The lovely Clare of Clare’s Beauty is going a Benefit Giveaway to celebrate 200 followers. If you’re not already a fan, I urge you to check her out! She’s knowledgeable, fun, and is always ready to interact with her readers.
5 Tips for Buying High-End Beauty on a Budget
Whether your new to makeup products or are a seasoned pro, you’re probably hyper aware of the different price tags for high-end products vs drugstore steals. Myself, I like to mostly buy drugstore and then make a few select high-end purchases when my budget has a bit more leeway.
With that in mind, I’d like to share my five tips for shopping high-end beauty on a budget. I can’t claim I’m reinventing the wheel here, but it’s easy to forget that these methods exist when you’ve got your eye on the pricey item that you just want NOW. Patience, grasshopper.
Next time you’re looking for a high-end steal, why don’t you try…
1. Shopping eBay or discount stores like T.J. Maxx (T.K. Maxx in the UK).
Recently, I was at a Ulta and picked up a Juicy Couture rollerball on a whim, just to see what it smelled like. I fell in love with the scent but wasn’t in the mood to pay $22 when I don’t wear perfume all that often. But I couldn’t stop thinking about that scent once I left the store. So I poked around on eBay and found a seller of the same scent, brand new, for $14, which included the price of shipping. Not a huge discount, but it helped me feel better about my purchase.
Another example, was a semi-recent purchase of a Bath and Body Works kit at T.J. Maxx. I got full sizes of their Vitamin E day cream, night cream, toner, and cleanser in a kit for $19.00 when it was regularly priced at $30. Again, not dirt cheap but I’m set on skin care for a while. With these kinds of retailers, you have to be up for browsing often in order to find what you want but the deals will make your wallet a bit happier.
2. Wait to purchase that special item until the season’s change.
Seasonal shifts often mean special sales at retailers like Sephora. These sales can be hit or miss because there is no guarantee that the product you’ve been longing for will be in the sale, but it’s worthwhile to skim the clearance section specifically during season transitions. Right now is the perfect time to purchase that summer item you were going back and forth about. Yes, we’re ready to transition to fall, but good products will readily carry you through the seasons.
3. Go in on a high-end product with a friend.
My best example of this is with Bare Mineral’s mineral eye shadows. My Mom and I went in to their store and naturally fell in love with some of their shades. We both agreed on a handful of shades and decided to split them. Places like The Container Store sell travel size organizers that are similar to the shape and size of a Bare Mineral’s containers for around $1.99. We then put little labels around the container so we’d know the shade name as a reference. For me, even splitting a mineral eye shadow, it will take me a good long while to finish those shades off. It was a bit of a messy process to split the eye shadows but we both saved some money and got the shade we wanted.
Image respectfully borrowed from The Container Store.
Sometimes brands will sell two packs of their products too, so if you and a friend wanted to split the cost of a two pack you’d save each other a bit of money. Make beauty products a bonding experience and share the love!
4. Hold out for coupons or sales.
This is absolutely a no brainer but bears repeating. Shore up your inner strength and hold out for those coupons at Ulta, Sephora, wherever you most often like to feed your makeup urges. Often their coupons do not apply to prestige products, but every once in a while you hit a coupon that will give you a boost and it is absolutely satisfying.
Also, if you subscribe to services like ipsy or Birchbox, these subscription box companies regularly give monthly discount codes for featured products or have ways for you to spend points on high-end products. Hoard those points like a pro and bask in the save later.
5. Utilize services like Hautelook or Groupon Goods.
I got onto Hautelook specifically for the beauty deals. They’re not always dirt cheap but I just got a Lorac lip gloss for $4.00. I can live with that price tag even if the gloss is last season or two seasons ago. The daily flash sales on Hautelook are not always recognizable brands but they regularly work in brands like Stila, Tarte, and Lorac. If you’d like to sign up for Hautelook here is my invite link (costs nothing to join).
Probably my favorite palette of all time. No joke.
Groupon goods is a tad more random and often you’re buying in bulk. But it’s a site worth skimming from time to time.
I’ve utilized these tips within the last six months or so to get some great high-end beauty deals, so I hope they work for you. What are some of your favorite tricks for saving money on your favorite beauty products?
