MAC Pro Longlash - Review

I'll freely admit to loving MAC mascaras. Plushlash is the closest thing I have to a holy grail mascara. I loves it. Deeply. Dazzlelash comes in a close second. I can say, however, I've been on a mascara low-ish buy, because I had been hoarding mascara sample tubes. I could swap for mascaras only (other than cheap thrills), and felt like I was lucky when I arranged a swap for Pro Longlash mascara in black on MUA.

Apparently only available from MAC Pro stores, this mascara retails at $13, which is par for the course for MAC. I like that their mascaras aren't $30, unlike their department store neighbors. Of course, they are more expensive than their drugstore counterparts, however, has anyone else noticed the price creeping for drugstore lines?  Anyway, MAC says:

Goes the distance. Makes lashes luxuriously long and silky: no spikes! Luxury and longitude in a pro-proven formula. Accelerates lashes into length, smooth and fast. Smooth silky finish. Wears long (all day!) Go the distance: bat-a-lash!

So... was it love? While I found this mascara to be nice, it's nothing to seek out. It's a run of the mill mascara, with a sort of wonky wand. The brush is tapered at both ends. The tip collects a lot of product, so you have to wipe it off as you remove it from the tube. It distributes the product fairly well on my lashes. 

My lashes, after one coat, look slightly longer. Two coats gives a little more length, and a tiny bit of volume. Additional coats don't improve things, and can easily lead to clumped lashes. I don't experience smudging or flaking, and this mascara is fairly easy to remove at the end of the day. The formula dries pretty quickly, which is nice.

Overall, I wasn't impressed. I won't seek this mascara out in the future.

MAC Matchmaster Foundation - Review

I picked this up awhile ago, and have not had a chance to write a review, because I keep going back to Perfection Lumiere, but MAC's Matchmaster Foundation is pretty awesome!

For $33, you get 1.18 fluid ounces (35 mL) of foundation in a tall, glass tube with a locking pump top. I really like how MAC's tubes lock, by twisting the outer plastic of the tube, because it's very easy to do. This process makes MAC foundations extremely easy to travel with. I find it interesting that MAC's volume for this product is an oddly specific number, 1.18 fluid ounces, rather than the regular 1.0. Nonetheless, you get a bit more than most companies would give you in the same price range.

Typically, I match to NC15 in MAC foundations (if they run light), and the lightest or second lightest warm shade in other lines. I was color matched to 1.0 in Matchmaster, and I believe it's a good match, with one caveat - I can't layer it. If I layer it, or try to build the coverage, it starts looking orange. One thin layer gives solid medium coverage, however, which works fine for my purposes. It doesn't appear cakey or mask-like, and wears well all day. This isn't a matte finish foundation - I would call it satin, which means I'm shiny at the end of the day, but I can live with that. I've suffered no breakouts or other skin issues while using this foundation.

The reason MAC is so proud of this foundation is because it contains "technology" that allows it to match almost anyone. The pigment is suspended in a clear "bubble" and allows it to "adjust" to the wearer. Yeah. Whatever. If you're an NC25, you can't pick up a bottle of 1.0 and expect a perfect. It gives some leeway to allow more people to find a color that may work for them, but I can't see an NW10 wearing my shade in this foundation and getting a match from it. 

The only real complaint I have about this foundation is the scent - it smells like the Cover Girl foundation I used to wear as a teen. A combination of paint and that eau de makeup scent. It doesn't last, and my brushes don't seem to pick up the scent at all. It's also pretty thick - sometimes I need to use a little over 1 pump for my whole face. For most foundations, I use 1 pump and I have a bit left over. Sometimes, I need a touch more. It seems to depend on the brush - a 187 uses less than the big Tarte brush released with the Amazonian Clay foundation (love that thing, though!).

