Month in Reflection: Five Lessons Learned in January 2026

January is over and we're on to a new month of beauty subscriptions, but I thought it was a good idea to go back and look at the discoveries and standouts of last month. After all, learning how to be the architect of my own beauty is my goal for the year. It's worth assessing what I actually learned in the last 31 days and what aspects of the boxes helped me.

LESSON ONE: YOU HAVE TO LET SCENTS SETTLE
When I smelled Mitchell & Peach English Leaf Body Soufflé Cream, I was not a fan. I thought it was too pungent, specifically basil. I did not like it at all and thought about giving it away to someone. But after a bit of having it on my skin, I found that I really loved it. I enjoyed the clean, natural notes of it and how they worked with my chemistry. Now it is a go-to product that I use as often as I can get away with it. Conclusion? Let scents sit on you for a while before you pass judgment.

LESSON TWO: OH WOW. MY LASHES CAN LOOK LONG!

When it comes to my eyelashes, I've always felt pretty hopeless. They're short, fine, and sparse. Whenever I would apply mascara, it would always smudge, run, and make my eyes watery. That was before I received my Kulfi Beauty Badi LashSmudge Proof Volumizing Tubing Mascara in Black. Tubing mascara coats your lashes and stays put until you're ready to remove it. It also forms, well, little tubes around the lashes and helps to make them look thicker and longer. For once, for once, this actually worked for me. I usually have to apply at least three coats, but once I have, my lashes look amazing. Conclusion? I actually have hope about finding other products/techniques to deal with my various issues.

LESSON THREE: HAIR MIST IS A MUST-HAVE FOR ME
Scent can do so many things for us. It can summon memories, it can boost our confidence, and it can also instantly improve our mood. This last one is what EVEREDEN'S Hair and Body Fragrance Mist in Darling does for me on a daily basis. Whenever I'm stressed or sad, spraying just a little bit on my hair actually helps to ground and center me. It gives me a bit of joy that is needed and well-deserved. Will I go through this bottle quickly? Probably so, but after it's finished, I'm going to buy another hair mist. Conclusion? Little moments of joy can make all the difference.

LESSON FOUR: LIFE IS BETTER WHEN YOUR SKIN FEELS AMAZING

Last month, I put some amazing things on my skin, though nothing quite as wonderful as the ELEMIS Peptide4Plumping PillowFacial. I know I've blogged about this before, but wow, this was good. The thing I've figured out is that my skin can affect so much about what's going on with my day. If it's irritated, I'm irritated. If it feels rough, I'm not happy. If it's being sensitive, I'm not able to focus as well as I should. Listening to my skin and giving it what it needs has really helped improve things for me. Conclusion? Sometimes the issue is that you need to be moisturized.

LESSON FIVE: SERUMS ARE A VITAL PART OF A SKINCARE ROUTINE

Serum. It doesn't sound appealing. It sounds like something unpleasant on your skin. Oh how wrong I was about that. This probably started with my exploration of body and hair oil, but it's certainly moved on to the wonders of what face oils and face serums can do. I think 8 Faces Brilliance Serum was able to disarm my
apprehension with its beautiful packaging. When I saw that bottle, I WANTED to try it. I needed to try it. Once I did, I realized what an important step this was in taking care of my skin. I've discovered how skincare can be a luxurious process full of beautiful sensory moments. A good serum can really add to that.

As I transition into my elderly years, I want things to be as good for me as possible. I want my days to have intention. I want my time to be used in ways that truly improve my life. This year-long journey of discovery is supposed to help me with that. I think, overall, January was successful in that regard.  

Ipsy Feb 2026 Original Bag Reveals: My Thoughts

Yesterday was also reveal day for Ipsy Original. This is how my bag is going to look. These are the things picked for me. Thought I would do an assessment of each. This is my criteria. 

DO I THINK I WILL USE THIS?
AM I EXCITED FOR THIS?
WOULD I HAVE PICKED THIS?
DO I FEEL CHEATED?

