Long Time No Post

Hi, stranger! Yes, it's me - Monika, that blogger chick you used to read. I haven't fallen off the face of the Earth, no mysterious NYC subway monster has snatched me off the platform without a trace... I just struggle with prioritizing my hobbies. That's really all there is to it.

But I haven't come out here to make excuses or apologize; I'm sure we've all been busy in the meantime and things are running their course regardless of whether I blog or not. I decided to post again because I want to make time for writing again, because I love taking photos and I feel happier for having this little corner to express myself. Thank you for sticking with me for this long and I'd love to have you along for the ride again!

Realistically though, with the time constraints that I face as a stay-at-home mom of a toddler, I'll need to make some adjustments to my blogging style. I know that I can't reasonably expect myself to stick to a regular posting schedule, or write these thorough and extensive reviews that I used to love to type up. Instead, I'm going to stick to what I can do: shorter reviews & comparisons, little snippets of favorites here and there, anything really that feels exciting enough to write about.

In fact, what really spurned me on to break the silence is explaining my blog situation to my best friend, and while doing so - actually expressing to myself that there is no reason why I shouldn't be doing it - and more prosaically, finding this bowl of make-up empties that I'd like to finally be able to pitch in the trash. It's as good a starting point as any, am I right?

While I may have abstained from blogging, I have still been loving beauty products and trying to wear make-up somewhat regularly. I also still try to make an effort to use up make-up but I'm not committed enough to do Project Pans or stick to a 'use-up plan' of any kind. Instead, I'm enjoying most of my collection and when stuff gets finished in due time, it's an added bonus and I'm happy to move something out - because I am still buying new products and would like to keep the stash somewhat contained if I can.

But anyway; there's not that much I want to say about the contents of this particular round of beauty trash. Firstly, I am disappointed that Fresh discontinued these Sugar Shine glosses: I really quite enjoyed this formula, but have since gone back to my other favorite, the Buxom Full-On Lip Polishes & Lip Creams. Secondly, I've been pleasantly surprised by NYX Worth The Hype Mascara* (provided by Influenster for testing purposes) and I would repurchase, and while I also enjoyed Chantecaille Faux Cils, there's no way in hell I'm spending $72 on a tube. I did like the finish of It Cosmetics CC Cream, but it lacked longevity on my combination/ oily skin.

How have you guys been? I missed talking to you, and I really do hope I can share with you again. Let's see how long my resolve lasts - well, taking that first step into writing again is always the hardest, and that's done, so... fingers crossed :)

What's In My Daily Make-up Bag: Mom of a Newborn Edition

I can't believe my tiny baby bean is 2 months old already! It's really fascinating to watch how Julian changes right before our eyes - and while those fast changes can be quite challenging to adjust to, we're constantly being rewarded by his toothless smiles and new skills. But focusing all the attention on our very, very small gentleman often entails forgoing a lot of my own needs; so to practice a little bit of self-love and increase my well-being, I've been trying to put a little bit of make-up on most days, and I thought I'd share some current 'busy mom' favorites.

These are the products I've decided to pull out for the ultimate quick, easy and rather minimal make-up routine. I've opted to arrange them in the order of priorities; if I don't have time for anything else (Julian suddenly waking up from a nap or some other unexpected occurence), I only apply a fine layer of BB cream (Missha Perfect Cover BB, reviewed here) all over my face with my fingers and call it done. I've actually taken to storing my base product of choice in the bathroom cabinet (separately from the rest of my make-up, which I keep at my vanity in the bedroom) and I'll usually apply it right after my serum instead of a moisturizer; however, this may not work all that well in a few weeks when the weather turns a lot drier and colder.

If my timing is right though, I'm able to go for a few more steps; I keep all of those products in a little make-up bag (they call it a Multi Pouch) from a Korean brand Pour Vous. My next order of business is concealer; these days I mostly use it to conceal dark under eye circles and skip trying to spot conceal any little marks or blemishes, which thankfully have become quite rare. I'm doing my best to use up what's left of my NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer in Chantilly; I feel like it's a lot drier now and I dislike how crepey it looks under the eyes. I'll then set my T-zone with a little bit of powder; I'm quite surprised actually by how much I like the bareMinerals Mineral Veil loose powder (just finished my deluxe sample, which is why it's not in the photo).

Next up are my brows: I reach for either my Holy Grail Shu Uemura Seal Brown pencil (reviewed here), or a new product in my stash, the Essence Make Me Brow in Browny Brows. It's basically a much, much less expensive version of the Benefit Gimme Brow, which I wasn't a great fan of (mentioned it here); however, maybe because I went for a darker shade this time, I don't hate the Essence gel, and it definitely has a leg up over the Shu brow pencil in terms of speed of application.

Then, if I'm running out of time or will to play with more steps, I'll just do a quick swipe of powder blush - I've gone back to my Hourglass Ambient Lighting Blush Palette, which is still love - and then dab a bit of a lip product on. I've been wearing sheer lip glosses in nudey pink or mauve shades a lot more than lipsticks, maybe because I feel like they're a bit kinder on dry lips and don't make me look overly made up when paired with the rest of my barely there face. I have a couple favorites I've been rotating; in fact, I keep my lip glosses in a couple different locations (vanity table, purse, stroller, next to where I feed the little dude) so that I remember to apply or, if I'm lucky, even reapply throughout the day. Both Maybelline Color Elixir in Caramel Infused (reviewed here) and the Buxom Lip Cream in Dolly (here) are old stand bys, but I've also been happy with a new addition to my stash, the Aveda Nourish-mint Rehydrating Lip Shine in Chuparosa* (available here) from their F/W 2016 collection.

