May Empties

I feel really good about the amount of products that I was able to push out this month. It even out the amount of products that I have brought in. I really have been concentrating on using up samples, deluxe sizes, and almost empty products this month. I am sure there will be just as many empties in June as well from my May efforts. I don’t want to have a crazy backstock of items. I don’t want to have to keep 3 bins in my closet to hold all of my items (hair, body, skin care). I want to hold everything in just one backup storage bin. If by the end of the year I can have two bins, I will be a very happy girl. I think this is more realistic at this point in time. I keep my makeup totally separate, but I would like to have one empty drawer out of my jewelry case for my everyday jewelry to be accessible. I have larger makeup items on top where jewelry is stored, so I’d like to have an empty drawer for that purpose. If I use up enough makeup, I can make this happen. Fingers crossed!

1.DKNY Be Delicious Fresh Blossom

I used up this perfume in my project pan. It was the first item in the project that I was able to use up. I enjoyed this Spring scent, but I am more interested in buying a different Be Delicious perfume than repurchasing this one. I would not repurchase this one, because the scent wasn’t apple-y enough for me and too floral. Glad to have a perfume out of my collection. That is the second perfume used up this year, so I am a happy girl right now. Hopefully, I’ll be able to move out two more by the end of the year and keep up the pace.

2. Smashbox Primerizer Sample

I have no opinion on this product. It was a nice primer to use up, but I notice nothing from foil packets. I’m not interested in trying this primer, though.

3. Sumita Jaipur Gold Contrast Eye Pencil

This came in a subscription box, but has since dried out. It looks great on the back of my hand, but I cannot press it hard enough into my eye lid for the same pigmentation. I am not going to kill my eyeballs for the sake of using up an eye liner that I didn’t even buy myself, so I am happily decluttering this one.

4. Marc Jacobs Velvet Noir Major Volume Mascara

Chunky and clumpy lashes. I just hate that type of look on me. I have naturally long dark eye lashes, so I am just looking for darkening and volume. It was too clumpy to salvage it. I even tried using my lash brush to brush out some of the clumps and I had mascara bits all over my face from brushing out the clumps. I’m glad to be decluttering, because I don’t enjoy using it. The short stubby bristles on the wand are not great for lengthening and gives really chunky lashes.

5 – 7. Moda Oval Makeup Brushes

I hate these with a passion. I don’t like them. I prefer traditional brushes. The only one that was good is the biggest one, but with a flimsy wand, I quickly grew tired of it. Now, I have the ELF blending brush and couldn’t be happier with it.

8. Benefit High Beam Cream Highlighter

I scraped out every last bit that I could. I even cut the tube in half. I enjoyed this by adding it into my moisturizer for a healthy glow. It was perfect for that. I am enjoying using up my cream highlighters in this way. I would rather use a glowy primer when I am done with my cream highlighters though. I still keep a pink cream highlighter in my collection though in case I use a pore filling primer. It would be good to use on no makeup days for a glowy look. Yeah, I think I’ll always have a pink cream highlighter on hand, but that is all the cream highlighter that I need. I will not repurchase this. It was too frosty for what I want to use it for and it is not cruelty free.

9. HIGH Expectation Cannabis Facial Oil Sample

This sample lasted me a week of nightly use leaving me very pleasantly surprised. It sinks in faster than other oils and smells like fruity pebbles. I like other oils that sink in faster and do more for my skin than just hydrate AKA the Sunday Riley UFO oil. I still did enjoy this sample, but I mostly buy main stream brands and I’ve never heard of this one before. Oh and the fact that its cannabis doesn’t bother me in the slightest. LOL.

 

 

10. MAC PREP + PRIME FIX + MINI in Lavender

I don’t see these as a necessary step in my routine if I am already using primer. I feel like I need a pore filling primer or a mattifying one that does something for my skin rather than this one that just adds moisture. This might be nice for dry skin, but I don’t see the point for my skin. I will gladly use my minis up and buy this on sale again, because it is very refreshing and nice. I wouldn’t buy it full price. I’d rather spend money on a setting spray that will lock my makeup in place. I really enjoy the experience of using this though. I can see drier skin types loving this spray.

11. Johnson’s Bedtime Baby Moisture Wash

I bought this for $1 or $1.50 when a Walmart I lived near was clearancing this line out to redo their baby section. I used this as a nighttime bubble bath for Dean. I got a ton of use out of it and it did have a very soothing scent. I would not purchase this full price, but I would buy it on sale again. I usually buy Dr. Teals or the Walmart brand bubble bath. I am not gonna lie, I used this a few times as well. It made quite a few baths and lots of bubbles. Even though technically its not a bubble bath, we used it as such and it performed great.

12. Drunk Elephant Lala Retro Whipped Cream Sample

This was enough for 2 uses on the face. It was nice enough, but I really have no opinion of it. I would need a deluxe size to really comment on it.

13. Josie Maran Whipped Argan Oil Body Butter Unscented

I only used up one of the samples. I’ve had it before. I wouldn’t purchase it. It takes a long time to sink into the skin, so it’s kinda a hassle to use. It was enough for almost 2 full body uses.

