Makeup Declutter | Eyeshadows + Lipsticks!

Searching for dupes of my favourite expired products

After reading an article called "What Happens to Your Face When You Use Expired Makeup" the other day (linked here), it freaked me out a bit. It definitely opened my eyes and I'm SO ready to let go of my old makeup now! 

Although I had always been cognisant about tossing cream products and mascaras when they expired, I never paid much attention to powder ones. I adopted the policy that if a powder product changed in consistency or scent, I would toss it.

We cannot always see what may be lurking in our products, especially powder ones, they often don't show signs like cream products can, but they too can be full of bacteria that we do not see. I have bumps on parts of my face (not acne), that look like milia or maybe it's from using such old products that possibly contain bacteria and such that I cannot see. We have to be especially careful with eye products though, as we definitey don't need to get an eye infection!

Decluttering makeup that I love is never easy, but after reading that article and opening my eyes up to how old some of my favourite products actually are, this task became easier. This declutter wasn't about whether or not I liked a product, it was about how old they were and it became a necessity to discard them. 

I've had been hanging onto some of my makeup like its life or death! The truth is that some of these products are up to 10 years old, if not more!

In this post, I'm just tackling my eyeshadows and lipsticks. Let's see what I got rid of, but first I'm sharing a chart that has some general guidelines of eyeshadow and other makeup expiration timelines. There are many different opinions on makeup expiry dates, a quick google and you'll see, so I take this chart with a grain of salt. For example, I cannot imagine tossing eyeshadow every 6-12 months and I noticed that my Essence eyeliners have a 36 month expiry. So make sure to check your products for the little expiry icon that indicates the expiry from the date of opening the product.

Source: Google

ONTO THE DECLUTTER....

Small Palettes (one single slipped in here :)

• Annabelle Nympheas- This was so eye-brightening. I will miss it. Didn't find a dupe. I would repurchase but I don't believe it's available anymore.
• Sally Beauty eyeshadow single- An okay basic satin shadow. I purchased this one to keep in my purse. Probably would not repurchase.
• Aloette -(I think)- this is so old there is no writing on the package. It was my absolute favourite. I loved it so much that I didn't want to use it very often... so silly and such a waste! It's so old, that I have no idea when I got it (probably 2008 or earlier)! I would repurchase but don't think it's available.
• Brian Bailey Foundation duo in Medium -this is a face powder that made the nicest eyeshadow. Discontinued.
• Wet N Wild Vanity Palette -This was an infamous palette. Luckily, I have a lot of these shades in other palettes. Discontinued.

Single Eyeshadows: 

• 13 eyeshadows (Mixed variety: Mac, Stila, Quo, Nyx, Pixi, Elf)
• 2 Jordana blushes 

All of the above were pulled from my Z palette. I don't even want to think about the total value of all of these singles! I should have included the Sally Girl eyeshadow single in this category but it was not in my Z palette.

Large Eyeshadow Palettes:

• Quo Back to Basics (UD Naked Dupe)- I would absolutely repurchase this if I could!
• Pacifica Natural Minerals- I would repurchase if I was looking for some all natural eyeshadows and I didn't have such a large collection.

Front of Quo's Back to Basics LE palette

This Back to Basics eyeshadow palette by Quo was very difficult to part with of because it has all of the shades that I love for my everyday eye look. Granted, I did only use the first 6 shades in the palette (the lighter ones). This palette was supposed to be a dupe for Urban Decay's Naked 1 which is also discontinued now.

Change in texture = product turned. Best not to continue to use it.

I received the above Pacifica palette in 2016, so it's not very old but the texture has changed which is a sign that it's gone bad. I wouldn't have decluttered this palette if it wasn't for signs that it has gone bad.

I used different criteria for purging my lipsticks. Anything 3 years or older had to go. And, I know, lipsticks probably expire long before 3 years but I do sanitize my products and rotate them since I own quite a few.

All of the lip products that were decluttered here are ones that I would purchase again.

