Aug 30, 2012

Personal: Random Update

Alright, so I believe I have only written one or two blog posts since moving back to school. It's bad, I know... but things have been a little hectic. I have been working on a couple of blog posts, though! At the end of September I'll be posting an "empties" blog because I've already finished a few things since coming back to school.

Strangely enough, now that I'm officially allowed to buy makeup in a couple of days, I don't actually have much that I feel like I need to buy. In order to finish things up, I've been using pretty much the same products every day and I'm using them until they are finished. For special occasions I do change things up, but generally I am wearing the same thing every day.

So this is a short update, but I figured I would post something.

Aug 27, 2012

So... August Favorites?

I have a bit of a confession to make... every single product in last month's favorites post would be included in this one as well. The reason is that I am really trying to finish up some products. Even though I'll be allowing myself to buy beauty products in a few short days, I technically already cheated, so I don't feel justified in "rewarding" myself for a job well done when I could have done better. I'm also close to finishing my Almay foundation and I already know what foundations I'll be aiming to finish next.

I do, however, have a couple of products to add to the list: Lush Honey I Washed the Kids soap and Aveeno Positively Radiant Moisturizer (SPF 15). The soap is just a toffee-honey scented bar soap that cleans my skin (body, not face) well without drying it out. The moisturizer isn't heavy or greasy on my skin. It has a bit of a sheen to it, but it isn't off-putting on my skin. From the reviews I have read/viewed, it is a love it or hate it product, and right now... I love it! I can't comment on whether it has helped even my skin tone, but I'm sure I'll know that by the time the bottle is empty (by the way, I use half a pump on my face - a pea sized amount... and it's a 4 ounce bottle! This thing will last forever!)

As for non-beauty favorites, I must say green tea is a big one. That's probably strange to put as a favorite, but I drank it a LOT during August (whether it was hot or iced!)

Ehhh... sorry that this post is so short. Hopefully my September favorites will be a bit more interesting!

Aug 24, 2012

Review: Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-On Eye Pencil

Now I realize that these eyeliners are old news, but I think with any product, the more reviews that are available, the better.

I never go without an eye primer because my eyelids are oily and if I did go without primer, my eye shadows would crease and my eyeliners would smudge (although I will say that I rarely come across a mascara that smudges on me). I am reviewing the eyeliners I got in the "Naked" eyeliner set that came out around Christmas. Somehow they just all found their way to the back of my collection until a few weeks ago.

The shades I own are: Underground, Zero, Stray Dog, Bourbon, and Demolition

Cost: $19 per full-sized eyeliner (in the United States)
Color Range: There are over 20 different colors available, ranging from neutral (Zero, Bourbon, etc) to bright (Electric, Woodstock, etc).
Shade Descriptions:

  • Underground: brownish taupe with a metallic finish
  • Zero: matte black (but it isn't the blackest black you will find - if you want that, try Perversion)
  • Stray Dog: metallic grayish taupe
  • Bourbon: bronze/brown with gold glitter
  • Demolition: matte brown

Overall Impression: These eyeliners are creamy, but when used alone, they do smudge on me no matter how careful I am to apply lightly. I love the colors and typically set them with eye shadows in similar colors. That keeps the liners in place all day, but it also adds an extra step to my makeup routine. These liners also don't apply very well to my waterline for some reason.

I have heard that Milani and Nyx both have comparable eyeliners, but I have yet to try them. Until I try out some other eyeliners, I won't be buying these unless I want a color I can't find elsewhere. Below are swatches of the eyeliners along with how they looked after doing a smudge test by rubbing my finger over the swatch.

Although the Urban Decay website says the eyeliners can be smudged within the first 30 seconds, they still did after at least a minute. This is why I wasn't overly impressed. My Revlon Colorstay eyeliners might be on the dry side, but they last longer (speaking of, I intend to do a review of the Revlon Colorstay eyeliners soon - I just have a couple more colors I want to try and I'm trying to wait until September 1).

How do you feel about these eyeliners? What are your favorite eyeliners?

