Project 10 Pan - Finale

I have been debating ending this project, or continuing, but I am really disheartened and think I need a break from these products. I have tried my hardest over the last few months to use up as much product as I can, but I think I just need a break now. In saying that, I'm still happy with my progress - out for 10 products, I have finished 3 completely. Out of the 7 remaining, I have hit pan on 3 of the products, and on the cheek trio, I have finished one product completely and hit pan on another. The remaining products cannot be measured on a "pan" basis.

At the last update, there was a significant dent in the Sleek highlight, and I have now hit significant pan on the product. The blush has not gone down much, but does have a tiny dip. I did end up hitting the bottom in the ELF eyeliner, and the pan has increased in the ColourPop eyeshadow. 

I have made a good dent in the Rimmel and NYX pencils, and will continue to try and use them up. The bareMinerals lipstick is the product I had the hardest time with. It's a nice shade, but I really dislike the finish of the lipstick - it is too creamy and glossy for my liking, and in all honesty, I like changing up my lip products on the daily. 

I mentioned in a previous post I would continue to use up the Maybelline Brow Drama until this project was done, as I cannot see inside the packaging to track my progress, but the product is getting old. I really like the formula of this brow gel - it really holds brow hairs in place. Once you cut the weird brush wand you can make this product work. I would consider repurchasing this product, but only if it was on sale. I wouldn't go out of my way to purchase it. 

I think I won't start another Project Pan until next year. I have a few ideas on what I can do next year. But on the other hand, maybe I can do a mini Project Pan for the rest of this year - maybe a Project 5 Pan? Finish 5 by the New Year?

I really did enjoy doing this project, and although I didn't use up all 10 products up, I did make a significant dent in the products I do have left. The products I do have left can always be put into another Project Pan at a later date (I might even do a Project Pan Roulette!)

Thanks for reading,
X

Project 10 Pan - Second Update

I haven't done an update in about two months, but have had some significant progress since my last update on my Project 10 Pan. Click here to see my introduction post, and here for my first update.

First, onto the products I have finished up!

I have finished the Lady Gaga EDP, L'Oreal Nude Magique Foundation, the NYX HD Concealer and the bronzer/contour shade from the Sleek Face Form Palette. I'm quite happy with my progress so far, 3 full products used up, and 1/3 of a palette used up completely! I still have a smaller bottle of the Lady Gaga EDP, and I most likely will repurchase this perfume when that one is used up as I quite enjoy the scent. I don't think L'Oreal sell the Nude Magique foundation anymore, but I could be wrong (a quick google and search on the L'Oreal website shows they don't sell this foundation, but have other variations of products in the Nude Magique line). Once I had purchased products to mix with this foundation (I loved mixing it with the Body Shop Lightening Shade Adjusting Drops), I found I went through this foundation quite quickly as I was able to create a shade that matched me a lot better (this foundation was a little dark as in Australia we are just getting out of winter and I am at my lightest in skin tone). I would consider repurchasing the NYX HD Concealer, as I found it was a great brightening concealer for under the eyes. 

In regards to the highlight and blush shade in the Face Form Palette, I just want to hit pan. This Project would go on forever if I attempted to use up both products.

For the ELF Cream Eyeliner, I have made a significant dent in the middle, but I'm not too sure if I've hit the bottom as yet. I have used this as a base, to tighline and waterline, under the lash line as a base for shadow. A small amount of this product goes a long way. 

The pan has increased in the ColourPop Super Shock Shadow in Glow. I use this as a base whenever I wear eyeshadow. I have technically completed the "hitting pan" part of the project with this product, but I would like to use it up. 

I will continue using the Maybelline Brow Drama until this project is done, and then chuck it in the bin. As the packaging is not clear, I can't mark any progress for this product, but I have been using it consistently. However, it has been in my collection for a while and getting a bit old, so I think it's almost time to get rid of it. 

I have made okay progress on the Rimmel Eye Pencil, and the NYX Jumbo Eye Pencil. The bareMinerals Make Your Move Lipstick is a little hard for me to use, but I am trying. The colour of the lipstick is nice, but the formula and finish are not my favourite, so I have been trying to work out different ways to wear it. I do need to make a more conscious effort to use this lipstick (I have worn it a few times since the last update), but there's just other lipsticks I prefer much more. 

