Today, I’m reviewing my beauty expenses for 2022. I know we’re more than half way through 2023, but I realized that I forgot to do last year’s beauty expenses.
As you can see from the graphs, I started spending money on beauty products again. There was a significant decrease in 2020 and 2021 because of COVID. The majority of the skincare purchases were the Kiehl’s Ultimate Strength Hand Salve and First Aid Beauty KP Bump Eraser. I’ve been lucky enough to receive skincare products to review. So I haven’t bought many skincare products for my face, but somehow I spent $550 on things like hand cream, body scrubs and pimple patches.
My 6 most expensive beauty purchases of 2022:
Sephora Collection PRO 8-piece Brush Set – $92.80
Charlotte Tilbury Eyes to Mesmerize Cream Eyeshadow Trio – $70.20
Clinique Take the Day Off Cleansing Balm (Value size) – $52
Uoma Beauty Say What?! Foundation – $50
Youth to the People Dream Eye Cream with Vitamin C and Ceramides – $49.60
After seeing how much I spent last year on makeup and skincare, I’m actually quite surprised. It didn’t feel like I spent that much on beauty products. Since we’re in August 2023, I can say that I’ve actually tried my 6 most expensive purchases and I like all of them. I think I’m starting to prefer powder or cream foundations though, so I probably wouldn’t repurchase the Uoma foundation. I like all of the other products though. I haven’t opened the Clinique Take the Day Off Cleansing Balm, but I’ve used it in the past. I really like the Sephora Collection PRO brushes. They’re so soft and fluffy. The ABH eyeshadow palette is a classic, I still need to use it more. I haven’t used the Charlotte Tilbury Eyes to Mesmerize shadows as much as I’d like. I chose more smokey shades and I’ve mostly been going out during the day and prefer to do a natural eye look in the morning.
I’m interested to see my beauty expenses for this year. I think I’ve bought more clothes than beauty products, but we’ll see what happens in the next few months when the Sephora sale and Black Friday/Cyber Monday sales come around lol.
Charlotte Tilbury Beautiful Skin Medium to Full Coverage Radiant Concealer with Hyaluronic Acid in 4.5 – I ended up returning this because it was too light
bareMinerals BAREPRO 16-HR Skin-Perfecting Powder Foundation in Light 25 Neutral – I returned this one as well because it was too dark lol
Make Up For Ever Artist Color Pencil: Eye, Lip & Brow Pencil in 612 Dimension Dark Brown
Rare Beauty by Selena Gomez Soft Pinch Liquid Blush in Joy
Urban Decay Mini Original Eyeshadow Primer Potion
Benefit Precisely, My Brow Pencil Waterproof Eyebrow Definer in Shade 6
Shu Uemura Hard Formula Eyebrow Pencil in Stone Gray 05
Did you pick anything up from the friends and family sale
Today, I have an updated makeup inventory list. These posts are more for me to track what products I have/had at a given time. The items in BOLD are unopened/barely used.
Primers: 3
Smashbox Photo Finish Primer Water
Smashbox Photo Finish Primer Water
Pixi +C Vit Brightening Perfector*
Foundations: 3
Maybelline Shine-Free + Balance Stick Foundation in Classic Ivory
Maybelline Shine-Free + Balance Stick Foundation in Natural Beige
Uoma Beauty Say What?! Foundation in Fair Lady T2N
Concealers: 2
Laura Mercier Secret Camouflage Concealer in SC-2: Fair To Light Skin Tones
Maybelline Instant Age Rewind Concealer in Neutralizer
Powders: 3
Hourglass Veil Translucent Setting Powder
Becca Hydra-Mist Set & Refresh Powder (mini)
Maybelline Fit Me Matte + Poreless Powder in Translucent
Blushes/Highlighters/Bronzers: 10
Bare Minerals Gen Nude Powder Blush in That Peach Tho
Chanel Soleil Tan de Chanel Bronzing Base
Charlotte Tilbury Hollywood Flawless Filter in 2 Fair
Honest Beauty Crème Cheek Blush in Rose Pink
Milk Makeup Lip + Cheek (mini) in Werk
Burt’s Bees The Luminizer in 1906 Starlight*
Milani Strobelight Instant Glow Powder in Afterglow
Wet N Wild Megaglo Highlighting Powder in Blossom Glow
Hourglass Ambient Lighting Bronzer in Nude Bronze Light
Pixi Summer Glow Palette*
