November Empties

Hello lovelies, I decided that I am going to start doing my empties on a more monthly basis. Since I am going to be doing the project use it up next year as well as 365 days of samples on my instagram (subtlebeauty27blog), I will hopefully be having more empties. There are quite a few here so I will just jump right into it! 

Loreal - Total Repair 5 Damage Erasing Balm - I have had this for so long and am happy that I have finally gone through it all. I first bought it when I had bleached my hair and I had read good reviews and so I gave it a shot. I absolutely love this stuff! It makes my hair feel so incredible. I enjoyed using it the most when I was using it with the matching shampoo and conditioner. I have other deep conditioners to go through first, but once I am done with them, I will definitely be repurchasing this. It is inexpensive and really works!

Better Homes - Rustic Woods - In the past I have really enjoyed these candles (you can get them at Walmart and they are really inexpensive!), but this one wasn't that great. It didn't burn very well and there was next to no scent-throw. I don't know if the size of it has anything to do with the lack of scent throw because I have a few other ones from the same brand that smell amazing and have great scent-throw.

Equate - Regular Nail Polish Remover - I like this. It made taking my nail polish off really easy. I have refilled it as well and didn't find that I had any problems with it after that. I am only tossing it because I have been wearing a lot of darker nail polishes and the remover in there now is darker tinted and I just don't like it, it doesn't stain my fingers or anything though.

Vaseline - Total Moisture - love the smell of this and it really moisturizes my hands really well. I already have a couple of back ups of this. Really great lotion.

Jergens - Wet Skin Moisturizer - I went through 2 packets of these. I got about 3 uses from each packet so I am comfortable enough in saying that I would not purchase a full size of these. First of all I really didn't enjoy getting cold while I was putting this on because your body has to be wet, secondly it wasn't very moisturizing at all. If gave my skin a luminous look, but I don't really care for that so it was a fail for me.

Nivea - In-Shower Body Lotion - This was just as awful as the Jergens one. I didn't understand the concept of rubbing it all over and then just washing it away. It made the floor of my shower really slippery too. 

Nivea - Extended Moisture Body Lotion - This however was a great sample. I have a random spot on my thigh that gets really dry and itchy in the colder months, I used this for that only and it hasn't bothered me since. I am going to buy a full size of this once I get through a few other lotions. I would definitely recommend if you have dry skin! 

Jack Black - Daily Facial Cleanser - A product like this is why I love trying samples before I commit to a full size. This smelled so heavily of sage leaves that it kind of irritated my eyes, which is crazy because I love sage and I drink it with my tea all the time. Didn't feel like it did much for cleansing either.

Maybelline - Great Lash in I See Blue - I have had this for so long and decided that it was time to toss it because it began to flake on me. I really liked wearing this on my bottom lashes when I wear blue eyeliner because it really helped to enhance that color. Blue makes my brown eyes really glow and I am going to miss having a blue mascara but probably won't purchase another one unless it was a bit darker so that you can't tell that I am wearing blue mascara. 

Garnier - Ultra-lift Miracle Sleeping Cream - I feel like my skin is too dry for something like this right now. I didn't feel like it helped much at all. I wouldn't purchase a full size of this.

Aveeno - Positively Radiant intense night cream - I was not a fan of this. It was okay during the summer when my skin is more oily, but for the rest of the year it did nothing for me whatsoever. It irritated the eczema I have on my cheeks and since I have it all of about 8 months out of the year and I couldn't use this product during that time, you can imagine how long it took me to use this up. Wouldn't repurchase. 

Figs and Rouge - Hand Cream in Rose Berry - This was alright. I got it in an ipsy bag. It wasn't my favorite smell, so that is one of the reasons that it has taken me forever to use it up even though it isn't that much product. Roses and berries just don't make a very appealing combination in my opinion. Also, it made my hands feel slick in a very weird way before they felt moisturized, it wasn't that great at moisturizing either. 

Secret - Clinical Strength - I got this in a Walmart Subscription box. I am really happy I got to try it because I couldn't get myself to pay $8 for a deodorant unless I was sure about it. I don't really need the clinical strength, but I like the smell of this one. It isn't overpowering at all. I liked that if I did sweat, this is what I would smell.  I will probably purchase one in the future if I found a deal on it, otherwise probably not.