I am happy that I have been able to clear out three products from my collection by using them up. Overall, I don't think I'm going to make much more progress on the ELF Cream Eyeliner, as it is quite hard to see the progress I have made, but there is a nice dip in the middle of the product, and I will continue to incorporate this product into my eye looks. I would love to use up the Rimmel Eye Liner and the NYX Jumbo Eye Pencil. And of course, I want to hit pan on the highlight and blush shade in the Sleek Face Form Palette. 

Overall, I have used up 3 out of 10 products, and hit pan on 1 out of the remaining 7 (hopefully by the next update I would have hit noticeable pan on the ELF Eyeliner, and at least one more shade in the Sleek Face Form, be it the blush or highlight shade). I am quite proud of the effort I have made in this project so far.

Thanks for reading,

X

July Favourites

I can't believe the only Favourites post I've done this year is a Current Favourites, because I had missed quite a few months on the monthly favourites. Favourites posts are one of my favourite posts to write (haha), so I hope to get back into them from now on.

ColourPop Ultra Matte Lip in Midi
This is the perfect, neutral, matte liquid lipstick. I absolutely adore this lip product, and when I don't know what liquid lipstick to wear, I tend to reach for this one 80% of the time. It is more pink based (which generally isn't what I like), but there is something about this colour on my lips.

ColourPop Super Shock Cheek in Lunch Money
I have been doing a Project Pan recently - click to see my introduction and first update, and I love to apply this cream product underneath the powder highlight in the Sleek Face Form Palette. The two together look beautiful - and I even hit pan on this product last night!

Covergirl Advanced Radiance Pressed Powder in 105 Ivory
About a month and a half ago I was on the mission of finding a powder I could use on my dry skin that would not show up powdery and cakey, and not emphasise any dry patches. I love the Too Faced Cocoa Powder Foundation, but it is $50 and I tend to use it up very quickly. I am not saying that this product is a dupe by any means, but I have been enjoying this powder as it does not make my dry skin look dry, nor does it cling to any dry patches.

LA Girl Pro Conceal in Green Corrector 
I picked this up just over a month ago, and this corrector has made the world of difference with the redness I experience on my chin because of break outs and scarring. If you have redness in your skin and haven't tried a green corrector, I would highly recommend one. This one can be purchased for about $10 online in Australia, so it isn't going to break the bank. It is a liquid concealer, not a cream, which I tend to favour more on my dry skin.

Sephora Supreme Cleansing Oil 
I picked this product up from Sephora about six months ago, and I absolutely love this for removing heavy makeup! One or two pumps of this oil on a cotton pad is enough to remove the heaviest eye makeup. I tend to use micellar water on a daily basis after cleansing my skin, but if I have heavy makeup on (both eye and base makeup), I do like to go in with this oil first to remove makeup.

Sportsgirl Lip Chalk Matte Lip Cream in Vertigo
I recently posted a review about this product, which you can view here. This liquid lipstick is also a great every day liquid lipstick, and more accessible in Australia than the ColourPop. ColourPop Midi and Sportsgirl Lip Chalk in Vertigo are two of my go-to neutral liquid lipsticks.

Sportsgirl Glow Liquid Illuminator in Pearl
I also picked this one up the same time I picked up the Lip Chalk. I didn't have a liquid illuminator that was pink based like this, so thought it was unique in my collection. I love applying this like a primer/base under my foundation. I will have a review of this one coming up in the next couple of weeks.

(L to R: ColourPop Ultra Matte Lip in Midi, ColourPop Super Shock Cheek in Lunch Money, LA Girl Pro Conceal Green Concealer, Sportsgirl Lip Chalk Matte Lip Cream in Vertigo, Sportsgirl Glow Liquid Illuminator in Pearl)

And those are my favourites from July!

Thanks for reading,
X

Project 10 Pan - First Update

Back in June, I posted my introduction post for my Project 10 Pan, which you can view here. It's been over one month, so I thought I was overdue for an update post.

