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It’s the end of the year, which means I finally open my own personal Bag of Holding — aka the oversized tote where I stash every skincare, hair care and makeup empty I finish — and take stock of everything I used up in 2025.

 

 

I also spend a great deal of this review process complaining about all that trash that I need to go through, but somehow still find myself surrounded by packaging and reminiscing about textures, finishes and formulas I loved or didn’t love every year since 2021. And remember: I test a lot of products for the sake of making content.

If it was just me and my skin, I would probably finish more because I had less to chose from. If something is good enough to make it into my daily rotation to be emptied, that already means it has performed better than other things I test and then never touch again.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cleansers I used up in 2025

There are two cleansing balms and two second or morning cleansers here – I do love it when things are in balance. The two balms are on the opposite end of the price range, the first one being the Geek and Gorgeous Mighty Melt Cleansing Balm (98 ml for 12,80 €, full review here). It is one of the products where you’ll need to double check the price as it feels much more luxurious than you’d expect. It doesn’t really have a scent, but melts away my makeup with ease and rinses perfectly clean without the need to use a wash cloth. I have even taken it on trips with me where it doubled up as a morning cleanse – it is safe to say it is a favourite.

The other one, the Florasis Cordyceps Sinensis and Ginseng Cleansing Balm is no longer available (used to be 98 ml for 46,95 €, full review here). I am not sure if I would have repurchased even if it was, because at this price point I expect perfection While it is beautiful in packaging, scent – rose, but in a very elegant way – AND comes with a spatula that promises luck, it did struggle a tiny bit with my regular mascara. This is really nitpicking here though, I thoroughly enjoyed using it.

Then there are two from The Inkey List, first The Inkey List Hyaluronic Acid Cleanser (150 ml for 14 €, full review here), which is nicely hydrating and, despite being designed to be a morning or second cleanse, pretty good at getting rid of the majority of my makeup. I do much prefer it to The Inkey List Hydrating Cream-to-Milk Cleanser I just recently reviewed here. The only thing it is missing and that is the reason why I haven’t repurchased it yet is that it isn’t fun. Which is the least important thing for a skincare product to be, but what can I say? There are so many offers out there, it is hard for me to be faithful to those that are just workhorses.

The Inkey List Fulvic Acid Brightening Cleanser (150 ml for 13,59 €, full review here) is more fun. It has a brownish color and darker brown bits floating inside, but don’t worry, you won’t feel them. Or at least I don’t, which is odd as it claims to be gently exfoliating, so I initially thought they were meant to physically do that. Fulvic Acid isn’t an exfoliating acid, so there is so chemical exfoliation going on. It is the second tube I have used up, but I am not sure I will repurchase a third time. Again, nothing wrong with it, it works perfectly fine, but doesn’t excite me. (The fact that I want my cleanser to bring excitement to my life is probably a sign of how boring my life has become.)

 

 

Toners and  Ampoules I used up in 2025

I tend to put all the face mists, toners, essences and ampoules together in one category as – don’t come at me! – the different names are mainly marketing imo. That might be different in South Korea or one of the other countries that brought the ideal of lightweight layering to us, but when it comes to Western brands that try to partake in this trend? The names are used interchangeably.

The first one here is actually from South Korea, the SKIN1004 Madagascar Centella Asiatica Ampoule (30 ml for 10,95 €, full review here) and a lovely lightweight layer of hydration. From my understanding Ampoules are said to be on the richer side, but this one feels like water. So much that I have heard people online complain that it doesn’t do anything for their skin, which I understand. It just offers hydrating and excels at that when it is hot and humid and anything sticky on your face would be too much. I loved it during summer.

The next one is The Ordinary Saccharomyces Ferment 30% Milky Toner (100 ml for 16,80 €, full review here) that smells like baking to me, probably because of the fermentation. Just like the cleanser I mentioned above it claims to be gently exfoliating, but I didn’t really notice an exfoliating effect. If you don’t mind the scent and believe in the power of fermented ingredients, it is a lovely option. If you are more sceptical (you can read my opinion on fermented ingredients here), it probably is a pass. It made my skin look and feel very good, calm and hydrated, so it is among those that I would consider repurchasing.

