Project Pan

I have been buying SO much makeup lately and it is absolutely ridiculous! One day I was on Instagram and I saw someone post about project pan. I had no idea what it was so I decided to look up more pictures. I thought this is a genius idea and I am going to do this!

For those of you who don't know what it is, it's basically a challenge to yourself to pick products that you need to use up before you purchase anything new. You can pick any number of beauty products. I have seen some people choose five products, while others have chosen twenty products! For my project pan I chose to pick ten makeup products. I may add some hair and skin care products to it later, but I just want to see how well I do with these ten things!

project pan items

These are the products I chose to use up before I purchase anything new! (This actually may be a bad week to start this considering I have two 20% off coupons for Ulta that are only good for the next week, but hopefully I can resist, but it will be VERY HARD! I will update on my Instagram!)

Products in picture:
1. Maybelline Expert Wear Eyeshadow in Sunbaked Neutrals
2. Maybelline Dream Fresh BB Cream in Light Sheer Tint
3. Revlon Grow Luscious Mascara in Blackest Black
4. Smashbox Lash DNA Mascara in Jet Black
5. Vaseline Lip Therapy
6. Rimmel Match Perfection Skin Tone Adapting Concealer in 125 Fair
7. Almay Eyeliner in Black
8. Maybelline Line Stiletto in Blackest Black
9. Elf Eyelid Primer
10. Essence Lipstick in In the Nude

Some of these items have more or less product than others, so I'm sure I will finish these at different times. Once I am completely done with these products I may do an updated post and maybe go shopping and show a haul! That would be exciting! I can't wait to see if I can actually do this! I hope I can!

Let me know if you decide to start project pan and if so, what products you have decided to use up before purchasing something new! If you have any questions please ask!

<3

Hair Care Products

I am always searching for the perfect products to use on my hair and I am finally done searching! There are 5 products that I will always repurchase!

Renewing Moroccan Argan Oil Shampoo and Conditioner...my new favorite shampoo and conditioner!!!!!!!!!

The label on the bottle says:
"A unique, precious blend of Moroccan argan oil which instantly penetrates the hair shaft restoring shine and softness while strengthening and creating soft, seductive, silky perfection."
"Why you want it...this exotic precious blend of Moroccan argan oil penetrates, moisturizes, renews and creates softness and strength while protecting your hair from harmful styling heat and UV damage as it gives you smooth, sexy tresses."

This is absolutely right! I have been using this duo for the last month and since using it my hair has gotten so soft!! I have thick, wavy, somewhat coarse, color treated hair and this has helped it so much. It is noticeably softer, even my mom noticed! :) It also smells sooooooo good!!!!! I love washing my hair now because the smell is just heavenly! It also lingers, which I absolutely love! I hate when the smell of shampoo and conditioner doesn't stay in your hair, especially if it smells so good! I haven't noticed yet if it has helped strengthen my hair because since I do color treat it, it is very damaged. It has helped a little in my frizziness, but not completely. I'm sure I just need to use it for a longer period of time to get the full results. It is sulfate free. They are regularly $7.99 each, but I got mine at Ulta in December when they had a sale of buy one, get one free. I believe they are $7.99 at Target too. I do not normally purchase the same shampoo and conditioner, but I will definitely be repurchasing these!

Ion Anti-Frizz Solutions Leave-In Conditioner

I actually learned about this from my friend Stacie, aka Moorestyle10 on YouTube, a few years ago! She's been using it for years now! We have similar hair types, so she recommended I try it and boy am I glad!!!!!! I cannot live without this product!!!! I spray it all over my hair after I get out of the shower...it detangles my hair, which I've always had trouble with, especially since color my hair. It also helps with the frizziness and helps soften my hair. It is paraben free. This product can be purchased at Sally Beauty Supply. If you have the club card it is $5.79, without it is $6.49. They often have this on sale for $2-$3! That is when I stock up!!!! I often purchase two at a time! I cannot go a hair wash without using this!!!!! Definitely recommend it to everyone!!!

