Okay, I don’t want to sound like one of THOSE people but the word resolutions irks me because it’s assuming you want to solve a problem or make a super firm decision. I like to call them goals simply because using this language makes me personally feel less bad if I don’t complete a resolution. I have a few goals for 2019 that I think are attainable but aren’t things that I’m really resolving they are things I’m adding. NOW if you jive with the word resolutions by no means am I passing judgement, for me personally, I just prefer the language and connotation of the word goals better. These are my four main, attainable goals for 2019, but I am going to be trying to achieve smaller ones throughout the year.
12 books to read from my book collection
First. Read more books. Dear me, this is literally my goal every year. EVERY YEAR and I fail EVERY YEAR. I want to try to read at least 1 book a month, this should be possible but I find getting a good book can be difficult. I did just borrow a new series from my cousin so I’m excited to read them as well as to crack into books on my bookshelf I haven’t read!
Second. Do more yoga with Adriene.I know this is rather specific, but I really like her practice and her approach to the mat. It makes me feel good after I do any of her videos and the practice is easy on my back.
Me at my work space ft my art behind me
Third. I want to try and test all the career things while I’m still young. I think that often, young people are rushed into jobs and careers because obviously, the plight of the millennial is finding full time work that pays enough to pay of loans. That is why as I live at home, I have the room to explore options and try things, while being in the safety of my home and not being concerned about the financial woes that comes with living on your own.
Today
1 year ago
Fourth. Continue consistency with the blog andInstagram. Since currently and for the foreseeable future I work in slightly stressful environments so I love having the blog and the Instagram community as a hobby that is entirely outside of work. I want to continue the consistency and improving my content because I love it! I posted a comparison photo for you showing my photo improvement because it motivates me!
I am so excited to start another year of project panning (newest project pan coming soon). Before I post my newest rolling project 10 pan for 2019 I wanted to post my finale for 2019. I am happy with my progress and am excited to continue using some of these products.
100% Pure lip caramel
Because I was a newb to project panning I never got a photo of this the intro, or first update. This is from the update in August 2018
You can slightly tell that I have used this but I was hard to capture!
I used half this product throughout the year. This is one of my favourite colours and formulas BUT the cap broke so I could no longer take it around in my purse so that definitely limited my use of it. I think I will keep it and just slap it on as a blush and lipstick when I’m getting ready but unfortunately I can no longer take it around with me!
Feb 2018 Update 1
May 2018 update 2
August update 3
Finale
The Covergirl nudes palette. I got my money’s worth from this palette. I used all the shades I loved and I am ready to part with this.
The Physicians Formula butter bronzer
Feb update 1
May update 2
August update 3
Finale
I still really love thisbronzer. I made significant progress but I swear it is the never ending bronzer. This is why (spoiler alert) I am putting it in my project 10 pan for 2019.
Colourpop Highlighter in Lunch Money
Feb update 1
May 2018 Update
August update 3
finale
Again, so much pan.So much product left. I really like this. Similar to the Physicians formula butter highlighter, this is a great layering highlight. I am also going to keep this in my rotation because I am determined to finish it.
NYX Dark Circle Corrector
Feb 2018 update 1
May update 2
August update 3
Finale
This hassignificantprogress since the first update. I have a little bit of product left on the sides so I’m actually going to continue using it until it’s complete gone.
The more recently added items
Like the amazing blogger I am I did not take a before photo. You also can’t even tell the progress
The Wet n Wild photo focusconcealer. I like this concealer a lot more than the foundation, but not as much as my other drugstore concealers, the Maybelline Fit Me, the Joe fresh illuminating concealer, the Annabelle concealer, but this one is simply alright. It is super affordable and cruelty free, as well as vegan. So if that is something you are looking for you might really like this. Again, I am determined to use this up so I have been using it along with my collection lasting perfection concealer.
August – rolled in for the rest of the projectFinale – 0 progress
The cream eye shadowstick in she’s got the mauve that has been discontinued. Whale folks. This was an epic fail. I will keep this because in the summer this is something I use all the time. As of now, and since I added it in during the fall, I didn’t get much use of it at all.
