Weekly Makeup Basket 11 May 2015 to 17 May 2015

Hiya

Another week, another makeup basket.  I must admit, that I am really enjoying this so far.  It is making me really think about my collection, and break out of my routines.  I'm looking forward to choosing next weeks products.

So, what I used this week

Garnier Perfect Blur 5 Sec

I really like this as a primer.  It has an odd, almost lumpy silicony texture.  It does a good job of disguising my pores and I think it gives a bit a longer wear time to the Revlon Nearly Naked Foundation I paired it with this week.

Revlon Nearly Naked Foundation - Shell

Still plugging away on this foundation.  I'm still enjoying it, but I'm starting to get a little over it.  I'm looking forward to getting it finished.  It is a good, light coverage foundation with a nice finish, but I have so many foundations, I need to accomplishment of finishing one!

Maybelline Instant Age Rewind Dark Circle Eraser - Brightening

Almost done.  I still think it doesn't do a whole lot.  Though I must admit, since I've started blending it with a beauty blender, the finish and coverage is much better.  So while it still doesn't do a lot, it now does more than what it did before.

Revlon Nearly Naked Powder - Light

Good powder, nice coverage, nice finish - enough said.

Wet n Wild Bronzer - Reserve Your Cabana

Used this again this week as an under eye setting powder.  If I only use this as an under eye setting powder, I have enough to last me until approximately the end of time.

Revlon Photoready Bronzer

Much like the Revlon foundation, I am determined not be use another product until I finish this one up.  I feel like I have been using this for so long, but I can't even see a dent!  I'm starting to think its a magical product that is automatically refilled by the TimTam genie.

Mirenesse Crystal Colour Drops Hydrating Mineral Powders

Enjoyed using this again this week - particularly the red blush.  I used the satiny nide powder as a subtle highlight.  

Maybelline Colour Tattoo - Seashore Frosts

A beautiful colour - its a blue grey, with a bronzish/pinkish duochrome.  Like all the colour tattoo I have tried, this is a great eyeshadow base.  It is also an absolutely beautiful colour - unfortunately, unless it has an eyeshadow over it, I don't think it really suits me - boo.

Sigma Eyeshadow Base - Unveil

A beautiful gold that was really pigmented.  Geez, I must have bought these things a couple of years ago, and I think this is the first time I have used these.  Was a really nice base for my eyeshadows.  I haven't used this on its own, so I'm not sure of the performance there, but as a base, it worked great.

Naked 1 Palette - but not really

This palette is pretty meh - that is nothing against Urban Decay - mainly because I bought this at the markets and I'm pretty positive its knock off.  The pigmentation is okay, but the colours all pretty much blend together.  I think it might be time to de-stash.  My collection is full of great shadows I don't use - I don't need to use crap ones.

Urban Decay 24/7 Dual Ended Liner - Black Velvet/Smoke

Black velvet and flat out dry and rubbish - really dislike this.  Smoke on the other hand is soft and lovely.  These don't seem to have much staying power on me at all.  An hour on the waterline and poof! they disappear.

Rimmel Scandaleyes - Nude

I'm getting much better at remembering to use this!  I have had really irritated eyes for the last week.  This liner really dropped the red out of my eyes and made them look much brighter.

Benefit They're Real Mascara

I used this mascara up this week - the brush was just too spiky for my eyes.  WNP.

Mirenesse 24hr Brow Lift & Shape Mascara

A nice bronze colour.  Completely looks like it would match my dark brown brows, but somehow it does.  It has a sheen, but doesn't look obvious on.  The spooley is small and narrow - but not tiny, with short fluffy bristles.  This is my 4th or 5th one of these.

Lipsticks - Mirenesse Forever Lipstick

All of these lipsticks are very creamy, shiny and slippery.  They don't have much by way of longevity, but they are beautiful on.  They have a tingly feeling when applied, so likely have peppermint or a similar type stimulant in them.  The feeling goes away after 10 minutes or so, and I don't find it irritating.