Shades (top to bottom): Underground, Zero, Stray Dog, Bourbon, and Demolition. Left is right after application, right is the smudge test after I let it "set" for over a minute.

Aug 22, 2012

Back to School: Closet/Dresser Organization!

Every college is different - some have small closets built into the rooms and some have movable wardrobes. Mine (to be specific, my dorm building) has the latter, plus a 3 drawer dresser.

There are three different types of hangers I will be using. It sounds like a lot, but it fits my needs fairly well since I am limited on space. I have different hangers this year than I did last year, but both have the same general idea (only I think the ones I'm using this year might even be better).

Type 1:

My hangers last year were similar to the ones below. Both had the hooks allowing the hangers to cascade, thus saving space. However, my hangers last year were plastic and quite thick. I honestly did not enjoy them. The ones I have this year are slimline, so the goal is to have more space so I can comfortably fit everything in (one can hope!)

I purchased these hangers from Bed, Bath, and Beyond for $30. I don't recall seeing these at Target, but I looked for this type of hanger at BBB first.



Type 2:

I have had this hanger for a few years, but I decided to bring it along with me this year. I'll be attaching shorts and skirts to it. I believe you can find these for $5-10 at Bed, Bath, and Beyond or Target.


Type 3:

I bought this hanger at the same time as the one listed above (so the price for this should also range between $5-10). I will be using this for jeans (last year I stored my jeans in my dresser and I had so many that they took up an entire drawer).


My dresser will store things such as undergarments, socks, and pajamas. I'll also store any clothing odds and ends that I couldn't fit in the wardrobe.

Hopefully this post has been helpful! I'll try to include an update to show how it looks once everything is in its place.

Aug 19, 2012

Beauty Purchase Restriction Update (Final?)

This may or may not be my final update to the (failure of a) project I began in June. I've honestly finished so many hair, bath, and body products that would have been impossible to keep track of if I hadn't kept them all in a bag. It seems that I will not be able to finish anything else until August 1, but I figured I would include pictures of what I have finished since my last post.

Heading into this project, I did not realize how many half-empty (or less) bottles of products I actually had. The only thing I finished in this group of products that I have repurchased is the Stridex, but after I finish the bottle I am currently using, I will not be purchasing them again because I'm interested in trying Lush Tea Tree Water.

I replaced my Bellaboo mask with the Yes to Tomatoes Skin Clearing Facial mask (I still love homemade honey-based masks, but I had heard about this mask and decided it was worth a shot since honey masks can be very sticky) and I replaced the Clean & Clear Drying Paste with the Mario Badescu Drying Cream (it's too soon to give a full review of this, but so far I am impressed).

I will be posting "empties" blogs periodically and if I go on another no-buy I will be a little more strict with the rules. Thankfully my collection didn't explode even though I cheated quite a few times (hence why my little mission/project was a big failure). I would say the best thing is that I can go into a store, see something I might like, and just walk away - although it is a bit of a challenge when the products are limited edition. I'm quite happy with what I have and I will be even happier once I can fit everything into a smaller space.

Aug 17, 2012

Back to School: How I'm Packing My Makeup!

This post may or may not be helpful because it is short and simple, but I promised I would write it, so here it is!

I have tons of makeup bags I've accumulated over the years (I certainly don't need them all, but I have them for some reason). Since I am transporting a larger amount of makeup this year than I did last year, I need a different method of transporting it (last year I had it all in a hanging organizer from Vera Bradley and at some point it all ended up in a different makeup bag by the end of the year). Since I want to avoid any messy situations, I am packing my items by drawer (face, eyes, lips). I am doing the same for my nail polish. Now, some of my brushes will be going in the makeup bag I took on vacation, but others will be in a different bag since I can't fit all of them in that bag.

When it comes to transporting makeup, the best thing to do is what you feel comfortable with. I know some people transport their makeup in the storage unit they're using at school. Other people just put it in a box and call it a day. I like my method because I know what is in each bag so if I want to find something out of my makeup stash (since I move in a few days and I have already packed my makeup).

