Project Pan #7: 6 Months Of Makeup Empties

I think it's time for another Project Pan post, don't you think? I love doing these with my makeup products. It's a fun way to 'shop your stash' without needing to buy anything new of course, and it's oh-so-satisfying when you finally use something up!

Regular readers will know that I've been doing Project Pans for a number of years now and they still remain one of my most requested posts. But if you're new to all of this and have no idea what a Project Pan is, let me quickly go over some details to help you catch up.

A Project Pan is where you choose a number of products to either completely use up or 'hit pan' on, within a certain timeframe. I first heard about the concept from several makeup community groups, but they have since grown to incorporate any type of beauty product from skincare, haircare to body care and even items like candles - you can basically do a Project Pan for anything that you like! 

I tend to focus mine on makeup as I like to include other beauty products in my monthly Empties posts (which are you can check out here). For this latest PP, I set myself the goal of using up 15 makeup items in 6 months, which sadly was a little too ambitious as I ended on 11, but nevertheless, I'll count it as an achievement anyway ;)

Here's what I used up:-

Tropic Tinted Skin Shade SPF 50 in Medium/Dark*

The only base product that I finished up was this Tinted Skin Shade from Tropic which is a fantastic tinted mineral facial sunscreen and one of my favourite products to use on a hot and sunny day - I think this is the second or third tube that I've gone through. I really loved the light-medium coverage, the SPF 50 sun protection and the fact that it didn't feel greasy or heavy on the skin. It's cruelty-free and vegan-friendly too. Repurchase? Definitely.

NYX High Definition Eyeshadow Base

I have quite oily eyelids so an eyeshadow base/primer is a must-have to prevent shadows from creasing. I decided to pick this one from up from NYX after reading so many positive reviews, and whilst it worked very well and is a much cheaper alternative, I still don't think it's as good as the Urban Decay Primer Potion, unfortunately. Repurchase? Probably not.

Lily Lolo Big Lash Mascara*

After being somewhat disappointed by Lily Lolo's Natural Mascara, I didn't have high hopes for their Big Lash Mascara, but I was pleased to be wrong! This is one of the best natural mascaras that I've ever tried, and I've tried a LOT! It lengthens, darkens, adds volume, doesn't flake or smudge and gives you big, full lashes. Amazing stuff. Repurchase? Yes.

Becca Ultimate Coverage Concealing Creme in Butterscotch

Words cannot describe how much I love this concealer and it must be the third pot that I've used up since discovering it a couple of years ago. A little goes a long way as it's so thick and pigmented (I've had this pot for well over a year), and I find that it covers up practically everything, but it's especially useful for stubborn blemish and acne marks thanks to its full-coverage abilities. Repurchase? Definitely.

bareMinerals Lash Domination Volumizing Mascara (travel size)

This was a great mascara - it separates, lengthens, adds volume, doesn't smudge or flake, but I only managed to get about two or three uses out of it before it dried up. I'm not sure if this happened because it was a travel size that I received in an online GWP, so I'd need to research reviews of the full-size to double-check before purchasing another. Repurchase? Not sure.

PIXI Lash Line Ink

Another product that dried up very quickly (in less than a month of opening it) was this liquid eyeliner pen from PIXI. I loved the richly pigmented formula and the skinny nib for creating easy cat-eye flicks, however, there are other liquid eyeliners out there that last considerably longer! Repurchase? I have another one so I'll use that up and see if the same thing happens.

B. Sculpt & Highlight Contour in 02 Medium*

It takes me forever to use up products like blushers, bronzers and highlighters so I was very pleased that I finished off this dual-ended contour stick from B. One end has a nude highlight and the other has a medium-toned contour shade (see swatches here), both of which are matte and cream formulas which blend effortlessly into the skin. Super easy to use and very convenient to have in your makeup bag, especially if you travel a lot. One of the best budget makeup products that I've ever used. Repurchase? Yes.

Living Nature Lipstick in Bloom*

I'm a creature of habit when it comes to lipsticks and will often carry a couple of different shades in my handbag and basically wear them to death! It's no surprise then that I used up this beauty from Living Nature. Bloom is a gorgeous everyday pink that looks particularly amazing in the Spring and Summer months. You can see a swatch of it here. Repurchase? I'm tempted but I have so many similar lipsticks that I'd like to finish off first.

