Project Useup 2018 – Finale

Hi!

Oi, I’m bad at these. Not at using the products but at updates! It’s just – blogging is hard. It’s a hobby that has stuff I like (writing, reading, making connections) and stuff I hate (photography. I really, really hate taking pictures). And hobbies go out the window when you’re not in teh right headspace.

But I want to write and publish this because I’m kinda proud of myself. I feel I did really well in this project and I want to also share some of the lessons I learned from panning.

So, to recap:

I used up everything in this picture. The Freemans mask was excellent, and I can highly recommend. As soon as I can afford it I’m going to purchase a full size of the Lancer Polish. That stuff is just fabulous. I will never use Estée Lauder DayWear – not hydrating enough for my skin. Dermalogica is a brand I love, but this primer was average.

L.A. Girl setting spray is rubbish. Do not waste your money. I am completely in love with hydrating sprays since I started using the Nimue one and it changed my life. I used this up but am currently trying out other sprays.

Smashbox don’t get a lot of coverage influencer wise, but I think they have amazing products. I love their cover shot palettes and I really like this foundation as well. I didn’t quite finish it up but I came close. Disappointing.

I used up three out of the four mascaras and I’ll take it. I use a mascara until it’s dry and these took forever. Elizabeth Arden Grand Entrance is a great buy. It really made my lashes sing. Lorac Pro Fiber+ was also one I enjoyed. Tarte Lights, Camera, Lashes was nice, but dries quickly and I wouldn’t want to spend the money on a full size. Maybelline Great Lash is really lengthening and defining and for the price super worth it.

I loved using the essence Lights of the Orient lipstick. Soft and creamy and full of pigmentation. I have the other shade from the range and I am looking forward to using that as well. I have a tiny tiny bit left but I’m not quite disappointed. In fact I’m quite proud of what I’ve managed to do. Considering that I lost this lipstick at least three times last year I’m impressed that I managed to get this far. I’m saving the rest of it for my 2019 project pan when I need a “gimme” product!

My goal for the Clinique blush was to wear away the flower pattern. I am super happy that I managed to do that! It’s completely unrecognisable!

I have mixed feelings about the highlighter. On the one hand I did manage to hit pan, but on the other I didn’t really get much use out of two of the three shades. I think it was a bit too ambitious of me to think that I could use up that much highlighter. The biggest problem I had with that I got bored of it very quickly. I also have so many highlighters that I find myself not able to use what I have out and enjoy it because I am always thinking about what I’m not using.

Finally the product I am most proud of. Wet n wild make excellent eyeshadows and I always enjoy using them and recommend them to anyone interested in cheap yet good quality eyeshadow. The palette gave me a lot of grief but when I hit pan the joy was indescribable. I’m going to depot this palette and get rid of the shimmery white and the browbone shades, which I do not like. I’ll keep the others based on what I already have in my magnetic palette.

If there is just one thing I learned over the past year it’s that I have too much makeup. I’m never going to use it all. I need to be more willing to let stuff go when I don’t like it. I also need to be mindful of using my things – I love my makeup collection and I enjoy every item in there. Panning can take that away. It’s a fine line to walk.

I also learned that I need to think quite hard about the products I choose to use up. Makeup is a long term commitment. Skincare is way too easy. And it never even occurred to me to attempt haircare or fragrance despite the graveyard I have of both. So I’m going to commit to do better in 2019.

I’m also going to Instagram it, because I despise keeping the packaging of things. It irritated me no end to have to hang on to tubes and tubs. No way. Nope.

August Heroes 2018

Hi!

I haven’t done these monthly favourite posts in ages. These posts used to be the backbone of my blog, and I know I let myself down the first time I decided to just skip it.

I’m going to use this opportunity to say that life is honestly sucking at the moment. I’m hoping to use this blog as a distraction to happiness.

Anyway, here are some products that I enjoyed using in August:

Too Faced Just Peachy Mattes

Matte shadows are not really my favourite. I find them sensible and boring. But there’s something about the colours in this palette that will not be quiet. They are bold and rich and make a statement – exactly what I want from my makeup! I really want to use all the shades and then do a full review on this because it is damn gorgeous.

