No Spend 'til Christmas

I was organizing my makeup and beauty products a couple of weeks ago and realized that I owned way too many for the space that I have. Not wanting to get rid of most of them, I decided that I was going to try to use them all up. But how could I do that if I was constantly buying new face wash or lipstick to try? My solution was to go on a spending ban. 

Starting November 1st (tomorrow), I will not make any beauty or makeup purchases unless absolutely necessary (example: I run out of ALL of the face wash I own). The plan was for the spending ban to last through November, but with the Sephora VIB sale coming up, I couldn't let those savings pass by! So I decided to extend my spending ban until Christmas. Here are the rules:

1. No purchasing makeup of any kind for myself (except the one listed on my Sephora VIB sale wish list). 
2. No purchasing any hair or body product for myself.
3. Exemption to purchases only if it will be a Christmas gift for somebody else.
4. It is okay to make a purchase for myself if all of that product type is finished (example: all face wash are empty).

I believe that is about it. Let me know if you think I am missing anything. Also feel free to join me so that we can be no spending buddies!

With love,
Esty

Twitter | Bloglovin

First Impression: Maybelline Browdrama

Hello lovely people! This past week has been a little hectic, from trying to potty train my two year old, to trying to fix my car, I have had very little time to myself. The little time that I had today, I decided to clean out my closet because boy was there a mess in there! 

One thing I did manage to do this past week was stop by target and pick this baby up. I saw it while browsing through a magazine during my downtime at work. I mentioned before that I wanted to try the Benefit brow gel since I love the other two brow products I own. When I saw this, I decided to try this out first before buying the high end one. 

Maybelinne Browdrama is a mascara-like formulation with a wand that fans out at the end. You apply it by going over your brows in the opposite direction in which they grow making them look all out of shape and in need of grooming. You then brush them back into place, leaving you with fuller eyebrows. Because I have never used a product like this before, I have nothing to compare it to. However, I will compare to my other brow groom products. With both the Browzing and Brow Pencil by Benefit, I get a more sculpted and defined look as with this, it just coats the hair on my eyebrows. I will admit that it does help with thicken my eyebrows, which I really like. I think this will be a product that I can use layer with another brow shaper, like my Browzing and not really on it's own. After applying it, my eyebrows also felt a little stiff, but it was not uncomfortable and soon the feeling went away. 

So far, I am really enjoying using this product and I will continue to play with it until I find a way that works best for me. I will report to you guys when that happens!

Have you tried brow sculpting mascara like this one before? 

Esty <3 

Twitter | Bloglovin 

Everyday Makeup Routine

When it comes to makeup, I am very minimalist on an everyday bases. I barely even wear eyeshadow! I like my makeup to look as natural as possible, with as little effort as possible, hence why I use less than nine products daily. I also want to be able to remove my makeup as quick as possible before bed!

• Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturizer:  I have been using this for about a year now and love it! It is not too heavy, have the right amount of coverage for me, and great for everyday use. I am currently running low on it and purchased Smashbox Camera Ready tinted moisturizer to replace it. I didn't repurchase this one only because my nearest Sephora is one within JcPenny and unfortunately, they do not carry Laura Mercier. 
• Garnier Eye Roller: I love this for covering up my dark circles. I don't have really bad dark circles, so it works great for me. If you have really bad dark circles, I would not recommend it. 
• Maybelline Falsies Mascara: My favorite mascara is Benefit's They're Real, but I ran out and this is what I had in my collection. I decided to finish this before I purchased another mascara. It is pretty good, but nothing compared to Benefit's They're Real! Along with my mascara, I have to curl my lashes with my Shiseido eyelash curler. 

• Benefit Hoola Bronzer: I absolutely love this bronzer! It is so easy to apply and blend, and great for bronzing/contouring. I was using Nars Laguna before this bronzer, and am so happy I made the switch.
• NARS Amour and Tarte Magic: Currently, these are my two favorite blushes. I switch back and forth between the two. They both have a bit of coral in them, but I find that the Tarte Magic is a little bit more toned down than NARS Amour. Both so pigmented and go on very smoothly. NARS Amour is a little dry, but I don't mind it over my wet tinted moisturizer. 
• Benefit Brow Zings and Instant Brow Pencil: I cannot leave my house without doing my eyebrows! My eyebrows are not very full so if I don't fill them in, it can look like I don't have any. Okay maybe I am exaggerating a bit, but that's how it looks in my head! Anyways, I like using one of these two products everyday. I use the Brow Zings when I am looking for a more bold eyebrow, and the Instant Brow Pencil when I want something that is more natural looking. 

As you can clearly see, I didn't include any lipstick because that is the one thing I change everyday. 

Is your makeup routine as simple as mine, or do you like to wear a lot more makeup? 

Esty <3 

Twitter | Bloglovin