Trying out the Venus Immortals Palette From Lime Crime

For the past week or so I have been playing around with the Venus Immortals Palette from Lime Crime. I’ll admit I sort of stalked this palette on line for a while before deciding to purchase it. I have the Venus Exposed Palette and it is one of my favorite go to palettes if i want something quick and easy to work with. The colors are nice and it can give me great everyday looks or lean into drama with very little effort.

I know this Immortals Palette wasn’t going to be the same thing. I knew looking at it that this was not going to be an everyday palette. But I liked the color story and to be honest I was awash with a sea of neutrals palettes and this just appealed to me. Then in my stalking phase I saw they had a sale and I purchased it.

This was an interesting palette to work with actually. But because of the color story, it is not a quick and easy palette to work with, at least not for me. Let’s talk about the mattes first. There are four: Unseen, Unveil, Ash and Cameo. While Cameo looks a little beige in the pan, it applies white on the skin. Ash is a very light gray. Both of these lighter mattes blend really well. All of the shadows (matte and shimmer) are a bit powdery on the brush but if you tap off the brush there is no fall out during application.

Ash and Cameo can be blended out for a soft and subtle look. Unseen and Unveil are not subtle. They are very pigmented and even though Unveil swatches as a dark reddish brown on the lid it looks almost black. It just looks like a slightly less deep black than the black of Unseen.

When applied, Unseen can be a little patchy but it does blend well and settles in. There is a slight fading throughout the day, but at the end of a work day I still had eyeshadow on. It didn’t disappear.

Technically there are four shimmers, but the white of marble behaves a little differently so I really want to put that in a different category. I’m just not sure what category to put it into. But we’ll get to that in a minute, first the other three shimmers. They feel soft to the touch and like the mattes, the brush needs to be tapped off to get rid of some of the loose powder.

The Silver of Hail is stunning on the lid and is a stand out. It shimmers like foil when it is on the lid. The darker gold of Echo is actually one of my favorites and paired with the darker colors it is metallic but a bit more subtle than Hail. The darker tones of the old gold really work well with the darker shades.

Moth is more of an everyday work day shimmer. It pairs well with Unveil, but is almost too subtle to be with this palette. It really feels like it should be paired with some softer mattes. The other shadows in this palette are very bold and direct, but Moth is softer and tends to get a bit lost.

And then there is marble. It is the most powdery of the shades, but again tapping off the excess works well. It applies bright whit and glittery, but when you blend it the white fades down a bit and you can actually pull a light sheen of glitter over the lid.

This isn’t the boldest of looks but you can see how Marble was used to tone down the other shades and add a little sparkle over the top of them. The base shadows are Ash overlaid with Unseen at the outer edge and Cameo in the inner corner. then marble was blended over the top.

Over all I really enjoyed using this palette however it is not a quick palette to use. I didn’t pick it up and instinctively go for a certain shadow. I had to actually think about what i wanted and where I wanted the shadows. It is also not a palette I would use as an everyday work palette. The shadows will last on the lid all day, but because I had to think about the application it took a little longer to apply and for me the color story is a bit too bold for the office. It is a palette I will enjoy sitting down with and taking my time to play with. All of the shades are lovely and to be honest I will reach for this Marble shade to put over other eye looks. This Venus Immortals Palette form Lime Crime isn’t one I will pick up when I need to get out of the door in a hurry, however it is one I am happy to have in my collection and one i will look forward to playing with.

The Daily: November 8th, 2022

This is my one and only political comment. I don’t care who you are or what your politics are. I don’t care if you agree with my politics or not. Every person deserves to have their opinion count. The only way your opinion counts is if you vote. So if you can, get out there and vote. I know it can be a pain to get to. My poling place is well off my normal beaten track. I know you are busy. But this is important. Make the time and do it. You deserve to have your opinion count, no matter what that opinion is. So no excuses. Go and vote.

Hopefully that was not too painful for you. And I promise, that is all the political talk.

Today is election day so there are actually more people moving about near me than usual. I know several of my neighbors were given a bit of time off to go and vote. As the polls didn’t open this morning until 8 am and almost everyone leaves the neighborhood between seven and seven thirty in the morning it was like the entire neighborhood slept in. I actually did early voting at the library as it is easier to time when they are not busy since i work from home. My babydoll has been running such a crazy schedule that he missed early voting and had to go this morning. Since actual voting is at a school with a very small parking lot I drove him, dropped him off to go through the line and picked up a few things at the pharmacy before circling back to pick him up. There are just far too many people trying to park in a very small lot.

But now we have both done our civic duty and knocked one errand off the to do list. So that was nice.

It did throw my schedule off a little bit today. In reality it wasn’t a lot of time but somehow I have found that a little bit of off in my schedule can sometimes throw me more off balance than if a big chunk is taken out. Maybe it is because if I have a chunk taken out I automatically start mentally rescheduling things but if it is only a little bit of time I always thing, oh I can make that up easy. So there is no real rescheduling just a wondering of why everything seems to take so long.

And so today feels like everything took just a little bit longer. But I’m not really too far behind.

The rain has stopped and the temperature dropped, but the park is still flooded from the rain, so no walking today. there was an indoor workout. I like the indoor stuff because those exercises are always good for strength, but i really miss the calorie burn of the walking. But I am not wading in knee deep creek water to do it. So, indoor workouts today it is. Especially since flooding in the park brings up mold, mold brings up my allergies and then I can’t really breath very well which is not good for exercise.

I want to walk today, but my lungs will actually thank me not to try. Somedays it simply is what it is. But I still have my fingers crossed for a retreat of the flood tomorrow.

Today’s Look:

Primer: Dr. Brandt Pores No More Luminizer Primer

Foundation: Yensa Super Serum Silk Foundation

Bronzer: Milk Makeup Cream Bronzer

Blush: Julep Pore Minimizing Blush in Your Happy Look

eyeshadow: Lime Crime Venus Immortal’s Palette

Mascara: They’re Real Magnet Mascara from Benefit Cosmetics

Lips: Maybelline Lifter Gloss with Hyaluronic Acid

The more I use this primer, the more I really like it. I’m never a huge fan of the luminizing primers but I really like the pore blurring of this primer. I also really like the way this primer sits under makeup. It has a slight stickiness to it (not mega gripping, but it is there) and I think it helps lock everything into place as well. It is the pore blurring I am most loving though.

this Yensa foundation is growing on me. I still like the BC formula better, but as the weather gets colder and I lean more into actual foundations rather than the lighter bb, and tinted moisturizers of summer, I am liking this more. The shade works well for me but it does have a slightly yellow cast. I corrected this by using a pink setting powder and it worked beautifully. And yes I am still using the last of my Becca Pink Haze setting powder. I really need to find a new setting powder since this is discontinued due to the brand closing shop, but I haven’t found a replacement yet so i am just using the last of it up before letting it go. If anyone has any pink setting powder suggestions let me know.)