Brows: 3
Anastasia Brow Wiz in Ebony
Maybelline Brow Fast Sculpt, Mascara for Brows in Clear
Uoma Beauty Brow-Fro Blow Out Volumizing Gel in 6
Eyeshadows: 6
Anastasia Beverly Hills Single in Intense Gaze
Anastasia Beverly Hills Single in Rosette
Anastasia Beverly Hills Single in Sunset
Catrice Self Made Bae Palette*
Charlotte Tilbury Easy Eye Palette
Urban Decay Naked Eyeshadow Single in Half Baked
Eyeliners: 3
Annabelle Kohl Eyeliner in 116 White
MAKE UP FOR EVER Artist Color Pencil: Eye, Lip & Brow Pencil 502 Infinite Sand
MAKE UP FOR EVER Artist Color Pencil: Eye, Lip & Brow Pencil in 100 Whatever Black
Mascara: 2
L’Oreal Bambi Eye Original Mascara in 407 Extra Noir*
L’Oreal Bambi Eye Original Mascara in 400 Blackest Black*
Lips: 5
Burt’s Bees Moisturizing Lip Balm in Tropical Pineappple*
Giorgio Armani Rouge Ecstasy Lipstick in 400
L’Oreal Colour Riche Les Nus Intense Nude Lipstick in 173*
L’Oreal Rouge Signature Matte Lipstick in I Create 416
elf Glossy Lip Stain in Fiery Red*
TOTAL NUMBER OF ITEMS: 40
I have quite a few items that I bought last year, but still haven’t opened yet. From the ones I’ve tried so far, I would probably repurchase the Laura Mercier Secret Camouflage Concealer and the L’oreal Rouge Signature Matte Lipstick.
I have a few empties for you this month. I decluttered a few makeup items. I know you can keep some makeup for a while, but I have sensitive, acne-prone skin, so I don’t really want to keep makeup longer than two years.
Good Molecules Rosewater Daily Cleansing Gel* – This cleansing gel was just okay for me. It didn’t really do much more than my Cetaphil Gentle Cleanser which is less expensive.
Repurchase? No.
Skyn Iceland Arctic Repair Cream* – I tried it once as a face moisturizer, but I found it too heavy. I really enjoyed this as a body cream. I would use it after showering and I loved that it wasn’t greasy at all. The container is a 100% recyclable jar made from sugarcane. I found sometimes it was hard to twist the lid on nicely. Since it comes with an insert that holds a spatula. It wasn’t a big issue for me, but I would be worried if I put it in a bag.
Repurchase? For the colder months, I would definitely consider purchasing it.
NatureLab Tokyo Perfect Shine Shampoo & Conditioner* (read my review) –
Repurchase? I would consider trying a different scent.
Maybelline Fit Me Loose Finishing Powder in 15 Light – I really liked this powder. Even though it’s a finishing powder, I used it as a foundation for days I wanted light coverage. I wish they had more shades though. The light shade wasn’t the perfect match.
Repurchase? Definitely!
Tarte Amazonian Clay Full Coverage Airbrush Foundation in Light Neutral – I really liked this powder. It was the wrong shade, but it looked really nice on the skin. I know it’s called a full coverage foundation, but if you use a light hand, it won’t look heavy.
Repurchase? In a different shade, yes.
Giorgio Armani Fluid Sheer in #7 – I purchased this when I bought the Luminous Silk Powder Foundation for my mom. The fluid sheers were on sale and this was one of the shades they had left. It was a good deal and I really just wanted to try it, so I chose #7 (a pinky pearlescent shade). I used this more like an illuminator mixed in with foundation instead of as a highlighter since it was a pink shade. It made my foundation look glowy. I still would’ve preferred to get a different shade, but I liked it.
Repurchase? I want to try other liquid illuminators from other brands, but if I were to get this again, I would get it in shade #2.
Love,
Products marked with * were sent to me for review.
Today I’m reviewing Burt’s Bees products. Out of all the brands I’ve tried, I think Burt’s Bees is now #1 in Most Products Tried with 19 products. I was lucky enough to receive all of these products complimentary from Topbox, but I’m giving my honest opinions on the products. I have a few Hits and Likes, but I’ll be honest and say nothing from the brand has blown me away. I don’t think I would buy any of the products myself.
