The Purge: Loose Shadows and Pigments

Hey, y'all! It's time for another makeup purge! Today, if you couldn't tell from the title, we're going through my pigments and loose shadows. I'm gonna break these up by brand. Make sure you check out a few of my declutters (Drugstore Palettes, Primers, Blushes).

First off, I've got these no name loose shadows that I got for Christmas a while back. I've got 6 shades, and I'll be swatching them in sort of a rainbow pattern. So the first 3 are warm tones: a dusty pale pink, a dusty orange pink, and a golden taupe. I don't much see myself using the middle shade, so that one will be given away. (I'm not sure why, but some of my swatches are backwards. Oopsie.)

The other 3 from the same line are a lime green, a silvery purple, and a sparkly charcoal. The lime green is definitely not staying. I used to love colors like these for my inner corner or my lower lash line, but I find my style is a bit more toned down than it used to be. I really like the other two, and I think the chacoal would be great for a smoky eye. 

I have 3 pigments from Starlooks: Penny Wise, Platinum, and Tungsten. These are super similar in the container to the last 3 I just swatched, but once you get them on the skin, they look completely different. I love all three of these, and the swatches don't do these any justice at all, especially Penny Wise. Platinum is the more silvery colored one, whereas Tungsten is more of a deep steel.

From Mica Bella Cosmetics, I have 3 beauties to share: Rendezvous, Earth, and Java. Rendezvous and Earth are quite similar, but Earth has more of a purple to it, whereas Rendezvous is more pink. Nonetheless, they are both gorgeous. Java has to be my favorite of the three though. It's a duochrome brown/blue and I just love it to pieces. 

My last two are from different brands. The first is from Bella Terra, and it's called Emotion. The second is CB011 from Bare Minerals. Emotion is a beautiful, full on, royal purple. I could never bring myself to part with this. The Bare Minerals shadow is a peachy orange, but in the swatch it shows up more peachy beige. I like this in the crease as a transition color because it has no shimmer to it. 

Starting Number: 14

Ending Number: 12

I got rid of 2 pigments. Yay me! I know, I know. I only got rid of 2 of them, but I still have fewer than I started with, and that's good enough for me. 

Kiss, Kiss.

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All Gone!: Skincare Edition

I just posted my makeup empties not too long ago, and continuing with the trend, I'm back to bring you my skincare products that I've finished. Just click here to see my last skincare empties. 

Removers

Starlooks Gentle Clearaway Makeup Remover - Olay Fresh Effects Makeup Remover Cloths

I don't have anything bad to say about either of these. I was really impressed with how gentle the Starlooks remover was, and I wasn't let down by the Olay wipes. They smelled amazing!

Masks

Proactiv Refining Mask - Meme Mask - Eye Mask

I used to be addicted to the Refining Mask! I still have 2 of these, and I'm currently using one. As for the Meme Mask, it didn't suck. I like hydrogel masks, but clay masks are my favorite. The eye masks I purchased on Ebay. I only really use them in winter when my eyes are super dry.

Toner

Proactiv Revitalizing Toner

Sorry about the bad picture quality. I had already tossed the products before I got to take another. You guys have seen me go through a ton of these. This was my last one. I'm happy I finished them all, but I'm sad to see it go.

Treatments

Proactiv Advanced Daily Oil Control - Pore Targeting Treatment - Dark Spot Corrector - Clear Zone Body Lotion

So, I'm totally not apologizing for the mass of Proactiv products. I'm glad to be done with them and trying new things. Out of these 4 things, only the Dark Spot Corrector wasn't used as planned. This was almost completely full. I only got to use it a few times, since my spots don't usually cause scarring. Otherwise, all of these were great.

Other

Origins GinZing Eye Cream - Own Refining Moisture Night Cream

I really enjoyed this eye cream. It has caffeine in it so it immediately depuffs your eyes. I would absolutely buy this again, but I'm going to wait until I can get it in a kit again so it's less expensive.The Own cream was my first night cream. It felt really great on the skin, and left my skin feeling soft and supple.

Thanks for tuning in! Come back and see what else I have in my trash!

Kiss, Kiss.
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July Dollar Tree Haul of Randomness

I don't know how many of you have been with me since I first started this blog, but I used to post videos on YouTube. I've started that back up again! I'm super excited about this, and I really hope you guys are too. Here is one of my first videos to go up in 2015. Be sure to check out the rest of my videos while you're at it.

See you guys next time!

Kiss, Kiss.
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elf Studio Contouring Brush Review

I'm sure you've seen the elf Studio Contouring Brush all over YouTube, Instagram, and the rest of the beauty world. It's a newer product from elf that changes the game for all of us budget beauties. I hauled it last month. The elf website describes this brush as "specifically designed for advanced makeup application to help achieve professional looks". 

The cost of this brush is only 6$! It is currently only available on the elf website, but I'm sure you'll see them popping up at Targets some time soon as the line expands. 

