2020 was a crazy year for everyone, and honestly, there isn’t much I want to take over with me into the new year. But without focusing on the not-so-good stuff, let me share some exciting things I discovered in the last year, which I’m super excited to bring into 2021!
The number one non-material thing that I discovered in 2020 is my love for making YouTube videos. Yup, the quarantine and boredom finally pushed me to sum up the courage and start my own channel. I’ve always wanted to film YouTube videos, but I was just too scared and afraid to embarrass myself. But now that I’ve had my channel for a few months, I can see that the fear was not grounded in anything, and I couldn’t be happier that I started.
But I know you’re not here to read about my YouTube channel, but because you want to know all about the 10 amazing home and beauty products I discovered in 2020. So without any further ado, here is everything I love and that I added to my list of holy grails!
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A quick disclaimer: I bought all of these things with my own money, and I wasn’t sponsored in any way. This is just my honest review of the products and a quick summary of why I love them. Some links below are affiliate links, which means I make a small % commission if you buy from the link, but it costs you no more. This helps me continue working on my blog and my YouTube channel to make more content for you guys! 🙂
1. DYSON AIRWRAP
I saw people talking and raving about a Dyson Airwrap as soon as it came out, but to me, it just seemed like a really expensive product, and I wasn’t sure what all the hype is about. Yes, it looked cool and all, but I wasn’t really sure if I want to get it or not.
Then a few years later, I bumped into a small Dyson station in a shopping mall where they had all of their products out to try, and I was intrigued to find out how good this product actually is. The lady did a side of my hair with the curl attachment, and I was amazed. She did it without wetting my hair (Dyson Airwrap is supposed to be used on wet hair), and it still looked amazing. At that point, I knew I’d buy this hair tool sooner or later.
So in the few days after testing the Airwrap for myself, I was online looking at all the different sets and tutorials to make sure I would buy exactly what I need. From everything that I’ve seen, I decided to get a Volume + Shape set with four different attachments: one hair dryer attachment, one straightener head, one normal barrel brush head and then the two attachments for curls.
I have medium-thick hair that is slightly wavy when air-dried naturally, so as appealing the idea of owning the whole set was, I knew it wasn’t a smart idea. Volume + Shape made sense for my hair, and now that I had it for over a year, I knew I made the right decision.
Back then, they sold three different sets (Styler Complete with the complete set of all hair attachments, Volume + Shape for fine or medium hair, and Smooth + Control for more coarse hair), but now they added a lot more attachments that you can even buy separately. I’ll list my set, my attachments, and all the options below, so if you’re interested, you can check it out 😉
2. CHARLOTTE TILBURY MAKEUP
I’ve heard about Charlotte Tilbury many times before and people seem to really love her makeup line, but the problem I have is that where I live, we don’t have Charlotte Tilbury products, so I can’t just try them out to see if they would be the right fit for me and my complexion. Yes, I can get them online, but I didn’t want to risk it and buy something I wouldn’t like in the end because of the bigger price tag.
So when I was in France at the beginning of 2020, I knew I want to take the opportunity to quickly jump into the store and swatch some of her products, and that’s when I fell in love with her items. I bought quite a few of her products, but I love all of them so far. My favourites are:
Pillow Talk nude lipstick that quickly became my go-to nude lipstick. It’s a soft matte finish but in a really comfortable formula, and I love the consistency so much that I’m sure I’ll buy more of her Matte Revolution lipsticks in different shades (I’m already eyeing the Pillow Talk Medium, which is a deeper nude shade and Lost Cherry, which is a bright coral pink shade).
The second thing I really love and enjoy is her pencil sharpener. I never expected to be this excited about a pencil sharpener, and in the past, I always bought the cheapest version I could find. But when the last sharpener broke and I had enough, I decided to splurge a bit. And let me tell you – immediately after I sharpened my first pencil, I could see and feel the difference in how the pencil was sharpened. Usually, I had to put a lot more elbow grease to turn the pencil around and often the pencil would come out a bit chopped. But this pencil sharpener is just a lot more sturdy and the blades are much sharper, so sharpening my pencils is super easy and fun.
