May 2026 Empties

  All my monthly trash on display for you to see. :P

1. equate Tropical Mango Shea Sugar Scrub:  I love how gritty this scrub is. This has a really yummy, sweet, juicy, fruity mango scent to it. This leaves my skin feeling very soft and smooth, and is great for shave prep. 

2. Jiocolor Wispy Lashes x3: These are a pretty wispy shape, I like the alternating short and long bits. I will say that these are very thin and delicate so while they do glue onto the eyelid fairly easily, they're also easy to bend out of shape or to get lash glue all over the band. So, it's important to be careful and gentle with them. 

3. Sol de Janeiro Cheirosa '62 Eau de Parfum: I'm so sad to have run out of this perfume! It smells so delicious and I loved wearing it! I'll be honest that often, when I come to the tail end of perfumes I don't love them the same any more but this is a rare occasion where I'd love to purchase another bottle someday.

4. bodycology strawberry cheesecake 2 in 1 body wash & bubble bath: This body wash did a good job of leaving my skin feeling soft and clean. It was also gentle on my eczema and I found it didn't really irritate my skin. That said, the scent is just a bit too sweet and frosting-like for my personal tastes. I'd be open to trying out a different scent from them. 

5. Maybelline New York Tattoo Studio Jet Black Ink Pen Liquid Eyeliner: It was about time for me to replace my eyeliner so I picked up a new one. However, this was still going pretty strong but with my eyes getting dry lately I just didn't want to risk an eye infection. I really like this eyeliner, I like that it's a pen-style brush and think it's precise and easy to use; it glides along the lash-line nicely.

6. The Ordinary 100% Plant-Derived Squalane: As predicted, due to the unfortunate fall of this product and a lot of it leaking out onto the carpet, I ran out of its remnants quite quickly. As you know, I love my squalane oil and have a replacement. 

7. Organic Kitchen Pistachio Mafia Polishing Face Scrub: This is another item I was sad to have run out of because I enjoy using this scrub, it smells yummy, and it leaves my skin feeling soft and smooth without being too abrasive. 

8. Dr. Sante Nature & Innovations Pre Age Ceramide + Prebiotic Barrier Moisturizing Mask: I really enjoyed how hydrating this mask is. It left my skin feeling really hydrated and replenished. I think it's fantastic for the wintertime because it kept my skin from drying out.

9. L'Oreal Paris Voluminous Original Mascara in 970 Deep Violet:  I loved the purple tint on the mascara! It's obvious enough to be purple but is still dark enough to give my lashes depth. The formula is also really nice and gives my lashes both volume and definition, which I adore. That said, it has developed quite an intense scent so it was time to go ahead and replace it.

10. Dove pamper shea butter + vanilla body wash: This is a really nice, hydrating, gentle body wash that leaves my skin feeling soft and silky smooth. I love using this for shaving because it gives my razor a nice glide and makes my skin feel so nice. It has a really soft, soothing, slightly sweet scent too which I found comforting especially in the colder months.

11. Children's Soap with Bur-Marigold: I was unable to get to Trader Joe's to buy my holy grail oatmeal and honey soap so I picked this one up at a nearby Russian-speaking pharmacy instead. In truth, I love this soap very much! It leaves my skin feeling very clean but also soft and hydrated without triggering any eczema flares.  It's also got a very silky, frothy foam to it which I enjoy. 

12. The Face Shop Rice Water Bright Foaming Cleanser: This is such a nice, gentle, creamy, hydrating cleanser. It left my skin feeling really soft and smooth after using it without any stripping or irratation. It also worked really great to give slip for my razor when I was shaving. I really enjoyed it while I had it. 

13. Etude House Collagen moistfull cream: I'm sad I ran out of this moisturizer - it has a really nice gel cream texture that's very hydrating but absorbs quickly. It left my skin feeling hydrated and plump. It also has a sour, floral, tea-like scent that I enjoy. 

14. Youth to the People Adaptogen Deep Moisture Cream:  While this cream is hydrating, it is also lightweight and despite it being called "deep" moisture, I found that, especially as I was using this mostly in the winter that the hydration it provided was insufficient to keep my eczema and flakey skin away. 

15. equate Green Apple Sugar Scrub:  I love how gritty this scrub is. This has a really yummy, sour apple scent to it that I just adore! I feel like it not only smells juicy and delicious, but it's an invigorating scent that wakes me up.  This leaves my skin feeling very soft and smooth, and is great for shave prep. 

16. DUO Brush-On Adhesive with Vitamins: My tube of glue has just gotten really gunky and gross so it was time to replace it.

17. Marc Jacobs 240 So Rouge Le Marc Lip Creme: I'm usually so sad when I run out of things but I was actually quite excited to run out of this lipstick. Don't get me wrong, this had a lovely formula and was a beautiful true red, it went on smoothly and wore comfortably. That said, I feel like in my effort to use them up, I have been wearing red lipsticks back to back to the point where I miss wearing softer colors. So I'm quite excited to wear something other than red for the time being. 

 

18. Dove Daily Moisture Shampoo: This isn't in the picture because my mom threw the bottle away. In terms of the product itself, I found that it was a gentle shampoo that smelled nice and left my hair lightly hydrated but not weighed down. If you have very dry hair though, I would suggest something more nourishing but otherwise this is great for maintenance. 

