Makeup Inventory - Face Products

Disclaimer: All products mentioned in this post were purchased by me. All opinions are my own.

Since I've been working on finishing off products, I wanted to share my makeup inventory of face products. I'm pretty pleased with the amounts I have in these categories, but I also want to work on narrowing it down farther. I would love to have my face products narrowed down to a small set of holy grail items.

Here's a look at what I currently have as well as my goals for the future. 

Primers 

Tarte BB Tinted Treatment 12-Hour Primer in Fair (x2) - I have two of these because of a QVC TSV. One has been started already, and the other one hasn't been opened yet.

Too Faced Primed and Poreless - You might be able to see that  I've made pretty good progress with this primer. It's the one that I'm currently rotating with the Tarte one above.

The Body Shop Vitamin C Skin Boost - I don't know if this is technically a primer, but it feels like one, and it does say that it should be applied after moisturizer and is a perfect base for makeup, so I've got it in this category.

Tarte Colored Clay CC Primer in Fair (x2) - This is another multiple thanks to QVC. Sadly, the shade is a bit too dark for me. I need to work on using these more to move them out of my collection.

Total number of primers: 6
Ideal number of primers: 1 or 2

Foundations

Paula's Choice Resist Instant Smoothing Anti-Aging Foundation in Porcelain - This is a pretty good shade match. I haven't used it regularly in a while to remember how well I like it.

Urban Decay Naked Skin Foundation in 0.5 - This is the foundation I've been using the most for a while now. It's the foundation that I've been working on using up. The shade match is pretty good, but there's something I haven't been liking about it lately.

Tarte Amazonian Clay 12-Hour Full Coverage Foundation in Fair (After I took this picture I found another tube of Fair and a tube of Light...*sigh* Thankfully, I think my mom is going to take at least one of those tubes) - This foundation really annoys me. I had a tube that I bought not long after this foundation was released, and it was a really good match. Sadly, they seem to have changed the shade because this tube (and the tester in Ulta) is too dark.

NYX Invincible Fullest Coverage Foundation in Ivory - This foundation is one that was surprising to me. When it comes out of the tube, it looks like it is too dark, but it actually blends in and matches me really well. I like it pretty well.

Tarte Maracuja Miracle Foundation in Fair - Another Tarte foundation that is too dark for me.

Cover FX Custom Cover Drops in N10 - This is my most recent foundation purchase, and I'm really liking it. I haven't used it much recently because I'm trying to use up other foundations, but I think this might be a staple in my collection.

Tarte Amazonian Colored Clay Liquid Foundation in Fair - Darn Tarte! This is another foundation that is too dark for me. *sigh*

With the foundations that I have that are too dark, I have Life's Entropy Foundation Elixir in White on my wishlist to make them a better match. I would eventually like to only have foundations that truly match my skintone.

Silk Naturals HD Foundation Samples in N10 and N20 - The full-size of this product is in a stick form, which would this much easier to apply. I find it difficult to apply this from the sample pod. The N10 shade is a really good match for me though.

Total number of foundations: 7 full size and 2 samples
Ideal number of foundations: 1 to 3

Correctors

Silk Naturals Peach HD Concealer in 10 (full size and sample) - I recently finished the full size and sample I had of this product in shade 20. I personally find shade 10 too light. I haven't decided what I'm going to do with these since I'm not sure if I'll be able to make them work.

Pixi Correction Concentrate in Brightening Peach - I've been working on finishing off other correctors for so long that I haven't used this particular one in a really long time.

BareMinerals Correcting Concealer in Light 1 - I've already finished one of these in the past. I liked it well enough that I picked up a second one on sale during one of Ulta's 21 Days of Beauty.

Tarte BB Tined Undereye Corrector in Fair to Light - Yet again, I have multiples because of QVC sets. I've made a big dent in one of them, so I should hopefully be down to two soon.

Total number of correctors: 6 full size and 1 sample
Ideal number of correctors: 1

Concealers

NYX Full Coverage Concealer in Porcelain - I'm actually really happy with this concealer. This is the one that I use most days.

Meow Concealer in Inquisitive Siamese (Large and Small Jar) - I don't use this nearly as much as I used to, but I still feel like it is a staple in my collection. It is really handy to have a powder concealer for adding a final touch of extra coverage when a cream concealer doesn't quite cut it. I typically use this after I've finished my makeup entirely and need a little more help covering a spot. The reason there are two jars is because I transfer a small amount of product into the smaller jar instead of using it directly from the larger jar.

NYX Incredible Waterproof Concealer in Porcelain - This concealer lives in my purse along with another small jar of the Meow concealer. I am frankly terrible about touching up my makeup when I'm out, but they are handy to have around. Since this NYX concealer is so inexpensive, I don't feel bad about having it basically collect dust in my purse.

Urban Decay 24/7 Concealer Pencil in CIA - I like this concealer, and I like the convenience of having it in pencil form. I use this on days when I'm a little to lazy to deal with the NYX jar concealer and a brush.

Total number of concealers: 4
Ideal number of concealers: 4

I am actually really happy with my concealer selection right now. I like having the option of a stick concealer or a jar and the powder concealer for a boost of coverage. Like I said with the NYX stick concealer, I like having an inexpensive product in my purse for the random times when I do feel the need to do a touch-up while out and about.

Powders

Meow Pampered Puss Mineral Foundation in Inquisitive Siamese - I used to wear Meow's foundation on its own, but now I wear it as a finishing powder for extra coverage.