TRESemme Thermal Creations Heat Tamer Spray

This is the only heat protectant I have tried, so I cannot really compare it to any other product, but I do love this! It has helped protect my hair from all the heat I use, plus it smells good!!!! I purchased mine at Target, I can't remember how much it was, but probably close to $5. I would repurchase it, but once I finish this I will most likely be trying out a new one, just to get a comparison.

Suave Dry Shampoo

This is another product I discovered through Stacie. I just recently purchased this and absolutely love it! I used to use TRESemme Fresh Start Dry Shampoo, but there were a few things I did not like about it so I decided to see what Stacie was raving about! Now I get it! It doesn't make my hair feel weird or like there is product in it, like the TRESemme one did. The Suave one smells delicious!!!! The TRESemme one smells like hair spray. It is $2.89 at Target, cheaper than TRESemme!

These are my favorite hair care products! I love each of these and would recommend them to anyone! Please let me know if there is a product you use that you suggest I try! If you have any questions please ask!!!

My Favorite Fall and Winter Nail Polish

I have many favorite nail polishes but I have to admit that Fall and Winter polishes are one of my favorite colors! I just love darker polishes, not sure why, but I do! So I am going to show you a few of my favorite polishes that I wear during this time of the year! I picked the four that I wear the most! In most of the swatches I have two or three coats on.

Purple is my favorite color. I am actually quite obsessed with this color and it's probably unhealthy! So of course there would be some shade of purple that I wear during the fall and winter! My favorite is Wet n Wild's Megalast in Bite the Bullet. I think this is a beautiful shade of purple! It's like a lilac with a hint of gray. I bought this at CVS almost two years ago and since then they have changed the packaging but they still have that color! I always get so many compliments when I wear this. I just can't even explain how much I love this color lol! Over the summer I could not wait for fall to wear this. I guess it could be worn in the summer but in my mind it's a fall color! It dries pretty fast and lasts a day or two without chipping, but of course I always put a top coat over to help prevent it from chipping. I will continue to repurchase this one! I think it's $1.99 at CVS.

My next favorite is Revlon's Vixen. I absolutely love this color! I first bought it about 5 years ago and have repurchased it several times. It is just a beautiful color. It is a dark maroon. The more coats you paint, the darker it'll get. I paint my nails this color the most throughout the fall and winter. I feel it is just a classy color, like red nails. Like most of my polishes, it will last a day or two without chipping. It is available at any drugstore. I got mine at Target.

I also love this next polish from Revlon. It is in the color Stormy. I feel it is the perfect gray polish. I have gotten a lot of compliments on this one. It is the top speed so it dries super fast! Lasts a day or two without chipping. I also got this at Target.

The last one I wear most during Fall and Winter is Essie Midnight Cami. I got this about a year ago and I had been searching for the perfect navy and I found that in this polish! I absolutely love it! I think it is such a beautiful navy. I normally do not spend that kind of money on nail polish but I saw it at Target one day and I just had to have it! It usually lasts about two days before it starts to chip.

So those are my favorite nail polishes I wear during the Fall and Winter months! If you have any questions please ask!

Thanks for reading!

<3 Sarah

First Impression/Review: Maybelline Volume'Express the Rocket Mascara

Hello everyone! Welcome back! For this post I am going to give my first impression and review on the new mascara from Maybelline...the Rocket!  I'm super excited about this so let's get started!!!

If you read my last post for my favorites of 2012 then you know that I absolutely love Maybelline mascara, so when I saw they had a new one out I had to buy it! First off, I must say the packaging is really cute! From the looks of it, they were trying to make it look like a rocket, which I think, is creative! Now, I am not a fan of the color pink, but I do like how they used pink for the font over the bright blue! I love that all of their mascaras have bright color packaging (well, the volum'express line anyway)! I purchased mine at CVS for $7.99 in the color Blackest Black.

