Her Royal Nerdness

Half of 2025 has flown by and it is time for another empties round-up. In this post I will go through all of the makeup and skincare items that I managed to empty sometime during the first half of 2025, January through June. 14 items in total and out of those half were makeup products. That’s exciting!

Categories not included in this bi-annual post are SPF/body/nails/hair. I also want to highlight some things about my skin that can be useful to know before reading my thoughts on these products. I’ve always had combination skin that is prone to dehydration. Due to ageing my skin is changing so I am slowly adjusting my routine to its evolving needs. I still get the occasional breakout and can get quite shiny during the day, but my skin is less oily and a bit more sensitive and textured now. I do not have any ingredient related allergies.

Let’s dive in!

Cleansers

My current routine: I use a cream cleanser in the morning before skincare/makeup and then I use a balm cleanser as a makeup/sunscreen remover in the evening. A micellar water occasionally assists in the removal of makeup. Sometimes I double cleanse. I usually have a couple of cleansers in action at any given moment.

Starting with a recurring staple, the Sensibio Make-up removing micelle solution (500 ml, around 200 SEK) by Bioderma. I’ve used this product on and off for years and I’ve become a bit more regular in my use of it recently. I use it as a first step to remove makeup if I have a lot on my eyes, or as a complete makeup remover if I am very tired and just cannot be bothered to use another cleanser. I also use it to remove makeup swatches from my arm.

The Squalane Cleanser (150 ml, 266 SEK) by the Ordinary is another repurchase. I still do not use it as instructed (dispensing it into hands and then rubbing them to melt the product into an oil before applying to the face) but simply massage it directly onto my dry face. Works well for me and a little goes a long way. I like it as a mild morning cleanse or as the odd second cleanse. Not a fan of using it to remove makeup. I’m sure I will repurchase this cleanser at at some point.

Essence & serums

My current routine: I always use a hydrating serum morning/evening. I also dabble with more treatment focused serums but I’m more irregular with those.

In this category we have three prodcucts that are new to me. Starting with the Watermelon Glow Dew Drops (15 ml, 249 SEK) by Glow Recipe. This is not a product I would have picked for myself, but my tween daughter chose this one for me. She has a budding beauty interest but is not yet of age to use a lot of the products that intrigues her. But she will be the owner of this empty bottle when I am done with this post. The product smells nice and has a nice feeling on the skin. But I did not feel it was the best fit for my combination skin, I do not need extra glow in my life. I am shiny as is.

However, the No. 3 Skin Softening Serum (50 ml, around 350-400 SEK) by Numbuzin was a hit for me. A lovely hydrating serum that worked well under other products without pilling. It is marketed as strengthening the skin’s natural renewal and healing processes and improve the skin’s elasticity and texture. I can see myself buying this one again (I tried to but it was sold out so I had to settle for another option).

Another hit is the Probio-Cica Intensive Ampoule (50 ml, around 300 SEK) by Skin1004. Focused more towards the wellbeing of more mature skin I picked this up in store of Yeppo Soonsoo in Gothenburg (as did I with the Numbuzin serum). It is marketed to help the skin to recover and gives radiance and support collagen production. I can only attest to my skin and my person liking it. I have since repurchased.

Moisturisers & oils

My current routine: I vary the creams I use depending on the season and what my skin needs. A maturing combination skin that loves moisture but hates too many layers (products start to pill). For daytime my focus is hydration and spf that looks good under makeup and at night I might experiment a little bit more. I use oils sparingly but I like to have one on hand for facial massages or as an extra comforting layer when my skin needs it.

The Heartleaf 70 Intense Calming Cream (50 ml, 348 SEK) by Anua was picked last year as my winter option. It was lovely – very hydrating without feeling heavy, worked great day and night, including under makeup. Jars in general are not my favourite type of packaging (the need to use a spatula for hygienic reasons), but this one had a spatula that could be stored in the lid which made it less of an effort. I really enjoyed using this cream and can see myself buying it again despite the jar.

