little white truths

One thing that's bothered me for years is that some sections of society persist in making climate change a political issue. As in, only tree-hugging lefties 'believe' in climate change. We're uneducated and gullible apparently, and we've fallen for a hoax.

Now obviously this sentiment doesn't apply to everyone - I know plenty of conservatives who want climate action too - but there's enough junk out there that I feel compelled to add my own voice to the argument. Small as that voice may be. But as one of my dear friends says, sometimes an audience of five is enough.

My aim with this post is to pull in a few issues that mirror climate change in the sense that they have nothing to do with politics (and I think, I hope, that reasonable people will agree with me) - with the goal being to haul the environment out of the political sphere and re-ground it exactly where it needs to be. Which is, you know, on the ground. On the ground, in the sea, in the air. Let's be real here please.

Some of the things I'm about to say may well be uncomfortable or perceived as politically incorrect, but I'm prepared to weather that storm because the climate storm is so much bigger and so much more important that I'll roll with any punches because my kids' futures matter light-years more to me than what others think of me. Baffling I know. 

I also want to state from the outset that my aim with this post is not to unleash a mushroom haze of judgement into the atmosphere (because, let's face it, there's far too much pollution in the atmosphere as it is) - but instead to ask people to pull back their own judgements of others and instead look in the damn mirror. It is my belief that one of the biggest threats of our time is failure to question. Not society, governments and other cultures - we're astoundingly good at questioning those - but failure to question ourselves, our own behaviours. 

I'll just plant that there.

Now let's keep planting. Trees, and reality. I like both.

Dogs. Let's talk about dogs. People love dogs. Whether you're left-wing or right-wing, whether you believe in god or you're an atheist, whether you hate cats or you don't (ha), people across the political, religious and cultural spectrum have dogs and love them. They're part of the family, after all. Beautiful, happy and loyal creatures who want nothing more than food, love and crazy runs around the park. The joyful simplicity of dogs is breathtaking. That's why we love them.

But then we see videos online and hear stories about cruelty to animals, how dogs have been abused and wind up in animal shelters, ready to be put down unless someone rescues them. I know people from all corners of society who own rescue dogs and have told me, with tears in their eyes, the stories behind their pets and how they've been treated by past owners. It's an abomination.

And at the moment, the sheer cruelty of what's happening to countless species across the planet due to the actions of humans - whether it's orangutans losing their habitats, sea creatures choking and dying from plastic in our oceans, species going extinct or facing extinction due to climate change...

ANIMAL CRUELTY IS NOT A POLITICAL ISSUE. 

It's a moral one.

So please don't walk around with your rescue dog, polishing your halo and denying the reality of climate change, meanwhile buying products containing palm oil and eating slabs of meat on the daily so that beautiful, happy and loving creatures like orangutans are now facing extinction as we annihilate their homes. You cannot have it both ways. 

And when the water wars start and you're rationing that precious resource, when your family is dying of thirst before your very eyes, whom do you think you're going to give those last few drops of water to - your dog? No. Your children. 

I'll just plant that there.

Failure to question.

Next up, vaccinations. I came across a climate change denialist the other day who was banging on about anti-vaxxers because, you know, the science behind vaccinations is indisputable. A few days later, an anti-vaxxer on Twitter was banging on about the importance of joining the recent climate strikes - because, you know, we have to listen to the scientists. They know what they’re talking about, after all. 

The sheer hypocrisy would be exquisite, delicious, if these issues weren't so painfully serious.

VACCINATION IS NOT A POLITICAL ISSUE.

It's a moral one.

And what bothers me about the anti-vaxxers is that you're unlikely to see an anti-vaxxer necking a bottle of vodka each day or smoking reams of cigarettes while pregnant. Oh the horror! You can't do that, you might harm your unborn child. The scientific evidence against engaging in such behaviours is crystal clear. But at least if you smoke, drink and do drugs while you're pregnant, you're only putting your own child's health at risk. If you're failing to face the crystal clarity behind vaccinations or climate change, you're putting everyone else's kids at risk too. That's just basic maths.

So please don't walk around demonising the anti-vaxxers and then in the next breath rant lyrical about the stupidity of those socialist / Marxist / tree-hugging / whatever derogatory term you want to assign to those who listen to the climate scientists, who care about the health and safety of future generations, who care about the future of all life in general. You cannot have it both ways.

And if you're an anti-vaxxer or climate change denialist who judges that pregnant woman you see smoking a cigarette, eating sushi or having a glass of wine, you can shove that judgement up your proverbial. You cannot have it both ways.

