January 2018 Favorites & Empties Recap

It's been a couple of months since I've done a monthly favorites post. While this will be considered January's favorites and fails, this is really more like a "mid-Winter favorites" edition.


First, a quick note about my utter failure of the brand focus for January. You'll see the best of the best reflected here, but the concept is one I'm not loving. It turns out that the brand that I picked for January (Smashbox) doesn't excite me. I found a few new loves, but my new favorite product out of the bunch was a CCO pick which is discontinued.


Primers, Foundations, and Concealers:

1- Smashbox Photo Finish Primerizer (a new discovery), 2- Smashbox Photo Finish Foundation Primer Pore Minimizing (rivals Benefit's Porefessional), 3- L'Oreal Magic Perfecting Base (does the job that I hope someday soon injectibles will take over), 4- Makeup Revolution Conceal & Define Concealer (a lovely drugstore concealer I've been reaching for), 5- Smashbox Studio Skin 24 Hour Waterproof Concealer (a fantastic discovery), 6- Guerlain L'Or Primer (is a HG, especially when paired with) 7- La Mer The Soft Fluid Foundation (I do love this, despite the price), 8- Kiko Skin Tone Concealer (is my favorite color corrector, sorry to see the local store closed), 9- Lancome Teint Idole Foundation (is too much on its own, but I've found an ideal mate in), 10- Smashbox Photo Finish Primer Oil (too much on its own but my new favorite mixing oil), 11- Too Faced Hangover Rx 3-in-1 Replenishing Primer and Setting Spray (perfect for winter), 12- Smashbox Photo Finish Foundation Primer- Radiance (one of my new favorite discoveries, I just wish I didn't have so many radiance primers at the moment), 13- ColourPop No Filter Concealer (quite nice, just oxidizes a bit)


Powders:

1- Maybelline Fit Me! Loose Finishing Powder 05 Fair (the raves were real), 2- CoverFx Illuminating Setting Powder (is part of my project pan but I do like it under my eyes as it turns out), 3- Hourglass Ambient Lighting Powder in Ethereal Light (my HG undereye powder), 4- MAC Mineralize Skinfinish Natural (my new HG)


Bronzer, Contour, and Brows:

1- Too Faced Sweet Peach Glow (the bronzer is outstanding on my pale complexion), 2- MAC Studio Sculpt Defning Bronzing Powder in Delicates (a new cool-toned favorite), 3- ELF Brow Kit in Light (multitasker-- I use the pomade on my brows and love the powder as a contour), 4- Benefit Browvo! Conditioning Primer (is something I love when I'm using it but always forget to repurchase), 5- Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Whiz in Medium Brown (no words necessary)


Blush:

1- Too Faced Sweet Peach Glow (has a lovely peach blush that leaves a healthy glow), 2- Smashbox Soft Lights in Prism (my absolute new favorite discovery and I'm gutted that the brand was foolish enough to discontinue it), 3- Physicians Formula Butter Blush in Plum Rose (a lovely nude blush only for fair complexions), 4- Clinique Cheek Pop in Nude Pop (one of my all-time favorites), 5- Chantecaille Cheek Shade in Blush (it's back in the philanthropy collection!)


Highlighter:

1- theBalm Mary-Lou Manizer (I'm sadly very late to this party), 2- Laura Geller Baked Highlighter in French Vanilla (a true favorite), 3- NYX Love You So Mochi Arcade Glam (a shockingly wonderful new discovery)

Eye Primers, Liners, and Mascaras:

1- Too Faced Glitter Glue (my go-to for glitters and shimmers), 2- Smashbox 24 hour Shadow Primer & Photo Finish Lid Primer (a wonderful duo of primers- one new, one an old favorite- that I've been enjoying), 3- Inglot AMC Gel Eyeliners in 77 & 78 (love these eyeliners and have been loving a teeny wing lately), 4- NYX Slide On, Glide On Eyeliner in Jewel (love this on the lower lash line with pinky looks), 5- NYX Metallic Eyeliner in Rose Gold (a great new Spring 2018 release), 6- Anastasia Beverly Hills Darkside Eyeliner (how did I ever live without this?), 7- Anastasia Beverly Hills Metallic Luster Liners in Liquid Silver and Liquid Gold (so lovely to use on a daily basis), 8- Urban Decay Subversion Lash Primer (my favorite lash primer to date), 9-Chanel Le Volume Mascara in Ultra Black (I'm so sorry to see my final tube done and gone. I love this so much)