Weirdly the Milk Makeup Bronzer did not work terribly well for me today. It kept blending out into nothing (and yes I applied all cream products before the powder even though I listed the powder first). Something about this bronzer and this foundation didn’t mesh. they didn’t really want to play together. I’m not sure why as I haven’t had issues with this bronzer before. I’ll keep playing with it and see if it is just a one off though.

I have not used this blush for a daily look for a while. i will use it on weekends because it is a good product. I believe it has been discontinued. Which is a shame because it is a really good blush. I am not sure why Julep no longer makes it, but they don’t. And I am pretty much down to pan on the one I have and so this is the final use for me. The link above will take you to their active makeup page. Their shadow sticks are absolutely fantastic if you are looking into the brand. In fact I haven’t had a product from them I didn’t like. And as it is rare that I use a blush down to pan, you can tell I really liked this blush. But it is no more and so this is it’s last use before parting. So long makeup of the past.

I like this palette and I am trying to use all of the shades in it, but it is not a fast palette to use. The shadows can be powdery so you need to tap the brush off, but there isn’t a lot of fall out once applied. It isn’t a palette that I would reach for to do a quick look before running out of the door though. Which is odd as the Venus exposed palette is one of my favorite “I have no time and need to dash on something before I leave” palette. I think that boils down to color selection. Plus I don’t think it is quite as powdery. I may use it tomorrow as a comparison. In the end I was pleased with how every thing turned out, bit this is not a palette to turn to when i am in a rush.

As for the Mascara, I love this formula. It always makes my lashes look fantastic with very little effort.

This is my first use of the Maybelline gloss and I have to say I love it. I have the shade Reef which is pinker than I usually go (I picked it up in a hurry at the store). even though it is more pink than usual for me I really like the way it looks. I think it helps that it is a sheer wash of color rather than an opaque one. But color aside, this gloss feels fantastic. It smells of coconut and tastes a little sweet, but it isn’t sticky and it is just a really comfortable gloss. I am definitely going to be looking at other shades of this formula. I am very pleased with this impulse buy.

and yes I know I really should have done my brows today but I forgot. My bangs were too long for a while so I got out of the habit. Now they are trimmed and I need to remember the brows. And I swear they were trimmed evenly but I went to bed with wet hair and they are just impossible today.

But my darlings that is me. And now, it is back to work as I have many files needing editing. I hop you have a fantastic day. And remember to go vote. It’s important.

The Daily: November 7th, 2022

Good afternoon my darlings. I hope all is well. As for me, I am having a fantastic day, despite the rain. The rain is preventing me from going on a walk, but I did manage my indoor exercises earlier. Also I am just feeling a lot better because there was sun when I woke up.

Admittedly it wasn’t much sun, but it was light when i woke up due to the time change. I simply do not get up well in the dark unless I am rolling out of bed and quickly leaving the house. Like for an airport run or a long road trip. On a normal day, getting up when it is still dark drags at me. And the later in the season the worse I feel getting up. I suppose it is just my version of seasonal depression. My body feels cheated of sleep when I wake up in the dark.

Last week was pretty bad for me.

It is every year, but this year was bad partially because of grief. Halloween was my brother’s favorite holiday and he went at it with the sort of gusto that would shame an army of Santa’s elves. So in addition to the last week of darkness before the time change which is always physically difficult for me there was grief. Halloween on a Monday did not set me up right for the week. It was why I was a little off last week.

Grief is a funny thing. You’ll be fine for weeks, even months and then something will pop out of the shadows and sucker punch you right to the gut. He died in May so I think that this holiday season is going to have a whole lot of rough spots.

But life always moves forward. And as dancing skeletons are replaced with pumpkin pie, so do we.

And it helps that I am now waking up in the light. So shall we see what products are being used on this gray and dreary, yet kind of happy, day?

Today’s Look:

Primer: Dr. Brandt Pores No More Luminizer Primer

Foundation: Beauty Blender Bounce Liquid Whip Long Wear Foundation

Bronzer: Milk Makeup Matte Bronzer

Blush: Hourglass Ambient Lighting Blush

Eyeshadow: Lime Crime Venus Immortal’s Palette

Mascara: Lights Camera Lashes Mascara from Tarte

Lips: Dose of Colors Liquid lip in Stone

While I tried this for the first time last week, I actually didn’t use it over the weekend. I actually went on a cleaning spree this weekend and didn’t wear any makeup, in case you were wondering. While this does have a bit of a luminizing effect, it also is doing really well with my fine lines. Thus far I am quite pleased with it’s performance.

I tried a sample of this foundation and liked it. I was going to put it on my list to pick up later but when I looked it was half off (plus first time buyers get an additional $5 off – The deal is still going on if you are interested, just follow the link. It isn’t an affiliate link so I get nothing it is just so you can find the deal and the product). I think they are changing the packaging. I can see why because after a first use it is already starting to get a little messy. I do like the formula though and so far it is not doing too much settling into the fine lines. I’ll have to test it with other primers but it is working well with the Dr. Brandt.

The milk makeup bronzer is working well. i warmed it with my hand before use, and it applied well. It blends well also so I am quite pleased with it. Mine is a sample size so I am probably going to keep using it for a while as I think it may dry out and there isn’t a lot of product. As long as it works, I’ll use it.

With the blush I really like the formula, but I think this is the sort of pink tone that would go well with my skin when it is a little more pale and I am only using a tinted moisturizer as my foundation. It is a very light natural sort of pink. I think with foundation, I need a deeper tone. It is a good product though.

Today i again used the immortals palette, which I really like. I went for the brown and the gray and then dusted the glitter white . The white I started in just the inner corner but didn’t tap enough off the bruish so it spread. While the white tone remained in the corners it had a nice glittery effect on the rest of the shadow which i really like. It isn’t a lot of glitter, just a touch and I think it will be fun to play around with. All in all I am really liking this palette.

this is my favorite Tarte mascara. Tarte is not my favorite brand for mascaras, but I do like this one. It really lengthens and thickens. I do find I have to use an eyelash comb to make sure there are no clumps. I didn’t today just to show the minor clumping. Otherwise it is pretty good.

This was my favorite lipstick for a while. It was a great neutral that dried down well. I used two separate tubes of this one up completely. And on the end of my second tube I picked up a third and never opened it. So I opened it today. Partially to see if it was still good and partially to see if I still liked it. It is still good and I do still like it. It is a nice pinky neutral and it dries down well. I really like the formula. It doesn’t desiccate my lips but at the moment my lips are well hydrated. If I remember I can’t wear this formula if my lips are dry. This is a liquid lip that responds well to putting on a lip mask post skincare and pre makeup. If your lips are well hydrated it works well.

And that my darlings is me today. I am feeling a bit more back to normal and have a full day of working in the office ahead of me.

Tomorrow is election day so if you did not get your vote in during early voting, tomorrow is your day. Voting is a chance to get your voice heard and I don’t care if your politics are different from mine, everyone deserves to have their voice heard. So get out there and vote. And have a great rest of Monday.

The Daily: November 3rd, 2022

I know I hadn’t planned on posting a declutter series at the moment but I have to admit it felt good to go through some things. I hate having products I forget about and to be honest I really don’t like having this much makeup in my collection at one time. I like to be able to cycle through things a little more easily so that I can actually use everything I have in a timely manner.

