Welcome my darlings to a brand new year. I have every hope that this will be a fantastic one. While I am not one for New Year’s resolutions I have to admit that I do like to start new things as the year rolls over. For me it is about separating the new year from the old and making a determination to do better in the new year than I did in the last.
One of the things that I have decided to add is the To Use Up box which will hopefully allow me to use up some products that I don’t usually reach for thus keeping them from expiring and needing to be thrown away.
In fact, this year reducing waste is one of my mail goals. I did pretty good last year, using my Makeup Eraser rather than disposable makeup wipes. I even switched out my cotton rounds for reusable ones. I am really enjoying the Swipies from Magnitone for those actually. I am hoping to expand things a bit. I have a compost bin that I will be using more religiously this year so that fewer organic items will make it into the trash can. I will also be shredding many of the boxes that subscription boxes come in so that they can be used as the dry matter in my compost bin.
I am also going to try to limit my driving this year. There are many places within walking distance, even if walking to them isn’t all that convenient. I will be combining errands when I can’t walk to them so that they can be done in a more efficient manner. My goal is actually to cut my driving mileage in half this year. I don’t know if I will make it, but I think it is a goal worth pursuing.
It also has the added benefit of increasing my walking time. Which will help with fitness. My weight and getting into a healthy weigh range for my body type remains of course something I will pursue but it is not something I would consider as a New Year’s goal. That makes it seem too ephemeral. I am committed to living a healthier life, but that is a lifelong change and not something I ever want to list with resolutions. However in this at least I think that my fitness efforts might also help me out with the efforts of reducing the amount of resources that I actually consume.
Speaking of that goal, While I will be trying to use one item from my Use Up box each day, Today I am just going to go hard and use most of the items in the Use Up box. The discontinued items I will not link anywhere since they are not being made. I do believe those items can still be found on Amazon or Walmart websites though. And so we begin…
Today’s Look:
Primer: Marc Jacobs Under (cover) Blurfection Primer (Discontinued)
Foundation: Bite Beauty Changemaker Foundation (discontinued)
Bronzer: Ciate London Bamboo Bronzer
Blush: BareMinerals Bounce and Blur Blush
Setting Powder: Pink Haze from Becca Cosmetics(discontinued)
Eyebrow: By Reema Brow Kit
Eyeshadow: Too Faced Melted Chocolate Liquid Matte Eyeshadow and RealHer Dreams so Big Eyeshadow Duo
Mascara: Anastasia Beverly Hills Lash Brag
Eyeliner: Grande Liner Liquid eyeliner
Lipstick: Colourpop Ultra Matte Liquid Lip in Tulle
Okay the bulk of today’s makeup came from the use up box and this month that box features a lot of discontinued products I am trying to use up and clear out of my collection while they are still good. In the future I will limit the number of items I roll i n from this box but I just wanted a chance to use them all to see if they were all still good and if i did want them in the box. I will go quickly through the discontinued Items. Marc Jacobs was a really good clear primer that created a smooth canvas for other products to shine. I loved it and look forward to reaching for it often this month. I adore this Bite Beauty Foundation but the brand is gone and so I look forward to using it up. Again with the Becca Powder, love it and really need to pick up another pink setting powder as it works well with my skin but I know I won’t until this is used up, so i am using it up.
The Too Faced Liquid Matte Eyeshadow is discontinued as well I believe which is a shame as I really enjoy it. The matte formula goes on well and doesn’t crease. I find it easy to blend with my fingertips and then let dry and apply a powder eyeshadow over it I do find that by the end of the day the powder shadow(regardless of the brand, will wear off and just leave me with the matte liquid shadow. I can’t actually remember if it plays well with other liquid shadows. I have a few (it isn’t my preferred formula) so I’ll play with that this month just out of curiosity. I tended to not reach for it because I forget single shadows in general.
Which is why I put the Realher shadow quad in this use up box this month. the two shades work well for me but I forget about it a lot. I’m hoping having it out will entice me to use it more. They aren’t the most pigmented shadows and they tend to fade as the day goes on so I don’t really want to purchase the full sized palette but this duo is nice for a quick look.
The ciate Bronzer and Bare Minerals blush are two of my favorites and ones I will reach for often. The Bareminerals blush is actually a sample that I have been trying to use up for some time. There is a slight dent in the product but no sign of pan. I will use up the sample and then when it is empty i will buy a full size. it is just taking a long time to use up the sample. Perhaps next month it will end up in the use up box. For now I am happy to just rotate it in when I want it.
The Brow Bar By Reema I have used before. I do like the powder and the highlight for under the brow and it is a pretty kit with a great mirror. I am only going to use two of the products inside though so it feels like I am wasting the other products when I use it. The two products I use I like, and I am happy to use it this month. I just don’t think I would purchase it again. While the package is lovely and it is great for travel, and I like that it does have a brush, spoolie and tweezers, that only comes in handy when traveling. I prefer another brush and tweezers to the set. But for travel it is nice. Otherwise it takes up a lot of space with things I won’t use.
This was the first use for the Grandeliner this morning. It has been a while since I used liner and I did make a bit of a mess with it, but I want to try to remember liner more and I really did like this formula so I will keep using it. it doesn’t seep into lines and glides on easily.
The ABH mascara is not new and it an item I love and will repurchase. It is a fabulous mascara.
The Colorpop formula is a little on the dry side and I find myself adding lip balm throughout the day. To be honest it is why I rarely wear this liquid lip any more. That and the fact that there is a little fine line seepage before it dries if you aren’t quick with the blot. It is half empty and I do love the color so I will use it this month hoping to use it up. If they have this shade in a bullet lipstick i may end up repurchasing it, but the liquid lip formula is a little too drying.
And that my darlings is me today. I am pleased with how my makeup turned out (barring liner which I need to do some practicing with) and happy that these are some of the products I am working towards using up this month. As for life, the weather is finally cooperating and I am back on my fitness journey and my walks out in the wide world of the park. I am going to spend the rest of my day at the desk however as I look to the calendar and begin the mass scheduling that the new year’s arrival always brings. I am looking forward to this new year actually and am hoping it will be much better than the year being left behind. It was a difficult one for me and I just hope that 2023 will be a little less dramatic and traumatic. Happy New Year my darlings. Let’s make this one a fantastic one.
Ms. Mimsy Reviews 