Oral B Vitality Electric Toothbrush

So, I will admit, I didn’t really believe that electronic toothbrushes were anything special. I really thought they were overpriced and gimmicky. However, my mom got me one on sale, and I decided to pull it out and give it a try.

I was so so wrong.

I love this thing. My teeth feel so clean and it gives me a sense of satisfaction that my dental hygiene is up to standard. I have many, many, negative associations with my teeth and this makes me feel just a little better about them. It’s amazing.

Soap and Glory The Scrub of your Life

I bought this in Dubai, and I’m looking forward to my end of year vacation where I’m hoping to get more soap and glory products. I wasn’t too keen on it originally – I found that it was difficult to get out of the tube and I don’t like plastic beads – but with the weather getting warmer (I live in the southern hemisphere) the gel just flows out and is scrubby and smells great. It dissolves easily and doesn’t leave a mess in my bath. I also love that I can use it in place of soap (as opposed to in addition to) – I’m loving it.

Frank Provost J’aime My… Oléo Suprême

I won this in a Instagram giveaway a while ago, and have been using the full range for a few months. My hair has honestly loved this stuff. When I ran out of the conditioner it made no difference as long as I used this. It smells gorgeous and leaves my hair hydrated, shiny and with significantly reduced frizz (I haven’t yet managed to find a product that leaves my hair totally frizz free…)

Sorbet Salon Skin Even Tone Corrector

I tried this on a whim – it was R60 on sale and I was looking for a vitamin C serum. It’s too soon to really talk about results, but this serum is one of the few things that make me happy in the morning. It has a strong citrus smell that wakes you up but doesn’t linger. The consistency of the serum is thick and slippery, but it absorbs completely with no residue or stickiness. It doesn’t feel like an extra layer on my skin – just a boost of hydration. My skin looks a bit more awake. It hasn’t had an effect on any makeup I put over it, which I appreciate. I feel like I could buy this at full price and use it with pleasure.

Honestly, I’m not sure what’s happening with me at the moment. I feel a bit all over the place, and most of it has to do with work issues. I haven’t been able to bring myself to use much makeup or skincare, but I’m in the process of trying to get better.

It’s just a lot harder that I expected it to be.

Any tips on wellness and mental health would be much appreciated.

A Scented Collection

Hi!

I’m not a person that’s affected by scents much – I like certain things (Rose, Ylang Ylang, Sandalwood, Cinnamon as well as that fresh marine scent that I can only describe as “blue”) and I don’t like others (lavender, chamomile). I usually don’t discriminate based on scents… But there are of course a few exceptions. These products have swayed my opinion because of their scent! In some cases for the better, but often for the worst…

1. Batiste Dry Shampoo in Cherry – I loved the concept of dry shampoo the first time I heard of it (Tressemé foams – awful product) and when every influencer out there mentioned Batiste as a great brand of dry shampoo, I had to try. I started with the brunette version because I thought it would be easier not to have to deal with white powder in my extremely deeply brunette hair, and it was fabulous. I would have continued like that for ages except my local Clicks ran out of brunette and I had to pick another one. I chose the cherry scent, and now I have difficulty going back to brunette! It’s just so amazing! It reminds me of a desert and the scent lingers in my hair. Especially when I use it the morning and then bun up my hair – pulling it down at the end of the day and being enveloped in a cloud of cherry pie is more than enough to help me recover from whatever stressed me out that day.

2. Morocconoil Intense Hydrating Mask – hair masks are something that I find essential to attempt to manage my extremely uncooperative hair. This one by Morrocanoil is actually really great – it detangles and strengthens quite significantly. Two things keep me from buying a full size – it must be used at every wash, and the smell! Argan oil is listed as the third ingredient in here – after water and alcohol – and the scent is definitely there. They’ve also added some parfum to it and the combination is just awful. It doesn’t linger in my hair (thankfully) but hanging around in the shower for 7 minutes in a cloud of it is just not worth it.

