NEW // FEBRUARY & MARCH

February and March were a little indulgent, to say the least!  I went to visit my parents in New Jersey and during my trip in to NYC, I went to MAC and.... well, the rest is history.

On the positive side, however, I did finally find a foundation that works for me!  MAC's Mineralize Moisture Foundation doesn't cling to my dry patches and is actually my color.  It is subtly radiant and I can apply it with my fingers (the tools of choice for most makeup application, tbh).  It's going to last forever, though I probably will stop buying most MAC products (other than my HG Ruby Woo lipstick) because they do test on animals.  There are so many other brands out there that are cruelty-free to choose from, why not just use those! 

My journey to MAC was originally just to pick up another tube of Ruby Woo (which was the first lipstick I've ever finished!), and it devolved in to getting my makeup done by an artist, since I had to wait for the bus.  I also picked up the lipstick in So Select, which is a great dusky rosey greige color.  Very on trend!

I also got another Charlotte Tillbury lipstick in Amazing Grace, which is beautiful!  I love CT's matte lipsticks so much, I wish I could own all of them.  The gold tubes are so luxurious and the formula and colors are SPOT ON.  I actually bought this same color for both my mom and best friend for their birthdays at the same time.  We match!

I also finally took the plunge and bought another bottle of perfume!  I got a sample of Chanel No.5 Eau Premiere from my friend, and I didn't realize how much I loved it until spring!  It has been my perfume of choice these past months since I've bought it.  I tried to love the original Chanel No.5, but it's a bit too heavy for me.  This one is perfect!

I also got a perfume sampler from A Beautiful Life, which is a brand I've known about for a while but kind of forgot about.  Most of the scents aren't really to my liking, but I really find my tastes change depending on seasons and also where I am in my life!  The other samples are are Geurlain.  I got Shalimar pure parfum, l'Heure Bleue EDT, and Apres l'Ondee EDP.  I love Shalimar, and I hope to one day buy a tiny bottle, but maybe next year?  Maybe later this year?  Haha.

I also purchased three items in a blog sale, two of which I forgot to photograph, of course.  I got Burberry lip cover in Oxblood, Charlotte Tillbury Eyes To Mesmerize in Jean, and Burberry Lip Definer in Bright Plum.

I also finally ran out of concealer, so I sprung for NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer.  It's pretty great!  It's super light, so it really does a great job at masking anything that needs a bit more coverage.  I also got a tub of Layrite Pomade for defining any vintage sets, curls, or rolls I do,  It's water based, so it doesn't leave your hair with a greasy film, and it's a nice alternative to heavy hairspray, which I find makes my style last less due to not washing my hair all the time.

I also got a sample of Paula's Choice 2% BHA Liquid, and it seemed like it was working, but my skin was SO dry.  The woman at MAC said that BHAs actually dry your skin out a lot, so I stopped using it for a while and my skin didn't seem any worse for wear without it.  Skincare is hard.

I also purchased three Kiehl's products, one of which isn't pictured.  I really dropped the ball this time, huh??  I got their Creme d'Elegance, which I had tried a sample of.  It's so rich and amazing, and it doesn't irritate my sensitive skin.  I also got a bottle of their Midnight Recovery Concentrate, which I can't tell as of now if it's breaking me out or not.  I've given it a rest right now, but I probably won't return it because I really want it to work.  :(  I also got their mineral sunscreen because I needed a new one.  It leaves a white cast, which most zinc based sunscreens do, but a little foundation or skin tint over top evens that right out.  

I also got a LOT of GWPs this month.  I don't really have much to say about any of them other than that I have a growing bag of samples and I never use them??  GWPs are scams, I tell you!!  Though I did use Bumble & Bumble's Pret-A-Powder and it was really great.  May have to buy a full size bottle of that, haha.  Whelp!