Lipstick Declutter:

• L'oreal Fairest Nude -one of my favourite nudes, next to JLo's Nude by L'oreal.
• Sonia Kashuk Nude Pink (discontinued)
• Rimmel Kate #45 - a gorgeous and hydrating nude
• Essence Cool Nude - a beautiful deeper nude, also hydrating
• Elf Matte Lip Colour in Natural - one of the very few non-drying mattes that is great for aging lips too!
• Jordana Easyliner in Tawny- a beautiful MLBB liner.

I know that these aren't part of either of the makeup categories featured in this declutter, but I came across them right after tossing the other items and decided to add them to this declutter. These Essence concealers have a 6-month expiry on the packaging and I've had them for about 3 years. I rarely used them as I prefer my LA Girl Pro Conceal HD Concealers, which have an 18-month expiry stamped on them.

Total decluttered:

• 14 eyeshadow singles
• 6 eyeshadow palettes
• 2 blushes
• 6 lip products
• 2 concealers

A grand total of 30 items decluttered!

I am now labelling all of my products so I know exactly how old they are. I just used some address labels and cut to size.

This was definitely eye-opening in terms of paying more attention to my products and their lifespan, and also in terms of the horrible amount of unnecessary waste of money and products! This is one reason that I lean towards purchasing less expensive products; since they do have a lifespan and there is no way I can use up all of my makeup because I'm constantly trying out new products.

I hope you found this post helpful or maybe it inspired you to let go of old, expired products, too.

Aging and Makeup: Beauty Tips, Tricks and Products That Work!

This post was written with us older gals in mind, but after I finished writing out all the tips, I realize that these tips can apply to anyone, young or old and everyone in between. I may not be a makeup artist, but I've played around with makeup long enough to learn a trick or two. I hope you find some helpful tips here!

As I age I find that I prefer a lighter look with my makeup. I find it much more flattering than caking on all kinds of makeup- not that I ever like that look on me, but the point is that I find less is more as I'm aging. I use a lighter hand and I also lighten up with the colours that I wear for what I find is a more youthful look.

Here, I share some of the ways I like to lighten up my makeup look as I've gotten older... I'll also add pictures of some of my favourite products.

First and foremost, make sure your that your skin, lips and eyes are hydrated! You want a nice smooth canvass for your makeup and hydration makes everything plump up and plump = healthy and youthful.

Face: I prefer BB creams over foundation and always have, although they were once called tinted moisturizers. Now, I favour a lighter, more dewy look over the mostly concealer and powdered look I went for when I was younger. I now go for my BB cream and a light dusting of a sheer, translucent or yellow based powder (to cancel out any redness.) 

Above: Physicians Formula Organic Wear BB Cream in light/ Wet n Wild Reserve Your Cabana (bronzer used as highlighter)/ Wet n Wild Coverall Powder in Light/Med

I feel the most important aspect of makeup for me is to add colour and brightness to my face. As we age we can lose colour and brightness in our faces that we had naturally when we were younger. I always use a big fluffy brush and add colour to my face, starting with an all-over dusting of bronzer after I've powdered. I apply to my forehead, cheeks, nose and jawline. I tend to prefer matte bronzers for the winter and for everyday looks and will use bronzers with a glow in the summer when it looks more natural. Don't get me wrong, I'm not ALL about rules, if I'm in the mood for a glowy bronzer at any time of year, I'll go for it! I also prefer bronzer with a more neutral or red undertone, I find it looks more natural on me since I get a little bit red when I get a natural tan. And, that's what I'm going for- a natural, healthy look with some colour in my face.

Above: It Cosmetics Vitality Palette with bronzer, blush and highlight

I also like to brighten up the lower eye area with a light concealer with reflective qualities, no sparkle just something with a bit of a glow (Elf HD concealer pictured below is great for brightening the under eye area.)  I still like to set that area but I use a very light dusting of a sheer powder (Wet n Wild's bronzer in Reserve Your Cabana does just that.) The YBF palette shown below is the BOMB for concealing, highlighting, bronzing and contouring! I use the lightest colour for under eyes, the middle colour for concealing facial imperfections and the darkest one makes a great cream bronzer, plus, I use it to contour my nose! <3

