Showing posts with label Nars. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Nars. Show all posts

Monday, December 30, 2024

Project pan 2024 - final results

So here are my result for my project pan of 2024. I managed to reach my goal on some of the products and others not so much. But you live and you learn - and perhaps I will be able to set more realistic goals for my project pan 2025.

Picture from the start of 2024 - red x signaling goal reached

End of 2024 comparison

Powders and concealer duo progress

Bullet progress of 2024


Clinique - Take the day off cleansing balm (125 ml):
Weight at the start of 2024: 140 g
Goal: Finish it 
Weight at the end of 2024: finished - empty packaging 110 g - which tells me I used up 30 g of cleansing balm. 
The body shop - Cool cucumber softening body butter (200 ml): 
Weight at the start of 2024: 207 g
Goal: Finish it
Weight at the end of 2024: I finished this on holiday in Greece, and did end up throwing the tub away - but I have another empty tub from the body shop of the same type - that tub empty weighs 38 g - so I assume I used up 169 g of body butter. 
Mario Badescu - Facial spray with aloe, herbs and rosewater (236 ml):
Amount remaining at the start of 2024: The remaining product in the bottle reaches just above the upper part of the label. Even though I had decanted some of this product into another bottle I take to work, so in reality I have more product remaining of this facial spray than this bottle by itself suggests. 
Goal: Use 1/3 of this bottle by the end of 2024
Amount remaining at the end of 2024: The remaining product in the bottle reaches just below the text "established 1967" - with some product remaining in the small bottle - So maybe I did reach the 1/3rd goal?
Smashbox - Photo finish foundation primer (7.1 ml): 
At the start of 2024: Unused
Goal: Finish it
At the end of 2024: Used 1/3rd of the primer
Caudalie - Vinoperfect radiance serum complexion correcting (10 ml):
Goal: Finish it
At the end of 2024: Finished
Ecooking - Primer (30 ml):
Remaining amount at the start of 2024: Almost full, the product just does not "touch" the top of the bottle.
Goal: Use about half of the bottle.
At the end of 2024: Used half of the bottle as I set out to do, so this was a sparkling success.  
Sensai - Total lip gloss (4.5 ml):
Weight at the start of 2024: 26 grams
Goal: Use it up
Weight at the end of 2024: 24 grams. The grams might only say 2 gr, but there is considerably less left of the product, you actually have to swirl the wand around to get some product on the wand.
Charlotte Tilbury - Lip cheat re-shape and re-size lip liner in pillow talk (1.2 g):
Length at the start of 2024: 11.7 cm
Goal: Use 1 cm of it
Length at the end of 2024: 11.2 cm - 50% success?
Benefit - Hervana blush (8 g):
Weight at the start of 2024 (without the included brush): 41 g 
Goal: The goal with this item is not so much to use it up, but more focus on it and get some use out of it.
Weight at the end of 2024: 41 g - I in fact have hardly used this at all - and I have the most average (not super accurate) baking scale. So if there was any process it would not show it anyway.
The body shop - Bronzing powder shade 03 medium matte (11 g): 
Weight at the start of 2024: 48 g
Goal: Use it up
Weight at the end of 2024: 46 g - I have in fact used 2 g of this bronzer, and increased the pan quite considerably, but did not reach my goal to use it up.
Miild - Natural mineral concealer duo in 01 light ample (2.4 g):
Weight at the start of 2024: 46 g
Goal: Form dents into the two pans - and use it on the day to day on a no makeup-makeup days, when I keep my makeup to a bare minimum with mascara and concealer. 
Weight at the end of 2024: 46 g - so I did use 1 g of these concealers, and there is a little bit of a dent in them.
Bourjois - Smokey eyes 09 vert de gris eyeshadow trio (4.5 g):
Weight at the start of 2024: 22 g
Goal: Finish it
Weight at the end of 2024: 22 g - used this eyeshadow trio hardly at all in 2024.
Clinique - True bronze pressed powder bronzer in Sunblushed (1.3 g):
Weight at the start of 2024: 13 g
Goal: Use it up
Weight at the end of 2024: 13 g - I still have not hit pan on this bronzer, but it became a staple during the summer months and ended up in my travel makeup bag I use for work and I think I will continue to stash it there as it might actually end up being used up getting semi regular usage. 
Nars - Audacious lipstick in Anna (4.2 g):
Length at the start of 2024: 2.2 cm from the plastic base
Goal: Use 1 cm of it
Length at the end of 2024: 1.7 cm form the plastic base - so I used 0.5 cm or 50% of the amount I set out to use. 
Clinique - Chubby stick shadow tint for eyes 04 ample amber (3 g): 
Length at the start of 2024: 2.5 cm fully screwed up
Goal: Use 0.5 cm of product
Length at the end of 2024: 2.3 cm fully screwed up - so I used 0.2 cm which is another goal not reached.
NudeStix - Nudies all over face dewy color in Bohemian rose (1.8 g): 
Length at the start of 2024: 1.6 cm
Goal: Use it up
Length at the end of 2024: 1.2 cm - so I just used 0.4 cm of it - another goal not reached, but did manage to get some good use out of it.