Hopefully this post was not entirely pointless. I have a few more ideas for this series that I will be posting over the next week (along with some other posts, too). Have a great weekend! :)

Aug 15, 2012

Review: NYX Round Lipsticks (in "Stella" and "Chic")

I've been meaning to post this review for a while now and to be honest, I'm not sure why I haven't. These are the only NYX lipsticks I have ever owned and to be honest, I am not exactly impressed. The colors I own are Stella (left in every photo) and Chic (right in every photo).

Pros:
  1. These are inexpensive. I'm talking $4-5 at Ulta.
  2. No waxy scent (the first lipstick I ever bought was by N.Y.C. and it had this awful waxy taste/scent and it is the reason it took me so long to try other lipsticks - because the feel and taste was so unpleasant).
  3. There are plenty of shades, so if you want to experiment with colors, this is a great way to start.
  4. The two lipsticks I own are true to color if you build the color up (what you see on the package is what you get on your lips... eventually)
Cons:
  1. They feel dry on my lips and accentuate any dry spots
  2. Application is also rather difficult due to the dryness.
  3. There is glitter in "Stella" that is a bit off-putting. It just looks strange on my lips. There is shimmer/glitter in Stella, but it does not have the same effect.
  4. Length of wear is not impressive - but then again, it doesn't claim to last all day, so this is one of those "kinda sorta" cons.
Would I personally buy these again? Nah, but I'm not even crazy about lip products. But I do think these are great if you want to build up your collection and try out different colors. Just make sure your lips don't have any sort of flake on them, or the effect won't be so nice.


Aug 12, 2012

Back to School: Makeup Storage! (Dorm Room Style)

I will be entering my sophomore year of college in a few weeks and although I barely took any makeup with me last year, I plan to take as much as possible without taking up too much space. This decision prompted me to go on a search for proper storage for my makeup and brushes for my dorm room (last year all of my makeup was in a makeup bag, which is good when you want to finish certain products, but the trade off is a lack of variety). My acrylic storage unit for home is nice, but doesn't quite fulfill my needs for my dorm room.

Of course, I found one item I loved at Target (I've always preferred Target over Walmart for shopping on a budget). I found Sterilite drawers that were the perfect size for what I wanted (one drawer for face, one for eyes, and one for lips). I will be storing most of my makeup and brushes on my desk, but since I actually use my desk for studying (a lot of my friends don't because it does become uncomfortable after a while), I didn't want to take up too much room. My brushes and some eye products (primer, eyeliner, mascara, anything in stick form) will be in two separate pencil holders. The ones I found were $3 a piece and they aren't the "prettiest" form of brush storage, but I didn't want anything that would break and I also prefer function over appearance.

I think some (or maybe even most) people will find my drawers small, but this unit has enough space so I can have a variety of products without taking up too much space. For a beauty blogger, I have a modest makeup collection, and I like to keep it that way so I can really use what I buy (and then post reviews with a fully formed opinion, but once again I digress). Below are the actual pictures of what I am using for storage. Before I move I will show how I am packing my makeup (PS- I found quite a few old makeup bags and pencil cases just sitting at the back of my closet. I was glad to find out that I hadn't actually lost my old makeup bags)


Aug 10, 2012

Back to School: College Cleaning Supplies

For this portion, I will be veering off from the subject of makeup, but I will be discussing some of my essentials for my room in terms of cleaning. As I have mentioned before, I live in a suite with two bedrooms, a small common area with two sinks, and one bathroom. I know plenty of other schools do this and I am not sure what their rules are, but at my school we are responsible for cleaning everything ourselves. I like having that level of responsibility because I have already learned a bit about what products and techniques I like and dislike. I think some schools might provide basic cleaning products that can be used as well, but I just prefer bringing my own things.

Now, this post will show some items that are applicable to students living in traditional dorm rooms and it might have less than what would be necessary for an apartment. There are a few items I do not have with me, but I will still discuss them because they were items I used last year and thought to be quite useful.