Overall, this is a nice foundation. It does what it's supposed to do. I think NC15's will find a solid match in the 1.0 shade, but if you're boarderline like me, you won't find it buildable. I don't think I'll repurchase, because I strongly prefer my Perfection Lumiere (why do I have to like the more expensive one? WHY?!) to Matchmaster.

Pan! Lots and Lots of Pan!

I'll own up to the fact that I've been busy. Really busy. So busy, that I've neglected my blog. So, I've brought proof that I haven't given up makeup. Pan porn!

Clockwise from top left: Rimmel Stay Matte powder, Stila Convertible Color in Gerbera, Urban Decay De-Slick setting spray, MAC Sumptuous Olive, MAC Wedge, Stila Smudgestick in Lion Fish

See? Pan! Actually, the Smudgestick and the UD spray are empty. I'm rather disappointed that I used up the eyeliner so quickly - it was finished about 2 months ago! The spray didn't last very long, either, but it was a mini size. Still, I would've hoped for it to last longer than 2 weeks.

There are a few things not pictured, like my MAC Dazzleglass in Dressed to Dazzle. I love Dazzleglasses because I use them up regularly, thus meaning I can B2M the packaging quickly. Also, I complete finished MAC Shroom. You can see my progress on these eyeshadows, and the cream blush above, by checking out this older post.

Regardless, I'm back for now! And, I've been busy using up things!

Haul!

I've been neglecting this blog because I've been working overtime for the last, oh, 2 months or so. It's been tiring, but, now that those overtime paychecks have been rolling in... I've been taking advantage of my free money!

The stuff pictured above is all from QVC. It's what's left from the last Tarte TSV kits I received (including the 8th Wonder set [which had the Amazonian Clay foundation], and the Glow Your Way to Gorgeous set [which had the Maracuja Oil Concealer]). I kept only a few pieces, opting to sell off the pieces I wouldn't use. I kept the bronze Amazonian clay eyeliner, the Shimmering Moss Amazonian Clay Waterproof eyeshadow, the quad (which will make a great neutral eye look!), and the make up bag from the Glow Your Way to Gorgeous set. The rest sold on eBay last week, and I was able to clear enough to pay for two kits. I also picked up the next Bare Escentuals TSV (which will be promoted on 11/18/2011), because it included one of their Ready 2.0 eyeshadow duos, and their Round the Clock eye liner pencils. I'll do a review of these pieces later.

These items came from Macy's and Nordstrom. I needed a new foundation, because I was finding the Tarte foundation to be a little on the dark side (apparently, I had picked up a touch of color over the summer - who knew?). I decided to get two (I can't live with just one!), so from Macy's, I picked Chanel's Perfection Lumiere in the shade 12 Beige Rosee (which is an awesome match,) and because I'm a weak person, I also got the Illusion d'Ombre in Illusoire. From Nordstrom, I picked up Matchmaster in 1.0, and then preordered (and subsequently retrieved) a few items from Glitter & Ice, the holiday collection. I decided on the a Dazzleglass in Dressed to Dazzle, the lighter of the two nudes. I also got the beauty powder in Snowglobe, the Mineralized Eyeshadow in Snow Season, and a paint pot in Morning Frost.

I swatched everything from Glitter & Ice, and honestly, nothing else grabbed me. I had 2 of the Dazzleglasses already (and really didn't like She-Zam! at all - it was way to cool-toned for me). The other two paint pots were super thick-almost-sticky in texture, a lot like Blackground. The other beauty powder didn't wow me at all, and Snow Season was the only MES that I honestly loved. The others were not pigmented, or super cool-toned (which makes sense - who's hear of warm ice?). I can't buy any more lipsticks, since I never wear them, and hate Technikohl liners - they fade almost immediately, or, smudge themselves away. I'm super happy with what I got from Glitter & Ice, though!