14. Magic Bath Crackles

This was enough for 2 baths. Dean ignored it for the most part. It was worth a shot.

15. Crayola Color Bath Dropz

These continue to be a repurchase for us. Dean loves different colors in his bath water. It makes bath time a fun experience for him. They just change the color of the bath water, so there isn’t much to review about it. It doesn’t stain the tub or his skin, so its a winner in my book.

16. Not Your Mother’s Way To Grow Long & Strong Shampoo

I really enjoyed this shampoo. I liked the fragrance and it lathered nicely. I don’t know if it did anything to make my hair grow longer, but I would buy another shampoo from this brand again. It is a great cruelty free drugstore option. I wasn’t blown away by this shampoo, but it is a solid shampoo with good ingredients. I’m not too fussy when it comes to shampoo, but I do like them to clean my hair. I always shampooed my hair twice with this as I felt that once wasn’t enough to strip out all the oil in my hair. I wouldn’t mind repurchasing this again, but I’d rather try another shampoo by the brand.

17. ROLOXIN LIFT INSTANT SKIN SMOOTHING MASK

I am decluttering this to my mom.

18. Mr. Bubble Bubble Bath

My mom put this is Dean’s easter basket and we used it up once our bath was fixed. In a few baths, we finished this bad boy off and I ordered some bubble bath at Walmart. Dean loves bubbles in his tub and I do like it as well when I indulge in a bath.

I am very proud of how much stuff I was able to use up on my birthday month! I am happy that I used up 18 products this month with 8 being full sized, 4 deluxe, and 6 samples. I don’t expect much coming into my collection in June besides maybe another VS bra or something since I do have another $10 gift card. Nothing beauty wise though, so these numbers have put me in a good spot to cut down on my collection while adding to it. I am very happy and proud of what I have been able to accomplish this month. Hopefully, June is just as good of a month. I can see quite a few products hanging by a hair in my collection, so I’m going to take that as a good sign.

With Love,

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Sephora Loves List

Today, I am going through my loves list and ITS MY BIRTHDAY TODAY. I am printing my whole Loves List in this post. I will be telling you what I am removing, what is staying, and which items I want to purchase for my birthday that I really want. I usually indulge a bit for my birthday month and I recently accumulated points to spend on my credit card and I received a rebate in the mail. I usually spend about $100 to $200 on myself for my birthday. I know that I got a tattoo earlier this year that I said was a birthday gift to myself, but I spoil myself. It’s the only time of year besides Black Friday where I really indulge myself. Otherwise, I put everything I have into my son. So, I put myself on a self-induced low buy every year and it’s good for my collection. I want to move a ton of makeup out this year.

Too Faced Bronzed Peach Melting Powder Bronzer – Peaches and Cream Collection
COLOR: Toasted Peach – soft bronze .44 oz/ 12.5 g
WAS $30.00 NOW $10.00

I am SUPER EXCITED about this one. I already put it in my cart. It is 1/3 of the price and something that I have had my eye on. Do I need it? No, I do not. I am a big fan of a bronzy glow though and I am allowing myself a $50 Sephora purchase for my birthday to get my free birthday gift. I would love to own something by Too Faced and I use bronzer. I know that this will be used. I do have two other cream bronzer/contours but they are in my Smashbox palette that is REALLY bulky and I always forget to pull it out. I will need to put it in my Summer Project Pan. I need to decide if I like the creams or if I only like the powders. I need to use up the creams if I like them.

BECCA Iconics: Prime, Brighten and Glow Trio
WAS $40.00 NOW $30.00
($70.00 value)

I have tried the primer before. I am a big fan of BECCA highlighters and I really want to try the under eye corrector. Having said this, this will not be going into my basket for my birthday. I just bought a BECCA limited edition kit at Marshalls, I just got an undereye corrector in my FITFABFUN, and I have a full sized primer that needs to be used up. I don’t need to go out and purchase this kit, but I do like it and will keep it on my loves list until it goes out of stock.

BECCA Glow Essentials Kit
WAS $39.00 NOW $29.00
($68.00 value)

Again, this is another BECCA set with two primers, a mini highlighter, and a mini lip gloss. I don’t need this, but it is staying on my Loves List because it is an incredible value.

Ciaté London Glitter Storm Eyeshadow Palette
WAS $42.00 NOW $30.00

This palette is small and absolutely stunning. All of these colors would be usable on my hooded eyes. I added it to my basket to buy for now. This is something that I really want. I don’t have a ton of eye shadow and I plan to be panning a good chunk of it this year. I have been wearing a pretty full face of makeup minus foundation everyday. I have been enjoying doing my eye shadow and throwing on mascara. I would get a ton of use out of this, but I don’t need it. It make not be purchased this time around, but I will keep it on my Loves List for sure.

Glow Recipe Avocado Melt Sleeping Mask Set
SIZE 2.7 oz/ 80 mL + Free Eye Mask
WAS $45.00 NOW $39.00

I just got a sleeping mask in my FITFABFUN Spring box, so this will be staying on my Love’s List. I really want to try these sleeping masks from this brand though. Has anyone tried them? I love luxury skincare, because I want to put good ingredients on my skin. I only invest in items like these though. I don’t buy high end toner water. lol. I usually spend a bit more on treatments and masks.