Some swatches; L-R: Benefit No Pressure, Pixi Deep Plum, Aveda Chuparosa, Maybelline Caramel Infused

For whatever reason, making up my eyes is the lowest on my priorities list (well I guess I know the reason - I'm too tired and lazy to spend extra time removing eye make-up at the end of the day...). If nothing else, I'll do either a little bit of mascara (currently switching between the L'Oreal Voluminous*, reviewed here, or Pacifica Dream Big*, here), or tightline with Pixi Endless Silky Eye Pen in Deep Plum (here), or both. Now, if I'm really going for it, I'll even do a little something something on the eyelids, usually in the form of Benefit's Creaseless Cream shadow in No Pressure (reviewed here), and the same pencil eyeliner along the lashline. And then if by some miracle baby boy is still not up yet and I'm feeling super indulgent, I may even play with some powder eyeshadows. But in all honesty, that's not a part of my regular routine but rather a rare treat these days, so no point in telling you about it :)

There you have it; here's what I try to do to make myself feel more human between feeding, changing diapers and rocking little prince to sleep. Speaking of - I better wrap this post up, someone just woke up hangry :) What's the most important step in your basic make-up routine that you don't want to do without?

Disclaimer: Products marked with an asterix (*) are press samples I received from the brands' PR for review. I purchased all the other products myself. All links are non-affiliate. All opinions are 100% honest and unbiased, no matter if the products featured were purchased with my own monies or provided free of charge. Thank you for reading!

August Beauty Favorites

It seems like another six months have passed since I last wrote about my monthly beauty favorites. I don't know, guys, maybe my criteria for calling something a favorite are too firm, but these days I don't find myself overly excited about make-up or skincare all that often. However, I have recently been trying quite a few new things as well as been able to rummage through my existing stash as my panning projects were drawing to a close. Let's see what I came up with!

NARS Douceur Blush. I've had this in my blush drawer for a really long time, and have come rather close to decluttering it quite a few times. Why? Well, it doesn't really swatch the best. When you try it out on your hand, the formula seems sheer and very hard in the pan, quite unlike my other blush from NARS, Sin. However, when you apply this discontinued shade on your cheeks with a firmer blush brush, it's magic on fair skintones. It just looks like the perfect neutral rose to compliment just about any make-up look. I promise not to ever give you up, my sweet Douceur!

Speaking of old products from my stash... I don't even want to admit how long I've had this pot of Clinique Brush-on Cream Liner in True Black. Normally I would pitch it straight in the trash at this point but you guys, it looks pretty much exactly the same as when I bought it. It's still incredibly creamy, easy to apply, and long lasting both on the lashline and waterline. I currently don't own another black eyeliner (liquid or pencil) so I've made this one my go-to, and now I wonder why I ever strayed away from it.

You may have noticed from some brief mentions here and there, but I'm digging the warm pinky berry eyeshadow trend. I always avoided these reddish tones on my eyes in the past because they can definitely end up looking a bit rabbitty if you're not careful. But you know, some products just do the work for you - and that's the case with Chanel Illusion d'Ombre in no. 97 New Moon. I bought it back in 2014 when it was first released (see my original review here) but my understanding is that it's now become permanent. I'm usually not one for a lot of glitter on the eyes, but New Moon is so beautifully complex and subtly glistening that I always end up loving my look when I apply on the lids. Added bonus - I don't find that the glitter migrates much throughout the day.

I don't have any skincare favorites to share with you this month, but I have been using a new haircare product: the new Joico K-PAK Color Therapy Luster Lock Instant Shine & Repair Treatment* ($19.99 for 4.7 oz, available at Ulta here). Back when I used to work at a hair salon, Joico's K-PAK range was our go-to recommendation for folks with dry & damaged, chemically-processed hair. The new Luster Lock promises to give your hair vibrant shine and deep repair with the help from their Peptide Complex as well as Manketti and Argan oils. It also contains keratin (that's where the name of this range comes from), glycerin, hyaluronic acid and a whole host of silicones to seal in moisture and help with detangling the hair.

Joico suggests using it either as a pre-shampoo treatment on dry hair, or on shampooed damp hair (like a conditioner or mask). For fine hair types, they recommend applying just to the mid-lengths to ends of your hair, for thick hair, it can actually be used from roots to tips. I have been using it for the past three weeks in lieu of regular conditioner, and even though my fine hair isn't very damaged at the moment, I still think Luster Lock is one of the best conditioners/ treatments I've ever tried. The thick texture sticks to my damp hair very well but at the same time, it's easy to rinse out. After I get out of the shower, my brush simply glides through my hair without needing any additional leave-in detanglers or treatment oils, cutting down on time and products needed to style my hair. It also leaves my locks silky and shiny, and has that lovely 'salon' scent that I'll catch whiffs of throughout the day. I give it a big thumbs up.