In terms of cleaning supplies, I like to keep it simple. The fewer products and ingredients used, the better. Most of the items I bought this year were by Method, which can most commonly be found at Target, but also online. I've also seen it sold at some health food stores, so that might be another great place to look.


  1. Method All-Purpose Surface Cleaner in French Lavender: I prefer multipurpose cleaners rather than having a separate cleaner for every single item. It will clean counters, tile, stone, wood, and glass. Now if it's the shower or toilet, I use something else!
  2. Method Daily Shower Cleaner (Ylang Ylang): this had ingredients differing enough from the all purpose cleaner for the purchase to be worth it. And it's simple to use. Just spray and go! It can be used on showers (I should hope so! It is called a shower cleaner, after all), tiles, fixtures, glass, and tubs.
  3. Method Antibac Toilet: Well, I never said every item I would feature on my blog would be pleasant. Toilets need to be cleaned too, and this cleaner gets the bowls, seats, and under the icky rim. And it smells like spearmint!



As for items I did not show, here are some I recommend:
  1. Paper towels
  2. Rubber gloves
  3. Mr. Clean Magic Eraser sponge (or a normal sponge)
  4. Disinfecting wipes (just in case someone has a cold)
  5. Drano or some other form of clog remover
Hopefully I have been helpful. I know there are probably items I have forgotten to include, but I am learning as I go, so by next year I should be a pro at this.

Aug 9, 2012

Back to School: What to Carry in Your Purse Makeup Bag

This is really just for anybody who wants to carry a small makeup bag in their purse, but since it's back to school season, I thought this particular post could be useful. As always, this is just my opinion and if you have different needs, then you can adjust as needed.

The makeup bag for this post isn't one I would normally use, but for some reason I've misplaced my old makeup bag that I would throw in my purse (I stopped carrying makeup around with me for a while because I wanted to carry a smaller purse, but lately I've been in the mood to carry around a bigger bag once again).

Anyway, on with the post! I have a Vera Bradley makeup bag that I typically use to store random items, but for this post I am using it as my purse makeup bag.
  1. Blotting sheets, especially if you have oily or combination skin - if you have drier skin you might not need this. If you don't want to pay for blotting sheets, I suggest using Starbucks napkins. They work just as well as blotting sheets and the store won't care if you take a few extras! ;) (just make sure you actually buy something when you go in so you're not stealing. I'm a clumsy person, so I never know how many napkins I'll need)
  2. Facial spray - I have the Evian spray. Yup, it's just water in a can. Urban Decay also has travel sized bottles of their makeup setting sprays. I've liked all of the sprays I have tried, but I'm looking into trying facial sprays from other brands. Alternatively, you can just pour water or an alcohol free toner in a spray bottle and try that (I haven't, but I just might at some point)
  3. Pressed powder - for touch ups
  4. Retractable kabuki brush - also for touch ups (if you don't mind using the puff/sponge that comes with your face powder, then use that so you can have more space, although 9 times out of 10, I prefer to use a brush)
  5. Whatever lip product I'm wearing - try bringing something with SPF so you don't get a sunburn on your lips. I never have, but I've heard that they are painful
  6. Travel sized toothbrush - yeah, not a normal thing to keep in a makeup bag, but you never know when you'll need it. I just buy them in packs of two from the travel section at the drugstore
  7. Toothy tabs/travel sized toothpaste

Aug 7, 2012

My Travel Makeup Bag!

Recently I went on a mini vacation and as I promised, here is my post on the beauty products I packed! I actually had to make some changes to what I was packing because my skin had a horrible reaction to a homemade facial mask I made (thankfully my skin has calmed down significantly, so I am sure the mask was the problem). To be honest, the changes were not so significant that I packed half of my makeup collection, but I did bring an extra item or two (including extra skin care items).

Storage:

I purchased my makeup bag from Target for $20-25. The reason I chose it is because it has two compartments - the top one holds brushes and smaller items and the bottom compartment can easily hold nearly every thing else for a trip. Now, since I changed around what I took on my trip at the last minute, I ended up taking a separate bag for toiletries and then this bag for makeup and my extra skin care items. The inside is made of a material that is probably very easy to clean if your makeup happens to spill. The problem I have with this bag is that the bottom section can't hold its shape properly if it is empty, but that is just a random complaint I have (and it certainly would not keep me from recommending this bag if you are looking for a new one).