BEAUTY CREATIONS COSMETICS Plump & Pout Lip Plumping Booster Gloss in Pink Lemonade
Okay. We're starting out well. I always enjoy lip products and I needed a new lip plumper. I'm wondering if the shade comes off as pink or if it's pink lemonade flavored.
DO I THINK I WILL USE THIS? Yeah I'll use it. I'll probably use it completely.
AM I EXCITED FOR THIS? I'm certainly not mad about it.
WOULD I HAVE PICKED THIS? No, probably not. But again, not upset.
DO I FEEL CHEATED? I do not.

ERBORIAN CC Red Correct

At first I was a little concerned about this because I have a problem with green color correctors (Quote my roommate: Why are you green?), however, this one starts out green but fades to beige so possibly this won't be a problem. It's also supposed to be calming on the skin and we all know how angry my skin tends to be.
DO I THINK I WILL USE THIS? It's going to depend on how well it actually beiges out.
AM I EXCITED FOR THIS? I'm curious about it, to be sure. If this works, it will be wonderful.
WOULD I HAVE PICKED THIS? Possibly so. Once I knew it was color-changing, I might have picked it to see how well that works for me.
DO I FEEL CHEATED? Nope.

PRADOS Start with the Slay Primer

Even though I'm getting another primer this month, I'm still okay with getting this mini because I'm still in the process of trying to find out what primers work best for me.
DO I THINK I WILL USE THIS? Yes. I plan to use all of this.
AM I EXCITED FOR THIS? I am. I'm still on the hunt for the perfect primer.
WOULD I HAVE PICKED THIS? I would have, yes.
DO I FEEL CHEATED? I certainly do not.

SEPHORA COLLECTION Size Up VolumizingMascara

. . .okay, Ipsy knew everyone was getting a mascara in their other box. Why would they put one (and a generic Sephora one) in the glam bag? That doesn't make a lot of sense to me.
DO I THINK I WILL USE THIS? I honestly don't. I'll probably find someone else to give this to.
AM I EXCITED FOR THIS? I'm not excited for a cheap mini mascara, no.
WOULD I HAVE PICKED THIS? Not at all.
DO I FEEL CHEATED? Yes, I actually do. This is the only one this month and the first time with Ipsy, but I'm really not happy about this at all.

This is the product I picked.

DO I THINK I WILL USE THIS?
AM I EXCITED FOR THIS?
WAS IT MY FIRST CHOICE?
DO I FEEL CHEATED?

ELEMIS Pro-Collagen Black Cherry CleansingBalm
I've written a lot about this already (and Elemis in general) but I still stand by the opinion that this was the best choice I could have made for myself this month.
DO I THINK I WILL USE THIS? I will use all of this.
AM I EXCITED FOR THIS? I am very excited about getting this.
WAS IT MY FIRST CHOICE? It was.
DO I FEEL CHEATED? No. I think this is a good-sized mini and it will not be wasted.  

Aside from the mascara, I'm pretty happy with the Original Bag for this month. The product of my choosing is one I really want to try out and if the CC color-correcting cream works for me that is such a bonus. Same with the primer. The lip product is just a mini so I'm sure I will use it completely and if it tastes like pink lemonade, all the better. I'll tell you more when I have the bag in my possession. 

Ipsy Feb 2026 Ultimate Choice Day Reveals: My Selections and Thoughts

It's choice day for Ipsy Ultimate! This is how my box is going to look.

These are the things picked for me. Thought I would do an assessment of each.


DO I THINK I WILL USE THIS?
AM I EXCITED FOR THIS?
WOULD I HAVE PICKED THIS?
DO I FEEL CHEATED?

KEVYN AUCOIN Indecent Mascara
I knew already I was getting this so I've already processed the fact that I'm getting another mascara. I love the name of it and as I said before, I'm willing to give this a try because it's supposed to curl the lashes.
DO I THINK I WILL USE THIS? I plan on it but we'll see how much I find that I like it.
AM I EXCITED FOR THIS? Marginally. I have one I love already.
WOULD I HAVE PICKED THIS? No because I have one already that I love and several more besides.
DO I FEEL CHEATED? No it's still a good product.

RODIAL Collagen Booster Drops

YAY!!!!! I love Rodial and I can't wait to get this product. My skin needs all the help it can get and this will be a great way to help make things better.
DO I THINK I WILL USE THIS? I will use this until I'm squeezing the last drops out of it.
AM I EXCITED FOR THIS? I am very excited for this. I'm elated in fact.
WOULD I HAVE PICKED THIS? Yes. I trust this brand and would have always picked this.
DO I FEEL CHEATED? Certainly not.

