My Stash: Lipsticks Part 1, Revlon

Revlon is my go-to brand for lip products.  Their Super Lustrous line has so many colors and finishes to choose a perfect shade.  The formulas are rich and pigmented, with many that are able to cover my two-tone lips.  My collection is the culmination of a year of obsessing over building a varied lipstick collection.  I've tried many more Revlon lipsticks than these, and I'm glad that US drugstores have a generous return policy!

From left:  026 Abstract Orange, 028 Cherry Blossom (Fall 2012 LE), 465 Plumalicious, 473 Mauvy Night, 477 Black Cherry, 640 Blackberry, 660 Berry Haute, 671 Mink, 745 Raspberry Bite, 

750 Kiss Me Coral.

From top, left to right:  Cherry Blossom, Raspberry Bite, Blackberry, Abstract Orange, Black Cherry, Kiss Me Coral, Mauvy Night, Plumalicious, Berry Haute, Mink

I also fell completely into the hype that the Revlon lip butters caused last year.  New product + retail therapy = this:

From left:  010 Raspberry Pie, 020 Brown Sugar, 030 Fig Jam, 040 Red Velvet, 050 Berry Smoothie, 070 Cherry Tart, 085 Sugar Plum

The hype for these is all real for me.  I love the consistency and feel that it is perfect for my lips.  Lipstick tends to dry out my lips, so I do not wear them everyday.  I'm able to wear these everyday with no problems.  I also like to alternate between a lipstick and a lip butter of a similar color during the same day to minimize dryness. 

I have ten Revlon lipsticks.  This is enough for me, especially since I can't tolerate everyday lipstick wearing.  As for the lip butters, seven seems like a lot, but they are a staple and I use them constantly.  I've used up two completely and my Cherry Tart is running low as well.  Therefore, I won't set a limit for myself on these.  In fact, I'm on the hunt for the new colors!

My Stash: Lip Glosses

Now I must chronicle one of the most numbered parts of my stash: my lip products.

 

I have so many that I have to break this up into several posts.  First up, lip glosses!

Empties, 2nd Edition

It's time for another edition of Empties!

These are all the products that I finished during the months of January and February.  I'm finding that it isn't that hard to finish products when you focus on certain ones instead of dabbling in everything.

My Stash: Foundations

They are a necessary evil for me.

Since I've gotten really obsessive with makeup, I've been on the hunt for the perfect foundation.  I need it to be easy to apply (preferably with fingers), be a good color match, provide a demi-matte finish, blur imperfections without looking like a mask, and cost less than 20 bucks.

Am I asking for too much?

Well, at this point I am at a good working place.  I have foundations that work well for me, but not perfectly.  There's always something a bit off!

First, the liquids:

 

From Left:  Revlon Colorstay for Combination/Oily Skin in 360 Rich Ginger and 400 Caramel, Maybelline Mineral Power Foundation in Dark 2 Caramel (discontinued), Revlon Colorstay Whipped in Caramel, Covergirl Natureluxe in 365 Chestnut and 360 Nutmeg (discontinued).

Revlon Colorstay: It's a classic and my go-to for weddings and other all-day events. It wears all day and only requires minimal blotting.  I mix Rich Ginger and Caramel in different ratios to match my skintone throughout the year.  It works well, though I'm discovering that both shades are a little too pink/red for my skintone.

Revlon Colorstay Whipped: This also wears well, but not as well as the original. I love the texture! This would be a good foundation if I had a better color match.  Caramel is a little too dark and red, and Rich Ginger (which I tried, then swapped away) was waaaaay too light.  Maybe Revlon will come out with a shade between Rich Ginger and Caramel that would be a good match for me.

Maybelline Mineral Power: foundation is a good color match, but its silicone-y finish transfers easily.  Even if it was an awesome foundation, it's discontinued, so I still need an alternative.

Covergirl Natureluxe: This foundation met my finish requirements. It is easy to apply with fingers and dries to a semi-matte finish.  The undertones were just right, too; most foundations are too red for me.  However, I could not find a perfect skintone match. 


I also have liquid foundations:

Clockwise from left:  Avon Ideal Shade Cream-to-Powder Foundation in H304 Earth (discontinued), L'Oreal True Match Powder Foundation in c7 Nut Brown, Black Radiance Pressed Powder in Creamy Beige, Black Opal Oil Absorbing Pressed Powder.

Avon Ideal Shade: Maybe once upon a time this was a good match, but now it's a shade too dark and the undertones are too red.  I haven't used this in a while, but I remember it applying well, looking good, and not breaking me out.