Another jar was the Collagen Power Firming Eye Cream (25 ml, 350 SEK) by Mizon. A gel-like cream that was very hydrating and worked very well under makeup. Only a little product was needed per application so the 25 ml lasted a long time. The only down side for me personally was that it was in a jar. It came with a spatula, but it had to be stored outside of the jar. The rounded lid meant I could not store anything on top, so I had a little rouge spatula that bothered me. I doubt I will repurchase.

Base Makeup

First we have Quick Fix Hydra-Charged Complexion Prep Priming Spray (118 ml, price unknown) by Urban Decay by Skindinavia. I am including this hydrating mist as a makeup item since that is how I used it – as a priming hydrator or as a refresher over makeup during the day. I enjoyed this mist a lot even though I was a bit infrequent in my use of it. If it was still available I might consider repurchasing it, but it is discontinued. Urban Decay and Skindinavia have recently parted ways, but I think this one has been unavailable for a while. I checked the Skindinavia website and they do have a priming spray available but I cannot easily see if it is the same product, since it is described a bit differently.

Then we have my attempt at replacing for the discontinued NYX colour corrector (HD Studio Photogenic Concealer), namely the Camo Color Corrector (2,8 ml, 59 SEK) in Green by Elf. I picked this up when I realised that my previous staple was discontinued. I also bought the new version from NYX but that one has not seen too much action as of yet. Below you can find a colour comparison of the three.

When I realised that the colour was much more yellow than the NYX one I was a bit disappointed, but I quickly noticed upon using it that the shade worked very well with my skin tone. Maybe better or a more natural result even? Since buying the Elf version I have one found several of the old NYX formula in the sale so I have quite a few of those to go through before circling back to the Elf one, but it is a worthy replacement for sure. I am very happy about that.

Then we have the Close-Up Futuristic Foundation (30 ml, price unknown) by Nabla in the shade L10 Light. I bought this in 2019 and used it a lot for a few years and then took a break. I used the last bit up recently and also realised that the product has been discontinued. That is sad because I really enjoyed this one. The shade was a great match in tone (albeit a bit light) and I was able to get quite the coverage without looking cakey. If it was still available I would consider repurchasing.

Mascara & brows

Continuing on with a mascara. It’s a tubing mascara as per usual, this time the Dailism Smudge Stop Mascara Volume (9 g, 199 SEK) in black by Heimish. I bought this one when I could not find and repurchase the Dailism Smudge Stop Mascara Curling by the same brand. It seems like the formula is the same between the two, but you can purchase the brush version you prefer. I must say I prefer the slimmer brush if the curling version, but the volume one worked well with only a little bit of fallout. I have not repurchased because I have since found a new tubing favourite – the Lash XTNDR Mascara by Elf.

Miscellaneous makeup

Then we have two shades of the Gloss Embrace Lip Gloss formula (4,5 ml, £20) by Lisa Eldridge, Blush Lightly and Sorcery (I have previously used up Blush and Muse in the same formula). I enjoyed both shades and they were very subtle on my lips. This gloss can be found in three pigment levels and I think both of these were the middle one, named Light Natural Pigment. I say think because Blush Lightly is not on the website anymore so I suppose it has been discontinued. Sorcery is still available. As I have previously concluded (The Used Up 2023:2) am not a gloss/high shine person and this is not the perfect product for me. But I can use them and enjoy them to a degree and the reason for repurchasing has always been my interest in the shades that Lisa creates. I like this nourishing formula and use the glosses applied lightly, dabbed in the center of the lips and then blended with a finger. That is how I reach the subtle shine and balmy comfort level that I prefer. The pigment level and the large applicator is just not optimal for my lip size or my gloss preference but for someone with a larger lip area who loves a glossy lip this is should be a very lovely option.