This month I also strayed a little from my capsule collection goals when it comes to perfume and I asked my husband to pick up a new fragrance for me from the airport. I've wanted to own a Jo Malone scent for a few years now and have tried several, but overall none of them made enough of an impression to invest in a full size bottle. However, when I recently tried the Wood Sage & Sea Salt at their boutique in Grand Central, I kinda fell in love with the scent. Yes, I agree with what everyone else's been saying - Jo Malone fragrances are definitely not the most long lasting. However, do I thoroughly enjoy this marine blend of musky ambrette, sea salt, red algae, sage and graprefruit for the couple hours I'm able to smell it on myself? Absolutely.

Lastly, this is not beauty-related in any way, but I wanted to share with you the necklace I've been wearing non stop for the past few months. It's my souvenir from our trip to Iceland in June and it's from a local jewelry designer, Guðbjörg Kristín Ingvarsdótir. Her store, Aurum by Gudbjorg, has several lines of jewelry (earrings, necklaces, bracelets, rings) inspired by Icelandic flora and fauna, but I picked out this dainty sterling silver wings necklace styled after swans' feathers (and indeed we saw lots of swans on our roadtrip). I don't currently see this particular necklace on their site but the Raven design (here) looks similar. The necklace obviously holds a special memory for me, but in general I was very impressed with this store's designs and I'd recommend having a look on their website if you love unique, high quality, hand crafted jewelry (they offer worldwide shipping). Also, have you ever seen a more fitting packaging design? This 'volcanic pebble' box is made out of papier-mache.

Wearing NARS Douceur on the cheeks and Chanel New Moon on the eyes.

I hope you enjoyed this quick look at my current favorites and please let me know what you've been loving in the comments!

Disclaimer: Product marked with an asterix (*) is a press sample I received from the brand's PR for review consideration. I purchased everything else myself. All links are non-affiliate. All opinions are 100% honest and unbiased, no matter if the products featured were purchased with my own monies or provided free of charge. Thank you for reading!

Summer in NYC: My Handbag Beauty Essentials

Most of my life, summer was always the season I looked forward to - I mean, what's not to love, summer holidays, sunshine, abundance of fruit, bright colors... But ever since we moved to New York City nearly three years ago now, summer has become the season I absolutely dread. The stifling heat and humidity just make it so hard to enjoy my usual summer pasttimes, and maybe because of the added challenge of pregnancy this year, I'm doing all I can to make it through the next two months. However, I'm not alone in the struggle - I've taken to toting a few beauty essentials around with me that make my summer life in the city a lot easier. Let's have a look.

The bag I'm carrying currently is a simple tote from Ralph Laurent I got a few years ago at TJMaxx; I quite like the structured style and I can organize everything inside really well thanks to numerous pockets. I usually keep my beauty essentials corraled into a small make-up bag like the one in the photo, although more frequently used things end up thrown into the large zippered pocket.

If you've ever ridden on the New York subway, you know exactly how important it is to carry a good hand sanitizer with you. Now, I'm not a germophobe by any stretch of the imagination, but something about those turnstiles and poles makes me feel really dirty. I've been using plenty of Neal's Yard Remedies Organic Defence Hand Spray* ($10.50 for 1.69 fl. oz, available at us.nyrorganic.com here) to combat the inner cringe and I love the refreshing scent of its essential oil blend. I've never used a spray hand sanitizer before but I find it easier and more economical than a typical gel. Big thumbs up. After hand washing, I always follow up with a bit of hand cream to make my dry hands feel more comfortable; I'm currently using this deluxe sample of Bliss Grapefruit + Aloe Body Butter ($29 for full size 6.7 oz).

Even with an effective primer and setting powder, my T-zone can get a little oily after a few hours - more often than not, it's a combination of oil and sweat to be perfectly honest. I generally don't carry a mattifying powder with me (because I don't like faffing around with brushes or puffs, plus piling more powder onto oily skin seems wrong somehow) but I do reach for blotting tissues - these Palladio Oil Absorbing Rice Paper Tissues with Rice Powder ($3.99 for 40ct) are nice and large but I would prefer something without powder once I'm done with this packet.

Once I'm done getting rid of the oily shine, I sometimes like to freshen up with a face mist; I've used Eau Thermale Avene Spring Water ($9 for 1.76 oz/ 50g) in the past but I'm currently enjoying another NYR product, the White Tea Facial Mist* ($19 for 1.52 fl. oz, currently on sale for $14.25 here). I was a bit skeptical of this product because aside from some lovely ingredients like antioxidant white tea, aloe vera, glycerin and marigold flower extract, it also contains a lot of alcohol denat., and I try to avoid that ingredient in my skincare. However, I've found that in a facial spray used over my make-up, I don't actually mind it in the least - and if you look at ingredients lists for most setting sprays, alcohol is usually very prominent. The mist on the Neal's Yard product is delicate and even, and I'm a big fan of the lavender & geranium scent; I definitely prefer it to the cult Caudalie Beauty Elixir, which I reviewed here. The White Tea Facial Mist leaves my face feeling soothed, fresh and more luminous.

I also always have a few lip products floating around in my bag; I've been more into neutral mauve lips recently and you are probably tired of me waxing lyrical about these Buxom Full-On Lip Creams ($19 for 0.14 oz, reviewed here and here), but what can I say? I really love this lip gloss formula. Dolly is a great My Lips But Better shade and its minty tingle feels nice and cool on the lips in the summer heat. Maybelline Color Elixir in Caramel Infused ($6.99-8.99 for 0.17 fl oz, here) is another great option that feels balmy and nourishing on, and the shade is just a bit deeper and warmer than Buxom's Dolly.

