FITFABFUN: SUMMER

It is a happy time when my FABFITFUN comes in the mail and this is only my second box! I also wasn’t expecting this box either as it wasn’t supposed to arrive for another week or so. This time around, I got nine items in my box of mostly skincare, which I am not mad about. I LOVE SKINCARE. Also, some of it I didn’t have or I needed a backup of. This is my second box and again, I think the value of what I received is worth the price that I paid. I paid $53.11 with tax on a $49.99 subscription. When I can afford to pay for a whole season, I will because I do want to keep this box around for a while.

ALSO, I will be adding any relevant items to my current inventory list. Basically, any time I add to my backstock, I will put into my inventory list and any item that I take out of backstock is deducted from the list. If it isn’t in backstock and was never considered backstock, it will not be added to the list. Any current item that goes into backstock will be added to the list. I just wanted to make that clear before I show you what I got in my box.

NOTE: I took a week off due to being sick. I’m hoping to stay back on my schedule, but still under the weather.

Invisibobble Original, 6 for $16

I have 3 clear and 3 nude hair ties. I am always in need of more hair ties. I am dumping these directly into my hair tie container where I keep all of my hair accessories. I’m not made that these where in my box. I have a use for them and I have always wanted to try something like this before. It is a very practical item that I’m sure most women could use. This was an item that everyone received in their box this season.

Sol De Janeiro Brazilian Bum Bum Cream

& Brazilian 4 Play Moisturizing Shower Cream-Gel, $45 for the set

I am BEYOND pumped that I got my choice! I have been DYING to try the Bum Bum cream and now I also get to try the shower gel as well. Since this is only a deluxe sized sample of the bum bum cream, I am intending to use it sparingly and only on my boobs and butt when I want them to look great. This set smells divine and I know that I want to buy the full size when all is said and done. I think I will wait to use the shower gel until I buy the full size, so I can use them together as a set. I am putting the shower gel in storage, but I will be putting out the Bum Bum cream to use. Even with my cold, it smells like a sweet and nutty bakery shop. I absolutely love it. I’ll be milking this small 2.5 oz container all summer.

111Skin Rose Gold Brightening Facial Treatment Mask, 5 for $160

Just these sheet masks makes the box triple its value and worth it. I am always ready to try a new sheet mask. So, I can now add these 5 to my backstock for when I am ready to use one. I did no masking this week as I write this post, because I have been sick. I think I might even skip a week of blogging, because I do not feel good at all. Every time I use a sheet mask, I subtract it from my inventory. I keep them in storage, because they are not something that I use regularly. These will probably be the first one that I use when I feel better. I am excited to try it and I wonder if the mask itself is reflective or like a foil mask in rose gold. That would be so cool. Ago, this was another item that I chose.

Odeme What A Pair Silicone Wine Glasses, 2 for $25

These are super cute and come in a pink drawstring bag. I could see using these for jello shots or icy sangrias. They are perfect for travel, if you plan on drinking at a picnic or something. I’ll probably use these at home with drinks. You could put these in the freezer for ten minutes to get them cold and then pour a drink in them. They will have a use at my house, so I am happy with them. They are also baby pink, so super cute. I also chose this item as well.

Generation Clay Ultra Violet Brightening Purple Clay Mask, for $39

This is another item that was included in everyone’s box this season. Another item that is going into backstock until I use up my current face mask. This one seems really cool, because it is a purple face mask and purple is my favorite color. I love that it is cruelty free. I cannot wait to start using it when I can. Since the product is completely sealed, I will not be opening it until I am ready to use it, so it can stay as fresh as possible. I am so pumped about this box. I absolutely love it. Already, I think this one is SO much better than the Spring box. I am WAY more pumped about the items in the Summer one.

Dr. Brandt Pores No More Pore Purifying Cleanser, for $36

My mystery item that I didn’t get to chose was this cleanser and I am super pumped about that! I thought the mystery items were mostly unwanted products, but this one is the bomb dot com. If you are a SELECT member, you would have been able to chose this one or another choice. I couldn’t find this exact product on the website, which makes me think that this is the repackaged cleanser listed on the brand’s website. This is a daytime cleanser, so I think that I will immediately put this to use. I will start using this in the morning instead of my makeup wipes. I will reserve my wipes for lazy days. This cleanser is supposed to shrink pores and reduce oil production. It would serve its purpose better in the morning than at night. I am excited to start using this.

Whish Exfoliating Foot Mask, for $32

Everyone received this item in their box. I have a foot mask out at the moment, so this will be going into storage until I finish that tube up. It is very close to being used up too. This is a leave overnight foot mask, which is very interesting. I look forward to using it, once I use up my current tube which is just a 10 to 15 minute foot mask. I only really use foot masks during the summer to keep my feet in sandal shape. I do it occasionally during the Winter if I feel like my feet need it. This box is starting to have an insane value.

Grace & Stella Rose Facial Spray, for $25.95

Another item that everyone got in their box. I love face spray. This one already leaked all over the box, so it is going straight into rotation and replacing my coconut MAC Prep & Prime. This smells like an old grandma rose. I want to just use it up and get it out of my collection. It is in a plastic bottle, which I don’t think fits the $25 price tag. I can use this before makeup, after makeup, and whenever. I plan on using it whenever I want to, since I don’t care for the scent. I’m not going to hoard this one. I’m still glad that I have this and I will still use it up. I just don’t personally care for the scent. I am also sick, which could have a factor in how this smells right now to me.