Plus not having everything put away was driving me absolutely bonkers. i don’t need everything to be spotless, but i do need to know that there is a place to put everything. even if it doesn’t happen to be there at the moment. Also sorting through things inspired me and made me want to play a bit more with my makeup.

Truth be told I did go a little crazy with the eyeshadow today. I intended a quick and laid back look so i could indulge in a brighter lipstick but then i just got going. But I also got to see some of my old favorites in the drawer that I hadn’t seen in a while and forgot about because of the new.

And the drawer now closes. Somehow the fact that there was just a tiny gap where it wouldn’t close all of the way really bothered me. I could ignore the mess of the products laid out over the surface but that drawer…

But that is done.

And i feel better for it.

Even if it wasn’t the plan.

So today…pretty normal actually. Loads of editing. It will be pretty quiet until after thanksgiving though, at least it usually is. Then once everyone shakes off the turkey induced somnolence everyone seems to realize that with the upcoming time off everyone plans to take there is a very limited number of working days before the end of the year is neigh.

I personally will be very happy to see this year fade into the history books and I am perfectly happy to get so focused on work between celebrations that the last of this year slips by unnoticed and unremarked. It is however the calm before the storm right now. everything is just ticking by as it should.

My mom was measured for her new hand this week and a plaster mold was taken. They took one before as well so that her new hand will look almost exactly like the one she lost to cancer. In even better news she had a visit with the oncologist and she is now completely cancer free. She’ll still need the check ups but for now it is gone. All of it has been removed and she is once again cancer free. As excited as everyone is, this was her third bout with cancer this year so we are holding off on the celebration at the moment. She wants to celebrate when she gets the new hand instead of now. I think because it will take a few months and there will be a few more follow up check ups between now and then so she can be really assured that it is gone and not coming back.

Which makes sense.

So we are holding off official celebrations and cautiously optimistic while sighing heavily in relief.

But oh, how sweet that relief is.

It is very difficult to fight a disease. It is also very difficult to stand on the side lines and know that the only thing you can do is encourage someone you love while they fight a disease. While we should always support people going through something like cancer, if you have someone in your life who has family going through something like cancer, I encourage you to offer them a little support and encouragement as well. I will never minimize the effort it takes to fight a disease, but standing there forced to watch while being able to do absolutely nothing is not a comfortable situation either. I’ve had a lot of friends and loved ones I can lean on, but sometimes that is not always the case. If you can be there for someone like that I highly urge you to do so.

okay that is my serious moment. Let’s talk makeup shall we? I know I could use something lighter.

Today’s Look

Primer: Dr. Brandt Pores No more Luminizer Primer

Foundation: No 7 Lift and Luminate Triple Action Serum Foundation

Bronzer: Milk Makeup Cream Bronzer Stick

Blush: Dominique Cosmetics Cream Blush

Eyeshadow: Lime Crime Venus Immortals Palette

Mascara: Benefit Cosmetics They’re Real Magnet Extreme Lengthening Mascara

Lips: Guerlain Velvet Matte Lipstick in Black Red

Today I decided to use the hair sticks I picked up from Shop Miss A. I really like them and will be getting more soon as I need to replace some very worn ones. I put a close up picture of these below in case you want to see what they look like up close. I know me wearing them doesn’t show you much.

We will start with the primer. I found this still sealed in my makeup drawer and realized I had never tried it out. I have no reason why other than I think it came in with three other primers from subscription boxes and it was just shunted to the side. I like Dr. Brandt skincare actually and the pores no more line specifically. This primer has a skincare line scent to it, very fresh and clean. It has a slight tint and I was very impressed with the pore blurring it did and hope that the skin care element will keep it from becoming pore clogging. It is a bit luminating as well and would probably work well under a more matte finish foundation or aid in creating a dewy look. While I am no longer going for straight up matte there is a limit to how dewy I will go. this doesn’t take me over the edge.

I did pair it was a foundation that does have a little luminosity to it, and if still worked well for me. I could tell you the trial was intentional but really, I love this foundation and when it came out after my declutter I just couldn’t resist wearing it. I know I wanted to lean more into the foundations that are almost empty so that I can clear them out, but this is one of my favorite foundations. So today, I used it.

The Milk Makeup bronzer is nice. I went a little heavy with it today. More so than i intended actually. It needs to be warmed up by your hand before being applied if you want a smooth application. I had it in my hand an was ready to apply when the phone rang. I kept it in my hands and played with it during the phone call and after I applied it. The warmer it gets the more product applies, so if you have warmed it up, go light. It did blend out really well although i feel one cheek has a darker line than the other.

the Dominique cosmetics cream blush also needs to warm up before application. even if you are using a makeup sponge to apply it I recommend running your finger over the surface to get it warm first. I used both my finger and the makeup sponge. I took the product from the pan with my finger to my cheek and then used the sponge to blend it out. It blends beautifully and i love this color for my skin tone. I am using the Natural Rose by the way.

I ordered this Lime Crime Palette before I went home and it did arrive before I left. I only got to use it once though before I left and then it got buried. I wanted this palette since I saw it and it didn’t disappoint. I enjoy Lime Crime’s shadow formula. The brushes need one tap to prevent fall out. the pigmentation is rich but not over the top. Sometimes I find the more highly pigmented shadows to be a bit much for me to control. I prefer formulas that are buildable. These shades are rich but they are not so pigmented that I feel out of control. The silver does tend to have more fall out than the other shades but it isn’t much. it also seems to occur during the first application phase. Thus far I haven’t notice any drifting throughout the day and I’ve had the shadow on for several hours now. I’ll continue to watch it, but it seems to be working well. I did go a little heavier than I intended. I tried one shadows and then went ‘Oh lets try this. And then I kept going. I think I used six out of the eight pans. Which is not my normal application. But I was in the mood to play so I did.

I initially chose the muted tones because I wanted to use my Guerlain lipstick. I love the color and adore the formula but I like to pair deep lipsticks with lighter shadows and deeper shadows with neutral lips. The eyes went a bit more than anticipated but I still used the lip. I love this formula. It is the most expensive lip product I own which is why I don’t have multiple shades of this formula. However i will use this up until it is a nub and then break out a lipstick brush to use the last remnants of that nub. And then I will purchase a replacement for the refillable container. At some point I might pick up a second one in a more neutral color/ If I do I will have a hard time not just alternating between the two lipsticks. It is just that good.

This formula is extremely comfortable to wear, dries down just enough not to leave lip prints everywhere (it still leaves a little trace since it is a bullet lipstick that doesn’t dry down all the way), and it lasts all day. it has a 16 hour wear time listed. I haven’t ever worn it for 16 hours straight but i plan to do a wear test and given that I don’t need touch ups in an 8 hour work day I expect it will perform well. And now that I have waxed poetic about my lipstick I will head back to my editing and leave you to get on with the rest of your day. I hope you have a fantastic one, you deserve it.

