So, I was able to commit to an entire year of a project, and I really enjoyed it. While I do intend to change things up again in the new year, I am so glad that I worked on this particular challenge this year. I do feel like I was able to accomplish so much.

Let’s get right into it.

Fragrances: This year I had hoped to work through the vast majority of my sample sized fragrances. I did work through so many, about an average of 2 per month, but the reality was that more kept arriving. Sometimes by accident but often on purpose. One thing I learned this year is that I really enjoy sampling various perfumes. I did receive more sample sizes in the space between Thanksgiving and now, but I decided to take a photo only in comparison to where I was last month. In the future, I am going to alternate between finishing sample sizes and using the one full size perfume I currently own in order to get use out of the thing I spent money on.

 

I ended up finishing one sample size of Rosie Jane’s Leila Lou which was not a scent I loved. It was too synthetic. It smelled like a scent for a dryer sheet when I’d first put it on. It would then settle down into a nice floral, but the synthetic scent really put me off. Not enough to toss it, but enough to be wary of the brand.

I also kept making progress on my YSL black opium which it turns out is really a fragrance I enjoy quite a lot, especially this time of year. I also began wearing the Nest Black Tulip perfume which I have found that I am really going to enjoy as I work through it in the future.

On to the next photo, body care, foundation, primer, spray. I rolled out the born this way foundation last month. As for the it cosmetics illuminating CC cream, it’s extremely close to being finished. I can now see through the bottom of the package. Quite frankly, I’ll need to cut this open soon in order to get the last bits out, and so I will have finished another foundation. I do like this but I probably won’t repurchase. It moves on my skin quite a lot, I think I do better with the matte formula.

I made a bit more progress on the Skin & Co finishing spray. I still struggle to remember to use this regularly. The progress isn’t much different from month to month.

I used quite a bit of the no poreblem primer under my cc cream this month. And on the days where I didn’t use the cc cream, I used the becca backlight primer. Far less progress on that primer than the no poreblem primer. I have a suspicion that the no poreblem might have been half the reason the cc cream was moving on my face, so I need to test it a bit more before I decide I want to keep it in my collection. Miss Butterfly would like a new primer, and perhaps this one can be it if it does not work for me.

As for face palettes, I’ve been working on the tarte face palette quite a bit. The most use is in the bronzers. These bronzers are warm enough toned that they would likely suit me better in the summer. It’s kind of odd actually because the highlighter and the blush are more of the shades I would associate with cooler weather. I am not a huge fan of this palette. I also made a little bit of progress on my sleek palette, the darkest cream contour shade. I do still like this product though I am using a brush to apply it most often these days.

A few other items, most notably, I finished the tarte blush. That’s kind of a big deal! I did like this blush quite a lot, so it wasn’t a struggle to stick with it. This means I finished a blush and a highlighter this year, that feels like an amazing accomplishment.

I also removed the stopper on the concealer and am working on finishing up the last of that. It’s going ok, but there’s always way more in there than I anticipated. I’ll keep after it.

I’ve been using the thrive causmetics stick but it still doesn’t look like I’ve made progress. I feel like this is a ridiculously pointless item in my collection and I may let it go soon.

I finished the bum bum cream and the brow product last month.

I did not quite finish the bite beauty lipstick. I may continue to try to finish it in the new year. We’ll see. I like the dark color but since I did the advent calendar this past month I really didn’t have an opportunity to work too hard on it.

I increased the pan on my eye primer setting powder and the mac paint pot keeps going strong. I use it daily and it forever looks like no use. Which is good, great value for money!

I am glad to bring this project to a close though it was ridiculously valuable this year. I will be working on a project or two next year, so stay tuned to hear more about those!

 

Well, aren’t I ever behind?! I took Friday off work to spend with the dogs and get some cleaning done for unexpected house guests over the weekend. I have a cousin coming in to town on Tuesday as well, so the cleaning needed to get done even if I didn’t have unexpected house guests. Plus, I wanted to be at home with the dogs.

Day 6:

It’s a bright magenta metallic liquid lipstick. Ridiculously difficult to apply. Ridiculously bright. Mr. Ink came home at lunch and said “Is that lip color the real reason you stayed home today?!”

I will never wear this again. I am not afraid of a bold lip, but a bold metallic lip is not my thing.

Day 7:

I spent the day outside with the dogs, or visiting with Miss Marja, none of which required makeup. But, we did have Mr. Ink’s mother’s 92 birthday to attend, so I managed to get my makeup done, grab the lovely buttergloss in color madeleine, pop it on my lips and run outside for a quick photo before the sun went down. This lip item now lives in my coat pocket, I love it SO MUCH.

Day 8:

This was a matte liquid lipstick, a liquid suede. I do like the color very much, it’s a great nude color. I am not a fan of the formula, however, so I wouldn’t purchase this. I popped the gloss from the previous day over the top of this to make it feel more comfortable, and it lasted nicely all day long.

Day 9:

I am back at work today with a matte bullet lipstick, color natural. Which seems appropriate! It leans toward pink but is very much a nude even so.

I’ve gotten fortunate with the past 3 days of colors. Since each of them were nudes, I was able to enjoy working with some new eyeshadow palettes that I picked up recently. They are all of the mauve/purple themes, colors that were definitely lacking in my collection. Miss Butterfly and I are enjoying them immensely and exploring all sorts of looks with them!

I’ll have company in my house from tomorrow through Saturday. That means I’ll have to significantly tone down my makeup application process since I won’t have access to my vanity. I am kind of looking forward to figuring out how to streamline that!

Today’s advent calendar lip product is a clear lip oil. Sure does make things easy on me! I have been wearing the bite beauty lip color in Nori pretty regularly for over 2 months now, and it’s an intense, vampy, deep color. So, I can’t say I was sad to get a clear oil. I did pair it with a nude lip liner to give it some intensity and pigment.

Since I got such an easy wearing color, I went a little more intense on my eyes, using my Viseart Soliel palette for a hot pink and purple eye look. I tapped some of my new urban decay moondust shadow over the top to make it a little more glittery as well.

While I like these lip oils well enough, I’d just as soon wear a laneige lip sleeping mask instead. So, this’ll get tossed into Miss Butterfly’s christmas stocking (unwrapped, just an extra treat) at the end of today.

Hi all-

Last year I purchased the NYX advent calendar and posted a selfie a day as I worked my way through the calendar. It was quite a lot of fun for me, made me try unusual lipstick shades, and gave me something to look forward to during the darkest parts of the year.

I purchased this year’s calendar as well. But, since I purchase on thanksgiving day to get it half price, and because thanksgiving was late this year, I didn’t receive it until yesterday. As such, I am starting late and will make up the extra days after christmas eve.

This year’s calendar is called Love, Lust, Disco. I am likely to be subjected to some metallic lipsticks I fear. This year it is all lip products, where last year we received eyeshadows, a blush, and highlighter.

Day 4 lipstick is soft matte lip cream in color Sau Paulo. It’s bright, but not offensively so. I like it!

I got to pair this with a new eyeshadow, for a birthday gift I got an urban decay moondust eyeshadow single. It’s pretty and sparkly, probably more of a topper than anything else. But, I used Two Faced Sweet Peach palette for a transition, crease, and outer corner. Then I used a glitter glue on my lid with the moondust shadow over it and it’s just as pretty as can be, I really love it.