MAC Blue Storm Pigment - Review

I went through a blue eyeshadow phase at the same time I had come down with a case of "must have all MAC pigments!" disease. I had a chance to snag Blue Storm Pigment a while ago, so I thought I'd discuss my feelings as it's being re-released as part of the MAC Fall Colour collection

The jar I have is from the Zoom Lash collection of 2005. MAC described it as "marine blue with red/violet pigment," (now it's a "rich metallic blue".) I think it's more of a deep royal blue color, because there's a definite purple tone to it. Applied wet, I think the metallic nature shines through, but that's really true of almost any pigment. I can easily see this being used in a smokey eye look, because it's a rich jewel tone. Some of you may recall an eyeshadow called Blue Storm, from the Blue Storm Collection of 2007, which was described as "royal blue with blue and silver pearl." For the sake of comparison:

The texture of this pigment is... interesting. As you will see in the pictures below, it kind of "balls up" (blue.. balls... oh jeez, my mind has found it's way in to the gutter), and feels a bit creamy. Like most pigments, I get the best wear using MAC's Mixing Medium. Honestly, Mixing Medium is awesome, way better than Fix+ could ever hope to be. Anyway, two drops and enough pigment to make a paste is enough for both eye lids.


MAC pigments are still something I collect, so for me, this was a no-brainer. And think purple fans will find a use for this pigment. Those of you who prefer neutrals, however, may not find a ton of uses, although this makes a fantastic liner. I'm hoping to score a sample of the new version, to see how it compares to the older version. Blue Storm will be available for purchase on 09/29/2011 at counters and instores. Online, look for it 09/27/2011.

Flash

No Flash

MAC Studio Careblend Pressed Powder - Review

I'm a total sucker for MAC stuff. My collection is at least 60% MAC, and I still get all excited about future launches. The one place I don't really have a full MAC collection is foundations and powders. I don't really know why - I've tried a few MAC foundations, and liked them well enough. I really like Blot powder, as well, but I just don't ever think to use it. I've been dying, however, to get my grubby hands on the Studio Careblend Pressed Powder since it debuted earlier this year. To keep myself out of trouble, I don't venture near MAC counters or stores (the last time I did, my bank account was about $150 lighter than it had been), so I had rely on swapping. Finally, I was able to swap for Studio Careblend Pressed Powder in Light Plus.

This powder retails for $23.00. Packaged in the standard black compact, with a mirror inside the lid, there's nothing very ground breaking here. MAC says:

Formulated to provide a smooth, virtually invisible, fresh-looking finish, this soft, cream-like powder is carefully blended to provide the skin with extra care, nourishment and comfort.

In all honesty, this powder doesn't feel creamy at all. Maybe I associate "creamy" with moist (what an unpleasant word that is), but it just feels like any other powder. Light Plus is very, very, yellow on me. Almost to the point that it's not a great match for me, a light NC15 (I have a feeling I'd be more of a neutral match in most MAC foundations.

The bottom swatch is not blended, while I did blend some in above it. As you can see, it does blend well using my finger, so with a brush, it's even better. It does provide very light coverage, more than Blot does, and I've heard some say they really like to set tinted moisturizers with this, because it boosts the coverage just a bit. Since I'm currently using the Tarte Amazonian Clay foundation, I thought I'd like the extra coverage, but it just doesn't appear to add anything on my face.

This powder isn't geared towards my skin type, I think. I've been told I have dehydrated skin that manifests itself as being oily (which both makes sense, and doesn't make any sense), and this powder doesn't seem to hold up to oils at all. I have to blot within hours of applying. I've tried pressing the powder in with a powder sponge, with a brush, and then just brushing it on. Nothing seems to make it defeat my t-zone's oil attack. I can't fault the product, though, since it's not really designed to be a blotting powder.

I was curious about the "comfort" aspect of the claims, wondering if this powder would address the surface redness of my cheeks. It didn't, but since MAC didn't make any claims that it would, I also can't fault the powder in this respect, however, the yellow-tone didn't really do much for my skin, either.