NEEK Skin Organics Natural Lipstick in Come Into My World*

This lippie is more of a pale/nude pink that had a lovely matte formula. It's one that I would reach for when I wanted to pair it with a smokey eye for a night out and it looks equally as pretty just worn for every day - see a swatch here. Repurchase? Again, I have too many similar shades to use up!

Pacifica Devocean Natural Lipstick in Tenderness*

Another easy to wear, gorgeous everyday shade is Pacifica's Tenderness which is part of their Devocean Natural Lipsticks range. It's a little lighter than my natural lip colour but not as pale as the NEEK lipstick above, so it provided a good 'in-between' colour option. Repurchase? I'd definitely buy this again at some point in the near future!

Charlotte Tilbury Full Fat Lashes (travel size)

Despite loving pretty much everything else from Charlotte Tilbury, this mascara was sadly a bit of a let down as I found it very clumpy and it gave me smudgy panda eyes (not a cute look!). Not for me. Repurchase? No.

Have you ever done a Project Pan?

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Project Pan #6: 6 Months Of Makeup Empties

Fans of Marie Kondo and the decluttering trend will love the concept of a Project Pan, especially if you want to streamline your makeup collection and stop wasting money on products that you never use.

I've been a keen Project Panner for a long time now and although it might sound strange, I find it hugely satisfying to use up a makeup product. Similar to my popular monthly Empties posts that contain skincare and bodycare items that I've finished off, I've been saving my make-up empties for these six-month Project Pan posts to keep track of what I've been using up.

If you haven't heard of a Project Pan before, it's basically where you choose a number of makeup products from your collection to completely use up, and often, many Project Panners will tie this in with doing a No Buy challenge (e.g they won't buy any more mascara until their opened ones are finished off first). It's a great way to save money, clear out any old or expired products (I generally do this before choosing my products), and rediscover some old makeup favourites that you may have pushed to the back of the drawer and forgotten about.

So! Here are the results are my latest six-month Project Pan if you're curious to find out what I've been mainly using recently and whether I would repurchase any of them again. I initially chose 20 products as my target, but fell a little short of the mark and finished up 17 instead - but that's still pretty good going for me!

Tweezerman Browmousse

My brows have a mind of their own if I don't tame them with something and I've used Tweezerman's Browmousse in the past with good results. Another one arrived via a beauty box and I like it because it doesn't flake or go crunchy throughout the day. Repurchase? There are cheaper, similar products out there so probably not. 

Collection Super Size Fat Lash Mascara

Another beauty box find but one that was totally rubbish to be frank! It gave me panda eyes within an hour of wearing it and dried out quickly too. Repurchase? Nope!

Lily Lolo Mineral Blush in Ooh La La

It's incredibly rare that I repurchase blushers because they take an eternity to use up, but I loved this one so much that I immediately bought it again when I lost the original on holiday. Ooh La La is a gorgeous everyday pink that instantly makes my complexion look healthier and more awake. It's only taken me about three years to finish this one up! Repurchase? I'm sure I will at some point.

Eyeko Fat Liquid Eyeliner*

Whilst I adore Eyeko's Black Magic Liquid Eyeliner, this Fat one was really disappointing. The nib is just way too chunky to work with IMO, although it does have great pigmentation and staying power. Repurchase? Not for me. 

RMS Beauty Un-Cover Up in 22*

Featured in a previous Project Pan here, this multi-purpose foundation and concealer is a firm favourite of mine and I can imagine that I'll always have one of these in my makeup collection. My shade is 22 which is a perfect match for my skin tone and I just love the light-medium, buildable coverage that it offers. Repurchase? Yes.

Laura Mercier Second Skin Cheek Colour in Orange Blossom

LM's Second Skin Cheek Colours are some of the most flattering blushers that I've ever tried and this shade Orange Blossom has been in my stash for a long time. The formula is beautifully light and blends so easily (hence the name), and this colour was simply sheer peachy goodness. Repurchase? I think these may have been discontinued? :(

Doucce Fierce & Fine Graphic Pen Liner*

Argh, this is one of those annoying liquid eyeliners which is amazing in every possible way (staying power, pigmentation, ultra-fine skinny nib for precise flicks etc), but it dried up within a month of opening it! Repurchase? No.