 

 

Serums I used up in 2025

You might be tired of seeing it on here, but I finished two of the Geek and Gorgeous C-Glow Serums (30 ml for 12,90 €, full review here) and have another one that is about to run out in the next few days. It is my favourite Vitamin C Serum of all times: gentle, effective and never oxidised on me despite buying it in stores for more than a year now. It is also very affordable, so prepare to see more of it in the future.

From the same brand, but not the same level of favourite, is the Geek and Gorgeous HA 5 Light Serum (30 ml for 9,50 €, full review here). Don’t get me wrong, that one is really nice and hydrating, but simply not outstanding. It does what it is supposed to do, which is hydrate the skin without being sticky, but at my age I need something with a little extra in the serum step.

Something a little extra offers The Ordinary Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5 Serum (30 ml for 9,90 €, full review here), which is the relaunched version. It has Vitamin B5 (Panthenol) for soothing alongside the hydration, which makes it a nice option for the colder months when my skin is dehydrated and at the same time prone to irritation and redness. (More info: The benefits of Panthenol in skincare explained)

Quite on the opposite side of range of the price spectrum are the two copper peptide serums I have finished. The first one is the NIOD Copper Amino Isolate Serum 3 1:1 (30 ml for 87 €, full review here) that you have surely seen mentioned on here before. It replaced The Ordinary Buffet + Copper Peptides Serum (full review here) I had used before that back in February 2022 and was my go-to serum ever since. Yes, incredibly pricey (especially compared to The Ordinary), but with a texture so lightweight I simply couldn’t go back to the oiliness of more affordable ones.

And then, this spring, the Medik8 Liquid Peptides Advanced MP Serum (30 ml for 100 €, full review here) came along. It is even pricier than NIOD, but has captured my heart (and bathroom counter). The texture is more that of a light lotion (NIOD is watery), which feels nice on my no-longer-oily skin, and it uses Dual Mini Peptides on top of the Copper ones. Now I won’t claim I see a difference in my skin since I made the switch – I don’t think you’ll ever get that effect from topical skincare if you have already established a good routine – but I think it is an interesting area of research and I like being an early adopter. There is, however, absolutely no need to spend that much on skincare if you are on a budget. There are others at a much more affordable price giving you a comparable product. For me it is about the texture and „well-roundedness“ of the formula (if that is even a word), not about expecting my skin to look or age noticeably different.

More in the mid-tier in pricing is the timeless Matrixyl Synthe’6 Serum (30 ml for 25,90 €, full review here), a nice hydrating serum with some peptides added into the mix. This is the kind of serum I usually go for instead of a purely hydrating one, to feel as if I give my aging skin a little extra, and this one has a lovely texture. As I get my peptides from one of the other serums I mentioned before though, I don’t think I will repurchase right now.

Moving on to the other Vitamin C serums I tested this year. First the Sunday Riley C.E.O. Brightening Serum (30 ml for 85 €, full review here). Like many out there called Vitamin C Serum it uses a Vitamin C derivative, so not L-Ascorbic Acid, but Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate instead. Ascorbic Acid needs a low pH to be stable, which can irritate many peoples skins, and is also tricky to formulate with, so many people prefer the derivatives. If you try to avoid Ascorbic Acid because of sensitive skin, I would make sure to patch test here first, as it contains quite a few citrus essential oils – great for the scent, but a common trigger for allergies. That aside though it is a beautiful product with a great texture and scent. Truly a treat for yourself if you are willing to splurge.

Much more affordable is the Skintegra Superba C Ultra-Slip Radiance Reveal Serum (30 ml for 30,90 €, full review here). I got to know the brand more than a year ago, but didn’t finish everything I liked immediately (so many products and just that one face), so the fact that I was able to use it up before it spoiled now speaks for the stability of the products. The explanation for that is again the use of a Vitamin C derivative, this time Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate, which apart from being more stable than Ascorbic Acid also might have an edge when it comes to targeting inflammation. Research here is limited, but I have seen people with rosacea or inflamed acne claim that they reacted well to that.

