December Favorites 2025
Happiest New Year, friends! It’s our first Favorites blog of 2026! This time, we’re reflecting on favorites from this past December.
Let’s dive right in!
First, our song for the blog:
An oldie (lol), but I’ve been loving re-visiting this song lately. They put so much passion, so much vigor into those high octave lyrics. Like, yeah, sleepyheeaadddd, indeed.
Also, sorry, no Christmas song this time, since I am posting this after the holiday season.
Vanicream Moisturizing Cream (with pump)
I go through my typical Vanicream Daily Facial Moisturizer bottle so often that I opted for the brand’s 1lb bottle with a pump this time. This product differs from the face moisturizer in that it is significantly thicker, but I still use it on my face! It works well as a facial moisturizer and provides an excellent, thick base for other active serums and products I may apply afterwards. I also love the easy pump on the bottle.
Tretinoin
I started using tretinoin recently! Yay! I was prescribed this by my dermatologist to combat signs of aging. I know it’s a privilege to age, but I still want to take care of my skin and provide the best treatment I can. This product also works well for acne treatment.
While it’s tough for me to determine the effects it’s had on my skin so far, since results typically appear after a few months, I can tell that the next day, my skin will feel so soft and smooth. When I first started tretinoin, my skin felt really tight and dry around my mouth area; tretinoin is very powerful and needs to be slowly added into one’s skincare regimen. Even my derm told me to power through any initial adverse side effects, and reassured me that my skin would get used to it within a few weeks. I’m now more used to the product and try to use a pea-sized amount on my face and neck every other night.
I’m excited to continue using this nightly and seeing how it improves my skin texture and overall health!
fresh Soy Face Cleanser
I’ve raved about fresh before, but it deserves another spot on my blog. Their Soy Face Cleanser is truly one of the best facial cleansers on the market. I recently added it back into my rotation after being gifted a bottle, and was reminded why I love this brand so much.
It smells of fresh roses (perfect brand name), and leaves my skin feeling so squeaky clean. I just need them to lower their prices for me, please and thank you.
DHC Deep Cleansing Oil Facial Cleanser
I was gifted a bottle of this facial cleansing oil back in 2018-ish from a friend who had purchased it in their trip to Japan, and I loved it so much! The bottle had a design of Ariel from The Little Mermaid, too. Years later, I found a bottle at my local store and realized they sold the brand here! I repurchase this product so often because it does an amazing job of cleaning my face while not stripping it too dry.
I’ll typically use this DHC cleanser first, and then follow up with a second non-oil-based cleanser (such as the fresh facial cleanser).
Wearing Bronzer as Eyeshadow
When I’m in a rush and only have a few minutes to do basic makeup (which is most days), I use bronzer as eyeshadow! It’s quick, easy, and provides an elevated everyday makeup look.
I use Benefit Cosmetics Hoola Matte Powder Bronzer in the original shade.
Raspberries!!!
Omg, please don’t get mad at me for adding a basic fruit to this list. Let me preface by affirming, yes, I do eat fruits and vegetables daily. I just didn’t grow up eating raspberries, and I remember having my very first raspberry in college. I don’t recall liking it too much back then (it has an interesting texture).
My roommate bought a container of raspberries recently and let me try a few to add to my yogurt parfait. I don’t know why, but upon first bite, I somehow, someway, fell in love. The sweetness, the tartness, the squishy texture, and the bold color sang to me like a sonnet.
I now make sure to buy raspberries during every weekly grocery trip run.
Trader Joe’s Organic Reduced Sugar Raspberry Preserves
To further my new raspberry obsession, I tried this new raspberry jam from TJ’s, and it’s amazing! I’m speaking from an unbiased opinion, of course. It’s perfectly tart, a little thick, and spreads easily on toast or pastries. It adds a nice, sweet kick to my breakfast.
Bean Salad
I love bean salad! I made this recipe last month, and it surprisingly lasted all week. With just a few cans of beans (of your choice! I like to add garbanzo beans, white beans, and red kidney beans), red bell pepper, corn, and English cucumber, I have an easy snack or dinner option. I mix it in with olive oil, red wine vinegar, lime, salt, and pepper for a nice acidic kick. I also eat it with tortilla chips or crackers. Best of all, as the week goes by, the chopped-up ingredients only get better and better, since they sit and soak in the dressing.
This salad is very nourishing and provides a healthy, fiber-filled snack. I love having a batch ready to go at the start of the week and snacking on it throughout the week. The are countless recipes online for different bean salad varieties (search up: dense bean salad, cowboy caviar, or ceviche), so many options to suit anyone’s taste.
Natural Sea Sponge
I recently saw a movie where the protagonist was showering and used a natural sea sponge as a loofah, and I thought to myself, “I want one.” I pulled up Etsy and bought a natural sea sponge on the spot.
Can you tell by this photo how much I adore my sea sponge?
This sponge feels so soft, offers a ton of lather, and has a very gentle exfoliation. It feels almost like you’re exfoliating with a soft plushie. I also use way less body wash product than with other body scrubbers.
My only issue is that it seems to deteriorate a little bit each time I use it (I will mourn the day I can’t use my sponge anymore). Fortunately, I can easily buy a new one, and these spongies are eco-friendly, so I feel less bad about overconsuming them. I want to look for a more local seller to further reduce my carbon footprint, too.
Custer Died for Your Sins: An Indian Manifesto by Vine Deloria Jr.
If there is any takeaway to try from this list, please let it be this book. It is a non-fiction book that dives into the history, politics, and plight of the Indigenous people of North America, providing a critical look at the U.S. government, with a witty and ironic tone. Boy, does that witty and ironic tone hit.
I wouldn’t have known it was originally published in 1969 if it weren’t for the occasional dated events mentioned; the analysis rings with such truth even to this day.
I’ve wanted to read this book for ages, after hearing my high school English Literature teacher mention it in passing once (shout-out Matthew!). After visiting a Los Angeles Public Library and obtaining a library card, this book was finally available on Libby. I love public libraries!!!
We made it to the end of the list! Hooray!
What are you trying in the new year?
Until next time, friends!
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