Instagram Challenge: Finish #7bySpring

In January I decided to join some other beauty junkies on Instagram who were participating in a challenge called #7BySpring. The objective was to finish up 7 beauty products by spring aka today!

Finishing beauty products can be quite the challenge. Products like mascara are easy since we replace them on the regular. I ended up adding a mascara to this challenge as I didn't have anything else that I could come close to finishing up.

These challenges can get tedious as we end up using the same products everyday, which kind of takes the fun out of playing with makeup. But, it's also rewarding to finish products up so we can move on to something new and say goodbye to the old.

For challenges like this, I recommend selecting products that are older and may expire if you don't use them up.

Here is a screenshot of my initial Instagram post, showcasing the items I chose for this challenge. 

And, here we are today on the first day of Spring and the last day of this challenge

I don't remember the last time I finished up a lipstick!

Products I finished:

-Marcelle Sheer Tint Fluid Moisturizer- I have used for years and would repurchase

-Elf Lash and Brow Clear Mascara- I use this all the time and will definitely repurchase

-Jordana Best Lash Extreme- Another product I've used for years and will repurchase

-Maybelline Color Whisper in Lust for Blush- I recommend this formula for aging lips as it's very hydrating and doesn't accentuate lines. It's a more sheer formula and I do like it, but I became a little sick of it after using it everyday. I started to mix it with a lipstick I have that is too brown for me and then I wound up with the perfect pinky-brown/ mauve shade! (I liked it so much I did a blog post on it HERE).

Products I did not finish:

-Physicians Formula Mineral Wear Face Powder- I was sooo close to finishing this! I would not repurchase this as I found I became oily quickly with this powder and it was a little heavy and accentuated pores. I would buy other powders by PF like their Youthful Wear powders.

-Garnier Skin Renew Anti-Dark Circle Roller- This thing just keeps on ticking! It's made it through 2 "empty" challenges and it's still going. I got this on sale for such a good price that I have backups! I just hope they don't expire!

-Essence Eye Shadow Base- This is just like the Garnier Roller above, it doesn't end. It has also survived 2 Instagram "empty" challenges and doesn't seem to be close to being empty. I would buy it again but I have another eye primer that I bought last summer that is still waiting on standby!

I guess 4 out of 7 isn't bad. 

I'm definitely looking forward to using my other products now that this challenge is over! And, I'm also looking forward to some new challenges!  

If you know of any fun challenges, please leave them in the comments or click on my Instagram link at the top of this page and leave me a comment there..

Thanks for stopping by!

Amy

xoxo

DIY- How to Revive Dried up Cream Eyeshadow/ Maybelline Color Tattoo

How many of us have cream eye shadows that we love, only for them to dry up and become unusable after a few months. This Maybelline Color Tattoo in Bad to the Bronze is one of my favourite, everyday, go-to easy eye looks.  But, after a while it just dried up so I couldn't even use it.

I refused to throw it out with so much product left- what a waste that would be! Then, I came across a YouTube video by MrsTheDoll where she showed how to revive a dried up Color Tattoo. Full credit goes to her for this idea!

Never mind microwaving your Color Tattoos (as many have recommended), that just cooks your product and in the end leaves it even drier that what you started with.

Here is a simple method, that makes a lot of sense. I've tried it and I'm here to share it with Y'all because it works!

What you will need:

-Glycerin
-Stir stick (a stiff toothpick or something skinny but strong to stir with)
-Your dried up shadow

Glycerin is an inexpensive product. The 4oz bottle pictured above is under $5 on iHerb.com and you can find glycerin at most drugstores or health food stores. Glycerin is a moisturizer and a powerful hydrator, and if you look at the labels on your moisturizing products (skincare etc.) glycerin is probably in most of them.

Getting started: Just Add one small drop of glycerin (I happen to have vegetable glycerin) to your dried up eye shadow pot. Find something to stir it with, something small like pictured above. A stiff, wooden toothpick may do the job. Stir well. 

It wont look pretty at this point but you can smooth it all out after. I haven't yet, but it's probably better to press it down to prevent air getting in more and drying it out again. I'll be pressing mine tomorrow, I just couldn't wait to share this with you.

I let mine sit, lid on tight as always and stored face down until the next day. Here it is a few days later, revived and like new again. It actually feels even better than when it was new, in my opinion. It's a little more hydrating for my crinkly lids. 

I am so glad I found a solution for my dried up cream shadows. If it dries up again, I'll just add another drop of glycerin. Now I'm thinking this would probably work for other dried up cream products as well.

Let me know if you try this and how it worked for you.

ps. Come on over and check out a bunch of fabulous beauty blogs or even add your own at Fabulous and Fun Life!