19. PRETTYSKIN Snail Collagen Toner: I'm sad to be out of this toner - it lasted me since last November, which is quite a while. It also is a lightweight, watery texture but adds a really nice boost of moisture and hydration to my skin. It left my skin looking glowy and feeling bouncy. 

20. one+other Original Nail Polish Remover Sponge: I purchased this with the hopes that because it isn't 100% acetone that it would be gentle on my nails. Truly, I forgot how quickly the sponge inside gets to feeling absolutely disgusting and just goopy. Sticking my fingers in there to take the nail polish off felt gross and I felt like I had to leave them in there soaking to get it off too. I will not be picking it up again. 

 

21. IVON Cuticle Trimmer: I feel like these do a good job of removing excess dead tissue along the sides of my nails and around the cuticle area. That said, they can be sharp so it's important to be gentle and careful with them not to take off too much skin. 

 

22. Colovis Eyebrow Razor: I got these for dermaplaning as I prefer using smaller, more precise razors for it versus those larger blades designed for the face. I think these do a fairly decent job of getting rid of hair in small, detailed problem areas like under the chin or on the chin itself or on the upper lip. 

23. Laura Mercier Powder Puff:  I had such high expectations for this puff given that it's from a luxury brand and, I'm not sure if it's just because I had it for such a long time, but I really wasn't a fan of the puff. I felt as though it was sort of dry to the touch and it took it a while before it got soft and flexible - something close to about a month. Even so, the puff has developed a lump on the inside of it. It's also decent for just powdering all over the face but if you're looking to do precision work with it like under the eyes or around the nose, it was a bit too large and cumbersome for that. Overall, unfortunately, I wasn't a fan of it. 

 

24. deal worthy Fresh Scent Body Lotion: I have been enjoying this lotion for post shaving my legs lately. It comes in a large bottle, is fairly inexpensive, smells nice, and leaves my skin feeling silky smooth and hydrated. It works alright for the soles of my feet too, but I do wish it was just a tiny bit thicker or that the brand would release a body butter. Other than that, the bottle lasts me a long time, so I really enjoy that aspect of it as well. 

Disclaimer: I purchased all of the products mentioned above with the exception of the Youth to the People moisturizer which was gifted to me for testing and the Marc Jacobs lipstick that was a gift with purchase. All opinions are my own. 

April 2026 Arrivals

Ok folks! I'm back to replenishing on things that I'm running out of and buying mostly just necessities.

1. Milani StayPut Eyeshadow Primer Longwear Eyeshadow Base in Universal: I've run out of my eyeshadow primer and since it's a product I swear by and have heard good things about this one, I decided to give it a try.

2. Organic Kitchen Pistachio Mafia Polishing Face Scrub: I'm running low on my current jar of this so I decided to go ahead and replenish on it.

3. Green Pharmacy Rose Water and Almond Oil Facial Toner: Since my current toner is also running low, I decided to pick this one up because it's inexpensive, smells nice, keeps my skin soft, and honestly I like it well enough to keep repurchasing it. 

4. timeless Skin Care Squalane Oil 100% Pure: Since unfortunately my bottle of The Ordinary 100% Plant-Derived Squalane fell and most of it spilled out, thus causing me some heartbreak, I decided to try out a new squalane oil. Frankly, since The Ordinary keeps going up in price and it was less pricey for me to purchase a 2 oz. bottle of this oil instead, I decided to get it and see how I'd like it.

5. Missha M B.B. Boomer Primer: The name of this product doesn't really say much regarding what this is but in short, it's a glowy primer. I really like glow boosting primers because they make my skin look healthy and luminous so I figured I'd give this one a try. 

6. Missha Perfect Cover B.B. Cream: I'm running low on both my tubes of bb cream and like to wear it when I'm not doing a full face. It has been an absolute age since I last used Missha and it seems like they've released a lighter shade so I decided I'd try it again.

7. L'Oreal Paris true match Super Blendable Foundation in C 0.5 Cool Light: I am running low on my current foundation and wanted to replenish. I decided to give this a try because there are more shades in it than the L'Oreal True Match Lumi Healthy Luminous Makeup and have been really liking it so far. 

Disclaimer: I purchased all the items listed above myself. All opinions are my own. 

Oil Review: timeless Skin Care Squalane Oil

timeless Skin Care Squalane Oil

Availability: This is available at timelessha.com, sentisenti.com, target.com and macys.com (and perhaps in some physical store locations as well), yesstyle.com, and amazon.com. It retails at $11.95 for 1 fl. oz, $16.95 for 2 fl. oz, and $44.95 for 8 fl. oz. at standard pricing; that said, the 8 oz. size is available for $32.88 on yesstyle.com as of when this blog is originally published, so if you are wanting the large bottle; that's the best deal. 

Would I buy this again? Yes!

What is this product? What is it supposed to do?

According to timelessha.com:

PARABEN FREE | SULFATE FREE | NO FRAGRANCE | DYE FREE | CRUELTY FREE | VEGAN
The Protector - As a dry oil, Squalane Oil maintains skin’s healthy glow without leaving an oily sheen. This light-weight oil seals in moisture and is also anti-bacterial, making it ideal for acne-prone skin and protecting skin against pollutants. It is also perfect for priming the skin before makeup for a smoother application, helping to set everything in place, so it stays on all day!
Recommended for: All skin types including oily prone skin type
Targets: Dryness, Blemish-prone skin
Helps minimize moisture loss
Regulates oil production in the skin
Instantly relieves skin that feels tight & dry
Great body moisturizer
Excellent for dry, cold, or extreme climates
Helps heal chapped lips
Squalane naturally occurs in human sebum and helps in the protection and lubrication of the skin. Our Squalane is sourced naturally from olives and helps improve skin elasticity and radiance.