Finale because your girl didn’t get a before photo
The Colourpop supernova shadow in running in orbits. I LOVE this eye shadow formula. It is my only liquid eye shadow and throughout December I have been using this in conjunction with the naked heat. It adds the perfect sparkle to your lid. I have made good progress and can see that I’ve used quite a bit. I will be keeping this on hand in 2019 for an added sparkle to any look.
It’s that time of year in the beauty world where we discuss items we want to try and finish. Also, my project pan finales are coming! Stay tuned! For today, I wanted to discuss two palettes I’d like to put a dent in throughout 2019. I want to focus on two palettes, both because I get bored easily and because I like options. Granted, not many because both are very similar in tone but again, somewhat options.
First, my oldest and perhaps most nostalgic palette the Naked 3from Urban Decay. I have already hit pan on the second shade. I want to really use the crap out of this palette to be quite honest. I always like the looks I create and these are very professional shades which I enjoy.
The second palette I want to put a dent in is the100 Percent Pure Naked II palette. I bought this when I was trying to test out more green/clean beauty products. I really like this palette actually, I just never having it on my vanity so I’m going to keep it on their so I can reach for it more often. It’s a sweet and simple palette. I enjoy that there is a blush and highlighter as well as three eye shadows that work for any occasion.
My goal. I want to hit pan the highlighter, blush, and first two shades in the 100 Percent Pure palette – simply because I rarely used the purple shade as it stands. For the Naked 3 I’d like to see pan on all the shades but I don’t anticipate any pan on the darkest shades because again I don’t use dark shades.
2019. A year where hopefully I will be smarter with my beauty purchases. In light of the trend, though really when you think about it it’s ridiculous and the epitome of the Marx predictions on society, yet there has been no revolution, is the growing trend of the low buy. Okay so I’m not doing a true low buy because frankly, I enjoy buying makeup and testing and trying as well as “researching” for the blog. For example, I’ve planned a few posts that require me to buy things such as a few high end setting sprays to test for you because I have never found a comprehensive setting spray post. But I still have a few beauty goals I want to attempt to accomplish in 2019.
First. I am only going to buy 1 palette this year. That is the Tom Ford Eye Quad in Cocoa Mirage. I KNOW. But I figured if I bought two palettes in the year, it would cost roughly the same amount as this one quad.
Second. I am not going to buy any blush. Which I realize is a hard task because I am planning the glossier haul so to give myself some leeway I’m not going to buy any powder blush. This is such a large claim for me as well because I LOVE BLUSH it is my muse. But, I need to use up what I have in my collection.
Third. I will be doing curated hauls. This will never catch on but I’m going to only try to buy the brands I want to try in 2019 and replacement items I might need.
Fourth. Do a curated shop my stash each month, excluding project pan items. I have been trying to do this lately but want to make it a thing. Would you be interested in a shop my stash each month?
Fifth. Have fun and maybe discover some old favourites. I’m looking forward to like a normal person using old favourites and loving them.
These goals aren’t to stay my content won’t stay fresh, but I want to minimize my over consumption of products and strike a balance between trying new things and loving what is my collection.
Ah yes it’s that time of year again where I’m rounding up my beauty favourites. I wanted to keep this list curated to new things I discovered this year (that aren’t necessarily new to the market). These are things that I loved using and discovering! Hope you enjoy!
Standout highlighter
NARS Forte De France. Again, another luxury item on this list. I bought this because i want to the anna edit,and the formula of this highlighter is amazing. Its very hard pressed in the pan so it takes awhile to work into the skin but it’s a great powder to create a glossy look.
Physicians formula butter highlighter. This is such a beautiful stain highlighter. It smells divine (if you don’t like scents stay away from this) and it has a beautiful texture. On the skin it doesn’t look metallic and gives a beautiful satin finish with no glitter. Perfect for mature skin.
I also just got it – but the Anastasia Amrezy Highlighter is just amazing. I can already tell it’s going to be in my rotation. It is a beautiful light brilliant gold that is great for mature and young skin alike!
Standout foundation
The Body Shop Fresh Nude foundation. I love this foundation – I compare every foundation I test out to this one. It has a beautiful true satin finish. It is dewy, not cakey, and has a variety of shades. It’s also only $25 which to me is a steal because in Canada most drugstore foundations are in the $18-20 range. Which is wild. So really, in Canadian drugstore terms this is the best drugstore foundation of the year.