Charlotte Tilbury Magic Foundation in 5 Medium

If someone asked me today to pick a holy grail liquid foundation, it would be Charlotte Tilbury's Magic Foundation without a doubt. It covers all of my imperfections but doesn't make me feel or look like I'm wearing a thick mask. Worth every penny, though the bottle is a nightmare to get the last remnants out of. Repurchase? Yes.

Munio Miscui Skin Perfecting Veil in Nude*

I was very kindly given another one of these beauties at a blogger event last year and it's been my go-to setting powder ever since. Super finely milled, it's talc and preservatives free and gives the most natural looking 'my skin but better' finish. Repurchase? Yes.

Jane Iredale Smooth Affair Primer & Brightener*

One of my favourite primers, Jane Iredale's Smooth Affair goes on like silk and provides a lovely base for makeup, whilst also making your skin look brighter and more glowy. Many supermodels use it as a hangover/long flight pick me up and I can see why! Repurchase? Definitely want to buy the full-size.

Ilia Tinted Lip Conditioner in Nobody's Baby

For the ultimate low maintenance, throw it in your handbag and re-apply without a mirror lip product, you can't go wrong with the Ilia Tinted Lip Conditioners. Nobody's Baby is their everyday neutral pink shade and I'm pretty sure this is the second or third tube that I've gone through. It's very moisturising and has a lovely glossy finish. Repurchase? Yes.

Clinique Colour Pop in Nude Pop

This lippie from Clinique is sort of similar to Nobody's Baby, but it offers more colour and is more of a standard satin lipstick finish. I liked it a lot, however I did find that it dried out my lips every now and then. Repurchase? Probably not.

Kiko Long Lasting Eyeshadow Stick in 06

I find cream eyeshadow sticks so easy to use as you can simply swipe them on, blend with your fingers and you're good to go, so I reached for this quite often on a day-to-day basis when I was in a rush in the morning. 06 is a great shimmery bronzey/taupe shade that accentuates dark brown eyes beautifully. Repurchase? Yes.  

MEMI Expert Liner*

I'm not having much luck with liquid eyeliners lately - this is very similar to the Doucce one above as it performed so well and was really easy to use, but again, I found that it dried up too quickly for my liking (and I always make sure the lids are on properly - how disappointing!). Repurchase? No.

Charlotte Tilbury Mini Miracle Eye Wand in 2

This is Charlotte's answer to the Touche Eclat and it features a double ended tip with a brightening concealer on one side and an eye cream on the other. I LOVE the concealer end but the eye cream side proved to be too heavy, greasy and rich for my skin which is a such a shame because it puts me off buying it again as I loathe wasting product. Repurchase? No, but I'll try out her other concealers instead.

Doucce Maxlash Volumizer Mascara*

I was very impressed with this mascara - it gave me massive, wide awake lashes and definitely helped to lengthen, thicken and define them so it's a great all-rounder! Repurchase? Yes.

GOSH Forever Eyeshadow Metallic Eyeshadow Stick in 03 Light Copper

GOSH are a hugely underrated makeup brand IMO and their eyeshadow sticks are comparable with the KIKO ones above in terms of price and performance. They glide on easily and stay put all day, what more could you ask for? This shade 03 Light Copper is brilliant for brightening up the waterline or simply adding a glossy sheen of coppery gold all over the lids. Repurchase? Yes.

Have you ever done a Project Pan?

Have you tried any of the products that I used up?

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Project Pan #5: 6 Months Of Makeup Empties

It's time for the results of another Project Pan! I've been doing a PP since around Feb/March, so this is roughly six months worth of makeup empties and it's been a challenge!

Whilst I find it relatively easy to use up skincare and body products (as you'll no doubt have seen in my monthly empties posts), finishing up makeup items is a completely different ball game. This is probably because I don't wear makeup every single day, and when I do, I like to experiment a little and reach for a different lipstick or blusher, so it takes me a long time to fully use something up.

I love doing Project Pans because they encourage you to use the makeup that you have (it's a fantastic way to cut down on those impulse buys!) and it allows you some time to properly rediscover a bunch of products that you may have neglected. You can check out my previous completed Project Pans here.

