It's a Wrap - 2012

Hey all,
So this year has been pretty big for me and I wanted to find a way to kind of wrap it up (hence the title) without just doing one of those "Best Products" tags that seem pretty generic. So instead I came up, with the help of a few questions from those tags, my own tag/questionaire about the year and made it pretty all inclusive rather than only doing it about beauty. I'm mostly doing this for myself to look back and reflect on but I hope that you all think about your own experiences in 2012 and maybe take some tips or suggestions from my experiences. Thanks for reading and Happy New Year

Personal:
Best book you read in 2012? 
I read the Hunger Games in the early spring of this year and fell in love with the trilogy, the movie was good but nothing compared to the books, the best writing I've read in a long time. 

What was your best month? Worst month?
My family went on our first real, week long vacation in August of this year, and it was overall just a great month.  I left my job that I had been hating and it was just a good month, but then we had to drop my brother off in Kentucky for college and that was rough on us.  So it was kind of the best and the worst wrapped into one. 

What’s something you learned about yourself?
I learned that I'm really great at working with kids who are a little rough around the edges.  I also learned that I have a serious problem with spending money and need to marry rich or curb this problem. 

What is one thing you regret from this year?
I regret not going back to school. It's one of the things that is really holding me back in life, so it's on my to do list for this year. 

Did you have to go to the hospital? 
I actually don't think I went to the hospital at all in 2012, but I was there yesterday if that counts.

How did you earn your keep?
I spent the first 8 months of the year working at a home for kids who had expereienced severe trauma/neglect.  That was an amazing experience, I worked there for 2 years and it was a great place to grow and learn but they way it was run was  pretty ridiculous and I ended up exhausted and worn out.  When I left there I decided to take a hiatus and decide what I want to do in the end.  I have been nannying since September, which is a weird experience but the money is good and I'm learning a lot. I will probably stick with nannying until the end of the school year and work on getting back to school and finding a job as a teaching assistant/paraprofessional. 

What was your favorite movie?
I must say my favorite movie of 2012 was probably the Hobbit, although there were a few great ones, including Trouble with the Curve, Breaking Dawn (P. 2), Brave, The Campaign and the Hunger Games. 

What was your favorite song?
Favorite songs are always hard for me to pinpoint.  I loved Taylor Swift's new Album, Red. And my favorite song off of it was All Too Well. I also loved Gary Allan's Every Storm Runs Out of Rain. 

What was your proudest moment?
I paid off most of my credit card debt that I'd accrued over the years so that was pretty exciting for me. 

Beauty Related:

What was your favorite drugstore brand/product of 2012?

I think Maybelline took the drugstore by storm this year.  Between their variety of great mascaras, babylips and my all time favorite Color Tattoos, I seriously don't know what I would do without them.  My favorite product was definitely my Color Tattoo's. I love the white one most but also love the new pink and the long time bronze. 

What was your favorite fragrance of 2012?

I'm still in love with my Taylor Swift Wonderstruck fragrance. I also love Secret Wonderland and Forever Red from Bath and Body Works.

Most used beauty products of 2012? 

I must say that if I had to narrow it down to just a few items I used constantly in 2012 they would be the following: Babylips Lip Balm, my ELF Powder Brush, my Aussie Split End Cream and My Sonia Kashuk small powder brush.

5 best eye products of 2012?

Maybelline Color Tattoos

Prestige Total Intensity Eye Liner in Black

My ELF 32 pan palette in Warm

Revlon Carbon Black Collogen Mascara

Urban Decay Primer Potion

5 best face products of 2012?

This one is probably the hardest question, because I really don't use much face makeup. But here it goes. 

Maybelline Age Rewind Dark Circle Eraser 

Covergirl and Olay Simply Ageless Concealer.  

ELF high definition face powder

ELF mineral blush in Joy

Garnier Skin Renew Miracle Skin Perfector BB Cream

My 2013 Bucket List:

Complete a "No Buy Challenge" from now until March 30, 2013.  This is bound to be a challenge for me buttttt I need to use the products I have and save money.

