The Used Up 2020:2

The time has come to to go through all of the makeup and skincare items that were used up by me during the second half of 2020, July-December, and to summarise the year. A total of 25 items and many of them old favourites and repeat purchases.

For reference I am 39 years old with a dehydrated combination skin. I get the occasional breakout and can get quite shiny during the day. My skin rarely reacts badly to products and I have no allergies.

Cleansers

The Almond Soothing Cleansing Lotion by Weleda (75 ml, 149 SEK) was originally purchased as a mild option to use to cleanse my daughters face when needed. But we rarely used it and I felt that we were running the risk of it going bad before we used it up, so I started using it myself. It is a rich cleansing lotion and I loved the consistency. Easy to spread all over the face and I did not need much for a full cleanse. But despite that fact the tube is way too small to last me a longer period of time. The almond smell is not a favourite either but it was not a defining issue for me. I can see me buying this again for my kid but not for myself.

The Moisturising Cleansing Cream by Lumene (150 ml, 99 SEK) is their option for dry skin and this was my first time trying this specific cleanser. It is a thicker cream, lovely to the touch, with a creamy and fresh yet mild scent that did a fine job as my only cleanser in the morning or as a second cleanser in the evening. The cream was quite thick and albeit that in-itself is not a problem I did find that it was not as easy to spread all over the face as I would like. I had to use more product than I prefer each time and the tube was used up fairly quickly. The low price point is of course appealing and compensates a bit. This was my first time using this specific cleanser from Lumene and I might repurchase sometime in the future, but until then my search for a new favourite cleanser continues.

We have one bottle of Bioderma Sensibio Make-up removing micelle solution (250 ml, around 100 SEK), still a nice product to have for a quick cleansing solution or when I have stubborn makeup that need an extra round of cleansing before dissolving completely. I use this product more rarely these days but I rely on always having a bottle at hand.

The Green Clean Makeup Meltaway Cleansing Balm by Farmacy (90 ml, around 400 SEK) is an established favourite and I shared my thoughts on it in this post from 2019. Apparently it is sold in an 100 ml jar nowadays and I would definitely buy this again. It is a dream to use and smells divine, but I still wish it would last me a little bit longer for that price tag.

The Nordic-C Pure Glow Cleansing Balm by Lumene (125 ml, 179 SEK) was a new product for me and it was merely ok. I prefer to be able to use my cleansing balms around the eyes since I use them only as a first cleanser when wearing makeup and this balm is not suitable around the eyes (it also says so on the tube). This limits the product’s use for me so I will not be repurchasing.

Toner & mists

I usually mist my face after cleansing before I apply serums etc, both in the morning and evening. I must say I do enjoy the Nordic-C Glow Refresh Hydrating Mist (50 ml, 99 – 129 SEK) and the Nordic Hydra Facial Mist (50 ml, 99 SEK) from Lumene. They have a fresh smell and there has never been an issue with the mister function, a big plus in my book. This smaller bottle size is convenient when travelling, but Lumene also do both mists in a 100 ml bottle. These mists do the job and I have repurchased the Nordic Hydra one. But when that is finished I think I will switch to the Hydrating Accelerator from Josh Rosebrook again. I want to give it another go in the larger bottle.

Essence & serums

There seems to be a theme – two tubes of the Rose Caviar Essence by Pixi (45 ml, 399 SEK) emptied in six months yet again. I continue to use this product twice daily to layer hydration and this year I have used up a total of four tubes of this essence. I still make a point to only purchase it when I have a discount to lower the cost a bit, since I am not really interested in letting this baby go. I love the packaging, the texture, the scent and the effect. So I deem it worthwhile for now.

Another recurring star is the Nordic-C Glow Boost Essence by Lumene (30 ml, 289 SEK). Nothing has changed with this one either, I go through these quite quickly and try to buy and even stock up when there is a discount. I have used up only two bottles this year but I think the truth could be closer to three bottles a year. As with the Rose Caviar Essence, I like everything about this product except the price. Despite that I have no intention to stop using it.

Then we have more of a treatment serum – Salicylic Acid 2% Solution by the Ordinary (30 ml, 69 SEK I think but it is not currently available) is an BHA exfoliating product aimed at breakout prone skin and that is not really me. I have sporadic spots and the occasional large inflamed one but it’s not really a problem. I used this serum in the evenings on days when I had some break-outs, but I can not really attest to how effective this serum is since I ended up being a very infrequent user. I also think I prefer using a thicker spot treatment to heal an angry on one occasion so this will most likely not be a repurchase.

