The Morning Haze

For the past couple of years cosmetics marketing has been gracious and effective at targeting customers--from Instagram sponsorships to sending Youtubers absurd amounts of makeup in order to get "randomly" featured in a Favorites video. Social media has been especially powerful in feeding this idea that you definitely have to have it right now. In turn, there are many makeup collection videos around that not only are fascinating but can make a professional makeup artist blush.

But not all of us are famous bloggers or jet-setting makeup artists. Some of us end with a huge selection of beauty products--lots of them used maybe twice, a few tucked away in boxes because of their sheer cuteness and only a few staples that we use every single day. About a year ago I found myself in that place, overflowing with lipstick that I seldom wore and eye shadow that was only used on special occasions. I realized it was all too much, and decided to take action. I started by giving away the items I realized could no longer be a part of my kit or else would go rancid. My sister, cousins and roommates got the better end of the deal here. I had three purges throughout the year, my collection was reduced to a quarter of what it once was.

Then, I discovered tags like #projectpan and #projectfinishit where people were determined to use the makeup they already own instead of going starry eyed and throwing money at whatever was new at the moment. The collective effort to not only save money but to be more mindful of the stuff we have was definitely refreshing, and it was clear cheering each other on was one of the best parts of it. I started partaking in the challenge, trying to get through two lipsticks, my beloved e.l.f. brow kit, and a NYX concealer. I finished all of them but one, and it has taught me about the real added value of things we put on our face everyday. It also reminded of why I bought each of these products in the first place.

Now I am here to document another hopefully successful attempt at "shopping my stash" and finishing what I own.


1. Milani Baked Blush in Luminoso. I have had this for a very long time and I am more than halfway through, so it makes sense to bring it in to the challenge. I absolutely love this shade of blush, it is just gorgeous.
2. Clarins Instant Concealer. I got this last year for my graduation makeup and it is good for undereye concealing but I think at one point the bottle got a little bit too warm and now it seems inflated and liquid oozes out every time I open it. The quality is the same, I just want to move on from it.
3. MAC Studio Fix Powder Foundation. I got this only last November and it has gotten quite a lot of action. I like the coverage and finish but oil-control is still not the best.
4. Sumita Beauty Kala Color Intense Pencil. I got this in a subscription box some time ago and like it a lot for the staying power and the pigmentation. Looking forward to finally finish it!
5. Tarte LipSurgence Skintuitive Lip Tint. This was part of a kit I got as a birthday present and I like to wear this for everyday because I like the feel and it keeps my lips moisturized. Not a huge fan of the color.

I'll be checking in next month to see how I've done!

- Linda

Over the years, I have gone from a very intricate routine of face makeup that involved full-coverage foundation, concealer, and lots of face powder. Thankfully for my complexion those days are long gone, and now my makeup routine is relatively simple and I have found products that work in harmony with my very tempestuous skin type.

I have three products here that are pretty much the same in terms of what they do, but one of them is being marketed as a BB Cream (although I think of it as a very lightweight foundation). When concealing alone just will not do, I rotate through these depending on what finish I want and what my skin needs at the moment.



1. Rimmel London BB Cream Matte. Even though it is marketed as a BB Cream, as I said I feel this works better as a very lightweight, sheer-to-medium foundation. It controls my oil rather well and instead of flat-out matte it seems to set as a satin finish instead. It has SPF 15, which is a big plus. Love to wear this in the colder months when my skin is looking a little bit dull.
2. Rimmel London Stay Matte Liquid Mousse Foundation. I was lucky enough to get this from Influenster ages ago, and fell it in love with it ever since. It has a thick texture and a little bit goes a long way, providing great coverage and a true matte finish. Beware of not exfoliating or moisturizing while wearing this, as it can cling to dry patches. Not a big fan of the shade range since my face looks a bit lighter at first when I apply it, so I might get the next darker shade and mix the two.
3. Clarins Ever Matte Skin Balancing Foundation. I just found out this was discontinued in the US! My heart just broke and it makes me want to hold onto this forever. I bought this last year as graduation pictures started to roll around. Even with SPF 15, my face did not have a white cast in the pictures, and my skin looked incredibly natural for the amount of makeup I had on. Not such great oil control but still a lovely foundation to use.

My Clarins foundation is usually reserved for special occasions and knowing I will not be able to repurchase opens a new door in the realm of high-end foundation search. Not going to lie, I am excited about it. Who knows, there might be a whole post devoted to it in the future.

- Linda

Recently I read an Into The Gloss article about facial mists and, being relatively new to the concept it was definitely intriguing and fascinating. I currently own only Avéne Eau Thermale spray that I use mostly every day after washing my face. Even though I love it and will continue to use, I find it does not set my makeup as good as I want it to.

One of the items from the ITG article that caught my eye instantly was the Supergoop! Defense Refresh Setting Mist with Rosemary ($28). Supergoop! already has an impressive range of effective sunscreens and I've been using their Sun-Defying Sunscreen Oil for a long time. On my last trip to Sephora I picked this up among some other repurchases, such as the Sephora brand cotton pads and the Clinique eye makeup remover.



This setting mist has SPF 50, which I believe is incredibly important. Over the last few years I have been incorporating sunscreen religiously into my skincare routine and have seen vast improvements. The slightly-strong scent of rosemary and mint is my favorite--although it does have a sunscreen-y aroma to it.

It is described as a "matte finish three-in-one: sets make-up, controls oil and delivers UV photoaging protection." Now, ever since I moved to Oregon the thought of using sunscreen every day was sort of an eyebrow-raising thought, but the summer is still here and with that, lovely Oregon sun and seemingly perfect temperatures. I like to walk around a lot and even when I am not wearing makeup I will spritz this on my face.

My nose turns red easily when I am not wearing sunscreen and when wearing this did not happen, so I can speak for its effectiveness in the sunscreen department. My makeup seemed to stay in my face and not my belongings, which was a nice change. Oil control was also a pleasant surprise. My face is usually horribly oily by the 1-hr mark but with this it was not until after five hours that I started to see significant shine.

Even with the ever-present sunscreen smell (that thankfully disappears after a minute), I am pleased to say I was right in my intuitions and will continue to use this whenever I am having a long day of meetings and classes. This works quite well, and I'm even considering getting the travel sized version.

- Linda

Leaving Tumblr certainly feels refreshing.