It's A Haul Y'all! - Target - Ava and Viv & Merona

Photo credit: Target.com

Hey There!

I went to Target!

That's not new!

But, it's not often that I go to Target and look at their clothes (besides tops) because their jeans and pants don't often fit my curvy shape. I find that the plus sized pants from Target have no waist line. The waist and hips are the same size. I don't know about you but my waist and hips are not the same! I saw the Ava and Viv brand a few months ago but because of my prior experience, I just kept going.

Friday I went into a different Target and saw the line and saw the jeans that they had. I decided, what the hay?! I've got to try on these t-shirts so I'll try on their jeans too.

MAN!!! These jeans are the business! They fit wonderfully! Ava and Viv understand that my waist is smaller than my hips. The dark blue wash complements my shape and they were on sale for $17 and change so they jumped into my cart. Did I mention that they are skinny jeans? Yeah, skinny! Jeans in sizes 12, 14, 16, 18 and 20 don't often look skinny when they say skinny but these looked skinny! I'll let you know how they wear but I'm excited to try them!

I also picked up some t-shirts because they were $5. They aren't the Ava and Viv, they are Merona brand. These are a silky material so I can dress them up a bit for dinner or lunch out. I have plenty of junk t-shirts but I don't have any nicer t-shirts. I wanted to get more but the other styles of t-shirts didn't look right on me when I tried them on.

This is not a large haul, I know, but enough to slowly add to my closet. When I moved, I discarded some things that no longer fit right or hot rips or tears or were worn out. I decided I'd slowly add thing back into my wardrobe.

Have you been to Target lately? Do you see the new clothing lines that they've added? What do you think? 

Making a House a Home - Method Brand Fabric Softener

Hey there!

I got a $3 off coupon for Method Home products. I've been interested in their laundry products for a while, so I used this as the opportunity to try something new. I've tried their hand soap in the regular and foaming (it was fine) and I've tried their dish liquid (it was fine as well). I hadn't tried their laundry products at all.

The normal price for the Method fabric softener at Target was $6.99 and I got 10% off using my Cartwheel app, so I only paid $3.29 for this 50 load bottle. Score! I like a good discount. I got the Fresh Air scent. The scent is pleasant enough. It's light and fresh, just as the name suggests.

Unfortunately, the scent does not carry. The method (ha! get it?!) of delivery is a pump system and you are supposed to use 4 pumps for each load. Well, 4 pumps makes the clothes kinda soft but it doesn't leave a smell. I mean, your towels don't stink but they don't smell good. I changed the amount we use and that made a bit of a difference.

I also changed the method of delivery because the pump broke about halfway through. I wasn't doing anything weird, just using it as directed and it just broke. Rather than just try to fix it, I decided to pour it into another fabric softener container.

So, at $3.29, this product wasn't bad. I have to almost double what they suggest I use in order for it to work for me. At $6.99, HAIL NO! My Suavitel is $3.29 at the most (I normally only pay $2.99). There is no way I'm gonna pay twice the price for half the product!

No, this was a fail for me. I don't think I'll be making this purchase again.

Why I Didn't Buy It - Pixi Nail Color

Hey There!

New neighborhood means a new Target. My Target is pretty nice but if I go just 6 miles up the street, there is an even BETTER one, well kinda, sometimes. But, mine is nice too.

When I went in yesterday I was looking at nail polish. I didn't need anything knew but hey, it doesn't cost anything to look! I noticed the Pixi Line of nail polish. It's not new it's just that my old Target didn't have a robust Pixi line of beauty products.

This Target has eleven pretty polish colors and a brightening top coat for $8. The Pixi by Petra website has 37 colors. The Target colors were nice but nothing that I just had to have. If anything I would have liked to try the brightening top coat and see what it's claim to fame is. I have a pretty large nail polish collection anyway so at this point you have to really move me in order to make me pull out the wallet.

Coral Cantaloupe, Summer Pink, Sweet Strawberry, Wakeup Wisteria and Very Violet all looked so pretty but I really do have colors in my collection that look very similar. If someone were to twist my arm (like they'd really have to), I could pick up Sweet Strawberry and Very Violet and bring them home. I love a nice pink or purple. Or coral or blue or...