So of the items I set a goal for myself in 2025 I reached my goal on 6 out of the 16 items - or 37.5% of the items.

Other goals for 2024:
I succeeded in the following goals: not to buy a face mist, no primer purchase, use a face mist at work
I failed on the following goals: not to buy any mascara (as I bought 2), not to buy a cream or a serum (I bought two full size creams, and a sampler set), just to buy one makeup brush (I bought 2), only purchasing two colored lip products (I brought in 4 of them - some of them gifted by Sephora other bought) and did not manage to use a face mas once a week. So on the "other goals" section for 2024 I succeeded on 3 of the 8 goals - or again 37.5% - the exact same percentage as on the items I set a goal for in 2024.

So going forward into 2025, maybe I might reconsider my goals. For example for lipsticks, based on the usage of the Nars lipstick, I might set a goal of half a cm for the usage for the year to come, as that would actually be a goal I might reach! For body products, I have a tendency to reach my goal for the usage on them, so they should not be a problem. Small or sample items I did also manage to finish in 2024. It does not matter what items I will focus on in 2024 - I will at least aim to reach more than a 37.5% success rate in the year to come. 

Sunday, January 7, 2024

Project pan 2024

I just finished giving you an update on my project pan for 2023, now it's onwards and upwards to choose the items I plan to focus on for 2024!! Usually I pick 10 products, but this year, I chose 16 items in total. So why 16 you might ask? Well four items are sample size, and some of the products I do not plan to finish per se, but more get some use out of, so I decided to add a few more items onto the project this year.
A few of the products I plan to focus on in 2024