Coola Makeup Setting Spray SPF 30, for $36

Last but not least, this was another item that I did not choose and I am hella glad that I have it now. I pulled this setting spray in and my Huda into storage. This has SPF, so I want to use this one during the Summer for sure. It would make no sense to continue using Huda and wear this one in the Winter. I really love the cool looking glass bottle and it feels super expensive matching the price tag. I have only gotten into setting sprays recently, so I wonder how this compares to the Huda.

I feel like I love everything that I got in this box 110%. I am super excited to try everything. There isn’t anything that I am meh about. The total value of my box is $414.95. I feel like this season was the best box yet. I love and will use everything. I really should do a month of masking. I have plenty of them now. What did you get in your Summer FITFABFUN box?

With Love,

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Skincare Backstock Collection 2019

I am doing an updated skincare backstock update for 2019. This is all skincare not currently in rotation. I do have a bunch of skin care out, don’t you worry. This bin contains face masks that have been in and out of rotation, but masks tend to last longer. They are in backstock until I get some older ones used up first and then, I’ll add these ones back in. Back stock is anything that is not currently in my skincare rotation. I need to keep myself accountable with what I have and use that up before deciding to buy new skincare. There are only a couple of categories that I have only one item in use of. I am allowing myself to purchase anything that doesn’t have a replacement in backstock. I have three backstock bins that I am hoping to consolidate into two by the end of the year. Without further ado, these are all of the products waiting to be cycled into rotation.

CLINIQUE Pep-Start Daily UV Protector

This will be added shortly to my summer project pan, because it needs to be used up this year. I don’t like this sunscreen as it makes my oily skin oiler. It has some sort of emollient in it that leaves a greasy residue that never absorbs all the way into my skin. It might be made for drier skin types. It is slightly tinted. I am confident that I will be able to use this up during the summer as long as I wear it everyday.

ELF Daily Hydration Moisturizer

I plan on pulling this one in when I am done with my mattifying moisturizer, which I feel doesn’t do much. I bought two moisturizers when I previously did an ELF haul. I feel good having a backup for a daily moisturizer. I haven’t found my holy grail yet. I think I will try PIXI or a brand from Sephora unless this one blows me away.

Beauty 360 Brightening Radiance Facial Mask

I haven’t even opened this one yet, so it will remain unopened for the rest of this year more than likely. I have other masks opened in backstock and I will go through those before this one. I am excited to try this one. If it is a sleeping mask, it might get opened this year. This is the only sleeping mask that I have in backstock at the moment. I don’t need to buy masks for a looooong time. I am well stocked with every kind.

SOO AE Donkey Milk Sleeping Mask

So, this is just a sachet packet. I will probably use it up this year, when I want to take a break from sheet masks and do something a little different. Right now, I have two sleeping masks open though. This won’t be utilized for a while. I am looking forward to trying it out though. I love what masks do for my skin. I have oily skin, but if I keep it hydrated, it tends to be more combination. Also, as I am getting closer to my 28th year, my face seems to be getting drier. I am taking that as a good sign. I would love to be combo instead of an oil slick in my t-zone.

Too Cool For School Egg Mousse Soap Facial Cleanser

I started using this, but then decided to work on my deluxe size cleansers. They were piling up! I am down to my last two deluxe sized cleansers, so I will be picking this back up again sometime this year. After, I want to move on to cleansing balms, because I love the moisture that it gives my skin after getting all the makeup and junk off. I used to be a fun of foaming cleansers, but I find them really drying nowadays.

VS Let’s Glow Sheet Mask

I have one last sheet mask from VS. It’s a brightening mask, which I usually use in the morning, so I am waiting for the right time to use this one. I enjoy sheet masks a ton. I usually do one every Saturday night, but sometimes, I’m just way too tired to mask. I try to at least do one every month for a tiny bit of me time.

Drunk Elephant Beste No 9 Jelly Cleanser

I was told that this smells like cantaloupe. I haven’t opened it yet, so I have no clue. lol. I plan on using this next after I use up my current cleanser, which isn’t too far away. I really do not need a backstock of any product. I would much rather order a new one when I’m almost done with my current one. I am working towards the goal of having 1 backstock bin for when I do order and add on items to meet the minimum free shipping. This was part of my free birthday gift, so I feel good about having it in backstock. IT’s everything that I deliberately bought that I feel bad about.

The Ordinary Alpha Lipoic Acid 5%

I totally forgot that I had this serum in my collection. I don’t feel like I need a serum until I’m 30 and it’ll be an anti-aging one. I am using up all in my collection and not repurchasing until then. I no longer support the brand and just want to use what I have up at this point. This isn’t a serum that you can use everyday either. You can only use it a few times a week, so it will take forever for me to use up.