This Blog is Slow on Purpose
As I was poking around my WordPress dashboard this morning, I discovered a button in the settings that was not there before. It read, “Fight for Net Neutrality.” For WordPress users, you can enable a protest button on your blog that simulates the slow loading times we would experience if Net Neutrality were to be extinguished.
So if my blog is being slow, please don’t leave.
It’s being slow because I’m protesting against what the internet would look like if cable companies get their way. This issue may seem vastly boring and unimportant but if you want to keep streaming cat videos and read BuzzFeed in peace like the rest of us, then protecting Net Neutrality is vital.
Here’s a man who can explain the situation with much more wit and humor, John Oliver.
This post from Free Press also breaks down the situation quite nicely.
The FCC will be taking opinions from the public and there is still time to sign protests or make phone calls. At the end of 2014, the FCC will make their decision on how to classify the internet as either an “information service” or a “telecommunication service” and that very dull sounding distinction could change how Americans use the internet for the worse.
Companies like Netflix or WordPress would have to pay not only TimeWarner but Verizon and other internet providers excessive sums in order to have fast internet speeds for their websites. Which in turn will likely force these websites to jack up their prices for consumers.
I love this little blog. It’s my outlet, my small corner of the internet, and the people I interact with here give me the warm fuzzies. And I get to do all of this for free.
If Net Neutrality ends many blogs like yours and mine may cease to exist, because there may come a time where WordPress has to start charging us free bloggers money in order to keep up with cable companies demands. And it wouldn’t just be happening here, but across all internet sites. Scary stuff.
If you want to put a stop to this, please share information with your friends, family, or readers. You can click on the link on this blog that will appear underneath that bedamned circle of loading torment in order to sign a petition to protect Net Neutrality.
Whether you’re an American reader or an international reader, thank you for bearing with me on my faux-slow blog. I hope you understand why I’m concerned about this issue and passionate about Net Neutrality.
I’d love to hear your thoughts on the matter, so please comment down below with your two cents.
Top Ten Underrated Books in the Romance Genre
This week’s meme from the Broke and the Bookish focuses on ten authors or books in a genre of our choosing. So for this Top Ten Tuesday, I wanted to share some of my underrated picks from the romance genre. Romance novels have a stigma that I’ve never understood: sure there are some hellaciously bad ones but the same can be said of straight fiction and you don’t see me turning my nose up at an entire genre because of it.
Anyway, as I climb down off that soapbox, I’d love to tell you about some of my favorite underrated romance novels. I haven’t heard many people talking about these of late, possibly because they’re not super recent releases but these are all books I would recommend if you’re looking for a weekend romantic read.
*As usual, all links lead to Goodreads*
The first captor-captive romance novel.
I feel like I talk about this book a lot, though maybe not here. I found Hull’s infamous novel at a small bookstore that had it on display claiming it as one of the first romance novels ever. That combined with the fact that this novel inspired the Rudolph Valentino short film that cemented his career as a sex symbol made me pick up The Sheik. It’s not a perfect novel by any means but if you enjoyed Fifty Shades of Grey, then this novel is about fifty times better than that. And Diana, the heroine, is significantly more feisty and hates her love interest for a significant portion of the book so the emotional drama is more satisfying too.
2. Mona Lisa Awakening by Sunny
This one gets its spot on this list because for so long I dismissed this book when I passed it on the shelves for one reason or another. When I actually read Mona Lisa Awakening I quite enjoyed it. Not my favorite series of all time but it was full of intriguing characters and concepts, so I’d happily return to the series. Compared to, say, The Merry Gentry series, this novel gets underrated but if that’s your kind of romance read, give this book a whirl.
Britney Spears reference for the win!
3. Date Me, Baby, One More Time by Stephanie Rowe
I had forgotten how much I adored this novel until I went combing through my virtual shelves to write this post. A wonderful paranormal series with quirky humor and great character building. Kind of like a lighter version of “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” in book form. Same brooding romance. Same level of puns and pop culture references. Not enough love for this book and its three follow-ups. All are solid. Read them.
4. Crimson Kiss by Trisha Baker
This is another book I feel as though I talk about a lot. Baker straddles the line between romance and horror with the strange love affair of Meghann and Simon, because frankly Simon’s psychotic and you’re rooting for Maggie to kick his ass the whole time. It’s their journey through the series as a whole that becomes more about the romance. Baker is reportedly reissuing her novels–YAY–since they were out of print and is also adding to the series. So now is a good time to check out the Crimson books if you’re interested in a more horror-driven romance read.
