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!

No More Dry Skin: TATCHA Overnight Memory Serum Concentrate*

I mentioned in my Evening Skincare Routine post (here) that I've been using a new product from TATCHA's Luminous range for a while now - the Overnight Memory Serum Concentrate* ($110 for 50ml/ 1.7 fl. oz), so it's high time to give you my thoughts on it.

The Overnight Memory Serum claims to 'restore hydration, refine texture and visibly plump fine lines' thanks to Okinawa Red Algae and 7 botanical extracts. It also contains quite a few plant oils (squalane from olive oil, rice germ and camellia), as well as glycerin and royal jelly. The serum can also be used in a fine layer to add extra glow during the day; Tatcha says this is the ultra-concentrated version of their cult Dewy Skin Mist, and recommends using one to two spoonfuls per application.

Why the golden spoon, I hear you ask - isn't that a bit gimmicky? While it certainly adds to the luxurious appeal of the heavy glass jar, it's actually very useful to scoop out product as Tatcha's newest serum has a very interesting texture: it is in fact a jelly. The serum wobbles amusingly in the pot when shaken, which really reminds me of panna cotta, but curiously once you scoop out a little, the surface evens itself out within a couple minutes. The jelly turns to watery gel when picked up with your fingers, and spreads easily and evenly on the face. I appreciate the novelty factor of this packaging and texture, but to be honest, I think it does take more time and effort than just pumping a blob from a bottle, so there's that.

The serum has a faint herbal scent that dissipates quickly, and is suitable for all skin types, including sensitive skins. I have been applying it most nights for the past three months, and here's what I think: this is another damn good product from Tatcha (see my reviews of their One Step Camellia Cleansing Oil & Rice Enzyme Polish here, as well as Camellia Beauty Oil and Nourishing Lip Balm here. Oh, and I also really like their Deep Hydration Firming Eye Serum). I'm sorry - at this price point I wish I could tell you to save your money - but it really is effective and makes a noticeable difference in my skin. In simplest terms, I haven't had any dry patches or flakes on my face since I started using the Overnight Memory Serum. None. I used to always, always have a few flakes around my nose but those are completely gone now, and I can't remember the last time I had to worry about dry, crusty skin on my face.

So in terms of hydration and moisturization, Tatcha's serum wins in spades. Because my skin is now so hydrated, it also looks more plump and glowy overall - but if you were hoping for a brightening effect as in reduced hyperpigmentation, I don't think this serum really targets those issues. My other miniscule gripe with this product is that now that we've entered the hot and humid months, it's actually a bit too moisturizing; it doesn't absorb all the way into my skin leaving a bit of a tacky layer, even when used in a small amount and without a moisturizer over the top, and in the morning my skin is quite oily. It hasn't however caused any breakouts or clogging - it's just that I don't really enjoy the feel of  heavy layers on my face in this damn heat, which is also why I don't use a facial oil in the summer. Personally, for my combination skin, Tatcha's Overnight Memory Serum Concentrate is a godsend in the winter, but a bit OTT in the summer.

I'd say that if your skin is oily, I'd skip the Memory Serum altogether and maybe go for something like their just released Pore Perfecting Water Gel Moisturizer (I haven't tried it myself though - just pointing out there are other products in the range geared towards combo and oily skin). If your skin type is combination/ normal but seasonally dehydrated, or dry - by all means, get yourself a jar and watch your flaky skin disappear. While the price point is quite high, one jar should last you a really long time - mine doesn't even look like it's been used. What is your favorite hydrating serum for night time? Do you prefer jar packaging or a pump bottle?

TATCHA Overnight Memory Serum Concentrate is available on tatcha.com here (complimentary shipping and returns in the US as well as a deluxe sample gift on your first order) as well as at Sephora, Barneys and QVC.

Disclaimer: Product featured in this post is a press sample I received from the brand's PR for review consideration. 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!

Beauty Empties: 2nd Quarter of 2016

The bag of beauty trash is overflowing again, so here we go! To be honest, when I do my empties posts quarterly, I get quite overwhelmed with the number of products and dread having to type them all up - but then again, I still personally love empties posts and videos from others, so I continue doing them as well. Let's start with my skincare - I made a lot of progress!

