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!