Before you read this post, please remember that we all have difference preferences and skin types. These are MY hits, misses and likes. You might love something I don’t like or dislike something I love.
HITS
Blush in 1210 Shy Pink* – It’s really pretty! It’s a subtle pink, but gives you a beautiful, blushed look.
LIKES
The Luminizer Nourishing Highlighter in Star Light* – I like this highlighter for a natural glow/highlight.
Moisturizing Lip Balm in Tropical Pineapple* – It’s like any other lip balm. Keeps my lips moisturized and this one smells like a Piña Colada.
Gloss and Glow Glossy Balm in Winning in Pink* – This is a nice balm that makes the lips look glossy, but not sticky.
Natural Mattifying Powder Foundation in 1115 Sand* – This powder was quite pale on me, I need to get a darker shade. I did a light powdering of it on my t-zone after using the foundation and it instantly mattified my skin.
Natural Eye Liner in 1405 Soft Black – This was a very nice black liner. You can take your makeup look from day to night by applying it on the outer V and smudging it out.
Nourishing Lengthening Mascara in Classic Black* – I like the brush of this mascara. The mascara added length to my lashes, but still looked natural and it wasn’t clumpy. It came off easily with water, so it’s definitely not waterproof.
All Aflutter Multi-Benefit Mascara in Classic Black* – Similar to the nourishing mascara, this is a nice mascara that doesn’t make your lashes clumpy. It also came off easily with water. After wearing it for a day, my lashes were still curled. Between the two mascaras, I think I prefer this one.
MISSES
Sensitive Facial Cleanser* – This one isn’t really a ‘miss,’ but I didn’t like it that much either. It had a creamy texture which I didn’t really like. I prefer a gel cleanser. It leaves your skin with a bit of an oily feel. Not quite a film, but your face isn’t squeaky clean.
Burt’s Bees Renewal Refining Facial Cleanser* – I didn’t like the smell of this one.
Sensitive Gentle Day Lotion* – This also isn’t a ‘miss,’ but I didn’t find it to be anything special. It’s fragrance-free and it has a nice texture, but it didn’t really do anything for my skin.
Hydrating Facial Towelettes with Watermelon* – These are very strong/thick towelettes, but the watermelon scent is so strong that it gave me a headache.
Goodness Glows Liquid Foundation in 1025 Natural Beige* – It covered the redness around my nose and chin, but you definitely need a concealer to cover up acne or dark spots. This is NOT waterproof. It washes off easily with water which I don’t like.
Goodness Glows Tinted Moisturizer in 2025 Natural Beige* – This didn’t cover much for me and just like the liquid foundation, it washes away with water very easily.
Defining Retractable Eyeliner in Mulberry & Onyx* – This eyeliner pulled on my skin as I applied it to my waterline and it smudged so much. I tested it out for a day and after a few hours, the eyeliner was patchy. By the end of the day, the eyeliner had rubbed off. I hadn’t rubbed my eyes at all. I did close my eyes tightly a few times to see if any eyeliner or mascara would transfer. I was also disappointed in the Mulberry shade because it just looks black/brown on the eyes.
Natural Eyeshadow Trio in 1505 Shimmering Nudes* – The eyeshadows were okay. I prefer to have a palette that has at least 1 matte shade.
Natural Brow Pencil in 1610 Brunette* – This was too light for me, it almost looked reddish brown on my brows. I prefer to use a darker pencil. I didn’t love that it was waxy because the hairs would get matted down.
Matte Sticks in Buttery Blush & Liquid Honey* – These are a comfortable matte lipstick that doesn’t feel drying. Although the lipstick can be a bit crumbly. (I used to have these in the LIKES, but they got moldy very quickly).
Glossy Lipstick in Peony Dew* – It’s a sheer lipstick that’s a bit waxy. It’s like a morph of a gloss and lipstick because it’s a bit tacky.
Lip Gloss with Avocado in Tulip Spring* – This lip gloss had a passionfruit scent, I believe. It looked nice and gave a bit of tint to my lips, but I wouldn’t purchase this on my own. It felt moisturizing and wasn’t too sticky which was good, but I prefer a lip gloss with a wand for a more precise application.