The Ordinary AHA 30% + BHA 2% Peeling Solution 10-Minute Exfoliating Facial

This is an exfoliating peel face mask, which is unique in my collection. I am not a fan of physical exfoliation on the skin, but I love chemical exfoliates which are gentler on the skin. I am currently using a peeling gel in the shower, so I would not add this in until I use that one up. This is only meant to be on the skin for 10 minutes at the most, so it is great to apply in the shower once I have conditioner in my hair. I can apply this “mask”, clean my body, and then rinse. I would use this 2 to 3x a week at most, because my skin is on the oilier side, I feel like it can benefit from more frequent sloughing of dead skin cells. If your skin is normal or combo, I would suggest 1 to 2x a week. This is unopened and will stay in backstock until I finish my current peeling gel.

The Ordinary Retinol 1%

I totally forgot that I had this. I am actually taking this out of backstock and putting it in my current skincare collection in the bathroom. I put this away during the winter, because it was too drying on my skin. Now, it is getting warmer and summer out. I am pulling it back out to use at night and I am going to try to use it all up this summer. I use this at night. I usually alternate between using a sleeping mask and an oil. Now, I will alternate with this as well at night. Even in the summer, I cannot use this daily and I can only use it 3x a week at most. It has 2/3rds to 1/2 left, so I think I might be able to do it.

Roloxin Lift Instant Skin Smoothing Masque

I am decluttering this to my mom to use, because I do not have wrinkles that need filling.

MJCARE Sheet Masks Variety

I have 8 more of these sheet masks left that I want to use up. I enjoy wearing sheet masks and I try to do them once every week or so. It’s hard sometimes to try to find the time to mask. I have been reserving them for Saturday nights after a clay mask while doing my homework that is due on Sundays. Sheet masks aren’t a necessary in my skincare routine, but I do enjoy using them. They are very indulgent, but I usually snag them when they are on sale for a dollar or two.

ELF Makeup Remover Cleansing Cloths

I have three packets in storage and one currently in use. These were $5 for a 2 pack with a total of 40 wipes, which I thought were a good idea. They are moist and effective at taking off makeup and cleaning your face at the end of the night. I sometimes use this in the morning instead of my micellar water. I like to have these one hand for lazy nights when I am too tired to wash my face and do the whole big routine. I won’t need more for quite some time.

The Sharing Co Sheet Masks

Again, I have more sheet masks. I love sheet masks though. Seeing all of these is making me kick myself in the butt that I need to mask more often or at least commit to once a week. I cannot wait to use these up and enjoy them.

Valentia Skin Detoxifying Clay Mask

I received this in PR and have used about half of the jar. I put it away for now to work on my oldest clay mask first. This is a good mask, but it is very messy. This is one that I reserve for when I know that I’ll be taking a shower to rinse it off. I have a few other clay masks that I need to use up before this one. It gives great results, but it is just a really messy removal process that is a pain in the butt. I am good with masks for a while though. I am glad to have so many to choose from, but my back stock is excessive.

L’Oreal Pure-Clay Mask

Again, another clay mask. This one only has a few uses left in it, so I will probably use this one up next after I use up the one that I am currently using. I really like this mask and find that it reduces oil production for a few days. It is not cruelty free though, so I will not be repurchasing this. My best friend bought me this for my birthday and I really appreciate it. I love this mask and I would accept it again as a gift anytime. I am sure that this will be featured in an empties post somewhere in the near future.

Valentia Ultra Plumping Hydration Mask

Another half way used up face mask. This one is a hydration mask that I am received in PR. This is very similar to a sheet mask as its made to hydrate and plump the face. I really enjoy this mask, but it requires rinsing. I would much rather use a sheet mask or a sleeping mask than get another one of these hydration rinse off masks. I will use it up, but I would not purchase a product like this.

Freeman Avocado & Oatmeal Clay Mask

This mask is almost used up as well. I use this 5 minute mask in the shower. Once I use up all my “shower” face products, I would get another Freeman’s 5 minute face masks to keep in my shower to deep clean my face. With the steam and warm water, they penetrate deep, work fast, and I see results. I thoroughly recommend these masks. Ideally, I still want a “shower” mask, a regular clay mask, sleeping mask, and sheet masks in my collection. I currently have too many. I probably have enough to last to the end of this year.

It is surprising to me that I have 21 face masks including sheet and jar masks. This post does not include the two masks that I just got from my best friend for my birthday, but they will be included in my inventory counts spreadsheet. I need to start masking more than once a week. This is the inspiration that I need to enjoy what I have instead of trying to hoard them. I don’t need to. I have a life where I can buy whatever I want within reason. If I use up all my masks, I can buy new ones. I could even buy a $30 one. I’m not gonna restrict myself, but I want to use up what I have. Otherwise, it’s wasteful. I’m not going to go out and buy a nail polish when I have over 40 at home.

With Love,

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,

Birthday Hauling: ELF

Last but certainly not least is my ELF haul. There would have been a LUSH haul as well, but my tub isn’t getting fixed until June. It would be a moot point to buy anything now and I doubt that I’ll want to take many baths during the summer. So, a Fall Lush haul is most likely in my future which is fine with me. I’ll make sure to stock up on my favorite Halloween and Christmas staples. For my ELF haul, I basically stocked up on makeup wipes and makeup brushes that were desperately needed in my collection. I ended up with 2 freebies as well, so I am happy about that. My whole haul was $27 USD and change. I need the $25 to get free shipping.

