No Buy Makeup Challenge Update-Week #1

As I said in my last post, I began a "No Buy Challenge" on January 1st and plan on going until March 31st... I know seems like forever.  I have really been looking at my life from a new perspective lately, for a lot of reasons I think, including how poor my finances have been and I've really been trying to cut back on excessive spending.  Well, while looking at this I have realized just how much money I have spent on makeup over the past year... and if I were to give it a rough guess I would probably guess around $1000. A $1000 dollars. There is no justification for that.  Now, that's not to say that I regret my purchases or that I am not in love with  my makeup, but rather I just cannot be okay with spending money like that on makeup when I'm in default on my student loans and am living with my parents... it's unacceptable.  Another thing I realized whilst surveying my life and specifically my makeup collection. I have so many products that I rarely ever use.... nice products that just get lost in the shuffle as well as products I spent good money on but didn't really love.

And so, all things considered,  I decided that I'm going to commit to not purchasing any make up products for 3 whole months. Last year I attempted a 10 pan challenge and failed epic-ly, it seemed daunting and scary to have to pick products to completely finish.  I also realized that I was rushing through, using more product than I normally would and was reaching for the same products every single day, which is not the point of the challenge that I'm doing this time. This time I want to work on appreciating the things that I have so that I don't find the need to constantly buy more.  I want to experiment with things that I haven't used much of in the past and try out some of the palettes that have been neglected due to having smaller more compact options. I want to really savor the "art" of using all the makeup I've purchased and make it worth it. Who knows, maybe I'll end up continuing it on for longer than 3 months.  But I'm not thinking that way yet.  Just want to be greatful for what I have now.

This week wasn't too hard actually, very surprising since I was in more than one Drugstore in the past 3 days and each time ended up with something in my hands.  But it was pretty easy to talk myself down from there and remember my goals.  I did buy my first Sigma brush, the E25 Blending Brush, with a gift card I recieved from my brother for Christmas.  Considering it wasn't my money, nor was it an actual "makeup product" I didn't feel too guilty, I've been needing to replenish a few of my brushes, my ELF Studio Brushes, though I love them they are starting to fall apart and so I'm slowly going to work on building up my set again but for now it was just that one 10 dollar splurge. Let's see what all the hype is about I guess lol.

Well I hope you are all having a wonderful and blessed 2013 so far!
And if any of you have completed a challenge similar to this one please comment with your tips!
Talk to you soon!
Colie   

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!

TAG: Questions!!!

Hey guys!

Quickly doing this beauty Tag before heading to work!

SKINCARE
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-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. 

Hard Candy Review

Last week I went to Walmart for the first time in ages with the intention of picking up a trash bucket for my bedroom and a few shirts for my younger brother. I came out with 80 dollars worth of trash bucket, boys clothes, toys and of course... makeup.  I seriously have a problem.  Anyways, I noticed HardCandy and loved the amount of products and colors in their eyeshadow collection.  I tore myself away from eye makeup because I have WAY too much eye makeup and looked more towards their foundations, primers and concealers. I have been in the market for a new primer and that was my excuse for being in the cosmetic section in the first place, much to the annoyance of my 7 year old shopping partner.  I have used HardCandy Sheer Envy primer before, in their "illuminating" style and decided to purchase the normal finish primer.  I also bought their Just Face It One Step Foundation in the color light as well as their Nobody's Perfect Concealer Palette.

Lets Start With the Good:

Sheer Envy Primer-Original

-This primer is AMAZING.  I purchased it because I recently ran out of my ELF Mineral Infused Primer after only 2 weeks of use.  I wanted something that I didn't have to wait for shipping and that came in a bigger portion so as to not run out so fast.  For only $8 I am more than pleasantly surprised.  Adorable packaging, smooth moisturising finish and all day coverage make this product a 5 out of 5 for me.  One dime sized dollop is enough to cover your whole face and it buffs right into your face, diminishing the small lines and large pores that cover my face.  I don't think it changed the coverage of the makeup but I am sure that it helped my very sheer coverage foundation last all day.


And Onto the Not So Good:
Face It One Step Foundation- Light
-I have tried a lot of foundations in the past month or so. I've tried some for combination skin, some for dry skin, some heavy coverage and some light. This was the WORST foundation I have ever used.  It was think, oily and shiny.  It looked so cakey and no matter what I applied it with, under or over it just did not change its consistency and was returned 2 days later.

NoBody's Perfect Concealer Pallette- Fair
-I wont say I hated this palette, but it was not the quality that I had hoped for.  All of the concealers were too thin and none of the colours seemed to match my face well enough to conceal any imperfections.  I just overall did not enjoy this product at all.  Considering this was practically a 10 dollar product I could not bring myself to keep it while knowing that I could have found something of equal or greater quality from ELF.  So I returned it also.

Overall I found this shopping trip disappointing, especially considering I had been looking forward to trying HardCandy cosmetics so much for so long.   So I will be thankful for the Primer and sad about the rest but I will move on.

Have a great day and thanks for reading.  Feel free to comment below.

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