Please DeInfluence My WishList
Before my bank account cries
There are two things I know to be true about myself: I love buying things, and I am incapable of saying no. I adore the thrill of an ASOS haul, the intoxicating logic of TikTok convincing me that I need a cherry-red coat, ballet flats, and whatever else is currently being labeled as chic. You want to go for dinner? I’m already looking at the menu. A weekend away? Let me find a train. No one to go to that concert with you? I’ll learn every lyric by Friday.
For years, my FOMO and my bank account have been in a toxic, co-dependent relationship. But in 2025, I am manifesting their break-up. I can still say yes to everything that sparks joy, but perhaps with a little less financial self-sabotage. My new mantra? Consumerism is out. And, for once, the universe seems to be on my side, delivering the greatest trend of all: Deinfluence my wishlist. Finally something I can get behind that doesn’t cost me half my paycheck.
The other day, I posted this fun little photo. You know, trying to be on trend for once, I thought this might spark some interest. But the silence was deafening no likes, no comments, just a digital tumbleweed rolling by. Which, of course, made it the perfect candidate for an article. You didn’t care about the image? No problem. Here’s an entire blog post about it.
Criss Cross Chair
As I write this blog post, my back is practically begging me to sit upright and book a chiropractor. It’s crying out for structure, discipline, lumbar support. But here I am, cross-legged like a child at storytime, because apparently, that is the only way my body knows how to exist at a desk.
Is this a universal girl world thing, or is it just me? Because from what I can tell (or, more accurately, what my For You Page insists), everyone seems to have the same sleek, ergonomic, Pinterest-worthy WFH setup. You know the one an elegant criss cross chair, a neat desk, a soft-glow lamp that suggests productivity but also a deep sense of inner peace. And yet, despite this chair sitting in my Amazon basket, waiting to be purchased, something is stopping me. A quiet, gnawing doubt that whispers: Will this actually fix my back? Will it transform my work-from-home existence? Or will I still end up cross-legged, hunched over, and wondering if I should just accept my fate as a human question mark?
Rare Beauty Eye Brow Gel
I have been blessed in this life with good eyebrows. It is, without fail, the thing I am most complimented on. Strangers, friends, the occasional overenthusiastic barista great brows, they say. And to that, I must extend my deepest gratitude to Cara Delevingne for making them fashionable rather than something I spent my teenage years desperately trying to pluck into submission.
That being said, there is a fine line between bold, beautiful brows and feral, unmovable face caterpillars. Mine fall dangerously close to the latter. The only thing that has ever tamed them is Bear Brows from Unicorn Cosmetics, a product I cling to with the devotion of a Victorian poet in love.
So, I ask—beg, even—deinfluence me. Is Rare Beauty actually the best makeup brand ever, or is this just another expertly marketed mirage? Will I be investing in a life-changing formula, or will my £20 be better spent on yet another coffee I don’t need?
Pink New Balances 530
The resurgence of the New Balance 530 is nothing short of a public service announcement for my feet. Comfy and fashionable? A concept so revolutionary, I half expect to see it on a TED Talk. Finally, a shoe that lets me run for the tube and look like I belong in a carefully curated Pinterest board.
The only issue? I now feel compelled to collect them like rare artefacts. I currently own them in green, silver, navy, and brown—each one justifying itself in a different season, outfit, or fleeting aesthetic crisis. But now, as I fully commit to my Scandi Chic phase, I’m eyeing the pink pair. Will they be the one? The missing puzzle piece in my pastel-hued wardrobe? Or will I, in approximately 12 months, find myself back here, justifying another pair in yet another "essential" colour?
Oura Ring
Right, I know I don’t need this. I own an Apple Watch. It does everything the Oura Ring does tracks my sleep, counts my steps, reminds me that I’ve been sitting still for an embarrassing amount of time. But the thing is… the Oura Ring is cute. It’s gold, it slips onto my finger effortlessly, and, most importantly, it allows me to get my steps in at a wedding without my wrist looking like a Ben 10 alien watch.
So, I’m begging please, someone tell me it’s not worth it. That it won’t change my life. That I won’t feel like a sleek, effortlessly stylish wellness guru the second I slip it on. Lie to me if you have to
Lumi Alarm Clock
Look, I know my phone has an alarm. I know I don’t need a Lumi alarm clock gently waking me up with a simulated sunrise, like I’m some kind of Scandinavian wellness influencer who does Pilates at dawn. But the idea of being softly coaxed into consciousness rather than jolted awake by the sound of a nuclear submarine alarm? Tempting.