The Daily: June 13th, 2022

Good afternoon my darlings. it is a hot one today. And I don’t mean summer is actually arriving. This year it seems we have skipped the early part of the summer and just umped headlong into the brutality of late summer. Each morning when I wake up I look at the weather. At this time of year it is kind of important for the garden. There always comes a point in the summer where i need to switch from watering just at sundown, to watering at sundown and then first thing in the morning before the sun really gets going so the plants can absorb the water before it evaporates.

Usually that point arrives mid July. This year, I had to water this morning. This is the earliest I have ever had to do a morning watering in the summertime since we’ve lived here. It was already eighty degrees at 7 am and the exclamation point near the weather report promised the heat index would be in the triple digits. Checking my garden records for last year we hit triple digits for the first time July 8th last year. I got up a little early today so that I could walk before the heat hit, but ended up using that extra time to water so there will be no walking today, just indoor workouts.

Which is fine. Not what I planned but fine. I am well stocked with indoor fitness gear so I should be able to keep moving forward on my fitness journey. I just won’t be doing it outside. I’m just sort of amazed that the first heat wave hit this early in the summer. I imagine it is going to lead to a longer and more violent hurricane season further south this year. (I spent quite a few years living in Louisiana and hurricane season sort of sticks with you even when you leave). For now I think it is going to be a balancing act keeping my vegetables and tender herbs from scorching in the sun. We are about to get our first paprika peppers for drying and I have a spate of carrots just now rising. This year I planted a variety called Parisian and they grow into small round carrots. I’m kind of excited about them. So right now it is one eye on the heat index and another on the garden. And fingers crossed that I can keep everything from shriveling up in the sun.

Today’s Look:

Primer: Tatcha Silk Canvas Primer

Foundation: Pretty Vulgar Cool AF Lava Water Foundation

Bronzer: Trestique Stick Bronzer

Blush: Benefit Cosmetics Gold Rush Blush

Powder: Tatcha The Silk Powder

Eyeshadow: Lime Crime Prelude Exposed Eyeshadow Palette

Brows: Marcelle Nano Eyebrow Liner in Medium Brown

Mascara: ABH Lash Brag Mascara

Lips: TYS Beauty Lip Plumper

I’m actually quite pleased with the way things turned out today. While the Tatcha silk primer is one of my absolute favorite primers (and I noticed I am starting to hit pan in the center of it today which means a reorder is in sight) I chose it specifically because I wanted to try the sample of the Liquid Silk Canvas I received with my last Tatcha order (I am loving the Kissu Mask, btw). I thought I would try the original and then tomorrow open up the sample. That way I can do a close compare. Plus since I will need to reorder primer soon from Tatcha I can see if I want to go with my favorite or try the liquid. I think that one may be offered in the Travel sized products to try out so I may do that instead of the full sized one right off the bat. Of course that is if i like it in the first place. Which I won’t know until I try it out tomorrow. But I used the original today and loved it like I always do. It works well and the scent just makes me feel special too.

What can I say, I am a scent oriented person.

The Pretty Vulgar is also working well. The amount of product is low in the bottle and this is the perfect time of year for this shade so it will be in rotation often in the next few months.

The Trestique is one of my go to products and I will always reach for it if I don’t have something else in mind. I do need to set it to the side and rotate through my bronzers, if only to adjust the location so my summer wear ones are closer to the front of the drawer.

You know I love the Benefit Gold Rush. It too is starting to show pan. I am always surprised when this happens as the Benefit blushes last forever. But Benefit just released new blushes so maybe it is time to try a new shade or two. this one will be hard to beat though. It is just the right tone for me and I really enjoy it. However nothing lasts forever so new things must be tried.

Speaking of new things I am still using the sample of the Tatcha powder that came in with my last order. It is fantastic. Very fine milled and silk soft on the skin. And it doesn’t look powdery. while I love loose powder I have several loose powders to get through at the moment. I am limited on the pressed powder though and really wish this came in a pressed format as it would be amazing to have a compact in my purse at this time of year. With this heat a reliable compact is essential for not sweating through the makeup. I don’t care what products you are using, ten minutes outside and when you reach your location you need to stop by the ladies with a quick pat down with the compact. This powder would be good for that, but alas it is only sold loose.

I love this Lime Crime Palette and I think I am definitely getting the Immortals one. I was debating it, but their shadows are just such a good formula. I just have to do a shadow declutter first. Once I make some space, the new palette will be mine. And since Lime Crime has lowered their prices, it will be mine for less.

The ABH mascara worked fantastically well as always. I enjoy it more with each use and will be picking it up again. I just have to work through my mascara stock pile first. That’s another thing i need to take inventory of soon.

I am the first to admit that I forget about brows a lot. It’s the bangs. Most of the time they cover my eyebrows so I don’t worry. But I do have several brow products and i am going to be rotating through them to see which ones I am keeping, which ones I am letting go of and which ones I want to order again. This Marcelle is a keeper and a reordering product. I love the fine point and the fact that the product is soft enough to apply without warming up but not too soft so it doesn’t smear everywhere like a warm crayon. It is a very good brow product and I love both the shade and the fine point.

And then there is the lips. I had not tried TYS Beauty before but this was in my May bag from IPSY. I do love lip plumpers so I thought i’d give it a go. This is a nice gloss, not too sticky. It smells very peppermint-y and for the first 20 minutes it is very tingly. There is also an almost holographic sheen to it which I like. For as intense as the stinging is, there is only mild lip plumping. Given the intensity of the sting I thought for sure there would be massive results. There aren’t but it is a nice basic lip plumper and a good gloss. I will continue using it, but I might not reorder it. I am glad to hear about a new brand though, so that is nice.

And that was me today. Overall I am very pleased with how things turned out.

Admittedly with the heat set to melt skin off my bones and no video calls scheduled today it is just you and me that get to see it, but I’m okay with that. But now it is back to work for me. I hope your Monday glides through with no complications. And remember, if you go outside, drink lots of water.

The Daily: June 9th, 2022

Have you ever had a day start out one way and morph completely in just a few hours? I started off nice and quiet today. I did my yoga while thunder boomed and rain lashed down. Which oddly made it feel much more exciting. I showered and dried my hair. I applied my makeup and even managed a piece of toast for breakfast before the world went pear shaped.

Apparently other people are having computer issues today. I have back up documents and am having to work on some updates on the fly today. So this is going to be a quick post. Since I’ve already been stopped twice while trying to write this, I am going to go ahead and jump into the daily makeup in the hopes of completing this post before the next revisions (I’m waiting for someone to read through the batch I finished.) So…

Today’s Look:

Primer: Yensa Tone Up Primer

Foundation: KVD Vegan Beauty Lock It Powder Foundation

Bronzer: Buxom Cosmetics Staycation Vibes Bronzer

Blush: Illamasqua Gel Blusher

Eyeshadow: Lime Crime Exposed Prelude Palette

Mascara: Wander Beauty Unlashed Mascara

Brows: Billion Dollar Brows Brow Pomade in Taupe

Lips: Thrive Causmetics lip gloss (Ashley)

I really enjoy the KVD Powder foundation but it can get a little intensely matte. If paired with a semi-glow-y primer like the Yensa it is a beautiful pairing. The only thing you have to watch out for (as with any powder foundation) is giving the primer time to settle in a bit. Also this is not a foundation where you want a super sticky primer. The powder adheres strangely and you get patchy spots. But I find that with any powder foundation. This was a good pairing and I am happy to take the KVD powder foundation out for summer. It is a great light weight summer product and for me, this foundation is back in season. I love it in the summer, but tend to think it looks dry in the winter. I think that is more my skin than anything else though. Happy to use it all summer long.

