PART 2: Updated Makeup Collection & Storage - FACE

Hello fellow makeup lovers!

Today I will be sharing Part 2 of my updated makeup collection and storage. This post will showcase all makeup products that are found in my 5-drawer and 2-drawer Muji Acrylic Storage Units for my 'FACE'. This includes both high-end and drugstore foundations, concealers, face primers, pressed and mineral powders, blushes, bronzers, and highlighters.

Before I begin, I would like to include the same disclaimer as I did within Part 1:

I would just like to mention that in no way am I creating this post to brag. I do acknowledge that I own more makeup than I'll ever need; however, I'm always on the lookout to try out new products. That being said, makeup is one of my hobbies and my collection has grown over the last two years. I did purchase the majority of the products that are in my makeup collection, and the rest was given to me as gifts from friends and family. I'm creating this post so that I could share with you how I store most of my makeup, and I'm hoping that this post will help those who would like new storage ideas for their makeup collection.

So without further ado, here is PART 2 in my updated makeup collection & Muji storage!

  My Makeup Collection - FACE:

Face Products Collection Overview
Storage: one 2-drawer and one 5-drawer Muji Acrylic Storage Unit

 I keep my Marcelle & Bourjois Face products on the top of the storage unit for easy access.

Everyday Makeup Drawer
Brands: MAC, E.L.F., Urban Decay, Maybelline, Bare Minerals, Smashbox,
Kat Von D, MUFE.

Foundation & Concealers
Brands: E.L.F., Bare Minerals, NARS, Yves Rocher, it, Benefit.

MAC Blush Collection

High End Blushes
Brands: Sephora, NARS, Tarte, Pandora's Box, Bare Minerals, Bailey.

Drugstore Blushes
Brands: E.L.F.

High End Highlighters
Brands: Sephora, Bare Minerals, Lorac, Laura Mercier.

Bronzers
Brands: E.L.F., NARS, Too Faced, Benefit.

  Makeup Brushes:

These are all my makeup brushes and two perfumes that I currently use. I keep all my clean brushes in a see-through glass fish-like bowl, and all my used brushes in a small elf brush holder.

Brands: SPAressource, E.L.F., MAC, My Glam, Kenzo, Victoria Beckham

Visit the blog tomorrow for Part 3 and final part of my updated makeup collection and storage to see all my EYES makeup products!

Please feel free to link your makeup collections below, or mention any products that you would like for me to review in detail!

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PART 1: Updated Makeup Collection & Storage - LIPS

Hello fellow makeup lovers!

Today I will be sharing Part 1 of my updated makeup collection and storage. This post will showcase all makeup products that are found in my 5-drawer Muji Acrylic Storage Unit for 'LIPS'. This includes both high-end and drugstore lipstick, lipgloss, lip balms, lip butter, lip liners, and lip tints/stains.

Before I begin, I would like to include the same disclaimer as I did within my first Makeup Collection post:

I would just like to mention that in no way am I creating this post to brag. I do acknowledge that I own more makeup than I'll ever need; however, I'm always on the lookout to try out new products. That being said, makeup is one of my hobbies and my collection has grown over the last two years. I did purchase the majority of the products that are in my makeup collection, and the rest was given to me as gifts from friends and family. I'm creating this post so that I could share with you how I store most of my makeup, and I'm hoping that this post will help those who would like new storage ideas for their makeup collection.

I also have a detailed review for the Muji Acrylic Drawer Units on the blog if you're interested in reading that!

So without further ado, here is my updated makeup collection & Muji storage!

  My Makeup Collection - LIPS:

Lip Collection Overview
Storage: 5-drawer Muji Acrylic Storage Unit

MAC Lip Collection

High End Lip Products (Balms, Lipsticks, Stains, Tins)
Brands: Sugar, Burt's Bees, MUFE, Yves Rocher, NARS, Tarte.

Drugstore Lipsticks
Brands: E.L.F., Revlon, Rimmel.