5. Bond of Blood by Diane Whiteside
Two words: vampire cowboys. Maybe not for everyone, but why not combine two of the most sexy romantic character tropes to great effect? Another solid series that just isn’t talked about enough for my liking. Whiteside does a great job of weaving the books’ stories and characters together in a way that feels fluid, which is always satisfying for a series reader.
6. Private Pleasures by Bertrice Small
One of Small’s only contemporary romance series, which is why I think it gets a bit overshadowed. Really interesting concept though: women can tune in to “the channel” which allows them to live out their sexual fantasies with no repercussions. Of course, there are real life heroes for the women to fall in love with, and there is a darker side to “the channel” that develops throughout the series, which is interesting.
7. The Demon’s Daughter by Emma Holly
I adore Emma Holly as a general rule, but my favorite of her series are the ones set in this demon world. The demons, or Yama, have futuristic technology but have a very Victorian class system in place. It’s a hard system to explain without going into depth or getting rather steamy, so I’ll leave it with when humans and Yama interact, good things happen.
8. Wilde Thing by Janelle Denison
When I first started getting into romance novels, this was one of my first reads. And it still stays with me. Bad-boy P.I. helps feisty barista traverse the world of high-class escorts to find a missing cousin. I do realize how ridiculous that sounds all together, but, holy cow, is it so much better than that. There’s a whole Wilde series, but this first one is honestly the best of the bunch.
It’s like a raunchier Princess Diaries.
9. The Royal Treatment by MaryJanice Davidson
Set in a world where everything is the same as ours, except for the fact that Alaska is its own country with a royal family. Imagine all the quirk and verve Mia Thermopolis would have as an adult and that is stranded American tourist Christina Krabbe, who gets handpicked by the King as a fit mate for Prince David. Laugh out loud funny and just the right amount of sexy.
10. Nerd in Shining Armor by Vicki Lewis Thompson
If you have one last beach weekend, take this book with you. The premise is somewhat ludicrous but the writing and the characters make up for it 100%. Genevieve has a crush on her sexy boss and it seems like a dream come true when he invites her to Maui for the weekend. But then the plane crashes, her boss mysteriously disappears, and Genevieve is left stranded on an island with the firm’s IT guy, Jack. Sparks fly and suddenly being stranded isn’t such a bad thing. Really cute little book that doesn’t get talked about often enough.
Have you read any of these? What do you think? Underrated or overrated?
Farmer’s Market and Mini Book Haul
I love open air markets. The fresh food, artisan products, and personable vendors seem to be a universal part of the market experience. When I studied abroad in Cambridge, England a few years back I fell madly in love with their daily market. The fresh bread and used book stalls were frequent stops. And I took home a few freshwater pearl necklaces from a local jewelry maker as well. I’ve been pining for that Cambridge market ever since.
The view of the market in Cambridge.
That longing is more attached to the sense of community that is lacking in grocery stores. Happily, my roommate, Marissa, discovered that there is a Farmer’s Market nearby to our new apartment. So this past Saturday we brought our canvas bags and set out on a market adventure.
In order to get to our market we have to go up a street called Maltman, which has some lovely houses but is more infamous in our household for having one of the steepest hills in our neighborhood.
The view at the top of the hill always brings a smile to my face though. The blue skies and fluffy white clouds lingering over the hills full of colorful mini-mansions are a postcard come to life. Beautiful views and shady vistas make the heat and the hike seem like a fair trade.
Down Maltman we go and it dumps us out a half-block away from the local farmer’s market. As we entered the market that’s laid out in an arrowhead shape, we saw a sign saying “please, no photos.” Part of me was rather charmed by that notion. As much as I wanted to snap a photo of some of the bounteous fruits and veggies, it was refreshing to not have people posing with kale and tomatoes for Instagram.
I bought a stick of clover honey for $0.25 and weaved in and out of the stalls full of fresh basil, plump squash, and the first golden ears of corn of the season.
One vendor was offering a small buffet of samples: glistening chunks of mango, peach, and watermelon. Marissa bought a squat little peach–its colors like a blush creeping into pale cheeks–and a green fruit I had never seen before. Seeing me stare at the odd fruit, the vendor cut me a slice of another from the bunch and told me it was a green plum.
