Mascara Mania

Hello lovelies, recently I decided that it was to clean out my mascaras and instead of adding them to my empties post, I could give them their own! 

1. Elizabeth Mott - It's So B!G - this was an alright mascara. I honestly don't remember it wowing me too much. It gave me good volume, but I had to layer it to get any sort of length.

2. Tarte - Lights, Camera, Lashes - I like this, if I was ever going to buy a high end mascara, this would be the one. It gave me good length and volume.

3. Maybelline - Colossal Volume Express waterproof - this wasn't my favorite. I hate having to try so hard to take my mascara off, and since this was waterproof I would come out of the shower and my lashes would still look the same. It is a wetter formula than I like and it never really dried out the way that most mascaras do. I won't be repurchasing this because it just didn't do much for me.

4. Covergirl - Be a Bombshell - This is a 2 step mascara and I could never really understand why. My lashes looked alright with this, nothing magical at all. This wasn't waterproof yet it always refused to get off of my eyelashes. I am pretty sure I have lost a few lashes to this mascara. I definitely won't be repurchasing this.

5. Maybelline - Mega Plush Volume Express - I was not a fan of this at all. I didn't feel like it did much for my lashes. Also the wand was terrible. I felt like I had no control over it because it was one of those flexible wands. I also remember the wand being very large and it would always make a mess on my eyelids.

6. Model Co. - Volumeyes - This was a decent mascara. I don't think I will buy it, but I remember it working pretty well. It didn't hold my curl well enough though.

7. Urban Decay - Perversion - I don't care for this mascara much at all. I think it works well enough, but to pay that much for a mascara that I am not in love with just doesn't make much sense. I remember getting the same effect with this as with the Model Co. one. 

So there you have it, just a quick run down of what I thought of these mascaras. I am still in search of the perfect mascara that gives volume, length, and holds a curl. If you have any suggestions, leave them below!

Empties #4 Hits and Misses

Hello lovelies, I have yet another empties post. I would like to add since most of my posts recently have been project pans that I am obsessed with doing lately, that the products I finish in those I do not add here. I just feel like there is no sense in talking about them more than I do when I do those posts. Anyway, on to the products that I have finished! 

Maybelline Great Lash mascara in clear. I was using this as a brow gel, but I think I won't be repurchasing this again. This is the second one I have gone through and I feel like it just doesn't hold my brows in place the way I need it to. I am currently using the Loreal Brow Stylist Plumper which I did a review on here. 

Too Faced Born This Way foundation sample. This came with 3 different shades and they were decent sized samples. I wanted to use it to see if it was something I would get with my 10% off coupon at Ulta, but this foundation broke me out. I was really sad about that because I had herd such good things about it. At least I got to try it out before wasting my money though. I had another one of these but gave it to my sister who loves this foundation. It wasn't enough coverage for me, but she gets along with it well. 

Tarte Lash Primer - I got this as part of a set that I had bought off of Hautelook. It is alright, but I won't be purchasing a full size of this.

ELF Instant Lift Brow Pencil in taupe. I used this all of twice before it broke and went missing. My carpet found it. I don't know if I will be repurchasing this just yet, I have a few other brow products to get through first, but I will consider it if I am ever making an ELF order.

Covergirl eyeliner - won't be repurchasing this. It skipped or if I went over where I already had product, it erased the product that was there. Also I found that this would often crumble off.

Lancome Dual Finish powder - there wasn't enough in this sample for me to actually see if I liked it or not.

There isn't much makeup there, but it has been quite a couple of months for skincare! 

Bath and Body Works Rome Honey Suckle Amore lotion. I love the smell of this, but I just don't find the lotion to be that moisturizing so I don't think I will be repurchasing this.

Soap and Glory Hand Food - this didn't finish, it actually just went bad. That was a bit of a wake up call and I need to start using what I have instead of buying more because I am literally throwing away my money. I do like this and have another one in stock already.

Olay Foaming Face Wash - this was really thick. I enjoyed using this to take off my makeup at the end of the night. It works well for when I have dryer skin and need something more moisturizing. I would repurchase if it was on sale.

St. Ives Fresh Skin exfoliater - I like the one for acne prevention, I think it is in the orange tube, better than this one, so I won't be repurchasing this particular one again.

Neutrogena oil free moisturizer - I like this and have another one. Works well and has SPF in it.

Tony Moly Skin Purifying sheet mask - This was nice. I don't know how well it worked but it was an interesting experience. It felt really slimey on my skin. 

So there you have it, all the products that I have gone through recently. I am doing a Project Use it Up over on my instagram that is full of skin care. If you would like to keep up with that my instagram name is subtlebeauty27blog. I am looking forward to starting the new year with a little less so I can have a fresh slate. 

