Foil Challenge

[ather]

I know we all talked about this but I need it in writing to hold myself more accountable! I have picked out around 28 foils that I am hoping to get through by the end of Feb. that’s 1 foil a day unless I decide to stack more than one! Here’s what I’ve picked randomly! 

 

[itsfi]

January 2026 Foils

MTD / YTD = 3

🐐(GOAT - Greatest of All Time) (discontinued) - the Sephora Collection Caffeine Eye Masks (I don't remember, I *think* we're considering these foils? maybe? 🤔) remain my all time favorite under eye masks. I still have plenty of backups but am being more proactive in my search for replacements. My search is currently limited to shopping my stash, but trust me, there's plenty of under eye gel patches / masks to be tested in that stash. 🙄 Since there's more than a couple of products to be tested, I've added them to my list of things to use and post to Beauty Product Battles, Throw Downs and Showdowns later in the year.

🏆(Top Shelf) Dermalogica Mini Daily Milkfoliant Exfoliator .45 oz / 13 g is among my top 3 favorite exfoliating powders. If my memory is correct, the original Dailyfoliant was actually my intro to powder exfoliants, decades ago. This Milkfoliant version is designed for sensitive skin but is equally effective. I like the fine powder, how easily and evenly it lathers in to rich and creamy but not heavy consistency, and mostly, how it softens and smooths my skin. I get that scrub-like clean look and feel without the irritation or redness. 

👍 (Like but will not repurchase (immediately) Kérastase Blond Absolu Anti-Brass Purple Hair Mask 6.8 oz/ 200 mL is a good hair mask - it leaves my hair feeling softer and more hydrated and nourished. I do feel like my hair can go for longer period of time before my highlights start to veer in that brassy direction 😐 and that is a huge plus!! My rating it a like but not something I'd repurchase is because I'm new-ish to anti-brass hair masks and just gettting back into testing out the samples that I've accumulated over time, so I feel like it's too early to tell for myself which is the hair mask that will work best for me (e.g., results, price, etc.), which is why I included the qualifier that I wouldn't repurchase it immediately. That being said, this is a product I would purchase to gift to a friend, and that says a lot about it. 

Notes  / 2026 Foil Challenge To Do's / Goals:

• My month to date (MTD) foil count (3) is the same as it was this time last year, and interestingly, almost the same makeup in terms of product time - this year, it's 2 skincare and 1 hair care product. Last year it was 1 skin care, hair care and nail care item a piece. 
• I'll continue to track and post MTD and year to date (YTD) counts with my monthly check ins / updates like I've done in past years.
• I'm also keeping track of types of products (e.g., category types, new/old) as in previous years. I'll try to remember to post those on a quarterly basis here like I do on the empties thread. 
• I know you mentioned keeping track of foil samples that turn into purchases @ather and I love that metric. I'll try to remember to keep a tally of that and to post, when applicable, to the Love At First Sample!!! 🥰 thread. 
• For a personal goal this year, I'm aiming to use up (or at least half of) a sample packet of lip colors every quarter. I have several packets with a generous amount of product in those blister packets. I've inlcuded the sample packet of the Fenty Icon Semi-Matte Lipsticks for this winter season and have made it a part of theShop Your Stash Challenge: Winter 2026 ❄️ which reminds me I need to get working on a couple of the shades in that packet 😅 

There's been a lot of new product launches and reformulations, and I'm seeing more foil samples coming through as promo gwps and I'm looking forward to hearing everyone's thoughts on what they've been using. 

[haleyvvvv]

A few foils from my work trip/vacation

💖 = Faves

The Dr. Dennis Gross Skincare Alpha Beta® Universal Daily Peel Pads 60 Treatments are a nice skin reset every once in a while. I've gotten so many as samples.

