MAC Paint Pot Storage

Recycle & Organize!


After endless searching for the correct size drawer organizer to keep my MAC paint pots from rolling around; I realized it was in my pantry all along...



All you need is the tray/container from any cookies or crackers. Clean it out, and you have a new a drawer organizer!

MAC paint pots


The Oreo container is a few centimeters too big to fit the paint pots perfectly but the grips on the bottom of the container keep them in place more so than any other container I've tried. It can hold 18 Paint Pots. It's not the most sturdy, I'm going to double, maybe even triple this tray to make it more portable. But for now, no more paint pots rolling around in my drawer and you can easily see which color is which.

Don't limit yourself to paint pots, remember it can fit single circular eyeshadows and small face products as well.

Happy Organizing!

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Eyeshadow for Green Eyes

Shades of green or purple should be your go-to colors to make green eyes brighter.


Face:
Origins VitaZing Moisturizer
Revlon Photoready Concealer

Brows:
MAC Lingering Pencil
Maybelline Great Lash Clear Gel

Eyes:
Urban Decay Eden Primer
MAC Bisque, Creme de Violet, & Sketch Eyeshadows

Eyeliner:
MAC Technakohl in Graphblack (waterline & tightline)
L'Oreal Telesopic Carbon Black (above lashline)
Wet 'n' Wild Violet Pencil (bottom lashline)

Mascara:
Clinique High Definition

Highlight:
NYX Milk
Benefit High Beam
MAC Triple Fusion MSF

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April Favorites

"Favorites" posts/videos discuss the products (and other misc things) you loved for that month. The products can either be purchased that month or (old) "rediscovered" items. Favorites are published at the end of the current month or at the beginning of the following month."



China Glaze Sea Spray
A sky blue meets gray.  This color is perfect for those who have a hard time stepping away from neutrals but wants to join the bright color summer trend. (Baby steps!)

Clinique High Definition Mascara
This is one of my HG mascaras. I've purchased this at least 10 times now.  The applicator has a normal brush on one side but a comb on the other.  Distribution is great and it's nearly impossible to have a lot of clumps and spider lashes with the comb.

Essie Topless & Barefoot
This makes my favorites list yet again, it's the perfect nude for pale skin tones. 

LypSyl Lip Balm
Calling all Burt Bee's lovers! It's time to make a change.  Lypsyl is pure Swedish beeswax.  It gives the same Burt's Bees feel but it's less waxy and last longer.  It also has a tingly mint feeling after application.  Lypsyl is a mix between Burt's Bees & C.G. Bigelow with better-staying power and more hydration than both combined. The Lypsyl packaging is also unique it has a bee slider, rather than the usual twist up chapstick, which makes application much easier.

OPI Silver Shatter
If you loved (or even hated) Black Shatter, you need to try this out.  It's better formulated than Black Shatter (Mine made a gloppy after a few weeks of usage, nail thinner is a must anytime I want to wear it now.) The extreme shimmery silver is pretty over any color.

organix morrocan argan oil (penetrating oil
I raved about the conditioner last month, now I've been using the oil all month. It's a MUCH cheaper alternative to salon's morrocan & argan oil.  This one smells better, too!  I have noticed a lot more shine in my hair after using this whenever I'm out of the shower. I haven't noticed my hair being more moisturized; I admit, I mainly use it for the scent.

Physician's Formula Mineral Wear Talc-Free Correcting Primer (pink)
I really wanted the green primer to cover up the redness around my nose since it was sold out at multiple stores. I decided just to try out the pink one for evening skin tones. I can't imagine putting this all over my face for actual primer (the real use) it makes my face pretty shiny and bright.  (I don't wear powder or foundation.) I just put this around my nose (to cover redness) and under my eyes (to brighten.) It doesn't completely even out of the redness but it does help a lot. The packaging (twist up brush) isn't the most sanitary, a pump would've been a better option.


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Zoya Earth Day

A step towards natural polish.


I have to admit, when it comes to nail polish, all I ever purchase anymore is OPI. It's is mid-priced, high quality, and a never-ending supply of colors. When you find a good brand, it's hard to try out others because you may be let down.

I don't know all the chemicals that go into nail polish, and if I did, I'd probably start thinking twice about painting my nails again.

Zoya polishes are "long wearing, natural formula" polishes. The formula is Formaldehyde, Toluene, Dibutyl Phthalate (DBP) and Camphor Free. I had to look all of these up:

Formaldehyde - colorless gas, preservative
USE: embalmers treat corpses
Toluene - colorless flammable liquid obtained from petroleum or coal tar
USE: solvent for gums and lacquers and in high-octane fuels
Dibutyl Phthalate (DBP)- plasticizer
USE: adhesives & printing inks
Camphor - white or transparent solid with a strong, aromatic odor
USE: antiseptic, stimulant, and anti-inflammatory ingredient

For Earth Day, Zoya had a recycle promotion. You could get at least 6 polishes for "free" (as long as you paid the $4 processing & shipping fee.) and you send in your empty polishes (any brand but Zoya.)

Zoya polishes are $8 each; basically, with this promotion,  they were half off.  (When's a better time to try out a new brand?) My mom mentioned she wanted her own bottle of the Remove Plus Nail Polish Remover, (mentioned in a previous favorites post) which was another reason for placing my order.


I purchased 6 polishes, (but one was back ordered), Remove Plus Big Flipper, and the Mini Holiday Gift Set.  With every purchase, Zoya also includes "color plates" swatches of new or current collections, that allows you to "try on" the nail color.  (Which is a good idea, I added a few of these to my wishlist.)


