October Sayonara Products

This month I finished up a whopping fifteen products; more impressive than that,eleven are cosmetic items! I have mentioned in other posts that I have really buckled down on makeup spending, buying only the products that I need, have thoroughly research, and/or have been really craving for a long time. As such, I am hauling less and focusing on and using up what I already have more! Here are the products that I said goodbye to this past month:

Revlon PhotoReady Concealer in Medium Light

As far as drugstore concealers go, this is one of the best that I have found. It is really creamy, has nice coverage, and lasts all day when set with powder. It works best on blemishes but this wouldn't be my first pick for dark circles- it tended to cake up a little and crease under the eyes, and doesn't have the peachy undertones to really cancel out the blue. I have a few other concealers to use up, but I would consider purchasing it again.

Urban Decay Primer Potion in Original, minis x2

I received both of these mini PPs in palettes and have bee amazed by how long they have lasted me! UDPP is the only primer I have ever used or tried, and I haven't felt the need to look elsewhere because it does what it is supposed to do- make shadows more vibrant, prevent creasing, and prolong wear time. I replaced these two empties with a full-sized version in Eden, as seen in my recent Sephora Haul.

EOS Smooth Sphere Lip Balm

Remember when everyone was raving about these? There is a lot to love here- all natural, organic, fun and unique packaging, tasty flavors. I wouldn't say this lip balm provided the most hydration to my lips, but it certainly got the job done! I used this until the sphere was flat, and then using a toothpick I dug out the rest of the product and mixed it with sugar to make a lip sugar scrub.

Almay Makeup Erase Sticks

My mom gave these to me to throw in my purse, but I found that these were most helpful in the mornings to clean up residual eye makeup that transferred to my lower lash line. The stick of the q-tip is filled with makeup remover, and when you snap one of the cotton buds off the liquid saturates the other end. These were nice to have, but not an essential for me. 

Dickinson's Original Witch Hazel

This is just plain ol' witch hazel in a convenient squirt bottle. After washing my face I would load a cotton pad up with witch hazel and clean off any residual makeup, especially in my hairline. This did the trick, and it also did a decent job of shrinking my pores. I'll buy witch hazel again, but to save a few pennies I will just get the generic bottle.

Bath & Body Works Midnight Pomegranate EDT

I picked this up in one of my mad hunts to find my signature scent, and it just didn't work out. Although I always received compliments when I wore it, I personally found it too sweet and fruity.

Physicians Formula Powder Palette Multi-Colored Press Powder in Buff

I kept this in my purse to touch up throughout the day, and it was fine for a quick blot. However, as a setting powder this was pretty low performing- my skin was shiny within a few short hours, and reapplication lends itself to looking cakey.

Cover Girl Professional Natural Lash Mascara in Clear

I used this to set my brows, and it served me just fine! However, I have found another affordable clear mascara (Maybelline Great Lash) that has a smaller brush that is easier to tame my brows with, so I won't be repurchasing.

NARS Orgasm Illuminator

As a highlight and gel blush, I personally found this product pretty pointless. The gel was too thin, and once applied the pretty pinky gold shimmers were all but blended away. However, I did like this mixed with my foundation. I typically opt for matte finishes because they control oil better, but for a little luminosity I liked to mix this in. I did purchase a full size of this in Copacabana after falling in love with the color and reading that the formula was thicker than Orgasm's. Updates on that soon!

Estée Lauder Double Matte Foundation in Cool Dusk

While researching Double Wear the SA provided me a sample with Double Matte as well. In short, this was a let down: though it gives excellent coverage, it fails to control oil, it looks mask-like, and leaves you white cast in photos. Read the full review here.

Sephora Perfecting Tinted Moisturizer in Medium Peach

On its own, this is not a superior product. It is a little oily and provided almost zero coverage. However, I liked to mix this with my Revlon ColorStay for a more natural finish. I recently replaced this with Tart'es Amazonian Clay Tinted Moisturizer, which I am loving so far so expect a review soon!

philosophy vanilla birthday cake shower gel

This was my birthday gift from Sephora, and it really did smell like cake! I enjoyed this while it lasted, but I don't want to smell like cake all the time. 