And the LANEIGE Cream Skin Refillable Milky Toner with Ceramides and Peptides 5.7 oz / 170 ml is my fave for my dry skin

👍 = Good/Investigate More

rhode Glazing Milk Ceramide Facial Essence 4.2oz/124ml I really liked, but I need to try a little more to see if it's a fave, ditto with the INNBEAUTY PROJECT Green Machine Vitamin C Dark Spot & Hyperpigmentation Serum 1 oz/30 ml  and Isntree BHA solution

🫳 = Meh / Would Use but Wouldn't Purchase

fresh Black Tea Corset Cream Firming Moisturizer 1.6 oz/ 50 mL 

Shani Darden Skin Care Retinol Reform® Treatment Serum 1 oz / 30 mL 

👎 = Not For Me

The Grace & Stella were a little past their prime, which is a sign I need to go through my masks more.

[itsfi]

Oh, these are some good foils to take with you on a trip @haleyvvvv! I use to stock up on those DDG peel pads too - I know it's not great to have them individually packaged but I gotta say I found / find it very helpful. I don't go through peel pads as often as I use to so it's nice to have them sealed up; and, they also come in handy for travel. 

I lol'ed hard when I read about the Grace & Stella being "a little past their prime, which is a sign I need to go through my masks more." 😂 This type of sign keeps coming up for me - you'd think I'd learn already, but no. 🙄

[itsfi]

Decmber 2025 Foils

Month-to-Date: 3

Year-to-Date: 83 🙌

Last set of foils for the 2025, and we've got 3 this month. 

😐 L'Oréal Professionnel Mini Metal Detox Anti-Breakage Hair Oil 1.04 fl oz/30 ml was alright. I have a feeling that the consistency of my sample may have been compromised by the weather or it having sat unused (and maybe not in the best of conditions) for longer than ideal, or, possibly a combination of both factors. It was goopier than I expected an oil to be. That said, I was able to thin it out a little from the friction and warmth created by rubbing the product between my palms but it was still more viscous than I expected from a hair oil. I had 2 other foils of this product but having been inspired by @ather's decluttering efforts, I put added them to a Ziploc bag full of hair products that will be dropped off at a local women's shelter next week.

😘 Yves Saint Laurent All Hours Foundation x2, like the concealer in the line, is a good one for me, which came as a surprise because I've not had much luck in the past with shade matching when it come to YSL foundations. I was able to get by with a couple of shades in the sample packet. This is a very long-wearing, (veeery) FULL coverage foundation. I'm not sure I have a true full coverage foundation in my collection - most medium coverage foundations I find give me full coverage (or what I would consider full coverage) so that's usually the most amount of coverage I typically go. That said, I do like how this wears and would consider picking up a full size of the foundation. I will, however, hold off on even considering it until I use up my current medium coverage  foundation (which I'm tentatively planning to include in my Shop Your Stash Challenge: Winter 2025 - 2026; final lineup to be posted around the 30th of December); even then, I may elect to just go for the concealer in this All Hours collection (a the foil from last month) which is also full coverage. If I do pick up a full size of this (and/or the concealer from the collection, I'll include that tally @ather in my 2026 count of new-to-me products purchased after using a foil sample even though I finished the sample in 2025).

[ather]

@itsfi  Weird that sample was goopy. I think I have the same one. I’ll have to use mine and see if it’s got the same texture! 

[itsfi]

Oooh, I'll be interested to hear how the consistency of your serum turns out @ather; I have a strong feeling this was compromised somehow. I saw photos of the consistency in some other folks' reviews and it did not look the way mine looked. 

[ather]

@itsfi  Fair! Fingers crossed mine didn’t get compromised too!! I’ll dig it out to test! 

