We will jump right in today, and I will have a big catch-up with you all in Thursday's lately post! I am kicking things off with my yearly favorites list, which comprises items I share in my monthly favorites lists!
If the item is on this list, it is a show-stopper. It gets my highest seal of approval! I also select only items that are still available/in stock (e.g., this would have made the list, but it's sold out). Lastly, I don't repeat items from past years (or else this would be on the list again)! You can review 2024's list here.
These lists are nearly perfect because when I look back on past yearly favorites, I still love almost every item on each list.
I'm switching it up this year and separating the lists into three over the next week. Today is Beauty. Next will be fashion and accessories, and then last, home and miscellaneous. This was definitely a year of discovery, as I found so many worthy items to include on this list!
This was a BIG beauty year as you can see. SO many products, and every single one is an item I use every week.
Red Light Therapy Mask// I already have an in-depth review of this red light mask, so I'll keep this quick. These have been very buzzy for the last several years, and I feel especially so in 2025. So while it's certainly a trend, I truly believe in the red light mask and the science behind it, which is why I continue to use it regularly.
It does *not* provide dramatic, quick results, but it does work well. I am good about skincare, but with this mask, my skin gets even better. While expensive, as long as you are willing to be regimented about use, it is well worth it. My code is SUMMERWIND.
Contour and Blush Duo Stick// I've become such a huge Dibs fan this year. They are a 'clean' makeup brand and have so many great products, but the ones I've included in today's roundup are the best of the best.
This duo stick was my first foray with the brand, and it made me the biggest fan. The products are so creamy and just melt into the skin. The contour just adds warmth and slightly sculpts, and the blush is the prettiest flushed pink shade.
Hand Cream// This hand cream is the best. First, it wins points with its aesthetically pleasing container. You can sit it right on your countertop or nightstand, and it looks like decor. The actual hand cream is not only hydrating but has active ingredients like retinol that keep your hands looking good.
This is one of those things I wish I were more regimented about because it really does improve my dry winter hands and cuticles overnight. I've never been good at applying hand cream, but this one definitely makes me want to use it more than others.
Night Cream// Out of everything I tested this year, this is hands down my #1 skincare discovery of 2025. It’s a night cream from an Italian brand made with clean ingredients, and in my opinion, it directly competes with the AB Rich Cream.
The standout ingredient is Myoxinol, a proprietary complex derived from hibiscus seed that acts as a neuropeptide. It’s supported by additional ingredients that help strengthen the skin barrier and boost hydration. Fans refer to it as a 'neurotoxin in a bottle,' and it’s the brand’s best-selling product for a reason.
I love this cream. My skin looks noticeably more hydrated, smoother, and glowier when I use it. In the winter, when my skin is extra dry, I apply it both in the morning and at night. It wears beautifully under makeup. During warmer months, I reserve it for nighttime only.
I don’t love the price tag, but this is one of those products I can’t quit. The texture is rich and thick, yet it absorbs quickly and leaves a 'glass-skin' finish without feeling heavy. My code SUMMERWIND may work on this.
Flyaway Taming Hair Wand// This is a hair cream that is in a tube with a mascara-like applicator wand. It has many small bristles, so you can quickly and easily comb a small amount of the hair cream onto your hair. You can use this for slickback styles, which I don't often do, but instead, it is the BEST tool for taming flyaways. Once applied, you can't even tell that you used any product at all. It has a very light, but pleasant scent that doesn't really linger. I keep one of these in my bathroom and handbag at all times. It's amazing and well worth the extra cost compared to some of the random Amazon options.
Mascara and Primer Duo// This is my current favorite mascara. It's unique in that you get both a primer and mascara in one tube. What I love most about this is the primer because it is brown. So you can either use the primer on its own or layer it under the black mascara. The brown primer is amazing for the bottom lashes. I try different mascaras often, but since trying this for the first time at the end of July, I haven't even thought about trying something else. Also, it is 'tubing', so it is very easy to remove!
Dry Shampoo// I am not a dry shampoo gal. I've tried quite a few over the years, but anytime I would use one, I thought it made my hair look worse. I tried this on a whim and WOW. First, it's the finest of any powder I've ever used. I love the brush application as it makes things so easy. It has a light, pleasant scent. Because the powder is so fine, it melts into my hair. With other dry shampoos, I've always felt like I have a 'cast' or 'film' on my hair. Instead, this just becomes a part of my hair. It really does make my hair look so much better and fresher. My sister is also hooked on this, and she has fine hair that can get oily quickly.
Body Lotion// This body lotion took me a bit to love. I started off by thinking it was a nice lotion, but after using it for several months, it's totally worth the hype. Most body lotions leave my skin hydrated, sure. This leaves my skin hydrated and truly softens it. After continued use, my skin feels so much smoother and just all around softer to the touch. It's thinner than many of the other body lotions I've used before. At first, this was something I didn't love about it, but now I love it because it makes it so easy to spread around. This is lightweight, but still takes a minute or two to sink in.