Other non-beauty things I like to carry around with me include my Klean Kanteen insulated bottle filled with water, as well as some nuts; I like the convenience of a small packet of these Orchard Valley ones I received in my June Degustabox* (shown here), but I usually buy larger bags - I've been munching on these Now Foods Roasted Sea Salt Cashews a lot. If I'm out and about for longer, I also like to take some seasonal fruit with me; lately it's either some peaches or cherries. I find fresh fruit + nuts to be my ideal snack in between meals, and packing those to go helps me avoid unhealthy impulse buys when hunger strikes unexpectedly.

That's about it - as you can see, I don't actually carry around a lot of beauty products; to be honest, I'm just not one for frequent touch-ups. And you know, that helps to carve out more space in my bag for snacks, or a good book :) I hope you enjoyed this peek into my purse and let me know what your summer handbag essentials are - I'd love to know what you like to always have on hand!

Disclaimer: Products marked with an asterix (*) were press samples I received from the brands' PR for review consideration. I purchased all other products myself. All links are non-affiliate. All opinions are 100% honest and unbiased, no matter if the product featured were purchased with my own money or provided free of charge. Thank you for reading!

1st Project 10 Pan of 2016 Finale!

Drumroll please - my first Project 10 Pan of the year (intro post here) has now officially drawn to a close! Can you tell how excited I am? Funnily enough, in April (my fourth month of doing this Project), I started feeling less bored by using the same products day in and day out and was again just enjoying them for their quality and dependability. Anyway... onto my progress!

Above is a flat lay photo from my last update two months ago, at the halfway mark (read my update post here). I had some good progress at that point but was feeling a bit anxious about a couple of products, especially the Stila eyeliner and the Koh Gen Do foundation, which I barely made a dent in despite using it every time I wore make-up. And here are my products at the end of the Project:

Woohoo - 3 products completely used up out of 10 and goals hit on another 4! Let's discuss all the items in detail:

1. Koh Gen Do Aqua Foundation in PK-1: My goal was to use half of the bottle, and I got so incredibly close that I'm counting this as an achievement; especially considering the amount of usage I had these past two months compared to January-February. I still really love this base; I can just count on it to match my skintone exactly and look fresh and natural on the skin. My favorite method of application to get the most coverage was to stipple it on with a buffer brush (I use the Real Techniques one).

 2. Hourglass Ambient Lighting Powder in Diffused Light: So my progress on this product has remained rather slow, despite very frequent usage, but I think you can definitely see a larger dip now where I was concentrating my brush. I really enjoy this finishing powder, but I'm now ready to retire it to a drawer and start using something else on the daily.
3. Stila Smudge Stick Waterproof Eyeliner in Bluefin: Completely used up! If you follow my yearly make-up empties count on Instagram, you may have seen that I finished this eyeliner about two weeks ago, which made me super happy. I definitely noticed that the last week or two of usage, Bluefin got very dry and even flaky, but I managed to use it up by applying it with an angled brush mostly to tightline. In my experience, eyeliner pencils with microglitter dry out much faster than regular cream/ matte finish.
4. NARS Smudgeproof Eyeshadow Base: Done and dusted! It's my favorite eye primer I've tried so far, but this thing is definitely dead now; I used as much as I was able to get out. There's still product at the very bottom of the tube where the wand doesn't reach it, but even if I had one of those handy dandy spatulas to dig it out, it's too dried out now anyway. It's okay - I definitely got my money's worth out of it.

5. NYX Powder Blush in Taupe: That's quite some pan, am I right? What happened (as you can kind of see in the close-up as well) is that I actually hit pan on this contouring powder four times in different areas. For whatever reason, the grid pattern on the powder is much harder pressed and thus more difficult to wear down than the areas in between. The grid lines were actually so hard that they crumbled and flaked off between the areas of clear pan. Anyway; at this point, I'm considering this item well used and ready to leave my collection. I've actually had this product since 2009, and even though I loved it at first, it's no longer a favorite and I'm just not comfortable keeping it around any longer.
6. Clarins Instant Light Lip Perfector in Rose Shimmer: My initial goal was to use this gloss up completely, but I think that was completely unrealistic given the volume of the tube. However, I did make good progress (and finally figured out a way of tracking it: the upper line is from middle of March, the bottom is from two days ago. The tube is also slimmer now from squeezing). My favorite way of using this Lip Perfector is actually more of a balm than a gloss as I have trouble layering it on top of lipsticks due to the super creamy and slippy formula. If anything, it works better applied in a thin layer under another product - exactly like prepping your lips with a balm. I'll try to make more progress on it before the end of the year but we shall see, I have a lot of lip products to go through.