• Ricardo - shimmery deep rose with subtle pink and blue shimmer.  Gorgeous colour
• Markko - Muted blue based pink with subtle multi-tonal shimmer.  Bit too milky pale for me on its own, so I changed the tone slightly with lip gloss.  Mind you, these lipstick border on glossy already, so all the gloss does is change the colour - it certainly doesn't add extra gloss.
• Fabbio - Creamy peachy-nude.  Lovely

Tarte Lip Surgence Lipgloss

A rose colour with gold shimmer and a nude - both minis.  I have no idea what the names are because they came in a 2013 holiday set.  Another minty lip product.  Both nice, but nothing spectacular.

Lip Liners

• Rimmel Exaggerate Liner - East End Snob - very soft, pretty pink.  Matched nicely with Ricardo.
• Estee Lauder Artist Pencil - Spice Writer - a pretty auburn.  I didn't end up using this, because stupidly it didn't match with any of the lipsticks I picked - not much forethought there.

 Mac Fix+

The more I use it, the more I like it.

I will be travelling for part of this next week, so my focus will be on picking products that are travel friendly or products that are multi purpose.

Have a good one!

Weekly Makeup Basket 3 May 2015 - 7 May 2015

Hiya

In an effort to utilise more of my ridiculous makeup stash, I have started the weekly makeup basket challenge.  I have seen various Youtubers (PrettyPistol86 and GlamourWithGrace come to mind) make videos about this, and I thought it was a great idea to use the products I have already invested so much money into.

I have so much makeup; I tend to buy things, put them away, and then never use them - or at the very least rarely use them.  I buy too much makeup, so this is a way for me to "shop my stash" and fall in love with products all over again - or realise I really dislike them and destash.  I am definitely not one to use a product under sufferance - if I disklike it, its gone!

So here is this last weeks makeup basket, and my thoughts: -

Holika Holika Naked Face Balancing Primer

This is a relatively thin, colour correcting primer without any sort of silicone feeling.  The bottle has a pump which is great.  The product is pretty lavender, green and peach colour balls suspended in a clear serum.  When the product is pumped out, the balls gets squashed, and you can see the separate colours pump onto your hand.  As the primer is quite thin, the colour correcting is quite mild - but that is fine for me as I don't suffer much from any sort of discolouration.

The primer has a soft floralish scent, that I don't find it in the least offensive; nor did I find it lingered.  The primer leaves an ever so slightly tacky finish, and I do believe it assisted in my foundation longevity.

Revlon Nearly Naked Foundation - Shell

This is a fairly fluid foundation with light coverage.  I have actually been focusing on this foundation for a while and am trying to use it up.  I have a fairly normal skin, with a slightly oily t-zone.  I find this foundation starts to break down after about 6 hours or so on my nose and forehead.

I like it nice enough, but I won't rush out to repurchase once its finished.

Revlon Nearly Naked Powder - Light

A really nice finely milled powder that adds a light extra coverage.  I don't find this powder makes me look "powdery".  I would repurchase.

Revlon Nearly Naked Mineral Powder Foundation - Light

I don't have a lot of experience with mineral powder foundation - its isn't something I generally gravitate towards - but this was on discount at Wizard Pharmacy for 40% off with a free brush so I thought I would give it a go.  

I use the product by putting some in the lid and then smooshing an Elf Large powder brush into it and then buffing it onto my face.  I did try it over the Nearly Naked Foundation, but I thought that looked a little heavy.  I used it on its own (over the HH primer) and I really liked the finish it gave.  I do think it oxidised slightly though.  I the bathroom it looked find after application (I have daylight bulbs in my bathroom), but about half an hour later, then was definitely a difference in colour between  my neck and face.......  The difference was pronounced enough that it would discourage further use, but I will have to make sure I blend down my neck.