Above: YBF Brighten, Hide & Sculpt Concealer (light/med) / Elf HD Lifting Concealer (Brightening)

Contouring: I know that contouring is a big thing these days and I remember loving that look on me when I was in high school, back when I still had the baby fat in my cheeks. Now that I don't have the baby fat in my face I don't really want to make my face look more gaunt, I want that youthful plumpness so I don't contour my cheeks. However, I do contour my nose, forehead and jawline! For older gals, I find that contouring the cheeks can be aging so I just avoid it. I can enjoy other trends and looks, one's that suit me and make me look more youthful, then, I'm all in! I'll either use the YBF concealer palette pictured above or I'll use whatever bronzer I am using as my contour as well.

Blush: I also lighten up with my blush. I used to like darker blushes on me as well, but not so much anymore. Whether it's matte or something with a glow (no glitter please!) I opt for lighter colours and a lighter dusting that is blended well. If I use a matte blush I tend to add a bit of a highlight, but when I use a blush with a glow to it I skip the highlight in the cheek area. Physicians formula makes some of my favourite blushes that blend well and add a touch of glow. Pictured below is one of my favourites (Argan Wear in Rose!) Newer Physicians Formula products like this one can usually be found not only on sale but with a high-value rebate coupon attached, look for them on packages in stores.

Above: Physicians Formula Argan Wear blush in Rose

Eyes: I would say that the most significant change in my makeup routine that has come with aging has been with my eye makeup. I definitely do a lot less and use lighter colours. I just want to lighten and brighten that area, so for everyday looks I go for colours that will do just that- lighten and brighten. On most days I'll just sweep a light dusting of a light shimmery shade all over my lid, top with a liner close to the upper lash line and add a good dose of mascara to curled lashes (top lashes only.) I'll often define the crease a little with a matte, cool-taupe or warm-brown shade.  I find this gives me the most wide-eyed, bright-eyed and awake look.  This has really simplified my makeup routine and that's a plus for sure!

Note: Make sure to use an eyeliner that wont budge once it sets. If your upper lid droops at all ie. hooded eyelids, you will end up with liner smudges that none of us want. To test: draw a line on the back of your hand with a liner, wait a minute or so and swipe the line with your finger to see if it smudges. If it doesn't smudge, you're set! There are many drug store brands these days that don't budge or smudge. I was able to use this method to declutter my eyeliners and now I never have to worry about what I've grabbed out of my collection to use on any given day. 

Of course, there are still days when I want to have more fun and use more colour in my eye look- this is when I pull out some more matte shadows to incorporate into the look.  I don't mind Shimmer on my lids, but I don't want to put any shimmer above my crease- this is where the matte shadows help out and will become your BFF. No one wants to highlight crepiness in the skin or on a hooded eye. If I want to use colour, I tend to use it in the form of a liner for a pop of colour. When I do go for some coloured shadows I balance it out with some earth tones mixed into the look, to make it more natural looking. eg. A green eyelid with a medium brown shade blended into the crease. Pairing a neutral shade with a coloured one should work no matter what colour you choose. Just remember to blend well so there are no harsh lines.

Wet n Wild Coloricon palette in Walking on Eggshells/ Sonia Kashuk Eye on Neutral Matte pallete/ Pixi Fairy Light Solo in Nude Nouveaux (left) and Fairy Pink (right)

I never wear mascara on my bottom lashes and rarely wear a dark liner on the lower lashline or waterline. Wearing dark colours on the lower eye area can cast shadows and bring darkness to that area which I obviously want to avoid.  Instead I opt for a nude or light coloured liner in the waterline to brighten up that area. If I want more definition I'll use a light taupe or brown shadow dusted just underneath the lower lash line using a small smudge brush. My absolute favourite brush to achieve this is ELF's "Smudge Brush" ($1)

Above: Pixi Endless Silky Eye Pen in Oysterglow/ Wet n Wild Idol Eyes in Pixie/ Annabelle Kohl eye liner in Halo (yes, all well loved!) The Pixi one stays the longest in the waterline. The Wet n Wild one is great for the inner corner highlight!