I’m not normally a huge fruit eater. Big fan of apples and after that it needs to be in juice form for me to get into it. But not wanting to be rude, I bit into a green plum, its juices already coating my fingers. The green plum was supple and velvety on my tongue with a soft, almost floral taste. Its sweetness was nearly overwhelming in the heat of the day but I lingered over the slice of plum. Next week, plums, you will be mine.
We also stopped at a plant vendor, seduced by this variety of succulents. Hank, the kindly vendor with a mohawk, talked us through the various kinds of plants he had on display and the levels of care required. Luckily for us, almost everything he had required next to no attention. There was a hearty aloe vera plant for $10 that we were both tempted by but were worried about carting it home up Maltman. Hank even had a range of plants he called “the black thumb” line because they only needed to be watered a few times a month and were nearly impossible to kill. I could have hugged him.
I did walk away from Hank’s stall with a little $5 air plant, which I had never seen in person before. This air plant only needs to have his roots wet about once a week or so and requires no other care or even soil. Haven’t named this wee creature yet but he has currently taken residence on our living room bookcase, in a decorative Victorian shaving glass. Knock on wood, but let’s hope I can keep this little fella alive.
Further down there was a stall full of vintage jewelry and a stand selling vegan friendly treats. A young man with a well-groomed beard stood on the curb playing a violin for tips. His music drifted just above the hum of voices from the other shoppers and followed me through the stalls.
I was pleasantly surprised to see a small book and record stand where Chuck Klosterman books got chummy with Hemingway and Salinger novels. Used books are treasures disguised as paupers. And I love them for it. I lingered in this stall more than the others, fingers trailing down cracked spines and over bent corners.
I got three used darlings for $12. One, I had been wanting to read but was hemming and hawing over purchasing. Two, were complete surprises.
Mini Book Haul
Save Me the Waltz by Zelda Fitzgerald. Has anyone else noticed that Zelda has been a bit trendy in the book world of late? She’s an undeniably fascinating person–the troubled Southern belle who played muse and wife to F. Scott Fitzgerald. I’ve been wanting to read Z by Therese Anne Fowler, but reading the real woman’s thoughts should prove interesting.
David Sedaris’ Squirrel Seeks Chipmunk. I adore David Sedaris. Gobbling up his writing is particularly satisfying hobby of mine. Not sure why I was being noncommittal to purchasing this book before, but for $6 I could handle adding to my Sedaris collection.
Some Girls: My Life in a Harem by Jillian Lauren. Is anyone else fascinated by memoirs from women involved in the sex trade? I can’t claim to read a ton of these kinds of books but I was so intrigued by the title and back jacket that I couldn’t pass this book up.
Then when I got home, I cracked this book open and noticed it was an autographed copy. The dedication reads: “To Ben-Some girls kiss and tell.” Who gives away a book you cared enough about to get autographed? Maybe that doesn’t mean good things for the reading quality but this quirky addition just makes this book more consumable for me.
Why would you give this up?
If our first trip was any indication, we will be making the farmer’s market a regular Saturday stop. It feels so amazing to reconnect with that spirit and vitality I connected with in Cambridge, and it makes my new place feel more like home.
Hope you enjoyed the peek into my Saturday morning!
5 Tries: Eyes on the Prize Eyeshadow Chubby
After playing with my Ariel Beauty Book from e.l.f., I got it into my head that I wanted to do a regular feature where once or twice a month I take a product from my collection that is being underutilized and try to wear it for five days in five different ways. This system will 1) force me to get more creative with my makeup 2) allow me to use up or at least dent some neglected beauty products and 3) give me a solid reason to write more product reviews.
So for my inaugural 5 Tries post, I selected the Flower Eyes on the Prize Eyeshadow Chubby in Teal We Meet Again. I had not used this product since purchasing it months ago so this is the perfect example of what I’m going for with these posts. I was attracted to the teal color in the store but sitting next to be other shadow sticks in my drawer, the bright blue looked intimidating.