BBW - Pocket Bac in Vineyard Berries - Really loved the smell of this one. I have a few of these to go through, but I would most likely repurchase this in the future.

Crest - 3D White Luxe in Diamond Strong - I love this toothpaste and I never thought I would be one of those people that is specific about my toothpaste, but now I am. I like this specific one and I do feel like using this did help make my teeth whiter. They aren't glowing or anything, but it did lift some of the stains from all the coffee and tea that I drink throughout the day. I have already repurcahsed. 

So I finished up a lot of different products this month. Only one makeup product, but since I am going to do these monthly that is probably how it is going to be. There is also the fact that I don't include the makeup items that are in my project pans since I already write about them in those posts so much.  

Plans for 2016!

Hello lovelies, so as the title states I wanted to share what my plans are for 2016. I am hoping that this is the year that I rediscover my collection, use things that I have bought but haven't even taken out of the packaging yet. I also want to make it my aim to post at least twice a month, I have been getting better at posting more often and I really want to keep that going. I want to start posting favorites and reviews. I am not the best at reviews, but I guess practice makes perfect right? 

As for Project Pan plans, I am already doing one that will go into the middle of February, so I will definitely be continuing project panning. I really enjoy making sure I am getting use of all the different products that have been in my collection for a while. I want to use a lot of the new things that are in my collection that I have been purchasing lately, so I don't know how many projects I will be doing. I think I want to do another roulette once that one is finished and maybe 2 or 3 more seasonal challenges. 

I also plan on doing a Pan that Palette this year. I would love some input on which one of these palettes I should choose. I have posted individual pictures of all these palettes on my instagram: subtlebeauty27blog so go follow me there and take a look at the pictures. I also explained why I picked each one of these palettes, but I will just post it here too.

Hard Candy: Birthday Suit - I chose this because all the shadows are matte and I already have pretty good use on some of the shadows. I also like the fact that I can pull from other palettes and shadows and that I won't be limited to the shades in here. 

Tarte: Away Oui Go holiday set 2014 - This is from last years holiday set that Tarte had exclusively with Ulta. I added this because I feel like I haven't used the set enough and I want to see if I can get through that blush as well. I like that there are only four shadows to get through even though the pans are on the larger side, I still think I could do it. Also these are some of the shades that I always gravitate for and are an easy look for me to put on when I am in a rush.

Stila: Not so Nude - Like with the Tarte one I would use this entire palette including the highlight and cream blush. The pans on the shadows are definitely smaller and I already have decent use out of them. I wouldn't be worried about getting through all of them.

Lorac: Get Hot - I really enjoy this palette. Again it is full of colors that I gravitate for all the time, but it can go many ways. I can do a matte look or something more. I have a pretty good dip going through some of these as well.

Urban Decay: Naked Basics - This is the most expensive of all the palettes here. It is also the oldest, so I want to go with this one, but I am not sure about the black shade in there. I also think that I would get bored with these as well. 

There is my reasoning for each of those and I would really appreciate any input as well as any tips because this will be my first time panning a palette and I am as much nervous as I am excited!

I will also be partaking in Project Use it Up during 2016. I have created a master list of all the products that I would like to go through. That will probably be its own post. I often see people having monthly goals, and I think that is what I want to do, however I am having trouble organizing things just because I am not sure how long it will take me to finish certain products. I am sure that even if I made a list now, it would continue to change throughout the year based on what I am using and how quickly I am getting through them. I still need to fine tune a couple of things before I write out y post about this. 

Lastly, I want to really hold myself more accountable for all of my makeup purchases. Now, I was going to go on a no-buy, but I can't do it. I have a serious problem, and I am okay with that. I will be more conscious of what it is that I am purchasing and how much I am spending on it. I will be writing down everything I am purchasing and the price of it as well as the cost of the things I am using up. I will most likely include the products I get from ipsy even though I am not paying full price for it. I want to do this mainly because I am curious because I am trying to save up for travel and I know that I spend a lot of money on makeup. I am going to start keeping track from now (Dec. 2015) and keep going throughout next year. I won't be adding all of the little foil packet samples that I get unless it is for something more expensive. 

So there you have it. A rough guide of what to expect in the coming year from me. Let me know if you have any ideas for posts that you would like to see or specific products you would like me to do a review on! 

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!