3. theBalm Meet Matte Hughes Liquid Lipstick in Chivalrous – I bought this at 70% off, and I have absolutely no idea why I chose this shade. It is super pink and blue toned – not ideal for medium skin with properly yellow undertones! But the smell of mint chocolate ice cream that reminds me of being 10 and walking home from school is just irresistible. So I use a deep purple lip pencil to help deepen the shade and keep it.

4. Estée Lauder Pure Colour Lipstick in Black Wine – this is so super old I should probably just throw it out, but I also took it to Paris because the shade for me just screams Parisian winter, and now it has sentimental value. It’s a gorgeous colour, but the sweet floral perfume-y smell is disgusting, lingers, and gives me a headache. So I keep it, and swatch it, and try it on, and use it once before hating it and trying to throw it out. It’s just a part of my life now.

5. Tarte Pro Glow To Go – this palette smells of chocolate. I know that there are ranges specifically marketed to do so, but this is not one of them and came as a complete surprise to me! The highlighters are beautiful, I don’t have a lot of experience with bronzing or contour powders to really evaluate this one (besides that it’s a nice shade for me) but I love this palette because of the smell.

6. Monu Skin Warming Ginger Bath and Body Oil – the top notes in here are definitely ginger and spice and all things nice, but as soon as I poured this into my bath the overwhelming oudor of Lemongrass took over my entire bathroom and I hated it. It took days and scented candles to get it out. Totally ruined the experience for me, because I love body oils and I love hot baths and this felt like it would be a perfect combo, but alas.

7. Omirovicza Balancing Moisturizer – this is the product that inspired this post. It’s damn expensive, and the ingredients don’t seem to justify the price. It’s a nice cream, but I wouldn’t have even considered spending money on it except that it smells of a spa resort and water park I went to on vacation many times as a child, and every time I use I’m transported back to some of the happiest moments of my childhood. Scent is truly powerful, and in this instance, it truly overwhelms reason.

Do you have products you would buy – or never buy – for the scent alone? Let me know!

Diving into Subculture

Until around a year ago, I believed there were people who loved makeup and those who didn’t. I believed that those who loved makeup had their own reasons why they enjoyed it, but that they were content to use what they liked and leave what they didn’t.

I was so wrong. The palette that showed me how wrong was Subculture.

It feels like this palette has never been uncontroversial. It started with the leaked photos, moved on to the formula problems, escalated to the brand bashing and it feels like only since Soft Glam has come out that people are forgiving Anastasia Beverly Hills.

My own take on all the drama is that Subculture was doomed to fail by Modern Renaissance. That palette was just so good that to better it would require massive innovation and bold moves. That’s what Norvina and the team went for, and unfortunately it seems like they went to far.

I’ll admit that it caught my eye almost as soon as I saw that first leaked grainy picture. It was so different to brown and pink. It had a range of super deep shades in the most unusual colours. I was enthralled.

But I also was afraid to spend the money. I didn’t own any ABH products and if they were not to my taste it would be a huge disappointment. I took the plunge with Modern Renaissance and when I loved that, I knew that I would love Subculture as well.

Too bad no one else seemed to agree.

I remember watching video after video of YouTube influencers talking about all the flaws in the palette – the excessive kickback, the terrible blending, the oxidisation. I was stunned. It was utterly disappointing that such a unique and inspiring palette could be so bad.

The only positive review I found was Stephanie Nicole. She enjoyed using the palette, but did mention that it required a very specific technique and was quite time consuming. More negatives – and damning ones. I may be a fan, but I’m very much an amateur. New techniques? No thank you. I spend 1/3 of my life at work and I’m not willing to sacrifice extra time on my eyeshadow just to make it work.

That should have been the end of it, but then I watched Lisa Stevens review. Without a doubt, she is one of the influencers I trust the most. She has not yet given a recommendation that has failed me. And she liked it! I noticed that both she and Stephanie Nicole (Nicole Renee Cutter also had a positive review under the same conditions) had used the palette for a few weeks before giving their reviews, while most of the bad ones came from first impressions. I started to wonder.

