If there's one makeup product I don't own much of, it has to be lipsticks. They aren't my favorite makeup to play with but of course that doesn't stop me from hoarding them...
The Stash:
Count: 14.
In my defense, most of my lipsticks were free! But maybe 14 is a lot for a gal who doesn't wear lipstick often. And no thanks to the Lipstick Bandits, I now want to expand the stash. Thankfully I've got willpower... No really, I do! I'll be sticking to tinted lip balms and stains from now on. They're just so much more easy going!
Now it's your turn, tell me your lipstick count. No judgement here, promise!
The Hoarders series was created so that I'd post more often and give some insight as to how massive my make-up collection is. Like many other things, I've neglected this series in favor of other posts.
Fortunately, I've finally found the time (and inspiration) to update the series. Today, I'll be showcasing my bronzer stash which I find shockingly small. Take a look:
I own a total of 9 bronzers. Drugstore brands - E.L.F., JANE Cosmetics, N.Y.C. Cosmetics, Physicians Formula, Prestige and, Wet n Wild - dominate the stash with a count of 7. Thus, Benefit and Korres count as the last two. N.Y.C. Matte Bronzer in Sunny was the first bronzer I ever tried and to this day, it's the most used. It's a foolproof bronzer that doesn't break the bank. Who wouldn't appreciate a matte, never orange-y/muddy bronzer? The Physicians Formula Bronze Gems come in second but they aren't very pigmented but that also means I can never overdo the "healthy glow" look. It's a perfect face powder for the winter, when I'm much lighter too.
I don't appreciate shimmer in my bronzers so I hardly use the Wet n Wild, Prestige, or JANE bronzers. My preferences may change when I develop better application skills.
Overall, I don't think my bronzer stash is too out of control. What do you think?
If you'd like any swatches, ask in the comments below!
I introduced the, "Hoarders" cosmetic series awhile back. Since then, I've been procrastinating. I didn't know where or when to start but I ultimately chose nail polish to start off this crazy series. (I'm regretting that now...) I should have started off with lip products as that collection is... smaller in physical size (not quantity).
I reorganized my nail polish last night & took advantage of the little sun Vancouver had today to take some photos. Here is the collection in it's cozy shoe box:
Albeit, it isn't the prettiest or neatest way of doing things - it's fine for now. I'm just glad I'm not a nail polish junkie that requires the iconic IKEA Helmer.
{My dad would freak out.. he'd have an absolute fit and I'd never live to hear the end of it. I have no space in my room anyhow ;__;}
I've separated the polishes by brand, split in rows and sorted by color (sort of). A lot of it is still mixed up as not enough brands could fill one row.
My collection ranges from Revlon, Color Club, Wet n Wild, NYC, Sally Hansen, Orly, China Glaze, Sinful Colors, Essie, L'Oreal, Nicole by OPI, Rimmel, Sula, Joe Fresh, Maybelline, Winmax (Daiso brand), Claire's, Seche, and random Asian nail polishes that were gifted.
*Numbers in brackets indicate number of polishes by each brand*
Revlon (14) dominates the collection, NYC (12) coming in second, Sally Hansen in third (10), and Color Club (7) coming in fourth. All of the other brands - I have atleast 1 to 5 of.
I'm actually too afraid to count the total of polishes I have but I should be disposing half of this collection as it is waaaay too old to be using. Nail polish thinner can't even salvage some of the polishes.
I have more nail polishes than my mom has ever had. I'm 19 and she's almost 50. You would think my mom took advantage of all that time but she only cares for pinks and purples. Whereas I, am a fan of all colors (besides vomit green and banana yellow).
I started experimenting with crème and pastel shades last year and I'm oh-so-inlove with mint greens, lavender purples and pink pastelles. A majority of the Revlon polishes are crèmes and pastelles... Confession: I own three mint green crèmes and three lavender crèmes... It's shameful but it was the trend of Spring 2010! I'm positive this was when I started collecting (madly) again. Before then, I hadn't touched most of my polishes.