Lips: In terms of lip colours, I've also lightened up. Everyone is different but as I've aged my lips are less plump, have become more lined and show signs of dehydration. So, I opt for lighter colours that will make my lips appear more plump and youthful. I'm not so much into full-on lipstick anymore, unless it's not too opaque. I tend to stick to what works for me; nudes and light pinks or berry tones. I stay away from matte lip colours as I find that they accentuate the lines and dehydration in my lips. I find that I can never go wrong with a light baby pink colour that brings lightness and brightness to my face which makes for a more youthful appearance. Also, I find that a lip gloss can help hide lines in the lips and make them appear more plump and youthful.  Sometimes a good tinted lip balm is all I need! My favourite, shown below (Alba Botanica Terra Tints in the colour Bloom) is natural, organic, moisturizing, has spf, and gives the most beautiful MLBB colour to my lips! I use this one daily, sometimes in place of a lip colour and other times just as my lip balm. It adds a nice flush of colour to my lips that seem to have  lost some of their pigment with age.  I also stay away from lip products with glitter, as I find that later in the day, I will surely find that the glitter has migrated all over my face- not my cuppa tea!

Above: Wet n Wild Lipstick in Fergie Daily ( I use with a gloss over it)/ Burt's Bees lipgloss in ?? (colour wore off, it's a light pink)/ Sonia Kashuk in Sheer Pink Lust/ Essence lipstick in In the Nude/ Alba BotanicaTerraTints in Bloom (this is organic and has spf and gives you a YLBB look- love this for everyday!!)

Other tips and tricks:

Lighten, brighten and lift! When I use a matte blush I will often use a bit of highlight on my cheekbones to give the illusion of a lift to the face. I also like to highlight above and below the eyebrow which can also give the illusion of lifting these areas. Another common place to highlight is the inner corner of the eyes to help them appear brighter and more open. Personally, I opt for glowy highlighters, nothing with chunks of glitter as that can highlight lines and crows feet. If you don't want to purchase a highlighter, many light, shimmery eye shadows can be used to highlight the face.

Go matte! If you have any texture issues with your skin, whether it be rough texture, bumps, large pores etc. try out some matte products. As much as I like a healthy glow, I don't want my whole face to glow nor do I want to "highlight" areas where I have any skin issues. This is where matte products can do wonders. Many mattifying products can help hide or diminish issues with pores and texture. If you haven't already, try some matte powders, bronzers and blushes out and see how you like the look.

Use a concealer as a dual purpose product: to hide and highlight. We all use concealers for obvious reasons- to conceal spots on our faces etc. But, I also use concealer to highlight any shadows or sunken areas in my face such as the nose to mouth lines, the corners of my mouth, and the dark inner corners of my eyes, really anywhere there is darkness or shadows where you wouldn't want them. Use some concealer to hide the shadows and bring the areas forward. Some people even use concealer for reverse contouring eg. using it to highlight/ bring forth the area underneath your cheek contour. 

Over-lining your lips. If done well this can help make your lips appear larger than they are. Just make sure to only overdraw them slightly and to use a colour close to your natural lip colour so that there are no obvious lines.

Using much bigger and fluffier makeup brushes. This helps you have a lighter hand when applying your makeup and gives a softer look. I'm not so much going for definition these days as I am adding some colour and brightness to my face with a diffused look, no harsh lines, thank you! The brushes I recommend the most are pictured below.. I really use these one's everyday and would have to repurchase them asap if I lost them! :(

Above: Elf Kabuki Face Brush/ Real Techniques Blush Brush/ Bdellium Tools 787 (x2)- Amaaazing for crease work!!

I also recommend a mirror that has a magnification side to it. This can come in handy for making sure you're getting a nice straight line with you eye liner as well as catching any stray hairs you may need to pluck!

A good beauty sponge. A dampened sponge goes a long way in helping to blend your foundation, BB cream or whatever you choose. It also helps to moisten the skin and avoid any dryness showing through your makeup. I love the Real Techniques Complexion Sponge. It's only $5.99 and works really well and last for a long time.

Curl those lashes! Apparently, as we get older our lashes become straighter. It gives your eyes a nice lift when you curl them.