Application:

I use this for a cream contour, so the only things I've used it with are a few different concealers. The synthetic bristles are really densely packed and do an amazing job of evenly blending out the product without a lot of work or a streaky finish. It's actually really easy to overblend with this brush, so instead of a really heavy handed blending approach, I like to use short, quick strokes to blend. 

Design:

This brush comes with a black handle and ferrule, just like the rest of the Studio line. Like I said before, it has synthetic fibers for use with cream and liquid products. It's shaped perfectly to get underneath the cheekbones and hit the perimeters of the face. 

Pros:

price - ease of use - soft bristles - good design 

Cons:

hard to clean - frequently out of stock

Rating:

9/10

If you're looking for a really great brush for basic contouring, this is definitely the brush you should get. It's incredibly amazing, regardless of the price.

Kiss, Kiss.

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The Purge: Cream Shadows and Bases

Welcome back, guys! Today we are going to go through my all my eyeshadow bases and cream eyeshadows. I don't own a ton of these, but lately I've been getting into using these along with a primer because I love the color payoff. I have some in pencil form, pot form, and ones with a wand. Let's jump in!

The first three are my only ones that have with doe foot applicators. They are Divine Wine from BareMinerals, and Spiced Rum & Violette from Tini Beauty. What I like about Divine Wine is that it dries matte. It could easily be used in a 2 shadow look with some liner. You just have to work with it quicker than the other two because it will set. Spiced Rum & Violette have a weird smell. I used to really like both of these, but the purple just isn't something I see myself using any time soon.

Four of my bases are in stick or pencil form. I have one that I recently hauled from City Color. It's their Jumbo Eye Pencil in the shade White. It's nothing like the one from NYX. This one is sheer and shimmery. I don't like using this as a shadow base, but as any sort of highlight, this is gorgeous. Next is the Chella Ivory Lace Highlighter. Obviously, I don't use this as a brow highlight. It's too stark against my skin, but it does a great job as a shadow base because it's such a light color. My newest is from TrèStique. It's in the color Venetian Gold. I got it in my June Ipsy bag. It's super pretty, and I love the shade. The last is the Eyeliner & Shadow Stick frim elf in Midnight Blue. I enjoy using this in darker looks especially in the outter corner or under the lash line.

Moving into the potted bases, I want to get through all of the random ones that I got in a set for Christmas one year. I had never heard of the brand before, and I can't remember it now, but I have 6 of them. I have a silver, light gold, copper, aqua, navy, and a plum. Out of these, the only one that doesn't wow me is the navy. I really like the others as long as they are under a shadow.

These last 5 are all different products. The first is the Duo Eye Shadow Cream from elf in the shade Butter Pecan. I like both colors, even though they have completely different textures. Also from elf, is the Smudge Pot in Brownie Points. I hauled this earlier this year, and I adore the texture and pigmentation. I don't know why I haven't bought more of these. From City Color. It's their White Gold Mousse Eyeshadow and it's so pretty!!! I love this as an inner corner highlight. From Starlooks, I have their cream shadow in Hologram. Unfortunately, they don't carry these anymore, but this is stunning, nonetheless. Lastly, from Origins, is their GinZing Eye Brightening Cream Shadow in Sugar Peach. It's a very light peach shade. You have to build it up quite a bit to get the peach to show, but it's a beautiful cream shadow.

Starting Number: 18

Ending Number: 15 (technically)

I'm actually giving 2 away to find a new home where they will be loved and used, but the third I just moved to another part of my collection to be repurposed. That's all for today! Come back to see the last few installments of The Purge.

Kiss, Kiss.

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Makeup Stash July

This will be a new series that I'm starting on my blog! I don't always show you guys the things that I buy, or just because I show you, that doesn't mean I actually try it. I have a ton of products that I have yet to introduce to my makeup collection, and I finally found a way to move them into the front of my mind. What I want to do with this is pick a random 5 products, and use them all for a while, and see how I like them as well as give mini reviews on each. Here are my products for July!

Rimmel Stay Matte Pressed Powder - 001 Transparent
I can't tell you when I bought this and I don't remember posting about it either. This is one of those things that literally EVERYBODY talks about. Everyone loves this, which is why I bought it. You guys know I have oily skin, so anything that will keep me from looking extra shiny is welcome.

Julep Illume Face & Eye Brightener - Champagne
I have been thinking so much about this highlight lately, and I decided this was a perfect time to bust this out. I'm super obsessed with highlighters and liiuminators lately. I had to use this, but I wanted to tell you guys about it. This is currently the only highlighting pen that I own, so I'm super excited to give it a go.

Starlooks Lip Pencil - Roseate
Lip liners are also a newfound favorite of mine. I've actually been using a lipliner every time I put a color, or anything, on my lips. I really only have 3 or 4 colors to choose from in my drawer, and this is one that isn't really similar to the others. It looks like a pinky-mauve, but when swatched ir looks nore like a pinky nude.