Brushes:

I ended up packing more brushes than there is technically space for, but they all still fit comfortably and I felt like I packed the right brushes for a variety of different looks. I will be listing the brushes I took with me below. I did not pack a foundation brush because with the foundation I packed, I feel as if I can get a nice look with or without a brush.

  1. E.L.F. Powder Brush: I cannot wear foundation without setting it with powder, so I brought this brush for that purpose. It also applied powder foundation nicely, which was something I did not expect.
  2. Sonia Kashuk Blush Brush: I got this in a travel set, but it is sold separately as well (and I think it has a longer handle if you buy it separately). It looks scratchy, but it is very soft. It's quite a small blush brush in comparison to the others I own, but I think I like this the best.
  3. E.L.F. Contour Brush: I use this to add definition to my eyelids. The bristles are soft and the brush is the right size for my eyes.
  4. Sonia Kashuk Eye Shadow Brush: This is from a set that was available last year, but this is one of my go-to eye shadow brushes. I would say the one I brought is comparable to the fluffy eye shadow brush in the Sonia Kashuk line.
  5. Essence of Beauty Dual-Ended Brushes: I have a travel set from Essence of Beauty and I figured it would be easiest to just list every one I brought from that set here: Smokey/Angle, Touch up/Conceal, and Smudge/Brow.
  6. Sonia Kashuk Synthetic Pointed Eye Liner Brush: this is the one brush I never used on my trip. It's great with gel eyeliners.
  7. Maybelline Master Shape by Eyestudio: I don't typically use anything on my brows, but this one has a spoolie at the end and for some reason I decided it made more sense to take this than my other spoolie.


Products:

I took a minimalist approach when I packed my makeup. Originally I was only going to pack the Maybelline Dream Fresh BB Cream and top it off with powder foundation, but my skin was a disaster and so I decided to add my current favorite foundation into the mix: Almay Clear Complexion. I also packed my Too Faced Glamour to Go Palette because it had enough eye shadows for unique looks and a blush and bronzer if I wanted. I have decided that I don't care for the lip gloss in the palette because it's just frosty and goopy, but I still use it. I also acquired a sample sized tube of the Neutrogena Healthy Volume mascara and I used it every day. I still have a little left, but if I ever do purchase the full size, it will be a while. I also brought the Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-on Eye Pencil in Demolition since it gives my eyes a soft and natural look. I forgot to include this in the photograph, but I also brought my Maybelline Color Tattoo in Bad to the Bronze. I also packed more than the vanilla Lip Smacker, but it is among some of the Lip Smackers I packed. I still have quite a lot of product in the deluxe sample of my tube of Too Faced Shadow Insurance in Candlelight - it's a beautiful color and I will be sad to see it go. The final two makeup items I took with me are the E.L.F. eyelash curler and the Neutrogena Mineral Sheers Powder Foundation. I also squeezed a few skin care items into my bag (Clearasil pads - I've been using them for a while and I'm not sure how I feel about them. I also packed my Neutrogena sunscreen for acne-prone skin - it is very lightweight and it doesn't have an offensive smell. I also managed to fit my Clean and Clear Dual Action Moisturizer into my bag... I know I won't be repurchasing this moisturizer once I am done with it... I feel like I could find a better moisturizer from the drugstore).


That is everything I packed in my travel makeup bag! As I mentioned before, I ended up having a separate bag for toiletries, but in the future I will try to plan out what I pack more cleverly. Hopefully this was somewhat helpful. I'd honestly say that this is probably not enough for a longer trip (if I only took this on an extended vacation I'd probably end up buying makeup for the sake of variety). I'm not an expert on packing by any means, but I've slowly learned a few tricks along the way.

