There's Sand In My Coffee with Jenzy: Beauty

, by Jenny Ahna

2015 Empties Grand Finale and Reflection on Minimalism

, by Jenny Ahna

October/November Empties and Minimalism Update

Hi Internet,

Today's empties post is a little over due. I promised myself I would only keep empties for 30 days and then let them go as last time I held onto them for almost 9 months. I feel shame. In my defense, I was trying to keep a whole year's worth of empties in an attempt to get a visual understand of how much I go through in a year. But then I had to move, and moving bags of empties across town and up 3 flights of stairs to my new apartment...I'm not about that life. I have limits.

However, I then started to find myself collecting empties again in my new apartment. So I decided today was going to be the day. A glorious new day in which I will cease hoarding empty packaging because frankly, I don't have the physical nor the mental space to hang on to these things. I'm trying to be a minimalist here! It doesn't help me if I'm trying to declutter and then just keep the exact stuff I was trying to get rid of. What is my life.

I have noticed that if I write down my "goals" for empties in my bullet journal, i.e. the products I want finished by the end of the month, I am very likely to achieve those goals, though they have to be realistic goals (writing down a full bottle of shampoo isn't going to make that shampoo go away by the 30th, but a small tube of face cream will). By keeping these products in the front of my mind and in my planner, I am more likely to be diligent in using them. Case in point, October was a great month for empties and I kept adding product goals throughout the month and finishing them. In November I didn't use my journal very much, so didn't make a list of empty goals...and not very much was accomplished. Just a thought for those of you trying to get through your pile of junk. A snapshot of December's empties goals are below:

So far this year I have not repurchased any skincare, beauty, body or hair item except for mascara. I can see progress in my bathroom cabinet, where all the skincare and body care items are, but I really haven't made much of a dent in my makeup collection. I'm going through foundation and powders slowly, but have yet to go through any other products. I may need to do a no buy for 2016 as well, sigh. Is there an end in sight?

First off, while we are on the topic of makeup:

Mistine Compact powder - I repressed it but its crumbling and not really worth the mess it's making everytime I use it. It was nothing special, will probably not buy it again.

CoverGirl Lash Blast mascara (Very Black) - This is probably "The One" for me, and I bought a replacement for it yesterday.

Kat Von D Lockit Tattoo Foundation - I had the shade 54 medium. It was slightly too dark for me but I made it work. Great coverage, blends really well with beauty blender but a little cakey with a brush. This stuff was bomb, I'd get it again for sure. But not anytime soon though...I'm looking at you, foundations left in my collection....I'm looking at you.

Chapstick Lip Balm in Cake Batter - picked this up last Christmas, its nice :) I love Chapstick.

Revlon Base and Top Coat - meh...this is my second one and I decided I'm going to try something else. It worked alright as a base coat but does not dry quickly enough for a top coat.

Next up, skincare:

SkinEffects by Dr Jeffry Dover 2 step 8% Glycolic Acid pads - I think it helped brighten my skin and fade acne scars...but I can't be sure. I'd be interested in other glycolic acid products in the future.

Borghese Fango body polish sample - I got this in a subscription box, it's got a good grit, I used it for my feet. Actually belongs in the body section of the empties but I'm not redoing the photo. Smelled weird. Would not buy.

Fresh Soy Face Cleanser - This was not memorable and although I didn't have any problem with it, I won't be buying it again.

DDF Amplifying Elixir - This one also came in a sample box. It made my skin feel very soft, I used it twice a day before moisturizer and really liked it. Not sure if it really did anything else for my skin though. Would not buy.

Jurlique Herbal Recovery Advanced Serum - same deal as the DDF, it felt nice but I'm not sure what all it did. Would not buy but am very interested in trying Jurlique products in the future.

SkinInc Brightening Serum - Not sure if it brightened. Would not buy this specific product but may consider buying SkinInc serums in the future.

Mario Badescu Enzyme Cleansing Gel - not a fan of the smell or the texture. Did not see any positive effects after use. Would not buy.

Oxy Spot Treatment - has 10% Benzoyl Peroxide which is my acne ingredient of choice. It was good, but I prefer Clean and Clear's Persagel 10. Would not buy again.