Honestly though, I rock red nails 90% of the time. I'm convinced cherry reds make my hands appear smaller than they already are. But man, that pop of color... I need it to brighten my day! And hey, even the boyfriend likes the red nails ;)
I should have made a list of colors by each brand but my collection is quite meager and I'm sure full reviews could be found via Google. I also accept questions & requests through comments so don't fret if I missed something!
If it helps, I have some individual shots of certain brands :)
You can see most of the polishes have separated (a little to a lot). This is what happens when you don't rotate your nail polishes enough... And shaking them is a bad idea too but how else do you reverse the separation???
Anyhow, not alot of peeps love Revlon but I can't get enough of their scented nail polishes! I'm surprised the scented ones are better formulated than the regular line. The Top Speed line is by far the best though. They're quick drying, opaque & easy to use!
However, I'm not a fan of Sally Hansen's Hard as Nails Xtreme Wear line. Too bad I have quite a few.. They're atleast two years old & I no longer like the colors I chose but I think a nail polish thinner can fix their current state. I'll try to use them if I ever get into nail art or... Konad! (*___*)
The last four polishes are from Japan. I bought those over 4 years ago! I hardly touched them - too sheer but I can't seem to let them go...
My top recommendations are: Revlon (for scented polishes, quick drying polishes, and opaque polishes), China Glaze (for quality and price) and Color Club (for price and ease of use). I also like NYC and Wet n Wild polishes but NYC has very little colors I like and Wet n Wild handles feel small and awkward. Oh, I almost forgot Sinful Colors & Orly - I only own two of each so far but they are very good! I'd like to try more but it's obvious I don't need more... UNLESS it's a duochrome or holographic polish!
I feel this post was a tad long... but luckily, I have nothing else to add!
Hope you enjoyed,
Today's update consists of the beauty products I have collected since November. I'll include mini reviews but if you would like full reviews, ask in the comments. As I did with my second update, I'll start with latest purchases to oldest purchases.
Side note: : I blame weekly sales, coupons, & deals for my obsession with makeup. It's like a force that drives me towards spending money on makeup! And I just can't resist...
After checking my work schedule, I went to H&M to use my $5 off coupon. It expires tomorrow (my excuse for buying something.. again!).
Since H&M debutted their line of beauty products, I haven't taken the initiative to try any. I decided today was the day & paid $2.18 for this pretty palette (My Summer Romance Palette). My swatches look pretty good but those shadows are blended out. I experienced crumbling and fall out whilst swatching. The ocean/baby blue shadow also applied patchy so I had to layer it for evenness. Other than that, this H&M eyeshadow palette is quite pigmented. Would I pay the regular $6.95? No, but if I had another $5 off coupon.. YES!
Quick run at London Drugs on Monday:
Picked up two Alicia Silverstore EcoTools brush sets for $9.99 each (on sale - regularly $19.99). I paid $14.99 for this exact same brush set at Winners awhile back too, boo! Keeping another one for myself and giving one away for Christmas! The Finishing Brush, Blush Brush, and Angled Eye Shadow Brush are amazingly soft and easy to use. Actually, I love the Angled E/S brush the most!
Revlon Super Lustrous Lip Gloss in Lilac Pastelle - $9.99. Most I've ever paid for a drugstore lip gloss but the reviews from Spring/Summer 2010 drove me into a frenzy. I'll pick up Pink Pop when it's on sale and maybe even Coral Reef. I like the texture - milky but not sticky. No taste but I detect is a light vanilla candied scent.
Sally Hansen Nail Nutrition Green Tea + Soy Cutitcle Oil for $4.49. I love cuticle oils but they can be really expensive. This tube is much better than a click pen as you can control how much goes on the applicator and you can see how much you've used up. I need to test it longer to see if it really works. Will review later!
Revlon Spa ILLUMINATE Skin Renewal System - $10.39. Sorry, I already wrecked my box so you'll have to settle for a stock image! The exfoliating brush is surprisingly softer than the facial brush from The Body Shop.