Overall, I won't buy this in the future. I'll keep this until winter, when my skin is a touch drier, to see how I feel, but... I'm not a seasonal makeup kind of girl. I want products that work 365 days a year, not 2 or 3 months a year.

MAC Mineralize Skinfinish in Lightscapade - Review

I'll admit, I'm a sucker for MAC MSF. I have LE-fever when it comes to these things. I had the opportunity to swap for Lightscapade, one of the most sought-after highlighters from MAC. It's "the best," not glittery, just a barely-there, glowy, highlight. It's being repromoted in the MAC for Cindy Sherman collection, for anyone who wishes to pick it up at retail, on 09/29/2011.

The best part of this product, sadly, is how it looks in the pan. The only word suitable is serene. It's so gorgeous in the pan, soft swirls of blue, violet, pink, and faint gold (not shimmery or glittery gold, though), with a beige background. I could seriously stare at all day.

The swatch is... disappointing. I don't know what I was expecting, exactly, but this was not it. It's a barely there shimmer on me. Granted, my arm is just about fishbelly shade, but still. On my face skin, it's a whole lot of.... not much. I've used a MAC 109, a NARS Yachiyo, even my fingers, to get this to show up on me, and it doesn't. It's worth noting that I'm a light NC15, and my arm is probably NC10 or lighter.

Since I can't see this on my face, I can't tell when it's worn away. So, I can't comment on the durability of the product.

Overall, this is $29 of... nothing, I guess. It's very, very, very pretty in the pan. So peaceful, delicate, and calming (who knew a baked powder could make me so mellow?), but it's just not worth it.

MAC Eyeshadow in Sumptuous Olive - Review

A long time ago, in a land about an hour south of my current location, I unwittingly was conned into signing away thousands of dollars over a period of several years. I blame the awesome counter manager (at the time) of the MAC counter at the Salem Nordstrom store. It's all her fault. The subject of this review is one of the first MAC shadows I ever purchased. In fact, I'm still using the same pot!

Sumptuous Olive is a veluxe pearl eyeshadow from MAC's permanent range. Described as a "khaki with pearl," it was recommended to me by a national MAC artist. After hemming and hawing, I asked the counter manager what she thought, and she very confidently seconded the other artist's opinion. To my eye, this shadow is an olive green with a strong gold pearl. I love the way this shadow brings out the green in my eyes, which are usually a sort of muddy green. The shadow is fairly versatile, as well, because it can change appearance depending upon the color underneath it. A green base seems to bring out the green tones, while brown or gold bases seem to bring out the gold (brilliant, I know).

Veluxe pearls are among my favorite eyeshadow textures, because they tend to be super pigmented, blendable, and have a soft metallic finish.

Because this color is from MAC's permanent range, it is available in a standard pot for $14.50, and in a pro pan for $11.00. You can pick this color up at any MAC counter or store.

This is a holy-grail item for me. I use it at least three times a week, if not more. When I use this shadow up (and I will), I will definitely repurchase it.

MAC Prep + Prime Transparent Finishing Powder - Review

Being an oily-skinned gal, I'm always looking for a good mattifying powder. Because I have large pores, I also want a powder that will help disguise or minimize them. I've had reasonable luck with MAC face products, and when they released their finishing powder, which is supposed to help with both of these concerns.

From MAC's website:

A silky finishing powder that provides an invisible way to set makeup. Reduces shine while optically minimizing the look of pores, lines, imperfections. Available in one universal colour that suits all shades. Wear over makeup or on bare, moisturized skin.

That sounds all fine and dandy. For $23, you get 8 grams of white powder that applies without color. The jar is short, and very sleek, like most of MAC's packaging. This powder is very silky feeling, and moves/flows very nicely. Unlike the Makeup For Ever HD powder, this powder doesn't leave any sort of white cast to the skin, which is awesome. It also didn't cling to any dry areas.