Failure to question.

Next, let's talk about child abuse. Gosh we're quick to condemn child abusers, child slavery, child labour, paedophiles and - depending on your own culture/religion - those who perform unnecessary cosmetic procedures on newborn babies (be it circumcision or ear-piercing) or religious procedures on young children (female genital mutilation being the obvious example here). 

'It's part of the culture' is an argument I usually hear in such cases - which, let's face it, is not a valid argument when it comes to abusive practices regarding children. I mean, we're not talking about cultural food or music here, are we? Black slavery used to be part of the culture. It's not anymore for a bloody good reason. Give me another argument and I'll hear it, but 'it's part of the culture' doesn't cut it. Period.

And please let's remember who owns the body parts in question. It's the child's face or genitals we're talking about, not yours. It's the same as the vaccination argument. It's your child's health, not yours, and it's not a parent's right to choose whether a child's penis should be 'amended' or whether a child should be given an immunisation that could very well save its life, or the life of a newborn baby who happens to come into contact with it.

CHILD ABUSE IS NOT A POLITICAL ISSUE.

It's a moral one.

So please don't walk around condemning other cultures where child labour is rampant or where female genital mutilation is still occurring on a daily basis, while your own son was circumcised at birth and your newborn daughter has pierced ears when she did not ask to have holes punched in her face only days after the traumatic experience of being born (because, let's face it, childbirth ain't fun for anyone involved). You cannot have it both ways.

And as a mother of a daughter myself, a mother who worries about the social emphasis on female looks, who worries that girls in their twenties are having botox injections, who worries that girls as young as twelve are winding up with eating disorders, who worries that girls as young as six are turning up to birthday parties and saying: 'No Mrs Jones, I won't have a slice of birthday cake. I'm on a diet'... Gosh it breaks my heart to know that the whole 'women MUST be adorned' message is tattooed on little girls' faces at birth all too often. You don't pierce newborn boys' ears, do you? And you don't 'amend' your newborn daughter's labia if you don't like the look of it. But circumcision? That's fine apparently. 

Failure to question.

It's also rather rich to condemn other cultures for what they do to children and then call climate change a hoax while voting for politicians who would rather focus on economic growth than protecting the environment that your kids will inherit. There's no economy without a planet. There are no jobs without a planet. There WILL be wars for resources, however - sooner than you think - and our kids will be facing those. What an abuse of our children's futures. 

What an abuse.

Greta Thunberg put it best when she recently addressed the UN: 'I shouldn't be up here. I should be back at school on the other side of the ocean ... How dare you. You have stolen my dreams and my childhood.'

Geez I cried. I know I'm not the only one.

That's child abuse.

I think I should probably stop here because I've been frank enough for one day, but I want to say one final thing.

What bothers me about the anti-vaxxers and climate change denialists in particular is that we can't rely on Darwinism here. Because these folks aren't removing themselves from the gene pool - it's far worse than that - they're risking breeding out not only their own children, but other people's children too. Furthermore, climate change denialists are risking breeding out all life entirely. Humans do not have the right to decide what happens to other species. But we do have a responsibility to protect them.

Geez I'd like to see something akin to the Nuremberg Trials happen within the next decade (tomorrow would be preferable, although we can impeach Trump first I suppose), so the culprits are still alive to face them. Climate crimes aren't only crimes against humanity, they're crimes against all life on Earth. They are also crimes against children, who will be inheriting whatever's left behind. If anything.

And yes, they're crimes against dogs. Yeah ok, OK! They're crimes against cats too. 

None of this is about politics. When is everyone going to get that?

Roger out.

* All images courtesy of unsplash.com

This post has been coming for a while, but it's taken me some time to get my thoughts in order and I wanted to sit with things for a bit in case those thoughts were fleeting.

They're not fleeting. They've taken hold.

Little White Truths was started as a life blog because I didn't want to limit content - I just wanted to write - but as you know, it's mainly become a beauty blog with a few other posts thrown in for good measure. The reason for this is situational, and my situation is changing.

I started Little White Truths when I was pregnant with my daughter (who's now 4.5 years old) because I knew I would need to have some kind of writing to do each day in the years of early motherhood. For the sake of my own mental health, I need to write. Otherwise my brain starts eating itself alive.

And indeed the blog has performed its function. It's been something that's mine, something I've been able to hold on to during the wonders and terrors of raising children, something that's kept me on the level and ensured I have the patience and mental balance I need for my kids. Plus I've been able to write reviews on beauty products and short panning updates through the mad intensity - no matter how tired I am and and how noisy it's been at home, I've been able to keep at it. There's something to be said for that.