1. L'Oreal Nude Magique Foundation in 120 Ivory
To be honest, I think this foundation is just a little bit too dark for me. Because it is quite watery based, I can't mix it with a lot of foundations that I own, besides the MAC Studio Waterweight Foundation (or I've been thinking of purchasing The Body Shop Shade Adjusting Lightening Drops). I think I've only used this foundation two or three times, so there is actually no real progress with this product.

2. NYX HD Concealer in Fair 
I actually quite enjoy using this product, and it is the one getting the most use in this project. I apply my MAC Prolongwear Concealer in NW20, and then for extra highlight under my eyes, I apply this concealer on top. I have made significant progress on this concealer, and I'm actually thinking I'm going to end up repurchasing this once I am done.

3. Rimmel Soft Khol Kajal Eye Liner Pencil in 011 Sable Brown 
I have made some progress with this product, as can be seen in the photo at the end of the post. I don't apply pencil liners on a daily basis, so I do need to remember to use this.

4. NYX Jumbo Eye Pencil in Milk
For the first couple of weeks I forgot to use this product - whoops! But I have used an okay amount of this. When I wear eyeshadow, I put this on top of my MAC Paint Pot in Painterly. If I'm not wearing any eyeshadow, I tend to put on a bit of the ColourPop Super Shock Shadow in 'Glow' as it is fairly neutral and matches my skin tone.

5. Sleek Face Form Contouring and Blush Palette - Fair 
I did end up repressing the contour shade in this palette, to try and use it up fully. I feel like I have made a dip in the highlight shade, but can hardly see any progress in the blush. The blush shade isn't really appropriate for this time of year, but I have been trying to use it with a light hand. The dip in the highlight doesn't really show in the photos, but it's there.

6. bareMinerals Marvellous Moxie Lipstick in Make Your Move
I hate to say it, but I really dislike this lipstick. I have tried to use it a few times, but even, as you can see below in the photo at the end of the post, that has made hardly any significance. This lipstick is too glossy and feels really sticky - and to be honest, I'm not the biggest fan of the colour. If I am wearing a lipstick, I prefer it to be matte. I might try mix this with a lipgloss and see if that makes me like the colour a bit more, but I am really struggling at the moment to use this product.

7. ColourPop Super Shock Shadow in 'Glow'
As this is actually a product with a pan, this is the first product I have hit pan on in the project - go me! I do want to use this product up, but this is a good start. As mentioned earlier in the post, I like to pop this shadow on my eye lids for the days where I am not doing an eye look, just mascara.

8. Lady Gaga 'Fame' EDP
I have tried to use this perfume on most work days. I do love this scent and think it is a great winter and summer scent. I just feel like I have hardly made any progress with this perfume. The bottle is tapered, so maybe once I use some more and get to the smaller end of the bottle, it will show more progress. But I will persevere!

9. Maybelline Brow Drama in Dark Brown
As I mentioned in my introduction post, I ended up cutting the weird bristles of the brush so that the brush is in a uniform shape. I can't monitor my progress with this brow gel as the packaging does not allow this, but I have used it every day and quite enjoy this product. The brow gel definitely holds the brow quite firmly - more than my usual Essence Brow Gel does.

10. ELF Cream Liner in Coffee 
I actually didn't take a photo of this cream liner in the introduction post. I have tried to use this product a few times, and I have used it in the waterline and it works okay. I think with this product, I just want to hit pan and then I'll call it quits - I'm not the biggest eyeliner wearer as I do have hooded eyes, and I find that wearing eyeliner on my eyes tends to close them up quite a bit.

And that is my progress so far! For the next month, I'd really like to make a significant dent in the highlight shade of the Sleek Face Form palette, and make some progress on the L'Oreal Foundation and the bareMinerals lipstick. 

Thanks for reading,

X

ColourPop x KathleenLights Where The Night Is - review and swatches

I picked this quad up when it came out a few months ago, but unfortunately I have been quite behind on my blogging this year. This quad is still available from ColourPop for $20USD, so I thought it would be worthwhile putting my review up, should anyone be interested. 

(L to R: Weenie, Porter, Telepathy, Midnight)

Weenie is described as "a pinky rose gold with a pearlised finish". 

Porter is described as "a warm burgundy with multi-dimensional gold glitter on top in a metallic finish". 

Telepathy is "a bright gold with a green undertone in an ultra-metallic finish". Telepathy is my favourite shadow out of the bunch, due to it being a very unique shade in my collection. 