GlamGlow Youth Mud - I prefer the SuperMud treatment (in the white tub). This didn't really do much for me, I would not buy this one.

Benefit It's Potent Eye Cream samples - figured I try to get these knocked out. I really don't see any effect on my undereyes unfortunately, so will not buy this product.

Hair:

Batiste Dry Shampoo - I love this stuff, but not the Tropical scent. Will buy again in a different scent. I'm trying to use up a bottle of baby powder as dry shampoo before I buy any more.

KMS Hair Play - WTF was this? It was terrible. It took half a can to get my hair to look somewhat decent and had a very strong scent. Will not buy this EVER.

Last up, Body:

The Body Shop Honeymania Shower Gel - I really love these shower gels, scent was great. Will repurchase this in any scent (especially mango and strawberry).

Victoria's Secret Moonlight Dream - Praise Jesus this is the last one. I bought seven of these in one go and have been working at them for almost 2 years. I don't like the foam they produce, they are not moisturizing, and I didn't like many of the scents I picked out. Will not be buying these ever again and I am so glad I'm done with that part of my life.

Dry Idea Advanced Dry Antiperspirant/Deodorant - yep...it does the job. Not much else to say. Somehow I've accumulated 4 deoderants so I won't be buying any for a while.

The Body Shop Peppermint Cooling Foot Spray - Let me preface by saying I love the Body Shop. I would rather shop there than at Bath and Body Works as I feel the Body Shop products are higher quality. But this is $16 mouthwash in a spray bottle. I appreciate the concept, my feet were tingled, but no. Just no.

Revive Detoxifying Foot Pads - I must say, I got sucked into buying these in TJMaxx in that checkout line of doom. I knew they wouldn't work but I was compelled to buy the pretty pink packet. They are "toxin absorbing" sticky pads that you wear on the bottom of your feet while you sleep and in the morning you take them off and they get all dark with "toxins". They smelled nasty and smeared on my sheets. Bruh. Naw.

Onward to minimalism!

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, by Jenny Ahna

Beauty

Winter Empties [March - April]

Empties are my guilty pleasure. I love watching empties videos on youtube, empties posts on instagram. My empties are important to me because every item brings me one step closer to my minimalist goals. It also means I haven't wasted my money if I used something up ;)

One of my goals for achieving a more minimal lifestyle is to not own more than two of any item, ie body wash, lotion, skincare, and not buying any more until I do so. This will not reduce the amount of stock I have (therefore creating more space and less clutter) but also save me some money (less chances of things expiring before I get to use them). Since the beginning of this year I have not purchased any bodycare or haircare, and only replenished one skincare item that I used up.

So proud:

I used up 3 body washes in the past 2 months. I tend to have 3-4 body washes in the shower at any given time and I really enjoy being able to choose my scent, makes each shower more exciting and enjoyable. Now that it's getting warmer out though, I tend not to use body wash (I just find bar soap more refreshing when it's hot out, am i weird?)

Bath and Body Works Sleep Body Wash in Warm Milk and Honey - smells really warm and relaxing. Not a memorable lather, I probably would not buy this again. I have a lotion in this scent too.

Victoria's Secret Love Spell Body Wash - I don't really like these body washes, but a younger me thought it was a brilliant idea to buy 7 body washes at one time and I've got 3 left. They don't feel moisturizing, the scents are a little weird, and basically I'm just trying to get through them all. Won't be repurchasing any. This scent is one the better ones from my collection.

The Body Shop Mango Shower Gel - now this one is a STAR. Creamy lather, moisturizing, an absolute joy to use. The mango scent in particular is divine. Smells like fresh, juicy mangos. I will definitely buy this guy again. I prefer Body Shop's products to Bath and Body Works. I currently have the scent Honeymania in my shower.

This brings my count of body washes to 7 (jeezzzz). So I need to use up 5 more by the end of the year.

Bath and Body Works body lotion in Vanilla Bean Noel, my favorite holiday scent. Pretty basic lotion, not super moisturizing in my opinion. But let's face it, who really buys Bath and Body Works for anything other than the scents.

Another BBW Triple Moisture cream in Secret Wonderland. Really love this scent, but again, not all that hydrating. I have 3 other body creams left, so I need to use up at least one more by the end of this year.