The last thing that I bought is her eyeshadow quads. Now, these are pretty pricey, and to be completely honest, you can get a lot more for your bucks from Urban Decay, The Balm, Too Faced, or any other medium-priced brands, but the reason I wanted to get her quads is because of travelling. At that point, I had no idea what 2020 will bring and that I will be at home a lot, so when I bought the first quad in Exagger eyes, I was pretty much anticipating a lot of travelling. But even though that didn’t happen, I still enjoy this palette very much; so much so, I added another one later in the year in the shade Star Aura, which I probably love even more.
The reason I love her quads, besides the formula and staying power, is because I’m very specific about which colours and finishes I have in my eyeshadow palettes. I personally hate having eyeshadow pans in a palette that are completely untouched or unused. Plus, because I buy makeup that is not tested on animals, my options are a bit limited sometimes, so when I saw her quads and the colour combinations, I fell in love with them.
3. CHANEL TWIST & SPRAY EAU TENDRE
Like I said before I wanted to travel a lot in 2020, so I wanted to find a perfume that would be perfect for that. I wanted something small, unbreakable and that would smell divine. So after a few weeks of searching for my holy grail travel perfume, I finally found a Chanel Twist & Spray refillable perfume and I was super excited to give it a go.
I asked the salesperson for some samples because they have a variety of different smells, she kindly gave me everything that I needed, and I went home to use every single one up. It took me a few weeks, and I wasn’t sure if I would like any of them, but in the end, I fell in love with Eau Tendre. So I returned to the store, I purchased it, and the rest is history 🙂
I had the chance to use the perfume on my trip to Vienna and then for Montpellier, Rotterdam and Marseille before everything stopped and the lockdown began. I also used it during my summer vacation when the restrictions were lifted, and even though I didn’t travel as much as I planned, I can still say that this product is absolutely amazing, and it’s the only perfume I travel with. As I said, they have loads of different smells, and I will link them below in case you’re interested.
4. NIOD NON-ACID ACID PRECURSOR 15%
As I’m getting older, I’m paying more and more attention to my skin and what it needs. I obviously believe in a more minimal approach to beauty, but I’m not against experimenting and testing out new products, so I can upgrade my current skincare routine and make it even more efficient.
So when I noticed some pigmentation spots on my face that I just couldn’t get rid of, I started looking into more innovation skincare products. The first thing that caught my eye was the AHA / BHA acids from The Ordinary because a lot of people experienced very visible and great changes.
But when I read that you need to be careful being in the sun when using this product, I wasn’t as excited anymore. I also learned that acids are a bit inflammatory to the skin, so I knew I’m not going down the acid route. So I kept on looking and then I discovered a NIOD Non-acid Acid Precursor, which does what acid does but in a more non-invasive and gentle way. There is a lot more science that goes into this, so instead of me butchering what it’s supposed to do, I’ll just copy what they say on their website:
NAAP is a non-acidic alternative to acid-based epidermal resurfacing. Instead of using direct acids like AHA/BHA or retinoids that are common in skincare, NAAP uses fermentation bio-derivatives and amino isolates that act as precursors to skin-compatible acids, encouraging visible radiance and visible surface regularity without the redness and inflammation associated with acids.
I use it at night after cleansing and before the night cream, and instead of using the fancy name, I simply call it my night serum. I’ve been using it for around 4 months now, and I can already see a huge difference in my skin. The first thing I noticed is how soft my skin became when using this product. Just a few days after using it, my skin was glowy and soft – so soft actually I kept touching my face because I just couldn’t believe it. Then after a few weeks, I also noticed an improvement in my overall tone and pigmentation. Now, I still have spots, and unfortunately, I don’t think this product alone will fix that, but I’m still impressed with what it did so far. Even though it’s pricey, I feel like the benefits are very much worth it, and I can officially say that is now my official holy grail of night serums.
