Tuesday, June 24, 2014

Project Make A Dent #1: Second Progress Check

Here's the promised update on my Project Make A Dent! If you're new to this idea, the Project's aim is to make a focused effort to use certain make-up items from your collection and well, put a dent in them, whilst not depriving yourself from enjoying the rest of your stash. The idea was originated by Lola from Lola's Secret Beauty Blog (here's her latest update) and lots of other bloggers are participating as well - if you want to join in, you can use #projectmakeadent hashtag on Twitter for extra motivation from fellow participants!

Here's what my selected make-up products looked like when I started my Project in January 2014 (click here for the original post with product names etc., and here for my First Progress Check in March):
And here's the progress at a half year mark:
This is kind of like playing the 'Spot the difference' game. So, how many differences are there?
Yes, I've finally used up two items! My faithful bottle of Bourjois Healthy Mix Serum foundation has bit the dust, and the stub of Annabelle Smudgeliner in Rich Chocolate is beyond sharpening - which is a good thing, because I'm pretty sure the formula dried out and hardened from when I first purchased this. You can also see I've been using the Rimmel Moisture Renew lipstick in Soft Coral quite regularly... while sort of neglecting the NYX Tea Rose. What you can't really see from the progress photo is that I've been using the NYC Blushable Creme Stick in Plaza Pink a lot - and I mean, a LOT - but this thing might just be immortal. I've also used some of the Annabelle Vanilla Chilla eyeshadow and the NYX Powder Blush in Angel here and there, but not as often as the other items.
I've also decided to swap out the already finished items for some new ones, and so we have Estee Lauder Double Wear Light in Intensity 1, Urban Decay 24/7 Glide On Eyeliner Pencil mini in Whiskey, and Gosh Waterproof Eyeliner in Black Ink entering the challenge - here's a group shot with the current usage on these items. You obviously can't see from the Estee Lauder foundation tube, but I'm estimating that it's slightly less than half way down. I originally wanted to include Face Atelier Ultra Foundation as my base for the Project, but you guys, I tried and I can't - it's way too heavy and greasy for my skin, and in New York's summer heat and humidity, it's just awful. So Double Wear Light it is; the shade is a bit too dark for me, so I guess summer would be the optimal time to try and use it up.

All in all, I'm pretty happy with my progress and I'm looking forward to finishing more items I've chosen for the Project - well, maybe not the blushes, ha. I think this quarter I was a bit easier on myself as far as forcing myself to use my selected products, so I've managed to tame some of the make-up boredom I was experiencing earlier. I now do wish however that I included more products in the Project from the start, so I could rotate them more; but maybe then nothing would actually get finished? Who knows.

Have you used up any make-up items recently? Do you intend to repurchase them, replace with something else, or are you just trying to downsize?

23 comments:

  1. Ah! You made some awesome progress! Go, Monika, go! That is really impressive. The only things I use up on a regular basis is skincare. Just starting to hit the bottom of my beloved d/c Shu cleansing oil, a GIANT GIANT thing of Philosophy cleanser and the Eve Lom Morning Time cleanser. Weird thing how they all run out at the same time, giving me no financial relief. :)

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  2. Tank you, tank you, dear Belly! I know exactly what you mean - I used up a lot of my skincare in the past few months, but I have so many back-ups that for now there's no need to repurchase. Because repurchasing all of that wouldn't be fun. Or maybe it would be fun, but rather costly.

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  3. Great progress you have made here! I need to get my hands on the Bourjois Healthy Mix foundation, I've heard such great things about it!
    <3 Pauline, ­­Addicted to Makeup

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  4. I am kind of in love with this idea, since I am a cosmetic hoarder and always like to use what is new! Maybe I should get started on this!

    amysbeautydiary.weebly.com

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    1. Is it wrong that I first read part of your comment as 'cosmic hoarder'? :) I think we're all drawn to new! new! new! all the time, but the satisfaction of using something up is... well... cosmic!