 

 

Actives I used up in 2025

Technically speaking, everything is an active in the sense that it aims to do something, even if it is just „hydrate“. But for the sake of breaking up this post in different categories, I will list the retinoids and exfoliants finished here.

Exfoliants is technically wrong though, as I just finished one: the Paula’s Choice Skin Perfecting 2% BHA Liquid Exfoliant (118 ml for 34,90 €, full review here), also one that makes a regular appearance on this blog. For me it is hands down the best Salicylic Acid product, and my only complaint is that I tried it so late in my acne journey. Three times a week is enough for me to combat congestion, and I can pair it with my nightly Tretinoin without my skin getting irritated. Right now I am using a drugstore alternative (Balea Beauty Expert Liquid Exfoliant), but again it is the texture that will make me go back to Paula’s Choice in the long run.

Now on to the retinoids, which have, full disclosure, not been used up by me, but by my husband. I mentioned that I am on Tretinoin for my adult acne, so I am not the best person to test other retinoids, and he has been once again my guinea pig. First I have two versions of the Geek and Gorgeous A-Game, the A-Game 5 (30 ml for 11,90 €, full review here) and the A-Game 20 (30 ml for 22,80 €, full review here). I could have sworn he also finished a bottle of A-Game 10, which is the one he also uses right now, but I couldn’t find it anywhere. In terms of irritation potential, none of them had any side effects for his (quite robust) skin. His one complaint with A-Game 20 was that it did take quite a while to sink in and left a yellow tint in his stubble around the chin, which is why A-Game 10 is the one we keep repurchasing.

He also tested the Medik8 Crystal Retinal 6 (30 ml for 86 €, full review here), which was his absolute favourite until he learned the price. It takes a lot for him to comment on the texture of skincare, so it really speaks for the quality of Medik8, but as he isn’t willing to spend as much on skincare as I am, we will stick to Geek and Gorgeous in the long run.

Another one he liked the texture of is the Sunday Riley A+ High-Dose Retinol Serum (30 ml for 79,95 €, full review here). Here I wasn’t overly convinced though, with the brand claiming to use a 6.5% Retinol Complex that seems to have a noticeable amount of Retinol Esters. Nothing wrong with that, but I feel as if they are trying to sound more potent than they actually are (it is called High Dose Retinol after all), and that is something that doesn’t sit right with me.

 

 

Eye Creams I used up in 2025

Eye creams are usually a pretty small category on here, and one that sees a lot of repetition in terms of products featured, but I can’t be the only one to find that despite their small size they tend to last forever!

The only one you haven’t seen featured in an epties post before is the Banish Instant Lift Brightening Eye Cream (25 ml for 100 €, full review here). I tested Banish skincare a while ago, and while some of the products were a hard pass for me, I actually enjoyed this eye cream more than I thought. It is rich without gresiness and never gave me milia, and I enjoyed ti a lot in the evenings. Now I neither noticed an instant lift nor noticeable brightening (my dark circles are lack of sleep, nothing an eye cream can fix), but it has a nice blend of peptides I appreciate. It contains more product than your average eye cream – 25 ml opposed to 15 ml – but even though I liked it a lot to finish it, I won’t repurchase. I prefer my evening eye cream to contain retinoids, especially if I pay a premium price for them

Here my favorite has been for years the Murad Retinol Youth Renewal Eye Serum (15 ml for 98 €, full review here), which is again very expensive. I know there are more affordableones out that that probably perform just as good, but the texture is lovely and lightweight enough for me to wear it year round, which makes me repurchase.

On the opposite end of the price range is The Inkey List Caffeine Eye Cream (15 ml for 10.99 €, full review here), which has been repeatedly used up by me over the years. I use it in the mornings, mainly because it is so good at bringing down puffiness around the eyes. The older I get, the more often I wake up with swelling there, and using this cream brings it down within ten minutes.