Products I disliked and wouldn't repurchase: Peter Thomas Roth Rose Stem Cell Mask (reviewed here), First Aid Beauty Facial Cleanser, Paula's Choice Hydralight Toner* (reviewed here but when used over a longer period of time, it started irritating my skin)
Products I enjoyed, but I'm trying out other things: Shu Uemura Anti Oxi Cleansing Oil (reviewed here - I said I was on the fence about this product and now I still think it's overpriced, but I've tried some other oil-based make-up removers from my back-up stash recently and they don't even come close in efficacy to the Shu), Insta Naturals Vitamin C Serum* (reviewed here), Eau Thermale Avene, Dermalogica Skin Hydrating Booster, Paula's Choice Hydralight Moisture-Infusing Lotion* (reviewed here), Josie Maran 100% Argan Oil (would rather buy a cheaper argan oil)
Products I would repurchase (but am probably trying out other things too):  Pixi Glow Tonic (reviewed here), Paula's Choice RESIST 5% AHA Smoothing Treatment* (reviewed here - I have a back-up already)

I've also finished quite a lot of make-up products in the past three months, mostly thanks to my Project 10 Pan. If you like seeing make-up empties from me more regularly, make sure to follow me on Instagram where I'm counting up all of them to see how many I can go through within a year.
Products I disliked and wouldn't repurchase: L'Oreal Telescopic Carbon Black Mascara (reviewed here)
Products I enjoyed, but I'm trying out other things: Givenchy Phenomen'Eyes Mascara (reviewed here), Guerlain Maxi Lash Mascara (here), Stila Waterproof Eyeliner in Bluefin, Revlon Lip Butter in Berry Smoothie (discontinued), Jane Iredale Lip Plumper in Tokyo (deluxe sample), NailTek Hydration III base coat (reviewed here)
Products I would repurchase (but am probably trying out other things too): Marc Jacobs Velvet Noir Major Volume Mascara* (reviewed here), NARS Smudgeproof Eyeshadow Base (so far, my HG eyeshadow primer), Fresh Sugar Shine Lip Treatment (reviewed here - I have another deluxe sample in the shade Rose waiting to be used)

I've also made considerable progress on my fragrance collection, and I'm getting very close to hitting my inventory goal for perfumes - yay! Mind you, I've been working for over two years on the two full-size bottles in the photo.
Products I disliked and wouldn't repurchase: Givenchy Dahlia Divin perfume sample
Products I enjoyed, but I'm trying out other things: Victoria's Secret Dream Angels Heavenly Fragrance Mist, Prada Candy EDP, Annick Goutal Petite Cherie perfume sample
Products I would repurchase (but am probably trying out other things too): Thierry Mugler Angel deluxe mini.

Bodycare empties are somewhat modest this month; but aside from that one soap box in the photo, I used up three more bar soaps but as they came unwrapped/ packaged in just a bit of paper, I didn't want to clutter the picture.
Products I disliked and wouldn't repurchase: Derma E Vitamin E Intensive Therapy Hand Creme (for the price and ambitious claims, it did very little to moisturize my dry, eczema-ridden hands)
Products I enjoyed, but I'm trying out other things: Bulgarian rose soap (gift from my mom), Purell Hand Sanitizer, L'Occitane mini hand creams in the Almond and Peony scents (my favorite is the original Shea and I would purchase a small size of that one to keep in my purse)
Products I would repurchase (but am probably trying out other things too): Suave Essentials Almond Verbena Body Wash (the cheapest shower gel I could find in a local RiteAid, but I ended up really liking it - it may have some harsh ingredients but surprisingly I didn't find it to be particularly drying).

Haircare - look at all these deluxe samples/ travel sizes exiting my stash! Pretty much all of these were really good.
Products I disliked and wouldn't repurchase: None.
Products I enjoyed, but I'm trying out other things: Redken Diamond Oil, 12 Benefits Leave-in Hair Treatment*, Pacifica Super Kale Juiced-up Shampoo* and Conditioner* (good but I wasn't a fan of the minty herbal scent)
Products I would repurchase (but am probably trying out other things too): Aveda Air Control Hairspray* (reviewed here), Pacifica Hairvana Leave-On Detangling Conditioner* (reviewed here), Batiste Dry Shampoo Travel Size in the Cherry fragrance

Sheet and one-time (more like 5 times) use masks.
Products I disliked and wouldn't repurchase: DHC under eye patches (did absolutely nothing to hydrate my eye area)
Products I enjoyed, but I'm trying out other things: Murad Pomegranate Exfoliating Mask (discontinued - and the full size actually came in maybe 5 of these foil packets), Freeman Pumpkin Peeling Mask (reviewed here - when I had the genius idea to use the remainder up on my chest and shoulders, it left my skin red and burning... So that's a no, I guess. Discontinued anyway), Freeman Brightening Facial Paper Mask (not much essence, didn't notice any results from one use).
Products I would repurchase (but am probably trying out other things too): Leaders Insolution Moisturizing Recovery Mask (the second Leaders mask I've tried and I liked both very much - would purchase another from the brand especially that it's now available at Ulta).