Random Mix of Powders - Yes, this jar also says it is a Meow foundation, but this was actually an empty jar I used to combine a lot of random loose finishing powders I had. At this point, I don't even really know what all is in this jar. I know most of it is the illuminating BareMinerals Mineral Veil because I had several of those from...you guessed it...QVC. I know there is a mini regular Mineral Veil in there, and I'm pretty sure there is pure silica powder and silk powder in there as well. It's basically the dumping ground for loose powders that I don't hate but don't love.

Tarte Smooth Operator Amazonian Clay Finishing Powder - I haven't opened this yet. I vaguely remember using a mini of this powder a while ago and liking it, so for right now, this isn't going to join the powder dumping ground (which is full anyway).

Too Faced Amazing Face Skin-Balancing Flexible Coverage Foundation Powder in Vanilla Creme - I bought this as a pressed powder foundation to try since I've used loose for so long. I've thrown this in my purse a few times when I've had something to go to after work. It's okay, but I don't love it.

Physician's Formula Healthy Wear SPF 50 Powder Foundation in Translucent Light - I bought this a long time ago because it was on clearance. It's a little too dark for me. I used up another compact a few years ago when I got a little bit more of a tan than I usually get. I haven't gotten that tan since. I've thought about crushing this up and adding it to my powder dumping ground.

Total number of powders: 5
Ideal number of powders: 2 - one with coverage and ones translucent

Correcting Concealer Powder(s)

You are probably wondering why these weren't up with the other correctors. I use this as a final step after I finish my eye makeup, and I arranged these pictures in the order I use them.

Silk Naturals Sleep in a Jar Light Peach and Medium Peach
Silk Naturals Translucent Cloud Powder

While there are four items here, this is really classified as one product for me. Light Peach is too light, and Medium Peach is too dark, so I mix the two together. I add in some of the Translucent Cloud powder because it isn't supposed to absorb oil, so theoretically, it is good for under my eyes, which tends to be drier. I still haven't found a balance here since I wish I could just skip this step in my routine, since I'm sure it dries out the skin under my eyes, but I like the extra coverage.

Total number of correcting concealer powders - 3 (or 1 depending on how you count them)
Ideal number of correcting concealer powders - 3 (or 1 depending on how you count them)

Mattifying Products

Mally Evercolor Poreless Face Defender (x2) - I have a full size and a smaller size of this. Theoretically, this product is great. I've already mentioned the fact that I rarely do touch-ups during the day, so these don't get used very often. I need to use them more. 

Face Blotting Papers (ELF and Paula's Choice) - I stocked up on the ELF blotting papers a long time ago operating on the theory that I would use them regularly. I should, but I don't. The Paula's Choice blotting papers can as a freebie in an order I placed. 

Total mattifying products: 6 (there is a blotting paper packet not pictured)

Ideal number of total mattifying products: 1

What are your thoughts on face products? I know some people really love trying out new foundations and concealers. I would love to have a set routine that just works and stick with it. I think I'm actually getting close and look forward to clearing out some of these excess products. 

Disclaimer: All products mentioned in this post were purchased by me. All opinions are my own.

Surprise Love! Physicians Formula Nude Wear Blush in Natural - Review and Swatches

Disclaimer: All products mentioned in this post were purchased by me. All opinions are my own. 

I usually like products from Physicians Formula, and when there is a good sale on the brand at CVS, I usually can't resist picking something up. It's rare for me to discover a product from them that I'm really excited about though.

I've already posted about picking up a blush and bronzer from their new Nude Wear line when I was able to get them for a fantastic price.

Price: $12.95 on Physicians Formula's website; I got mine for much cheaper at CVS with a sale and coupons.

Packaging

Just like pretty much everyone else out there who buys Physicians Formula, I have a love-hate relationship with their packaging. Their packaging is usually really cute, and this line is no exception. I love how girly it is with the pale pink and the metallic bow.

Just like every other Physicians Formula powder product though, the packaging is really bulky so they can include their terrible, scratchy brush. I would so much rather they skipped the brush (and even the mirror) and made the packaging half the thickness. I don't expect that to happen though, and it is just something that has to be expected with the brand.

Product

A shimmery over-spray is another one of Physicians Formula's quirks, so if you aren't familiar with the brand and are hoping that shimmer runs throughout, you are out of luck. If you don't like the shimmer, don't worry. It is gone after one use.

The four tones of the Nude Wear Blush in Natural combine to make a soft pink with just a little bit of sheen. It feels smooth to the touch and blends easily onto the skin.

It honestly doesn't look like anything special, so what makes me love it? There are two things. The first is that the color is practically impossible for me to over-apply, which is a near miracle on my fair skin. The second is that it lasts all day on me. I'm talking 12+ hour wear time here. Those two things combined is probably going to make this a blush I'll reach for regularly.

Final Thoughts

I'm obviously really happy that I purchased this blush. If you have fair to light skin and are looking for and easy-to-apply blush, keep an eye out for sales and give this one a go. I have a feeling this shade might start to look a little bit ashy on medium to dark skintones, but that is obviously just a guess on my part.

Have you tried any products from the Nude Wear line? Have you had any products that surprised you with how much you like them?

Disclaimer: All products mentioned in this post were purchased by me. All opinions are my own. 

CVS Haul! Physicians Formula and Milani Deals!

Disclosure: All items mentioned in this post were purchase by me. All opinions are my own. 