Work on budgeting myself, save a few thousand before the end of summer. I need to get on track to being an adult, meaning less going out, more saving and making more safe and conscious choices. 

Go on a trip, somewhere I've never been. This has long been a goal of mine but it's really seeming like this might be there to do it.  I'm considering becoming and overseas Au Pair for a few months or just taking a trip somewhere with friends.

Get back to school.

Find a job in the education field. I really need to start  moving forward in my career, so this and going back to school go hand in hand, as I need the field experience and the classroom experience to become a certified teacher in MA.

Keep up with the blog!

May Favorites... a little late!

1. Primer - This month I have been using the Sephora Glitter Eye Shadow in the small tub for my eyes and Hard Candy Sheer Envy Primer for my face, though I haven't been doing much with my face this month.



2. Eye Shadow -This month I have been sticking with very neutral eye shadows.  I have been sticking with Covergirl Eyenhancers Trio in the color Shimmering Sands and  the NYX Trio in the color In The Woods. The colors in both of these trios blend together very well, though both groups are very different.  They are both shimmery but help keep me create a professional and casual look that is easy to apply daily. I have also used the Wet N Wild Color Icon single shadow in Nutty.

3. Eye Liner - This month I have been constantly using Physicians Formula Shimmer Strips Custom Eye Enhancing Trios.  I have been using the smokey eyes, nude and hazel trios primarily.  These colors are great because they glide on easily and stay on all day.  I have loved using the NYX Baby Blue Eye Pencil as a pop of color.

4. Foundation -  I havent used foundation this month at all.  I have been using different

5. Concealer - I am still in love with the Covergirl and Olay Simply Ageless Concealer and use it constantly, as does my mom.  She is constantly stealing it from me.  I also have been using the Instant Age Rewind Eraser for Dark Circles. I have also been sealing both of these with the ELF High Definition Undereye Setting Powder.

6. Blush - This month I loved the Milani Baked Blush in Luminouso, I love the glow it give my cheeks and how peachy it is without being overly orange.










7. Lip Products- This month I have loved 3 different lip products. I loved the Baby Lips in Peach Kiss, Wet  n Wild Lip Sticks in 502A. And the Bare Escentuals ID lip stick in the color Yumi.  I love all of these colors and used them constantly.













8. Hair Product - I have been loving the Aussie Split End Protectant this month.  I think it has been

9. Perfume/Lotion -This month I have loved Taylor Swifts Wonderstruck, it's strong but not overpowering and is floral enough that it is summery.  I have also loved the Ulta Freshwater Mist Fragrance Spray. 

10. Mascara - This month I have continued to use my Covergirl Lash Exact Highlights mascara for hazel eyes and then I have discovered the Ulta Bountiful Lash Fortifying Mascara in Soft Black












11. Moisturiser -I have loved the Clean and Clear Finishes pore refining moisturiser.

12. Non Beauty- This month I have been loving my new Kindle Fire.


So those are my favorites and most used products of  May. Have a great night!

Giving into the Hype- New Product Haul

Hey guys, so this weekend I finally caved and purchased a few of the newer hyped up products that I haven't stopped hearing about. SO here are the products I purchased and my first impressions of them.

Maybelline Eye Studio Color Tattoo Cream Eye Shadows in the colors Tough as Taupe, Pomegranate Punk and Bad to the Bronze- $5.84 ea. at Walmart

Top-Bottom- Bad to the Bronze,
Pomagranate Punk, Tough as Taupe

Impressions:
Tough as Taupe- This is the only Matte Color I saw in the collection and is incredibly pigmented, goes on smooth and has a very cement like look to it.   I liked this color but it was not my favorite of the three.  It is very gray and I'm not a huge gray fan, I just don't think it compliments my complexion but I am sure I will make use of it.

Pomegranate Punk- This color was my favorite, a very wearable berry color with a beautiful satin finish.  It was a little more splotchy than the other two colors but I loved it just the same.

Bad to the Bronze- This was the most creamy of the three colors and it spreads so smoothly and perfectly onto the lid.  I used this as a base more than once and it is so amazing and works great with other colors overtop of it.