Flower is a cruelty free beauty brand created by Drew Barrymore. Their mission is to provide high-end quality products at drugstore cost. If you’ve never heard of Flower Beauty before that is because they don’t purchase advertisements in order to keep their costs down for consumers. Case in point, Flower is only sold at Walmart. You can’t even buy anything from the Flower website. The Eyes on the Prize Eyeshadow Chubby has five colors total and retails for $7.98
These eyeshadow chubbies are a cream stick formula, which are really trendy right now. One of the chief claims of the line is that these shadows are very buildable. As you can see by the swatch below, that’s fairly accurate.
From left to right: 3 layers, two layers, 1 layer.
The packaging led me to believe that this teal shade would lean more blue, but on my hand and lid it shows up more green. I thought that was kind of disappointing because I love a good true teal.
On to the looks I created!
Day 1: I lightly spread Teal We Meet Again in my crease. This was the first day so my first impulse was to spread the shadow with the stick itself. MISTAKE. Lightly tap this product where you want it to go and then spread with your finger. This product will blend best with your fingers. Later in the day, I noticed some fading as well.
Day 2: I put Stila’s Kitten as a base and then a wash of Teal We Meet Again over the whole lid. Meh. Not my favorite look, but easy.
Day 3: For this look, I created a nude lid and used Teal We Meet Again as a thick liner. I layered the color on for a darker shade as well. Loved the look of this when I first applied and in the picture, but this shadow is a creeper! The color didn’t want to stay put and creeped up my lid within twenty minutes. And when I went to take my makeup off at night the color stained my lid. At this point I was frustrated with this shadow. I really thought I wouldn’t make it five days and contemplated tossing this shadow.
Day 4: On day 4 I finally figured out how this shadow works best: as a base, with another color layered over it. After the staining scare, I lightly patted this shade over my whole lid and then blended out the color with my finger. Then I used an e.l.f. shadow quad in Nouveau Neutrals to cover Teal We Meet Again. I put the olive-y green over the lid then took the warm tan shade (sorry the individual shades don’t have names) and blended it into my crease. A touch of ice blue in my inner corner completes this look. The colors appeared more intense in real life than in the picture but it was strangely compelling. I felt like I had put “Captain Planet” on my eyelids and was loving it. Great for a night out.
Day 5: I was so excited to be done with this product. But learning my lesson from day 4 I used Teal We Meet Again as a base but used a lighter hand. Then I packed a nude shade over the whole lid to further dull the intensity of this green. To finish the lid off I dusted a gold shade into the crease.
What I learned about Flower’s Teal We Meet Again Eyes on the Prize Eyeshadow Chubby
- It needs primer underneath and a powder shadow over top to stay put.
- It does build up nicely, but it will stain your lids in the process.
- Works best as a base.
- Use your fingers to blend. Brushes won’t save you.
Honestly, day 4 saved this product from the trash can. I won’t reach for Teal We Meet Again often, but it is good as a base for a vibrant smokey eye.
I’d give this product 2 beauty bubbles.
Unfortunately, my first 5 Tries post was a bit of a negative review but I have some Flower eye shadows with different formulas that are lovely. So don’t let this post deter you from Flower as a brand. Just maybe steer clear of the Eyes on the Prize Eyeshadow Chubbies.
What did you guys think of the 5 Tries post? Should I do more of these?
Book Review: Live and Let Die
One of the best parts of moving is getting a new library card. Or at least for me that’s one of the best parts. On my inaugrual visit to my local library I wandered around the shelves and discovered an “in the movies” display, that held, among other things, about ten Ian Fleming books.
These James Bond novels were recently (c. 2008) rebound for Fleming’s 100th birthday and the covers have this great retro, ’60’s vibe to them. Having never read any of the 007 novels, I decided to give them a shot. Unfortunately, the first in the series, Casino Royale, was checked out by another. So I went with the second book, Live and Let Die.
Bond is just as suave and debonair in print as he is on the screen. Reading this novel, you can really see why this series has been such fertile material for film. It’s a slim, trim book at just 229 pages. But those pages are full of well paced action and adventure. Well-paced gets used often in book or movie reviews, and in this case I mean it does a good job of giving you breathers between covert operations while still giving you salient information.
One of the great things about this series constantly being revamped on film is that it gives you more freedom to imagine Bond however you’d like because so many men have already filled the 007 shoes. For whatever reason I kept picturing Cary Grant as Bond, even though he has never played Bond. The way that Fleming writes Bond’s dialogue and thought process just reminds me of Grant in North By Northwest, although certainly more effective at the spy game. But I digress.