The blusher, bronzers, concealers and eyeshadow for 2024


Lipstick, cream eyeshadow and cream blusher for 2024


So here come the products I chose for 2024:
Clinique - Take the day off cleansing balm (125 ml):
Weight at the start of 2024: 140 g
Goal: Finish it 
Why: About 1/4th of the product remains, and as I bought it in 2018, and the fact it takes up a lot of space in my small bathroom cabinet it is time to push to finish it. I would purchase again though, but I just have too many makeup removers at the moment, and need to finish a few of them before purchasing any more
The body shop - Cool cucumber softening body butter (200 ml): 
Weight at the start of 2024: 207 g
Goal: Finish it
Why: It is one of the oldest body creams in my arsenal, and it has started to separate, the cream from the oils. So it's now or never, and I hope to finish it early on in the year.
Mario Badescu - Facial spray with aloe, herbs and rosewater (236 ml):
Amount remaining at the start of 2024: The remaining product in the bottle reaches just above the upper part of the label. Even though I had decanted some of this product into another bottle I take to work, so in reality I have more product remaining of this facial spray than this bottle by itself suggests. 
Goal: Use 1/3 of this bottle by the end of 2024
Why: This is the "oldest" facial spray in my stash so it makes sense to hone in on it as my main facial spray for 2024
Smashbox - Photo finish foundation primer (7.1 ml): 
At the start of 2024: Unused
Goal: Finish it
Why: I have too many samples laying around and it would be perfect to finish some of them in 2024
Caudalie - Vinoperfect radiance serum complexion correcting (10 ml):
Goal: Finish it
Why: I had intended to take this to work with me, but as the product leaked during one of my flights, I decided it would be better off staying at home to be used up in 2024.
Ecooking - Primer (30 ml):
Remaining amount at the start of 2024: Almost full, the product just does not "touch" the top of the bottle.
Goal: Use about half of the bottle.
Why: This is not my oldest primer in my stash, but as it is an organic primer, I assume it will not have as long of a shelf life as the other ones I have - so I thought it would be a good idea to get some use out of it before it goes off. 
Sensai - Total lip gloss (4.5 ml):
Weight at the start of 2024: 26 grams
Goal: Use it up
Why: It is getting up there in age and as it is a clear gloss it is perfect for everyday use.
Charlotte Tilbury - Lip cheat re-shape and re-size lip liner in pillow talk (1.2 g):
Length at the start of 2024: 11.7 cm
Goal: Use 1 cm of it
Why: I did not focus on a lip liner last year and I think it would pair perfectly with the clear lip gloss.
Benefit - Hervana blush (8 g):
Weight at the start of 2024 (without the included brush): 41 g 
Goal: The goal with this item is not so much to use it up, but more focus on it and get some use out of it.
Why: At the moment these light pink blushes are very trendy, so it is a perfect time to incorporate this blush into my project pan 2024
The body shop - Bronzing powder shade 03 medium matte (11 g): 
Weight at the start of 2024: 48 g
Goal: Use it up
Why: It is my only bronzer that has any pan at the moment, and is a perfect shade to focus on over the winter. I will miss it from my collection though (as it is a discontinued product). It never looks muddy on the face and compliments my skin tone very well. 
Miild - Natural mineral concealer duo in 01 light ample (2.4 g):
Weight at the start of 2024: 46 g
Goal: Form dents into the two pans - and use it on the day to day on a no makeup-makeup days, when I keep my makeup to a bare minimum with mascara and concealer. 
Why: Again I focus on this product as it is a more organic/clean product and I assume it has a shorter lifespan than the average non-clean product. 
Bourjois - Smokey eyes 09 vert de gris eyeshadow trio (4.5 g):
Weight at the start of 2024: 22 g
Goal: Finish it
Why: Because I would love to finish a smaller eyeshadow palette in my collection and get a feeling that I am gaining some process on my collection, and this trio already has two pans in it. On the plus side cool shades seem to be in fashion for 2024 so even better to be focusing on this in particular.
Clinique - True bronze pressed powder bronzer in Sunblushed (1.3 g):
Weight at the start of 2024: 13 g
Goal: Use it up
Why: It is amongst the oldest products in my collection, as I do not even remember how I got it in the first place. It must have been some kind of a gift with purchase years ago. And it would make the perfect summer bronzer with a tad bit shimmer. Plus it would be great to be able to use two bronzers up in 2024 and make room for new bronzers in my collection.
Nars - Audacious lipstick in Anna (4.2 g):
Length at the start of 2024: 2.2 cm from the plastic base
Goal: Use 1 cm of it
Why: I tend to focus on one lipstick for the year. As I tend to wear one at work, and this is a perfect color that works for most of the year! I have tried to finish a few lipsticks in the last few years, but I never seem to manage to completely finish one up, so I decided to put a moderate 1 cm goal for the year 2024.
Clinique - Chubby stick shadow tint for eyes 04 ample amber (3 g): 
Length at the start of 2024: 2.5 cm fully screwed up
Goal: Use 0.5 cm of product
Why: I tend to focus on one cream eyeshadow for each year, and now this one is getting older in my collection and has gone unused in my collection so it was ideal to get some use out of it.
NudeStix - Nudies all over face dewy color in Bohemian rose (1.8 g): 
Length at the start of 2024: 1.6 cm
Goal: Use it up
Why: It is a mini, and has gone unused until the end of 2023, when I gave it a try to see if it would be possible to use in my project pan for 2024. And OMG this product is SO pigmented, so pigmented in fact it is borderline difficult to work with. Perhaps it is because it is getting older and dried out, but omg how can people then use the full size of similar products from this brand?

Other goals for 2024:
1. No face mist purchase in 2024
2. No mascara purchase in 2024
3. No primer purchase in 2024
4. No cream or serum purchase in 2024 (unless I am out of that particular type of product)
5. Maximum purchase one makeup brush in 2024
6. Maximum purchase of two colored lip products in 2024
7. Use a face mask once a week
8. Use a face mist at work

Sunday, July 23, 2023

April - July haul 2023

So here is the update on my continued shopping spree of 2023 - this one is spray and brush heavy!! 