I was really hopeful at the beginning of last week when I stopped into my CVS and saw that they had slots opened up for the new Physicians Formula products that just came out. With Physicians Formula 40% off this week and an emailed coupon for $2 off of a $10 beauty purchase, I was all set to pick something up. At the time, they only had the Nude Wear blush in Natural and the Nude Wear bronzer out, so I waited.

Later in the week, I got an email coupon for $4 off of $20. I stopped in on Thursday to see if the new stuff was out yet. When I scanned my card in store, I got a coupon for $3 off of a $10 Milani purchase and a $5 off of a $12 Physicians Formula purchase. Yes!!! Still no more new Physicians Formula items though.

When Friday rolled around, I asked one of the CVS workers when they would be stocking the new Physicians Formula items, and she said they might be getting them in over the next few days. *sigh*

I did get a little bit lucky though because my CVS had added one of the new Milani matte baked blushes to the display between my trip on Thursday and my trip on Friday.

Here's a look at my haul:

Here's the breakdown on my deal.

The Physicians Formula Nude Wear blush was originally $13.29, so the 40% off price was $7.97. The bronzer was $15.29, and the sale price was $9.17. The Milani blush was $8.79.

My total prior to coupons was $25.93. I then used the $5 off Physicians Formula, the $3 off Milani (the blush rang up for less than I was expecting, so I don't know how this coupon still worked, but it did), the $4 off of $20, and the $2 off of $10.

My final total before tax was $11.93 (with tax it was $13.33). Without any coupons or discounts, I would have paid $37.37 before tax, so I saved $25.44.

These particular deals aren't still available, but keep your eyes peeled and make sure and scan your CVS ExtraCare card every time you go in. You never know what deals might come your way.

Have you gotten any good deals lately? Have you tried any of the new Physicians Formula items? Are there any that I need to get when my CVS finally gets them in stock?

Disclosure: All items mentioned in this post were purchase by me. All opinions are my own. 

Recent Deal I've Scored!

Disclaimer: The products mentioned in this post were purchased. All opinions are my own.

About a week and a half ago, I went to a (relatively) nearby town to run some errands. When I do that, I always end up cruising through several places that have better stock or that aren't available in my town.

When I wandered through the cosmetics area at WalMart, I came across a fantastic deal!

The Sexy Booster Sexy Glow Bronzer had a BOGO FREE coupon on it for another face product. Then I saw the Happy Booster bronzer that came with a bonus blush. So, in total I spent around $15 for all three products. I was thrilled.

Then, this week I got a coupon in the mail from Physicians Formula for $10 off a product of $10 or more. How did I get this coupon? They occasionally do promotions where they release a secret code on their Facebook page. If you are within the first however many who enter the code, you get the product they are giving away. After those are out, you can still enter for the chance to get a $10 coupon. That's what I did.

Anyway, I took my coupon with me when I went to go get groceries yesterday. I hadn't checked to see what the sales were this week at CVS, so I was thrilled when I saw the Physicians Formula deal this week was spend $10 and get $7 in ExtraCare Bucks.

Here's a look at the haul I made over the past two days from CVS:

Yesterday, I picked up the Physicians Formula eye liners. The original price was $12.29. I used my $10 coupon, and ended up paying $3.15 out of pocket. I got $7 in ExtraCare Bucks, and my receipt also printed out a $5 off of $15 coupon. I also had $5 in ExtraCare Bucks and a 30% off coupon that I had sent to my card. The 30% off coupon expired today, which is why I went back. I would have gotten more cosmetics items, but there wasn't anything catching my interest, which is why I grabbed a book.

Here's the breakdown of today's trip:

Cotton swabs - $1.00
Book - $8.00
CeraVe Renewing SA Cream - $21.99
2 bottles of Mountain Dew (not pictured) - $1.60 each (discounted from $1.74 since I bought 2)

Total before discounts and tax: $34.47
Total after discounts ($5 ECB, $7 ECB, $5 off of $15, and 30% off): $11.11

In total, between my two trips, I spent $14.26 for around $46.76 worth of stuff.

That works for me! I've said it before, and I'll say it again: I love that CVS lets you stack coupons.

Have you found any good deals lately?

Disclaimer: The products mentioned in this post were purchased. All opinions are my own.

Finished It!!! Volume 9

Disclaimer: All of the products mentioned in this post were purchased by me. All opinions are my own.

Well...my brief blog hiatus allowed me to really build up a pile of used up products. Even I was surprised with everything I'd used up when I was taking pictures yesterday. For reference, I haven't done one of these posts since March 5, so it really has been a while. Products with a * are ones that were on my list of products that wanted to use up.

I'm going to start with a product that isn't pictured.

Heritage Store Rose Petals Rosewater (8 fl oz size) - This didn't get pictured because I already reused the bottle to make a homemade brush cleanser, so it wasn't in my pile o' stuff. I enjoy using this rosewater as a face spritz to get rid of the powdery look after I've finished my makeup. I have a setting spray, but I know those aren't good to use every day, so this is a nice substitute. I've already repurchased it.

HerStyler Nourishing & Moisturizing Conditioner - You know those obnoxious kiosks in the mall where you get sucked in and they won't let you leave. Well...I got trapped by one of those last summer. She was trying to sell me a hair straightener. I caved when she dropped the offer down to the straightening serum, shampoo, and conditioner. I finally used up the conditioner. I'm sure they normally charge an arm and a leg for it. I'll never buy it again.

