Phantom 002

www.patmcgrath.com phantom 002 looks amazing!

Musing: on the difficulty of discarding makeup that I don't love

I am having extreme difficulty discarding makeup no matter how useless it is.

I have many products that I can make work with a little effort.  But I have products that I absolutely love, and the mediocre products just take time away from the ones I love.  Considering the volume of makeup that I have, I could get rid of the mediocre products and still have plenty of variety to enjoy in my stash.

However, for the life of me, I can't seem to let go of the products that are just ok.  I'll try just putting the subpar products into a box and see if I can just let go of the box some day.

Profusion lip gloss

Profusion lip gloss can be found at some Walgreens stores in their beauty bins.  The glosses that I found were not labeled with prices but turned out to be $1 plus tax.
I tried out the red gloss - it is a comfortable cream formula with high opacity and highly pigmented.  It does sink into lines but doesn't seem to bleed so far.  It is a true bright blue-ish based red.
The formula seems to be the same in the squeeze tube and hard tube packaging.  There is a bright red orange also available - I am tempted to pick it up also, but I doubt that I will find much occasion to wear it.

I'll update when I try out the more subdued Purr color.

Update on Addiction "Last Scene" lipstick

I'm still in love with the warm red color of Addiction "Last Scene", but I have come to realize that I like a slightly glossy finish.  Not a fan of matte.  While the lipstick looks great topped with a gloss, the drier texture of this lipstick just doesn't appeal to me.  I don't think I'll repurchase this.  Maybe I'll let myself buy the Revlon Balm in Romantic after I use up "Last Scene".
 
I love the way glosses look, although I've come to realize that it's easier to apply lipstick than apply gloss.  Yes, those few seconds really matter, somehow.  So, liquid lipsticks really work for me - the gloss factor and the color factor.  Right now I only have 2 liquid lipsticks:
1) Shiseido Lacquer Rouge 資生堂ラッカールージュ RD 413, the perfect bright, warm red
2) Coffret d'Or Bright Up Rouge (Creamy Liquid) コフレドールブライトアップルージュ（クリーミィリキッド）OR-110, a cheerful coral-orange that I think has a good amount of white pigment in it.

As I use up some of my beige lipsticks, I'll probably add a nice tan color to my liquid lipsticks.  Sigh, the road to a new lipstick purchase is quite long, but it has been fun to find out ways to use my current, less beloved lipsticks.

* Note, these mint m&ms are pretty tasty.  I do like mint chocolate...  Interestingly, the dark chocolate m&ms are not as yummy as the regular chocolate ones.

household tip: use shampoo to remove makeup stains

Any shampoo works to remove makeup stains - I'm using up some Johnson's baby shampoo.  Just apply as a pre-treatment and wash out in the laundry.  If you're worried, you can apply and then rinse out by hand to make sure the stain comes out.  This works on everything including red lipstick.  I've saved many shirts this way.

On a no-buy

Until I actually use up this stuff!

After moving, I bought a sunscreen and a few Revlon Balm sticks and an orange nail polish (inspired by the stylish Chinese lady on the flight).  But now I've settled down and I've been shopping in my stash and haven't made a dent on anything!

So, while perfume is still open to discussion, and some skin care purchases are on the horizon once I use up some of my current stash, cosmetic purchases are (mostly) banned.  That said, Grocery Outlet tests my will on a daily basis, and I have some CVS dollars that expire this month.

So we shall see...  I am eyeing those Revlon Colorstay Moisture Stains.

Officially on a no-buy*

I'm officially on a no-buy - as in, I can't buy any makeup or skin care until I use up what I have.

So. Much. Stuff.  I have been trying to organize my stuff for a week now, and haven't made much progress.  However, it's official that I have more stuff than I know what to do with.  And I can't bring myself to throw any of it out, so I've just gotta use it up.

Which means, I can't buy anything new until I do use the stuff up.   Years!  It will take years, I say!  The skin care will get used up more quickly at least...

On my to-buy list:

1. Revlon Color Stay Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stain - Rendezvous
2. Boots Hot Balm (cleansing balm)
3. Neutrogena - Pure & Free Liquid Daily Sunblock (a physical sunscreen - currently using up my mentholatum sunscreen)
4. I'd like Sleek Blush by 3, but I don't think I'll ever use up my blushes so that's probably never going to happen.

I need better-fitting sunglasses - the ones I have are too narrow for my head.

Addiction Moroccan Rose Coffret

I picked up this holiday coffret in 2012 as it was absolutely gorgeous, but it turns out that it's actually a bit too gorgeous to touch.  Now I'm waffling about posting it on eBay minus the nail polish as Japan Post doesn't allow nail polishes to be mailed.

Hum de dum, it's so gorgeous, but do I really need it?