7. Revlon Lip Butter in Berry Smoothie: Finished! I wore this lip color probably about 90% of the time, and especially at work. I used up another shade (Peach Parfait) last year, and I think these (now discontinued) Lip Butters are relatively quick to get through. I'm glad to have another lipstick out of my stash, especially that I have other similar shades of pink I can replace Berry Smoothie with.
8. Revlon Superlustrous Lipstick in Cherries in the Snow: There's been steady progress on this bright fuschia red but in all honesty, there was no way I was going to finish even my remaining half of the tube in the span of four months, unless I was wearing it every day. I think from now on, I will no longer be including very bright or vampy lip colors in my panning projects. Yes, having those vivid shades in my projects this time around as well as last year (in my Project Make A Dent 2015) did push me out of my comfort zone a little bit and empowered me to wear a bright lip without a special occasion, but the thing is, I want to enjoy all the different shades of brights and vamps in my stash and swap them out according to my mood, not be forced to wear the same one for months on end. If that means I'll never be getting completely through those bright colors and some will just expire, I'm okay with that - as long as I'm liking and somewhat regularly using all the ones remaining in my collection.
9. Zoya Nail Polish in Jem: I'm calling this nail polish the one fail of my Project Pan. I used it one more time for a pedi since the last update, so I don't think you can even see any more progress. I don't think I'm capable of using the same shade of varnish often enough to see significant progress, unless it's a mini bottle (like in my last year's Project Pan). Lesson learnt for future panning challenges.

Progress after two months of usage, at the beginning of March.

10. theBalm Nude'Tude Eyeshadow Palette: I'm very happy with my progress - I hit pan on three eyeshadows! I also have more significant dips in nearly all the other shades, with some exceptions. I've come to the conclusion that I actually dislike quite a few of the darker shades in this palette, as they all come out the same shade of muddy grey charcoal once blended out on the eyes; I'm talking Sophisticated, Silly and Sleek in particular. I won't be focusing on these three from now on.

Progress after four months of usage.

I'm planning to separate my Pan That Palette challenge from my Project Pans going forward, so you'll see my bimonthly updates in separate posts. My goal for the next two months is to concentrate on the lighter shades from the bottom row, especially Snobby, Stand-offish and Schitzo.

Angled view of my most used shadows from the palette to show the depth of the pans.

I'm satisfied with the results of this project; I consider 7 out of 10 challenging products a good achievement. I have already selected and started using products for my next four-month Project Pan, so be on the look out for the introduction post in a couple days. How are your projects going? Do you have any significant make-up empties to report?

March Beauty Favorites

I haven't posted a Favorites post in a very long time, and even though I don't have that many products to share for this month, I still thought they deserved a mention. Sometimes even those fantastic items get somewhat forgotten between all the reviews that I do, so I wanted to show you what I've been really enjoying reaching for time and time again.

Let's start with a Holy Grail lip balm I've recently repurchased: the Nuxe Rêve de Miel ($15 for 0.52 oz on Nuxe US website). I did a review/ comparison post of this beauty and the Osmia Honey Myrrh Lip Repair a couple years back (here), and while the Osmia is good, Nuxe is better - in fact, it is the best overnight nourishing lip balm I have ever tried. My lips tend to get very dry and dehydrated, and daily lipstick wearing tends to exacerbate the problem. But a generous layer of Nuxe's deliciously citrus-scented Rêve de Miel before bed solves all my parched lips problems, and I love that this balm is thick enough to stay on the lips all through the night. If you haven't tried it yet, I would encourage you to give it a go - the price tag may be a bit high for 'just a lip balm', but one pot lasts me nearly a year.

Continuing with 'targeted area skincare', I've been recently sent a new eye cream to test out - Tatcha Deep Hydration Firming Eye Serum* ($95 for 15ml/ 0.5 fl oz, also available in the travel size for $33), which is part of their Luminous range. It's a lightweight gel/ cream enriched with Okinawa Red Algae, Honeysuckle Leaf and caffeine to depuff, firm and plump up fine lines. I don't have very serious concerns when it comes to my under eye area, but a lot of lightweight eye cream textures just aren't moisturizing enough. I'm pleased to report that Tatcha (yet again) got the formulation just right: the serum feels light and absorbs quickly into the skin, but feels very hydrating and soothing on the skin. I also love, love, love the cooling ceramic applicator - the shape fits perfectly in the inner corners and under the eyes, and the serum layers beautifully under concealer. While this product does contain some 23-karat gold dust, the shimmer is so fine that I can't see any particles once on the skin. Big thumbs up.

I don't often feature haircare on the blog as I tend to be rather low-maintenance when it comes to hair products, but this past month I had a chance to try out some of Pacifica's haircare range via their Jet Set Trio Kale Collection* ($19 for 2 x 2fl oz shampoo & conditioner and 0.5 fl oz leave-in detangler, available at Ulta). I haven't formed an opinion on the Super Kale Juiced-up Shampoo & Conditioner yet, but I've been really enjoying the hot pink tube of Hairvana Leave-on Detangling Conditioner*. I tend to be a bit biased against brands that try to do it all - skincare, haircare, bodycare, make-up - but I've been very pleasantly surprised by this Pacifica's product. First off, it smells divine (like coconut vanilla cookies), but more importantly, it detangles my fine hair easily without weighting it down. In fact, I almost feel like it gives my annoyingly soft and fluffy hair a little bit of texture, so that it's easier to manage. I would definitely purchase a full size of the Hairvana ($14 for 5 fl oz/ 147 ml) once I run out of my other detanglers.

Onto two meager make-up items, both of which I reviewed in detail in the past couple of weeks. I wanted to mention them again because they're the type of product that you just can't put away. I've been using the Marc Jacobs Velvet Noir Major Volume Mascara* ($26 for 0.32 oz, reviewed here) since early January, and I'm dreading having to toss it rather soon. I haven't been using a lash growing serum but even on my shorter and less dense lashes, the Velvet Noir still gives lots of volume and definition. It is starting to flake off slightly now that my tube is drying out, but I still can't bring myself to swap it out for a fresh mascara from a different brand.