THE LIPSTICK CHALLENGE // III

DAY XI  //  2/28/16

"Maybelline matte lipstick in FAINT FOR FUCHSIA"

COLOR - purple-toned hot pink
FINISH - creamy matte
TASTE - smells slightly like that neutral smell of drugstore lipstick, hard to explain.
WEAR -  Doesn't hold up to eating, transfers while drinking, but wears evenly on the lips and doesn't immediately wear off.  Doesn't feather.
APPLICATION - applies patchily, but doesn't look too bad.  Smooth.
PRESENTATION - kind of cheap looking drugstore packaging.  Matte, cloudy, square tube.
KEEP/TOSS? - keep
ANY LAST THOUGHTS? - really nice hot pink.  Interested in swatching this against the Wn'W pink and MAC's Candy Yum Yum, which I don't own.  

Pictured // Wet N' Wild's Don't Blink Pink, Maybelline's Faint For Fuchsia, MAC's Impassioned

DAY XII  //  2/29/16

"MAC Dita Von Teese lipstick in VON TEESE"

COLOR - true tomato red
FINISH - creamy matte
TASTE - light vanilla
WEAR - great
APPLICATION - very pigmented, easy to apply
PRESENTATION - glossy MAC tube with Dita's name in script.  Same script embossed on the lipstick tube.
KEEP/TOSS? - keep
ANY LAST THOUGHTS? - I keep thinking this is a warm red, but it confuses me in different lighting.  I'm glad to have something like this in my collection.

DAY XIII  //  3/1/16

"Bite Beauty matte lipstick, CUSTOM COLOR"

COLOR - blue-red
FINISH - creamy matte
TASTE - mint 
WEAR - great, fades evenly.  Does feather if applied too heavily without a lip liner, but looks great patted on as a stain.  Very comfortable.
APPLICATION - great
PRESENTATION - matte grey tube is super nice.
KEEP/TOSS? - keep
ANY LAST THOUGHTS? - all the aspects of this lipstick were custom choices (color, finish, taste, tube shape) and that makes me love it.  Their "matte" isn't a true matte, though, which was a little disappointing.

DAY XIV  //  3/13/16

"Beseme lipstick in NOIR RED"

COLOR - deep plum red
FINISH - creamy matte
TASTE - sweet, faint
WEAR - good, feathers slightly over a couple of hours of wear
APPLICATION - great
PRESENTATION - beautiful tube and bullet
KEEP/TOSS - keep
ANY LAST THOUGHTS? - Definitely need to swatch my darker reds to get rid of redundancies.

DAY XV  //  3/17/16

"NARS Velvet Matte Lip Pencil in CRUELLA"

COLOR -  scarlet red
FINISH - matte
TASTE - none
WEAR - great.  Doesn't even wear off after eating a buttery croissant!
APPLICATION - was a bit worried about having to sharpen, but it worked out fine when I finally did it.
PRESENTATION - always love NARS packaging.
KEEP/TOSS? - keep
ANY LAST THOUGHTS? - not sure if I'd re-purchase, because I have so many similar colors.

INSPIRATION //

EMPTIES // FEBRUARY

This month wasn't super exciting, but I did get rid of a lipstick!  If you had told me from a year ago that I was getting rid of a perfectly good lipstick, I would have clutched my pearls in horror!  If you're following my super duper special lipstick challenge, you'll have seen that Wet N' Wild's Stoplight Red was my first purge!  Very exciting.  I'm also getting rid of that bottle of sea salt spray, because even if the spray nozzle hadn't broken off, it smelled awful.  :(  Finally, I'm getting rid of my hairbrush!  I've had it for years (gross, I know) and one day I realized, huh, the brand is right on the handle.  Why don't I just look it up on amazon and see if it's reasonably priced.  And it was!  So I bought a new one!!  Joy of joys!!!

As for things I actually used up: Nivea!!!  I've had that container for way too long, but I've recently started using it on my hands at night, which is great.  I also used up my sample of Lancome's Teint Idole Ultra Makeup Stick, which was really nice.  I would maybe be interested in purchasing a full sized one to try it out.  Kiehl's Rare Earth Deep Pore Cleansing mask was interesting; it was super intense and made my face burn.  Maybe not for me??  I find that mud masks all make my skin tingle and burn like nobody's business, so maybe I need to find something more gentle, or just forego them all together.