Does this contain any special/beneficial ingredients?

Squalane: Squalane has anti-inflammatory properties, is lightweight, and helps smooth the texture of skin. 

What is the texture like?

This has a bit of an oily feel to it when first applied, but it absorbs readily and quickly into the skin. I find that it feels lighter in comparison to The Ordinary 100% Plant-Derived Squalane.

Is this scented?

This has no discernable scent to it.

What has my experience with the product been like?

I'm sure many of you readers know, if you've read my blog for any length of time, of my deep love for squalane oil. While I am a bit of a loyalist to The Ordinary 100% Plant-Derived Squalane, I decided to try something else after the second time that a bottle of The Ordinary tipped over and spilled much of the oil out, making me sad. Is one better than the other? Frankly, no. For anyone that needs a recap, I personally love squalane because, when I use it regularly, my skin is far less red and I constantly suffer with skin-irratation related redness because, due to my PCOS, I shave my face. Additionally, squalane oil makes my skin feel silky smooth unlike anything else. So due to both the buttery skin texture and the reduction in both irratation and redness, I love my squalane. I'm convinced it's keeping my skin bouncy and healthy. Additionally, since the large 8 oz. bottle of this particular oil is more economic to purchase overall, I'll probably purchase that going forward. I wanted to try a smaller bottle first just to make sure I liked it. But since I end up typically purchasing 2-3 bottles throughout the year, it makes sense to just buy the large bottle. I mean, in addition to just using it on the face, it's great for areas of eczema or otherwise dry skin on the body because it absorbs quickly and is anti-inflammatory so it won't leave you feeling greasy; I used it often on my tattoo when it was in the healing stage back in 2019 (I mean not this one, but squalane oil was used), it works great as a cuticle oil again because it's lightweight, it can also be used on the hair to enhance shine and to reduce any inflammatory issues on the scalp so there's plenty of uses for it. You can also add a few drop to foundation to give it a glowy finish or to thin the foundation out if it is thick. I'm glad I came across this brand as another option. 

 

Please let me know if you have any comments or questions.

Disclaimer: I paid for this myself.

March 2026 Arrivals

Ok folksickles! I'm back to replenishing on things that I'm running out of and buying mostly just necessities.

1. Dr. Sante Nature & Innovations Hydro Intensive Hyaluron + Aloe SOS Hydrating Mask: Since I ran out of my other masks I decided to pick this one up to try. 

2. The Ordinary 100% Plant-Derived Squalane: I am running low on my current bottle and needed to restock because I don't like being without my squalane. 

3. Paula's Choice SPF 50 Broad Spectrum 5% Vitamin C Sheer Moisturizer: I decided to give this moisturizer a try because I haven't had anything from Paula's Choice before and have heard of the brand for years. I've been quite curious. Additionally, my skin tends to react well to Vitamin C and I hadn't used a Vitamin C product in ages, so it'll be fun to try this out. 

4. Kerastase decalcifying system,  reparative shampoo: So exactly a year ago, I got a sample of the Kerastase Chronologiste Youth Revitalizing Hair Mask and fell entirely in love with it so when I saw another opportunity to try a Kerastase product I jumped on it. The heart aching thing about falling in love with that mask is knowing that at such a high price point that I would never be able to get my hands on it. 

5. L'Oreal Elvive Total Repair 5 Damage Erasing Balm: On the topic of the Kerastase mask, my hairdresser friend told me that this was technically a dupe or similar to it.  So, since this is at a far more approachable price point, I decided to give it a try. If anything, I'm out $10 and not $60-70.

6. Jiocolor Wispy Lashes x7: I was on my last pair of lashes and decided to give the large multipacks online a chance. These are a pretty wispy shape, I like the alternating short and long bits. 

7. Veleasha Sunny T-4 Lashes x7: I think I mentioned in the past that I like spiky lashes on myself and these are so pretty in the packaging! I'm excited to try them out. 

8. Kose softymo Deep Cleansing Oil: This is my holy grail makeup removing oil so I had to go ahead and replenish on it since I am near running out of my current bottle.

9. Being frenshe Hair Wellness Detox Scalp Scrub: I am currently running out of my scalp scrub and decided to give this one a try. I feel like unlike dandruff shampoo, that using scalp scrubs once weekly really and truly keeps my scalp flake-free the vast majority of the time so I like having one around.

10. wet n wild Loose Setting Powder in Soft Pink: As you all know, I love the translucent version of this powder. I decided to give the pink version a try since sometimes my foundation can oxidize a tiny bit orange so I'm hoping this might soften out that issue. Perhaps it'll also offer some under-eye brightening as well. 

Disclaimer: I purchased all the items listed above myself with the exception of the Paula's Choice and Kerastase samples. All opinions are my own. 

March 2026 Empties

All my monthly trash on display for you to see. :P

1. equate Tahitian Vanilla Shea Sugar Scrub:  I love how gritty this scrub is. It has a yummy, vanilla cookie scent combined with the kind of yeasty scent that freshly baked bread has. This leaves my skin feeling very soft and smooth, and is great for shave prep. 