Stock Photo of Dream Bouncy Blush in Pink Plum

Maybelline Dream Bouncy Blush in the color Pink Plum- $8.29 at CVS
Impression:
I hateddddddd this blush and returned it this evening.  The color payoff was terrible.  The consistency of the product was very interesting but The product itself sucked.  There was no color, the product didnt spread and was not smooth at all. This is the worst of the products I purchased and I will not be trying any more of these products but do hope to try other cream/mouse blushes in the hopes that they would be better pigmented.

Sorry for the lighting!

Hard Candy Take it Off Makeup Remover- $5.00 at Walmart
Impression:
This may be the best makeup remover I have ever used.  For years I relied soley on cold cream for makeup removing and I really liked the way it instantly reliveed your face but became frustrated with how it made my skin, particularly my eye area feel after using it.  This creamy product is very similar in consistency but does not leave the heavy grease feeling that I had experienced with the cold cream.  I love that is a lotion and that it is specifically formulated for erasing "glitter, waterproof and long lasting products", as these titles are on most of my favorite products and liquid makeup removers never seem to be able to completely remove them.

Garnier Skin Renew Miracle Skin Perfector B.B. Cream in Light/Medium- $10.00 at CVS 

B.B Cream in Light to Medium

Impression:
Okay so we know that there's a huge trend spreading through the beauty world surrounded the B.B Creams that have come out recently.  I had been hearing a lot about them and wanted to find a cheap alternative to try, especially with summer coming up.  I work in a pretty high activity job and need to use makeup that won't be too heavy, wear off through the day or melt if I'm in the heat but I also need some coverage.  I looked around at the different high end B.B. creams but I didn't want to spend 30+ dollars on a cream I wasnt even sure I would like.  I love my foundation combination that I have been using lately and I didn't want to commit to another product.  So I picked up this cream when I saw it at my local CVS the other day and have been LOVING it so much the last week or so. It gives this awesome dewy look and sheer enough that you can see all of my freckles but enough coverage that it helps to even out my skintone.  I use this with my Covergirl/Olay Concealer and they match together so well that it's just straight up gorgeous!

Overall aside from the horrible blush I am super satisfied with my purchases and hope that you find these mini reviews useful and helpful.

Please comment and follow!

March 2012 Favorites

1. Primer - This month I have been loving the ELF sheer eyelid primer so much.  Not gonna lie, my makeup has creased a few times but for $1 it does it's job.

2. Eye Shadow - I have been loving the Victorias Secret Beauty Rush in the color God rush, super shimmery and so many ways to use this, both as a base all over color and a light inner corner and browbone color depending on the look I am going for.

3. Eye Liner - Physicians Formula Nude Eyes Shimmer Strips Liner Trio is amazing, specifically the middle mauvey color.

4. Foundation -  I have been using a combination of Revlon ColorStay and Rimmel Clean finish all month and like how sheer the coverage is for this combination, the tone of the Rimmel is fairly dark brown undertones and the ColorStay is very pinky undertoned.

5. Concealer - I am in love with the Covergirl and Olay Simply Ageless Concealer.  It is so creamy and thick enough that it really does cover dark circles.  I use this stuff every night.

6. Blush - pH MatchMaker Blush in pink.  This is the best blush I have ever had.  It's super bright pink and so soft and blendable, it's so awesome!

7. Palette - this month I loved using the Physicians Formula Shimmer Strips for
Green Eyes in the collection POP! These colors are so fun, pigmented, blend able and versatile. There are many combinations you can creat with this tiny palette.

8. Face Applicator - this month I found myself reaching for the E.L.F. Powder Brush for EVERYTHING! I use this brush everyday for powder, blush, bronzer and often use it for liquid foundation as well.

9. Eye Applicator - This month I found the best blending brush, the Sonia Kashuk Small Powder Brush.  This brush is a little bigger than the Mac 224 and is sooooo much softer and blends so nicely!!