 

 

Moisturizers I used up in 2025

The sheer amount of empties here is proof of how much my skin has actually changed over the last years. While before I used something lightweight at night and nothing but sunscreen in the mornings year round, I find myself gravitating towards richer creams for night time use and even reach for something more lightweight in the mornings.

One of the more lightweight options is the Murad Nutrient Charged Water Gel (50 ml for 57 €, full review here), a pink, cloudy, beautiful gel cream with ceramides, peptides and other good stuff. Now I have mentioned several times that pink isn’t the color I gravitate to, but in this case I make an exception. It is just so beautiful to look at that I forgive the price tag.

Again quite lightweight is the SKIN1004 Madagascar Centella Tone Brightening Capsule Cream (50 ml for 12,49 €, full review coming soon). I have used it up over fall (it was featured in my fall skincare routine here), which is the time when I focus on treating the hyperpigmentation that has (re)appeared over the summer. To help with that it has Niacinamide as well as topical Tranexamic Acid. Now I know the data on topical Tranexamic Acid isn’t there, and I don’t actively seek it out as part of my routine, but as I had it in my stash anyway and enjoyed the texture, I figured I could just as well use it up. (More info: The benefits of Tranexamic Acid in skincare explained)

One that surprised me was the Glow Recipe Watermelon Glow Pink Juice Moisturizer (25 ml for 22,45 €, full review here). I picked up a set of Glow Recipe minis to get to know the brand and to be honest was convinced they wouldn’t work for me just by looking at them. Their fun colours, their artificial scents – way too millennial for a proud Gen X like me. But, books and covers and such, a few of them were quite good. In this case the product is very hydrating, but feels like nothing on the skin – perfect for the summer months. It worked so good, I am even willing to forgive the horrid artificial watermelon scent and consider repurchasing it.

A little more substantial in terms of texture is the Dr. G R.E.D. Blemish Clear Soothing Cream (70 ml for 19 €, full review here), despite having a gel texture. To me it feels hydrating and quite soothing, for which it features a few different ingredients: Centella Asiatica, Panthenol and Niacinamide. One of its claims is to reduce redness, something that my skin can be prone to, and I enjoyed it a lot.

One that sits in between lightweight and very nourishing is the Real Barrier Intense Moisture Hyaluronic Cream (60 ml for 31, 68 €, full coming soon). This one isn’t the easiest to get – I got it from a marketing agency way back when for a sponsored post on the brand, fell in love and couldn’t track it down anywhere, which is why there is no review up yet. It has the perfect balance between feeling protective and hydrating, but not too substantial for me to wear it comfortably in the mornings. Real Barrier as a brand has a MLE technology that is basically a mixture of the skins own lipids to help rebuild your skin barrier, and according to them the MLE complex has the ideal ratio and spacing so they arrange themselves under the microscope exactly as they would in the skin. I don’t look at my skincare underneth the microscope, so I won’t comment on that. Other products from the brand are quite easy to get through Stylevana and similar websites, but this is one I only found in an online apothecary. I planned to use it this winter, but my daughter nicked it from me, so I guess I’ll need to get a few more tubes now that I know where they are…

Firmly in the more nourishing category is the Biossance Squalane + Omega Repair Cream (50 ml for 42 €, full review here). It has a beautiful texture, initially firm, but melting into the skin like a dream, but sadly not the most pleasant scent – it is fragrance-free, so you’ll get the ingredient smell without anything masking it. The combination of Squalane, Omega Fatty Acids, Ceramides and several humectants for hydration makes it a great option for winter.

Then the SKIN1004 Madagascar Centella Probio-Cica Enrich Cream (50 ml for 12,49 €, full review here), another one I have grown to love with getting older. 30 year old me would have loathed it. Again it is nourishing without being too heavy, it felt like a comfort blanket for my skin during the cold. The whole Probio-Cica line is aimed at more mature skin and I enjoy almost everyone of its components. Again you’ll find Phytosphingosine and Triglycerides to replace skin lipids as well as humectants for hydration and then Centella Asiatica, Niacinamide and Adenosine for wound healing and soothing.