Eyeshadow Palettes:

1- NARS Wanted Palette (Admittedly, this was an impulse purchase but the roses and pinks just called my name. Look for a full review from me soon), 2- LORAC California Dreaming Palette (this is new to me- I put it away, unused when I was able to nab it on sale. This seemed to be the perfect month to pull it out, and I'm thrilled), 3- NYX Love You So Mochi Palettes (these are the shocker of the spring for me so far. So, so good!), 4- Urban Decay Naked 3 Palette (I've been feeling rosy looks, so this came out to join the mix)

Lips:

1- NARS Audacious Lipstick in Anita (I was on a pinky nude kick this month and happy to pull this old favorite out), 2- Clinique Pop Lip Color- Nude Pop (this is in promo packaging but this is a lovely nude for daily wear), 3- Shea Moisture Luscious Lipstick in Tea Rose (one of my all-time cool-toned MLBB favorites), 4- Smashbox Be Legendary Lipstick in Primrose (my best discovery of the month), 5- Butter London Sheer Wisdom Lip Oils (Ballet Blush pictured but several shades are stunning), 6- By Terry Baume de Rose (any version- I used the original potted, original gloss, and tinted glosses), 7- Hourglass GIRL Stylo in Creator (another lovely pink), 8- NYX Butter Lipstick in Root Beer Float (my favorite discovery from the Holiday 2017 kit), 9- bareMinerals GenNude Liquid Lipsticks in Smooch and Slay (my two favorite shades of the line, this shows the types of colors I'm into this time of year), 10- NudeStix Intense Matte Lip & Cheek Pencil in Belle (finally, a great discovery from the Macy's box!), 11- Smashbox Always On Liquid Lipstick in Babe Alert (my favorite of the line), 12- Fenty Beauty Gloss Bomb in Fenty Glow (this ended up on my lips just about every day. I'm obsessed)




Now, a quick note on my empties. I've been tracking my personal Project Pan on Instagram, but here's some analysis on the regular products I've used up- and the dollar value.

This didn't include any decluttered items, so it's shocking to see my monthly total over $900. I've decided to track these stats this year with the hopes of making my future spending conform with it. I know the bath/body will diminish once it gets warmer.

What have you loved or used up?

July/August 2017 Favorites

One of the things I missed with the timing of my Mac's demise was posting my July favorites. Grab yourself a snack or a drink because I'm going to make this a two-month post, and cover a lot of territory.

Let's start with makeup. I'd planned to review many of these items already, but that's not going to stop me from sharing them in September. Please note that anything with a hyperlink is a direct shopping link.

Primers:

I discovered my current HG priming routine over the past two months. It's rather complicated, but that's ok. Depending on the weather and my skin, I start with a color-correcting primer for my red areas. I'm actually out of my favorite (Make Up For Ever Step 1 Skin Equalizing Primer- Redness), and I won't repurchase until I finish up all of the green primers in my collection. I'm almost down to my last one. Next, I either go in with CoverFX Mattifying Primer if it's going to be a humid day or an illuminating primer (I've loved the CoverFX Illuminating Primer and Milani Prime Light Strobing Primer over the past two months). Next, for some pore filling, I reach for the  Milk Makeup Blur Stick. Next, onto my problem areas (11s and smile lines) I smooth the tiniest bit of L'Oreal Magic Perfecting Base. I finish by spraying the Too Faced Hangover Rx 3-in-1 Spray- which I'll be sharing the good news about with you soon. I also was boring in terms of an eye combination- MAC Painterly Paint Pot, set with Sephora Collection Beauty Amplifier Lid & Liner Primer.


Eyeshadow:

I think the number of palettes I've been through should be an indication that I wouldn't have many shadow favorites. That's true. I purchased the original LORAC Mega Pro palette when it went up on the brand's website. I'm in love. Same with the LORAC Mega Pro 2, which was my July obsession. Although a recent purchase, I keep reaching for lid shades from the MAC Power Hungry Palette.