There isn’t a great deal of surprise with this book–you know Bond will be put in multiple life-and-death situations, you know Bond will survive, you know Bond will get the girl–but Fleming still keeps your attention. I didn’t find my mind wandering at all while reading this novel. Except for this one thing…
Holy Racism, Batman (wait, wrong action hero)! I realize that this book was originally published in 1954, over a decade before the major civil rights movement in 1965-1969, but whoa. Sometimes as a reader when you’re faced with writing from previous decades or centuries, you end up struggling with accepting things like blatant racism or sexism as just another part of the story. It’ll catch you off guard and hit you right in the gut. When this happens you can either stop reading the book altogether or you can chalk it up to the context of time when the book was written. I opted for the latter.
Still, there were moments when I felt my eyes widen in surprise at the level of casual racism. For instance, there is a scene in a nightclub where Bond listens to a conversation between a black couple that’s written in a dialect style. This conversation is irrelevant to the larger plot; it does nothing for our understanding of character or events. It goes on for two pages and it’s horrible on so many levels.
And all of the villains are black. The only two redeemable characters who are black, Fleming takes the time to mention that they look to be of mixed race. These were the moments when I struggled with this novel the most.
Vodoo is also a central to the plot, and it’s interesting in how superstitious the portrayal of that religion comes off. And it still is shown that way in many mediums. But the use of Vodoo didn’t bother me as much because the villain, Mr. Big (take that Carrie Bradshaw!), utilizes the superstitions as how he controls his power base, which fit within his character.
I could have used a bit more of Mr. Big in this novel. He’s always in the background as the looming threat but he was a complex bit of evil that I would have liked more info on.
Also this novel amped up my fear of deep water. I appreciated that Bond was likewise concerned about sharks and barracudas because the man has to have a chink in his armor somewhere. Some of the most poetic writing from Fleming came from the scenes where he discusses the great unknown of the ocean, which was beautiful and terrifying to read. I’m not a large body of water person, so I felt on the edge of my seat whenever Bond had to use rudimentary scuba gear.
One of the things I liked most about this book and this character was when Bond talks to himself about “his stars.” Bond considers his stars a guide and a powerful force in his life. I myself am rather star obsessed. I have two tattoos that have to do with stars, so I connected with that part of Bond’s character.
Overall, I liked Live and Let Die and Fleming’s sense of character. I did struggle with the social context of the novel, particularly considering what has been happening lately in the US with Ferguson. But I would be interested in reading other Bond novels in the future.
August Empties
It’s been awhile since I’ve had anything big to share in an empties post, and even still this will be a shorter post. I don’t care what size an item is, I am going to get pumped whenever I hit pan or run out. It’s just satisfying. I’d compare it to finishing a good book or the end of a good movie marathon. You’re happy it happened and you just want to talk about it.
So without further ado here are my August empties.
The few. The proud. The empty.
Ole Henriksen Truth to Go Cleansing Wipes ($8.00)
I’m sad to see these wipes go. For the most part, I’ve switched over to using a cold cream for makeup removal but I like to keep some wipes around for the nights I’m feeling lazy. These wipes didn’t burn my eyes and they removed even my most stubborn long-wear makeup. The citrus scent was refreshing without being overwhelming. And I felt like they went a step beyond makeup removal and did some mild cleansing. The texture of these were also quite lovely. Not overly wet feeling but very soft. I got this product in an ipsy bag several months ago, which was great because you hear a lot of good things about Ole Henriksen but I probably wouldn’t have bought this for my self.
Would I repurchase?
If these wipes were not $8.00 for a ten pack, absolutely I would. They’re luxurious and work well. But I don’t want to pay a luxurious price for something I could use in under two weeks. Unless ipsy wants to send me some more of these, I think not.
Just enough left to do a little swatch.
Clinique SuperFine Liner for Brows in Soft Blonde ($16.00)
I’ve had this brow pencil for years and used it off and on, usually for formal occasions. And then I started using it daily back in April and fell in love with this product. I’m surprised it never made it into a favorites post. The color is what really sells me on this liner. Soft Blonde looks so natural and makes filling my brows in incredibly easy. Even when I mess up it’s not noticeable. Tons of bloggers love the Anastasia Brow Wiz and I can’t compare them having never tried that product, but I’m not sure I would bother. I am so in love with this brow pencil and it’s $6 cheaper.
