Drum Roll, Please....

As requested, here is my complete inventory!  Besides what I've purchased in the past week- only a Maybelline stick foundation, Naked palette (got it broken so I'm in the process of returning it or something), and a L'Oreal highlighter pen, I think!

Don't forget if you want to follow me on Instagram (I try to post something there everyday) my user name is amalia22e.  Thanks!!!

First up is products I only have a few of- in the case of mascaras, because they go bad so quickly. Everything else, because I like them a lot, no need trying to find anything different.

Mascaras 

Lip Palettes 

Brow Products 

Eye Primers 

Face Primer 

Concealers 

Blushes 

Next, the face products: 

Liquids 

Powders 

Round jars:

Cream Eyeshadows/Gel liners 

Lip products: 

Eye products: 

Eyeliners 

Palettes 

Singles 

Infallibles (yes there is one empty spot- I gave up!)

Old palettes 

Here is my Inglot stuff, which I usually keep separate since I actually use it the most, and I have to keep it all together for traveling: 

Oh, and Meteorites! 

This is a weird story here... but I had all these MUA products still in a box (and it's a lot of stuff!) because I was going to mail it back to them, seriously, they disgusted me so badly.  Obviously I gave up on that plan but I still haven't used any of this stuff and I'll have to really consider if I will or not.

This is a duffel bag, filled with old products that I'm "saving" (for what, I don't know)... let's see if I can open it.  

Some of the contents- I don't even have space to open these now

And um... all this stuff is for nails... polish, plates, gel supplies and various accessories- just too much stuff, really: 

This bag is my "trash but not trash"- things I don't want anymore but not because they're not good- just wrong colour for me, don't use, etc. 

I forgot about these last bits- a couple of Nars blushes and some single eyeshadows.... and now that my blog is done, I can say this without caring much about the consequences.... but Burberry Trench is one of the most overrated eyeshadows ever!!! I might just throw it out it upsets me so much...

That's about it!!  A big thank you to everyone that has ever visited me here.  I wish you all a Merry Christmas, a prosperous New Year, a thriving blog if that's your thing, and a happy life in general.  

xoxo 

Amalia 

Five of My Favorite Products

These aren't my favorites from only 2013, but in general. I haven't included every category but just a few I can think of. In some cases (mascara, foundation, nail polish, etc.), I don't have favorites. In many of the others, I've chosen good performers that I use as a reference when measuring other products.

1. Eyeshadow: Inglot. Just simply can't go wrong with these- every color and finish, and never have I had to question the pigmentation. My runners up are Dior and Urban Decay. Dior is sometimes lacking in pigmentation, but I love their soft texture and smooth finish. Urban Decay- I've had enough of their glittery crap already, but the non glittery ones are really awesome. Oh but I can't forget Sleek palettes- they're definitely in my favorites too, at least honorable mention!

2. Lipstick: this is tough, but I'd have to say MAC. I've branched out and not every lipstick I own is MAC anymore, but they make some very good lipsticks and many are just so classic. I love the vanilla too. Runner-up: I think Rimmel is great- really good pigmentation in a variety of finishes.

3. Powder- loose and pressed: Diorskin nude. I've been using both for over ten years, and nothing gives me a prettier finish (especially the loose powder), so I haven't even bothered trying many others.

4. Blush: Sleek. I'm not a big blush person, but these are great. Excellent pigmentation, sturdy packaging, lot of product for a small price. At one point I think I had almost every shade.

5. Brushes: Hakuhodo. I've tried not to stick with them, but but after trying almost every other brand available outside of Asia, they really do stand out. Not only for softness, but performance and brush quality- they're just superior. Runner up- MAC. Not every brush is great, but they're highly functional and durable.

Storage Organization: My Favorite

These are not just for nail polish! They are perfect for nail polish, but Helmer is my favorite storage for makeup too.

These things are what make it awesome- they're called Antonius, and they fit everything perfectly.  Blush, eyeliners, lipsticks- they all seem to be just the right size for the sections.  These were my drawers from a while back, but it shows just how well they fit: 

Since they're metal, I've seen them spray painted too. Best $40 you could spend in my opinion!  

Maybelline Colorsensational Lipsticks: Ruby Star, Iced Caramel

I think this wraps it up for my lipstick swatches!

I actually didn't like the texture of Ruby Star, it felt almost gritty.  I like Iced Caramel but I feel like I've gone from having one or two nude lipsticks to more than I can use.  

Ingot Pressed Powder #19 Review

I got this powder thinking it would work as a highlighter. It doesn't, really, but it has fair coverage with some sparkles. I thought it was about the same coverage as their normal pressed powder.

It's a bit hard to tell what it looks like in the pan... and the swatch.  

I tried to capture it on my face, but even in real life, it's hard to see what it does... you can't see the glitter unless you are really close up.  

Unfortunately, it's just something I rarely use. I definitely prefer a glowy highlighter, and if I use this with one it looks really off.

Rimmel Volume x10 Mascara Review

Last mascara review!!

I am not sure if this is still in Rimmel's lineup, but I didn't get it that long ago. It really surprised me, I think it's a great mascara. Actually it is one of the better Rimmel mascaras I've tried in a while- it is probably one they had before all the Scandal'eyes versions, just based on the shape of the tube and the brush. The only thing I'd warn though, if you don't like a lot of product on your eye, it's probably not the right choice. The brush has really short, wide-apart bristles, so a lot of product gets deposited. For me, I need a lot of product so it's fine.

I also tend to ignore any mascaras 5x, 8x, 10x, etc. volumizing claims- no way for me to measure but 10x volume is a bit of a stretch. I still think it looks good though!

Sephora Smart Liner Eyeliner

This little product has made a huge difference to me. At first I was skeptical that it was just another gimmick, but for me it really works. I've always had issues with eyeliner- I think a lot of it is just nerves, I mean its a lot of pressure to get a straight line or you have to start all over again!?! So my hand always gets a bit shaky, and when I put the pencil to my eye it's like I'm suddenly blinking constantly.

Anyway, along comes this. I couldn't really understand the demo the lady in the store gave me and honestly I started getting embarrassed - I mean, a person my age who doesn't know how to do eyeliner. But basically you grip it with your thumb and forefinger, then your other three fingers stay wrapped around the back. The shape of the handle basically prevents your fingers from slipping and keeps consistent pressure on the pen.

It might not look like anything special, but I've never seen my eyeliner look this good- ever.

I think obviously, it's a big improvement for me.... Here I'm probably wearing gel liner (I cannot do soft pencils with an even halfway straight line....no way), but see how I have that little gap between my lid and the liner, and how the line doesn't extend far enough. I still can't do that flick thing, but using this liner I just press the tip down at the edge, to get the end like that above.

I like this eyeliner a lot. I didn't have any problems with it smearing or fading, and its pretty black, even over darker eyeshadows. Although it's not as easy as mascara for me, I've got the hang of it now. It's like eyeliner intuition for people like me who just don't have it. I think when I run out, or they discontinue it, I might try a regular felt tip liner and try holding it at this angle.