The Great Purge and Pan Challenge 2019: Use It or Lose it for April and May

Greetings, dear readers, and happy Monday! I hope you had a wonderful weekend and your week is off to a great start! Today's post is another edition of the Project Pan Challenge. I have also added onto the project with a purge of beauty products that either don't work for me or I just don't like. My goal it to either empty or get rid of 150 products this year. I am well on my way to my goal! I had some unexpected life things come up the end of April and leading into May so I didn't get to share my April items. Instead, I have combined them into this post alongside my May items. Ready? Let's check it out!

Use It: The Empties

Watermelon & White Rose Whipped Sugar Scrub | Soapy Bliss I really enjoy a good sugar scrub, and I was pleasantly surprised by this one! I had expected good quality from Soapy Bliss, but as a proclaimed loather of rose scents, I didn't think I would be ok with this one. While the combination with Watermelon is a little unusual, I actually really liked this scent! The sugar in this scrub is also on the finer side so while it worked perfectly to smooth the bumps I get on the backs of my arms, it wasn't too coarse for my skin like many other scrubs. I could use this several times a week if necessary and my skin tolerated it nicely. I'd buy this again although I am tempted by a few other scent options right now.

Deep Cashmere Body Lotion | KBShimmer The scent of this lotion is only the beginning of luxury for this KBShimmer product! It is thick and once absorbed into the skin, leaves an incredibly silky feeling to the skin. Now that I'm spending some serious time in my pool, I'm so glad to have something this moisturizing for my skin! I already have another one in a different scent for this summer!

Skin Balancing Invisible Finish Moisture Gel | Paula's Choice I found this tube while unpacking from my move and have no idea how I forgot about it! There wasn't much left so I quickly finished it off. This is a classic moisturizer that I find myself returning to again and again whenever I need something light on my skin. I have a couple other moisturizers on hand I would like to go through first before I pick up another one of these.

Lemony Flutter | Lush Cosmetics Another classic item, and whoa baby, does a little go a long way! I remember the first time I bought one of these and thought I would go through it fast. Hahahaha! Because I usually only use this on my cuticles, it takes such a long time for me to finish up a jar, even with nightly application as part of my pre-bedtime routine. I do use it occasionally when dry patches pop up on my elbows or feet, but even then, you don't need to use a lot. I already have a replacement tub on my nightstand in use.

Eve's Cherry Lip Scrub | Lush Cosmetics I magically found myself at my local Lush store after my move, and once I got a whiff of this lip scrub, I knew it needed to come home with me! It makes me think of cherry slushies, and I'm kicking myself for not picking up a second jar while it was still available. This is another product that lasts longer for me than I would have expected given the small jar size, and I even use a lip scrub about every other day to keep my lips soft. I like to follow up with the Pixi Lip Polish and let it soak in for an ultra smooth finish.

Sexy On The Beach Cuticle Oil | Ever After I have an embarrassingly large collection of cuticle oils, and I am determined to work my way through them. This one has been in my stash for a bit, and I believe this scent was created for one of The Indie Shops in Torrance, California. This dropper took quite a bit of time to go through (especially when I have others open and in use at the same time), but I did it! Ever After is currently on a hiatus for a few months while the owner works through some things. While I have only ever had good experiences with the brand, I know that is not the case for others; hopefully she is able to make things right with everyone she needs to and can make the necessary changes for a successful business.

Sexy On The Beach Cuticle Crelly | Ever After Continuing on with Ever After, I also finished off the cuticle crelly in the same Sexy On The Beach scent. When absorbed into the skin, it leaves such a silky soft feeling, but I noticed my skin would feel dry after a period of time. I don't know if the modified formula (version 2) just doesn't work as well for me. I found that this actually worked best when rubbed onto my feet and topped with socks before climbing into bed at night.

Hydrating Therapy Shampoo | BioSilk I got this sample sized bottle from my hairdresser in California when I went to visit her when I went back for a work trip, and I really liked this! This sulfate free shampoo cleans the hair without stripping it and left my hair so soft! It takes me forever to go through larger bottles of shampoo, but when I am ready to get another one, this is on my radar! 