2. Organic Kitchen Reboot Revitalizing Face Mask: This mask left my skin feeling soft and hydrated after using it. This is a fantastic mask for those days when the winter weather left my skin feeling a bit dry, raw, and needing an extra boost of moisture. 

3. IVON Cuticle Trimmer: I feel like these do a good job of removing excess dead tissue along the sides of my nails and around the cuticle area. That said, they can be sharp so it's important to be gentle and careful with them not to take off too much skin. 

4. Shiseido Prepare Dermaplaning Razor: I like to use these once weekly to really get any strays on my face due to my PCOS.  It's about time to replace this razor, as it's getting a bit dull. 

5. LUSH Rose Jam Body Spray: I have to say that, unfortunately, this is one of those scents that the longer I had it, the more I grew sick of it. While generally, it does have a yummy sweet rose scent to it, it also has a very powdery note that seemed to get more intense the longer I had the perfume and I didn't really enjoy that aspect of it. I'm glad to have finished it up. 

6. Organic Kitchen Silent Hour Revitalizing Face Mask: I really enjoyed the berry yogurt scent of this mask and how soft and smooth it made my skin feel after using it.

7. CALA 3D Faux Mink 35151 Multi-Dimensional Lashes x2: These are a pretty fluffy-looking lash that I feel help to open up my eyes and make them look larger. That said, I find that they have the tendency to want to pop up at the inner and outer corners.  

8.  Kose softymo Deep Cleansing Oil: While I'm sad to have run out of this as it's my favorite makeup removing oil, I do have to say I appreciate that a bottle of this lasts me nearly an entire year. It does a fantastic job of removing the majority of my facial makeup and I use it with my Makeup Eraser or similar cloths and remove the rest. 

9. Suave Skin Solutions Nourishing Lotion in Cocoa Shea: This lotion has a really nice cocoa butter scent to it, it helps hydrate the legs after shaving, absorbs quickly, and is lightweight. However, other than my legs, the soles of my feet need hydration as well and this just isn't as hydrating on the soles as I wish it were. I feel like they just suck up all that moisture quickly and become dry again. 

10.  The following eyeshadows all developed an off scent so I am discarding them:

Colourpop Super Shock Shadow in Nillionaire

Colourpop Super Shock Shadow in IRL

Colourpop Super Shock Shadow in Banana Daiquiri

11. Arencia Cloud Body & Scalp Scrub in Black Tea & Yuzu: I purchased this scrub specifically for use on my scalp and it worked fairly nicely for what it was. It has a very luxurious scent to it which smells expensive. I just wish that it was a bit more abrasive. I feel like the scrub particles would dissolve quickly and it would lather up a lot which was nice in the sense that it doubled as a shampoo. I will say that it kept my dandruff and scalp flakiness away so it did do the job. 

12. Green Pharmacy Mask in Pomegranate and Argan Oil for Dry, Damaged Hair: I find that this mask was hydrating but it's also very lightweight. I would say that if someone is looking for hair that feels silky and hydrated that this works alright, but doesn't provide the kind of nourishment I'm after in a mask. 

13. berkley jensen Scented baby wipes in Green Tea & Cucumber x2: As I always say, I love these wipes because you get a lot in the package, they smell nice, and they work great for wiping down surfaces, cleaning my makeup, as well as cleaning makeup or skincare swatches off my hands or arms. They're quite versatile to have on hand. 

14. equate Almond & Shea Shea Sugar Scrub:  I love how gritty this scrub is. It has a yummy, sweet kind of almost almond cookie scent to it, it's not cloyingly sweet though. This leaves my skin feeling very soft and smooth, and is great for shave prep. 

15. bodycology strawberry cheesecake body cream:  My wifey got me this for Christmas and it smells very sweet in almost a buttercream with a hint of berry type of scent. If 'm 100% honest it's a little TOO sweet for me. But, that said, I did like how hydrating this was on both my legs and feet. It has a nice texture, so I'd be curious to try out other scents from this line. 

16. The Ordinary 100% Plant-Derived Squalane: As you might know, this has been something of a holy grail product for me so I'm always sad when I run out. This oil reduces redness in my skin, it makes my skin soft and smooth, and it also gives me a nice glow. I absolutely adore it.

17. Paula's Choice SPF 50 5% Vitamin C Sheer Moisturizer: I was so looking forward to trying this moisturizer because I haven't had anything from Paula's Choice before and wanted to try it out. However, I am sad to report that I am woefully disappointed with this. I was hoping that because it has Vitamin C, that it would smell a bit citrusy but it is entirely unscented, which isn't necessarily a bad thing. However, it's also very runny and liquidy, which I find makes a big mess. It also has that kind of tacky tell-tale sunscreen feeling despite being thin and I don't like that about it.

18. Kerastase Decalcifying system, reparative shampoo: As you can imagine, I cannot comment on if this decalcified my hair. I'm unsure if we have hard water here - my hair generally feels ok, so perhaps not. That said, I found this shampoo to be deeply cleansing yet simultaneously deeply nourishing. It's a combination of things I highly appreciate. My hair is very soft, shiny, and easy to manage. That said, as the line is very pricey, I likely won't be going out to purchase this shampoo without some sort of magical windfall coming my way. 