But my son is almost three now and he'll be joining my daughter at kinder next year, which means I'll have more time and mental space on my hands. Also, as the kids have gotten older, I've felt my creative brain start to wake up. 

And geez it's waking quickly. It's screaming a little louder each day. While I used to work on novels and short stories every day, the early motherhood years have made the creative process impossible - because writing is an emotional process that's about delivering emotional truths, and there's been nothing left for it because all my emotions have gone straight to my kids. Which is of course how it should be. 

But now that they're a little older and getting to the age where their little worlds are expanding in places that don't include me (that's what kinder is for!), the writer in me has been scratching at the inside of my brain and geez I need to start feeding her again or I may find myself in hot water. Other artists will relate. You need to feed the beast - or the drive, the passion, will bury you. That's just how it is.

So what does all this mean for Little White Truths? I want to keep it going. While it's not a place for short stories and novels, it can be a place for different kinds of posts. I could do more writing in the sustainability space, for example - and I would like to start expanding into that territory. I would like to start expanding in general, to be honest - which will help stop my brain from shooting out in all directions and instead give those ideas somewhere to land. As my kids' worlds expand, so too will mine.

I'm also a little sick of the beauty-blogging process, to be honest. I'm sick of not being able to open new products until I've photographed them, I'm sick of waiting for the sunlight to be in the right spot at home and of the right strength so I can sneak in some photos, and I'm sick of telling myself that I need to buy a better camera and learn the more technical aspects of photography. 

I'm also sick of telling myself that I need to learn how to use Twitter and Instagram better, that I need to expand into other areas of social media like YouTube - because the reality is, social media just isn't my thing. It takes time to respond to Instagram comments and keep an eye on backhanded remarks on Twitter posts, and I'm not one of those people who gets a dopamine hit when social media posts go well. The whole process just feels like more admin to me. Perhaps I'm lucky, or perhaps I just don't get it.

Also, while I still love makeup and skincare and suspect I always will because these things have become my meditation, I don't buy as much stuff as I used to - and when it comes to things like blushes and eyeshadows, I have all I need and I won't be getting through it anytime soon so I have no plans to keep buying more stuff that I can't hope to finish before expiry.

I think it's also worth mentioning that, while beauty products have their place and bring enjoyment to many people (myself included), I've been feeling an increasing need to dedicate my efforts towards things that mean more in an overall context. That is, I would prefer to bring more awareness to global issues like deforestation and free speech and write about those, as opposed to writing more product reviews when plenty of reviews are available anyway so I'm not sure how much I'm adding. I want to do more towards the greater good, and since writing has always been my tool - well, that's how I should be using it. It's time.

Anyhoo. This post is just a little heads up to let readers know that the focus of this blog will be changing. While I'll probably still do panning posts (Project Pan, Project Dent and Pan that Palette, perhaps empties posts too - so there'll be mini reviews in there for anyone who's interested), going forward there'll be a shift in content. There'll likely also be a reduction in content because I can't post as much these days (I have more work on than I used to), and I need to start writing novels and short stories again or my head might implode. But the blog has taken root, and it's here to stay.

Here's to new directions.

Hope all's well with you, and speak soon x

* All images courtesy of unsplash.com

Stop buying wrapping paper

Sure, if you're buying paper that's been recycled, that's great - but how about not buying it at all? When it comes to wrapping gifts, I use the pictures my kids draw daily or bring home from kinder/childcare (the ones we don't want to keep, that is) - and if you don't have kids, just use the sheets from an old magazine or brochure/junk mail that's shown up in your letterbox. 

You can also use the tissue paper or paper stuffing that's used to pad out online orders or items you've bought in-store - so don't throw that away when your goodies arrive, keep it so you can re-purpose it.

Sure, it's nice to be given something that's beautifully wrapped with all the bells and whistles, but it's not necessary - and of course, it's what's on the inside that counts ; )

Need gift ideas? Buy sustainable items

I've been doing this for the past year or so, and these things are incredibly well-received - especially because it's not always easy to buy gifts for the person who has everything, who doesn't need much, or who prefers to buy the things they want for themselves because they're picky (my husband is like this).

So this year people have received sustainable items from me, including fruit and vegetable storage that increases the longevity of these items (which helps reduce food waste), replacements for glad wrap, reusable coffee cups and thermoses, sustainable everyday goods like replacements for washing powder, reusable bread bags and even seedlings so they can grow their own stuff. 