Squeezy Tinted Balm in Mandarin Granita* – The shade of this is nice and it does keep my lips moisturized for a bit, but I’m not a huge fan of the scent. Also, when I was sent this, I was told that it’s best to apply with a brush or fingers. If you’re on the go, you don’t really want to use your fingers to apply lip balm. So I find that a bit annoying. I’d rather just use a stick lip balm.
Burt’s Bees is fairly new to the makeup game and they need to expand on their shade ranges. If you are looking for a brand that sells natural products, then this is a great drugstore brand to consider.
I thought I would do an update on my makeup collection. I’ve gotten my inventory down to a reasonable number. I think it’s reasonable enough that I don’t feel the need to participate in a Project Pan or 20 in 2020 challenge. I’ve also decided not to do a Low/No Buy this year because I think I can control myself now. I don’t really get swept up in new makeup releases. I might get samples at Sephora, but I don’t feel the need to buy the newest product until I’ve read or watched reviews.
In 2017 and 2018, I bought a bunch of products from Winners and the Mac Warehouse Sale. I didn’t even do full reviews on most of the items because they were old or discontinued. I did do quick reviews on some makeup items in my mid-year makeup inventory:
My plan is to get my collection down to 50 items by the end of the year. It’s shocking to think that I once had 340 makeup items (this number includes individual eyeshadows). It’s even more alarming to think that I paid for most of those items too. While I have been lucky enough to be sent products over the years, I’m sent more skincare products than makeup. Most of those items were impulse purchases because they were on sale or a good deal.
I thought I’d share my makeup routine lately. My skin has been getting better so I’ve been doing more No Foundation looks when I go out. If you follow me on Instagram, you’ll know that my Makeup Of The Day posts all look the same because I keep using the same products. I’m trying to finish some of my current collection before buying any more.
Below is a list of most of the products in my makeup collection. Some products aren’t included (like eyeshadows and my contour palette because I don’t use them every day). Any product that was sent to me will have a (*) after the name:
PRIMER/SPRAY
Tarte Timeless Smoothing Primer
Winky Lux Whipped Cream Primer
Smashbox Photo Finish Primerizer
Touch In Sol No Poreblem Primer
Make Up For Ever Step 1 Equalizing Primer (Nourishing)
Nars Tinted Smudge Proof Eyeshadow Base in Medium (if I’m wearing eye makeup)
Smashbox Photo Finish Primer Oil (didn’t use in Summer, but will use in Fall and Winter)
Pixi Hydrating Milky Mist
Smashbox Photo Finish Primer Water
Cover FX Dewy Setting Spray
For primers, I might use a mix of two (hydrating and blurring). I’m enjoying the Winky Lux Whipped Cream Primer and Touch in Sol No Poreblem Primer.
FOUNDATION
Shiseido Synchro Skin Glow Luminizing Foundation in Golden 3
Nars Velvet matte Foundation Stick in Fiji
Lancome Teint Idole Longwear Foundation Stick SPF21 in 260 Bisque N
Tarte Amazonian Clay Airbrush Full Coverage Powder Foundation in Light Neutral
CONCEALER
RMS Beauty Un-Cover Up in 11
Nars Soft Matte Complete Concealer in Custard
Make Up For Ever Ultra HD Self-Setting Concealer in 21 Cinnamon
Sometimes I might just use concealer and pop on some Maybelline Fit Me Loose Finishing Powder to mattify.
POWDER
Maybelline Fit Me Loose Finishing Powder in 15 Light
Charlotte Tilbury Airbrush Flawless Finish Setting Powder in 2 Medium
Hourglass Veil Translucent Setting Powder
BRONZER
Inglot x Jennifer Lopez Boogie Down Bronzing Powder in J217 Safari
NYX California Beamin’ Face & Body Bronzer in Free Spirit
BLUSH
Milani Baked Blush in Dolce Pink
Nars Liquid Blush in Luster
Bare Minerals Gen Nude Powder Blush in That Peach Tho
HIGHLIGHTER
theBalm Mary Dew-Manizer (mini)
theBalm Cindy Dew-Manizer (mini)
Laura Mercier Matte Radiance Baked Powder in 01 Highlight
Giorgio Armani Fluid Sheer in #7
Sometimes I’ll use my bronzer or highlighter as my eyeshadow. The NYX California Beamin’ Bronzer has a bit of a sheen, so it’s really pretty on the eyes.