Lastly, half-used and barely used tosses; all of these products either ostensibly went bad or are now too old for me to use comfortably.
Products I disliked and wouldn't repurchase: Bobbi Brown High Shimmer Gloss in Bellini deluxe sample (pretty shade but I dislike glitter in lip products)
Products I enjoyed, but I'm trying out other things: NYX Powder Blush in Taupe (from my Project 10 Pan), Revlon Superlustrous Lipstick in Cherries in the Snow (fantastic drugstore lipstick but I have a similar shade in my stash, and currently would also rather use a red shade with a matte finish), Mountain Rose Herbs Hazelnut Oil (gone rancid - I shouldn't be purchasing any plant/ carrier oils in such large bottles), Paula's Choice C15 Booster sample, Maybelline LE Color Sensational Lipstick in First Class Fuschia (smells off, haven't been in a mood for a bright pinky coral in months).
Products I would repurchase (but am probably trying out other things too): None.

I think that was quite a lot of products, especially in the make-up, skincare and fragrance categories. Using up my products and not repurchasing much is definitely helping to bring me closer to my goal of a smaller, manageable beauty stash. Have you finished any difficult products recently?

Disclaimer: Products marked with an asterix (*) were press samples I received from the brands' PR for review consideration. I purchased all the other products myself or they were gifted to me by friends and family. 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 Proof Mascara: Shiseido Full Lash Volume Review

Summer heat and humidity is already upon us here in New York, which creates the perfect conditions to test the wear of a make-up product. Having recently finished off my sample tubes of mascara, I dug this one out of my stash: the Shiseido Full Lash Volume Mascara in Black ($25 for 8ml/ 0.29 oz). I haven't had great luck with Asian mascara in the past (click here for my review of Heroine Make Volume & Curl) but they do often wear much longer than the ones from Western brands, so I thought now would be the perfect time to give the Shiseido a try.

The mascara is packaged in an interesting 'twisted' tube, which reminds me of the Frank Gehry building in Lower Manhattan. It's quite sleek and not too bulky, something I really appreciate in make-up packaging in general. The brush itself has a curved shape with lots of short natural bristles all the way around; nothing innovative but very functional nonetheless.

Shiseido's Full Lash Volume promises 'flexible' volume (whatever that means) with a natural-looking curl and soft, touchable finish. It also claims to separate lashes for a 'stunning fan effect' with no clumps. All of those things sound great to me, but does the product actually deliver?

Well, yes and no. The formula of this mascara is a bit on the wet side right when you open the packaging, but now that I've been using it for about three weeks, it has definitely dried out to a significant degree. The brush is designed very well to separate lashes from roots to tips, but as the time goes by, I have noticed more and more clumping. I would say the volume I get from this mascara is quite good, but nothing dramatic - I usually have to build it up in two coats, and really concentrate the tip of the brush, which has more mascara on it than the rest of the brush, on my outer lashes to get any product there.

I don't find that the curved shape of this brush gives my lashes any more curl - if anything, I think they look a bit less curled than they usually do, maybe because of the wetness of the formula? Another downside is that I don't think it actually fans out lashes very well; they seem to all go in one direction instead. However, where this mascara absolutely excels for me is the wear. As you may remember, my perpetual struggle with mascara is getting transfer onto my browbone, and I have had absolutely no smearing there. I also haven't noticed any flakes or fading throughout the day. I would have thought this mascara was waterproof if it weren't for the fact that it's also very easy to remove at the end of the day with just about any make-up remover/ facial cleanser.

Top: bare uncurled lashes, bottom: after 2 coats of Shiseido Full Lash Volume

All in all, I really enjoy not having to worry about flaking or smudging when I wear this mascara, although I have used other mascaras in the past that have given my lashes a fuller, longer and more dramatic look. While it's not my Holy Grail, I may revisit it next summer if I don't find anything better with similar longevity. Have you tried any mascaras from Shiseido? What is your favorite mascara to wear in the summertime?