19. Trader Joe's Oatmeal & Honey Soap Pure Vegetable Soap: I love these soaps because they cleanse well without triggering my eczema. They leave my skin feeling soft and smooth. I find that this soap also helps my skin recover when I'm going through an eczema flare up. 

20. equate Coconut Hibiscus Shea Sugar Scrub:  I love how gritty this scrub is. It has a yummy, sweet tart scent to it, it's not obviously coconutty but does have a slight hint of hibiscus.  I really like the way it smells! This leaves my skin feeling very soft and smooth, and is great for shave prep. 

Disclaimer: I purchased all of the products mentioned above with the exception of the bodycology body cream which was a Christmas gift and the Paula's Choice and Kerastase items which came as samples with purchase.

Best of 2025 Favorites

Hey folksickles. I feel like this list will be shorter than years past as I stuck to mainly the same products and things in 2025 especially, so there's that. But alas here are the products and things I very much enjoyed and would repurchase. I will say that I don't have photos of the products here because I've used up many of them and thrown them away but... there's always Google and in the instance that I've reviewed a product, the product name will be clickable and you can take a gander at the review.

1. ORLY Nail Polish in Beautifully Bizarre: I have been really loving this nail polish. I would describe this as ORLY Kiss The Bride Nail Lacquer's (a favorite of mine, as you might know) younger sister because it still has that pastel pink vibe but the teal pearl shift to it and slight tinge of lavender give it a bit of a kick while the color is still super wearable and, in my opinion, appropriate for any occasion because it's not particularly loud in any way. 

2.  Colourpop Shadow Stix in Rising Sun: I've been using this as a base for yellow eyeshadow and it's just so beautiful! I love the way the pink tones in it peak out from underneath the eyeshadow and give it this kind of lit-from-within dimension and depth. It's so pretty!

3. L'Oreal Paris Voluminous Panorama Mascara: It's been so long since I've loved a mascara so much that I would outright say if I couldn't wear falsies any more for whatever reason that I'd be ok just wearing that mascara alone. I'm looking for a noticeable difference in length, volume, and definition - a mascara that fans out my lashes nicely and won't clump them together. I have finally found a favorite and have to rave about it! I just absolutely adore this mascara almost to the point where I don't want to try anything else because I fear I'll be disappointed. 

4. Lorac Mega Pro 3 Palette: I feel like I am such a sucker for a good warm-toned neutral palette and this is no exception! I was genuinely sad when it was time to move on to the next palette. These shadows are beautifully pigmented, buttery smooth, blend easily, and generally play nice with one another. Truly a pleasure to use!

5. Hourglass Blush in Sublime Flush: This blush  such a lovely, brightening pink that I think would look good any time of year but it's really giving me spring vibes.

Obviously the following two are holy grails for me because I use and rebuy them all the time!

6. The Ordinary 100% Plant-Derived Squalane: Squalane is the only product that significantly diminishes both redness and texture on my face where, due to PCOS shaving, my skin was once left angry and inflamed but now it's even toned, even textured, soft and smooth. It generally makes my skin look and feel great.

7. COSRX Advanced Snail 96 Mucin Power Essence: Another holy grail product for me because it brought back my skin from being dry and tight to being soft, smooth, and supple. Very few products give me as nice of a hydration and softness as this does.

And now, some shows I really loved. I feel like I watched so much trash anime in the past few years so it's nice to have so many things to talk about for a change!:

16. Demon Slayer: I started watching Demon Slayer in March and felt like I've been sleeping on it this whole time! Its themes of recovery after loss, found family, and the friendships one makes along the way are all so resonant. I really did start, in a way, to feel like these characters are my friends and now that I'm there, I'm not ready for it to come to an end! Granted, there's another three years before that happens. 

17. Dan Da Dan: Now, takes on this anime are fairly controversial, but generally I enjoyed it. One of the main factors in that being that despite Ken and Momo's obviously growing affections and awkwardness with one another, they have moments of connection that feel real and not overly contrived or distant, which I appreciate. Granted, the cliffhangers with which each season ends has me so annoyed because we have to wait quite a while to see what happens next.

18. The Wild Robot: I didn't talk about most of the movies I watched last year on here because what I discovered about myself last year was that I'm not much of a movie person. I find that often the run time doesn't give adequate time to develop a relationship with the characters where I truly am invested in them and what's happening to them. But that wasn't the case here. This movie is overall so sweet and heartwarming and once again, the theme of found family here made it quite beautiful to me.

19. Blue Eye Samurai: Watching an animated film set in Japan wherein no one spoke Japanese was a bit odd to me at first, as someone who is clearly an anime viewer. However, the storyline of this was captivating to me and the theme of found family shows up again. Although granted, this is a rated R animation with full frontal nudity that doesn't discriminate based on gender, so you've been warned.

20. Toilet Bound Hanako-Kun: After waiting for 5 years we finally got a season 2, which I thought was great because we learn more backstory regarding Yugi and Tsukasa. However, we are left with a cliffhanger and no news of when a new season is coming out which... is frustrating because are we looking at... another 5 years?!?

21. Helluva Boss: This is another rated R animation that is not going to be for everyone. Granted, its way of perversion is mostly talking about kinks and not actually showing that. Regardless, we get a lot of development in Stolas and Blitz's relationship in the newer season - I personally love the emotional payoff and psychological exploration that we get of these characters. Not just Stolas and Blitz, but essentially the majority of the main cast in the seasons. Again, clearly, I'm a sucker for found family as a trope because here it is again! 