And as mentioned in my previous update about my Sunday adventures w/ the 'rents, here is what I picked up last Sunday. The Body Shop is always offering a great deal. From December 10th - 12th, they had a promotion called, "Spin the Wheel of Joy." It was a wheel you spun that would give you random savings. I spun & got $20 off a $40 purchase whereas my mom received a 3 for $30 deal. I ended up getting 50% off my whole purchase since I spent over $40... woops!
The Body Shop Brow Definer in 01 Blonde/Auburn. A little too light for me but I tend to use a heavy hand when defining my brows. I'm still practicing!
The Body Shop Originals Shower Gel in Green Apple and Fuzzy Peach. I've reviewed Fuzzy Peach a little bit in this post. Green Apple smells like freshly cut apples! I'm thinking of gifting them but... they smell so good! :(
The Body Shop Nature's Minerals Foundation Brush. I need to use up all of my Everyday Minerals samples before they expire. This brush shall help that cause. It's soft on the face but hard enough to buff the powder into the face without scratching and shedding. It is not flimsy or fluffy like the Tokidoki Kabuki Brush.
The Body Shop Luxury Flannel Washcloth - feels rubbery like a foam rubber sheet... It's awkward but I haven't tested it fully. However, I do not recommend using it as a facial cleanser cloth as it absorbs all of the foam from your cleanser!
A lip/eye kohl sharpener for me madre. She also got a Nature's Minerals Foundation to accompany her new Nature's Minerals Foundation Brush. I'm going to practice my application skillz on her later... dun dun dun!
The Body Shop Cheek Color in 05 Tea Rose. I don't need more blush either but I can't be stopped so don't bother. Surprisingly, this blush isn't shimmery like most TBS blushes. I see faint sparkles in the pan but do not transfer on the skin. The blush is fairly pigmented and easy to use. Even with my heavy hands, I don't look too dolled up or clownish.
The Body Shop Round Handle Facial Brush. I don't have the money for a Clarisonic so I'll settle for a $1.50 exfoliating brush. It feels soft on the sides but on the face.. it's a tad hard. The tip of the bristles aren't prickly, they're just not soft... I rather spend the extra $7 for the Revlon kit pictured above but really.. If I had $200? I'd invest in the Clarisonic!
Before my parent's came home, I went to Rexall, London Drugs & Zellers to score some major deals.
From the Annabelle Insomnia Winter 2010 Collection, the Annabelle Multi-Dome Baked Eyeshadow Palettes in: Insomnia (pale yellow-gold, green, lavender, violet) and Disturbia (red, blue, red-orange, brown). I've wanted these palettes since their release but the $13.99 price tag hurt. Rexall had 25% off ALL Annabelle cosmetics so these babies were on sale for $10.49 each but $8.49 using $2 off coupons I've been saving! Total: $19.50 for 8, beautifully pigmented baked eyeshadows. SCORE!
JANE Cosmetics are 50% off at Zellers. I heard the brand was being phased out of Walgreens & another rumor about the brand going bankrupt... Not sure what's going on but the selection of JANE Cosmetics at Zellers is quite... old and most items have collected dust! Since the Aguaceutical lines is relatively new, I decided to try some of the eyeshadows and tinted moisturizer. I paid $4~ for each.
JANE Aguaceuticals Sheer Tinted Moisturizer in Light/Warm Tones. A tad orange on me, egh..
READ: JANE Aguaceuticals LipStix in Laguna looks like Nars Orgasm/Super Orgasm Blush in lipstick form. Kind of pornstar-ish to me but it's glamorous in that way.. Never was a fan of Nars Orgasm but apparently makeup fanatics are gaga for gold shimmer and peachy pink cheeks!
JANE Be Pure Mineral Eyeliner in Wine. Reviews say these gel eyeliners are creamy and rich in pigment. Definitely rich in pigment and creamy when applied to the skin. I didn't feel or experience tugging when applying this gel eyeliner but it was hard to get onto my brush because it's hard top layer.