Neutrogena T/Gel Shampoo - I love my Nature's Gate Tea Tree Shampoo, but it just wasn't cutting it for keeping flakes at bay, so I went back to my old stand-by for a while.

got2b Guardian Angel Flat Iron Balm - This is a regular item for me. I've gone through a bunch of bottles of this. I've got a travel bottle left, and I'll probably stock up again when it's on sale at CVS.

got2b Guardian Angel Flat Iron Balm - No, I didn't screw up and take two pictures of the same bottle. I emptied this one out into the small travel bottle I mentioned. I didn't even realize that I had another one in my finished products pile.

John Frieda Luxurious Volume Conditioner - I picked this up because a box of hair dye that I bought had a coupon for a free bottle of conditioner. I liked it well enough. I'm happy with my Nature's Gate conditioners, so I won't buy this again unless there is a fantastic sale or another coupon.

Organix Smooth Hydration Argan Oil & Shea Butter Moisture Restore Mask - I'm trying to take better care of my hair, so I picked up a couple of Organix deep conditioners. I haven't tried the other one yet, but I really liked this one. The texture was like a really thick pudding. I felt like it did do some serious conditioning. I'm not running out to repurchase this now because I have the other one to use first, but I can see myself repurchasing this in the future.

The Body Shop Chocomania Shower Cream - This smelled exactly like devil's food cake. Yum! Sadly, I'm not impressed with the slip that these Body Shop shower gels have. I don't use a shave cream, so I really need a shower gel that helps my razor glide. This one didn't do that.

The Body Shop Vanilla Bliss Shower Gel - Again, this smell on this one was fantastic. The slip on this shower gel seemed to be a bit better than the Chocomania one. I still don't think I'll repurchase it.

Bath & Body Works Coconut Vanilla Body Wash - Bath & Body Works body washes are some of my favorites. Fantastic lather and enough slip to make shaving easy. I really liked this scent too, but it is sadly discontinued.

Softsoap Scentsations Lemonade Berry Splash Body Wash - I really didn't like this body wash. The scent was great, but I think it was missing the slip that I need. I stopped using it in the shower a long time ago. I tried using it to wash brushes, and I didn't like it for that either. My last ditch effort was putting it in a hand soap container and using it that way. It's still hanging around, but it will be used up as a hand soap. I just want rid of the bottle.

Dr. Bronner's 18-in-1 Hemp Almond Pure-Castile Soap - I heard so many raves about this soap that I had to pick some up to try it. I use it as a hand soap in my main bathroom. The fantastic thing is that it is so concentrated that it can be watered down. I bought a bottle of foaming soap and continue to use the foaming bottle for this soap (even not watered down, this soap has a thin consistency). I've already repurchased this and will continue to repurchase it and use it.

Taylor Swift Wonderstruck Scented Bath Gel - This came on a Christmas gift set that I purchased on clearance after Christmas. I got a small bottle of Wonderstruck, the bath gel, and a lotion for $10. I like the Wonderstruck scent, but I didn't like it in a shower gel. It was just overpowering. I prefer food scents for shower gels.

EcoTools Body Lotion* - This wasn't anything special, and I didn't particularly care for the scent. I won't repurchase.

Bath & Body Works Cashmere Glow Body Lotion - I LOVE this scent. According the Bath & Body Works website, the notes of this scent are shimmering vanilla, golden peach, and cashmere musk. It's just a gorgeous warm, sweet scent. I will likely purchase more items in this scent at some point.

The Body Shop Hemp Hand Protector - This was part of this massive bag 'o stuff that I got with their Black Friday sale. It was really moisturizing, but I still didn't like it. The metal tube kept squirting out more lotion than I wanted. If I tried to squeeze the product towards the cap when the tube was closed, it squirted out when I took the cap off. I also didn't care for the scent.

The Body Shop Coconut Body Butter - Yum! This was a super creamy body butter that I kept in my purse throughout the winter months to keep my hands from getting dry and cracked. I've got a full size of another scent in my stash that I'll probably start using when it gets cold again.

Kate Somerville ExfoliKate - I love this stuff. It is both a physical and chemical exfoliator. It leaves my skin feeling really soft and smooth when I use it. I think some people might be bothered by the scent. To me, it smells like cloves. I don't love the scent, but I don't mind it either. I used to have friends in college who smoked clove cigarettes, so it reminds me of them (yes, I realize that sounds a little weird). I already have another mini bottle in my stash.

Boscia Luminizing Black Mask - I got this is a Sephora Favorites skincare set a couple of summers ago. I know there are people who love it, but I just didn't. I've decided that I just need to stay away from peel-off masks. I don't like them because they hurt to pull off.

Ole Henriksen Truth Serum Collagen Booster - This is the second mini bottle of this serum that I've used. I got this bottle through a swap. I like it, and I know vitamin C is good for evening out skintone. I don't know that I liked it enough to pay full price for it, but I would be happy to use it again if it was in a great value set.

Sephora Daily Makeup Brush Cleanser - I bought this a long time ago to do quick brush cleaning, but it didn't dry as quickly as I was expecting. If I'm going to be an emergency brush cleaning, I'm just going to use rubbing alcohol. I don't plan to buy a brush cleaner again.

Yankee Candle Lip Balm in Root Beer Float* - I've already finished a couple of these lip balms. I like them, but I don't love them, and they are hard to find. I might grab one again if I come across them, but I'm not going to hunt them down.

Simply Lip Balms in Vanilla Mint and Pomegranate - Clearly, I like these balms. I bought a ton of them last summer, and I've still got a few left. I'll be on the hunt for more this summer when I travel to visit family because I found them at Walgreens, and I don't have a Walgreens near me. The only real negative with these is that they melt somewhat easily. Definitely don't leave them in a hot car and be careful if you keep them in your pocket and are out in the heat - they'll be really soft.

