My Evening Skincare Routine Now That I Am 45
This is the follow-up to my morning skincare routine that I posted a few weeks ago. Since then, the world has become even more unhinged than previously – a considerable feat – making me reconsider all the ways I spend my money. You will see a number of US brands here (The Ordinary, Glossier, Tatcha, Victoria Beckham), but I think my policy going forward will be to try to avoid them if possible. I will not be a fundamentalist about it and I may still want to support some smaller, independent US brands. The rest of the context is covered in the first post, so let’s get to the evening steps.
Best of 2024: Science Fiction and Fantasy
It has taken me a while to get the last ‘best of’ post out, but here it is, the overview of the SFF books I enjoyed most in 2024. It is rather long, but with the world events being what they are, I wanted to give you are range of options for escapism. I have already done a very tight selection for my overall best books list, which has already been out for a while; if you only want the crème de la crème, read that.
My Morning Skincare Routine Now That I’m 45
As I mostly write about books these days, I tend to forget that statistically speaking, it’s my skincare posts that have the most readers. I looked at my stats recently, after perhaps a year of not paying any attention, and it’s frankly insane that there are more than 100 000 people who have read me going on and on about The Ordinary. Most of the top 10 posts are about skincare, with a couple of perfume ones thrown in. So I thought it may be time for a skincare update, as it’s been almost a decade since I wrote some of these articles.
Best of 2024: Non-Fiction
I should probably stop repeating that it has again been an exceptional year of non-fiction for me, as I do not see this changing any time soon. There is so much great non-fiction around and I am always drawn to reading it; I very rarely struggle with this genre. If there is one thing I would like to do more, it’s to read more older texts and classics. I have read so many introductions and overviews that I really should be tackling the original sources rather than reading another summary.
Things I Want: The 2025 Edition
New year, new me, new list of things I want! Frankly, these posts are rather embarrassing to make, as they lay bare my materialistic tendencies for everyone to see. Not that they are otherwise particularly hidden, considering I’m a lifestyle blogger, but still. On the other hand, they are a good exercise in examining what one wants, what one needs and what one can afford. To be clear, there are many things on these lists that I cannot or will not buy in the end. It is a a shopping list for a richer and more stylish version of me. As I know that many readers find these lists fun, I’m continuing the tradition.
Best of 2024: Fiction
I have a peculiar relationship with literary fiction. If I don’t read enough of it, I feel weird and start craving something worthy and serious. However, if I read too much of it, I get fed up and start finding everything too pretentions or boring or both. So while I generally feel that I should read a bit more in this genre (which some people don’t consider a genre, as it’s ‘real’ literature, but I’m sure you can guess my views), a balance has to be found that keeps me enthusiastic about reading overall.
Best of 2024: Books
I really can’t complain about the reading last year: 181 books, more than 44 000 pages, the lowest rating 2.5 stars (and that was, what, twice?). I don’t have the exact statistics, but I read around 30 books at least partially on audio, which is one of the main factors in me crossing the 150-book barrier for the second time. The other is that I also read quite a few shorter and lighter books, including poetry and alien romance (which are as different as genres can be, but can both be easily read in a day). Then again, These Truths was 960 pages, so it evens out…
Best of 2024: Beauty
Like my style, my beauty consumption has also settled down. Not really to normal levels, but somewhat closer to it. Perhaps it’s simply an age thing? The most important elements of my skincare routine are Vitamin C in the morning and retinol at night, which do not change much, and then I can play around with the rest. My makeup tends to be relatively minimal (if I bother at all) and softer than in the past, so there isn’t too much to report on that front either. That said, I do have a number of things I enjoyed using this year – some new, some older. Here they are:
Best of 2024: Style
My style has, unfortunately, become more boring. This is partly because I am more reasonable and practical these days: I want to be able to wear my clothes for years, which means safer bets and better quality, often resulting in more classic looks. I have also simply been drawn to quieter colour combination, whether due to the influence of Instagram’s love for neutrals or my own changing tastes, who knows. But my list on favourites can perhaps still be useful, even if shorter on – although not entirely devoid of – glamour than in some other years.
I Tried All the Le Labo City Exclusives in Case You Cannot: Part 1
I’ve always had conflicting feelings about Le Labo. I really like some of their scents and their aesthetic was truly refreshing when the brand launched. Their gimmicky ways can be irritating, though. I understand that insisting on ‘fresh’ mixing of the perfumes and the confusing naming practices are a marketing strategy (and a pretty successful one, I guess), but I find it annoying. The whole song and dance about their city exclusives is the most ridiculous part of it all in my view.