Body Shop's Honey Mania Body Butter is not my favorite scent but I still really liked how good it made my skin feel.

Last body care items: 3 bars of soap. 1 Dial (smells nice), 1 Body Shop in Brazil Nut (smells really nice, like chocolate, good lather), and a Parrot Botanicals soap in the green scent. I pick these up in Thailand whenever I go home to visit, and I love this soap.

Moving onto skincare!! Bored yet?

2 Sheet Masks from BioMiracle. These have been in empties before. I use these when my skin is feeling dry, I find them moisturizing, relaxing, and therapeutic. I recommend sheet masks in general.

HEB Cotton squares: pretty self explanatory. I have repurchased these, but they aren't my favorite. I prefer Asian cotton squares (such as the Shiseido ones).

Pure Rosehip Seed Oil, used this as a facial moisturizer for a few months, not sure if it really did much for my skin,and sometimes not very moisturizing. I will try more facial oils in the future but I don't think I'll be buying this again anytime soon.

Clean and Clear Persagel 10, probably my favorite acne treatment.

Mario Badescu Glycolic Acid toner sample - this stuff kind of burns, didn't really like it.

Lastly, makeup. I only truly used up 3 makeup items, the others I had to toss because they were old and unloved.

I'm getting rid of 7 tubes of mascara. Only used up 2; CoverGirl Clump Crusher and Urban Decay Perversion, both in black. Clump Crusher doesn't give me enough volume, and Perversion smears a bit. Won't repurchase either. The other ones I used a little here and there and either didn't like them or they dried out.

1 Peppermind Chapstick. Smells like toothpaste, feels moisturizing.I like it.

4 lip glosses I have to get rid of as they are old as f***. L'Oreal HIP Jelly Balm (yes we all know how old this is) in Plush; texture and scent hasn't really changed but I never liked it and will not force myself to use it. ELF Hypershine lip gloss in Fairy, glittery and gross. Annabelle Le Gloss in Super Sweet; sticky and old. Lastly, Clinique Glosswear sample in Cabana Crush, this smells like plastic. It was alright when it was newer, but nothing memorable.

2 eyeliners that dried out :(. ELF Cream Liner in coffee and Wet and Wild Mega Liner in Plum.

1 nail item: Seche Vite Top Coat. Got all gooey before I could finish it. Never repurchased, probably won't.

Miscellaneous empties. Almost done!

Kleenex Hand Sanitizer, had no alcohol smell, and moisturizing, I liked it.

Kleenex Hand and Face wipes, nothing special. It was free in a kleenex gift pack I got from work.

Flinstones Vitamins - taste good and look cute so they encourage me to take vitamins daily. Yes, adults can take them too.

Real Techniques face sponge - this was getting a little old so I replaced it. Then decided to cut it in half out of curiosity and found mold! Gross!! Replace your makeup sponges often ladies!!!!

2 pens (not shown). Pens are just as hard to use up as makeup and I have a fixation on finishing pens. I'm the type of person who uses the same pen until it runs out and I am really good at not losing them (I hardly ever lent pens in school and when I did I made sure I got them back). These two pens are from Thailand, I love Asian stationary and Asian pens write really well and are really skinny.

I'm posting this a little later than I wanted to, so I will probably have another empties post in a couple weeks.

One step closer to minimalist nirvana!!!

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, by Jenny Ahna

Beauty

Closer Look| Origins Drink Up Intensive Overnight Mask

I have had oily skin all my life. And I mean OILY. Makeup didn't last long on my face, nothing stayed on my eyelids. I would look very shiny within an hour of applying makeup. The struggle was real. I became an expert on all things oil control. I tailored my cleansers, moisturizers, and foundations to my oily skin condition. What I wasn't prepared for was a sudden bout of dryness that I experienced this winter. I didn't even see it coming.

All of a sudden my skin was flaking, it felt tight even after I put on moisturizer (so I would wear 2 layers of it, which helped a little). My favorite foundations were now looking patchy and cakey on my skin. It was physically uncomfortable and visually unappealing.

I'm not sure how long it will last and what brought about the change in my skin, but I had to act fast and find something to resolve or mitigate my problems. I started exfoliating more often to get rid of the flakeys, I used hydrating sheet masks. I started wearing some of my more moisturizing foundations and bb creams. But the product that made the biggest difference was the Origins Drink Up Intensive Mask.

