'I spent $1053 on skincare last year. Here are the products I'd buy again.'

Let's get it out there, I'm a certified skincare hoarder. As 2024 came to a close, I took a good, hard look at the battleground that is my bathroom shelf — a chaotic mix of empty jars, half-squeezed tubes, and bottles that look like they've seen better days.

The grand total? An eye-watering $1053. Was it worth it? Well, that depends on who you ask (Me? Absolutely. My bank account? Not so much). But amidst the skincare chaos, there were some true heroes — those rare gems I scraped clean with a spatula, tapped upside down like a ketchup bottle, and silently prayed would never run out. For someone like me who has to try lots of skincare, when I repurchase something multiple times, you know it's because it's exceptional.

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So grab a cup of tea (or wine, depending on how you feel about your skincare spending habits) and join me as I share the products that earned a permanent spot in my heart — and probably my 2025 shopping cart.

Best cleansers to buy.

If you are not using an oil cleanser every night, this is the first thing you need to change in 2025, because it is one thing that will truly change your skin for the better once you start doing it consistently.

I have probably gone through at least six bottles of the Bioderma Sensibio Micellar Cleansing Oil, $33.99 by now; it is hands down my favourite for this year because nothing has yet come close to how effortlessly it removes my makeup and sunscreen and makes my face feel soft and completely clean every night.

Another favourite that has come in a close second and a fan favourite of the K Beauty girlies is the SKIN1004 Madagascar Centella Light Cleansing Oil, $26.95. This is also a beautiful, light cleansing oil that washes off effortlessly.

Bioderma Sensibio Micellar Cleansing Oil and SKIN1004 Madagascar Centella Light Cleansing Oil. Image: Bioderma/KBeauty Australia.

In terms of my foaming cleansers, you will never see me without a giant bottle of one of the Cerave cleansers in my shower; my regular go-to is the Cerave Foaming Cleanser, $23.99 for my everyday use, however, if it is particularly humid or my skin feels like it's breaking out, I switch to the Cerave Blemish Control Cleanser, $24.99 to help keep any congestion at bay.

These cleansers are affordable, last forever and have a version for all skin types, so they are a staple I purchase time and time again.

Cerave Foaming Cleanser and Cerave Blemish Control Cleanser. Image: Cerave.

Best toners and mists to buy.

While not an essential step in all routines, I like including a milk toner or mist when my skin needs a little extra hydration or soothing help.

I have fallen in love with the tbh Rebound Skin Milk Activated Cica Toner, $29.99, a hydrating milk toner designed for relaxing and calming thirsty skin. It's lightweight and ultra-hydrating. I even mix it with my foundation to prevent it from becoming cakey or dry throughout the day.

I also religiously keep the Tower 28 SOS Daily Rescue Facial Spray, $28, in my gym bag to spray onto my face immediately after the gym; this uses hypochlorous acid to calm your skin and keep breakouts at bay.

tbh rebound skin milk activated cica toner and Tower 28 SOS Daily Rescue Facial Spray. Image: tbh skincare/Amazon.

Best serums to buy.

At 34 years old, I'm now at that in-between age where I'm both treating the first signs of ageing and preventing skin damage simultaneously. I've learnt the best way to do this is by focusing on barrier repair and improving my skin integrity. My skin looks 10x better if I concentrate on barrier repair daily, and more than a moisturiser is needed.

That's where Ordinary's Soothing and Barrier Support Serum, $29.10, has come in. I use this serum morning and night, which has made a big difference to how calm and glowing my skin looks. I also always want that juicy, ultra-hydrated looking skin, and nothing does that better than L'Oréal Paris Revitalift Filler 1.5% Hyaluronic Acid Plumping Serum, $59.99 ; there's a reason why it's their global best-selling serum; it really hydrates your skin like nothing else.

The Ordinary's Soothing and Barrier Support Serum and L'Oréal Paris Revitalift Filler 1.5% Hyaluronic Acid Plumping Serum. Image: The Ordinary/L'Oréal Paris.

There are a few products I will always choose to spend more money on when it comes to skincare; generally that includes vitamin C serums and Peptide serums. I know how difficult those products are to formulate well, so they actually do what the customer wants. We aren't buying skincare just for the sake of using nice things. Usually, we want results, so we should be selective regarding those two specific products.