L'Oreal True Match: This powder is the best match to my skin right now.  It evens out my skintone well and blurs imperfections.  This is my everyday go-to for a natural, everyday look. The only thing this doesn't do is control oil, and I have my Black Opal powder for that.   I've already repurchased this for when I run out.

Black Radiance Pressed Powder: I achieved a natural look effortlessly with this powder, but Creamy Beige is too red a shade for me.  I wish that the colors were easier to tell apart in the store.

Black Opal:  This is not a foundation, but it completes my collection of pressed face powders.  I talk about it here.

So I have seven foundations, some in more than one shade, which makes for nine foundations in my stash.  In my opinion, this is too many.   I only want three to four at the most: one or two powder foundations, a lighter liquid foundation for everyday wear, and a medium to full coverage foundation for a more flawless look.  To achieve this goal, I will purge what isn't working for me and throw away the expiring foundations.  I'll stay on the hunt to fufill my foundation, but resist the temptation to become a foundation junkie.

Empties, 1st Edition

Since December 1st, I've been saving my empties in anticipation of this blog.  Like others who do this, I like to take a moment and reflect on my thoughts on what I've thrown away.  I've seen this done a lot across the internets, so it's hard to pin the original idea on one particular person.  I do, however, want to shout out Liz at BeautyReductionista because hers were the first empties I saw in blog form.

  

1.  Vaseline Cocoa Butter Deep Conditioning Extra Care Cream - This cream is very nice for softening and smoothing rough, dry areas.  In the winter, I like to layer it with my regular body lotion to add a little extra moisture and keep me from being itchy and scratching my legs raw.  I have a few body creams to finish up, but I will definitely repurchase. 

2.  Avon Bubble Bath in Vanilla Cream for Dry Skin - This makes a lot of bubbles and does not irritate me or dry out my skin.  I already have another bottle of this in my bathroom cabinet. 

3.  Softsoap Milk Protein & Honey Hand Soap - I highly recommend this! It smells good, cleans well, and does not leave my hands ashy.  It's been a staple in my household for years, and will be again once I finish the Bath & Body Works soaps I recently bought.

4.  Alberto VO5 Kiwi Lime Squeeze Clarifying Conditioner - Another staple!  I use this to cleanse my hair between shampoos.  It smells good and leaves no buildup. 

5.  Equate Nourishing Nail Polish Remover with Vitamin E - In my opinion, nail polish remover is pretty much all the same, at least on the drugstore level.  I tend to buy whatever store brand I see when I need more.  However, I did buy Zoya Remove+ just to see if it is any better than anything else I normally buy.

6. Equate Rejuvenating Toner - This is a dupe for the Proactiv Revitalizing Toner, and both products are awesome for my skin.  I'm cheap, however, so I brave the Wal-Mart craziness to pick this up.  I have acne-prone skin, and this toner keeps dirt and dead skin from building up on my face and exacerbating breakouts.  This is a rebuy, over and over again. 

7. Palmer's Cocoa Butter Formula Concentrated Cream - Good for all the dry spots! I like to alternate between this and many other creams, so it may be a while, but I'm sure I'll repurchase this at some point.  Also, the smell of this stuff is so yummy! 

8. Avon Foot Works Intensive Moisture Foot Cream - I love this cream because I can rub it into my feet, wait a minute or two, then put on my socks/shoes/sandals without worrying about greasiness.  I use this year-round, and stock up on it when it's on sale.  It's normally $5.00, but I have gotten it for as low as $1.99 in the past. 

9. Pond's Clarant B3 Anti-Dark Spots Moisturizer - I don't think this really helped my dark spots, but it is a great moisturizer!  It hydrates without breaking me out or feeling heavy.  I used this morning and night.  I plan to rebuy, but I have to finish some other creams first. 

10. Dove Invisible Solid, Fresh Scent - It keeps me dry and it doesn't make my underarm eczema worse. I've been buying Dove for years, switching between different scents.

 

11.  Simply Smart Lotion - This is a lotion you can only get from Holiday Inn hotel rooms.  I spent three days at one thirteen months ago, and I enjoyed the one left in my room so much that I went to the front desk and asked for a few more!  It's a light lotion that smells faintly of cinnamon rolls.  There's at least two more in my stash, so I'll enjoy it while it lasts....or until I stay in a Holiday Inn again.

12.  Yardley Naturally Moisturizing Bath Bar in Honey Vanilla Creme (Limited Edition) - This was released during the 2012 holiday season, but it may still be available in stores.  I'm a sucker for Honey or Vanilla anything, so when I saw this in Walgreens I had to try it.  I enjoyed it so much, I went back and bought five more!  This soap smells more creamy than honeyed or vanillic, but it's still nice.  Plus it lathers well, rinses clean, and doesn't overdry my skin.  I'll enjoy these while they last, then consider buying one of the permanent varieties.

