February Empties

Every month I try to finish up a few of my makeup products, in hopes of justifying my ever-growing makeup collection…Ideally I would just have a little more restraint, but for months when self restraint is unsuccessful I really try to make sure I’m using up the things I own. I also figured sharing my empties would let me share a brief mini review about each product since I’ve seen it from beginning to end.

Tarte BB Cream (sample size) - Not going to review this here, but I’ll include the link to where I did an in depth review on this product.

http://makeupbyamrita.tumblr.com/post/41819076729/review-tarte-bb-tinted-treatment

Mac Moisture Cover Concealer, NW35 - Love this concealer! It’s very moisturizing and has a thinner texture, which I find is great in keeping it from creasing. I will probably repurchase this after I use up my Bobbi Brown concealer.

Benefit They’re Real Mascara (sample size) - I really liked how this made my lashes extremely voluminous. I don’t think it added much length, but that’s okay because I typically go for a volumizing formula. It lasts all day and doesn’t flake. The only downside is that it makes your lashes really hard and not flexible, which I don’t love but isn’t a deal breaker. I’ve got another sample of this to use up still.

Urban Decay Primer Potion in Eden - Oh my gosh this took FOREVER to use up. This is the only one of the Urban Decay’s primers that actually helps with my eyeshadow creasing. I like that it is matte and flesh toned to neutralize the eyelid. It’s a good basic primer, but I prefer the Nars eye primer so I won’t be repurchasing.

Bliss Hand Cream Blood Orange and White Pepper (handbag size) - My hands get pretty dry in the wintertime and I think that this is a good nourishing hand cream. I absolutely love the smell of this, its just really refreshing and amazing. It does take a little while to settle into your hands, so I usually rub this in when I’m on the go either walking or taking the bus. I will most likely repurchase the full size and just refill my handbag size for travelling convenience.

That’s it for empties during the month of love! What have y’all used up?

Skincare Routine

I find that an essential part of how my makeup lasts really depends on whether or not I’ve been consistent with my skincare routine. As a person with combination skin (oily T-zone and drier cheeks) I suffer from oil breaking through my makeup when my skin is over producing oil. I try to keep my skincare routine on the simpler side because at night time I’m usually tired and a long process would just lead to me skipping it altogether.

Anyways, on to the routine!

1. Neutrogena Make-up Remover Cleansing Towlettes or Bioderma

Depending on how lazy I’m feeling, I’ll use one of these two to remove my face makeup. I find that the Neutrogena wipes are fairly saturated and readily available. They don’t do as good a job as Bioderma at removing makeup but it’s fine when you are in a hurry. I usually use Bioderma with cotton squares, 1 for each half of my face. 

2. Clarisonic with Clinique Wash-Away Gel Cleanser

The Clarisonic really changed my skin, and I definitely swear by it. I’ve never suffered from large pores, but my skin needs to be exfoliated on a regular basis or I can get dry patches on my cheeks. I also love how clean my face feels after using it, and it keeps my hormonal break outs at a minimum. Plus, it comes in so many cute colors! I personally have the pastel yellow version and like using the sensitive brush heads since they are the least rough. The Clinique cleanser is one of the few cleansers I’ve found that doesn’t excessively dry out my skin or break me out. For some reason, I’m really sensitive to cleansers (for example the Philosophy cleanser wreaks complete havoc on my skin).

3. Burt’s Bees Garden Tomato Toner

I usually pour a little of this onto a cotton pad and apply to my face. It’s a little bit zingy (not quite a sting but a tingle) and removes any traces of shine or oil on my face. This toner is okay, but I’m definitely open to trying some other things. To be honest, I’m not entirely sure whether or not toner does anything at all.

4. Clinique All About Eyes Rich Eye Cream

I suffer from really dry under-eyes. As a result if my under-eye area isn’t hydrated my concealer creases like mad, even after being set with a powder. I love that this eye cream is rich enough to hydrate, but not so rich that it creates milia (the small bumps around the eyes from congested pores).

5. Benefit Cosmetics Total Moisture Facial Cream

I love this facial cream! I discovered it through a sample, and it’s become my go-to night time face cream. It’s thick and rich, and I usually put two dime size dots onto my cheeks and use most of it there, then get my nose/forehead/chin with whatever is left over on my hands. 

After all that, its time to tuck myself into bed and get some quality dreaming after my long day. Zzzzzz….

Saturday pampering continued with hair and face masks :)

Saturday morning pampering and manicure! I felt inspired to do emerald green nails since it’s the Pantone color of the year.

Matte Matchup: My Favorite Matte Eyeshadow Palettes

I LOVE matte eyeshadows. Don’t get me wrong, shimmer and glitter definitely attract me, but I honestly just get the most wear out of my mattes. Matte palettes are my go-to during internships where dress code is business casual/business since they don’t attract too much attention and tend to come in a variety of neutral colors. With that said, let’s get down to my top picks!

1. Meet Matt(e) Nude

I ordered this on sale through Hautelook (0.9 oz, $42 regular retail but I got it for $21). The eyeshadow portions are quite generous and there’s a mix of both cool and warm tones split amongst the 9 colors. The texture is very smooth and buttery, and while the finish is matte, I would describe it as a satin matte (similar to Lorac’s baked matte eyeshadows). I love how the names are all different ethnicities, and who can complain about a picture of a handsome man? This palette is really well rounded and includes a little bit of subtle color, pale yellow and grey purples, for people who like to stretch their definition of neutral.

2. Too Faced Matte Eye

This is the first matte eyeshadow palette I bought (0.39 oz, $36). I went into Sephora in search of a palette because I didn’t want to pay for individual shadows since that always ends up being more pricey. The sales lady immediately ushered me over to the Too Faced counter, and at the time it was the only all matte palette they carried. The palette contains 9 colors, all of which are on the cool side. The texture is once again, very smooth and buttery. The palette comes with “look” cards, which can be really useful if you are just starting out and aren’t sure what will go well together. The palette is laid out in sets of three to guide you if you don’t know what to put together. My only problem with this palette is that the highlight shades are much bigger than the lid/crease shades. I would have really preferred to have equal amounts of all the shadows. Too Faced recommends sweeping the highlight color all over the lid and brow bone, which is why they include a larger amount of it. If you love cool tones, this is a great palette to get.

3. Stila In The Know

Oh man. This is my favorite one. The colors are just so gorgeous and you can really build anything from a “no makeup” makeup look to a dramatic smoky eye. The palette includes 10 eyeshadows and a smudge stick eyeliner in halfmoon (0.49 oz, $39). Again, similar story for the textures. This is a more truly “neutral” palette. The only exception would be the color fire, which is a beautiful rusty orange and is amazing for warming up the crease. Most of the colors lean on the warm side, with only a few cool toned colors. I never get tired of using this palette and I find that the combinations you can create are endless. It’s a nice bonus that it comes with an eyeliner, which fits into a slot so you can carry it with the palette. The packaging is sleek and simple, and I love the earth inspired theme.

That wraps up my top three palettes. There are other matte shadows which come individually that I also love, but I really think you get the best deal in terms of quality and price when you go for a palette. Let me know what your favorite matte shadows are!

Photos of Products and Swatches!

Nude Tude and Meet Matt(e) Nude! Yay for Hautelook sales :)

Just a quick snap of the products I used for today, its a casual school and running errands day.