EYES
Shu Uemura Eyelash Curler
Art Deco Eyeshadow Single in Off White (to set eyeshadow primer)
Make Up For Ever Artist Color Eye Shadow in M549 Dark Taupe
Make Up For Ever Artist Color Pencil in 502 Infinite Sand
Make Up For Ever Artist Color Pencil in 100 Whatever Black
Hourglass Caution Extreme Lash Mascara
Lancôme Monsieur Big Mascara*
Benefit BADgal BANG Volumizing Mascara
BROWS
Kevyn Aucoin The Precision Brow Pencil in Dark Brunette
Benefit Precisely My Brow Pencil Ultra Fine Shape & Define in 6*
Charlotte Tilbury Legendary Brows Eyebrow Gel in Perfect Brow
Colourpop Boss Brow Clear Gel
I haven’t been doing a lot on the eyes lately. I might just put a light brown and blend or use my bronzer. I’ll use a nude eyeliner along the lower waterline to brighten the eyes. Then I might tightline the upper lashline with a brown/black. For brows, I’ll either use just the Charlotte Tilbury eyebrow gel or use one of the pencils and follow up with one of the gels.
LIPS
Jouer Essential Lip Enhancer Balm
Laneige Lip Glowy Balm in Grapefruit*
Dr. Paw Paw Original Clear Balm
Perricone MD No Lip Gloss Lip Gloss*
Pixi On-The-Glow Multi-Use Moisture Stick*
I have been preferring lip balms/glosses over lipsticks lately. Just adding a bit of gloss to the lips leaves them looking plump and moisturized.
Marcelle Velvet Gel Lip Liner in Rosy Nude – Still working on this one because I don’t wear lipstick that often.
FINISHED
Bobbi Brown Rich Lip Color in Bare Pink – This was a beautiful lipstick shade. I’ve been leaning more towards glosses and lip balms lately, so I probably wouldn’t repurchase this one.
Lancôme Skin Feels Good Skin Nourishing Foundation in 01N Nude Vanilla (read my review) – Loved this foundation, but I wish it came in more shades. If they expand to a shade that matches me better, I would definitely repurchase!
DECLUTTERED
MAC Cremesheen Glass in It’s A Strike – I bought this at the MAC Warehouse Sale in 2017 and it started to smell different, so I decided to declutter it.
MAC Patentpolish Lip Pencil in Kittenish – I also bought this at the MAC Warehouse Sale and I liked it, but again, I am leaning more towards glosses and balms.
TheBalm Batter Up Eyeshadow Sticks in Dugout and Shutout (read my review) – I decided to declutter these because I just didn’t reach for them when I would wear eyeshadows.
So, my 2019 Project Pan kind of failed since I ended up decluttering quite a few of the products. It did make me realize that I need to think twice before I go and buy something that I can’t return (from a warehouse sale or Winners – TheBalm Batter Up sticks were from Winners).
Her skin type is oily and she uses powder foundations. She tried a cushion, but ended up giving it to me because she doesn’t like liquid foundation. She dislikes eye makeup (especially mascara), so she only ever curls her lashes.
Morning Skincare – Update
Shiseido Benefiance WrinkleResist24 Day Emulsion – Mom loves the Shiseido Benefiance WrinkleResist24 collection. Originally, I bought her the Day Cream, but she didn’t like that it came in a pot (for her day cream…for some reason, she’s fine with using the potted creams for nighttime). So, we got the Day Emulsion which comes in a bottle with a pump. She must like it because she bought two more bottles at the Shiseido Warehouse Sale.
She also has a few different SPF products floating around. I don’t know which one she’s currently using on her face, but we have the Shiseido Ultra Sun Protection Lotion and the Neutrogena Ultra Sheer one.
Primer & Colour Corrector – Update
Make Up For Ever Step 1 Equalizer Primer (Smoothing)
L’Oreal Magic Skin Beautifier BB Cream- Anti-Redness (read my review) – My mom said the smell is starting to affect her too, so if anyone knows of a product that’s similar, please let me know!
Foundation – Update
After the Sephora MicroSmooth Baked Foundation, she used the Shiseido Sheer and Perfect Compact Foundation in I20 Natural Light Ivory. This was a nice foundation, but the shade wasn’t quite right and she finished it fairly quickly compared to the Sephora foundation because the pan isn’t very deep.
Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk Powder Foundation in 5.5 – The shade 5.5 is a bit dark, so if she were to repurchase, she’d go down a shade or two. She’s enjoying the foundation – it’s very smooth and looks beautiful. One thing she doesn’t like about the compact is that it comes with a sponge and the middle part with the powder flops back and forth (like the Physician’s Formula Butter Bronzer), powder collects in the sponge section which is wasteful.
Concealer – No Update
Estee Lauder Double Wear Stay-In-Place Flawless Wear Concealer in Warm Light Medium
She still uses this concealer and she likes the consistency.
Eyes – No Update
Tweezerman Lash Curler
She doesn’t wear eyeshadow or mascara.
Blush – Update
Lancôme Blush Subtil in Aplum – Plum-mauve blushes are her favourite! The compact for this blush isn’t the best though. My mom accidentally dropped it and it chipped off the edge because it’s just plastic. Also, why do high end blushes have to come with those useless brushes?
Lips – Update
MAC Patentpolish Lip Pencil in Spontaneous – I bought this at the MAC Warehouse Sale and my mom is just using it to finish.
MAC Cremesheen Glass in It’s A Strike – Same as the patentpolish pencil, this is not the right shade for her and she’s just using it to finish it.
Makeup she has in her purse to touch-up throughout the day:
Clinique Superpowder Double Face Makeup in Matte Neutral – to get rid of the shine.
MAC Lustre Lipstick in Midimauve – I gave her this one since it’s a more sheer lipstick than the satin lipsticks. It has a bit of pigment and shine – looks more like a tinted balm.
Vaseline – glossy and easy to apply without a mirror.
This time last year, I had 340 makeup products (check out my post). By December of last year, I decluttered a lot and finished quite a few products (check out my post). I cut my collection in half and now my collection is down to 100! I hope to continue streamlining my collection. Maybe next year, I’ll have 50-75 products.
Over the weekend, I went to the Shiseido Warehouse Sale in Markham. Thanks to my friend who let me know about it, I was able to score some goodies. They have a lot of high end brands like NARS, Bare Minerals, Buxom, Laura Mercier, Clé de Peau, obviously Shiseido and other hair and fragrance brands.
It’s a three day sale starting Friday for VIPs who have tickets and then on Saturday and Sunday, it’s open to the public (no ticket needed). It’s located at 303 All State Parkway in Markham.
If you’ve seen my haul from the MAC Warehouse Sale from 2017, then you’ll know that I went crazy buying stuff (especially lipsticks) back in 2017. This time, I had more self control (it was also because I just spent a lot of money during the Sephora sale. My Sephora haul will be up on the blog on Friday! For the MAC Sale, you need a ticket to get in for all three days and my sister got me tickets in September and December 2017. For the Shiseido sale, you don’t need a ticket for Saturday and Sunday, so it’s more accessible and I don’t have to rely on my sister to get it from work.
At the MAC sale, the first time I went, I probably bought over 20 products. At the Shiseido sale, I only bought 9 products while my mom bought quite a few skincare products because she loves Shiseido’s Benefiance WrinkleResist line. I’ve banned myself from buying any eyeshadows until I hit pan/finish a few shades first. Maybe I can get some next year.
I was pleasantly surprised that they had so many products left. While I’m sure there was a much bigger selection of complexion products on Friday and Saturday, they still had my shades in two of the products I wanted to try.
Buxom Full-On Lipstick in Dolly | $10
I couldn’t pass on this deal and the shade is so beautiful. It’s my kind of nude-pink lipstick!
NARS Full Vinyl Lip Lacquer in Santo Domingo | $12 (not pictured because I accidentally missed it)
This is a pretty shade and I wanted to try a lip lacquer.
NARS Liquid Blush in Luster | $15
This is such a pretty shade, I had to get it. I also want to get more cream and liquid products because they’re easier to blend and won’t look powdery.
NARS Velvet Matte Foundation Stick in Fiji | $18
I have been wanting to try the NARS foundation stick for a while to compare it to my others.
Clé de Peau Concealer in Beige | $55
I’ve heard good things about this concealer, but it retails for $95 in Canada and I’m not about to spend that much for a concealer stick. While $55 is still quite expensive, I wanted to try it and they had a shade that matched me pretty closely.
Shiseido Synchro Skin Glow Luminizing Foundation in Golden 3 | $18
I was so excited to see that they had my shade in this foundation. My mom said this was the shade that has been the closest shade match to my skin out of all the foundations I’ve been testing out lately.