10. Hair Product - John Frieda Brilliant Brunette Shine Shock Glosser has been my go to product forever and I have used it a ton lately. I actually cut the tube open and put it in a pot which has made it so much easier to use and remember I have lol.

11. Perfume - Victoria's Secret PINK With a Splash Body spray in the scent Warm&Cozy has been my go to scent all month long.  I got the sample size one and when my secret rewards card can be used I plan to go back and get the large size.  This scent is so light and great for work, as it's not overpowering at all and has undertones of "warm peony and toasted vanilla".

12. Mascara - This month I have fallen in love with the Loreal Paris Voluminous Million Lashes Mascara, it seperates and volumizes all of my lashes without clumping! Love, so much Love.

13. Moisturiser - Just like last month, I have been using Bio Oil  constantly and love it!

14. Nail Care Product - Barille No Chip Speed Dry Top Coat has worked wonders for me this month, check it out!

15. Movie - The Descendants was by far the best movie of last year and I was so happy to see it come out on dvd and watch it again.  The themes in it are so well played and the acting is just amazing, go see it if you havent yet!

So those are my favorites and most used products of February. Have a great night!

TAG: Questions!!!

Hey guys!

Quickly doing this beauty Tag before heading to work!

SKINCARE
-
-How many times do you wash your face daily? 
2 times

-What skin type do you have? (dry,oily,combo)
Combination

-What is your current facial wash?

Clean & Clear Finishes Oil, Free Pore Perfecting Cleanser

-Do you exfoliate?
I try to but I forget

-What brand do you use?
Clean and Clear

-What moisturizer do you use?
Bio Oil and Ponds 

-Do you have freckles?

Billions

-Do you use eye cream?
No not really

-Do you or did you have acne prone skin?
Not really but I do get breakouts 

-Did you ever have to use Pro-activ?
Nope, but I did in highschool and college. 

MAKE-UP

-What foundation do you use?
I use a combination of Rimmel Clean Finish and Revlon Photo Ready

-How about concealer?
I use a yellow correcting concealer for my undereye area from ELF and a glamoflage from Hard Candy on blemishes

-Do you know your undertone color?
Pink unfortunately

-What do you think of fake eyelashes?
I don't use them, I have really long eyelashes anyways and they seem like way too much work.

-Did you know that you are suppose to change your mascara every 3 months?
Yeah but I generally have ADD about mascara and use a bunch all the time.

-What brand of mascara do you use?
Loreal right now but I use everything realy.

-Sephora or MAC?
Sephora

-Do you have a MAC Pro-card?
Nope I've only been to Mac2 times in my life. 

-What makeup tools do you use in make up application?
I use the SoHo beauty sponge for my foundation and then use an ELF eyeshadow all over brush and theyre powder brush and then use a Salma Hayek blending brush. 

-Do you use make-up base/primer for the eyes?
 ELF eyeshadow primer

-For the face?I use hardcandy face primer,

-What is your favorite eyeshadow (color or shade)?
I like purples a lot. 

-Do you use pencil or liquid eyeliner?
Pencil, gel and liquid depending on the day. 

-How often do you poke your eyes with an eyeliner pencil?
only when I am doing makeup in the car

-What do you think of pigment eyeshadows?
only like 2

-Do you use mineral makeup?
yes I use mineral eyeshadows

-What is your favorite lipstick?
right now mine is the Lip butters

-How about lipgloss?
too many to decide but I love the ELF hypershine glosses.

-What is your favorite blush to use?
MIlani Baked blushes

-Do you buy your makeup on ebay?
No but I have bought a lot from Amazon.com

-Do you like drugstore makeup?
yeah I love it.

-Do you go to CCO's? (cosmetic company outlets)
None near me sadly.

-Did you ever consider taking make-up classes?
I'd love to.

-Are you clumsy in putting on makeup?
Somettimes

-Name a makeup crime that you hate?
When people use way too much eyeliner

-Do you like colorful shades of makeup (lipstick,eyeshadow) or neutral ones?
Usually colorful but not always bright.

-Which celebrity always has great make up?
Ummmmmmm Carrie Underwood.