ELF Makeup Remover Cleansing Cloths

Each 2 pack was $5, so I spent $10 on makeup wipes for an 80 ct. I think this is a fantastic deal if they work well. I am halfway through my morning cleansing water, which I bought these as replacements for. I am also sometimes really lazy at 11 oclock at night and I thought that these would be really convenient to not sleep in my makeup. I want to keep my skin as clear as possible, especially since I struggle with acne prone skin. Nowadays, its mostly texture acne that I deal with, but still, gotta keep this face clean.

ELF Lip Exfoliator in Mint Maniac

I bought this for $3 to replace my Lush potted lip scrub which is almost used up as a backup since I won’t be doing my Lush order for a few months. By then, the Coco-Cola one should be back in season. The cherry cola is my favorite lip scrub that Lush makes, so I will be a happy girl when I can have it in my life again. Using a lip scrub has become a daily part of my night routine before I wash my face. My lips have never been in better condition. No flakes, plumb, and liquid lippies look fantastic and are easy to apply (as long as the formula is good).

ELF Lash & Brow Wand

I bought this for $1. It is totally worth $1. I use this to comb my brows into place and through my lashes to get rid of any clumps. It won’t work if the mascara is reallllly clumpy, but for minor clumps, it works like a charm. I think I need a lash comb to salvage clumpy mascara, but at that point, I think I’d rather just chuck the mascara. This was much needed in my brush collection though as I had none.

ELF Pointed Powder Brush

This is so incredibly soft! I paid $6 for this brush, mainly for baking/putting powder under my eyes and setting concealer. I can see using this to set my whole face though if I used foundation. I have a big fluffy powder brush, but it is more geared towards the body with how big it is. This is a better size for the face with more control. I can go back to using the other powder brush to apply my Lush powdered dry shampoo. I am so happy to have new brushes in my collection to help my powders perform better. I bet I will see a big difference. I actually like the ELF brushes better than Real Techniques.

ELF Angled Blush Brush

I actually got this $4 makeup brush for free for my birthday. This will be great for blending out blush and contouring the face. I might reserve this for contouring and use a different brush for blush. The angle is perfect for getting under those cheekbones. I have a kabuki brush that I usually use for blush from ECO TOOLS. It is a nice freebie. It isn’t as soft as the other brushes that I bought, but it is still soft and not scratchy.

ELF Ultimate Blending Brush

I bought this brush for $6 and again, the ones with the white tips are super duper soft. I have that dupe Artist foundation brush, but I hate it. I want to be able to chuck it and a few other brushes, but I needed to buy replacements for them first. I wanted a really good blending brush to buff foundation into the skin. I am so happy to have a few brush “empties” for May. I cannot wait to actually use this brush. I have a particular foundation stick from Hourglass that I want to try with this. I have tons of foundation samples that need to be used up before I purchase one from Sephora. I only buy high end base products, so that it doesn’t clog my skin and is healthier for my acne and texture prone skin. Ingredients really do matter and Sephora has a better selection of cruelty free brands. I would try a foundation or cc serum from ELF though, because I haven’t had a problem with their products breaking me out.

 

ELF Need IT Nude Eyeshadow Palette

I also got this $10 eye shadow for free. I am actually happy to have this in my collection. It has good buildable pigmentation, which is what I look for in an eyeshadow palette. I don’t like anything too pigmented unless its a lid shade like the Stila Glitter and Glows. It is soft, but I have felt softer and it has a tendency of being chalky with the matte shades. My Ciate palette is higher quality and doesn’t do that. It is really good for a $10 10 pan palette. That is $1 an eye shadow. The metallics are beautiful and by far my favorite from this palette. I do like the matte rose as well though, even though it didn’t show up great in my photos. The three browns on the end are virtually the same swatched out. The one in the middle has gold flecks in it. They aren’t too dark though, so they will be usable on my hooded eyes for darkening the outer v. This is a great palette for nudes when using other eye shadow products that I have to build a complete look. I’m sure I will have a few pans showing this year.

With Love,

Birthday Hauling: Sephora

I did a little Sephora haul for my birthday and I spent $57 USD and some change. I was very frugal as I usually spend $100 at Sephora alone for my birthday. I organized everything by samples, free gift with purchase, birthday gift, and purchases from low to high. I am brimming with excitement over everything that I have picked up. I have swatched everything out and it is so beautiful. Everything is exactly how I thought it would be. I read so many reviews and do a lot of research before I pick anything up at Sephora. It is an expensive place to shop and I want to end up with something that I will more than likely love instead of return.

High Expectations Cannabis Facial Oil

This is wierd, but I am just going to put it in my bathroom with my skincare to use up the sample this month.

Drunk Elephant Lala Retro Whipped Cream

I am excited to have another sample of Drunk Elephant and I will put this in with my skin care to use up this month. I don’t want these samples building up again.

Josie Maran Whipped Argan Oil Body Butter in Unscented and Honeysuckle Vanilla

These are always nice to try and I already know that I love this sample. I am putting it in my bathroom to use up immediately.