Matte option: A nice matte option for the year that I surprisingly enjoyed was the NYX Can’t stop won’t stop foundation. It has nice coverage and yes, it does cling to dry patches, however I have normal skin so when properly hydrated this is a beautiful option for the summer months.
Standout Tinted moisturizer
Nudestixnudies tinted blur stick. This was such an innovative product, I found it at the store before I even saw the launch online and immediately purchased it. I LOVE this product. In fact, I rarely repurchase (okay that’s because I’m always buying and trying) but I’m so close to being finished this and I will repurchase it. It has such a beautiful barely there coverage without being a touch greasy but somehow giving you a dewy finish.
Physiciansformula butter blush. Ah yes, the iconic butter formula from the most expensive (actually it was always expensive so really its the other drugstore products that have hiked up their prices) brand at the drugstore. I love this blush, its a smooth, blendable blush that gives a beautiful flush to the cheeks.
MAC Peachtwist. Another MAC favourite but I couldn’t resist this. I love it! It has a beautiful beach, bronze finish but is also a sheertone blush so it’s buildable and you can go ham with it without looking over blushed.
Burt’s Bees blush in bare peach. This was a great discovery for me this year. I love the entire Burt’s Bees makeup line, except thefoundation. This blush makes me feel good when i wear it both for the shade and he clean ingredients. I love that satin almost matte finish this has, while it is pricey for drugstore (let’s face most products are too pricey now a days) it contains quality ingredients that make me feel good about putting makeup on.
Standout bronzer
Hourglass ambient lighting bronzer in diffused bronze light. For me, bronzers are the product I own the least of but use the most. I got this from my BFF for my birthday and its wonderful. I haven’t used it as extensively as my butter bronzers, but when I want a seamless glowy look I choose this one. It is also the most standout formula for me that I’ve tried in 2018.
Standout Concealer
Collection lasting perfection concealer. Gosh dangit. I cannot get this in Canada and don’t overly trust the amazon sellers. Guess I’ll just have to fly to the UK simply to make this purchase. This was such a pleasant surprise. I had heard a lot about this concealer from my faves from the UK, mostlyFleur De Force, but about a year or two ago Allana Davison tried and didn’t like it so I was a bit skeptical. When I saw it on my trip to England, I purchased it. I go home and tried and LOVE the formula. I’ve been on the hunt for a dupe and would say the Annabelle concealer or the Maybelline fit me are the closest dupes. I find with the collection concealer, while it has full coverage I don’t find it heavy under the eyes. That is my problem with high end concealers – they claim all of this stuff but yet i’m still gravitating towards drugstore concealers I genuinely like better.
Standout Palettes
Anastasia soft glam. I have a feeling this is going to be in a lot of peoples yearly favourites. I really like this palette. It has all the neutral and warm shades I need in my life. The shadows are a bit soft and powdery, but they really just blend themselves our. I also enjoy that I can get quite a few different looks with this palette and that it suits every occasion.
Hourglass Ambient Lighting unlocked palette. I LOVE this palette. It is like the white t shirt you never knew you needed, a quote from Michelle Wang. It has literally everything you need. While the pans are small, I love and use all the shades in this palette. They apply beautifully and give you that lit from within look.
Standout Lipstick
MAC See sheer. I don’t generally foray into the high end world of lipsticks. Mostly because I love a lot of drugstore lipsticks and don’t see the need for my personal collection to own a lot of high end lipstick. However, because of good oldSamantha Ravndhal I bought MAC see sheer and haven’t looked back. It isn’t so much the shade I’m wearing in the winter, but its a good day to day almost red sheer lipstick. I really like it and hope to use it in my project pan in 2019 or in a project pan roulette (still planning those). Also the Fenty gloss bomb was such a staple for me this year! I forgot to photograph both so just imagine my friends.
What were some of your favourite products this year?
I wanted to do a drugstore holiday makeup look for you! Featuring a lot or Rimmel which was unintentional but for some reason I just had a lot of Rimmel on hand, and have been really enjoying their products.