-If you could leave the house using just ONE make up item,what would you use?
Mascara

-Could you ever leave the house without any makeup on?
Sometimes but not if I'm going anywhere important
-Do you think you look good even without any makeup on?
No.

-In your opinion, what is the BEST makeup line?
ELF

-What do you think of Makeup??

It's too addictive but such a self esteem booster. 

Colors of the Rainbow Tag

I decided to do this tag after reading http://makeup4myage.blogspot.com's blog today.

Now the way this one works is you have to name one favourite beauty product in your collection representing each colour of the rainbow.  One of each of the following:

White

  I have two white products I could not live without. 

1. Sephora Jumbo Waterproof Eye Liner

2. ELF Mineral Eyeshadow in Angelic

Red

Revlon Lip Butter in Candied Apple

Yellow

ELF Cover Everything Concealer in Corrective Yellow has been my dark circles life saver this month. I love it so much. 

Green

Wet N Wild Juicy Lip Balm SPF 15 in Watermelon Pasteque, not the best lipbalm I have ever had but its the best green product.

Blue

ELF Mineral Eyeshadow in Beachy is the most vibrant shimmery blue ever!

Indigo

  The top right corner of the ELF Brightening Eye Shadow in Ocean Dreams is the most perfect Indigo color ever.

Violet

The second darkest shade in the NYC IndividualEyes for Green Eyes is such a beautiful violet maroon color. I use this color at least 4 times a week.

So yeah thats my makeup rainbow lol!

Consider yourself tagged!!

Additional Project Pan Products

Hey all!
So I went through my entire collection today and added some products to my P10P so it's more like a P16P now.  The rules are to remain the same though, I just found some new products I would like to try to finish up for various reasons.

Here are the added products:

1. Beauty Rush Baked Eyeshadow in the color Gold Rush- I have had this product for probably around a year and really want to finish it off and just remove it from my collection.  I like this product but have a lot of very similar colored eyeshadows. 
2. Wet n Wild ColorIcon Baked Eyeshadow in the color Fiery- Love this color, it's very mauvy and shimmery I would just like to try to use it more mostly. 
3.  Nuance by Selma Hyack Lights.Camera.Action Eye Trio- This is such a handy product that comes with a cream eyeshadow, eye brightener and eye liner in one stick.  I bought this product a few months ago before I discovered E.LF. and just really want to remember this more and continue to use it.  
4. NYC Metro Quartet Eye Shadow in Lexington Luxury-I have 3 of these in different shades and this is my least favorite color combination.  I dont hate it but it's really boring so I just want to get rid of it without wasting money. 
5. E.L.F Studie Single Eyeshadow in Butter Cream-This is probably my least favorite E.L.F probduct.  The color is a yellowish cream color and it is very chalky.  I received this in an E.L.F free gift package and don't want to just waste it. 
6. E.L.F. HyperShine Lipgloss in the color Flirt- I have like 4 of these products because E.L.F. always sends them as a free gift and I often neglect to use lipglosses. 
7. E.LF. Eyelid Primer in Sheer- I have accumulated a ton of eyelid primers and just want to use this one up. 

All of My Project Pan Products

I also decided to remove my Mac PaintPot from the original list because it is so expensive I really don't want to burn through it, I want it to last..  I'm not really sure why I originially included it anyway because it's neither something I want to finish off or use more of. 

I will post a list on the right side of the blog of all the items I am including in the P16P and will cross them off as I finish them. 

Thanks for reading and post again soon!

My Project 10 Pan

Hey All! So I realized I have been really gluttonous about my makeup collection in the past month and need to pull in the reigns. So I decided to start my own "Project 10 Pan".  I am so nervous about this project because I am literally addicted to makeup but I love these products that I have picked so I am not worried about this because the last few months I have definitely been hoarding makeup.  I have bought everything in sight without thinking about how much I was spending.  So here it goes! For those of you who don't know a "Project Pan" is when you go on a makeup/beauty product buying strike until you finish "X" amount of products.  I will be hitting pan on 10 products.