Amy

XX

Maybelline Color Tattoo Bad to the Bronze Dupe for Less Than $3.50!? #Dupe #Swatches #Review

I just love finding a good dupe, especially if it's going to save me some money! I hope you enjoy this one! I think it's a good one so I can't believe I haven't heard about it yet. 

I was doing some grocery shopping the other day and couldn't resist perusing the makeup section, as usual. I came across some eye crayons by NYC that looked new to me. They're called the NYC CityProof 24 HR Waterproof Eyeshadow.  So, they claim to be 24 hour wear just like Maybelline's color tattoo. Although, I don't know anyone who wears eyeshadow for 24 hours straight and I'm not sure about the waterproof claim, but for only $3.47 I couldn't resist picking one up.

NYC CityPROOF 24HR Waterproof Eyshadow in Brooklyn Mocha (605)

Two of a kind:

NYC CityProof Eyeshadow in Brooklyn Mocha/ Maybelline Color Tattoo in Bad to the Bronze

As soon as I got home I had to swatch my new NYC eye crayon. I notice immediately that it looked familiar and thought it looked like Maybelline's Bad to the Bronze so I decided to compare them.

Top: Maybelline Color Tattoo 24HR Eyeshadow in Bad to the Bronze

Bottom: NYC CityProof 24 HR Waterproof Eyeshadow in Brooklyn Mocha

Left: Maybelline Bad to the Bronze

Right: NYC Brooklyn Mocha

As you can see from the swatches, they are pretty much identical. I swatched them side by side and even when I turn my hand the colours stay pretty much identical.

Trying other lighting:

Left: Maybelline Bad to the Bronze

Right: NYC Brooklyn Mocha

Top: Maybelline Bad to the Bronze

Bottom: NYC Brooklyn Mocha

More lighting (odd lighting but shows how similar no matter what lighting):

Top: Maybelline Bad to the Bronze

Bottom: NYC Brooklyn Mocha

Nighttime:

Left: Maybelline Bad to the Bronze (Here you can see it's a tad warmer in it's undertone)

Right: NYC Brooklyn Mocha

With flash:

Left: Maybelline Bad to the Bronze

Right: NYC Brooklyn Mocha

Top: Maybelline

Bottom: NYC

Packaging and application: They obviously having different types of packaging and application methods. I find that they both apply very easily, it would just be a matter of preference. I for one, don't really like putting my fingers in products that will go on my eyes, but some may find more control using their finger. Although, both application methods were easy. The NYC crayon applies very smoothly with no tugging. To get the pigmentation that I wanted I did swipe the NYC crayon across my lid a few times. I also like that the lid on the NYC crayon snaps on, you can hear the snap, so you know it shouldn't dry out quickly. That's some good attention to detail for such an inexpensive product.  They NYC crayon also twists up, so no worrying about having to sharpen it.

24HR claims: I don't know about 24HR wear since I've never worn a shadow for 24 hours (at least not on purpose). I had trouble getting both off of my hand, it took a lot of scrubbing, a little more scrubbing with the Maybelline. The Maybelline definitely lasted longer on my lids when I wore them as a stand alone eye shadow.

The differences: Although they look pretty much identical in swatches and upon first application, you really see the differences after wearing them for a few hours. The Maybelline Color Tattoo stood the test of time much better. After a few hours the NYC shadow was creasing and wearing off, leaving mostly glitter behind. But, for the price the NYC is still pretty and would make a good eye shadow base. But, if you want a stand alone shadow, the Color Tattoo fairs much better.

Have you found any affordable dupes lately?

Come on over to Fabulous and Fun Life for a great linkup party!

Note to self: In the future, do swatches on your inner arm, not your vein-y hand!

Amy

Product Empties #2: Makeup, Beauty, Skincare, Health with #reviews

My last empties post was back in April so I've collected quite a few more empties to post and review since then. Many products were close to being finished so I focused on using them up so I could move on to other products. Some are my holy grail products that I always repurchase and others were new to me. Many of my products that didn't make it to an empties post wound up in my Makeup Graveyard post.

Sometimes I feel like a beauty products hoarder, but the truth is that companies are coming out with new products with claims of the latest and greatest technologies at a pace that's impossible to keep up with. And, let's face it, if you love health and beauty products like I do, we're always looking for the latest and greatest in hopes of finding our new holy grail products!

Hair

- Giovanni 2chic Avocado & Olive Oil Ultra-Moist Shampoo for Dry Damaged Hair-  I always look for sulfate free shampoos because I colour my hair. This one is sulfate free and still lathered really well. It has a soft, slightly perfume-y scent that I didn't mind. It worked well but I have my sights set on some other products from this line and also have many others to finish before I even consider repurchasing this one.