High End Lip Glosses & Butters
Brands: Laura Mercier, Hourglass, Bite, Yves Rocher, Estee Lauder, Bare Minerals, MUFE, Sephora, Pari, Bombshell, Urban Decay, Korres, Model co.

Drigstore Lip Gloss
Brands: E.L.F., Maybelline.

Visit the blog tomorrow for Part 2 of my updated makeup collection and storage to see all my 'FACE' makeup products!

Please feel free to link your makeup collections below, or mention any products that you would like for me to review in detail!

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Empties | November 2012 Edition

Today I'll be sharing my thoughts on products that I've used up for the month of November.  This is my first beauty product empties post on the blog, and I'm very excited to be sharing this with all of you. I really like the idea of sharing monthly product empties as it is a great way motivate people to finish up products they own or try something new in their collections.

For this post, I decided to number the products to avoid making this post too long. Please feel free to let me know if you'd rather I take individual pictures of the products for future 'empties' posts!

 

*Disclaimer: All of the products within this post were purchased by me, with my own money.*

Ready to see my November Empties?

1. Lush Fresh Face Mask in Catastrophe Cosmetic (60 g)
2. Lush Fresh Face Mask in BB Seaweed (60 g)
3. E.L.F. Studio Conditioning Lip Balm SPF 15 in Mellow Mellon (26 oz)
4. GLO Whitening Antioxidant Toothpaste in Superberry (42.5 g)
5. Avon Foot Works Beautiful Lavender Comfort Soak (3.4 fl. oz)
6. BURT'S BEES Peach and Willowbark Deep Pore Scrub (110 g)
7. MARCELLE Xtension Plus Mascara in Black (0.33 oz)
8. Benefit BADgal Lash Mascara (4 g) 
9. Bliss Ingrown Eliminating Pads (10 pack)
10. Smashbox Photo Finish Foundation Primer (0.25 fl. oz)
11. Vitamine & Sea Mineral Clay Mask (5 g) 
12. Eclos Anti-Aging Regenerative Cream (0.25 fl. oz) 

1. Lush Fresh Face Mask in Catastrophe Cosmetic (60 g)

As I've already mentioned once before on my blog, I'm a huge fan of Lush's Fresh Face Masks. I've tried most of their Fresh Face Masks and my favorite two would have to be the ones I will mention here today. Here's a brief description from the Lush website for Catastrophe Cosmetic:

"Prevent disasters by taking regular care with our deep cleaning blueberry mask, Catastrophe Cosmetic. The little blue bulbs are packed with vitamins, with a gentle calamine base to cleanse the skin without stripping it of its natural oils. Use this one weekly as a deep cleansing treatment to kick off your regular skin care routine."

Catastrophe Cosmetic is my absolute favorite Fresh Face Mask, and I always buy two containers as I use them up pretty quickly. This is great for sensitive skin, and has a great texture.

2. Lush Fresh Face Mask in BB Seaweed (60 g)

Along with Catastrophe Cosmetic, BB Seaweed is another Lush Fresh Face Mask favorite of mine! Here's a brief description from the Lush website for BB Seaweed:

"BB Seaweed is a best-seller for its ability turn every rough patch into smooth, supple skin. No surprises here, BB Seaweed is packed full of none other than the ocean greenery itself! Seven pounds of it in each batch, in fact. Finely ground almonds gently slough away dry skin, rose absolute balances skin tone and organic extra virgin olive oil moisturizes. Slather up in seaweed and feel your skin smile."

For those of you who have not previously tried out the Lush Fresh Face Masks, they retail for $6.95 each, and they come in individual black pots with 60g (2.1 oz) of product. Depending on how much you put on your face each time you apply the mask, one container can hold 3-4 applications. Similar to MAC, Lush also has a "Back to Lush" program where you can return 5 empty black pots in store and exchange them for a free mask! As you can see, I go through my masks pretty quickly because they expire within 30 days of purchasing them due to the ingredients. I would definitely highly recommend Lush Fresh Face Masks!!!

