Empties: August 2015 – Part 4

And so we have finally made it to the last part of August empties! Given how much I have and how I used to like opening up everything the moment I get them to “try”, to be able to stick with a few items and use them up, it makes me so happy! Let’s not waste any more time and dive right in!

Midweek Peek: The Rut

Lately work has been piling on and I haven’t really had the time to think of makeup looks. You could say that I’ve been in a rut – using the same things over and over again. I didn’t even realize it until I saw the huge dent in my Chanel Les 4 Ombres in Poesie! It’s a neutral palette, but so easy to do a good eye-look in just under 5 minutes because all the colours in the palette are so beautiful, blendable and work so well together that there’s really no thinking involved. Just needs a little NARS Pro-Prime first to prime the lids, and a little LA Girl Endless Semi Permanent Eyeliner in Very Black to finish up the look. To round it off, I add some MAC Powder Blush in Small Vanity on my cheeks and I’m instantly looking more polished – I’ve had this for awhile and it’s a very beautiful neutral ‘dusty rose tan’ blush that’s really hard to screw up with. Neutral shades are just so easy to get stuck in a rut with because they are so simple to work with but can still look great without much thought!

I’ll probably be switching up my makeup now that I know I’ve been doing the same thing for a while, but I thought it was interesting to share! Have you been stuck in a makeup rut as well?

Final Swatch #12: NARS And God Created Woman

I went through quite a bit of trouble a year or two ago to find this palette – the NARS And God Created Woman palette, and loved it I did for a good while. In fact one of the shades have even hit serious pan! However with one gorgeous shade down (Kalahari) – and it was my favourite shade in the whole palette, I find myself reaching out for the palette much less.

The pigmentation of the palette in general is pretty good – swatches are taken without primer. The one issue I had with the palette was that there were only 2 mid-tone shades, Kalahari and Bellisima, and three very dark-toned shades. I didn’t find it as flexible as it could be – with 6 shades there could have been a lot more eye looks but it was limited by the number of very dark shades.

Coincidentally NARS created a second version of this recently, with the same shades but with a different configuration. A friend of mine really wanted to get it but a quick conversation ended in me gifting my older version to her – she just wanted to try it and didn’t mind it being used, and I didn’t want it anymore. It was a timely match and a loving farewell to this palette.

Unboxing: The Little Black Beauty Box – December 2014

I didn’t plan to get another one of these but a bored afternoon at work brought me to random browsing and I saw that The Little Black Beauty Box now actually reveals what will be in the box before you buy them! So I had a quick look at December’s offerings and was so impressed that I immediately bought it.

The Little Black Beauty Box is supposed to be a mystery beauty box but I guess they have decided to change it… maybe because there were a few pretty disappointing boxes previously so at least now we know now what we are getting! Each box is S$22.90 inclusive of shipping, but it is not a monthly subscription service – you just buy the boxes as and when you want them.

Midweek Peek #10: Hitting Pan!

One of the signs that you’re a makeup addict is when you feel your heart flutter and beat a little faster as you see a silver pan peeking through your makeup product – also known as hitting pan. Recently I noticed that I’ve hit pan on quite a number of products so I thought I’ll share them!

First up is the NARS Orgasm Blush – this was my favourite blush a couple of years ago and it was all I used! But now now I’m less fond of corals and more into pinks, I reach for the NARS Deep Throat Blush more – a blush that leans more pink on me, and seems to brighten up my face.

Next is a depotted The Balm Devilish Danielle Eye Shadow from Shadowy Lady Vol II; this is a really nice brow highlight that I reach for almost daily – it has a really lovely sheen without being too metallic. I also love the Physician’s Formula Glow & Mood Boosting Powder in Translucent, used all over the face to add a little glow – I might be throwing this soon before completing it as I only use the lighter side and that’s almost all gone.

I have a couple more items that I suspect will hit pan soon and I can’t wait! I’m weird like that! Do you feel the same when you hit pan? What have you hit pan on lately?