Project 13 Pan 2016: Halfway Update

Similarly to my progress on Project Pan That Palette, I'm quite happy with how my current Project Pan is going. I have worn make-up a lot more often the past two months (due to working and socializing more, as well as using my products during our two week holiday), and I think it shows in the results. Here's a flat lay of all 13 products from the beginning of the Project two months ago, in May:

And here's a current shot:

Now let's talk about my progress on each individual item and how I'm doing on my goals stipulated in the Intro post (here):

1. MAC Blot Powder in Medium. I've expanded the pan but not as much as I would have liked. You may be able to see that I've been concentrating my brush in one area mostly and there's a definite dip showing, so my goal is to further expand my pan there in the next two months. I don't think I'll be able to use this entire powder up by the end of the Project.
2. The Body Shop Honey Bronzing Powder in 02 Fair. This again is moving, but moving slowly. I also picked one side of the compact to focus on and there is progress there, but there's no way I'll be finishing this entire bronzer up in the next two months. My deep down motivation to include this product was to toss it at the end of the challenge and replace with a new product, but now that I've been using a bronzer every single day, I don't think I'm much of a bronzer person. I like to wear one occasionally, but definitely not all the time - and since I have two more bronzers aside from The Body Shop one in my stash, I definitely don't need to purchase another one for my collection.

3. Buxom Full-on Lip Cream in Cherry Flip. I've been working quite hard on this and there's very good progress - I'm definitely on the way to finishing it all up in July and August.
4. OPI Nail Lacquer mini in Red Lights Ahead... Where?. Decent progress here but I could have done better - this is just three applications, one mani and two pedis. I would have liked to wear it more on my finger nails, but I don't like matchy-matchy fingers and toes, and it's all I've been wearing on the toes in May and June. Hmm. It is getting thicker though so it should be done in two months either way.

5. Giorgio Armani Rouge d'Armani Sheers in 301. I'm anticipating trouble on this lip product - even though I made alright progress so far, the formula of this lipstick is so thin that it doesn't go down as quickly as most other products with thicker textures, like Revlon Lip Butters for example. That's okay though - I still really like it so I don't mind having a small nub left at the end of the Project.
6. Bite Beauty High Pigment Lip Pencil in Sablé. Really good progress and I'm certainly on track to finishing it all up by the end of August. I'm still really liking this shade although I think it's better suited to the cold season when my skin is at its palest. I sometimes like pairing this nude lip pencil with a slightly darker mauve lipstick, or a MLBB gloss to give it more depth.
7. Pixi Beauty Endless Silky Eye Pen in Black Noir. Again, great progress and should be very easy to finish the rest off in the near future - especially that I can't sharpen these pencils all the way down. I'm still enjoying this pencil but it's better suited for the upper lashline than the waterline - it smears in the outer corner for me when I tightline with it, so I won't be replacing it once I run out.
8. NYX Micro Brow Pencil in Taupe. Woohoo, all done! I quite liked this eyebrow pencil for its precision, but the past week I've been using eyeshadow in my brows instead and I think I may like that softer effect a bit better than pencil.

9. Laneige Cushion Concealer SPF30 in Light*. I could be doing better on this concealer but there were two weeks when I haven't touched it at all, so all things considered my progress is fine. I'm still not a huge fan of this product: I like that it's lightweight and melds into the skin seamlessly (I can even use it alone on bare skin on days when I can't be bothered with foundation), but it never sets and moves around a lot during the day unfortunately.
10. NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer in Chantilly. Despite using this nearly every day, there's not much progress to be seen here. Yeah, so maybe it wasn't the best idea to put this product in my Project - I don't think I'll actually be able to use it all up in the next two months. I don't know how some people can use up a concealer like this in just a few months; I have to use it very sparingly or else it looks heavy and cakey on my face. Anyway - I'm still doing my best.

11. Bourjois 123 Perfect CC Cream in 31 Ivory. My progress is more or less what I expected it to be. Even though I wore foundation on more days than I usually do, I use very little for each application, so I'm not flying through this tube. My plan is to try and use a bit more and see if that helps to use it up faster (my initial goal however was to use up 3/4 of the tube, not the whole thing).
12. Hourglass Mineral Veil Primer. It seems that I'm right on track to finishing it all up by the end of August. I think this product works all right but I wouldn't repurchase by any means - it has also separated a bit in the bottle and I can't mix it back up.
13. Maybelline Color Tattoo in Just Beige. Slow going on this one - I'm using it every time I wear make-up but these Maybelline Color Tattoos are very difficult for me to use up. Either way, it's drying out more and more, so I'll be tossing it at the of the Project.