Bogavia's Exfoliating Facial Scrub was nice, but I never feel like manual exfoliation helps me at all.  I exfoliate my face whenever I wear makeup when I take it off with the washcloth, so I feel like maybe that's enough for me.  I also tried out a sample of Bogavia's Night Cream (not pictured, I saved the little jar) which was nice!  But it didn't solve my dehydrated skin, even though it felt good and was unscented.  Maybe for a summer cream?  First Aid Beauty's Ultra Repair Cream was also a bust.  I used it for about a week before my skin completely rebelled.  I got little bumps all over my forehead, and more red spots on my cheeks and chin.  I mentioned it in the comments on XOVain and someone pointed out that it has Eucalyptus Leaf Extract in it, which is irritating to sensitive skin.  C'mon FAB!  I'm going to give the other packets I got to a friend, so hopefully it'll be better for them.

I also decided to finally toss some of my other samples that I never use.  The two packets I got at least three years ago, probably have gone bad by now.  The pots are Sunday Riley's Night Oil and Good Genes, both of which are totally out of my price range, even if they worked for me, which I don't know if they do tbh.  I tried them for a bit and then broke out a bit, blerg.  Whelp!

February Totals

Empties // Full Size // 1

Empties // Foil Packets // 5

Empties // Deluxe Samples // 0

Purged // 3

Toss // 5

Yearly Totals

Empties // Full Size // 8

Empties // Foil Packets // 6

Empties // Deluxe Samples // 1

Purged // 24

Toss // 15

THE LIPSTICK CHALLENGE // II

DAY VI  //  2/22/16

"Jeffree Starr Cosmetics Velour Liquid Lipstick in BLUE VELVET"

COLOR - navy blue

FINISH - matte

TASTE - only slightly "chemically" scent which is pleasant and disappears almost immediately.

WEAR - pretty good in general, wears away at the inside of my lips almost immediately through talking/drinking and looks kind of weird (see photo).  Layers well, but feels kind of dry after a couple of hours.  Photo was taken at the end of the work day, had reapplied three times.

APPLICATION - applicator helps, but I'm discovering I'm kind of bad at applying liquid lipstick without a lip liner.  Takes more thought and time than applying a bullet lipstick which are my favorite formulation.

PRESENTATION - nice, hard plastic tube that feels good.

KEEP/TOSS? - keep

ANY LAST THOUGHTS? - this is a really nice color and has good wear.  It does stain your lips though, and takes some scrubbing to get off.

DAY VII  //  2/23/16

"MAC Retro Matte lipstick in RUBY WOO"

COLOR - true red

FINISH - matte

TASTE - vanilla

WEAR - great! Very comfortable in the lips, only wears away slightly on inner lips after drinking/talking.

APPLICATION - great

PRESENTATION - great (sensing a pattern?)

KEEP/TOSS? - keep DUH

ANY LAST THOUGHTS? - this isn't my HG lipstick for nothing.  Pretty sure I'm going to wear this lipstick until I die tbh.

DAY VIII  //  2/25/16

"Revlon Super Lusterous Lipstick in REALLY RED"

COLOR - brick red

FINISH - creamy matte

TASTE - none

WEAR - weird!  May need to try this one out again.  Wore a lip liner, and despite the matte finish it feathered, especially after licking my lips after taking a bite of muffin.

APPLICATION - great

PRESENTATION - nothing to complain about, revlon tubes are pretty classic.

KEEP/TOSS? - not sure, check for dupes.

ANY LAST THOUGHTS? - this is a nice neutral red but I have to have something close to this by now, and I don't really love this any more.

DAY IX  //  2/26/16

"Beseme lipstick in RED VELVET"

COLOR - blue red

FINISH - creamy matte

TASTE - sweet, vanilla maybe?

WEAR - doesn't feather, great all around lipstick

APPLICATION - great, angled bullet makes it easy to get a nice, precise line

PRESENTATION - gorgeous gold & red packaging, angled bullet is nice, unique choice.

KEEP/TOSS? - keep

ANY LAST THOUGHTS? - I'm starting to want to swatch all my reds together to see what their differences are, and maybe see where I can cut out some of my cheaper tubes to be replaced by higher end options, which sadly are usually nicer.  This reminded me a bit of Revlon's Really Red.