Shiseido Ultra Sun Protection Lotion for Face/Body SPF50+ (For Sensitive Skin & Children) | $20
I thought I’d give this a try since it was more than half off the retail price.
Dolce & Gabbana 3 L’Imperatrice Pour Femme | $35
I liked this perfume a few years back and I had a sample of it. While it’s more floral than I usually prefer, I still really like it and it was $35 so I had to get it.
Joico Moisture Recovery Conditioner | $10
I know Joico is a higher end brand of hair products at the drugstore so I wanted to try it.
I would definitely go again next year and we probably will be going so my mom can stock up on her Shiseido products. I think I would go on a Saturday, but it’s nice to know they have so much stuff left after the two days. They did have a lot of complexion products sold out (especially NARS foundations), but they still had some really nice products left over.
Before you read this post, please remember that we all have difference preferences and skin types. These are MY hits, misses and likes. You might love something I don’t like or dislike something I love.
Surprisingly, I haven’t tried a whole bunch of products from Maybelline even though it’s an affordable drugstore brand. I think I have a lot of difficulty finding my shade match with their complexion products. I haven’t tried any of their blushes or eyeshadow palettes and only tried one lipstick so far, but here’s my list:
HITS
Instant Age Rewind Dark Circle Eraser Treatment Concealer – This is a great concealer for me, I love how natural it looks. The shade Light might be a bit too light, I’ve gotten a recommendation to try the Neutralizer, so I might try that.
Fit Me Loose Finishing Powder – I love this powder, but the shade 15 Light is a bit pink on me. Maybe it will be better during the summer time.
Fit Me Concealer in 10 Light – Great drugstore concealer!
Fit Me Shine-Free + Balance Stick Foundation in 130 Buff Beige (read my review) – I actually really loved this, even in the summer time. I don’t think it’s available any more though.
Face Studio Master Chrome Highlighter – I love this highlighter, although for me, 100 Molten Gold is a bit too coppery gold for my skintone, but I would definitely repurchase in a different shade.
Color Show Kohl Liner – I loved the nude shade they used to have in this, but they don’t have it anymore. I used to put it on my lower waterline and it would instantly brighten my eyes.
Lash Sensational Full Fan Effect Mascara Washable (read my review) – This is a great mascara, I definitely want to try the waterproof to see if it holds a curl better
Great Lash Mascara (Black or Clear) – This is a classic. The clear one is great for using as brow gel too.
Volum’ Express The Falsies Big Eyes – From what I remember, this is a great mascara.
Volum’ Express The Falsies Mascara – Loved this mascara, need to try it again at some point to compare it to others.
SuperStay 24 Matte Ink Liquid Lipstick in 65 Seductress – A Toronto makeup artist posted a pic of her bride and I commented on it saying her lip colour was beautiful, she replied back saying it was this liquid lipstick mixed with a lipliner and gloss. I see why everyone loves this liquid lippie! I’m not one for matte lipsticks, but this one is super long-wearing and you can top with a gloss in the middle to give that 3D effect.
LIKES
Hydrate & Smooth Fit Me Foundation – The shade I chose in this isn’t right, so that’s probably why I didn’t love it. It was way too orange. I also don’t love that this has no pump.
Matte & Poreless Fit Me Foundation – Same deal as the Hydrate & Smooth one.
Eye Studio Color Tattoo 24HR Cream Gel Eye Shadow in Barely Branded – I am still debating whether I like cream shadows. I think I prefer sticks when it has shimmer. So, I might like one that’s matte.
Total Temptation Washable Volumizing Mascara – This is one mascara that I’m not crazy about. It’s okay, but I prefer the others.
Master Precise Curvy Liquid Liner (read my review) – This doesn’t have a really precise tip and it’s not super black, so if that’s what you’re looking for, skip this one.
MISSES
Baby Skin Instant Pore Eraser – I didn’t like the silicone feel of this.
Master Prime Blur + Redness Control Primer – This didn’t do anything to correct my redness.
Eye Studio Brow Precise Pencil – I didn’t like the waxy feel of this pencil.
Color Show Nail Lacquer – I prefer a fat brush, this has a round skinny brush. For me, I prefer fat because it’s less likely to be streaky since I’m no expert at applying nail polish.