Hydrating Therapy Conditioner | BioSilk I also tried the conditioner counterpart, and did I love it! One of the ingredients is maracuja oil, and it works wonders to condition your hair (and skin too). Like the shampoo, this is something I plan to pick up when I need to get more conditioner. I have a few bottles from other brands I would like to get through first if I can!

Essentials Foaming Facial Cleanser Sensitive Skin | Clean & Clear This has been a favorite facial cleanser for me- it's affordable, usually readily available, and gentle enough for my skin. The reason I say "usually" is I've had some trouble finding it locally when I first moved here so I've had to buy a few other products. I'm currently using the non-sensitive/regular formula, and I'm just not crazy about it. I did manage to find one, and now I'm testing it to see how I like it compared to a few K-beauty cleansers I've recently picked up.

Hydra Soother Deep Hydration Mask | Duft & Doft Masks are so hard to really review when you've only tried one from  brand. I felt that my face felt soft and moisturized after using this mask but it would need more testing to see how it truly compares to some others. Since I've given up buying new sheet masks, I doubt I'll ever know!

Jasmine Peppermint Detox Mask | Florapy Beauty Again, a one time use isn't ideal for a review, but I can say I enjoyed this mask. I took this with me to New York City since I knew my skin would appreciate a detox from the ick of the city, especially with the rain. I'm not crazy about the jasmine or peppermint on their own, but they worked nicely together for me.

It's All About Coconut Facial Mask | Symphony Beauty This mask, on the other hand, I would avoid in the future if I am ever presented with the opportunity to use again. I'm not sure why, but this made my skin burn so badly I removed it after maybe two minutes and rinsed the essence off my face. Obviously experiences vary, but I can only talk about mine, and mine was terrible with this mask.

Makeup Remover Cleansing Towelettes Refill Pack | Neutrogena I use cloth reusable wipes when it comes to my face, but I do pick up these smaller travel-sized options for when I am attending beauty shows. They're too coarse for on my face, but they come in hand when I am swatching on the backs of my hands and arms. Not all booths provide wipes and some have handed me alcohol-laden wipes- that's gonna be a hard no for me! These Neutrogena wipes aren't as soft ad moisturizing as some others, but the lesser price point and easy access makes them a go-to for me, especially given how I use them. I'll have to pick up another one for my upcoming trip to Cosmoprof North America this summer.

Vitamin Sadness Mood Therapy Mask | MustaeV MustaeV masks, on the other hand, I have used time and time again. They do use snail mucin, which I know some people are really not fond of, but I love how these masks make my skin feel! I alternate frequently between their four different mood series so I can't say I have a single favorite, but this is a preferred brand for me. I have probably a dozen of these on hand so I'll get to enjoy them a little more until I am out and my no sheet mask buying rule kicks in. Crossing my fingers I can find a serum or essence I love as much as this one so I can make do without! I'm currently trying one out that I enjoy and just need to try a side-by-side on my face next!

Daily Harvest Squeeze Fresh Up Mask Pack | Mustus Mustus is another brand that I have enjoyed using, although I haven't used quite as many from this brand as the MustaeV. Something I do appreciate is the extra folding of their masks so they can fit into smaller packaging. This mask definitely left my skin feeling silky smooth!

De-Slick Oil Control Makeup Setting Spray | Urban Decay I picked up this travel sized spray when I was headed out of town for a trip, and I was surprised at how much I loved it. Urban Decay is a little on the spendier side, especially when you normally use a NYX setting spray, but I loved it so much I bought another travel sized option (mostly because I temporarily misplaced this one) and a full sized bottle. I'm holding onto this bottle to refill for traveling and hopefully not have to get another smaller plastic bottle!

Lose It: Purged Products

Sometimes you have products that just don't work for you. Not gonna lie, I can be a bit of a hoarder when it comes to beauty products, especially when the amount of money spent on products adds up! I like to read reviews first, but sometimes I can't wait that long or what works for one person doesn't work with my own body chemistry. I have been pushing myself to let go of the products that aren't working for me. It's not been easy, and some have been easier to get rid of than others, but I am definitely making some progress on this front! Let's check out the recent purge list!