-Giovanni 2chic Avocado & Olive Oil Ultra-Moist Conditioner for Dry Damaged Hair- I liked this conditioner, it did the job. I did seem to have less breakage and I like that it's more natural but it seemed fairly basic and I would like to be wowed by my next conditioner! Plus, I would like to try some newer products within this line. I have pretty difficult to deal with hair. 

- Garnier Fructis Style Curl Calm Down Anti-Frizz Cream- I have fine, frizzy and naturally curly hair. This cream did a fairly good job at taming the frizz but I have moved on to more natural oils for my hair that I feel are better for the health of my hair.

Cosmetics

-Elf Wet Gloss Lash & Brow Clear Mascara- This is a repurchase and I will continue to repurchase. I only use this to tame my brows and keep them in place and it does just that. I use both sides of the tube for my brows only. It's so inexpensive at $1.99!

-Sally Hansen Salon Nail Lacquer in Passion Plum- I swear I wore this on my toes for about 10 years it seems! I can't believe I finally finished it. It was such a deep plum it looked black. I will find a new replacement. These colours are easy to dupe these days.

-Jordana Eye Primer- I didn't get to finish this before it dried up but I did use it for a year or two and hit pan. It was a great eye base for only $2! I would repurchase if I ever get through some others I am working on now.

-Nivea Lip Butter in Vanilla & Macadamia- This was OK, the lasting time was just mediocre. I would not repurchase as I would prefer lip products that I don't have to stick my finger in.

-Maybelline Dream Fresh BB 8-in-1 Beauty Balm in Light/Medium- This had decent coverage and I liked that it had SPF 30. It says it hydrates all day and I would not agree with this, I definitely needed a good moisturizer underneath and I have combo/oily skin.  I would not repurchase as I am constantly trying out new BB creams and have found others I like better (currently, Physicians Formula Organic Wear BB cream).

Face and Body

-Retin-A Micro (Tretinoin gel) 0.04%- Retin-A is a prescription here in Canada and luckily it's covered under our medical plan. I have been using this for well over a year (maybe 2) and it's a very gentle formula. I've never had any irritation with it but I'm not noticing any more improvements in my skin so I might need to go up in strength.

-Reviva Labs Elastin & Collagen Skin Toner- This is a total holy grail for me! I use other toners as well but this is the one I go to at night. It is the most gentle toner I've ever used! It's very soothing and doesn't cause breakouts or any irritation. It says for dry skin but I have combo/oily and I love it! I do decant it into a glass bottle with a pump from an old toner that I had. Definite repurchase.

-Garnier Fructis Triple Nutrition Miracle Dry Oil, For Hair, Face and Body- I only used this product on my body so I can't say how well it works as a face or hair oil. I sprayed it on my body after a bath or shower when still damp, this way the product is absorbed better. Miracle Oil? Not so much. There was nothing miraculous about it! In fact, it left my legs dry and scaly and I've never had a problem with that before. I will not repurchase, however, I will re-purpose this bottle and fill it with my Organic Sesame oil that doesn't have any other ingredients and hydrates well.

Health

- Now Foods, Xyli White Cinnafresh Toothpaste- I've been using this toothpaste for years and my dental checkups have really improved for the better since then. I will definitely continue to repurchase this product. I am currently trying out their Neem/ Xyliwhite toothpaste from the same line. Note: it comes in mint flavours for those who don't like cinnamon.

-Jarrow Curcumin Phytosome with Meriva- I've been taking curcumin for quite some time. It's a wonderful antioxidant with an army of purported health benefits. I was mainly taking it as a preventative measure but after I ran out of it and decided not to repurchase, I suddenly gained 5 pounds in a month without changing anything else. I was trying to think of what I had done differently since gaining the weight and the only thing I could think of was that I had stopped the curcumin. I didn't think that would be the cause of the weight gain because I didn't recall reading about curcumin as an aid in maintaining or losing weight. So, I decided to google curcumin and weight and numerous articles came up about how it helps with maintaining blood sugar and weight (especially the excess weight around the abdomen area.) I quickly re-ordered my curcumin and I'm happily fitting into my jeans again! I wont be without this.

So that's it for my empties for a while I think. I'm currently working on my ridiculous amount of samples that I've collected while I was working on my full-size products. I intend to have some fun testing out all the samples and posting about them with some quick reviews.

Have you found any new holy grail products lately? I'd love any suggestions. Still on that hunt!

 Amy