I started off with nothing on my eyes... (sorry my eyebrow is kind of whack lol)

One application...

I say one application because I do one coat and then go back over right away with a second coat. I think that looks great for only one application! I was very pleased!

Two applications...

I really liked it after two applications! I would have been happy with just these two applications.

Three applications...

I would definitely not do more than three applications. It started to get clumpy, so unless you like that look, I would stop here. I personally don't like that look. I like my lashes to be separated. I did only use one coat on the bottom because I don't like my bottom lashes to be so bold, but I do want them to have something there! It did provide a lot of volume and length. I really like it! This is the only time I've used it so far, but I think this is my new favorite mascara! I normally use three to five mascaras to get the look of false lashes, but using this I would not need to use any others! When applying it, it did feel very wet, which I've never really noticed my other mascaras feeling like that (lol) so it was odd at first, especially on the bottom lashes!

Final thoughts: I recommend this to everyone! This is by far my favorite drugstore mascara I have ever used! Yes, I think it is a little pricey...I personally do not like to pay $8 for mascara so if you shop at CVS a lot, use your ExtraBucks, or if you shop at Ulta, use a coupon. That's how I buy all of my makeup! I love coupons!!!!! :) 

Thanks for taking the time to read this and if you have any questions just ask! Either leave a comment below, tweet me (@sarahmacbeauty) or comment on my instagram (sarahmacbeauty). I also have a pinterest now so follow me on there too (sarahmacbeauty)!
Thanks <3

*I purchased this mascara with my own money and these are my own personal thoughts.

My Favorite Makeup Products for 2012!

I know we're already three days into 2013, but I wanted to share my favorite makeup products I used the most in 2012 (better late than never, right?!). These are items I use every day. Let's get started...

MY FAVORITES!
 

My favorite products of 2012!

 I got the Urban Decay Naked 2 Palette back in the summer and I have used it every single day since then! There are 12 shadows that come in that palette. These colors suit my skin tone better than the original Naked Palette because I have very fair skin and green eyes and these colors are more warm than the colors in the original Naked Palette. I will either do a complete look using this palette or use two colors from it while using other colors, so either way, I end up using it every day! If you would like a tutorial using it let me know! This palette, along with the Naked Palette, is available at Ulta or Sephora and they both cost $50. The Naked 2 Palette comes with a double-ended brush and a travel-sized Lip Junkie Lipgloss. The Naked Palette comes with a shadow brush and a travel-sized Primer Potion.

Urban Decay Naked 2 Palette

I have a slight addiction to mascara, so I couldn't pick just one! I usually use a combination of three to five mascaras at a time. I just picked two of my favorites that I use every day.
The first is Maybelline XXL Pro Volume Mascara. It is double-ended, one side (I believe, but don't quote me) is a lash primer and the other end is the mascara. I have it in the color "very black". I absolutely love this mascara! It lengthens and volumizes my lashes! I purchased mine at Target in the fall and it was on sale, but according to their website it is no longer available in store. So I'm not sure if that means they are no longer making it, but it looks like you can still order from Target's website! Here is the link!--> Maybelline XXL Pro Mascara  

 My second favorite is also from Maybelline, which happens to be my favorite mascara brand! This one is The Falsies Volum' Express Flared (I also have Black Drama). This is also in the color "very black". I can't remember where I purchased this one, but it is available at all drug stores. I love this because it really volumizes my lashes! I use it on the top and bottoms lashes. I can just use this one and the XXL Pro and it looks like I have false lashes on! I love these two together, they are really a great combo!