DAY X  //  2/27/16

"NARS Satin Lip Pencil in Rikugien"

COLOR - rose pink

FINISH - satin cream

TASTE - none

WEAR - great!  matches my lip color so it doesn't look awful when it fades, but it does fade evenly.  

APPLICATION - easy, lip pencil applies creamily and is easy to trace the shape of the lips.

PRESENTATION - NARS lip pencils are nice, but sharpening anything always makes me feel like I'm wasting product.  I would love if this was sold as a lip bullet.

KEEP/TOSS? - keep

ANY LAST THOUGHTS? - Maybe see if this is available as a NARS tube lipstick?  This is a really nice, flattering nude for my lip/skin tone and I would love to have it as a nude staple.

THE LIPSTICK CHALLENGE // I

Let it be known that I have a lot of lipstick.  A lot.  I'm not currently by my collection, so I can't count, but I know I have at least 35.  Probably more, tbh.  So, in an attempt to start playing with makeup more and rustling up my makeup collection (maybe while keeping me from buying more), I'm forcing myself to wear every single lipstick in my collection.  I'm going to rate each one in six categories: COLOR, TASTE, WEAR (time lasting on the lips, feathering, upkeep required), APPLICATION, and PRESENTATION.  I then decide weather to keep or toss, and then write any last notes on the lipstick that may not fit in to the aforementioned categories.

At the time I'm writing this, I've already done about ten days, and mostly stuck to my favorites.  However, I know things will get a little dire as we get towards the end of my collection.  I'll be begging for my beloved Ruby Woo!!

DAY I  //  2/12/16

"Revlon Colorburst Matte Balm in SHAMELESS"

COLOR - red-toned purple

FINISH - satin matte

TASTE - minty

WEAR - wears unevenly, transfers easily, and leaves a ring around the outside of the lips.

APPLICATION - needs a couple of coats for even application, applies patchy

PRESENTATION - nice, colored matte lip crayon packaging, doesn't need sharpening (plus!)

KEEP/TOSS? - keep

ANY LAST THOUGHTS? - I don't really love this one, or reach for purples any more, but it's nice to have in the collection.  I'll probably toss it eventually, especially since I now have a Jeffree Starr liquid lipstick in purple, though the colors are different.

DAY II  //  2/15/16

"Wet N' Wild Megalast lip color in STOPLIGHT RED"

COLOR - bright neutral, slightly blue-tones red

FINISH - cream

TASTE - none

WEAR - awful.  Used a lip liner (Rimmel Lasting Finish in RED DYNAMITE) but the lipstick still feathered in about two hours.  Had to take off and apply a different lipstick, as I was at work and couldn't be bothered with checking it often.  

APPLICATION - Great, very pigmented, great round bullet.

PRESENTATION - awful.  Wet n' Wild notoriously gross packaging.  Bullet doesn't wind down all the way in the tube so lid hits the bullet when being put on and off, so the lipstick smears everywhere if you're not careful. 

KEEP/TOSS? - toss

ANY LAST THOUGHTS? - I love this color and the pigmentation, I just wish it didn't feather!  Ain't nobody got time for that.

(my phone screwed up my glasses while editing??  why phone????)

DAY III  //  2/16/16

"Sephora Cream Lipstain in ALYWAYS RED"

COLOR - neutral red

FINISH - matte

TASTE - slightly cake-like scent, very mild, does away after dry down

WEAR - wears off any part of the lips that are at all moist at application, meaning that it was gone from the inside of my lips almost immediately.  Transferred on to a coffee mug after over an hour after application.  Feels dry on the lips after a couple of hours of wear.

APPLICATION - Have to wipe off doefoot applicator before applying thin coats.  Also lip liner is a must, due to my inability to apply this lipstick inside my lip line in any orderly fashion.

PRESENTATION - fine, simple lip gloss tube, black cap.

KEEP/TOSS? - keep

ANY LAST THOUGHTS? - probably won't repurchase.  I have great matte red lipstick already, and have since learned I prefer bullets to liquids for colors that aren't crazy.  Longevity isn't a selling point due to the dryness.

