Makeup Wars: My Makeup Storage.

As a beauty blogger and someone who is simply pretty much obsessed with beauty products, I have a lot of products. I am fortunate to do what I do and test a lot of makeup, skin care and hair care items, but it can be overwhelming. Luckily, I have a teenaged daughter with a lot of friends, a sister who is just as addicted to beauty as me, and quite a few friends and family members that regularly go through my stash of products. I also make seasonal donations to local women's shelters and donate to events, etc.. Even with all these hands in my stash, I accumulate a lot.

At times, all these beauty products can seemingly take over my house. I had come up with a system of organizing that works for me. It is not a pretty system. It is not for anyone to see. I like to think of it as organized chaos, actually. While I really don't know where any one thing is, I sort of have an idea of where it may be.

When I receive products, I unload them onto shelves in my home office. These are the newest of my beauty products; they have either recently been reviewed or need to be reviewed. I clean out these shelves about every month.

From those shelves in my home office, products make their way into a large armoire that I have in my bedroom. Seasonal products or favorites that I may pull out on a regular basis go on the top shelf in bins. I have one bin for lips, eyes, face and skin. Products that need more organizing or storing go into a set of large plastic drawers that I keep in the armoire. I have one unit for department store brands and another for drugstore and mass brands. I label the shelves, again for lips, eye, face and skin. My larger products and sets, products that aren't so easily stored are just thrown in here in front too. These are products I will probably be needing or using soon. Items such as razors, shampoo, body creams and such like to hang out here.

I try to do a major reorganization each quarter. This is when I toss old products and put together boxes to donate. As I do this, I fill up drawers in these two lingerie dressers.

These dressers have a lot of smaller sized drawers that are perfect for storing makeup. Because I have many more drawers, I can further separate and organize more. Here I have a drawer for things such as my all time favorite MAC lip products, the eyeshadow palettes I use often, or just a random drawer of lippies.

I told you it wasn't pretty, but for now, my beauty stash organization works well for me.

I can't wait to see how the rest of my beauty blogger friends store their stash of beauty products too.

Mascara Monday: Too Faced Better Than False Lashes.

I was very intrigued by this new lash system from Too Faced called Better Than False Lashes. Of course, it promises big bold lashes, but in a different way as it uses actual lashes fibers in a multi-step system. I know there are a few fiber lash systems out there, and having never tried any makes this process new to me.

You get two tubes, which make up the 3 steps. One tube is the first step, called the Activating Base and Top Coat. The next tube is the Nylon Lash Fibers. You simply apply the base coat to the lashes, followed by the nylon fiber step, and then finish with another coat of the first product, which is now used as a top coat.

Basically, the first step is a mascara. Used alone, it gives nice length, separation and volume to the lashes. The next step, which I was nervous about because I wear contact lenses, is the fiber application. I was worried that I would get all these little fibers flying into my eyes, but I did not. The nylon fibers clung to the base coat and didn't budge. Phew!  I immediately noticed that I had a lot more lash to build upon, which was apparent when I applied the first product again, now the top coat. My lashes tripled in volume and even more length was added. I was so impressed!

For everyday, depending on the mascara, I use one to two coats. For an all out smokey eye look or night-time eye, I almost always use three coats of mascara and this system takes no more time than that. The difference is the end result when using Too Faced Better Than False Lashes because my lashes are the biggest and boldest that they have ever been without wearing actual falsies.

Too Faced Better Than False Lashes sells for $35.00 and is available right now at Sephora.

Clinique Superprimer Face Primers.

Hopefully by now you know that you need a makeup primer. Every day. A makeup primer helps to perfect your skin for your foundation - or makeup. It does so much more than just "prime" and smooth skin. A makeup primer fills in pores and lines; it creates a barrier to seal in hydration; it helps to keep makeup in place all day. Makeup primers just keep getting better and better. A great example of this are the new Superprimer Face Primers from Clinique. These new primers take makeup priming a step further, as the Superprimers color correct skin too.

Clinique Superprimers come in one formula, as in the formula that smoothes and primes skin is the same, but in five tinted formulas. Each tinted formula is specifically designed for ones' specific skin care needs. Do you have redness, dullness, sallowness or other skin care discolorations? There is a specific primer here for you.

The five colour correcting, skin perfecting shade variation address specific complexion concerns. Each one uses the theory of colour science to color correct or neutralize the contrasting concerns to even out skin and helps makeup look more even.

Colour Corrects Redness - This yellow tinted primer colour corrects skin redness for a neutral, even base.

Colour Corrects Dullness - Pink tinted primer colour corrects dull, lackluster skin for a vibrant, radiant base.

Colour Corrects Dullness for Deeper Skins - Soft, pearlized bronze tinted primer colour corrects ashiness and dullness on deeper complexions for a radiant, healthy looking base.

Colour Corrects Discolorations - Peach tinted primer helps colour correct dark spots, acne scars and areas of hyperpigmentation for a brighter, even-toned base.

Universal Face Primer - This one is a simple makeup primer, with no colour correcting properties. If you have an even complexion, this one is for you.

Colour Corrects Sallowness - Lavender tinted primer colour corrects sallow skin for a healthy base.

I have some redness in my face, but I am more concerned with discoloration and overall unevenness, so I have been using the peach tinted primer. The peach tint works really well to make my skin look more even, and overall more natural and better looking. My makeup goes on more smoothly when using and lasts all day long too.

Clinique Superprimer Face Primers are available now at all Clinique locations for $27.00 each.