Left: Maybelline's XXL Pro; Right: The Falsies Mascaras

 My next favorite are eyeliners! The eyeliner I have been loving is Ulta brand Automatic Eye Liner in black. It is great on my waterline and to line my lid. I'm sure it is not the best eyeliner in the world, but I have been using it every day and have it in a few other colors. By the end of the day it does wear off, but that does not bother me. It goes on smooth and it allows you to have a fine line or a thick, bold line. I got this over the summer when Ulta was having a sale on items from their brand, so I can't remember how much I paid for it.
My favorite liquid eyeliner is Maybelline (go figure!) Line Stiletto in blackest black.I've had this for a while (probably purchased at beginning of 2012), but I didn't start using until a few months ago because, to be honest, I was afraid of liquid liner! I just was very intimidated by how bold it is! But a few months ago I decided to give it a try and, while I'm still learning exactly how to do a winged line, I love it! It is very easy to control and it allows for either a thin or thick line. I purchased mine at Target.

Left: Maybelline Line Stiletto; Right: Ulta Automatic Eye Line

Eye shadow primer is a must! It really helps keep my eyeshadow from creasing and wearing off throughout the day! I use Elf Eyelid Primer. It is $1!!! I get mine from Target, but I know some other stores carry Elf. I've found it at a random Dollar Tree. I've also found it at this store called The Christmas Tree Shop. They also have a website. I absolutely love this brand and you will eventually see all of the Elf products I use! They are so affordable and are great products! I have a friend Stacie who has a beauty YouTube channel and she did a video on Urban Decay Primer Potion vs. Elf Eyelid Primer...go check it out! The Elf primer works great so I'm not even sure I would ever try any other brand!

Elf Eyelid Primer; $1 at Target

To be honest, I never even thought about filling in my eyebrows until I seriously started watching beauty videos on YouTube and all of the girls were filling them in...even the girls my age! So, I decided why not try it out! I wasn't sure how I would feel about filling them in (wasn't sure how it would look on me) so I didn't want to pay a lot. At the time I bought the Ulta Eye Liner, I also bought the Ulta brand Brow Pencil in the color Golden Blonde. I naturally have dirty blonde hair, but I get it highlighted so this color matches my natural color. It is double-ended, one side is the brow pencil and the other end is a shaping wax. It also has a little brush on the lid. I really like this pencil! It matches perfect and is easy to use!

Ulta Brow Pencil; Golden Blonde

 I was searching for the perfect concealer and could never find one I liked, until I was watching a video on YouTube and this beauty guru used Rimmel Match Perfection Skin Tone Adapting Concealer. I LOVE THIS CONCEALER! It works so well! It covers blemishes, dark circles and redness! Sometimes I just wear that with a little powder to set it and that's all, no foundation at all! I originally bought it in the color 125 Fair and then by accident bought it in 245 Light. I still use both of them! I use the Fair color for under my eyes and I use the Light to cover blemishes and redness. They work great together! It has a brush applicator but I tap it on to my face and then blend it in with an Elf Foundation brush. I just love the coverage of this product! I purchased both of them at Ulta for $5.99.

Rimmel Match Perfection Concealer; 125 Fair; $5.99 @ Ulta

 I don't like to use full coverage foundation products because I don't like the feeling of having so much makeup on my face. It probably comes from the fact that I only started wearing any kind of foundation a few years ago. So if I use any thing related to foundation I use Maybelline Dream Fresh BB Cream! It's very light coverage but it evens out my skin as much as I need it to. I've tried a tinted moisturizer from another brand and it would just wipe off every time I touched my face, but I have not experienced that with this BB Cream! In the summer I use it in the color Light/Medium and in the winter I use it in the color Light. I purchased mine at Target for a little over $7.

Maybelline Dream Fresh BB Cream; Light

 To set my concealer or BB cream, I use Maybelline Dream Matte Powder in the color Sand Medium 0-1. I love this powder so much! It works great and is the perfect color for my skin! It adds just a little color to even out my skin if I use it with just the concealer! And as in the name, it stays Matte all day! Love this!! I purchased mine at CVS (I had extra care bucks, so I don't remember how much it was!)
I use to be hesitant to use bronzer because since I am so pale I didn't want to look orange, but I experimented with a few different ones and my favorite one is NYC Smooth Skin Bronzing Face Powder in Sunny. It is perfect and does not make me look orange! I only use this to contour, unless in the summer I am tan (well, my version anyway!), then I put a little all over for that extra glow. I got mine at Walmart for maybe $2...very affordable!