22. The Apothecary Diaries: This was a really fun historical fiction, mystery anime that, while it does have romance in it does a great job of not selling itself as a romance. So the will they, won't they dynamic of our couple here doesn't bother me. Especially because the backgrounds and personalities of these characters sort of set them up for a slow burn anyway. I'm really looking forward to more seasons!

23. Golden Kamuy: This anime is one I've been meaning to come back to for ages and finally did and... while mostly fun, what a wild ride it is! One of my favorite things is how this anime just flips fanservice on its head and serves it up in the style of mostly muscular men being naked in... well largely it's in onsens or in a banya but it is one that plays up the ridiculousness. That said, despite it's R rating, there is no full frontal nudity and everything is covered in shadow. Other than that, we have... wait for it... found family yet again! The discussion about Japan's indigenous people - the Ainu, and the connection between Japan and Russia is interesting, especially because I was never taught that part of history in school. I mean in short it's a historical fiction that's full of dick jokes so it won't be for everyone but if you have a somewhat immature sense of humor and like historical fiction I think it's a great one to check out. We also do have psychological exploration of characters when it comes to people like Tsurumi and also all the tattooed prisoners, but I won't spoil.

24. Bridgerton: Last but not least, I have watched the first two seasons and the Queen Charlotte special in the past but did a rewatch because it had been some time. I will say, Season 3 wasn't my favorite and I feel like, while I did sort of root for Penelope, I feel like her losing weight this season sort of made it feel less like a victory for the "fat" girls and, frankly, that wasn't really touched on. Her age is, which strikes me as odd because Penelope isn't really too old to still be out on the marriage market so I don't know. I also just, the yearning wasn't there the same way it was for Simon and Daphne or Anthony and Kate so it just didn't hit me the same way. Francesca also rubbed me the wrong way, and I say this as someone who can be shy and introverted and socially awkward. I just found her sort of rude and sort of a departure from how she was portrayed in the earlier seasons and I don't mean because a different actress is playing her now. It feels like she went through a personality change. Eloise remains my favorite character and I so cannot wait for her season. Granted, we do have our silly goofy boy Benedict up next so I'm curious to see how that plays out because I mean... he is silly goofy but he's also been messy these past couple of seasons so I'm curious what a Benedict truly smitten by love will be like.

Lastly music, I did listen to some things here and there that were alright but these two hit the hardest:

23. Mon Rovia: If you like folksy indie music that has a message and heart behind it I HIGHLY recommend checking his music out.

24. Oh Wonder: I have loved Oh Wonder for years and years so listening to their entire discography felt like a treat. Their music is so upbeat and uplifting. But another thing that made me feel really endeared to their music is that I was catsitting for a friend while I was going through their discography and she would come to me for cuddles when I was singing  their songs and it was the absolute cutest thing.

Please let me know if you have any comments or questions.

Disclaimer: I paid for all the items mentioned above.

December 2025 Arrivals

Ok folksickles! I'm back to replenishing on things that I'm running out of and buying mostly just necessities.

1. Dr. Sante Pre Age Ceramide + Prebiotic Moisturizing Mask: Since I'm running a bit low on one of my masks and we're already in December where it's only going to get colder and thus my skin is likely to get drier I went ahead and purchased this mask in hopes it'll keep my skin hydrated and happy. 

2. Organic Kitchen Pistachio Mafia Polishing Face Scrub: I am entirely out of my facial scrub and needed to pick up another. Since I've liked the masks from this brand I went ahead and got this facial scrub to try out.

3. L'Oreal true match Radiant Serum Concealer in  W1: I'm running low on my current concealer and decided since I always get the same one I might as well give something new to me a try. I've liked the true match formula in the past in terms of the lumi foundation so we shall see.

4. wet n wild Loose Setting Powder: I'm running low on my current powder so I felt that I should go ahead and replenish before I ran out. This is a really nice, smoothing, slightly blurring powder that feels like skin and doesn't make my skin look or feel dry so I just went ahead and repurchased it. 

5. The Ordinary 100% Plant-Derived Squalane: I was running low on my squalane oil and since it's a holy grail for my skin I went ahead and replenished.

Sephora also sent me the following samples with my order (I say sent because these aren't what I asked for but alas... also do we remember when 3 samples were the standard? They've gotten cheap for no reason, I'm sure companies send them loads of samples and want customers to discover these products...)

Juliet Has a Gun Not A Perfume

Isle of Paradise Body Beautifully Balanced Body Butter 

6. Biore UV Aqua Rich Water Essence SPF 50+ PA++++: I was running low on my sunscreen and noticed they now have this packet that is nearly twice as big as the tube and only $5 more so I went ahead and picked it up.

7. Reinarebelde On Your Face Contour + Color Trio in Adorada: My friend got me this really cute face palette for Christmas. I love the vintage tattoo vibes that it has.