Glow Recipe Watermelon Glow Sleeping Mask Set

SIZE 2.7 oz/ 80 mL + Free Eye Mask
WAS $45.00 NOW $39.00

The same goes for this kit as well. It is staying on my Love’s List for one rainy day. REALLY dying to get one of these bad boys though.

Urban Decay Naked Skin Highlighting Fluid
SIZE 0.21 oz/ 6 g
COLOR: Skywalk – pale iridescent blue
WAS $28.00 NOW $14.00

I added this one to my cart as well and keeping it on my Love’s List. Do I need it? No, I have a few liquid highlighters to use, but this one is unique in that it is blue. I could truly use it as a highlight instead of an all over face glow for the ones that I have that have literally no pigmentation. It is also half off and discontinued. I may not get another change to buy this.

Anastasia Beverly Hills Norvina Eyeshadow Palette
$42.00

These are all colors that I would wear as well. I am keeping it on my Love’s List for when I move out most of my collection of eye shadows. It’s a big palette, but all these colors work for me. I am looking forward to getting this probably next year!

COOLA Full Spectrum 360° Sun Silk Drops SPF 30 1 oz/ 30 mL
$46.00

I am taking this off of my list. I’m not paying $46 for 1 ounce of sunscreen. LOL. What was I thinking?! Not clearly apparently.

Marc Jacobs Beauty Eye-Conic Multi-Finish Eyeshadow Palette – Coconut Fantasy Collection Fantascene
$49.50

Another one taken off of the Love’s List. I am never going to wear that dark purple shade. I can’t spend $50 and not wear one of the shades. That would just be wasteful to me, even though the rest of the palette is gorgeous.

Tatcha The Pearl Tinted Eye Illuminating Treatment
SIZE 0.4 oz/ 13 mL
COLOR: Moonlight – warm glow for fair-medium skin
$48.00

Another eye treatment that is staying on the Love’s List. I want to try this one eventually. I did just get an eye treatment though, which is why I am not trying this one. Even though it is in a pot, I am still interested in trying this one out.

Marc Jacobs Beauty
Dew Drops Coconut Gel Highlighter – Coconut Fantasy Collection
SIZE 0.8 oz/ 24 mL
COLOR: Fantasy – warm rose-gold
$44.00

This is staying on the Love’s List. I have been lusting after this for soooo long. I cannot justify it though when I still have a ton of liquid highlighters and I am already buying a different highlighter to boot. It will stay here. Hopefully, I can buy this one next year if all I have left are powders.

Anastasia Beverly Hills Soft Glam Eyeshadow Palette
$42.00

This one is coming off the list as well for that one black shade and possibly the one above it that I will never use. I am only buying palettes that I can use every shade in, unless there is something uniquely special about that palette that I can overlook one shade. This palette is nothing special, pass.

Too Faced Sex On The Peach Complexion Set
$45.00
($85.00 value)

I totally forgot about this being on my list, but I currently have two powders. I am keeping it on my list, but will think about purchasing it once I am down to my last powder. I don’t want to be too much of a hoarder. This will probably be a next year purchase as well unless more powders come into my collection between now and then.

GLOW RECIPE
Watermelon Pink Juice Moisturizer
SIZE: 2 oz/ 60 mL
$39.00

This is for sure staying on my list. It is reasonably priced for 2 ounces of product; however, I have two tubes of moisturizer right now and cannot justify having this sit around on my shelf. This might be more of a November sale buy this year. I might be picking it up then as long as I am almost out of my daytime moisturizer.

IGK
Foamo Holographic Hair Foam
SIZE 2.4 oz/ 70 mL
COLOR: Moon Rock
$22.00

I totally forgot about this. I put this right into my cart and keeping it on my list as well. This would be nice to put into my blue hair for a fun color shift or a nice play time with a certain little girl in my life. This could be a lot of unicorn fun. Hopefully, it at least gives off a little bit of color, but its okay if not too. Its making fun memories that really count. I will for sure buy this even if it isn’t during my birthday. For sure in time for Halloween though.

STILA
Shimmer & Glow Liquid Eye Shadow
SIZE 0.153 oz
COLOR: Starlight – shimmering light gold champagne
$24.00

This is coming off of my list. It is really plain and I still have two other minis of these. I would buy this in a mini size, but not in a full size. I don’t want to waste money to have these dry up on me. Maybe once I get used to living here, I’ll see how fast I’ll be going through my makeup. I have already used up a few makeup items, because I have been using it more since the move.

TOO FACED
Chocolate Gold Eyeshadow Palette
$49.00

Again, there is 2 shades that I won’t wear and I don’t think it is that unique of a palette. I am taking this off of my Love’s List. I am happy to see that I am chipping away at my list. Sephora has a ton of great items. It would be nice to keep my list somewhat reasonable.

TARTE
Top #Shelfie Essentials
$36.00

This is a great mini set! Minis are something that I can finish in a reasonable amount of time. This is a great treat yourself gift. I am keeping it on my list, but passing on it for now. I already know that I love this line and want to keep buying minis of it to refresh my skin once in a while.