This product is marketed as a hydrating mask. It's been around for years and does have somewhat of a cult following, so there are plenty of reviews online.

There are 2 ways they suggest to apply; 1) wear a thicker layer on the skin for 10 min or 2) go to bed with a small amount massaged onto the skin and wash it off in the morning. I use the second method. And it's awesome.

Any flakes on my skin are gone the next morning. I don't get the tight feeling on my face. My skin feels nourished and normalized, not greasy or congested. It doesn't break me out. It also doesn't hurt that the mask smells like mango and apricot!

I massage a dime sized amount all over my face as the final step in my nighttime routine and hop into bed. -- WARNING, if you put too much on, it'll dry very slowly and feel very tacky. I made that mistake the first couple times I wore it and always felt that more mask ended up on my pillow than lasted on my face throughout the night. This product does not absorb completely into the skin, so if the feeling of a tacky product on your skin doesn't sound appealing, this is not the right product for you.

I will probably find less need for it in the coming months as it gets hotter and my skin gets oilier, but for those of you who have constantly dry skin, this product or something similar might have a place in your skincare routine.

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, by Jenny Ahna

Beauty

Perfume: My Three Most Worn

So I watched a very unusual movie the other day called Perfume. Set in the 1700s, about a boy born with a very keen sense of smell that led him down a path of murder in search for the perfect fragrance. What fascinated me was the art of perfumery and the effect it has on your senses and emotions. And it made me wonder, what do I like about my perfumes? Is there one that is absolutely perfect for me?

No. At this very moment, I do not own a fragrance that has captured my heart, that I would call "my signature scent." I used to have one (Burberry Original) but then started buying so many (as one does) that I never developed a true love for any single fragrance I owned.

However, out of my sizeable collection of about 15 fragrances (I need to downsize!), I do reach for 3 more often than the rest, based on my mood for the day. So here are my 3 most worn perfumes:

If I'm wanting a clean, fresh scent, I wear Juicy Couture's Peace Love and Juicy Couture (right). Not one of their bestselling, kinda smells like grass actuallly. But that's probably why I like it. Refreshing, not overbearing, and doesn't really smell sweet. Just smells fresh. This is more of a day and Spring time scent, but I do wear it in the winter when I'm feeling a little stuffy.

If I'm wanting a girly, sweet scent (and I'm in a good mood perhaps and want to smell yums) I wear Si by Gorgio Armani (left) . A new purchase for me (bought it for myself around Christmastime), I've gotten a lot of use out of it by the looks of it. It smells like adult candy (very similar to Miss Dior Cherie, the strawberry/popcorn one that was discontinued for God knows why). This is a good day/evening scent, and appropriate all year around.

If I want a basic, everyday perfume (I feel like every girl has one of those, a perfume she just throws on, not necessary to smell extra special) then I'll splash on my Katy Perry's Meow (center). I do own the Purr too (the cute bottles got me, even if I didn't like the perfume I was still going to display it on my dresser). Meow is soft and sweet. It's got a gourmand, sugary vanilla scent and is appropriate for work as it is not overpowering at all.

There are several other fragrances in my collection that I love (Dior Dolce Vita, Gucci Flora, Victor and Rolf Flower bomb) and although I love them, they aren't the fragrances I reach for the most (they are special occasion scents).

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, by Jenny Ahna

Beauty

January Products I've Used Up

It's time for some empties peeps.

I haven't made an empties post in a very long time. Empties are my favorite type of video to watch on youtube and a hashtag that I check regularly on instagram (which I have an account by the way, follow me @withjenzy). Plug that shit Jen, plug that shit.

So, this January I finished up:

1. Herbal Essences Moroccan My Shine Nourishing Shampoo - smelled nice, basic shampoo. Not sure what else to say about this one.

2. Neutrogena Acne Stress Control Power-Clear Scrub - gentle scrub, I could use it everyday. I don't think it did anything for my acne and but it was alright and left my skin feeling soft. I wouldn't run out and buy a new one though, it's really nothing special.