8. Sheet Masks: My sweet wifey got me a whole bunch of sheet masks (among other self-care goodies) for Christmas:

innisfree Jeju Root Energy Mask in Lotus Root

Dr. Jart+ Ceramidin Facial Barrier Mask

LuLuLun Precious Mask White Resilient, Glowing skin Aging Care

papa recipe Bombee Whitening Honey Mask Pack

patchology Soothe 5 Minute Flashmasque

innisfree My real Squeeze Mask EX in Aloe

LASplash Jelly Eye Pads x15

9. CoverGirl + Olay Simply Ageless 3-in-1 Foundation in 205 Ivory: I've been wanting to try out a new foundation for a while and decided to give this a try since I did have the cream version years ago and wanted to check out the liquid version. 

Disclaimer: I purchased all the items listed above myself with the exception of the samples and Christmas gifts I've been given. All opinions are my own.

December 2025 Empties

All my monthly trash on display for you to see. :P

1. Ardell Wispies in 113 Black x3: These lashes are pretty and provide some nice length. That said, I find that they're delicate and bend easily so if you cry with these on or take a nap or something, it will bend the lashes funny and impact their longevity. You have to be careful with them! Otherwise they're easy to work with, have thin bands that bend to the eye nicely and wear well.

2. Green Pharmacy Honey & Coffee Face Scrub: Honestly, I didn't love this scrub. It doesn't smell like honey or coffee, which was something I found disappointing. Additionally, it is too abrasive for my liking - it leaves my skin soft but it's more scratchy than I'd like it to be. 

3. equate Coconut Hibiscus Shea Sugar Scrub: I love how gritty this scrub is and how delicious it smells; it has a tart yet sweet, kind of fruity floral scent. This leaves my skin feeling very soft and smooth and is great for shave prep. 

4. Crabtree & Evelyn Peach body lotion: This lotion has a really delicious sweet peach scent to it. It left my skin feeling silky and hydrated.

5. Isle of Paradise Body Beautifully Balanced Body Butter: I personally found this body butter a bit too thick for my liking, it needs to be warmed up to properly spread and I don't love that aspect of it. I prefer something with a lighter, more whipped texture that melts into the skin. Outside of that, this does leave my skin fairly hydrated and silky. 

6. Milani Make It Last Original Natural Finish Setting Spray: I feel like every time I run out of this setting spray I'm sad because it generally lasts me quite a long time so it almost feels abrupt that it's gone even though obviously it's clear there's less in the bottle. I feel like it really helps keep my makeup in place and reduces any powdery appearance; it also helps metallic eyeshadow go on very vibrant and keeps it lasting on my eyelids until I'm ready to remove it at the end of the day.

7. wet n wild photofocus Loose Setting Powder: I just adore this powder so much. It gives my skin a smooth, slightly blurred appearance, doesn't particularly crease under the eyes, and doesn't grab onto or emphasize dry patches. It also leaves my skin feeling smooth and velvety. It's very lightweight and doesn't look powdery or dry at all. 

8.  The Ordinary 100% Plant-Derived Squalane: I'm always sad when I run out of my squalane because I love it so much. In fact this bottle is even sadder because I ran out faster than I normally would have on account of having spilled some of it while I was away last month. Alas, I have restocked.

9. e.l.f. Suntouchable Sunlight Whoa Glow Broad Spectrum SPF 30 Sunscreen: I liked this primer alright and I do feel like it gave my skin a nice glow. But that said, the sunscreen in this makes it feel heavy and since I use a sunscreen regularly anyway I just don't think I'll be purchasing this again.

10.  berkley jensen Scented baby wipes in Green tea & Cucumber: As mentioned previously, I like using these wipes to wipe down surfaces, especially my makeup collection and to remove swatches from my hands and arms when I take photos for the blog.

11. e.l.f. 16HR Hydrating Camo Concealer: This is a very full coverage concealer and, as such, a little goes a long way. I apply it with a concealer brush so I can get both the placement and control that I need. Due to its high coverage properties, this tube does last quite a while and I find that once you get the hang of how to work with it, that it blends into the skin quite easily. 

12.  Dr Teal's Pure Epsom Salt Soaking Solution in Pomegranate & Black Currant: These salts have a nice, subtle fruity scent. I really like using them when I do pedicures at home to soothe sore feet and to soften my feet as well. 

13.  ecotools powder brush: I've had this brush for ages now and it was one of my very first makeup brushes. The quality is fantastic and it's super soft. But that said, the handle of this broke off and I feel like it'll fall apart soon as I only have the ferule. So, as much as I love it, it's time to say goodbye.

14. Juliette Has A Gun Not A Perfume: I feel like I prefer this kind of perfume on other people and not on myself. It smells kind of musky and sweet in a way that I personally don't enjoy. I prefer either fruity florals or more fresh-smelling scents.  

15. equate Island Coconut Shea Sugar Scrub:  I love how gritty this scrub is and how delicious it smells; it has a clean smelling, slightly sweet coconut scent. This leaves my skin feeling very soft and smooth and is great for shave prep. 

16. dossier Floral Berries: I feel like the perfume, despite me knowing it was running low, came to an end quite abruptly. It's a nice fruity floral and this 50ml bottle lasted me for a little over a year. I'm not sure that I'd get it again, it smells nice but it isn't my favorite. I'd be down to try more dossier fragrances though but I wish there was somewhere I can smell them in person because going off notes alone is difficult - things can sound good in theory but not smell quite like I imagined they would.