In terms of items I've been loving that aren't available, it's the Tom Ford Unabashed Palette and Marc Jacobs The Lolita (which I got from the brand as part of a mystery bag). I've also been loving my MAC Double Custom Palette, which I pulled from my hundreds of shades. It lives in my drawer, whereas the Mega Pros live on my vanity. I've also pulled a mini Smashbox CoverShot Trio in Screenshot.


Eyeliner and Mascara:


I've been so basic the past two months. I've been keeping it basic, with the Wet 'n Wild Skinny Tip Eyeliner coming back into my rotation (review coming in September), while still loving Anastasia Beverly Hills Darkside Liner, and the Anastasia Beverly Hills Metallic Luster Liners. I told you I was boring! Again, another place where I've been pretty boring is mascara. I adore using my Urban Decay Subversion Primer, and have been loving a trio of mascaras: It Cosmetics Superhero Elastic Stretch Volumizing Mascara, Urban Decay Perversion Mascara, and L'Oreal Voluminous Lash Paradise Mascara.


Now, onto the face. Let's talk Concealers and Correctors:

As always, I'm in love with Tarte Shape Tape, but I've also been loving Cle de Peau The Concealer for face concealing when self-tanned. In terms of correctors, I've been trying a few but the only one I've really been loving is my staple Tarte Colored Clay CC Undereye Corrector.

Foundations and Powders:

I've been keeping it pretty simple these days. On the foundation front, I'm still loving Lancome Teint Idole, La Mer The Foundation (when not self-tanned), Givenchy Teint Couture Balm, and MAC Next to Nothing Face Colour on the weekend. When self-tanned, I also loved the CoverGirl Clean Matte BB Cream. I've also fallen for It Cosmetics CC Cream and bareMinerals Complexion Rescue Complexion Balm this summer.

Four powders have lived in my drawer for the past two months: MAC Studio Fix Powder Foundation, MAC Mineralize Skinfinish Natural, RCMA No Color Powder, and Too Faced Born This Way Ethereal Setting Powder.

Bronzer:

It must be summer if I'm obsessed with more bronzers than anything else! L'Oreal Glam Bronze is so good and so similar to one of my other favorites- Marc Jacobs Tan-Tastic. Algenist's Color Correcting Bronzer also found its way back into rotation, as well as Physician's Formula Butter Bronzer. My favorite new bronzer is Becca Sunlit Bronzer in Capri Coast.




Contour:

Two contour kits stole my heart these past two months. I've been loving the sadly-discontinued Fiona Stiles Sheer Contour Kit in Light/Medium and the Anastasia Beverly Hills Powder Contour Kit in Light/Medium.


Blush:

I wish I could admit to being more adventurous than I have been. I've been using my Tarte Amazonian Clay Blushes the most frequently.

My custom MAC blush quad and Natasha Denona Blush Duo #15 make occasional guest appearances.

In terms of single blushes, there have only been three in rotation. Too Faced Love Flush blushes in Justify My Love and Baby Love (something I adore from last 21 Days of Beauty) and Milani Baked Blush in Luminoso.


Highlighter:

I've also been pretty boring in terms of highlighter. Laura Geller French Vanilla lives in my drawer, along with Essence Be My Highlight these days. When I was self-tanned, I finally discovered the beauty of Becca Opal. I also loved Dose of Colors Highlighter in Milk 'n Honey.

Lipliner:

I kept it simple in terms of lipliner. The most frequently used was Bobbi Brown Lipliner in Beige, combined with Lancome Le Lipstique in Clair.

Lipstick:

I kept things so basic these last couple of months.  MAC Lipstick in Shy Girl (special packaging), Bobbi Brown Lip Color in Ultra Beige (from that Nordstrom set), Hourglass GIRL Stylo in Peacemaker (100pt perk size), Marc Jacobs Sheer Gel Lipstick in Have We Met? , and MAC Lipstick in Love at First Bite.


Liquid Lipstick:

I really only used two most of the summer- bareMinerals Statement Matte Lip Color in Juicy and bareMinerals GenNude Liquid Lipstick in Slay.