3. Ulta Brand Beauty Smoothie 3-in-1 shower gel in buttercream cupcake - the best thing about this was the smell. If you like really sweet, vanilla/bakery scents, this is a good one. It didn't feel ultra moisturizing though and the lather wasn't phenomenal. I recieved this in a sample bag from Ulta and I probably would not buy the full size as I have other shower gels that I would rather use/buy.

4. Victoria's Secret body wash in Pure Seduction - okay I have about 5 of the VS body washes. This is my favorite smelling one (and does anyone else think it smells identical to Love Spell?). However, I don't like the lather, I don't find it creamy enough and not really all that moisturizing. Although I have a few more to go through, I don't think I'll be buying any more after this batch. But it does smell delicious.

5. Figs and Rouge Mango Mandarin hand cream - recieved in an ipsy bag. It smells fresh and fruity, but was not moisturizing. I won't be buying this.

6. BBW Pocketbac - these are always awesome. The Fresh Picked Wildberries scent was nice too. Smelled more floral than fruity to me though. Would buy these again when I run out of my current stock.

7. BioMiracle Aloe Collagen sheet masks - I used up 3 of these in January when my skin was unusually dry and flakey. They are a great experience, smell good, relaxing, and they did leave my skin a lot more plump after I used them. We find these at TJ Maxx for a great price (5.99 for 6 usually).

8. Givenchy Ange ou Demon Le Secret perfume - we need to take a moment here to appreciate the fact that I have gone through a whole perfume. It is impossible for many people, not just me. It was a 1.7 oz that took me almost 2 years to go through. I did like the scent, its very light and fresh and something I was able to wear all year around. I probably won't buy it again though because there are so many great perfumes out there that I'd like to try (I just picked up Gorgio Armani's Si) and I don't have any emotional connection to this one.

So there you have it. Used up 10 items this month. I also went through a couple samples but they're not worth mentioning and I don't have a huge pile like itsKeerstin on Youtube does, so I'm not worried about it.

I do plan to do a beauty/makeup inventory in the coming days. It requires some organizing of all of my products to do a proper inventory, and I really don't like doing any sort of cleaning, so this could take a while.

xx Jen

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, by Jenny Ahna

Beauty

My Bedside Arsenal

Happy March everyone, hope it's getting warmer and brighter wherever you are. In Texas, the weather's a bit on the fritz, cold at night and warm-ish if not warm during the day. Honestly, it feels like the weather is PMS-ing, with all of it's mood swings. Anyways, as I was getting ready for bed and settling under my covers, I looked over to my bedside table and realized there are some items on that table that would cause me great pain if they ever left that table. Thus spurred my creativity to create a blog post about my bedside arsenal to perhaps inspire you to try some of these things to help yourself sleep better, or just for curiosity's sake, to see what is on my bedside table!

When I'm getting ready for bed, there are a few creature comforts that I seek to help ensure a good night's rest. And the list is small, I don't ask for much in life...

Noise Blockers

My boyfriend requires some extra attention. I love you sweetie, but you snore. And when you're not snoring, you're ~~breathing~~ heaving really loudly. Now I'm a light sleeper to begin with, so I won't make it seem as though I'm sleeping next to an ogre. With that said, to ensure I don't rip off anyone's head during the night, I need to have some ear plugs. I'm no stranger to ear plugs (I had to start wearing them in college when my roommates were noisy and I was the grandma who was in her room with the lights off by 11) so I don't mind wearing them now.

Light Blockers

This is something that I've started to use in the recent months. I noticed that my sleep improved noticeably when I started wearing a sleep mask. If you have problems with sleeping (I'm a diagnosed insomniac) an eye mask might help you out in some way. For me, not only does it block the light, but since I associate it with peaceful sleep, I fall asleep easier and stay sleeping longer. Plus, at only 1$ from the dollar store, it's worth a try!

Skin Moisturizers

2 things I need. Lip balm and hand cream. I've talked about my Smith's Rosebud Salve at least twice before, but in case you didn't know, it's my favorite lip balm of all time. And I go to town with this at night, smearing it all over my lips and around my mouth. Hey I may look like a greaseball, but I don't care, my skin loves it. The only other ritual I have is applying a cream to my hands. I've already used up my favorite hand cream over the winter, so now I'm going through the rest of my hand cream collection (check out my Dry Hands Post further down ;)).