BISHA Essential Rice Water MakeupPrimer
While I wasn't happy with the Bisha products I got last time, that's probably more of a me problem than a them problem. It's just the way my eyes react to things. I'm looking forward to this and I really want to see what the rice water will do for me.
DO I THINK I WILL USE THIS? I do. I'm curious about it, certainly, and finding good primers is always needed.
AM I EXCITED FOR THIS? Yeah. Not elated like some of these, but still excited to get it.
WOULD I HAVE PICKED THIS? It would have depended on what the other choices were. Maybe?
DO I FEEL CHEATED? Not at all. This is a solid brand and a good size.

CHARLOTTE TILBURY Beauty WandDuo

YAY!!!!!!!!!!! I was worried these would be put in the choice groupings and they would get selected before I could get to them. But they came with my standard box so I'm really excited. Now I've not had the greatest luck with want-with-built-in-sponges in the past, but CT's are supposed to be very good. Hopefully, these will work for me.
DO I THINK I WILL USE THIS? I do, yes. The only issue may be the applicator. But overall, I do think I'll use these a lot.
AM I EXCITED FOR THIS? I'm so very stoked that I'm getting these! Two CT wands!!! In full size!!!! Yeah, you could say I'm excited.
WOULD I HAVE PICKED THIS? I would have picked this in a heartbeat. It was a very high choice for me.
DO I FEEL CHEATED? Absolutely not.

DR.JART+ Ceramidin™ Skin BarrierMoisturizing Eye Cream

I'm okay with this but I have an eye cream that I adore already. So right now it's not at the top of my list. I'll certainly use it when I run out of the eye cream that I adore.
DO I THINK I WILL USE THIS? I do. I have plans to use it.
AM I EXCITED FOR THIS? Excited? Nah. I'm not upset but I'm not just over the moon about it.
WOULD I HAVE PICKED THIS? No. I have an eye cream that I love already.
DO I FEEL CHEATED? No. It's still a very good product.


These are the products I picked.

DO I THINK I WILL USE THIS?
AM I EXCITED FOR THIS?
WAS IT MY FIRST CHOICE?
DO I FEEL CHEATED?


SAINT JANE BEAUTY RichRescue Phyto Mucin Cream
It was between this, a palette, and a eye concealer. I considered the eye concealer but I think I'm getting one from another box this month and the palette just wasn't to my taste. Plus, I've heard really good things about Saint Jane Beauty and I certainly support plant based products.
DO I THINK I WILL USE THIS? Oh yes. I will certainly use this.
AM I EXCITED FOR THIS? I am. I'm still trying to sort out the best creams for my face and I know this will get used up.
WAS IT MY FIRST CHOICE? It was. While I would have considered one of the others, I think in the end I would have always selected this.
DO I FEEL CHEATED? Not at all.

NARS COSMETICS Explicit Lipstick in 821 Liaison 
Okay there were three reasons for this choice. The first was the fact that I loved the color and thought it would look really good on me. The second was that I'm curious about how this feels on my lips because it's been nice to discover how glorious certain lipsticks can feel. Plus, I just really liked the idea of wearing Explicit lipstick with my Indecent mascara and my Pinkgasm blush.
DO I THINK I WILL USE THIS? I'm not sure. When it comes to lipsticks, you don't know until you know.
AM I EXCITED FOR THIS? I am. I love the color and do anticipate it will work on me.
WAS IT MY FIRST CHOICE? Yes. There really wasn't anything else in this list that appealed to me.
DO I FEEL CHEATED? I do not.

GROWNALCHEMIST Gentle Gel Facial Cleanser
It was, by far, the easiest choice for me. I'm always going to choose a cleanser over the other options because I know it will get used and I go through cleansers quickly. And, okay, also I just really loved the packaging. It's a bottle I'll probably keep and refill.
DO I THINK I WILL USE THIS? Oh yes. It was selected because I knew I would use it.
AM I EXCITED FOR THIS? I am. My nightly skin ritual is one of my favorite parts of the day and I know I will enjoy having this be part of it.
WAS IT MY FIRST CHOICE? Yes.
DO I FEEL CHEATED? Clearly I do not.

