If consumerism got the best of you this past year, you're not alone - we're starting off 2026 with a big EDIT! The kitchen, the closet, and especially the bathroom cabinet. As skincare enthusiasts, this is where both of us (Moe and Liz) tend to overbuy - and while you won't catch us throwing out perfectly good products, we've made lists of what we're NOT spending money on in 2026.
First up, Moe's Edit:
(skin type + lifestyle: very dry, sensitive skin + eyes, rosacea, burns easily, rarely wears makeup, sometimes goes days without cleansing (not on purpose), lives with a preschooler and a man)
What I'm cutting out of the cabinet in 2026:
- Vitamin C: I love the concept of vitamin C, but I'm done trying with this product! I've tried so many different formulas over the years, and none have done a thing for my dark spots. When even the expensive, holy-grail SkinCeuticals didn't work, I officially abandoned the hunt, and it's been nice skipping this step in the morning. My little sun spots don't actually bother me much, and if they ever do, I know I'll need lasers or something more serious to tackle them. But I'm pretty confident I will care even less as I age :)
- New Exfoliants: I have, in the past, fallen down the rabbit hole of too many chemical exfoliants - while they always feel great at first, it's to easy to overdo them. I often end up with stinging, irritated skin and a damaged barrier that can take weeks to recover. Over the years, I've edited down to a single AHA liquid or serum (mandelic acid or weak lactic acid works great for me), only a couple times a week. So I'm reminding myself that this formula is the most my sensitive skin can handle, and I don't need to mess with it!
- Duplicates: I currently have four different water-based hydrating serums/creams to choose from - why did I do this?? (answer: low willpower, shopping when I didn't need to, and a love for this category) And while I do like to layer a couple hydrating products during the winter, most of these are so similar to each other, it's silly to use them all at once. So to use them up, I'll be rotating between them all, and adding the ones I don't love into my body care routine - which always makes me feel rich. And I'll be reminding myself to not double up on anything else this year!
- Sheet Masks: I do love sheet masks! But I have accumulated so many, and am realizing that they're all actually sooo similar to each other, no matter the package claims. I will definitely use up what I have, and will concentrate on making my own once I run out! More on that later - it's way easier than you think :)
Next week we'll get into Liz's skincare edit! Also on the agenda: a detailed look at our individual routines and how we got here. It's been a long road :)