Hello Hydration

Last but not least, I must MUST have a bottle of water nearby. Even if I don't take a single sip, knowing that it's there is enough hydration. If I don't have any water near me, I tend to feel thirsty and will even get up out of my cozy bed to seek out water. My boyfriend jokes that I'm always asking for water when I get into bed but in the morning he'll see that it hasn't been drunk at all. It's a habit dear, don't f***ing mess with it! It's probably hereditary, because my dad is the exact same way. Thanks dad, my boyfriend thinks I'm a weirdo.

See? Not many things do I need for proper sleep I have.

All the best, stay warm and happy everyone.

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, by Jenny Ahna

Beauty

Winter Must Haves

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, by Jenny Ahna

Beauty

2cents on | LORAC Pro To Go Palette

Hi Everyone,

I'm kicking off 2014 with a review and "my 2cents" on a product I discovered in 2013 and really fell in love with. I have not seen a palette this well executed in a very long time. Meet my PTG (Pro To Go, see how I'm trying to be cool there).

Coming in at 4.6 inches tall and 7.7 oz, what this contender lacks in stature she makes up for in absolute versatility, quality, and reliability. No, she is not a used car, at least not my lemon of a vehicle (seriously, I'm surprised I've still got 4 tires on there).

But seriously, the size is probably the best part of this product. It is very compact which makes it very travel friendly. No excess packaging here, yet it still houses a useable mirror, 6 eye shadows, a bronzer, 2 blushes, and 2 eye brushes. But it all fits in the palm of a hand! Pack this in your travel bag and you can get away with bringing ONLY your foundation, powder, mascara, and lipstick in addition.

It also goes without saying that it has the same great quality people have come to expect from LORAC with the Pro Palette (you might have heard of it).

The second great feature of this palette is that the shadow colors are truly basic, which doesn't have to mean boring. It fits all skin tones for that reason, and can provide a minimal look, a day look, and a night look. The other amazing thing that must be noted about the eyeshadow selection is that it really has everything people look for in an "all encompassing palette". By that I mean, a palette that does not need to be supplemented with additional colors:

1. A matte black (to use as an eyeliner or to darken an eyeshadow look)

2. A matte cream highlight (to wear on the eyelid as an allover color or as a highlight)

3. A "transition" shade (a little brown guy that takes your blending problems away).

L to R: Pearl, Chai, Mink;

Shell, Cafe, Black

Now, how many palettes in your collection actually have all of that? It's something a lot of brands overlook, the necessity of these shades to create an appealing look. That alone should be enough of a reason to have this palette around, to travel with or even to use at home.

L to R: Bronze, Pink, Coral

The last thing I wanted to touch on was the cheek colors. For reference, I am an NC25 skintone, and all the cheek colors look great on me and I can see them looking great on paler tones to darker tones. I even use them on a day to day basis at home because they are just that easy to use. I also sometimes like to use the pearl eyeshadow as a cheekbone highlight. Works well in a pinch, and saves you from having to take another item with you on your travels.

This palette costs 38 USD and can be purchased from Sephora, Ulta, and lorac.com.

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, by Jenny Ahna

Beauty

Beauty Brands I was Introduced to in 2013

Hello world,

I came to the realization this year that I haven't really tried that many makeup brands. When I first started wearing makeup, back in high school, I was all about the M.A.C. M.A.C. foundation, powder, eye shadow, brushes (oh god, those were expensive), and pigments (who really uses those??). Then in university, I got more into watching youtube videos and reading blogs and I started to realize that I didn't need to spend a lot of money on makeup, so my purchases were primarily from Walmart and Shopper's DrugMart (Canadian Walgreens for those of you who live furthur south).

This past year, however, I got to try some brands that I always heard about and knew the most popular/standout items from the brand, but never tried for one reason or another.

Nars
It started with the Laguna Illuminator, which I really enjoy to add color and luminosity to my foundation. Since that purchase I've come to own a Larger than Life eyeliner, an eyeshadow duo in Bellisimo, and the limited edition One Night Stand Blush palette from the end of this year.

Lorac
Lorac's hit product, hands down, is the Pro Palette that has rivaled the popularity of the Urban Decay's Naked Collection. I do not own the pro palette (soon perhaps!) but I did pick up the Pro To Go palette they released last year with a bronzer, 2 blushes, and 6 eyeshadows (3 mattes). A standout product of 2013 for me, I really loved it for travel, and even found myself using it at home, especially the cheek colors.

