on my 40+ eye area. Before I purchased it, I read some bad reviews which said that they had issues with texture and that the oil was separating from emulsion, but I had none of this issues. This eye cream is lightweight, sinks in nicely. I didn’t feel any tingling or burning or anything that may be caused by use of retinol. A little goes a long way and this small tube lasted for 5 months with regular application each night. My eye area is polished and smooth, without any wrinkles. And on top of all, it is cheap. For the moment, I’m using other eye cream, but I will definitely go back to this little jewel.

Lixirskin Vitamin C paste – I love this quick-shot face mask. When I used it for the first time, I was completely mesmerized by its effect on my skin. My skin looked shinny, radiant, evened and extremely brightened and it felt so smooth. The application is easy since the mask spreads even and nicely and you need only 2-3 minutes before you washed it off. This first impression, the shine and radiance, diminished a bit with further masking, but it is still an excellent face mask. The only negative thing with this mask is its funky scent which is a bit strange and unpleasant, but eventually I got used to it. I have bought now another vitamin C mask, but I will definitely repurchase this Lixirskin mask.

Peter Thomas Roth Rose stem cell bio repair mask – I honestly do not know is it me or those PTR masks, but I see no benefit what so ever from these rather expensive masks. The result I got from this one is similar to what I would get if I put the ordinary aloe gel. It hydrates and that’s about it.

Cosrx Low ph BHA overnight mask – This is a very good sleeping mask, it is rather thick and nourishing, but it is still easily spread. It locks nicely the routine, I feel like it pushes in the layers I have previously put and thus helps their absorption. I must say that, from all sleeping masks I have tried so far, this one left my skin the smoothest and softest in the morning. I guess this softness is the result of the BHA which can be found in small percentage in its inci list (I think it has 0,2% of BHA in it). This is small percentage for its “regular” tasks and claims (and of course this sleeping mask is not marketed as an acid), but it probably still contains enough to make my skin so soft. I think I will not repurchase again since it seems to me that it was discontinued meanwhile.

Stay tuned since next week I will do the stash inventory post for my 2021 stash decrease project.

Till next time stay healthy and beautiful!

My skincare in 2020 in some numbers and letters

Although we are getting close to the end of  February and everybody probably forgot about last year or is at least trying to forget it for very obvious reasons, I still want to share this post about my skincare in 2020. I have already written the same post for 2018 and 2019, so it would be nice to continue in the same tone for past year which was anything but usual.

During 2020, I was trying to decrease my skincare stash,  and most of my posts were related to this topic. So, since end of February 2020, when I started to document my progress, till end of October , I managed to empty 77  different skincare products and 43 sheet masks and I emptied total of 186 products (skincare, body and hair care, makeup). Meanwhile, I managed to empty several products, but I didn’t write a post about empties for a while now.   In 2019, I  emptied a total of 117 different items.

Although I was trying to maintain my nobuy during the year, I still managed to make 194 online orders (!!) during 2020. However, taking into account that we spent most of the year in different lockdowns, isolation, etc., this is rather normal (in 2019, I made 213 orders).

Throughout 2020, I opened 111 skincare products and a total of 245 items which includes everything for face, body and hair, makeup and some supplements (in 2019, I opened 115 different cosmetic items).  For the moment, I have 65 opened tubes, jars and other skincare containers.  I decided to elongate a nobuy further on 2021, since I must continue working on decreasing my skincare stash which is still rather huge.

And here is my cosmetic 2020 in some letters:

A as Allies of  Skin Molecular Silk Amino Hydrating Cleanser

This is one of the best second cleansers I have ever tried. It’s simply pure pleasure  to clean the face with this cleanser. It is lush and luxurious and I love it!! It has a jelly-like texture that glides so smoothly on the skin, it is gentle and is washed off easily. Actually I’m kind of saving this as a skin treat, since I will not be repurchasing it immediately due to my skincare stash decrease targets, but I definitely will buy it again!

A as Anessa Perfect UV Sunscreen skin care milk spf50 

Although I only had a mini 20ml tube of this sunscreen, I immediately knew I found a jewel among sunscreens. Texture, absorption, the way it feels on the skin and works under the makeup, protection, everything about this sunscreen is just perfect. I have already bought a full size back up and I will keep on buying this perfect sunscreen. 