Lip Gloss:

I kept it simple here too! I blame this on hot days and playing with lots of different colors. MAC Vamplify Lipgloss in Spanking Haute, MAC Creamsheen Glass in ChaChaCha, Anastasia Beverly Hills Lipglosses in Amber, Caramel, and Saint Tropez.


PHEW!

Now, let's talk Skincare.

I've been loving this combo- Drunk Elephant C-Firma Day Serum, Avene Gentle Toning Lotion, Enlite When it Rains, It Pores Serum, Enlite Face Cardio (I'm so angry that CVS discontinued these), First Aid Beauty Coconut Smoothie Priming Moisturizer, The Ordinary Caffeine Eye Serum, Avene Mattifying Fluid.

You probably know I'm really into sheet masks. I've been loving two main active ingredients this summer- Tea Tree and my beloved Red Wine. Pictured are the TonyMoly I'm Real Tea Tree Mask , 7 Days Tea Tree Mask, and TonyMoly I'm Real Red Wine Pore Care Mask. All of these can either be found at the pharmacy, at TJMaxx, or in multi-packs from the brand around the $2-2.50 range each.

I raved about this earlier in the week, but I'm obsessed with Simple's new Water Boost Micellar Cleansing Water.

Other:

I know that it's not exactly fair to include an item I only purchased on the 26th, but I knew immediately that I knew this product. If you're in the market for an inexpensive Bluetooth speaker, I recommend the AmazonBasics Wireless Speaker ($29.99 for the black version I purchased). One of my huge complaints about my new laptop was the horrible audio. This has saved the day for me so nicely. It's not the world's best speaker, but it's an affordable speaker if you're looking to boost your laptop.

Non-makeup, but a total fun lifesaver: MyTagalongs Stargazer Charger & Cord Case ($18, Nordstrom). I've tucked my Michael Kors travel charger, two pairs of headphones (one for my work computer and one for my iPhone), and a couple of other daily necessities into here. I also bought the Headphones case ($10) once I realized how lovely these were.

What have you been loving the second half of summer?

Lancome From Lancome With Love Spring 2016 Collection: Part III

Today brings the final post on Lancome's Spring 2016 collection- let's talk eyes.  I purchased two items from the collection- the blue eyeliner and blue palette. Both are exceptionally out-of-character for me, being the blue-eyed sort.

First, let's talk about the eyeliner.

For Spring 2016, Lancome offers up a new shade of Le Stylo Waterproof Long Lasting Eyeliner ($27): Bleu Ciel Parisien. I initially passed on this cornflower blue liner with a distinct white base since, well, I was afraid it would clash with my eyes.

One of the ladies at a local counter sweet talked me into trying it, and she was right. First, let's look at it on my skin:

Now, here's how I wear it. Yes, I could just line my upper lid. But wait... use this on the lower waterline. Trust me, it'll open your eyes. I don't have a photo to show, but this is the best way I've found to wear this unique shade. Formula-wise, it is quite soft (it's a twist-up liner), and sets quickly. Use the other end to blend, but do it quickly. That's quite normal for waterproof liners.

Bottom Line: Worth the purchase for a great formula in a fun color.

Next, let's talk about the Color Design Shadow and Liner Palette ($50).

I'm showing you #407, Bleu Ciel Parisien. It's packed with 4 pastels and one mid-toned color (designed to be used as a liner)

I'll be perfectly honest, this is the first Lancome palette I've ever purchased. It really captivated me at the counter with a finger swatch.

Since these are pastels, they're tricky little buggers to accurately capture. The darker shades are more accurate without flash, the lighter shades are more accurate with flash. So I give you both.

Without flash:

With flash:

These are exceptionally soft eyeshadows. So, there's the distinct probability that you can overblend on the eye. I thought about taking a photograph of the palette now, after testing and swatching- it looks well worn.

This is delicate. The looks it will produce are delicate.  I'll admit that I've been ignoring the suggested look- especially since they're calling for blue in the crease- but that's part of a good palette. The user should be able to come up with their own combinations.

I'll be very careful about how I say this. I think this is palette that would probably work best on the fairer end of the complexion spectrum- there's a real danger of it turning into a monochromed, shimmery mess. But YMMV.

I do like this, although a more subtle, shimmery eye isn't my usual look. These had moderate staying power when I tested over the course of three days.

