CBB Meet Up & Make Up Haul

So before I get into this *amazing* meet-up with you I wanted to celebrate another little blog milestone!  I just learned how to manually alter the photo size in the "HTML" section of blogger.  #AllOftheCode

Annnnnnyways on to the pretty things.  Last weekend I had the full and utter pleasure of joining about twenty other women from the GTA for the Canadian Beauty Bloggers Meet Up & Swap.  We met, we chatted, we ate, and then we swapped.  Oh, we swapped.  Keep reading to see what was on the table and what I left with!

On Sunday evening we gathered at Joey's at the Eaton's Centre.  I'm not a shy person, but normally when I am at a dinner party I am either the host, or I know a bazillion people there, so I was a little nervous to go and not really know anybody beyond possibly their blog name, and what their face looks like when they apply make-up.  I had one moment where I felt pretty good that one girl there had heard of my blog!  And I was also pleased to see some of the ladies I have met at pervious events.  Still, taking my seat was a little nerve racking for me because I mean, where do you start when you don't know where to start?  Well somehow it all worked out because within minutes I was debating the merits of the Pan-Am games with one girl, and trading MAC lipsticks with another.  See?  Not to bad.  I am already looking forward to the next one because I think I will feel more at home knowing that I know a few of the girls.  It also really helped me feel less conscious about my blog and stats and PR and reminded me why I started in the first place: because I love pretty things.

(Also I ordered a burger and had to send it back three times because I asked for no mayo or mustard-- gross-- and they put on some weird flavoured mayo, and the second time the bun was totally burnt.  Our server was great, but the guy bringing me the burger was really judgey about me sending it back.  In the end I got a free dessert, but I can't ever see myself going back there unless somebody else booked the reservation.)

Everybody brought make up products that were in good condition but that just weren't loved in our collections at home.  After dinner we all brought out our bags and semi-organized our products by product type.  After that was done I swear we had 1000 products on the table.  Our servers were impressed to say the least.  If only they knew what we each had at home...Seriously, there were piles and piles of make up.

I spotted a few items that I really wanted (and I am pleased to say that I left with my top pick!), and then it was time to begin.  At first people gingerly picked up one item and would ask everybody if anybody else really wanted it. Generally the answer was no, and then the original person would keep it.  Nobody was a total jerk and took handfuls of products, probably because we all have more than enough at home.  After everybody had a few items, and the top picks were gone people would just slowly walk around and pick at the products they wanted.  What made it fun was by the third or fourth time around the table new items would be uncovered in the pile and some lucky lady would pick up another great find.  In the end I felt that I left with some great higher end items, as well as some mid and lower end items that I am excited to try risk free.

In the end there was still a solid selection of products left.  We decided to donate them to a charity group that does makeovers for women living in shelters.  I had the honour of bringing those products home and dropping them off where they belong.  In the end everybody really did win!  We destashed, we got some new things to try, and we got to donate some fantastic items to charity!

We donated everything in this photo, totalling:

37 single eyeshadows

5 palettes

10 new mascaras

50 lippies

25 eyeliners

14 blush & bronzers

15 foundation & concealers

30 bath & body & skincare products

#cbbgivesback

My Haul

Let's just say that this was basically Christmas in June for me.

Some girls said that the only way they could destash is if they left with less than they came with. I disagree.  For me, it was leaving with things that I was excited to try.  It is only taking up space if you don't love it and use it.  I am really excited about everything I picked out, and as others said, if we don't use it we can bring it back to the swap next time!

My full haul <3 <3 <3

These were my three "big ticket" items.  Too Faced's Joy To The Girls palette, Smashbox Brown Eye palette and MAC Crew.

I want to tell you a special story about MAC Crew. Three years ago or so I lived in Halifax and was all about the nautical.  This limited edition collection was released and I purchased Crew and a orange-red lipstick.  I was so in love with both of them.  Seriously.  Perfection.  Then Crew fell and broke into a bunch of pieces.  I researched how to fix it and used the now standard method.  However the beautiful design was lost.  Then I flew back home and somehow it smashed again in my luggage and really did render its self useless. I still use it in all of its messy glory because I refused to give up on it. It is actually a pain because it sheds on everything, and now it can go in the garbage because it has been replaced!  Also the lipstick got lost in my packing to go home and I have yet to ever find a perfect match, Lady Danger is the closest I have ever gotten.  And there you have my tragic tale of the MAC LE Collection that got away until last week.  *paws at it in all of its glory*

I love Smashbox shadows and thought these would be pretty on my non-brown eyes.

Swatches!

Here is an up close photo of my favourite Too Faced shadows.  Love the gold-nude-mauve theme going on.  Mulberry, Cheers, and Cookie Dough are probably my favourites for every day.

All of the swatches!

The golds swatched very well!  I can't wait to play with those in an up coming eye look.  All of the shadows were of good quality, but the satin finish was by far the best.  Super pigmented and buttery.  What have I been missing all these years?

Lippies!

Swatches!

I picked up a bunch of lippies!  Personally I am the most excited about the Nudestix, the MAC (that I did a 1 for 1 trade for) and the Starlooks lipgloss.  I got the Starlooks gloss in a previous IPSY bag and fell in love with it but am too cheap to order from Starlooks' website.  

The MAC I did a 1-for-1 trade for.

My new blushes including Benefit and Cargo!

Some blue things

Swatching the blue things.  Hello Maybelline Colour Tattoos!

So there you have it!  My event re-cap, charity giving, haul induced post.  I can't wait for our next meet up, and feel so lucky to be a part of a group of girls who love make up, giving, and beautiful things as much as I do.  This meet up was a major boost for my personal blogging morale and made me so excited to be a part of a positive and fun community.  I can't wait to see you girls again!  As for my haul you can expect to see them in upcoming roundups and specific product reviews.  On he bright side:  I will never run out of self funded (ish?) content at this rate!  

Can't wait for the CBB Christmas in July gift exchange! I already have *most* of my gift recipient's gift!

Happy Sunday! xoxooxoxoxo