Overall, I'm very pleased with this box. I think I'll get a lot of use and wear out of everything. It feels like it's a good variety of products for me to try as well. When the box comes, of course, I'll tell you my reactions. Until then, it certainly gives me something to look forward to.

Small Changes

In 2025, I changed my glasses frames. The ones I had before were similar, but not quite as large and not quite as cateyed. For the most part, no one said anything about them. I mean, I wasn't craving compliments so that was fine, but still. However, when I got these new ones, suddenly I had a lot of people talking about them. Pretty much everyone I encountered talked about how they liked the new frames. It felt good to know I picked out something that worked so well with my features.

The problem being, well, the glasses are rather large. I didn't want them damaged but it was difficult to find something to keep them safe because of their size. While they fit in a conventional glasses case, it was a snug fit. 

My solution? Well, Ipsy gives out these bags every month and one of them was perfect for holding my glasses. It was sleek and black with a little fake jewel on it. The inner lining was bright pink and very soft. I felt like it was appropriately fancy for my fancy glasses. 

Remember when we were all about sparking joy? This little setup of mine certainly sparks joy in me. Sometimes the little changes make all the difference. 


 

Ipsy Extra Choice February 2026 Spoilers: My Thoughts

I'm not getting the Ipsy Extra box this month, but I thought I'd go over the choices for those who do.

GLO GIRL Love Bomb Eyeshadow Palette
This seems like a pretty decent product. It's supposed to be highly pigmented and long-wearing. The shades are beautiful. They're very warm and range from neutrals to very sultry colors that suit its Valentine's Day theme. If you love romance and enjoy dramatic looks, this might be a great choice for you. I have a lot of palettes right now so this wouldn't be my first choice, but I certainly wouldn't mind if it ended up in my box.

HAUS LABS ColorFuse Glassy Blush Balm Stick in Glassy Hibiscus
This is Lady Gaga's makeup line and people really love it. This is supposed to leave a great glow to the skin, as it is formulated to both hydrate and plump. It's also reported to calm the skin and help deal with redness. Even though it's called a blush, it's usable for lips as well. The shade is rich, rosy mauve that would work on most skin types. It should last up to 8 hours and is buildable. Again, a selection I would be happy receiving.

BRIOGEO HAIR CARESuperfoods Passionfruit + Açaí Hydrating Mask
This would have been a tempting choice for me. I love hair masks and this one is supposed to be especially good for thin, fine hair. This is because it claims to be very lightweight and non-greasy. Now the scent seems to be somewhat polarizing. Described as something like fruity bubble gum, people either love this or hate it. It's something to really keep in mind about a product like this as you'll have it for quite a while and if you hate the scent, that could be a problem.

MAKE UP FOR EVER HD Skin Smooth & Blur Undetectable Under Eye Concealer
I'm on the lookout for a good liquid concealer. I love my stick one, but liquids are better for the V method of foundation. This might be a selection I would give heavy consideration because it's supposed to defuse imperfections while not highlighting pores and creases like many concealers do. It's supposed to last a full 24 hours which would also make me seriously consider it.

ELEMIS Balancing LavenderToner
I love Elemis and I'm need of a good toner. It contains no alcohol or other harsh ingredients. It's supposed to refresh, soften, and purify the skin, all the while calming it. I know very well that Elemis products are quite good at calming the skin and as I've mentioned before, if there is one thing my skin needs, it's to be calm. The only thing that gives me pause here is the lavender scent. Lavender can be very overwhelming to me and the idea of swabbing it on my face every night doesn't exactly appeal.

I'm actually somewhat happy I'm not getting this box next month because I would probably put way too much time into figuring out which of these I would select. There is a lot of really good product here and that is a positive thing. There seems to be something for every need. I mean, even if you don't want anything else, you can always choose the Haus Labs product just for Lady Gaga vibes.

What will you choose?  

 

End of the Month Reviews: Ipsy Winter 2025 Icon

I received this box earlier this month but it is still technically an edit from last year, 2025. At the beginning of the month, it's always easy to get enchanted by all the pretty new things in the pretty boxes. Over time, this changes. As we're coming to the end of the month, I thought I would go back and see how well the products I received from the subscription boxes did. This is my criteria.