13.  Fresh Sugar Rose Tinted Lip Treatment SPF 15 - This was part of my Sephora birthday gift along with its untinted counterpart.  My lips are really pigmented, so the tint barely showed up on my lips.  However, it felt nice on my lips, sinking in and smoothing them out.  The softness of the balm was bothersome, melting at the slightest bit of warmth.  I won't repurchase because this is pricey for a lip balm and inexpensive balms suit me fine.

16.  St.  Ives Naturally Clear Green Tea Scrub - I actually didn't finish this because it burned my face.  I'm surprised, actually, because my skin is pretty tough.

17.  Nivea Kiss of Berry Swirl Vitamin Enriched Lip Care SPF 10 - I couldn't even try this out because I hoarded it for too long and the sunscreen expired.  I previously mentioned it here.

And now, for my crowning achievement in usage....an actual makeup product!

18.  Revlon Colorburst Lip Butter in Fig Jam - My favorite lip butter out of the many I own.  The peachy-red-brown color is just enough to brighten up my face, even when wearing no other makeup.  It doesn't dry out my lips, so I can use it as a balm in a pinch.  My only complaint is that its soft consistency can cause it to smear on the edges of the tube.  Because of that, I only turn the tube a tiny bit and expose the bare minimum of product before using.  I have repurchased and will continue to do so as long as Revlon makes this product.

I think I've done well so far, and I intend to continue.  There's no usefulness in my having a bloated, unused stash.

My Stash Part 1: Eyeshadows

Part of my mission to limit my stash involves documenting what is in it.  I believe that if I can see what I have, I will be better able to resist the temptation to add more items.  First up is my eyeshadow collection.

Neutral Singles

From far left, clockwise:  Revlon Platinum Glimmer, Revlon Rich Sable, Sephora Collection Cocoa Powder, Sephora Collection Coffee Brown, Wet 'n' Wild Nutty, Urban Decay Toasted, Urban Decay Smog, Sephora Collection Cafe Latte, Wet 'n' Wild Brule, Wet 'n' Wild Penny.

Middle:  Wet 'n' Wild Panther, Mark Magic

Not a bad one in the bunch!  I enjoy all these shadows, particularly the Soft Sable to fill in my eyebrows. 

Colorful Singles

From bottom left, clockwise:  Wet 'n' Wild Envy, Urban Decay Shattered, Haight, Dashiki;  Wet 'n' Wild Lagoon, Urban Decay Psychedelic Sister and Ecstasy;  Smashbox Cabernet, Laura Mercier Kir Royal.

Middle:  Mark Pool, Urban Decay AC/DC.

I really want ALL the blues, greens, and purples, but I think this is plenty to play with for now.

Color Tattoos and Infallibles

From top, left to right:  L'Oreal Infallible in Eternal Black, Maybelline Color Tattoo in Rich Mahogany,  Infallibles in Perpetual Purple and Bronzed Taupe, Color Tattoos in Tough as Taupe and  Pomegranate Punk, Infallible in Midnight Blue, and Color Tattoos in Tenacious Teal and Audacious Asphalt.

Now that the craze over these has subsided, a few comments:

1. These are all worth a try.
2. I think I got sucked into the hype a bit.  If I could go back, I would not have acquired the Eternal Black.  I suck at making it look good.   
3. Rich Mahogany, and all the other Fall 2012 Limited Edition Color Tattoos, should be made permanent. 
4. Rich Mahogany + Bronzed Taupe = go-to neutral eye look.

Palettes

 Clockwise from top left:  Wet 'n' Wild Vanity, Urban Decay Rollergirl, Wet 'n' Wild Lust, Wet 'n' Wild Pride, Wet 'n' Knock on Wood, Black Radiance Downtown Browns, Wet 'n' Wild I Got Good Jeans, Wet 'n' Wild Comfort Zone, MUA Makeup Academy Undressed

 

The Rollergirl palette is my favorite, favorite, favorite!  Oddly, the Lust and Pride palettes are not all that awesome.


I own a total of 23 single powder eyeshadows, 5 creams, 4 Infallibles, and 10 palettes with 64 shadows among them.  This makes a grand total of 96 shadows.  Ninety-six isn't THAT bad, is it?  Well, I plan on maintaining my stash right here.  I'd like to consolidate my single shadows and a few of the palettes into a couple of freeform palettes, getting rid of some of the Wet 'n' Wild duds in the process.  I haven't played with the Milani palette at all, but I plan to keep it to satisfy the bright eyeshadow urge.  

By the way, 96 is a multiple of 3 which is my favorite number!  I'm such a nerd.