Glow Recipe Watermelon Glow Sleeping Mask

I am happy to have snagged a baby size of this to try as it is on my Sephora Love’s List to buy (and the Avocado one). I am putting this baby size in my bathroom immediately as well, because I have been dying to try it. I do have another sleeping mask open, but this is more of a gel and does something different than my other one. It smells like a watermelon jolly rancher, but also a bit fresh in the after note. I am sure that I will be out of this baby soon enough. It is a third of an ounce, so enough to make a decision if I want to purchase a full size or not.

 

Drunk Elephant Beste No. 9 Jelly Cleanser & Protini Polypeptide Cream Duo

This was the birthday gift that I picked this year, because I do not support Kat Von D. I still would have picked this up though, because I have been dying to try Drunk Elephant products. I even added a kit to my Love’s List since my declutter post. I am putting the cream immediately into my bathroom as I need a gentle night time cream for after treatments and harsh masks. The cleanser will be put away as I am using something else at the moment as my night time cleanser. I only use a cleansing wipe or water in the morning after a thorough night routine.

 

 

 

Too Faced Bronzed Peach Melting Powder Bronzer in Toasted Peach

I paid $10 for 12.5 grams of bronzer, which I feel is a steal. I only paid a third of the original price making this essentially drug store. The packaging is super adorable and it smells lightly of peach. I don’t find the scent too strong and I really like it. It contains a nice mirror and the bronzer isn’t shimmery. It is glowy, but I don’t feel like it is too much. Even though I have oily skin, I have been into glowy skin and makeup looks lately rather than my matte go to. The bronzer isn’t too brown or orange on me and blends out to be very light. I can be light handed and also build this bronzer up. It is the perfect color for my light skin and it will still match me in the summer since I can build up the color. The cream to powder formula is really nice as well. I like to dab with my fingers and buff out with a buffing brush. It’s perfect.

 

 

Urban Decay Naked Skin Highlighting Fluid in Skywalk

I paid $14 which is half priced for this beautiful light blue highlighter. I have heard good things about it being used as an under eye corrector for dark circles that brightens up the area and makes them disappear. This is for sure opaque and a lovely highlighter. You can have it look straight up purple/blue on the skin or blend it in for a diffused lit from within look. It is very thin and lightweight. I can see why it was made in the Naked line. Right now, I just got an under eye corrector in a FITFABFUN box, so I will wait on using this as an under eye corrector. I will be using it as a pretty highlight though. I have been dying to get one in this shade. Blue/purple highlights look really nice on my skin tone and really brighten up my face. Put on my cupid’s bow, it makes me teeth look whiter as well. Overall, I am really happy with this already and I’m sad that it’s being discontinued. I love this cream highlighter and I don’t usually like creams/liquids. It really has to be something special for me to not put it in a project pan.

 

 

Ciate London Glitter Storm Palette

I paid $30 and saved $10 off the original price of the palette. I wasn’t going to get a palette originally, but those glitters?!!!! They stole my heart and swatched out, they still look lovely. These are one finger swipe swatched btw. I wanted to see how opaque they were. I like to build up my eye shadow. These have amazing pigmentation. The glitters have a nice eye shadow base to them and I love them all. My favorite glitter would have to be Firestorm, which is the red/pink one. None of the colors are too dark for my hooded eyes. The packaging of the palette is pretty to look at and very weighted. It feels expensive like a $30 palette. The only color I don’t get in this palette if Whirlwind which is the matte peachy shade. It’s a sore thumb. They could have done a soft rose or a cream and it would have looked a lot better. Still using every shade though. I am so excited! This palette is very me, which is why I bought it. This palette will motivate me to use up my project pan items, so I can bring this out and play with it.

I am so happy with my Sephora purchase! Not one product disappointed me right out of the gate that I purchased. I am looking forward to playing around with all of my new makeup. Hopefully, I move out some project pan items in order to do so. Keep my motivation up. I tend to lose motivation around products. I might switch it up and do a monthly makeup rotation instead……let’s see how I do with the first project.

With Love,

FITFABFUN Spring Subscription Box

I decided to try the Spring box of FITFABFUN with a $10 off coupon. I was able to chose 3 things in my box and if I think it is worth the value/money, I will get the annual membership. I like that it has a mixture of beauty, fashion, and lifestyle items. It will feed my beauty addition, but also add a few things our home needs and a few pieces to my wardrobe. If there is anything that I don’t like/need, they would make really good gifts. As long as this month, I get my $40 worth then I will continue the subscription, because it would still be worth it. I am really happy with my 3 picks and it was really easy to sign up for the box. The annual membership, you get to choose more items that go into your box, so I am looking forward to that if I decide to do that. Oh, and this is a quarterly subscription, so the next box that I would get would be in June/July. Plenty of time to decide if I want to get the year plan or just another month. This is something I always wanted to try, but could never afford before.

The Box:

The box is cute as hell and I will be keeping it to collect items for birthday gifts and such. It is the perfect size for things like that to store away in a closet. I can for sure see myself in the future repurposing more of these boxes as they are pretty, sturdy, and generally a good size to have around.

The box has a magazine insert in it that has recipes and articles, but also has the list of everything in the box and the breakdown of the prices as well. I will also be double checking the prices online to let you know how true to scale what they say you are getting in these boxes. The magazine is a nice touch and I will be reading/using it for sure. I like having light reading material sometimes.