Ending with a favourite both in colour and formula. The Luxuriously Lucent Lip Colour (3,5 g, £27) in Painterly also by Lisa Eldridge. I picked up this lipstick when it was first released in the Spring of 2021. For me this is one of those perfect shades that look good with most makeup looks, give a bit of something something to the lip in form of colour and is in a comfortable formula. I wear this a lot to work and when I want a quick and easy lip. The formula is just shiny enough (for my taste) and very pleasant to wear all day. Of course I have to reapply during the day but that is to be expected with a formula like this, and I do not mind it. I have quite the collection of shades in this formula, but Painterly is for sure my favourite one. I have repurchased it already and the little stump left of the original one will be put in archive.

And that was all! Not a lot of skincare in this round but I think the next six months will see a lot more items emptied.

Thank you for reading!

In this post I will go through all of the makeup and skincare items that I managed to empty sometime during the second half of 2024, July through December. 10 items in total and out of those five were makeup products.

As per usual I’m not including all beauty consumables in this bi-annual post. Categories not included are body care, nail care, haircare or any type of SPF (unless it is a skincare/makeup item that just happens to have SPF in it). I still prefer not to track those categories. I also want to highlight some things about my skin that can be useful to know before reading my thoughts on these products. I’ve always had combination skin that is prone to dehydration. But I am noticing my skin changing a lot because of ageing (I’m 43) so I am slowly adjusting my routine to its evolving needs. I still get the occasional breakout and can get quite shiny during the day, but my skin is less oily and a bit more sensitive now. I only react badly to products on occasion and I still have not discovered any ingredient related allergies.

Let’s dive in!

Toners & mists

My current routine: I usually have a hydrating spray on hand that I use after cleansing, before serums. Sometimes I use a toner as a complement, either a hydrating one or an exfoliator. In the evenings I might finish with a more nourishing mist (with oils) as a last comforting step after hydration, but I do that very infrequently.

The Hydrating Milky Mist by Pixi (80 ml, 279 SEK) used to be a recurring favourite but was ultimately dismissed in 2019 due to having consecutive issues with the packaging (the mist). But last year I decided to give it another go and it seems like Pixi has solved the mister issue. The mist is very fine and I could use up the entire bottle without issues. I am very pleased. I will definitely purchase this product again.

Essence & serums

My current routine: I like to use a hydrating serum 1-2 times a day and it is a core item. I also dabble with more treatment focused serums but I’m more irregular with those.

The Rich Moist Soothing Serum by Klairs (80 ml, 429 SEK) is a great hydrating serum. The consistency was on the thicker side, but not in a negative way by any means. No scent and it did the job. This large bottle lasted me quite a while and I can see myself buying this product again.

Moisturisers & oils

My current routine: I use a variety of creams depending on what my skin needs. In the morning after serums I like to put on a basic moisturiser before adding SPF and/or a primer. I have lighter and heavier creams (I’m using the term heavy lightly here – I have combination skin after all) and adjust the combination according to seasonal variations like the climate outdoors/indoors. For daytime the goal is to have a face base that does not pill or look patchy when I apply makeup on top. In the evening I like to use a more robust and comforting cream since I do not need to worry about the makeup bit. I use an eye cream both morning and evening and the main goal is to hydrate the skin without stinging my eyes or melting my mascara. I use oils sparingly but I like to have one on hand for facial massages or as an extra comforting layer when my skin needs it.

The Rose Quartz Supreme Rich Cream (50 ml, 749 SEK) by M Picaut is still a firm favourite. Right now I do not have it in use but I do miss it. I will most likely buy it again soon. It is nourishing and smells delicious. My skin loves it.

Masks

My current routine: I do not have one. I use masks very infrequently but usually I like to have a lineup of a hydrating one, an exfoliating one and a deep cleansing one. I like to use an overnight mask when I have one.