My apologies for taking so long on this post. I have no idea why I couldn't just sit down and finish it, but now I can move on to my Back to School series!

Aug 5, 2012

Series: Back to School!

Back to school season is here for many people, so I figured I would write a series on all things back to school. Most of my things will be aimed at college students, but I will try to incorporate posts for younger readers.

I will not be moving back into my dorm for a few more weeks, but I know there are some people that will be moving soon and they may (or may not) want some last-minute tips. I will be talking about packing tips (I'm not an expert at packing by any means, but I thought it would be fun to show what I do), cleaning products I am taking (I will be living in a suite with 3 other girls and we will all be sharing one bathroom, so I will have more products than most people moving into a dorm since we have the responsibility of cleaning our own bathroom), and of course... makeup organization! I'm not taking my entire collection with me, but I am taking more products with me this year than I did last year because I have a better storage unit.

Although I am a sophomore, I have bought some things this year that I chose not to last year. I've also spent too much time figuring out the organization for my room and my little wardrobe/closet. If my roommates don't mind, I will do my best to write a blog post at the end of the series to show how our rooms turn out. I still haven't bought much in terms of decorating and my new blanket doesn't match my other bedding from last year, but I'm the type of person to focus on function rather than appearance.

I am almost finished with my long overdue travel makeup bag post. I just have a few more pictures to take and it should be up fairly soon (I try to post every day, but not multiple times in one day so I can have a more consistent blogging schedule).

If you have any specific questions, please don't hesitate to contact me.

Aug 2, 2012

BB Cream Overview/Review

I currently own 4 BB creams and I am a little ashamed to admit that I was all about the hype of BB creams. I will also admit that I have never tried an Asian BB cream, but I have tried two from the drugstore and two from le Sephora/high end (er, forgive me... I've been reading rage comics all day). Before I continue with this post, I've changed the way I show pictures for this post. Let me know what you think! All of my photos are still taken via my iPhone and they will be until I save enough money for a camera. In all of the photos I have a swatch showing the texture of the product when it comes out of the bottle and below it is how it looks blended into my skin (which is difficult to pick up on my camera).



Name: Too Faced Tinted Beauty Balm
Shade: Vanilla Glow
Price: $32
Amount of product in tube: 1.5 fluid ounces
SPF?: 20
Coverage: Light
Number of shades available: 4 (the darkest is what I would call "medium")
Finish: Dewy (this has some shimmery elements to it, but said shimmers do not resemble Revlon Photoready, in case you were worried ;) - that being said, I still recommend trying to obtain a sample beforehand.
Promises: It promises to tint, prime, nourish, prevent, and protect
My perspective: This is the second BB cream I have tried and I even featured it in a monthly favorites post. Despite its dewy finish, it lasts most of the day on my combination to oily acne-prone skin. I do not see an increase in breakouts when I use this product. As with most BB creams I have seen, this can be worn alone or as a primer. I always wear powder over it and since I do not wear primer, I do not wear primer under it. This is really just a tinted moisturizer, but it is a nice tinted moisturizer I would consider buying again. One problem I have is the shade selection. Vanilla Glow is a little too dark for my ultra pale skin and there aren't any deep shades. If I blend the product properly then I don't look like an oompa loompa... my boyfriend said it just looked like I had a slight tan.
Overall rating: 4 out of 5



Name: Smashbox Camera Ready BB Cream
Shade: Fair
Price: $39
Amount of product in tube: 1 fluid ounce
SPF?: 35
Coverage: Light, but buildable to medium
Number of shades: 5
Finish: Natural
Promises: Moisturize, prime, perfect, control oil, and protects.
My perspective: I adore this BB cream. I can almost (not quite, but almost) wear it without powder. It doesn't break my skin out and it has coverage that rivals some foundations I have tried in the past. It has a thick consistency, but it doesn't feel heavy on my face. There is a deeper shade called "Dark" but I have no idea how it compares to, say, MAC shades. As with the Too Faced BB cream, if you can get a sample before purchasing, do so. The reason this product does not get a perfect score is the price. Unless Smashbox releases a 1.5 ounce bottle and keeps the price in the $30's, it's overpriced. I love this product and I would repurchase it without any regrets, but I think the price will be a dealbreaker for a lot of people.
Overall rating: 4.5 out of 5