NIOD is actually owned by the same company as The Ordinary, which goes by the name Deciem. Where The Ordinary is a more affordable skincare line, NIOD is a little bit more advanced and the best part – non-invasive. The meaning of NIOD literally means Non-Invasive Options in Dermal Science. Their price point is slightly higher, but I think that is expected with more advanced skincare anyway. So I’m thrilled that I discovered this brand, and now I already have a wishlist with a few NIOD products that I want to try in 2021. If I like any of them, and if they transform my skin, I’ll let you know in my 2021 favourites 😉
5. MOROCCANOIL REPAIR HAIR MASK
If you asked me about hair masks before trying this one, I would tell you they are a bit gimmicky and they don’t do much. In fact, I tried quite a lot of hair masks in the past, and I was never impressed with the results. So when I bought a little travel set from Morrocan Oil to try their products out, and the Repair hair mask was included, I wasn’t sure if I should just pass it on to someone or not. In the end, I decided to try it out myself and I was happy that I did.
From what I understand, this hair mask contains proteins that nourish the hair and this is where I believe the difference lies. Usually, hair masks left me with what felt like a silky layer that rinsed off the very next time I washed my hair. I felt that the product was sitting on my hair, and it didn’t really do much on the inside. But with this mask, I feel the difference even after I don’t use it when washing my hair for the second or third time.
For reference: I usually wash my hair 1-2 times a week, and I only use this mask once every two weeks, but it still makes a huge difference to my hair, so it’s more smooth, silky and shiny.
6. CURAPROX BE YOU. TOOTHPASTE
It may look a bit weird that I’m talking about toothpaste, but I honestly love this one so much that I can’t see myself reaching for anything else anymore. The toothpaste that I’m talking about is from Curaprox, and it’s a Be You. collection with loads of different flavours. I personally love the Candy Lover (watermelon) taste the most and I find it super enjoyable to wash my teeth.
In terms of efficiency, I didn’t notice anything out of the ordinary. It’s just good old toothpaste. And even though it says it’s whitening toothpaste, I always take these claims with a grain of salt – so far, not one ‘whitening toothpaste’ made my teeth whiter. I love this one for the taste, it doesn’t sting as some minty kinds of toothpaste do, and it leaves my mouth feeling fresh and clean.
If you love fruity flavours it’s definitely worth trying it out. As I said, they have other flavours as well:
- Candy Lover: Watermelon
- Challenger: Gin Tonic and Persimmon
- Daydreamer: Blackberry and Liquorice
- Explorer: Apple and Aloe
- Pure Happiness: Peach and Apricot
- Rising Star: Grapefruit and Bergamot
7. DIOR TRIBALES EARRINGS
The next favourite on my list is Dior Tribales earrings. I discovered them in October 2019 when I popped into the Dior store and I tried a few of them on. At first glance, I fell in love with the gold-silver mixed metal version and I bought them then and there, but I kind of knew I’d be adding a pearl version to my collection sooner or later. I just wanted to give it some time to make sure I’ll get the wear out of them – so I added them to my wishlist and for Christmas 2019, my husband surprised me with the pearl version (thank you, husband!).
I was also very excited about the idea of mixing and matching them together, but to be honest, they’re not a perfect, perfect match. Yes, I can still wear them, but if I wear white pearl with gold, they’re a bit snug, yet when I combine the white pearl with the silver, they’re a little bit loose. That makes me wear the latter option a little bit less because the last thing that I want is to lose my earrings somewhere.
Nevertheless, I still love them, and I wear them all the time, especially during the winter months. I realised that I love wearing big statement earrings, but I don’t like when they get in the way, so during winter when we’re wearing scarves and turtlenecks and jackets, big earrings are just a bit annoying sometimes. That’s why I love these Tribales earrings because they’re still a statement piece, but I can easily wear them with absolutely everything.
8. KINFILL HOME CLEANING SET
Over the last few years, I slowly upgraded my home cleaning collection to a more natural and sustainable one. I also experimented with lots of DIY cleaning solutions because I never loved the idea of constantly buying plastic bottles just to throw them away at the end. Still, I must say that even though DIY cleaning solutions worked and were okay, they were only that – okay. I was never in love with them, so I kept going back to normal cleaning products, and I did my best to buy cleaning spray in bottles that were already recycled.
But in 2020, I discovered the brand Kinfill and I knew it’s going to be a game-changer for my cleaning routine. Their concept tackled this problem of constant buying and binning plastic bottles just for the sake of cleaning products. In reality, most cleaning products contain around 90% water, and the 10% that is left is the cleaning solution.