DAY IV  //  2/18/16

"Wet N' Wild lipstick in DON'T BLINK PINK"

COLOR - blue-toned hot pink

FINISH - creamy matte

TASTE - none

WEAR - great!  No feathering, color fades evenly and doesn't leave a rind around the lips.

APPLICATION - nice shape, tugs a little while being applied but is generally nice feeling.

PRESENTATION - gross Wn'W packaging

KEEP/TOSS? - keep

ANY LAST THOUGHTS? - great for a simple cat eye/pink lip combo, which I forgot I liked.  Great flattering hot pink.  Forgot how good this one is!

DAY V  //  2/21/16

"Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stain in CRUSH"

COLOR - red-toned berry

FINISH - glossy, a little glittery (????), wears down to a faint stain

TASTE - slightly minty, less so than Revlon's matte balms

WEAR - glossy application feathers slightly, but leaves a nice pink stain after a couple of hours wear.  Better for a bitten stained look than a well defined lip.

APPLICATION - a little streaky, but after a blot and reapply looks good

PRESENTATION - same sort of packaging as Revlon's other Colorburst crayons, but the Balm Stain's have a glossy tube.  The writing as worn off a bit.

KEEP/TOSS? - keep

ANY LAST THOUGHTS? - it's a bit glittery on first application, not a huge fan of the glossy finish.  Nice to find a "gloss" that doesn't feather too badly on my lips.  Ideally, I'd love to find a matte berry stain, which is when I'd toss this one.

EMPTIES // END OF 2015 & JANUARY 2016

Hello all!  Happy New year!  I thought I'd start the year off with a nice little purge.  A friend of a friend of mine made a post on facebook about giving gently used beauty items to a women's shelter in Buffalo, so I've decided to finally get rid of a whole bunch of stuff I never use but have been lugging around because I can't just throw away my money.  I also did get through a couple of products between now and the last empties post I made.  Very exciting!

My goal for the year with products is to really try to get through one product before purchasing another.  So, hopefully, I'll have a good amount of empties all year round!

Empties //

All these empties I feel really great about!  The Aveeno Men's Shaving Gel was an awesome product.  It smelled like almonds and lasted quite a while.  It was also great for sensitive skin and didn't itch or burn like Skintimate has done for me in the past.  I also finished a second tube of Weleda's Almond Face Lotion which is great and mild, but definitely cannot stand up to the Buffalo winter.  Maybe I will repurchase for the summer, if I don't find something I like more.  The cotton rounds are just a general good purchase.

The Shea Moisture Deep Treatment mask is yet another of the same, I talked about how much I like it in last month's empties.  On the other hand, I finally finished my first tub of Meow Meow Tweet's Tea Tree Deodorant!  I love this stuff.  It makes me feel good when I apply it and it keeps me smelling good all day.  It has a really mild, natural scent, which is great for someone who dislikes the flowery scents of traditional women's deodorant.  It also lasts forever; I got this pot at least half a year ago, if not more.  Something that may be a downside for some people would be that you have to apply it with your fingers, but it never bothers me.

It was time for this Maybelline Fit Me concealer to go.  I maybe could have eeked out a bit more, but I've had it for at least two years, and it honestly does not get the job done anymore.  It was time to face the facts, haha.  I also finished another tube of Physician's Formula brown eyeliner, which I should probably just repurchase again.  I was debating trying something different, but honestly, it's such a great eyeliner and suits me so well.  And they sell it in packs of three!

Samples wise, all I used were two lotions from Kiehl's: A pot of Creme d'Elegance Repairateur and a packet of Ultra Facial Cream.  The Repairateur was a favorite and I definitely want to repurchase a fullsize, but the Ultra was not great and I got the burning sensation I sometimes get with certain moisturizers.

Give-Away //

Holy products, Batman!  I won't even really try with this category, I just liked the photo of all this stuff spilled out all over the place.  A few items of note: Most of the makeup was just not the right color for me, the lemon body butter smelled awful,  the simple face moisturizer broke me out and the No7 one didn't moisturize well, the e.l.f. brushes were scratchy as hell.... I could go on.