I'm content with my results so far and I haven't been feeling too terribly bored or constrained by my choice of products - and I think that once I use a few more items completely up, it'll be fun to play around with adding other products from my stash into the mix and coming up with new color combinations. I find it interesting how by panning a contour powder in my first Project Pan this year, and now a bronzer in my second Project, I have completely lost the interest in purchasing more products in those categories. I found that while I consider blush to be a must-have for me, bronzing and contouring is just not essential and doesn't even look all that great on my fair skin most of the time. I think realizations like this are the biggest reason why I do these panning projects - it's just fun to know your individual preferences and taste a bit better and adjust your make-up routine accordingly.

How are you doing with panning your make-up? Have you discovered anything new about your likes and dislikes in the process? I'd love to hear about that!

Project Pan That Palette 2016: Update #3

It's hard to believe, but I have now been using ONE eyeshadow palette for six months straight! That's half of the year gone wearing the same palette day in day out. I mean... Wow. But yes, another two months have passed, and I wanted to show you my progress. Just to recap, here's how my theBalm Nude'Tude Eyeshadow Palette looked like at the end of April:

My palette after 4 months of use, April 2016.

At that point, after four months of use, I had hit pan on three shades: Sassy, a pearly white, Stubborn, a light pink, and Selfish, a greyed taupe. I also had some dips going on in Snobby, a pale yellow, and Sultry, a warm medium brown - as you can tell, I'd definitely been staying within the lighter half of the palette, which isn't surprising considering my fair skintone as well as my opinion on some of the darker shades in this palette, expressed here. Now here's how my palette is looking today:

My palette after 6 months of use, June 2016.

MOAR progress! I have now also hit pan on Stand-offish, a metallic champagne, and Sultry, my matte crease shade. I have also further expanded the pan on Sassy, and have good dips going on Snobby, Schitzo and Serious. To be honest, I think I'm just milimeters away of hitting pan on the matte black, which I use to either darken my lashline or set my black pencil liner. I have also sporadically used Stubborn, the light pink shade, but the pan hasn't moved really, and I have not touched Selfish since hitting pan - it's not my favorite taupe in general, but I also haven't been feeling very cool-toned eyeshadow looks.

My plan for the next two months is to hit pan on Snobby, Serious and Schitzo - although I feel that this last one will be a bit of a struggle because this shade is firmly pressed in the pan and also has great pigmentation. I would also like to expand the pan on Sassy, Stand-offish and Sultry, and deepen the dip in Sexy, a matte burgundy. Even though I use Sexy multiple times a week to darken the outer corner of my eyes, this shade is pigmented and hard pressed in the pan, so my progress is very slow.

And there you go! My current feelings about panning this palette oscillate between 'OMG, I've never hit pan on so many eyeshadows in my life!' to 'Why the f*ck am I even doing this'. I have realized that there's no way I'm going to finish this palette within the span of a year - I don't even think I would empty it completely within two years. I'm not sure how other 'palette panners' do it, but I just don't use that much eyeshadow in one application. And I'm certainly not going to rock smokey eyes for four months just to use up the dark shades in my palette.

While I'm okay with not finishing the palette and simply putting in my best effort instead to see how far I can get, I often question my motives to continue this Project. I have a lot of eyeshadows I like better than this palette that I have not touched in 6 months, because I'm stubborn like that - once I decide to do a panning project, I want to do it the best I can, even if I would rather wear different products, or a different style of make-up altogether. On the other hand, I'm glad I've embarked on Pan That Palette this year, because the project has very effectively quenched my interest in new eyeshadow palettes, as well as taught me valuable lessons about my own preferences when it comes to eyeshadow. So there's that - I do think it was worth it - but am I still learning new things now, after 6 months of panning? I'm not so sure.

So these are the thoughts running through my mind most days when I open up the Nude'Tude to do my eye make-up. I haven't really come to any conclusions and for now I just keep going, but I do sometimes incorporate other eyeshadows, housed in my small Z-Palette (shown here), to break the routine a little bit. I will tell you now I'm definitely not doing this Project next year - and possibly, never again. I actually seriously question if I should wrap it up at the end of September, before my baby is due - realistically, I don't think I'll be wearing much eyeshadow for the last three months out of the year.

Anyway, how are my fellow panners doing? Do you ace your powder products, or are they always a bit of a challenge? I find all powders pretty hard - even face setting/ finishing powders move very slowly around here, despite daily usage. Do you have any tips?