These two masks by M Picaut was kindly given to me by my family as a birthday gift. I was intrigued by them when they first launched and put them on my wish list. But since I am such an infrequent mask user it has taken me a while to use them up. The Rock Crystal Clear Treatment Mask (50 ml, 499 SEK) was the one I reached for the most often, not because I particularly enjoyed it but because I craved the promise of a deep purifying effect. Unfortunately this mask has a smell that I cannot enjoy. I suspect it is the sulphur, but I do not know. If the smell was only prevalent when using the mask it would have been fine, but it lingers on the skin after removal. And that fact is one of the reasons why I am hesitant to buy this again. The other factor was that my skin reacted badly a few times when using this mask, on my neck and cheeks, so I think I’m a bit sensitive to this particular formulation. It says to leave it on for 5-10 minutes and my skin probably couldn’t handle the full 10 and I most likely used it that way. So a little user error on my part. But I’m rarely sensitive to anything skincare-wise so it did not occur to me to be especially careful. When using it up I was more mindful and used it primarily on my t-zone in the end. This jar lasted me for about 10 uses.

The Aventurine Radiance Treatment Mask (50 ml, 499 SEK) agreed better with my skin and also lasted 10 uses. However my verdict is tainted by my very infrequent use of the mask. I think I enjoyed it just fine, but I never used it frequently enough to notice anything special about my skin. It was a very mid experience and I think it was mainly my fault. I kept it way past its expiry and it was a bit dry in the end. I might try this again in the future and give it more love. But right now I am in the mood to try something else. I must say I tend to use masks in tubes more frequently than masks in jars. Something to think about.

Base makeup

The Rose Inc Softlight Luminous Hydrating Concealer in the shade LX 010 (10,8 g, 365 SEK) was a nice product for me. A fair neutral and a bit dirty toned shade, as you can see in the swatch above. A rare shade on the market. A bit light, but I prefer too light over too dark. The product is very pigmented and I used it in a few different ways. Dabbed on top of foundation to add more coverage. Mixed into foundation either to lighten, add more coverage or to neutralise the colour. I have bought replacement and it is currently in use.

Then we have the usual – the HD Studio Photogenic Concealer (3 g, 109 SEK) by NYX in the shade Green (CW12). Only one tube this time, but it is due to me having multiple correctors in use at the same time. This product has been discontinues sadly, but I have some backups that my daughter found in the sale. Hopefully they will be good to use when I get to them but I do realise they run a risk of being old by then.

The Cicapair Tiger Grass Color Correcting Treatment by Dr. Jart (15 ml, 215 SEK) is a product that change colour a bit when you rub it onto the skin. For me this small jar was a try on to see if I liked the product, and I did. It was light enough for me to use and the green evened out the redness on my face in a very effective way. It did such a good job that it could stand alone as my base on some days. When this jar was finished I naturally bought a replacement and was not pleased to find out that they had changed the formulation. The cream now became a much darker and more beige shade when rubbed onto my skin. I am sure this change was great for a lot of people who are darker than me, but for me it made the product unusable. I am trying to use the jar I have by mixing it with other things, but this is sadly a product I will not purchase again.

Mascara & brows

Next is a tubing mascara that was new to me – Dailism Smudge Stop Mascara Curling in black by Heimish (9 g, 159 SEK). It did leave some particles under my eyes during the day but it was minimal. I could see myself picking this one up again.

Miscellaneous makeup

Then we have one final makeup product, one lone eye shadow primer. The primer is an old favourite – the Eyeshadow Primer Potion, Anti-aging version, by Urban Decay (10 ml, 325 SEK). I have used this a lot over the years and it is my go-to eye primer at this point. I enjoy trying other brands once in a while byt I tend to revert back to this one. I does the job without interfering with my blending and the tube lasts for ages.

2024 empties wrap-up

A note on this type of summary: All of these specific items were not purchased in one year, some were gifts from friends/family and some were bought with a discount. Obviously I have loads of items, mainly makeup, that I will never use up and that will never end up in a post like this. I’m not doing these wrap-ups to track how much I spend but rather to highlight to myself the “worth” of the products I actually use up in one year. It shows how I spend my money on certain consumables and it gives food for thought.