Boring presents? Maybe. Except that everyone uses them and people almost seem relieved that they don't have to think about/research these items for themselves. Definitely something to think about. It can also take the headache out of gift-buying, and I would prefer to support sustainable companies rather than those who produce consumables we just don't need.

If you want a good website that offers heaps of these kinds of environmentally friendly alternatives, I recommend Nourished Life.

Plant trees and other greenery

Whether you live in a house or an apartment, you can still make sure that your garden, balcony or even your living space is filled with as many trees, plants and pot-plants as possible. Planting trees is the cheapest, easiest thing we can all do to help delay the disastrous impacts of climate change while society gets its act together and implements much-needed solutions to a global problem.

Planting greenery is also a wonderful thing to do with kids, and you can give them the responsibility of watering said greenery so they learn how to be responsible for a living thing and can enjoy watching it flourish. It's also a great way to show your child that you trust them to look after it, which can help build their confidence.

Of course, growing your own fruit, herbs and vegetables is a great thing to do too. We're lucky enough to have heaps of fruit trees in our garden, and there's something wonderful about being able to walk into your own backyard and pick a mandarin from your tree, and sit there eating it in the sunshine. Heaven.

Install solar panels 

I know, I know - these things ain't cheap. But neither's the annual holiday you take each year. We haven't travelled for the last two years for a few reasons (one of which is that travelling with kids ain't easy!), but another reason is that we preferred to put that money towards installing solar panels - and given the rebates available in Australia, installing panels was a damn sight cheaper than a family trip to Europe or Asia. It wasn't much more expensive than a family trip to Queensland either.

Plus if you skip getting on a plane, you'll be avoiding spewing more carbon into the atmosphere - while making your household greener for decades to come. So forgo the plane flights for a year or two and instead travel by land or sea somewhere local if you need a holiday. 

Worth noting is that, while we had to draw-down on our mortgage to fund our solar panels, our household bills have dropped already and that means the draw-down won't have an impact for long because we're now able to put more onto the mortgage each month. Holidays don't pay themselves back, that's for sure ; )

If you're renting or live in an apartment, petition the landlord or owners corporation to install panels. It will increase the value/attractiveness of the property afterall (because tenants/prospective buyers will have lower electricity bills, and any prospective buyer won't have to do it themselves), so you may be able to convince them - especially if they've been thinking about doing it anyway.

I think it's also worth mentioning that installing panels encourages other people to do the same. I know three families already who have gone on to install their own panels after they heard we'd done ours. Sure, they were thinking about it already - but hearing that others have done it can give people the impetus to bite the bullet themselves. And when they do it, their friends start doing it... And so the tree grows.

I realised this morning that I need to write my panning goals for next year, and it seemed like a good day to set those down because I don't feel like writing a review post today.

What I generally do with these posts is set out what I would like to achieve with my panning projects for 2020, since I'm currently thinking about those and sorting through which items I'll be working on and which ones I'll be leaving aside until 2021.

Let's have a look.

Bronzers

I have five stand-alone bronzers these days and that's a good amount for me because one of them is more of a contour powder (it's neutral), so they all get used and I don't feel the need to finish any of them for now.

However I do have three bronzers in my custom palettes and two of them aren't my favourites so I want to get through at least one and possibly two by the end of next year. I'm not sure it's achievable to pan both (one may be all I can manage), but I'll try and I'm looking forward to choosing which one to pan first. It's between my bronzer from Bobbi Brown and one that I've mixed myself. 

If I can pan those two, then I've got my collection down to roughly where I want it.

Blushes

Blushes are the hardest things to pan but I do need to get through some so I'll be aiming to finish one next year.

I did try to finish one this year but didn't get close (it's from Hourglass and it's lasting forever), so I've decided to stop working on that and instead I've chosen a Becca blush that's only a half-pan so I should be able to do it.

Currently my stand-alone blush count is six and I'm happy with that number for the moment (blush is my favourite makeup item so I like to have a few to reach for), but as with my bronzers, it's the ones in my custom palettes that I would like to start finishing.

Fingers crossed I can pan one in 2020.

I have four stand-alone powder highlighters these days (plus the six in my custom palettes), so I won't be aiming to reduce the singles next year - four is a good amount for me and I don't need more than that for the moment, especially because I have so many in my custom palettes.

As for the ones in my custom palettes, I know I want to get through the mini I own because I rarely use that, but I'm not sure which of the others I don't need so I'll have a play with them and work out which items I can do without.