All of that meant nothing however when I first saw the palette. I walked into Sephora and it just drew me in. The vivid brights, the deep darks and the gorgeous duochromes were just too much. I took a moment to swatch a shade and then bought it. It was absolutely irresistible.

The first look I did with it, I prepared myself for disaster. I did my eyes before my face (unusual for me), I used my softest brushes, and I gave myself plenty of time to take it off, cry and start again. Turns out, I needed none of that. The look was light and beautiful and just effortless. I was in love.

I then made two mistakes – I didn’t swatch everything, and I decided this was going to be easy.

The next look I tried to do was meant to be a green with bronze accents. I used destiny, mercury and axis and ended up with a mess. It was unsalvageable. It was awful. I had to remove it and start again. Just disastrous.

So when I went for a third look, I was cautious again. And it came out quite well. It was a lovely purple toned look that was quintessentially me. I’m a huge fan of the smoky eye and this one was just great.

I have super hooded eyes and generally take pictures at the end of day. These are not the best.

I used the shadows for a full two weeks and had a very mixed experience. Every time I used the lighter shades or shimmers, I enjoyed it. Whenever I ventured into the darker half of the palette it just became a mess, no matter what I did. So I pulled in the other ABH palettes to try and help. I got quite a decent green look out of it with some shades forom both Prism and Modern Renaissance, but it was not the most inspiring combination.

So what’s the problem? Is it the formula? Perhaps.

These swatches of the top row are done with my fingers without primer. The colours are beautiful, but they are not true to what’s in the pan. They are more saturated.

The swatches in the bottom row show the other problem. The effect looks similar to a smear of cheap watercolor paint drying. Very deep centrally but in a halo of dull. And this translates to the eyes.

The colours blend away without remaining true to the shade. For the lighter colours that’s fine. It makes them forgiving and buildable. For the darker colours, it leaves shadows all over. It doesn’t play well with various shades. The smallest variation in shade from pan to eye is disastrous because the effect will be a mess. You cannot blend it out. You cannot add a lighter colour to soften because they don’t hold. It makes tiny mistakes far more serious.

So do I regret buying it? I’m still not sure. I’ve swopped it out without reattempting the green-bronze look that I was so keen on. Even though I know mercury would make for a gorgeous purple eye, I was too nervous to use it again. Which means I have essentially been creating looks I could have done with most of my other palettes.

And yet, I still see the potential in there. I still see the amazing looks that would be so unique.

I cannot in all honesty recommend anyone other than a truly passionate makeup lover buy this palette. It requires patience and a real desire to push your boundaries. But I’ve honestly not seen anything on the market that’s as inspired and different. It’s absolutely unique.

January Heroes

Hi!

I’ve not been sticking to my posting goals, mostly because – work. But, as January FINALLY ends, I managed to get home and catch some sunlight for decent-ish pics and another favorites post.

Estee Lauder Pressed Translucent Powder

I love, love, LOVE this powder. It is easily not just my favorite face powder, but my favorite make up item. I love the sleek packaging, the softness of the powder and the flawless finish it gives. It’s super pricy and one compact only lasts about six months with regular use, but I really feel that it’s worth it. I refuse to use anything else if I’m going anywhere that photo’s are being taken – I was a bridesmaid this month, used this, and rediscovered my undying devotion to this powder. Really recommend.

essence Lights of the Orient Lipsticks

These mini collections of essence are truly genius – in a field so saturated with products, where negative review go up on the day of a product’s release and where trends change all the time releasing small collections that are truly “limited edition” is probably the way to go. I think that even where the collections are not full range, they allow for innovation and “hype” without the need for big budgets, celebrities or extensive R&D. I always enjoy looking, even though I don’t buy a lot.

I missed this collection when it launched, but was lucky enough to find one of the Lipsticks on clearance in Foshini and the other on clearance at Clicks (each less than R50!). Initially, I wasn’t sure if I liked it – I got the shade The Sultan’s Daughter which is a rosy nude very similar to my natural lip colour. It’s extremely matte, and I wasn’t too convinced that I was going to enjoy it, and stuck it into my useup for that reason.