1. Did I use this?
2. Was it a good amount?

3. Did I enjoy it?
4. Did it live up to my expectations?
5. Would I repurchase?

Natasha Denona I Need a Nude lipstick 36NP Amorosa

1. Did I use this? Yes, although I find that I'm saving it for special occasions. I shouldn't do that. I should use it as often as I want because I deserve luscious lipsticks and I do own this.
2. Was it a good amount? It is a very standard bullet of lipstick, so yes.

3. Did I enjoy it? Ahhh, so much. I have never had a lipstick that felt better on my lips.
4. Did it live up to my expectations? Yes and my expectations were pretty high too.
5. Would I repurchase? I would. I have never had a lipstick that felt so velvety on my mouth.

8 Faces Brilliance Serum
1. Did I use this? I use this morning and night. It's really helped to soften my skin.
2. Was it a good amount? It has a decent amount of product and given that you only need drops of it at a time, it will last for quite a while.

3. Did I enjoy it? I love this serum. I love the way it feels on my skin. I love the scent of it. I love the beautiful bottle. It very much pleases me. In fact, the bottle is so beautiful I plan to display it when I'm finished with the serum.
4. Did it live up to my expectations? I really had no expectations for this before I started using it but as you can tell, I love it a lot.
5. Would I repurchase? I certainly would.

Rodial Glass Powder
1. Did I use this? I use this a lot. It's become my go to setting powder.
2. Was it a good amount? It's a standard amount of loose powder. I will say that the holes in the sifter insert are a bit too wide and allow more powder to escape at a time than I would like. I've wasted some of the product because I couldn't control the sifter well.

3. Did I enjoy it? I'm not the biggest fan of loose powder. I find pressed powders to be easier to control. Despite that, I'm using this as my regular powder because it's so good at blurring my skin.
4. Did it live up to my expectations? I have very high expectations for Rodial. It's a company that I hold to a lofty standard and aside from the sifter issue, it's certainly lived up to what I expected.
5. Would I repurchase? No but I would purchase the pressed version of this. I know I could control it better.

Natasha Denona Retro Palette 15 Eyeshadow Palette
1. Did I use this? Some? Not a lot. Nothing wrong with the palette itself but a majority of the shades just don't appeal to me.
2. Was it a good amount? Yes, this is a large palette and really, maybe that's part of the problem for me. I tend to like palettes with fewer than nine pans because I think they tell a better color story and make more sense in my head.

3. Did I enjoy it? I would say I enjoy it more in theory than I do in application. I'm just not using this very much. Maybe that will change over time, but I find this just isn't quite working with my coloring.
4. Did it live up to my expectations? The quality of the product is certainly there. It's beautiful and heavy and very well made.
5. Would I repurchase? Not at this size and not these shades. Maybe one of her more neutral warmer palettes.

Dr. Brandt Skincare Glycolic SkinRenewal Mask
1. Did I use this? My skin gets irritated so quickly with masks that I have to use them sparingly. I did decide this would be my go-to mask for when I used one though.
2. Was it a good amount? Yeah, it's a very decent amount of product. It's going to last quite a while.

3. Did I enjoy it? Yes. It dries down quickly and comes off easily. It leaves my skin so very soft and what else could you really want in a mask?
4. Did it live up to my expectations? It did. I feel like it does what is required.
5. Would I repurchase? I think so. It's certainly been easy on my skin, and that isn't something I can say about a lot of skin mask-type products.

Persona Cosmetics Volumizing Tubing Mascara
1. Did I use this? I used it once to see if I liked it better than my other one. I didn't. I haven't used it since.
2. Was it a good amount? Yeah this is actually a pretty large tube of mascara.

3. Did I enjoy it? I was unmoved one way or the other.
4. Did it live up to my expectations? It's okay. It's just not as good as my other one.
5. Would I repurchase? No. Not a bad product, but just not thrilling for me.

Lithe Beauty Soft Fill Lip Pencils
1. Did I use this? I used these more than I thought I would. Unlike a lot of lip pencils (that can be too dry and hard), these glide over the lips well and fill in your lips very smoothly. The soft aspect of them has been quite beneficial for me.
2. Was it a good amount? I think so. You don't need much of the product so it will last for quite a while.