Regrettably, it doesn't do anything for me. I've tried over, and under my foundation. I've tried using it over and under my foundation at the same time, too. My face ended up looking greasy within hours of first applying. Yes, I can blot, and many people do, but I don't want to. I'm the kind of person who wants to apply and then forget about, my make up. While some people may not mind touching up, I just don't want to. With regards to my pores, well, they still looked huge. In no way did they appear smaller or diffused.

I really wanted to like this powder, but, it doesn't work for me. I won't repurchase, and can't recommend this to girls who, like me, struggle with oiliness.

Etsy Rant... ugh.

I hate it when I have a little cash to burn, and can't find anything to buy. Hate it! I've spent countless hours stalking Etsy, wanting to buy something pretty and sparkly, only to find the sellers I've haven't tried are doing all of the things that annoy me. So, to get it out of my system, I'll list them for you.

1) Charge WAY TOO MUCH for shipping. Seriously, $5.20 to ship a 10 gram jar of eyeshadow? What, you don't have a scale to weigh a bubble mailer (the CD sized ones, by the way, are usually about 1 oz, with label and tape) so you could get someone like ME to buy your colors? Sorry, I'll move on to the next seller, maybe...

2) Charge WAY TOO MUCH for their product. Time is valuable, and your time is just as valuable as mine is. I'd never ask that a seller price something so low they're losing money, but I would ask that they consider what the market will bear. If you want to sell a 5 gram jar of pigment, mica, and whatever for $10, knock yourself out. I don't know if you'll be extremely busy filling orders, though, when I can go to Shiro Cosmetics, Noella Beauty Works or any number of other sellers that price their products more competitively.

3) Not including a COLOR DESCRIPTION. I realize this one may be subjective, but honestly, how hard is it to say "warm brown," or "pale blue?" You don't have to get too artsy on me, just give me an indication of what the color is supposed to look like, so I know my monitor isn't fully of crap. Especially warm/cool leanings on colors because I need to know if I should even bother.

4) Not including swatches. This one I can kind of forgive, if the seller isn't also violating the others. Swatches are hard sometimes, and I don't always like eye swatches unless I can clearly see the color I'm supposed to buy. I saw a listing for a color that the person showed in the jar, then did a look with 2 other colors from the same color family. How, exactly, does that help me? 3 similar colored shades on an eyelid doesn't let me know what I'm buying. So, I'm NOT buying, and the seller is losing out!

5) Not offering samples. I'm a realist. I *know* I will never, ever, EVER run out of makeup. Unless I live to be 1,000 years old, but I'll have bigger problems if I live to be that old. I'd rather sample a color (especially if you're going to charge $8.00 for what others offer at half that price, on top of your bloated shipping costs), see if I like your product (the color, texture, presentation, etc), *then* buy the full size. Why? Simple logistics. I may love it in the picture, may simply like it on me, and if I lost only a dollar in the process, no big deal.

6) Rather than including # 3 and 4, including a diatribe about how GOOD "mineral makeup" is for you. Seriously? You can't be bothered to create a listing that adequately describes your colors, but you're going to tell me that my MAC eyeshadows will make my eyelids rot off? Yeah, I'll move on, thanks.

Whew. That feels a little better. I'm still bitter, but oh well. What annoys you about Etsy (or mineral makeup) sellers?

Etsy Find: Holy House Dispensary - Review

Once again, we're venturing into my collection of loose eyeshadows from Etsy. This time, the company is a bit more local to me - Holy House Dispensary operates out of Idaho (home of many things, but most wellknown for their potatoes. They offer 15 eyeshadows and three tinted lip balms (which I haven't tried). The finishes range from matte to shimmery (I haven't seen a really glittery shade yet), and from sheer to very pigmented.

I have 5 colors, Thief, Call Me, Nude, and Smoke. Cassie, the owner, included a generous sample of Baby in my first order, as well. Full size jars are of the 3 oz size, and are full to the top - no sifters (yay!). Each jar has a sticker on the top with the Holy House Dispensary logo on it, and the shade names are written in permanent marker on the bottom. They retail for $4.99, and Cassie asks for $1.00 for shipping. She doesn't charge any additional shipping charges. At this time, she offers a discount of 10% when using the coupon code "holyhouse" on all orders, as well.