Using it regularly, however has changed my mind completely. It is super moisturising and so easy to use! It gives a very professional and muted look to even my crazy smoky eyes, and I find myself reaching for it everyday. I wore it to the wedding! It’s amazing. When I saw Princess Jasmine’s Choice at Clicks I had to grab it. It’s a lovely purple shade, and I’ve been looking for a matte purple for a while now.

The Balm – Balm Desert Blush/Bronzer

This is the product that made me fall in love with The Balm. A powder that’s super smooth, evenly pigmented and makes me look as though I go out into the sun and enjoy life. It’s pricy, but so worth it. I want to own all the shades in this collection.

That is unfortunately it! Everything else I used this month was…average. Let me know what products you loved this month!

December Heroes

Hi!

Last post of 2017! I cannot believe how much has happened this year! It’s been quite something, but overall more good than bad I think. Anyway, let’s get to the fun stuff!

Anastasia Beverly Hills Prism Palette

How could I not include this? I loved using it, I cannot wait to pull it back in to everyday use – it’s just gorgeous.

Ofra Highlighter in Everglow

I got this at Beauty Swop and Sale Expo at a discounted price and honestly love it. The medium shade is absolutely perfect for me and doesn’t emphasize texture at all. I used the dark shade as an eyeshadow and was so impressed with the pigmentation and wear. Really excellent product. 

Pink Cosmetics Brush Cleaner

This product is worth the money and more. I recently cleaned all my brushes, and all my mom’s brushes (42 in total) and it took me less than 30 minutes. The tub is still half full as well. Amazing. 

Dermalogica Daily Resurfacer

I have a full review of this on Instagram (@mymedicalmakeup). It’s just wonderful. I love it. 

That’s really it for standout products – I didn’t pull in a lot of new things and wasn’t very good with makeup switchup either. Here’s hoping for a fabulous 2018! 

P R I S M – A Holiday Palette Review

Hi!

When Anastasia Beverly  Hills first put out pictures of their holiday collection for 2017, the only thing that caught my eye was the Prism palette. I love blush, but I am not a fan of blush or face palettes – I find that they are a waste because there’s always one shade that you don’t like or just don’t use. I’m also not a liquid lipstick fan. But the eyeshadows – oh, those beautiful eyeshadows. That palette called to me.

To be honest, I was ready to accept that I was never going to have it ( When ABH says limited edition they tend to mean it – RIP Master by Mario palette) when my friend Sarah was kind enough to volunteer to be a mule for me. I placed my Sephora order and have been using the palette ever since and I’m ready to review it.

Let’s start with the good stuff – these shades blend. I am extremely lazy and yet these shadows always look so much better than any other shadows because they are seamless without effort. Every single shade was super easy to use – even with a dry brush (I tend not to wet my brushes and not to use fingers; too much effort). I will say that the foiled shimmers work a lot better with a synthetic flat brush – I’m using a R20 one from Signature cosmetics.

The pigmentation was also definitely there – Eden was the lightest shade, almost too light for me but it showed up. The shades I was not a fan of were quite pigmented as well, it was a case of dip twice and blend once. I don’t really mind going back to add more, so they were fine for me.

The bad news is that the dark shades are quite chalky. The Modern Renaissance palette had beautiful dark shades that were super soft, but the Prism palette just does not have the same level of softness. This is a really minor difference but it is there and it is noticable.

The even worse news is that two of the shades are a bit sucky. The shade Sphere is meant to be a neon yellow. Mine is a lot more flat and green toned. It’s by no means a bad shadow, but it was disappointing not to get the bright yellow I’ve been seeing in everyone’s Instagrams. The shade Osiris was also quite disappointing – it looks like a dark blue foiled glitter shade, but is more deep chalky purple matte with lavender glitter. The first day I used it, it looked awful. It was mostly my fault for being late and not having time to build it up, but I usually don’t expect metallics to need that much work. I used it again as part of a purple smoky eye, and it was much better.

The final problem was glitter transfer. I know I have hooded eyes but it really sucks when your eyeshadow is a mess just three hours in…

Look, I know there’s lots of negatives in this post, but honestly I really love the Palette. The colour selection is amazingly creative and they are easy to use pigmented shadows. It is expensive (local resellers are pricing it around R1000) but it’s worth it for me.

