Trash Talk: Project Pan Edition

Personally, I don't find my makeup collection to be at all overwhelming or obsessive. My friends and family tend to disagree. I enjoy collecting makeup, and I tend to be a bit of a hoarder, so I've finally decided that it's time to hit pan on some things before deciding to try new things. That being said, this Trash Talk post is a bit larger than my previous ones, partially because I haven't done one in ages, and partially because I've been making a serious effort to clean out some makeup products prior to purchasing new ones. A couple of products were not photographed, because I simply forgot to hold onto them for the sake of this post, but I'll still be sure to mention my thoughts on them at the end!

Look at me, trying to make my trash look cute.

From left to right:

• L'Oreal True Match Foundation. I've had this foundation for way too long. I should probably pay more attention to expiration dates on my makeup, but I'm really, really bad about it. This foundation has been my ultimate go-to foundation for years. It's lightweight but buildable, and it has such an extensive shade range that just about anyone can find a shade to match their skin tone!
• Maybelline Volum' Express The Rocket Mascara. When I first purchased this mascara, I hated it. In fact, I ranted about it in a favorites + unfavorites post the first time I used it, and then retracted my statement after the mascara had dried out a bit. It works especially well when layered with other mascaras! This is my second or third tube of this mascara and I will probably repurchase it again soon.
• Maybelline Line Stiletto Liquid Liner. This is one of my all-time favorite drugstore liquid liners. The formula itself is pretty standard, but the foam applicator is what makes it worth purchasing. I'm not a huge fan of brush applicators for liquid liners, but a lot of the foam tip applicators are either too hard or have too much give. The applicator on this one is the perfect in between!
• Mally Volumizing Mascara. God, this mascara is so good. I've probably had it for too long, and continued using it past its expiration date, but it was too good to waste! Finally, it started to smell weird, so I decided to retire it. I got this mascara for Christmas from my lovely boyfriend, Andrew, and it's volumizing and lengthening without being clumpy, which is everything I long for in a mascara! It's a bit pricier than, say, Maybelline The Rocket, but it's definitely an item that I may just have to splurge on from time to time.
• Maybelline Dream Touch Lumi Concealer. This is a good highlighting concealer. Is it life changing? Nah, not really. Would I purchase again? Yes, if my other go-to concealer wasn't available. I definitely prefer it for subtle highlighting as opposed to concealing, but I won't really miss it now that it's all used up.
• Maybelline Fit Me Concealer. I never realized how many Maybelline products I used up until writing this post! The Fit Me concealer is definitely a much better concealer than the aforementioned, and is supposedly a great dupe for NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer. Personally I've never tried the Radiant Creamy Concealer, but this concealer has the perfect amount of coverage without being too cakey or heavy, and I definitely will repurchase! It's perfect for both under the eyes and over blemishes, due to the gel-like consistency. 
• Nivea Vanilla & Macadamia Kiss Lip Butter. This lip butter smells like cupcakes and makes your lips super soft and hydrated. I use it every night and every morning, and I rarely need to apply any kind of lip balm during the day! I've already repurchased a new one, because I seriously can't live without it!
• Maybelline Color Tattoo in "Edgy Emerald." I really enjoyed using this cream eyeshadow as a colored gel liner, as it would stay put and really make the green in my eyes pop! Unfortunately, it dried out before I got to use the whole thing, so it has to go in the trash. It is a beautiful color, but I already have a similar product from NYX in my collection that I'm going to try to finish before repurchasing another one.
• CoverGirl Outlast Stay Fabulous 3-in-1 Foundation.  This foundation is perfect if you live in the humidity, or if you have to go out on a hot day and you need your makeup to look perfect all day. It doesn't fade or break up on the skin at all! It's a bit heavier coverage, but you can sheer it out with a moisturizer, and it makes you look flawless. It's great on days when you want to look good but don't have time for concealer and powder, because it stays put. When I use this foundation, I only powder my T-zone! I'm definitely planning on repurchasing this foundation for my high-coverage days.