(Photocredit: Pixi by Petra website)

The Pixi by Petra website has soooo many colors that I wouldn't mind bring home. Aquamarine Aura, Nude Dazzle, Almond Glow, Mink Grey, Makeup Artist Mauve, Blackberry... I kinda wish that those colors were in the store so that I could get a proper look at them.

(Photocredit: Pixi by Petra website)

Ok. So the reason that I didn't buy it was because they didn't have all the colors that they had online. If they did have all those colors... That means I may have to make an online order!

You know I love a good nail polish!

It's A Haul Y'all!

Hey there!

The kiddo and I decided that we needed to explore our new neighborhood. We had a good breakfast at a local restaurant Another Broken Egg. If you follow me on Instagram, you saw the coffee cup from the restaurant. We were with friends so I didn't want to take too many pictures of my food. And, if you stay tuned, in a few days I'll explain what the whole neighborhood restaurant quest is.

But, after getting some fuel in my belly, the kiddo and I went shopping! We found a Wally World (that is not close to me at all. I probably won't go back to that location) and stocked up on bubble bath and picked up curtains. We also traipsed to Target and Home Depot (you know how it is). We needed to get the basics (cleaning supplies, towels, etc.). Then... THEN we went to the clothing stores!!!!!

I didn't really need anything but I wanted to show the kiddo what stores were in our area. She, of course, found some great stuff at Old Navy and Claires. Mama went to a few other stores.

I have mentioned Charming Charlie before. It's a cute little jewelry, clothing, accessory store. I like it because they have lots of sales that makes their jewelry a very good price AND when we went the clearance jewelry was BOGO. The kiddo scored big time! I was looking for rose gold pieces to match my new necklace from Bauble Bar. Charming Charlie has soooo many rose gold pieces that I could choose from. I went right to the back of the store to see if I could find some discounted rose gold pieces. They did not disappoint! I got these great earrings and beaded wrap bracelet. The bracelet was $4.99 (originally $10) and the earrings were $3.99 (originally $8), so my total price was $4.99 plus tax! I saved $13. Waaaaay to go!

The kiddo and I also swung into Bath & Bodyworks to pick up some Wallflowers fragrance plugs for the new place. I have the plain white ones but I wanted a cute one for my bedroom and I wanted the kiddo to pick a cute one for her bedroom. I didn't end up necessarily picking a "cute" one. I just picked a grey flower top one. My bedroom is silver, green and white so the grey blends in very well. The kiddo got the blue butterfly fragrance plug. She picked up hers because she liked it, not necessarily because it fit the room decor.

I don't normally walk into certain stores. I see the name and I just figure everything inside is super expensive. I should know better than that! Even more pricey stores have a discount area. And, White House Black Market is one of those stores. I hustled my booty to the back of the store and found three really cute tops!

The first top has already been on a test drive. It's a larger, flowing black and white striped three quarter length sleeves (originally $58, purchased for $29.99). It's light weight so it's perfect for summer visits to place like the movies or restaurants -- you know, places where the AC is going to blowing like crazy. I wore a basic, white, spaghetti strap tank top. I think next time I'll wear a tank (either black or white works) with wider straps. The top sleeves go where they want to and I kept being very conscious of whether or not my bra strap was showing. Bigger straps would have meant that I wouldn't have cared if the tank strap showed because they would have covered my bra straps.

The mint green tank top is really fun (originally $84, purchased for $19.99). It's a satiny tank that will look great under a jacket or wrap (and I am soooo into wraps right now). The straps are embellished with little rhinestone cuffs to just give it a bit of dazzle. I need some dazzle in my wardrobe. I'm glad this top has joined my closet!

I also added a simple pale grey tank to my wardrobe. It's basic and it was a good price (originally $40, purchased for $9.99). I don't have a tank this color or this design. I thought the design classed it up a bit so I think it will be nice for a work tank. Again, this would be a great with a plain jacket.

For a girl not looking for anything, I got pretty lucky this time! I just hope I get great deals like this every time I got shopping with the kiddo.

Behind The Mask - nügg 5 Minute Face Masks for Beautiful Skin

Hey there!