Moisturisers & oils

It took me a while to use up this tube of Natural Moisturizing  Factors + HA by The Ordinary (30 ml, 69 SEK) because I use it quite infrequently. For example I might wear it as a surface hydration layer it I use an SPF without any skincare benefits and want something layered under it. I might wear it as a last moisturising step when other finishing products do not seem appropriate (because they are too heavy or contain SPF for example), usually in the daytime. This is the third tube I have used up and I have another tube in line to take this one’s place. But I will most likely wait until spring before I feel the need to open and start using it.

The Age Repair Eye Cream by Grown Alchemist (15 ml, 620 SEK) is another recurring product and albeit being expensive it lasts at least six months, maybe more. The pump makes it really easy to dispense the tiny amount needed for both eyes and it wears beautifully under makeup. It makes my eye area feel hydrated but never greasy. I have another bottle in use right now and as per usual I only purchase this when I have a 20% discount code to get the cost down a bit.

I wanted to try the Nordic Hydra Day Fluid SPF 30 UVB/UVA PA+++ (50 ml, 219 SEK) by Lumene when it was first launched but only got down to business this past year. And I am so glad I finally tried it. I have combination skin and even as I get more dehydrated with age, I still have an issue with makeup melting off my face. So in the sunnier part of the year I have an issue with sunscreen under makeup, since it tends to make the melting issue worse. This day cream worked well for me in the daytime on most days since I spend so little time outside when the sun shines its brightest. Makeup layered beautiful over it and I felt that it did not leave a greasy film or a white cast or anything I normally expect from a sunscreen. The texture more creamy than fluid, the smell was fresh and I appreciated that is was in a tube. I will definitely purchase this again in the coming months when the sun makes a proper appearance again.

The Overnight Retinol Oil by Pixi (30 ml, 399 SEK) is another new acquaintance. I have not used many retinol products so I cannot compare at all but as a night time treat is was very nice. The oil easily sinks into the skin and some nights I felt the need to add a cream on top and some nights I used it as my last or only layer. It leaves my skin feeling nice and healthy and I have had no adverse reactions. This oil smells amazing, like a sour candy, but it did begin to turn rancid when I was beginning to near the end of the bottle. So the 6 month shelf-life indicated on the bottle is about right. I used this product a few nights a week and when this bottle was empty I did purchase another one, currently in use.

I’ve used the Hydration Rescue 24H Replenishing Balm by Lumene before and this time I bough the Hydration Recharge Overnight Cream (50 ml, 209 SEK) by the same brand and the same series, Nordic Hydra. A lovely cream for my hydrated combination skin. Perfect in the evening as a last step, over serums or over an oil. I have repurchased another one of these and use it daily,

Masks

The Active Enzyme Exfoliator by Josh Rosebrook (45 ml, full price unknown but I purchased it at a sale for 499 SEK) is a dark brown mask with particles that is massaged onto skin and then left for 10 minutes up to one hour. The smell makes me think of liquorice and I found that the application easily got messy. I must admit when purchasing this I did not realize that it had a mechanical exfoliation element to it. I normally prefer my exfoliants to be fully chemical so I have been a sporadic user of this product. Sad but true. It was a splurge purchase with money I received for my birthday and it did fill the purpose of a luxury treat. I’m glad I tried the product but I’m not going to purchase it again.

Base makeup

The Nabla Close-Up Smoothing Pressed Powder (11,5 g, € 22) has been getting rave reviews online and I was so keen to try it that I almost deemed it as a favourite beforehand. And I understand why a lot of people enjoy this powder but it’s not the one for me. I do enjoy the sleek rose gold compact, it is very beautiful and has a lovely sized mirror. I like Nabla as a brand and the price-point is nice. The gist for me is the finish this powder gives my skin. After using it for a while I started noticing that it ever so slightly changed the shade of my foundation after application. It made my skin look slightly darker and “flat” in a strange way. I have never experienced anything like it with a powder. The shade of the powder is not the issue but rather the appearance the finish gave, not my fave. I really wish I liked it more but this is sadly not the new favourite as I was hoping for.

The Lumene Blur Foundation (30 ml, 199 SEK) in “00 Ultra Light” is way too pink for me to be a perfect match. I have previously used up the shade “0 Light Ivory” and repurchased and I love the formulation in general. But Lumene has changed the shades for this product (and the artwork) many times over these past years. Every time I repurchase there seems to be a new version of the same shade. I’m currently using a way too pink version of Light Ivory and it will soon be finished, so I recently purchased both shades again. The shades seems to be altered again so we shall see if they match me better this time around or if they are a bit off still.

The Hydra Veil by Illamasqua (mini sample, gift with purchase) is a lovely hydrating primer, the type of primer I think really improves the application of foundation on my skin. This was my last sample size and I do not think I will repurchase since I still prefer my primers to be in a tube or something similar.