The last one, definitely nourishing, but also very much NOT elegant in texture is the La Roche Posay Cicaplast Baume B5+ (100 ml for 11,90 €, full review here). This is not one for everyday use, this one is for the cold months when you spend time outdoors, skiing or hiking or whatever else you are inclined to do. It is also one of for all of us that are mature and use strong actives, that in the winter can lead to irritation and flaking when paired with the cold winds and dry air from indoor heating. Whenever my skin feels a little tight, a little sensitive or starts flaking aorund the nose and mouth area, a thick layer of this over night may feel slightly uncomfortable, but calms down the skin instantly.

 

 

Sunscreens I used up in 2025

This category features a lot of products, but very few different ones – I stick to my tried and tested ones and go through them repeatedly.

The first one you’ll have seen here year after year is 3 bottles of the La Roche Posay Anthelios UVMune 400 SPF 50+ (50 ml for 16,80 €, full review here). It is the one I rely on in the summer months as it has the best broad spectrum protection and is sweat resistant, a must when you do anything that might lead to transpiration. Now I am not going to lie, you will feel this one more than the others I’ll show you. That is the price you pay for the sweat resistant part. A small price to pay though if, like me, keeping hyperpigmentation at bay is your main concern, as with this one I know it will stay put no matter if I hike, cycle or sit outdoors reading. Yes, obviously you’ll need to reapply, and no, that doesn’t feel the best, but the protection it offers is worth that for me. It also is very natural in finish and sits well underneath makeup – important if, like me, you sadly can’t take all summer off and spend time outdoors, but still need to go to the office.

One that I call my „office sunscreen“ is the SKIN1004 Madagascar Centella Hyalu-Cica Water-Fit Sun Serum (50 ml for 10 €, full review here – that review is sponsored), of which I finished three (maybe more, I might have left one in Canada in summer). It is one I reach for when I know I won’t be spending a relevant time outdoors, bu mainly sit inside at my desk. Now I rarely don’t go outdoors at all – I wish I could claim that I do that for health reasons, but it is mainly because I go to work and back by bike and spend the weekends running errands. The time is quite short though, between 30 minuten and one hour, so I don’t feel the need for the same level of protetcion that I’d go for on a hike. I still opt for SPF 50 and broad spectrum protection, because again, hyperpigmentation, but I skip the sweat resistant part. SKIN1004 is very lightweight, has a natural finish and again works well underneath makeup.

The second one from the „office sunscreen“ category is the Beauty of Joseon Relief Sun: Rice + Probiotics SPF 50+ (50 ml for 12,99 €, full review here), of which i finished two. Everything I said about the SKIN1004 one is true here as well, I just find it to be a little more hydrating and a little more dewy in finish, so i opt for this one when temperatures get colder. You absolutely don’t need both though and could go easily with just one of them.

 

 

Hair Care I used up in 2025

No, there are barely any shampoos shown here, and no, that doesn’t mean I subscribe to the „no-poo“ idea that was popular around 2010 (?). I don’t even know if it is still a thing, but rest assured, I do shampoo my hair. The reason I am not showing any here is because I usually grab whatever I see in the drugstore and share it with my kids. I don’t have specific requirements regarding shampoos, I just want them to make my hair feel clean, but not stripped – everything I want in terms of care and repair I expect my conditioner to do. So the only one I found worth mentioning here is the expensive one. The other ones went straight into the trash.

A staple in my routine for a long time now has been the Olaplex No 3 Hair Perfector (100 ml for 29,90 €, full review here). In my initial review I complained about having to do it as a pre-wash treatment, something I still find a little annoying, but the results of relying on Olaplex over the years amde me stick to it despite that. I use it once a week, usually on a Sunday, and love how it makes my hair feel and look.

The only shampoo shown here, the Olaplex No 4 Bond Maintenance Shampoo and the corresponding conditioner, the Olaplex No 5 Bond Maintenance Conditioner (both 250 ml for 33 €, full review here) on the other hand didn’t convince me long-term. I repurchased them once after the first batch ran out, but in the end they are too heavy for my hair and not worth the money.