• Dove Refresh+Care Dry Shampoo. I think I've had at least one bottle of these in every single Trash Talk post I've ever done. This is my all-time favorite dry shampoo! The smell is strong, but it sprays out clear and really helps to keep your hair fresh! I actually really like putting this in my hair even when its clean, because it just adds some volume and texture to my otherwise flat hair.
• Yes To Cucumbers Soothing Hypoallergenic Facial Towelettes. These makeup remover wipes smell good, work well, and are hypoallergenic. They're fantastic because they stay moist, and really get all your makeup off using just one wipe! They're also good for the earth, because they are compostable, so if you're trying to be a little greener and kinder to our Mother Earth, these wipes are perfect! I've already repurchased these and I'm so happy I did.
• Lush Cosmetic Warrior Fresh Face Mask. I've gone through so many of these fresh face masks since discovering our local Lush, and it's one of those products I will always go back to. I absolutely love what it does for my skin. It's especially great for that special time of the month, because the ingredients are perfect for helping to combat even the most stubborn hormonal breakouts!
• Beauty Blender Solid Cleanser. For a long time, I was totally against the specialized makeup brush cleansers because I thought they were a waste of money. The Beauty Blender Solid Cleanser changed my mind. It gets your brushes so clean, so fast, and I even find that they dry more quickly when I use it! This is another one of those products that I've already repurchased because I just can't live without it!
• Rimmel Stay Matte Pressed Powder (not pictured). This powder took a dive off my counter and broke before I even got halfway through it. I mean, it was fine, because I didn't love it. I remember using this powder during my high school drama days, which was fine, because between the oil-based foundations and the hot lights, I needed all the mattifying power I could get. However, in my every day life, this powder was just a bit too much for my dry-combination skin. For oily skin, though, I could definitely see this being a holy grail powder because it really gets the job done!
• Anastasia Dipbrow Pomade (not pictured). This brow pomade was perfect for the humid days of the late Southern summer that I had to endure last year (and will be enduring again soon), because it seriously does not budge. However, my pot finally dried out and I'm not sure if I'll be purchasing it again. While it works beautifully, it was a bit of a hassle compared to a brow powder or pencil. It is a beautiful product, though, and if you have the time to really perfect your brows during your morning routine, I would recommend it!

You know, I really didn't realize how much stuff I was getting rid of until typing this post up! It's such a weirdly freeing feeling when you finish up with a product, especially when you know you have tons of similar products that can get the same job done. I still have one more foundation to get through before I'm allowed to purchase any more, but I think that I'm in a good place!

I know I'm definitely about due to post a tutorial or two, but I've been so incredibly busy with my internship. Hopefully I'll be able to get one up soon!

- D. 

Trash Talk: Moving Out Edition

I'm leaving for college in just a couple of days (well, by the time this post goes up, I'll have already moved in!) so I decided it was time to get up a Trash Talk post of products I had been hoarding for a month or two, so I wouldn't have to throw everything out without telling you all about them!

• St. Ives Oatmeal & Shea Butter Body Wash. I talked about this in my last Trash Talk post, except I had the travel size. I seriously love this body wash! However, because of the weather, I've switched over to a more clarifying body wash, but I'm definitely going to have to repurchase this come winter time. 
• St. Ives Fresh Skin Apricot Scrub. Personally, I find this stuff to be way too rough for my face. Some people swear by it, but I have heard that this scrub can actually cause wrinkles by creating a bunch of tiny little micro cuts on your face. So instead, I use this scrub on my legs and hands! It's perfect for the summer after shaving, and it's also pretty gentle. 
• MAC Fix+. This is my go to finishing spray for refreshing my makeup and keeping it from looking cakey. It isn't quite a setting spray, and it won't help your makeup last longer, but it helps get rid of any powdery look that can be caused by overpowdering. I use this stuff almost every day and it just helps me feel nice and refreshed as I walk out the door!
• Head & Shoulders Classic Clean Shampoo. While traditionally marketed as a dandruff shampoo, I love Head & Shoulders as just a simple, hydrating shampoo. Since I do have scalp psoriasis, I need something gentle and hydrating. Obviously, it's not targeted toward my problem, but I find that most psoriasis shampoos are way too harsh and dry out my skin even more. Plus it smells great, unlike most if not all psoriasis shampoos.
• Avene Eau Thermale Thermal Spring Water. This spray is amazing for hot days. I like to spray it over my face on no-makeup days to really help rehydrate my dry skin, or to just refresh my skin when I'm feeling a little gross! It makes humid summer days so much more bearable and won't dry out your skin.
• Jack Black Intense Therapy Lip Balm with Shea Butter & Vitamin E. I'm obsessed with this lip balm. First of all, it smells like vanilla frosting! And secondly, it keeps my lips so hydrated. I haven't had any problems with chapped lips since I started using this lip balm last year, and I don't think I can ever go back!
• Dove Refresh+Care Dry Shampoo. I don't know why this dry shampoo has such horrible reviews on their website. Not only does this dry shampoo smell amazing and fresh, but it really helps to get rid of oiliness without leaving a white cast! I did hair and makeup for a musical in July and so many girls kept asking to use it, asking me where they could get it because they loved it so much. I also find that it just gives me so much volume and texture, something that my hair definitely has none of without product.