SOL DE JANEIRO
Brazilian Bum Bum Cream
SIZE: 8.1 oz/ 240 mL
$45.00

This is staying on my list to buy next year. I need to go through my current backstock of body lotions right now. This is a guilty pleasure one that I will indulge in next year though. The scent is too die for and I neeeeed it. I would love it if I could find one of these at Marshalls for even $10 less.

TOO FACED
Diamond Light Multi-Use Highlighter
SIZE 0.42 oz/ 12 g
COLOR: Diamond Fire – diamond blue/ diamond pink/ diamond yellow
$36.00

This is a super unique looking highlighter and I would love to add it one day to my collection. I need to move through a few of my highlighters first though. In case you haven’t noticed, highlighters are my weakness. I covet them the most out of any other piece of makeup. I buy tons of lippies, but only have 1 on my wish list. My obsession is highlighters. I will always love them and wear them to death.

SUNDAY RILEY
Space Race Fight Acne, Oil + Pores at Warp Speed Kit
$65.00
($85.00 value)

This is staying on my list and I will probably buy it during the November sale. I have a few acne treatments to go through first, but this line really works for me and is worth the splurge. The oil of that size lasted me a year of use, so I know that it is a great buy as well. I highly recommend this kit if you have oily, acne prone skin. It will change your skin for the better if it is anything like mine.

MARC JACOBS BEAUTY
Dew Drops Coconut Gel Highlighter
SIZE 0.8 oz/ 24 mL
COLOR: 50 Dew You? – golden peach
$44.00

This is just a lighter more wearable shade that I will be buying in the future as well. I am thinking this will be my winter shade for a believable glow in the cold. My favorite brand is Marc Jacobs. He may be expensive, but it is so so worth it.

CAROLINA HERRERA
GOOD GIRL
SIZE 1.7 oz/ 50 mL
$94.00

 

I want to smell this before I purchase this, but it is a pretty bottle to add to my perfume collection. I want to get down to 5 bottles TOPS. I am keeping this on my Love’s List for when my perfume collection dwindles down. I have already used up one perfume bottle this year and I am almost done with another. I still have loads to go before I am down to five however.

TOO FACED
Sweet Peach Creamy Peach Oil Lip Gloss
SIZE 0.14 oz/ 4 mL
COLOR: Papa Don’t Peach – spiced peach
$19.00

I have had this lipgloss on my Love’s List FOREVER. I have been hoping to run into this at Marshalls but no such luck so far. I don’t want to spend $19 on a lip oil when I still have SO MANY lip glosses to get through. This will be staying on my Love’s List until I have used up a good portion of my lip gloss collection or if I need to add a low price item during the November sale to get free shipping.

I have since placed my order, so it will be a surprise in my birthday haul what I ended up picking up including my free birthday gift. I am super excited to be sharing that with all of you later this month or the beginning of next depending upon when I get my hands on all of my orders. I am waiting on my LUSH purchase to see if my tub gets fixed or not. As I write this, it is supposed to be fixed on the 3rd. Fingers crossed for that.

With Love,

New Project Pan: 2019 Seasonal Focused

So, I am starting this late, but I am doing seasonal project pans this year! I still have until June 21st, which is the first day of summer. Since I am starting it late, I have chosen my items accordingly for my Spring Project Pan. I am starting out with 5 items that I want to use up/hit pan on. If I finish something up, I can rotate something else in to try to get to 5 by the first day of Summer. These will be more manageable for me than trying to do a year long project with 20 items at the moment, when I have a lot of other projects going on and not to mention work, Dean, college, and a new relationship to boot. I thought that I would update this at the end of every month. So, end of April, end of May, and the finale of the project in June.

I chose 5 items to use up by June 21 st. One or two items might be ambitious, but I think that I can do it. I want to use up my MAC Prep + Prime Fix + in Lavender, DKNY Be Delicious Fresh Blossom in the 0.5 oz container, PIXI Sheer Check Gel in No 2 Sun Kissed, Laura Mercier Caviar Stick Eye Colour in Au Naturel, and Marc Jacobs Enamored Hi-Shine Lipgloss in 312 Sugar Sugar.

I have about a 1/4 of this bottle left and I would like to move on to the coconut scented one for the summer. This is a primer spray, so I use it after I put on my face cream but before I start putting on any makeup. I usually will put a second primer on top of this one after it dries. I believe it seals in moisture as my other primers tend to be drying for my oily skin. I believe that as long as I use it, this one might be finished by the second update that will be at the end of May.

A perfume is always ambitious, but considering there is only a little bit left, I think I can manage to use it up as long as I remember to apply it everyday. It is a long lasting perfume, but gone by bedtime. I could apply first thing in the morning and before bed to get the most use out of it. I love the way this smells, but I am tired of this floral. I want the green apple version of this so bad. I for sure will buy more DKNY perfumes and the apple scents tend to learn more summery/spring for me rather than fall. This perfume is for sure a Spring perfume, hence why it’s in this project.