JANE Aguaceuticals Aguashimmer Eyeshadow (quad) in: 02 Sandstorm, 03 Reef, and 04 Bamboo. They aren't rich in pigment but still work and are great for more natural and neutral eye looks. They work best when wet.
During Rexall's 50% Face Products sale, I grabbed the Covergirl & Olay Simply Ageless Sculpting Blush for nearly $6 each thanks to a $3 off coupon.
From L-to-R, Top-to-Bottom: Rich Cinnamon and Lushberry. Flash, No Flash.
My swatches are much more accurate than the product photo. It is much softer & less bright than my camera perceives it as. I thank Gianna of NouveauCheap for helping me with my purchase. Gianna can be an enabler sometimes but if she recommends you something, you get it or you'll regret it.
More from Rexall and Superstore:
N.Y.C. Blushable Creme Stick in Plaza Pink to complete my collection of Blushable Creme Sticks. I have every color now! I highly recommend these. They apply as cream but blend like powder.
Ultra Last Lipwear in 416B Berry Rich and 407B Smooch. Karen of MakeupandBeautyBlog's review made me run to Rexall immediately to pick up Berry Rich. Lucky me, N.Y.C. lip products were BOGO Free. Too bad my freebie, Smooch, ended up being a frosty pornstar shade. What ever you do, SKIP Smooch!
Ignore the Covergirl & Olay Simply Ageless Serum Primer as I returned it. I do not recommend it. It's an overpriced moisturizer with a silicone-slick feel to it.
Last but not least, Physicians Formula Shimmer Strips Custom Eye Enhancing Gel CreamLiner for Hazel Eyes and Blue Eyes. (Geeze what a mouthful...) I found these babies on clearance/sale at Superstore for roughly $7. I grabbed the last two! I haven't seen them them on display since I purchased them and that was almost a month ago... As for the quality of these gel liners; they are SUPERB. I find them creamy and pigmented - better than the Maybelline EyeStudio Lasting Drama Gel Eyeliners. The brush included is soft but as sturdy as the Maybelline one. The gel's would make great bases for a smokey eye look.
Just so we're clear, I've held off on a lot of other beauty products so I haven't been all that bad! I'd share examples but I feel embarassed enough as it is. I buy loads of beauty products yet... I always want more! I'm so greedy -_____-"
I should mention, I also got a few Sephora goodies from the S.O. but I'll include that in my Christmas gifts post. It isn't even a Christmas present but I don't want to get into it, heh.
Question of the Post:
What was your most recent beauty purchase?Obviously you've seen mine.. now tell me about yours!
I'll be back again, very shortly.. Tata for now!
Ashley.
As the title asks, have you hit pan recently? I can't say I have.. I've only ever hit pan on one makeup item of mine and that was ages ago! I'll share more about that later.
Since reading posts like Operation Use It Up! by Haru of Rouge Deluxe and *Monthly* Empties by Shela of Confessions of a Beauty Guru, I have been inspired to dedicate posts on my used-and-abused or finished products. It's a twist on Project 10 Pan as I haven't completely finished every product on one list and some items aren't even on a list to be checked off. A majority of these products were just accidently finished!
(From L-to-R: Daiso Cleansing Foam, L'Oreal Go 360 Clean Deep Facial Cleanser, Vera Wang Flower Princess Perfume, LG Say Lavender Body Wash, jojoba oil, Caress Tahitan Renewal Silkening Body Wash, Nexxus Therappe Luxurious Moisturizing Shampoo)
*Not pictured: John Frieda Hair Serum – Thermal Protection Formula*
I feel unaccomplished compared to Haru and Shela but this will have to do. I really dig Shela's spin on Project 10 Pan but I'm trying to be tougher on myself & I don't mean to say Shela has it easy because she doesn't. My mind always strays and I never manage to focus on one product at a time. The only part of my routine that sticks is moisturizers, eye cream (one for day & one for night) and toner (nightly only). Body care like shampoo, body wash, body lotion, shaving cream.. it's constantly changing. Although I should mention, I've been sticking to one shampoo recently to help my dandruff but it hasn't done jack.