Left: Dream Matte Powder; Right: NYC Bronzer in Sunny

I was recently at Sephora trying to find a foundation I liked, but was not very successful :( but when the makeup artist was testing a foundation on me, he said my cheeks were naturally rosey and that I didn't really need to wear blush, but I still like to, just to add some color! The blush that I loved wearing last year (well, mainly in the fall) was Rimmel Lasting Finish Powder Blush in the color Mauve Cool. I think this was a fall edition because I got it at Ulta on sale for $2.49 and every time I go to Ulta it is the only color on sale! So not sure what that is about! But I love it! It goes well with my skin tone and it is shimmery!

Rimmel Powder Blush; 002 Mauve Cool

  And last but not least....lips!! I was (and still am) obsessed with lip products! My all time favorite look is the nude lip, so of course my favorite lip products create that look! The first is Revlon Lipstick in Soft Nude. This is the perfect nude!!! I did hear though that they are discontinuing that color, not sure if that is true or not, so next time I go to the drugstore I will be purchasing another one just in case! That would be very sad if that was true! My other favorite lip product is Revlon Lip Butter in Creme Brulee.I LOVE THIS PRODUCT! It is so soft and adds the perfect hint of color on my lips! I did purchase another one in Candy Apple..I have been experimenting with the red lip! Revlon is by far my favorite brand when it comes to lip products. I also have a ColorBurst Lipgloss in the color Bellini that is a perfect nude gloss! I purchased all of my Revlon products at CVS when they had a "buy 2  revlon prodcuts, get $10 in extra care bucks"..one of those type of deals!

Left: Revlon Lipstick in Soft Nude; Right: Revlon Lip Butter in Creme Brulee

So that was my favorite makeup products for 2012! I love all of these products so much! If you have any questions please feel free to ask!

Follow me on twitter: @SarahMacBeauty
I don't really use facebook anymore, so I'm not sure if I will create a page on there or not.

Thanks!

<3 Sarah

*I purchased all of these products and these are all of my OWN opinions.

Welcome!

Hello!!! Welcome to my blog! My name is Sarah, I am 23 and I am slightly obsessed with all things beauty! It was not until about a year ago that I REALLY got in to makeup and other beauty items. Before then I wore makeup, but only eye makeup and I just wore it because, let's be honest, I was not about to go out in public Au Naturale! I've had a low self-esteem since middle school, so wearing even a little bit of makeup helped me feel a little better about myself. I first started wearing makeup in 7th grade with my Halloween costume that year and I liked how I looked wearing it. So after that my mom let me start wearing it to school and I have been hooked ever since! I started off just wearing eyeliner and mascara. Once I got to high school I started wearing eyeshadow. It wasn't until I got to college that I actually started wearing foundation, blush and bronzer. I saw instantly how much it evened out my skin tone and I will never go back to just wearing eyeliner and mascara (unless I'm running a quick errand and want to give my skin a break!). I use to do my makeup in just a routine kind of way, I didn't really have fun or like doing it until the last year. 

Over the past few months I have really come to enjoy doing my makeup. I give myself a long period of time to get ready before I have to leave the house, either for work or wherever I'm going! I just love it! I actually learned a lot about makeup from watching YouTube videos from beauty gurus! I probably watch close to 20 different gurus! Along with learning to do my makeup, I have learned a good skincare routine for my skin, I have learned what hair products work for my hair and I have learned different hair styles. I am also quite addicted to nail polish. I seriously change my polish every 4-5 days, its actually kind of ridiculous!! So that being said, I will be posting about everything mentioned above! I am very excited to begin on this journey and I really hope you all enjoy this and find everything helpful!

Thank you!

<3 Sarah 

P.S. I've never blogged before so please be patient with me as I learn how everything works! :)