I have surprised myself with my progress using up makeup products this year. Some things I have gone through quicker than I thought. Other things have taken me FOREVER when I thought they would be easy to finish. I have learnt a few good lessons from my ‘use up’ project this year:
1) Loose powder products like blush and bronzer literally take forever to use. In a project like mine, that is a bit of a drag BUT in real life that is awesome! You really do get a good bang for your buck!
2) Focusing on getting through foundations that need to be used up is definitely a good thing. Although I love trying new things I don’t want to waste stuff either so it’s been good to crack through some cream products that needed to go.
3) Lastly, I had a baby in April. In retrospect this project is probably best suited to people who aren’t on maternity leave and who DON’T have two kids under two, lol!
So, how am I going so far?

Products I have completely used up – eight in total including two I tossed by accident. Woot!
I have used up these products! Woot! From the original products I have also used up the Nude by Nature mineral concealer and the Eye of Horus Bio Lash Lift Mascara, but I threw out the packaging without thinking.

Eye products update
I have made good progress on the eyebrow pencil, the under eye primer, and super shock shadow but I keep forgetting to use the eye refresh roller ball… which is a shame really because I am surviving on a sniff of sleep with two kids under two and this mumma could use some eye refreshing roller ball action most days!

face base products update
As you can see above, I am making good progress with the two remaining foundations in my use up. I mix them for colour but I definitely prefer the ELF foundation as a stand-alone product. The pot concealer is never ending! The finishing vail hasn’t had much use as I have been focusing on the ELF tone correcting powder but it will hopefully get more use moving forward. As for the under eye setting powder – I have about 1/4 of the pot left.

coloured face products update
Now we get to the products I have used SO much but feel like I’m getting nowhere with! I have about half the liquid illumination left and about half the mineral blush. I have about 1/5 of the mineral bronzer left and probably 1/4 of the loose highlighter. As for the Thin Lizzy pressed bronzer – I can see the circles on the base but haven’t hit pan yet.

primer update
As for primers, I’m making good progress with the liquid mineral primer and although I forget about the moisture stick, I have gotten through about half.

Products I’m decluttering from the project
Now, I am decluttering these products. The two eyeshadow primers are drying out and even though I could probably get a bit more use out of them I’m calling it done. The stick concealer really doesn’t work for me so I’m decluttering it. As for the tone correcting powder, I have made great progress but I have decided that this gives too much of a white cast and it just isn’t my favourite as a result. It is really finely milled and great quality but I have gotten my money’s worth out of it and it is going too. I also decluttered the ELF mineral primer and the Hanami lipstick to a friend. The primer just didn’t work for me and the scent of the lipstick was too overpowering.
Final roundup:
8 products used up
6 products decluttered
16 products remaining in the project 🙂
What do you think? Am I doing ok?
Have a great day!