LORAC Perfect Lit Oil Free Luminizing Powder in Spotlight

This little deluxe sample lasted me almost a full year, and I vacillated between love and ambivalence. At times I wouldn't think it wasn't anything special, but in comparison to other, lower-end highlighters I can tell how soft, smooth, and natural it applies to the skin. No big shimmers here, just a nice lit from within glow. 

 

Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-On Eyeliner Pencil in Zero

This liner is among many bloggers' favorites, and I enjoyed it, too. Zero is very black, and the formula is incredibly creamy and easy to apply yet sets quickly and is long lasting. The only problem I had with this is that it didn't last on my waterline as long as I expected. I would repurchase this, put the price is pretty steep. I am testing out the Milani LIQUIF EYE Metallic Eyeliner Pencil in Black to see how it compares.

Phew! That's a lot!

What did you finish up this past month?

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Posted in Almay , Bath and Body Works , Cover Girl , EOS , Estee Lauder , Lorac , NARS , philosophy , Physicians Formula , Revlon , Sayonara Products , Skin Care , Urban Decay

May Favorites & Flunkies

Since Project 10 Pan I have really buckled down on my spontaneous spending and hauling. As such, I don't have a ton of favorites to share. Some are products I rediscovered gems in my preexisting collection, while others are new finds that I researched before purchasing. Unfortunately, a few I got a few flunkies this month, and all are products that I did not research before I threw them in my cart. I am slowly learning my lesson to be a conscious, educated consumer.

First, the favs:

•  Seche Vite Dry Fast Top Coat- I usually only have time to do my nails in the evening, and before this product I had problems with my polish denting as I slept. Seche Vite may smell awful, but it performs as promised. My lacquer is dry in around 5 minutes and has a glassy, hard finish. My only complaint is that I experience some shrinkage with some polishes where Seche Vite pulls away from the tips of my nails as it drys. This is only with some polishes, and I can live with it.
• Wet n Wild Color Icon Trio in Sweet as Candy- This is a foolproof trio of shadows that is great for when you are in a rush or just want a simple, natural eye look. The colors themselves are not necessarily unique, but that is okay- they make sense together, are soft and pigmented, and a real bargain. Check out the FOTD I created with this trio.
• Physicians Formula Powder Palette Mineral Glow Pearls in Translucent Pearl- I wouldn't have picked this up at full price, but I had a few CVS extra bucks and Physicians Formula was having a sale so in the cart it went. I had read a few rave reviews on these Mineral Glow Pearls, and it did not disappoint. This is a beautiful soft pinky beige highlight that I will be using a lot this summer when I want glowy skin. It is quite shimmery though, so apply with a gentle hand.  
•  E.L.F. Cream Eyeliner in Black- This also made it into last month's favs. I use this everyday, though it is particularly awesome for creating a winged liner look. It is creamy and pigmented, but dries quickly. This never creases onto my lid and literally lasts all day. I don't know how this compares to other brands (like the Loreal Hip one, MAC fluidline, or the Wet n Wild gel liner), but I am really happy with this. 
• fresh Citron de Vignre Eau de Parfum- I have mentioned elsewhere that I have difficulty finding fragrances that I like because I am generally turned off by feminine floral scents and unfortunately most women's perfumes fall into that category. I found this perfume at Sephora and it is absolutely divine! It smells like sangria- citrusy and spicy with notes of red wine. It is a very unique scent and I have been wearing it all month.
• NYX Jumbo Eye Pencil in Milk- I don't really have anything new to say about this cult favorite that hasn't already been said. It is a creamy white that has worked as an awesome base for most all of my May eye looks.
• Stila Bronzing Tinted Moisturizer- I picked this up in a mini haul recently from Nordstrom Rack and have been really enjoying it. I wear it alone, or mix it with my regular tinted moisturizer or with a dab of my foundation if I want more coverage. This doesn't make my oily skin freak out, and it gives me a nice subtle bronzed glow. I wore it in a couple FOTDs this moth, like this one here.
• Neutrogena Pure & Free Baby Sunblock Lotion SPF 60+- Sunblock should be a staple in your skincare routine year round, but I am guilty of forgetting it most mornings. However, as the sun starts to come out more this Spring I have been making an earnest effort to remember it. I opted for a baby sunblock because they tend to have more naturally derived and gentle ingredients and to have higher SPFs. I mix a pea sized amount of this creamy sunblock into my moisturizer in the morning and have been really surprised by how non-greasy this leaves my face. Usually sunblock leaves me feeling like an oil slick, but this soaks in nicely and I can apply my makeup soon after. And the classic sunblock smell, which I am not fond of, is mild.