N as Nobuy – I have dedicated this year to my skincare stash decrease project and it  obviously had to include refraining from shopping or popularly called a nobuy. I managed to respect it with some minor relapses through the year and major one in November and December (I dedicated a post to it), but I will definitely continue with a nobuy in 2021.

N as Nuface

Since I’m in my mid 40’s, it is inevitable that some signs of skin aging and aging in general are visible on my face and body. The skin is not so tight as it used to be, my neck and décolleté look a bit older than before. I’m not interested in botox, fillers or plastic surgery, so I found a perfect match for my skin needs in the treatments with micro-current devices.  I started to use Nuface mini beginning of October and I must say that I’m really satisfied. I do not expect miracles, but my skin definitely looks fresher, somewhat tighter, healthier. I followed the instructions and used 5 times a week at the beginning. Now I keep the rhythm of 3 treatments per week.

R as Retinoids

This is basically related to the previous point/letter. I started to use retinoids during spring 2020 while we were in first lockdown. The product I introduced is A313 Vitamine A pommade which is heavy and very greasy ointment. The type of retinoids used in A313 is retinyl palmitate which is supposed to be the weakest type of retionoids (retinoid esters), but suprisingly it feels pretty strong on the skin. The other product that contains retinoids that I introduced to my skincare routine is Zelens Power A High Potency Vitamin A treatment drops which contains three types of retinoids: encapsulated retinol, Hydroxypinacolone Retinoate and Retinyl Palmitate. The product is in an oily base, sinks in nicely in the skin. I didn’t experience any side effects with neither one of these 2 products.

V as Versed

This is the brand I discovered during 2020 and I quite like it. I have tried several items from their skincare range and there is not a single one that disappointed me. The first product I tried was their niacinamide serum, Just breathe clarifying serum which was nice watery serum. I also tried their Doctor’s visit instant resurfacing mask. It only takes 2-3 minutes to apply it and it works wonders in smoothing and resurfacing the skin with the cocktail of AHA, BHA and enzymatic exfoliation. And the last, but definitely not the least, is their eye mask The Fix Emergency eye mask which quickly became a staple product in my eyecare routine (I used it every single morning to refresh and smooth eye area). I do not want to be without this cream.

So, this was my skincare in 2020 in some numbers and letters!

Till next time, stay healthy and beautiful!

My November and December beauty hauls

Hello everybody!

It’s more than obvious that somebody like me, who is apparently on a no-buy and is trying to reduce the beauty stash, shouldn’t be writing the posts about the beauty hauls. Ok, I admit, I relapsed and did it in a big way! If you’re interested to see what I bought, please continue reading.

DECIEM

Every skincare enthusiast already knows that Deciem is giving 23% off during whole November, instead of doing Black Friday sales. Instead of feeding Black Friday’s hysteria and spirit of consumerism, they do quite the opposite: they close their stores, including online shop on that date. They had the similar campaign last year. This year I made 2 orders. I used this promotion to buy some Christmas gifts, but also treated myself with some products that were on my wish list for quite a while.

I finally bought Niod’s Copper Amino Isolate Serum 2:1 or C.A.I.S, a peptide serum that has great reviews. I also bought Hylamide SubQ Skin serums which I have already used and I will write about it in my next skincare stash decrease post. Niod Sanskrit Saponins also joined my skincare stash. I have bought some body and hand treatments (The Chemistry Brand Retinol body oil and HA3 Hand Hydrator and Niod Neck Elasticity Catalyst).

DEVIANT SKINCARE

Just like Deciem, Deviant Skincare didn’t have any specific BF promotions, but still had a discount during November. Their Cleansing Concentrate is definitely one of my biggest shopping finds during this time and I’m so happy I had purchased it. I usually do not open the items immediately when I buy them unless I have emptied something, but I simply couldn’t resist to this temptation and I tried it once. I’m mesmerized by the texture, the feeling, the effect, I love everything about this cleanser. I have put it in my stash for the time being, but it will get its turn in my routine very soon.

