The used up 2019:3
This post has been a long time coming but I’m glad to complete it. It’s a great way for me to keep track of what I use over time, how long frequent use items last and my opinions on them. I’m trying to build a staple skincare wardrobe with some core functions and therefore I’ve been actively using up what I have and evaluating what functions I would like to replace.
I’m going to go through skincare and makeup products that were used up by me between October and December 2019. Naturally this means I started using most of these before October, they just reached their final destination during this period. Twenty products in total.
For reference I am 38 years old with a dehydrated combination skin. My skin rarely reacts badly to products and I have no allergies.
Skincare
Cleansers
Two cleansing products were finished during this period. I use the Rose Cream Cleanser by Pixi (135 ml, 279 SEK) as a first cleanse in the mornings and as a second cleanse in the evenings. It has become a bit of a staple and I keep on repurchasing. I had two tubes in my last empties post and I’ve probably used up a few during 2020. However, I’m evaluating how quickly I go through a tube compared to the price. I have a feeling it is used up fairly quickly.
Then we have a micellar water – Sensibio H20 by Bioderma (250 ml, 100 SEK), another staple. I’ve been using it less frequently lately but still for the same purpose – a quick removal of eye makeup when I’m tired or when I have a lot to remove that my other cleansers did not completely take care of. It works well for me and does not feel drying or irritating to the eyes or immediate eye area, but worth noting is that I do not use it every day. I keep repurchasing since it is a safe bet for me. I have not felt a need to try and replace it.
Mists
The Hydrating Milky Mist by Pixi (80 ml, 279 SEK) is another recurring favourite and I still like the product itself but sadly not the packaging. I’ve had consecutive mister issues with this one. They usually start out fine and then after a while instead of a fine mist it just start squirting. So I’m a bit fed up with this product now. This specific bottle took some time to use up due to me disliking spraying it on my face. I will most likely never repurchase this product again.
Nordic-C Glow Refresh Hydrating Mist by Lumene (50 ml, 129 SEK) is another fave. I use it in the mornings after cleansing, before I apply the Glow Boost Essence you will se further down in this post. Since finishing this bottle I have repurchased and I’m in the midst of finishing that new bottle.
Serums and creams
Niacimide 10% + Zinc 1% by the Ordinary (30 ml, 69 SEK) is what I prefer to use to make my larger pores look nicer and make them less prone to congestion. If it works that is. I used too feel like it did make a visible difference but I’ve been such a irregular user that it is hard to tell to be honest. I have repurchased this serum and will continue to evaluate its role in my skincare routine.
This was my first try using the Marine Hyaluronics by the Ordinary (30 ml, 129 SEK) and it felt a bit meh as a hydrator. Also it’s a bit too watery for my preference, which makes it way to easy to use more product than needed. I enjoyed trying this product out but I doubt I’ll buy it again.
A firm favourite hydrator however is still the Nordic-C Glow Boost Essence by Lumene (30 ml, 289 SEK). As I’ve mentioned in previous posts I wish the price point was lower since I go through these quite quickly but I have yet to find another hydrating essence/serum that I like as much. So I keep on buying it when there is a discount. I use it in the mornings and often layer another hydrating serum on top before finishing off with a cream. This kind of hydration sandwich have done wonders for my skin, hence why I’m so fond of this product.
Rose Caviar Essence by Pixi (45 ml, 399 SEK) is on par with the Lumene essence. A favourite that I wish was less expensive per use. I am working through another tube as we speak and try to use as small an amount as I possibly can to make it last longer. I use this over more watery serums/essences both in the mornings and evenings.
Age-Repair Eye Cream “Tetra-peptide & Centella” by Grown Alchemist (15 ml, 620 SEK) is another repurchase. It’s quite expensive but the tiny bottle lasts at least 6 months for me so I am justifying it for now. I also make sure to repurchase when I have a 20% or more discount code or something similar. I hydrates the eye area in a lovely way and it does not disrupt my eye makeup, which is the issue I have with so many other eye creams. I use it twice a day.
Masks
Nutri-Recharging Purifying Peat Mask by Lumene (75 ml, 299 SEK) is a mud mask that I used so infrequently that I can not say much about how well it works. What I can say is that enjoyed using it and I have nothing negative to say about it. The mask does not dry down completely and when removed the skin felt nice and happy. This mask does not seem to be on the market anymore so a repurchase is not in the cards.
The Body Shop British Rose Fresh Plumping Mask (75 ml, 195 SEK) was a gift and part of a kit I received a few Christmases back. I must say I really enjoy masks by Body Shop and would like to try more. Not sure a plumping mask is the highest on my priority list when buying replacement masks but I would consider repurchasing it sometime in the future. Right now I am trying to use up all the masks I own and evaluating what specific functions I wish to have at hand as part of my skincare arsenal. I think a purifying mask and an hydrating mask is top priority to begin with.