Groom your brows! Even if you just use a clear mascara type of product it, brushing your brows up and outward gives your eyes a lifted look and tames any strays from sticking every which way. Who doesn't want that? And it's so easy!

Above: Danielle No-Pinch Lash Curler/ Sonia Kashuk Lash & Brow Enhancer (has patented formula to lengthen and give volume-bonus!)

Whatever your putting on your face (besides your eyeliner and your lipsticks)- blend, blend, blend! Also, while doing my makeup, whether it be blush, eye shadow or highlight, I always work up and out. I want to make everything look lifted, so concentrating on your placement in an upward motion should help with this illusion. Try it if you haven't already, it works wonders!

By the same token, of lightening up on my makeup, I believe in lightening my hair more as I age. Of course everyone is different, but for me lighter hair really brightens up my face and I find that darker hair enhances any shadows on my face which I find ages me.

Good skin is more important to me than makeup- with good skin your need for makeup becomes less. But, as we get older it becomes more challenging to have great skin. Inevitably, time will eventually take it's toll and we will start to lose that youthful glow and plumpness that our younger skin once had. Plus, as we age our skin tends to show more discolouration and pigmentation issues as well as possible scaring from old acne etc. Good skin care is a whole other blog post, but I can't go without at least mentioning it in this post- since great skin and wearing less makeup go hand in hand, as does beauty for that matter.

I'm sure there are a ton of other tips that could be added to this list. If you have any youth-a-fying makeup or beauty tips please share by commenting below, I would love to hear your tips and tricks!

Thanks for stopping by and I hope you find a new tip or two to try out!

Xo Amy

Target Canada Closing Liquidation Sale- Final Haul: Health, Beauty, Makeup, Home

I did a few Target hauls during their liquidation sale here in Canada. The stores near me closed their doors for good this past Sunday and I decided to make a couple few more trips before they departed as I heard they had everything marked down to 80% off! I wanted to see if there was anything worth getting and take advantage of 80% off of course.

Just before the 80% markdown they were at 70% markdowns and the stores were still brimming with products. By the time I went back during the 80% markdown the store was pretty much bare. They had some health and beauty products, home products, a TON of Sonia Kashuk products as well as racks and racks of basic T-shirts for only $2, but that was pretty much it.

70% off sale

Above is the what the store looked like just days before the 80% off sale. I wasn't able to get photos during the 80% off sale due to crowds and security but as I mentioned it was mostly bare.

Sonia Kashuk!

Sonia Kashuk palettes (drool!) This is the only bin I was able to get a picture of. This is the  highly coveted Eye on Neutral Matte palette and there were even more of them in other bins! They were marked down to just $3.99!!

Haul #1

All of these items were 80% off, so most items were around the $2 range! woop woop!

Pictured above, clockwise starting on the left side. ("SK" will be abbreviated for Sonia Kashuk):

up & up waterproof makeup remover

SK body butter in Yellow Alluriana

SK Eau De Toilette in Yellow Alluriana

SK body brush 

SK Beautifying Blush in pink

SK Eye Duo in Leather & Lace

SK All Covered up Corrector in Ivory

Pixi Succulent Lip Twin in Opal Orchid

Pixi Fairy Light Solo eyeshadow in Nude Nouveaux

SK nail colour in Golden Ticket

SK Shine Luxe Sheer Lip Colour in Sheer Pink Lust (x2)

SK Satin Luxe Lip Colour in Nude Pink
SK Dramatically Defining Longwear Gel Eyeliner in Ebony

Haul #2

All items were 80% off with the exception of the cardigans which were 70% off:

Pictured above, clockwise starting on the left side:

Mossimo Cardigans at 70% off

Method Laundry detergent, bag and bottle (should have grabbed them all!)

Pixi nail colour in Mink Grey

SK Perfectly Neutral palette

SK Eye on Neutral Matte palette

SK Satin Luxe Lip Colour in Nude Pink (2nd one-love this!)