 Now, for the flunkies:

•  Sinful Colors Nail Art- I picked these up in a Walgreens haul at the beginning of the month. I was totally lulled in by the cheap price tag and stellar colors. However, I should have known better; since these are neon shades, they apply very sheer and thus don't make for very good nail art designs. Bummer. 
• Maybelline Define-a-Brow Pencil in Light Blonde- I have been on the hunt for a good brow pencil, and this one actually matches the color of my brows nicely. However, everything else about this is pretty crappy in my opinion. I though that I would like that it was an automatic pencil, but it is not self-sharpening so the tip is flat making for imprecise application. Also, if you twist it too much, the product crumbles very easily when applying it. 

So there are my favorites and flunkies of May. What are you loving and regretting?

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Posted in E.L.F. , Favorites and Flunkies , fresh , Maybelline , Neutrogena , NYX , Physicians Formula , Seche Vite , Sinful Colors , Stila , Wet n Wild

Adios Project 10 Pan!

Almost one month ago I embarked upon Project 10 Pan and today I declare it officially finished. Save one Zoya binge, this adventure was largely successful; I cleared out a handful of products that had overstayed their welcome, made room for future natural product purchases, and had a little needed distance from the seductive beauty industry. This project didn't last too long because I had decided at the beginning to included deluxe sample and travel sized products as well since I have an abundance of those cluttering up my makeup drawers and bathroom cabinet. But to compensate for my Zoya breakdown and these smaller bottles I waited to break my no-buy until I finished up 16 products.

Here is what I bid goodbye to and a brief review of each product:

• Laura Mercier Invisible Loose Setting Powder in Universal- This deluxe sample was a Beauty Insider perk from Sephora. This is nice, but I don't think it performs any better than my bargain friendly E.L.F. HD Powder.
• Suave Professionals Almond & Shea Butter Moisturizing Condition- This is actually a pretty good conditioner, but I will not be repurchasing because I have switched to the all-natural Yes to Tomatoes brand.
• Tarte Sooth Operator Amazonian Clay Illuminating Serum- Sweet goddess, I love this stuff. So much so that I bought the full-sized bottle (before I started Project 10 Pan) before I even ran out of this deluxe sample. Read my full review here.
• Aussie 3 Minute Miracle Deep Conditioner- I love this hair treatment. While I would love to find a natural replacement eventually, until then this is doing wonders on my dry, damaged locks. 
• E.L.F. Waterproof Eyeliner Pen- I have read some raving reviews on this, but I though this eyeliner pen was pretty crummy. It dried up quickly and did not provide precise application. I had to force myself to use this until the felt tip basically disintegrated. 
• Hard Candy Sheer Envy Face Primer- I really enjoyed this primer while it lasted, and I would consider repurchasing when I run out of my Monistat Soothing Care Chaffing Powder-Gel that I use as a primer (not as crazy as it sounds, I promise!)
• St. Ives Naturally Clear Green Tea Cleanser- This is my second bottle of this cleanser, and I really do like it. It is gentle, helps with redness, has a nice lather, and controls breakouts. I have been into Yes to Tomatoes lately, but there is a strong possibility that I will pick this up again.
• Clean Scene by Murad Gaga for Glow Gentle Facial Scrub- This was also a deluxe sample from Sephora. It had an incredibly strong fruity scent that turned my stomach. I did like the micro exfoliants in the scrub (like the Proactiv cleanser), but it also had these awful pink, blue, and orange beads that refused to dissolve away. 
• Hard Candy Plumping Serum Volumizing Lip Gloss in Girl Next Door- This is the first lip gloss in a long while that I can recall using all of. I'm talking about scraping the tube with the applicator to get at the last speck of product. The color was a nice sheer baby pink with fine  silver glitter, and it did have a subtle, tingly plumping effect. Although I wouldn't hunt it down, if I stumbled across this again I would repurchase. 
• Olay Clarify & Cleanse Daily Scrub- I bought this because I was looking for a acne fighting exfoliating cleanser that also foamed and was suitable for daily use. This cleanser is awful and I had to force myself to not trash it. The exfoliating beads were like little blue plastic balls that never dissolved and would get trapped in my hairline. In order to finish this I only used this in the shower so I could rinse the beads away afterwards. 
• Yes to Cucumbers Soothing Hypoallergenic Facial Towlettes- I went through 3 packs of 10 of these, and I really enjoy them. I have used better makeup removing wipes before, but these certainly hold their own and I like that they are all-natural.
• Yes to Carrots Daily Pampering Shampoo and Conditioner- I did not care for these, so I am glad I only invested in the travel size to try them out. The shampoo did not lather enough for me, and the conditioner did not moisturize my hair very well. The Yes to Tomatoes line works much better on my hair.
• Yes to Carrots Carrott Rich Shower Gel- This shower gel performs fine, but it didn't change my life. The scent is mild and the lather is minimal, but it got me clean. I plan to try a different all-natural shower gel. 

In addition to finishing up the above products, I hit pan on a few others in my makeup collection.  Here is what I am still earnestly trying to use up:

• Sephora Sculpting Disk- I have hit pan on the pressed powder section of this product. I really do enjoy this sculpting disk; individually each products is nice, but having one compact for my powder, bronzer, and highlighter is convenient and travel friendly. 
• Lorac Perfectly Lit Oil-Free Luminizing Powder in Spotlight- I've just barely hit pan on this, but it is a deluxe sample that I received in a Sephora beauty in a box set. It is a pretty champagne powder with a fine shimmer that offers a diffused glow rather than a disco ball glitter party when applied. I like this, but not enough to pick up a full sized for $32 when this is gone. 
• Physicians Formula Shimmer Strips in Malibu Strip- I have had this for a while, and it is a good multi-purpose product that can function as an eyeshadow palette, bronzer, or highlight. It is incredibly shimmery, almost metalic, so a little goes a long way which is why I cant seem to finish this stuff up! I have used up all of the white shimmer strip, and now I am left with metallic bronze shades.
• Sephora Perfecting Tinted Mousturizer in Medium Peach- This isn't anything special as far as I am concerned. I am looking for a tinted moisturizer that is better at oil control, and this doesn't fit the bill.
• Maybelline Expert Wear Blush in Precious Pink- Oh my goodness I have had this forever and it just won't go away! Which is amazing since this blush is so sheer I need to pack it on for any color pay off. I like that it has a nice sheen that leaves my cheeks looking slightly dewy, but otherwise I can't wait until this is gone!
• Urban Decay 24/7 Glide On Eyeliner Pencil in Zero- Recently I have been liking cream liners more, but this is the best pencil liner I have every used. Creamy and rich, and once it sets it has a great staying power. Thankfully I have another one of these that I received in an UD palette, because these are not cheap to replace.

There we have it! To celebrate the end of Project 10 Pan I picked up a few things today (here we go again...), so keep your eyes open for an upcoming mini-haul.

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Posted in Aussie , E.L.F. , Hard Candy , Laura Mercier , Lorac , Maybelline , Murad , Olay , Physicians Formula , Project 10 Pan , Sephora , St. Ives , Suave , Urban Decay , Yes to Carrots , Yes to Cucumbers