2016 Skincare No Buy and Make-up Low Buy Update #2

Another three months have passed in a blink of an eye and it's time to update you on my beauty shopping freezes. I know many of you are trying to limit your cosmetics purchases as well, and ramblings from other sufferers can be both helpful and motivating, so I like sharing my progress with you - please comment if you're doing anything similar this year, I'd love to hear from you!

Let's start with my make-up low buy, which consists of limiting myself to purchasing no more than two products per month, with the possibility of rolling unused purchases into the next month. Soooo... You guys, I haven't bought any make-up in the past three months. Nothing. Nada. I don't know exactly why it turned out this way, because I wasn't actively trying to go on a no buy - it just kinda happened that I wasn't too terribly tempted by anything, and the things I've tentatively put on my wishlist in the meantime, I decided to purchase at a later date - maybe for my birthday in September.

I couldn't however resist the Sephora 15% off sale in April, even though I said in my last update that I wasn't planning to shop, or would only get one utilitarian thing, the Beautyblender Solid Cleanser. I did purchase that, along with a fresh Beautyblender (mine's on its last legs but I'm still refusing to trash it), some skincare for my husband, a new hair brush as we left ours in a hotel in NoLa, and lastly - I'm feeling a tiny bit guilty over this - I cashed in my points for the Laura Mercier lipgloss mini in Bare Baby, because I've had one before and enjoyed the formula. I was also somewhat tempted to purchase two Wayne Goss brushes from Beautylish since I've been really enjoying the one eye blending brush (I believe it's number 06) from his range that I own. But then, I was able to convince myself that these brushes weren't going anywhere and Beautylish doesn't really do sales or promos anyway, so there was no rush to get them then and there. I have also downsized my nail polish stash by further 13 bottles - I have snapped a shot of them on my Instagram if you're curious - I just figured those shades weren't exciting me much anymore and I was happy to see that when I brought them to work, every single one found a new home rather quickly; even our security guard took some for his wife to try out (I believe he called them nail make-up :).

Overall, I'm very happy with my progress, but what makes me even happier than the result itself is the fact that I wasn't really obsessing over any new products in those three months. I still watched YouTube beauty gurus and read blog posts about new releases, but personally, I wasn't too interested in any of the products. What I think helped the most was shopping my own stash, especially when it comes to eyeshadow (here's a recent bronzy/ orangey/ warm brown swatchathon), coming to some realizations on my personal preferences while using the products I already own, and also distracting myself with past times not related to beauty. In April and May, I completed shopping for my maternity wardrobe, and then going on vacation also helped to occupy my mind elsewhere. I have also been spending more time in the kitchen, trying out new recipes. This week, I'm planning to bake my first sourdough bread in two years (I've made bread a couple times in the past but wasn't satisfied with the result) and try my hand at making apricot jam. (*Update*: My first sourdough bread was a complete fail, most likely due to a poorly starter, while apricot jam turned out wonderful!) The abundance of summer produce is making me feel inspired and curious to experiment with new things.

Back-up drawer in March 2016.

Now when it comes to skincare for the face and body, I think I've been equally successful. Above is a shot of my back-up drawer from March, and the one below is what it looks like currently. I have replaced some of my recent skincare routine empties with those back-ups, used up quite a few bar soaps as well as skincare minis, and I've also been focusing on using my body oils. Again, I have also received a number of new PR samples, so the drawer may look nearly as full to you overall; I'm however succeeding in finishing older products from my stash before moving on to the fresher stock. Two factors that have been helping me in moving products out is the fact that my husband is now more into skincare and uses a cleanser, moisturizer and an oil from my stash, as well as my attempts at using up the bar soaps by making them into a countertop cleaning spray and possibly a liquid hand soap (haven't tried that last project yet but it's on my list).

Back-up drawer in June 2016.

As for skincare purchases, I have bought one skincare product in the past three months - an exfoliating mask - but since I've used up all my other masks with that same purpose, it's a replacement and doesn't break my no buy rules. I was a little tempted by some organic bodycare from an Icelandic brand while we were on holiday, but in the end, I didn't think the products were all that special and I resisted. I bought an Icelandic wool hat and a silver necklace from a local jewelry designer instead :)

I think that's all I wanted to say! Maybe it's not the most exciting update since I wasn't really torn over anything in the past three months, but that's just how it is: if you're just starting out with a no buy or low buy challenge, it does get a lot easier as the time goes on. I'm thinking part of it is just getting used to the new self-imposed rules, but perhaps a bigger part is learning strategies to cope with lemmings and getting to know one's preferences and priorities a lot better. How have you been doing with your minimalist challenges? Any major breakthroughs or lightbulb moments you'd like to share?