I also can't get enough of my ILIA Multi-Stick in Fine Romance* ($34 for 5g, review with swatches). I don't have a blush in my current Project Pan, so in the past three months, I'd been swapping my blush options out every couple of weeks. But since trying out Fine Romance for the first time, that's all I want to wear on my cheeks. I think it's a great spring-time color for my pale complexion; towards the end of winter, I can look a bit tired and ghostly, but this beautiful berry rose shade brings vitality to my skin again. Seriously, a great cream blush formula.

That's it - a short and sweet list of products this month. I'm getting a little bored using the same items every day due to my Project Pan and I'm looking forward to a new selection in a month's time, when my Project draws to a close. What have you been loving this month? Are you already in a full-on spring mode?

Disclaimer: Products marked with an asterix (*) were press samples I received from the brands' PR for review consideration. I purchased everything else myself. All links are non-affiliate. All opinions are 100% honest and unbiased, no matter if the products featured were purchased with my own monies or provided free of charge. All links are non-affiliate. Thank you for reading!

15 Best Beauty Buys of 2015

Drumroll, please! Tis the time you've all been waiting for: my yearly favorites! Every December, I really enjoy looking back at twelve months of posts here on Rocaille Writes and deciding which products are making the cut into my favoritest favorites. However this year, I have to say that I was a bit stumped: I tested a lot of average products that I was feeling a bit 'meh' about, and a lot of good products that I liked, but maybe not quite enough to put them on the list. Then when I searched my memory for products that I used the most this year, a whole lot of them were things I've already mentioned in previous years' installments of my Best Beauty Buys: Buxom Full-On lip glosses, bareMinerals READY eyeshadows, First Aid Beauty Facial Radiance Pads...

But in the end, when I thought about products I tried this year that I would not hesitate to recommend to just about anyone, these 15 beauties emerged from the depths of my beauty stash. All of them have been previously reviewed in detail, so I'll link all the separate posts and just jot down a few additional thoughts to spike your interest. Now, in no particular order...

1. Laura Mercier Matte Radiance Baked Powder in Highlight 01 (review):
This year has definitely been the year of powder highlighter for me, and it all started with this one. In the past, when my skin was quite oily and I was struggling with textural issues, additional glow on the face was not my friend; but as my skin's became more balanced, I've been enjoying wearing luminizing products a lot more. Laura Mercier's Baked Highlight is a cult favorite for a reason: incredibly smooth texture, universal shade, and easily controlled to suit both very subtle as well as more dramatic looks. Yes, it is a bit pricey, but for the amount you get in the compact, it should very well last you for years.

2. Inglot HD Sculpting Powder in 504 (review)
I'm definitely not a fan of the strong contoured look championed by the Kardashians, but Inglot's HD Powder in 504 has won me over with its silky texture, supreme buildability and a very natural look on the face - when used sparingly, it's definitely subtle enough for my critical eye. Since my initial review, I've also been using it a lot as a transitioning shade in the crease to blend out just about any eye look. Big thumbs up.

3. Pixi Beauty Glow Tonic (review)
If you're looking for a gentle acid tone product to incorporate into your routine - perhaps something similar to my favorite First Aid Beauty pads but more economical - Pixi's Glow Tonic is your friend. I'm very nearly done with my first bottle and already have another one on back-up, and I love using it especially in the mornings, because I can rest assured it will keep my skin smooth and bright without any irritation or redness.

4. Hada Labo Gokujyun Hyaluronic Acid Lotion Moist (review)
Out of all the hyaluronic acid serums I've tried over the years, I truly believe that Hada Labo Gokujyun is the most effective at hydrating my skin - and probably the least expensive price per ounce. It's an incredibly simple product: hardly more than a mixture of water, glycerin and three types of hyaluronic acid, but boy, does it work like nothing else. It's also quite a multipurpose product, as you can use it as a toner and serum in one, or on its own as a lightweight moisturizer, or like Claire suggested, mixed into a clay mask to make it less drying on your face.

5. Laneige Water Sleeping Mask* (review)
 I believe that 2015 was the year of Korean beauty trends truly emerging on our market - even Sephora now carries an assortment of popular Korean brands (obviously, at a steep mark-up; I recommend you browse around online to find the best price). One of the bigger trends are sleeping packs or simply put overnight face masks, out of which Laneige's Water Sleeping Mask is a cult favorite, and for a good reason. The ingredients may raise an eyebrow from those who prefer fragrance and dye-free products, but the truth is that this product really works - much better than the Origins Drink Up Intensive Mask that was so popular a year or two ago.

6. Fresh Sugar Shine Lip Treatment (review)
I've been a big fan of Fresh Sugar Lip Treatment SPF15 and its various Tinted offspring ever since I tried them in a Sephora birthday kit years ago, but this year I finally tried the Sugar lip gloss and was very pleasantly surprised by it. It's just as comfortable and moisturizing as the lip balms, but gives an extra bit of shine and can be easily paired with a lipstick, especially if you want to counteract some drying effects of a less than stellar formula. As you may see in the photos, I'm very nearly done with my mini tube of the Clear shade, but I've recently snatched another mini in the Rose color and I'm very excited to crack it open.