Maybelline Instant Age Rewind Eraser Dark Circle Treatment Concealer - Brightening

Every person and their cat seems to rave about this stuff - but I just don't feel it does a lot for me.  I have more mild puffiness than darkness under my eyes, but I don't really feel it does much brightening???  I apply it, and then use the Sigma pointed Kakubi brush to light "tap-blend" it in.  I don't know.... I find it kinda meh.

Wet n Wild Bronzer (haha yeah right) - Reserve Your Cabana

Because WnW isn't available in Australia, I paid a small fortune for this on eBay - $20 including delivery from memory!  This is a very subtle highlight, which is a bit too subtle for me to use as a highlight.  I used it to set the concealer under my eyes to add a little extra brightness, and I really like it for that.

Mirenesse Crystal Colour Drops Hydrating Mineral Powders

I have had this thing for ages.  I used to use it a lot, but it kinda got lost in the pile over the last couple of years.

This face pallet comes with a subtle hightlighter, a shimmery light bronzer, and a peach and reddy-rose blush.  I have fallen back in love with this!  The reddy blush gives a beautiful colour to my cheeks, and the subtle simmer highlighter is beautiful.  

Revlon Photoready Bronzer

This is a great matte bronzer, that I use for contour.  The powder has 4 differently toned quadrants, and I swirl my brush around all of them, then applied in the "3" motion on my face.  I'm not sure, but I think this might be discontinued??  It has popped up on Ozsale a couple of times, and I can't remember seeing it in Priceline last time I was there.  If it is still available, I would re-purchase after I get though my backlog of bronzers.  A bronze take me a age to get through - a bronze age! get it?? Yeah, lame joke.

Maybelline Colour Tattoo - Bad to the Bronze

I used this as my eye primer - for all shadow shades - and I absolutely loved it!  I had only really used bronzes over this previously, but it worked beautifully under all sorts of different shades.  This is a firm favourite, and I will buy it again.

Lorac Pro Palette

I have barely used this since I bought it - and given Lorac isn't available in Australia, it was neither cheap nor easy to get a hold of.  Forcing myself to focus on this palette only this week, I really understand what all the hype is about.  The colours as beautifully pigmented, and blend easily.  Over the colour tattoo, these eyeshadows stuck like glue.  Might have to pick up the Pro 2.

Kat Von D Tattoo Liner -Trooper

Awesome liner, awesome tip, stays forever, easy to use - enough said.  Oh, other than it can only be purchased at Sephora, and Sephora don't like freight forwarding services!  Really hard to get hold of.

Benefit They're Real Mascara

Not sure what I think about this mascara.  Sometimes is made its way under my eyes.  I found the wand a little too spiky where it sometimes hurt my eyes when applying.  I don't think its anything that great that I would pay full price for it, as its extortionately priced in Australia.

Rimmel Scandaleyez - Nude

I used this on my waterline.  I really love this liner, but I always forget to use it.  Would repurchase, because i feel it really does brighten up my eyes.

Anastasia Dip Brow - Dark Brown

This is a fairly new product for me, and I still have my training wheels on to some extent. I really enjoy the product so far.  I haven't had any issues with applying too much (as I've ready others have had problems with).  I think with a bit more practice, this could become a holy grail

Lip Pencils

Nyx Slim Line in Nude and Citrine.  Great liners.  For me, I think they are just as good as anything else, and they are inexpensive.

MIrenesse Passion Plums Dual liner - a brown based purple and a darker purple - lovely.

Lip Sticks

Mac Rebel - Beautiful colour, though I did find it a bit drying - nothing I can't work with though.  I think I need to remove it before re-applying in the future.

Mac AC96 - a gorgeous orange with a gold shimmer.  Sounds scary, looks gorgeous

Milani Nude - I needed a neutral to balance out the other strong colours.  Lovely comfortable formula.

Mac Fix +

Used to remove any powdery-ness.  I always forgot to use this stuff.  After using it for the week, I really like the finish it gave.

Well, that is everything I used for the week.  I really enjoyed this challenge, and am looking forward to picking out next weeks products.

Is there anything you've found in your stash that you complete forgot about, and have just fallen completely back in love with?