Urban Decay Lip Junkie Lip Gloss in Midnight Cowboy* - This was a really easy color to slick on without a mirror. Sometimes the formula felt a little too sticky for me, but most of the time I didn't mind it. I wouldn't repurchase it, but if I happened to get another mini, I would use it.

Tarte Clean Slate Flawless 12-Hour Brightening Primer* - This was in the $9 primer trio that Tarte released (I don't know if it is still available). This particular formula is meant for dry skin, and it did make me feel oily part way through the day. I used it up by using it on days when I was just running a couple of errands and not on busy work days. I won't repurchase this formula.

Juice Beauty Green Apple Peel Sensitive - This is a fantastic exfoliating mask. Even though this mask says "peel," it isn't a peel off mask. I'd be curious to try the full strength version of this, but a full size is somewhere around $45, and I haven't been willing to spend that much.

Physicians Formula Black Liner from the Nude Eyes Set* - I'm so excited to finish this liner off. I have so many black liners in my stash, so I'm glad to see one leave my collection. I did like this liner. It isn't as soft as an Urban Decay liner, but there are times when I don't mind that because it gives me a little more control about how intense it applies.

ELF Zit Zapper* - I didn't care for this. It's a salicylic acid treatment in a roller ball form. It didn't always dispense well out of the roller ball because it was a thicker gel-like formula. I won't repurchase it.

Meow Equilibrium Finishing Powder - I had this for a long time. It was a white finishing powder that was supposed to balance out your skin, similar to Tarte's claims about Amazonian clay. I ended up mixing this in with my Meow foundation powder because I've been preferring to use mineral foundation as my setting powder. This is a good powder, but I don't plan on repurchasing it.

Urban Decay Primer Potion* - This is my favorite eye primer. I have a jumbo and a full size of the old style bottle to work through. I will continue to repurchase it.

Silk Naturals Lovelace Blush sample* - This was a pretty light peach blush sample. I love their blushes, but this isn't a color I use often, so I won't be repurchasing it.

Silk Naturals Sleep in a Jar Light Peach - I use this product every day I do my makeup. It is a fantastic corrector.

Burt's Bees Lemon Butter Cuticle Creme* - I've had this for way too long. It's an okay product. It's really thick, so I would only really use it at night when I was sitting in front of the TV. I don't plan on repurchasing it. If you have any good cuticle cream recommendations, please let me know!

L'Oreal Revitalift Deep-Acting Moisturizer - Nothing special.

Fekkai Shea Butter Moisturizing Shampoo and Conditioner - Nothing special.

Meow Ballerina blush sample - This was a really soft pink blush shade. It probably wouldn't show up on anything deeper than fair to light skintones. I have another sample of this, and I have too many other blushes to think about repurchasing it.

Silk Naturals Nekkid eye shadow sample - This is Silk Naturals version of MAC's Naked Lunch eye shadow. It was too peachy/orange for my taste. The formula was good, but I won't repurchase this color.

Sephora Creamy Body Wash pods in Strawberry, Coconut, and Vanilla - I bought these as fillers to get free shipping. They were handy to have and the scents were decent, but I don't plan on purchasing more (unless I need another filler product in the future).

That's it! You've made it to the end of my marathon empties post. Thanks for reading!

Disclaimer: All of the products mentioned in this post were purchased by me. All opinions are my own.

Products I Want to Use Up! Volume 2

It's been just over a month since my first post of products I want to use up, and I've made some really good progress. It seemed like time to give an update.

Here was my original list with the finished products crossed out:

Lumene Double Stay Long-Lasting Makeup in Vanilla Meringue
Revlon Photoready Perfecting Primer
Tarte Clean Slate Flawless 12 Hour Brightening Primer
Garnier Skin Renew Anti-Dark-Circle Roller
Darling Girl Cosmetics Sweet Lips on the Go Sugar'd Lip Scrub in Creme Brulee
Yankee Candle Lip Balm in Pomegranate Fruit
Urban Decay Lip Junkie Lip Gloss in Naked - Mini Size
Burt's Bees Radiance Body Lotion with Royal Jelly
EcoTools Sustainable Softness Body Lotion
Burt's Bees Lemon Butter Cuticle Cream
Silk Naturals Colt Eye Shadow Sample
Physicians Formula Black Eye Liner (From the original Nude Eyes set)
Hard Candy Pencil Concealer
Urban Decay Primer Potion Mini
Silk Naturals Naked Eye Shadow Sample
Silk Naturals Bone eye Shadow
Silk Naturals Panache Blush Sample
Silk Naturals Lovelace Blush Sample
Meow Ballerina Blush Sample

I've gone through and taken pictures of everything again and added in new items. I shot pictures of the old items to show my progress. I did forget to take a picture of the Bone eye shadow, which I've hit pan on.

Here's a look at my new list:

Bath & Body Works Night-Blooming Jasmine Body Splash

As you can probably tell, this is really old. When they were originally discontinuing this scent, I stocked up. Little did I know that they would keep pulling it out during their semi-annual sale. I've still got another full bottle of this.

Tarte Pure Maracuja Oil Roller Ball

The reason for me wanting to finish this one off is pretty obvious from the second picture. The cap is busted, so I have to be very careful to keep it upright: otherwise, it leaks. I use this as a cuticle oil.

ELF Zit Zapper

I'm not a huge fan of this, especially being a roller ball. I'm trying to use it up by putting it on bumps and ingrown hairs that I constantly get on my legs and arms.