Midnight is described as "a black undertone with a tonne of gold glitter on top in a metallic finish". 

I'm really happy that this set did not come with any matte shadows. This quad is aimed at night time looks, which explains the shimmery and fun shades. The ColourPop matte shadows are good, but because of the formulation of ColourPop shadows (an almost mousse/cream type texture that drys to a powdery finish), I find they are easier to use as allover lid shades, and not transition/crease shades (which a lot of matte shades tend to be used as). 

One great thing about the release of this collection, is now you have the option of purchasing shades individually, as opposed to the whole set. This goes for both this quad, and the Where The Light Is quad (see my review here). This meant I was able to pick up a second Blaze, which is one of my all time favourite bronze eyeshadows. The shadows retail singularly for $5USD, and the quad is $20USD, so the price has not been amped up should you just want to purchase one shade on its own. 

If you haven't tried ColourPop shadows, I would definitely recommend them. They really make an eye look pop, especially those shadows with a metallic or ultra-metallic finish.

Thanks for reading,

X

Project 10 Pan - Introduction

I have wanted to do a Project 10 Pan for quite a while. I have previously attempt one a few years ago, but that did not go down too well. I will not buy any products (unless they are limited edition), until these ten products are used up. Can I just say, it is so ridiculously hard to come up with ten products you want to use up? I have been going over the products I own for weeks and finally have come up with 10 products.

So these are the ten products I've come up with...

1. L'Oreal Nude Magique Foundation in 120 Ivory 
I do really like this foundation, but I haven't reached for it for a while. This is actually the second bottle I have purchased of this foundation, so there is not much progress with this one so far.

2. NYX HD Concealer in Fair
I like this concealer, but find it hard to wear with glasses. I will try use a little bit daily on top of my MAC Prolongwear (or underneath), and hopefully I will be able to use it up.

3. Rimmel Soft Khol Kajal Eye Liner Pencil in 011 Sable Brown 
This is an older eye liner pencil in my collection, and because it is a brown, I figure it will be less harsh than black for day-time, work appropriate looks.

4. NYX Jumbo Eye Pencil in Milk
I actually own three of these, so I've decided to try and use one up. Before I discovered MAC Painterly Paint Pot, this was my go to eye base. I'm sure if I start wearing eyeshadow to work more frequently, I will be able to use this one up.

5. Sleek Face Form Contouring and Blush Palette - Fair
As you can see from the photo below, I have used up a significant amount of the contour shade and hit pan on it. I believe this will be the hardest product in this Project 10 Pan to conquer. I would like to hit pan on both the highlight and blush shade. I've hardly made a dent in either product, so it will be great to monitor my progress on this one. This was actually one of the first products I reviewed on my blog, and if you are interested, you can see the post here.

6. bareMinerals Marvellous Moxie Lipstick in Make Your Move 
I received a sample of this lipstick in a Mecca Beauty Loop Box. It is a nice, neutral everyday colour, so I don't think it will be too hard to use up.

7. ColourPop Super Shock Shadow in 'Glow' 
This shadow is matte, light beige, so think it will be a good base on top of the NYX Jumbo Eye Pencil in Milk. If I don't want to wear much eyeshadow, I could just use this as an allover eye colour with some shadow in the crease.

8. Lady Gaga 'Fame' EDP
I actually own a small bottle of this perfume that I keep in my handbag, so I would like to use this one up. I have had this bottle for about two years, so I'd like to use this up before the perfume goes off.

9. Maybelline Brow Drama in Dark Brown
I've had this brow gel for a while, and would just like to use it up. The brush is in a weird ball shape, which I probably will cut, but I do quite like this brow gel. There are a few more brow gels I want to trial out, so I'd like to use this one up before doing so.

10. ELF Cream Eyeliner in Coffee 
This is a matte brown cream eyeliner. I thought a brown would be easier to use up than a black, as I could apply this lightly as a brown base, or as an eyeliner.

I have marked on the L'Oreal Nude Magique Foundation, NYX HD Concealer and Lady Gaga Fame my starting point for reference photos in future posts.