Another ambitious one. I have 1/3 of this tube left and again, this is pretty old in my collection. I think I can finish it off, if I use it without fail every day. This may be one that I end up not finishing, but I bet that I can make a ton of progress on it. The thing is you don’t need very much to get a lovely bitten look to the cheeks. I apply with my fingers and then buff out with a kabuki blush to get rid of any harsh lines. I would love to use this up before it goes bad. I have another potted cream blush to use up after this one and that one is better suited for summer with its Popsicle red shade.

Not much left to this nude cream eye shadow stick. It is quick and easy for a very neutral look. This makes it really easy for me to wear eye shadow. I just apply to my finger and then to my eye lid. I have hooded eyes, so I tend to do a one to two eye shadow look. I know that in the future I want to buy more cream eye shadow sticks and small/mini powder eye shadow palettes. I don’t want big bulky eye shadow palettes anymore. They aren’t for me. Thank god, I only have 1 to work through. I like the credit card sized palettes or the little Too Faced ones. Perfect size for me, when I’m not really into eye shadow. Cream eye shadow though has me second guessing not being into eye shadow.

I threw in a lip gloss, because I can plow through a lip product easy. This one even has windows, so I know there is already good progress done to it. This shade is way too sickly nude on my lips, so I wear it around the house. I love the formula and the minty tingle. It is a very good lip gloss that I would want in more shades when I can justify buying more lip products. If I move more out, I’m closer to buying more. This is how I am choosing to look at it. I have no doubts of using this one up.

There you have it! The five makeup items that I want to move out of my collection by the first day of Summer. I am eyeing a few other bits for what I want to use up in the Summer. One of them, I know will be a hair care item that has stuck around for way too long. I will for sure be going for a Summer seasonal vibe like I did for Spring. I picked out neutrals with flush cheeks and Spring scents.

Anyone else doing a Seasonal project pan?

With Love,

Project 200 Pan: April

April was a very light month when it came to empties. I know that I will have a bit more makeup next month, because I have a lip gloss on its last leg. I also hit pan on a couple of items this month that were very surprising to me, because they were my April makeup picks and one was completely brand new. I guess it just goes to show that I really loved using these two products last month.

The first thing that I hit pan on was this Marc Jacobs Lip Gloss in Sugar, Sugar. I recently got it for Christmas and only swatched it. At the end of April, I am already seeing side pan on this deluxe size. I am absolutely in love with this lip gloss formula. It isn’t sticky and it isn’t heavy. It feels perfect on the lips. It is my favorite lip gloss and I think the only formula that I would repurchase right now. I want to get a set of his glosses once I go through a few more in my collection. I’m not a fan of this nude though. It does nothing for me. My lips are too pigmented, so all you see is the gold sparkle.

I also hit major side pan on my Benefit cream highlighter in High Beam. I even had to remove the stopper to get more of the product out. I will not repurchase, because Benefit is not CF. I do love adding this in with my moisturizer for a glowy look. I am using glowy powders for the month of May and it looks more artificial on my skin. I love these cream highlighters more for a natural glow.

We left off at 38/200 or 19% of this project completed in March. Now, we are at 40/200 with the products that I have hit pan on. Let’s see which empties count towards this month’s total, shall we?!

I finished up another 2 deluxe sized makeup items: a highlighter and concealer. I would not repurchase the Nars due to the brand no longer being CF and I wouldn’t go out of my way for the Manna Kadar highlighter lotion either. 42/200

This body lotion was so light and gel-like. I absolutely enjoyed using it. It started to turn bad on me, that’s why there is still a bit of lotion stuck to the bottle. I mean, like literally melted on there. I don’t know what happened, but some of it turned colors and hardened to the side of the bottle. I’ve had this since Freshman year of high school, I believe. So yeah, never again will my lotions go like 10 YEARS before I use them. 43/200

I finished a sheet mask to watch tv one night and the serum in this packet is INSANE. I easily got 5 more applications (of the serum) out of the packet. I love these masks for moisturizing only, because honestly, I don’t see any difference between all of the variations. I do see increased moisture in my skin with every one though. Plus, how can you go wrong for like 50 cents a sheet mask?! I also used up this pore mask that really didn’t do anything to my pores. They weren’t smaller or cleaned of blackheads. I would not purchase that mask. It detoxified the skin, but that is it. 45/200

I am 22.5% done with this project now. I was hoping to be closer to 25% at the quarter of the year mark. That means that I am 2.5% behind so I need to catch up to that PLUS keep up with my regular pace. I need to keep at 5% every month and catch up on the 2.5%. Hopefully, I can do some catching up in May. This challenge of using up 200 products has been more challenging than I thought it would be. I am still keeping at a great pace and not falling too behind. I feel good about it. I know that I am using up my stuff. It gives me that push to apply body lotion when I feel too lazy after a shower or reapply gloss after I have eaten. I really am using this stuff up and it gives such a high when you finish something after laboring over it for MONTHS. Seriously, project panning is SO addictive. Next year, I want to do four seasonal project pans.