I’d say if you’re into doing interesting and fun looks on your eye, and are an ABH fan, get the Palette if you can afford it. But if you like a neutral look, this is not for you. It was actually a bit difficult to put together a look that wasn’t glam with this. That’s not a complaint – just an observation. 😀😉

 

 

 

 

 

November Heroes

Hi!

Wow, this year is going super fast! I can’t believe it! I didn’t try out many things in November, but here are some items that I loved – and honestly, most of them surprised me!

Tarte Lights, Camera, Lashes! Mascara

 This is a sample I got with my Opening Act Lash Primer, and initially I was mostly indifferent to it. It has a dry consistency that I’m not a fan of, so it was banished to live in my car makeup bag. When we were going on vacation, I decided to take it along because it was small and convenient. 

Blew. My. Mind. 

The definition! The length! Okay, the curl was not as great as my Chanel, but wow! And lots of volume without any clumping! I really enjoyed using it. When I eventually have to buy mascara again (I’m aiming for 2020) I will definitely be considering this. 

The Body Shop Bath Bomb in Strawberry

If you’re following me on Instagram (@mymedicalmakeup) you will have seen my mini review of this. I’m going for full disclosure here – I picked this one as the least objectionable fragrance they had. I don’t like strawberry flavoured things – they’re just too sweet for me. But this was beautiful. The next day, my bath still smelled good. It’s not too expensive and was really fun. 

 essence Metal Shock Eyeshadow

Shade 02 stars & stories

I’ve had an eye on the Stila Magnificent Metals collection for a while. I find it ridiculously overpriced though, especially because I’m not a fan of liquid/cream eyeshadow. So when essence launched this collection, I decided to dip a toe in.

I took it along on holiday because I feel like when I’m away, I can wear crazy overdone makeup with no consequence. And if it didn’t work out, not so much of a problem. 

This stuff is magic. I sheered it out both alone and over a matte shadow and it just looked awesome. I used it alone and it was dramatic. I tried to use it in a halo eye and struggled mostly because I only took one double ended eye brush along and my makeup skills aren’t there yet 😂. 

L’Oréal True Match Powder

Shade is W4 Natural Beige. I’ll se if they have a neutral undertone in the same shade

This is a powder I found when I was cleaning out some cupboards. I absolutely love the finish – it gives my skin a beautiful velvet look and mattifies without making my skin look dry. It is maybe just a touch too warm for me – I’m trying to get through some old powders and when I buy it again I’ll opt for the same colour in a neutral tone. 

Toni&Guy Leave In Conditioner

This is an oldie, I’ve been using it for years. But I stopped a few months back when I was blow drying my hair regularly. I felt that product just weighed down my hair and gave a greasy finish. I started again this November when I went back to allowing my hair to air dry and then brushing through with my hairdryer brush. It makes my hair so much smoother and more manageable! I use it sparingly, so even though it’s expensive I manage to make a tube last a while. 

The Ordinary 100% Squalene

I’ve been using this at night for a few months now. It’s a thick oil that really hydrated my skin – so much so I stopped using a moisturizer at night and only used this. But it finally got into the heroes category when I got sunburned. 

I hate getting sunburned because my dry skin gets even worse. It’s unbearable. I tried aftersun cream, Laniege water sleep mask, my Dermalogica serum and they made only a marginal diffence. Then, I used this. 

Overnight, my skin was better. It was still dry, but not damaged and rough, just usual levels. After a day of normal skin care it was back to baseline. 

It’s become a bit too hydrating (dry skin girls – can you believe such a thing exists?) So I’ve pulled it out of regular use until next year. But I love it. And it’s given me a lot of faith in The Ordinary as a brand. I have every intention of trying out more from them! 
That’s it for this month! I swear I’ve been writing like crazy and have a few posts almost ready – it’s just the damn pictures that I need to motivate myself to take! It doesn’t help that I’m only awake at night (#shiftworklife). 

Catch me on Instagram for more! @mymedicalmakeup