I was in Target last week and saw these nügg 5 Minute Face Masks for Beautiful Skin. Now I can't use a face mask right now because I had a little cyst removed and I have a tiny hole in my face that I'd rather not get face mask product in (TMI? Sorry!) but these did look very interesting. My Target only had 4 types but the website touts 6 types. Target had an exfoliating one, a soothing one, a hydrating one and a revitalizing one. The website also offers an anti-aging one and a deep cleansing one.

They all run $3.29 at Target and on the website, so not too bad for a treat. The one that I'd love to try is the Shea Butter & Chamomile Extract one (the soothing one). It says that it "helps to calm, balance & hydrate troubled or sensitive skin". While my skin isn't troubled or sensitive, I like using shea butter and chamomile products. They just feel good.

I also wouldn't mind giving the hydrating one a try. It's Camellia Seed Oil & Spirulina Extract. It claims to intensively hydrate & replenish dry and/or dehydrated skin. Again, I don't have that problem but I'm figuring this would feel really good all the same.

Now, the third one I'd try is one of the ones that wasn't at my Target. I'm not sure if that's just a space issue or you can only get it online but I'm going to keep my eyes peeled and when my face is better, I'm going to try it. The Vitamin B3 & White Tea Extract is the anti-aging face mask. It is supposed to help improve skin elasticity & neutralize free radicals. Wouldn't we all do better if our free radicals were neutralized?

All of these masks have a seal that says they are gentle, nondrying and nave a natural oil dispersion technology. Now, I don't know what that means but it sounds good. They also don't use chemical emulsifiers, fragrances, synthetic colors, petrochemicals or parabens. For a girl that is allergic to everything under the sun, that makes me feel good.

Have you see these at your local Target? Have you tried them? Are you planning on it? Let me know if you do!

(ps - I was not paid to endorse this product at all nor was I given any free or reduced product. No one from the company contacted me. I saw them and thought they seemed fun to try).

Quickie Review - e.l.f. Brush Shampoo

Hey There!

One of the most dreaded jobs in the makeup world is cleaning your makeup brushes. I have purchased more of the same types of brushes so that I don't have to wash them as often. But, as the world goes round, dirty brushes must get washed (or you will just have to trashed them all and start over).

And because I haven't trashed them all and started over, I have to find the quickest, most efficient way possible to clean them. Everyone is purchasing special mitts and drying racks and solutions that will make cleaning your makeup brushes, easier, faster, with less effort and more delicately (so you don't ruin your brushes).

I haven't found anything easier, faster, with less effort and more delicately (is that grammatically correct? I'm feeling that it isn't) but I have found something that I like and, at a price point that I can deal with.

I picked up the e.l.f. Brush Shampoo ($2.69) a few weeks ago (haul link here) and have been trying it out. I didn't save a ton of money because it was only $3 to begin with. That is a really nice price point. The reason that I had to grab it at Marshalls was because my Target and Walmart are normally out of it. I really wanted to try it because lately I've been using my Purity Made Simple by Philosophy to clean my makeup brushes and that's just not fiscally sound.

So I tried out this little bottle of goodness and I really like it! It reminds me of baby shampoo in consistency but the smell reminds me of baby laundry detergent. You know, if you've ever used Dreft to clean baby's clothes...that's the smell. If you haven't, take a whiff next time you're in the store.

The brush shampoo works well. You don't have to use a lot and I noticed with my kabuki brush, I only had to wash and rinse twice. Normally I have to wash and rinse three or four times. That in itself is a time saver!

It seems to be really gentle on my brushes and they feel soft afterwards. While I haven't given it a long term test run, I feel pretty confident that I'll like using this and it will be worth buying it again.

Want a review after I've put it on the road and pushed the gas pedal to the floor? Stay tuned for my empties posts. I'm sure you'll see it and hear about it there!

Spring Target Candles

Hey there!

Target has some new candles. I always get super excited when they get new scents. I rush right over and sniff them all. I did just that this time too.

They had yummy scents like Lemon Trifle, Ocean Oasis, Cinnamon Fires and Cozy Nights. No, not all of them were fantastic. And, of course I didn't need any of them. I had just picked up some wallflowers from Bath & Body Works and I'm packing up to move. Surely I could get out of Target without picking up a bunch of candles that I didn't need!

NO! I didn't pick up a bunch of candles. I picked up one. Marshmallow Pop.