With Love,

April Makeup Bag Monthly

I just wiped off my April eye shadow pick. lol. I totally forgot that I was wearing eye shadow. That is how comfortable it is. I also love the shade with my new hair. Anyway, it is that time again when I swap out my March makeup bag with my April makeup bag. I chose 5 makeup products every month and the bonus 6th product is always a perfume that I am trying to move through in my collection. Let’s recap on March’s bag:

I put a good dent in the perfume. It was full before and now I finished up a fourth to a third of it. I totally used up the sheer glow lotion. I have been all about the glowy look for the past three months now that my skin is more combo than oily. I am still working on the pore-fessional and I have to say, I am not loving it. It is okay, but as soon as I put anything from powder to foundation on top of it, it starts to peel up. I am so close to being done with that lip gloss! I am going to get it back out in the warmer months, because it has a really strong cooling sensation that I wasn’t a fan of this past snowy month. I love using the MUFE blush as an eye shadow. It is super pretty and easy to use for a one shadow look. I threw out the crayon when I dropped it on the bathroom floor at work. I couldn’t bring myself to sanitize and use it.

I have my Marc Jacobs Sugar, Sugar lip gloss that I have been loving in my April makeup bag. One application lasts until lunch at my work. If I am high maintenance enough to wear a liner underneath, I brought my Victoria Secret nude one to work with me. I am working on my deluxe sample of the Black Opium perfume that I got with my Sephora points. I have an Hourglass foundation stick and a foundation sample for when I use up the rest of my Nars Radiant Creamy Concealer in Vanilla that I have been using as a foundation. It was too creasy under my eyes to use as an under eye concealer. I have a duo chrome cream eye shadow that shifts from silver to a yellow gold. I also have Benefit’s Highbeam if I still want a glowy look then I can mix this in or use it to highlight.

The point of my make bags isn’t to use up my makeup, although I do love it when I do. The point is to cycle through my makeup and make sure that I am using everything evenly. I am going to be starting to put my palettes in my makeup bag. I am always forgetting to add them! Four months in a row. LOL. It’s okay. I’ll choose my favorite one for my birthday month.

With Love,

Sephora Favorites Set

My dad gave me some money for Christmas, so I poped into my local Sephora inside of JCP and I found this little gem tucked underneath a table out of sight. I found JCP exclusive Sephora Favorites Lip Kit in nude. I am so happy and excited to show you these. I am a nude or pop of color kind of girl. I hate reds and any kind of really dark and vampy color unless it is a really unique color. This kit is right up my alley, so I thought that I would share all of these with you. I seriously have not touched this kit since I bought it, because I was waiting to haul it. LOL. This is the Sephora Favorites Lip Nude-ist Lip Sampler set. It contains a full size lipstick and 5 minis. It cost me $29.75 with tax.

Bite Beauty Amuse Bouche Lipstick Sake 0.05 oz $8.67

This is the first swatch on the left in both pictures. The first one is in indoor lighting and the second picture was in natural lighting with my window. This lipstick is a third of the full size and I really loves the deep pink, more berry toned color. Indoors, it looks more pink, but in natural, it pulls more berry. It is a perfect at the office color and for just running around doing errands. I love a good nude and this lipstick is very moisturizing.

Urban Decay Comfort Matte Lipstick Backtalk $17

This is a full size lipstick in a nice mauve pink color. I love the purple tones in this lipstick and I also live for matte lip colors. I am very much into mattes right now, so bring on the mattes! I will get a lot of use out of it and it is another great one for the office. Really, all of these are very office friendly. Nothing is too out there. I think this lipstick would flatter a lot of skin tones, but I think it is definitely geared towards more fair skinned people than darker skin tones. I feel a lot of reds are made for darker skin color than for fair ones. I wish I could find a flattering red.

Too Faced Lip Injection Extreme 1.5 g $10.50

This is almost half of the full size and the iridescence is SO PRETTY. I will be using this as a night time treatment to plump and smooth my lips overnight.  I love the smoothing my lip lines effect more than the plumping. It leaves a beautiful shine and if I really like it, it comes in a pretty purple tint. I will buy almost anything in purple. It is a problem.

Bite Agave Lip Mask about $10

It is almost half of a full size and I could get a few uses out of each little lip mask. Since I use a balm every night, I can easily use this up in February. I’m going to use it up and share my thoughts on it.

Tarte Tarteist Lip Paint Bestie 1 ml $3.34

This is a nice deep brown nude with a hint of pink. I don’t know how I feel about this on my lips, but I like the color better than Birthday Suit which is a little too orange looking on my lips personally. It is so small that I used it once and hit side pan. I bet one month of using this at the office and I can have it almost used up. It holds up well throughout the day. Out of everything, it is the most long lasting.

Marc Jacobs Enamored Hi-Shine Gloss 312 Sugar Sugar $9.34

I love this low maintenance nude glitter gloss. It is so smooth on the lips and looks peachy and juicy on the lips. I would buy a set of these lip glosses if I ever run out of lip gloss. I am not going to be buying much makeup this year. I need to use up what I have before it goes bad and I have way too much. I need to make better decisions and spend my money well. I’s rather buy a fancy serum than a $30 gloss.

The total for these items is $58.85 and I spent $29.75 for it. It is double my investment into the lip shaped box. I think this set was worth it and I will use everything.