Revlon Photogready Perfecting Primer

I haven't made a lot of progress on this. My skin was acting up and being really dry, so I cut back on using a primer for a while.

Garnier Skin Renew Anti-Dark-Circle Roller

This is the product that just won't end, and it taunts me because I can't see how much is left. *sigh*

Holika Holika Essential Petit BB Cream

This is the foundation product that I'm now trying to finish off. I squeezed the extra air out of it to show its current usage.

Mario Badescu Summer Shine Body Lotion

Darn shimmery lotions. This is the only one I have left.

Yankee Candle Lip Balm in Root Beer Float

Yep, I'm working on another one of these.

Darling Girl Cosmetics Sweet Lips on the Go Sugar'd Lip Scrub in Creme Brulee

This is getting really close to being gone!

Urban Decay Lip Junkie Lip Gloss Mini in Crush (From Roller Girl Palette)

I'm really proud of myself here. You all know that I finished the mini Lip Junkie in Naked. I've also got a mini Lip Junkie in Midnight Cowboy that is on its last legs (it is so close to gone that it seemed silly to put in this post).

Urban Decay Primer Potion

This seems like it is really close, but it could last a lot longer than I expect.

Urban Decay 24/7 Liner Pencil in Rockstar

I really love this color. It's a great color that looks neutral. I have another mini and a full size in my stash, so I might as well try and get this one gone.

Hard Candy Pencil Concealer

It doesn't look like I've made much progress on this one. It's going to last forever!

Physicians Formula Black Eye Liner (From the original Nude Eyes set) 

The second picture shows all that I have left of this liner. It's almost there!!!

Silk Naturals Panache Blush Sample

I think I've only used this once in the past month. I need to work on that.

Meow Uncharted Eye Shadow Sample

I added a little bit of another color into this a long time ago. It's lighter than the original. It's been hanging around way too long.

Meow Cat in a Tree Eye Shadow Sample

This is another one that has been hanging around too long. I used to use this regularly as a liner, and I need to get too it again to get it gone.

Silk Naturals Lovelace Blush Sample

I haven't made much progress on this one since the last post either.

Silk Naturals Maybe Baby Blush Sample

This is just another sample that I pulled out of my stash to finish off.

Final Thoughts

Well, that's my updated list. It looks daunting, but it isn't too bad considering I'm not giving myself a time limit, and I'm not sticking myself on a no-buy until these are all finished. It's just a way for me to try and declutter my stash.

What are you trying to finish up?

Physicians Formula Sexy Booster Blush in Natural - Review and Swatch

Happy Saturday everyone!

I'm really excited about today because I'm going to see two friends that I haven't seen in a long time. We're going to go see Oz the Great and Powerful before grabbing lunch. It should be a really fun time.

Sadly, the other part of today that I'm really excited about is getting to stop at a better CVS and a Walgreens, which I don't have locally. I'm hoping to find some of the new and limited edition items that my local CVS doesn't have.

On to the review!

I picked up the Physicians Formula Sexy Booster Blush in Natural a few weeks ago during one of the fantastic Physicians Formula sales that CVS was having. The blush regularly retails for around $12. I got it for around $6 or $7.

The only other Sexy Booster Blush color available is the shade Rose. If you are familiar with the Physicians Formula brand, you know that this is pretty consistent with their other lines of blush. They probably stick with these two shades because they are wearable for a wide range of people, but I would love it if they mixed it up with their next line. 

I'm going to go ahead and state the obvious: the packaging is adorable. Physicians Formula usually does a good job with the look of their packaging.

On the backside of the compact is a compartment that has a mirror and a brush. The placement of the mirror is a little bit silly because it would be hard to flip back and forth between the blush and the mirror to reapply on the go. As always, the brush isn't very good. I never use them. You could in a pinch, but I wouldn't generally recommend it. The other downside for always including these brushes is that it makes the packaging bulky.

Just like the packaging, the presentation of the blush itself is really cute. I love the high heel design.

 This is what the pretty high heel looked like after I swatched it. As you can see, the blush is quite powdery. After I used it a few times, it got less powdery, I'm guessing that it's because the raised portion is getting worn down. You'll also notice that the heel itself has disappearing. It was a shimmery overlay.

While the blush itself is shimmery, the level of shimmer does go down after the shimmer overlay on the heel is gone. This particular swatch was taken after I had removed the overlay. The color itself is a soft coral shade that is going to be better suited for lighter skintones. The lasting power on this blush is okay but not great. It makes it through a work day for me, but barely. I would definitely feel the need to reapply if I was going out in the evening too.

One of the other stand-out features of this blush is that it has a vanilla scent. It's a STRONG vanilla scent. I can smell it when I open the palette. I smell it as I apply it, and I continue to smell it for a long time after I have applied it. If you are sensitive to scents or don't like vanilla, you are going to want to avoid this blush. Thankfully, since Physicians Formula repeats the same shades in their different lines, you have other options if you like the color.

Final Thoughts

 This is a pretty blush. I was surprised to discover how much I liked the color because I don't normally go for coral blushes. I also personally enjoy the vanilla scent of it. I love anything vanilla scented, so that part was right up my alley. The negatives for me (the bulky packaging, awful brush, lack of color selection, lasting power) are pretty standard for the brand, so I knew what I was getting when I made the purchase. I also find Physicians Formulas prices to be high for a drugstore brand, so I wait for CVS to have a good sale (they usually do a 40% off or $7 off sale every few months).