Onwards to less (or more) babbling! I don't have much to say about the products I've finished as I didn't really a majority of them but like Haru & Shela (and many other bloggers) I will add comments and or mini-reviews.
My favorite product of the bunch and the one I'll actually miss is the Vera Wang Flower Princess Perfume. Flower Princess is limited edition (not the orginal) and I believe is the first LE Princess perfume created and then followed suit was Rock Princess to Glam Princess. I don't think it's one of the popular Princesses because I can no longer find it in perfume boutiques or Sephora.. I do have a back-up bottle but since I can no longer find it in stores, I do not want to use it! On the bright side, I can now try another perfume guilt-free.
The most disliked products of the bunch: Daiso Cleansing Foam and L'Oreal Go 360 Clean Deep Facial Cleanser. I used the L'Oreal cleanser to clean makeup brushes after I hit the half way mark. It wasn't a bad facial cleanser but I disliked the smell mostly. I should have never bought the cleanser from Daiso as I have no clue what the ingredients are and if anything were to happen, who would be to blame?? I used it wash makeup sponges and face clothes. It's heavily scented and drying, I blame the SLS.Now that I look back, 5 out of the 8 products I have finished contain sodium laureth sulfate.
The LG (Life is Good) Say Lavender Body Wash was purchased at a local Asian supermarket (T&T). I paid $7.99 for the whole bottle with a bonus refill pack that I gave to a friend. I'm glad I gave the refill away as I got bored of the scent so quickly.. All it is, is a light,milky-lavender. After finishing off the LG body wash, I finished the Caress Tahitan Renewal Silkening Body Wash shortly after. I've repurchased this body wash in the same scent over two times now. It's tropical yet sensual and I love the exfoliating beads. My skin is much smoother and softer after using it but I won't be repurchasing it anymore as the scent is no longer as enticing as it once was.
Note: Caress is unavailable in Canada. I purchased this at Target.
Snuggled in between the two body washes is a bottle of jojoba oil. I love jojoba oil as I can use it for everything! I added a spoonful to my body washes and lotions, shampoo and a few drops to facial moisturizers. I find it very moisturizing but I cannot rely on it alone. I have to use it in conjuction with other products to sink into my skin well.
Next is the Nexxus Therappe Luxurious Moisturizing Shampoo. I ordered a sample of it off of the Nexxus website and I really enjoyed the scent. In conjuction with the Humectress Ultimate Moisturizing Conditioner, it made my hair light, soft and smelled like almond milk and a hint of baby powder. I really don't know how to explain scents but it was a niceeee! If it had done anything for my dandruff, I would've bought a full size.
Last is the John Frieda Hair Serum – Thermal Protection Formula. I use this to protect my hair from the UV rays, heat-styling and frizzing. I love it and you need it! It costs a bit much for a drugstore product ($9.99+) but it promises salon-quality results. All I need is one pump or a nickel size amount for my hair (a little past shoulder length). One bottle lasts 3-6 months depending on how much hair you have. I love the smell, the shine it gives my hair, the protection it promises and gives! I looove it and highly recommend it!
Lastly.. oh wait I'm done! But before I go, I wanted to show my one & only "hit pan" product. I have a lot of makeup for a person who rarely wears makeup so this was/is a big accomplishment (for me atleast). I don't know how I hit pan on this particular item as I hardly use its kind but I did. So here we have it..........................................:
Disclosure
Make-Up Kismet is a personal blog written and edited by myself. This blog was created to share my experiences with whom ever reads it.
All reviews posted are written by me and are my honest opinions. All products reviewed are purchased by me for personal and/or review purposes unless stated otherwise. Each person is different, as are our experiences. With that said, I cannot be held responsible for any unsatisfying reaction to a product I review or recommend.
Photos on this blog are either from Google, other Bloggers or, my own. I try to depict all products as accurately as possible. I may edit photos for this purpose.