I started with the eyes, as per usual if I’m doing a smokierlook. I started with the third shade from the left as a transition in my crease. After that I went in with the next shade over – the more true pink to add a bit more depth. Then I went in with the 10th shade in the palette – the more darker pink cherry shade to add depth on the outer corner. Then I did a bit of shimmer action with the first and eighth shade for some shimmer on the lid and the inner corner. I then put 20,000 coats of theL’Oreal Lashparadise mascara on.
I like this look because it’s a bit of a different take on the classic red lip and winged liner (mostly because I cannot do winged liner). I liked the cherry trend that’s going on, well I mean who am I kidding I love the warm tones but this palette seemed like such a good steal and had a similar vibe to the naked cherry so I wanted to do a look for you. I also think the formula of this palette is really great. It has minimal fall out and blends out rather nicely.
Processed with VSCO with m5 preset
I wanted to give you two lip options. The first is a nude the Revlon kiss plumping lip cream in 510 nude honey that I would wear to Christmas dinner or what have you and the second is the Covergirl Succulent Cherry.
I wanted to review a few stick foundations – because for some reason I can’t get enough of buying them from the drugstore. Instead of just reviewing one, I wanted to throw these two newish foundations head to head.
I have tested each under several conditions: 12 hour shifts, night out makeup, with primer, without primer, and the resounding verdict it the Maybelline just isn’t as great as the L’Oreal. You would think being from the same parent company (L’Oreal owns Maybelline) they would be similar. However, you would be wrong. My skin is normal-dry for reference.
The claims for the Maybelline: “Multi-Use Foundation Stick is formulated with a cream-to-matte finish and pointed blender sponge for easy and quick application at home or out on the town”. This has 12 shades.
The claims for the L’Oreal Shaping Stick: “The ultimate multi-use makeup – Conceal imperfections or cover all-over to create your perfect base – Go 1-2 shades darker to define and sculpt your features – Go 1-2 shades lighter to brighten and enhance•Create a perfectly defined, longwear look that feels weightless on the skin – Up to 24 hours, medium to full buildable coverage•Glide-on application melts into skin, providing smooth, flawless coverage that’s never cakey or draggy•Longwear makeup sticks for buildable coverage and shaping allow you to cover, conceal, highlight, and contour – Build to your ideal level of coverage•In 12 shades to cover, conceal, highlight, and contour – Shape your face for a perfectly defined makeup look”
Both foundations don’t have a wide shade range, in fact I don’t know who exactly could buy these other than white folks. So there’s that. Which is my first resounding con to both foundations. They are both like 9 shades of beige and a few semi dark shades so not great there.
I will say, in terms of formulation, neither are lying. The maybelline is very matte – much more matte than the L’Oreal as I wore them one day side by side. The L’Oreal stands up to the claim of feeling weightless and it doesn’t get cakey despite having a bit fuller coverage than most foundations in my collection. The Maybelline really clung to weird spots. Even when I hydrated more than usual – this foundation did not look nice on my skin?
Left to right: Maybelline Super Stay Foundation 110 Porcelain, L’Oreal Shaping Stick 401 Ivory
Both foundations on – L’Oreal on the left side of my face and Maybelline on the right ft my bushy ass brows
Maybelline
L’Oreal
The application: For the Maybelline this doesn’t blend out with a sponge, or brush, so my best mode of blending was my fingers or the small sponge at the end of the foundation. The L’Oreal on the other hand blended out beautifully with a brush and sponge and left a more dewy finish than the Maybelline.
Also the size and the price. The Maybelline foundation stick is $16CAD for 7 grams of product which works out to $2.28 per gram and the L’Oreal is $20CAD for 9 grams of product and works out to be $2.22 per gram. The L’Oreal you are technically getting better product for less per gram despite the $20 price tag (unless my math is totally wrong than ignore this entire paragraph). However, I think these are priced too high for drugstore foundations, however this is a huge trend in drugstore prices and L’Oreal has always been super pricey.
Overall: The L’Oreal shaping stick wins for me out of the two foundations. I think that you can achieve that dewy look with this one with the ease of application that the stick provides. I would say – go for the L’Oreal if you have drier skin but if you have oily skin I’d go for the Maybelline.