Love to Project Pan! Finish 14 by Feb. 14 - Update #1

Hello lovelies, I have the first update of my Love to Project Pan Finish 14 by Feb. 14. There are a lot of products here and so I won't go on too much.

1. Revlon Kissable Balm Stain in Honey. This isn't going as fast as I had hoped it would. I reach for it as often as I remember, but there just isn't much progress. This stains my lips pretty pink so I am not as big a fan of it as I thought I was. 

2. Smashbox Photo Finish Primer and Benefit Porefessionals. I am half way through the porefessional. I am enjoying it more than I thought would. I haven't touched the Smashbox one yet.

3. Rimmel Stay Matte Foundation. I am making decent progress on this. I don't know how accurate my marking for it is because there is an air bubble in there that I can't get out, but I use it just about everyday and at this point I am confident that I will have it finished by Feb. 14. 

4. The Balm Nude Dude single shadow in Flirty. There is a decent dip in there and I am close to hitting pan. I bought the Lorac Mega Pro 2 and got distracted from using this, but I have put that away until I finish this. I enjoy the shadow so I don't have much of a problem with that.

5. It Cosmetics Bye Bye Undereye. I have been using this everyday, but there is yet another air bubble and I am afraid if I try to get rid of it, all the product will come squirting out. I can't really tell if there is much progress or not so I just didn't make a new mark. I need so little of this and it will definitely take me a minute to get through it all.

6. Benefit Watts Up Highlighter. I wish I had more progress on this, especially after seeing how much Kristen Kay (one of the creators of the project) had made with the same product, but there isn't much. The issue is that I have been running late for class and this is an extra step that I opt out of. I just need to make sure I am actually trying to use it and I am sure my progress would be more. 

7. Noyah Desert Rose lipstick. I am not the biggest fan of this so the progress going slow is not that surprising. It is not a flattering color on me at all and I only wear it at home, and I am not at home much between school and work. I will not be missing this when it is gone.

8. Mary Kay Nourishine Lipgloss in au Naturel. I made decent progress on this. It is something that I put on when I remember. I realized that I am just not too big a fan of lipgloss. If it wasn't for project pans, I probably wouldn't use them that much at all.

9. Maybelline Babylips in Grape Vine. I am making decent progress on this. It was basically a gimme product, but I am trying to get through all of my babylips and I won't be repurchasing them at all. They just aren't as moisturizing as I would like. 

10. Bare Minerals 5-in-1 eye base. I have been using this a lot, but I can't see any actual progress. I can't wipe the sides with the brush and the stopper is impossible to get out. I guess I will just keep using it until there isn't anymore coming of the brush.

11. Maybelline instant age rewind brightener. I was using the bye bye undereye more than this, but I think I am going to switch to putting all my focus on this until it is done. I feel like you can go through these rather quickly, so it shouldn't be an issue.

12. Tre'stique mini matte lip crayon in Nantucket Nude. I thought I would have more progress on this as well. It makes for a great highlight for the center of the lips. 

13. Rimmel Scandaleyes in Nude. Kristen Kay has this in her project as well, and she suggested using this as an eye base after her eye primer and I think I am going to try that because I am not making nearly as much progress as I should. 

14. Pacifica eyeliner in Fringe. Not enough progress on this because I got a Jordana brown eyeliner that I was loving and I should have been using this instead. I put away all my eyeliners aside from these 2 so I don't fee tempted to use anything else. 

I haven't finished any of my products yet, but I am hopeful for next month. If I focus more on one specific item as opposed to bouncing between all of them I think I would get through them or at least see more progress on them.

Goals for next month: 

1. Finish the Benefit Porefessionals

2. Be almost completely done with the Maybelline Instant age rewind

3. Hit pan on the Flirty eye shadow.

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Update: Right after I posted this I made it my mission to use that Noyah lipstick and as I was putting it on it broke. I will try to keep using it even though it looks like a mess, but if for whatever reason I deem it unusable, I will replace it with another Maybelline Babylips. 

Project Pan Roulette Update #1

Hello lovelies, I bring to you all today my first update for my project pan roulette. Since I have started a project with a deadline, I kind of put this project on the side and there isn't nearly as much progress on everything like I had hoped there would be. I have decided to go on a low-buy until I can finish 10 of the 12 products. It will actually be a no-buy, but I am rewarding myself after I finish 5 of them so I am considering it a low-buy. Anyway, I'll just get right into my progress. I haven't finished anything yet. Also, if you would like to know what each of the categories were, you will have to look at the intro because I don't want this to be longer than it has to be, there are too many products to get through!

1. NYC Smooth skin loose face powder - The marking that I had made completely rubbed off of this. I am almost done with this...unfortunately it was not all of my doing. My niece got ahold of this product not once, but twice. It is nearing the end of it's time and I won't miss it honestly. I have come to the realization that I really don't like loose powder, it is just such a mess. 