Makeup
Face and base
The Blendercleanser Solid from Beautyblender (28 g, 169 SEK) is a soap bar in a plastic container that I use for cleaning my makeup sponges. It is very practical to use on an everyday basis, but I would prefer to be able to buy the soap as a refill. I do repurchase this whenever it runs out.
Veil Mineral Primer (30 ml, 700 SEK) by Hourglass was a splurge I made in Liberty London when the brand was not easily available in Sweden. I did love using this primer and it made a lovely canvas to apply foundation on. It has one major flaw and that is the very very steep price. The smoothing effect it gives does not really warrant the high price tag.
This mini Strobe Cream by Mac Cosmetics (30 ml, around 100-150 SEK I think) was a spontaneous purchase when I visited the MAC Pro store in Stockholm a few years back. I was in there to check out their new synthetic brush line and saw this mini and was catapulted back down memory lane. Back to a time when this was a cult product and I loved using it mixed with my foundation or as a shiny primer. After having finished this tube I must say I enjoyed it well enough and I wish to have something similar in my collection to mix and add sheen with, but I’m probably going to try another brand.
I’m very pleased that I have managed to finish off three foundations. I love the feeling of using up products like these. I’ve had several foundations on the go parallel to each other because I have enjoyed trying out new products. But moving forward I will stick to a more streamlined team. They run the risk of expiring or drying out and I even though I managed to use these three up before that point, other base products were not so lucky. A waste of money to be honest.
Lumene have been a favourite for foundation for some time now and the first thing I did when the brand was new to me was buying one of each foundation type they had just to try. The Glow Foundation by Lumene (30 ml, 169 SEK) was very hard for me to love due to it being a really poor shade on me. I chose the lightest shade at the time (0, Light Ivory) and it was a tad too dark on its own and almost made me look a bit muddy and gray in the face. I did manage to use it mixed, usually with a paler shade of a heavier foundation to get a lighter formula. This specific product seems to have been discontinued and replaced with other glowing base products.
The Lumene Blur Foundation (30 ml, 189 SEK) in 0 Light Ivory was my baby however. I loved the finish and the shade. It could be used sparingly for a light base or more heavily for a perfect canvas. It was my favourite foundation and when I ran out I bought another one. But somehow they had changed the shade from a light yellow tint to a more pink leaning shade. So I do not love it anymore since it looks slightly off on my face. Lumene has since then reformulated their foundations yet again so I do not think these specific shades and formulations exists anymore. But I’m hesitant to purchase another one before I am able to go to a store and swatch the shades IRL, but we shall see. I’m using up the tube right now so I’m good for now.
Last up we have the Matte Foundation from Lumene (30 ml, 169 SEK), also in 0 Light Ivory. This was a very nice matte formula and it did not feel too dry or cakey in any way (mind you, I do have combination skin). The scenario is the same with this, I might repurchase if I can sample the shade range beforehand.
And a powder by Soap and Glory bit the dust as well, One Heck of a Blot mattifying powder (9 g, £ 12). I stocked up on this lovely product when I was in London a few years back and after this one I have but the one left. I can highly recommend it if you like a translucent pressed setting powder and can get your hands on it.
Eyes
The Heavy Metal glitter eyeliner in Spandex by Urban Decay (7,5 ml, 230 SEK) was a well loved product. It finally dried up but there was not much product left when it did. Its final performance was at a dear friend’s wedding in October. It’s a very wearable product and I would consider repurchasing this specific product and shade again. But I have a couple of H&M glitter eye liners that I need to use up first.
The final product of this empties post is no surprise, it’s the Clinique Lash Power mascara in Black Onyx (6 ml, 235 SEK). My go-to mascara. It’s the only one I’ve found that does not smudge on me and has a small enough brush to easily use on both my top and bottom lashes.
To summarize I managed to finish up 8 cleansers, 5 face mists, 11 serums, 1 eye cream, 4 face creams, 3 primers with SPF, 2 masks, 2 face primers, one eye primer, 3 powders, 1 concealer, 3 foundations, 2 mascaras, 1 soap cleanser, one glitter eye liner and a brow gel. 49 products in total for skincare and makeup in 2019. If my calculations are correct, then that is around 13 000 SEK worth of products for my face that I used up. Some items were presents and some were bought at a discount, but that number is definitely worth noting. That’s an average of 265 SEK per product I use. An average of around 1100 SEK per month on consumables. Products that in many instances are replaced continuously.
I’m planning on doing these posts bi-annually so that I can keep track on how much I spend, mainly for skincare or other frequently replaced makeup items but also to keep track of my long-term thoughts on items used. It’s been very interesting going through the numbers and thinking about how to spend my money in the future.
Thanks for reading!