Eye Cream// I'm not the biggest cheerleader for eye creams. I really think you can just use your own face cream and call it a day. There are a few I have tried that are truly worth the extra step and expense, and this is one of those. It's a hydrating eye cream, but it's peachy-pink-tinted. It's not makeup; it's a light color corrector for the undereye. It has a fine shimmer that reflects light, which is likely why they refer to it as 'illuminating'. I love to wear this on no-makeup days. I have always had dark circles, and this makes me a little less self-conscious about them.
Powder and Cream Duo Brush// This is the brush I use for all of my Dibs products. It seems like such a 'normal' brush, but one end is specifically for powder, and the other is for cream. I have tried using my other brushes with Dibs products, but this one truly works so much better than any of my other brushes. I love that it is double-sided because it saves some space in my bag.
Hair Dryer// I'm likely the last person to review this hair dryer, since it's been out for many years. I resisted it for so long because it's so expensive, and I've always loved my T3 blow dryer. My T3 died this summer, so I started to look for a new dryer and reluctantly decided to give this a try. I have thick hair, and it always takes a long time to dry. This hair dryer dries my hair SO quickly. It's powerful, and one of those things I hate to love.
The only way I can explain it is that my other hair dryer was like a hose. The Dyson hairdryer is like a pressure washer. I'd say, don't replace your perfectly good dryer just for this, but if you find yourself needing a hair dryer, definitely try this one out.
Powder Bronzer// Another Dibs product! This bronzer is a powder product and instantly warms up my face. It layers so well with cream products and again, just melts into my skin. It's so natural-looking. I have always had this odd issue where bronzer doesn't last all day on my skin. I'd try all kinds of bronzers, and halfway through the day, they would have faded. This one lasts all day. It's the best!
Face Mist// This is a calming, hydrating mist made with hypochlorous acid. Hypochlorous acid is buzzy right now. I had to look it up when I first heard about it. It's a molecule your body naturally produces. In skincare, it can help soothe irritation and support the skin barrier. I use it anytime my skin feels tight, reactive, or stressed, and it immediately makes my skin feel more comfortable.
It layers on top of or under skincare and doesn't disturb makeup, which makes it great for a midday refresh. I also prefer this over the Tower 28 spray because the nozzle delivers such a very fine, even mist rather than a splatter.
Shower Oil// I originally ordered this thinking it would replace my love for the L'Occitaine shower oil that so many compare this to. It doesn't. It's a much thinner product, so it just isn't my favorite for shaving my legs as I had initially hoped. However, it is the BEST body wash for dry skin. I use it all winter long, and I'm not sure how I've gone without it all of these winters. My husband loves it, too. It slightly lathers, but not like a traditional soapy body wash. It comes in a huge bottle, so it lasts a long time. My code SUMMERWIND may work on this.
Hair Towel// How many times in my life have I wrapped my hair up in my body towel on top of my head, and it is so cumbersome and heavy and eventually unravels? I don't even want to know. This is a lightweight towel in the perfect size for your head. You wrap your hair up, and there is an elastic strap on the back to tuck the tail into. How have I never used something like this before 2025?! It has been SUCH a game-changer for me. It's a luxury I didn't even know I wanted or needed!
XL Curling Iron// I've used the regular curling iron for years, and when mine was getting old and needed replacing, I upgraded to the extra-length curling iron in the same brand. The extra length is for long hair! I love that it heats my hair evenly. Because it's longer, it takes some getting used to, but once I was used to it, I never looked back. My code SUMMERWIND may work on this.
Cream Foundation// This is the BEST foundation. I was an avid Westman Atelier user before this, and I've used many of the other 'viral' foundations, like Armani, but this takes the cake for me. It's a buildable cream foundation. The foundation somehow color-corrects and evens things out so that it looks *just* like my skin, only better. The sheen is very skin-like, so it looks like I'm not even wearing foundation. It lasts all day. My code SYDNEY15 may work on this.
Deodorant// This is expensive when compared to a regular drugstore deodorant, but it is aluminum-free, and the scent options are all incredible. I think of this as an everyday hygiene product, yes, but it also feels like a luxurious beauty product because of the upscale scents. There is not one bad scent in the bunch. My overall favorite scent is bergamot and hinoki, but basil and neroli has grown on me and now my favorite deodorant scent in the bunch. It just smells so light and fresh. I always thought I was someone who couldn't use more natural deodorant, but I was wrong. This works all day for me. I used to not wear it for workouts, but now I even wear it for workouts! Overall, I love every single S+S product. They are high quality. My code SYDNEY15 should work!
Hydrating Hair Mask// I love trying different hydrating hair masks, and this one certainly takes the cake in 2025. Silicone-free has been a big 'thing' when it comes to hair products. I don't particularly mind silicone in my hair products, but in case you do, this is a silicone-free hair mask. I use this more often than I use my conditioner. It smells wonderful and leaves my hair so soft, hydrated, and voluminous. If you have thinner hair and avoid a hydrating hair mask because you think they are too heavy, try this one. It never weighs my hair down and makes my hair feel so clean and fresh. My code SUMMERWIND may work on this.
- October
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1 comment:
Hi there! If you would try the Experiment Super Saturated I think it will be on next year’s list…just planning the future. 😂😂😂
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