3. E.L.F. Studio Conditioning Lip Balm SPF 15 in Mellow Mellon (26 oz)

I'm a big fan of E.L.F.'s studio collection and own nearly all of their studio line products. I currently own all of the E.L.F. Studio Conditioning Lip Balms as they are all very pigmented, I prefer Mellow Mellon because it's the perfect shade that's more subtle and is best for all the seasons. It isn't very long lasting on the lips, but there is a ton of product within the container and it does prevent lips from becoming chapped.

Here's a brief description of the product from the E.L.F. website:

"With the e.l.f. Conditioning Lip Balm, lips get treated to a sheer splash of color that's super smooth, velvety soft and non-sticky. Not only are these sheer, natural shades beautiful, they're also beneficial, with natural ingredients that condition dry, chapped lips including Vitamins A & E. SPF 15 to protect delicate lips against harmful sun damage."

 At $3, the E.L.F. Studio Conditioning Lip Balm is definitely a great product worth trying out.

4. GLO Whitening Antioxidant Toothpaste in Superberry (42.5 g)

I saw this product on my way to the Sephora checkout counter on their cash wraps and I'm so glad I picked this up! This product retails for $6 in this specific sample size. It smells like pomegranate, one of their main ingredients, and I have definitely noticed a whiter smile after having finished using up the product.  

Here's a brief description of the product from the Sephora website:

"A whitening toothpaste enriched with antioxidants and vitamins to promote a healthier, brighter smile."

I definitely recommend this product if you're looking for a great last minute stocking stuffer!

5. Avon Foot Works Beautiful Lavender Comfort Soak (3.4 fl. oz)

I purchased this product from an Avon catalog. It retails for $7.99, however, I bought it on sale for less than $2. Unlike most of the products in this empties post, this is definitely a product that I DID NOT LIKE. The smell is overpowering and gave me a headache. It really doesn't really do anything at all except for discoloring water. Just after one use I decided not to use it again.

Here's a brief description of the product from the Avon website:

"Soothes weary feet with the scent of calming lavender."

 Avon does have a lot of great products, but this one is one of their products that I would NOT recommend.

 6. BURT'S BEES Peach and Willowbark Deep Pore Scrub (110 g)

If you're looking to buy a new face exfoliater, look no further! I've been using the BURT'S BEES Peach and Willowbark Deep Pore Scrub for two years and it's just amazing. As I mentioned earlier, I have extremely sensitive skin, and this product works very well for me, even with the willowbark in it. It has a nice cooling sensation on the skin that lasts a few minutes after rinsing off and definitely leaves my skin feeling very smooth. As it is pretty expensive here in Canada, I always wait until I visit the U.S. and buy it for $8 at Target.

Here's a brief description of the product from the BURT'S BEES website:

"Keep your skin peachy clean. This natural sulfate-free facial cleanser rich with finely ground peach stone naturally and gently exfoliates to remove excess oil, dirt and dead skin cells leaving skin soft and smooth. Willow bark and golden seal extracts, known for their astringent properties, and ginger and sea algae extracts help to revitalize your skin and replenish essential minerals, leaving your face deeply clean and naturally nourished."

This would have to be one of my most highly recommended face products EVER! If you're at Target, don't hesitate to pick this up and try out!

7. MARCELLE Xtension Plus Mascara in Black (0.33 oz)

The MARCELLE Xtension Plus Mascara has become one of my favorites. I'm still on the search to find the 'perfect' mascara for me, but this one definitely comes close. Although this is a brand you can find at most drugstores, I would definitely categorize it as a higher end product at an affordable $12.50 price tag. I received this product in a GlossyBox this summer and I'm so happy that I had a chance to try it out. It definitely lengthens and separates my lashes perfectly. I also really like that it's hypo-allergetic and perfume free.