Thief is a bright, yet not over the top, shimmery green, with medium pigmentation. Call Me is a deep red-based purple with a sheen, and very pigmented. Nude is a sheer, sparkly nude (aptly named, don't you think?). Smoke is a matte smokey-purple, which really reminds me of MAC's Poison Pen from their Matte^2 line, with medium pigmentation. Baby is a soft, glimmery peach shade, with medium pigmentation.

I'm very happy with how well these blend. They are the perfect combination of easy to blend, yet pigmented. I'm not worried about blending these colors off my lid (which can happen with mineral pigments), but I can blend them into my crease without much effort. They hold up fairly well on my lids, with minimal creasing. My favorites are Smoke and Nude, the original two colors I ordered. The others are nice, but I love Smoke, and Nude is a great wash of sheer color. I don't know if I would recommend Nude to someone who wants a lot of color, or would plan on using it to even their lid color out, though. There's not a lot of pigment there.

I hope Cassie plans on adding the color name to her labels, or making labels to indicate the colors, as I'm concerned over time the names may wear off the bottoms of the jars (not that I've had that issue yet).

Overall, Holy House Dispensary offers a great product at an excellent price!

Clinique Chubby Stick Moisturizing Lip Colour Balm - Review

I'm not a lipstick gal - I love balms and glosses (sheer colors that I don't need a mirror to apply, essentially). When my mother gave me a giftcard for Macy's, my original plan was to save it until gift-with-purchase for a line and then use it, but... that didn't happen (who was I kidding?). I was intrigued by these, as I usually find lipsticks to be drying, or poor-wearing, or uncomfortible. Clinique is a line that doesn't seem to get much love from the makeup-loving blog world, but I've always been reasonably happy with my Clinique choices, so I jumped on these Chubby Sticks.

These retail for $15, and they are available anywhere Clinique products are sold. From Sephora: "This gorgeous lip color treats lips to mouthwatering moisture and a hint of shine." We'll cover this claim in a bit.

The color I selected is "Mega Melon," which Sephora describes as a "sheer peachy-pink," a totally up-my-alley color. In reality, I found this color to be peachy with a hint of nudeness to it. Not the pink I was expecting.

As you can see, this isn't exactly sheer (I think of sheer being like a dazzleglass, or even many lipglasses from MAC, where my lip color heavily influences the color that the product appears as on my lips). Infact, I'd venture to say this is not a lip balm at all, but a cleverly marketed medium-finish lipstick. As such, it's not a bad lipstick. I didn't find this product to be balm-like at all. While not exactly drying, it was not moisturizing, either. It would benefit from a thin layer of a true lip balm underneath, or a sheer (or clear) gloss over top. The coverage, as indicated, is fairly good. My natural lip color isn't muted, it's pretty much gone when wearing this. Shine is next to nil with this, as well. These are not matte, but, again, not shiney either. The finish reminds me of what you get from an EOS-type balm. Satiny, maybe?

The Chubby Stick had a life span of about 2 hours on me, without anything over it. And really, at 2 hours, I was okay with it being gone. It seemed to slighly emphasize the lip-lines without just bleeding into them. I like moisturzing lip products, especially this time of year (winter), and Chubby Sticks just don't provide it. Do I like this product? I guess so. I'm not planning on returning it, but I sort of wished I'd waiting until my CCO got them or until a gift-with-purchase deal was available. I can't say I'd recommend this at this time, but maybe when I don't need the moisturizing I need now, this product will be better.