The Buxom and Illamasqua, what can I say? Two of my favorite products and because I didn’t put them away the last time I used them they were out on the table and just easy to pick up. They are both great products that I will use to pan and then reorder.

I chose the Lime Crime Palette today partially because I love it and it always looks good, but partially because I am trying to decide if I want to pick up the immortals palette. After reminding myself how good this formula is, I really do. It does mean that I need to do an eyeshadow declutter. My shadow drawer is already over flowing and I refuse to have more than I can keep in the space. I also get a little overwhelmed by too many palettes. I look at the drawer and just end up grabbing whichever is on top without looking at any other one and I really enjoy choosing from among the palettes rather than freaking myself out.

this is one of my favorite palettes for blendability, pigmentation and color selection

I actually took my brow pomade out today. there is only a little left so I need to reorder. I love the BDB formula for brow pomade. And they have added new items to their Beauty box kits. They now have more shades and magnetic brushes that go inside them. I may have to do some adding on to my kit when I reorder my pomade

And finally I just wanted a clear gloss and the Thrive was handy. It is a nice formula and there isn’t a whole lot left so I am trying to use it up.

I know that is a quick run down and I’m sure I missed a bunch, but it is just one of those days where the running doesn’t stop. The end result is I liked all of the products i used and am happy with my look today. But now it is back to work for me. Fingers crossed that all the issues are settled today and don’t spill over to Friday and the weekend. Have a great Thursday my darlings.

The Daily: June 7th, 2022

This morning started off with a thunderstorm. The thunder lightning and drenching rain caused me to snuggle into bed and hit my snooze alarm as many times as I felt I could get away with. let’s face it, I don’t like mornings in general and knowing that I didn’t have a hope of getting a walk in today just made that snooze alarm too tempting to resist.

When i did get up I discovered that in the night wind played havoc with both the garden and the lawn furniture. So I went chasing chairs and re-staking tomatoes. The Cucumber vines were like one of those inflatable men balloons outside of car dealerships, but they too were corralled.

I also managed to accidentally scare several rabbits and felines out of their rain shelters. I moved the chair, they realized their shelter was gone and ran for the hills. I didn’t see them until them moved and almost had a heart attack as they streaked past me.

Which meant I was well awake before my morning coffee.

I suppose that is the karmic balance for the snooze alarm.

I will say the rain hasn’t stopped even if the wind had died back and the thunder and lightning moved on. The rain has settled into stay. If the weather reports are rught then it is here to stay for a few days. It is making me feel very sleep and like I want to just find somewhere cozy to curl up with a good book rather than work, but as I am behind on a few deadlines due to may’s upheavals I can’t afford to just walk away for the day. No matter how much I just want to call it a rain day.

Sometimes being an adult is just not fun at all.

my hair got a dousing with the rain this morning and any attempt at volume has gone out the window. Apparently it only liked uncontrolled volume when the humidity hangs in the air instead of falling from the sky

Today’s Look:

Primer: Rodial Glass Primer

Foundation: Pretty Vulgar Cool AF Lava Water Foundation

Bronzer: Buxom Cosmetics Staycation Vibes Bronzer

Blush: Illamasqua Gel Blusher

Powder: Tatcha The silk Powder

Eyeshadow: Iconic London Sunset to Sunrise Palette

Mascara: Anastasia Beverly Hills Lash Brag

Lips: Wet n Wild Megalast Lipstick

One thing I love about this time of year is that I get to switch up my makeup. Yes I know the illamasqua and the buxom are year round products that I absolutely love and will reach for regardless, but I meant foundation. I get to shift my winter shade foundations to the side and pull out my spring to summer ones. It is always a delight. (Mostly because if a foundation doesn’t work for me I get rid of it fairly quickly so someone else can use it, so all the foundations I keep I really like) This Pretty Vulgar foundation is just beautiful. And right now the shade I have is exactly the right shade for me. It blends so beautifully with my skin tone and it lasts all day long with no issues. It also feels weightless. Its at this time of year where I feel like I am discovering old favorites anew.

This is one of the few true foundations that i will wear during the summer. I tend to shift into more tinted moisturizer bb cream sort of products for the summer. However this one is light enough that when I do need an actual foundation in the summer, I will reach for this one. The bottle is about half empty at this point so I suspect it will be finished out before the summer’s end. Which means I will be repurchasing. I’ll need to decide if i want to pick my summer shade or get both the summer and fall shades of this when I do. I think of it as a summer foundation because that is the shade i have and because it works so well in the summer, but since I am repurchasing I may get a winter shade as well this year. I managed to clear out several of my winter shades this year as well so there is space and I really do like this formula. The pretty bottle doesn’t hurt of course.

With the Rodial Primer, I think I have reached the conclusion that I do like the way it performs. I like the way it feels on the skin. I like the way it looks and the fact that it doesn’t clog my pores. It really is just a matter of scent. That menthol scent is strong and I do not care for it. It is however a great primer.

The Buxom Bronzer I really like as it is buildable. I can go light with it now and as the summer progresses deepen it so that I don’t need a different shade. It is a nice bronzer in general. Of course when I went to their site to look at the links for this post I saw they have what looked like a new line of plumping matte liquid lipsticks. I will be delving in deeper. You know I love my mattes, I love my liquid lippies and lets face it, I kinda dig the plumping. The trick is the drying factor with matte liquid lips. So I’ll need to hold back, get one or two shades for testing and then decide if I like them. But as I generally love Buxom’s lip formula, I have high hopes.

Today’s lipstick was from Wet ‘n Wild. I like their megalast line as the color rally lasts on it and they are comfortable to wear. if you blot after application the lip prints aren’t too bad. Towards the end of the day my lips do get a little dry but a quick hit of lip balm covers it and all is good.

The more I use the ABH Lash Brag Mascara, the more I like it. it does tend to flake after about eight hours of wear, but until then it looks fantastic. Each time I use it, it seems to get better.

On the other time, I am finding I want to reach for this Iconic palette less and less. This morning I had to talk myself out of reaching for my Lime Crime Palette. (Incidentally Lime Crime has just lowered their prices permanently. It isn’t a sale. I so want their Venus Immortals Eyeshadow Palette. I am trying to hold off until I do a palette declutter but I know soon, this palette will be mine. I just need to make space first – which is actually a good incentive for decluttering.