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  5. You made suhc good progress! I am mighty impressed and also inspired! Definitely need to do something like this before my makeup goes to the bin! I hate throwing stuff I have spent so much on! :-|

    TheConscienceFund

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  6. Excellent work! This post reminds me that I've been meaning to do Project Make-a-Dent with some of my neglected lipsticks. One of which is a NYX Round Lipstick very similar to Tea Rose, actually! Those NYX mauves have a way of getting forgotten...

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    1. I think that focusing on lip products in Project Make A Dent is always a good idea, because they can be used up/dented faster than, say, eyeshadow or blush. I think my problem with NYX Tea Rose is that while it's a flattering shade, the formula isn't my favorite now that I've tried beauties like Guerlain Rouge Automatique or my recent Shu purchase :/

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  7. Monika, I'm with Belly. The only things I've used up recently are staple skin care (like PC serums, 2% BHA, Hada Labo Hyaluronic Lotion, etc.) I've got some makeup items hitting pans but nowhere near finish, even something that I use daily like Burberry Trench e/s. Wait.. maybe one of my Becca Beach Tint is due for a replenishment, but it's hard to see since it comes in a tube. Your progress is impressive, indeed!

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    1. Oh, I've just started using the PC 2% BHA liquid! I think my skin is already looking a lot better, but we'll see how it fares at 'that time of the month'. Yeah, I'm nowhere near finishing any eyeshadows from my collection, not even a single one. I try to make an effort with cream eyeshadows since they dry out, but I think I have too many! *sigh* Thank you Claire! <3

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  8. great progress rocaille! i think you dipped through a lot of blush (even though you said you havent') but the blush stick looks immortal alright. i have a primer sample that will never end.
    Jenn

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  9. Hi Monica,

    I've been reading your blog for a while, and decided to comment for the first time. I think it is a great idea to try and put a dent in your collection. As for me, the only makeup think, apart from mascaras, that I finished and repurchased maybe three times already is Laura Mercier lipstick in Peony. I just love that thing as an emergency lipstick to have at work. It's got a foolproof application and very moisturizing, so that even chapped a picked lips can be presentable for a while. The other thing I recently "finished" was a Body Shop vit C serum, but that's because I'm finished with it and won't use anymore, but plenty remains. The reasons is that it was doing absolutely nothing for me.
    Love your blog, btw!

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    1. Hi Tanya,
      Thank you for commenting, I really appreciate it! I'll have to check out that Laura Mercier lipstick - I have a few things from her that I like but I've never paid lipsticks much attention. I've never repurchased a lipstick three times! Hahah, yes, we all have those products that are a complete waste of time (and money, obviously) and just need to go in the trash :/ Thank you dear!

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  10. I love reading your blog. I've been totally inspired by you and Lola and I'm in the middle of writing my first project-make-a-dent post. Wish me luck and stick to it, you have made great progress.

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    1. YAY, ahhhsoNeo! Can't wait to see it! :-)

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    2. Thank you dear! And btw I really don't know how I wasn't following your blog before (I am now!). Looking forward to reading your Project Make A Dent posts! <3

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    3. oh my gosh, when I saw that you were following my blog I literally screamed out loud! Thank you, you are one of my favourite beauty writers!!

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  11. LOL I think you right! Blushes can be eternal, well for me anyway! Love your progress. :)

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  12. Excellent job, Monika! You are doing Project-Make-A-Dent proud! You are certainly doing a better job that I am. I was just getting ready to photograph my latest progress check, and fear that I hardly made a dent at all! Thanks for the link love! Have a lovely weekend!

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  13. Good job! I'm thinking about starting this series again...a few years ago I made a project of a similar nature, except that I limited myself to use those stuff for 30 days and nothing else (no variety, lol). THAT NYC blush stick JUST DOESN"T DIE. I think it applied greatly but the color slided off my face within an hour (and i don't have oily face to begin with!) :O

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  14. Good job! I wish I had that guts too. I think I must begin with this too.

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  15. I love the idea of this Monika! Good job! I have so many products like this that I can most certainly try it out on. I always think I should but forget. Making such a conscious effort is what I need to do , so thank you!! HowDoesDeeDoit

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