Toss //

To start, those little sample pots are all foundations that dried up as they didn't work for me.  I used to love the Maybelline BB Cream but then fell out of love with it and now it's kind of old.  The Sport Face sunblock also lost it's consistency, but it was my facial sunscreen of choice for years.  I never really enjoyed the Vanilla Body Butter's scent, and the Maybelline's The Falsies mascara never worked for me either, and now it's dried up.  I also have a Stilla eyeliner in there, which still has a bit of color left,. but none of it goes to the tip of the felt tip, so drawing a wing is impossible.  Also, I much prefer my gel pot liner and brush now.

Now, taking some inspiration from the lovely Gummy Vision, I thought I'd write down my totals each month and then the cumulative total for the year!  It's always cool to see how much you've used/purged.

January Totals

Empties // Full Size // 7

Empties // Foil Packets // 1

Empties // Deluxe Samples // 1

Purged // ~21

Toss // 10

Yearly Totals

Empties // Full Size // 7

Empties // Foil Packets // 1

Empties // Deluxe Samples // 1

Purged // 21

Toss // 10

EMPTIES // 2015

Probably should add a bit of a disclaimer before starting off: these empties span from recently finished to used up over a year ago.  Oops!  I saved them and saved them but was too lazy to write an empties post.  I kept wanting to combine it with my "not actually empty, but I'm still getting rid of them because I don't like them" products post.  Probably should have realized I bit off a little more than I could chew with that one, haha.  Anyway, seeing actual empties is nice, because you know I loved each product and used up every drop!

//MAKEUP

I hardly ever go through makeup, so only two products and two samples made the cut this time.  Maybelline's Great Lash was my first mascara I ever purchased, and I've gone back to it again and again.  I find that it adds a nice natural tint to my lashes, without becoming clumpy in any way.  I have begun to experiment with other mascaras I've received as samples, but I remember enjoying this mascara when I did use it.

Stilla's Stay All Day Waterproof Liquid Eyeliner in intense black was my first foray in to higher end eyeliners.  My friend gave me this initially because she never used it and I absolutely loved it.  I went and bought my own once this one had run out, but now I find that they dry up quite quickly.  I've now moved on to using a gel pot eyeliner (MAC Fluidline in Blacktrack applied with a 266 brush) which I prefer, as the application is more precise and sharp.  Along with that, the finish of MAC's eyeliner is matte, whereas Stilla's is glossy.  It all depends on what you prefer, but I like the vintage feel of a matte black cat eye.

I also really enjoyed a sample of Laura Mercier's Radiance Foundation Primer, so much so that I went out and got another sample of it from Sephora!  The subtle radiance is really nice, but I actually prefer to use it over whatever tinted moisturizer or foundation I'm using to impart a subtle brightening effect.  It's a little too subtle to use as a primer, I find, but I also absolutely love bright highlighters.  I'm probably not the target market!  Another sample I got was NARS Tinted Moisturizer, which I now own a full sized tube of.  I think that says it all!

//SKIN

For body, I ran through both my trusty Lubriderm Daily Moisture lotion and St. Ives Even & Bright scrub.  Lubriderm is the lotion my mom has used forever, so not only is it tried and tested, it's subtle scent (or lack of, really) is a trip home for me.  It's the lotion I always turn to when I get out of the shower if I'm not really in the mood for any scented moisturizers and I know it'll always do it's job.  The St. Ives scrub is one I got to initially use on my face, but I ended up using up the rest of it on my back.  TMI, but I get spots on my upper back sometimes.  They've gone away now that I've started washing my hair more (It's very dry due to dying and doesn't need an every day wash), but I felt like the exfoliating was doing any harm.  Now that I don't use it anymore and haven't seen a change, I can safely come to the conclusion that physical exfoliants don't do much for my skin.