Smashbox HyperLash Mascara - Review

For the last year or so, I haven't bought any new mascaras. The reason for this absurdity became clear at the end of last year (err, 2009), when I was looking for extras for a swap and I realized I had almost 15 unopened, untested sample-sized mascaras, and I WAS CONTINUING TO BUY MASCARAS. WHY?! So, rather than buy any new mascaras, I thought I'd use one sample per month to work my way through them, and to see what I had been missing from all of these other brands. Some I have reveiwed over at MUA. This one, however, will be reviewed here. Behold! I give you - Smashbox HyperLash!!

Alright. Now that that is out of my system, let's continue. My lashes have darker roots and light, nearly blonde, tips. I wear black mascara almost exclusively, because I love a bit of drama (I always wear eye makeup, and don't care how heavy it looks at times - if I like it, I'll wear it, thankyouverymuch). I dislike rubber-bristle wands, as I feel they don't coat my lashes. I don't curl my lashes (*gasp*), mostly because I don't think I have to (or I'm in denial, take your pick), and I'm lazy. HyperLash is the second mascara from Smashbox I've tried, and like the first, LashDNA, I like it. It doesn't wow me, but I'd consider buying it, maybe.

From Smashbox.com: "Rev up your lashes with this high intensity all-in-one mascara that lifts, lengthens, volumizes (sic?), and defines. The unique dual applicator has a brush on one side, and a comb on the other for beautifully full, amazingly long, clump-free lashes in seconds..." Holy adjectives, Batman!

First, the wand:

This does have rubberized bristles, however they're small, fine, and seem to work way better than LashBlast from Cover Girl. My lashes actually get coated with mascara! There are two different "sides" to this wand. One side of the brush features bristles that are all the same length. The other has bristles that get shorter towards the tip, which is awesome for getting the inner corner, unless you like applying mascara to your eye lid.

I like lengthing and definition from a mascara - oh, and I LOVE volume. This mascara seems to do a little bit of everything. It doesn't excell in one area, nor does it fail in any area. It's just a basic mascara. Does it deserve all of the superlatives Smashbox gives? Not really, for my lashes. It is a nice, black mascara, though. It looks truly black, and I don't find my naturally light tips peaking through.

With an MSRP of $21.00, I don't plan on purchasing this mascara on it's own. I'd rather go with MAC's PlushLash or DazzleLash, since they're around $13.00.

**This review is based on a sample sized tube that came from smashbox.com. There is a belief that sample size mascaras are a different formula than the full size tubes, but... I don't know.

My Accomplishments!

It's the end of another year, and I have to wonder - what have I done this year? Well, I got a slightly better job (less stress, the same amount of pay, though). Adopted 2 cats (one moved out of our house as soon as he could - he's around the corner. He left his poor brother behind, though). And... um... that's about it.

Well, that's not fair to me. I've gotten close to finishing a couple of things. And, I've done a great job at sticking to my mascara no-buy. Using up all of the freebies I've accumulated feels great! Let's see what else I've finished, or almost finished, or.. at least hit pan on! These are my daily eyeshadows. I couldn't live or breathe without them. From the top left, there's Sumptuous Olive (I had to repress it, so *now* there's no pan, but I swear it's 50% or less). Then there's Shroom (top right), which I've had for a bit over a year and it's almost gone!
Finally, Wedge (bottom) - it's the perfect, soft, neutral crease color for me. Loves it.

So I haven't finished either of these, but seriously. Look at the size of them compaired to the stand MAC eye kohl cap. On the top is Clinique's Chocolate Luster Cream Shaper pencil, on the bottom is MAC's Teddy eye kohl. The Cream Shaper is okay, but Teddy is sooo much better. The perfect bronzey-brown for green eyes!

So this still has a ton of life left in it, but... hey, there's a significant amount of pan showing! It's Stila's Convertible Lip and Cheek color in Gerbera. This has been my go-to blush (obviously).

There are other products, too, like several Dazzleglasses, a bottle of MAC's brush cleaner, and a bottle of Chanel's Mat Lumiere Foundation.

What've you finished?