There’s a few products that I tried a long long time ago before I knew a lot about makeup…before using primer. So, here’s what I remember about them:
Baby Lips Lip Balm – I think it was okay, it wasn’t anything special.
SuperStay Better Skin Foundation – I used this a while back before I knew I was supposed to use primer. I don’t even know if I used to use a damp sponge when applying this. The shade I got was way off. I remember it being okay, but I’m not curious enough to to try it out again.
SuperStay Better Skin Concealer + Corrector – I remember it being pretty good, but didn’t love the chemical smell of it (Fit Me doesn’t have that smell). I don’t think the shade was right either.
Giorgio Armani Beauty was having a 15% off sale and the Luminous Silk Powder Foundation was on my list of things to purchase from Sephora for my mom. I decided to take advantage of the sale to buy from Armani. I recently made my first purchase from Lancôme as well. I decided to spend $5 extra to get the gift box because who wouldn’t want to have a beautiful Giorgio Armani gift box? My plan is to eventually buy from the luxury brands that I want to try and also get their beautiful gift boxes.
The package arrived really quickly. I ordered it on the 12th and received it yesterday. I also love that they’re smart: they ship it in a regular brown box that doesn’t have any logos on it (so no one is going to know that it’s Armani and steal it). It was shipped from L’Oréal in Québec.
I ordered three products to make the order over $150:
Fluid Sheer in #7 (I’ll write a review on it once I’ve tried it out)
2 Luminous Silk Powder Foundations in 5.5 for my mom
If you spent over $150, you got a little gift:
Sì Eau de Parfum Mini
Mini Rouge Ecstasy Lipstick in 400
This is a gorgeous red! My kind of red (blue-red) because I don’t like orange-red lipsticks on me.
Before you read this post, please remember that we all have difference preferences and skin types. These are MY hits, misses and likes. You might love something I don’t like or dislike something I love.
So, I received 6 products from Topbox Circle and I’ve tried them all out and here are my thoughts. First of all, I love the rose gold packaging of the products. The frosted glass of the foundation bottle is also beautiful.
HITS
Mattifying Pressed Setting Powder* – This mattifies and provides coverage nicely. It’s great to throw in the purse to touch up throughout the day.
Matte Pressed Bronzer* – I was intimidated by the shade of this, but if you use the right brush, it will diffuse and blend it out beautifully.
MISSES
Sheer Glow BB Cream* – Similar to the foundation, this provided no coverage and just made me look very dewy.
Luminous Sheer Liquid Foundation* (read my review) – This provided no coverage for me at all. It was like the BB Cream.
Sheer Glow Colour Balm* – This was patchy and I don’t like the taste/smell of this on my lips.
LIKES
Perfecting Primer* (read my review) – This primer was okay. It wasn’t the worst, but also wasn’t the best.
Liquid Foundation Brush* – I prefer using sponges, but this is a very nice brush and I would consider getting other brushes from Nude by Nature.
If I were to buy anything, I would get some of the Nude by Nature brushes, and I would get the powder products again. I will be giving the liquid foundation and BB cream to a friend who likes sheer coverage.
Have you tried Nude by Nature? What are your faves?
Love,
Products marked with * were sent to me for review.
It’s been a month since I posted my Project Pan 2019 post. It turns out I was pretty close to finishing some of my products, so here’s an update.
I am very close to finishing the Make Up For Ever Step 1 Equalizer Primer and I’ve finished the Smashbox Under Eye Primer, MAC Radiant Primer, and Bobbi Brown Skin Foundation Stick. I decluttered the Essence Eyeshadow Base because it was older than I thought. I also decided to declutter the Burt’s Bees Blush because I was just using it to finish it and not because I loved it. It’s a gorgeous shade, but I have a love-hate relationship with blush. I either apply too little or too much and making that mistake with a pink blush is not good. I don’t want to look like a clown. Anyway, I have been leaning towards the peachy/nude/coral shades lately instead of bright pink.
Since I finished so many products already, I added some more:
Bobbi Brown Lip Color in Bare Pink
MAC Cremesheen Glass in It’s A Strike
Marcelle Velvet Gel Lip Liner in Rosy Nude
MAC Patentpolish in Kittenish
TheBalm Batter Up Eyeshadow Sticks in Dugout and Shutout (read my review)
Lancome Skin Feels Good Skin Nourishing Foundation in 01N Nude Vanilla (read my review)