Haul in April - July

Testers + samples

Carroten face mask


Dior - Diorshow maximizer 3D triple action lash-primer serum (10 ml): I had been curious about this white mascara primer trend. I am not completely sold on it, I just find it a bit of a kefaffle of an extra step while putting on my makeup.
Nars - Afterglow lip shine gloss in Turkish delight (5.5 ml): This gloss Kim Kardashian made famous years ago. It has been on my radar for years, and in spite of one of my main goals for 2023 was not to buy a colored lip product during the year (as I have more than enough of them). But this product is BEAUTIFUL with a medium dark mauve pink lip liner! 
Moroccanoil - Brumes du Maroc fragrance mist (30 ml): This I had been eying for a few months, all since I bought the Moroccanoil body oil, as I loved the smell of it - this has a very similar scent, but still it smells less jucy than the body oil. 
Bioeffect - Osa water mist (60 ml): This I got tempted to buy in the duty free store in Iceland on my way to my summer holiday. Have not tried it yet as I have way too many facial spreys.
Mac - Prep+Prime Fix+ Goldlite (100 ml): I ran into this product at Nordstrom Rack, and got seriously tempted, did I need it? No! Did I buy it? Yes.
Nailberry - Strengthen & breathe base coat (15 ml): I had no intention to buy any more nail-polish products in this year, but I had a remaining credit in Elira from a birthday gift, and they were promoting 20% off everything, so I decided to finish it before it would expire or worse yet, I would forget about it.
Sol de Janero - Rio radiance cream - Cheriosa 87 fragrance - Illuminating mica (75 ml): I love the smell of this body lotion, and the shimmer radiance it gives off, it is perfect for summer. I was seriously tempted to buy the bigger size, but decided to opt for the smaller one, as I have more than enough body lotions stashed away. 
Rose Inc - Blush brush no.2: I was scouting for a blush brush to blend out cream blushes, and I was debating between this one and Sephora no. 47, but that one was sold out in 3 Sephora stores I visited during the Sephora sale this spring. Rose Inc were promoting a discount at the same time so I grabbed this one - to my surprise though, I still prefer to blend 2 out of my 3 cream blushes with my fingers.
It Cosmetics - Heavenly luxe complexion perfection brush no. 7:
Sephora - Pro crease 26 + pro crease 24: During the Sephora sale this spring, I was able to grab these brushes. And wow, did these blow my mind, I previously had some prejudice against the Sephora line - and gosh was I wrong! Now I want every brush they make!
Hourglass - Ambient powder brush: This I grabbed at Toronto airport as our flight was delayed, and we had some extra time to wonder around the airport. Oh my gosh, who knew you could even find Pat McGrath at an airport. But this brush was considerably cheaper at the airport - and it even came with a travel pouch, that snaps close with a magnetic snap. 
Rose Inc - Reusable cosmetics rounds: With my purchase from Rose Inc I could choose two testers, so I chose this one and the next one.
Rose Inc - Skin enhance luminous tinted serum in color 040 (6 ml): I had been super curious about this product, so to be able to get a sample with purchase was perfect. 
Marc Inbane - Perle de soleil tanning drops (1 ml): They were giving these away at Kringlan shopping mall in Iceland during some midnight opening early this summer. I had been curious about this brand, but with 1 ml I am not even sure I can get an idea about the brand.
Kalliston - Sun protect cream spf 30 (2 ml): This I got as a gift with purchase while on holiday in Crete. I will throw this in my suitcase for work and it will for sure be used - not sure I will put it on my face though, as I tend to be sensitive to ingredients in sun lotions.
Pharm aid - Aloe treasures - Intimate care mild antiseptic cleansing liquid (5 ml): At first I just assumed this was an aloe vera gel as there were big pictures of aloe vera plants on the tester - it was jus now I realized it is an "intimate mild cleanser" - which I find hilarious. 
Carroten - Be cool after sun face mask (20 ml): I bought this while on holiday in Crete - as it would be the perfect facial pamper in the sun. 

Now I really need to reel it in and stop purchasing brushes and facial sprays and focus on using some of these items up. As a matter of fact, I am over these shopping sprees - or so I keep telling myself, that might also have something to do with the fact I have a closet full of clothes I am planning to sell in one of these second hand store this autumn, and I have also uploaded some of them in one of the online stores in Iceland. 

So now it is more out with the old - and let's not drag too much in!!