Have you tried anything from the Sexy Booster line? Is there anything else I should try and pick up during the next good sale?

Products I Want to Use Up! Volume 1

I've had a container of products I want to use up sitting on top of my makeup table. After seeing carlyjeanx's video about products she wants to use up in 2013, I realized that would make a good blog post series.

Let me be clear that I'm not attempting a project pan here. I'm not going on a spending ban. I know I would fail miserably if I tried. I am trying to cut back on my beauty spending, but that's not the purpose of this.

My purpose here is to use up products that I would like to see go away or products that I have multiples of in my collection (like foundation, black eye liners, etc). I tried to pick things that I use daily or smaller sized items that I'm more likely to finish. I don't want to get frustrated with myself or get completely bored with the colorful products.

Let's take a look at what I'm currently working on:

Lumene Double Stay Long-Lasting Makeup in Vanilla Meringue

Confession: I finished this prior to getting this post written. I've already switched to a new foundation product: a Holika Holika BB Cream.

Revlon Photoready Perfecting Primer

There's no particular reason why I threw this into the mix except that I've got several primers, so I picked this one to try and finish up first.

Tarte Clean Slate Flawless 12 Hour Brightening Primer

I threw in this sample primer too because it's formulated for drier skin, so it makes my face look greasy before the end of the day. I try and use this on short work days or days when I'm just running errands.

Garnier Skin Renew Anti-Dark-Circle Roller

This product just won't die!!! I've been using this consistently for over a year now. I don't love it and don't plan on repurchasing, so I just want it gone. 

Darling Girl Cosmetics Sweet Lips on the Go Sugar'd Lip Scrub in Creme Brulee

I love this stuff. The best part is that you get to choose the flavor. I'm trying to use it up because I've had it around for a while and I don't want it to go bad.

Yankee Candle Lip Balm in Pomegranate Fruit

I like this lip balm well enough, but the size makes it a little awkward to put in my pocket. It's getting close to being gone, so I'm trying to finish it off.

Urban Decay Lip Junkie Lip Gloss in Naked - Mini Size

As you can see, this is almost gone. I have too many lip glosses in my collection, so I chose a mini size to try and use up first. After this one is gone, I'll probably work on another mini Lip Junkie.

Burt's Bees Radiance Body Lotion with Royal Jelly

I dislike lotion with shimmer in it, and this one has shimmer. It's small enough that it won't take me too long to get it out of my collection.

EcoTools Sustainable Softness Body Lotion

If you've followed me for a while, you probably know that I have a big stash of lotion since I end up mentioning it when I have a lotion in a finished it post. This is a small bottle, so I grabbed it to try and use up. I'm also not a big fan of the smell.

Burt's Bees Lemon Butter Cuticle Cream 

I'm not in love with this cuticle balm, I've had it for a really long time, and I've hit pan on it. It's time for it to go. I've got a mini size of this to work on after this one is gone.

Silk Naturals Colt Eye Shadow Sample

This was a sample made for me by a friend. Colt is a dupe for Urban Decay's Darkhorse (By the way, Silk Naturals now has dupes for the Naked 1, Naked 2, and Naked Basics palettes). A friend sent this to me a long time ago. I have too many baggie samples in my collection. This will be a start in the right direction.

Physicians Formula Black Eye Liner (From the original Nude Eyes set) 

I have a lot of black eye liners in my collection because so many brands throw them into value sets. After I finished off a mini of Urban Decay's Zero (it'll be in my next finished products post), I pulled this one out as the next eye liner to finish off.

Hard Candy Pencil Concealer

This came with the Glam-o-flage concealer. I'm using it to brighten up my lower waterline. Even though the pencil is quite small, it's going to take me a long time to finish. I've used it a handful of times already, but I haven't had to sharpen it yet.

Urban Decay Primer Potion

I use this every day. I have a full size and a jumbo of this in the old-style packaging. This mini tube is almost gone.

Silk Naturals Naked Eye Shadow Sample

This is a dupe of MAC's Naked Lunch. At first look, you might this this little baggie would be easy to finish, but you would be mistaken. If you've had baggie samples like this, you'll know that they last through quite a few uses.

Silk Naturals Bone Eye Shadow

I pressed this a while ago. It's a nice browbone highlight, but it doesn't match my Wet n Wild Brulee, so I want to finish it off. My goal is to work my way through my matte highlight shades that aren't Brulee and then not purchase any more. For the quality and the price, I don't think anything else can beat it.

Silk Naturals Panache Cream Blush Sample 

This has been collecting dust, and it shouldn't be too hard to finish if I just grabbed for it regularly.

Silk Naturals Lovelace Blush Sample

This is a much brighter peach than it is appearing in the picture above. I'm not a big peach blush person, but I really like this one. The second picture was included to show how much product is in the jar. Again, it doesn't seem like a lot, but this will last through quite a few uses.

Meow Ballerina Blush Sample

Again, this baggie holds a deceptive amount of product. I'm hoping since the color is pretty light I can go through it faster than a brighter color because I'll be able to apply more of it.

Those are the products I'm working on right now. Do you try and focus on finishing specific products? What products are you working on finishing right now?

Favorites of 2012

Last year, I started my blog with three posts on my favorite products of 2011. I'm having a much harder time coming up with my favorites for this year for a couple of reasons. The first reason is that a lot of my favorites are still the same. The second reason is that I tried out so many new products this year that I don't feel like I've used many products very consistently.

To see my favorites for 2011: Best of Face, Best of Cheeks and Lips, and Best of Eyes.