Before you get all judgey on me, let me explain. It smells sugary and sweet and a tiny bit like rice krispy treats. Now do you understand my dilemma? Of course you do.

And I was strong! I wanted almost all of them! Lemon Trifle smelled like a nice, warm pound cake with a hint of lemon icing. Cinnamon Fire smelled like red hots -- the good ones! Ocean Oasis smelled like the beach -- how do they do that?! How do you bottle the beach?!

Well, I only picked up one little, bitty $5 candle. That's hardly a crime. Besides, I did it for you guys! I can't review a candle if I don't buy it!

With that logic I should have bought them all, huh?

Well the weekend is just beginning -- don't tempt me!

Shoe Of The Day - Mossimo Supply Co Flats

Hey there!

It would seem that some of you liked my shoe of the day, even though it's more of a "shoe of the moment" instead of day. Because you showed such an interest, I thought I'd show you what I've been wearing/getting ready to wear now. I really like a good flat or sandal and now that it is warming up, my feet are going to be super happy.

I've mentioned that my local Target closed so I have to travel if I want to have a Tar-jay stroll. I had a doctor's appointment a week ago and there was a Target next door, soooooo...I went in!

I stocked up on quite a bit of things that I can only find at Target (or that Target has a better price) and spent a considerable amount of time in the shoe department. Wanna know why? BOGO half off.

BOGO half off at Target is when I stock up on shoes. I hate paying full price for anything and BOGO half off is a GREAT excuse to treat myself. This time I picked up 2 more pairs of Mossimo Supply Co flats. I already owned a pair of tobacco brown flats and a pair of wine suede flats. I love them. I wear them all the time. If I can't wear sandals and it's not boot season, it's time for flats.

These flats come in a myriad of colors and styles. You can pick up patent leather-like, stripes or plain leather-like. This week I added a pair of black and cream striped flats and a pair of basic black flats. They are sooo comfortable, so versatile and they go with almost everything. I keep them by the door so I can just slip my feet in them and go.

The normal price of these shoes is $16.99 but with BOGO half, they were $12.74 each. Not a bad deal, if I must say so myself.

If you have seen these ballet flat and wondered if they were comfortable, let me assure you that they are. They go with everything and with 2 or 3 pairs of them in your closet, you cannot go wrong!

It's A Haul Y'all! - Teeny Tiny Nail Polish Haul

Hey there!!

This is just a teeny tiny haul this time. I went to Target and Walgreens and they had nail polish on sale. I, of course, don't need any new polish but these colors were really too cute to pass up.

Walgreens had some holiday Sinful Colors polishes on sale. I picked up these really pretty, sparkle toppers in Gilded and Holiday Rebel. I've already worn one of them and already have an opinion. You have to wait until Monday to see which one and if I liked it or not.

I also picked up 4 of the Sally Hansen Insta-Dri polishes in Plummet, Navy Fleet, Slick Slade and Expresso. Plummet is a nice, deep dark plum and Navy Fleet is a hunter green (not navy at all...hmmmm). Slick Slate is a muddy, gray brown, dirty cement color and Expresso is a gorgeous pinky mocha color. I love those colors. They are creamy warm colors, perfect for winter. I am soooo going to enjoy them.

So that was just a little quick polish haul. I can't wait to try out these new colors. I may have to change out every 4 days to get everything in!

Rub A Dub Dub...What's In The Tub?

Hey there!

I like showing all my empties. I think it's fun to watch videos and I hope it's fun to read the blogs that feature what we used up during the month and if we liked it. When I watch the videos or read the blogs, I see what people thought of products and I'm able to make a decision on whether or not I want to try them.

The only problem that I found with empties is that the blog post is so long! If it takes me that long to write, I can only imagine that you have to take a Cheetos and wine break when you read it (What? No? Only me? Oh. I thought everyone did that). So, a few months ago, I pulled the facial masks out of the trash and gave them their own post. I also pulled the candles out of the trash and gave them their own review. This month I've pulled out the bath time products because well, I take a lot of baths and spend a ton of money on bathroom products. Some stuff I like, some stuff I don't. Some stuff I finished and am going to give a mini review and some stuff is just what I liked that month.