Tuesday, January 5, 2021

Current wishlist - makeup contemplations - January 2021

 I last made a wishlist in March 2020, before the true Covid-19 strike, and the entire list consisted of only eyeshadow palettes. Of that list, there are two items from that list still on my wishlist: Charlotte Tilbury - eyes to mezmerize - Oyster pearl (previously called Marie Antonette) and the Tom Ford quad in nude dip. Then there are also a few other items that have trickled onto my wishlist.

Westman Atelier - Vital skin foundation stick - 68 USD @WestmanAtelier

Photo credit: www.cultbeauty.com

I have really wanted to try this foundation for some time, as this is a clean brand, and in theory would not irritate my skin. But with the fact I do not see a possibility to travel abroad in the near future, I highly doubt I will be able to get this in the near future. Plus I have quite the accumulation of face products that need to be finished before purchasing more. 


Jo Malone - Wood sage and sea salt cologne - 142 USD @Sephora

Photo credit: www.jomalone.com

This perfume has been on my wishlist for years, but as I have a backload of fragrances in my stash, it really does not make sense for me to buy any more until I at least finish a bottle or two of the seven perfumes, of various siszes from 15 ml to 100 ml.


Nars Cosmetics - Lip gloss - Turkish delight - 24 USD @Sephora 

Photo credit: www.narscosmetics.com 

This gloss which was made famous by Kim Kardashian, I am super curious to try out at one point. Still I have way too much lip products, and this color might be too light for me to pull of with my dark hair.


Natasha Denona - Mini retro palette - 25 USD @Sephora

Photo credit: www.beautylish.com

The Charlotte Tilbury, pillow talk quad used to be on my wishlist last year, but now I am not so sure any more. With all my palettes, and the price of the Charlotte Tilbury one, and considering how many seem to love the Natasha Denona formula, I am a bit curious about the brand. And of the smaller palettes she has the mini retro appeals the most to me. 


Bare Minerals - Gen Nude eyeshadow palette - Neutral / Rose - 29 USD @Sephora


Photo credit: www.bareminerals.com

These palettes have been hyped so much for quality on Youtube, by several of content creators I follow. The colors that appeal the most to me are neutral and rose. The funny thing is though, when I swatched this palette in store, the neutral one looks more pink than the rose one, but then again the rose one is a tad cooler than the neutral one. The neutral palette resembles the Charlotte Tilbury pillowtalk quad more, but the rose one reminds me more of the Natasha Denona mini retro palette. What these palettes lack though is a beautiful high shine topper kind of shadow, like both the Charlotte Tilbury and Natasha Denona palettes have.

Nars Cosmetics - Voyageur eyeshadow palette - Suede - 29 GBP @LookFantastic

Photo credit: www.lookfantastic.com

This palette and the brand Nazar has also been on my radar for some time. But this now has been discontinued, and is not available on the company's website. And even though I love the color story, after a palette becomes discontinued, it somehow becomes less relevant, and not as appealing. But I am still curious about eyehsadows and other products from Nars. 

Anything on your list?

Friday, December 29, 2017

IS + X-mas gift haul

I have to admit that most of my beauty purchases are made abroad, so it's about time I make an account of the items I bought in my home country + the two beauty items I got for X-mas.



Benefit - They're real mascara: I have for a long time really wanted to try some of the mascaras from Benefit, and when I saw this on a sale, I snatched one.
Nars audacius lipstic - Anna: my nephew was so kind to give this to me for Christmas. And am super excited to try this one out
Milani - Prep+Set+Glow illuminating transparent powder 02: This I bought as I had some credit left on a gift card I received last year. Heard some really good things about it - so it will be exciting to try
Inglot eyeshadow - colour 363 (3,0 g) - a medium grey, brown with a hint of purple: when I turned in my master-thesis I thought I did deserve a small reward, and as I have never tried anything from Inglot before I thought it would be a perfect treat.
Essie nail lacquer - buy me a cameo: a rosy metallic colour a friend of mine gave me for x-mas. This colour is a tiny bit darker than the one I am planning to use up in 2018 - so will have this one waiting.
Helena Rubinstein - All mascaras, complete eye make-up remover: there was a 25% discount in one of the big supermarkets in Iceland, on all cosmetics, so I thought it would be a perfect time to get a better eye makeup remover than micelar water which is not performing so well with my Lumene mascara. Unfortunately this brand in my opinion is not as good as the Lancomé Bi-Facil one, which remains my favorite ;)

So that summons up all my cosmetics and beauty purchases and gifts in the year of 2017. Which comes to a total of 15 items.