Hair

I didn't even think to include hair last year. I'm not a huge hair person. I don't experiment with my hair very much, but I do have some standout products that are such staples that I'm not even going to include them in my finished product posts anymore.

Nature's Gate Tea Tree Shampoo, Pomegranate Sunflower Conditioner, and Biotin Conditioner (not pictured) - These are my staple haircare items (I didn't like the Henna one all that much, but I pulled an old picture). The Tea Tree Shampoo keeps my scalp from flaking, and the conditioners do a great job of helping detangling my hair. I buy them and finish them consistently. Oddly enough, I am listening to a YouTube video by NYCGeorgette, and she said she hated the Pomegranate Sunflower conditioner and said it made her hair really greasy. Maybe my hair is just really dry...*shrugs*

SalonGrafix Conditioning Cleanser - This is another product that I recently saw a terrible review on while watching YouTube. Jen from the channel From Head to Toe hated it. She said it wasn't anything like the Wen Cleansing Conditioner. I've never tried Wen, so I can't compare the two. I will say that I tried using this once when I had product in my hair (currently a rare occurrence), and it didn't work very well. However, for lazy days when I just don't want to have to mess with a separate shampoo and conditioner, this works great. I plan on keeping a bottle of this in my stash at all times.

Skincare

 Silk Naturals Kiss Cleanser - This has been my regular face wash for several years now, and I love it. It removes all but the most stubborn eyeliner (and possibly waterproof mascara - I haven't had a waterproof mascara in a while). It's a really basic cleanser. I had no qualms about having my 7-year-old niece us it over Christmas when we were playing with her makeup that she got as a Christmas present. I recently resolved to stop testing other cleansers because I always go back to this one. I don't need to search for anything else.

Essential Oils - I started adding essential oils into my skincare routine around November-ish after Christine from the PinksoFoxy YouTube channel and her Beauty Travel Channel blog did a couple videos and blog posts about them. I use a mixture of tea tree oil, lavender oil, sweet orange oil, and rosehip oil. For carrier oils, I have just been using Tarte's Maracuja Oil, Josie Maran's Argan Oil, and grapeseed oil that I purchased at WalMart. The place that I have noticed the biggest change is actually on my legs. I get ingrown hairs on my legs all the time, and I have a lot of scars. I feel like both have been reduced after starting to use these oils.  

Warning!!!! If you want to experiment with essential oils, please check out Christine's information and do some research. Essential oils should be used sparingly (I only have a few drops of each in the two dropper bottles in the picture). The underside of my arms broke out in bumps this week, and I think it was because I used a body scrub with essential oils and then used my regular oil mix after my shower, so I ended up using too much overall. Please be careful!

Makeup

Nars Sheer Matte in Siberia -  This is probably the best match I have ever found for my skintone. It hasn't quite reached Holy Grail status yet, but it is a really nice foundation. Sadly, I wasn't able to wear it for several months because I got too much of a tan over the summer (which is why there isn't a lot gone from the bottle).

Physicians Formula Healthy Wear SPF 50 Powder Foundation in Translucent Light - This was my go-to foundation for the summer months (it's too dark for me during the winter). It was quick and easy, and it gave me just enough coverage. I actually went through two of these during the course of the summer and fall. My main compliant is that I couldn't wear it on days when I knew I would be sweating a lot because it started to feel really gritty and gross on my face. It was fabulous though for days when I was just making a quick run to the store or something like that.

Tarte Amazonian Clay Shimmering Powders in Rose and Champagne - When I grabbed for a cheek highlighter this year, it was likely one of these two. They are both subtly beautiful. I even used Champagne a lot as an inner corner highlight for my eyes and on the browbone.

Wet n Wild Eyeshadow Trio in Walking on Eggshells - This was my go-to trio for when I didn't know what I wanted to use. It has become an cult classic for a lot of people because it is such a basic, easy palette.

Lorac Pro Palette - This is a relatively new purchase for me. I bought it in December. I'm going to repeat what a lot of other people say about it. I love the versatility and the mix of shimmers and mattes.

Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-On Eye Pencils - I'm showing the Ocho Loco set here, but I'm talking about the liners in general. I bought the Naked set of mini pencils last holiday season, and I enjoy them all. It took me a while to get used to how soft and creamy they are, but now I'm comfortable using them and grab for them most days.

Prestige Waterproof Eyeliner in Suede - This liner is on-par with the Urban Decay ones. I particularly love this color because it is a great soft brown for my pale skin. It works really well with Walking on Eggshells for a subtle look. I will eventually pick up more colors in this line.

Urban Decay Pocket Rocket Lip Glosses - I'm really sad that these have been discontinued! I love them. I love the creme brulee scent and the non-sticky formula. This is the gloss that I reach for the most. The one thing I would change is having the guys on the top. It is a cute, novelty thing, but I don't like having them there when I'm subbing at a school. Having a lip gloss with a guy in his underwear on the top isn't exactly school appropriate.

Real Techniques brushes are the first, third, fifth, and seventh brushes from the left.

Real Techniques Brushes - I have bought quite a few of these over the past year. The brand has a good variety of brushes. I use the Expert Face Brush, Stippling Brush, and Deluxe Crease Brush every day. I use the other brushes that I have consistently.

I'm sure I've forgotten some things from my list, and I'm going to kick myself the week after this gets posted when I grab for something that I love. *shrugs* That's how these sorts of things go I guess. I also want to mention again that nearly all of my favorites from last year are still favorites and/or Holy Grail items for me.

What were your favorites from 2012? Is there something I HAVE to try this year?