Olend Bag
Hi, I’m Niamh, and my back is officially ruined. I don’t look after myself—let’s be honest, we all know this already from the way I sit at my desk like a human question mark. But now, I must admit something else: my work bag is so heavy, it’s practically sending me to an early grave. Apparently, I’ve crossed into that phase of adulthood where my back is more of a priority than my outfit choices.
Somewhere in my brain, I thought the Olend Bag in blue might be the answer. It looks like it could solve all of my work bag woes. But, dear reader, do I really need another bag? Yes, my current one is physically causing me pain, but there’s no way I’m going to start taking fewer things to work (or… could I?). So, am I just swapping my black, practical bag for a trendy blue one? Or is this a case of trying to make my problem look more Instagrammable instead of solving it?
Patrick Ta Pink Blush
You will never be able to deinfluence me on the current blush trend. I love having pink cheeks. The only thing that does care, however, is my bank account, which is growing increasingly concerned with the number of blushes I’m buying.
So, please, deinfluence me. Does the Patrick Ta Major Headlines Blush need to join my ever-expanding collection, or is it just another overpriced powder I’ll use twice before it sits at the bottom of my drawer like every other ‘essential’ item?
Dji Camera Osmo Pocket 3
Maybe it’s because I work in an industry where everything is filmed and posted for the world to see. Maybe it’s because I grew up in the YouTube generation, watching people vlog everything from the contents of their handbags to extravagant PR trips. Either way, I really like this camera. It’s small, it’s sleek, and it makes me nostalgic for the days when filming your life wasn’t just about 15-second clips disappearing into the abyss of Instagram Stories.
But do I need a camera when I have a phone? Will I actually sit down and edit the footage into a beautifully crafted short film, or will it just live on a memory card for eternity? The optimist in me says yes, I would do something with it. The realist says maybe I should prove that first practise with the equipment I already have before dropping £400 on a gadget that might just become another expensive impulse purchase.
Adanola Fleece
I genuinely can’t tell if this is on my wishlist because I want it or because I want to believe I will look like Kendall Jenner in it. It’s cosy, it’s practical, it has that quiet luxury but make it sporty appeal. But will their next collab be even better? Will I spend £50+ on a fleece only to be haunted by an even more perfect fleece mere months later?
Say it with me: you do not need to spend £50 on a fleece. You could book a flight to Rome for that (apparently). You could sip an espresso in a cobbled piazza, romanticise your life, and still have change left for a pastry. Will a fleece ever give me that? Unlikely.
Owala Water Bottle
If there’s one recurring theme in this blog post, it’s trends. And if there’s one trend I need a scientist to explain, it’s the current cultural obsession with water bottles.
Did my emotional support water bottle help me drink more water? Absolutely. Hydration levels: elite. But does owning multiple water bottles contribute to the very plastic crisis we were trying to solve in the first place? I have a sneaking suspicion the answer is yes.
I love the design of the Owala water bottle. It’s chic, it’s practical, it would fit in my bag far better than my unwieldy Stanley. But surely—surely—the solution to reducing plastic waste isn’t buying 20 reusable water bottles in the name of sustainability? Someone, please, make it make sense.
Please, make me feel better—do you also have a never-ending wish list of things you know you should be deinfluenced on? Or are we just accepting our fate and rewarding ourselves for being strong, powerful women who deserve nice things? Let me know in the comments so we can justify our questionable spending habits together.
About Twenty Five Reset
Hi, I’m Niamh, and everyone was right—25 really is a turning point. I finally know who I am, what I want, and my purpose… but it’s nothing like I expected.
I work in TV, but it doesn’t define me. This space is my reset—embracing the mess, reflecting, and creating again. You can expect:
Pop Culture and a lot of chats about 2000 - 2020 TV Shows
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I won't be of any help, your list made me want to buy everything, except the Oura Ring that I already have and use with my fitbit. What I love about it: the way it works around my cycle and body temperature. What I hate: it tells me to chill every day. Dear Oura, I have a job. I can't relax that much.