Here's a brief description of the product from the MARCELLE website:

"Give your lashes extra length and curl with Xtension Plus Mascara. The formula and brush curl, define and separate lashes while minimizing clumps. An innovative and specifically designed soft polymer brush offers a side with a row of longer bristles which reach even the shortest lashes and stretch them from root to tip, achieving their maximum lengthening potential. The tapered brush tip is perfect for extreme definition. Removes easily with any Marcelle eye make-up remover."

 I definitely recommend the Marcelle Xtension Plus Mascara.

8. Benefit BADgal Lash Mascara (4 g)

The Benefit BADgal Lash Mascara is one that I like but can't say love just yet. This sample size is great for on the go or for when you're packing for a trip. This specific sample size did dry out rather quickly and clumped up on the lashes but I'd definitely consider purchasing the full size to give it another go!

Here's a brief description of the product from the Benefit website:

"Sexy, dramatic, pure unadulterated black mascara for full, voluminous lashes. Famously big brush coats lashes with our thick black formula. It's as BAD as you want to be!"

9. Bliss Ingrown Eliminating Pads (10 pack)

This next product is great for both men and women who have ingrown hair problems. I recently purchased the Bliss Ingrown Eliminating Pads and I absolutely love them! They really do work wonders for areas that you pluck or shave. This really does the trick to prevent ingrown hairs or help get rid of the ones you already have that seem to never want to go away.

Here's a brief description of the product from the Sephora website:

"Bliss Ingrown Eliminating Pads help nix ingrown hairs anywhere on the body. A must between waxing or shaving sessions, these single-use swipes tackle hair-raising lumps and bumps with alpha and beta hydroxy acids. Soaked in antioxidant green tea and soothing, smoothing oat extract, they'll get to the root of your ingrown issues."

This is another great stocking stuffer if you get the 10 pack that retails for $8-9 at Sephora. The 50 pack is more pricey but well worth it. I will definitely purchase the full size next time I get the chance!

10. Smashbox Photo Finish Foundation Primer (0.25 fl. oz)

I received the Smashbox Photo Finish Foundation Primer in their Try It Kit that I purchased while I was searching for a new foundation primer that would work well with my currenlt liquid foundation. I was also curious to try different products from the brand itself. The kit retails for $22 which is an extremely great buy for 5 deluxe sample sized products from Smashbox. What I love most about this product as that it's a great match for my Bourjois Healthy Mix Serum liquid foundation and that it's oil-free (another plus). As soon as I ran out, I placed an order on Sephora to get the larger size of this product! Can't wait!

Here's a brief description of the product from the Smashbox website:

 "Create a perfect canvas for foundation application with this silky, lightweight blend of vitamins A & E, grape seed extract and green tea. Worn alone or under foundation, our best-selling, oil-free primer helps to reduce the appearance of fine lines and pores for flawless skin with a velvety-smooth finish. Now in a sleek tube for perfect dispensing down to the last drop!"

Love love love the Smashbox Photo Finish Foundation Primer! Highly recommended! The Try It Kit is also a great stocking stuffer!

11. Vitamine & Sea Mineral Clay Mask (5 g)

I received the Vitamine & Sear Mineral Clay Mask  in one of my Glymm bags. I am definitely a face mask gal and was excited to try this out. That being said, I was actually very disappointed with this product. It had a bad smell and made my face break out. Perhaps I got a bad batch seeing as I've read good reviews for this product, but I doubt that I'd ever buy this.

Here's a brief description of the product from the Vitamine & Sea website:

 "Get instantly radiant, tighter, softer, healthier skin with our natural and organic luxury facial mask made with clay mined directly from the Dead Sea, the worlds richest source of minerals that will tingle as it softly exfoliates, eliminates toxins, promotes circulation, cleanses and strengthens your skin. Our Mineral Clay mask is enriched with vitamins B1, B2, C, A, D and E from sweet almond oil to pamper your skin and a touch of honey that will protect from daily free radical damage and balance your skins moisture, and work immediate wonders on all skin types giving a soft, tight, sexy, radiant glow."