3. Did I enjoy it? Again, I find that I enjoyed them quite a lot. They're really good about blending with other colors and blurring the edges of my lip line to help it look fuller, more even, and softer.
4. Did it live up to my expectations? It exceeded them by a long shot.
5. Would I repurchase? I would. This product has really upped my lip shaping technique.

Bisha Essential Eye Designer Duo Set in Downtown Black and Uptown Brown
1. Did I use this? I tried for quite a while to make these work for me but they just never did. Eventually, I gave up and went back to other things.
2. Was it a good amount? It's a standard size.

3. Did I enjoy it? I found them frustrating. That probably has more to do with the way I react to liquid liners than it does with any fault of the product. If liquid liners work for you, these are probably great.
4. Did it live up to my expectations? Given that I expected to not have any more luck with these than I ever have with this kind of pencil, I guess so.
5. Would I repurchase? No. Again, nothing against the product. It just doesn't work for me.  

End of the Month Reviews: Ipsy Original for January 2026

At the beginning of the month, it's always easy to get enchanted by all the pretty new things in the pretty boxes. Over time, this changes. As we're coming to the end of the month, I thought I would go back and see how well the products I received from the subscription boxes did. This is my criteria.

1. Did I use this?
2. Was it a good amount?

3. Did I enjoy it?
4. Did it live up to my expectations?
5. Would I repurchase?

ELEMIS Peptide4 Plumping PillowFacial

1. Did I use this? Oh certainly yes! I used this until I could no longer squeeze product out of it.
2. Was it a good amount? It was only a small sample, but there was a good amount of product in it.

3. Did I enjoy it? I enjoyed this so much. This was probably one of my favorite things I got all month.
4. Did it live up to my expectations? My expectations for Elemis are very high but this still lived up to them. I miss this already.
5. Would I repurchase? I would if I had the funds, yes. The way this calmed down my skin and relaxed me was so very nice.

LUNA MAGIC Strawberry Mojito lip pencil

1. Did I use this? This has been my go to lip pencil all month. A lot of the ones I have are too dark but this one is so complimentary to my coloring.
2. Was it a good amount? It was a full lip pencil so yes.

3. Did I enjoy it? I do enjoy it, yes. I think it works so well with my lips.
4. Did it live up to my expectations? It did, yes.
5. Would I repurchase? Oh certainly yes.

MOONSLICE BEAUTY Cream Blush in Cutie Pie

1. Did I use this? Yes. I used it a lot.
2. Was it a good amount? Even though it's not the biggest container, it's still a lot of blush and because it's a cream, it isn't flaking off like a powder one would.

3. Did I enjoy it? I did. I'm really enjoying more orange blushes.
4. Did it live up to my expectations? Yeah. I wasn't sure where I stood with cream blushes but I am certainly a fan of them now.
5. Would I repurchase? I would.

SUGARSILK Ethereal Eyes Palette

1. Did I use this? I did. I used it more than I thought I would.
2. Was it a good amount? It's not a very big palette but it'll still last me a long time.

3. Did I enjoy it? Yes. I actually use some of the shades for color correction and others just for lighter eye looks.
4. Did it live up to my expectations? Yeah. I actually found it to be far more useful than I anticipated.
5. Would I repurchase? I would.

byrosiejane's Remi Perfume

1. Did I use this? Yes. I used it sparingly because there isn't much of it.
2. Was it a good amount? No it was just a small sample.

3. Did I enjoy it? I did. It isn't my favorite perfume, but I did like it.
4. Did it live up to my expectations? Yeah. It was a very nice scent.
5. Would I repurchase? Probably not because while I enjoyed it, it isn't exactly my scent profile.

The Monthly Bag
1. Did I use this? Yes. I decided to make it my purse bag.
2. Was it a good size? Yes. It holds a lot.

3. Did I enjoy it? I do enjoy it because of the side zip and the blue accent on it. Oh and the little zipper coin. Yeah, I really do like this bag. However, I have noticed my bag was different than a lot of other people's for this month.
4. Did it live up to my expectations? Yes.
5. Would I repurchase? I normally just get black bags so no I probably wouldn't get a white one again, but that doesn't change the fact that I adore this.