But I am finishing up the trial of the Iconic palette so I took it out instead. The shadow formula is nice. They are nicely pigmented and blend well. It is really the shadow colors that I’m having issues with. The shimmers are many and varied and they all look nice and work well. I really only like two or three mattes in the palette. some of the colors I don’t like, others just don’t work for me and my skin tone. It is a palette where I will reach for it for a couple of specific shadows and that’s it. So great formula, bad color choice.

And finally I am still using the powder sample from Tatcha and I probably will be for the rest of the week. There is a surprising amount of powder in this sample. It looked like it would just be a day or two but this is day two and there is still plenty. With the way the sample is set up I can’t put it in a drawer to use later so i do need to use it up. Which is not a hardship. This powder is super fine, little is needed, it feels soft, makes my skin took great and doesn’t look powdery. This is one of the best powders I’ve tried in a while. I have several good face powders but this is a fabulous one.

And that is my look for the day. It is raining outside so walking gave way to Yoga and I am fighting my own desire to take the day off in an effort to get some work done. Rainy days just call for curling up with a good book. Given the front moving in, the rain is likely to last the week. If it hangs around until Saturday, I suspect that is going to feature as part of my weekend plan. For now, it is full steam ahead into the land of e-mails and paperwork. Wish me luck!

The Daily: October 19th, 2021

Oh my darlings today is a fabulous day. Do you know why? My eyes don’t itch. I know, it doesn’t sound like much but yesterday I felt like i wanted to claw them out and even though I resisted I rubbed them a bit raw with my hands. I knew I shouldn’t but the itch was driving me crazy.

Today whatever was in the air and giving me fits is gone so the world has taken on a more normal tone. I know, normality isn’t usually what people dance in joy about, but personally I will take it.

I think I mentioned yesterday that my mother visited this past weekend (which was awesome) While she was here she asked if I wanted her old Fitbit since she just got a new one. So I said yes and I figured I would give it a shot. Now I had a fitbit when I started my weight loss journey and used it to help map out my walks and figure out my calories burned and all of that good stuff. Then sadly my fitbit died. I never got around to replacing it. It will be interesting to see what has changed. I’m sure I got off track with my step counting and such and my walking route has altered as well. It will actually be pretty nice to have some quantitively measured knowledge of my activities.

I mean, I’m pretty good with math, but sometimes I have to guess. It will be nice to see how close my guesses were.

Plus I have a weakness for graphs and I really kind of like seeing the charts.

So today is a sunny fifty two degrees. And there will be much walking. As always at this time of year finding the balance between getting things done in the office and spending time in the fantastic weather is hard to do. Even though Autumn is a season, it is a fickle one. A few days of nice weather between rain storms and perfect walking temps sandwiched between too hot and too cold. The humidity remains here all year long, even when the temperatures plumett and the damp cold of the winter is just as bad as the hot humid of the summer. I foresee several late evenings working to catch up on the work I missed while going on longer walks.

As my weekend company showed me however, the rich foods of the season are coming, so a little extra work now wouldn’t be a bad thing. And for everyone else looking at the fabulous foods and gatherings of the upcoming holidays, I’ll be putting together a quick survival guide with a few of the tips I’ve picked up for not adding the pounds back on during the holidays. But for now, let’s jump into today’s makeup.

Today’s Look:

Primer: Urban Decay Optical Illusion Primer

the Eternals Collection is now out and it looks utterly stunning.

Foundation: Ciate London The Extraordinary Foundation

Powder: No 7 Perfect Light Pressed Powder

Bronzer: LYS No Limits Matte Bronzer in Motivate (light)

Blush: Benefit Cosmetics Blush in Georgia

Highlighter: Illamasqua Beyond Powder in OMG

Eye shadow: Lime Crime Prelude Exposed Palette

Lime Crime is Excited to Say That the 13th Birthday Promotion Has Been Extended. Get $13 Off Any Order $40 or More Using Code: BDAY.

Eyeliner: 3INA pen eyeliner in Black 900

Brows: ABH Brow Wiz

Mascara: Tarte Lights Camera Lashes Mascara

Lips: Tarte Maneater Plumping Lip Gloss in buff

Okay today I got to use a whole bunch of new products. So I’m kind of excited. Lets go through the few staples before we get into them though. The Primer is Urban Decay and one I am trying to finish up. As always it is a great primer but it was discontinued. I love the Ciate London Foundation. It feels weightless and has excellent coverage. The Illamasqua highlighter is one of my favorites and one I reach for a lot. The No 7 powder is the pressed powder I use the most and I have repurchased it more times than I can count. I also adore the Lime Crime Palette. I love the formula and quite honestly Abyss is my go to one and done shade.

Essentially I chose all products I new and love to serve as a base for trying out the new items. First up is the bronzer from LYS. The packaging is lovely and this first use went well. I have a lighter shade and for me it was pigmented but buildable. I suspect the darker shades would be more highly pigmented and that part of the buildable-ness is that it is on the lighter side. But I like the buildable aspect of having a lighter shade and I think it worked for me. I also think that the lighter shade will work for me year round. My application may change a little as my summer tan fades, but I think I can still use it, which I am happy about. For a first use, it went well.

That the Benefit Blush went well is not really a surprise. This was a paler pink than I usually use, but it applied well. I think I would use this more with a BB cream or a tinted moisturizer for a low makeup look than I would pair it with an actual foundation. It is a pale enough shade on me that it would work more easily with a low makeup look rather than over foundation. But I got there in the end.

It has been quite a while since I have applied eyeliner and I am a bit out of practice. I tend not to wear it in the summertime and i generally don’t wear it unless I am going out. So we are coming out of a hot summer and well over a year where I really didn’t go out. Yu may notice a bit of a disconnect when my eyes are closed. Because I have hooded eyes I tend to cheat the wing a bit. If I wear a wide wing then all you see is the black eyeliner. So I thin it out and do a bit of cheating. It looks fine with my eyes open and blinking doesn’t give the game away. It is just when i closed my eyes for the pic that you can see the cheat. Plus I’m out of practice so it was a bit more wobbly than usual. I do like the liner though and as I also have this in brown, I do want to try to remember to play with it more.

The ABH Brow Wiz isn’t my favorite formula. It worked well and was a decent color, but it was a bit stiff. I’ll use it, but it isn’t the first I will reach for. Perhaps if I keep using it, I will like it more, but it is just okay, not my favorite

There were two tarte products in the new to me collection today. The lights camera lashes mascara was not as dramatic as i thought it would be. It is a good formula and the wand is thin enough that adding mascara to my lower lashes wasn’t a problem. I think the lashes were lengthened which is nice. It is a lightweight formula to wear so my lashes don’t feel heavy. Which is nice while working at the computer. And I have to say, I kind of dig the psudo case for the mascara. I don’t know why, but that just appeals to me.

The second tarte product was the plumping lip gloss. I can feel the plumping and tingling action going on. I’ll have to take before and after photos to see if it is as dramatic as the adverts make it out to be though. I thought it was going to be too pink on me, but once on the lips, the shade works well. The formula is a little sticky, but not overly so for a gloss. First impressions again are positive.