Would not recommend.

12. Eclos Anti-Aging Regenerative Cream (0.25 fl. oz)

I recently received this product in my ipsy bag which I received this month. It was a replacement item for one a lipgloss that Canadian subscribers didn't receive in this month's bag. I've been using this on my face and nech for the last week on a daily basis just before going to sleep, and I noticed a slight change with the lines at the bottom of my neck. It gave off a cooling sensation after applying which I like.

Here's a brief description of the product from the Eclos website:

"The latest in Plant Stem Cell technology helps protect skin’s ability to renew itself. The result? Sagging skin tightens. Wrinkles are postponed. Combined with PhytoPlex24™ anti-oxidants for the ultimate in aging defense."

Of course a sample size wouldn't be enough to see a dramatic change, but this is definitely another product that I would consider buying a full-size of! 

Overall Impressions:

I was very pleased with most of the products that I used up this month, however, there were two products that I wouldn't recommend. I love the idea of participating in monthly empties post so you can definitely expect to see more of posts like these here on the blog! I'm definitely looking forward to trying out different items next month!

What Products Have You Used Up This Month?

Please feel free to link below!

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Becoming A SEPHORA VIB Beauty Insider

Having been a SEPHORA Beauty Insider for the last two years, I've always wondered how the SEPHORA VIB Beauty Insider Program worked. Just two weeks ago I finally qualified to become a SEPHORA VIB Beauty Insider. The VIB program works differently than the simple Beauty Insider program, in which VIB's receive more access to beauty deals and gifts while non VIBs do not. I'm writing this post in hopes that it will answer some of the questions that SEPHORA customers have. 

*Disclaimer: I have not received any monetary compensation for this post.*

How to become a Sephora VIB Beauty Insider Member:

From the SEPHORA Website: "EARN VIB STATUS BY SPENDING $350 AT A SEPHORA STORE, SEPHORA.COM, SEPHORA.CA, OR IN A SEPHORA INSIDE JCPENNEY WITHIN A CALENDAR YEAR (JANUARY-DECEMBER). VIB STATUS IS GOOD FOR THE CALENDAR YEAR IN WHICH THE BI MEMBER QUALIFIES AND THE FOLLOWING CALENDAR YEAR; ANNUAL REQUALIFICATION IS REQUIRED."

What this means:

• If you spend $350 at any SEPHORA location or online website within one calendar year (from January-December of the same year), you will qualify to become a SEPHORA VIB Beauty Insider. This status will begin the second you have met the qualifications and will last until the end of the following calendar year. For example: If you've placed a mixture of online and in store purchases (also just online or just in store purchases) that total $350 at March 5, 2012 from January 1, 2012, you will be a VIB Beauty Insider at that date that all your purchases from January 1, 2012 add up to $350, (March 5, 2012) and your status as a VIB Beauty Insider will last until the end of the following calendar year, December 31, 2013.
• To continue with the above example, in order to keep your VIB Beauty Insider status in 2014, you must then make sure that you spend another $350 (total of all SEPHORA purchases) throughout the following calendar year (January 1, 2013 - December 31, 2013). This is the annual requalification requirement by SEPHORA.
• *IMPORTANT* The $350 excludes the purchase of gift cards.

What do you get as a SEPHORA VIB Beauty Insider:

All SEPHORA VIB Beauty Insiders will receive a Welcome Kit that includes the following three items:

• A 10% off in-store coupon
• A new VIB Beauty Insider SEPHORA member card which transfers your points so that you can continue to accumulate them for 100 or 500 point gifts (same as being a regular Beauty Insider)
• An appointment with a beauty in-store specialist 

Other benefits include:

• Access to private in-store events
• Special VIB Beauty Insiders promotions on SEPHORA best sellers at certain times of the year
• Special deluxe samples with online purchases exclusive to VIB Beauty Insiders 
• VIB Beauty Insiders receive a special discount for their annual Holiday In-Store Shopping event (generally around 20%)