With Love,

November Sephora PLAY!

I’m very late with my Sephora Play this month. I could have blogged about this last week, but I never got a round to it. I’ve been very busy, but that’s not the entire reason why. November and December is a very busy time for me with working overtime, meeting with ABA worker for Dean, Christmas, and of course, Dean’s birthday. Blogging has taken a bit of a back burner for me. I’m hoping to have more time for blogging, because I really love it. Taking the time to write a post during my lunch has helped a lot. I really look forward to it now, when I can squeeze it in.

The bag is okay, but I really wasn’t thrilled with what I got in my box this time around. Sephora had been doing so well and this box was a let down to be honest. I mean, it was bound to happen. I can’t always get the best box. The theme is Survival of the Chillest. I didn’t think that all the products went with the theme. A red lip is not chill. That’s high maintenance at least for me.

Burberry My Burberry Blush

I love the fresh floral fragrance, but I don’t think that it is that unique. I would not purchase this. It is a nice fragrance though, it’s just not for me. I will use the sample up and enjoy it. Who knows? Maybe by the end of it, I’ll want to buy it.

Marc Jacobs Velvet Noir Major Volume Mascara 0.17 oz $13

I’m not totally mad at this. It is a luxury brand and half the full size. I just wish that it wasn’t a mascara. I would have preferred a lip product or an eye shadow OR SOMETHING. I will still use it and appreciate it, but I’m not excited about it. It’s yet another mascara to add to my collection of unopened tubes. I just opened a MAC sample, so maybe when I’m done with that one, I’ll open this one. I have like 6 tubes now? I could use a sample mascara break.

Philosophy Purity Made Simple Pore Extractor Mask 5 ml $2.34

This is such a small sample. I probably only have 1 to 2 uses in it. I think Philosophy is alright as a brand, but since they test on animals, I’m not going to be buying this. This is a meh product for me, because it is so small and I won’t be buying from the brand. I’m happy to try out a mask though, because I do mask about 3 times a week. I have oily, acne prone skin most of the time. Clay masks are a necessity for me. During the year, I use hydrating masks as well from all the products that I use to dry out my skin.

Amika Perk Up Dry Shampoo 0.75 oz $3.06

 

I’ve used a reviewed this product HERE. I am super happy to have another one of these on hand. Although, I haven’t been using dry shampoo recently since I got my hair cut. I look forward to using this and getting back into the dry shampoo mood. I’ve been washing my hair every other day. Now, I’ll be able to go 1 day longer. The shorter my hair is, the more often it needs to be washed. When it was long, I only washed once to twice a week. I’m washing my hair three to four times a week now. I’d like to go down to two to three washes and this will help me get there.

Farmacy Honey Drop Lightweight Moisturizer 10 ml $9

This is a 5th of the full size, which I think is generous for a face cream. It is close to a half of a fluid ounce. It has cool little honey beads in it to give your face extra moisture. This is a really unique face cream, but I’m definitely a no more than $30 face cream girl. Face cream takes me a long time to use up. A 2 ounce jar takes me 6 months of better. I don’t want to spend a ton on face cream. To be honest, I’m more likely to spend the $30 on a night cream than a face cream. I’ll probably go back to Simple or Cetaphil when I’m done with what I have.

Sephora Rouge Cream R04 The Red 1 g $3.12

Eh. I’m not a fan of how I look in red lipstick. I guess, I haven’t found my shade yet. I’m glad it’s just a mini. I’m going to just wear this around my house. I find it drying on the lips, so when I put this in my December makeup bag, I know I’ll be reapplying it often in order to get rid of that drying feeling on my lips. I tested it out today and I’ve had it on for an hour before touching up. I just had products that make my lips feel dry. If it’s a color I like, I add a gloss, but I just want to use this red up. I need a vampy red or a berry red. A true orangey red like this one doesn’t look good an neither do the pinky ones.

I would give this box 2 out of 5 stars. I love the Amika dry shampoo and I’m only half excited for the mascara and face cream. I hope December brings a better bag or at least more interesting products that are new to me. I just feel blah about this bag. Nothing truly excited, except for a product I know I like and have considered buying the full size off. This is a good way for me to finally decide to put it on my Love’s List or not.

With Love,

$200 Before 2018: Update #6

I managed to use up a few more makeup items in September, but not that many. I really need to move myself into high gear if I want to finish 7 more products and use up the rest of that $200 that is remaining in this challenge. If I reach both goals before 2018, I will end the challenge on that month otherwise it will end with the last update in January for December.

Let’s recap, I have finished 13 out of 20 products with the total being $123.20 out of $200. Let’s see if I can raise that total to $140.

1 Perfume Sample = $1

Temptu Highlighter = $4

MUFE ULTRA HD Loose Microfinishing Powder = $5

My total now is 15 out of 20 products used up to the tune of $133.20. That isn’t so bad. I still have October, November, and December left. So, that is three months left for this project. In order to make it, I need to finish at least almost 2 products every month. I will also need a minimum value of $22.27 used up every month. This is going to be so challenging and I really need to move my butt on this. Even if I “fail” this challenge, I will see it as a win, because I started this in June or something I almost have already reached my goal. I’ll be keeping this challenge going next year with a 200 items project pan challenge that I will include more categories than just makeup.