Over all in general first impressions were positive for most of the new products. I started with products I already loved, so that may play into it. I’ll be trying them out with a variety of other products as I get to know them a little bit better. But for now, I’m quite pleased with them. I’m also quite pleased there was makeup in many of the subscription boxes this month. Not enough for a fill face of first impressions, but close. Or at least closer than we’ve been for a while. I came up with quite an understated look today, but as my day alternated between walking alone on the walking trail and sitting at my desk and working alone on my computer, dramatic wasn’t really called for. All in all I am pretty happy. Of course I am really just happy that my eyeballs didn’t itch. After that, everything else was gravy.

The Daily: August 30th, 2021

Good afternoon my darlings and welcome to the start of a new week. It was an interesting weekend for me. Quiet, but interesting. My main focus was to get my sleep patterns back to something resembling normality, which I did.

It was nice.

I know alarm clocks are useful and lord knows I wouldn’t get up on time if I didn’t have one, but I really enjoy having two days where i get to wake up when my body decides it wants to wake up instead of being startled awake by the alarm.

Beyond sleep, I started in on some of my fall to do list. The manicure, I put off a bit. However I did start my decluttering, which I’ll be posting about this week, and more importantly I went shopping for new bras. I know not the most exciting thing, but more than any other garment in my wardrobe, my bras take a beating in the summer time.

While in the gym I tend to remember to wear the sports bras. When on a walk through the park, I generally just walk in whatever I happen to be wearing. So I generally end the summer restocking and bidding several bras a fond farewell. The Bali bras are really good as they are comfortable and durable. While the fit is nice, I think one of my favorite aspects are the straps. They are wide enough to comfortably support without digging into my shoulders. And these bras will last me all year and well into next summer.

Very few of my undergarments worn on walks in the summer time actually survive the summer. Each spring I designate older undergarments as “walking wear” and between the sweating and the washing they just take a beating. Hence the sort through and replace every fall. But as soon as the heat breaks I get to wear my nicer undergarments on a more regular basis, which is nice.

I have to admit that i love the underwear clear out in the fall. as the summer progresses the drawer just looks worse and worse. I have a line of nicer things off to the side, mostly including my Underclub sets as well as nicer things I wear going out, but the everyday walking wear just looks worse and worse as the summer goes on. So the clear out always makes me feel really happy.

It is my first declutter of the season.

Followed shortly thereafter by other declutters. I do like declutters, not only do they make things feel fresh (if only because I reorganize and put everything where it belongs) but I always find things that i forgot I had so even if I don’t go shopping, I feel like I have some new things. That actually applies to my makeup today as well.

Today’s Look:

Primer: Benefit Cosmetics Porefessional Primer

Foundation: Pretty Vulgar Cool AF Lava Water Foundation

Blush: Ciate London Marbled Light Blush

Bronzer: Lottie London Sunburst Bronzer

Powder: No 7 Perfect Light Powder

Highlight: Laura Geller Baked Original Highlighter in French Vanilla

currently on sale for 20% off at Lovely Skin

Eyeshadow: Lime Crime Prelude Exposed Palette

Mascara: ABH Lash Brag

Lips: bareMinerals Gen Nude in Pout

Setting Spray Farsali Rose Gold Face Mist

The Benefit Cosmetics Porefessional is one of my favorite primers. I actually picked it up today because I thought it felt a little hollow and I wanted to see how much product was left in it. I squeezed the air out of the tube and it turs out there is a lot more than I thought there was so I am happy. I tend to pick up the holiday kits to restock on a lot of Benefit products (partially because I really like the tins as well a the products) and I think my primer will last until the Holiday kits come out. As we are reaching the end of August it actually won’t be that long. Halloween decorations are already in stores and with Thanksgiving barely a blip on the retail radar, the holiday kits, advent calendars and black Friday sales aren’t that far away.

And yes I’ve already started my list of both presents to pick up this year and things I want to stock up on here. I know, Labor day sales are just kicking off and I will be taking advantage of some of them but honestly, in my house we have always done things for the home on Labor Day. I’m pretty sure all of our major appliance purchases were Labor Day ones. At the moment the only big house purchase we have coming up is a mattress. I know Sleephead has a sale going on. I think we might take advantage of that one this year pick up one of the gel toppers and then maybe look at Purple for the mattress sale. Their labor day sale is up to $350 off so it is definitely a good time to look into the replacement. Well technically we should have picked up a replacement last year but never got around to it. So this year is a must. (I’ll link both sales down below if anyone is interested.)

Beyond that I am redoing a lot of my desk so I can get more organization in my life. I’ve been looking at Sonix and Multitasky for a lot of those items and hope to have a plan in place soon so i can take advantage of those sales. But that is off topic.

To the makeup, batman!

I admit, I forgot completely about the Pretty Vulgar Foundation. I really like the way it blends into the skin and this shade really does work well for me. I found it in my foundation drawer. It was on it’s side and because of the shape of the bottle it rolled towards the back. It is just a little too tall to actually stand up. I think the only reason that I forgot it is because when I think of Pretty Vulgar I automatically think of The Feather’s mascara. But I really need to remember this foundation as well, because it really is good medium coverage that feels feather light on the skin.

Seeing the Ciate Blush in the Look Fantastic box reminded me of the marbled light blush so I pulled it out today. While I like the Glow to illuminating blush, I personally prefer the look of the marbled light. And I was happy to use it.

The No 7 is a long term staple. I know I don’t have to tell you again hoe much I love this powder.

The bronzer however was one I honestly didn’t know I had. I knw I had a Lotte London Blush somewhere but I could not remember getting the Bronzer. I’m guessing it came in an IPSY Bag a while ago and I just forgot it. I think this is the first time I’ve used it. I found it interesting. It is a Coconut scented bronzer. The faux coconut scent is pretty strong and to be honest, I don’t like the scent. The bronzer itself, I actually really like. It goes on well, blends nicely and thus far today has worn really well. I think I actually like it enough to ignore the scent. I’m going to keep it out for a few days to try it out and see if the scent is something i can ignore or if after a few days it is what causes me to want to push the bronzer away.

This is the second time I’ve used the Laura Geller baked highlighter and I am impressed. It is a nice highlight with absolutely no glitter in it. Often times if I know I have a meeting for work I will completely skip the highlighter because I don’t want any glittery mess. This is perfect for an office. It adds the light without the sparkle. And while I like sparkle as much as the next person, sometimes it isn’t appropriate. This is a product i am keeping around for office wear. As a caution, A light hand is needed otherwise there is just a light powder smear. It blends better of you go in light. if you go in heavy it is harder to blend in.

For eyeshadow I just wanted something quick today so I just used the Abyss in my Lime Crime Palette as a one and done look. It blended well with my bareminerals lip gloss (another fave) and I was happy. It was a simple look today, which is fine for me. It is a day spent mostly at the computer so I didn’t feel the need to go too crazy. So quick and easy ruled the day.

For those interested, the Purple link will take you to the Purple Mattress Sale and the Sleepyhead link below it will take you to the Sleephead Gel topper.