So what they provide you with is that 10% and glass bottles, which you buy only the first time (you can use your own bottles if you want, but I really love their design), and rest you simply fill up with water. So you’re basically making your kinda DIY cleaning solutions using their products.
And when I learned that they’re also vegan, not tested on animals, pet-safe, and have no nasties, I decided to treat myself and get the entire Full House Collection which comes with:
- multi-surface cleaner
- glass and mirror cleaner
- tub and tile cleaner
- floor cleaner
Another thing I love about them is that you can pick the smells that you want to have for each cleaning solution. They provide four basic smells, but they often come out with limited edition seasonal smells to make things more exciting:
- Pine Husk (I chose this one for my glass and mirror, but I wasn’t in love with the smell – it smelled like a forest, but more punchy)
- Cucumis (I chose it as my floor cleaner, I love how fresh the smell is, like cucumbers)
- Lavender Fields (I have this one for my tub and tile aka. bathroom, and the smell is exactly what they say – lavender)
- Naranja n°55 (I chose this one for multisurface spray, and it’s my favourite smell – I love citrus and orange hints, and this one smells like very subtle oranges)
As far as the efficiency goes, I really like all the cleaning products; they do the job well, they smell divine, and I absolutely love how the design of the bottles (they’re glass bottles, with a great spray nozzle, and they also have a colourful, removable rubber bottom, so you don’t have to worry about putting them down gently and you can focus on your cleaning).
The only product that didn’t impress me is the glass and mirror one, so I made my own cleaning solution by mixing 50% white vinegar and 50% tap water – but I kept the bottle because it’s so stunning. I think vinegar is by far the best thing to use on glass and mirrors even though it doesn’t have the most enjoyable smell.
So if you’re looking for eco-friendly products that look and smell good, I would definitely recommend trying these out.
9. FILOFAX CLIPBOOK
I’m a bit of a sucker for pretty notebooks, so I had quite a few in my house because I just couldn’t bring myself to throw them away. Instead, I decided to do a project pan with them so I can completely use them up. But honestly, I had a bigger problem, and that was that all my pretty notebooks ended up like a huge mess after a few weeks of using them – I would use them for one thing, then change my mind, I would tear out pages, change things inside, basically, they would like a shadow of their former beautiful self.
That’s why I started looking for some sort of a notebook that would have space for everything I need, and that would be fully customisable, so I can use it for multiple purposes and even if I change my mind, it would still look amazing. So I found the Clipbook from Filofax, and it changed my notebook game.
I can buy different inserts for this notebook, create little sections, remove and add pages as I want; I’m pretty much free to do whatever I want. And the best thing? It still looks pretty and beautiful. So if you’re interested in a more customizable notebook, I will like all my inserts and the notebook itself so you can check it out.
I also bought their pen, which is a part of their Clipbook collection. It’s an erasable pen with an option to refill. It has a flat top, so you can easily hide it in your Clipbook, and that’s exactly how I carry it around with me and it works great. I use this pen every single day, so I go through the ink quite quickly – not sure if I use it more than average, but in my opinion, the ink needs to be replaced a bit too often. Yet, I don’t mind that because it looks stylish, plus, it’s erasable, so my notes always look pretty 🙂
10. FOLDABLE PUZZLE BOARD
If you love doing puzzles, get excited because I have something that will change your life! I actually got this item as a Christmas gift from my sister, and I couldn’t be happier with it – and it’s a foldable puzzle board. Yup, you read right. It’s a puzzle board on which you assemble the puzzle, but once you’re done, you can quickly close it up and put it somewhere away, so you get your table or floor or wherever you do your puzzles back. Brilliant!
With this board, I don’t need to worry about how long it will take me to finish the puzzle because I know it’s won’t take up any unnecessary space, so I can relax and do it at my own pace. And the best part is that once it gets warmer outside, I can go out on our terrace and do my puzzle in the sun. How great is that? 🙂
You can obviously tell I’m very excited about this product and if you’re a puzzle lover yourself I will link the exact one that I have, so you can check it out 😉
I hope you enjoyed this post! And if you did, I would be very grateful if you’d share it. Thank you! ?