I guess my goal next year will be to pan one or two from my custom palettes, which will mean that I may be able to transfer more items into those - I reach for my custom palettes a lot and everything in them gets plenty of use.

Eyeshadows

This year I managed to pan my Too Faced Natural Matte Eyeshadow Palette, and next year I'll be looking at panning my Too Faced Peanut Butter & Jelly Palette. Reason being, I like it in theory but in practice it's too warm for me so I always need to mix it with other shades and that means I don't reach for it often enough.

Indeed, I've already prepared this palette for panning by removing the two shades I want to keep (Bananas and Jelly) and filling the empty spaces with some cooler-toned shadows that make the palette more wearable. I've already tried my new palette and it works so well that I'm excited about panning it next year, which I wasn't before.

As for my other eyeshadows, I'll keep working on the shades in my custom palettes because I don't need all of them (I have a few dupes that can go), and some of them I don't use enough so I don't need to keep them in my collection. I'm really keen to keep reducing my eyeshadow count next year, so that will be the focus of my panning efforts for 2020.

In sum

I'm pleased to have my panning goals set down for 2020 and I'm really looking forward to getting stuck into things.

One positive to note is that I've reduced my collection enough over the last few years that I don't feel as overwhelmed as I did before, so a lot of my panning efforts will be more about changing the shades in my custom palettes by finishing what I don't need and replacing those shades with things in my collection that I can easily de-pot and move. Looking forward!

That's all from me. Let me know in the comments what your panning goals are for next year: I'd love to hear.

Hope all's well with you, and speak soon x

* All images courtesy of unsplash.com

My last skincare inventory was in June (see here), so it's time I checked in to do an updated one.

Do note that I've received a few products to review lately, so these will be reflected in my numbers and I may have more stuff than I realised - however I haven't bought too much stuff so I don't think things will be ridiculous.

We shall see!

Makeup remover

Previously I had two and I still have two (one open full-size and one open travel-size). I've finished one since my last inventory but I received the travel-size as a GWP so I'm back where I started.

One is my ultimate goal, but I don't mind having a back-up so I'm not worried about this category. 

Cleansing oils/balms

I had one and I now have two, being an unopened full size and an unopened back-up (I'm trying to finish other cleansers before I open them). I bought one but I also received one as a GWP, and I'm looking forward to trying both soon. 

Two's my goal so we're there.

Cleansers

This is all other cleansers aside from oils and balms. Previously I had four and I now have six because I was sent a couple for review, so my numbers have gone up a little but things aren't terrible at least.

My goal here is no more than four open cleansers plus a couple of back-ups, so I'm a little over that number but I know I can get things down reasonably quickly because cleansers don't take too long to finish.

Exfoliants

I had two and I now have four because I received one as a GWP and also bought one. 

My goal here is no more than two open products plus a couple of back-ups, so I have some work to do here.

Toners

For toners, I'm not only including standard toners but also 'treatment' ones (eg my glycolic toner from Alpha-H). In my last inventory I had three and I now have four (two being unopened) because I bought a couple during one of Priceline's big sales (I get through toners really quickly so it helps to have back-ups).

My goal here is no more than four: two open and two unopened back-ups. We're there.

Acids/treatments

The products in this category include eg items from The Ordinary because they don't really fit into any other category and I can still use them in conjunction with my serums or even mixed in with my serums or moisturisers.

Before I had three and I still have three (one being unopened) because I replaced some products when my spending ban lifted at the beginning of June.

Three is my goal in this category so we're there.

Essences

This is a new category because I've only started exploring essences more this year. Previously I had two and I still have two (one being unopened) and I'm happy with that.

My goal is no more than two.

Serums

Before I had one and I now have three. This is a good amount for me because I use the same serum in the morning but alternate between the two I own for evening, depending on how dry my skin is. 

That's my goal so we're there.

Eye creams

I had two and I now have one. That's definitely not enough for me because I need something heavier for evening, but I've asked my mum to buy one for me duty free (my parents are currently overseas), so I'll have another one soon. 

No more than three eye creams is a good goal for me so we're there.

Day cream

Previously I had four and I now have two because I finished the minis I was using.

My aim was two so I've reached my goal.

Night cream/overnight cream

Previously I had three and I now have five (including two unopened back-ups). This category has blown up a little because I bought one on sale and the other one was sent to me for review, so I have some work to do here. 

Three is my goal in this category.

Oils

I had one and I still have one, which is a good amount for me as we head into summer because I use more oils in winter.

No more than two is my goal here.