To summarise 2024 I managed to use up: 4 cleansers, 2 face mists, 1 essence/serum, 1 eye cream, 3 face creams, 2 masks, 1 concealer, 3 colour correctors, 2 mascara, 1 brow tamer and 1 eye primer. That is a total of 21 skincare and makeup products worth around 8 300 SEK if purchased at full price.

Those numbers are an all time low. Lowest number of products used and lowest amount by far. One reason for the number of products I can think of is that started buying and experimenting with more skin care and makeup products last year and have multiple items in the same category in rotation at the same time. So each item takes longer to use up. So I think the number of empty items will be higher in 2025. But please do note that the numbers are lower but the average cost per item is higher than ever, so I still buy and use up products that are more expensive than previous years. Another reason for low numbers of items might be the fact that I have had more makeup free days in 2024 than usually. Otherwise I think more makeup products would have been emptied. I’m still good at using up the skincare items that I buy before they go bad and I hope I can keep this up despite have so many options in rotation. I am currently doing my best to use up some liquid lip products (lip gloss, lip balm and lip mask) before they go off. Wish me luck!

Thanks for reading!

In this post I will go through all of the makeup and skincare items that I managed to empty sometime during the first half of 2024, January through June. Some items wear near empty when the year started and some were were unopened, but they all ran out during that time period. 11 items in total and out of those three were makeup products.

As per usual I’m not including all beauty consumables in this bi-annual post. Categories not included are body care, nail care, haircare or any type of SPF (unless it is a skincare/makeup item that just happens to have SPF in it). I still prefer not to track those categories.

I want to highlight some things about my skin that can be useful to know before reading my thoughts on these products. I’ve always had combination skin that is prone to dehydration. But I am noticing my skin changing a lot because of ageing (I’m 42) so I am slowly adjusting my routine to its evolving needs. I still get the occasional breakout and can get quite shiny during the day, but my skin is less oily and a bit more sensitive now. I only react badly to products on occasion and I still have not discovered any ingredient related allergies.

Let’s dive in!

Cleansers

My current routine: If I have a cream cleanser or something similar I use it in the morning before skincare/makeup and then I use a balm cleanser as a first step in removing makeup and/or sunscreen in the evening. I might go in with a second round with the same cleanser that I used in the morning or the balm again. But I have been less prone to double cleanse in the evening compared to before. I usually have a couple of cleansers in action at any given moment.

The Glow Mud Cleanser by Pixi (135 ml, 279 SEK) has been a staple for some time and I mainly used it in the shower in the morning. The big difference this time around is that I will not repurchase it. Simply because I find that my skin prefers even more gentle cleansing nowadays and I will heed to that. So I have grown out of this cleanser, but it was a great product for the younger me.

I tried the Squalane Cleanser (150 ml, 266 SEK) by the Ordinary in 2020 but in the smaller 50 ml size. I enjoyed it then but felt I ran out too quickly. This time I bought the 150 ml and had no such feelings. I really like this mild cream to oil cleanser. I did not use it as instructed (dispensing it into hands and then rubbing them to melt the product into an oil before applying to the face) but simply just massaged it onto my face directly. It dissolved my makeup just fine but I also enjoyed it as a morning cleanser. I can see myself buying this product again in the near future. A good basic staple at a great price point.

Then we have the big no surprise to anyone – Golden Amber Probiotic Cleansing Balm (125 ml, 399 SEK) by M Picaut. I still love using this cleansing balm and repurchase as soon as I run out. As I have previously written – The smooth honey-like texture and warm and comforting scent is a joy to massage onto my face. It does not sting my eyes or leave any residue after removal.