For this PP, I pulled out 10 full-size makeup products that I really wanted to use up, and a couple of samples/minis as well. Here's how I got on and what I would consider repurchasing again.

Superdrug Deep Action Mattifying Shine Control Papers (featured here)

Have used these for years and they come in very handy when you're out and about, so are perfect for keeping in your bag for a quick touch up. They blot away any shine and don't disrupt your makeup. Repurchase? I'm currently using some from Mai Couture at the moment which I prefer, but I'd pick these up again as a budget-friendly option.

MOSSA Skin Perfector BB Cream in Soft Beige

I wasn't a fan of this at all! I found the formula too thick and greasy, and the colour quickly oxidised on me. Repurchase? No.

Dr Hauschka Tinted Day Cream

This was OK and provided a little more coverage which I liked as it still looked fresh, however, I feel that it would be better suited for drier skin types than mine. Repurchase? No.

Juice Beauty Phyto-Pigments Illuminating Primer* (reviewed here)

It was a very sad day when this primer ran out as it's one of the best that I've ever tried! I absolutely loved using it and it created such a beautiful brightening base each and every time. My skin loved it as well as I never had any breakout or clogged pore problems from using it on a regular basis. Repurchase? As much as I want to, I have some other primers to use up first, though I'm sure we'll meet again in the near future! 

Giorgio Armani Skin Defense Primer SPF 50* (reviewed here)

Although I initially really liked this primer, I slowly began to fall out of love with it about halfway through the bottle because the formula began to get quite thick and gloopy, despite still being well in date. For such an expensive primer, I would rather spend my money on the Juice Beauty one above, rather than risk buying this again and being unable to use the latter half of the bottle. Repurchase? No.

NARS Audacious Mascara in Black Moon

This was OK, but it didn't impress me enough to want to purchase a full-size and I feel that there are plenty of much better mascaras out there that are half the price of this one. Repurchase? No.

Ciate Wonderland Mascara (reviewed here)

Case in point, if you are after a quality high-end mascara, buy this one from Ciate instead! I've repurchased it twice now (always when there's been a discount code or offer on though) and it's fantastic. Gives me big lashes and reminds me a lot of Too Faced's Better Than Sex Mascara. Repurchase? Yes.

GOSH Blown Away Mascara* (reviewed here)

Like I mentioned in my original review, I wasn't 'blown away' by this mascara at all. It's OK for everyday/natural looks, but ultimately, I prefer a much bigger and volumised lash so this wasn't for me. Repurchase? No.

Daniel Sandler Invisible Blotting Powder* (reviewed here)

Wow, this felt like it lasted forever! I remember hitting pan on it around Christmas time! This is a brilliant translucent pressed powder which is perfect for producing a matte finish. It never looks cakey or powdery, and really does live up to its 'invisible' name. Repurchase? Tempted! 

Lord & Berry Intensity Satin Lipstick in Brick

This was a gorgeous 90s brown-toned, reddy pink and had a similar formula to MAC's Amplified Lipsticks which I loved. I found myself wearing this shade a lot during the start of the year around Jan-April, so I was glad to have finished it up a few months ago as I've had it my makeup collection for ages! Repurchase? I have a couple of lipsticks that are a similar shade so it's a no for now.

MAC Cremesheen Lipstick in Creme Cup (reviewed here)

Creme Cup is one of those classic MAC shades and it's such a perfect pale pink nude that looks amazing with a smokey eye. It's also one of the few MAC lipsticks that I've ever repurchased which goes to show how much I must have liked it! Repurchase? I'm holding off as it takes me forever to use up a lipstick, and I do already have shades that are probably dupes. I will save this for Back2Mac though!

Kat Von D Tattoo Liner & Ink Liner 

I finished up two mini liquid eyeliners from Kat Von D. I didn't find that there's much difference between these two - they're both pigmented, easy to use and long-lasting, but perhaps the Tattoo Liner lasts a little bit longer? Repurchase? I would definitely buy the Tattoo Liner again.

Benefit Ready, Set, Brow!