Peptide serums have been doing much of the heavy lifting in my skincare routine this year. I have gone through multiple bottles of the Medik8 Liquid Peptide Serum, $110, which is everything you would want in a firming, plumping, age-defying powerhouse.

I also like the Biossance Squalane + Copper Peptide Rapid Plumping Serum, $125, which has a similar effect in a silkier oil-based serum. I generally always use the Skinceuticals Silymarin CF Vit C Serum, $242 for my vitamin C. It is ridiculously expensive, but look for it when it's on sale because it will give your skin that lit-from-within glow everyone is looking for. When that doesn't fit my budget, I also like the Skinstitut Vitamin C 10% Super Serum, $69, which has a similar effect over time.

Medik8 Liquid Peptide Serum, Biossance Squalane + Copper Peptide Rapid Plumping Serum, Skinceuticals Silymarin CF Vit C Serum, and Skinstitute Vitamin C 10% Super Serum. Image: Medik8/Sephora/Skinceuticals/Skinstitute.

Best moisturisers to buy.

I like to change my moisturiser depending on my skin, the weather, my mood, the time of day, and everything in between. That's mainly because it's a product that serves a purpose for me: to lock everything else in, but otherwise, I don't get particularly excited by it. In saying that, I do have a few favourites I constantly repurchase.

The new CeraVe Facial Moisturising Lotion SPF 50+, $25.99 is my most used moisturiser for the daytime as it combines my moisturiser and sunscreen; anything that shortens my skincare routine is great in my books.

If my skin is particularly oily or breaking out, then I will try to reduce the amount of oil in my skincare routine, and I will use the Elizabeth Arden Retinol +HPR Ceramide Water Cream, $160. This is like an all-in-one serum and moisturiser in a beautifully light water cream that doesn't feel heavy or greasy.

If I've gone too hard on actives, I will swap to using calming skincare, and the best thing I have found is the Avene Redness Expert Soothing Moisturising Concentrate Cream, $47.99. Lindsay Lohan apparently uses this moisturiser, so maybe that's the secret to eternal youth; however, I find it helps quickly calm any redness or irritation on my skin.

Lastly, if I want something thick and comforting on my face that makes it feel like silk, then I always reach for my Thayers Barrier Bestie Ultra Whip Cream, $34.99; it's like a giant silky hug for your face and doesn't break me out like other heavy creams.

CeraVe Facial Moisturising Lotion SPF 50+, Elizabeth Arden Retinol +HPR Ceramide Water Cream, Avene Redness Expert Soothing Moisturising Concentrate cream, and Thayers Barrier Bestie Ultra Whip Cream. Image: Cerave/Elizabeth Arden/Avène/Chemist Warehouse.

Best bodycare products to buy.

By now, I'm sure everyone has heard of how amazing the Dr Dennis Gross Universal Daily Peel Pads are, but did you know they come in a Body version as well?

The Dr Dennis Gross Body Exfoliating Wipes, $91, have been a game changer for me; they are the only thing that has genuinely helped me get rid of the KP on the backs of my arms and banish any body breakouts post-gym. They are pricey, however you only need to use one a week, so the 8-pack lasts around two months, which is enough to convince you to repurchase, trust me.

Dr Dennis Gross Body Exfoliating Wipes. Image: Mecca.

My absolute pet peeve is dry skin on my body. In summer, if I'm in the sea a lot, I tend to get those pesky, dry, cracked legs, and there's nothing I dislike more. I recently started using the Frank Body Barrier Body Creme, $32 and I am trying to figure out what I would do without it; it's the perfect balance of rich and creamy but not heavy and sweaty. It feels luxurious and helps restore my skin to this beautiful silky smoothness I didn't know I could achieve.

Pro tip: Add a few drops of body oil, like the Ikkari Green Mandarin Body Oil, 69, to a big dollop of the cream and rub this combination all over your body, and you will have just unlocked a new level of body care you never knew existed.

Frank Body Barrier Body creme and Ikkari Green Mandarin Body Oil. Image: Frank Body/Ikkari.

Want to build your skincare routine but don't know how to start? Read these next:

• 'I'm new to skincare. There are 7 products I wish I'd known about sooner.'

• 'My affordable body care routine got over a million views on TikTok in 48 hours. Here's why.'

• The definitive order of how to apply your skincare, according to beauty experts.

Feature image: Supplied.