CULTBEAUTY AND NOTINO

Cultbeauty had nice discounts depending of the amount of your purchase, but I didn’t want to spend a lot (since I’m, khm khm, on a no-buy). I only got 2 things: one that is for backup and that I have already used multiple times – Farmacy Green Clean cleansing balm and the other thing that was on my wish list for a long time and was put in and out of my shopping basket numerous times – Josh Rosebrook Hydrating Accelerator. This time I didn’t succumb to the temptation of opening it although it did cross my mind few times.

I got also 2 products from Notino: one is shower gel and the other one SVR C mask Anti-ox. This is replacement for one of my empties, Lixirskin Vitamin C paste about which I will also talk in my next skincare stash decrease project post.

As if it wasn’t enough, I made a second order from Cultbeauty (using the discount code I got for taking their quiz). This time I only got 1 skincare product, Versed The Fix emergency eye mask and some makeup and hair product. I made this order before Cultbeauty informed that they will absorb any taxes and duties imposed to orders from their shop after Brexit. I love Versed eye mask which is part of my skincare routine from November and I wanted to have one backup.

KBEAUTY AND JBEAUTY

During pandemics, I was not able to order Kbeauty and Jbeauty products from Ebay or online shops since most of them stopped shipping to my country or they shipped, but with extremely high shipping cost. However, last 2 or 3 months, I noticed a slight decrease in shipping costs in some shops, mostly Ebay, so I ordered some products. Also, lots of Japanese Ebay sellers even ship free of charge and that’s why you see mostly Japanese skincare products in my haul. I’m really happy that we have again access to our favourite Asian skincare items. I bought Anessa perfect UV sunscreen skincare milk spf50 which is definitely high on my list of 2020 skincare discoveries. I also bought recently reformulated Hada Labo Gokujyun Premium hyaluronic acid lotion. The “old” version is my favourite hyaluronic acid toner / serum. I finally got my hands on Sukohaka Suhada urea moisture lotion I had so long on my wish list. The temptation I couldn’t resist to were the discount coupons Ebay kept sending me through November and I used each one of them and that’s how I bought Hada Labo, Anessa spf, Sukohaka Suhada lotion. I also bought one of my favourite peptide serums, Medi-Peel Bor-tox for my stash. I also bought Neogen Probiotics Youth Repair Mist from their new line with probiotics. I haven’t tried any of skincare products that contain this ingredient so I’m a bit curious. Several brands have the product lines containing probiotics, but I picked up Neogen since I like the brand in general and their essence is one of my favourite Kbeauty products ever!!

Speaking of Kbeauty favourites, I always talked about Cosrx Advanced Snail 96 mucin power essence, so when I saw Cosrx launched new essence, Advanced Snail Radiance Dual essence, of course I had to buy it. I got it on Yesstyle together with couple of sheet masks.

BEAUTYLISH

I also used BF promotions to make my first order on Beautylish and it contained mostly the products from their in-house brand, Good Molecules. I got myself a stash of their Niacinamide serum and I couldn’t resist to pair it with Niacinamide toner. I have already tried both of these through small bottles I got from a friend. I also bought Discoloration correcting serum and travel size of their cleansing balm. I also picked a travel size of IT Cosmetics CC+ cream (the shade I chose is medium). I really like the range and brands available at Beautylish, but I do not shop there too often since I live in EU country (Croatia) and I have to add 25% of VAT on top of their prices.

And for the end, here are some of my non-skincare purchases I made during these last months. I must admit that during 2020, I bought too many makeup items, actually I bought more during last year than I bought in my whole life (I guess makeup replaced skincare in my shopping addiction).

Till next time, stay healthy and beautiful!

Products I opened in November and December 2020

Since this is my first post in 2021, I would like to wish you all Happy New Year! I wish you lots of health and happiness and hope that your home and your office will again be two separated locations very soon 🙂

My previous post about the products I opened was in fact a 3-months overview, so normally there were a bunch of products I wrote about. I thought of writing about newly opened products in November, but when I saw I only had 4 products, I decided to go again with 2-months overview for November and December.

So these are the products I recently introduced to my skincare routine.

Opened during November 2020

Klavuu White pearlsation ideal backstage cream spf30 – This is the most complicated product name I have ever come across. And it is kind of funny also. I do not feel like an actress while using it, that’s for sure. This is thick, tinted sunscreen. It has a pinkish hue that looks more like the lightest Asian bb creams, than like a sunscreen. It is spread nicely, but it leaves a white cast that doesn’t disappear very quickly. It does have a tone-up effect that evens a skin, but also gives it a nice dewy look. It feels comfortable on the skin. However, because of the white cast, I do not think that I will buy a full size product. I will empty quickly this small 15ml tube.