This year I set a goal to buy four palettes – high end or drugstore. Clearly that was a huge fail. I want to preface this post by saying I love eye shadow and playing with eye shadow. It is something I do after I’ve had a bad day, when I want to feel creative and when I have an occasion – even when I don’t I love a blown out smokey eye. In 2019 I think I will make my goal to limit my eye shadow purchases. Realistically, as a blogger I enjoy reviewing palettes but I also want to make sure I’m making conscious purchasing decisions. This period of deciding is far more evident when I shop high end I wanted to make this post to analyze the value of each palette in my collection, what’s their purpose, is the colour story exciting etc.
High End
Huda Beauty Coral Obsessions palette. This palette is worth every penny. I absolutely love this palette. The colour story of this palette is like no other in my collection. The beautiful mustard yellow compliments any eye look and blends itself out. The shimmers in this palette have a beautiful colour shift. This palette serves its purpose as a colourful, albeit trendy, but also wearable palette.
The AnastasiaSoft Glam. I LOVE this eye shadow formula. The palette is definitely neutral with a twist – which is great for every day and glam looks. The formula of these shadows are like no other. They are soft and buttery, but also are slightly powdery so I like to do my eyes before using this palette. The value this brings to my collection is the easy (for me) to use and you ca create fail safe looks which I always enjoy.
The NARS Ignited Palette. Oh damn. Oh damn. Oh damn – Captain Holt. This palette. Is. Beautiful. This is my first foray into real adult luxury eye shadow. While this palette is basically an all shimmer palette – I find the mattes and satins to be wearable and easy for both “daytime” and “night time” looks. This palette really takes you from a simple matte look to a beautiful shimmer look.
Drugstore
NYX Perfect filter in Olive You. I LOVE this eye shadow palette. It really brought me out of my warm tone comfort zone while still having those tones to work with. I really like the greens and blue shade in this palette. I don’t really have anything else like this in my collection so as someone who doesn’t tend to wear a lot of “colour” this is a great addition to my collection.
Burt’s bees trio in Countryside Lavender. This was something I bought for my week of clean makeup I did back in the summer and it was also something I thought would be pretty for spring with the lilac. Now, these shadows aren’t overly pigmented like the Anastasia or the NYX palette but they are great for an every day wash of colour which I enjoy. I like that you can create subtle barely there looks but also build these up for more full pigmentation.
Joe Fresh neutrals palette. Did I need another neutral palette? No. NO did not. But, I was so curious about the quality I bought it. I don’t necessarily think this isn’t valuable in my collection but it was super necessary. I do like the simplicity and slightly cooler tones of this palette which I don’t own a lot of.
Rimmel Crimson edition. Again – this is a palette that arguably doesn’t need to be in my collection because I can create those berry looks with multiple different palettes and shadows – but I couldn’t resist this when I saw it at the drugstore. Again, this is a super trendy palette for my collection but I’ve gotten a ton of use out of it.
City mini palette by Maybelline in rooftop bronzes. I think this might be one of those impulse palettes that I bought and didn’t really need. I planned on comparing this to the elf prism palette but I also kept seeing ttsandra talk about it so naturally, I bought it. Does it serve a lot of value in my already too large palette collection – honestly no but I like to use this in conjunction with palettes like the Naked Heat and the Naked 3 so it does serve that purpose.
When I began project panning about a year ago, I did it because I felt so, not bad not guilty, just overwhelmed with how much makeup I had that was so old, but also I didn’t want to just chuck it out. SO I discovered the world of project panning. I always had an idea that normal folks (like my mom) hit pan on items, use them up, and finish them. However, as a person who is monster and loves to buy new makeup for science and testing purposes, I was finding myself accumulating a lot of makeup over the 2016-2017 year. Instead of putting myself on a no buy or a low buy, I thought I would start project panning.