2. Artistry Light up lip gloss in Champagne - I made decent progress on this. It looks terribly metallic if I put too much on, but just a tiny bit on the center of my lips makes for a great highlight. 

3. Wet n Wild blush in Heather Silk - My goal is to just hit pan on this. I figured that wouldn't be a problem since it is a nice shade for fall/winter, but man was I wrong. This may be the last product I finish because it has such intense pigmentation that you don't really need much, especially on my fair skin. 

4. Urban Decay Naked Skin Beauty Balm - I have gotten some decent use out of this and am not too worried about finishing it up. I do wish it wasn't so pink on my skin though. It has been nice to mix with my Rimmel Stay Matte foundation that is just a bit too heavy feeling and light colored for my skin tone.

5. Kat Von D studded kiss lipstick in Lovecraft - I thought I had used more of this. I love the color and the pigmentation of the lipstick is perfect. I don't find that I have to do more than 1 swipe. It is a really comfortable formula for me. I would consider buying a full size of this lipstick once I finish a few more lipsticks in my collection. 

6. Jordana easy liner in Rock n' Rose - No surprise that I have finished as much of this as I have. I already have a backup and this looks perfect under just about all of my lipsticks. Even when my lipstick fades this always stays on and looks good.

7. Stila Stay All Day concealer - haven't used this at all yet. Working on other concealers in my Finish 14 by Feb. 14. 

8. This was originally the ELF Instant Lift Brow Pencil, but I used that all of once before it broke and fell out of the packaging. It is smashed into my carpet. I'm not too happy about this....But I did swap it for another brow pencil that also happens to be the cheapest item in my collection. It is the Salon Pro Brow Pencil in Taupe. This was in a previous project and it very close to being done, so I decided to just add it here.

9. NYC City Proof 24 Hr. Eye Primer - I didn't think I had used this much, but I guess I did. It is alright, I like that it doesn't add too much pigmentation so I have enjoyed using it while I play with my Lorac Mega Pro 2 palette. I do feel like it accentuates the dry skin that is between my lid and brow, I didn't even think I was dry there. 

10. Elf Mist and Set - No surprise that I am going through this pretty well. I use it everyday.

11. Bare Minerals Marvelous Moxie lipstick in Get Ready - I wasn't aware that I have used this much of the lipstick. I layer a lot of my lipsticks together because I like dimension on my lips, so I guess that is how I've been getting through it. It is also a creamier consistency than the Kat Von D lipstick. 

12. NYC Smooth Skin bronzer - I am so close to hitting pan. I don't understand how I haven't yet. You can kind of see the dip in the center. I have been using it as a transition shade, it looks really good there. 

If you made it all the way to the end, you are a serious trooper. It is a lot to get through, but once I start finishing the products it will get shorter. I included a close up of the sheet with all my markings this time so you can see the progress I made there. 

Goals for next month: 

1. The brow pencil is getting close to a place of not being able to be sharpened anymore, so that should be gone soon.

2. I am determined to hit pan on that bronzer. 

3, I am pretty sure I can get through the loose powder as well by next month. 

Loreal Brow Stylist Plumper Review

Hello lovelies, today I bring for you another review. I have been using the Maybelline clear mascara as a brow gel for a while now, but I realized that it just wasn't doing the trick for me. The tail ends of my brows grow long pretty fast and so I need something strong to tame them. I can't justify spending $20 on the Anastasia brow gel, especially since I don't know if it will work. I have been noticing a few of the youtubers I watch using the Loreal Brow Stylist Plumper, so I finally got my hands on it.

At first I was excited to get this because I thought it would be able to be a quick fix to fill in my brows when I don't feel like actually filling them in. This was not the case. I have it in medium dark, so the color isn't the issue. However, when I used it on it's own I had to use so much of it that I felt it on my skin. That is an issue I have noticed while I am using it. It makes my eyebrows crunchy if I wear too much of it and if I try to brush through it after it has dried it flakes off. You know the way a dry mascara does? At the same time though, my eyebrows do not move whatsoever while I am wearing this. 

I have heard mixed reviews about this product, and after using it for over a month I can see why. I feel like once I finish it I won't want to buy it, but at the drugstore there aren't that many options for tinted brow gels that can actually hold the eyebrow hairs in place. There is a new Rimmel one that I want to try out but I haven't seen it at any of the stores I have gone to lately.

Pros - Gives a decent tint to the brows, holds hairs in place, small enough wand that I don't make too much of a mess.

Cons - If you put too much on it will give you incredibly crunchy, stiff brows. If you put too much it will also flake off.

At the end of the day, if it is on sale and I can't find anything else I will buy it again, but I guess my search will just have to keep going on for a good eyebrow gel at the drugstore. If you have any suggestions let me know!