Are you doing a project pan?

With Love,

Sephora Play: April 2017

I am super excited for this month’s mostly skincare box.  I am a skin care fanatic, so I am not complaining about this box. I’d rather have more skincare than makeup any day. I know there has been people complaining about the lack of makeup, but two out of five were makeup related. I don’t think the box was too unbalanced. I recieved this box during the week. I always seem to get it on the third week of the month, which gives me less than 14 days to use my extra 50 points card. If they took the cards online, then it wouldn’t be a problem. I haven’t used the card once, because the closest Sephora is an hour away. It’s only worth it if I am going clothes shopping, which I am doing next week. Expect a huge clothing haul and another small Sephora haul next weekend.

I have to admit that I’m not a huge fan of the bag. I decided to use this bags to hold little gifts for the people I work with. One might be promoted to supervisor, so I might add a couple of goodies to this bag and give it to her for congratulations.

Daisy by Marc Jacobs 1.2 ml for $3.86

I really like the scent of this perfume on me and I would consider buying a full size if I couldn’t get my hands on the Donna Karen perfume that I want. I’m not sure that the perfume is selling anymore. Just did a quick search and Macy’s still carries it. I still will consider this perfume though. I would like to have just four perfumes, one for each season. I might bend the rules and get this one though. I need to finish up a few perfumes first. If I finish 6 this year or close to it, I will buy a perfume during the November Sephora sale.

Sephora Waterproof Eye Makeup Remover 25 ml for $3.75

This eye makeup remover is really affordable! If this works well and doesn’t sting my eyes, I will be repurchasing it. I am always on the hunt for a good eye makeup remover that I don’t have to really rub or tug at my eyes with. I’ve been using my Garnier micellular water, but I need something a bit more heavy duty. Hopefully, this doesn’t irritate my eyes and actually works to remove stubborn mascara.

Peter Thomas Roth Water Drench Hyaluronic Cloud Cream 7.5 ml for $8.13

So far, this is the most expensive item in the box and I am really excited for it. I love light weight moisturizers. Right now, I have a day and night cream that I don’t really like by Derma E. They are way too heavy for my skin that I only use both at night. Once I’m done with the Glam Glow illuminating moisturizer that I use all over my face and make sure to powder, I will crack open this baby and see if it is light as a cloud but very hydrating. I enjoy Peter Thomas Roth products for the most part. I just think that most of his products are overpriced and that only his masks are really worth it.

Make Up Forever Aqua XL Eye Pencil in M-10 Black for 0.01 oz for $5.25

This is a fourth of the size of the full size, which is very generous for an eye pencil. I will not be using this, so I did not swatch it. Anything I don’t like/want from my subscription box that is makeup, I will be selling to this company that I heard about through Youtube. You send them at least 10 makeup products that is on their list (mostly brands sold at Sephora) and they tell you the low to the highest that you can get for your items. You send it in a prepaid envelope and wait for the check in the mail. It is that easy. You aren’t going to get the best price for your new/gently used makeup, but at least, it’s something. I don’t need another black eye liner. I have to many and I don’t use eye liner, because I don’t have a sharpener. Really need to pick one up at the store next week. I still need to go through about 10 that I own though. I also don’t like black eye liner. I much prefer a color. I only use black in my water line.

Smashbox Photo Finish Foundation Primer 0.25 fl oz for $8

I haven’t tried this primer yet, but I love silicone primers to fill in my pores. I only use primer in my t-zone, where my makeup wears off. This will last me a couple of months of use, I think. I don’t wear makeup everyday, but I love to just minimize my pores everyday. I always use a primer like this and my face looks much smoother. I enjoy trying out new stuff, but I have like three primers before this to use up. I have two illuminating ones, so I might still crack this one out earlier if I want a more matte look. I have been loving the dewy/glowy look lately. I’m surprised by how much I love the glam glow powdered down. Still won’t purchase that, but if this Smashbox doesn’t break me out, I would buy it.

Kate Somerville ExfoliKate 0.25 fl oz for $12

I’ve been wanting to try something from Kate Somerville for a long time (hello goatmilk moisturizer) and I am so glad that I received this in the box. I love to use an exfoliating cleanser in the shower, so that’s where this sample will live. I only wash my hair twice a week, which is the perfect amount of times to use this product a week. It is a green cleanser that smells like green tea and mint. This is such a pampering product and the one that I am most excited for.

I really loved this month’s box and I believe that this one had more value than last month due to the focus on skincare. I hope next month has an SPF product in it. I will have to dig through my products to find some facial SPF or I will need to buy some. May is almost here and I use SPF from May to October. So, 5 months out of the year, I wear facial SPF like actual spf. Most of my products have spf in it. I want to buy and SPF spray for the face. I think that would be cool.

This box was worth $40.99. That is such an amazing value! I am happy with 4 out of 5 products, so this month only gets four stars instead of 5. It is still amazing. I am just not happy with the eye liner, if it was in a different color, I would have saved it. I am putting it in my to sell pile though.

With Love,