[itsfi]

November 2025 Foils

Month-to-Date: 1

Year-to-Date: 80

Just the one foil this month @ather. While it's a small foil count, it's not an insignificant one - there was a lot of product in the sample blister for Yves Saint Laurent All Hours Creaseless Precise Angles Concealer. I used it primarily to conceal some breakouts on my chin and a couple of dark spots and sun spots. I liked this concealer a lot, surprisingly because so much that I will likely pick up a full size, but probably not until next year. I've been doing a pretty good job of rotating through and using my foundation and concealers but I've not been needing to use as much of either, and I don't want to have too many products sitting unopen (or sitting open and unused for that matter). That said, I can see myself purchasing this one early next year and it'll make its way to the Love At First Sample!!! 🥰 thread when I do. 

[ather]

@itsfi  Great job! Small but mighty!!! Glad you found a new fav!!! 

[itsfi]

Lol, we’re not thaaaaat happy about it 💸💸💸 @ather 😂 It is nice to find one that works well for blemishes though. 👍🏼 I have other good ones currently open and in use and am currently in a good place with not being bothered by fomo, so I’ll hold for now but I, at least, know what’s on the short list when it’s time to pick up another one. 

Finding a new product that I like enough to pick up a full size did get me thinking about the number of foils I use throughout the year that are tried and true versus ones that I’m trying for the first time. 🤔 I don’t think there’s an ideal ratio as I imagine it would vary person by person, but it just got me thinking about my own foil usage. 

[ather]

@itsfi  hmmm same here. I wonder what’s the ratio of new foils tried that turned into a love?

I think starting next year I will track how many new vs tried foils I have used. And maybe how many new one turned into loves. I just picked up a new notebook that can help me keep track!! I love this idea you started!

[itsfi]

Oh, that's a splendid idea @ather; I will try to follow your lead next year. I tend to track my total empties in more detail than my foils and will try to keep in mind to do the same specifically for foil sized empties. I really like your idea of tracking how many new foils turn into loves, or foils that lead me to purchase a larger size, whether a full size or a mini. It'll be very interesting to see how that data point plays out. 😀

[ather]

@itsfi  Thanks!!! 😊 I bought a new notebook that I will keep track of every thing so I don’t forget! And at the end of the year I can look back and get a good ratio of which I use! I’ll track all my empties too. 

[itsfi]

That's great @ather; it's nice to have something to refer back to and look at. It can be hard to see the progress sometimes when you're in the middle of it but tracking it and being able to go back and see your progress will be good.

[ather]

@itsfi  I agree. I will make it my priority to keep track this year!! 

[itsfi]

October 2025 Foils

Month-to-Date: 16

Year-to-Date: 79

October was a big month for foils @ather; that has not happened in a while. A mix of skincare, makeup, body care and hair care items. 

❤️  Paula's Choice Skin Perfecting 2% BHA Exfoliating Toner for Clear Skin is a go-to exfoliant for me. These days I use it more as a spot treatment than an all over toner. It's particularly helpful when I'm trying to deflate or decimate a bulbous blemish, which sadly, happens more often than I care for these days. 

👍  The lightweight, creamy, whipped formulation on the Kulfi Mehndi Moment Long-Lasting Radiant Cream Blush Pinky Promise is dreamy and you really get a lot of bang for your buck with how much product they pack in this tube. I can see the light pink shade being a crowd pleaser but it's that shade of pink that is just too pink for me - my cheeks flush easily so adding more pink to it can be too much. It’s not the product’s fault; just not a good fit for me color-wise on its own; makes a lovely bespoke shade mixed with Sandalwood Swirls 👇.

👍  Kulfi Mehndi Moment Long-Lasting Radiant Cream Blush Sandalwood Swirls is a pretty, neutral brown that blends beautifully and easily. It's just not a color I would reach for often and there's so much product in a full size tube that I would need to reach for it very often in order to even scratch the surface of it. 

👍  Kulfi Mehndi Moment Long-Lasting Radiant Cream Blush Lucky Lotus is a very vivid purple. The shade is a bit too vibrant for me as a blush, though it does blend out beautifully. I was using this as a lip product, mixing it with brown-toned lipsticks to add more dimension and color to them. I love the look I can create doing that but not enough to justify picking up a full size tube of this product. 

