Shopping from November to December

I can't believe another year has gone by! I expected to use a lot of money during the last months because of sales. I didn't even do impulse purchases. Much. I might have bought 4 pairs of running shoes during black friday though... But on cosmetics I spent about 241 € during November and December.

This year 2022 I spent altogether 700 € on beauty and last year 2021 I spent 1240 €. Both years I have also received gifts, and I have not included them because I have not paid for them obviously. But I would guess the value for them is around ~200 € a year.

I think I did well this year to curb some unnecessary spending. Yet, now looking back, I still had impulse purchases. I also might have spent money elsewhere when it wasn't going towards cosmetics (ie. exercise, vitamins stuff). I also donated money this year more than ever before (for Ukraine, I pray the war will end soon).

To be honest, this year the sales haven't even been that good, so it has been less tempting. I love getting a great deal and then I usually buy things I didn't plan (-70% or so) but there has been none, mostly just -20-30% which is quite easy to pass when I know in a few months there will be another -20%!

For 2023 my goal is to spend 400-600 € thoughtfully, I have basics already and I have in mind some expensive products I want to look for during the sales.

The powders were packaged in extra cardboard sheets.

Outside light. Sensai looks more orange in real life, Jane Iredale looks more pink. 
The phone camera doesn't capture the nuances well.

Inside light. Weird how ghostly pale Olive 0 looks as a swatch, on my face it's a good match!
Maybe loose mineral powders oxidize/change color when they mix with skin oils or something.

Paula's Choice Resist Anti-Aging Eye Cream Mini

Paula's Choice CALM Restoring Moisturizer (Normal to Oily Skin) Mini

Synchroline Rosacure Fast Cream/Gel

Jane Iredale Pure Pressed Base Refill in Warm Silk

Sensai Total Finish Foundation SPF10 Refill in TF202 Soft Beige

Free Samples:
Kiehl's Super Multi-Corrective Cream
Paula's Choice Defense Essential Glow Moisturizer SPF30

Skincity order, 125e, they had -20% or -25% (I can't even remember!) on almost everything for Black Friday. Not many places have the real good sales anymore. But, I had planned my cart for a couple of months ahead so decided to order anyway. I've been so curious about the powder foundations and Synchroline's Rosacure redness treatment.

I have ordered from Skincity a few times now and everything is always well packaged. This time my package came in under a week.

Jane Iredale Warm Silk is a lot more neutral or even pink-ish than what I thought. It is supposed to be light warm shade. The warm one for fair skin, Bisque, looks a lot more yellow and on a hindsight maybe it would have been better despite looking too light for me. Anyhow, Warm Silk is not orange at all and on its own it's a great shade for light skin.

Sensai Soft Beige on the other hand is very warm, a bit darker than I thought, and leans a bit orange. But the lighter shade Pearl Beige looked too pink/light for me and all the other shades are darker (but I haven't seen these in real life so...). So Jane Iredale definitely wins the shade range game for basic fair/light skin. But, Sensai powder is so silky. Japanese (and Asian overall?) brands just do powder formulations so well in my opinion. That was one of the reasons I had to try Sensai.

Luckily powders are very forgiving when it comes to shade and at least I use them as a light natural layer so I don't need a perfect match. Sensai seemed to look perfectly okay when applied with a big fluffy brush... Still maybe it's more summer shade for me. Alima Pure's Pressed Powder in Sesame is a good match. Currently I am using daily Alima Pure Satin Matte Foundation in Olive 0, it's loose mineral powder. It is also good match despite the swatch looking super pale. 

Synchroline's Rosacure Cream/Gel is very expensive (46€ normal price on Skincity). So far can't say if it works, but I didn't have as bad alcohol flush as usual after using it for a few days. It is light and sinks into skin and mattifies it. Not terribly moisturizing, not drying either. It has the cream gel consistency like promised. It is unscented. Sometimes I feel it pills a bit, sometimes I don't notice it.

Clinique Cheek Pop Palette including Ballerina Pop, Pearl Coral Pop and Highlighter Gold Celebration Pop

Free Samples:
Clinique Happy Perfume Sample
Moisture Surge Overnight Mask Mini Sample


Clinique order, 36e. I really wanted the limited cheek pop palette and it wasn't available anywhere else. First time ordering from Clinique's website, I think it was released for my country only this year. I am so used to not being able to order straight from brands that I thought it could be a scam website, hah. But no it isn't and I could order again. It took a week to receive my package and everything was well packed.

I also own the palette from last year (?) with Cola Pop, Nude Pop and Ginger Pop and can't say which one is my favorite. Maybe this new one despite Ballerina Pop being too light and chalky for me, because from the last palette Nude Pop is too light and Cola Pop doesn't suit me at all. I like Ginger Pop, but I think Coral Pop is a better shade. I also have a single Black Honey Pop and it suits me well. So, maybe I should just buy singles anyway.

