A 2021 Skincare Retrospective

I’ve now been a full-fledged skincare fanatic for over two years (fun fact: Skincare Fanatics FB group started at the end of February 2020) and a skincare blogger for over one. I never expected the group to hit a thousand members, let alone 65k (it’s doubled in the past year). And I never expected to be so diligent about blogging — I posted every weekend of 2021, with the exception of the two weekends I was out of the country. I absolutely love working in software, but skincare has given the workaholic in me some much needed balance. As such, I wanted to share a bit: first, my stash coming into the 2022 calendar year, and second some of the highlights of my year in blogging and skincare.

🛍 The Stash

In 2021 I really figured out how to shop smart. I went into 2021 with a fairly large stash, as evidenced by my 2020 retrospective, and had totally planned to do a no buy, which I promptly failed at and still get dragged about by certain skincare friends. But realistically having a lot of skincare stashed doesn’t always mean you have the RIGHT skincare stashed, which is why more purchases happen and eventually I wound up with a spreadsheet to track everything I had open, closed, or in my window shopping carts. Things are pretty well-tuned now, though, so I anticipate being able to trim my skincare budget a bit ($100 USD / month) while loving the skin I’m in.

Before we jump in, some caveats and disclaimers:

• This stash actually serves two faces — mine and my husband’s. He’s still on a minimal skincare routine, but he can definitely go through sunscreen in the summer.
• All skincare boxes say their expiration date on the bottom, and you’d be surprised by just how far out the expiration is. Granted some products (aka my unopened vitamin c) live in the fridge, but where my stash lives the shelf-life has been great.
• I love a long routine, and it has really helped my dry, dehydrated skin navigate the high desert climate of Colorado. I actually have around 20 products that I use pretty much daily.
• Because of other lifestyle choices I’ve made, I don’t feel guilty about the carbon footprint of my skincare. That said, the empty containers I do get rid of (most I keep for photos later) get disposed of in as eco-friendly a way as possible, and since much of my skincare come from overseas (to me) I try to buy enough to make the environmental effects of shipping worthwhile when I do.
• I’m not advocating for over-consumption. You should definitely use skincare in line with what’s best for your budget and your skin concerns (while ensuring you cleanse, moisturize and use sunscreen, of course).
• Some of these products have been discontinued, but I intend to use them up anyway.
• I started the year with additional skincare, but those have been opened and you’ll have to hold out for the January Openeds post. All products pictured are unopened
• I also decided not to include body products or single-use items (pimple patches, sheet masks).

Now that that’s out of the way, the stash, listed by how I organize them in stash:

First Cleansers: Farmacy Green Clean Cleansing Balm, Drunk Elephant E-Rase Milki Micellar Water (mini), Then I Met You Living Cleansing Balm (mini), MIZON Cicaluronic Cleansing Balm (mini, Pure Fit Cica Clear Cleansing Oil (mini)

Second Cleansers: Cosrx Pure Fit Cica Cleanser, Biossance Squalane + Elderberry Jelly Cleanser, Tatcha The Rice Wash Skin-Softening Cleanser (mini), Rhonda Allison Foaming Peptide Cleanser (mini), Peach & Lily Power Calm Hydrating Gel Cleanser (mini)

Exfoliants: Stratia Soft Touch AHA, Paula’s Choice 10% Azelaic Acid Booster, Sunday Riley Good Genes (mini), Farmacy Honeymoon Glow (mini)

Wash-Off Masks: Tonymoly I’m Green Tea Hydro-Burst Morning Mask, I Dew Care Matcha Mood soothing Green Tea Wash-Off Mask, Topicals Like Butter Hydrating Mask, I Dew Care Cake My Day Hydrating Sprinkle Wash-Off Mask (mini)

Toners/Essences/Mists: COSRX Full Fit Propolis Synergy Toner, Elmt Advanced Calming Solution, ROUND LAB 1025 Dokdo Toner, Pyunkang Yul Essence Toner, Sioris My First Essener, Benton Snail Bee High Content Essence, Isntree Hyaluronic Acid Water Essence, RNW DER. SPECIAL Ceramide Mist, Dr. Ceuracle Vegan Kombucha Tea Essence, Laneige Cream Skin Refiner (mini), Klairs Supple Preparation Facial Toner (mini), Peach & Lily Wild Dew Treatment Essence (mini), COSRX AHA BHA Vitamin C Daily Toner (mini)