First, let's talk about what I used up. My love of Avon Bubble Bath ($5.99/24 fl. oz.) is not a secret. Because I'm in the tub so much, I like bubble baths that aren't harsh on the skin. Avon brand is not harsh at all. This scent is the Pomegranate & Peony scent. I'm not a fan. I really didn't like this one. I purchased this right before Christmas and I am just using it up! I reached for this last and I'm glad that I used it up. It wasn't horrible but I won't purchase it again.

I also finished a 365 Everyday Value (Whole Foods brand) Lavender Blend Shower Gel ($3.99/16 fl. oz.). I purchased this almost a year ago. It isn't bad, it just isn't something I reached for all the time. It gets you squeaky clean...and that's the problem. Even though the bottle states that it cleanses and softens, it doesn't soften. It gets you super clean and then you have to slather on a ton of body cream to moisturize. I like for my shower gels to have a creamy texture to them because normally a creamy texture means a moisturizing feel. This was not creamy. It smelled nice but that's the only good thing I can say about it.

Have you seen these goodies in Target? They are the I love... brand of shower gels ($1.00/3.4 fl. oz). I picked up the Cinnamon Swirl first. Because it was only a dollar, I didn't have high hopes. Then I tried it. It smells like red hots! I know...the orange color throws you off but the scent really represents cinnamon well. And, it lathers well. It's not great but it's good. The next week I picked up Chocolate & Orange. Have you ever tasted one of those orange and chocolate candies that's in the shape of an orange? That's what this one smells like. I like this one too. For $1.00 these are definitely worth the purchase.

And what has been my power bath gel this month? Tone's Petal Soft Moisturizing Pink Peony & Rose Oil Body Wash. This creamy body wash has a light rose sent. It's not one of those overly scented body washes. And the lather is really nice. It's a pearlescent pink color and you only need a little bit. I've used other Tone body washes and the good folks at Tone seems to know what they are doing.

So what have you been using this month? Does it lather well? Does it smell really good? Or, are you just trying to use it up?

Prime Time Summer - Rimmel London Fix & Perfect Primer

A week or so ago I mentioned that I was looking at primers. Folks keep talking about how great primers are, if you get a good one. Everyone mentions making your foundation last longer and smoothing your skin. I don't have large pores but I'd love for my foundation to last all day. I put on my makeup at 6am and don't get home until 6:30pm. So, I'm on the hunt for a good one because, I want a great primer too!

This week I have been trying my Rimmel London Fix & Perfect Primer in 001 ($5.49, Target - $1.00 off coupon). Before you get too excited, 001 Apricot is the only shade this primer is available in. I was a bit hesitant by that but I had a coupon so...

On the Rimmel London website it promises that this primer will "create a perfect canvas for foundation application". They say you can use it alone or with foundation and it minimizes pores. I don't have large pores to begin with but this didn't minimize the ones I have, so if you have large pores, I can't see this minimizing yours either.

The color is a shade and a half too light for me (NC42) so wearing it alone would make me look ashy. I have to use this under foundation. Had I done my research, I might have tried the Fix & Perfect Pro Primer in 002. That primer is actually a white, lotiony color that doesn't have a tint to it. That one would probably work without foundation. But, that leads me to ask the question, why would I wear a primer without foundation? I have a BB cream I can use and I can mix it with moisturizer if I want to sheer it out a bit. So they whole "use it alone" doesn't fly for me.

But, for what it is and what I paid for it, it's acceptable. I don't see that it really enhanced my foundation wear time, so it didn't help the case for primer but I don't plan on giving up. Would I buy this again? If I need a primer, I can see that this would be ok. But for what a primer should do, no. To wear alone, no.

So the hunt is STILL on. What's next? Stay tuned.

Spring Favorites

Hey there!

I thought I'd change it up and drop a fun faves post. I originally thought I'd do the sundress weather tag but I didn't really feel like it said anything about me in relation to makeup. I decided to just pull random spring questions from the web. While I like Spring, my favorite time of the year is Summer because it's hot. I live in Atlanta and normally Spring time means that the hot weather is coming soon. Of course this year it's been cooler than normal. Just 3 days ago I had on a coat. A coat people, on April 14 -- in Atlanta.