A more recent addition is the k18 Leave-In molecular repair hair mask (50 ml for 45 €, full review here) I initially picked up the travel size, which is the one shown here, but repurchased the full size afterwards. I use that once during the week in my lengths, right after the shower and without using conditioner beforehand, but do follow up with a leave-in conditioner or a hair oil around ten minutes after application. On its own, I don’t like how it makes my hair feel, but used like that I feel it has had additinal benefits for myreally damaged lengths.

A conditioner I enjoyed a lot is the L’Oréal Bond Repair Conditioner (150 ml for 6,95 €, full review coming soon), not so much because it promises bond building, but because it leaves my hair feeling really soft and shiny without weighing it down. I have repurchased, but currently alternate with another L’Oréal consitioner I like just as well.

For hair oil I finished another bottle of Garnier Fructis Multi-Use Wonder Oil (150 ml for 7,99 €, full review coming soon). I used to shun hair oil because of my very fine strands, but after trying the Olaplex No 7, lovely and lightweight, I became a convert. As the Olaplex one is quite pricey, I looked for options to use daily, and settled for this one. Yes, it is mainly silicones, but it makes my hair easy to comb through, adds shine and reduces frizz, which is everything I want it to do.

And last, a staple for everyone that works out regularly, two cans of dry shampoo. My go-to is the Batiste Original Dry Shampoo (200 ml for 3,99 €), out of which I emptied two containers. These are for the days when I realize in the mornings, I should have washed my hair, but didn’t get around to it, or when I did a really sweaty workout late in the evening and just can’t stay awake long enough to wash and blow dry my hair. Yes, it does give a little bit of white cast, but as someone with light hair and grey roots, that makes it look even more natural for me.

 

 

Random things I used up in 2025

If you have been following me for a while, you know I have a well rounded skincare device routine that i keep going year round (and that I regularly update you on, here is the latest one), and this routine includes a ZIIP, used five mornings a week.

While yes, you can absolutely use your microcurrent device with any conductive gel, I use mine with the dedicated gel that comes with it. Each of the gels contains different skin beneficial things that, according to the brand, are transported deeper in the skin when used in conjucntion with the device. If that is true I don’t know, there isn’t enough data on it for me to form an opinion, but in all honesty, I get the gels as PR and love their texture, so I reach for them over other, more affordable ones.

I finished two of the ZIIP Golden Gel (80 ml for 139,99 €, full ZIIP review here), which is m persona favorite and the most expensive, one of the ZIIP Silver Gel (80 ml for 79,99 €) and one of the ZIIP Electric Complex Gel (50 ml for 39,99 € that comes in a set with the ZIIP HALO. As you can see they have different price options, just remember that the Electric Complex one contains less product than the other two when comparing price per ml.

And then I finished one lip product, the Florasis Floral Care Hydrating Dual Lip Oil (no longer available, full review here). I mean, I finished more lip products, I carry a Labello in every purse as my lips dry out so quickly, but again I am just showing you the fancy stuff. This was a dual phase product you needed to shake up that added a lovely shine and really managed to keep my lips soft. Sadly I don’t see it on the website anymore, but I remember it was quite expensive for being just a lip treatment anyway. Looked and felt really good though, a shame they don’t make it anymore.

 

 

Makeup I used up in 2025

I am not one that pays too close attention to makeup expiration dates, especially when it comes to powders, but eye products are something I treat with a lot more respect here.  I wear contatcs and have had three or four infections over the course of the last 13 years (not makeup related), so I am not willing to take any risks here. That might explain why eye products are the category shown most here, with me (at least mathematically) sticking to the period after opening of 3 months for mascara and six months for eye liners…

My favorite mascara is the L’Oréal Air Volume Mega Mascara in Black (9 ml for 11,49 €, full review coming eventually), which has featured in the years before as well. It is a firm favorite, with a wand just like I prefer the: thick and with lost of short bristles. My lashes are long, but quite straight, and after waiting for two weeks after opening, this one has the perfect texture to add a lot of volume, but not weigh them down too much.