I don't get the hype for this at all - it's basically just a clear brow gel! It does the job and does it well, but there are much cheaper products that are virtually identical to this, so I'm glad that I picked it up as a magazine freebie because I wouldn't pay full price for it. Repurchase? No.

Josie Maran Coconut Watercolour Cheek Gelee in Poppy Paradise (featured here)

Remember when these were all over blogs and Youtube?! I've gotten through a pot of this Poppy Paradise shade before and I still love it! Very easy to sheer out and it looks so pretty and fresh on. Repurchase? I have too many similar products to justify buying another one right now :(

Eylure Brow Amplifier in No 10 Dark Brown (featured here)

I've repurchased this before and still like it a lot. Super easy to use, it has a teeny tiny brush so that you can fill in small gaps for fuller brows. Doesn't smudge, looks natural and stays put all day. Repurchase? I'm trying out some different brow products at the moment and I think I've found one that I prefer over this - sorry Eylure!

Have you ever done a Project Pan?

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Project Pan #4: 6 Months of Makeup Empties!

Last Summer, I set myself another Project Pan target to see if I could use up 15 makeup products before the 7th January 2018 - here's how I got on!

I've been doing regular Project Pans to declutter my makeup stash for a while now (check out my previous posts here), and they've been a great way to help me rediscover forgotten favourites that have been hiding at the back of my collection. It's also a good way to save yourself some money and is a real motivator to keep you going when you're on a 'No Buy'! 

If you haven't heard of a Project Pan before, you basically pull out all the makeup that you want to use up, set a time frame, and well, use it up! You can follow the rules/goals of someone else's Project Pan (check Instagram, Youtube or Facebook groups), or simply make up your own like I did which was to use up 15 makeup products before 7th January 2018. 

I fell short of the mark by one product, but I'm still pretty pleased that I managed to use up 14! Below is everything that I finished off and whether I would repurchase them again:-

Base Products, Foundations & Concealers

• ILIA Vivid Foundation in F3 Santorini* - (review & swatches here) - This has been my go-to foundation for the past few months, especially since the weather started to turn colder as it's quite moisturising. I love the dewy, 'fresh face' finish that this foundation gives, it blends well and I would recommend it to anyone who wants buildable coverage, but doesn't want to look like they're caked in product. F3 Santorini was a great match for my olive skin and I didn't have any problems with oxidation or anything like that. It's expensive though which is the only downside! Repurchase? I would love to buy this again when I've used up some other foundations, but it's definitely a treat purchase!

• La Roche-Posay Rosaliac CC Creme SPF 30* - (review here) - I used this CC a lot during the Summer, and it's ideal for toning down and helping to cover up any redness. I found it gave me a lot more coverage than most CC style products, so it's a nice one to have in your makeup stash for those days when you don't want to wear a foundation. Repurchase? Maybe when it's Summer again as I didn't reach for it at any other time.

• Perricone MD Face Finishing Moisturiser Tint SPF 30* - Another Summer favourite was this beauty from Perricone MD. I really loved this tinted moisturiser as it feels so silky soft on the skin and gives a lovely, healthy hint of colour that's perfect for 'no makeup days' and holidays. Repurchase? Yes. 

• RMS Beauty Un-Cover Up in 22* - (review & swatches here) - This little pot of multi-purpose goodness lasted for almost a year thanks to its 'a little goes a long way' formula. You can use it as a foundation or as a concealer, and it works well both ways, though I tended to use it more as a light-medium coverage base. Repurchase? Yes.

Bronzers

• Vita Liberata Trystal Self-Tanning Bronzing Minerals* (review here) - I finally used up a bronzer! This loose mineral-based bronzer from Vita Liberata contains DHA which gives you a light, buildable, gradual tan in the process, and can be used on both body and face. Gives a gorgeous, healthy-looking glow which looks great all year round. Repurchase? Yes.

Eyeliners & Eyeshadows

• Eyeko Black Magic Liquid Eyeliner (review here) - I've lost count of how many times I've repurchased this as it's one of my favourite liquid eyeliner pens. I love how easy it is to use and it has a beautiful glossy sheen to it. Stays put all day on me! Repurchase? Currently using Kat Von D, but I'm sure I'll go back to this at some point!