7. Zoeva Make-up Brushes (review of brushes no. 105, 109, 227, 231 and 317 here, review of brushes no. 101, 102, 142 and 226 here)
Zoeva's make-up brushes are easily my most used make-up tools this year. Yes, my Surratt Artistique brushes are more luxurious, but I think that in terms of performance for the price, Zoeva is hard to beat. Out of the nine brushes that I own, my favorite are the 101 Luxe Definer, the 105 Luxe Highlight, 227 Luxe Soft Definer and 231 Luxe Petit Crease - I find the shapes of all these brushes to suit my personal needs perfectly, but all of the Zoeva brushes I have are great quality and have so far been holding up very well, even with almost daily use.

8. Koh Gen Do Aqua Foundation (review)
It has somehow transpired that I've been trialling a whole skew of new bases this year, but out of all the older ones in my stash and the newcomers, Koh Gen Do Aqua Foundation is definitely my favorite. I find that a lot of liquid foundations and BB Creams in my stash are a bit finnicky to work with - they either accentuate dryness unless I prep my skin very carefully, or slip and slide on the face within a couple hours, but the Aqua Foundation does neither; I can really count on it to look great every time I apply it. A word of caution, my bottle isn't the newer reformulated version, but I've heard that die-hard fans are still using it, so I'm hoping it's not massively different.

9. YSL Rouge Pur Couture Lipstick in Rose Stiletto* (review)
And conversely to foundations and BB creams, I have not actually tried very many new lipstick formulas this year, instead focusing on using up what's already in my possession. I haven't been overly impressed by the old YSL Rouge Pur Coutures, but the newly reformulated iteration is much, much better. Sure, it's not the most moisturizing lipstick I own, but the high pigment, beautiful satin finish and long wear time make up for that - and Rose Stiletto is one of those 'it' shades you need to swatch next time you're at the counter.

10. Catrice Defining Blush in Rose Royce (review)
Drugstore make-up fanatics rejoice, Catrice is now available in the US at Ulta! Sad face though, because their Defining Blushes, which are among my very favorite products from the brand, have not been brought out here (yet - I hope). Out of all the powder blushes at the drugstore, I truly believe Catrice's formula to be the best: buttery with just enough pigment, and very natural-looking on the skin. I only wish they carried a bigger shade range in the permanent displays.

11. Maybelline Color Elixir in Caramel Infused (review)
Maybelline's Color Elixir formula is my drugstore lip pick for this year. I realize that make-up aficionados are divided on this: some people love the Color Elixirs, some people hate them. I find the Maybelline lipstick-lipgloss-lip balm hybrid to be very comfortable and cushiony on the lips but not very long lasting, but that's expected for such a glossy product in my humble opinion. I really enjoy the one shade I have, and I may look into purchasing more in the future.

12. Rouge Bunny Rouge Matt Eyeshadows in Sweet Dust Seriema and Chestnut Napped Appalis (review)
Some people use a matte beige/ off white eyeshadow in every single eye look, but I find a matte midtone brown infinitely more useful to seamlessly blend out shadows on the lid and those darker shades in the outer corner. Rouge Bunny Rouge Matt Eyeshadows are beautiful to work with, and these two shades pair easily with any look: Sweet Dust Seriema with cool-toned hues, Chestnut Napped Appalis with warmer colors. They're my current shadow-transitioning staples.

13. Makeup Revolution Death By Chocolate Eyeshadow Palette (review)
I thought long and hard whether to include this inexpensive eyeshadow palette in my yearly round-up. Even though the quality is great and the colors beautiful, I was trying to find fault with it - and my conclusion was that it's TOO EASY to use. Excuse me? I wasn't happy how effortless it was to pair any of the shades in this palette together - like that's a bad thing? Seriously, I don't know what's wrong with me. So yes, if you like a challenge in your eyeshadow palette, don't pick this up. If you're a normal human being who likes neutral eyeshadows, please do yourself a favor and get it.

14. Andalou Naturals Apricot Probiotic Cleansing Milk (review)
I've tried quite a few products from Andalou Naturals this past year and many - most of them get two thumbs up from me. But I guess if I were to choose one stand out product that's not widely available from other brands, be it green or not, Andalou's Apricot Probiotic Cleansing Milk is the one to look out for: an effective non-foaming cleanser at a very reasonable price point, gentle and non-drying on the skin, and packed full of skin-loving plant oils. As you can see, my bottle is half empty already! (or half full. Depending how you're choosing to look at it :)

15. Perfume: Serge Lutens Ambre Sultan Eau de Parfum
This is the one product in this line-up that I have not reviewed separately on the blog; mostly because I find perfume reviews a bit difficult to write in a convincing fashion. Out of all the fragrances in my stash, Ambre Sultan is my absolute favorite. It's definitely a ballsy scent: heavy, lingering, attention-grabbing... meaning, not something I can wear at all times (NYC subway in the summer, anyone? I don't want to be THAT person). Yet I wish I could - it feels warm and cozy, like pulling on your favorite sweater. It's a sweet and spicy oriental heavy on resins, myrrh and amber. If you enjoy wearing orientals, you need to give it a sniff - you can thank me later.