Masks

In my last inventory I had four and I now have five (one being unopened). This is a good amount for me because I use different masks for different things, so I generally have around four masks open at a time.

My goal here is no more than four open plus a back-up or two, so we're there.

Hello and welcome to my next makeup inventory post for 2019.

My last inventory post was in June (see here), and I haven't bought much makeup since then so I'll be interested to see how my numbers have dropped over the last three months.

Let's have a look.

Primers

Last update I had two and I still have two. While I finished a couple, I also bought more in one of Sephora's 20 percent off sales - otherwise I wouldn't have had any.

My goal was four or five so I've managed to beat that, and there's even room to buy another one. Happy with this category!

Setting sprays

Last update I had one and I still have one. While that's a good amount for me, I wouldn't mind owning another one - so I may ask for one for Christmas.

No more than two is my goal here.

Liquid/cream illuminators

I had one and I still have one. Currently it's on my Project Pan list because I would like to get through it and try something else, so hopefully that happens soon.

One's my goal so we're good here.

Liquid foundations

I had two and I now have three because I bought one. This is a good amount for me so I won't buy any more until I need to replace the ones I own.

My goal is no more than three.

Shade adjusting drops/foundation mixers

I had zero and I still have zero. Happily I don't need any more for now because the foundations I own match me, but I will likely need to buy more in future - especially once we hit summer.

Two's my goal so we've beaten it.

BB/CC creams and tinted moisturisers

I had one and I now have zero because I finished my last one, so I'll need to buy another one because these kinds of bases are my favourites and I'll definitely need one that contains sunscreen as we head into summer. I'll either buy an old favourite or try something new. Looking forward.

My goal is no more than two.

Correctors

I had one and I still have one, and I'll have that for a while because I don't use much each time.

One is enough for me so I've met my goal in this category.

Concealers

I had one and I still have one, which is a good amount for me because I don't need much concealer - although the one I have is better for my winter skintone, so I may need to buy myself another one down the track. We'll see.

No more than two is my goal here.

Setting powders

I had two and I still have two.

While initially my goal was one, I'm changing that to three or four because I would like to explore the setting powder category (something I haven't done before) and work out what the best ones are, whether budget or high-end. So I'm ok with this category for now and I plan to buy another one soon.

Finishing powders

I had one and I still have one. Happy with that.

Face palettes

I had three and I still have three.

I don't really have a goal here but three is probably too many for me, so I'll aim to pan myself down to two eventually.

Bronzers/contour powders

I had five and I still have five. While I panned two bronzers this year, both were from my custom palettes so they don't affect the numbers under this heading.

My goal is four, so I'm not far away from that - and considering that I use one of my bronzers as a contour because it's neutral/cool, I can live with five for now.

Blushes

I had seven and I now have six because I was able to move one into my custom palettes (so that will be counted below). 

I'm happy with that amount for the moment but I wouldn't mind finishing some so I can try new things. Blushes however take ages to pan so I'm not holding my breath.

Highlighters

I had five and I now have four because I panned one.

My goal was no more than five so I'm happy with where things are.

Eyeshadow palettes (small and large)

I had fourteen and I now have thirteen because I panned one. This is what I have left: three quints, five septets and five larger palettes. Too many.

I don't know how I'm going to get through these palettes in a reasonable timeframe because eyeshadow takes so long to pan, but I guess all I can do is work on one at a time.

My goal for the moment is ten, so that's what I'll work towards next year.

Eyeliners 

I had one and I still have one.

That's my goal: I don't use much eyeliner.

Mascaras

I had six and I now have five. Thankfully all the ones I have left are travel-sizes so they won't take too long to get through, and I only have one or two open at a time because mascaras don't last that long before you need to turf them - so there's no point having a variety to choose from (at least in my case).

My goal here is no more than four: one or two open, and one or two in back-up. We're almost there.

Brow products

I had two and I still have two: one pencil and one coloured gel. 

Two's my goal, so we're there.

Lipsticks

I had three and I still have three.

My goal here is no more than four, for the simple reason that I prefer glosses and I'm happy to have less lipsticks and more glosses, so this category is fine for now.

Lip balms

I had one and I now have two.

That's fine. I use lip balms something chronic so I'm happy to buy more later on, but that's enough for the moment.

Lip glosses

I had five and I still have five. Even though I panned some, I also bought a couple. 

My goal is no more than six so I'm happy with this category for now. 

Custom palettes

I have six custom palettes: three larger ones and three smaller ones.