• Stila Smudge Stick Waterproof Eye Liner in Black Amethyst - When I don't want to wear straight up black, I found myself constantly reaching for this liner instead which comes in a gorgeous blackened-purple shade. Adds a little something different to a smokey eye and pairs incredibly well with dark brown eyes. Smudgeproof and long wearing. Repurchase? Yes.

• Daniel Sandler Long Lasting Waterproof Eyeliner in Black Velvet - (review here) - An old time favourite of mine, I've been using this seriously underrated Daniel Sandler eyeliner for years and must have gone through at least three or four of them. Affordable (less than a tenner), pigmented and can be used to create a wicked, thick and grungey smokey eye. Repurchase? Yes.

• ILIA Silken Shadow Stick in In Between Days* - (review here) - Oh how I enjoyed using this eyeshadow stick for about a month or so, and then it started to dry out and crumble! This shade was a pretty warm golden shimmer for everyday wear, but it needed a primer underneath to stop it from creasing on my oily lids. Repurchase? No.

Mascaras

• GOSH My Favourite Mascara* - (review here) - I'm definitely a big lash kinda gal, so natural looking mascaras never really do it for me. This was fine for casual days, but I didn't use it very often and then it dried up. Repurchase? No.

• Too Faced Better Than Sex Mascara* - (review here) - Now this is my favourite mascara! I love everything about it - it makes my lashes look thicker and bigger, doesn't smudge or flake, and stays put until I want to take it off. Perfect! Repurchase? Yes.

• DHC Double Protection Mascara* - (review here) - Despite enjoying this mascara and putting it into a favourites post last year, I've since changed my mind because it dried up so quickly. The formula itself is great, but I'm so disappointed to see it dry out so fast. Repurchase? No.

• PUR Fully Charged Mascara - I picked this up in a GWP and was excited to try it, but sadly this mascara was a fail for me. It flaked, smudged and just turned into a mess within hours of wearing it. Repurchase? Nope!

Lip Products

• Korres Lip Butter In Wild Rose - I didn't manage to use up any lip products this time around, but I wanted to include this tinted lip butter from Korres as it's very pigmented and can easily pass as a lip stain in my eyes! Provides a super pretty rosy red tint to the lips and feels really moisturising. Repurchase? Yes.

Have you ever done a Project Pan like this?

Have you tried any of the products that I used up?

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Project Pan #3: 6 Months' Worth of Makeup Empties

Project Pans are a fun way to use up products in your makeup stash, and they've become a popular hashtag across social media as beauty junkies from around the world share their makeup empties with each other. 

I don't know why, but it's strangely satisfying to finish off a beauty product like a face cream or a body lotion, and it's even more satisfying to finish off a makeup product, simply because they seem to last forever! My monthly Empties posts on here are some of my most popular and most read posts, so I've been starting to collect my makeup empties too and putting them in these 6 monthly Project Pan posts (you can check out my previous Project Pan posts here and here). 

The general idea behind a Project Pan is to select a bunch of makeup that you want to 'hit pan on' or use up within a certain time frame, but it's pretty flexible and you can set your own rules and goals. As I managed to finish off 20 products last time, I set my goal for 20 again this time around, but I fell a little short at 15! Nevertheless, I'm still very happy with what I did use up as it's cleared out some much-needed space in my makeup collection which is always a good thing.

So then! Here's a rundown of everything that I used up makeup-wise in the past six months, and whether I would repurchase them again or not.

Foundations, Primers & Face Products

• INIKA Mineral Foundation in 04 Nurture - Unsurprisingly, I only managed to use up one foundation as I have quite a lot that I rotate between which means that I never seem to fully finish off any! However, INIKA's Mineral Foundation is by far the one that I use the most as it gives such a beautiful, natural looking finish to the skin and this shade Nurture is a perfect match for me. I've been using this foundation for years and have gone through a good number of them over that time. I don't think I'll ever be without it now. Repurchase? Already have! 

• Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer Potion - I have oily lids so an eyeshadow primer is a must for stopping shadows from creasing or fading on me. UDPP is a firm staple in my makeup bag and like the INIKA Foundation, I've also been using this for years. It never lets me down! Repurchase? I'm on the hunt for a cheaper alternative, any suggestions?