I thought I would love Clinique's Happy Perfume but hmm. It's not bad. It is soapy, fresh, citrusy. It's okay. It lasts a lot longer on skin than what I predicted, several hours, I get a sniff throughout the day. But in the end I almost feel like it just smells like soapy antiperspirant. I'll finish the sample and re-evaluate.

Canmake Mermaid Skin Gel UV SPF 50+ PA++++
Dr. Ceuracle Cica Regen Vegan Sun

Free Samples:
Klairs Supple Preparation Facial Toner Mini
Coxrx, Purito, Dr Ceuracle, Iunik


Second time I ordered from Little Wonderland. They had a black friday sale, -20% off everything. I also bought some christmas presents so that's why I got so many samples. As gifts I bought Missha Super Aqua Ultra Hyaluron Peeling Gel, COSRX Hyaluronic Acid Hydra Power Essence, Rohto Mentholatum Skin Aqua UV Super Moisture Essence Gold SPF 50+ PA++++, etc...

My own products cost me about 30 € and were just two sunscreens. 

Rexona Maximum Protection Sport Strength Antiperspirant x2

Gucci Guilty Pour Femme 2021 EdT Rollerball

Notino Discovery Box Intense Fragrances for Women

Notino Discovery Box The Best of Valentino

Ordered something for my family from Notino and immediately succumbed to temptation. Antiperspirants are fine purchases but... I definitely didn't need more perfume. But the sample sets are great. I already purchased 6 this year when I found out about them. Gucci's Guilty EdT is one of my favorite fragrancies so ended up getting the rollerball as well.

Dermosil Perfecting Make Up Sponge

Dermosil Exfoliating Socks

Free Samples: Eye Gel Cream and Retinol Reviving Serum

Gifts. I have heard good things about Dermosil's foot peeling socks so I'm excited to see how they work. I am not very particular about the feel or shape of make up sponges so I happily welcome it as well!

Current Favorites

Been a while since I've written about current favorites! Also many of these products I've already finished but I've included them because I wanted to.

Alima Pure Satin Matte Foundation in Olive 0

No, I haven't forgotten my powder foundations! I am just slow at incorporating new things. Currently I have been using Alima Pure's Satin Matte Foundation every day for several weeks, maybe a month, two? It needs a creamier product underneath so that it won't look too powdery/cakey and highlight flakes. I tried a few different sunscreens and now I am happy with Skin Aqua Uv Super Moisture Essence Gold SPF50+ PA++++. I've applied the powder with Zoeva flat top buffer brush.

Alima Pure's shade range is very good, Olive 0 is very neutral in my opinion and suits fair/light skin.

Skin Aqua Uv Super Moisture Essence Gold SPF50+ PA++++

I actually didn't like this sunscreen during the summer, when I sweat it became a disgusting slimy layer fast. But for winter and under a loose powder foundation it is great! It's moisturizing and creamy but not heavy on a drier winter skin, no white cast, hasn't hurt my eyes. Almost replaces moisturizer altogether, but during winter I still apply a little something underneath. 

Dermalogica Clearing Skin Wash & 

Caudalie Vinopure Purifying Gel Cleanser

I really do like both these cleansers! I tried to stay away from cleansers that were advertised as "purifying" and could be "drying" for a while because that is the usual skincare advice. But my skin seems to like "acne cleansers". Yes, my skin did feel more purified, more squeaky afterwards, but looked nice and didn't feel dry. Both had this a bit herbal, tea tree like scent. 

Malin+Goets Vitamin E Face Moisturizer Mini

"Smells like some cream my grandma used for cows but maybe it is a general un scented vitamin E smell then? First I thought the moisturizer was slightly clogging my skin but afterwards noticed it seemed to calm some redness too. Absorbs super well, in a few minutes almost to nothingness. Wouldn't mind trying another mini, I'm on the fence how I feel!"

That's what I wrote in my empties post. So not instant love, but I was and still am wondering if it really calmed the redness, because if so that is amazing. The moisturizer also had a really nice texture and worked well with other products, I do miss it sometimes (despite it also maybe being slightly clogging)!

Exuviance Evening Restorative Complex renamed as Overnight Transformation Complex

I bought a mini set of Exuviance products long time ago. I have no idea why I didn't try them earlier, I am procrastinator number one. My skin seems to like everything I've tried from the set so far and nothing seems to have expired.

Evening Restorative Complex was all in one for me, it was somewhat moisturizing, slightly exfoliating, didn't clog my pores, my skin looked nice in the morning. The mini tube lasted for about 3-4 weeks when used only in the evening and I do miss it.

Didn't care for the scent though. It was weird fresh.

Exuviance mini set I bought a long time ago.