Here is my starting point with the Rimmel Soft Kohl Kajal in Sable Brown, bareMinerals Marvellous Moxie Lipstick in Make Your Move and NYX Jumbo Eye Pencil in Milk:

The rules of the Project 10 Pan challenge are simple - no buying makeup until you've used up (or hit pan on) the ten products. I will say that if there is anything limited edition that comes out that I want, I will allow myself to buy it - and if I run out of anything that I don't have a replacement or back up for, I can repurchase. I do think the Sleek Face Form palette will be the hardest to hit pan on - and it might take quite a few months- but I hope I am able to do so (I might even try use up the contour shade completely).

Wish me luck! (and thanks for reading),
X

ColourPop Ultra Matte Lip - quick review and swatches - Midi, Kapow, More Better, Succulent

A couple of months ago, I did a review on four ColourPop Ultra Matte Lip colours I purchased. In this review, I go more into detail in the formulation and staying power of the product. For this post, I want to provide an update with the new colours I have purchased, also including one of the five new shades - More Better.

(L to R: Midi, Kapow, Succulent, More Better)

The first three shades have been available for a bit, with Kapow just coming back in stock when I went to place my order. More Better was one of five new shades in the Ultra Matte selection. It reminds me of a wine colour that leans more purple. 

Midi is described as a soft neutral beige. Kapow is described as a muted grey taupe. Succulent is described as an electric neon orange red, and More Better is described as a deep violet wine. 

As I've said previously, I find these lip products great liquid matte lipsticks for their price. ColourPop has such a variety of shades, and for only $6US, they are definitely affordable. The shipping can be an issue, but I tend to order quite a few things when I order from them. If you haven't checked out the brand yet, I'd definitely recommend checking them out on their website or social media. 

Thanks for reading,
X

ColourPop Lippie Stix - Tootsie & Lumiere - review and swatches

I've really been on a ColourPop kick lately. For the second order I placed with ColourPop, I decided to try out their Lippie Stix. These have been all the range on YouTube lately, so I decided on two shades to try out - Tootsie and Lumiere. 

(L to R: Lumiere and Tootsie)

Lumiere is a dark rose toned nude. ColourPop describes this as a "dusty mauve pink". This was developed with YouTuber kathleenlights (see review of her ColourPop foursome here). Tootsie is described as a "cool-toned grey beige ('greige')". Both these Lippie Stix have a matte finish (my favourite kind of finish). These last well on the lips and are not drying. If the Liquid Matte Lip trend is not your thing (see my review of the ColourPop Ultra Matte Lip here), then I would recommend looking in to these. The Lippie Stix retail for $5 US, as compared with the Ultra Matte Lip at $6 US. For the price, these lip products are great. Each shade from ColourPop does have a complimentary Lippie Pencil, which is a great feature from the brand. The Lippie Pencil's also retail for $5 US.

Thanks for reading,
X

ColourPop Ultra Matte Lip - review and swatches - Limbo, Trap, Tulle & Zipper

My favourite kind of lip product are matte products. Matte liquid lipsticks are always on my radar. ColourPop released these a few months ago and they immediately sold out. A few weeks ago I got an email saying they were back in stock, so I ordered four shades that appealed to me. Shipping was about $18 AUD ($12.92 US), and each lip colour is US $6. The total sale worked out to be $52.48 AUD, which isn't too bad for four shades. The price is really equivalent to what you would pay for "drugstore" lip products in Australia.

(L to R: Trap, Tulle, Limbo, Zipper)

The formula is comparable to Lime Crime Velvetines. It is definitely a very dry formula. I wore Trap to work one day, and only had to reapply towards the end of the day because I had been eating and the colour started to wear away in the centre of the lip. If you are not a fan of dry, matte lip products, these will not work well for you. The colour consistency in all four shades is amazing, and once dry, the product will not go anywhere until you want it to. Trap reminds me a lot of the Lippe Stix in Tootsie, which I purchased about a month ago along with a few other products. The formula of Tootsie is also a matte, but I would describe Tootsie as having a more satin finish. These products, on the other hand, are definitely matte. I picked up Limbo because I didn't end up purchasing Salem from Lime Crime at IMATS last year, and I thought this was similar enough (and I'm a bit unsure about purchasing anymore Lime Crime products). Zipper reminds me of a super matte version of MAC Heroine (which is also a matte finish), and I didn't have anything similar to Tulle in my collection so I thought it was a good addition.