Ciate London Extraordinary Translucent Setting Powder, $22

I am pretty darn excited about getting this one! I have a finishing powder, but now I have a setting powder that I can pair with my concealer or foundation if I want to wear those types of products or anything that really needs a setting powder to “set” it. Otherwise, on the day to day, I use my finishing powder to give my skin a soft blurring effect. I will be putting this powder to good use for sure and now, I will not be needing to buy any face powder for a long, long time. It is also a pricey brand that I wouldn’t buy unless on sale at Sephora.

OUAI Leave In Conditioner, $26

I was just talking with my boyfriend, Martin, that I recently finished up my current leave-in that was doing nothing for me and switched to using my expensive Moroccan oil and the wonders it was doing to my hair keeping it knot free. I am going to immediately start using this instead of my expensive oil and see how it compares. If it doesn’t hold up, I want to finish it up and go back to what works for me. I am willing to try new things, but my hair oil (even though expensive) does the job of detangling, moisturizing, and keeping it tangle free when I don’t wash my hair for days. I am excited to try a prestigious brand from this box. Already, this box is equal to what I paid for and I am very happy. I will give you the grand total at the bottom of this post.

Manna Kadar Champagne Body Scrub, $24

This is a huge and generous body scrub tub. It isn’t very pricey when you consider that VS sells their 8 oz tubs for almost the same price and you are getting more than double the amount in there. I will be setting this aside for when I finish my other two body scrubs from VS. I like to use a body scrub before shaving my legs and about once a week to keep my skin soft and smooth. It’s actually a “secret” of mine. It really works to give yourself baby soft skin and to keep your skin in its best condition. The best part? Most of these scrubs with oils hydrate the skin and seal in moisture. This means you don’t have to put lotion on your skin when you get out of the shower. I love skipping a step when I can, because time is a precious commodity.

Unplug Meditation Aromatherapy Diffuser, $55

We just used this last night and I am in love. It changes colors, so it is a pretty cool nightlight. I love the essential oil included. It is a sweet orange scent that is very uplifting. I filled it when we were settling into our room for the night and it diffused until we fell asleep. Don’t know how many hours it works for, but it was very nice. Only con is that it needs to be plugged into a USB port which is a pain. I will buy a USB charger/battery thing, so it can run on its own. Currently, I hook it up to my laptop at night. It isn’t ideal since I tend to knock things over and I don’t want to get water anywhere near my laptop.

Eleven By Venus Jump Rope, $15

Not sure that this jump rope is worth $15, but I will be keeping it as part of my exercise routine indoors that I need to get back to. May is a brand new month, my birthday month, the perfect month to get back to exercising again. This will be nice to rotate into my routine and get some good cardio going. I will be keeping this at my desk, which is in a corner of our living room where I will be keeping my exercise equipment/supplies as I collect them. I like having the extra space over here (next to a cement ledge), because it sort of extends the top part of my desk. I didn’t care for this item, but I will put it to good use and will use it.

Korres Wild Rose Vitamin C Brightening Sleeping Facial, $48

I thought this was a face mask, but it is more like an overnight treatment face cream? I am excited to try Korres, another high end brand that I have always wanted to try before. I will set this in my bathroom to alternate which my night time face oil, since one of the serums that I do use at night is more compatible with a cream than an oil. This will be a good pairing with that. This seems EXTREMELY STRONGLY of roses which I LOVE but may not be everyone’s cup of tea. I feel so fancy! I can say without a doubt that I am keeping the subscription right now. Not sure that I can afford to swing the annual membership for a bit, but I will as soon as I am able. That’s like paying for 3 1/2 instead or 4 boxes. Even saving $20 makes a difference, plus with the upgrade, you get to chose two more products in your box instead of 3.

Giadzy Copper Plated Measuring Spoons, $15

One can never have too many measuring spoons when cooking and these are a super nice pair and SO SHINY! I am reserving these for my dry ingredients, since these don’t separate. I am excited to have a plastic set for wet and a nice sturdy pair for dry. You really do need two pairs, because yesterday I had to use a TBS of oil and then a TBS of sugar. I had to wash and dry in between cooking. A second pair will just make things so much easier while cooking.

Dr. Brandt Skincare Needles No More No More Baggage Eye De-Puffing Gel, $42

I have a major problem with dark circles under my eyes (Genes) and my eyes are always a bit puffy in the morning. I am currently using a roller ball by ELF for $3 that I am enjoying for depuffing but it does nothing for my dark circles. I am excited to give this a try once I finish up my ELF morning treatment. This will be put in back stock until then, but at least I know that I don’t need to buy any day eye cream/gel anytime soon. My evening eye cream is getting low though. I have a few things on my list to get for my birthday that I limited myself to 4 stores: Lush, MAC, Sephora, and ELF.

That is everything that came in my box. So, I paid $42 with shipping and the value of this box was…..$247. I definitely feel like I got my moneys worth from this box and will use everything. I had nothing set aside for gifts, because I know that I will use everything. This was a very nice surprise! On future calculations, whatever I set aside for gifts will have a box total and a usage total of what I will actually use. I am very happy with my first box and I am looking forward to the Summer box in June/July.