Serums and Face Oils: Good Skin Days C’s the Day Serum (2), The Inkey List Ceramide Hydrating Night Treatment, iUNIK Noni Light Oil Serum (2), Peach & Lily Glass Skin Refining Serum (full-size and mini), Rhonda Allison Grape Seed Hydrating Serum (mini), Farmacy Filling Good (mini) Missha Time Revolution Night Repair Probio Ampoule (mini)

Miscellaneous Facial Skincare: The Inkey List Caffeine Eye Cream, NuFace Hydrating Leave-On Gel Primer

Lips: I Dew Care Plush Party Buttery Vitamin C Lip Mask, Biossance Squalane + Rose Vegan Lip Balm, Aquaphor Lip Repair, Rohto Mentholatum WaterLip, Farmacy Honey Butter (mini), Laneige Lip Sleeping Mask (mini)

Moisturizers: Stratia Liquid Gold (2), Isntree Cica Relief Cream (2), Pyunkang Yul Ato Cream Blue Label, Isntree Aloe Soothing Gel, Beauty of Joseon Dynasty Cream, Barr Centella Calming Barrier Cream (full-size and mini), Peach & Lily Glass Skin Water-Gel Moisturizer (mini), Klair Rich Moist Soothing Cream (mini), Klairs Fundamental Water Gel Cream (mini), Laneige Water Bank Moisture Cream (2 minis), Neutrogena Hydro Boost Water Gel (mini), Farmacy Honey Halo (mini), First Aid Beauty Ultra Repair Face Moisturizer (mini)

Sleeping Masks: COSRX Propolis Honey Overnight Sleeping Mask, Purito Dermide Cica Barrier Sleeping Repair Pack, Laneige Water Sleeping Mask (mini)

Sunscreen: Isntree Hyaluronic Acid Watery Sun Gel (3), Hyggee Vegan Sun Cream (3), Krave Beauty The Beet Shield (3), Banobagi Milk Thistle Repair Sunscreen (2 full-size, 1 mini), Dr. Ceuracle Cica Regen Vegan Sun, Thank You Farmer Sun Project Water Sun Cream, OMI Verdio UV Moisture Essence, Etude House Sunprise Mild Watery Light, Neogen Day-Light Protection Airy Sunscreen (mini)

💡Highlights

While I was good about posting empties in 2020, my other content was fairly irregular. That changed in 2021, however.

First, I added the notion of “Openeds” (yes, probably should be “Opens”, no, not going to change it) reviews, with first impressions of skincare I opened. I don’t rate newly opened skincare because it doesn’t feel appropriate, but it’s a great way for me to track when I opened something, and it’s nice to keep folks up-to-date on what’s on my face.

Then I started my “Face-Off” series. I try enough skincare in enough general categories (e.g. propolis serums, moisturizing toners, beginner retinols) that it’s nice to put those experiences to use for others. I only have one face, but I plan to do more this year. First up will be ceramide serums — I’ve tried a lot so it’s taking me a while to gather all my Many, Many thoughts.

Late autumn in 2021 was characterized by sheet masks. Every day, in the case of December — I set myself a challenge to sheet mask every day in December, and I actually succeeded (more on this with a post later, but let me just say I did not see a single fine line thanks to all the hydration). I also did my Twelve Days of Sheet Masks for friends and family this year, scaling from 10 sets of 12 masks to 24, and even had some folks pay me for them! More on that project at some later point, for sure, though I wrote about the experience last year, too.

In general, 2021 was a great year for my love of skincare, as evidenced by having so many products I rated 10/10 that I had to write not one, but two top-rated skincare posts last month. I love the whole cycle of researching, buying, stashing, tracking (in a spreadsheet, wow I’m a nerd), using and writing about skincare. Thanks to everyone who reads this and to all of those (particularly the Skincare Fanatics modmin team) who encourage me to take my skincare obsession to new heights. You make it hard for me to stick to my budget, but I love you all anyway.

Cheers to 2022! May we all have realistic skin expectations and take care of ourselves, and our skin. And maybe in 2022 I’ll even start ironing backdrops — this one is wrinkly as hell, but at least my skin isn’t!