I know what you make be thinking, how can this be a thing? Well, capitalism is the answer. Oh I went there. Consumerism and the idea of buy buy buy is always in our faces. We see Instagram ads, Facebook ads, we watch our favourite content creators talking about products that we then want to buy. I was so heavily entranced in shiny pretty things that I started losing sight, for my Marx folks out there becoming alienated, and started using and buying products that are made by rich white men sold to us for 100s of thousands of dollars per year. It is not to say I wasn’t making an autonomous decision, but really in the structure of the shopping I wasn’t. I was being sucked in by the shiny marketing and my sense of curiosity to try the “next best thing”
This brings me to the second reason I started project panning and what I have learned so far. The oversaturation of releases from brands. Yes, colourpop I’m looking at you. One reason I respect brands like Glossier, Hourglass, Nudestix, (not that I don’t respect other brands I just don’t know how else to put it) is that they don’t fatigue you with release after release (at least in my feed they are not the brands that pop up). I was so tired of seeing and trying to keep up with new releases, that as a blogger project planning had become a way to still add things to my collection, but also to be more curated and conscious of what I was adding. Instead of going out and buying everything Estee Lalonde recommended (which okay so I tend to do that) I stopped. Particularly, I REALLY tried to curb my habit, and am still trying, of going to the drugstore and buying random makeup items to make it to the 20x the points if you spend $50 because I was accumulating so many unneeded items in my collection that didn’t really have a place.
This is the biggest lesson of project panning: consider your drugstore purchases as well. It has never been a question that when I buy a high end makeup item, I think about it, I watch reviews, I mull it over and then I purchase. With the drugstore, it is so easy to get sucked into the makeup aisle and the great sales but I was never thinking about my purchases. Now, this isn’t to say I haven’t bought my fair share of drugstore items in 2018, in fact I’d be embarrassed to even disclose the new drugstore makeup I attained this year. I also think that there is a healthy balance as a blogger to asking the question: am I buying this for research, a review or do I genuinely want it. I think that it comes from all three when I’m purchasing drugstore makeup – but I also think there is validity in buying your own product to review so its a double edged sword.
The final lesson I have learned through panning products is how much engagement you can get from people. Yes, I watch first impressions videos and hauls because I love them! BUT i think the beauty industry, or community depending on your stance, can stand to do a bit more shop your stash and project panning than it does at the moment. This post is not to say I don’t love hauling and it’s not to say I’m going to stop buying drugstore products but i’m going to take the same care I have with my decision to buy a high end product.
I missed out on this highlighter the first time it came around. So when I heard it was dropping for a second time I couldn’t resist ordering it. When it came in the mail it was all the glory I thought it would be. I don’t personal follow Amrezy on Instagram but from the description on Sephora she is an Instagram beauty sensation, I personally bought this highlighter purely on how pretty it is and how universal it is.
OnSephora this is described as a light brilliant gold and is supposed to be that second skin finish for a natural glow. The colour of this is accurate – it is a light brilliant gold. Comparing this to other highlighters in my collection, nothing is the same. I compared it to my NARS, Maybelline, ELF pressed highlighter and a few other ones – nothing compares to this shade of gold. It is hard to describe – while it is a light gold it also has some undertones of champagne so it doesn’t look like a gold strip on my cheekbone. The packaging is great, it has the nice snap closure so it stays secure and is sprinkled shiny bronze gold stars on the packaging. Yes, this shows fingerprints but not as much as other Anastasia packaging like their palettes.
The formula: This is a beautiful, buttery formula that gives a glossy finish on the skin. It isn’t a metallic highlighter but it’s a soft, yet tightly packed powder that can be used wet or dry. This also would work for a variety of skin tones and mature skin. Due to it’s non metallic nature, this works for anyone who has texture. NOW will this somewhat emphasize texture – of course all powder highlighters will but let’s face it, we all have texture.
The swatch: this swatched beautifully, it can be blended into the skin to give a “I’m just a bit dewy” finish but can be built up to be poppin’ like the Becca Champagne pop highlighter. What I like about this when I wear is you can’t really see it unless you turn your head into the light, making it the perfect work highlighter or alternatively a highlighter for going out for a night on the town. In low light this looks sublime.
Overall rating: 5/5 stars. YES. I love this. This highlighter adds value to my collection and is different (at least to me) from anything else I own. I also think this would be a great starter highlighter – especially because it is $36 CAD which is an amazing price for a highlighter considering some stuff in the Canadian drugstore is upwards of $38 (looking at you Pixi).
Have you tried this highlighter yet? If so, what are your thoughts?!