Bottom Line: Play with this one at the counter and decide for yourself, especially at this price point.

Lancome From Lancome With Love Spring 2016 Collection: Part II

Now that I've worn myself out trying to cover the new Chanel polishes, it's back to some of the posts that I'd planned. The Chanel La Perle collection wasn't the only one that I went crazy for this spring. I stepped outside of my usual brand box and fell totally in love with Lancome's Spring 2016 My Parisian Collection. I know I introduced it yesterday, but let's take a step back.

First, let's just take a moment and stare at this promo photography. Absolutely beautiful- and on-trend for Pantone's Colors of the Year.

This is a collection that looks light, frothy, and just screams cotton candy and spring. Before I get into which items came home with me, let's just take a moment and appreciate the genius of Lisa Eldridge. She's totally reinvented the brand and made it fresh again while still offering the core products that long-time Lancome lovers use. If you haven't seen the promo images, I encourage you to do so.

I'll be honest, I bought most of the collection. Bottom line, even the scariest light blue eyeliner is perfectly wearable! Unfortunately, we didn't get the 3 new Lip Lovers in the US (international readers if you find an option that would ship here please let me know!). Lancome has decided to mix up Spring and the Bridal collection for North America, so I'm going to be quite precise in how I talk about these items. From Spring, I purchased both nail polishes available in the US, one of the creme blushes, one of the eyeshadow palettes, one lipstick, and one eyeliner. From Bridal, I purchased one nail polish and one Lip Lover that I bought to you last week.

Today, we talk nails and cheeks after having already covered lips.

As a nail polish hoarder, I have quite a bit of experience with different formulas. I love Lancome's formula. It self-levels and dries nicely. Most cremes need only 2 coats, and they last for days on me. There are two polishes in this collection: 146 Rose Haussmann and 153 Bleu Ciel Parisien.

Let's talk about Rose Haussmann. Please allow me a mini-rant. This is the stock photo most retailers are using:

That's a lovely apricot, right? Let me introduce you to the REAL Rose Haussmann:

I had to check my bottle and box multiple times to see if it really was the same shade! So please don't believe the stock photos.

Rose Haussmann is a moderately warm light pink creme. It has full coverage in two coats.  Wear time is the same as other Lancome polishes for me- 3-5 days before the first crack, which makes it one of the best-wearing formulas on my hands.


Here's a nail wheel of comparisons (which I stole from the Dior post, hence the flagging of the Dior polish. Why recreate the wheel, right? I don't keep the working version of a photo to just move the star.)

It's a little warmer than the Dior, and I actually prefer the formula. Despite the confusing shade stock photo, this is one worth checking out.

The other nail polish, Bleu Ciel Parisien is one of those "go grab now, ask questions later" polishes. It's a fabulously opaque light blue. I've got an accent nail going on in this photo:

It's just awesome.  And just like the last comparison, I'm going to just repost the wheel I pulled for the Dior post:

It's over on the right side.  Let's Hear it for the Boy is the closest, but it has a superior formula. It's very easy to work with. I could've almost gotten away with just two coats rather than the standard three with a light polish. Bottom line: LOVE.

I also went way out of my comfort zone in this collection by purchasing a cream blush. Confession: this is only my third cream blush, and the most I've spent on one.

The My Parisian Blush comes in two shades. I'll be showing you 01 Corail de Ville.

This is such a fun blush- and it's so spongy. It's unlike the other cream blushes that I've played with:

I think that photo shows it best. I couldn't help not playing with it prior to shooting these photos (luckily I shot these photos awhile back since the sun has been absent around here!)

Corail de Ville is an apricot-learning coral:

And yes, it comes in an adorable tin:

Although that had nothing to do with the blush as a whole, I had to show you the adorable packaging that reflects the collection's theme.

As I mentioned, I haven't played with cream blushes that much so I'm not the best person to evaluate the formula. I do like that it's both buildable and sheerable. As someone who struggles with rosacea, it's a necessity to be able to make any blush subtle.

But here it is, swatched:

Obviously, it's blended on the left and more concentrated on the right.

Bottom Line: Based on my inexperience, it's not a must-have but I'll defer to those far more experienced than I.