Nacific Phyto niacin whitening essence – After a long line of western niacinamide I used this year, I have finally got my hands on this Korean niacinamide serum from brand Nacific. It has watery texture and that’s the texture I prefer for my routines since I put niacinamide serums as a first step in my night routine. It is absorbed perfectly and quickly into the skin. It is not sticky or tacky, it doesn’t sting or cause irritation or redness. It has a brightening effect and skin looks very healthy. I like it so far.

Laneige Cream skin refiner – I have already written about this toner / lotion in my empties post and my haul posts. It is a nice milky lotion that sinks nicely in the skin. It is a multitasker that can easily replace few products in your routine. It hydrates and nourishes at the same time, calms the redness and brings a relief to the irritated skin. As soon as heating season started this year, I felt its impact on my skin which was a bit irritated, with flares of redness and felt very tight and dry. All these skin troubles disappeared immediately after I introduced this lotion into my routine. It is a real skin saviour. I have another 30ml bottle in my stash.

Versed The fix emergency eye mask – I have eyed this eye mask for very long time before I managed to get it on Cultbeauty. It was sold out all the time. When I finally got it, I had to try it immediately. A little goes a long way and this tube will last for ages. It has a cooling effect and calms the eye area. Also it blurs and evens it and makes the perfect base for makeup. You can wipe it off or leave it till it’s fully absorbed. I always leave it and do not rinse or wipe it off.

Opened during December 2020

Versed Doctor’s visit instant resurfacing mask – And again, here is the product with funny name (at least, it is funny to me). This is the last Versed product I have tried so far, and I must say that overall I’m really satisfied with this brand and their products. This particular mask is, as its name says, a resurfacing mask which treats your skin with help of cocktail of active ingredients like AHA, BHA and enzyme exfoliation. Since this mask is loaded with active ingredients, I was a bit afraid that my skin might react. I put a really thin layer of mask and removed it exactly after 3 minutes (the instructions say that you should keep for 3-5 minutes). I didn’t have any reaction what so ever: no itching, tingling, burning, no redness, sensitivity zilch! And what I got after 3 minutes is extremely soft, smooth and glowing skin! I love it!!

Bobbi Brown Extra repair eye cream – I have already used this eye cream and I loved it since it is very effective in nourishing eye area while making my small lines disappear. However it has a hefty price tag and I do not think I will buy it after I empty this jar. It usually lasts for almost a year and it doesn’t go bad even though it should be used within 6 months from the date you open it.

Dear Klairs Soft airy uv essence spf50 – I conveniently finished my Purito unscented spf on the same day the drama about its spf outbroke so I had to open a new sunscreen. I have already used this sunscreen before. However, it seems that this Klairs’ sunscreen is formulated in the same lab as Purito’s one, so maybe one of my favourite sunscreens and its spf will be also put to the test.

Peter Thomas Roth Rose stem cell bio repair mask – This is another mask from the 5-pieces set of PTR masks I bought long time ago. It is nice jelly mask that moisturizes nicely the skin. I have only used once so far, so I cannot comment on any other claim, but I must say that PTR mask simply doesn’t not do any wonders for my skin.

Garden of Wisdom C vitamin serum – I must admit I really do not have luck with Garden of Wisdom products. This is second product I tried from their range and the second one I do not like. This is vitamin C serum with oily texture. I adored the previous one that was also oily, Medik8 C-tetra, but those two cannot be compared. While Medik8’s serum has a texture of dry oil that is absorbed fast, this Garden of Wisdom’s serum is really oily and it takes forever to absorb in the skin and still it is never fully absorbed. It leaves a greasy film on the skin and is very complicated to incorporate it in skincare routine. I had to cut my morning routine to 2 products: this serum and spf. And just like with their niacinamide serum, I hate the packaging, or more precisely its pump which makes dosing of this serum very difficult. The only positive thing about its packaging is the fact that the bottle is made of opaque dark plastics which is very good for preventing the serum of going bad due to exposure to the sun.

Till next time, stay healthy and beautiful!