My next post will be back to an actual product review, but I wanted to share a look into my vanity this month- and my thoughts on this brand focus intiaitve I've undertaken.
I've decided to challenge myself in 2018 to become more familiar with brands I just haven't tried much from. It was the Shadow & Highlight Palette set from Holiday 2017 that piqued my interest in Smashbox.
My history with the brand has been meh at best. I've previously used up an entire 24 Hour Photo Finish Eyeshadow Primer and loved it. I'm on my second bottle of Photo Finish Primer Water. I bought the L.A. Lights Palette for holiday 2016 and don't use it. It's unweildy and not a formula I've liked.
One of the reasons why I haven't been posting is that I'm not not testing different products every day. As of today I've got 14 primer-type products (face and eyes), one foundation, one concealer, four Cover Shot eyeshadow palettes, two Photo Edit Eyeshadow trios, two Photo Op Eyeshadow Trios (yes, the old ones), one Photo Op Eyeshadow Single, one Always On Gel Liner, one mascara, a contour trio, one Spotlight Palette, one large blush/highlight palette, one soft Lights blush (yes, discontinued- unfortunately, this is the best product I've discovered yet!), one Always Sharp Lip Liner, two Always On Liquid Lipsticks, one Be Legendary Lip Gloss, seven Be Legendary Lipsticks, and one lipstick transformer that I'm currently testing. That's 43 products I'm mostly testing for the first time- with an Ulta run planned for later today because I got a coupon for $10 off a $30 Smashbox purchase. So that's where I've been.
I did purchase most of these at my local CCO- and more than I'd planned to originally- because of the crazy sales going on. Think 40% off of outlet prices... even on current items. For example, I purchased the Studio Skin Foundation yesterday at about 58% off of the current retail price. (That sale killed my resolve to not buy new foundation.... I left with two!)
I'm not going to try any powders from the brand due to the price and because I have powders that I already love.... and I'm fighting the urge to pick up some more liners, but that's a category I'm trying to seriously reduce in my stash.
I hope you're also having a wonderful day... I'll be back this week with some actual reviews since I've been using some of these daily for two weeks already now and I feel ok to do so.
Sunday, January 14, 2018
Monday, January 8, 2018
2018: Let's Get Real
It's been a full week into 2018, and to be honest... until tonight I hadn't had the urge to blog. Ironically, this was my first day back in the office; two full weeks at home would've given ample blogging opportunities.
But 2018 is about being real. With myself, and with this space. I find myself again at that impasse where I'm worrying about purchasing enough items to have new content, looking at a giant pile of makeup, facing some seriously rotten comments that I won't approve... and I lack motivation.
So, I'm going to share with you a bit of a ramble- and what I've resolved to do- what I've resolved not to do. So far, I've done well with not breaking any of these.
In 2018....
I will be kinder to myself.
I will use this space as a way to express myself. My product photos may not always be pristine because I will use products when I want, instead of creating a depressing mound of "to photograph/to swatch" items.
I won't be a daily blogger.
I won't allow people to come to my online home and insult me, my life choices, or generally talk down to me. Negativity has driven me away before, and I won't allow it to do it now.
I won't go on a low or no buy, but I will be more mindful of my spending. Example: I dropped tiers at Nordstrom this year, and I'm ok with it. I'll make VIB Rouge, but the goal is for that to happen after the Spring sale, not in February or March like most other years. Inevitably, I'll also make Ulta's new Diamond level- but I'm not gonna stress about it.
I will identify a number of products that are use or lose... and I've already purged one from my collection.
I will search out new brands- at least one per month, and reflect on my experiences in this space.
On the sillier end, I'll share what my "beauty resolution" for this year is. Last year, it was purge 1000 items- which I totally did. 2016 was all about learning how to put on false lashes. In 2018, I've got two.
By the end of 2018, I want to use up all of those damn sample packets I have. I'm working hard on that already. The only exceptions are a couple I've put in my travel kit- and if I haven't traveled by December 15, I'll work on those, too.
By the end of 2018, I want to have used 365 sheet masks. Given that when I purchase, I buy at least 50 at a time and I have a drawer full (I should really count, right?), it seems a good way to figure out what I really like. To be honest, I'm already behind. But I have ways of catching up... like using a HA mask before my AM skincare on a super cold day, etc. Eye masks totally count, too.
ETA: I've done the maths and I feel slightly sheepish. I'd like to reduce the size of my overall stash by about 80%, since I like to have specific types of masks on hand- HA, Red Wine, Tea Tree, a couple of primers, a couple of Vitamin Cs, a couple of Shea, a few eye masks, etc. I knew my drawer was full. I started 2018 with 262 masks on hand (none expired): 157 sheet- face, 11- lips, 3- foot, 1-hand, 86-eye. In theory, I could not buy a single mask and I'd finish what I own September 19th. I'll still get my staples, to be sure. Ay yi yi.
So, that's it for now... I've had so many false starts that I look forward to not burdening myself with deadlines.
But 2018 is about being real. With myself, and with this space. I find myself again at that impasse where I'm worrying about purchasing enough items to have new content, looking at a giant pile of makeup, facing some seriously rotten comments that I won't approve... and I lack motivation.
So, I'm going to share with you a bit of a ramble- and what I've resolved to do- what I've resolved not to do. So far, I've done well with not breaking any of these.
In 2018....
I will be kinder to myself.
I will use this space as a way to express myself. My product photos may not always be pristine because I will use products when I want, instead of creating a depressing mound of "to photograph/to swatch" items.
I won't be a daily blogger.
I won't allow people to come to my online home and insult me, my life choices, or generally talk down to me. Negativity has driven me away before, and I won't allow it to do it now.
I won't go on a low or no buy, but I will be more mindful of my spending. Example: I dropped tiers at Nordstrom this year, and I'm ok with it. I'll make VIB Rouge, but the goal is for that to happen after the Spring sale, not in February or March like most other years. Inevitably, I'll also make Ulta's new Diamond level- but I'm not gonna stress about it.
I will identify a number of products that are use or lose... and I've already purged one from my collection.
I will search out new brands- at least one per month, and reflect on my experiences in this space.
On the sillier end, I'll share what my "beauty resolution" for this year is. Last year, it was purge 1000 items- which I totally did. 2016 was all about learning how to put on false lashes. In 2018, I've got two.
By the end of 2018, I want to use up all of those damn sample packets I have. I'm working hard on that already. The only exceptions are a couple I've put in my travel kit- and if I haven't traveled by December 15, I'll work on those, too.
By the end of 2018, I want to have used 365 sheet masks. Given that when I purchase, I buy at least 50 at a time and I have a drawer full (I should really count, right?), it seems a good way to figure out what I really like. To be honest, I'm already behind. But I have ways of catching up... like using a HA mask before my AM skincare on a super cold day, etc. Eye masks totally count, too.
ETA: I've done the maths and I feel slightly sheepish. I'd like to reduce the size of my overall stash by about 80%, since I like to have specific types of masks on hand- HA, Red Wine, Tea Tree, a couple of primers, a couple of Vitamin Cs, a couple of Shea, a few eye masks, etc. I knew my drawer was full. I started 2018 with 262 masks on hand (none expired): 157 sheet- face, 11- lips, 3- foot, 1-hand, 86-eye. In theory, I could not buy a single mask and I'd finish what I own September 19th. I'll still get my staples, to be sure. Ay yi yi.
So, that's it for now... I've had so many false starts that I look forward to not burdening myself with deadlines.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)