17. ColourPop Super Shock Shadows:  Unfortunately the following shades developed an off smell so I am discarding them:
Erotic

Chirp

Fantasy

REM

18. innisfree Jeju Root Energy Mask in Lotus Root: It's been an absolute age since I last used a sheet mask and due to that I was so unused to the sensation of sitting there with something wet on my face for 20 minutes. In any case, this mask gave my dry winter skin a nice boost of hydration. My skin has a beautiful glow to it and feels smoother and more supple than before.

19. Dove Ultra Care Daily Moisture Conditioner for dry hair:  This conditioner smells really nice and gave my hair moisture without weighing it down. I will say that personally, I prefer something with a bit of a richer texture but this did the job.

Disclaimer: I purchased all of the products mentioned above with the exception of the perfume which came as a sample with purchase and the sheet mask which was a Christmas gift.

September 2025 Arrivals

Ok folksickles! I'm back to replenishing on things that I'm running out of and buying mostly just necessities.

1. e.l.f. Brow Comb & Brush: Unfortunately, even though I prefer these with metal teeth because these plastic ones inevitably always break, the metal one I had broke off from the ferule and I feared that it would poke my eye out at some point so I decided to pick this brush up since it is fairly inexpensive. 

2. Chique Pro Highlight Brush: My highlight brush also fell apart a while back and I've been experimenting with existing brushes in my own collection but haven't found anything I loved for highlight application. So given that this brush was also fairly inexpensive I decided to pick it up and give it a try. 

3. one+other Pro-Strength Nail Polish Remover Dip 100% Acetone: The version of this I currently had has become all gross to the point it was no longer working well so I've gone ahead and replaced it. 

4. L'Oreal True Match Lumi Glotion in 901 Fair Glow: I really enjoy a glowing primer and I've found I like ones that are translucent without much of a base tone. I find this is a great option because it has a pretty pinkish glow and looks nice under foundation. 

5. Organic Kitchen Reboot Mask & Silent Hour Mask: I'm running low on my masks and given that these were fairly inexpensive I decided to give them a try. 

6. L'Oreal Telescopic Intense Lash Length Original Mascara in Black: Ok so disclaimer, I purchased this mascara not realizing I had already had it in the past and didn't love it. It's just that I really dislike how smudgy my current mascara is so I was so excited to buy a replacement that I managed to forget.

7. Le Mieux Iso-Rose Hydrating Mist: One of my friends got me this for my birthday because she knows I like rose scents and said that she herself really likes this spray. I'm a bit surprised because she's notorious for disliking rose-scented things but I have tried this mist out once and like it so far.

8. Sephora Mini Haul: I was running low on my squalane oil and while I was replenishing I decided to pick up some samples as well. 

The Ordinary 100% Plant-Derived Squalane

Ole Henriksen Banana Bright+ Instant Glow Moisturizer (sample)

Shiseido Ultimune Power Infusing Concentrate (sample)

9. Biore UV Aqua Rich Water Essence SPF 50+ PA++++: I was near running out of this entirely so I had to go out and replenish on it.

10. The Creme Shop Flexible Fit 3D Faux Mink Lashes in Bossy x3:I had run out of lashes and realized I like spikier lashes; I feel that they look nicer on me - I remember I had these before and I liked the way they looked so I was willing to give them another chance. 

11. Ardell Wispies in 113 x5: I have very vague memories of having these in the past and liking them so I decided to give them another chance. They appear larger than the demi wispies I've bought before so I decided to give them a try. I've begun to feel like, lately, while I used to like wispy lashes, I feel like they don't give my eyes adequate oomph and I want something that feels both natural yet has some drama to it and I'm hoping these fit the bill. 

12. DUO Brush-On Adhesive with Vitamins: Given that I had a bunch of coupons at CVS including $3 off DUO I decided it was a good a time as any to go ahead and replenish on my lash glue. 

Disclaimer: I purchased all the items listed above myself with the exception of the Le Mieux item and the Sephora samples. All opinions are my own.

August 2025 Arrivals

Ok folksickles! I'm back to replenishing on things that I'm running out of and buying mostly just necessities.

1. wet n wild photo focus Dewy Foundation in Rose Ivory: I'm running low on my current bottle and decided to just restock on a tried and true. I find this foundation makes my skin look nice, provides buildable coverage, and stays put on my skin all day even in hot and humid weather. 

2. Kose softymo Deep Cleansing Oil: I'm running low on my bottle and since I love this for taking my makeup off with, I went ahead and got another bottle.

3. Green Pharmacy Damask Rose Revitalization Washing Face Emulsion: It seems as though my local pharmacy expanded the range they carry from this brand and since I'm running low on face wash and like the toner from this line, I decided to get this and try it out. 

4. Green Pharmacy Cactus Squalane Ultramoisturizing Face Serum: So, we all know I absolutely stan the COSRX Snail 96 Mucin Power Essence for a face serum that keeps my skin plump and hydrated. That said, this looked promising so I decided I'd give it a try and see how I like it. 

5. Green Pharmacy Pomegranate & Argan Oil Mask for Dry, Damaged Hair: Alright so honestly, my hair is currently not dry or damaged but I do like to use a hair mask weekly and the scent of this one seemed more promising than the chamomile one they had. I'm running low on my current hair mask so I decided I'd give this a try.

6. Lebelage Snail Cleansing Foam: Unfortunately the rose cleanser I mentioned above didn't work out for me so I decided to go ahead and pick this up in hopes it would be more agreeable with my skin. 

Disclaimer: I purchased all the items listed above myself. All opinions are my own.