My Overall Impressions of the VIB Beauty Insider Program:

In only two weeks of becoming a VIB Beauty Insider, I've received access to quite a few beauty deals already, including in-store discounts and exclusive samples. (SEPHORA haul posts to come). I definitely think that becoming a VIB Beauty Insider is worth it because of the great deals being offered to VIBs only. So, if you're shopping at your local drug store for Smashbox or Benefit items, why not shop for them at SEPHORA and accumulate points to become a VIB Beauty Insider? I think it's also important to mention that just because you forget your regular or VIB Beauty Insider card at home when you're shopping at SEPHORA, you can always tell the cashier the email associated to your card so that you can still receive your points! Also, just because you may have more than 350 points on your card, doesn't mean that you qualify for the VIB Beauty Insider program as you must have spent the money on purchases (non gift card related) within one calendar year.

I hope this post will help answer some of your SEPHORA VIB Beauty Insider related questions! If you have any more questions, or know more details about the program, please feel free to post in the comments below!

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Sephora Haul

Throughout this weekend, Sephora V.I.B. members are able to redeem a 20% Holiday shopping discount in stores.

I received this offer last week in through email, and couldn't wait to use this discount for an item I've been having my eye on. Today, I went ahead and redeemed the 20% off coupon to buy that item that I've been wanting.

I purchased the Sephora Favorites Lash Stash Kit and received a Sephora Hydrating Powder Blush sample at the cash during my checkout.

Here is an overview of the contents within the Lash Stash Kit which sells for $45 U.S.D. or $54 Canadian, with a total retail value of $133 U.S.D. or $159 Canadian.

The contents within the Sephora Favorites Lash Stash Kit include:
(From Left to Right)

• Buxom Lash Mascara in Blackest Black (6 ml / 0.2 fl oz)
• stila Stay All Day Waterproof Volumzing Mascara (3.1 ml / 0.1 fl oz)
• Korres Volcanic Minerals Volumizing Mascara (3.8 ml / 0.128 fl oz)
• Benefit They're Real! Mascara (3 g / 0.10 oz)
• Lancome Hypnose Drama Mascara (4 ml / 0.14 fl oz)
• Sephora Outrageous Volume Mascara (2 ml / 0.068 fl oz)
• Clinique High Impact Mascara (4 g / 0.14 oz)
• tarte Lights, Camera, Lashes! (5 ml / 0.169 fl oz)
• tarte multiplEYE Lash Enhansing primer (4.2 ml / 0.142 fl oz)
• Beautenizer Fiberwig (8.3 g / 0.29 oz)
• smashbox Full Exposure Mascara (11 g / 0.38 oz)

My Overall First Impressions:
One of my favorite aspects of the Sephora Favorites Lash Stash Kit, is that makeup lovers get to try out all these different higher end brands before committing to their full sizes. I also really appreciate that there are two full sized products within this kit, including smashbox Full Exposure Mascara which retails for $22 Canadian and Beautenizer Fiberwig which retails for $29 Canadian, and that the rest of the products are genuine deluxe samples. Buxom is my favorite mascara to date and having it included within this kit was definitely a bonus for me. The main reason for purchasing this kit was that I've heard great things about the other higher end brands and was curious to try them out for myself.

Although mascaras generally expire between 3-6 months after being opened, mascaras can be the main product within people's makeup collections that will continuously change throughout the year. I personally change my mascara quite often, even before they expire simply for hygiene purposes. I would definitely recommend this kit for those who want to try out more products before committing to their full sizes which can be quite pricey, and for those who change mascara as often as I do.

Please feel free to let me know your thoughts about the Sephora Favorites Lash Stash Kit or if you would like to link to your reviews and/or recent Sephora hauls. If you would like for me to review a particular item within this kit, please also mention it within your comments!