As of tonight the following rules apply:

• To add a product to my finished "Pan" list, I have to use up the entire thing. Like as in throwing it in the trash barrel kind of finished. Dead.
• I may slip up if I find something limited edition, one of a kind, and a product that I know I will regret passing up. I will probably just keep it in the box until I'm done with this project. Then it will be like a little reward for finishing! 
• Building off of the previous rule, if I see something on a major sale or if ELF has a major deal I will buy the product but it will remain in it's packaging until the product pan is over.  I will also let all of my readers know if this happens so I can be kept accountable. 
• If I receive any giftcards or CVS extrabucks I will use them.  The point of this is to spend less money, not downsize.

Here are my products:

• E.L.F. Complexion Perfection Powder- I love this product so much and use it constantly.  It's only $3 dollars from eyeslipsface.com and I will be starting a brand new one for this product.
• Sephora Mineral Matte Touch Up Powder- I just bought this product last week and it's a great setting powder. So smooth!!
• Physicians Formula Shimmer Strips Nude Palette-  The colors in the palette are beautiful and I use them all the time.  It is very versitile and the shadows are all beautifully creamy.
• Loreal Voluminous Million Lashes- This is my everyday mascara and this is a fairly new product so finishing it will take a while. 
• Sephora Jumbo 12hr Waterproof Liner in White- I use this everyday for innercorner brightening but I have a whole bunch of innercorner pencils so I would like to continue with this one. 
• E.L.F Mineral Eye Liner in Black- Again I use this pencil almost every day.  It is a great waterline color and the pigmentation and staying power are amazing!
• MAC PaintPot in Rubenesque- This will be my most difficult product to hit pan on because I only use a tiny bit per use.
• E.L.F. Cover Everything Concealer in Corrective Yellow- This is a great undereye concealer.
• Hard Candy Sheer Envy Illuminating Primer-  This stuff is great but I have the regular one that I prefer so this is the only product I am trying to Pan to get rid of rather than just throwing out my money. 
• E.L.F Minty Lip Gloss in Seattle- Clear, shimmery, minty, GOODNESS!

Yep so that's it! If anyone has every done a product pan or a makeup diet please let me know any tips you used for curbing the desire to buy buy buy. LOL. Thanks for reading and Ill be back soon!

Seven Deadly Sins of Beauty- TAG

Hey all!
I have never done a tag before but really wanted to do this one because I get to talk about my favorite things!!


TAG QUESTIONS


1. GREED: What is your most inexpensive beauty item? What is your most expensive?
My most inexpensive items are all my E.L.F. Essential products that are only a dollar- my favorites are the shimmer sticks (shimmery liners that have built in sharpeners in the cover) and the waterproof eyeliner pens which come in a range of colors and leave a beautifully precise line every time. Love both of those products. 


As for the most expensive item I own, that has to be my Urban Decay Book of Shadows IV.  I got this for $35 dollars from Hautelook and love it so much. 


2. WRATH: What beauty products do you have a love/hate relationship with? What product has been the hardest to get?
I have a love hate relationship with any loose eyeshadows and pigments.  They are beautiful but they are SOOOO messy! I also have a love hate relationship with really dark eyeshadows because I usually like the end effect but they are so dramatic that I have a hard time integrating them into my day to day. 


3. GLUTTONY: What are your most delicious beauty products?
My Physicians Formula Happy Boosters products both have the most amazing scent!


4. SLOTH: What beauty product do you neglect, due to laziness?
I tend to neglect doing my hair because it takes soooo long and it ends up on top of my head in 15 minutes of my punching in at work.


5. PRIDE: What beauty product gives you the most self confidence?
Good eye makeup! Like when you get that perfect blend and it all comes together it's amazing!!!!


6. LUST: What products do you think you could never live without?
I could never live without mascara.  I rarely leave the house without it.  My favorite kind is Lash Stilletos. 


7. ENVY: What items would you most like to receive as a gift?
Either of the Naked Palettes would be amazing.  But I usually just ask for gift cards. 


I tag you all! Just leave a link below