Despite having a favorite I keep coming back to, I like trying a new one ever so often (because the grass could still be greener on the other side, I guess), so I was happy when I got send the SWEED Cloud Mascara in Black (9 ml for 22,95 €, full review here) during the year. It has a different wand than I usually go for and doesn’t claim to be volumizing, but it worked great at separating, lengthening and defining my lashes without weighing them down. As it is more expensive then L’Oréal and not as easy to pick up, I won’t repurchase.

One that I grabbed after having had good success with the SWEED one (and probably because I was heavily influenced by the marketing around it) was the L’Oréal Panorama Mascara in Black (9 ml for 10,99 €) The wand on this one is the same as the wand in the SWEED mascara, so I hoped they’d have a similar effect. Sadly I just felt meh about it: It was too wet at the beginning, but even when it got drier, it made my lashes just look okay. In know lashes are very personal and a lot of people love it, so you might feel different.

The L’Oréal Infallible 32H Fresh Wear Foundation in Rose Ivory (30 ml for 12,99 €, full review here) was another one that I wasn’t too keen on. I had it for 2.5 years until I managed to finish it, and I wear foundation pretty much every working day and, due to filming and such, often on the weekends as well. The problem I faced here (I have mature, combination skin for reference), was that it would start breaking down at the 4 hour mark and cling to any dryness I had. Now I work 8-10 hours a day and often have appointments after that, so I need to rely on my foundation for at least this period of time – no perfect, but it shouldn’t actively make my skin look worse! This one wasn’t made for that, but as the color match was perfect and I didn’t want to throw it out (it wasn’t BAD after all, just not good either), I saved it for days when I needed it to last shorter than that. Now, 2.5 years later, it is done and I will not repurchase.

As someone that still sticks to their preference for a matte-ish finish aquired in the 90s, I always have some type of powder at hand that I slowly , but steadily finish, and the last one of them was the Manhattan Soft Compact Powder in Natural (9 g for 4,49 €). I don’t powder full on anymore, but still right next to my nose, forehead and chin, so it took me more than two years to finish it. It worked perfectly fine, but I think I have at least three others open right now, so I won’t repurchase anytime soon.

For my brows I had a mini size of the Anastasia Beverly Hills Clear Brow Gel (8 ml for 16 €), which for me was a real disappointment. My brow hair has a tendency to move down outside the arch and I really wanted this to keep it locked in place for the day. I went in with high expectations, as this seems to be THE brow product everyone swears by, but it just wasn’t strong enough – after two hours, everything had moved south again. I understand they have an even stronger version, but I think I might have found something else that i will stick to.

Something I am always on the hunt for is a cream eyeshadow/ eyeshadow stick that I can just apply all over my lids as wash of color without needing brushes, primer or powder to set it. For those days when you want to make a little effort, but don’t really want to do your makeup. I tried the L’Oréal Age Perfect Cream Eyeshadow in Vibrant Beige (1.4 g for 8,99 €), but it sadly wasn’t what I was looking for. The color on it’s own was way too glittery for my personal taste, but on top of that – and that was the main deal breaker – was that it didn’t hold up more than two hours. After that it had disappeared. leaving only random patches of glitter on my lids. I ended up using it as an eyeshadow primer underneath mypowders, which worked especially well under matte shades. Here the glitter that was too much on its own would add a lovely dimension to the powder applied on top.

And, lastly, eye liner. I wear black liner almost daily and am willing to experiment, so there are two different ones I have to show. First the NYX Epic Ink Liner in Black (2 ml for 7,95 €). I picked this one up on holiday last year and liked it okay, but not more than other drugstore options I tried.

The Catrice It’s Easy eyeliner in 010 Black (0,3 g for 3,99 €) worked better on me, and because I was quite happy with it, I picked up the Tattoo liner version of it, which is supposed to be waterproof (great when you live in a rainy country). That one seems to last actually worse on me though, so I am unsure which one I will pick up next.

And that’s a wrap! I can end the beauty year by finally throwing out all my empties and can start 2026 with a clean slate.

Do you have an idea what you have finished? Anything that keeps showing up in your trash like my favorites here? Tell me in the comments below!

 

 

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