Would I Repurchase?
Yes. I’m in the midst of trying to use up some other brow products so I can’t justify it at the moment, but when the day comes I will be repurchasing this lovely liner as quickly as possible.
Smashbox Photo Finish Lid Primer (sample value $5.50)
I got this lid primer in a try-it kit from Sephora many months ago that came with the under eye primer and the original photo finish primer for I want to say $10. But a full size one of these fellas is $22. I’d say it’s worth it. The primer is a nude shade that blends out well and neutralizes any lid discoloration. And it holds your makeup like a dream. I can count on this lid primer to lock my shadows in place: cream, pigment, or powder. Some other high-end primers can leave my lid feeling a bit oily and since I already have oily lids, I feel gross by adding more. This Smashbox lid primer starts me out with a matte base that doesn’t feel chalky. I used this sample size until there was no more product for the doe foot applicator to grab.
Would I Repurchase?
Yes! I may or may not (and by that you know it means definitely) have already bought the full size. What can I say? I think this might be a holy grail item for me.
Quite by accident this ended up being more of a high-end empties post. And I’m sad to see all of these products go! Have you tried any of these products? Was it love, like, or hate?
August Beauty Favorites
Tis that time again! Well, technically, it is past time to talk about what beauty tidbits I loved in August. Most of these were things I have had in my collection for several months but never quite made it into a favorites post. So today these products get their due. Let’s dig in!
August Faves in all their glory.
Though it’s not technically a beauty product, this soft, snuggly, lavender blanket has been my favorite random item this month. My grandma bought it for me at Costco as a housewarming present when I couldn’t stop petting the darn thing in the store.
So good I don’t want to stop!
The Body Shop’s Vitamin E Hydrating Toner ($13.00)
This is one of the only new items in my favorites this month. I bought this in a Body Shop Vitamin E kit for $20.00 at a TJ Maxx and when I couldn’t find my regular toner in the midst of unpacking I turned to this one. I’m actually upset about the prospect of switching back to my former toner now. This Hydrating Toner has a light, clean scent that I can’t get enough of. My skin feels refreshed after I use it, and this product truly does hydrate my skin. I also appreciate that there is no bite to this toner but it removes oil and makeup with ease. Would highly recommend this product.
Rimmel Exaggerate Full Lip Colour Lip Liner in Eastend Snob 063 ($5.99)
Normally, I have no use for lip liners, but I stumbled upon this shade and decided to give it a go. The universe steered me right that day because this shade is perfection. For me, Eastend Snob is a my lips but better shade. I can wear it alone for a matte look or under a nude color for longer wear. The formula is smooth and doesn’t tug at my lips. The design of the product is simple but gives you more precision: when you twist the product up it comes up at an angle for an always slanted tip. No other lip liner has ever charmed me the way this Rimmel liner has!
The unsung hero of any beauty lover.
Sally Hansen Double Duty Base & Top Coat (4.99)
These kinds of products don’t normally get a lot of love in favorites post but I am here to change that today! I used to have a terrible problem with my nails breaking whenever they got to a certain length. My friend, Elyse, suggested using some kind of strengthener and recommended a few from Sally Hansen to me. I have been using this as a base and top coat for months now and my nails seem so much happier. I won’t pretend this product cures all nail ills, but for my needs it has been fabulous. I’ve noticed my nails are less brittle and grow to longer lengths (when I let them) without breaking. And the shine this top coat gives is so glossy. I recently tried returning to my old O.P.I top coat and was terribly disappointed. This base & top coat might just be a holy grail item for me!
O.S.T. Original Pure Vitamin C20 Serum ($24.99)
This is the first serum I’ve ever regularly integrated into my skin care routine. Months ago, back in November I believe, a blogger Suomica (she hasn’t been on in a while for personal reasons but I hope she comes back to the blogging community one day), did a post on this product and I was tempted enough to buy it. I got my bottle from a Korean beauty website called wishtrend.com, and though it took about seven weeks to get to the States, this serum is worth the wait. I put it on every night before bed and my skin soaks it up. It’s supposedly 20% vitamin c and the website claims that it helps firm up skin, evens skin tone, and combats breakouts. As to the firming part, it’s hard to say, since I’m twenty-four and can’t tell if it’s tightening loose skin or not. I will say that my skin has looked brighter and it helps sooth breakouts. It doesn’t remove blackheads entirely, but I can tell when I haven’t been using this serum at night. Love the little apothecary style bottle and glass stopper too.