Bare Minerals
I hovered around the Buxom station in Sephora a few times this past year but never picked anything up. And then the holiday collections came out and bam. I now own my own little collection worthy of its own stand at Sephora. I picked up the Convertible Ready eyeshadow palette (which I have yet to use), and the Bring on the Night set (a FANTASTIC deal, again, haven't tried it yet). In addition, for Christmas, I received a Buxom Passport Collection set from my boyfriend. And no, I haven't tried that either.

Tarte
The only product I had ever used from Tarte before this year was the Lights, Camera, Lashes mascara I owned back in university. Around the holidays I picked up the Tarte of Giving "Collector's set" that was probably the best deal of the holidays. An eyeshadow palette, 8 mini lipglosses, a mini blush, a cheek stain, a mini mascara, and a couple skincare items, this makes the perfect thing for me to dip my toes into Tarte.

So yes, I did alot of makeup shopping over the past couple months. And alot of the stuff I haven't even tried yet. But I have all year! I do not plan to make any other beauty purchases in 2014, save for either the Lorac Pro Palette or the It Cosmetics Naturally Pretty Matte Luxe Palette. I do realize that I went a little overboard in the past couple months, so I need to take it easy and start using the things I bought/received.

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, by Jenny Ahna

Beauty

Chanel Natural Finish Loose Powder

I picked up Chanel's Natural Finish Loose Powder a couple years ago while I was on vacation in New York City and I wanted to treat myself to a little something luxurious. And in my defense, I had run out of my MAC Prep and Prime Loose Powder so technically was in the market for a replacement. This is the only Chanel makeup product I own, but I am interested in acquiring more, specifically their lipsticks and blushes.

As the name suggests, this is a loose powder that is supposed to give a natural finish to the skin when applied.

My shade is 40 Dore, which is a tiny bit dark for my NC25 skin tone, but I can get away with it as long as I don't pack it on, otherwise it can provide an unwanted oompa loompa effect along with the natural finish. Be aware that it is not a completely matte powder, but has some fine shimmers that are virtually undetectable but add a small bit of illumination to the skin (which I guess is the "natural" effect).

It gives me hardly any coverage, but gives me color. It also makes my skin feel very soft and smooth. The fine shimmers in the powder help it to impart a luminous look to whatever foundation I'm wearing, and make it look expensive, if you can believe that. I tend to wear it on top of a fuller coverage powder and it makes my face look more natural and less powdery.

I don't notice it make my foundation last any longer than normal, but I like the natural look it gives. It also doesn't do much to keep my oil under control, but it's also not a mattifying powder, in my opinion. If I wanted a mattifying powder, I would look more in the direction of Rimmel Stay Matte or MAC Studio Fix Powder.

Should I buy it?

Of course, one can spend less than 10% of the price and find a great drugstore alternative loose powder if all they're looking for is a makeup setting powder. I also don't think this is a good purchase if you are hoping for oil control. It gives an almost matte look, but won't do much to absorb the oils on the skin once they start coming through.

For people looking to splurge on a loose powder, this is one is unique because of it's luminosity so it really does give a natural and healthy look. A little goes a very long way with it (and it's huge!) which helps justify the price. No, I don't think this is a must-have/blow your socks off product that everyone needs in their makeup stash. But it is a good one, and it delivers on its promises.

Chanel Natural Finish Loose Powder sells for 52 USD and can be found at Chanel counters in Nordstrom and Bloomingdales.

*This post was created based on my experience with the product mentioned and my recommendation based on opinions derived from my experience. All opinions are my own and this product was purchased by myself.

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, by Jenny Ahna

Pages

Beauty Declutter: Things I want to Use Up in 2016

2015 Empties Grand Finale and Reflection on Minimalism

October/November Empties and Minimalism Update

Winter Empties [March - April]

Closer Look| Origins Drink Up Intensive Overnight Mask

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January Products I've Used Up

My Bedside Arsenal

Winter Must Haves

2cents on | LORAC Pro To Go Palette

Beauty Brands I was Introduced to in 2013

Chanel Natural Finish Loose Powder

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