You can really tell how long I've been accumulating these empties by the fact I have LUSH's The Sacred Truth fresh face mask.  They don't even sell this one!  A little disappointed, to be honest, since I did see a difference in my skin when I used this.  It was very mild and developed for dry and mature skin, but it was nice.  I actually haven't tried any of their fresh face masks since, but I probably should.  In counterpoint, I recently picked up a Sephora sheet mask in pearl, since my skin was going nuts and I didn't have any good masks.  It was a really nice, hydrating mask.  I didn't see a huge difference in my skin, but it did feel more hydrated, and the experience of applying it along with the resulting photos sent to my boyfriend was hilarious.

I also finished up my first tub of Clinique's Take The Day Off Balm last winter and moved on to my next one.  This cleanser is my HG cleanser and makeup remover.  I doubt I will ever try anything else!  I've never experienced this with any sort of product other than this one, and it is an amazing feeling!  I never feel the need to try any other sorts of balm cleansers, oil cleansers, or makeup removers the way I want to try new moisturizers, liquid/cream cleansers, makeup, etc.  Crazy!

Boots Botanics Facial Oil was my staple last winter when my skin started to get super dry.  I applied it with pure jojoba oil and felt like it really helped.  I have another bottle that I'm currently trying to finish before buying any other sort of nighttime moisturizer, but I won't repurchase.  I don't feel like it's doing much for my skin now, and want to move on to different things.  I'm also on my second tube of Weleda's Almond Soothing Facial Lotion, which I do like a lot.  I initially tried Weleda's Skin Food, which has a cult following and I also enjoyed it quite a bit.  I'm really interested in trying more of their products.  It has never made my skin burn and is a really light weight, non-irritating moisturizer for daytime.  I'm finding now that it's getting cooler and the heat is on full blast in my apartment that it hasn't been doing much for my dehydrated skin, however.  I definitely will repurchase for summer next year, unless I find something better before then!

//HAIR

Both of my used up hair products are related to dying my hair!  Shea Moisture's Deep Treatment Masque has been great for dying my hair pastel.  It's a really good, inexpensive mask for mixing the color with to create a less pigmented outcome.  It also makes my hair feel so much less damaged and I feel really does strengthen the hair shaft.  I always feel like I lose much less hair from both shedding and breakage after I use this mask.  I'm sure leaving it on for three hours the way I do helps, as well.  Along with that, the little tubes of Ion Color Brilliance's Sensitive Scalp Protector really work!  My scalp always burns like crazy when I use bleach, salon or at home.  I was astonished when I used this that it made that burning, itching sensation almost go away!  I use a bottle every time I dye my hair, but they're only 89 cents, so it is a crazy bargain for how much they help!

Hopefully now that I'm finally caught up on my empties, I'll do one of these posts a year.  I hardly get through any products, so now I can start fresh every year and maybe not forget what I thought about each product!

FAVORITES // OCTOBER

This past month I didn't have a lot of chances to apply makeup, but when I did I really did enjoy it.  I'm instituting a No-Buy (we'll see how that goes) until at least 2016, if not the end of January, on non-essential beauty products like makeup.  Skincare is also out of the question except I'm almost out of my moisturizer, which I'm going to want to replace (Probably with Kiehl's Skin Rescuer, but we shall see).  There were just a few products I loved in October, but they're all really lovely!

I've had Anastasia's Dip Brow Pomade in Ash Brown for months now, but I've been really enjoying doing a bold brow now that the weather has gotten much colder.  It's such a great way to add some definition to my face, and it also goes perfectly with a bold lip!  Speaking of a bold lip, I've been loving my custom Bite Beauty lipstick that I made at their lip lab a couple of months ago.  It's a nice blue toned matte red, and I discovered how much I like it when it's gently patted on to my lips for a bit of undefined color.  My lips are the bane of my lipstick-wearing existence: Every lipstick feathers on me with few exceptions.  I always have to go for a matte lip, so good thing I love them!  See: my HG lipstick Ruby Woo.  Bite's matte offering, however, is still too creamy for me and it ends up feathering after only about an hour or two. The patting method works much better than a defined lip line for this one!