❤️  Sol de Janeiro Beija Flor™ Renewing Body Wash 13 oz / 385 mL is my favorite scent among the SdJ collection. A spring/summertime staple.

😘  I like the smoothness of the formulation of both Pureology Strength Cure Blonde Purple Shampoo and Pureology Strength Cure Blonde Purple Conditioner. Oftentimes I find purple shampoos and conditioners to be lumpy for lack of a better word but both these products were soft and smooth, blended easily. It’s almost time for another color appointment and I feel like my hair is looking less brassy than it did the same time last time. I haven’t done anything different (in fact I’ve used more thermal heat styling products this cycle) except to incorporate this shampoo and conditioner into my routine once a week for the last 3 weeks. I would repurchase both of these items but not right away - I currently have more than enough shampoo and conditioner to get through next year so I don’t need to buy another set but I would consider this for next year’s holiday savings sale. 

❤️  Love, love, love L'Occitane Smoothing and Firming Almond Supple Skin Body Oil 3.3 oz/100 mL; it may even be a GOAT (🐐) product for me. I have a full size and want to see how I feel about it when it’s in my collection for a longer duration. Stay tuned.

🐐  Dr. Jart+ Ceramidin™ Skin Barrier Moisturizing Cream is a winter warrior - currently it’s a staple in my morning skincare routine. Moisturizes without feeling heavy or greasy and I can count on it to restore my skin barrier if/when it becomes compromised, and keep it healthy and happy.

😐  I know this MILK MAKEUP Hydro Grip Hydrating Makeup Primer with Hyaluronic Acid + Niacinamide has a huge following but it doesn’t have the same appeal for me. It is grippy but it’s not a primer I reach for often.

👍  Kjaer Weiss The Beautiful Oil Face Oil is meant for the face but I use it as a body oil. It’s fine enough. I prefer the actual body oil, which is a good thing since I have a full size of that, lol.

🐐  I feel like folks may be tired of hearing me sing the praises of the EADEM Milk Marvel Dark Spot Serum with Niacinamide and Vitamin C 1 oz/ 30 mL - it's definitely one of those products that work well for my skin and that I don't truly realize how great it is until I'm without it in my rotation (which I aim never to be). 

👍  Skinfix barrier+ Triple Lipid-Boost 360° Hydrating Eye Cream 0.5 oz/ 15 mL has a lovely lightweight gel to cream consistency. Absorbs easily and quickly. It makes for a beautiful eye cream in the morning, before makeup application. I'm on the fence about it as a repurchase, not because it's not good, but because I have been blessed to have the opportunity to try several equally good, if not better, eye creams. I'm not sure this stands out enough against my Kbeauty eye creams.

Emoji Key:

Spoiler

🐐= product is a GOAT (Greatest Of All Time) in its category [I have a personal requirement that before a product receive this designation, I have to have finished a minimum of two of the product (with at least one being a full size).]
❤️ = Love
😘 = Like and would repurchase
👍 = Like but would not repurchase (at least not immediately), usually because I like another similar product more or because I have other similar products to work through before making a purchase
😐 = Lackluster = it's okay / meh, includes products that are fine enough but are not suitable for my particular skin / hair type or concerns
✖️ = No [This is usually given to a product that irritates my skin]

[ather]

@itsfi  Wow!! Great job! We all have months we do better than others! You did such a great job!!  I like that you may have even found another 🐐 

[itsfi]

So true @ather, it ebbs and flows. While I was pulling out foils to use I also used it as an opportunity to parse out foils of products to donate and others to set aside to test out before the year is up. So it felt productive on other fronts as well. 

[ather]

@itsfi @Aww you always have the best ideas!!! I love that idea!!! 

[itsfi]

Thank you @ather; it's more motivated by wanting to keep on top of my foil stash and keeping it manageable. 🤣