Name: L'Oreal Magic Skin Beautifier BB Cream
Shade: Fair (810)
Price: $10.99 (give or take a few - really worth it if you can find a coupon or get it on sale)
Amount of product in tube: 1 fluid ounce
SPF?: None.
Coverage: Light
Number of shades: 4
Finish: Natural
Promises: Primes, perfects, hydrates, corrects
My perspective: This product reminds me of Almay Smart Shade makeup, only this is what Almay Smart Shade SHOULD have been. The pigments in this are a little more "grainy" and it is difficult to capture what the beads look like with my camera, but this product actually evens out my skin tone. It doesn't perform miracles, but it is a nice product overall. It doesn't promise to control oil, but it almost controls oil as well as my Smashbox BB cream. There are only 4 shades and some people have experienced issues with matching because "Light" is actually pretty dark for a lighter shade (at least from what I have seen from other blog posts). I wouldn't say that this adjusts exactly to my skin tone, but Fair is light enough for my skin and that is something I can't say about a LOT of base products (from drugstore to high end). I'm not a fan of the fact that this lacks SPF, but I can deal with it since I wear sunscreen on my face anyway. I would say if you are looking for an affordable BB cream, this is a nice option. I recommend looking for coupons or sales so you can get the most out of your money.
Overall rating: 4 out of 5



Name: Maybelline Dream Fresh BB
Shade: Light
Price: $8.99 (roughly - since it is a drugstore product it could cost more or less. I have seen it for as low as $6.99)
Amount of product in tube: 1 fluid ounce
SPF?: 30
Coverage: Very light (basically none)
Number of shades: 5
Finish: Very dewy
Promises: Blurs imperfections, enhances, brightens, adjusts to skin-tone, smoothes, hydrates, SPF 30 protects, 0% oils and other heavy ingredients
My perspective: This product did not work for me at all. It's the runniest in consistency of all the BB creams I own, it covers the least (in fact, it has the same coverage as my ELF $1 tinted moisturizer), it makes my skin a greasy mess after 2 hours (even with an oil control powder). I was so excited to try this product and I was just completely disappointed. This would probably be fantastic for people with normal to dry skin and little to no redness. The shade selection is similar to the Smashbox BB cream and from reviews I have seen, the deeper shades do work on dark skin. Since most drugstores have great return policies, I would recommend keeping the receipt if you have a skin type similar to mine and you still really want to try this product. I don't want to call this a bad product because I know it works for some people, but this just didn't work for me.
Overall rating: 2.5 out of 5

Have you tried any of these products? If so, what did you think of them? Do you have any BB creams you like better than these?

Aug 1, 2012

Beauty Purchase Restriction Update

In exactly one month (September 1) I will officially allow myself to buy makeup and beauty products again. I've already admitted that this project has been a bit of a fail because of the date I set to finish it and the rules were a bit too lax, but I figured I would make a post showing everything I have finished because the bag I picked to store everything I have finished is getting quite full and I'd like to make room for more finished products.

Most of what I have finished falls under the body or hair category (and many of those items were actually travel sized), so I think I will take a different approach the next time I try to use up my beauty products. I will probably take the basics (foundation, concealer, powder, etc) and just use the same ones day until they are empty. When I move back to school I will also only be taking what fits into the little container I have (I'll post a back-to-school series in the next few weeks).

Everything I have finished is below. Of everything I have finished, the only thing I really have a desire to repurchase is the Neutrogena Oil Free Acne Wash Redness Soothing Cleanser. It doesn't dry my face out and it has improved my skin (only by a little, but it has still helped). I am almost finished with some other skin care products, many of which I will not be repurchasing. I have also given some items away, but I never remember to take note of it.

Anyway, this is what I've finished so far and since I will be recycling as much as I can, these will not be in the final post. Wish me luck on the last month! :)