In my last inventory I had:

• four bronzers 
• five blushes, one being a half-size
• one setting powder 
• seven highlighters (one being a mini and one being a half-size)
• thirty-nine eyeshadows 

I now have:

• three bronzers (I finished one)
• six blushes (one being a mini and one being a half-size)
• one setting powder 
• six highlighters (one being a mini)
• forty-four eyeshadows 

As mentioned previously, my goal with this section is not so much to get the numbers down (I want my custom palettes to be full), but instead to keep finishing pans so I can continue to de-pot my individual powders and bring those into my palettes. I reach for these daily and everything in them gets plenty of use. 

So I've done ok with this section because we can see there's been some movement: that's all I'm aiming for here.

The final tally

Here we go... *nervous face*

If I count my custom palettes as only six items and don't count the individual pans, I now have 71 products - which is one less than the 72 items I had in my last inventory. Well look, it's better than going up I suppose ; )

If I include the individual pans in my custom palettes (but count pre-made palettes as one item), I now have 125 makeup products, which is a little higher than the 122 I had previously - although that's because I've finished some larger pans from these palettes so I was able to de-pot and bring in some eyeshadows to fill those gaps.

My goal for 2019 was 70 makeup products, so I'm roughly there and I'm happy with that. I also don't think I can reduce things any further than this (at least for now), so my aim will be to keep things at around 70 going forward.

I'm also hoping to get my individual pan count down a little, so let's aim for 110 items in 2020.

That's all from me. Hope all's well with you, and speak soon x

Hello and welcome to another Project Pan mini update for the month.  

While I wasn't able to quite finish this NYX Butter Gloss in Fortune Cookie, that's because the lid snapped even further and I was worried that a plastic shard had fallen into the remains at the bottom of the tube (there was a bit missing from the break), and it wasn't worth potentially cutting myself when trying to use this - especially because it was almost finished anyway.

There's my marker:

It didn't take me too long to get to the bottom of this thing (it rarely does with glosses), and I'd gotten to the point where I couldn't reach the remains with the wand so I was going to have to draw them out with something else anyway. So when the tube snapped again (it had already snapped in my handbag when I started panning it), I decided to call it quits.

Here's my replacement:

It's one of the pans from my Becca Ombre Nudes Eyeshadow Palette. This was part of my Pan that Palette challenge so I've already made a good start on it, and what I plan to do now is use it as a bronzer so I can get through it quickly (I'm keen to reduce my numbers as much as possible before the end of the year). 

It does work reasonably well as a bronzer but it's a little too pale for me so I have to build it, which means I'll get through it rather quickly. Looking forward: I have too much eyeshadow and need to get through some.

That's all from me. I'm committed to finishing as much stuff as I can before the end of the year, so I'll keep working at things in the few months I have left.

Hope all's well with you, and speak soon x

Hello and welcome to my first empties post for the month.

It was only yesterday that I realised I haven't done an empties post this month, so I need to try and sneak in at least a couple before month's end. Should be achievable, but we'll see.

In no particular order...

Batiste Dry Shampoo in Divine Dark

Full review here. While I normally love Batiste dry shampoos, this particular version didn't grab me and I wouldn't buy another one.

Yes the product deals with normal human grease ok, but it doesn't do anything for detangling, adding shine or making my hair more manageable. The original versions do all those things, plus they work on product build-up too. This one doesn't. Repurchase? No.

Palmer's Cocoa Butter Formula Moisturising Body Oil

Full review here. I love this stuff and it's been my HG body oil ever since I first tried it. It's beautifully rich and hydrating, and a little goes a long way so the bottle lasts a good while and it's also reasonably priced.

It has that trademark Palmer's cocoa butter scent and I really enjoy the fragrance, although you mightn't like it if you don't like products that smell. What I like doing most with this oil is applying it after I've exfoliated: my skin drinks it up something chronic. Highly recommended. Repurchase? Yes.

Too Faced Natural Matte Eyeshadow Collection

I finished this via Pan that Palette this year and I really enjoyed using it daily, but I'm glad it's gone because I have too much eyeshadow. Full review here. 

One of the things I love about this palette is the shade selection - yes it's neutral, but it's not just a whole lot of brown so it's more interesting than other neutral palettes - plus it's one of those foolproof palettes that's great for when I'm in a rush because I've never done a dud look with it. 

It's blendable, most of the shades are creamy and apply well, and it's a great stand-alone palette or one to pair with a shimmer or two for the lid. Repurchase? No, I have enough eyeshadow.