BTW, I keep saying hot weather because I'm not talking about comfortably warm weather that requires a light sweater in the morning. I'm talking hot weather. You wake up a tad bit sweaty cause the 2 fans on you didn't do the trick overnight and your ac bill triples but you don't care. And, you keep 2 full ice tray's in the freezer at all times because you are going to need an iced drink the second you get out of bed. I like that kind of hot. I really do.

Any who, Spring has sprung -- even if the weather doesn't say so. That means that Summer is around the corner.  So, let's talk about the things I like about spring.

Favorite Spring Candle Scent?

I have been loving my Target Sweet Spun Sugar scented soy candle. It fills the rooms with sweet, cotton candy scented goodness. I know that everyone rants and raves about the Bath & Body Works candles but really, this one is nothing to sneeze at. In my opinion, it's just as good but half the price.

Runner up? Yes, it's a Bath & Body Works scented candle. It's the one in Pink Bubblegum. I buy 3 for $10 mini's and it makes me feel better. But this one, I'd pay full price for a large one. So yummy smelling!

Favorite Spring Bubble Bath?

There are three that I've been loving. I picked up this Philosophy Strawberry Italian Soda bubble bath from Marshalls for $10. It smells like strawberry soda. I mean you can smell the bubbles. Yes, that sounds like crazy talk but you can, you really can.

Bath & Body Works Signature line has some of my favorites. I always have to wait for the special sales when these come out. My favorite of all time is the Signature Vanillas Shower Gel in Lemon. OMG. It is amazing. I'm using this one sparingly because I'm down to my last bottle. Next time it goes on sale you must grab one. You'll love it.

Another Bath & Body Works fave is Orange Ginger in the Aromatherapy line. It's a nice smelling body wash that I only use during the day. I just feel like this one wakes me up and leaves me feeling refreshed and ready for the day.

Top Row: Sally Hansen Hard as Nails in Poppy, Rimmel 60 Seconds in Golden Hour & Pulsating, Rimmel Sweetie Crush in Candyfloss Cutie & Violet Swizzle
Bottom Row: Sally Hansen Insta-Dry in Pumped Up Pink, Wet n Wild Megalast in Bite The Bullet & Revlon polishes in Strawberry Electric Spidey Sense & Charismatic

Favorite Spring Nail Polish Colors?

Yes, I know that pulling out 10 is probably over kill but I keep my finger nails and toe nails painted and that takes a lot of polish. Many of these are new (Rimmel 60 seconds in Golden Hour and Pulsating, Rimmel Sweetie Crush in Candyfloss Cutie and Violet Swizzle, Sally Hansen Insta-Dry in Pumped Up Pink, Wet n Wild Megalast in Bite The Bullet and Revlon polishes in Spidey Sense and Charismatic) but I have my old standbys (Sally Hansen Hard as Nails in Poppy and Revlon in Strawberry Electric). If I have to pick a favorite, favorite, it would be the Revlon nails in Strawberry Electric. I probably need to get a backup cause I would be so sad is this one ran out.

Favorite Spring Lip gloss?

You know how I love lip gloss. I have a lot. No, I don't know how many. I can't count that high. But, my favorite 3 are the Lancôme Gloss in Love in Cinema Cinnamon, Revlon Colorburst in Peony and Revlon Super Lustrous Lipgloss in Pinkissimo. These colors are light and beautiful on their own and when you add a liner with them or apply them over a light lipstick you get a BAM! for your lips. They are in my Spring rotation and I'm sure that I'll keep them in the Summer.

Spring Trend I'm Loving

Party accent nails are awesome! They let me get away with fun colors while wearing neutral colors on the other 8. I was like the whole nude lip thing but I think that was winter, not spring. I'm not 100% sure what else is happening but I'm on board with the party nail.

 

These are silver earrings. The lighting isn't the best!

Favorite Spring scarf or accessory?

Earrings. LOL. I know that sounds weird but I love earrings and my favorite type of earrings are hoops. How much do I love hoops? I own about 22 pairs of hoops right now. My favorites are these three. The large ones are fun and funky, the smallest pair are classic and the smooth pair are just awesome. I wear each of these at least once a week.

And there you have it! Those are my Spring Favorites. What are you liking this spring? What things are you avoiding like the plague? What Spring Faves are you willing to spend a lot on and what trend wouldn't  you purchase with a money making coupon?