The Viva La Diva conclealer in “2 Naked” (3 ml, 89 SEK) was an attempt to find a replacement for my old favourite, the Lasting Perfection Ultimate Wear Concealer in “Fair 1” by Collection, that I sadly cannot get a hold of in Sweden. I’ve tried the shade “1 Pure Light” as well but neither work for me. They turn up way too pink and a tad too dark. I also did not get along with the scent of this concealer. A no-go for me.

The Hello Fab Bendy Avocado Concealer by First Aid Beauty (4,8 g, 240 SEK) was a better colour match and it is a nice and creamy concealer. However it started to go off quite quickly and before I could really finish it. I persisted despite the smell for a while and there was very little left in the tube when I gave up, but I consider it “done”. In all fairness I did have several concealers in use at the same time and might have had it open for longer than recommended, I do not really know or care. I do not see this product as one that go bad quickly and I might even repurchase in the future, but for now I’m trying other brands.

Mascara & brows

Two more empty Lash Power mascara in Black Onyx (6 ml, 245 SEK) by Clinique is standard for me. It’s been my go-to for a while now. It’s the one mascara that I’ve found that smudges the least and I really love the small brush applicator. But as I mentioned in my last empties post I feel like it has become more prone to smudging in recent years and I’m not sure if it has changed formulation or if there is another explanation. However this fact has led me to start the hunt for a replacement go-to mascara, a quest I’m not too keen to embark on. Mascara for me is a boring basic product that should work well but I do not want to spend any effort on it. One reason for that is the fact that tubing mascaras are the only ones that work on my lashes and tubing mascaras are generally very basic and unexciting. So here I am, looking to replace Lash Power but knowing it is a tough role to fill since I want something that does not smudge, has a lovely small brush AND I wish the price was less than the Clinique one. Tough indeed! We shall see how it goes but you can expect to see some new mascaras in coming instalments of The Used Up.

Then finally, we have a sad story. I had just deemed this brow gel my favourite budget find and then it was discontinued! As mentioned in my last empties post, the Brow Perfector in “Espresso” by H&M (4 ml, approximately 80 SEK) is no longer available. It was a lovely affordable brow gel with an ok hold, a nice cool dark brown colour and a small brush. Generally a great product for me. As with mascara, I just want something nice and basic. Does not have to be all that but I just want something I can rely on. So as well as having to spend time and effort to find a new mascara I also have to try and find a new brow gel. Sad times for me (not really!). It’s just so boring to try new brow products and I’m really not looking forward to it.

2020 empties wrap-up

Now it’s time for my favourite part, the yearly statistics. This year we can compare the numbers with 2019 so I am including the numbers from last year in brackets.

To summarise 2020 I managed to finish up 11 cleansers (8), 1 toner (0), 3 face mists (5), 8 essences/serums (11), 2 eye creams (1), 5 face creams (4) where one contained SPF, 1 oil (0), 1 mask (2), 3 face primers but two were minis (2), 1 eye primer (1), 2 powders (3), 4 concealers (1), 2 foundations (3), 4 mascaras (2), 4 brow gels (1), one lipstick, one lip primer and one cream eye shadow. 55 products in total for skincare and makeup compared to 49 in 2019. The categories are not exactly the same between the two years, for example one category I had last year that was missing this year was primers with SPF (3 in 2019) due to having the Lumene Day Fluid and other SPF’s.

The above numbers are things that I consider to be skincare or makeup but it’s worth noting that I am excluding sunscreens for the face from this summary. Of course I use other sunscreens but unless it is a face cream with SPF and skincare benefits I’m not going to include them in the Used Up posts. The main reasoning for that is that I share my sunscreens with my family and I cannot be bothered to keep track of that in any way shape or form. Also, I have previously included the soap I’m using to clean my brushes with but I’m not going to do that anymore. It’s not something I’m interested in tracking.

The value of the products used up this year (if purchased at full price) is around 13 500 SEK, and that is basically the same amount as last year. Of course all of these items were not purchased in one year and some were gifts from friends/family and many were bought with a discount. The point is not to conclude how much I have spent but rather to highlight the “worth” of the products I actually use up in one year. The average per item is still around 260 SEK so the average on consumables is unchanged at approximately 1100 SEK per month.

I will continue to do these bi-annual instalments of the Used Up so that I can keep track on how many products I go trough, how long they last me and my opinions on them. I find it to be a fantastic way to chronicle what I use and spend my money on. I will keep on focusing on skincare for the face and makeup and exclude other SPF’s and products for body, hair and nails.

Thanks for reading!