Then we have a product that is new to me. It is the Skin Enhancing Treatment Cleanser (100 ml, £43) by Lisa Eldridge. It is marketed as a hybrid balm cleanser, face mask and facial massage treatment and that in itself is an intriguing concept. The uphill for product is that I already adore a similar product, the Golden Probiotic Cleansing Balm by M Picaut. So my standards are super high. The big difference between the two is that the Skin Enhancing Treatment doubles as a face mask/treatment and that is how I tried to use it. The texture is smooth and lovely and the scent is subtle. I was not very impressed at first (again, high standards) but the more I used it the more I enjoyed it. I can see myself picking this one up again when I make an future order from the brand, as a treat. This is the first skincare item I have tried from Lisa Eldridge and I am now keen on trying the face mist as well.

Toner & mists

My current routine: I usually have a hydrating spray on hand that I use after cleansing, before serums. Sometimes I use a toner as a complement, either a hydrating one or an exfoliator. In the evenings I might finish with a more nourishing mist (with oils) as a last comforting step after hydration, but I do that very infrequently.

The Hydrating Accelerator by Josh Rosebrook (100 ml, 399 SEK) is recurring favourite that would recur more often if I only could get my hands on it. It is currently not stocked at Caeleste and I had to buy another mist to replace this one. I bugs me a lot that it is out of stock so often and that it takes so long for it to return.

Moisturisers & oils

My current routine: I use a variety of creams depending on what my skin needs. In the morning after serums I like to put on a basic moisturiser before adding SPF and/or a primer. I have lighter and heavier creams (I’m using the term heavy lightly here – I have combination skin after all) and adjust the combination according to seasonal variations like the climate outdoors/indoors. For daytime the goal is to have a face base that does not pill or look patchy when I apply makeup on top. In the evening I like to use a more robust and comforting cream since I do not need to worry about the makeup bit. I use an eye cream both morning and evening and the main goal is to hydrate the skin without stinging my eyes or melting my mascara. I use oils sparingly but I like to have one on hand for facial massages or as an extra comforting layer when my skin needs it.

The Rose Quartz Supreme Rich Cream (50 ml, 749 SEK) by M Picaut is still my go-to cream for night and even day during the colder months. I love that it is in a pump and so easy to dispense. I enjoy the scent and the texture and find that my love for it makes me blind to the fact that the price point is high. I still repurchase this cream every time I run out.

This was my first bottle of the Energizing Eye Cream (30 ml, 499 SEK) by Acasia. A nice eye cream that lasted a long time with a pump that was easy to use and dispense the right amount. I will consider buying this product again but right now I have another brand in use.

Base makeup

A single base makeup item this time. A staple, the HD Studio Photogenic Concealer (3 g, 109 SEK) by NYX in the shade Green (CW12). Sadly this product seems to be discontinued and I am looking for a replacement. I have another tube in action right now but when they are gone they are gone.

Mascara & brows

Starting with the Expressioniste Brow Pomade (5 g, 350 SEK) in Clear. It keeps my brows in place and looks great whilst dry. This was my second tube of this specific product but I did not repurchase another one immediately when I ran out. Not because I did not want to use it again but rather I wanted to see how necessary a brow tamer really is in my routine. After many months without I can now say that I do miss it. Sometimes I just want to shape my brows a bit and put stray hairs in their place. So I might by a new tube of Expressioniste Brow Pomade soon again.

Then we have a mascara from MAC, the Extended Play Gigablack Lash (5,7 g, 310 SEK). I purchased this since it is a long lasting formula that can be removed with warm water. Compared to my previous mascara from Surratt, this was similar in effect but not as easy to build. It smudged a tiny bit less than the Surratt one (se my previous posts for info on the Surratt mascara) so they are comparable products to me. Good but not great. However I am searching for something that smudge even less than those two. I am currently trying a similar mascara (long lasting that can be removed with warm water) from Heimish and so far it is a winner.

And that was all! It seems like a small amount of items for six months. But I have been wearing makeup a lot less lately and that affects how I prep and cleanse my skin as well. Less product use, less empties I guess.

Thank you for reading!