By the time this post goes up, I should be moved into my new apartment in North Carolina! Keep a lookout for a home decor post soon. Maybe if I'm lucky, my roommate will even do a guest post about her own decor! 

- D.

Trash Talk

Alright so the point of this post isn't to "trash talk" anyone, but rather talk about the bag of trash that's been piling up in my bathroom. Now, this isn't a huge number of products, but it's definitely more than I usually let build up. Why? So I can tell you all about them, of course! These are a few of the products I have finished up in the past few months, along with my thoughts on them!

• Tresemme Fresh Start Dry Shampoo. So much "no" about this product...I have had this for a few months, and supposedly they have a new formula now, but I don't even want to try the new formula. When I first used it, it actually felt like it made my hair greasier, and it left a really apparent white cast in my hair. I tried to use it a couple times, thinking maybe it would get easier to use since it was my very first dry shampoo, but after like two uses, the nozzle clogged. It's still mostly full, but I can't get any product out, and I don't even think I would want to if I could.
• Up & Up Nourishing Nail Polish Remover. There isn't really much to say about this. I don't really know if it "nourished" my nails or cuticles at all, but it did the job. I prefer nail polish removers with acetone because I feel like they get the job done better, and this stuff is super affordable, but nothing special.
• Aussie 3 Minute Miracle Deep Conditioning Treatment. I have been obsessed with this stuff since January of last year. This is probably at least my fifth or sixth bottle of this stuff, and I recently discovered they have released a bunch of new treatments from their 3 Minute Miracle line! I recently picked up the Color Treatment, so hopefully I love that one just as much as I loved this stuff! It also smells absolutely amazing, and makes my color-treated hair feel super soft without making it greasy.
• Soap & Glory Hand Food Mini. This stuff has saved my hands so many times. I picked up this travel size quite a few months ago and it has lasted me ages! It smells amazing and does a great job, and is super easy to just toss in your bag because it takes up so little room. Soap & Glory's Original Pink fragrance is my absolute favorite, and this hand cream hydrates my hands really well without leaving a greasy film all over my skin. It absorbs quickly and gets the job done!
• Aquaphor Healing Ointment. I became obsessed with Aquaphor when I got my first tattoo done. This stuff seriously does such amazing things for dry skin. I use it in combination with a steroid cream for my psoriasis, and it helps to keep my skin hydrated and soft without irritating it! When the weather starts to get crazy and I find my lip balm can't keep up with my chapped lips, I pull out my Aquaphor at night, and my lips are healed and plump in the morning.
• Maybelline Eye Studio Lasting Drama Gel Eyeliner. This gel liner lasts ages, but that doesn't mean it doesn't eventually dry out. I have had this pot for quite some time (seriously...a really long time), and it's finally time to say goodbye. After fighting with the texture of this liner, I decided I needed to just go out and buy a new pot, because it was just starting to tug and turn a charcoal color, as opposed to the super intense black it was in it's original form. I almost began to think I didn't like this liner anymore, but then once I got a new pot, my faith in this product was revived! 
• Jack Black Intense Therapy Lip Balm. I wear this stuff night and day. The Shea Butter & Vitamin E flavor smells like vanilla cupcakes, and it is a fantastic every day lip balm! It is without a doubt the best lip balm I have ever tried, and has an SPF of 25 to help protect the sensitive skin on your lips!
• Soap & Glory Flake Away Body Polish. It has certainly taken quite some time to get through this body scrub! It has that same Original Pink scent as the Hand Food, and I seriously wish I could describe it to you. It does a fantastic job of exfoliating, and worked wonders on my legs after I got home from Chicago back in February, after fighting against the cold winds that my skin isn't used to!
• St. Ives Oatmeal & Shea Butter Body Wash Travel Size. You may have noticed a pattern. I love moisturizing products. My skin is so dry, but oddly enough, I found that Aveeno products are too hydrating for my skin, and oftentimes just make me feel greasy. I bought this travel size when I went to Chicago, and finally finished it back in April. This tiny bottle lasted me that long! A little bit goes a long way with this stuff, and it lathers beautifully. 

Are there any products you've recently finished that you love? Let me know if there's anything you think I should try!

- D.