On recommendation from an XOVainer, I picked up a small bottle of Sephora's Brush Cleanser, which has been a lifesaver.  The little brush I used to apply my eyebrow pomade (part of a 5 brush kit from Forever 21) wasn't doing so well at picking up and evenly applying product any more, but a spritz of the brush cleanser and a good wipe on a tissue cleared that issue right up!  I now use it every day on both that brush and my gel eyeliner brush to keep germs at bay as well as keep my application tip top!

Last time I was at LUSH, I also picked up a sample of their Feeling Younger Skin Tint, because I have been absolutely in love with highlighters, and this one is no exception.  I tried it a couple of times, mostly around my under eye area and brow bone, and it makes me feel like Galadriel.  The shimmer is a mix of an almost holographic purple and blue, but it looks more like an oil slick on water highlight rather than a glitter ball, if that makes any sense?  It really perks up my face and makes me feel super fancy, so I'll definitely be getting a full size eventually!  I also got the NARS Multiple in Copacabana, and I apply it whenever possible.  It's such a beautiful highlight, and it is so easy to apply.  I just swipe the stick on my cheekbones, over my eyelids, and dot it above my brow bone and on my cupids bow, then blend with my fingertips.  BAM!

What were your favorites this month?

A PEEK AT MY DAILY MAKEUP ROUTINE

The one thing that's been keeping me from blogging is photos.  I don't particularly enjoy taking photos, and I always feel like the ones I take look awful.  So I decided: whatever.  I'm going to take some damn photos, be they good or not, so I can just write again.  Also, still on my journey to figuring out what the heck I'm going to write about.

This is what my "vanity" looks like on a daily basis.  I don't really have an easy to use organizational system yet, so it just all stays out on the table where I can easily grab each thing.

After applying moisturizer (jojoba oil) and EltaMD facial sunscreen, I start on the base.  I've been trying out a sample of Laura Mercier's Radiance Foundation Primer; it reminds me of Revlon's skin lights but with no scent and more of a glow, less of a glitter.  Not sure if it's worth the $34 price tag, but you don't use a lot each time so it would definitely last a while.

Those four little pots in front of my mirror are the four bases I'm currently trying out.  Even though I've been using them all for at least a month, I cannot seem to make up my mind!  The two tinted moisturizers are NARS Tinted Moisturizer in Terra Nueve and Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturizer in Porcelain, and the two foundations are NARS Sheer Glow in Mont Blanc and Dior Nude Skin Foundation in Ivory.  I'll let you know what I end up purchasing!   I then apply Maybelline's Fit Me concealer over any spots or residual redness, and Rimmel's Match Perfection concealer under my eyes.  Finally, I powder with Beseme's Brightening French Vanilla face powder.

I always do my brows first, I don't know why!  I use the Anastasia Brow Pomade in Soft Brown and a little angled brush from Forever21.  My eyes are next, where I may use a Maybelline Color Tattoo, Stilla liquid eyeliner, or do a bit of a smokey eye with my Naked2 pallet.  I then curl my eyelashes with my new Shiseido eyelash curler (it's the only curler I've found that fits my eyes!) and a coat of either Maybelline's Great Lash or Clinique's Lash Doubling Mascara.  Both give good definition and tint without a clump in sight!

On the cheeks, I'll use one of a couple of blushes: Tarte Amazonian Clay Blush in Exposed if I want more of a sculpt, e.l.f.'s Baked Blush in Passion Pink if I want more of a glow, or Clinique's Soft-Pressed Powder Blusher in New Clover for just a good all-rounder.  I then apply e.l.f.'s Baked Highlighter in Moonlight Pearls with my fingers.  

Finally, lipstick!  Lipstick is my one true love, and my choice always depends on a multitude of factors: my hair, eye makeup, mood, even the weather!  A classic red is good any day, a deep berry has been my love this winter, and I've been enjoying purple now and again!  Recently, I've been feeling a bit off about my lipstick choices: the other day I switched it four times!

Then, with a spritz of perfume I'm done.  I always reach for The Body Shop's White Musk Libertine in the winter, but I've also been trying out a few Alkemia perfume oils as well as my new Tocca sampler "Meet The Girls"!

Do you use any of these products?  Is your morning routine more streamlined than mine?

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