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Nail Polish Collection & Storage

As I was asked to share my nail polish collection and storage ideas here on the blog, I decided to go ahead and do just that :)!

I don't consider my nail polish collection to be very large, mainly due to the fact that I've only began collecting nail polishes fairly recently. I like to store my nail polish collection along with some beauty tools somewhere convenient, and organize it in a way that would allow me to find anything specific in just a few seconds. Like my makeup collection, I store away my nail polishes in a 3-drawer unit, however, this is one that has much deeper drawers.

There are great ways to organize your nail polishes and I would definitely recommend using small acrylic drawer organizers for sturdiness as shown above, or any cute gift boxes you have around the house and don't know what to do with them. 

I decided to use my empty GlossyBox boxes since I had so many lying around from monthly subscription orders. I have found them to be the most convenient since they can hold quite a few bottles and they fit perfectly in my drawer unit.

My collection mainly consists of nail polishes sold by essie as I'm a fan of their color range, variety of finishing effects, and quality. For those of you who are not familiar with the brand, you can find their products in most drug stores, hair salons, and online. Their price range is regularly between $8.99 to $11.99 Canadian depending where you shop. I often find deals in hair salons that sell discontinued essie collections on discount.

Here is a quick overview picture of the essie nail polish shades I own. I've included close ups below, along with the names of each shade that I own.

The three nail polishes on the right are part of the luxeffects collection and they are definitely must haves. I always recommend these to friends because these are great to wear as a top coats over darker shades and they give a really nice glitter affect! No matter which bottom coat you use before putting these on top, you will always love the final result. I always receive compliments when I pair them up with the darker shades in the image just above this one.

This is the rest of my nail polish collection with brands including: Bourjois, Julep, L'Oreal, Maybelline, Rimmel, Sephora, and Zoya. As I did with my essie collection, I've included close ups of the nail polishes below, along with the names of each shade that I own.

These are my Sephora nail polishes. These are great summer shades.

These are my Julep nail polishes. Great pigmentation, however, very pricey!

These is my Bourjois nail polish that I received as a gift from my friend Cindy when we had a little meetup last week. I haven't tried it out but I will definitely make sure to include a mini review here on the blog once I do!

These are my Rimmel and Maybelline quick dry nail polishes. Overall, they work very well for nail polish on the go and I definitely plan on getting more of these!

These are my Zoya nail polishes that I received in my GlossyBox subscription boxes. I'm not a fan of MEG, however, Scarlet is a great shade if you want a neutral look for work.

These are my L'Oreal nail polishes which I bought on sale at a drugstore nearby. These are great shades for all seasons, however, you'll need to apply more than one or two coats to get the best result.

Well, that's everything! I hope that you enjoyed seeing my nail polish collection. Feel free to comment below if you'd like to see some swatches, if you have any nail polish recommendations, or if you want to link your nail polish collections!

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My Makeup Collection & Storage

Hello fellow makeup lovers!

As I have been asked many times regarding how I store my makeup and which products do I use regularly, I thought it would be exciting to kick off the blog with a makeup collection and storage post!

Before I begin, I would just like to mention that in no way am I creating this post to brag. I do acknowledge that I own more makeup than I'll ever need; however, I'm always on the lookout to try out new products. That being said, makeup is one of my hobbies and my collection has grown over the last two years. I did purchase the majority of the products that are in my makeup collection, and the rest was given to me as gifts from friends and family.

I'm creating this post so that I could share with you how I store my makeup, and I'm hoping that this post will help those who would like new storage ideas for their makeup collection.

So without further ado, here is my makeup collection!

The photo above displays an overview of my entire makeup collection and storage units. On the left side, I used an empty Benefit holiday collection gift box to store my makeup palettes. In the middle, I have my daily used makeup products, and on the right, I have two 3-drawer units that contain the rest of my makeup collection.

This is the storage unit for my daily used makeup products within my collection. Keeping them separate from the rest of my collection makes everything much easier to find and it also forces me to finish the products that I'm currently using before I pick out new ones. It also avoids the rest of my collection from becoming a mess.