• Liz Earle Healthy Glow Powder in Nude - You know you're onto a winner when you realise that this is the second Liz Earle blusher that you've ever used up! This shade is such a perfect, everyday nude-apricot pink colour for the cheeks. I think I've had this one on the go for about two years and I'm very sad to see it empty. Repurchase? As much as I love it, as I have so many blushers in my collection to use up first, but I'd definitely pick it up again in the future. 

Mascaras, Eyeliners & Eyeshadows

• Givenchy Noir Couture Volume Mascara in Black Taffeta - A gorgeous, gorgeous, gorgeous mascara! It's been a long time since I was so impressed by a high-end mascara, but this beauty just hit the ball straight out of the park. Super pigmented, gives big volume lashes, doesn't smudge or flake and is just fantastic all round. Repurchase? The full size is a splurge, but I may treat myself if I see it on offer!

• Laura Mercier Full Blown Volume Supreme Lash Building Mascara in Black - Whilst this is a good mascara, it doesn't build volume as effortlessly as the one above, and being in a similar high-end price bracket I would always pick the Givenchy over this one given the choice. Sorry LM. Repurchase? No. 

• Eyeko Black Magic Mascara in Black - Usually I'm a big fan of everything by Eyeko (especially their liquid liners), but this mascara fell short for me. I found it quite clumpy and it dried out pretty quickly. Repurchase? No.

• Jane Iredale Longest Lash Mascara in Black Ice - I'm still struggling to find a natural based mascara that works as well as mainstream ones, and sadly this Jane Iredale mascara wasn't good at all. It flaked, smudged, clumped and dried out quickly. Repurchase? No.

• Benefit They're Real Tinted Lash Primer - I really enjoyed using this sample; it's basically a light brown tinted mascara which acts as a primer that you apply before your mascara. It gives your lashes a real boost and works with any mascara. Repurchase? Definitely considering buying the full size at some point.

• Illamasqua Precision Ink Eye Liner in Abyss - This is a fantastic liquid eyeliner. The nib is flexible but precise, and the formula is richly pigmented like a glossy black. No problems with smudging or fading and it lasts all day! Repurchase? Yes. 

• Maybelline 24h Colour Tattoo in On and On Bronze - I finally finished an eyeshadow - hooray! Loved this cream eyeshadow as it was so easy to apply with just a finger and looks great swiped all over the lid for a quick look in the morning. Repurchase? I have so many eyeshadows and similar products to use up first, but again, it's something I would pick up in the future.

Lip Products

• Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stain in Honey and Precious - Remember when these were all the rage a couple of years ago on Youtube and the blogosphere?! I bought my fair share of them and these two shades have been my most used and repurchased. Honey is a great everyday pink and Precious is a simple nude/neutral that looks gorgeous with a smokey eye. Repurchase? Not right now as I have too many similar colours and lip products already!

• PIXI Tinted Brilliance Balm in Unique Pink - This was a cute little sample that I had in my handbag for a long time. Unique Pink is one of those shades that changes depending on the colour of your own lips so it looks a little different on everyone. It gave me a really pretty hint of pink and was nice to use when I just wanted a more subtle wash of colour on my lips. Repurchase? Tempted!

• Dolce & Gabbana Shine Lipstick in Precious* - I'm a sucker for a pretty rosy pink lip and this lipstick was just so perfect in many ways. The colour really suited me (see my swatch of it here), the formula was nice and moisturising, and the finish was lovely and glossy. Repurchase? I think this shade may have been Limited Edition, but I have similar ones from other brands in my makeup stash.

Nails

• Nail HQ Strengthener* - If you're looking for a budget friendly alternative to OPI's Nail Envy, check out this one from Nail HQ. I get the same results as Nail Envy but it's cheaper - yay! 

Have you ever done a Project Pan like this?

Have you tried any of the products that I used up?

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Project Pan #2: 6 Months' Worth of Makeup Empties

Following on from my December Empties post the other day, here are the results of my second six-month Project Pan, featuring a whole host of makeup empties. This was a difficult challenge!

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Project Pan: 6 Months' Worth of Makeup Empties!

At the start of the year, I decided to embark on a Project Pan to see how many of my makeup products I could use up within 6 months. Here are the results!

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