I hope everyone had a great (or even ok) end to the year holiday. I took a few weeks off to slowly get back into the swing of things for 2021. As we enter the new year, it is customary for us in the US to start to “declutter” and start the year fresh. While I don’t condone quick fixes, it’s a friendly reminder to take a look at ourselves to “Marie Kondo” our lives and take a look at what “sparks joy.” After a year of online sales and pandemic hoarding, what kind of joy do we want to bring into the new year? Apartment Therapy has an excellent month-long program called the January-Cure to help you reset for the rest of the year.
Here is my personal lists to tackle so far:
Pantry –Discard expired foodsOrganize spice rackStore unused times (dishes, kitchen tools, etc)
- Makeup and Skincare –
Deep clean brushes and storage- Identify which items I stopped using
- Update dating systems (when did I purchase this item, how long can I use it for)
- Create prop box for photoshoots
- Clothes
- Donate Maternity clothes I don’t fit into anymore
- Donate any clothes that I don’t want to wear as a parent (dance club attire =))
- Organize new baby clothes and toys received from Christmas
- Car
- Clean out items in the trunk, console, and glove compartment
Organize reusable bag collection- Clean dog seat cover
- Garage
- Declutter
I already completed the Pantry checklist a few days ago. It was the easiest since I have a huge pet peeve about holding onto expired foods. I tried to use everything in my pantry within 3 months after opening. It was nice to review my spice collection and refill items that were running low. Now I’m working on my makeup list. Real Simple has an excellent visual guide for when to discard makeup products. Some timelines might feel short, but keep in mind you put things on your eyes or lips daily, it’s better to be safe than deal with an infection.
I like using the Reminders app (iPhone) to notify me when 3 months or 1 year has passed. It doesn’t clutter up my personal calendar. I just list the name of the product, the date of purchase and assign an expiration date. Here are few items I’ve tossed out in the process:
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MAYBELLINE NEW YORK TATTOOSTUDIO™ SHARPENABLE GEL PENCIL LONGWEAR EYELINER MAKEUP in Rich Amethyst 940
I really wanted to love this product. I always want to incorporate more purples and blues in my eye makeup routine. As a brown-eyed girl, I feel like blues and purples colors compliment my yellow-toned, blue-veined skin. Pencil formulas are so easy to use, just swipe and go. This TATTOOSTUDIO™ SHARPENABLE GEL PENCIL LONGWEAR EYELINER MAKEUP in Rich Amethyst 940 is a lovely purple color, bright but not too pastel. It lives up to the longwear and waterproof claims. My main issue is the application. As you can see from my swatch, it not a smooth application unless you do a few swipes. After a few swipes, it becomes very chunky and flakey as it dries down. I always seem to find many chunks and glitter falling off onto my cheeks after a few hours of wear. I found myself not using this eyeliner after a few weeks. ☆☆☆
THE ORDINARY LACTIC ACID 10% + HA (updated review)
The stress of 2020 and my pregnancy hormones really wreaked havoc on my skin. It made me over-exfoliate and over-complicate my skin routine to deal with many cystic acne and dry flakes. I wrote about this Lactic acid in a previous post and wanted to revisit it again. It turns out doing less was better for my skin. I was developing a little rosacea on my left cheek, which disappeared after I stopped using this product. It came back after I started using it again. I don’t think it’s the product’s fault. My skin will continue to change as I age, and this product was probably better in my younger days. My skin will change again once the baby comes. In the meantime, I will continue to use external exfoliants 2x a week since that seems to work better with my skin’s lifecycle. ☆☆☆☆
REVLON MEGA MULTIPLIER™ MASCARA in Blackest Black.
Another day, another tubing mascara. There are only so many tubing mascaras in the US, so I always purchase one whenever I see it in the wild. This one was suggested by @alineonbeauty on Instagram. After trying it for a few months, I came to the same conclusion as her. I like more volumizing and lengthening mascaras. This mascara really gives you a nice black coating on your lashes, but it doesn’t really transform them. I like the brush. It works wonderfully on oily eyelids. It also lasts all day without significant flaking. Preference-wise, I wanted it to do more. If you’re in the mood for natural lashes, this is the one for you. I tossed it to make room for more 2021’s tubing mascaras. ☆☆☆☆
REVLON COLORSTAY™ EYELINER in BLACK (201)
This was one of the eyeliners I used when I first started to use makeup. I really started to get into makeup around my college years. Little did I know that eyeliner isn’t made the same for everyone. I wondered if the formula changed over the past decade for oily eyelids, but I learned it has not. I still get raccoon eyes unless I use this with an eye primer. I love the applicator on REVLON COLORSTAY™ EYELINER. It provides a dark, consistent line. Creamy, but not longwear. It never really dries for me since I have oily eyelids. Oh well. After a few weeks of trying to make this work, it went into the bin this week. ☆☆
REVLON COLORSTAY MICRO™ HYPER PRECISION GEL EYELINER in Black (214)
I really want to love this, but the formula for the MICRO™ HYPER PRECISION GEL EYELINER is about the same as the COLORSTAY™ EYELINER for me. I still had a lot of transfer on my oily eyelids, giving me the classic panda look. I love the idea of this eyeliner. It always provided a smooth sharp line around my eyes. I love the little smudging end as well. ☆☆
I hope you took some time off this year to ease your way back into the rhythms of the new year. 2021 feels the same but different. Entering a new year always makes me feel nostalgic. Or maybe the fact that I’m turning 36 in a few months means that I’m another year closer to the bit 40-year-old milestone.
Until next time,
Diana L.
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diana luong 