Pixi Fairy Light Solo in Boho Bronze

Pixi Fairy Light Solo in Bronze beam

Pixi Fairy Light Solo in Fairy Pink

Annabelle Single Eyeshadow in Suedine

Threshold pillow cases

How did I forget about my last little jaunt to Target before they closed!?

I almost forgot about my last trip to Target. I just popped in quickly on the last day and picked up a few last things (shown above). As you can see, I have already dug-in to some all of them.

SK Lash and Brown Enhancer

SK Pearlescence Longwear Creme Eyeshadow in Tiger's Eye

SK Brightening Powder

SK Monochrome eye Quad in Textured Taupe

So, it looks like I have a ton of products to enjoy and to play with. This was a lot of fun and I really got some great deals to try some products that I probably wouldn't have tried otherwise.  Saying that, I am really going to miss my trips to Target and all the great product lines they carry.

If you would like to see swatches or reviews for any products, please let me know!

Xo Amy

Target Canada Liquidation Sale and Mini Haul! Mossimo, pixi, sonia kashuk

I wanted to share some of my recent Target purchases during their liquidation sale here in Canada.

Over the last month or so I have made a few visits to my local Targets and as others have said, the prices are definitely not what you would expect for a liquidation sale. Actually, I found much better deals on Target's clearance items before they went belly-up here in Canada. I know Target didn't bring a lot of what us Canadians wanted, but, I for one will definitely miss them. It was a peaceful place to shop and I REALLY love target for good quality, high fashion, inexpensive shoes and boots. I also love some of their store brands that I cannot find elsewhere, like Mossimo and Merona.

As you can see from the parking lot, the store is much busier now than it was before they announced their liquidation.

Here are my finds:

I only got clearance prices on a couple of items, all of the others were marked back up to their regular prices and then they were 30% off.  And, I know for a fact, that before the liquidation the Jeans were already on sale for the same prices that I paid. But, these were items that I just had to have!

I got these white Mossimo Jeans for the summer. I love that the front of the jeans have a floral pattern in the denim! They were reg. $29.99 and I paid $20.99. (I have Target's Red Card, so I got an additional 5% on all items, which helps a little.)

On the same trip I grabbed this distressed/ worn looking V-neck T-shirt by Mossimo. It is super soft and I love the over-sized, loose, casual style. It was reg. $14.99 and I paid $10.50. The key necklace came with 3 pair of stud earrings and the set was only $6!

My most recent find was this super distressed pair of jeans by Mossimo that were screaming summer! They were also reg.$29.99 and on sale for $20.99

There were only 2 items that I somehow managed to get at clearance prices. The coloured case is by Sonia Kashuk and was reg. $24.99 on sale for $7, and the dark wash Mossimo jeans were reg. $29.99 on sale for $8.99. I bought the cosmetics case with the thought in mind that it would be perfect for when I downsize my makeup collection (see all the pockets inside?) and it could all fit in here- yeah, right!!

I was eager to check out the cosmetics section since target has The Sonia Kashuk and Pixi brands and a huge cosmetics section in general. Oddly enough, I didn't purchase any cosmetics, yet! All the cosmetics were 30% off, including Pixi and Sonia Kashuk. There were piles and piles of Pixi and especially Sonia Kashuk all over the place. The regular cosmetics were reduced to "rubble" and most of what was left was broken. It was kind of shocking in person. Here are a few pics of the makeup. (from left to right: Sonia Kashuk, Pixi, all other cosmetics)

I'm sure I will make another trip to Target to see if I can score some great deals before they leave us. There are a few items I have had my eye on for quite some time, but I'm waiting to see if I can get a really great deal on them! They are all currently at 30% off. (Hey, if any of you go to get these black booties, please, leave a pair for me, size 9, thanks!)

Some departments have been pretty much wiped out ie. food, jewelry and cosmetics, but, other departments like clothing have had a sudden influx of new goods, including summer wear! So, if you need some new clothes it might be a good place to check out.  Hopefully they will drop their prices a lot more! Here are some other shots of housewares, jewelry and women's clothing.

Have you scored any deals at your Target? I would love to hear about what deals you found. I'm always on the lookout for a good bargain!

Happy Shopping!

Amy xo