With Love,

August 200 Pan

I am super duper late with this posting and my September 200 Pan post will be posting up pretty soon after this one. I just have been super busy with life that I have let certain posts slip through the cracks. I am trying to be better about it, but no promises. I’m trying to put together some review posts. Once again, my basket to review is filling up and I’d like to get on that before it gets too crazy. I’m pretty disappointed in what I was able to use up in August, but looking at my September pile, I don’t feel guilty about letting August get away from me. I was able to do so much in September. Part of my August, I was cleaning, organizing, and donating. In September, I continued to do this, but also school started up again with new classes, my interview happened, and I went through my makeup collection.

MISCELLANEOUS:

Yup, my pictures are still crappy from my phone. I am hoping to get a new camera soon in October, because I miss taking pictures of my son.

MAKEUP:

I got rid of two samples that were too dark and one that was bad after I opened it. It feels good to get rid of the clutter.

SKINCARE:

We are finally getting into some empties that I can add to my yearly total. In July, we left off on 96/200 and now, we are up to 98/200 in this category. I am not counting the BareMinerals samples, but I am counting the Sunday Riley UFO oil and the Supergoop! Sunscreen Serum. I am glad to have both out of my collection. I think I will buy the Juno oil next by Sunday Riley. That 0.5 oz bottle lasted over 3 months of constant use. Before that, I used it for a year with a couple times of week usage. I think a brand new bottle would last around 5-6 months of constant every night use. So, the $40 price tag isn’t too hard for me. For 4 months, that’s $10 a month for a really great oil. The sunscreen serum was nice and I would consider repurchasing as it is better than regular sunscreen. There was no white cast and makeup/moisturizer went great on top of it.

Hair Care:

Now, we are at 99/200 with the Wella Color Charm Toner. I redid my gray hair in September, but I toned it on the last few days of August to get out any yellow tones for a truer gray. It’s a bright natural gray. It shifts from grey to purple to brown like chrome. Once my gray fades out and I’m back with bleached blonde hair, I want to do a more blue gray like my Hilary Duff came back after having her son, which now she is pregnant with a girl, super excited! Anyway, I would use this Wella Toner again, except since I’m going less gray I would choose a different tone of toner. I am thinking the T10 for a pale blonde instead of ash. The sample conditioner I use to shave my legs with.

Body Care:

And here we are 100/200 with this body care item that I used on Dean to keep his skin moisturized. This Target Up & Up baby ointment is the equivalent to Vaseline. I will not be repurchasing. It was a chore waiting for this to dry on him and he has slippery skin when trying to get him into clothes after a bath. I don’t even think it took away his dry patches on his arms and legs. It wasn’t worth the effort.

There you have it for August! I hit the halfway mark two months after the halfway mark of the year. I am looking forward to showing you all my September results which are very impressive. I am looking to keep the same momentum into October, but the one reason why September was so good is that I decluttered stuff from my makeup collection. Still, I feel proud of myself and I cannot wait to show you guys what I am talking about. I think by then, I will have a good camera. I think I’m getting it around the time that this post is going up. I’ll keep you updated.

With Love,

June Empties

I am sorry again with the late post. I don’t have nearly as much time for my blog as I used it. I still get the joy of blogging and I love it. I just can only do it an hour every Sunday and maybe squeeze in 30 minutes on my other day off. Believe it or not, I can get about 3 posts done in an hour and not skimpy ones either. I am not going to say how fast June has gone, because July is almost gone right now. June is a distant memory right now. I am a fan of lengthy intros in case anyone is wondering. I like to get my thoughts out there before I get to the point.

SKINCARE:

Alba Botanica Acne Dote Deep Pore Wash

VS About Last Night Face Mask

HAIR CARE:

L’Oreal Colorista Semi-Permanent Hair Color in Soft Pink

Revlon Colorsilk After-Color Conditioner

MAKEUP:

Dermablend Long Wear Makeup Remover

Bite Agave Lip Mask Sampler

Sample Perfume in Tropical Wish

BODY CARE:

Crayola Bathtub Fingerpaint Soap in Vivid Violet

Hang Ten SPF 50 Sunscreen

Goddess Garden Organics SPF 30 Sunscreen

RANDOM CATEGORY:

Cutex 100& Pure Acetone

Crest 3D White Diamond Strong Toothpaste

Parent’s Choice Diaper Cream

That is a total of 13 empties this month. I have a feeling that the trend of less empties will continue for the rest of the year. I don’t know how I am going to finish up 200 items now. I really need to step up my game and start reaching for products that I can hit pan on. I should also really work on my lip collection as well. I could probably empty a couple of those in August if I really try. July’s basket seems to be a bit empty, so I might have less than this month. I won’t really know until I count them out. I am going to shift my focus to makeup now that I have some of my skincare under control. I don’t have time for eye make when I go to work, so I will be focusing on base and lip products. I will make a better effort to do my eye makeup when I am at home. It is time to get serious, so I can drop some serious dough on makeup next year.