Maybelline Color Tattoo - 10 Fierce & Tangy
I cannot believe I haven't tried this yet! I have zero other Color Tattoos. I'm familiar with cream shadows and shadow bases, but this is just one I have yet to experience. I think this would be lovely under a really warm toned eye look. I just we'll have to wait and see.

Julep Nail Color - Aurora
I did not intend to include 2 Julep products, but I did. So there. But I really wanted to incorporate a new nail polish into my life because I'm getting back into painting my nails on a regular basis. This was also the only color I hadn't used that wasnt really dark. This is a soft, frosty lavender and I really wanted to do a soft, girly design on my nails next.

I will update you guys as soon as I'm done trying these out, and be ready for some new products in August. See you then!

Kiss, Kiss.
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Project 10 Pan

Since completing the halfway point of my Project Mini Pan, I've decided to go all out and do a Project 10 Pan. I've picked a few random products from every possible category I can think of so that it isn't all makeup. Not all of these I'll be able to finish, but if I can actually hit pan on a few of these (or finish at least half of what's left) I will be so proud of myself. Once again, I'm giving myself a 6 week time frame. I am hoping to finish this by August 24th.

Victoria's Secret Coconut Passion Body Butter
I have no clue how long I've had this. It's probably been a few years, but this is my "gimme" item for this Project Pan. I'm so close to being done with it that I just wanna get it out of the way. I usually only use this after I do my nails, and I haven't been super diligent about painting them, so this may still take a few weeks to finish.

Nivea Vanilla & Macadamia Kiss Lip Butter
I loooooooooooove this stuff! I love the smell of it. I love the feel of it. I love how moisturizing it it, but this is a never ending lip balm for me. I've had it for about a year and a half and still haven't finished it. This is one of the products that I'm really just hoping to make a dent in. I know I won't be able to finish it, but I want to at least see the bottom of the tin by the time I'm done.

Neutrogena Naturals Fresh Cleansing + Makeup Remover
This cleanser I have been using as a part of my night time skincare routine for the last few months. I'm a little more than halfway done with it, but really I'm just antsy and want to use a different cleanser. I have a whole shelf full of skincare products in my bathroom taunting me, so I really just need to finish this one so I can open a new one.

Proactiv+ Complexion Perfecting Hydrator
Just like the Neutrogena cleanser, I really just want to try out a new moisturizer. I feel like I've been using this forever. I really, really enjoy using it. It does a really great job of moisturizing the skin, but I'm just tired of using the same thing.

Bath & Body Works Be Enchanted Shimmer Mist
I got this for Christmas a few years ago. Even though I love the scent, I have barely used it! My boyfriend really likes fragrances and because of him, I've recently begun to like wearing a fragrance. This bottle is almost full, so I'm going to have to make a real effort to use it up. I plan on using this whenever I leave the house and as a room spray as often as possible.

Bareminerals Marvelous Moxie Lipstick in Get Ready
This is another "gimme" item for me since it is just a mini lipstick. I like this color a lot. A mauve lip is pretty standard for me, so hopefully this will be easy for me to incorporate into my everyday makeup. If I finish this in record time, I have another mini of this color that I may throw into the mix.

Wet N Wild ColorIcon Lip Liner in Chestnut
Sticking with lips, I thought I would throw in a liner. I've gotten into lining my lips lately, but I also wear a lip color almost every day now. This is a medium warm brown color, so it could go with just about anything. That's part of why I chose it. I also have 2 others in the exact same color because it's my go-to lip liner.

Sally Hansen Moisture Twist Lipgloss in Berries-N-Cream
The last lip product I want to use up is this lipgloss. I found it at my local dollar store about a year ago. I like the texture of this until it wears away. Because of the glitter and shimmer in this, it can be really gritty after it wears off. I plan to keep this in my car to just add to my lips when I have makeup on and can't be bothered with reapplying a lipstick.

Maybelline Dream Fresh BB in Deep
I first purchased this when the BB cream phase first hit the states. The color of this is good for me, but because I have oily skin, it tends to get really shiny and seperate on my face pretty quickly. Hence why I want to get rid of it. I couldn't just toss it when I did my foundation purge because I like the initial finish of it, but I will be using this with a matte primer and a powder over it just so I can say I used it all.

elf Contouring Blush & Bronzer in St. Lucia
This is one of those makeup items that I really loved when I first got it, but just haven't used a ton lately. I really wanna hit pan on both the blush and bronzer, but since it's summer and I have an unwanted tan, these won't really show up on their own. So I plan to use them as toppers to other blushes and bronzers or to set liquid or cream blushes and bronzers.

There it is, guys! These are all the products for my new Project Pan. I tried really hard to put some makeup products in there and ended up with 5. Thanks for supporting me, and come back in a few days for something new.

Kiss, Kiss.
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