(Excuse the sloppy swatches, I'm still waiting on good swatch wheels to get here from China.)  The six polishes I chose were: Raven (not pictured: back ordered, black), Edyta, Luna, Bebe, Blair, and Astra. Zoya has a few hundred shades to choose from, so it was pretty overwhelming especially being a newbie.  Out of these, Edyta is my favorite. It really reminds me of plastic metallic leather.  It depends on the light that hits it too, tt's forest green in one room then in another room it's black with loads of shimmer.

I purchased another Remove Plus Big Flipper for my mom. (Part of her mother's day present, shh.) This is definitely the best nail polish remover I've ever used.  The smell is nice.  The lock-click pump is fabulous.  (How many times have you spilled an entire bottle of nail polish remover?... that's definitely not possible with this bottle.) I almost purchased a refill (32oz) bottle, but I realized I still have 3/4ths of a full bottle; I've been using it for 2 months.

I also purchased the "Mini Holiday Gift Set" (a little odd seeing snowflake packaging this time of year!) I wanted to try out Zoya's base & top coat, the drying drops, and have a travel bottle of nail polish remover. The top and base coat haven't received such great reviews from others, but products work differently for everyone. - We shall see.

I'm pretty impressed with the quality and pigmentation of the polishes (especially since I only paid $4 a bottle.) "Long wearing".. not so much. I had tip fading the second day of wear.

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ecotools Travel Brushes

Save the environment plus space in your cosmetic bag.

When I went on a mini trip in January, I realized I packed extremely light on makeup but had to have a whole separate (heavy) bag just for brushes. Before spring break and a few other trips, I realized travel brushes would be a good investment and better traveling solution.

I did a little research on the "best travel brushes" a lot of people like the MAC mini brushes (limited edition, usually available for the holiday season),and the Shu Uemura Compact brush set (no longer available at Sephora or Shu Uemura, priced around $50?) With either brand, I'd only receive 4-5 brushes for $40-50.

I changed my search to "best CHEAP travel brushes" the winner definitely seemed to be ecotools travel brushes. Nine brushes for $20; I had to give it a try.

I have used these brushes on three trips, I actually used them as my regular everyday brushes for about a month as well.


5 Piece Mineral Brush Set
($12.00)

Mineral Powder
This should be your all-over face brush. (Possibly blush?) I don't wear powder. But I do use this for a highlight brush and it works great.

Eyeshading Brush
This really reminds me of MAC 217, not an identical dupe, obviously. But does get the job done nicely. I mainly use it for crease color and blending, ocasionally highlighting.

Concealer Brush
Again, reminds me of MAC 192, distributes product nicely, blends well.

Baby Kabuki Brush
Because it's so little, it does a lot more time and effort.  If you used this for your all-over face powder/foundation it will take a lot longer than a normal size one.  Luckily, I just use this for bronzer and get rid of harsh lines from blush.

Cosmetic Bag
I wasn't impressed with the bag. It's almost too small just for these 4 brushes. I like to be able to dig around in a big bag and grab the I'm looking for rather than dumping them all out/grabbing one by one until I can find the one I'm after.


6 Piece Eye Brush Set
($8.00)

Large Eye Brush
Picks up product well and distributes evenly. I used this for all-over lid color and then the highlight color, as well.

Angled Crease Brush
I'm really confused by this brush (in fact I ending up selling it on eBay) It's too big to get the crease color placed nicely. (I use the Eyeshading Brush from the other set for crease color instead.)

Petite Eye Shading Brush
This brush is good for your inner corners and to fix mascara and eyeliner mess ups.

Smudge Brush
This is nearly identical to the Petite Eye Shading Brush, in all shape, size, and the brush hairs.  Usually, when I hear smudge brush I think of a sponge, not actual brush hairs.  I couldn't really figure out what to do with this brush (another one sold on eBay.)

Highlighting Brush
This brush has the same shape as the Eyeshading Brush from the other kit. However, it's a little smaller and worse quality.

Travel Case with Mirror
Again, I'm not crazy about the case because it only holds these 5 brushes.  Maybe for on-the-go (keeping this brush set and case in your purse), it's good.  But actually travel, it's annoying to have so many bags/cases for brushes.


"earth friendly beauty"
Save the Planet
Cruelty-Free Hair
Natural & Recycled Materials

Both kits were missing a few brushes that I use every day and still have to bring along the full size, (and I'm searching for travel size ones!):


Angled Blush Brush - The Mineral Brush could work as the blush brush, but I'm a little lazy and don't want to have to hold the brush a certain way to get the same effect as the angled brush.

Angled Brow/Eyeliner Brush - This kit doesn't have any type of eyeliner brush, which I found pretty weird since powder and gel liners are becoming more popular than just pencil liners.

Brow Brushes - This kit isn't very brow-friendly at all, there's not one brush.  I know most of us have untamed, wild brows and need an angled brush, spoolie, and/or eyebrow/eyelash comb.  Maybe I should just find a separate travel brow kit.

Rating Scale 
(NEW! click here)
Product: 4/5
Value: 5/5
Packaging: 4/5
Overall: 4/5

The main point: The kits (all 9 brushes and 2 cases for only $20) are well worth the value and quality.  Some of the brushes are too similar and/or serve no purpose or not the correct one it is labeled for.  The kits have some room for improvement and there's most likely even better ones out there.  The 5 Piece Mineral Brush Set is definitely worth looking into, the 6 Piece Eye Brush needs a little bit of tweaking by ecotools,

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