Coty Airspun Loose Face Powder in Translucent

This is one of those products that I worried might be over-hyped, but when it arrived and I tried it for the first time, I realised why it has such a huge following in the beauty community.

I don't know what witchery is in this, but it airbrushes the skin like nobody's business and my pores all but vanish with a stroke of my brush. Honestly, it's quite incredible. I've reviewed it here.

Yes it stinks, and even though I'd heard that plenty of times, I still couldn't believe how much fragrance they've put in this thing when I first opened it. My golly. Thankfully you can buy a fragrance-free version these days so I'll certainly opt for that next time. It's also not expensive and you get a tonne of product, so it'll last for ages. Repurchase? Already have.

Ethique Gingersnap Face Scrub

Full review here. This product is fine for the body but I don't like it on the face because I find it to be too harsh and abrasive, so if you're someone who avoids manual exfoliants for that reason, then I wouldn't buy this.

Unfortunately my bar didn't have any scent left (even though it was well within expiry), which can happen with Ethique products and it's an issue I have with the brand. It was also far too scratchy and rough for my face, so I only used it there twice and used the rest on my body - although admittedly it was almost too scratchy for my body too. Not for me. Repurchase? No.

Ethique Mochaccino Body Polish

Full review here. I really enjoy this product, and while these scrubs aren't cheap and don't last very long (I could say the same of all the Ethique products I've tried to date), they're still my favourite items from Ethique and I'm more likely to keep buying these than I am anything else I've tried from the brand to date.

The product smells of coffee, chocolate and coconut, and it's a scent I love because it's delicious. What I like about this is that the scrubby matter it contains is very fine so it doesn't feel scratchy or harsh on the skin, but there's enough of it that it's effective. It's certainly not the most concentrated or effective scrub I've used, but it still does the job so that's the main thing. Repurchase? Yes.

Hourglass Illusion Hyaluronic Skin Tint SPF 15 in Warm Ivory

Full review here. Although this product is called a tint, it's really a foundation that offers at least a medium coverage unless you really sheer it out (which I normally do), and you can build it to medium-to-full coverage if you want to. What I love about this product is that it takes very little effort to blend (I use my fingers) and it looks natural enough on the skin. 

Another thing to note is that it stands up in extreme heat better than any other base product I've used, so it's a great one for the warmer months and it deserves huge points for that aspect alone. Indeed, I've retained a small amount from my tube to use on those 40 plus degree days over summer, because nothing else compares under tough conditions. Repurchase? Yes.

Kevyn Aucoin The Etherealist Skin Illuminating Foundation

Full review here. I have two HG foundations, and this is one of them. I prefer my Koh Gen Do Aqua for day-use because it has a little less coverage and is undetectable on my skin, but this one's better for night-use or big events because the coverage is better and it's also buildable, which the KGD isn't.

What I love about this product is that it's incredibly natural on the skin while still doing a beautiful job of evening out imperfections, and a little goes a long way so I only need one pump to get a solid medium coverage that looks like skin.

If you have dry skin and want something that looks heavenly and feels hydrating, grab a sample. Sure it's not cheap, but given that I don't need much per application, it lasts me a while. Love. Repurchase? Already have.

Glow Lab Facial Moisturiser

Full review here. While I think this product might be ok if you're younger than me and don't have dry skin, it isn't enough for me personally and my skin has felt super dry while I've been using it.

On me it ends up leaving a coating that has a dry, matte feel and a slightly radiant look. While that sounds ok in theory, in practice I think that's part of the reason why this product doesn't hydrate my skin. That is, not all of it is absorbing and delivering moisture where I need it. Instead it's leaving a film on the skin that isn't doing anything for me. Purchase? No.

Goldfaden MD Bright Eyes

Full review here. While this eye cream is fine, I've certainly used better so it's not one I would buy again. Yes it does brighten my eye area a bit but I'd say that's because it contains a healthy dose of glycerin, which alone adds radiance and also means that the product leaves a tacky coating on my skin that likely won't be for everyone. 

It's lightweight in texture while still having a rich-enough feel. Although my eyes have felt ok while I've been using this, they don't feel as comfortable as they do when I'm using a really hydrating product, so this eye cream isn't perfect for my dry skin. I personally need more nourishment. Repurchase? No.

In sum

That's all from me. I'm glad I've knocked out my first empties post for the month and I'm looking forward to doing at least one more by month's end.

The best items in this lot were the Kevyn Aucoin and Hourglass foundations, the Coty powder and the Palmer's body oil. Everything else I can live without.

Hope all's well with you, and speak soon x