I hope you enjoyed reading about my favorites from this year; I bet that if you're a regular reader of Rocaille Writes, few of these were very surprising to you. Please let me know in the comments your best finds this year - I love reading about your favorite products too! And while we're talking about the best in beauty, please spill your biggest fail too; I had quite a few personally, but I felt that Nature Republic Botanical Shine Lip Tint (reviewed here) was a complete dud. What should we all be avoiding in the future?

Vanity Tour: My Current Make-up Collection and Storage

I've been spending a lot of time lately talking about downsizing, simplifying, editing and curating my capsule make-up collection, but so far I haven't actually had the guts to show you what my current beauty stash looks like - maybe because, uhm, I wouldn't actually consider it a capsule. Just like my wardrobe, it isn't a capsule in terms of only having a small number of pieces you wear over and over again; although I kinda do that anyway by committing to the products in my Project Pans. I'm absolutely aware that my stash is way bigger than what an average woman would need to make her face up, because you know, I used to be that average, non-beauty obsessed woman with just a single make-up bag to house all of her product - imagine that!

However, make-up is my passion, and I get excited when I have an above average amount of products to rotate and play with - but what I'm trying to achieve is ensuring that every single item in my stash is loved and used on at least a somewhat regular basis. If it's not, I need to pass it on; I guess that's how I would define the goal for my capsule collection, which is a constant work in progress. I figured that it could be helpful to show you exactly how much I have (well, visually - I'm still not ready to do a numerical inventory), and how I store it, and maybe show you my collection again in a year's time. So, are you ready to virtually tour my vanity?

The vanity table itself is a popular IKEA Malm model I purchased around 4 years ago, and it's held up reasonably well - although the bottom of my drawer warped under the weight of things I was storing in it, and I have to be very careful with it now. The little chest of drawers on top is also from IKEA from around 6 years ago, I believe it's been discontinued. The plastic drawers under the table are from The Container Store, but I don't keep any make-up products there; I use them for back-up skincare, as shown in this post, nail polish (would you like to see that in a future post?), and my husband's out of season shoes, lol. The only two things I keep out on my counter is a simple mirror (again, IKEA) and my daily brush cup.

Let's start with the large drawer, since it mostly houses products I use on a daily basis - my biweekly/ monthly make-up basket, if you will. Anyone who's ever owned one of these IKEA vanities knows that this drawer has a VERY significant drawback - it only opens about halfway, which means that accessing the back of the drawer is a *tad* difficult (which is also why I had to take out this entire drawer and lay it on my bed to be able to show you the contents more clearly). I use the back portion to store rarely reached for things: my silver and gold jewelry, extra brushes I'm not using currently (I like storing them flat in a drawer as they get a lot less dusty than in a cup),  back-up/ not yet opened make-up (I'm working on emptying that box entirely and freeing some space there), and lastly some costume jewelry - all of the clear acrylic organizers are from The Container Store.

In the front of the drawer starting on the left, I store all of my lipsticks upright, roughly organized by color families, as well as a TATCHA box full of fat lip crayons and a few lip liners - well, the Guerlain space tampon doesn't fit into my lipstick organizer, so it's in there too. Next, we have cotton buds, Avene Thermal Water Spray to dampen brushes or mist my face, and my daily essentials in a little box; these are mostly products from my Project Make A Dent/ Project 10 Pan.

Next, I put aside some space in my jewelry organizers to display some more of my make-up stash: all of my pencil eyeliners, and some vertically organized compacts I'm currently using; a few powder blushes, a bronzer, a highlighter, the YSL Blur Perfector. The smaller compartments help to separate the lipsticks I'm using now. The last compartment on the left that's not filled with costume jewelry is meant mostly for smaller eyeshadow palettes I'm playing with at the moment. And that's everything in my vanity drawer!

Moving swiftly along to the small chest of drawers on the counter, it has three narrow drawers on top and two wider drawers in the middle and on the bottom. The top left drawer houses all of my lipglosses, liquid lipsticks/ stains and lip balms in the back. The small middle drawer has single eyeshadows towards the back, but mostly eyeshadow quads, quints and two bareMinerals READY 8.0 palettes, organized vertically. I've put all of my cream eyeshadows, both in glass pots and sticks, in the top right drawer, as well as random bits and bobs like eyelash glue, sharpeners, Inglot Duraline and eye primer samples.

The wider middle drawer houses face products: foundations, BB creams, face primers, setting powders and highlighters mostly in the box on the left, cream and powder blushes and bronzers on the right - I've shown you this drawer more close-up in my Addicted to Blush Tag post here. I organized all of my larger eyeshadow palettes (both pre-made and freeform like Z-Palettes) in the bottom drawer; you can see all of my eyeshadow palettes in more detail in this post, although I've since downsized some of the palettes shown there.

Phew! Well, I guess this post isn't quite as long as I was expecting, though it's certainly quite picture-heavy. Looking at the photos, my drawers seem a bit cluttered, but day-to-day and for my personal use, I find this set-up very practical and easy to navigate. Please let me know if you have any questions, or if you've spotted something you'd like me to discuss in more detail in a separate post - I'd be happy to oblige. I have to admit that I'm quite satisfied with my stash right now; I'm planning to use up some more products in the next year, but there are also things on my wishlist I would like to try, so I'm not sure how much further I can reduce my stash without giving or throwing stuff away - and I don't really want to declutter anymore, at least not to the extent I've been doing it this year. I hope you enjoyed this glimpse at my make-up collection and storage, and let me know your thoughts in the comments!