The Daily: August 24th, 2021

Good afternoon my darlings. Usually during the day the house remains fairly quiet, especially as I am currently the only one working from home. Today, the entire house feels like it is sitting on a speaker with low playing house music on. You know that thrumming sound you feel more than hear? That is sort of what is going on. It is rather strange. Outside workers are putting in new fiber optic cables.

Do you remember a few weeks back when I was out of internet for a few days due to someone cutting a couple of bundles of fiber optics? Well they fixed those and I think the current project involves expanding them in our area. My neighborhood was built in the 1940s and 50s and it is in an area dotted with similar neighborhoods. There was a lot of area between the neighborhoods (at the time) and much of it was flood zone. They have now managed the water differently and while there were a couple of 1960s-70s era neighborhoods developed there was still a lot of space. In the last few years they have started filling in the spaces.

Its part of the reason why we’ve had some issues as of late. But hopefully the current work will alleviate some of those issues. At least that is what I’m telling myself as the house feels like there is a party going on in the basement. Not that we actually have a basement, but you get the idea.

As for workouts, I managed a walk earlier this morning. I beat the heat but that humidity is no joke. All of the rain we received in the past week has decided to rise as a wet blanket making even the cooler morning temps feel smothering. This afternoon is definitely indoor yoga and hand weights for me.

I did get something in the mail today that I am super happy about though. As you may recall I am a huge fan of the Soda Stream. I sometimes add flavoring, but mostly I just like the seltzer water (and really if I want flavor I just drop a lemon, lime, or orange slice into the glass). I find that having the water carbonated makes me drink more water. It somehow doesn’t feel as heavy as regular water so I am able to drink more, which is good when i am sweating more as well. Drinking more water helps in a bunch of ways and the Soda Stream has helped me replace a lot of my during the day drinks.

But to the mail! while the bottles are reusable and help cut down on waste, after a while the plastic bottles do need to be replaced. I used my dishwasher safe bottle as many times as possible, but it finally reached the stage where no matter how tight I tightened the lid there was always a hissing noise as air escaped and the plastic started to look really worn. To be honest I think I;ve had this bottle about three years. So it was time to replace it. And what did I replace it with?

A glass bottle.

I know! Glass! I’m kind of tickled about it. I really like the way it looks, and I like the way the ridges keep the glass from being slick. So I now have a glass bottle to replace my worn out plastic one. And although I do like glass better than plastic, it is the shape of the bottle that makes me really happy. The plastic bottle is wide all the way down and the glass bottle is more carafe shaped. I don’t have the world’s biggest hands and the carafe style bottle is just easier for me to control. So it may be a small thing, but it makes me happy.

Today’s look:

Primer: Vesca Beauty Soft sun Radiant skin Primer

Foundation: Purlisse Perfect Glow BB Cream

Powder: Becca Pink Haze setting Powder

Bronzer: NARS Bronzer in Laguna

Blush: BareMinerals Bounce and Blur Blush

Highlighter: About Face Light Lock Fluid Highlight

Mascara: They’re Real from Benefit Cosmetics

Eyeshadow: Lime Crime Prelude Exposed Palette

Lips: Buxom Full Force Plumping lipstick in Fly Girl and KAB cosmetics Hydrating Lip oil in Juicy Melon

Setting Spray: Farsali Rose Gold Skin Mist

Today I feel like there ought to be a drumroll. That’s right two items are leaving my dressing table. Today was the last day that I could use the They’re Real Mascara. It is a good mascara and I wouldn’t mind using it again, but the tube is now empty. It is making the strange empty popping sound and it took a lot of effort to get the product on my lashes. And so it is good bye. It was a good mascara though. while not my favorite Benefit Mascara I would certainly have no qualms about using it again. But this particular tube is empty.

Joining it in the empties bin is the NARS bronzer. That’s right, the bronzer I have been working so hard to use up has now reached the end. There is a little bit of product in the corners, but I had to work pretty hard to get product on the brush today, so I am calling it done. Technically the container isn’t going into the bin though. The little mini sized pan is perfect for my brow pomade pan from Billion Dollar Brows so I am going to clean it out and put the container to use as it’s new home. But I did love this bronzer. I will end up ordering a new one once I’ve used up a few more products. Right now i am just happy to be able to pull out another product from my drawer instead of using this one consistently. I like it, but i am ready to switch things up.

The bareMinerals blush is one of my favorites and will continue to stay in rotation. The lime Crime Palette is one of the palettes I reach for consistently. It may only have eight shadows, but they are well thought out and the combinations are enough that it is a neutral palette that is never boring. The shadows blend well and while I do tap my brush off before applying, they aren’t overly powdery. They are not massively pigmented, but they are buildable and blendable, which in my opinion is often better. I find I have much more control this way. To be honest, the only reason I don’t have all of Lime Crime’s Palettes is that the packaging is a bit on the bulky side and my space is limited. At this point I am actually pushing my limits for eyeshadow storage space. I went through them in the spring but I think I may have to take a harder look at them and do a deeper declutter. I like when I can see what I have and can easily find things. I think now I have enough palettes that I am forgetting which ones I have.

I think I will be putting at least an eyeshadow declutter on my Autumn check list. I know, with this record breaking heat it is hard to think of the fall, but it is technically here.

I have decided that I am not going to order a back up of the Becca Pink Haze Setting powder. It is the one Becca Product I was really on the fence about. I really do like the pink toned setting powder and when I have used this up I will look for a different brand and hopefully find a replacement. But I am not ordering another one from Becca. Incidentally according to their site they are still taking orders through the end of September if you were looking to stock up on anything. I think for me, I am going to use up and let go.

I am still testing out the Vesca Primer. I think that as long as I go matte with the foundation products then I am okay with it. I don’t think it will become a favorite, but it is nice. However I couldn’t resist breaking out my Purlisse Perfect Glow BB Cream. This is the original rather than the illuminating one that I tried out last week. I just couldn’t resist opening it. I was planning to wait to open the new tube, but I couldn’t. The summertime heat was just made for BB cream and this is one of my favorites. It is really a good formula. Lightweight but still good coverage. I use Light Medium if you are looking for shades. It is a little light on me right now, but in a few weeks it will be absolutely perfect. In winter it will look slightly dark and I will lighten it with a bit of white powder, then it will be the perfect shade in the spring through early summer. Then it will go back to being a hair too light. With this shade I can wear it year round actually. I just darken it slightly with bronzer and tinted powder in the summer and use white/translucent powder in the winter. I like that I don’t need to keep multiple shades.

Today for the lips I am still trying to get a handle on the KAB Lip oil and how I feel about it compared to other lip oils. Today I put it over the Buxom Plumping Lipstick. I chose this, partially because I really like the Buxom lipstick and partially because the color of this is one that on its own washes me out. I wanted to see if there was any actual color to the lip oil. There might be a little, but I think it is more the shine that brings my lips out more than the color. So that was more or less me today. So now that I have had a lovely little break talking to you, it is back to work for me. I hope the rest of your Tuesday is absolutely fantastic.