Cherry Mocha Lip Gloss | Ofra Cosmetics Do you know how sad it is to see Ofra hype, buy your first product, and hate it? Yeah, I'm so there with this lip gloss. Hate may be too intense as I don't dislike this lip gloss that much, but I am really not a fan. The colour is too light for my preference but I sucked it up until the outer cap broke off the inner one. After getting my hands filthy with the sticky residue trying to open with the inner cap, I decided enough was enough. Yes, I did get it open, but added to not liking the colour, it was time to say good bye.

Chilipress Colorfit Tint Water Gel | Peripera I wanted to like this lip product so badly, especially when I read it was a lip stain that once dry, would stay on the lips long term. That was definitely not the case for me. I don't mind reapplying lipsticks, so this wasn't a total deal breaker for me, but the odd taste that kept creeping into my mouth was a turn off for me. I love the colour and the brand, but this tint was a fail for me. Of today's purge pile, this is still hard to let go of even though I know I won't grab for it again.

Guava Lip Scrub | eos This was part of the Tropical Escape duo with the eos balm, and I found it at Target right before Easter. While I'm not overly fond of the eos balms, I cannot resist tropical flavors like guava so it was on when I saw this scrub. I don't think I even have the words for how crushed I was when I opened and used it! There was some guava scent, but I hated the feeling on my lips. This lip scrub was weird in that it was so incredible smooth it almost didn't function well as a scrub, but it had coconut shell powder that felt weird when rubbing on my lips. It's my fault for not reading ingredients as I very wrongly assumed it was a sugar scrub. I tried this a couple times as I really wanted to like it, but that coconut shell powder made it feel like I was rubbing small sand grit on my lips and that's not a pleasant experience for me. I still have the balm counterpart from the set although it may make its way on the purge pile soon. That's still to be determined.

Plumeria Sheer Lip Butter SPF 30 | Julep

Splendid and Timeless Lip Gloss | Julep

Peach Bellini Pore-Minimizing Blush | Julep

Length Matters High-Impact Mascara | Julep

Strawberry-Mint Lip Balm | Julep

Electric Coral Plush Pout Lip Crayon | Julep

I'm so mad with Julep that I'm not even going to bother linking them on this post. I had joined their Maven program when the brand first launched, and I stuck with the brand for years. Yes, there were many months that I skipped, either due to no interest in their overpriced nail polishes, but I still kept up with it and occasionally got boxes to try out their cosmetic and skincare items when they branched into that direction. Their decision to stop the Maven program and take away points members earned with their purchases left a sour taste in my mouth and made it easier to toss their products I wasn't loving already. I know I have more from the brand in my makeup stash, but with it in various rooms, I'll have to locate it all. I also do have a few shadows I want to try out, but given how I feel about the brand right now, I may still be too irritated. I had used a lot of my points as I accrued them so I wan't as badly affected as others, but I am angry for the other customers. I will say that out of these products, I am probably going to keep the mascara wand. I hated the mascara formula, but the super short wand did wonders on my lashes and I want to try it with my other mascara.

April Stats:

Empties: 7

Purged: 9

Monthly Total: 16

May Stats:

Empties: 10

Purged: 1

Monthly Total: 11

2019 Stats to Date:

Empties: 50

Purged: 49

Total: 99

I am about 2/3 of the way to hitting my goal, and we're not even at the half way point yet! I had set my goal relatively high as I knew I was combining the Pan Project with a purge, but I'm impressing myself with my progress! I had expected the purge process to be hard, and while it hasn't always been easy, it's gotten easier the more I give my products a hard look. It's only the 3rd of June and I have new empties for my next post with others close to joining the stash. Now that my oldest is in a summer camp program all day, I am going to attempt to organize and arrange my makeup collection once and for all and pull out more to give a last go before deciding whether or not to purge.

I had mentioned when I first started the challenge this year that I was joining in with several other bloggers and vloggers. I'll be adding the links to their latest empties posts as they come in below:

Never Say Die Beauty

Are you taking part in the Project Pan Challenge? How has your progress been so far this year? Is there anything you are having a difficult time letting go? I'd love to hear from you!

Until next time, dear readers, have a wonderful day!

XO!

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