Probably my favorite palette of all time. No joke.
My three favorite shades from the palette. Top to bottom: Selfish, Stand-offish, and Seductive
The Balm’s Nude ‘Tude Palette ($18.00)
If you’re a makeup fan, you’re probably curious about the price I’m citing here. I got my Nude ‘Tude palette on Hautelook for $18 when it’s regularly $36. This one purchase has justified my Hautelook account. These shadows are so velvety and soft I have to stop myself from randomly touching them and wasting product. My favorite shades are Selfish (silvery taupe), Stand-offish (golden pink), and Seductive (light copper). All of these shadows are blendable and have great pigmentation. This has been my go-to travel palette when I went home in July and then went to my friend’s wedding at the beginning of August. And I love the sassy pin-up girl pans! If you’re looking for a neutral palette, I would highly recommend the Nude ‘Tude palette, even at full price it’s still cheaper than Urban Decay’s Naked Palette (don’t get me wrong, I love that one too but sometimes you have to think of your budget first).
Hope you all enjoyed my beauty favorites for August!
My Best Friend is a Nutcase; You’re Gunna Love Her
Have you ever met someone who is so full of charisma that you’re afraid they might burst? I have and her name is Dara Cameron.
When I first met Dara she was wearing some Daisy Duke level jean shorts, a crocheted halter top, and some suede ankle booties all of which made her look like this tall, voluptuous, hippy goddess. Her long auburn hair was stacked haphazardly into a bun, her amber eyes were framed by thick cat-eye liner, and God-almighty was she loud. She scared the crap out of me.
I was intimidated by how authentic and confident this woman was. We were both in a new place, having moved out to California to get our Master’s in film studies, but she seemed utterly at home in her new locale as if she’d been practicing to live in Orange County her whole life. She said something when a group of us film scholars met up for coffee (I can’t for the life of me remember what it was, but I’ll guarantee you it was funny) and I realized this beautiful, hilarious human was going to be my best friend.
Navigating the aisles of Ikea.
Two years later this is an undeniable fact. We have gone to tarot card readings together. We have traveled abroad together. We have shared many a dressing room. I have gone to see some of her first stand-up routines. And she has learned to understand me when I get so excited or upset that I reach a pitch most humans can’t comprehend. I’m truly blessed to count this girl among my best friends.
Dara and I at the 2014 Sundance Film Festival: she wore a wig and called herself Liz French just for giggles.
And now, you lucky devils, you get a chance to meet Dara yourselves.
Ever the gypsy at heart, Dara is embarking upon a cross-country journey where she will reenact famous movie scenes and watch the favorite films of strangers in return for some quality couch surfing. Naturally, the proper medium to catalogue this endeavor is a blog. Enter, MoxiePixieRealGirl: A Gypsy’s Guide to Film, Fantasies, and the Open Road.
The most fascinating thing for me is how she’s approaching the interactive nature of this trip. She’s hosting polls on her site so you can have a say in what zany thing she does next. Her first stop is Washington D.C. and some of the poll options were “Frolic through the Lincoln Memorial reflecting pond like the reunion of Jenny and Forrest” from Forrest Gump and grab some drinks at the bar that St. Elmo’s Fire was based on.
She’s basically living out a Choose-Your-Own-Adventure book, cinema style. And it’s all going to work because she’s Dara Cameron, one of the most charismatic people on the planet.
So why am I telling you all this? Not only is Dara a gifted writer with a natural wit and a strong knowledge of film–which are both reasons enough to tune into her blog–she also needs your help for this adventure to begin.
In order to pay for gas, food, and the occasional lodging Dara has launched a KickStarter page. If you’re intrigued enough by what I’ve written here, please go check out her KickStarter, or at least her blog.
Link to her super awesome blog
Dara just set up her KickStarter page today and has already got $90.00 to her end goal of $500. I realize that donating money to a girl you’ve never met might sound a tad nutty but if you’re in the mood for a vicarious adventure then this is the girl you should back.
I hope you get a kick out of this chick as much as I do!
bubblewrappedblog 