Overall, I'm really glad with this purchase and definitely will be purchasing a few more in the near future... Maybe when the exchange rate is better. If you are interested in these lip products and love matte liquid lipsticks, I would recommend looking into these. 

Thanks for reading, 

X

ColourPop Where The Light Is - review and swatches

I purchased this quad a couple of months ago, along with the Shaaanxo quad (see review here). Since then, I have placed another order for two Lippie Stix and a highlighter, and shipping took about the same (a week and a half). I probably won't be ordering from ColourPop again any time soon until the exchange rate in Australia gets better. Other than the current exchange rate, the price of the products are very reasonable, and the shipping is not too bad from what I have experienced.

Where The Light Is comes with four shades - two mattes, a pearlised finish, and a metallic finish. It is a collaboration with YouTuber kathleenlights. 

(L to R: Glow, Kathleenlights, Cornelius and Blaze)

Glow is a matte, yellow cream. Kathleenlights is a golden copper with pearlised finish. Cornelius is a matte mid-tone warm brown. Blaze is warm bronze with a metallic finish, and with noticeable glitter. 

The matte shades in this quad are more every day wearable than that in the Shaaanxo quad. This isn't necessarily a bad thing, but I find myself reaching for this quad more. Kathleenlights is a gorgeous warm, golden copper, and I can see it getting a lot of use in the summer months. The shade reminds me a lot of MAC Amber Lights, which I believe is the inspiration for the shade. To me, the star of the quad is not Kathleenlights but Blaze. The camera does not pick it up well, but this is a truly magnificent shade. It has fine glitters in it and on the lid it looks multi-dimensional. It adds something remarkable to a bronze look.

I find the pearlised and metallic finish shades are great toppers on powder eyeshadows, and are great tools to have in your kit should you want to take a look from day time to night time. If the colours in this quad don't appeal to you all too much, I would definitely suggest checking out something else in the ColourPop range of eyeshadows. For US$5, these do not disappoint. Next time I order, I will be purchasing more pearlised and metallic finish shades.

This quad costs US$20, and can be purchased from www.colourpop.com.

Thanks for reading,

X

Shaaanxo x ColourPop - review and swatches

About a month or so a go, I placed an order with ColourPop. I was extremely interested in trying out their eyeshadows, but now I want to place an order to try out their blushes and highlighters (I've been on a real highlight kick lately). I ordered two quads - the Shaaanxo and Kathleenlights quad. Each quad was $20US, and shipping was $18.91US - with the exchange rate, the two quads plus shipping cost $78.13AUD. Shipping took about a week and half to get to me, which is pretty average for shipping from America to Australia. 

The quad comes with four cream eyeshadows - XO, Selfie, Rebel and Deluxe. Each shadow contains 2.1 grams.

(L to R: XO, Selfie, Deluxe, Rebel)

XO is described at a light champagne with a pearlised finish. Selfie is a mid-tone peach brown with a matte finish. Deluxe is a warm red bronze with a pearled finish, and Rebel is mid-tone khaki green with a matte finish.

The pearlised eyeshadows are absolutely gorgeous. XO is a gorgeous all over lid colour for everyday, and I find these shadows last a good 6-8 hours with minimal fading. The only issue I have with these shadows is because they are best applied with fingers, it can be hard to apply these shadows (especially Selfie) as crease colours. I like applying a crease with powder eyeshadow before applying these shadows to the lid. The inclusion of Rebel, a khaki green, really breaks up this quad and makes it quite unique, and is a good shade for the winter months, whereas I find Selfie are great shadows for the spring and summer months.

The texture of these shadows is not quite like a conventional cream shadow, but more of a mouse texture. You can use these shadows alone or as a base. I don't find I need to apply a base (eyeshadow primer or Paint Pot), and these last great on the lid. Deluxe is a great base, much like the Maybelline Colour Tattoo in Bad to the Bronze.

I would suggest anyone who is an eyeshadow fan to check these out. Normal single shadows retail for $5US, so they are a bargain. The only problem at the moment is the current exchange rate, but I do see myself purchasing more of these shadows.

Thanks for reading,
X