Downsizing

Hey there!

You see that big bag 'o stuff? Well, I decided to clean out my makeup containers a few weeks ago. I needed to downsize.

Don't yell out in shock and amazement! I know that you see NYX lip glosses and CK One mascaras. If you look close enough, you will see some items that I review and hated (Revlon Colorstay Moisture Stain and Victoria Secret Metalized eye shadow).

Before I discovered that you can take items back to certain stores, I kept everything, whether I liked it or not. Before I thought about passing products that didn't work for me, along to friends and family, I just piled things in containers and hoped they'd go away.

They didn't.

They stayed right where I left them.

A few weeks ago, I got a wild hair and decided that anything I didn't love or use often had to go. That included eyeshadows, lipsticks, samples, everything. It was hard to do (in some cases) but I let go of a lot -- 2 gallon sized bags of stuff. My friends had a field day! They benefitted from my naiveté. That won't happen again (well, not in to this magnitude).

Now I know better. I know that when you shop at drug stores and those 2 big retail chains, you can return stinky mascara and moisturizers that didn't work. Moreover, I figured out ways to see what colors are the best match for my skin tone and avoid bad products BEFORE I purchase them. I decided that I wasn't going to go with things that were pretty, or items that I need to complete a set. I wasn't going to purchase all 6 of the new lip glosses in the line. I began to really research and read the reviews before going to the store. And, I decided to TRUST them!

Many of the reviews are from folks that have a makeup obsession like myself. I've learned which blogs and YouTube videos are from folks that are like me -- some are my complexion, some are my age and most tend to like what I like. If they say something doesn't work for them, I don't have to play around and think it will work for me -- especially if SEVERAL of them don't like it. And, if more than 2 people like something, I might like it too.

Even then you can end up at home with a lip gloss that is 2 shades lighter than it appears. Instead of putting them into the back of the drawer and hoping for the best, I instantly "phone a friend" and offer them the gift. I now test products with disposable wands and spatulas. Extreme I know but I try quite a few makeup products and you are bound to get some duds! This way, I can pass them along.

So folks, you should NEVER see 2 bags like this again.

Sorry Island Girl and Mel B.

Nail Polish Change - Victoria's Secret Nail Lacquer in String Bikini & Peep Show

Hey There!

Last weekend I picked up a few Victoria's Secret items. I wasn't very impressed with the cosmetics but the nail colors looked really pretty. I'm going through a pink phase (I don't know why) so the colors that I got were both pink.

My main color was String Bikini. In the bottle it was such a pretty color. Once I brushed 1 coat on, I got a little scared. Then I brushed on another coat. I was completely scared. I tried a third coat on one finger and it looked a hot mess. The formula sucked. I had 3 fingers that were completely cray cray looking. I shoulda taken a picture but I was too upset. I really wanted the formula to be great because the color on the 7 other nails was nice.

I said 7 nails but I meant 5 because I had 2 party nails (I am so glad we are doing that!!). Apparently Peep Show is a different formula or the sparkles cause a different reflection because my party nails looked good. I will definitely wear that again! I thought about painting over the other nails with it but I thought that it might make a bad situation worse.

I don't remember the brush or anything because the formula sucked so badly. I only had my pink nails for 3 days. I got tired of looking at them. So, no, I have no plans on purchasing any other Victoria's Secret nail polish.

Victoria's Secret Haul - Review

Top - Lip gloss (Devotion)
Bottom - Lipstick (True)

Hey there!

So Victoria's Secret is doing away with their makeup line. That means we can pick up lots of things for a steal. But, it also means if we like those things we can't get more. That's always the dilemma with these "everything's gotta go" type of sales. If you love it, you're kinda screwed.

No worries. New things come out all the time so when old things go away, it makes room. Victoria's Secret is simply making room.

Anywho, I didn't go crazy at VS. I just picked up a few things - a Color Drama Lipstick (True), a Color Quench Intense Lip Gloss (Devotion) and a Metallized eyeshadow (Gold Card). See, I didn't get a lot. But, I did get colors that looks sooo pretty.

But now, I'm kinda mad that I got any of them. Yep. I said that.

 

Top - Lip gloss (Devotion)
Bottom - Lipstick (True)

The lipstick is the equivalent to a lip butter. It's a patchy color that goes on and then 30 minutes later is almost gone. No lie -- 30 minutes later people. So I thought I'd just reapply a few times and that resulted in dry lips. By noon my lips felt like the Sahara Desert. I had to soak them in lip balm all afternoon.