With Love,

 

February Empties

I have another month of empties to share with all of you. I used up a lot of items this month and I am hoping to finish up even more in March. My skincare cabinet has a bit of room to it now. My first thought was to bring in more items from my back stock, but I have refrained from doing that so far. I wanted to bring in another face mask, but I already have 5 open. lol. I love skin care products, but I am trying to convince myself that a little bit of room is good to be able to comfortably reach everything without knocking bottles over.

Food:

1.2. 3. 4. Gerber Lil’ Beanies

5. River Queen Honey Roasted Peanuts

Drink:

6. 7. International Delight Coffee Creamer

8. New England Coffee Donut Shop Blend

9. Equate Pediatric Electrolyte Oral Solution

Toys:

10. Soft Baby Mirror Toy

Makeup:

11. Mary-Kate and Ashley Tropical Burst Vanilla Sugar Body Mist

12. Elizabeth Mott Liquid Eyeliner in Glitterati

13. Caitlin Lip Gloss in Love Spell

14. Sephora Lipstick in Red

15. Grande Lips Lip Gloss

16. Marc Jacobs Daisy Perfume

17. JCat Beauty Lip Pain in Love

18. Becca First Light Primer

Body Lotion:

19. 20. Equate Moisture Car Cocoa Divine Body Lotion

21. Body Co Sweat Pea Moisturizing Body and Hand Lotion

22. Gold Bond Ultimate Healing Lotion

Skincare:

23. Neutrogena Clear Pore Oil-Eliminating Astringent

24. Simple Exfoliating Facial Wipes

25. The Ordinary Hylauronic Acid + B5

26. Milk Cooling Stick

27. Farmacy Honey Drop Lightweight Moisturizer

28. Origins A Perfect World Eye Cream

Hair Care:

29. Alterna Caviar Miracle Multiplying Volume Mist

30. Gliss Ultra Moisture Conditioner

Random Bathroom Supplies:

31. Dial Hand Soap Miracle Oil

32. Arm and Hmmer Essential Fresh Deodorant

33. Plackers Micro Mint Dental Flossers

34. Crayola Color Bath Dropz

35. Band-Aid

Household Items:

36. Zesty Paws Mobility Bites

37. Halls Breezers

38. B&BW Naughty Candle

39. 40. 41. Paper Mate and Random Pens

Gosh, 41 items in the month of February is a lot of items to get through in a very short month. I am very excited to see what March brings. So far, my basket is empty, but that was how Feb started and I ended up with 41 empties. I love getting rid of so much stuff and not wasting it either. I am excited to see how many of these items count towards my Project 200 pan. I feel like at this rate, 200 might be a real achievable goal for me. If I reach it too soon, then I will up my goal depending upon how many months are left in the year.

With Love,

 

Skincare Collection 2018

So, moving along with my series, here is all of my backup skin care products waiting in the wings to be used. Everything I am currently using is not a part of this inventory, only back stock of items that tend to be dust collectors for a while. I have a few bits that will need to be bought throughout the year, but for the most part, I am covered and won’t need to buy much skincare this year.

Serums

I only have this Lior Gold Wrinkle Remover Serum to use up before I can buy more serums. I currently have 4 serums open, so it might be a whole while before I get to use this bad boy. I love using serums for different reasons, so I have 4 or 5 open that are all different and I use base on how my skin looks that day/night.

Masks

I have four unopened masks here and I have 5 open masks currently in my collection. As soon as I have room in my beauty cabinet, I will put one of these beauties in there. Like the serums, all of my masks are different opened and unopened. I have hydration masks, plumping masks, pore clearing masks, resurfacing masks, and acne masks. I really want to try the peel one, because I don’t have an exfoliating masks open at the moment. I really want to open the L’Oreal one too. I just love masks! I try to mask every other day. I usually mask 2 to 3 times a week, 4 if I happen to be really good about it.

Moisturizer

I have a few deluxe sized eye creams now in storage from my last two Play boxes, but this is all the full size items that I have in storage. I have already cracked the oil open, so that is no longer in storage. I will be in the market for a face cream in the summer. I like to use oils at night and a light weight cream/gel during the day. I have oily skin so I could never use an oil during the day. I feel really good about this category. I’m hoping that next year I won’t have any serious back stock of most of these categories. I am really being strict with myself on only having one backup, so I’m not buying anything until I crack open the last one in each category.

Sunscreen

I have my two facial sunscreens, a sample body sunscreen, and the Smart Stuff sunscreen that I like to put in Dean’s hair and on my body. I will be using up my serum. I think it only has a couple of uses left and the Clinique will be used up this summer. Summer is the only season I use a dedicated SPF. The rest of the year, I use daily moisturizer with SPF in it and if my current moisturizer does not have spf, I make sure that I use a sunscreen on top. I only use body sunscreen in the summer though or if I am going to be outside for a long period of time with exposed limbs.

My skincare stash is much smaller than last year, so that makes me really happy. I am hoping to be all downsized in skin care next year, but we shall see. I want to try the minimalist lifestyle that works for me, which I want to be less of a consumer and more of a thoughtful one. I have been using up extras, consigning clothes, and decluttering junk. Already this year, my house looks different. More organized and clean. More appealing to the eye and less of a sore. There is still so much to do, but buying my own house in the next couple of years should help that. Not buying extras is helping, too. My kitchen needs more organization. Any tips?

With Love,