I used a gift box to store my Bourjois Healthy Mix Serum foundation, E.L.F. High Definition translucent powder, body butter, eyelash curler, scissors, tweezers, Korres face mask, E.L.F. Zit Zapper, and my Evian Water Spray.

In the first drawer of my daily used makeup storage unit, I have my Bare Minerals - mineral foundation, a sample sized face primer from smashbox, sample sized face primer from Korres, my Kat Von D concealer, and my Maybelline age rewind concealer.

This drawer contains my E.L.F. Contouring Blush and Bronzing Powder, a MAC Mineralize Skinfinish in Soft and Gentle, and a MAC limited edition blush - My Paradise.

The last drawer includes my E.L.F. Eyebrow Kit in Medium, clear mascara for my eyebrows, a Marcelle Mascara, my Urban Decay Primer Potion, a Sephora eyeliner, and an E.L.F. eyebrow pencil and concealer stick.

As I mentioned above, I used a gift box from a Benefit holiday collection that I had purchased to store my two makeup palettes.

My Inglot palette is part of their old palette lines which has been discontinued. This was my favorite palette that they've sold and I hope that they come out again in the future.

On the top of my makeup storage units, I have all of my E.L.F., Spa Resource, and Coastal Scents makeup brushes. The ones that I use daily are on the left, with the rest of them contained separately in the middle. I always keep my used brushes separate from my clean ones to avoid getting the clean ones dirty. Other products in this image include: two of my most favorite perfumes (a Victoria Beckham and a Kenzo perfume), some  makeup remover whips, moisturizer, kabuki brushes, some ingrown exfoliating pads, and some of the eye shadows that I've created.

My first drawer contains my concealers, foundations, face primer, and pressed powder. Brands include: E.L.F., Bare Minerals, and Hard Candy.

This is my blush and bronzer drawer (my favorite one because blushes are my favorite makeup products to experiment with). Brands Include: E.L.F., Sephora, Bare Minerals, Nars, Benefit, Tarte, Lancome, Laura Mercier, Nars, Bailey, and I also have a Marcelle translucent face powder.

This is my eyeshadow drawer that includes mineral eyeshadows that I've created or purchased. I also have E.L.F. eyeshadow Studio singles and Essential quads. Other brands include: Bare Minerals, Sephora, and Rimmel.

This is my eye liner and eyebrow drawer. From the left, I have all my eyebrow products, next to that I have my mascaras, then I have all my pencil eyeliners. At the bottom, I have my gel liners, false lashes, glue, and eyeshadow primers. Brands include: E.L.F., Urban Decay, Sephora, Maybelline, and Wet n' Wild.

In this drawer, I have the rest of my MAC products, some higher end lip products and EOS lip balms. Other brands include: E.L.F. (more on the lower end in price range), Sephora, Laura Mercier, Sugar, Korres, smashbox, and Bare Minerals.

In my last drawer, I have the rest of my lip products (lipsticks, lip balms, lip glosses). Brands include: E.L.F., Rimmel, Covergirl, Burts Bees, Glossybox, Kiss My Face, and Revlon.

This is a drawer in a separate storage unit that holds all of my backup items and sample makeup products that I have not yet used.

The images below include acrylic drawer organizers that I use to organize my makeup. I purchased from the dollar store in my area, however, you can definitely find similar drawer organizers at an office supply store, or at your local container store. I would recommend getting them in acrylic as they are more durable. Before going out to buy them, it would be great to use items around the house such as gift boxes, or containers that you no longer use.

This is a simple letter holder that you can get at any dollar store or office supply store, and it's a great way to store makeup palettes.

I hope that you've enjoyed seeing my makeup collection and storage ideas! If there are any products within this post that you would like for me to review or show a tutorial for please let me know in the comments below! Also, I am always looking for recommendations so please feel free to share your favorite makeup products!

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