The lipgloss is a very pretty color but it isn't very pigmented. The color looks nice on my hand but that was like 3 swipes of the wand. It doesn't last either. I used lip liner and then tried to make the color better but it's like the gloss wouldn't adhere to the liner color. Weird, huh?

The eyeshadow is a pretty color in the pot. On my eyes? No pigment. I used primer and packed it on and I got nuthin'. It wasn't a good choice in color. There's a tiny bit of color. I will give it one more try with a cream shadow underneath. But I don't have faith that it will work.

So there! I purchased three items and there is no worry that I will want to replenish and can't. I really had high hopes for this makeup line but...

...I guess there's a reason they didn't make it.

Do you have anything from the Victoria's Secret makeup line? What do you think of them?

Weekend Haul

Hey there!

I didn't do as much damage as I thought I would folks. I had some retail therapy planned this weekend. I had a rough week and only saving money helps with that kind of week! I'll make sure to tell you what I think about everything that I purchased.

My first stop...Walgreens. Several folks had posted on Instagram, their super finds. Sighhhh. My 2 local Walgreens didn't have those same super finds. I picked up the two Baby Lips Balms that you see (Just Peachy & Coral Crave) and Covergirl Outlast Stay Brilliant nail polish (Diva After Dark). I didn't see much else. I'm not sure if the good folks hadn't had time to put stickers on stuff but Walgreens doesn't have a price checker like CVS so it's hard to know.

Anywho, my next stop was Ulta. I've mentioned a few times that I don't make it to Ulta often because I don't live near one. So, when I get there, I linger. Oddly enough, I linger near the cash register only. Yesterday the deals at the register were mainly nail polish. I had just gotten a ton of polish during the CVS Super Spectacular Mega Haul so it wasn't as if I needed much more. But, I caught some Zoya polish (Dhara - PixieDust, Piaf - Metalic & Carter - PixieDust) on sale for $4.99 and I had my $3.50 off of $10 coupon so I decided to add to the collection. This is almost the only time that I purchase high end polishes. I can't drop $8.50 for a nail polish. This is the perfect time.

I was looking for a black sweater to make one of my dresses office worthy and wandered into Dillard's. These pretty blue boxes (with pink discount stickers) caught my eye. DuWop cosmetics appears to be leaving Dillard's (I didn't investigate that or anything, I'm just speculating). They had quite a few things but the Double Glow 7 luminous face balm (champagne) and Keep Blushing water resistant blush (rose) caught my eye. The face balm is normally $25 but I got it for $6.50 and the blush is normally $22 and I got it for $5.50. Sounds great...unless I like them and want more!

Right next to Dillard's was Bath & Body Works. They were having their semi-annual sale. Unfortunately they didn't have the Signature Lemon scent that I loooooove. So I settled for Coconut Lime Breeze, and Malibu Heat shower gels. I also got Peach Bellini and Watermelon Lemonade candles in a jar. I've been picking up quite a few candles lately so I didn't want to add too many. As I type this I have 3 candles burning in different rooms. Someone call the fire department! Oh, I also picked up 3 hand soaps - Berry Sangria, Orange Creamsicle Swirl and Sugar Berry Shortcake. I think I was the last person on earth to get on the B&BW hand soap craze. I had been using whatever else I found but on Black Friday this past year I purchased 2 and the kiddo made me promise we wouldn't use anything else from then on. I agree.

I also picked up a small early-harvest raspberry bubble bath from The Body Shop for $4. I think the early-harvest raspberry line must be a scent that they are discontinuing because the early-harvest raspberry soap, lotion, room spray and body butter was on sale too. I looked on their website and perhaps they are just making way for...raspberry scent. Seriously, go look.

Target didn't have as much as I thought it would but I picked up a Sally Hansen Sugar Shimmer in Berried Under. My mom picked up Cinny Sweet. Mom loves deep berry or wine colors. It's almost the only thing in her collection.

The other polishes I picked up were from Victoria's Secret. They are discontinuing their makeup line so everything was half price. I've never tried their nail polish but I've been on a pink kick so I thought I'd try String Bikini (bubble gum pink) and Peep Show (pearlescent pink). I also picked up a metalized eye shadow in Gold Card, a lip gloss in Devotion and a lipstick in True. I do plan to visit another Victoria's Secret and see if I can find anything else...

...because obviously this haul wasn't big enough! I need more!

No worries. I'll most definitely find more.